n in the form of
friendly banter, but Lady Mary seems to have borne the affliction
admirably.

Two persons with such impish humour could not but frequently find
themselves at loggerheads, but their liking for each other's society was
genuine, and quarrels were followed by peace-making. "Sophia [as she
nicknamed the young man] and I have been quite reconciled, and are now
quite broke, and I believe not likely to piece up again," Lady Mary
wrote to her sister. This was in February, 1725, and a little later in
the year the breach was widened by the really outrageous conduct of the
Duke:

"Sophia and I have an immortal quarrel; which though I resolve never to
forgive, I can hardly forbear laughing at. An acquaintance of mine is
married, whom I wish very well to: Sophia has been pleased, on this
occasion, to write the most infamous ballad that ever was written; where
both the bride and bridegroom are intolerably mauled, especially the
last, who is complimented with the hopes of cuckoldom, and forty other
things equally obliging, and Sophia has distributed this ballad in such
a manner as to make it pass for mine, on purpose to pique the poor
innocent soul of the new-married man, whom I should be the last of
creatures to abuse. I know not how to clear myself of this vile
imputation, without a train of consequences I have no mind to fall into.
In the mean time, Sophia enjoys the pleasure of heartily plaguing both
me and that, person."

Probably this "immortal quarrel" would have been made up, but at the
beginning of July the Duke went abroad never to return. "Sophia is going
to Aix-la-Chapelle, and thence to Paris," Lady Mary wrote to Lady Mar.
"I dare swear she'll endeavour to get acquainted with you. We are broke
to an iremediable degree. Various are the persecutions I have endured
from her this winter, in all of which I remain neuter, and shall
certainly go to heaven from the passive meekness of my temper."

CHAPTER XII

A FAMOUS QUARREL

Pope and Lady Mary--He pays her compliments--His jealousy of her other
admirers--The cause of his quarrel with her--His malicious attacks on
her thereafter--Writes of her as "Sappho"--Lady Mary asks Arbuthnot to
protect her--Molly Skerritt--Lady Stafford--Lady Mary's malicious tongue
and pen--Mrs. Murray--"An Epistle from Arthur Grey"--Lady Mary, Lord
Hervey, and Molly Lepell--Death of the Earl of Kingston--Lady
Gower--Lady Mar--Marriage of Lady Mary's daughter.

Of Po