18th-Century Characters, Including Frederick the Great, Discussion Post 32

[cahn]

:) Still talking about Charles XII of Sweden / the Great Northern War and the Stuarts and the Jacobites, among other things!

Comments

Edward Wortley-Montagu: The Limbo

[selenak]

She got along well with her husband. Though after the first few years, it was always a long distance marriage even before she went to Italy to live with Algarotti. (And we know how that turned out.) It also has to be said that she knew him pretty well by the time she married him (to avoid a "hell" her father had in mind for her, and after losing a "paradise"), so they both knew what they were getting and entered into the marriage clear-eyed. Originally, she had been friends with his sister Anne. Then young Edward decided he found young Mary intrigueing, and comandeered his sister's correspondence with her. I.e. he started to reply, roleplaying Anne. (And also dictating to Anne, so the different hand writing wouldn't give up the game.) Then Anne died young (of typhus), and after a few weeks Edward wrote as himself, confessed what he'd done, and started to woo her. They kept corresponding and meeting and breaking up and reconciling etc. for a good while (he was pretty bossy at first, which she didn't take well to) until she decided to accept his proposal and run away with him. (Which they had to since Dad wanted the Hell guy for Mary.) But while Lady Mary always kept up writing to her husband even during her years of living in Italy till he died, Grundy and Halsband both think she was never in love with him, and it was always friendship for her.

Mind you, given what happened when Lady Mary really truly deeply fell in love, the "Limbo" was definitely better!

Re: Edward Wortley-Montagu: The Limbo

[mildred_of_midgard]

she went to Italy to live with Algarotti. (And we know how that turned out.)

If you joined salon recently and you don't actually know how that turned out, we have in rheinsberg a summary of Algarotti's life, and a summary/paraphrase of Lady Mary's letters to him, in all their painfully unrequited love. You will see what Selena means by her last sentence. :(

The good news is that even without Algarotti, she liked Italy enough to spend the rest of her life there, until her husband died and she came back to England, then died herself there a year later.

Re: Edward Wortley-Montagu: The Limbo

[luzula]

Thanks! *goes to read*

Re: Edward Wortley-Montagu: The Limbo

[cahn]

Aww, that is really a cute story actually! I... guess i can't say I ship them, but I am HERE for their quasi-platonic "limbo" friendship, Lady Mary & Edward yay! (I'm not sure whether I find the Anne roleplaying cute or creepy -- probably a little of both -- but I have way lower standards for the 18th century, and I guess since he confessed in the end it more-or-less turned out okay?)

It reminds me of what Heinrich said about love, or at least passion -- that friendship was much better and long-lasting :P <3 (I tried to find the quote for luzula but couldn't -- but I know you guys know it :) )