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the background.) while the lightening seemed to dart from cliff to cliff & glided along the surface of the lake - we ran our boat in a hurry under a rock & ran up to a millers cottage where we found shelter - in another moment the waves were white with foam, the wind rushed over the lake as if driven by some tremendous power, the thunder echoed from mountain to mountain - & the lightening falling on the summit of a mountain opposite the Sonnenberg, set fire to the pines which smoked for some hours afterwards - it was altogether a splendid scene - the fury of the storm was soon over - but as the rain continued we amused ourselves with the miller and his wife - rummaged all their little cottage - made them sing for us & had in short a good deal of amusement - the people tho' primitive, are not rude - nor very poor not sordidly so - every where the cottages are clean & neat - but the women, spoiled by hard work are prematurely old - & their dress hideous

I have often mentioned to you in my letters the Countess Zichy as one of my kindest friends - she is at Ischel which is nearly 20 miles from this - on hearing of my intended arrival she wrote to Banfield (who has been her English master) to desire that he would see I wanted nothing - & wanted to know my plans about going to Ischel - I wrote to her to thank her - but declined going to Ischel - (which is the Cheltenham of Vienna) - I fear'd being drawn into some [torn out] but I said that I would meet her at Eben[see] at the other end of the lake on the road to Ischel - the day after she rec'd my note. she set off at 7 in the morning & with her sister in Law Countess Françoise Széchényi - came over here to see me - I had bathed in the lake & was sitting among the rocks in my dressing gown - never dreaming of such visitors - when Banfield came scrambling up to me - I had the key of my cottage so they could not get in & he had stationed them in my little Summer house, with some fruit & bread before them till I came, down I ran - & shall never forget the countenance of the good Zichy as she stood on the steps of the Summer house with her arms extended & her countenance quite radiant with pleasure, affection, & every kindly feeling - then began caresses & reproaches about staying here alone - & so forth - they were so amused by my little cottage & all my arrangements & makeshifts, that to fine ladies in search for a new sensation it must have been "une benediction, I have pro-

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mised to go over to Ischel on my way to Salzburg - spend two days with them & be taken about to see the magnificent lakes in the neighbourhood - & I go on Wednesday or Thursday - I cannot say I have yet gained much strength with all my boating, bathing and scrambling, - but it will come - for my spirits are better - only I cannot eat yet - bread & milk & a little fruit are the only things I taste with appetite I began my letter in the morning - when I went out I found my new friends, the Banfields had prepared a little fête for me in honour of Mamma's birthday - a boat was ready - the awning hung round with large garlands of flowers mingled with boughs of the mountain ash - another boat followed filled with the women of the village in their holiday dresses, who sang in chorus the national songs - such as you have heard the Tyrolean sing in London, but sounding very different when heard in the open air, among the rocks & mountains & accompanied by the dash of the airs - it was really delicious - & made me almost shed tears thinking of you all & feeling so alone on such a day - then we paraded in a sort of triumph to Ebensee about 4 miles off - & then set off to visit a remarkable lake among the mountains - I have no room to add more than another God bless you all,

(Signed:) Anna!

direct to Weimar

Addressed to:

Mrs. Murphy
Neville Place
St John's Wood
London

[At head of letter in left hand corner]:

I hope Henry has received my last
letter enclosing one for Jameson. Let
me have a long letter giving me an
account of the 17th & how you spent
1st - & how dear Papa is & Louisa & all! -