Manheim.
All the advantages I might propose from the D—— of H——’s company, did not
prevent my regret at parting from my friend H——y, 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
Karlsruch. 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 Karlsruch.
There is another very magnificent palace at Karlsruch, built in good
taste. It was begun many years ago, and has been lately finished by the
reigning prince.
The town of Karlsruch 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 extented 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 led to imagine that none of
the inhabitants are in 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 D—— of H—— 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 D—— of H——, 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
well-being 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
Scotland, 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 emoluments 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 equipped and exactly disciplined;—a piece of
magnificence which seems to be adopted by this prince, merely in
conformity with the custom long established in his country.
He keeps on foot no other troops besides the few which are necessary for
this duty at the palace, though his revenue 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 dominions, 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 after all his ingenuity and distinctions, you find that the barriers
which protect the peasant from the power of the prince, are so very weak,
that they are hardly worth keeping up, and that the only security the
peasant has for his person or property, must proceed from the moderation,
good sense, and justice of his sovereign.
Happy would it be for mankind if this unlimited power were always placed
in as equitable hands as those of the Margrave of Baden, who employs it
entirely for the good of his subjects, by whom he is adored!
This Prince endeavours, by every means he can devise, to introduce
industry and manufactures among his people.—There is a considerable
number of English tradesmen here, who make Birmingham work, and instruct
the inhabitants in that business. He has also engaged many watch-makers
from Geneva to settle here, by granting them encouragements and
privileges of every kind, and allows no opportunity to slip unimproved,
by which he can promote the comfort and happiness of his people: A prince
of such a character is certainly a public blessing, and the people are
fortunate who are born under his government; But far more fortunate they
who are born under a government which can protect them, independent of
the virtues, and in spite of the vices, of their sovereign.
When we left Karlsruch, the Margrave gave orders that we might be allowed
to pass by a road lately finished, through a noble forest, several
leagues in length. After having traversed this, we fell in with the
common posting road, entered the bishop of Spires’s territories, passed
by the town of that name, proceeded to the Electorate of Palatine, and
arrived the same night at Manheim.
All the countries I have mentioned form one rich fertile plain; there are
few or no gentlemen’s houses to vary the scene; nothing but the palace
of the prince and the cottages of the peasants, the gentry living in
dependence at court, and the merchants and manufacturers in the towns.