Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

“ The Landgrave does not live in the Palace, but leads a very retir'd Life in a little House upon the Square, where he is never seen but upon Sundays and Holidays. He amuses himself in turning of Ivory, making Chymical Experiments, and in Drawing. He loves Hunting above all things whatsoever. He delights in Agriculture, and in Music, and it may strictly be said that he is never unemploy'd. He has very great Knowledge natural and acquir'd. He has seen a great many Countries, and tho' sixty Years of Age he still looks well, and his grey Hairs, not to call them white, give him a venerable Air. ”

“ The City, which is not more considerable than Naumbourg, is the Residence of the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, who has a Palace here which does not want for Magnificence, and tho' unfinish'd, has an air of Grandeur. The Connoisseurs in Architecture highly extol the grand Stair-Case there, which two Persons may ascend and descend at the same time without meeting one another, and yet always keeping each other in view. ”

“ 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. ”

“ I have also been to see the chief Palaces, which lie for the most part on the great Canal, and that call'd Reggio. They are very magnificent, but they are generally so like one another that he who has seen one may say he has seen them all. They have little Court-Yards, less Gardens, and no Stables. Nothing goes to form a Palace at Venice but the main Body of the Building, a great Salon in the middle, and Apartments on the Right and Left; and setting aside the Marble, there are Palaces as magnificent elsewhere which have only the name of a House. ”

“ So, a German, who, when he is at Paris, sees no better Company than the Marchionesses of thexii Suburb of St. Germain, imagines that all the Women both at Court and in the City are like them. In fine, a Foreigner who takes up his Residence in the City of London, will entertain a different Idea of the English from what another shall do who lodges at St. James's end of the town. They are, as one may say, so many different Nations in one and the same State, which stand in little relation to one another; and sometimes attribute Virtues and Vices to each other without due Consideration. ”

“ The Nobles of Venice are Slaves to Policy, Diffidence, and Suspicion; and Ambassadors are much more so, whom every one shuns as suspected Persons, and whom a Foreigner can scarce talk to without renouncing his Correspondence with the Nobles. An Ambassador is oblig'd to confine himself to his own Family, or else to amuse himself in the Company of Foreigners, of whom there is always a good number in this City; for no Nobleman dare visit him without the express leave of the Senate, who now indeed grant it much more freely than they did formerly. ”

“ The Author of these Memoirs, who is a Person of an honourable Family in Prussia, and confess'd by all that know him to be a Gentleman of extraordinary Talents, is one that may be truly said to have seen the World; he having not only travell'd twice thro' the principal Parts of Europe, but by his Acquaintance with People of the first Rank, and a diligent Inquiry and nice Inspection into Men and Things, attained to that Knowledge of Both, which is of such Service and Entertainment to Mankind in the general, and so particularly necessary for All who attend to what is doing in high Life. ”

“ I came in one Day from Ludwigsbourg to Carlsrouhe, which is the Residence of the Margrave of Baden-Dourlach. The Name Carlsrouhe signifies Charles's Rest. The present Margrave Charles of Baden-Dourlach was the very Man that laid both the Plan and Foundation of this City, and its Castle. Nothing is so pretty as the Disposition of the whole: I wish I were able to give you an Idea of it. Imagine the Margrave's House to be at the Entrance of a great Forest, in the Center of a Star form'd by thirty two Walks, the chief of which behind the Palace is three German Leagues in length. ”

“ But being guided by wise Counsels, he fixes it upon You; and here the Finger of God is plainly visible in improving that very Misfortune which separates the King your Father from his Subjects, and takes you out of Poland to give Us in your Person, a Queen who shall be the Glory of a Father and of a Mother, of whom she is now the Comfort and Delight; a Queen, who shall render that Nation happy which most richly deserves it, at least for its Respect and its Fidelity to its Sovereigns ”

