166 Turkey, Constantinople, Egypt, QAuG. 



very agreeable, and as far as they go, very satisfactory. One of the 

 most interesting parts of his narration is that in which he relates his 

 interview and conversations with one of the most extraordinary person- 

 ages this age has produced. Lady Hester Stanhope. Having embarked 

 at Damietta for Beirout, and proceeding afterwards to Sidon, he requested 

 permission to wait upon her Ladyship — a favour which is said to be 

 often refused, but which was readily granted to our traveller. He 

 says, 



" I approached the house with a feeling of awe I could not overcome ; the 

 high walls that surrounded the building, the massive bars that closed the 

 gates, the gloomy windows that overlooked the entrance, all contributed to 

 inspire a stranger with ideas that were likely to unfit him for an immediate 

 interview with the celebrated owner of the mansion. 



" After the gates were thrown open I was surprised to observe a thousand 

 little elegancies in the distribution of the walks, and the adjustment of the 

 flower pots in the court through which I passed. Every thing without was 

 wild and barbarous, and all within confessed the hand of taste. I was led 

 from the court into a httle garden, at the extremity of which there was a sort 

 of kiosk, consisting of two rooms, a sitting-room and bed-room, furnished in 

 the European style, with chairs and tables. Every thing seemed to have been 

 prepared for my arrival, and in a short time, an excellent dunier was served 

 up, and various sorts of the choicest wines of Lebanon were laid on the table. 

 It seemed to me as if I was in some enchanted palace ; the servants came and 

 went, but never opened their lips ; I spoke to them, but they answered me 

 with bows and nods. I would have given the world to have had somebody 

 to talk to ; in the evening, however, I received a note from her Ladyship, 

 stating that business prevented her from seeing me till the moqreb, or sunset ; 

 and in the event of my wanting any thing, that I was to write it down on 

 paper and commit it to the servant. The formidable moment for the interview 

 arrived at last, I decked myself out in my finest Mameluke apparel, and fol- 

 lowed the servant who brought her Ladyship's message. 



" The room into which I was ushered was in the Arab style, a long divan 

 was raised at the end, about a foot and a half from the ground ; and, at the 

 further corner, as well as a glimmering lamp would allow me to distinguish, 

 I perceived a tall figure in the male attire of the country, which was no other 



than Lady H herself. She received me in the most gracious manner, 



arose at my entrance, and said my visit afforded her great pleasure. Lithe 

 course of one hour we were on the best of terms, we conversed like people who 

 had been acquainted for years; and, indeed, her Ladyship was so well 

 acquainted with my character within the first two hours of my interview, 

 whether by physiognomy or the stars, that she acquainted me with every 

 peculiar lineament of my mind, with as much facility and as much correctness 

 as if she had been tracing those of my countenance. I was certainly astonished 

 at her penetration ; but I have no doubt, that in judghig of the characters of 

 strangers, her Ladyship 'consults the stars' less than the features of the person 

 whose intellect she wishes to ascertain. For seven hours that I had the honour 

 of sitting with ker Ladyship, there never was a pause in the conversation. 

 Every subject connected with oriental learning was discussed, and every 

 observation of her Ladyship's evint-ed a degree of genius that astonished me, 

 and was couched in such forcible and energetic language as to impress me 

 with the idea that I was conversing with a woman of no ordinary intellect. 

 The peculiarity of some of her opinions in no wise detracted from the general 

 profundity of her reflections ; and, though I could assent to many of her 

 abstract notions regarding astral influence and astrological science, I had still 

 no reason to alter my opinion of her exalted talents, though, it might appear, 

 they were unfortunately directed to very speculative studies." 



