Letters of Elizabeth Montagu is in Georgian Books.
20th July 1769. In the midst of letters & packing I have only time to tell my Dear Friend I arrived safe in Hillstreet & am going quietly into ye Country tomorrow morning. I shall go round by Sunning to view my lodgings & to see to get a room added there to as Mr Montagu talks of coming from Sandleford to make me a weeks visit. Little Matt is to go with me to Sandd. Poor Mrs Boscawen bears her loss with great resignation. She is at Hatchlands. The Dr D-ss of Beaufort [aged 56] is in hourly expectation of losing Lady Ht Williams [aged 21], I have offerd my service to these unfortunate Mothers, & will leave sunning for a few days at any time if I can enliven their melancholly retreat. Mrs Bosn is at Hatchds the Dss at Kensington but she will leave it to relax to East Bourne Place as soon as Lady Ht is no more. I shall see my Lodging at Sunning with great delight.
In the hope of recovery there my Dear Dear & most Dear friend. A thousand thanks for your kind reception at Deal. Oh that we were now enjoying ye Breeze & looking at ye green sea I had ye pleasure of seeing Mrs Pennington My sweet Godson & Mr Penn at Sittingbourn. I brought ye rheumsm to London but it is gone. In great haste
I am my Dr friend Ever yrs
5th July 1769. She is coming. Who is coming? Why Mrs Montagu is coming. Where? Why to Deal? Yes indeed Madam I shall do my self the honour to wait upon you. I propose to set out for my Bror Williams at Denton tomorrow, & my next trip will certainly be to Deal, so call yr nereids about you. I suppose they are yr maids of Honour. I propose to lye at Rochester on wensday night least a long journey shd fatigue & hurt me & make me less enjoy the pleasures I expect from this jaunt. I wd not tell you of my intended journey till ye time drew near, all things in this World being uncertain, & those most of all which depend on health. Pray have you seen Mr Grays ode on ye Installation? I think ye conclusion is in Pindars best manner, I hope His Grace of Grafton however will not be encouraged by it to brave ye Tempest which is gathering, for if he she he may find that ye Poets & Prophets office are not united in modern times. I was at Lady Frances Coningesbyes on saturday evening you were much enquired after. Poor Lady Harriot Williams [aged 21] is going fast into a consumption. the Duchess of Beaufort must be greatly affected by the danger of losing another daughter. I am delighted with yr iron poker, & wish you wd let me beat Mr Harris with it. I look'd into his strange perversion of Aristotles use of tragedy. How finely philosophers rectify ye mistakes of nature, for it is plain she gave plaintive sounds to animals with an intention that such sounds shd create pity which moves us to assist distress & terror is a garde fou that keeps us out of danger. Ld Lyttelton is returned from Sunning & is going to Hagley. Mrs Walshingham is gone to Tunbridge The Town is most forlorn. My Sisters maid is now very ill of a fever her cook & footman have had bad fevers I hope she will not catch ye disorder. Mr Montagus honest John has been very ill of a sore throat ye Town is very sickly. Little Matt seems better & I hope will have ye hooping cough in ye gentlest manner. I am transported to think I shall see you & walk with you on the green Sea shore, so to tell you ye truth I care little about writing which is a paltry thing compared to enjoying yr conversation ye waves beating musick. I suppose I must pay my duty to ye Paternal mansion before I come to Deal but I shall be impatient to come to you. Will you give me a bed? & will give me shrimps for my breakfast & will you be very glad & exceeding glad to see me? And will you let me see my best friend at Deal Mrs Underdown? I shall find some way to let you know when I can come to you least you shd be gone abroad. My sister desires her compts. Mine attend all your family.