THE BISHOPRIC OF RATISBON

Has ſome territory round the city. It comprehends under two collegiate churches, twenty-eight abbeys and prelacies, and twenty nine rural deaneries, to which belong 1383 pariſhes, chapels of eaſe, and chaplaincies. It likewiſe extends over the Bavarian diſtricts of Holnberg in the Upper Palatinate, as alſo over the Roman-catholic pariſhes, in the princi⯑pality of Sulzbach, the Landgravate of Leuthtenberg, and the county of Hernſtein. The Biſhop is a prince of the empire, and Ratiſbon is the capital of the biſhopric.

Ratiſbon is ſituated in forty-nine deg. N. Lat. at the confluence of the rivers Danube and Regen, [28] about ſixty miles N. of Munich, and the like diſtance W. of Paſſau. It is the only free Imperial city with⯑in the limits of the Elector's dominions; and is large, populous, and well fortified. There is here a very antique bridge of free-ſtone thrown over the Danube, begun in 1135, and finiſhed in eleven years, and fabulouſly ſaid to have been built by the devil. It has 15 arches ſupported by ſquare pillars, and is 1091 feet in length, and 320 broad. It is commonly ſaid of the three principal bridges in Germany, that Dreſden bridge is the moſt elegant, that of Prague the longeſt, and that of Ratiſbon the ſtrongeſt.

The city is governed by its own magiſtrates, which are all Lutherans, and not ſubject to the Elector. Here the diet of the empire meets, the city having the rank of the firſt place among the Imperial towns. The council-houſe in which they meet is a large Go⯑thic ſtructure, of no particular elegance.

The Biſhop, although a prince of the empire, and taking his title from the town, is only privileged by magiſtracy to ſay maſs here.

The church of the abbey dedicated to St. Emmeran, is a very ſtately as well as ancient building, erected A. D. 649. This building is ſaid to contain many adored relicks, but the moſt material is, that of the whole body and limbs of Dionyſius, the Areopagite, [29] except the middle finger of his right hand, which the palace chapel of the Virgin Mary, at Munich, carefully retains, rolled up in a piece of the Virgin Mary's mohair gown, already mentioned.

The authenticity of this relick has been confirmed by Pope Leo XI. but notwithſtanding this, the monks of St. Denys, near Paris, inſiſt that the body of this Saint is actually in their poſſeſſion, and his head is ſhewn in the third ſhrine of their treaſury. His head is alſo devoutly worſhipped in the cathedral of Bam⯑berg, and at Prague another head is kept in the church of St. Vitus in the caſtle. The monks of St. Emme⯑ran ſay, this relick was purloined from the abbey of St. Denys in France.

This free Imperial city contains five different ſtates within its circuit, namely, the cathedral of Ratiſbon, the Imperial abbey of St. Emmeran, the Lower Min⯑ſter, the Upper Minſter, and the city itſelf. The ladies in the Upper and Lower Minſter, live in a free manner, and are under little or no reſtraint in theſe two abbeys. They go abroad when they pleaſe, re⯑ceive viſits from gentlemen, appear at balls in the city, and generally ſtay till the laſt dance, and that no liberty may be wanting to indulge their deſires, they have always the privilege of quitting the abbey by marrying. The abbeſſes avoid public aſſemblies as [30] if they were princeſſes, becauſe the envoys ladies will not allow them the honour of precedence.

There is a convent here in which Roman-catholics only are admitted, that are natives of Scotland, and thoſe of the greateſt abilities are ſelected from the reſt, and ſent as miſſionaries to their native country. There is alſo ſuch a ſeminary at Wurtſburg, and another at Erfurt. In the hoſpital of St. Catherine, the proteſt⯑ants have a chapel, where a Lutheran miniſter preaches every Monday, which is not tolerated in any other part of Bavaria. The perſons received into this hoſpital are half proteſtants and half Roman-catholics.

As Ratiſbon is where the diet of the empire meets, one would ſuppoſe, that the number of envoys from the different princes, who conſtantly reſide here, would give life to the place. No.—Every thing is dull and dead. If it was not for the Prince of Thurn, who is the Em⯑peror's principal commiſſary, one would not believe the town to be the ſeat of the diet; but this gentle⯑man, whoſe income is about 40,000l. a year, gives operas, comedies, wild beaſt bailings, balls, and fire⯑works. The reſt of the ambaſſadors, on account of the ſmallneſs of their incomes, are obliged to live very economically, and many of them go about in hackney coaches. As every thing for their uſe comes into the city duty free, the people of the place make heavy complaints of their ſervants for carrying on a [31] large contraband trade. Indeed they conceive that what they loſe by this, is more than an equivalent for what they gain by the diet in other reſpects. The fact is, that the ambaſſadors, from the greateſt pow⯑ers, who have large incomes, and ſeem to be paid for holding great ſtate, hold none; and as the other miniſters regulate themſelves by their example, one may be ſeveral weeks in town, without knowing that the diet is aſſembled.

The buſineſs of the diet is very tedious, owing to the prevalence of party on all great occaſions. The diet, as has been obſerved, conſiſts of three colleges, the electoral, the prince's, and the ſtates. All aſſem⯑ble in a hall to receive the Emperor's propoſitions, thence they retire to ſeparate apartments to diſcuſs the buſineſs. The majority decides in each chamber, and ſo does the majority of the three colleges, as to the determination of the whole. When they are de⯑termined, it is laid before the Emperor, or his prin⯑cipal commiſſary. The firſt college has nine voices; the ſecond one hundred; and that of the ſtates fifty⯑one.

The Imperial court has great influence in all the three colleges. The three eccleſiaſtical electors have been almoſt conſtantly creatures of the Emperor, who ſpares neither gold threats nor promiſes to inſpire the canons of Mentz, Treves, and Cologne, in the choice [32] of a new archbiſhop. The Emperor has the ſame weight in the college of princes; almoſt all the eccleſi⯑aſtical princes are his true ſons; beſides, it has always been the maxim of the Imperial court to raiſe the members of the hereditary dominion, who poſſeſſed the ſmalleſt fief in the empire, to the dignity of princes, in order to give them a ſeat in the diet. In the college of towns or ſtates, he rules almoſt without controul, for as theſe are almoſt all encompaſſed by moſt powerful princes, they require the particular pro⯑tection of the court of Vienna, to prevent their being totally cruſhed. But it being enacted, that the majority in the Imperial colleges ſhall not be deciſive either in religion or thoſe matters, in which the ſtates could not be conſidered as one body, or where the catholics are of one, and the proteſtants of another opinion; in ſuch caſes the colleges divide into parties, and how⯑ever ſmall in number one party may be, its decree is held equal to the other more numerous one. Thus the Emperor is ſometimes oppoſed by the proteſtants, and the Roman-catholics have found a benefit in it. Though Saxony has the apparent government of the proteſtant party, the King of Pruſſia's power is got to that pitch as to be at the head of the party, and he often proteſts vehemently againſt things in which religion is not the leaſt concerned.

The principal Imperial commiſſioner who is at the head of the diet, by virtue of his office, takes place [33] of all the emperors, ambaſſadors, and others, except only the envoy from the court of Rome, being here the repreſentation of the head of the German empire. He returns no viſits, nor does he give the title of Excellence to any of the envoys, not even to thoſe of the electors. When an envoy from an electoral prince pays him a viſit, he orders him to be received at his coach-door by four gentlemen, two pages and a har⯑binger, and meets him at the door of the ſecond anti-chamber, walking back, a little before, on the right hand of the envoy. The ſame ſuperiority he aſſumes in reconducting him. His audience chair is under a canopy, on which is the Emperor's picture. His annual income is 24,000 guilders, paid out of the Imperial treaſury, and 12,000 out of the Emperor's privy purſe, that is about 4200l. ſterling.

The envoys of Ratiſbon, as repreſentatives of elec⯑tors, &c. have very lofty ideas of their office, and aſſume ſuch ſtate, that when the widow of Duke Frederick Henry, of Saxe Zeitz, a princeſs of the Houſe of Holſtein Wieſenburg, came to pay a viſit to the Cardinal Saxe Zeitz, her brother-in-law; her highneſs could appear but very ſeldom in public company, becauſe the ladies of the electoral envoys claimed the precedency of her. If ſovereign German princes at⯑tend the diet themſelves, they ſit above all the envoys of other princes, except thoſe of Auſtria, Burgun⯑dy, and Saltzburg, who have maintained the prece⯑dency [34] by preſcription. It is on account of theſe diſ⯑putes about precedency, that the Holſtein envoys never attend any of the ſeſſions.

All the envoys receive preſents of wine, fiſh, &c. from the city on their firſt arrival, and the Imperial commiſſary, a much larger one. In the college the envoys ſit with their hats on, but uncover themſelves when they ſpeak.

I have already obſerved, that the envoys having every article for their conſumption, duty free, is a diſadvantage to the city. Theſe envoys are numerous, and they each give a great number of protections. Some will have, in general, forty or fifty perſons in their retinue, none of whom either pay duty, con⯑tributions, imports, or any of the common city-taxes, though ſome at the ſame time will keep ſhops and carry on trade. Under this ſanction, coachmen and lacqueys ſet up public-houſes, and draw yearly ſome hundreds of hogſheads of beer, which, as they pretend, are all of his excellency's houſehold. It is the ſame with regard to wine, which theſe pri⯑vileged publicans import clear of all duty. So that they may eaſily underſell the fair trader. The quan⯑tity of proviſions brought over the bridge, on the Danube, in ſeven days, with permits for the uſe of the envoys, frequently amounts to 1800 or 2000 guilders.

[35]As the Danube directs its courſe from Ratiſbon to Vienna, it gains this city an advantageous opportunity of ſending there, wheat, wood, and ſeveral kinds of proviſions. The diſtance between theſe two cities is about 200 miles, and yet the common people pay no more for their paſſing down the river, than a creutz or a farthing a mile, ſo that the whole fare, at this rate, does not exceed four or five ſhillings. Keyſler ſays two ſhillings and four-pence. This cheap way of travelling induces great numbers of young artificers and handicraftſmen to go and try their for⯑tune at Vienna; but they do not find it ſo eaſy to return home, as they generally ſpend what they earn by their trades, and are often obliged to enliſt for ſoldiers.

ARCHBISHOPRIC OF SALTZBURG.

On the eaſt, this biſhopric is bounded by Auſtria and Stiria; by Corinthia and the Tyrol on the ſouth; and by Bavaria on the weſt and on the north. Its ex⯑tent from eaſt to weſt is about five and twenty Ger⯑man miles, and from north to ſouth, in ſome parts, ſixteen, and in others, five and twenty.

The country is defended on all ſides by mountains and narrow paſſes, or rather conſiſts entirely of moun⯑tains and vallies. No manner of grain being ſown here, it is ſupplied with all its corn from Bavaria; [36] but every part of it produces hay of a peculiar good⯑neſs, and this proves a fund for breeds of excellent cattle. The horſes in particular are eſteemed for their beauty, hardineſs and vigour, being able to travel full ſpeed up the higheſt mountains, and that ſupported by no other food than hay and graſs with⯑out any oats.

In this archbiſhopric are ſix cities and twenty-five towns. All the peaſants are allowed the uſe of fire⯑arms, and are from their earlieſt youth trained up to ſhooting at a mark, and practiſing military exerciſes. The nobility were formerly very numerous, but the policy of the princes ſet ſo many ſprings at work to oppreſs and exterminate them, that at preſent there is not one remaining, and their eſtates are in the hands of the church. With reſpect to the few no⯑bles at court, or belonging to the cathedral, they are all foreigners, ſome Auſtrians, ſome Bohemians, and others from Bavaria. Though the Roman catholic worſhip is the only one tolerated, yet at the time of the reformation, Lutheraniſm was embraced by great numbers. So late as the year 1732, permiſſion was granted to the Lutheran Saltzburgers to leave the country, and take their property with them; accord⯑ingly above 30,000 perſons accepted this indulgence, and diſperſed themſelves in the other proteſtant coun⯑tries of Germany, Pruſſia, and even in the Engliſh colonies in America. In all which places they were [37] received with that benevolence and encouragement which their magnanimity deſerved; and ever ſince that time, theſe emigrations have continued.

His revenues are eſtimated by Keyſler at 800,000 rix-dollars; Buſching affirms they are not leſs than between three and four millions of guilders. Reiſbec on the contrary ſays, they are not above 120,000l. which is leſs than Keyſler makes them; as eight hun⯑dred thouſand rix-dollars, at three ſhillings and ſix-pence each, makes above 200,000l. But according to Buſching reckoning the guilder at two ſhillings and four-pence, which is the average of the German guilder, the income then would be near 400,000l.

The extent of the country is eſtimated at two hun⯑dred and forty German ſquare miles. There are only ſeven or eight towns, ſays Reiſbec, ſome of which are not to be compared with a Suabian village. The total number of inhabitants is computed at two hun⯑dred and fifty thouſand. There is only one manu⯑facture in the whole country, which is a ſmall one at Hallein for cotton ſtockings and night-caps.

The inhabitants live chiefly by breeding cattle. In many places you may find very rich farmers, who own from ſixty to fourſcore head of great cattle. They export ſome cheeſe and butter, but not ſo much as they might do, if the inhabitants were as induſ⯑trious, [38] frugal, and diſpoſed for trade as the Swiſs. Beſides horned cattle, they alſo breed great numbers of horſes, which are very ſtrong, and are exported to great diſtances for the purpoſe of heavy draught and burthen.

The ſalt-works at Hallein are without compariſon the moſt conſiderable. The internal parts of the mountain which is about four miles diſtant from this place, conſiſt of cryſtals of ſalt, mixed with a great deal of earth. In order to clean it, they dig large, hollow chambers within ſide, and fill them with water, which waſhes the ſalt, and lets the earth ſink to the bottom. The water thus impregnated, is conveyed into pens and boiled off. In courſe of time the cham⯑bers fill, of themſelves, with ſalt, and the treaſure is inexhauſtible. One of theſe chambers, when lighted, makes the prettieſt ſight in the world. Conceive to yourſelf a hall about a hundred feet ſquare, the walls and ground of which are compoſed of cryſtal of every earthly colour, and which reflect the light ſo wonderfully, that you would think yourſelf in ſome enchanted palace. In order to carry on this work, the woods of the foreſts along the Saltza and other rivers is floated down them.

From the unfavourable ſituation of this country, it cannot uſe the whole of this treaſure for itſelf, but is obliged to give the moſt part to foreigners. All [39] the country round about belongs either to Auſtria or to Bavaria. In Auſtria they have ſalt ſufficient for their own uſe, and have prohibited the importation of foreign ſalt. Bavaria, on the other hand, has ſo productive a ſalt work at Ratiſbon, that it not only provides ſufficient for that country, but alſo can af⯑ford a conſiderable quantity to foreigners. The arch⯑biſhop of Bavaria have conſequently found them⯑ſelves obliged to enter into an agreement with the Dukes of Bavaria, by virtue of which theſe take a certain quantity of ſalt every year, at a very mode⯑rate price, with which they furniſh Switzerland and Suabia. By this means, the ſalt trade of Saltzburg is properly in the hands of Bavaria, which gains full three times as much by it as the Princes of Saltzburg. The value of the ſalt which Bavaria ſtipulates to take yearly, amounts to about 20,000l. What is diſpoſed of in the country itſelf, or carried clandeſtinely into Auſtria, makes in the whole about 35,000l. of which two thirds may be clear gain.

The gold and ſilver mines of this principality make a great figure in the geography of Germany; but compared with the ſalt-works, are not worth mention⯑ing. The roads through this mountainous country are not in general very good. Notwithſtanding, the paſſage is now and then on wooden bridges hung by chains over ſome dreadful abyſſes, the heavieſt car⯑riages have nothing to fear, except, perhaps, the [40] being overſet by a violent blaſt of wind, or being co⯑vered by a fall of ſnow in the ſpring.

About ſix miles from Saltzburg there is a long nar⯑row valley bounded by high mountains, which ſtretches itſelf ſome miles ſouthward and then weſt⯑ward. At the entrance of this valley is the paſs of Lueg or Luhk, a word, which in Engliſh means look, or watch-tower. This paſs is a deep narrow hollow between naked, and perpendicular rocks of granate, which hang over the road, on each ſide, to an amazing height, and between which the river Saltza runs like a torrent. Above the river a path has been cut along the ſide of a rock, and there is a gate with ſcarce room for a carriage to paſs, which is protected by a battery, ſo that a few people here could withſtand a whole army. The other approaches to this valley, which conſtitute the greateſt part of the principality of Saltzburg, are equally well guard⯑ed and defended.

The country about Saltzburg forms a ſtriking con⯑traſt with the barren, deſolate wilds of Munich. For ſeventeen long miles, the diſtance between theſe two cities, there is no place of note, but the dark Waſ⯑ſerburg, which ſtands on one of the barren ſand-hills, round which the river Inn winds. Near the frontiers of Saltzburg, the proſpects become varied, the habi⯑tations [41] of the peaſants appear nearer, and the cultiva⯑tion of the country improves.

Saltzburg is a fine city. The houſes are high and built with ſtone. The roofs are in the Italian taſte, and you may walk out upon them. Before the pa⯑lace is a fountain, which paſſes for the fineſt in all Germany; the figures are all of white marble. The reſervoir is an hundred and ſeven feet in circumfe⯑rence, four large horſes ſpout the water out of their mouths and noſtrils; the height of the whole work exceeds fifty feet, and is ſurmounted by a column of water, ſome inches in diameter, and eighteen feet high.

The palace is magnificent, abounding with fine pictures, tables of inlaid marble, and ſuperb ſtones of all colours, and ornamented with ſtatues: the fur⯑niture has nothing remarkable; and though the ta⯑peſtries are valuable on account of the gold and ſil⯑ver, yet age has deprived them of the greateſt part of their beauty. The meuſe is in three very long and high arched diviſions; the horſes, whoſe num⯑ber amounts to a hundred and fifty, eat out of white marble mangers; and twice a week a running water is turned in through both ſides of the ſtalls, and carries away any filth which may have gathered there; the number of the Archbiſhop's horſes in the city, and at his country palaces, are ſaid to be two hun⯑dred [42] and fifty. Over this ſtable is the fencing ſchool, and before it a pond for watering the horſes, ninety-three feet in length; within it ſtands a very large horſe, made of one piece of marble, with water guſhing out of his mouth.

The winter riding-ſchool is very lofty, placed with ſeats on both ſides of the walls, between the windows, for the accommodation of ſpectators of diſtinction, that the riders may not be incommoded in their exerciſes. The ſummer riding-ſchool, which alſo ſerves for baiting wild beaſts, is in the open air; it has three diſtinct galleries, one ſide of which are cut out of the rock.

In the cathedral all the altars are of beautiful mar⯑ble of different kinds; under the cupola are four altars with an organ over each; the fifth and fineſt organ is over the chief entrance, and conſiſts of three thouſand two hundred and ſixty pipes, of which the longeſt is thirty-three feet; to this organ belong four keys and forty-two regiſters, of which ſeventeen are of clock-work. The roof of this church is covered with copper; the gallery between the cathedral and the palace, is of white marble; and nothing of the kind can make finer muſic, than the chimes of this cathedral.

[43]In St. Sebaſtian's church lies the famous Switzer, Theophraſtus Bompaſt, ſurnamed Paracelſus, of the greateſt puffers that ever lived, with the following oſtentatious epitaph:

Conditur hic Philippus Theophraſtus, inſignis medicinae doctor, qui dira illa vulnera, lepram, podagram, hydro⯑piſin aliaque inſanabilia corporis contagia mirifica arte ſuſ⯑tulit, ac bona ſua in pauperes diſtribuenda, collocandaque honoravit. Anno MDXLI. die 24 Septembris, vitam cum morte mutavit.

"Here lies interred, Philip Theophraſtus, a cele⯑brated doctor of phyſic, who, with wonderful ſkill, removed thoſe dreadful plagues, the leproſy, gout, and dropſy, with every other incurable malady; his wealth he liberally diſtributed, and afterwards be⯑queathed to the poor. On the 24th September, 1741, he departed this life."

A little above the city, ſprings the Gaſtein bath, whoſe waters are very hot, and have a very ſtrong taſte of different minerals. They are ſaid to be a remedy for the ſtone, the venereal diſorder, and for the cholic, and this too only by bathing in them, without drinking them.

The city of Saltzburg is remarked for having the beſt accommodations for travellers of any city in Germany.

[44]The inhabitants in general appear very ſocial, open, and lively, and uncommonly attached to ſtrangers. Every thing in this city breathes the air of pleaſure and joy. They eat, drink, laugh, dance, ſing, and gamble in the extreme, nor is there any place when you can enjoy ſo many pleaſures for a little money. The people converſe upon religion and politics, with a freedom that does honour to the place, and with reſpect to books, all German publications may be had without the leaſt reſtraint.

The upper nobility of the place is made up chiefly of Auſtrian families, who diſtinguiſh themſelves by their affability, their knowledge of the world, and their manners. On the other hand, the ſwarm of little court gentry render themſelves ridiculous by their pitiful luſts after titles and their pride. You muſt viſit about a hundred of there Gnadige herren, which title, in German, means Gracious Sir, who live upon three or four hundred florins a year, which they receive from court, but whom you can⯑not offend more than by calling them plain Sir, and their wives plain Madam. A man who lives here muſt accuſtom himſelf to put in Gnadige herren at every third word, unleſs he chooſes to paſs for being ill-bred. Moſt of them have neither eſtates nor mo⯑ney; the court is therefore compelled to make their appointments as ſlender as poſſible, to keep them from ſtarving; though above two-thirds of them are [45] ſuperfluous ſervants. Many of them amuſe themſelves with French and German literature, particularly with all that relates to the ſtage. The rage for the theatre here is very great, and they look for the coming of a company of ſtrolling players, with as much eager⯑neſs as the inhabitants of Siberia look for the return of the ſpring. Give this claſs of people their right titles, and you will find them the beſt kind of crea⯑tures living.

The country people are uncommonly lively and gay. The young women of theſe ſequeſtered vales, freſh as roſes, and lively as a roe, underſtand the art of coquetry as well as any Pariſian lady, except that the allurements they diſplay are more natural; they know how to employ the ornamental part of dreſs to the beſt advantage If they are diſpoſed to make their lover happy, neither the ſhame of an illegiti⯑mate birth, nor the fear of being obliged to main⯑tain it, is of any conſideration. Cuſtom ſets them above the firſt, and the eaſe of maintaining a child above the latter. Murder of infants here is extreme⯑ly uncommon, they all yield, without reſtraint or re⯑ſerve, to the impulſe of nature. The young girls kiſs and ſhake hands in the open church on Sundays, with thoſe they love. On a nightly viſit, however, the lover is rather in a hard ſituation, for let the wea⯑ther be ever ſo unfriendly, he is not admitted, until a certain watch-word is given, which, in gene⯑ral, [46] conſiſts of long rhimes, that in a myſterious manner expreſs his ſufferings and his ſmart. This cuſtom is very old, and in many of the remote parts of the mountains, ſacred and inviolable.

The inhabitants of theſe mountains are ſo con⯑tented, that they conſider their country as a kind of paradiſe. Thoſe who lived in Dintner valley, a fright⯑ful gap, between naked rocks, through which the river Dintner runs, have a ſaying, "That when any one falls from heaven, he muſt fall into Dintner val⯑ley." Which is as much to ſay, that this valley is a ſecond heaven.

Many of the peaſants ſtill wear long beards, and go with their heads uncovered, and their breaſts open, at all ſeaſons of the year. As they are extremely hairy, and very much ſun-burnt, this gives them a very formidable look, but when you come near them, their friendly air and appearance of integrity ſpeak very ſtrongly in their favour. They are courageous and ſtrong, and would, no doubt, make a brave de⯑fence in their own country; but out of it they are ſaid not to make good ſoldiers. Like all the inha⯑bitants of mountains, they cannot ſtand a change of climate. Beſides the peculiarity of their diet, and which they muſt renounce in the field, their not being able to bear fatigue, makes them unfit for ſer⯑vice. Man reſembles his ſoil, unleſs education and [47] ſociety change him. The peaſant of this country bears the ſtamp of nature upon him. His movements are quick, like the ſtream in the wood; he is boiſte⯑rous in his paſſions, like the atmoſphere; he breathes ſtrong as the oak which ſhades him; and is faithful, firm, and true, as the rock which bears his hut. The life and variety of the ſcenes which nature offers him here, render his head richer in conceptions, and his heart warmer than it would be, if he dwelt upon an uniform plain, and gave himſelf up to nature as he does here. His diſtance from populous cities, and the ſcattered ſituation of the huts, preſerve his man⯑ners pure, and make him more attentive to his own concerns.

Mountainous ſituations have, unqueſtionably, in many reſpects, a preference over the plains. The pulſe of nature beats ſtronger; every thing diſcovers more life and energy; every thing more loudly and emphatically ſpeaks an Almighty power at work. The ſtream which meanders through the plain, makes through the mountains, and grows impetuous in its courſe; the motion of the clouds, the revolutions of the ſky, and the peals of thunder, are all more ſtrongly animated. The vallies in the fair ſeaſon of the year, are filled with finer perfumes of flowers and herbs, than thoſe of the plains, whoſe ſoil is not ſo fit to preſerve their radical moiſture, and where their exhalations are diſſipated more widely in the air. [48] Nature here is more varied, and infinitely more pic⯑tureſque. Of her different ſhades, an inhabitant of the plain can form no conception. Here at once nature preſents the peculiarities of every ſeaſon, and the moſt diſtant climes. Whilſt the ſummer laſts, in the bottom of the valley is felt the heat of Africa; the middle of the mountain has the temperature of ſpring, and the top reminds you of Siberia.

This country is ſingularly intereſting to a botaniſt, or mineralogiſt; but having the misfortune to be very little known, the diſcovery of its treaſures is reſerved for futurity, till either ſome man of genius ſhall ad⯑dict himſelf to theſe purſuits, or the ſwarm of idle travellers, who hover, like cock-chafers, about the Apennines, Alps, Aetna, and the Pyreneans, ſhall take their flight to theſe parts, and excite ſome fo⯑reign genius to the taſk. The Zillerthal is particu⯑larly rich in different ſorts of variegated ſtones, and in many parts of the hills you meet with very ſcarce European plants. In fine, there is room for weaving many an hypotheſis on the plants of the hills, on the work and production of the waters in them, and on the revolutions of nature that may ſtill be expected in them.

It was with great pleaſure, ſays Reiſbec, I wandered over this romantic country, and ſometimes ſtanding on ſome immenſe peak, I viewed under me the clouds, [49] towered on clouds, boundleſs plains, innumerable lakes, rivers and brooks, vallies of tremendous depth, and the bare ſummits of huge granate rocks, with ſenſations peculiar to their heavenly regions. Some⯑times, ſays he, I took my abode in the deep hang⯑ing brow of a mountain, in a ſhepherdeſs's hut, who dwelt the whole ſummer through, with her flock in this ſubtereſtrial region, and is viſited only by her lover, who clambers up two or three miles of the mountains to her, or by ſome wild-goat hunter, or ſtrayed knight, like myſelf; there I live a day, like an ancient patriarch, on milk and cheeſe, count the flock which in the evening aſſembles round the hut, at the ſound of a flute, and which, for the moment I can think my own; ſleep upon a heap of hay far more tranquil than upon the moſt luxurious down⯑bed, and enjoy the beauties of the riſing ſun, with a luxury and delight, which at operas, comedies, balls, and ſuch like entertainments are looked for in vain.

The Saltzburg peaſant clothes himſelf from head to foot; every family weaves a ſort of coarſe, dark, grey cloth, from wool which they grow and prepare them⯑ſelves. They alſo make their own ſhoes and ſtock⯑ings. Their dreſs is by theſe means clean, ſimple, and graceful. The face of the peaſants of this coun⯑try is better than that in moſt others. The Saltz⯑burger cannot content himſelf with cheeſe and pota⯑toes like the Swiſs, but muſt always have his meat, [50] which, however, fat it may be, he conſtantly dips in hogs lard. He muſt likewiſe have bread, beer, and brandy, good of the kind, and in plenty. If this ex⯑travagance was not counterbalanced by their admira⯑ble economy in other reſpects, they would be the pooreſt people in Europe.

The military force of this archbiſhopric conſiſts only of one regiment of foot, containing 1000 men. Every bailiwick has its rendezvous, to which, on ſig⯑nals given, by means of cannon planted on the moun⯑tains, they repair completely armed. The number of peaſants who can hit a mark of an hand's-breadth, are computed at 25,000.

The univerſity is kept up by the congregation of Benedictines, who ſupply it with profeſſors. As the having ſtudied here is a kind of requiſite for eccleſi⯑aſtical preferment in the circle of Suabia, it is a place of ſome reſort for ſtudents from that quarter; but thoſe excepted, and a few of the natives, there are no others, though the chairs of the profeſſors are filled with very able men. The funds of the uni⯑verſity are too ſmall, they do not in the whole exceed 500l. per annum.

The civil and military officers of Saltzburg have a very great advantage over thoſe of other countries, which is, that half their ſalaries are continued to [51] their widows during their life, or till they change their condition.

From the top of the Unterberge, a mountain near Saltzburg, there is a proſpect over all Bavaria. Nine lakes may be reckoned up in one view. The moſt charming part of this proſpect, however, is the prin⯑cipality of Berchtolſgaden, which lies to the ſouth of the mountain. It conſiſts of a ſmall narrow vale, encompaſſed around with vaſt heights of the moſt pictureſque granate, and hardly contains 3000 inha⯑bitants. The nature of this country being favourable neither to agriculture nor paſture, the inhabitants have given themſelves to works of art, which fail mankind in no part of the earth, and are mighty and powerful enough to turn the hardeſt ſtones into bread. It is in theſe remote vallies that they make the greateſt part of the toys with which Nuremberg and Augſ⯑burg carry on ſo conſiderable a trade. The horſes with ſpurs, little raſps, cukows, wooden mannakins, rats and mice, and all the play-things for little chil⯑dren; alſo the crucifixes, ſtraw quadrille boxes, pow⯑der and pomatum boxes, and all the play-things for great children, in a word, the greater part of the articles which go amongſt us, under the name of Ger⯑man toys. It is a pretty ſight to behold two or three families in a hut, and to ſee the great plump hands of the farmers occupied in giving a finiſh to the ſmalleſt articles. Here is occupation for the old as [52] well as the young. The ſmall price theſe commodi⯑ties ſell for, makes it impoſſible for them to accumu⯑late riches; but they have enough, and are happy. Theſe good people little think their productions are diſperſed all over Europe, and that the Spaniards drive a very profitable trade with them in both Indies.

