THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 FREDERIC THOMAS BLANCHARD 
 ENDOWMENT FUND 
 
 :
 
 v 
 J
 
 LETTERS 
 
 OK THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 Lady M y W y M e: 
 
 Written during her TRAVELS in 
 
 EUROPE, ASIA, AND AFRICA, 
 
 T O 
 
 Perfons of Diftin&ion, Men of Letters, &c. 
 in different Parts of EUROPE. 
 
 WHICH CONTAIN 
 AMONG OTHER. CURIOUS RELATIONS, 
 
 ACCOUNTS of the POLICY and MANNERS 
 of the TURKS; 
 
 Drawn from Sources that have been inacceffible to 
 other Travellers. 
 
 A NEW EDITION. 
 
 To which are now firft added, 
 
 POEMS, 
 
 By the fame AUTHOR. 
 
 IN TWO VOLUMES. 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for T. CADELL, and T. EVANS, in the Strand; 
 
 J, MURRAY, in Fleet-Street; and R. BALDWIN, 
 
 in Pater-nofter-Row. 
 
 M DCC LXXXIV,
 
 Annex 
 
 fifc, 
 
 A3 
 
 PREFACE; 
 
 B V A 
 
 LADY. 
 
 Written in 1724. 
 
 I W A S going, like common 
 editors, to advertife the reader of the 
 beauties and excellencies of the work laid 
 before him: To tell him that the illuf- 
 trious author had opportunities, that other 
 travellers, whatever their quality or curio- 
 fity may have been, cannot obtain ; and a 
 genius capable of making the bed im- 
 provement of every opportunity. 
 
 But if the reader after perufing one 
 letter only, has not discernment to diftin- 
 guifh that natural elegance, that delicacy 
 of fentiment and obfervation, that eafy 
 gracefulneis, and lovely fimplicity (which 
 is the perfection of writing) and in which 
 
 thefe 
 
 891068
 
 VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 thefe Letters exceed all that has appeared 
 in this kind, or almoft in any other, let 
 him lay the book down, and leave it to 
 thofe who have. 
 
 The noble author had the goodnefs to 
 Jend me her MS. to fatisfy my curiofity in 
 fbme enquiries I had made concerning her 
 travels ; and when I had it in my hands, 
 how was it pcfiible to part with it ? I 
 once had the vanity to hope I might ac- 
 quaint the public, that it owed this invalu- 
 able treafure to my importunities. But 
 alas ! the moll ingenious author has con- 
 demned it to oblcurity during her life; 
 and conviction, as well as deference, 
 obliges me to yield to her reafons. How- 
 ever, if thefe Letters appear hereafter when 
 I am in my grave, let this attend them, 
 in tcftimony to poftenty, that-among her 
 cotemporaricrs, one woman, at lead, was 
 juft to her merit. 
 
 There is not any thing fo excellent, but 
 fome will carp at it, and the rather, be- 
 caule of its excellency. But to fuch hyper- 
 critics, 1 fhall only fay ******* 
 
 < ************ 
 
 I confefs,
 
 PREFACE. vit 
 
 I confefs, I am malicious enough to 
 define, that the world fhould fee, to how 
 much better purpofe the LADIES travel 
 than their LORDS ; anc^ that, whilft it is 
 furfeited with Male c Tra f uds t all in the fame 
 tone, and ftuft with the lame trifles ; a lady 
 has the (kill to ftrike out a new path, and 
 to embellifh a worn-out fubjeft, with va- 
 riety of frelh and elegant entertainment. 
 For befides the vivacity and Ipirit which 
 enlivens every part, and that inimitable 
 beauty which fpreads through the whole ; 
 befides the purity of the ftylc, for which it 
 may be juftly accounted the ftanJard of 
 the Engliih tongue; the reader will find a 
 more true and accurate account of the cuf- 
 toms and manners of the feveral nations, 
 with whom this lady converted, than he 
 can in any other author. But as her lady- 
 Ihip's penetration difcovtrs the inmoil fol- 
 lies of the heart, fo the candour of her 
 temper pafiVd over them with an air of 
 pity ratner than reproach - 3 treating with 
 th: politenefs of a court, and the gentle- 
 nds of a lady, what the ilverity of her 
 judgment could not but condemn. 
 
 In
 
 viii P R E F A C E. 
 
 In fhort, let her own fex, at leaft, do 
 her i-iltice, lav afide diabolical FLnvy, and 
 its Brother Malice*, with all their accurfcd 
 company, flv whilpering, cruel backbit- 
 ing, fp'tcK.l cktradt.on, and the reft of 
 that h'd'-ou.-. crew, which I hope are very 
 
 ,-ly ta'd to atrend the Tea-Table, being 
 mor. apt to think they frequent thole pub- 
 lic piaics were virtuous women never come. 
 L^t the men mal gn one another, if they 
 
 ,k rit, and ftrive to pull down merit 
 when they cannot equal it. Let us be 
 better natured, than to give way to any 
 unkind ordilrefpedtful thought of fo bright 
 an or ^tment to our fex, merely becaufe me 
 Ins better frnfe ; for I doubt not but our 
 hearts will tell u 5 , that this is the real and 
 unpardonable offence, whatever may be 
 pretended. Let us be better Chriftians, 
 than to look upon her with an evil eye, 
 only becaufe the Giver of all good gifts 
 has intnifted and adorned her with the 
 moil excellent talents. Rather let us 
 freely own the fuperiority of this fublimc 
 
 ' This fair and elegant prefacer has refolved, 
 that Malice ftiould be of" the Mafculine Gender : I 
 believe u is both Mafculine and Feminine, and I 
 heartily with it were Neuter. 
 
 genius,
 
 PREFACE. ix 
 
 genius, as I do in the fincerity of my foul, 
 pleafed that a woman triumphs, anri proud 
 to follow in her train. Let us offer her 
 the palm which is fo juftly her due ; and 
 if we pretend to any laurels, lay them wil- 
 lingly at her feet. 
 
 December iS, ^J 4 ^ 
 
 1724. 
 
 Charm'd into love of what obfcures my fame, 
 
 If 1 had wit, I'd celebrate her name, 
 
 And all th beauties of her mind proclaim. 
 
 Till Malice, deafen'd with the mighty found, 
 
 It's ill-concerted calumnies confound ; 
 
 Let fail the mafk, and with pale Envy meet, 
 
 To aflc, and find, their pardon at her feet. 
 
 You fc-e, Madam, how I lay every 
 thing at your feet. As the tautology 
 fhews the poverty of my genius, it like- 
 wife fhews the extent of your empire over 
 my imagination. 
 
 May 31, 1725.
 
 ( I ) 
 
 LETTER I. 
 To the Countefs of . 
 
 Rotterdam, Aug. 3, O.S. 1716. 
 I FLATTER myfelf (dear fitter ) 
 that I (hall give you fome pleafure in letting 
 you know that I have fafely pafled the fea, 
 though we had the ill fortune of a ftorm. We 
 were perfuaded by the captain of the yacht 
 tofetout in a calm, and he pretended there was 
 nothing fo eafy as to tide it over ; but, after two 
 days flowly moving, the wind blew fo hard, that 
 none of the failors could keep their feet, and we 
 were all Sunday night tofled very handfomely. 
 I never faw a man more frighted than the captain. 
 For my part, I have been fo lucky, neither to 
 fuffer from fear nor fea-ficknefs ; tho', I confefs, 
 I was fo impatient to fee myfelf once more upon 
 dry land, that I would not ftay till the yacht 
 could get to Rotterdam, but went in the long- 
 VOL. I. B boat
 
 ( 2 } 
 
 boat to Helvoetfluys, where we had voitures to 
 carry us to the Bricl. I was charmed with fie 
 neatnefs of that little town; but my arrival it 
 Rotterdam prefcntedme a new fcene of pl-afu:e. 
 All the ftreets are paved with broad ftones, and 
 before many- of the meaueft artificers doors are 
 placed feats of various-coloured marbles, fo 
 neatly kept, that I afiure you, I walked almoft 
 all over the town yefterday, incognito, in my 
 flippers,without receiving one fpot of dirt j and 
 you may fee the Dutch maids wafhing the pave- 
 ment of the ftreet with more application than 
 ours do our bed chambers. The town feems fo 
 full of people, with fuch bufy faces, all in mo- 
 tion, that I can hardly fancy it is not fome cele- 
 brated fair ; but I fee it is every day the fame. 
 'Tis certain no town can be moreadvantageoufly 
 fituated for commerce. Here are feven large 
 canals, on which the merchant {hips come up 
 to the very doors of their houfes. The fhops 
 and warehoufes are of a furprizing neatnefs and 
 magnificence, filled with an incredible quantity 
 of fine merchandize, and fo much cheaper than 
 
 what
 
 ( 3 ) 
 what we fee in England, that I have much ado 
 
 to perfuade myfelf I am ftill fo near it. Here 
 is neither dirt nor beggary to be feen. One is not 
 fhocked with thofe loathfome cripples, fo com- 
 mon in London, nor teized with the importunity 
 of idle fellows and wenches, that chufe to be 
 nafty and lazy. The common fervants and little 
 fhop-women, here, are more nicely clean, than 
 moll of our ladies, and the great variety of neat 
 drefies (every woman drefling her head after her 
 ownfafhion) is an additional pleafure in feeing 
 the town. You fee, hitherto, I make no com- 
 plaints, dear fitter, and if 1 continue to like tra- 
 velling as well as I do at prefent, I {hall not re- 
 pent my project. It will go a great way in ma- 
 king me fatisfied with it, if it affords me an op- 
 portunity of entertaining you. But it is not 
 from Holland, that you muft expecl a difinte- 
 refted offer. I can write enough in the flilc of 
 Rotterdam, to tell you plainly, in one word, 
 that I expect returns of all the London news. 
 You fee I have already learnt to make a good 
 bargain, and that it is not for nothing I will fo 
 much as tell you, I am, your affectionate fifter, 
 
 L E I
 
 ( 4. ) 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 To Mrs. S. 
 
 Hague, Aug. 5, O.S. 1716. 
 
 I MAKE haftc to tell you, dear Ma- 
 dam, that after all the dreadful fatigues you 
 threatened me with, I am hitherto very well 
 pleafed with my journey. We take care to 
 make fuch fhort ftages every day, that I rather 
 fancy myfelf upon parties of pleafure, than 
 upon the road j and fure nothing can'be more 
 agreeable than travelling in Holland. The 
 whole country appears a large garden ; the 
 roads are well paved, {haded on each fide with 
 rows of trees, and bordered with large canals, 
 full of boats, paffing and repafling. Every 
 twenty paces gives you the profpeft of fome 
 villa, and every four hours, that of a large 
 town, fo furprizingly neat, I am fure you 
 would be charmed with them. The place I 
 
 am
 
 ( 5 ) 
 
 am now at, is certainly one of the fineft villages 
 in the world. Here are feveral fquares finely 
 built, and (what I think a particular beauty) 
 the whole fet with thick large trees. The 
 Voor-hout is, at the fame time, the Hyde Park 
 and Mall of the people of quality ; for they take 
 the air in it both on foot and in coaches. 
 There are {hops for wafers, cool liquors, &c. 
 I have been to fee feveral of the moft celebrated 
 gardens, but I will not teize you with their de- 
 fcriptions. I dare fwear you thing my letter 
 already long enough. But I muft not conclude 
 without begging your pardon, for not obeying 
 your commands, in fending the lace you or- 
 dered me. Upon my word I can yet find none, 
 that is not dearer than you may buy it in Lon- 
 don. If you want any India goods, here are 
 great variety of penny-worths, and I {hall fol- 
 low your orders with great pleafure and exacl- 
 ncfs, being, 
 
 Dear, Madam, Sec. &c. 
 
 9 3 T-
 
 f 6 J 
 LETTER III. 
 
 To Mrs. S. C. 
 
 Nimcguen, Aug. 13, O. S. 1716. 
 
 I AM extremely forry, my dear S. 
 that your fears of di (obliging your relations, 
 and their fears for your health and fafety, have 
 hindered me from enjoying the happinefs of 
 your company, and you the pleafure of a di- 
 verting journey. I receive fome degree of 
 mortification from every agreeable novelty, 
 or pleafing profpect, by the reflection of your 
 having fo unluckily miffed the delight which I 
 know it would have given you. If you were with 
 me in this town, you would be ready to expect 
 to receive vifits from your Nottingham friends. 
 No two places were ever more refembling ; 
 one has but to give the Maefe the name of the 
 Trent, and there is no diftinguifhing the prof- 
 pe. The houfes, like thofe of Nottingham are 
 built one above another, and are intermixed, in 
 
 the
 
 ( 7 ) 
 the fame manner, with trees and gardens. The 
 
 Tower, they call Julius Caefar's, has the fame 
 fituation with Nottingham Caftle j and I can- 
 not help fancying I fee from it the Trent- 
 field, Adboulton, places fo well known to us. 
 'Tis true, the fortifications make a confiderabJe 
 difference. All the learned in the art of war, be- 
 ftow great commendations on them ; for my 
 part, that know nothing of the matter, I dial! 
 content myfelf with telling you, 'tis a very 
 pretty walk on the ramparts, on which there is 
 -> tower, very defervedly called the Belvidera, 
 where people go to drink coffee, tea, &c. ami 
 enjoy one of the fincft profpefts in the world* 
 The public walks have no great beauty, but the 
 thick (hade of the trees, which is folcmnly de- 
 lightful. But I mft not forget to take notice 
 of the bridge, which appeared very furprifing to 
 me. It is large enough to hold hundreds of 
 men, with horfes and carriages. They give the 
 value of an Englifh two-pence to get upon it, 
 and then away they go, bridge and all, to the 
 other fide of the river, with fo flow a motion, 
 B 4 one
 
 ( 8 ) 
 
 one is hardly fenfible of any at all. I was yef- 
 terday at the French church, and ftared very 
 much at their manner of fervice. The narlon 
 clapped on abroad-brimmed hat in the firft place, 
 which gave him entirely the air of, what d'ye 
 call him, in Bartholomew fair, which he kept 
 up by extraordinary antic geftures, and preach- 
 ing n-.uch fuch ftuit, as t'other talked to the 
 puppets. However, the congregation feemed 
 to receive it with great devotion ; and I was 
 informed by fome of his flock, that he is a per- 
 fon of particular fame amongft them. I be- 
 lieve, by this time, you are as much tired with 
 my account of him, as I was with his fermon ; 
 but I am fure your brother will excufe a di- 
 areflion in favour of the church of England. 
 
 O 
 
 You know, fpeaking difrefpe&fully of theCal- 
 vinifts, is the fame thing as fpeaking honourably 
 of the church. Adieu, my dear S. always re- 
 member me, and be aflured, I can never forget 
 you, &c. &c.
 
 ( 9 ) 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 To the Lady - . 
 
 Cologn, Aug. 16, O.S. 1716. 
 
 I F my lady could 
 
 have any notions of the fatigues that I have 
 fuftered thefe two laft days, I am fure flie would 
 own it a great proof of regard, that I now fit 
 down to write to her. We hired horfes from 
 Nimcguen hither, not having the convcniency 
 of the poft, and found but very indifferent ac- 
 commodations at Reinberg, our firft flagc ; but 
 it was nothing to what I fuffered yefterday. 
 We were in hopes to reach Cologn ; our horfes 
 tired at Stamel, three hours from it, where I 
 was forced to pafs the night in my clothes, in a 
 room not at all better than a hovel ; for though 
 I have my bed with me, I had no mind to un- 
 drefs, where the wind came from a thoufand 
 places. We left this wretched lodging at day- 
 break, and about fix this morning came fafe 
 
 here,
 
 ( 10 > 
 
 here, where I got immediately into bed. I flept 
 fo well for three hours, that I found myfelf per- 
 fectly recovered, and have had fpirits enough to 
 go and fee all that is curious in the town, that 
 is to fay, the church :s, for here is nothing elfe 
 worth feeing. This is a very large town, but 
 the moft part of it is old built. The Jefuits' 
 church, which is the neateft, was fhewed me, 
 in a very complaifant manner, by a handfome 
 young Jefuit ; who, not knowing who I was, 
 took a liberty in his compliments and railleries, 
 which very much diverted me. Having never 
 before feen any thing of that nature, I could 
 not enough admire the magnificence of the 
 altars, the rich images of the faints, (all mafly 
 filver) and the enchafures of the relicks, tho* 
 I could not help murmuring in my heart, 
 at the profufion of pearls, diamonds, and ru- 
 bies, teftowed on the adornment of rotten teeth 
 and dirty rags. I own that I had wickednefs 
 enough to covet St. Urfula's pearl necklace ; 
 though perhaps this was no wickednefs at all, . 
 an image not being certainly one's neighbour ; 
 
 but
 
 t ) 
 
 but 1 went yet further, and wiflied the wench 
 herfelf converted into drefling plate. I ftiould 
 alfo gladly fee converted into filver, a great St. 
 Chriftopher, which I imagine would look very 
 well in a ciftern. Thefe were my pious re- 
 flections ; though I was very well fatisfied to 
 Ice, piled up to the honour of our nation, the 
 fkullsof the Eleven Thoufand Virgins. I have 
 fcen fome hundreds of relics here, of no lefs 
 confequence , but I will not imitate the com- 
 mon ftile of travellers lo far, as to give you a. 
 lift of them, being perfuaded that you have no 
 manner of curiofity for the titles given to jaw- 
 bones, and bits of worm-eaten wood. Adieu. 
 1 am juft going to fupper, where I (hall drink 
 your health in an admirable fort of Lorram 
 wine> which I am furc is the fame you call Bur- 
 gundy in London, &c. &c.
 
 ( 12 ) 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 To the Countefs of B . 
 
 Nuremberg, Aug. 22, O.S. 1716. 
 
 AFTER five days travelling 
 poft, I could not fit down to write on any other 
 occafion than to tell my dear Lady, that I have 
 not forgot her obliging command .of fending 
 her fome account of my travels. I have already 
 patted a large part of Germany, have feen all 
 that is remarkable in Cologn, Frankfort, Wurtf- 
 burg, and this place. 'Tis impoffible not to 
 obferve the difference between the free towns, 
 and thofe under the government of abfolute 
 princes, as all the little fovereigns of Germany 
 are. In the firft there appears an air of com- 
 merce and plenty. The ftreets are well built, 
 and full of people, neatly and plainly drcfled. 
 The {hops are loaded with merchandize, and 
 
 the commonalty are clean and chearful. 
 
 In the other ymi fee a fort of fhabby finery, 
 
 a num-
 
 ( 13 ) 
 a number of dirty peopleof quality tawderedout ; 
 
 narrow nafty ftreets out of repair, wretchedly 
 thin of inhabitants, and above half of the com- 
 mon fort afking alms. I cannot help fancy ing one, 
 under the figure of a clean Dutch citizen's wife, 
 and the other like a poor town lady of pleafure, 
 painted, and ribboned out inherhead -drefs,with 
 tarnifhed filver-laced fhoes, a ragged under-pet- 
 ticoat, a miferable mixture of vice and poverty. 
 They have fumptuary laws in this town, 
 which diftinguifh their rank by their drefs, pre- 
 vent the excefs which ruins fo many other cities, 
 and has a more agreeable effect to the eye of a 
 ftranger, than our fafhions. 1 need not be aflia- 
 med to own, that I wifh thefe laws were in force 
 in other parts of the world. When one confiders 
 impartially, the merit of a rich fuit of clothes 
 in moft places, the refpet and the fmilesof fa- 
 vour it procures, not to fpeak of the envy and 
 the fighs it occafions (which is very often the 
 principal charrn to the wearer) one is torced to 
 confefc, that there is need of an uncommon un- 
 i.uiding, to refift the temptation of pleafmg 
 
 friends,
 
 ( 14 ) 
 
 friends and mortifying rivals ; and that it is na- 
 tural to young people to fall into a folly, which 
 betrays them to that want of money, which is 
 the fource of a thoufand bafenefles. What num- 
 bers of men have begun the world with gener- 
 ous inclinations, that have afterwards been the 
 inftFuments of bringing mifery on a whole peo- 
 ple, being led by a vain expence into debts that 
 they could clear no other way, but by the for- 
 feit of their honour, and which they never couid 
 have contracted, if the refpect the multitude 
 pays to habits, was fixed b) law, only to a par- 
 ticular colour or cut of plain cloth. Thefe re- 
 flections draw after them others that are too me- 
 lancholy. I will make hafte to put them out of 
 your head by the farce of relicks, with which I 
 have been entertained in all Romiih churches. 
 
 The Lutherans are not quite free from thefe 
 follies. I have feen here in the principal 
 church, a large piece of the Crofs let in jewels, 
 and the point of the fpcar, which, they told me, 
 very gravely, was the lame that pierced the fide 
 
 of
 
 ( 15 ) 
 
 of our Saviour. But I was particularly diverted 
 in a little Roman catholic church, which is 
 permitted here, where the profeflbrs of that re- 
 ligion are not very rich, and confequently cannot 
 adorn their images in fo rich a manner as their 
 neighbours : For not to be quite deftitute of all 
 finery, they have drefied up an image of our 
 Saviour over the altar, in a fair full bottomed 
 wig, very well powdered. I imagine I fee your 
 ladyfhip ftare at this article, of which you very 
 much doubt the veracity: but, upon my word, 
 I have not yet made ufe of the priviledge of a 
 traveller, and my whole account is written with 
 the fame plain lincerity of heart, with which 
 I affure you that I am, dear Madam, 
 
 Yours, &c. &c.
 
 ( 16 ) 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 To Mrs. P 
 
 Ratifbon, Aug. 30, O.S. 1716, 
 
 I HAD the pleafure of receiving 
 yours but the day before I left London. I 
 give you a thoufand thanks for your good 
 vviihes, and have fuch an opinion of their effi- 
 cacy, that I am perfuaded, I owe, in part to 
 them the good luck of having proceeded fo far 
 on my long journey without any ill accident. 
 For I don't reckon it any to have been flop- 
 ped a few days, in this town, by a cold, fince 
 it has not only given me an opportunity of 
 feeing all that is curious in it, but of making 
 fome acquaintance with the ladies, who have 
 all been to fee me with great civility, particu- 
 larly Madame, the wife of our King's 
 envoy from Hanover. She has carried me to 
 all the aflemblies, and I have been magnificently 
 entertained at her houfe, which is one ofnhc 
 
 lincft
 
 fineft here. You know that all the nobility of 
 this place are Envoys from different States. 
 Here are a great number of them, and they 
 might pafs their time agreeably enough, if they 
 were lefs delicate on the point of ceremony. 
 But inftead of joining in the dtfign of making 
 the town as pleafant to one another as they can, 
 and improving their little focieties, they 
 amufe themfelves no other way, than with 
 perpetual quarrels, which they take care to 
 eternize, by leaving them to their fucceflbrs j 
 and an Envoy to Ratifbon receives, regularly, 
 half a dozen quarrels, among the perquifites 
 of his employment. You may be fure the la- 
 dies are not wanting, on their fide, in cherifli- 
 ing and improving thofe important piques, 
 which divide the town almoft into as many 
 parties, as there are families. They chufe 
 rather to fuffer the mortification of fitting al- 
 moft alone on their affembly nights, than to 
 recede one jot from their pretenfions. I have 
 not been here 'above a week, and yet I have 
 heard from almoft every one of them, the 
 whole hiftory of their wrongs, and dreadful 
 
 VOL. I. C com-
 
 complaints of the injuftice of their neighbours, 
 in hopes to draw me to their party. But I 
 think it very prudent to remain neuter, though 
 if I was to ftay amongft them, there would be 
 no poflibility of continuing fo, their quarrels 
 running fo high, that they will not be civil to 
 thofe that vifit their adverfaries. The founda- 
 tion of thefe everlafting difputes, turns entirely 
 upon rank, place, and the title of Excellency, 
 which they all pretend to, and what is very 
 hard, will give it fo no body. For my part I 
 could not forbear advifing them (for the public 
 good) to give the title of Excellency to every 
 body, which would include the receiving it 
 from every body j but the very mention of 
 i'uch a diflionourable peace, was received with 
 as much indignation, as Mrs. Blackaire did 
 the motion of a reference. And indeed, I be- 
 gan to think myfelf ill-natured, to offer to 
 take from them, in a* town where there are 
 fo few diverfions, fo entertaining an amufe- 
 mcnt. J know that my peaceable difpontion 
 s me a. very ill figure, and that 'tis 
 
 pub-
 
 ( 19 ) 
 
 publickly whifpered as a piece of impertinent 
 pride in me, that 1 have hitherto been faucily 
 civil to every body, as if 1 thought no body 
 good enough to quarrel with. I fhould be 
 obliged to change my behaviour, if I did not 
 intend to purfue my journey in a few days. I 
 have been to fee the churches here, and had 
 the permiflion of touching the relicks, which 
 was never fuffered in places where I was not 
 known. I had, by this privilege, an oppor- 
 tunity of making an obfervation, which I 
 doubt not, might have been made in all the 
 other churches, that the emeralds and rubies 
 which they fhew round their relicks and ima- 
 ges, are moft of them falfe ; though they 
 you that many of the Crofles and Madonas fet 
 round with thefe ftones, have been the gifts of 
 Emperors, and other great Princes. I don't 
 doubt indeed but they were at firft jewels of 
 value j but the good fathers have found it 
 convenient to apply them to other ufes, and 
 the people are juft as well fatisfiedwith bits of 
 glafs amongft thefe relicks. They fticxved me 
 a prodigious claw fet in gold, which they called 
 C 2 the
 
 ( 20 ) 
 
 the claw of a "griffin ; and I could not forbear 
 afking the Reverend Prieft that {hewed it, 
 whether the Griffin was a Saint ? The qucf- 
 tion almoft put him befide his gravity; but he 
 anfwered, they only kept it as a curiofity. I 
 was very much fcandalized at a large* filver 
 image of the Trinity, where the Father is re- 
 prefented under the figure of a decrepit old man, 
 with a beard down to his knees, and tripple 
 crown upon his head, holding in his arms the 
 Son, fixed on the Crofs, and the Holy Ghoft, 
 in the fhape of a dove, hovering over him. 
 
 Madam is come this minute to call me to 
 
 the afTembly, and forces me to tell you very ab- 
 ruptly, that I am ever your, &c, &c. 
 
 LET-
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 To the Countefs of 
 
 Vienna, Sept. 8, O. S. 1716. 
 
