BC_1759_EMONTAGU_EC_2
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<Q A 1759 TC EC EMONTAGU> <X ELIZABETH MONTAGU> [}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO ELIZABETH CARTER. MO 3028. 1759 JULY 25. EMENDATIONS BY MATTHEW MONTAGU?}] <P1> Sandleford [\CROSSED OVER BY MM? near Newbury Berks\] ye 25 of july My Dear Friend Will your head never be cured of those painfull diseases thinking & aching? Cannot the long room remove the first of these maladies & the pump the second? Alass no! Our perfections & imperfections are more intimately united & more closely woven into our frame than we are apt to imagine. The destinies dye the wool before they spin our thread; they use none but grain colours & sun wind & rain & the force of external accidents operate but little. Hypatia would have been a Philosopher & Sappho a wit tho they had been educated at a french boarding school at Chelsea [\or Kensington/] & Helen a - in the college of Vestals. You was destined to have wisedom & the head ach & all the folly of the multitude & the knowledge of Physicians cannot prevent [\it/] . perhaps on the delicacy of the same [\fine/] nerve depends your acute reasoning & acute pain. These opiniatre spinsters have so tinctured my opinions that I envy you one half the day & pitty you the other half; & whether you wind my worsted round the groves at Sandleford, or fasten it to a chinese chair in Hillstreet, it cannot be alter'd a shade in either of these respects. I shall love, admire, & pitty you wherever I am, & should tell you so oftener if I were not afraid to [\BLOT\] [{sollicit{] your correspondence when this grievous head ach might make it painfull & hurtfull to you. I flatter myself <P2> That you would not leave Bristol without intimating to me how & where I might see you. I am now most happily situated to catch an interview. Sandleford is but little more than a mile from Newbury, & I hope you will use your interest with M=rs= Talbot & Miss Talbot to make this their Inn. I will undertake to give them beds well aired & more quiet than at the Pelican or new Inn: but what is to them the strongest invitation is the happiness [\they/] would give me by such a visit. If I could perswade my Dear Miss Carter to stay here with me how happy should I think myself! but do not be afraid of coming hither least I should urge this with too much importunity, for favours to my self I have some modesty in asking. I am at present very happy in the hopes of seeing M=rs= Pitt, I expect her here to morrow or next day, you know her so well I need not say much to convince you of my joy on such an opportunity of enjoying her conversation, & I imagine she will now like me as the friend of Miss Carter. All her letters express'd the highest pleasure in your acquaintance so I have made two people who are fam'd to make every one so. M=r= Montagu was detain'd in Town by various affairs & accidents till thursday last. My joy at being at last released from the heat & hurry of London was entirely overcast by the death of Lady Essex. the sense of Lady Frances Williams affliction sat heavy on my mind, the news of it was brought me just as I was setting out, & it spoil'd my partaking of this general joy diffused so bountifully thro the whole creation in <P3> a fine summers day: a fever added to the maladies of a lying in hurried off Lady Essex in three days. The fondness of a Mother & the opinions of a christian were all shocked at the rapidity of this accident, which hurried this gay young creature out of the World in all the jollity of her may day morning. In vain had education endeavour'd to give her a solidity of character she was carry'd by the force of fashion down the stream of pleasure fast & far. As her faults were these that arise from levity not wickedness, one had hopes she would in time grow more prudent & despise those follies she had caught by the infection of the World. I have bad accounts of Lady Frances health, & much fear the weight of this affliction, & the rapidity with which it came, will overwhelm her. she has indeed the best support a firm & rational piety, but her heart doated on this daughter. [\TEAR\] [{I{] am glad you agree with me in destestation of Voltaires [\TEAR\] [{Op?{]timisme. Are not you provoked that such an animal calls itself a Philosopher? what pretence can he have to Philosophy who has not that fear of God which is the beginning of wisedom? This creature is a downright rebel to his God. some good may arise indeed from the division of Satans household, Voltaire directly opposed L=d= Bolingbroke & those who [\WORD DELETED\] affirm whatever is is right, & that there wants not a future state to make y=e= system just. Lord what is Man that he shall reject y=e= offer of another World or the enjoyment of this as pleases his humour & serves his book. <P4> I rejoyce that Miss Talbot is so recoverd, but let her health be ever so perfect I should be more afraid of the strength of her arguments than her voice. I am glad I shall have your Brother on my side, it is [\luckily INTO lucky\] for me & my cause. [\8 LINES CROSSED OUT BY MM? Pray do me the favour to present my comp=ts= to all our friends. I depend on y=r= Brothers being of y=r= party to Sandleford or that he calls on me whenever he passes. I w=d= have waited on y=r= Sister if you had intimated where I could have found her. I shall impatiently long to know when you come this way, I could live on the hope of the interview for a Week, so give me early notice. With y=e= most sincere & tender affection I am Dear Madam\] yours &c EMontagu