Page:The Wentworth Papers 1715-1739.djvu/301

 me up in a corner to beg of me to commend him to sister Betty, and she says she makes no doubt but 'twill doe, for his eyes she says sparkled mightly at the sight of sister Betty ; and she is as grave when she speakes of him, and in her thoughts the match is allready made up.* Lord Mohun now owns his marriage to Duck Griffin ; I wonder he should give himself the trouble to marry her, for every body says he has for som years taken the same libertys he can doe now. Sister Wentworth goes next Monday to the Bath for seven months with her two children. . . . Lady Massam has not been with any body or receaved any visits at home this six weeks, and som says the Queen has order'd her to live very privatly that she may not get the envy of the Peaple, like the Duchess of Marlborough.

[Lord Berkeley of Stratton.]

April 15, 17 12.

Want of matter hath kept me longer then I like from writing to your Lordship, and I believe I should for the same reason have put it off some time longer, but that your Lord-

may quote the following extracts from other letters of Lady Strafford: —
 * With regard to poor Betty's matrimonial prospects at this time we

April II. "Sis Betty .... hopes you'll provide her a husband against she comes [to the Hague], for she begins to be in fears of leading Apes in Hell."

" But 'tis an old proverb, and you know it well, That women, dying maids, lead apes in hell."

The London Prodigal.

Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing uses the same expression, and a lady correspondent of Mr. Bickerstaff (No. 210 of the Taller) complains of the gigglers " who call me old maid and tell me I shall lead apes."

April 25, Lady Strafford writes: — "Sir W. Wentworth I hear made a

great Ball at his lodgings last Monday ; 1 think Lady W has don

thinking of him for sis Betty"; and on May 2, "Sir William Wentworth brought his sister to see me ; she is the head taller than sis Betty and the

aukwardest creature I ever see I am now at the Cock Pitt at

cards, and Lady Wentworth is the happyest creature in the world, for Sir W. Wentworth is here and play'd at cards with sis Betty and Brother W. and I.

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