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-A

TRAVELS

THROUGH

HOLLAND,
FLANDERS,
GERMANY,
D E N i\l A R K,
SWEDEN,

LAPLAND,

RUSSIA,

The UKRAINE,

A N D

POLAND,

IN THE

Years 1768, 1769, and 1770.

In which is particularly Minuted,

The PRESENT STATE

O F

THOSE COUNTRIES,

RESPECTING THEIR

AGRICULTURE, POPULATION,

MANUFACTURES, COMMERCE,

The ARTS, and USEFUL UNDERTAKINGS.

By JOSEPH MARSHALL, Efq-,

VOL.

III.

LONDON:

Printed for J. Almon, oppofite Burlington Houfe,
Piccadillv.

MDCCLXXII,

*

CONTENTS of Vol. III.

Travels through Sweden, continued.
Chap. I. Journey from Lindfal to Hudwickfwc'd—
The Country, and the Hujbandry carried on by the
Peafants-Horften-Defcription of M. de Verfpofs
fine Seat at Raverfburg--An Account of his very
fpirited Improvements.

Chap. II. Hernofand—Pleafmg Adventure with
a Swedijh Pea/ant — Hujbandry — Uma— State of
Commerce— Pith a— Defcription of the Country—
Borneo— State of the Country in Eaft Bothnia-
Admirable Management of a Farmer— A Swedijh
■ Club— Remarkable Country— Nyftot—Wyburg.

Chap. III. General Reflexions on the State of

Sweden— Religion — Learning — The fine Arts

Manner oj Life — Government — Agriculture

Manufactures— Commerce— Wealth — Population
— Travelling.

Travels through RufTia.

Chap. IV. Defcription of Peter/burg— General Ac-
counts of the Empire of Rujia—The Emprefs—

Government- — Manufactures— Trade- — Army

JSavy—Prefent State.

Chap. V. Journey from Pet erjburg to Mojcow—
Defcription of the Country— Great Settlement of
Poles— Mofcow— Journey into the Ukraine— Ac-
count of that fine Province— Defcription of the
Agriculture of it— Culture of Hemp, Tobacco, &c.

Chap,

CONTENTS.

Chap. VI. journey to Peterjhurg through the Fron-
tiers of Poland- —Obfervaticns on the State of/eve-
ral Provinces— Ruffian Acquijitions— -Remarks on
the War between the Ruffians and the Turks—
'Journey to Archangel, and through Lapland-—
Return to P eterjburg— Livonia,

Travels through Poland and Pruffia.

Chap. VII. Journey to Dantzick-- -De fcription of
the Country and Hufbandry— Trade of Dantzick—
Journey to Warfaw—Miferable State of Poland—
To Breflaiv.

Travels through Germany.

Chap. VIII. Silefia—Breflaw- Journey to Berlin—
The Country— Agriculture— Defcription of Berlin—
Prefent State of the King of Pruffia* s Forces, Re-
venues, &c— Saxony— Leipfick—Drefden— State of
the Electorate.

Chap. IX. Journey acrofs Bohemia— Prague— De-
fcription of the Country— The People-— Nobility --
Hufbandry —Manufactures — Moravia- —Olmutz—
Brinn-— Journey to Vienna— Defcription of the
Capital.

Chap. X. Journey from Vienna through Aujlria—
Defcription of the Archdutchy— Bavaria— Mu-
nich—Revenues and Forces.

Travels

Travels through Sweden,

Continued.

V O L, III.

*^

I 3 ]

CHAP. I.

ycurney from Lindfal to HudwickfwaU — The
Country \ and the Hu /Landry carried on by the
Peafants — Horflen — Defcription of M. de
VerfpOis fine Seat at Raverfiurg — An Ac-
count of his very Jpirited Improvements.

I

T was the evening of the 28th of June
before I arrived at Lindfal, which is a
little inconfiderable village. From thence I
fet out the next morning for Hudwickfwald,
the diflance fixty miles, which proved a jour-
ney of two days. The night of the ift I laid
at Dilfbo ; the country very wild and moun-
tainous, like Dalecarlia, and not better culti-
vated : in fome of the vales are fmali villages,
the inhabitants of fome of which have little
farms, but I do not think are quite fo indubi-
ous in their management of them as their
neighbours of Dalecarnia. Dilfbo ftands on
a river near the Baltic, and has a harbour
that admits (hips of two hundred tons bur-
then, but yet there is hardly any trade at it :
now and then a velTel comes for a load of
timber, but it is feldom. From thence to
B 2 Hud-

D. K HILL UBRARY
North Carolina Stat* College

4 TRAVELS THROUGH

Hudwickfwald is through a flat country,
pretty well cultivated, and the inhabitants
much more induftrious. I (aw two or three
large houies, furrounded by confiderable
farms ; gentlemen's feats ; and the owners
feem to carry on a husbandly equal to any
thing I have feen in Sweden in general. I
found their crops generally good; and the
products rife, upon a medium of all forts, to
three or four quarters per acre : their dwarf
beans are a favourite crop here, for I faw
manv fields of them : they do not grow more
than a foot high. Another thing I found here,
of which I had feen little before, which was,
great plenty of trefoile -, it is a fort not com-
mon in England, tho* the bloffom is yellow ;
they few it among their corn, and for two or
three years following mow or feed it ; which
appears to be the fame fyftem as the culture of
clover in England, and trefoile in England,
and alio fainfoim. Artificial grades I have
very rarely feen in this kingdom, and there
is certainly a reafon for it ; the great plenty of
wild ground and marfhes, on which the pea-
fants depend for the iubriitence of their cattle.

Hudwickfwald is extremely welilituated

for the Baltic trade j the harbour is fpacious,
fafe, and admits mips of any burthen : there
are a few merchants in the town, that are

rich.

SWEDEN. s

rich. They have a tolerable quay; they
mewed me the church which is ufually exhi-
bited to Grangers, but contains not the lead
thing worthy of obfervation. Mod: of the
ftreets are regular, clean, and fome of them
very neatly built.

Here I made enquiries after M. de Verfpot,
and found, after fome difficulty, that I muffc
take the road north to a village called Tuna,
and from thence follow a road which runs
weflvvard near the river on which Tuna
(lands, and in about five or fix and thirty
miles I mould come to a place called Horflen,
near which that gentleman's feat is.

The firfl of July I got to Tuna, the diflance
from Hudwickfwald thirty-fix miles. The
country is various ; parts of it marfhy, and
parts dry : a good deal of the latter is culti-
vated, but I law no gentlemen's houfes. I
found that many of the peafants here paid
their rents in parts of the products of their
land, and that their landlords fiewards came
in floops from Stockholm at a certain time of
the year, to receive thefe products : this is
reckoned here very advantageous to the land-
lords, for they have the corn, &c. at a much
lefs calculated value than what they fell it for
at Stockholm, all expences reckoned} but at
the fame time, the peafants like it better than
B 3 being

6 TRAVELS THROUGH

being forced to find the money, which is very
fcarce here. They cultivate large quantities
of corn, and many turneps and carrots ; and
have the art of fattening oxen with thefe roots
in winter, by boiling and maming them, and
then mixing fome meal of barley or oats with
them : with this food their oxen and their hogs
fatten very quickly, and they reckon, if the
crop of roots is good, it proves, in this way of
ufing it, one of the beft a farmer can cultivate.
They do not ufe wood-afhes in this country,
which is fo principal a manure in mod of the
parts of Sweden through which I have pafTed,
but depend totally on dung, which they mix
up with earth, and think it thus exceeds any
other manure that can be had. The dung of
iwine they reckon the mod powerful.

I reached Horften the 2d ; and, fixing my
bed in the houfe of a civil peafant, made enqui-
ries after M. de Verfpot. I was informed that
he lived about eight miles from thence ; that
all Horften belonged to him, and alfo many
more villages in the neighbourhood : — that he
had the greateft eftate in this country ; was
infinitely beloved, being a good friend to all
the peafants, and encouraging them in every
thing. The 3d in the morning I fet out for
his houfe, and got there by breakfaft. I was
introduced to him in company of his wife,
7 and

SWEDEN. ?

2nd fix or feven children of different ages ;
and delivering M. le Count de Roncellen's
letter, he read it with feeming pleafure, and
with the utmoft oolitenefs welcomed me to
Raversburg, the name of his feat. The
Count had fully explained to him the motives
of my travels through Sweden, which he was
pleafed to commend very much . He is a lufty
man, of about fifty years of age, with a fine
open manly countenance, that prejudices one
at firfl fight in his favour. He fpeaks French
fluently ; had been in England, but not long
enough to learn the language. He made many
enquiries after M. de Roncellen, and his im-
provements, while we breakfafted ; faid that
he had not been able of fome years to pay
him a vifit, but that he hoped once more to
have that pleafure, if he lived. He told me
he had a packet for me, directed under my
name, An Eng/iJJj gentleman on his travels
through Sweden. This he gave me in the after-
noon, and I found it a letter from Baron
Miftler at Stockholm, with ca(h to the amount
of forty-feven pounds, the product of the fale
of chaife and horfes, which I thought a very
good return in Sweden. M. Verfpot asked
me concerning my route j and was much fur-
prifed at finding that I had penetrated through
the whole province of Dalecarlia. He faid,
B 4 it

S TRAVELS THROUGH

it was a bold undertaking, and tho' he had
travelled through moft parts of Sweden, yet he
had feen very little of that province. I ^ave
him a curfory account of what I had remarked
among the peafants there, with which he
feemed to be pleafed ; and attended very much
to what I mentioned of their husbandry. He
faid that I had feen fuch great things at the
Count de Roncellen's, that every thing he
could (hew me would appear fmall y tho' he
had fome improvements, which perhaps I
might like to fee, as I appeared to be fond of
agriculture.

He then told me, that for twenty years he
attended the government of Sweden as a fe-
nator, and was long anxious to oppofe a party,
that feemed determined on the ruin of their
country ; but finding, after a ftruggle of
many years, that the voice of prudence and
moderation was fo little liftened to, he took a
long farewel of them, and retired to this
eftate, determining to make a country life,
which was before only acefTation from bufinefs,
the only bufinefs of his life > and fince he took
that resolution, he has adhered to it without
once quitting it; and from the factions which
have arifen fince his departure, he has had
continual reafon to rejoice at the determina-
tion. He has found in the obfcurity of thefe
i mouri'

SWEDEN,
mountains a fatisfaction which the bufieit
fcenes of Stockholm could never give. He
applied himielf to the ftudy and pra^ice of
agriculture with great eagernefs, and has
always taken uncommon pleafure in trying
various experiments on different articles of
culture, to difcover the moft profitable appli-
cation of the ground ; and he has found,
that the only way for a Swedim nobleman to be
rich, or to improve his income in a manner that
may bring no regret with his wealth, is the im-
provement of his eftates. Nothing is fo pro-
fitable, nor any thing, in Sweden at leail, lb
honourable. He has been much ridiculed for
giving up an attention to the government of
his country, to retire and pafs his days among
peafants and boors. " But experience has told
me," added M. de Verfpot, " that my choice
has been right ; for I have increafed my
wealth at the fame time that I have improved
the happinefs of my life." This account,
which he gave me in a pleaang candid man-
ner, fhewed me at once that his ideas were
congenial with thofe of the illuftrious Ron-
cellen.

He did not carry me to his improvements
that day ; but after breakfaft he took a walk
with me, which lafled till dinner ; in winch
I viewed the grounds around his houfe, the

fitua-

io TRAVELS THROUGH

fituation of which is one of the mod romantic
I ever beheld. It is a very large quadrangular
buiidin? around a court, iituated on the fide
of a vait mountain, near the bottom, but not
fo low as not to command a great view in
front : a large track of falling ground parts
the houfe from a very beautiful lake, four
miles long, and one and an half broad, in
which are fevcral lofty iflands covered with
wood, in one of which M. de Verfpot has
built a fummer-houfe, delicioufly fituated :
on the other iides of this lake the country is
extremely various, either irregular vales, or
hills riling very boldly, and in general covered
thick with wood : the whole country belongs
entirely to him for feveral miles every way :
on the iide of one of the hills, lefs fteep than
the reft, he has built a new village, of above
feventy houfesj which b^ng railed of a white
flone, has a mqcft chearful and enlivening ap-
pearance. h\ the lake he has a fmall (hip to
two mafis, carrying ten brafs cannon ; three
{loops, and vafcjpus boats ; all which add un-
commonly to the beauty of the fcene. In a
word, it put me more in mind of a nobleman's
ornamented teat, in a wild part of Britain,
than any place. I had (ccn lince I left Eng-
land. We rambled for fome miles about this
fine wild and romantic fcene -y and. returning

to

SWEDEN. 11

to dinner, Madam de Verfpot asked me how
I liked Raversburg ? I replied, I thought it
the mofl beautiful, and at the fame time the
moft romantic place I had ever feen in my
life. At which compliment, tho' indeed the
mere unaffected idea I had of the place, me
feemed pleafed ; and I thought her husband
very fortunate in having a lady that could
relilh thefe forts of country beauties, and en-
joy a rural life as well as the gaieties of the
capital.

M. de Verfpot lives in a very plentiful, and

at the fame time elegant flile. His table

is fpread with all the delicacies which art can
procure in this northern climate -, he has all
the finell wines in Europe, and his lake fur-
nilhes him with admirable nih.--His eftabiim-
ment may be gueffed, when I mention his
having above feventy menial fervants in the
houfe, one of whom has the title of captain
of the guard, after the cuftom of Sweden,
who has a table, at which is his fecretary, and
two chaplains ; and befidesthis, there are five
other tables kept ; at the loweft of which
all the peafants who pleafe to come are
indifcriminately admitted ; and their num-
ber is very often great, even to fome hun-
dreds : but that is onlv on festivals : how-
ever forae take advantage of the admilTion
every day in the vear. The houfe was built

by

12 TRAVELS THROUGH

by himfelf from the ground, and the fituation,
as I before mentioned, moft judicioufly cho-
fen. The apartments are amazingly nume-
rous, and many of them very large ; I think
it is the largeft hoiffe belonging to a fubject
which I have any where feen : there is a fuite
cf eleven rooms fronting the lake, not one of
which is lefs than 40 feet long by 30 broad ;
they are all well furnifhed, each with two
chimnev-pieces in- the Englifh tafte, tho'
ftoves are at each end of the room ; and in
all thefe floyes, and chimnies, as well as in
every room of the houfe, are conftant fires
all winter. I am convinced that in fuch a fa-
milv as this, the depth of winter would be
the feafon to enjoy the hofpitality of the
owner. My. only doubt is, whether they
have a fociety collected fufficient to make that
dreary feafon pafs pleaiantly.

In the morning M. de Verfpot made feve-
ral enquiries of me concerning various objects
which I had examined in my travels in Flan-
ders, Germany, and Denmark ; when I de-
fcribed to him the encouragements all the ufe-
ful arts had lately met with in,the lafl of thofe
countries : he (aid, that formerly the Swedes
much excelled the Danes in every thing ;
they were equally fuperiorin war, commerce,
and agricultures but fine? faction hat ufurped

the

• VS~ W E D E ljfc ,3

the reins of the government, the kingdom of
all things have much declined. I replied, that
the natural advantages of Denmark were, for
the fize of the territorv, greater than thofe
of Sweden, the climate warmer, and no1
mountains in the whole kingdom: but what
might be cultivated to the very tops ; whereas
in Sweden the mountains occupy an amazing
mare of the whole kingdom, and the climate
is much feverer. All that, faid he, is very
true ; but what is the amount of the plains
of Denmark in fpace, compared to thofe of
Sweden ? we have twenty acres to their one ;
and tho' our mountains cannot be cultivated,
yet they in timber, iron, copper, pitch and tar,
prove as valuable as the plains ; and tho' our
climate is much colder than that of Denmark,
yet that is of no elTential confequence, as we
can raife every product that is to be met
with in Denmark.

I acknowledged the jufrnefs of thefe re-
marks.

Sir, faid he, Denmark exceeds us in no-
thing but the encouragement given by the
crown in favour of ufeful undertakings ;
whereas the cafe is very different in Sweden,
We have had our encouragements too, but the
mifchief is, they have been calculated more

for

1

i4 TRAVELS THROUGH

for the advantage of the eftates of the fenators,
than for that of the people at large.

Upon my making enquiries concerning the
object of his rural improvements, he anfwer-
ed, I will (hew vou to-morrow morning a
large track of cultivated country near this
houle, which, when I came to the eftate,
was ail waft? ; my great object has been, to
bring theie wattes into improvement. My
property in thefe wilds is {o extenhve, that two
lives, longer than mine, would be too Ihort to
improve them all, but 1 am not idle. I keep
improving— doing that land fir it that lies
neareit to my dwelling. I am not an enemy
to woods, provided they are duly regulated,
and that they, are confined to land which is
improper for corn and grafs. Our firs and
pines thrive as well, or I think rather better,
on almoft inacceflible mountains and fteej
than on plains, and more level ground : to
the former 'therefore I confine them ; and in
the management of them I am attentive al-
ways to thin my woods, initead of deitrcying
the whole, growth, which is the cuftcm cf
this country. If an acre of land has thirty
trees on it, that, will turn out profitable to cut :
the general way of the country is to cut
down all, to take away the belt, and reduce
the reft to allies, for manuring the land ; the

c ;.-

SWEDEN. 15

confequence of which management is, the
land fo cleared being a long while before it is
again covered with a good growth, and never
with any equal to what was before upon it;
this is owing to a want of fhelter. While the
ground is half or three fourths covered, the
young trees are well meltered, and you have a
continually thriving crop. There fhould not
be more than from five to ten trees taken out
in a year from an acre of land, according as
the foil, &c. may be. By practiiing this me-
thod, my woods yield me a very beneficial
regular crop ; 1 carry none but fine trees,
which are fure of good price, to market ;
and am always in pofleffion of as many acres
at one time as at another, inftead of having
large tracks laid wafte by my peafants which
are fome centuries before they recover them-
felves. Another circum fiance, very well un-
derflood in England, but no where elfe that
I have remarked, is, attending to the fences
around the wocds ; I keep all mine in as good
order as thofe which furround my corn : cattle
love to browze in woods, but the milchief
they do is incredible: upon my fyftem, I de-
pend for the regular fupply on young trees
being conftantly on the growth among the old
ones ; but if cattle had admiffion in the com-
mon way, 1 mould be prefently difappointed

in

i6 TRAVELS THROUGH

in my expectations : this is one reafon why a
piece of wafte is fo long before it becomes
covered with a full growth of wood. But
I make it a rule, as fall as I advance my
improvements, to leave no waftes behind me.
All that are not proper for corn or grafs, I in-
clofe, with the fame attention as my other
grounds, and fow them regularly with feeds,
fo that they prefently become as good woods
as any on my eftate. For other purpofes
than the exportation or ufe of fine timber,
Ireferve the woods that are fituated on places
which would admit a profitable culture of
corn or grafs ; thefe I root out entirely, as
they are wanted ; and, as fail as they are clear-
ed, cultivate the land.

By means of this conduct, all the parts of
my eftate through which I advance my im-
provements, are brought into profit : woods
indeed, in a country where they are fo ama-
zingly plentiful, will not pay me near fo good
a rent as my cultivated land ; but then all
they do pay is clear profit, for I leave them
no where that corn and grafs could be well
cultivated upon.

From this converfation of M. de Verfpot, I
entertained great expectations of feeing many
noble improvements next morning ; but he
warned me not to form too great an idea of

them.

SWEDEN. ir

them. — c< You will fee," faid he," good
common husbandry exercifed over a large track
of land; but that light to an Englifhman is
nothing ; he fees it almoft over a whole king-
dom. I am fo unfortunate as to be at a dif-
tance from the feaj our river, which carries
down floats of timber, is of excellent ufe ;
but had I the opportunity which my excel-
lent friend Roncellen has, I would attempt to
rival him. My eftate would alone furni(h
employment for ten fail of flout mips for a
century to come : had I the conveniency of a
port, I mould form a great exportation of va-
rious products, which would be an improve-
ment which nothing elfe can equal."

M. de Verfpot ordered an early breakfafr,
that we might have the longer excursion be-
fore dinner. I was apologizing for being
troublefome to him ; but he faid, — -Cf You
are much miftaken, Sir, fo far from being a
trouble, it is giving me the pleafure of a com-
panion in my ufual ride, for I am never in
the houfe from breakfafl: to dinner."

In the morning we mounted, and he con-
dueled me about a mile and half through the
ornamented environs I mentioned before, and
then came into a part of the lands which he
cultivates himfelf. The fituation of the
ground was in general that of fome gentle

Vox. HI. C ^ hill*

i? TRAVELS THROUGH

hills and plains, entirely in culture. The

fields were all regularly difpofed in fquares or
oblongs ; the fences regular and admirable ;
and all the gate?, rails, <5cc. very good and
neat, and all painted white, very much in the
manner and appearance of many ornamented
farms I have feen in England. The inclo-
fures were in general of twenty or thirty
acres. The foil is a light loam upon a rock
or flint, of various depths, but feldcm lefs
than fix inches. M. ce Verfpot cbferved,
that the depth was not of any material conse-
quence, except for carrots, turneps, and feme
other roots ; yet thole crops yield abundantly
in only fix inches de fch, tho' not fo greatly
as when deeper. The fields were covered
with wheat, barley, oats, peas, beans, buck-
wheat, carrots, turneps, clover, trefoile, 6cc.
and many of them in natural grafs. The
crops were all exceeding vigorous, and fupe-
fior to any thing in appearance not only that I
had lately feen, but alio to moil: that I recol-
lected having taken any notice of in England.
1 expre:"ed my ; .-, that this northern

latitude lhould admit the crops which I then
law. " Sir, laid he, I do net wonder at your
opinion ; I have heard it from (everal, and read
much the fame ideas in many bocks ; nothing
fo common as, in ;he defcription of countries,

CQ

SWEDEN. i9

to read of the climate being fo fevere, that the
inhabitants mull live only on riming and
hunting, or produces only a few oats j
twenty books in my library tell me that wheat
will not fucceed higher in Sweden than the
fixtieth degree of latitude. I am convinced
that the bounty of Providence is fuch, that all
kinds of corn, pulfe, and roots, which are
now on my farm, will grow every where 5
the great thing is to confulc the nature of the
climate in the mode of culture.

In Sweden our winters are extremely fe-
vere, and they come with but little interven-
tion of autumn ; they likewife go away fud-
denly, without fuch a gradation of fpring as
you have in England : fpring and autumn,
you muft well know, are in warmer climates
the principal feafons for mofr of the operations
of tillage: we are not totally without them,
as fome authors afTert, but their duration is
verv fhort. As foon as the fun has thorough-
ly thawed the earth, and it is in order for til-
lage, that is the time to fow, which is evidently
evinced by the immediate vegetation {^cn in
ail plants : the peafants follow this idea very
well ; but the great object is the preparation
of the land in the little autumn we have.
The field, which they fow in fpring, never had
Ajiy tillage fmce the preceding crop;— fo that

C z the

2© TRAVELS THROUGH

the products are fmall, not from the fault of
the land, but for want of better tillage. The
power of the fun coming after the froils of
winter, with the one ploughing they give
their fields, fets all the weeds loofe ; and they
vegetate with vigour, like every thing elfe ;
oftentimes to the deitruction of the crop. But
my method has ufually been to be very expe-
ditious ; the moment harveft is over, I plough
up all my Hubbies before the froft catches me :
by this means, when it comes, it has the
greater effect ; but the principal ufe of it is,
the feeds and roots of weeds vegetating before
I plough and fow in the fpring, which they
will not a tenth part do if the land was not
ftirred in autumn ; by turning them in at the
fame time that I low my corn, they are kil-
led, and the crops fucceed as clean as you
now fee them."

This conduct ftruck me very much, as it
appeared at once to be founded not only in
experience, but good fenfe. Upon my ask*
in* him, if he thought ploughing up of ftub-
bles in autumn would be a good practice,
where the fame inducement did not hold
equally ftrong, that is in milder climates,
fuch as England ? — " There is not, replied he,
the fame reafon for it, becaufe your fpring
allows you to plough your land as often as you

pleafe

SWEDEN. 21

pleafe before you fow, confequently the weeds
may be deftroyed : yet I mould follow the
rule even in that climate ; becaufe by plough-
ing before winter, (for which likewife you
have whatever time you want) the frofts wifl
have much more power over the foil, in break-
ing and fweetening it ; fo that lefs tillage
would do in the fpring, and the weeds alio
grow' much more, which will render it fo
much the eafier to kill them." — What the
practice of our Englim farmers is in this cafe,
I do not know : but it appears to be a point
of confiderable importance.

As we rode through the fields, the crops
of which made fo fine an appearance, M. de
Verfpot obferved, that of all his grain nothing
paid him better than wheat ; tho' among the
common farmers they are much inclined to
think that oats anfwer as well, from the large*
nefs of the produce, which is much greater
than wheat. My oat crops generally yield
me five or fix quarters an acre ; my barley
rather more than four; wheat yields two and
an half ; peas as much j beans four ; and buck-
wheat four. Thefe crops feeming to me to be
very confiderable, I asked him if he did not
manure very richly for them ; and how he ma-
naged in this refpeel:, as he did not ufe woodr
aflies in the large quantities of the common
farmers ?

C 3 id*

ti T R A V Z L 5 T H R 0 U G H

" I depend, replied he, entirely upon dure*
formed into comports with the earth I dig in
draining marines. I have two ftrong reaibns

D D

againft the pra&ice common among the pea-
ts, )f manuring wi;h i'uch quantities of
wood-aftiesj tint., they (poil for ages large

tracks of wood land, for they not only carry
5, but all the farface of the
foil with them j and I find my woods too pro-
fitable to deftroy, without at the lame time

gaining either grafs or arable in the room of
them : fecondly, they depend fo much on
theie aflies, that they are apt to negleac the
article of cattle, as they can manure their
lands without them : but I think it an inn-
rite lofs, not only to themfelves, but to the
whole kingdom, to adept any fyftem that lei-
fens the general nock of cattle ; I think they
form the mod profitable part of husbandry;
and at the fame time that they are cf this im-
portance to the farmer, in the profit they
yield, they are to the ft ate the foundation of
the manufactures of wool and leather, which
in all countries are of fuch confeque N'or

do their benefits flop here; for our corn field*
are indebted to them for the fineft crops that
cover them. Did the pealants depend on their
dung alone for manuring, they would keep
more cattle, and then their general husbandry

would

SWEDEN. 23

would be much improved. In all my improve-
ments, when I proportion the quantities of
each crop to the reft, I make the firft foun-
dation of fuch an arrangement, the quantity
of dung I (hall want ; I then provide food for
fuch a number of cattle as will I know yield
me the requifite quantity of dung. I have
carried this idea into pradlice thefe many
years, and always found it uniformly profit-
able."

Upon my enquiring further into this fyf-

tem, he went on " A very little attention

would enable our peafants to conceive the full
extent of this management, and ad accord-
ingly. They all of them keep a few cattle,
and know well enough how to crop their fields
for the maintenance of them, fo that they
would only have to proportion their ground
to a greater number. They all of them feel
the advantage of keeping cows, hogs, oxen,
and many of them fheep j they find nothing
of a readier fale, and in many lituations they
are the only commodities which, for want of
roads, can be brought to market. And tho*
our winter is very long, and the maintenance
of them at that feafon troublefome and expen-
five, yet there are few cold climates that pro-
duce better crops for keeping them ; and
it is in the winter alone that the dunghills are
C 4 made,

z+ TRAVELS THROUGH

made, which are of fuch great value to all our
crops. Our Swedifh turneps, of which we
have two forts, is a mod valuable crop ; when
prepared for by fufficient ploughings and ma-
nure, it yields a vaft produce, which will keep
found through the fharpeft winter : for the
fake of tilling my land, and being able to get
at the crop at all times, I generally lay them
up in barns, fo as to be very handy for feed-
ing all forts of cattle on the fpot. We have
the plants which you in England call the kales,
that is, cabbages, which do not turn in with
hard heads, out are all compofed of open
leaves -, thefe vegetate all winter through, and
the fiiows mull: be uncommonly deep, to pre-
vent our getting at them. Carrots I lay by in
ftores, in the fame manner as turneps : then
we have plenty of hay and ftraw in common
with other countries j fo that I mud; confefs I
fee no reafon for our complaining in Sweden,
—nor any difficulty which our induftrious far-
mer can find in providing for the mod: nume-
rous herds of cattle. An acre of turneps or
carrots will winter-feed four cows, if they
have a good portion of hay, and as much
ftraw as they like -, but without any hay at all
they will keep three j which is very confider-
able, and fhews what may be done by a fpi-
rited induftry. Our kale grows into fuch fine

crops,

SWEDEN. zS

crops, that, with draw, an acre of it will
winter fix fheep -, fwine are kept in the moft
advantageous manner poffible on carrots, and
even fattened upon them to great profit. But
all thefe crops, to be considerable, ought to
be very well tilled, and amply manured ; and
if the peafants are retrained from wood-ames,
and have not any cattle, from whence is this
manure to come ? Hence it is, that cattle
enable you to keep cattle — fo that the more
they keep, the more they might keep, if the
dung is properly applied.

Another great advantage porTefTed by all
wild countries, is the having great plenty
of vegetables, of ufe only for being converted
into litter : all our waftes and our woods
yield vaft quantities of weeds, which, mown
in their fucculency, make excellent ftraw for
littering our cattle all winter long, which in
the railing much manure, is an advantage of
the moft valuable kind. They are to be gain-
ed in almofl: any quantities j but our peafants
do not fee their intereft in this point as they
ought ; mofr, of them lay in a few loads, but
not a tenth part furflcient to make as
much dung as they might. I keep all my
cattle littered up to their bellies the whole
winter through ; by which means, my dung-
hills enfure me the greatefl crops, of which

the

?,6 TRAVELS THROUGH

the land is capable of yielding. So that I am
confident there is no abiblute occafion for fuch
quantities of wood-afhes as the Swedifh pea-
fants fo much depend on."

From the view I had of M. de Verfpot's
fields, as well as from his converfation, I was
extremely clear that no man could know bet-
ter than he, how to raife great crops of all
forts -, but I defired to know where he found
a market for his products, for I found he had
four thoufand acres in his own hands.

" I do not, replied he, meet with any diffi-
culty in that point j my improvements in hus-
bandry, and in ornamenting the lands around
my houfe, with the number of people that
inhabit it, all together form a very confider-
able confumption, and the reft is fold by my
agents to whoever will purchafe : much is
bought, to fupply the miners in the moun-
tains ; and yet more finds its way down the
river by Tuna, and fo to fea, to the towns
upon the coaft. If I had a port fo conveni-
ently fituated, as to make it advifable to keep
mipping of my own, I fhould be able to gain
a much higher price ; but as I meet at pre-
fent with rates that anfwer very well to me,
and I have neither trouble nor chances, I am
contented ; but if the people on my eflate
increafe in future as they have done lately, the

whole

SWEDEN. 3j

whole country will find a market at borne
fuperior to any thing they can get abroad.

And from the experience I have had in this
point, I have great reafon to believe that in-
creafing population brings with it every other
advantage, and that moil other improvements
will follow of courfe, provided the population
fo gained is founded on husbandry — that is, a.
certainty of food. I have never formed any
manufactories, becaufe I was of opinion that
the improvement of the foil was the firfr. and
moft profitable bufinefs the people qould be
employed in— and that 'till husbandry-im-
provements were advanced to the utmoft
height, all the hands employed in the ma-
nufactures were fo much lofs to the flate.

This reafoning 1 know I am particular in;
it will give offence to you, and would give

yet more to a Frenchman. But whether I

am right or wrong, is not a point of any con-
fequence, fince they generally eftablifh them-
felves without your afliftance. The number
of people I have drawn together for different
works, have formed manufactories ; the ready
market this population carries with it, has
induced feveral undertakers to fix fome fabrics
in my villages; there are fome of woollen
cloth, of leather, linen, hats, and hardware :
they are not, it is true, confiderable ; but they

are

aS TRAVELS THROUGH

are proportioned to the demand, and popula-
tion has created them ; and I have no doubt
but they will increaie as the population of my
eftate increafes. Thus you may depend upon
it in all cafes, that if you work fuch improve-
ments in agriculture as greatly increafes the
number of people, fuch improvements will
themfelves do all the reft ; they will eftablifh
manufactures, and bring commerce when
they arrive at a certain degree, and wealth
proportioned muft be the confequence. Nor
ihould we forget, that when thefe kind of ad-
vantages take place of themfelves, and gra-
dually, we may be fure they are natural, and
permanent, and not exotics, planted by an an-
xious hand, and cherifhed by an unremitting
attention : fuch muft be more valuable, and
always more certain in their nature and con-
fequences j and I conclude from hence that
the follicitude difcovered at prefent in feveral
parts of Europe, for eftablifhing manufac-
tories, is either unneceflary or improper : if
their policy is found, manufacture will come
of courfe ; if they do not come, it is proof
fufficient that they ought not, as the hands
which they would employ ought to be advanc-
ing the foil to its utmoft improvement, before
any thing is done in fabrics."

I made

SWEDEN. 22

I made fome objections to this opinion
drawn from the example of England and
Holland ; but they were not of confequence

enough to infert here. M. de Verfpot

went on — ** In converfing with feveral

noblemen in Sweden, on the fubject of im-
proving their eftates, the mofl general diffi-
culty I have heard of is the getting hands ;
but from my own experience I am clear that
this is an imaginary evil. No country could
be more defolate, or worfe inhabited than
this, when I began my undertaking of im-
proving it ; but by protecting and encouraging
them, building houfes immediately for all
that would fettle, and employing them con-
ftantly at a fair price for their labour, they
would any where command whatever num-
bers they wanted, and increafe them as
quickly as they pleafed to any height. I am
convinced, that for increafing the population
of any country, nothing more is wanting than
the improvement of land."

Having viewed a confiderable part of the
farm, we returned to dinner; and ipent the
remainder of the day in converfing on thefe
fubjects. I found him quite enthuliaflical in
favour of agriculture ; but muft fay, that I
believe he would not, if he had the direction o£
the affairs of Sweden, carry thefe ideas exclu-
4 fively

3o TRAVELS THROUGH

iively too far, and neglect manufactures and
commerce too much.

The next morning he carried me over a
different part of his farm, and mewed me the
improvement of a very large marfh, by drain-
ing. It was converted into a very profitable
meadow. He alfo carried me through a field
of experiments, of fifty acres, wherein he
tries every thing that is of dubious fuccefs,
before he extends the culture through his
whole farm : here he brings the recommen-
dations of various writers to the teft, to fee
what truth there is in their aifertions : he is
now trying fome artificial grarTes, not yet com-
mon in Sweden, particularly fainfoine, efpar-
cette, lucerne, and cytifTus, of all which he
had fmall parcels, but he did not feem tofpeak
favourably of them, from what they had hi-
therto promifed. He had alio under culture
feveral plants from Siberia, and different forts
©f wheat, to fee which would agree beil with
the climate. Here was alfo a fet of trials
upon dung, in order to difcover what was the
proper quantity for an acre of land. I mud
own that this field pleated me better than any
one I had ever viewed in my life. M. de Ver-
fpot here gained moil of his knowledge.— -the-
eulture of it is immediately under his own in-
fpection-— nothiag is done here without he is

prefent ;

it

SWEDEN. 3,

prefent; and by repeating and varying his
trials, he is able to decide in every inftance
what beft fuits the foil and climate. He ob-
ferved to me, that no farmer fhould be with-
out a piece of ground which he dedicates to.
this ufe ; otherwife he muft either give up all
idea of any improvements, or elfe try them upon
too great a fcale at firft ; which, if they are
unfuccefsful, would be injurious to him : a
remark which is certainly juft. — The evening
of this day was alfo fpent in converfation,
which I found very inftructive.

The 6th I took my leave of him, after ex-
preffing how much I was obliged to him for
my reception at Raversburg, and inviting
him, in cafe he fhould ever come into Eng-
land again, or any of his friends, to give me
an opportunity of returning it. I had enquir-
ed of him concerning the northern provinces
of Sweden ; and he allured me that I mould
fee nothing in Lapland worth going after ;
that as my route was to Petersburg, I had bet-
ter keep pretty near the coaft of the Baltic,
through the two Bothnia?, down to Finland,
and through Nyland and Carclia ; in which
journey I mould have an opportunity of feeing
Several varieties of country and husbandry/

CHAP.

t.

33 TRAVELS THROUGH

CHAP. II.

Hernofand — Pleafing Adventure with a Swedifi
Peafant — Husbandry — Uma — State of com-
merce— Pitha — Defcription of the country-*^
Tomeo — State of the country in Eaji Both-
nia— Admirable Management of a Farmer—
A Sivcdijh Club — Remarkable Country—*
Nyjiot — V/yburg.

T LEFT Raversburg the 6th, fetting out
•*■ for Hernofand on the Baltic, in the pro-
vince of Angermania, the diftance fixty miles,
which took me two days, through a country
very much like that about M. de Verfpot, but
very differently cultivated : fpots in the vales
were occupied by peafants, who all feemed to
be little farmers, .feut they had nothing that
flruck me in their managemeqt. Hernofand
is a fmall ifland in the gulf j it is the capital
of the province, and has a little trade in iron
and timber, and is a port to which fome fmall
craft come, that ply backwards and forwards
from Stockholm. It might be of very great
advantage, that fo large a part of this king-
dom is lituated on the Baltic, and furrounds

the

S W E D ■ £ N. 33

the gulf of Bothnia in fuch a manner, that g,
quick and eafy communication is kept up be-
tween province and province, and between
them all and the capital. I know of fcarcely
any country that has the advantage of fuch a
navigation as this gulf, which is furrounded
by fo many provinces.

The 8th I reached Scenfio, a little village
on a bay of the gulf, the inhabitants of
which fupport themfelves chiefly by fifhing ;
great quantities of which they dry for their
winter provifion ; and there are fome forts
which, when dried, they pull in pieces, and
grind, and then make up in bails of rim bread,
being mixed with a portion of barley meal. It
is a very odd, and I mould apprehend a very
unwholfome diet. They have but little idea
cf husbandry here; which would make one
think that it is in general carried on in the
villages merely as a means of evidence, by
railing food, and feldom as a trade where-
with to get money, in order to purchafe ne-
cefTaries. The peafants in every part of Swe-
den p-o to market for fewer commodities than
we in England can have any conception of.
Their husbandry, hunting or fifhing feeds
them ; molt of their cloathing is of their o wn
manufacture ; many of them wear wooden
moes of their own making -, fo that fait and

Vol, III. D fome

34 TRAVELS" THROUGH

fome brandy are the chief articles that many
of them purchafe. — -This was a journey of
near forty miles. — The 9th I went near as far
to get to Grunfud : the country is chiefly peo-
pled with fimermen, but they have more cul-
ture among them than in that of yefterday's
route. Many of them have little farms, and
feem to be much more at their eafe than thofe
that are mere fifhermen. From this place to
Una in Weft Bothnia, at the diftance of fe-
venty miles, took me a day and a half; the
country is pretty well cultivated. I lodged at
the houfe of a peaiant, who had a fmall farm
of his own, and is, I believe, the moft con-
tented, happy man in the world. I offered
him money ; but he would take none, faying,
that when he travel-led through my country,
he dared to fay I mould not refufe him a
night's lodging, and fome victuals. — The
honeft man did it from a mere principle of
Pennine hofpitality. IVJoney, laid he, is of
very little value to me ; my farm fupplies my-
felf and my family with moil: neeefTaries:
and plenty to fell for the little we want
to buy. He had a wife, two fons, and
two daughters ; and the whole family feem-
ed animated with the father's fpirit. — There
was a chearfulne!^, a health, and an activity
in them all that convinced me they were fu-
perlatively happy. The employment of the
5 three

SWEDEN. 35

three men was to hunt, fhoot, and fifh, and
do the moft laborious works of the hufbandry ;
the women ploughed and fowed the ground,
and did moft of the other bufinefs of the
farm that was within their ftrengtb, and ma-
nufactured woollen cloth for ail the family.
The fale of their fuperfluities bought them
whatever they wanted to purchafe, fuch as
fait, implements, fome linen, &c. and they
had money enough always left, after paying
their taxes, to lay up fomething againft emer-
gencies. I think this is as compleat a repre-
fentation of rural happinefs as can exift. — ■
This family has nothing to fear. — 'They are
as independent as an abfolute monarch, and
much more at their eafe. It was with plea-
fure I entered into the particulars of their
living, and found a cottage that was the
conftant reffdence of peace and content. It
is in fuch fituations and circumftances that
we mould look for happinefs ; not in towns,
the palaces of kings, or the feats of gentle-
men, but in the humble cottage, where no
knowledge enters but what is applied to
utility.

Una, where I arrived the 21ft, is one of

the moft considerable towns in Weft Bothnia.

It is fituated on a very fine large river, which

falls into the gulf: there is a good harbour for

D 2 £hj

r •■»

35 TRAVELS THROUGH

ihips, and the place has a pretty briik trade
in timber, iron, pitch, tar, &c. And having
two or three merchants, of large property, to
whom feveral mips belong, they carry on
here a trade with Holland and England, load-
ing out with the products of the countries
around the gulf, and bringing home a great
variety of commodities, which they fell in all
the ports around the Baltic, in Sweden, Ruffia,
Livonia, Poland, Pruffia and Germany. It is
of very great advantage to a town to be inha-
bited by a few fuch extenfive traders -, for the
profits center in it ; they employ their townf-
men in their {hipping, and export much more
products than would be done if it were not
for them. Thefe merchants alfo much enrich
the place by their fhip-building ; for they
have never lefs than three or four on the flocks
at a time : thefe mips they fell wherever they
can get a market, cargo and all, which they of-
ten do to good advantage ; and this I take to be
the moft beneficial commerce which Sweden,
or any other country that abounds with plenty
of naval ftores, can carry on -, for by building
mips for fale, (he gives the laft hand in ma-
nufacturing all her products, and confequently
employ's as many of her people as pofiible;
but when fhe fells the timber, iron, pitch, &c.
feparately, the nations that buy them make

this

• W E D E N. 37

this laft profit, which is a very confiderable
one. No government, therefore, can ever
give a wifer bounty than that of fo much per
ton for all mips built in a country ; it is the
moft advantageous commerce her fubjects can
carry on. Louis XIV. was certainly well
advifed by Colbert to give this bounty j and it
was attended with as good effects as any other
meafure in that fuccefsful adminiftration.

It took me two days to reach Scornfay, at
the diflance of fourfcore miles. I took up my
quarters the firft night at a village, where, for
the firft time fince I have been in Sweden, I
met with a fet of barbarians : I could per-
fuade none of them to let me into their cot-
tages , they were fure I was a fpy from the
Mufcovites; on what errand, or for what
purpofes I was come, they could not tell.
We were now benighted, and in a road
of which we had no good accounts;
fo I found I was very likely to pafs
the night on horfeback : I went from cot*
tage to cottage, but all were poffeffed of the
fame idea, — .none would be hofpitable. Go^
ing yet further, I came to a cottage in a lonely
fpot } I determined here to force an en-
trance, and feize the caftle by ftorm, in cafe
they would not be prevailed on by fair and
fnild requifitions : but full it was in vain ;

D 3 they

38 TRAVELS THROUGH

they had no room for us : tho' we offered to pay
for every thing we mould eat and drink, and for
our horles, yet it had no effect. I gave a fignal
(which I had explained to my men) for one of
them to march round, and attack the fortreis
in flank, while I remained to itorm it in front.
The pi : executed in a moment : I drew

my piitols, presented them to the bread: of the
peaiant .; my men bound him hand and foot ;

d we iecured the women and children, tying
their hands, behind them, and locking
them up in a room, with the poftilicn arm-
ed as a 6 . over them : then we took.
poiTeliion of the maniion, feailed on the coarfe
vilions we found, and I let up my bed in one
of the rooms. I palled a good night, without
any alarm from the priibners. In the morning
I let forward on my journey, leaving the in-
hofpitable owners of the cottage bound, till
their neiel , clcfe to their door, and in
figkt of the read, ihould accidentally come to
their relief.

Bcornfay is a Iktfc town, at the foot of a
tain, with a river running under its
trails near M large u the Thames at Cheliea;
the mores are very bold, and all covered with
wood. I have fcarcely feen a more romantic
:.::d ilrikh n : large ihips come up

to the quay, tho' at a ccniiderable diftance

from

SWEDEN. j9

from the fea ; thefe load timber chiefly, and
in general for the Holland market. There
are not any merchants of fubftance in the
town, and their trade does not feem to be at
all regular ; fometimes they have three or
four veffels in port, and they informed me,
that, many weeks, none at all were to be
feen.

From Scornfay, two days journey carried
me to Tame, through a country various ; but
about the villages there is in general fome
cultivated land, enough to feed and maintain
the inhabitants, and to enable them to buy of
the fhipping what they wanted, which their
own foil could not furnim. There are no fhops
or pedlars upon this coaft, except in the more
coniiderable towns : all the peafants and in-
habitants buy what they want out of imall
(loop traders, which make annual voyages up
the gulf of Bothnia from Stockholm. This
place is in 65 degrees of latitude ; and yetl per-
ceived no change in the climate, or in the hus-
bandry. They cultivate the fame plants as are
to be feen to the fouthward, and apparently with
the fame fuccefs. Probablvthe increafed length
of day, proportioned to the degree of north la-
titude, enables them to cultivate the crops of
the fouthern latitudes. Barley is a tender
grain, and more congenial to the climate of
D 4 Spain

40 TRAVELS THROUGH

Spain than any other; yet they have good
crops of barley here ; and I am afTured they
alfo fow it with fuccefs in Lapland ; fo that
thefe moft ufeful plants are by Providence fent
to almoft all countries.

The 26th I got to Pitha, the diftance near
thirty miles, through a country in general of a
marfhy foil, which fome of the peafants have
converted, by draining out fpots into profitable
meadows ; and indeed I have feen in few places
more induftry than is apparent in thefe people.
Upon the drier rifing grounds they have crops
of turneps and kale for their own and their
cattle's winter provifion, the meadows af-
fording them nothing at that feafon. They
keep large herds of fwine, and feed them in
winter on regular trufTes of boiled roots,
mixed with fmall quantities of peas; and they
feem to reckon their hogs among the principal
articles of their wealth.

Pitha is a pleafant little lea port, tolerably
well built ; at which they carry on a fmall
coafting trade, and export fome timber, &c.
I met with a better inn here than I had done
for a long while before, and a very civil, in-
telligent landlord. He gave me for my fupper
an excellent diili of flfh, and a piece of very
tender good venifon, with fome French wine,
than which I had drank worfe. All this made

deli-

SWEDEN. 4I

delicate fare, compared with what I met with
at the peafant's ; and my reckoning was very
reafonable. I asked the landlord fornequeftions
about the prefent ftate of the town, and the
neighbouring country. He faid it was a poor
town, and a ftill poorer country ; that if it
was not for a little (hipping now and then,
they would have no fuch thing as money
among them. He faid trade declined, and
there was no profpect of feeing things better.
He entered into a long diflertation upon the
politics of the times, and was deep read, I
found, in the Stockholm gazette.

My next day's journey, the 27th, was to
Lula, another fea port town, ftanding on the
mouth of a very fine river, which is navigable
a good way, and comes far, from the inner
parts of Lapland, &c. Here is a brilkercoafl
trade carried on than at Pitha, becaufe the in-
land navigation is much more considerable.
They have mips very often from Stockholm,
which bring various commodities in exchange
for the produces of thefe provinces, which
confifl of timber, pitch and tar, and many
furs ; which find a good market in the capi-
tal. They are fometimes vifited by Englifh
and Dutch (hips, which they reckon highly
advantageous to them ; and from the appear-
ance of their (locks of timber, I mould think

4 tfiem

4« TRAVELS THROUGH

them very well provided for loading any (Tups
whatever. They have one or two pretty con-
fiderable merchants among them, who
build mips here, then load them with
timber, and next fend fhip and cargo to be
fold in Holland upon commiffion. The pro-
fits of this, they faid, are not great ; but
when their feamen are out of employment,
and they have the opportunity of building
cheap, it pays them fomcthing for their trouble
and rifque.

The 28th I (et out for Torneo, through a
country very wild and mountainous, with
but few villages in it ; and as to a gentle-
man's feat, I had not feen one for feveral
days. They have fome appearance of culti-
vation around their cottages ; but it is only
for their own fubfiftence : there is enough,
however, to (hew that, high as the latitude
of this country is, (it is about 66°) it would
produce plentifully for a numerous people j
but it is very thinly inhabited. Through all
the provinces of Sweden that I have yet tra-
velled, I am convinced that the principal
caufe of the country being fo thinly inhabited,
is the fmatl number of farmers; there being
only peafants, with land enough round their
cottages, for the fubfiftence of the people
within them. Many of thefe little fpots

belong

SWEDEN. 43

belong to them ; and none of the children of
one will ever brook the living in a worfe
manner than their fathers did, which feems
to be a prevalent idea amongfi: them : fo that
a family in this fituation are fare to leave but
one reprefentative, unlefs fome gentleman
builds cottages, and gives away his land
around them, which it may eafily be ima-
gined is not very common. This prevents
marriages among the fons ; for, as they can-
not have their own cottages and lands, they
live at home unmarried, with the brother
who inherits : thus little or no increafe hap-
pens, unlefs by mere accident. But if all
thefe peafants lived in hired cottages, with-
out any land, and the country was cultivated
by great farmers, who could afford to pay
them money for their labour, the farmers
would grow ten times the produce which is
now produced, and export all that was not
confumed ; which would be a constant mo-
tive to them to increafe their buiinefs, and of
courfe to fix their fons in other farms. In
the cafes of fome patriotic perfons, who have
made improvements in husbandry, and built
houfes, we found, before, that the people in-
creafed as faft as could be wifhed.