Hellbrunn is a palace of the Archbiſhop, near the city, the building of which has nothing in it remark⯑able, but the gardens are very pleaſant; they are laid out in the manner of a wilderneſs, and abound with the fineſt water-works, reſervoirs, ponds and ba⯑ſons, ſo clear that trouts and other fiſh may be ſeen ſporting in them, and nibbling the calves and ox li⯑vers with which they are fed. By theſe waters all kinds of little figures of mills, ſciſſar-grinders, &c. are thrown about the garden; and in the grotto you are ſure of being ſprinkled by the artificial play⯑ing of the water. Over one of the many ſprings in this garden, is the ſtatue of a monſter, which might be taken for a ſavage or wild-man, were it not for its cock's-comb and eagle's feet. Under it is this in⯑ſcription. Anno 1531.

"The original of this monſtrous figure, called a foreſt devil, was caught a hunting near Stavenburg; his ſkin was yellowiſh, he had all the marks of ſa⯑vageneſs, and never looked at any one, but hid him⯑ſelf [53] in corners; he had the face of a man with a beard, eagle's feet with lion's claws, the tail of a dog, and on his head grew a large cock's-comb; he ſoon died with hunger, as no alurements nor violence could make him eat or drink."

THE BISHOPRIC OF PASSAU.

This city is ſituated ſixty miles South-Eaſt of Ra⯑tiſbon, at the confluence of the three rivers, Danube, Inn, and Iltſz. It is divided into four parts, the town of Paſſau, Innſtadt, Iltſzſtadt, and the quarter in which the Biſhop's palace is ſeated. The firſt three are fortified, but the laſt, which is only a ſub⯑urb, has nothing but an old caſtle, in which the Bi⯑ſhop generally reſides. It was in this city that peace was concluded between Charles V. and the proteſtant princes in 1552, by which the Lutherans were to enjoy the free exerciſe of their religion. Paſſau is but a very miſerable, ill-built town, thoſe parts ex⯑cepted which lie near the Danube, and the prince's palace. It is well ſituated for trade, but its chief ſub⯑ſiſtence comes from the court, the income of which is about £.22,000 a year, and on the canons, whoſe benefices are the richeſt in Germany. A ſtall here being ſuppoſed to be worth about 3000 florins a year, and what with the income of other benefices, there are few of them who have not nearly double that in⯑come.

[54]The inhabitants of theſe ſeveral holy cities are all much alike, as drinking and intriguing conſtitute their principal occupation; and the poverty and good humour which ſeldom forſake thoſe who are thus addicted, render them affable, obſequious and hum⯑ble. The cathedral is a fine Gothic building which merits well to be viewed. There are fine china ma⯑nufactories and potteries in this country; the pro⯑duce of the former is carried as far as the Rhine.

Many attempts have been made to plant vines on the Iſer and Danube below Ratiſbon, but hitherto they have produced grapes only for eating; this whole tract of country being too full of wood and water for the vine to ripen in. But what was Suabia in the times of Tacitus? Little did the Romans think the vine would grow in Germany when they doubted whether even fruit would grow there. And yet Suabia produces ſome noble vines now, which may rival the Falernian and Roman wines for their excellence.

The reaſon to be aſſigned is, that the air of a coun⯑try changes with its cultivation. The drying up of marſhes renders it warmer. The evaporation too occaſioned by numbers who live together may work upon the air. The ſlopes of the hills on the left ſide of the Danube, between this place and Ratiſbon, promiſe a good place to plant vines in, as they are [55] well guarded from the noxious winds; and the wine made near Paſſau truly merits the name of wine.

This large vale of the Danube produces likewiſe the beſt kind of corn and would very eaſily nouriſh twice the number of inhabitants it does at preſent.

Corn is often ſo cheap in Bavaria as hardly to pay the farmer for the trouble of raiſing it: one hundred and ſeventy pounds of rye are frequently ſold for about two ſlorins.

Navigation is by no means ſo well underſtood in this country as it is upon the Upper Rhine; they do not yet underſtand how to ſail by the direc⯑tion of the river. Moſt of the veſſels which come down the Danube from Ratiſbon and Ulm are with⯑out decks or maſts; they are built only of fir-boards, and are ſold again either at Vienna or elſewhere. The Emperor has promiſed great encouragement to thoſe perſons who will build their veſſels like thoſe on the Rhine; but in this, as in every thing elſe, it is difficult to make the mechanical part of the public tread the track, to which they have not been accuſtomed.

Though Bavaria is a rich, plentiful country and lies well ſituated for trade, from the Danube and ſeveral other navigable rivers paſſing through it, yet the inhabitants in general are not rich, which is ſup⯑poſed [56] to proceed from the Elector's monopolizing the moſt conſiderable articles of commerce, particularly that of ſalt, which he prohibits his ſubjects either from importing or from purchaſing of any perſon except himſelf. A ſecond monopoly is that of corn, the farmer is obliged to ſell all his corn to the Elector's agents who retail it out again to the people. This prince, like the Czar of Muſcovy, is Premier-General for his dominions; none may brew or ſell ſtrong beer but the Elector's factors. There is only an indifferent ſmall beer which the peaſants and citizens are allowed to brew in their own houſes. The Biſhop of Paſſau, whoſe territories lie within this circle, likewiſe imi⯑tates the Elector in this tyranny. The chief ſubſiſt⯑ence of the peaſants of this circle is their herds of ſwine, which are fed in their woods; and the wild beaſts and game which they meet with there, though it is penal to meddle with the game: but in moſt parts of Bavaria, corn, beer, and ſalt are ſo exceſſive dear that a peaſant can ſcarce afford to purchaſe them. After what has been remarked reſpecting theſe mono⯑polies, it is needleſs to obſerve that the Elector is ab⯑ſolute in his dominions. There are ſome general laws in the empire that all princes and ſtates are governed by, but they are often diſobeyed where there is not a force to compel the obſervance of them. The Elector and the Archbiſhop of Saltzburg are joint di⯑rectors of the circle. The Elector of Bavaria ſtiles himſelf Duke of the Upper and Lower Bavaria, and [75] of the Upper Palatinate, Duke and Count Palatine of the Rhine; Elector and Vicar of the Empire, and Grand Maſter of the Houſhold.

In the lower part of Bavaria there are many more nobility who reſide conſtantly on their eſtates than in any parts of Germany: and to this may be attributed the advantage of their ſuperior cultivation; for as the nobles are farmers, it is no wonder that eſtates are managed better under the maſter's eye than in his ab⯑ſence. Though there are not many of them who are great proficients in agriculture, yet a life paſſed in the midſt of it, muſt yield a greater inſight into the means of its improvement than one ſpent in the pa⯑rade of a court. Beſides, the nobles themſelves will naturally treat their peaſants better than the race of bailiffs, agents, &c. who oppreſs and ſqueeze them for their own emolument, and it is an indiſputable fact that thoſe landlords are richeſt, and their eſtates beſt cultivated, where the peaſants are allowed ſome degree of liberty and property.

Though the peaſants in this country are in a ſtate of villenage, they are treated in a kinder man⯑ner, and have more property and better houſes than in other parts of Germany; and many of them are alſo farmers, who, by induſtry and frugality, have ſaved many. Much of this country is encloſed, than which there cannot be any improvement of ſo great [58] conſequence. Sheep ſeems to be a principal article in their huſbandry. Every farm of any ſize has a large ſheep-houſe, with a roof, but open on one ſide to the ſouth; in this houſe they fold their ſheep every night the year round, and depend on it princi⯑pally for manuring their lands: when they begin to fold, they ſpread over the floor light, virgin ſoil, turf, ſand, or peat-earth, and fold upon it, till it is very moiſt and dirty, then they make a freſh layer and ſo go on; but to every eighteen inches of depth they litter with ſtraw, for they remove the heap but once a year, and in extreme wet or ſnowy weather they do the ſame. This is an excellent ſyſtem for raiſing manure, but it might be imagined that the ſheep lying on a dunghill would be prejudicial to their health, this the Bavarians deny, and on the contrary aſſert that not only the health of the animal is the better for it, but likewiſe that the wool is much finer than if the ſheep were expoſed to the weather.

OF THE TERRITORIES OF THE DUKE OF WURTEMBURG.

The greateſt part of this dukedom conſiſts in an extenſive valley, which is bounded on the eaſt by a chain of hills, called the Alps; on the weſt by the Black Foreſt, on the north by a part of the mountain of Oden Wald, and an arm of the Black Foreſt. On the whole it inclines to the northward, and is watered in the middle by the river Neckar. Several ſmaller arms run off from the ſurrounding chain of hills to⯑wards the centre, croſs each other in various direc⯑tions, and form little vallies, which are watered by an infinity of rivers. The land is rendered exceedingly fruitful by theſe leſſer hills, which ſhelter the vallies from the cold hills, and collect the heat of the ſun between them.

The ſouthern ſides of theſe mountains and hills are planted with vines very high up, and above them there is excellent dyers and bruſh-wood; and at the bottom is a grey coloured, light mould, which yields all kind of corn, but particularly barley, in aſtoniſh⯑ing plenty. Upon the whole, this country reſembles the middle part of Lorrain; but the ſoil is much better, and there are not ſo many ſtones in it. Ex⯑cepting ſalt, which it is obliged to have recourſe to Bavaria for, it abounds in all the neceſſaries of life. [63] What corn is not conſumed in the country is ſent to Switzerland, and the wine goes as far as England. The whole extent of the country does not contain more than two hundred, German ſquare miles. In this circuit there are about five hundred and ſixty thouſand inhabitants, that is, about two thouſand eight hundred to every German ſquare mile. Thoſe parts of Germany excepted, which are in the neigh⯑bourhood of ſome capital cities, and ſome diſtricts of Italy and the Netherlands, there is certainly no country in Europe ſo populous in proportion to its extent as this. It is however ſo fruitful as to be able to ſupport as many more inhabitants.

The income of the Duke amounts to about three hundred thouſand pounds a year. Some calculations make the ſum ſmaller; but as there are few parts of Germany in which the taxes are not eſtimated at five florins per head, and in ſome they pay much more, why ſhould it not be ſo in Wurtemberg, which is one of the largeſt territories in Germany, and in which the ſubject is not more ſpared?

After the electors, the Duke is beyond compariſon the greateſt Prince in Germany, though the land⯑grave of Heſſe Caſſel, who has not above two thirds of the ſubjects or yearly income, is of more conſe⯑quence in the Empire, on account of his connection with England.

[64]The government of this dukedom is not ſo ſimple and unmixed as that of the territory of Baden. Here are ſwarms of counſellors, ſecretaries, proctors, and advocates, of which more than half might be ſpared; but the nature of the government allows them to enjoy their appointments in idleneſs. Many of them, it is true, belong to the ſtate, whoſe duty it is to limit the authority of the Prince; but not⯑withſtanding the many reductions in the houſehold itſelf, it is ſtill much too large for the Duke's cir⯑cumſtances.

In all the cities, towns, and large villages in this duchy, there are certain officers, called private over⯑ſeers, who inſpect into the offences and miſdemea⯑nours of their fellow-citizens, and make a report of them to the magiſtracy of the place, in order that they may be further enquired into, if the magiſtrates ſhall think fit. Theſe inquiſitors are private, and ſwear to the faithful execution of their office; inſtead of a ſalary, they are generally rewarded with a counſellor's place, or ſome other office in the govern⯑ment. No one knows his accuſer, as Keyſler obſerves, from whom this peculiar circumſtance in the police of Wurtemberg is taken, which may be an inlet to many abuſes, if their information alone paſſes for ſufficient proofs, and they are conſidered in any other light than as premonitions for the judge, or as incentives to greater cautions for the future. This cuſtom is ſimilar [65] to the Denuncie ſecrete at Venice, but is practiſed in no other part of Germany.

Though the country throughout is proteſtant, and the Duke alone a catholic, there ſtill prevails a great deal of ſuperſtition and bigotry. The clergy are members of the ſtate, theſe have a juriſdiction of their own, and are very wealthy.

After the repeal of the edict of Nantz, the Duke of Wurtemberg might have reaped very conſider⯑able advantages by affording ſhelter and encourage⯑ment to the French refugees, there being among them many rich people, and thoſe profitable manu⯑factures would have been introduced here which en⯑riched Brandenburgh, and other countries; but a blind zeal for orthodoxy and the clamours of the clergy, that it would be ſetting up altar againſt altar, and that even Mahometaniſm was preferable to Calvi⯑niſm, filled the aſſembly of the ſtates with ſuch jea⯑louſies and apprehenſions, that the court was diſap⯑pointed in its good intentions. An after-reflection opened peoples eyes, when it was ſeen what a valua⯑ble opportunity they had rejected.

The Duke's army conſiſted formerly of fourteen thouſand men, and if his debts were paid, and his other expences moderated, ſuch an eſtabliſhment might always be ſupported; as the population and re⯑venues [66] of the country appear to allow it. At the time of the change, however, they were reduced to about five thouſand men, and thoſe ſeem to be none of the beſt troops. The late Duke of Wurtemberg, ſome few years ſince, made himſelf the topic of con⯑verſation all over Europe for his ſumptuous feaſts, his magnificent balls, the ſplendor of his illuminations, in which immenſe foreſts were lighted up, his ſuperb hunting parties, and his brilliant operas, where all the firſt-rate dancers from Paris were procured, with Noverre at their head, when his fame was at the high⯑eſt; together with all the principal Italian ſingers, at a moſt enormous expence. The conſequences were ſuch as might naturally have been foreſeen; debt, oppreſſive taxes, reſiſtance on the part of the ſtates of the country, and finally a commiſſion of enquiry iſſued from the Imperial court. The debts, upon ex⯑amination, were found to amount to twelve hundred thouſand pounds. The evil counſellors, as it may eaſily be imagined, were removed; but this would have done but little, had not an alteration about this time taken place in moſt of the leſſer courts of the Empire, the princes of which, from being oppreſſive and ex⯑travagant tyrants, ſuddenly contracted a taſte for po⯑litical economy, and philoſophical purſuits. The Duke of Wurtemberg is now quite a philoſopher, he founds ſchools, farms, cultivates arts and ſciences, and eſtab⯑liſhes manufactures; in ſhort, he has endeavoured, in every way poſſible to make up for what has been wrong. [67] This change has taken place ever ſince the year 1778; the Prince took the opportunity of his birth-day to publiſh a manifeſto, of which the following is the ſubſtance: "That being a man, and from the con⯑dition of human nature, far removed from the ſtand⯑ard of perfection, it could not but fall out, that part⯑ly from human frailty, ever prone to err, and partly from the want of ſagacity, and from other cauſes many events had taken place which had they not hap⯑pened, things would have been very different from what they now are, or are likely to be hereafter. This I acknowledge freely, and I aſſure my loving ſubjects, that every ſucceſſive year of my life, which it ſhall pleaſe the divine Providence to beſtow, ſhall be de⯑dicated to the promotion of their happineſs. Hence⯑forwards the proſperity of Wurtemberg ſhall be eſta⯑bliſhed on the joint and firm baſis of the ſovereign's love for his people, and of the people's confidence in the affection of their ſovereign. And we truſt, that every man will, for the future, live in confidence, that he has a provident and anxious father in his prince, and that the only conteſt that ſhall ariſe here⯑after, ſhall be which ſhall do moſt to make his native country happy and flouriſhing."

The affection of the people towards their prince was very remarkable. Even when the Duke ſeemed to have no other care than how he ſhould load them with new taxes, he did not forfeit their attachment. [68] The curſes of the people fell on his ſervants, and the crew of projectors who led him aſtray. But as ſoon as they were baniſhed, he became the idol of his ſub⯑jects; and very deſervedly ſo.

All the princes of the Houſe of Wurtemberg Stut⯑gard are brave, and as it were born for military at⯑chievements. Prince Maximilian eſpecially gave the greateſt hopes of himſelf, when ſcarce fourteen years of age, he entered into the ſervice of Charles XII. of Sweden, and continued to attend that Prince in all his campaigns. At the ſurprize of the town of Pul⯑tawa in 1703, though ſo young, he attacked ſword in hand an old Saxon trooper, who turning about in ſome aſtoniſhment, ſaid to him, "Thou little ſon of a whore, what art thou already for cracking a ſtout fellow's ſkull?" And was going to diſpatch the Prince, had not Charles XII. came to his aſſiſtance. And af⯑terwards, in a dark night, the Prince riding full ſpeed before the King, ſuddenly ſtopped at a deep pit; the King ſuppoſing it was from fear of the enemy, called out, forward, forward, upon which the Prince, re⯑gardleſs of the danger, clapped ſpurs to his horſe, and fell into a pit; the King, being cloſe behind, had the ſame fate, and, with his horſe, fell upon the Prince, who was half dead. This ſo endeared him to Charles, that he ſet up a whole night with him. At the unfortunate battle of Pultawa, he was taken pri⯑ſoner. The Czar offering him a commiſſion, his an⯑ſwer [69] was, "That whilſt he had a drop of blood, it ſhould be employed in the ſervice of his Swediſh majeſty as his benefactor." This ſo charmed the ge⯑nerous Czar, that on certain conditions he gave him his liberty, and preſented him with the ſword he then wore. Whether from a miſtaken gratitude he drank too freely at taking leave of the Ruſſians, or whether his activity in the former, fatiguing campaign had hurt his conſtitution, this heroic Prince, on his return to his native country, was ſeized with a fever, which proved fatal to him, in the twenty-firſt year of his age, dying in the bloom of his youth, and in the certain hopes, that by his marriage with the King's ſiſter Ulrica, he ſhould come one day to fit on the throne of Sweden.

Stutgard, the capital of the duchy, is not a large city, but contains two well-built ſuburbs, and has been the reſidence of the dukes ſince 1321, the new ducal palace was built in 1746, in a delightful country, full of gardens and vineyards, in the Miſen⯑bach (which at about one league diſtance, runs into the Neckar), and contains about 20,000 inhabitants. They are a handſome people. The women are tall and ſlender, with fair and ruddy complexions. The natural riches, and the eaſe with which a maintenance is acquired, either in town or country, cauſe them to live exceedingly well. The Stutgarder is ſo attached to his home, that remove him but thirty miles from [70] it, and he is ſeized with the maladie du pais. At pre⯑ſent little notice is taken of the noble palace of Stut⯑gard, and this is more particularly felt in the plea⯑ſure-houſe, where formerly the Ridottos were held. This edifice, were it only on account of its hall, which has few equals in all Europe, very well deſerves no⯑tice. It is two hundred and twenty feet in length, eighty broad, and ninety high, without a ſingle pil⯑lar; its roof, which is arched, being faſtened in a maſterly manner, with wooden ſcrews. In the year 1707, Marſhal Villars, coming into this hall, miſtook it for a place of worſhip, and ſaid, with ſome admi⯑ration, voici un beau temple! i. e. This is a fine church! On the roof are painted ſeveral ſcriptural hiſtories, but on the ſides are views of all the foreſts of the duchy of Wurtemberg, and ſome merry ſcenes, which happened, at different times, in the hunting parties. Near it is the orangery, which is compoſed of very large and high trees, but not well contrived; want of height occaſioning many of the trees to bend at the top. The new building, as it is called, is of fine free-ſtone, with a grand ſtair-caſe of the ſame, and a ſpacious hall, whoſe galleries reſt on twelve pillars of a great height; on theſe are painted the twelve months; the roof ſhews the moſt ancient tranſactions of the family of Wurtemberg, and the ſides are filled with maſquerades and public entries.

[71]In the muſeum are ſeveral portraits of the ducal fami⯑ly, with petrifactions, mechanical and mathematical inventions, curious ſpecimens of penmanſhip, gems, coſtly veſſels, mummies, old medals, &c. Among other curioſities, you ſee the picture of a woman with a large beard, apparently in her twenty-fifth year, and ſhe is again painted in her old age. This ſeeming contradiction of a bearded woman is accounted an error of nature, which commonly proceeds from an exceſs of humidity. In this caſe it is poſſible for bearded women to enjoy a laſting health, an inſtance of which we have in Margaret, formerly governeſs of the Low Countries, whoſe great beard was a very ſin⯑gular ornament to her robuſt ſtrength. Few traits in hiſtory are more known than the bearded amazon, who ſerved as a grenadier in all the campaigns of Charles XII. of Sweden, and gave more than maſculine proofs of courage till ſhe was taken priſoner in the battle of Pultawa. She was brought from Siberia to Peterſburg, and introduced to the Czarina with a beard an ell and an half long. There is alſo the pic⯑ture of a Swiſs country-woman, which is drawn with a very venerable beard, to be ſeen in the Breflaw col⯑lection.

The ducal palace offers nothing intereſting but the grand ſtair-caſe which aſcends gradually without ſteps, ſo that any one may ride up and down it.

[72]The palace of Ludwigſburg two leagues from Stut⯑gard, was formerly but a farm-houſe for breeding cat⯑tle, but is now acknowledged to be one of the fineſt edifices in all Germany. The looking-glaſs and lackered cloſet are very curious, and ſo is the great ſtair-caſe for the ambaſſadors, with its magnificent cieling and the gallery of pictures; among theſe are ſome admirable night-pieces, and a great many pic⯑tures of horſes and dogs, and likewiſe the picture of a black wolf, which was kept for a long time at court, he was called Melac, and followed the Duke wherever he went, and even ſlept at the foot of his bed. The chapel belonging to the palace is very elegant, but ſomething rather too ſmall: here is alſo a curious menagery of foreign fowl. The Duke's band of mu⯑ſic may be ſaid to equal that of any court in Europe.

The green-houſe is one of the fineſt to be met with any where. The Duke likewiſe employs conſiderable ſums of money for his ſtuds and his hunters. He has at preſent three ſets of horſes of eight in each ſet, which one coachman can manage without a poſtilion; ſo that, in travelling, they perform all the paces and curvettings of the manage, and ſometimes the Duke himſelf has been the coachman.

In the beginning of this century an order of hunt⯑ing was inſtituted in this duchy. The enſign of this knighthood is a hunting-horn. One privilege of the [73] companions is that they are preferred in the nomina⯑tion to commanderies, each of which is worth five hundred guilders. The knights of this order may be preſent at all the public entertainments, beſides an unlimited number of princes and perſons of high birth; this order has alſo twelve ancient Imperial counts, thirty knights and a ſecretary. The device of the order is a gold Malteſe croſs, ſet with rubies; four golden eagles at its four angles, and between the middle and lower point a hunting-horn; in the cen⯑ter is a round, green enamelled ſhield, on one ſide of which is a golden W, with a ducal coronet, and on the other three golden hunting-horns ſlung together. This croſs is faſtened to a crimſon, watered ribband of a hand's breadth, and is worn over the left ſhoulder down to the right ſide. On the left breaſt of the coat is alſo a ſilver ſtar, with the device of the order, to⯑gether with it's motto Amicitiae virtutiſque foedus, i. e. the band of virtue and friendſhip; embroidered with gold in a green circle. All the knights are obliged to wear theſe enſigns of the order; thoſe only excepted who are of higher orders, and have already a ſtar in that place; theſe, nevertheleſs are obſerved to wear the Wurtemberg ſtar on their waiſtcoat, and a little croſs of the order hanging on a narrow, red ribband round their neck. Every knight is to put the croſs and collar of the order under the coat of arms of his family; this collar conſiſts of green, enamelled little ſhields, on which are alternately the golden W, with [74] the ducal coronet, and three golden hunting-horns; between each ſhield ſtands a golden eagle with its wings extended, and its talons on each ſhield. The feſtival for a general chapter of the order is held an⯑nually on St. Hubert's day, at whatever place the So⯑vereign happens to be, when there is always a great hunting match. The companions, who are prevented from making their appearance, are obliged, if it be any ways poſſible, and they are not diſabled by ſick⯑neſs or prevented by affairs of very great concern, to celebrate the day in honour of the order, wherever they are, with a hunt and other entertainments. If a knight is ſeen in public without the croſs of the order, he forfeits a handſome pair of piſtols to the in⯑former, and twenty dollars to the poor; but he who neglects to wear the order for a year and a day is de⯑graded.

The Duke of Wurtemburg has ſeveral hunting ſeats, which he viſits alternately in the deer or boar ſeaſons, ſo that every five years he ſees his principal foreſts. The multitude of deer in this country may be eſtimated by conſidering that above ſeven thouſand of them periſhed in one ſingle hard winter.

It is a cuſtom over all the country of Wurtemburg to adorn chambers and galleries with large branches of deer's horns. At Waldenburg, over moſt of the remarkable branches is inſcribed the name of the per⯑ſon [75] who ſhot the deer; and the dexterity of a late duke has filled ſome rooms with them. At the hunt⯑ing ſeat of Einſidel are two remarkable branches, which in rutting time, the deer to whom they belonged thruſt into each other, and twiſted together with ſuch force, that they cannot be diſengaged; and the creatures died on the ſpot. The like is alſo ſhewn in the royal chamber of curioſities at Copenhagen. At Einſidel is alſo a large hawthorn, grown from a twig, which was brought above two hundred years ago from the Holy⯑land by Everhardus Barbatus on his hat, and afterwards planted here with his own hands. In Cruſius's time this ſhrub had ſpread to a circumference of fifty-two ells, its branches were ſupported by forty-three pil⯑lars, and no ſingle perſon could graſp its ſtock.

In the year 1700 were found above ſixty different fruſta of large teeth, ſhoulder-blades, ribs, and joints of back-bones, the moſt remarkable of which are ſtill kept in the muſeum at Stutgard; ſome of them appear to have belonged to fiſhes of prey, others to bears, tygers, lions, horſes, &c. and ſome, particularly the largeſt teeth, to elephants. Near Boll in Wurtemberg, is found an abundance of ſkeletons, which are petrified and changed to a perfect ſtone, whoſe ſpine not being tubulous, and conſequently without marrow, ſhews them to have belonged to fiſhes. A ſpecimen of theſe is in the hands of D. Mauchart of Tubingen; but [76] a larger piece may be ſeen in the gallery of natural curioſities at Dreſden, and for which an apothecary of Tubingen received fifty rixdollars.

Tubingen the ſecond city in Wurtemberg, about twenty miles from Stutgard, is of ſuch antiquity that its aera is unkown. This place was once the ſeat of the emperor Caracalla, who entertained the Germans with public games in this city, The high court of juſtice is held here, beſides the univerſity, which is in great repute; there is a collegium illuſtre for the education of princes and young noblemen. In the town-houſe is a very curious clock, which deſerves the attention of travellers.

Whoever may be inclined to read a judicious abridgment of all that has been advanced in favour of the ſouls and underſtanding of brutes, will be grati⯑fied in Mr. Ribous's treatiſe De anima brutorum. In addition to this ſtory of the ſtork, I ſhall here offer to [79] the readers conſideration the adventure of D. Gahrliep's tame fox, as a further inſtance of their combination and reflection. Every evening D. Gahrliep had his tame fox carefully chained up, a confinement which this beaſt, uſed to liberty, could not well digeſt; and it was not long before he found by frequent trials, that he could ſlip his collar over his head. In the night he was not wanting to take advantage of ſuch a fine opportunity, and made a terrible havock among the neighbouring fowls and geeſe, but always took care to be at home before day-break, and immediately ſlipt his neck into the collar again, imagining he ſhould thus avoid the ſuſpicion of being thought the author of theſe depredations. Amidſt all the heavy complaints of the neighbours, the innocence of the fox ſeemed the more certain, as Gahrliep's poultry had enjoyed an uninterrupted repoſe. At laſt the ſpoiler being caught in the fact by a vigilant neighbour, the doctor was condemned in coſts and damages, and he in revenge made a ſkeleton of the perpretator of this miſchief.

There is another celebrated town in this duchy called Hailbron, or the fountain of health, from the virtues of the medicinal waters. It is a free Imperial city under the Duke's protection, ſituated in a plain, twelve miles ſouth-eaſt of Tubingen. This water at preſent is not uſed medicinally as formerly, but con⯑tinues [80] in great repute for its extraordinary clearneſs and ſalubrity. To the uſe of this ſpring, the emper⯑or Charles V. attributed his recovery from a dangerous fit of ſickneſs, in 1547. Keyſler gives a remarkable inſtance of its numerous and fertile vineyards, by ob⯑ſerving laſt year, (this was in 1727,) that ſuch plenty of wine was made in this country, and further up the banks of the Neckar, that the inhabitants had not a ſufficient number of caſks to put it in, and ſuch wine of the growth of 1725 as could be ſpared, was ſold for half a creutzer, or a farthing a quart, when at the ſame time a quart of Seltzer mineral water coſt eighteen creutzers, or thirty-ſix times as much.

In the diſtrict of Urach is a curioſity worth notice. In an high and ſteep mountain near the town of Urach is the famous wood-ſlider, which conſiſts of one thick iron pipe, about three feet broad, two high, and about nine hundred long. This pipe begins at the top of the mountain and reaches almoſt down the valley near the town of Urach and the river Erms. Into its upper opening the wood, which has been felled on the mountain and cut into hillets is put, and being carried down the pipe, is thrown into the river Erms, which forwards it into the Neckar, and by this means furniſhes Stutgard with fuel at a ſmall expence; not⯑withſtanding the great impetuoſity with which it muſt naturally move in coming from an eminence above [81] two hundred paces in the air, yet near an hundred may be told before a billet reaches the other end of this extraordinay conduit.