 I AM now, my dear fifter, fafely 
 arrived at Vienna, and I thank God, have not 
 at all fuffered in my health, nor (what is dearer 
 to me) in that of my child, by all our fatigues. 
 We travelled by water from Ratifbon, a jour- 
 ney perfectly agreeable, down the Danube, in 
 one of thofe little veflels, that they, very pro- 
 perly, call wooden houfes, having in them all 
 the conveniences of a palace, ftoves in the 
 chambers, kitchens, &c. they are rowed by 
 twelve men each, and with fuch incredible 
 fwiftnefs, that in the fume day you have the 
 pleafure of a vaft variety of profpe&s, and 
 within the fpace of a few hours you have the 
 pleafure of feeing a populous city, adorned 
 with magnificent palaces, and the mofr. roman- 
 tic folitudes, which appear diftant from the 
 commerce of mankind, the banks of the 
 C Danube
 
 ( 22. ) 
 
 Danube being charmingly diverfified witk 
 woods, rocks, mountains covered with vines, 
 fields of corn, large cities and ruins of ancient 
 caftles. I faw the great towns of Paflau and 
 Lintz, famous for the retreat of the Imperial 
 Court, when Vienna was befie;ed. This 
 town, which has the honour of being the 
 Kmperor's refidence, did not at all anfwer my 
 expectation, nor ideas of it, being much lefs 
 than I expected to find it; the ftreets are very 
 clofe, and fo narrow, one cannot obferve the 
 fine fronts of the palaces, though many of 
 them very well deferve obfervation, being 
 truly magnificent. They are all built of fine 
 white ftone, and are exceflive high. For as the 
 town is too little for the number of the 
 people that defire to live in it, the builders 
 ieem to have projected to repair that misfor- 
 tune, by clapping one town on the top of an- 
 other, moft of the houfes being of five, and 
 
 . fome of them fix ftories. You may eafily 
 imagine that, the ftreets being fo narrow, the 
 
 . rooms are extremely dark, and what is an inccn- 
 
 venicncjr
 
 veniency much more intolerable in my opi- 
 nion, there is no houfe has fo few as five 
 or fix families in it. The apartments of the 
 greateft ladies, and even of the minifters of 
 ftate, are divided, but by a partition, from that 
 of a taylor or {hoe-maker, and I know no 
 body that has above two floors in any houfe, 
 one for their own ufe, and one higher for their 
 fervants. Thofe that have houfes of their 
 own let out the reft of them, to whoever will 
 take them, and thus the great ftairs (which are 
 all of flone) are as common and as dirty as the 
 ftreet. 'Tis true, when you have once travel- 
 4 led through them, nothing can be more fur- 
 prizingly magnificent than the apartments. 
 They are commonly a fuite of eight or ten 
 large rooms, all inlaid, the doors and windows 
 richly carved and gilt, and the furniture fuch 
 as is feldom feen in the palaces of fovereign 
 princes in other countries. Their apartments 
 are adorned with hangings of the fineft tapeflry 
 of Bruflels, prodigious large looking glafles in 
 C 4
 
 C 24 ) 
 
 /liver frames, fine japan tables, beds, chairs, 
 canopies, and window curtains of the richeft 
 Genoa damafk or velvet, almoft covered with 
 gold lace or embroidery. All this is made 
 gay by pictures and vaft jars of japan china, 
 and large luftres of rock cryftal. I have al- 
 ready had the honour of being invited to din- 
 ner by feveral of the firft people of quality, 
 and I muft do them the juftice to fay, the good 
 tafte and magnificence of their tables very well 
 anfwer to that of their furniture. I have been 
 more than once entertained with different 
 dimes of meat, all ferved in filver, and well 
 drefied, the defert proportionable, ferved in 
 the fineft china. But the variety and richnefs 
 of their wines, is what appears the moft fur- 
 prizing. The conftant way is, to lay a lift 
 of their names upon the plates of the guefts 
 along with the napkins, and I have counted 
 feveral times, to the number of eighteen dif- 
 
 ' O 
 
 ferent forts, all exquifite in their kinds. I 
 was yefterday at Count Schoonbourn, the 
 
 Vice-
 
 Vice-chancellor's garden, where I was invited 
 to dinner. I muft own, I never faw a place 
 fo perfectly delightful as the Fauxbourg of 
 Vienna. It is very large, and almoft wholly 
 compofed of delicious palaces. If the Empe- 
 ror found it proper to permit the gates of the 
 town to be laid open, that the Fauxbourgs 
 might be joined to it, he would have one of 
 the largeft and beft built cities in Europe. 
 Count Sthoonbourn's villa is one of the tnoft 
 magnificent ; the furniture all rich brocades, 
 fo well fancied and fitted up, nothing can look 
 more gay and fplendid ; not to fpeak of a gal- 
 lery full of rarities of coral, mother of pearl, 
 and throughout the whole houfe a profufion of 
 gilding, carving, fine paintings, the moft 
 beautiful porcelain, ftatues of alabafter and 
 ivory, and vaft orange and lemon trees in gilt 
 pots. The dinner was perfectly fine and well 
 ordered, and made ftill more agreeable by the' 
 good-humour of the Count. I have not yet 
 been at court, being forced to ftay for my 
 
 gown,.
 
 gown, without which there is no waiting on 
 the Emprefs ; though I am not without great 
 impatience to fee a beauty that has been the 
 admiration of fo many different nations. When 
 I have had that honour, I will not fail to let 
 you know my real thoughts, always taking a 
 particular pleafure in communicating them to 
 my dear fifter.
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 To Mr. P . 
 
 Vienna, Sept. 14; O.S 
 PERHAPS you'll laugh at me, 
 for thanking you very gravely for all the 
 obliging concern you exprefs for me. 'TSs 
 certain that I may, if I pleafe, take the fine 
 things you fay to me for wit and raillery, and 
 it may be, it would be taking them right. But 
 I never, in my life, was half fo well difpofed to 
 take you in earneft, as I am at prefent, and that 
 diftance which makes the continuation of your 
 friendfhip improbable, has very much increafed 
 my faith in it. I find that I have (as well as the 
 reft of my fex) whatever face 1 fet on't, a ftrong 
 difpofition to believe in miracles. Don't fancy, 
 however, that I am infected by the air of thefe 
 popifh countries ; I have, indeed, fo far wan- 
 dered from the difcipline of the church of Eng- 
 land, as to have been laft Sunday at the opera, 
 which was performed in the garden of the 
 
 Favorita,
 
 ( 28 ) 
 
 Favorita, and I was ib much pleafed with it, 
 I have not yet repented my feeing it. No- 
 thing of that kind ever was more magnificent ; 
 and I can eafily believe, what I am told, that 
 the decorations and habits coft the Emperor 
 thirty thoufand pounds ftcrling. The ftage 
 was built over a very large canal, and at the 
 beginning of the fecond act, divided into two 
 parts, difcovcring the water, on which there 
 immediately came from different parts, two 
 fleets of little gilded veflels, that gave the re- 
 prefentation of a naval fight. It is .not eafy to 
 imagine the beauty of this fcene, which I took 
 particular notice of. But all the.^re were 
 perfectly fine in their kind. The ftory of the 
 opera was the Enchantment of Alcina, which 
 gives opportunities for great variety of machines 
 and changes of the fcenes, which are performed 
 with' a furprizing fwiftnefs. The theatre is 
 fo large that 'tis hard to carry the eye to the 
 *nd of it, and the habits in the utmoft magnifi- 
 cence to the number of one hundred and eight. 
 N" h.iufe could hold fuch large decorations ; 
 
 but
 
 C 2 9 ) 
 
 but the ladies all fitting in the open air, ex- 
 pofes them to great inconveniences ; for there 
 i but one canopy for the imperial family y 
 and the firft night it was reprefented, a heavy 
 fhower of rain happening, the opera was broke 
 off, and the company crouded away in fuch 
 confufion, that I was almoft fqueezed to 
 death. Bufif their operas are thus delightful, 
 their comedies are in as high a degree ridicu- 
 lous. They had but one play-houfe, where I 
 had the curiofity to go to a German comedy, 
 and was very glad it happened to be the (lory 
 of Amphitrion. As that fubjec} has been al- 
 ready handled by a Latin, French, and Englifh 
 poet, I was curious to fee what ah Auftrian 
 author would make of it. I underftood enough 
 of that language to comprehend the greateft 
 part of it, and befides I took with me a lady 
 that had the goodnefs to explain to me every 
 word. The way is to take a box which holds 
 four, for yourfelf and company. The fixed 
 price is a gold ducat. I thought the houfe very 
 low and dark j but I confefs the comedy 
 
 admirably
 
 ( 30 ) 
 
 admirably recompenfed that defect. I never 
 laughed fo much in my life. It begun with 
 Jupiter's falling in love out of a peep-hole in 
 the clouds, and ended with the birth of Her- 
 cules. But what was moft pleafant was the 
 ufe Jupiter made of his metamorphofis, for you 
 no fooner faw him under the figure of Amphi- 
 trion, but inftead of flying to Alcmena, with 
 the raptures Mr. Dryden puts into his mouth, 
 he fends for Amphitrion's taylor, and cheats 
 him of a laced coat, and his banker of a bag of 
 money, a jew of a diamond ring, and befpeaks 
 a great fupper in his name j and the greateft 
 part of the comedy turns upon poor Amphi- , 
 trion's being tormented by thefe people for 
 their debts. .Mercury ufes Sofia in the fame 
 manner. But I could not eafily pardon the 
 liberty the poet has taken of larding his play 
 with, not only indecent expreffions, but fuch 
 grofs words as. I don't think our mob would 
 fuffer from a mountebank. Befides, the two 
 Sofias very fairly let down their breeches in 
 the dired view of the boxes, which were full 
 
 of
 
 C 31 ) 
 
 of people of the firft rank, that feemed very 
 well plcafed with their entertainment, and 
 aflured me this was a celebrated piece. I (hall 
 conclude my letter with this remarkable re- 
 lation, very well worthy the ferious confidera- 
 tion of Mr. Collier. I won't trouble you with 
 farewell compliments, which I think generally 
 as impertinent, as curtifies at leaving the room 
 when the vifit had been too long already. 
 
 LET-
 
 LETTER IX . 
 
 To the Countefs of 
 
 Vienna, Sept. 14, O. S. 
 
 THOUGH I have fo lately troub- 
 led you, my dear fifter, with a long letter, 
 yet I will keep my promife in giving you an 
 account of my firft going to court. In order 
 to that ceremony, I was fqueezed up in a gown, 
 and adorned with a gorget and the other im- 
 plements thereunto belonging, a drefs very in- 
 convenient, but which certainly fhows the 
 neck and fhape to great advantage. I cannot 
 forbear giving you fome defcription of the 
 fafhions here, which are more monftrous and 
 contrary to all common fenfe and reafon, than 
 'tis poffible for you to imagine. They build 
 certain fabrics of gauze on their heads, about 
 a yard high, confiding of three or four ftories, 
 fortified with numberlefs yards of heavy rib- 
 bon.
 
 ( 33 ) 
 
 bon. The foundation of this ftruclure is a 
 thing they call a Bourle, which is exactly of 
 the fame fhape and kind, but about four times 
 as big as thofe rolls our prudent milk-maids 
 make ufe of to fix their pails upon. This ma- 
 chine they cover with their own hair, which 
 they mix with a great deal of falfe, it being a 
 particular beauty to have their heads too large 
 to go into a moderate tub. Their hair is pro- 
 digioufly powdered to conceal the mixture, 
 and fet out with three or four rows of bodkins 
 (wonderfully large, that flick out two or three 
 inches from their hair) made of diamonds, 
 pearls, red, green, and yellow ftones, that it 
 certainly requires as much art and experience 
 to carry the load upright, as to dance upon 
 May-day with the garland. Their whale- 
 bone petticoats outdo ours by feveral yards 
 circumference, and cover fome acres of ground. 
 You may eafily fuppofe how this extraordinary 
 drefs fets off and improves the natural uglinefs, 
 with which God Almighty has been pleafed to 
 endow them, generally fpeaking. Even the 
 VOL. I. I) lovely
 
 ( 34 ) 
 
 lovely- Emprefs herfelf is obliged to comply, 
 in fome degree, with thefe abfurd fafhions, 
 which they would not quit for all the world. 
 1 had a private audience (according to cere- 
 mony) of half an hour, and then all the other 
 ladies were permitted to come and make their 
 court. I was perfectly charmed with the Em- 
 prefs ; I cannot however tell you that her 
 features are regular; her eyes are not large, 
 but have a lively look full of fweetnefs j her 
 complexion the fineft I ever faw ; her nofe and 
 forehead well made, but her mouth has tea 
 thoufand charms, that touch the foul. When 
 Ihe fmiles, 'tis with a beauty and fweetnefs, 
 that forces adoration. She has a vaft quantity 
 of fine fair hair ; but then her perfon ! one 
 inuft fpeak of it poetically to do it rigid juftice ; 
 all that the poets have faid of the mien of 
 Juno, the air of Venus, come not up to the 
 truth. The Graces move with her ; the 
 famous ftatue of Medicis was not formed with 
 more delicate proportions; nothing can be 
 added to the beautjr of her neck and hands. Till 
 
 I faw
 
 ( 35 ) 
 
 I faw them., I did not believe there were any in 
 nature fo perfect, and I was almoft forry that 
 my rank here did not permit me to kifs them ; 
 but they are kifled fufficiently, for every body 
 that waits on her, pays that homage at their 
 entrance, and when they take leave. When 
 the ladies were come in, fhe fat down to 
 <j>uinze. I could not play at a game I had 
 never feen before, and fhe ordered me a feat at 
 her right hand, and had the goodnefs to talk 
 to me very much, with that grace fo natural 
 to her. I expected every moment, when the 
 men were to come in to pay their court ; but 
 this drawing room is very different from that 
 of England j no man enters it but the grand 
 mafter, who comes in to advertife the Emprefs 
 of the approach of the Emperor. His Im- 
 perial Alajefty did me the honour of fpeaking to 
 me in a very obliging manner, but he never 
 fpeaks to any of the other ladies, and the whole 
 pafies with a gravity and air of ceremony thi.t 
 has fomethiirj; very formal in it. The Em- 
 prefs Amelia, dowager of the late Emperor 
 D ? Jofeph,
 
 ( 36 ) 
 
 Jofeph, came this evening to wait on the 
 reigning Emprefs, followed by the two arch- 
 duchefles her daughters, who were very agree- 
 able young Princefles. Their Imperial Ma- 
 jefties rofe and went to meet her at the door 
 of the room, after which fhe was feated in an 
 armed chair next the Emprefs, and in the fame 
 manner at fupper, and there the men had the 
 permiflion of paying their court. The arch- 
 duchefles fat on chairs with backs without arms. 
 The table was entirely ferved and all the difhes 
 fet on by the Emprefs's maids of honour, 
 which are twelve young ladies of the firft 
 quality. They have no falary, but their cham- 
 ber at court, where they live in a fort of con- 
 finement, not being fuffered to go to the aflem- 
 blies or public places in town, except in com- 
 pliment to the wedding of a fitter maid, whom 
 the Emprefs always prefents with her picture 
 fet in diamonds. The three firft of them are 
 called Ladies of the Key, and wear gold keys 
 by their fides j but what I find moft pleafant, 
 is the cuftom, which obliges them as long as 
 
 they
 
 ( 37 ) 
 
 they live, after they have left the Emprefs's 
 fervice, to make her fome prefent every year on 
 the day of her feaft. Her Majefty is ferved by 
 no married women but the Grande Maitrefle, 
 who is generally a widow of the firft quality, 
 always very old, and is at the fame time Groom 
 of the Stole and mother of the maids. The 
 dreflers are not, at all, in the figure they pre- 
 tend to in England, being looked upon no 
 otherwife than as downright chamber-maids. 
 I had an audience next day of the Emprefs 
 mother, a princefs of great virtue and goodnefs, 
 but who piques herfelf too much on a violent 
 devotion. She is perpetually performing ex- 
 traordinary acls of penance, without having 
 ever done any thing to deferve them. She has 
 the fame number of maids of honour, whom 
 fhe fuffers to go in colours ; but fhe herfelf 
 never quits her mourning ; and fure nothing 
 can be more difmal than the mourning here, 
 even for a brother. There is not the leaft bit of 
 linen to be feen ; all black crape inftead of it. 
 The neck, ears, and fide of the face are covered 
 
 D 3 with
 
 with a plaited piece of the fame fluff, and the 
 face that peeps out in the midft of it, looks as 
 if it were pilloried. The widows *vear, over 
 and above, a crape fore-head cloth, and in 
 this folemn weed, go to all the public places 
 of diverfion without fcruple. The next day 
 I was to wait on the Emprefs Amelia, who is 
 now at her palace of retirement, half a mile 
 from the town. I had there the pleafure of 
 feeing a diverfion wholly new to me, but which 
 is the common amufement of this court. The 
 Emprefs herfelf was featcd on a little throne 
 at the end of the fine alley in the gartlen, and 
 on each fide of her were ranged two parties 
 of her ladies of quality, headed by two young 
 arch-duchefTes, all drefied in their hair, full of 
 jewels, with fine light guns in their hands, and 
 at proper diftances were placed three oval pic- 
 tures, which were the marks to be fhot at. 
 The firft was that of a CUPID, filling a 
 bumper of Burgundy, and the motto, " Tis 
 " eafy to be valiant here." The fecond a 
 FORTUNE holding a garland in her hand, the 
 
 motto,
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 motto, " For her whom Fortune favours." , 
 The third was a SWORD with a laurel wreath 
 on the point, the motto, " Here is no fhame 
 " to the vanquished." Near the Emprefs was 
 a gilded trophy wreathed with flower?, and made 
 of little crooks, on which were hung rich 
 Turkifh handkerchiefs, tippets, ribbons, laces, 
 &c. for the fmall prizes. The Emprefs gave 
 the firft with her own hand, which was a fine 
 ruby ring fft round with diamonds in a gold 
 fmiff-box. There was for the fecond, a little 
 Cupid fet with brilliants, and bcfides thefc a 
 fet of fine china for the tea-table, cnchafcd iu 
 gold, japan trunks, fans, and many gallantries 
 of the fame nature. All the men of quality at 
 Vienna were fpe&ators ; but the ladies only 
 had permifiion to {hoot, and the arch-duchefs 
 Amelia carried off the firft prize. I was very 
 well pleafcd with having feen this entertain- 
 ment, and I do not know but it might make as 
 good a figure as the prize (hooting in the 
 yEneid, if I could write as well as Virgil. 
 This is the favourite pleafure of the Emperor, 
 D 4
 
 ( 40 ) 
 
 and there is rarely a week without fome feaft 
 of this kind, which makes the young ladies 
 fkilful enough to defend a fort. They laughed 
 very much to fee me afraid to handle a gun. 
 My dear 'lifter, you will eafily pardon an abrupt 
 conclufion. I believe by this time you are 
 ready to think I mall never conclude at all. 
 
 LET-
 
 ( 41 ) 
 LETTER X. 
 
 To the Lady R . 
 
 Vienna, Sept. 20, 1716. O. S. 
 
 I AM extremely rejoiced, but not at 
 all furprifed, at the long, delightful letter, 
 you have had the goodnefs to fend me. I know 
 that you can think of an abfent friend even in 
 the midft of a court, and you love to oblige, 
 where you can have no view of a return, and 
 I expeft from you that you fhould love me, 
 and think of me, when you don't fee me. I 
 have compaflion for the mortifications, that 
 you tell me befall our little, old friend, and I 
 pity her much more, fince I know, that they 
 are only owing to the barbarous cuftoms of 
 our country. Upon my word, if fhe were here, 
 {he would have no other fault but that of being 
 fomething too young for the fafliion, and fhe 
 has nothing to do but to tranfplant herfelf hi- 
 ther about feven years hence, to be again a 
 
 young
 
 ( 42 ) 
 
 young and blooming beauty. I can aflure you 
 that wrinkles, or a fn.all Hoop in the fhould- 
 crs, nay even grey hairs, are no objection to 
 the making new conquefts. I know you can- 
 not ealily figure toyourfelf, a young fellow of 
 five ami twenty, ogling my Lady S-ff-k with 
 paffion, or preiung to hand the Countefs of 
 
 O d from an Opera. But fuch are the 
 
 fights I fee every day, and I don't perceive any 
 body furprized at them but mvfelf. A woman, 
 till five and thirty, is only looked upon as a 
 raw girl, and can pcflibly make no noife in 
 the v/orld till about forty. I don't know what 
 your tadyfhip may think of this matter, but 
 'tis a confiderable comfort to 'me to know 
 there is upon earth fuch a paradife for old we- 
 men, and I am content to be infignificant at 
 fertt, in the defign of returning when I am 
 fit to appear no where elfe. I cannot help la- 
 rtieriting on this occafion, the pitiful cafe of 
 too m"any Englifo ladies, long fmce retired to 
 prudery and ratafia, who if their ftars had 
 luck'iiy conducted hirher, would {till (liine in 
 
 the
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 the firfr. rarilc cf beauties. Bcfides, that per- 
 plexing word reputation, has quite another 
 meaning here than what you give it at London, 
 and getting a lover, is fo far from lofing, that 
 it is properly getting reputation ; ladies being 
 much more refpected in regard to the rank of 
 their lovers, than that of their huifcands. 
 
 But what you will think very odd, the two 
 fels that divide our whole nation of petticoats 
 are utterly unknown in this place. Here are 
 neither Coquettes nor Prudes. No woman 
 dares appear coquette enough to encourage 
 two lovers at a time. And I have not feen 
 any fuch prudes, as to pretend fidelity to their 
 huubands, who are certainly the beft natured 
 fct of people in the world, and look upon their 
 wives' gallants as favourably, as men do upon 
 their deputies, that take the troublefome part 
 of their bufmefs off their hands. They have 
 not "however the lefs to do on that account ; 
 for they are generally deputies in another place 
 themfelves j in one word 'tis the eftablifhed 
 
 cuiloin
 
 ( 44 -) 
 
 cuftom for every lady to have two hufbands, 
 one that bears the name, and another that 
 performs the duties. And the engagements 
 are fo well known, that it would be a down- 
 right affront, and publickly refented, if you 
 invited a woman of quality to dinner, without 
 at the fame time, inviting her two attendants 
 of lover and hufband, between whom fhe fits 
 in ftate with great gravity. The fub-marriages 
 generally laft twenty years together, and the 
 lady often commands the poor lover's eftate, 
 even to the utter ruin of his family. Thefe 
 connexions, indeed, are as feldom begun by any 
 real paflion, as other matches j for a man makes 
 but an ill figure that is not in fome commerce 
 of thifc nature, and a woman looks out for a lover 
 as foon as (he is married as part of her equipage, 
 without which fhe could not be genteel, and the 
 firft article of the treaty is eftablifliing the pen- 
 fion, which remains to the lady, in cafe the gal- 
 lant mould prove inconftant. This chargeable 
 point of honour, I look upon as the real foun- 
 dation of fo many wonderful inftances of con- 
 
 ftancy.
 
 ( 45 ) 
 
 flancy. I really know feveral women of the firft 
 quality, whofe penfions are as well known as 
 their annual rents, and yet nobody efteems them 
 the lefs ; on the contrary, their difcretion would 
 be called in queftion if they mould be fufpe&ed 
 to be miftrefles for nothing. A great part of 
 their emulation confifts in trying who (hall get 
 moft j and having no intrigue at all is fo far 
 a difgrace, that I'll aflure you, a lady who is 
 very much my friend here, told me but yefterday, 
 how much I was obliged to her for juftifying 
 my conduct in a converfation relating to me, 
 where it was publickly aflerted, that I could 
 not poffibly have common fenfe, fince I 
 had been in town above a fortnight, and had 
 made no fteps towards commencing an a- 
 mour. My friend pleaded for me, that 
 my ftay was uncertain, and (he believed that 
 was the caufe of my feeming ftupidity, and this 
 was all fhe could find to fay in my justification. 
 But one of the pleafanteft adventures I ever 
 met in my life, was laft night, and it will give 
 you a juft idea, in what a delicate manner the 
 
 BeUt!
 
 ( 4A ) 
 llfs Pajfions are managed in this country. I, 
 
 was at tl\e aflembly of the Countefs of , 
 
 and the young Count of leading me down 
 
 ftairs, afk,ed me how long I was to ftay at 
 yienna; I made anfwer that my ftay depended 
 on the Emperor, and it was not in my power 
 to determine it. Well, Madam, (faid he) 
 whether your time here is to be longer or 
 ihorter, I think you ought to pafs it agreeably, 
 and to that end you muft engage in a little affair 
 
 of the heart. My heart (anfwered I gravely 
 
 enough) does not engage very eafily, and I have 
 np defign of parting with it. I fee, Madam, 
 (faid he fighing) by the ill nature of that an- 
 fwer, I am. not to hope for it, which is a great 
 
 mortification to me that am charmed with you. 
 
 J 
 
 Bu:, however, I am ftill devoted to your fer- 
 vice, and fmce I am not worthy of entertaining 
 you myfelf, do me the honour of letting me 
 knpwj whom you like beft amongft us, and I'll 
 epgage to manage the affair entirely to your 
 fatisfaclion. You may judge in what manner 
 I fhould have received this compliment in my 
 
 own
 
 ( 47 ) 
 
 own country ; but I was well enough acquaint- 
 ed with the way of this, to know that he really 
 intended me an obligation, and I thanked him 
 with a very grave, curtfey, for his zeal to ferve 
 me, and only affured him, I had no occafion to 
 make ufe of it. Thus you fee, my dear, that 
 gallantry and good-breeding are as different, in 
 different climates, as morality and religion. 
 Who have the righteft notions of both, we 
 {hall never know till the day of judgment, for 
 which great day of eclairciffemcnt, I own there 
 is very little impatience in your, &c. &c. 
 
 LI
 
 LETTER XL 
 
 To Mrs. J***. 
 
 Vienna, Sept. 26, O.S. 1716. 
 
 I WAS never more agreeably fur- 
 prized than by your obliging letter. 'Tis a 
 peculiar mark of my efteem that I tell you fo, 
 and I can aflure you, that if I loved you one 
 grain lefs than I do, I fhould be very forry to 
 fee it fo diverting as it is. The mortal aver- 
 fion I have to writing, makes me tremble at the 
 thoughts of a new correfpondent, and I believe 
 I difobliged no lefs than a dozen of my Lon- 
 don acquaintance by refufing to hear from 
 them, though I did verily think they intended 
 to fend me very entertaining letters. But I 
 had rather loofe the pleafure of reading feveral 
 witty things, than be forced to write many 
 ftupid ones. Yet in fpite of thefe confidera- 
 tions, I am charmed with the proof of your 
 friendfhip, and beg a continuation of the fame 
 
 goodnefe,
 
 ( 49 ) 
 
 goodnefs, though I fear the dulnefs of this will 
 make you immediately repent of it. It is not 
 from Auftria that one can write with vivacity, 
 aiid I am already infected with the phlegm 
 of the country. Even their amours and their 
 quarrels are carried on with a furprizing tem- 
 per, and they are never lively, but upon points 
 of ceremony. There, I own, they fhew all 
 their paifions, and 'tis not long fince two 
 coaches meeting in a narrow ftreet at night, 
 the ladies in them not being able to adjuft the 
 ceremonial of which ftjould go back, fat there 
 with equal gallantry till two in the morning, 
 and were both fo fully determined to die upon 
 the fpot rather than yield, in a point of that 
 importance, that the ftreet would never have 
 been cleared till their deaths, if the Emperor 
 had not fent his guards to part them, and even 
 then they refufed to ftir, till the expedient 
 could be found out, of taking them both out 
 in chairs, exactly in the fame moment. After 
 the ladies were agreed, it was with fome diffi- 
 J. cult.y,
 
 ( 50 ) 
 
 culty, that the pafs was decided between the 
 two coachmen, no lefs tenacious of their rank 
 than the ladies. This paffion is fo omnipotent 
 in the breads of the women, that even their 
 hufbands never die, but they are ready to break 
 their hearts, becaufe that fatal hour puts an 
 end to their rank, no widows having any place 
 at Vienna. The men are not much lefs touch- 
 ed with this point of honour, and they don't 
 only fcorn to marry, but even to make love to 
 any woman of a family not as illuftrious as 
 their own, and the pedigree is much more con- 
 fidered by them, than either the complexion or 
 features of their miftrefTes. Happy are the 
 She's that can number amongft their anceftors, 
 Counts of the Empire ; they have neither oc- 
 cafion for beauty, money, nor good conduct 
 to get them hufbands. 'Tis true as to money, 
 'tis feldom any advantage to the man they 
 marry ; the laws of Auftria confine the wo- 
 man's portion to two thoufand florins (about 
 two hundred pounds Englifh) and whatever 
 
 they
 
 they have befide, remains in their own pofUf- 
 fion and difpofal. Thus here are many ladies 
 much richer than their hufbands, who are 
 however obliged to allow them pin money 
 agreeable to their quality } and I attribute to 
 this confiderable branch of prerogative, the 
 liberty that they take upon other occafions. I 
 am fure you, that know my lazinefs and ex.- 
 treme indifference on this fubjecT:, will pity 
 me, intangled amongft all thefe ceremonies, 
 which are a wonderful burden to me, though 
 I am the envy of the whole town, having by 
 their own cuftoms the pafs before them all. 
 They, indeed, fo revenge upon the poor En- 
 voys, this great refpect {hewed to Ambafladors, 
 that (with all my indifference) I fhould be very 
 uneafy to fuffer it. Upon days of ceremony 
 they have no entrance at court, and on other 
 days mud content themfelves with walking 
 after every foul, and being the very laft taken 
 notice of. But I mult write a volume to let 
 you know all the ceremonies, and I have al- 
 K . ready
 
 ( 52 ) 
 
 ready faid too much on fo dull a fubjecT:, which 
 however employs the whole care of the people 
 here. I need not after this, tell you how 
 agreeably time flides away with me, you know 
 as well as 1 do the taftc of, 
 
 Yours, &c. &c. 
 
 LET-
 
 ( 53 ) 
 LETTER XII, 
 
 To the Lady X . 
 
 Vienna, Oft. i, O. S. 1716. 
 
