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.".