A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Hastings, (Lady Elizabeth)
Succeeded to a large fortune on the death of her brother, George, Earl of Huntingdon, which she employed in the exercise of widely extended christian charity. Mr. Congreve has drawn her character, under the name of Aspasia, in the 42d number of the Tatler. He praises her there for superior beauty, grace, and elegance of manners; for unaffected wisdom and virtue; for strict economy and active benevolence; and all that exalts and ornaments a character.
She lived principally at Ledstone house, in Yorkshire, which she rendered convenient for the sake of her servants, and elegant in order to employ the neighbouring poor. Her public charities, during her life and by bequest, were more numerous than those of any other English woman. In private aid to her relations, friends, or the distrest, she acted with royal munificence. She possessed a fine understanding and a lively wit, which was restrained by unaffected good-nature, fearful to give pain, and penetrating enough to know when pain was given, even when done without intention.
She had early in life received an accidental hurt upon her breast, which occasioned an inward tumour, that, in time, grew painful and increased, till there was a necessity for amputation. Lady Elizabeth heard and submitted to the sentence with equanimity; but though a short respite was thus procured, it eventually hastened her death.
"Her patience and resignation, under a long and tedious sickness; her mourning for the sins of men; her unwearied endeavours for their eternal welfare; her generous and charitable appointments; her tender expressions to her relations, friends, and servants, and her grateful acknowledgments to her physicians, require whole pages to set them in a proper light."
Though solicited by many. Lady Elizabeth preferred a single life. She destroyed the greatest part of her papers before her death, and was buried in the family vault at Ledstone.