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The Journal to Stella

J >> Jonathan Swift >> The Journal to Stella




Of Stella herself we naturally have no direct account in the Journal, but we
hear a good deal of her life in Ireland, and can picture what she was. Among
her friends in and about Trim and Laracor were Dr. Raymond, the vicar of Trim,
and his wife, the Garret Wesleys, the Percevals, and Mr. Warburton, Swift's
curate. At Dublin there were Archdeacon Walls and his family; Alderman
Stoyte, his wife and sister-in-law; Dean Sterne and the Irish Postmaster-
General, Isaac Manley. For years these friends formed a club which met in
Dublin at each other's houses, to sup and play cards ("ombre and claret, and
toasted oranges"), and we have frequent allusions to Stella's indifferent
play, and the money which she lost, much to Mrs. Dingley's chagrin: "Poor
Dingley fretted to see Stella lose that four and elevenpence t'other night."
Mrs. Dingley herself could hardly play well enough to hold the cards while
Stella went into the next room. If at dinner the mutton was underdone, and
"poor Stella cannot eat, poor dear rogue," then "Dingley is so vexed." Swift
was for ever urging Stella to walk and ride; she was "naturally a stout
walker," and "Dingley would do well enough if her petticoats were pinned up."
And we see Stella setting out on and returning from her ride, with her riband
and mask: "Ah, that riding to Laracor gives me short sighs as well as you,"
he says; "all the days I have passed here have been dirt to those."

If the Journal shows us some of Swift's less attractive qualities, it shows
still more how great a store of humour, tenderness, and affection there was in
him. In these letters we see his very soul; in his literary work we are
seldom moved to anything but admiration of his wit and genius. Such daily
outpourings could never have been written for publication, they were meant
only for one who understood him perfectly; and everything that we know of
Stella--her kindliness, her wit, her vivacity, her loyalty--shows that she was
worthy of the confidence.

----------



JOURNAL TO STELLA


LETTER 1.[1]

CHESTER, Sept. 2, 1710.

Joe[2] will give you an account of me till I got into the boat; after which
the rogues made a new bargain, and forced me to give them two crowns, and
talked as if we should not be able to overtake any ship: but in half an hour
we got to the yacht; for the ships lay by [to] wait for my Lord Lieutenant's
steward. We made our voyage in fifteen hours just. Last night I came to this
town, and shall leave it, I believe, on Monday. The first man I met in
Chester was Dr. Raymond.[3] He and Mrs. Raymond were here about levying a
fine, in order to have power to sell their estate. They have found everything
answer very well. They both desire to present their humble services to you:
they do not think of Ireland till next year. I got a fall off my horse,
riding here from Parkgate,[4] but no hurt; the horse understanding falls very
well, and lying quietly till I get up. My duty to the Bishop of Clogher.[5]
I saw him returning from Dunleary; but he saw not me. I take it ill he was
not at Convocation, and that I have not his name to my powers.[6] I beg you
will hold your resolution of going to Trim, and riding there as much as you
can. Let the Bishop of Clogher remind the Bishop of Killala[7] to send me a
letter, with one enclosed to the Bishop of Lichfield.[8] Let all who write to
me, enclose to Richard Steele, Esq., at his office at the Cockpit, near
Whitehall.[9] But not MD; I will pay for their letters at St. James's Coffee-
house,[10] that I may have them the sooner. My Lord Mountjoy[11] is now in
the humour that we should begin our journey this afternoon; so that I have
stole here again to finish this letter, which must be short or long
accordingly. I write this post to Mrs. Wesley,[12] and will tell her, that I
have taken care she may have her bill of one hundred and fifteen pounds
whenever she pleases to send for it; and in that case I desire you will send
it her enclosed and sealed, and have it ready so, in case she should send for
it: otherwise keep it. I will say no more till I hear whether I go to-day or
no: if I do, the letter is almost at an end. My cozen Abigail is grown
prodigiously old. God Almighty bless poo dee richar MD; and, for God's sake,
be merry, and get oo health. I am perfectly resolved to return as soon as I
have done my commission, whether it succeeds or no. I never went to England
with so little desire in my life. If Mrs. Curry[13] makes any difficulty
about the lodgings, I will quit them and pay her from July 9 last, and Mrs.
Brent[14] must write to Parvisol[15] with orders accordingly. The post is
come from London, and just going out; so I have only time to pray God to bless
poor richr MD FW FW MD MD ME ME ME.



