s, and French horns: they are all
violins, lutes, mandolins, and flutes doux. Here is hardly a man that
does not excel in some of these instruments, which he privately
addresses to the lady of his affections, and the public has the
advantage of it by his adding to the number of the musicians.

"The fountain where we drink the waters rises between two hanging hills,
and is overshadowed with large trees, that give a freshness in the
hottest time of the day. The provisions are all excellent, the fish of
the lake being as large and well tasted as that of Geneva, and the
mountains abounding in game, particularly blackcocks, which I never saw
in any other part of Italy."

Lady Mary, though still corresponding with her husband, had clearly
given up all idea of returning to England or of Montagu joining her
abroad. She was quite content with her state, which, after all, so far
as we know, was her own choice. She took a house at Lovere, and
interested herself in improving it and developing the grounds.

"I have been these six weeks, and still am, at my dairy-house, which
joins to my garden" (she wrote to her daughter in July, 1748). "I
believe I have already told you it is a long mile from the castle, which
is situated in the midst of a very large village, once a considerable
town, part of the walls still remaining, and has not vacant ground
enough about it to make a garden, which is my greatest amusement, it
being now troublesome to walk, or even go in the chaise till the
evening. I have fitted up in this farm-house a room for myself--that is
to say, strewed the floor with rushes, covered the chimney with moss and
branches, and adorned the room with basins of earthen-ware (which is
made here to great perfection) filled with flowers, and put in some
straw chairs, and a couch bed, which is my whole furniture. This spot of
ground is so beautiful, I am afraid you will scarce credit the
description, which, however, I can assure you, shall be very literal,
without any embellishment from imagination. It is on a bank, forming a
kind of peninsula, raised from the river Oglio fifty feet, to which you
may descend by easy stairs cut in the turf, and either take the air on
the river, which is as large as the Thames at Richmond, or by walking
[in] an avenue two hundred yards on the side of it, you find a wood of a
hundred acres, which was all ready cut into walks and ridings when I
took it. I have only added fifteen bowers in different