The deſcription which Reiſbec gives of the inhabi⯑tants in the Black Foreſt forms a very different con⯑traſt to the reſt of the Duke's ſubjects. The men, ſays he, are clumſy, and the women yellow, ill ſhaped, and wrinkled at the age of thirty. They diſtinguiſh them⯑ſelves from their neighbours by a moſt frightful taſte in dreſs, and a ſhocking want of cleanlineſs. I am not able, he adds, to account for the uglineſs of this peo⯑ple. Need, labour, and little food may contribute to it, but cannot be the only reaſon; for in the country of Furſtemberg, and particularly in the Auſtrian parts of this great chain of hills, are very handſome people who do not ſeem to live better than the Wirtembergers. Poſſibly the uglineſs of the latter may be owing to the ſituation and depth of the vallies, to the air and per⯑haps to the water. Theſe journies, ſays Reiſbec, over the mountains had particular charms for me. I fan⯑cied myſelf in a new world. One enchanting proſpect ſucceeded another in variety and beauty, mountains and chains of mountains of the moſt extraordinary forms, cataracts, woods, ſmall lakes in the deep hollows, precipices, in ſhort every thing I ſaw, was in ſo grand a ſtile as to exceed all deſcription. The Duke of Wir⯑temberg enjoys one very great privilege that there lies no appeal from his courts of judicature to the Aulic or [82] any other foreign tribunal. He ſits and votes in the college of princes by virtue of the duchy of Wirtem⯑berg and has demanded the ſame privilege as duke of Teck. This is an old caſtle now in ruins with a town adjoining. The firſt duke of Teck, known with any certainty, lived towards the end of the twelfth century. The duke's title, is duke of Wirtemberg and Teck, count of Mompelgard, lord of Heydenheim and Juſ⯑tinjen. He is joint director of the circle of Swabia with the biſhop of Conſtance.

His office in the empire is to carry the Imperial ſtandard; this office of ſtandard-bearer of the Holy Roman empire, was conferred on the Counts of Wirtemberg in 1336. The dukes of Wirtemberg are alſo grand huntſmen of the empire; and in al⯑luſion to this honour, Duke Eberhard Lewis, in 1702, founded the order of hunting, of which we have already treated, and in the year 1719, renewed and increaſed its ſtatutes, the reigning duke of Wir⯑temberg being always grand-maſter.

The MARGRAVATE of BADEN.

Is about ninety miles in length, but not above twenty in breadth. It lies near the banks of the Rhine, and extends from Bale almoſt to Philipſburg, and from thence, through part of Alſace to the Moſelle. It produces corn, hemp, flax, turnips, [83] peaſe, and other vegetables; and the villages along the Rhine abound in hay, and breed great quantities of cattle, beſides which they enjoy the conveniency of good fiſheries in the Rhine. Veniſon and wild fowl are ſo plentiful in the foreſts, that it is the ordinary food of the peaſants; and they have woods of cheſnuts, where there are very excellent bacon-hogs. Here are alſo quarries of marble of all colours, and free⯑ſtone, with which materials the inhabitants build magnificent houſes at a trifling expence. They carry on a large trade in cattle, wood and wine, which laſt is extremely good in the environs of Bale. The mildneſs of the government ſecures to the people, the quiet enjoyment of the rewards of their induſtry. There are not indeed opportunities of making great fortunes, as the court is very economical, but the ſame cauſe prevents the preſſure of extreme poverty. The felicity of exporting merchandize by the navi⯑gation on the Rhine, is a great incitement to induſ⯑try. The manufactures in conſequence, increaſe every year, and ſome of them, particularly that of ear⯑then ware, at Durloch, are in high eſtimation. They have likewiſe made ſome ſucceſsful experiments in manufacturing of ſilk.

The Prince, in ſhort, endeavours by every poſſible means to introduce induſtry, and manufactories among his ſubjects. There are a conſiderable number of Engliſh tradeſmen here, ſays Moore, who make Bir⯑mingham [84] work, and inſtruct the inhabitants in that buſineſs. He has alſo engaged many watchmakers from Geneva to ſettle here, by granting them en⯑couragment, and privileges of every kind, and al⯑lows no opportunity to ſlip, by which he can pro⯑mote the comfort, and happineſs of his people: a prince of ſuch a character is certainly a public bleſ⯑ſing, and the people are fortunate who are born un⯑der his government. But far more fortunate they, who are born under a government, which can protect them, independent of the virtues, and in ſpite of their Sovereign.

Baden, the capital of the marquiſate, takes it name from the multitude of hot baths about it, which are ſaid to amount to near three hundred. The town is ſituated in the midſt of vineyards, upon a moun⯑tainous rocky ground, which renders the ſtreets very uneven. The baths are ſcalding hot, and as they iſſue from rocks of ſalt, allum and brimſtone, taſte ſtrongly of thoſe minerals. One of them boils and bubbles up, as if it ſtood over a hot furnace. A⯑mong other diſtempers, theſe waters are famous for curing the cramp and gout, which brings a great reſort of company to this place, during the ſummer months. The only public buildings, are the caſtle, built on an adjoining hill, and a palace belonging to the Margrave, which, however, is uninhabited. The reſidence of the court being principally at Carlſrube.

[85]The town of Carlſrube is well built on a regular plan. It conſiſts of one principal ſtreet of about an Engliſh mile in length. This ſtreet is at a conſider⯑able diſtance in front of the palace, and in a paral⯑lel direction with it. All the other ſtreets go off at different angles from the principal one, in ſuch a man⯑ner as, that which ever of them you enter, walking from it, the view is terminated by the front of the pa⯑lace. The length of their ſmaller ſtreets is aſcertain⯑ed, none of them being allowed to encroach on the ſpacious area, which is kept clear before the palace.

The principal ſtreet may be extended to any length, and as many additional ſtreets as they pleaſe may be built from it, all of which will have, according to this plan, the palace for termination.

The houſes of this town are as uniform as the ſtreets, being all of an equal ſize and height; ſo as to give the appearance, that none of the inhabi⯑tants are in any conſiderable degree richer or poorer than their neighbours. There are, indeed, a few new houſes more elegant than the reſt, which be⯑long to ſome of the officers of the court, and are built on one ſide of the palace; but they are not, properly ſpeaking, in the town.

It ſtands in the middle of a large foreſt, the rem⯑nant of that, which in the time of Tacitus, covered [86] all Germany. Through this foreſt there are thirty-two regular avenues, extending to a great diſtance; and the town which is built in the ſhape of a fan, ſtands upon nine of theſe. The firſt ſtone of the palace was laid in 1715, half of the right wing is wanting, the building having for ſome years been diſcontinued. The firſt object of attention here, and for which no expence has been thought too great, is the turret on the body of the building, from whence we have not only a view of all the principal ſtreets, but alſo of five and twenty walks, ſome ſet with trees, and others cut through the woods, which no other princes ſeat can rival, and ſtill heightened by a proſpect of other variegated walks in the ſame woods. Some of theſe walks bear the names of thoſe miniſters who ſerved his highneſs at the time of theſe improvements; and the ſtreets in the town are called by the names of different German princes. The gar⯑den, though ſmall, is very elegant, and contains above four thouſand orange, lemon, bay, and other ſuch kind of trees.

In ſome of the lower parts of the garden, are eſpa⯑liers of young lemon trees; here is alſo an aviary for three hundred canary-birds, which in ſummer-time uſed to fly about the gardens all day, and at night re⯑pair to their habitation. Behind the palace is a decoy, where above two thouſand wild fowl are daily fed. The chief defect in Carlſrube is want of water. The [87] neighbouring country is a ſandy level, which in ſum⯑mer makes travelling very diſagreeable. All the wa⯑ter for the garden is conveyed by hand-pumps, but what is moſt ſingular, is, that the whole town conſiſts entirely of wooden buildings.

A traveller who paſſed through it, expreſſing his ſurprize one day to the Margrave, to ſee a palace en⯑tirely of wood. 'True, Sir,' ſaid the Prince, ‘you may think it ought, at leaſt, to have been built of brick; but I could not have been more magnifi⯑cently lodged, without laying expenſive taxes on my ſubjects, and I wanted only a roof to lay my head under.’ This court has been much reflected upon for its economy. The fact is, the debts of the family were numerous and great. Thoſe in the here⯑ditary dominions have ariſen from frequent wars, and the neceſſary proviſion for the younger branches of the family; and in the laſt adminiſtration, every thing had been ſuffered to go to ruin, becauſe the ſucceſſor was a proteſtant. Under theſe circumſtances, the Prince's mother carried her economy ſo far, as to cauſe the flowers which grew in the gardens of the palace to be ſold, inſtead of permitting her daughters to wear them in their boſoms. For this, though without the ſtricteſt economy, the family muſt have been ruined, ſhe was laughed at, perhaps in ſome degree, not undeſer⯑vedly.

[88]From Carlſrube, it is two ſtages and a quarter to Radſtadt; but it is worth while to turn off a little on the left hand to the Favorita, built by the widow of a late margrave of Baden-Baden, in the neweſt taſte of architecture. Here is a chamber of very beautiful porcelain, and a cabinet lined with looking-glaſs, with many curioſities of art and nature, particularly, above forty very good pictures of the ſaid counteſs in different maſquerade dreſſes, which in her juve⯑nile years, ſhe had at various times appeared in. Amidſt the gradual alterations of the complexion and features in ſuch a long ſucceſſion of time, the ſame look is every where diſcernable. 'I know not,' ſays Keyſler, ‘a better ſet of portraits, they will even bear a compariſon with the admirable perform⯑ances of Rubens in the Luxemburg gallery, where queen Mary of Medicis is repreſented under a va⯑riety of changes!’

The height of the lower hall reaches through all the ſtories, and its cupola, round which is a baluſ⯑trade, leading into the different apartments, is very light, and the top beautifully painted. Some of the apartments are hung with a Chineſe manufacture of paper and ſilk, others with lace-work, and bed cur⯑tains of the ſame. The cieling of one or two is en⯑riched with gems, as agate, jaſper, cornelians, ame⯑thiſts, &c. imitating fiſhes, birds and flowers. The excellent order of the kitchen, larder, hall, medici⯑nal [89] ware-room, waſh-houſe, cannot but pleaſe an economiſt, and the counteſs, uſed to take great plea⯑ſure to ſhew her gueſts theſe ſubterraneous offices. On the left, at the end of the little orangery, is a pleaſant garden, and on the right, a wild thicket, leading to the hermitage. In the centre of it ſtands the houſe, the outward walls of which are covered with large pieces of bark. The door ſeems to reſt upon the trunks of old trees; and all that is to be ſeen within, are the coarſe images of Jeſus, Joſeph and Mary; a mean bed without curtains, an altar without decorations; and at the angles of the nar⯑row walks in the garden, ſtand wooden images of old hermits, as big as life, ſome of them in an hairy ha⯑bit: the niches, like the door, are ſupported by old decayed trunks of trees.

A league from the Favorita, lies Radſtadt, a place regularly built, with a ſtately palace, from the centre of which there is a view of all the ſtreets, the middle of which terminates in a long walk.

The reigning family, and the country in general, profeſs Lutheraniſm, but with the toleration of Calvi⯑niſts, Catholics, and Jews.

After the electors, and the houſes of Wurtemburg, and Heſſe Caſſel, the Margrave of Baden is one of the greateſt potentates in Germany. His reve⯑nues [90] are about one hundred and twenty thouſand pounds a year. 'I reckon,' ſays Reiſbec, ‘the few days I ſpent at Carlſrube among the happieſt of my life. I ſaw a prince who truly lives only for his peo⯑ple, and ſeeks for his happineſs in theirs; one whoſe active and enlightened mind, pervades the whole country, and by its influence, makes all thoſe who have a ſhare in the adminiſtration, patriots like himſelf. Education, police, encouragement to in⯑duſtry, and agriculture; every thing, in ſhort, here, breathes a ſpirit of philoſophy, and the warm love of mankind.’ ‘O that I could make,’ ſays he, ‘many millions as happy, as the Margrave of Baden makes two hundred thouſand men.’ He adds, the Mar⯑grave is as amiable in private life, as he is reſpectable in public, and the margravine is poſſeſſed of every po⯑lite accompliſhment; ſo that the court, to which ſtrangers eaſily get admiſſion, is the beſt ſociety in Carlſrube.

The German princes are minute obſervers of form. The ſame eſtabliſhment for their houſhold, and the like number of officers in their palaces are to be found among them, as in the court of the moſt powerful monarch of Europe. The difference lies more in the ſalaries, than in the talents requiſite for theſe places; one paymaſter of the forces in England, has greater emoluments, than a grand marechal, a grand chamberlain, two ſecretaries of ſtate, and [91] half a dozen more of the chief officers of a Ger⯑man court.

The Margrave of Baden, like every other ſovereign prince in Germany, has body-guards, who do duty in the palace; foot-guards, who parade before it, alſo horſe-guards and huſſars, all of whom are perfectly well equipped, and exactly diſciplined; a piece of magnificence, which ſeems to be adopted by this prince, merely in conformity with the cuſtom long eſtabliſhed in this country.

He keeps on foot no other troops beſides the few which are neceſſary for this duty at the palace, though his revenue is more conſiderable, and his finances are in much better order than thoſe of ſome princes in Ger⯑many, who have little ſtanding armies in conſtant pay. He has too juſt an underſtanding, not to perceive, that the greateſt army he could poſſibly maintain, could be no defence to his dominions, ſituated as they are between the powerful ſtates of France and Auſtria; and probably his principles and diſpoſition prevent him from thinking of filling his coffers by letting out his ſubjects to foreign powers.

If he was ſo inclined, there is no doubt that he might ſell the perſons of his ſubjects as ſoldiers, or employ them in any other way he might think pro⯑per; for he, as well as other ſovereign princes in [92] Germany, has an unlimited power over his people. If you aſk the queſtion, in direct terms, of a German; he will anſwer in the negative, and will talk of certain rights which the ſubjects enjoy, and that they can ap⯑peal to the great council, or general diet of the em⯑pire for relief. But after all his ingenuity and diſ⯑tinctions, you find that the barriers which protect the peaſant from the power of the prince, are ſo very weak, that they are hardly worth keeping up; and that the only ſecurity the peaſant has for his perſon or property, muſt proceed from the moderation, good ſenſe, and juſtice of his ſovereign.

Happy, adds Moore with Reiſbec, would it be for mankind, if this unlimited power were always placed in as equitable hands as thoſe of the preſent Margrave of Baden, who employs it entirely for the good of his ſubjects, by whom he is adored!

Among his other eſtabliſhments, a late margrave had the following ſingular one: and this was a noto⯑rious ſeminary of young women, where, by an unna⯑tural whim of his, above thirty female creatures were maintained, ſome of whom were always walking by his coach in the garb of hey dukes, and others at night, keeping guard in the palace. The general proviſion for them on their diſcharge, was to be mar⯑ried to ſome petty officer of the houſhold.

[93]Self-love has ever ſhewn great addreſs in recon⯑ciling licentious inclinations, with religion, and in making a compact, as it were, with God, by which favourite vices are retained, and all due homage paid to the Deity in other reſpects. The voluptuous comfort themſelves with the numerous concubines of David and Solomon, and imagine God will not be ſo ſtrict, but that a punctual obſervance of many exter⯑nal duties, will compenſate for giving way to ſome one frailty; but this too, muſt be ſuch as ſuits their natural diſpoſition. If the revealed truths of our holy religion were liable to ſuch perverſions, it is viſible how ſenſuality would prevail, under no other reſtraint than natural religion. We readily believe what we wiſh, and in ſuch a caſe under the moſt flagitious profligacy, any weak palliatives would be embraced for quieting the clamours of conſcience. What evils would not this bring upon ſociety!

The BISHOPRIC of CONSTANCE.

The lands and eſtates of the biſhopric of Conſtance lie on both ſides of the lake. Meadow-grounds and ploughed-lands turn to very little account here; the ſoil being clayey, ſandy, or marſhy, and ſubject to inundations. In the towns and villages the only traffic carried on is in wine, but this amounts to nothing conſiderable. This biſhopric has ever been an im⯑mediate ſtate of the empire, and as ſuch the Biſhop [94] votes in the Imperial Diet among the princes. He belongs particularly to the third quarter; of which in conjunction with the abbot of Kempton, he is the head. He is alſo a joint ſummoning prince of the circle, but whether he be equal to the duke of Wur⯑temburg or that the latter has ſome ſmall preference is not decided. The juriſdiction of the cathedral extends over great parts of Switzerland. The Biſhop is ſuffra⯑gan to the archbiſhop of Mentz.

The Bodenſee, or lake of Conſtance, is in length about eighteen leagues. It is divided into two parts, that part from Bregentz to Conſtance, being called the upper lake, and that from Conſtance to Zell, the lower lake. The latter is between twenty and thirty fathoms deep, and reckons along its banks near forty cities, towns, and villages; yet the upper lake ſurpaſſes it, having no leſs than fifty, and the depth of it in ſome places is ſaid to be three hundred and fifty fathoms; its greateſt breadth, is between Buchorn and Roſback which lie at the diſtance of five leagues from each other. This is by much the largeſt lake in Germany. The Rhine which runs through this lake has ſo ſtrong a current, that it is ſaid it does not mix with the waters of the lake. Near Lindau and Brugentz, beſides the fiſh uſually caught in theſe parts, there is alſo a kind of ſalmon-trouts which being taken and pickled, when full grown are exported as a great rarity. They are [95] generally an ell and an half or two ells long, weigh⯑ing between thirty and forty pounds. As the fiſhermen cannot always make a market of ſuch large fiſh, they tie a bit of wood to a line, which having paſſed through the fiſh's gills, or the hinder part of the head cloſe up to the wood, they faſten the other end of the line to a ſtake on the ſhore, near their huts: thus, without any danger of loſing it, they can allow the fiſh a range of thirty or forty paces to ſwim in, and keep it alive and ſound, till they meet with a com⯑pany of purchaſers, or have an opportunity of ſel⯑ling it for ſome marriage, or other great entertainment, where a fiſh of that ſize is required.

The city of Conſtance is well built, populous, and finely ſituated, it lies on the other ſide of the Rhine, over which there is a large wooden bridge, and near it the river turns ſeveral mills. The fortification of the city are ſufficient to defend it well. Here are two mar⯑kets every week, to which the people of the towns and villages near the lake reſort with their goods. The town is not very large, but it has a tolerable trade, from the convenience of water-carriage along the lake and the Rhine.

The emperor Sigiſmund called a council here in the year 1414 for preventing a ſchiſm in the church, from three popes pretending to the holy ſee at the ſame [96] time, but they were all depoſed, and Martin V. elec⯑ted in his room. In the eighth ſeſſion of this council Dr. John Wickliffe of Oxford and his doctrines were condemned as heretical, and his bones ordered to be dug up and burnt forty years after his death. In the fifteenth ſeſſion Huſs was condemned and delivered over to the ſecular power to be burnt, though he had the emperor's letters of ſafe conduct. And the ſame ſen⯑tence paſſed upon Jerome of Prague, who was likewiſe burnt in this city and the natives ſtill ſhew the place to ſtrangers. This council laſted few years, during which time there were in the city of Conſtance four patriarchs, twenty-nine cardinals, three hundred and forty-ſix archbiſhops and biſhops, five hundred and ſixty four abbots and doctors, ten thouſand ſecular princes, and noblemen, four hundred and fifty common whores, and three hundred and twenty fidlers. The inhabi⯑tants are proteſtants. Conſtance was formerly a free Imperial city but the religious commotions, and the interim in 1551 brought it under the power of the houſe of Auſtria; ſo that the Biſhop has little or no authority there, and accordingly reſides at Merſpurg on the other ſide of the lake of Conſtance. The pulpit of the cathedral is ſupported by a ſtatue of John Huſs; mak⯑ing a repreſentation of him to ſerve as a pedeſtal to the pulpit, was intended as a mark of further diſgrace; though it more naturally admits of a very honourable conſtruction.

[97]In the Dominican convent is the famous Emanuel Chryſolara a knight of Conſtantinople, deſcended from a noble family, among the Romans who had removed thither with the emperor Conſtantine. He died at the time of the general council of Conſtance, and in ſuch reputation that all orders of men agreed in judging him worthy of the higheſt eccleſiaſtical dignity. The ingenious concluſion of a fine epitaph compoſed for him by Eneas Sylviaus deſerves particular notice. My extraction is from antient Rome; to me Imperial Con⯑ſtantinople gave birth; my remains lie at Conſtance. But what imports it when we die, the fort of felicity and the place of torment being every where equally diſtant? Reiſbec, makes the number of inhabitants in Conſtance, to be about ſix thouſand, and the revenues of the bi⯑ſhop ſeven thouſand pounds a year. The Swiſs ſide of this lake he adds is more pleaſant than the oppoſite or German ſide. The beautiful mixture of hills, planted with vines, the ſtraggling appearance of farm houſes, with orchards round them, with the ſmall and varied patches of different kinds of agriculture make it more agreeable to the eye than the Suabian villages, the houſes of which ſtand together as in the towns, and are often encompaſſed by a great corn field, or a wide meadow. Upon the whole, both ſides of the lake are equally well inhabited. The Swiſs ſoil is more ſtony and heavy than the German, and though the Thurzan is one of the beſt ports of Switzerland, it is indebted [98] to Suabia for a part of the prime neceſſary of life, which it repays in wine and fruits.

It was on this ſtage that the celebrated Geſner began his career, who in a ſhort time expelled ſo many mil⯑lions of devils, as is pretended, and cured ſo many hundred bigots. An order of the biſhop of Con⯑ſtance, having prohibited ſuch miracles in his dio⯑ceſe, found him taking refuge under the prelate of Salmanſweiler, who by the ſtrength of hard gold, always purchaſes of the Pope, an exemption from the biſhop's power. In oppoſition to the biſhop, the prelate eſpouſed the part of the refugee with much warmth; and his fortune was made by the per⯑ſecution he underwent. The prelate's ſteward, ſup⯑plied him with barrels of ſtinking oil, and other com⯑modities, which he uſed for the purpoſe of his cures, and in the furniſhing of which the other found his account.

They little think in Holland, how much they owe to the lake of Conſtance. As matters are at preſent, they can hardly guard againſt the ſand, which being waſhed down from the Alps by the Aar, and other rivers, threatens to ſtop up the mouth of the Rhine, and already leaves room to conjecture ſome violent revolution by the ſand-banks it has raiſed. And if the reſervoir we ſpeak of, did not interrupt by far the greateſt quantity of ſand, which the rapid ſtream [99] of the Rhine waſhes from the high Buntmerland; Holland muſt have been before this time, buried un⯑der a new ſand, and the courſe of the Rhine being altered, would have totally changed the figure of that country. It is true, theſe changes muſt neceſſarily happen; as however conſiderable the depth of this lake be, it muſt at laſt be filled up, and the ſooner, becauſe the ſtream, as it flows from Conſtance, through the upper parts of Germany, is always deepen⯑ing its bed, and the lake loſes exactly as much water as it gains in ſand. On the other hand, if we reflect how much ſo great a baſon as this lake may contain; and calculate its contents, as de la Torre did thoſe of Veſuvius, we ſhall think the Dutch are ſecure for many generations.

Uberlingen, a city on the lake, ten miles north⯑eaſt of Conſtance, ſituate on the top of a rock, and ſurrounded with vineyards, was thought ſo pleaſant by the ancient dukes of Suabia, that they made it their uſual reſidence. It has a very good trade, and is famous for its mineral waters, which cure the ſtone, and other diſtempers, and in twice or thrice waſhing, take away all warts. The hoſpital in this town, is the beſt endowed in all Suabia; and the people ſo rich, that they conſtitute as much to the general charges of the empire as many of the princes.

Near Zell, is the Abbey of Reichnau, particular⯑ly [100] famous for the large emerald, preſented to it by Charles the Great. It is about two inches thick, ſome⯑thing larger than a common folio, and weighs twenty eight pounds, three quarters. Several jewellers have offered fifty thouſand guilders a pound for it; in the church of this abbey lies the above-mentioned liberal emperor, once ſo powerful and glorious, but after⯑wards forſaken by every one, ſo that he died in ex⯑treme indigence in the year 888.

The convent boaſts, likewiſe, of being poſſeſſed of the body of St. Mark, the Evangeliſt, but this is diſputed with them by the Venetians.

In the cloiſters of this abbey, is the picture of a nobleman, who died in 1675, in the 70th year of his age; with a beard reaching to his knees; this puts me in mind, ſays Keyſler, of a Flemiſh painter, named John Meyo, whoſe beard was of ſuch a length, that when he ſtooped, he could tread upon it, and this peculiarity occaſioned him to be nick-named Johannes Barbatus.

In this neighbourhood, is the foreſt of Bregentz, in the villages of which there has been hitherto, ſays, Keyſler, a ſtrange cuſtom, that the unmarried ſons, or ſervants of the peaſants are allowed to intrigue with a girl till ſhe proves with child, and then indeed, but not before, are obliged under ſevere penalties to [101] marry her. This kind of gallantry they look upon as very innocent, and are ſo ſtrongly attached to it, that when, a few years ago, government was for ſup⯑preſſing ſuch a ſcandalous practice; it was nearly occa⯑ſioning an inſurrection, and the diſpute is not yet terminated.

Augſburg, is a free Imperial city, lies in a delightful country between the rivers Lock and Wertach, which unite not far from this place. It is a large populous well built city, eſteemed the capital of Suabia, furniſhed with many noble fountains, adorned with brazen ſta⯑tues of ancient heroes and emperors, and likewiſe with ſome valuable monuments of antiquity. The burghers are reckoned to be 6000; the council is mix⯑ed, and conſiſts of an equal number of reformed, and papiſts. The profeſſors of both religions are eaſily diſtinguiſhable by their dreſs. Augſburg, was formerly the moſt conſiderable city in all Germany for commerce, but the declenſion of the trade of Venice was a ſevere ſtroke to it.

The town houſe, is accounted the fineſt in all Germany, the entrance is of poliſhed red mar⯑ble, ſupported by two pillars of white. The cham⯑bers contain abundance of hiſtorical and political paintings, with well choſen apothegms, exhorting the judges to impartial juſtice, to prudence, peace, and the fear of God. The whole breadth of it is one [102] hundred and forty ſeven feet; its length is one hun⯑dred and ten; and its height one hundred and ſeventy five feet. It was completed in 1620, after having been ſix years in building. Its principal or⯑nament, is conſidered to be a ſaloon of fine pictures, in the third ſtory, which is fifty two feet high, fif⯑ty eight broad, and one hundred and ten in length, without any pillars to it, and ſurrounded on both ſides by the four princes rooms, as they are called, which are alſo exquiſitely painted. Near the town houſe, ſtands the lofty tower of Perlachthurm. This tower is three hundred ſteps high, and the woman which ſtands above the weather cock is as big as life. In an area adjoining to the tower, is a very fine foun⯑tain, with the four ſeaſons in braſs, and in the cen⯑tre, the emperor Auguſtus, with appoſite inſcriptions. The palaces of the count de Fugger, are very mag⯑nificent. The Fuggery, as it is called, conſiſts of 106 ſmall houſes, erected in 1519, by the family of the Fuggers, lords of the adjacent country, for the reception of poor burgers, who have annual penſions ſettled on them. On the fine, and well con⯑trived aqueducts for the conveyance of water here, from the Loch are ſeveral corn, ſawing, flatting and melting mills, but the water-works in particular are remarkable here, which from five towers convey the water in ſuch a manner, through the city, that not only five large, and beautiful fountains with other public reſervoirs, but alſo the greateſt part of the [103] houſes are ſupplied by means of theſe works, with that element in plenty. It is ſurrounded with very fine paſture land, beautiful and fertile plains, and with large foreſts full of all ſorts of game. There are more Lutherans than Catholics in this city, who live together in tolerable harmony; their poor are pro⯑vided for in the ſame hoſpital, and to avoid giving of⯑fence, the Lutherans ſtand with their hats off when the hoſt goes by. There is no place where the citizens have their dreſſes ſo varied, which is ſo re⯑gulated by the magiſtrates, that every perſon of qua⯑lity and religion may be known by it.

In the biſhop's palace, which is otherwiſe an in⯑ſignificant building, is the hall, in which the pro⯑teſtant princes preſented their confeſſion of faith to the emperor Charles V. in the diet, held here anno. 1530, and from thence called the Augſburg Confeſſion, which occaſioned a civil war in the empire that laſted ſome years; but it was at laſt agreed, in a ſubſequent diet, held in the year 1555, that the proteſtants ſhould enjoy the free exerciſe of their religion throughout the empire. The magiſtrates have ſince been com⯑poſed of an equal number of proteſtants and catho⯑lics, their ſenate conſiſts of twenty-three Roman ca⯑tholics, and twenty-two Lutherans, and their com⯑mon council of an hundred and fifty of each; the executive power is in the ſenate, and the legiſlative authority in both bodies.

[104]The fortifications of this town are not very ſtrong. The duke of Bavaria took this city in 1704, after a ſiege of thirteen days; and after the loſs of the bat⯑tle of Hochſtadt, the ſame year, he withdrew his gar⯑riſon, not thinking it any longer tenable.

On the braſs door of the cathedral, among other ſcriptural ſtones, is repreſented the Virgin Mary, tak⯑ing Eve out of Adam's hip. The revenues of this ſee are ſo conſiderable, that it is generally filled by the younger princes of the electoral houſe of Bavaria and Palatine. The canonries are worth from 1000 to 1700 guilders a year, according to the price of corn. Thoſe of Ratiſbon and Euhitadt, are about the ſame value, thoſe of Conſtance ſmaller, thoſe of Paſſau, better, and theſe again greatly ſurpaſſed by the canon⯑ries of Saltzburg. The church of St. Maurice be⯑longs to the catholics, and is a fine building.

The monks of St. Ulrich diſpoſe of a duſt or pow⯑der, called St. Ulrich's earth, recommending it by the name of that holy man, who is ſaid to have baniſhed all the rats out of the city, and neighbourhood into a hole, which is to this day ſhewn in the church, and dedicated to this ſaint. The duſt is dug up from the place where he was buried. If it were true that no rats were to be found in Augſburg, and that any brought there alive, immediately die, it is a wonder that phyſicians and naturaliſts have not examined whe⯑ther [105] ſuch effect proceeds from the ſoil, water, air, herbage or other natural cauſe, as in other places and countries, where ſome ſpecies of animals cannot live. In the iſlands of Malta and Candia, and in Macedo⯑nia, there are no venemous ſerpents or vipers. The iſlands of Gorzo, Ivica, and Ireland, are immedi⯑ately fatal to all venemous creatures. At Einſidel, a hunting ſeat belonging to the duke of Wirtemburg, not a rat is to be ſeen; and being brought there by way of experiment, they ſoon die. That the bones of dead bodies are a real ſafeguard againſt ſome ſpecies of vermin, is beyond diſpute, and poſſibly the earth of a church-yard, where a great number of bodies are mouldered away, may be effectual againſt rats. This, however, I knew, ſays Keyſler, that St. Ulrich's earth, though ſo highly extolled, fails of its power over the rats in other places.

