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10 RIESBECK’s TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY,
LETTER. IV.
Stutgart, May 20, 1780.
MY excurfions in the neighbouring ftates of the circle of Suabia, did not produce the
rich booty I had promifed to myfelf. I vifited a dozen free imperial towns, in which,
notwith{tanding the republican form of government, not a {park of liberty or patriotifm
was tobe feen. ‘The inhabitants of thefe have, through the oppreflion of more powerful
neighbours, long fince loft all fenfe of the value of independence ; but though afhamed
to mention the name of their native country out of their own walls, within them they
mimic the forms of old Rome, and after the manner of thofe governors of the world,
infcribe their public buildings of flate with Senatus Populufque Hallenfis, Bopfingenfis,
Nordlingenfis, &c.
In the fifteenth century, the imperial cities of Suabia ated a very different part.
They were then united in leagues, not only with each other, but with the cities of Fran-
conia and the Rhine. Even the Emperor had fometimes caufe to be alarmed at their
increafing power, which indeed made Charles V. difunite them. From the time of the
aflociation of the Hanfe towns, the gold had flowed from all the country into the cities.
‘Thefe were the exclufive feats of induftry, and their wealth drew into their dependance-
the neighbouring princes, who at that time lived by robberies.
If the fpirit of trade which then prevailed, had {uffered them to place more value on
the poffeffion of landed property, they would to this day have preferved fomewhat of
their former fplendour, as with their power they might have made many conquefts, and
with their wealth many purchafes.
All hopes are now vanifhed of their ever becoming again confpicuous.. As foon as
the princes difcovered the value of induftry, and gave it free encouragement in their
dominions, it fled into their protection, and abandoned the dark walls of cities in which:
a fy{tem of monopolies, little policy, and narrow-minded envy of the fuccefsful, laid it
under fo many reftraints. In confequence, the towns are fo reduced, as to be obliged’
to fell the little landed property they have, to difcharge their debts. his has lately
been the cafe with Ulm; the largeft town in Suabia, next to Augfburg. Of the im-
perial towns which I have vifited, I can fay nothing particular, but that Heilbron is:
beautifully fituated, and Halle has a falt manufactory, which brings in three hundred:
thoufand florins, or thirty thoufand pounds per annum. ¥f
Having left thefe ftates, I ran over in a very fhort time, about a dozen principalities,
and prelacies, with the names of which I fhall not trouble you. Almoft the whole
country confifts of well-wooded mountains and hills, and fertile vales, all in high culti-
vation. ‘The great population which prevails here is wonderful, when you confider the
untoward circumftances of the country. By untoward circumftances, I mean the extor-
tions of petty mafters, who all keep their miftreffes, their ftag-hounds, their French
cooks, and Englith horfes; the perpetual quarrels amongft neighbours, which arife from
the various perplexed governments of the empire; the fmall profits attendant on in-
duftry within fuch a confined fpot; and laftly, the conftant decreafe of coin, owing to
the fums of money expended by the governors of the country in fearch of foreign lux-
uries. As religion, manners, attachment to the native fpot, temperance, and frugality,
all of which I am willing to allow that thefe people poflefs, do not appear to me fufli-
cient of themfelves to counterbalance thefe evils, I have but one way of accounting for
the profperity I fee; which is this ; Th
e
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