LET.  X.

TO THE LADY R——.

Vienna, Sept. 20.  O. S. 1716.

I AM extremely rejoiced, but not at all surprised, at the long, delightful letter, you have had the goodness to send me.  I know that you can think of an absent friend even in the midst of a court, and you love to oblige, where you can have no view of a return; and I expect from you that you should love me, and think of me, when you don’t see me.  I have compassion for the mortifications that you tell me befel (sic) our little old friend, and I pity her much more, since I know, that they are only owing to the barbarous customs of our country.  Upon my word, if she were here, she would have no other fault but that of being something too young for the fashion, and she has nothing to do but to transplant herself hither about seven years hence, to be again a young and blooming beauty.  I can assure you, that wrinkles, or a small stoop in the shoulders, nay, even gray-hairs (sic), are no objection to the making new conquests.  I know you cannot easily figure to yourself, a young fellow of five and twenty, ogling my lady S-ff—­k with passion, or pressing to hand the countess of O——­d from an opera.  But such are the sights I see every day, and I don’t perceive any body surprized (sic) at them but myself.  A woman, till five and thirty, is only looked upon as a raw girl, and can possibly make no noise in the world, till about forty.  I don’t know what your ladyship may think of this matter; but ’tis a considerable comfort to me, to know there is upon earth such a paradise for old women; and I am content to be insignificant at present, in the design of returning when I am fit to appear no where else.  I cannot help, lamenting, on this occasion, the pitiful case of too many English ladies, long since retired to prudery and ratafia, who, if their stars had luckily conducted hither, would shine in the first rank of beauties.  Besides, that perplexing word reputation, has quite another meaning here than what you give it at London; and getting a lover is so far from losing, that ’tis properly getting reputation; ladies being much more respected in regard to the rank of their lovers, than that of their husbands.

BUT what you’ll think very odd, the two sects that divide our whole nation of petticoats, are utterly unknown in this place.  Here are neither coquettes nor prudes.  No woman dares appear coquette enough to encourage two lovers at a time.  And I have not seen any such prudes as to pretend fidelity to their husbands, who are certainly the best natured set of people in the world, and look upon their wives’ gallants as favourably as men do upon their deputies, that take the troublesome part of their business off their hands.  They have not however the less to do on that account; for they are generally deputies in another place themselves; in one word, ’tis the established custom for every lady to have two husbands, one that bears the name, and another that