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RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUCH GERMANY. OLE
cumftances more than a hundred news papers fhould not be fufficient to fatisfy their hun-
ger after news. But what I cannot fo readily explain is, the amazing partiality of the
Germans for the Englith. You hardly meet with one German out of a hundred who is
on our fide. The Mecklenburghers efpecially have a fondnefs and veneration for our
enemies which approaches to fuperflition. I was in many places where they gave little
fetes whenever the god with two trumpets, the one before and the other behind, fpread
reports favourable to the Englifh. It is true indeed that there is fomething great in the
heroic deeds and charaéter of the Englifh, which naturally leads the opinion of mankind
towards them. But it isnot only in what relates to war that the Germans are holtile to
us. ‘They look upon our government as the excels of defpotifm, and confider us as a
tricking and treacherous people. You know that this is the direct oppofite of the cha-
racter we give ourfelves, and indeed of that which is given us by fome other nations
whom we have made our friends by our franknels and honefty ; but it is the projectors
and adventurers, who being caft out by France, have attempted to make their fortunes
in Germany, that have raifed this prejudice againft us; for which reafon I could not
forgive the Germans their judging fo unfavourably of us from fuch f{pecimens, if I did
not know that we are equally unjuft towards them, and are apt to confider the baron,
who often makes a ridiculous figure in Paris, with his embroidered coat, and embroi-
dered veft, as a model of the German nobility. Upon the whole, different nations muft
forgive each other their prejudices, and it is eafy to forgive them when, as it is in Ger-
many and France, they do no hurt to individuals, however they may affe& national
pride. In England, Holland, and fome other countries, they are often attended with
fatal confequences to individuals, and are therefore not to be forgiven.
The firft appearance of the free imperial city of Hamburg is very difgufting and ugly.
Moft of the ftreets are narrow, clofe, and black, and the populace in them is fierce,
wild, and, generally fpeaking, not very clean. As foon however, as a man has made his
way into the principal houfes, he begins to conceive a more favourable opinion of the
town, Inthe houfes of the rich merchants you fee tafte, cleanlinefs, magnificence, and
at times even profufion. The Hamburghers are the firft proteftants ] have feen, who
have contiaued good catholics in the material points of eating and drinking. Their
tables are even better than thofe of the people of Vienna, Gratz, Prague, and Munich,
whom heretofore I have defcribed to you as fuch commendable proficients in the art of
the Apicii; nor is there a place in the world where they have fo many refinements on
the fenfual pleafures as is in this. Though in few parts of Germany gardening is in
as flourifhing a ftate asit is here, yet they are not contented with the wonderful vegeta-
bles which their own country affords, but import many fpecies of them from England,
Holland, and various parts pf Germany. | This is owing to fafhion, which has affixed a
preference to the vegetables which come from thefe countries. ‘They get together from
Ealt, Welt, North, and South, what every country produces peculiar to itfelf and coitly
for the table. But it would far exceed your belief was I to lay before you an exact
picture of the way of living here. You may however form to yourfelf fome idea of it,
when I tell you that it is the cuftomin great houfes. to give a particular wine with every
dif. According to the eftablifhed courles of good houfekeeping, Burgundy, Cham-
paigne, Malaga, Port and Mofelle, have each their different difh to which they belong ;
fo that when the meat is ferved up for which nature, according to the opinion of the
Hiamburghers, has deftined each particular wine, there is always frefh glafles fet on.
With young green beans, which is a difh of fome ducats, and new herrings, a difh which
cofts a guilder, the Hamburghers commonly drink nothing but Malaga wine; and Bur-
gundy is the ftanding vehiculum of green peafe. GOyfters mutt of all neceflity {wim in
E E2 Champaigne ;
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