BC_1759_EMONTAGU_EC_3

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<Q A 1759? TC EC EMONTAGU>
<X ELIZABETH MONTAGU>
 [}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO ELIZABETH CARTER. 1759 NOVEMBER? 24. HILL STREET, LONDON. MO 3031. EMENDATIONS BY MATTHEW MONTAGU?}]
<P1>
   I am much obliged to my Dear Miss Carter for her kind compliance with my request to let me hear from her. When requests are not founded in deserts, one fears for the success of them, & I was conscious I did not merit such an indulgence. I almost wish I could read with more confidence your modest renunciation of perfection. I wish I could be sure you stood in need of some indulgence sometimes. I could then enter into an alliance with you of the stricter kind; I was born faulty, feeble, apt to offend, & ready to forgive. I am indulgent, ready made to your hand; your conversation & even example will never make me [\perfect/] so Dear Madam if you have any [\fauts INTO faults BY MM?\], keep them for me; let them be part of our treaty, & preserve y=r= unallay_d perfections for these high Potentates (\dans la morale\) who have no weaknesses. Adamant is finer than diamond, but it is fit only to make palaces in the sky. We have no tools that will work upon it. If one could find absolute perfection in a human creature one could never shape it into a friend; our weaknesses are penetrable, wisedom unallay'd is of a great resistance, it must be incorporated with a softer metal before it will take an impression. Let [\SQUEEZED IN y=e=\] Virtuosi lock up in their cabinets the stubborn Oar, but give me the gold & the merit that is brought to the standard of use. I am a little fearfull that what you calls [\SIC\] faults in yourself I have call'd virtues when I have found them in my own mind; particularly when you accuse your self of a wild & untractable love of liberty, because you want a place where you can
<P2>
Enjoy some hours every day uninterrupted. This is my own turn, & I thought it an excellence, a perfection & almost a virtue, I have sometimes in an humble hour, or rather in a complaisant one, ask'd pardon for it of my friends, & own'd my nature had something [\TEAR\] [{favou?{] in it, which the usage of the world had not tamed [\UNCLEAR/], but seriously speaking how neccessary to health & virtue too, is repose & reflection? as much as I wish to see you I would not desire it on any terms that should lay you under such constraint as you would feel if you had not a home, [\CROSSED OUT BY MM? shall a free thinker & a witling have a House & she no House at all? indeed my Dear Madam I should be unhappy if I thought a mind like Miss Carters, which must reckon meditation & reflection among its duties, was continually whirled about in the vain (\tracasserie\) of [\y=e=/] idly busy world, but I am sure I could find you in this part of y=e= Town, in ye environs of Hillstreet, a neat lodging on reasonable terms, you w=d= want only a room to receive y=r= company, another to sleep in, & in ye upper regions one for y=r= maid; when you was well & it was convenient you might (I am a little modest just now) but what good things does poor modesty get in this World? so to be impudent I proceed you might dine with me. When you chose to dine at home which must often be more convenient to you, I send you a boild chicken in the heated element in which it was dress'd, or a Roast rabbit with a cover on ye dish & an envellope of Napkins on that & thus we get rid of ye trouble of a Cook & a kitchen, hiring a stranger for ye time or having the trouble of bringing one up.\]
<P3>
[\CROSSED OUT BY MM? I never use a Coach in ye afternoon, in the morning I could carry you wherever you please, in y=e= evening you carry y=e= Coach wherever you please. I am afraid you will be ready to answer pray M=rs= Montagu what right have you to expect I should oblige & please you two or three times a day? To which I honestly answer I have not, but is not friendship a Covenant? are you afraid of staking first Miss Carter? Is [\BLOT\] [{that{] the generous & good Miss Carter! In the intercourse one must oblige first, why should not you begin? I will try to convince you I am not ungratefull, if you are afraid to trust me I won't be angry but I shall be very sorry. I shall not allow you to use the vulgar phrase "trouble you for a Coach" take "such a favour" words which unkind reserve may use to [\a suspected or/] unmeaning offers. you & I will know very well where the obligation will lie, if you know in how superior a light I see you you will be assured that I should not have ask_d you to receive a
[\favour\] tho I ask you to do one.\]
   There is a letter from Rousseau to M=r= D'Alembert upon ye project of settling a Theatre at Geneva which treats of [\Drammatical m DELETED\] performances in general: [\which INTO it BY EM\] is ingeniously written & with great eloquence. The author wrote [\before/] to prove the savage state preferable to civil society. [\he INTO He\] is a stranger to y=e= sweet civilities of life; whatever is gentle he thinks weak; he seems to have principles of justice & integrity, so we must call him honest
<P4>