 YOU defire me, Madam, to fend 
 you fome accounts of the cuftoms here, and at 
 the fame time a defcription of Vienna. I am 
 always willing to obey your commands, hut 
 you mu ft upon this occafion take the will for 
 the deed. If I fhould undertake to tell you all 
 the particulars in which the manners here dif- 
 fer from ours, T muft write a whole quire of 
 the dulleft fluff that ever was read, or printed 
 without being read. Their drefs agrees with 
 the French or Englifh in no one article, but 
 wearing petticoats. They have many fafhions 
 peculiar to themfelves j they think it indecent 
 for a widow ever to wear green or rofe colour, 
 but all the other gayeft colours at her own dif- 
 cretion. The aflemblies here are the only re- 
 gular diverfion, the operas being always at 
 E 3 courtj
 
 C 54 ) 
 
 court, and commonly on fome particular occa* 
 Hon. Madam Rabutin, has the aflembly con- 
 ftantly every night at her houfe, and the other 
 ladies, whenever they have a mind to difplay 
 the magnificence of their apartments, or oblige 
 a friend by complimenting them on the day of 
 their faint, they declare, that on fuch a day 
 the aflembly fhall be at their houfe in honour 
 of the feaft of the Count or Countefs fuch 
 a one. Thefe days are called days of Gala, 
 and all the friends or relations of the lady, 
 whofe Saint it is, are obliged to appear in their 
 belt cloaths and all their jewels. The miftrefs 
 of the houfe takes no particular notice of any 
 body, nor returns any body's vifit; and, who- 
 ever pleafes, may go, without the formality of 
 being prefented. The company are entertain- 
 ed with ice in feveral forms, winter and fum- 
 msr ; afterwards they divide into feveral parties 
 of ombre, piquett, or conversation, all games 
 of hazard being forbid* 
 
 1 faw
 
 ( 55 ) 
 I faw t'other day the Gala for Count Altheim, 
 
 the Emperor's favourite, :uul never in mv Hie 
 faw fo many fine cloaths ill fancied. They 
 embroider the richdt ^oKl Huffs, and provided 
 they can make their elo.iths expenlive eiioii ; >h, 
 that is all the tail e they fhew in them. On 
 other days the general drefs is a fcarf, and what 
 you pleafe under it. 
 
 But now I am ("peaking of Vienna, 1 am 
 fure you e\pe<5t I fhould fay fomethinp, of tin- 
 convents i they arc of all forts and fr/,cs, but I 
 am bell pleafcd with that of St. La\vivm . , 
 where the cafe and neatnef* thev i.ciu to live 
 with, appears to me much more edifying th.m 
 thofe ftricler orders, whcic perpetual penn 
 and naftincfs mufl breed difcontcnt and WK 
 cdnefs. The nuns are all of quality. I think 
 there are to the number of fifty. They have 
 each of them, a little cell perfectly clean, the 
 walls of which are covered with pictures, more 
 or lefs fine, according to their quality. A 
 long white ftone gallery runs by all of them, 
 E 4 furnifliui
 
 ( 56 } 
 
 furniflied with the pidures of exemplary lifters j 
 the chapel is extremely neat and richly adorned. 
 But I could not forbear laughing at their fhew- 
 ing me a wooden head of our Saviour, which, 
 they afiured me, fpoke, during the fiege of Vi- 
 enna ; and, as a proof of it, bid me mark his 
 mouth, which had been open ever fince. Nothing 
 can be more becoming than the drefs of thcfc 
 nuns. It is a white robe, the fleeves of which 
 are turned up with fine white callico, and their 
 head-drefs the fame, excepting a fmall veil of 
 black crape that falls behind. They have a 
 lower fort of ferving nuns, that wait on them 
 as their chamber-maid?. They receive all 
 vifits of women, and play at ombre in their 
 chambers with permiffion of their Abbefs, 
 which is veryeafy to be obtained. I never faw 
 an old woman fo good-natured ; fhe is near 
 fourfcore, and yet (hews very little fign of de- 
 cay, being ftill lively and chearful. She caref- 
 fed me as if 1 had been her daughter, giving 
 me fome pretty things of her own work, and 
 
 fweetmeats
 
 ( 57 ) 
 
 Kvcetmeats in abundance. The grate is not 
 of the moft rigid ; it is not very hard to put a 
 head through i and I don't doubt but a man, 
 a little more (lender than ordinary, might 
 fqueeze in his whole pertbn. The young 
 Count of Salamis, came to the grate, while I 
 was there, and the Abbefs gave him her hand to 
 kifs. But I was furprized to find here, the 
 only beautiful young woman I have fcen at 
 M .na, and, not only beautiful but genteel, 
 witty and agreeable, of a great family, and 
 who had been the admiration of the town. I 
 could not forbear {hewing my furprize at fee- 
 ing a nun like her. She made me a thoufand 
 obliging compliments, and defired me to come 
 often. It would be an infinite pleafure to me, 
 (faid flue, ftghing) but I avoid, with the great- 
 eft care, feeing any of my former acquaintance ; 
 and whenever they come to our convent, 1 lock 
 myfelf in my cell. I obferved tears come into 
 her eyes, which touched me exremrly, and I 
 to talk to her in that ftrain of tender 
 
 pity
 
 pity fhe infpired me with ; but fhe would not 
 own to me that fhe is not perfe&ly happy. I 
 have fince endeavoured to learn the real caufe 
 of her retirement, without being able to get 
 any other account, but that every body was 
 furprized at it, and nobody guefled the reaibn, 
 I have been feveral times to fee her ; but it 
 gives me too much melancholy to fee fo agree- 
 able a young creature buried alive. I am not 
 furprized that nuns have fo often infpired vio- 
 lent paflions ; the pity one naturally feels for 
 them, when they feem worthy of another def- 
 tiny, making an eafy way for yet more tender 
 fentiments. I never in my life had fo little 
 charily for the Roman Catholic religion, as 
 fince I fee the mifery it occafions : fo many 
 poor unhappy women ! and then the grofs 
 fuperftition of the common people, who are 
 fome or other of them, day and night, offering 
 bits of candle to the wooden figures, that are 
 fet up almoft in every ftreet. The proceflions 
 I fee very often are pageantry, as offenfive 
 
 and
 
 ( 59 ) 
 and apparently contradictory to common fenfe, 
 
 as the pas;ods of China. God knows whether 
 it be the womanly fpirit of contradiction that 
 works in me, but there never, before, was fuch 
 zeal againft popery in the heart of, 
 
 Dear Madam, &c. &c. 
 
 LET-
 
 ( 60 ) 
 
 LETTER XIII. 
 To Mr. . 
 
 Vienna, Oft. 10, O. S. 1716. 
 
 I DESERVE not all the re- 
 proaches you make me. If I have been fome 
 time without anfvcrir.g your letter, it is not, 
 that I don't know how many thanks are due 
 to you for it ; or that I am flupid enough to 
 prefer any amufements to the pleafure of hear- 
 ing from you ; but after the profeflions of 
 efteem you have fo obligingly made me, I can- 
 not help delaying, as long as I can, fhewing 
 you, that you are miftaken. If you are fin cere, 
 when you fay, you expeft to be extremely en- 
 tertained by my letters, I ought to be mortified 
 at the difappointment that I am fure you will 
 receive, when you hear from me ; tho' I have 
 done my beft endeavours to find out fomething 
 worth writing to you. I have feen every thing 
 that was to be feen with a very diligent curio- 
 
 fity.
 
 ( 61 ) 
 
 fity. Here are fome fine villas, particularly, 
 the late Prince of Lichcnftein's : but the ftatucs 
 are all modern, and the pictures not of thejirft 
 hands. 'Tis true, the Emperor has fome of 
 great value. I was yefterday to fee the repo- 
 fitory, which they call his Treafure, where 
 they feem to have been more diligent in amaf- 
 ing a great quantity of things, than in the 
 choice of them. I fpent above five hours there, 
 and yet there were very few things that flopped 
 me long to confider them. But the number 
 is prodigious, being a very long gallery filled, 
 on both fides, and five large rooms. There is 
 a vail quantity of paintings, amongft which 
 are many fine miniatures, but the moft valuable 
 pictures are a few of Corregio, thofe of Titian, 
 being at the Favorita. 
 
 The cabinet of jewels did not appear to me 
 fo rich as I expected to fee it. They {hewed 
 me here a cup, about the fize of a tea-difh, of 
 ne entire emerald, which they had fo par- 
 ticular a refpe& for, that only the Emperor 
 
 has
 
 ( 62 ) 
 
 has the liberty of touching it. There is a large 
 cabinet full of curiofities of clock-work, only 
 one of which I thought worth obferving, 
 that was a craw-fifh with all the motions fo 
 natural, that it was hard to diftinguifh it from 
 the life. 
 
 The next cabinet was a large collection of 
 Agates, fome of them extremely beautiful and 
 of an uncommon fize, and feveral vafes of 
 Lapis Lazuli. I was furprized to fee the ca- 
 binet of medals fo poorly ,f urn ifhed, I did not 
 remark one of any value, and they are kept in a 
 moft ridiculous diforder. As to the Antiques, 
 very few of them deferve that name. Upon 
 my faying they were modern, I could not for- 
 bear laughing at the anfwer of the profound an- 
 tiquary that fhewed them, that " they were an- 
 cient enough, for to his knowledge they had been 
 there thefe forty years;" but the next cabinet 
 diverted me yet better, being nothing elfe but 
 a parcel of wax babies, and toys in ivory, very 
 well worthy to be prefented to children of five 
 
 years
 
 years old. Two of the rooms were wholly fil- 
 led with thefe trifles of all kinds, fet in jewels, 
 amongft which I was defired to obferve a cru- 
 cifix, that they aflured me had fpoke very wifely 
 to the Emperor Leopold. I won't trouble you 
 with a catalogue of the reft of the lumber, but 
 I muft not forget to mention, a fmall piece of 
 loadftone that held up an ancnor of freel too 
 heavy for me to lift. This is what I thought 
 tqe moft curious in the whole treafure. There 
 are fome few heads of ancient ftatues ; but fe- 
 reral of them are defaced by modern additions. 
 I forefee that you will be very little fatisfied 
 with this letter, and I dare hardly afk you, to 
 be good-natured enough to charge the dulnefs 
 of it, on the barrennefs of the fubject, and to 
 overlook the ftupidity of 
 
 Your, &c. &c. 
 
 1. E T-
 
 LETTER XIV. 
 
 To the Countefs of 
 
 Prague, Nov. 17, O.S. 1716. 
 
 I HOPE my dear filter wants no 
 new proofs of my fincere affe&ion for her ; but I 
 am fure if you do, I could not give you a ftronger 
 than writing at this time, after three days, 
 or more properly fpeaking, three nights and 
 days, hard poft travelling. The kingdom of 
 Bohemia is the moft defert of any I have feen 
 in Germany. The villages are fo poor, and 
 the poft>houfes fo miferable, that clean ftraw 
 and fair water are bleffings not always to be 
 met with, and better accommodation not to be 
 hoped for. Though I carried my own bed with 
 me, I could not fometimes find a place to fet 
 it up in j and I rather chofe to travel all night, 
 as cold as it is, wraped up in my furs, than go 
 into the common ftoves, which are filled with 
 A mixture of all forts of ill fcents* 
 
 This
 
 This town was once the royal feat. of the 
 Bohemian Kings, and is ftill the capital of the 
 kingdom. There are yet fome remains cf its 
 former fplendour, being one of the largeft town- 
 in Germany, but, for the moft part, old built 
 and thinly inhabited, which makes the houfes 
 very cheap' Thofe people of quality who can- 
 not eafily bear the expence of Vienna, chufe to 
 refide here, where they have aflemblies, mufic, 
 and all other diverfions, (thofe of a court ex- 
 cepted) at very moderate rates, all things being 
 here in great abundance, efpecially, the belt 
 wild fowl I ever tafted. I have already been 
 vifited by fome of the moft confiderable ladies, 
 whofe relations I know at Vienna. They are 
 drefled after the fafiiions there, after the man- 
 ner that the people at Exeter imitate thofe of 
 London ; that is, their imitation is more ex- 
 ceflive than the original. 'Tis not eufy to dcf- 
 cribe what extraordinary figures they make. 
 The perfon is fo much loft between head-drefs 
 and petticoat, that they have as much occafioa 
 to write upon their backs, " This is a woman," 
 VOL. I. F for,
 
 ( 66 ) 
 
 for the information of travellers, as every fign- 
 poft painter had to write, " This is a Bear.'* 
 I will not forget to write to you again from 
 Drefden and Leipzig, being .much more folici- 
 tous to content your curiofity, than to indulge 
 my own repofe. 
 
 I am, &c.
 
 ( 67 ) 
 
 LETTER XV. 
 To the Countefs of . 
 
 Leipzig, Nov. 21, O.S. 1716. 
 
 I BELIEVE, dear fitter, you will 
 eafily forgive my not writing to you from Dref- 
 clen, as I promifcd, when I tell you, that I never 
 went out of my charfe from Prague to this p! 
 You may imagine how heartily I was tired 
 with twenty-four hours poft-travelling, with- 
 out fleep or refreshment (for I can never fleep 
 in a coach however fatigued.) We pafied by 
 moon-lhine, the frightful precipices that divide 
 Bohemia from Saxony, at the bottom of which 
 runs the river Elbe j but I cannot fay, that I 
 had reafon to fear drowning in it, being per- 
 fectly convinced, that in cafe of a tumble, it 
 was utterly impoflible to come alive to the bot- 
 tom. In many places the road is fo narrow, 
 that I could not difcern an inch of fpace be- 
 tween the wheels and the precipice. Yet I was 
 F 2 fo
 
 fo good a wife not to wake Mr. W y, who 
 
 was faft afleep by my fide, to make him fhaie 
 in my fear?, fince the danger was unavoidable, 
 till I perceived by the bright light of the moon, 
 our poftillions nodding on horfeback, while 
 the horfes were on a full gallop. Then indeed 
 1 thought it very convenient to call out todefire 
 them to look where they were going. My call- 
 ing waked Mr W y, and he was much 
 more furprifed than myfelf at the fituation we 
 were in, and afTured me that he patted the Alps 
 five times in different places, without ever 
 having gone a road fo dangerous. I have been 
 told fince, that 'tis common to find the bodies 
 of travellers in the Elbe, but thank God that 
 was not our deftiny, and we rame fafe to 
 Drefden, fo much tired with fear and fatigue, 
 it was not poflible for me to compofe myfelf to 
 write. After pafling thefe dreadful rocks, 
 Drefden appeared to me a wonderfully agreeable 
 fituation, in a fine large plain on the banks 
 of the Elbe. I was very glad to ftay there a 
 ft myfelf. The town is the neateft I 
 
 baVe
 
 ( 69 ) 
 
 have feen in Germany ; moft of the houfes are 
 new built ; the Elector's palace is very hand- 
 fome, and his repofitory full of curiolities of 
 different kinds, with a collection of medals very 
 much efteemed. Sir , our King's En- 
 voy, came to fee me here, and Madam de 
 
 L , whom I knew in London, when 
 
 her hufband was minifter to the King of Po- 
 land there. She offered me all things in her 
 power to entertain me, and brought fome ladies 
 with her, whom (he prefented to me. The 
 Saxon ladies refemble the Auftrian no more, 
 than the Chinefe do thofe of London ; they are 
 very genteely drefled after the Englifh and 
 French modes, and have, generally, pretty faces, 
 but they are the moft determined Minaudieres in 
 the whole world. They would think it a 
 mortal fin againft good breeding, if they either 
 fpoke or moved in a natural manner. They 
 all afFeft a little foft lifp, and a pretty pitty-pat 
 ftepj which female frailties ought, however, 
 to be forgiven them in favour of their civility 
 
 F 3 mid.
 
 ( 70 ) 
 
 and good nature to Grangers, which I have a 
 great deal of reafon to praife. 
 
 The Countefs of Cozelle is kept prifoner in 
 a melancholy caftle, fome leagues from hence, 
 and I cannot forbear telling you what I heard 
 of her ; becaufe it feems to me very extraordi- 
 nary, though I forefee 1 fliall fwell my letter 
 to the fize of a pacquet. She was miffrefs 
 to the King of Poland (Elector of Saxony) 
 with fo abfolute a dominion over him, that 
 never any lady had fo much power in that 
 court. They tell a pleafant ftory of his Ma- 
 jefty's firft declaration of love, which he made 
 in a vifit to her, bringing in one hand a bag 
 of a hundred thoufand crowns, and in the other 
 a horfe-fhoe, which he fnapped afunder before 
 her face, leaving her to draw the confequences 
 of fuch remarkable proofs of flrength and li- 
 beralitjv I know not which charmed her mofly 
 but fhe confented to leave her hufband, and to- 
 give herfelf up to him entirely,- being divorced 
 publicly,, in- fuch a manner,, as by their laws 
 
 permit
 
 ( 7' ) 
 
 permits either party to marry again. God 
 knows whether it was at this time, or in fome 
 other fond fit, but 'tis certain the King had the 
 weaknefs to make her a formal contract of mar- 
 riage ; which, though it could fignify nothing 
 during the life of the Queen, pleafed her fo 
 well, that fhe could not be contented, without 
 telling it to all the people /he faw, and giving 
 herfelf the airs of a Queen. Men endure every 
 thing while they are in love ; but when theex- 
 cefs of paffion was cooled by long pofleffion, 
 his Majefty begun to reflect on the ill confe- 
 quences of leaving fuch a paper in her hands, 
 and defired to have it reftored to him. But fhe 
 rather chofe to endure all the moft violent ef 
 fe&sof his anger than give it upj and though 
 fhe is one of the richeft and mbft avaricious la- 
 dies of her country, fhe has refufed the offer 
 of the continuation of a large penfion, and the 
 fecurity of a vafl fum of money fhe has amafFed, 
 and has, at laft, provoked the King to confine 
 her perfon to a caftle, where fhe endures all 
 F 4 -h^
 
 ( 72 ) 
 
 the terrers of a flrait imprifonment, and re- 
 mains ftill inflexible either to threats or pro- 
 mifes. Her violent paflions have brought her 
 indeed into fits, which it is fuppofed will foon 
 put an end to her life. I cannot forbear having 
 fome cpmpaffion for a woman, that fuffers for a 
 point of honour, however miftaken, efpecially 
 in a country where points of honour are not 
 over fcrupuloufly obferved among ladies. 
 
 I could have wifhed Mf. W y s bufinefs 
 
 had permitted him a longer ftay at Drefden. 
 
 Perhaps I am partial to a town where they 
 profefs the proteftant religion, but every thing 
 teemed to me with quite another air of polite- 
 nefs, than I have found in other places. 
 Leipfig, where I am at prefent, is a town very 
 confiderable for its trade, and I take this oppor- 
 tunity of buying page's liveries, gold fluffs 
 for myfelf, &c. all things of that kind being at 
 Icaft double the price at Vienna, partly becaufe 
 
 of
 
 ( 73 ) 
 
 of the excefllve cuftoms, and partly through 
 want of genius tnd induftry in the people, who 
 make no one fort of thing there, fo that the la- 
 dies are obliged to fend even for their fhoes out 
 of Saxony. The fair here is one of the moft 
 confiderable in Germany, and the refort of all 
 the people of quality, as well as of the mer- 
 chants. This is alfo a fortified town, but I 
 avoid ever mentioning fortifications, being 
 fenfible that I know not how to fpeak of them. 
 I am the more eafy under my ignorance, when 
 I reflect that I am fure you'll willingly forgive 
 the omiflion ; for if I made you the moft exact 
 defcription of all the ravelins and baftions I fee 
 in my travels, I dare fwear you would aflc me 
 what is a ravelin ? and what is a baftion ? 
 
 Adieu, my dear Sifter. 
 
 LET-
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 LETTER XVL 
 To the Countefs of 
 
 Brunfwiclc, Nov. 3 O.S. 1716. 
 I AM julr. come to Brunfwick, a 
 very old town, but which has the advantage of 
 being the capital of the D uke of Wolfenbuttle's 
 dominions, a family (not to fpeak of its ancient 
 honours) illuftrious, by having its younger 
 branch on the throne of England, and having 
 given two Emprefies to Germany. I have not 
 forgot to drink your health here in Mum, which 
 I think very well deferves its reputation of 
 being the beft in the world. This letter is the 
 third I have wrote to you during my journey, 
 and I declare to you, that if you don't fend me 
 immediately a full and true account of all the 
 changes and chances amongft our London ac- 
 quaintance, I will not write you any defcrip- 
 tion of Hanover, (where I hope to be to-night) 
 though I know you have more curiofity to hear 
 of that place than any other. 
 
 LET-
 
 < 75 ) 
 LETTER XVH. 
 
 To the Countefs of B . 
 
 Hanover, Nov. 25, O.S. 
 I RECEIVED your ladyfhip's 
 letter but the day before I left Vienna, though, 
 by the date, I ought to have had it much fooncr j 
 but nothing was ever worfe regulated than the 
 poft in moft parts of Germany. I can afTuic 
 you, the packet at Prague was behind my 
 chaife, and in that manner conveyed to Drcf- 
 <]en, fo that the fccrets of half the country were 
 at my mercy, if I had had any curiofity for 
 them. I would not longer delay my thank> 
 for yours, thougji the number of my acquain- 
 tances here, and my duty of attending at court, 
 leaves me hardly any time to difpofc of. I am 
 extremely pleafed that I can tell you, without 
 flattery or partiality, that our young Prince* 
 has all the accomplifhments that 'tis poflible 
 f o have at his age, with an air of fprightlinefj 
 
 * The Father of his prefent Majefty. 
 
 and-
 
 and underftanding, and fomething fo very en- 
 gaging and eafy in his behaviour, that he needs 
 not the advantage of his rank to appear charm- 
 ing. I had the honour of a long converfation 
 with him laft night before the King came in. 
 His governor retired on purpofe (as he told me 
 afterwards) that I might make fome judgment 
 of his genius, by hearing him fpeak without 
 conftraint ; and I was furprized at the quick- 
 nefs and politenefs, that appeared in every thing 
 he faid, joined to a perfon perfectly agreeable, 
 and the fine fair hair of the Princefs. 
 
 This town is neither large nor handfome ; 
 but the palace is capable of holding a much 
 greater court than that of St. James's. The 
 King has had the goodnefs to appoint us a 
 lodging in one part of it, without which we 
 fhould have been very ill accommodated ; for the 
 vaft number of Englifh crouds the town fo 
 much, 'tis very good luck to get one forry 
 room in a miferable tavern. I dined to day 
 with the Portuguefe AmbafTador, who thinks 
 
 himfelf
 
 C 77 ) 
 
 himfelf very happy to have two wretched par- 
 lours in an inn. I have now made the Tour 
 of Germany, and cannot help obfcrving a con- 
 fiderable difference between travelling here and 
 in England. One fees none of thofe fine feats 
 of noblemen, fo common amongft us nor any 
 thing like a country gentleman's houfe, though 
 they have many fituations perfectly fine. But 
 the whole people are divided into abfolute fo- 
 vereignties, where all the riches and magnifi- 
 cence are at court, or into communities of 
 merchants, fuch as Nurenburg and Frankfort, 
 where they live always in town for the conve- 
 nience of trade. The King's company of 
 French comedians play here every night. They 
 are very well drefled, and fome of them not ill 
 aftors. His Majefty dines and fups conftantly 
 in public. The court is very numerous, and 
 his affability and goodnefs makes it one of the 
 moil agreeable places in the world. 
 Dear Madam, 
 
 Your L. <xc. &c. 
 
 LET-
 
 LETTER XVIII. 
 To the Lady R 
 
 Hanover, Oft. i, O. S. 1716. 
 
 I A M very glad, my dear Lady 
 R - , that you have been fo well pleafed, 
 as you tell me, at the report cf my returning 
 to England ; though, like other pleafures, I 
 can aflure you it has no real foundation. I 
 hope you know me enough to take my word 
 againft any report concerning me. 'Tis true, 
 as to diftance of place, I am much nearer to 
 London than I was fome weeks ago ; but as to 
 the thoughts of a return, I never was farther 
 off in my life. I own, I could with great joy 
 indulge the pleafing hopes of feeing you and the 
 very few others that fhare my efteem ; but while 
 
 Mr. W is determined to proceed in his 
 
 defign, I am determined to follow him. I am 
 running on upon my own affairs, that is to fay, 
 I am going to write very dully, as moft people do, 
 
 when
 
 ( 79 ) 
 
 when they write of themfelves. I will make 
 hafte to change the difagreeable fubjecl:, by tel- 
 ling you, that I am now got into the region 
 of beauty. All the women have, literally, rofy 
 checks, fnowy foreheads and bofoms, jet eye- 
 brows, and fcarlet lips, to which they gene- 
 rally add coal-black hair. Thofe perfections 
 never leave them, till the hour of their deaths, 
 and have a very fine effect by candle-light ; but 
 I could with they were handfome with a little 
 more variety. They refemble one another as 
 much as Mrs. Salmon's court of Great-Bri- 
 tain, and are in as much danger of melting 
 away, by too near approaching the fire, which 
 they, for that reafon, carefully avoid, though 
 'tis now fuch exceflive cold weather, that I 
 believe they fuffer extremely by that piece of 
 felf-denial. The fnow is already very deep, 
 and the people begin to flide about in their 
 Traineaux. This is a favourite diverfion all 
 over Germany. They are little machines fixed 
 upon a fledge, that hold a lady and a gentleman, 
 
 and
 
 ( 8o ) 
 
 and are drawn by one horfe. The gentleman 
 has the honour of driving, and they move with 
 a prodigious fwiftncfs. The lady, the horfe and 
 the Traineau, are all as fine as they can be made, 
 and when there are many of them together, 
 'tis a very agreeable (how. At Vienna, where 
 all pieces of magnificence are carried to excefs, 
 there are fometimes machines of this kind, that 
 coft five or fix hundred pounds Englifh. The 
 Duke of Wolfenbutde is now at this court; 
 you know he is nearly related to our King, and 
 uncle to the reigning Emprefs,who is, I believe, 
 the moft beautiful princefs upon earth. She is 
 now with child, which is all the confolation of 
 the Imperial Court for the lofs of the Arch- 
 duke. I took my leave of her the day before 
 I left Vienna, and fhe begun to k fpeak to me, 
 with fo much grief and tendernefs of the death 
 of that young prince, I had much ado to with- 
 hold my tears. You know that I am not at 
 all partial to people for their titles ; but I own, 
 \hat I love that charming Princefs (if I may 
 life fo familiar an expreflion) and if I had not, 
 i I fhould
 
 C si ) 
 
 I fliould have been very much moved at the 
 tragical end of an only fon, born, after being 
 io long defired, and at length killed by want 
 of good management, weaning him in the be- 
 ginning of the winter. Adieu, dear Lady 
 
 R , continue to write to me, and believe 
 
 none of your goodnefs is loft upon 
 
 Yours, &c. 
 
 LET-
 
 LETTER XIX. 
 
 To the Countefs of 
 
 Blankenburg, Oft. 17, O.S, 1716. 
 
 I RECEIVED yours, dear fif- 
 ter, the very day I left Hanover. You may 
 eafily imagine I was then in too great a hurry 
 to anfwer it j but you fee I take the firft op- 
 portunity of doing myfelf that pleafure. I 
 came here the I5th, very late at night, after a 
 terrible journey, in the worft roads and weather 
 that ever, poor traveller fuffered. I have taken 
 this little fatigue, merely to oblige the reigning 
 Emprefs, and carry a mefiage from her Impe- 
 rial Majefty to the Duchefs of Blankenburg, 
 her mother, who is a Princefs of great addrefs 
 and good breeding, and may be ftill called a 
 fine woman. It was fo late when I came to 
 this town, I did not think it proper to difturb 
 the Duke and Duchefs with the news of my 
 
 arrival ;
 
 arrival j fo I took up my quarters in a mifer- 
 ahlc inn ; but as foon as I had fent my compli- 
 ments to their HighneiTes, they immediately 
 fait me their own coach and fix horfes, which 
 had however enough to do to draw us up the 
 very high hill on which the caftle is fituated. 
 The Duchefs is extremely obliging to me, and 
 this little court is not without its' diverfions. 
 The Duke taillys at Baflet every night, and 
 the Duchefs tells me, (he is fo well pleafed 
 with my company, that it makes her play lefs 
 than fhe ufed to do. I fhould find it very diffi- 
 cult to fteal time to write, if fhe was not now 
 at church, where I cannot wait on her, not 
 underftanding the language enough to pay my 
 devotions in it. You will not forgive me, if 
 I do not fay fomething of Hanover ; J cannot 
 tell you that the town is either large or magni- 
 ficent. The opera-houfe, which was built by 
 the late elector, is much finer than that of Vi- 
 enna. I was very forry that the ill weather did 
 not permit me to fee Hernhaufen in all its 
 beauty j but in fpite of the fnow, I thought 
 G 2 - th?
 
 the gardens very fine. I was particularly fur- 
 prized at the vaft number of orange trees, 
 much larger than any I have ever feen in Eng- 
 land, though this climate is certainly colder. 
 But I had more reafon to wonder, that night 
 at the King's table, to fee a prefent from a 
 gentleman of this country, of two large baf- 
 kets full of ripe oranges and lemons of different 
 forts, many of which were quite new to me ; 
 and what I thought worth all the reft, two 
 ripe Ananaffes, which, to my tafte, are a fruit 
 perfectly delicious. You know they are natu- 
 rally the growth of Brazil, and I could not 
 imagine how they came here but by enchant- 
 ment. Upon enquiry, I learnt that they have 
 brought their ftoves to fuch perfection, they 
 lengthen their fummer as long as they pleafe, 
 giving to every plant the degree of heat it 
 would receive from the fun in its native foil. 
 The effect is very near the fame : I am fur- 
 prized we do not practice in England fo ufeful 
 an invention. This reflection leads me to 
 confider our obftinacy in fiiaking with cold 
 
 five
 
 five months in the year, rather than make ufe of 
 ftoves, which are certainly one of the great- 
 eft conveniences of life. Befides, they are fo 
 far from fpoiling the form of a room, that they 
 add very much to the magnificence of it, when 
 they are painted and gilt, as they are at Vi- 
 enna, or at Drefden, where they are ofcen in 
 the (hapes of china jars, ftatues or fine cabinets, 
 fo naturally reprefented, that they are not to be 
 diftinguifhed. If ever I return, in defiance to 
 the fafhion, you fhall certainly fee one in the 
 chamber of, 
 
 Dear Sifter, Your, See. 
 
