As I do not propose sending this before
Monday, I shall have full time to write every
particular. I date once more from this sink of
impurity, contrary to my expectation. We have
been detained thus long that the Lieutenant de
Police might have time to make the necessary
enquiries about us, but have at last obtained
our passports, and thank Heaven shall soon
breathe a purer air. From the first place we stop
at. I purpose giving you a further account of
our accommodations in the superb and elegant
city of Paris, famous throughout the world for
its superiority over all others, especially in the
points of cleanliness and delicacy. I assure you
that, so long as I before resided in France, I
never till now formed an adequate idea of it:
but adieu for the present: I am going to drink
the double purpose of tea kettle and teapot, so
it is all boiled up together and makes a most
curious mess.

When I wrote the above I was in a great rage
and not without reason, pent up as we were
in a street scare wide enough to admit the
light; our chamber paved with tiles, which
most likely have never been wetted, nor even
rubbed, since the building of the house; add
to this two Commoditiés in the same state, on
the stairs, and you will not wonder that my
constitution was not proof against the shock;
the very air I breathed seemed almost pestilential.
However thank God I escaped with
one of my feveretts of four days continuance.
When I began this betterletter I was but just
recovering: no creature to do the least thing
for me in the way I had been accustomed to:
obliged to prepare for my departure the next
morning, though scarcely able to crawl; and
to crown the whole a most extravagant bill to
pay for being poisoned with Dirt. Well we
sat off, and the fresh country air soon restored
me to myself—but I had not told you how we
travel.

We found the route totally different from
what we expected, and that we must be positivelytively D1r 17
under the necessity of going by land to
Chalons sur Soane, which is three hundred
miles from Paris: now as we could get no
remittances till our arrival at Leghorn, it did
not suit us to take the Diligence, so after
mature deliberation we determined on purchasing
two horses, and an old single horsechaise;
but how to avoid being cheated, was the question;
for Mr. Fay did not care to depend on
his own judgement in horseflesh—He made
enquiry and found that there were many englishmen
employed in the stables of Noblemen
here; so putting a good face on the matter he
went boldly to the Duc de Chartres’s Castle, and
immediately on being told the affair, offered
his assistance. Accordingly they went next day
to the cattle Fair, where he pitched on an excellent
draught horse, only a little touched in
the wind, on which account he procured him
for six guineas, so there cannot be much lost
by him, even if he turn out amiss. But I dare
say he will prove a most useful beast, for he
has drawn Mr. B—r, and myself in our chaise
(which by the bye we bought for seven guineas)
at the rate of thirty five miles a day: and does D not D1v 18
not seem in the least fatigued, though we had
our heavy trunk at our back: so much for
Azor—now for his help-mate Zemire. In
the course of conversation with his new friend,
Mr. Fay found that, there was a very pretty
mare in the Duc de Lausanne’s stables, which
had been intended for the course, but would
not bear training; so he agreed to give eight
guineas for her. Mr. B.― was to ride her
next day to a horse-race in the Bois de
Boulogne, and we were to accompany him in a
post chaise. But alas! poor man! it was an
unfortunate attempt. It seems he had never
been used to riding, and was ashamed to own it,
(one of the weaknesses to which I really believe
men are almost invariably subject), so wishing
to pass for an excellent horseman, he mounted
with pretended courage: but through
actual fear, reined her in so tight that miss,
knowing the weaknesweakness of her rider, reared up
on her hind legs, threw him first, and then
fell backward over him. We thought by the
violence of the fall that he must have been
killed, but he came off with a few bruises;
we had him bled immediately, put him to bed
and left him in good hands till ourour return.
Mr. Fay mounted Zemire, and we proceeded to D2r 19
to the course, where we were very agreeably
entertained, only it grieved me to see so many
beautiful English horses galloping about; I
could hardly believe myself in France, for all
the gentlemen were dressed after our manner.
The Count D, Artois might very well have been
taken for a Jockey in his buck-skin breeches, and
round hat. The bets were chiefly between him
and the Duc de Chartres; the horses were all
rode by englishmen: as to our little mare she
would fain have been amongst them, but she
had now a rider who knew how to manage her,
and is punished for her audacity; for Mr.
B— has not the courage to mount her again,
and she is forced to carry Mr. Fay with a portmanteau
of twenty pounds weight—You will
wonder at my temerity when I acknowledge
having myself ventured to mount Zemire, after
Mr. B―s, accident. I first however saw
her tried by several persons, and wishing to
be able to vary our journey, was induced to make
the attempt. She performed twice very well;
but on the third day, an umbrella being
snapped close to her nose, just as I was
going to set off, she began to rear, on which I
instinctively abandoned both whip and reins, and D2 throwing D2v 20
throwing my whole weight forward, clasped her
round the neck with all my might, this sudden
manoeuvre fortunately kept her down: I seized
the critical moment and alighted in safety with
no other injury, than a little fright, and the
consciousness of looking rather foolish. Nor
has she ever been guilty of the like towards
any one; so that my character for horsemanship
is completely established. We have been certainly
very lucky in our purchases: the horses
perform well, and the chaise, without being
particularyparticularly uneasy, seems very strong. I am
told they will bring a good price in the South,
but you shall hear.

I have nothing particular to say of the country;
perhaps it may be national prejudice from
which no person is entirely free, but notwithstanding
all their boasting, I do not think it
equals my own dear England. It must be
allowed that the present season is not most
favourable for making observations, for they cut
the Vines close to the stumps in the winter,
and as they are not yet much sprouted, one sees
nothing but a parcel of sticks in the manner
of our hop poles, but not above thirty inches
high, which gives an air of barrenness to the
prospect. I do not know what my mother would D3r 21
would do here, as she is not fond of wine; for
there is nothing else to drink. For my own
part, and I believe I may answer for my companions,
I cannot say that I find any great
hardship in being obliged to put up with tolerable
Burgundy at about four pence a bottle;
it is notnot at all heady, so no creature thinks of
drinking it with water. A pint every meal is the
allowance of each. We have all necessaries with
us, suchsuch as tea, sugar, bread, butter, corn for
the horses &c: so we have little to do with
the Inns, except at night, when we provide
ourselves with meat for the next day. As to
breakfast and dinner we fix on a place where
there is water at hand, and there sit down
under the shade of a tree, and make a fire,
which the horses graze comfortably, and eat their
corn. Ask my dear father if he does not think
this a good plan? at least we find it pleasant,
and much more to our taste, than spending more
time as well as money, in the wretched public
houses we have hitherto met with—I wish we
we were hardy enough to make the grass our pillow;
but that is impossible, so we must submit to be
disgusted and pillaged once a day. You may
remember my remarking that, I was afraid we
should suffer during our journey, for the fineness of D3v 22
of the spring which has proved to be the case.
The weather has been excessively boisterous
for the last fortnight with much rain, than which
nothing can be more disagreeable on a journey,
especially when conducted on a plan like ours.—
We were obliged to stop at Fontainbleau on
account of the weather by whiehwhich means we saw
the Palace, and gardens, and were almost
wet through, for our pains. It is an immense
place; the Chapel has been beautiful, but the
paintings are much injured by time. There
is an elegant theatre which I was much pleased
with. The apartments of the royal family are
truly superb. We were shewn the council
chamber where the last peace was signed, and
I, as an Englishwoman, beheld it with great
pleasure you may be sure. We saw likewise
the gallery of Stags, famous for containing above
a hundred stags’ heads all ranged in order
with an account, when they were killed and by
whom, and infamous (at least in my opinion)
as being the place where Christina, Queen of
Sweden, caused Monaldeschi her chief chamberlain
to be beheaded, if not absolutely in her
presence, at least while she remained in an adjoining
room. I cannot bear that woman. She abdicated
her crown from sheer vanity but retaineded D4r 23
that passion for despotism which shewed what
kind of feelings she had cherished, while seated
on the throne. I think that in her, the faults
of either sex were blended, to form a character,
which without possessing the firmness of a man
or the gentleness of a woman, was destitute of
the virtues expected in both. Christina may
have been an accomplished female; but she can
never be called great, even by her admirers.

The gardens of Fontainbleau are all in the
old fashioned-gingerbread-style, ornamented
with box in a thousand fantastical shapes. The
Swiss who shewed us the Palace, was very
thankful for a shilling, which is more than any
person in the same situation would be in England
for twice as much. The forest of Fontainbleau
is thirty miles across, and nobody can hunt
there without the Kings permission; he comes
here every season.—We found the roads very
heavy, and Azor was strong enough to go through
them; however we have given him a day’s rest,
and after dinner shall set off Jehu like.

Now don’t you envy us all this pleasure? I
assure you I should be very glad to go all the way
in the same manner, for we travel without
fatigue, and the way of living just suits me; for D4v 24
for you know I always preferred wine to beer,
but I would not have you imagine that I can
shake off all thoughts of home; they return but
too frequently, and I really believe now, that
my illness at Paris, was brought on principally
by uneasiness of mind: but I find myself unequal
to this subject. I must make a resolution
never to enter upon it; for what service can it
do to either of us, to be continually recalling
unpleasant ideas; especially when I have need
of every possible consolation to support me
in the arduous task, which Providence has called
upon me to undertake.