The evangelical college, called Gymnaſium Annaeum, has a library worth viſiting.

In Mr. Euno's muſeum in this city, is to be ſeen a collection of about twenty ſorts of bird's neſts; there is a ſimilar collection among the king of Poland's cu⯑rioſities at Dreſden. Here is alſo a chain ſo ſmall, that a flea may be faſtened to it; likewiſe, ſome ivory cups, with a ring round the middle, which are ſo di⯑minutive, that they muſt be viewed with microſcopes, one hundred of them being contained in a hollowed [106] pepper-corn. Augſburg, like Nuremberg, has always been famous for ingenious artiſts. An incredible quantity of Turkiſh, as it is called, and other ſorts of gold and ſilver paper is made here. The fineſt ſilver work is imitated in pewter, but if in a hundred weight, there be but ſo much as half an ounce of lead, the deſign fails. This incomparable pewter is, at the ſame time, ſo ſolid and hard, that ſnips of common pewter may be melted in it over the fire.

Among the public buildings, the einleaſs, i.e. admit⯑tance, as it is called, is a very ingenious work; it ſaves the trouble and danger they had formerly of opening the city gates at night for travellers or cou⯑riers, and may be made ſo, that many perſons can come into the city at once, either horſe or foot. To this end, a bridge goes up and down, and as often as a gate ſhuts, another opens with a great noiſe, and no⯑thing can be better contrived for ſecurity and conve⯑nience.

Another curious thing is the engine, which by means of twenty-eight ſprings, one of which is braſs, the water is raiſed up to three towers. The city alſo is not without its fine gardens. In the Gulman gar⯑dens are ſome water-works, and fine ſhady walks, which render it an agreeable retreat in the ſummer heats. But in water-works, it is ſurpaſſed by the Schaver gardens, which have alſo a pretty aviary; its [107] owner is famous for his excellent balſam, of which prince Eugene uſed to order a large quantity againſt the opening of every campaign.

The Biſhop is one of the eccleſiaſtical princes of the empire, but has no ſhare in the government of the town. His reſidence is at Dillingen.

Reiſbec remarks, that Augſburg is one of the oldeſt towns in Germany, and one of the moſt remarkable, as it is there and at Nuremberg, we meet with the oldeſt marks of German art and induſtry. In the four⯑teenth and fifteenth centuries, the commerce of this town was the moſt extenſive of any part of South Ger⯑many; and contributed much to the civilization of the country, by the works of art and variety of neceſſaries to the comfort and convenience of life, which it was the means of introducing. Many things originated in this town, which have had great influence on the hap⯑pineſs of mankind. Not to mention the many impor⯑tant diets of the empire held here. It was in this city, that in 952, a council confirmed the order for the celibacy of prieſts; in 1530, as we have already men⯑tioned, was the confeſſion of faith of the proteſtants, laid before the emperor, and other ſtates of Germany; in 1555, the famous treaty of peace was ſigned, by which religious liberty was ſecured to Germany.

Many of the houſes, according to Reiſbec, are old [108] and ugly, and are built with ſo little attention to the rules of modern taſte, that Winkleman renounced liv⯑ing in Germany, after he had ſeen them. The houſes in Augſburg muſt not be conſidered as Roman and Greek temples, but as monuments of the architec⯑ture of the times in which they were built. Who⯑ever conſiders them in that light, and compares them with the houſes built at Lubec and Nuremberg, in the ſame century, will ſee to how much greater mag⯑nificence Augſburg had arrived in thoſe early times. He will ſee too, a great deal of real beauty of pro⯑portion, and correſpondence of parts, &c. &c.

The looks of the inhabitants of Augſburg, have ſomething very ſtriking in them. They are a com⯑pound of the Suabian and Bavarian features. The proteſtants are moſt like the Suabians, and the catho⯑lics like the Bavarians. It is an obſervation, which has been frequently made, and undoubtedly a true one, that we may diſtinguiſh a proteſtant of Augſ⯑burg from a catholic, by his looks and manner. Any perſon who goes into their reſpective churches, will ſee ſtriking characteriſtic differences in their counte⯑nance. As the catholics are more rigid at Augſburg than elſewhere, and the followers of the different ſects ſeldom intermarrying, this difference may the more eaſily be accounted for.

The police of the place continues Reiſbec is very [109] good, and though the town has no territory, it has no debts. The water-works at Augſburg are more admired than thoſe of Marly, their mechaniciſm is much more ſimple, and the utility of them, much more conſpicuous.

Augſburg, however, is no longer what it was. It has no longer a Fugger and a Welſer to lend millions to the emperor. In this large and handſome town, though formerly one of the greateſt trading towns in Germany, there are no merchants at preſent, whoſe capitals exceed 20,000l. The others, moſt of whom muſt have their coaches, go creeping on with ſmall capitals of 3 or 4000l. and do the buſineſs of bankers and commiſſioners. Some houſes, however, carry on a little banking trade; and the way through Tyrol and Graubundten, occaſions ſome little exchange be⯑tween this place and Germany.

After theſe brokers and doers of buſineſs by com⯑miſſion, the engravers, ſtatuaries, and painters, are the moſt reſpectable of the labouring part of the city. Their productions, like the toys of Nuremberg, go every where. They have always ſome people of ge⯑nius amongſt them; but the ſmall demand for their labours, affords them ſo little encouragement, that to prevent ſtarving, they are moſtly confined to the ſmall religious works, which are done elſewhere by the capuchin monks. They furniſh all Germany with [110] little pictures for prayer-books, and to hang in citizens houſes. Indeed, the arts meet with little ſupport in this country. In other provinces of Germany, mat⯑ters appear to be no better ordered; Mengs, Winckel⯑man, Gluck, Haſſe, Handel, Haydon, and many others, were obliged to acquire reputation abroad, before their merits were acknowledged at home.

There is an academy of arts inſtituted here, under the protection of the magiſtrates. It ſeems, however, like its patrons, to have no other aim, than to produce good mechanics, and preſerve the manufacturers of the city. The ſenate, for ſome time paſt, has been deliberating on ſimilar projects for the encouragement of induſtry. As I take part in any improvement for ſocial happineſs, I was extremely mortified, ſays Reiſbec, to ſee that three good intentions were thwarted by the very governors of the town themſelves.

The grounds of this oppoſition ariſe chiefly from the form of government. The patricians, who, with a very ſmall addition of the mercantile part, govern the town ariſtocratically, cannot bear to ſee the plebiean enabled, by his induſtry, to carry his head above them. This deſpicable policy, takes its origin in the general corruption of the country. Nine-tenths of the inhabitants, are the moſt infamous raſcals imaginable; fellows, who, on the leaſt ſignal, are ready to cut each others' throats, on account of religion; who ſpend [111] their weekly wages every Sunday in ale-houſes, and never reflect on the greatneſs of their predeceſſors, but when the liquor is fermenting in their heads. It is impoſſible to give any idea of all the ridiculous inci⯑dents occaſioned by religious diſputes. Every day produces ſome occurrence, which makes one both laugh and complain. They never bruſh a cobweb from a public building without mingling religion in the buſineſs. The catholics, who are more zealous than the proteſtants ſupport a controverſial preacher here, as they do in all the towns where the religion is of a mixed kind. This man, at certain times, ſets one half of Augſburg a laughing, the other a raving. He who filled this part when Reiſbec was there, was an Ex-jeſuit; who was one of the beſt comedians of the kind he had ſeen. The exceſſive poverty and indolence of the people, makes them regardleſs of their rights: the ariſtocracy would not be ſo powerful, if the people had more attachment to their conſtitution. But liberty, ſays Rieſbec, is no dearer to them, than the chaſtity of their daughters whom their canons, (whoſe incomes are about 200l. per annum) purchaſe every year by dozens.

The other tenth of the inhabitants, conſiſt of ſome patrician families, among whom there are ſome very polite people, merchants, artiſts and clergy. The town, which is 9 miles and half round, contains hardly 30,000 people, and their collective capital, ſcarely exceeds [112] 1,500,000l. ſo that their yearly decreaſe becomes more apparent. Should ſome fortunate circumſtances not ariſe, another century will ſee them reduced to beg⯑gary. M. Nicolai makes the number of habitants 34 or 35,000 and ſays, there are 28,000 houſes.

The more modern part of this town is truly beau⯑tiful; we are led to believe. that in proportion as the internal reſources diminiſhed, the magiſtracy became more attentive to external decoration; but it is, as with the falſe bloom on a courtezan's cheek, it may be⯑guile the paſſing ſtranger, but whoever ſees her at her toilet, will ſoon be undeceived.

The city has its water for the table from the river Loch, which runs at ſome diſtance from the town. The aqueducts conveying it, are much to be admired. As the court of Bavaria has it in its power to cut off this indiſpenſible neceſſary of life; by threatening the town with ſo doing, it often lays it under contribution. But having beſides this, other means of keeping the high-council in a ſtate of dependance; to ſecure itſelf from this oppreſſion, it ſo ſeeks the Emperors protec⯑tion, as to become wholly dependent on him, and is there as it were banded about by both courts. The Emperor's miniſter to the circle of Suabia, generally reſides in this town, which ſecures to his court a per⯑petual influence with the magiſtracy. There are Auſ⯑trian and Pruſſian recruiting parties quartered here, [113] and the partiality of the government to the former, is very remarkable. In the war of 1756, the citizens were divided into equal parties for the two courts. The Catholics conſidered the emperor as their god; and the proteſtants did the ſame by the king of Pruſ⯑ſia. The flame of religion conſequently had very much kindled a civil war amongſt them.

Ulm is the moſt conſiderable city in Suabia. It lies on an uneven ſpot of ground, on the Danube, where that river unites with the Iler, and firſt becomes navi⯑gable for veſſels of conſiderable burthen. This city is ſituated forty miles weſt of Augſburg, but the road, for the moſt part, is ſo ſandy, and the ſecond ſtage ſo tedious, by means of the ſloughs, that it takes up nine hours to perform the journey.

Compared to the neighbouring cities, it is well fortified; they have here a very particular cuſtom, which is not to ſuffer ſtrangers to go on the ramparts, without paying a guilder. All the burgers are under the ſame reſtraint, the privilege of walking free, being allowed only to the patricians and their friends. This does not proceed ſo much from an apprehenſion of any clandeſtine correſpondence, as from avarice; for theſe patricians ſhare the hay and fruit growing on the ramparts among themſelves, which makes them cau⯑tious againſt whatever may occaſion any diminution of their profit. That which engages the attention of [114] travellers, in this city, is the cathedral, not to be equalled by any in Germany, that of Straſburg ex⯑cepted. The ſteeple is four hundred and one ſteps high; nothing can be finer than the proſpects from the top of it, the whole country round it being en⯑tirely level. In caſe of fire, eſpecially from lightning, ſixty-three large copper kettles always filled with wa⯑ter are hung up in different parts of the tower, and on the roof of the church, with a machine for drawing up proviſions for the watchmen in the tower. There is a very handſome ſtone-bridge here over the Danube, which greatly favours the trade of the inhabitants in linen, fuſtians, hardware and wool. It is one of the largeſt and beſt built places in Germany, and the town-houſe is a very handſome edifice. Large quan⯑tities of wine are brought here from the Rhine, the Neckar, and from Conſtance, to be tranſported down the Danube. The Reformation prevailed here about the year 1529, and the magiſtrates, as well as the in⯑habitants are moſtly Lutherans. The city of Ulm, ſays Keyſler, is however very far from being what it formerly was, when it uſed to be a common ſaying, ‘The lords of Ulm, the merchants of Nuremberg, and the burgers of Augſburg.’ And this ſaying al⯑ſo, was equally current, ‘The power of Venice, the ingenuity of Nuremberg, and the fire-arms of Straſ⯑burg; let the world ſhew the like.’ But this declen⯑ſion is not the peculiar misfortune of Ulm: many other Imperial free-towns, join in the like complaint.

[115]Of all the circles of the Empire, Suabia is the moſt divided, it contains four eccleſiaſtic, and thirteen lay-principalities, nineteen independant prelacies and ab⯑bies, twenty-ſix earldoms and lordſhips, and thirty-one free cities. The prime directors of the circle are the biſhop of Conſtance and the duke of Wirtem⯑berg, which laſt has the ſole direction of all that re⯑lates to military concerns.

The mixture of the various forms of government and religious ſects; the oppreſſion exerciſed by the greater over the leſſer; the game conſtantly played by the Emperor, who poſſeſſes many pieces of detached country in Suabia, which depend not on the circle, and can in conſequence of his privileges as archduke of Auſtria, extend his poſſeſſions in it by various ways, are circumſtances which give the cultivation of the country, and the character of the inhabitants, a moſt extraordinary caſt.

In ſeveral of the port-towns, the higheſt degree of cultivation may be ſeen in the midſt of the moſt ſa⯑vage wildneſs; a great degree of knowledge and po⯑liſh of manners, mixed with the groſſeſt ignorance and ſuperſtition; traces of liberty, under the deepeſt oppreſſion; national pride, together with a contempt and neglect of the native country; in ſhort, all the ſo⯑cial qualities in ſtriking contraſt, and oppoſition to each other.

[116]Thoſe parts of Suabia which belong to the greater potentates, ſuch as Wirtemberg, Auſtria and Baden, are certainly the moſt improved. The whole of Sua⯑bia may comprehend about 900 German ſquare miles, and two millions of people. More than half of theſe are ſubjects of the three above-mentioned houſes, though they do not own, by a great deal, one half of the land.

If the ſmall German lords would keep themſelves within due bounds; if they were not deſirous to ap⯑pear greater than they really are; if they were more affectionate to their ſubjects; if they were not inſen⯑ſible to the ſofter feelings of humanity; and ſo hoſ⯑tile to the Muſes and the Graces, the very ſmallneſs of theſe ſtates, would eſſentially contribute to their happineſs. For although a ſmall country muſt neceſ⯑ſarily part with ſome money, to procure what it wants from abroad, yet if the governor does not require many luxuries, a prudent economy and management will keep them within due bounds. Beſides, as moſt of the ſovereigns in this part of the world are Catho⯑lic, and the rich foundations in the neighbourhood lies open to their younger children, they are not in⯑cumbered with the burthen of making any other pro⯑viſion for them. Many of them alſo belong to the church, and their preferments in that line, might pre⯑vent their laying any burthens on their ſubjects. But the happineſs of their people, is never their ſtudy, [117] from the want of family ties, they conſider them⯑ſelves as unconnected with the country, and think their only buſineſs is, to act like generals in an enemy's land, and plunder where they can. Were this not the caſe, their exemption from ſupporting any military eſtabliſhments, the eaſe with which a ſmall country may be governed, the diſtance from the political diſ⯑tractions of greater ſtates, the ſecurity that other powers of Germany cannot play the great conqueror over them, and many other circumſtances, might be improved into bleſſings in theſe ſmall ſocieties.

The courts of Stutgard and Carlſrube are the only ones which ſeem to have any ſenſe of making the ſubject happy. The reſt appear vain enough to ſup⯑poſe the people created for them, and not they for the people. The treaſurers of theſe petty lords, with ſome of whom, ſays Reiſbec, I was well acquainted, make a very eſſential difference between the intereſts of the prince, and thoſe of the people; and though the ſubject is under no apprehenſion of groſs tyranny; yet he is by no means ſafe from having his pocket picked by the nicer operations of the finance.

The education of theſe lords, is ſo thoroughly neg⯑lected, as hardly to admit better hopes. It is almoſt univerſally in the hands of prieſts. Part of theſe are monks, whoſe knowledge is in a manner wrapped up in their cowls, and part are young abbés juſt come [118] from ſchool, and who only ſeek to make their fortune, by the connections of their pupils. The monk teaches that a reverence to ſaint Francis, Benedict, or Ignatius, a regular attendance on maſs, telling beads, and giv⯑ing alms to monaſteries, are objects which will make amends for many tranſgreſſions of another kind.

My excurſions, he adds, in the different ſtates of the circle of Suabia, have not produced the rich en⯑tertainment I promiſed myſelf. I viſited a dozen, free Imperial towns, in which, notwithſtanding the re⯑publican form of government, not a ſpark of liberty or patriotiſm was to be ſeen. The inhabitants have, through the oppreſſion of more powerful neighbours, long ſince, loſt all ſenſe of the value of independence; but though aſhamed to mention the name of their native country out of their own walls, within them they mimick the forms of old Rome, and after the manner of thoſe governors of the world, inſcribe their public buildings of ſtate with Senatus, Populuſque, Hallenſis, Bopſingenſis, Nordlingenſis, &c.

In the fifteenth century, the Imperial cities of Sua⯑bia, acted a very different part. They were then united in league, not only with each other, but with the cities of Franconia and the Rhine. Even the emperor had cauſe ſometimes to be alarmed at their increaſing power, which made Charles V. diſunite them. From the time of the aſſociation of the [119] Hanſe-towns, the gold flowed from all the coun⯑try into the cities. Theſe were the excluſive ſeats of induſtry, and their wealth drew into their dependance the neighbouring princes, who, at that time, lived by robberies. If the ſpirit of trade, which then pre⯑vailed, had ſuffered them to place more value on the poſſeſſion of landed property, they would to this day have preſerved ſomewhat of their former ſplendour; as with their power they might have made many con⯑queſts, and with their wealth, many purchaſes.

All hopes are now vaniſhed of their ever again be⯑coming conſpicuous. As ſoon as the prince, diſcovered the value of induſtry, and gave it free encourage⯑ment in their dominions, it fled into their protection, and abandoned the dark walls of cities, in which a ſyſtem of monopolies, little policy, and narrow⯑minded envy of the ſucceſsful, laid it under ſuch ma⯑nifold reſtraints. The conſequence of which is, the towns are ſo reduced, as to be obliged to ſell the lit⯑tle landed property they are poſſeſſed of, to diſcharge their debts. This has lately been the caſe with Ulm; the largeſt town in Suabia next to Augſburg.

The great population which prevails in the circle is wonderful, when the untoward circumſtances of the country are conſidered. By untoward circumſtances; is meant the extortion of petty maſters, who all keep their miſtreſſes, their ſtag-hounds, their French-cooks, [120] and Engliſh horſes; the perpetual quarrels among neighbours, which ariſe from the various peo⯑ple and governments of the empire; the ſmall pro⯑fits attendant on induſtry, within ſuch a confined ſpot; and laſtly, the conſtant decreaſe of coin, owing to the ſums of money expended by the governors of the country, in ſearch of foreign luxuries.

There is, however, an integrity ſtill adherent to the German character, and a kind of jovial humour about it, that makes the princes of the country ſhud⯑der at any acts of wanton oppreſſion and cruelty, which, with the ſame powers, would no doubt be ex⯑erciſed in Spain, Italy, and even in France. Give a German prince, but room for his dogs and horſes, (for about the welfare of theſe, he is uncommonly ſo⯑licitous) and you have little to fear from him in other reſpects.

The BISHOPRIC of PADERBORN,

Is bounded by the country of Lippe towards the north; by the duchy of Brunſwick on the eaſt; by the county of Waldeck on the ſouth, and by the duchy of [123] Weſtphalia on the weſt. Its greateſt extent from weſt to eaſt, amounts to eleven, and from north to ſouth, to about nine German miles. It contains twenty caſ⯑tles, ſixteen monaſteries, and ninety-five pariſh churches. The Roman-catholic is the eſtabliſhed re⯑ligion. This country is remarkable for the variety of its ſalt-ſprings and other fountains. In the Tranſac⯑tions of the Royal Society, December 1665, mention is made of a ſpring in this country which loſes itſelf twice in twenty-four hours, and returns with a great noiſe, and force ſufficient to turn three mills not far from its ſource; the inhabitants call it Bolder-born, or the Boiſtrous ſpring. And in the Tranſactions of January following, there is an account of another re⯑markable fountain in this dioceſe, called Metborn, which is a treble ſpring, two ſprings of which, though not a foot and a half diſtant from each other, have very different qualities; the one being limpid, blew⯑iſh, and luke-warm; the other cold as ice, turbid and whitiſh; of which water, all fowls that drink, die ſoon after in ſtrong convulſions; but giving them a lit⯑tle common ſalt, will keep them alive longer, and vi⯑negar will quite recover them. The third ſpring, which iſſues about twenty paces from the others, is of a greeniſh colour, very clear, taſtes both ſour and ſweet, but very pleaſant; and from its weight ſuppoſed to be a mixture of the other two.

It is probable, that it is the water from this ſpring, [124] which is ſerved up at the tables of the principal Au⯑berges in Paderborn; and perhaps all Germany does not produce a lighter, or more pleaſant water to drink. It moſtly reſembles the Seltzer, but is even lighter and more pleaſant to the taſte. But to thoſe who drink freely of it, though with ever ſo ſmall a portion of wine, it is apt to occaſion a ſlight fever on the brain; which however goes off ſoon, if the quan⯑tity of water drank has not been immoderate. This water, like ſome of the delicate wines in the ſouth of France and in Italy, loſes all its fine qualities, and be⯑comes inſipid, if tranſported to any diſtance. If like the Seltzer water it would bear carriage, the revenue it would produce, muſt be immenſe.

The biſhopric of Paderborn was founded by Charle⯑magne, and the cathedral church conſecrated by Pope Leo III. in 796.

Paderborn, the capital city, takes its name from the head of the river Pada, which ſprings in a torrent near the cathedral of this city, and afterwards runs into the Lippe. At this fountain, according to the Magdeburg chronicle, moſt of the inhabitants of Saxony and Weſtphalia were baptized, about the year 780, by or⯑der of Charlemagne, the natives being heathens before he conquered this country. A great part of the ad⯑jacent country is very barren, and has little to boaſt of beſides hogs-fleſh, deer, and other veniſon; in the [125] middle of it, however, are high mountains which con⯑tain iron mines.

The town formerly enjoyed the immunities of a city of the empire, and carried on a great trade, but at preſent its commerce is inconſiderable, and the in⯑habitants ſubſiſt chiefly by agriculture, and breeding of cattle. The emperor Charlemagne, and ſeveral other emperors and German kings reſided and held their diets here formerly.

The BISPHOPRIC of MUNSTER,

Is bounded on the eaſt by the biſhopric of Oſnaburg and Paderborn; on the ſouth by the county of Mark; on the weſt by the duchy of Cleve and Zutphen, and on the north by the counties of Bentheim and Stein⯑furth. It is the largeſt of all the Weſtphalian biſhop⯑rics, being an hundred miles in length, and eighty in breadth.

This country is generally level. It has, however, ſome agreeable heights, but no great or lofty moun⯑tains. The extenſive heaths which are ſeen in it, ſerve for breeding of cattle. There are alſo ſome fruitful plains, large woods, and turf, together with good quarries of ſtone, and rivers abounding in fiſh. No part of Weſtphalia produces better bacon, which [126] is exported all over Europe, and ſo much admired, that it produces double the price of any other.

At the time of the reformation, the Lutheran doc⯑trine found many adherents in this part of the world, but it was afterwards ſuppreſſed. There are ſeveral nobles here who are ſtill of the proteſtant perſuaſion, but the eſtabliſhed religion of the country is catho⯑lic.

The biſhop is a prince of the empire, and at the di⯑et ranks with the biſhop of Liege, but in ſuch a man⯑ner, that the biſhop of Oſnaburg, always ſits between both. In the circle of Weſtphalia, he is the firſt ſum⯑moning prince and director of the circle. The chap⯑ter conſiſts of forty members, who are all nobles, and muſt prove their nobility; and once a year the ſhield and helm of the youngeſt canon are carried in proceſ⯑ſion, with beat of drum through the city, that every one may enquire into his pedigree.

Munſter, the capital of the biſhopric, lies in a very fruitful and pleaſant ſpot, on the rivulet Aa, or Al⯑pha. The city is large, rich, and populous. It is de⯑fended by a ſtrong citadel, built to keep the inhabitants in awe, after the inſurrection made by John of Leyden, in 1635, who, pretending divine inſpira⯑tion, drove the biſhop and magiſtrates out of the city, [127] cauſed himſelf to be proclaimed king, and held out a fourteen months ſiege againſt them. He made one of his concubines queen, but afterwards cut off her head, becauſe ſhe would not approve of all his mad projects. The biſhop having got a reinforcement of troops, at laſt ſeized the city by ſtratagem, and took the anabaptiſt king priſoner, who having been car⯑ried in deriſion to moſt of the countries in Germany, was the year following put to death with red-hot pin⯑cers, and his bones hung up in an iron-cage, on the top of a ſteeple.

At Munſter, in 1648, was concluded the treaty which eſtabliſhed the proteſtant religion, and put an end to the thirty years war. This treaty has been made the baſis of almoſt every ſubſequent treaty, eſ⯑pecially as to religion. It is ſometimes called the treaty of Weſtphalia, at others, the treaty of Oſna⯑burg, becauſe the proteſtant princes held their confer⯑rences at Oſnaburg, as the catholic princes did theirs at Munſter. The Swedes had been engaged eighteen years in this war, and got poſſeſſion of an hundred ſtrong towns in the empire; and by this treaty they ſecured the duchies of Bremen and Verden, weſtern Pomerania, the iſland of Rugen, and the city of Weiſ⯑mer, and might have made ſtill better terms, if they had not adhered to the part of the proteſtants.

The BISHOPRIC of LIEGE,

Lies in the Netherlands, and is bounded on the north by Brabant and Guelderland: on the eaſt by the du⯑chies of Limburg and Juliers; on the ſouth by Lux⯑emburgh and the Ardennes, and on the weſt by Bra⯑bant and the country of Namur. It is in length from north to ſouth, about twenty German miles, and about half as much in breadth, but the breadth varies, be⯑ing twice as much in ſome places as it is in others. Some ſmall diſtricts lie within the juriſdiction of the duchies of Brabant and Luxemburg.

The ſoil is fertile in corn and paſturage, and yields wine, which reſembles the middling wines of Burgun⯑dy and Champagne, together with very conſiderable foreſts and mines of copper, lead, iron, and ſtone⯑coal; as alſo many good ſtone-quarries, and among them, likewiſe ſome marble. This biſhopric is alſo celebrated for its mineral-waters; namely, thoſe of Spa, and Chaude-fontaine.

The principal rivers by which it is watered, are the Meuſe and Sambre, which unite in the county of Na⯑mur.

The chief exports of this country, and particularly of the town of Liege, conſiſt of beer, fire-arms, nails, ſerge, leather and ſtone-coal; all which are ex⯑ported [129] from hence in prodigious large quantities, more particularly fire-arms, ſuch as guns, piſtols, and ſwords, with which in time of war they ſerve almoſt all Europe. The low prices for which they will ſell their guns and ſwords, is almoſt incredible. No na⯑tion can come in incompetition with them, in point of cheapneſs for theſe articles.

In the circle of Weſtphalia, this Biſhop is third in rank. He is one of the moſt conſiderable eccleſiaſti⯑cal princes in Germany. His annual revenue is about three hundred thouſand ducats. The chapter of Liege conſiſts of ſixty major-canons, who are moſt of them of noble extraction, and have the power of electing their biſhop. There are twenty-four other canons, who have no ſhare in this election. It is computed there are in this dioceſe, or rather principality, fifty-two baronies, eighteen walled towns, and four hun⯑dred villages well peopled. The Biſhop can lay no taxes on his ſubjects without the conſent of the clergy, nobility, and commons, who are called the three ſtates of the country.

Liege is ſuppoſed to derive its name from a little rivulet, which runs through this country, and falls into the Meuſe. It is a very large, and a very popu⯑lous city, of a triangular form. There are ſeveral hills and vallies within the walls, and ſome iſlands made by the Meuſe, which is here divided into three [130] branches, which, after having paſſed through the ſtreets under ſeveral bridges, unite again a little be⯑low the town. The town is ſeated in a vale between two mountains, the higheſt of which lies to the north, and the other to the eaſt. In the valley between theſe mountains runs the river Meuſe, and it is here very broad.

This town has ten large ſuburbs, in which are a great number of religious houſes and churches; which laſt, with thoſe in the city, make an hundred in all. In the city and ſuburbs are likewiſe ſeveral public places or ſquares, as alſo, a cathedral church dedicat⯑ed to St. Lambert, in which there are many reliques. The Biſhop's palace and the cathedral, are large and ſpacious buildings, the latter is built with red ſtone, and has a quadrangle within. This city is about four miles in circumference, and contains about an hun⯑dred and fifty ſtreets. According to the opinion of ſome travellers, no city in Germany or France, can equal it in fine churches, convents, and other religi⯑ous foundations. The fortifications of the city are but mean, and being commanded by hills which ſurround them, are incapable of reſiſting a large army; but the citadel, which is ſituated on a very high hill, is a place of ſome ſtrength; yet it may be a queſtion, whether it is not of more diſſervice than real ſervice; as it is by no means ſtrong, and from its elevated ſituation, if the enemy once got poſſeſſion of it, they could de⯑moliſh [131] the town in a few hours. The duke of Marlborough took this city in the year 1702.

Liege is ſtiled an Imperial city, under the protec⯑tion of its Biſhop; but this prelate is ſovereign of the city and dioceſe, and the citizens have ſuffered more than once very ſeverely for diſputing his autho⯑rity. Moſt of the ſtreets are very narrow, but there are many of a good breadth. There are alſo ſome very ſpacious and handſome private edifices; but in general, the buildings are mean and ſhabby. On the banks of the river there are ſome very pleaſant walks, which are much reſorted to in ſummer. The envi⯑rons are ſo extremely pleaſant, that it has obtained the name of the paradiſe of eccleſiaſtics. It is a com⯑mon ſaying, likewiſe, that it is the hell of women, becauſe they are obliged to live a very laborious life, the women doing all the laborious offices both at home and abroad; the purgatory of men, becauſe they are almoſt all governed by their wives; and the paradiſe of monks, on account of their rich benefices. The Engliſh jeſuits have a college here, delight⯑fully ſituated on the ſummit of a high hill, with a very fine garden. This college is now appro⯑priated to the education of youth in the catholic per⯑ſuaſion; of which there are in general from ſixty to ſeventy ſcholars, moſtly the ſons of our nobility and gentry. It is wonderfully well fitted up for the pur⯑poſe, and the diſcipline and care that is taken of the [132] young gentlemen, is equalled in no place. Great pains are taken with their education. There is ſcarce an art, ſcience, or language, which is not taught in this ſeminary. The proficiency in claſſical learning therefore cannot be expected to be very great. In ſhort, the method of ſtudy generally purſued in this college, reſembles the plans of our moſt conſiderable modern academies in the vicinity of the metropolis, which are certainly very different from the mode of education in our great ſchools, ſuch as Weſtminſter, Eton, Wincheſter, and one or two more.

