BLUESTOCKING, a derisive name for a literary woman. About 175o Mrs. Elizabeth Montagu (q.v.) made a determined effort to introduce into society a more intellectual tone by hold ing assemblies at which literary conversation and discussions were to take the place of cards and gossip. Most of those attending were conspicuous by the plainness of their dress, and a Mr. Ben jamin Stillingfleet specially caused comment by always wearing blue or worsted stockings. It was in special reference to him that Mrs. Montagu's friends were called the Bluestocking Society. The origin of the name is also attributed to Mrs. Montagu's de liberate adoption of blue stockings as the badge of the society she wished to form. She is said to have obtained the idea from Paris, where in the 17th century there was a social reunion on the lines of that formed in 1400 at Venice, the ladies and men of which wore blue stockings.