One of the unmarried archduchesses, who formerly was thought the most beautiful, has suffered considerably by the small-pox.-A lady of the court told me, that, as soon as this princess understood what her disease was, she called for a looking-glass, and with unaffected pleasantry took leave of those features she had often heard praised, and which she believed would be greatly changed before she should see them again. The diminution which the smallpox has made in the beauty of this princess, has not in the smallest degree impaired her good-humour, or the essential part of her character, which by every account is perfectly amiable.

When the king of Prussia saw his army defeated at Cunersdorf, after he had written to the queen that he was sure of victory; or when any of those monarchs, of whom history gives examples, were dashed from their thrones to a state of dependence or captivity, unquestionably it required great strength of mind to bear such cruel reverses of fortune; but perhaps it requires more in a woman, whose beauty is admired by one-half of the human race, and envied by the other, to support its loss with equanimity in all the pride of youth.-If those veteran beauties, who never had any thing but their faces to give them importance, whom we see still withering on the stalk, and repining that they cannot retain the bloom of May in the frost of December, had met with such an accident, it would probably have killed them at once, and saved them many years of despised existence

I

LETTER LXXXIII.

Vienna.

NEVER passed my time more agreeably than since I came to Vienna. There is not such a constant round of amusements as to fill up a man's time without any plan or occupation of his own; and yet there is enough to satisfy any mind not perfectly vacant and dependent on external objects. We dine abroad two or three times a

week. We sometimes see a little play, but never any deep gaming.At the countess Thune's, where I generally pass the evening, there is no play of any kind.The society there literally form a conversazione.

I dare say, you will be at a loss to imagine how a mixed company, sometimes pretty numerous, can pass several hours every evening, merely in conversing, especially when you are told that the conversation is not always split into parties and tête-à-têtes; but is very often general. You will suspect there must be many melancholy pauses, which, after a certain length, are prolonged, from the reluctance of people to be the first breakers of a very solemn silence; or you may think that sometimes there will be so many tongues moving at once, that nothing can be heard distinctly; and you may possibly figure to yourself the lady of the house at other times endeavouring, by formal observations on the weather, or politics, to keep alive a conversation which is just expiring in all the yawnings of death.

Nothing of this kind, however, happens. The countess has the art of entertaining a company, and of making them entertain one another, more than any person I ever knew. With a great deal of wit, and a perfect knowledge of the world, she possesses the most disinterested heart. She is the first to discover the good qualities of her friends, and the last who sees their foibles. One of her greatest pleasures is to remove prejudices from amongst her acquaintances, and to promote friendships. She has an everlasting flow of spirits, which she manages with such address as to delight the gay, without displeasing the dejected. I never knew any body have such a number of friends, and so much generous friendship to bestow on each. She is daily making new ones, without allowing her regard for the old to diminish. She has formed a little system of happiness at her own house, herself being the centre of attraction and union. Nobody is under the least necessity of remaining a moment in this society after being tired. They may retire when they please.-No more

notice is taken of the entries or exits of any person who has been once received, than of a fly's coming in or going out of the room.—There is not the shadow of restraint.—

If you go every night, you are always treated with equal kindness; and if you stay away for a month, you are received on your return with the same cheerfulness as if you had been there every evening.

The English who come to this place are in a particular manner obliged to this family, not only for the polite reception they generally meet with, but also for the opportunities this affords them of forming an acquaintance with the principal people at Vienna. And I imagine there is no city in Europe where a young gentleman, after his university education is finished, can pass a year with so great advantage; because, if properly recommended, he may mix on an easy footing, with people of rank, and have opportunities of improving by the conversation of sensible men and accomplished women. In no capital could he see fewer examples, or have fewer opportunities of deep gaming, open profligacy, or gross debauchery. He may learn to pass his time agreeably, independent of a continued round of amusements. He may be gradually led to enjoy rational conversation, and at length acquire the blessed faculty of being satisfied with moderate pleas

ures.

To the politeness of the countess Thune, and the recommendation of the baron Swieten, I am indebted for the agreeable footing I am on with Prince Kaunitz, who at present lives at Laxenberg, a pleasant village about ten miles from Vienna, where there is a small palace and very extensive park, belonging to the Imperial family.

Prince Kaunitz has lately built a house there, and lives in a style equally hospitable and magnificent. He is not to be seen before dinner by any but people on business; but he always has a pretty large company at dinner, and still greater numbers from Vienna pass their evenings at Laxenberg; not unfrequently the emperor himself makes one of the company. This minister has enjoyed the fa

vour of the empress for many years. He was her envoy at the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, and has been of her cabinet-council ever since. At present he is minister for all foreign affairs, and is supposed to have greater influence with her than any other person.

He is certainly a man of knowledge, genius, and fidelity, and the affairs of this court have prospered greatly under his management. His friends are very much attached to him, and he shews great discernment in discovering and employing men of talents. He is the friend and patron of Mons. de Swieten. It is supposed that he advised and negotiated the French alliance, yet he has always had a strong partiality in favour of the British nation.-He has some singularities; but as they do not affect any essențial part of his character, they need not be mentioned,

I

LETTER LXXXIV,

Vienna.

HAD the pleasure of yours by the last post, wherein you inform me that our acquaintance C-talks of setting out for Vienna very soon. As nothing is so tiresome ast the company of one who is continually tired of himself, I should be alarmed at your information, were I not absolutely certain that his stay here will be very short, come when he will.

C- called at my lodgings one morning the summer befor I had left London.-I had remained in town merely because I had no particular business elsewhere ;-but he assured me, that the town was a desert;-that it was shameful to be seen in the streets;-that all the world was at Brighthelmstone. So I allowed him to conduct me to that place, where we had remained only a few days, when he told me, that none of the people he cared for were there; and as I had nothing particular to detain me, he begged as a favour that I would accompany him to Tunbridge. We went accordingly, and to my great sa

tisfaction I there found Mr. N's family. C- remained pretty quiet for about four days;-he yawned a good deal on the fifth--and on the sixth, I thought he would have dislocated his jaws. As he perceived I was pleased with the place, and would take none of his hints about leaving it, he at last pretended that he had received a letter which made it absolutely necessary for him to set out for London :-and away he went.

I staid three weeks at Tunbridge. On my return to town, I understood that C had taken a genteel furnished house for the summer in Yorkshire, where he had already passed a week, having previously engaged a female friend to go along with him. He left word in town, that he was not to be expected till the meeting of parliament. Though I never imagined that he would remain quite so long, yet I was a little surprised to see him enter my room two days after I had received this account. He told me he was quite disgusted with his house, and more so with his companion; and besides, he had taken a violent fancy to go to Paris, which you know, added he, is the most delightful place in the world, especially in summer; for the company never think of rambling about the country like our giddy fools in England, but remain together in the capital, as sensible people ought to do.

He then proposed that we should pack up a few things, take post,-pass over,-and spend a couple of months at Paris. Finding I did not relish the proposal, he wrote an apology to the lady in Yorkshire, with an inclosed bank-bill, and set out next day by himself. I heard no more of him for six weeks, but at the end of that time, happening to be at Bath, I saw my friend Center the pump-room.-'Egad, said he, you were wise to stay at home :-Paris is become the most insipid place on earth :-I could not support it above ten days.—But having heard a good deal of Holland, I even took a jaunt to Amsterdam, which, between friends, I found very little more amusing than Paris: two days after my arrival, finding an English ship just ready to sail, I thought it