particulars of my case, and was no sooner acquainted with them than he
informed me that the Maladie Alamode was the lady to whom I was obliged.
I thanked him, and immediately went to pay my respects to her. The
house, or rather palace, of this lady was one of the most beautiful
and magnificent in the city. The avenue to it was planted with sycamore
trees, with beds of flowers on each side; it was extremely pleasant but
short. I was conducted through a magnificent hall, adorned with several
statues and bustoes, most of them maimed, whence I concluded them all
to be true antiques; but was informed they were the figures of several
modern heroes, who had died martyrs to her ladyship's cause. I next
mounted through a large painted staircase, where several persons were
depicted in caricatura; and, upon inquiry, was told they were the
portraits of those who had distinguished themselves against the lady
in the lower world. I suppose I should have known the faces of many
physicians and surgeons, had they not been so violently distorted by
the painter. Indeed, he had exerted so much malice in his work, that I
believe he had himself received some particular favors from the lady of
this mansion: it is difficult to conceive a group of stranger figures. I
then entered a long room, hung round with the pictures of women of such
exact shapes and features that I should have thought myself in a gallery
of beauties, had not a certain sallow paleness in their complexions
given me a more distasteful idea. Through this I proceeded to a second
apartment, adorned, if I may so call it, with the figures of old ladies.
Upon my seeming to admire at this furniture, the servant told me with
a smile that these had been very good friends of his lady, and had done
her eminent service in the lower world. I immediately recollected the
faces of one or two of my acquaintance, who had formerly kept bagnios;
but was very much surprised to see the resemblance of a lady of great
distinction in such company. The servant, upon my mentioning this, made
no other answer than that his lady had pictures of all degrees. I was
now introduced into the presence of the lady herself. She was a thin, or
rather meager, person, very wan in the countenance, had no nose and many
pimples in her face. She offered to rise at my entrance, but could not
stand. After many compliments, much congratulation on her side, and
the most fervent expressions of gratitude on mine, she asked me m