when it was surprised by the Austrian general Laudohn. If you recollect, that important place had been taken from the Prussians in the year 1757, by Count Nadasti. It was blockaded by the king of Prussia in the winter of that same year, and surrendered to him in spring 1758, after one-half of the garrison had fallen in defending the place. In the year 1761 Laudohn retook it, almost in sight of the Prussian monarch, by the most brilliant coup. de-main that perhaps ever was struck. The king's army and Laudohn's were both in the neighbourhood of Schweidnitz. The latter could not attempt a regular siege, while he was watched by such an enterprising enemy. But observing that the king had moved at a greater distance than usual from the town, and know ing that more than one-half of the garrison had been drafted, he resolved on an enterprise as bold as it was sagacious. One morning early this vigilant commander, taking the advantage of a thick fog, marched his army to the town of Schweidnitz in four divisions. Scaling-ladders were applied to the ramparts, and some of the Austrians had actually entered the town, before they were observed by the sentinels. The garrison, being at last roused, attacked the assailants in a furious manner.-The confusion was increased by the blowing up of a powder magazine, which destroyed great numbers on both sides. The governor was taken prisoner, fighting sword in hand on the ramparts, and the town surrendered. This exploit established the reputation of Laudohn, while poor Zastrow, according to the usual fate of the unfortunate, became a prey to the calumny of the unfeeling and ungenerous. He demanded a trial by a court martial. The king said there was no occasion for that, as he did not accuse him of any crime.-But he did not judge it expedient to employ him in any command after this misfortune. I have heard the old man relate all the particulars of that affair, and the account he gave has been confirmed to me by officers well informed, and unconnected with him. A company of French comedians are lately arrived here, which forms a new resource for the court. They remain six weeks, or two months. The landgrave pays them a stipulated sum for acting twice a week during that time: and they have scarcely any emolument beside; for the inhabitants of Cassel, who are Calvinists, shew no great passion for dramatic entertainments. The playhouse is neat, though small. The front gallery, with a convenient room behind, is appropriated to the court. When the prince or princess stands up, whether between the acts, or in the time of the representation, all the audience, pit, box, and gallery, immediately arise, and remain in a standing posture till their sovereign sit down. Since the arrival of these players, the court has been uncommonly brilliant, and the gala days mere frequent. Yesterday was a very splendid one. I then observed in the drawing-room two persons, neither of whom is a Hessian, saluting each other with great politeness and apparent regard. A little after, one of them touched my shoulder, and, pointing to the other, whispered in my ear,— Prenez garde, monsieur, de cet homme; c'est un grand coquin. The other within a few minutes came to me, saying,— Croyez vous, monsieur, que vouz puissiez reconnoitre un fou si je vous le montrois ?-Le voilà, added he, showing the person who had whispered me before. I have been since told, by those who know both, that each had hit exactly upon the other's character. This little trait I have mentioned merely on account of its singularity, and to show you how very different the manners of this court, and the sentiments of the courtiers here with regard to each other, are from those at St, James's. LETTER LV. Cassel. THE HF city of Cassel is situated on the river Fulda. It consists of an old and new town. The former is the largest and most irregular. The new town is well built; and there, as you may believe, the nobility and officers of the court have their houses. The streets are beautiful, but not over-crowded with inhabitants. Besides the large chateau in the town of Cassel, which is the landgrave's winter residence, he has several villas and castles in different parts of his dominions. Immediately without the town, there is a very beautiful building, in which he dwells for the most part of the summer. The apartments there are neat and commodious, some of them adorned with antique statues of considerable value. None of the rooms are spacious enough to admit of exercising any considerable number of the troops within their walls; but his highness sometimes indulges in this favourite recreation on the top of this villa, which has a flat roof, most convenient for that purpose. Around this are some noble parks and gardens, with a very complete orangery.. There is also a menagerie, with a considerable collection of curious animals. I saw there a very fine lioness, which has lately lost her husbandan elephant-three camels in fine condition, one of them milk-white, the other two grey, and much taller than the elephant ;-an African deer, a fierce and lively animal, with a skin beautifully spotted ;-a very tall rein-deerseveral leopards-a bear, and a great variety of monkies. The collection of birds is still more complete, a great many of which are from the East Indies. In the academy of arts, which is situated in the new town, are some valuable antiques, and other curiosities, among which is a St. John in Mosaic, done after a picture of Raphael's, with the following inscription below it. IMAGINEM S. JOHANNES EX ITALIA ADVENAM IN RARUM RARE INDUSTRIÆ HUMANÆ MONUMENTUM HANC COLLOCARI JUSSIT FREDRICUS II HASSIE LANDGR. A. M.D.CCLXV. But this art of copying paintings in Mosaic work, I understand has of late been brought to a much greater degree of perfection at Rome. In the vestibule is placed the trunk of a laurel tree, with this inscription on the wall behind it. QUÆ PER OCTO PRINCIPUM CATTORUM ÆTATIS IN AMENIS INCLYTI CASSEL. VIRIDARII SPATIUM FLORUIT LAURUS ALT. CIRCITER LIV. LAT. IV. PED. RHÆNAN. AD TEMPORA HEROUM SERENISS. DOMUS HASSIE CORONIS CINGENDA, SENIO, SED NON IMPLORIS, EMORTUA EST ARBOR APOLLINI SACRA TRUNCUM IN MUSEO SERVARI JUSSIT A. M.D.CCLXIII. They also show a sword, which was consecrated by the Pope, and sent to one of the princes of this family at his setting out on an expedition to the Holy Land. What havoc this sacred weapon made among the infidels I cannot say. It has a very venerable appearance for a sword, and yet seems little the worse for wear. Near the old chateau, and a little to one side, is a colonnade of small pillars, lately built and intended as an ornament to the ancient castle, though in a very different style of architecture. The slimness of their form appears the more remarkable on account of their vicinity to this Gothic structure. Sometime since, a mountebank came to Cassel, who, besides many other wonderful feats, pretended that he could swallow and digest stones. A Hessian officer walking before the chateau with an English gentleman, who then happened to be at Cassel, asked him, What he thought of the fine new colonnade?-It is very fine indeed, replied the stranger: but if you wish it to be durable, you ought to take care not to allow the mountebank to walk this way before breakfast. Nothing in the county of Hesse is more worthy the admiration of travellers, than the Gothic temple and cas cade at Wasenstein. There was originally at this place an old building, which was used by the princes of this family as a kind of hunting-house. It is situated near the bottom of a high mountain, and has been enlarged and improved at different times. But the present landgrave's grandfather, who was a prince of equal taste and magnificence, formed, upon the face of the mountain opposite to this house, a series of artificial cataracts, cascades, and various kinds of water-works, in the noblest style that can be imagined. The principal cascades are in the middle, and on each side are stairs of large black stones of a flinty texture, brought from a rock at a considerable distance. Each of these stairs consists of eight hundred steps, leading from the bottom to the summit of the mountain; and when the works are allowed to play, the water flowing over them forms two continued chains of smaller cascades. At convenient distances as you ascend, are four platforms with a spacious bason in each; also grottos and caves ornamented with shell-work statues of Naïads, and sea divinities. -One grotto, in particular, called the Grotto of Neptune and Amphitrite, is happily imagined, and well executed. The water rushes from the summit of this mountain in various shapes :-Sometimes in detached cascades, some |