Lady Mary Wortley Montague - Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M y W y M e
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Lady Mary Wortley Montague >> Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M y W y M e
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LET. VII.
TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.
_Vienna, Sept_. 8. O. S. 1716.
I AM now, my dear sister, safely arrived at Vienna; and, I thank God,
have not at all suffered in my health, nor (what is dearer to me) in
that of my child, by all our fatigues. We travelled by water from
Ratisbon, a journey perfectly agreeable, down the Danube, in one of
those little vessels, that they, very properly, call wooden houses,
having in them all the conveniences of a palace, stoves in the
chambers, kitchens, &c. They are rowed by twelve men each, and move
with such incredible swiftness, that in the same day you have the
pleasure of a vast variety of prospects; and, within the space of a
few hours, you have the pleasure of seeing a populous city adorned
with magnificent palaces, and the most romantic solitudes, which
appear distant from the commerce of mankind, the banks of the Danube
being charmingly diversified with woods, rocks, mountains covered
with vines, fields of corn, large cities, and ruins of ancient
castles. I saw the great towns of Passau and Lintz, famous for the
retreat of the imperial court, when Vienna was besieged. This town,
which has the honour of being the emperor's residence, did not at all
answer my expectation, nor ideas of it, being much less than I
expected to find it; the streets are very close, and so narrow, one
cannot observe the fine fronts of the palaces, though many of them
very well deserve observation, being truly magnificent. They are
built of fine white stone, and are excessive high. For as the town
is too little for the number of the people that desire to live in it,
the builders seem to have projected to repair that misfortune, by
clapping one town on the top of another, most of the houses being of
five, and some of them six stories. You may easily imagine, that the
streets being so narrow, the rooms are extremely dark; and, what is
an inconveniency much more intolerable, in my opinion, there is no
house has so few as five or six families in it. The apartments of
the greatest ladies, and even of the ministers of state, are divided,
but by a partition, from that of a taylor (sic) or shoemaker; and I
know no body that has above two floors in any house, one for their
own use, and one higher for their servants. Those that have houses
of their own, let Out the rest of them to whoever will take them; and
thus the great stairs, (which are all of stone) are as common and as
dirty as the street. 'Tis true, when you have once travelled through
them, nothing can be more surprisingly magnificent than the
apartments. They are commonly a _suite_ of eight or ten large rooms,
all inlaid, the doors and windows richly carved and gilt, and the
furniture, such as is seldom seen in the palaces of sovereign princes
in other countries. Their apartments are adorned with hangings of
the finest tapestry of Brussels, prodigious large looking glasses in
silver frames, fine japan tables, beds, chairs, canopies, and window
curtains of the richest Genoa damask or velvet, almost covered with
gold lace or embroidery. All this is made gay by pictures, and vast
jars of japan china, and large lustres of rock crystal. I have
already had the honour of being invited to dinner by several of the
first people of quality; and I must do them the justice to say, the
good taste and magnificence of their tables, very well answered to
that of their furniture. I have been more than once entertained with
fifty dishes of meat all served in silver, and well dressed; the
desert (sic) proportionable, served in the finest china. But the
variety and richness of their wines, is what appears the most
surprising. The constant way is, to lay a list of their names upon
the plates of the guests, along with the napkins; and I have counted
several times to the number of eighteen different sorts, all
exquisite in their kinds. I was yesterday at Count Schoonbourn, the
vice-chancellor's garden, where I was invited to dinner. I must own,
I never saw a place so perfectly delightful as the Fauxburg (sic) of
Vienna. It is very large, and almost wholly composed of delicious
palaces. If the emperor found it proper to permit the gates of the
town to be laid open, that the Fauxburg might be joined to it, he
would have one of the largest and best built cities in Europe. Count
Schoonbourn's villa is one of the most magnificent; the furniture all
rich brocades, so well fancied and fitted up, nothing can look more
gay and splendid; not to speak of a gallery, full of rarities of
coral, mother of pearl, and, throughout the whole house, a profusion
of gilding, carving, fine paintings, the most beautiful porcelain,
statues of alabaster and ivory, and vast orange and lemon trees in
gilt pots. The dinner was perfectly fine and well ordered, and made
still more agreeable by the good humour of the Count. I have not yet
been at court, being forced to stay for my gown, without which there
is no waiting on the empress; though I am not without great
impatience to see a beauty that has been the admiration of so many
different nations. When I have had that honour, I will not fail to
let you know my real thoughts, always taking a particular pleasure in
communicating them to my dear sister.
