11.  I dined at Lord Treasurer’s, with his Saturday company.  We had ten at table, all lords but myself and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.  Argyle went off at six, and was in very indifferent humour as usual.  Duke of Ormond and Lord Bolingbroke were absent.  I stayed till near ten.  Lord Treasurer showed us a small picture, enamelled work, and set in gold, worth about twenty pounds; a picture, I mean, of the Queen, which she gave to the Duchess of Marlborough, set in diamonds.  When the Duchess was leaving England, she took off all the diamonds, and gave the picture to one Mrs. Higgins (an old intriguing woman, whom everybody knows), bidding her make the best of it she could.  Lord Treasurer sent to Mrs. Higgins for this picture, and gave her a hundred pounds for it.  Was ever such an ungrateful beast as that Duchess? or did you ever hear such a story?  I suppose the Whigs will not believe it.  Pray, try them.  Takes off the diamonds, and gives away the picture to an insignificant woman, as a thing of no consequence:  and gives it to her to sell, like a piece of old-fashioned plate.  Is she not a detestable slut?  Nite deelest MD.

12.  I went to Court to-day, on purpose to present Mr. Berkeley,[12] one of your Fellows of Dublin College, to Lord Berkeley of Stratton.  That Mr. Berkeley is a very ingenious man, and great philosopher, and I have mentioned him to all the Ministers, and given them some of his writings; and I will favour him as much as I can.  This I think I am bound to, in honour and conscience, to use all my little credit toward helping forward men of worth in the world.  The Queen was at chapel to-day, and looks well.  I dined at Lord Orkney’s with the Duke of Ormond, Lord Arran, and Sir Thomas Hanmer.  Mr. St. John, Secretary at Utrecht, expects every moment to return there with the ratification of the peace.  Did I tell you in my last of Addison’s play called Cato, and that I was at the rehearsal of it?  Nite MD.

13.  This morning my friend, Mr. Lewis, came to me, and showed me an order for a warrant for the three vacant deaneries; but none of them to me.  This was what I always foresaw, and received the notice of it better, I believe, than he expected.  I bid Mr. Lewis tell Lord Treasurer that I took nothing ill of him but his not giving me timely notice, as he promised to do, if he found the Queen would do nothing for me.  At noon, Lord Treasurer hearing I was in Mr. Lewis’s office, came to me, and said many things too long to repeat.  I told him I had nothing to do but go to Ireland immediately; for I could not, with any reputation, stay longer here, unless I had something honourable immediately given to me.  We dined together at the Duke of Ormond’s.  He there told me he had stopped the warrants for the deans, that what was done for me might be at the same time, and he hoped to compass it to-night; but I believe him not.  I told the Duke of Ormond my intentions.  He is content Sterne