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Saturday 3 July 2010

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu: A Receipt to Cure the Vapours


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File:William Hogarth 039.jpg

The Death of the Earl


I

Why will Delia thus retire,
And Languish life away?
While the sighing Crowds admire,
’Tis too soon for Hartshorn Tea.


II

All these dismal looks and fretting
Cannot Damon’s life restore;
Long ago the worms have eat him,
You can never see him more.




File:William Hogarth 043.jpg

The Suicide of the Countess


III

Once again consult your Toilet,
In the Glass your face Review,
So much weeping soon will spoil it,
And no Spring your Charms renew.


IV

I like you was born a Woman --
Well I know what Vapours mean,
The Disease alas! is common,
Single we have all the Spleen.




File:William Hogarth 036.jpg

The Visit to the Quack Doctor


V

All the Morals that they tell us,
Never cur'd the Sorrow yet,
Chuse among the pretty Fellows
One of humour, Youth, and Wit.


VI

Prithee hear him ev'ry Morning
At least an hour or two,
Once again at Nights returning—
I beleive the Dose will do.



File:William Hogarth 042.jpg

The Countess's Morning Levee


File:Lady Mary Wortley Montagu with her son,  Edward Wortley  Montagu, and attendants by Jean Baptiste Vanmour.jpg



A Receipt to Cure the Vapours: Lady Mary Wortley Montague (1689-1732)

Paintings by William Hogarth, from Marriage à-la-Mode, 1743-1745 (National Gallery, London):
The Death of the Earl
The Suicide of the Countess
The Visit to the Quack Doctor
The Countess's Morning Levee

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu with her son Edward Worthy Montagu, and attendants (detail): Jean Baptiste Vanmour, c. 1717 (National Portrait Gallery, London), image by Dcoetzee, 2009

4 comments:

John B-R said...

Tom, I just posted something in "loose associative" relation to this post. which I've dedicated to you.

Ed Baker said...

WOW!

this is a "GIGGLE" for me..

something one can come away with re: the DETAILS

when doing/writing a poem / piece ON PAPER on a CANVAS:

everything IS in the de:tails
as, every and each "stroke" punctuates

and

I got to this via J B-R's post-toastIE

after
(my) doing a little visual-prorem piece"

"Shakuhachi Technique & The 12 Tone Scale"




ciaoo, Ed

Curtis Roberts said...

Over the past day, I've learned a lot about the Vapours, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Lyttleton and related subjects, all of which I appreciate and will pass along to others. Thanks for the Receipt.

TC said...

A noble post that is, John, the great Fanny Burney's heroic account of her mastectomy sans anesthesis.

I do indeed think of her along with Lady Mary as brave indomitable geniuses of that briliant epoch.

A giggle for me too, Ed...

And Oh my, Curtis -- the Vapours!!