of their deaths, and have a very fine
effect by candle light; but I could wish they were handsome with a
little more variety. They resemble one another as much as Mrs
Salmon's court of Great Britain, and are in as much danger of melting
away, by too near approaching the fire, which they for that reason
carefully avoid, though 'tis now such excessive cold weather, that I
believe they suffer extremely by that piece of self-denial. The snow
is already very deep, and the people begin to slide about in their
traineaus. This is a favourite diversion all over Germany. They are
little machines fixed upon a sledge, that hold a lady and gentleman,
and are drawn by one horse. The gentleman has the honour of driving,
and they move with a prodigious swiftness. The lady, the horse, and
the traineau, are all as fine as they can be made; and when there are
many of them together, 'tis a very agreeable show. At Vienna, where
all pieces of magnificence are carried to excess, there are sometimes
machines of this kind, that cost five or six hundred pounds English.
The duke of Wolfenbuttle is now at this court; you know he is nearly
related to our king, and uncle to the reigning empress, who is, I
believe, the most beautiful princess upon earth. She is now with
child, which is all the consolation of the imperial court, for the
loss of the archduke. I took my leave of her the day before I left
Vienna, and she began to speak to me with so much grief and
tenderness, of the death of that young prince, I had much ado to
withhold my tears. You know that I am not at all partial to people
for their titles; but I own, that I love that charming princess, (if
I may use so familiar an expression) and if I had not, I should have
been very much moved at the tragical end of an only son, born, after
being so long desired, and at length killed by want of good
management, weaning him in the beginning of the winter. Adieu, dear
lady R----; continue to write to me, and believe none of your
goodness is lost upon Your, &c.

LET. XIX.

TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.

_Blankenburg, OCT_. 17. O. S. 1716.

I RECEIVED your's, dear sister, the very day I left Hanover. You may
easily imagine I was then in too great a hurry to answer it; but you
see I take the first opportunity of doing myself that pleasure. I
came here the 15th, very late at night, after a terrible journey, in
the worst roads and weather that ever poor traveller suffered. I
have taken th