Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M—y W—y M—e: Written during Her Travels in Europe, Asia and Africa to Persons of Distinction, Men of Letters, &c. in Different Parts of EuropeMontagu, Mary Wortley, Lady
History
Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M—y W—y M—e: Written during Her Travels in Europe, Asia and Africa to Persons of Distinction, Men of Letters, &c. in Different Parts of Europe
Montagu, Mary Wortley, Lady
Authors, English -- 18th century -- Correspondence; British -- Foreign countries -- History -- 18th century; Diplomats' spouses -- Great Britain -- Correspondence; Montagu, Mary Wortley, Lady 1689-1762 -- Correspondence; Turkey -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Voyages and travels --
I HAVE not time to answer your letter, being in the hurry of
preparing for my journey; but, I think, I ought to bid adieu to my
friends with the same solemnity as if I was going to mount a breach,
at least, if I am to believe the information of the people here, who
denounce all sorts of terrors to me; and, indeed, the weather is at
present such, as very few ever set out in. I am threatened at the
same time, with being frozen to death, buried in the snow, and taken
by the Tartars, who ravage that part of Hungary I am to pass. 'Tis
true, we shall have a considerable _escorte_ (sic), so that possibly
I may be diverted with a new scene, by finding myself in the midst of
a battle. How my adventures will conclude, I leave entirely to
Providence; if comically, you shall hear of them.--Pray be so good as
to tell Mr ---- I have received his letter. Make him my adieus; if I
live, I will answer it. The same compliment to my lady R----.
LET. XXIII.
TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.
_Peterwaradin, Jan_. 30. O. S. 1717.
AT length, dear sister I am safely arrived, with all my family, in
good health, at Peterwaradin; having suffered so little from the
rigour of the season, (against which we were well provided by furs)
and found such tolerable accommodation every where, by the care of
sending before, that I can hardly forbear laughing, when I recollect
all the frightful ideas that were given me of this journey. These, I
see, were wholly owing to the tenderness of my Vienna friends, and
their desire of keeping me with them for this winter. Perhaps it
will not be disagreeable to you, to give a short journal of my
journey, being through a country entirely unknown to you, and very
little passed, even by the Hungarians themselves, who generally chuse
to take the conveniency of going down the Danube. We have had the
blessing of being favoured with finer weather than is common at this
time of the year; though the snow was so deep, we were obliged to
have our own coaches fixed upon traineaus, which move so swift and so
easily, 'tis by far the most agreeable manner of travelling post. We
came to Raab (the second day from Vienna) on the seventeenth instant,
where Mr W---- sending word of our arrival to the governor, the best
house in the town was provided for us, the garrison put under arms, a
guard ordered at our door, and all other honours paid to us. The
governor, and all other officers immediately waited on Mr W----, to
know if there was any thing to be done for his service. The bishop
of Temeswar came to visit us, with great civility, earnestly pressing
us to dine with him next day; which we refusing, as being resolved to
pursue our journey, he sent us several baskets of winter fruit, and a
great variety of Hungarian wines, with a young hind just killed.
This is a prelate of great power in this country, of the ancient
family of Nadasti, so considerable for many ages, in this kingdom.
He is a very polite, agreeable, cheerful old man, wearing the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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