Chapter XI: Appendix: 301 (11)

My Brother came to me at the _Hague_, from whence we set out together for _Zell_, where I stay'd till the Return of the fine Weather, and then resolv'd to go a second time to CARELSBADT, not so much for the Sake of the Waters as to see the Company there, which is always numerous, and of the best Sort, when one goes earlier thither than I did the first time: There was a prodigious Concourse there this bout, and all Persons of the greatest Distinction: I had the Honour there of paying my Compliments to the Elector of _Triers_, and the Margravine of _Anspach_, who came thither for the Waters.

From _Carelsbadt_ I cross'd the _Rhine_, to that Side of it where I had been offer'd a Settlement; but, upon mature Consideration, I resolv'd to preserve my Liberty, and lest my Philosophy should flag in the Sentiments of that Independency which it inspir'd me with, I set out immediately, for fear of being engag'd in a sort of Combat, wherein there's no gaining the Victory but by Flight.

* * * * *

I pass'd thro' BAREITH[37], where I had the Honour of paying my Respects to the Margrave and the Margravine, who receiv'd me with all the Complaisance possible: The Margrave is a tall handsome Man, and serv'd in the last Wars with very great Distinction: This Prince is fond of Pleasure and Magnificence, for which Reason his Court is one of the most numerous and splendid in _Germany_; and it has an Air of Grandeur throughout, from which all manner of Constraint is intirely banish'd: The Margravine has all the Qualities that a great Princess can possibly desire; she is one of the finest Ladies in _Germany_, is tall, perfectly handsome, and has a Presence, which at first Sight denotes her Dignity: 'Tis pity this Princess had not given a Male Heir to her Dominions; for she has yet but one Child, a Daughter, and if there are no Princes, the Prince of _Culmbach_ will be Heir of the Margrave's Dominions: The deceased King of _Prussia_ had bought the Reversion, by which he cut off the Margraves of _Culmbach_; but after his Majesty's Death those Princes entring their Protest against a Bargain that had been struck to their Prejudice, the present King has compounded the Matter with them; and by virtue of the Accommodation the Princes of _Culmbach_ are engag'd to pay a considerable Sum to the King at different Terms, one of which elaps'd at the Death of the Margrave of _Bareith_, as the other will do when the young Prince of _Anspach_ also dies, because then his Dominions revert in like manner to the Princes of _Culmbach_.

I follow'd the Margrave's Court to _Himmelscron_, which is one of his Hunting-Seats: 'Twas formerly a Convent, and since turn'd into a Castle, which is charmingly situated on a little Hill, inviron'd with Meadows, where the Margrave had a Camp of 2000 Men of his own Troops, which were all in good Condition, and they appear'd to me to be nicely disciplin'd: His Officers are all Men of Merit, and a good Mien: On the Side of the Meadow where the Camp was, is a Mall, planted with Four Rows of Elms, the finest that are to be seen: At the End of this Mall, which is one of the longest in _Europe_, is a Play-house, and about the middle of this Mall a very large Pavilion, with a Room where the Prince and Princess play'd every Night with the Nobility of their Court.

The Margrave's Table, which was always magnificently serv'd, especially at Dinner, is made in Form of a Horse-shoe: The Princess always sate in the middle, having on her Left Hand the Princess her Daughter and the young Princess of _Culmbach_, and on her Right the Ladies of her Court and the Gentlemen: The Margrave sate over-against her in the Inside of the Horse-shoe, with several Gentlemen on his Right and Left Hand: Besides the Margrave's Table, there were Two others for Sixteen Guests each in another Room, for such Gentlemen as could not be admitted to the Table of the Margrave: After the Fruit was serv'd, a great Salver was set upon the Table with a Coffee-pot and Cups, all of Silver, and every one there drank Coffee without rising from the Table.

Immediately after Dinner was over, the Margravine and the Princesses retired, but the Margrave stay'd in the Room to talk with the Courtiers: This Prince commonly stood, leaning only against a Table, and the Conversation was spirited every now-and-then by the Circulation of Bumpers: The Margrave was a good Toper, but he left every Person that attended him to his free Liberty.

