BC_1766_EMONTAGU_EV_1

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<Q A 1766 TC EV EMONTAGU>
<X ELIZABETH MONTAGU>
 [}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO ELIZABETH VESEY. LONDON. MO 6386.}]
<P1>
Feb=ry= ye 1=st= 1766
   Tho truths & trueisms are out of fashion, yet I will certainly tell my dear M=rs= Vesey that I love her as the most pleasant, & esteem her as the most valuable of friends, so I can easily that part of her letter, but for the political queries I am afraid I shall not be able to do so well; however at M=r= Veseys commands, who I see understands perfectly my way of treating my lovers, which is to give them nothing but fair words & syllables civily arranged, I will try what I can do. In the first place I invoke the spirits of Gazetteers, Brittish journals, & all the mighty muses of Grubstreet to assist me. Before the meeting of parliament news came of terrible hurley burleys in America, Our young Ministers, (\qui ne s'etoient jamais trouvé a telle fête\), were allarmd,
 they were sensible they were too young to manage things so difficult, our Major Ministers apprehended they were too old to contend with matters so violent.
<P2>
Some took hartshorn, some assafetida, but none took the grand specific in such maladies (^a firm resolution^) . The Parliament met, you know the Kings speech, which was not decisive but prudently equivoque, & they were to meet again. In the House of Lords Lord Temple & Lord Lyttelton spoke nobly of the Authority of Parliament; & the dignity of Government. Then they all went into the Country to eat their Christmass pies, some for the sake of present care could have swallow'd with them the affronts from America, others were high stomached & could not digest them. Hollidays past, then came working days indeed. The Kings speech was firm, it pleased the hearts of oak & they praised it, & thank'd his Majesty for it, & express'd a desire to support the authority of Government. A day was named for taking this great affair into consideration, on that day M=r= Pitt came up from Bath, He talk'd of liberty, of natural
<P3>
liberty, & he loved liberty & liberty loved him & I know not what, & people said that part of his speech was great but they did not well understand it. M=r= Grenville talk'd of laws, & quoted the Statutes in support of the legality of y=e= stamp act, M=r= Pitt bid him not tell him of doggseared, doubled down acts of Parliament, (^he^) was for natural liberty, and he was for repeating the stamp act it appeared. This did not please, but his next appearance in the House was more violent, he said we had broken the compact between England & America,& they were Independant or some thing of that sort, he raild at Ministers past & present, & was violent against the D: of Newcastle. This last speech has totally ruined him in the City, he has lost his popularity here, but will find it rise as the Sun does with the Antipodes [\as DELETED\] [\when/] it sets in this Hemisphere. It is amazing how the Tyde has turn'd. The last time he spoke in the House there was violent opposition
<P4>
to him no applause of what he said, & when S=r= F N- said that in other times who ever had spoken such a language would have been sent to the Tower, no one resented it. He had with him entirely, only M=r= [\Barré\] & M=r= Huske. M=r= G Townshend has as yet been perfectly silent. M=r= Burke spoke extreamly well. The Ministers in the House of Commons were not at Unison with those in the House of Lords, they want some body to lead the Chorus. It is supposed this Ministry will not last long, but who the next will be compond of I know not. We do not look on Ireland as a Sister to America, but to England, America is our Child & a very perverse one.
   Our friend M=rs= Carter is gay, coquette & dissipated as she used to be, always at ye toillette the whole morning, & in assemblies in the evening, however she finds time to regret your absence, so you may pass over her other immoralities with a slight censure. She is very well sits by me at this moment & desires her love. She dined
<P5>
yesterday at M=rs= John Pitts where she had the pleasure of meeting M=rs= Dunbar. Lady Primrose I hear has found benefit by the Bath waters. M=rs= Howe is just come to her new house. I saw L=d= Palmerston at Almacks. I should have written to my dear M=rs= Vesey before I had her letter but I was engaged to a cold & fever 3 weeks, & M=r= Montagu has been ill of a cold; these things have taken up my time & incapacited me for writing.
   The [\press\] has not produced any thing very good this year of any size. The Witts appear in duodecimo or the (\robe de Chambre\) of a blue pamplet, but I will send you a pretty short work of a scotch physicians. Rousseau is at Chiswick, he left London because he w=d= not be gazed at.
   I am sorry M=r= Jeptison is going into a state for which duller mortals are quite as fit.
   Lord Lyttelton has made many admirable speeches in the house of Lords. He is in his usual delicate state of health. Lady Shelburne seems very happy
<P6>
and her Son is a charming boy. L=d= Shelburne spoke very well on the American affair.
   When there is any thing like a decision of this Stamp affair I will give you the best account I can. The House of Lords will sit on Monday the Commons on tuesday.
   I beg my comp=ts= to M=r= Vesey with congratulations on his election but I had rather he had been chosen for Westminster. He will think I have sent him strange skimble skamble stuff by way of news but it is so we talk in London, my best comp=ts= attend M=rs= Handcock.
   I am my Dear Madam
   your most affectionate
   Most Obliged & c
   EMontagu