But the Ladies all sitting in the open air, exposed them to much
inconvenience; for there was but one Canopy for the Imperial Family; and
the first night we were there, a shower of Rain coming on, the Opera was
broken off, and the Company crowded away in such confusion that we were
almost squeezed to Death.

If their Operas were thus productive of such Delectable Entertainment
(abating the Rain and crowding), I cannot say much for their Comedies
and Drolls, which were highly Ridiculous. We went to the German
Playhouse, and saw the Story of Amphytrion very scurvily represented.
Jupiter falls in love out of a peep-hole in the clouds in the
beginning, and the end of it was the Birth of Hercules. It was very
pitiful to see Jove, under the figure of Amphytrion, cheating a Tailor
of a laced coat, and a Banker of a bag of Money, and a Jew of a Diamond
Ring, with the like rascally Subterfuges; and Mercury's usage of Sosia
was little more dignified. And the play was interlarded with very gross
expressions and unseemly gestures, such as in England would not be
tolerated by the Master of the Revels, or even in France by the
Gentleman of the Chamber having charge over the Theatres, but at which
the Viennese Quality, both Male and Female, did laugh Heartily and with
much Gusto.

Memorandum. As some of the Manners then existing have passed away (in
this sad changeful age, when every thing seems melting away like Cowheel
Jelly at a Wedding Feast), I have set down for those curious in such
matters that the Vienna Dames were squeezed up in my time in gowns and
gorgets, and had built fabrics of gauze on their Heads about a yard
high, consisting of Three or Four Stories, fortified with numberless
yards of heavy Ribbon. The foundation of this alarming structure was a
thing they called a _Bourle_, which was exactly of the same shape and
kind--only four times Bigger--as those Rolls which our Milkmaids make
use of to fix their Pails upon. This machine they covered with their own
hair, with which they mixed a great deal of False; it being a particular
and Especial Grace with them to have their Heads too large to go into a
moderate-sized Tub. Their Hair was prodigiously powdered to conceal the
mixture, and so set out with numerous rows of Bodkins, sticking out
three or four Inches on each side, made of Diamonds, Pearls, Green, Red,
and Yellow Stones, that it certainly required as much Art and Experience
to carry the load upright as to dance o