Hanover.
We remained a week at Brunswick, and returned to this town about ten
days ago. None of the family are there at present, except the Duke and
Duchess, and the young Princess, their daughter.
The character of the Sovereign, at every court, has great influence
in forming the taste and manners of courtiers. This must operate with
increased force in the little courts of Germany, where the parties are
brought nearer to each other, and spend the most part of their time
together. The pleasure which the Duchess of Brunswick takes in study, has
made reading very fashionable among the ladies of that Court: of this her
Royal Highness gave me a curious instance the last time I had the honour
of seeing her.
A lady, whose education had been neglected in her youth, and who had
arrived at a very ripe age without perceiving any inconveniency from
the accident, had obtained, by the interest of some of her relations, a
place at the Court of Brunswick. She had not been long there, till she
perceived that the conversation in the Duchess’s apartments frequently
turned on subjects of which she was entirely ignorant, and that those
ladies had most of her Royal Highness’s ear, who were best acquainted
with books. She regretted, for the first time, the neglect of her
own education; and although she had hitherto considered that kind of
knowledge, which is derived from reading, as unbecoming a woman of
quality, yet, as it was now fashionable at Court, she resolved to study
hard, that she might get to the top of the mode as fast as possible.
She mentioned this resolution to the Duchess, desiring, at the same time,
that her Highness would lend her a book to begin. The Duchess applauded
her design, and promised to send her one of the usefullest books in her
library—it was a French and German dictionary. Some days after, her
Highness enquired how she relished the book. Infinitely, replied this
studious lady.—It is the most delightful book I ever saw.—The sentences
are all short, and easily understood, and the letters charmingly arranged
in ranks, like soldiers on the parade; whereas, in some other books which
I have seen, they are mingled together in a confused manner, like a mere
mob, so that it is no pleasure to look at them, and very difficult to
know what they mean. But I am no longer surprised, added she, at the
satisfaction your Royal Highness takes in study.
Since our return to Hanover, we have dined twice at the Palace. There
is a household established with officers and servants, and the guard
is regularly mounted, as at the time when the Electors resided here
constantly. The liveries of the pages and servants are the same with
those worn by the King’s domestic servants at St. James’s. Strangers of
distinction are entertained at the Palace in a very magnificent manner.
The first of the entertainments I saw was given to the D—— of H——, and
the other to young Prince George of Hesse Darmstadt, who arrived here a
few days since, with Prince Ernest and Prince Charles of Mecklenburg,
brothers to the Queen of Great Britain, both of whom are in the
Hanoverian service.
Most of my time is spent as formerly, at Marshal Sporken’s. The
conversation of a man of sense, who has been fifty years in the service,
and in high rank during a considerable part of that time, which led him
into an intimacy with some of the most celebrated characters of the
age, you may be sure is highly interesting. It affords me satisfaction
to be informed from such authority, of many transactions in the last
war, the common accounts of which are often different, and sometimes
contradictory. The Marshal’s observations are sensible and candid, and
his manner of converting unreserved. He served with the late Marshal
Daun in the allied army, opposed to Marshal Saxe, in the war 1741, and
has many curious anecdotes illustrating the characters of some of the
commanders who conducted the armies during that memorable period. He has
a very high opinion of Duke Ferdinand’s military character, and declares,
that of all the Generals he ever served under, that Prince seemed to
him to have the best talents for conducting an army. He says, that as
Prince Ferdinand had seldom held councils of war, or communicated to the
Generals of his army, any more of his plans than they were to execute,
it was difficult for them to form a just opinion of his capacity, while
they remained with the army immediately under his command; but that
he (Marshal Sporken) had sometimes commanded a detached army, which
obliged the Prince to be more communicative, and afforded the Marshal
the strongest proofs of the depth of his judgment. Above all things, he
admired the perspicuity of his written instructions.—— These, he said,
were always accompanied with the most accurate and minute description
of the country through which he was to march, every village, rivulet,
hollow, wood, or hill on the route, being distinctly particularised, and
the most judicious conjectures concerning the enemy’s designs added, with
directions how to act in various probable emergencies.
Upon the whole, Marshal Sporken seemed convinced that great part of the
success of the allies, during the late war in Westphalia, was owing to
the foresight, prudence, and sagacity of their General. One memorable
event, however, which has been cited as the most striking proof of all
these, he imagined was not so much owing to any of them, as to the
personal valour of a few regiments, and the good conduct of some inferior
officers. The Marshal added, that his praises of Duke Ferdinand’s
military abilities did not proceed from private attachment, for he could
claim no share in his friendship; on the contrary, a misunderstanding had
happened between them, on account of an incident at the siege of Cassel,
the particulars of which he recapitulated, and this misunderstanding was
of a nature never to be made up.
The liberal, candid sentiments of this venerable man carry conviction,
and command esteem. He is respected by people of all ranks, and listened
to like an oracle. In the society generally to be found at the Marshal’s,
there are some nearly of his own age, who formed the private parties
of George the Second, as often as he came to visit his native country.
The memory of that monarch is greatly venerated here. I have heard
his contemporaries of this society relate a thousand little anecdotes
concerning him, which at once evinced the good disposition of the King,
and their own gratitude. From these accounts it appeared, that he was
naturally of a very sociable temper, and entirely laid aside, when at
Hanover, the state and reserve which he retained in England, living in
that familiar and confidential manner which Princes, as well as peasants,
will assume in the company of those they love, and who love them.
Not only the personal friends of that monarch speak of him with regard,
the same sentiments prevail among all ranks of people in the Electorate.
Nothing does more honour to his character, or can be a less equivocal
proof of his equity, than his having governed these subjects, over whom
he had an unlimited power, with as much justice and moderation as those
whose rights are guarded by law, and a jealous constitution.
The two visits I have made to Hanover, have confirmed the favourable
impression I had before received of the German character. One of the
most disagreeable circumstances which attend travelling is, the being
obliged to leave acquaintances after you have discovered their worth, and
acquired some degree of their friendship. As the season for the Prussian
reviews now approaches, we have already taken leave of our friends, and
are to set out to-morrow morning on our return to Brunswick, that after
remaining a few days there, we may still get to Potsdam in proper time.
I shall not leave behind me every valuable acquaintance I have acquired
since I came to Hanover.—We met, on our last arrival here, with Mr.
F——, son of Lord F——. He has been of our parties ever since, and will
accompany us to Brunswick and Potsdam.