VIENNA,

Is the Capital City of Germany, or rather of the whole Western Conti­nent, [Page 4] for there at present is to be seen the Majesty of the Empire, as former­ly at Rome, which can be no longer said to be the Metropolis of the World, since the other is now become the usu­al place of Residence of the Emperors. It may be esteem'd strong, not only by reason that it is defended with Basti­ons and regular Out-works; but also because Solyman sirnam'd the Magnifi­cent once besieg'd, but was not able to take it. For this Grand Seignior was not accustom'd to be foil'd, nei­ther indeed was he ever overcome; the same Ottoman Emperor, among his Titles, assum'd the Style, of doing whatsoever he thought fit, and of doing nothing that he dislik'd. Your High­ness has in your Repository some nota­ble Monuments of this famous Siege in certain Gold and Silver Medals, with this Inscription, TƲRK BLEGERT WIEN, 1529.

This City is large within its small compass. May your Highness not be surpris'd at this manner of Expression, [Page 5] I mean, that within the small extent of Ground in which it is enclos'd upon account of its Fortifications, it is ex­tremely Populous, extremely Rich, and very well supply'd with all things ne­cessary for the convenience of Humane Life: I might also add, that this City has little wast Ground in it, and is not irregularly built; that the largest Ci­ties of Europe have a greater quantity of wast Ground, or are more irregu­lar than this.

The two Musaeum's or Repositories which I saw there, are none of its least Ornaments; one of these was brought from Brussels, and owes its original to the Arch-Duke Leopold, who furnish'd it with a vast number of Curiosities at an incredible Expence: The other is a Patrimony of the Imperial Family, and a Collection made (as they say) by four Emperors: In the former are con­tain'd fifteen hundred Paintings drawn by the most able Masters of that Art; among which I have observed some of Raphael, D' Ʋrbin, Titian, Caraccio, [Page 6] Paul Veronese, Corregio, Palma, Holbein, Georgeon, Schiavone, Bassano, Albert Du­rer, Rubens, Van Dyck, &c. There are also engrav'd Prints of the best Pieces of this Inestimable Collection; indeed the Project was well contriv'd, and the Reputation of Tenieres, who is the Graver, wou'd have been much more considerable, if he had taken care to put his design in Execution with great­er success: But these sorry Copies serve only to disguise the Originals, and to disfigure the finest Draughts in the World; so that the defects of the Ar­tist, and not the excellency of those admirable Master-pieces are apparent. There are in the same Repository al­most three hundred ancient Statues of Marble and Brass, besides a Collecti­on of eight hundred Golden Medals, all different, and more remarkable for their Rarity, and the design of the History, than for the value of the Mat­ter of which they are made. This vast Collection of Greek Consular and Im­perial Medals, and others of large and [Page 7] middle-siz'd Copper, cou'd not be ga­thered together, but by the hand of a Prince as Potent and Judicious as he that left it. I have an exact Catalogue of 'em, and your Highness will be sur­pris'd to observe so many Rarities therein. I must not omit by any means one Article, of which a Person as curi­ous as your Highness, ought to be in­form'd: It is one of the finest Disco­veries that has been hitherto made to give light to these first obscure passages of the History of France, and power­fully to establish the Antiquity of that Monarchy, of which perhaps your Highness is not so well perswaded, as of its Strength and Riches. About fifteen years ago in digging the Earth near Tournay, a Tomb was found, or rather the Remains of a Monument. It was that of Childeric King of France, and Father of Clouis the Great; The Bones of an Horse with pieces of Har­ness lay by him; and 'tis well known that in those times Princes were wont to allow a place in their Burial to that [Page 8] of their Horses, on which they rode upon extraordinary Occasions. There was nothing wanting of all that the Pagan Religion consecrated to the Ho­nour and Memory of deceased Per­sons, viz. the Sword, the Baganet, the Mass of Arms, and a small Instrument to write according to the Custom of that Age, with a great number of Gold Medals of the Emperors Leo and Zeno: But that which I take to be the great­est Rarity, was a certain number of Golden Bees longer than one's Thumb, and the Ring which this Prince was wont to use as a Seal or Signet. This is to meet with Truth in its Sanctua­ry, where it is inviolable, and thus the Dead themselves afford a much better Illustration of their History to the Living: But it was requisite that this Treasure should be discover'd un­der the most accomplish'd Prince, that ever cou'd Reign, I mean, the same Arch-Duke Leopold, who then govern'd the Low-Countries for the King of Spain. His most Christian Majesty, [Page 9] who was not ignorant of its Impor­tance, express'd his desire of getting it in his own Possession: I have been told at Vienna, that the Elector of Mentz, was very sollicitous to obtain it for the King, and that the Emperor chose rather to make the Present himself, be­fore this Elector had taken measures to sue for it: Thus the value of a Pre­sent is much augmented, when it is so frankly made. The Keeper of the Repository gave me a sight thereof, and was desirous to know my Sentiments concerning it. I met with no great difficulty in discovering the Truth, and soon told him, that that which he shew'd me, was only a Copy of the Original, which was kept in France in the Royal Repository; all the Pieces of which I had formerly examin'd. The Inscription seem'd to me to be well compos'd, and ends (as I take it) with these words; Discas Lector, vel sepul­tam Majestatem nusquam interire. Some time after, his Imperial Majesty did me the honour to demand my opinion on the same Subject.

[Page 10]The other Repository is so full and so rich, that it wou'd be difficult to add any thing that is new, either in respect to the quantity or rarity of the Commodities contain'd therein: It may be soon perceiv'd that it is the Store-house of many Emperors, and that it was not possible for any, but these Masters of the World, who may be said to be in a manner Omnipotent, to make so noble a Collection of the most precious Things of the whole U­niverse; so that one may well affirm with respect to this Treasure, what Josephus wrote in his Jewish Antiquities concerning the Triumph of Titus after the Conquest of Judaea, viz. That even those Eyes that were accustom'd to Miracles were dazl'd with it. It wou'd be a Trespass upon your High­ness's Patience, to give a particular ac­count of every one of these Curiosities in an endless Discourse; and you may vouchsafe to remember, that my pre­sent design is only to furnish matter for a simple Conference, in which I am [Page 11] unwilling to tire the Reader with a Volume; therefore I shall only just mention that which has had the great­est Influence upon my Imagination.

Two thousand two hundred Silver Medals of the Empress Sabina, with the same Reverse, VENERI GENE­TRICI, all ancient, made by able Ar­tists, and very well preserv'd, are magnificent proofs of the Riches of this Musaeum. There is also a portion of the Cross, a Thorn of the Crown, and one of the four Nails which fa­sten'd our Saviour J.C. to the Cross, which, in my opinion, deserve the Ve­neration of all Christians; besides a great number of other Relicks richly enchas'd. The Gold, Ivory, and Pre­cious-Stones, dazle the Eyes even of those that are accustom'd to behold 'em: Among these is to be more espe­cially admir'd, an Emerald-Cup of the bigness of an ordinary Bowl or Bea­ker, and the pieces that have been cut out in making it hollow, serve as a compleat Furniture for the Empress. [Page 12] Whence (my Lord) can we suppose this Precious-Stone to have taken its rise? Those of this Sublunary World, are not of so prodigious a Thickness; indeed, there seems to be somewhat above the effort of Nature in its in­estimable Mass; as to its colour and quality 'tis an Emerald, but in reality, with respect to its extent and thickness 'tis a perfect Miracle. The next thing remarkable, is, a large Plate of Oriental Agate about t [...]o Foot in Diameter, on which is engrav'd in the Substance of the Stone the word XPICTOC, with a B. set before it, which may be inter­preted [...], according to the man­ner of writing observ'd in the Medals of the ancient Emperors of Constantino­ple. Here it cannot be determin'd what ought to be most admir'd, whether the Matter or Forms, the prodigality or the design of Natur. There are such huge Vessels of Rock Chrystal, that so large ones of common Chrystal are not to be found elsewhere. There is also a Press full of Pieces of wrought Amber. Of [Page 13] the infinite number of Agates, I shall only mention the large ancient one; it is an almost square Stone, broader than high, on which are engrav'd twelve or fifteen Figures, representing the Triumph of the Roman Emperors over the Germans, a little after the Nativity of Jesus Christ: It has been very learn­edly explain'd by the Emperor's Libra­ry-keeper, and I am apt to believe that it was engrav'd by the same hand; the Heads of Princes only are drawn in the Original, and those of Slaves appear in the Graving; perhaps some other Persons may engrave it better, but it is indeed one of the best Pieces of Antiquity that are now extant.

In another Chamber is to be seen the Image of Philip II. King of Spain, with his Arms of Massive Gold laden with Diamonds: This stately Effigies answers well the Character of so great a Prince, who dispers'd his Riches throughout the World, and transported Peru into Europe. There is kept the Buff-Coat of Mail, which Gustavus [Page 14] Adolphus King of Sweden wore at the Battel of Lutzen, where he perish'd with the Fortune of his Party. I know not well how to come to a Conclusion, since all the Pieces are still represented fresh to my Eyes, so that I shall always retain the Idea of 'em during my whole Life, and will without doubt continue very lively, till I have communicated it to your Highness. Mr. Vander Bar­ren first shew'd me these Repositories, to whose Custody they are both com­mitted: Although I shou'd declare that his Merit is extraordinary, that he is a good Clergy-man, and a profound Scholar, and a most accomplish'd Per­son; and that he enjoys all those excel­lent Qualities with the Favour of his Master, which are things very incom­patible; I shou'd not be judg'd guilty of Flattery, since every one gives the same Character of him. His Imperial Majesty commanded that the other shou'd be shewn to me, and I was not capable of receiving a greater Honour, nor of bringing a more agreeable Dis­position [Page 15] to the sight of so many rare Curiosities. The Imperial Library may be reckon'd as the third Treasure; it is full of the finest Books in the World, and among others there are ten or twelve thousand Manuscripts of all sorts of Subjects, and in all Languages; as also the famous Libraries of Busbe­quius and Cuspinian, and the rare Colle­ction of the Fuggers of Augsburg. I saw certain admirable Miniatures, which sometime belong'd to the Dukes of Bur­gundy. I saw also Octavius Strada's fine Collection of Medals, with a vast number of the Designs of Raphael D'Ʋrbin, Albert Durer, and other excel­lent Masters of the Art of Painting. A particular Account of these Curiosi­ties will be suddenly publish'd, and [...]he compleat History of 'em is expe­ [...]ted from Monsieur Lambecius, to whose custody they are committed, and who is constantly employ'd in the Work, as being perhaps the only Per­son in the World that is capable of ta­king exact Copies from those incom­parable [Page 16] Originals, where your High­ness may find these first rude Draughts that I have made, in their full Lustre and Perfection.

Wou'd it not be too hard a Task (my Lord) to discourse to you con­cerning his Imperial Majesty, with such mean Conceptions as mine? Cou'd they form any tolerable Idea, or represent a Character in any wise sui­table to so great an Hero? I had in­deed the Honour to be in his Maje­sty's Presence in his Gallery of Paint­ings, when he was visiting his Treasure of ancient Medals: There I had an op­portunity to see during three hours and a half, a Roman Emperor conversing with his Predecessors, which cou'd not be observ'd elsewhere: There, a more discerning and sublime Judgment than mine might have made a Comparison between 'em on the very spot: In my opinion, the Lustre of the deceas'd Princes did not seem to eclipse that of the living Emperor, in whose Person I saw concenter'd all that I knew, and [Page 17] every thing that I had read concern­ing others: His profound Judgment, his exemplary Piety, Justice and Cle­mency, are conspicuous in so high a degree of Perfection, that a faint Idea of 'em is only to be seen in the World. Your Highness is sensible that extraor­dinary Virtues are often incompatible, and that that Soul which is so happy as to possess 'em all, does not always find an equal supply for all, during its Intercourse with the Body, from whence it cannot pass. Thus we rarely ob­serve Magnanimity and Fortitude, in­termix'd with that Gentleness and Moderation, which are requisite for the compleat Formation of Piety and Clemency in the Heart of a Prince: But in his Imperial Majesty, all these Heroick Qualities which are so much admir'd, proceed from a more noble Principle, that enforces Nature, and administers Relief to the Weaknesses of the Body. This is that Divine Character which Heaven imprints on the Minds of all those of this August Family: This [Page 18] is that second Soul which the Philoso­phers have attributed to Hero's, which is the cause that he who is at present advanc'd to the highest degree of Dig­nity on Earth, is at the same time a potent Emperor, a virtuous Prince, an accomplish'd Politician, and a good Christian, and hath all sociable Virtues united in his Person in a perfect Agree­ment, which will constitute the Hap­piness of the Empire, as soon as it shall be in a condition to answer thereto, and shall have merited of Heaven so many Blessings, which it may receive from his Hands, and under the Government of so excellent a Sovereign, and so prudent an Emperor.

It is true (my Lord) that he is even ador'd by his own Subjects, for indeed the Respect and Affection that they bear to his Person is altogether bound­less. The Court of Vienna is very Magnificent and Splendid, but that which in my opinion adds to its Lustre, is, that the Prince is every where imi­tated, that is to say, in his Piety, Ge­nerosity, [Page 19] Courteousness and Affabili­ty: I know not by what means his Imperial Majesty is more especially become a publick Blessing to so many Illustrious Lords that depend on him, whether by the Riches or Preferments he bestows on 'em, or by the singu­lar Example he shews 'em. How­ever I shall give an account to your Highness of some of their Persons and Qualities, such as most readily occur to my Memory. The Prince of Lob­kowitz, who is Comptroller of the Houshold, Der Oberste Hoffmeister, has the first Station in the Court; his Fa­ther being High Chancellor of Bohemia, was created a Prince by Ferdinand II. A.D. 1626, but he cou'd not enjoy the Privileges of this Dignity in the Diet of Ratisbone, and his Son was admitted thereto, by the Interest he had with the Emperor, and by the Exigency of Affairs.

Count John Maximilian of Lam­berg is High Chamberlain, and the principal Confident of his Imperial Ma­jesty: [Page 20] He has a share in the trans­acting of all Publick Affairs, and he is acknowledg'd by the common Con­sent of the People to be a Person that perfectly answers so great a Chara­cter; for he is endu'd with a sagaci­ous Judgment, and a vigorous Dispo­sition, join'd with Learning and Expe­rience: Indeed his Embassies in Spain, and to the Assembly of Munster, have made him known throughout the whole Continent of Europe: In short, he is belov'd and esteem'd by the Emperor even to the highest degree, and all Men are so well perswaded of his Me­rit, that none envies him the happiness of his Station.

Henry William Count of Staremberg is the Great Marshal; your Highness is sensible of the extraordinary Power that belongs to this Office, in all the Courts of Germany: He has an abso­lute Authority over the Jews, and it may not be improper here to relate some particular Circumstances concern­ing this sort of People: There are in [Page 21] Vienna about three thousand of 'em, lodg'd in very convenient Appartments in a Burgh that bears their Name, di­stant about two or three hundred Paces from the City, which they may enter whenever they think fit, except on Sa­turdays and Sundays, being prohibited on those days by virtue of their Supersti­tion, and the Christian Religion; but if they shou'd act otherwise than ac­cording to this Order, they wou'd run the hazard of being cut in pieces. Lim­naeus propounds whether it be expedi­ent for a Prince to tolerate 'em in his Dominions, and produces the affirma­tive and negative Arguments, but I shall not at present engage in the De­bate. They have three Synagogues in Vienna, though at Francfurt they are allow'd but one, and are there more numerous. I was told one day a Story in the same place which seem'd to me very pleasant: A certain German dis­puted in Latin with a Jewish Physi­cian, and press'd him to acknowledge the coming of the Messias, citing some [Page 22] Passages which he shew'd in Hebrew, in the Prophecies and other Places of the Old Testament; insomuch that the Doctor, who cou'd not find sufficient Proofs to maintain his Argument, told him at last; Will not you grant, that our Religion was given us by the true God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and that he made a Covenant with us? The German readily acknowledg'd it; then reply'd the Jew, When you can demonstrate to me that your Religion proceeds from God, by as good Testi­monies as we prove ours, all will be well. The German upon this occasion, was endu'd with more Zeal than Dis­cretion: For (my Lord) what answer wou'd the Jew have made, if any Man had reply'd to him? This Religion was given you as a Preparative for the accomplishment of the Promises, and this Covenant as a Type or Figure of the true one, to be afterward made by the Messias: Now if the Promises are apparently accomplish'd, and if the Messias be already come, your Religion [Page 23] and your Covenant or Dispensation are terminated. Therefore according to the Rules of an equitable Argumen­tation, it is not sufficient for you to prove the Continuation of your Re­ligion and your Covenant, by the Set­tlement which God made with your Ancestors; but it lies upon you to prove it by a Negative; that is to say, by shewing in the Holy Scriptures which are common to us, that the Me­ssias, who ought to consummate all things, is not as yet come. Indeed their Misfortune is very great in regard that 'tis grounded upon the Word of God. The Jews are extremely obsti­nate in their Opinions, and very Su­perstitious, yet they are miserable, and every where laden with the Publick Hatred. I have had some concern with 'em, but none relating either to Religion or State Affairs; and have purchas'd of 'em divers extraordina­ry ancient Medals; they are easily wrought upon, because Ignorant, o­therwise they are well skill d in Arith­metick.

[Page 24]The Counts of Dietrichstein and Zinzendorf, are also principal Officers in the Emperor's Court; the former is the Gentleman of the Horse, and the other the Great Huntsman, both most worthy of their Master's Favour.

The Count of Trauthson is one of the most considerable Lords of this Court: He is a very ingenious Person, and has in his Repository all manner of Curio­sities, viz. Books, ancient and modern Medals, Paintings, Agates, Marchasites, Indian Rarities, and in short, every thing that can be imagin'd. Notwithstand­ing the little time I spent in viewing all the particular things contain'd in this Musaeum, the Description of 'em wou'd afford too much matter for a Letter. Here was to be seen that fa­mous Painting of Corregio, which was the most precious Spoil of the Sacking of Mantua. His most Christian Maje­sty, who well knew its beauty, thought fit to afford it a place in the Louvre, and I was also desirous to see it there. Another very remarkable Curiosity, is [Page 25] a Cherry-stone on which are engrav'd above an hundred Portraitures, with different Ornaments of the Head, viz. Crowns, Diadems, Mitres, Cowls, Hats, Hoods, and Commodes for Wo­men of various sorts. This is to bring Art to its heighest pitch of Perfection, to comprehend such variety of Works within so small a space, and even in a manner to proceed as far as Nature it self, which animates Atoms, and gives 'em organical Parts. I shall also make mention to your Highness of an Ame­thyste Cup that I saw there, it seems to be as fine as those fabulous Cups with which the Gods were wont to Carowse; and indeed, if the Fable cou'd impose on our Eyes as well as Mind, one wou'd be apt to believe it. This Lord has the stateliest Palace, and the most spacious Garden in all Au­stria, which is altogether extended in length, or at least very near from the very City Gates of Vienna to the Da­nube. His Grand-Father was the Fa­vourite of Rodolph II.; and I am of [Page 26] opinion, that the Curiosity of this great Emperor excited that of his Confident.

If your Highness requir'd an Account of the other illustrious and ingenious Persons of Vienna, you wou'd engage me to make mention of too many, nei­ther do I know all: But I cannot for­get Monsieur Schrimpf, who is Resident to the Elector of Saxony, the Duke of Wirtemberg, and many other Princes and States of the Empire. Cato and Brutus might be endu'd with as much Virtue, and as generous a Disposition as he, but (according to my Judgment) not with more. His Liberality was so great as to offer me whatsoever Rarity I cou'd find in his House, which ob­lig'd me to take a Resolution to com­mend nothing any longer in his pre­sence; nevertheless I did not refuse all the Presents which he thought fit to make me, and I hope e're long to shew some of 'em to your Highness.

In the mean while I must entertain you with two or three Divertisements, which I saw taken by his Imperial [Page 27] Majesty, who delights very much in Hunting, and sometimes by that means recreates his Spirits, wearied with the Fatigues that are inseparable from the Management of the Publick Affairs of the Empire. I had a sight of the Em­peror in a Forest about three Leagues from Vienna to the North, where his Grand Huntsman had caus'd a Tent to be prepar'd for him, under which he was with the Empress and those Courtiers whom he had sent for thi­ther: I was there in the Retinue of the Marquess of Baden Durlach, a Prince whom you know (my Lord) to be Learned, Judicious, and as well vers'd in Civil as Military Affairs. The Hun­ters started a great number of Stags and Hinds, which were constrain'd to run round the Tent by reason of the Gins that were laid on all sides. The Empress first fir'd at 'em with a Har­quebuss, and the Emperor shot nine or ten several times within the space of an Hour. About five or six days be­fore, their Imperial Majesties had dis­charg'd [Page 28] Twenty three shot at Prater, which is the usual Walking-place of the Emperor and the Gentry of Vienna: It is a Forest of high Trees situated along the sides of the Danube, conve­nient spaces being left for all sorts of Walks; indeed this Place is very plea­sant, where,

I saw one day three Tents, which the Emperor had order'd to be fixt for the above-mention'd Hunting; they were those that the Grand Signior had presented to him by his last Ambassa­dors, and which were valu'd at sixty thousand Crowns. His Imperial Ma­jesty in like manner takes much delight in residing at Laxemburg, which is a small Palace situated in a Champion Country at the distance of three Hours Journey from Vienna, where he passes every Year four or five Weeks in the Season of Heron-Fowling.

[Page 29]The Emperor also very much diverts himself with Musick, and is perfectly well skill'd in the Science, as I have been told. He maintains in his Court a great number of Musicians, the most part of whom are Italians, and the o­thers are either Germans or Spaniards: The former have by much the clearest Voices, but the later, are not will­ing to purchase that advantage at so dear a rate, and I have observ d that the Successors of the ancient Grae­cians and Romans are only of the con­trary opinion, and willing to unman themselves so far as to become Musiti­ans, and to give away part of them­selves to divert others; neither do we hear that in the rest of Europe any Per­sons are gelt for that purpose, as in Turkey and in Italy. I saw the Come­dy of Andromeda acted with Machines, which his Imperial Majesty caus'd to be represented in Italian to celebrate the Birth-day of the Empress. Some days after, a very magnificent Ball was made by his order in the entrance of [Page 30] the Palace, where one hundred and fifty Players on Violins gave atten­dance, who were all dress'd in the ha­bit of Comaedians, and contributed much to the Divertisement.

The Empress takes very great delight in such kinds of Sports, perhaps be­cause they resemble those of Spain: She is honour'd in all those Countries as much as the Emperor himself, which is done both by Reflection, and out of a due Consideration of her particular Endowments. The highest Venera­tion is likewise paid to the Empress Dowager, who usually resides in the Favourites, which is a pleasant Seat about a quarter of an Hours Journey from Vienna, and has nothing extraor­dinary with respect to the Regularity of its Architecture, but is convenient and spacious, its Gardens being every where adorn'd with Fountains and Statues. This Princess does not often appear at Court, though she is always most honourably entertain'd there; nei­ther does she almost at all intermeddle [Page 31] with any Affairs of State: She delights in Painting, and diverts her self with that Art. I have seen the Picture of a Virgin drawn by her hand, which is kept in one of the Emperor's Treasuries: But her chief Employment is the Edu­cation of her two Princesses; who are both very beautiful, and have well pro­portion'd Bodies; Facies habent dignas Imperio.

At the distance of two Hours Jour­ney from Vienna, is to be seen a Gar­den, which was formerly a great The­atre of War, where Solyman the Otto­man Emperor encamp'd when he besieg­ed Vienna. God preserve Christendom, and more especially this Country from such furious Attacks: The very re­membrance of past Histories, is suffi­cient to make those tremble that have the least concern in the present. On the Top of the Steeple of the great Church is fixt a Star in the middle of a Cre­scent, which are the Arms of old Con­stantinople, as your Highness may ob­serve in the ancient Medals of Augustus's [Page 32] Time. It was set up in Memory of this famous Siege, and to excite the People incessantly to pray to God to divert this Scourge, that so often threa­tens their Destruction. For indeed (my Lord) the Great Turk is a bad Neigh­bour, whose Power and Impiety render him equally formidable to Christen­dom. This Garden has chang'd its form, and is at present only a Place of Divertisements. His Imperial Majesty causes wild Beasts, and extraordinary Animals to be bred and nourish'd there, among these are Lions, Lionesses, and young Lion-whelps, that are engender'd in this place, and sufficiently prove the Heat and Fruitfulness of the Climate. I was about to buy two young Eagles on the Graben, which is the finest Market-place of the City, and was heretofore the Ditch, and design'd to present 'em to your Highness, but the want of the con­venience of Carriage depriv'd me of this Honour: They were taken out of their Nests in the Rocks of the Danube, where they are often found, being very [Page 33] common in Germany. These sorts of Birds have been always admitted into the Coat Armour of the Empire, as the most illustrious Symbol of strength; and that which Constantine added a new, was only to shew the Dominion which he had establish'd in the East, and that he had united it to that of the West.

Will your Highness suffer me to make a diversion with reference to Constantine, or rather are you willing that it shou'd be continu'd? For this Letter seems to me to have no parti­cular Subject, nor any matter peculiar to it. I have been often told that the Labarum was an invention of the Chri­stans, who were wont to make use thereof in their Armies; as the Pagans of Sooth-sayings and Divinations to re-animate the courage of the Soldiers, and to elevate their drooping Spirits, and that the Monks enhanc'd the Re­putation of this Story: Do not give credit to such Reports, (my Lord) for the Christian. Religion which is truth [Page 34] it self, does not stand in need of false­hood to maintain it. I have in my possession the ancient Medal of Con­stantius, the Son of Constantine the Great, on the Reverse of which a Vi­ctory Crowns the Emperor, who holds a Standard or Military Ensign, on which the Word Christ is abbreviated, and round about are read these words, IN HOC SIGNO VICTOR ERIS.

AƲSTRIA.

Upon the whole, is so fertile that it has no occasion to envy the plenty of the Neighbouring Provinces: The Fruits and particularly the Melons, are almost as good there as in Italy, and the Wines as agreeable to the Palate, but a great deal stronger: The heat of the Climate and the richness of the Soil are undoubtedly the cause of this quality. Altho' the heat of the Sun is not more intense there, than in the Parallel Re­gions; yet the Air is quite otherwise [Page 35] heated, for the Sulphur which is pre­dominant in all those Countries, aug­ments their Heat and Fruitfulness; nay, I have reason to fear the excess of this Sulphureous heat; which is apparently accompany'd with Nitre, and some other Minerals that might cause a cor­rosive quality in their Wines, tho' it were in never so small a quantity. Their Cattle are large and fat, insomuch that the Oxen of Austria and Hungary are talkt of every where throughout the World. As for this last Country, I hope your Highness will give me leave to entertain you for a while with its Description.

HƲNGARY.

Is an admirable Country; where per­haps there is greater store of Grain and Fruit, than in any other part of the World: there are Wines that have the strength and delicious taste of those of Spain, and that even excell 'em in both, as that of Tokay; there are also some others as strong as Brandy. I have heard this [Page 36] saying given out long ago, Mirabilis Deus in Aquis Hungariae i. e. The wonder­ful effects of the Divine Omnipotence are apparent in the Waters of Hungary. And indeed, there are various kinds of all sorts of tast's and qualities; but a Scoffer might reply, except those that are good to drink; for it is certain that all the Wa­ters in Hungary are somewhat Mineral, neither are they commonly drunk. A vast quantity of Fowl, Lobsters and Tortesses are frequently Transported from those Countries to Vienna. Your Highness cannot be ignorant of what has been wrote concerning the extraor­dinary fertility and verdeur of the Lake Zerniczee, where a man may every year Sow, Reap, Hunt and Fish. If the soil were every where so luxuriant, the Country (in my Opinion) wou'd be three quartets larger than it is. Your Highness likewise knows what is reported with respect to the Mines, which are suppos'd to be the richest in the World. Indeed I have seen in the Imperial Treasury di­vers pieces of Bullion of above fifty [Page 37] pounds weight, that had been taken thence, and were almost pure Silver The Inhabitants find very rich Marcha­sites, and sometimes even pieces of Sil­ver at the foot of their Vines; which gave occasion to some Persons to affirm that Silver-Grapes grow there, which is a fable as well as the Golden Tooth of the Silesian Infant. The consideration of this abundance of Wealth, makes me resent the great loss that Christen­dom has sustain'd of a considerable part of this fine Country. Every thing go's to wrack with the Turks; even what re­lates to to the Art of. War, altho' they seem to take somewhat more care of these than of other matters, and 'tis well known that they have no farther regard either to Architecture or Agriculture than necessity requires, committing the charge of 'em to Slaves: Insomuch that either through slothfulness or Ignor­ance, they leave many Mines as unpro­fitable, which were already open'd near Buda and Belgrade. I am afraid lest they shou'd one day take a resolution to se­cure [Page 38] their past Conquests, by those of the Neighbouring Provinces; but per­haps the Divine Providence will never suffer it, the Piety and Power of the Princes of Austria, and the Zeal and bravery of their People induce me to believe so; besides nature it self seems to have set bounds on that side, to the aspiring ambition of those Enemies of Christianity. The River Danube do's not transport the hundredth part of the Commodities to this Country that it conveys into Germany; for its Streams are too rapid in many places, and in others too shallow; the Rocks are also very numerous, and are often the occa­sion of Ship-wracks. Lastly, (my Lord) the Inhabitants are not able to mount their Cannon, and this is without doubt one of the most considerable inconve­niences that hinders 'em from carrying their Arms toward the West. His Im­perial Majesty is alone a very potent Prince, but if the Forces of the rest of the Empire were joyn'd to his, he wou'd have no longer cause to fear any thing. [Page 39] What may we not expect from the o­ther Christian Potentates, when they shall think fit to unite against the com­mon Enemy?

