BC_1768_EMONTAGU_EV_2

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<Q A 1768 TC EV EMONTAGU>
<X ELIZABETH MONTAGU>
 [}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO ELIZABETH VESEY. JUNE 8 1768. MO 6394}]
<P1>
Sandleford june y=e= 8=th= 1768 My Dear Madam
   Tho I have often the honour of meeting M=r= Walpole at Lady Herveys, I will not suffer him, to infuse into my mind any historic doubts concerning the relation you give of Lady Moyra's entertainment I will only beg leave to say, that every thing is embellish'd by your pen. Your cabalistical characters do not only differ in form, but in power, from common letters. With the help of a, b, c, &c, many can contrive to convey to a distant friend some [\imperfect/] idea of what they have seen or heard, but to give such glowing colours, & lively touches belongs only to my Dear friends scatterd characters. They certainly contain the virtues of hieroglyphicks & letters, paint images, & convey spirit with y=e= united power of both. for sensible objects they have the hieroglyphical art, for witt the brevity of alphabetick marks, in one respect they savour of y=e= Chinese characters, which is, that one must
<P2>
bestow a good deal of time to learn them perfectly. I have long attain_d to an entire knowledge of them, & never was any of (\Lettré\) so well paid for their trouble by reading the works of Confucius, as I was by the Memoirs of the Countess of Desmond. I realy never heard of so well imagined an entertainment, & think it must have given great pleasure to those who had the good fortune to be of the party. There was some rumour of a Masquerade to have been at Almacks, but I am sure we should have fallen sadly short of your Masked ball. I found the Ladies had no other view but to dress so as to look the handsomest they could, all were determined to be beautifull, the great error of the female Sex, few can accomplish this point, those who cannot, might like your Ladies by assuming a character please through Life, & rival even the Beauties of the age they live in. Nay could they carry into real Old age the
<P3>
witt, the politeness, & the charms of the Countess of Desmond, they would prolong their reign beyond the limits of the Lease for 99 years which [\she/] was oblige to sue to have renewed. It is now fit I should give you some reason why I have not answerd y=r= letter. I met it upon my table in Hillstreet at my return to London, I had been in Berkshire a few days to attend M=r= Montagu, who went earlier into the Country than usual, in hopes change of air might mitigate a terrible cough which has persecuted him ever since Xmass. On account of some business I went to Town, & was most agreably greeted by y=r= letter, which came I suppose only y=e= day before me. I was very ill in Town for a few days, & much hurried to get my business dispatched, that I might return back to M=r= Montagu. I was no sooner settled here than my third Brother & his Wife came & made a visit for some days, & my attendance on M=r= Montagu who is still very infirm, & the
<P4>
multitude of letters I am obliged to write upon business, have deprived me of the quiet leisure which makes the luxury of writing to a Friend. I suppose your letters from England are full of M=r= Wilkes. I am so tired of his name, that should I play in some Gothick Mansion at Christmass [\Games/] I shall never (^lose^) my (^love^) with a (^W^) . I will tell you a conundrum of Lord Tyrawley because I think he is a Friend of yours. He said at the first of M=r= Wilkes appearance the Ministry were Pusillanimous, & now they are puzzle [\animous\] I know not what scrapes their puzzilanimity may bring us into. Lord Holland is come over in high health & spirits, & some say is to seize the too slacken'd reins of Government, but the great beast will kick & wince under a Rider who it thinks will whip & spur through dirty roads. Now you want to know what Lord Chatham will do, ask not me, consult some oracle dark & ambiguous as himself, or perhaps you had better still consult his nurse or his apothecary. Whether
<P5>
his High Mightiness will call for the blood of Wilkes, or for a Mess of water gruel on this exigency is more than I can determine, I know it will be one or the other. He has hitherto turn_d his Woolsack into a pillow, & I believe he [\will/] recline[\s DELETED\] upon it while there are such storms & tempests abroad. He has sold greatest part of the Pynsent estate, but I hope will always keep as much of the Land as will [\serve/] for the Basis of his Column of gratitude to his Wise & virtuous benefactor. Many men retain the gift & lose ye gratitude, his great Soul will do the reverse. M=rs= Ann Pitt has parted with the House in Berkely Square, & retires to her Villa. I am sure you will be glad to hear that M=r= Lyttelton spoke extreamly well in the House of Commons. M=r= Burke told me the performance was in every respect such as to do him honour, & to give pleasure to his Father [\He/] having not only spoken with sense, & eloquence, but with modesty, and discretion; qualities that have not [\shone\] forth in all occasions, but indeed he is the
<P6>
most improved I ever saw any young Man. Lord & Lady Anglesey are quite what the good folks call a fond couple. Have I written so many lines & have yet askd my Sylph when she comes to England? My heart enquires after this every moment. I hope Lady Ann Dawson & M=r= Dawson will bring you over with them in the Autumn [\at/] which time they promised to return to us. I am charmed with that pair. Lady Ann is Miltons divine melancholly, She is the Goddess Sage & holy. I like M=r= Dawson extreamly, but w=d= not have M=r= Vesey uneasy at that, for he is too young to be a dangerous Rival. I see no other fault the man has. He has a great deal of sense, goodness, & the easy dignity of a Gentleman in his manner. When I left London, Count Zintzendorffe one of (\les grands Chambellans de l'Empire\) & a (\Monsieur\) Dangueil, a very lively clever french man, talk'd of visiting Ireland. I beg if they come to Dublin you w=d= take some notice
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of them, & say it is for my sake. You know I love to give myself consequence with Foreigners & I am sure you will be pleased with both these Gentlemen. I had a letter from L=d= Lyttelton about ten days ago, in which he said he sh=d= probably leave London this week. He is going to Hagley. Our Friend M=r= Burke is acquiring fame every day. He has purchased [\2 WORDS DELETED\] a House near Beaconsfield, a very elegant place. M=rs= Carter is just [\gone/] back to her Household Gods at Deal. I hope she will enjoy her health better than she did last summer. She look_d very well when I left London, but her constitution is much as it used to be. Pray what reason do you assign at Dublin for L=d= Gowers marrying Lady Susan Stewart. We have not found it out at London, but I suppose it was discoverd at Lady Moiyra's Ball. Was it that Stewart is a good name to conjure with? By the by I approve much of Lady Jane Stewarts choice of S=r= Geo: Macartney. I believe they will be very
<P8>
[\IN MARGIN\] happy which is better than being very rich. Pray how is my Friend M=r= Jeptison? I hope he intends to come to England with L=d= Townshend. My paper is almost as full as it will hold, & M=r= Montagu not being now in Parliam=t= I dare not hazard y=r= paying for a treble letter, & I am not sure of getting a frank. I have utterly forgot ye name of y=r= [\IN MARGIN\] Street at Dublin & must send this to be directed to M=rs= Carter. I beg my comp=ts= to M=r= Vesey & M=rs= Handcock. I am D=r= Mad=m=
   Ever y=rs= EMontagu
[\ADDRESS\] For / M=rs= Vesey