“ The hereditary Prince Lewis, the only Son of the Landgrave, who was born the 5th of April 1691, is a handsome Man, has a noble Air, dances well, mounts a Horse well, has Vivacity, Spirit, and Politeness, but is often thoughtful, melancholy, and goes for Retirement to the Woods, where he is passionately fond of Hunting; but is apt to create himself Uneasiness, and does not know how to dissemble it. Tho' he has all the Qualities necessary to shine in Company, yet he sees but very little. ”

“ Every body here lives grand; and in no Part of the World do the Nobility keep greater State, or take more Pride in their Substance. They are polite and civil to Strangers, whom they know to be Persons of Quality. For my own part, I like them prodigiously, and I can safely say it, I have hardly met with a Foreigner who has not the same Notion of Prague that I have.
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There is not a Gentleman in this Country but has seen at least Holland, France, and Italy, and indeed they are under some necessity of travelling, for the Education they have at home is none of the best. ”

“ They have at least as great a Conceit of Vienna as the Parisians have of Paris; for out of Vienna they think there's no Salvation. But all these little Defects are repair'd by an uncommon Greatness of Soul, and Generosity. They are hearty Friends, and warm Protectors of those whose Interests they espouse. ”

“ Berlin is not a City where you ought to look for the most lively Diversions; the King, to whose Will every body conforms, not being fond of them himself. Yet when once a Man is known there, he will find Amusement enough; for the People are affable and civil, make plentiful Entertainments, and have very good Wine.
When the King is absent, the Queen has a Drawing-Room every Night, from seven o'clock till ten; when her Majesty sups with the Princes and Princesses of her Family, and other Persons of Distinction of both Sexes. ”

“ After the Guards had perform'd their Exercise, the King stay'd to see them file off. I never yet saw Troops march with more Order and State, so that it seem'd as if they were all mov'd by one Spring. All the Soldiers are young, of an even Stature, and the cleverest Fellows that Nature ever form'd: they are well cloth'd, and have such an Air of Neatness, that even the private Centinels might all pass for Officers. ”

“ No, were you to call me Heretic a thousand times, I would say, Holland for ever! where 'tis a Maxim, to leave every Man to his Conscience; and where they think it would be a Contradiction to admit People to be their Fellow-Citizens, and to deny them the Liberty of worshipping God in their own way.
The Emperor's Minister, who has the Title of His Imperial Majesty's Plenipotentiary to the Circle of Lower Saxony, commonly resides at Hamburgh. The last Gentleman that had this Employment was the Count de Metsch [23] ”

“ What remains for me to tell you of Bologna is, that 'tis one of the Cities in Italy where a Foreigner finds most Amusement. The Nobility not only strive to give him Pleasure, but he has fine Paintings to feast his Eye, and here are often excellent Concerts of Music, Operas, and Comedies, charming Walks, and genteel Country-Houses; which I take to be all that can be desir'd in Life.
From Bologna I travell'd in two days to Florence, after having been dragg'd in my Chaise thro' the Apennines, a prodigious Range of Mountains; which is a thing I shall never do again while I live ”

“ This young Prince is handsome, charms every one by his Kindness and Good-Nature; and loves Reading, Musick, the Arts, and Magnificence: His Sentiments, his Behaviour, and his Actions, make it probable, that if he comes to the Crown, his Reign will be one of those mild and peaceable Reigns, which procure Kings that Love of their People, wherein consists their true Glory. The Care of the Prince Royal's Education was committed first of all to Madam de Camke, one of the Queen's Ladies of Honour, and Governess of the Children of Prussia. ”

“ He is a well-set Man, has a noble Air, and supports his Title by a great share of Valour and good Sense. He is perfect Master of military Architecture, and has great Talents for War, which he cultivates to such a degree that his very Amusements are the Study of what a great Captain ought to know. This Desire of his to be qualify'd some day or other for the Command of an Army engag'd him, at his return from the Siege of Dantzic, to repair to the Army of Prince Eugene of Savoy to improve himself in the Art of War under that Great Master. ”

“ 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. ”

