HOSPODAR OF MOLDAVIA. 
799 
Raab presented me to him the day after my arrival; when, cer¬ 
tainly, all I heard from his lips answered the account I had 
received: what he spoke was delivered with an ease, and a spon¬ 
taneous depth of remark on most subjects which admitted it, 
that gave me a high idea of his talents, while my admiration was 
excited by the graceful carelessness of the manner. Every thing, 
at his court seems in a more polished and splendid style than is 
found in that of his kinsman of Valachia. The palace is spacious 
and well built, and its apartments fitted up in unison. The 
attendants were not less multitudinous than those of Boucharest. 
The ceremony of reception was similar ; and the same 'present 
expected at departing, though without the previous hustle into 
the state-carriage. The boyars of this city live in a degree of 
luxury and splendour hardly to be exceeded in any capital of 
Europe. Their balls and parties, with the jewelled dresses of 
the ladies, are beyond imagination; while the gaming which 
goes forward at the tables, in boston, whist, ombre, faro, &c., 
keep up a constant interchange of gold and debts of honour. 
The evening after my arrival, I was invited to one of these as¬ 
semblies at the house of the Logothett, or great chancellor, 
Constantine Balsh, a boyar of one of the first families in the 
province. The prince and his whole family were present, seated 
on a divan at the upper end of the saloon. His Highness did me 
the honour of placing me by his side; and from that commanding 
point of sight, I had a full view of all the beauty and splendour 
the company presented. The ladies, as fair as their sisters of 
Valachia, were dressed in a similar Parisian mode; but the 
materials of shawls, pearls, diamonds, and other precious stones, 
for costliness and magnificence, could not have been equalled on 
the other side of the Carpathian mountains. The feasting part 