 I will write often, fince you defire it ; but I 
 muft beg you to be a little more particular in 
 yours ; you fancy me at forty miles diftance, 
 and forget, that, after fo long an abfence, I 
 can't underftand hints. 
 
 03 LET-
 
 ( 86 ) 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 To the Lady . 
 
 Vienna, Jan. i, O. S. 1717. 
 I HAVE juft received here at 
 Vienna, your ladyftiip's compliments on my 
 return to England, fent me from Hanover. You 
 fee, madam, all things that are aiTerted with 
 confidence, are not abfolutely true; and that 
 you have no fort of reafon to complain of me 
 for making my defigned return a myftery to 
 you, when you fay all the world are informed 
 of it. You may tell all the world in my 
 name, that they are never fo well informed in 
 my affairs as I am myfelf, that I am very 
 pofitive I am at this time at Vienna, where the 
 carnival is begun, and all forts of diverfions 
 are carried to the greateft height, except that 
 of mafquing, which is never permitted during 
 a war with the Turks. The balls are in public 
 places, where the men pay a gold ducat at en- 
 trance, but the ladies nothing. I am told that 
 thefe houfes get fometimes a thoufand ducats 
 
 in
 
 ( 7 ) 
 in a night. They are very magnificently fur- 
 
 nifhcd, and the mufic good, if they had not 
 that deteftable cuftom of mixing hunting horns 
 with it, that almoft deafen the company. But 
 that noife is fo agreeable here, they never make 
 a concert without them. The ball always con- 
 cludes with Englifli country dances, totheuHm- 
 ber of thirty cr forty couple, and fo ill danced, 
 that there is very little pleafure in them. They 
 know but half a dozen, and they have danced 
 them over and over thefe fifty years. I would 
 have taught them fome new ones, but 
 I found it would be fome months labour tc 
 mate them comprehend them. Laft night 
 there was an Italian comedy a&ed at court. 
 The fcenes were pretty, but the comedy itfelf 
 fuch intolerable low farce, without either wit or 
 humour, that I was furprized how all the court 
 could fit there attentively for four hours toge- 
 th(*r. No women arc fuffered to a& on the 
 ftagc, and the men drcfled, like them, were 
 fuch aukward figures, they very much added 
 ro the ridicule of the fpe&acle. What CCIK- 
 
 pleated
 
 ( 88 ) 
 
 pleated the diverfion was the excefllve cold, 
 which was fo great I thought I fhould have 
 died there. It is now the very extremity of 
 the winter here ; the Danube is entirely fro- 
 zen, and the weather not to be fupported with- 
 out ftoves and furs ; but, however, the air fo 
 clear, almoft every body is well, and colds not 
 half fo common as in England. I am per- 
 fuaded there cannot be a purer air, nor more 
 wholefome than that of Vienna. The plenty 
 and excellence of all forts of provifions are 
 greater here than in any place I ever was be- 
 fore, and 'tis not very expenfive to keep a 
 fplendid table. 'Tis really a pleafure to pafs 
 through the markets, and fee the abundance of 
 what we fhould think rarities, of fowls and 
 venifon, that are daily brought in from Hun- 
 gary and Bohemia. They want nothing but 
 Ihell-fifh, and are fo fond of oyfters, that they 
 have them fent from Venice, and eat them 
 very greedily, ftink or not ftink. Thus I 
 obey your commands, Madam, in giving you 
 an account of Vienna, though I know you 
 
 will
 
 will not be fatisfied with it. You chide me 
 for my lazinefs in not telling you a thoufand 
 agreeable and furprizing things, that you fay 
 you are fure I have feen and heard. Upon my 
 word, Madam, 'tis my regard to truth, and 
 not lazinefs, that I do not entertain you with 
 as many prodigies as other travellers ufe to di- 
 vert their readers with. I might cafily pick up 
 wonders in every town I pafs through, or tell 
 you a long ferics of popifh miracles, but I can- 
 not fancy that there is any thing new in letting 
 you know that priefts will lie, and the mob be- 
 lieve, all the world over. Then as for news, 
 as you are fo inquifitive about, how can it be 
 entertaining to you (that don't know the peo- 
 ple) that the Prince of has forfaken the 
 
 Countefs of ? or that the Prince fuch-a- 
 
 one, has an intrigue with Count fuch-a-one? 
 Would you have me write novels, like the 
 
 Countefs of D' ? and is it not better to 
 
 tell you a plain truth, 
 
 That I am, &c. 
 
 LET-
 
 { 9 ) 
 
 LETTER XXI. 
 
 To the Countefs of 
 
 Vienna, Jan. 16, O. S. 1717. 
 
 I AM now, dear fifter, to take 
 leave of you for a long time, and of Vienna 
 for ever, defigning, to-morrow, to begin my 
 journey through Hungary in fpite of the ex- 
 ccflive cold, and deep fnows, which is enough 
 to damp a greater courage than I am miftrefs of. 
 But my principle of paffive obedience, carries 
 me through every thing. I have had my au- 
 dience of leave of the Emprefs. His Imperial 
 Majefty was pleafed to be prefent when I waited 
 on the reigning Emprefs, and after a very 
 obliging converfation, both their Imperial Ma- 
 jefties invited me to take Vienna in my road 
 back ; but I have no thoughts of enduring over 
 again, fo great a fatigue. I delivered a letter 
 from the Duchefs of Blankenburg. I ftaid but 
 few days at that court, though her Highnefs 
 
 prefTed
 
 ( 9' ) 
 prefled me very mnch to flay ; and when I left 
 
 her, engaged me to write to her. I wrote you 
 a Icng letter from thence, which I hope you 
 have received, though you don't mention it ; 
 hut I believe I forgot to tell you one curiofity 
 in all the German courts, which I cannot for- 
 bear taking notice of: All the Princes keep fa- 
 vourite dwarfs. The Emperor and Emprefs 
 have two of thefe little monfters, as ugly as de- 
 vils, efptcially the female ; but they are all be- 
 daubed with diamonds, and ftand at her Ma- 
 jefly's elbow in all public places. The Duke 
 of Wolfenbuttle has one, and the Duchefs of 
 Blankenburg is not without hers, but indeed 
 the moft proportionable I ever faw. I am told 
 the King of Denmark has fo far improved upon 
 this fafliion, that his dwarf is his chief n:inifter. 
 I can affign no reafon for their fondnefs for thefe 
 pieces of deformity, but the opinion all the 
 abfolute Princes have, that 'tis below them to 
 converfe with the reft of mankind ; and not to 
 be quite alone, they are forced to frek their 
 companions among the refufe of human nat 
 
 thefe
 
 ( 9* ) 
 
 thefe creatures being the only part of their 
 court privileged to talk freely to them. I 
 am at prefent confined to my chamber by a 
 fore throat, and am really glad of the excufe 
 to avoid feeing people, that I love well enough 
 to be very much mortified when I think I am 
 going to part with them for ever. ' Fis true 
 the Auftrians are not commonly the moft po- 
 Jitc people in the world, nor the moft agree- 
 able. But Vienna is inhabited by all nations, 
 and I had formed to rr.yfelf a little fociety of 
 fuch as were pcrfccily to my own tafte. And 
 though the numbc-r was not very great, I could 
 never pick up, in any other place, fuch a 
 number of reafonable, agreeable people. We 
 were almoft always together, and you know I 
 have ever been of opinion, that a chofen con- 
 verfation, compofed of a few that one efteems, 
 is the greateft happinefs of life. Here are fomc 
 Spaniards of both fexes that have all the viva- 
 city and generofity of fentiments anciently af- 
 cribed to their nation ; and could I believe, that 
 the whole kingdom were like them, I would wifh 
 
 nothing
 
 ( 93 ) 
 
 nothing more than to end my days there. The 
 ladies of my acquaintance have fo much good- 
 nefs for me, they cry whenever they fee me, 
 fince I have determined to undertake this jour- 
 ney. And, indeed, I am not very eafy when 
 I reflect on what I am going to fuffer. Almoft 
 every body I fee frights me with fome new 
 difficulty. Prince Eugene has been fo good 
 as to fay all things he could to perfuade me to 
 fray till the Danube is thawed, that I may have 
 the conveniency of going by water, afluring 
 me, that the houfes in Hungary are fuch, as 
 are no defence againft the weather, and that 
 1 fhall be obliged to travel three or four days 
 between Bude and Efleek, without finding 
 any houfe at all, through defart plains covercc 
 with fnow; where the cold is fo violent, manv 
 have been killed by it. I own thefe terrors 
 have made a very deep impreflion on my mind, 
 becaufe I believe he tells me things truly as 
 they are, and no body can be better informed 
 of them. Now I have named that great man, 
 I am fure you expect, I fhould fay fomething 
 
 particular
 
 ( 94 ) 
 
 particular of him, having the advantage of 
 feeing him very often ; but I am as unwilling 
 to fpealc of him at Vienna, as I fhould bo to 
 talk of Hercules in the court of Omphale, if 
 I had feen him there. I don't know what com- 
 fort other people find in confidering the wenk- 
 nefs of great men, (becaufe, perhaps, it brings 
 them nearer to their level) but 'tis always a mor- 
 tification to me, to obferve that there is no 
 perfection in humanity. The young Prince 
 of Portugal is the admiration of the whole 
 court ; he is handfome and polite with a great 
 yivacity. All the officers tell wonders of his 
 gallantry the laft campaign. He is lodged at 
 court with all the honours due to his rank. 
 Adieu, dear fifter j this is the laft account you 
 will have from me of Vienna. If I furvive my 
 journey, you {hall hear from me again. I can 
 fay, with great truth, in the words of Monefes, 
 " I have long learnt to hold myfelf as nothing ;" 
 but when I think of the fatigue my poor infant 
 muft fuffer, I have all a mother's fondnefs in my 
 eyes, and all her tender paflion in my heart. 
 
 P.S.
 
 ( 95 ) 
 
 P. S. I have written a letter to my lady 
 
 , that I believe fhe won't like; and upon 
 cooler reflection, I think I had done better to 
 have let it alone ; but I was downright peevifh 
 at all her queftions, and her ridiculous imagi- 
 nation, that I have certainly feen abundance of 
 wonders which I keep to myfelf out of meer 
 malice. She is very angry that 1 won't lye 
 like other travellers. I verily believe {he ex- 
 pects I fhould tell her of the Anthropophagie, 
 men whofe heads grow below their fhoulders ; 
 however, pray fay fomething to pacify her. 
 
 LET-
 
 C 96 ) 
 
 LETTER XXII. 
 To Mr. Pope. 
 
 Vienna, Jan. 16, O.S. 1717. 
 I HAVE not time to anfwer your 
 letter, being in the hurry of preparing for my 
 journey ; but, I think, I ought to bid adieu 
 to my friends with the fame folemnity, as if I 
 was going to mount a breach, at leaft, if I am 
 to believe the information of the people here, 
 who denounce all forts of terrors to me ; 
 and, indeed, the weather is at prefent fuch 
 as very few ever fet out in. I am threatened, 
 at the fame time, with being frozen to death, 
 buried in the fnow, and taken by the Tartars, 
 who ravage that part of Hungary I am to 
 pafs. 'Tis true, we fhall have a confiderable 
 efcorte, fo that, poflibly, I may be diverted 
 with a new fcene, by finding myfelf in the 
 midft of a battle. How my adventures will 
 conclude, I leave entirely to providence ; if 
 comically, you fhall hear of them. Pray be fo 
 good as to tell Mr. I have received his let- 
 ter. Make him my adieus; if I live, I will an- 
 fwer it. The fame compliment to my Lady R k
 
 ( 97 ) 
 
 LETTER XXIII. 
 
 To the Countefs of 
 
 Peterwaradin, Jan. 30, O.S. 1717.' 
 AT length, dear lifter, I am fafely 
 arrived with all my family in good health at 
 Peterwaradin ; having fuffered fo little from 
 the rigour of the feafon (againft which we were 
 all provided by furs) and found fuch tolerable 
 accommodation every where, by the care of 
 fending before, that I can hardly forbear 
 laughing when I recollect all the frightful ideas 
 that were given me of this journey. Thefe, I 
 fee, were wholly owing to the tendernefs of 
 my Vienna friends, and their defire of keeping 
 me with them for this winter. Perhaps it will 
 not be difagreeable to you to give a Ihort jour- 
 nal of my journey, being through a country 
 entirely unknown to you, and very little pafled, 
 even by the Hungarians themfelves, who ge- 
 nerally chufe to take the conveniency of going 
 down the Danube. We have had the blefling 
 Vol. I. H f
 
 ( 98 ) 
 
 of being favoured with finer weather than is 
 common at this time of the year ; though the 
 fnow was fo deep, we were obliged to have 
 our own coaches fixed upon Traineaus^ which 
 move fo fwift and fo eafily, 'tis by far the moft 
 agreeable manner of travelling poft. We came 
 to Raab (the fecond day from Vienna) on the 
 feventeenth inftant, where Mr. W fending 
 word of our arrival to the governor, the beft 
 houfe in the town was provided for us, the 
 garrlfon put under arms, a guard ordered at 
 our door, and all other honours paid to us. 
 The governor and all other officers immediately 
 
 waited on Mr. W , to know if there was 
 
 any thing to be done for his fervice. The bi- 
 fhop of Temefwar came to vifit us, with great 
 civility, earneftly preffing us to dine with him 
 next day, which we refufing, as being refolved 
 to purfue our journey, he fent us feveral baf- 
 kets of winter fruit, and a great variety of 
 Hungarian wines, with a young hind juft 
 killed. This is a prelate of great power in this 
 country, of the ancient family of Nadafti, fo 
 
 confiderable,
 
 ( 99 ) 
 
 confiderable, for many ages, in this kingdom. 
 He is a very polite, agreeable, chearful old 
 man, wearing the Hungarian habit, with a 
 venerable white beard down to his girdle. 
 Raab is a ftrong town, well garrifoned and 
 fortified, and was a long time the frontier town 
 between the Turkifh and German Empires. 
 It has its name from the river Rab, on which 
 it is fituated, juft on Its meeting with the Da- 
 nube, in an open champain country. It was 
 firft taken by the Turks under the command of 
 Bafla Sinan, in the reign of Sultan Amurath 
 III. in the year fifteen hundred ninety four. 
 The governor being fuppofed to have betrayed 
 it, was afterwards beheaded by the Emperor's 
 command. The Counts of Swartzenburg and 
 Palfi retook it by furprize 1598, fmce which 
 time it has remained in the hands of the Ger- 
 mans, though the Turks once more attempted 
 to gain it by ftratagem in 1642. The cathedral 
 is large and well built, which is all I faw re- 
 markable in the town. Leaving Comora on 
 the other fide the river, we went the eighteenth 
 H 2 to
 
 to Nofmuhl, a fmall village, where, however, 
 we made fhift to find tolerable accommodation. 
 We continued two days travelling between this 
 place and Buda, through the fineft plains in 
 the world, as even as if they were paved, and 
 extremely fruitful ; but for the moft part defart 
 and uncultivated, laid wafte by the long wars 
 between the Turk and the Emperor ; and the 
 more cruel civil war, occafioned by the barba- 
 rous perfecution of the Proteftant religion, by 
 the Emperor Leopold. That Prince has left 
 behind him the character of an extraordinary 
 piety, and was naturally of a mild merciful 
 temper ; but, putting his confciencc into the 
 hands of a jefuit, he was more cruel and trea- 
 cherous to his poor Hungarian fubje&s, than 
 ever the Turk has been to the Chriftians ; 
 breaking, without fcruple, his coronation 
 oath, and his faith folemnly given in many 
 public treaties. Indeed nothing can be more 
 melancholy than in travelling through Hun- 
 gary, to reflect on the former flourifhing ftatc 
 of that kingdom, and to fee fuch a noble fpot 
 
 of
 
 ( 101 ) 
 
 of earth almoft uninhabited. Such are alfo 
 the prefent circumftances of Buda, (where we 
 arrived very early the twenty-fecond) once the 
 royal feat of the Hungarian kings, whofe pa- 
 lace there, was reckoned one of the moft beau- 
 tiful buildings of the age, now wholly de- 
 ftroyed, no part of the town having been re- 
 paired fince the laft fiege, but the fortifications 
 and the caftle, which is the prefent refidence 
 of the governor general Ragule, an officer of 
 great merit. He came immediately to fee us, 
 and carried us in his coach to his houfe, where 
 I was received by his lady, with all poffible 
 civility, and magnificently entertained. This 
 city is fituated upon a little hill on the fouth 
 fide of the Danube. The caftle is much higher 
 than the town, and from it the profpect is very 
 nuble. Without the walls lie a vaft number of 
 little houfes or rather huts, that they call the 
 Rafcian town, being altogether inhabited by 
 that people. The governor allured me it would 
 furnifh twelve thoufand fighting men. Thefe 
 towns look very odd ; their houfes ftand in rows 
 H 3 many
 
 ( 302 ) 
 
 many thoufand of them fo clofe together, that 
 they appear, at a little diftance, like old-fa- 
 fhioned thatched tents. They confift, every one 
 of them, of one hovel above, and another under 
 ground ; thefe are their fummer and winter 
 apartments. Buda was firft taken by Solyman 
 the Magnificent, in 1526, and loft the following 
 year to Ferdinand the Firft, King of Bohemia. 
 Solyman regained it by the treachery of the 
 garrifon, and voluntarily gave it into the hands 
 of King John of Hungary, after whofe death, 
 his fon being an infant, Ferdinand laid fiege 
 to it, and the Queen mother was forced to call 
 Solyman to her aid. He indeed raifed the fiege ; 
 but left a Turkifli garrifon in the town, and 
 commanded her to remove her court from 
 thence, which {he was forced to fubmit to in 
 1541. It refifted afterwards the fieges laid to 
 it, by the Marquis of Brandenburg, in the 
 year 1542 j Count Schwartzenburgh, 1598 ; 
 General Rofworm, in 1602; and the Duke of 
 Lorrain, commander of the Emperor's forces, in 
 1684, to whom it yielded in 1686, after an 
 
 obftinate
 
 ( 103 ) 
 
 obftinate defence, Apti BafTa, the governor, 
 being killed, fighting in the breach, with a 
 Roman bravery. The lofs of this town was 
 fo important, and fo much refented by the 
 Turks, that it occafioned the depofing of 
 their Emperor Mahomet the Fourth, the 
 year following. 
 
 We did not proceed on our journey till the 
 twenty-third, when we pafled through Adam 
 and Todowar, both confiderable towns, when 
 in the hands of the Turks, but now quite ruined. 
 The remains, however, of fome Turkifh 
 towns, fhew fomething of what they have 
 been. This part of the country is very much 
 over-grown with wood, and little frequented. 
 'Tis incredible what vaft numbers of wild fowl 
 we faw, which often live here to a good old 
 
 age, and " undifturb'd by guns, in quiet 
 
 fleep." We came the five and twentieth to 
 Mohatch, and were (hewed the field near it, 
 where Lewis, the young King of Hungary, 
 loft his army and his life, being drowned in a 
 
 ditch
 
 C 104 ) 
 
 ditch, trying to fly from Balybeus, general of 
 Solyman the Magnificent. This battle opened 
 the firft pafiage for the Turks into the heart 
 of Hungary. I don't name to you the little 
 villages, of which I cun fay nothing remarkable ; 
 but I'll afiure you, I have always found a warm 
 ftove and great plenty, particularly of wild- 
 boar, venifon, and all kinds of Gibier. The 
 few people that inhabit Hungary, live eafily 
 enough ; they have no money; but the woods 
 and plains afford them provision in great abun- 
 dance : they were ordered to give us all things 
 neceflary, even what horfes we pleafed to de- 
 mand, gratis ; but Mr. W would not 
 
 opprefs the poor country people, by making 
 ufe of this order, and always paid them to the 
 full worth of what we had. They were fo fur- 
 prifed at this unexpected generofity, which 
 they are very little ufed to, that they always 
 prefled upon us, at parting, a dozen of fat 
 pheafants, or fomething of that fort for a pre- 
 fent. Their drefs is very primitive, being 
 only a plain fheep's fkin, and a cap and boots 
 
 of
 
 of the fome fluff. You may eafily imagine 
 this lafls them many winters j and thus they 
 have very little occafion for money. The 
 twenty-fixth, we patted over the frozen Da- 
 nube, with all our equipage, and carriages. 
 We met, on the other fide, general Veterani, 
 who invited us, with great civility, to pafs the 
 night at a little caftle of his, a few miles off, 
 alluring us we fhould have a very hard day's 
 journey to reach Eflek. This we found but 
 too true, the woods being very dangerous, 
 and fcarce pafiable, from the vaft quantity of 
 wolves that hoard in them. We came however, 
 fafc, though late, to Eflek, where we flayed a 
 day, to difpatch a courier with letters to the 
 Bafla of Belgrade ; and I took that opportu- 
 nity of feeing the town, which is not very 
 large, but fair built and well fortified. This 
 was a town of great trade, very rich and popu- 
 lous, when in the hands of the Turks. It is 
 fituated on the Drave, which runs into the 
 Danube. The bridge was efteemed one of the 
 moft extraordinary in the world, being eight 
 thoufand paces long, and all built of oak. /It 
 
 was
 
 C 106 ) 
 
 was burnt, and the city laid in afhes by Count 
 Lefly, 1685, but was again repaired and forti- 
 fied by the Turks, who however abandoned it 
 in 1687. General Dunnewalt then took pof- 
 feflion of it for the Emperor, in whofe hands it 
 has remained ever fince, and is eiteemed one of 
 the bulwarks of Hungary. The twenty-eighth 
 we went to Bocorwar, a very large Rafcian 
 town, all built after the manner I have defcribed 
 
 to you. We were met there by Colonel , 
 
 who would not fuffer us to go any where but 
 to his quarters, where I found his wife, a very 
 agreeable Hungarian lady, and his niece and 
 daughter, two pretty young women, crowded 
 into three or four Rafcian houfes, caft into one, 
 and made as neat and convenient as thofe places 
 are capable of being made. The Hungarian 
 ladies are much handfomer than thofe of Auf- 
 tria. All the Vienna beauties are of that 
 country. They are generally very fair and 
 well fhaped, and their drefs, I think, is ex- 
 tremely becoming. This lady was in a gown 
 of fcarlet velvet, lined and faced with fables, 
 made exa& to her fhape, and the Ikirt falling 
 
 to
 
 to her feet. The fleeves are ftrait to their 
 arms, and the ftays buttoned before, with two 
 roxvs of little buttons of gold, pearl, or dia- 
 monds. On their heads they wear a tafiel of 
 gold, that hangs low on one fide, lined with 
 
 fable, or fome other fine fur. They gave 
 
 us a handfome dinner, and I thought the con- 
 verfation very polite and agreeable. They 
 would accompany us part of our way. The 
 twenty-ninth, we arrived here, where we were 
 met by the commanding officer at the head of 
 all the officers of the garrifon. We are lodged 
 in the beft apartment of the governor's houfe, 
 and entertained in a very fplendid manner, by 
 the Emperor's order. We wait here till all 
 points are adjufted, concerning our reception 
 
 on the Turkifli frontiers. Mr. W 's 
 
 courier, which he fent from Efiek, returned 
 this morning, with the Bafla's anfwer in a 
 purfe of fcarlet fattin, which the Interpreter 
 here has tranflatcd. 'Tis to promife him to be 
 honourably received. I defired him to appoint 
 where he would be met, by the Turkifli con- 
 voy. He has difpatched the courier back, 
 
 naming
 
 naming Betfko, a village in the midway be- 
 tween Peterwaradin and Belgrade. We fhall 
 ftay here till we receive his anfwer.- Thus, 
 dear filter, I have given you a very particular, 
 and (I am afraid you'll think) a tedious account 
 of this part of my travels. It was not an af- 
 fectation of fhewing my reading that has made 
 me tell you fome little fcraps of the hiftory of 
 the towns I have parted through. I have al- 
 ways avoided any thing of that kind, when I 
 fpoke of places that I believe you knew the ftory 
 of, as well as myfelf. But Hungary being a 
 part of the world, which I believe quite new to 
 you, I thought you might read with fome plea- 
 fure an account of it, which I have been very 
 felicitous to get from the beft hands. How- 
 ever, if you don't like it, 'tis in your power to 
 forbear reading it. I am, 
 
 Dear Sifter, 
 
 I am promifed to have this letter carefully 
 fent to Vienna. 
 
 LET-
 
 LETTER XXIV. 
 
 To Mr. Pope. 
 
 Belgrade. Feb. 12, O. S. 1717. 
 I DID verily intend to write ta 
 you a long letter from Peterwaradin, where I 
 expe&ed to flay three or four days, but the 
 Bafla here was in fuch hafle to fee us, that he 
 difpatched the courier back (which Mr. W 
 had fent to know the time he would fend the 
 convoy to meet us) without fuffering him to 
 pull off his boots. My letters were not 
 thought important enough to flop our journey, 
 and we left Peterwaradin the next day, being 
 waited on by the chief officers of the garrifon, 
 and a confiderable convoy of Germans and Raf- 
 cians. The Emperor has feveral regiments of 
 thefe people ; but, to fay the truth, they are 
 rather plunderers than foldiers ; having no pay, 
 and being obliged to furnifh their own arms 
 and horfes ; they rather look like vagabond 
 gypfies, or ftout beggars, than regular troops. 
 
 I can*
 
 I cannot forbear fpeaking a word of this race 
 of creatures, who are very numerous all over 
 Hungary. They have a patriarch of their own 
 at Grand Cairo, and are really of the Greek 
 church, but their extreme ignorance gives their 
 priefts occafion to impofe feveral new notions 
 upon them. Thefe fellows letting their hair 
 and beard grow inviolate, make exa&ly the 
 figure of the Indian Bramins. They are heirs 
 general to all the money of the laiety ; for 
 which, in return, they give them formal pafT- 
 ports figned and fealed for Heaven ; and the 
 wives and children only inherit the houfe 
 and cattle. In moft other points they follow 
 the Greek church. This little digreflion has 
 interrupted my telling you we patted over the 
 fields of Carlowitz, where the laft great victory 
 was obtained by Prince Eugene over the Turks. 
 The marks of that glorious bloody day are yet 
 recent, the field being yet ftrewed with the 
 fkulls and carcafles of unburied men, horfes, 
 and camels. I could not look without horror 
 oa fuch numbers of mangled human bodies, 
 
 nor
 
 nor without reflecting on the injuftice of war, 
 that makes murther not only neceflary but me- 
 ritorious. Nothing feems to be plainer proof 
 of the irrationality of mankind (whatever fine 
 claims we pretend to reafon) than the rage with 
 which they conteft for a fmall fpot of ground, 
 when fuch vaft parts of fruitful earth lie quite 
 uninhabited. 'Tis true, cuftom has now made 
 it unavoidable ; but can there be a greater de- 
 monftration of want of reafon, than a cuftom 
 being firmly eftabliflied, fo plainly contrary to 
 the intereft of man in general ? I am a good 
 deal inclined to believe Mr. Hobbs, that the 
 ftate of nature, is a ftate of war ; but thence I 
 conclude human nature not rational, if the 
 word reafon means common fenfe, as I fup- 
 pofe it does. I have a great many admirable 
 arguments to fupport this reflection ; I won't 
 however trouble you with them, but return, 
 in a plain ftyle, to the hiftory of my travels. 
 
