A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Montague, (Lady Mary)
MONTAGUE (LADY MARY); died 1762; Daughter of the first Duke of Kingston;
Was the introducer of inoculation for the smallpox, in this kingdom, the usefulness of which method has been proved by experience, since it is. found that one in seven die of the small-pox in the natural way, and one in 319 by inoculation. The lives saved by it, in a million, are computed to be 139652. This practice she had observed in Turkey, where she accompanied her husband, Wortley Montague, Esq. who, in the beginning of the last century, was sent ambassador to Constantinople. Her letters (the authenticity and faithfulness of which have been lately disputed) describing her travels on this occasion, have ever been in universal esteem. She cultivated the belles lettres, particularly poetry, and formed an intimate acquaintance with the eminent wits of that age, particularly Addison and Pope: the latter of whom made some verses upon her; beginning with,
"In beauty or wit,
No mortal as yet
To question your empire has dared,
But men of discerning,
Have thought that, in learning,
To yield to a female was hard."
She however afterwards became his bitter enemy, on account of some satires he had thrown out on her gallantry, in his writings.