LETTER VIII
TO MR. P----.
_Vienna, Sept_.14. O. S. (sic)
PERHAPS you'll laugh at me for thanking you very gravely for all the
obliging concern you express for me. 'Tis certain that I may, if I
please, take the fine things you say to me for wit and raillery; and,
it may be, it would be taking them right. But I never, in my life,
was half so well disposed to take you in earnest as I am at present;
and that distance which makes the continuation of your friendship
improbable, has very much increased my faith in it. I find that I
have, (as well as the rest of my sex) whatever face I set on't, a
strong disposition to believe in miracles. Don't fancy, however,
that I am infected by the air of these popish countries; I have,
indeed, so far wandered from the discipline of the church of England,
as to have been last Sunday at the opera, which was performed in the
garden of the Favorita; and I was so much pleased with it, I have not
yet repented my seeing it. Nothing of that kind ever was more
magnificent; and I can easily believe what I am told, that the
decorations and habits cost the emperor thirty thousand pounds
Sterling. The stage was built over a very large canal, and, at the
beginning of the second act, divided into two parts, discovering the
water, on which there immediately came, from different parts, two
fleets of little gilded vessels, that gave the representation of a
naval fight. It is not easy to imagine the beauty of this scene,
which I took particular notice of. But all the rest were perfectly
fine in their kind. The story of the opera is the enchantment of
Alcina, which gives opportunities for great variety of machines, and
changes of the scenes, which are performed with a surprising
swiftness. The theatre is so large, that it is hard to carry the eye
to the end of it, and the habits in the utmost magnificence, to the
number of one hundred and eight. No house could hold such large
decorations: but the ladies all sitting in the open air, exposes them
to great inconveniences; for there is but one canopy for the imperial
family; and the first night it was represented, a shower of rain
happening, the opera was broke off, and the company crowded away in
such confusion, that I was almost squeezed to death.--But if their
operas are thus delightful, their comedies are in as high a degree
ridiculous. They have but one play-house, where I had the curiosity
to go to a German comedy, and was very glad it happened to be the
story of Amphitrion (sic). As that subject has been already handled
by a Latin, French, and English poet, I was curious to see what an
Austrian author would make of it. I understand enough of that
language to comprehend the greatest part of it; and besides, I took
with me a lady, that had the goodness to explain to me every word.
The way is, to take a box, which holds four, for yourself and
company. The fixed price is a gold ducat. I thought the house very
low and dark; but I confess, the comedy admirably recompensed that
defect. I never laughed so much in my life. It began with Jupiter's
falling in love out of a peep-hole in the clouds, and ended with the
birth of Hercules. But what was most pleasant, was the use Jupiter
made of his metamorphosis; for you no sooner saw him under the figure
of Amphitrion, but, instead of flying to Alcmena, with the raptures Mr
Dryden puts into his mouth, he sends 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 bespeaks a great supper in his name; and the
greatest part of the comedy turns upon poor Amphitrion's being
tormented by these people for their debts. Mercury uses Sofia in the
same manner. But I could not easily pardon the liberty the poet has
taken of larding his play with, not only indecent expressions, but
such gross words, as I don't think Our mob would suffer from a
mountebank. Besides, the two Sofias very fairly let down their
breeches in the direct view of the boxes, which were full of people
of the first rank, that seemed very well pleased with their
entertainment, and assured me, this was a celebrated piece. I shall
conclude my letter with this remarkable relation, very well worthy
the serious consideration of Mr Collier. I won't trouble you with
farewel (sic) compliments, which I think generally as impertinent, as
courtesies at leaving the room, when the visit had been too long
already.
LET. IX.
TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.
_Vienna, Sept_. 14. O. S.
