ELIZABETH MONTAGU THE QUEEN OF THE BLUE-STOCKINGS HER CORRESPONDENCE FROM 1720 TO 1761 Transcribers’ Note Words in italics are marked with _underscores_. Words in small capitals are shown in UPPER CASE. Volumes one and two of “Elizabeth Montagu” are also published separately at Project Gutenberg. This combination of the two volumes consists of: Volume I, Volume II, Index, and the Robinson Pedigree. Please also see the note at the end of this book. Volume I [Illustration: _C. F. Zincke. Pinx._ _Emery Walker Ph. Sc._ _Mrs. Montagu_ _née Elizabeth Robinson_ _from a miniature in the possession of Miss Montagu_] 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. I [Illustration: Publisher’s colophon, a coat of arms] LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET 1906 PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED LONDON AND BECCLES AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED TO MY COUSINS MAGDALEN WELLESLEY AND ELIZABETH MONTAGU BY THE AUTHORESS PREFACE. From my early youth I heartily desired to know more of the life of my great-great-aunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu. Every scrap of information I could pick up respecting her I accumulated; therefore when my cousins, Mrs. Wellesley and her sister, Miss Montagu, in October, 1899, gave me the whole of her manuscripts contained in 68 cases, holding from 100 to 150 letters in each, my joy was unbounded!