Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

“ 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. ”

“ 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? ”

“ His House is adorned with Pictures, done by the most able Masters, with Vessels, Urns, and all the most precious Things which Antiquity has left, of which there is nothing but what he takes a Pleasure to shew to the curious Connoisseurs. ’Tis pity that this Minister, who has every Quality for which the greatest Men are reverenced, cannot live for ever.
’Tis certain that the Hague contains a vast Number of worthy Persons of both Sexes, and this State may boast of having as great a Number of Subjects of known Probity, as any other Country perhaps in the World. ”

“ Never was any Reflection more mortifying to me, than the Thought that I am not in a Condition to fix my Habitation here; for tho’ I find Faults in the French, as well as in all other Nations, yet I acknowledge they have a thousand good Qualities; and I think them much more amiable at home than they are abroad, where, be a Man ever so much prepossess’d in their Favour upon other Accounts, he is surfeited with their eternal Criticisms, and to hear them incessantly remarking, They don’t do so at Paris. You don’t see this in France. Here they are polite, good-natur’d, humane, civil and engaging ”

“ Rome is certainly one of the finest Cities in the World; but it is not now That Rome of which we read such pompous Accounts, it having scarce any Remains left of what it was in ancient Days. Notwithstanding this, it must be owned, that it has matchless and stately Structures. Nothing is equal to its Churches, its Fountains, and some of its Palaces. At one’s first Entrance thro’ the Gate del Popoli, a Foreigner cannot but be struck with Admiration, when he looks right before him, which methought resembled the grand Decoration of a Theatre ”

“ 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. ”

“ The Women are in the Disguise of Men, out of a ridiculous Scruple, if I may venture to call it so, which they have here, that Women should not be seen at the Theatres. This is the Reason, that the Operas of Rome are vastly inferior to the other Operas of Italy. There is not perhaps a more ridiculous Sight, than to see these Creatures, who are but half Men, play the Parts of Women; yet, tho’ they have neither Air nor Gracefulness, they are applauded here as much as the best Actresses are elsewhere. ”

“ Indeed the Princesses Corsini are extraordinary civil and complaisant to every body; and even at this Day, tho’ the Pope has declar’d their Husbands Princes and Dukes, they are content to pass with the Title of Marchionesses, and have set up no Canopies. The Nobility are vastly pleas’d with their Carriage, but the Princes are much disgusted at it, and think that by such Behaviour they disparage their Dignity. ”

“ The Merchants of the first Rank live like petty Sovereigns, and have fine Houses, both in the Town and the Country. If a Foreigner has ever so little Acquaintance here, he cannot fail of being diverted; for the Lyonnois are civil and obliging, and not so much absorb’d in Commerce as to neglect good Manners. They are extraordinary civil to me, and make me very welcome. They delight in Gaming, and are not insensible to Love and the Bottle. ”

“ And is it possible, that a Man can be pitied, because ’tis not in his Power to make Millions of People miserable? For my part, I think that the English, who do not stand up for their Laws and Liberties, are altogether as criminal, as they who oppose the Will of their Sovereign in a State where Arbitrary Power is once established.
What I admire in the English, is not only the Firmness with which they plead for their Rights, but their Manner of doing it. In other Nations we see Deputies from Parliaments or States makeing Remonstrances to their Sovereign, which are studied and concerted. ”

“ But for a Boor to presume to be saucy to a Burgher, to despise the Nobility, to censure his Masters with Impunity, and to treat all Kings as Tyrants, seems to me to be a Liberty which favours very much of Libertinism. The Germans and the French, who are not used to such Licentiousness in their own Country, easily fall into it here; and ’tis really a Wonder to hear them in a Coffee-house talking of Sovereigns, especially when, inspir’d with a Holy Zeal, they plead for the Religion, which, say they, is every-where oppressed, except in the Dominions of the Calvinists. ”

“ Whatever they do, the Cardinal seems to be very easy, let them say what they will of him. As he knows that he has nothing to reproach himself with, and that he has always preferred the Good of the Public to his own private Interest, he is afraid of no Revolution in his Fortune. He is sensible that Innocence always holds up its Head, and that real Merit is above the Reach of Envy and Malice.
M. Daguesseau the Chancellor of France, is the Chief Magistrate of the Kingdom, and his Office is attended with such great Prerogatives, that the King cannot take it from him. ”

“ As he is above Trifles, he looks upon all those frothy Expressions as frivolous; and this it is that makes our young Travellers think, that the English are not polite. Such far-fetcht and bombast Phrases are commonly all that those Sparks have learnt at a great deal of Expence in their Travels to France, and they are perfectly astonished, when they come into a Land of good Sense, and see so little Notice taken of what they have paid for so dear, and what has cost them so much Pains to acquire. ”

“ That such Cardinals shou’d presume to have the Precedency of an Elector of Bavaria, or of Cologne, of a Duke of Lorain, and in short, of every Prince whatsoever, is what, notwithstanding all my Respect to the Sacred College, I must own to be an Absurdity. That these Cardinals have conceiv’d such a high Opinion of their Dignity, is owing to the excessive Complaisance of the Princes of Italy, who every-where give them the upper Hand; and a Cardinal takes so much State upon himself, that he refuses the Precedency in his own House, to a Sovereign Prince of Italy. ”

“ He is active and laborious; understands Affairs, has a quick Apprehension, and a wonderful Memory. As Electoral Prince of Hanover, he gave Proofs of his Valour in the Netherlands at the Battles of Oudenarde and Malplaquet; as Prince of Wales, he shew’d that Adversity could not abate his Courage; and as King and Elector, he makes it evident, that he can both forgive an Injury, and forget it. His People are happy under his Reign. In England his only Study is to maintain the Peace and Balance of Europe, to make Commerce flourish, and to render the Nation one of the most powerful in the World. ”

