first constructed, it is beheld with indifference by modern artists. I had the curiosity to ascend the steeple of this cathedral, which is reckoned one of the highest in Europe, its height being 574 feet. You may easily form an idea of the view from it, when I tell you it comprehends the town of Strasbourg, the extensive plains of Alsace, with the Rhine flowing through them. Such views are not uncommon: They are always agreeable, but do not astonish and elevate the mind, like the wild, irregular, and sublime scenes in Switzerland. One forenoon as I was sauntering through the streets with some of our countrymen, we were informed that the music of some of the regiments had been ordered to a particular church, where the count de, son of Lewis XV by madame de Pompadour, was expected to be at mass.—We all immediately went for the sake of the military music, and found a very numerous and genteel company attending. After having waited a considerable time, it struck twelve, upon which the whole company retired, without hearing the music or mass.-After mid-day the ceremony could not have been performed, although the count had come. Something very important must have intervened to prevent a Frenchman, and one of his character for politeness, from attending on such an occasion. There was however a murmur of disapprobation for this want of attention, and the priest was not applauded, who had hazarded the souls of a whole churchful of people, out of complaisance to one man; for those who imagine that a mass can save souls, must admit that the want of it may be the cause of damnation. Mr. Harvey whispered me,— "In England they would not have had half the complaisance for the king himself, accompanied by all his legitimate children, that these people have shewn to this sou of a w-e.' To indemnify myself for this disappointment, I went the same afternoon with a French officer to hear a celebrated preacher. The subject of his discourse was the miserable situation of men who are under the dominion of their passions. Do you wish for a sample of his discourse?— Here it is. A slave in the galleys (cried the preacher) is happier, and more free, than a man under the tyranny of his passions; for though the body of the slave is in chains, his mind may be free.-Whereas the wretch who is under the government of his passions, has his mind, his very soul, in chains.—Is his passion lust ?—He will sacrifice a faithful servant to gratify it;-David did so.Is it avarice?-he will betray his master;-Judas did so. -Is he attached to a mistress ?-he will murder a saint to please her ;-Herod did so.' As we returned from the church, the French officer, who had been for some time in a reverie, said, Ma foi, cet homme parle avec beaucoup d'onction ; je vais profiter de son sermon.-Où est ce que vous allez ? said I.-—Je m'en vais chez Nanette, replied he, pour me débarrasser de ma passion dominante. Among the curiosities of the cathedral, I ought to have mentioned two large bells, which they show to strangers. One is of brass, and weighs ten tons; the other of silver, which they say weighs above two.-They also show a large French horn, whose history is as follows. About four hundred years ago, the Jews formed a conspiracy to betray the city, and, with this identical horn, they intended to give the enemy notice when to begin the attack. Is it not amazing that such a number of strange stories have been circulated concerning these same Jews? The plot, however, was discovered; many of the Jews were burnt alive, the rest were plundered of their money and effects, and banished the town. And this horn is sounded twice every night from the battlements of the steeple in gratitude for the deliverance. The Jews, as you would expect, deny every circum. stance of this story, except the murdering and pillaging their countrymen. They say the whole story was fabricated to furnish a pretext for these robberies and murders, and assert that the steeple of Strasbourg, as has been said of the monument of London, Like a tall bully lifts the head and lies.' LETTER XLI. Manheim. ALL the advantages I might propose from the duke of Hamilton's company, did not prevent my regret at parting from my friend Harvey, who set out for Lyons the same morning on which we left Strasbourg. Upon crossing the Rhine we entered into the territories of the margrave of Baden Durlach, which lie along the banks of that river immediately opposite to Alsace, At Rastade we were informed that the margrave and his family were at Karlscruch. Rastade is the capital of this prince's dominions.-The town is but small, and not very populous :-The margrave's palace, however, is sufficiently large. We made only a short stay to examine it, being impatient to get on to Karlscruch. There is another very magnificent palace at Karlscruch, built in good taste. It was begun many years ago, and has been lately finished by the reigning prince, The town of Karlscruch is built on a regular plan. It consists of one principal street of above an English mile in length. This street is at a considerable distance in front of the palace, and in a parallel direction with it. All the other streets go off at different angles from the principal one, in such a manner as that whichsoever of them you enter, walking from it, the view is terminated by the front of the palace. The length of these smaller streets is ascertained, none of them being allowed to encroach on the spacious area, which is kept clear before the palace, The principal street may be extended to any length, and as many additional streets as they please may be built from it, all of which, according to this plan, will have the palace for a termination. The houses of this town are all as uniform as the streets, being of an equal size and height; so that one would be are in led to imagine that none of the inhabitants any considerable degree richer or poorer than their neighbours, There are indeed a few new houses, more elegant than the others, belonging to some of the officers of the court, built at one side of the palace; but they are not, properly speaking, in the town. Having announced in the usual form, that we wished to have the honour of paying our court to the margrave, an officer waited on the duke of Hamilton, and conducted us to the palace. There were at dinner the reigning prince and princess; -three of their sons, the eldest of whom is married to a princess of Hesse Darmstadt-She, with one of her sisters, was present, also the princess dowager of Bareith, daughter to the duke of Brunswick; two general officers in the imperial service, and other ladies and gentlemen; making in all a company of above thirty at table. The entertainment was splendid.-The margrave behaved with the politest attention to the duke of Hamilton, and with affability to every body. The princess of Bareith is of a gay, lively, agreeable character. After dinner the duke took a view of the different apartments of the palace, and afterwards walked with the margrave in the gardens till the evening. The same company were at supper; a band of music played during the repast, and the day went off in a more easy, agreeable manner than I could have expected, considering the number of princes and princesses. The margrave of Baden Durlach is between forty and fifty years of age. He is a man of learning, good sense, and benevolent disposition. I had heard much, long before I saw him, of his humanity and attention to the wellbeing of his subjects. This made me view him with a cordial regard, which his rank alone could not have commanded. He speaks the English language with considerable facility, and is well acquainted with our best authors. Solicitous that his son should enjoy the same advantages, he has engaged Mr. Cramer, a young gentleman from ScotJand of an excellent character, who has been for several years at this court, as tutor and companion to the young prince. The German princes are minute observers of form. The same establishment for their household, the same officers in the palace, are to be found here, as in the court of the most powerful monarch in Europe. The difference lies more in the salaries than in the talents requisite for these places; one paymaster for the forces has greater emolu ments in England, than a grand marechal, a grand chamberlain, two secretaries of state, and half a dozen more of the chief officers of a German court, all taken together. The margrave of Baden has body guards who do duty in the palace, foot guards who parade before it; also horse guards and hussars, all of whom are perfectly well equip ped, and exactly disciplined—a piece of magnificence which seems to be adopted by this prince, merely in con formity with the custon long established in this country. He keeps on foot no other troops besides the few which are necessary for this duty at the palace, though his re venue is more considerable, and his finances are in much better order, than some princes in Germany who have little standing armies in constant pay. He has too just an understanding not to perceive that the greatest army he could possibly maintain, could be no defence to his do minions, situated as they are between the powerful states of France and Austria; and probably his principles and disposition prevent him from thinking of filling his coffers by hiring his subjects to foreign powers. If he were so inclined, there is no manner of doubt that he might sell the persons of his subjects as soldiers, or employ them in any other way he should think proper; for he, as well as the other sovereign princes in Germany, has an unlimited power over his people. If you ask the question, in direct terms, of a German, he will answer in the negative, and will talk of certain rights which the subjects enjoy, and that they can appeal to the great council or general diet of the empire for relief. But af ter all his ingenuity and distinctions, you find that the 1 |