BC_1747_EMONTAGU_MB_3
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<Q A 1747? TC MB EMONTAGU> <X ELIZABETH MONTAGU> [}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO MARGARET CAVEDISH HARLEY. 1747? SEPTEMBER 22. MO 424. SANDLEFORD}] <P1> Sandleford y=e= 22=d= of Sept=ber= [\IN PENCIL 1747\] Madam The pleasure your Graces letter gave me in confirming the good news of Lord Titchfields recovery was more than was consistent with that philosophy you ascribe to me, & which for the sake of a constitution not very strong, & a mind too easily wounded, I wish I was more possess'd of. I am very sorry Lord Edward has been ill, nor is this the first unphilosophical concern I have felt for that sweet Babe. I am glad the Worm wood draughts took away his fever, I believe they are excellent things, & among my Neighbours with whom I practise as a Physician I think I have done great cures with them. I found your Graces letter at my return from a tour we had made as far as Salisbury; we had the advantage of fine weather which contributed much to our pleasure: as I have not any thing better to say I think I may as well give an account of our Progress. we went from hence to Winchester where we saw the Cathedral, it is a very neat Gothick Building in so good <P2> Repair that time seems rather to have made it venerable than old; the choir is very handsome; there are many old Monuments several of the Saxon Kings have their bones collected into a sort of Trunk; so ancient has been the Custom even in a [\rude\] nation to endeavour to extend the name beyond the period of life & not to let the vanity of man expire with his Breath: William Rufus is interred there too in a kind of stone Chest; William of Wickham & Cardinal Beaufort bear their Ensigns of y=e= Prelatick order on their Tombs which are very handsome [\ones DELETED BY WHOM?\] : but let us leave the pride of the dead for the luxury of the living & go on to M=r= Dummers [\which was the next place we went to DELETED BY MM?\] . the Gardens are pretty, & there is a fine Lawn before the House from whence there is a Rich prospect & a distant sight of the River at Southampton. from M=r= Dummers we steerd our Course to Southampton where we arrived pretty late in the Evening. the next morning we surveyd the Town, which I think is very pretty but what most pleased me there <P3> Was the prospect from a little Round Tower from [\whence\] one has the finest View imaginable, the Sea & River almost incompass it, & on the opposite shore one has a Rich Land prospect: upon the whole I think it the gayest prospect I ever saw. from hence we went to Mount Bevis your Grace knew it so well I shall not describe it but then you are too well acquainted with its merit to think one can pass it over in Silence. What a Noble Bason does the River form at the End of the Bowling green! how fine a prospect from the Mount! L=d= Peterborough says in a letter to M=r= Pope in reference to Mount Bevis "I confess the lofty Sacharissa at Stowe but am content with my own little Amoret" his Lordship had great reason to be content, for tho Stowe like a Court Beauty is adorn'd with art & ornamented with much expence; the Native Graces of Mount Bevis surprize & charm the beholder & have an affect that art can never reach; I was greatly delighted with this <P4> Place but your Grace saw it to much agreater advantage when the agreable Mistress of it was there: whose return I much wish'd while I walk'd under her agreable shades the Housekeeper said she hoped her Ladyship would return this Autumn. We spent a good deal of time in these charming gardens, & went from them to Lindhurst one of the Kings House in the new forest which House the Duke of Bedford lends to M=r= Medows we staid some days with them & they carried us [\BLOT\] [\to\] see several places first the Lodges in the Forest another day, we dined at Hurst Castle which stands on a neck of Land that reaches within a mile of the Isle of Wight: of which one has a pretty prospect from the Castle & on the other hand the Isle of Purbeck not far from the Castle are the famous Rocks called the Needles: we dined in the Room where King Charles was for some time detaind a Prisoner in which situation I presume he had little enjoyment of the prospects but to those who make only a voluntary stay <P5> Are all extreamly pretty: but y=r= Grace is so well acquainted with them it is unnecessary to say any thing particular so pray let us go on to L=d= Hartfords at Marlbrô where I will not detain your imagination above a moment just to go to a prodigious Mount which they say was raised by some of the Saxons for a kind of Cittadel here Lady Hartford has made a Grotto which is neither so rude as one w=d= expect the works of nature nor so Elegant as one w=d= expect the works of art. I am now drawing towards home & will only take a trip to L=d= Bruces in my Way: the access to the House is very Grand, large Avenues or Cuts thro Woods with now & then the opening of a fine Lawn leads [\WORD INTO You?\] to the House, the outside of which promises little but as it often happens contains more than greater outward appearances there are a great number of good Rooms Elegantly Carved & Gilt several family pictures & handsome Chimney peices. the Gardens are too flat & do not command any prospect. <P6> And upon the whole I think the place like the late Master rather (\Superbe\) than agreable: I ask pardon for giving your Grace the fatigue of going so long a journey with me, but I thought (\en passant\) I might meet with something more entertaining for you than at home; the pleasures of tranquillity & content are not to be described; this fine Summer has given one great opportunity of enjoying the pleasures of the Country; I have not indeed had my health so well as some[\time,\] My Stomach has been much out of order, for which reason I have avoided writing as much as I could for the posture does not agree with me, I am now better & hope some of my disorder might be owing to the heat of the weather. My Sister is just gone from Tunbridge to make a short visit to M=rs= Best & then I expect to see her here; it was long before she found benefit by the waters but they began to do her service just as she left the place, which she would not have quitted so soon but out of a desire to be here at Michaelmass as she promised; but I am sorry she paid so much regard to it upon this occasion for her health <P7> Wants great amendment [\CUT\] [\CUT\] he calld here in his way [\thither/] & I think he did not look much the worse for the fatigue. D=r= Courayer & M=r= Montagu desire their best respects. I hope my Lord Duke & M=r= Achard will accept of mine I am Madam Your Graces most Obed=t= & Faithfull Humble Servant E Montagu Y=r= Grace will see I made a strange mistake in writing on two sheets of paper & I have not time to write a letter in [\properer form\]