BC_1759_EMONTAGU_GL_1
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<Q A 1759? TC GL EMONTAGU> <X ELIZABETH MONTAGU> [}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO LORD LYTTELTON. MO 1391A. 1759? OCTOBER 9? SANDLEFORD}] <P1> Tuesday y=e= 9=th= My Lord If the sentiment of gratitude would not pass for payment with generous benefactors, how embarass'd would Lord Lytteltons correspondents be to acquit themselves of their obligations to him! but when I have told your Lordship that your letter gave me great pleasure, & I return most gratefull thanks for it, a sense of the favour remains but it appears no longer a demand unsatisfied tho it is a debt I cannot pay. I have enclosed a letter I received from Emin last post, I am sure your Lordship will approve his not returning to England, & particularly his delicacy in not exposing his friends to the imputation of having protected an impostor. You will find his mind is still at the top of the heroick strain, an asiatick, a savage, & a Hero in a fever is a very terrible animal. Love of fame & ambition of conquest give delirium [\enough/] without an inflamation of the blood, & the natives of the warm climates seem at best hardly in sober senses. I wish your Lordship would write to him, he takes my letter very kindly tho' it run directly against the grain of his heroism, but he may think what I say to him is dictated by the weakness & timidity of an effeminate mind <P2> But he knows your Lordships is capable of no fear but that which is the beginning of wisedom. I had a very obliging letter from M=rs= Lyttelton last post for we have corresponded since D=r= F-s proposal to her, she is soon to go to Bath to nurse D=r= Ascough & comfort her Sister: at the same time I had a letter from M=r= [\Tom/] Pitt with a postscript from the Dean of Exeter, who I believe had not heard of the death of the Bishop of Worchester. I wish the lawn sleeves may be now prepared for my friend. I hope your Lordship found M=rs= Pitt improved in health one has nothing else to wish for her. She is form'd for society in a very peculiar manner, no one puts more wit vivacity & politeness into general conversation, & the depth acuteness & finesse of her understanding make her charming in a (\tête à tête\) . I propose to be in Town on saturday, but if any thing should defer my journey your Lordship shall hear from me again, but as I had much rather have the pleasure of seeing you than of writing to you, I hope I shall not have so good an excuse to trouble you with another letter, but (\viva voce\) wish you a good journey to Hagley. I had by mistake left Strada's prolusions in Town, so that I have not read them, I think your Lordship has an interest in wishing your friends to study the art of writing history, from Rapin one may extract an eloge <P3> of the history of Henry the Second. I am much pleased with the subject of Busbequius letters & his manner, he tells the story of Mustapha [\& his son/] , with the brevity of a letter writer & the dignity of an historian. It is strange that Princes do no think it worth their while to send men of genius well pension'd to learn whatever is extraordinary & good in the constitution & customs of distant nations. When I am queen of the East I shall send a Naturalist, a Politician, & a man of sense, into every country in the World; the two first shall write memoirs & the third his annotations upon them. The Dean of Exeter & M=r= Tom Pitt have been at S=r= Edw=d= Lytteltons in Staffordshire. I have been obliged to write five letters this morning, so I have not time to be longer troublesome to your Lordship. M=r= Montagu desires his most respectfull compliments. I am my Lord Your Obliged Obedient and most faithfull H=ble= Serv=t= E Montagu