“I hear the Dukes of Bedford and Devonshire and others are set out
for their respective counties to raise men to assist in suppressing
this rebellion.”
[391] 3rd titular Duke of Perth, born 1720, died 1746.
He ends by entreating her to go at once to Horton, as Mount Morris was
more generally called in the family, and that till the country was
safe, she would not blame his staying north as long as he could be of
any service.
[Page heading: TUNBRIDGE WARE]
This letter hastened Mrs. Montagu’s and Sarah’s departure from
Tunbridge Wells. Writing to the Duchess of Portland on the eve of
starting, she asks her if she has
“received a fan with Dr. Young’s picture in his riding
accoutrements. I have taken the liberty to send you some Tunbridge
ware, which in your magnificence you will despise, but I desire it
may be sent to your Dairy, and there humbler thoughts will possess
you, and churns of butter, prints, and skimming dishes will appear
of consequence. I have sent you baskets for your goodyship to put
your eggs in, also for feeding your poultry.”
[Page heading: SIR JOHN COPE]
On October 5 George Lewis Scott wrote to Mrs. Montagu, then at Mount
Morris, a long letter, a portion of which I copy. His handwriting,
though small, was clear and exceedingly elegant. He chaffs her and Miss
Robinson at taking refuge near the sea, and says, “If I were Captain
of a Privateer, and had 50 stout fellows to second me, I would carry
you and your whole family off in spite of the unconquered county of
Kent.”... After this he suggests
“a vidette, a Sentinel on Horseback at a proper distance from
the house, who may gallop home and give you timely allarm, your
horses should be ready saddled.... The Army under Marshal Wade
is not to rendezvous at Worcester till the 12th instant. If the
Highlanders have begun their march as it is supposed, and that
their Chiefs get their men to cross the borders, (no easy task,
because of the prevailing tradition among them that none ever get
back again), they may be in Yorkshire as soon as our Army. I am
sorry that county is not better prepared, but alas! it is not easy
to be prepared in a country rendered so artificially unwarlike as
England. What signify all the speeches of the Orators, or rather of
our ignorant, perhaps knavish babblers in Parliament against the
Army? What has been the consequence of their insisting so often,
contrary to common experience and common sense, that our Navy was
a sufficient security. They only misled honest gentlemen. Their
frothy words will not restore tranquillity, and public credit, nor
repel the Highlanders. The Roman orators were also warriors, even
Cicero was, I believe, a better General than most of ours, who have
not forgot the Art of War, as Miss Robinson suggests: they never
_learnt_ it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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