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RIESBECK’S*TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY. Ior
weak to afford any fubftantial fupport to thofe who needed its affiftance. The Emperor
Francis, having reftored the finances, was himfelf a merchant, and by degrees the no-
bility began to look upon the induftrious merchant with a fomewhat lefs degree of con-
tempt. Still, however, a great deal was referved for the prefent Emperor, whofe popu-
larity, and averfion to old prejudices, are in no inftance more confpicuous than in this.
He introduces ingenious artifts and merchants into the firft focieties. It is true, indeed,
that thofe who think all merit confifts in birth and external appearance, neglect nothing
to make the plebeian feel he is out of his element; but a word from the monarch fets all
to rights, and the more the nobleffe difturb themfelves, the more Jofeph is fure to take
opportunities of humbling their pride. Some years ago, when he was at Prague, he
came into a large company, leading a citizen’s wife by the hand; all the ladies imme-
diately began to ftare, but he took no farther notice of it, than by going down with her
the only dance he danced.
After all, commerce would not be very flourithing, had not the clogs it was under,
when the Monarch’s confeflor was the director of all the departments in the ftate, been
taken off, and were it not moftly in the hand of itrangers.
The facility with which fo many foreign families make large fortunes, is a public and
ftriking inftance of how much they furpafs the natives in aétivity and underftanding,
The baron de Fries, the court banker, a Mbulhaufe by birth, who had no capital, has:
become, in an incredible fhort time, one of the firft bankers in Europe... He is worth
at leaft four millions of guilders. Molt of the principal: manufacturers and merchants
come from Suabia, Franconia, Saxony, and other parts of Germany.. The citizens of
Nurenburg, Augfburg, Ulm, Lindaw, and other cities, meet here with a refuge from
the tyranny, which every day more and more obtains in their own countries. Molt of
them have made their fortunes by good fenfe, induftry, and efpecially by that frugality
which fo eflentially diftinguifhes them from the natives... There is no doubt, but that the:
ftrangers, and efpecially the proteftants, will likewife make a flourifhing place of Triefte.
With all this, however, trade is ftill far below what it might be; but it makes great
ftrides every day. It is faid, there are already above a hundred filk weavers’ looms in
the place. There are alfo plufh and cotton manufactures, and foreign trade is carried
on with Auftrian and Hungarian wines, Bohemian and Moravian linens (which go by
Triefte into Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Turkey,) wrought and unwrought iron, fteel:
and copper, leather, china, and other articles; thefe produce feveral millions. All this
the government protects fo heartily, that it has always a fund ready for the encourage.
ment of the enterprizing and difcreet projeftor.. This fund it lends out without intereft:
for five, fix, or even ten years, after which it receives intereft gradually from one to
two or three per cent. :
From thefe beginnings great advantages. are, no doubt, to be expected inthe next.
generation, when, inftead of being proud of their debts, the nobility thall deign to be in.
company with a rich trader,.and inftead of reafoning on a bill of fare, will converfe with
him on the profits of the year; but education mult firft be thoroughly reformed, for
whilfl it is trufted to French abbés and chambermaids, all that is done for trade is -but-
patch-work.
‘There is bad news about the town ; a few days.ago the Emprefs returned indifpofed
from a country expedition, and this indifpofition is now become a ferious diforder.. The
phyficians fear an inflammation in the lungs, which, from the frequent changes of the-
weather, is the common illnefs of this place. I hope to begin my next letter in bettex.
fpirits than 1 finifh this. Fare thee well.
GETTER:
LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
SANTA BARBARA
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