This general drenching of fifteen travellers, which will make many persons laugh, was treated with the utmost seriousness by Lady Hester Stanhope. It was a rule with her, as has been said above, never to let any one pass through her hands without some potion or another; and truly it may be asserted that she has saved many from the fevers of the country by her sage foresight and precautions; but it was too comical when seven or eight at a time were to be physicked. To have heard Lady Hester and myself in conference, weighing the probabilities of under or over dosing the tall captain of the guards, the mild and delicately framed baron, and the royal stomach of his highness, would have been quite a comedy.

The servant had been ordered to arrive at midnight; the doses were to be administered at two in the morning; whilst I was to be down at the tents by noon to see if all had gone on properly. Accordingly, I mounted my horse after breakfast; but, being rather late, I did not get there until half-past two. What was my surprise, when the baron, advancing towards me, seized my hand. “Be not afraid,” said he; “we are out of quarantine, and have now no contagion about us. Upon the representation made, that our black Mameluke was lying ill of typhus fever only, the board of health at Beyrout has set us free. Let me take you to his royal highness, who now can receive you a little better than he has done.” I accordingly went with him behind the tombs, where we found the duke seated on a sofa in the open air, with his suite around him, and the place rolled and watered for coolness. He received me with great kindness and condescension, spoke in repeated terms of gratitude for Lady Hester’s attention to him, and said his first duty was to wait on her and thank her: he therefore charged me to let him know when she would permit him to pay his respects. Pipes and coffee were served; and, when I had time to look about me, I observed the manner in which they had bivouacked for some days past. Under the hedge, a few yards off, was an immense pile of burning live coals, on which the saucepans and boilers were placed, gipsy-fashion: in this differing from the manner of the country, where, when cooking in the open air is going on, temporary stoves are constructed with three or four square stones, which confine the ashes and make a draught. In the background I was surprised to see about half a dozen Italian tumblers, who were preparing for an exhibition of feats of leaping, &c. These were a troop, who had that very day arrived from Beyrout, and whom the prince had engaged to divert him. Soon after arrived the government secretary, the colonels of the different regiments in garrison, the Austrian referendary and his family, &c., to congratulate the duke on the termination of his confinement. The exhibition being over, I rose to take leave. The duke pressed me to stop and dine with him; but I pleaded my three hours’ ride back in the dark, and returned home.

Friday, June 8.—When I told Lady Hester that the duke was coming up, she sent the following letter to him:—

To His Royal Highness Maximilian Duke of Bavaria.

Jôon, June 8, 1838.

Highness,

I cannot sufficiently appreciate the honour you intend me in wishing to visit my hermitage: but permit me to impose these conditions on you—that you say not a word more, neither you nor the noblemen in your suite, of those trifling services which you have so graciously and benevolently accepted. Allow me also to acquaint your highness that, although I was in my time a woman of the world, for these last twenty years I have been nothing but a philosopher, who turns out of her road for nobody. When Alexander the Great visited Diogenes, he neither changed his dress nor moved his tub for him: pardon me, prince, if I imitate his example.

There was a time when my house was passable: but now there are many rooms in ruins for want of repairs—especially a large pavilion in the garden, tumbling down from an earthquake; so that I could not lodge more than three or four persons at a time. What lodging I have for you is, first of all, a little garden on the east side of my residence, with a small saloon, and outside of the door two mustabys,[30] where two persons might sleep. Adjoining the saloon is a bed-room, and at the back of it a sleeping-room for two valets, with mattresses on the floor, according to the custom of the country. The saloon has a trellis in front. Just out of the garden-gate is a little place to make coffee, or boil water for shaving; and opposite to it is another room for ordinary strangers, where two persons can sleep, and where Count Tattenbach was lodged. For the other servants there is room in one of the courtyards. As for my own divàn, it has been in a ruinous state for some years, and I inhabit at present a badly furnished little room.

I beg your highness will consider the little garden, and the pavilion in it, which I have just mentioned, as your own, until the ship which you expect arrives. You can make your excursions in the mountain when you like. With you you can bring two or three of the gentlemen of your suite, and these can make room for others in their turn. Only, I hope that the baron and Count Gaiety, as I call him (for, according to what the doctor tells me, during all your misfortunes he has always preserved his cheerfulness), will not come both together, because I have got a great deal to say to each. Thus, then, I shall expect your royal highness on Saturday evening.

I have the honour to salute you, prince, with the most perfect esteem and highest consideration, begging you to accept, with your known nobleness, the welcome of the dervise,