lodgings, with their chief attendants about them. Her imperial majesty
was pleased to smile very graciously upon me, and gave me out of the
window her hand to kiss.

But I shall not anticipate the reader with farther descriptions of this
kind, because I reserve them for a greater work, which is now almost
ready for the press, containing a general description of this empire,
from its first erection, through a long series of princes, with a
particular account of their wars and politics, laws, learning, and
religion, their plants and animals, their peculiar manners and customs,
with other matters very curious and useful; my chief design, at present,
being only to relate such events and transactions as happened to the
public, or to myself, during a residence of about nine months in that
empire.

One morning, about a fortnight after I had obtained my liberty,
Reldresal, principal secretary (as they style him) for private affairs,
came to my house, attended only by one servant. He ordered his coach to
wait at a distance, and desired I would give him an hour's audience;
which I readily consented to, on account of his quality and personal
merits, as well as of the many good offices he had done me during my
solicitations at court. I offered to lie down, that he might the more
conveniently reach my ear; but he chose rather to let me hold him in my
hand during our conversation.

He began with compliments on my liberty; said he might pretend to some
merit in it. But however, added, that if it had not been for the present
situation of things at court, perhaps I might not have obtained it so
soon. For, said he, as flourishing a condition as we may appear to be in
to foreigners, we labor under two mighty evils: a violent faction at