I have now literally exhausted my paper, and
must therefore leave you to imagine every
thing my heart says to all, and how truly.

I suppose you have been long uneasy at my
silence, but indeed it has not been in my power
to write sooner—In my last I gave you reason
to imagine we should arrive here in less than
three weeks, by way of Marseilles; but after
we reached Lyons we were informed, that this
would prove a very uncertain and dangerous
method; as between the English and French
scarcely any vessel can pass free: therefore
after mature deliberation, we determined as
we had still our carriage and horses, to push
our way boldly through Savoye and cross the
Alps to Italy. We stopped several days at
Lyons, which as you and all the world know
has long been famous for its incomparable silks,
and velvets; I think it ought to be so for its
asparagus which is the finest I ever tasted;
and remarkably cheap. Being a vegetable I am
very fond of, and having found it all times
beneficial to my constitution, I wished to eat
it freely; but was almost disgusted by the manner
in which it was constantly brought to E table E1v 26
table at the Inn, covered with a thick sauce
composed of eggs, butter, oil and vinegar.

Having in vain remonstrated against this
cookery, I at length insisted on seeing the Cook
himself; and when he made his appearance,
arrayed as is customary, in a white waistcoat, cap,
and apron, with a meagre face almost as sharp
as the large knife he held in his hand, I calmly
represented to him that the sauce he had sent
up, totally disagreed with my stomach, and requested
to have the asparagus simply boiled with
melted butter, the poor man looked much distressed
“What without oil” yes! “Without
eggs”? certainly! this answer completed his
misery, “Ah madame” exclaimed he, with
clasped hands and uplifted eyes “de grace un peu
de viniagre!” Madame was inexorable, and the
shrug of contemptuous pity with which he retreated
was ludicrous beyond expression.

On arriving near the Alps, it appeared that I
had formed a very erroneous idea of the route,
having always supposed that we had only one
mountain to pass, and that the rest of the way
was level ground; instead of which when we
came to Pont de Beauvoisin (50 miles from
Lyons, and the barrier between France and
Savoye) we heard the agreeable news, that we E2r 27
we had a hundred and twelve miles to travel
thro’ a chain of mountains, to the great Mont
Cenis.

You may imagine how uncomfortable this information
made us all; with what long faces
we gazed upon each other, debating how the
journey was to be performed; but being happily
you know very courageous, I made light of
all difficulties, and whenever there was a hill,
mounted Zemire, while the two gentlemen took
it by turns to lead me as I had not a proper side
saddle, so poor Azor made shift to drag the
chaise up pretty well, and in the descents we
made him pay for the indulgence. I forgot to
mention that they were very particular about our
passports at this Barrier, and detained us while
the Governor examined them minutely, though
justice compels me to acknowledge that in
general we were treated with great politeness in
our passage through France; no one ever attempted
to insult us, which I fear would not be
the case were three French people to travel in
England; I wish I could say as much for
their honesty; but I must confess that here they
are miserably deficient, however my being acquainted
with the language saved us from flagrant E2 imposition. E2v 28
imposition. Our method was this: we always
if possible, contrived to stop at night in a large
Town, (as to dinner we easily managed that
you know how), but never did we suffer the
horses to be put into the stable till I had fixed
the price of every thing; for they generally
ask four times as much for any article as it is
worth. If I found there was no bringing them
to reason, we left the house. In particular, at
Chalons sur Soane, the first Inn we stopped at,
the woman had the conscience to ask half a
crown for each bed; you may suppose we did
not take up our abode there, but drove on to
another very good house, where they shewed us
two rooms with six excellent beds in them,
at the rate of four sous a bed, for as many as we
wanted; so for once I committed an act of
extravagance by paying for the whole; or we
might perhaps have been disturbed in the night
by strangers coming to take possession of those
left vacant. For they are not very nice about
such matters in France. I have seen rooms with
six beds in them more than once during our
route. I only mention the difference of price
by way of shewing what people may gain by
choosing their houses, for we were really better
accommodated at less than one fourth of what we E3r 29
we must have paid at the other house. Speaking
of Chalons reminds me of a very unpleasant
circumstance that occurred to us at the
following stage. Mr. Fay had most unwisely
and contrary to my earnest intreaty, pinned
our passports to the book of roads, which he
usually carried with him on horse back, and
as might be expected, they, in a short time
worked themselves loose, and we were on our
arrival at the end of the next day’s journey
alarmed with the idea of their being intirely
lost, and that we should be compelled to return all
the way to Paris to procure others: happily
Mr. Fay went back & found them at a place
where we had stopped, I need not tell you
what fright and vexation, this folly and obstinacy
cost us: but I hope it will have a salutary effect for
the rest of our journey.

In further proof of my assertion on the
subject of honesty, I must relate a little incident
which occurred on our way to Lyons.
Mr. Fay had changed as many guineas at
Paris, as he thought would be sufficient to
bring us to Chalons, and received by weight
twenty four livres ten sous, for each, that is
seven pence halfpenny profit: well, the last day E3v 30
day but one we finished our current money,
but as we were in a city, doubted not of
being able to obtain nearly the value of our
guineas. On inquiry we were recommended
to a very religious goldsmith would by the landlords
account spent almost his whole life in
acts in piety: after waiting an hour and a
half till he returned from mass, Mr. F. delivered
him a guinea, confident of receiving
in full value: when behold this conscientious
gentleman after the most minute inspection
and weighing it in a pair of sugar scales,
generously offered eighteen livres as a fair price:
which so enraged Mr. Fay that he immediately
left him and went to another shop, where
the utmost they would give was twelve livres:
only think what wretches! since it was impossible
for them to be ignorant of its real value.
Mr. Fay declared that he would rather
fast all day than submit to become such a dupe.
This subjected us to great inconvenience; after
discharging the reckoning we had only thirty
sous remaining; and sat out with a sum not sufficient
to procure a single refreshment for our
poor horses; so that at every Inn we were obliged
to represent our situation: but found none for E4r 31
for our guineas, or the charity to give us even
a glass of wine or a morsel of bread. I leave you
to guess if our appetites were not pretty keen
by the time we arrived at Lyons. I shall never
forget how foolishly we looked at each other
all day; however a good supper obliterated all
grievances, and the next morning we found a
way to exchange our guineas for Louis d’ors on
equitable terms. So much for our starving
adventure: To proceed on our journey.

On the 1779-06-2020th we reached Lanneburg, a village
at the foot of Mont Cenis situated in what
is called a valley, which though really so with
respect to the mountains that surround it, is
even with the clouds. I had a tolerable proof
of its elevation, for the weather was so
sharp, that I could not keep a minute from
the fire. By the way I must observe, that having
travelled through North Wales, I supposed
myself to have acquired a tolerable
idea of mountains and their appendages,
such as cascades, torrents, and apparently
air-hung-bridges &c. but the passage of the
Alps sets at defiance all competition, and even
surpasses whatever the utmost stretch of my
imagination could have pourtrayed.

The valley of Lanneburg is itself, the most
strange wild place you can conceive, in some parts
grostesquegrotesque, in others awfully terrible. The
rocks rise around you so fantastically, that you
might almost think yourself transported to a
place which nature had made a repository of these
stupendous productions, rather than with a view of
fixing them hereafter in appropriate situations,
than of exhibiting them here.

