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82 RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY.
ility, whofe’prerogatives ftand upon the fame ground as thofe of the pricithood, adhere
very ftrongly ’to this party.
The fecond party is that of the Emperor, and it is at perpetual war with the former,.
This party employs itfelf in the improvement of legiflation, and the promotion of agri.
culture, trade, and induftry of all kinds; in the extenfion of philofophy and tafte; im
curtailing the exorbitant pretenfions of the nobles; in the protection of the lower
claffes againft the higher, —and in whatever can make gods of men. One of the princi-
pal perfons of this party is Marfhal Lacy, who carries on a moft unremitting war again{t
the monks, and their adherents. This able general aéts here juft as he did when he:
was opponent to the King of Pruffia; and the Emperor and he are always occupied in
planning zig-zag-marches, and counter-marches, and retreats; fo that General Migazzi,
and his brown, black, white, half-black, half-white troops are often obliged to go into
winter quarters, without having effected any flaughter at all. ‘Thefe two parties, whe
are open enemies, have however fome intercourfe with each other through the medium
of’a third, at the head of which is the celebrated Count Kaunitz.
Count Kaunitz, the greateft ftatefman of our day, and a man who, by great fervices
to the imperial houfe, has worked himfelf into the confidence both of the Emprefs and
her fon, is worthy to be the mediator between them. In his heart he is more favourable
to the Emperor’s party, than to that of his mother; but he is obliged to.appear a kind of
middle-man, and to give his own philofophical operations that kind of religious caft
without which they would not go down. He often covers the marches of the Emperor
and his great field-marfhal, by which means, as alert as Migazzi is, he is often forced,
to capitulate before he knows that the enemy isin the field. Kaunitz diftinguifhes him-
felf by his ftyle of living, and mode of expence. Thefe are entirely French, and moft
magnificent. As nothing can be more contrary to the Emperor’s rigid ceconomy, than:
fuch a way of life; itis not certain but that the Count, though nothing can fhake him,,.
his merits are fo well known, may upon a change be obliged to an alteration in this
refpe€t, which his age, and the habits he has contracted, would make unpleafing to
him.
What with the erection of new fchools, and the care to prevent the erection of new.
cloifters, the battles about new books, and the recommendations to civil and inilitary
employments, all the three parties have fufficiently to do. The lait point, efpecially,
gives them conftant work. ‘There is hardly an employment vacant, but the Emprefs is.
wearied with recommendations from her ladies and priefts; and the Emperor, whofe
candidate is commonly the man of moft merit, is almoft always fure to come too late.
There are a great number of finecure offices in the country, but many counfellors and
affeffors have either nothing to do, or put in deputies to do their bufinels for a very little
money. The luxury in which thefe people live is beyond conception.’ His Honour (for
every petty-fogging judge of the court of confcience ts Ais honour) mult have his gentle.
man; and her honour, the wife, muft have her waiting lady—nor is it as it is with us,
where between the gentleman and the footman there are no intermediate ranks: here
there muft be a maitre d’hoteland a fecretary; and as Ais honour has great bufinefs every
where but in his own court, he muft likewife have his coach. In a word, there is not a
court in Europe, except the Turkifh, which pays its fervants of the fecond order fo well.
as this does, and yet is fo ill ferved by them.
For feveral years the Emprefs has given up the direétion of the army entirely to her
fon, and one fees immediately, from the very different {tyle of arrangement which pre-
vails here from that which obtains in the civil and ecclefiaftical departments, by whom
it
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