SOURCE: Davis, Rose Mary. “The Blue Stockings.” In The Good Lord Lyttelton: A Study in Eighteenth Century Politics and Culture, pp. 283-90. Bethlehem, PA: Times Publishing Company, 1939.

In the following excerpt, Davis explores Montagu's relationship with Lord Lyttelton, referring to their correspondence, and discusses the Bluestocking social circle, which was created by Montagu and frequented by Lyttelton.

Lord Lyttelton's insignificance in politics during the years when he sat in the House of Lords did not extend to the literary world. It was an age of literary dictators; and while he can claim no such position of authority as was given to Dryden, Pope, or Johnson, he also gave his little senate laws and was, we may assume, not entirely inattentive to his own applause. His power of dispensing royal and ministerial patronage was co-extensive with his connection with Prince Frederick and with his tenure of office under Pelham...