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RIESBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY. 2409
The peafants of this country are a very {trong and handfome race of men, well boned
and well finewed. Better or more aétive troops than the three Darmftadt regiments of
infantry, are not to be feen in Germany ; the Pruffian troops themfelves not excepted.
They confift of about fix thoufand men. ‘The regiment of them quartered at Pirma-
fentz is vifited and admired by our officers from Stratzburg, Landau, Fort Lewis, and
other places. It is indeed a pattern of difcipline, eeconomy, and good behaviour. ‘Vhe
wonderful] military talents of the Prince of Darmftadt give the greateft expeCtations of
the regiment called formerly the Royal Baviere, which he commanded in our army.
The prince is commonly much blamed for his military turn ;_ but his troops are really
no detriment to the country ; it is incredible how little they coft; and as they have fre-
quent furloughs granted, agriculture fuffers nothing from them: they are, in fact, only
a well-difciplined and well-regulated militia. Nor is the military education without its
advantages in other refpects ; one immediately fees, upon looking at thefe peafants, that
they have feen fervice ; for the natural confequences of it, a peculiar degree of order,
cleanlinefs, and activity, diflinguifh them from their neighbours. Nor are thefe troops
commodities for the market, like thofe of many other German princes. The Englifh
dealer, General Fawcet, offered a much higher price for them than what he gave the
Landgrave of Hefle; but he met with a flat denial, though his money would have been
of great fervice for the payment of old debts.
In my way from Afchaffenburg to Francfort, | came through Hanau. The country
belonging to the prince of that name produces a great deal of corn, wood, wine, and
falt, which may bring in about 50,000 Rhenifh guilders, or about 5000 pounds yearly.
Hanau is a very pretty and well-peopled city, in which there are feveral manufactures,
particularly of woollen ftuffs. ‘The reigning prince is the molt amiable man I have yet
met with amongft the German potentates. Every ftranger who has either rank, merit,
or knowledge, to diftinguifh him, is fecure of a good reception at hiscourt. I am ac-
quainted with no perfon of that high rank, who lets a ftranger feel his elevation fo little
as this fovereign does. He can fo thoroughly diveft himfelf of his ftation, that I know
few perfons who equal him either in the choice or enjoyment of the pleafures of fociety.
His brother is as amiable as himfelf: they are both zealous free-mafons. He is blamed,
as well as the Prince of Darm{tadt, on account of the number of his troops; but as he
is heir of Caflel, the government of which is intirely military, this reproach is of little
confequence,
Francfort commands a moft beautiful country on all fides. The villages and hamlets
of this country would pafs for towns in other places. In all Bavaria there is not a city,
excepting Munich only, which can vie with the hamlet of Hofenbach, three miles diftant
from Francfort, either in beauty, population, or riches.
I made an excurfion, with a gentleman of Francfort, to Homberg von der
Hohe, the refidence of a prince of the Houfe of Hefle, who takes his name from
this little town. The territory of this prince confifts only of a few {mall vil-
lages, in one of which there is a very rich colony of Huguenots. The proper name of
this is Frederickfdorf, but in the whole country they callit Walfchdorf. ‘This arifes from
our being called Welches in this country ; a name which in Bavaria and Auftria is com-
monly given to the Italians. ‘There are good manufactures here, particularly of vari-
ous woollen ftuffs. ‘The court is like the city, exceedingly {mall ; but ftrangers are
made very welcome. The Princefs, who is a fifter to the late Grand Duchefs of Ruf-
fia, the Duchefs of Weimar, and the Margravine of Baden, is one of the moft refpect-
able women I have ever feen. The education of thefe four princefles does the utmoft
honour to all Germany, as well as to their refpeCtable mothex, whofe magnificent grave,
VOL, VI. K K in
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