LEWIS MELVILLE. _London, March, 1925_. CONTENTS PREFACE CHAPTER I CHILDHOOD (1689-1703) Birth of Mary Pierrepont, after Lady Mary Wortley Montagu--Account of the Pierrepont family--Lady Mary's immediate ancestors--Her father, Evelyn Pierrepont, succeeds to the Earldom of Kingston in 1790--The extinct marquisate of Dorchester revived in his favour--His marriage--Issue of the marriage--Death of his wife--Lady Mary stays with her grandmother, Mrs. Elizabeth Pierrepont--Her early taste for reading--She learns Latin, and, presently, Italian--Encouraged in her literary ambitions by her uncle, William Feilding, and Bishop Burnet--Submits to the Bishop a translation of "Encheiridion" of Epictetus--An attractive child--A "toast" at the Kit-Cat Club--Acts as hostess to her father CHAPTER II GIRLHOOD (1703-1710) Lady Mary makes the acquaintance of Edward Wortley Montagu--Montagu attracted by her looks and her literary gifts. Assists her in her studies--Montagu a friend of the leading men of letters of the day--Addison, Steele, Congreve, Vanbrugh, and others--The second volume of the _Tatler_ dedicated to him by Steele--Montagu a staunch Whig--His paternal interest for Lady Mary does not endure--He becomes a suitor for her hand--Lady Mary's devotion and respect for him--Her flirtations--She and Montagu correspond through the medium of his sister, Anne--Lady Mary's mordant humour--Her delight in retailing society scandal--The death of Anne Wortley--Lady Mary and Montagu henceforth communicate direct--Her first letter to him CHAPTER III COURTSHIP, ELOPEMENT, AND MARRIAGE (1710-1712) A lengthy courtship--Montagu a laggard lover--Lady Mary and Montagu exchange views on married life--Montagu proposes for her to Lord Dorchester--Dorchester refuses, since Montagu will not make settlements--Montagu's views on settlements expressed (by Steele) in the _Tatler_--Although not engaged, the young people continue to correspond--Lord Dorchester produces another suitor of his daughter--She consents to an engagement--The preparations for the wedding--She confides the whole story to Montagu--She breaks off the engagement--She and Montagu decide to elope--She runs up to London--Marriage--Lady Mary's diary destroyed by her sister, Lady Frances Pierrepont CHAPTER IV EARLY MARRIED LIFE (1712-1714)