MEMOIRS OF THE LADY HESTER STANHOPE,

AS RELATED BY HERSELF IN CONVERSATIONS WITH HER PHYSICIAN; COMPRISING HER OPINIONS AND ANECDOTES OF SOME OF THE MOST REMARKABLE PERSONS OF HER TIME.

All such writings and discourses as touch no man will mend no man.—Tyers’s Rhapsody on Pope.

Second Edition. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. III.

LONDON: HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.

1846.

FREDERICK SHOBERL, JUNIOR, PRINTER TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE ALBERT, 51, RUPERT STREET, HAYMARKET, LONDON.

CONTENTS OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.

Prince Pückler Muskau—His letter to Lady Hester Stanhope—Story of the Serpent’s Cave—Letter from Lady Hester to the Prince—Ride from Jôon to Sayda—Cadi’s Justice—Madame Conti—Syrian surgeons 1

CHAPTER II.

Mehemet Ali’s hospitality to travellers—Prince Pückler Muskau’s appreciation of it—His reception of the Author—Reflections on passports—Lady Hester’s pecuniary difficulties—Her reluctance to reduce her establishment—Her restlessness—Presents in Eastern countries—Severity necessary with Eastern servants—Letter from Lady Hester to Lord Ebrington—Outrage committed on old Pierre—Defection of the Ottoman fleet—Khalyl Aga 29

CHAPTER III.

Lady Hester’s mode of life—Boghoz Bey—The insurrection of the Druzes—Character of the Emir Beshýr—Ibrahim Pasha—Lady Charlotte Bury—Preparations for the reception of Prince Pückler Muskau 50

CHAPTER IV.

Prince Pückler Muskau’s arrival at Jôon—His costume—Physiognomical doctrines—The Prince’s remarks on Lady Hester—Dr. Bowring—Lady Hester’s remarks on the Prince—Race of Abyssinian women—Remarks on public grants, &c.—The polytheistic school of Germany—Remarks on pensions, on Abyssinian slaves, &c.—Story of Sultan Abdallah, the negro—Excursion on horseback—Horse-jockeys in Syria—Servants’ vails—Lord M. and Captain G.—Talismanic charm about Lady Hester—Her visions of greatness 73

CHAPTER V.

Prince Pückler Muskau’s style of writing—Talking beneficial to health—Young men of Lady Hester’s time—Lady Hester’s superstitious belief in good and bad days—Hamâady, the executioner—His importance—Folly of education, according to Lady Hester—Lord Hood, Lord Bridport, Payne, the smuggler’s son—the O****s—The Prince’s self-invitations to dine out—B.—Prince Pückler and old Pierre—The American Commodore—Lady Hester’s cats—Mahomet Ali’s secret devices 107

CHAPTER VI.

Author’s dilemma—Apprehensions of poisoning—Mr. Cooper’s dray-boy—Memoirs of a Peeress—Lady B. and the Duchess of——Novel scheme for making maids obedient—English servants—Lady J.—Lord C.—Mr. Pitt, and the disturbed state of England—Peers made by Mr. Pitt—Footmen’s nosegays—Mr. Pitt’s last words, as related by Gifford—Melancholy reflections—Mr. Pitt’s signature—Mr. Pitt a Statesman inferior to Lord Chatham—Mr. Fox—Sir Walter Scott—Shaykh Mohammed Nasýb—Turkish dervises—Anecdote of Sir William Pynsent—Sir John Dyke—High and low descent exemplified in Captain—and Count Rewisky—Lady Charlotte Bury—The Empress Josephine—Buonaparte—Mr. Pitt’s physiognomy—Advantageous offers refused by Lady Hester—Her house in Montague Square—The Cheshire Squire—Ingratitude of the world—Trust not in man, but in God 128

CHAPTER VII.

Journey to Beyrout—Death of Mrs. K—- —Mr. George Robinson and M. Guys—The River Damoor—Khaldy—Letter from Lady Hester to Mr. K.—Lord Prudhoe—Mrs. Moore—Lady Hester’s dislike to be the subject of occasional poetry—Striking a Turk—Lady Hester’s opinion of Lord Byron—Arrival of Maximilian Duke of Bavaria—Letter to the Baron de Busech—Letter to H.R H. the Duke Maximilian—Adventures of the Duke—Illness of the Duke’s negro, Wellington—Vexation of His Royal Highness—Letter to Mr. K., merchant at Beyrout—Letter to Lord Brougham—Professional visit to Sulyman Pasha’s child—League between the maids and receivers of stolen goods—Black doses for the Prince’s suite—Letter from Lady Hester to the Duke of Bavaria on his intended visit—The Duke leaves Syria 171

CHAPTER VIII.

Petty annoyances in hot countries—Lady Hester refuses Duke Maximilian’s portrait—She insists on the Author’s leaving her—Continuation of the negro Wellington’s case—Progress of the Druze insurrection—Destruction of locusts—Mysterious visit at the Dar—Reasons why Lady Hester kept daring fellows in her service—Russian spies—Dr. Lœve’s visit—Dangerous state of the country—Lady Hester’s dream—Her resolution to immure herself—Visit from Mr. M.—Visit from Colonel Hazeta and Dr. Mill—Letter from Lord Palmerston to Lady Hester—Her answer—Inexpediency of having consular agents, not natives of the country they represent—Successes of the Druzes—Lady Hester’s belief in fortune-telling—Letter from Sir Francis Burdett—Colonel Needham’s property—Lord Coutts—Subscribers to pay Mr. Pitt’s debts—Fright from a serpent—Battle of Yanta—Sir N. Wraxall a peer—Discourse upon heads—A spy—Letter to the Duke Maximilian of Bavaria 225

CHAPTER IX.

Vessel hired for the Author’s departure—Lady Hester’s intention of writing her Memoirs—Letter from Lady Hester to Sir Francis Burdett—From Lady Hester to Count Wilsensheim—Events of the Druze insurrection—Inexpediency of M. Guys’s removal from Beyrout—Letter from the Author to Count Wilsensheim—Letter from Lady Hester Stanhope to the Baron de Busech—Lady Hester immured—Principal reason of the Author’s return to Europe—His adieux—Passage to Cyprus—Reception by Signor Baldassare Mattei—Provisions in Cyprus—Mademoiselle Longchamps—Letter from Lady Hester to the Author—Commissions—Second Letter from Lady Hester to the Author—Third Letter from Lady Hester to the Author—Advice—Obligations—Violence of temper—Mr. U.—General Loustaunau—Logmagi and the muleteer—Fourth Letter from Lady Hester to the Author—Correspondence of the first Lord Chatham—Lady Hester’s death—Conclusion 271

MEMOIRS OF LADY HESTER STANHOPE.