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54 RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY.
hairy, and very much fun-burnt, this gives them a very formidable appearance at fome
diftance, but when you come near them, their friendly looks, and appearance of inte-
grity, recommend them very ftrongly. They are courageous and ftrong, and would no -
doubt make a ftout ftand in defence of their own country; but out of it, according to
the report of the beft officers, they donot make good foldiers. Like all its inhabitants
of mountains, they do not bear climate well. Befides this, the peculiarity of diet which
they have been ufed to from their youth, and are obliged to give up in the field, makes
them unfit for fervice. By good fortune their fovereign has little concern in keeping up
the balance of Europe. In general, they are much more civil than the Swifs, and by
‘no means fo thirfty of gain as thefe are, who, however hoftile they may be to paying
taxes themfelves, never fail to lay ftrangers under very fevere ones. I have feveral
times been fhewn my way, and received other fmall fervices from thefe people, without
being able to make them take any thing for their trouble, — Fare ye well.
LETTER XVI.
Saltzburg.
IN Pilati’s Journey through different parts of Europe, I remember to have read an
anecdote, intended to paint the intolerant fpirit of the Saltzburghers. —It is indeed very
true, that perfons of all ranks are obliged to kneel down in the ftreets, when the hoft
pailes by, a ceremony made particularly diftrefling, by the peculiar brutality of the Sa-
criftans of the place. I have likewife heard fome good hearted girls lament, with a
moft ferious tone of compaffion, that fome friends of mine, who have been here a few
days, are proteftants. Except however the kneeling tothe facrament, which every man
may eafily prevent, as the bell is heard at a great diftance, I do not fee what a proteftant
has to be apprehenfive of. ‘There are many companies in every rank of life, into which
a ftranger may be admitted, let his religion be what it will. Money and good words
will procure you meat, in moft of the inns, on faft days; and the people, who, efpe-
cially in fuch places, mimic the manners of their fuperiors, have loft much of the fero-
cious and intolerant fpirit they had contraéted under a bigoted prince.
There is very good company to be met with amongft the nobility, particularly amongft
the canons, feveral of whom are diftinguifhed for knowledge of various kinds. The
prefent metropolitan, who is brother to the well known Count Firmian, the governor
of Milan, is well acquainted with the beft Italian, French, German, and Englifh writers.
He has almoft a compleat colleétion of the latter in his well chofen library. He isa
moft amiable man, and makes the beft ufe of his benefices, which bring him an income
of 20,000 guilders, or 2000 poundsa year. ‘The high fteward, who is another brother
of the governor’s, is a great lover of painting, and a deep connoiffeur in it. His fine
collection of the portraits of artifts, moft of which are painted by himfelf, is hardly in-
ferior to that of Florence. The fhock this gentleman lately felt from one of the fevereft
afflictions which can ftrike a father’s heart, has weakened the powers of his foul, and
{pread a cloud over the not to be defcribed and almoft infantine goodnefs, that beams
upon his countenance. He had an eldeft fon, the hopes of the family, and a very pro-
mifing young man, who was already dean of Paflau, and bade fair to be a bifhop, if not
archbifhop of Saltzburg. His father made him a vifit, and took him out a hunting.
‘They were on different fides of the hedge, when unluckily the father gave fire, and fhot
the fon through the heart. As foon as he had done it, he fprung through the hedge
like a madman, tore his hair, and wallowed in the fnow. They were obliged to tear
_him away from the place by force. Count Woltfegg, another of the canons, has taken
3 if a jour-
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