“Pretty Mrs. Pitt[472] looked as if she came from heaven, but was
only on her road thither in the habit of a chanoiness. Many ladies
looked handsome, and others rich, there was as great a quantity
of Diamonds as the town could produce. Mrs. Chandler was a starry
night, the Duchess of Portland had no jewels, and was miserably
dressed. Lord Sandwich made a fine Hussar. Mr. Montagu has made me
lay by my dress to be painted in when I see Mr. Hoare again. His
picture is thought like, but the face too full for my thin jaws. I
staid till 5 o’clock in the morning at the masquerade, and was not
tired, but a glass of your champagne and water gave me a fit of the
cholick the next day, and I have never been well since, but I had
better luck than Miss Conway[473] who was killed by a draught of
Lemonade she drank there....
“I suppose you have read Lord Bolingbroke’s new work,[474] as it is
short we idle ones in London can find time to peruse it.”
[472] _Née_ Penelope Atkyns, wife of George Pitt, afterwards Lord
Rivers.
[473] Miss Jenny Conway, sister of Lord Conway.
[474] “The Idea of a Patriot King.”
Mrs. Montagu paid a visit to the Bothams at Albury soon after this.
From the letters it appears Mr. Matthew Robinson was pressing a suit
on Miss Godschall, a rich heiress living near Albury, but it came to
nothing.
In June, Mrs. Montagu, being recommended to drink the Tunbridge waters,
was accompanied by Lady Sandwich, who was also ordered there; Mr.
Montagu remaining on business for a while in London, Sarah Robinson
still living with Lady Bab Montagu at Bath.
A letter from Lady Talbot welcoming them to stay with her till
they found a house now appears. She was the wife of William, 2nd
Baron Talbot, afterwards Earl Talbot and Baron Dinevor, _née_ Mary
de Cardonnel, a great heiress, who had been married at the age of
fifteen! An amiable, affectionate person, and a great friend of Mrs.
Montagu’s. Mrs. Montagu writes for her chariot to be sent to her; she
and Lady Sandwich having performed the journey in Lady Sandwich’s
post-chaise,[475] then a new vehicle.
[475] The four-wheeled post-chaise invented by Mr. Jethro Tull.
[Page heading: JOHN, DUKE OF MONTAGU]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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