To return to Hungary, 'tis a very rich Kingdom: Your Highness knows the Power of its ancient Monarchs, and al­tho' at present it be divided between the Emperor and the Turk; yet the Chri­stian Part still continues extremly opu­lent and very considerable. The Estates of the Realm endeavour to maintain their liberty as much as lies in their Power, and claim a right to Elect their Kings; but forasmuch as they alone are not sufficiently strong to make head against the Turks; they lie under a ne­cessity for the preservation of their Com­mon-wealth, to have recourse to a po­tent Monarch elsewhere, and one that is their Neighbour, which has always oblig'd 'em to make choice of a Prince of the August House of Austria.

BOHEMIA

Is a great deal weaker, altho' of a larger extent, and much may be said on the Subject of its Wealth and Power: But this Country has been horribly laid waste by the Wars since the Year 1618 and notwithstanding the Indulgence it recieves from his Imperial Majesty, it has much a do to recover its former state. It is rich in Mines, and here are found a greater quantity of Agates and Topazes than in any other part of the World, as also Emeralds, contrary to the common opinion: It is true in­deed, that all these precious Stones are not so hard nor altogether of so full a lustre as the Oriental. This Country is more especially famous for its Mines of Copper, Iron, Silver and Gold; but where are not these to be found? I know not so much as one Province in Germany that does not afford such dis­coveries; altho' Tacitus seem'd to be ig­norant thereof, when he wrote Argen­tum & Aurum propitii an irati Dii nega­verint [Page 41] dubito, nec tamen affirmaverim, nullam Germaniae venam, aurum argen­tumve gignere, quis enim scrutatus est? I doubt whether the Gods have deny'd these People Silver and Gold as a special favour to 'em, or as a Curse; nevertheless I durst not affirme that no Mines in Germany produce either of these noble Metals; for who has made an exact search into those Parts? The Silver-mines of Saxony and the Dutchy of Lunenburg are noted throughout the World, and I know where there is one of Amethyst, almost of as good a quality as those in the Le­vant. Many different sorts of 'em are found along the Banks of the Rhine, and there are some Places where the Pea­sants gather Gold in certain little Bas­kets, which they leave in the Water for that purpose. Henry IV Sirnam'd the Great, King of France, caus'd divers Medals to be stampt with this Inscrip­tion, EX AURO FRANCIGENA AD RHENUM EFFOSSO. I know not how to make an end of writing on this subject, but I have already talkt too [Page 42] much, and am afraid of trespassing any longer on your Highness's Patience.

AT PASSAW,

I met with a very rare Curiosity: Your Highness is sensible that this City was formerly one of the most consider­able in Germany, that 'tis situated in Bavaria, and that 'tis under the Pro­tection of its own Lord, who is always the Bishop of that Diocess: It was ac­cidentally or rather by misfortune burnt, about five Years ago, insomuch that scarce one fourth part of it remain'd entire, but at present it begins to reco­ver its former Grandeur: It is water'd by the Danube, that receives two other Rivers, one of which runs from Inspruck, and is as large even as the Danube it self; but the other flows from the North being much less, and this last is the Ri­ver of which I wou'd mention some­what in particular to your Highness: I was much surpriz'd at the sight of its colour; for 'tis almost as black as Ink, [Page 43] and is intermixt with other Waters without losing its quality. I have been told that the Inhabitants often Fish therein for Pearls, which are very large and round, but not of so bright a lustre as the Oriental; yet some of 'em have been sold for 200 Francs. (15 l. Sterl­ing.) The Elector of Bavaria, to whom this Fishery belongs, takes great care of it, as I have been also inform'd. As for these kinds of black Waters, they are very common in Germany, and I have even tasted some that have an in­tolerable smell and savour occasion'd by Sulphur and other Minerals, with which they are impregnated.

It is also requisite to give your High­ness some account of what has been ob­serv'd by me with respect to the man­ners of the Germans. I take 'em to be as Devout as any other People, and tho' their Religion be different, yet the pra­ctice of a vertuous Life and Conversation and the hopes of attaining to a future happy state, are equal in both Parties: Your Highness wou'd be transported [Page 44] with admiration in observing the Zeal of the Austrians in every thing relating to the Divine service; the Churches are always full; Solemn Processions are made almost every day; and Sermons are frequently preach'd among 'em: They also take care to educate their Children in this Love of Holy Duties, so that it may be affirm'd that they are devout both by Custom and Inclination, and this is the greatest obligation they have to their Prince: Their Piety has been no less Conspicious abroad than at home, and the very Stones themselves seem to declare the same thing in the streets of Vienna; that is to say, the Churches, Monasteries and Hospitals which have been founded by 'em. The Lutherans do not enjoy the publick exer­cise of their Religion in this City, but in Strasburg, Francfurt, Ratisbone, Augsburg, Ʋlm, Stugart, and other places where it is predominant, they appear very intent and exact in their de­votions: They observe the Sabbath with a great deal of Circumspection, [Page 45] and Religiously meet in their Churches at the times appointed for Prayer and the Exposition of the word of God: They that follow Calvin's Reformation, are more averse to Ceremonies, and re­trench as many of 'em as they can. I have known some among these People that were of an upright Heart, and of most sound Principles: But thus much may be sufficient for a Physitian to talk of Divinity.

As for the rest, the distinction of Re­ligions is here no impediment to Trade and Commerce, neither does it produce any heats or animosities among the Peo­ple, who do not intermix any thing of this difference in their ordinary Affairs; which brings to my remembrance the History of those Countries of Barbary, where the Negro's live promiscuously with the White People; who are so far accustom'd to this diversity of Colour, that they do not so much as take the least notice of it. But the Germans are more cautious in matters relating to the publick Interest; for in that point every [Page 46] one is mindful of his Party, adhereing to one and abandoning another without exception. However it must be ac­knowledg'd (my Lord) that the dif­ferent Sects have driven Germany as near its ruin, as its Vigour and strong Constitution have supported and still continue to support it; neither is the Disease as yet cur'd, tho' it appears less malignant, because the State is ac­custom'd thereto, and by reason that the Tranquillity which it enjoys, renders it uncapable of making an experiment it self. May Heaven continue to pre­serve it both for its own safety and the advantage of the rest of Europe.

Among all the Countries in which I have Travell'd, I never saw any, where there is less talk of these Divisions than at Vienna, so quiet a temper is to be observ'd there, as if all Men believ'd the seven Sacraments and the Mass: Not that there is any prohibition to dis­pute about matters of Religion as in Turky; it proceeds from their love of Peace and Tranquillity, all Persons find­ing [Page 47] it to be their Interest to be silent; and perhaps the Emperor himself may find means to augment his Authority, by maintaining the Privileges of each Party, and by discountenancing Par­tiality. The domestick Broils of pri­vate Families may tend to the Distur­bance of the State, whereas a profound silence as to these Matters preserves its Union, and makes its settlement more durable.

The Germans take much delight in good chear, as 'tis generally reported and believ'd; their Voluptuousness in this kind consists rather in the divertise­ment of the Feast, then the rarity and magnificence of the Provisions: In these Entertainments they chiefly seek for Mirth, and those charming transports to which they are excited by Wine: There for a while they insensibly lose that dulness, which is as it were natural to 'em, and their Wits being refin'd by the subtil and hot Vapours, introduce various sorts of Humours, which dur­ing the whole continuance of the De­bauch [Page 48] afford as many Pastimes that are usually terminated in fervent Protesta­tions, extraordinary flights and Passion­ate expressions of Friendship: Others grow furious when an Inflammation succeeds the Heat, and hence arise the German Quarrels. But I wou'd be un­derstood here to speak only of the ordi­nary sort of People, that are born and animated with the Genius of the Coun­try; and by no means of those gener­ous Souls, who are the pure Work­manship of Heaven, from whence they derive their Original, much rather than from the gross Earth. Durst I presume to cite your Highness as a Witness to this Truth? Can it be declar'd to what Nation you belong, since you have the defects of none? Or rather, of what Na­tion may your Highness not be said to be a Member, in regard that you are endow'd with all the good qualities and all the advantages that are natural to every particular one?

Upon the whole, the Entertainments of the Table among the Germans, are [Page 49] not confin'd as every where else, to a certain Place, and to certain Oppertu­nities, but they are us'd upon all occa­sions, they always begin and end with 'em; and it may be avouch'd that in the whole course of their Life and Con­versation, they are the first Matter, of which the rest of their Actions and Af­fairs is the Form. I know not how to desist, (my Lord) this faculty of the Mouth is the vitious part of their na­tural Inclination. But what Nation is there in the World that is free from all manner of Faults? A German Ambas­sador made a smart Repartee to a cer­tain French Man, who let loose the reins of his Ralilery somewhat to far; It is true (said he) the Germans are only Fools in there Cups, but the French are always so: It must also be granted that this de­praved disposition has less Advantage than all others: For it shortens Life, over-loads the Stomach and Waste, makes Giants in breadth and thickness, and finally its most malignant Quality is, that it can scarce be judg'd whether [Page 50] it be a sort of Folly that has its lucid Intervals; or whether it be a kind of Discretion, subject to Weaknesses and Periodical transports, or to speak more politely to your Highness, whether it be an intermitting Folly or Prudence. However, it does not otherwise corrupt the manners of the Germans; for cer­tainly they are the best natur'd People in the World, provided some of 'em be excepted that are not so: They are en­du'd with Probity, Generosity, Court­eousness and a temper entirely addicted to Equity. These excellent endow­ments, are as it were natural to 'em, and to be found even among those that have no advantage of Education: Per­haps this is the Reason why they are belov'd of all Nations, altho they do not take any considerable Measures to Court 'em at home, and they have no regard to 'em, but proportionably as they conform themselves to their man­ner of Living. They have a greater stock of Discretion than of quickness of apprehension, and more Judgment [Page 51] than Politeness of Wit: Their Gravity tho' somewhat Terrestrial is of Singular use to 'em as well in the management of important Negociations as in their ordinary Commerce: It also disposes 'em to make great progress in the study of all manner of Humane Literature; insomuch that there are many profound Scholars among 'em, and none that has not some tincture of Learning. The ancient Roman Language is as com­monly spoken by 'em as their Vulgar Tongue; 'tis true indeed, that as Ti­tus Livius was censur'd for his Paduan Dialect, so it may be objected by the way, to the Germans, that their Latin has a small Relish of the High Dutch. Their Polity is none of the most refin'd as being such as is not proper for the constituting of Hero's and Conquerors; but 'tis solid and constant, and able to procure the tranquillity of the State, and the Felicity of the People. The distri­bution of Justice in this Country has no circular motion, nor all those Chimeri­cal Explications, that serve to eternize [Page 52] the bad Fortune of the miserable. The Judges there are Men and not Demi-Gods as among us.

The Art of Physick is practis'd in those Parts quite otherwise than at Pa­ris, and if you except a small number of its Professors, the latter are more Learned, and the others talk of nothing but extraordinary Secrets and Miracles. One Grain of their black, yellow or white Powder is sufficient (as they say) to cure all sorts of Diseases, but the e­vent does not answer their Promise. They that have study'd most have not the greatest employment in that Coun­try no more than elsewhere: The hap­piness of a Physitian is there owing to a certain blind Fortune, that I know not how to explain to you, but which usually depends upon the vogue of the common People, I mean those that un­stand nothing at all of the Art. A sick Person is easily perswaded to resign him­self into the hands of an Empyrick, that promises him a Cure within Twenty four Hours, but he is often not in a con­dition [Page 53] to return thanks to his Doctor. Therefore I make a great difference be­tween a Doctor of Physick and a true Physitian.

The Germans are not so magnificent as some other Nations, but I take 'em to be at least as rational, and they ought rather to be call'd good Husbands than Niggardly Misers. But I am speaking here only of the common People, and not in the least of the Princes, nor of those great Personnages, whom the Divine Providence has ordain'd to exercise au­thority over others, who only seek for an occasion of doing good, and (as Ta­citus has it) make no other account of Riches than to distribute 'em. I have even had sometimes experience of their Generous Bounty, for his Imperial Majesty in particular, has thought fit to honour me with a Golden Chain, which I shall keep during my whole Life as a mark of my good Fortune.

The Germans count it Honourable to protect the oppressed, and to do all manner of Offices of kindness to 'em, [Page 54] yet the Maxim is not general; but I speak of the most part. These Peo­ple are also Wealthy, and altho' they have not so great store of Gold as others, nevertheless they have in their own Country all sorts of necessary Provisions, without being beholden to Foreigners, and are much more content; is not this then to be richer? I shou'd not know where to conclude, if I shou'd continue to enumerate all their good Qualities, but they are much better known to your Highness than to me, and there­fore I am well assur'd that you will take 'em into farther Consideration.

I Remember, and perhaps too late, that I have tir'd your Highness's Pati­ence with a Relation of many Imper­tinent things that are not worthy of your notice: Therefore to leave off where I began, I must reiterate my Pro­testations that I was only willing to obey, because you were pleas'd to lay your Commands upon me. If I have not found means to give satisfaction to your Highness; I doubt not but that [Page 55] your Justice and Generosity will be so great, as to impute the defect, to my incapacity, and nevertheless to be fully perswaded of my unfeigned Zeal for your service, and of that profound Res­pect with which I shall always en­deavour to approve my Self,

ƲLM,

In the Musaeum or Repository of M. Weicthman, which seems to me so much the more admirable, in regard that 'tis entire, and has been preserv'd without the use of any Balsam or Medicinal Composition. It was found the last age [Page 66] in the Sands of Arabia, where the ex­cessive Heat of the Sun has apparently dispers'd all the Moisture of this Body, which is (as your Highness knows very well) the next disposition to Corruption, and has Communicated to it in process of Time, that preservative Heat, which resists extraneous Impressions, which is observable in its driness, Colour and Lightness. I have read in Herodotus that an Army was over-whelm'd with a Mountain of Sand, which the Winds had Transported, and that many years after, a contrary Wind having remov'd this heap of Sand to its former Place, discover'd to the Inhabitants of the Country the dead Bodies of those Sol­diers, as entire as if they had expir'd the very same day. In the same Re­pository is to be seen a Prodigious quan­tity of choice Rarities, more especially natural Curiosities.

M. Schermeier shew'd me a great stock of Medals, from whence he en­deavours to extract a Collection for an entire Universal History, and for want [Page 67] of the Original Coins which are not to be found for all times, he makes use of a Book call'd PROMPTUAIRE DES MEDAILLES, and of every thing that may contribute to the compleating of his Design. He also us'd the greater part of the Prints and Devices that be­long to another Book, which bears the Title of FRANCE METALLIQUE. However, I took the liberty to acquaint him, that these two Books were of no reputation, and that the Learned more especially, the inquisitive Antiquaries had dis-approv'd the Fictions with which they are fill'd, since that which is useful in this matter ought always to be grounded upon Truth, and on Ori­ginal Pieces. He seem'd to be extremely surpriz'd to hear so bad News of two Books, which were very much esteem'd by him. However his Preparatives for this Work are curious, and contain di­vers very considerable Draughts.

What is there to be declar'd to your Highness concerning the City of Ʋlm, that is not already known to you? Cer­tainly [Page 68] there is nothing conceal'd from your knowledge, that relates either to its Interest, condition or strength. I need not tell you that 'tis situated upon the Danube, which there begins to ex­patiate, and to assume that Swiftness, which is proper for the principal River of Europe. Eleven Bastions that encom­pass this Town have rescu'd it from the Desolation which the last Wars carry'd throughout the whole Continent of Ger­many; but the Honour it has had to make Alliances with your Highness, is in my opinion the most illustrious Pledge of its safety. Minerva's Bird incurr'd the hatred of all the others, but because it was protected by this Goddess, none durst offer it any violence. Your Highness is well vers'd in the Art of making your self belov'd, but per­haps you may be ignorant how far the profound Respect that the World bears toward you may be extended: I per­ceiv'd the number of my Friends to en­crease even as soon as I declar'd my self to be one of your Servants, and [Page 69] when upon any occasion, I thought fit to shew your Picture, and the Chain of Gold, with which you were pleas'd to honour me, I was much surpriz'd at the extraordinary esteem that they had for me. A great Veneration was heretofore paid in Aegypt to those Ani­mals which carry'd the Image of the Goddess Isis, without having any regard to their meanness; I have also perceiv'd in many Rencounters that Honour was done to me, only upon account that the People were desirous of doing it to your Highness. But these considerations ought to be referr'd to a­nother Opportunity, when I may have leisure to insist on 'em more at large. From Ʋlm I pass'd to.

AƲGSBƲRG,

There are not any Cities in Germany more Beautiful, nor more Rich than this, The agreement which the Em­peror Charls V. made there with the Protestants, relating to Luther's Re­formation, and the establishment of [Page 70] their Liberty, which was authoriz'd in the Terms of the Confession of Faith, well known to the World under the ti­tle of the Augustan, or that of Augsburg, will also undoubtedly render this place famous in all Ages. The Avenues, the Fountains, the publick Places, the Town-House, and all the other Edifices are magnificent: But the Emperor, who has a most exact knowledge of all things once told the Magistrates in admiring the Product of such vast Expences, that the Inhabitants of Ʋlm had dispos'd of the publick Treasure to better purpose, when they laid it out in Fortifications, by reason that the Beauty of a Town does not secure its Tranquillity nor li­berty, as the thickness of its Walls and the number of its Bastions. There can be nothing more stately than the Palace of the Fuggers, nor more excellent than the Paintings with which 'tis adorn'd on the outside. It is true, that after having admir'd the Beauties of Art, a Man wou'd scarce meet with any thing that might answer his expectation in [Page 71] taking a particular view of certain Co­pies of Roman Medals, which are there found in some places. It is evident that they have no Originals, and that 'tis difficult to observe in 'em the least foot­step of Antiquity: Upon the Sight of the word Tullius engrav'd on an ancient Piece, it has been thought a sufficient ground to hang underneath it, the Pi­cture of Cicero, altho' the Head in the Medal represents only the Genius of the City of Rome: Men were not so inqui­sitive in those times, as they are now, be­cause they were less learned.

Augsburg has had its share in the Commotions of the last Wars, its Ram­parts which were batter'd by the Swe­dish Cannon, are not so well repair'd, but that some marks of those terrible Assaults as yet appear in 'em; there is also to be seen the Place where the great Gustavus Adolphus caus'd his Army to encamp. It may be reckon'd among the most glorious Advantages of this Place, that it was overcome by this He­ro of our Age; and if Germany which [Page 72] employ'd his Valour, has not been ab­solutely conquer'd by him; it has done in this point somewhat more than all the World together, for the subduing of which there was only requisite one Alexander, or one Caesar. I know not whether the Demi-gods that are so much Celebrated in History, would be now Gustavus's, but I am assur'd that this potent King of Sweden, might well have been the Alexander of the Graecians, and the Caesar of the Romans. These Con­templations are too serious and too re­mote from my present design.

Curiosity it self seem's to be altoge­ther confin'd to the House of M. Tho­man, who spends what time can well be spar'd from the management of the Affairs of the Republick in making a Collection of all manner of Rarities. The ancient and modern Medals are plac'd in the first rank in his Repository, and afterwards the Books, Paintings, Prints, and Jewels: I have also observ'd there a Picture drawn by the hand of Albert Durer as genuine as I have seen elsewhere.

[Page 73]M. Verner is not only a lover of Cu­riosity, but even the very source there­of, from whose incomparable Genius it daily flows, and is distributed to di­vers Parts: For he is the Author of an infinite number of Draughts that de­light the Eyes, and ravish the Imagi­nation. This young Painter has already attain'd to the highest perfection of Art, and excites Jealousie and admiration even in the most able Masters. The King has a great esteem for his Person, and has chosen some of his Miniatures for his own Repository; that is to say, to afford 'em a place among the finest Curiosities in the World. Now what can be added to this Commendation?

In the Church of St. Ʋlric are to be read these Roman Inscriptions, enclos'd in the Wall.

In departing from Augsburg I turn'd towards the South; where I beheld the Sun shining with greater lustre than ordinary; it seem'd to me not to be that Sun which appears every day; its vi­gourous heat animated whatever re­main'd in the Verdant Plains, and seem­ed suddenly to ripen the Corn even in my sight; I perceiv'd that its Splendour serv'd less to disperse the light, than to beautifie every thing that I saw. the Air was altogether pure and gentle, and I drew in by respiration a quickening Essence that gave me as it were a new Life, and a fresh supply of Strength. Then I was throughly convinc'd that Italy was the Inchanted part of the World, and the land of Delights and Pleasu [...]es. I no longer admir'd that it had been the Seat of Glory, and the Inheritance of Conquerors, and that so [Page 75] many Nations resorted thither to seek for felicity since 'tis its very native Country. At the same time I call'd to mind that memorable Passage of Hannibal, which has not been hitherto sufficiently Illustrated, Et montes rupit aceto. i. e. He broke the Rocks with Vinegar. I pass'd as he did, thro' the Alps, without wasting so much Vine­gar; but our designs were altogether different; for he march'd on purpose to carry Fire and Sword to Rome, to destroy the marks of its Grandeur, and I made it my business to preserve, re­establish and publish 'em to the World. The reason (my Lord) is evident, in regard that I altogether apply'd my self to the search of Antiquity, which was not his Employment.

Italy is enclos'd on all sides with Mountains of an extraordinary height; which if they are no longer so many Ramparts for its defence; serve at least as an Amphitheatre to take a view at leasure of that delicate Country From thence I had a fair Prospect of the ad­jacent Plains of

TIROL.

The River Inn, which waters those Plains along an admirable diversity of Landskips, affords the finest Object of Perspective in the World: There I saw the Energy and Vivacity of Nature, as it were in the delightful Representati­on of a Picture, with all the charming Embellishments of Miniature; certain­ly Moses had not greater Transports of Joy when he discover'd the Land of Canaan; indeed there are not any Ri­vers of Milk and Honey in those Parts, but all the Comforts of this Life are there to be found in so great abun­dance, that considering the present state of Affairs, the Holy-Land, which other­wise deserves so much Veneration, might well be esteem'd as a Desert in comparison of this Country. For the Turks, who are now Masters of Palae­stine, get only Milk from their Flocks, and Honey out of their Bee-hives; nei­ther did I ever hear it reported, that they at any time employ'd two Slaves in carrying a Cluster of Grapes, as was [Page 77] done heretofore: It so happens, because 'tis no longer the Land of that well be­loved People, who liv'd amidst Mira­cles, and by reason that the Infidelity which is there predominant has remo­v'd the Blessings.

The Inhabitants of Tirol have every where very fine Crops and spacious Vineyards. Their Wines are excellent; for their Strength and delicious Taste, which are generally apt to be spoil'd in all other Places, are here most exquisite, and give 'em an agreeable Tartness, that pleases and penetrates the Palate both together. Their Cattel are of an admirable Kind; and they have such extraordinary Birds, that even the Hun­ters do not know their several Species: Some of these have been shewn to me, that live only upon the Rosin of Fir­trees; neither have they any other Taste: They are call'd Artagenes, and I remember to have read their Name in Pliny. These Birds are without doubt very dainty-mouth'd to live upon no­thing but Extracts and Quintessences. The Copper-Mines are there so nume­rous, [Page 78] that they supply almost the whole Country of Germany; but the Work­men of Noremberg make more use of 'em than the others, because the Metal which is taken from thence is softer and malleable. Silver is also common in those Parts, and Gold less scarce than elsewhere. A certain private Person who knew not its use desir'd a Permissi­on of the Arch-Duke to cover part of his House with it, and the Answer was suitable to so impertinent a Request, I give you leave, (reply'd the Prince) but I will not be oblig'd to secure it for you from Thieves. That famous Gallery, which is cover'd with two or three thousand Gold Tiles, is at present in the Empe­ror's Possession, and I have been told, that a certain Jew had offer'd one hun­dred thousand Florins for every one of 'em; but a Christian would have bid more, for the Jews are wont to buy Merchandises only after their manner. However, this Pent-house might shelter a great many People from Poverty, who cou'd easily purchase one to defend 'em from the Injuries of the Weather at a much cheaper rate.

[Page 79]All this may perhaps afford but little Satisfaction to your Highness, since an account of much finer Curiosities ought only to be presented to you, and I am very sensible that you have reason to complain of my extravagant Diversi­ons. Therefore (my Lord) I will in­stantly retrench 'em to give you a De­scription of the chiefest Rarities and Curiosities which I observ'd at

INSPRƲCK.

This City has not been ruin'd by the Wars; for the Prudence of its Princes has preserv'd its Civil Tranquillity, and the situation of the Country has defen­ded it from Foreign Assaults; Your Highness well knows it to be inaccessi­ble except in two places, where four hundred Men may repulse forty thou­sand. This is that rich Plain, in which the Arch-Dukes of Austria have fixt the center of their Treasures. Ferdinand caus d the Castle of Amras to be built at the distance of half a League from Inspruck, and there (my Lord) I saw those Rarities, a particular Account of [Page 80] which will (as I presume) be accept­able to your Highness. M. Roland, who is the Governour of the said Castle, gave me entire Satisfaction in this Matter; his Merit is extraordinary, and his man­ner of Deportment the most obliging in the World. I had Commendatory Letters from his Imperial Majesty, which gave me admission into all the Appartments, but I perceiv d in the Governour's being so extremely offici­ous to me, that he was not only ready to obey the Orders, but that he had also a particular Respect for the Bearer of 'em, and that I cou'd not come off, without acknowledging that I ow'd the sight of so many rare Curiosities purely to the Emperor's favour, being also oblig'd to him, for part of the de­light I had taken in the viewing of 'em.

After having observ'd the Out­works of the Castle, its Situation, the order of the Buildings and the Fortifi­cations, I enter'd and apply'd my self entirely to the Enjoyment of those in­comparable Treasures. The first things that offer'd themselves to my view, [Page 81] were some of those sorts of Stones, of which the old Romans were wont to make use to mark the distances of Pla­ces, which were counted in those times by tertio aut quarto ab Ʋrbe Lapide, i. e. The third or fourth Stone from the City: Some of 'em had no Inscriptions, and those that had any, were conformable to what I have read in ancient History.

From thence I pass'd into two Gal­leries full of all sorts of different Armour, which are now in use, and were so in former Ages: They induc'd me to make this Reflection, that Men notwithstand­ing that they might wear Skins of Iron and Steel, or at least, Cloaths made of those Materials, were nevertheless nei­ther invulnerable nor immortal. I there saw the Arms of the two Maxi­milians, of Charles V. and of some o­ther Emperors, as also those of Fran­cis I. King of France, with the Garment which he wore at the Battel of Pavia, which makes me call to mind, that I had already seen one in the Repository of Brussels, so that he either put on two Suits of Cloaths on that day, or they [Page 82] were divided on purpose to spread a­broad the fame of the Victory, at Brus­sels and Inspruck. There are also to be seen those of Charles IX. King of France; of Ferdinand and Philip Kings of Spain; of Don John of Austria, and of many other Princes. I was told that these last were the very same that he wore at the famous Battel of Lepanto. But I spent some time in viewing those of Alexander. Farnese Duke of Parma Go­vernour of the Low-Countries, recolle­cting what I had read in Strada con­cerning the notable Exploits of this Prince: I know not whether any thing were wanting to his Merit; but I am per­swaded that his History cannot be better writ, and that even the actions of Achilles and Alexander the great are not set off to more advantage by Historiographers than his. I admir'd the Arms of Solyman the Great, which as yet strike Terror into the Minds of Beholders, and I re­member with some Consternation, that this Ottoman Emperor once caus'd the whole World to tremble. The Arms of the most part of the renowned Gene­rals [Page 83] of these later Times, are in like manner kept in the same Repository. The Arch-Duke Ferdinand made this Conquest; cou'd any Man proceed farther (my Lord) than to disarm so many Heroes? But this was only an amicable Conquest, this Prince who was the most excellent Antiquary of all that govern'd in his Age knew well what value ought to be set upon those precious Spoils; He was desirous to ob­tain 'em every where, and was even sometimes prevented: I am apt to be­lieve that they were offer'd to him, lest not being sought for, they shou'd not have the good Fortune to be so glori­ously consecrated.

At the end of one of the Galleries, I saw the representation of a Giant and a Dwarf, the living Originals of which had sometime resided at Vienna. Indeed this exorbitant inequality of Stature be­tween two Men, is a very strange thing; the Elder of these was not able to reach with his Hand to the Navel of the o­ther, yet a Ballad was made concern­ing a Box on the Ear, which was gi­ven [Page 84] by this Dwarf to the Giant: It is true, that the later stoopt to take up the Emperor's Glove, who had let it fall on purpose to facilitate the giving of the Box o' th' Ear. These sports of Nature are still much esteem'd at Vi­enna, either because her Ability in for­ming Men of quite different sorts and sizes is there admir'd; or her Error in sometimes making much more, or else much less than she ought. Their Im­perial Majesties likewise maintain some of these Giants and Dwarfs in their Court, whom I cou'd never behold without a kind of Horror, in regard that they are so far from the ordinary proportion and size of other Men.

