of the coach with great respect, and conducted me
through several rooms, where her she-slaves, finely
dressed, were ranged on each side. In the innermost,
I found the lady sitting on her sofa, in a sable vest.
She advanced to meet me, and presented me half a dozen
of her friends, with great civility. She seemed
a very good woman, near fifty years old. I was
surprised to observe so little magnificence in her
house, the furniture being all very moderate; and,
except the habits and number of her slaves, nothing
about her appeared expensive. She guessed at
my thoughts, and told me she was no longer of an age
to spend either her time or money in superfluities;
that her whole expence was in charity, and her whole
employment praying to God. There was no affectation
in this speech; both she and her husband are entirely
given up to devotion. He never looks upon any
other woman; and, what is much more extraordinary,
touches no bribes, notwithstanding the example of
all his predecessors. He is so scrupulous on
this point, he would not accept Mr W——’s
present, till he had been assured over and over, that
it was a settled perquisite Of his place, at the entrance
of every ambassador. She entertained me with
all kind of civility, till dinner came in, which was
served, one dish at a time, to a vast number, all finely
dressed after their manner, which I don’t think
so bad as you have perhaps heard it represented.
I am a very good judge of their eating, having lived
three weeks in the house of an effendi at Belgrade,
who gave us very magnificent dinners, dressed by his
own cooks. The first week they pleased me extremely;
but, I own, I then began to grow weary of their table,
and desired our own cook might add a dish or two after
our manner. But I attribute this to custom,
and am very much inclined to believe, that an Indian,
who had never tasted of either, would prefer their
cookery to ours. Their sauces are very high,
all the roast very much done. They use a great
deal of very rich spice. The soup is served
for the last dish; and they have, at least, as great
a variety of ragouts as we have. I was very
sorry I could not eat of as many as the good lady would
have had me, who was very earnest in serving me of
every thing. The treat concluded with coffee
and perfumes, which is a high mark of respect; two
slaves kneeling censed my hair, clothes, and
handkerchief. After this ceremony, she commanded
her slaves to play and dance, which they did with
their guitars in their hands, and she excused to me
their want of skill, saying she took no care to accomplish
them in that art.