two figures, one of which was remarkable for the roughness, and
the other for the beauty of his appearance. These were, it
seems, Charles XII of Sweden and Alexander of Macedon. I was at
too great a distance to hear any of the conversation, so could
only satisfy my curiosity by contemplating the several personages
present, of whose names I informed myself by a page, who looked
as pale and meager as any court-page in the other world, but was
somewhat more modest. He showed me here two or three Turkish
emperors, to whom his most mortal majesty seemed to express much
civility. Here were likewise several of the Roman emperors,
among whom none seemed so much caressed as Caligula, on account,
as the page told me, of his pious wish that he could send all the
Romans hither at one blow. The reader may be perhaps surprised
that I saw no physicians here; as indeed I was myself, till
informed that they were all departed to the city of Diseases,
where they were busy in an experiment to purge away the
immortality of the soul.

It would be tedious to recollect the many individuals I saw here,
but I cannot omit a fat figure, well dressed in the French
fashion, who was received with extraordinary complacence by the
emperor, and whom I imagined to be Lewis XIV himself; but the
page acquainted me he was a celebrated French cook. We were at
length introduced to the royal presence, and had the honor to
kiss hands. His majesty asked us a few questions, not very
material to relate, and soon after retired. When we returned
into the yard we found our caravan ready to set out, at which we
all declared ourselves well pleased; for we were sufficiently
tired with the formality of a court, notwithstanding its outward
splendor and magnificence.