LETTER 2.

LONDON, Sept. 9, 1710.

Got here last Thursday,[1] after five days' travelling, weary the first,
almost dead the second, tolerable the third, and well enough the rest; and am
now glad of the fatigue, which has served for exercise; and I am at present
well enough. The Whigs were ravished to see me, and would lay hold on me as a
twig while they are drowning,[2] and the great men making me their clumsy
apologies, etc. But my Lord Treasurer[3] received me with a great deal of
coldness, which has enraged me so, I am almost vowing revenge. I have not yet
gone half my circle; but I find all my acquaintance just as I left them. I
hear my Lady Giffard[4] is much at Court, and Lady Wharton[5] was ridiculing
it t'other day; so I have lost a friend there. I have not yet seen her, nor
intend it; but I will contrive to see Stella's mother[6] some other way. I
writ to the Bishop of Clogher from Chester; and I now write to the Archbishop
of Dublin.[7] Everything is turning upside down; every Whig in great office
will, to a man, be infallibly put out; and we shall have such a winter as hath
not been seen in England. Everybody asks me, how I came to be so long in
Ireland, as naturally as if here were my being; but no soul offers to make it
so: and I protest I shall return to Dublin, and the Canal at Laracor,[8] with
more satisfaction than ever I did in my life. The Tatler[9] expects every day
to be turned out of his employment; and the Duke of Ormond,[10] they say, will
be Lieutenant of Ireland. I hope you are now peaceably in Presto's[11]
lodgings; but I resolve to turn you out by Christmas; in which time I shall
either do my business, or find it not to be done. Pray be at Trim by the time
this letter comes to you; and ride little Johnson, who must needs be now in
good case. I have begun this letter unusually, on the post-night, and have
already written to the Archbishop; and cannot lengthen this. Henceforth I
will write something every day to MD, and make it a sort of journal; and when
it is full, I will send it, whether MD writes or no; and so that will be
pretty: and I shall always be in conversation with MD, and MD with Presto.
Pray make Parvisol pay you the ten pounds immediately; so I ordered him. They
tell me I am grown fatter, and look better; and, on Monday, Jervas[12] is to
retouch my picture. I thought I saw Jack Temple[13] and his wife pass by me
to-day in their coach; but I took no notice of them. I am glad I have wholly
shaken off that family. Tell the Provost,[14] I have obeyed his commands to
the Duke of Ormond; or let it alone, if you please. I saw Jemmy Leigh[15]
just now at the Coffee-house, who asked after you with great kindness: he
talks of going in a fortnight to Ireland. My service to the Dean,[16] and
Mrs. Walls, and her Archdeacon.[17] Will Frankland's[18] wife is near
bringing to-bed, and I have promised to christen the child. I fancy you had
my Chester letter the Tuesday after I writ. I presented Dr. Raymond to Lord
Wharton[19] at Chester. Pray let me know when Joe gets his money.[20] It is
near ten, and I hate to send by the bellman.[21] MD shall have a longer
letter in a week, but I send this only to tell I am safe in London; and so
farewell, etc.



LETTER 3.

LONDON, Sept. 9, 1710.