But above all, the cascades throughout the
road are charming beyond description; immense
sheets of water are seen sometimes, falling from
rock to rock, foaming fretting and dashing
their spray on every side; and sometimes descending
in one grand flow of majestic beauty:
in short they went so far beyond any idea I had formed of such appearances in nature, that they
seemed to communicate new powers of perception
to my mind, and if I may so express it,
to expand my soul, and raise it nearer to its
Creator. The passage has been so ably described
by various writers, that any formal account
I could give you of it, would rather waste
your time than add to your information. I shall
only tell you how I felt and acted: for I know
your affliction prompts the wish to travel in imagination F1r 33
imagination with the sister you love: come
then let us ascend Mont Cenis together.—After
various deliberations it was concluded that I
should go up across a mule, as the safest way;
both the gentlemen determined on walking,
which Mr. Fay knew not to be very difficult,
having made the experiment the evening before.
I was strictly forbidden to touch the
reins, being assured that the animal would guide
himself, and that any attempt to direct him could
hardly fail to prove fatal. Under this charge,
judge what I must have felt when my mule, in
the very steepest part of the ascent and when
I had become fully sensible of the “high and
giddy height,” all at once, thought it proper to
quit the pathway, and with great sang-froid stalk
out upon one of those precipitous projections,
where only the foot of a wild Goat or Chamois
ought to tread. What did I not suffer! I durst
not touch the rein, durst not even call to the guide
for help. Every instant appeared fraught with destruction,
it seemed madness to die without an effort
to save one’s self, yet to make an effort was
to invite the fate one dreaded. Happily this dreadful
position between life and death lasted not long;
for the sagacious animal calmly picking its way F fell F1v 34
fell into the track by a path, which no human
eye could discern, and the guides gave me great
praise for my self-command; a praise I never
desire to purchase again by a similar trial. If however
any thing could render a stranger easy in
crossing the heights, it would be the amazing skill
and celerity which these people display; the road
winds in a zigzag direction; and in the most
acute, and of course, in the most dangerous
turns they leap from crag to crag as if they held
their lives on lease, and might safely run all
risks ’till the term expired.—The plain, as it
is called, at the top of this mountain is six
miles across: as we proceeded we found “still
hills on hills, and Alps on Alps arise”; for we
continued to be surrounded by snow topt mountains,
where reigns eternal frost. The heat
of the sun had thawed the passage, so that
we met with no inconvenience, but we passed
great quantities of ice lodged in the crannies.
There is a very large lake on the plain, said to be
unfathomable; that I can tell nothing about,
but that it contains excellent salmon and trout,
am well convinced, for we stopped at the Inn
according to the laudable custom of all travellers,
for the sole purpose of tasting it. An Inn F2r 35
Inn, say you, at the top of Mont Cenis! Yes, it
is really a fact, not that I envy them their situation,
but they are not the only inhabitants: for
there are more than twenty farm houses, where
they make most excellent butter and cheese.
Every spot around, where it is possible for the
hand of cultivation to scatter seeds for the use
of man, is treasured with care and nourished
by industry; and you see gardens no bigger
than a dining table, and fields like a patch of
carpet, from time to time, smiling beneath the
rugged battlements of rocks, like the violets peeping
in the hedges. Far, among the apparently
inaccessible heights of this “cloud capt” region,
they pointed out to me a Chapel, vulgarly called
notre Dame de’Neige; and justly have they named
her, for eternal snows designate her dwelling:
if however these simple and sequestered beings
can there draw near to God, and experience
the comfort of religious hope, and providential
care, this singular edifice has not been
reared in vain, to bless such a region of desolation.

When you read an account of the road, it
will be readily perceived that my fellow travellers F2 must F2v 36
must have found some difficulty in getting the
horses over, as the poor breastsbeasts were not
accustomed to such a rugged path; for you are
to understand that, the people in the neighbouring
villages of Lanneburg and Novalese
have no other means of subsistence than carrying
passengers over the mountain. It is therefore
their interest to render it impassible to any
but themselves, so that the whole passage of
fifteen miles, is covered with great loose pieces
of rock, which must be clambered over:
the guides skip from one piece to another like
goats, and go at the rate of five or six miles an
hour; but my unfortunate companions could
not proceed at this pace; so every ten minutes
we had to wait for them—As I was carried
down in an armed chair, fastened to poles and
slung upon straps, in the manner of our sedans,
between two men and in which I soon felt tolerably
at my ease; I had the pleasure of seeing
them continually: sometimes in the clouds, and
at others nothing visible but their heads, which
was rather amusing to me, knowing they were
in no danger, especially as Mr. Fay had affected
to make very light of it, and even said, “I might
walk very well if I chose it,” but when we reached
the bottom, he told a very different tale, and stormed F3r 37
stormed violently at his own sufferings. The
drollest part of our procession was, that of the
poor mule which bore our chaise in a kind
of machine, on its back; and another with
the two wheels placed on either side, in the
oddest way imaginable. A good night’s rest
put us all in good humour, and we proceeded
cheerfully forty miles along a very delightful
road, for the most part planted with double
rows of trees, to Turin, where we remained
three days and were much amused; but having
crossed the mountain, I must allow myself
and you a little rest.

1779-06-26June, 26th.—I was more pleased with the
Palace at Turin than any other I have met
with during our journey, not for its external
appearance certainly, for that is unpromising,
but the inside amply atones for the deficiency.
The rooms are all in long ranges, opening
into each other by doors, which by folding
within the panels become invisible. The
furniture is beyond description rich and elegant,
but the best part of every finely decorated
house must be ever the paintings, and
this palace seemed to say, “You are already
in Italy”: like a true Englishwoman however F3v 38
however, I looked more, I believe, at a picture
of our Charles the first, and afterwards at one by
Vandyke of that unfortunate monarch’s three
children, than at any other in the collection.
The face of the King is exquisitely done, but
his dress struck me as too fine, and withal so
stiff, that I could not admire it. Poor Charles!
we are tempted to forget the errors of the
Prince, in considering the amiable qualities
and long sufferings of the man: nor is it
possible to contemplate the benevolent melancholy
of his countenance, and credit every accusation
of his enemies. I looked on his mild penetrating
eyes, till my own were suffused with tears.
As to his children, they are the sweetest creatures
I ever beheld; and to see them thus, was
perhaps the more pleasant, from a consciousness
of its being the only period wherein they
could communicate that sensation to a reflecting
mind—There was no tracing the selfish,
and eventually, callous libertine in Charles;
nor the tyrant and bigot in James; all
seems playful grace, and dignified gentleness;
and the painter appears to have given
a kind of royal polish to the beauty (certainly
far beyond nature,) which he had so happily
depicted in these unfortunate children. Among what F4r 39
what I deemed the most curious portraits,
were those of Martin Luther, and his wife. I
have frequently meditated on this great character,
and always felt myself so much obliged to
him (especially since my residence in a Catholic
country,) that I confess I was disappointed
to see him a homely, and rather vulgar
looking man. I cannot believe this is a good
likeness; at least the one I saw of him in the
abbey of St Bertin at St Omers, left a very different
impression on my mind. The Reformer
might not be handsome, in the common acceptation
of the word, but surely, penetration
courage and firmness must have stampt their
expression on his features. Here is a terrible
representation of another great man, tho’ in
my opinion deficient in the first mentioned
quality (Sir Thomas Moore) of his head rather,
for it appears just severed from the body;
his daughter has fainted at the horrid spectacle;
and her complexion is so exactly what it
should be, that the whole scene appears natural,
and you feel too much for her, even
to offer her restoratives to life and misery. I
would not live in the same room with such a
picture for the world; it would be worse than
than the cave of Trophonious.

I was doomed to experience another disappointment
in what is affirmed to be a faithful
portrait of Petrarch’s Laura, which I had
fancied was like the Venus of Apelles, an
assemblage of all that was lovely and graceful
in woman. You remember my saying, that
it was worth all the pains I took in learning
Italian, to read his sonnets in praise of this
idolized being. So no wonder that I ran eagerly
to seize on features that had inspired such
verses, and awakened such tender constancy
as Petrarch displayed. Judge then how disagreeably
I was surprise at seeing a little red-haired,
formal looking, old maidish thing, no more
like the beauty “in my mind’s eye” than “I to
Hercules.” Petrarch too was as ugly as needs
be. Well, well, they are not the only couple
seen to most advantage in their Poetic dress.
What further I have to say about the Palace
must be very concise. I cannot help informing
you though, that we saw the King of
Sardina at mass with his whole family but
none of them seem to be remarkable for beauty.
Though not esteemed rich, yet he lives in
great splendour; the furniture of his state
bed-chamber, even to the frames of the chairs,
is all of massive silver.

The Theatre is a vast building and so magnificent
in every respect, that nothing you have
seen can give you any idea of it; the stage is so
extensive, that when they want to exhibit battles,
triumphant entries, or any kind of grand show
they have room enough to produce the finest
effect, and really seem to transport you to the
scene they would represent. It is not uncommon
to have fifty or sixty horses, at a time upon
this stage, with triumphal cars, thrones, &c
&c. the King’s box, is consistent with his
superb Palace; it is as large as a handsome
parlour, and lined throughout with
mirrors, which have a beautiful effect, as
they reflect the stage and thus double the
display of its grand processions &c: all the
boxes in this Theatre are neat and
commodious; furnished with chairs and curtains,
so that if the company choose to be retired
they are at full liberty; and, as coffee
and other refreshments are served, they frequently
pay little attention to the Stage, except
when some celebrated performer or grand
spectacle excites their curiosity. There is a
smaller Theatre, which opens when this is
closed, but I did not see it. I visited the royal G G1v 42
royal gardens, but thought them very uninteresting,
as all appear after those that surround
the seats of our English Nobility and gentry;
and on running thro’ another Palace,
an academy and variousvarious other places, nothing
struck me as sufficiently novel to merit your
attention; and I have written such an intolerably
long letter, that I must conclude for
the present, tho’ I mean to bring you on my
journey to-morrow, as I have not yet told you
half that is on my mind; but there is such
an uncertainty in my present movements,
that it is desirable not to lose a single day in
forwarding a letter. Believe me however and
wherever I may be,

In Continuation.

