Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M-y W-y M-e | Page 2

us be better natured,
than to give way to any unkind or disrespectful thought of so bright an
ornament of our sex, merely because she has better sense; for I doubt
not but our hearts will tell us, that this is the real and unpardonable
offence, whatever may be pretended. Let us be better Christians, than to
look upon her with an evil eye, only because the giver of all good gifts
has entrusted and adorned her with the most excellent talents. Rather let
us freely own the superiority, of this sublime genius, as I do, in the
sincerity of my soul; pleased that a woman triumphs, and proud to
follow in her train. Let us offer her the palm which is so justly her due;
and if we pretend to any laurels, lay them willingly at her feet.
December 18.. 1724. M. A.
Charm'd into love of what obscures my fame, If I had wit, I'd celebrate
her name, And all the beauties of her mind proclaim. Till Malice,
deafen'd with the mighty sound, Its ill-concerted calumnies confound;
Let fall the mask, and with pale envy meet, To ask and find, their
pardon at her feet.
You see, Madam, how I lay every thing at your feet. As the tautology
shews (sic) the poverty of my genius, it likewise shews the extent of
your empire over my imagination.
May 31. 1725.
ADVERTISEMENT OF THE EDITOR
THE editor of these letters, who, during his residence at Venice, was

honoured with the esteem and friendship of their ingenious and elegant
author, presents them to the public, for the two following reasons:
First, Because it was the manifest intention of the late Lady M----y
W----Y M----e; that this SELECT COLLECTION of her letters should
be communicated to the public: an intention declared, not only to the
editor, but to a few more chosen friends, to whom she gave, copies of
the incomparable letters.
The second, and principal reason, that has engaged the editor to let this
Collection see the light, is, that the publication of these letters will be
an immortal monument to the memory of Lady M----y W----y M----e;
and will shew, as long as the English language endures, the
sprightliness of her wit, the solidity of her judgment, the extent of her
knowledge, the elegance of her taste, and the excellence of her real
character.
The SELECT COLLECTION, here published, was faithfully
transcribed from the original manuscript of her ladyship at Venice.
The letters from Ratisbon, Vienna, Dresden, Peterwaradin, Belgrade,
Adrianople, Constantinople, Pera, Tunis, Genoa, Lyons, and Paris, are
certainly, the most curious and interesting part of this publication; and,
both in point of matter and form, are, to say no more of them,
singularly worthy of the curiosity and attention of all men of taste, and
even of all women of fashion. As to those female readers, who read for
improvement, and think their beauty an insipid thing, if it is not
seasoned by intellectual charms, they will find in these letters what they
seek for; and will behold in their author, an ornament and model to
their sex.
LETTER 1.
TO THE COUNTESS OF ----.
Rotterdam, Aug. 3. O. S. 1716.
I FLATTER, myself, dear sister, that I shall give you some pleasure in

letting you know that I have safely passed the sea, though we had the ill
fortune of a storm. We were persuaded by the captain of the yacht to set
out in a calm, and he pretended there was nothing so easy as to tide it
over; but, after two days slowly moving, the wind blew so hard, that
none of the sailors could keep their feet, and we were all Sunday night
tossed very handsomely. I never saw a man more frighted (sic) than the
captain. For my part, I have been so lucky, neither to suffer from fear
nor seasickness; though, I confess, I was so impatient to see myself
once more upon dry land, that I would not stay till the yacht could get
to Rotterdam, but went in the long-boat to Helvoetsluys, where we had
voitures to carry us to the Briel. I was charmed with the neatness of that
little town; but my arrival at Rotterdam presented me a new scene of
pleasure. All the streets are paved with broad stones, and before many
of the meanest artificers doors are placed seats of various coloured
marbles, so neatly kept, that, I assure you, I walked almost all over the
town yesterday, incognito, in my slippers without receiving one spot of
dirt; and you may see the Dutch maids washing the pavement of the
street, with more application than ours do our bed-chambers. The town
seems so full of people, with such busy faces, all in motion, that I can
hardly fancy