Torneo (lands better than any other town
on the gulf, for the trade of Lapland, which

is

44 TRAVELS THROUGH

is not inconfiderable in furs, fome of which
are very valuable. It lies near three con-
siderable rivers, which flow through all Swe-
dish Lapland, and opens a fmall commerce
with Norway and Mufcovite Lapland -, fo that
at Torneo I found more (hipping than I had
feen at any place I had lately been at on this
fea. Ships come from Stockholm hither,
laden with all forts of neceffaries for thefe
northern provinces, and carry their products
back in return. Hence the town is tolerably
well built, the ftreets broad and ltraight, and
very well paved, and fome of the merchants,
of which there are a good number, very rich.
They build mips, and fit them out on trading
voyages, and make every effort to employ
their money fo as it may bring in good in-
tereft ; but, with all their endeavours, they
are not able to increafe the trade of the place,
further than what the fame men would carry
on at any other j which is owing to a want
of population, and wealth in the country be-
hind them ; fo that they are much limited in
the commodities they export, and alfo in the
quantity of thofe they import. And indeed
it is generally found that agriculture, well
purfued, mud increafe the people very much $
manufactures will next ariie, to fatisfy their
greatefl wants j and then comes commerce,

ta

SWEDEN. 45

to fupply the reft. This is the natural chain,
and it is in vain to think of breaking or rever-
ting it.

July 31ft I left Torneo, and reached Coy-
rannum, a little town on the coaft, which is
fubfifted chiefly by filhing. The inhabitants
in the moft northerly parts of the two Both-
nia's have a different appearance from the
Swedes in the fouthern provinces of the king-
dom ; they are lefs informed, of a (horter
ftature, and more irregular in their drefs,
many of them fewing together the ikins of
foxes, and other wild creatures, whofe furs
are not of value, and make their cloathing in
a much rougher and more ordinary manner ;
nor are they fo intelligent or comprehenfive ;
but they are a very fimple and harmlefs peo-
ple, and appear to be very humane. I found
moll: of them exceedingly refpectful and
civil. Their ordinary faluation is not bow-
ing, like the Swedes in other parts : thefc
countrymen take hold of your right-hand, and
lay it over their left, making ftrange faces at
the fame time. The next town, of the leaft
confequence, is Salo, which carries on a
very fmall trade, they informed me ; the dis-
tance is near eighty miles, which I performed
in two days. And here let me fay a word or
two in praile of the little Dalecarnian horfes,

which

46 TRAVELS THROUGH

which have brought me with fuch expedition
through fome of the mod: dangerous roads in
Europe, and without having once failed us, tho'
fix in number; and I think they look as well,
as before thev fet out on a journey of lb many
hundred miles. I have fo great a value for
them, that I am determined to carry them to
England ; and I am now fo accuftomed to the
hard exercife of riding thirty or forty miles a
day, that I feel not the leaft inconvenience
from it.

Auguft the 2d 1 got to Salo ; the country
through which I travelled not mountainous,
being in general a plain, riling into final!
hills -, much of it well cultivated ; and, what
furprized me, by farmers who hire of the
landlords ccniiderable tracks of land : their
chief riches are cattle ; they have large droves
of black cattle, many fheep, and numerous
herds of hogs. The method in which thele
farmers pay their labourers, the peaiants, is
in kind : thole who attend the fheep have lb
many kept for them with the farmer's ; the
hogs the lame ; and the men who take care of

the cattle have fome cows keDt for them.

■

The landlords rent is paid in coin and cattle.
All this is neceiiary, in a country where mo-
ney is amazingly (Scarce. They fow wheat,
and all the other forts of grain, Dulfe and

roots,

SWEDEN. 47

roots, which I have feen in other parts of Swe-
den ; tho' I do not think their crops are Co
good as in mountainous tracks ; which I ap-
prehend is for want of equal fhelter, and the
foil not being fo good as in fmall vales, that
receive the wafh of many mountains. The
turnep and carrot crops, with fields of kale,
they cultivate, I was informed, more to the
north than any place where I have been j
which (hews how valuable thefe plants are
for fupporting themfelves and their cattle.
There are feme fhip loads of different forts of
provifions that go every fummer from Salo,
for Stockholm and the fouthern parts of the
Baltic ; they do not get money in return, but
fuch manufactures and commodities as they
want.

My next route was to Nicarlby, a little fea
port town, with fome trifling commerce, near
ninety miles from Salo. I did not get there
till the 5th, twice taking up my lodging with
very hoipitable farmers. One of them, at a
little village called Koninglens, was much fu-
perior in his ideas, and in his husbandry, to
any thing I had feen of late; and this was a
pleating circumilance to me, as I got to his
houfe early in the afternoon. I took a walk
with him through the fields neareit. to his
dwelling; and the accounts he gave me ap-
peared

48 TRAVELS THROUGH

reared very rational. His crops were all very
£ne and clean ; and I cbferved that his corn
fields were very numerous, and of large ex-
tent, spreading ovei feveral hilh within light ■>
the fize of his farm exceeding in the whole a
thoufand acres, and a great portion of it un-
der culture. He gets two quarters of wheat
an acre, and ibmetimes more, three quarters
of barley and beans, and ibmetimes four of
oats ; and his root crops all appeared very
good. He told me there were feveral other
farms in the neighbourhood, and that all of
them belonged to the baron Bothmer, who
refided con at Stockholm -, that money

•was fo fcarce in this country, that the other
tenants paid the agent in kind for rent ; but
he finding that this was a great loi's to them,
from the low prices at which the products were
reckoned, thought of paying in money j and
this he planned, from having once ufed the
fea. All the products of their farms were at
double the price, at Stockholm, to what the
landlords agents allowed for them. This in-
duced him to buy a fioop of fifty ton?, and to
hire a couple of failors, to try a voyage to
Stockholm in September, carrying a loading
of wheat, barley, pork, beef, mutton, wool,
furs, <5cc. and made it up with timber. The
meot turned out as he could witli : he

kept

S W EDEN. 49

kept his floop, perfuaded one of the failors
to live with him on lhore as well as aboard,
and made an annual trip upon the fame buli-
nefs for feveral years, paying his rent in mo-
ney. He found this fcheme fo very advanta-
geous that, as his hufbandry increafcd, by
improving the bad and wafte lands of his
farm, he found he could load his vefTel twice
with the marketable produce of his farm,
betides what he difpofed of in the neighbour-
hood ; and he has now increafed it to three
voyages, which he makes regularly every
year, and he himfelf fells the cargo. He has
built a kind of med over a dry dock, where
he lays up his floop, and is very careful of her.
She will not hold out many years longer ; how-
ever he propofes buying one of 80 or 100
tons, finding the method he purfues of fo much
confequence to his profit ; for this ready falc
of his products enables him every year to
make improvements. He has, fince he acted
thus, improved a piece of the wafte belonging-
to his farm every year; which he will conti-
nue to do, until all is in culture. I fhould ob-
ferve, that his farm lies remarkably well for
executing this work j for it is all on the ka
coaft; and there is a fmall creek runs up
into a pent near his houfe, which has depth
of water fufficient for a fhip of two hun-
Vol. III. E dred

50 TRAVELS THROUGH

dred tons; but at the lame time that he en-
joys this advantage, there are hundreds of
other farms, equally well fituated, around the
gulf of Bothnia, whereof the farmers have no
notion of making fuch an ufe.

I mud: remark, that this inftance is a proof,
among many others of a different nature, of
the great confequence of a regular market
for the farmer in all countries to depend upon.
This active and enterprizing man ftruck out
fo original a way of difpofing of his products,
merely for want of a market at home : had he
been poffeiTed of that, he certainly would not
have been at the expence of finding one at fo
great a diftance. Thus improvements in hus-
bandry are not at their higheft value, nor
indeed can be undertaken in their due extent,
without a market for the products fo raifed
being gained. There are many ways of obtain-
ing it : the increafe of population, caufed b^
the improvements, takes fome ; manufactures,
to the full amount of the people's wants, pro-
vide more mouths, which carry off another
large portion ; and then commerce mull be
brought in, to carry off the remainder ; firft,
by the number of people lhe fixes on the fpot ;
and fecondly, by exportation : then the having
gained a full market for all that can be pro-
duced, is fuch an encouragement to the clafs
2 who

S W E D E N. 5l

\v1id cultivates the foil, that they will necefia-
rily carry their improvements very far : Not
fo far however as they are capable of going,
Without being puflied on by encouragement
and example from thofe above them. Of this
truth fee inftances every day, in the countries
heft peopled, and in general befl cultivated,
and where all the products of the lands fell
at as high prices as any where elfe. Thus in
England, what confiderable tracks of land
are at this day as wild as if they were in the
latitude of Lapland, and amounting, accord-
ing to the accounts of many knowing per-
fons, to afeventh part of the kingdom ? W^th
us no encouragements, no markets are want-
ing. What therefore mould be the reafon of
fuch a ftrange neglect ? It can be owing to
nothing but the ignorance and obftinacy of
our lower fort of people, who will not be
rfuaded that any land can be good for ufe
that was not cultivated by their forefathers ;
and this fupinenefs we find amongft men who
mew themfelves fo' well qualified in the ma-
nagement of land already in culture. There-
fore, as none of thefe motives are ftrong:
enough for bringing into cultivation the wafte
lands of any country, it is abfolutely necefiary
that public laws and private endeavours be
made to co-operate ; which cannot be done,
E 2 with-

$ 3*4*"*

5* TRAVELS THROUGH

without making it the intereft of landlords to
undertake and encourage improvements, be-
yond that {landing intereft which the profit
of the work always carries with it : for in-
ftance, it might be advifable to lay heavy
taxes upon wafte lands, as long as they con-
tinued uncultivated ; and in cafe any old cuf-
toms or rights, fuch as that of commonage
upon them, mould obftruct fuch beneficial
laws, then to abolim all fuch antient cuftoms,
and allow every man to inclofe, and do what
he thought bell: with every part of his own
property. There are many other means which
might be put in execution, in order to pufh
on all men to a vigorous refolution to improve
the waftes belonging to them ; and if the fub-
jecft was confidered with any degree of atten-
tion, numerous methods might be found for
effectually anfwering the purpofe.

It is very furprifing that I mould not, ut<
travelling fo many miles upon the fea coafts
of Sweden, have met with more inftances of
this penetration than the iingle one of the
farmer in queftion. This kingdom has a vaft
line of coaft, numerous bays, gulfs that jet
far into the provinces, with very many navi-
gable rivers ; and at the fame time that thefe
opportunities are fo abundant, a vaft track of
country lies adjacent to them, in the higheft

5 want

SWEDEN. 53

want of them, and to which they would be
of fuch ufe as to advance the value of the
lands very considerably. Surely this mould
be a very great motive to all the land-
lords upon thefe coafts, who refide upon their
eflates, to put in pradice means fo much at
their command, of advancing the value of
them.

Nicarlby is a place of no great considera-
tion. They told me, it was once a town
that carried on a great trade -3 but when the
Ruffians over-run the province, they burnt it
to the ground, and quite ruined feveral of the
greateft merchants in it; fince which it has
never recovered its trade, the commerce at
prefent carried on here not being at all consi-
derable. It is not however badly built, and
the ftreets are regular. The church is fmali,
but very neat. They have a trifling manufac-
ture of very coarie woollen goods, for the
fupply of the neighbouring country ; but it
does not feem to be in a flourishing fitua-
tion.

The 6th I got to Vero, another little town
on the gulf, with an exceeding good port, and
a tolerably built quay, which is the only good
ftreet in the town. There is a little trade
upon the coaft, and to Stockholm, which
coniiSts principally of timber. There are not
E 3 above

54 TRAVELS THROUGH

above feven or eight hundred fouls in the
place, and it appears to be but a poor one.
Waffay, which 1 reached the 7th, is a place
of greater note ; it has more trade ; and Se-
veral merchants, tolerably wealthy, inhabit it*
who have fhips of their own, in which they
export large quantities of timber -, but they
want a home demand, to load their vefiels back
a^ain ; for the country behind the town, after
a few miles, is one continued foreft, without
any cultivated fpots or villages, and reaches
from hence quite to the white feaA through
feveral Ruffian provinces, at the diftance of
near feven hundred miles, and fcarcely any
inhabitants to be found the whole way. I
came accidentally by this knowledge 5 for,
juft after I had ordered fupper, the landlord
of the inn came in to inform me, that in the
next room were a fet of gentlemen of the
town, affembled at a club, who, undemand-
ing there was a Granger in the houfe
fent their compliments to him, inviting
him to fpend the evening with them. I
thought I might as well make myfelf ac-
quainted with a Swedifh club, and therefore
returned for anfwer, that I mould be very
happy in waiting on them ; but it was my
misfortune not to underftruid Swedilh, and I

bad

SWEDEN. 55

had no interpreter but my fervant. They re-
plied, that if I underftood French, they
had one among them who could converfe
with me ; if not, defired I would bring my
interpreter. This was very well ; fo I went
to them, and, upon my entering the room,
they all arofe, and received me after the man-
ner of the country. There were nine of
them ; one, who feemed to be the principal
man amongft them, and who was the gentle-
man that underftood the French language,
was a very corpulent man, who complained
of being much afflicted with the gout. I
found he was a merchant in the town, who
had formerly been captain of a merchant fhip;
and I obferved that they gave him the title of
Captain, by way of honour; tho' I fhould
have thought it, for a man of property, ra-
ther a reflection. He was about fifty years old,
a lively, talkative fellow, had travelled
almoft every part of the world ; and as fuch
extenfive travelling, tho' aboard a merchant
ihip, is very uncommon, in the remote pro-
vinces of Sweden, I perceived they confidered
him almoft as an oracle, and gave way to his
opinion in moft points. He craved my name,
my country, and my buiinefs in Sweden, tho*
in a good-natured way. Upon my fatisfying
him in all thefe particulars, and his informing
E 4 his

55 TRAVELS THROUGH

his friends of it, I found I gained much in all
their good graces, by thinking their country-
worth viewing thro' curiofity. The reft of
the company appeared to be merchants, cap-
tains of fhips, and the better fort of fhop-
keepers, but all decently and neatly drefled,
and feemed, from the manner in which things
were conducted, to be people of fubftance.
The worit of their company was their pipes $
they all fmoaked tobacco inceifantly ; and as
the room was but a fmall one, I thought I
fhould have been fuffocated at rlrft. They
made many inquiries after England, and our
manners and cuftoms in many particulars ; in
which I fatisfied them, much to their appa-
rent entertainment. I, in my turn, question-
ed them about the manufactures and com-
merce of their town and neighbourhood, and
they gave me an account of every thing
they could, and I believe a very juft one.
Thev faid the trade of their town was at a
very low ebb j that it was too inconfiderable
a place, and the country around it too thinly
inhabited, to furnifh much trade ; but
that they traded a good deal all around the
Baltic, beine fatisfied with commerce where-
ever they found it ; that they generally load-
ed timber for England or Holland, and then
got a freight to where-ever they could ■, if not

on

SWEDE N. 57

on the merchants account, to whom they fent
the timber, yet on their own, by taking in a
cargo of iuch goods as they could get off at
fome port or other in the Baltic, and never lo-
fing any opportunity to fell mip and all. This
commerce, on an average of feven years, pays,
they allured me, very poor intereft for their
money : now and then they meet with lucky
voyages, that anfwer greatly; but fometimes
they are forced to go from port to port, in
England and Holland, before they can fell a
cargo, and perhaps at laft, after a great lofs
of time, under prime coft and charges ;
fo that they mould not make fuch ventures,
were it not that all their trade depends upon
keeping fome lhipping in motion, by forcing
things in this manner. The moll: profitable
part of thefe voyages is the fale of the fhip,
when it happens, and that they endeavour to
pufh as much as pofiible, tho' at low prices,
in order to keep their (hip carpenters toge-
ther, by finding them conflant work. One
of them faid, " Ah ! Sir, we mud: be very
induftrious, through a long life, before we
can make a fmall fortune:" which indeed, from
the defcription of their trade, I thought true
enough.

Upon my enquiring after their manufac-
tures, they faid they had none, except a fa-
bric

v58 TRAVELS THROUGH

brie or two of very coarie woollens, for the
peafants wear ; and that was carried on merely
becaufe of imported goods of that fort being
prohibited., tho' they could buy them in Eng-
land and fell them at Wallay much cheaper than
their own manufacturers could make them.
But, faid they, trade is fhackled and deftroyed
by the regulations, prohibitions and laws lately
made j fo that if our governors go on much long-
er as they have done of late, we mall have no
trade at all, — not a fhip to navigate. We could
get cargoes of many forts of goods in Eng-
land, that would go off well in Sweden, but
we are prohibited j and for no good reafon ;
for we fhould not pay for them with money ;
we could get all with timber, iron, pitch, tar,
and hemp. — This would keep our fhips em-
ployed ; whereas your countrymen, finding
that we do not take your good?, go to
the Danes and the Mufcovites. And for
that matter who can blame you ? The fault
is all in our government.

I could not help fmiling at the warmth of
the honeft merchant who faid this -, and, from
what I have at various times heard, fince I
left Stockholm, I mnft confefs I do not fee
the policy of the laws in relation to trade,
which have been lately made in Sweden.
The merchants complaining is a rule, very

rarely

SWEDEN. S9

rarely a falfe one, to judge by. It may be
faid, that thefe traders and captains vifibly
concern themfelves with nothing more than
getting freights for their mips, and would
like any trade, however detrimental to the
kingdom, provided it anfwered their purpofes.
But in reply to this, it might be obferved,
that the ftate of the cafe in queftion ftrikes
out all fuch fuppofitions ; — for they wanted to
trade to a country, againft whom the balance
always was, in every period of the mutual
commerce ; confequently a fafe and an advan-
tageous trade, upon the very appearance of it.
They alfo wanted to load their mips out, as
well as heme, being equally defirous of carry-
ing out their own products, as bringing home
our manufactures. At the fame time that
thefe unfavourable circumftances appear, the
navigation of Sweden is enlarged, and the moil
valuable part of all her manufactures, Ship-
building, extended : fo that her eagernefs to
make her fubjects manufacture every thing
for themfelves, was aiming at an impoffibi-
lity, and being, in all the intermediate fteps,
much too precipitate.

Upon my enquiring into the ftate of the
country to the eaft of Waflay, they told me
it was one unbounded and almoft uninhabited
j that no cultivation was to be met

with,

€o TRAVELS THROUGH

with, till I came to the province of Savolaxia,
and that nine villages out of ten in that coun-
try were destroyed by the Ruffians, and the
people carried off, and fettled in wafte tracks
in Ingria and Carelia, where they were fo
well treated afterwards, having good lands
given to every family, houfes built for them,
and furniihed ; cattle given them and im-
plements to cultivate the ground with, and
at the fame time no taxes taken of them ;
that they found themfelves happier under the
Ruffian defpotifm than under their own free
government ; and, as a proof of this, they
have drawn away whole villages from our
provinces. Upon my enquiring if it was
owing to any evils attending the climate or
foil, or its products, that fuch a vaft country
was in fo wild a flate ; they replied, that, on
the contrary, it was a country which would
fupport very numerous inhabitants j for the
foil in the vales, and upon the gentle hills,
was iuppofed to be equal to any in Sweden ;
and that they had lands, much more to the
north, in a flate of profitable culture j that
the forefts are full of very fine timber, which
would affift the inhabitants confiderably in all
their undertakings : In a word, that much of
it was a very defirable country, and wanted
little befides people to inhabit it.

This

SWEDE N. 6i

This inftance of ib large a track of country
being uninhabited, and the emigrations to
Ruffia, I muft own, made a ftronger impref-
fion on me in disfavour of the prefent go-
vernment, than all the circumftances I had
heard before ; for I take it to be, of all others,
the ftrongeft proof in the world, that there is
an eflential mifchief preying in the vitals
of a country, when its inhabitants leave
it, to fettle in the lands of other potentates.
Men, who are brought up to the arts,
to commerce, and are the inhabitants of
towns, often emigrate, without a country
being in any refpecl on the decline, and even
without its being a fign of any evil in the
government ; becaufe there are always unquiet
fpirits, and broken fortunes, in thofe claffes,
that will ever be rambling : but for the pea-
fants to find their lot fo hard, as to quit the
country of their fathers, from a profpect of
meeting with a better fate in another, and
even in an enemy's country, is perhaps, of all
other proofs that could be brought, the
ftrongeft, to (hew that a government is very
bad, or very badly adminiftred.

One in the company upon feeing me folli-
citous in thefe enquiries after thefe tracks of
wafte country, faid, " If you are a gentle-
man of curiofity in thefe things, you may

con-

tl TRAVELS THROUGH

convince yourfelfof it : I have a fmali eftate
on the north point of the Holla lake, where
are a family or two I have fettled on it ; I now
and then take an excurfion thither, for the
amufement of {hooting and fithing j if you
will accompany me thither, I will attend you,
and perhaps I may (hew fome fporting you
will like. — I thanked him for this offer, which
pleafed me, on the firft mention of it, but
told him that I feared I mould be troublefome
to him in it, and that if he did not undertake
the journey foon, it would not be in my
power to accept the kind offer, becaufe I was
under aneceflity of travelling fome hundreds
of leagues before winter. My good-natured
Swede anfvvered, that my company, fo far
from being a trouble, would be a pleafure to
him, and that he would let out as foon as I
pleafed, as the time was perfectly equal to
him ; that his friend Mr. Schronburn (in the
company) was to go with him, and he be-
lieved fetting; out foon would fuit him too ;
which being afTented to, the 9th in the
morning was fixed for our departure. Upon
my faying that I was bound for Petersburg,
they informed me that I might have the
choice of two roads; either acrofs Swedifh Fin-
land to Abo, if I wanted to fee that province,
and then to coafl the gulf of Finland to Pe-
tersburg j

SWEDEN. £j

terfburg; or elfe that I might ftrike down
fouth-eaft to Wyburg, and fo to Peterfburg,
which wouM be a very fhcrt cut. — This I
faid I would confider of. I asked Mr. Hir-
zel (for that was the name of the merchant
who made me the offer) how many miles it
was to his eftate ? He laid, about one hun-
dred and twenty, which would be near three
days journey, if I was well mounted. He
faid there was a cottage, about forty miles
from Waffay, where we could lodge the firft
night ; but that the fecond mull: be fpent on
our horfes, for there were no more houfes. — >
This is no great inconvenience, in a climate
that has fuch long days.

This point being fettled, we proceeded in
our converfation, and fupper relieved me for
a time from the effluvia of their pipes. They
had ordered the belt entertainment the town
could afford : the S£h was the principal, and
the bed part j there was alio wild fowl and
venifon. The wines were tolerable, fome
from Spain, but chiefly Rhenifli ; however,
there were three or four in the company that
feemed to pay their addrertes to a bottle of
brandy, more than to any other liquor ; for
they had drank it feveral turns, as if it was
a common beverage. All the people in thefe
northern kingdoms are immoderately fond of

fpi-

64 TRAVELS THROUGH

fpiritucus liquors : the Severity of a long vvin>
ter leads them into it So much, that they do
not eafilv leave it oft in the fumrher, and the
excels to which they carry it is very prejudicial
to their health. After Supper they all took to
their pipes again, to my no final] mortifica-
tion ; and pinning the bottle about pretty
briskly, they were not long altogether fo
clear-headed as I could have wished for, in
order to have gained lbme more intelligence.

As it was fettled that I Should be in town
all the next diy, the principal among them,
the captain, invited me to cine with him,
and at the fame time asked as manv of the

J

company as their avocations would allow. I
accepted his invitation, and went accordingly,
and found a company ot fix or Seven 5 among
whom was a clergyman, an elderly man, of
an agreeable afpecl -, as he did not under-
stand French, I was forae time with but little
conversion with him ; but lie asking me if
I (poke Latin, I was taken by Surprize, and
after a little crnfufion, recollected mySelf
enough to carry on a tolerable conversion
with him afterwards, and found him a fen-
fible, roodeft man. I asked him his opinion
of the prclent ftate of Sweden, mentioning
what hid been told me the night before. He
faid, the account was a very true one, as to

all

SWEDEN. 65

ail this country : I replied, laws that were ge-
neral mud: generally affect the whole king-
dom, and be equal every where ; he faid no ;
that there were great exceptions in many
inftances in favour of the nobility, and their
lands. Upon my mentioning the fubdance
of fome converfations I had had with a noble-
man of Stockholm (meaning Baron Midler),
he faid that it was partly true, but moftly in
reference to the nobility ; and allured me
that in feveral inftances Sweden was in a very
indifferent condition.

Part of this (as I juft now remarked) is, I
believe, true; and, as I h aveelfe where obferved,
there is alfo great appearance of general good
in the regulations and laws lately made for
the encouragement of ufeful undertakings ;
and, what is of yet more confequence, the
appearance of the peafants, &c. and the eafy
manner in which they live, and through mod
of the provinces en the other fide the gulf of
Bothnia, is a ftrong prefumption that there is
no great degree of opprefiion among them.
Therefore, the bad flate of affairs in the
eaflern provinces, mud be owing in fome mea*
fure at lead: to fome local caufes, that have
not a general effect. In this I was the- more
confirmed from mentioning the very bad ap-
pearance the emigration of the peafants in the
Vol. III. F provinces

66 TRAVELS THROUGH

provinces adjoining the Ruffians made, which
looked like a very tyrannical government ; that,
he faid, was not fo ftxong an iniiance as it
might feem ; for he believed they did not fa
much fly from opprefficn or want at home, as
to temptation abroad; for the Ruffians had
emiffaries conftantly among them, promifing
mountains of rewards to all thofe that would
fettle in Ruffia j and as they fully performed
everv thins: to manv of the firft. emigrants,
it induced numbers to follow their example >
and I muft aliow that the encouragement
given by the Ruffians was fo much greater
than it was poffible they mould well receive
in their own country, without having every
thing in it reverfed; that they were really
bribed away, in hopes that the fame of their
treatment would occaiion a continual increafe
in their numbers, which has certainly taken
place ; though the emigrants, I am informed,
do not receive the fame encouragement as for-
merly. Therefore, in this iniiance, the de-
populations of our provinces is not to be attri-
buted to any active evil at home, but to the
artful fuggeftions of a very cunning neigh-
bour.— I replied, that it was very bad politics
in the government to allow of iuch emigra-
tions; that they mould have (topped them :
force, if a fimple law would not have had

the

SWEDEN. 6;

the effect. — He agreed in this, but faid that
if the emigrating peafants lived not upon the
eftates of the nobility, they cared very little
about their flaying in Sweden, or going to
Ruffia : the worthy clergyman further obfer-
ved, that there was not in thefe frontier pro-
vinces one pallor to ten flocks ; fo that the
people had never an opportunity of being in-
formed in any refpect of what they owed to
their native country.

My friend the Captain, who had made the
entertainment, obferved that all this was very
true; but that the origin of their evils was
fuffering the Mufcovites to conquer the Pro-
vinces around the gulf of Finland; for that
brought them a neighbour that could not but
prove destructive in every refpect. When that
nation was (but out from the Baltick, Sweden
poffefTed moft of the export trade which (he
now enjoys on that fea ; and he juftly obferved
that this was owing altogether to the mif-
chiefs brought on his country by that madman
Charles XII. This was a proportion that
nobody could contradict; for the truth of it
Was evident : but I remarked that Sweden
had enough left to carry her to a much higher
pitch of wealth and profperity than (he at pre-
lent enjoyed ; her buiinels therefore was not
to regret what could not be recalled, but to do

F 2 what-

6S TRAVELS THROUGH

whatever her prefent fituation demanded to
make amends for part failures. They all feem-
ed much more to wifh than to expect this.

The next morning I fet out for Mr. Hir-
zel's territory, having infifted upon providing
my baggage, horfes, &,c. the necefTary provi-
fions for the whole journey, which I thought
was the leaft I could do in return for their
civility. Both Mr. Hirzel and Mr. Schorn-
brun were mounted on little horfes like mine,-
which they here call North-country horfes.
For a few miles from Waffay, the country is
partly cultivated ; that is, you here and there
fee a village, with fome cultivated lands about
it ; but they are thinly fcattered : and we pre-
fently got into the wilds, wherein is no appear-
ance of any inhabitants ; and this continued
through the whole day's journey of forty miles,
till we came to a miferable cottage, which is
a kind of flragler from a neighbouring village,
which is half depopulated. The country is
chiefly compofed of one continued foreft, the
trees of which are of a very fine and beauti-
ful growth. I was curious to take notice of
the appearance which the land carries in the
tracks where it is clear of timber, and found
that it is in general covered with a toler-
able grafs ; and the foil is a good rich colour-
ed loam, tending to a clay ; but in fome parSs
Honey ; evidently much fuperior to that of

many

S V,r EDEN". 69

manv places in Sweden which are mod profitably
cultivated. It was therefore extremely plain,
that it was not a fault in the country, which
has been the cccafion of its deiblate Hate.

The few inclofures around the cottage were
a proof alio of this 3 for although the peafam
did not feem to be one of the mofr. induf-
tricus -, yet he had very good crops of barley
and oats, and alio of turneps, and he had a
herd of cows which fed upon the watte, with
a parcel of young cattle, none of which feem-
ed in their looks to complain of their paf-
ture.

I fet my bed up in the fame room in which
my fellow-travellers made theirs, of clean
ftraw, upon which they feemed to repofe as
well as on any down; which was not the
worfe for an hearty fupper we had made on
fiili and ham ; and they paid their refpects
pretty moderately to the brandy and the wins
I had brought, which, with a continual fmoak-
ing, feemed to pais away the evening much
to their fatisfaction. The next morning we
continued our journev, through a wild coun-
try, which I ihould apprehend muft have been
once tolerably inhabited -, for we had a great
road all the way, though overgrown with
grafs and weeds, but faw not the leaft appear-
ance of any habitation. The timber in this

F region

?o TRAVELS THROUGH

reeion is very fine, and in vaft quantities,
and the foil in mofl places rich and deep : it
is impoffible but a good government actively
exerted, might people fuch tracks of country,
fo very defirable, compared with many others,
well ftocked with inhabitants. We rode
about thirty miles; and then, alighting, turn-
ed our hories to graze; and, fpreading our cloth
and provifions on a dry green bank, well
fheltered with wood, by the fide of a flreun:,
we made an hearty meal, and relied ourfelves
about four hours, all of us getting a nap
for refreshment : we then fet forward at an
eafv pace ; and, travelling through the twilight,
we reached the banks of the great lake, on
which my friend's plantation is, about two
o'clock at neon of the i ith.

The country here is very fine. The lake
is a noble one, of a varying breadth, from
three to more than twenty miles over ; and
the length is above an hundred j there are
numerous iflands in it, fome of them two or
three miles broad, and many others left. At
the northern point of it, is one of thefe iilands,
about two miles from the main land, which
is a part of Mr. Hirzel's poiTeilion. We came
down to a few cottages on the more, which,
he has built, and where a iloop lice always in
readinefs to carry him ever ; into this we got,

leaving

SWEDE N. 71

leaving our horfes in a barn by the cottage,
and taking all our baggage with us in the vef-
fel. In eroding the water, I was much de-
lighted with the views; the hills in fome
places rife very boldly from the lake, which
has a beautiful effect, as the whole country is
covered with thick woods. The ifland is
four miles long, and three broad, confiding of
various land, but in general high and dry, and
moft of it a wood : Mr. Hirzel built a fmall
houfe here, of four rooms on a floor, having
two tolerable parlours, and the whole neatly
furnifhed : in it we found a fervant and his
family, who has the management of a fmall
farm : near it are barns, ilables, and other
offices ; and four cottages, which he alfo built,
and are inhabited by peafants ; to each of
whom he affi^ned a fmall farm, which he
obliges them to cultivate very neatly. It is
highly neceffary that they mould be good far-
mers ; for the fubfiftence of themfelves and
cattle much depends on it, being at fuch a
diftance from any other habitation. Mr. Hir-
zel directs his own manager fo, as to oblige
him always to have good ftore of all products
before hand. He has a cellar well filled,
plenty cf fifh and game at command j and his
farm yields him all common proviiions, with
good fowls: fo that he is always fure of find-

F4 ing

•;z TRAVELS THROUGH

ing good eating and drinking : he has a la
boat-houfe, under which his floop can run ;
and fcveral open boats. After dinner we took
a walk about his farm, which feemed to be
'very well managed, and the crops good ; at
which I do not wonder ; for the foil of the
ifland is a fine black, dry, deep mold, peculiar-
ly adapted, I mould fuppofe, for all huiban-
dry applications. As I had exprefTed a defire
of failing a little on the lake, for the pleafure
of viewing- the wood?, Mr. Hirzel manned the
:p, in the morning of the 12th; and ha-
g laid in a flock of proviiions and my bed,
, he would make a three days voyage for
my entertainment ; he fleered fouth by the
ealt more, and returned by the well : we made
many leagues, having a favourable wind, gain-
ing very near the fouth end of the lake : no-
thing could be mors agreeable ; the water
beautiful, and the furroanding ecu: try ex-
tremely various. We lived well; for his nets
and hooks were excellently i, and

iplied us with many forts of fine fifb in
great perfection, which we drefled and eat
with an admirable flomach. V. ht one

carp that weighed fixteen pounds, a::i Mr.
Hirzel told me that he has taken them of a
larger fize; but they are not fo well tailed -es
thofe cf about fix or feven pounds. Here

alfo

SWEDEN. 73

jilfo pike, and tench, but not equal to what I
have eat elfewhere ; eels exceeding good -, and a
fifh about the fize of a trout, and of the fame
fhape, but much fupei ior flavour, which they
call afnout. — I muft confefs that this was one
of the moft agreeable voyages I had ever made.
We had about half a day in which the wind
being brifk, the waves ran pretty high, and
gave us the exercife of beating over them.

The 15th, Mr. Hirzel dedicated to (hoot-
ing, for which fport we did not go off the
ifland ; he had a leafh of fpaniels there that
found us plenty ofgame;thefe were pheafants
and hares, with a few partridges ; but none
of them equal in tafte to the fame forts in
England ; we had a very good day's work to
range about only a part of the ifland ; and, ha-
ving killed game enough for our ufe and
amufement, returned home.

Mr. Hirzel informed me that he had this
ifland, which contains about eight thoufanda-
cres of land, and a track contiguous to the cot-
tages where we firfh took water, of more than
four thoufand more, by being the principal
creditor of a man at Abo, who failed ; they
were valued at the price of the country, and
rated to him for fomething more than three
fhoufand pounds ; but he had them under five
and twenty hundred, which 15 not four of our

{hillings

74 TRAVELS THROUGH

lhillings an acre for the fee fimple, including
all the fine woods on them. I expreffed my a-
ftonifhment at this ; but he replied, that he
had loft confiderably by the purchafe; having
bought it for a country-feat for pleafnre, that
when he purchafed it it did not yield a iingle
{billing; and that the fums which he had hi-
therto laid out, did not much more than pay the
intereft of them. I anfwered, that ftilllfbould
conceive the purchafe might be madetoanfwer
extremely well, by improving the lands and
converting them into farms : He laid, no ; he
was very fearful that no money would arife,
if it was all improved ; for markets were at
fuch an immenfe diftance, that they could pay
in nothing but products. But laid he, I have
hopes of making it aniwer another way. From
the very fouthermoft point of the lake, there
is a confiderable river which falls into the
giilf of Finland ; at the mouth of it there is
a fmall trading town, which increafes in fbip-
ping and commerce every d?.y ; upon that ri-
ver there is a great foreff, which belongs to a
nobleman ; and the merchants are employed
at prefent in negotiating with him for liberty
to cut what timber they pleafe on his eftate;
if they fucceed, they deflgn to be at the ex-
pence of cutting a fhort canal to efcape a fall,
in order to carry down the timber to their.

dipping ;

SWEDEN. 75

(hipping ; if that is effected, there will be a
navigation opened from this ifland into the
gulf of Finland j and I fhall pofTefs a market
at once for my timber, which will turn to
greater account than any thing elfe that could
be done ; and after the timber is cleared, I can
then apply it to hufnandry-purpofes, as the
fame market will carry my rents received in
kind of tenants, or raifed bymyfelf to the fame
market as my timber. So that the moment
the merchants fucceed, my plan is to go and
fettle at Pitees, (the name of the town) that
I may be on the fpot, and I (hall there, from,
fuperior advantages, be able to carry on a
greater trade than at WafTay ; befides the ad-
vantage of exporting the products of this e-
ftate. If I fhould ever be able to execute
thefe plans, my purchafe here will turn out
the luckieft event of my life; and might foon
enable me to buy larger tracks of land upon
the lake ; for mofl of the landlords live at
Stockholm, and would know nothing of fuch
a navigation being executed any more than of
one in Iceland : for thefe tracks are all fo de-
fart, that very few of them yield any thing to
their owners. But by my transferring my
bufinefs to Pitees, I fhould be on the fpot to
make advantage of every event as it happened ;

and

TRAVELS THROUGH
and it would be doubly advantageous to me, as
I mould be the exporter of my own products.

I asked him, if he did not apprehend the
merchants would oppofe any navigation but
their own, as his timber would be brought to
rival theirs ? He replied, they could not j for
the river is the boundary of the Ruffian and
Swediih dominions, and is free by treaty ■, there-
fore the moll that could be done would be
the efiablimment of a fmall toll. That Pitees
was part Swedifli and part Ruffian, one part
of the town being in Caulia, and the other in
Nvland; which was found, in many circum-
ilances of trade, to be a prodigious advantage,
and was one reafon of the town flourifhing.
I could not comprehend clearly how he made
this out, for he did not explain himfelf. But
it appeared evidently to me that he has a very
fair chance of hi? purchafe proving a fortune
to him ; and theplanhe haslaid for making the
bed of it, fee ms to be perfectly well confidered.

It is aftonifhing to reflect on the vaft import-
ance of manufactures and commerce on the
value of land: here are twelve thoufand acres,
pioftofthem cover'd thickly with the fineff.
timber bought for four millings an acre the
Jeetimple; the foil rich and fertile; materials
for building of courfe, from the pic .
ty of wood in Fufibii ; a fine

lake

SWEDEN. 77

lake well ftored with quantities of fifh, and
the woods full of game : In a word, every ar-
ticle of provifions to be procured in the great-
eft plenty. But for want of manufactures and
trade, the value is nothing — What would not
fuch a track fell for in a well-peopled and in-
duftrious country ; in England, Holland or
France? This fufficiently fhews the great con-
fequence of population. I have heard it afked
in England, when the decreafe of our numbers
has been the topic of difcourfe, of what
confequence is the matter of population ? It
is plain, we have men enough for our armies
and our navies ; and our lands are cultivated 5
I have a thcufand pounds a year, which does
not fall to nine hundred, although our popu-
lation it isfaidhas fufrered. And I muftcon-
fcfsy that when I have heard fuch difcourfes,
although I by no means approv'd their prin-
ciple, yet did I not clearly fee the confequen-
ces. This country fupplies one with an an-
iwer at once. The rental of a private gen-
tleman's eftate depends on the fum total of the
nation's population. If there are fcarcely any
inhabitants, asinthefe provincesof Sweden, the
eftate will fell for four millings an acre timber

o

andall; but if the countryis full of inhabitants,
like England, it will fellfor twenty pounds, and
the timber perhaps for two hundred more.

Between

;$ TRAVELS THROUGH

Between fuch diftant extremes there will cer-
tainly be many degrees, and fome of them lb
near to each other, that it will be dirncuit to
fee their diftinctions ; but fucfa are evidently
in being, and muft ever be found in propor-
tion to the number of the people ; if agriculture
could alone find mouths enough to eat ud and
conlume all the products (be raifes, then ma-
nufactures and commerce would not in this
light be necefiary; but it is every where
known that a territory compleatly cultivated,
will provide food ccc. for a greater number
cf people than are employed in the cultiva-
tion : hence arifes the deduction, that manu-
factures and commerce are but other names
for full population, which can only be gained
by their means.

From this ifland of my friend Mr. Hirzel, I
was determined what route I mould take to
Petersburg: upon consideration, and after
making manv enquiries I reiblved to go
through the province of Savclax to the capi::l
of it, the only town of any note in it, which
is Nyilot; and thence to Wvburg in my w?*y
to the Ruffian capital. The 17th, in the
morning I took my leave of Mr. Hirzel and
his friend, and let off for Pexama, a little town
at the diftance of feventy miles; which is all
through the foreft : it took me two days ; but
5 I met

SWEDEN. 751

I met with no houfes; therefore all myrefrefh-
ment and reft was a meal taken on the grafs,
and a nap upon the fame pillow. I have
feen a Swedifh map, which places feven vil-
lages in this road; but I had now fufficient rea-
fon to pronounce it erroneous : the country
is all a rich foil, and covered in moft places
very thickly with fine timber: A country,
which, would feed numerous inhabitants;
and is all admirably watered ; for I was more
than once in light of great lakes ; but it is in
the moft defolate condition, and yields not
any advantage to its poiTefibrs. From Pexama
to Nyflot is between fifty and fixty miles ; all
the way on the banks of a very noble lake,
which, fromits narrownefs and winding courfe,
has exaclly the appearance of a great river.
The country is all forefl: ; but I law two or
three villages ; at one of which I took up my
lodging: there were fome fmall farms, which
appeared to be tolerably cultivated ; and I
found that this lake, along which I had pafled,
was navigable quite to the gulph of Fin-
land; and that the 'villages I faw were owinc-
to this circumftance ; for the timber of the
foreft was convey'd thither to advantage ; and
the cutting and preparing it found employment
for the people,

Nyflet

to TRAVELS THROUGH

Nyflot is a little neat town beautifully fitua-
ted in a nook of land, that runs into the lake,
with which it is chiefly furrounded. The
church is a new building and handfome ; the
ftreets are fome of them well paved and to-
lerably built ; and there was an appearance of
wealth among the inhabitants, all of which
I found was owing to the timber trade :
for two or three miles round the town the
country is well cultivated, and thews plainly
what the reft of it is capable of, did it pofl
the fame advantage of a market.

The 2 1 ft in the morning I left Nyflot, and
took the read to Wyburg, which is at the di-
ftance of 6c miles: the tint day carried me into
Caulia in theRuman territories, where I was
forced to hire a freib fervant to ferve me as an
interpreter; but unfortunately I could only
get a Ruffian', that underftood Swecith, which
language I began to fpeak a little : fo I hired
him for the prefect u:e till I got to Peters-
burgh.

Upon entering the Ruffian territories, I
convinced, that the ini nee I had receiv-

ed at WaiTay was true ; that the Rullians
tempted the Swedes t i : in their provin-

ces, and at the fame time took all mean: i
increasing the population of their dominions;
for I not only :: . ted With many

S w .

•SWEDEN. 81

Swedes, but the country was upon the whole
well peopled with Ruffians, far fuperior to
the Swediffi provinces in their beft diftricls
that 1 have been in. All of it was cultivated,
tho' not highly, and every thing carried the
appearance of a thriving country, that had
nothing to complain of. I arrived at Wyburg
the 2 2d : it is a place of confiderable trade,
which has increafed greatly of late years, by
the encouragements it has received from the
Ruffians. Vaft quantities of timber are ex-
ported from hence ; fo that the harbour,
which is a very good one, is feldom, while
the fea is open, without many (hips in it.
The provinces of Caulia and Kexholm fur-
niffi this timber, and great quantities come
from Savolax through a part of Sweden; this
timber trade has increafed prodigioufly fince
the Ruffians cut a fine canal to open a com-
munication with the northern lakes, by
which means trees are brought from the dis-
tance of four hundred miles in rafts, and for
a great part of the way five men are Sufficient
to bring down ten thoufand rafts.

The 23d I fet out for Peterfburg, which is
two days journey, the diftance about fixty
miles. The country, though fo near the ca-
pital of the Ruffian empire, is not all culti-
vated, which furprized me much; a great

Vol. III. G part

Iz TRAVELS THROUGH

part of it coniifts of forefts, and there are
many marlhes ; but ftiU it is much luperior
to t;he Finland provinces of Sweden, better
inhabited and better cultivated. But here it
is time to take my leave of Sweden ■, how-
ever, I mall add ibme general obfervations I
made on the people of that kingdom.

CHAPTER III.

General Reflections on the State cf Sweden —
Religion — Learning — The fine Arts-r— Man-
ner of Life — Government — Agriculture —
?,Ianufaaures — Commerce — 7/ ealtk — Popu-
lation— Travelling.

npH
I *

-IE common idea of the Swedes,
hich I have gathered from conversa-
tion and reading, has been that of their be-
ing good foldiers, active, brave, and hardy;
bur that few of them are ingenious, or have
abilities to make a figure in other arts Off walks
in life. This has been owing to the actions
that were performed by Charles XII. which
were fuch proofs of their courage, that the
reft of Europe too loon believed they were
capable of being famous in war alone. I
profefs myfelf clearly againit this idea, which
1 ana confident is a very falfe one; they make

good

SWEDEN. S3

good foldiers it is true, but they are capable
of making any thing elfe. I have attended
with as much affiduity as I was able, and up-
on all the opportunities that I have had in my
power, which have been many, I think
they feem to have as good parts as any other
nation in Europe, and much fuperior to fome.
They are by no means dull of appreheniion;
are ready in their anfwers upon any fubject
with which they are acquainted; have no-
thing of phlegm in their character: they are
in general as chearful a nation as I know, not
a noify buttling people that are one moment
in grief and the next laughing : they have
not fo much vivacity as the French, but I
think they have, upon the whole, as much
as the Englifh. They are in general a very
patient and an induftrious people, and capa-
ble, with proper encouragement from the go-
vernment, of making a great progrefs in the
arts and fciences, and in manufactures and
commerce j all which are very valuable qua-
lities when they meet in a nation of fuch ac-
knowledged bravery.

Refpecting religion, they are guided in a
great meafure by plain good (cnk ; though a
free country, they are not peftered with noify
feds -, neither are they at all violent in the
conduct of the eflablimed faith ; and, altho'

G 2 a grea

*4 TRAVELS THROUGH

a great part of the kingdom is very ignorant,
vet Ifaw fewer figns of fuperftition than in any
country I have been in, Holland and England
alone excepted.

Among the better fort of people, and the
higher ranks, there is a great deal of learning :
a good education in Sweden fits a man to
ihine in any country in Europe : in their
fchools they learn Greek, Latin, French,
Englifh, and German ; fo that there are very
few inftances of a young man's understanding
the dead languages, and not at the fame time
being matter of two or three very ufeful living
ones, which is much more than can be laid
of our youth in England.

They have feveral universities, which are
provided with very able profeflbrs ; in thefe
feminaries, the favourite knowledge is natural
hiflory and the mathematicks ; and herein
they fhew their good fenfe as much as any
nation in Europe ; for there are no other
parts of knowledge that deferve fo much at-
tention, the reft being for ornament alone;
but thefe are ufeful in every branch of life.
Many of their mathematicians are in general
efteem, as they are very rarely without feve-
ral whole works are known to all Europe. In
natural hiitory they are unrivalled ; but they
do not owe their fame in this branch

merely

SWEDEN. 85

merely to Linnaeus, for before he was born,
this ftudy was the favourite one in their uni-
verfities, and they have produced many men
that gained them great reputation for their
works, but they have fince been eclipfed by
kinnaeus, and his numerous difciples.

I have been in many mixed companies in
Sweden, and I do not remember converting
with any gentleman that had not a confider-
able mare of knowledge, and plainly mewed
on moil topics that he had had the advantage
of an excellent education.

They are moft, deficient in the polite arts;
you look in vain for a painter, a poet, a ftatu-
ary, or a mufician. If the Abbee du Bos's
fyflem is a juft one, this is the fault alone of
their climate, but without attributing it to
phyfical caufes, we may find a reafon in the
moral ones. The fine arts never make a great
progrefs in any country, till it becomes im-
menfely rich, and very luxurious : the arts
are the children of luxury ; without a great
flow of expence running through every clafs
of the people, we may pronounce that a na-
tion is not rich enough for the fine arts to
fettle among them : the artifts that excel
mult always be fure of fomething more than
a competency, they mud have affluence j they
are generally men of warm imaginations, and
G 3 lovers

86 TRAVELS THROUGH

levers of pleafure. They mull indulge their
inclinations, and not be crampt in poverty,
while they are attempting to produce works
that {hall be the admiration of fucceeding
ages. Hence all the famous ages in which
the arts have rifen to a great degree of emi-
nence from many very famous men, being
cotemporaries, have universally been the
richefl and moll luxurious ages in the world :
not that wealth is alone Sufficient without
luxury. The Dutch are very wealthy, but
they are not a luxurious nation; artifls would
ilarve there in the midft of riches. Both
luxury and wealth abound in the kingdoms of
Afia, but then a defpetifm exceffively fevere,
deflroys every nobler effort of the mind.

