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62 RIESBECK’s TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY?
How ridiculous a thing does every index expurgatorius in the world appear, when one
fees, as one often does, that the bare title often damns a book; and when one confi«
ders, that no college of cenfors upon earth is equal to the tafk of reading over all the
books that come out, fo as to be able to give timely orders for {topping them on the
frontiers of the country. Gibbon is a declared enemy to religion, and yet has been able
to make his way into Auftria!
In truth this is the only weak part of the Imperial government. The prohibition of
‘books only ferves to raife their price in the country. In Switzerland as well as at In-
fpruck, Saltfburg, and many other places, I was aflured that large quantities of forbidden
books were every year introduced into Auftria from this fide of the frontier. _ Officers
of the firft rank, prefidents, and counfellors, take a fhare in this trade; nor has the pro-
hibition any other effeé&t than making a Bailé’s Dictionary (for inftance) the true price
of which is five guineas, fell at Vienna for 100 thalers; and for this price you may have
enough of them. No doubt the fame trade is carried on, from the Saxon and Silefian
fides of the country.
As foon as you fet your foot on Auftrian ground you begin to find that another fy{tem
of government prevails from what you have lately been accuftomed to fee. _
‘The farmers’ houfes, their clothing, their tools, their agriculture, every thing about
them is better than in Bavaria. Yefterday I faw fome farmers going to market in ca-
lafhes. They had all the appearance of rich Englifh, or North-Holland farmers. Their
looks, their well fed horfes, and their whole apparatus, befpoke a degree of opulence,
which their long, brown, but very neat coats, their large fhoes without buckles, and
their large fhort cut hats, did not feem to promife. They call thefe farmers here, /an-
ders, and their great numbers do the legiflature much credit. You meet, indeed, now
and then with beggars, who folicit your compaflion for a bride or bridegroom juft mar-
ried; but this is more a compliance with an old eftablifhed cuftom of the country than
a matter of neceflity. ‘The large grey or black felt hats, as well as their whole clothing,
make the farmer’s daughters look very handfome.
Upper Auftria is fhut out from the fructifying weft and fouth winds by large hills,
and even the cleanfing north is forbid entrance by the Bohemian mountains. Only the
eaft has free entrance intoit; nor can a country that has fo much water be otherwife
than very moift. The number of hills and woods too are very unfavourable to agriculture,
fo that the riches of the country confift chiefly in paftures, in falt, and apples, the quan-
tity of which fupplies the want of wine.
The fituation of Lintz, which is the capital of this country, is extremely beautiful.
_ From Schlofsberg, which is on the welt fide of the city, you command a magnificent
view of an immenfe plain to the right of the Danube. ‘This is terminated to the fouth
by the lofty hills of Styria, whofe heads often top the clouds. ‘The city, which is on
this fide the Danube, rifes directly over againft you, like a magnificent amphitheatre.
The femicircle of beautiful high hills, by which it is encompaffed, extended to the Da-
nube. ‘The deep white ground of thefe hills is thick covered with villages and houfes,
and amidft the hanging woods on the fide, there are fome caftles which make a very
fine appearance. The majeftic Danube gives {till more grandeur, life, and variety to
this beautiful profpett.
The city is very handfome. It is built almoft entirely of freeftone. There is fo much
induftry, happinefs, and profperity, among the eleven thoufand inhabitants who dwell in
it, as to make the Bavarian cities appear like fo many poor-houfes, in comparifon of it.
There are feveral confiderable manufactures here, and the trade of the city is very exten-
five. ‘There is very good company to be met with among{t the numerous and polifhed
10 nobility,
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