After seeing the Duke of Ormond, dining with Dr. Cockburn,[1] passing some
part of the afternoon with Sir Matthew Dudley[2] and Will Frankland, the rest
at St. James's Coffee-house, I came home, and writ to the Archbishop of
Dublin and MD, and am going to bed. I forgot to tell you, that I begged Will
Frankland to stand Manley's[3] friend with his father in this shaking season
for places. He told me, his father was in danger to be out; that several were
now soliciting for Manley's place; that he was accused of opening letters;
that Sir Thomas Frankland[4] would sacrifice everything to save himself; and
in that, I fear, Manley is undone, etc.

l0. To-day I dined with Lord Mountjoy at Kensington; saw my mistress, Ophy
Butler's[5] wife, who is grown a little charmless. I sat till ten in the
evening with Addison and Steele: Steele will certainly lose his Gazetteer's
place, all the world detesting his engaging in parties.[6] At ten I went to
the Coffee-house, hoping to find Lord Radnor,[7] whom I had not seen. He was
there; and for an hour and a half we talked treason heartily against the
Whigs, their baseness and ingratitude. And I am come home, rolling
resentments in my mind, and framing schemes of revenge: full of which (having
written down some hints) I go to bed. I am afraid MD dined at home, because
it is Sunday; and there was the little half-pint of wine: for God's sake, be
good girls, and all will be well. Ben Tooke[8] was with me this morning.

11. Seven, morning. I am rising to go to Jervas to finish my picture, and
'tis shaving-day, so good-morrow MD; but don't keep me now, for I can't stay;
and pray dine with the Dean, but don't lose your money. I long to hear from
you, etc.--Ten at night. I sat four hours this morning to Jervas, who has
given my picture quite another turn, and now approves it entirely; but we must
have the approbation of the town. If I were rich enough, I would get a copy
of it, and bring it over. Mr. Addison and I dined together at his lodgings,
and I sat with him part of this evening; and I am now come home to write an
hour. Patrick[9] observes, that the rabble here are much more inquisitive in
politics than in Ireland. Every day we expect changes, and the Parliament to
be dissolved. Lord Wharton expects every day to be out: he is working like a
horse for elections; and, in short, I never saw so great a ferment among all
sorts of people. I had a miserable letter from Joe last Saturday, telling me
Mr. Pratt[10] refuses payment of his money. I have told it Mr. Addison, and
will to Lord Wharton; but I fear with no success. However, I will do all I
can.

12. To-day I presented Mr. Ford[11] to the Duke of Ormond; and paid my first
visit to Lord President,[12] with whom I had much discourse; but put him
always off when he began to talk of Lord Wharton in relation to me, till he
urged it: then I said, he knew I never expected anything from Lord Wharton,
and that Lord Wharton knew that I understood it so. He said that he had
written twice to Lord Wharton about me, who both times said nothing at all to
that part of his letter. I am advised not to meddle in the affair of the
First-Fruits, till this hurry is a little over, which still depends, and we
are all in the dark. Lord President told me he expects every day to be out,
and has done so these two months. I protest, upon my life, I am heartily
weary of this town, and wish I had never stirred.

13. I went this morning to the city, to see Mr. Stratford the Hamburg
merchant, my old schoolfellow;[13] but calling at Bull's[14] on Ludgate Hill,
he forced me to his house at Hampstead to dinner among a great deal of ill
company; among the rest Mr. Hoadley,[15] the Whig clergyman, so famous for
acting the contrary part to Sacheverell:[16] but tomorrow I design again to
see Stratford. I was glad, however, to be at Hampstead, where I saw Lady
Lucy[17] and Moll Stanhope. I hear very unfortunate news of Mrs. Long;[18]
she and her comrade[19] have broke up house, and she is broke for good and
all, and is gone to the country: I should be extremely sorry if this be true.

14. To-day, I saw Patty Rolt,[20] who heard I was in town; and I dined with
Stratford at a merchant's in the city, where I drank the first Tokay wine I
ever saw; and it is admirable, yet not to the degree I expected. Stratford is
worth a plum,[21] and is now lending the Government forty thousand pounds; yet
we were educated together at the same school and university.[22] We hear the
Chancellor[23] is to be suddenly out, and Sir Simon Harcourt[24] to succeed
him: I am come early home, not caring for the Coffee-house.