The Swedes have no poets : fome attempt
that fcrtof compofition, but it is always in La-
tin, and confequently of no merit : their
painters never rife higher than very bad por-
traitones: the fame famion obtaining in Sweden
as in England, where till very lately we had
nothing but portrait painters, becaufe no
others met with any encouragement. You
hear very good muiic at Stockholm, but it is
all by German muficians. This is not there-
tore a kingdom to which any perion would
refcrt to be entertained bv the fine arts.

a. They

SWEDEN. 87

They have a theatre at Stockholm, on
which, during a part of the year is reprefent-
ed French comedies, fometimes concerts, and
oratorios, but the times of acting are very ir-
regular,; not meeting always with encourage-
ment enough to keep it open even in the win-
ter; fo that it has been known to be mut
up for two years together. Another thing
which takes much from the gaiety of this
capital, is, the court not being at all brilliant ;
which is owing in fome meafure to the fmall-
nefs of the royal revenue, and to the prefent
ftate of parties, which occalions many of the
principal nobility to abfent themfelves.

The manners of all ranks of people in
Sweden are very agreeable; the fuperior
claffes have an eafy natural politenefs, which
prejudices you in their favour at firft acquain-
tance. They have not a fwift, or formal, nor
pert or foppifh, but a plain eafy carriage and
manner, which is the refult of good fenfe and
humanity. Their converfation is agreeable,
and they pay great attention to foreigners,
without troubling them with national cuftoms
and ceremonies. Duels are not common at
Stockholm, yet the men have very jufl ideas
of their honour ; and as unwilling to put ud
with affronts as more tenacious and quarrel?
fome nations.

G4 Thf

88 TRAVELS THROUGH

The principal expences into which they
run, are thofe of the table, drefs, and equi-
page. People of large fortune keep pirodU
gious tables, which are ferved with all the
magnificence that is found in France and
England, and the variety of their wines have
no end. In drefs, alfo, they appear prodigal ;
and their equipages from their number are
expeniive, but not executed in the fhewy
taite of Paris. However, thefe articles of
luxury, in their greateft degree, are confined
to a few families, whofe wealth is very con*
fiderable ; for in general the nobility are not
rich : there are many private eftates in Ger-
many that much exceed any in Sweden.

The way of dividing the residence of win-
ter and fummer, aspraclifed in England, takes
place here only in part j many of the nobili-
ty and richeft of the gentry live entirely at
Stockholm, fcarcely ever feeing their eftates j
others live entirely in the country, never fee-
ing the capital, at leaft but very feldom :
fome, however, have houfes at Stockholm for
the winter feafon, but live in fummer on
their eftates, having very good houfes, which
they ornament with gardens and plantations.

As to the prefent ftate of the government
of Sweden, I could enter into a pretty long
detail of fome changes and other circumflan-

ces

SWEDEN. 89

ces that have attended it lately, but as great
part of my information is drawn from people
that are deeply concerned, I do not chufe to
fay much upon the fubject. But I mall ob-
ferve that the government is a plain repub-
lick, the king being no more than the firffc
magiftrate with very little power, not fo much
as a ftadtholder of Holland in feveral efTential
articles. There are convulfions in the admi-
niftration of affairs which threaten a total
change ; for here is an apparent contradiction,
which is, a king and the people on one fide
and the nobility on the other ; mod: of the
important authority in the hands of the latter,
who are in fact the legiflature of the kingdom;
but difputes, parties and diffentions are grown
to an amazing height, and bid fair for com-
ing to open arms, at all events fome great re-
volution may be looked for ; and the event
may eafily be conjectured > while the people,
united under a leader of the firfl rank in the
kingdom with fome prerogative, are on
one hand, and the nobility on the other;
a difpute in fuch a fituation cannot fail of be-
ing fatal to the latter. Indeed I never knew
affairs in any country in a fituation that pro-
mifed fo fairly for bringing in an abfolute
fway, in the fame manner as it was introduced
in Denmark ; many moderate men in Sweden

lament

go TRAVELS THROUGH

lament the diflentions which do fomueh tnif-
chief to the kingdom, and afTert that if they
had a defigning prince on the throne it would
be very eafy for him to feize as great a power
as ever Charles XII enjoyed.

At the fame time that they are of this opi-
nion, they make no fcruple to declare the
change would be for the advantage of the
kingdom, and that no government, regular in
its operations, can be fo bad as the prefent ir-
regular fcene of anarchy and faction. But
herein they certainly carry their ideas to a ve-
ry dangerous length notwithstanding many
and great errors of government, and fome op-
preffions among the peafants; yet I am clear,
that the countrymen throughout the king-
dom enjoy a great degree of liberty, and are
left in quiet poiTeffion of their property; their
taxes are in fome inftances very unequal, they
are kept at much diflance by the nobility, and
have none of that licentiouihefs allowed them,
which is fuch a difgrace to England : But,
notwithftanding all thefe circumftances, I will
venture to pronounce them beyond all com-
parifon, a happier people in every refpedr.
than they would be, were their government
abfolure. Let thcie who have travelled
through France and Sweden, form an idea of
the irate cf the peal'ants in both, and they will

not.

SWEDEN. ^

not for a moment hefitate at agreeing to this
truth.

By lodging with the peafants in fo many
journeys through the remote provinces of the
kingdom, I had the opportunity of examining
very minutely into their condition, and I re-
marked them in general to be a very con-
tented happy people ; there are few cottages in
Sweden that have not lands annexed to them,
by which means they raife many produces
which are of infinite ufe to them in keeping
themfelves and families. England it will
certainly be allowed, is as free a country as
any man can wifh ; and yet our labourers have
very feldom more than a fmall fpot for a gar-
den, which is too inconfiderable to be of
much fervice to them -, nor are the Englifti
near fo well fatisfied with their lot as the Swe-
difh peafants ; they are not fo tightly dreffed,
their cottages are not near fo good, and their
poverty in general, is much more apparent;
all which I attribute to the circumftance of
the Swedes having thofe fmall farms with
herds of cattle on the wafte, which are of in-
finitely more value to them than all the a-
mount of thofe taxes which they pay, and
from which their brethren in England are
not only exempted, but have alfo the advan-
tage of rates publickly raifed for their affift-

ance ;

9z TRAVELS THROUGH

ance ; of which there is nothing of the kind
in Sweden : I know not three peafants in
that kingdom, that has not a farm of twenty
or thirty acres of land at leaft, and feveral
herd of cattle. Here indeed I mould give an
explanation, for if this was the cafe in En-
gland, we mould have no fuch thing as a la-
bourer to be hired ; all would attend merely
to their lands ; but in Sweden there is no in-
convenience in this, for the peafants who
work regularly in the woods for hire have the
fame ; but their wives and daughters manage
their farms, fo that the men are not taken
from their ufual labour three days out of forty.
This is a mod admirable cuftom for them-
felves, as well as the kingdom, and makes
the population of a kingdom wherever it is
pra<ftifed, of far more account than at firft it
appears. Il would be in vain to attempt in-
troducing this cuftom into England, for the
great degree of idlenefs in which the cottage-
women live with us would be an uniurmount-
able obftacle.

Notwithstanding I have in different parts of
my journal minuted the remarks I made on
the prefent ftate of agriculture in the provin-
ces I pafied through ; I muft here repeat that
the Swedes are univerfally good hufband-
men ; I faw no lands laid out and cultivated
b in

SWEDEN. 93

in fuch good order in any part of Germany,
and the Danes are alfo far behind them ; the
peafants and farmers in Sweden who cultivate
only for a fubfiftance, keep their lands in
good order, and raife fuch crops, that their
fields would be no difgrace to a midling cul-
tivated part of England ; while their farmers,
as have good markets in view, would figure
in the finefi: counties of this kingdom. Their
crops of corn I obferved were in general good
and clean, that they keep large flocks of cat-
tle, and provide plenty of food for them to
fubfift on in winter. If it is confidered what
a vaft quantity of wafteland is found through-
out the kingdom, morl: of which almoft any
body that will take, may, under the payment
of a very trifling rent j this good hufbandry
will appear the more extraordinary, as
their having fo much land in their power,
it might be expected would make them
flovens, yet the contrary is the cafe, for
they take no more than they can manage
well, and by that means I apprehend find
their hufbandry more profitable than it would
otherwife be.

The reader may have remarked, that I have
almoft every where mentioned wheat being
cultivated by them ; this I think is a very
extraordinary inftance of docility and good

fenfe ;

94 TRAVELS THROUGH

fenfe ; a few years ago, that grain was culti-
vated only in a few of the fouthern provinces,
and on foils picked with much care for it j
but when the prohibition on the exportation
from England put the Swedifh government
ftrongly on promoting the culture at home,
the farmers throughout the kingdom readily
came into the plan, and fowed fo much every
year, increafing the quantity regularly from
that time to this, that at prefent it is fprcad
all over the kingdom -, fuch an inftance, I
dare to fay, is not in any article of culture to
be met with in England, and from this in-
stance, it is very evident, that the common
ideas of difficulties in the introduction of no-
velties, are many of them very falfe ; for if
any perfon had ventured to propofe the cul-
ture of wheat in Sweden fifty years ago, at
leaft, in many of the provinces where we
now find it, he would have been thought
mad ; but none of thefe things can be well
known, till a full and fufficient trial is made
of them. The Swedes are now fo well in-
formed by experience in the culture of wheat,
that fome judicious and fpirited laws would,
I doubt not, enable them to raife quantities
enough for a considerable exportation, fo as
to enable them to come in with the Poles for
& fhare of a fupply for the Dutch, and the

more

SWEDE N; 95

more fouthern nations of Europe : fome
bounties properly applied would effect this :
not bounties as in England on the exportation,
but to all thofe farmers who cultivated, given
quantities of wheat in a certain round of years,
on lands taken from the wafte ; for the great
object is, the increafing the quantity of cul-
tivated land, by improving the wild tracks,
and at the fame time applying them to rai-
ling a valuable fort of corn, that is fure to
pay well for exportation. By making the
grand object, the railing the corn inftead of
the exportation of it, the home confump-
tion would always have the refufal at the
market, which is not always the cafe in Eng-
land. Laws fhould likewife be made to en-
able any peafant, farmer, or other, to take in
as much of the wafte which joins his farm,
as he pleafes, without paying any rent for
twenty years, and afterwards only a moderate
one for the life of the improver ; this would
be a wonderful encouragement to all the in-
habitants of the country, and would certainly,
in a few years bring great quantities of wheat
to market,- till the home confumption not
taking the whole, a regular and profitable ex-
portation, would of courfe be eftablifhed.
For bringing about fuch great works as thefc,
nothing is wanted, but to bring affairs into

fuch

96 TRAVELS THROUGH

fuch a train, that private people, by pufhing
their own interests, muft at the fame time
advance thofe of their country j for if ever
there is a diftinction made, nothing can arife
from it but evil upon evil. Encouragement
fhould alfo be given to the draining bogs and
marines, which in Sweden are univerfally the
richefl tracks to be met with, but this is a
work beyond the power of moft cultivators,
without the afliftance of the government ;
nothing would effect it but a premium of fo
much per acre, large enough to go far to-
wards the whole expence, and if fuch pre-
miums of whatever kind, amounted to a con-
fiderable expence, it mould be raifed by frefh
taxes, or an increafe of the old ones over the
whole kingdom, for the benefit purchafed
would be of importance to the whole ; and
therefore the whole ought to contribute.

Nothing wants a wife regulation more than
the woods in this kingdom > for the wafte
that is made in cutting them, both of timber
and land, is extravagantly great. The atten-
tion which M. de Verfpot has given to this
article (hews what fhould be done, and the
manner alfo in which the undertaking mould
be profecuted. No profitable woods ought
to be deftroyed, unlefs the land is converted
immediately to hufbandry ufes. That noble-
man's

SWEDEN. ^

man's excellent method of thinning his
woods is certainly the rational conduct, and
ought to be inforced over the whole
kingdom.

There is no country in which inland na-
vigations would be attended with better con-
fequences; for all their products are very
bulky, and muft have water-carriage, or
they cannot be got to market. Many of the
rivers of Sweden are navigable ; but there
are many tracks, covered with the fineft
woods, which yield fcarcely any product, for
want of water-carriage, at the fame time that
confiderable rivers run through them, which
might at a very fmall expence be made nar
vigable only by removing local obflruclions
and not by a general deepening or widening.

Few countries are better fupplied with
harbours, many of which are extremely Ipa-
cious and fafe ; and the number is fo confi-
derable, that their trade will never ftand ftill
for want of them in any part of the
kingdom.

Relative to the Swedim manufactures, J
fliall in general remark, that from what I
viewed myfelf, and had intelligence of from
others, they are not confiderable. Some of
the nobility fay, that they have carried their
point, in making the Swedes cloath thenar
Vol. III. H felve^

58 TRAVELS THROUGH

felves with cloth and linen of their own fa-»
brick j but this is a very great exaggeration.
The peafants are univerially cloathed with a
coarfe woollen cloth that is made at home,
and fome other of the lower ranks of the
people. There are alio fome gentlemen and
nobles who, through patriotifm, wearSwedifh
cloth that is pretty fine, but this is by no
means general, and the cloth is much dearer
than much finer forts from England and
France. Thefe manufactories, which they
have been able to erect, are not fo confi-
derable as this account may feem at firft to
indicate; for it lhould be remembered, that
the peafants were always, nine parts in ten,
cloathed in the fame array as now, which is
not with manufactory cloth, but with that
which is fpun, and wove in their own houfes
bv their women j fo that the new eftabliih-
ments are net very considerable j it is true, they
increafe, and, if good attention is given to
encourage and protect them, they will in
fome years grow to be of very great confe-
quence to Sweden, and not only entirely
fupply their own confumption with all ex-
cept the fine French cloths, but alio furniih
ccarfe ones enough for exportation, in ex-
change for the finer forts; and this will be
puihing the advantage as far as ever they can

look

SWEDEN. 99

look for j but in the prefent ftate of things
they are far diftant from this point, and, un-
lefs the animoiities which diflracl: the go-
vernment are fo entirely laid afide as to make
all parties join in one work, and attend to
that alone, viz. the good of the kingdom,
there is no hope of their attaining to that
defirable ftate.

They have fome linen fabricks in which
are wrought very good forts both of hemp
and flax; but they are not near confiderable
enough to fupply their home confumptioa.
Of glafs and paper they import very little.
Hard- ware is a confiderabl-e article amono-
them, not in the ftile of our Birmingham
manufa&ures, but principally in the Foundery
way : they carl great numbers of cannon,
which they export to all Europe ; alfo bells
in great number, and many other articles.
Indeed, they are unrivalled in their iron and
copper mines, which are far more confi-
derable than thofe of any other country in
Europe ; fo that they apply copper to moff.
of the purpofes that we do lead in England,
fuch as coverings to their churches, publick
buildings, and great private edifices, &c.

Commerce flourifhes more in Sweden than

it did fome years ago ; to what this is owing

I could not difcover, for their products are

not greater in proportion to the increafe of

H 2 jhcir

ibo TRAVELS THROUGH

their Clipping; and though feveral very ju-
dicious laws have been made for its encou-
ragement, yet I mould not have iuppofed the
effect would have been anfwerable to what
appears, unlets other reaibns had confpired at
the lime time. However, the fact is, that
their (hipping is much increafed, their mips
they build of a greater burthen, and they
engage in more trading voyages than for-
merlv. This is a point of very great impor-
tance ; for, if they are able to export the
principal part of their iron, timber, pitch,
tar, hemp, and copper, in their own bottoms,
it will add more than any thing elie to the
wealth cf the kingdom, at the fame time
that their naval force will be increafed greatly,
which is the bed and mod ufeful force they
can cherifh. Increasing their fhipping is im-
proving and accelerating the markets for all
their produces, and cannot but increafe them
in a verv high degree. The building and
fitting out the mips is the mod advantageous
.rein the kingdom, and that which
mere than any other brings wealth into the
ccu;i:;v. The branches of commerce, which
they have more particularly increafed of late
;.rs, are the Eaft-India trade, the trade to
Portugal, Spain, and the Mediterranean;
that c; England, Holland, and France, is not
improved.. Some perlbns are in doubt about

the

SWEDEN. ici

the German branch of their commerce, but
I believe that is rather greater than it was.

The general effects, which flow from an
improving agriculture and increaling manu-
factures and cormnerce, are a greater degree
of national wealth, more of the precious
metals, and an increaling population. From
the bell: intelligence I could get, the king-
dom I believe is more wealthy than it was
twenty years ago. It contains more money,'
and is upon the increafe in that article ; but
as to population it has made no progrefs, and
many perfons affirm that there is a decline in.
it. How far this is confident with the im-
provement in the other particulars I fhall not
determine ; but I may remark, that in general
thofe circumstances are attended by an in-
creafing people. What caufes mould have
wrought contrary effects in Sweden I am not
able to afcertain ; but, as the people are
often numbered, (though not accurately, nor
all the claffes) the fact is pretty well con-
firmed. It mould make one doubt the ex-
tent of thofe improvements 3 for I mutt own
I have little idea of agriculture, manufac-
tures, and commerce improving, without
population increafing exactly in the fame pro-
portion ; for an increafing people can only
be owing to the inhabitants rinding an eafe in
maintaining themfelves, and their families no
H 3 burthen,

i«2 TRAVELS THROUGH, &c.
"burthen, which is effected by a great plenty
of employment ; and improving agriculture,
manufactures, and commerce, is increafing
employment, and confequently the people

Travelling in Sweden, unlefs upon the fy-
flem which I followed, is a very uneafy affair*
the moment you get out of the few great roads
there are, which do not lead through a fifth
of the kingdom -, but in thefe, if you have
your own carriage, the poft-horfes, boys, and
accommodations, have nothing objectible in
them, and you are fure of meeting with
great civility in all the inns, and from every
perfon with whom you have the leaffc con-
nection on the road. But, when you leave
thefe great roads, then the ftage in diftance
from inn to inn is very great, and the ac-
commodation, though with much civility,
very indifferent. If your bed is carried with
vou, and you can ride the whole journey,
every peafant's houfe is open to you with the
utmoft hofpitality; and they will for very
trifling rewards do whatever is in their power
to ferve you. Without precautions, the diet
will be very indifferent; but they will get
you rith, wild fowl, and venifon, excellent
of the kind, with which you may load a
horfe from place to place while it keeps. And
this will remedy every inconvenience. Wine
is eaiily carried.

5 Traveta

Travels through Ruffia.

H 4.

TRAVELS THROUGH RUSSIA. 165

C H A P. IV.

Defcription of Peterjhurg— General Accounts
of the Empire of Ruffia — The Emprefs —
Government— Manufactures — Trade — Army
— Navy — Prefent State,

[* Arrived at Peterfburg the evening of the
■*• 24th. and, as I defigned making fome itay
in the city, determined to hire private lodg-
ings j for I had been informed that the publick
inns were not only very extravagant, but alfo
very bad, which indeed is the cafe in all ca-
pitals, for, where the people of quality do
not go, (having houfes of their own) one is
always fure of meeting with very indif-
ferent treatment. I hired a firft floor, con-
fiding, after the Ruffian fafhion* of two dining-
rooms, a drawing-room, dreffing-room, and
bed-chamber, befides fervants' apartments,
for three guineas a week; fuch a fuit of rooms
as at London it would be very difficult to have
at twelve. Peterfburg is built on feveral
iflands, which were once nothing more than
marfhy fpots of mud over-run with reeds:
but the immortal Peter, whofe undertakings
in every thing carried a magnificence of idea
in them that can never be fufficiently admired,
converted a miferable bog into a fine city.

4 And

i66 TRAVELS THROUGH'

And here I cannot avoid anfwering the re-
flections of feveral writers againft that im-
mortal monarch, for facrificing more than
half a million of men in founding this city.
The Czar's object was to become an European
Power, which without a port on the Baitick
he might as well have pretended to be an
American one. His vaft dominions, though
contiguous to Poland, and themfelves a part
of Europe, were at fuch a diftance from the
European theatre, and in lb barbarous a ftate,
that nothing but opening himfelf a way to the
Baltick could pombly bring his grand plan to
bear. By founding this city, and making it
the capital of his empire, and a fea-port fit to
receive the naval force he deftined to act on
that fea, he anfwered all his purpcfes at one
ftrofcc; and confequently could fcarcely pay
too dearly for the propofed advantage. As to
the lofs of fuch numbers of lives, the fault
certainly was not fo much owing to the
fteadinefs of the Czar's adhering to his plan,
as to not taking proper care of the men while
they were at the work, fince every one mull
be very fenlible that works, to the full as
great as any he executed, could now be per-
formed in England under fimilar circum-
fiances, comparatively fpeaking, without the
lofs of a man. But the confequences, which

we

RUSSIA. t0y

we all know have flowed from the founding
this city, have beenoffuch infinite impor-
tance to the Ruffian empire, that no expence
that could ever have been incurred would have
been too great for gaining fuch fignal be-
nefits. Peterlburg is the foul of commerce
in all thefe Northern parts ; it is the founda-
tion on which all the Ruffian naval force has
been erected; and the port, on which moft
depends their nurfery of failors. At the fame
time that thefe capital circumftances attend
it, it muft be acknowledged that it is very de-
ficient as a receptacle of the men of war of a
great empire ; for the depth of water, the frefti-
nefs of it, the docks, yards, every thing at Pe-
tersburg, are againft the ufe of it for that pur-
pofe. The yards are at Petersburg, but the
depth of water is fo inconfiderable that no-
thing can be put aboard the flrft-rate men of
war before they are conveyed to Cronflot,
which is not eaiily done neither. Once this
work was efteded by means of moft expen-
five machines, but now they come without
that difficulty by means of the new canal,
which is not however fo complete but that
infinite attention is neceffary for conducting
them. It is not only men of war, however,
that are built in thefe yards : galleys * are

much
* Count Algarottf j mentioning the naval power' of the

Ruffians,

icS TRAVELS THROUGH

much in life for the Bakick; but, as this em-
pire has experienced of late great changes, in

the

Ri:ffian% obferves, <; Galleys are here the proper things.
Be there never fo little water, there is always enough for
them. The stween the little iflands and the

rocks ; they can land any where. The Czar was fen-
lible of it at laft, and fent for galley-builders from Ve-
nice. I met with one of them .:.rs,
and was not a little furprifed to hear terminations in c
fixr leg ^ J of latitude. The galleys that one fees here
are of different fizes ; there are fmall ones, which carry
about one hundred and thirty men, and ethers much
larger. 'They are all armed with two pieces of cannon
on the prow, and furnifhed with ch^ce-zu:>: and fwivels
en the tides. Tne Czar give to each of them the name
of a Ruffian fid. Now they are numbered as the legions
re ; there ^re upwards of one hundred and thirty of
them, and they are to be much more numerous. By I .
means an _..: of thirty thoufand men is tranfported with
great eafe. Rowing is to the Ruffian foldiers what the
exercife of fwimming . : to the Romans. Every foot-fol-

- - learns to! - . oe feet,

by which means, without maritime commerce, and with-
out embargoes, the Ruffians have always crews ready for
cad anchor ever)' night, and land
. . : is leair. expected. When difembarked, they
draw them up upon the land, range them in a circle
with their prows and artillery pointed outward, and thu$
they ha ce a fortified camp. They leave five or

fix battalions to guard it, and with thereilof their troops
over-run the country, and lay it under contribution.
The expedition ended, they re-embark, and begin again
in another quarter. Sometimes they tranfport their veffels
from one water to another over a Qip of land, as was
practifed by the antients on feveral occafione, and parti-
cularly

RUSSIA. 109

the fyftem of politicks, the ufe of galleys vary,
In a war on the coaft of the BaUick they are
increafed in number; but, when a peace
comes, they are neglected, and not kept up
indeed in the manner they ought to be. Du-
ring the late war, they might have annoyed
the Pruffian dominions infinitely more than
they did ; but the great army was the only
thins: attended to.

o

Peterfburg is amazingly increafed in fize
within thefe forty years : At the death of
Peter the Great, it did not contain eighty

thouland

cularly after the example of Mahomet II. at the ficge of
Conftantinople.

" The Swedes can teftify whether thefe Ruffian galleys
are formidable. They have feen them ravage their rich
mines of Norkopping, the whole coafls of Gothland and
Sudermania, and (hew themfelves even before Stock-
holm." He alio adds another circumftance, which is

worthy of note, concerning the timber ufed for fhip-

building here. " Of what wood do you think the

fhips are built at Peterfburg ? It is a fpecies of oak which
is at leaft two fummers upon the road before it arrives. It
comes ready cut by the carpenter from the kingdom of
Cafan. It goes a little way up the Wo'ga, then the
Tuertza, pafles through a canal into the fea, from thence
into the Mefta, and by means of the Volcova falls into a
canal which conveys it into the lake Ladoga, from
thence it defcends at laft by the Neva to Peterfburg. I
faw in this port a (loop built at Cafan, from whence it
came by the rivers I have juft mentioned, which join the
Cafpian fea to the Baltick, and are a quite different tiling
from the famous canal of Languedock."

no TRAVEL THROUGH

thoufand inhabitants, and now the Ruffians
aflert that there are five hundred thoufand,
but this is an exaggeration. It covers a very
great extent of land and water; the ftreets
are fome of them very broad, long, and with
canals in the middle of them ; and others are
planted in the Dutch famioft, which I before
obferved is a wretched plan ; the houfes are
immenfely large : the palaces of the nobility,
I think exceed in fize thofe of any city I have
feen ; and that of the Emprefs is an amazing
ftructure ; but let me remark that they are
rather great than beautiful : the fize is all
that ftrikes you : and thefe prodigious piles
are fluck fo thick with ornaments, that there
is hardly any fuch thing as judging of their
proportions : the Italian architecture is mixed
with the Dutch, and the whole forms very
inelegant buildings, in which true tafte is to-
tally Sacrificed to a profufion of ornament.
But if the eye does not fcrutinize into the fe-
parate parts of the buildings, but takes only
the ftreets at large, the city may be fairly
pronounced a very fine one.

The Czar himfelf fpared no pains in ren-
dering it as ftrong as pofiible} for being at the
very extremity of his dominions, dole to his
enemies the Swedes, and open to the attacks
Which were poflible to arifefrom his European

connections,

RUSSIA. in

connections, he made a point of having it
impregnable ; but herein he certainly failed.
There are many forts and whole mores con-
verted into platforms, and lined from end to
end with great guns. Thefe works begin at
Cronflot, which is made very ftrong, and
they laft to the city. There is a citadel regu-
larly built, and capable not only of protecting
the city on one fide, but alio itfelf of (landing
a liege. Yet there are many feamen who af-
fert that a fleet of mips well manned and con-
dueled, and provided with a proper number
of firefhips, and bomb-ketches, would with-
out any great difficulty lay all Peterfburg in
afhes. I mud own myfelf of a very different
opinion, for here is always a very considerable
fleet of men of war, from 60 to 100 guns,
with numerous failors, that could man them
on a very mort notice ; thefe mips properly
difpofed by way of batteries, would render
fuch an attempt impracticable, even if the
fortifications are granted to be deficient,
which is more than will be allowed bv many
officers well skilled in this part of their art.

Among the publick buildings, there are
many extremely worthy the attention of a tra-
veller, particularly the dock yards and naval
magazines, the arfenal, foundery, admiralty,
c. without infilling on the imperial palace,

the

ii2 TR A V ELS THROUGH

the cathedral, or many churches. In the
docks they have a great number of carpenters
continually at work, among whom are many
Englifh, diicharged by the government on
the conclulion of the peace in 1763, they
meet with great encouragement here, and are
much better employed than if in the fervice
of France or Spain. They build here all forts
of veffels, from (hips of one hundred and
twenty guns, (and fome much larger have
been known) down to boats, and the number
always on the flocks at a time is confiderable.
After the death of Peter the Great the marine
was neglected, infomuch, that the Emprefs's
naval flrength was not computed to be a fifth
part of what that great monarch pofTefled, and
this was owing to a want of trade, which
can alone make feamen ; unlefs when in the
hands of fuch a man as Peter, who created
every thing : But the prefent Emprefs, who
has thrown the fpirit of that great monarch
into all the departments of the Hate, has re-
vived it wonderfully, fo that at prefent the
Ruffians have a formidable navy, and in a
few years will have a yet more confiderable
one.

There Is fcarcely any thing at Peterfburg
mure deferving notice than the foundery :
The iron is brought from Kexholm by water,

and

RUSSIA. „j

and the number of cannon and mortars that
are cart here is very great ; alfo cannon balls,
fhells, and all forts of military implements in
which iron is ufed j which are made here at as
fmall an expence as in Sweden, or any other
part of the world. The arfenal is always well
ftored with them ; and there are vaft q uantities
made on a private account for exportation, form-
ing a very confiderable branch of commerce.

The trade of Peterfburg is much more con-
fiderable than that of any other town in the
Ruffian empire; and would figure on compa-
rifon with many very great marts in other
parts of Europe, but unfortunately that vaft
commerce is nine-tenths of it carried on in
foreign bottoms. The Dutch alone load an-
nually here with timber, iron, and all forts
of naval ftores a great many mips, and the
Engliih many more.

The commodities thefe nations carry from
Petersburg are tar, bees wax, pitch, hemp,
flax, leather, Huns, furs, pot-aihes, timber,
plank, iron, yarn, linen, lintfeed &c. and
thefe in fuch quantities that the very ballance
of trade between Great-Britain and Rufiia has
been reckoned at four hundred thoufand
pounds a year againfl the former; the
amount of the total commerce may therefore
be ealily conceived. The royal navy of En --
Vol. TIL I land

ii4 TRAVELS THROUGH

land is almoft. totally fupplied with hempr
from Petersburg, great quantities of iron, and
other naval (tores, and all the (hipping inEng-
land likewife; and this importation has increas-
ed very much fince the Swedes laid a prohibi-
tion on our manufactures, fo that the importa-
tion from that country was reduced to the few
articles which neceflity obliged us to have from
thence ; and all the reft very politically trans-
ferred to Ruiha.

The great amount of the commerce be-
tween us and this empire has been the occa-
£on of very many political difTertations and
treatifes proving the necetiity of encouraging
the production of all the commodities we im-
port from Ruffia, in our colonies; and I
think our politicians have not in any inftance
had better grounds for their opinions, or fup-
ported theirpropofitions with more unanfwera-
ble arguments. A trading nation (hould never
regret parting with its money when fhe
thereby adds to her induftry ; but in this cafe
we pay three or four hundred thoufand
pounds a year to Ruflia for thofe commodi-
ties which our own colonies would produce ;
and the difference is that now we pay in
cam, but to our colonies we fhould pay in
manufactures : confequently, for want of
this meafure being effected, we lofe the em-
ployment

RUSSIA. ,jj

ployment of fo many of our poor as could
earn the whole amount of that fum j and
we alfo lofe the general profit refulting to the
nation at large by their earning fuch a fum
of money ; for any increafe of our national
income raifed by an increafe of induftry, is
beneficial to us in a much greater degree than
the mere amount of it. To illuftrate this,
let us confider the advantage to Ruflia of our
paying her a ballance of three or four hun-
deredthoufand pounds. That ballance is paid to
a certain number of merchants and dealers at
Petersburg and other ports ; they pay it to a
fet of landlords, miners, husbandmen, and
manufacturers. Thefe again pay it to all
the manufacturers, tradefmen, &c. with
whom they deal; and thefe to a frefh fet.
Now every art, trade, bufinefs, and pro-
feflion in the whole empire come in for
an additional income from this fum circula-
ting through the mafs of induftry 5 and every
one of them are efTentially the richer. If this
circulation could be traced, it would proba-
bly be found, that three hundred thoufand
pounds a year gained in the precious metal,
were equal in general improvement to the va-
lue of nine or twelve hundred thoufand
pounds a year. Becaufe no one can be fup-
pofed to have an increafe of income in Ruiiia,

I 2 any

n6 TRAVELS THROUGH

any more than any where elle, without in-
creafing his expences proportionably j that is,
he buys more food, more cloth, more {hoes,
employs more builders, and, in a word,
more artifls of all forts. None of which can
increafe without reciprocal benefits flowing
back again i and the government from the
whole circulation in every ftep it takes feizes
a part by means of taxes. This is but a
flight iketch of the effects of an increaiing
wealth ; to explain it fully would take a much
greater compafs.

The greateft trade at Petersburg is carried
on by the Englifh ; next in rank come the
Dutch ; as to the French, they deal here as
little as poffible ; for the two crowns are very
far from being on a good footing, the French
and the Swedes being in clofe alliance, they
therefore trade to Sweden for all thofe com-
modities which England gets from Ruffia,
fome few excepted, which are not to be had
at that market. Notwithstanding this, they
confume large quantities of French commodi-
ties in Ruffia, but thefe come to them
principally through the hands of the Dutch.

The building this capital has had a very
great effect in improving large tracks of
land in the Unrounding provinces : The corn
and other provifions which are brought hi-
ther,

RUSSIA. n7

ther, and the variety of merchandize that is
exported from hence, employ fome of the
moft considerable inland navigations in the
world. The Neva, the great lakes of Lagoda
and Onega ; the Tuerka, the Mefta, the
Volcova and the Wolga, all thefe rivers, with
many others, tho' fome of them are at a great
diftance, keep open a communication between
Petersburg and thofe noble tracks of country
upon the Cafpian and Euxine feas : but it may
be fuppofed that the greatefl advantages are
made by the people who have not fuch a
diftance to go j fo that the products of all
the neighbouring provinces are infinitely grea-
ter that thofe of others more diftant.

I have heard fome Ruffians affirm, that
all this feeming increafe of culture, of manu-
factures, and of commerce, is imaginary,
that it is all owing to the fovereign's fixing the
feat of government here, which has not* raifed
a new population, but drawn an old one from
other provinces. Mofcow was once the me-
tropolis, and the feat of government, &cv
and Novogorod the great flaple of trade, but
Petersburg now is both -, and has half depo-
pulated thofe cities, as well as Archangel,
which was once a place of very great trade.
In anfwer to this I allow, that part of the af-
fertion is true 5 that much of the population
I 3 of

n8 TRAVELS THROUGH

of this city, and its neighbourhood, is owing
to a defertion of other places ; but at the lame
timelmuft infill, that a new population mud
have been created by means of this city, be-
caufe a new induftry has fprung up, new
trades opened, new manufactures cAabliihed,
and innumerable artifts employed, which were
not in being before -, and many of which
could not have been in being had not this city
been founded. There is no doubt, but the
Ruffian commodities found, in fmall quanti-
ties, their wray into Europe before Peter the
Great's time; but every one mud: be fenfible
cf the comparative fmallnefs of the quantity
when they had net an European port, and
when all their products, in order to get to the
Baltick, were forced to iubmit to a long land
carriage through an enemy's country, and
fubject to whatever duties that enemy chofe
to lay on them. The prefent method of carry-
ing on their trade, manufactures and pro-
duels has I think every advantage over the
former ; and if this is allowed, it follows
of courfe, that population is proportionably
increafed, and wealth mod certainly j both
which have a direct effect in railing the va-
lue of land for a great diftance around the
capital.

But the building of the city was a work of

the

RUSSIA. ,i9

the Great Peter's, which is giving it all the
illuftration that is neceffary j for if ever
mortal was endowed with the true art of
governing, with that kind of univerfal ge-
nius equally great in practice and fpecula-
tion, it was him. All his ideas, all his
plans had fomething fo great and compre-
hensive in them ; fuch a power of forefeeing
future events, and fuch abilities in providing
for them, that he never once failed in theory,
tho' in practice obftacles fometimes arofe which
were beyond his power to counteract. The
founding of Peterfburg is one capital inftancej
for ever fince he made it the feat of his ma-
rine, and the principal trading town of his
dominions, it has been of more real fervice to
the empire than any other meafure he could
poffibly have adopted. What an extent of
political imagination is difplayed in his inland
navigations ! They have a greatnefs unrival-
led in any other part of the world. But the
mofl; capital project of the Czar's was that
wherein he planned a navigation to the Medi-
terranean.— Next to Petersburg the favourite of
his empire was Azoph, thereafon of which was
his defign of eftablifhing a trade from thence
thro' the Thracian Bofphorus to the Archipe-
lago. This would not only have given him
greater mercantile advantages than Petersburg,

If ' b«

120 TRAVELS THROUGH

but would have endangered the very being
of the Turkifh empire; by letting a naval
power of the Ruffians into the very heart of
Conftantinople; and that Peter deligned fome-
thing more than commerce, we may eafily
gather from his forming docks, yards, and
naval magazines, at Azoph j and actually
had mips of feventy guns upon the flocks,
which fufnciently fhewed that he intended
a naval war upon the Euxine fea againft the
Turks.

The Ruffian empire, though of fuch an
amazing extent, is very well known to be
badly peopled. The beft writers inform us,
that it contains feventeen millions of inhabi-
tants, and one million in the conquered pro-
vinces; but from the beft accounts I could get
at Petersburg, 1 believe the number at prefent
to be more confiderable. Almoft from the
moment that the prefent emprefs began to
reign, fhe has increafed the number of her
fubjects by many ways, principally by a gene-
ral and very active encouragement of all arts,
of agriculture, mining, manufactures and com-
merce, and this with fuch effect, that all of
them are more flourifhingat this time by many
degrees than they were twenty years ago.
And another means which (he has taken to in-
creafe her people has been inviting foreigners;

this

RUSSIA. i2I

this (he lias done in a ftill greater degree than,
any of her predeceflbrs ; almoft from her ac-
ceflion to the empire (lie has brought conti-
nual bodies of Germans, Poles, and Greeks
from Turkey, to fettle in her dominions, and
thefe not few in numbers ; from the coafts of
Germany fhip loads, but from Poland and
Turkey whole towns, villages and dillricts
have left their habitations and fettled in Ruflia;
nor has it been only at certain times, but re-
gular emigration in confequence of her conti-
nued encouragement.

This encouragement which the Emprefs
has conftantly granted confifts in feveral very
important articles. All the expences of the
journey, or voyage from their native country,
are borne by her; (he feeds andlupports them
by the way. Upon their arrival at the terri-
tory appointed them to cultivate (which hai
always been part of the crown lands) every
family has a cottage erected at herexpence, to
which they contribute labour ; they then are
furnimed with implements necefTary for culti-
vation, and one year's provifions for the whole
family. A further advantage is an exemption
from all taxes during five years. All which
is a fyftem of fuch admirable policy, and car-
ried into execution with fuch unufual fpirit,
even while the finances of the empire have

been

u: TRAVELS THROUGH

been much diftrefTed by expenlive wars, that
I know not slq inftance in hiitorv to

it. There can be no doubt but the advanta-
ges muit be immenfe, not only in popu] ... ■ ,
but alio revenues for theie fettlers, the.
they have an aiiign merit of lar.ds for ever, yet
it is, after a certain number of years, under
payment of an annual quit-rent, furricient to
produce a confiderable reven lie. The continu-
ed diforders in Poland, and the opprernons in
Turkey, have cauled many tboufands of fami-
lies annually to leave their country, and
make ufe of this bounty of the empreis. By
this time the increafe of people mull be very
great ; fome perfons, whole information I be-
lieve is very good, afiured me, that the num-
ber of fouls thus gained, fincethe acceliion of
the prefent Czarina, is not lei's than fix hun-
dred thoufand -, I mud own the number
appears almcit. incredible. We may, with-
out fuppoiing the total fo very great, ea-
fily fee from hence that me muft have railed
the revenue of the crown lands verv much,
and put them in a way of being yet more im-
proved ; for certainly peopling them was the
rirft. rational ftep that could be taken, and one
which never could deceive her. I made en-
quiries concerning the iituation of the emi-
grants, and whether all the promifes that

had

RUSSIA. iz5

had been made to them had been executed,
and I was affured that they were moll punc-
tually ; but that in very many cafes much
more was done for them than promifed, and
every effort taken to make them perfectly fa-
tisfied with their choice ; a proof of which is
the increafed numbers that have been coming
from the beginning: the accounts fent back by
thenrftfettiers, being fuch as induced others
to take the fame mealures, and this effect has
been reguiar ever fince, fo that the number
of new comers is at prefent greater than ever,
and promifes to be fo considerable, that in a
few years, if the troubles in Poland continue,
the increafe of people here will be immenfe,
and with them certainly that of the power,
and wealth of the empire. Nor has any event of
her reign difcovered a greater understanding
than this regular favour (hewn to population.

The revenues of the Ruffian empire are
very great, confidering the value of money;
which in thefe fort of difquintions ought ever
to be conlidered, though it rarely is fo. The
Emprefs is in many articles the fole mer-
chant in Jier dominions. The whole trade
by land to China is on her account : this is
not indeed considerable, for a carravan rarely
goes now. Rhubarb, pot-ames, and fpices,
are tranches in which (he, and no body elfe,
4 trades.

124 TRAVELS THROUGH

trades. Salt is an article that brings her in
an immenfe revenue. Very large quantities
of the mp of the Ukrain are bought and

fold on her account ; much iron, the lame;
and even beer and brandy are her's. Beildes
thefe articles, me has cuftoms, tolls, and a
poll-tax of three millings and fix-pence a
head. The crown-lands, which are prodi-
gioufly extenfive, bring in a ccnfiderable
revenue.

The following general account was mewn

me at Petersburg of the EmpreiVs revenue,

reckoned in Engiim money. It is handed

about there, and b ht to be not veFy far

n me troth in any article.

Poll-tax — 1,750,000

Crown-lai — 672,000

Salt — - — — 542,000

Hemp and iron 370,000

China trade Rhubarb and Spices - 48,000
Pot-afhes — — — 60,000

Cuftans — — 179,000

Baths and licenfed houfes — 68,000

Other duties 6cc. comprehending
all other taxes —

}

4.00,000

Total £ 4,089,000

But the value of i'uch a revenue will not

appear

RUSSIA. I25

appear clearly to any reader, that does not
confider the great difference of the value of
money in this country, and others that are
full of commerce and wealth; upon the near-
eft computation I can make, thele four mil-
lions are about as good as ten in England.
And if we fuppofe them ten, we mall thea
fee the great importance of liberty, trade and
manufactures in raifing a publick revenue ;
for eighteen or nineteen millions of peo-
ple in Ruffia, yield no greater revenue than
a third of that number yield in England.
Wealth therefore depends no further on po-
pulation than the induftry of that population
extends. It is a flouriihing agriculture, im-
proving manufactures, and an extenfive com-
merce which yield a great publick revenue.
Introducing induftry among all daffies of
people that were not induftrious before, is
therefore as efTential an increafe of inhabitants
as bringing in foreign emigrants : both thefe
means have been employed by the prefent fo-
vereign of Ruffia, for the aggregate of the in-
duftry of this empire is vaftly more con-
fiderable than when fhe came to the throne.

She has ifiued out feveral edicts for the en-
couragement of agriculture; and herein fhe
has proceeded with her ufual politicks; for fhe
rightly confidered that the way to make this

moft

izS TRAVELS THROUGH

moft ufeful of all the arts to flourish is to Cet
its profeflbrs at eafe ; (he has accordingly given
a much greater degree, of liberty to the pea-
fants than ever they enjoyed before; for they
were greater flaves than even in Poland ; but
now every nobleman (called yet Boyards
in Ruffia) whofeeftate con lifts of a given num-
ber of families, is obliged to enfranchife one
family every year, and they are directed by
the Emprefs to felect for this purpofe the moft
induftrious family they have : the peafant has
a farm afligned him, and the Emprefs makes
him a prefent of feme implement of the great-
er!: ufe j but he is by the fame edict to pay
after three vears a rent to the nobleman that
is very coniiderable ; the defign of which is to
convince the nobility of the advantage of letting
their cftates to the peafants to b; paid a rent
in money : and I was informed that many of
them had made a great progrefs in it, partly
from conviction of its expediency, 2nd partly
from paying their court to the fovereign.

Befides this meirure, there are great en-
couragements given both in freedom, and in
exemption from taxes and fervices, to all thofe
who improve wafte land?, bv bringing them
into culture. Such a fyitem is highly ne-
ceflary in an empire that contains more land
than Europe, but not more inhabitants than

Germany \

RUSSIA. 127

Germany ; and where immenfe tracks of as
fine foil as any in the world are utterly waite.
If the life of the prefent Emprefs is along
one, great things will be done in this walk of
improvement, and many very extenfive terri-
tories cultivated which have hitherto laid
wafte. The foreigners which fhe has fettled,
and continues to fettle, and the encouragement
which hufhandry meets with, will have %
great effect in giving a new countenance to
the agriculture of many provinces.

I made enquiries concerning the prefent
ftate of Ruffian manufactures, and was in-
formed that they have never been able to make
them any thing considerable : They have
at Peterfburg lome very large founderies,
where all forts of ammunition and military
ftores are made; and they make fome very
good cloth of hemp, but the quantity of this
laft is not confiderable. There are many o-
ther fabricks, but not of confequence, nor any
ways proportioned to the number of the people.
They have many woollen manufactories, but
they do not cloath even their own army.
England has the greateft fhare in the com-
merce of fupplying them ; the import at Pe-
terfburg of coarfe and fine woollen cloths is
very confiderable : what we do not fend them,
they have from the Dutch ; but the French

fend

128 TRAVELS THROUGH

fend none. Nor is there hardly a manufac-
tory in England that does not fend great
quantities of its fabricks hither ; and not-
withstanding fo great an exportation, yet
the importation of hemp, iron, &c. is fo great,
that a large ballance is paid (as I before men-
tioned) to Ruffia. There are feveral inftances
of much encouragement being given to the
national manufactures, but the effect has not
been great, and I mud: own myfelf of opinion
that it never will be great, for the RulTian
do not feem to take to any fort but thole in
which they are from their infancy converfant.
They make excellent carpenters, (tup-build-
ers, fmiths, and founders, but they will ne-
ver make a figure as weavers.

It alfo deferves enquiry, whether it would
be highly political to make any great efforts
in complicated manufactures which require
very many hands, while there is fo immenfe
a territory to cultivate, and not of barren
mountains like Sweden, but of great extended
plains of as rich land, as the befr. parts of
England, or even Holland : confequently with
fuch materials to work upon, it is much to be
queftioned if a given number of hands would
not in raifmg hemp and flax, or making pot-
atoes, bring in a greater fum cr money to the
country, than if they were employed in ma-
r nufactures.

RUSSIA. I29

nufactures. It appears to me very clearly that
they would. From the defcriptions which I
have had of feveral immenfe provinces of
this empire, I have no doubt but a thoufand
pounds and ten people would, employed in at-
tending cattle, yield a greater return in hides
and tallow alone j than from any manufac-
tures they could be employed in ; for there
are meadows (not bogs or marfhes) covered
with fine grafs of an hundred fquare miles in
a place, with no other inhabitants than what
are wild, and very few of them. In a coun-
try where there is fuch plenty of excellent
land, and through which run fo many navi-
gable rivers that would convey all its products
to a ready market ; and notwithstanding thefe
advantages, there are large waftes ftill on the
very banks of tbofe rivers— under fuch cir-
cumftances I apprehend, that no attention to
manufactures can yield a profit equal to a
proper cultivation : the wealth arifing from ft
would be far greater, the publick revenue
Would be much more improved, and popula-
tion increafed in a much greater proportion.
If I was fufficiently verfed in the theory of
flocking ground with inftruments of tillage,
and with cattle, &c. I mould be able to make
this appear by minute calculations j but I do
Vol. III. K not

i$o TRAVELS THROUGH

not apprehend that there is any reafon in ge=»

neral to doubt it.

While this is the cafe, whoever fills the
throne of Ruflia will moft advance the inter-
efts of that empire by promoting, by every pof-
fible means the cultivation of fo immenfe a
territory ; if there happens a fuccffieon for a
long period of time of fuch fovereigns as at
prefent fill that throne; this vaft empire will
be raifed by thefe means to a pitch of grandeur,
much exceeding what it at prefent pofTeiTes :
and from the conduct which has been hitherto
purfued by the prefent Emprcfs, there is great
reafon to think that (he is fenfible of the im-
portance of directing her views principally
to this end j they have hitherto been at-
tended with fuchfuccefs, as to be a very ftrong
proof that the pkn upon which (he has proceed-
ed, is a juftone; a different one might have been
followed more in favour of manufactures, by
planting the foreign emigrants thickly in the
near neighbourhood ofthofe places only which
have fabricks in them ; with a view to the
employment of many of them in thefe ma-
nufactures.

Relative to the commerce of Ruflia, it
mould be remembered previously to any en-
quiry into its prefent ftate, that this immenfe
empire is by no means fituated advantageoufly

far

-RUSSIA. 13,

for trade. The only ports that itpofTerTes, from
which any trade of confequence can be carried
on, are in the Baltick, a fea that is frozen
almoft half the year; and, at the fame time,
it is at the extremity of the empire ; fo that
the commodities, which are exported through
this fea, are obliged to be brought fome
thoufands of miles before they are put on
board the mips. This is fuch a difadvantage,
that it much affedts the commerce of the em-
pire, and is of a nature that will not admit of
any remedy. This circumftance confidered,
the commerce of Ruflia is very confiderable,
as to the export of its products and commo-
dities, but the (hipping of the empire is very
trifling compared with that to which me gives
employment. All the trade which the Eng-
lish carry on with Ruflia is in their own bot-
toms ; it is the fame with the Dutch, and al-
moft all other European nations -, fo that the
Ruffian flag is fcarcely known in the world,
although Ruffian commodities are met with
in fo many places.

