fact, before her mother's death, it would seem that Lady Mary spent
months at her grandmother's, Mrs. Elizabeth Pierrepont, at her house at
West Dean. When she was in her ninth year she returned to Holme
Pierrepont, where, as she later complained, she was left "to the care of
an old governess, who, though perfectly good and pious, wanted
capacity."

Lady Mary early had a taste for books, and enjoyed to the full the
library, where she no doubt read much that was good for her, and a good
deal that was not. She read everything that she could lay her hands on,
the old romances, poetry, and plays. One account has it that she was
taught Greek and Latin by her brother's tutor; but Sir Leslie Stephen
was doubtful about the Greek and inclined to the belief that she taught
herself Latin. Later, certainly, she taught herself Italian, and quoted
Tasso in her letters. In her studies she was encouraged by her uncle,
William Feilding, and also by Bishop Burnet, of whom she said many
years later: "I knew him in my very early youth, and his condescension
in directing a girl in her studies is an obligation I can never forget."
She had literary aspirations, and just after her twenty-first birthday
she submitted to Burnet, with the following letter, a translation of
"Encheiridion" of Epictetus from the Latin version. This will be found
in the collected works.


"July 20, 1710.

"My Lord,

"Your hours are so well employed, I hardly dare offer you this trifle to
look over; but then, so well am I acquainted with the sweetness of