they are to me in the present desolate state of this
deserted town of London."

Lady Mary's own morals were more than once assailed; but this did not
prevent her humorous attack on society at large: "Those things [Bills of
Divorce] grow more fashionable every day, and in a little time won't be
at all scandalous. The best expedient for the public, and to prevent the
expense of private families, would be a general act of divorcing all the
people of England. You know those that pleased might marry again; and it
would save the reputation of several ladies that are now in peril of
being exposed every day."

Not long after Lady Mary had returned to England, about the winter of
1720, she, who loved to retail malicious stories about others, found
herself, to her great dismay, the subject of a first-class scandal.

When Lady Mary was in Paris, Remond was introduced to her by the Abbe
Conti. He had seen a letter or two addressed by her to the Abbe, and
expressed himself with enthusiasm of her brilliance as a correspondent.
Presently he came to England, and sought out Lady Mary, who was no more
immune from flattery than most folk of either sex. How far the intimacy
developed from the platonic to the amorous it is impossible to say. That
Remond made love to her there can be little doubt. Sir Leslie Stephen
holds the view that she did not encourage his passion. Anyhow, it is
beyond question that she wrote him imprudent letters, which he was
prudent enough to keep.

Lady Mary basked in the admiration of Remond, and thought to reward him
for his intelligence, at no cost to herself, by putting him on to "a
good thing." Also, getting a little fearsome of his very marked
attentions, or perhaps it was only wearying of them, she thought, as she
confessed to her sister, the Countess of Mar, it would be the more easy
to rid herself of this somewhat turbulent lover.

At this time the famous "boom" known as the South Sea Bubble was at the
height of its brief career. The South Sea Company had taken over the
National Debt, on terms, and its stock, carefully manipulated, rose by
leaps and bounds. In 1714 the stock stood at 85. After the defeat of the
rebellion of 1715, it was quoted at prices varying from par to 106. In
the autumn of 1719, when rumours of its great scheme were spread about
the town, it rose to 126. Early in the following year it could not be
purchased for less than 400. It fluctuated wildly, going up and down
hundreds of