all of Timber, that leads to a Guard Chamber, which is a Room of no great Extent, and without any manner of Ornament; and from thence there's an Entrance into other Apartments but half furnish'd, and very low, which in fhort is the Fault of all the Apartments. The Gardens of the Palace are as inconfiderable as the Building; they being full of large Fruit-trees, but in very bad Order, and I faw nothing there that can be call'd a fine Profpect.

Mean time the Court Nobility are far from being fo ill lodg'd as the Emperor, for they have all stately Houses, both in the City and Suburbs. Prince Eugene of Savoy's Palace is the most magnificent Building that one fhall fee; for whether you examine the Outside or the Inside of it, the whole is of the best Contrivance, and the utmost Magnificence. The first Hall, which forms the first Piece of the grand Apartment, is all wainscotted, and adorn'd with large Pictures, representing the chief Battles won by Prince Eugene. From this Hall we enter into a large Antichamber, where we fee a Suit of Tapistry Hangings, made by the famous Devos of Bruffels, where that skilful Artist has represented the principal Tranfactions of the War to as great Perfection as poffible: Out of this Antichamber we go into the Bedchamber; I never faw any thing fo rich as the Furniture is there; the Tapistry is roll'd up in Pilafters of green Velvet, embroider'd with Gold, with Figures in Needle Work fo finely drawn, that they seem to be Miniatures. This Piece is intirely furnish'd in all that Taste : The Closet next to the Bedchamber is all over gilt; and every thing in general in this Apartment is fuperb; the Paintings, Looking-Glaffes, Marble Tables, the very Arms and An

dirons being of moft curious Workmanship: I ought not to omit the many fine Luftres, of which that in the Bedchamber is the most magnificent; and I have been told, that it coft 40,000 Florins: As to the Ceiling and other Pieces of Masonry, they are indeed very fine, but not fo elegant as noble.

After having taken a full View of the Prince's Apartments, I was fhew'd the Library, which is in as good a Condition as any in Europe. The Books are rang'd in delightful Order, and the pompous Bindings form the finest Scene that can be. Hither the Prince comes every now and then to unbend himself from the Fatigues of his great Employments.

The Prince has a magnificent Garden in the Suburb of Vienna, which has a Court before it, that is feparated from the Street by an Iron Grate of very curious Workmanship. In this Court is a very large Piece of Water, with a Row of Chefnut-Trees on each Side, that leads to the House, or rather the Castle, for 'tis a great and ftately Building: They were ftill at Work upon it when I faw it. This House fronts the Garden, and takes up almoft the whole Breadth of it. The Garden is fhelving, for which Reafon it was thought proper to place a very fine Cascade in the middle of it. There's a very neat Structure at the End of it, which, like the Houfe, takes in the whole Breadth of it. Below Stairs is a great Saloon, all lin'd with Marble of several Colours, and a Ceiling adorn'd with fine Paintings From this Saloon there's a Paffage to a Room on the Left, the Ceiling and Wainscot of which are very fine; and then we enter into a large Closet, and next to that is a Bedchamber, with a Gallery and another large Clo

fet

fet at the End of that; fo much for what is on the Left of the Saloon. On the Right Hand is another large Apartment, and the Chapel. The Backfide of the Building looks into a great Court, where are the Stables and Coach-houses : 'Tis pity that this Prince, after he had been at fo much Expence in this Building, did not buy the Ground where the Empress has fince built a Convent. The Prince was advis'd to it at that very Time, but he refus'd, and faid, he would not purchase the whole Suburb; to be fure he repents it by this time; for the Convent, which the Emprefs has caus'd to be erected there, is a great Inconvenience to that Prince, who cannot ftir one Step at Home, without being overlook'd by the Nuns.

On the other Side of the City is another Suburb, which is very confiderable, and the Walks there are very fine. The Prat, for Inftance, is a Place mightily frequented; 'tis a Wood in an Ifland, form'd by the Danube, where there is fuch a furprizing Concourfe of People in fine Weather, that it may well enough be call'd, The Boulogne Grove of Vienna. As one returns out of this Walk we come to another, call'd The Emperor's Garden: Here was formerly a beautiful Palace, but the Turks having burnt it the last time they besieg'd Vienna, there is nothing of it to be feen now but the Ruins: The Garden is a large Spot of Ground, and, with a little Expence, might be made very fine, but no body seems to think about it, which I have been told is owing to the furprizing Swarms of Infects the Danube brings hither at certain Times of the Year, fo that People who come hither to walk, are forc'd to defert it: When they can come without this Annoyance, the Gentry ufuVOL. IV.

ally

ally repair hither in the Evening; adjoining tô this Garden is a very fine Wood, in which are cut out noble Walks: This, Madame, is all that is most remarkable in Vienna and its Suburbs; as to the Buildings, I will next endeavour to give you an Idea of this Court.

The Court of Vienna is, in my Opinion, the plaineft, and at the fame time the most magnificent in Europe: To explain this feeming Paradox, I must acquaint you, that, as to the external Appearance of the Emperor's Houfhold, nothing is fo plain, nor indeed fo difmal: His Liveries are of black Cloth, with a Lace of yellow and white Silk: The Cloathing of his Guards is much the fame; and befides, they are not many in Number. The Palace, as I have had the Honour to tell you, is very inconfiderable; yet taking the Court all together, and confidering the Number of Great and Petty Officers, the many rich Noblemen that fpend high, and the several Princes that are in the Service of his Imperial Majefty, it must be confefs'd, that there is not a Court in Europe fo fplendid as that of Vienna. At the Time that I was there, the Emperor had in his Service Two Brothers of a King, Two Princes of Royal Blood, and a great Number of Princes of Sovereign or other Honourable Families: Nor is there a Court where there is a more fudden Tranfition from the meaneft to the most stately external Appearance, and this they commonly run to fuch an Extreme, that they abfolutely renounce Elegancy, to incumber themfelves with Magnificence: For on folemn Days, as thofe of Births, Marriages, &c. one fees nothing but Gold, Lace and Diamonds without Number: And as foon as these Holidays, which

are

are call'd Gala, are expir'd, they all refume their former Plainnefs.

After having given you this general Idea of the Court of Vienna, I will acquaint you how they commonly spend their Time: First of all, as foon as the Emperor is rifen, he is dress'd; ther he reads fome Dispatches, and fometimes gives Audience to fome Minifter, or affifts in Council. He afterwards goes to Mafs, either at his own Chapel, or to fome Church, according to the Festival. On the Days of Ceremony or Feftival he is accompany'd by the Nuncio and the Ambaffadors, upon which Occafion the Emperor rides thither with very great Pomp. The Grooms of the Imperial Stables on Horseback begin the Cavalcade, then comes an Equerry, and a Coach drawn by Six Horfes, in which fits the Master of the Horfe: He is follow'd by the Chamberlains, the Knights of the Golden Fleece, and the Ministers, all on Horseback, in black Cloaths, and Cloaks trimm'd with Lace. After thefe come the Footmen and Heydukes, in an antic Drefs, and bare-headed. Their Imperial Majefties Coach comes next, between Two Files of the Hundred Swiss: The Emperor rides always with his Face to the Horfes, and the Emprefs over-against him, unless the Emperor goes into the Country, and then the Emprefs fits by his Side. The Pages and fome of the inferior Officers of the Chamber follow on Horseback, and then Three or Four Coaches, with Six Horfes, in which are the Emprefs's Ladies: The Cavalcade is clos❜d by a Company of the Garifon at Vienna, which is maintain'd at the Charge of the City, and mounts Guard at the Emperor's Palace, his Imperial Majefty having no other Foot Guards.