Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

“ As to the Manners of the Inhabitants of Bologna, I cannot but speak in Praise of them: They have all the Civility and Regard to Foreigners that one can wish for. There is Abundance of Gentry here, who live with more Grandeur and Freedom than in any other Part of Italy; and, to say all that I think of this City in one Word, if I were to settle in Italy, ’tis the only Town I would chuse to live in. ”

“ They have, in my Opinion, such an Air of Modesty and Good-nature, and withal, such a bashful Simplicity, as charm me, and such tender languishing Eyes too, as tho’ not universally pleasing, yet captivate me to such a Degree, that if I was but twenty Years of Age, I should have gone very much astray. Most of the English Women are handsome; they have the finest Hair in the World, and are only obliged to pure Nature for the Beauty of their Complexions. ’Tis a Pleasure to see them blush. The frankest of ’em retain an Air of Modesty, which would persuade one, that they don’t affect to be wicked. ”

“ Never was any Prince more magnificent, nor did any one either give more, or with a better Grace. As a General and a Statesman, he was never too much lifted up by Prosperity, nor shock'd by Adversity; so that he was observed, when in the depth of his Misfortunes, to act and treat even with his Enemies, with that Air of Complaisance and Satisfaction, which Men inur'd to great Affairs know how to assume, in the midst of the cruellest Mortifications. This Prince, in his Youth, travelled to the chief Countries of Europe, and where-ever he came, was admir'd for his Strength, his Air, and Dexterity. ”

“ The Entrance to Versailles, as one comes from Paris, does not set it off at all, tho' the Avenue that leads to it is one of the most magnificent; but when one comes up to the Castle, and turns about towards this Grand Avenue, the two sumptuous Stables on the sides of it form a Prospect, which gives a sublime Idea of the Master of those stately Piles of Building. The Front of the Castle, which looks towards the Gardens is the finest; and on that Side is the superb Gallery, which is the Admiration of all Foreigners. ”

“ When I saw that King, the Best and most Just of Monarchs, come to give the Royal Assent to what the Peers of the Kingdom, or rather the Fathers of the People, had agreed to, I thought I saw Augustus in the Capitol approving the Decrees of the Senate, and the Senate applauding the Actions of the Emperor. Nevertheless the Parliament does not always applaud the King’s Measures; but on the contrary makes a noble Stand against them when they tend to incroach upon the public Liberty. ”

“ All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth. In short, considering the Favours we have receiv’d from Jesus Christ, Are we not his true Slaves? Is it not He who has redeemed us? Is it not He that is our Lord? Ought we not to be for ever at the Service of our Redeemer? ”

“ After having pass'd the Elbe, over a wooden Bridge, going out of Meissen, I came in less than three Hours to Dresden, the Capital of the Electorate of Saxony. The City is pretty large, fortify'd with Art and Regularity; and very lightsome. Its Houses are high and substantial, the Streets broad, strait, well pav'd, neat, and in the Night-time well lighted. There are great Squares in it; and the whole City is so well laid out, that Dresden may be rank'd among the finest in the World. ”

“ In a Word, the great Houses of Genoa are mere Solitudes, excepting on Assembly Days, of which there are some held here every Evening at the House of one Nobleman or another. Then the Apartments are nobly illuminated, and there’s all manner of Refreshments serv’d up in Profusion. Assemblies of this kind, and a sorry Italian Opera, were all the Pleasures at Genoa while I was there; so that a Stranger does not know what to do here with his Time. ”

“ The Ladies were there either on horseback or in Chaises in the Retinue of the Duchess of Berry and Madame. So many fine Women mounted on horseback all richly dressed, the King in a Chaise attended by the whole Court on horseback, and the sumptuous Hunting-Equipages to be seen all at once in the pleasant Forest of Fontainbleau, form'd one of the finest Sights that could be. ”

“ Honest People have no more Reason to dread this Tribunal, than any of the other Courts of Justice. They tell a thousand Stories of it in our Part of the World, and especially among the Protestants, which are absolute Falsehoods. Be but an honest Man; speak of God and the Saints with all due Respect, or at least don’t offer to insult them; give no public Scandal; and you have nothing to fear from the Holy Office. To speak the Truth, will not a Man in all the Christian Countries, that is notoriously impious in Word or Deed, will he not be taken to Talk by the Consistories, and by the Law? ”

“ By the Life everlasting, I mean eternal Happiness: ’Tis so call’d, in the first Place, that it may not be imagin’d to consist in Things temporal, or the perishable Goods of this World; and then ’tis to satisfy us, that when we are once in Possession of this true Happiness, we can never lose it. I am of Opinion also, that ’tis not possible for Words to express the Nature of this Happiness to Perfection; for indeed, tho’ the Holy Scripture gives it several Names, such as the Kingdom of God, the new Jerusalem, the Mansions or Habitations of the everlasting Father ”

“ He was actually applauding himself for the good Work he had wrought upon my Soul, when I told him that he ought not to conclude from my Silence that he had convinc'd me; that it neither consisted with my Character nor my Temper to dispute about Religion, that I left every Man to his own Opinion, and that I knew which to adhere to. What Blindness is here! cry'd the Doctor again, What a mad Papist are you? If you will not be of our Communion, return to the Religion which you have abandon'd, in which there are some Hopes at least that God will pardon you. ”

“ Madame reply'd to me, There is a Remedy for all Things: Be you to-morrow at my Closet as soon as I have din'd. I was there punctually according to her Orders, and found her all alone. As soon as she saw me she said, I am a poor Widow that can't do great Matters for you, but I have a mind to oblige you. ”

“ Who knows, my dear Cardinal, whether we shall live till To-morrow?’ ‘Your Holiness, reply’d the Cardinal, ought not to think of dying so soon: For God generally grants to great Princes two Stages of Life, one wherein to display their Justice, and the other their Mercy. ”

“ Madame the Margravine, besides a charming Person, has a sparkling Wit and a solid Judgment, which she has taken care to cultivate by great reading, and maintains by a Piety and Charity truly Christian. There is in all her Actions such Politeness, and so much Good-nature, as gain her the hearts of all Persons. ”

“ You perceive, Madame, by what I have already said of Milan, that ’tis a very agreeable Place to live in: I forgot to mention one distinguishing Quality of the Milanese, which is, that they are not at all jealous, a Fault that seems so predominant in the Temper of the Italians, that I cannot imagine how they escape it.
You must know, that never was City subject to more Revolutions than Milan: It has been besieg’d 40 times, and 22 times taken, but was never worse treated than it was by the Emperor Frederic I. surnam’d Barbarossa. ”

“ The Assemblies here are so throng’d, that there’s hardly any stirring. Nevertheless, there are seldom more than three or four Gaming-Tables. Almost every body is standing. They are in perpetual Motion, like a Swarm of Ants; they jostle and squeeze by one another, then ask Pardon, pass mutual Compliments, and just inquire after one another’s Health; but ’tis in a manner impossible to hold a Conversation.
The gayest and most numerous Assembly in Europe is upon the Ball-Days at the Grand Theatre in the Hay Market. ”