LETTER LXII.
London, March 21, 1712-13.
I GAVE your letter in this night. I dined with lord treasurer to day, and find he has been at a meeting at lord Halifax's house with four principal whigs; but he is resolved to begin a speech against them when the parliament sits; and I have begged that the ministry may have a meeting on purpose to settle that matter, and let us be the attackers; and I believe it will come to something, for the whigs intend to attack the ministers: and if, instead of that, the ministers attack the whigs, it will be better: and farther, I believe we shall attack them on those very points they intend to attack us. The parliament will be again prorogued for a fortnight, because of Passion week. I forgot to tell you, that Mr. Griffin has given Ppt's brother a new employment, about ten pounds a year better than his former; but more remote and consequently cheaper. I wish I could have done better, and hope that you will take what can be done in good part, and that Ppt's brother will not dislike it. Night, dearest MD.
22. I dined to day with lord steward[1]. There Frank Annesley (a parliament-man) told me he had heard, that I had wrote to my friends in Ireland to keep firm to the whig interest; for that lord treasurer would certainly declare for it after the peace. Annesley said twenty people had told him this. You
must
