The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-08-19

Eslsabssh Afsataso ana Her ME-

0UME VIEW UV1A0
Elizabeth Montagn and Her Friends.
The story Of q lady who strove TO do for
.bondon In thu middle Of the eighteenth
century what the MaFquise do Rambouillet
had done for Paris In tho first half Of the
se~venteenth, will be found eet forth In the
two volumes collectively entitled Elizabeth
MoMtaos, oSees Of Tie Biuestoekfngs. by
her sreat-greatnieoe, EMLY J. CLihISSoN
n r. Dutton 4 CO... This 10 not the first
tinne that selections from the oopious corre-
spondence OF Mrs.. Elizabeth MontaGu have
been published. In 1910, ten years after
her death. Baron Rokeby, her nephew,
and grandfather Of the compiler OF the
present book. pubhLAed two votumes OF
letters, which wero followed by two moro
volumes In 1913. In 1850 the lady TO whom
We are indebted for this book received from
her o~ousins, Mrs. Wellesley and Miss Mon
taeu, tho whole Of Elizabeth Montague
manuscript, contained In hxty-eight cases.,
holding from 100 to $50 letters Apiece. We're
the whole OF this enormous correspondence
printed q large bookcase could be filled
In the present volumes only Mrs. Montague
carly life is presented. interviewer With
portions Of her most intimate friends let
tore to herself. That Is TO say, We are con-
Quoted from her birth in ITO to 1871. Tho
later part Of her life, comprising some
forty years, 10 left for subsequent delinea-
ton.
There is no doubt that Elizabeth Mon
taku'e correspondence ilhminates with
extraordinary vividness the social, literary
and artistic world Of the British metropolis
during the reigns Of George II. and George
III. Elizabeth Montsgu herself was an
accomplished. vivacious and interesting
person, and the moro or less distinguished
people whom We encounter In these vol
umes include members OF the royal family.
Ministers, peers, brilliant orators In the
Mouse of Commons, such men Of letters as
Pope, Swift. DR.. Johnson, Sterne, Gray,
DR.. Edward Young, Richardson, Fielding
and Edmund Burke; sue painters as Sir
Joehua Reynolds, and such musical COM
poeers as Handel. II men OF all stations,
abilities aud requirements were attracted
70 Nrs. Eissabsth Mcatssn, Il was doubt
Ices because her own sympathiee were as
broad and varied a. her requirements.
There 10 good ground for her relatives
assertion that, .adored by men Of all optn-
Ions, whether orthodox Or soeptical, and
liking their society, capable Of prising the
good In those around her without assimi-
lating the bad, she was herself the purest
Of the pure, though vithal by nc means q
prude.' As a wife. q friend. a eamdvads
In all things, grave or gay, she seenas TO
have been unequalled In her day, while as
0 housewife she was notable, beloved by
her servants, by the poor Of her parish,
by her miners and their wives and children.
In conjunction with Robert Raikes. this
friend Of Horace Walpcle and Lord Ches-
tsrheld, who themselves were anything
but religious or straitlaced. was n Of
the frat persons in England to institute
Sunday schools. A discussion With Bishops
or Gilbert West on theology, or with william
Emerson, the author Of "The Doctrine OF
Ffuxions.' on mathematics, or with Eliza
beth Carter. the feminine Bentley OF her
time, on Epiotetus, all were alike c~ongenial
10 the many sided Montagu. As her kins-
woman, the compiler Of these volumes,
puts It, she danced with the gay, she wept
with the mourner: her sympathies never
lay idle, oven to the very end Of life; and
In Z century which has been deemed by
msny to he coarse, uneducated and ire
ligious, her sweet, wholesome nature shone
like o star and attracted all minor lights.'
Where asks the compiler, 'in the wen
tieth century do We find q coterie OF men
and women of the highest rank and infu-
ence In the world. either from intellect or
position, 50 content and devoted to each
other. 90 free from the petty ~jealousies and
sarcasms Of contemporeneous fashionable
society, 90 anxious for each others well
faro, and 90 free from can or prudery''
-
].
After briefly recalling who Elizabeth
Montagu was by birth and relationships,
what this correspondence tells us about
men in whom the present generation Of
readers is more interested than In the great
bluestocking herself. Elizabeth Robinson,
born at York, October a, 172o, was the
daughter Of q country gentleman Of parts
and fortune, Matthew Robinson Of Edgeley
and West Layton Hall, Yorks, who In l7is
had married Elizabeth Drake, subsequently
the heiress through her brother, Morris
Drake Morris. OF the estates OF Coveney.
Cambs and Mount Morris, Kent. One Of
her relatives had married the then famous
DR.. Conyers Middleton, author Of the life
Of Cicero" whose houses at Cambridge or
In the country she often visited. We are
told that Eizabeth's uncommon sensibility
and acuteness Of understanding. as well -
extraordinary beauty in childhood. rem
dered her an object Of much notice In the
university. and @Dr. Middleton wa In the
habit Of requiring from her IN account Of
the learned conversations at which, In his
society, che was frequently present; not
admitting Of the excuse Of her tender q
as a disqualification, but insisting that.
although at the time she could but imper-
fectly understand their meaning, she would
In the future derive great benefit from the
habit Of attention inculoated by the prao-
tice." Unless a miniature which forms q
frontispiece to the first of these volumes 10
fattering, Elizabeth Robinson must have
been q beautiful and attractive girl. We
read that sin her youth her beauty was
most admired for the peculiar animation
and expression Of hsr blue eyss, with high
arched eyebrows. and for the contrast Of
her brilliant complexion with her dark
brown hair. She was OF the middle stature,
and stopped q little, which gave an air Of
modesty TO her oountensnoe, In which the
features were otherwise &C strongly marked