 We were met at Betfko (a village in the 
 midway between Belgrade and Peterwaradin) 
 by an Aga of the Janizaries, with a body of 
 
 Turks
 
 ( III ) 
 
 Turks, exceeding die Germans by one hundred 
 men, though the Bafia had engaged to fend ex- 
 acUy the fame number. You may judge by 
 this of their fears. I am really perfuaded, that 
 they hardly thought the odds of one hundred 
 nen fct diem even with the Germans ; how- 
 ever, I was rery uneafy till they were ported, 
 fome yund might arife notwithKand- 
 parole given. We came late to Bel- 
 
 * C 
 
 grade, the deep (BOWS mating the afcent to it 
 very dimcult. It teems a ftrong city, fortified, 
 on the eaft fide, by the Danube ; and on the 
 fbath, by UK river Save, and was formerly the, 
 Hungary. It was firft taken by So- 
 the Magnifefrot ; and fince by the Em- 
 peror's forces, led by the Ele&or of Bavaria. 
 The Emperor held it only two years, it being 
 retaken by die Grand Vizier. It is now for- 
 tified with the utmoft care and (kill die Turks 
 are capable of, and ^lengthened by a very nu- 
 garrilbn of their bnveft Janizaries, 
 byaBaiaSeralkier (i.e. General ;) 
 is r.^: >-'';' ,"- : - > 
 for
 
 for to fay truth, the Serafkier is commanded by 
 the Janizaries. 'Hiefe troops have an abfolute 
 authority here, and their conduct carries much 
 more the afpeci of rebellion, than the appear- 
 ance of fubordi nation. You may judge of 
 by the following ftory, which at the fame time 
 will give you an idea of the admirable intelli- 
 gence of the Governor of Peterwaradin, though 
 fo few hours diftant. We were told by him at 
 Peterwaradin, that the garrifon and inhabi- 
 tants of Belgrade were fo weary of the war, 
 they had killed their Bafla about two months 
 ago, in a mutiny, becaufe he had fuffered him- 
 felf to be prevailed upon by a bribe of five 
 purfes (five hundred pound fterling) to give 
 permiffion to the Tartars to ravage the Ger- 
 man frontiers. We were very well pleafed 
 to hear of fuch favourable difpofitions in the 
 people, but when we came hither, we found 
 the governor had been ill informed, and the real 
 truth of the ftory to be this. The late Bafla 
 fell under the difpleafure of his foldiers, for no 
 other reafon, but reftraining their incurfions 
 VOL. I. 1 on
 
 ( "4 ) 
 
 on the Germans. They took it into their 
 heads from that mildnefs, that he had intelli- 
 gence with the enemy, and fent fuch informa- 
 tion to the Grand Signior at Adrianople ; but 
 redrefs not coming quick enough from thence, 
 they aflembled themfelves in a tumultous 
 manner, and by force dragged their BaiTa be- 
 fore the Cadi and Mufti, and there demanded 
 juftice in a, mutinous way; one crying out, 
 Why he protected the Infidels ? Another, 
 Why he fqueezed them of their money ? The 
 Bafla, eafily guefling their purpofe, calmly 
 replied to them, that they afked him too many 
 jjueftions, and that he had but one life, which 
 muft anfwer for all. They then immediately 
 fell upon him with their fcymitars, (without 
 waiting the fentence of their heads of the law) 
 and in a few moments cut him in pieces. The 
 prefent Bafia has not dared to punifh the mur- 
 der ; on the contrary, he affected to applaud 
 the a&ors of it, as brave fellows, that knew 
 how to do themfelves juftice. He takes all 
 pretences of throwing money among the gar- 
 
 rifon,
 
 ( 5 ) 
 rifon, and fuffers them to make little excur- 
 
 fions into Hungary, where they burn fome 
 poor Rafcian houfes. 
 
 You may imagine, I cannot be very eafy ia 
 a town which is really under the government 
 
 of an infolcnt foldiery. We expected to be 
 
 immediately difmifled, after a night's lodging 
 here ; but the BafTa detains us till he receives 
 orders from Adrianople, which may, poflibly 
 be a month a coming. In the mean time, we 
 are lodged in one of the beft houfes, belonging 
 to a very confiderable man amongft them, and 
 have a whole chamber of Janizaries to guard 
 us. My only divcrfion is the converfaticm of . 
 our hoft Achmet-beg, a title fomething like 
 that of Count in Germany. His father was a 
 great BafTa, and he has been educated in the 
 moft polite Eaftern learning, being perfectly 
 (killed in the Arabic and Perfian languages, 
 and an extraordinary fcribe, which they call 
 Efiendi. This accomplifhment makes way to 
 the greateft preferments ; but he has had the 
 go'od fenfe to prefer an eafy, quiet, fecure life, 
 
 I 2 t*
 
 C 
 
 to all the dangerous honours of the Porte. He 
 
 fups with us every night, and drinks wine 
 very freely. You cannot imagine how much 
 he is delighted with the liberty of converf- 
 ing with me. He has explained to me fe- 
 vcral pieces of Arabian poetry, which, I ob- 
 fcrve, arc in numbers, not unlike ours, gene- 
 rally of an alternate verfe, and of a very mufi- 
 cal found. Their expreffions of love are very 
 paflionate and lively. I am fo much pleafed 
 with them, I really believe I fhould learn to 
 read Arabic, if I was to ftay here a few 
 months. He has very good library of their 
 books of all kinds ; and, as he tells me, fpends 
 the greateft part of his life there. I pafs for a 
 great fcholar with him, by relating to him 
 fome of the Perfian tales, which I find are ge- 
 nuine. At firft, he believed I underftood Per- 
 fian. I have frequent difputes with him, con- 
 cerning the difference of our cuftoms, parti- 
 cularly the confinement of women. He aflures 
 me, there is nothing at all in it ; only, fays 
 ho, we have the advantage, that when our 
 
 wives
 
 C "7 ) 
 wives cheat us, no body knows it. He has 
 
 wit, and is more polite than many Chriftian 
 men of quality. I am very much entertained 
 with him. He has had the curiofity to make 
 one of our fcrvants fet him an alphabet of our 
 letters, and can already write a good Roman 
 hand. But thefe amufements do not hinder 
 my wifhing heartily to be out of this place; 
 
 though the weather is colder than I believe it 
 
 o 
 
 ever was, any where, but in Greenland 
 
 We have a very large ftove conftantly kept hot, 
 and yet the windows of the room are frozen 
 on the infide. -God knows when I may 
 
 have an opportunity offending this letter j but 
 I have written it, for the difcharge of my own 
 confcience ; and you cannot now reproach 
 me, that one of yours makes ten of mine. 
 Adieu. 
 
 I 3 LET-
 
 LETTER XXV. 
 To her Royal Highnefs the Princefs of Wales.* 
 
 Adrianople, April i, O. S. 1717. 
 I HAVE now, Madam, finifhed a 
 journey that has not been undertaken by any 
 Chriftian, fmce the time of the Greek Em- 
 perors ; and I fhall not regret all the fatigues 
 I have fuffered in it, if it gives me an oppor- 
 tunity of amufmg your R, H. by an account 
 of places utterly unknown amongft us ; the 
 Emperor's Ambafladors, and thofe few Eng- 
 lifh that have come hither, always going on 
 the Danube to Nicopolis. But the river was 
 now frozen, and Mr. W was fo zealous for 
 the fervice of his Majefty, that he would not 
 defer his journey to wait for the conveniency of 
 that paflage. We crofled the deferts of Servia, 
 almoft quite over-grown with wood, though 
 a country naturally fertile. The inhabitants 
 are induftrious ; but the oppreflion of the pea- 
 lants is fo great, they are forced to abandon 
 
 their 
 * The late Queen Caroline,
 
 C 
 
 their houfes, and. neglect their tillage, all they 
 have being a prey to the Janizaries, whenever 
 they pleafe to feize upon it. We had a guard 
 of five hundred of them, and I was almoft in 
 tears every day, to fee their infolencies in the 
 poor villages through which we pafTed. After 
 feven days travelling through thick woods, we 
 came to NifTa, once the capital of Servia, 
 fituated in a fine plain on the river Niflava, in 
 a very good air, and fo fruitful a foil, that the 
 great plenty is hardly credible. I was certain- 
 ly allured, that the quantity of wine laft vin- 
 tage was fo prodigious, that they were fora d 
 to dig holes in the earth to put it in, not 
 having veflels enough in the town to hold it. 
 The happinefs of this plenty is fcarce perceived 
 by the opprefled people. I faw here a new occa- 
 Jion for my companion. The wretches that had 
 provided twenty waggons for our baggage from 
 Belgrade hither for a certain hire, being all 
 fent back without payment, fome of their horfes 
 lamed, and others killed, without any fatif- 
 faction^made for them. The poor fellows came 
 round the houfe weeping and tearing their hair 
 
 and
 
 ( 120 ) 
 
 and beards in a moft pitiful manner, without 
 getting any thing but drubs from the infolent 
 foldiers. I cannot exprefs to your R. H. how 
 much I was moved at this fcene. I would have 
 paid them the money, out of my own pocket, 
 with all my heart ; but it would have been only 
 giving fo much to the Aga, who would have 
 taken it from them without any remorfe. Af- 
 ter four days journey from this place over the 
 mountains, we came to Sophia, fituated in a 
 large beautiful plain on the river Ifca, and fur- 
 rounded with diftant mountains. 'Tis hardly 
 pofiible to fee a more agreeable landildp. The 
 city itfelf is very large and extremely populous. 
 Here are hot baths, very famous for their me- 
 dicinal virtues. Four days journey from 
 
 hence we arrived at Philippopolis, after having 
 pa^ed the ridges between the mountains of 
 Haemus and Rhodope, which are always 
 covered with fnow. This town is fituated 
 on a rifing ground, near the river Hebrus, and 
 is almoft wholly inhabited by Greeks ; 
 here are ftill fome ancient Chriftian churches. 
 
 They
 
 They have a bifliop ; and feveral of the richeft 
 Greeks live here ; but they are forced to conceal 
 their wealth with great care, the appearance of 
 poverty (which includes part of its inconveni- 
 ences,} being all their fecurity againft feeling 
 it in earneft. The country from hence to Adri- 
 anople, is the fineft in the world. Vines grow 
 wild on all the hills, and the perpetual fpring they 
 enjoy, makes every thing gay and flourifhing. 
 But this climate, happy as it feems, can never 
 be preferred to England, with all its frofts and 
 fnows, while we are blefled with an eafy go- 
 vernment, under a king, who makes his own 
 happinefs confift in the liberty of his people, 
 and choofes rather to be looked upon as their 
 father than their matter. This theme would 
 carry me very far, and I am fcnfible I have al- 
 ready tired out your R. H's patience. But my 
 letter is in your hands, and you may make it as 
 fhort as you pleafe, by throwing it into the fire, 
 when weary of reading it. I am, Madam, 
 
 With the greateft refpe&. 
 
 LET-
 
 LETTER XXVI. 
 
 To the Lady . 
 
 Adrianople. April i, O. S. 1717. 
 I A M now got into a new world, 
 where every thing I fee appears to me a change 
 of fcene ; and I write to your ladyfhip, with 
 fome content of mind, hoping, at leaft, that 
 you will find the charm of novelty in my let- 
 ters, and no longer reproach me, that I tell 
 you nothing extraordinary. I won't trouble 
 you with a relation of our tedious journey ; but 
 I muft not omit what I faw remarkable at So- 
 phia, one of the moft beautiful towns in the 
 Turkifli empire, and famous for its hot baths, 
 that are reforted to both fordiverfion and health. 
 I ftopt here one day, on purpofe to fee them ; 
 and defigning to go incognito, I hired a Turk- 
 ifh coach. Thefe voiturts are not at all like 
 ours, but much more convenient for the coun- 
 try, the heat being fo great that glafles would be 
 very troublefome. They are made a good deal 
 
 in
 
 ( 123 ) 
 
 manner of the Dutch ftage coaches, 
 having wooden lattices painted and gilded ; 
 the infide being alfo painted with bafkets and 
 nofegays of flowers, intermixed commonly with 
 little poetical mottos. They are covered all 
 over with fcarlet cloth, lined with filk, and 
 very often richly embroidered and fringed. 
 This covering entirely hides the perfons in 
 them, but may be thrown back at pleafurc, and 
 thus peimit the ladies to peep through the lat- 
 tices. They hold four people very convenient- 
 ly, feated on cuihions, but not raifed. 
 
 In one of thefe covered waggons, I went to 
 the Bagnio about ten o'clock. It was already 
 full of women. It is built of ftone, in the 
 fhape of a dome, with no windows but in the 
 roof, which gives light enough. There were 
 five of thefe domes joining together, the out- 
 moft being lefs than the reft, and ferving only 
 as a hall, where the portrefs flood at the door. 
 Ladies of quality generally give this woman a 
 crown or ten (hillings, and I did not forget that 
 ceremony. The next room is a very large one, 
 
 paved
 
 C 124 ) 
 
 paved with marble, and all round it are twt* 
 raifed Sofas of marble, one above another. 
 There were four fountains of cold water in this 
 room, falling firft into marble bafons, and then 
 tunning on the floor in little -channels made for 
 that purpofe, which carried the flreams into the 
 next room, fomething lefs than this, with the 
 fame fort of marble fofas, but fo hot with fleams 
 cf fulphur, proceeding from the baths joining 
 to it, 'twas impoffible to flay there with one's 
 clothes on. The two other domes were the 
 hot baths, one of which had cocks of cold wa- 
 ter turning into it, to temper it to what degree 
 of warmth the bathers pleafed to have. 
 
 I was in my travelling habit, which is a ri- 
 Jing drefs, and certainly appeared very extraor- 
 dinary to them. Yet there was not one of them 
 that {hewed the leaft furprize or impertinent 
 cttriofity, but received me with all the obliging 
 civility poiEble. I know no European court, 
 where the ladies would have behaved themfelves 
 in fo polite a manner to fuch a ftranger. I be- 
 lieve, upon the whole, there were two hundred 
 
 women,
 
 ( 125 ) 
 
 women, and yet none of thofc difdainful fmiles, 
 and fatirical whifpers, that never fail in our af- 
 fcmblies, when any body appears that is not 
 d refit d exactly in the fafliion. They repeated 
 over and over to me : " UZELLE, PEK U- 
 ZF.LLE," which is nothing but " charming, 
 very charming." The firft fofas were co- 
 vered with cufhions and rich carpets, on which 
 fat the ladies ; and on the fecond, their flaves 
 behind them, but without any diftinclion of 
 rank by their drefs, all being in the irate of 
 nature, that is, in plain Englifh, ftark naked, 
 without any beauty or defect concealed. Yet 
 there was not the leaft wanton fmile or immo- 
 deft gefture among them. They walked and 
 moved with the fame majeftic grace, which 
 Milton defcribes our General Mother with. 
 There were many amongft them, as exactly 
 proportioned as ever any goddefs was drawn by 
 the pencil of a Guido or Titian, and moft of 
 their fkins fhiningly white, only adorned by 
 their beautiful hair, divided into many trefles, 
 hanging on their flioulders, braided either with 
 
 pearl
 
 ( 126 ) 
 
 pearl or ribbon, perfectly reprefenting the 
 figures of the graces. 
 
 I was here convinced of the truth of a reflec- 
 tion I have often made, that if it were the fa- 
 fhion to go naked, the face would be hardly 
 obferved. I perceived that the ladies of the 
 moft delicate fkins and fineft fhapes, had the 
 greateft fliare of my admiration, though their 
 faces were fometimes lefs beautiful than thofe 
 of their companions. To tell you the truth, I 
 had wickednefs enough to wifli fccretly, that 
 Mr. Gervais could have been there invifible. 
 I fancy it would have very much improved his 
 art, to fee fo many fine women naked in differ- 
 ent poftures, fome in converfation, fome work- 
 ,ing, others drinking coffee or fherbert, and 
 many negligently lying on their cufhtons, while 
 their flaves (generally pretty girls of feventeen 
 or eighteen) were employed in braiding their 
 hair in feveral pretty fancies. In fhort, 'tis 
 the woman's coffee-houfe, where all the news 
 of the town is told, fcandal invented, &c. 
 
 They
 
 They generally take this diverfion once a week, 
 and ftay there at leaft four or five hours, with- 
 out getting cold by immediate coming out of 
 the hot-bath into the cold room, which was 
 very furprifmg to me. The lady that feemed 
 the moft confulerable among them, entreated 
 me to fit by her, and would fain have undrefled 
 me for the bath. I excufed myfelf with fome 
 difficulty. They being, however, all fo earneft 
 in perfuading me, I was at laft forced to open 
 my fliirt, and fhew them my ftays, which fa- 
 tisfied them very well j for, I faw, they be- 
 lieved I was locked up in that machine, and 
 that it was not in my own power to open it, 
 which contrivance they attributed to my huf- 
 band. I was charmed with their civility anc 
 beauty, and fhould have been very glad to pafs 
 
 more time with them ; but Mr. W refolv- 
 
 ing to purfue his journey next morning early, 
 I was in hafte to fee the ruins of Juftinian's 
 church, which did not afford me fo agreeable a 
 profpea as 1 had left, being Jit^le more than a 
 heap of ftones. 
 
 Adieu,
 
 ( 128 ) 
 
 Adieu, Madam, I am fure I have now en* 
 tertained you with an account of fuch a fight, 
 as you never faw in your life, and what no book 
 of travels could inform you of, as 'tis no Icfs 
 than death for a man to be found in one of 
 thefe places. 
 
 LET-
 
 ( 129. ) 
 
 LETTER XXVII. 
 To the Abbot . 
 
 Adrianople, April i, O.S. 1/17. 
 YOU fee that I am very exact in 
 keeping the promife you engaged me to make. 
 I know not, however, whether your curiofity 
 will be fatisfied with the accounts I (hall give 
 you, tho' I can aflure you, the defue I have to 
 oblige you to the utmoft of my power, has 
 made me very diligent in my enquiries and ob- 
 fervations. 'Tis certain we have but very im- 
 perfect accounts of the manners and religion of 
 thefe people. This part of the world being 
 fcldom vifited, but by merchants, who mind 
 little but their own affairs; or travellers, who 
 make too fhort a ftay to be able to report any 
 thing exactly of their own knowledge. The 
 Turks are too proud to converfe familiarly with 
 merchants, who can give no better account of 
 the ways here, than a French Refugee, lodging 
 VOL. I. K
 
 in a garret in Greek-ftreet, could write of the 
 court of England. The journey we have made 
 from Belgrade hither, cannot pofiibly be parted 
 by any out of a public character. The defert 
 woods of Servia, are the common refuge of 
 thieves, who rob, fifty in a company, fo that 
 we had need of all our guards to fecure us j 
 and the villages are fo poor, that only force 
 could extort from them neceffary provifions. 
 Indeed the Janizaries had no mercy on their 
 poverty, killing all the poultry and fliecrj they 
 could find, without afking to whom they be- 
 longed ; while the wretched owners durft not 
 put in their claim for fear of being beaten. 
 Lambs juft fallen, geefe and turkies big with 
 C SS> a ^ maflacred without diftin&ion ! I fan- 
 cied I heard the complaints of Melibeus, for 
 the hope of his flock. When the Baflas tra- 
 vel, 'tis yet worfe. Thofe oppreflbrs are not 
 content with eating all that is to be eaten be- 
 longing to the peafams ; after they have cram- 
 med themftlves and their numerous retinue, 
 they have the impudence to exact what they 
 
 call
 
 call Teeth-money, a contribution for their ufe 
 of their teeth, worn with doing them the ho- 
 nour of devouring their meat. This is literally 
 and exactly true, however extravagant it may 
 feem ; and fuch is the natural corruption of a 
 military government, their religion not allowing 
 of this barbarity, any more than ours does. 
 
 I had the advantage of lodging three weeks 
 at Belgrade, with a principal Effendi, that is 
 to fay, a fcholar. This fet of men are equally 
 capable of preferments in the law or the church ; 
 thofe two fciences being caft into one, and a 
 lawyer and a prieft being the fame word in the 
 Turkifh language. They are the only men 
 really confiderable in the Empire, all the pro- 
 fitable employments and church revenues are 
 in their hands. The Grand Signior, though 
 general heir to his people, never prefurm' 
 touch their lands or money, which go, in an 
 uninterrupted fucceffion, to their children. 
 'Tis true, they lofe this privilege, by acccpt- 
 i place at court, or the title of Bafia ; but 
 K i there
 
 there are few examples of fuch fools among 
 them. You may eafily judge of the power of 
 thefe men, who have engrofled all the learning 
 and almoft all the wealth of the Empire. 'Tis 
 they that are the real authors, tho' the foldiers 
 are the actors of revolutions. They depofed 
 the late Sultan Muftapha, and their power is 
 well known, that 'tis the Emperor's intereft 
 to flatter them. 
 
 This is a long digreflion. I was going to 
 tell you, that an intimate, daily converfation 
 with the Effendi Achmet-beg, gave me an op- 
 portunity of knowing their religion and mo- 
 rals in a more particular manner than perhaps 
 any Chriftian ever did. I explained to him the 
 difference between the religion of England and 
 Rome ; and he was pleafed to hear there were 
 Chriftians, that did not worfhip images, or 
 ,adore the Virgin Mary. The ridicule of 
 tranfubftantiation appeared very ftrong to him. 
 Upon comparing our creeds together, I am 
 convinced, that if our friend Dr. -- had 
 free liberty of preaching here, it would be very 
 
 cafy
 
 ( 133 ) 
 
 cafy to perfuade the generality to Chriftianity, 
 
 whofe notions are very little different from his. 
 Mr. Whifton would make a very good apoftle 
 here. I don't doubt but his zeal will be much 
 fired, if you communicate this account to him ; 
 but tell him, he muft firft have the gift of 
 tongues, before he can poffibly be of any ufe. 
 ^Mahometifm is divided into as many fedts 
 as Chriftianity, and the firft inftitution as 
 much neglected and obfcured by interpreta- 
 tions. I cannot here forbear reflecting on the 
 natural inlination of mankind, to make myf- 
 
 teries and novelties. The Zeidi, FCudi, 
 
 Jabari, &c. put me in mind of the Catholics, 
 Lutherans, and Calvinifts, and are equally 
 zealous againft one another. But the moft 
 prevailing opinion, if you fearch into the fe- 
 cret of the EfTendi's, is plain Deifm. This is 
 indeed kept from the people, who are amufed 
 with a thoufand different notions, according to 
 
 the different interefts of their preachers. 
 
 There are very few amongft them (Achmet- 
 
 beg denied there were any) fo abfurd, as to fct 
 
 K 3 up
 
 C 134 ) 
 
 up for wit, by declaring they believe no God 
 at all. And Sir Paul Rycaut is miftaken (as 
 he commonly is) in culling the feel: Muterin 
 (i. e. the fecret with us) Atheifts, they being 
 Deifts, whofe impiety confifts in making ajeft 
 of their prophet. Achmet-beg did not own to 
 me, that he was of this opinion, but made no 
 fcruple of deviating from fome part of Maho- 
 met's law, by drinking wine with the fame 
 freedom we did. When I afked him how he 
 came to allow himfelf that liberty ; he made 
 anfwer, that all the creatures of God are good, 
 and defigned for the ufe of man ; however, 
 that the prohibition of wine was a very wife 
 maxim, and meant for the common people, 
 being the fource of all diforders amongft them : 
 but that the prophet never defigned to confine 
 thofe that knew how to ufe it with moderation ; 
 heverthelefs, he faid that fcandal ought to be 
 avoided, and that he never drank it in public. 
 This is the general way of thinking amongft 
 them, and very few forbear drinking wine, 
 that are able to afford it. He aflured me, that 
 
 if
 
 ( ^35 ) 
 
 if I understood Arabic, I fliould be very well 
 
 pleafed with reading the Alcoran, which is fo 
 far from the nonfenfe we charge it with, that 
 'tis the pureft morality, delivered in the very 
 bed language. I have fince heard impar- 
 tial Chriftians fpeak of it in the fame manner; 
 and I don't doubt but that all our tranflations 
 are from copies got from the Greek priefts, 
 who would not fail to falfify it with the extre- 
 mity of malice. No body of men ever were 
 more ignorant, or more corrupt; yet they dif- 
 fer fo little from the Romifh church, that, I 
 confefs, nothing gives me a greater abhorrence 
 of the cruelty of your clergy, than the barba- 
 rous perfecution of them, whenever they have 
 been their mafters, for no other reafon, than 
 their not acknowledging the Pope. The dif- 
 fenting in that one article, has got them the 
 titles of Heretics, and Schifmatics ; and what 
 is worfe, the fame treatment. I found at Phi- 
 lippopolis, a feel: of Chriftians that call them- 
 felves Paulines. They (hew an old church, 
 where, they fay, St. Paul preached, and he is 
 
 their
 
 ( 136 ) 
 
 their favourite Saint, after the fame manner 
 that St. Peter is at Rome ; neither do they for- 
 get to give him the preference over the reft of 
 the Apoftles. 
 
 But of all the religions I have feen, that of 
 the Amounts fcems to me the moft particular ; 
 they are natives of Arnountlich, the ancient 
 Macedonia, and ftill retain the courao-e and 
 
 O 
 
 hardinefs, though they have loft the name of 
 Macedonians, being the beft militia in. the 
 Turkifh Empire, and the only check upon the 
 Janizaries. They are foot foldiers ; we had a 
 guard of them, relieved in every confiderable 
 town we pafied ; they are all clothed and armed 
 at their own expence, drefied in clean white 
 coarfe cloth, carrying guns of a prodigious 
 length, which they run with on their fhoul- 
 ders, as if they did not feel the weight of them, 
 the leader finging a fort of a rude tune, not un- 
 pleafant, and the reft making up the chorus. 
 Thefe people living between Chriftians and 
 Mahometans, and not being fkilled in contro- 
 verfy, declare, that they are utterly unable to 
 
 judge
 
 C 137 ) 
 
 judge which religion is beft ; but to be certain 
 of not entirely rejecting the truth, they very 
 prudently follow both. They go to the mofques 
 on Fridays, and to the church on Sunday, 
 faying for their excufe, that at the day of judg- 
 ment they are fure of protection from the true 
 prophet ; but which that is, they are not able 
 to determine in this world. I believe there is no 
 other race of mankind, who have fo modeft an 
 opinion of their own capacity. 
 
 Thefe are the remarks I have made, on the 
 diverfity of religions I have feen. I don't aflc 
 your pardon for the liberty I have taken in 
 fpeaking of the Roman. I know you equally 
 condemn the quackery of all churches, as much 
 as you revere the facred truths, in which we 
 both agree. 
 
 You will expect I fliould fay fomething to 
 you of the antiquities of this country, but there 
 are few remains of ancient Greece. We parted 
 near the piece of an arch which is commonly 
 
 called
 
 called Trajan's gate, from a fuppofition that 
 he made it to (hut up the paflage over the 
 mountains, between Sophia and Philippopolis. 
 But I rather believe it the remains of fome tri- 
 umphal arch (though I could not fee any in- 
 fcription) ; for if that paflage had been fhut up, 
 there are many others that would ferve for the 
 march of an army; and notwithftanding the 
 ftory of Baldwin Earl of Flanders being over- 
 thrown in thefe ftraits, after he won Conftan- 
 tinople, I don't fancy the Germans would find 
 themfelves flopped by them at this day. 'Tis 
 true, the road is now made (with great induftry) 
 as commodious as poffible, for the march of 
 the Turkifh army ; there is not one ditch or 
 puddle between this place and Belgrade, that 
 has not a large ftrong bridge of planks built 
 over it ; but the precipices are not fo terrible 
 as I had heard them reprefented. At thefe 
 mountains we lay at the little village Kilkoi, 
 wholly inhabited by Chriftians, as all the pea- 
 fan ts of Bulgaria are. Their houfes are no- 
 thing but little huts, raifed of dirt baked in the 
 
 fun,
 
 ( 139 ) 
 
 fun, and they leave them and fly into the moun- 
 tains, fome months before the march of the 
 Turlcifh army, who would elfe entirely ruin 
 them, by driving away their whole flocks. 
 This precaution fecures them in a fort of plen- 
 ty ; for fuch vaft tracts of land lying in com- 
 mon, they have the liberty of fowing what they 
 pleafe, and are generally very indufrrious huf- 
 bandmcn. I drank here feveral forts of deli- 
 cious wine. The women drefs thcmfelves in a 
 great variety of coloured glafs beads, and are 
 not ugly, but of tawney complexion. I have 
 now told you all that is worth telling you, and 
 perhaps more, relating to my journey. When 
 I am at Conftantinople, I'll try to pick up 
 fomc curiofities, and then you (hall hear again 
 from 
 
 Yours, &c.
 
 LETTER XXVIII. 
 To the Countefs of B . 
 