THOUGH I have so lately troubled you, my dear sister, with a long
letter, yet I will keep my promise in giving you an account of my
first going to court. In order to that ceremony, I was squeezed up
in a gown, and adorned with a gorget and the other implements
thereunto belonging; a dress very inconvenient, but which certainly
shows the neck and shape to great advantage. I cannot forbear giving
you some description of the fashions here, which are more monstrous,
and contrary to all common sense and reason, than 'tis possible for
you to imagine. They build certain fabrics of gauze on their heads,
about a yard high, consisting of three or four stories, fortified
with numberless yards of heavy ribbon. The foundation of this
structure is a thing they call a _Bourle_, which is exactly of the
same shape and kind, but about four times as big as those rolls our
prudent milk-maids make use of to fix their pails upon. This machine
they cover With their own hair, which they mix with a great deal of
false, it being a particular beauty to have their heads too large to
go into a moderate tub. Their hair is prodigiously powdered to
conceal the mixture, and set out with three or four rows of bodkins
(wonderfully large, that stick out two or three inches from their
hair) made of diamonds, pearls, red, green, and yellow stones, 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 several yards, circumference, and cover some
acres of ground. You may easily suppose how this extraordinary dress
sets off and improves the natural ugliness, with which God Almighty
has been pleased to endow them, generally speaking. Even the lovely
empress herself is obliged to comply, in some degree, with these
absurd fashions, which they would not quit for all the world. I had
a private audience (according to ceremony) of half an hour, and then
all the other ladies were permitted to come and make their court. I
was perfectly charmed with the empress; I cannot however tell you
that her features are regular; her eyes are not large, but have a
lively look full of sweetness; her complexion the finest I ever saw;
her nose and forehead well made, but her mouth has ten thousand
charms, that touch the soul. When she smiles, 'tis with a beauty and
sweetness that forces adoration. She has a vast quantity of fine
fair hair; but then her person!--one must speak of it poetically to
do it rigid justice; all that the poets have said of the mien of
Juno, the air of Venus, come not up to the truth. The Graces move
with her; the famous statue of Medicis was not formed with more
delicate proportions; nothing can be added to the beauty of her neck
and hands. Till I saw them, I did not believe there were any in
nature so perfect, and I was almost sorry that my rank here did not
permit me to kiss them; but they are kissed sufficiently; for every
body that waits on her pays that homage at their entrance, and when
they take leave. When the ladies were come in, she sat down to
Quinze. I could not play at a game I had never seen before, and she
ordered me a seat at her right hand, and had the goodness to talk to
me very much, with that grace so 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; no man enters it
but the grand-master, who comes in to advertise the empress of the
approach of the emperor. His imperial majesty did me the honour of
speaking to me in a very obliging manner; but he never speaks to any
of the other ladies; and the whole passes with a gravity and air of
ceremony that has something very formal in it. The empress Amelia,
dowager of the late emperor Joseph, came this evening to wait on the
reigning empress, followed by the two arch-duchesses her daughters,
who are very agreeable young princesses. Their imperial majesties
rose and went to meet her at the door of the room, after which she
was seated in an armed (sic) chair, next the empress, and in the same
manner at supper, and there the men had the permission of paying
their court. The arch-duchesses sat on chairs with backs without
arms. The table was entirely served, and all the dishes set on by
the empress's maids of honour, which are twelve young ladies of the
first quality. They have no salary, but their chamber at court,
where they live in a sort of confinement, not being suffered to go to
the assemblies or public places in town, except in compliment to the
wedding of a sister maid, whom the empress always presents with her
picture set in diamonds. The three first of them are called _Ladies
of the Key_, and wear gold keys by their sides; but what I find most
pleasant, is the custom, which obliges them, as long as they live,
after they have left the empress's service, to make her some present
every year on the day of her feast. Her majesty is served by no
married women but the _grande maitresse_, who is generally a widow of
the first quality, always very old, and is at the same time groom of
the stole, and mother of the maids. The dressers are not, at all, in
the figure they pretend to in England, being looked upon no otherwise
than as downright chambermaids. I had an audience next day Of the
empress mother, a princess of great virtue and goodness, but who
picques herself too much on a violent devotion. She is perpetually
performing extraordinary acts of penance, without having ever done
any thing to deserve them. She has the same number of maids of
honour, whom she suffers to go in colours; but she herself never
quits her mourning; and sure nothing can be more dismal than the
mourning here, even for a brother. There is not the least bit of
linen to be seen; all black crape (sic) instead of it. The neck,
ears and side of the face are covered with a plaited piece of the
same stuff, and the face that peeps out in the midst of it, looks as
if it were pilloried. The widows wear over and above, a crape
forehead cloth; and, in this solemn weed, go to all the public places
of diversion without scruple. The next day I was to wait on the
empress Amelia, who is now at her palace of retirement, half a mile
from the town. I had there the pleasure of seeing a diversion wholly
new to me, but which is the common amusement of this court. The
empress herself was seated on a little throne at the end of the fine
alley in the garden, and on each side of her were ranged two parties
of her ladies of quality, headed by two Young archduchesses, all
dressed in their hair, full of jewels, with fine light guns in their
hands; and at proper distances were placed three oval pictures, which
were the marks to be shot at. The first was that of a CUPID, filling
a bumper of Burgundy, and the motto, _'Tis easy to be valiant here_.