In a spacious Hall are to be seen all the several sorts of Garments which the Turks are wont to wear both in their Houses and in the Camp. There are many rich Vests in which the price, quality, quantity and colour of the Stuff of which they are made, shew the natural Disposition of this Nation to Luxury and Magnificence. This man­ner of attiring surpasses all ours, that [Page 85] are introduc'd purely by a fantastical Humour, and the continual change of which denotes but too much Levity. If we cou'd be once perswaded to imi­tate this August manner of Apparel­ling, and to appear in these magnifi­cent pieces of Drapery, perhaps we shou'd continue the use of 'em, and our Fashion might turn to a settl'd Cu­stom as among the Levantines. And indeed, these Infidels have got the ad­vantage in this respect, insomuch that one of their Visiers, one day told the Venetian Ambassador, that the Christi­ans were apt to deride, but were not well clad: The Venetian might have reply'd elsewhere than at the Port; 'tis true, but 'tis pity to see such Swine as you attir'd with the Ornaments of So­vereign Princes. I also observ'd there, Turbans of a hundred various Fashi­ons, and one wou'd not imagine, that they had all the same use: The finest of 'em have a kind of stately Air, and notwithstanding whatever our nice Fashion-mongers may affirm to the contrary, these Mountains of Linnen-Cloath [Page 86] that serve so well to adorn the Heads of these Barbarians, wou'd not disguise our Hero's; for they really im­plant Grandeur and Severity in the Countenance, which wou'd even set off Majesty it self. Afterward I took a view of divers Cimeters or Hangers of great value for the rich Ornaments with which they are cover'd, and also upon account of their rare Temper, so that Fury it self might well go to work with these Weapons. Lastly, all man­ner of choice Rarities of this Country are to be found Here.

In the same Hall are two Figures that represent two Turkish Lords on Horse-back, and I observ'd in 'em as great an Air of Grandeur, Gravity and Stateliness, as is possible for Art to ex­press in Copies, but 'tis probable that the Originals were quite another thing. One of these Personages was Aga of the Janizaries, and the other Beglerbeg or Bassa of Offen or Buda. They were ta­ken Prisoners upon different occasions, and gave as a part of their Ransom their most sumptuous Equipage; which [Page 87] is very carefully preserv'd, and well deserves to be so: For not only the Garments, but the Horse-cloath, Sad­dles and Bridles were all beset with Ru­bies, Emeralds, Grenats, Topaz-stones and Pearls, being so many profuse Treasures.

I enter'd another Gallery full of Paintings of the best Masters, although it must be acknowledg'd that they are not all choice ones as those at Vienna. I apply'd my self more particularly to the viewing of the Portraiture of a cer­tain Hungarian Noble-man, which is not so much to be admir'd for the ex­cellency of the Draught, as for the Pro­digy which it represents, viz. a Wound made with a Lance in the Eye, which penetrated into the Substance of the Brain, even to the hinder part of the Head, and yet did not prove Mortal. This is a Secret of Nature, that is al­together hid from us, and which con­founds all our Argumentations.

I did not allow my self time suffici­ent to examine these Paintings in par­ticular, because I was diverted by the [Page 88] variety of other things that were not so common. Amidst a great quantity of Stags Horns, which are there very extraordinary, I observ'd one as it were mortis'd in a Trunk of Oak, so neatly that the Artifice cannot be per­ceiv'd; it was cut on purpose to be plac'd among the other Rarities. Upon this occasion I remember that pair of Stags Horns which I saw (my Lord) amidst so many others, in your Guard-Chamber at Stugart, which are so in­tangl'd one with another, that they seem still to express the Fury of the two Animals, which wou'd never cease but with their Life.

The same Gallery seems to be divi­ved into two by twenty Presses, twelve Foot high and six broad, where all the richest and choicest Rarities are depo­sited: In the first are contain'd divers pieces of Alabaster and Marble, whose Colours and various Figures dazzle the Eyes of the Beholders: In the second is a vast quantity of Glass vessels, and every thing that can be imagin'd inge­nious in the Art of Glass-work: In the third is Coral of all kinds and of all [Page 89] sorts of Colours, viz. white, red, black, grey and violet-colour'd: There are some pieces of it in the form of Plants, Shrubs and Branches, and others are wrought in the shape of a Man's Head, of a Rock, of a pair of Beads, and an infinite number of other Figures: in the fourth are found wrought Precious-stones both ancient and modern, the most part of which are Agats, Jaspars and Cornelians: There are also Rocks beset with Pearls and rich Stones; and in short, the Jewels of this nature are so numerous, that this Press alone is an inestimable Treasure. In the fifth are preserv'd Urns of red Earth, and others of Porcelane of China and Japan, among which are observ'd some counterfeit; they are the common ones that come from Holland, which have been put in vogue on purpose to save a greater ex­pence: But do not imagine (my Lord) that they are plac'd there to make up the number, there is a quite different design and meaning as to this matter: For super fine things ever appear more illustrious, when accompany'd with [Page 90] ordinary ones, and the Comparison made between 'em serves to enhance their Value. Thus an Aethiopian is sometimes painted standing near a beau­tiful Woman, and it tends to her ad­vantage; for the Deformity that ap­pears at her side, serves as a foil to set off her Beauty with more charm­ing Lustre: Thus the light of a Torch that grows pale in the Sun, shines bright and sparkles in the dark.

In the other Presses are contain'd Curiosities of all sorts, but a larger Description of 'em wou'd tire your Highness's Patience: Therefore I shall leave it to speak only of those kinds of Matters, of which you seem to require a more exact Account. There is a Collection of ancient Gold Medals from Julius Caesar to Heraclius; being the most perfect of all that ever I saw, both with respect to the number of the Coins and their Beauty: It wou'd be very difficult, if not impossible, to find else­where any Medals that are more rare, or have been better preserv'd. There is also another Collection of those of the [Page 91] Consuls and Emperors, and a prodi­gious quantity of Silver-Medals, but those of Copper are infinitely more precious than all the others. None but a Prince so much addicted to Cu­riosity and so Learned, cou'd be capa­ble of making so good a Choice, or of defraying the charge of so expensive an Undertaking. When his Imperial Majesty shall have joyn'd these incom­parable Pieces to as many others that are in his Possession at Vienna, I am per­swaded that his Repository, and that of the King, will be the largest and most considerable. Is it not reason­able that the choicest Rarities shou'd be shar'd between the two greatest Princes in the World, and that those venerable Monuments of Antiquity shou'd find such secure Sanctuaries, against the injuries of Time, and the accidents of bad Fortune.

It is now time to declare somewhat to your Highness concerning that in­comparable Arch-Duke, who in en­deavouring to gratify his Curiosity and to divert himself, found means to ad­vance [Page 92] his Glory; neither did those cu­rious Enquiries, exhaust his Spirits, but only afforded some Relaxation to his noble Soul, which was by that means better dispos'd to the practice of Ver­tue. His Life was as glorious as pro­fitable to the Age in which he liv'd. The Siege of Sigeth in Hungary, which he forc'd the Turk to raise, is an ever­lasting Monument of his Valour, and the Treasures of the Roman History, which he has re-collected and re-esta­blish'd in their primitive Lustre, will be so many Heralds to proclaim the great Obligations which he has laid upon all his Posterity, and more espe­cially upon the Republick of Learning. If so great Veneration is usually paid to the Memory of Historians, only be­cause they have transmitted some Co­pies of Antiquity, with what tran­sports of Zeal ought we to express our Gratitude to a Prince who has furnish­ed us with the very Originals, and gi­ven us the Enjoyment even of Antiqui­ty it self? A Roman Senator who was advanc'd to the Imperial Dignity, e­steem'd [Page 93] it an honour to his Family, to reckon Tacitus the Historian among his Ancestors: Who then can doubt but that the Princes of the House of Austria do still call to mind with great delight, that an Arch-Duke of their Noble Stock, has been the Restorer of Truth, and of so many Rarities of which we had been almost entirely de­priv'd by Ignorance and the injury of Time? This one Consideration of his Merit is alone sufficient to supply us with Matter for a Panegyrick.

It may not be improper to add a Word or two concerning the Library, since it ows its original to this Prince: There are not any Books contain'd therein, but such as are more correct and of the best Editions. I have ob­serv'd a considerable number of 'em, that more especially treat of the My­steries of the Curious, as also many that I did not know, and perhaps such as are not to be met with elsewhere. The Portraiture of the greater part of those Authors whose Learning has made 'em famous throughout the World [Page 94] serve as the peculiar Ornaments of this Library. This indeed, is properly to asso­ciate the Fathers with the Children, to place the Learned amidst their Books.

I know not how to leave Inspruck, without mentioning to your Highness certain brazen Figures or Statues, which I saw in the principal Church. They are Twenty eight in number, about nine or ten Foot high, and altho' the Materials of which every one of 'em is made, amount to the value of two or three thousand Crowns; nevertheless the Workmanship is infinitely more precious. I there discover'd many Em­perors and Arch-Dukes; and took par­ticular notice of the four Dukes of Bur­gundy, and their Heiress Mary, whose Wealth and Power have render'd the House of Austria formidable to all Eu­rope. There was no need of reading the Names that are engrav'd over these Statues, I knew the very Air of their Countenance, which I had before ob­serv d in so many Medals and Prints, and the Proportion is so exact, that I easily distinguish'd 'em, even at the first sight. [Page 95] These Images are also represented up­on Brass Cuts and illustrated, with an Historical Description, so that they may well deserve a place in a Prince's Repository: If your Highness be of this opinion, I shall take it as an Ho­nour to be permitted to augment your Library with a Set of 'em, which I have in my Possession.

It is very difficult to give a good de­scription of the Genius or natural Dis­position of the Tirolians; who are nei­ther Italians nor Germans, but both to­gether. There may be some variety of Matter, with which to entertain your Highness, concerning the Judg­ment that ought to be made with re­spect to these People, who equally partake of the Qualities of two very dif­ferent Nations that border upon 'em. For a Question has been propounded long ago, whether contrary Tempe­raments are brought to Perfection, or spoil'd in the Mixture: Some Persons affirm that the Quickness and Subtilty of Italy is meliorated by being some­what allay d with the Phlegmatick [Page 96] Temper of Germany, and that this Phlegm likewise stands in need of Vi­vacity to animate it: Others are of o­pinion, that this subtil Spirit beyond the Mountains, has its tincture of Me­lancholy, which serves to set it off, that a mixture of a grosser sort of Blood wou'd diminish its lustre, and that the slowness of the Germans has a Solidity, which cannot be refin'd without weak­ning it. Your Highness is a much more competent Judge than I, what Party 'tis requisite to follow, but if you shou'd enjoin me to declare my opinion as to this matter, I wou'd en­treat you to permit me to do it only to your self in private.

To take breath again a little, will your Highness vouchsafe to give me leave to speak a Word or two to you concerning my Host at Inspruck. Upon account of the uncertainty of my abode in this Town, which might perhaps continue for some days, I order'd my Servant to treat with him about my Expences, and they agreed for two Florins and a half a day, nevertheless [Page 97] when he was ready to pay according to this Price, the Landlord wou'd not be satisfied, and alledg'd for an Excuse, that the Entertainment indeed did not exceed the Price agreed upon, but that he was oblig'd to act conformably there­to only with the ordinary sort of Peo­ple; that for a Person of Quality as I was, the Price ought to be proportionably enhanc'd; that he was asham'd not to have a greater regard to me than to o­thers; and that he knew too well the Honour and Respect that was due to me, to stand to his first bargain. This was not altogether to pay for Quality, but 'twas a Device to put me upon pur­chasing Respect at a very dear rate.

I left Tirol, and repass'd the Alps in the same place, to get into the Road that leads to

MƲNICK.

So many great Idea's of those things that I saw there, still present themselves to my Mind, as may be sufficient to ju­stifie my detaining of your Highness for a Moment: This City is moderately [Page 98] large, well built, extremely populous and very rich. All its Outworks and Avenues lie open and waste, and the nearest Villages are situated at a great distance, so that a Man enters a Plain convenient for Hunting, even as soon as he has set a foot out of the Gates. I hap­pen'd to arrive there at a very season­able time, for the whole Town was ta­ken up with a pompous Solemnity ce­lebrated in memory of the famous Bat­tel of Prague: Your most Serene High­ness is not ignorant how much this Vi­ctory contributed to the good Fortune of its Prince, for it secur'd the tranquil­lity of his Dominions, caus'd the Electo­ral Dignity to pass into his Family, and made him Master of the upper Palati­nate; all which advantages cannot but wonderfully augment his Power and Authority. The State and even private Persons spar'd no cost to honour the Fe­stival, and Joy appear'd on all sides in the sumptuous Apparel and Feastings, as also in the Fire-works, Illuminations, the discharging of Artillery, &c. Their Electoral Highnesses invited the People [Page 99] by their Example to return thanks to God for the gaining of this Battel, and thus Piety and Religion were no less en­gag'd in the Solemnity than Magnifi­cence and Divertisements.

This Festival was follow'd by ano­ther appointed for the Birth-day of the Elect'ress. The whole Court shone as it were with a new lustre, there was no other talk than of Pleasure, and Germa­ny seem'd to endeavour to surpass it self, by the profuse Expences that were laid out upon this occasion, and the utmost extent of Gallantry. The Sumptuous­ness of the Feasts appear'd in the good Chear, in the Treasures of Silver-Plate that were set forth; and in the Con­sorts of Musick, which serv'd to quic­ken the Delights. The Principal Ladies of the Court waited upon their Electo­ral Highnesses, and nothing cou'd be more rich and splendid than their At­tire; insomuch that I fancy'd that I saw Apollo and Minerva attended by the Muses and their Nymphs. The Come­dy, the acting of which had been de­ferr'd for some days by reason of the In­disposition [Page 100] of the Elect'ress, was then represented with greater advantage: It was taken out of an Italian History, and call'd Adelaide, in Honour of the noble Personage for whom it was com­pos'd.

Nothing appear'd to me more state­ly than the Carrousel, which was per­form'd in a cover'd Manege or kind of Theatre, separated from the Palace on­ly by a small Canal. The Elect'ress was conducted to her Balcony by the Elector himself, and two Galleries situ­ated one over another, that take up the whole compass of the Building, were fill'd with Spectators, who were at first surpris'd by the Consorts of Musick that appear'd in Pageants made in the form of Ships, every one of which was drawn by six Horses; when these Machines were brought under the Balcony of her Electoral Highness, the Musicians be­gan to play and Sing their Parts; nei­ther was there any need of Divination to conjecture that they were Sonnets of Praise, compos'd on purpose for the So­lemnity. This Delight continu'd above [Page 101] two hours, neither cou'd I perceive any one to be tir'd with it during the whole time; but it was follow'd by a greater and more magnificent Diversion. For four small Bands of Horse, each of 'em consisting of four Horse-men, rode a­bout and shew'd their Bravery and Dexterity, in the swiftness of their Hor­ses, in the exactness of their Course, in the Agility of their Bodies, and in that admirable Facility, with which they were observ'd so fortunately to arrive at the Goal: His Electoral Highness and Prince Maximilian his Brother, ap­pear'd at the Head of the two first Bands, and it was observ'd, that these two Princes, who had won the first Prizes, abated somewhat of their speed, on purpose to leave the Honour altogether entire to their Officers, and to give 'em the Recompence of Glory, and the whole Victory which were due to their Me­rits: This manner of acting has cer­tainly a great Character, and really there is need of a superfluity of Glory to be so prodigal of it. His Electoral Highness is endow'd with all the other [Page 102] excellent Qualities that are requisite in an accomplish'd Prince: It may be per­ceiv'd by his Conduct, that the Heroi­cal Vertues are set on work by Piety, Gentleness and Moderation, which in­spire him with a perfect tranquillity of Mind: When there are no occasions of carrying on a necessary War, he is unwilling to undertake an unjust one; thus he generously regulates his aspi­ring Thoughts, endeavouring to bound their exorbitant Motions, and to di­stribute the sweet Fruits of Peace and Prosperity throughout his Dominions; If his Renown does not make so great a noise in the World, 'tis so much the more solid; thus the Stars of the Fir­mament which dart so little light, are of a value quite different from that of blazing Comets, that cause so much ad­miration in the ignorant Multitude. He takes much delight in Hunting and Fish­ing; which puts me in mind of those of that excellent Emperor Antoninus, Pis­cando & venando oblectatus est. By the means of these innocent Diversions, he gets rid of all other less lawful Plea­sures, [Page 103] and his solid Delights are no de­triment to his Health, Religion, or Secular Affairs.

I shall always remember, even du­ring my whole Life, with the highest sense of Gratitude, the signal Favours which he has conferr'd upon me; nei­ther can I declare 'em more gloriously than to your most Serene Highness. His Electoral Highness condescended so far as to send an Officer to my House, on purpose to shew me the Place of his Residence; that is to say, the Palace which the Elector Maximilian caus'd to be built at so vast an expence, that all Germany was surpris'd at it, and cou'd not comprehend, whence he rais'd a sufficient Fond for the car­rying on of so prodigious a Work. Ne­vertheless this Magnificent Prince de­clar'd, that if he cou'd be assur'd of living ten years longer, he wou'd have it demolish'd, in order to re­build another more stately. However, this noble Pile of Building has so many different Appartments, that besides those which are already possess'd, there [Page 104] wou'd be room enough in the others to entertain the Emperor, the King and the Electors, as conveniently as in their own Palaces. Your most Serene High­ness wou'd be altogether tir'd with so long a Discourse, if I shou'd proceed to give a more particular Account of its Architecture; than which there can be nothing finer; but 'tis affirm'd by some Persons, that there is no such Ar­chitecture to be found, whose Orders take up so vast a space of Ground. There is so great a quantity of Marble, that one wou'd believe it to be the na­tural Product of that Country, and the ordinary Stones of those beyond the Mountains, because they are more scarce in those Parts. There is no Corner, Nich, Gate, nor Chimney, that has not its Statues or Ornaments in Re­lief; but all this disappears at the sight of the Hall of ancient Monuments: There one may reckon up 354 Busts or Statues drawn half way, of Jaspar, Porphyry, Brass and Marble, of all Co­lours, which represent either Graecian Generals or Roman Emperors, and Per­sonages [Page 105] whom either their high Birth, or notable Exploits have as it were im­mortaliz'd. Among other Statues I saw that of Alexander of Macedon, lar­ger than the Life. It has all that ra­vishing design of Antiquity, which in­spirits the Marble, and gives it so live­ly an Air, that less Art is discern'd in it, than a kind of Magical Energy; in­somuch that one may observe at the same time, Valour, Ambition, and that charming Civility, which had so great a share in the Conquests of Asia; In short, Alexander the Great is much better represented here than in the Hi­story of his Atchievements. The o­ther Statues are likewise admirable in their several kinds, and a much great­er quantity of Paper than that which is sufficient for a Letter, wou'd be re­quisite to make particular Reflections on every one of these Curiosities. There are also to be seen a great number of Idols, and Vessels that serv'd for the Sacrifices of the Ancients.

There are two Galleries, one of which is adorn'd with a hundred Por­traitures [Page 102] [...] [Page 103] [...] [Page 106] of Illustrious Personages, e­specially those that were famous for their extraordinary Learning, who were not unknown to me: Upon the Cieling of the other, are represented the principal Towns of Bavaria, as also the Rivers, Castles, and whatever is most remarkable within the com­pass of this Electorate. I saw a Hall of that sort of Work, which the Ita­lians call Stucador, where the Figures are excellent. The King of Sweden, who made himself Master of Munick, met with nothing in this Palace more beautiful than a Chimney-piece made of Stuc, with the Work-manship of which he was exceedingly pleas'd, to that degree that he seem'd to be much discontented that it cou'd not be made a Spoil: But when a certain Lord a­mong his Attendants endeavour'd to perswade him to cause these stately Buildings to be demolish'd, he reply'd, That he had no mind to deprive the World of so great a Rarity. Thus Mag­nanimity appears every where magnifi­cent and 'tis to be endu'd with the true [Page 107] principles of Generosity, to spare the Goods and Estate of an Enemy.

The Appartment of the Elect'ress is admirable, and her Highness was so Gracious as to permit that it shou'd be shewn to me. There is nothing to be seen but Gold and Azure, but that is what I least consider'd: The Furni­ture and Moveables are so sumptuous, and the Attire so splendid, that if I had not known that she was descend­ed of the Royal Stock of Savoy, I might easily have guess'd that this Neatness came from beyond the Alps. Indeed Italy is the very Source of it; so that the rest of the World in this particular Circumstance, is only the Copy of which that Country is the true Original.

I have also this farther Obligation to his Electoral Highness's Favours, that he has thought fit to give me a Sight of his Repository of Curiosities and Medals: For his Highness sent me word that he was to go a Hunting be­times in the Morning, and that he wou'd leave Orders to shew me all [Page 108] things: And indeed, I receiv'd notice from an Officer of the Houshold of the Day and Hour.

I was at first introduc'd into the Ap­partment of the Elector himself, and into a Gallery of Paintings, which were all of exquisite Beauty: In the spaces by which they are separated, divers Presses are fixt along the thickness of the Wall; where I saw as rich Jewels as any that are extant in the World. There is abundance of Precious-stones, and some Oriental Pearls, besides others of the Country, which were taken out of that little River which unloads it self at Passaw into the Danube. In these last, the different progresses of Nature in the bringing 'em to Perfe­ction is more especially remarkable: For some are black, which is the Co­lour of that first Matter that assumes its Solidity: Others are grey, in which it may be perceiv'd that this Matter begins to grow clear. Others again are whitish, and others perfectly white. I plainly discover'd upon these little Creatures the immediate Workman­ship [Page 109] of Heaven, which communicated to 'em by degrees that Whiteness and that Astral Lustre. Then was shewn to me the Garter which the King of Bohemia lost in the Defeat of Prague, where the Devise of the Order is set in Characters of Diamonds. I there took a view of the Works of Raphael Ʋrbin, Albert Durer, and Lucas Leidensis, and particularly admir'd the Draughts of a certain Painter of Augsburg, who serv'd the Emperor Rodolph; but I was much surpris'd at the Tediousness of his Work, there being nothing that comes near it; so that it may be affirm'd that none but Germans can be capable of so great Patience. I also took delight in viewing the Gold-smith's Ware of Si­gismund King of Poland, and the Ele­ctor Maximilian, and an Ivory-Vessel, which his Electoral Highness turn'd with his own Hand. The most part of the Princes and Noble-men of Ger­many have some in-sight in the Mecha­nicks, and perhaps from their Exam­ple, the Grand Signior's Children are instructed therein. The same Practice [Page 110] has prevail'd likewise among the Hun­garian Gentry, even upon a very Poli­tick account; for they pretend by this means to have an opportunity of con­cealing their Quality, when they are made Prisoners of War, and to avoid a Ransom, which wou'd be their ruin.

But I have insisted too long upon these Particulars, when there is occasi­on to say somewhat concerning the Medals, among which (my Lord) I have seen Wonders. A Cabinet of Ce­dar three Foot high, serves only as a covering to another, which is much more precious; 'tis made of Ivory wrought with Figures, the Order, De­sign and Work-manship of which ex­ceed every thing that I have seen else­where in this kind. There are 1400 Gold Medals contain'd in twenty Shel­ves: Their Beauty consists in the con­tinu'd Series of Roman Emperors; for as for the Graecian and Consular, of which there may be three or four hundred, tho' they are exactly counterfeited, yet Truth and Antiquity is altogether wanting to 'em. I was inform'd that [Page 111] a Jesuit, to whose management they were committed, cou'd not satisfy the Elector's Curiosity, by any means than by causing those that were wanting and cou'd be recover'd, to be copy'd in Gold, at any expence whatever. I confess, that these Copies are so accurate, that I was even surpris'd at the sight of 'em, and that I was ob­lig'd to spend some time in the disco­vering of 'em. There are two or three hundred admirable Pieces among the Imperial, which are capable of charm­ing the Eyes even of the most inquisi­tive Beholders. I expected to have seen those of Silver and Copper, but they were not shewn to me. The Of­ficer whom I entreated with all possi­ble Civility, to give me entire Satisfa­ction, reply'd, that he had a Charge to do so, but that he knew of no other Medals than those that I had already seen. I was also inform'd afterward, that they had incurr'd the same Fate with great store of other Riches, that were transported out of Germany be­yond the Baltick Sea.

[Page 112]To conclude, nothing was wanting to compleat the Delights that I took in the City of Munick. But of all the Fa­vours which I receiv'd from the Prince both publickly and in private, that of having enjoy'd his Treasures as I thought fit, to the sight of which very few Persons are admitted, engages me to an acknowledgment; which so no­ble and magnificent Idea's of 'em that are still imprinted upon my Mind will render everlasting.

Prince Herman ought to have the greatest share in this Discourse: He is his Electoral Highness's Favourite, and (as I have reason to believe) his ex­traordinary Merit has procur'd him this Happiness. The Illustrious Name of Furstemberg is also very auspicious; for the Goods of Fortune, and the most sublime Endowments of the Mind are inseparably annex'd thereto; but so many Ages that have honour'd it, have done less for its Glory than the three Princes to whom it now belongs. One single Place of Europe wou'd not be a Theatre large enough for the exer­cising [Page 113] of their Princely Vertues; there­fore Heaven has separated them, and without explaining my self any far­ther (for so ample a Subject is not pro­perly that of a Letter) their Genius is every where the Source of the Political Function, and their admirable Quali­ties the Ornament of the Court.

BAVARIA.

Is a Country of a large extent, and its Climate wou'd render it incompa­rable, were it not that the neighbour­hood of the Alps, shelters it too much from the South: The Plenty which it enjoys of all things requisite for the Su­stenance of Humane Life, does not hinder but that a Traveller may take notice of the necessity there is of some­times having recourse to other Coun­tries: For he cannot sit down at Ta­ble without being put in mind that there is no Wine; neither does the Beer, which in those Parts perhaps is better than in any other in the World, sufficiently supply this defect. For [Page 114] this sort of Drink is only at most a li­quid Paste, which serves to nourish the Belly and Stomach, but does not affect the upper Region of the Brain, to which the Animal Spirits resort to par­take of the Aliments. It is not impreg­nated with those Divine Atoms that inflame the Imagination, and drive away Melancholy, and even Sorrow it self. Indeed the use of Reason may be taken away by drinking this Liquor to excess, but without any Delight, and the Soul languishes under a heavy Oppression. Upon this account it is (my Lord) that your Territories are so much talkt of; and that the People have so great an Esteem for the Wines of the Necker, which noble River con­veys 'em a great deal higher than Stu­gart; as also that they make so good a Return for the Pains that are taken in Transporting 'em so far.

The Riches of this Country are not divided; neither are they to be found any where but at Court and among the Clergy, all those that are below this Quality having no share in 'em. The [Page 115] same Custom is not observ'd there as in other Places, where the Coin circu­lates through all the parts of the State, and enriches the People of all Conditi­ons: The Gentry, Priests, and Monks are wealthy, but the Peasants languish under a sordid Poverty; so that this Dispensation may be said to be the per­fect Idea of that Statue of the Prophet, which had the Head of Gold, the Bo­dy of Silver, and the Feet of Clay. But the Case is quite different (my Lord) in your Dominions; for the Peasants of Wirtemberg do not stand in need of any thing, as enjoying not on­ly whatever is necessary, but also that which is convenient, even to all those comforts and delights that this World can afford. I observ'd nothing like it in Bavaria, perhaps because I only saw the worst part of the Coun­try, or happen'd to be there in a bad Season.

The Bavarians appear'd to me to be very stupid and clownish, but I do not speak of the Persons of Quality, whom their Birth distinguishes, and [Page 116] their Education renders polite; for the Common People, and the rest of the Scum of the Nation, only deserve this Character. It is almost every where known what course of Life those Wo­men lead, who are met with along the Banks of the Danube, and how lightly they are esteem'd; neither have the Men a greater stock of Merit. It was an apposite saying of Homer, that Ju­piter had taken away Common Sense from Slaves, and Beggers for the most part are altogether Sots. It seems as if Poverty debas'd their Mind, and that their bad Fortune which has left 'em destitute of all things, only allow­ed 'em so much time as to think of Living. Thus their Soul becomes the most unprofitable part of themselves, and notwithstanding their Rational Faculty, they have no more Discreti­on than brute Beasts. But a more sub­til Notion comes in my Mind upon this occasion; is it not (my Lord) that the Divine Providence has proportion­ed Mens Understanding to their For­tune, to accustom 'em to that great [Page 117] inequality, which wou'd incessantly disturb the order of things in the World, if those who are so ill provided for, had so much sense as to know how to resent their Misery? We observe that all Men endeavour to find delight in their respective Conditions, and that this In­clination of every State, is the secret Foundation upon which Civil Society is grounded. And when by an extra­ordinary Revolution, of which there are frequent Examples, we see the Ad­vancement of those of low degree, and the fall of great ones, it so happens (my Lord) because the Understand­ing of the former is enlighten'd, and that the others have lost their discern­ing Faculty, and the knowledge of Good and Evil.

There is a great deal of Religion among the Bavarians, and their Zeal is more especially extended to matters of Controversy: But their Neighbours accuse 'em of neglecting the main Points of it, to adhere to Triffles; they believe that their Religious Wor­ship is vagrant, and that Christianity [Page 118] has made a farther Progress among 'em than it ought. A certain Puritan who bore no great Affection toward 'em, accosted me after this manner: Are you French- Men more enlighten'd, notwithstanding your recourse to the Spring-head? All these foreign Means, all these pretended Intercessions do not con­found you; you are of our Humour, you are of no Religion, and yet cry out for a pure one: If you have broken all measures with Rome, which no longer holds you but by a small Thread, we shall be soon agree'd. I confess, (my Lord) that he shew'd me more kindness than I de­sir'd; but without troubling your Highness with the Answer I made him, which was very large, I shall only insist briefly on the two last Points: I told him then, That there were in France as many true Christians as in any other Place; and that we knew the Distinction which ought to be made be­tween Rome and the Holy See; between the Vicar of Jesus Christ, and the Tem­poral Prince; between the Successor of St. Peter, and the Donatary of Charle­magn; [Page 119] between the Pope and the Poli­tician; that we readily acknowledg'd his Spiritual Supremacy; and that we ad­her'd thereto, not by the means of a String; but by a cordial and voluntary Submission, by Faith and Grace; and that as for our Estates, Goods, Interests, and every thing else that does not relate to matters of Re­ligion; they were independant of His Ho­liness's Dominion, who had no other Sub­jects in the Church than those that be­long to his own Territories and Patrimo­ny. Perhaps this Discourse may be too tedious upon such an occasion, and I shall add no more at present, but that 'tis requisite to take an opportuni­ty to make mention to your Highness of a notable Divertisement, which I saw in your Neighbourhood.