 Adrianople, April i, O.S. 1717 
 AS I never can forget the fmalleft of 
 your ladyfhip's commands, my firft bufmefs 
 here has been to enquire after the fluffs you or- 
 dered me to look for, without being able to find 
 what you would like. The difference of the 
 drefs here and at London is fo great, the fame 
 fort of things are not proper for Caftans and 
 Manteaits. However, I will not give over my 
 fearch, but renew it again at Conftantinople, 
 tho' I have reafon to believe there is nothing 
 finer than what is to be found here, as this place 
 is at prefent the refidence of the court. The 
 Grand Signior's eldeft daughter was married 
 fome few days before I came hither, and upon 
 that occafion the Turkifh ladies difplay all their 
 magnificence. The bride was conducted to 
 her hufband's houfe in very great fplendour. 
 
 She
 
 She is widow of the late Vizier, who was killed 
 at Peterwaradin, though that ought rather to 
 be called a contract than a marriage, fince {he 
 never has lived with him ; however, the greateft 
 part of his wealth is hers. He had the per- 
 miflion of vifiting her in the Seraglio j and be- 
 ing one of the hand fomeft men in the empire, 
 had very much engaged her affe&ions. When 
 {he faw this fecond hufband, who is at leaft 
 fifty, {he could not forbear burfting into tears. 
 He is indeed a man of merit, and the declared 
 favourite of the Sultan, (which they call MG- 
 fayp) but that is not enough to make him pleaf- 
 ing in the eyes of a girl of thirteen. 
 
 The government here is entirely in the 
 hands of the army. The Grand Signior, with 
 all his abfolute power, is as much a flave as any 
 of his fubjedts, and trembles at a Janizary's 
 frown. Here is, indeed, a much greater ap- 
 pearance of fubjection than amongft us; a mi- 
 nifter of {rate is not fpoke to, but upon the 
 knee ; fliould a reflection on his conduct be 
 dropt in a coffee-houfe, (for they have fpies 
 
 every
 
 every where) the houfe would be raz'd to the 
 ground, and perhaps the whole company put to 
 the torture. No huzzaing mobs, fenfelefs 
 pamphlets, and tavern difputes about politics : 
 
 A confequential ill that freedom dra*s; 
 
 A bad effeft but from a noble caufe. 
 None of our harmlefs calling names ! But 
 when a minister here difpleafes the people, in 
 three hours time he is dragged even from his 
 matter's arms. They cut off his hands, head, 
 and feet, and throw them before the pal 
 gate, with all the refpecl: in the world ; while 
 the Sultan (to whom they all profefs an unli- 
 mited adoration) fits trembling in his apart- 
 ment, and dare neither defend nor revenge his 
 favourite. This is the bleflcd condition of the 
 moft abfolute monarch upon earth, who owns 
 no Law but his Will. 
 
 I cannot help wifhing, in the loyalty of my 
 heart, that the parliament would fend hither a 
 (hip load of your paffive obedient men, that 
 they might fee arbitrary government in its 
 cleared ftrongeft light, where \ii< hr.rd to judge 
 
 whether
 
 ( 143 ) 
 whether the Prince, People, or Minifters, are 
 
 moft miferable. I could make many reflections 
 on this fubjea; but I know, Madam, your 
 own good fenfe has already furniflied you with 
 better than I am capable of. 
 
 I went yefterday along with the French Am- 
 bafladrefs to fee the Grand Signior in his paf- 
 fage to the Mofque. He was preceded by a 
 numerous guard of Janizaries, with vaft white 
 feathers on their heads, as alfo by the Spahis 
 and Boftangees, (thefe are foot and horfe- 
 guards) and the Royal Gardeners, which are 
 a very confiderable body of men, dreffed in 
 different habits of fine lively colours, fo that 
 at a diftance, they appeared like a parterre of 
 tulips. After them the Aga of the Janizaries, 
 in a robe of purple velvet, lined with filver tif- 
 fue, his horfe led by two flaves richly drefled. 
 Next him the Kyzlier Aga, (your lady knows, 
 this is the chief guardian of the Seraglio La- 
 dies) in a deep yellow cloth (which fuited very 
 well to his black face) lined with fables. Laft- 
 came his Sublimity hitnfelf, arrayed in green, 
 
 lined
 
 ( 144 ) 
 
 lined with the fur of a black Mufcovite fox, 
 which is fuppofed to be worth a thoufand 
 pounds fterling, and mounted on a fine horfe, 
 with furniture embroidered with jewels. Six 
 more horfes, richly comparifoned, were led by 
 him ; and two of his principal courtiers bore, 
 one his gold, and the other his filver coffee- 
 pot, on a ftaff; another carried a filver ftool 
 on his head for him to fit on. It would be too' 
 tedious to tell your ladyfhip the various drefles 
 and turbants by which their rank is diftin- 
 guifhed j but they were all extremely rich and 
 gay, to the number of fome thoufandsj fo 
 that perhaps there cannot be feen a more beau-, 
 tiful proceffion. The Sultan appeared to us a 
 handfome man of about forty, with fomething, 
 however, fevere in his countenance, and his 
 eyes very full and black. He happened to ftop 
 under the window where we flood, and (I fup- 
 pofe being told who we were) looked upon us 
 very attentively, fo that we had full leifure to 
 confider him. The French Ambafiadrefs a- 
 grecd with me as to his good mien. I fee that 
 
 lady
 
 ( 145 ) 
 lady very often ; fhe is young, and her conver- 
 
 fation would be a great relief to me, if I could 
 perfuade her to live without thofe forms and 
 ceremonies that make life formal and tirefome. 
 But fhe is fo delighted with her guards, her 
 four-and-twenty footmen, gentlemen- ufhers, 
 &c. that fhe would rather die than make me 
 a vifit without them ; not to reckon a coachful 
 of attending damfels yclep'd maids of honour. 
 What vexes me is, that as long as fhe will vifit 
 me with a troublefome equipage, I am obliged 
 to do the fame j however, our mutual iniereft 
 makes us much together. I went with her the 
 other day all round the town, in an open gilt 
 chariot, with our joint train of attendants, 
 preceded by our guards, who might have fum- 
 moned the people to fee what they had never 
 fcen, nor ever perhaps would fee again, two 
 young Chriftian Ambartadrefies at the fame 
 time. Your ladyfhip may eafily imagine, we 
 drew a vaft croud of fpectators, but all filent as 
 death. If any of them had taken the liberties 
 of our mobs upon any ftrange fight, our Jani- 
 VOL. I. L zaries
 
 ( 146 ) 
 
 zaries had made no fcruple of falling on them 
 with their fcymitars* without danger for fo 
 doing, being above law. Thefe people however 
 (I mean the Janizaries) have ibme good qua- 
 lities -, they are very zealous and faithful where 
 they ferve, and look upon it as th: ir bufmefs 
 to fight for you on all occafions. Of this I had 
 a very pleafant inftance in a village on this fide 
 Philippopolis, where we were met by our do- 
 meftic guards. I happened to befpeak pigeons 
 for fupper, upon which one of my Janizaries 
 went immediately to the Cadi (the chief civil 
 officer of the town) and ordered him to fend in 
 fome dozens. The poor man anfwered, that 
 he had already fent about, but could get none. 
 My Janizary, in the height of his zeal for my 
 fervice, immediately locked him up prifoner in 
 his room, telling him he deferved death for his 
 impudence, in offering to excufe his not obey- 
 ing my command ; but, out of refpeft to me, 
 he would not punifh him but by my order. 
 Accordingly he came very gravely to me, to 
 afk what fhould be done to him j adding, by 
 
 way
 
 ( 147 ) 
 Way of compliment, that if I pleafed he would 
 
 bring me his head.-' This may give you 
 
 fome idea of the unlimited power of thefe fel- 
 lows, who are all fworn brothers, and bound 
 to revenge the injuries done to one another, 
 whether at Cairo, Aleppo, or any part of the 
 world. This inviolable league makes them fo 
 powerful, that the greateft man at court never 
 fpeaks to them but in a flattering tone ; and in 
 Afia, any man that is rich, is forced to enroll 
 himfelf a Janizary to fecure his eftate. But I 
 have already faid enough, and I dare fwear, 
 dear Madam, that, by this time, 'tis a very 
 comfortable reflection to you, that there is no 
 pofllbility of your receiving fuch a tedious let- 
 ter but once in fix months ; 'tis that confidera- 
 ation has given me the afTurance of entertain- 
 ing you fo long, and will, I hope, plead the 
 excufe of, dear Madam, 
 
 Your's, &c. 
 La LET-
 
 LETTER XXIX. 
 
 To the Countefs of '** 
 
 Adrianople, April i, O.S. 1717. 
 I WISH to God, dear lifter, that 
 you were as regular in letting me know what 
 paffes on your fide of the globe, as I am care- 
 ful in endeavouring to amufe you by the ac- 
 count of all I fee here, that I think worth your 
 notice. You content yourfelf with telling me 
 over and over that the town is very dull : it 
 may poflibly be dull to you, when every day 
 does not prefent you with fomething new ; but 
 for me, that am in arrears, at leaft two months 
 news, all that feems very ftale with you, 
 would be very frefli and fweet here. Pray let 
 me into more particulars, and I will try to 
 awaken your gratitude by giving you a full and 
 true relation of the novelties of this place, none 
 of which would furprize you more than a fight 
 of my perfon, as I am now in my Turkifh ha- 
 bit, though I believe you would be of my opi- 
 nion,
 
 ( 149 ) 
 
 nion, that 'tis admirably becoming. I intend 
 
 4 fend you my picture - t in the mean time ac- 
 cept of it here. 
 
 The firft part of my drefs is a pair of draw- 
 ers, very full, that reach to my (hoes, and 
 conceal the legs more modeftly than your pet- 
 ticoats. They are of a thin rofe-coloured da- 
 mafk, brocaded with filver flowers. My fhoes 
 are of a white kid leather, embroidered with 
 gold. Over this hangs my fmock, of a fine 
 white filk gauze, edged with embroidery. 
 This fmock has wide flceves hanging half-way 
 down the arm, and is clofed at the neck with 
 a diamond button, but the fhape and colour of 
 the bofom is very well to be diftinguifhed 
 through it. The Antery is a waiftcoat, made 
 clofe to the fhape, of white and gold damafk, 
 with very long fleeves falling back, and fringed 
 with deep gold fringe, and fhould have diamond 
 or pearl buttons. My Caftan, of the fame 
 ftufF with my drawers, is a robe exa&ly fitted 
 to my fhape and reaching to my feet, with very 
 Ion.* ftrait falling fleeves. Over this is th e 
 L 3 girdle,
 
 ( 150 ) 
 
 girdle, of about four fingers broad, which all 
 that can afford it, have entirely of diamonds or 
 other precious ftones ; thofe, who will not be 
 at that expence, have it of cxquifite embroidery 
 on fattin ; but it muft be fattened before with 
 a clafp of diamonds. The Curdee is a loofe 
 robe they throw off, or put on, according to 
 the weather, being of a rich brocade (mine is 
 green and gold) either lined with ermine or 
 fables ; the fleeves reach very little below the 
 fhoulders. The head-drefs is compofed of a 
 cap called Talpock, .which is, in winter, of 
 fine velvet embroidered with pearls or diamonds, 
 and, in fummer, of a light fhining filver 
 fluff. This is fixed on one fide of the head, 
 hanging a httle way down with a gold taffel, 
 and bound on, either with a circle of diamonds 
 (as I have feen feveral) or a rich embroidered 
 handkerchief. On the other fide of the head 
 the hair is laid flat ; and here the ladies are at 
 liberty to fhew their fancies ; fome putting 
 flowers, others a plume of heron's feathers, 
 and, in fhorr, what they plcafe ; but the moft 
 
 general
 
 general fafhion is, a large Bouquet of jewels, 
 made like natural flowers, that is, the buds of 
 pearl; the rofes of different coloured rubies; 
 the jeffamines of diamonds ; the jonquils of 
 topazes, &c. fo well fet and enanu-lk-d, 'tis 
 hard to imagine any thing of that kind fo beau- 
 tiful. The hair hangs at its full length be- 
 hind, divided into trcfles braided with pearl or 
 ribbon, which is always in great quantity. I 
 never faw in my life, fo many fine heads of 
 hair. In one lady's I have counted a hundred 
 and ten of the trefles, all natural ; but it muft 
 be owned that every kind of beauty is more 
 common here than with. us. 'Tis furprizing 
 to fee a young woman that is not very hand- 
 fome. They have naturally the moft beautiful 
 complexion in the world, and generally large 
 black eyes. I can afTure you with great truth, 
 that the court of England (though I believe it 
 the faireft in Chriftendom) does not contain fo 
 many beauties as are under our protection here. 
 They generally fhape their eye-brows, and, 
 both Greeks and Turks have the cuftom of 
 
 putting
 
 ( 152 ) 
 
 putting round their eyes a black tincture, that, 
 at a diftance, or by candle-light, adds very 
 much to the blaclcnefs of them. I fancy many 
 of our ladies would^>e overjoyed to know this 
 fee ret ; but 'tis too vifible by day. They dye 
 their nails a rofe colour ; but, I own, I cannot 
 enough accuftom myfelf to this fafliion, to find 
 any beauty in it. 
 
 As to their morality or good conduct, I can 
 fay, like Harlequin, that 'tis juil as 'tis with 
 you ; and the Turlcifh ladies don't commit one 
 fin the lefs for not being Chriftians. Now 
 that I am a little acquainted with their ways, 
 I cannot forbear admiring, either exemplary dif- 
 cretion, or extreme ftupidity of all the writers 
 that have given accounts of them. 'Tis very eafy 
 to fee, they have in reality more liberty than we 
 have. No woman, of what rank foever, is per- 
 mitted to go into the ftreets without two Mur- 
 ////*, one that covers her face, all but her eyes ; 
 and another, that hides the whole drefs of her 
 head, and hangs half way down her back. Their 
 (hapes are alfo wholly conceahd by a thing 
 they call a Perigee^ which no woman of any 
 
 fort
 
 ( 153 ) 
 fort appears without j this has flrait fleeves, 
 
 that reach to their fingers ends, and it laps all 
 round them, not unlike a riding- hood. In 
 winter, 'tis of cloth j and^in fuinmer, of plain 
 fluff or filk. You may guefs then how effec- 
 tually this difguifes them, fo that there is no 
 diftinguifliing the great lady from her flave. 
 'Tis impoflible for the moft jealous huiband to 
 know his wife, when he meets her, and no 
 man dare touch or follow a woman in the ftreet. 
 
 This perpetual mafquerade gives them entire 
 liberty of following their inclinations without 
 danger of difcovery. The moft ufual method 
 of intrigue is, to fend an appointment to the 
 lover to meet the lady at a Jew's (hop, which 
 are as notorioufly convenient as our Indian 
 houfes ; and yet, even thofe who don't make 
 ufe of them, do not fcruple to go to buy pen- 
 ny-worths, and tumble over rich goods, which 
 are chiefly to be found amongft that fort of 
 people. The great ladies feldom let their gal- 
 lants know who they are ; and 'tis fo difficult 
 to find it out, that they can very f:k!o.n guefs 
 at her name, whom they have correfponded 
 
 with
 
 ( 154 ) 
 
 with for above half a year together. Yoa 
 may eafily imagine the number of faithful 
 wives v,ery fmall in a country where they have 
 nothing to fear from a lover's indifcretion, 
 
 O f 
 
 fince we fee fo many have the courage to ex- 
 poie themfelves to that in this world, and all 
 the threatened punifhment of the next, which 
 is never preached to the Turkifh damfels. 
 Neither have they much to apprehend from 
 the refentment of their hufbancs : thofe ladies 
 that are rich, having all their money in their 
 own hands. Upon the whole, I look upon 
 the Turkifh women, as the only free people 
 in the Empire ; the very Divan pays a refpedl: 
 to them, and the Grand Signior himfclf, 
 when a Bafia is executed, never violates the 
 privileges of the Haram, (or womens apart- 
 ment) which remains unfearched and entire 
 to the widow. They are Queens of their 
 flaves, whom the hufband has no permiffion 
 fo much as to look upon, except it be an old 
 woman or two that his lady chufes. 'Tis 
 true, their law permits them four wives, but 
 there is no inftance of a man of quality that 
 
 makes
 
 ( 155 ) 
 
 makes ufe of this liberty, or of a woman of 
 rank that would fuffer it. \Vh<m a huiband 
 happens to be inconftant (as thofe things will 
 happen) he keeps his miftrefs in a houfe apart, 
 and vifits her as privately as he can, juft as 'tis 
 with you. Amongft all the r,:^at men here, I 
 only know the Tefterdar (i.e. Treafurcr) that 
 keeps a number of fhc-flavcs for his own ufe, 
 (that is, on his own fide of the houfe, for a 
 flave once given to ferve a lady, is entirely at 
 herdifpofal) and he is fpoke of as a libertine, 
 or what we mould call a rake j and his wife 
 won't fee him, though flic continues to live in 
 his houfe. Thus you fee, dear filter, the man- 
 ners, of mankind do not differ fo widely, as 
 our voyage writers would make us believe. 
 Perhaps, it would be more entertaining to add 
 a few fur r rifmg cuftoms of my own invention ; 
 but nothing feems to me fo agreeable as truth, 
 and I believe nothing fo acceptable to you. I 
 conclude therefore, with repeating the great 
 truth of my being, 
 
 Dear Sifter, &c.
 
 ( 156 ) 
 
 LETTER XXX. 
 
 To Mr. Pope. 
 
 Adrianople, April i, O. S. 
 I DARE fay you expect, at leaft, 
 fomething very new in this letter, after I have 
 gone a journey, not undertaken, by any Chrif- 
 tian, for fome hundred years. The moft re- 
 markable accident that happened to me, was 
 my being very near over-turned into the He- 
 brus ; and, if I had much regard for the glories 
 that one's name enjoys after death, I {hould 
 certainly be forry for having miffed the romantic 
 conclufion of fwimming down the fame river in 
 which the mufical head of Orpheus repeated 
 verfes, fo many ages fince : 
 
 " Capttt a cervice revulfum y 
 
 " Gurdite cum medio y portans Oeagrius Hebrus 
 " Volveret^ Euridicen vox ipfa, et frigida lingua 
 <c Ah! miferam Euridicen! anima fugientevocabat> 
 <c Euridicen toto referebant flumine ripa." 
 
 Who knows but fome of your right wits 
 might have found it a fubjeft affording many 
 
 poetical
 
 ( 157 ) 
 poetical turns, and have told the world in an 
 
 heroic Elegy, that, 
 As equal were our fouls , fe equal were our fates. 
 
 I defpair of ever hearing fo many fine things 
 faid of me, as fo extraordinary a death would 
 have given occafion for. 
 
 I am at this prefent moment writing in a 
 houfe fituated on the banks of the Hebrus, which 
 runs under my chamber window. My garden 
 is full of tall cypreis trees, upon the branches 
 of which, feveral couple of true turtles are lay- 
 ing foft things to one another from morning 
 till night. How naturally do boughs and vows 
 come into my mind, at this minute ? And 
 muft not you confefs, to my praife, that 'tis 
 more than an ordinary difcretion, that can re- 
 fift the wicked fuggeftions of poetry, in a place 
 where truth, for once, furnifhes all the ideas 
 of paftoral. Tin- fummer is already far ad- 
 vanced, in this pai'tof the world ; and for fome 
 miles round Adrianople, the whole ground is 
 
 laid
 
 ( 158 ) 
 
 laid out in gardens, and the banks of the 
 rivers are fet with rows of fruit trees, under 
 which all the moft confiderable Turks divert 
 themfelves every evening, not with walking, 
 that is not one of their pleafures ; but a fet 
 party of them choofe out a green fpot, where 
 the (hade is very thick, and there they fpread a 
 carpet, on which they fit drinking their coffee, 
 and are generally attended by fome fiave with a 
 fine voice, or that plays on fome inftrument. 
 Every twenty paces you' may fee one of thefe 
 little companies, lifteningto the dafhing of the 
 river ; and this tafte is fo univerfal, that the 
 very gardeners are not without it. I have often 
 feen them and their children fitting on the banks 
 of the river, and playing on a rural inftrument, 
 perfectly anfwering the defcription of the an- 
 cient Fiftula, being compofed of unequal 
 reeds, with a flmple but agreeable foftnefs in 
 the found. 
 
 Mr. Addifon might here make the experiment 
 he fpeaks of in his travels ; there not being one 
 inftrument of mufic among the Greek or Ro- 
 man
 
 ( 159 ) 
 
 man ftatues, that is not to be found in the 
 hands of the people of this country. The young 
 lads generally divert themfelves with making 
 garlands for their favourite lambs, which I 
 have often fcen painted and adorned with 
 flowers, lying at their feet, while they fung 
 or played. It is not that they ever read Ro- 
 mances. But thefe are the ancient amufements 
 here, and as natural to them as cudgel-playing 
 and foot-ball to our Britifh fwains j the foft- 
 nefs and warmth of the climate forbidding all 
 rough exercifes, which w^ere never fo much as 
 heard of amongft them, and naturally infpiring 
 a lazinefs _and averfion to labour, which the 
 great plenty indulges. Thefe gardeners are the 
 only happy race of country people in Turkey. 
 They furnifti all the city with fruits and 
 herbs, and feem to live very eafily. They 
 are moft of them Greeks, and have little 
 houfes in the midft of their gardens, where 
 their wives and daughters take a liberty, not 
 permitted in the town, I mean to go un- 
 veiled. Thefe wenches are very neat and 
 
 handfome,
 
 C 160 ) 
 
 handfome, and pafs their time at their looms 
 under the trees. 
 
 I no longer look upon Theocritus as a roman- 
 tic writer ; he has only given a plain image of the 
 way of life amongft the peafants of his country, 
 who, before oppreflion had reduced them to 
 want, were, I fuppole, all employed as the bet- 
 ter fort of them are now. I don't doubt, had 
 he been born a Briton, but his Idylliums had 
 been rilled with defcriptions of threfhing and 
 churning, both which are unknown here, the 
 corn being all trod out by oxen ; and butter 
 (I fpeak it with forrow) unheard of. 
 
 I read over your Homer here with an in- 
 finite pleafure, and find feveral little paflages 
 explained, 'that I did not before entirely com- 
 prehend the beauty of: Many of the cuftoms, 
 and much of the drefs then in fafhion, being 
 yet retained. 1 don't wonder to find more re- 
 mains here, of an age fodiftant, than is to be 
 found in any other country, the Turks not 
 taking that pains to introduce their own man- 
 ners.
 
 C 16.1 ) 
 
 ners, as has been generally pra&ifed by other 
 nations, that imagine themfelves more polite. 
 It woulcj be too tedious to, you to point out -.11 
 the pafiages thai; relate to prefent cuf^oms.. But 
 I can afTure you, that; the Princeflcs and great 
 ladies pafs their time at; their looms, embroi- 
 dering veils and robes, furrounded by their 
 maids, which are always very n.umerous., in 
 the fame manner as we find Andromache and 
 Helen defcribed. The defmption. of the belt 
 of Menelaus exactly refemblcs trfofe that are 
 now worn by the great men, fattened before 
 with broad golden clafps, and embroidered 
 round with rich work. The fnowy veil, that 
 Helen throws over her face is itill fafhionable - t 
 and I never fee half a dozen of old llaljhaws 
 (as I do very often) with their reverend beards, 
 fitting bafking in the fun, but I recollect good 
 King Priam and his counfellors. Their man- 
 ner of dancing is certainly the fame that Diana 
 is fung to have danced on the banks of turotas. 
 The great lady frill leads the dance, and is 
 followed by a troop of younp; girls vvho imi- 
 VOT,. T. tare
 
 ( 162 ) 
 
 tate her fteps, and if (he fmgs, make up the 
 chorus. The tunes are extremely gay and 
 lively, yet with fomething in them wonderfully 
 foft. The fteps are varied according to the plea- 
 fure of her that leads the dance, but always in 
 exacl: time, and infinitely more agreeable than 
 any of our dances, at leaft in my opinion. I 
 fometimes make one in the train, but am not 
 fkilful enough to lead j thefe are the Grecian 
 dances, the Turkifh being very different. 
 
 I fliould have told you, in the firft place, 
 that the Eaftern manners give a great light 
 into many fcripture pafTages, that appear odd 
 to us, their phrafes being commonly what we 
 ftiould call Scripture language. The vulgar 
 Turk is very different from what is fpoke at 
 court, or amongft the people of figure ; who 
 always mix fo much Arabic and Perfian in 
 their difcourfe, that it may very well be called 
 another language. And 'tis as ridiculous to 
 make ufe of the expreflions commonly ufed, in 
 fpeaking to a great man or lady, as it would be 
 
 to
 
 to fpeak broad Yorkfhire, or Somerfetfliire, in 
 the drawing-room. Befides this diftinciion, 
 they have what they call the fublime, that is, 
 a ftile proper for poetry, and which it, the 
 exa& Scripture ftile. I believe you would be 
 pleafed to fee a genuine example of this ; and I 
 am very glad I have it in my power to fati.--:\ 
 your curiofity, by fending you a faithful copv 
 of the verfes that Ibrahim BafTa, the rei^nir.o- 
 
 o o 
 
 favourite, has made for the young Princefs, 
 his contracted wife, whom he is not yet per- 
 mitted to vifit without witnefles, though flic 
 is gone home to his houfe. He is a man of 
 wit and learning ; and whether or no he is ca- 
 pable of writing good verfe, you may be fure 
 that, on fuch an occafion, he would not want 
 the afliftance of the beft poets in the empire. 
 Thus the verfes may be looked upon as a fam- 
 ple of their fineft poetry, and I don't doubt 
 you'll be of my mind, that it is moft wonder- 
 fully refembling the Song of Solomon, which 
 alfo was addrefled to a Royal Bride. 
 
 M 2 TURKISH
 
 ( 164 ) 
 
 TURKISH VERSES addreffed to the SULTANA, 
 
 eldeft daughter of SULTAN ACHMET IH. 
 STANZA I. 
 
 Ver. The nightingale now wanders in the vines ; 
 
 1 . Her pajfion is to feek rofes. 
 
 2. I went down to admire the beauty of the vines ; 
 
 The fweetnefs of jour charms has ravijb'd my foul. 
 
 3. Your eyes are black and lovely , 
 
 But *wild and difdainful as tbofe of a flag ; 
 
 STANZA II. 
 
 1 . The wijbed pojfcjfion is delayed from day to Jay, 
 
 The cruel Sultan ACHMET will not permit me 
 To fee tbofe cheeks more 'vermillion than rofes. 
 
 2. / dare not fnatch one of your kijfis, 
 
 The fweetnefs of your charms has raiiift? d my fouL 
 
 3. Your eyes are black and lovely , 
 
 But wild and difdainful as thofe of a flag. 
 
 STANZA III. 
 
 I . The wretched IBRAHIM Jighs in thefe verfes, 
 
 One dart from your eyes if as pierc'd thro* my heart, 
 
 2. Ah!
 
 2 . Ah! when ivill the hour of poffeffion arri<V! ? 
 Muft I yet wait a long time ? 
 
 Tbefiueetneft of your charms has ravijh'dmy foul. 
 
 3. Ah! SULTANA! ftag-ey*dan angel among ft 
 
 angels ! 
 
 I dejire, and, my d'Jire remains unfatisficd. 
 Can you take delight to prey upon my heart? 
 
 STANZA IV. 
 
 1. My cries pierce tbt heavens ! 
 My eyes are without Jlecp ! 
 
 Turn to me, SULTANA let me gaze en tfy 
 
 beauty. 
 
 2. Adieu / go down to the grave. 
 If you call me I return. 
 
 My heart is hot as fulphur ;- -Jigh and it 
 
 will fame. 
 
 3. Crown of my life, fair light of my eyes ! 
 
 My SULTANA! myprincefs! 
 I rub my face againfl the earth ;---/ am drown* d 
 in fcalding tears -I rave ! 
 
 Have you no compajfion ? will you not turn to look 
 upon me ? 
 