I resume my journal of yesterday which I
shall now inclose in this; I am still waiting
a summons for departure, and anxious to
say all I can, to my dear friends, before
what may probably be a long adieu. From
Turin we sat out on the 1779-06-2626th ultimo, to
Genoa, a distance of 130 miles; and now I
own my courage begun to fail; for having
been some days ill, I grew so much worse,
from the motion of the chaise, that we were
obliged to stop and get Mr. Fay’s horse ready
for me to ride, which was a great ease
to me; but notwithstanding this relief, on
the second evening I was seized with every
symptonsymptom of fever, and that of the most violent
kind; “Well,” thought I, “it is all over
with me for a week at least;” but thank F2G2 God G2v 44
God I was mistaken, for at two o’clock in
the morning, I fell into the most profuse
perspiration I ever experienced, which, tho’
it exceedingly weakened me, yet considerably
abated the disorder, and altho’ I felt ill, dispirited,
and every way unfit to travel, yet
I made a sad shift to pursue my journey.

Unfortunately, in coming out of Alexandria
the place where I had been so ill, we had a
wide river to ford, and there was no way
for poor miserable me to get over, but by
Mr. Fay’s taking me before him across the
mare, which was tolerably well accomplished.
When he had landed me safe he went back,
and with great difficulty whipped the old
horse through; he was up to the girth in
water, and I expected every moment, he
would break the chaise to pieces, for he frequently
attempted to lie down. When we
had overcome this difficulty we continued in
tolerable spirits, until our arrival next day at
the Buchetta, an appenine mountain, by the
side of which Mont Cenis would appear
contemptible; it is near twenty miles over,
without any plain at the top, so that no sooner
do you reach its summit, than you turn short, and G3r 45
and descend immediately. Had the weather
proved fine, the prospect from this prodigious
eminence must have been glorious; but so
thick a fog enveloped us, that we could not
distinguish any thing of five yards distance,
and the cold was as piercing as with us in
January. Never shall I forget the sense of
wearisome, overbearing desolateness, which
seemed to bow down both my body, and mind
at this juncture. I felt a kind of dejection
unknown before through all my peregrinations,
and which doubtless tended to increase the unusual
fears that operated on my mind, when
we arrived at the end of this days’ journey.
It was nearly dark; the Inn was little better
than a large barn, or hovel, and the men we
found in it, so completely like all we conceive
of Banditti, and assassins, that every horrible
story I had heard or read of, instantly came
into my head; and I perceived that the thoughts
of my companions were occupied in the same
painful way; our looks were the only medium
of communication we could use, for we were
afraid of speaking, lest we should accelerate
the fate we dreaded. Every thing around us
combined to keep alive suspicion and strengthen
fear; we were at a distance from every human G3v 46
human habitation: various whisperings, and
looks directed towards us, continually passed
amongst the men, and we fancied they were endeavouring
to find whether we had any concealed
arms. When we retired for the night
worn out as we were, not one dared to sleep
and surely never night appeared so long.
With the earliest dawn we departed, and as
the people saw us set out without offering
us any injury, we are now persuaded that we
feel as if we had escaped some projected mischief.

We arrived pretty early at Genoa, a grand
but gloomy disagreeable city, owing to the
houses being very high, and the streets so
narrow you might almost shake hands across
them out of the window. It abounds with magnificent
Churches and Palaces, principally built
of the most beautiful marble, at least they are
faced and ornamented with it. Their roofs
flat, and rendered very agreeable gardens, by
flowering shrubs, little arbours, covered with
wood-bine and jessamine, elegant verandahs,
awnings &c. In these the ladies wander from morning G4r 47
morning to night.—As far as I can hear or
see, they are more remarkable for pride than
any thing else. Their dress costly, but
heavy and unbecoming, except so far as they
manage their veils, which are so contrived as
to give very good play to a pair of fine eyes.
They wear rouge; but apply it better than the
French ladies, which may be said rather to
plaister than to paint: when the best however
is made of this practice it is still a very hateful
one in my opinion—I went to view the
Palaces of Doria, Doraggio, and Pallavicini,
where are many fine pictures and statues; but
the rooms are so large, and so many of them are
only half furnished, that they had on the whole an
uncomfortable look. I was much pleased with several
of the churches; the Cathedral is completely
lined with marble, but I was attracted more
by the Jesuits’ church on account of the paintings,
though, I have neither health nor spirits
to enter into a particular description of them. The
assumption of the Virgin by Guido, is a most
delightful performance to my taste. I always
admire his pictures, but being simply an admirer,
without knowledge on the subject, I seldom
hazard a remark as to the manner in which a
piece is executed—.The theatre here is large, but G4v 48
but not to be compared with that at Turin. The
gardens are every where in the same style, all
neat and trim, like a desert Island in a pastry
cook’s shop, with garnish and frippery enough
to please a Dutchman. There are many admirable
charities in this city; but its chief boast,
in my opinion, consists in being the birth place
of Columbus, who was undoubtedly a great
man, and from his talents, firmness, wisdom and
misfortunes entitled to inspire admiration and
pity. I often thought of him, as I passed these
streets and was ready to exclaim, you were not
worthy of such a Citizen! The velvets, goldwork,
and artificial flowers manufactured here,
are said to be unrivalled; but I made no purchases
for very obvious reasons.

We saw a very grand procession on Corpus
Christi day, at which the Doge assisted, and all
the principal nobility, clothed in their most magnificent
habiliments, and each carrying a lighted
taper; several images also, adorned with jewels
(as I was informed) too an almost incredible
amount, were borne along to grace the spectacle.
It is to be lamented that, this noble city
should disgrace itself by the encouragement
given to assasination, for a man after committing
half a score murders, has only to take a boat H1r 49
boat which nobody prevents him from doing,
and claim the protection of any foreign ship,
which none dares to refuse, and there he remains
in safety. Mr. Fay saw five of these
wretches on board one vessel. What you have
heard respected the custom of married woman
in Italy being attended by their Cicisbeos, is
perfectly true. They speak of it with all the
indifference imaginable. Surely, after all that
has been said, the usage must be an innocent
one, if any thing can be called so which tends
to separate the affections of husband and wife
and that, the constant attendance, the profound
respect of another man, must be likely
to effect. Altogether it is a vile fashion, make
the best of it, and I heartily hope never to see
such a mode adopted in old England.

We sold our horse at Genoa, for about
three guineas profit—and no more, as Mr.
Fay embraced the first offer that was made him.
Yu who know me, will be well aware, that I
could not part with these mute but faithful
companions of our journey without a sigh. Far
different were my sensation on bidding adieu
to our fellow traveller Mr. B―r, who left
us on our arrival at this place. My first impressionH pression H1v 50
of his character was too just, and
every day’s experience more fully displayed a
mind, estranged from all that was praise worthy,
and prone to every species of vice. He professed
himself almost an Atheist, and I am persuaded,
had led the life of one; it was perhaps fortunate
that his manners were as disgusting as
his principles were wicked, and that he constantly
reminded one, of that expression of the
Psalmist “the Fool hath said in his heart there
is no God;” as the comment, he was but a fool,
rose to remembrance at the same moment.

We took our passage in a Felucca from Genoa,
and arrived here in thirty three hours. My first
message was to the Post Office, where was only
one letter for me, dated 1779-05-1010th May. I am impatient
for more, being kept in daily expectation of
sailing, and it would be mortifying to leave any
behind. I must now conclude; believe me,

P.S. I open this to say, our letters and
remittances are arrived. Ten thousand thanks
for your kindness, but I have not time to add
another word.

You may perceive from this date that, I have
quitted Leghorn, but how I came to take up my
quarters here, cannot be explained ’till after
the relation of some particulars which I must
first notice, in order to proceed regularly with
my journal.

Our letter of introduction from Mr. Baretto
of London to his brother, the king of Sardina’s
Consul at Leghorn, procured us the kindest attentions
from that gentleman and his family,
indeed they were so friendly to us in every respect,
that I soon felt all the ease of old acquaintance
in their society, and shall ever remember
them, with sentiments of the most
cordial esteem. Through this kind family I saw
whatever was worthy of note in Leghorn, and
its environs; but my increasing anxiety as to H2 our H2v 52
our journey, took from me all power of investigation.
When one sees merely with the
eye, and the wandering mind is travelling
to the friends left far behind, or forward to
the unknown clime whither its destiny points,
few recollections of places and things will
remain on it. But far different will be its
recognition of persons. When these have
softened an anxious hour by kindness, or relieved
its irksomeness, by smiles and gaiety,
the heart will register their action and their
image, and gratitude engrave their names on
the tablet of remembrance. What a romantic
flight! methinks I hear you exclaim; but
consider this is the land of Poesy, and
surely, I may be permitted to evince a
little of its spirit. I shall never forget that
Leghorn contains the Baretti’s and Franco’s.
The latter are eminent merchants; the house
has been established above a century. The
eldest of the present family is above eighty
years of age; a most venerable and agreeable
old man; with more of active kindness
and benevolent politeness, than I ever met
with in one, so far advanced in life, and who
has seen so much of the world. He not only
shewed us every attention during our stay, but H3r 53
but has given us a letter recommending us in
the strongest terms to a Mr. Abraham, of
Grand Cairo; which should Mr. Baldwin,
the East India Company’s resident, but absent
when we arrive there, may prove useful. At
all events, we are equally indebted to Mr.
Franco’s friendly inntentionsintentions.

