Over a succession of forest mountains, similar to those just passed,
we came, in the afternoon, to Limbourg, another post-town, or,
perhaps, city, and another collection of houses, like tombs, or
forsaken hospitals. At an inn, called the Three Kings, we saw first the
sullenness and then the ferocious malignity of a German landlord and
his wife, exemplified much more fully than had before occurred. When we
afterwards expressed our surprise, that the magistrates should permit
persons of such conduct to keep an inn, especially where there was only
one, we learned, that this fellow was himself the chief magistrate, or
burgomaster of the place; and his authority appeared in the fearfulness
of his neighbours to afford any sort of refreshment to those, who had
left his inn. One of the Elector's ministers, with whom we had the
pleasure to be acquainted, informed us, that he knew this man, and that
he must have been intoxicated, for that, though civil when sober, he
was madly turbulent and abusive, if otherwise. It appeared, therefore,
that a person was permitted to be a magistrate, who, to the knowledge
of government, was exposed by his situation to be intoxicated, and
was outrageous, whenever he was so. So little is the order of society
estimated here, when it is not connected with the order of politics.
Near Limbourg, the forest scenery, which had shut up the view, during
the day, disappeared, and the country lost, at least, an uniformity
of savageness. The hills continue, but they are partly cultivated. At
a small distance from the town, a steep ascent leads to a plain, on
which a battle was fought, during the short stay of the French in this
district, in the campaign of 1792. Four thousand French were advancing
towards Limbourg; a small Prussian corps drew up to oppose them, and
the engagement, though short, was vivid, for the Prussians did not
perceive the superiority of the French in numbers, till the latter
began to spread upon the plain, for the purpose of surrounding them.
Being then compelled to retreat, they left several of the Elector's
towns open to contribution, from which five-and-twenty thousand florins
were demanded, but the remonstrances of the magistrates reduced this
sum to 8000 florins, or about 700l. The French then entered Limbourg,
and extended themselves over the neighbouring country. At Weilbourg,
the residence of a Prince of the House of Nassau, they required 300,000
florins, or 25,000l. which the Prince neither had, nor could collect,
in two days, through his whole country. All his plate, horses, coaches,
arms and six pieces of cannon, were brought together, for the purpose
of removal; but afterwards two individuals were accepted as hostages,
instead of the Prince himself, who had been at first demanded. The
action near Limbourg took place on the 9th of November, and, before
the conclusion of the month, the French had fallen back to Franckfort,
upon the re-approach of the Prussian and Austrian troops.