BC_1763_EMONTAGU_EV_2

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<Q A 1763 TC EV EMONTAGU>
<X ELIZABETH MONTAGU>
[}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO ELIZABETH VESEY. 1763 JUL 14. HUNTINGTON LIBRARY: NO MO NUMBER}]
<P1>
Spa ye 14 of july
[1763]
     I did not receive my dear M=rs= Veseys letter till just before I left London, when I was [\immersed\] in the business of packing up, & the ceremony of taking leave; & since I commenced my journey, you will believe, the variety & novelty of the objects may have given me (\des distractions\) . I will not trouble you with descriptions of places you are acquainted with, but as I flatter myself you take an interest in the travellers, I will give you an account of the circumstances of our journey. We left London the fourth of june, some hours before the (\papillotes\) were taken off the heads of the (\beaux\) , or the rouge laid on the cheeks of the (\belles\) who were to appear at the birthday drawing room; if this date is not very exact as to the hour, it is at least very poetical, & a more elegant description of the morning [\than\] that which begins with (^brick dust moll^), the idea of Lady Mary with rouge being certainly more delicate. On the sixth of june we set sail from Dover, as M=rs= Carter had written some epistles dedicatory
<P2>
to Neptune, he smooth'd his waves, & amphitrite expanded her Sail to catch the gentle gales; the Nereids guided the vessel, & avion astride [\as\] Dolphin play'd the finest water musick imaginable till we got into the harbour at Calais. On the shore we were met by certain mermen crownd with sea weeds, who carried (\mesdames\) Carter & Montagu on their backs. as the petticoats were a little discomposed in this new way of walking on other mens legs, it is better not to be too minute in the description of it, all I shall say is that Phoebus who has a penetrating eye, told his nine prudes of M=rs= Carters want of decorum, & advised them not to be so intimate with her for the future, They redden'd, pull'd up their heads, & mutterd something about Daphne, which you may imagine the God of Witt & parent of repartee answer'd very smartly, & no one knows how far might have proceeded the dispute, if the Poet Laureate had not just then offer'd his petition for their assistance to deliver him of a [\BLOT\] [\simile\] [\simile/] on which the very existence of his ode was to depend.
<P3>
At Calais we staid one entire day. My Lord Bath had a visit from the Prince de [\Groye\] the Governor. & the officers of the Garrison came to invite us to see them act a play, but as it was sunday evening, in true protestant spirit we declined it. From Calais we went to S=t= Omers, where we saw the jesuits College, we ask'd for greek manuscripts for the amusement of M=rs= Carter, to the great amazement of the Librarian, who imagined her to be possess'd, & would fain have exercised her, but we assured him her learning could not lye more quietly in the red sea than it did in her hand, such was the depth of her capacity. We were charm'd with the Town of Lisle which was our next stage, & here behold the metamorphosis of M=rs= Carter. She now began to consider Greek was a dead language, & that french words, & a little coquettry, would do better at Spa; so with the same facility with which she translated Epictetus from greek into english, she translated her native timidity into french airs, & french modes; bought robes trimmed with blonde [\UNCLEAR\]
<P4>
([\UNCLEAR\], Colliers, bouquets, (\des engageantes\) ) & all the [\most\] labour'd ornaments of dress; & as soon as she was equip'd, wishd for a walk in the Suillerie, more than she had ever done for one in the Parties. Instead of translating the memorable things of Socrates you may expect a lively & spirited translation of (\les amours & amourettes du Marque de -\) , & instead of Plato's phædon she will translate (\les egaremens du coeur & d'espirit of Crebillon\) . From Lisle went to Brussels, where we staid tree days, which M=rs= Carter spent chiefly in purchasing more apparel. We visited the Nunnerys in every Town; M=rs= Carter constantly expressing the greatest abhorrence of their strict Vows, & sequester'd life, with an air of libertinism extreamly suited to the gayety of her dress and coquettry of her manners. However, as I would [\not/] do my friend the least injustice, I must assure [\you/] , she has not yet put on rouge, nor indeed am I convinced that she intends it. I do not know whether my friends french manners have given me a prejudice. in favour of that agreably frivolous
<P5>
nation but every thing seem'd to me to wear a less pleasing aspect from the moment we left the french dominions. Brussels has the air of a Town of shopkeepers, the people look heavy & stupid, the houses are dark & melancholly, and Inland trade has not so amusing an appearance as our Towns of foreign Commerce. The Town house indeed is very fine, & the tapestry exceeded my expectations. I was every where surprized at the gay decorations of the Churches, & wonder'd to find the priests did not esteem melancholly the best friend of superstition, The altars seem'd rather adapted to the worship of the Goddess Flora than to the supreme Being. The Nuns as little answerd my expectation
