Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY. 237
Notwithftanding the excellence of the foil, the people of the bifhoprics of Wurtz-
burg and Bamberg are upon the whole extremely poor. ‘This does not arife fo much
from a neglect of agriculture, as from a want of frugality. It is however impoflible
that agriculture fhould employ all the people of fo populous a country. It is no doubt
owing to both education and cuftom, that we fee fo many beggars in a country where
nature has fhewn herfelf fo liberal. The government of the fpiritual princes in Ger-
many, which I have hitherto feen, is much more gentle than thofe of moft of the tem-
poral princes; and the abufe caft upon them, is upon the whole very unjuft. It re-
quires many ages to make a diflipated and luxurious people frugal and induftrious.
The relaxed manners of the Roman Catholics in Germany are in a great meafure
owing to the falfe notions inculcated into them by their teachers. Schloffer tells us
in his journal, that a Roman Catholic prieft was accufed of herefy by one bifhop and
two univerfities, for teaching ‘ that felf-love was the principle of all human aétions;
that a neglect of the earthly advantages which time and opportunity offer to men, was
a philofophical fin ; and that it was unlawful to do another a kindnefs, by which we
might confiderably fuffer ourfelves.’”” Thefe exceflive notions of liberality and con-
tempt for temporal things, are the true reafons why the Roman Catholic Germans in
general are, as Mr. Pilati has obferved, better hearted than the Proteftant ones. The
number of beggars are themfelves a proof of it; forif they did not find fo many
givers, they would foon learn to work. It would, however, be much better if there
were no beggars, and the people were made a little more frugal. For the fame reafon it is
that you find many more charitable foundations of all forts amongft the Catholics than
amongft the Proteftants, though the former are fo poor. The Julius Hofpital, at
Wurtzburg, is richer than all the foundations of the fort in the King of Pruffia’s
dominions put together; but all thefe foundations are a new encouragement to
luxury.
The mendicant orders of friars find their account in their doétrines of free gifts,
and contempt of the things of this world, (which they themfelves carefully gather ;)
and they are alfo the principal defenders of them. Exclufive of the maffes for fouls,
which, taken altogether, do not amount to a great deal, the Catholic fecular prielts do
not get much by the liberality of the people.
The benefices in the cathedrals of Wurtzburg and Bamberg are looked upon as the
beft in Germany. In good years each is worth 3500 guilders* ; but you feldom
meet with a prieft who has no more than one of them. Several of them have
four or five prebends in as many cathedrals, and receive from 8 to 10 or 12,009 guild-
ers per year. The prelates of thofe foundations receive from 20 to 30,000 florins a
year. ‘The whole trouble of a German canon confilts in his being obliged to refidence
in his cathedral for amonth in the year. No other qualification is required of him but
to be able to read Latin, and prove himfelf defcended from a good family on the mo-
ther’s fide.
In a certain epifcopal city in Germany, there is this proberb, “* that prebends make
themielves.’’ In general you fee them hovering round the ladies.
I am affured that every canon of Wurtzburg, at his firft entry into the chapter, re-
ceives a {troke with a {witch from each of his colleagues. This extraordinary inaugu-
ration is contrived with a view of preventing any prince, who of courfe cannot fubmit
to fuch a ceremony, from defiring to be of the chapter.
* About 3501.
Nuren.
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
