[}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO MARY ROBINSON. 28 FEB 1778? BL ADD. 40663. F. 75}] 28=th= of feb D=r= Madam I have now the pleasure to tell you that your amiable Daughter is safe & well in Hillstreet, where I propose to keep her till tuesday. As she has been so long in retirement, two days of company will not do her any harm. I am to have company tomorrow evening & at dinner on monday, on tuesday evening I am engaged to an assembly, so c=d= not have her company. I am to spend this evening at Harcourt House by an engagement before I knew of the day of my Dear Neices arrival; if she has any acquaintance where she can be amused this afternoon my Coach shall carry her to thither. I am sure you who have a feeling & a generous heart will be pleased with M=r= Thomas Harris & M=rs= Harris behaviour to M=rs= [\M/] Robinson. besides paying her all kind civilities M=r= Harris desired that when she went to a new Habitation he might present her with an hundred pound towards furnishing it. Bad as the World is, & tho selfishness makes so great a part of the human composition, yet a social kind character like my poor Brothers makes its impression on tempers of y=e= like kind, & indeed one has a comfort in seeing his memory so much beloved & respected. M=rs= M: Robinson has continually some marks of attention paid to her. As hard hearts love to insult adversity tender ones endeavour to console it. The civilities the poor Woman [\receives/] are paid, not to her merits, but to her distress, or my Brothers memory, in either case they do honour to human nature. I am very glad to hear M=rs= Charles Robinsons daughters are both well married in y=e= East Indies, it must be a great comfort to their Mother. My Sisters going to Domeniceti has been put off by the accident of her being much burnt [\BLOT\] [\by\] the accident of her cap taking fire. Thank God the accident did not prove fatal. I am very glad you thought she was at Chelsea for by that means I enjoy the pleasure of my Neices company. I believe Miss Burrel has no reason to be afraid of Duke Hamilton he might boyishly fire off a Gun but he has ye character of a very good humoured young Man: He has no Vices, is handsome, & in all respects like other people, he does not make any great (\eclat\), but the next best thing to great [\& good/] reputation is to be little spoken of. Where there are not talents for the first, there is prudence in ye latter. I suppose you know there was a report of my Fathers death. My Porter had a very fatiguing morning with Messages. I had promised to introduce the Dowager Duchess of Beaufort to the French ambassadress on wednesday night so tho ye weather was terrible I went out, & such was ye report of poor Papa that I was stared at as a Ghost when I enterd ye room, & y=e= Servants below were very busy questioning my footmen. To day I had a message from Lady Ann & Lady Betty French with an apology that not having heard of the melancholly event till to day they had not sent their enquiries. All this while ye old Gentleman is in as good health as he has been for this Twelvemonth. My amiable Neice desires her duty pray give my love to my Nephew & sweet M=rs= Mary. I rejoyce to see your Daughter in such perfect health. You need not be afraid of her being troublesome good sense & good nature (& she has both) never are so. Miss Gregory desires her comp=ts=. I thank God my dear little Man after whom you so kindly enquire is in perfect health, & goes on prosperously in his studies. From M=r= Heath to his dancing Master (from top to toe) he gets approbation. My dear Neice tells me you are sadly teized w=th= Rheumatism Why do not you drink [\Buck\] Tea every day? My love to ye Divine. I am Dear Mad=m= y=r= most affect=te= Sister & Sincere friend EMontagu