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RIESBECK’s TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY. 184
occupation is agriculture, and who poffefles the art of making his amufement and bufi-
nefs coincide, In order to find out to what produce the foil of Pruflia is belt adapted,
they not only import feeds from Poland, Ruffia, England, Sicily, and the other countries
of Europe, but have made feveral fine experiments with corn from Barbary and Egypt.
‘Phe moft brilliant ara of the King’s government, in his own eyes, is that which is dif.
tinguifhed by fome ufeful improvement in agriculture. I was told an anecdote which
does him more honour than the Emperor of China derives from opening the ground
with a golden plough. ‘There is a privy-counfellor here of thename of Brenkenhoff, a
man who, born without a penny, had made himfelf worth millions by his induftry. This
gentleman, fome years fince, diltinguifhed himfelf by his improvements in agriculture.
Among{t other things, he fent for rye from Archangel, which fucceeded fo well, that
by degrees they begged his feeds all through Pomerania, Silefia, Brandenburgh, and
Pruffia; and the country gained confiderable fums, which before ufed to be paid to the
Poles and Ruflians for this commodity. In confequence of this, whenever Mr. Bren-
kenhoff has any thing to afk of the King for himfelf or the province, he always couches
his requeit in the following manner: “ Had not I brought rye from Archangel, Your
Majefty and your fubjeCts would have been without fo many thoufands you now poffefs ;
it is therefore fit and proper that you likewife grant me my requeft.” The King not
only makes it a rule never to deny him any thing he afks, but has often faid, ‘ Bren-
kenhoff is the moft extraordinary man born in this country under my adminiftration,
and I am proud of him.”’ Mr. Brenkenhoff has imported large quantities of camels and
buffaloes from Afia, for the improvement of agriculture. The race of the latter thrive
very well under the Pruffian iky. Ihave likewife feen fome of them at Saltzburg,
where, notwithf{tanding the fouthern fituation, the climate is not warmer than it is in
Pruffia ;_ but the lazinefs of this animal renders all his other advantages of no account.
‘The experiment with camels was attended with no fuccefs. The rearing of fheep, and
cultivation of tobacco are, after the corn trade, the great refources of this country. They
alfo make a large quantity of coarfe filk, but this is rather the entertainment of fpecu-
lative farmers, than a regular produce of the country. The nobility, clergy, and pof-
feflors of great eftates, are the only ones who attend to it. It is, however, very remark-
able, that there are twelve thoufand pounds of filk wove every year in Pruffia; whilft
Hungary, whofe climate is undoubtedly as favourable to this produce as any country in.
Europe, cannot raife above feven or eight thoufand pounds worth, notwithftanding alk
the pains taken by government for the improvement of this branch of commerce. Once
again, brother, I muft repeat it, the Pruffian land-holders, who are fecured again{t every
arbitrary impofition, and in every poflible way fupported and protetted, are a greater
fymptom of national liberty, than a dozen fat lords, or a corrupt parliament. In my
next letter I will fpeak to you of the people who really feel the preflure of excife and
monopolies, and among{t whom there is of courfe extreme poverty.
I cannot fend away this letter without obferving, that the very way in which the King
exercifes the functions of government, is a plain proof of his not having any fecret or
my(terious views with refpect to any of his fubjects. A defpot, who is not to be con-
fined by any regard to rectitude and juftice, who is always diftinguifhing betwixt his
own advantage and the utility of the whole, and who wants to cheat his people without
their obferving it, muft have either fools for his minifters, whom he may cheat as he
does the people, or he mutt have a favourite, whom he can make ufe of for his myfte-
rious purpofes. Neither of thefe is the cafe with the King of Pruffia. His minifters and
countellors are all of them the moft enlightened patriots; and many of them would make
a figure as men of letters, if they had time, or would give themfelves the trouble of
writing.
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