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RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY. 205
cularities are to be folved by confidering that the idle, fuppofing them to have their in-
comes neat and free from incumbrance, are ftill very poor people. ‘This is the natural
confequence of the wife fyftem of finance eftablithed by the King. The induftrious part
of the public does not feel the dearnefs of the neceflaries of life, which is the confequence
of the excife and monopoly, becaufe the wages of work are raifed in proportion to them.
But thofe who live on their rents feel their whole weight. If therefore they choofe to
live coniiftently, and in fome degree anfwerably to their eftates, the expence of the the-
atre becomes too weighty an item for their purfes. In a word, the labouring part of
the public do not go to the play here, becaufe labour makes them fparing ; and the idle
do not go becaufe they are too poor.
I know no ftronger mark of diftinGion betwixt the Pruffian and Auftrian character
than what relates to the theatre. ‘The Pruflian monarchy contains feveral other fine
cities. In Konigfberg there are upwards of fixty thoufand fouls ; in Breflaw, forty thou-
fand ;, Stettin, Magdeburg and Potfdam contain thirty thoufand inhabitants and above ;
Francfort on the Oder, Wefel, Embden, and other cities, have from eighteen to twenty~
five thoufand inhabitants. A great many have from ten to fifteen thoufand fouls. In all
thefe, two companies of players can hardly get enough to keep out hunger. On the
other hand, throughout Auftria you meet with a theatre in every finall town. I found
one at Lintz, at Neuftadt, at St. Polnair, and even at Chréps. The larger cities, as
Prague, Prefburg, Gratz, Brun, &c. have all ftanding theatres. This difference is not
owing to the difference of fortunes, for Vienna excepted, which is fattened not only with
the marrow of the whole monarchy, but with part of that of Germany ; there is much
more money in the Prufhan, than there is in the Aultrian dominions, though no fingle
houfe in the former has an income of fifty, one hundred, or even two hundred thou-
fand guilders. ‘Vhere is an appearance of care amid{t the middle claffes of the inhabi-
tants of the Pruffian towns, of which you can have no idea in the Auftrian monarchy,
the Netherlands and Lombardy only excepted. The only difference confifts in the
greater induitry of the Pruffians, and the frugality which is infeparable from it. ‘he
Auttrian cities are full of idlers and {pendthrifts, who are, on the contrary, the fearve(t
commodities in the Pruffian ftates. “Befides this, the knowledge and manners to be
found amidft the inhabitants of the greater part of the Pruflian provinces, put them in
pofletiion of better pleafures than are to be met with in the theatre, the dancing booth,
the cellar, &c. In the fmalleft Pruthian villages you meet with more happinefs, than in
many large {tates in Auftria; and there is much more good done by private perfong in
the former, than in any of the latter.
~ You have long heen defirous I fhould fay fomething to you of the heir of the Pruffian
monarchy, The common accounts of him are as contradictory as they are ridiculous.
‘There is a German journalilt who has been fhamelefs enough to declare that the King
has purpofely neglected the Prince’s education, in order that the fhades of his future go-
vernment may make his own adminiftration more glorious. It is impoflible to revile ei-
ther the King or Prince with lefs femblance of truth. The Prince of Pruffia is not only
particularly well educated, but the King feeks every opportunity in his power to attach
him to his fyftem of government. ‘The warmth of his temperament betrayed him into
fome amorous excefles in his youth ; but he is now much more {ftaid and fober. Ac-
cording to the teftimony of the King himfelf, who praifes no man upon flight grounds,
he is a great general; and all the people here, who know him at all, affure me that he
is likewife agreat ftatefman. He loves the arts and f{ciences, and what ought to recom-
mend him to the notice of the German reviewers, thinks much more favourably of Ger-
man literature than his great uncle. He has been reproached with being referyed, and
not
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