It is not known in France, what is meant by a Sledge, nor what the Wirtschaft is; neither are the Ladies there accustom'd to run at the Ring. I was pleasantly surpris'd to see a Win­ter A-la-mode, or a Winter Travesty; as also Frost and Snow apply'd to the use of Gallantry, and so many exqui­site [Page 120] Beauties display'd in a Plain: The Sumptuousness of their Apparel, and the the Stateliness of their Deportment, re­presented to my sight as it were so many Deities and Amazons: They were most magnificently mounted on Triumphal Chariots, and pass d before my Eyes as swift as Lightning: I know not whether those flying Machines were so many Ships sailing upon dry Land, or Chariots running upon a solid Water: They seem'd to me sometimes to be a crowd of Goddesses in Clouds of Gold and A­zure, that had lately cut the Air and lighted upon the Ground, on purpose to enjoy those Delights that the Winter alone (which they have not in Heaven) is capable of affording 'em. The Sports were different; some were terminated in the swiftness of the Course; and in others, there was Honour to be acquir'd, because there were Victories to be gain­ed. It was a very extraordinary Object to behold a Lady with a Lance in her Hand, endu'd with the sprightliness and and fiery Temper of an Hero; as also to observe Vigour and Fortitude ap­pearing [Page 121] amidst the Charms of Beauty, & a Female Warrior running her self into danger wherever there was any prospect of Glory, with a precipitate Forwardness that shew'd nothing of that Weakness and Timorousness, which is so natural to her Sex. Lastly, (my Lord) the Pomp was so great, that it was less a Career than a spacious Theatre, which reach'd even out of sight, having the Divertisements of the Gods for its Scene, and the lively Repre­sentation of Winter for its Decoration. I know not whether the ancient Romans wou'd have laid out so much expences in the management of their Naumachiae, or Sea-fights represented upon Land, if they had known the secret of Sailing up­on the Snow as the Germans.

I have no Expressions sublime enough to declare to your Highness, what I then thought of the two Princesses of Baden-Durlach. They are always extremely beautiful, but their Attire on that day, their graceful Meen, and their Dexte­rity in performing all the Exploits of the Career transform'd 'em into Heroines. The Princess Catharine Barba, who was [Page 122] dress'd in the habit of an Aegyptian, did me the Honour to ask me how I lik'd her: I answer'd bluntly, That she ap­pear'd to me more charming than Cleo­patra; I ought to have added, and wor­thy of somewhat more than Caesar or Antony; but I had so much the less pre­sence of Mind, as my Eyes were more employ'd in viewing these delectable Objects. The Princess her Sister ap­pear'd likewise in the Garb of a Peasant; and the Lot which divided these sorts of Characters fell very appositely: For the natural plainness and simplicity which she communicated to her Dis­guise, compleated the lively Represen­tation of a Country-Woman in the Per­son of the most beautiful Princess in the World. Insomuch that a certain Stran­ger, who believ'd what he saw in good earnest, accosted her after a familiar manner, seem'd to be well pleas'd with her Company, and after having infor­med himself of part of what he was de­sirous to know, askt her where the Princess Elizabeth was; She reply'd se­riously, without any change of Coun­tenance, [Page 123] that he shou'd see her imme­diately, and that she wou'd not fail to be present at the Ball. Thus the whole Intrigue was pleasantly carry'd on, and the good Man made much sport during the Festival, without knowing any thing of the matter.

At my return, I took particular no­tice of a kind of Foppery, which afforded me an agreeable Diversion, by reason of the relation it had to the manner of the Ancients. In Ʋlm and its Neighbour­hood, the Women and young Maidens usually wear their Hair platted up back­ward, as it were a Mat, which is af­terward ty'd with a Riband. The ve­ry same Fashion prevail'd among 'em two thousand Years ago, at least ac­cording to the Report of Tacitus, Insigne Gentis Suevorum obliquare crinem, no­doque substringere. It is the peculiar Cu­stom of the Suevi, or Inhabitants of Schwaben, to wear their Hair curl'd in­to Tufts, and to tye it with a Knot. This illustrious Historian makes some other notable Remarks concerning these Peo­ple, which may not be improperly ap­ply'd [Page 124] to those of Wirtemberg. It is not known (says he) in those Parts what is meant by Ʋsury, by which means the Peo­ple are more free from it, than if▪ were prohibited by a Law: They do not spare drinking there, and they sometimes spend a whole Day and Night, without giving any occasion of reproaching 'em upon that account: They are very courteous in enter­taining Strangers, and no Nation can boast of being more addicted to Hospitali­ty: The Customs of the Inhabitants are so equitable, that they even surpass the wholesome Laws of other People: They are less corrupted than in any other Part of the World: Nothing is exacted among 'em by Authority; so that the most gentle means as that of Perswasion, are sufficient for the obtaining of whatever one desires. They Adore the Goddess Isis, and offer up to her the greatest number of Sacrifices. These last Words sufficiently explain the Original of so many Altars and In­scriptions, which your Highness has done me the Honour to cause to be shewn to me at Stugart. Tacitus, who never receiv'd any Benefit from the Peo­ple [Page 125] of Schwaben, has frequently afforded divers little Testimonials in their praise, which he cou'd not deny to the Truth of his Descriptions. Indeed I lye un­der an Obligation of making many more, as being better acquainted with the Country than he, and loaded with a multitude of Favours by its Sovereign Prince: But 'tis requisite to be Tacitus, to be capable of doing it effectually, and I am sensible that my Abilities are not sufficient for such an Undertaking.

I shall leave Your Highness to con­template upon these noble Idea's, wish­ing that they may inspire you with so much Gayety of Humour, as may serve to disperse that melancholy, which I fear my unpolish'd and impertinent Discourse has caus'd in your Mind. But Sovereign Princes act in a Sphere so far above other Men; that they ought not to expect any thing of 'em that is worth their Acceptance, or in any wise com­mensurate to their Grandeur: Neither are they wont to despise the smallest Presents that are made to 'em; since their Generosity is such as to acknow­ledge [Page 126] even the first motions of Zeal with which their Subjects are incited either to serve or to divert 'em. Upon ac­count of these Considerations, it is (my Lord) that in doing nothing for your Service, I hope to get some Advantage for my self, and that I presume with so much boldness to assure you that I am, and shall be during my whole Life, with all manner of profound Respect;

Vivendum moribus antiquis, loquendum verbis recentioribus.

It is requisite to live according to the ancient Manners, and to speak with modern Words.

BASIL.

Is the first City that presents it self to my Mind, perhaps because 'twas the first that I saw among those, of which I have some account to give to your most Serene Highness: Its Political Go­vernment, Strength, Alliances and State of Religion, are well known to all Europe, and to your Highness more than any other Person, and so much the rather, in regard that you are Master of some Territories which are distant only a quarter of an hours Journey from thence; as also that you always honour this Republick with your Friend­ship, and often with your Presence. I might perhaps have taken there some singular Observations which wou'd have afforded some Satisfaction to your High­ness. Some of my Friends, who are almost always to be suppos'd Men of Learning, and ever of good Repu­tation, conducted me within two Leagues of the City; here you may be pleas'd to take notice by the way, [Page 134] that my Leagues are equivalent only to the German half Leagues, common­ly call'd Hours, by reason of the time that a Man may spend in passing it on foot with his ordinary Pace. There we view'd the Ruins of that ancient City, which gave to Basil the Title of Augusta Rauracorum, the name of the Village that remains having very much relation thereto; For

AƲGST,

Undoubtedly derives its Etymology from Augusta. The adjacent Country is altogether full of these old Ruins; so that we took much delight in going on foot about the distance of half an hours Journey from the principal Ca­stle, where we perceiv'd in a Forest an Opening, which discover'd to us a vaulted Canal, with some consi­derable remnant of Architecture. It is reported that it serv'd as an A­queduct; for the Place which is si­tuated on very high Ground seems to demonstrate it; but others affirm that [Page 135] 'twas a secret Passage for Forces in case of Necessity; for 'twas as it were the Lodgment of the Germans, who Marching from the Black Forest, call'd Sylva Hercynia in the ancient Maps, endeavour'd to pass the Rhine there, to make their Incursions against the Romans. The principal Castle, which is now known to the Inhabitants of the Country by the name of Das Scolfs, might also have been a part of the Town, and was one of those three with which the Passage of the Rhine was fortify'd, which being lower in those Parts than elsewhere, may be so much the more easily travers'd. Ario­vistus escap'd thither after having been defeated by Caesar, and some time after, Drusus caus'd to be built in the Neigh­bourhood the Burgh of Guards, which still even at this day bears the name of Bartemburg. The Salt-Tower which remains at Basil near the Bridge is built after the same manner, insomuch that it may well be presum'd that those three sorts of Castles, were erected on purpose to discover the Enemies with greater fa­cility, [Page 136] and vigorously to oppose their Passage, on whatever side they shou'd attempt it. However, the Place de­serves all the pains that we took in the viewing of it; and it appears by the name of Augusta, that the Ro­mans were settl'd there, as in a Can­ton convenient for making head against the Germans; as also that they built this Fort of which appear such state­ly Ruins: Nay 'tis very probable that they founded a great City there, as well in regard that this name of Au­gusta was attributed by 'em only to Capital Cities, as Augusta Trinobantum, Augusta Trevirorum, Augusta Vindelico­rum, as by reason of the vast number of Stones and other Materials which are found in the neighbouring Fields, none of 'em being to be seen in those that are suppos'd to have been situ­ated without the compass of the Walls. The Ditches and Walls are in many Places such as they were a thousand Years ago, and the manner of ce­menting the Stones is altogether in­imitable, at least according to the [Page 137] Judgment of the most skilful Masons of the present Age, who acknowledge that they know nothing of the mat­ter, and that they are not able to comprehend it. But that which chief­ly excited our Curiosity was, that the last Towers, of which we reckon'd up nine within the whole Circumfe­rence are all flank'd on the inside, contrary to the Rules of modern Ar­chitecture, which is infinitely more re­gular than the ancient: 'Tis true in­deed, that this method was more ad­ventageous in the Defence of those Times; for the battering Rams which were the strongest Machines, were apt to fly in pieces when run against the Concave of a Tower, whereas they might break it down down if it were Convex. One of our Company af­firm'd, that as in the Amphitheaters, and other Roman Buildings, there were Niches on the inside, in which wild Beasts were usually shut up for the magnificence of their publick Shews, or the Punishment of Malefactors, so these perhaps might have had the [Page 138] like use: However, 'tis difficult to make a right Conjecture, although I had an opportunity to confer with those of the Country that seem to be most expert in these matters, and took delight in turning over the Draughts of 'em made by the Ingenious Amer­bachius.

This Learned Man was of opinion that there was a Theatre compos'd of four Towers, every one of 'em be­ing separated by a Stair-case; so that the Spectators might resort thither at all times through these easy Passages, and place themselves conveniently at their leisure. 'Tis probable that the Thought is true, at least it seem'd to me to be very fine. Therefore I have caus'd two Prospects of this Theatre to be engrav'd according to his Pro­ject and Memoires, with three ancient Inscriptions. The two Former were found in his time, and the third is to be seen in the Musaeum of M. Fesch, to whom a Peasant of Augst brought it a little while ago.

[Page]

[Page 139]I cannot forbear to put your most Serene Highness in mind, how service­able the curious Searchers of Anti­quity have been to the Republick of Learning. Was it not in a deplora­ble Condition even in the time of Constantine, and has it not languish'd for about Twelve Hundred Years? Rome it self was full of Barbarians as well as Barbarity. What Judge­ment cou'd be made of the State of the Provinces, which had no Learn­ing nor Politeness, but what was trans­mitted to 'em from Rome? Humane Literature, has indeed at last recover­ed some Vigour since about an Age or two, but 'tis entirely owing to the Industry of curious Inquirers, who have as it were dug up Learning and Truth that lay bury'd in Oblivion. I cou'd willingly erect a publick Mo­nument to the Memory of so many Illustrious Personages, who have em­ploy'd themselves in this Work to very good purpose, were it not that I remember that I am writing a Let­ter [Page 140] and not a Panegyrick. Give me leave nevertheless (my Lord) to set a part three out of this Honourable Company, whose Merit was extraor­dinary; since this Encomium is due to their Labours, Travels, Expences, and to the design they had of doing Service to the Common-wealth. All these three Heroes were furnish'd with very large Libraries, rare Manuscripts, and most curious ancient Medals. It may be justly avouch'd that Augerius Busbequius that Noble Ambassador, whose two admirable Relations of his Embassies are as yet extant, has en­rich'd the World, and particularly the August House of Austria whom he serv'd, with an infinite number of Manuscripts and Medals, that were in danger of being utterly lost, with­out his Assistance. Monsieur de Pei­resc, Councellour to the Parliament of Ais, was much honour'd by all the Learned Men of the Age in which he liv'd; but Posterity ought to have a greater Veneration for his Memory, [Page 141] although 'twere only upon account of that excellent Treasure of Medals, which he heap'd up: I have had a­bove a Thousand Graecian Coins that were taken from thence; this very Word (my Lord) is precious, and though it be a kind of Riddle to the most part of Mankind, yet 'tis not so to your Highness. This same Mon­sieur de Peiresc was the only Person of his time, that cou'd read the Greek upon the Medals, and was capable of explaining it. Amerbachius, for whose sake I have made this Digression, is the third Hero: I have read many of his Letters all full of Learning and Elegancy; He held Correspondence with the most part of Men of his Tem­per, who then flourish'd, that is to say, with the Learned, and the inge­nious Lovers of Curiosity; but he maintain'd a very strict one with Occo, that illustrious Antiquary and Physici­an of Augsburg. This very Name a­lone deserves Commendation; and if future Ages shou'd forget Amerbachius, [Page 142] the University of Basil which still pos­sesses his Library and Repository, wou'd have sufficient proofs to convict 'em of Ingratitude. But to return to the Discovery which he has made of this Theatre of Augst; without his Descri­ption, it cou'd not now be known what it is, at least it wou'd be very difficult to make a Conjecture. There­fore to illustrate the Idea of it, I have taken care for the Engraving of cer­tain Combats with Beasts, after the same manner as they were order'd a­mong the Ancients, and as they are re­presented to us in their Medals.

I have also caus'd to be engrav'd se­parately, the Figure of divers Curiosi­ties that were found in those Parts. Of the two Silver-rings there express'd, one re­presents the first of the Caesars, with the mark of his Sacerdotal Authority. Was not Religion (my Lord) well go­vern'd at that time? No Man ever spilt so much Blood as this High-Priest; nei­ther has it been so much as reported of any other, that he serv'd as a Man to [Page]

[Page] [Page 143] so many Women, and as a Woman to so many Men. The other Ring shews upon an Agate the figure of a Man leaning on a Column, and holding a kind of Sithe with one hand and an Almond with the other. These two particular Circumstances induce me to suspect, that it may be that Atys, con­cerning whom the Fable makes so ma­ny little Mysteries, with respect to Cy­bele the Mother of the Gods. Between these two Rings there is a small Silver-Jewel in form of a Crescent; which was the most essential mark of the No­bility of those old Romans, who caus'd themselves to be styl'd [...], pre­tending even to be more ancient than the Moon, of which they wore this Representation upon their Shoes and Stockings, whence these Marks also were call'd Lunulae. However, Zona­ras assures us that this Figure was only esteem'd by 'em, because it express'd after their manner the number 100. in Honour of the Hundred Patricians whom Romulus chose to constitute his [Page 144] Nobility. The Figure of that winged Cupid with a burning Torch in his Hand is very rare among the Monuments of Antiquity; nevertheless I remember to have seen in your Highness's Reposito­ry, a Medal relating thereto; it seems as if the Cupid, there represented was about to extinguish his Torch, for grief that he had lost his beloved Ma­ster. The Inhabitants of Tomis, among whom Ovid was banish'd, imagin'd that they shou'd give some satisfaction to the Emperor Caracalla, by putting him in mind of this pretty Device. Besides this Cupid is carv'd to serve as an Or­nament to some Enclosure, which I do not sufficiently apprehend, no more than that which I have set over against it, and which is apparently the foot of a Tripod. As for the three Instruments that lie at the bottom, they were without doubt some of those famous Clasps or Buckles, that were apply'd to so many uses among the ancient Romans; and of which a learned Man of our Time, [Rhodius,] has writ a very large Volume.

[Page 145]Perhaps I might give occasion to Your most Serene Highness to smile at the Simplicity of some Peasants, who seeing us in the Field at Noon-tide with Fire and Candle, took us for Sor­cerers; for they are more inclin'd in that Country to those sorts of Notions than elsewhere, and that which abso­lutely confirm'd 'em in their persuasion, was the sight of one of our Companions, as he was coming back out of a kind of Hole, thro' which it seem'd impossible for any Man to pass. It was the open­ing of a Cavern, thro' which that In­genious Gentleman M. Platerus made no difficulty to get out, with a Lan­thorn in his Hand, after he had taken a view of all those secret Recesses. It may not be improper here to say some­what to Your Highness concerning this M. Platerus, whom they took for a De­vil, or at least for an Inchanter. He is a Professor of Physick, and a Man of ex­traordinary Parts, and of a most Gen­teel Carriage, being the Son, Grand-Son, and as I take it, the Great Grand-Son [Page 146] Son of a Physician, which answers to what was heretofore call'd [...]. The fine Musoeum or Repository of Rarities, which is carefully kept in the possession of his Family, and the E­pigram which Theodore Beza wrote in its commendation are sufficient Testi­monials of the Learning and Ingenuity, of the Proprietaries: There is neither Plant, Metal, Mineral, Figure, nor any extraordinary Curiosity which is not contain'd in this rich Treasury. There are also some of those kinds of Rarities, for which the Roman Catholicks have a greater Veneration than those of the Reformed Religion, and among others a precious Relick of our Blessed Sa­viour's Crown of Thorns. There are also divers Medals, but let us not leave Augst without acquainting Your High­ness that some of 'em are often met with in tilling the ground. I have heard as much of many Persons, and have e­ven seen some of 'em of all sorts of Me­tals. I went myself to the Cottages of divers honest Country-men therea­bouts, [Page 147] who shew'd me some that they had found a few daies ago, and among others I procur'd one of Delmatius, the Nephew of Constantine, with the Labarum or Imperial Standard, and the mark of JESUS CHRIST. I can as­sure you, that in the payment which I made 'em, they twice lookt earnestly upon my Money; nay these ignorant People were so simple as to fear, lest sometime after, it should turn into Oak leaves.

But at Basil they were much other­wise undeceiv'd, and in that City I have seen many Persons of better sence, without doing any injury to the others. There they delight much in Learning and Integrity; which is a Union that is very seldom to be met with, and which affords me extream satisfaction. The Oriental Languages have been al­waies most carefully cultivated there, and the Learned Buxtorfius, who is Pro­fessor of 'em, perfectly answers the Cha­racter which his Father had acquir'd, of being the most Skilful Master of the He­brew [Page 148] Tongue in the World. If M. Wet­stein were as well vers'd in Divinity, as in all the other Parts of Human Litera­ture, it might be avouch'd that he has attain'd to the highest degree of perfection in that Science; but foras­much as I have but little knowledge of Divinity, and less of that sort which is there Taught, I shall leave his Com­mendation to others, who are capable of doing it to better advantage: But I must add that he is the most obliging Person in the World; and that he has a Son who is no less so than himself; whose Youth is adorn'd with as many Sciences and singular Endowments, as are requisite for an able Divine. The Famous Professor Bauhinus has suffi­ciently signaliz'd himself by his Works, without standing in need of my assi­stance, neither will I undertake to compose an Encomiastick in his favour; but only declare him to be one of the most Accomplish'd and Polite Men in the World, that he has a great affection both for me and my Father, and is [Page 149] belov'd by all Persons of Honour. To conclude, this Country is altoge­ther full of such Illustrious Personages, and among others we must not forget M. Battier, who perhaps has attain'd to the knowledge of as many curious Sciences as ever were known in Swit­zerland, and has made very good use of the time which he spent at Paris, in conversing with Learned Men, and particularly with Mr. Justel: He has also a Cousin, whose Name is known to Your Highness. Besides that, the Fa­mily of the Fesch's is one of the most considerable in the City, give me leave (My Lord) to tell you, that 'tis also one of the most Numerous, as it will appear from this single Example. Ro­dolph Fesch Burgomaster, and the Son of a Burgomaster; after sixty years of marriage with Ann Gebveiler, saw one hundred sixty and five Children, be­gotten by himself, his Children, and Grand-Children: One of these is nam'd Sebastian, and has in his possession one [Page 150] of the finest Repositories in Germany. His House is a Palace, and Your most Serene Highness is very sensible, that these Republicans are not only content but well pleas'd with their manner of living; neither could I have ever imagin'd that they were endu'd with so much Politeness. But let us leave the Outworks and enter the Repository it self, where nothing is wanting; for there are Paintings, Sculptures, Books, and other Curiosities of all sorts: As for the Medals (My Lord) since Your Highness does not refuse to honour me so far as to give credit to my Asser­tions without an Oath, I hope you'll take my word in this particular. There are some so singular, that they are sur­prizing; neither have they any rela­tion to the Memoires which I have of other Repositories, or to the Descrip­tions of Authors, or to those that I have seen elsewhere. The Possessor of 'em bears not only the same sincere affection toward me, as all other Ho­nourable [Page 151] Persons of my Acquaintance, but also shews that sweetnes of Con­versation which the Graecians call [...], which is not conformable to what is commonly reported con­cerning the Switzers, who are reputed to be a dull and rustical sort of People: I have sometimes convers'd with, and have held correspondence with 'em in different Countries, and never perceiv'd any such quality inherent in 'em: I have observ'd 'em generally speaking, to be Industrious, Faithful, Accurate, Sincere, Candid, and for the most part very Learned; nay I have been surpriz'd to meet with some, who have attain'd to the highest degree of Politeness. I shall not insist upon their Religion nor Civil Government. These People (as they say) are well vers'd in matters relating to the for­mer, and I am throughly persuaded that they are perfectly well skill'd in the other. I shall only beg leave of your Most Serene Highness to add a [Page 152] word or two, concerning the extream kindness that M. Fesch shew'd me, and in which (My Lord) you have a grea­ter Interest than perhaps you are aware of: He permitted me to take a Draught with a Pen of all those Rare Medals that I have already mention'd to Your Highness: This was to procure me a small Treasure without diminishing his own, and to lay an everlasting ob­ligation upon me, by so great a fa­vour.

Again (My Lord) the Curiosities to be seen in the City of Basil are exten­ded yet farther; for I am unwilling to let slip an opportunity of entertaining Your Highness with the Description of another Repository, which is very much talk'd of, upon account of its Fa­mous Founders, Erasmus and Amerba­chius, whose Memory is highly ho­nour'd in that Countrey, which ac­knowledges them as the Restorers of good Literature. The first of these is Painted half way, by Holbein, and up­on [Page 153] that Picture this very Ingenious Epi­gram was Compos'd:

This Repository belongs to the Uni­versity of Basil, by vertue of a Dona­tion, made by the Magistrates of the City, who had purchas'd it with the summ of a thousand Crowns, of the Heirs of Amerbachius, the Legatee of Erasmus, whose last Will and Testa­ment is as yet preserv'd, written with his own Hand. There is also in the great Church a Sumptuous piece of Marble, wrought according to the Rules of Architecture, which confirms this Account by its Inscription. The Me­dal [Page 154] of Erasmus, to be seen there, seems to have taken its Type from the God Terminus, who is represented on the front of that Inscription, which was made on purpose to honour the Memo­ry of this Great Man.

That, which alone would be suffi­cient to procure the highest esteem for this Repository, is a score of Holbein's Originals, and among others that Pi­cture of Christ Crucifi'd, for which a thousand Ducats have been proffer'd. Those that are ignorant of the admi­rable Skill of this Painter, need only take a journey to Basil to be well assur'd of it. There the Citizens would shew 'em in the Town-House a large Paint­ing drawn by his Hand, or rather eight several Paintings of one Piece, which represent so many different Acts of the Passion. 'Tis in my mind, one of the finest Pieces in the World: And I do not admire that the Deceas'd Elector of Ba­varia thought fit to offer to the City a quantity of Salt, amounting to the va­lue [Page 155] of twenty thousand Crowns, for so choice a Rarity.

Give me leave (My Lord) to ac­quaint you with somewhat concerning this Holbein: He was a Gallant Man, but so extreamly necessitous, that some­times he had not wherewith to pay for his Dinner. In another Painting of the same Repository, are drawn the Portrai­tures of his Wife and Children, whose Apparel argues that they were very lit­tle better supply'd with Necessaries. In a word, this Painting is a Treasure in Raggs. All Travellers usually stop with delight at the corner of a narrow street in Basil, where is to be seen a House, Painted on the outside from the top to the bottom by Holbein's incomparable Hand: Indeed even great Princes might take it as an Honour to have so Curi­ous a piece of Workmanship in their pos­session; nevertheless 'twas only the pay­ment which this poor Painter made for some Meals, which he had there taken: for it was a Victualing-House; the situation of which as well as its [Page 156] meanness sufficiently shews that 'twas none of the most noted. Our Holbein was at last deliver'd out of this miser­able condition, by the Generosity of an Earl of Arundel, from whom was descended that Illustrious English No­bleman, whom Curiosity has as it were render'd immortal, as well as the vast number of ancient Inscriptions and Marbles, as yet to be seen in the The­atre at Oxford, which he had sent for from the Levant and which were so Learnedly and fortunately explain'd by Mr. Selden. This Book, by the way, is very scarce, but if it be not in Your Highness's Library, you need not be concern'd, for 'tis about to be Re­printed, and I have been told that the new Edition will be much finer and larger than the former. This Earl of Arundel, as he was returning (if I mis­take not) from an Embassy to Vienna, brought over along with him Holbein and his whole Family, and advanc'd his Fortune so far, that Holbein him­self cry'd out; Is it possible, that ever [Page 157] I shoud have been so indigent as to be forc'd to Paint to get a sorry livelyhood? These are the effects of the discerning Judgment and generous Disposition of a Noble Lord, without whose Favour perhaps Holbein might have spent his whole life in misery, and alwaies lain hid in Obscurity. Others affirm that he did not pass into England till a long while after, with a Design to get some Preferment; that he at first presented himself to Sir Thomas More with the Commendatory Letters of Erasmus, and that he was entertain'd by him with all possible demonstrations of Kindness. I have seen in the Emperor's Reposito­ry, the Portraiture which he then made of this Famous Minister of State. 'Tis re­ported, that not being able to call to mind the Name of the Ambassador, who had promis'd him his Protection, he hastily made a Draught according to the Idea which he had of his Lineaments, and luckily hit upon the whole Air of his Countenance; so that Sir Thomas immediately knew the [Page 158] Earl of Arundel; thus he found at his fingers ends, that which had escap'd his Memory. Afterwards these two Illustrious Patrons made known his Merit to the World, more especially at Court, insomuch that King Henry VIII. Honour'd him with his Esteem and Friendship, and express'd himself in the most obliging Terms in his Fa­vour to a certain Earl, who had made a complaint of him: I can at my plea­sure (said the King) Create six Earls in in an Hour, but I cannot make one Hol­bein. I cou'd insist on many other par­ticular circumstances, but I shall only mention one here, which will oblige us to resume the Discourse concerning E­rasmus.

When Holbein saw his Book, that bears the Title of Encomium Moriae, or a Panegyrick upon Folly, Printed by Frobenius, in Quarto A. D. 1514. He drew in the Margin certain small Fi­gures, which are all hatch'd with a Pen and make eighty three Pictures; they serve as it were for so many Illustrations [Page 159] of the Text, and are so curiously de­sign'd, that Holbein's Energy might be discover'd, even by this single piece of Work. Upon the Margin of the Title of this Book he wrote these words: Hanc MORIAM pictam decem diebus ut oblectaretur in eâ Erasmus, habuit. This Moria was Painted in ten daies, to the end that Erasmus might be de­lighted with it. Erasmus had a great affection for Holbein, neither cou'd he forbear putting himself in a good hu­mour, at the sight of his Book, which he found so well embellish'd, and to add very pleasant Devices to some of these small Draughts. I took particu­lar notice of three, which perhaps may afford some Diversion to Your most Serene Highness.

In pag. 53. The Text has it, Ne vi­dear Erasmi mei Commentaria suppilâsse. Lest I shoud seem to play the Plagiary with the Works of my Erasmus. Holbein places in the Margin Erasmus sitting and writing in a Book upon a Desk, af­ter the same manner as he was wont to [Page 160] paint him, and even as he was repre­sented by Albert Durer. Erasmus see­ing himself drawn, in somewhat too good case, wrote upon the Book, which was adorn'd with the Figures ADA­GIA ERAS: and underneath, Quum ad hunc locum perveniebat Erasmus, se pi­ctum sic videns exclamavit Ohe, Ohe, si E­rasmus talis esset, duceret profecto Ʋxo­rem. When Erasmus came to this Place, and saw himself Painted after such a manner, he cry'd out, Heigh ho! if Erasmus were so lusty a Fellow, he wou'd certainly mar­ry a Wife.