We have often boasted of the superiority of
the British flag, but alas poor old England!
her glory is here humbled in the dust; we have
several ships in the mole, but if one dare venture
out, so many French Privateers are hovering
round, that she must be taken in a few
hours. I pity the poor Captains from my
heart, but the person for whom I feel most
interested, is a Captain Les——r of the Hellespont,
(Mr. P―’s relation). I cannot express
half what I owe to his civility. From the moment
he knew of my probable connection
with his family, he has uniformly shown us
every possible attention. His situation is very
disagreeable, to be forced either to abandon
so fine a ship, or incur almost a certainty
of being taken prisoner in her, as
she must soon venture out; for she has already eaten H3v 54
eaten her head off, by lying here a whole
twelvemonth on expence, as such is the
deplorable state of our commerce in the
Mediterranean, that no one will now underwrite
an English ship at any premium. I think
the number lying here is seven, and believe
they intend soon to make a bold push
together; but it will be all in vain; they
never can get through the Straits of Gibraltar,
unmolested.

16:004 o’clock P.M A hard gale.

I told you this morning I
had to esteem Captain L.― He is now
entitled to at least a double portion of my
gratitude, if estimated by the service done.
As there was a likelihood of meeting with
an English vessel, we engaged a passage in a
Swedish one, called the Julius, Captain Norberg,
for Alexandria, at £6 each, (cheap
enough you will say); and had all in readiness:
so last night I quitted the shores of Europe,
God knows for how long: his will be
done. Capt. L.― as his ship lay next
but one to our’s, and we were not to sail ’till H4r 55
’till day break, offered us his cabin, because, as
he very considerately observed, we could not sleep
comfortably in our own, amidst the noise of
preparing for Sea. I readily complied, well
knowing the advantages of his proposal, having
already dined several times on board the
Hellespont, which is kept clean and in good
order, equal to the nicest house I ever saw.
This morning the Julius went out to the Road,
and we prepared to follow; but just at that
time arose a sudden squall of thunder and
lightning, succeeded by a very strong gale
of wind: the poor Julius was forced to drop
anchor, and there she lies, two miles off, pitching
(driving piles Capt. L― calls it) and
has just struck her lower yards: she slipped
one cable two hours ago, but the other brought
her up. I see her now and would not exchange
cabins for a trifle.

Several vessels have been driving in, in distress;
one dashed directly against the Hellespont
and snapped her Bowsprit short; we
had but just time to secure the poop lanthorn
from the stroke of another; the iron was torn
away, so you may guess it blows smartly, but
I feel perfectly easy. I am luckily sheltered now H4v 56
now, and no one shall persuade me to leave
this ship ’till all is over, and the weather
settled again. I doubt we shall not be able
to sail this day or two, for the wind is rising:
but so that we arrive, time enough to save
our season at Suez, all will be well. Tea is
waiting, and they are tormenting me to death.
Adieu. God bless you all, prays,

I hope, my dear friends will safely receive
my letter of the 1779-07-022d Instant, from
Leghorn, wherein I mentioned the kindness
of Capt. L.― and our situation in
his Ship. We remained with him ’till Sunday
evening, when we embarked on the
Julius, and the following morning, sailed with
a fair wind; but it changed in less than six
hours, and came on so strong, that we were
forced to put back again and cast anchor. The
gale lasted ’till Wednesday evening; however
we made shift to ride it out, though we
were continually paying out cable (as it is
called;) and expected every moment to be
driven on shore.

When the weather moderated, Mr. Franco
sent off a letter to Mr. Fay, stating that he
had just heard from Mr. Abraham of Grand
Cairo, who was about to proceed to Europe, J with J1v 58
with his family, by the first ship; therefore
to guard against any future disappointment,
this kind gentleman inclosed a general letter
to the Jewish merchants, Mr. Franco’s name
being well known throughout the East. Having
already seven letters of introduction to
persons in Grand Cairo, we shall not, I
imagine, have occasion to make use of this.

On 1779-07-08Thursday the 8th, we ventured to sail
once more, and have hitherto gone on pleasantly
enough.

1779-07-20Tuesday, 20th July. Since my last date, I have
been a good deal vexed at an accident which,
perhaps, will appear very trivial. I had a pair
of beautiful pigeons given me at Leghorn,
which furnished me with much amusement.
These pretty little creatures, their wings being
cut, ranged at liberty about the ship. At
length one of them fell, or was rather blown
overboard. I saw it a long while struggling
for life, and looking towards the vessel, as if
to implore assistance; yet, notwithstanding my
fondness for the poor bird, and anxious
desire to extricate it from its perilous situation,tion, J2r 59
if such a thing were possible, I could
not even wish that, a ship running eight knots
an hour, should be hove to, and a boat
sent out after a Pigeon. The widowed mate
lived only three days afterwards, never touching
a morsel of food, from the time the other
disappeared, and uttering, at intervals, the most
plaintive sounds, which I could not avoid
hearing, my cabin being upon deck. For
you must know, it is a regulation on board
Swedish vessels, that the whole ship’s company
join twice a day, in devotional exercises; so
Capt. Norbery reserved his great Cabin for
the purpose, of assembling them together, or
we would willingly have engaged it. So
much for my little favourites. I shall now
advert to a more chearful topic.

My voyage has been rendered very interesting,
and instructive, by the conversation of
of one of our passengers, a Franciscan Friar,
from Rome, who is going as a Missionary
to Jerusalem; and in my opinion no man
can be better calculated for the hazardous
office he has undertaken. Figure to yourself,
a man in the prime of life (under forty), J2 self, J2v 60
tall, well made, and athletic in his person;
and seemingly of a temperament to
brave every danger: add to these advantages
a pair of dark eyes, beaming with
intelligence, and a most venerable auburn
beard, descending nearly to his girdle, and,
you cannot fail to pronounce him, irresistible.
He appears also to possess, all the enthusiasm
and eloquence necessary for pleading
the important cause of Christianity; yet
one must regret that so noble a mind, should
be warped by the belief of such ridiculous
superstitions, as disgrace the Romish creed —
He became extremely zealous for my conversion,
and anxiously forwarded my endeavours,
after improvement in the Italian language,
that I might the more readily comprehend
the arguments, he adduced to effect
that desirable purpose. Like other disputants,
we sometimes used to contend very
fiercely, and one day on my speaking rather
lightly, of what he chose to call, a miracle
of the Catholic Church, he even went so
far as to tell me, that my mouth spouted
forth heresies, as water gushes from a fountain.
This J3r 61
This morning (1770-07-22the 22nd) at breakfast, he intreated
me to give up my coffee, as a
libation to the bambino (child) Jesus, and
on my declining to do so, urged me with
the most impressive earnestness, to spare
only a single cup, which he would immediately
pour out in honour of the Blessed
Infant. Professing my disbelief in the
efficacy of such a sacrifice, I again excused
myself from complying with his request:
upon which declaring he was equally
shocked at my willful incredulity and obstinate
heresy he withdrew to another part of the
vessel, and I have not seen him since.

1779-07-2323d A. M. We are now off Alexandria,
which makes a fine appearance from the sea
on a near approach; but being built on low
ground, is, as the seamen say “very difficult
to hit.” We were two days almost abreast of
the Town. There is a handsome Pharos or
light-house in the new harbour, and it is in
all respects far preferable; but no vessels belonging
to Christians can anchor there, so we J3v 62
we were forced to go into the old one, of
which however we escaped the dangers, if any
exist.

My acquaintance with the Reverend Father
has terminated rather unpleasantly. A
little while ago being upon deck together,
and forgetting our quarrel about the libation,
I made a remark on the extreme heat of the
weather, “Aye” replied he, with a most
malignant expression of countenance, such as
I could not have thought it possible, for a
face benign like his to assume, “aye you
will find it ten thousand times hotter in
the Devil’s House.” (Nelia Casa di Diavolo).
I pitied his bigotry and prayed for his conversion
to the genuine principles of that
religion, whose doctrines he professed to
teach.

Mr. Brandy to whom Mr. Fay sent ashore
an introductory letter, came on board to visit
us. I rejoice to hear from him, that there
are two ships at Suez, yet no time must be
lost, lest we miss the season. This gentleman
resides here, as Consul for one of the German
Courts, and may be of great use to us. We received J4r 63
received an invitation to sup with him tomorrow;
he has secured a lodging for us, and
engaged a Jew and his wife to go with us to Grand
Cairo as dragoman, (or interpreter) and attendant:
should we proceed by water, which is
not yet decided on, Mr. B― will provide
a proper boat. I am summoned to an early
dinner, immediately after which we shall go
on shore with our Dragoman, that we may
have time to view whatever is remarkable.

1779-07-2424th July.