At the oppoſite extremity of the city, is a convent of Engliſh nuns, whoſe chief ſubſiſtence is obtained by the education of young ladies, of their own re⯑ligious perſuaſion. They have generally the ſame number of young perſons under their tuition, with the college of Engliſh jeſuits, who are likewiſe chiefly the daughters of our catholic nobility and gentry. The penſion as it is called, or the terms for board and education, are very moderate, about 25l. a year, every thing included, and are kept in ſickneſs and in health, they alſo profeſs to teach a multiplicity of things. The nuns, as well as the jeſuits, are almoſt all, either from this country or from Ireland, and many of them related to the moſt conſiderable catholic families in one or other of them.

In the convent, there is likewiſe a penſion for ſuch [133] ladies as chuſe to come and board there. This pen⯑ſion is kept in a building adjoining to the convent, but not within the inner walls of the convent. It is upon a very frugal plan; the penſion is very reaſon⯑able, the dinners ſumptuous, they all dine in one eat⯑ing-room, and have ſeparate chambers to retire to, for tea and to ſit in. The only inconvenience is, that being within the outer gate of the convent, they are obliged to diſmiſs their friends, and return home themſelves by nine in the evening. In other reſpects, this is a very agreeable and cheap place for thoſe per⯑ſons to come to, who wiſh to live comfortably and agreeably on a ſlender income. It may not be amiſs to remark, that ſeparate dinners are not allowed, ex⯑cept in illneſs,

In the monaſtery of St. William, juſt without the walls, lie the remains of that famous Engliſh travel⯑ler, Sir John Mandeville, who having viſited almoſt all the great cities of Europe, preferred Liege to any of them, and accordingly paſſed the latter part of his days in this city. The univerſity was ſo conſiderable, that Meibonus relates, there were twenty-one kings ſons reſident here in 1131. At preſent it is in no eſ⯑teem. There is alſo a public library in this city, be⯑longing to the council-houſe, but it is by no means conſiderable, and is not frequented. The environs of this city are highly pictureſque and beautiful, but the internal parts carry a very dingy hue, owing to the [134] clouds of ſmoke continually iſſuing from ſuch an im⯑menſe number of little forges, as are to be found in its precincts.

About three Engliſh miles from Liege, at the ex⯑tremity of a beautiful valley, and on the banks of a very pleaſing ſtream, which deſcends with conſider⯑able rapidity from the mountains, ſtands the little village of Chau de-fontaine. This village is famous for its baths, the waters of which are of a ſulphurous nature, and always hot. The inn where the baths are, is not much frequented. The houſe is very old faſhioned, but the accommodations, as to the wines and diet, are far from bad, and the charges not extra⯑vagant. There are many families who make this houſe their reſidence for weeks together, tempted to it ſole⯑ly from the retiredneſs of the ſituation, the beauty of the ſcenery, and the occaſional luxury of the baths, which are made uſe of more for pleaſure than health. They are of a very agreeable temperature as to heat; and the expences attending the care of them, very in⯑conſiderable.

Near Liege, in the road, however, from Spa to Aix-la-Chapelle, ſtands the town of Verviers; a place for⯑merly of not near ſo much import as at preſent. This town owes all its conſequence to its woollen manu⯑factures, which are now carried on to very great ex⯑tent; and of late years, they have even rivalled us [135] very ſucceſsfully, in ſeveral of the northern parts of Europe, in this branch of commerce.

About ſeventeen miles ſouth-eaſt of Liege, is the village of Spa, which has been long famous all over Eu⯑rope for its mineral waters. It is ſeated in a ſpaci⯑cious valley ſurrounded by hills, part of which are covered with woods, and on the north-ſide, more par⯑ticularly, with very ſteep and craggy mountains, which immediately overlook the town.

The town of Spa, according to Thickneſſe, is ſituated in a ſtony, mountainous country, on the banks of which, in ſummer, is a murmuring ſtream, but which in winter, is ſometimes a rapid river; the air is good, and the environs in general are pleaſant, though rude and uncultivated, having much the appearance of a part of the globe, which has been broken up by earthquakes, or ſome violent convulſions of nature; ſo that all the luxuries of life are brought daily on wo⯑men's backs from Liege. In the winter, the place is deſerted.

The account given by Pliny of the waters of this place, is that they taſted of iron, were purgative, and a ſovereign cure for tertian agues and the ſtone. The three principal ſprings are the Pouhon, the Geron⯑ſtere, and the Savoniere. The Pouhon is in the mid⯑dle of the town, or rather village; for Spa, ſtrictly [136] ſpeaking, is no more than a village, though, from the numerous and ſplendid buildings erected within theſe few years, for the accommodation of ſtrangers, many of which are of the firſt diſtinction; it is more con⯑ſiderable than many towns. It is from this ſpring that moſt of the water is ſupplied, which is ſent into foreign countries. Over the ſpring is a ſtone build⯑ing, on which there is an inſcription recounting the virtues of theſe waters; that they remove obſtruc⯑tions, diſſolve hard ſwellings, dry up a ſuperfluity of moiſture, and ſtrengthen weak limbs, if drank in pro⯑per quantities, and under the direction of the faculty.

Health is now become but a ſecondary object that attracts ſuch a ſplendid aſſembly of both ſexes, which now reſort to this delightful ſpot. Numbers reſort here for the ſake of gaming high, and by their dex⯑terity and addreſs, bid fair to amend or improve their ſhattered fortunes: a crowd of another ſort at⯑tend only as paraſites, and dependant on ſuch illuſ⯑trious perſonages as keep public tables, and make a ſplendid appearance. Others come there to make the beſt market they can of the commodities they im⯑port. Some aim at procuring new acquaintance and correſpondents. Others reſort here purely to enjoy themſelves and the wholeſome air of the climate. Some again have diverſion and amuſement principally in view, and ſpend their time here more for the ſake of the good and grand company that comes here, than [137] out of any regard to the virtue of the waters. In a word, this moſt delightful ſpot is the centre and ſeat of all joy and pleaſure; which contribute towards the countleſs miracles that are wrought here beyond the power of words to expreſs.

He who takes into his conſideration, only the num⯑berleſs amuſements of this delicious ſpot, the various games, the balls, the plays, the walks, and other en⯑tertainments that are carried on here, and ſucceed each other without intermiſſion, muſt doubtleſs imagine, that a life ſo led in the daily gratification of every ſcene, is able to remove a variety of little inconve⯑niences, without the leaſt aid or aſſiſtance from theſe ſalutary ſprings. Such, for inſtance, as the yellow jaundice, which is principally owing to ſome light and trivial obſtruction, the hyp or vapours, which are of⯑ten the reſult only of an unpolite deportment, from a too peeviſh and moroſe huſband, and more particu⯑larly, that petty diſorder called the green-ſickneſs, a maiden-diſtemper for the immediate cure of which, the young lover is the infallible phyſician.

There are three different ways of lodging, as well as living, at Spa.

Thoſe perſons who come there alone, or in ſmall parties, with a ſlender retinue, and little baggage, lodge in general at public inns.

[138]In all theſe there is attendance ſufficient, and a more plentiful larder than is reaſonably requiſite; con⯑ſidering that their tables or ordinaries are principally intended for the reception of ſuch perſons as are ſup⯑poſe to frequent theſe houſes, for the recovery of their health.

The ſecond method of living at Spa, is by hiring furniſhed houſes, as in Bath or London. Of this ſort there are abundance to be met with, of all ſizes and prices Princes, and perſons of high rank, who pro⯑poſe keeping a public table there, generally adopt this mode.

The third method is to hire furniſhed apartments. And this is more calculated for ſmall families, or ſin⯑gle perſons, who do not like the hurry and buſtle of an inn. Theſe perſons generally ſend for their provi⯑ſions from the adjacent inn, at ſo much per head. Or if ſingle gentlemen, they will find it much the cheapeſt method to dine at the public ordinaries, where they will meet with very good company, pick up freſh acquaintance, and indulge themſelves in a variety of different converſations.

The cuſtom of paying viſits, except among perſons of ſome rank, is now almoſt wholly laid aſide. The eſtabliſhed etiquette, however, is that the inferior pays the firſt viſit, whether he arrives firſt or laſt, and [139] the return is conducted according to the rank and character they reſpectively bear. If the diſproportion is very great, no return at all is expected. Princes, however, generally teſtify their regard for any perſon of diſtinction by a perſonal viſit. The counter-viſits are, in general, little more than bare ceremony; they are reduced to a formal tour in a chariot, or perhaps on foot, to leave a card at ſome perſon's houſe, who never fails to be out of the way, or, at leaſt, denied.

Moſt people, however, pay no viſits at all, but to ſuch perſons as are manifeſtly their ſuperiors: they content themſelves with teſtifying their reſpects to their bottle-companions, or ſuch others as they are perſonally acquainted with, who on the other hand frequently circumvent them, by waiting on them firſt.

Thoſe who delight in tranquility and repoſe, may reſide there in as retired and ſolitary a manner as they pleaſe, and there are rural objects enough to en⯑gage their attention.

Amongſt the multitude of perſons of both ſexes, who reſort to the Spa, there are a variety of charac⯑ters, and among them many very amiable ones; and beſides the friends uſually to be met with there, it is impoſſible to fail of finding ſome ſtrangers, whoſe com⯑pany and converſation prove exceedingly engaging: theſe ties of friendſhip, thus ſuddenly contracted, and [140] grounded on a ſympathy of tempers and conformity of characters, eſtabliſh an openneſs of heart, which is the life and ſoul of ſociety, and renders it inexpreſſibly delightful.

Time, at the Spa, flies away with an amazing ſwift⯑neſs; though it muſt be allowed, two parts in three of it, are ſpent in nothing but amuſements; yet the whole body of its viſitors is in perpetual motion, all ſeemingly, at leaſt, as buſy as bees; and not a drone to be met with in the whole hive. The amuſements follow ſo cloſe at the heels of each other, in that moſt agreeable receſs, that there are ſome people who have been there for ſix weeks ſucceſſively, and ſometimes longer, who have never dreamt of taking any ſurvey of the country, or in ſhort, any of the parts ad⯑jacent.

The ſeaſon for reſorting to the Spa, does not pro⯑perly commence till the end of June, but ap⯑pears in its utmoſt beauty and perfection about the latter end of July, and the whole month of Auguſt.

Moſt of the company are at the Pouhon well, by five o'clock in the morning, which gives the town the appearance of a fair at that hour, it being then likewiſe crowded with a multiplicity of horſes and carriages waiting to carry the company to the Ge⯑ronſtere and Savoniere ſprings. This latter ſpring [141] is ſituated on an eminence, at the eaſt ſide of Spa, and is much about half a league from the town. The road, however, is rugged, and in ſome meaſure trou⯑bleſome and unpleaſant, eſpecially in the going there, it being upon an aſcent all the way, inſomuch that though the diſtance is ſo inconſiderable, moſt of its viſitors go there in carriages or on horſeback, leſt the walk ſhould be apt to throw them into too great a perſpiration, or put them out of breath; in either of which caſes, as the water is very cold, it might prove of dangerous conſequence, as is well known by too fatal experience.

This ſpring, or well, is contained in a very ſmall baſon, round which the drinkers ſtand, in order to be ſerved; and is covered with a dome or cupola, com⯑poſed of free-ſtone, and the whole ſurrounded with a low wall.

At one of the ſprings there is a large building, with a fire in it when the mornings are chilly, to which the company retire, after having drank a glaſs or two of the waters. Here you meet with a mixed con⯑courſe of people of all ranks and degrees, citizens, monks, nuns, lords and ladies, and ſometimes kings or princes, who diveſting themſelves of their high dig⯑nity, converſe there with the ſame familiarity, as if they were all upon a level.

[142]There are horſes and carriages to be let here, ei⯑ther for the morning only, or for the whole day. The price of the horſe, to go to either of the diſtant wells, is about two ſchellings, each ſchelling ſeven⯑pence Engliſh. Thoſe who engage them for the whole day, in order to enjoy the pleaſure of an evening's ride, pay about three ſchellings. In the very height of the ſeaſon, probably ſomething more. The carriages let out for hire, which are low phaetons, very ſhabby, old faſhioned and clumſy, are cheap in proportion.

With regard to the general expences attending a reſidence at Spa, they are not, even in the height of the ſeaſon, more than thoſe of the little watering-place on the weſtern coaſt of England, according to the ſtile in which a perſon lives. The wines and diet, on the other hand, are much more ſumptuous than they are to be met with in England on almoſt any terms. There are likewiſe ſeveral circulating libra⯑ries in this place, tolerably well ſtocked, not only with novels, but with all modern publications, even of works of literature.

This frequently induces ſtrangers to make conſi⯑derable purchaſes from theſe libraries. And French books may be met with here on as reaſonable terms, as in any town of Europe, and in as great variety in point of aſſortment.

[143]As the latter part of the forenoon, in the month of July and Auguſt, is frequently too ſultry to ride out in the morning, it is generally filled up between theſe libraries, and the aſſembly rooms, where the pharo-bank is held, and to which all ſtrangers are admitted gratis. The principal aſſembly room is ſeated on an eminence, about half a mile from the town, command⯑ing a moſt delightful view. It is called the Vauxhall. Here a great number of parties and ſingle gentlemen breakfaſt on their return from the wells, a band of muſic playing the whole time. When this repaſt is over, the pharo-bank opens, and continues dealing for about a couple of hours. The capital ſtock is about a 1000 louis d'ors. No perſon is allowed to punt leſs than a guinea, except the ladies, who are indulged with the liberty of playing for ſilver. A hazard table is then introduced for about half an hour, or a little more, juſt before dinner, when the ladies, for the moſt part retire, and this cloſes the morning's amuſe⯑ment in the public-rooms. There are card-tables for thoſe who chuſe to make parties of whiſt and piquet. The evening, till duſk, is generally dedicated to ex⯑curſions on horſeback, or in carriages; the ſquare be⯑ing full of carriages, and horſes ſtanding for hire about five o'clock every evening. There are alſo two or three very fine public walks, where the company meet as the ſun gets nearer the horizon, and at which the band of muſic belonging to the rooms occaſion⯑ally play. The mountains overhanging Spa, preſent [144] a number of very agreeable walks, which have been cut through the woods at a great expence, in zig-zag paths, all up the ſides of them. The beautiful views that preſent themſelves in climbing up theſe moun⯑tains, the proſpects of which vary every inſtant, am⯑ply recompence the toil. No ſooner does night cloſe in, but all the company repair inſtantly to the rooms. Of theſe there are two, both very elegant and ſu⯑perb. The one in the town, and the other about half a mile diſtant, called the Vauxhall, as has been already obſerved. At one or other of theſe rooms, there are balls, three or four times a week. The in⯑tervening nights, there are only card-parties, a pro⯑menade, and the pharo-bank. It is this latter which ſeems to keep every thing alive in theſe regions of diſ⯑ſipation. The large heaps of gold diſplayed on the cloth, which covers the pharo-table; the number of people of faſhion who are playing at it; the at⯑tempts which are made by many of them to break the bank, by doubling the ſtakes from time to time, is ſufficient to intereſt the attention of a number of ſpectators unconnected with the play. And it ſome⯑times happens, that a ſpirited player is ſucceſsful enough to break it. A ſingular inſtance of which, I will relate, from Thickneſſe. Some years ſince, a ſtranger, of plain but decent appearance, took his ſeat at the pharo-table at Aix-la-chapelle; the bank was at that time rich, and the ſtranger, after having loſt ſome money, threw down his pocket-book, full of [145] notes to a high amount, and declared he was at the whole bank. The ſtranger won, the banker trembled, and the company ſtared at the cool diſpaſſionate man⯑ner in which the ſtranger received his good fortune, who ordered a perſon, that ſtood near him to take the money, and retired; but not before, a reduced half⯑pay captain, who had been looking on, exclaimed aloud, ‘Good God! if I had won but a twentieth-part of that ſum, what a happy man it would have made me!’—Would it, ſaid the ſtranger? then you ſhall be happy; and in a ſhort time, a ſervant was ſent, who put into the officer's hands a purſe, contain⯑ing the twentieth part of the money won. A few days afterwards, it was known, that the king of Pruſſia had been incog. at Aix-la-chapelle, and that he was the ſtranger, the gambler, and the generous donor.

The prince Biſhop of Liege, is ſuppoſed to receive ſeveral thouſands a year from the bankers belonging to this pharo-bank, for giving them his licence to hold it. At the end of the aſſembly-room in the town of Spa, is a very neat, little French theatre, where there are plays three times a week. The actors, in general, are toler⯑able. The parterre of this theatre, by being boarded over on ball-nights, ſerves as an apartment for the pharo-bank. For perſons of rank and faſhion, there is a club, where the members dine together every day. It was inſtituted by the Engliſh. Every per⯑ſon muſt be balloted for, and one black-ball is ſuffici⯑ent [146] to exclude the candidate. Dreſs and ſuppers are never thought of at Spa. Every one dreſſes a l'Angloiſe, and the heat of the weather, the early riſing, and late dinners, make people wholly unſolicitous about eating or retiring from the rooms.

With reſpect to thoſe who come there only for the waters, there are divers caſes where they do not agree with the conſtitution of thoſe invalids who drink them; and it is certain, there will always be viſitors who will never receive the leaſt benefit from them. Some drink them out of caprice, or elſe follow ſuch inſtructions as are whimſical and injudicious; ſome ſwallow down too large a quantity; and others drink them too ſparingly; ſometimes without any proper preparation, and ſometimes by altering the qualities of the waters, with an intermixture of drugs preſcribed by phyſicians, unacquainted with the practice pecu⯑liar to the wells, or incapable of foreſeeing in what manner they will operate. In ſhort, there are abun⯑dance of errors committed by invalids, either through the non-obſervance of a proper regimen, or the im⯑prudent choice of a ſpring unfit for their ſervice, as well as a miſtake in the quantity or manner of drink⯑ing the waters, on which the cure of their particular diſorder in a great meaſure depends.

It is univerſally known, the Geronſtere ſpring is moſt ſuitable in thoſe caſes where there is a weakneſs [147] of the fibres, or a contraction proceeding from a too lively or quick ſenſibility: it is fit likewiſe for weak ſtomachs, and ſuch as have tender conſtitutions, whoſe fibres are too inactive; ſuch as are in a languiſhing condition, or are afflicted with catarrhs and other pec⯑toral diſorders.

The impetuous rains and violent hurricanes that frequently happen in this country, make the ground and ſtones ſhrink and give way ſo, that the roads are almoſt impaſſible in winter, except on the new chauſſé from Spa to Liege;—however, if the roads are ſome⯑what rough, the mountains through which thoſe paſ⯑ſages are cut, afford a very pleaſing proſpect.

Theſe rough-hewn, unpoliſhed rocks, intermixt with a great variety of ſtately oaks and humble ſhrubs, ſtrike the eye of every curious traveller, who has any adequate idea of a beauteous landſcape. For my own part, ſays the author of a tour to Spa, the firſt time I travelled that road, I ordered my coachman to halt at ſeveral places, that I might look about me, and make my obſervations on the agreeable proſpects which the narrow paſſages cut through the mountains, preſented themſelves from time to time to my view. I was agreeably ſurprized, ſays he, to find that an unculti⯑vated ſpot of ground, with no other covering than a worthleſs, pitiful ſtock of broom, or heath, ſhould ſo delightfully delude me, as to appear, a-far off, like a [148] charming verdant graſs-plat, the enamel of which, and its odd fantaſtic knots or compartments, were amuſing beyond meaſure; and this variety of charm⯑ing deluſions occur frequently in excurſions round Spa.

The other two ſprings are at a ſmall diſtance from the town.

The BISPOPRIC of OSNABERG,

Is bounded on the north by Lower Munſter, on the ſouth by Upper Munſter, on the eaſt by the principa⯑lity of Minden, and on the weſt, by Munſter and Lingen. It is about ten German miles in length, from north to ſouth; and from eaſt to weſt, be⯑tween four and ſix German miles.

This was the firſt biſhopric founded by Charlemagne, who granted extraordinary privileges to this ſee, ex⯑empting it from all manner of ſervice and homage, even to the Emperor himſelf. At the peace of Oſna⯑berg, in 1648, it was ſettled, that this biſhopric ſhould alternately have a Roman catholic and a Lutheran biſhop, and that the chapter might chuſe and ſelect the former, either from among themſelves or elſewhere; but that the latter ſhould always be a prince of the houſe of Brunſwick, and of that branch of the houſe of Brunſwick from which his preſent majeſty is de⯑ſcended. When they have a popiſh biſhop, he is ſuf⯑fragan [149] to the archbiſhop of Cologne, but the proteſtant biſhop, who at preſent is his majeſty's ſecond ſon, his royal highneſs the duke of York, has no eccleſiaſtical juriſdiction over the catholics. The Biſhop is a prince of the empire, and ſits at the diets of the empire in the council of princes, between the biſhops of Munſter and Liege. Among the ſeveral ſtates of the circle of Weſtphalia, this biſhopric is fourth in rank, and his principality produces him yearly 180,000 Rheniſh flo⯑rins, which is 15,500l. a year; this, according to Reiſbec. But we have reaſon to believe, it produces twice the ſum.

This country is partly Roman-catholic, and partly proteſtant,; neither the proteſtant nor the Roman-catholic biſhops have the right of reformation; but every thing muſt remain as it ſtood in 1624. No Jews are tolerated in this country.

The cathedral is in the hands of the Roman-catho⯑lics; the chapter conſiſts of twenty-five canons, not above four of which are proteſtant, and theſe have no vote in the election of a popiſh biſhop. Some of the other churches are proteſtant. There are not above four towns in the whole country, and about 20,000 fire-places or hearths.

About one half of this biſhopric conſiſts of heath⯑lands, which yield above ten ſorts of turf, as alſo paſ⯑turage. [150] This country, likewiſe, produces as much rye as ſupplies the inhabitants, and above five hun⯑dred ſtills. Conſiderable quantities of corn are im⯑ported here from the principality of Minden. The breed of cattle, likewiſe, is but ſmall, and they are moſtly ſupplied from Frizeland.

The inhabitants are diligent and laborious. The country people ſeldom ſit by ſtoves, as they do in other parts of Germany, but by fire-hearths, where they perform their principal work, which is ſpinning. Above ſix thouſand of them go every year to Hol⯑land, where they now, till, cut turf, and do other work for hire. The meaneſt of them, notwithſtanding, carry home twenty, and the beſt workmen full ſeventy florins; ſo that the ready money, which they by this means bring into the country, may be reckoned at 200,000 florins.

The greateſt and moſt beneficial occupation of the inhabitants conſiſts in ſpinning yarn, and manufac⯑turing a coarſe kind of linen; which is conveyed by the Engliſh, Dutch, and Spaniards, to Guinea and America, and brings annually into the country above a million of rixdollars.

Oſnaberg, the capital, is ſituated in a fine plain, and beautified with ſeveral, noble, public buildings. It derives its name from a bridge over the river Haze. [151] The manner of building here is antique, and the number of houſes, excluſive of the public and bye-buildings, amounts to 1200. The town is not po⯑pulous, not above five hundred children being bap⯑tized in a year. Its magiſtracy is Lutheran, and re⯑choſen annually. The Biſhop's palace is fortified like a caſtle. They are ſaid to have the beſt bread and beer here, which is to be met with in Weſtphalia, and they carry on a conſiderable traffic in linen, cloth, and hams. Its principal ſubſiſtence depends on its linen trade manufactured in the country, and in the foreign manufacturies, vended here in retail. There are three well-built hoſpitals here, excluſive of ſome ſmaller ones. This city was alſo formerly, one of the Hanſe towns. The epiſcopal palace belongs to the electoral houſe of Luneburg, who uſually reſigns it to the catholic biſhop for his reſidence. This town is poſſeſſed of the right of making copper, which it exerciſed for the firſt time in 1740. In the hall of the council-houſe, where the celebrated peace of 1648 was concluded, are ſeen pictures of the ambaſſadors who aſſiſted at it.

The duchies of Oldenburg, and Delmenhurtſt, which the king of Denmark, at the deſire of the Ruſſian court, exchanged for a part of Holſtein, with the prince of Gottorp, now make a very good principa⯑lity, containing 78,000 people, and yielding every year about 40,000l. Engliſh. It is from this part of Ger⯑many, [152] many, but particularly from Frieſland, that they pro⯑cure the ſtrong fine coach-horſes that trot ſo proudly over the pavement of many Italian cities, and are ſometimes, though more ſeldom, met with in France. The court of Peterſburg brought up many of theſe horſes to mount its heavy cavalry, who look very formidable on theſe terrible cattle. The Dutch cui⯑raſſiers are ſupplied from Holſtein, and in fact, the horſes of that country are preferable to thoſe of Frieſ⯑land and Oldenburgh for this ſervice, and with the ſame ſtrength they connect more alacrity and life.— The Dutch call them vaſt-trotters—they are too heavy to gallop, but will trot at an amazing pace, with a heavy drag behind them, for a whole day together. They are coal-black, ſeventeen hands high, and very nobly creſted. The price of a pair of handſome ones, about fifteen years ago, was 120 pounds Engliſh.

THE DUCHY OF CLEVE,

Lies on both ſides the Rhine, and is bounded by part of Holland towards the north; by Munſter on the eaſt; Juliers on the ſouth, and Brabant towards the weſt. It is ſixteen German miles in length, and be⯑tween four and five in breadth.

The air is ſound, and the weather moderate. This duchy has high lands and low bottoms; the former of theſe are furniſhed as well with arable-lands, as with buſhes; the latter, particularly towards the Rhine, [153] are, on both ſides fenced with ſtout dams, excluſive of which, there are alſo ſummer-dams, which ſcreen the rich meadows and paſtures lying near the river againſt the ſummer-water, to the heights of between eleven and ſixteen feet. This country abounds alſo in corn, fruits, and all manner of plants. The breed of horned cattle, and horſes, is conſiderable. In general, the country is well cultivated, and contains many delightful ſpots, particularly near the town of Cleve. All kinds of game are in great plenty here, in particular, on the weſt ſide of the Rhine. The river divides the country into the eaſtern and weſtern parts, and receives in its courſe, the rivers Roer, Ems, and Lippe. The Meuſe alſo touches on a part of the duchy. All theſe rivers abound in fiſh, and the ſalmon, pike and carp, of the Rhine, are in great re⯑queſt.

In this duchy are twenty-four towns, and three im⯑munities, or municipia. The inhabitants are chiefly catholics, but all religions are tolerated in this duchy. The country, in many parts, is mountainous and woody. The commerce of this country is very much facilitated by the navigation on the Rhine, and on the Meuſe. The ſovereignty belongs to the King of Pruſ⯑ſia, as elector of Brandenburgh, whoſe anceſtors laid claim to it, in the beginning of the laſt century; by virtue of a marriage, with one of the co-heireſſes of the [154] laſt prince of the male line in this duchy. This claim was confirmed by the emperor Leopold, in 1678.

The yearly revenues ariſing to the King of Pruſſia, from this duchy, are eſtimated at 356,000 rix-dollars, and the ſum which goes to the war-cheſt, at 340,000.

Cleves, the capital of the country, in Latin Clivia, derives its name from the town and citadel, being built on the declivity of a hill, between the Rhine and the Meuſe. It is large and well-built, but ſurrounded by cliffs and craggy rocks, about twelve miles from Ni⯑meguen. The town is well peopled, but neither the city nor the citadel are of any great ſtrength. A ſilk manufactory was eſtabliſhed here in 1755. The en⯑virons are pleaſant, and in front of the gates are ſome very fine walks. From this place there is a canal runs into the Rhine, which is about three Engliſh miles diſtant. On the weſt-ſide of the town, lies the park of prince Maurice of Naſſau, very much admired for its grottos, canals, and fine water-works; and over theſe on a high hill, called the Sternberg, may be diſco⯑vered, at the diſtance of fifty miles, the city of Utrecht, with forty other cities and great towns, twelve of which, are ſeen through viſtos, and at the end of each ap⯑pears a fine city.

The private houſes in Cleves are very ſhabby, and the only public buildings of any note are the great [155] church, a monaſtery of Capuchins and another of Franciſcans. As the King of Pruſſia is ſovereign of the country, the religion countenanced by government is Calviniſm; but moſt of the churches are in poſſeſſion of the catholics. In the great hall of the citadel is an inſcription by which it appears that Caius Julius Caeſar, dictator in the year 698 from the building of Rome, having firſt conquered the adjacent country founded the citadel of Cleve.

The PRINCIPALITY OF EAST FRIEZLAND

Is bounded by the German ocean on the north; by Oldenburg on the eaſt; by Groningen on the weſt, and by Munſter on the ſouth. It is about ten Ger⯑man miles from north to ſouth, and as many from eaſt to weſt.

This principality is ſituated in a moiſt and thick air, but much purified by the ſea-breezes. Spring and ſummer appear here ſomewhat later than in other parts of Germany; hence alſo their corn-harveſt happens later. The country is throughout level and low; whence alſo it is ſecured by expenſive dikes againſt the inroads of ſea-floods. Along the ſea lies a marſh uncommonly fertile, which has a clay bottom, and is more uſed for meadow and paſ⯑ture-land than for agriculture.

[156]The remarkably rich paſtures of this country yield an important breed of cattle, producing horned cat⯑tle, horſes and ſheep in great numbers, and alſo of an extraordinary ſize. In theſe parts one cow will yield near twenty-four cans of milk, and from this very rich milk is made moſt excellent butter and cheeſe. On the contrary, in the heart of the country, the bot⯑tom is for the moſt part ſandy, as alſo fenny and mooriſh, but yields turf for burning, which, in the great ſcarcity of fuel here, is very advantageous and indiſpenſably neceſſary to the country. The greateſt part of the produce of the earth, as alſo culinary herbs grow to a large ſize, but are ſeldom ſo good as they are in other countries. Fowl and veniſon are alſo to be had, and there are geeſe, whoſe weight exceeds twenty-four pounds. In harveſt, a great number of fieldfares and ſnipes generally appear. The ſea here yields all ſorts of fiſh, as oyſters, muſcles, ſea-crabs, &c.

