Chapter I: Front Matter

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