To remedy this evil by a general exteqfion
of commerce, and by procuring a navigation
on a more favourable fea, the Czar Peter the
Great formed the noble plan of raifing a naval
power on the Black fea, and eftabliffiing a
commerce on it, with a communication thro'
K 2 the

152 T R A V EL S THROUGH

the Tea of Constantinople with the Mediterra-
nean ; one of the greateft defigns which
could have entered the head of any ibvereign
of Ruiiia, and which would give a very consi-
derable (have of the commerce of the world to
that empire. It mould be remembered, that
the richeit prcduf:: which Ruina exports are
thole of the molt ibuthernly provinces, parti-
cularly the Ukraine; which is ur.iverfally
d to be one of the nneit countries in the
world ; the rivers which flow through this ter-
ritory all take their courie to the Black fea ;
{o that it is only by an artificial navigation,
and along land carriige that they are brought
to Petersburg. It is well known that they
could be delivered at Constantinople for a
much left price than at Petersburg; which,
with the increafe of trade refusing from a na-
vigation open all the year, and immediately
into the center of Europe, would give the
empire at one itrcke, ten times the commerce
it can ever pclTefs otherwise ; and would, at
the fame time, give the Czarina fuch anadvan-
tage ever the Turks as to endanger the very
exiftence ofConftantinoplc, and with it that
oftheii empire. And if the plan upon which
that gi h conducted his wars againft

the Tnrks be confidered, it will appear that
he: ft fight of this great object. Azoph

was

RUSSIA. Bsg

was the town which he acquired at a very
great expence of men and money : he fortified
it at a yet greater expence, and built a fleet of
ftout mips for that navigation, with docks,
yards, and magazines of aJl forts ; but the
unfortunate campaign of the Pruth put an
end to his hopes, and gave back that conqueft
to the Turks. Had he been fuccekful, he
defigned the conqueft of the Crimea, which
would at once have given him poffeffion of a
noble province, and the command of the
Euxine. The fame idea was fteadily purfued
in the war of 1735, which ended with the
ceffion of Azophto the Ruffians, a fortrefs of
all others the moil important for the profecu-
tion of this defign.

A very little reflection will give us an idea
of fome of the confequences which would, in
all probability, attend the execution of this
plan. Without fuppofing an entire conqueft of
Moldavia, Bulgaria, and Walachia, with the
Tartar diftricls to the North of the fea, as
fome writers have done, let us only ftate the
navigation from the Euxine to the Mediterra-
nean being made free to both nations, and
Azoph and the Crimea in the hands of the
Ruffians. They would then have a free navi-
gation from all parts of their empire, by

K 3 means

134 TRAVELS THROUGH

means of the Tanais and the Donetz, down to
Azoph; that port would then be the grand ma-
gazine of all the commodities of their empire,
where their fhips would load for diftributing
them through all the fouthern countries of
Europe, and on the coaft of Africa, at the
fame time that Petersburg fent them to all the
Northern ones. But this trade would give
them a new export, which would prove per-
haps of more confequence than all the others
put together j that of corn : the fineft terri-
tories of Europe for husbandry are faid to be
the tracks on the North of the Black fea, in-
cluding their province of the Ukraine ; at pre-
fent thefe countries have no vent for fuch a
product, and therefore raife no more than for
their own confumption ; but, in cafe of fuch
a Ruffian navigation 2s I am now fpeaking of,
this teritorry would lie much better for fup-
plying the beft corn markets in Europe, than
thofe which at prefent fupply them. Barbary
and Sicily it is true yield an uncertain fupply;
but it is well known that Holland fupplies
mod of the demands of Portugal, Spain and
Italy, when embargoes are laid in England -,
and the Dutch bring the corn they thus trade
in from Dantzick ; let the reader therefore
compare the navigation from Azoph, to all
the eoafts of the Mediterranean, with that
c from

RUSSIA.. 135

from Dantzick, round three fourths of Eu-
rope. It is very evident, that the Ruffians
would at once command the entire fupply of
all thofe countries 4 not only with fo impor-
tant an article as that of corn, but would, for
the fame reafon, gain the exclufive trade of
aavalftores to them likewife ; iron, hemp, can-
vafs, timber, &c. v

Relative to ftrength in war, the fuccefs of
fuch a plan would only be too great ; for one
can hardly fuppofe the Turks would fubmit
to a Ruffian navigation through the heart of
Conflantinople, without they were firft redu-
ced to thelaft extremity ; and in fuch a ftate
of weaknefs their fubmitting to it would, in
cafe of a fucceeding war, be but another word
for the overthrow of their empire. It would
depend on the naval force of the two empires
on the Black fea, for which-ever fleet in cafe
of a quarrel, was fuperior, they would nearly
command the event of the war; if the Turks
had the better, the Ruffians would be cut off
from all the advantages propofed ; and if
victory declared for the latter, Constantinople
and all the provinces of the Ottoman empire
would be expofed to them in the mod: dange-
rous manner; and if the advantages of the Ruf-
fians, in building and equipping fleets, with
tl)eir territory behind them lb abounding with
" K 4 all

ij5 TRAVELS THROUGH

all forts of materials, be confidered, it can
hardly be doubted but they would gain the
mod decifive fuperiority. Nor mould I omit
obferving, that the mere poffeffion of Azoph
might be made a means of putting this plan
in execution and carrying any future war,
if well directed, to the gates of Conftanti-
nopJe.

Let any one confider the prefent afpect of
affairs in that quarter, and the motions of the
Ruffian troops, and it will be evident that
this idea is now in being, and that, in all pro-
bability, before the prefent war fees a period,
the Turks will find the arms of Ruffia infini-
tely heavier than in the laft, and themfelves
attacked with a maritime force on the Black
fea, much too great for them to contend with.
I have been told, that it is a fixed determina-
tion of the Czarina's not to conclude this war
without gaining a powerful eftablifhment on
the Black fea, fo that Azoph may be but one
ftep to connect with further and equally im-
portant acquifitions.

If we judge from the prefent ftate of the
Ruffian army, we may look for great fuccefs;
for the firft foundation of it, experience, is
ftrongin moil of the officers, and the men may
all be called veterans. It is the fame army that
faw all the campaigns againfl the king of
4 • Pruf-

RUSSIA, r3?

Pruffia, that were beat without flying at
Zorndorf, and conquered at Cunnerfdorf ;
and that hcwe fince been in continual action in
Poland, and always victorious. It confiits of
two hundred and fifty thoufand old foldiers,
fixty thoufand of which are horfe, better
mounted, and finer troops, than any that
were ever in the Ruffian army before ; with a
train of artillery as fine as any in the world,
and, what is of yet greater confequence, well
fupplied with officers and engineers from
all parts of Europe, attracted by every muni-
ficent encouragement. The Ruffians are very
fenfible, that the lories they fuftained, and
their want of fuccefs is general, againil
the king of Pruffia, was owing to their ar-
tillery being very badly ferved, and it has
given them a great eagernefs to remedy this
fatal evil ; and at p relent I believe they have
done it effectually j they will not any where be
wanting in fuccefs on that account.

This empire has not any neighbours to
whom it is not much fuperior in force, and in
the conftitution of its army. Poland is at its
mercy, and will continue fo till me is reduced
to a province, an event I mould never be
much furprized at. Pruffia is not comparable
in power to Ruffia, and could never make
the (land againft her arms again that we faw

in

5^3 TRAVELS THROUGH

in the lad war ; becaufe the Ruffian army is
better, more numerous, and with an artillery
that yields to none in Europe ; and, at the
fame time with an advantage me never en-
joyed before, Poland behind her, three
fourths of it abfolutely in her power, to winter
in, inflead of falling back to Ruffia, which
i£ the cafe before. I dwell the more up-
on thefe particulars, becaufe it appears very
clearly to me, that the next general war will
fee thefe two powers again in oppofition, and
I conjecture with very different fuccefs.

The prefent flate of the Ruffian navy pro-
mifes alfo well to the empire; for it never
law lb many hands employed in it iince the
time of Peter the Great to the prefent. New
{hips are every day launching at Petersburg,
and all the old ones repairing with great ex-
pedition ; a ftout fquadron is fitting out, of
fucha force, that one would think the Emprefs
meant to awe theBaltick, while her army is
employed againfl the Turks. She has many
{hip-carpenters on the Tanais, and will be
extremely formidable on the Black fea. So
that if ever Ruffia began a war with a good
profpe& of fuccefs, it is this againft the
Turks.

There are many Englifh at Petersburg ; be-
£des feveral gentlemen in the Britifh factory,

with

RUSSIA. J39

with whom I became acquainted on my firft
coming hither : there are fo many, that I am
convinced we have more people in the Ruf-
fian fervice by fea and land, as well as in many
other departments, than is conje&ured in Eng-
land. They certainly meet with good encou-
ragement, orthey would not be tempted toleave
their own country ; and very politick it is of
the Emprefs to avail herfelf fo flrongly of the
alliance (he has with us; for nothing can be
of more importance to her than getting as
many of our officers by fea and land into her
fervice, as pcffible ; men me has in abun-
dance, and men that will ftand for ever to be
mot at; but the defarts of Ruffia will not give
her experienced officers, tho' her own wars
have formed many under the tuition of fo-
reigners. Our engineers are of infinite con-
fequence to her; and fhe has great numbers
of (hip-carpenters from Britain, as well as of-
ficers and common feamen. There never was
a period more favourable to fuch defigns, than
the conclufion of the late war, in which we
had employed a greater number of forces
both by land and fea, than we could poffibly
keep up in peace ; fo that very many of them
might be fuppofed willing enough to enter in-
to the fervice of a power in alliance with us ;

an

i4© TRAVELS THROUGH

an opportunity invaluable to the Emprefs,

and of which I am clear me made good ufe.

This caufe, with the conftant trade we car-
ry on with Peterfburg, fills that city with
Englifh, Scotch, and Irifh ; but they make
no great figure ; which is very eaiily account-
ed for. From what I have feen of the Ruf-
fians, the character I had heard of them ap-
pears very juft; they are a flrange people,
that carry in all the lower dalles the marks of
civilitvjuft emerging from barbarity. They
are obedient, and very patient ; but have a
morofenefs that feems as if it would never be
tamed. Theloweft among them live in con-
ftant feverity, yet that does not feem to bow
down their fpirits or activity, as flavery does
in all other countries : they make nothing of
hardships, and will bear in continuance what
would deftroy in a fhort time other people of
lefs robuft confiitutions. The higher claries
however fhow nothing of this. They appear
in fome meafure like other people, which is
the effect of luxury among them, that every
where foftens and humanizes the people among
. whom it comes. It may be thought odd by
thofe who have never been in Ruflia, that I
mould talk of luxury among the Mufcovites g
but there is no court in Europe, in which (the
fituation and other circumstances of the coun-
ty

RUSSIA. i4i

try confidered,) is more luxury; and parti-
cularly in the articles of drefs, equipage, fer-
vants, and the table; which is including the
mofl devouring branches of it. I have been
three times at court, which is what we com-
monly call very fplendid ; the drefles of every
body are more expenfive than I have any where
feen : all in gold and filver and jewels, but
fcarcely any tafte ; they have in their drerTqs
but one ambition, which is to be as rich as
poffible, and to have a great change ; but as
to having an idea of tafte, and real elegance,
even the nobility feem not to know what it
is. They are ridiculoufly mewy, the climate
confidered, in their coaches and fledges,
thinking, in every inftance of this fort, that
their rank can only be manifefted by an enor-
mous expence. In their tables aifo, they are
in the fame flile; profufe in every thing : this
has a very bad effect; for their revenues, apart
of which ought to be expended upon their
eftates in improvements, and finding employ-
ment for their neighbouring poor, are all
fquandered in the luxury of the capital, giv-
ing employment to Englishmen, Frenchmen
and Dutchmen, inftead of their own country-
men. I know not what motive the govern-
ment can have had for a long while in en-
couraging this profufion, unlefs it be to

keep

i42 TRAVELS THROUGH

keep all the nobles poor, and thereby the
more dependent.

The government of Ruffia is the mofi ab-
folute in Europe j there is not even the ap-
pearance oftheleaft barrier between the will
of the Ibvereign and the people: all ranks are
equally flaves to the Emprefs, not fubjects ;
and their punifhments fhew the fpirit of the
legiflature ; the greatefl nobility are liable to
fuffer the knout, that is, to be whipped to
death ; and other violent punifhments are
ufed, fuch as cutting out tongues, hanging up
by the ribs, and many other efforts of barbari-
ty, which fhew the cruelty of defpotifm,
without having any good effect. In the fame
fpirit alfo we have feen the revolutions of the
government : fcarcely a fovereign dies a na-
tural death, but is cut oft -, and, by a revo-
lution in the government, a wife, a brother,
or a filler, fixed in the throne -, and all this
performed by the regiments of guards, who,
in fact, are pretorian cohorts, giving away
the empire at their pleafure. This is ever
a mark of a defpotic government, which
is always infecure in proportion to its feverity.

It is amazing that politick princes, who
are advanced to a throne by the favour of two
or three regiments of guards, do not fee in a
clearer manner, that the fame power which

gives

RUSSIA.

H3

gives can take away ; and, the moment they
are firmly fixed in their power, do not extir-
pate the corps to whom they owe their ad-
vancement. Peter the Great faw the tenden-
cy of the Strelites and difbanded them, inftitu-
ting three regiments of guards in their place j
but thefe guards, from not being fent to diftant
campaigns, and being conflantly around the
perfon of the fovereign, are in fact the fame
in power and opportunity as the Strelites. In
a free government, or even in an abfolute
monarchy, provided there is a fhew of fome
liberty, fuch as is in the kingdoms of France,
Spain, &c. we do not fee the guards daring to
act in this manner : but in countries of pure
defpotifm, like Ruflia, Turkey, Perfia, &c.
a prince, in order to be fafe, mould have
no guards in particular, but all the regiments
of his army guards by turns 5 and when
he is away from the capital, the garri-
fon of every place he is in, his guard for
the time he is there. This method, tho*
it might not infure them from all the evils
which attend defpotifm, yet it would give
them a much greater degree of fecurity than
they could poffibly be in otherwife; which one
would apprehend an object of the firit impor-
tance.

The Roman hiflory is full of inftances of

emperors

144- TRAVELS THROUGH

£± emperors being expofed, and others fet up by
the Pretorian cohorts. Many are the Otto-
man emperors who have been ftrangled by
the Janiilariesj and the hiftories of other
countries, under fimilar circumftances, abound
with the like examples -, which mould make
thofe monarchs, that owe their advancement
to a few regiments fele&ed from the reft of
the army, throw all their forces upon the
fame footing.

Peterfburg is tolerably gay, beiides the bril-
liancy it derives from the court. There are a
great many concerts, in which we find nume-
rous performers of great merit, but all Ger-
mans j here are plays alfo exhibited but irre-
gularly, and not with agreeable circum-
ftances ; an opera was eftabli (Led, but it did
not lad long ; but by the accounts I have had,
the gala time is when parties can be made on
the ice : In winter all the country is covered
with fnow, frozen fo hard, that that is the
common feafon for travelling ; and then innu-
merable parties are made in Hedges, which are
drawn on the frozen fnow over lakes, plains*
rivers, bogs, &c. and mult form a fpeclacle
really aftonifhing to thofe who never beheld
it : I am alfo told, that this way of travelling
is fo very commodious, expeditious and agree-
able, that a thoufand mUes are pafled with

much

RUSSIA. 1+,

much greater eafe than an hundred at any o-
ther feafon. As I purpofe feeing the fouthern
provinces of the empire, I (hall therefore be
gone before this entertainment is to be reaped ;
but, if I can make it tolerably convenient,
will take a (hare in it on mv return for Po-
land $ tho' I have no great idea of travelling
on fnow with any degree of information, or
even much entertainment ; for the foil, and
the cultivation of it, and the ftate of the pea-
fants, which afford me not only inftruclion
but entertainment, are then rendered invifible;
fo that a journey full -of the greateil: variety
mull have then an entire famenefs. This
frozen fnow is, however, of prodigious con-
fequence to the trade of this country ; for car-
riage upon it is wonderfully cheap, and more
expeditious than can well be conceived, which
is a matter of great advantage to a country
that has fuch roads as Ruffia.

The journey from Petersburg to Pekin is
the longeil that is gone by land throughout
the world i it is near a year and half going,
and as much returning, but then it is a tra-
ding carravan, much encumbered with bag-
gage and merchandize, and in a part of the
route with water j for all the men and cattle
for many days are pafiing fandy defarts, which
are utterly void of water. Part of this im-

Vol. III. L menfe

i±6 TRAVELS THROUGH

menfe route is performed on the mow*,-
through a northerly part of Siberia, where
there are no roads which are paflable except on
the fnow. Of this vaft journey, Mr. Bell in
his travels has given a very good account. It
is much owing to that gentleman, that the
world knows any thing of Siberia, which
is certainly one of the mod extenfive
countries in the world j and, to the furprize
of the weftern part of Europe, confifts of
feveral provinces, all of them three or four
times as big as Great Britain, with a moil
fertile foil, and a mild climate in the fouthern
parts, capable of feeding a moft numerous
population 5 but inflead of being peopled in
any proportion to its fize, it is comparatively
fpeaking a mare defart. But I can never be
perfuaded, that it is impoflible for a fove-
reign of Ruflia, who fets heartily about it
with judgment, activity, and penetration, to
people all his dominions ; or at leaft to put
them in a way of doubling their numbers,
in as Ihort a period as ever our American co-
lonies did, for this great work, a time of pro-
found peace would be necefTary, and an em-
peror that was of a truly philofophic difpofi-
tion. Liberty mult be diffufed, all flavery
of the lower ranks broken through, and every
man allowed to become a farmer that pleafes.

I

RUSSIA. i47

I purpofed leaving Peterfburg the firir. week
in September, being the furthefr. time I was
informed that I could venture to fet out up-
on a long journey, unlefs I itaid till the froft
and fnow were fet in : my defign was to go
to Mofcow, and from thence to Kiovia, the
capital of the Ukraine, a country I was de-
firous of feeing. Upon making enquiries into
the proper preparations for fuch a journey, I
found there were but two plans ; one to travel
with a carravan to Mofcow, and the other to
go only with my own attendants ; of which
I (hould not have lefs than five, and all well
armed : That it would not be advifeable to
travel with my own horfes, as I might pro-
cure a military order to be fupplied by the
peafants, from poft to port, at a fmall price ;
and at the fame time the owner of the horfes
would attend as a guide. In purfuance of this
advice I fold my little Swedifh horfes, though
fomething againfr. my will, and made up my
guard with my own fervant, my German
poftillion, and my Swede who underftood the
Ruffian language, and to thefe I added by
the favour of General Worofoff (to whom
I am otherwife much indebted) two foot fol-
diers from his own regiment. Thefe five fel-
lows were each of them, armed with a broad
fword, a pair of piftols and a carbine ; and I
L 2 carried

nJ TRAVELS THROUGH

carried a pair of piftols and a fhort rifled bar-
rel gun, which were my arms from Denmark
through all Sweden, though I never had any
neceflity of ufing them. Thus equipped, I was
allured I might travel in perfect fafety through
all Rullia.

CHAPTER V.

journey from Peterjburg to Mo/cow — Defcrip-
tion of the Country — Great Settlement of Poles
— Mofcow — fourney into The Ukraine — Ac-
count of that fine Province — Defcription of the
Agriculture of it — Culture of Hemp, Tobacco,

I LEFT Peterfhurg the 6th of September,
and with much difficulty got to Juam-
gorod, which is fifty miles, through a country
which is alternately a marfh and woods.
From thence to Novogorod took me three
days, being the diftance of one hundred
miles. I laid both nights at Ruffian inns. I
travelled in the character of a general officer
in the King of England's fervice, which was
of no flight ufe to me; for it is not eafy to con-
ceive the refpect which all the lower ranks of
people pay to the military, of whatever nation,
provided they make any figure -, and the num-
ber

RUSSIA. ,49

ber of my attendants, with their being fo well
armed, and the various languages we fpoke,
feemed to imprefs the people with a notion
that I was a perfon of very great confequence.
The Ruffians have nothing in them that one
can properly call civility, but I met with the
moll perfect obfequioufnefs and obedience;
and having provided myfelf with good bread,
I lived upon excellent fill) throughout the
journey. About Novogorod the country is
part of it cultivated, but the inclofures are
thin, and there do not feem to be any great
exertions of induftry in it, but the foil appears
to be a fine, deep, rich loam.

September the i ith, I got toMidna, which
is above forty miles. This line of country is
beautiful, being in fine but gentle inequali-
ties, and only fprinkled with fmall woods,
and well watered with rivers : there is much
cultivated land ; but the harveft was all got
in. I faw fome crops of turneps, fuch as are
common in Sweden, and as fine, but the
people feem to be very miferable. Many of
the peafants have farms, but then they can
only work them when their landlords allow :
three or four days in the week they labour on
the lands of their mafters, finding fometimes
cattle and implements, in confideration of
being allowed the reft of their time on their
L 3 own

i5o TRAVELS THROUGH

own farms; yet for thefe they pay a confi-
derable rent in products, and are betides open
to the lupplying all military travellers with
horfes, for which they get a very fpare allow-
ance, and fometimes nothing at all. In a
word, their ftate is fo little better than the
common labourers, who work conftantly for
their lords, that I did not rind it a matter of
envy to the latter.

The 1 2th I reached Tbedray, a little town,
prettily fituated near a river, the fame country
continuing for forty-four miles, and much of
it tolerably well cultivated. I parTed through
feveral very exteniive plains of meadow, that
appeared very fine, but were not well flocked
with cattle. The villages feem very well
peopled.

The 14th I got to Twera, which is a con-
fiderable town on the river Wolga, the dis-
tance above eighty miles. The peafants have ■
hitherto furnimed me very well with horfes >
yet their pay is not three farthings a mile,
with ibmething for the peafant. I have given
to the value of four-pence Englifh for a day's
journey, with which they feem to be very
well iatisfied ; from whence I conjecture that
they uiually have nothing. This line of
country is pretty well peopled. I palled
through feveral towns, and many villages,

with

RUSSIA. j5i

with fome cultivated country that was cut
into inclofures, and appeared to be kept in
good order. Upon making enquiry, they in-
formed me, that they cultivated barley, oats,
and buck-wheat j and, from the beft conjec-
ture I can make from the intelligence they
gave me, in Ruffian weight and meafure, to
the amount of between two and three quar-
ters Englifh per acre. All the lands that are
in culture here belong to the nobility, whofe
agents manage them with the peafants. But
fome they puinted out at a distance, that be-
longed to others, who I found were poifeflbrs
of the land, but not nobles -, in other words,
gentlemen. It was with fome difficulty that
I could get my two foldiers to behave with
any decency to the peafants j they were al-
ways ready for giving them a blow, when
gentle words would do to the full as well j
but I curbed this licentioufnefsf which gave
me a clear idea of the government of Ruffia,
iind at the fame time convinced me, that all
.he Emprefs's fine fchemes for encouraging
agriculture mutt inevitably come to nothing.
The peafant who conducted me to Twera told
me, on the road, that fuch a track of land
was his father's farm ; that it belonged to
iiim, not being hired of any landlord; and
would, after his father's death, come to him.

L4 {

iSz TRAVELS THROUGH

I :aid, then he would have an opportunity of

log much better, and being more comfort-
able than at prefect* He replied, no; that
if he got any thing, the Count Woronofkoy
would take it, for there was a payment
(which I took to be in the nature of a quit-
rer.t) to him out of it. I obferved feveral
good tracks that were arable; he faid that his
father's land was chiefly meadow, but he
hired feme ploughed ground of the Count ;
and I :". hat the rent of good arable land

was twe .hhhngs an acre, that was in regular
culture. But this is not a mark of great
pheapneis, the prices of all products being
proportionates for good bread is, through
thii c :::.. at about a farthing apound, and
mutton and beef fomething better than three

[things, but under a penny ; fo that every
thing eife rnuit of courfe be proportionate.
And a farmer mud cultivate a large track of
ground to raife a fmall fum of money ; but
the cafe is. that money is fo valuable, that
they raife no more products than necefTary for
their common purchafes and rent, and the
final] fum they bring anfwers where all things
are proportioned. I found from this man's
account, that a farmer, who lived upon his
own eitate, was at the mercy of the nearefl;
nob!.:...,;, and, i: he grew rich, would furely

be

RUSSIA. 153

be fleeced by him. It is impoflible to intro-
duce improvements into fuch a country withr-
out an entire new fyftem.

As I advanced in my journey, I every where
made enquiries after new fettleinents on the
lands belonging to the Emprefs ; but heard
nothing of them till I got to Twera : there
they told me, that in the foreftof Volkouikile,
about an hundred miles to the fouth-weft,
was a very large new colony of Poles, fettled
at the expence of the Czarina. I immedi-
ately determined to go out of my way to view
it, that I might have an opportunity to fee in
what manner they were fixed, and what a
reception they met with. I got there the
j 6th, paffing through a country, the chief of
which is wafte, being either foreft or mea-
dow, but with few villages. I found the
fettlement of Poles confifted of about fix hun-
dred families j and pleafed me better than
any thing I had feen in Ruffia. Each family
has a fmallj but not a bad houfe, built of
wood, and covered with mingles ; a houfe as
good or better than the generality of fmall
farm-houfes in England, where the mud
walls would give foreigners an idea that we
were the pooreft nation in Europe. Behind
every houfe was an inclofure of about fifty
Englifh acres in one field. The fence was a

djtch

15* TRAVELS THROUGH

ditch and parapet, with a row of young plants
for a hedge, that feemed to be a kind of elm.
Each inclofure came down to a rivulet, where
cattle might water. Each family had two
fheep, and a ram, to a certain number, a cow,
and a couple of oxen to till the arable, with
a cart and a plough i all which were at the
Emprefs's expence, and do not coft what they
would in England. This may be conceived,
when I give the rates. Two oxen for
ploughing and carting come to but five
pounds -, a cow to thirty millings ; a (heep
eighteen-pence ; a plough four millings j a
cart nine millings -, each houfe coft the Em-
prefs abcut four and twenty millings ; and
every family had an allowance of provilion
the firft year from the neighbouring country,
■which coil her nothing ; fo that the total
expence, per family, was only eight pounds
ten millings ; and many of the families confift
of eight or nine perfons. The farms were all
under culture, and fubdivided by the people
themfelves ; and I obferved that thefe inner
fences were done exactly in the fame manner
as the furrounding ones. Some had four
fields, others five, and fome fix. The land,
when they fettled it, was wafte foreft, but not
many trees on it, that yielded a wild and luxu-
riant grafs : it is a red loam on clay. The
4 peafants

RUSSIA. *35

peafants cultivate wheat without exception,
which they had been ufed to in Poland ; each
had one field of it ; alio a crop of barley,
oats, or rice ; with a piece of beans, and
another of turneps. Their farms were in
general in good order, and they feemed to
be extremely diligent and induflrious in their
management. Some of them had vaftly in-
creafed their cattle, keeping as many as they
pleafed on the adjoining forefl : fome had
more than twenty fheep, ten cows, and fix
oxen ; but they had greatly increafed their
farms, which the Emprefs allows, provided
the former portion is all in culture. They
all feemed to be perfectly happy, being en-
tirely free from all oppreffion by being on the
lands of the crown ; and there is no doubt
but they will in time yield a fine revenue,
without any feverity being employed.

Some of them had pieces of hemp, which
thrives with them fo well, that its culture
increafes among them daily. I enquired
particularly into the value of an acre, and
found that it was worth upon the fpot from
fifty (hillings to four pounds, which I think
is very confiderable, and mews that thefe
new colonies may prove a fource of very great
wealth and population.

It

i55 TRAVELS THROUGH

It is extremely evident from this initance,
that the way of bringing improvements to
bear in Ruilia, is not by encouragements
given to the peafants, unlets they could at
once be let as free as in other countries, which
I am convinced already is an impoflibility,
from what I have feen on this journey j be-
caufe the nobility and other land-owners, to
whom they are vafTals, fleece and opprefs them
to fuch a degree, that they can never be fecure
of any property, unlefs their encouragement
comes from their own lords. Even they who
are not vafTals, but have pofleflions of their
own, are trampled on by the foldiery. No
improvement, by giving them a greater degree
of liberty, can therefore have any effect, un-
lefs it comes from their lords; as in this cafe
of the Polifh emigrants. The Emprefs fixing
them upon the crown-lands, they are vafTals
of the crown, and all the liberty fhe chufes
to give them they will fecurely enjoy, with-
out any one's daring to injure them in any
relpec~tj and as the fovereign can never pro-
fitably cultivate an extenlive domain for her
own account, this is the only means of work-
ing improvements ; and they cannot fail of
proving molt highly profitable.

And the nobility have it alfo in their power
to make the fame improvements upon their

own

RUSSIA. i57

own eftates, becaufe under their protection
the peafants would be fecure. But as to all
general improvements in hufbandry, it is
merely impofiible that they mould be attended
with the leaft effect. Every landlord has
every thing in his power upon his own lands,
provided, I mean, he be of rank and confe-
quence ; and they have the ability, by means
of the flavery of their peafants, to work very
great effects, if they pleafed to undertake
them. Laws or edicts therefore mud be di-
rected to them : the rewards for a proper
conduct mould all be granted to them ; the
Emprefs mould addrefs herfelf to them, and
let them find favour at court in proportion to
the cultivation of their eftates : thefe are the
only means of doing great things.

The crown lands are fo amazingly exten-
sive, that very great things might in this
manner be done, and far more effectually
than by general laws, in a country where
the people are fo habituated to flavery, that
it would be a vain attempt to free them under
all matters. Thefe fix hundred families had
at once thirty thoufand acres in culture, be-
fides the increafe, which by many of them
was very confiderable ; all which will, in
procefs of time, yield a great revenue to the
crown, befides the acquifltion of ftrength

which

*S* TRAVELS THROUGH

which the empire receives bv the addition of
population, and the amount of Co much in-
duftry as all thefe people create. After five
years this colony is to pay an annual rent,
which in ten more will be increafed, and after
that remain a freehold to the Poles, fubject
onlv to that rent. An idea of the field which
the Emprefs has for improvement may be
conjectured by one contiguous track of walte
and foreft, partly in the Ziranni province,
which contains above thirty-feven millions of
English acres, and belongs to the crown,
betides tracks in Siberia and Tartary ten times
as large. It is therefore extremely evident,
that the great object of Ruffian politicks
ihould be the peopling and cultivating the
crown lands 3 which, if managed with un-
remitted diligence, and without fparing ex-
pence, might be continually on the improve-
ment, and id fuch fwift manner, that the
^quantity of land rendered profitable might
foon be immenfely great.

This colony of Poles have a market in the
middle of their fettlement on the great read,
where merchants refort to buy their fpare pro-
duels, hemp, 6cc. bringing all thofe forts of
commodities which they want ; and this
trade occalions a circulation among them
which is highly advantageous. The report

of

RUSSIA. i$$

of the indulgence and benefits they have met
With has had great effect in Poland ; fo that
they pointed out to me a track of land con-
tiguous, where they foon expected two hundred
families more. Having viewed feveral farms
of the fettlers and made fuch enquiries as I
thought neceflary, I fetoutfor Mofcow with-
out returning to Twera: the diftance is one
hundred and feventeen miles ; and I arrived
there the 20th, paffing through a very finely
variegated country, well watered and wood-
ed, and fpread in fine plains, with many vil-
lages fcattered through them ; and much ap-
pearance of cultivation : all this country is in
the hands of three or four nobles, whofe Rew-
ards direct the management of it.

This city is the greateft in the empire ; it
was once ftrongly fortified for this part of the
world, but the fecurity of the prefent times
has made every thing unneceffary except a
wall : It is about fixteen miles in circumfe-
rence, and contains about half a million of
inhabitants, till lately the Czars fpent a
part of the year here; but the palace, which is
a very indifferent one, having been damaged
by fire, they have not of late years been there;
but notwithstanding this, Mofcow is the re*
fidence of a vaft number of the nobility, in-
deed of three fourths of thofe whofe offices

or

\€o TRAVELS THROUGH

or expectations do not oblige them to attend
the court -, in which inftance there is a greater
appearance of liberty than in moft other coun-
tries ; for in general, all the nobility of a
kingdom flock to the feat of government*
Mofcow is very irregularly built j but it is
a beautiful city* from the windings of the river,
and from many eminences which are covered
with groves of fine tall trees, and from nu-
merous gardens* and lawns, which opening
to the water give it a mofl pleafing airy ap-
pearance. I expected to fee nothing but wood-
en houfes, but was agreeably furprized at the
light of many very fine fabricks of brick and
flone. It is beyond comparifon a finer city
than Peterfburg. The number of churches
and chapels, amounting it is faid to eighteen
hundred, make a great figure in the printed
defcriptions of this city ; but from the appear-
ance of them I mould fuppofe the fact falfe,
and that out of great numbers very few are
worthy of note. I faw the great bell, which
is the largeft in the world, and indeed a moft:
ftupendous thing it is. They have many o*
ther bells in the city, which much exceed
any thing that is elfewhere to be met with j
the Ruffians being remarkably fond of this
ornament of their churches.

There

RUSSIA. i6i

There is a very confiderable manufacture at
Moicow of various hemp fabricks j particu-
larly, fail cloth and meeting, which employs
ibme thoufands of looms, and many thou-
iands of people -, the hemp is moil of it
brought from the Ukraine: there are alio great
numbers of confiderable merchants here, who
carry on a very extenfive commerce with all
parts of the empire ; for there is water car-
riage from hence to the Black and Cafpian
leas, and with but few interruptions to the
Baltick alio, which are circumftances that
make it the center of a very great commerce.
This city is much better fituated for the
metropolis of the empire than Petersburg : It
is almoft in the center of the mod: cultivated
parts of it; communicating in the manner
above-mentioned with the three inland feas,
not at a great diilance from the moil: import-
antprovince of the empire, the Ukraine ; open
to the iouthern territories on the Black fea,
and by means of the rivers Wolga and the
Don commanding an inland navigation of
prodigious extent. Its vicinity alio to the
countries, which muft always be the feat of
any wars with the Turks, the enemies moil:
to be attended to of all thofe with whom the
Ruffians wage war ; upon the whole made it
infinitely a better fituation for the feat of go-
Vol. III. M vernment,

:62 TRAVELS THROUGH

vernment, than that cf Peterfburg, which is
at the very extremity of the empire, and
poffeffing few of thefe advantages. Found-
ing that city, and making it the feat of foreign
commerce and naval power, was an admira-
ble exertion of genius ; but the feat of govern-
ment mould always have been at Mofcow.

'•The 23d I left that city, taking the road to-
wards Ukraine — I was fortunatein having very
fine clear weather, and found the roads every
where exceedingly good, no autumnal rains
having yet fallen. I got that night to Mo-
lality, the diftance about fixty miles, nor did
I find fuch a day's journey too much for the
horfes ; the country all this way is a level
plain, very fertile, and much of it well culti-
vated, with many villages, and in general, a
well peopled territory : the peafants feemed
tolerably eafy, but fcarcely any of them have
any property. From Molafky, fifty fix miles
carried me the next day to Arcroify, a fmall
town ; fituated in a territory not fo well-peopled
as thepreceding j the villages thinner, and but
little of the foil cultivated, being covered with
much timber of great fize and beauty. The 25th
I reached Demetriovitz, at the diftance of more
than fifty miles, every ftep of which was acrofs a
foreft in which I favv not theleaftveftige of any
habitation : the road was not difficult to find, even

3 if

RUSSIA. 163

if I had not had a guide, but it is not much
frequented ; the mercantile people making
this part of the journey to the Ukraine by wa-
ter : This immenfe track of wild country, is
part open meadow and part covered with tim-
ber, which would in England be thought a
glorious fight : the foil is all a fine fand, and, if
I may judge from the fpontaneous vegetation,
a mod fertile loam ; fo that nothing is want-
ing but an induftrious population : but with-
out that, the whole territory is of little worth.
I baited the horfes in the middle of the forefr,
and refrelhed myfelf and company, much
admiring the uncommon extent of coun-
try that was without the lead; appearance of
being inhabited : I apprehended that the coun-
try mud have a great refemblance of the
boundlefs plains and woods of Louisiana.

The 26th I rode forty miles through an
uninhabited plain to Screnfky; no timber in
it, but all one level fertile meadow. I faw
fome herds of cattle feeding as if wild, but
the land was not a tenth part flocked; for the
grafs, if we turned out of the road, was up al-
moft to the bellies of the horfes ; fuch mea-
dow would, I apprehend, in any part of En-
gland let readily for five and twenty millings
an acre, yet hereof no value: fach are the
effects of population, liberty, and induftry !
M 2 Ihe

io4 TRAVELS THROUGH
The fame diftance the 27th. carried me to
Brenfky, a pretty little town on the banks of
a river in the middle of a foreft ; a place
truly romantick. I felt myfelf rather fatigued
with hard riding fince I left Peterfburg, and
therefore refted myfelf here the 28th, left
a continuance of this great exercife fhould give
me a fit of illnefs, for which Ruflia is the
moft unfit place in the world ; for every man
out of Peterfburg and Moicow muft be his
own phyiician.

The 29th I got to StaradofF at the diftance
of fifty miles : full twenty of which are
through a rich and pleafant country, much of
it very well cultivated j they were getting in
part of their harveft : they cultivate all the
erain and pulie common in England: and
from what I law I have little doubt but their
hufnandry is extremely good. They generally
manage their lands in the fyftem of fowing
firft hemp, then cats, then turneps, then
wheat or rye, but much of the former is fown:
after this husbandry of five years which is fome-
times varied to fix or feven two crops of he.
being taken they leave the land fallow for three
four or five years j by fallow is not however
meant ploughing it ail that time, but Jetting it
run to grafs and weeds : it is prefently cover-
ed thickly , the fecond year all the wee

2 difappear,

RUSSIA,
difappcar, and they have a very tine meadow,
without the trouble of lowing any hay feeds,
which they keep as the feeding ground of their
farms for feveral years, as their cattle require ;
and whenever they plough it up again-they are
fure to find a field entirely fertilized and ready
to yield abundant crops. I ihould have
apprehended that this management would have
filled the land with the feeds of weeds, which,
upon breaking it up, would have deftroved
their crop ; but an a°;entthat feemed to belong
to fome man of a large eftate anfwered me by
faying that the iiril crop they lowed, being
hemp, entirely cleaned the ground for all the
fuccefiive ones ; that in cafe the effect was not
perfected, a fecond would infallibly do it j fof
I found they had an idea here, that hemp is
a great cleaner of the land, and that no weeds
can live among it ; which is what I do not re-
collect any writer of hufbandrv mentions,
as being the practice of Englilh farmers.
It is one inftance, among many others I
have met with, in which I regret not
making myfelf better acquainted with the
husbandry of England, before I made en-
quiries into that of other countries. The
quantity of hemp fown in all this country is
very ccnfiderable ; indeed I was told, that this
province, which joins a part of the Ukraine in

M3 fonje

i66 TRAVELS THROUGH

fome places, is much like thatcountry, only the
foil not quite fo fine. The land here is a rich
loam, wet, and much inclinable to a clay. They
reckon an acre of hemp, one year with an-
other, to be worth three pounds ; an acre of
wheat yields three quarters, and as much of
rye ; four quarters of barley, and as much or
more of oats. They have fine crops of beans
about five quarters upon an acre. They do
not cultivate fo many turneps as they mould,
but trufl many of their cattle all winter long
en the wafte, where they find herbage enough,
notwithstanding thefnow, to keep them alive :
but it would certainly be much better husban-
dry to keep them better, and collect their dung.
They have large herds, which in fummer are
kept in fine order by means of the exceeding
good pafturage, which all the meadows yieldin
vafi plenty. All this country belongs to different
noblemen, and is cultivated by their Rew-
ards and agents, who feem to know their
bufinefs very well -, but the peafants feem to
be very poor, having fcarcely any iigns
of cultivation around their cottages, and yet
they are fed by what they raife for themfelves
on certain days. I remark, that the peafants
in this empire are in general happy in propor-
tion to the neglect under which the coun-
try lies; in the midfi of vail: waftes and fo-

reils

RUSSIA. 167

refts they feem to be tolerably eafy -, but any
tracks well cultivated, are done at their ex-
pence, and they appear very near on the
fame rank, as the blacks in our fugar colo-
nies.

From Staradoff to Czernicheu is feventy
five miles, which I rode in two days, arriving
there the 1 ft of November. Part of this track
is as well cultivated as that on the other fide of
Staradoff, but much of it is covered with fo-
reft. I obfervedhemp in many of the fields,
and fome of it was not yet pulled, though
the harveft was generally in. Czernicheu is a
very well built town, finely fituated on the
banks of the river Defna, which is navigable
for barges of fifty tons, is very well fortified,
and inhabited by about fifteen thoufand peo-
ple ; many of whom carry on a considerable
trade with Kiovia, and, by the Nieper, with
Poland. All the track of country, which
lies upon the river Defna, is very rich, and
well cultivated. Many of the inhabitants of
Czernicheu are Coflack Tartars; but a traveller
has no more reafon to fear them, than the
inhabitants of any other part of Ruffiaj for
the government, although milder in the Uk-
raine, and the neighbouring provinces,
from having been conquered from Po-
land, is yet the fame, and the police as ftrict

M 4 as

i<5 TRAVELS THROUGH

as in any other part of the empire. I made
enquiries here concerning the danger of tra-
velling through the Ukraine in this time of
war ; and they affured me, that whether it
was war or peace, I mould not fee the lead
appearance of any danger j that I mould find
the Ukraine, tho' inhabited by Tartars, as
wellaregulated province as any county in Eng-
land. Theyfaid, there had been no incur-
fions made into any of theie provinces, as the
theatre of the war was pufhed on to the coun-
tries around the Black fea, and where they
doubted not bat it would continue.

November the 3d I reached Kiovia, the
capital of the Ukraine, and fourfcore miles
from Czernicheu. The road leads on the
banks of the Defna, through a beautiful coun-
try j great part of it being well-peopled and
cultivated. It is inhabited by Tartarian de-
fendants; but I found the prefent CofTacks,
who have very little idea of hufoandry, come
far from the eaftward, from countries that
reach to the river Don, at the diftance of
above a thoufand miles from hence. The
prefent race of the Ukraine are a civilizedpeo-
ple, and the bed: husbandmen in the Rufnan
empire.

Kiovia, one of the molt considerable cities I
have feen in Ruflia, is a place well known in.

the

RUSSIA. 169

the hiftory of that empire ; for tho' it has been
fubjecl to many revolutions, which reduced it
to a low ftate compared with its former gran-
deur, yet it has now recovered all thofe an-
tiem blows ; it is well built of brick and ftone :
the ftreets are wide and ftrait, and well paved ;
it has a very noble cathedral, much of it lately
rebuilt, and eleven other churches. It has
forty thoufand inhabitants ; and is ftrongly
fortified. The Nieper is here a noble river j
and feveral larger rivers falling into it, after
warning fome of the richefl: provinces of Po-
land, enable this town to carry on a very con-
fiderable commerce. It is the grand map-a-
zine of all the commodities of the Ukraine,
particularly hemp and flax, which in this fine
province are raifed in greater quantities, and
of a better quality, than in any other part
of Europe. The Ukraine is the richefl pro-
vince in the Ruffian empire. Part of it for-
merly was a province of Poland, and the reft
an independent fovereignty, under a Tartar
prince ; but the whole is now a mere province
of Ruffia, and much the richefl acquiiition
that crown has made. It is upon an average
two hundred and fifty miles long eaft to weft;
and one hundred and forty broad north to
fouth.

November

i7o TRAVELS THROUGH

November 5th, I left the capital of this pro-
vince; and as Ipurpofed making a circular de-
tour of the weftern part, I went to Buda that
day, which is about fifty miles ; mod: of the
country rich and very well cultivated ; the foil
Is a black loam, and they raife in it the various
forts of grain andpulfe that are commonly met
with in England. I pafied through great
tracks of ftubble ground, from off which the
wheat, barley, and oats were carried. And
I obferved numerous hemp grounds, though
not fo much of the country is under that crop
as corn; in fome villages where I made en-
quiries, they fpoke nothing but the Polifh
language, and of a dialect which my inter-
preter for the Ruffian knew nothing of, though
he had aflured me he underftood Polifh very
well ; but I met with other peafants who
fpoke Ruffian, and they informed me that their
products of hemp arofe in value fometimes to
fix pounds an acre, but three or four pounds
were a common crop j of wheat four quarters^
barley five, and oats and beans fix, and fome-
times more an acre ; which appeared to me
to be all very confiderabie quantities. Their
grounds aremoft of them inclofed with ditch-
es, to fome of which are hedges, but not to all.
They have fine meadow grounds, which they
convert to hemp, in the manner I related a-

bove,

RUSSIA. 171

bove, but leave them under grafs for ten or
twelve years before they break them up;
and keep them in a tillage-management as
long : upon fome grounds they have three
crops of hemp running. Flax they alfo cul-
tivate, but they do not reckon it fo profitable
as hemp. In the management of their cattle
they are very good farmers : they have large
flocks, and they houfe them all whenever
the fnow is above four inches deep upon the
ground -, they litter them down well with
ftraw, and feed them with hay or turneps :
cows are their' principal (lock; and they fell
immenfe quantities of butter and cheefe,
though it is extremely remarkable, that not
many years ago they knew not what butter
was. The property of all this country is very
much divided ; here are very few great eftates
belonging to nobility : the old inhabitants of
the country were very free, and had a great
equality among them j and this in poffeflions
as well as other circumftances ; and fortu-
nately this continues, though in fubjection
to Ruflia, mod of the peafants are little far-
mers, whofe farms are their own, with ten
times the liberty among them that I any
where elfe faw in Ruffiaj the government
are extremely cautious of oppreffing or offend-
ing them, for they never will be in want of

folicitations

i-2 TRAVELS THROUGH

folicitations from the Turks to join the Tar-
tars in alliance with the Porte. They pay a
confiderable tribute, but raife it among them-
felves according to their own cuftoms ; and
they alio furnifli the Ruffian armies with a
great many very faithful troops. Thefe points,
with the immenfe value of the trade the Ruf-
fians carry on by means of their products,
hemp and flax in particular, render trie pro-
vince of the firft importance. ' I pafTed in this
line of fifty miles, great numbers of villages
and fcattered farms.

Buda is a little town, or rather a large vil-
lage, prettily fituated between two rivers in a
country perfectly pleafant. I turned oft to
the north-weft and got the 6th to Kordyne,
a little town fifty two miles from Buda : All
this country is equal to the preceding day's
journey ; I never faw a track of land that
had morerefemblance to the beft parts of Eng-
land. Nothing could be more fortunate than
the weather for my expedition ; the rains u-
fually come very heavy the middle of Septem-
ber, and foon after them frofts and fnow, but
I have yet had a conftant azure fky, with
warm winds. If it holds five days more, I
mall have parled this province, and I do not
hear that there is any thing worthy of notice
between the Ukraine and Peterfburg, there-
fore

RUSSIA. 173

fore the weather will not be fo effential to the
journey. I remarked in the country I paffed
to day, feveral tobacco plantations -} they re-
femble hop grounds when the hillocks are not
poled ; they reckon it as profitable as hemp,
which is owing I believe to the ready vent
they find for all they cultivate ; the Tartars
upon the Black Tea, and the Kalmucks buy
large quantities ; and they are not fo nice in
the reparation of the forts, as our planters
in Virginia are obliged to be, though they fell
their product for as good a price ; but I do not
think there grows the lefs hemp on account of
their tobacco; it feems to be cultivated, in-
ftead of lowing quite fo much corn as in other
parts ; an acre of tobacco is worth five pounds
in a good year. They have large houfes
highly run up for drying it. They think the
land cannot be too rich for either hemp or to-
bacco, and accordingly plant them on frefh
land.

The 7th I reached Lefzozyn, at the di-
ftance of fix and thirty miles, the country
continuing the fame ; much hemp and to-
bacco being planted through the whole : At
a village by the way where I flopped to make
enquiries, I found they preferred a red clay
for their hemp, and planted all the black
meld with tobacco, I obferved many ploughs

it

174 TRAVELS THROUGH

at work, fome with fix horfes, of a little weak
breed, but in general each was drawn by four
ilout oxen. They were turning up wheat
ftubbles, and faid they ploughed them before
winter, that thefrofls and fnow might improve
the ground, which feems to be good manage-
ment. I think I never law fuch dztp plough-
ing as thefe pealants give their ground: I mea-
fured nine inches perpendicular after a plough
drawn by four oxen ; what the depth is in
England I never noticed particularly, but be-
lieve it is not fo much as this. Their ploughs
are very well conflructed ; if I may judge by
their entirely turningover theland, they are all
of iron, having no wood about them ; a fort I
had never feen till Icame into theUkraine; nor
have they any wheels which our plough- wrights
in England think fo eifential. I remarked
here leveral very noble crops of cabbages, and
in fuch vaft quantities, that I concluded they
muft feed their cattle with them, and was
right in the conjecture : they ufed formerly
to cultivate only the Swedifn turnep for this
purpofe, but cabbages (they are a red fort, and
come to a monftrous fize, 25 or 30 lb. for
inftance) by degrees have come into fafhion
among them, fo as to be the crop on which
they entirely depend, with help of hay for
the winter fuftenance of their cattle. They

fow

RUSSIA. 1-5

fowthe feed early in the fpring, and plant them
when of a proper fize, into the field in rows,
and afterwards keep them as clean as they do
their tobacco, by conftant hoeing : an acre
of them will winter four cr five large oxen;
they reckon the culture extremely profitable.
They have alfo whole fields of potatoes, fome
for their own ufe, and feme for fale, there
being a great demand for them at Ockzacow,
on the Black fea, whither they are fent by
water; but I cannot help thinking they mult
have a fort unknown in England : I rode into
a field where a crop was taking up, and great
numbers were as large as the. body of a quart
bottle; I never law fuch before. They freely
gave me a few of thefe large ones to take
away for feed ; they are planted by flices in
the fame manner as ours : the peafants here
think that lands of moderate fertility do for
them. Such a potatoe, I mould apprehend,
might, for feeding cattle, be made of very
great advantage to the husbandry of England ;
they yield from twelve to fifteen hundred
buthels per acre.

