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