Mall, even when I imagined I had my share of the admiration of the place, which was generally soured before I slept by the informations of my female friends, who seldom failed to tell me, it was observed, I had showed an inch above my shoe-heels, or some other criticism of equal weight, which was construed affectation, and utterly destroyed all the satisfaction my vanity had given me.  I have now no other but in my little houswifery, which is easily gratified in this country, where, by the help of my receipt-book, I make a very shining figure among my neighbours, by the introduction of custards, cheesecakes, and minced pies, which were entirely unknown to these parts, and are received with universal applause; and I have reason to believe will preserve my memory even to future ages, particularly by the art of butter-making, in which I have so improved them, that they now make as good as in any part of England.”

Lady Mary made the acquaintance in 1758 of Sir James Steuart,[20] and his wife, Lady Frances, the eldest daughter of the Earl of Wemyss and sister of the Jacobite Lord Elcho.  Steuart, when making the grand tour, had met the exiled Stuarts at Rome, and had become attached to their cause.  When the Young Pretender landed in Scotland in 1745, Steuart threw in his lot with him.  On his master’s business he went to Paris, and was abroad when Culloden was fought.  When an Act of Oblivion was passed in 1748 he was exempted by name, and, therefore, his return was at the time impossible.  He and his wife wandered about the Continent, and it was at Venice that they encountered Lady Mary, who was delighted with them.  “I was charmed to find a man of uncommon sense and learning, and a lady that without beauty is more admirable than the fairest of her sex,” she wrote enthusiastically to her daughter.  “I offered them all the little good offices in my power, and invited them to supper; upon which our wise Minister[21] has discovered that I am in the interest of popery and slavery.  As he has often said the same thing of Mr. Pitt, it would give me no mortification, if I did not apprehend that his fertile imagination may support this wise idea by such circumstances as may influence those that do not know me.  It is very remarkable that after having suffered all the rage of that party at Avignon for my attachment to the present reigning family, I should be accused here of favouring rebellion, when I hoped all our odious diversions were forgotten.”

[Footnote 20:  Sir James Steuart (1712-1780), in 1773, on inheriting an estate from a relative, took the additional surname of Denham.  He was the author of works on currency and political economy.]

[Footnote 21:  The British Resident at Venice at this time was John Murray]