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52 RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY.
endeavoured to force me to go into the church to confefs, to reveal my opinions on re=
ligion, &c. I told them I could publifh nothing further of my religion, than that I did
not believe what they believed. ‘They either would or could not convince me, and I
then became impatient to go to the church, but they told me I could not be permitted,
unlefs it was for the purpofe of changing my faith and confefling my errors. ‘The incef-
fant importunity of the capuchins for a confeffion of faith from me was the moft infuf-
ferable of all. All my folicitations to be indulged, and al! remonftrances of the futility
of a verbal confeflion unlefs the heart joined in it, were of no fervice. At laft I re-
folved to behave like a mute and hold no more difcourfe with them; which refolution,
for eighteen whole years, I have literally perfifted in; a few years ago they begun to
treat me more kindly, and fince that time I have refumed my fpeech.”
‘The conftable confirmed to us that this extraordinary man had not uttered a fyllable
for eighteen whole years; and that during that time no one had ever feen a cloud upon
his brow, or a feature of ill-humour in his countenance. Whatever was enjoined him
to do, which did not concern religion, he complied with calmly and always chearfully.
A flight caft of difdain of the people about him is all that has been remarked. When
one confiders that his clearnefs of head, his open nature and good humour, muift very
naturally and very ftrongly difpofe him to fociety and the communication of his fenti-
ments, his voluntary dumbnefs muft appear aftonifhing. By his good behaviour during
his captivity, he has induced the prince, who is a great lover of toleration, to let his
chains be taken off, and at the requeft of the conftable a confiderable addition has been
made to his daily allowance. He has gained fo much confidence, that they have made
him a kind of fuperintendant over his fellow prifoners. He has often been fent entirely
loofe and free to work with them at places from whence it would have been eafy for him
to have efeaped ; but his character is a better fecurity for his perfon than the ftrongeft
chains. He has procured to himfelf, without being fenfible of it himfelf, fo much refpec&t
from his brother captives, that with a fingle word he can keep them better in awe than the
jailor with his flaff. Nature has fecured to him a fuperiority over the multitude of man-
kind, although fhe bred him in a cottage. His leifure hours are at prefent employed in
teaching a young incendiary, who has iain for fome years in prifon, in chains, for wick-
edly fetting fire to his father’s houfe, to read and to write, without however inftilling into
him any of his religious opinions. Thefe he preferves fo fecret at prefent, that I could
not with the moft confidential entreaties, and all my prayers and petitions, obtain any
difclofure from him. All he anfwered was, ‘‘I do not believe what the capuchins be-
lieve, and want nothing but a bible to lead a contented life.’” Some years ago his wife
was permitted to fee him; but, without fhewing the {malleft defire to enjoy her, after
fome warm and kind exhortations for her welfare, he difmiffed her. A bible, after
which his foul thirfts fo ardently, they are backward to allow him, becaufe they are un-
willing to add any more flame to his enthufiafm. All the Saltzburg ladies and gentle-
men, in whofe company I had the honour of feeing him, difcovered the higheft refpect
for him; but they were all unanimous.in declaring that it had not been very political
conduét to become a martyr for fo fmall a matter as was demanded of him.
The country people here are uncommonly lively and gay. The young women of
thefe fequeftered corners of our continent all frefh as rofes, and lively as the roe, yet
underftand the art of coquetry as well as our Parifian dames, only the allurements which
they difplay for conqueft are more natural. ‘They know how to employ the ornamental
parts of drefs to the beft advantage. If they are difpofed to make a lover happy, neither
the fhame of an illegitimate birth, nor the fear of being obliged to maintain a child, is
of any confideration, Cuflom fets them above the firlt, and:the eale of maintaining a
6 child
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