Having mounted our asses, the use of
horses being forbidden to any but musselmans,
we sallied forth preceded by a Janizary,
with his drawn sword, about three miles over a
sandy desert, to see Pompey’s Pillar, esteemed to
be the finest column in the World. This pillar
which is exceedingly loftly, but I have no
means of ascertaining its exact height, is
composed of three blocks of Granite; (the pedestal,
shaft, and capital, each containing one). When
we consider the immense weight of the granite,
the raising such masses, appear beyond the
powers of man. Although quite unadorned,
the proportions are so exquisite, that it must
strike every beholder with a kind of awe, which J4v 64
which soften into melancholy, when one reflects
that the renowned Hero whose name it
bears, was treacherously murdered on this
very Coast, by the boatmen who were conveying
him to Alexandria; while his wretched
wife stood on the vessel he had just left, watching
his departure, as we may naturally
suppose, with inexpressible anxiety. What
must have been her agonies at the dreadful
event! Though this splendid memorial bears
the name of Pompey, it is by many supposed
to have been erected in memory of the
triumph, guided over him at the battle of
Pharsalia. Leaving more learned heads than
mine to settle this disputed point, let us
proceed to ancient Alexandria, about a league
from the modern town which presents
to the eye an instructive lesson on the instability
of all sublunary objects. This once
magnificent City, built by the most famous
of all Conquerors, and adorned with the most
exquisite productions of art, is now little more
than a heap of Ruins; yet the form of the
streets can still be discerned; they were
regular, and many of the houses (as I recollect
to have read of Athens) had fore-courts boundeded K1r 65
by dwarf walls, so much in the manner of
our Lincoln’s-Inn Fields, that the resemblance
immediately struck me.

We saw also the outside of St. Athanasius’s
Church, who was Bishop of this Diocese,
but it being now a Mosque were forbidden
to enter, unless on condition of turning
mahometans, or losing our lives, neither of
which alternatives exactly suited my ideas, so
that I deemed it prudent to repress my
curiosity. I could not however resist a desire
to visit the Palace of Cleopatra, of which
few vestiges remain. The marble walls of the
Banqueting room are yet standing, but the
roof is long since decayed. Never do I remember
being so affected by a like object.
I stood in the midst of the ruins, meditating
on the awful scene, ’till I could almost have
fancied I beheld its former mistress, revelling
in Luxury, with her infatuated lover, Marc
Anthony, who for her sake lost all.

The houses in the new Town of Alexandria
thro’ which we returned, are flat roofed,
and, in general, have gardens on their
tops. These in some measure, in so warm a K country, K1v 66
country, may be called luxuries. As to the
bazars (or markets) they are wretched places,
and the streets exceedingly narrow. Christians
of all denominations live here on paying
a tax, but they are frequently ill treated; and
of one of them commits even an unintentional
offence against a musselman, he is pursued by
a most insatiable spirit of revenge and his
whole family suffers for it. One cannot help
shuddering at the bare idea of being in the
hands of such bigotted wretches. I forgot to
mention that Mr. Brandy met us near Cleopatra’s
needles, which are two immense obelisks
of Granite. One of them, time has
levelled with the ground; the other is intire;
they are both covered with hieroglyphic
figures, which, on the sides not exposed
to the wind and sand from the Desert, remain
uninjured; but the key being lost, no
one can decypher their meaning. I thought
Mr. B― might perhaps have heard
something relative to them; he, however,
seems to know no more than ourselves. A
droll circumstance occurred on our return.
He is a stout man of a very athletic make,
and above six feet high; so you may judge
what a curious figure he must have made, riding K2r 67
riding on an ass, and with difficulty holding
up his long legs to suit the size of the animal;
which watched an opportunity of walking
away from between them, and left the
poor Consul standing, erect, like a Colossus:
in truth, it was a most ludicrous scene to
behold.

1779-07-2525th July.

The weather being intensely hot, we staid
at home ’till the evening, when Mr. Brandy
called to escort us to his house. We
were most graciously received by Mrs. B.―
who is a native of this place; but as she could
speak a little Italian, we managed to carry on
something like conversation. She was most
curiously bedizened on the occasion, and being
short, dark complexioned, and of a complete
dumpling shape, appeared altogether the
strangest lump of finery I had ever beheld;
she had a handkerchief bound round her
head, covered with strings composed of thin
plates of gold, in the manner of spangles but
very large, intermixed with pearls and emeralds;
her neck and bosom were ornamented
in the same way. Add to all this an K2 em- K2v 68
embroidered girdle with a pair of gold clasps,
I verily think four inches square, enormous
earrings, and a large diamond sprig
on the top of her forehead, and you must
allow, that altogether she was a most brilliant
figure. They have a sweet little girl about
seven years of age, who was decked out
much in the same style; but she really looked
pretty in spite of her incongruous finery.
On the whole, though, I was pleased with both
mother and child, their looks and behaviour
were kind: and to a stranger in a strange land
(and this is literally so to us) a little attention is
soothing and consolatory; especially when one
feels surrounded by hostilities, which every
European must do here. Compared with the
uncouth beings who govern this country, I
felt at home among the natives of France, and
I will even say of Italy.

On taking leave, our Host presented a book
containing certificates of his great politeness
and attention towards travellers; which were
signed by many persons of consideration:
and at the same time requesting that Mr.
Fay and myself would add our names to the
list, we complied, though not without surprize,prize, K3r 69
that a gentleman in his situation,
should have recourse to such an expedient,
which cannot but degrade him in the eyes of
his Guests.

It being determined that we shall proceed by
water, for reasons too tedious to detail at present,
I must now prepare to embark. I shall endeavour
to keep up my spirits. Be assured that I
will omit no opportunity of writing, and
comfort yourselves with the idea, that before
this reaches you, I shall have surmounted
all my difficulties. I certainly deem
myself very fortunate in quitting this place
so soon. Farewell; all good be with you,
my ever ever dear Friends prays,

I seize the chance of three minutes, to tell
you that, we yesterday arrived at Suez from
Grand Cairo, after a journey of three days,
over a most dreadful Desert, where every
night we slept under the great canopy of
Heaven, and where we were every hour in
danger of being destroyed, by troops of
Arabian robbers. But having a little party
of English gentlemen, and servants (among
whom I held a principal command) well
armed, and under the orders of Major Bailie,
and another military officer, we marched
the whole way in order of battle, and though
we could frequently see superior numbers, they
never dared to molest us.

Your daughter behaved most courageously
and is extremely well, considering the extraordinary
fatigue she had undergone. There is
another English lady and her husband on
board, which promises to make it an agreeable
voyage. The ship is a very fine one,
and we have a handsome little chamber,
and I hope in all things shall find ourselves
well accommodated. We expect to sail in
four hours. The ship is called the Nathalia,
Captain Chenu, a Frenchman; and apparently
a very polite good-natured man, which is
a great matter in a long voyage.

I thank God I was never in better health
and spirits, tho’ I never slept during the
whole journey on the Desert, and lived the
whole time on bread and water, notwithstanding
we had abundance of wine and provisions;
but the heat being excessive, I found
no other food agree with me so well, and
Mrs. Fay by adopting the same diet, preserved
her health also; whereas all the rest
were knocked up before we got half way
over that confounded Desert, and some are
now very ill; but I stood it, as well as any Arabian
in the Caravan, which consisted at least of M3r 83
of five thousand people. My wife insists on
taking the pen out of my hands, so I can
only say God bless you all.

I have not a moments time, for the boat
is waiting, therefore can only beg that you
will unite with me, in praising our heavenly
Protector for our escape from the various
dangers of our journey. I never could
have thought my constitution was so strong.
I bore the fatigues of the desert, like
a Lion, though, but just recovering from
my illness. We have been pillaged of
almost every thing, by the Arabs. This
is the Paradise of thieves, I think the
whole population may be divided by two
classes of them; these who adopt force,
and those who effect their purpose by fraud.
I was obliged to purchase a thick cloak,
and veil, proper for the journey, and what
was worse, to wear them all the way hither,
which rendered the heat almost insupportable.
—Never was I more happy, than when I
came on board; although the ship having
been for six weeks in the hands of the natives,tives, M3v 86
the reason of which I cannot enlarge
on here, is totally despoiled of every article
of furniture; we have not a chair or a table,
but as the carpenter makes them, for
there is no buying such things here. Our
greatest inconvenience is the want of good
water; what can be procured here, is so
brackish, as to be scarcely drinkable. I have
not another moment. God bless you! pray
for me my beloved friends.

I wrote you from Mocha, in date the 1779-09-1515th
September, by the Chevalier de St. Lubin
who has most solemnly engaged to forward
my letter, and I trust will keep his word.

We have now been six weeks at sea, and
in the course of a few days hope to reach
Calicut. OarOur passage across the Indian
Ocean, we found very pleasant: the Monsoon
being against us, made it tedious, but no
boisterous seas had we to contend with, as
in the Mediterranean:—all has been calm, easy
and free from alarm of every kind hitherto;
fortunate indeed may we deem ourselves in
having experienced such fine weather; for
our ship is not half laden and has not Cargo
enough to keep her steady. You will now
expect me to say, some thing of those with whom Q3v 118
whom we are cooped up, but my account
will not be very satisfactory, although sufficiently
interesting to us—to begin then.