15. To-day Mr. Addison, Colonel Freind,[25] and I, went to see the million
lottery[26] drawn at Guildhall. The jackanapes of bluecoat boys gave
themselves such airs in pulling out the tickets, and showed white hands open
to the company, to let us see there was no cheat. We dined at a country-house
near Chelsea, where Mr. Addison often retires; and to-night, at the Coffee-
house, we hear Sir Simon Harcourt is made Lord Keeper; so that now we expect
every moment the Parliament will be dissolved; but I forgot that this letter
will not go in three or four days, and that my news will be stale, which I
should therefore put in the last paragraph. Shall I send this letter before I
hear from MD, or shall I keep it to lengthen? I have not yet seen Stella's
mother, because I will not see Lady Giffard; but I will contrive to go there
when Lady Giffard is abroad. I forgot to mark my two former letters; but I
remember this is Number 3, and I have not yet had Number 1 from MD; but I
shall by Monday, which I reckon will be just a fortnight after you had my
first. I am resolved to bring over a great deal of china. I loved it
mightily to-day.[27] What shall I bring?

16. Morning. Sir John Holland,[28] Comptroller of the Household, has sent to
desire my acquaintance: I have a mind to refuse him, because he is a Whig,
and will, I suppose, be out among the rest; but he is a man of worth and
learning. Tell me, do you like this journal way of writing? Is it not
tedious and dull?

Night. I dined to-day with a cousin, a printer,[29] where Patty Rolt lodges,
and then came home, after a visit or two; and it has been a very insipid day.
Mrs. Long's misfortune is confirmed to me; bailiffs were in her house; she
retired to private lodgings; thence to the country, nobody knows where: her
friends leave letters at some inn, and they are carried to her; and she writes
answers without dating them from any place. I swear, it grieves me to the
soul.

17. To-day I dined six miles out of town, with Will Pate,[30] the learned
woollen-draper; Mr. Stratford went with me; six miles here is nothing: we
left Pate after sunset, and were here before it was dark. This letter shall
go on Tuesday, whether I hear from MD or no. My health continues pretty well;
pray God Stella may give me a good account of hers! and I hope you are now at
Trim, or soon designing it. I was disappointed to-night: the fellow gave me
a letter, and I hoped to see little MD's hand; and it was only to invite me to
a venison pasty to-day: so I lost my pasty into the bargain. Pox on these
declining courtiers! Here is Mr. Brydges,[31] the Paymaster-General, desiring
my acquaintance; but I hear the Queen sent Lord Shrewsbury[32] to assure him
he may keep his place; and he promises me great assistance in the affair of
the First-Fruits. Well, I must turn over this leaf to-night, though the side
would hold another line; but pray consider this is a whole sheet; it holds a
plaguy deal, and you must be content to be weary; but I'll do so no more. Sir
Simon Harcourt is made Attorney-General, and not Lord Keeper.

18. To-day I dined with Mr. Stratford at Mr. Addison's retirement near
Chelsea; then came to town; got home early, and began a letter to the
Tatler,[33] about the corruptions of style and writing, etc., and, having not
heard from you, am resolved this letter shall go to-night. Lord Wharton was
sent for to town in mighty haste, by the Duke of Devonshire:[34] they have
some project in hand; but it will not do, for every hour we expect a thorough
revolution, and that the Parliament will be dissolved. When you see Joe, tell
him Lord Wharton is too busy to mind any of his affairs; but I will get what
good offices I can from Mr. Addison, and will write to-day to Mr. Pratt; and
bid Joe not to be discouraged, for I am confident he will get the money under
any Government; but he must have patience.