     The pensive nun devout & pure
     Sober stedfast & demure. I did not find in any of the Convents, on the contrary an affectation of gayety which gave the air of boarding school girls to these sanctified vessels, whatever they said to convince me they were happy had the contrary effect, they assured me their time never lay on their hands, but the detail of its imployment was such as must
<P6>
convince one a rational mind must feel vexation if it had not leisure for ennui in the discharge of such devoirs. Sequestration from the World without enthusiasm must be a strange state. The regular & quick succession of their divine worship must damp all piety, & I realy believe these poor nuns have less devotion than secular persons. From frequent disappointments & afflictions we are Taught to wish for a better World if thick walls seperated us from this we should not know how little happiness it affords. You will begin to think I am long on my journey to Spa, however I will not detain you [\much\] at Leige, the entrance to it gives a charming romantick view, but  in the Town you see the most sordid poverty, figures hardly human with all the vices, without the virtues & accomplishments of civil society, all sorts of crimes are committed with impunity, unless private revenge points the stilletto when the sword of the Magistrate ought to have been directed. Here the rash advocates for unbounded liberty may see a people more wretched under the reign of anarchy than the severest despotism could make them. Our journey from Leige in respect of roads was
<P7>
bad enough but the unusual wildness of the Country made amends for it. On the summit of a bleak Mountain we had a violent hurricane which gave all the terror to the sublime which our friend M=r= Burke desires, as I had been reading Ossian I imagined the spirits of Loda were riding over our heads, the deep voiced thunder was a fine accompaniment to all these horrors. The storm soon subsided, & the black clouds now & then casting a shade on some of the woods while others were gilded by the sun made most charming prospects, & from the preceding [\rains/] the mountains poured down torrents from their sides, so that I imagine we saw this Country in the state best suited to its form & features. On the fifteenth of june we arrived here. Our journey was as agreable as possible. My Lord Bath was as polite & as gay every morning in the Coach at six as you have seen him in an evenings assembly. his health improved every day, & he is now the youngest & the gayest man here, &  the universal passion of all the Foreigners, from the (\Serenissimo's\) & (\Serenissima's\) to the Dutch (\Bourgmestres\) & their fat wives. We have now here (\Son Altesse\) the Bishop
<P8>
of Augsburg (\Son Altesse Royale\) Prince Ferdinand of Prussia & his Princess, the hereditary Prince of Brunswick, the Princess Esterhasie, the Princess of Salm, & Count Blankenheim a sovereign Prince, & next week we expect Duke Ferdinand, the Princess Emilie the King of Prussias sister, but the Hero of Hero's alas! does not come. My letter is already of such an unreasonable length I will not describe the great persons that compose Our Drama. I have heard from Lady Primrose that she is very well, & I expect her here this week, Lady Westmorland finds great benefit from Aix la Chapelle waters which keeps them so long there. Lady [\Westmorland DELETED\] [\Primrose/] is very well. I return you many thanks for your charming letter& I assure I had rather wander about the vale of Clude with M=rs= Vesey than walk with (\Serenissimes\) in ye (\promenade de sept heures \) Pray with my compliments tell M=r= Vesey that in spite of change of climate & the warming quality of Geronstere water I continue lone to my (\gout Sexagenaire\) & my only coquettry here is with ye Bishop of Augsburg. My Lord Bath & M=r= Montagu desire their best compliments. M=rs= Carter is most affectionately yours. She had
<P9>
had the pleasure of your letter last night. she has given me a new trait of her character just now. She told me she had just bought something for a present to her Father, I said I was glad if she had met with a good edition of the Greek Fathers, for as D=r= Carter is one of the most pious & learned Divines of the Church of England they would be very acceptable, but alas this giddy creature has bought him a set of quadrille [\boxes\]
[\TEAR\] Man how it will shock him! you [\TEAR\]
[\TEAR\] to know the principal persons of [\TEAR\]
here. We have L=d= & Lady Spencer, Lord & Lady Robert Bertie, L=d= & Lady Bateman, Lady Howe & S=r= John Seabright. We have many of the Kingdom of Ireland L=d= & Lady Louth, L=d= Caher & his Sister, O'Neales O'donells & several of y=e= name of Brown & also L=d= Drogheda M=rs= Carter & I never climb y=e= mountain never descend ye valley without wishing for M=rs= Vesey. Dedicate to our spirits two chairs in y=e= Cave of Malvina. Adieu my dear Madam direct to me (\au Roi de Prusse\) for I live at ye sign of [\TEAR\] [{the{] [\head\] & it is ye best Heros head in Europe Y=rs= EM