To THE COUNTESS OF BUTE

“Venice, May 22, 1759.

“...  Building is the general weakness of old people; I have had a twitch of it myself, though certainly it is the highest absurdity, and as sure a proof of dotage as pink-coloured ribands, or even matrimony.  Nay, perhaps, there is more to be said in defence of the last; I mean in a childless old man; he may prefer a boy born in his own house, though he knows it is not his own, to disrespectful or worthless nephews or nieces.  But there is no excuse for beginning an edifice he can never inhabit, or probably see finished.  The Duchess of Marlborough used to ridicule the vanity of it, by saying one might always live upon other people’s follies:  yet you see she built the most ridiculous house I ever saw, since it really is not habitable, from the excessive damps; so true it is, the things that we would do, those do we not, and the things we would not do, those do we daily.  I feel in myself a proof of this assertion, being much against my will at Venice, though I own it is the only great town where I can properly reside, yet here I find so many vexations, that, in spite of all my philosophy and (what is more powerful) my phlegm, I am oftener out of humour than among my plants and poultry in the country.  I cannot help being concerned at the success of iniquitous schemes, and grieve for oppressed merit.  You, who see these things every day, think me as unreasonable, in making them matter of complaint, as if I seriously lamented the change of seasons.  You should consider I have lived almost a hermit ten years, and the world is as new to me as to a country girl transported from Wales to Coventry.  I know I ought to think my lot very good, that can boast of some sincere friends among strangers.”

Old age will, in the long run, have its way.  Lady Mary, as pleasantly loquacious as ever, found the manual labour of writing not always to be endured, and she tried the experiment of dictating her correspondence.

“Thus far” (she wrote to Sir James Steuart from Padua, July 19, 1759), “I have dictated for the first time of my life, and perhaps it will be the last, for my amanuensis is not to be hired, and I despair of ever meeting with another.  He is the first that could write as fast as I talk, and yet you see there are so many mistakes, it wants a comment longer than my letter to explain my insignificant meaning, and I have fatigued my poor eyes more with correcting it, than I should have done in scribbling two sheets of paper.  You will think, perhaps, from this idle attempt, that I have some fluxion on my sight; no such matter; I have suffered myself to be persuaded by such sort of arguments as those by which people are induced to strict abstinence, or to take physic.  Fear, paltry fear, founded on vapours rising from the heat, which is now excessive, and has so far debilitated my miserable nerves that I submit to a present displeasure, by way of precaution against