The Sth I rode to Kwafowa, a large
village, the difiance about forty miles.
This country is, in fome places, a conti-
nued level plain -, in others it is variegated
with gentle hills, which never rife into

moun-

iy6 TRAVELS THROUGH

mountains, but are cultivated to the tops;
Hemp and tobacco are common crops through
the whole, and alfo fome flax, but not in

equal quantities. All the country is divided
into fmali eftates, or rather farms, cultivated
by the owners ; though I am told that in fome
parts of the province to the fouth, where I
have not been, there are large eftates belong-
ing to the nobles, and that thofe parts are not
near fo well peopled or cultivated as thefe
parts ; which is a flrong proof that much of
the good hufbandry met with in the Ukraine
is owing to the peafants being owners of their
lands, and vaffakge almoft unknown in the
province. It cannot be doubted but the Em-
prefs may bring the crown lands of Ruma,
on all the frontier of Polandj into as flourim-
ing a ftate as parts of this province, if me
encourages foreign fettlers with all the fpirit
me has hitherto mewn, fince it is in her
power to give them all the advantages which
the inhabitants of the Ukraine enjoy. They
have, it is true, a noble country, equal, I
think, in foil, &cc. to Flanders, and almoft as
Well cultivated ; but I have feen in other pro-
vinces of this empire immenfe waile tracks of
land, not at all inferior in every thing derived
from nature ; but enflaved peafants are utterly
inconiiilcQt with a flouriming hufbandry.

The

RUSSIA, ,r7

The 9th I got to Norodiza, the diftance
forty miles : the foil in this track is inferior to
what I have parTed ; but the people appear to be
excellent huibandmen : they have fome hemp,
but little tobacco, only a plantation here and
there. I palled through feveral villages,
which have been lately built by fugitive Poles,
who have fixed themielves here on fome fmall
wafles, by leave of the government, but with-
out any expence. The 10th I had a very
hard day's journey to Belechoka, the diftance
more than fixty miles, and the road in fome
places marfliy. Only parts of this track are
well cultivated, but no hemp, flax, or to-
bacco are raifed ; there are alfo fome wafles,
but they will not be fuch long, for the Poles
are planting themfelves on them very fa ft.
Here I patted out of the province of Ukraine.
It is this territory which raifes nineteenths
of the hemp and flax which we import at fuch
a vaft expence from Ruftia j it is therefore
deferving of a little attention ; for the beft
politicians, who have given moft attention to
the affairs of our American colonies, have all
of them iniifted very ftrenuoufly upon the
pofiibility and even eafe of fupplying our-
felves totally from thence. What truth there
is in this I know not ; but it will be of ufe
to conlider this province of the Ukraine with
Vol. III. N more

178 TRAVELS THROUGH

more attention than any writer has hitherto
done, becaufe from knowing it perfectly we
may judge how far we can reafon by analogy
when America is fpoken of; and this is the
more necelTary, as the accounts which have
hitherto been published of it are ftrangely
contradictory ; for on one hand they tell us
truly, that the Ruffian hemp comes from
thence j but on the other, they give fuch a
picture of the ftate of the country, that one
would fuppofe it polTelTed by herds of wan-
dering ColTacks, which is utterly inconfiftent
with the idea of fuch a ftate of agriculture as
is necelTary for making fo great a proficiency
in the culture of hemp and flax. All thefe
accounts muft have been copied one from
another, and the firft of them at leaft a cen-
tury and half old. To be convinced of
which, let any perfon look into the account
of the Ukraine, in that very judicious collec-
tion of voyages and travels, entitled Harris's ;
there he will meet with mention indeed of
the great fertility of the country, but three-
fourths of the particulars given are relative to
its wandering Tartar inhabitants ; and the
words hemp or flax never once ufed ; and a
defcription of the people given that would be
utterly inconfiflent with fuch agriculture; and
this is the cafe with all the books that I have

turned

RUSSIA. !;9

turned to; but the reafon muft be, the
country's being fo extremely out of the way of
all travellers, that not a perfon in a centurv
goes to it, who takes notes of his obfervations
with intention to lay them before the world :
very few fuch go even to Peterfburg ; now
and then one croffes Ruflia towards Perfia ;
but all keep a thoufand or two of miles from
the Ukraine ; and hence it is that the greateft
changes happen in fuch remote parts of the
world, without any thing of the matter being
known. And our writers of geographv, who
are every day publishing, copy each other
in fo flavifh a manner, that a fact in 1578 is
handed down to us as the only information
we can have in 1769 ; a circumftance which
reigns in all the books of general geography
that I have feen. Let me here add, that I
have, in travelling to gain information, vifited
thofe countries about which it would be in
vain to confult books -, for, Holland and
Flanders alone excepted, all the reft of the pre-
fent journey is through countries, the former>
accounts of which are entirely falfe, not from
errors in the authors, but from great changes
that have happened in a long courfe of years.
But to return.

It has been fuppofed that hemp and flax,
coming to us from fo northern a place as Pe-

N 2 terfburg,

iSo TRAVELS THROUGH

terfburg, would grow in the midft of perpetual
frofts and fnows -, but though we import it,
from latitude 60, yet it all grows in the
Ukraine, which lies between latitude 47 and
52, and is befides as fine, mild a climate as
any in Europe : this is the latitude of the fouth
of France ; and with thefe advantages, the foil
is fuperior to moil I have feen, being in gene-
ral a very rich, deep mould, between a loam
and a dry clay, but without any of that tena-
cious ftickinefs which is fo dilagreeable in-
moving through a clay country in England.
I am clear in the importance of conveying a
precife idea, when we fpeak of foils 3 but
not having been ufed to practical hufbandr/
fo much as I with I had, I cannot properly
make life of the neceilaiy technical terms.
To thefe advantages, which this province en-
joys, 1 mould certainly add, whether from
accident or natural ingenuity, their good hus-
bandry, which is much fuperior to any thing
that 1 have feen fmce I left Flanders.

After giving thefe particulars, we may ex-
amine, upon a good foundation, the capability
of our colonies affording hemp and flax in
equal quantities. Thole gentlemen who have
travelled through them, bed: know how well
they anfwcr to the above defcription : but if I
may be permitted to fpeak on the authorities

which

RUSSIA. t8x

which many modern relations give us,
the fettlements on the lea-coafts of North-
America will never yield hemp in any quan-
tities ; the climate is much too changeable
and fevere -, (harp cutting frofts are met with
in Carolina, in 30 degrees of latitude, and a
burning fun, equal in heat to any part of the
world : in New-England, Nova-Scotia, &c.
where hemp has been attempted, it has al-
ways failed, from the feverity of the climate,
and the badnefs of the lands. But all accounts
give a very contrary defcription of the coun-
tries on the MiffifTippi : from the defcriptions
which I have read of the track, on that river,
from lat. 33 to lat. 40, I mould apprehend it
to be, of all other places in America, the moil
adapted to this culture : for the foil is rich,
black, and very deep ; the climate much more
regular and pleafant than on the fea-coait,
which is all marines and fvvamps, and the
lands in immenfe plenty, and all frefh.
Hemp certainly might be raifed in thofe parts
to great advantage, provided the defcriptions
of them* which we have had, are juft ; which
I do not fee any reafon to doubt. But then
the misfortune is, that thefe beautiful tracks
of country are without inhabitants -3 and great
numbers of people are necelfary for an advan-
tageous culture of hemp. Another circum-

N 3 {lance

182 TRAVELS THROUGH

ftance to be confidered is, the profit of fuch
an application of the land : hemp would never
be cultivated to any purpofe in Carolina, cr
our fouthern colonies, if the climate was pro-
per, becaufe rice and indico, and I believe
even cotton, pay the planter much fuperior
profits ; and if indico and cotton were intro-
duced on the Miffifiippi, as in all probability
they would be, hemp would be neglected till
thofe markets failed which took off the more
beneficial articles. But, on the other hand,
we ought not to regret this, for the national
profit is proportionably greater : the more
the planter's advantage, the more the national
income is increafed. Hemp in facl: is not
an article of culture that is comparable to
many others in profit, and will confequently
never be cultivated except in thofe countries
where corn and pulfe, and other lefs profita-
ble articles, would occupy the land if that
did not ; but when the foil and climate will
do for richer commodities, it is idle to fup-
pofe that poorer ones will be attended to.

If, therefore, it is an eflential point to raife
all the hemp in our colonies which we bring
from Rufria, new plantations mult be formed
pn the Miffiffippi, in a latitude that will not
do for the rich American ftaples -, fuch for
inftance as that of 37 to 40, or thereabouts.

The

RUSSIA. 183

The country fo included is one of the fineft
in the world for all common hufbandry; fo
that the inhabitants, like thofe of the Ukraine,
would very eafily raife all the neceffaries of
life, at the fame time that their principal at-
tention was given to hemp as their ftaple.

CHAPTER VI.

journey to Peter/burg through the Frontiers of
Poland — Observations on the State of feveral
Provinces — R ujjian Acquifitions — Remarks
on the War between the Ruffians and the
'Turks — Journey to Archangel, and through
Lapland — Return to Peter/burg-— Livonia.

NOVEMBER the nth I left Belachoka,
and rode to Rzeezyka, at the diftance
of forty-four miles, through a country very-
different from the Ukraine 3 for it confifts of
little befides marfhes, with but few inhabi-
tants. It is to be noted, that moft of this
track is in Poland, and Rzeezyka is the
capital of a province once Polim, arid
which all the maps I have lay down as a part
of Poland ; but I am convinced there have
been flrange changes wrought by force of
Ruffian arms on the frontiers of that king*
dom. The town is large, populous, and

N 4 ftrongly

i'?4 TRAVELS THROUGH

flrongly fortified ; but as much Ruffian as
Mofcow. Here are great numbers of Poles,
it is true ; but all : :ufes which the war
led are hiled op carefully with Ruf-
iian families J Msfe is a Ruffian garrifon,

Ruffian government, and, in a word, fcarcely
any thing Folirh in it. By this extreme poli-
tical conduct, that empire makes very great
acquisitions on the fide of Poland, without
the world knowing any thing of the matter;

'.zh is the erre-ck of the miierable govern-
ment, or rather anarchy, under which they
live j and which is the pretence for the Ruf-

i trooos fwarrain£ over the whole king;-
dom; fo that three parts in four of it are
a province of KufGa, and probably the
whole will in a little time, which may
be mere advantageous to the kingdom;
for no defpetkk: of die Eaft is lb great a curie
to a people, as the furicus military anarchy
that reigns at prbfcht in Poland. I have re-
ceived accounts from various people iince I
have been in Rurka, from which I ihould
apprehend, that full half the inhabitants of
that great country have been cut or? and
ilarved within theie ten years. Near half the
kingdom is abfolutelv in the hands of the
Ruffians, who receive pretty heavy taxes from
it, and alio recruits for their army againft

the

RUSSIA. I&5

the Turks : vaft numbers of people are, by
Ithis means, alfo tranfported intoRuffia; for
Polifh noblemen, who declare againft the
Ruffian party, are driven entirely from their
eftates, and great numbers of their peafants
removed immediately into Ruffia, with their
cattle and all their effects ; Co that the Em-
prefs may eafily have increased her fubjedts in
the degree which I was told, at Petersburg.
And it certainly muft be allowed, that the
cards me plays in this manner enfure her a
game uncommonly advantageous. The poof
Poles, driven about, and reduced to the utmoft
mifery by their own people, mull be very
ready to fix upon lands in Ruffia, and be
vafTals only to the Emprefs. If this fcene of
confufion therefore lafts much longer in Po-
land, that kingdom will be entirely depopu-
lated, and the Ruffian provinces filled with
people ; an event filently taking place, and
which will increafe this formidable power
more than half a dozen victories over the
Turks.

From Rzeezyka I followed the courfe of
the Nieper to Rohakzow, where I arrived
the 1 2th ; the diftance more than fifty miles.
The country is an open level plain, of fin«
meadow. I faw numerous villages deferted ;
£nd the fields, formerly arable, become pas-
ture,

»&6 TRAVELS THROUGH

ture, bat without cattle to graze them t all
the inhabitants were moved into Rullia^
That town is the capital of a large province,
the whole of which is in the hands of the
Ruffians, who have three flrong fortreffes in
it, well garrifoned. Rohakzovv is a fine
town, beautifully fituated on the Nieper, on
which its prefent matters carry on a confidera-
ble commerce. I much fufpect, from the
fortifications raifed here by the Ruffians, whe-
ther the town or province will ever more be in
the hands of the Poles. I was informed here,
that much the greateft part of the province of
Minfki, one of the raoft confiderable in Li-
thuania, is entirely quiet, and in the abfolute
power of the Ruffians -, and where it will end,
time can only know ; but the prefent flate of
affairs in all this part of the world looks on
every fide only in favour of the Ruffians ; and
it is certainly a molt ftrange infatuation, that
the other powers of Europe mould be mere
ftanders-by, and look on to this great fuccefs
of the Ruffians without thinking it their in-
terest, to interfere. Auftria and Pruffia are
armed, it is true -, but the progrefs of this
empire is of a kind which admits not open
declarations from any but the Poles. I have
heard it mentioned as a mark of very faga-
cious politicks in the Turks, that the real

reafon

RUSSIA. x$7

reafon of the prefent war with Ruffia is from
a jealoufy of the Mufcovite power being too
much increafed by the advantages taken of
the troubles in Poland. The Porte thought
there was danger of the Emprefs taking pof-
feffion of the whole kingdom of Poland in her
own name; and judged that the beft way of
preventing fuch a great acceffion to her power
was by the fword cutting her out work elfe-

where.

From Rohakzow, I reached Rychow the
13th; the diftance more than forty miles.
All this country is very rich, and part of it
very well cultivated, but it is in the hands of
the Ruffians entirely j many of the peafants
are of that nation, and every thing feen is a
proof that this empire has much enlarged its
bounds, without either a formal war, or even
the authority of a treaty. This place is in
the province of Millau, a very fine and fertile
country, an hundred miles long, and as many
broad, and all in the hands of the Ruffians.
The foil here is chiefly a reddifh loam ; much
of it is in culture, as was evident from the
large tracks of ftubble I went through ; but I
faw no hemp, flax, or tobacco, thofe products
being pretty much confined to the Ukraine.
Rychow, with fome neighbouring towns, be-
long to a Polifh nobleman, driven away by

the

tgg T R A VELS T H ROUGH

the RuffianB, who have feized his whole eftate,
and taken poflefiion of it in a manner that
precludes the idea of his ever return!:
From : lace I rede about forty utiles to

Kuczin, through the fame province. Ail :
line cf country, I could fee, had been in ge-
neral under culture, but it was now entirely
wafte. I counted the remains of no lefs than
feven villages, which were entirely deferted,
all the inhabitants being fled to RulTia.
From Kudzin, the fame diilance brought me,
on the 15th, to Krula, another little town,
with a Ruliian garrifen. The country is
partly cultivated, and partly deferted ; but
the remaining inhabitants will not be left
liere long; for I law a Ruilian commandant,
whofe buiinefs was, the taking an account of
the people cf feveral adjacent villages that had
petitioned for kinds in RufTia. Thefe emi-
grations are not at all furprizing : in time of
ce the Poliih nobles treat all the peafants
as (laves in the utmoft extent of the word :
when, therefore, a fcene of trouble and confu-
iion comes, they are fure to take the rirA op-
portunity to deiert, that they may eicape in
future the renewal of their former milery j
and the condition of the new iettlers in Ruin a
is io infinitely iupericr to that of the peafants
ia Poland, that nothing can exceed the eager-
4 qefsi

RUSSIA. a9

nefs with which they all fly from the fcene of
their flavery the moment their matters are
driven away. Thefe are the effects of that
tyranny which all the Polifti nobility exert
upon their vafials ; io that in cafe the Ruffians
fhould reftore thefe numerous provinces, the
Poles will return to deferts, iniiead of weil-
peopled eftates.

The 16th I got to Obloka; the diftancc
forty-fix miles ; ftill in the province of Mif-
law. All this track is a fine rich country,
but very poorly peopled, many villages being
deferted. I paffed a very large feat, belongino-
to a Polifh nobleman, in ruins. Whoever de-
clares againft the Ruffian party, are fure to
have their eflates laid waile, and many of
their peafants carried off; and in the pro-
vinces which lie near to the frontiers of that
empire, they are driven away, and every
thing feized by the enemy. There are not
many finer countries than great part of this
province, but it is in a defolate ftate. I have
met with no parties of Poles, nor any appear-
ance of war : the Emprefs has a quiet and
effectual poffeffion of much the greateft part
of Lithuania ; and fuch parts are the cnly
ones in the kingdom that enjov any repofe.

The 17th I reached Whftepfki, the capital
*own of a large province, alio in the hands of

the

19© TRAVELS THROUGH

the Ruffians. The country is very woody,"
In fifty miles, which were this day's journey,
near thirty were through a continual foreft ;
the reft is tolerably well cultivated, and peo-
pled j it is in poilellion of fome Poles, who
fecured themfelves from the beginning by de-
claring for the Ruffian caufe. They culti-
vate their own eftates by means of their vaf-
fals, who have fmall cottages, with little plots
of ground round them, in which they raife
what is necefiary for the fubfiftence of them-
felves and their families in three days of the
week, which are allowed them, and the reft
of the time they work for their lord, under
the direction of overfeers. One of thefe no-
blemen cultivates in this manner above fix
thouiand acres of land : his eftate contains
above twenty thoufand acres, but much of it
is marfh and foreft. This is a reprefentation
of all the eftates in Poland in time of peace.
The owners of them, however fmall, are all
Polifh gentlemen, and entirely equal j but
the numerous diftractions they have had from
the beginning of their monarchy, have confo-
lidated mod of the fmall properties, fo that
at prefent the kingdom is generally divided
into large eftates. Every owner cultivates
his land by means of the peafants on it, who
belong to him as much as the trees which

grow

RUSSIA. tgt

grow on the foil ; thus the Poles are the greateft
farmers in the world, for fome of their princes
pofTefs whole provinces, containing feverai
hundred thoufand acres of land, and all their
revenue, which is very confiderable, is raifed
by this cultivation. The principal value of
eflates is the vicinity to a navigable river; for
without this advantage they have not a vent
for the immenfe quantity of corn which they
raife. The ftubbles I law upon the eftate
juir. now mentioned, were of all the common
forts, and very extenfive, wheat, barley,
oats, peafe, beans, buck-wheat. I law a few
turneps, but the quantity did not feem to be
any thing proportioned to the extent of corn.
In the night of the 17th the weather chan-
ged, which had hitherto favoured me fo re-
markably; very heavy rains fell with fleet
and fnow, and continued fo bad the next day,
that I ftaid at Whitepfki that day and the two
following ones, in expectation of a froft fet-
ting in, for they told me I mould find the
roads much worfe and more liable to be dama-
ged than thofe I had paffed. I ftaid till the
20th, a very (harp froft having let in for four
and twenty hours. The 21ft I reached Goref-
law, through fifty miles of foreit ; the 22d I
got to Sitefky, the diftance forty three miles ;
the ground hard frozen, and very good tra-
velling,

i9z TRAVELS THROUGH

veiling, but the frofr. continues and the wea-
ther is lharp ; this line of country, like the
laft, is foreft. The 23d I reached Williiluki,
which is in the boundary of Ruffia; but going
from one country to the other makes no per-
ceptible difference in the people, manners, or
language; which is a circumftance that
threatens the Poles not a little. I palled
through another colony of emigrants from
that kingdom, who are feated on an eftate of
theemprels's, which came to her not long
fince by forfeiture; it contains about four
and twenty thoufand a^res of land, and did
not yield the late owner more than {qwcii
hundred pounds a year 3 but the Czarina will
prefently make it twice as many thoufands,
for there is the fmeft timber for malts on it
that is to be found in all this country -, and
fiie is making a fmall ftream, that leads to
the Iwanna, navigable ; the expence will be
but little ; and me will carry her timber then
to Petersburg by water, which will prove a
moft important acquisition. The Polim fet-
tlement contains three hundred and forty
farm?, each a family ; they had exa&ly the
fame terms as thofe I gave an account of be-
fore. They are feated in a plain thinly fcat-
tered with trees, which they have cleared
away : the foil I was informed, for I could

not

RUSSIA. i9j

hot fee it, is very deep and rich : they have
each fifty acres divided by the Emprefs ; and
they have made many interior divifions. I was
told that in Poland there are fcarcely any in-
clofures, but the Emprefs takes care that all
the newly cultivated tracks in her dominions
fhall be inclofed, being informed that they
were the principal caufes which have fo much
advanced the husbandry of England j and it
is remarkable that the Poles fall very readily
into it, and divide their fifty acres into feve«*
ral fields, as if they perfectly well underftood
the importance of the .conduct. They culti*
vate wheat, rye, oats, peafe, beans, and
buckwheat -, and have many crops of Swe-
dim turneps for the winter fupport of their
cattle ; they get two quarters of wheat and
rye from an acre, but fometimes lefs j three
of oats -, and four of beans : and they reckon
that an acre of turneps will winter two cows.
It will be a prodigious advantage to this co-
lony, the cutting a canal for the conveyance
of the timber to Petersburg, for their products
will find the fame way to a moll advantageous
market. All thefe people are perfectly happy
and contented i they are not deceived; on the
contrary, they find their fituation to the full as
good as they were made to expect $ and they
Vol. Ill, G all

i9+ TRAVELS THROUGH

all fpeak of the Emprefs in the higheft terms
of admiration and gratitude.

This lyftem of peopling her dominions is
certainly the greateft exertion of politicks that
ihe could poffibly have fhewn : other princes
have been willing to increafe the number of
their fubjects, by affording a refuge to emi-
grants in their dominions, but nothing elfe ;
whereas the Emprefs is at a confiderable ex-
pence in planting them in hers ; fhe fpares
no coft to make the number as great as pof-
fible ; although from the cheapnefs of the
country, it is done at, comparatively fpeaking,
a fmall expence, yet when fuch numbers as
me has thus received and fettled are taken into
the account, the fam of money annually ex-
pended in this truly noble way, will be found
by no means fmall.

The 24th I reached Opolzko, the diftance
above forty miles ; part of the country is
foreft, and part of it a level plain, or ex-
tended meadow, which did not feem to be
marfhy. I palled feveral villages, which
feemed well peopled ; and much of the coun-
try is tolerably cultivated. Opolzko is a for-
tified town, and ftandsin the middle of a fmall
foreft on a very pretty river j it is not large,
but well built confidering it is in Ruffia, wher#
icarcely any thing is ever ufed but timber,

of

RUSSIA. i5S

of which there is great plenty all over the em-
pire. The 25th it fnowed inceffantly, and fo
hard, that I was forced to flop till the 27th,
before I could proceed on my journey; that
is, till the fnow which laid thick on the
ground was frozen ; and then I was provided
with fledges, which are a very eafy, expedi-
tious, and agreeable way of travelling ; and
pleafed me fo exceedingly, that I vvimed for
a longer journey on the fnow than I now had
to travel ; the cold was notfo penetrating as I
expected to find it.

From Opolzko to Peterfburg, is two hun-
dred and feventy miles, which I travelled
in four days with great eafe. And here
ends this route through the weftern pro-
vinces of this great empire ; which are the fined
and moft populous in it; for tho5 1 have been
informed that Siberia, and other immenfe
regions to the eafr, confift of as fertile a foil
as any in the world, and fome parts of them
feated in as mild a climate, yet the near neigh-
bourhood of the roving Tartars, in the fouth-
ern and iineft tracks, renders them almoft con-
tinued defarts : RufTia, it is true, has con-
quered many of them fo completely, that they
are not only tributary, but alfo entirely un-
able to exert themfelves againft the empire,
nationally fpeaking; but with individuals the

O 2 cafe

i56 T RAVELS T HROUGS
cafe is different, and thofe provinces could no'
be fettled, without thefe Tartar neighbour:
being driven entirely away, or extirpated :
i'o that the wefterrr provinces which are near
to trade, and to the feat of government, are thofe
of much the greateft importance : through
thefe I have travelled above two thoufand
miles, fo that I am able to form a pretty ac-
curate general idea of the country.

It appears upon the whole, to be much
better peopled than I expected to find it. It
is true there are many forefts in which you
may travel a whole day without feeing any
habitations ; and in other parts of the empire,
to a much greater extent ; but we are not to
look in Ruffia for the population of the moffc
weftern countries of Europe ; if fuch was to
be found, this empire, which is of a much
greater extent than that of the Romans, would
be as powerful alfo; but the common ideas
of this country being all a defart, are carried
too far : It is very badly peopled, taking the
whole together ; but many of the provinces
through which I pafTed are very populous : the
towns are confiderable, and the villages very
k i much of the territory in a good ftate
of culture j and the appearance of it in many
parts rlourifhing : to this may be added the
^•at increafe of people conftantly gaining, by

the

RUSSIA. i97

the reception and encouragement given to fo-
reigners to fettle, who flock hither in whole
troops : I mall not aflert that Ruffia is a po-
pulous well cultivated country j all I fay is,
that there are more parts of it fo than I had
reafon to expect from the accounts I had re-
ceived, and the books I had read: the latter
indeed muft neceflarily be far from the prefent
truth in moil particulars, from the changes
that are conftantly making, and from the
improvements of all kinds which the prefent
Emprefs fo nobly patronizes : and I may ven?-
ture to predict, that if me enjoys a.longlife, me
will change the face of the whole dominion;
all the weflern provinces will be fully peopled :
wherever the foil is fit for cultivation — the
crown lands will be brought to yield a very
great revenue, and general improvement fpread
around.

Upon my arrival at Petersburg I hired my old
lodgings which had been empty fince I left
them : I was not determined whatco.urfetotake^
bufinefs wantedme much in England, for I had
received letters from three tenants in Norr
thamptonmire, complaining of my agent; and
counter ones from my agent, complaining of
my tenants j in which cafe, nothing is effec-
tual but a landlord's prefence ; on the contrary,
the feafon was fo advanced, that it was im-
poflible to go by fea ; and journeys in the
O 3 depth

TRAVELS THROUGH
depth of winter are to me extremely difagrec-
e, a:;d the more la, fince habit had made
me attentive to the ftate of all the countries I
paiT^d through, and inquifitive in examining
the agriculture of them ; which is very badly
performed in the midft of fnows : this made
me think of fpending the winter at Peterfburg,
and'taking my way home in the fpring, either
through Poland and Germany, or by the way
of Turkey to the Adriatic, and fo to Italy ; but
not relifhing the idea of a winter, in latitude
60, I did not determine.

In this fufpence I fpent a fortnight, which
time I pafied very agreeably, by means of a
'more extended acquaintance than I had made
before ; and I was particularly happy in Mr.
A'Jafon's arrival at Peterfburg, who had tra-
velled quite acrofs Poland from Vienna ; he
defigned to take advantage of the fnow, to
travel through Siberia, a defign I much dif-
iuaded him from : however, he determined
on refting himfelf a month at Peterfburg ; and
my being fo fortunate as to have much of this
gentleman's company at my quarters, made
the time and the feaion pafs away very agree-
ably: we converted together upon the mutual
fubject of our travels, which proved to me a
fund of inexhaustible pleafure ; for Mr. Ma-
(bn, befides c rolling Poland, had been all over

Germany — r

RUSSIA. 199

Germany— through part of Hungary; over
Italy, France and Spain. He had been long
upon this tour, and has contracted fuch a
habit of moving about, that I believe he will
not fettle again, till he has travelled all the
world over : Lafl winter he fpent on the coaft
of Africa, and he has determined, for the fake
of feeing the furprizing change, to pais this
in the ice and fnows of the north. This, it
mud be confeffed, is feeing and becoming
acquainted with human nature in every form,
and with all the cuftoms of the world ; and
to a perfon who has an inclination for fuch a
way of life, which is ftrong in my friend Mr.
Mafon, it is purfuing the inclination effec-
tually.

A perfon who lives genteely at Peters-
burg, efpecially if he be a foreigner, is fure
to get eafily into the bed; company in the
court ; I had not been fix weeks fettled in my
winter habitation, before I had more com-
pany than I cared for ; but it was not difficult
to felect from among them, fome whofe con-
verfation was equally agreeable and inftruc-
tive. And I never fpent my time in a manner
that was more to my inclination, than in the
company of Mr. Mafon, M. de Reverfholt a
general officer in the Ruffian fervice, a native
of Saxony; the baron Minchewfe a Ruffian
O 4 nobleman,

200 TRAVELS THROUGH

nobleman, and the count de Selliern, a no-
bleman fettled in Ruffia, but of Polifh extrac-
tion. Thefe men are perfectly well acquainted
with the languages, courts, and armies of the
principal nations in Europe. They have all
travelled; are learned, polite, and of moft
liberal ideas. For two months we took it by
turns to have a dinner and fupper provided at
our quarters, where all the reft affembled,
and fpent the beffc part of the day, and evening :
the circle was fometimes enlarged by fome
of us bringing a friend, which was chiefly
three noblemen fettled at Peterfbur£, who in-
troduced feveral Ruffian and other foreign
officers, who had feen much fcrvice, and
were polite and understanding perfons. In
this company I had the fatisfaction of having
much converfation upon feveral fubjects of
confequence, in which I was defirous of gain-
ing further intelligence ? particularly concern-
ing the ftate of the diflant provinces of the
empire, the views of the court upon the
Black fea, and the prefent condition of the
Turkifh forces.

M. de Reverfholt, who had been in the
laft campaign againfl: the Ottomans, gave
me the following particulars of the Turks,
which I think may be agreeable to the
reader:— Keobferved, " that if ever the Ruffian
i empire

RUSSIA. 2©i

empire engaged in a war with a certainty of
fuccefs, it is in the prefent ; for the Turkifh
army is perfectly enervated with peace -, ten
quiet years doing more mifchief to it in this
refpect, than forty to any other army in Eu-
rope : the JanirTaries have the abfolute com-
mand of the empire ; and their luxury and
riot, in a time of peace, is fuch, being almoft
without difcipline, that they reduce themfelves
to a level with the worft forces in the Turkifh
army. That, befides this evil, another of a
yet worfe tendency is, the equality of the
Grand Seignor's revenues : money in Turkey
is of the fame cheapnefs as in all other coun-
tries of Europe, hut the taxes of the empire
continue always the fame ; fo that the Turkifh
monarch, although he has now the fame re-
venue as his predecefTors, mil is beyond com-
parifon a much poorer prince. Many authors
have given ftrange accounts that the Turkifh
policy is fqueezing the bafhas, and by that
means raifing a regular revenue 5 but he ob-
ferved, that it is a great mifiake to think this
any equivalent for the decline in the value of
money j that now and then the Grand Seignor
rleeces a bafha, and gets a confiderable fum,
but in no refpedt to be named with any regu-
lar revenue -, that the forfeiture of eftates in
Chriflian countries might almoft as well be

fet

MM TRAVELS T H R O U G H

let down for a revenue, as this of the Turk?.
He remarked, th:t the effects which were
within the power of curious perfons to become
informed of, fhewed that the revenue of the
Turkiili empire was fmaller than in former
times : one itrong inllance was the number of
their troops being leis, and this by lb conti-
derable a number as iixty thou land men. It
is alTerted as a fact, that the Grand Seignor
cannot bring into the field fo many men as
the Ottoman armies conrifted of forty years
ago, by fixty thcuiand. Their artillery,
while great improvements have been made
through all the reft of Europe, has declined
conuderably ; it does not conlift of fo many
pieces as formerly, nor are the magazines of
ammunition fo well fupplied. That in addi-
tion to this evil, the richefr. province of his
empire, which is Egypt, is in a ft ate of lit
leis than rebellion ; and the war with Rui
bears fo heaw on them, that they dare not
call for a categorical declaration, aim
knowing that it would denounce nothing but
war.

In oppofition to this picture, he eolai
upon the ftate of Ruina, which, initead of
being a declining, is really a riling power j
that the EmprelVs army never was in lb good
order, nor fo numerous as at prefent; that

tta

RUSSIA. 203

the troops were veterans, and not fuch
as had, in a hot and luxurious climate,
flept away their time in peace, but freih from
a vigorous fervice — men who fcarcely knew
what peace was. The fuccefs, continued he,
which we have already had, (hews that there
is a great difference in the principle of this
war from any former one between the two
empires. It was the bufinefs of two or three
campaigns to prepare for the war, and gain a
fituation from which the enemy might be at-
tacked. Our armies fought to infinite difad-
vantage ; they hid zn immenfe march acrofs
delarts to make, in order to get at the enemy ;
and, after a campaign, as long a march back
to get at winter quarters : but now the fcene
has been changed ; the northern more of
the Euxine is gained ; conquefls made in
Moldavia and other Turkifh provinces ; fo
that the war is pumed at once into the ene-
my's country, and winter quarters gained
there, which is precifely the thing that was
always wanting before ; and therefore the
poileffion of it at prefent can hardly fail of
being attended with the moil fortunate con-
fequences. I think it would be no extrava-
gance to predict the fall of the Turkiih em-
pire being not very far off."

The

so+ TRAVELS THROUGH

The Count de Minchewfe was of a diffe-
rent opinion from M. de Reverfholt in feveral
converfations on mis fubjedl; and the argu-
ments he ufed were to the following purport :
i " I cannot contradict, faid that noble-
man, the fact of our arms having a better
profpect of fuccefs in this war than in any-
former one ; but there are two circumftances
which appear to me iufficiently ftrong to pre-
vent any fucji brilliant fuccefs as my friend
mentions. Firft, by beating the Turks, and
carrying on two or three campaigns, their
;army will be daily improved, while no fuc-
cefs can make ours better than when they
began the war. In every war which the
Ottoman empire or theHoufe of Auilria have
carried on againft us, they have improved in
the fuccefs of their arms from the continu-
ance of the war ; their raw, undifciplined
troops become veteranSj and order and cou-
rage introduced among them from experience.
This eircumftance makes a long and protract-
ed war dangerous in itfelf, or at lean: more
favourable to the enemy than it can be to uc.
The revenues alfoof the two empires, though
»here is much truth in what has been averted,
full will not bear a companion relative to the
conduct of a war. The Grand Seignor can
certainly fupport great expences longer than

the

RUSSIA. 205

the Emprefs ; and, what is of much greater
confequence, his fituafion will ever make one
ruble go as far as our five ; for the Black fea
keeps open a eonftant navigation for fupport-
ing their armies directly from their grand
magazine, Conftantinople ; and which will
always be of great fervice, though a Ruffian
fleet was upon that fea; but if they were de-
prived of that advantage, yet there is no com-
parifon between the eafe of recruiting the
Turkifh armies with the beft. troops from
their provinces immediately at their backs,
and the immenfe diflance which every thine
from Ruflia has to go before it can arrive at
our army -, and this, I think, is almoft fufficient
to prevent any very important fuccefs. All
thefe points can hardly fail of making a pro-
tracted war more fatal to us, by the greatnefs
of the expence, than it can be to the Turks.
As to making a very bold pufli to finifh the
war in two or three campaigns, by aiming
fpeedily at Conftantinople, there are too many
dangers in the plan to think that any com-
mander would hazard it. From the two
great frontier fortrefles, Ockzakow and Ben-
der, there are near four hundred miles to
Conftantinople. The Danube, with its fix
mouths, and vail; marfhes, befides a great line
of fortrefles, all lis in the way; and after that,

near

zo6 TRAVELS THROUGH

near three hundred miles of a very defenfibfe
country. Such a march muft, in the nature
of the proportion, leave all the provinces to
the weft of Moldavia and Wallachia behind ;
fo that nothing would be eafier than a Turkifh
army to be collected in thofe provinces, and
to cut oft the communication and retreat of
the grand army : in fuch a fituation it would
be almoft impoflible for it to efcape ruin.
The Turks would have nothing to do but to
deftroy the country, harrafs its march, and
cifpute every inch of land, and every poft, ftill
avoiding a general engagement : the leaft er-
ror in the Ruffian general would be deflruc-
tion, and nothing but continued and fignal
victories could be crowned with fuccefs. In
fuch a fituation, I am not clear that the taking
Conftantinople would be decifive. But the
war could never be carried on upon this plan -,
none is feafible but making abfolutely fure of
all the country as you advance ; to leave no-
thing behind you unconquered, or unpof-
fefTed ; but to advance flowly, campaign after
campaign. If ever we are able to make any
impreiTion of confequence upon the empire of
the Ottomans, it mufl certainly be in this
method."

This difcourfe I thought carried with it
great marks of knowledge, and a very atten-
tive

RUSSIA. 207

tive eye to the chances of the prefent war
with the Turks ; and I muft again repeat,
what I obferved upon another occafion, that
whenever a perfon, who minutes the obferva-
tions he has made in his travels, has the fa-
tisfaction of meeting with perfons thus capable
of yielding inftruction, it may be as ufeful to
take notes of their opinions as of his own ;
and accordingly I have feldom failed doing it.
Upon revifion, I am inclined to own, that
fuch parts of my memorandums have greater
value than I mould have been able to have given

them. 1 alked the baron, if he did not

think that events of great importance might
attend a victorious Ruffian fleet in the Euxine?
He replied, I do not fee that events, fuch as
we have been fpeaking of, can ever arife
from it, except in one cafe ; and the poffibi-
lity or probability of that muft depend on cir-
cumftances, of which we are all ignorant till
they are tried. In making a conquefl of the
Crim, or of the provinces to the north of the
Danube, and to awe and curb the Tartars in
the Turkifh alliance ; in all thefe cafes, a vic-
torious fleet would be of infinite importance,
and give advantages to our arms which no
other circumftances could. But I do not ap-
prehend it poflible for any fleet to force its
way through the Straights, and attack Con-
6 ftantinople

2o8 TRAVELS THROUGH

ftantinople by water. But if the fleet on the
Black fea was numejous enough to take ori
board the whole Ruffian army, with all its
camp, baggage, artillery, provifions, &c. I
know not whether it would not be poffible to
land them within two or three days march
of Conftantinople ; nay, in cafe the coaft is fa-
vourable to difembarking, in one day's march.
In this cafe, the expedition would noPbe in
the abfolute danger of mifcarrying from a
march of four hundred miles, with a certainty
of the retreat being cut off, but the event
thrown at once on that of a battle, in a fitua-
tion where a victory, fupported and maintained
by fuch a fleet, would probably overthrow
the empire ; for there is a wide difference be-
tween gaining fuch a victory frefh from the
fhips, and fo fupported, and the fame fuccefs
without any fupport, and after the repeated
and certain loffes of a long and defperate
march. But to fuch a fcheme there would
be many objections, though not fo ftrong as
to the other : the greater! would be the dif-
ficulty of procuring, manning, and fup-
porting fuch a fleet as would be neceffary to
make the conduct at all fecure; and this is fo
great, that it would never be poffible to effect,
in confequence of events that fell out after a
war began ; for many years would be necef-
fary

RUSSIA. 209

fary for the mere building fuch a fleet, and
great treafures mud be expended in it. It
could never therefore be executed without
the idea being conceived in a time of peace,
and the fleet built in confequence, and ready
for ufe, with fkilful mariners and pilots ready
at the breaking out of the war : which ftate
of the cafe fuppofes the Emprefs to be in'pof-
feffion of all the north coaft of that fea, and
to have the free navigation of it j for with-
out both, it would be impoffible to think of
the execution of fuch a plan. Thus you fee
what long preparation muft in any cafe be
necefiary to form a confident plan for attack-
ing Conftantinople; and yet I am perfuaded
that this is the only plan that can ever prove
fuccefsful. Firft, there muft be a war, and
a fuccefsful one ; for fuch mud be that which
gives pofleffion of Little Tartary and the
Crim to the Emprefs. After this war,
no time mould be loft in railing a naval
force upon the Black fea, fuperior to any
thing the Turks can fit out. Thirdly, that
fea muft be moft minutely navigated, that
every {hip may have a pilot who knows the
rocks, banks, currents, &c. And laftly, a
fucceeding war muft happen fo fuccefsful, as
to put us in pofleffion of the provinces north
of the Danube -, for even by fea it mieht be
Vol. III. P " fatal

fatal to make the attempt with a ftrong

eneniy left behind lb near as (Xkzakow, Ben-
der, or anv places id that country. — When
all thefe previc ps were taken, a;:a had

proved fuccefsful, then I mould fuppofe the
attempt might be made, and with a proba-
bility of fuccefs. I do not fpeak of the prac-
ticability of landing on the fouth-weft ccaft
of the Euxine, becaufe I have been often told
that it is ail a \t:y fafe ccail, and proper for
landing on."

yhc hole month of December, and the
beginning of January 1770, we (pent in c:>-
mutual viiats at Pet;. ; and I may lay

with great truth, and without pavir.^ the o-
ther members a compliment, that I never
paiTed any time more agreeably : now and
then Mr. Maibn and my fetf appeared at court,
which is neceiTary here ; and the Emprefs
learning that we were great travellers, entered
more than once into converfation with us ;
and enquired into our opinions of feveral ob-
jects we had viewed. She is referved in the
manner of her fpeech, but has a noble open
countenance, with a becoming greatness in
her air and carriage. There is nothing lively
or pleaiing at court, the whole being but a
dull tho' a fine fcene. It is certain that the
great wifdem which has hitherto appeared

in

RUSSIA. 2ii

in al] the actions and councils of this princefs,
flows from her own perfonal genius and a-
bilities : I have not learned that (he has any
minifters, whofe diflinguithed parts would
give one any reafon to fuppofe the fuccefs
owing to them ; befides, it is well known
here, that the Emprefs is very determinate in
her opinion. She afks and hears the advice
of her council upon important affairs ; but
flie generally follows her own opinion, which
is evident from her acting directly contrary
to the opinion of the whole in two or three
affairs of confequence; and in which the fuc-
cefs that followed, proved clearly that her.
own judgment was better than that of all her
minifters. She is remarkable for being ex-
ceeding quick in her decifions ; fhe never
acts from long and repeated confederation,
but determines almoh: inftantaneoufly, and
executes with equal.]celerity. Such a difpo-
fition is certainly fitter for the conduct of
great affairs, than one in which more caution,
and a greater degree of prudence appeared ;
for nothing is fo fatal in the government of an
empire, as inconftancy and irrefolution. He
who confiders long before he determines,
muft infallibly mifs many opportunities,
which to more active minds are feized the in-
ftant they appear.

P 2 The

2\Z T I. , If

The !aft week in January, Mr. Mafon in-
formed me that he had determined on an excur-
iion into Siberia on the fnow, and attempted
to perfuade me to accompany him j I did not
like the fcheme, as it mufl prove a long and
tedious journey; and inmyturn, Ipropofed an
excurfion wherever he pleafed for a month,
which would give us both an opportunity of
feeing the nature of this travelling; we con-
verted often upon this fubject before we could
decide ; as we prefently determined to break
the length of the winter, by fome excurfion
of this fort. I expatiated to him upon the
drearinefs of fo long a journey upon the fnow,.
and offered to accompany him to Ifpaham, in
Perfia; which was moving into a warm cli-
mate, inftead of freezing on the fnows of the
north; befides, iuch a plan would mew us
a country highly worthy of our attention, and
introduce us into quite a new fcene. He ob-
iecled to taking iuch a journey in the depth
of winter, averting, and truly, that to have
it agreeable, it mould be made in the fpring„
At lafl he came into the fcheme of a fhort
excurf on ; and that we might have the fnow
in perfection, he determined to point full
north, and viflt Archangel, and the coafl of
the White fea.

As

RUSSIA. *i3

As this journey was more a fcheme of a-
-m-ufement than obfervatiori ; and as it was per-
formed while the ground was covered feveral
feet deep with frozen fnow, it afforded very
little matter that is worthy of regiftering in
this journal. We croiTed the lake of Ladoga,
upon the ice and fnow to Oloucky, thence
crofs the lake Onega to Cargapol, and from
thence through a great foreft to Archangel.
The diftance is about three hundred miles,
which took us only five days ; we flopped for
lodgings at the towns we paffed; and the
fcenery of the country, which exhibited a
world of fnow in every phantaftic form that
can be imagined, was a fource of perpetual
amufement. The weather was veryfevere;
but it is incredible how warm a compleat fuit
of fur, well furrounded with cloaks of the
fame, keeps one -, I believ'el could have flept
all night upon the fnow, and full in the
keenefl wind, without any other covering
than my furs ; but travelling in cold coun-
tries has made me hardy ; Mr. Mafon often
complained, when I felt not the leaf* incon-
venience. The fmcoth and immenie plain
formed on the two lakes, is an object ama-
zingly ftriking ; and the vail: forefts riling out
of the fnow in fome places, and in others co-
vered with it, exhibited fcenes infinitely masr-

P 3 nificent

2i4 T R A V E L S THROUGH

nificent. I had many opportunities of feeing
the winter life cf the peafants, the inhabi-
tants of lonely cottages in the midft of thefe
unbounded lnowy regions. They lay in a
flore for winter of faked meat indifcriminate-
]y of whatever fort they have ; alfo a quantity
c : rye, barley, peafe or meal ; and they lay
up likewife, a confiderable portion of dried
fifh, which they cure in the fmoak of their
cabbins : this winter flock, with the fowls
and accidental beads they kill in ranging the
forefls, fupply them tolerably well. They
cloath themfelves very warm in the fkins of
ordinary forts ofbeafts, that hardly deferves
the name of furs : and the plenty of wood
every where to be found, makes firing fo
cheap an article to them, that their winter
lives I take to be much more comfortable than
their fummer ones ; for their lords have not
fo much work for them to perform, fo that
more cf their time is their own ; the greatefl
regale that can be given them is that of a
c:\:mj and we have often found, that they
would in any little contract perform much
more than they agree to, if a dram is added.
This in fo cold a country, and where the ar-
ticles of luxury among the poor are fo ex-
tremely limited, is not to be wonder'd at.

Archangel

RUSSIA. 315

Archangel is a fmall town, almofl: on the
mouth of the Divini, which river is very broad,
and deep, and forms an excellent harbour.
It contains about five thoufand inhabitants,
but the number once was near thirty thou-
fand, when it was the great flaple of all the
trade which the Englifh and Dutch carried on
with Ruffia, before Peter the great founded
Peteriburg. It is worthy of obfervation, that
from that port there was a confiderable ex-
port of RuiTian commodities, particularly na-
val {lores and furs, before that great com-
merce was in being, which has fince arofe
at Peteriburg. In thofe days it was not an
uncommon thing to fee three or four hundred
vail of mips at a time in this harbour, but
now very few refort there : It is a poor place;
the buildings containing nothing that is at all
worthy of notice : They have a cathedral,
and an archbimop of the Greek church; but
every thing looks much on the decline.

To avoid returning to Peteriburg by the
lame road we had come, Mr. Mafon propofed
our eroding the White fea on the ice, and ta-
king a fmall compafs through Lapland, and
turning fouthwards round that fea down to the
lake Ladoga, and (o home to Peteriburg :
this plan I readily agreed to, and accordingly
we executed it. From the promontory of
P 4 Catfnoze,

216 TRAVELS THROUGH

Catfnoze, acrofs to Parfiga in Lapland, is
about (even and thirty niiles, which we
patted in lefs than a day, though not without
ibnie danger. From thence we went to Po-
ll ina, then to Kola, almoff. on the north fea,
and turning fouth to Keretta, pafled out of
Lapland from Kovoda, into Carelia, ha-
ving: travelled near five hundred miles through
Mufcovite Lapland. I expected to find nine
tenths of the country a defart ; but it is not
ib; on the contrary there are feveral little
towns, and among thole on the coafl there
is a fmall trade divided ; a fhip on a coafting
voyage now and then comes in fummer, to
purchafe furs with fuch commodities as are
mofl in requeft among the Laplanders. There
is very little cultivation among them ; but
they have large orchards, which furniih them
with an ordinary fort of apple : what corn
they fow, is chiefly rye, and a little barley; and
this is a new thing, for formerly they lived
entirely upon hunting and fifliing, which are at
pvefent their principal dependance ; they dry
both flefh and fifh for winter provifion, and
feem not much to regard the feverities of the
climate. I do not enter into any particular
defcription of them, or their manners, be-
caufe I find that the accounts which I have
read are very juft. The face of the country,

from

R U S S I A. 217

from what could be leen of it in this feafon,
cannot be difagreeable ; it conlifts of many
open plains, gentle hills, and woods ; fome
of which are open groves, having no under-
wood in them. This province pays the Em-
prefs but one tax, which is a certain tribute
of furs i the amount of which is confiderable.
The rental of the eftates, which are iituated
in it, is paid entirely in furs and flans, for
which the peafants have liberty to cultivate
whatever land they want, and alio to hunt and
fill on all the eftates. In fuch a country it may
be fuppoied, that large tracks of land yield
but very fmall returns -, I was allured after-
wards by a gentleman at Peterfburg, that he
has a track of iixtv miles long, by four and
twenty broad in fome places, and the income
of it was not four hundred pounds a year neat
at Peterfburg.

