The Letter-Bag of Lady Elizabeth Spencer-Stanhope, vol 1 | Page 8

Spencer-Stanhope. GROSVENOR
SQUARE, January 18th, 1805.
Here we are established as of old and beginning our usual avocations....
Our Opera-box we like extremely. I generally take some young woman,

which makes us cheerful. Miss Glyn [1] was of my party one night, and
was well pleased. Little Roscius [2] appeared again to-night. I almost
despair of seeing him, though I will try.
On Saturday morning, Marianne and I and five or six hundred others
went to hear Mr Sydney Smith [3] lecture upon the Conduct of the
Human Understanding. His voice is fine and he is well satisfied with
himself. I cannot say we came away much wiser, but we were well
amused. I hear that Mr Smith protests that all women of talent are
plain.
Lady de Clifford [4] is to be Governess to Princess Charlotte, Mrs and
Miss Trimmer [5] the acting ones. I doubt the mother accepting the
appointment. On the 25th February there is to be a grand ball at
Windsor.
[Illustration: MRS. TRIMMER]
Marianne Spencer-Stanhope to John Spencer-Stanhope.
GROSVENOR SQUARE, February 1st, 1805.
MY DEAR JOHN,
I fear you will have thought me long in performing my promise, but as
I was to have gone to Court yesterday, I delayed writing to you until
the ceremony was over; as it is, instead of my letter being full of
royalty, peers and ribbons, you must accept nothing but the remnant of
those ideas, which the interesting hairbreadth adventures of Tom Jones
have left me; in plain English the Drawing-room was put off on
account of the Queen's indisposition, and I am just at the end of the
above-mentioned delightful book. Oh! had I the wit of Partridge, the
religion of Thwackum, or the learning of Square, I might describe with
tolerable accuracy the intolerable stupidity of this great town. The
Opera is thin of company, thin of performers, thin of lights, thin of
figurantes, thin of scene-shifters, thin of everything! One night we were
a good deal entertained by having his R.H., & chère amie [6] in the
next box to us, really they squabbled so, you would have imagined they
were man and wife....

As for Politicks, of which you ask so much, everyone here seems
discontented. All Pitt's friends, angry that he has deserted them for
Addington, and Lord Stafford, the head of them all, angry that the
ribbon should be given to Lord Abercorn--to one who has protected
rather than to one who has insulted Pitt--"Such little things are great to
little men."
The King, everyone agrees, looks charmingly and is more composed
than he has been for long. Lady de Clifford is appointed Governess to
the Princess (Charlotte)--the bosom friend of Mrs Fitzherbert,
hélas!--and Mrs and Miss Trimmer under her; some say they will not
accept it. Dr Fisher, Bishop of Exeter, is to be Governor. I am for
making he and Mrs Trimmer disagree about Religion.
Mrs Spencer-Stanhope to John Spencer-Stanhope. February 23rd.
On Thursday Marianne and I attended the Drawingroom, and so
disagreeable a crowd I never was in. Miss Drummond [7] looked very
well and Miss Glyn quite pretty--the great Hoop suits her figure. I have
not heard you mention being acquainted with a young man of the name
of Knox-Irish. [8] His father and mother live in this street, and are
friends of Mrs Beaumont's. [9]
I have finished the Life of Sir William Jones. [10] His acquirements
appear to have been wonderful--eight languages perfectly, but I think it
was twenty-eight of which he had more or less some knowledge. He
was withal a very religious man. His attainments were of the right sort,
for they fixed his principles and all his writings are in favor of Virtue.
The speech Mr Windham made in the House of Commons was full of
wit, and would I think amuse you.
Marianne Spencer-Stanhope to John Spencer-Stanhope. (Undated.)
The apparent good spirits in which you write, even after a
Mathematical Lecture, gives us reason to hope that that favourite
exercise has not quite deprived you of your valuable intellect Long may
it continue thus! Long may you be the glory of CH. CH.

Mathematicians; and when you have left the British Athens, long may
your name stand forward among the lists of those Worthies who
discovered that two parallel, straight lines might run on to all Eternity
without ever meeting!
As a little incitement to you to continue acquiring learning, I will send
you a short account of the manner that two Dukes of Suffolk (sic) spent
their time at Cambridge in 1550:
"During dinner, one of them read a Chapter of the Greek Testament,
and did afterwards translate it into English; they then said Grace, in
turns; & did afterwards propound questions, either in Philosophy or
Divinity; & so spent all the time at