Volume II

Frances Reynolds pinx.ᵗ C. Townley sculp

Mrs. Montagu Emery Walker Ph. Sc.

ELIZABETH MONTAGU THE QUEEN OF THE BLUE-STOCKINGS

HER CORRESPONDENCE FROM 1720 TO 1761

BY HER GREAT-GREAT-NIECE EMILY J. CLIMENSON AUTHORESS OF “HISTORY OF SHIPLAKE,” “HISTORICAL GUIDE TO HENLEY-ON-THAMES,” “PASSAGES FROM THE DIARIES OF MRS. P. LYBBE POWYS,” ETC., ETC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

IN TWO VOLUMES—VOL. II

LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1906

PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED LONDON AND BECCLES

CONTENTS TO VOL. II

PAGE

List of Illustrations ix

CHAPTER I.

Rev. William Robinson — Botham and Bishop Sherlock — Death of Dr. Chesilden — The Scott separation — South Lodge, Enfield — “Chinese pomp” — A letter to Edward Montagu — Mount Morris — Archibald Bower — “Madonna” — Inoculation — Books to read — History of the Popes — G. L. Scott — The Delany lawsuit — Turkey Pye — The joyous Berenger — Death of Bishop Berkeley — A woman in vapours — Mrs. Laurence Sterne — Lady Bute’s Assembly — A perfect woman — Pitt’s insomnia — Rent of lodgings — The Penshurst pictures — Trinity College, Cambridge, Library — Gibside — Stonelands — “Minouets” — Beau Nash — Pitt at Hayes — The new post-chaise — Bullstrode menagerie — Richardson’s Sir Charles Grandison — Lucian’s Triumph of the Gout — Schoolgirls’ bills — Death of Pelham — “Tom” Lyttelton — West appointed to Chelsea Hospital — Elizabeth Canning — Molière’s Precieuses Ridicules — Hateley the artist — Lillingston Dayrell — History of Bath — Pitt’s engagement and marriage — Bishop Warburton and Bolingbroke — Pitt’s honeymoon — “Gossip” Joan — Nathaniel Hooke 1–66

CHAPTER II.

Lord Montfort’s suicide — Mrs. Pococke — Lord Baltimore’s house — Mr. Bower’s cottage — Torriano’s marriage — Hatchlands — Sheep Leas — Painshill — Reading — Sarah Scott’s daily life — The calm, meek Miss Pococke — The Garrett Wellesleys — Fears of French invasion — Garrick at Drury Lane — Earthquake at Lisbon — Death of West — Wortley Montagu’s pious pamphlet — Captain Robert Robinson’s death — Byng — David Hume — Morris Robinson’s marriage — The eccentric Matthew Robinson — Pitt buys Hayes house — Viscount Pitt’s birth — Lyttelton a peer — The famous bas bleu assemblies — Emin — Windsor election riot — Stillingfleet — Culham Court — George Stevens — Battle of Hastenbeck — The Severn and Wye — Elizabeth Wilmot — Battle of Kollin — A description of Emin — “Is got pure well” — The Mordaunt Expedition — Dr. Monsey — Admiral and Mrs. Boscawen — Battle of Rosbach 67–122

CHAPTER III.

The Delany trial — Death of Dr. Clayton — Emin applies to Pitt — The attack on St. Malo — Death and will of John Rogers — The Garricks — Letters to Mrs. Elizabeth Carter (passim) — Lyttelton and Monsey — The Louisburg blockade — Correspondence with Lyttelton (passim) — Molly West’s marriage — Newcastle — Denton Hall — Lumley Castle — Hampton Court, Herefordshire — Battle of Zorndorff — Emin on Frederick the Great — The eau de luce disaster — Mrs. Garrick — Current price of food — Athenian Stuart — Viper broth — “Brusher” Mills the snake-catcher — Illness of George II. — Young Mr. Pitt — The Session opened — Monsey’s doggerel — Admiral Boscawen thanked by Parliament — Lady Emily Butler — Helvetius’ De l’Esprit — Attempted assassination of King of Portugal — Lyttelton’s History of Henry II. — Burke’s Sublime and Beautiful — Dr. Johnson — Emin off to Armenia — Calves Pluck water — Harleyford — Inverary Castle — Alnwick — York — Glamis Castle — Scotch characteristics — Burke’s appeal for Madrid Consulship — Quebec taken — Bonus, the picture-cleaner — The Laurence Sternes 123–177

CHAPTER IV.