Upon our return to that city, wv renewed our
former fociety in order to pais the reft of the
winter in as agreeable a manner as poilible ;
a purpofe, which I found was fortunately an-
fwered, and made me often reflect with plea-
fure on my determining to winter here. But
I believe, much in fuch cafes is to be attri-
buted to one's determining beforehand to make
the beft of all thole inconveniencies which
may be occafioned by difference of climate or

feafon.

:j3 TRAVELS THROUGH

feaibn. In the depth of winter the inhabit-
ants of Ruiila keep chiefly within doors;
the lociety of the fire-fide is then the only re-
fuse from the inclemency of the weather :
this naturally begets a more fociable temper ;
and a greater willingnefs tobepleafed,thanifall
common objects divided the attention and oc-
cupied one's hopes and fears. Whether this is
or is net a rational account of the matter, I have

however often experienced the cale ; and tho'
mv acquaintance this winter at Peteriburg
wanted no circumftances to let them off
I think I enjoyed their converfation more,
than if k had been in the midft of the mild-
xieisof a winter in Andaluiia.

The count de Sellirne informed us the mid-
dle of March, that he mould very early in
the (bring repair by the Emprefs's order to
Azoph, to make the campaign which v
meditated againft the Turks in Georgia; and
in which he expected acommifnon of import-
ance. This turned our converfation tor ie-
veral days on the views of the court of Ru
in the war in that part of the world ■. and the
Baron Minchewfe averted, that attacking the
Turks in their provinces, between the Black
fea and the Euxine, was one of the wifeft
meafures that could be adopted, and the b
calculated cf any to give a great diverfion to

RUSSIA. 219

their arms, to the eafe of the war in the
provinces on the north of the Danube. It is
a territory of very great importance, from its
iituation between the two feas, as well as from
the finenefs of the climate and the fertility of
much of the foil. It is by means of thefe
provinces that they hold fo great a command
of the Black fea, entirely furrounding it by
their dominions and ports. By thefe pro-
vinces alfo, the communication is kept up
between their other dominions, and the Tar-
tars in fubjection or alliance with them, after
the Ruffian army cuts it off on the weftern
coaft. Such a diverfion, if made by an army
tolerably powerful, would have great effects;
thofe eaftern provinces are weak, drained of
their troops, and the fortreffes never in good
order ; if all the maritime ones were attacked
one after another by an army in concert
with a fleet, the war might in two campaigns
be carried to the fouthern coaft of that fea,
which would alarm the Turks exceedingly,
and occafion great drafts from their grand
army.

Upon another occafion, when we were
converting upon the profpects of the prefent
war, I related the journey I had made from
the Ukraine along the frontiers of Poland to
Peterfburgj and obferved, that an immenfe

track

*-zo TRAVELS THROUGH

track of country was not only in the hands of
the Ruffian troops, but the towns and villages
partly peopled with Ruffians, while the old
inhabitants were all flying intoRuffia: this,
I remarked, had all the appearance of the Em-
press's deiigning to annex thole countries to her
dominions. The Count laid, in reply, that
there were feveral provinces in Lithuania
which the ancient Czars had long claimed;
they were once independent; and after put-
ting themfelves rirft under the protection of
Poland, then under that of Ruffia, and then
going back to Poland again, difputes about
the Sovereignty had happened, which extend-
ed in feme degree to the whole grand duchy
of Lithuania : he therefore fuppoied the Em-
prefs might keep thofe provinces in her
Jiands, if not retain them, at lead for making
a diviiion with the republick, and afcertaining
clearly the boundary, if ever a time of tran-
quillity mould return. Lie faid that there was
great reafon to believe Co very political a
princefs would not mistake ib much, as to
form any considerable conquers from Poland,
and that for two unanfwerable reafons : firSt,
becaufe they are not to her worth having,
after the inhabitants are all fwept away; by
her encouragements fhe attracts the greater
part, and fear fends away the red: : if, on a

peace^

ft U S S I A. 221

peace, the owners of thofe provinces are at the
trouble to re-people them from other parts of
Poland, they will only be at work for her, as
in a future rupture the fame game will be
played ever again, and the Emprefs gain every
thing flie wants, which is not territory, but
people. The fecond reafen is no lefs forci-
ble; if (he was to difmember any provinces
of confequence from the kingdom of Poland, -
fhe would fcarcely fail of bringing the united
arms of Aufhia and Pruffia on her ; neither of
which powers can ever fee, with any degree
of fatisfaclion, the increafe of this empire's
greatnefs, and would declare againft it the
inftant any appearance took place of mak-
ing acquifitions from Poland, which to them?
would carry appearances of greater defigns^
and if Poland fell into the hands of anv nei>h-
bour, the ballance of power in all this part
of the world is at once deflroyed ; and of all
events, none can be more againil: the interefts
of Auflria and Pruffia, than to bring the
Ruffian power nearer to them than it is at
prefent. Peopling her waftes is the great ob-
ject of the Czarina; Polifh provinces would
be of no value to her ; if territory is her ob-
ject, it cannot be in Poland, but en the
Euxine fea, where it would brin£r trade, and
a command with it, of much m^re confe-

6 quer.ee

2z z TRAVELS THROUGH

quence to her than half of Poland. The Ruf-
fians you (aw fettling on the frontier pro-
vince?, mull be merely fuch as are attracted
by the armies with a view of fupplying them,
at a time when the deferted houfes and farms
of the Poles were ready to receive them ; but
they will all be glad to return when the occafion
of their going is removed. Thofe provinces
are now under the civil as well as military ad-
miniltxation of RuiTia, which muft of confe-
quence carry a great number of Ruffians there,
whole refidence can be no longer than the oc-
caiion continues. All will return upon a ge-
neral pacification.

I ihould think, in good politics, the Count's
opinion muft be right ; and that the Emprefs
keeps poiTeiiion of fo many Poliih provinces,
in order to be better able to carry off all the
inhabitants 5 which is certainlv making the
belt ufe of them that can be to her. Bat,
at the fame time, me acquires all that ftrength
which would be the confequence of feizing
the provinces themfelves ; and therefore her
rivals, who would declare againft her for one,
iliould, to be confiftent, do the fame for the
other ; for there certainly can be no doubt but
the increafe of a million of fubjects, fixed on
the crown lands of this empire, would
ftren^then the monarch on the throne far

more

RUSSIA. 223

more than the acquifition of a Polifh pro-
vince, containing a million, and yield four
or five times the wealth.

The approach of the fpring made Mr.
Mafon and myfelf think of leaving Peterfnurg.
He determined to travel into Perfia, and, if
the country is tolerably fettled, to go by land
through the Mogul's empire to our fettlements
on the coafr. of Coromandel ; an idea very
worthy of a man who, I believe, will never
ceafe to travel till he ceafes to live. But as I
have no deiire to pafs away my life without
the fatisfaction of fixing, I (hall bend my
courfe homewards, with the pleafing idea of
turning a country farmer in Northampton-
shire, and putting in practice, on my own
eftate, feme of the various cultures and me-
thods which I have viewed in fo many
places.

The 3d of April, 1770, I left Peterfburg,
taking with me five attendants to conduct me
fafe through Poland ; among whom were
two foldiers, who could fpeak German and
Polifh : of the former language I have enough
to underftand common converfation. Such a
retinue in England would cofl a traveller four
or five pounds a day ; but I could travel in
Rufiia or Poland for four and thirty millings
a day, all expences included, except extraor-

6 din. My

Z24 T I L S T H R O U G H

.ary ones : I ftop at large towns,

B landlord?, though they are very reaibna-

fwell the account higher than

that. I arrived the 5th at Narva, which is

one hundred miles • the country very badlv

abited, but much of it cultivated. The

froft is beginning to go ; fo in ten days or a

fortnight we may expect fummer, which, in

Jimates, comes at once, with-

: the :: tioh of fpring. The lhow

melts -pace ; till it is quite gene, the reads

will be bad ; but I have even, in their pre-

fent circumftances, travelled on wcrfe.

Narva is prettily fituated on the banks of a

fine river, though net a deep one, as mips of

. :t cannot come up to the tewn : it is

;U built, and ftronely fortified. Here is a

conGderable trade in hemp, flax, timber, pot-

s, and moft of the commodities which

exported from Pe: j. Almoft all the

trade is in the hands of the Englilh and

Dutch ; but the former are much the grearteil:

purchafers : the trade which the latter carry

on here has long been on the decline. I left

Narva the 6th, at noon, and taking the banks

of tl r, followed it two days, v. hen I arrived

at : h is above ninety miles from

Narva, landing at the bottom of a very fine

miles broad, and as much

long.

RUSSIA. 225

iong. All this country is pretty well culti-
vated. I law many fields of rye beautifully
green, though fo lately covered with fnow,
and much of them now under it. The 8th I
reached Plefcow, on a lake of the fame name,
fome parts of which, from the wooded iflands
which are thick in it, are very beautiful. All
this country is as well cultivated as any part
of Rufiia. It produces a large quantity of
flax ; but they reckon the foil rather too light
for hemp. They have two feafons for fow-
ing both wheat and rye -, October, and April
and May; but they reckon that the former
feafon yields the befr. produce. They grow
much more corn than is neceffary for their
own confumption, which, with their flax, is
exported by the port of Narva; water carriage
giving them that opportunity at a very cheap
rate. Wheat yields here two quarters, and
fometimes more, upon an acre ; rye not more
than wheat : barley is not fown till the mid-
dle of May, but the heat of the fun brings an
early harveft j it is not reckoned a very pro-
fitable grain here ,• they get from two quar-
ters to two and an half per acre: oats yield
three and an half. I had been informed, that
in Livonia, one method of cultivation was
very extraordinary, which was, that of flood-
ing vales that would admit it, and keeping
Vol. III. Q them

2:6 TRAVELS THROUGH

them as fifh- ponds for three or four years,
and then, letting the water off, they cultivate
it for corn for five or fix years 5 after which
the water mull be let on again to fertilize it
afreLh : but on enquiry I found it was not in
this part of the country : but they uie here
aim oil as many weed, allies for manuring their
lands as they do in Sweden, and fay that no
other manure has io great an effect.

The roads growing but indifferent, I did
not reach I burg till the 10th ; the dif-

tance better than fifty miles. The country is
woody in parts, but much of it very well cul-
tivated. I palled through large tracks of
young wheat and rye, which looked extreme-
Iv well ; and the peafants were all bufy in the
fields with their ploughs, which they work,

ne with horfes, and i'cu^e with oxen. They
were tilling their lands for barley and oats,
and alio flax; for the latter of which they ap-
propriate their '.. , if not wet clays j but

;y prefer a fine light fancy loam for it.
An acre of gc is worth from three to

five pounds ; but they raife much that does
not yield three. Marienburg is afmall town,
tolerably well built, and moil romantically
fituated en a promontory cf land which pro-
jects into a large lake ; fio that it is joined to
the main land only by a narrow neck, not

much

A U SSI A. 2 27

much wider than the road. An inland place
in a country not full of manufa&ures, can
fcarcely be of any great importance. Marien-
burg was once of confequence for its ftrength,
and the fcene of feveral military expeditions,
when belonging to the Teutonic knights.
It is at prefent poor, but ftrong for this part
of the world. The people live cheaply, from
the fertility of the neighbouring country,
and the vail quantity of hfh which they get
cut of the lake. The farmers manure their
land around the lake with a kind of ouze,
which they dig up on the banks of it : it is of
a deep blue colour, about two feet deep, cuts
like wet peat, and is compofed of rotten vege-
tables ; for there is an immenfe growth of
weeds every year in the lake, which drive
afhore and rot, and, with a mixture of mud,
forms this manure, which is of the nature of
marie, and fertilizes their fields for many
years. I have no doubt but the fame mate-
rials might be found on the coafts of many
other lakes ; but cuftom not having made the
ufe of them common, the hufbandmen neglect

o

them.

The nth I got to Pebalgen, another town
built on a lake j the diftance about forty miles,
through a territory, part good, and part of it
marfhy; but all the lands that would admit

Q_2 of

228 TRAVELS THROUGH
of culture, Teemed to be under cultivation, and
yielded wheat, rye, barley, oats, and pulfe.
They alfo cultivate cabbages for the winter
feed of their herds, which are very numerous.
It is a large red cabbage, which flands the
utmoft feverity of the winter, and is taken
from under the fnow in full perfection for all
forts of cattle, who are wonderfully fond of them.
They ufed to fow the Swedifh turnep for this
uie, but come more into the cabbaee, from
rinding the produce much greater. As to its
ftanding the winter, from the obfervations I
have made, I am inclined to believe the cli-
mates in which vegetables faffcr moft, are
not thofe where great quantities of fnow fall,
but fuch as have fevere frofts without any
fnow : the fnow keeps them warm, and greatly
protects them from the keen frofty winds,
which in other countries cut off io many
vegetables. There is not much flax in this
line of country ; but they cultivate a little
hemp : however they depend moil upon
common hufbandrv. It is remarkable that
there is a great difference between Livonia,
and the other parts of Ruflia which I have
been in. The ancient provinces generally
are divided into the eftates of the nobility,
who cultivate them by means of ftewards
and agents, the peafants being all Haves. But

in

RUSSIA. 229

in the Ukraine, the land belongs to little
freeholders, if I may fo call them, who cul-
tivate their own property. Now in Livonia
the cafe differs from both ; for here eftates
are of all fizes, and let out upon farming
leafes, as in England. There are many feats
of country gentlemen, who all have a part of
their eftates in their own hands ; but the pea-
fants, though not fo much at their eafe as in
free countries, yet are not enfiaved ; they
hire large tracks of land, which fome of them
cultivate extremely well ; and many of them
are worth confiderable fums of money for this
part of the world.

The 1 2th I rode near fifty miles to Crop-
per, through a country moft beautifully wa-
tered with fmall lakes and rivers ; it is diver-
fified with gentle hills and groves of fine trees,
and great part of it well cultivated ; many
parts of England have a much worfe appear-
ance. The peafants from the general activity
feen among them, I take to be a very induf-
trious fet of people ; fcarcely any arable field
but what had ploughs at work in it ; the foil
is fandy, for loams and clays require fome
time to dry after the fnow is gone, before they
will admit the cattle to till it ; but thefe lands
inclinable to fand are prefently dry enough
for tillage; they plough variouily for their
Ct3 fpring

23o TRAVELS THROUGH

fpring corn, fome only once, others three
times. Flax is cultivated by many of them j
but they afTu-red me that wheat paid them

-:er, though fome farmers have now and
then fuch good flax-crops as induces them to
continue the culture. I remarked that moil
of them are very attentive throygh the winter
feafon in railing dunghills, or rather comport
heaps near their houfes; for there was fcarcely
a farm without a great fquare heap piled up
to a considerable height; they are compofed
of the dung of their cattle, which they win-
ter in houfes, and litter them with rufhes and
other aquatic weeds, which they cut up for that
purpofe in their numerous Likes and rivers ;
they alfo add great quantities of mud, alio
wood ames, &c. and at this time of the year,
thev mix thefe hills together, turning them
over, and incorporating the ingredients ; after
which they leave them, till they low barley
or plant cabbages, fpreadiog them on the land
before the laft ploughing. This mud: all be
Llent fyftem of husbandry.

Tnc 13th in t' rncon I reached Riga

which is the mofl conliderable place for trade
next to Peterfhurg in the Ruilian dominions.
It (lands very advantageoufly for commerce,
near the mouth of the river Dwina, which,

th its brandies extending a great way into

Poland

RUSSIA. 23 1

Poland and Ruffia, bring immenfe quan-
tities of commodities which are exported from
this city: Among thefe the principal are
hemp, flax, timber for marls and other pur-
pofes ; pitch, tar, and pot afhes ; all thefe com-
modities are produced in the provinces or near
them, through which thofe rivers run; and
fome of them by means of fhort land carnage
from one river to another, much further
even from the. Ukraine and the Poliln pro-
vinces that border upon Turkey. It appears
by the regifters of the cufiom-houfe at this
town, that more than five hundred fail of
fhips, from one hundred and fifty to four
hundred tons, have been loaded here in ayear -,
three hundred of which were Dutch, and
one hundred and fixty Engliih -, but of
late the trade of the town has declined, for
at prefent there are not many more than four
hundred fail cleared outwards, of which about
two hundred and forty are Eng3i(h. Every
ton of the goods they carry from hence,
might be had at our own plantations ; but for
want of due encouragement we come to Ruflia
for them, and pay fome hundred thoufand
pounds bailance on the account ; which is an
inftance of miftaken politicks that never was
to be equalled in the annals of the Dutch re-
publick.

CL4 I had

i&z TRAVELS THROUGH

I had a letter of recommendation to Mr.
Scueen, a principal merchant in this town,
with whom I fpent the evening ; and he not
only gave me the heads of the preceding par-
ticulars, but I had alfo fome initru&ive con-
vention with him on the prefent ftate of the
province of Livonia. Of all Peter the great's
conq'uefls, this was the mod important ; be-
ing a country which for its produces, ports
and iituation is of the higheft importance to
ivuffia. It forms upon an average, a fquare
of 200 miles every way, and contains bet-
ter than twenty five millions of acres, and near
a million of people. Above half the lands
he calculates, are under profitable cultivation,
either in arable crops or good meadow ; and
excluiive of woods, marthes, lakes and rivers.
The annual product is about thirteen millions
flerlin^, including timber. Such an eftimate
cannot be accurate, I do not give it the rea-
der as a paper of authority; it is nothing
more than the calculation of a very ingenious
ienlible man, who has many times travelled
all over Livonia. The parts which I faw are
not equal in culture to others in the province,
yet I mould apprehend that half the track I
came through is under culture, meadows in-
eluded ; and as to the number of acres, it is
a geographical fact. But I fhould not con-
o ceive

RUSSIA. 233

ceive there were quite a million of people in
it ; I heard the numoer once eftimated at be-
tween fix and feven hundred thoufand. Sup-
poling ten or twelve millions of acres cultiva-
ted, which does not appear to me an exag-
gerated idea ; I do not fee how the total product
of the province can be eftimated fo low as
thirteen millions. But from this fketch of
particulars, it is eafy to conceive that the
importance of the province to Ruffia is very
great.

Travels

Travels thro5 Poland and Pruffia.

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 237

CHAPTER VII.

"Journey to Dantzick — Defcription of the coun-
try and hiijbandry — Trade of Dantzick —
Journey to Warfaw — Mferable fate of Po~
land — To Breflaw,

THE 14th I left Livonia, and reached
Mittavv, the capital of Courland, the
diftance about eight and forty miles. The
face of the country is exactly the fame as that
of Livonia, and the foil equally fruitful,
which by information I found was the cafe of
the whole dutchy : their products, as hemp,
flax, lintfeed, timber, mails, pot-afh, fkins,
tar, honey, wax, &c. are confiderable. The
whole country is full of black cattle, and they
have many horfes. Mittaw was in the happy
times of the dukes of Courland, when the
Ketler family had quiet porTeiiion, and before
the dutchy and all its towns were ravaged by
the Swedes and Mufcovites, it was then a con-
fiderable and a fine town; it reckoned fifteen
thoufand inhabitants, but now they are not
more than nine thoufand. It is yet an agree-
able place, well built with a handfome du-
cal palace, where is fomething of a court with

guards,

238 travels through
guards, and there is always aftrong garrifon in
it. Of late years there have heen great ad-
ditions to the fortifications. It is now, as well
as the whole dutchy, in the hands of the
Ruffians.

From Mittaw, I reached Zagari in Poland
on the 15th, being about four and forty
miles ; part of the country tolerably cultiva-
ted, but not equal to Livonia, or even to Cour-
land ; there were fome Ruffian foldiers at
Zagari to keep the town and the neighbour-
ing country in order, which they do very ef-
fectually ; and a great advantage it is to thefe
parts of Poland, where the civil war is thus
kept under by a foreign power. The ad-
vantages of all the cultivation I faw are in the
hands of the Ruffians, for the Polifh nobles
through moil of the great province of Samo-
gitia are driven from their eftates, and the
profits of fuch of them as are not de-
populated all go to the Ruffians. The cot-
tages of the peafants are as mean as can well
be conceived; they are chiefly built of turf,
and covered with the fame, being drawn up
in a fpiral form to a point, where is an aper-
ture for the fmoak to go out ; the room is
large enough for the family and the cattle;
all lye together and in the fame manner. I
had read that they ufed in this province none

but

P O L A v; D AND P R U S S I A. 239
but wooden plough-mares, through a ridi-
culous notion that the iron damaged their
crops ; but this is not true, for I faw many
ploughs at work for barley, and all of them
had iron mares, but of a moil: aukward con-
duction.

The 1 6th I got to Rofenne, the diftance
near fixty miles ; through a country that had
hardly any appearance of prefent cultivation ;
many villages I paffed that were deferted, fe-
veral manfions in ruins, and fields entirely
wafte that had once been tilled ; the whole
a very melancholy fpectacle ; but much of
the country was partly marfh and forefL
The town of Rofenne is a fmall fortified place,
which has a Ruffian garrifon ; there is an ap-
pearance of nothing but poverty in it. The
17th I got to Swingy, a little town about
thirty four miles from Rofenne; there isfome
land in this line of country under cultivation,
being the eflate of a nobleman who enjoys it
in tolerable peace under the protection of Ruf-
fia. They fow barley, oats, peafe, beans,
and a little rye ; I faw feveral ploughs at work;
and upon examining them, found that the
ihares were wood, to my no fmall furprize; I
enquired the reafon of this, and they could
give me none, only that they never ufed anv
other fort ; the land here is fandy, and did not

feem

24o TRAVELS THROUGH

Teem to yield good crops : the rye was full of
weeds ; I afked if it was to be weeded, and
they told me they never weeded any corn at
all. The nobleman is an old man, who has
his eftate managed in the fame way as his fa-
ther had; that is, the peafants are miferably
oppreffed by his ftewards, and his own in-
come at the fame time contemptible.

The i Sth I travelled fortymiles toStocken,
all in Pruilia, the country fandy, and not
much of it well cultivated, but the peafants
are much more at their eafe than in Poland,
and this country being fubjecl to the king of
Prufiia, no Ruffians, no Polilh confederacies
nor any difturbances happen in it, which is a
very great advantage to agriculture 5 tho' I
yet have feen nothing that gives me any great
idea of their knowledge in thatfcience. This
country is much more populous than Samo-
gitia, and the houfes of the peafants built of
much better materials. I paffed two or three
villages entirely inhabited by Poles who have
fled their country, and fettled here by order
of the king of Prufiia ; though without any of
that noble encouragement I faw exerted in
Ruflia; and I believe thofe who take refuge
in the latter country, are in other refpecls
better treated than they are in Prufiia. The
19th I got by dinner to Koningfburg, the di-

ftance

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 24.1
fiance being only twenty miles through a
country pretty well cultivated, and tolerably
peopled, though the foil is in general fandy,
and from its appearance I mould not apprehend
it very good. All the country people were now
bufy in preparing their land for fpring fown
corn ; they plough here with only two cattle
in a plough ; and I faw fome drawn by a little
horfe and a cow -, or a little ox ; this is very
practicable with fo light a foil : they fow large
quantities of buckwheat, and reckon it more
profitable than barley. Koningfburg is the
mod considerable town which the King has in
Pruffia; it is tolerably well fituated, and has
a very good harbour with fome trade, but not
near equal to that of Riga, though it is a
hanfe town. The export is in the fame ar-
ticles, except hemp and flax, of which the
quantity is too inconfiderable to mention.
Upon the coaft are found fometimes large quan-
tities of yellow amber, which is to be bought
at Koningfburg. The ftreets are broad, but
irregular and not well paved ; but there are
many very good buildings in it, and they
reckon above twenty thoufand inhabitants.
The King has made feveral attempts to in-
creafe its trade, but they do not fcem to be
attended with any great effect. Dantzick, en
one fide, and Riga on the other, are two fuch
Vol. III. R rivals,

:<ri TRAVELS THROUGH

rivals, that this place cannot make its trade
good again ft them for any thing further than
the mere amount of the. products of that track
of country, which lies nearer to it than to any
other.

The 20th I reached Ladfperg, at about
fortv miles from Koningfburg : the country
all fandy, and, that circumftance confidered,
pretty well inhabited. Buck- wheat is a great
crop with them, I found. They do not low
it till the end of May : the produce is greater
than that of any other grain or pulfe, and the
it raw they reckon nearly equal to hay for
cattle ; an obiervation I had not any where
heard of before. The peafants of this country,
I fmdj are all much freer than in Poland, but
they pay very heavy taxes to the King ; yet
they are net in fuch bad circumltances as the
Poliih peafants, becaufe taxation is regular;
whereas the payments made by the peafants
to their lords in Poland, are fo capricious, that
they never know when they have paid their
total : moft of it being in cattle, and irregular
perfonal fervices, the bed; liberty that can be
given to peafants is to compound all fuch for
monev, which makes their burthens regular,
however heavy they may be ; and when this
fyftem is extended as far as it will go, it in-
cludes the tenures of land 5 fo that all the

eflates

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 213
eftates are let on leafe, and the landlord's
whole property pays him a regular intereft in
money : this is the higheff. advantage that
can any where be made of the foil — it will
in this cafe always be bed: cultivated, and
yield a greater total product than in any other
fyftem, at the fame time that many more
people are maintained than in any other way.
It is not at all neceifary that a country mould
be free, in order for this fyftem to reign ; it is
as general throughout France, and the arbi-
trary governments in Italy, as it is in England.
The people, it is true, may be oppreffed -3 but
then the oppreffion is different : in France,
the proportion of taxes paid by the farmers
and peafants is quite out of all proportion to
the other claries of the people ; but then
there is a regularity in their burthens, which
renders them bearable. Taxes upon land,
cattle, crops, or on whatever they may be laid,
mud: in their nature have fomething of regu-
larity and proportion in them ; but the per-
fonal fervice in which the lower ranks of
Poland are kept, is a mere flavery, fuch a
defpotifm as the planters in the Weft-Indies
ufe over their African (laves, Comcared
with this, the oppreffed (fate of the Ruffian
peafants is an abfolute freedom ; befides

R 2 which,

TRAVELS THROUGH

which, there are manv farmers who hire

-As by tenure.-.

The 2ifl carried me about forty miles to

Elbing ; the country all fandy, yet tolerably

well cultivated. It is remarkable that buck-

ieat, upon thefe fands, very often yields as

pro! a produce as wheat on the befr.

foils : they gel .. : quarters an acre off

and the ftraw they reckon excellent food

their cattle in winter. Swedim turneps

they alio raiie to advantage upon them ; and

tillage is fo eafy, from the lightnefs of the

draught, that they plough their land, after

the firft time, with a fingle horfe or cow : but

this ploughing with cows is only while they

are dry; they do net life them while tl

Elbing is, next to Dantzick, the

mofl conliderable town in Polifh Pruffia : it

pretty, neat, and well-built place, with a

trade that :.; .". e a brifk circula-

tion of money imong the inhabitants: they

.; man] (hips in a year, fometimes at

thirty . corn, timber, potatoes, and

It is ftriking, in every little

town, to fee tl - - priority that refults from

trade: a amerce gives a circulation

iffufes happinefs through
. : pie ; the houfes are t
. :lt, new ones are ereded, and every

bod'v

POLAND \4ND PRUSSIA. 245
body lives well. But in a country town,
fupported by nothing but the agriculture
around it, every thing is the contrary j the
houfes are poorly built, many are falling into
ruin, and all ranks of the people are poor and
unhappy. Such are the confequences of
bringing commerce into a country, which
never fails of giving a new appearance to
every object.

The 22d I arrived at the famous city of
Dantzick; the diftance about forty miles. I
crofled feveral branches of the Viftula, part
of the country being within the liberties of
the city. This territory, though a poor fandy
foil, is mod highly cultivated, and mews, in
every acre, the infinite advantages which
refult from liberty and wealth. The burghers
have their villas in this territory ; and all of
them have farms, which they manage in a
manner much fuperior to the hufbandry that
is to be fecn any where elfe in Poland. I faw
forne very fine fields of wheat on this appa-
rently barren fand, which I dare fay the mod
fertile land in Poland does not exceed : this
was owing to manure brought from Dantzick,
fuch as dung of all forts, afhes, the fweepings
of the flreets, the offals of the mops, &c.
which being carried out of the city, unto
heaps, is fold into the country by the public
R 3 fcavengers 5

' ELS THROUGH
fcavengers ; moft of it is bought by the
Dantzickers for their farms ; and they raife
by this means as fine corn, ecc. on their poor
fand, as the ricbeft foils yield that are not
equ. rured.

Dantzick is a very considerable city, well
iituated on the mouth of the Viftula, with a
very advantageous harbour for all but the
largefl fhips. It very much refembles Ham-
:!:, both in the loftinefs of the houfes,
the manner of building them, and in the nar-
rewnefs of the flreets. The ftreets and houfes
:h cleaner than any ether: in this part
of the world; but neatnefs is not carried to
the length it is in Holland. The principal
ftreets are planted on each lide in the Dutch
way, which is an inftance of ill tafre in the

rinal, which one c I but be furprifed

at ever feeing copied. The city is not large,

; circu :rence not exceeding three miles :

it is fortified with a wall, and a double ditch j

but the Strength alone that is its fecurity, is

tereft of all their neighbours that the

:e mould continue free : in which circum-

:.ce it is in the fame predicament as Ham-
burgh. Two thoufand regular troops, excel-
lently provided and armed, would be a very
weak garrifon ; but they have not feven hun-
dred to fpare, and thcie neither in difcipline,

arms,

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 247
arms, or magazines, comparable to the fame
number of men in any regular fervice in Eu-
rope. In a word, Dantzick has a ftrength to
refill: nobody but the Poles. They have an
arfenal full of ufelefs arms, and talk of pof-
feffing two or three hundred pieces of cannon ;
but a great train of artillery may be as inlig-
nificant, as are thefe of Dantzick, as a maga-
zine of match-locks.

But the commerce of this city is the object
that is alone worth attention ; it pofTeffing,
they reckon, fixteen in twenty parts of all
the trade of Poland. This is by means of
the river Viftula, and its numerous branches,
which fpread through a vafr. extent of that
kingdom, and are navigable almoft wherever
they go. The great article of export is corn,
and particularly wheat ; they fend off fome
years to the amount of five, fix, and (tvQn
hundred thoufand pounds ; and once the
amount arofe to one million two hundred and
forty thoufand pounds. Of late years, the
quantity is much declined, and, fince the
prefent troubles in Poland, has been very
trifling ; fo that the total, laft year, it was faid,
did not amount to one hundred thoufand
pounds. 'All the corn comes in floops and
flat-bottomed barges, that carry from thirty
to fixty tons, and fome more, and wholly on
R 4 account

TRAVELS THROUGH
account of the landlords, who are all nobles
by virtue of their pofTeffing lands. It is raifed
on their eftates by their peafants, who, as I
before obferved, are all flaves ; fo that the Poles
may be faid to farm their whole eftates, what-
ever be the extent: the barges are their own ge-
nerally, and the watermen that navigate them
are fome of them their vaffals, and others free-
men, whom they hire in the cities and towns on
the river. It is fold to merchants at Dantzick,
who ledge it in their granaries, which are
more capacious than thofe of any town in Eu-
rope, fome of them eight ftories high. The
boats bring, befides corn, all the other articles
of fale which the Polifh eftates produce, par-
ticularly pot-afh, mafts, plank for (hip-build-
ing, pipe ftaves, which are better than thofe
of Hamburgh, bees-wax in large quantities,
fome hemp and flax, and formerly much of
it manufactured into facking, packing-cloths,
Lr.d even linen, but this of late years is much
declined : of all tbefe articles, to the amount
of three or four hundred thoufand pounds,
but fometimes not near fo much. The boats,
on their return, carry back to the nobles,
cities, and towns, ail the commodities and
manufactures which they want. Among
tbefe are reckoned, iron from Sweden, of
. e reck two thoufand tons a

year,

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 249
year, but the import is fallen to a thoufand ;
Eaft-India goods of all forts, manufactures of
woollen and fine linens, filks, brandy, wines,
&c. The Dutch have all the fupply of India
goods, and mod of that of linen and woollen ;
and the French the principal part of the filks,
brandy, wines, and all the Weft-India com-
modities. As to England, her trade with
Dantzick is very inconfiderable, which is en-
tirely owing to our taking off very few of her
commodities : we never pay money for what
plank, pot-am, or hemp we import ; and
when wheat is fo dear in England, that fo-
reign corn is admitted, our merchants have
fometimes fent many lhips thither to load
with wheat, and have paid for their cargoes
with our manufactures, of which none are fo
acceptable in Pohnd as the hardware goods
of Birmingham, Sheffield, Rotherham, 6cc.

Making ufe of a letter of recommendation,
which I had brought from the Count Selliern,
to Mr. Pratfky, a very eminent merchant at
Dantzick, and one whofe great wealth fhews
how well he underftands the trade of the city,
gave me an opportunity not only of getting
the preceding particulars upon better authority
than I could otherwife have done, but, at the
fame time enabled me to make fome enquiries
concerning the prefent date of Poland,refpecting

5 the

250 TRAVELS THROUGH

the factious views and defigns of the feveral
parties which at prefent harrafs that kingdom.
I had tor three years paft read much concern-
ing them in the puhlic prints of many coun-
tries, but could never clearly underftand the
real ftate of the kingdom till I travelled from
the Ukraine to Peterfburg. The account he
gave me was this.

" Poland is divided into two grand parties,
the Roman Catholicks, and the Proteftants
snd Greeks. The former, for fome ages pan1,
have omitted (as has been the cafe in every
country of Europe) no opportunities of op-
prefiing the latter, and depriving them of
that religious liberty to which they have a
riqht by the conftitution of the kingdom.
Thefe oppreilions and invafions of privileges
bes;ot confederacies of nobles, profefiing the
Reformed or Greek religions, who entered
into compacts for the defence of their faith,
and declaring a full refufal to acknowledge
any fovereignty, until their complaints were
redrefled. This ftroke was copied immedi-
ately in mo ft parts of the kingdom where
thole religious are found. This gave rife to
counter confederacies of the Roman Catho-
lick nobles, with this addition, that they, in
their agreement, declared all who did not
accede to it to be enemies to the kingdom.

A

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 25 1
A civil war immediately commenced : Ruffian,
troops, which had long been in the kingdom,
were greatly increafed, upon the Emprefs's
declaring, in a general manifefto, her protec-
tion of the Greek and Reformed religion ;
and all parts of the kingdom were immedi-
ately in arms. In this war, the King, who
diiliked the whole of thefe proceedings, has
been neuter ; though it is very well known
that the Ruffians are his friends, and that
their power preferves him on the throne.
The fuccefs of the war at fir ft was various ;
but every where the effect of it was deftroy-
ing and plundering each other's eftates, and
utterly ruining a considerable part of the king-
dom. In the plunder taken on either fide,
the peafants are always the moft valuable part :
fuch as are not armed by their matters, but
remain at home to cultivate the land, are,
upon a fkirmifh or incurfion which proves
fuccefsful, carried off and planted upon the
victors lands, where they are moft leverely
treated, if they do not immediately conform
to the religion of their new mailers. Such a
fyftem of making war, which has now ra-
vaged Poland three years with great violence,
it may eafily be fuppofed, is well enough cal-
culated for reducing the whole kingdom to the
condition of a defart. The Ruffians have in
3 general

— TRAVELS THROUGH

general been too hard for their enemies, -
have cut in pieces a great number of their
confederacies as faft as they are formed ; upon
:. . .cafion the coanter-rel I Poles

enter and utterly deftroy their eilates, carrv-

- off the peafants, and fixing them u;
their own lands ; and ire fent into Ru:

from almoft every expedition, which, of all
the reft, are thofe only who have any chance
of being fixed out of the reach of conftant re-
volutions. This is the prefent ftate of the
kingdom : more than half of it has been laid

fte fince the war began ; and what threa-
tens the whole is, the number of Roman Ca-
tholic confederacies, which are formed as :
as the Ruffians deftroy the old ones. Nothing
can bring any degree of peace to the kingdom,
but the Empreis increafiog her troops to 1
a number, as to make a conqueit of all the
Roman Catholic part of the kingdom : and
this would give umbrage, it is thought, to
other power;-, although fome of them have
declared in favour of the Reformed and Greek
caufe — that is, in favour of liberty of con-
fcience. While the prefent war laffs between
Ruffia and Tc:
either troops or v for fuch a pi..

I if a peace is concluded with the Porte,

we

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 255
we may then look for more decifive mea-
fures."

Upon my a/king him his fentiments of the
Ruffian acquifitions, and their keeping poffef-
iion of fo many provinces, driving away the
Polifli nobility from their eftates, and carry-
ing mofr. of the peafants into Ruffia; inti-
mating, that I thought the Emprefs had a
fair chance of acquiring fomething impor-
tant ; he replied, — ■* I do not apprehend that
the Emprefs of Ruffia will think of feizing
any Polifli provinces, becaufe that would
make not only all moderate perfons, and all
well-wifhers to their country among the
Poles, her implacable enemies, but would
deprive her of the ftrongeft pretence me has
of interfering, and thereby governing Po-
land : at the fame time, it would bring her
into a war with Pruffia and Auflria; for nei-
ther of thofe powers would fee fuch Ruffian
acquifitions, and lit by quietly. The aims
of that princefs, which I have little doubt are
thofe of a true politician, are to fupport the
party of her own religion, and prevent their
being opprefled, and to gain fuch a general
power in the kingdom, as to have her will be
treated, in all great national meafures, with
due refpecl. Her carrying away the Poliffi
peafants to people her crown lands is moft

certainly

x54 TRAVELS THROUGH

certainly a very political conduct ; for me

U add thereby equally to her ftrength and
wealth."

M. Pratfky infilled on my taking a dinner
with him. which I did. He has a large and
convenient houfe, well furnimed, and much
in the Englifh manner. His wife is an agree-
able, fenfible woman, a native of Silefia,
who talked politicks inceffantly, and was a
ftreouous advocate for the King of PrufTia.
They had a beautiful young lady, their daugh-
ter, who entertained me on the harpfichordj
Dantzick being pretty well fupplied with
jficians from Germany. M. Pratfky lives
elegantly, but in the German manner, which
is all the tafte there : they fit long at meals,
and drink very heartily : and among all the
nations that are fond of the pleafures of the
table, there is always much fociety, and a
cefire of pleaiing, which does inftead of the
more refined manners of the fouthern coun-
tries. Mifs Pratfky, and other ladies I faw,
aim in their dreis, I obferved, at an imitation
of the French tafte : but I cannot fay I could
ever admire any imitations, even in drefs :
whatever nation affects to follow the tafte of
another, will never make any other figure
than that of an halting copyer, who mews as

;h aukwardnefs as falhion. The Englifh

never

POLAND AND P R U S ? I A. 255
never make iuch fools of themfelves as when
they copy the French in their drefs ; the two
nations are of different genius, and different
manners; we never come up to the extrava-
gance of the original ; our copy is always
tame : 20 from London to Paris, vou are in
a new world j you find what was called French,
to be a miferable defective copy of a mifera-
ble original.

During my ftay at Dantzick, I was at the
Golden Crown, a very good inn lately fitted
up and kept by a Dutchman; he charges ve-
ry reafonably, and fupplied me with good
full very frefh, and his wines are excellent,
particularly old hock.

The 26th I left Dantzick and took the road
for Warfaw, in the province of Plofcow : I
was informed there were feveral parties of
confederates and much fkirmiming, I there-
fore took the advantage of travelling; with a
Dantzick burgomafter, going on publick bu-
fmefs to the King with a company of foldiers
for his guard. That day we travelled above
forty rniies to Kirchow, a fmall town through
a fandy track of country, but with many vil-
lages in it. The next day we got to Culm,
once a famous place and a hap. fe- town, but it
has long been in decay, and is now, though
a large place, rilled with nothing but beggars

arid

256 T R A "'ELS THROUGH

and ruins. The fituation is upon a hill, and
would if the town was Well built, be very plea-
fant. From hence we pafTed the 28th through
Thorn to Wladiflaw 3 the former of thefe
towns was a hanfe, and a noted place for
trade before that cf Dantzick, but mod of its
commerce, and inhabitant? are gone; it has
(till, however, a good appearance, the ftreets are
broad, ftrait, and fome cf them well paved,
and the hcufes larze and handfome : here is
vet fome trade by means cf the Yiitula, which
is what keeps the place from the ruin into
whichfo many ethers have fallen. The country
we palled is not fandy, but feems to be a good
loam, and the appearance of the corn in-
dicates good hufbandry, but many ellates
are quite defolate ; we went tl ree

villages that had been re to aihes mere

than a year ago, and no figns ] :t oi being re-

ilt. Wladi built tc

; on theVifhila; the only c n it

that are c: tc :. tl : . athedralj it be:

the fee ofabifhop, ■; :e, and

e bimc: are. which ha 1 I

damaged by a :

The 2 : ow,

on the banks c: I : river, except
marfhes prevent

a very rich foil, ana Dot 3m

an

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 257
an enemy, mewed many figns of good culti-
vation : great champain tracks of open coun-
try are covered with wheat, which looked very
well : the ploughs were bufy in preparing
for barley— no oats are cultivated here. The
land feemed very well tilled by a couple of
little horfes and two oxen : but the ploughs
are of a mod aukward conftruction, and the
peafants know not how to mm a ftiaight fur-
row ; they go as crooked as can well be i-
magined, which is difagreeable to look at, tho'
I apprehend not the worfe for the corn. They
fow a good deal of hemp and flax in this
neighbourhood, which they are very well ii-
tuated for fending, with their corn to Dant-
zick. Wheat produces two quarters an acre ;
barley three, and peafe two and an half. An
acre of hemp, or ofilax is worth about fifty
millings. They have large herds of cattle,
which they feed in fummer in the marfhes
on the Viftula ; and in winter upon cabbages
and turneps, which they always boil in the
German manner before they give them to the
cattle j this is not of much confequence
where wood is fo plentiful; but in England
would do only in the neighbourhood of cdal
mines. But it is highly worthy of trial, to
fee how it would anfwer to follow this cuftom;
becaufe, if one acre boiled goes as far as three
Vol. III. S or

258 TRAVELS THROUGH

or four raw, which I have heard it does, there
are many fituations in which it would be very
advifeable. We palled near a nobleman's man-*
iion, furrounded by a double moat — full of
water, and fome cannon mounted on the bat-
tlements; my fellow-traveller told me, that
this caftle had been often beiiegcd by the op-
polite party; but the nobleman driving all his
peafants and cattle immediately in, had yet
been fuccefsful in repelling them, which
feems to be the only fyftem of life in Poland
for any perfon to have the leaft fecurity ; but
of late he has had the fortune to efcape any
ravages, and is remarkable for the induftry
and attention with which he cultivates his e-
ftate, and takes a mod fatherly care of all
the peafants on it. This is a very rare inftance
in Poland; for they are generally ufed, as I have
often obferved, in a moll opprefiive manner;
but the good effect of this contrary treatment
is extremely vifible in the cafe of this noble-
man, who, tho' with only a fmall eftate com-
pared with many in the kingdom, has by
means of a regular and confident conduct to-
wards his vaffals, and by a conilant attention
to the culture oi' his land been able to fave
much money, part of which he has laid out
in fortifying his caille, which has more than
once preierved his property and his peafants,

and

POLAND AND PRUSSIA,
and the reft is lodged in the bank of Dant-
zick.

The 30th we reached Zadrzin, which is a
flage of more than forty miles, through a
very fine rich country, part of which is fuliy
cultivated : They fow very large quantities of
wheat and barley, but no rye, or oats, peafe
or beans j they fallow their lands for wheat,
and alio lay all their dung in for it, and af-
terwards take two fucceffive crops of barley ;
ploughing thrice for each. Wheat yields four
quarters an acre, and barley three. They
alfo fow fome hemp and flax, and get as line
crops as any in Poland. The country is di-
vided into four eftates, and has efcaped being
plundered, which is owing I fuppofe, to the
vicinity of the capital, where there has ge-
nerally been a pretty ftrong garriibn. All this
country on the Viilula, and between Dant-
zick and Warfaw, is the belt iitaated of any in
Poland ; for the voyage to the former city is
mort, and there are many populous and con-
fiderable towns, particularly Warfaw, which
take off large quantities of the products at a
good market, which is an advantage of the
mofr. valuable kind.

From Zadrzin is only forty miles to War-
faw, the road running all the way within fight
of the Viftula; in fome places fkirting manh-

S 2 es,

zSo TRAVELS THROUGH
es, but in others all through an arable coun-
try. This we travelled the ift of May, ar-
riving at that city in the afternoon. It is the
feat of government, the capital of the king-
dom, and the refidence of the King ; yet
there is nothing finking in it. The ftreets
are many of them crooked and ill paved, the
buildings have little of elegance in them, tho'
fome new ones, few in number make a tolera-
ble fhew ; thefe are houfes belonging to the
Polifh nobles, who make Warfaw their win-
ter refidence. The royal palace is a noble
edifice, being beyond comparifon the finefl
building in Poland. The apartments are
very fpacious, and fome of them new fitted
up and furnifhed in the Englifh manner, be-
ing executed by London artifts, brought
from thence at the king's expence : The room
they call the Hall of Victory, from formerly
having been a hall, is converted into a faloon
hung with tapiftry from BrufTels; the ceiling,
panels, door-cafes, and window frames all
neatly executed in white carving gilt: The
rooms are very numerous, and all the offices
for a court extremely convenient. And here
let me obferve, that notwithstanding the pre-
fent troubles which diftracl: the kingdom, yet
there is a magnificence and a brilliancy dis-
played around the King of Poland, which

fuits

POLAND AND PRUSSIA. 2S1
fuits very ill with the flate of his mind, than
which by all accounts nothing can be more
unhappy. His majefty is certainly a man of
quick parts, and has a truly patriotick con-
cern for the miferies of his kingdom, which
he is utterly unable to prevent : the flate in
which he lives is the regular court, which the
republick maintains for all its kings; and it
is fo much a piece of republican magnifi-
cence, that the King has not all the offices
in it in his own power. The court days do
not exhibit any great circle of Polifh lords —
the moil confiderable in the kingdom are not
only in oppofition to the crown, but even in
open arms againft it. But the officers who
are obliged to attend the nobles of the King's
party, foreign minifters, and Ruffian officers,
all together fill the room pretty well. There
is a Polifh regiment of guards, of a thoufand
men, difciplined in thePruffian manner, raifed
by the prefent King, and he often reviews
them; the officers as well as private men are
Poles, but none of them nobles; they are
colleded from all the other daffies, and de-
pend abfolutely on the will of the King; this
is a meafure which was brought about by de-
grees, and with great art : it has been of un-
common confequence to the King; for by
means of this body of troops, he has been able
S 3 to

262 TRAVELS THROUGH

to move into feveral parts of the kingdom,
without the guard of a Ruffian army, which
is a moft unpopular, tho' a very neceffary mea-
fure at prefent; on moftoccaflons it is not clear-
ly known from what fund the King is able to
pay this regiment, tho' his ceconomv and
private fortune would in better times eallly
accomplish it ; but the publick revenue in
the mid ft of the prefent confufions, fuffers
extremely. If he is able to augment this
corps by degrees, introducing none but men
of low birth, mere foldiers of fortune, and
abfoluteiy dependent on him; it may in time
be a means of giving him an authority, which
no other meaiure will ever bring about, for
Poland will never fee times of tolerable order,
till her kings have abundantly more power
than at prefent, and nothing but force will
ever give them that power.

The fortifications of Warfaw, are fufficient
to prevent the town being intuited by flying
parties, or fmall armies, but could not ftand
a liege of any duration againft an army well
provided; it has two good walls, Hanked by
many baftions and tolerably lined with ar-
tillery; the ditch is broad and deep, and the
waters of the Viftula may be let into it at
pleafure. But the extent of thefe fortifica-
tions is too great to be defended effectually

with

POLAND AND PRUSSIA, 263
with lefs than eight thoufand men. Warfaw
is populous; being the capital of Poland, al-
ways brought great numbers to fettle in it,
which the miferable ftate of moil of the other
towns in the kingdom has lately increafed
very much, fo that the number of its inhabit-
ants are computed to be above eighty thoufand.
There are at prefent in it many Polifh fa-
milies, once in affluence, but now reduced to
live in a very mean way : I am told that fe-
veral cities in the Queen of Hungary's, and
King of Pruffia's dominions are alfo full of
them -3 Dantzick and Koningfburg, I know
are. To what a fhocking date is this fine coun-
try reduced ! wholly by the furious zeal
of Roman-catholick bifhops, who would ne-
ver be fatisfied without the total deftruiftion
of the Proteftants and Greeks.