“ When Glory has once fir'd a noble Soul, nothing can keep it within Bounds. The Count de Dehn had lost his first Wife, who left him the Heir of three great Estates; and he married again to an amiable Lady, who return'd him Love for Love. Tho' he was dear to his Master, yet he could not resolve to continue at Wolfembuttle, because he had a Taste for nothing but Treaties and Negotiations. ”

“ The Saxons are addicted indeed to all Pleasures in general, but to none so much as the Bottle and Gaming. They love Pomp and Expence, and are naturally not very engaging, being exceeding ceremonious, and affecting more than all the Germans to ape the French, with whom they sympathise very much, particularly in their Fondness for new Fashions, their Forwardness to make new Acquaintance and Friendships, and perhaps too in their Readiness to fall out with them upon very trivial Occasion. ”

“ The Chapel of Mirabel is also very magnificent; and though but of a middling Size, is not inferior to the finest Churches. This Palace is accompanied with Gardens finely adorned with Fountains and Statues; and there are several Orange-Trees planted in the Ground, which are cover'd up in the Winter in a wooden Box.
Thus, Sir, have I given you a very particular Account of the City of Saltzbourg: What remains for me is to speak of the Archbishop's Houshold, which will give you an Idea of his Wealth and Grandeur. ”

“ There's a Ceremonial observ'd here which is not known in any other Court, viz. the Duke's Ministers give place to no Foreigner, unless he be a Minister like themselves to some Prince, or unless he be a Count of the Empire. These have so distinguish'd a Rank at this Court that all who are not Counts must give place to them. A Count of the Empire, tho' he be a Cadet in the hundredth Generation, a Lieutenant or an Ensign, as it sometimes happens, in the Duke's Service, takes place of all Ministers and great Officers who are not Counts. ”

“ SIR,Frankfort, March 21, 1730.
At my Departure from Manheim I pass'd the Rhine over a Bridge of Boats, and in three Hours time arrived at Franckendahl, which was formerly fortified, but after having suffered by the general Conflagration in the Palatinate, was dismantled by the Peace of Nimeguen, and so it has remained ever since. It still bears the Marks of French Fury; and a great many Houses that were burn'd have not been rebuilt.
There's the finest Country in the World between Franckendahl and Worms. ”

“ But I am rather inclin'd to think that the Court itself will one day have a Catholic Chapel; for if the hereditary Prince shou'd happen to die without Male-Issue, Wirtemberg will fall to the Share of Prince Alexander, (Cousin-german to the Duke) who has embraced our Religion; and who having Children by the Princess of Tour and Taxis whom he marry'd at Brussels, sees them brought up in the Catholic Faith. ”

“ He regal'd me also with some Airs upon another Bass-Viol which he call'd his Favorite, and which was but one fourth part as big as the other.
After this Concert I din'd with the Duke and Duchess. This Princess is the Daughter of the late Prince of Nassau-Idstein, than whom there cannot be a more amiable Lady. She has an Air of Mildness, Goodness and Prudence diffused over all her Features; and her Wit is of the same Stamp as her Beauty, amiable without Parade and Ostentation. Some of her Courtiers assur'd me, that her Mind is as charming as her Person. ”

“ What with his Kindred, his Estate, and his Preferment, he is become powerful at Court.
These, Sir, are the Persons of the greatest Consequence at the Court of Prussia, with whom I had a particular Acquaintance. I am not so vain as to think I have painted them in their true Colours;48 but such as they appear'd to be in my eyes, I have represented them to you. Men are not always the same; nor do they appear in the same light to all that see them; every Man having his own way of thinking, and few judging solidly. ”

“ He has under him the Equerries, the Prickers, and all the Workmen employ'd for the Service of the Stables, and the making of the Equipages.
He that is the only chief Equerry is Adolphus de Bruhl, one of the King's Chamberlains. He officiates in the absence of the Master of the Horse, is Brother to Henry de Bruhl Minister of the Cabinet, and resembles him in Candour and Integrity. His Honesty, which is imprinted on his very Countenance, reflects a Lustre on all his Actions. He is so sensible of the Charms of Friendship that he fulfils all the Obligations of it ”