Correspondence with Lyttelton (passim) — Lord Bath — The Lisbon Embassy — Dialogues of the Dead — Lord Chesterfield — Earl Ferrers executed — William Robinson’s marriage — Tunbridge Wells — The Stanley family — Ned, the groom — Lord Bath’s character — Lord Mansfield — “Montagu’s main” — Sophocles — Hagley House rebuilt — Dr. Monsey’s ways — Allan Ramsay, portrait painter — Letter to Duchess of Portland — Macpherson’s Highland Poems — Bishop Sherlock’s letter — Dr. Young — George Bowes’ funeral — Miss Bowes — Greek Plays and Shakespeare — Green tea and snuff — Death of George II. — George III. king — George II.’s will — Floods at Newark — A great lady’s avarice — The King’s first speech — Attendance at Court — A fashionable dentist — A languid campaign — Bishop Sherlock’s letter to the King — Billets doux — Chesterfield’s bon mot — An impetuous lover of fourscore — Monsey’s fresh doggerel — George Colman the elder 178–227

CHAPTER V.

Admiral Boscawen’s illness and death — Wortley Montagu’s death — “Montagu Minerva” — Voltaire’s Tancred — Macpherson’s Fingal — Lord Bath’s gift to Mrs. Carter — Dr. Young’s letters — Another Dialogue of the Dead — An anonymous letter — the British Museum — A country gentlewoman — Gesner’s Mort d’Abel — Lord Bath’s character — The future queen — Mrs. Montagu’s advice to Tom Lyttelton — Monsey’s bloom-coloured coat — Dr. Young’s Resignation — Lord Bath’s portrait — The Coronation — Lady Pomfret — Lord Bath at Sandleford — Position of Ministers — An act of humility — Widows’ weeds — The Bas-Bleus and shells — Laurence Sterne 228–273

APPENDICES.

“Long” Sir Thomas Robinson 275

Sandleford Priory, Berks 278

Denton Hall, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northumberland 281

Index 283

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. VOL. II.

Mrs. Montagu Frontispiece

From the engraved portrait by C. Townley, after Frances Reynolds, in the possession of Mr. A. M. Broadley. (Photogravure.)

TO FACE PAGE

Tea and Coffee in the Bath-room 38

From the drawing by John Nixon, in the possession of Mr. A. M. Broadley.

The Circus, at Bath 40

From a drawing by Thomas Malton, in the possession of Mr. A. M. Broadley.

The King’s Bath, at Bath 60

From a drawing by Thomas Rowlandson, in the possession of Mr. A. M. Broadley.

Philip, Fourth Earl of Chesterfield 64

From the picture by William Hoare, R.A., in the National Portrait Gallery. (Photogravure.)

David and Mrs. Garrick 82

From the picture by William Hogarth, in the possession of His Majesty The King. (Photogravure.)

George, Lord Lyttelton 96

From a picture by (unknown), in the National Portrait Gallery.

Mrs. Mary Delany 106

From the picture by John Opie, R.A., in the National Portrait Gallery.

Allerthorpe Hall, Yorkshire 120

Conyers Middleton 120

From the mezzotint by Faber, after the picture by Eccardt, 1746. (Photogravure.)

Benjamin Stillingfleet 128

From an engraving by V. Green, after Zoffany.

Mrs. Elizabeth Carter 160

From the picture by Sir Thomas Lawrence, P.R.A.

Dr. Samuel Johnson 164

From the picture painted for Topham Beauclerk by Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A., in the possession of Mr. A. H. Hallam Murray.

Edmund Burke 170

From the picture by Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A., in the National Portrait Gallery.

Dr. Edward Young 256

From the picture by (unknown), in the National Portrait Gallery.

William Pulteney, First Earl of Bath 258

From a picture by Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A., 1761, in the National Portrait Gallery. (Photogravure.)

Laurence Sterne 272

After the picture by Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A., in the possession of The Marquess of Lansdowne. (Photogravure.)

ELIZABETH MONTAGU

THE QUEEN OF THE BLUE-STOCKINGS