The second a FORTUNE, holding a garland in her hand, the 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 be
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 set round with diamonds, in a gold snuff-box. There was for the
second, a little Cupid set with brilliants, and besides these a set
of fine china for the tea-table, enchased in gold, japan trunks,
fans, and many gallantries of the same nature. All the men of
quality at Vienna were spectators; but the ladies only had permission
to shoot, and the arch-duchess Amelia carried off the first prize. I
was very well pleased with having seen this entertainment, and I do
not know but it might make as good a figure as the prize-shooting 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
some feast of this kind, which makes the young ladies skilful enough
to defend a fort. They laughed very much to see me afraid to handle
a gun. My dear sister, you will easily pardon an abrupt conclusion.
I believe, by this time, you are ready to think I shall never
conclude at all.
LET. X.
TO THE LADY R----.
_Vienna, Sept_. 20. O. S. 1716.
I AM extremely rejoiced, but not at all surprised, at the long,
delightful letter, you have had the goodness to send me. I know that
you can think of an absent friend even in the midst of a court, and
you love to oblige, where you can have no view of a return; and I
expect from you that you should love me, and think of me, when you
don't see me. I have compassion for the mortifications that you tell
me befel (sic) our little old friend, and I pity her much more, since
I know, that they are only owing to the barbarous customs of our
country. Upon my word, if she were here, she would have no other
fault but that of being something 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 and blooming beauty. I can assure you,
that wrinkles, or a small stoop in the shoulders, nay, even
gray-hairs (sic), are no objection to the making new conquests. I
know you cannot easily figure to yourself, a young fellow of five and
twenty, ogling my lady S-ff--k with passion, or pressing to hand the
countess of O----d from an opera. But such are the sights I see
every day, and I don't perceive any body surprized (sic) at them but
myself. A woman, till five and thirty, is only looked upon as a raw
girl, and can possibly make no noise in the world, till about forty.
I don't know what your ladyship may think of this matter; but 'tis a
considerable comfort to me, to know there is upon earth such a
paradise for old women; and I am content to be insignificant at
present, in the design of returning when I am fit to appear no where
else. I cannot help, lamenting, on this occasion, the pitiful case
of too many English ladies, long since retired to prudery and
ratafia, who, if their stars had luckily conducted hither, would
shine in the first rank of beauties. Besides, that perplexing word
_reputation_, has quite another meaning here than what you give it at
London; and getting a lover is so far from losing, that 'tis properly
getting reputation; ladies being much more respected in regard to the
rank of their lovers, than that of their husbands.
BUT what you'll think very odd, the two sects 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 such
prudes as to pretend fidelity to their husbands, who are certainly
the best natured set 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 business off their hands. They
have not however the less to do on that account; for they are
generally deputies in another place themselves; in one word, 'tis the
established custom for every lady to have two husbands, one that
bears the name, and another that performs the duties. And the
engagements are so well known, that it would be a downright affront,
and publicly resented, if you invited a woman of quality to dinner,
without, at the same time, inviting her two attendants of lover and
husband, between whom she sits in state with great gravity. The
sub-marriages generally last twenty years together, and the lady
often commands the poor lover's estate, even to the utter ruin of his
family. These connections, indeed, are as seldom begun by any real
passion as other matches; for a man makes but an ill figure that is
not in some commerce of this nature; and a woman looks out for a
lover as soon as she's married, as part of her equipage, without
which she could not be genteel; and the first article of the treaty
is establishing the pension, which remains to the lady, in case the
gallant should prove inconstant. This chargeable point of honour, I
look upon as the real foundation of so many wonderful influences of
constancy. I really know some women of the first quality, whose
pensions are as well known as their annual rents, and yet nobody
esteems them the less; on the contrary, their discretion would be
called in question, if they should be suspected to be mistresses
for nothing. A great part of their emulation consists in trying who
shall get most; and having no intrigue at all, is so far a disgrace,
that, I'll assure you, a lady, who is very much my friend here, told
me but yesterday, how much I was obliged to her for justifying my
conduct in a conversation relating to me, where it was publicly
asserted, that I could not possibly have common sense, since I had
been in town above a fortnight, and had made no steps towards
commencing an amour. My friend pleaded for me, that my stay was
uncertain, and she believed that was the cause of my seeming
