Lady Hester Stanhope was not a woman to hold her tongue, which was only more apparent when her doctor (and close friend) released her memoirs in 1845 - which was more like his memoirs of her. In it, William Pitt's niece remembered the various environments created by the great political hostesses of the time:
"'I
remember too what a heavy, dull business the Duchess of R[utland]'s parties were - the
rooms so stuffed with people that one could not move, and all so heavy - a deal
of high breeding and bon ton; but there
was, somehow nothing to enliven you. Now
and then some incident would turn up to break the spell.
Now,
at the Duchess of Gordon's there were people of the same fashion, and the crowd
was just as great; but then she was so lovely, and everybody was animated, and
seemed to know so well what they were about - quite another thing.
As for
the Duchess of D[evonshire]'s, there they were - all that set - all yawning, and wanting
the evening to be spent, that they might be getting to the business they were
after.'
It may be
mentioned that Lady Hester was always very
severe on the Duchess of D. and her friends, whenever her name or theirs
was mentioned."'
