t an oath, which makes him extremely
short in his phrases; for, as I observed before, a common swearer has a
brain without any idea on the swearing side; therefore my ward has yet
mighty little to say, and is forced to substitute some other vehicle of
nonsense to supply the defect of his usual expletives. When I left him,
he made use of, 'Oddsbodikins!' 'Oh me!' and, 'Never stir alive!' and so
forth; which gave me hopes of his recovery. So I went to the next I told
you of, the gamester. When we first take our place about a man, the
receptacles of the pericranium are immediately searched. In his, I found
no one ordinary trace of thinking; but strong passion, violent desires,
and a continued series of different changes, had torn it to pieces.
There appeared no middle condition; the triumph of a prince, or the
misery of a beggar, were his alternate states. I was with him no longer
than one day, which was yesterday. In the morning at twelve, we were
worth four thousand pounds; at three, we were arrived at six thousand;
half an hour after, we were reduced to one thousand; at four of the
clock, we were down to two hundred; at five, to fifty; at six, to five;
at seven, to one guinea; the next bet, to nothing: this morning, he
borrowed half a crown of the maid who cleans his shoes; and is now
gaming in Lincoln's Inn Fields among the boys for farthings and oranges,
till he has made up three pieces, and then he returns to White's into
the best company in town." This ended our first discourse; and it is
hoped, you will forgive me, that I have picked so little out of my
companion at our first interview. In the next, it is possible he may
tell me more pleasing incidents; for though he is a familiar, he is not
an evil spirit.

St. James's Coffee-house, May 9.

We hear from the Hague of the 14th instant, N.S., that Monsieur de Torcy
hath had frequent conferences with the Grand Pensioner, and the other
Ministers who were heretofore commissioned to treat with Monsieur
Rouille. The preliminaries of a peace are almost settled, and the
proceedings wait only for the arrival of the Duke of Marlborough; after
whose approbation of the articles proposed, it is not doubted but the
methods of the treaty will be publicly known. In the meantime, the
States have declared an abhorrence of making any step in this great
affair, but in concert with the Court of Great Britain, and other
princes of the Alliance. The posture of affairs in France does
n