r General _Stanhope_, as I at that juncture thought my own too gay for
_Mahoni_. But," added he, "that great Man had too many inward great
Endowments to stand in need of any outside Decoration."

Of all Diversions the King takes most delight in that of Shooting, which
he performs with great Exactness and Dexterity. I have seen him divert
himself at Swallow shooting (by all, I think allow'd to be the most
difficult) and exceeding all I ever saw. The last time I had the Honour
to see him, was on his Return from that Exercise. He had been abroad
with the Duke of _Medina Sidonia_, and alighted out of his Coach at a
back Door of the Palace, with three or four Birds in his Hand, which
according to his usual Custom, he carried up to the Queen with his own
Hands.

There are two Play-houses in _Madrid_, at both which they act every Day;
but their Actors, and their Music, are almost too indifferent to be
mentioned. The Theatre at the _Bueno Retiro_ is much the best; but as
much inferior to ours at _London_, as those at _Madrid_ are to that. I
was at one Play, when both King and Queen were present. There was a
splendid Audience, and a great Concourse of Ladies; but the latter, as
is the Custom there, having Lattices before them, the Appearance lost
most of its Lustre. One very remarkable Thing happen'd, while I was
there; the _Ave-Bell_ rung in the Middle of an Act, when down on their
Knees fell every Body, even the Players on the Stage, in the Middle of
their Harangue. They remained for some Time at their Devotion; then up
they rose, and returned to the Business they were before engag'd in,
beginning where they left off.

The Ladies of Quality make their Visits in grand State and Decorum. The
Lady Visitant is carry'd in a Chair by four Men; the two first, in all
Weathers, always bare. Two others walk as a Guard, one on each Side;
another carrying a large Lanthorn for fear of being benighted; then
follows a Coach drawn by six Mules, with her Women, and after that
another with her Gentlemen; several Servants walking after, more or
less, according to the Quality of the Person. They never suffer their
Servants to over load a Coach, as is frequently seen with us, neither do
Coachmen or Chairmen go or drive as if they carried Midwives in lieu of
Ladies. On the contrary, they affect a Motion so slow and so stately,
that you would rather imagine the Ladies were every one of them near
their Time, and very apprehensive of a Miscarriage.