 I have
 
 I have taken abundance of pains to get thefc 
 verfes in a literal tranflation ; and if you were 
 acquainted with my interpreters, I might fpare 
 myfelf the trouble of affuring you, that they 
 have received no poetical touches from their 
 hands. In my opinion, (allowing for the ine- 
 vitable faults of a profe tranflation into a lan- 
 guage fo very different) there is a good deal of 
 beauty in them. The epithet of " frag-ey'd," 
 (though the found is not very agreeable in Eng- 
 lifh) pleafes me extremely; and I think it a 
 very lively image of the fire and indifference in 
 his miftrefs's eyes. Monfieur Boileau has very 
 juftly obferved, that we are never to judge of 
 the elevation of an expreffion in an antient au- 
 thor by the found it carries with us ; fince it 
 may be extremely fine with them, when, at the 
 fame time, it appears low or uncouth to us. 
 You are fo well acquainted with Homer, you 
 cannot but have obferved the fame thing, and 
 you muft have the fame indulgence for all ori- 
 ental poetry. The repetitions at the end of the 
 firft ftanzas are meant for a fort of Chorus, 
 
 and
 
 ( 167 ) 
 
 and are agreeable to the anticnt manner of 
 writing. The mufic of the verfes apparently 
 changes in the third Stanza, where the burden 
 is altered j and I think he very artfully feems 
 more paffionate at the conclufion, as 'tis na- 
 tural for people to warm themfelves by their 
 own difcourfe, efpecially on a fubjedt in which 
 one is deeply concerned ; 'tis certainly far 
 more touching, than our modern cuftom of 
 concluding a fong of paffion, with a turn 
 which is inconfiftent with it. The firft verfe 
 is a defcription of the feafon of the year j all 
 the country now being full of Nightingales, 
 whofe amours with rofes, is an Arabian fable, 
 as well known here, as any part of Ovid 
 amongft us, and is much the fame as if an 
 Englifh poem fliould begin, by faying, " Now 
 Philomela fmgs." Or what if I turned the 
 whole into the ftile of Englifh poetry, to fee 
 how it would look ? 
 
 STANZA I. 
 
 NOW Philomel renews her tender ftrain t 
 Indulging all the night her pleaftng pain ; 
 
 / fcttgbt
 
 ( 168 ) 
 
 J J ought the groves to hear the ivanton f.>i, 
 There fai'j a face more beauteous than tbefpritfg. 
 
 Your 'large flag- eyes inhere thoufand glories play 
 As bright, as lively but as --wild as tbej. 
 
 STANZA II. 
 
 In vain I'm fron:is 'df;tch a heavenly prize. 
 Ah ! cruel S u L r A x ! who delaf'jl >ny joys ! 
 "While pitrcing charms tramp* my amorous I: 
 'I 'dare not fnatcb one kifs, to eafe the fmart. 
 eyes' like, &c. 
 
 STANZA III. 
 Jour wretched lover in thefe lines complains ; 
 From thofe dear beauties rife his killing pains. 
 
 When willtbe hour of ibijh'd-for blifs arrive, 
 Mujl I nvait longer ? Can I tuait aittf live? 
 
 Ah ! bright SULTANA/ rrtatd divinely fair ! 
 Canyon, uhpityixg fee the pains I bear? 
 
 STANZA IV. 
 
 The Heavens rehntirig hear 'thy piercing cries, 
 1 loath the light, an d fleep firfrrkcs nty eyes, 
 Turn tkee, SITLTANA, (re toy lover 'dies ; 
 
 Sinking
 
 ( 169 ) 
 
 Sinking to earth, 'Jjigb tit la}} adieu, 
 Calhne, my God'dtfs, and thy life renew. 
 
 My Queen ! my angel ! my fund heart's dejire ! 
 I rave- my bofom burns with heasvenly f.re I 
 Pity that pajjion 'which thy ch'arms nfpirt. 
 
 I have taken the liberty in the fecond verfe, 
 of following what I fuppofe the true fenfe of 
 the author, though not literally exprefTed. By 
 his faying he went down to admire the beauty 
 of the vines, and her charms ravifhed his foul ; 
 I underftand a poetical fiction, of having firft 
 feen her in a garden, where he was admiring 
 the beauty of the fpring. But I could not for- 
 bear retaining the comparifon of her eyes with 
 thofe of a flag, though perhaps the novelty of 
 it may give it a burlefque found in our lan- 
 guage. I cannot determine upon the whole, 
 how well I have fucceeded in the tranflation, 
 neither do I think our Englifh proper to ex- 
 prefs fuch violence of paflion, which is very 
 feldom felt amongft us. We want, alfo, thofe 
 compound words which are very frequent and 
 ftrong in the Turkifh language. 
 
 You
 
 You fee I am pretty far gone in oriental 
 learning, and to fay truth, I ftudy very hard. 
 I wifh my ftudies may give me an occafton of 
 entertaining your curiofity, which will be the 
 utmoft advantage hoped for from them, by, 
 
 Your's, &c 
 
 LET-
 
 ( '7' ) 
 
 LETTER XXXI. 
 To Mrs. S. C. 
 
 Adrianople, April i, O. S. 
 IN my opinion, dear S. I ought 
 rather to quarrel with you, for not anfwering 
 my Nimuegen letter of Augufr, till December, 
 than to excufe my not writing again till now. 
 I am fure there is on my fide a very good ex- 
 cufe for filence, having gone fuch tirefome 
 land-journies, though I don't find the conclu- 
 fion of them fo bad as you feem to imagine. I 
 am very eafy here, and not in the folitude you 
 fancy me. The great number of Greeks, 
 French, Englifh, and Italians, that are undef 
 our protection, make their court to me from 
 morning till night ; and I'll affure you, are, 
 many of them, very fine ladies j for there is no 
 poflibility for a Chriftian to live eafily under 
 this government, but by the protection of an 
 
 Ambafiador and the richer they are, the 
 
 greater is their danger. 
 
 Thofe
 
 Thofe dreadful ftories you have heard of the 
 plague, have very little foundation in truth. 
 I own, I have much ado to reconcile myfelf to 
 the found of a word, which has always given 
 fiic fuch terrible ideas ; though I am convinced 
 there is little more in it, than in a fever. As 
 a proof of this, let me tell you, that we pafied 
 through two or three towns moil violently in- 
 fccled. In the very next houfe where we lay 
 (in one of thofe places) two perfons died of it. 
 Luckily for me, I was fo well deceived, that I 
 knew nothing of the -matter ; and I was made 
 bel-reve, that our fecond cook had only a great 
 cold. However, we left our doctor to take care 
 of him, and yefterday they both arrived here in 
 good hearth ; and I am now let into the fecret, 
 that he has had the plague. There are many 
 thnt'efcape it, neither is the air ever infected. 
 I arm perfuaded that it v/ould be as eafy a mat- 
 ter to root it out here, as out of Italy and 
 France ; but it does fo little mifchief, they are 
 not very foltcitous about it, and are content to 
 
 fuffer
 
 ( '73 ) 
 
 fuffer this difteraper, inftead of our variety, 
 which they are utterly unacquainted with. 
 
 A propos of diftempers, I am going to tell 
 you a thing, that will make you wifh yourfelf 
 here. The fmall pox, fo fatal, and fo general 
 amongft us, is here intirely harmlefs, by the in- 
 vention of engrafting, which is the term, they 
 give it. There is a fet of old women, who make 
 it their bufinefs to perform the pperation, every 
 autumn, in the month of September, when the 
 great heat is abated. People fend to one another 
 to know if any of their family has a mind to 
 have the fmall-pox j they make parties for this 
 purpofe, and when they are met (commonly fif- 
 teen or fixteen together) the old woman comes 
 with a nut-fhell full of the matter of the beft 
 fort of fmall-pox, and alks what vein you pleafe 
 to have opened. She immediately rips open 
 that, you offer to her, with a large needle, 
 (which gives you no more pain than a common 
 fcratch) and puts into the vein as much matter 
 as can lie upon the head of her needle, and 
 after that, binds up the little wound with a 
 
 hollow
 
 ( 174 ) 
 
 hollow bit of fhell, and in this manner opens 
 four or five veins. The Grecians have com- 
 monly the fuperftition of opening one in the 
 middle of the forehead, one in each arm, and 
 one on the breaft, to mark the fign of the crofs ; 
 but this has a very ill effect, all thcfe wounds 
 leaving little fears, and is not done by thofe 
 that are not fuperftitious, who chufe to have 
 them in the legs, or that part of the arm that is 
 concealed. The children or young patients 
 play together all the reft of the day, and are in 
 perfect health to the eighth. Then the fever 
 begins to feize them, and they keep their beds 
 two days, very feldom three. They have very 
 rarely above twenty or thirty in their faces, 
 which never mark, and in eight days time they 
 are as well as before their illnefs. Where they 
 are wounded, there remains running fores dur- 
 ing the diftemper, which I don't doubt is a 
 great relief to it. Every year thoufands un- 
 dergo this operation, and the French Ambafla- 
 dor fays pleafantly, that they take the fmall- 
 pox here by way of diverfion, as they take 
 
 the
 
 ( '75 ) 
 
 the waters In other countries. There is no 
 example of any one that has died in it, and 
 you may believe I am well fatisfied of the fafety 
 of this experiment, fince I intend to try it on 
 my dear little fon. I am patriot enough to take 
 pains to bring this ufeful invention into fafhion 
 in England, and I fhould not fail to write to 
 fome of our do&ors very particularly about it, 
 if I knew any one of them that I thought had 
 virtue enough to deftroy fuch a confiderable 
 branch of their revenue, for the good of man- 
 kind. But that diftemper is too beneficial to 
 them, not to expofe to all their refentment, 
 the hardy wight that fhould undertake to put 
 an end to it. Perhaps if I live to return I may, 
 however, have courage to war with them. 
 Upon this occafion, admire the heroifm in the 
 heart of, 
 
 Your friend, &c. &c. 
 
 LET-
 
 LETTER XXXII. 
 To Mrs. T. 
 
 Adrianople, April i, O.S. 1718. 
 
 I CAN now tell dear Mrs. T , 
 
 that I am fafely arrived at the end of my very 
 long journey. I will not tire you with the 
 account of the many fatigues 1 have fuffered. 
 You would rather be informed of the ftrange 
 things that are to be feen here ; and a letter 
 out of Turkey, that has nothing extraordinary 
 in it, would be as great a disappointment as 
 my vifitors will receive at London, if I return 
 thither without any rarities to {hew them. 
 
 What mail I tell you of? You never faw 
 
 camels in your life ; and perhaps the defcrip- 
 tion of them will appear new to you j I can 
 affure you, the firft fight of them was fo to me ; 
 and though I have feen hundreds of pictures of 
 thoie animals, I never faw any that was re- 
 femblino; enough to give a true idea of them. 
 
 *^ 33 9 V 
 
 I am going to make a bold obfervation, and 
 
 poflibly
 
 ( J77 ) 
 
 poflibly a falfe one, becaufe nobody has ever 
 made it before me ; but I do take them to be 
 of the ftag-kind ; their legs, bodies, and 
 necks, are exactly fhapcd like them, and their 
 colour very near the fame. 'Tis true, they 
 are much larger, being a great deal higher than 
 a horfe, and fo fwift, that, after the defeat of 
 Peterwaradin, they far outran the fwifteft 
 horfes, and brought the firft news of the lofs 
 of the battle to Belgrade. They are never 
 thoroughly tamed ; the drivers take care to tye 
 them one to another with flrong ropes, fifty in 
 a firing, led by an afs, on which the driver 
 rides. I have feen three hundred in one cara- 
 van. They carry the third part more than a 
 horfe ; but 'tis a particular art to load them, 
 becaufe of the bunch of their backs. They 
 feem to me very ugly creatures, their heads 
 being ill formed and di {"proportioned to their 
 bodies. They carry all the burdens ; and the 
 beafts deftined to the plough are buffaloes, an 
 animal alfoyou are unacquainted with. They 
 are larger and more clumfy than an ox ; they^ 
 Y< L. I. N have
 
 have fliort thick black horns clofe to their 
 heads, which grow turning backwards. They 
 fay this horn looks very beautiful when 'tis 
 well polifhed. They are all black, with very 
 fhort hair on their hides, and have extremely 
 little white eyes, that make them look like 
 devils. The country people dye their tails, 
 and the hair of their forehead red, by way of 
 ornament. Horfes are not put here to any 
 laborious work, nor are they at all fit for it. 
 They are beautiful and full of fpirit, but 
 generally little, and not ftrong, as the breed of 
 colder countries ; very gentle, however, with 
 all their vivacity, and alfo fwift and fure- 
 footed. I have a little white favourite, that I 
 would not part with on any terms ; he prances 
 under me with fo much fire, you would think 
 that I had a great deal of courage to dare 
 mount him ; yet I'll affure you I never rid a 
 horfe fo much at my command, in my life. 
 My fide-faddle is the firft that was ever feen 
 in this part of the world, and is gazed at with 
 as mucfl wonder as the fhip of Columbus in the 
 
 firft
 
 ( 179 ) 
 
 firft difcovery of America. Here are fome 
 
 little birds, held in a fort of religious reverence, 
 and for that reafon multiply prodigioufly - t 
 Turtles on the account of their innocence j 
 and Storks, becaufe they are fuppofcd to make 
 every winter the pilgrimage to Mecca. To 
 fay truth, they are the happieft fubje&s under 
 the Turkifh government, and are fo fenfible 
 of their privileges, that they walk the ftreets 
 without fear, and generally build in the low 
 parts of houfcs. Happy are thofe whofe houfes 
 are fo diftinguifhed, as the vulgar Turks are 
 perfectly p^rfuaded, that they will not be, that 
 year, attacked either by fire or pcftilence. I 
 have the happinefs of one of their facred neft;, 
 under my chamber window. 
 
 Now I am talking of my chamber, I re- 
 member, the defcription of the houfes here will 
 be as new to you, as any of the birds or beafts. 
 I fuppofe you h.ive read in moft of our accounts 
 of Turkey, that their houfes are the moft 
 miferable pieces of building in the world. 
 I can fpeak very learnedly on that fubjecl, 
 N 2 li.i -
 
 having been in fo many of them ; and j 
 allure you, 'tis no fuch thing. We are now 
 lodged in a palace, belonging to the Grand 
 Signior. I really think the manner of build- 
 ing here very agreeable, and proper for the 
 country. 'Tis true, they are not, at all, foli- 
 citous to beautify the outfides of their houfes, 
 and they are generally built with wood, which, 
 I own, is the caufe of many inconveniences; 
 but this is not to be charged on the ill tafte of 
 the people, but on the oppreflion of the govern- 
 ment. Every houfe at the death of its mafter, 
 is at the Grand Signior's difpofal, and there- 
 fore no man cares to make a great expence, 
 which he is not fure his family will be the 
 better for. All their defign is to build a houfe 
 commodious and that will laft their lives ; 
 and they are very different if it falls down the 
 year after. Every houfe, great and fmall, is 
 divided into two diftindt parts, which only 
 join together by a narrow paflage. The firft 
 houfe has a large court before it, and open 
 galleries all round it, which is, to me, a thing 
 
 very
 
 very agreeable. This gallery leads to all the 
 
 chambers, which are commonly large, and 
 
 with two rows of \vindovvs, the firft being of 
 
 painted glafs ; they feldom build above two 
 
 ftories, each of which has galleries. The 
 
 flairs are broad, and not often above thirty 
 
 fteps. This is the houfe belonging to the 
 
 lord, and the adjoining one is called the Haram, 
 
 that is, the ladies' apartment, (for the name of 
 
 feraglio is peculiar to the Grand Signior ;) it 
 
 has alfo a gallery running round it towards 
 
 the garden, to which all the windows are 
 
 turned, and the fame number of chambers as 
 
 the other, but more gay and fplendid, both in 
 
 painting and furniture. The fecond row of 
 
 windows are very low, with grates like thofe 
 
 of convents, the rooms are all fpread with 
 
 Perfian carpets, and raifed at one end of them 
 
 (my chambers are raifed at both ends) about 
 
 two feet. This is the Sopha, which is laid 
 
 with a richer fort of carpet, and all round it 
 
 a fort of couch raifed half a foot, covered with 
 
 rich filk according to the fancy or magnificence 
 
 N 3 of
 
 of the owner. Mine is of fcarlet cloth with a 
 gold fringe ; round about this are placed, 
 {landing againft the wall, two rows of cufliions, 
 the firft very large, and the reft little ones ; 
 and here the Turks difplay their greateft mag- 
 nificence. They are generally brocade, or 
 embroidery of gold wire upon white fattin. 
 Nothing can look more gay and fplendid. 
 Thefe feats are alfo fo convenient and eafy, 
 that I believe I fhall never endure chairs as 
 long as I live The rooms are low, which 
 I think no fault, and the cieling is always of 
 wood, generally inlaid or painted with flowers. 
 They open in many places with folding 
 doors, and ferve for cabinets, I think more 
 conveniently than ours. Between the windows 
 are little arches to fet pots of perfume, or 
 bafkets of flowers. But what pleafes me beft, 
 is the fafiiion of having marble fountains in 
 the lower part of the room, which throw up 
 feveral fpouts of water, giving, at the fame 
 time an agreeable coolnefs, and a pleafant 
 dafhing found, falling from one bafon to 
 Another. Some of thefe are very magnificent. 
 
 Each
 
 Each houfe has a bagnio, which confifts gene- 
 rally in two or three little rooms leaded on the 
 top, paved with marble, with bafons, cocks 
 of water, and all conveniencies for either hot 
 or cold baths. 
 
 You will perhaps be furprifed at an account 
 fo different from what you have been enter- 
 tained with by the common voyage-writers, who 
 are very fond of fpeaking of what they don't 
 know. It muft be under a very particular cha- 
 racter, or on fomc extraordinary occafion, that 
 a Chriftian is admitted into the houfe of a man 
 of quality, and their Harams are always for- 
 bidden ground. Thus they can only fpeak of 
 the outfide, which makes no great appearance ; 
 and the womens apartments are always built 
 backward, removed from fight, and have no 
 other profpecl than the gardens, which are in- 
 clofed with very high walls. There is none 
 of our parterres in them ; but they are planted 
 with high trees, which give an agreeable fhade, 
 and, to my fancy, a pleafing view. In the 
 midft of the garden is the Chiofk, that is, a 
 
 large
 
 large room, commonly beautified with a fine 
 fountain in the midft of it. It is railed nine 
 or ten fteps, and enclofed with gilded lattices, 
 round which, vines, jeflamines, and honey- 
 fuckles, make a fort of green wall. Large 
 trees are planted round this place, which is 
 the fcene of their greateft pleafures, and 
 where the ladies fpend moft of their hours, 
 employed by their mufick or embroidery. 
 In the public gardens, there are public 
 Chiofks, where people go that are not fo 
 well accommodated at home, and drink their 
 coffee, fherbet, &c. Neither are they igno- 
 rant of a more durable manner of building ; 
 their mofques are all of free-ftone, and the pub- 
 lic Hanns, or Inns, extremely magnificent, 
 many of them taking up a large fquare, built 
 round with (hops under ftone arches, where 
 poor artificers are lodged gratis. They have 
 always a mofque joining to them, and the body 
 of the Hann is a moft noble hall, capable of 
 holding three or four hundred perfons, the 
 court extremely fpacious, and cloifters round 
 
 it,
 
 it, that give it the air of our colleges. I own, 
 I think it a more reafonable piece of charity 
 than the founding of convents. I think I have 
 now told you a great deal for once. If you 
 don't like my choice of fubje<5b, tell me what 
 you would have me write upon ; there is no- 
 body more defirous to entertain you than, dear 
 Mrs. T. 
 
 Yours, &c. &c. 
 
 LET-
 
 LETTER XXXIII. 
 To the Countefs of 
 
 Adriahople, April 1 8, O. S. 
 
 I WROTE to you, dear fitter, 
 and to all my other Englifli correfpondents, by 
 the laft fhip, and only Heaven can tell, when 
 I fliall have another opportunity of fending to 
 you ; but I cannot forbear to write again, 
 though perhaps my letter may lye upon my 
 hand- thcfe two months. To confefs the truth, 
 my head is fo full of my entertainment yefter- 
 day, that 'tis abfolutely neceffary, for my own 
 repofe, to give it fome vent. Without far- 
 ther preface I will then begin my ftory. 
 
 I was invited to dine with the Grand Vizier's 
 lady, and it was with a great deal of pleafure I 
 prepared myfelf for an entertainment, which 
 was never before given to any Chriftian. I 
 thought I fhould very little fatisfy her curiofity, 
 (which I did not doubt was a confiderable mo- 
 tive to the invitation) by going in a drefs fhe 
 
 was
 
 was ufed to fee, and therefore drefled myfelf 
 in the court habit of Vienna, which is much 
 more magnificent than ours. How?-, r, I 
 chofe to go incognito, to avoid any dif-'utes 
 about ceremony, and \vcnt in a Turkifh coach 
 only attended by my woman, that held up my 
 train, and the Greek lady, \vh was my inter- 
 pretefs. I was met, at the <."<urt door, by her 
 black Eunuch, who helped me > jt of the 
 coach with great refpe, and c..ndu..;M e 
 through feveral rooms, where her fl: flaves, 
 finely dr-fled, wcr ranged on .ach h ..-. In 
 the innermoft, I found the lady fit: 
 fofa, in a fable veft. She advanced . 
 me, and ptefent d me half a do. 
 friends, with great cuility. She feem u a 
 very good woman, near fifty years old. i 
 furpriftd to obferve fo little magnificence in 
 her houic, the furniture beii no- 
 
 derate; and, except the habits and nuinb.r of 
 her fla\ js, nothing about her appeared expcn- 
 J at my thought, and told 
 me, flic was no longer of an age to fp 
 
 either
 
 cither her time or money in fuperfiuities ; that 
 her whole expence was in charity, and her 
 whole employment praying to God. There 
 was no affectation in this fpeech ; both (he and 
 her hufband are entirely given up to devotion. 
 He never looks upon any other woman ; and 
 what is much more extraordinary, touches no 
 bribes, notwithftanding the example of all his 
 predeceiTors. He is fo fcrupulous in this point, 
 he would not accept Mr. W 's prefent, till 
 he haw been aflured over and over, that it was 
 a fettled perquifite of his place, at the entrance 
 of every Ambaflador. She entertained me with 
 all kind of civility, till dinner came in, which 
 was ferved, one difh at a time, to a vaft num- 
 ber, all finely drefled after their manner, which 
 I don't think fo bad as you have perhaps heard 
 it reprefented. I am a very good judge of 
 their eating, having lived three weeks in the 
 houfe of an Effendi at Belgrade, who gave 
 us very magnificent dinners, drefled by his 
 own cooks. The firft week they pleafed me 
 extremely j but, I own, I then begun to grow 
 
 weary
 
 weary of their table, and defired our own cook 
 might add a difh or two after our manner. But 
 I attribute this to cuftom, and am very much 
 inclined to believe, that an Indian who had 
 never tafted of either, would prefer their cook- 
 ery to ours. Their fauces are very high, all 
 the roaft very much done. They ufe a great 
 deal of very rich fpice. The foup is ferved for 
 the laft difh ; and they have, at leaft, as great 
 a variety of ragouts, as we have. I was very 
 forry I could not eat of as many as the good 
 lady would have had me, who was very earned 
 in ferving me of every thing. The treat con- 
 cluded with coffee and perfumes, which is a 
 high mark of refpecfc j two flaves kneeling cen- 
 fed my hair, clothes, and handkerchief. After 
 this ceremony, fhe commanded her flaves to 
 play and dance, which they did with their 
 guitars in their hands, and (he excufcd to me 
 their want of fkill, faying fhe took no care to 
 accomplifh them in that art. 
 
 I returned her thanks, and foon after took 
 ray leave. I was conducted back in the fame 
 
 manner
 
 C 190 ) 
 
 manner I entered, and would have gone ftrait to 
 my own houfe, but the Greek lady, with me, 
 earn-'ftly follicited me to vifit the Kahya's lady, 
 iayi 5;, he was the fecond officer in the Empire, 
 and ought indeed to be looked upon as the firft, 
 the Grand Vizier having only the name, while 
 he exercifcd the authority. 1 had found fo 
 little diverfion in the Vizier's Haram, that I 
 had no mind to p-o into another. But her im- 
 portunity prevailed with me, and I am ex- 
 tremely glad, I was fo complaifant. All things 
 here were with quite another air than at the 
 Grand Vizier's ; and the very houfe confef- 
 fed the difference between an old devotee, 
 and a young beauty. It was nicely clean and 
 magnificent:. I was met at the door by two 
 black Eunuchs, who led pie through a long 
 gallery, between two ranks of beautiful young 
 girU, with their hair finely plaited, almoft 
 hanging to their feet, and d re fled in fine light 
 damalks, brocaded with filver. I was forry 
 that decency did not permit me to -flop to con- 
 fider them nearer. But that thought was 
 
 loft
 
 loft upon my entrance into a large room, or 
 rather pavillion, built round with gilded falhes, 
 which were moft of them thrown up, and the 
 trees planted near them gave an agreeable {hide, 
 which hindered the fun from being trouble- 
 fome. The jefiamines and honey-fuckles that 
 twitted round their trunk;-, fhed a foft per- 
 fume, increafed by marble fountain 
 playing fvveet water in tho lower part of the 
 room, which fell into three or four bafons, 
 \vith a pleafing found. The roof was painted 
 with all forts of flowers, falling out of gilded 
 baflcets, that feemed tumbling down. On a 
 fofa, raifed three fteps, and covered with fine 
 Perfian carpets, fat the Kahya's lady, leaning, 
 on cufhions of white fattin embroidered 5 and 
 at her feet fat two young girls about twelve 
 years old, lovely as angels, drefled perfectly 
 rich, and almoft covered with jewels. But 
 they were hardly feen near the fair Fatima, 
 (for that is her name) fo much her beauty ef- 
 faced every thing I have feen, nay, all that has 
 been called-lovely, either in England or Ger- 
 many.
 
 many. I muft own, that I never faw any 
 thing fo glorioufly beautiful, nor can I recollect 
 a face that would have been taken notice of 
 near her's. She flood up to receive me, fa- 
 luting me, after their fafhion, putting her 
 hand to her heart with a fweetnefs full of ma- 
 jefty, that no court breeding could ever give. 
 She ordered cufhions to be given me, and took 
 care to place me in the corner, which is the 
 place of honour. I confefs, though the Greek 
 lady had before given me a great opinion of her 
 beauty, I was foftruck with admiration, that I 
 could not, for fome time, fpeak to her, being 
 wholly taken up in gazing. That furprizing 
 harmony of features ! That charming refult of 
 the whole ! That exact proportion of body ! 
 That lovely bloom of complexion unfullied by 
 art ! The unutterable enchantment of her 
 
 fmile ; But her eyes ! Large and black, 
 
 with all the foft languifliment of the blue ! 
 every turn of her face difcovering fome new 
 grace. 
 
 After
 
 ( 193 ) 
 
 After my firft furprize was over, I endea- 
 voured by nicely examining her face, to find 
 out fome imperfection, without any fruit of 
 my fearch, but my being clearly convinced of 
 the error of that vulgar notion, that a face ex- 
 actly proportioned, and perfectly beautiful, 
 would not be agreeable; nature having done 
 for her, with more fuccefs, what Apelles is 
 faid to have eflayed by a collection of the moft 
 exact features to form a perfect face. Add to 
 all this a behaviour fo full of grace and fweet- 
 nefs, fuch eafy motions with an air fo majeftic, 
 yet free from ftiffnefs or affectation, that I am 
 perfuaded could (he be fuddenly tranfported up- 
 on the moft polite throne of Europe, no body 
 would think her other than born and bred to be 
 a Queen, though educated in a country we call 
 barbarous. To fay all in a word, our moft 
 celebrated Englifh beauties would vanifh near 
 her. 
 
