Chapter V

Retirement of the Duke of Newcastle—The King’s Purchase of
Buckingham House—Violent Distemper in London—Death of the
Duke of Portland and Mrs. Donellan—Lord Halifax—Death of Sir
Edward Dering—Mr. Harrison’s Watch—_Bon Mot_ of the Duke of
Newcastle—His Character—Declines a Pension—Pension to Doctor
Johnson—Birth of “The First Gentleman in Europe”—The Duke
of Bedford—Englishmen Naturally Politicians—Instalment of
the Knights of the Garter—Return to England of Lady Mary
Wortley Montagu—Her Death—Her Character—Her Reception of Mrs.
Montagu—Lady Mary Leaves Her Son One Guinea—His Singular
Character—Gathering at Hagley—The New Cold, “L’Influenza”—Mrs.
Montagu Visits Oxford, Blenheim, Kenilworth, Warwick
Castle—Mrs. Montagu at Sandleford—Lord Bath Proposed To—His
Death—His Great Wealth—Mrs. Montagu Visits Alnwick, Edinburgh,
Glasgow, the Trossachs—The Vale of Glencoe—Visit to Lord
Kames—Literary Evenings in Edinburgh—The Poet Gray—His
Reserve—The Art of Conversation—Lady Cornewall Abroad 83

CHAPTER VI.

Critical State of Public Affairs—Voltaire’s Attack on
Shakespeare—Mrs. Montagu’s Defence—Reception of Her
Essay—Countess Gower’s Criticism—Doctor Johnson’s Opinion of
It—Garrick—Cowper’s Opinion—Mrs. Montagu Falls Ill—Visits
Edinburgh—Mrs. Chapone—Lord Buchan—Lord Kinnoul—Lord
Breadalbane—Lord Kames—Scotch Hospitality—Death of
George Grenville—Rumours of War—The King’s Speech—Lord
Chatham—Conversations of Lord Kames and Mrs. Montagu—Voltaire’s
Abuse of Lord Kames—William Emerson—Cheated by His
Father-in-law—Burke—George Grenville—Death of the
Duke of Bedford—His Character, Wealth, and Political
Influence—Legacies—Foreign Politics—Ladies’ Schools 106

CHAPTER VII.

The Duchess of Portland—Fineness of the Weather—Visit
to Winchester—Smuggling—Visit to Mr. Burke at
Beaconsfield—Character of Mr. Burke—Lord Temple—Lord
Nuneham—Mrs. Montagu’s Relations—Gray the Poet—Compared
to Pindar—Changes in Newspapers—Extinction of
Letter-Writing—Failure of Sir George C——e—Bad State of the
Country—Good Luck in Smuggling—Requirements of a Young
Lady in 1773—Christmas Festivities—Character of Mrs.
Montagu’s Niece—Lord Stanhope—Lord Mahon—Observations on
the Bringing-up of Children—Miss Gregory—The Price of a
Dull Man—Doctor Johnson—Mrs. Montagu Settles an Annuity on
Mrs. Williams—Serious Illness of Mr. Montagu—His Love of
Mathematics—His Death—Prospects of His Widow—Horace Walpole to
Mason 122