Search -
The best letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1901)
The best letters of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu - 1901 Author:Mary Wortley Montagu Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ocrity of agreeableness and genius, but leave me also my sincerity, my constancy, and my plain dealing; 't is all I have to recommend me to the esteem either of ... more »others or myself. How should I despise myself if I could think I was capable of either inconstancy or deceit! I know not how I may appear to other people nor how much my face may belie my heart, but I know that I never was or can be guilty of dissimulation or inconstancy, — you will think this vain, but't is all that I pique myself upon. Tell me you believe me and repent of your harsh censure. Tell it me in pity to my uneasiness, for you are one of those few people about whose good opinion I am in pain. I have always took so little care to please the generality of the world that I am never mortified or delighted by its reports, which is a piece of stoicism born with me; but I cannot be one minute easy while you think ill of Your faithful This letter is a good deal grave, and like other grave things dull; but I won't ask pardon for what I can't help. TO MISS ANNE WORTLEY. Aug. 21, 1709. When I said it cost nothing to write tenderly, I believe I spoke of another sex; I am sure not of myself. 'Tis not in my power (I would to God itwas !) to hide a kindness where I have one, or dissemble it where I have none. I cannot help answering your letter this minute and telling you I infinitely love you, though, it may be, you '11 call the one impertinence and the other dissimulation ; but you may think what you please of me, I must eternally think the same things of you. I hope my dear Mrs. Wortley's showing my letters is in the same strain as her compliments, all meant for raillery, and I am not to take it as a thing really so; but I '11 give you as serious an answer as if 't was all true. When Mr. Cowley and othe...« less