“ Were she Mistress of a Kingdom, she would certainly make it her Rule to discharge the Duties of her Rank as became it; and indeed, Nature has given her great Advantages to acquit herself worthily in such a Sphere; for she has a wonderful quick Comprehension, an admirable Memory, and she speaks Polish, High-Dutch, French, Italian, and English so well, that ’tis not easy to distinguish which of those Languages is most familiar to her. ”

“ These Skaters are a great Relief to me; for to tell you a Secret, I am quite sick of this City, which really is not a Place for a Man to live in, that is not concerned in Trade; and a Foreigner especially, knows not how to bestow himself. He can find nowhere to go but to some sorry Coffee-house, or melancholy Walk. In the one he is sure to be incens’d with Tobacco, and stunned with wretched Commentaries upon News-Papers or the Price of Pepper and Ginger ”

“ The Pope’s Nieces never wear Mourning, not even for their nearest Relations; for the Romans reckon it so great a Happiness for a Family to have a Pope of it, that they say nothing ought to afflict the Kindred of a Pope.
They bury People here twenty-four Hours after they are dead, and sometimes sooner. ’Tis surprizing to see how quick they dress their Churches, whether for Funerals or Festivals, which it must be allow’d is always done with extraordinary Magnificence and Elegance. Most of the Churches have their own Suits of Hangings. ”

“ I rise very late, because I don’t go to Bed till Two or Three o’Clock in the Morning: When I am dress’d, I go to some Cabinet of Curiosities, some Library, or to some Structure or other, which, tho’ I have seen perhaps an hundred times, I revisit with Pleasure, because I always find some new Beauty in it. ”

“ I will conclude my long Letter with a Remark, which I have made upon the Romans in particular, and the Italians in general, I mean its to the reciprocal Hatred of the Inhabitants of the different States of Italy. That the Romans hate the Florentines, I think I have told you more than once; but that’s not all, for they as heartily hate the Neapolitans and the Genoese. They commonly say, that there must be seven Jews to make one Genoese, and seven Genoese to make one Florentine. ’Tis unaccountable how the People of Italy can so hate one another. ”

“ Her most Serene Highness is often at Chantilly with the Duke her Husband, but the rest of her Time she divides betwixt the Court and City.
The Princess of Conti the second Dowager, the Princesses of Charolois, Clermont and Sens, are her Daughters, and form one of the most beautiful Families that ever was. ’Tis pity that Princesses so beautiful and accomplish’d are not well match’d, but their Greatness is a Bar to their Settlement in Marriage; besides, this Century has been more prolific every-where in Princesses than in Princes. ”

“ When I left Paris, I kept on the Pavement all the Way to Chantilly, which may pass for the finest Seat in the Kingdom, since the great Additions made to it by the Duke of Bourbon, who is the Lord of it. The Forest likewise, of Chantilly, is as fine as any thing that ever Art and Nature form’d. ’Tis a magnificent Palace, the Stables are stately, and the Park is adorned with the finest Pieces of Water in the World. Lewis XIV, who was always very desirous of being the Master of this House, wanted to purchase it of the late Prince. ”

“ Another Canal goes to Ostend, which is but three Leagues off, and carries Ships to Bruges of four hundred Tons. ’Tis this that keeps up the Trade here, tho’ ’tis considerably diminished, since many of the Merchants went to settle at Antwerp, and in Holland; notwithstanding which, Bruges is still one of the biggest and best Cities in Flanders. Here are magnificent Structures, both sacred and profane. The Streets are broad, strait and open, with several large Squares, and there’s no want of Inhabitants; but they know no Pleasure besides Eating and Drinking. ”

“ This is the Motive that carries them to the public Walks, Concerts, and Theatres; in all which Places they are mightily reserved, have but little Talk, and their chief Conversation is the Flutter of their Fans. I was one Day paying a Visit at a House where there was an Assembly of twenty Women, and not one Man besides myself: They look’d upon one another, but did not speak a Word. I may defy you to shew me any other Place where there’s a Score of Women in Company, and not one Tongue stirring. As for the rest, the Women here enjoy great Liberty. ”

“ 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. ”

“ We are forbid by Religion, to approve of that Contempt of Life; yet we can’t help admiring it in the Romans, from whom the English have, no doubt, derived the Practice of putting an End to their Days, when Life is a Burden to them. These Self-Murders are but too frequent here, and are committed by Persons of good Families, as well as by the Dregs of the People. I gave you an Instance in one of my Letters from Paris, of a certain Bookbinder and his Wife, who hang’d themselves at London, for fear of that Misery in Life which they thought unavoidable. ”

“ At my Age, ’tis a hard Matter to fall into a new Taste and Fashion of Living: Those of Rome don’t agree with me, and I foresee they never will; yet if by Chance I should meet with any Pastime here, I promise you, I’ll revoke my Complaints, and give you an Account of my Pleasures, as I do of my Chagrin.
The People here rise late, and go to Bed late; the first Thing which they do is to drink Chocolate; then they hear Mass in their domestic Chapel, of which almost every House has one: They afterwards make some Visits, return home at Dinner-time, undress, and dine frugally with their Families. ”

“ The Things which may be said to be truly great and noble at Amsterdam, are its Ramparts faced with Bricks, and the broad and deep Ditches with which ’tis encompassed.
Amsterdam is the only Town in the World which may be compared in any measure to Venice. For tho’ ’tis not built as Venice is, in the midst of the Sea, it stands as that does upon Piles. Like Venice it consists of a vast Number of Islands, and its principal Streets have Canals, with the Adventage of spacious Kays at their Doors, fenc’d with Trees; whereas at Venice, the Water is only pent in by the Houses. ”