A Lady of the Last Century (Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu): Illustrated in Her
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CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE Library Cornell University DA 483.M75D69 The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924027991862 A LADY OF THE LAST CENTURY (MRS. ELIZABETH MONTAGU): ILLUSTRATED IN HER UNPUBLISHED LETTERS; COLLECTED AND ARRANGED, WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH, AND A CHAPTER ON BLUE STOCKINGS. DR. DORAN, F.S.A., Author of " Table Traits^ and Something on Tliem ;" " Lives of the Qn &>c. of England of the House ofHanover" LONDON- RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON, Publishers in ©rBirarg to get JMajestB, 1873- : LONDON PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREET AND CHARING CROSS. TO ANDREAS J. G. HOLTZ, ESQ. (twyford abbey), this "bit of mosaic" is dedicated, with sentiments of the most sincere esteem and cordial regard. PREFACE. In the year 1809, Mr. Matthew; Montagu published the first two of four volumes of letters of his aunt, Elizabeth Montagu. He was not only her nephew, he was also her adopted son and her executor. On the 5th of December in that year, the cele- brated statesman William Windham was reading those volumes, "in the evening, up-stairs;" and he subsequently recorded the following judgment of them in his Diary : —" I think very highly of them. One of their chief merits is series junctu- raque. Nothing can be more easy and natural than the manner in which the thoughts rise one out of the other, even where the thoughts may appear rather forced, nor is the expression ever hard or laboured. I see but little to object to in PREFACE. the thoughts themselves, but nothing can be more natural or graceful than the manner in which they are put together. The flow of her style is not less natural, because it is fully charged with shining particles, and sparkles as it flows." In 1 8 13, Mr. Matthew Montagu published two more volumes of his aunt's correspondence. The press generally received them with pleasant testi- mony of approval. It not only endorsed the judgment of the eminent statesman quoted above, but it especially pointed out that the letters were genuine and authentic, which could not be said of a similar collection of letters then challenging the censure of the town. Mrs. Montagu's letters were read with great avidity, and readers, for the most part, came to the same conclusion as the statesman and the critics. The last letter in the series is addressed to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter. The date is September, 1 761. The writer lived nearly forty years after that date. During that time, she maintained a lively correspondence ; her letters were copied and PREFACE. circulated. After her death, a few, with fragments of others, found their way into various periodicals. The correspondence which Mrs. Elizabeth Mon- tagu kept up with her sister-in-law, Mrs Robinson, wife of the Rev. William Robinson, and a few other friends, between 1761 and the close of the last century, was long in the possession of the late Mr. Richard Bentley, who purchased them at a sale of autographs. These form the chief portion of the present volume. In a note to the letters published by Mr. Mon- tagu, the editor states that they are " intended to convey in them the biography of the writer, which the editor thinks he could not so well exemplify by any remarks of his own as by the letters themselves." Mr. Montagu gave to his aunt's readers every word of every epistle, from the salutation to the signature. From the letters now printed for the first time there have only been omitted vain repetitions, formal compliments, and the nothings that may have once been somethings, but which are now PBEFACK mere dust and ashes, from which little of value is to be sifted. There have been retained all that could further " convey the biography of the writer," with addition of such anecdotal illustration from the printed letters and from contemporary records, as might serve to show more completely the character and surroundings of a Lady of the Last Century. London. Nov. 1872. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Birth and parentage of Mrs. Montagu. — Long • Tom Robinson. — Dr. Conyers Middleton. — Early training of Mrs. Montagu. — Funeral at York Cathedral. — Mrs. Makin. — Her system of female education. — School at Tottenham High Cross- Early habits of Mrs. Montagu. — The Duchess of. Portland.—Mary-le-bone Gardens.—"La petite Fidget " at Bath, at Tunbridge Wells.—Lord Noel Somerset.—Bath life in 1740.—Lord Lyttelton.— Scarlet beaux and country Polyphemuses.—Modern marriages.—Garrick's Richard the Third.—Offers of marriage to Miss Robinson . Page 1 to 31 CHAPTER II. Edward Montagu.—Wedding tour.—Allerthorpe.— Pursuits there. — Lord Dupplin. — Character of Mrs. Montagu's neighbours.—Unwelcome visitor.— Habits of mind.—Life in London.—Birth of a son.— Little "Punch."