n honest man. He is now in
town, and you may enquire of him if Brigadier Sutton stands there; and
if not, try to engage him for you. Lord Lexington is so ill at the Bath,
that it is a doubt if he will live 'till the election; and if he dies,
one of his heiresses, and the whole interest of his estate, will
probably fall on Lord Holdernesse.

"'Tis a surprise to me that you cannot make sure of some borough, when
so many of your friends bring in several Parliament-men without trouble
or expense. 'Tis too late to mention it now, but you might have applied
to Lady Winchester, as Sir Joseph Jekyl did last year, and by her
interest the Duke of Bolton brought him in for nothing; I am sure she
would be more zealous to serve me than Lady Jekyl. You should understand
these things better than me. I heard, by a letter last post, that Lady
M. Montagu and Lady Hinchinbrooke are to be Bedchamber Ladies to the
Princess, and Lady Townshend Groom of the Stole. She must be a strange
Princess if she can pick a favourite out of them; and as she will be one
day Queen, and they say has an influence over her husband, I wonder they
don't think fit to place women about her with a little common sense."

Again, in the middle of September Lady Mary returned to the subject of
Montagu finding a seat in the House:

"I cannot be very sorry for your declining at Newark, being very
uncertain of your success; but I am surprized you do not mention where
you intend to stand. Dispatch, in things of this nature, if not a
security, at least delay is a sure way to lose, as you have done, being
easily chose at York, for not resolving in time, and Aldburgh, for not
applying soon enough to Lord Pelham. Here are people here had rather
choose Fairfax than Jenkins, and others that prefer Jenkins to Fairfax;
but both parties, separately, have wished to me you would have stood,
with assurances of having preferred you to either of them. At Newark,
Lord Lexington has a very considerable interest. If you have any
thoughts of standing, you must endeavour to know how he stands affected;
though I am afraid he will assist Brigadier Sutton, or some other Tory.
Sir Matthew Jenison has the best interest of any Whig; but he stood last
year himself, and will, perhaps, do so again. Newdigate will certainly
be chose there for one. Upon the whole, 'tis the most expensive and
uncertain place you can stand at. Tis surprizing to me, that you are all
this while in the midst of your