Bruin. I should have sent you that & D=r= Newtons dissertation & on the prophecies if I had not waited for the sending of Lelands life of Philip of Macedon. I design they sh=d= [\LATER INSERTION [\should/] \] all come down to you as soon as I can get ye latter: I do not know whether you have ye first vol: of D=r= Newton but at a venture w=d= [\LATER INSERTION [\would/] \] have sent [\it/] you, but c=d= [\LATER INSERTION [\could/] \] not get one, there is a new edition of it in ye press when finishd you shall have it as you have undoubtedly read it you will in ye mean time be able to follow ye thread through these later volumes. Lord Lyttelton's history is not yet ready to appear, ye work goes on slowly as y=e= writer is scrupulously exact in following truth. his delicacy in regard to characters, his candour in regard to opinions, his precision in facts, would entitle [\him/] to the best palm history can claim, if he [\had/] not added to these virtues of history, if I may call them so, the highest ornaments of style, & a most peculiar grace of order & method. You will find this most unlike to modern history, where the muses of Memory are made like old maids to scold & talk scandal & repeat y=e= lye of y=e= day. Lord Lyttelton often enquires after you & charged [\WORD INTO me\] to present his best comp=ts=; he was flatterd that you enquired after his Work. he is indeed writing for you & such as you, but most readers want to find history a smart libel on former times & Persons. I shall send you a treatise on the sublime
<P5>
and beautiful by M=r= Burke a friend of mine. I do not know that you will always subscribe to his system, but I think you will find him an elegant & ingenious writer. He is far from the pert pedantry & assuming ignorance of modern witlings; but in conversation & writing an ingenious & ingenuous man; modest & delicate, & on great & serious [\Subjects/] full of that respect & veneration which a good mind & a great one is sure to feel, while fools rush behind y=e= altar at which wise men kneel & pay mysterious reverence. As you have all the keys that unlock y=e= treasures of antiquity you will perhaps despise my tribute from the press, but D=r= Newtons is a subject will interest you & I believe it is well treated, at least I thought so in his [\first/] book. I have not read these. M=r= Burkes is a method of analysizing, so you may try his process on y=r= Grecian friends. Longinus has only told us what is sublime [\& DELETED\] [\not/] how it is so, I imagine he must be a charming writer in his native greek, tho by Boileaus translation I think [\what/] M=r= Pope says of him is both a panegyrick & a criticism; that He is himself the great sublime he draws, is a testimony of his being a fine writer, but the attention he has to being sublime, makes him not so good a teacher at least in Boileau it
<P6>
appeard so to me. How is [\it/] that Tully makes his stile fit equally to every subject? the precise moralist the discussing [\philosophy INTO philosopher/] & ye angry convert, & never more nicely adapted than when he shifts into y=e= lame & slipper'd pantaloon, & relaxing the nerves of stile speaks y=e= language of ye mitigated meliorated happiness of mild old age. I hope I have by this last panegyrick attoned a little for my pertness in regard to Longinus whom the french has made me consider as a (\Diseur de bons mots\) . Don't be angry! brave orts indeed as Fluellen says, but I think it the glory of y=e= ancients that they seemd to write to the purpose & not to applause. I have had the pleasure of seeing Miss Talbot twice, I wish I could give a perfect good account of her health but it is too delicate: and I expect her great tenderness to her friends makes her hide little disorders which she should attend to. She is certainly much better & I hope the spring will entirely restore her health. You kindly enquire  after mine, which is better worth y=r= notice than it usually is, thank God I have been [\extreamly INTO extremely BY MM?\] well of late, except a transient cold & rheumatism. My voice is still in the Raven key, my throat not having quite recoverd y=e= effects of (\eau de luce\). I beg you w=d= never let it approach you when you have ye head ach
<P7>
The great affair at Lisbon is not entirely understood some say it is made of y=e= dire ingredients of criminal Love, ambition of Regal power, & popular discontent, these stirr'd up by Jesuit art, produced assassination; It is no wonder such materials in y=e= hands of such artists should [\form DELETED\] [\effect/] the ugliest of forms. I shall [\send/] my parcell by y=e= Deal Coach as soon as y=e= Bookseller will give y=e= great Philip a Coat. I hear y=e= work commended by Persons of great judgment; I should think it difficult for a mere speculative Savant to enter into y=e= depth of Philips policy[\s ADDED\] [\if INTO If\] M=r= Leland is a good journalist of y=e= Man, & a good gazetteer of y=e= times, which I do not doubt [\but he is DELETED\] , he may give one entertainment, tho he should not be of y=e= Cabinet Council.
   May health be of your mornings walk & sit down with you at y=e= fireside in an evening; but indeed Variety & dissipation would be your best remedies; you will think I prescribe like other Doctors for [\TEAR\] [{the{] sake of the fee, I am like some of y=e= honestest of the faculty, I desire health for you and the fee for myself, I wish both earnestly, if you would have me better you must come & teach me. If you are really indolent you will come to Town to get rid of such a troublesome correspondent. I presume on y=e= length of the evenings, & sometimes a state of health which will not allow you to apply to things very serious or very lively, if I should write on to the
<P8>
bottom of the second sheet you will think I do it out of revenge for your staying in the Country so I will take my leave here, with some appearance of moderati[{on{] [\IN MARGIN\] & [\with/] much real esteem & affection I am Dear Madam
  [\CROSSED OVER BY MM your most Sincere & faithfull
   Friend & Obliged & H=ble Serv=t= REPLACED WITH &c&c&c\]
   E Montagu