—Death of her son.— Visits Tun- bridge Wells.—Doctor Young and Colley Cibber there.—The Vicar of Tunbridge.—The Rebellion of 1745.—Death of Mrs. Montagu's mother.—Wilton. —Death of her brother.—Mode of life at Bath.— Mrs. Gilbert West.—Mrs. Montagu's tastes.—Love of books.—Her analysis of Clarissa Harlowe.—Mrs. Pilkington.—Lady Sandwich. — Miss Chudleigh at the masquerade.—Letter to Mr. Montagu Page 32 to 58 b — CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. Visits London.—George Lewis Scott.—Marries Mrs. Montagu's sister.—Their separation.—Death of a friend.—Lady Hester Pitt.—The refugee, Bower.— Lady Townshend's ball. — Lady Essex. — " Blue Stockings."—Mr. Benjamin Stillingfleet —Rumours of war.—Life in the country. — Mrs. Elizabeth Carter.—Mr. Montagu succeeds to a rich inherit- ance.—Dangerous mistake.—Doctor Monsey. — Dr. Johnson. — Mrs. Ogle's benefit. — Mrs. Montagu's character of Burke.—Writes a criticism and misses a ball. — Dissipations and diversions. — Two old lovers. — Mrs. Montagu as an authoress. — "Dia- logues of the Dead." — French in the shades.— Female education.—Longing after rest.—Accession of George the Third.—House in Hill Street.— Furniture in fashion.—Mrs. Montagu a political economist.—Anecdote of an old Scotch woman.— "The Penitents."—Warburton.—His treatment of Shakespeare. — William Robinson. — His life of inaction. — Sir Charles Williams. — Hammond's " " elegies . Page 59 to ; CHAPTER IV. Anecdote of the young king.—Lord Anson.—Retire- ment of Mr. Speaker Onslow.—Death of Beau Nash. —Mr. Pitt.—His character.—Lord Bute.—Marriage of the king.—Portrait of Queen Charlotte.—Lord Hardwicke reads an account of her in public. — Preparations for the coronation.—Arrival of the queen.—Dr. Young's new poem.—London on the night of the coronation.—duke of ancaster.—lady Hardwicke.—Regret at Mr. Pitt's resignation.—His reception in the city.—speech in the commons. George Grenville.—Bon mot of Lady Townshend.— CONTENTS. " Millennium Hall."—Kitty Hunter.—" The School for Lovers."—Change of costume.—Lord Clive at bath Page 89 to 115 CHAPTER V. Retirement of the Duke of Newcastle.—The King's purchase of Buckingham House.—Violent distemper in London.—Death of the Duke of Portland and Mrs. Donellan. — Lord Halifax. — Death - of Sir Edward Dering. — Mr. Harrison's watch. — Bon- mot of the Duke of Newcastle.—His character.— Declines a pension.—Pension to Dr. Johnson.—Birth of " the first gentleman in Europe."—The Duke of Bedford.—Englishmen naturally politicians.—In- stalment of the Knights of the Garter—Return to England of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu.—Her death.—Her character.—Her reception of Mrs. Montagu.—Lady Mary leaves her son one guinea.— His singular character.—Gathering at Hagley.— The new cold, " l'influenza."—Mrs. Montagu visits Oxford, Blenheim, Kenilworth, Warwick Castle.— Mrs. Montagu at Sandleford.—Lord Bath proposed to.—His death.—His great wealth.—Mrs. Montagu visits Alnwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow, the Trosachs. —The Vale of Glencoe.—Visit to Lord Kames.— Literary evenings in Edinburgh.—The poet Gray.— His reserve. — The art of conversation. — Lady Cornewall abroad Page 116 to 147 CHAPTER VI. Critical state of public affairs.—Voltaire's attack on Shakespeare.—Mrs. Montagu's defence.—Recep- tion of her essay.—Countess Gower's criticism.— Dr. Johnson's opinion of it.—Garrick—Cowper's opinion. — Mrs. Montagu falls ill.—Visits Edin- burgh.—Mrs. Chapone.—Lord Buchan.—Lord Kin- CONTENTS. noul.—Lord Breadalbane.—Lord Kames. — Scotch hospitality. — death of george grenville.—ru- MOURS of war.—The King's speech.—Lord Chatham. —Conversations of Lord Kames and Mrs. Montagu. —Voltaire's abuse of Lord Kames.—William Emer- son. — Cheated by his father-in-law. — Burke. — George Grenville —Death of the Duke of Bedford. —His character, wealth, and political influence. —Legacies.—Foreign politics.— Ladies' schools Page 148 to 170 CHAPTER VII. The Duchess of Portland.—Fineness of the weather. —Visit to Winchester.—Smuggling.—Visit to Mr. Burke at Beaconsfield.—Character of Mr. Burke. —Lord Temple.—Lord Nuneham.—Mrs. Montagu's relations.— Gray the poet.—Compared to Pindar.— Changes in newspapers. — Extinction of letter writing.—Failure of Sir George C e. —Bad state OF THE COUNTRY.—GOOD LUCK IN SMUGGLING.—REQUIRE- MENTS OF A YOUNG LADY IN 1773-— CHRISTMAS FES- TIVITIES. — Character of Mrs. Montagu's niece. — Lord Stanhope.—Lord Mahon.—Observations on the bringing-up of children.—mlss gregory.—the price of a dull man.—dr. johnson.—mrs. montagu settles an annuity on mrs. williams.—serious illness of Mr. Montagu.—His love of mathematics. —His death.—Prospects of his widow. — Horace Walpole to Mason Page 171 to 194 CHAPTER VIII. Mrs. Montagu's attention to her affairs.—Visits Sandleford and Denton.—Visits her estate at Burniston.—Entertains her tenants.—Drought in 1775. — Charitable institutions. — Visits her col- lieries. — Difference between her Northumbrian A CONTENTS.