" Madame, I have not written to your sons about
the birth of your grandchild, feeling sure that you
would do us the honour of acquainting them with it."

A month later, Lady Strange writes to her sister-
in-law, informing her of her confinement : " I forgot
to tell you that he is dark," she says, speaking of her
child. " I wish you could see the manner in which
they swaddle infants in this country, for it is lament-
able. Three days after mine was born, he was found
in the middle of the night sucking his thumb.
Imagine the rest ! My husband would have written
to you ; but he does not like to venture in a foreign
language. He is, nevertheless, your humble servant."
And again, on the 1 7th of April : " I have written to
Madame an account of the baptism of your nephew,
who, by the grace of God, was received into the
Church on Sunday the 30th of March"* (old style).
" He was carried by my sister-in-law, and his train

* The Gregorian calendar had not yet been adopted in England ;
thus we niust always reckon ten days forward in these dates.
34 THE LAUV OF LATHAM.
