handle to the fame of my being a Tory; but you may, perhaps, by this time, have heard that I am turned Prefbyterian; for the fame day, in a meeting of a hundred parliament men, I laboured as much for the Proteftant Diffenters.-Now for the news. Mr. Walpole, Mr. Methuen, and Mr. Pulteney, have refigned their offices. Mr. Stanhope is to go into the Treasury. Mr. Addifon and Lord Sunderland are to be Secretaries of State. Lord Townshend is removed from Lord-lieutenant of Ireland; he is to be. fucceeded by the Duke of Bolton: and the Duke of Newcastle to be Lord-chamberlain. We have got no money. I recover very faft of my gouty lameness; and, now I am in a better way, I own to you I have had a fad time, scarce ever well of the gout fince we parted. The children and all your family are well. God bless you. RICH. STEELE. As foon as I have money, I will have Pall-Mall fearched for a house.

LETTER CCLXI. To Lady STEELE.

DEAR PRUE,

WĘ

St. James's, April 13, 1717.

E are here all well. They tell me I fhall be fomething in the new changes; but what I know not, nor do I care, as it may make

me with more comfort and pleasure your most obedient fervant, and loving husband,

RICH. STEELE,

I

LETTER CCLXII. To Lady STEELE.

DEAR PRUE,

April 16, 1717.

DINED this day with Mr. Secretary Addifon, who received the feals of office last night.

The employment of Commiffioner, by the act which conftitutes the commiffion, forbids my having any other office. But I am not out of humour, &c. I am your most affectionate, obedient husband, RICH. STEELE.

I

LETTER CCLXIII. To Lady STEELE.

DEAR PRUE,

[undated.] HAD a letter from Mr. Scurlock, coolly saying, you ordered him to let me know you were indifpofed, and could not write.

I expect more fondness, and that you fay, at leaft, fome kind thing to me under your own hand every post. The Lords of the Treasury, when they went out of their poft, ordered half. a-year's falary to our commiffion; and when that comes out of the managers hands, from

the

the estates forfeited, we shall be paid; and that, I believe, will be about a fortnight hence. In the mean time, I want it forely, to pay off many things, and keep fomething by me, if ever I can bring myself to that economy.

You have the kindest of husbands,

RICH. STEELE.

I am very lame, but in good health otherwise.

LETTER CCLXIV. To Lady STEELE.

DEAR PRUE,

You

April 19, 1717. YOUR family and children are in good health. We have half-a-year's falary ordered to our commiffion, which will be paid as foon as our country receivers can remit it out of Lancashire; which is all that at present occurs to, Madam, your moft obfequious, faithful husband, RICH. STEELE,

LETTER CCLXV. To Lady STEELE.

MY DEAR PRUE,

I

April 22, 1717

HAVE yours, which is full of good sense, and fhews in you a true greatnefs of mind. But at the fame time that, according to your advice, I fhun all engagements which may enfnare my integrity, I am to feek all occafions of profit that are confiftent with it. Little Molly,

who

who is in the house with me, is a conftant dun to get money; for it gives my imagination the feverest wound when I confider that the, or any of my dear innocents, with nothing but their mere innocence to plead for them, fhould be expofed to that world, which would not fo much as repair the loffes and fufferings of their poor father, after all his zeal and fupererogatory fervice. You fay well," it will be well for them to "have it to say their father kept his integrity; "but if they fay, at the fame inftant, he left us

competent estates, it will be so far from leff"ening, that it will advance his character." But I fhall not spend much time to convince you that it is a good thing to get money, but folemnly promife you I will no more omit any fair opportunity of doing it.

You writ to me fome time ago to order you a news-paper; I have done fo, and the letter from the Secretary's office alfo will come every poft to you.

The scene of bufinefs will be very warm at the next feffion; but my leffon is so fhort (that of following my confcience), that I fhall go through the ftorm without lofing a wink of fleep. I have told you, in a former letter, that ever fince you went I have been almoft as great a cripple as your dear mother was; and indeed I recover mighty flowly. I take your advice of temperance, and am, with my whole heart, yours for ever,

RICH. STEELE.

Mr. Gillmore's affair is quite finished with great fuccefs, infomuch that Sir Ifaac Newton is defirous the machine may ftand at his house, and be carried from thence to the parliament. Benfon, Gillmore, and I, meet to-morrow, to concert all matters relating to it against the House of Commons meet again, which is on the 6th of May.

I

LETTER CCLXVI. To Lady STEELE.

DEAR PRUE,

[undated.]. HAVE yours, with your advice against temptation, &c. All I can aver is, that I have learned a language, and written a book, to keep me out of vanities *. All shall be done as faft as I can. You have here inclosed what you directed I fhould fend for Morgan Davies,

Thus far I writ on Saturday laft; but went to Mrs. Clayton's, and, with fome people there, went to Court, and was detained fo as not to be able to get away to difpatch my letter to you, for which I beg your pardon. If I do not do my business just now, I must be contented to go. on in the beaten dull road, and aim no more at lively ftrokes.

Oh, Prue, you are very unkind in writing in * STEELE affigns this, among other reafons, for the publication of his little book, intituled, "The Chriftian Hero."

Afterwards Lady Sundon, bed-chamber woman and friend of Queen Caroline. In the Life of Bishop Hoadly, prefixed to his Works, are many letters from th worthy Prelate to Mrs. Clayton.

fo