endorsed, “Received, February 24, 1731–2, at Wimpole.” It commences-- “MADAM, “Your ladyship’s commands always give me a great deal of pleasure, but more especially when you ordered me to do myself this honour, without which I durst not have taken that liberty, for it would have been as great impertinence in me to have attempted it as it is condescension in your ladyship to order it.” This alludes evidently to Lady Margaret having desired her to write to her. It ends-- “My duty to my Lord and Lady Oxford, and service to Lord Dupplin,[12] and my best respects to Miss Walton,[13] hope in a little while it may be duty. I am in great hopes that when your ladyship sees any impertinent people in London it will put you in mind of, Madam, “Your ladyship’s most obliged, humble servant, “ELIZ. ROBINSON.” [9] Lord Oxford sold Wimpole in 1740 to Lord Hardwick to pay off his debts. [10] Pope was his bosom friend, Swift and Prior also; the latter died at Wimpole. [11] Prior celebrated the Lady Margaret in the lines commencing “My noble, lovely, little Peggy.” [12] Afterwards 8th Earl of Kinnoul. [13] Lady Margaret’s governess, about to be married. [Illustration: MOUNT MORRIS.] [Year: 1731–32] The formal terms in this letter were then considered essential, even when addressing those of lower birth, all the more so to a person of Lady Margaret’s rank. Viscount Dupplin, whose name frequently occurs in the letters, was a cousin of Lady Margaret’s on her father’s side, his mother being a daughter of Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford. The two young friends now kept up a lively correspondence, but as many of the letters have been published by my grandfather in 1810, I shall for this early period of her life give only a _résumé_ of them, picking out such facts as point to the manners of the time, or that strike one as of interest. From Mount Morris in August, 1732, she writes-- “Since I came here I have been to Canterbury Races, at which there was not much diversion, as only one horse ran for the King’s Plate.... We had an assembly for three nights; the rooms are so small and low that they were exceedingly hot.” From this date one perceives that young ladies were allowed to appear in public early, as Elizabeth was then not quite twelve years old! [Year: 1733] [Page heading: TUNBRIDGE WELLS] In October, 1733, she paid, in company of her parents, her first visit to Tunbridge Wells, ever afterwards such a favourite resort of hers. She says--