goodness, though I fear the dulnefs of this will make you immediately repent of it. It is not from Austria that one can write with vivacity, and I am already infected with the phlegm of the country. Even their amours and their quarrels are carried on with a furprizing temper, and they are never lively, but upon points of ceremony. There, I own, they fhew all their paffions, and 'tis not long fince two coaches meeting in a narrow street at night, the ladies in them not being able to adjust the ceremonial of which fhould 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 refused 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 some diffiVol. I. E culty, 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 breafts of the women, that even their husbands never die, but they are ready to break their hearts, because that fatal hour puts an end to their rank, no widows having any place. at Vienna. The men are not much less touched with this point of honour, and they don't only scorn 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 confidered by them, than either the complexion or features of their miftreffes. Happy are the She's that can number amongst their ancestors, Counts of the Empire; they have neither occafion for beauty, money, nor good conduct to get them husbands. 'Tis true as to money, 'tis feldom any advantage to the man they marry; the laws of Auftria confine the woman's portion to two thousand florins (about two hundred pounds English) and whatever they they have befide, remains in their own poffeffion and difpofal. Thus here are many ladies much richer than their husbands, 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 laziness and extreme indifference on this fubject, will pity me, intangled amongst all these ceremonies, which are a wonderful burden to me, though I am the envy of the whole town, having by their own cuftoms the pass before them all. They, indeed, fo revenge upon the poor Envoys, this great refpect fhewed to Ambassadors, that (with all my indifference) I fhould be very uneasy to suffer it. Upon days of ceremony they have no entrance at court, and on other days must content them felves with walking after every foul, and being the very last taken notice of. But I muft write a volume to let you know all the ceremonies, and I have already E 2 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 I do the tafte of, Yours, &c. &c. LET LETTER To the Lady X XII. Vienna, Oct. 1, 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, but ́ you must upon this occafion take the will for the deed. If I should undertake to tell you all the particulars in which the manners here differ from ours, I must write a whole quire of the dulleft ftuff that ever was read, or printed without being read. Their drefs agrees with the French or English in no one article, but wearing petticoats. They have many fashions peculiar to themselves; they think it indecent for a widow ever to wear green or rose colour, but all the other gayeft colours at her own difcretion. The affemblies here are the only regular diverfion, the operas being always at |