Catherine Talbot to Elizabeth Carter, 26 November 1754: 'I was going one day to have writ to you in a hurry to ask you whether I had dreamt it, or whether it was possible that I should ever have heard you mention that bigotted heathen Lord Shaftesbury with approbation? I have only looked into the first volume [...] but I have met with so many things that offend me excessively as to leave little little inclination to look further. Arrogance, bitterness, prejudice and obscurity, the falsest reasoning, the absurdest pride, the vilest ingratitude, the most offensive levity, disgrace whatever there was of elegant, and fair, and honest in some of the ideas, and whatever is easy and genteel in some parts of his style.'