BLUESTOCKING , , more

. . . more about the Bas Bleu
The correspondence of these ladies is interesting and this letter was written in 1778to Mrs. DELANEY by Mrs. BOSCAWEN: The Honorable Mrs. Boscawen, daughter of Wm. Evelyn Glanville of Saint Clair, Kent, was always elegant and well bred as becomes the wife of an admiral and mother of a viscount and was widowed in 1744. She was one of the four founders of the bluestockings.
How Hatch, near Warley Camp
October 15, 1778
You are at a loss to know my dear madam where your most kind and agreeable epistle wou’d find me why - had it marched without halting (for I have caught the military style) it would have found me in the middle of a battle. Yes I assure you and a most tremendous battle I thought it un feu terrible and continuel made me wish myself anywhere else still more do I wish that nobody lov’d battles more than I do and then all wou’d be peace blessed peace! which I long for. I have been in this warlike neighborhood ten days, and am now returning to my quiet cottage, with the satisfaction of leaving my dear daughter much better than I found her for alas! she has had a most terrible sprain (of the leg that was broke), and I found her quite helpless upon the couch carry’d and lifted about but now she is able to walk supported by sticks and is quite free from pain I thank God. We have had fine airings however almost every morning; sometimes I get out, and she remains in the coach but yesterday we both dine’d in the Col. of the Grenadier’s tent (that is his Grace of Beaufort), and we were entertain’d with the musick of ye 25th Regt that us’d to play to Her Majesty at Windsor last year; I have been at Lord Petre’s and seen the magnificent and superb preparations he has made for the reception of his royal guests but I can hardly afford to our gracious Queen all that cannonading wch I saw heard and felt last Monday when the army rehears’d something of that whch they are to perform when the King comes. I hope however it will agree with her better than it did with me (who am a coward). The beginning of it was charming when all the army here march’d in battalions by the general and saluted without firing the musick playing but afterwards when the horrid cannon open’d their brazen mouths and all the troops attack’d or defend’d we wou’d have retreated if we could but the light infantry occupy’d the wood thro’ wch we must have pass’d and kept up a continual fire in short I promise myself never to be in another battle and I made it worse by thinking “if such is a mock fight what must a real one be?”

Your account of yourself my dear madam and of the agreeable autumn you have enjoy’d pleases me much and I heard too (from Ly Gower) that she found you quite recover’d. Mrs. Leveson is still at Portsmouth Mr. Leveson is to come in there (to clean I understand) and then go out again. He will be able to make a visit to Lady Gower I shd suppose tho probably a short one. I was very sorry for Ly Thanet. Were you not surpris’d to hear that Mr. Ed. Foley was going to be marry’d to Ly A Coventry? Deux vauriens je crois n’est-ce pas? Adieu dear madam it is late for we had company at supper Ld Winchelsea was one who seems a very agreeable man I think.

I hope you have got the Duchess again and beg my best respects to her Grace.
Faithfully and gratefully yours
F. Boscowen
I hope Mrs, Port is well and poor Mrs. Smith better