stupidity; and this was all she could find to say in my
justification. But one of the pleasantest adventures I ever met with
in my life was last night, and it will give you a just idea in what a
delicate manner the _belles passions_ are managed in this country. I
was at the assembly of the countess of -----, and the young count
of ----- leading me down stairs, asked me how long I was to stay at
Vienna? I made answer, that my stay depended on the emperor, and it
was not in my power to determine it. Well, madam, (said he) whether
your time here is to be longer or shorter, I think you ought to pass
it agreeably, and to that end you must engage in a _little affair of
the heart_.--My heart, (answered I gravely enough) does not engage
very easily, and I have no design of parting with it. I see, madam,
(said he sighing) by the ill nature of that answer, I am not to hope
for it, which is a great mortification to me that am charmed with
you. But, however, I am still devoted to your service; and since I
am not worthy of entertaining you myself, do me the honour of letting
me know whom you like best amongst us, and I'll engage to manage the
affair entirely to your satisfaction. You may judge in what manner I
should have received this compliment in my own country; but I was
well enough acquainted with the way of this, to know that he really
intended me an obligation, and I thanked him with a very grave
courtesy for his zeal to serve me, and only assured him, I had no
occasion to make use of it. Thus you see, my dear, that gallantry
and good-breeding are as different, in different climates, as
morality and religion. Who have the rightest (sic) notions of both,
we shall never know till the day of judgment; for which great day of
_eclaircissement_, I own there is very little impatience in
your, &c. &c.
L E T. XI.
TO MRS J----.
_Vienna, Sept_. 26. O. S. 1716.
I WAS never more agreeably surprised than by your obliging letter.
'Tis a peculiar mark of my esteem that I tell you so; and I can
assure you, that if I loved you one grain less than I do, I should be
very sorry to see it so diverting as it is. The mortal aversion I
have to writing, makes me tremble at the thoughts of a new
correspondent; and I believe I have disobliged no less than a dozen
of my London acquaintance by refusing to hear from them, though I did
verily think they intended to send me very entertaining letters. But
I had rather lose the pleasure of reading several witty things, than
be forced to write many stuped (sic) ones. Yet, in spite of these
considerations, I am charmed with the proof of your friendship, and
beg a continuation of the same goodness, though I fear the dulness 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 surprising temper, and they are never lively but
upon points of ceremony. There, I own, they shew all their passions;
and 'tis not long since two coaches, meeting in a narrow street at
night, the ladies in them not being able to adjust the ceremonial of
which should go back, sat there, with equal gallantry till two in the
morning, and were both so fully determined to die upon the spot
rather than yield, in a point of that importance, that the street
would never have been cleared till their deaths, if the emperor had
not sent his guards to part them; and even then they refused to stir,
till the expedient could be found out of taking them both out in
chairs, exactly in the same moment. After the ladies were agreed, it
was with some difficulty that the pass was decided between the two
coachmen, no less tenacious of their rank than the ladies. This
passion is so omnipotent in the breasts 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 do not only scorn to marry, but even to make love to
any woman of a family not as illustrious as their own; and the
pedigree is much more considered by them, than either the complexion
of features of their mistresses. Happy are the she's (sic) that can
number amongst their ancestors, counts of the empire; they have
neither occasion for beauty, money, nor good conduct to get them
husbands. 'Tis true, as to money, 'tis seldom any advantage to the
man they marry; the laws of Austria confine the woman's portion to
two thousand florins (about two hundred pounds English), and whatever
they have beside, remains in their own possession and disposal.
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 considerable branch of prerogative, the
liberty that they take upon other occasions. I am sure, you, that
know my laziness, and extreme indifference on this subject, will pity
me, entangled amongst all these ceremonies, which are a wonderful
burden to me, though I am the envy of the whole town, having, by
their own customs, the pass before them all. They indeed, so
revenge, upon the poor envoys, this great respect shewn to
ambassadors, that (with all my indifference) I should be very uneasy
to suffer it. Upon days of ceremony they have no entrance at court,
and on other days must content themselves with walking after every
soul, and being the very last taken notice of. But I must write a
volume to let you know all the ceremonies, and I have already said
too much on so dull a subject, which however employs the whole care
of the people here. I need not, after this, tell you how agreeably
time slides away with me; you know as well as I do the taste of,
Your's, &c. &c.
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