Upon our journey from Dantzick, we met
with a fmall party that attacked us, and
were more than once in fight of a band
of robbers, who would have dellroyed us, had
we been lefs guarded. This determined me
in the journey I propofed making to Breilaw,
to wait till I could go in fome company that
would be a protection. Fortunately this of-
fered in a week, by the Dutch refident return-
ing home by the route of Breilaw ; he had a
party of Ruffian foldiers for his protection,

S a. and

*6\ TRAVELS THROUGH

and I was informed that I mould lay In
plenty of provifions and wine for our journey,
as we mould pafs through a country that was
nine parts in ten deftroyed. The 7th of May
we fet out, and reached Rava the 9th ; the
diftance about threefcore miles ; the firft five
from Warfaw under cultivation, but all the
reft ont continued defart, and as pitiable a
fight as could well be feen. This line of
country was not long fince well peopled, and
as well cultivated as any in Poland, which I
could fee by the numerous ruins of villages,
fingle cottages, and feats, fome quite defray-
ed, others tumbling down, and many in
afhes : the country hsd mcil of it been arable,
but the plough had no longer any bufinefs
here ; all the territory prefented one face of
defolation, the fields over-run with weeds,
and becoming grafs, without any cattle to
feed on them. Rava was once a pretty town,
and well peopled ; but it is now a heap of
ruins : out of ten thoufand people that once
lived here, there does not remain above feven-
teen houfes inhabited, and thofe by fome
miferable creatures, too old to fly from the
misfortunes of their town.

From Rava to Sirad is one hundred miles ;

in which track of country, though it evidently

has all been cultivated, we law but three vil-

3 ia£cs

POLAND AND PRUSSIA, 265
lages inhabited -, all the reft burnt, and the
people gone : the inhabitants of thefe yet
venture to till a fmall quantity of land : we
faw a little wheat, and feveral ploughs turn-
ing in barley -, but who will reap it, the
feedfmen little know. It is aftonifhing that
the country from Dantzick to Warfaw mould
efcape fo well, while this has fufFered fo fe-
verely. I there faw many devaftations; but
they are nothing, compared with the condi-
tion of thefe territories. Sirad was in arms
both within and without the walls ; we there-
fore made a detour to the left, and paffed it.
From thence to the boundary of Silefia is
about forty miles; all which is one continued
fcene of ruin. This is a journey of near
two hundred miles ; and a more melancholy
one can fcarcely be travelled. Moderately
Ipeaking, I do not believe there are five
thoufand fouls left in the whole country,
Sirad excepted, the ftate of which town we
were acquainted with : you may every
where trace the plough ; fome fields wholly
ploughed, others half, others jufl begun, but
all over-run with weeds and grafs ; fome re-
mains of corn on the ground that never was
reaped : houfes, barns, (tables, and all build-
jugs, either burnt down, or falling for want

of

z€5 TRAVELS, ftc.

of repairs. Imagination cannot paint any
fcene more dreadful. Thofe landlords only
are tolerably off, who fled to Germany at the
beginning of the troubles, and live in expec-
tation of peace, when they may return to their
eflates j the property of them is left, and will,
en a pacification, enable them to recover
themfelves. But others who, in their de-
fence, or to fave their buildings from fire,
bought oft their enemies, met their fate at
laft, and cannot return without the load of
debts; fo that new buildings and fettlements
will be impracticable to them. I was allured
that there are fome hundreds of eftates in the
kingdom at prefent without any owners ex-
iting, fo many whole families having beer*
deflroyedL

Travels

Travels through Germany.

GERMANY.

CHAPTER VIII.

Silefa — Breflaiv — Journey to Berlin — The
Country — Agriculture — Defcription of Ber-
lin— Prefent State of the King of Pruffias
Forces, Revenues, &c. — Saxony — Leipfick —
Drefden — State of the Electorate.

NOTHING could be more finking,
than the different appearance of Silelia
from that of Poland. We entered it the
13th, and found the country full of village?,
half of which at lean: were peopled with
Poles ; the land all cultivated, and much of it
extremely well 5 the houfes and cottages in
good repair ; with all the appearances of eafe
and happinefs ; which formed fuch a contrail:
to the wretchednefs we had fo lately feen,
that the view had the effect of making Silefia
appear a paradife. Much of this mufr. cer-
tainly be occafloned by the great increafe of
population from fuch numbers of Poles, who
fly to efcape the miferies that every where
defolate and lay wafle their own country.
The King of Prnfiia has officers appointed
along all his frontiers, to fee that all thefe
poor people are received, and to provide cot-
tages for them as faft as poffible. In this

work

270 TRAVELS THROUGH

work the King is at no expence ; he only
grants them permiffion to build cottages on
any wailes or commons that are not abfolute
property -, and his edict directs, that every
neighbourhood mould give all due affiftance
to the new fettlers, and find them employ-
ment in hufbandry or manufactures, after the
rate of the country ; and for the maintenance
of fuch as do not find employment, he directs
a tax to be laid on the diflrict ; but this can^
not be lading, as they have portions of land
affigned them fufticient for their maintenance
when brought into culture. Upon the waftes
belonging to the crown, thefe portions are
considerable enough to form, when cultivated,
fmall farms, that hereafter will yield the
crown a good rent. I faw many of thefe
poor people, and it is hardly credible how
much they feemed to enjoy themfelves, on
efcaping the miferies of Poland, and finding
iuch an humane protection in the territories
of the neighbouring princes. I am informed
that the Emprefs Queen receives them in the
fame manner in Moravia, Auftria, and Hun-
gary ; many of them are in Tranfilvania. All
the King of Pruffia's long line of frontier,
from the bottom of Silefia to Livonia, is open
to them ; and great numbers take refuge in
every part of it. I before gave an account of
5 the

GERMANY. 271

the multitudes, to whom the Emprefs of
Ruffia gave protection ; if all this is confider-
ed, it muft at once be apparent, that the king-
dom of Poland muft be amazingly depopu-
lated, fince it cannot be doubted but feveral
millions of people, probably not lefs than
three or four, are driven. out of the country, or
killed. Such a depopulation will take feveral
ages to recover : and ftill this evil continues,
without any appearance of its coming to
an end ; fo that what the event will be, ex-
cept leaving that country a mere defart, is
very difficult to know.

We travelled thirty miles before we reached
Breflaw. All this line of country is rich ei-
ther in corn, meadow, or wood ; the arable
lands feemed very well cultivated ; the wheat
looked well, and the quantity of land occu-
pied with it is confiderable : they alfo culti-
vate rye : the barley was all coming up, and
feemed to promife good crops : they do not
fow any oats ^ but they cultivate many cab-
bages as winter food for their cattle, and they
reckon them much better, and to laft loneer
than turneps : potatoes they plant in large
quantities for Breflaw, which city confumes
a great deal of all the products of the earth;
a vaft advantage to all the neighbouring
country : the fmall potatoes they fatten their

hogs

27z TRAVELS THROUGH

hogs with. The river Oder is navigable there,
which is another great benefit to the country,
alwavs keeping the markets brilk, which of
all other circumstances is the mod certain
means of introducing good hufbandry. The
eafe and happinefs of the peafants in this
country is the more furprizing, as their taxes
are very heavy, and carry as much into the
Kincr's coffers aim oft as into their own
pockets. It can be attributed only to the re-
gularity of his Prufiian majefty's government;
for that monarch looks fo much into all his
affairs, that there is no fuch thing in his do-
minions as irregular oppreflion : no minifter,
no officer dares to lay the hand of power on
the defencelefs poor j the King is their pro-
tector, and they had better be heavily taxed
by him, than pay lefs, but be open with it
to thofe numerous and accidental oppreffions
common in all other arbitrary governments.

Breflaw is a very extenlive and well-built
city : it is moll advantageoufly fituated on the
Oder, upon the banks of which are fome very
fine ftreets ; they are ftrait, well paved, and
with many very well-built houfes. There
are feveral fquares in it, and many public
buildings, worthy the attention of a traveller;
among which are feveral churches, the Jefuits
college, the town-houfe, the arfenal, the

quay,

GERMANY. 273

quay, &c. It is a bimop's fee, but the cathe-
dral has nothing remarkable in it : alfo the
feat of an univerlity, which has for fome time
been in a flourishing fituation. It was pretty
ftrongly fortified in the laft war -, has a good
Wall, a double ditch, feveral baftions and
ravelins, and a ftrong citadel ; but the works
are fo exteniive, that they require an army to
defend them. The King keeps a garrifon,
here of ten thoufand men ; they are drawn up
in the great fquare every day, and go through
their exercifes, being as well-difciplined regi-
ments as any in the King's fervice. There
certainly refults from this ftrong garrifon, and
the others throughout Silefia, which are all
proportionably numerous, great fecurity; of
which the laft war was a very ftriking proof;
for, undoubtedly, the King owed his preferva-
tion to the excellent order all his fortrefTes were
in, and the numerous garrifons they were fur-
nifhed with : had the Auftrians met him unpre-
pared, they would have at leaft wrefted Silefia
from him, and perhaps have made fome im-
preffion upon his hereditary dominions, There
are many churches and convents in the city;
but I did not hear of any thing in them that
was particularly worthy of attention. There
is a great trade carried on here by means of
Vol, III. T the

~4 TRAVELS THROUGH

the Oder, and efpecially iince the canal was
cut between that and the Elbe, which com-
municates with Hamburgh. The articles
in which this commerce is particularly car-
ried on, are linen and flax, corn, timber,
plank, Sec. all which are ftaple commodities
in Silefia, and produced in very great plenty.
Moft of the ftaves which form fo great an
export at Hamburgh, come from this duchy ;
and the quantity of oak timber and plank,
which is exported from it, is very coniiderable.
Upon all thefe articles the King lays a duty
on the exportation; which is a piece of wrong
politics of fo flagrant a nature, that would
make one think his abilities thofe of a warrior
alone. The trade of Breilaw has declined a
little iince the troubles broke out in Poland ;
for in times of tranquillity in that kingdom,
this province exports large quantities of goods
thither, particularly linens, of which the
Poles buy more than any other nation ;
but iince the commencement of the civil war,
they have been too much impoverimed to be able
to purchafe any quantity worth mentioning.

The manufacture of linen in Silefia is very

confiderable : it employs many thoufands of

people, enriches the whole duchy, and brings

in a very coniiderable revenue to the King.

3 Moil

GERMANY. z75

Moft of the linens which are bleached at
Haerlam in Holland, and afterwards are fo
well known under the name of Dutch, are
made in Silefia : formerly immenfe quantities
were confumed in England ; but fince the
great fuccefs which has attended the fabricks
of Ireland and Scotland, this impolitic impor-
tation is come to nothing, and thereby vaft

fums faved to Great-Britain. At this place

I leffened my expences of travelling coniidera-
bly, by paying off all my attendants, except
my old Swifs, Martin, who has rode through
the beft part of Europe with me.

The 1 6th I left Breflaw, taking a poft-
chaife to Steinau, on the Oder -, the diftance
thirty miles. This line of country is remark-
ably fine, fully cultivated, and in general well
peopled. Landed property here is much di-
vided ; here and there is found an old baron's
eftate of great extent, around an old cattle
with all the marks of antiquity and grandeur -,
but in general the lands belong to perfons
enriched by trade and manufactures, which
has had one excellent effect, that of difTufing
much more liberty among the peafants than
they have in other parts. Upon thefe eftates,
the lands are let in farms, as in England, and
the peafants, not being vaflals to tenants, are

T 2 hired

2-5 TRAVELS THROUGH

hired in the manner of our day-labourer?,
which is the fyftem of all others the moil
beneficial. A common rent, in their farm?,
is from feven to eleven millings an acre :
wheat yields two quarters an acre; barley
three; buck-wheat four: the flax grounds
are all inclcfed by ditches, and they reckon
an acre that yields three pounds a very good
one. Thrv keep all their cattle in winter in
hdofeS, and feed them with boiled cabbages
and ftraw. They lay raoft of the manure
they make upon their cabbage grounds, in the
culture of which plant they feem to be very
attentive. Thej make great ufe of mud from
I del as - manure, and value it fo much,

it they go feveral miles fcr it. They
plough their land with ox»n j the ftructure of
the ghs is remarkable j they feem, from

the height of the wheels, to be very well in-
ftructed in the doctrine of the lever.

The ijth I reached Grumberg, through
forty-five miles of very indifferent road ;
dining at Giogau, a pretty town, agreeably
Btuated on the Oder, very ir.rcr.gly fortified,
Z7.6 always garrifoned with two thousand men.
It was anciently the residence of the dukes of
Giogau, ai e a:e remains of their palace

in the caftle. The cathedral is a very ancient

4 and

GERMAN Y. 277

and a fine building. They have fome linen
fabricks, and a good trade on the Oder. The
country around it, and quite to Grumberg,
is various, confiiling of woods, arable, mea-
dow, fome vvafle, and alfo fome marfh land.
The villages are not very thick, and the pea-
fants do not icem to be fo well off as thofe
nearer to Breflaw ; what the reafon is, I
could not difeover.

My next day's journey was thirty miles,
through CrofTen, to Frankfort on the Oder.
CrofTen is the capital of a territory of the
fame name: it is a very well-built town,
having been rebuilt after a great fire which
happened at the beginning of this century :
the ftreets are ftrait, broad, and well paved :
it is adorned with an handfome town-houfe,
and five churches, one of which makes a good
figure, being fituated in the middle of a
fquare.

Frankfort is in Brandenburg, and was once
one of the mod confiderable cities in the
Empire, being an hanfe town, and an Im-
perial city ; but it has loft mcft of its privi-
leges. It is divided into the old and new
town by the Oder, ever which there is a
handfome bridge, inftead of an old wooden
one which was burnt in the lad: war. The

T 3 flreets

--S T R A V E L S T H R O U G H

flreets are handfume, and many of the houfes
m^ke a gccd figure, e_ thole which

have been built fince the la ft war. Their
trade is cc; le, both with Berlin, Ham-

burgh, the Baltic, and all Silefia; and before
the war raged in Poland, with that kingdom
alio ; lb that it is one of the richeft places in
the King's dominions. They have an univer-
fity, but it is not very well flocked with ftu-
dents of any confequence, though they have
two well-built colleges. The town-houfe is
an handfbme building -, and the arfena] is
large and well filled. The moil agreeable
part of the town is the great market-place,
which is furrounded by the beft houfes in the
place.

The foil around I bit is fandy, and

not very well inhabited : there is much wafte
land, which o e cultivated to good pro-

fit, confidering tb neighbourhood of lb

many navigations, but encouragement feems
to be wanting. I made many enquiries con-
cerning the depredations of the Ruffians here ;
and from the in:;. . I could get, I have

reafon to believe that the accounts we had in
England were much exaggerated : they burnt
ibme villages, and raifed heavy contributions -,
but as to utterly deftroying a whole track of

country,

GERMANY. 279

country, it was not true. Another circum-
ftance I mould remark, which is, the mif-
chief being all repaired which they did; for
I have yet feen no figns of any of that ruin
which fell from their hands : this is to be at-
tributed to the good conduct of the King of
Pruffia, who, notwithstanding the general fe-
verity of his government, very wifely favour-
ed thofe parts of his dominions that fuffered
moit by war, as foon as the peace was
made.

The 1 8th carried me 36 miles to Berlin,
through a continued track of fand, yet tolera-
bly cultivated in fome parts, but much of it a
dreary wade, and very thinly peopled. They
find that the only very profitable crop upon
thele fands is buck-wheat, which they (bw in
large quantities, and they get a product which
equals the beft foils applied to that grain :
when a piece of land has been more carefully
managed than ordinary, it will yield a good
crop of rye ; but as to wheat or barley, it is
hardly to be feen.

As I defigned to make fome ftay at Berlin,
I hired private lodgings ; of which I had as
good for fifteen millings a week, as would
have coft me five and thirty at London. But
this city is not peopled proportionably to its
T 4 fize ;

ago TRAVELS THROUGH

fize j hence the general remark, that grafs is
feen in the ilreets, which is, however, only in
one neglected quarter of the town ; the other
parts are very well built ; the ftreets are re-
markably fpacious, long, and well paved ; and
the buildings in general are fuch as certainly
rank it among the fineft cities in Europe.
Of the public edifices, thofe which are ufually
vifited by travellers are, the royal palace — the
arfenal — the churches of Notre Dame, St.
Nicholas, St. Martin, and the Romifh chapel
' — the theatre — the equeftrian fratue of Fre-
derick the firft, 6cc. The pahce is a magni-
ficent but an unequal building, like all thofe
that are raifed at different times : fome of the
apartments are large, and well proportioned ;
but they by no means anfwered my expecta-
tions, either in dimenfions, fitting up, or fur-
niture. The immenfity of filver remarked by
Mr. Hanwr.y, when he was here, was all
melted in the late war, and very little of it is
reflored. Much of the furniture, for a royal
palace, is very mean ; but this we are not to
be furprized at, as the King gives his attention
to fo much greater objects. Some of the pic-
tures are fine. The front of the arfenal would
be very beautiful, but, as the above-men-
tioned traveller juflly obferves, it is profufely

loaded

GERMANY. 281

loaded with ornaments. I viewed the con-
tents, and was much entertained with them ;
for, very contrary to what is feen in molt
other buildings under this name, here are no
ufelefs arms, nothing but what is ready for
immediate fervice. The train is a very fine*
one. The theatre is in a mod; grand ftile,
admirably contrived to give much magnifi-
cence to the reprefentation of operas. A very
few circumftances excepted, it deferves to be
confidercd as a model for thefe buildings.
The Romifh chapel is a monfter of difpropor-
tion, but the portico is elegant. The eques-
trian flatue of Frederick the Firfr. is a fine
performance ; the horfe is remarkably fine,
and there is much fpirit in the attitude of the
figure.

The fortifications of Berlin are regular ; but
the city is of too great extent to have any
thing of itrengtft, if attacked by a powerful
army. The number of inhabitants are reck-
oned at about an hundred thoufand. There
is always a garrifon of from eight to twelve
thoufand men in it. Charlottenburgh is a
fmall palace within a mile of Berlin ; the
rooms of which are fmall, but very elegant :
it contains nothing that appears very finking
to a traveller; the ball-room is handfome,

but

= «= TRAVELS THROUGH

but much exceeded by many others. The
gardens here, as well as at Potfdam, have
nothing in them but regularity, which is dif-
gulling. Sans Souci is a detached apartment
in a garden ; but nothing of this fort that I
have icen abroad, is comparable to a number of
places we have in England : nor do I think
any oi thefe palaces and boxes in the neigh-
bourhood of Berlin are tolerable in tafte : the
only natural beauty they had was the river,
and that is moulded into a canal for them :
they have no verdure; the walks are land,
and the fitoations in general flats.

There is a good deal of commerce carried
on at Berlin, by means of the can ich

join the Spree and the Oder, and the Oder
and the Elbe ; by which means there is a moil
advantageous communication with Hamburgh,
the Baltick, and all Silefia. This is of great
confequence to the manufactures of Berlin,
which are numerous and flouriming : they
have fabric] Uk, ftof3 . Hen cloths of

feveral forts, and in particular one which
clothes molt of the army; tapeflry, laces,
glafs, a little hardware, Sec. The King gives
.: encc I to all manufactures,

] a great effect in a place where
he found mar.' fabricks fixed by French

refugees

GERMANY. 283

refugees after the revocation of the edict of
Nantes, whofe poiterity now carry on the
principal trade of the city. Berlin fupplies
Silefia with great quantities of thefe goods ;
and before the civil war raged in Poland, that
kingdom took off much. They have a fmall
export to the Baltic -, formerly to Sweden, but
that is now no more.

I was twice or thrice at court, more to fee
the King, than for any other entertainment.
I faw him about nine years ago, and was
much furprized to find him fo little altered.
The tmmenfity of fatigue, both of body and
mind, which he went through during the
laft war, one would have apprehended muft
have entire!) broke him ; but he has, by
a regular w:iy of life, and great abftemioufnefs,
both then and lince, prevented any ill effects.
Bodily fatigue may be phyfick, and mental la-
bour not very destructive, but anxiety is the
deftroyer, againft which it is very difficult to
guard : for feveral years the King was uncer-
tain of his fate ; victories had little effect, de-
feats were ruinous, and he could fcarcely con-
jecture whether he was to be dripped of fe-
veral provinces, or even his whole dominions.
In fuch a fituation, we may eafily conceive
that anxiety muft commit great ravages on

him;

1*4- TRAVELS THROUGH

him; and I mull: own myfelf furprized to fee
his health continue fo good. His principal
amufement is exercifing his troops; to fee
them, is one of the moil entertaining fights
at Berlin. It is thought that the King him-
fclf has not fo nice an eye as formerly to the
tninutia of the tactic, but his officers keep
it up in the higheft perfection. His army is
at prefent more numerous, and better pro-
vided than ever ; they do not fall fhort of
one hundred and forty thoufand men ; and
there is not a regiment in his fervice that is
not ready for marching : his whole army, ar-
tillery, baggage, and all attendants, could be
in the field, upon a week's notice at any time ;
his fortrefTes are ail in better order than before
the laft war, and fome places made of great
ftrength upon the frontiers of Silefia, which
never before were fortified at all. His trea-
fure is reported to be considerable, and he
certainly is not encumbered with debts ; for
the laft war, immenfe as it was to him, did
not make him contract a (hilling of debt, tho'
it is certain his antagonifr, the Queen of
Hungary, anticipated many of her revenues.
l£ all things are confidered, it will appear
very evident, that his power is better eftab-
liihed than ever, and that he has no profpedt

of

G E R M A N Y. zS%

of feeing another confederacy, whicli will bear
fo hard upon him as the lad. Auftria will not
beea°;er to attack him, after having failed, with
every poffible advantage on her fide. If fhe
could not wrefr. Silefia from him, when
France, Rufila, Sweden, and Saxony were in
alliance with her, and their power fo actually
brought to bear upon him, that he fought bat-
tles with them all; fuch a confederacy is
not to be looked for in an age; and if it failed
in its aim, that aim may be pronounced im-
practicable. Saxony, it cannot be expected
will unite again, unlefs it be with Pruflia, but
the fituation of it confidered, if it proves an
enemy, it will be an enemy fwallowed up as
in the laft war, and the country made to con-
tribute amply to pay the expence of it.
Rufila will lcarcely unite againft the King,
with whom (he is now in clofe alliance; it
would be extremely contrary to her intereft.
France will always be found in full employ-
ment by England ; me will not quickly fend
armies againft Pruflia. The King therefore
has the fatisfaction of enjoying peace.

Thefe are the ideas of the Berlin politi-
cians, who all declare the peace will be lad-
ing, from the great jealoufy of Auftria, and
Ruffia, either oppofing or uniting with each

other :

z',S TRAVELS THROUGH

other: every party is flrongly armed, and
looks on in lilence, except RuiTia,who, know-
ing her own flrength and fearlefs of confe-
quences, carries on a mod extenfive war with
Turkey and in Poland.

The King's revenues amount at prefent, to
about a million and an half fterling ; a fum
which in England appears fmall ; but if the
different value of money there, and in Bran-
denburg be considered ; and likewife, the un-
common exertions of ceconomy unequalled
io any other court ; this fum, I am confident,
is in the King's hands as good as four mil-

05, perhaps is rive in England. The land-
- . throughout his dominions is regular, and
equals about nine millings in the pound : the
crown lands yield a confiderable rent, and
are as well managed to profit, as a private
gentleman's eftate. The cuftoms are but a
imall article ; they are gathered in his ports
on the Baltick and at Embden. The excife
i= general on all the necefiaries of life, and
riles lb high as forty per cent. Thefe taxes
are very heavy ; but fuch is the regularity of
his government, and fo little opprelTion is
met with from minifters and revenue-officers,
that the people are beyond companion hap-
pier than in the dominions of Saxony, Au-

ftria,

GERMAN V. 287

ftria, or Bavaria. Much of his fuccefs in the
late war, was doubtleis owing to the fubfidy
he received from England: the discontinu-
ance of which, and the breaking off all con-
nections between the two courts, flruck hard
upon him ; for it took him out of the hands
of France, from whom he received a fublidy
of three hundred thoufand pounds a year, and
left him without an equivalent from England.
The treatment he received from the latter
country, upon the change of that miniftry
which had conduced the war, made an im-
preffion upon him much againft England, of
whom he has often expreffed himielf with
fome acrimony : what the refult will be in
future political arrangements, is not eafy to
fay ; but if the connection continues between
France and Auftria, that between England
and Prufiia, muft in the nature of things be
renewed; for when one part of Europe throws
itfelf into an alliance offenfive to the reft —
a counter alliance muft ever be formed, or
all good idtas of politicks be abiblutely given
up.

The 1 ft of June I left Berlin, and got to
Britzen, the diftance thirty miles : all
which track of country is very fandy, though
tolerably populous, and fome of it well cul-
tivated.

2$S TRAVELS THROUGH

tivated. They fow much buck-wheat; and
were now ploughing for turneps, which they
fow the middle of this month : and I believe
this root and buck-wheat, with a very little
rye, to be all the products thefe poor fands
yield, and yet they feem to be very well ma-
nured ; for the countrvmen houfe their cattle

w J

in winter, and raife by that means large quan-
tities of dung, which they mix with a kind
of ftifF earth, which they dig from under the
fand j a compoft which I mould fuppofe, mud:
agree extremely well with fuch dry barren
foils.

The 2d I advanced no further than Wit-
tenburg, the diftance only 15 miles. In this
journey I paffed from Brandenburg to Saxony,
and the foil changes almoft immediately for
the better, and the population of the country
alfo. The foil is a good loam, which yields
tolerable crops of wheat ; they have alfo bar-
ley, and I remarked a few pieces of flax.
Wittenburg was noted before the laft war
for its cloth manufactories, and for dying bet-
ter than at any other place in the electorate 5
the latter bufinefs is yet found here, though
not near fo much as formerly j but mcfl of
its fabricks are removed to Berlin, fo that the

place

GERM A N Y. 2S9

place has not been able to recover the ruin it
met with in the war. Martin Luther's church
is yet {landing, tho' three hundred years old,
and has ken i'o many lieges, cannonades, and
bombardments without anv damage.

The 3d I went to Lcipfick, the diftance
30 miles, through a country naturally exceed-
ingly fertile, but carries many marks of the
miferies of the late war. Moll of it has been
well cultivated, but upon riding; into feveral
fields now in grafs, and whofe appearance
indicates wretched management, I found
they had been arable ones within a few years ;
and upon making enquiries, I had feveral fpots
pointed out to me, whereon flood fmall villa-
ges, confifting of farm-houfes, now no more ;
and all the lands which belonged to them,
and once yielded abundant crops of corn,
are now little better than wafte and com-
mon fore ft land, whereon the tenants of the
fame landlord turn their cattle. This is not
the cafe with two or three places, but con-
tinues for many miles ; and is owin°- to the
nobles to whom the country belongs, having
ruined themfelves with paying military con-
tributions fo often, that at laft, they had no-
thing to pay when their buildings were burnt
down, and themfelves left too poor to erect
Vol, III. U new

Cjp TRAVELS THROUGH

new ones: This is generally the reafon, why
the feat of war is fo very injurious • to a
country; for nothing is fo great an evil,
as land cultivated, formerly belonging to
owners, too poor to raife the buildings ne-
ceffiry for bringing it again into culture. If
the landlords of fuch a country would allow
every thing to be destroyed the firfl campaign,
they would be reduced it is true ; but then
they would be free from thofe enormous debts
ch not only carry their ruin with them to
the graves of iuch as groan under them, but
.1! n.ifery upon their children.
Leipfick, the fuburbs included, is one of
the mod considerable cities in this part of
Germany, notwithstanding its having fuffer-
ed very feverely in the two lad wars, and
felt fome heavy ftrokes, which are not yet
recovered. It has been the theatre of almoft
every \ -t has happened in Germany.

In the famous one of thirty years, it was very
:i and retaken by the Swedes, and
lifts; no lei's than five times in two
rs: It felt the weight of Charles XIFs
invafion of Saxony, than whom there have
few mere brctal invaders. And the
two lail wars facceeded each other very quick-
aod buildings much declined in

them.

GERMAN Y. 291

them. The city itfelf is not an agreeable
place, from the narrownefs of the ftreets, and
the height of the houfes, which rife to eight
or nine (lories ; but the fuburbs are much
more fpacious and better built; they are alio
pleafant, from the number of areas, and gar-
dens in them ; and from the conflux of three
fmall rivers. They have not many publick
buildings at Leipfick that much deferve a
Granger's attention ; the befl among them is
St. Nicholas Church, which is a very fine
edifice. The town-houfe is an old but a
good ftructure ; the exchange is another :
and around the great market place are many
houfes of private merchants, which make
an uncommon figure for buildings of that
fort ; but there are feveral traders in the city,
that have made confiderable fortunes, and
before the lali war treble the number j but
the greatefl among them upon the breaking
out of it, removed themfelves and their ef-
fects to Hamburgh. The univerfity is one
of the mod famous in Germany, and much
frequented byftudents of family and fortune;
but this alfo declined much in the lafl war.

Trade is the foul of Leipfick: Confider-
ing that it is an inland place, and without the

advantage even of a navigable river, the great-
er o * o

U 2 nefs

292 TRAVELS THROUGH

nefs of its commerce is very iurprizing j but
it is owing to its fairs, of which they have
three very coniiderable ones every year. To
them merchants bring or fend goods of all
forts from every part of Europe : all the ma-
nufactures of Germany, France, Italy, En-
gland, Holland, and Flanders are met with
here : Vaft magazines are formed of Eafl In-
dia goods of all forts j of Weft India com-
modities ; of wines, brandies, fruits, filk,
hemp, flax, iron, and in a word all forts of
products : And purchafers refort hither from
every part of Germany and the North.
Thefe fairs alio carry off great quantities of
the fabricks which are made at Leipfick, of
which there are feveral forts ; fuch as filk,
cotton and woollen manufactures, paper,
gold, and filver laces, &c. but all thefe fuf-
fered much from the lad: war ; nor have
they recovered themfelves to any thing like
their former fuccefs : Indeed, I obferved in
converfation with feveral merchants here,
that they had all a diftruft that they were by
.no means fee u re from frefh viiits of the Prui-
fians; and while this is the cafe, (at which
we cannot be furprized) it is not to be won-
dered that commerce and manufactures do
not thrive. The injury the whole Electorate

fuftained

GERMANY. 2g3

fuftained laft war, in the deftrucYion of its
manufactures and trade; the ruin of its agri-
culture, and the decline of its population,
was of an exceedingly great amount, and
fuch as cannot be recovered without the mo ft:
unremitting attention, and political conduct
of half a century ; before which time it will
probably fee in fome cauie or other, a renewal
of its calamities. If thefe circumflances are
confidered, with the oppreflive government of
all the German princes that have an abfolute
authority, we lhall have reafon to wonder at
any trade at all being found in Saxony.

The 6th, I travelled thirty miles to Meifleh,
through the fined part of Saxony ; and which,
notwithstanding the fury of the late war, is
now a populous and a well cultivated country;
there is a great deal of arable land, and very
fine champain fields, covered with corn; many
villages, and the people feemed to be adive,
and quite alive in their bufinefs. Part of the
females were collected in fmall knots in the
villages fpinning wool ; others drove the horfes
and oxen that drew the ploughs; this em-
ployment of the women is an excellent
fign, where the men do not, in confequence,
indulge in idlenefs, which is the cafe in fome
countries. They cultivate a great deal of
wheat and barley, and were now fo wing fome
U 3 buck-

TRAVELS THROUGH
buck-wheat ; but it is a grain for which
their lands are too good, the pooreft lands
will rival them : They cultivate turneps, cab-
bages ; and alfo cabbages for feeding them-
felves and their cattle j their herds are nume-
rous; they feed them not only in their mea-
dows, but alfo upon clover, of which I faw
feveral large pieces, a thing I had not re-
marked of a long time. I enquired into their
management of it; they fow it with barley,
and in the fucceeding year, either mow it
twice for hay, thrice fometimes ; or elfe feed
fbeep, young cattle, cows, oxen, and horfes
upon it : the hay they prefer to meadow hay.
They keep it two years upon the ground, and
cfter that plough it up for any fort of crop,
but do not feem to conlider it as a peculiar
preparation for wheat, which is the idea in
England : It has not been long cultivated
here, but fpreads very fad, from their find-
ing the profit of it to be great. The lands
here are cultivated by both the landlords and
peafarL : the latter are in general farmers,
and not of very little fpots, but they are
bou u to apply a part of their time with their
teams, 5cc. to cultivate thoie parts of the
eftate, which the landlord holds in his own
hands, and which are ufually pretty confiderable.

Mei

GERMANY. 29;

MeifTen is a little town, weakly fortified,
but with a ftrong caftle on the Elbe -, it is
only remarkable (the Drefden Porcelane ex-
cepted) for a covered bridge of wood over
that river; the cathedral I had been told was
a fine building, with many fine electoral mo-
numents in it, but I found it worthy of very
little obfervation. The manufacture of Por-
celane, was once more famous here, than at
any other place in Europe, but the laft war
almoft ruined it,- upon the King of Pruflia's
irruption into Saxony, moir. of the workmen,
and the materials were removed ; but the war
continuing fo long, and Saxony remaining
in the hands of the Pruffians, ibme of the
people died, and others were loft ; fome the
King ofPruiiia iecured, and fent them to
Berlin: where he attemoted to eftablifh a
fimiiar manufactory, but he has executed no-
thing comparable to the old Drefden pieces.
Upon the eftablifhment of peace, the works
at Meiffen were reftored, and a frem fet
of workmen, with fome old ones, refumed
the manufactory : I have feen the belt pieces
they have made, and mall venture to aftert,
that the manufacture is loft j for they are not
in the clearnefs of the white, to be compared
with the metal formerly made -, as to fine
painting, it is any where to be had, and there-

U 4 fore

VT ..

s^ TRAVELS THROB
fore not peculiar to the D s. This

is a great lofs to the carious, and lovers of
line Porcelaneall ove: le more

fo, as none of the pun -.: :

Errand, France, or Holland. come

near equal to it.

The 1 7 th J re Dretocn, which is only

::.:~.een miles from Meiffleo, through the n;
beautiful line of coon : ry 1 h a in Ger-

many i it is all hill and dale* .r. vines,
and meadows alon» the banks :: the Elbe a
continued picture ; tl t is evt . :-:?

feen to advant :he beautiful cL^cum-

ilance oj : . .:

a more entertai:
hardl}7 be view .

Drefden I car. before

the deilr action of th me of the

fined cities in
much reduce:, its be
a great part of quarters

it. The old cil i:: a regular

inner ; the

OOtl rrifon :

rov

the old ar \ :\v. Tl

rive :ed the

::::■.::

GERM A N Y. 297

Teen that at Weftminfter, will think there
is either beauty or magnificence in it. It is
five hundred and forty feet long, thirty fix
broad, and confifts of nineteen arches. The
electoral palace is not a very ftriking building
for the beauties of architecture ; but there are
many very fine and fpacicus apartments in it
very fplendidly furnilhed ; much of it done
fince the war; for fome of the bed furniture
was ruined by the Pruffians, and a vail num-
ber of curiofities carried off. The Kins it is
fuppofed, did not defign to touch any thing,
and no commander keeps a more regular dis-
cipline, but in lb long a war fo full of events,
and thofe remarkably ievere; a place of curi-
ofities, mud neceffarily fare but badly. The
ftables form a magnificent building, being
very fpacious, and were once filled with fome
of the fineft. hories in Germany, but many of
the flails are now unoccupied; indeed the
revenues of the electorate fufTered to fo great
a degree in the late war, that Drefden has
ever fince exhibited a very different appear-
ance 3 the court is no longer what it was,
and all thofe circumflances which flow from
great revenues, have funk proportionably to
the decline, which the Saxon income has ex-
perienced. No court in Germany was fo pro-
tufe j but there is an (Economy id it now,

which

298 TRAVELS THROUGH

which promifes a much happier adminiflra-
tion of affairs than has been experienced in
the two laft.

The Romifh chappel is one of the fined
edifices at Drefden ; it is a well-proportioned
and magnificent building ; mod highly orna-
rr.ented : It was built for the private ufe of
the late King and his court.

The chamber of curiofities, have yet a great
many very beautiful models, and toys, which
cannot fail entertaining any traveller ; and
the collection which they call the Kunts-kam-
mar, which is chiefly of natural rarities, equal
to any thing that can be feen; but as the par-
ticulars of thefe things have been publifhed
by more than one traveller, I (hall not fwell
thefe pages with a recital of them. The
gallery of pictures, is equal to moll that are to
be feen in Italy; and are kept in admirable
prefervation. The pieces by Correggio are
to be equalled no where but in Parma. A
very magnificent work, containing plates of
all the pictures in this gallery, was publifhed
at Drefden, under the direct infpection of the
late King.

The Indian palace, of which feveral wri-
ters have given long accounts, is in my opin-
ion a very filly affair; and by no means even
elegant. Count Bruhl's famous palace fuf-

fered

GERMANY. 299

fered mod feverely in the war, at which no-
body was concerned, from the foundation of
all his grandeur being laid in the miferies of
the Saxons; and from his being the principal
plotter, and advifer of that war, which ru-
ined his matter. The picture gallery is
one of the fineir. rooms I have anv where
feen.

From the bed: accounts I could get while
at Drefden, the decline in all the affairs of
confequence throughout the government of
Saxony, upon account of the late war, is
much greater than has been thought by ibme
authors who have written lately. Before the
war, the revenues of the electorate, by means
however of very great oppreffion, amounted
to a million and an half fierling ; but I was af-
fured, that they do not at this day, although,
near feven years of peace have intervened, rife
to feven hundred thoufmd pounds, and yet
the government is burthened with a very heavv
debt. Saxony, before the war, contained
near two millions of people ; it has not now
much above one : In Drefden were an hun-
dred and ten thoufand people, but at prefent
it would be difficult to find half the number ;
fuch ftrong marks of decline are not to be
miilaken, they mew the feverity of the late
war, in the moll flriking colours -, and prove

clearly

TRAVELS THROUGH
clearly that if it had continued much longer,.
the whole electorate would have been made a
defart.

The prefent government conduces all thi
in a very ieniible and political manner; they
find the wretched ftate of the country will a'd-
mit of nothing but an ceconomy which has
not been practiled in this country for a 1:

ile; the people fee and know the publick
diitrefs, and do not repine at the taxes they
are forced to pay, as all did when the amount
was fquandered by count Bruhl, and the
King, in cloaths, toys, and gewgaws. Only
fifteen thoufand regular troops are kept up,
but thev have five or fix thoufand militia re-
gularly difciplined. This is certainly acting
with prudence; for the whole country is fo
impoverished, that if they railed by taxes a
revenue to do other wife, it mud be by the ru-
in cf the people. They mull: have time not
only to rea sir lofTes, but alio their not

bers. The foil is in general fertile, and I

:■ enough to bring it into
. . :-y have time given them, with-
out en peace itfclf too burthen fome,
by • without hurrying them into
an: ar, which could c . tl of being
ruinous to the whole electorate. Some en-
been given to agriculture

GERMANY. 301

and manufactures lince the peace; particu-
larly by an exemption from taxes in certain
cafes wherein they would be extremely bur-
thenfome ; but the effential foundation of
tolerable cultivation, or activity in carrying
on fabricks, is wanting, which is wealth, or
at leaft eafy circumftances in the undertakers;
but this electorate, the Pruffians exhaufted to
fo great a degree, that they left fcarcely any
wealth in it ; the lands are in the hands of
nobility fo reduced, that they can fcarcely
live ; much lefs are able to carry on improve-
ments in the manner requiiite at prefent, for
being effectual in reviving hufbandry in their
country ; and when this is the cafe, fuch a
renovation muft be left to common caufes,
the increafe of the people, and of induftry a-
mong the lower claries, which is always of
moft (low operation.

The amazing difference of the event of the
war to Brandenburg and Saxony, is finking.
The latter is fo ruined and exhaufted, as to
lye almoft at the mercy of any invader ; with-
out people, trade, revenues, or forces, on a
companion with what all thofe articles were
before the war : on the contrary, the King
of Prufliais in poffeffion of as great an income
as ever; a finer army, than when he began the
war: his dominions fuffered indeed, but the
3 wound*

3cz TRAVELS THROUGH

wounds feem to have been but fkin-deep:
certainly his country was not made the feat
of war in the manner he made that of the
Elector of Saxony. The contrail indeed is
foftriking, that if ever a new war breaks out
between Pruffia and Auftria, Saxony mod un-
doubtedly will not join the latter.

The 1 2th I fet out from Drefden, and got
to Lentmeritz, in Bohemia, in two days,
paffing through Pirn a, and by the famous
caltle of Koningftein. Pirna is a little place
among the mountains, and Koningftein is a
caflle fituated on the top of a rock, three
hundred ieet high, and half a mile in circum-
ference. The way to it is fo difficult, that a
company is fufficient to defend it againft an
army. In it is a well, above fixteen hundred
feet deep, which fupplies the garrifon with
water. In the labyrinth of thefe rocks and
mountains, the King of Pruflia caught the
Saxon army and made them prifoners. The
country is in general very wild and romantic,
and the views of the Elbe running through
fuch a region of mountains extremely gro-
tefque : There are fome vineyards planted upon
fouthern fpots of thefe mountains, where the
grapes ripen tolerably, but the wine is not
drinkable to thofe who have been ufed to that
which is good.

CHAP-

GERMAN V. 303

CHAPTER IX.

journey acrofs Bohemia — Prague — Befcription
of the country — The people — Nobility — Huf-
bandry— Manufactures —Moravia- - Olmutz—
Br inn — journey to Vienna — Defcription of
the capital.

LENTMERITZisa fmall town in Bo-
hemia, fituated on the river Elbe; it
has fome fortifications, but none of any great
ftrength : near this place the King of Pruilia
gained a great victory over the Auftrians in
the laft war. The neighbouring country was
feveral times the feat of war, and flittered
much : part of the mifchiefs done, are not yet
recovered ; for there are feveral tracks of land
belonging to a Bohemian nobleman, who re-
fides at Vienna, which were once arable, but
are now over-run with grafs and weeds, and
ftill have by no means near a ftock of
cattle proper for the land ; and fome villages
are of a very poor appearance with feveral
houfes almoft burnt down, that have not yet
been repaired. The country that is cultivated,
does not feem to be managed in an able man-
ner;

T B T II R O U G ri

ner ; and thepeafants are much worfe treated
ixony.

The 1 8th I reached Prague, the capital of
Bohemia, and one of the largeft cities in Eu-
rope. The country through which the road
runs is various; much of it is of a fruitful foil,
and tolerably cultivated in fome parts, but
there are in every track many marks of bad
hufoancry and inattention, greatly owing I
fuppofe toa want cfinduilrv, and partlytothe
oppreilion which the pealants experience:
They have fome tolerable crops of wheat,
but I never faw worfe barley, or any corn
more full of weeds; and they value it fo
little, that on various pieces of barley and
rcafe -I faw cattle feeding, which made me
enquire if they were (own with intention to
be eat green ; but that was not the cafe ; it
is a mere inftance of flupid neglect. I obferv-
ed one or two pieces of flax, which looked
very well. The winter food of their cattle is
principally the cabbage, turnep, and red cab-
bage, which they cultivate in large quanti-
ties. I faw feveral young plantations of them,
but they do not feem to manage them well.

Prague is verv well lituated on the river
Muldawj it is divided into two cities by that
river. The foitincations are regular, and

much

GERMANY. 305

much fuperior to what they were before the
laft war ; but the city is of fo great an extant,
that it requires an army to defend it. It fuf-
fered very much by the liege it ftaod in the
beginning of the war againft the King of Pruf-
fia, who cannonaded and bombarded it in fb
fevere a manner, that not many buildings
elcaped ; whole quarters were beat down, or
burnt, and I was fhewn feveral very large
gardens and young orchards, which before
that liege were entirely covered with houfes,
then deflroyed, and the people are too poor to
rebuild them in a place where there are yet
more houfes than are occupied : fcarcely any
of the publick buildings efcaped damage at
the fame liege. The univerlity is one of the
molt famous in Germany, and has a vaft
number of fludents ; the people at Prague
talk of five thoufand ; what they might be
formerly I know not, but at prefent they are
Ihort of three thoufand. In 1409, when John
Hufs was rector, it is a fact that there were
thirty thoufand ftudents here. The Jefuits
college is one of the finelt. buildings in the
city, but it fuffered by feveral unlucky can-
non balls, and is not yet thoroughly repaired.
The bridge, which joins the old and the new
town, is fifteen hundred and eighty feet long,
by thirty broad, and has feventeen arches, and
Vol. III. X is

3o6 TRAVELS THROUGH

is all of ftone -y it is a folid edifice, has no-
thing of elegance in it j and when a traveller
hears that it was an hundred and fifty years a
building, he will fuppofe it muft have been in
an age extremely poor, or been undertaken
by a prince of little fpirit. The fineft edifices
in the world are rarely thofe which were fo
long in railing. St. Peter's at Rome is an in-
ilance againfi: me, but St. Paul's at London,
2nd the bridge at Weftminfter, are ftrong
ones in my favour, and many more might be
quoted. The royal palace, and the cathedral,
are very mean buildings that contain fcarcely
any thing worthy of notice. What at Prague
are much the beft worth feeing, are the pa-
laces of the nobility -y fome of which are very
noble edifices, that would make a great figure
in the bell built cities of Italy ; feveral of
them are of very great fize, with moft fpacious
apartments, and very magnificent furniture.
Thofe of the princes Lobcowitz, and Ifchar-
nan, and the counts Galas, Straka, Czaflaw,
and Manftein, deferve particular attention ;
they contain many apartments that are worthy
of fovereign princes, but the number of very
good pictures is trifling.

Moil of the Bohemian nobility, who are a
numerous body, keep their refidence in win-
ter at Prague, and in fummer on their eftates.

None

GERMANY. 307

None of them refort to Vienna, but fuch as
are in office in the court, which is a very un-
common inftance. It is their prefence in this
city that alone fupports it ; for without their
refort, and the garrifon, which is generally
pretty numerous, the city would be a defart;
being utterly deftitute of both trade and ma-
nufactures : the univerfity does fomething,
but not much. All the lower clalTes here are
poor ; the burghers are treated by the nobles
very contemptuoufly, to a degree not com-
mon elfewhere ; if the place was ever fo well
fituated for trade, or manufacture, this would
be a fure means of damping their progrefs.

The 1 6th I left Prague, and went to Nym=
burg, a fmall town twenty five miles diftant ;
the country various, but much of it pretty
tolerably cultivated ; rather better than the
track to the north of Prague. The peafants
are treated in a wretched manner; they -have
hovels of the worir. fort to live in, little better
than thofe in Weftphalia ; being loofe flones
laid on one another for the walls, and the cre-
vices filled with mud, and the covering fome
ftrong poles, with turf fpread on them, and
a hole at top in the middle is all the chimney
that any of them have ; adjoining is their
barn, built of the fa Tie materials, in which
they flow their little corn, and keep their

X 2 cattle

308 TRAVELS THROUGH

cattle in winter ; each cottage has a few acres
of land around it, with a cow or two, and a
miferable pair either of horfes, or oxen for
ploughing their land. In general, Sunday is
the only day in the week which they are al-
lowed for cultivating this land, in order to
raife provifions for fubfifting on the whole
week; but in feed-time and harvefl, their
lords indulge them with another : When I
fpeak therefore of the hufbandry of the coun-
try, I do not mean of the peafants, nor of
the farmers, for there is fcarcely any fuch
thing, but of the nobility, and other land-
lords, who all cultivate their own eftates by
means of their agents and ftewards. The
peafants in every refpecl refemble nearly thofe
of Poland, than whom they are not favoured
more.

At firft fight it may appear, that landlords,
who ad upon this fyftem, muft make far
more of their eftates, than thofe who let them,
in the Englifh manner, to farmers, becaufe
here the profit of the farmer is confolidated
with that of the landlord ; but, from the re-
peated obfervations which I have often had
occafion of making, I am convinced that the
cafe is the very contrary. If any eftate was
only of fuch a lize as to form a good farm, it
would be very true ; but eftates are thus cul-
tivated

GERMANY. 3s^

tivated whofe extent is from twenty to
thirty thoufand acres of cultivated land, either
meadow, paflure, arable, fheep-walk, or
woods, all in fome culture or other, and a
vafl track arable. To be forced to cultivate
fuch immenfe farms, they are obliged to have
fwarms of bailiffs and agents. In every place
where a farm-houfe mould be, is a bailiff's
houfe, who manages a certain track of land.
Thus the landlord is at the monftrous ex-
pence of flocking his whole eflate, and run-
ning all the chances of that flock, and at the
fame time has to keep as many bailiffs as if
they were farmers, and who all live out of the
land before he has his clear profit, as much
as if they were farmers ; with this great dis-
tinction, that being merely fervants, they
have little interefl in the fucccfs of their huf-
bandry, and confequently the mafter fuffers
all the ufual inconveniences of fuch a fitua-
tion : his agents of all forts cofl him as much
as farmers would make for themfelves, fup-
pofing them honeft ; and if they turn out
otherwife, a great deal more. Thus he gets
none of the farmers profit, at the fame time-
that he lofes the interefl of all the money
employed in flocking, and the chances to
which that flock is liable. From which flate
pf the affair, I think it is very evident, how:
X 3 much.

