295 [=297]

Lett. lxxix. Letters Historical and Galant. 295

" thing succeeded as she had projected, and the Poor Visier was made a Dupe of. To be sure he was extremely con
" concerned, but not know^ing who had caused his misfortune, he could not know upon whom to exercise his Ven-
" geance. The Sultana had carried her old Woman with her, and those of her women that were in the Visi-
" er's Interest could never give him any account of her: so that his Complaints were of no use but to dis-
" cover the Intrigue: and when the Sultan was informed of what passed, they did not fail to tell him
" the Visier was the Author. He knew all his Intelligences with the Sultana, and whatever turn that
" poor Minister could give it, there was enough to cause his Disgrace, which the Publick imputed to
" reasons of State and Politicks: so true is it that men are often deceived in the judgements that make.
" Love has always a Share in Revolutions: and if that of the Grand Signior for the Sultaness Zaide,
" the name of the Lady in question, had been in it's first force, such a suspicion as that would have
" cost the Visier his Life. But the Turks are not capable of any great Constancy, and the diversity of
" Objects prevents their taking very great Attachements. Whilst the Visier bewailed the Loss of his
" Fortune and his Mistress, she rowed away without Danger with her new Lover. The Shallop joined the
" Vessels that were to guard him home, the Sailors were lock'd up in the hold, and they took care to leave
" nothing that could discover their march. Then it was, that after being rid of all Alarms the Beautiful
" Zaide shewed her face to the Count de **, who, dazzled at her beauty, threw himself at her feet,
" in token of his acknowledgements, and assured her of Eternal Tenderness. From that moment they began
" to form the finest Passion in the World, which Hymen has not altered, tho it has ordinarily that Effect.
" The Count carryed her to his territories, where after she had been sufficiently instructed in the Chris-
" tian Religion and embraced it, he made her his Wife. She brought him a fortune of above an
" hundred thousand Crowns in Jewels, and an Infinite share of Merit. During their Voyage, she had
" time to tell him her History, and he found she was a Georgian, a Country where the blood is the finest
" in the world, and that she had been comprehended in the Tribute that those Unhappy People are obliged
" to give the Grand Signior, and destined for his pleasures. That the Visier to whom she was immediately
" committed on her arrival at Constantinople, had taken Care of her Infancy by the Grand Signior's Orders,
" and that when she was of age to enter the Seraglio, she had been conducted thither by that Minister, who
" had always preserved a Kind of Right over, and, as her master had permission to visit her from time to
" time. It was he that had told her how she had been carried away when very young, and in short, when he
" thought he might trust her discretion, he had declared to her the Passion he had for her, and proposed
" carrying her off, assuring her that the Sultan who was extremely fickle, would not put himself to much
" trouble about her; and that in any Case, it would be impossible for him to know what Way she had
" taken. She added that tho' she was not in the Humour of accepting the Visiers Offers, she still thought
" she ought to ^keep fair with him: that it was by his means she had acquired so much Influence over the
" Sultan, who was not Gallant enough to pay a deferente to the Sentiments of a Mistress, if his first Minis-
" ter had not known how to turn his mind by pretended Reasons of State. "Twas by his means, continued she,
" I did you so many good Offices with the Sultan, and drew one me also, tho' very undeserving, the reputation
" of the Favourite Sultana. An Advantage I was never ambitious of, and which I sacrifice with all my
" heart to the pleasure of following you, as I follow my Inclination and the Dictates of my Conscience at
" the same time"— They finished their Voyage as happily as possible, and he that told me this His
" tory assured me he had never seen a Marriage more united. 'Twas from a Swedish Lord, a friend
" and Cousin to the Count, that I heard this whole adventure, the Particulars of which are not known
" any where. For they can't tell even in Sweden of What Country the Countess of ** is, whose Merit
" and Beauty are the admiration of all that know her.

" People thought here, that the Levying the tenth Penny, would take off part of the Taxes; and
" the King explained it so, but he has lately retracted it by a new Declaration, in which he gives commission
" to Levy the Taxes of the year 1711, exactly as in the former years. He leaves it to heaven to make his people
" amends by a plentiful Harvest, which he flatters them with beforehand. So we have Charge upon Charge