Earls of Portarlington Lady Caroline Dawson

 

LADY CAROLINE DAWSON was the fifth daughter of Lord Bute, and had married on 1st January of this same year (1778) John, eldest son of Viscount Carlow, and she and her husband were then living with his father at Dawson Court, Queen's County. Mrs. Delany thus describes her shortly before her marriage: "Lady Caroline is a genius in painting and musick, and has made a great progress in both; she has a clear, sweet voice, under good management, and less of the yell than most of her contemporarys. She is extremely good-humoured and sensible, but is one in whom many pleasing accomplishments are a little hurt by an awkward habit: she has no but a of a laugh at whatever is said or that she says herself." She was the pivot on which most of the affections of her own family were centred. At this time Lady Caroline was a bride of a few months' standing. and Louisa, her youngest and favourite sister, was only twenty-one years old.

Extract from: Gleanings from an Old Portfolio ;containing some correspondance between Lady Louisa Stewart and her sister Caroline, Countess of Portarlington and other friends and relations. edited by Mrs.Godfrey Clark, published 1895-98.