The woman, of whom I entertained some
suspicion from the first, is I am now credibly
informed, one of the very lowest creatures
taken off the streets in London; she is
so perfectly depraved in disposition, that her
supreme delight consists in rendering everybody
around her, miserable.―It would be
doing her too much honour to stain my paper
with a detail of the various artifices she daily
practices to that end.―Her pretended husband
having in India before, and giving
himself many airs, is locked upon as a
person of mighty consequence, whom nobody
chooses to offend; therefore Madam has full
scope to exercise her mischievous talents,
wherein he never controuls her—not but
that he perfectly understands how to make
himself feared; coercive measures are some
times resorted to; it is a common expression
of the lady. “Lord bless you, if I
did such, or such a thing, T.― would
make no more to do, but to knock me down like Q4r 119
like an ox.” I frequently amuse myself
with examining their countenances, where
ill nature has fixed her Empire so firmly, that
I scarcely believe either of them ever smiled
unless maliciously. Miss Howe’s description
of Solmes, in Clarissa Harlowe, recurs to
to me as admirably suiting this “amiable” pair
—to that I refer you.

Chenu, the Captain, is a mere “Jack in
office;” being unexpectedly raised to that
post from second mate, by the death of poor
Capt Vanderfield and his chief officer on the
fatal Desert, is become from this circumstance
so insolent and overbearing, that every
one detests him. Instead of being ready
to accommodate every person with the few
necessaries left by the plundering Arabs, he
constantly appropriates them to himself.
“Where’s the Captain’s silver spoon? God bless
my soul. Sir, you have got my chair, must
you be seated before the captain? What
have you done with the Captain’s glass?” and
a great deal more of the same kind; batbut this
may serve as a specimen. And altho’ the
wretch half starves us, he frequently makes com- Q4v 120
comparisons between his table, and that
of an Indiaman, which we dare not contradict
while in his power; tell me now, should you
not doat on three such companions for a
long voyage?—but I have a fourth who
at least, merits to be added to the triumvirate;
his name I―R―Esqr. Barrister a
Law, a man of the very first fashion I assure
you, and who would faint at the thought of
any thing Plebeian. T― was one day shewing
him a very handsome silver hilted sword,
which he greatly admired, till chancing to
cast his eye on the scabbard he read Royal
Exchange. “Take your sword” said he, “its
surprizing a man of your sense should commit
such an error; for fifty guineas I would not
have a City name on any article of my dress; now
St. James’s or Bond street, has a delicious
sound, don’t you think so my dear friend?—”
Now would any one suppose this fine gentleman’s
father was in trade, and he himself
brought up in that very City, he effects to
despise? very true nevertheless-Quadrille he
would not he thought to know; it is only
played by the wives and daughters of Tradesmen,
in country towns: I want to make you see R1r 121
see him; figure to yourself a little mortal, his
body constanlyconstantly bent in a rhetorical attitude, as
if addressing the Court, and his face covered
with scorbutio blotches. Happily from an affectation
of singularity, he always wears spectacles.
I say happily, as they serve to conceal
the most odious pair of little white
eyes mine ever beheld. What Butler says
of Hudibras—that “he could not ope His mouth, but out there flew a trope,”
may literally be applied to this Heaven-born
Orator, who certainly outdoes all I ever heard,
in the use of overstrained compliments and far-
fetched allusions. but which all those oddities,
were he only a good-natured harmless
simpleton, one might pity him. At first,
he took so much pains to ingratiate himself
with us, that he became a sort of favorite;—
so many confessions of superior abilities in
Mr. Fay.—―such intreaties to spare
him, when they should practise in the Courts
together,—a studied attention to me in the R minutest R1v 122
minutest article-effectually shielded him from
suspicion, ’till his end was answered, of raising
a party against us, by means of that
vile woman, who was anxious to triumph
over me; especially as i have been repeated
compelled (for the Honour of the Sex)
to censure her swearing, and indecent behaviour.
I have therefore little comfort to
look forward to, for the remainder of the
voyage.

It is, however, only justice to name Mr.
Taylor as an amiable, tho’ melancholy companion,
and Mr. Manesty an agreeable
young man, under twenty, going out as a
writer on the Bombay Establishment, from
whom I always receive the most respectful
attention. Mr. Fuller is a middle aged
man; it is easy to see, that he has been
accustomed to genteel society. How different
his manners from those of H―! Poor man
he has, it seems, fallen into the hands of sharpers,
and been completely pillaged. He has the
finest dark eyes, and one of the most intelligent
countenances I ever met with. His trip to
Bengal is, I doubt, a last resource. May it prove R2r 123
prove successful. I had no enmity towards
him; for though he has joined the other party,
it is evidently with reluctance. Mr.
Moreau a musician, going out to India to
exercise his profession, is very civil and attentive.

Dissentions have run very high on board.
The very day after we sailed from Mocha, a
sudden quarrel arose between the Captain, and
H— the Barrister; on which the ship was
ordered about, and they were going ashore in
a great hurry to decide it; but by the interpotion
of friends, they were prevailed upon to
curb their wrath, ’till their arrival at Calicut,
as in case of an accident, no officer
remained to supply Chenu’s place. About
a month after, they were reconciled; and so
ended this doughty affair.

I had almost forgotten to mention Pierot,
the purser of the ship—a lively, well informed
little Frenchman,—full of anecdotes and
always prepared with a repartee; in short,
the soul of the party. He sings an excellentR2 lent R2v 124
song, and has as many tricks, as a
monkey. I cannot help smiling at his sallies,
though they are frequently levelled at me;
for he is one of my most virulent persecutors.
Indeed, such is our general line of conduct;
for, having early discovered the confederacy,
prudence determined us to go mildly
on, seemingly blind to what it was beyond
our power to remedy. Never intermeddling in
their disputes, all endeavours to draw us into
quarrels are vainly exerted—: indeed I despise
them too much to be angry.

During the first fortnight of our voyage my
foolish complaisance stood in my way at
table; but I soon learnt our genteel maxim was
“catch as catch can”,—the longest arm
fared best; and you cannot imagine what a
good scrambler I am become,—a dish once
seized, it is my care, to make use of my good
fortune: and now provisions running very
short, we are grown quite savages; two or
three of us perhaps fighting for a bone; for
there is no respect of persons. The wretch of
a captain wanting our passage money for nothing R3r 125
nothing, refused to lay in a sufficient quantity
of stock; and if we do not soon reach our
Port, what must be the consequence, Heaven
knows.

After meals I generally retire to my cabin,
where I find plenty of employment, having
made up, a dozen shirts for Mr. F―
out of some cloth, I purchased at Mocha,
―Sometimes I read French and Italian,
and study Portugueze. I likewise prevailed
on Mr. Fay, to teach me short-hand; in
consequence of the airs H.― gave himself
because he was master of this art, and
had taught his sisters to correspond with him
in it. The matter was very easily accomplished,
―in short I discovered abundant
methods of making my time pass usefully,
and not disagreeably. How often since, in
this situation have I blessed God, that he has
been pleased to endow me with a mind, capable
of furnishing its own amusement, in despite
of every means used to discompose it.

We are now in sight of the Malabar hills,
and expect to reach Calicut either this evening,
or tomorrow; I shall conclude this letter,
and send it under charge of Mr. Manesty,
to forward it from Bombay. I am in tolerable
health, and look with a longing eye, towards
Bengal, from whence I trust my next will
be dated. The climate seems likely to agree
very well with me, I do not at all mind
the heat, nor does it affect either my spirits,
or my appetite. I remain

Thanks be to Providence that I am at
length permitted to address my beloved
friends from this land of liberty towards
which my wishes have so long pointed. After
wading through my melancholy journal, you
will be enabled in some measure to form an
idea of the joy that fills my breast on contemplating
the contrast between my present
situation, and that from which I have
so recently escaped—I will not however indulge
in reflections, but hasten to proceed
with my narrative, which broke off at a
most interesting period in my last letter, when
I was every instant expecting the news of
our release.

I was not relieved from suspense till near
twelve on Thursday night, when the gentlemen
returned bringing with them the
so anxiously desired passports for ourselves,
and such trifling articles as remained in our possession Cc2r 203
possession; more than this I find they could not
obtain for us, though absolute promises of
restitution and remuneration had been frequently
held out. This however seemed a
slight evil compared with what even one
days detention might produce: we therefore
abandoned all thought of farther application
on the subject, and on Friday 1780-02-18T0518th February,
at 5 A. M. joyfully quitted our detested
prison, and repaired to the house of our
steady friend and benefactor Isaac, where we
found one of his own sloops prepared to
convey us to Cochin, with every necessary
refreshment on board.

