The _bas-bleus_ from this time constantly celebrated, amongst their _intimates_, the feast of shells mentioned in Ossian by drinking out of them on any particular occasion. Lord Bath’s portrait, not satisfying Mrs. Montagu, had been returned to Mr. Reynolds for amendment, and Lord Bath writes-- “MADAM, “I will sitt to Mr. Reynolds either Wenesday or Saturday next, whichever is most convenient to him, and shall be glad to meet Mr. Tristram Shandy (as you call him) or Mr. Sterne (as I must call him) there, but where it is to be you do not mention. If the alteration can be made in a quarter of an hour, it is scarce worth taking the Picture out of your house, but if it is to be altered at Mr. Reynolds’ I will be there on either of the days mentioned. Last night I slept extreamely well and the better since I went from Mrs. Vesey’s, happy in seeing you look so charmingly and well.... “3 a clock, Dec. 26th, 1761.” [Page heading: LAURENCE STERNE] Lord Bath had remarkably penetrating and brilliant eyes, and one of the faults found with the picture was in the representation of this feature. The next letter from Lord Bath runs-- “How cruel was it, before I got out of bed, to receive a letter forbidding me coming to you this night! but I hope nothing will prevent me from having that happiness to-morrow. On Wenesday about one of the Clock, I will most certainly be at Mr. Reynolds’ to mend my sickly looks, and to sitt down in my chair, as I should do; instead of being half standing, which criticism of Mr. Sterne’s I think perfectly right; as for my looks, I fear they will not be much mended by any Physick of Mr. Reynolds. He has made an old man look as if he was in pain, which an old man generally is, and so far he is right.” Mrs. Montagu took Mr. Sterne to the sittings so that he might amuse Lord Bath with his _bons mots_! Surely this would form a pretty and historical picture if any artist would paint it. On the publication of her poems, to which Mrs. Carter looked forward in a nervous frame of mind, Mrs. Montagu says-- “I am sorry for your tremors and trepidations, but they are mere nervous disorders, and the manuscript must be printed, so my dear Urania, away with your lamentations, sit down, revise, correct, augment, print, and publish. I am sure you will have a pleasure in communicating the pious, virtuous sentiments that breathe in all your verses. My inferior Soul will feel a joy in your producing such proofs of genius to the world.... The very best of your poetical productions have never been published, they may indeed have been seen by a few in manuscripts, but the finest things on sheets are soon lost-- ‘Foliis tantum ne carmina manda; Ne turbata volent rapidis ludibria Ventis.’ Print them and bind them fast I beg you.” Writing to her brother, William Robinson, then at Rome, at this period, Mrs. Montagu congratulates him on the prospect of a son or daughter--