Biography of Jane Elizabeth Scott Countess of Oxford and Mortimer 1774-1824

Letters of Harriet, Countess Granville. To Lady G. Morpeth (age 26). London. 1810.

I went to Devonshire House last night and found the remains of a very dull dinner. Bessboroughs¹, W. Spencers², Lord John Townshend (age 52)³, and Mr. Chinnery. Lord John and Mr. Spencer whispering in a corner of the room, Mrs. Spencer acting nine years old with great success, and Mr. Chinnery faisant les frais⁴ with the rest of us. "We dine there to-day, with probably a second edition of yesterday. Je ne m'en fais pas une fete⁵, but we thought it right the last day.

Miss Berry⁶ was with me yesterday, looking wretchedly ill and talking in the' most melancholy way of her own existence and prospects.

Lady Oxford (age 36) and Caroline William Lamb (age 24)⁷ have been engaged in a correspondence, the subject whether learning Greek purifies or inflames the passions. Caro. seems to have more faith in theory than in practice, to judge at least by those she consults as to these nice points of morality. The letter she repeats as having received from Lady Oxford is almost too good to be true. After a great many maxims and instances, she ends, ' All the illiterate women of Athens were bad, but what does my sweet friend think of her virtuous Aspasia?'

I have been to try and make Granville get up, and to quarrel with him for saying he will not go to-morrow if it rains. God bless you, my dearest sister.

Note 1. Lord (age 51) and Lady Bessborough (age 48). She was daughter of the first Lord Spencer and aunt to Lady Granville.

Note 2. He was a relation of Lord Spencer and well known for his clever society verses.

Note 3. He was the son of the first Marquis of Townshend and father of the fourth Marquis (age 11).

Note 4. "Bearing the cost", "Covering the expenses", "Taking responsibility for", or "Paying the price" (figuratively).

Note 5. "I'm not looking forward to it.", "I'm not excited about it.", "I'm not thrilled about it." or "I don't expect it to be fun."

Note 6. She and her sister Miss Agnes were in their early youth intimate friends of Horace Walpole. He expressed his fear that, being so delicate, they would not live long, but both of them survived him fifty-five years. Miss Berry told her maid, who is still living, that Horace "Walpole said he had offered his hand and heart to her, and his hand and coronet to her sister. Their salon in London was considered very agreeable and was attended by the best society. Some ill-natured person nicknamed them Blackberry and Gooseberry. Lady Theresa Lewis wrote an interesting life of the elder sister.

Note 7. She was a daughter of Lady Bessborough, Lady Granville's aunt. She entertained a violent passion for Lord Byron, but her conduct was so eccentric that she could hardly have been in her right mind. She married Mr. William Lamb, who became Lord Melbourne, the Prime Minister.