Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M--y W---y M---e : written during her travels in Europe, Asia and Africa ... Which contain ... accounts of the policy and manners of the Turks / [Mary Wortley Montagu].

  • Montagu, Mary Wortley, Lady, 1689-1762.
Date:
1790
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letters of the Right Honourable Lady M--y W---y M---e : written during her travels in Europe, Asia and Africa ... Which contain ... accounts of the policy and manners of the Turks / [Mary Wortley Montagu]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    2 M* hair, which they mix with a great deal of falfc, it being a particular beauty to have their heads too large to go into a moderate tub. Their hair is prodigioufly powdered to conceal the mixture, and fet out with diree or four rows oi bodkins (wonderfully large, that flick out two or three inches from their hair) made of diamonds, pearls, red, green, and yellow ftones, that it certainly requires as much art and experience to darry the load upright, as to dance upon May-day with the garland* Their whale-bone petti- coats outdo ours by fevcFal yards, circumference, and cover fome acres of ground, ^ou may eafily fuppofe how this extraordinary drefs fets off and improves the natuial ugli- nefs, with which Cod .-Mmighty has been pleafed to en- dow diem, generally fpeaking. Even the lovdy emprefs herfelf is obliged to comply, in fome degree, with thefe abfurd fafhions, which they would not quit for all the world. I had a private audience (according o ceremony) of half an hour, and then all the other ladi.S were permitted to come and make tlicir court. I was perfedlly charmed with the emprefs ; I cannot however tell you that her features are regular ; her eyes are not large, but have a lively look full of fweetnefs; her complexion the fineft I ever faw ; her nofe and forehead well made, but her mouth has ten thoiifand charms, that touch the foul. When fhc fmiles, ’tls with a beauty and fweetnefs that forces adoration. She 'has a vafl quantity of fine fair hair ^ but then her perfon I -one muft fpeak of it poetically to do it rigid juftice ; all that tire poets have faid of the mien of Juno, tire air of Venus, come not up to the truth. The Graces move with her; the famous ftalue of Medicis was not formed with more delicate proportions ; notliing can be added to the beauty of her neck and hands. Till I faw them, I did not believe there were any in nature fo perfect, and I was alm®ll forry that my rank here did not permit me to kifs them; but they are kiffed fufnoiently 5 for every body tliat waits on her pays that homage at tlreir entrance, and when they take leave. When tire ladies were come in, ftie fat down to Qiiinzc. I could not play at a game I had never feen be- fore, and fhc ordered me a feat at her right hand, and had the goodnefs to talk to me very much, with that grace fo natural