motto, For her whom Fortune favours." The third was a SWORD with a laurel wreath on the point, the motto, "Here is no shame

to the vanquished."-Near the Empress was a gilded trophy wreathed with flowers, and made of little crooks, on which were hung rich Turkish handkerchiefs, tippets, ribbons, laces, &c. for the small prizes. The Empress gave the first with her own hand, which was a fine ruby ring fet round with diamonds in a gold fnuff-box. There was for the fecond, a little Cupid fet with brilliants, and besides these a fet of fine china for the tea-table, enchased in gold, japan trunks, fans, and many gallantries of the fame nature. All the men of quality at Vienna were spectators; but the ladies only had permiffion to shoot, and the arch-duchess Amelia carried off the first prize. I was very well pleased with having feen this entertainment, and I do not know but it might make as good a figure as the prize fhooting in the Eneid, if I could write as well as Virgil. This is the favourite pleasure of the Emperor,

and there is rarely a week without fome feast of this kind, which makes the young ladies.

fkilful enough to defend a fort.

very much to see me afraid to

They laughed

handle a gun.

My dear fifter, you will eafily pardon an abrupt conclufion. I believe by this time you are ready to think I fhall never conclude at all.

LET

LETTER X.

To the Lady R —.

Vienna, Sept. 20, 1716. O. S.

I AM extremely rejoiced, but not at all furprised, at the long, delightful letter, I know you have had the goodness to fend me.

that you can think of an absent friend even in the midst of a court, and you love to oblige,

fhould love me,

where you can have no view of a return, and I expect from and think of me, when you

that you

you

don't fee me. I

have compaffion 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 customs of our country. Upon my word, if he were here, she would have no other fault but that of being fomething too young for the fashion, and she has nothing to do but to transplant herself hither about seven years hence, to be again a

young

young and blooming beauty. I can affure you that wrinkles, or a small stoop in the shoulders, nay even grey hairs, are no objection to the making new conquefts. I know you cannot eafily figure to yourself, a young fellow of five and twenty, ogling my Lady S-ff-k with paffion, or preffing to hand the Countess of Od from an Opera. But fuch are the fights I fee every day, and I don't perceive any body furprized at them but myfelf. A woman, till five and thirty, is only looked upon as a raw girl, and can poffibly make no noise in the world till about forty. I don't know what your ladyship may think of this matter, but 'tis a confiderable comfort to me to know there is upon earth fuch a paradife for old women, and I am content to be infignificant at prefent, in the defign of returning when I am fit to appear no where else. I cannot help lamenting on this occafion, the pitiful cafe of too many English ladies, long fince retired to prudery and ratafia, who if their stars had luckily conducted hither, would ftill fine in

the

the first rank of beauties. Befides, 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 respected in regard to the rank of their lovers, than that of their husbands.

But what you will think very odd, the two fects 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 seen any fuch prudes, as to pretend fidelity to their husbands, who are certainly the best natured fet of people in the world, and look upon their wives' gallants as favourably, as men do upon their deputies, that take the troublesome part of their bufinefs off their hands. They have not however the lefs to do on that account; for they are generally deputies in another place themselves; in one word 'tis the eftablished custom