The principal river is the Ems, which comes from the biſhopric of Munſter, and runs through the Dol⯑lart into the North Sea. The Dollart is a bay between Eaſt Friezland and Groningen, which aroſe out of a conſiderable tract of country, and was ſwallowed up by the ſea. For, in the year 1277, the water firſt broke into this tract of land with a violent flood, and no proper oppoſition being made to to it, the pre⯑ſent [157] bay gradually aroſe, on whoſe circuit there ſtood formerly above fifty great and ſmall towns.

Trade and navigation are carried on here very briſk⯑ly. The produce of the country, and the commodi⯑ties exported hence are large horſes (numbers of which are ſent to Rome and ſold by the pair, in proportion to their ſtrength and beauty for three or four hundred dollars and more, and uſed for coach horſes) horned cattle, butter, cheeſe, rape-ſeed, and fine cloth. On the other hand, every thing the country is in want of, is conveyed hither by ſhipping.

The land-ſtates conſiſt of the nobility, and the ſtates, as alſo of the villagers. Between theſe and the reign⯑ing houſe certain articles of agreement have been gra⯑dually entered into, ever ſince the time of count Ed⯑ward the ſecond, which, with the peculiar imperial or⯑dinances iſſued at the ſame time are conſidered as pro⯑vincial laws in the government of the country. Eaſt Friezland has alſo many other privileges.

The ancient counts were created princes of the em⯑pire in 1554. This princely houſe became extinct in 1744, upon which Frederic II. King of Pruſſia, in con⯑ſequence of an expectancy granted to the houſe of Brandenburg, by the Emperor Leopold in 1604, took poſſeſſion of Eaſt Friezland; a proteſt to which was [158] made by the houſe of Brunſwic—Luneburg, before the regency of Eaſt Friezland and the aulic council of the empire, who claims this principality by virtue of an alliance entered into in 1601 with Prince Chriſ⯑tian Eberhard, a former-prince of Friezland.

Aurich, the ancient reſidence of the prince, and which is even to this day the ſeat of the provincial college, ſtands almoſt in the centre of the country. The ancient reſidentiary caſtle is ſurrounded with ram⯑parts and ditches. In the garriſon church the Calvi⯑niſts perform their religious worſhip. In the town it⯑ſelf we ſee the Lutheran church, the provincial houſe, the Latin ſchools and a public alms-houſe. So early as the year 1519, Aurich received the Lutheran doc⯑trine.

Emden, the chief city of the principality lies near the river Ems. It is a ſtrong ſea-port town, and a place of great trade. The houſes are high and well built, and the town-hall is a magnificent ſtructure. This place contains a harbour, an old fort, and a cita⯑del belonging to the prince and lying on the Ems, to which the ſhips arrive by means of a broad canal drawn from that river, called the Dolf. From this city there is a fine proſpect of the German Ocean, and likewiſe of the adjacent country.

[159]The things principally worthy of notice here are the town-hall and council-houſe, the library and the great church. Moſt of the inhabitants are proteſtants or Calviniſts, and there are ſome Lutherans, catholics and Jews. In 1750, an Aſiatic company was eſtabliſhed here by the King of Pruſſia.

Emden, ſays Reiſbec, is by no means ſo fine a city as Bremen. The King of Pruſſia has taken an everlaſt⯑ing diſlike to the inhabitants, who, to ſay the truth, when taken in the lump, are not the moſt amiable peo⯑ple. They are very remarkable for their lazineſs and inſenſibility. It was a great while before the good en⯑deavours of the King of Pruſſia, its ſovereign, to turn this people to commerce and ſhip-building were at⯑tended with any ſucceſs. The Eaſt-India Company, which he had eſtabliſhed at a great expence, was ruined within a few years of its erection, and certain republican prejudices, which the burgers of this city affected, rendered all the King's other efforts for a time ineffectual. At length the activity and wiſ⯑dom of the government, attended with ſome fortunate circumſtances, got the better of the impediments to that extenſion of commerce, for which the city is par⯑ticularly well ſituated. The herring-fiſhery, which the King took every ſtep, in his power, to encourage, brings in large ſums of money every year. The Ame⯑rican war aſſiſted the King's deſigns very much, and the [160] trade of the place now begins to be very flouriſhing. Emden exports many Weſtphalian linens to the ſouth countries, and provides a part of Weſtphalia with ſpices and wines. They have alſo a conſiderable trade in cheeſe.

The revenues ariſing from this principality are very conſiderable. They, many years ago, greatly exceeded 100,000 rix-dollars, and ſince it came under the Pruſſian regency, have been very conſiderably in⯑creaſed.

The principality conſiſts at this time of three towns and nine prefecturates, which were formerly lordſhips, but are now in like manner with the towns, hereditary and proper eſtates of the ſovereign prince, as alſo of lordſhips which have their own hereditary lords, but are ſubject to the ſovereign, ſupreme juriſdiction of the prince.

PYRMONT.

This country lies between the biſhopric of Pader⯑born, and the electorate of Hanover. The lower part of it contains an uncommonly beautiful and pleaſant vale, which extends four miles in length, and as many in breadth. All around is environed by lofty green mountains. In this vale are the celebrated mineral-ſprings and ſteel-waters. This country is now ſub⯑ject [161] to the Prince of Waldeck. His annual revenues, as ſovereign of this country, are eſtimated at near 30,000 rix-dollars, to which the mineral ſprings con⯑tribute a very great proportion.

Theſe waters are often frequented by perſons of the higheſt rank. The king of Pruſſia has been known to drink them. They are exceedingly palatable, and come neareſt to the Seltzer-waters, in their taſte and their qualities. Pyrmont is about a day's journey from Hanover; to which place, there is a very fine road, moſt part of the way with very large and well en⯑graved ſtones, every quarter of a German mile, men⯑tioning the exact diſtance from Hanover; a circum⯑ſtance very unuſual on the continent. After Spa, every place of this kind appears inſipid. Yet in the ſeaſon, there is a great deal of very good company from Hanover, and the other large cities in the north of Germany. A very magnificent hotel or inn, for the accommodation of ſtrangers, has been lately built, where the apartments are fitted up in the moſt modern taſte, and the charges not ſo extravagant as the ap⯑pearance of the outſide of the building is magnifi⯑cent. This hotel is much ſuperior to any even at Spa. There is, as in moſt inns of Germany, an ex⯑ceeding good table d'hote, of two or three courſes—with variety of good wines for very moderate prices. Were not the approach to this place on the ſide of [162] Holland and France, ſo exceedingly diſagreeable, owing to the heavy ſands of Weſtphalia, it would be much more frequented than it is at preſent. They have their public rooms every night, and their aſſem⯑blies, and their pharo-banks, as in other watering-places, but every thing here is on a ſmall ſcale, to what it is at Aix-la-chappelle and at Spa. Neither is the country round about it ſo diverſified and pictu⯑reſque. The country is more open and more level; nor are the mountains ſo finely wooded. On the contrary, the rooms, where the company meet, lie, as it were, in a hole, near the ſpring-head; and not only carry with them the appearance of great antiquity, but they are alſo very gloomy, and ſeem ſituated, as it were, in a ſwamp, ſurrounded with wood. For thoſe, however, to whom the drinking of the waters is any induce⯑ment for repairing hither, there are but few watering-places, where they will meet with ſuch excellent ac⯑commodations, more reſources of amuſement, or a greater variety of good and reſpectable company.

AIX-LA-CHAPELLE,

Is a free Imperial city, and has its name probably from its warm-baths, which have been celebrated from times of old. It is ſuppoſed to have taken its ancient name from Serenius Granus, lieutenant general of Gal⯑lia Belgica, in the reign of the emperor Adrian, who [163] having diſcovered the hot-ſprings here about the year 53, was the firſt perſon who erected ſome beautiful buildings over them, after the manner of the Roman baths, and then built a palace for himſelf in this city; in the confirmation of which, the inhabitants ſhew a piece of ancient architecture, which they call Turris Grani, and aſſert, that it is a part of that general's pa⯑lace. This town is ſituated in a fruitful valley, en⯑compaſſed with woods and mountains, and yet the air is eſteemed exceeding wholeſome.

The emperor Charlemagne, was ſo delighted with the beauty of this place, that he choſe it for his reſi⯑dence. He is interred in the church of Notredame, where they keep his ſword, his belt, and the four evangeliſts, written in letters of gold, which are uſed at the coronation of the emperors. Part of the jewels of the empire are alſo kept in this city: all which are ſhewn only once in ſeven years; except at the re⯑queſt of ſome great perſonage, and then they are taken out and put in again, in preſence of the chief-magiſtrates, and ſuch eccleſiaſtics as are on the foun⯑dation. In this city, ought properly to be, the co⯑ronation of a Roman king or emperor.

The ſtadthouſe is a ſtately building, built in 1533, and adorned with the ſtatues of all the emperors ſince Charlemagne; in this hall are ſeveral fine pieces of painting, particularly one of the reſurrection, and an⯑other [164] of Charlemagne giving the charter to the city of Aix. In the middle of the market-place, is a noble fountain, admired for the largeneſs of its dimenſions and its curious workmanſhip. On the top of the fountain, is a large braſs ſtatue of Charlemagne, in gilt armour, with his face towards Germany. On the edge of the ciſtern, is an inſcription, which mentions, that Granus, a Roman prince, was the firſt perſon who diſcovered and built the hot-baths in this city. On the inſide of the cathedral, where Charlemagne was firſt interred, hangs a very large crown made of ſilver and braſs, gilt, ſurrounded with forty-eight ſtatues, a foot high, and thirty-two leſſer ones, all of ſolid ſil⯑ver. The emperor Frederic, removed the body of Char⯑lemagne, buried part of it in the choir, under the al⯑tar, in a ſilver coffin, and covered it with a tombſtone of white marble; with the buſt of Proſerpine upon it, ſuppoſed to have covered Julius Caeſar's tomb.

The principal reliques which pilgrims reſort hither to adore, are 1. The Virgin Mary's gown, that ſhe was dreſſed in at the incarnation, made of wool. 2. The cloth girt about our Saviour, when he was crucified; 3. A piece of the cord, with which he was bound when he was delivered to Pilate; 4. Some of the blood of St. Stephen the martyr, enchaſed in gold and precious ſtones, on which the emperors are ſworn at their inau⯑guration; 5. The picture of the Virgin Mary with our Saviour in her arms, ſaid to be done by St. Luke; [165] 6. A manuſcript of the goſpels, by the patriarchs of Jeruſalem and Conſtantinople. In the upper part of the church is a throne of white marble, where the em⯑perors uſed to ſit, and which is ſuppoſed to be the ſame which Charlemagne placed there nine hundred years ago.

The territory of the city is called the kingdom of Aix-la Chapella, and lies quite round it. In it are to the number of three thouſand ſubjects. This city is governed by a mayor, two burgomaſters, fourteen al⯑dermen, and 120 common-council men. The mayor is appointed by the duke of Juliers, the reſt of the corporation by the city companies, of which there are fourteen or fifteen.

The hot-baths occaſion it to be much reſorted to, of which there are three within the walls. One of them is the ſame in which Charlemagne uſed to bathe, with his nobility and great officers of ſtate. Theſe baths riſe ſo hot, that they let them cool twelve hours before they are uſed. There is alſo a fountain of warm-water, which is drank in ſummer, for many chronical diſorders.

Thoſe who have deſcribed the virtues of theſe wa⯑ters, relate, that they are good againſt all affections of the nerves; ſuch as convulſions, palſies, numbneſs, tremblings, gout, ſciatica's, contractions, ſwellings, [166] diſtempers of the bowels, ſtomach and ſpleen, inve⯑terate head-achs, vertigo's, barrenneſs, abortion, and ſcabs of all ſorts.

The city of Aix profeſſed the proteſtant religion ſoon after the Reformation, on which account the people were very much harraſſed by the Imperialiſts during the civil wars of Germany; till at laſt popery was eſtabliſhed again, and is now the only religion publicly profeſſed by the inhabitants; but proteſtants are permitted to reſide here, and go to a church with⯑out the walls, under the dominion of the Dutch.

The emperors were uſually crowned in this city for five hundred years after Charlemagne, and by the golden-bull, made in the reign of Charles IV. the em⯑peror was to receive his firſt crown here; but the cuſtom of crowning him with three crowns, as was formerly the way, hath been long ſince diſcontinued; and at every coronation, the magiſtrates, who have the cuſtody of Charlemagne's ſword, ſhoulder-belt, and the goſpel in golden letters, which are uſed in that ceremony, deliver them to the elector of Mentz, and the emperor declares, that his being crowned elſe⯑where, ſhall not prejudice the privileges of the city of Aix.

Among other holy relics, the greateſt curioſity, which that city has produced, is the Latin Teſtament, [167] above-mentioned, really found in the ſepulchre of Charlemagne, and conſequently it muſt be at leaſt nine hundred years old; it is written on fine thin paper, or vellum, ſomething like gold-beaters ſkin, twenty-times doubled; the characters are in large ca⯑pitals, well preſerved and quite clean, except at the beginning of St. John's goſpel; but there it is much ſoiled, becauſe all the emperors were ſworn on this book at their coronation; and there it was, ſaid T—. they laid their dirty hands.

The degree of cultivation, and riches of Weſtpha⯑lia, ſays Reiſbec, far exceeded all ideas I had formed of them, and quite aſtoniſhed me. All the cities and villages abound in tradeſpeople. Muhlheim, Elber⯑feld, Solingen, Sorſt, Ham, Duisburg, Meurs, We⯑ſel, Cleve, and ſome other cities have capital manu⯑factures in them. They make a great quantity of linen and woollen, and ſupply almoſt all the country of the Upper Rhine, Suabia, and Franconia, with white threads; they have beſides manufactures of handker⯑chiefs, ſilks, and cottons; they prepare ſteel and iron at Solingen, better than in any other part of Europe, England alone excepted. Their commerce extends all over the Netherlands, part of Franconia, and the whole empire.

This wonderful induſtry, united to the natural fer⯑tility of the country, renders this one of the richeſt, [168] and moſt remarkable parts of Germany; a gentle ad⯑miniſtration, and a ſecurity againſt deſpotiſm, derived from the ſtates of the country, contribute not a little to the happineſs of this circle. The inhabitants are chearful, hoſpitable, and well-mannered; they may be quoted, as a new inſtance to be added to the num⯑berleſs ones, already given of the little influence which religion has over the civil condition of men, when not attended with other local circumſtances. Though the proteſtants in this circle are far from being ſo enlight⯑ened, or ſo tolerant, as thoſe of their perſuaſion in other countries; and though they are much more ad⯑dicted to ſenſual enjoyments, than their brethren of other places, they are the moſt induſtrious people, and the beſt ſubjects that can be found; nor does the bigotry of the Catholics hurt the manufactures and agriculture of the country, their education only direc⯑ing it to ſuch objects as have no connection with man⯑ners or civil ſociety. Every thing, therefore, depends upon the habits amidſt which men grow up.— When once induſtry is habitual to a people, the moſt object ſuperſtition will have no influence on their tem⯑poral felicity; the prieſts themſelves will render their ſermons conformable to the manners of the country, nor will the monkiſh theoriſts be able to overturn them.

There are as many legends in this country, as in Cologne, nor are the people leſs fond of proceſſion [169] and pilgrimage, and yet they are infinitely more in⯑duſtrious, more frugal, and more wealthy than at Co⯑logne. It is not therefore the fault of the religion, or ſuperſtition, but of the government alone, that the people of Cologne are ſo debauched, and that the prieſts of the place openly recommend debauchery, a looſe education having made their religion prejudicial to them. The corporation-ſyſtem, which with more activity and cleverneſs would have been a bleſſing to the country, is become the curſe of it. In a word, police, government, and executive juſtice, are ſub⯑ject, under a weak adminiſtration, to the ſame abuſes as government; nor is it religion itſelf, but the abuſes of it, which make it prejudicial to the ſtate.

The upper part of Weſtphalia, which lies at a greater diſtance from the Rhine, is not ſo well cul⯑tivated, and by nature is much leſs productive, than the lower part; it is occupied by many heaths and moraſſes, which, for the moſt part, produce only turf, and, in the better places, dyer's-wood. Some parts of the country, ſuch as part of the duchy of Minden and marquiſate of Tecklenburg, are remarkably well peo⯑pled, but this is compenſated by the ſtriking depopu⯑lation of ſome others; as for inſtance, of the biſhop⯑rics of Munſter, Oſnaburg, and Paderborn, the mar⯑quiſate of Bentheim, and ſome domains in the electo⯑rate of Hanover.

[170]This part of Weſtphalia, however, is the proper country for hemp and flax, which are ſome of the richeſt products of this country. The greateſt part of the hemp and flax, manufactured in theſe parts of Weſtphalia, about the Rhine, Holland, the Auſtrian Netherlands, and the French Netherlands, comes from this part of the country. Beſides, there is a great part exported raw to England, Spain, Por⯑tugal, and America. Though theſe productions are found, in great plenty, in other parts of Germany, particularly in the electorate of Hanover, the circle of Lower Saxony, Heſſe, Waldeck, and Fulde; it is a queſtion, whether all the flax and hemp of the other parts of Germany, taken together, are equivalent to the quantity found here. According to a very accu⯑rate eſtimate, the annual exports of raw and ſpun flax and hemp, out of the ſingle circle of Weſtphalia, amounts to five millions ſterling, which, with what is exported, worked up, amounts to 200,000l more.

The inhabitants likewiſe, taken in general, are only well dreſſed beggars; their riches do not belong to them, for they enjoy them not; they are only guar⯑dians of their money. When you are invited to din⯑ner by a man of middling rank, the magnificence of the diſhes, the cleanlineſs of the room you dine in, and the expenſiveneſs of the furniture, make you ex⯑pect a princely meal; but when the diſhes are ſet on, you find no more, than you would have, at the table of a good Weſtphalian peaſant.

The AUSTRIAN PART of the DUCHY of BRA⯑BANT,

The length of which is rated at twenty-two, and its breadth twenty German miles, was formerly the firſt in rank of all the ſeventeen provinces in the Nether⯑lands. The air of this country is good, and its ſoil very fertile. Its greateſt riches conſiſt in flax. Near Bruſſels a canal has been carried from the river Senna, to the village of Willebroech, where it diſcharges it⯑ſelf into the river Rapel, which unites itſelf with the Schelde, ſo that a perſon may ſail from Bruſſels to the north ſea. This canal was begun in the year 1550, and finiſhed in 1561, at an expence of 800,000 florins.

[177]In the Auſtrian part of Brabant are reckoned nine⯑teen walled towns, and a conſiderable number of im⯑munities enjoying the rights of burghers and towns.

The whole country profeſſes the Romiſh church. In the year 1559, an archbiſhopric was erected at Mecklin, and to it was aſſigned the primacy of Bel⯑gium. To this ſee belongs eleven collegiate churches, and 203 cloyſters, a number of the laſt of which are now ſuppreſſed within theſe three years. Subject to the archbiſhopric are the biſhops of Antwerp, Ghent, Boiſleduc, Bruges, Ypres, and Ruremond. The number and opulence of the eccleſiaſtics in this coun⯑try are very conſiderable.

For the promotion of learning, here are ſeveral ſchools and gymnaſia, and likewiſe the univerſity of Louvain.

The duchy of Brabant belonged formerly to the Frankiſh monarchy. Afterwards it became part of the Lotharingian kingdom, and a fief of the German empire. In courſe of time it deſcended to Philip II. of Spain.

The republic of the United Netherlands, in the 17th century, made itſelf maſter of the northern part of the duchy of Brabant, which it retained at the peace of Weſtphalia. The emperor Charles VI. in the [178] year 1706, after the battle of Ramilies, took poſſeſ⯑ſion of the preſent Auſtrian part of this duchy. That part of the duchy of Brabant, which belongs to the houſe of Auſtria, contains the cities of Louvain, Bruſ⯑ſels, Antwerp, and Mecklin, of each of which we ſhall ſpeak.

Louvain is a very large and pleaſant town, with an old caſtle, and a celebrated univerſity. The walls of this place are near ſeven miles in circumference, but within them are a great many gardens and vineyards. The public buildings are magnificent, and the uni⯑verſity conſiſts of a great number of colleges. The town was formerly in a flouriſhing ſtate, owing to the noble manufactures of linen and woollen cloth eſta⯑bliſhed here, which in the beginning of the 14th cen⯑tury, maintained upwards of 150,000 workmen, but the cloth-weavers making an inſurrection in 1382, and being puniſhed on that account, ſome of them with⯑drew to England, and with its manufactures the town likewiſe decayed. The place at preſent is chiefly re⯑markable for its good beer, with which it ſerves the neighbouring towns. The fortifications are not very ſtrong, and yet it boaſts of never having been taken, except by the French, in 1746. It is ſaid, there are no fewer than forty one colleges belonging to this uni⯑verſity.

Bruſſels, is the fineſt and richeſt city of the Nether⯑lands, [179] the capital of Brabant, and ſeat of the gover⯑nor of the Auſtrian low countries, where the court is held, and to whom the people pay almoſt the ſame honours, as to their ſovereign. The ducal palace, where the governor reſides, the town-houſe, and the arſenal, are ſuperb ſtructures. The camblets, lace, and fine tapeſtry, which are exported from this town, are famous. It was furiouſly bombarded by the French for forty-ſix hours, in 1695, by which four⯑teen churches, and above 4000 houſes were reduced to aſhes, but in four years all were rebuilt again, far more beautiful. In 1706, the allies made themſelves maſters of this place, and in 1746, the French. It lies on the Senna, partly in the plain, and partly on an eminence, being large, well built, populous and for⯑tified. The public buildings, the palaces and courts of the ſeveral princes, counts, and other perſons of condition here, together with the churches and cloy⯑ſters, are ſome of them conſiderable, and ſome magni⯑ficent. The magiſtracy is elected yearly from ſeven patrician families.

Bruſſels, ſays Reiſbec, is one of the moſt beautiful and moſt brilliant cities in Europe. There is not to be ſeen any where, a finer place than the large market-place of this city; all the houſes in it, are built in a ſtile, and with a degree of magnificence, that you ſcarcely ſee, any where out of Italy. We meet here [180] with excellent company, who, to a ſtranger, are not difficult of acceſs. There are ſeveral clubs after the manner of the Engliſh, where we find the greateſt freedom and good humour.

Bruſſels is far more beautiful, for the bombardment it ſuffered from marſhal Villeroy; for ſince that time, the miſchief he did, has been entirely made good by many new ſtreets and public buildings, in a much bet⯑ter ſtile than they were before. Many of the ſtreets are alſo well paved, ſome very ſpacious, and all the new houſes large and well built.

Among the churches of Bruſſels, there are ſome that well deſerve notice. St. Gudula is a very re⯑markable gothic pile, highly ornamented with mo⯑numents, chapels, pictures, &c. The jeſuits church has alſo ſeveral objects to attract the attention of ſtran⯑gers. One whole ſide of the great market ſquare, is taken up with the town-houſe, which is a moſt ſtupen⯑dous quadrangular building, with a fine cupola, and a pretty gothic front; the apartment in which the ſtates of Brabant meet, is very magnificent; the hiſ⯑tory of Charles V. is worked in tapeſtry, with a brilli⯑ancy of colouring, that is almoſt inconceivable, the manufacture of the place, and covers one of the apart⯑ments. There are likewiſe other apartments which contain many original paintings, by the greateſt Fle⯑miſh maſters. Another great advantage the market-place [181] enjoys, is being ſurrounded with the corpora⯑tion-halls of different trades, the fronts of which being uniform, and adorned, make a fine circumference.

The archduke's palace, though an old irregular building, erected at different times, ſhould not be paſſed over unnoticed. It is a very large edifice, and the apartments are extremely ſpacious and well fur⯑niſhed. Behind it, is a large park well ſtocked with deer. There are alſo many very pleaſant walks in it, and a ſummer-houſe built by the emperor Charles V.

Among other edifices uſually viewed, are the pa⯑laces of Orange, De Ligne, Epinoy, Rubengue, Eg⯑mont, Aremberg, Arſchot, and Bournonville. In the gardens of the latter, you have a fine view of Bruſſels and the adjacent country. The only objects of much conſideration in theſe palaces are the paintings, among which, particularly in the palace of the duke of A⯑remberg, are many very capital pieces, not only by Flemiſh, but alſo by Italian maſters.

As to the diverſions of Bruſſels, there is a very large opera-houſe and two theatres, in which French comedies are played. The opera-houſe is very ſpaci⯑ous, but ill lighted. Inſtead of boxes, it has large cloſets like the Italian theatres, which contain tables, chairs, a fire place, &c. ſo that parties are formed for cards and converſation during the performance. But [182] the prices are too low to admit of any ſplendid en⯑tertainment; their performers are but very moderate, and bad muſic, is an entertainment that will not be re⯑liſhed by thoſe who are in the leaſt acquainted with the luxury of an Engliſh or an Italian opera.

The court gives an air of livelineſs to Bruſſels, which is not to be met with in the other cities of Flan⯑ders. What with the officers about the perſon of the governor-general; the reſidence of a conſiderable mi⯑litary force; the chief courts of juſtice, with no ſlight portion of trade and manufacture, this place is the moſt pleaſing and chearful reſidence in Flanders.

The Engliſh reſident here, ſays Thickneſſe, conſiſt chiefly of perſons of ſmall fortune, who come to Bruſ⯑ſels, in order to give their children a good education; of young men on travelling excurſions, and of the unfortunate and indigent.

Now and then a family of good fortune ventures upon a winter here; but I never heard of one, ſays he, who did not quit the place with more than common diſſatisfaction.

There are few capitals in Europe, in which provi⯑ſions, and almoſt all other expences incidental to a fa⯑mily are ſo reaſonable as in this city. It is even ſaid, that a family may live here upon two hundred pounds [183] a year, as well as upon ſix hundred in England. But this we apprehend is rather exaggerated. There are two articles of expence in this city which exceeds moſt other places, houſe-rent and firing. There is no hiring a ſmall decent houſe under thirty or forty pounds a year; and in the article of firing, which is wood, where there are no ſtoves, two or three ſhil⯑lings a day in cold weather, may be ſoon expended without economy on a ſingle fire. Proviſions, parti⯑cularly vegetables, of which there are no finer any where, and all the articles of dreſs, and likewiſe car⯑riages, ſervants, and public diverſions, are cheaper here than in moſt places. The education of children likewiſe, which Thickneſſe juſtly obſerves, many peo⯑ple believe, to conſiſt in French, dancing, and a tinc⯑ture of foreign manners, may be obtained upon much more moderate terms in Bruſſels, than in any part of England.

The number of ſuſpicious characters who reſort hither from England, makes the natives, as well as the Engliſh of any reſpectability, remarkably ſhy towards ſtrangers of our own country. Theſe ſuſpicious cha⯑racters conſiſt of two ſorts, either of ſuch as have had ſome ſtigma affixed upon them in England, ſo that no perſon, of any character could aſſociate with them, without conſidering himſelf, as reflected upon in ſo doing; or they are compoſed of perſons, who hav⯑ing nothing morally bad about them, yet confiding in [184] their riches, which they blazon forth, aſſuming a con⯑ſequence to which neither their manners nor their connections, give them the leaſt pretenſions.

Theſe latter characters, Thickneſſe has drawn in ra⯑ther too glowing colours. As for the women, ſays he, there are ſome of them who attend the winter balls of the Bruſſels court, that never advanced farther at St. James's, than to ſee beneath the arm-pit of a beef-eater, the Sunday proceſſion of our royal family to and from the chapel-royal. Some of theſe poor people are driven almoſt to ſtarvation, in order to furniſh the ne⯑ceſſary decorations of a court appearance; though for the comfort of their purſe, and the conſolation of their ſtomachs, it requires nothing more than the common dreſs of genteel life. Of this number are inſtanced two antiquated ladies, whom he ſtiles late of the pump room at Bath, without a fortune to bear it, or a word of the language to ſupport it, were preſented at this court. It was very bleak that day, and as the weather is generally a ſubject for ſtrangers to begin with, the archducheſs obſerved, it was very cold, and repeated the words bien froid, two or three times, leſt they might not underſtand her. At length, one of the ladies believing the archducheſs aſked them to ſtay dinner, and that it was a nice fry they were to participate of, curtſied, and replied, that whether it was fried or broiled, ſo they had the honour of dining at court, it was equal to them. To avoid ſuch things [185] happening in future, it is now the etiquette at the court of Bruſſels, that no Britiſh ſubject ſhall be pre⯑ſented there by our miniſter, who has not previouſly been preſented at St. James's.

We take the liberty here to preſent to our readers, Thickneſſes's hints to a perſon of faſhion, who propo⯑ſes to make Bruſſels his winter-reſidence. If a young man of fortune and rank is fond of play, there is no ſociety ſo reſpectable in any quarter of the globe, in which there are not ſome characters who would take ad⯑vantage of this foible to his utter ruin, and deſtruc⯑tion, if he was ſilly enough to ſuffer himſelf to be en⯑ſnared. Bruſſels therefore ought not to be exempt from ſuch characters, at the ſame time, we believe the nobleſſe of that capital to be as highly reputable in general, as at any of our own court.