19. I have been scribbling this morning, and I believe shall hardly fill this
side to-day, but send it as it is; and it is good enough for naughty girls
that won't write to a body, and to a good boy like Presto. I thought to have
sent this to-night, but was kept by company, and could not; and, to say the
truth, I had a little mind to expect one post more for a letter from MD.
Yesterday at noon died the Earl of Anglesea,[35] the great support of the
Tories; so that employment of Vice-Treasurer of Ireland is again vacant. We
were to have been great friends, and I could hardly have a loss that could
grieve me more. The Bishop of Durham[36] died the same day. The Duke of
Ormond's daughter[37] was to visit me to-day at a third place by way of
advance,[38] and I am to return it to-morrow. I have had a letter from Lady
Berkeley, begging me for charity to come to Berkeley Castle, for company to my
lord,[39] who has been ill of a dropsy; but I cannot go, and must send my
excuse to-morrow. I am told that in a few hours there will be more removals.

20. To-day I returned my visits to the Duke's daughters;[40] the insolent
drabs came up to my very mouth to salute me. Then I heard the report
confirmed of removals; my Lord President Somers; the Duke of Devonshire, Lord
Steward; and Mr. Boyle,[41] Secretary of State, are all turned out to-day. I
never remember such bold steps taken by a Court: I am almost shocked at it,
though I did not care if they were all hanged. We are astonished why the
Parliament is not yet dissolved, and why they keep a matter of that importance
to the last. We shall have a strange winter here, between the struggles of a
cunning provoked discarded party, and the triumphs of one in power; of both
which I shall be an indifferent spectator, and return very peaceably to
Ireland, when I have done my part in the affair I am entrusted with, whether
it succeeds or no. To-morrow I change my lodgings in Pall Mall for one in
Bury Street,[42] where I suppose I shall continue while I stay in London. If
anything happens tomorrow, I will add it.--Robin's Coffee-house.[43] We have
great news just now from Spain; Madrid taken, and Pampeluna. I am here ever
interrupted.

21. I have just received your letter, which I will not answer now; God be
thanked all things are so well. I find you have not yet had my second: I had
a letter from Parvisol, who tells me he gave Mrs. Walls a bill of twenty
pounds for me, to be given to you; but you have not sent it. This night the
Parliament is dissolved: great news from Spain; King Charles and Stanhope are
at Madrid, and Count Staremberg has taken Pampeluna. Farewell. This is from
St. James's Coffee-house. I will begin my answer to your letter to-night, but
not send it this week. Pray tell me whether you like this journal way of
writing.--I don't like your reasons for not going to Trim. Parvisol tells me
he can sell your horse. Sell it, with a pox? Pray let him know that he shall
sell his soul as soon. What? sell anything that Stella loves, and may
sometimes ride? It is hers, and let her do as she pleases: pray let him know
this by the first that you know goes to Trim. Let him sell my grey, and be
hanged.



LETTER 4.

LONDON, Sept. 21, 1710.

Here must I begin another letter, on a whole sheet, for fear saucy little MD
should be angry, and think MUCH that the paper is too LITTLE. I had your
letter this night, as told you just and no more in my last; for this must be
taken up in answering yours, saucebox. I believe I told you where I dined to-
day; and to-morrow I go out of town for two days to dine with the same company
on Sunday; Molesworth[1] the Florence Envoy, Stratford, and some others. I
heard to-day that a gentlewoman from Lady Giffard's house had been at the
Coffee-house to inquire for me. It was Stella's mother, I suppose. I shall
send her a penny-post letter[2] to-morrow, and contrive to see her without
hazarding seeing Lady Giffard, which I will not do until she begs my pardon.

22. I dined to-day at Hampstead with Lady Lucy, etc., and when I got home
found a letter from Joe, with one enclosed to Lord Wharton, which I will send
to his Excellency, and second it as well as I can; but to talk of getting the
Queen's order is a jest. Things are in such a combustion here, that I am
advised not to meddle yet in the affair I am upon, which concerns the clergy
of a whole kingdom; and does he think anybody will trouble the Queen about
Joe? We shall, I hope, get a recommendation from the Lord Lieutenant to the
trustees for the linen business, and I hope that will do; and so I will write
to him in a few days, and he must have patience. This is an answer to part of
your letter as well as his. I lied; it is to-morrow I go to the country, and
I won't answer a bit more of your letter yet.