In pag. 54. on the right side of these words; Sed multò candidius pinguis ille ac nitidus Epicuri de grege porcus: But that fat and slick Swine of Epicurus 's Heard wou'd appear much more beautiful. Holbein Painted a jolly young Gallant, sitting at a well furnish'd Table; drink­ing a Bottle of Wine, which he held in his left hand; and with his right em­bracing a Lady of Pleasure, that sate by his side. But Erasmus wrote under­neath, HOLBEIN, imagining, that [Page 161] his meaning wou'd be very well un­derstood, even by this single word.

In the following Page, over against these words, Scoti Anima, Scotus 's Soul; the same Painter drew an Infant, shav'd after the Monastick fashion, to repre­sent the Soul of that Famous Author of Scholastick Divinity, with the marks of his Order, which I cannot describe more decently. Erasmus pleasantly subjoyn'd, Scoti anima cacat stulta Logi­calia: Scotus 's Soul cacks Logical Toyes.

But this Repository contains many other things, that is to say, all the Cu­riosities that were gather'd together by Erasmus and Amerbachius; among these the Seal, Library and the greater part of the Moveables of the former, are pre­serv'd with the highest esteem: There are also some Manuscripts of Amerba­chius, which are no less precious, and there I observ'd those Curious Draughts of the City of Augst, that were deline­ated by him, and of which I have al­ready made mention; besides four con­siderable Sets of ancient Medals, viz. [Page 162] Greek, Consular, Imperial of Silver, and Imperial of Copper; neither do I re­member to have elsewhere seen the Golden Medal of the Empress Plotina. Altho' Erasmus app [...]rently was not in a condition in the beginning of his Life to lay out so great expences, neverthe­less the liberality of Princes, by whom he was very much esteem'd, enabl'd him to do it: For he receiv'd from 'em many Presents, which he celebrates in his Epistles; and 'tis even reported that if the Pope's untimely Death had not happen'd, he wou'd have been ad­vanc'd to the highest dignities in the Church.

However, this is not the first time that he has been decry'd by all Parties: Those of the Reformed Religion are also sensible that he did not approve their Innovations, and that he was desirous of Reformation, of a different nature from theirs. The Lutherans cou'd ne­ver forgive him for writing in his Books: Poteram in Lutherana factione esse Coryphaeus, malui totius Germaniae in [Page 163] me odia concitare, quam à Sacrosanctae Ecclesiae consortio discedere. I might have been the Head of the Lutheran Par­ty, but I chose rather to incurr the ha­tred of all Germany, than to depart from the Communion of the most Holy Church. The Monks of his time, who were for the most part Ignorant and given to De­bauchery, treated him as a Libertine and impious Wretch, altho' it appears in his Letters, that he never undertook a Journey without hearing Mass, and even approaching the Altar: Neverthe­less it may well be affirm'd, that among all Parties he has met with some Per­sons that have a great respect for him, and acknowledge that his Renown will be immortal. Indeed his Memory is almost every where honour'd, and the House where he dy'd is still to be seen at Basil. But I have no mind to fill this Letter altogether with an Account of the Life of Erasmus.

I have somewhat to communicate to Your most Serene Highness, concerning the Publick Library, in which are con­tain'd [Page 146] a vast number of Manuscripts, be­sides Printed Books, and it may not be improper here to mention some of 'em that occurr to my Memory: The Greek Edition of Thucydides, in Quarto, pub­lish'd by Camerarius. The Gospels in Greek, with square Letters, Accents, Spirits, Points, and at the bottom of the Pages the Concordance, with the other Gospels. The Acts of the Apo­stles, which are kept at Oxford, are almost of the same Character, but have no Points nor Accents. The Manuscript of the Epistles of St. Paul, which is pre­serv'd at Paris in the Abbey of St. Ger­main des Prez, is conformable to that of Basil, both with respect to the Accents and Spirits, which are there to be seen, as also in regard of the disposition of the Characters, where the Alpha has this same figure α, the Epsylon this ε; nevertheless there is no separation be­tween the Words as in the Manuscript of Basil, which is apparently above a thousand years old. There is likewise preserv'd with the highest esteem a [Page 165] Parchment Manuscript, in Quarto, con­taining certain Reasons, which Calecas prepar'd for the Graecian Bishops, who were to be present at Basil; in that Ge­neral Council, which Pope Eugenius transfer'd to Florence, upon particular Considerations. Besides these, there is to be seen the Code of the Canons of all the Councils, and of the Fathers, with Photius's Nomocanon, and the double Commentary of Zonaras and Theodorus Balsamon, much larger than in the Pa­ris Edition; for there are also compris'd many Responses and considerable Pieces of the Patriarchs and Bishops, which are not to be found elsewhere. All these will be publish'd in a short time in the Edition, which is now preparing at Oxford. The Works of St. Gregory Na­zianzen, writ in red Characters, and the Commentaries of Elias Cretensis, in black, which were never as yet Printed but in Latin. This Greek Manuscript is extreamly neat, and its Chapters are enrich'd with very fine Miniatures, in which St. Gregory is often represented [Page 166] in the Pulpit, Preaching and seeming to Dispute against the Hereticks, which are plac'd below on his left Hand, as the Orthodox are on his right; more especially in his Sermon [...]. I likewise saw an Alcoran, very fairly writ on a kind of Oriental Paper, which we know only by Cu­riosity, and an admirable Manuscript Virgil: Lastly there are four Presses full of Manuscripts, the Description of which wou'd rather require a large Volume than a single Letter. I shall only add to 'em a Curious Book, Prin­ted in Folio, a Joh. Fust, Cive Mogun­tino, per Petrum de Gernsheim, Anno 1459. It is the Officiale Durandi, which may serve to decide the Controversy between the Nations that lay claim to the Invention of PRINTING. At Ox­ford are to be seen the OFFICES OF CICERO, Printed in 1465. but in re­gard that it bears date six years after, the Printed Copy of Basil is more va­luable.

[Page 167]It is also requisite here to take notice of a rare piece of Painting, which is to be seen in the Preachers Cloyster, in which is represented that curious Dance of Death, where Persons of all sorts of Conditions may find the true Character of Humane Frailty. Emperors, Kings, Princes, Clergy-men and the Rich, may there see themselves lying under an unavoidable necessity of dying, as well as the Poor, and those whom we commonly call the most miserable. It is one of the most mortifying Spectacles that I know of in Christendom, and tho' it be adorn'd with all the Embellishments of Painting, I cou'd never look upon it, without making very pathetical Refle­ctions upon our Mortality. It is expos'd to publick view, and to make it (as it seems) yet more publick, the whole Design was engrav'd on Copper-prints in the preceeding Age, by a very able Master: And indeed this little Book is not unworthy of a Place in a fine Library.

[Page 167]If I were oblig'd to stay till I had taken a full view of all the Rarities in this City, I shou'd never leave it; yet there is one notable Circumstance, of which I cannot but take some notice: In the Arsenal are to be seen the Spoils of Charles Duke of Burgundy, I mean that great Prince (My Lord) whose memorable Exploits fill up the whole History of that Age; but the Switzers made it appear that he was not invinci­ble, and that 'tis very dangerous at the same time to make an attempt upon Justice and Liberty; of which Truth Morat and Nancy will be everlasting Proofs.

In the Neighbourhood of Basil one may observe a thousand Remarkable Things that depend on the Situation and Nature of the Place: The natural Landskip of the Country thereabouts is a most delightful object, and even the Prospect of Basil along the River, which runs thro' the two Towns is admirable. Is not that part of the Rhine, where the Salmons go up again from the Sea [Page 169] to propagate their kind, in like manner very considerable? The Season of their arrival is precisely known, as also the time of their abode and that of their departure: The Fisher-men are ready to take an advantage from this opportuni­ty and are never deceiv'd. The Golden Sands which are found in some parts of the adjacent Country, sufficiently shew that there are some Mines of Gold, and I cou'd wish that they were alrea­dy discover'd by such Persons as de­serve to be fortunate.

At my return from Basil I saw

BRISACH,

One of the Strongest Holds in the World; none can be ignorant of the Conquest of those Parts, made by Ber­nard Duke of Weimar, who deliver'd up the Town to the French, which was also granted to 'em in the Treaty of Munster. I saw the little Village where he dy'd, between Basil and Brisach.

This wou'd be a proper place to make mention of Strasburg, but I shall [Page 170] referr the matter to another opportuni­ty; since this Famous City deserves a more particular Description.

In passing down the Rhine we come to

PHILIPSBƲRG:

Philippopolis and Ʋdenheim are the Names by which 'tis known in the Latin and German Writings. It has been noted for its Sieges during the last Wars of Germany, but now, thanks be to God, all those commotions are al­lay'd. The General Treaty of Peace has left this Place to its old Master the Bishop of Spier, under the Garrison of the King of France, that is to say, the Town belongs to that Prelate, and the Fort to his Most Christian Majesty; or rather the Bishop is the Lord of it and the King the Master.

About four hours Journey from thence to the right stands

HEIDELBERG.

This City, notwithstanding its mean­ness, is beautify'd with all manner of Ornaments: The Necker which washes its Walls, supplies it with very whol­som [Page 171] Water, abundance of Fish, and the most pleasant Walks in the World: But that which renders it most delectable, and enhances its Reputation, is the ge­nerous Wine that bears its Name, and which is drunk in all the parts of Eu­rope, where there are any noble Enter­tainments.

The University was heretofore one of the most Famous in Christendom, and still retains its whole Merit, but is somewhat depopulated thro' the ma­lignity of the Times. For that Coun­try has been oppress'd with War above 30 years and stood in need for its re­stauration of a Government as prudent and as exact as that of a Prince, who now constitutes the sole happiness of his Subjects. The differences between him and the Duke of Lorrain have for a while interrupted his Design of restoring this Place to its ancient splen­dour, but 'tis probable that Heaven will prosper his Undertakings and good In­tentions. The Alliance which is at present negotiating between his Noble [Page 172] Stock and the Royal Family of France, is a sufficient Testimony of the Esteem that he has gain'd in that Court. England, Sweden and Denmark maintain a very considerable Correspondence with him, and even a greater than with the other Princes of the Empire. The Marriage of the Electoral Prince with the Princess of Denmark, is an Illustrious proof of what I have just now declar'd; but his Highness's presence is capable of afford­ing more Noble Idea's: Indeed every thing that is sublime serves only to con­summate his Character; that is to say, Magnificence, Generosity, Magnanimi­ty, Solidity of Judgment, and that pro­found Wisdom, which appears in all the particulars of his Conduct. As for the Electoral Prince His Son, none of these excellent Endowments are wanting in him, which promise to represent to us one day in His Person all those rare Qualities, which we so much admire in that of the Elector His Father.

Perhaps I might have left Heidel­berg without making any mention to [Page 173] Your Highness of the Great-Tun, if the ingenious M. Polier had not admo­nish'd me that it ought not to be for­got. I confess that Advice seems to tend somewhat to debauchery; yet it proceeds from a very sober Person, whose moderation is every where well known; but he is sensible that Pro­digies deserve to have a place among Curiosities. This huge Tun (My Lord) is as Famous as the Rhodian Colossus was heretofore, which had no greater a quantity of Water between its Leggs, than this contains of Wine within its Cavity. I am apt to believe, that the product of a whole Vintage might be stow'd in it; and its compass and thickness is so great, that 'tis requisite to undertake a Journey to View it all over: For it is twenty one Foot high, thirty one long; and sufficiently capacious to hold two hundred and twenty ordinary Tuns of Wine. Thus this prodigious Vessel bears its own Ocean, and such a one as has its ebbing and flowing Tides; 'tis also very dangerous to sail upon it; and [Page 174] a Navigator is no sooner come near it, but he immediately loses his Compass; Storms frequently arise there without any boistrous Winds or foul Weather, and the Understanding suffers Shipwrack even in the very Harbour: In a word, this is that Pacifick Sea which in­volves the whole World in a Hurri­cane, without disturbing its own Tran­quillity.

In following the course of the Necker one may arrive at MANHEIM: It wou'd be difficult for me to forget its Situation, for besides that I have often taken particular notice of it, 'tis also represented upon that Medal with which his Electoral Highness Palatine has thought fit to honour me; where it appears that this Fort serves as a De­fence to the Rhine and Necker, both which Rivers are cover'd and secur'd by it. At my return, I saw the residue of that Magnificent Entertainment, which the People had prepar'd for the Solemn Entrance of the Electoral Prin­cess. This small Territory is very hap­py [Page 175] upon account of its Plenty, but more especially in regard of the Prince's Indulgence, who has eas'd the Inha­tants by taking off the ordinary Taxes and Impositions.

I must now beg leave of Your most Serene Highness to be admitted into Your Palace to discover to you certain Pieces of Antiquity, which appear af­ter such a manner, as is not unknown to me: They are those two ancient Co­lumns which Your Highness has caus'd to be transported into Your Garden. Indeed they have suffer'd much detri­ment by the injury of Time, as all o­ther things of the same Antiquity; yet the Characters are sufficiently conspi­cuous to be perceiv'd by a discerning Eye, and I have taken from thence the following Explication.

It is certain that these Columns were carv'd in the time of the Emperour Alex­ander Severus, who was slain near Mentz, by the order of Maximinus. I read this In­scription upon one of 'em which is al­most conformable in every thing to the [Page 176] other: IMPERATORI CAESARI, DIVI SEVERI PIINE POTI, DIVI ANTO­NINI MAGNI PII FILIO, MARCO AVRELIO SEVERO ALEXANDRO, PIO, FELICI, AVGVSTO, PONTI­FICI MAXIMO, TRIBVNICIAE PO­TESTATIS, CONSVLI, PATRI PA­TRIAE. GA. AO. AB. AO. L. IIII. We have many other ancient Inscriptions that relate to these, and which precisely determine the time. The fourth Roman Legion that possess'd the Country caus'd 'em to be erected, and the Characters of the last Line but one, might be the first Letters of the Names of the princi­pal Officers of that Legion, which re­main in obscurity. It is probable that they were made to adorn their Tombs.

But let us return to the Place where they were found, the very Name of which will certainly augment the proof of our Conjecture. At the distance of about a thousand paces from Your Castle (My Lord) there is a Hill or Burrow separated from all the others, [Page]

[Page] [Page 177] which seems to command its Horizon; the Romans built there a Tower after their manner of Architecture, and at that time it serv'd as a kind of Fort. The like circumstances are to be ob­serv'd in Trajan's Column, which is un­doubtedly the finest and most perfect of all the Pieces of Antiquity. They nam'd this Tower Turrim ad Lacum, because it was erected in a marshy ground, which was afterward dry'd up by length of time, and by laying out great expences. The Germans, who call'd it Thurn an der lachen, have thence deriv'd the Word

DƲRLACH,

As it appears to me by the Abbre­viation, which is so peculiar to their manner of speaking, and by the Cha­racter T. which by them is almost al­waies turn'd into D. There is also an­other circumstance to be observ'd; viz. that this Tower commonly is call'd Ho­ [...]e Graetzinguen, by reason of a Village at [Page 178] the foot of the Hill, which retains its ancient name of Graetzinguen, from the Graecians, who serv'd the Emperor Se­verus in that Country. This is con­firm'd by the Inscription of the above-mention'd Columns, which were made at that time, and even by the Testi­mony of Lampridius. This Emperor (saies he) at his return from the Levant, caus'd divers Arabians, Parthians and others to be transported into the Western Countries, for the service of the War, which he design'd to undertake in Ger­many. It is probable that there were also some Graecians among 'em, who settl'd in those Parts as it were a kind of Colony. These Forces (ac­cording to the report of the same Hi­storian) pass'd into the Army of Maxi­minus, who caus'd himself to be pro­claim'd Emperor, after the Assassina­tion of Alexander Severus. Now the Time, Place and Name as yet remain­ing, (as I take it) sufficiently explain these Monuments. The Figure some­what defac'd, on the top of the Column, [Page 179] contributes very much to the illustra­ting of our Explication; whether there were some other Figure of a considera­ble Officer, with whom might be joyn'd that She-Wolf and those Chil­dren hanging upon her Teats, as the Symbol of his Countrey; or whether it were simply a mark of the Original of the Romans. It is well known af­ter what manner Ambition inspir'd those Famous People, who had as great a Veneration for the Image of their Wolf, as the other Nations had for their Deities; and therefore they interpreted the Mystery of it by a Miracle, which was wrought for the preservation of the Founders of their State.

It is now (My Lord) time for me to return to my Subject, for I am sensible that remote Reflections are not delight­ful to Your Highness: But I cannot leave Durlach without making some mention to You of the Learned M. Keck. There are few excellent Endowments that may not be justly attributed to him, but his profound Learning is most [Page 180] transcendantly conspicuous: For he has attain'd to a perfect knowledge of Po­liticks, Antiquity and History, has pe­netrated into the most abstruse No­tions, relating to the different Interests of Princes and the Law of Nations, is well vers'd in all the liberal Sciences, and speaks ten or twelve several Lan­guages. Your most Serene Highness knows that I am not accustom'd to in­termeddle in Matters of Religion, but I am very sensible that M. Keck has made a most exact search into the nicest Points, relating to the Controversies of Christians and the various Sects of Infidels. These are Qualities very rare­ly to be met with, yet such as are ne­cessary for the President of Your High­ness's Ecclesiastical Council. If I shou'd declare to the World that he is an ex­cellent Poet, I shou'd affirm nothing but the truth: In short, he is an ad­mirable Personage, and were it not that I call to mind that he is one of my best Friends, I shou'd add much more in his commendation.

[Page 181]I also saw near the Rhine that Pillar, which the King of Sweden erected as a Monument of his Victories: And at

HAECHST,

Which is Situated on the right side upon the Main, the deplorable Remains of the War. This so beautiful a Town with its Stately Castle, is now nothing but a kind of Village, which is main­tain'd only for the convenience of the Road that lyes between Mentz and Francfort; so that it may well be said of it; Nunc seges ubi Troja fuit.

MENTZ

Is a quite different sort of a Place, and the Residence of the Elector con­tributes not a little to its Reputation: Besides that 'tis large, Magnificent and very Populous; 'tis also considerable upon account of some Foot-steps of Antiquity which are there to be seen.

Within the compass of the Citadel, [Page 182] which has been lately built, there is a rising Ground, suppos'd to have been the Tomb of Drusus: This Noble Roman had put the Germans so hard to it, that his name became detestable even to a Proverb, Das dich der Drus hole; never­theless we read in Suetonius that his Fu­neral obsequies were solemniz'd in the Campus Martius, and that his dead Bo­dy was carry'd even to Rome, upon the Shoulders of the most eminent In­habitants of the Places thro' which it was convey'd. However, we may get some farther light without departing from the Text of this Historian; in which 'tis observ'd that the Legions paid the highest Honours to the Memo­ry of that great General; that they abhorr'd even the very Camp where he dy'd, leaving it the infamous name of Scelerata Castra; that they consecrated to him the representation of a Tomb, and certain Festivals, which were to be celebrated every year in the same Place, with combats of Gladiators and Horse-races; and that they engag'd the [Page 183] ancient Gauls to compose certain An­nual Prayers upon that solemn occa­sion. Hence it may be easily concluded that this piece of Antiquity, which has acquir'd so much reputation, is only that Honorarius Tumulus or Honorary Tomb of which Suetonius makes mention.

I had also the satisfaction (My Lord) to converse there with a Person in whom I saw so many rare Qualities, that I soon perceiv'd that the publick Fame, which had talkt so much of him, had not given me a full narrative of all his Accomplishments. His extraordi­nary Merit and solid Vertue, which have been equally conspicuous, both in Prosperity and Adversity, are not the only Ornaments of his Life and Con­versation. The World has been suffi­ciently inform'd of the share he has in the management of the principal Af­fairs of the Empire, and how much his Counsels are esteem'd in the Impe­rial Court. But 'tis requisite to take a nearer View of him to observe the sin­gular Endowments of his Mind, which [Page 184] render him most amiable, for a great deal of Generosity and Courtesy, and every thing that can be imagin'd to be honourable appears in his Conduct and Deportment. It wou'd not be necessa­ry to declare that I mean the Baron of Boineburg, since this Character is no less peculiar to him than his very Name. His two Daughters have pass'd into the Noble Families of the Electors of Mentz and Triers, and there is no­thing so Great, but what may be ex­pected from his Son.

In travelling farther, the Countries afford a most delightful Prospect, and the Towns upon the Rhine are admira­ble, as Coblentz, Colen, Andernach, Nuys, Wesel, Reez, Emmerick, &c. which perhaps I remember more par­ticularly, because I had a sight of di­vers curious pieces of Antiquity in those Places, and have even had the good Fortune to recover some of 'em. Your Most Serene Highness will be surpriz'd to hear, that the People of all condi­tions have their Repositories of Rarities: [Page 185] viz. Princes, Noble-men, Divines, Law­yers, Physicians, Historians, Students, Merchants, and even Artificers. I have in my possession divers Copies of ad­mirable Designs, which I had caus'd to be taken in those Parts from very Cu­rious Medals, which may afford Your Highness some Diversion at a conve­nient Opportunity.

But I must by no means forget that Famous Vineyard, which produces those most delicious Wines, which are so highly esteem'd by Foreigners; nei­ther is it without Reason that

BACCARACH

Is reputed the principal Town of that Territory, since the High-Dutch Word being mollify'd, clearly imports Bacchi Ara, i. e. Bacchus's Altar; and indeed, there are now extant no Altars more Remarkable, which are dedicated to any ancient Deity. The Revenue of the Country consists chiefly in these Wines; 'tis also a very considerable [Page 186] Revenue, which constitutes the most liquid staple of the Palatinate. This is that blessed spot of Ground, which God preserves as it were the Apple of his Eye; at least, (My Lord) I only make use of the Expression of one of their most Famous Preachers. This small Pro­vince luckily appertains to the Juris­diction of the Elector Palatine, who, altho' he be one of the most temperate Princes in Europe, causes a high value to be set upon these Noble Wines: His Disposition is also so Generous and so Magnificent, that 'tis in every par­ticular conformable to that of the other Princes, who delight in Feasting and sumptuous Entertainments.

Some few Leagues from thence the Moselle empties it self into the Rhine, accompany'd with those excellent Vines that grow along its Banks, and distri­butes its Streams to the Northern Coun­tries, where these sorts of Wines serve to furnish the best Tables: Indeed they are not so strong as the Rhenish Wines, but they surpass 'em in the deliciousness [Page 187] of their Taste. I presume to discourse to You (My Lord) about Matters in which You cannot but be much better Skill'd than myself; for altho' Your Highness makes only a very good use of the best Wines, yet I have very of­ten observ'd You to take delight in hearing a true Estimate and Judgment made of 'em by others. If this may pass for a Repetition, 'tis so much the more tolerable, because 'tis a very short one.

I shou'd have taken greater Delight in the course of this Journey, if I had not found Holland making great Prepa­rations for War; for Arms were there taken up on all sides, upon the apprehen­sion of a Rupture with France. There were then lodg'd ten thousand Men in Maestricht, for the Defence of the whole Frontier of that Country, and I was present at a Review of five thousand Horse, that was made at Wesel: Em­merick was likewise in a very good Condition. These two Places, the Gar­risons of which consist in Dutch Troops, [Page 188] belong (as Your Highness well knows) to the Elector of Brandenburg. These Commotions depriv'd me of the Op­portunities which I waited for to get a farther light in the knowledge of di­vers Medals, nevertheless I found means to make some new Discoveries in that Affair, and perhaps another Journey may give me entire satisfaction: But this will not happen till the King shall have given encouragement to the Hol­landers, by removing their Fears, or to express my self more clearly, till his Intentions shall be better known. How­ever the Conduct of this great Prince is conformable to the Rules of Equity and Prudence, and the League which he has made with those States is foun­ded upon so considerable Interests, that one cannot but hope for its conti­nuation, at least I wish with all my heart that it may be effected.

SCHENKENSCHANS,

Or as we pronounce it in French, Le Fort de Skens, is Situated on the very [Page 189] Point of that Island, where the Rhine divides its Streams. It is a Place of great importance, and serves as a Bul­wark to the whole Country, being de­fended by its Bastions and Out-works: But that which makes it of difficult Access is the Marsh that lies round a­bout, and across which, 'twas absolute­ly necessary to raise a Causey leading to the only Gate of the Place. This Fort is the Chief Magazin and strong hold of the Neighbourhood. The Toll which is there very moderate, affords no small profit to the States, but the Customs for the Importation and Ex­portation of Merchandizes amount to a vast Revenue.

The lesser of these Branches of the Rhine retains its name, and the other which assumes that of Vahal or the French Rhine, runs to the Foot of

NIMEGƲEN,

The Capital Town of Guelderland, which is very rich, and altho' its name [Page 190] in the Vulgar Language of the Coun­try, denotes Novelty, nevertheless 'tis certain that the Place is of very great Antiquity. Indeed it sufficiently ap­pears even from its Situation that 'tis the Oppidum Batavorum, of which Ta­citus and some other Historians make mention, with respect to the Wars of Civilis and Cerealis. M. Smetius not long since deceas'd, made this Disco­very in a Treatise which he has pub­lish'd upon that Subject. His Son is also a Learned Man, and among all his good Qualities, that of being addicted to Curiosity affects me most. He has in his Repository some of those Pieces of Antiquity that are found in the Country, which are Monuments of ma­ny Ages, left by the Romans: For there are to be seen Altars, Urns, Fragments of Sepulchres, Inscriptions, Rings, and every thing that the Magnificence of their Religion had introduc'd: But the Medals constitute the finest part of this Repository. I have caus'd Draughts to be made of the most Curious, and [Page 191] I owe to my good Fortune the opportu­nity I had of procuring some of 'em.

The Castle of Nimeguen is a very stately Pile of Building, but that which renders it most Famous is, that 'twas built by Caesar, and that Tradition has preserv'd its name even to this very day. The neighbouring Plains heretofore serv'd as the usual Theatre of War to the Romans; so that they who are well vers'd in History may call to mind, that Civilis was there defeated, and that he cou'd not have avoided falling into the Hands of his Enemies, if he had not provided for his safety in the above­mention'd Island, in which the place where he made his escape is still to be observ'd. However the Liberty of the Country wou'd have been ruin'd, if the Roman Fleet had appear'd timely e­nough to gain and cover the Passages, where the scatter'd Forces were posted in order to rally. Debellatum eo die foret, si Romana Classis sequi mâturasset.

As to what relates to this Liberty, 'tis an Advantage which these People [Page 192] have alwaies entirely preserv'd; inso­much that the Power of the Romans cou'd never prevail so far, as to force 'em to submit to that Yoke of Servitude, which they had laid upon the other Nations; nay their very Victories were not sufficient to constrain 'em to admit any Conditions, that were never so lit­tle derogatory from that Right, which so is natural to 'em. Thus in the Trea­ties of Peace, we alwaies find their Li­berty secur'd with these honourable Ti­tles of Friends, Allies and Neighbours, and if they were oblig'd to enter into any Engagements, 'twas never done but under a shew of Friendship and Respect. This is the very Expression of Tacitus, mansit honos & antiquae Societa­tis insigne; and this is that Society men­tion'd by Titus Livius, which leaves an entire Equality between the Parties; Societas aequalis juris est. Thus they have incessantly secur'd themselves by the Concessions and Privileges which the Emperors have thought fit to grant 'em from time to time; and the last Attempts [Page 193] that Spain made against this Liberty, serv'd only to establish it with greater Honour and Reputation. It must also be acknowledg'd that they have set no bad Example to their Neighbours, who do not enjoy such Privileges: The Ro­man Catholick Religion, which their Civil Government cannot tolerate is there prohibited; yet the Professors are not prosecuted upon that account, and notwithstanding all these precautions, the Exercise of it cannot be altogether restrain'd.

Afterward I continu'd for some daies at

ƲTRECHT;

There is nothing wanting to the Beauty of this City, and it may be af­firm'd that it is the Residence of the Nobility; because a greater number of Noble-men is to be seen there, than in any other part of the Seventeen Uni­ted Provinces. The Situation of the Town is very delightful, and it stands [Page 194] upon a higher Ground than the rest of the Low Countries; upon which account the Waters are admirable, in­somuch that they are often transported to very remote Parts. Here are two notable Canals, one of which still bears the name of the great Drusus; but in both the Magnificence and Wealth of the Inhabitants may be discover'd as well by the vast multitude of Barks, with which these Canals are incessantly cover'd as by that double Row of Hou­ses that stands on each side; one of which serves as a Parapet and Plat­form to the other. Thus all manner of Commodities are brought up to their very Doors, and that which is esteem'd extreamly rare in all cold Countries is here very common, and sold at a very cheap rate; neither does it appear that the Oranges, Lemons and other deli­cious Fruits come from Parts so far di­stant, by reason of their Freshness and Plenty. Among the Persons of Quali­ty, one M. Christian Ʋtembogart is more especially conspicious; He is (My [Page 195] Lord) an illustrious Personage for whom I have the highest Veneration; He is endu'd with much Learning, Ge­nerosity, Affability and somewhat more, that is to say, a kind of Courteous De­meanour, which is predominant in his Temper, and wins the Heart of those that converse with him without any Reservation.