 She was dreflcd in a Caftan of gold brocade, 
 flowered with filvcr, very well fitted to her 
 ftape, and fliewing to admiration the beauty of 
 VOL, T. O her
 
 ( 194 ) 
 
 her bofom, only fliaded by the thin gauze of her 
 fhift. Her drawers were pale pink, her waift- 
 coat green and filver, her flippers white fattin, 
 finely embroidered ; her lovely arms adorned 
 with bracelets of diamonds, and her broad 
 girdle fet round with diamonds ; upon her head 
 a rich Turkiih handkerchief of pink and filver, 
 her own fine black hair hanging a great length, 
 in various trefles, and on one fide of her head 
 fome bodkins of jewels. I am afraid you will 
 accufe me of extravagance in this description. 
 I think 1 have read fome where, that women 
 always fpeak in rapture, when they fpeak of 
 beauty, and I cannot imagine why they fhould 
 not be allowed to do fo. I rather think it a 
 virtue to be able to admire without any mix- 
 ture of defire or envy. The graveft writers 
 have fpoke with great warmth of fome cele- 
 brated pictures and ftatues. The workman- 
 ihip of heaven certainly excels all our weak imi- 
 tations, and, I think, has a much better claim 
 to our praife. For my part, I am not afhamed 
 to own, I took more pleafure in looking on the 
 
 beauteous
 
 ( 195 ) 
 
 beauteous Fatima, than the fined piece of fculp- 
 ture could have given me. She told me the two 
 girls at her feet were her daughters, though (he 
 appeared too young to be their mother. Here 
 fair maids were ranged below the Sofa, to the 
 number of twenty, and put me in mind of 
 the pidlures of the antient nymphs. I did not 
 think all nature could have furnifhed fuch a 
 fcene of beauty. She made them a fign to 
 play and dance. Four of them immediately 
 begun to play fome foft airs on inftruments 
 between a lute and a guitar, which they ac- 
 companied with their voices, while the others 
 danced by turns. This dance was very dif- 
 ferent from what I had feen before. Nothing 
 could be more artful, or more proper to raife 
 certain ideas. The tunes fo loft ; The 
 motions fo languifhing ? Accompanied with 
 paufes and dying eyes ! half falling back, 
 and then recovering themfelves in fo artful a 
 manner, that I am very pofitive, the coldeft 
 and moft rigid prude upon earth, could not 
 have looked upon them without thinking of 
 O 2 " fomething
 
 ( 196 ) 
 
 " fomething not to be fpoke of." I fuppofe 
 you may have read that the Turks have no 
 mufic, but what is Shocking to the ears j but 
 this account is from thofe who never heard 
 any but what is played in the ftreets, and is 
 juft as reafonable, as if a foreigner fhould take 
 his ideas of Englifh mufic from the bladder 
 and firing, or the marrow-bones and cleavers. 
 I can allure you, that the mufic is extremely 
 pathetic ; 'tis true I am inclined to prefer the 
 Italian, but perhaps 1 am partial. I am ac- 
 quainted with a Greek lady, who fings better 
 than Mrs. Robinfon; and is very well /killed, 
 in both, who gives the preference to the 
 Turkifh. 'Tis certain they have very fine 
 natural voices, thefe were very agreeable. 
 When the dance was over, four fair flaves 
 came into the room, with filver cenfors in 
 their hands, and perfumed the air with amber, 
 aloes-wood, and other fcents. After this, they 
 ferved me coffee upon their knees, in the 
 fineft Japan china, with foucoups of filver 
 gilt. The lovely Fatima entertained me all 
 
 this
 
 ( 197 ) 
 
 this while in the moft polite agreeable manner, 
 calling me often Uzelle Sultanam^ or the beau- 
 tiful Sultana, and defiring my friendfliip with 
 the beft grace in the world, lamenting that {he 
 could not entertain me in my own language. 
 
 When I took my leave, two maids brought 
 in a fine filver bafket of embroidered hand- 
 kerchiefs ; {he begg'd I would wear the richcft 
 for her fake, and gave the others to my wo- 
 man and interpretefs. I retired, through the 
 fame ceremonies as before, and could not help 
 thinking I had been fome time in Mahomet's 
 paradife, fo much was I charmed with what I 
 had feen. I know not how the relation of it 
 appears to you. I wifli it may give you part 
 of my pleafure ; for I would have my dear 
 fifter {hare in all the diverfions of, 
 
 Your's, &c.&c. 
 
 O 3 LET-
 
 ( 198 ) 
 
 LETTER XXXIV. 
 To the Abbot of 
 
 Adrianople, May 17, O. S, 
 I AM going to leave Adrianople, 
 and I would not do it, without giving you 
 fome account of all that is curious in it, 
 which I have taken a great deal of pains to fee. 
 I will not trouble you with wife diflertations, 
 whether or no this is the fame city, that was 
 anciently called Oreftefitor Orefte, which you 
 know better than I do. It is now called from 
 the Emperor Adrian, and was the firft European 
 feat of the Turkifli Empire, and has been the 
 favourite refidence of many Sultans. MA- 
 HOMET the fourth, and MUSTAPHA, the 
 brother of the reigning Emperor, were fo 
 fond of it, that they wholly abandoned Con- 
 ftantinople, which humour fo far exafperated 
 the Janizaries, that it was a confiderable mo- 
 tive to the rebellions that depofed them. Yet 
 this man feems to love to keep his court here, 
 
 I can
 
 ( '99 ) 
 
 I can give you no reafon for this partiality. 
 
 'Tis true, the fituation is fine, and the country 
 all round very beautiful j but the air is ex- 
 tremely bad, and the Seraglio itfelf is not free 
 from the ill effe& of it. The town is faid to 
 be eight miles in compafs, I fuppofe they 
 reckon in the gardens. There are fome good 
 houfes in it, I mean large ones ; for the archi- 
 tecture of their palaces never makes any great 
 fhew. It is now very full of people j but they 
 are moft of them fuch as follow the court, or 
 camp, and when they are removed, I am told 
 'tis no populous city. The river Maritza 
 (anciently the Hebrus) on which it is fitua- 
 ted, is dried up every fummer, which contri- 
 butes very much to make it unwholefome. It 
 is now a very pleafant ftream. There are two 
 noble bridges built over it. I had the curiofity 
 to go to fee the Exchange in my Turkifh 
 drefs, which is difguife fufficient. Yet I own, 
 I was not very eafy when I faw it crowded 
 with Janizaries ; but they dare not be rude to 
 a woman, and made way for me with as much 
 
 refpeft,
 
 ( 206 ) 
 
 refpeJr, as if I had been in my own figure. It 
 is half a mile in length, the roof arched, and 
 kept extremely neat. It holds three hundred 
 and fixty-five fhops, furnifhed with all forts of 
 rich goods expofed to fale in the fame manner 
 as at the New Exchange in London, but the 
 pavement is kept much neater, and the fhops 
 are all fo clean, they feem juft new painted. 
 Idle people of all forts walk here for their di- 
 verfion, or amufe themfelves with drinking 
 coffee, or fherbet, which is cried about as 
 oranges anc j fweet-meats are in our play- 
 houfes. I obferved moft of the rich tradefmen 
 were Jews. That people are in incredible 
 power in this country. They have many pri- 
 vileges above all the natural Turks themfelves, 
 and have formed a very confiderable common- 
 wealth here, being judged by their own laws. 
 They have drawn the whole trade of the Em- 
 pire into their hands, partly by the firm union 
 amongft themfelves, and partly by the idle 
 temper and want of induftry in the Turks. 
 Every BafTa has his Jew, who is his " homme 
 
 " d'affaires ;"
 
 ( 201 ) 
 
 " d'affaires ;" he is let into all his fecrets, 
 and does all his bufinefs. No bargain is made, 
 no bribe received, no mcrchandife diipoled of, 
 but what pafles through their hands. They are 
 the phyficians, the forwards, and the interpre- 
 ters of all the great men. You may jude;e how 
 advantageous this is to a people who never fail 
 to make ufe of the fmallcft advantages. They 
 have found the fecret of making themfelves fo 
 neceflary, that they are certain of the protection 
 of the court, whatever miniftry is in power. 
 Even the Englifh, French, and Italian mer- 
 chants, who are fenfible of their artifices, are, 
 however, forced to trufl their affairs to their ne- 
 gotiation, nothing of trade being managed with- 
 out them, and the meaneftamongft them b^ j; 
 too important to be difobliged, fmce the whole 
 body take care of his intercfts with as much vi- 
 gour as they would thofe of themoftronfi'Jerabie 
 of their members. They are manv of them vafrly 
 rich, but they take care to n,-<ce littie public 
 ftiew of it ; though they live in their houfes in 
 
 the
 
 ( 202 ) 
 
 the utmoft luxury and magnificence. This 
 copious fubjecl: has drawn me from mydefcrip- 
 tion of the exchange, founded by AH BafTa, 
 whofe name it bears. Near it is the Sherfki, a 
 ftreet of a mile in length, full of {hops of all 
 kind of fine merchandize, but exceffive dear, 
 nothing being made here. It is covered on the 
 top with boards to keep out the rain, that mer- 
 chants may meet conveniently in all weathers. 
 The Befiten near it, is another exchange, 
 built upon pillars, where all forts of horfe fur- 
 niture are fold. Glittering every where with 
 gold, rich embroidery and jewels, it makes a 
 very agreeable {hew. From this place I went 
 in my Turkifli coach, to the camp, which is 
 to move in a few days to the frontiers. The 
 Sultan is already gone to his tents, and all his 
 court ; the appearance of them is indeed, very 
 magnificent. Thofe of the great men are ra- 
 ther like palaces than tents, taking up a great 
 compafs of ground, and being divided into a 
 vaft number of apartments. They are all of 
 green, and the Bafias of three Tails, have 
 
 thofe
 
 C 203 ) 
 
 thofe cnfigns of their power placed in a very 
 confpicuous manner before their tents, which 
 are adorned on the top with gilded balls, more 
 or lefs, according to their different ranks. The 
 ladies go in coaches to fee the camp, as eagerly 
 as ours did to that of Hyde Park j but 'tis very 
 eafy to obferve, that the foldiers do not begin 
 the campaign with any great cheurfulncfs. The 
 war is a general grievance upon the people, 
 but particularly hard upon the tradefmcn, now 
 that the Grand Signior is refolved to lead his 
 army in perfon. Every company of them is 
 obliged, upon this occafion, to make a prefent 
 according to their ability. 
 
 I took the pains of rifing at fix in the morn- 
 ing to fee the ceremony, which did not how- 
 ever begin till eight. ' The Grand Signior was 
 at the Seraglio window, to fee the proceffion, 
 which pafled through the principal ftrects. It 
 was preceded by an Effendi, mounted on a ca- 
 mel, richly furnifhed, reading aloud the Al- 
 coran, finely bound, laid upon acufhion. He 
 was furrounded by a parcel of boys, in white, 
 
 tinging
 
 ( 204 ) 
 
 finging fome verfes of it, followed by a man 
 dreffed in green boughs, reprefenting a clean 
 hufbandman fowing feed. After him feveral 
 reapers with garlands of ears of corn, as Ceres 
 is pictured, with fcythes in their hands feeming 
 to mow. Then a little machine drawn by oxen, 
 in which was a wind-mill, and boys employed 
 in grinding corn, followed by another machine, 
 drawn by buffaloes carrying an oven, and two 
 more boys, one employed in kneading the bread, 
 and another in drawing it out of the oven. 
 Thefe boys threw little cakes on both fides a- 
 amongft the crowd, and were followed by the 
 whole company of bakers marching on foot, 
 two by two, in their beft clothes, with cakes, 
 loaves, parties and pies of all forts on their 
 heads, and after them two buffoons or jack- 
 puddings, with their faces and clothes fmeared 
 with meal, who diverted the mob with their 
 antic geftures. In the fame manner fol- 
 lowed all the companies of trade in the Em- 
 pire j the nobler fort, fuch as jewellers, mer- 
 cers, &c. finely mounted, and many of the pa- 
 geants
 
 ( 205 ) 
 
 geants that reprefent their trades, perfe&ly 
 magnificent ; amongft which that of the Fur- 
 riers made one of the beft figures, being a very 
 lar;e machine fet round with the (kins of er- 
 
 O 
 
 mines, foxes, &c. fo well fluffed, that the 
 animals feemed to be alive, and followed by 
 mufic and dancers. I believe they were, upon 
 the whole, twenty thoufand men, all ready to 
 follow his Highnefs if he commanded them. 
 The rear was clofed by the volunteers, who 
 came to beg the honour of dying in his fer- 
 vicV. This prrt of the mew feemed to me fo 
 barbarous, that I removed from the window 
 upon the firft appearance of it. They were 
 all naked to the middle. Some had their arms 
 pierced through with arrows left flicking in 
 them. Others had them flicking in their 
 heads, the blood trickling down their faces, 
 Some flamed their arms with fharp knives, 
 making the blood fpring out upon thofe that 
 flood there ; and this is looked upon as an ex- 
 preflion of their zeal for glory. 1 am told, 
 that fome make ufe of it to advance their love ; 
 
 and
 
 ( 206 ) 
 
 and when they are near the window, where 
 their miftrefs Hands (all the women in town 
 being veiled to fee this fpeclacle) they ftick 
 another arrow for her fake, who gives fome 
 fign of approbation and encouragement to this 
 gallantry. The whole fhevv lafted for near 
 eight hours, to my great forrow, who was 
 heartily tired, though I was in the houfe of the 
 widow of the Captain Baffa (Admiral) who 
 refrcfhed me with coffee, fweat-meats, flierbet, 
 &c. with all poffible civility. 
 
 I went two days after to fee the Mofque of 
 Sultan Selim I. which is a building very well 
 worth the curiofity of a traveller. I was dreffed 
 in my Turkifh habit, and admitted without 
 fcruple ; though I believe they guefled who I 
 was, by the extreme officioufnefs of the door 
 keeper, to {hew me every part of it. It is fitu- 
 ated very advantageoufly in the midft of the 
 city, and in the higheft part of it, making a 
 very noble {hew. The firft court has four 
 gates, and the innermoft three. They are 
 both of them furrounded with cloifters, with 
 
 marble
 
 marble pillars of the Ionic order finely po- 
 lifhed, and of very lively colours , the whole 
 pavement is of white marble, and the roof of 
 the cloifters divided into feveral cupolas or 
 domes, headed with gilt balls on the top. In 
 the midft of each court are fine fountains of 
 white marble ; and before the great gate of the 
 Mofque, a portico with green marble pillars, 
 which has five gates, the body of the Mofque 
 being one prodigious dome. I underftand fo 
 little of architecture, I dare not pretend to 
 fpeak of the proportions. It feemed to be very 
 regular ; this I am fure of, it is vaftly high, 
 and I thought it the nobleft building I ever 
 faw. It has two rows of marble galleries on 
 pillars, with marble baluflres ; the pavement 
 is alfo covered with Perfian carpets. In my 
 opinion, it is a great addition to its beauty, 
 that it is not divided into pews, and encum- 
 bered with forms and benches like our churches; 
 nor the pillars (which are moft of them red and 
 white marble) disfigured by the little tawdry 
 images and pictures, that give Roman Ca- 
 tholic
 
 ( 208 ) 
 
 tholic churches the air of toy-fhops. The 
 walls feerned to be inlaid, with fuch very lively 
 colours, in fmall flowers, that I could not ima- 
 gine what ftones had been made ufe of. But 
 going near, I faw they were crufted with japan 
 china, which has a very beautiful effect. In 
 the midft hung a vaft lamp of filver gilt ; be- 
 fides which I do verily believe, there was at 
 leaft two thoufand of a lefler fize. This muft 
 look very glorious when they are all lighted ; 
 but being at night, no women are fuffered to 
 enter. Under the large lamp is a great pulpit 
 of carved wood gilt, and juft by, a fountain to 
 wafh, which you know is an eflential part of 
 their devotion. In one corner is a little gallery 
 enclofed with gilded lattices for the Grand Sig- 
 nior. At the upper end a large niche, very 
 like an altar, raifed two fteps, covered with 
 gold brocade, and (landing before it two filver 
 gilt candlefticks, the height of a man, and in 
 them white wax candles as thick as a man's 
 wrift. The outfide of the Mofque is adorned 
 with towers vaftly high, gilt on the top, from 
 
 whence
 
 whence the Imaums call the people to prayers. 
 I had the curiofity to go up one of them, which 
 is contrived fo artfully, as to give furprize to 
 all that fee it. There is but one door, which 
 leads to three different flair-cafes, going to the 
 three different ftorics of the tower, in fuch a 
 manner, that three priefts may afcend, round- 
 ing, without ever meeting each other; a con- 
 trivance very much admired. Behind the 
 Mofque is an Exchange full of (hops, where 
 poor artificers are lodged gratis. I faw feveral 
 Dervifes at their prayers here. They are dreficd 
 in a plain piece of woollen, with their arms 
 bare, and a woollen cap on their heads, like a 
 high crowned hat without brims. I went to 
 fee fome other Mofques, built much after 
 the fame manner, but not comparable, in point 
 of magnificence, to this I have defcribeJ, which 
 is infinitely beyond any church in Germany 
 or England ; I won't talk of other countries 
 I have not feen. The Seraglio does not 
 
 
 
 feem a very magnificent palace. But the gar- 
 dens are very large, plentifully fupplied with 
 VOL. I. P water,
 
 C 
 
 water, and full of trees ; which is all I know* 
 of them, having never been in them. 
 
 I tell you nothing of the order of Mr. W 's 
 entry, and his audience, Thefe things are 
 always the fame, and have been fo often de- 
 fcribed, I won't trouble you with the repeti- 
 tion. The young Prince, about eleven years 
 old, fits near his father when he gives audi- 
 ence ; he is a handfome boy, but probably 
 will not immediately fucceed the Sultan, there 
 being two fons of Sultan MUSTAPHA (his 
 eldeft brother) remaining ; the eldeft about 
 twenty years old, on whom the hopes of the 
 people are fixed. This reign has been bloody 
 and avaritious. I am apt to believe they are 
 very impatient to fee the end of it. I am, Sir, 
 
 P. S. I will write to you again from Con- 
 ilantinople. 
 
 I, E T-
 
 LETTERS 
 
 OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 Lady M y W y M e, 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 ADVERTISEMENT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EDITOR. 
 
 THE editor of thefe Letters who 
 during his refidence at Venice, was honoured 
 with the efteem and friendship of their ingenious 
 and elegant author, prefents them to the pubJick, 
 for the two following reafons : 
 
 Firft, Becaufe it was the manifeft intention of 
 
 the late Lady M y W y M e, that this 
 
 SELECT COLLECTION of her Letters fliould be 
 communicated to the public; an intention de- 
 clared not only to the Editor, but to a few more 
 chofcn friends, to whom fhe gave copies of thefc 
 incomparable Letters. 
 
 The fecond and principal reafon that has 
 engaged the editor to let this collection fee the 
 light, is, that the publication of thefe letters 
 will be an immortal monument to the memory 
 
 of Lady M y W y ; and will fhfw, as 
 
 long as the Englifh language endures, the 
 fprightlinefs of her wit, the folidiry of her 
 judgment, the extent of her knowledge, the 
 elegance of her tafte, and the excellence of her 
 real character. 
 
 Tho
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 The SELECT COLLECTION, here publifhed, Was 
 faithfully tranfcnbed from. the original manuicript 
 of her ladylhip at Venice. 
 
 The Letters from Ratijbon, Vienna^ Drefchr^ 
 Peterivamdln^ Belgrade-, Adrinnople , Gonjlantino- 
 pie, Pera, "Junis, Gewa, Lyons and Paris, are, 
 certainly, the moft curious and interefting part 
 jof this publication, and both in point of ma-ter 
 and fcrm^ are, to fay no more of them, fingu- 
 ]arJy worthy of the curiofity and attention of all 
 w.-v of ia;te, and even of all ivome-i of fajhian. 
 As to thofe female readers, who read for improve- 
 ment, and think their beauty an infipid thing, if 
 "it is not fcafoned by intellectual charms, they 
 /will find in thefe Letters what they feek for, and 
 ; -wi 1 behold in their author, an ornament and 
 model to their fex.
 
 LETTER XXXV. 
 To the Abbot . 
 
 Conflr-ntinople, May 29, O.S. 
 
 I HAVE had the advantage of very 
 fine weather all my journey, and as the fum- 
 mer is now in its beauty, I enjoyed the pleafure 
 of fine profpccts ; and the meadows being full 
 of all forts of garden flowers, and fweet herbs, 
 my berlin perfumed the air as it p re (Ted them, 
 The Grand Stgnior furnifhed us with thirty 
 covered waggons for cur baggage, and five 
 coaches of the country for my women. We 
 found the road full of the great Spahis and 
 their equipages coming out of Afia to the war. 
 They always travel with tents; but I chofe to 
 lie in houfes all the way. I will not trouble 
 you with the names of the villages we paflcd, 
 in which there was nothing remarkable, but 
 at Cioilei, where there was a Conac, or little 
 Seraglio, built for the ufe of the Grand Sig- 
 nior, when he goes this road. I had the curi- 
 
 ofity
 
 C 212 ) 
 
 ofity to view all the apartments deftined for 
 the ladies of his court. They were in the 
 midft of a thick grove of trees, made frefli by 
 fountains: but I was moft furprifed to fee the 
 walls almoft covered with little diftichs of 
 Turkifh verfe, writ with pencils. I made my 
 interpreter explain them to me, and I found 
 ftveral of them very well turned ; though I 
 eafily believed him, that they had loft much of 
 their beauty in the tranflation. One was lite- 
 rally thus in Englifh : 
 
 We come into this world ; ive ledge and ive depart ; 
 He never goes that kdgd ivitbin my heart. 
 
 The reft of our journey was through fine 
 painted meadows, by the fide of the fea of 
 Marmora, the ancient Propontis. We lay the 
 next niqht at Selivrea, anciently a noble town. 
 It is now a' good fea-port, and neatly built 
 enough, and has a bridge of thirty-two arches. 
 
 Here is a famous ancient Greek church. 1 
 
 had given one of my coaches to a Greek lady, 
 who defired the conveniency of travelling with 
 
 me
 
 me ; fhe defigned to pay her devotions, and I . 
 Was glad of the opportunity of going with her. 
 I found it an ill-built edifice, fet out with the 
 fame fort of ornaments, but lefs rich, as the 
 Roman Catholic churches. They fhewed me 
 a faint's body, where I threw a piece of money; 
 and a picture of the Virgin Mary, drawn by 
 the hand of St. Luke, very little to the credit 
 of his painting; but$ however, the fined Ma- 
 dona of Italy is not more famous for her mi- 
 racles. The Greeks have a monftrous tafte in 
 their pictures, which, for more finery, are al- 
 ways drawn upon a gold ground. You may 
 imagine what a good air this has ; but they 
 have no notion either of fhade or proportion. 
 They have a bifhop here, who officiated in his 
 purple robe, and fcnt me a candle almoft as big 
 as myfelf for a prefent, when I was at my lodg- 
 ing. We lay that night at a town called Bu- 
 juk Cekmege, or Great Bridge; and the night 
 following at Kujuk Cekmege, or Little Bridge, 
 in a very pleafant lodging, formerly a mona- 
 ftery of Dervifes, having before it a large court, 
 VOL. I. Q. encom-
 
 encompafied with marble cloifters, with a good 
 fountain in the middle. The profpecl from 
 this place, and the gardens round it, is the 
 moft agreeable I have feen j and fhews, that 
 monks of all religions know how to chufe their 
 retirements. 'Tis now belonging to a Hogia, 
 or fchool-mafter, who teaches boys here. I 
 afked him to fhew me his own apartment, and 
 was furprifed to fee him point to a tall cyprefs 
 tree in the garden, on the top of which was a 
 place for a bed for himfelf, and a little lower, 
 one for his wife and two children, who flept 
 there every night. I was fo much diverted with 
 the fancy, I refolved to examine his neft nearer, 
 but after going up fifty (reps, I found I had 
 ftill fifty to go up, and then I muft climb from 
 branch to branch, with fome hazard of my 
 neck, I thought it therefore the beft way to 
 come down again. 
 
 We arrived the next day at Conftantinople ; 
 but I can yet tell you very little of it, all my 
 time having been taken up with receiving vifits, 
 which are, at leaft, a very good entertainment 
 
 to
 
 to the eyes, the young women being all beau- 
 ties, and their beauty highly improved by the 
 high tafte of their drefs. Our palace is in Pera, 
 which is no more a fuburb of Conftantinople, 
 than Weftminfter is a fuburb to London. All 
 the Ambafladors are lodged very near each 
 other. One part of our houfe (hews us the 
 Port, the City, and the Seraglio, and the dif- 
 tant hills of Afia ; perhaps, all together, the 
 moft beautiful profpe<5t in the world. 
 
 A certain French author fays, Conftanti- 
 nople is twice as big as Paris. Mr. W y 
 
 is unwilling to own 'tis bigger than London, 
 though I confefs it appears to me to be fo j but 
 I don't believe 'tis fo populous. The burying 
 fields about ir, are certainly much larger than 
 the whole city. 'Tis furprizing what a vaft 
 deal of land is loft this way in Turkey. Some- 
 times I have feen burying places of feveral 
 miles, belonging to very inconfiderable villages, 
 which were formerly great towns, and retain 
 no other mark of their antient grandeur, than 
 this difmal one. On no occafion do they ever 
 2 remove
 
 ( 216 ) 
 
 removr a ftone that ferves for a monument. 
 Some of them are coftly enough, being of very 
 fine marble. They fet up a pillar with a carved 
 turbant on the top of it to the memory of a man ; 
 and as the turbants, by their different fhapes, 
 (hew the quality or profefiion, 'tis in a manner 
 putting up the arms of the deceafed. Befides, 
 the pillar commonly bears an infer iption in gold 
 letters. The ladies have a fimple pillar, with- 
 out other ornament, except thofe that die un- 
 married, who have a rofe on the top of their 
 monument. The fepulchres of particular famU 
 lies are railed in, and planted round with trees. 
 Thofe of the Sultans, and fomc great men } have 
 lamps conftantly burning in them. 
 
 When I fpoke of their religion, I forgot to 
 mention two particularities, one of which I 
 had read of, but it feemed fo odd to me, I 
 could not believe itj yet 'tis certainly true; 
 that when a man has divorced his wife, in the 
 moft folemn manner, he can take her again 
 upon no other terms, than permitting another 
 
 man to pafs a night with her j and there are 
 
 fome
 
 ( 217 ) 
 
 fome examples of thofe, who have fubmitted 
 to this law, rather than not have back their 
 beloved. The other point of doctrine is very- 
 extraordinary. Any woman that dies unmar- 
 ried, is looked upon to die in a (rate of repro- 
 bation. To confirm this belief, they reafon, 
 that the end of the creation of woman, is to 
 increafe and multiply, and that (lie is only pro- 
 perly employed in the works of her calling, 
 when fhe is bringing forth children, or taking 
 care of them, which are all the virtues that 
 God expects from her. And indeed their way 
 of life, which {huts them out of all public 
 commerce, does not permit then any other. 
 Our vulgar notion, that they don't own wo- 
 men to have any fouls, is a miftakc. 'Tis 
 true they fay, they are not of fo elevated a 
 kind, and therefore muft not hope to be ad- 
 mitted into the Paradife appointed for the men, 
 who are to be entertained by c< ! lial beauties. 
 But there is a place of happinefs deftincd for 
 fouls of the inferior order, where all good wo- 
 men are to be in eternal bliis. ".tany of them 
 
 are
 
 ( 218 ) 
 
 are very fuperftitious, and will not remain wi- 
 dows ten days, for fear of dying in the repro- 
 bate ftate of a ufelefs creature. But thofe that 
 like their liberty, and are not flaves to their re- 
 ligion, content themfelves with marrying when 
 they are afraid of dying. This is a piece of the- 
 ology very different from that which teaches 
 nothing to be more acceptable to God, than a 
 vow of perpetual virginity : which divinity is 
 moft rational, I leave you to determine. 
 
 f 
 
 I have already made fome progrefs in a col- 
 lection of Greek medals. Here are feveral pro- 
 feffed antiquaries, who are ready to ferve any 
 body that defires them. But you cannot ima- 
 gine how they flare in my face, when I enquire 
 about them, as if nobody was permitted to 
 feek after medals, till they were grown a piece 
 of antiquity themfelves. I have got fome very 
 valuable ones of the Macedonian Kings, par- 
 ticularly one of PERSEUS, fo lively, I fancy I 
 can fee all his ill qualities in his face. I have 
 9. Porphyry head finely cut, of the true Greek 
 
 fculpture }
 
 ( "9 ) 
 
 fculpture ; but who it reprefents, is to be 
 guefled at by the learned when I return. For 
 you are not to fuppofe thefe antiquaries (who 
 are all Greeks) know any thing. Their trade 
 is only to fell ; they have correfpondents at 
 Aleppo, Grand Cairo, in Arabia and Palef- 
 tine, who fend them all they can find, and 
 very often great heaps, that are only fit to melt 
 into pans and kettles. They get the beft price 
 they can for any of them, without knowing 
 thofe that are valuable, from thofe that are not. 
 Thofe that pretend to (kill, generally find out 
 , the image of fome Saint in the medals of the 
 Greek cities. One of them, (hewing me the 
 figure of a Pallas, with a victory in her hand 
 on a reverfe, afTured me, it was the Virgin 
 holding a crucifix. The fame man offered me 
 the head of a Socrates, on a Sardonix ; and, to 
 enhance the value, give him the title of Saint 
 Auguftin. I have befpoke a mummy, which, 
 I hope, will come fafe to my hands, notwith- 
 ftanding the misfortune that befel a very fine 
 one, defigned for the King of Sweden. He 
 
 gave
 
 ( 220 ) 
 
 gave a great price for it, and the Turks took it 
 into :heir heads, that he muft have fome con- 
 fider^ble project depending upon it. They fan- 
 cied it the body of God knows who, and that 
 the {rate of their empire myftically depended on 
 the conservation of it. Some old prophecies 
 were remembered upon this occafion, and the 
 mummy committed prifoner to the Seven Tow- 
 ers, where it has remained under clofe confine- 
 ment ever fince. I dare not try my intereft in 
 fo confiderable a point, as the releafe of it; but 
 I hope mine will pafs without examination. 
 I can tell you nothing more at prefent of this 
 famous city. When I have looked a little about 
 me, you fhall hear from me again. I am, Sir, 
 
 Your's, &c. &c. 
 
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