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20 RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY.
remarkable. Inthe war of 1756, the citizens were divided into equal parties for the
two courts. The catholics confidered the Emperor as their god; and the proteflants
did the fame by the King of Pruflia. The flame of religion had almoft kindled a
bloody civil war amongft them.
The bifhop takes his name from this town; but refides at Dillingen. He has an
income of about 20,ooo0l. per annum. Asa proof of the catholicifm of this place,-
the pope, throughout his whole progrefs, met no where with fuch honours as he did
here. This he owed to his friends the jefuits, who have flill great influence.
Bet PEReVaL
Augsburg:
OF all the circles of the empire, Suabia is the moft divided; it contains four eccles
fiaftic, and thirteen lay principalities, nineteen independent prelacies and abbeys, twenty
fix-earldoms and lordfhips, and thirty-one free cities. The prime directors of the cir=
cle, as they are termed, are the Bifhop of Conftance, and the Duke of Wirtemberg,
which laft has the fole direction of all that relates to war.
The mixture of the various forts of government and religious fects, the oppreflion ex-
ercifed by the great on the lefler, the game conflantlv played by the emperor, who
poflefles many pieces of detached country in Suabia, which depend not on the circle,
and can, in confequence of his privileges as Archduke of Auftria, extend his poflef-
fions in it by various ways, are circum{tances which give the cultivation of the country,
and the character of the inhabitants, a moft extraordinary caft. In feveral of the poft
towns where you ftop, you fee the higheft degree of cultivation in the mid{t of the moft
favage wildnels, a great degree of knowledge and polifh of manners, mixed with the
grofleft ignorance and fuperitition; traces of liberty, under the deepeft opprefiion ;
national pride, together with the contempt and neglect of the native country ;_in fhort,
all the focial qualities in ftriking contraft, and oppofition to each other.
Thofe parts of Suabia which belong to the greater potentates, fuch as Wirtemberg,
Auttria, and Baden, are certainly the moft improved. The whole of Suabia may com-
prehend about nine hundred fquare miles, and two millions of people. More than
half of thefe are fubjects of the three above mentioned houfes, though they do not own,
by a great deal, one half the land.
If the fmall German lords would reftrain themfelves within due bounds, if they
would not appear greater than they really are, if they were more affectionate to their
fubjects, if they were not infenfible to the fofter feelings of humanity, and fo hoftile to
the mufes and graces, the very {mallnefs of thefe {tates might conftitute their happinefs.
For although a fmall country muft neceflarily part with fome money to procure what
it wants from abroad, yet if the governor does not require many luxuries, a prudent
ceconomy and management will keep this within due bounds. Befides, as moft of the
fovereigns in this part of the world are catholics, and the rich foundations in the neigh-
bourhood lay open to their younger fons, they are not incumbered with the care of
making other provifion for them. Many of themfelves too belong to the church, and
their preferments there might prevent their laying any burthens on their fubjeéts. But
the happinefs of their people is never the ftudy of thefe gentlemen ; who, from the want
of family ties, confider themfelves as unconnected with the country, and think their
only bufinefs is to act like generals in an enemy’s land, and plunder what they can,
Were it not for this, their exemption from {upporting any military eftablifhments, the
eafe with which a finall county may be governed, the diftance from the political dif-
traclions of the greater ftates, the fecurity that the other powers of Germany cannot
6 y play
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