BC_1750_EMONTAGU_SS_1
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<Q A 1750? FN SS EMONTAGU> <X ELIZABETH MONTAGU> [}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO SARAH ROBINSON. 1749/50 JANUARY 3. MO 5716}] <P1> Wednesday y=e= 3=d= of Jan [\ADDED 1750 Sandleford\] Dear Sister I am afraid you have thought me a very negligent Correspondent, but really the hurry of London is intolerable when one goes for a short time, & since I came down I have been a great deal engaged. Lady Sandwich was so good as to spend a week with us, & as the weather was fine for this time of year, we went out in the Post Chaise all the morning; then dinner, tea, & supper pretty well filld the rest of the time. On Monday night the next morning she went to Town & I return'd hither where I found my Brothers, who give me a very agreable account of your health, & I hope you will go on thriving till you are as robust as possible, for even in this age of delicacy one does not wish for delicacy of Constitution, & yet I fear in our Sex it is too apt to attend that of the mind. Providence did not seem to design Women for thinking beings, & those amongst them who are [\so/] usually pay a severe fine for it: that sort who Shakespear says, are fit to suckle fools, & chronicle Small beer, have the best health. I saw our friend Cotes the day before I left Town, she is very well & in good spirits & seems determined to keep her freedom & enter no more into Wedlocks bonds, but I cannot admire her way of living: she has only a Small lodging, & I think with her œconomy she might afford herself a House of her own, which w=d= be more comfortable than the Society of a Landlady & she might furnish it in the present fashion of some cheap paper, & ornaments of Chelsea China or the Manufacture of Bow, which makes [\WORD INTO a\] Room look neat & finish'd, tho they are not so sumptuous <P2> As mighty Pagods of China, or Nodding Mandarines. My dressing Room in London is like the Temple of some Indian God, if I was Remarkably short, & had a Great head, I should be afraid People w=d= think I [\meant\] my self Divine: Honors, but I can so little pretend to the embonpoint of a josse it is impossible to suspect me of such presumption. The very Curtains are chinese Pictures on Gause, & the chairs like indian [\far shêks?\] with Cushions of Japan Sattin painted. as to the beauty of Coloring it is carried as high as possible, but the Toillette you was so good as to paint is the only thing where Nature triumphs, I shall be very glad whenever you are disposed to visit this Gaudy Temple, & you will see with some Conscious pride how light & Shade mix well in painting, & how it exceeds those performances where blue red & green, make all the merit. Lady Sandwich brought her Sons here, they are charming boys, Lord Hinchingbroke is much improved since you saw him, Master Montagu is a compleat beauty. We propose to stay here till the 13=th= & hope to keep the Captain with us. D=r= Anstey was in a great hurry to have his Daughter back, but I w=d= not part with her till I came down, she went the day before me. [\tho? DELETED\] I had written most suppliant letters to the D=r=, but what Interest can any Woman hope for in a Man whom time has hardend for fourscore years [\past?\]? she had a bad journey down, & has got a great cold. Charles left us two days before Miss Anstey, & went to his Studies at Cambridge. [\M=rs=\] Southwell has miscarried but is as well as could be hoped upon such an occasion. <P3> My Brothers tell me M=rs= Friend is very ill, but I hope not more than usuall in her lying in, when I think she [\always/] suffers a great deal. M=r= Morgan is at last deprived of the Curacy of Newtown. which is a great grief to him. [\Nanny\] performs extreamly well at the Embroidery, & I hope the habit of application will make her usefull to herself & other people, I was afraid she w=d= never have been either of those things her Father & Mother are much afraid she should be buried in Westminster Abbey near the Lady that dyed by [\a INTO the\] prick of her finger in working, but I will lay some wager on her head she will not be kill'd by diligence. As to Jacky Morgan he has an admirable Education for a jockey, he lives on horseback but can neither read nor write. I hear Betty Pitts Girl is very notable, which I am glad of. My little Susan is an excellent work woman, & seems to have great talents for a House maid when she [\can/] get any one to employ her in that manner, I have not yet learnd her to write but next Summer I propose she should begin. My Brothers & M=r= Montagu desire their love to you, & Comp=ts= to Lady Bab to whom I beg mine. M=rs= Soted desires her respects. Pray if you converse with M=r= & M=rs= Ellis make my comp=ts= to them. According to the old Custom I will wish you a happy new year let day improve on day, & year on year, without a pain a Sorrow or a Fear is the sincere wish of my Dear Sallys most affectionate sister & faithfull friend EMontagu