23. Here is such a stir and bustle with this little MD of ours; I must be
writing every night; I can't go to bed without a word to them; I can't put out
my candle till I have bid them good-night: O Lord, O Lord! Well, I dined the
first time to-day, with Will Frankland and his fortune: she is not very
handsome. Did I not say I would go out of town to-day? I hate lying abroad
and clutter; I go tomorrow in Frankland's chariot, and come back at night.
Lady Berkeley has invited me to Berkeley Castle, and Lady Betty Germaine[3] to
Drayton in Northamptonshire; and I'll go to neither. Let me alone, I must
finish my pamphlet. I have sent a long letter to Bickerstaff:[4] let the
Bishop of Clogher smoke[5] it if he can. Well, I'll write to the Bishop of
Killala; but you might have told him how sudden and unexpected my journey was
though. Deuce take Lady S---; and if I know D---y, he is a rawboned-faced
fellow, not handsome, nor visibly so young as you say: she sacrifices two
thousand pounds a year, and keeps only six hundred. Well, you have had all my
land journey in my second letter, and so much for that. So, you have got into
Presto's lodgings; very fine, truly! We have had a fortnight of the most
glorious weather on earth, and still continues: I hope you have made the best
of it. Ballygall[6] will be a pure[7] good place for air, if Mrs. Ashe makes
good her promise. Stella writes like an emperor: I am afraid it hurts your
eyes; take care of that pray, pray, Mrs. Stella. Can't you do what you will
with your own horse? Pray don't let that puppy Parvisol sell him. Patrick is
drunk about three times a week, and I bear it, and he has got the better of
me; but one of these days I will positively turn him off to the wide world,
when none of you are by to intercede for him.--Stuff--how can I get her
husband into the Charter-house? get a ---- into the Charter-house.--Write
constantly! Why, sirrah, don't I write every day, and sometimes twice a day
to MD? Now I have answered all your letter, and the rest must be as it can
be: send me my bill. Tell Mrs. Brent what I say of the Charter-house. I
think this enough for one night; and so farewell till this time to-morrow.

24. To-day I dined six miles out of town at Will Pate's, with Stratford,
Frankland, and the Molesworths,[8] and came home at night, and was weary and
lazy. I can say no more now, but good-night.

25. I was so lazy to-day that I dined at next door,[9] and have sat at home
since six, writing to the Bishop of Clogher, Dean Sterne, and Mr. Manley: the
last, because I am in fear for him about his place, and have sent him my
opinion, what I and his other friends here think he ought to do. I hope he
will take it well. My advice was, to keep as much in favour as possible with
Sir Thomas Frankland, his master here.

26. Smoke how I widen the margin by lying in bed when I write. My bed lies
on the wrong side for me, so that I am forced often to write when I am up.
Manley, you must know, has had people putting in for his place already; and
has been complained of for opening letters. Remember that last Sunday,
September 24, 1710, was as hot as midsummer. This was written in the morning;
it is now night, and Presto in bed. Here's a clutter, I have gotten MD's
second letter, and I must answer it here. I gave the bill to Tooke, and so--
Well, I dined to-day with Sir John Holland the Comptroller, and sat with him
till eight; then came home, and sent my letters, and writ part of a
lampoon,[10] which goes on very slow: and now I am writing to saucy MD; no
wonder, indeed, good boys must write to naughty girls. I have not seen your
mother yet; my penny-post letter, I suppose, miscarried: I will write
another. Mr. S---- came to see me; and said M---- was going to the country
next morning with her husband (who I find is a surly brute); so I could only
desire my service to her.

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