There is also the most ingenious Do­ctor Kerckringius, who is much more than a very Learned Physitian, and has brought the Art of Anatomy to its highest pitch of perfection. In his House I clearly discern'd every thing that is transacted in those Obscure Re­cesses, in which the Foetus is form'd; for he has some of all sorts of ages and sizes (if the expression may be tolera­ted) and one may there observe with the Order and Proportion, the Progress which is daily made from the Ovum or Egg to the compleat formation; that is to say, from that minute Matter, which is at first gather'd together by the Hand of Nature to the absolute [Page 196] perfection of an organical and animated Body. One cannot sufficiently admire those little Skeletons of Flesh, those al­most liquid Bones, and those first Draughts of a Humane Body: They are so many Mysteries unvail'd, which leave great light in the Mind, and so many subjects for the finest Reflection's in the World. He caus'd me to observe three Ventricles in one Heart; and a Stone in another; as also the Vena Ca­va and Vena Portae with their several Branches separated from the other Parts with exquisite neatness and an uncon­ceivable Curiosity of Work-manship; besides an infinite number of Rarities of the like nature, which may be term'd small Originals that copy themselves, or lively Demonstrations, that charm, instruct and persuade the Beholders at the same time: The Possessor of these Treasures by his polite and most oblig­ing Conversation compleats the Delight that a curious Inquirer takes in seeing himself amidst so many surprizing Ob­jects. But that which this Learned [Page 197] Doctor brought for his part at a Con­ference which we held concerning Su­perfoetation, was a kind of Curiosity, that affected me more than all the others: That admirable Treatise which he has publish'd under the Title of SPI­CILEGIUM ANATOMICUM shall be my Voucher for the truth of every thing I have even now declar'd, con­cerning his extraordinary Abilities.

The Country round about Ʋtrecht is full of these inchanted Places and de­licate Solitudes, where Wisdom has made so great a Progress. There are to be found those happy Retirements that afford a Shelter to satiated Ambition, and where great Heroes surfeited with Glory, and tir'd with the weight of the Government of the World are wont to resort to enjoy the sweet fruits of Re­pose and Tranquillity.

I ought here to communicate to Your Most Serene Highness two Remarks that were made by me in the Garden of M. Graevius, that Famous Professor, both which in some manner illustrate [Page 198] Antiquity; one of 'em shews the mean­ing of a Word on the Medal of Commo­dus. I. O. M. EXSUP. which I alwaies saw explain'd EXSUPERIS: but the whole Sentence ought to be read JOV [...] OPTIMO MAXIMO EXSUPERAN­TISSIMO, as 'tis engrav'd all at length upon the Stone, which apparently serv'd as a Monument. There is also another Stone which without doubt deserves greater application. It appears to me from the two first Letters, and the four last of its Inscription that it was a Monument, altho' the Names of those Persons for whom it was made are unknown: For D. M. certainly signifies DIIS MANI­BUS, and the last Letters plainly shew its use by forming these common Words, Monumentum Hoc Fieri Curavit. In the same place I met with an Orna­ment worthy to be imparted to Your Highness, and therefore I have caus'd an exact Copy of it to be taken from the Original. It takes up one half of a Stone, about four Foot high, on which is represented a Man lying upon his Bed, [Page]

[Page] [Page 199] or if you please, upon his Triclinium, with a Table set before him, furnish'd with variety of Fruits, and two Ser­vants waiting upon him; one of these holds a Pot, whence the word Pocilla­tor is deriv'd, and the other, who might be call'd a Cyatho (as in this old Epitaph D. M. DORYPHORO CAESARIS A CYATHO, &c.) presents a kind of Flagon, in which some precious Liquor was apparently contain'd. Perhaps the former had already pour'd out Water, as his Pot half turn'd downward in­duces me to believe, and the other brings fresh Wine. Perhaps also this Master of the Feast that holds a Cup in his hand pronounces these Words according to the ancient Custom; BE­NE MIHI, BENE VOBIS, BENE A­MIGAE MEAE, BENE OMNIBUS NO­BIS, BENE EI QUI NON INVIDET MIHI, ET EI QUI NOSTRO GAU­DIO GAUDET. i. e. A good Health to my self, A good Health to you; A good Health to the Mistress of my Affe­ctions: A good Health to us all; A good [Page 200] Health to him that does not envy my Hap­piness, and to him that rejoyces with our Joy. This might be explain'd to drink a Health to the good Company after the German fashion. What diverting Com­mentaries (My Lord) might be made upon the Inscription of this Stone; but they may be compos'd at Durlach more conveniently than here: In the mean while I shall send you the Draught of it delineated within a small compass.

AMSTERDAM.

So great Idea's of this City have been every where form'd, that what­ever can be said of it, is alwaies too little. Your Most Serene Highness well knows that it is the Seat of Opu­lency and the Rendezvous of Riches: that with respect to its situation; its extent; its more than stately Build­ings; its Canal which divides it on all sides; and that loftiness, which cannot be express'd and which is its true Cha­racter, it shows more Grandeur and [Page 201] Magnificence even than the most beau­tiful City of Rome; neither do I ad­mire (My Lord) at such an occurrence; since it has extended its Commerce, much farther than the other ever did its Conquests. Again, Amsterdam has discover'd two Worlds to enrich it self, whereas Rome was content with the spoils of one. It is a very pompous Spectacle, to behold in its Ports and Canals those numerous Fleets that come to People the Town. Sometimes they are seen there to the number of ten thousand Vessels, that is to say, another Amsterdam upon the Water; or rather a floating Province, of which Amster­dam is the Capital City. To see the Arrival of so vast a multitude of Ships and so prodigious a Resort of People, a man wou'd fancy himself to be present at the General Fair of the Universe. This Imagination (I confess) is some­what odd; But what can one say of a City, in which there is a Concourse of so many different Nations; where so great Wealth is expos'd to view; where [Page 202] is to be seen at once every thing that the Fruitfulness of the Indies has pro­duc'd in a course of many years; and to speak more clearly, where a view may be taken of the Store-Houses of all the rich Harvests of the Levant?

The Town-House is a Noble Pile of Building; its Architecture being the most magnificent and the most regular in the World. It was erected by Art, within a little space of time, at the expence of thirty millions, and the par­ticular Dimensions and form of it are represented in Prints, which are very much esteem'd. Private Persons in this City are very Rich, and there are some who wou'd be judg'd to be so, even in the opinion of Crassus: I also know one who sent so powerful a supply to the King of Denmark, as was sufficient to rescue him from the violent Attacks of Sweden. Their manner of counting is extraordinary, and somewhat more stately than that of reckoning by Ta­lents in the first Empires; so that to hear 'em talk of dividing Gold by Tuns, [Page 203] wou'd put Your Highness in mind of the Triumvirs who made only three parts of the World. At Amsterdam e­very one chooses a Creed at his plea­sure, and Religion is as free as the State; nay even the Roman Catholick does not offend their Consciences, but be­cause it interferrs with their Civil Go­vernment, the publick Exercise of that alone is prohibited.

I had a sight of all their Curiosities and those of all sorts, and among others divers Paintings that we know, and others which are unknown to us; as also Indian and Chinese Pieces of an inestimable value. In these last, a cu­rious Eye may discover all the secret particulars of the History; the manner of living; Customs and Religion of those Countries, and there are repre­sented certain Martyrs, who sacrifice their Blood to the transport of their Zeal, if it may be allow'd to make so bad an application of that sacred name, which belongs only to the Heroes of the true Religion. For the Effusion of [Page 204] Blood and even Death it self are only the exteriour Decorations of Martyr­dom, the proper place of its Sacrifice is the Heart and the Will, where it has Faith for its Object.

As for the other Curiosities, they are so numerous, that they may even be reckon'd by Tuns as well as their Gold. Among others there are four Remark­able Repositories, in which are con­tain'd as many Rarities as I ever saw elsewhere. M. de Witzen Recorder of the City, is Master of the first of these, and it seems as if his House were built less for an Habitation, than to delight the Eyes; nothing being to be found in any part of it but Magnificence and Symmetry; neither can it be distin­guish'd whether the Repository serves as an Ornament to the House, or the House to the Repository. For there are choice Collections of Paintings, Books, Images and the finest pieces of Antiquity; insomuch that it may be affirm'd, that that which is scarce eve­ry where else, is here found abundance. [Page 205] M. Vander Hem and M. Occo Advo­cates, have in like manner each of 'em their particular Musoeum, and a Com­parison cannot be made between 'em, because their value cannot be known. A Man may imagine that he has taken a view of every thing when he has seen but one, and yet in the other he meets with a Multitude of new Rari­ties; so that it does not seem as if he pass'd out of one Repository into an­other, but out of one World into an­other. The fourth Repository is in the possession of M. Gril, and I have caus'd Draughts to be taken from the best of the Medals which are there preserv'd: But those sorts of Rarities are unknown to many Persons, and I shall keep 'em entire for the use of Your Most Serene Highness.

In another Place I saw certain Charts of an extraordinary importance, which discover all the secrets of Navigation: They are the lively Images of the Sea, and the bottom of its Channel is like­wise as exactly represented, as if it were [Page 206] from the drie Land. The Shelves, Quick-sands, Rocks, Streights and Channels are all express'd upon these Draughts; insomuch that without ha­ving attain'd to the skill of an able Pi­lote, one might by the help of those In­structions trace out the Roads from one Pole to the other. But the publick In­terest takes no notice of these Oracles which Experience has utter'd from time to time, but even suffers 'em to be bu­ry'd in Oblivion.

Let us now leave Amsterdam and set forward in our Journey to England. The Town of

HAERLEM

Is the first on the Road, and we can­not behold it without calling to mind, that it supplies the place of another, which fell as a Victim to the Cruelty and detestable outrages of the Spaniards: The Sea which bears its name is pro­perly only a Plain of Water, but more dangerous than the main Ocean it self: [Page 207] For the Head of the Palatine Family was very near perishing there, and cou'd not escape but with the loss of one of his Children. The great Church is one of the most beautiful Structures in Holland, and in it is to be seen the stately Tomb of Admiral Opdam. Af­terward we pass'd to

LEYDEN

A Place so Famous for its University: The History of the last Wars will eter­nize its Fame to the perpetual Disgrace of the Spaniards, who were forc'd to raise the Siege, and to abandon a Victory which they had gain'd the day before. I am now bringing a Medal to Your Most Serene Highness, which shews the same thing in better Terms, to this ef­fect; SICUT SENNACHERIB à JE­RUSALEM, SIC HISPANI à LEY­DA NOCTU FUGATI 1574. As Sennacherib from Jerusalem, so the Spaniards were driven away from Ley­den in the Night. There innumerable [Page 208] Curiosities are to be seen in the Anatomi­cal Amphitheatre, as well as in the Phy­sick-Garden, which well deserve the view of inquisitive Travellers, more espe­cially the Skeletons of all sorts of Ani­mals, and many natural Rarities, which the Bounds of a simple Relation will not permit to be describ'd in particular.

It is indeed too little barely to make mention of

THE HAGƲE

By the way. I have been inform'd that the Merit of the Prince of Orange is there entirely acknowledg'd, and that at the same time a kind of secret Distrust is also predominant. Hence it appears (My Lord) that this Prince is worthy to derive his Original from the illustrious Stock of so many Heroes, and that those People are no bad Politi­cians.

A Man cannot choose but admire

DELFT.

Altho' it were not situated in the Country of beautiful Towns. It has also this advantage above the others, that 'tis the Depositary of the Ashes of the Great William Prince of Orange. I have view'd the Tomb in which they are kept, and indeed, it by its stateliness and variety of Embellishments and In­scriptions, one is forc'd to do Justice to his Memory. That of Admiral Tromp is likewise erected in the same Place.

MAESLAND-SLƲYS

Is Remarkable for its situation at the Mouth of the Rhine: It is a very de­lightful Object to see this Noble River flowing thither with such a mass of Wa­ter; so that one might avouch that being tir'd with its Course, it came on purpose to expatiate, and to take rest in this Plain, where it loses its form to make a kind of little Sea, which assumes [Page 210] the name of the Maes, by reason that the adjacent Territory belongs to the District of that River.

We embarkt at the

BRIEL,

Which stands a little beyond, to make our Passage from thence. This was one of the Cautionary Towns which were formerly consign'd to Queen Elizabeth, when She sent her Forces to the assistance of the Hollanders against Spain. We had an opportuni­ty of beholding at our Leisure one of the finest shews in the World: For the Dutch Fleet drawn up in the Line of Battel possess'd the whole Passage, and altho' we cou'd discern no other Object round about us than that of War, yet nothing was so peaceful as our Road. Thus we enjoy'd in safety what can scarce be seen elsewhere without Dan­ger, and it seem'd as if good Fortune had peopl'd this spacious Desert on pur­pose to divert us, and to take off the [Page 211] tediousness of our Voyage. This vast Element lying in profound tranquillity seem'd as it were to humble it self at the formidable appearance of that Na­val Army. But 'tis not alwaies so gen­tle (My Lord) it sometimes resumes its Rage, and sports it self with that arro­gant Fury, driving those huge Ma­chines before it, as the Wind does the Dust. We were inform'd that this Fleet was fitted out to prevent the Designs that were fear'd on the side of France; and without troubling ourselves any farther with State-Affairs we continu'd our course thro' the Thames.

But I ought to remember that I am directing my Discourse to Your Most Serene Highness, who is better vers'd in the Knowledge of the Affairs of Eu­rope, and has receiv'd a clearer Infor­mation from History alone, of the Par­ticulars contain'd in my Letter, than myself who have examin'd 'em with the strictest Inquiry that cou'd be made. Therefore this Present which I make Your Highness is much less mine [Page 212] than a Recapitulation of Your own Lights, which I bring to Your Memo­ry. And indeed, this is all that can be offer'd to a Prince who is ignorant of nothing, and that I durst attempt to produce as a publick Demonstration that I am,

TƲBINGƲEN

Are more agreeable to my Inclination, and I am desirous of mentioning 'em to Your most Serene Highness, as being one of the principal Ornaments of Wir­temberg. Every thing is there con­formable to the illustrious name which it bears: The Building with its outer-Courts and Embellishments is Magnifi­cent; it is also very spacious, and its Appartments well order'd for the con­venience of all those sorts of Schools and publick Exercises which are there per­form'd. There are divers Masters, not only endu'd with singular Abilities, but also with all manner of Politeness and Courtesie, so that the Scholars un­der 'em soon make a considerable pro­gress in all the parts of Humane Lite­rature. Their Tables are not only plen­fully furnish'd with all sorts of necessary Provisions, but even with Dainties: The Division of Time is so well ma­nag'd, [Page 224] that that exact distribution of Hours for every particular Employ­ment, formes a settl'd Custom, which becomes very agreeable to the Disposi­tion of the Students; insomuch that it appears less to be a regular Discipline than a well order'd Liberty. But in re­gard that every thing is establish'd upon a Noble Foundation, none but Persons of the highest Quality can be admitted into that College; neither is there any Mixture allow'd. For 'tis alledg'd that in that tender Age a mean Air wou'd prove contagious, and those marks of Distinction which inspire 'em with a sence of their good Fortune, afterward induces 'em to assume that Majestick Air, which ought to be the Character of their high Station. Thus (My Lord) without running into the common Road amidst the Crowd of ignoble and vulgar People, they attain to the most absolute Accomplishments, and pass over with the same steps to the Court, and to the most Honourable Employ­ments either in Church or State; nei­ther [Page 225] do they stand in need of any other Medium or of being educated in any other Schools or Academies. M. de Merlay, who is de Chief Governour, as also M. May and M. Cramer Professors, are Persons of extraordinary Merit, and no small Ornaments to the College. I shall alwaies lye under an Obligation even during my whole Life to His Most Serene Highness the Duke of Wirtem­berg, for permitting me to reside there for sometime, and to take notice at my leasure of this curious manner of Insti­tution.

After my departure from Tubinguen I set forward to

STƲGART.

There to pay those Respects which were due from me to His Most Serene Highness, and to assure him that what­ever I might be capable of doing for his Service, I shou'd never have reason to be satisfy'd with my performances: However, that tho' this Inability were the effect of my Misfortune, yet it [Page 226] shou'd never proceed from my Ingrati­tude: His Highness was pleas'd to give me leave to augment his Treasure with some Medals that I had brought. The fine Place where they are deposited and the good company that they enjoy is sufficient to take away any regret they might have for the loss of their first Master: And indeed, I am much better pleas'd to see 'em in so Illustri­ous Hands than in my own. His High­ness often visits 'em, and I doubt not, but that his Inclination attracts (as I may so say) the greater part of His Most Serene Family. The Princes his Sons are all well proportion'd in their Bodies and have singular Endowments of the Mind; so that Time, that is to say Age is only wanting to cause 'em to be admir'd by all Europe. I saw at

NIEƲSTADT

Another Repository, but it wou'd be improper for me to commend it, because 'tis almost entirely the Work of my own hands, or at least the Pro­duct [Page 227] of my Invention. His most Se­rene Highness Duke Frederick takes as much delight in it as it deserves, and often diverts himself there with much satisfaction. I have been told that the Dutchess has a favourable regard to those that afford her these pleasant Entertain­ments, and that She was not offended at my Visits. Perhaps also She may be somewhat addicted to Curiosity, and that being Sister to Your Most Se­rene Highness, Her Inclination may lead her to such kind of Divertisements; however, if She be not curious in Me­dals, She is so at least in Jewels. I have seen in Her Appartment a precious Chest, that weighs more than myself, in which is contain'd nothing but Dia­monds, Emeralds and Pearls. This is a very rare sort of Curiosity, but 'tis not expos'd to the view of all manner of Persons. For altho' 'tis capable of af­fording an Universal Delight, and is admir'd as well by the Ignorant as by the Learned and Ingenious; yet 'tis esteem'd as a very great Privilege to get [Page 228] a sight of it. To conclude, nothing is here wanting, either with respect to Nobility, Ingenuity, Curiosity, Riches or even Happiness it self. I shou'd have seen at

ANSPACH.

Some very considerable Rarities; but it fell out unluckily for me that the Prince was gone to pay a Visit to that beautiful Marchioness of Durlach, whom he afterward took to Wife. But I arriv'd so much the sooner at

NOREMBERG or NƲRNBERG,

A City that has acquir'd so great Re­putation, and deserves as much. Which of these two (My Lord) wou'd Your Highness think fit to preferr Noremberg or Augsburg? Indeed they both bear away the Bell from the other Cities of Germany, in regard of their Beauty, Ex­tent, Neatness, Concourse of People, and the Magnificence of their Build­ings. The Marquess of Durlach, to whom they are both well known, finds [Page 229] Augsburg more stately in some Places, but declares at the same time that No­remberg is all over Beautiful. I observ'd it to be well situated and full of civiliz'd People, but that which afforded me greater satisfaction is, that Curiosity is there very much in vogue, that it sup­plies the place of Neatness and Elegancy, being not only sufficiently known, but also highly esteem'd among the Inhabi­tants. I saw in the House of M. de Viatis an infinite number of Rarities, and every thing that is proper to be admitted into the Musoeum or Reposi­tory of an Ingenious Antiquary, viz. Books, Paintings, Medals, &c. But his Eagerness, transport of Passion, Frenzy or whatever else you please to call it, is much to be admir'd in one par­ticular, that is to say, in heaping up a prodigious Mass of Arms, which are more especially remarkable, either up­on account of the Work-manship or for some notable Historical Circumstance. He shew'd me the Sword that put Ol­den-Barnveldt to silence, and in that [Page 230] point did more than even the whole Power of the House of Austria was able to effect. And indeed, the very sight of it wou'd be sufficient to affright the bold­est Oratour. He also presented to my view that which was employ'd in cut­ting off so many Heads at Prague during the Rebellion, and the Partizan which pierc'd the Body of Walstein at Agria. This last Weapon attracted my Eyes, and oblig'd me to make some Reflecti­ons upon the Destiny of this formida­ble Favourite; who cou'd have imagin'd that so firm a settlement of Grandeur, so great Authority and Power cou'd be so suddenly quash'd with so very little difficulty! The whole World was in expectation of the event of his Enter­prises; the Empire trembl'd at his Pro­ceedings, and Foreigners were ready to ground upon his Designs the esta­blishment of all their Affairs: In a word, preparations were making even to change the very frame of the Universe, when a blow given by a pitiful Fellow cast him to the Ground, and there was [Page 231] no longer any talk of this great Man.

There are also to be seen the Arms of the most Potent Princes of the last Age: I know not whether it were a turn of my Imagination; but it seem'd to me (My Lord) as if that sparkling Lustre which darted forth on all sides, was less the brightness of the Metal than the Reflection of so many fierce Blows and Heroical Atchievments. Indeed there is nothing that imprints a more lively Idea on the Mind than these sorts of Objects; but perhaps the Difficulty that there is in gathering together such precious spoils, hinders the Curiosity from being so common.

As for the Medals, there are not very many of the first rank, but others are to be met with almost every where, and in the Hands of all sorts of Persons; whe­ther the Love of Curiosity has made the Collection; or whether Wealth which alwaies brings along with it whatever is most precious, has con­vey'd 'em thither. However, M. Wol­kamer [Page 232] enjoys a better share of 'em than others, and Your Highness may Judge of it by this Pattern, being a Golden Julio with the reverse of Augustus, which I have obtain'd by his Liberality. He is a very able Physician, and endow'd with all those excellent Qualities that procure Esteem and Reputation. I might also associate with him M. Noberlein an Apothecary of more than ordinary Parts, who has a Library and a Repo­sitory, and whose personal Endowments set him above all those whom I know of his Profession: I receiv'd from him that curious Golden Medal of Constan­tine, which has this Inscription: VIC­TOR OMNIUM GENTIUM.

There are many Learned Men in this City; Antiquity, History, Politicks, Eloquence, and the Mechanical Arts are there in a flourishing State. Much time might be spent in entertaining Your Most Serene Highness, if I shou'd go about to call to mind every thing that might be said upon this Subject. I shall only add one word concerning [Page 233] M. Grundler, a Monk, who (as he saies) had lately embrac'd the Reform'd Re­ligion, according to the Doctrine of Luther: But to justifie to me the change of his opinion it wou'd be requisite for him to have as much command over Men's Reason, as he has over their Eyes, to which he represents what­ever he thinks fit, and in any manner whatever at his pleasure; for he is absolutely Master of the most abstruse Secrets in Opticks. This is that Art (My Lord) which is capable of fixing half the World in a Point, and which has found out means to extract visual Repercussions out of Chrystal, and to draw near the most remote Objects by certain Re-productions of Species and Correspondences of Prospects, which are extended in the most limited spaces from the Distances as far as the Eye can reach. In short, 'tis that fallicious Art that deceives our Sight, and which with the Rule and Compass disorders all our Sences. But our Artist proceeds yet farther; for he can even remove [Page 234] Ghosts from their Stations at his plea­sure, without any assistance from the Infernal Regions. Some mention has been already made to Your Most Se­rene Highness of that Sphoerical Look­ing-glass, which receives the several Species of remote Objects thro' a small Thread of light, and which rolling a­bout in the dark, imprints 'em on it, and causes 'em to follow its Motion; so that real Phantoms and Ghosts are now no longer sensible of the other World. I know divers Persons of great courage who have chang'd pale at the sight of these Sports and of these Magi­cal Artifices.

And with M. Grundler's good leave, all the Esteem that I had of his pro­found Learning, was not able to free me from that Dread which seiz'd upon my Spirits on that occasion; insomuch that I was apt to believe that there never was in the World a greater Ma­gitian than he: For it seem'd to me as if I had a sight of Paradise, of Hell and of wand'ring Spirits and Phantoms, so [Page 235] that altho' I know myself to be endu'd with some measure of Resoluteness, yet at that time I wou'd willingly have gi­ven one half to save the other: All these Apparitions suddenly disappear'd and gave place to Shews of another Na­ture: For in a moment, I saw the Air fill'd with all sorts of Birds, almost after the same manner as they are usually painted round about Orpheus, and in the twinkling of an Eye, a Country-Wedding appear'd to my view, with so [...]atural and lively a representation that I imagin'd myself to be one of the Guests at the Solemnity. Afterward [...]he Horizon of my sight was taken up with a Palace so stately, that nothing [...]ike it can be produc'd, but in the Ima­gination; before which there were di­ [...]rs Personages running at the Ring: These Heroes seem'd to be the Gods [...]h [...]t were ador'd by Antiquity, and [...]mong them 'twas pleasant to observe [...]mus mounted upon a Barbary-Horse, [...]nd making Satyrical Reflections upon Jupiter, who had made a false step [Page 236] amidst so jolly a company. But let us put an end to these Visions and endea­vour to divert Your Most Serene High­ness with somewhat that is more solid.

Altho' private Persons are very rich at Noremberg; yet it may be affirm'd that the State is infinitely more magni­ficent. This is what I have observ d in the Republicks which I have seen, and is a Quality essential for their Preserva­tion. The Arsenal of this City is very well furnish'd, and capable of affording Arms to nine or ten thousand Men at an instant: The Court is a most noble Pile of Building, adorn'd with a vast quantity of valuable Paintings, among which that of this great Duke deser­vedly holds the first Rank; and the Ca­stle, which is suppos'd to have been built in the time of Drusus, answers well the reputation of its Antiquity. From the best Quarter, which serves upon occasion as an Appartment for the Emperours, the whole City may be discover'd, and (if one may be allow'd to say so) an entirely perfect Horizon: [Page 237] For there is nothing in the adjacent Plains to bound the sight, and the weakness of the Eye only hinders it from taking a farther Prospect. One may judge of the Height of this Place by the Detpth of its Well; which is so great that a very long Story may be told during the time that a Stone is thrown into it e're the noise of its fall be heard: Inso­much that this Interval is surprizing, and I doubt whether that Well of Jo­seph so much celebrated in ancient Hi­stories, and Modern Narratives, deserves more Consideration; at least I have no mind to go thither to take the Dimen­sions of it, on purpose to make the Com­parison. I saw in the House of a private Cityzen those curious Brazen Figures which the Magistrates had caus'd to be cast, to adorn the Fountain of the great Market-Place: certainly this must needs have been the Work-manship of the Gods and not of Men, or at least these Statues were made by Giants: For that of Neptune weighing three thou­sand and three hundred Pounds, is alone [Page 238] sufficient to brain more people than all the Giants of the Fable, and 'tis in my opinion one of the finest Master-pieces of the Age:

The publick Library after those of the Emperour and the King is the finest that I have seen; for the Manuscripts and Miniatures very much surpass o­thers, and its small Embellishments render it more delightful and pro­fitable: They are the Portraitures of Learned Men, divers Skeletons of many different Animals, and some of those Natural Curiosities, which elevate the Mind at the same time as they instruct it. The Ingenious M. Wolkamer has furnish'd this Library with part of these Rarities, and left an Example worthy to be imitated by others. I receiv'd Information here of the Honour that the Senate had done me in making a Present to me of certain Medals, which they had sent to Paris for my use; whereupon I was overjoy'd and ready to make all manner of Acknowledg­ments for so great a favour, altho' I had [Page 239] not as yet those Treasures in my own possession.

It was requisite that the Plenty of Noremberg shou'd be divided, and there­fore the University is settl'd at

ALTORF,

Where the Liberal Arts and Sciences flourish with all manner of splendour; the curious Publick Library being the foundation of these Studies and the Pro­fessors the Instruments. M. Hofman there teaches the Art of Physick with great success; but M. Wagenseil more particularly applies himself to the study of the Hebrew Tongue and of the Di­vinity of the Jews. How great delight wou'd the great Scaliger have taken in conferring with him about so many Difficulties relating to their Law and the Talmud, with which his Noble Mind was so much taken up! None ever attain'd to so profound skill in these matters since the Nativity of Jesus Christ, and since Scaliger's time (as I am apt to believe) none has advanc'd [Page 240] the knowledge of 'em so far. This most Ingenious Person takes much de­light in the viewing of Medals, and is well vers'd in the method of distin­guishing 'em: I am also indebted to his Courtesie for a Greek one of Gordianus, coin'd at Byzantium, which I shall pub­lish at a convenient opportunity.

At the distance of about three daies Journey from Noremberg stands

BAREIT.

It is a small Town which with its ad­jacent Territory serves as an Inheritance to a Prince of the House of Branden­burg. He who is at present Master of it, at first took to Wife the Daughter of the Elector of Saxony, and afterwards marry'd that of the Duke of Wirtemberg, namely Sophia, that prudent, judicious and magnificent Princess: She is highly honour d by all those who know her, because her Merit requires it, and even in regard that she is much addicted to Curiosity. Her Repository is as it were a Sore-house of Golconda; I saw [Page 241] there, all those choice precious Stones, which are usually taken out of the Mines of that Country, and among others one longer and broader than my Eye, very thick and perfectly clear; It is a Diamond of great value by reason of its extraordinary beauty and weight. If the Town of Bareit be so rich in its Repository 'tis no less so in its Wine-Cellar: I have been there (My Lord) and shou'd not have been able to return from thence, if I had follow'd the Advice of those that condu­cted me thither. Perhaps Ʋlysses wou'd not have been so sober at his departure from this Place, as when he left Cir­ce's inchanted Island; for here he wou'd have met with the Liquors of his own native soil, accompany'd with all the De­licates of the Western Countries: Indeed these kinds of Rencounters sometimes put a stop to the carrying on of the most generous Designs. I have been inform'd that the Prince spares no costs in making those agreeable Provisions, as neither does the Princess in adorning her Cabi­net of Jewels.

