BC_1769_EMONTAGU_EC_1
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<Q A 1769 TC EC EMONTAGU> <X ELIZABETH MONTAGU> [}ELIZABETH MONTAGU TO ELIZABETH CARTER. 10 OCT 1769. MO 3258}] <P1> Sandleford 10=th= of Oct 1769 My dear Friend My imagination without wing or broomstick oft mounts aloft, rises into y=e= Regions of pure space, & without lett or impedement bears me to your fireside, where you set me in your easy chair, & we talk & reason, as Angel [\Host/] & guest Ætherial should do, of high & important matters. We will not deign to say [\a/] word of Mobs or Ministers; of fashions or the fashionable; of the Great who are without Greatness; or the little who are less than their littleness. Pray say you, dont let us talk nonsence! No my dear friend, nor will we talk sense, for that is worse. We will say what has not been said before, or if the substance be old, the mode & figure shall be new. But <P2> here comes my mutton broth for my supper, Mutton in epigram, chicken in surprize or any fantastick dish had been better on the occasion for mutton [\broth/] is ye very common sense of cookery, & has quite spoild every thing I was going to say. Dear how it smoaks! but the very vapour is too dense to nourish dainty fancy, so at once down I souse into matter of fact. I had ye finest walk & ye sweetest airing this morning that I could have [\when/] my dear friend was not with me. Our Commons rival our dear Bagshot Heath & tho not borderd by forrest are sweetly fringed with wood. The morning therefore you see was dedicated to exercise this evening except one letter of business was given to ye sauntering reading the late M=r= Shenstones letters. They have made me regret I did not know him, not from the witt or genius they display but that I fancy I sh=d= have urged him to have had <P3> his works printed by subscription a few hundred pounds w=d= have given him ease. His taste was above his fortune & to purchase some elegance for his retirement he was obliged to deny himself many little comforts. Fye upon the rich & great who profess_d to admire his works! He was not happy. I believe a delicate & ingenious mind rarely is so in a Country life, unless a Wife & children fill up the vacant hours. Dullness can doze over the fire the whole long winter evening [SEAL alone] , or drawl [\it/] out in conversation with some other child of dullness that happens to drop in. This poor Man seems to have had a friendly good heart, narrow circumstances & ye churlish World sufferd it not to expand itself. He appears to have had no [\strict/] friendships but with Authors, Authorship is to authors what ye (\Seize quartier\) are to ye German Barrons [\a proof of meet alliance,/] yet I have a sad suspicion you dont honour me more than you did a year ago. The more shame for you <P4> [\IN MARGIN\] thats all I say! You may guess I am very well by my being so foolish, & indeed I am as well as I am foolish, that is to say, perfectly well. I had a very melancholly & affectionate letter from [\IN MARGIN\] the Dowager Dss of Beaufort as a farewell. Poor Woman! Why sh=d= not Duchesses love Duchesses as well as Authors love Authors, & then she w=d= have a friend to go abroad with her. I realy grieve for her. I sent Miss Talbot a fine jolly pheasant yesterday so I do wise things tho I say silly ones & that has been ever [\IN MARGIN\] my ambition, y=e= 2=d= [\SEAL\] [\part\] of my wish I am sure I have accomplishd & when I write my life I think I can make ye other clear too. I sh=d= kill 2 birds with one stone if I wrote my own history Y=rs= [\ADDRESS\] To / M=rs= Carter / At Deal / Kent [\SEAL\]