CHAPTER XIII.

Air-Balloons—Fire at Sandleford—Feather-Work—Mrs. Montagu at the Drawing-Rooms—Mr. Jerningham’s Lines on the Occasion of Her Fall There—Engagement of Her Heir and Nephew to Miss Charlton—Character of Her Nephew—Of Miss Charlton—Mr. Pitt—Marriage of Mrs. Montagu’s Heir—Breakfast at Salt Hill—Lord Lansdowne—Lady Sutherland—Lord Trentham—Declining Health of Mrs. Vesey—Lady Spencer—Lord Grimston—Mrs. Montagu Visits Her Newcastle Property—Lord Mount-Stewart—Lord Carlisle—Lord Ravensworth—Sir Henry Liddell—Cowper’s Verses on Mrs. Montagu—Employments of Young Mr. Montagu—His Maiden Speech Answered by Mr. Fox—Wraxall’s Allusion to It—General Montagu Matthew—His Disclaimer of Connection with Matthew Montagu—Southampton—London in Winter—The Commencement of Troubles in France—The Duke of Dorset Introduces a “Thé”—Described by Hannah More—The King’s Illness—Mr. Fox’s Illness—Lord Mount Edgcumbe—Bath—Mr. Montagu—Lord Harrowby—Party at Mrs. Montagu’s, at Which Burke Is Present—Mackenzie, Author of “The Man of Feeling”—Wilberforce—Great Dinners to Great People—Mrs. Montagu’s Failing Health—Mrs. Carter—Education of Girls—Mrs. Montagu’s Interest in the Subject—Summary of Her Life and Character 232

List of Illustrations

PAGE

GARRICK AND HIS WIFE (_See page 162_) _Frontispiece_

LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU 62

“I ALLOWED MY FRIZEUSE TO PUT ON WHATEVER ROUGE WAS USUALLY WORN” 150

THE MINUET 186

ON THE SEA-WALL AT SOUTHAMPTON 245

A Lady of the Last Century