[Page 242]This delectable store of Rarities and Riches did no longer retard my Jour­ney than during so much time as was requisite to take a view of 'em. After­ward I set forward to Saxony and ar­riv'd at

JENA,

Where I saw that so flourishing U­niversity, to which all the Students of the North usually resort to pay their first Hommages. There are above 3000. of 'em, and 'tis probable that their number wou'd be augmented if the pro­found Peace which they now enjoy shou'd drive away all suspicion of a fu­ture War. Otherwise a small Commo­tion wou'd be sufficient to terrifie the Muses, and I am afraid that at the very first discharge of a Cannon they wou'd all quit their claim to their Mount Par­nassus. However, the Prince who is of the House of Saxony causes this Uni­versity to be enlarg'd, and leaves no means unessay'd that may tend to en­crease [Page 243] its ancient Splendour. I was there acquainted with two very eminent Professors, viz. M. Rolfinus and M. Bo­sius, the former is very Famous for his skill in the Art of Physick, and the other for that of History: But I have reason to fear that they will not long possess those honourable Stations, one of 'em being very old, and extreamly indispos'd; neither does the other en­joy a much greater degree of Health, altho' he be much younger. This M. Bosius has divers considerable Medals and is well vers'd in the knowledge of 'em; He permitted me to draw with a Pen some Copies, which may one day be of use to the Republick of Learning, and in the mean while serve to adorn my Manuscripts.

Give me leave (My Lord) to repre­sent to You a Character of this Prince in a few Words, who notwithstanding his Youth is endu'd with as much Judg­ment as the most accomplish'd; so that nothing seems to be wanting to him but an occasion of making known his [Page 244] excellent Endowments to the World. He has a particular respect for France and its Natives, and speaks their Lan­guage as politely as the Persons of Qua­lity at Paris and in the French Court: The Dutchess his Wife was born Dutchess of Trimouille, and apparently promotes this Inclination. What shall I say in commendation of her Vertue and generous Temper, which were not sufficiently known either in France or Germany? The Ermine which I gave for her Device may discover somewhat of it in these Words CANDOR MIHI SUFFICIT UNUS.

WEIMAR,

Which is situated in the Neighbour­hood communicates its name to a Branch of the House of Saxony to di­stinguish it from the Electoral. It is a Town of a moderate largeness, whose Palace nevertheless is extreamly spaci­ous and Magnificent. That Hall in which are painted the memorable Acti­ons [Page 245] of Duke Bernard is the stateliest that I have seen in Germany. If nothing can be made finer to delight the Eye than this piece of Work-manship; it may be justly affirm'd that another Chamber is contriv'd on purpose to di­vert the Mind, where those Persons who stand in the middle, cannot hear so much as one Word that is spoken by those that are plac'd at the ends. One wou'd suspect it to be a Magical Arti­fice, and indeed, 'tis very surprizing, yet 'tis only a Device of Architecture, which conveys the sound of the Voice along the concave Line of the arched Roof to the other end, without disper­sing it thro' the great Vacuum of the spacious Chamber. But my Mind was taken up with much more melancholy Thoughts, as I was travelling from Jena to Leipsick thro' those vast Plains, which seem as yet to reek with that prodigious quantity of Blood which was spilt there about forty years ago. What strange Ide­a's then presented themselves to my Ima­gination! There was slain (as they told [Page 246] me) the great Gustavus; there Papen­heim was wounded; there he dy'd in bringing him back to Leipsick; there was planted the Artillery of the Impe­rialists, and there that of the Swedes; there was the main Battel, and the greatest slaughter, and there were in­terr'd the nine or ten thousand Men that remain'd in the Field. All the Towns round about will for a long time bear the lamentable Marks of this furious War. It seem'd as if I there saw 'em all together; so that Lutzen, Nam­burg and Weissenfeld in particular pos­sess d my Mind much longer than my Eyes.

It is known to all Merchants, that there are great Fairs kept at

LEIPSICK.

Altho' Learned Men are sufficiently inform'd of the Constitutions of its U­niversity, yet they have not so good an Account of its Curiosities. I there view'd the Repository of Burgomaster [Page 247] Laurents full of all sorts of Rarities: But his House is a Palace, which is more valuable than the Repository: His Daughter is esteem'd as a very vertuous Gentle-woman, who is well skill'd in various Sciences and knows how to ex­press 'em in several Languages; which rare Qualities may be sufficient to set a higher value upon her Person than up­on the House and Repository. I had also a fight of divers Medals in some other Places, and among others in the renowned Musoeum of M. Meyer, which is to be expos'd to sale; but if every thing that I have been told concerning this Repository be true, I had as many Ducates about me as wou'd be sufficient to pay for the Purchase. One of those Persons who shew'd me these Rarities, and is in part Heir to 'em, was very an­gry at me, when he heard me say, that his Copper-Medals of Otho were not Genuine: But he was so firmly perswa­ded to the contrary, that I was very near receiving an Affront as the Re­ward of my too ingenuous Sincerity, [Page 248] besides the disappointment of being de­priv'd of the sight of the rest. This un­lucky Accident made me take a Resolu­tion not to speak so much as one word for the future when I met with people of such a peevish Humour, and not to declare the Truth upon the like occa­sions, till I were ready to depart from the Place. However, there is to be seen a large siz'd Copper-Medal of Ju­lia the Wife of Augustus, which in my mind, wou'd be the most precious of this Repository, if I had no grounds to suspect it to be counterfeit: Its Conse­cration is apparent from the Figure of a Peacock and the Inscription. Besides these there are some other good Gold and Silver Medals of which I took a Memorandum, but eight hundred Crowns were demanded for 'em, which is a greater summ of Money than I was willing to lay out upon such an Ac­count.

WITTEMBERG

Is a fair City well fortify'd both by Nature and Art, and adorn'd with an University: But the Students in Divi­nity are not there endu'd with so much Moderation as in the other Places where the same Religion is predomi­nant: They are more rude and (as I durst avouch it) more outragious than elsewhere. In the Church of the Castle they take delight in shewing to Stran­gers the Sancta Sanctorum of the High Altar despoil'd of every thing that it contain'd. Ossa Sanctorum debent quies­cere: i. e. The Bones of the Saints ought to lye at rest: (say they) We have bu­ry'd under that Stone hard by, all the Relicks which the Papists were wont to adore there, and this was one of the first ef­fects of our Reformation. I likewise saw divers Paintings rather scandalous than edifying, and one among others in which the Painter has introduc'd Do­ctor [Page 250] Martin Luther and D. Philip Me­lancthon administring the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper; on their left hand is a Representation of Hell thro' the wide mouth of a Fiend, in the inside of which appears a Pope attended with Cardinals, Prelates and Monks, I cou'd not forbear asking the Person that con­ducted me, whether that were a Place dediceted to Divine Service, and whe­ther these Pictures inspir'd those People with Devotion? In the same Church are erected two very stately Brazen Statues of the two Dukes and Electors of Saxo­ny, Frederick III. and John: The former founded the University of Wittemberg, changing the Religion of his Country, but the other compleated the Work, and presented his Confession of Faith to the Emperour Charles V. at Augsburg. I stay'd in this Place so much the more willingly to take a view of two admir­able Paintings of Albert Durer, and of two Portraitures of Luther and Melan­cthon, as large as the Life, drawn by [Page 251] Lucas Cranis, which are plac'd over a­gainst 'em and above their Tombs. There are also some other Pieces of the same Painter, but none so odd as that which I saw in the principal Church of the City, which is as it were the Paro­chial. It is drawn by an excellent Ar­tist and represents our Saviour Jesus Christ follow'd by St. Peter and some other Apostles who fell into the Hands of Judas and the Jews: Your High­ness cou'd never imagine what manner of Ornaments are appropriated to 'em: For our Saviour's Person appears wea­ring a Triple Crown upon his Head, exactly as the Pope is painted at Rome, and those that accompany him are cloath'd in the Habit of Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, &c. Is this a true re­presentation of the Jews who be­tray'd and deliver'd up Jesus Christ? nevertheless this is their meaning. I have seen many Lutherans elsewhere, and have alwaies found 'em more moderate. Indeed Reproaches serve [Page 252] only to exasperate the Minds of Peo­ple and to excite Hatred and Animo­sities, and what can be expected in the end, but all sorts of Calamities? I am much rather inclin'd to pronounce with a low voice, Doce nos Deus vias tuas, &c. O Lord teach us thy Statutes. Upon the whole, the Memory of Dr. Luther is extreamly honour'd in that Country; so that the Inhabitants have a great Veneration for the Places thro' which he pass'd; the Chambers where he slept; the Books that he read, and the Gardens where he walkt: They have likewise given his name to a cer­tain Spring, which is distant about a mile from the City, because he was of­ten wont to repair thither to study and to hold Conferences with his Friends concerning the Reformation which he was about to introduce.

We continu'd our Journey very spee­dily to

BERLIN.

Altho' the extent of the Country be very large, yet Travellers are wont to ride poste upon this Road in Chariots that run incessantly day and night; nei­ther is there any rest to be taken but only to change the Horses. I was deliver'd from this Fatigue as soon as I saw Ber­lin, and every thing there appear'd so beautiful to me, that I fancy'd there was a kind of opening in the Firma­ment, thro' which the Sun dispens'd its most benigne Influences to this Ter­ritory; neither are those dismal Solitu­des to be seen any longer, thro' which I had lately travell'd. The City is compos'd as it were of three others, whose Buildings are very regular, and for the most part after the Italian me­thod of Architecture. The Forest which is situated at the distance only of half a mile from thence, affords much delight to the Prince, who maintains in it nu­merous [Page 254] Heards of Deer and all sorts of Game; where he often diverts himself with Hunting, after such an extraordi­nary and pleasant manner, as very few Persons are capable of apprehending it: I have even heard it reported, that he knows so precisely the very moment when the wild Bore is ready to pass by, that he leaps upon his back as it were that of a Horse, and sitting astride stabbs the Beast under him. This cir­cumstance alone is sufficient to strike terrour into my Mind, and none can bear such Affection toward this Prince as I do, without fearing at least the Mis-fortunes that may happen to his Noble Person, by exposing it to so des­perate an Adventure; Therefore I wou'd willingly give him the same Advice that Venus once did to her beloved A­donis:

The Gardens are there full of Orange and Lemmon Trees, Jasmin and all kinds of Flowers, and in a word, afford all those charming Delights which have procur'd Italy, the Royal style of Queen of Coun­tries, by reason of the advantage of its Climate and the fruitfulness of its Soil.

The Castle in which his Electoral Highness resides, is a very ancient Fa­brick, and its Architecture shews a kind of Majestick Air; but the modern Build­ings joyn'd to it are most commodious. The Library is there plac'd in so mag­nificent an Appartment, that I know none that surpasses it in Beauty. In­deed it well deserves so advantageous a situation, for 'tis one of the finest and most compleat in the World, both as to the number and choice of the Books of which it consists: The Cabinet of Medals that accompanies it, in like manner may well be thought worthy [Page 256] to be view'd by all ingenious Lovers of Curiosity. His Electoral Highness, who is entirely addicted to the administration of the Government does not cease ne­vertheless to allow some time for the compleating of this Collection. One wou'd scarce imagine how great a pro­gress he has made in the Work, only within his own Territories about Wesel, Santen and Cleves, where a great quan­tity of these Medals has been found, and (what is most important) even of those that are very rare: That of Cornuficius is of this number, than which I never saw a finer, but I shall not here produce a particular Description of any of 'em: I have Memorandum's of those that are most valuable, and these Notes are as good luck wou'd have it, very consi­derable; nay I have even delineated with a Pen those that I judg'd to be singular: But they were so numerous, that I was oblig'd another day to desire leave to employ myself in the same Work: I remember that I spent the second time [Page 257] five or six hours in the enjoyment of this agreeable Diversion, and that I very much enrich'd my Manuscripts with those Rarities; But altho' I had ob­serv'd only the tenth part of 'em, yet I shou'd have thought my Journey un­dertaken to very good purpose. The custody of these choice Treasures is committed to M. Heimhach, who is a very great Admirer of 'em, and I doubt not but that he contributes, as far as his utmost Abilities will admit, to the satisfaction of which the Elector his Master is desirous in these Matters. In­deed this Prince is as exact in his scru­tiny as is possible, which is apparently the effect of the skill that he has ac­quir'd in such Curiosities, and of the sagacity of his Judgment. He did me the Honour once to tell me, that he took great delight in this Employment, and that he wou'd spend more time in it, as soon as the more important Af­fairs of State cou'd allow him so much leasure. However, (My Lord) the Sea­son [Page 258] was very improper for the carry­ing on of our Studies; in regard that then there was no talk in Berlin, nor even in the whole Marquisate, but of the Passage and Levies of Soldiers. In this Conjuncture all Europe had re­gard to his Electoral Highness's Con­duct; it was also well known that the Hollanders did not hope for a more potent nor more ready Protector, and that the Assistance he afforded 'em; was sufficient to prevent, or at least to deferr their Ruin. His memorable Actions perform'd not long since, have gain'd him so great renown in Poland and Sweden, that his very name alone is capable of supporting the Interest of that Party which he shall think fit to favour. In a word, he is a Prince of an admirable Genius, insomuch that I never saw any Man that had not a respect for his Person, and as for my own part, I must acknowledge that my Affections toward him are most cordial and sincere: But I ought also [Page 259] to acquaint Your Most Serene Highness that I am more particularly oblig'd to the same Prince for the kind Entertain­ment he afforded me at Berlin; for the Offers with which he was pleas'd to ho­nour me, and for his Generosity in condescending so far as to tell me that he was desirous to hold a Correspon­dence with me. I hope this Word may not be offensive to You (My Lord) His Electoral Highness only thought fit to lay his commands upon me▪ in Matters relating to Curiosity, ancient History and Medals, and I have reason to take it very ill, if my Ene­mies shou'd seek an occasion from thence to create me new Troubles: As to those that are past, I doubt not but God, the King and Time, will do me Justice, and indeed, it might have been already done; but 'tis my Duty to wait with Patience.

In the Elector of Brandenburg's Court at Berlin there is another illustrious Per­sonage, as well vers'd in Curiosity as [Page 260] any that I know, I mean in the know­ledge of Medals, which we call by way of Excellency the most delicate Curiosity: He is a Privy Councellour to his Electoral Highness, who has as great a quantity of Medals in his posses­sion as is possible for a private Person to procure: Some of 'em are so well pre­serv'd that it sufficiently appears that they belong to a choice Collection which is of a very old standing. I was acquaint­ed with him in France above twenty years ago, and notwithstanding his youth I easily foresaw his future Merit; nei­ther were my expectations deceiv'd in this particular, for his Learning has encreas'd with his Age, and I doubt whether there be any one besides my­self, that takes a greater delight in Me­dals than he: This Noble-man has spent some years in Italy and has tra­vell'd thro' the whole Continent of Ger­many, and his profound skill induces me to believe, that he has observ'd eve­ry thing that is necessary to be taken [Page 261] notice of, in order to constitute an In­genious, Learned, Judicious and abso­lutely accomplish'd Person. I can also assure Your Highness that he is one of the most courteous Gentle-men in the World, and I was perswaded that I shou'd have done an injury to the Honourable M. Seidel, not to have made this Parenthesis in his favour. I know that he is a Lutheran and a zeal­ous Professour of the Reformed Reli­gion, but that most inviolable Friend­ship which has been alwaies between us, and the Conformity of our Inclina­tions wou'd never suffer us to differ tho' never so little, about the Diversi­ty of our Opinions.

The two young Princes (My Lord) will be one day great Patrons of Cu­riosity. Their tender Age receives its form from that of the Heroes with whom they daily converse, and His Electoral Highness himself is a dome­stick Model, from whence they cannot but take very noble Idea's. They [Page 262] have already attain'd to the knowledge of divers Languages, and are very ex­pert in all sorts of Martial Exercises, neither are they less instructed in those Sciences which are capable of cultiva­ting their generous Minds. For their several Appartments are rather loaded than adorn'd with Books, Geographi­cal Maps, Chronological Tables, Globes, Sphaeres and Medals. In short, these are the Instruments that work Mira­cles by innocently maintaining Mag­nanimity during Prosperity, and by sup­porting it even in Adversity. It is a general Maxime among the Prudent to be alwaies prepar'd for all manner of Events, as we learn from the Exam­ple of Hannibal. It is very probable that these Princes may alwaies see For­tune smiling and uncapable of doing 'em any injury; but 'tis a much more Royal Praerogative to have Vertue for their familiar Friend and Confident. The Baron de Swerin principal Minister of State, and a great Patron of the Mu­ses [Page 263] has inspir'd 'em with these generous Sentiments, and has done a very signal piece of Service to His Electoral High­ness in so well managing the Disposi­tions of these two young Princes, and in so happily following the Advice of Au­relius Victor; who writes to this ef­fect; Compertum est eruditionem, elegan­tiam comitatem, praesertim Principibus necessaria esse; cùm sine his naturae bona quasi incompta aut etiam horrida despe­ctui sint. i. e. It is certain that Learn­ing, Curiosity and Courteousness are more especially necessary in Princes, in regard that without these Qualities the Endow­ments of Nature wou'd appear as it were unpolish'd, if not altogether rude and de­form'd.

Having left the Marquisate of Bran­denburg, I enter'd Saxony, where the Climate is undoubtedly more tempe­rate, and consequently the Soil more fruitful. I never saw a finer Garden than that which His Electoral High­ness has caus'd to be cultivated in the Suburbs of

DRESDEN.

I there saw the Royal Princess of Denmark, marry'd to the Electoral Prince, who (as they say) takes grea­ter Delight in these Walks than in any other Divertisements. The Wines of the neighbouring Country are most delicious, and the Beer there brewd is as good as in any part of Germany. There is also more variety of Game than in any Place in the World, which every where causes good cheer and plentiful Entertainments. I am very much oblig'd to Doctor Schubart, in whose House I lodg'd, upon this very account, as also for giving me a sight of the most remarkable Curiosities in the City of Dresden. I wou'd willing­ly make no mention of 'em at all, be­cause I am sensible that the most part of what I have to say as to these Matters is already known, and that I am not capable of expressing my self sufficiently [Page 265] in their commendation. This City is very Beautiful, Strong and Rich, not to add, that 'tis adorn'd, fortify'd and enrich'd more and more every day, and I have lately perus'd an advantage­ous Description of it in a Book that bears the Title of L'Europe Vivante, but I am not inclin'd to make Repeti­tions. The Palace contains a World of Wonders, a List of which has been printed, but they are not all compre­hended therein. Seven spacious Cham­bers are fill'd with the richest Jewels that Your Highness can possibly ima­gine, with a prodigious quantity of Vessels of Rock-Chrystal, Coral and precious Stones, besides curious Paint­ings drawn by Albert Durer, Titian, Lucas Leydensis, Lucas Cranis, Rubens and many other excellent Masters. I saw there the Life of the Virgin Mary represented by the first of those Hands, which was carv'd in Wood, and a large piece of the real Cross upon which our Saviour was crucify'd.

[Page 266]One may there also observe with much delight the Mechanical Works of divers Princes, and 'tis admirable (My Lord) to behold what Art can produce when exercis'd by so noble Hands. Therc is perhaps a greater number of Automata than in any other place in the World, and those too ve­ry large, rich and surprizing. I shou'd have spent much longer time in the Examination of 'em, were it not that my Mind was taken up with the cu­rious Medals which presented them­selves to my View. M. Beurel, to whose care they are committed, will e're long applie himself to these kinds of Studies, so that I doubt not but that he will find sufficient Employment in delineating a considerable number of ra­re ones which are there preserv'd, and in placing 'em in a more regular Order. I cou'd not get a sight of a little Chest of old Gold, because 'tis kept in the private Closet of His Electoral High­ness, who was then absent from Dres­den, [Page 267] and came not thither during the whole time of my abode in the Town, but only to lie there one Night. This rich Treasure is very highly valu'd and 'tis probable, that I shou'd have e­steem'd it no less if I had had the good fortune of seeing it. Indeed 'twas no fault of the Barons de Frizen who have there the most honourable Employ­ments as well as the chiefest Merit; but as I have already declar'd, the Prince's Absence alone depriv'd me of that satisfaction, which I might have otherwise had. However, I determine to return thither once more on purpose, and the Delight that I alwaies take in the viewing of Medals is so great, as to oblige me to resolve upon this Jour­ney; neither have I any regard to the loss of time or Expences, whenever I find an opportunity to enrich my Mind with new Discoveries: I shall then have seen the Repositories of five Secular Electoral Princes, and perhaps none has so great an insight as myself [Page 268] into the admirable Curiosities of this Nature.

I know not whether it wou'd be any Divertisement to You (My Lord) to entertain You with the Rarities con­tain'd in a Repository of Druggs. In this case that of Dresden may well deserve a particular Description: Your Most Serene Highness may take an Estimate from the number of four thou­sand-Silver Boxes, of the prodigious variety of Medicaments with which they are fill'd: And indeed, almost as many means are there found out for the reviving of a Man as elsewhere for his Destruction. There are some Me­dicinal Compositions of very great re­pute; among these I had a taste of that Aqua Vitae which is no less Famous for its excellency, than splendid by reason of its gilt Papers: In a word, to say that His Electoral Highness sometimes honours this Repository with his pre­sence is a sufficient commendation of it. In the same Place are kept divers [Page]

[Page] [Page 269] Mummies of all sorts, and as these kinds of Curiosities are not very useful; so neither are they destitute of their peculiar Beauty: Of these some are White and others Black, but the later are generally embalm'd, wrapt up in Swathing-bands, and beset with Idols or the Images of small Animals and other superstitious Embellishments. I was elsewhere presented with some Rarities of this kind which were lately dugg out of the Ground under a Pyra­mid in Aegypt: Perhaps the Represen­tation of 'em may afford some satisfa­ction to Your Most Serene Highness, and therefore I have caus'd a Draught of 'em to be made in a small compass; but if the Originals be more delightful to You, I shall take it as a very great Honour that Your Highness will con­descend so far as to accept 'em from my Hands.

It is a very singular Object to behold the Repository of Skeletons; for the Founders of it have taken much pains [Page 270] in causing 'em to be made of all sorts of Animals, and they are preserv'd with no less care and circumspection, which is to procure 'em a kind of Im­mortality. To these are joyn'd many other sorts of Rarities, and among o­thers I remember that I have seen a Prodigy. It is a real Elephant about a Foot long which is avouch'd to be the Foetus of a Woman: Let the In­quisitive seek for the cause of so strange a product in the effects of a depray'd Imagination, or in a Crime, which 'tis much more expedient to conceal than to suspect; yet it alwaies seems to be supernatural: Pliny produces the like Example in these Terms. Alcip­pe Elephantum peperit, quod inter osten­ta est. Alcippe was deliver'd of an Ele­phant, which ought to be reckon'd among the Prodigies of Nature.

As for the different kinds of living Creatures, I never saw so great a mul­titude before, and can scarce believe that there are so many elsewhere; nei­ther [Page 271] perhaps does Africa produce so great a number of Monsters. The Elector who delights in this Curiosity, caus'd 'em to be transported thither, both from the Eastern and Western Coun­tries, but the most part of 'em come out of his own Territories. There is not finer Hunting in the World than hereabouts, so that sometimes above a thousand wild Bores are destroy'd in one Day. Indeed his Electoral High­ness takes very great delight in these sports, and lays out greater expences about 'em than any other Prince in Germany: I cou'd not forbear admiring the Keeper of these Beasts, who uses 'em at his pleasure. You wou'd be apt to affirm that Wolves, Lions, Bears, Linxes, Tigres, Leopards, &c. lose their whole fury at the very sight of him, at least they are no longer wild whilst they continue in his presence. One of the greatest Noble-men of Car­thage was heretofore expell'd that Ci­ty, only because he had tam'd a Lion; [Page 272] so jealous were those ancient Republi­cans, lest their Liberty shou'd one day be invaded by so ingenious a Person, who having found out the knack of doing whatever he listed with savage Beasts, might be induc'd with much greater reason to turn the Hearts of his Fellow-Cityzens, so as to make 'em comply with his desires.

I cannot leave Misnia, Saxony and Lusatia, without declaring that I was very much surpriz'd there, and that for want of good Memoires. I did not stay so long as I might have done in so delicate a Country; neither do I any longer admire that Charlemagne met with so many difficulties in carry­ing on his Conquests in those Parts.

BOHEMIA.

Formerly constituted a particular Kingdom, but at present is subject to the Emperor. It is a very fine Coun­try, but its intestine and foreign Wars [Page 273] have extreamly weaken'd and depopu­ [...]ated it: Insomuch that it may not be unfitly compar'd to a valiant Soldier who has destroy'd his Enemies, but [...]till languishes under the Wounds he [...]eceiv'd in the Battel. I have heard [...]ay, that the Emperor's Presence wou'd [...]n a little time restore that vigour which is now no longer to be seen [...]here; and this puts me in mind of [...]ome sick Persons, who recover their Health at the very sight of their Phy­ [...]cian. I met with nothing there­ [...]bouts that I sought for, and indeed, Curiosities are seldom to be found in [...]he small Towns; But

PRAGƲE

To make amends for that fault, fur­ [...]sh'd me with very many. The Jews [...]ought Medals to me every day, [...]t such as were of very little value; so [...]at I was even asham'd of their Igno­ [...]nce and despicable Poverty. They [Page 274] also shew'd me a considerable quantity of Stones which may be call'd precious; but in those kinds of Rarities I have regard to nothing but what is extream­ly beautiful; neither did I there meet with any of this Nature. I found so much employment in this City, that I was daily tir'd with traversing it al­tho' new objects appear'd to my sight in its several Quarters. I was told that I ought not to be surpriz'd at its vast extent, in regard that it consisted in seven different Towns, but this serv'd only to encrease the Wonder, for I shou'd have judg'd that it contain'd above a hundred. It is altogether as broad as the City of London is long, and the number of the Inhabitants is proportionable to its compass. If the thirteen hundred Apothecaries of Lon­don are a sufficient Evidence of its Po­pulousness, the two thousand Jesuits of Prague may be cited to the like pur­pose: The other Religious Societies are also as numerous as in any part [Page 275] of the World whatever, and there are some Monasteries that resemble the Palaces of Princes rather than the re­tiring Places of Persons who profess to renounce all the Vanities of the World. The Spaniards have a Church in this City and consequently a Habi­tation with the Title of Pilgrims of E­maus, but I never heard any mention made of that name any where else. The People are very devout; yet I do not think myself oblig'd to believe every thing that their mistaken zeal suggests to 'em. They shew'd me in a Church the three Stones of a Pillar, which the Devil (as they say) had brought from Rome to deceive a cer­tain Priest as he was celebrating Mass, with whom he had made a Compact: They added that St. Peter threw this Fiend and his Pillar three several times into the Sea, and that this Balk having spoil'd all his Measures, he was so much enrag'd, that he broke his Pillar for vexation, and nevertheless too fortu­nately [Page 276] found means to escape, &c. My silence was not well interpreted by those that related the Story to me, and I was oblig'd at last to declare whether I believ'd it or not. I thought to have got off by saying, that I had never read nor so much as heard of it before, altho' I had been tolerably well in­form'd of St. Peter's Miracles; but that perhaps the circumstance of Time might afford me some light into the matter: Therefore I demanded of 'em when this happen'd; they answer'd many thousand years ago: I reply'd that the Christian Religion was esta­blish'd only sixteen hundred years ago that is to say, since the Nativity of Jesus Christ: It is true (said they) but the Miracle which we have mention'd to you is a great deal older than that: Thus my Chronologie being entirely subverted, I was almost forc'd to be­lieve that the Catholick Church, St. Peter and the Mass were much more ancient than they were suppos'd to be.

[Page 265]In the same Place I saw a large Stone Tomb, which was found in Moldavia, with the Body of St. Anthony. It is a considera­ble Monument, the Carving and Orna­ments of which have a very great Con­formity with the Sepulchres of the Pri­mitive Christians that are discover'd in Italy; and of which there are so many Draughts in that curious Book, known by the Title of Roma subterranea: These Characters XP. which denote the Name of Christ with A and Ω, are there ex­press'd as upon our ancient Medals of Magnentius and Decentius. In the same Church is shewn the Portraiture of the Virgin Mary, painted by St. Luke; and I am only displeas'd to meet with these Pieces so often; for 'tis certain that Peo­ple are mistaken as to the most part of 'em, it not being probable that St. Luke ever drew so many Portraitures of the Virgin; besides that, some modern Marks are apparent in this Piece: Ne­vertheless I have a pious Veneration for all these sorts of Relicks. They also shew'd me thereabouts a kind of Tem­ple [Page 266] or Mosque, suppos'd to have been built by the Turks when they carry'd on their Incursions even to those Parts: It is altogether different from ours, and receives light only thro' the Roof, al­most after the same manner as the Pan­theon of Agrippa.

That part of the City, which is situa­ted beyond the River, and commonly call'd the lesser side, is much more de­lightful, and scarce any thing else is to be seen there but sumptuous Palaces, which amount to the number of above Three hundred; so that this Quarter may well be styl'd the Magazine of the Riches of Bohemia, and of his Imperial Majesty's Hereditary Countries. The King's Palace is at present that of the Emperor, and, in regard of its ad­vantageous Situation, Architecture, and Ornaments, justly deserves the Title of a Royal Pile of Building. M. Misseroni, to whose Custody the Treasury is com­mitted, gave me a sight there (without any manner of exaggeration be it spo­ken) [Page 267] of the finest Paintings in the World: There were above fifty of Titian, as also a little Room crowded with the Works of Raphael Angelo, and four or five spa­cious Chambers full of Paintings of the highest Value. I cannot call to mind the sight of some empty Rooms with­out Tears in my Eyes, by reason that all the Books and Medals were kept in 'em. It is the Property of War to spare no­thing; and that which none durst at­tempt by open Force, was at last effected by the Treachery of a private Person, who enrich'd Count Konismarck with these Treasures. I have been inform'd that this General made a Present of Part of 'em to Queen Christina; and that he caus'd the rest to be convey'd into a Castle which he has in his possession near Bremen. Indeed it will not be my fault if I have not a sight of 'em; and I am as likely as any Man to undertake a Journey on purpose. If Curiosity has oblig'd me to endure so many Toils and Fatigues, it must also be acknowledg'd [Page 268] that I have thence receiv'd a great deal of delight and satisfaction as a Recom­pence for my labour. I have there ob­serv'd some Medals, which are suppos'd to be ancient, but I durst not give Cre­dit to such an Asseveration: I have also seen some at Paris that were sent thi­ther from Italy, and which seem'd to me to be of the same stamp; so that 'tis ap­parent that there are Counterfeits every where. The above-mention'd M. Mis­seroni communicated to me many other choice Rarities, with the highest de­gree of Civility, upon the Recommen­dation of the Count de Lambers his Im­perial Majesty's principal Minister of State; to whom I shall be oblig'd for this Favour, even during my whole Life.