Were you to make this city as you propoſe, your next winter's abode, you would of courſe be pre⯑ſented to the little, but elegant court held here, the conſequence of which is a round of viſits muſt be made to all the nobleſſe who attend it, and who form that brilliant aſſembly. Theſe viſits will all be punc⯑tually returned; for thoſe ſtrangers who are young and rich, will find a prince, a duke, a count, or a ba⯑ron, who will intimate to them, that by a little ad⯑dreſs, they may be admitted into the GRAND SO⯑CIETY. Profeſſions of regard due to ſtrangers, good [186] breeding, artful flattery, fine women, ſumptuous ta⯑bles, are all thrown in the way of a young man of for⯑tune, to cover the real cauſe of ſo much attention: ſee him ſeated between a ducheſs and a counteſs, both poſſeſſing the charms of beauty, graced with the moſt eaſy and captivating French manners, a noble repaſt before him, and the moſt delicious wines at his elbow, thus placed and being a ſtranger the attention of the whole table appears to be employed to make him happy, and if in ſuch a ſituation a young man of faſhion in a ſtrange country, does not feel himſelf ſo, where is happineſs to be found, almoſt every paſſion of man is gratified, nor does he go to ſleep without flat⯑tering himſelf he is in a fair way of being admitted, tête-a-tête, with one or more of the charming women with whom he enjoyed ſuch a happy evening. The next night, he meets the ſame agreeable ſociety, and finds himſelf as much at home and at his eaſe, as if he was at his own manor houſe. In this ſituation the ſtranger who knows he is a very handſome young man, no doubt forms ſome plan of further happineſs, without ſuſpecting that many of the party who are not ſo rich as he is, would not diſlike a draught on his banker or even a mortgage on his eſtate, and as both ſexes conſtantly play in this country, it may be pre⯑ſumed both underſtand it very well: My Lord An⯑glois, of courſe, is one of the party, and if he wins of a lady, it gives him an opportunity of ſhewing his good breeding; if of a prince, or a duke, why it is [187] honour enough to have ſuch great perſonages his debtors; but if he loſes, and it is ten to one but he does, he muſt pay directly; for every body here knows that an Engliſhman has ſo much money, that if it were not for continental excurſions, they could not tell what to do with it. Now, ſays Thickneſſe, leſt it ſhould be ſuppoſed this is an imaginary picture ſketched out without an original to copy from. I will come to a matter of fact. I found here a young gentleman of Ireland, of genteel appearance, of good addreſs, and of eaſy fortune; a member of this grand ſociety, and living in a degree of intimacy with the firſt people. On his firſt arrival he loſt, as moſt firſt comers do, a conſiderable ſum of money to a native of high birth, and of courſe paid it. At ſome diſ⯑tance of time they played again, and the ſtranger be⯑came the winner of a ſum even greater than that which he loſt a year or two before; but inſtead of being paid he was informed by his antagoniſt, that he was not to receive his fortune as a younger brother till he was thirty, and therefore deſired to be per⯑mitted to pay the debt by inſtallments, and engaged the winner to give his word he would not let his bro⯑ther know what had paſſed. The pais-bas peer, however, never made good his engagements; went to Paris, would neither anſwer letter, nor pay drafts made upon him; and therefore having cancelled all former obligations, the ſtranger determined to lay the matter open to his brother, but what was the con⯑ſequence? [188] —"He was aſked if they did not know that they were the firſt people of the country, and was told that his brother wore a ſword. But finding that ſuch pais-bas hauteur would not do, and that the young ſtranger wore a ſword too, ſome mode of mo⯑derating matters was to be employed. Another great man related to the former, then ſteps forward, cen⯑ſures the conduct of the two brothers, opens his doors wider than ever to the ſtranger, and ſoftens him into more patience. It may now be imagined he is paid, no ſays Thickneſſe, nor ever will. Is it not enough to have the honour of dining with a prince, ſupping with a duke, and dancing with a ducheſs, without being paid a thouſand pounds or two?"

The wine that is generally met with in Bruſſels is bad. The wine merchants it is ſaid have a method of brewing ſeveral ſorts of wine, and particularly what they call Burgundy, with pigeons dung, and an arti⯑ficial ſweet wine palatable enough, in which a quan⯑tity of brimſtone is infuſed, called Moſelle. The wines made from the hills adjacent to the Rhine, with which this country is plentifully ſupplied, is, perhaps, of all fermented liquors the beſt; this wine, in my opinion, ſays Thickneſſe, and he was a judge, when pro⯑cured genuine, is ſuperior to all others. It improves both in ſtrength and flavour, in proportion to a cer⯑tain age. For it is a great miſtake to imagine wine cannot be too old. There is a time when wine as [189] well as men arrive at maturity; after which wines, as well as men, loſe ſome part of their original vigour; for though they give travellers wines to taſte of an hundred years or more, it muſt be obſerved, that as they ſell great quantities every year from their large reſervoir tons, ſo they as conſtantly fill them up an⯑nually with new wines. If therefore a perſon ſends to Frankfort for the beſt Rheniſh wine, not for hock, he will in a few years have hock in his cellar at half price. It is inconceivable what a variety of excellent wines this country and Hungary produces, the latter very little known; all of which are ſuperior to French or Spaniſh wines, except, perhaps, Burgundy and Cham⯑pagne of the firſt growth in good wines.

It is a great miſtake to imagine that the wines in Germany are apt to create the gout; they may, it is true, be unfit for thoſe who have the gout, or the ſeeds of that diſorder in their conſtitution; but in ſound bodies, it is more likely to prevent than to promote a gouty habit. In Champagne, where the wine of the country is conſtantly drank, there are few or no gouty people; and real Champagne is a very wholeſome wine.

No part of the continent can long continue agree⯑able to an Engliſhman, who has been accuſtomed to live even with that decency which the Engliſh of mid⯑dling fortunes live in their own country. For this [190] reaſon it is that the Engliſh nation alone are the leaſt ſatisfied with the fare they meet with abroad. The neatneſs of our houſes, the cleanlineſs of our butchers, bakers, &c. render the houſes, ſhops, and manufactur⯑ers of what we eat and drink on the continent highly diſguſtful. The ſervants and boys of the bakers in the Low Countries, and in France, are the dirtieſt miſerable looking people on earth, no part of their per⯑ſons being clean but their legs and feet, for they are always viſible; and though the tables of all orders of people are covered with a variety of diſhes, which may catch the eye, or provoke the appetite, an En⯑gliſhman, whoſe ſtomach is not depraved, will ſoon wiſh to ſee a plain wholeſome diſh or two of meat, à la mode d'Angleterre ſet before him.

Knaves of many nations, ſays Thickneſſe, have fled to this city under the idea they were beyond the reach of thoſe they meant to defraud, not knowing that in Brabant and in all the Low Countries a perſon may be arreſted for debts contracted in any other; and that not only men, but women and children are ſubject to impriſonment for the debts of a fugitive huſband or parent; the marquis de Sanna, the count de Ribaderia, and duke of Brunſwick were arreſted here by their diſtant creditors; but a ſtranger who takes a houſe, after a year and a days reſidence in it, is not liable to perſonal confinement for debt, until a tedious proceſs has been carried on againſt him.

[191]An Engliſh gentleman of fortune having chaſtiſed his ſervant too ſeverely, abſconded, but his wife was hurried to the common gaol to be reſponſible for his town-debts till he returned; and this buſineſs is done in ſo brutal a manner, that our London bailiffs are quite poliſhed, when compared to a pais bas officer of juſtice.

I viſited, ſays Thickneſſe, their Maiſon de force or pri⯑ſon. The men and women are ſeparated; each pri⯑ſoner has his bed and cabin, which muſt be made and cleaned by an early hour, and a certain quantity of work done before they eat. In this houſe, ſays he, I ſaw five or ſix hundred of the worſt people on earth, living in a cleaner and more orderly manner than the ſame number can live any where at large. Neither relations nor friends are admitted to ſee the offenders, no improper converſation is heard; prayers, work, and penitence are the lot of all. Such houſes being erected in every county in our kingdom, would do more to prevent houſe-breaking, than all the county gallows's in England.

It ſeems to have been a miſtaken notion in ſeveral courts of Europe, that the houſe of Auſtria received ſo little benefit from theſe provinces, that they were ſcarce worth the keeping, the expences running away with all the profit. But admitting that no money is [192] received into the treaſury of Vienna, ſtill the advan⯑tage of having a conſiderable body of troops paid and maintained, is of itſelf very important. The pro⯑vinces pay the troops in garriſon and forces of all kinds that are quartered here, which amount at different times from ſix to twenty thouſand men; beſides the opportunity of advancing a number of ſubjects to poſts of honour and profit, is valuable to any court.

Theſe provinces likewiſe are very populous, and are found highly ſerviceable in recruiting regiments; and as they poſſeſs much trade and numerous thriving manufacturies, they are a body of ſubjects of un⯑doubted importance. However theſe advantages are not all, for it is very well known that large remittances are made to Vienna, notwithſtanding the expence of keeping a court here.

The upper town, ſays Peckham, in his deſcription of this city, is magnificent, and has lately been much improved by new buildings, and by incloſing a piece of water-ground, planting it and laying it out in walks.

It is well ſupplied with fountains, ſome of which are rather whimſical; for inſtance, the three virgins from whoſe breaſts ſlow continual ſtreams of water; and to ſhow that the male ſex is no leſs charitably in⯑clined, [193] there is the ſtatue of a boy who ſpouts out water with the moſt immodeſt aſſurances. It is called in the Flemiſh tongue Mannykipis.

Nothing will ſtrike the eye of an obſerving ſtranger with more ſurprize in this city, than to ſee on a navi⯑gable river, more than a hundred miles from the ocean, ſuch a number of large high-maſted veſſels, of various conſtructions, lying before the town: the na⯑vigable canals and rivers throughout all the Low Countries, are indeed wonderful. Some progreſs of inland navigation, ſays Thickneſſe, has been ſucceſs⯑fully made in England; but yet the nation at large does not ſeem to know the aſtoniſhing advantages which would ariſe to the kingdom, if it were more general. M. de la Landes treatiſe ſur le canaux de la navigation, remarks, that a waggon with ſix horſes and two drivers, carries between two and three thouſand pounds weight, whereas a ſingle boat, navigated by two men, will carry two hundred thouſand pounds weight. This therefore, is a ſaving of two hundred men, and ſix hundred horſes, beſides the extra num⯑ber of men and horſes, which are required to repair the damages they do to the roads.

The public walks are elegant, the ramparts extreme⯑ly pleaſant, and the country round Bruſſels is moſt delightful to the eye, and extremely profitable to the poſſeſſors; for the land within ten miles of the city, [194] ſells at forty years purchaſe, and lets in general for three pounds ſterling an acre.

In the arſenal is ſome old armour, of neither curi⯑oſity or uſe; except an iron ſhirt, which no ſword can pierce; and a ſteel ſhield, ſo finely engraved, that the figures ſeem reflected from the poliſh, not to be etched in the ſteel: the niceſt touch cannot perceive the leaſt ſcratch; though the figures appear to be ſtrongly marked when the ſhield is held obliquely.

Juſt below the arſenal is the palace of the governor of the Auſtrian Netherlands. The ſtair-caſe is very magnificent, the ſteps are of marble, and the baluſ⯑trades of iron, gilt, adorned with compartments of birds and beaſts, nicely executed in poliſhed ſteel, by Triefle; the cieling is painted in freſco.

The apartments of the princeſs are hung with Bruſ⯑ſels tapeſtry. The floors are all inlaid with mahogany and box. The princeſs's cabinet is much admired, being covered throughout with the fineſt japan. The late prince was a great mechanic, and had a cabinet of curioſities trifling enough, among which were two boxes, containing all the common trades in minia⯑ture.

In the menagerie, there are ſome fowls, which are the produce of a very unnatural amour, between a [195] rabbit and a hen; they are of various ſizes; their breaſts and bellies cloathed with white fur, their wings and backs covered with feathers, without the plume, which riſe from the ſkin, and have the appearance of wet feathers; they are all milk-white, as their pa⯑rents; their ſhape in every reſpect the ſame as other fowls. The rabbit, in an amorous mood, like many other huſbands, ſtrips his wife of her cloathing; by biting half the feathers from her back.

Having been at Bruſſels myſelf more than once, I can take upon me to ſay, that the city is by no means the fine place it is in general repreſented. The ſtreets are narrow, and not well paved, having no foot⯑way. The houſes are built in the gothic taſte, with pediment tops, and the windows are chiefly caſe⯑ments. Was it not from the fountains continually running, the place would be exceedingly dirty, and there is no appearance of ſhops or trade. Part of the town ſtands upon the top of a high hill, where there is a ſmall park cut in walks, the reſort of genteel people on Sundays; from this park runs ſeveral new ſtreets, with elegant houſes erected in the modern ſtile of building, commanding a fine proſpect. The pa⯑lace is ſmall, but very grand and neat, and ſtands juſt below the hill. Being the reſidence of the viceroy, and where the court is held; it is the rendezvous of all the brilliant part of Brabant, and living here is not very expenſive. A man may make as genteel an [196] appearance in this country, for his hundred a year, as he can in London for three times the ſum.

The roads from city to city are continued pave⯑ments in a ſtraight line, for thirty or forty miles toge⯑ther, planted with trees on both ſides, and the country every where open and unincloſed, and there is a ca⯑nal from Bruſſels to Antwerp, on which a floating-barge, with good accommodation, paſſes to and from it every day.

OF ANTWERP.

This town and diſtrict is called the Margravate of the holy Roman empire. Its origin is ſomewhat ob⯑ſcure. Godfrey of Bouillon, enjoyed it under this ti⯑tle, after which it deſcended to the dukes of Brabant; but yet it was reckoned one of the Seventeen Provin⯑ces. At preſent it is ſtrictly united with Brabant.

The approach to the city of Antwerp is noble, by a ſtraight paved road, bordered with oaks.

This city is ſeven miles in circumference, built in the form of a creſcent, and ſurrounded with a good wall, and many baſtions, faced with ſtone. Theſe fortifications, however, are of no other conſequence than to defend the town againſt any ſudden incurſi⯑ſions, but they look very beautiful, for the top of the [197] wall is an hundred feet broad, and planted with dou⯑ble rows of trees. Its ſtrength is in a large regular and very ſtrong citadel, in form of a pentagon, which the duke of Alva cauſed to be erected there in 1568. It ſtands cloſe to the river Scheld, on the ſouth ſide of the city, and commands all the town and the adjacent country, for ſome diſtance. There are five principal baſtions to it, which command each other, defended by two very deep ditches. Here ſtood the ſtatue which the duke of Alva had erected, repreſenting himſelf in a military attitude, and trampling the no⯑bility and people under his feet, which ſo rouſed the ſpirit of the populace, that they broke into the cita⯑del on a holiday, and entirely demoliſhed the ſtatue.

The river at Antwerp is twenty feet deep, and at high-water riſes twenty feet more, which makes it an excellent harbour, ſo that large veſſels may come up from the ſea, and unload their cargoes at the eight principal canals in the town. Theſe are the advan⯑tages which carried their trade to ſuch a height; but the Dutch building Fort Lillo, which commands the approach, and makes all the ſhips that paſs pay toll, was a fatal ſtroke to their trade, and drove the chief of it to Amſterdam.

Antwerp has many remains of its former magnifi⯑cence, particularly in the length, breadth, and regu⯑larity of the principal ſtreets, and many of the public-buildings [198] and churches. It has twenty-two ſquares, two hundred and twelve ſtreets, and ſeventy gates, from each of which runs a ſtreet terminating at the ca⯑thedral-ſquare. The ſtreet called La Mere, is the fineſt in the city, it is very well paved, and is ſo wide, that twenty coaches may paſs in it a breaſt, with great eaſe; it is alſo very well built, and in general of free ſtone: many of the other ſtreets alſo, make a very good appearance, being broad, ſtraight and handſome. The better ſort of houſes, throughout the city, are in general large, lofty, and contain good apartments. From the decay of trade, ſeveral of them are let at very low rates; moſt of them have court-yards, and gardens, which make them very agreeable to live in, and many are in the ancient ſtile of building, which does not make ſo graceful an appearance.

The markets here are numerous, and moſt of them well ſupplied; that for fiſh is near the river, and abounds with great plenty, and that for fruit and gar⯑den-ſtuff, is well ſupplied by numerous country-carts, in which the peaſants bring the produce of their little farms. One ſquare is called the Friday market-place, in which, on a market-day, is to be ſeen many ſales by auction of furniture, and ſome of pictures, where are to be picked up ſometimes valuable pieces by Fle⯑miſh maſters.

[199]Nothing can be more melancholy, than to view the houſe of the Hanſe-towns, built in 1468, (a time in which this city was ſo flouriſhing) for the uſe of the merchants trading to the Baltic. It is a ſquare edifice of 230 feet, and all of ſtone: the upper floors were ample magazines for all ſorts of dry merchandize, with vaſt cellars for the wet goods, which are now con⯑verted into ſtabling for troopers horſes, and the ma⯑gazines to hay-lofts; a ſad ſpectacle of the building, which once was the reſidence of wealth and induſtry, and ſhews, how miſerable a fall any place undergoes, that loſes a once eſtabliſhed trade.

Antwerp contains now about ſeventy thouſand ſouls, of which about ten thouſand are on the poor⯑liſt. The police of the city, with regard to the poor, is as bad as it is ſingular. There is an ample fund for their maintenance, which is diſtributed not among thoſe perſons, who are really indigent, but among the families of ſuch perſons as happened to, be enrolled among the poor many generations back, when it firſt became an object of general police, to provide for thoſe who were unable to provide for themſelves.

Very near the ſtreet La Mere, is the exchange, ſaid to be the firſt building of the kind raiſed in Europe; and from which Sir Thomas Greſham is ſaid to have taken his idea of that in London. This building is [200] now reſorted to only by half a dozen bankers, and as many brokers. Four ſtreets meet there, and it has four gates anſwerable to them; the parades are ſup⯑ported by above forty marble pillars; the length of it is 180 feet, and the breadth 140. Beneath, are vaults and magazines for goods; and over it are the apartments of an academy for painting, ſculpture and architecture. The expence of this building is ſaid to have amounted to 300,000 crowns, at a time when money was much dearer, than it is at preſent.

This city was once the grand emporium of almoſt all the commerce in Europe, which was owing to three principal cauſes. Firſt, to the liberty which reigned here; ſecondly, to the advantages of its ſitua⯑tion and port; for above four thouſand ſail of ſhips could lay in perfect ſafety in the canals at a time: and thirdly, to the near neighbourhood of the moſt flouriſhing manufactures then in Europe, which were carried on in all the Flemiſh towns. Bruges poſ⯑ſeſſed the greateſt ſhare of trade before Antwerp roſe to ſuch a height; but the wars which broke out in Flanders, in the beginning of the 16th century, drove moſt of the merchants from the former place to the latter. They reckoned the trade of this city at its height about the year 1568, when they computed the inhabitants at 200,000: their harbour at that time, contained very often 2500 ſhips at a time, and 500 [201] were commonly ſeen to go out or come in, in a day. The annals of the city inform us, that in the year 1550, the trade amounted to one hundred and thirty-three millions of gold, excluſive of the bank. The Antwerpers, to this day, are fond of telling the ſtory of John Daen, their famous merchant, who lent the emperor Charles V. a million of gold, and afterwards entertained him moſt magnificently; made a fire of cinnamon-wood, and in the emperor's preſence, threw the bond into it.

But all their proſperity was no ſecurity againſt the tyranny of their ſovereign, Philip II; and his arbitrary agent the duke of Alva, preſently drove all trade from Antwerp, ſo that the fall of the city was much quicker than its riſe. After being twice ſacked, there was much of it burnt down, in 1576, and brought into ſucha condition, as was utterly incompatible with trade; the merchants therefore fled in whole troops, and the Dutch received them. Having formed their infant republic, Amſterdam began to be a place of trade; they removed thither, and carried with them their correſpondence and induſtry.

Upon the loſs of their trade, the inhabitants gave their attention principally to banking, jewelling and painting. In the firſt they have always been profi⯑cients, and carried it to a great extent, even in the preſent times: during the duke of Marlborough's [202] war, two brothers, the De Konnings, paid, one of them the army of France, and the other, that of the allies. Some of their painters were of note in the Flemiſh ſchool, before the time of Rubens; but that great maſ⯑ter laid the principal foundation for their fame; he eſtabliſhed their ſchool, and painting flouriſhed here for a long while under the influence of his genius; ſo that Antwerp has produced more good artiſts this way, than any other town in the Netherlands. Antwerp has likewiſe been famous for printing the Plantin edi⯑tions, being much eſteemed in the learned world. Plantin's printing-houſe remains, though imperfect at this time, and is ſaid by the Antwerps, to be the beſt in Europe, having been ſupplied with near an hun⯑dred different ſorts of founts of letters, two of which were Syriac, forty-ſeven Roman, nine Greek, and ten Hebrew.

But Antwerp, though ſo much reduced from its an⯑cient ſplendor, is yet a place of conſequence: here is ſome trade carried on, for which it is yet well ſituated, and has numerous cities in Flanders, &c. to ſupply with foreign commodities; they have alſo ſeveral flouriſhing manufactures, a conſiderable lace⯑trade, and a ſhare of the linen fabrics, &c. It is alſo an agreeable place to reſide in, from the number of no⯑bility, and people of large fortune, who live in it. Through their patronage, a theatre has been rebuilt, and alſo an apartment for the performance of concerts. [203] The firſt is a very beautiful and well contrived edifice, well furniſhed with ſcenery and machinery; it is richly ornamented too with paintings. A company of French comedians exhibit here three times a week in winter. Some good maſters have ornamented the concert-room, with their paintings, where a concert is performed once a week in winter.

In the churches there are numerous pictures of moſt capital merit, by the firſt painters of the Flemiſh-ſchool, ſuch as Rubens, Vandyke, and others. The great fault of the painters of the Flemiſh-ſchool, ſays Marſhall, is, that they are entirely deſtitute of a chain of great ideas; an action, complex in its nature, but rendered one by the genius of the artiſt, is ſought for in vain, in their works, good colouring, and a maſ⯑terly imitation of ſtill-life, are their great excellen⯑cies; minute finiſhing is carried by them to the high⯑eſt perfection.

The cathedral of Antwerp is a vaſt building, and full of ornaments of painting, ſtatuary, and rich carv⯑ing. The taking down from the croſs by Rubens, is one of the fineſt pictures of the kind to be met with in the whole world. It is very large, with a number of figures, all executed in the higheſt ſtile of this painter, ſo that it cannot fail of being highly admired by all lovers of painting. They are always kept maſked or covered.

[204]The fall of the angles by Floris, is ſuppoſed to rank, next in merit. On the thigh of one of the fallen angels, is a large hornet, painted by Quintin Matzys, the noted blackſmith of Antwerp, who fell in love with the daughter of Floris, and demanded her in marriage; the painter refuſed him, becauſe he was not of his own profeſſion. Matzys, therefore changed his hammer for the pallet, and ſtudied under the Ita⯑lian maſters for two years; on his return he painted this hornet, unknown to Floris, who by miſtake was going to bruſh it off, thinking it alive; he was ſo pleaſed with the execution of it, that he immediately gave him his daughter in marriage; Matzys was bu⯑ried on the outſide of the weſtern door of the church, where there is a plain ſtone with this epitaph:

This building is very nobly ornamented, and its architecture in the Gothic ſtile, is not inferior to any edifice in the Low Countries. It is five hundred feet long, and two hundred and forty feet broad. It was erected in the 13th century. The firſt ſtone of the choir was laid by the emperor Charles V. Nothing can well be finer than the view ſeen from the top of this fine ſteeple; not only a vaſt tract of country for many miles round, but of ſeveral very conſiderable cities, ſuch as Malines, Bruſſels, Ghent, Liege, Lou⯑vain, [205] &c. Here is a muſical-clock, which chimes every hour, half-hour, quarter, and half-quarter, con⯑ſiſting of near eighty bells. The largeſt bell was e⯑rected in 1440, and weighs ſixteen thouſand pounds.

The abbey of St. Michael is the grandeſt in the city, the refectory is covered with pictures by Quellin, moſt admirably executed. There is a deception of a ſtair-caſe, with a fiſh lying on one of the ſteps, which muſt attract every eye. In the church is a grand piece by Rubens, the adoration of the Magi, which he finiſhed in thirteen days. The apartments of the abbot are well worthy of a prince. Such a profuſion of capital pictures by the beſt Flemiſh and Italian maſters, with paintings to imitate baſſo relievo, exe⯑cuted in a ſtyle, ſo as to deceive an artiſt.

The Jeſuits church is one of the moſt beautiful edi⯑fices to be ſeen in all Flanders; the facade is enriched with ſtatues and other ornaments of a great maſter; the architecture has uncommon merit; the workmanſhip is very maſterly, and it is full of fine paintings; the fineſt marble, intermixed with jaſper, porphyry, and gold; nor can any thing be more magnificent than the chapel adjoining.

In the library is ſeen a portrait of Rubens, drawn in pen and ink by himſelf, and executed in the moſt in⯑imitable [206] manner; with a minute expreſſion, ſo mixed with freedom, that it is beyond the power of the gra⯑ver to equal it.

The chapel of the Virgin is remarkably beautiful; it is compoſed entirely of white marble, deſigned and executed by Scheemaeckers; and ſurrounded with baſs-reliefs. The altar is all of marble, with various deco⯑rations of ſilver, and a ſtatue of the Virgin in that me⯑tal, ſix feet and an half high. The door of the chapel is likewiſe very neatly executed, and over it are three bronzes, of very fine workmanſhip.

In the church of the friars of St. Auguſtine, are a holy family, a very large picture by Rubens; one of his fineſt pieces. St. Auguſtine, in a tranſport of de⯑votion by Vandyke. He is lifting up his eyes to hea⯑ven, where he is ſuppoſed to ſee Jeſus Chriſt. This their catalogue ſays, is the very beſt performance of that great painter; it has certainly a wonderful merit; their is a ſtrength and majeſty of expreſſion, with an elegance and freedom of deſign, that is ſeldom ſeen; the colours are chaſte and agreeable, &c. in a word, the whole piece is ſtrikingly fine. Here is alſo a crucifix, by Vandyke; this picture is likewiſe moſt capitally fine. Upon painting the above men⯑tioned fine picture of St. Auguſtine, he demanded ſix-hundred [207] florins as his price, but the monks diſput⯑ing with him, he inſiſted on his terms, but let them have this crucifix very cheap. It could now be ſold for thirteen thouſand guineas. Such is the fate of the moſt ingenious part of mankind! They can ſcarcely live by the ſale of their productions, but when they are dead and buried, the world begins to find out their merit, and value ſingle efforts of their genius, at ten times more than their whole fortune.

In the firſt church, nothing is more worthy of atten⯑tion than the monument of the marquis Del Pico, one of the governors of the citadel. He is repreſented as ſtarting out of his ſleep, and in amazement at the ſight of two ſkeletons ſtanding before him. Over his head are two cherubs weeping, one of which holds a ſhield, and the other a helmet. Between them ſtands Fame, with the arms of the marquis in one hand, and her trumpet in the other; the whole decorated with great number of military inſignia. It is the work of Scheemaeckers, and one of his beſt performances. In the year 1746, at the ſiege, a bomb damaged it con⯑conſiderably, but it is ſince repaired and very well. The altar, by the ſame artiſt, is alſo a magnificent piece of ſculpture.

In the church of St. André, there is alſo a curious monument erected by two Engliſh ladies, to the me⯑mory [208] of that unfortunate princeſs Mary, queen of Scots, who fell a ſacrifice, ſays Thickneſſe, to the jea⯑louſy and hatred of our queen Beſs. This monument is of marble, with a buſt of the Queen.

Rubens, who died in the year 1640, was buried in a little chapel, which ſtill belongs to his family in the great church. His monument is of marble, and well executed; over the altar is a picture by his own hand, repreſenting the infant Jeſus on the knee of the vir⯑gin, which is perhaps the beſt conceived, the beſt ex⯑ecuted, and the beſt preſerved of all his works. St. George, and St. Jerome attended by two fine women, are near the Virgin, and theſe are the portraits of his two beautiful wives. This picture was engraved after his death by P. Pontius, and Rubens's intimate friend Ger⯑vates compoſed his epitaph; which however is too contemptible to copy, nor was it placed over his re⯑mains till the year 1755.

At Bruſſels, ſays Thickneſſe, all is French; at Ant⯑werp, all is Dutch. Which of the two is beſt with re⯑ſpect to the people, ſays he, I will not pretend to de⯑termine, but with reſpect to the laws, Antwerp bears all the credit and honour due to humanity. That barbarous and tyrannic cuſtom, of ſecretly trying cri⯑minals, deſtroying their bodies, and confiſcating their property, in all the other provinces of the Auſtrian Netherlands and France, does not prevail in this city. [209] Perhaps this is the reaſon why Antwerp he adds, has produced more men of genius than any other city in this country. Here they had liberty to think, and it appears a kind of perpetual motion, was firſt made at Antwerp, and in 1530, Gemma Fuſius, found out a method of determining the longitude at ſea, by means of clocks and watches, and this very ſoon after gave riſe to the invention of clock-work.

When a perſon is to be tried for any offence in this country, he is brought face to face with his accuſer in open court, in the preſence of the magiſtrates, and cri⯑minals are even allowed two council to plead for them. If the queſtion be put, the puniſhment muſt be in the preſence of two echevins, or aldermen; and if the pri⯑ſoner be acquitted, he is inſtantly diſcharged: if guilty; he is executed or puniſhed the next day; but only a moiety of his property is forfeited; the other goes to his wife and children, or neareſt relations.—The beſt account I can give you, ſays Thickneſſe, of what is meant by the queſtion being put to a priſoner, before it is known whether he be innocent or guilty, is that the ſuppoſed offender is fixed on a frame, to which there are certain ſtretchers applied to his limbs, to draw them gradually beyond their natural extenſion, and at the ſame time, drops of water are let to fall on the breaſt, or ſome particular part of the body, which by repetition became almoſt intolerable.

The ſituation of Antwerp, remarks Reiſbec, would [210] have been much more advantageous for the advance⯑ment of commerce, but the Dutch have locked up the mouth of the Scheld. Their forts not only govern the mouth of the river, as they ſhould do according to treaty; it having been agreed by the peace concluded at Munſter, in 1648, between Spain and the United Provinces, that no large ſhips ſhould ſail directly to Antwerp; that they ſhould unload their merchandize in Holland, which ſhould be conveyed thence in ſmaller veſſels; but they have literally ſtopped up the mouth of it. Sunken ſhips filled with ſtones, im⯑menſe dykes of ſtone palliſadoes, and other things of the kind, barely leave room enough for ſmall boats to go by. Twenty millions of guilders would not be ſufficient in twenty years to remove the impediments which the Dutch have laid in the way of the trade of Antwerp. On the contrary, other writers aver, that the Scheld is navigable now for ſhips of the largeſt bur⯑then up to Antwerp; did not two forts on oppoſite ſides of that river, oppoſe the paſſage of veſſels above a limited burthen, which is very ſmall. A report propagated by the cunning of the Dutch, that there are five large veſſels ſunk in the Scheld, between their forts, has ſtrangely gained credit, not only in coun⯑tries at a diſtance from the river, but in Brabant itſelf, and even in Antwerp. It is amuſing to reflect on the eaſy credulity of the world. How much people are impoſed on by vague reports, and the authority of univerſally received opinions! We are well aſſured, by perſons of the firſt rank and character in Brabant, [211] that there is not one veſſel ſunk in the Scheld, nor any other obſtruction, than the treaties and forts al⯑ready mentioned to the paſſage of a ſeventy-four gun ſhip up to the walls of Antwerp.

