t our dear child: though I am convinced
in my reason 'tis both silly and wicked to set one's heart too fondly on
anything in this world, yet I cannot overcome myself so far as to think
of parting with him with the resignation that I ought to do," the mother
wrote from Middlethorpe at the end of July. "I hope and I beg of God he
may live to be a comfort to us both. They tell me there is nothing
extraordinary in want of teeth at his age, but his weakness makes me
very apprehensive; he is almost never out of my sight. Mrs. Behn says
that the cold bath is the best medicine for weak children, but I am very
fearful and unwilling to try any hazardous remedies. He is very cheerful
and full of play."

"I hope the child is better than he was," she mentioned a little later;
"but I wish you would let Dr. Garth know he has a bigness in his joints,
but not much; his ankles seem chiefly to have a weakness. I should be
very glad of his advice upon it, and whether he approves rubbing them
with spirits, which I am told is good for him." Then came more
favourable news about young Edward. "I thank God this cold well agrees
with the child; and he seems stronger and better every day," Lady Mary
was able to report. "But I should be very glad, if you saw Dr. Garth, if
you asked his opinion concerning the use of cold baths for young
children. I hope you love the child as well as I do; but if you love me
at all, you'll desire the preservation of his health, for I should
certainly break my heart for him." Garth, it may be assumed, was the
famous Samuel Garth, afterwards physician-in-ordinary to George I and
author of _The Dispensary_. His views on cold baths for children of
fifteen months have not been handed down to posterity by Lady Mary.

Meantime things were happening in the Pierrepont family. Lady Mary's
sister, Lady Frances, had, on March 8, 1712, married John, second Baron
Gower, who afterwards was created Earl Gower. Lady Mary's other sister,
Lady Evelyn, on July 26, 1714, became the second wife of John Erskine,
sixth or eleventh Earl of Mar of the Erskine line, who presently came
into prominence as an adherent of the Pretender in the rebellion of '15,
after which he fled the country. He was created Duke of Mar by the
Pretender. Finally, the Marquess of Dorchester, being then in his
fiftieth year, took for his second wife, on August 2, 1714, Lady
Isabella Bentinck, fifth daughter of William, first Earl of Portland and
his first wife, A