It was requisite once more to visit Vi­enna; but before my Arrival there, it may not be improper (my Lord) to give you an account of a strange shew that entirely possess'd my Imagination. As we were passing between the River Elbe, and a small Wood or Copse, we [Page 269] were surpriz'd to behold at one end of the Meadows, as it were, an Epitome of the Resurrection, and of the last Judg­ment: For three or four hundred Persons suddenly rose up from the Ground on which they had lain: They took no care to dress themselves for want of Cloaths; not but that some sew were meanly fur­nish'd with 'em, yet none had any sense of shame. I durst not describe what I saw, and much less what they proffer'd to shew me, in case I wou'd have bestow'd some small Benevolence upon 'em. This was a Company, or if you please, a Re­giment of Bohemians, not of the Natives of Bohemia, but of those Bohemians by Profession, that have no Trade, no Wealth, no Friends, and no Industry, and yet live, and that too with a sort of liberty, that you shall not meet with in the most free Republick in the World.

I was then travelling, accompany'd with a Polander, and a very learned Stu­dent of Stralsund, nam'd M. Leve: They were no less surpriz'd than I, at this Apparition, and our Conference was [Page 270] not discontinu'd but by a little Quarrel that arose between 'em upon account of Religion. The Polander, who was a most zealous Roman Catholick, recited by way of Devotion, a Te Deum, in ho­nour of St. Anthony, made in imitation of the Hymn which St. Ambrose and St. Augustine compos'd for the Divine Service. The Lutheran cou'd not en­dure to hear it; neither cou'd he for­bear telling him, that his Prayer was superstitious and impious; and, that, by presuming to attribute to Men such Prai­ses as were peculiar to the supreme Dei­ty, Almighty God was entirely depriv'd of those that were due to him alone. I had much adoe to put an end to this Altercation, and effected it only by opposing that Article of the general Treaty of Peace, which Prohibits all sorts of Persons to disturb the Publick Tranquillity under any pretence of Reli­gion whatsoever.

At Vienna I had once more the Ho­nour to do Reverence to His Imperial Majesty, and those Moments, during [Page 271] which he was graciously pleas'd to ad­mit me into his Presence, finally deter­min'd my Perswasion, that he is the most accomplish'd Prince that ever was, and even ever shall be in the World: He was standing upon a kind of Alcove: when he condescended so far as to call me to him, where what he thought fit to tell me, and the manner of expressing himself, affected my Heart more than my Ears. Indeed I had hitherto only offer'd it to God, but then I judg'd it not to be unreasonable to make a Present of it also to him, who represents the Di­vine Majesty upon Earth. The Poets have not given so sublime a Character of their Jupiter, as that which I observ'd in the Person of this most August Em­perour: Insomuch that the most Heroi­cal Eloquence wou'd fail, if it shou'd un­dertake to express my Thoughts con­cerning him; and much more my mean Epistolary Style. However, I cannot for­bear declaring, that if Fortune shou'd one day favour my moderate Abilities, I shall leave no means unattempted to [Page 272] demonstrate my grateful acknowledg­ment of that kind Reception, and of those many signal Bounties with which his Imperial Majesty has thought fit to Honour me. I took another opportuni­ty to visit his admirable Treasures, but more especially those of the Books and Medals. I there saw that infinite num­ber of choice Manuscripts in all Lan­guages, and upon all sorts of Subjects, as well Ancient as Modern, without which (as I take it) 'tis impossible to attain to an exact Style; and at the same time I turn'd over those incomparable Draughts of J. Strada, which a Man cannot peruse without becoming both more Judicious and more Learned. M. Lambecius, who has 'em in his Custody, in quality of Library-Keeper, shew'd me all possible demonstrations of Kindness: His Name is well known, and highly honour'd by all those that are addicted to the Study of the most sublime Sci­ences; but the Five Volumes which he has lately publish'd, seem to add a new lustre to his Reputation. His admirable [Page 273] Book which bears the Title of Bibliothe­ca Caesarea, contains an Account of eve­ry thing that is exquisite, curious, and rare in the Emperour's Library. I have perus'd those Five Volumes at Vienna; and altho' I had but a small space of time to spend in that Imployment, yet they appear'd to me to be too short, which is undoubtedly a good sign (my Lord) as 'tis a very bad one, when a Man is tir'd with reading a little Book. Indeed I never set Foot in this Library without discovering some new Lights and improving my Knowledge to a higher degree; so easie a Matter it is to become Learned, by having recourse to so inexhaustible a Store-House of good Literature. The most part of Matters are there to be found already digested, and with never so little Judgment one may easily discern what is certainly true from what has only some appearance of Truth, and by consequence argue rati­onally upon any Subject whatsoever. I resided there about three Months, and cou'd even have spent my whole Life in [Page 274] these Studies, without the least fatigue or weariness.

There were no longer any Jews to be seen at Vienna, which was the cause that I wanted many Medals: They had been expell'd thence about a Year before, and out of the whole Country of Austria. Indeed Complaints are every where made of 'em; and the Tributes which they pay to Princes for their Protection are not very efficacious to mollifie the Hatred which they have deservedly incurr'd: They are the most cruel Enemies of the Christians, as if they were authoriz'd by the Old Testament to commit those Robberies, Massacres, and Poysonings of which they are so often Convicted a­gainst those that believe the New. A Physician may well compare 'em to the Spleen, whose use is of no great Importance; in regard that 'tis often se­parated from the Body, without any di­minution of the Animal Functions: It impairs the Soundness of the other Parts, by appropriating to it self the Humours which ought to serve for their Nourish­ment; [Page 275] and in a word, causes 'em to pine away, and to perish thro' empti­ness, if it be not timely prevented from growing too big. The Jews wou'd do the like to the Christians, if it were in their Power; for they subsist only by Artifice and Fraud. I have observ'd, that the common People are not so mi­serably Poor in any Countries as in those where the Jews are tolerated; so that it may be avouch'd, that they consume their Substance. Besides, they are good for nothing; they are not so Judicious as they were in times past, neither can they endure to apply themselves to any sort of Work or Labour; so that Sloath and Ignorance will at last involve them in all manner of Calamities. The little Town which they formerly Inhabited, at present bears the Name of Leopolstadt, and serves as it were a Suburbs to Vien­na, which is separated from it only by a small Arm of the Danube. It is very neatly built, and the Churches are pu­rify'd, after having defac'd even the least Marks of their Superstition; a Monu­ment [Page 276] of which will be seen for a long time in the Painting of the high Altar, where the Emperour and Empress seem to offer up all their Regalities to God, imploring his Protection for the safety of their little Imperial Princess and of their People. In another Painting of the same Church is represented a Young Christi­an Infant stabb'd to Death with Pen-knives by the Jewish Rabbins, who un­der Colour of Religion receive the Blood in a Bason to be afterward us'd in their abominable Mysteries. It is not without reason that the Religion of the Turks is call'd that of Swine: and it may be also justly affirm'd, that the Religion of the Jews is that of superstitious Bigots; ne­vertheless, without prophaning that Word, which is in a manner Sacred, and ought only to be apply'd to signifie the Worship which we owe to the true God.

The Turks put me in mind of a flight Embassy which I saw at Vienna, where they resided about two Months. After having had a Publick Audience of the [Page 277] Vice-President of the Council of War, they demanded one also of the Empe­rour himself, and had much ado to ob­tain it, by reason of the little impor­tance of the Affairs about which they came to treat; yet the good Correspon­dence which is held between the two Empires at last caus'd it to be granted. It was joyful News to me to be inform'd that the Turks avoided even the least oc­casions that might give any offence to his Imperial Majesty, and that by that means the Rebels in Hungary cou'd ex­pect no Supplies, but wou'd be soon con­strain'd to submit to his Clemency. These Ambassadors were lodg'd without the City, and guarded after the same manner with which those Christian No­ble-men are usually treated who are sent on an Embassy to Constantinople. I of­ten repair'd to their Appartment, and yet cou'd never get an opportunity to see 'em at their Meals, altho' I was very desirous of the Sight; I was only per­mitted to enter their Stables, where I saw very fine Horses, which they had [Page 278] transported on purpose to Trade with 'em: For these Turks (my Lord) not­withstanding their Babarity, are very Covetous, and leave no Stone unturn'd to get Money. I brought along with me out of that Country a rich Horse-Cloath Embroider'd in Mesopotamia, where (as they say) is the finest Work­manship of this kind: Indeed 'tis ex­treamly beautiful without comprehend­ing the Gold and Silver which are wrought in it, even to the thickness of two Fingers. I cou'd wish that it were sufficiently curious to give content to your Highness, and that it were worth your acceptance.

It is well known that the Turks have an aversion to all manner of Games and Sports; or to express it better, they know not what 'tis to Game or Play; insomuch that Tennis-Play and Bowling seem al­together ridiculous in their Apprehension. These sottish Christians (say they) throw a Ball into the Air, run after it, pursue it, and run back again: If they are so enamour'd with it, why do they not take [Page 279] it? Why do they not keep it? Why do they take so much pains for a Ball that cannot stir of it self? They abhor all sorts of Games at Cards and Dice, but they have another kind of Sport. I have often seen 'em hurling Faggot-sticks and small Billets at one anothers Heads; the chief Dexterity of the Thrower is to strike his Antagonist as hard as he can; whilst the other not only endeavours to avoid the Blow (as I shou'd be apt to do in the like case) but also goes to meet it and catches it with his Hand, as if it were neither heavy nor hard, in order to throw it back immediately, with the like design of offending the former. You may easily imagine, that they do not often leave off without spilling of Blood, yet they are as much good Friends as ever, and he that does the most mischief passes among 'em for the most gallant Man.

I saw some other Sports or rather Ex­ercises at Vienna, in which the Germans (in my Opinion) take delight, as it were to keep up their ancient Customs. Much [Page 280] Agility of Body and dexterity are abso­lutely necessary for the performing of this Exercise; but both these Qualities wou'd not produce any considerable ef­fect, unless accompany'd with a great deal of strength. The two-handed Sword, the Spear, the Halberd, and the Toseck are their principal Instruments. Altho' these People seem still to retain somewhat of that ancient fierceness, with which their Ancestors were tax'd, ne­vertheless they are far from being so cruel, as the Cudgel-Players whom I saw in the publick places of the City of London, where a Man's Head is unavoid­ably broken by way of Divertisement: The Inhabitants of Vienna are wont to do it only in the presence of an Officer, who takes care to regulate the Fight, and in­terposes his Authority to separate the Cambatants, whensoever he suspects that they may be transported with Ani­mosity, Jealousie, or over-much Passion; not but that I have often seen the effu­sion of Blood in those Rencounters.

[Page 281]Altho' these Sights were irksome to me, yet they had not that effect upon my Mind as the fury of the brute Beasts, especially when the Mastive Dogs were let loose upon a Bull, and new ones were set on to relieve the others that were Wounded, or tir'd with the Fight. I also saw others engag'd with Bears, Wolves, and Dogs. The outragious fierceness of these Animals puts me in mind of the delight they afforded to the ancient Ro­mans, who were wont to conferr the Consular and Sacerdotal Dignities upon those Persons from whose Liberality they expected the most magnificent publick Shews, and the most extraordinary Di­vertisements of this Nature. Julius Cae­sar was very sensible of it; and altho' he was endu'd with undaunted Courage, Magnanimity, Prudence, and all those excellent Qualities which are necessary for the keeping of so potent a State in subjection; nevertheless he did not for­bear to make use of these little Artifices; nay, it has been observ'd, that he brought his Family to very great Exigencies; or [Page 282] to speak more properly, ruin'd himself to get the Good-will of the People, by the multitude and grandeur of the Shews with which he dazzl'd their Eyes. Upon the whole Matter 'tis evident, that Vi­enna is a delightful City, if there be any in the World; and as I make no difficulty to affirm, that unless a Man were born in France, it were to be wish'd, that he were a Native of Germany, so I may al­so averr, That if one cannot find means to spend his Life at Paris, 'tis most ex­pedient to do it at Vienna. From Vienna I pass'd to

SALTZBƲRG.

One wou'd imagine, that no remark­able Object were to be seen at the Foot of the Alps, and on that side which is expos'd only to the North; nevertheless every thing appears wonderful fine, that is to say, the Fields, Pastures, Rivers, Walks, Gardens, Buildings, &c. so that nothing can be more delectable nor more stately. But that which (in my Mind) augments the Beauty of the [Page 283] Place is that vast mass of Rocks, which is as it were cut perpendicularly, and seems to threaten the City with Destru­ction. Indeed we there beheld the mi­serable Ruines of a Monastery, and some Houses which were, as it were, bury'd some Months before under a heap of Rocks. Certain Work-men who were employ'd on the top in cutting the Rock perfectly steep, seem'd to us to be no bigger than Ants; and to say thus much may be sufficient (as I take it) to express its height. The finest Church-Yard or Burying-place that ever I saw, is that of St. Sebastian, which is rather a Reposi­tory of curious Paintings to delight the Eyes and Mind than the dismal Pomp of a Funeral Shew. The Inhabitants of this Country are ambitious to cause their Memory to be honour'd after their Death, or rather (as I am apt to believe) these Honours are paid to the Deceased, for the Consolation of the Living. The stately Chappel which stands in the mid­dle of four Galleries, was built to serve as a Tomb to an Arch-Bishop. Indeed [Page 284] all these People from the highest Station to the lowest seem to take delight in this kind of Magnificence; much after the same manner as it happen'd in Aegypt three or four Thousand Years ago, where the Indigent had their Pyramids as well as the Kings, neither were the several conditions of Men otherwise distinguish'd than by the difference of the Expences: Such is the Vanity of degenerate Man­kind, which nevertheless will be at last as it were annihilated, and lie hid under a few Foot of Earth, where will be no longer any distinction between the Rich and the Poor; nor will Alexander the Great take up more space than the Beg­gar Irus.

Here lies the Body of Philippus The­ophrastus, a famous Doctor of Physick, whose wonderful Art remov'd those dire­ful Maladies, the Leprosie, Gout, Dropsie, and other incurable Diseases incident to Humane Bodies. He honourably gave Orders, that his Estate and Goods shou'd be Sold and distributed to the Poor, and chang'd this Life for a better on the 24th day of Septemb. A. D. 1541.

[Page 286]This is very little comformable to the Information which I receiv'd concerning him in France, where he passes only for a Quack-salver, who endeavour'd to blind the World with the extraordinary advantages to which he pretended. How many Minters of false Coin has he caus'd to be Hang'd, who dreamt of nothing less but that by reading Paracelsus's Works they might soon learn the Art of making Gold? This Impostor promis'd to reveal the Secret to the whole World, yet dy'd a Beggar, and in the same Ho­spital of Saltzburg, where the Estate which he gave to the Poor, can serve only as two Lines of Amplification to his Epitaph. Besides, he was wont to boast, that he cou'd bring the Pope, Lu­ther, and the Turk to an agreement, and indeed, he was a very ill Man that he did not do it accordingly; but the only facility of performing this Exploit (in my Opinion) is, that he was not zealous for the Interest of any Party. Lastly, He gave it out that he knew the [Page 287] Secret of enabling a Man to live to the Age of a hundred and fifty Years; and nevertheless dy'd himself Aged only thirty seven, worn out with exquisite Pains. Insomuch that I cannot be per­swaded by any of these Occurrences, either of his Integrity or Learning. It is true indeed, in regard that he had ac­quir'd some (Reputation, divers Learned Physicians in Germany prefixt his Name before their Writings: Thus Paracelsus gain'd unexpected renown, even after his Death, but thanks be to God the World is now undeceiv'd. It is well known, that our modern Physicians stu­diously avoid that commendation with which they were so much charm'd in the preceding Age, in treating 'em as excellent Chymists. This would now be esteem'd the Character of a very un­fortunate Physician; not that I wou'd by any means go about to condemn the Art of Chymistry. I am not ignorant of its wonderful effects; but I am also sensible, that 'tis a kind of Stumbling-block, which causes the most part of [Page 288] those that come near it to fall, even to their utter disappointment. My Father, whose Memory is most precious to me, was wont to say, that it was the Ape of the Galenical Art, and the adulterated Coin of our Profession.

The Castle of Salizburg is a somewhat surprizing Structure, and is justly e­steem'd (as it ought to be) one of the Bulwarks of Christendom, as being ca­pable of putting a stop to the Incursions of the Turks, in case by misfortune they shou'd ever penetrate so far. The Arch-Bishop was so obliging to me and my Company, as to give Orders that it shou'd be shewn to us; and I saw the place of his Residence, the stateliness of which is conformable to the Account of it I had before receiv'd; as to its Ornaments, Beauty, number of Appart­ments, &c. 'tis not inferiour to any Pa­lace in the World. However, I shall leave the description of it to others, in regard I am accustom'd only to behold such sorts of Objects with admiration and complacency,; my chief delight be­ing [Page 289] conversant about Historical Rarities, but except some few Statues that were set there for State and Magnificence ra­ther than out of Curiosity, I cou'd not find any thing of that nature. More­over, that which encreas'd my admira­tion is that the Prince, the present Arch-Bishop is a very Learned and Eloquent Person, endu'd also with a profound Judgment; as I plainly perceiv'd in the Conference with which he was pleas'd to Honour me. In acquainting me that he had no ancient Medals, he express'd the esteem that he had for 'em, and shew'd me at the same time, several Books that were writ by me on that Sub­ject, and which he had sent for out of his Library. It wou'd be a kind of good Fortune to Curiosity, if so sublime a Genius, and so Noble a Lord as this Arch-bishop wou'd vouchsafe to set apart some time for these Studies; nay, I durst even presume to affirm, that His High­ness wou'd reap no small advantage from such a disposition of Mind. How great are the Cares of Government, and with [Page 290] how many wearisome Hours is it atten­ded! You are not ignorant of it (my Lord) Alexander the Great endur'd these fatigues; and Julius Caesar was not exempted from 'em; so that Your most serene Highness and the Arch-Bishop of Saltzburg are only free from such anxi­ous Distractions: A Cabinet of Medals; a little application to the viewing of so many Hero's which they represent; a word of Commendation for the Vertu­ous Princes; a grain of Salt let fall up­on the Tyrants; and admiration for all, might serve (in my Opinion) as a Re­storative for a sublime Mind, too much taken up and tir'd with the administra­tion of secular Affairs. This wou'd be the most delectable Nepenthes, and [...], at least to my Palate. Shall I take the liberty to declare to Your Highness what is a farther cause of my admiration in this respect? It is upon account that those Persons who seem to be best able to bear the charge that is necessary for the making of such Collections, are least of all in­clin'd [Page 291] to do it. The Ecclesiastical Princes with whom I convers'd in Germany, are not much addicted to Curiosity, at least to that of Medals. I met with nothing remarkable at Mentz, altho' the Elector lately Deceas'd, was endu'd with all the excellent Qualities that can be imagin'd; but perhaps he was not acquainted with these kinds of Delights. The Grand Master of the Teutonick Order, at present Vice-Roy of Hungary, is Magnificent in every thing; for 'tis apparent from the vast Expences which he lays out in furnishing his Table, in Hunting, and other noble Divertisements, that 'tis not the effect of Frugality that he has no Medals, and yet he is not supply'd with any. He told me himself at Mergen­theim, where I went on purpose to wait upon His Highness, that if those Princes cou'd be perswaded to set a-part a hun­dred or two hundred Pistoles for that use (which is a very inconsiderable Summ with respect to their Revenues) besides the benefit which they themselves might reap from thence, it would turn very [Page 292] much to the advantage of Posterity, and the Republick of Learning. By this means their Cabinets wou'd be daily enrich'd with new Supplies, and many rare Pieces wou'd be easily preserv'd, which are often melted down by the Goldsmiths for want of Buyers, witness that half of a Golden Medal which re­mains in our Possession with the Por­traiture of Pescennius Niger. Those Princes that delight in such Curiosities wou'd take a very good course (in my Mind) to enjoyn the Goldsmiths in their respective Dominions, to give no­tice to the Magistrates of every Town of all the occasions they shall have both of buying and selling Medals of Gold, Silver, and Copper. Besides, that by that means all opportunities of stealing 'em might be taken away, it wou'd tend very much to the Princes advantage, without doing Injury to any Person whatever. The Goldsmiths usually buy 'em by weighr, according to the value of the Metal, and for a small pro­fit that might be allow'd to these Arti­ficers, [Page 293] they wou'd be engag'd to melt none down. It is true indeed, that for a greater precaution it wou'd be requi­site to impose a Fine upon those that shou'd presume to act contrary to the Royal Mandate, in melting down any without a Licence, or that shou'd neg­lect to give timely notice of it to the Magistrate, or some other Person au­thoriz'd by the Prince to exercise that Imployment in every City or Town. This Order (in my Opinion) wou'd take great effect in the principal Towns, especially those that are situated upon a Road or publick Highway. Therefore it were to be wish'd, that the Arch-Bi­shop of Saltzburg were inform'd of this Project, and that he wou'd vouchsafe to put it in execution; neither do I doubt but that in process of time it wou'd evi­dently appear, that I have no less zeal for his Service than affection and respect for his Person.

After having spent eight Days at Saltzburg, I determin'd to set forward from thence to Tirol, but in the middle [Page 294] of the Alps two Soldiers shew'd me an Order they had receiv'd to prohibit all manner of Passengers from entring that Country, without obtaining a Pass from the Emperour. However, my Equipage gave 'em no occasion of suspicion, in re­gard that I rode Post in a Chariot, ac­company'd only with a Friend on Horse­back; but perhaps the Character of my Nation made 'em stand it out more ob­stinately, and the respect that I ow'd to their Master oblig'd me to return. I had a fair Plea, that I was just now come from Vienna, where His Imperial Ma­jesty treated me with all manner of de­monstrations of his Princely Favour, yet nothing was able to divert 'em from their Resolution. Polybius wou'd never have imagin'd a French-man to be en­du'd with so much moderation; and in­deed, he was sometimes mistaken, when he declar'd, Galli non dicam in plerisque, sed prorsus in omnibus actionibus suis; irâ atque impetu, non consilio reguntur. The French- men, I will not say for the most part, but even altogether in all their [Page 295] Actions are transported with Heat and Passion, and never observe the Rules of Moderation. Thus I was constrain'd to return to Saltzburg, where the Arch-Bishop did not think fit to grant me a Pass thro' the Emperour's Territories; insomuch that I was much troubl'd how to get back to Vienna to procure one; but I chose rather to go to Munick, where having obtain'd a Licence, I enter'd the most delightful Plains of Tirol.

Inspruck seem'd to me as it were a rich Diamond set within its Ring; no­thing but Lustre appearing every where, and that transcendent Splendor which affects the Mind rather than the Eyes; altho' I happen'd to be there at the Fe­stival of Christmas, during which the fervent heat of Devotion is a very ne­cessary defensative against the coldness of the Season: There I saw that Arch-Dutchess, who (as they say) was de­sign'd to be given in Marriage to His Royal Highness of England. Indeed so great a degree of Beauty, Gracefulness, and Majesty, cannot well be imagin'd; [Page 296] insomuch that Zeuxis's Venus, which was the Master-piece of the most fa­mous Painter in the World, was not set off to greater advantage; nevertheless, that Painting was the Epitome, or ra­ther exact Copy of the most exquisite Beauties among the Graecian Dames, who were reputed (as Your Highness is sen­sible) to be the fairest in the World. What I have been told concerning the rare Endowments of her Mind, surpas­ses every thing that I have seen; but I shall not detain your Patience so long as to express the Idea which ought to be form'd of it. Whilst I was writing these particulars, News was brought me of the Death of the Empress; so that if it were not too audacious a presumption to propose a Match for the Emperour, I shou'd be induc'd to nominate this Princess: All their Qualities (in my Mind) are conformable, and who knows whether this may not actually come to pass, since 'tis not the first time that I­magination has been seconded with a suitable event; Imaginatio generat casum, [Page 297] according to the common Saying of Physicians; as for my part, I shou'd be extreamly delighted if it shou'd so hap­pen, as well with respect to the Conso­lation of His Imperial Majesty, as for the benefit of the Empire. I hope your most Serene Highness will not take it ill that I presume so far as to add a Word or two in commendation of the deceas'd Empress; I have had the Honour to see her both in the Church and at the Court, and have every where observ'd her to be a most vertuous Princess; so that Malice it self wou'd grow pale for want of sufficient Matter to raise a Calumny against her Person. The Emperour had the greatest Affection and Respect for her imaginable: But I have been told, that the ill Treatment of the Protestants in Hungary was the effect of the Zeal of this Princess, and of the Advice of the Spaniards, to which His Imperial Majesty had much deference upon her Account. The state of her Health was never very vigorous; the tenderness, or (to speak more like a Physician) the [Page 298] weakness of her Constitution being no less than that of her Body: Indeed the later was capable of being strengthen'd by proper Remedies, and a good Diet, which were not wanting; but I durst even affirm, that she sometimes us'd too much with respect to her natural Tem­perament and Strength, which was not able to digest so great a quantity. For 'tis necessary in this case to observe a kind of Geometrical proportion, & ad vires, (as 'tis express'd in our Physical Treatises) and the most part of the World is deceiv'd upon this very Ac­count.

In Travelling from Tirol I spent five or six Days on the Alps in the midst of Winter, and yet without feeling any Cold; for every thing was cover'd with Snow except the Road, which was as dear and verdant as in the Spring-sea­son▪ There I saw the Passage which the Swedes endeavour'd to make during the last Wars, but were not able to bring it to effect: However, King Gu­st [...]vus Adolphus declar'd, that he knew [Page 299] very well how to enter it, and that it was requisite only to find means to get out again. At Lindaw I Embark'd on the Lake, and afterward arriv'd at

CONSTANTZ.

A City so famous for its Council, and for the Execution of John Huss. There I was inform'd, that the Authority of its Bishop, who is a Prince of the Empire, is very considerable, altho' his Revenues are as small as those of any other Bishop in Germany, as the Arch-bishop of Saltz­burg enjoys the largest.

SCHAFFHAƲSEN.

Thro' which I pass'd, is a very large Town, and the Capital of its Canton; where some Curiosities, and divers Ca­binets of ancient Medals are to be found, as also about half an Hours Journey from thence those famous Cataracts of the Rhine, which make almost as much noise in the World as in their Neighbour­hood: This River leaving its Bed, where it seem'd calmly to rest, falls as it were [Page 300] perpendicularly from a considerable height on the top of the Rocks, which Nature (as one wou'd say) has cut steep down, on purpose for this Prodigy. The same thing is reported of the Nile in some part of Aethiopia, but I never heard that the like Object is to be seen elsewhere, which so extreamly amuses the Senses both of Seeing and Hearing at the same time. On the other side stands the Fort of

HOHENTWIEL.

Which is the most important, that is to say, the strongest Place in the Dutchy of Wirtemberg: The last Wars are a sufficient evidence of this Truth; and here I cannot but call to Mind a Cir­cumstance which I never read of but in our Old Romances; as I take it 'tis that of Valentine and Orson, where two Bro­thers engag'd in different Parties are in­troduc'd ready to Fight without any knowledge one of another; both being Valiant Hero's, and renowned for their notable Exploits. These were the two [Page 301] Dukes of Wirtemberg, Frederick and Ʋlrick. I saw the latter die in his Bed at Stugart, after having magnanimously run thro' innumerable Dangers, with his Sword in Hand, and perform'd ma­ny noble Enterprises; but the other is still living, and will continue to live for a long time, if my Wishes and Prayers prove by any means effectual; for I must here take the liberty to declare, that I have a very great Respect, and yet more Cordial Affection for his Right Honourable Person.

Thus my Journey is at last termina­ted at Basil, where I took a Reso­lution to allow my self some Refresh­ment, and to commit to Writing those Remarks that were made by me during this Journey, and of which I had as yet only some short Memorandums. At pre­sent I am employ'd in looking over again with much delight the rare Medals which I procur'd about a Year ago, and in causing those to be curiously Engrav'd that I had only drawn with Crayons; in order to communicate 'em to the [Page 302] Publick (if the Divine Providence shall favour my Undertaking) and to those Princes who have an absolute Authority over my Person and Affairs. My design is also to get Suetonius Printed here, to­gether with the Figures of the Ancient Medals that serve to explain and illu­strate the Text; to which purpose I have already caus'd above four hundred of 'em to be delineated by a very skilful Artist; but I am still at a stand to know whether this Book ought to be writ in Latin or French; nevertheless, since these two Languages are in a manner u­niversal; perhaps I may publish it in both. In the mean time I thought my self oblig'd to present this succinct Re­lation to Your Highness, as well to give you a particular Account of my Actions as to testifie my Gratitude, and the Re­spect that I bear to Your most Honour­able Person. I am,