BC_1764_EMONTAGU_EV_2

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<Q A 1764? TC EV EMONTAGU>
<X ELIZABETH MONTAGU>
[}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO ELIZABETH VESEY. 1764/1766? JAN 28. HUNTINGTON LIBRARY: NO MO NUMBER}]
<P1>
London jany ye 28=th= Dear Madam
     How many thanks have I to give you? How many apologies to make you? But you are too generous to love thanks, you are too good natured to want apologies, humble confessions, & humiliations. However gratitude you will accept, & repentance you will receive, & be assured I have had the highest sense of your goodness, & that my omissions in correspondence have been owing to my strange way of life. The latter part of my time in Northumberland pass'd in business of a sort that stupified me for the whole day, tho it imploy'd only a part of it. Just before Christmass I set out for London, & thought I would write to you on the road, & send you a winters pastoral in imitation of the Great German genius M=r= Gesner. But alas the Hawthorns were all under water, the newborn lamb was drown'd; the robin red breast would not sing his christmass Carrol, all nature was drooping & forlorn; no Isicles glisten'd on the
<P2>
trees, [\no\] christalized Lake or River reflected the [\Sun\] beams. We were envelloped in misty rain & in a melancholly coach & six, with only my own maid, I pass'd eight days in the dreary journey: the roads hardly [\practicable\] , the waters hardly passable. Imagine whether at the end of such days journeys, the sight of the
 red nosed Landlord, & the fat Landlady at the Blue Boar or green dragon could revive my spirits enough to make me a correspondent worthy M=rs= Vesey? When I return'd to London after so long an absence my friends visited me with assiduity, my acquaintances with curiosity, they wanted to see whether I was germanized at Spa, Dutchified at the Hague, or frenchified by lodging two nights at the Lion d'argent at Calais. By this time my friends find I am not improved, & my acquaintances that I am not metamorphosed, & there is not any
<P3>
great demand for me, so I shall have it in my power to write often to you, & be assured that as far as extent of paper & number of letters can go towards it, I will discharge my debt very soon. (I have been very cautious in what I imparted to the relations of the young man about whom you have taken so much kind & charitable trouble. I would not to serve my unworthy Cousin [\hazard\] Any thing for your worthy friend, so I contented my self with saying, the young Woman was of a very good character, & very modest, & I did not hear of any thing exceptionable in the family; but that it would certainly [\be best/] if the young man was to reside with his own family, who would have more authority over him). I suppose you had rather have an account of the health, (\les dits & gestes\) of M=rs= Carter, Lord Lyttelton, & our other friends that of the fine cloaths at the Prince of Brunswicks wedding. M=rs= Carter has all the
<P4>
greek, all the headach, & all the humility she used to have. Lord Lyttelton had acquired all he [\wanted\] health, & a surtout of flesh, but he has had a little fever lately which has for the present impaired his health & worn his (\surtout\) a little thread bare. His speech on Privilege, in the House of Lords two months ago, did him great honour, & the cause of virtue, decency, & order, great service. Lord Bath at these nuptials (^has been finest [\at/] every fine show & frolick'd it all the long day^) . There was as noble & magnificent table kept at Sommerset house by the Green cloth for the P: of Brunswick before he was married, to this only the Lords of the Household & the great State of officers were invited, except Lord Bath, whom the King order_d to [\be/] put on the list as having known & entertaind his Highness abroad. Great dinners, crouded drawing rooms, & a very long day at ye House of Lords on tuesday, after Leicester House, have
<P5>
in fine given his Lordship a cold. M=r= Tho' Pitt has gain'd great reputation by two speeches in the House of Commons. To morrow M=rs= Carter L=d= Lyttelton, S=r= James Macdonald, & M=r= Stillingfleet are to dine with me, but alas! M=r= & M=rs= Vesey, & M=r= Burke will not dine with me! [\And\] the harpies come & spoil every dish, but leave me M=rs= Vesey &c they would not spoil my dinner, as the destinies have done, by carrying you to Ireland. How often do we all lament your absence! It will be quite unfashionable not to say something of our Princely wedding. All the World was at the drawing room, all the World was fine, The Courtiers were fine because the Kings Sister was married, she was [\UNCLEAR be\] [\because/] a German Hero, one who fought in our Wars & did not negotiate in our Peace was to be complimented. He made a visit to Hayes where he was received by a Patriot in flannels. He made a
<P6>
visit at Newcastle House when he was hugg'd & kiss'd by an old courtier, (\tout paitré\) of courtesy. This visit was indeed [\owing/] to a personal acquaintance with the Duke & D:ss of Newcastle when they were in Germany. However it was thought in general that the Prince coquetted with the opposition, that party wish'd him to stay longer in hopes of getting him to intrigue with them but his Highness w=d= have been more [\prudent/] for the Brother law (besides being the most amiable man in the World) is of a condition more fix'd & settled that Ministers or favorites of the people who are the gilded insects of a summers day. I never suffer'd so much from a croud as on the Queens Birthday, & I have got a cold which does not [\seem/] disposed to quit me tho its violence is abated. M=rs= Pitt has been at Bath & is come back to us in pretty good health. I am to spend tomorrow evening
<P7>
with her. Lady Primrose is pretty well. Lady Hervey has had the gout severely. Lady Cardigan seems in better health than usual. I am glad you are got to Dublin. The Cave of Malvina is not delightfull this weather. I grieve for your (^Patrician trees so great & good^). & I wish the Winds were allow'd their rude romps only on the bleak & barren mountain & sportive zephirs alone were to play in your Paradise. Ten thousand thanks for your charming letters. I will send you a London gazette frequently I know when one is at a distance one loves to hear news of ones acquaintance.) Lady Harriet Grey is with child. of all the figures in the drawing room on the wedding the most conspicuous was our friend Monsey he was unhouzel'd, disappointed, unaneal'd, he look'd like a (\felo de se\)corpse [\on the Highway/] there was a dispute whether he got his wig off a gibbet
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or took it from a cherry tree, But most surely he was neither in soft raiment purple fine linnen nor in such apparel as men in Kings Houses. The post bell rings so for the present (\adieu\) My dear Madam! at the feast of shells the musick of your voice, the gentle vivacity of your witt will be wanted. We will raise the song in your praise.
     I am Dear Madam
     Your most obliged
     Obedient & affect=te=
     H=ble= Servant
     E. Montagu