There is no want of gold in Brabant and Flanders. Antwerp, Bruſſels, Ghent, and Bruges, are ſtill filled with the treaſures which were amaſſed when theſe towns were what England and Holland are now. The burgeſſes of theſe cities have a ſhare in all the great undertakings and loans of the neighbouring nations. Their commerce of exchange is immenſe; probably inſurance is not ſo ſafe among the Dutch themſelves as it is here. Antwerp is one of the moſt famous places in the world for inſurance. In the laſt Bavarian war, the court of Vienna, being determined to raiſe a loan in theſe countries, was aſtoniſhed at the quick⯑neſs with which the money was raiſed; but the inha⯑bitants of Ghent and Antwerp gave the regency to underſtand, that if there was occaſion for three or four times as much, it would be as eaſily procured.

The inhabitants are religious to exceſs, ſays Reiſbec. They are alſo remarkably gay in their dreſs and equi⯑page. The women, who are of a ſmall ſtature, are delicate, neat and beautiful; but, being almoſt ex⯑cluded from ſociety, and taught only the internal ma⯑nagement of their houſes and their children, they are not ſo ſocial as the ladies of France and England. [212] They are generally of a pale complexion, a circum⯑ſtance which is perhaps owing to their conſtant con⯑finement in their houſes, for they never walk abroad or take any exerciſe, except upon Sunday evenings and public days, when they take the air in their car⯑riages upon the grand ſtreet called the Rue la mer, or in the environs of the city.

Mechlin is a conſiderable city, very well ſituated for traffic with Antwerp, Bruſſels and Louvain, by means of the rivers Dyle and Demer, which join before they arrive at this place, and run through it; there are be⯑ſides ſeveral canals, and a great many bridges thrown over them. It is the capital of a diſtrict of the ſame name, and a See of an Archbiſhop, whoſe title is Pri⯑mate of the low countries. The town is large and well built, and the ſtreets broad, clean and well paved. The market-place is ſpacious, and the cathedral is a ſuperb ſtructure, with a high ſteeple, and ſome very harmonious chimes. Mechlin is famous for the ma⯑nufacture of the lace that goes by its name. It is chiefly made in the nunnery of the Beguines; a kind of nuns, without thoſe vows, which bend the com⯑mon ones to a monaſtic life, being at liberty at any time to quit the confinement and marry; there are generally ſeven or eight hundred young women in it, employed on lace, which brings a good price all over Europe. They are alſo famous in this place for foundries of bells and great guns, and, in an inferior [213] for brewing good beer, which they export in conſi⯑derable quantities. It is an agreeable place to reſide at, from the diverſions which are continually going on in it, principally owing to the number of nobility who make it their reſidence. This town was taken by the duke of Marlborough, in 1706, and retaken by the French in 1746.

At a village called Aigle, ſeated at the foot of a moun⯑tain, on the Moſelle, there is a remarkakle ſquare ſolid pyramid, 74 feet high, and adorned with many images. It is a heatheniſh tomb, which appears from the inſcription to have been founded by two brothers, named Secundini, in honor of their parents. In all probability this mauſoleum was created between the times of Diocleſian and Conſtantine the Great. Part of the territory of Luxemburg likewiſe belongs to the French.

AUSTRIAN Part of the County of FLANDERS.

Flanders, a province of the Netherlands, which may be divided into Dutch, Auſtrian, and French Flanders, is bounded by the German ocean, and the United Provinces on the north; by the province of Brabant on the eaſt; by Hainault and Artois on the ſouth; and by another part of Artois and the German ocean on the weſt. It is about twenty German miles [214] from north to ſouth, and nearly the ſame diſtance from eaſt to weſt.

This country enjoys a temperate and wholeſome air, being partly level and partly mountainous. Its ſoil is in general fertile and fit for agriculture, and in ſome parts, particularly towards the ſea, its fertility is very great. The land here bears almoſt all kinds of corn and garden-ſtuff. Flax is the riches of the country. The paſture grounds in many parts are ſo excellent, that there are no better in all the Nether⯑lands. For this reaſon the breeding of cattle is an important article, and it yields alſo fine butter and cheeſe. Flanders alſo produces fruits of various ſorts, together with fowl and veniſon, ſuch as deer, wild-boars and hares; and likewiſe ſea and river fiſh. In it alſo are foreſts and woods. Its chief river is the Scheld. Some uſeful canals have alſo been dug here, among which that between Bruges and Ghent is the, principal one.

In the whole country are computed 62 walled and open towns, many hundred villages, and above 250 Seignories. The ſtates here are the prelates, nobles, and four members from the principal towns.

The Flemings may boaſt the invention of ſome im⯑portant arts. They were the firſt in Europe who be⯑gan to ſupport themſelves by weaving, and learned [215] to dye cloths and ſtuffs. In this reſpect the towns of Ypres and Courtray have the oldeſt and greateſt reputation. In the latter was invented the art of weaving all ſorts of figures in linen. In the 14th century, Viervliet, found out the method of curing herrings. John Van Eyck, in the 15th, invented oil colours.

At preſent the manufactures of Flanders are far from being in the flouriſhing condition they were for⯑merly; however, we have ſtill from Liſle, brocades, cottons, camlets, lace, and other wares; from Ghent, Menin, and Courtray, linen; from Tournay, tapeſ⯑tries, curtains, bed coverlets, and other worked ſtuffs; from Bruges, cotton and fine woolen ſtuffs, linen and laces. The chief towns of Auſtrian Flan⯑ders, beſides thoſe deſcribed, are, Louvain, Ghent, Bruges, and Oſtend.

Louvain is a large and pleaſant town, ſituated on the river Dyle; it is one of the principal cities of the Netherlands, and the capital of one of the four quar⯑ters, into which Brabant is uſually divided. The country round it is very fertile, and the diſtance from Bruſſels not more than twelve miles to the north-eaſt of that city. The air likewiſe is eſteemed exceedingly healthful. Its circumference within the walls is at leaſt ten Engliſh miles; but it is a place of no great ſtrength, being of too large an extent to be eaſily [216] defended. The caſtle ſtands on the top of a hill, ſurrounded with vineyards, and fine gardens, and has an extenſive proſpect over the neighbouring country.

This city, before the cruel adminiſtration of the duke of Alva, was very conſiderable for its manu⯑factures; it being computed there were no leſs than 4,000 maſter-weavers in it at one time; and it has ſtill a trade in fine linen, but not comparable to what it was formerly. At preſent its only glory is its uni⯑verſity, which reſembles thoſe of England more than any other in Europe. It conſiſts of 43 colleges, and ſome make the number greater, of which there are not more than four, for the education of youth, where ſtrict diſcipline is obſerved; the others are for thoſe of riper years, who come and go when they pleaſe. Many of theſe colleges are handſome buildings, and nobly endowed; but in both theſe reſpects they bear no compariſon with thoſe of Oxford and Cambridge. The ſtudents in divinity conſtantly wear gowns and caps, but the reſt only at public exerciſes. In every one of the four colleges above-mentioned, philoſophy is taught by two profeſſors, each of whom reads two hours in a day, the young ſtudents writing after them. The governor of the univerſity is ſtiled Rector, and is choſen every half year by the Senatus Academicus, which conſiſts of the ſuperior graduates in the ſeveral faculties. He has plenary juriſdiction over the ſcho⯑lars, [217] and is attended by eight beadles, who go before him with ſilver maces on holidays, and in ſolemn pro⯑ceſſions. There is another officer called the Promoter, who by the authority of the rector, inflicts puniſh⯑ment on the offenders, and ſometimes paſſes ſentence of death, but generally lays a pecuniary mulct on them in proportion to their crime. They have alſo a chancellor, whoſe only buſineſs it is to confer de⯑grees, and who in all public aſſemblies takes place next to the rector.

The town-houſe of Louvain is a magnificent build⯑ing of great antiquity, adorned on the outſide with ſtatues, and very curious ſculpture. As to the churches of the city, they are many of them beau⯑tiful and ſtately buildings, eſpecially the cathedral church of St. Peter, which is governed by a provoſt, a dean, a chanter, 18 honorary prebends, and ten canons, who are all profeſſors of the ſeveral ſciences in the univerſity. The Jeſuit's church is alſo a very handſome edifice, not unworthy of Rome itſelf; and its pulpit of oak is reckoned the fineſt piece of carved work in Europe. Their library contains a great num⯑ber of valuable manuſcripts, in which reſpect it is ſaid to be the beſt in the Auſtrian Netherlands.

In this place, ſays, Thickneſſe, reſided a few years ſince a man, no leſs extraordinary in his way, than the famous mountain doctor in Switzerland, named Bo⯑gen, [218] and called the god of legs. He was an illiterate, under-bred man, who had a noſtrum to cure ulcers in the legs, and with ſo much ſucceſs that patients came to him from every part of the continent. But that which eſtabliſhed his fame and fortune too, be⯑yond contradiction, was the extraordinary cure he performed on the late Prince Charles of Lorraine's leg, after he had tried all the ſurgeons of Paris and the low countries, without benefit, and had been for many years a perfect cripple; though he had given in pictures and ſnuff-boxes to various ſurgeons to the value of five thouſand pounds. Being ſent for, and on exa⯑mining the ulcer, he, in a very rough, unpoliſhed lan⯑guage, ſaid to the Prince, "Zounds! what is this all? why, we will walk to-morrow!" His rude man⯑ner and ſeeming ignorance had almoſt determined the prince to have diſmiſſed him inſtantly; for he thought it impoſſible that a man, who had not ſet his foot to the ground for ſome years, ſhould be able to walk the next day; yet he did walk the next day, and in a very ſhort time after was perfectly cured, and enjoyed eighteen years of life and health afterwards. Mr. Bogen is now dead; but his ſon, whom the prince made his valet-de-chambre, is ſtill living, and is equal⯑ly qualified to perform the ſame, cures. Neither fa⯑ther nor ſon pretend to any chirurgical ſkill, farther than rolling the bandage, which is done in a moſt ex⯑cellent and extraordinary manner. The whole ſecret, ſays Thickneſſe, I have good reaſon to believe, is no⯑thing [219] more than ſcraped carrot, or a poultice made from that root, as what he applies is of a reddiſh co⯑lour, and ſcraped carrot alone will perform wonders in healing ulcers.

Ghent is one of the largeſt cities in Europe, being near fifteen miles in circumference; ſome ſay twenty. It is built on a great number of little iſlands, formed by four rivers and many canals, over which there are an hundred bridges: but large and pompous as this account is, the reality bears no proportion to the de⯑ſcription; more than half the ground within the walls, being occupied by gardens, and there are ſome fields. The fortifications are contemptible, being little more than lines for an army to encamp within. Some of the ſtreets are large, well paved, and tolerably built. Among the public buildings, there are none worthy of any attention but a few churches, except the houſe in which Charles V. was born, which is ſtill to be ſeen. This place gave birth to that monarch in the year 1500. He was the ſon of Philip the handſome, arch⯑duke of Auſtria, whoſe parents were the emperor Maximilian and Mary, the only child of Charles the bold, the laſt prince of the houſe of Burgundy. His mother was the daughter of Ferdinand and Iſabella, king and queen of Caſtile and Arragon.

The abbey of St. Pierre ranks far beyond any others in Ghent: it is ſituated on a riſing ground, at [220] the extremity of the town, and conſiſts of an abbot and thirty-ſeven benedictine monks. The refectory is ſuperb, and fitter for a palace than a convent; it is paved with black and white marble, and painted throughout in a maſterly manner. The library is very magnificent, and the number of books, ſuch as they are, very conſiderable. From the windows you have a moſt delightful, as well as an extenſive view of the country. In the church is ſome tapeſtry held in great eſtimation, which has been there upwards of two cen⯑turies. It contains the hiſtories of Sts. Peter and Paul in divers compartments, moſt admirably finiſhed, and was the work of Croyer, of Bruſſels.

The horſe, in the converſion of St. Paul, is the fineſt animal it is poſſible to behold. Our Saviour ſtanding tiptoe on a wave is the true ſublime, and is moſt happily executed. Elymas ſtruck with blindneſs, has much merit; and a marble floor is as nicely imitated in the tapeſtry, as was ever ſeen in any pic⯑ture.

The abbot's houſe is moſt ſumptuous; the gover⯑nor of the low countries always reſides in it when at Ghent. The apartments are crouded with good pic⯑tures, but three by Rubens are moſt excellent: the one is Joſeph, with the infant Chriſt in his arms; the two others are the heads of old men.

[221]The cathedral is a noble old building, dedicated to St. Buvon, of whom there is a good ſtatue over the grand altar, ſtanding on the clouds, which are ſup⯑ported by angels. Againſt the pillars of the church are ſome tolerable ſtatues, and where there are va⯑cancies they have painted figures in the imitation of ſtatues ſo happily, that it is difficult to find out the deception. The pulpit is ſaid to be the grandeſt of the kind; it is of marble, enriched with ſtatues, and has two angels to ſupport the ſounding board. There is a capital picture of St. Buvon, by Rubens, in which he has introduced himſelf, his wife and family.

The monument of Biſhop Trieſte, by Fiamingo, is moſt admirably executed; the boys do not yield even to thoſe of Cardinal Richlieu's monument at the Sorbonne. Fiamingo's principal excellence was in boys and the delicate. In this reſpect he was ſupe⯑rior to Michael Angelo, who attained the antique only in ſtrong muſcular figures, not in thoſe of youth nor women, who under his bold hand became amazons.

The Maiſon-de-Ville has two fronts, the one in the Gothic, the other in the Grecian ſtile, of three ſtories, adorned with Attic, Ionic, and Corinthian columns.

There are ſome few pictures, as the Day of Judg⯑ment, by Rubens, and the Coronation of Charles VI. in which picture are five hundred figures, moſt of [222] them taken from the life. But the moſt capital pic⯑ture is Hercules between Virtue and Pleaſure, taken from the fable of Cebes.

Before I came into this country, ſays Thickneſſe, I thought the diſcipline of the Britiſh and French troops were tolerably ſtrict; but as every, thing is by compariſon, ſo I was ſoon convinced that neither the Britiſh or French diſcipline can bear that name, when put in competition with the diſcipline of the German troops; and yet I am told I ſhould find a ſtill greater difference between theſe troops and thoſe of the king of Pruſſia. The ſoldier here wears his white coat three years, and it muſt be always perfectly clean; at the expiration of which time he has a new one, and his old one is made into a waiſtcoat and breeches, and muſt ſerve three years more in that capacity; and is then dyed black to make gaiters. The ſoldier is found in every article he can want for dreſs, even to his hair-ſtring and powder; but his net pay is only two-pence halfpenny a day! five farthings of which is put into the common meſs (eight men in each) and the other five farthings are for the luxuries of life. Sheeps head broth, and horſe-beans boiled in greaſe, are with them great delicacies. It fares better with the officers, for a captain of foot in the Imperial ſervice has an hundred guineas a year, a ſervant allowed him, and his livery furniſhed by the Emperor. But when an officer neglects his duty, and repeats it two or three [223] times, after the commandant has hinted to him to be more attentive, he may be diſmiſſed by the ſame au⯑thority. Having aſked, ſays Thickneſſe, what puniſh⯑ments were uſed to maintain ſo ſtrict a diſcipline, the anſwer was, none! The puniſhments are ſo ſevere that no man riſks the experiment.

In the caſtle of Ghent there are cloathing, arms, accoutrements, &c. for ten thouſand horſe and foot, all in the moſt perfect order, and all of it made with⯑in the caſtle walls by the hands of the ſoldiers. The German troops are in general ſturdy, well-looking men, but they are ill-limbed, and certainly have not much more underſtanding among ten thouſand of them, than may be found among a flock of ten thou⯑ſand ſheep led about by a bell-wether.

They have very flouriſhing linen manufactures throughout all this country; but theſe are not con⯑fined to Ghent, though there are many in that town; but all the villages, and almoſt every farm, is a flax-manufactory. Flax is a principal crop upon all the ſundry parts of this country, and the farmers and labourers do not only grow it, but alſo dreſs and weave it, and the women and children ſpin it. Every little farmer has one or two looms; many of them five or ſix, and ſome ſeven or eight, according to the number of hands in the family. This makes the whole race of country people remarkably active and [224] induſtrious; the ſervants and the farmer and his ſons will weave linen in the night, and in wet days, when they have not employment in the farm; and in this manner greatly contribute to earning a better main⯑tenance for their families than in other countries, where ſuch time is appropriated to idleneſs.

The accommodations in the bark on the canal of Auſtrian Flanders, are infinitely ſuperior to thoſe of the Trackſkuits in Holland, being conſiderably larger, with excellent apartments below, for three ſeveral claſſes of paſſengers, and a ſhaded quarter-deck with benches for them to fit on, when they chuſe to take the air. There is a good dinner provided for each apartment; and the company may be accommodated with wines of different kinds, tea, coffee, and Flemiſh beer. The price of travelling, as well as the fare, is remarkably cheap; and the beſt apartments are al⯑ways filled with good company. In fine weather no⯑thing can be more delightful than an excurſion from Ghent to Bruges by the bark, which paſſes from place to place in one day, diſtance about 30 miles, price 2s. 6d. Engliſh, dinner included. The variety of fine proſpects, the charming verdure every where to be ſeen; the number of little chatteaus on the banks of the canal; the enlivening company that is generally to be met with, and the ſtill pleaſing man⯑ner in which die bark keeps moving forward, without any moleſtation from the ſun or duſt in a hot ſultry [225] day all together conſpire to give very pleaſing ſen⯑ſations to the mind. They tell you an Engliſh gen⯑tleman was ſo delighted with the paſſage, the enter⯑tainment, and the company he met, that he lived on board this bark for ſeven years, ſleeping one night at Ghent, the next at Bruges, and ſo on; and, that being a facetious man, the better ſort of people of theſe two towns, particularly the young ladies, would frequently, for an excurſion, go and dine, as they uſed to call it, with the Engliſh gentleman.

There are a kind of ſtage-coaches that travel all through Brabant, heavy, lumbering things, that on their paved roads almoſt ſhake a man to death. The fare is cheaper than in England, and the accommodations paſſable; but four perſons may hire a coach and pair, which will travel as faſt as the ſtage, and coſt no more than the ſtage price, and are far more eaſy to travel in. A perſon may go from London to Spa, and travel 200 miles through all Auſtrian Brabant, for four gui⯑neas, and live well upon the road; the paſſage in the packet from Dover to Oſtend included, which is one guinea of the money. Thoſe who travel in Flanders by the canals, pay as much for the carriage of a trunk as for themſelves; the natives of the country take a few neceſſary things, in a kind of ſatchel made of carpeting called a ſac du nuit, which they carry in their hands when they are obliged to change boats, as is often the caſe, the canals not joining each other; and by this they avoid the impoſitions of thoſe who attend the [226] boats to remove the luggage. The price of travelling in theſe boats or barks is not more then one halfpenny Engliſh, per mile. They ſet out at ſtated hours as ſtage-coaches do, are drawn by horſes at the rate of four or five miles an hour, and will travel thirty or forty miles a-day, ſtopping at certain places to dine.

For fifteen-pence the treckſchuyt, an elegant yatch, conducts the traveller from Oſtend to this city, which in the 13th century was the principal mart in Europe, and where the merchants of all parts of the world had houſes and commerical connexions; but the frequent revolts of the inhabitants againſt their ſovereigns, the manufacturers againſt their maſters, and the maſters againſt the magiſtrates, firſt drove the ſtrangers to Antwerp, and the natives to different parts of the world; the ſad effects of which are ſtill felt, and ſtill viſible; for Antwerp was raiſed on the ruins of Bruges, as Amſterdam is at this day on thoſe of Antwerp. But ſince Oſtend has become a free port, Bruges begins to revive in her trade. It is ſaid there are two hundred and fifty ſtreets in Bruges, and 40,000 inhabitants; but more than 10,000 of them are ſupported by public charity.

The police is good, the magiſtrates being juſt, but ſevere, and there is no part of the continent where ſtrangers or natives can travel more ſecurely. At Bruges an advocate is paid twenty-eight pence an hour [227] for attendance, but the phyſician has only ſeven-pence for each viſit. When a conſultation is held, each phyſician has twenty-ſix pence, and the ſurgeons half that ſum.

In one of the churches at Ghent, there is a ring of bells, the largeſt of which weighs 110 quintals, each quintal, a hundred pounds. There are two or three fine open places in this city, and a good theatre; but the houſes, as at Bruſſels and Bruges, are all old-faſhioned and built in the Gothic ſtyle.

Bruges is an ancient and extenſive city, walled in, the circumference being near five miles. It has near three hundred ſtreets in it, and a vaſt number of canals and rivers; but notwithſtanding all this ſpaci⯑ouſneſs, it is not an agreeable place. The houſes are in general very old and extremely ugly, and the whole place ſhews evident ſigns of decay, and a loſs of that trade and manufacture for which it was once famous. They reckon ſix ſquares, ſeven gates, eight churches, and no leſs than ſixty monaſteries; a woeful ſort of population, inſtead of the induſtrious manufacturers, which once filled the city: among the reſt, there is a nunnery of Engliſh, which ſeveral Roman Catholic families in England have contributed to fill.

The churches of Bruges have not any thing in them remarkable; the beſt is the Jeſuits, which is an elegant [228] edifice. In the church of our Lady, there are two fine monuments of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, and his daughter and heireſs, Mary of Burgundy; they are of braſs, with much enamelling; the workmanſhip good. Her dreſs is likewiſe ſhewn, that ſhe wore three hundred years ago, and which is highly enriched with jewels.

What gives this place a very melancholy air, are the vaſt houſes ſtanding empty in every part of the town, which once were the reſidence of wealth and ſplendour. Among others they have ſeventeen palaces, which, in the times of their proſperity, were formerly the reſidence of conſuls from various kingdoms and ſtates in Europe. This town was famous for trade, before Antwerp aroſe, being then the greateſt mart in Europe; England made it the ſtaple for her wool; and its cloth manufactories were much more conſider⯑able, than thoſe of any other place or country. Bruges however at preſent is not without ſome trade. The Oſtend canal admits ſhips of from 2 to 300 tons burthen, up to the heart of the city, which excites more trade here than in any other town in Flanders.

The merchandize imported by the ſhipping on this canal, is ſent to many places from Bruges, particularly by the Scheld to the city of Ghent, and from thence by other canals to various cities; and that river with the Scarpe and the Lys, reaches to Tournay, Menin, [229] Liſle and Douay: they have likewiſe a communication with Antwerp, Louvain, Mechlin, and Bruſſels. It is an epiſcopal town. In the great ſquare there is a houſe founded in 1411, where they provide for 130 orphans, and bring them up, ſome to learning, and others to trades, according to their abilities. This city has often been taken and retaken in the late wars, particularly in 1745, by the French.

Oſtend is the only ſea-port of Auſtrian Flanders. It is ſmall, but well built and clean, nor does it ex⯑hibit ſo much decay of ancient greatneſs as Bruges. It is ſituated in the midſt of a ſalt-marſh, with ditches into which the ſea is let; this ſituation makes it ſtrong, but the improvements in the modern art of attacking places will not allow it the ſame of ſuch another ſiege as that which it ſtood againſt the Spaniards, which laſted three years, and in which above 100,000 men on both ſides fell. The French, in 1745, took it in eight days. In the furious ſiege above-mentioned which laſted from 1601 to 1604, and in which the Dutch loſt 50,000 men, and the Spaniards 80,000, Iſabella Eugenia, governante of the Netherlands, made a vow ſhe would not change her linen till Oſtend ſurrendered; but before the town was taken, the colour of it was quite changed. However the ladies of the court, to keep her in countenance, had theirs dyed, ſo as to be in colour like that of their miſtreſs. By the late Emperor's having made it a free port, the [230] trade of it has been very much increaſed. The eſta⯑bliſhment of an Eaſt-India Company here, by the Emperor, has alſo contributed not a little to render it famous. The maritime powers endeavoured to frighten him out of this eſtabliſhment; and it is ſome⯑what extraordinary how theſe powers could have had the modeſty to puſh this matter in the manner they did; for why the Emperor ſhould not have the liberty to form what eſtabliſhments he pleaſed in a ſea-port in his own dominions, is much more than any of the Engliſh or Dutch memorials could give a ſatisfactory reply to.

It is eſtimated that the Engliſh ſmugglers alone bring to the amount of 600,000 livres monthly into this town; they bring too, ready money, and therefore the Oſtenders are content with ſmall profits, for their brandy, tobacco, tea, gauzes, laces, wine, &c.

This town is now inhabited by men of all nations, where as much Engliſh is heard as French or Flemiſh; ſurrounded with the ſea, they have no good water; the harbour however is crouded with ſhipping, which ſhews it to be a place of great trade.

THE COUNTY OF NAMUR,

Is nearly ſurrounded by the Biſhopric of Liege and the Duchy of Brabant. Its extent from north to ſouth is about ſix German miles, and nearly as much from [231] eaſt to weſt. This country is very mountainous and woody. Its principal riches conſiſts in iron, which is here prepared into ſteel and worked up in great quantities. In the level country is a great deal of corn land. The Meuſe, which runs through the country, and receives into it the Sambre at Namur, tends much to the fertility of the ſoil, and to the ad⯑vantage of the country in general from its navigation.

Namur, the capital of the country, is a large and rich town, ſeated between two mountains, with a ſtrong caſtle, ſeveral forts, and a biſhop's ſee. This city was beſieged by King William in 1695, who took it in the ſight of an army of 100,000 French, though there was 60,000 men in garriſon.

The Flemings, ſays Reiſbec, are the moſt extraordi⯑nary compound of ſlothfulneſs and induſtry, ſtupidity and acuteneſs, activity and cowardlineſs, goodneſs of heart and treachery, that can be well conceived. An Engliſhman once ſaid of them, "They have the im⯑pudence of the French, without their pleaſantry; the pride and bigotry of the Spaniards, without their ſenſe of honour; the ferocity and harſhneſs of the Dutch, without their punctuality; the debauchery of the Germans, without their integrity; and as to their bodies, they are blocks, from which the carver at⯑tempted to make Engliſhmen, but could not cut them out." The picture is in general juſt, as theſe inhabi⯑tants of the Netherlands are an aſſemblage of all theſe [232] nations. But what they are moſt conſpicuous for, is want of honour. You muſt have agreements in writing in all the common tranſactions of life. You are in danger of firſt being overcharged, and then carried into a court of juſtice by every workman of whom you beſpeak a piece of work, if you do not put down your agreement in black and white.

With reſpect to their bodies, they and the Saxons are moſt like the Germans, deſcribed by Tacitus: their bodies are of a very unwieldy make, and ad impetum valida, what too Tacitus ſays of the old Ger⯑mans, that they can bear neither hunger nor thirſt, nor heat, nor cold, nor yet any long work, is true of them. In the Imperial armies they are accounted good partiſans, but are never put to regular ſervice without extreme neceſſity. They have a great abhor⯑rence of diſcipline, and look upon it as a ſevere puniſhment to be ſubject to the rules of ſervice. If their robberies and maraudings are not overlooked, they will not laſt out a campaign. In ſhort, it is only in action that they ſhew themſelves at all as ſoldiers.

Except Spain, Italy, and Portugal, there is no country ſo overloaded with monks as the Auſtrian Netherlands: there are in many towns forty or fifty convents; ſeve⯑ral prelatures are worth 200,000 guilders, (2000l.) a⯑year. If you divide the income of the country into four parts, one will be found to belong to the prieſt⯑hood, [233] one to the nobility, one to the ſovereign, and one to the people. The bigotry and intolerance of the inhabitants are beyond all deſcription, and is a marvel⯑lous contraſt to the corruption of their manners.

Reſpecting their manufactures, they have not a ſingle one comparable to what they were formerly: that of lace is flouriſhing, but not near ſo conſiderable as formerly; and the ſame obſervation is applicable to thoſe of fine linen and tapeſtry: indeed, the attention given to manufacturers in every country of Europe, cannot but have drawn much from the old fabric long eſtabliſhed; no article of manufacture is found in Flanders which is not ſtrongly rivalled by ſome neigh⯑bour or other. This, with the internal miſchiefs, re⯑ſulting from freedoms of corporate towns cramping the workmen, is very prejudicial to all induſtry in theſe provinces.

Notwithſtanding theſe impediments, the fabrics of Auſtrian provinces are by no means inconſiderable; the towns are thick, and all of them have ſome manu⯑facture or other: their linens, laces, ſtockings, caps, cloth, druggets, carpets, &c. are all conſiderable; employing great numbers of hands, and bringing much money into the country.

The dreſs of the peaſants of this country is like that of French Flanders; and what we ſo often ſee in [234] the pictures of Teniers. The women wear a kind of French night-cap, with a plaited border, gold ear-rings, a gold croſs hanging from their neck, a jacket and petticoat, the petticoat ſhort, the jacket laced before, and ſlippers. Some wear a black bib and ſhort black apron. They never wear a hat, but when abroad throw over their heads about four yards of black ſtuff like a veil. The better claſs of women wear camblet hoods abroad, and long cloaks of the ſame.

The man's dreſs is better deſcribed by the plate—where a young man has conducted his ſweetheart to the houſe of a village-doctor for a remedy, ſhe having complained of being ill. As this man looked into the cauſe of complaints by the urine of his patients, ſhe took a bottle of her urine with her, little con⯑ceived that on examining it he would have diſcovered that ſhe was with child; and which ſhe would never had her lover, the laſt man in the world, to have been made acquainted with.

Having now gone through the different circles of Germany, and ſpoke of every material place as fully as our reader, we truſt, will think neceſſary, we will pro⯑ceed to a deſcription of the United Provinces, firſt recapitulating and making ſome general remarks on the whole of Germany together.