bury's ; Nicholinia sung. Prince ICugcne's levee is mightily croudcd, for a world of people of fashion goes there with [out] ever being presented to him, for we are very curious of seeing what has been so much talk't of; I dcfcr'd my curi- osity till yesterday. It has been industriously spread about the town, the congress had been put off for a further time, but I am glad to find by your letter to day, tho' some of our Politians here will pretent 'tis not sufficient, for to afford
her M matter enough to let her P sett a Munday, but
there must still be another adjournment. This week I was up in the city, there I heard it reported that the Dutch was fiting out a great fleet, and when you ask't them what they
meant by't, they told you they never ask't the Q what
she meant when she was fiting out a great fleet for the expe- dition to Canada. They has reported there likewise that you have been damn'd uneasie to have one sent that must take place of [you]. I told them I had the honour to be acquainted with my Lord Strafford and that he and all his friends were very well satisfied with it, for if you had been a Duke by his office of Privy Seal he must have his place, and nobody cou'd be better together then you two were, which I am glad to find confirm'd by your letter I received to-day
London, /rt««ary 12, 17 12. Dear Brother,
The Whigs are pleased to give out that there was but very odd figures at Court of the Birthday, and that there was no Women fitt to look at but my Lady Strafford, Lady Lansdown, and Lady North. They gave out before that there wou'd be very little company, and 'twas said the Queen wou'd not come out; but there was as much fine cloaths as ever, and I thank God the Queen appcar'd both morning and afternoon as usual, and the next day had got no cold but was rather better then before, and a friday I was out with her to
take the air in Hide Park. On her Birth day she gave P
E a sword sett with diamonds, the Queen being to be car- ried in her chair from her dressing room to the great Drawing
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