DIAMONDS.                                    93
	lively green, perfectly matched, every one as large as a half-crown piece, and as thick as three crown pieces; and another of small emeralds, perfectly round. But her ear-rings eclipsed all the rest. They were two diamonds shaped exactly like pears ; as large as a big hazel nut. Round her talpoche she had four strings of pearls, the whitest, and most perfect in the world, fastened with two roses, consisting of a large ruby for the middle stone ; and round them twenty drops of clear diamonds to each. Besides this, her headdress was covered with bodkins of emeralds, and diamonds. She wore large diamond bracelets, and had five rings on her fingers;—except Mr. Pitt's, the largest diamonds I ever saw in my life. 'Tis for jewellers to compute the value of all these things ; but, according to the common estimation of jewels in our part of the world, her whole dress must be worth a hundred thousand pounds sterling. The magnificence of her table answered very well to that of her dress. The knives were of gold ; and the hafts set with diamonds. But the only articles of luxury which grieved my eyes were the table-cloth, and napkins, which consisted all of tiffany, embroidered with gold, after the finest manner, in natural flowers. It was with the utmost regret that I made use of these costly silken napkins, which were as finely wrought as the finest handkerchiefs that ever came out of the country. You may be sure that they were entirely spoilt before dinner was over. The Sherbet (which is the liquor they drink with their meals) was served in china bowls, but the covers, and salvers were of massive gold. After dinner water was brought in gold basins, together with towels (of the same kind as the napkins), which I very unwillingly wiped my hands upon ; and