Thus by the indefatigable exertions of this
most excellent man, we are at last released
from a situation of which it is impossible
for you to appreciate the horrors. To
him are we indebted for the inestimable gift
of liberty. No words can I find adequate to the
expression of my gratitude. In whatever
part of the world and under whatever circumstances
my lot may be cast; whether we
shall have the happiness to teach in safety
the place to which all our hopes and wishes
tend, or all doomed to experience again the Cc2 anxieties Cc2v 204
anxieties and sufferings of captivity; whether
I shall pass the remainder of my days
in the sunshine of prosperity, or exposed to
the chilling blasts of adversity; the name of
Isaac the Jew will ever be associated with
the happiest recollections of my life; and while
my heart continues to beat, and warm blood
animates my mortal frame, no distance of
space and time can efface from my mind, the
grateful remembrance of what we owe to
this most worthy of men. When we were
plundered and held in bondage by the Mahometan
robbers amongst whom we had fallen;
when there was no sympathizing friend
to soothe us among our Christian fellow captives;
when there was no hand to help us,
and the last ray of hope gradually forsook us
the darkening scene of our distress; kind
Providence sent a good Samaritan to our relief
in the person of this benevolent Jew,
who proved himself an Israelite indeed. Oh
my dear sister! how can I in the overflowing
of a grateful heart do otherwise than lament,
that the name of this once distinguished people
should have become a term of reproach!
Exiled from the land promised to the seed of
Abraham; scattered over the face of the earth Cc3r 205
earth, yet adhering with firmness to the religion
of their fathers, this race once the
boasted favourites of Heaven, are despised
and rejected by every nation in the world.
The land that affords shelter, denies them
a participation in the rights of citizenship.
Under such circumstances of mortifying contempt,
and invidious segregation, it is no
wonder that many of the children of Israel
in the present day evince more acuteness
than delicacy in their transactions, and are
too well disposed to take advantage of those,
from whom they have endured so much
scorn and persecution. It gives me therefore
peculiar pleasure to record their good deeds,
and to proclaim in my limited circle, that
such a man as a Franco and an Isaac, are
to be found among the posterity of Jacob.
These sentiments are not overstrained but the
genuine effusions of a thankful heart: as
such receive them.

1780-02-1919th February, 1780.

This morning about eleven we arrived at
our long wished for Port, and were landed
close to the house of our good friend Isaac
which is pleasantly situated by the river side
about a mile from Cochin, and rendered in every Cc3v 206
every respect a most delightful residence.
Here we were welcomed by the two wives
of Isaac who were most splendidly dressed
to receive us, rather overloaded with ornaments
yet not inelegant. Indeed I think the
Eastern dresses have infinitely the advantage over
ours; they are much more easy and graceful;
besides affording greater scope for the display
of taste, than our strange unnatural modes.
They were extremely hospitable and very
fond of talking.

I mentioned before, having learned a
little Portuguese during my imprisonment,
which was of great advantage to me
here, for except Malabars, it is the only
language they speak, and a miserable
jargon indeed is what they call Portuguese
here.—However we contrived to make ourselves
mutually understood so far as to be
convinced that each was kindly disposed towards
the other. Had I been differently
circumstanced, it would have given me great
pleasure to have accepted the pressing invitations
of these ladies to pass some time
with them—the entire novelty of the scene
would have amused me. Novel I may well call Cc4r 207
call it, in more respects than one; we were
entertained with all the profusion that wealth
can command and generosity display. Though
religious prejudiesprejudices banished us from their
table, ours was loaded with every delicacy,— nt
all served on massive plate; among many
other articles of luxury which I had never
seen before, were numbers of solid silver
Peekdanees which served the purpose of
spitting boxes (excuse the term.) They stood
aeacheach end of the couches in the principal
room: some of them were nearly three
feet high, with broad bottoms; the middle
of the tube twisted and open at the top,
and a wide mouth, for the convenience of
such as had occasions to expectorate. These
are not what we should call delicate indulgences
in England; but in a country where
smoking tobacco and chewing betel are universally
practiced, they must be allowed
to be necessary ones.

You will judge what a change these
apartments were to me when contrasted,
not with our prison in the Fort of Calicut, for
our residence there was undoubtedly the acme of Cc4v 208
of wretchedness, but even with the house in
which I had so long lived, without any furniture
at all, save my unmattressed couch,
an told table and three broken chairs; and
where many a time the poor Portuguese
lad who served us, had entered at the hour
of dinner empty handed, exclaiming that the
dogs had carried off all that had been provided.
My own face I never saw during
the whole period, there not being so much
as the fragment of a looking-glass to be
obtained.

The younger wife of Isaac attached
herself to me in a manner as I never
before experienced, and really appeared
as if she could not bear to part with me,
even when I went with my husband to see
the town of Cochin, which is truly a very
pretty romantic place; but what was far
more to my satisfaction, we luckily found
Mr. Moore there, who proposed sailing the
next day, and kindly offered us a passage on
the St. Helena, which you may be sure we
gratefully accepted. On our way back we
were accosted by a Captain Richardson, whose Dd1r 209
whose ship is under repair here, and will
be ready in about six weeks. He shook
hands with us as country folks, and directly
offered us both a passage to Bengal with
every accomodation in his house during
our stay here,—a most liberal proposal; was
it not? and which would have been very
fortunate for us, had we missed the St.
Helena; in the present case his offer was
of course declined, but I shall ever recollect
the kindness which dictated it, and trust
opportunities will be afforded to evince my
gratitude.

On the 21st, at 5 A. M. Mr. F― left me
with my new friends, promising to return for me in
half an hour, to the great grief of the fair Jewess
who was become so fond of me—but alas!
I waited hour after hour, and no husband
returned. I was in the greatest anxiety and
consternation imaginable, dreading lest some
new disaster had overtaken us, and that our
ill starred jonrneyjourney was again stopped short
in its course—It is impossible for you to conceive
what I suffered during his absence Dd and Dd1v 210
and how my mind was harrassed by various
tormenting conjectures,—those only who have
so frequently experienced, can judge of my
feelings—At length about noon he made
his appearance, and very calmly began unpacking
the chest as if to replace the things
at his leisure―I asked of course what
had occurred and if Mr. Moore had changed
his intention? “why”, answered he, “Moore
and all the rest are gone on board, but
somehow I dont think he will sail to-day
for all that”. This reply almost bereft me
of my senses, knowing the consequence
of being left behind would be a journey by
land to Madras, (for he would never have
had patience to wait till Captain Richardson’s
ship was ready) the expense of which
alone must amount to eight or nine hundred
rupees, not to mention the intolerable fatigue
of travelling in this Country. Aware that if I
did not exert myself all was lost, I took a
hasty leave of our kind friends, and we
immediately proceeded to Cochin with our
little baggage, and sent out for a boat,
but by this time the afternoon breeze had set Dd2r 211
set in and the sea ran so high, that none
would venture over the Bar; at last
agreed to provide a large boat and take us
off for sixteen rupees. When we came to the
water side, what should this mighty boat
prove, but a narrow Canoe with paddles,
scarcely big enough contain us and our
four rowers. I hesitated―the people ran
round me on all sides, intreating me not
to venture, and assuring us both by words
and gestures that the danger was imminent.
Captain Richardson who was among them
declared that, it would be next to a miracle
if we escaped: indeed every moment
evidently increased the risk; but Mr.
F― now seeing the error of his delay,
swore to run all hazards, rather than
stop any longer at Cochin: a common practice
with most people who have brought themselves
into difficulties by their imprudence
and who seek to regain by obstinacy, what
they have lost through folly. Pity such cannot
always suffer alone. Finding him positive
I commended myself to the protection of Dd2 the Dd2v 212
the Almighty and stepped in; all the spectators
seeming to look upon me as a self devoted
victim: yet how was it possible to
avoid going! had I refused Mr. F―
would constantly have upbraided me with
whatever ill consequence might have resulted
from the delay, and who could wish for life
on such terms! “No” thought I at the
moment, “rather let me brave death in the
line of my duty, rather than have my future days
embittered by reproach, however unmerited.”
As we proceeded the waves gradually rose
higher, and began to break over us;
one man was continually employed in
bailing out the water, though his only
utensil was a bamboo, which hardly held
a quart. Never shall I forget what I
felt on looking round in this situation;
every wave rising many feet higher than the
boat, and threatening to overwhelm us with
instant destruction. I sat at first with my
face to the stern, but afterwards moved to
the front, and when I saw a wave coming,
bowed my head to meet it. We were a
mile from the shore, and at least two from
the ship; was not this sufficient to appal the Dd3r 213
the stoutest heart! yet I can truly say that
my mind was perfectly composed, conscious of
the rectitude of my intentions,—I could look
up boldly to Heaven for protection. Mr.
F― will tell you how frequentyfrequently I
begged him not to entertain the least doubt
of our safety. “We have never” said I
“been conducted thus far by the hand of
Providence to perish; remember my dead
parents; is not their happiness involved
in our safety? depend upon it we shall
be preserved to become the humble instruments
of rendering their declining years
happy.”