About Six o'Clock, when the Princess was near upon going out, the Margrave went to the Mall where there was Play at Ombre or Picquet till Supper-time, after which they return'd to the Castle. The Prince had another very fine House just without _Bareith_, which is call'd _Brandebourg_: It stands on the Side of a great Lake, where are several Galleys, Yachts and Gondola's, which he often engages in Combats with one another; and of this he gave us a very noble Representation, from a Theatre built on the Side of the Lake, so that when the Bottom of it was laid open, the Theatre appears level with the Lake, and has a Prospect of it for half a League.

In the middle of the Lake is an Island with a Fortification, which the Margrave orders his Troops every now-and-then to attack and defend, on Purpose to refresh their Memories with the military Evolutions.

About half a League from this House is another, call'd the _Hermitage_, because no Persons can go to it, but such as are appointed; and likewise, because all the time that the Margrave stays there, the Prince, Princess and all their Retinue are dress'd like Hermits: An Avenue leads to this House, at the End of which is a large Grotto representing Mount _Parnassus_, with _Apollo_, the _Nine Muses_, and _Pegasus_, forming so many Fountains: This Mount is open on the Four Sides, and gives Passage into a Court, or rather a Square, where there are several Rows of Trees: The middle Walk leads to the Castle, the Architecture whereof is perfectly rustic, and it seems to have been built out of the very Rock: At the Entrance of it one meets with a very fine Work, adorn'd with Shell-work and several Statues representing the Rivers and Nymphs: As we go out of the Grotto we enter into a little square Garden-Plot, which is encompass'd with a rustic Building, and at the End of the Garden is the main Pavilion, with Two Wings, which communicate with another by means of a magnificent Saloon, fac'd all over with Marble: The Right Wing of the Saloon contains an Apartment consisting of several Chambers, which belongs to the Margrave, who is Father-Superior of the Hermits; and on the same Side are a Dozen Cells for as many Hermits: On the opposite Side is the same Number of Apartments for the Margravine and the Hermit-Ladies: The great Saloon serves for the Refectory, where the Hermits of both Sexes have their Meals.

The Garden is large, and kept in very good Order: At the End of it is a Cascade, that falling from the Top of a Hill, has a charming Effect: On the Sides of the Cascade are Terraces, and very commodious Slopings, furnish'd on both Sides with a Palisade of Yoke-Elms that is breast-high; and on each Side are Fir-trees, with Paths between them, each of which leads to a Pavilion, whereof every Hermit has one: These Pavilions are built and furnish'd after the manner of a Hermitage: The Hermits were oblig'd to retire thither after Dinner, in order to observe a profound Silence; but this Custom is mitigated in some measure, and they are now at Liberty to visit one another: The Superior and the Superioress commonly pay them a Visit: Towards the time of Recreation the Superioress tinkles her Bell, to which the Prioress answers by her's, and the Hermits of both Sexes tinkle their's also, as a Token that they have heard their Summons to their Superior. When they are arriv'd there, they go out together, and repair to the Place of Recreation, where they amuse themselves with all manner of Play, and at the Hour of Supper they repair to the Refectory: Sometimes the Hermit-Ladies regale the Prior with Dishes of their own preparing in the Superioress's Kitchen: The Hermits for their own Part may take the Pleasure of Hunting: You perceive, _Madame_, that 'tis pleasant Living enough in such a Solitude, and that there's nothing too severe in its Statutes. When the Court have spent their appointed Time at the _Hermitage_, they all return to _Bareith_.

After I had been thus an Eye-Witness of the free and easy Life that People lead at the Court of the Margrave, I took Leave of the Prince and Princess, with a Design to proceed in my Journey, not so much to seek an Employment, as to satisfy the Debts, which I had been oblig'd to contract at a time, when they allowed me no more out of my Estate than barely what they could not possibly take away from me: Here, _Madame_, I conclude the Account of my Rambles. How tedious soever a Narrative of so little Concern may appear to you, be so good as not to take it amiss of me, and to consider, that I wrote it only in Obedience to Orders often repeated: Some Person more self-interested might have scrupled such Obedience; nor did I want Reasons to alledge for my Excuse; only I was afraid lest such obstinate Silence on my Part should be deem'd unworthy of that profound Respect, with which I am, and ever shall be,

MADAME,
_Your Most Humble_,
_And Most Obedient Servant_,
DE POLLNITZ.