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RITSBECK’S TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY. 269
duftry. The vines are planted as at Rudefheim, on a number of fmall afcendant ter-
races, which rife to a great height. ‘The fpace betwixt the rock and the ftream is fo
narrow, that the inhabitants are fometimes compelled to build in the rock itfelf. Jult
above the.city there rifes majeftically a fort called’ Rheinfels, which gave its name to a
branch of the houfe of Hefle Caflel; but fince the death of the poffeffor, has fallen, with
the country belonging to it, to the head of that houfe. The town itfelf is very lively, and
far the befl betwixt Bingen and Coblentz. ‘The inhabitants appear to be a very active
race of men. A little above the city, the fhort windings of the conftrained Rhine form
a whirlpool, known by the name of St. Goar’s bank. ‘Though no remarkably bad acci-
dents ever happen here, we were witnefles to one, which fhews that it has not its name
for nothing, as the whirlpool on the Danube has. A large veffel from Cologne hap-
pened to be going down the river with us. It had taken on board an old experienced
pilot, who, in the dangerous places, ftood very deep in the river. ‘The horfes pulled
very {trong: on a fudden, the pilot was fo entirely borne down by the {tream, that the
veffel lay in a minute on the other bank of the river, though this was a hundred and fifty
paces diftant from the place it was going down. By great good luck there was a wherry
betwixt it and the rock on which it ftruck, which prevented it from receiving great
damage. it was, however, obliged to be hoven off.
About a mile above Coblentz, feveral old caftles and little towns, fituated at the top
and bottom of thefe woods and hills, form very pleafing views. At length you behold
the little town of Lahnitein, at the back of which there is a rough, tall mountain. Near
the town, a gullet, through which the river Lahn runs into the Rhine, forms a very
pleafing perfpective. The valley is {till fo narrow as to be wholly occupied by the Rhine.
As you approach towards Coblentz, it begins to widen to the left. Atva diftance you
fee a magnificent convent of Carthufians; ona great hill, {traight before you, the city;
and to the right, the {teep rock crowned by the fort of Ehrenbreitftein. At the foot of
the hill is the majeflic caitle inhabited by the prince, and feveral magnificent buildings.
The whole has an effect not to be cefcribed.
Coblentz is a very pretty, though fomewhat dead town, which contains about twelve
thoufand inhabitants. The prefent mafter, a Saxon prince, and brother-in-law to the
Emperor, continues true to the old fy{ftem. He is exemplarily good, and I believe that
it is his goodnefs, much more than any political views, which makes him fo attached
tothe papal fyftem of church government. In a voyage he lately made to Augtburg,
he carried his veneration-for the Pope fo far, as to throw himfelf on his knees before
him im the public church. ‘There alfo exifts a letter of his to his brother-in-law, in
which he reproaches him, in very fevere terms, for his intended proje@ of reform.
Thefe remonftrances were net, however, well received: the Emperor looked upon the
holy father in a very different light from the good archbifhop. The latter, however,
is upon the whole an excellent prince; nor does his piety, as that of princes fometimes’
does, degenerate into indolence and weaknefs.
This ecclefiaftic owes his advancement entirely to the Emperor. He was firft recom-
mended by him to the Chapter ef Luttich, who refufed the recommendation with great
harfhnels. The Chapters of Mentz,Wurtzburgh, and Luttich, are the only ones in Ger-
many who endeavour to preferve their freedom of eleCtion. Upon the refufal of Lut-
tich, the Emperor tried Treves, who made lefs difficulty. As EleGtor, he has at leaft
500,000, and as bifhop of Augfburg near 200,000 guilders. Befides this, he is co-
adjutor of Ellwangen, where, in time, he may expe at leaft 8000 guilders more.
Three fuch pieces of preferment would almoft make me think with Bellarmine: ‘* Only
make
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