Montagu is celebrated as a consummate writer of intelligent, witty, and frequently scandalous letters. Spanning the years 1708 to 1762, Montagu's correspondence is addressed to a wide variety of recipients and is considered remarkable for its versatility and range. By turns philosophical, descriptive, eccentric, affectionate, worldly, thoughtful, and sarcastic, the letters share one common attribute: the forceful imprint of their author's personality.

Biographical Information

Mary Pierrepont was born in London to an aristocratic family. She was known as Lady Mary after her father became the earl of Kingston in 1690. As a child devised for herself a rigorous academic program, that included writing poetry and teaching herself Latin. While she was still in her teens Lady Mary captured the attention of Edward Wortley Montagu (usually referred to simply as Wortley), a politician eleven years her senior. Wortley asked Lady Mary's father for permission to marry her, but the men could not...