3io TRAVELS THROUGH

much more beneficial it is to let out an ettate
to farmers, for them to find the flock, cul-
tivate the land, and employ the pealants, not
only in mere profit of the year, but with a
view to future imorovements, which mud
always be conducted with far more effect by
the people who work for their own interettj
than by others who do it for a matter, and a
matter perhaps who is always abfent, or, if
prefent, who underttands nothing of the mat-
ter. What great improvements have been
made in England by tenant?, who enjoy the
benefit during their leafe, and then pay a frefh
rent to their landlords on account of thofe
very improvements ! In population alfo the
i ince would reap a very great benefit; for
-. ..en men are working for themfelves, their
induttry will be very different from that of
fervants; and in proportion to the general in-

:\ry, mutt population be : the pealants
Id likewife meet with lefs opprefiicn, and
confeauently increafe more.

They fow a good deal cf wheat in this line
of country; but their principal crop is barley.
I cbferved many plantations of heps in the
warm vales, where the foil is rich and deep :
it is a common culture in moft parts of Bohe-
mia, I am told ; and when the fpot chofen
for a hop-garden is fuitable, they find it more

profitably

GERMANY. 3u

profitably applied than for any other crop.
Beer is a very great article of trade throughout
the kingdom, much being exported to all the
furrounding countries ; this makes barley and
hops particularly advantageous. Saffron is
another crop, which I faw now and then : they
prefer a light, dry loam on a ftxatum of rock
for it j they think it very profitable ; an acre
of good faffron is worth about three pounds
here. Turneps and cabbages they have in
large quantities for the winter fupport of
their cattle : they prefer the latter in general :
I faw many crops fomewhat advanced in
growth, but they do not feem to be attentive
to keeping them free from weeds.

The 17th I reached LeutmyrTel, at the dif-
tance of forty-five miles, pafling through two
or three pretty towns upon the banks of the
Elbe. This country is more beautiful than
the preceding, and of a richer foil ; in fome
parts there are hills, but not fo great as to be
unprofitable land, while the vales form fome
very rich arable and meadow land ; moll: of
which is pretty well cultivated, under wheat,
barley, and beans, which are much fown
here: wheat yields from two, to two and an
half quarter per acre ; barley fomething more;
beans four quarters j they choofe for thefe
{heir ftiffeftwet foils. They feed on their mea-
X 4. dow

312 TRAVELS THROUGH

dows large herds of cows and oxenj and keep
many fheep, but do not manufacture the
wool ; moft of it is fold to Silefia and Saxony,
both of which are much more induftrious
countries : They work up however fome of
their own flax into the fame fort of linnens, as
are made in Silefia, which is an employment
of the poor people in many of the little
towns in this kingdom ; their earnings at this
work are very fmall ; a weaver in Silefia will
earn about three and fixpence a week ; but
in Bohemia not more than half a crown : But
provifions of all iorts are very cheap in both
thefe countries. I faw two or three country
feats belonging to noblemen ; they are all
built in the caftle form, with a moat round,
and feem to be extremely fpacious ; a noble-
man of great fortune in this country, has fel-
dom lefs than two or three hundred fervants
about him, when at his cattle in the country;
and he is an abfolute monarch upon his eftate,
with power over every thing but life and
death, and the royal revenue officers. This
kind of dominion over all the lower claries,
flatters the vanity and pride of the great, more
than the amount of the advantages thev would
gain by the peafants being free; it is like the
contraft of abfolute authority to the limited
power poffefled by fome kings ; the latter

makes

GERMANY. 313

makes their people happy and rich, and might
have the fame effect upon themfelves, but
they are all hunting after the former.

The 1 8th I got to Olmutz, the capital of
Moravia, the diitance forty miles ; croffing the
mountains which feparate the two countries,
thefe are not very lofty, nor craggy, but they
fill a track of country, of fevetal miles broad;
they exhibit a wild territory, but little of
which is cultivated : The peafants that in-
habit thefe hills, are a rough intractable fet
of men, that will not fubmit to the oppref-
fiions under which their brethren of the plains
groan ; they have been often in rebellion, not
againfl the fovereign, but the lords to whom
they are vaffals ; they are in many refpects
treated much better ; and their houfes and
little farms make a much better appearance ;
they have more and better cattle; fome of
them are in pofTeflion of fmall pieces of land
which they have purchafed, and all are ex-
tremely tenacious of this kind of property;
they do not work for their mailers more than
three days in a week. It is always to be re-
marked, that the gradations of freedom are
ever to be found in mountainous countries; in
general fuch are free ; but even under abfo-
lute monarchs they enjoy more liberty, than
the fubjects of the fame prince who inhabit

plain

)ij TRAVELS THROUGH

plain countries : To live in hilly countries,
requires more activity and vigour of body; the
very moving from one place to another is la-
borious, the cold and Wintering climates
found in them, contribute to bracing up the
human body, and to make it hardy. It is
the fame effect as is feen in cold climates,
compared with hot ones, in whatever parts
of the world they may be found. After the
mountains are patTed that feparate the two
countries, I went through a great extent of
ibreit, and marih land, very little o£ which
is cultivated ; and not much of it would pay
culture, unlefs the country in general was
richer than it is.

Olmutz is a fmall but very well built city,
prettilv lituated en the little river Moravia.
It is a ftrong place both by nature and art :
- that the King of Pruffia, when he made the
famous irruption into Moravia, and laid liege
to it, did not feem to have had good intellj-
g ope of the irate of the town, or the garriibn.
The iireets are regular and well paved, and
there are many good houfes in it ; the only
public!; buildings of any note, are the Jefuits
college, the biihop's palace, and the town-
houfe ; the market pia.ee is furrounded byfeveral
well built houfes. It is an agreeable town,
and the inhabitants feem to be a very fociablc

people,

GERMANY. 315

people, with more activity and induftry, than
is to be found among the Bohemians. Pro-
viiions are very cheap here: I lived at the
Emprefs's Arms inn, two days, upon ex-
ceeding good fi(h and fowl, and good Hunga-
rian wine, and when I paid my reckoning, I
found that fix (hillings went to the full, as far
as a guinea in England. Beef is only three
half pence a pound ; mutton is fometimes fold
at a penny; and a fat turkey is to be bought
for fourteen pence.

The 21 ft I left Olmutz, and proceeded to
Brinn, the diftance thirty miles, through
a much more fertile country than north of
Olmutz j it is better peopled, and much
more of it cultivated: They do not fow much
wheat here, but a great deal of rye, barley,
peale, and beans ; and the crops in general,
carried a good appearance ; they keep great
herds of cattle, feeding them in winter on
cabbages, turneps, and ftraw ; all the latter,
which they give to their cattle, they cut al-
mcft as fmall as chaff, with an engine made
en purpofe ; very different from the chaff-cut-
ter ufed in England. They chop the turneps,
or cabbages into fmall pieces, and give them
with chopt draw, and find that they go much
the farther, and nouriih the cattle much bet-
ter. I never heard of any thing of this fort

beine

3i6 TRAVELS THROUGH

being pra&iied in England ; yet I mould ap-
prehend that it could not fail of anfwering
extremely ; it is certainly much worth the
trial. They have vaft herds of fwine, which
find their own fubiiftance in woods, and
iwampy grounds for moil part of the year,
They fatten them on beans, peafe, and po-
tatoes, which they cultivate on purpofe: fell-
ing great quantities of bacon to Vienna, Sec.

Brinn is well fituated on the confluence of
two rivers, and is reckoned the ftrongeft place
in Moravia ; it has a cattle that is very ftrong ;
the Auftrians have ufually a good garrifon
here ; feveral new fortifications have been ad-
ded both to this place, and to Olmutz fince
the laft war, which I fuppofe were occafioned
by the King of Pruffia's bold march into this
country, which alarmed them exceffively at
Vienna. There are about fix thoufand inha-
bitants in Brinn; the ltreets are narrow and
crooked, but many of the houfes very well
built, and fome of the publick edifices make
a tolerable appearance, particularly the Jefuits
college, and the churches of St. James, and
St. Thomas.

The 2 2d I reached Laba, a little town
thirty miles from Brinn; the country between
them is better than the preceding ; has lefs
wafle land, fewer foreft s and marfhes ; and

the

GERMANY. 31?

the arable land beyond comparifon better cul-
tivated. This is in a great meafure owing to
the attention given to hufbandry-improve-
ments by the court of Vienna. They were
at the expence fome years ago, of bringing fe-
veral Flemiih farmers from the country, be-
tween Offend and Bruges; three of them were
fettled in this country, being fupplied with all
forts of implements, cattle, houfes, land,
Sec. by the Emprefs Qjjeen, and fixed upon
fome wafte, but very fertile lands belonging
to the crown. They have had a large fuccef-
fion of Moravian peafants, regularly work-
ing under them, in order to be intruded in
the Flemifh hufbandry ; who being difcharged
when frefh ones are taken, have much fpread
feveral excellent cuftoms, and will in all pro-
bability, much improve the agriculture of the
greateft part of the province. The effect has
already been very considerable -, for though
thefe Flemings do not occupy a thoufand
acres of land in all, yet their methods already
fpread over a country near fifteen miles long;
all the hufbandry of which is by their means
much improved. They have introduced clo-
ver here, which turns out one of the moft
beneficial crops that can be fown j they have
alfo made this culture of clover a preparation
for wheat, fo that they have almoft entirely

baniflied

§ifl T R A V I L S T H R O f G H

banimed the cuflom of fallowing for wheal/
which was the common method in Moravian
Spurry they alio brought with them, with
which they feed cows. To them likewife the
Moravians are indebted for a much more {y-
frematic management of manure, than what
they formerly followed : They form compofts
of dung, rotten vegetables, vaft quantities of
leaves, fwept up on purpofe in the open
forefts, turf, afnes, and other materials, which
thev ffiii together feverai times, and fpread
upon their clover fields — and on their cabbage
grounds : They have alio made them abun-
dantlv more attentive in keeping all their crops
clear from weeds and in good order, by hoe-
in<* and weeding ; all the cabbages I faw in
this diltricl, which has been profited thus
from the example of the Flemings, were in
very fine order, both in refpecfc to pulverized
foil, and a clearnefs from weeds.

I law the caftle of baron Skulitz, who hid
been extremely attentive in fpreading this
"ocd Flemiih husbandry. He refides con-

..tlv on his eftate, and makes agriculture
not only his buiinefs, but alio his amufement :
Immediately on their exhibiting a culture, fu-
pericr to the old management of the Mora-
vians, he followed it with fo much intelli-
gence and fpirit, that he has advanced the va-
lue

GERMANY. 319 ■

lue of his eftate confiderably : He entered
prefently into all their views, and introduced
the befl hufbandry of the Auftrian provinces
upon his own lands. Falling into difcourfc
on the road with one of his bailiffs, he point-
ed out to me feveral large tracks of land,
which not long ago were entirely wafte, but
are now by this worthy nobleman's atten-
tion, better cultivated than moft of the pro-
vince. He has introduced various new branch-
es of hufbandry, which anfwer better than,
common crops ; among thefe, hops and faf-
fron he brought from Bohemia ; madder from
Silefia ; and he raifes both hemp and flax in
large quantities : All thefe crops he is re-
markably attentive to, and gives them fuch
uncommon fair play, that his firfl trials, con-
trary to what is generally met with, turned
out greatly fuccefsful, from whence he has
been induced to continue them ever fince, and
greatly to enlarge all his plantations of them,
by which, and various other means, he has
improved his revenues in a furprizing man-
ner.

The owners of extenfive landed eftates, in
poor countries, have all fuch an opportunity
of increafing their income; and it is very
amazing they do not oftener take advantage of
it. If, like the nobleman here mentioned,
1 thev

5^3 TRAVELS THROUGH

they would refide upon their eftates, inftead
of fpending all their time in the capital,
fouandermg their revenues in a gulf of luxury,

the meafure of which is never full, and
which cannot fail or impoverishing them, and
bringing them into the moil: fiavhh depen-
dence upon the will of the court ; if they
would act thus, they would find money flow
into their cciiers in a far greater abundance
than they can ever hope to receive from the
(miles of minhters ; at the fame time that
they would refide where a milling goes as far
as a pound. \n the profufion of a capital, the
greateft ellates are fpent without making anv
unufual figure ; hut in the country, half the
income would enable them to build and fur-
niffi coltlv palaces, and raile whole cities
around them to be witnelTes of their fplendcr.
— I have, in the courfe cf my travels, met
with feveral inilances, which (hew, in the
clearefl light, the enjoyment and undoubted
happinefs which this kind of life confers,
even upon noblemen, whole rank and revenue
would allow them all the amulcments of any
metropolis. It is a moil happy thing to a
countrv, when a fovercign gi\es all the en-
couragement in his power to promote this
rural attention in nobles, which cannot fail

of

GERMANY. 321

of turning out highly beneficial to the whole
community.

The 23d I got to Vienna, which is five-
and-twenty miles from Laba, through a
country that is very unequal, part of it being
very rich, populous, and well cultivated, and
much of it hilly, wild, and to appearance
barren. In the cultivated tracks are many
noblemen's feats ; and the hufbandry around
them is vifibly much better than elfewhere,
which is owing to their drawing the peafants,
as it were, into a firing around them. They
plant great quantities of faifron, which they
reckon the mod: profitable crop they have :
they have alio plenty of good crops of wheat
and barley ; and their exteniive meadows and
paftures feed large herds of cattle, which
from the neighbourhood of Vienna turn to
very good account. I faw feveral crops of
the turnep cabbage for cattle. But hufbandry
fufTers much in all this country, and indeed
through molt parts of Germany, for want of
inclofures : they might eafily make them,
and at a fmall expence, but neglect the work
entirely, which muft be for want of fully un-
derftanding the advantages of them : Indeed,
labour is of fo little value, that every fort of
cattle has always a keeper with them, tho'
Vol. III. Y the

TRAVELS THROUGH
the herd is ever fo fmall, yet corn and lafTron
often fufTer.

Vienna is fituated on the fouth fide of the
Danube, but has not the advantage of that
great river running through it ; for it ftands
on a fmall branch of it, there being feveral
iilands formed here, by the river dividing it-
felf. If the fuburbs are included, it is a very
large city, but within the walls and fortifica-
tions it is only three miles in circumference.
It is regularly fortified, but has fo few out-
works, as to be a place of fmall ftrength, and
only defended by a fmall army. At the liege
in 1683, the Turks fhewed themfelves to
be extremely ignorant in the art of conduct-
ing fuch an enterprize 5 and their engineers
were miferable ones, elfe they might have
taken the city fome time before the King of
Poland railed the liege; and had that event
happened, Hungary had now been in pofTel-
fioD of the Ottomanc.

Vienna within the walls makes a moll ine-
legant appearance, from thenarrownefsof the
ftreets. I am one who wcild not give fix-
pence for a fine building, it there is not a
iufticient area to view it from. The Engli/h
boait of the church of St. Paul's at London ;
and will fometimes aiiert it equal to St. Peter's
at Rome 5 but if it were doubly finer, Ilhould

prefer

GERMANY. 323

prefer St Peter's, from the opportunity one has
of viewing it; and the area around a great
building, ought to be fo much efleemed a
part of it, as to be criticifed with it -, and the
architect's abilities called in queftian for faults
in it, as much as if he blundered in the pro-
portion of the cupola. Thus in Vienna, there
are many palaces (of which I had read and
heard much,) in ftreets as narrow as old Brif-
tol ; and at the fame time all the houfes are
five, fix, feven, and fome of them eight {lo-
ries high; and it is faid, they have almod as
many flories of cellars under ground, as of
floors above. Formerly all the windows were
grated with iron bars like prifons, from the
flxeet to the upper floor, and vaft numbers of
houfes are fo now, but I fee it is left off in
the principal palaces.

The imperial palace is a ftructure that will
anfvver to none that fees it ; it confifta of feve-
ral courts, furrounded with irregular build-
ings; though, notwithstanding fome late ad-
ditions, it makes but a very mean appearance ;
the apartments are neither fpacious, nor fur-
nifhed in the manner one would expect, for a
court long famed as one of the moft expenfive
in Europe. The library is fuppofed to rank
among the flrfl in Europe ; the number of

Y 2 volumes

324 TRAVELS THROUGH

volumes are not lefs than ninety thoufand ;
and the collection of manufcripts, fuppofed to
be extremely valuable. I was (hewn feveral
great curiofuies, but upon thefe occafions
there never is time allowed for any ufeful ex-
amination, and if there were, it would fignify
little to the unlearned in the oriental tongues,
in which the moft valuable manufcripts are
written.

Many of the palaces of the nobility, art
moft magnificent ftructures ; that of the great
Eugene with his famous library and collec-
tions I had mod: pleafure in viewing; the
Mansfield palace, and that of count Daun,
are alfo great edifices, with feveral others, in
which the painting, gilding, carving, and
furniture are as rich as pofiibie.

The univerfity of Vienna, is very famous in
Germany and Hungary; the number of ftu-
dents is confiderable, and they have good ac-
commodations for thofe of fortune, and many
raluable privileges.

There is not much worth feeing in the
churches of Vienna j the cathedral is the prin-
cipal, and it is a large building; but nothing is
uncommon in it but the heighth of its fpire,
which, fince Strafburg, is become French, is
the higheft in the empire. The Jefuits
church is a fine building ; and the convents of

Carmelites,

GERMAN Y. 325

Carmelites, Francifcans, Benedidines, and
Auftin Friars, are vilited by thole who take
any delight in viewing theie fort of buildings;
for my part, I have an averiion at feeing fuch
ufelefs edifices filled with tribes of pernicious
orders of lazy priefts, who do nothing to gain
their livelihood, but are maintained by the
induftry of every body elfe : It is amazing,
that Roman catholick princes do not find out
that every monk in their dominions might be
a foldier, without the country fuffering a
whit the more : and in many cafes the fol-
dier would pay well for his maintenance; but
as to the monk, he is fubfifled in the mod
unufeful of all fpecies of idlenefs. — But there
are other inffances of the catholick piety of
Vienna, befides her monks and nuns; in one
of the fquares, is a very large and coftly fla-
tue of the Trinity, reprefenting the Deity
clafping Chrift in his arms, and the Holy
Ghoft hovering over them. This was ereded
by the Emperor Leopold, inflead of an eque-
ftrian ftatue, which in other cities would
have been ereded to the fovereign. To this
famous piece of folly, all the Roman catho-
licks bow as they pais. Religious prejudices
lhould certainly be laid afideby all travellers -,
but is it polTible for a man of fenfe not to re-
joice, that education has not enilaved him to

Y 3 an

tzC TRAVELS THROUGH

an cbfervance of, cr veneration for fuch mura-
mery? In many infbnces, religion makes Ro-
trian catholick countries extremely difagree-
ab!e to travel through.

I ': . fei era! letters of recornmencati
to Vienna, to pe S from whcfe conven-
tion, I expected feme valuable information
concerning the general frate of all the Au-
in dominions at prefent, in refpect of a-
;ulture, manufactures, commerce, reven-
ties, and military power ; but I was flrangely
difappointed : there is a haughty referve in
. of the leaft confequence here,
which not only precludes any information of
this fort ; but at the fame time renders a re-
fidence in any but a publick character very dif-
a^reeable at Vienna. But after all my letters
had failed, that is, introduced me only to
people who thought that I had no bufinefs
with any thing but eating, drinking, going
lo cojrt, and playing at cards, a life by no
means agreeable to me; after this I tell acci-
dentally into company with a field-officer in
their fervice, a native of Milan : this gentle-
man was extremely communicative, very fen-
fible, and had travelled often through moll of
the dominions of the Emprefs Queen. He
gave me a very rational, and candid account
c: things, as appeared by his manner, and

the;

GERMAN Y. %vj

the confirmations I had afterwards from
feveral perfons in other parts of Europe. To
agriculture this gentleman had not at all at-
tended ; he could give me no more account
of its general ftate in the countries he had been
in, than with that of the moon. I found
from him however, that the manufactures
which have lately been eftablimed in Hun-
gary, flouriih very much; the Emprefs Queen,
and her minifters, have long been eager to
cloath her troops with her fubjects manufac-
tures ; inftead of felling all their wool unma-
nufactured. Hungary, as well as Auftria,
Bohemia, and Moravia, feed many fheep,
efpecially Hungary, a great part of which is
a continued and fertile fheep-walk. Great
numbers of Hungarians have been fet to
work upon this vyool ; and weavers, fpin-
ners, reelers, ccc. brought from Flanders,
to teach the natives to work it ; and many of
them have proved very docile in learning : fb
that at prefent, woollen goods are made to the
amount of near an hundred thoufand pounds
a year, which is a very great thing in Hun-
gary— where, before thefe exertions, were
no manufactures at all — They are eftablimed
in moft of the populous towns of that king-
dom j and if they are brought, to employ the
poor people in them, who have no other em-

Y 4 ployment,

. : - T ?. A VEL5 THROUGH
ployment, it will be an immenfe acquii
and &¥c the export of very great fums of mo-
ney. A: to trade, the inland iituation of the
Auftrian dominion?, is fuch as allows of very
Uttle foreign commerce. Attempts were made
atTrieft, bat they were fo languid, and fuf-
interruptions during the war, that
t b e cc m paerce : f th e pc : I nothing th at

deferves mention; notwithstanding that an
active p i cc, liberal ir feful expence, and
ittc . . : :; fuch improvements, might have
made rrieji the feat of a confiderable com-
mence* but all thefe circumftances have been
r.
Ti::- revenues of the dominions of the houfe
re considerable ; the folfowing
sunt pf them was given to this gentleman,
by a perfbn who had many opportunities of
bring well informed,

Boh < JT 700,000

Moravia ■ ■ 190,000

Hungary ■ * 400,00c

/Vuftria — — — - 400,000

Xnwjfilvania - — — ■ 53,000

Solavor.ii and Croatia 100,000

"::i2, Curinthia, and Camiola — 200,000
Tyrol], Brixeo, Trent ■ 160,000

The countries . : : .bia ■ 20,000

The

GERMANY. 329

The Netherlands * 150,000

Milan, and Mantua »■ 400,000

Tufcany « ■ 500,000

Total £ 3,270,000

What degree of accuracy there is in this
table ; I am not able to afcertain, but from
the information I have received from other
hands, I believe the total to be near the truth:
but Tufcany muft not be reckoned : the com-
mon idea at Vienna coincides with thefe par-
ticulars; which makes the Imperial revenue
near three millions : though there are fome
fanguine politicians, who infill on it's amount-
ing to five; but that is much exaggerated.
The revenues of all thefe countries might be
very much improved; nobody doubts but a
better fyftem of taxation, and a more cecono-
mical collection would raife five millions, with
very near as much eafe to the people as three
at prefent; but the lower claries of the people
throughout moft of thefe dominions are mi-
ferably fleeced, and pillaged, while the no-
bility efcape with paying a much lefs propor-
tion than they ought. The Netherlands might
in particular yield a very confiderable revenue,
and prove the fined and moft profitable pro-
vinces

y,o TRAVELS THROUGH

vines; belonging to the houfe of Auitria ; bet
in order to that, great changes ihould be a:
in the conilitutions of the cities ; nianu:"..
tures fhould receive encouragement, and con -
merce be re-eitabliihed in the pcrts ; all which
might be eafilv done, and the revenues of the
lbvereign become wonderfully improved;
whereas at prefent they yield no more
than might be expected if they were fi-
tuated no better than Auftria, or Moravia,
inftead of being the fineft fpot in Europe, in
every refpedt ; and inhabited by a people na-
turally as induftrious as any in the world.
Flanders, fince the Dutch were mafters of the
navigation of Antwerp has wanted a port ;
but Oftend, for an hundred thoufand pounds,
might be made as good a one as any in Europe
for merchantmen.

The many improvements, which have been
talked of by the court of Vienna for the here-
ditary dominions, in agriculture, manufaclures?
and commerce, were they put in execution,
would at the fame time much improve the re-
venue, and in a manner free the country of
thofe evils, which ufually flow from incrcaf-
ing the publick income of a crown. But
there is a dilatorinefs and a languor in every
thing tranfacted at this court, even in its own.
molt intricate concerns, that damp the ipirit

cf

GERM A N Y. 53 i

of all improvement, fo that any object of this
fort, upon a moderate computation, will be
talked of half a century, before it is executed;
this was the cafe with the eflablilliment of
the woollen manufacture in Hungary, and with
every thing elle: fo that it is not thought the
Auflrian revenues, however they would admit
of it, will for a long time be put upon a better
footing than they are, or have any other im-
provements than what refults from opprefling
the lower claffes of the people Rill more : than
which no meafure can give a greater flab to
all general national improvements. Was the
King of Pruffia polTciTed of the Auftrian do-
minions in exchange for his own, we mould
foon fee them make a very different appear-
ance ; he would raife much greater revenues,
with far greater eafe to the people; and would
throw fuch a vigour into all the tranfactions
which the poiTeffion of Fhnders, and the Ita-
lian dominions would introduce him to, that
the importance of them would fpeedily appear
in a very different light from what they do at
prefent.

The great object of attention at Vienna, is
the army; this is fo far reprehenfible in poli-
ticks, as it encreafes the neceliity of laying a
foundation previous to every fuperit-ructure : it
is the revenue that pays and fupports the army,

and

33* TRAVELS THROUGH

and all increafe of the latter muft depend on
a foregoing increafe of the former : to raife
a great revenue is much more effential, than
to raife a great army ; but the foldiers have a
peculiar faculty of fwallowing up a revenue,
they have none at creating it. That prince
therefore, who would be truly formidable,
fhould attend to the profperity of his income,
before he thinks of greatly increafing his
troops.

The following are the particulars of the
prefent {landing forces of the houfe of Auftria.
I infert them on the fame authority as the a-
bove paper of the revenue; believing from
other information which I have received, that
it is near the truth ; though I fhould remark,
that all lifts of armies are apt to exceed the
reality, rather than fall beneath it.

Men.
>. ■■ 23,846

- < 16,000
— — » 14,640

. 6,300

— 8,000
■»■■ 164,386

2,800

Dragoons ■

Curiaffers —

HufTars, and Croats

Hunters •—— —

Free troops

Infantry

Artillery

Total

235>972

The

GERMANY. 333

The whole army, whatever the total may be,
is certainly in excellent order; the regiments
full, and well officered, their cloathing regularly
delivered, their arms much better than ever; the
artillery very numerous ; and no expence has been
fpared informing engineers; the magazines of
ammunition and all forts of military ftores, full,
and in good order: thefe attentions have occu-
pied the court ever fince the peace, and they
have been indefatigable in them. Now, that all
thefe particulars are compleated, they are em-
ployed in repairing all the fortifications in
Bohemia, Moravia, Auflria, Hungary, and
Tranfilvania ; new ones are in fome places
creeling, and many old ones greatly improved ;
this is a work of immenfe expence, and con-
fequently it goes on flowly. in every one of
thefe particulars, the Auftrians (trength is
greater than at the breaking out of the laft
war. I before remarked, that the cafe was
the fame with the King of Prufiia. Thefe
potentates are certainly jealous of each other;
but I believe in no refpect that threatens a freili
war : but the irate of affairs in other parts,
makes it neceiTary for them to be ftrongly
armed. The afpect of affairs in Prufln and
Poland, fills the houfe of Aultria with unea-
finefs ; and although Pruffia efpoufes in her
manifeftos the fame caufe in Polifli affairs as

the

y,t TRAVELS THROUGH

the Ruffian Emprefs, itill it can only be, be-
caufe the power of that empire is too great for
him to break with. Moll certainly the in-
creafe of the formidablenefs of Ruffia, ought
in good politicks to fill both PrulTia, and Au-
ftria with the deepell jealoufy j future alliances
with it, in cafe of a new war in Germany, muft
be very uncertain ; and againft whoever fhe
declares, her weight will probably fall too
heavy to be refilled. The opportunity of the
War between the Ruffians and Turks, has ge-
nerally been taken by the Auftrians for attack-
ing the Porte : fuch a meafure now would
infure the reftoration of Belgrade and Servia,
and perhaps yet greater advantages ; but
not making ufe of it, may be owing to two
reafons: firft, in return for the Turks not
playing the fame game when the Emprefs
Queen was at war with Pruffiaj and fecondly,
becaufefuch a conduct would give greater ad-
vantages to the arms of Ruffia, than the houfc
of Auftria wifhes to fee.

C H A F-

GERMANY.

CHAPTER X.

ffourncyfram Vienna through Auflria — Defcrip-
tion of the Arcbdutchy — Bavaria — Munich —
Reve?jues and forces. —

JULY ifr, I left Vienna, and that day tra-
velled forty miles to St. Poltu, through a
very various country. Near Vienna, it is very
gay, being lightly adorned with villas, which
have extenfive gardens, and planted groves
about them, but all in a miferable tafte. I
flopped to view one pretty near the road, which
the poftilions told me belonged to a great no-
bleman at court; a defcription of the ground
before the houfe will give a tolerable idea of
the tafte mod prevalent here in ornamenting
their country feats. A canal with a fmall
bridge over it in the center, parted the area
before the houfe from the road ; from the
bridge to the houfe door was about a hundred
yards ; a broad ftone-way led from one to
the other ; on each fide ranged in exact order
a flattie, an urn, and a crofs interchangeably;
thefe were on a flip of grafs : on the other
fide two canals nicely laid out, like the former,
by rule, and at each corner of the three, a
ftatue. The ground on each fide was formed
4 into

33* TRAVELS THROUGH

into a grais- plot, furrounded by a parterre of
flowers, and in the center of each plot, a fmall
fountain. From thefe particulars of the ap-
proach tc a rural villa, all unfeen may be very
exactly guefled ; and it evidently appears that
the Auftrians are at Ieaft one hundred years be-
hind us in the art of gardening. It is the fame
with the French, and all the other nations of
Europe. In fome gardens I was (hewn when
in Italy, before I was told that they were ex-
ecuted in imitation of nature, upon the plan
of my countryman Brown, whofe fame had
reached there ; and it is not eafy to be con-
ceived how ridiculous every thing was; the
leafr deviations from line and compafs work,
amidft a great deal of it, were edeemed exerti-
ons in the art of imitating nature. A more
ridiculous jumble was never feen; much worfe
than thofe made purely artificial.

Ornamenting a piece of ground, in the manner
cf cur great gardener, and in the taite yet fupe-
ricr, in which fome private gentlemen in Eng-
land have laid out their grounds, is an art that
requires genius, and more attention than will
ever be given to it, in countries where they
refide ten months out of the twelve in the ca-
pital, and very many, the other two alfo :
where this is the cafe, the expence will not be
fpared, which we fee in every thing that re-
o lates

Germany. 337

lates to the country; no article about a noble-
man while he reiides in the country in Eng-
land, but what infinitely exceeds the fame with
any foreign nobleman of equal fortune. Their
wealth is all expended upon their town houfes,
and their town refidence ; it is not therefore to
be wondered at any more, that the Englifli
have not fuch fine palaces in London, as that
the French and Italians have not fuch fine
country feats.

Thefe forty miles do not exhibit an agri-
culture that is very flouriming j yet the coun-
try is not much in want of people, for the
towns and villages are thick. The foil is in
general very good; but they do net feem to
have any ideas of cultivating it with neatnefs j
wild fhrubbery grounds are fuftered to break
into the corn, in ragged borders, and fmall
wafte fpots, where the plough, upon account
of fome hillock, or hole, does not go, are
left covered with weeds, to blow all over their
fallows; they have no idea of cleaning fuch
fpots by way of prevention, and fuch numbers
of them, as I faw in this day's journey, would
not be met with in half an Englifh county.
They fow large quantities of fafFron, which
they reckon a profitable culture, an acre yields
ing a produce of about three pounds, if the
crop is good. There are many vineyards,

Vol, III, Z but

:.»,3 TRAVELS THROUGH

but the wine fells fo badly, that they allured me,
corn and faftron frand in general much bet-
ter; and they do not confine their vines to tracks
improper for ploughing.

Wheat, barley, rye, peafe and beans, are
commonly cultivated, but no oats; the crops
arebutmidling. Turneps,turnep cabbages, cab-
bages, andpotatoes, are cultivated in large quan-
tities; the former for cattle, and the potatoes for
fattening hogs, for which they boil them. They
have large herds of fwine, which feed all fummer
long in the woods, many of which are exten-
five. Horned cattle arealfo very plentiful here,
and as they houfe them in the winter, they
raife large quantities of dung, which ought to
enfure a much better husbandry than theirs.
I palled a imall farm, near St. Poltu, that was
cut out of a wafte, and to appearance a barren
common, on the fide of a large hill; difpofed
into ten fields by beautiful quick hedges, which
put me in mind of the beft cultivated part of
England : the inclofures rifing one above ano-
ther, on the fide of the hill, were feen di-
ftincflly from the road ; they were covered with
various crops, which appeared much fuperior
to thole of the cultivated parts of the country
I had palTed; the houfe was fmall, but ex-
tremely neat. As foon as I had looked at-
tentively at this very agreeable fight, I was go-

ing

GERMANY. -,jf

ing to make up to it; but recollecting that I
mould be in the dark, I determined to go on to
the ftage, and come next morning to view that
farm, which feemed a creation in the midll of
a defart.

I accordingly put my intention in execution,
the morning of the 2d, and returned about
three miles to the place, and aiking for the
matter of it, he appeared immediately; a fine
tall open countenanced foldier, in an old fuit
of regimentals. I defired to fee his farm, up-
on which he very readily walked with me into
it. I went through all the ten inclofures ; the
hedges were regularly planted, and had each of
them a ditch ; the gates were all in .good or-
der, and every thing carried an appearance of
neatnefs, moil: uncommon in Germany. He
had three meadows, each of them watered by
a fmall ftream he had brought from the hill
above his farm; it filled a little pond for wa-
tering the cattle, and might be conducted at
pleafure in the proper feafon, over all parts of
the fields for manuring them, which he prac-
tifes in winter and fpring. He had a field of
wheat, another of barley, two of clover, and
three of turneps and cabbages ; and his fields
were all much of the fame fize, being each
about fix Englifh acres. Turneps and cab-
bages he grew on his fallow for cleaning the
Z 2 land;

34o TRAVELS THROUGH

land; fucceededthem with barley, and then took
clover, upon which he fows his wheat. This
hufbandry, which nearly refembles the beft of
Flanders, furprized me in the midft of Auftria,
where nothing of the kind is to be found. He
keeps a dairy of cows; a fmall flock of fheep
on the neighbouring wade, and oxen for
ploughing and carting ; he houfes all his cat-
tle in winter ; his fheep every night in fheep
houfes ; and litters every thing well with fern,
which he cuts upon the wafle. He is ex-
tremely attentive to raifing large quantities of
dung, which he manages by keeping as many
cattle as he pofiibly can, and by mixing turf,
and virgin earth with his dung as the cattle
make it all winter long; by this means he is
enabled to manure three fields, or eighteen acres
very richly every year ; but what gives a virtue
to his dunghill, fuperior to any thing elfe is his
bringing all the human ordure away from the
little town of Poltu, for which, fome of the in-
habitants ignorant of its value, give a trifle
for taking it away ; he is at the expence of
cleaning all the neceifaries there, and of cart-
ing it to his farm ; he mixes it up with his
dung and virgin earth, and aflures me that it
forms the richefl compoft in the world ; all
the manure he raifes in this manner, being ap-
plied to his turnep and cabbage grounds, he

gets

GERMANY. 341

gets prodigious crops of thofe vegetables ; and
I remarked that they were kept perfectly free
from weeds by hoeing : his cabbages are all
planted in regular rows on ridges, and the
fpaces between the rows ploughed feveral
times while growing, as well to kill the weeds
as to keep the land in good tillage, all which
appeared to me to be an excellent fyftem.
His crops of wheat yield four quarters an
acre ; his barley five, his clover gives four tons
of hay at two mowings ; and his turneps and
cabbages maintain a van1 ilock : an acre of the
former he reckons fufficient to winter-feed two
oxen or cows ; one of cabbages will winter
three or four; but the expences of them are
higher. All thefe crops I fuppofe are equal
to the bed cultivated parts of England.

Upon returning to his houfe he gave me
his hiftory. He was a corporal in a regiment
of foot, quartered, during fix years; in Flanders,
and Brabant, where, as he had always a ftrong
bent towards hufbandry, he remarked very
minutely their practices, and often worked in
the fields for Flemifh farmers. Upon the war
breaking out with the king of Prufiia, he was
early in that fervice, and made a ferjeant, in
which capacity he behaved fo much to Mar-
shal Daun's fatis faction at the battle of Hock'
ehirken, in light of him, that he gave him pro-

Z 3 mifes

:-. TRAVELS THROUGH

miles upon the fpot, of promotion ; but thefe
were not thought of afterwards, till being re-
p refer, ted by another perfon to the Emprefs
Queen, and allowed by count Daun, fhe
perfon ally allied him in the pretence of the
whole court, if he had any particular requeft
to make : upon which he afked his difcharge,
and a piece cf this wafle to cultivate, being
born in the pariim It was granted at once;
and further, his fovereign built him the
honfis and offices directly, and gave him an
hundred pounds to flock the farm with.
With this final! beginning he went to work
directlv, and in nine years has railed every
thing to the ftate I law. His induftry is un-
bounded: though a continued fuccefs has at-
tended all his undertaking?, and his crops
prove as fine as pcfnble, bringing him in large
films of money, yet he continues to work with
the feme feverity as ever, and does much the
greateft part of all the buunefs of his farm with
his own hands ; he has a foil about twenty-
£ve who executes the reft. The Emprefs has
been twice to fee him, and exprefi'ed the high-
eft approbation of his conduct, and made him
a handfome prefent. His methods have been
rut in execution under his own direction up-
od the eftates cf two r.cblemen in the neigh-
bourhood, and with good fuccefs -y fo that this

worthy

GERMAN Y. 343

worthy foldier is like to be of more benefit to
his country than half a dozen generals; and
fhews that nothing is of more importance
than to eftablim fuch examples as thefe in va-
rious parts of a dominion : for although thev
may fpread flowly, yet they certainly will
fpread, and that they cannot do without being
of very great public benefit.

By night, I reached a little town called Munf-
bery, being halfway to Lintz, at the diftance
of thirty miles from Poltu, through a country
that is cultivated in a very different manner
from the foldier's farm I had left, whofe name
(by the way) is Picco. The crops are in general
bad and very full of weeds ; and they feem
to plough the foil very badly, although their
ploughs are drawn by fix oxen, and they have
two men, or a man and a lad to drive them,
with another man to hold the plough ; it is
evident from this that the price of labour is
low, or the farmer, that is the nobility, could
not allow fuch a fuperfluity of hands j but
while the time of the peafants belongs to their
lords, without any pay, fuch inftances will be
very common ; but the whole fyftem makes a
very different figure from my friend Picco's,
whofe farm is a contrail: to the whole arch-
dutchy. They cultivate many hops, faffron,
and vines, and thefe articles exhauft all their
Z 4 lands

344 TRAVELS THROUGH

lands applied to common hufbandry, of the
dung which they ought to have, without
yielding a return proportioned. Picco, when
I afked him whv he did not cultivate thefe ar-
tides, afTured me that none of them equalled
common crops in profit, provided the latter
were managed in the manner they ought to be ;
and of this I have no doubt, for all thefe un-
common articles require a great deal of atten-
tion, and an infinity of labour, efpecially vines,
while the produce is of fuch a bad fort, that
the returns are inconfiderable. Near Lintz,
the country improves much, being in
itfelf finely variegated with hills and dales,
wood and water; it is alfo better cultivated ;
there is a very little wade land, and many feats
of the nobility are fcattered about it, attracted
I fuppofe by the agrecablenefs of the country.
Lintz is extremely well fituated on the
banks of the Danube : It is fma'il, well built,
and a neat place ; the ftreets well paved, and
kept yery clean. What fets off the buildings
in an unufual manner, is the materials of
which they are raifedj being a white flone
that preferves its colour. The market-place
is large and handfome; and is adorned with
two fountains. The Emprefs has a palace
here, well furnimed, which from an high fi-
xation overlooks the ccurfe of the Danube very

beautifully $

GERMANY. 345

beautifully; (he ufed to come here often, but
has not of late years. The Jefuits college is
one of the beft buildings in the place, and the
library has the reputation of being remarkably
well chofen. This place is the capital of up-
per Auftria ; for the dates aflemble no where
elfe. For its fize, it is very populous, which is
owing to fome manufactures they have that are
flouriihing; particularly that of woollen goods,
and of filk and worded ; alfo gun-barrels, for
which they are famous. The wool they work
up is that of Auftria, and much comes from
Bohemia; all thefe fabricks employ fix or
feven hundred hands.

The 5th I got to Newberg in Bavaria, the
diftance forty miles. This line of country is
all very agreeable ; from the inequalities of
the ground, and its open groves, with many
rivers; nor is it wanting in numerous little
towns and villages, the neighbourhood of the
Panube drawing many inhabitants, by the
conftant trade carried on upon it ; and by
the numerous boats, barges, iloops, &c. which
pafs and repafs upon all forts of bufinefs. I
obferved hops, faffron, and vines were com-
mon culture, and fome flax, which is made
into coarfe linnens in the neighbouring towns.
Newberg is a little place, but very well built,
and remarkably clean,. The Elector Palatine
is fovereign of the dutchy, of which it is the

capital ;

346 TRAVELS THROUGH

capital and, has a imall palace here, which
however contains nothing worth feeing. The
Jefuits church is the heft publick edifice in the
place. The only trade of Newherg is wine ;
but very little of it is good; feveral forts are
fold fo cheap as three halfpence a quart.

The 6th I reached Muldorf, the diftance
fifty miles, through a verv fine, populous, and
well cultivated country, being part of the E-
ledtorate of Bavaria. There feems through
this line of country, to be mere induftry, ac-
tivity and happinefs, than in any I had palled
for a long while, and yet the peafants are in
a ftate of villainage as well as elfewhere, but
they are treated in a kinder manner ; have
more property and better houfes ; and many
of them are alfo farmers, who by induftry and
frugality have faved money; and find out the
means of difpofing of it to good advantage.
Much of this country is enclofed, than which
there cannot be any improvement of fo much
confequence; and the prefent Elector has given
many privileges and encouragements to all
who enclofe their farms, as well as exempting
them from antient cuftoms and rights, which
were extremely injurious to open lands. There
are many vineyards in this country, and the
wine is better than that of Auftria. Sheep
feem to be a principal article in their husband-
ry; they keep great numbers, and of a better
a breed

GERMANY. 347

breed than common; which I am told was
originally owing to procuring fome rams from
Flanders. They yield large fleeces, and there
are many manufactories for working up the
wool, which receive great encouragement
from the government. Every farm of any
fize, (that is, every divifion of an eftate that is
under a diftinct fteward or bailiff) has a large
fheep-houfe, with a roof, but open on one
fide to the fouth; in thishoufe they fold their
fheep every night the whole year round, and
depend on it principally for manuring their
lands: when they begin to fold, they fpread
over the floor light virgin foil, turf, fand, or
peat earth, and fold upon it till it is verymoift
and dirty; then they make a frefh layer, and
fo go on; but to every eighteen inches of depth,
(for they remove the heap but once a year)
they litter with ftraw ; and in extreme wet or
fnowy weather they do the fame. This is
upon the whole an excellent fyftem for railing
manure, and is a Flemifh cuftom, though

7 o

with one or two variations : but I mould
think the fheep lying upon fuch a dunghill,
would be prejudicial to their health; however,
the Bavarians affert the contrary, and fay that
the health of the animal does not fuffer in the
leafl ; and that the wool is much better than
it would be if the iheep were expofed to the
weather.

Muldorf

3+3 TRAVELS THROUGH

Muldorf is a little town, agreeably fituated,
and regularly fortified, but it is not a place of
any great ftrength ; the ftreets are broad, ftrait,
and well built, and the market-place fpacious,
and furrounded with feveral buildings that are
a great ornament to it. There are feveral
churches and convents, but none that con-
tain any thing remarkable.

The 7th I got to Munich, the diftance ie-
ven and thirty miles, and the country agree-
able and well cultivated : there are many
mere nobility who relide conftantly on their
lands in this country, than in any I have feen
in Germany; and to this I attribute the ad-
vantage of the fuperior cultivation : for as the
nobles are the farmers, it is no wonder that
eftates there are managed better under the ma-
iler's eye, than in his abfence. Although
there are not many of them that are proficients
in agriculture, yet a life paffed in the midfl: of
its bufinefs, mvA yield a greater knowledge
of its circumtlances than one which is entirely
employed in the parade of a court. Betides,
there can be little doubt but the nobles them-
felves treat their peafants better than the race
of bailiffs, agents, £cc. who ufually opprefs
and fqueeze them the more, in order to have
the better opportunity of enriching themfelves;
and I find it evident, wherever I have been in
Germany, that the landlords are the richeft,

and

GERMANY. 549

and their eftates the beft cultivated, where the
peafants are allowed fome degree of liberty and
property. The happier that race of people,
the better for the nobles ; the latter will not
in all cafes be brought to believe this, but
nothing admits of clearer proof.

Their corn through this track of country
looked very well ; and I obferved particularly,
that their fallows intended for next year were
well ploughed, and clean; whereas they are
full of weeds in many parts of Germany, and
much fuch bad management as I had feen in
Auflria. The foil here is a rich loam, with
fome light tracks : they plough chiefly with
oxen. They fallow their lands for wheat ;
and then fow barley ; after the barley, they
take peafe or buck-wheat, and then turneps,
or cabbages; but they do not fow any clover,
which the Auftrian foldier, and all Flanders
and Brabant find fo profitable. Wheat yields
two quarters and an half per acre, barley three,
and buck-wheat four ; and their turneps and
cabbages are applied to feeding their cattle
and fheep ; but all are houfed in winter.

Munich I think without exception, the
fineft city in Germany; Drefden, while in its
grandeur, I am told furpaffed it ; and fome
parts of Berlin are very beautiful, and al
things confidered, they now yield to this place.
Itis fituated on the river Ifer; which dividing
3 into

350 TRAVELS THROUGH

into feveral channels, waters all parts of the
town: fo that little ftreams run through many
of the ftreets, confined in flone channels,
which has a mod clean and agreeable effect.
The ftreets, fquares, and courts are fpacious,
and airy ; which fets off all the buildings much,
and makes them appear finer than others much
more coftly in other cities. The ftreets in"
particular, are fo flrait, that many of them
interfect each other at right-angles, and are
very broad, and extremely well built. There
are fixteen churches and monasteries in it,
many of them very handfome edifices ; thefe
with the electoral palace, and other publick
ings, take up near half the city : fo that it may
eafily be fuppofed the place is in general very
well built.

The principal of all thefe publick edifices,
is the electoral palace, which is rather a con-
venient than an elegant building. It is very
large ; having four courts in it, and all of them
large, but there is a want of finishing in the
infides of all the places in Germany, that can-
not fail difgufling an Englifhman, who has
been ufed to fee the houfes of the nobility in
his own country finidied to the 'garrets, as
compleatly as a fnuff-box -, and certainly it is a
mod agreeable circumftance. In the palace of
Munich, the fineit room, which is the grand
hall, being an hundred and eighteen feet

long

GERMANY. 351

long by fifty two broad, is open to the roof,
ib as entirely to deftroy the effect which would
refult from fuch a fize if finimed : birds fly
about in it as in a barn, and drop their fa-
vours on the heads of the company as they
pafs. I have in Germany feen many inftances
of unfinifbing equal to this. There is a great
profufion of marble in the feveral apartments,
but it is not wrought in an agreeable manner.
The furniture is in general old ; it has been
very rich, but has nothing in it finking ; nor
is the collection of pictures comparable to
many others in Germany. The Mufeum is
well filled with many curiofities ; of which
as Keyfler gives a lift, I mall therefore fay no
more of them. — The Jefuits college is among
the fined buildings belonging to the church :
it is very fpacious. The great church, and
the Francifcans monaftery, are alfo worth fee-
ing j the latter order is ponefTed of very great
revenues. Several palaces of the nobility make
a very good figure, and the town-houfe is
better than many I have feen. The number
of inhabitants is computed at fifty thoufand.

The palaces moil worth feeing are the E-
lector's country ones of Sleifheim and Nym-
phenburg, near Munich. Sleifheim is a fine
building, and much better finimed than that
of Munich j the portico fupported by marble
pillars is fine; in the apartments, which are

furnifhed

252 TRAVELS THROUGH

lurnithed in an agreeable manner, is a very
good collection of pictures, but they are
chiefly by Flemish matters. Nvmphenburg
exhibits the German talte of gardening in
perfection ; the Bavarians holding them to be
the fineft in the empire; the fituation, wood,
and water would admit of ibmething beauti-
ful, but here is nothing but the old-falhioned
fountains, ftatues, monfters, S:c.

It is thought by moil perfons at Munich,
as well as in other parts of Germany, the elec-
torate of Bavaria has thoroughly recovered the
mifchiefs it fufTered in the war of 1744, and
is now as rich and populous as ever. The
electoral revenues-are reckoned to amount to
fix hundred thoufand pounds a year, and are
improving : the /landing army confifts of
eleven, thoufand foot, and three thoufand
horie; but the Bavarians fay, their prince
could bring forty thoufand men into the
field i however, it is certain that, if he could
bring them there he could not maintain them,
without their being in the pay of foreigners.
While the houie of Bavaria continues on good
terms with that of Auftria, there is no danger
of its fuftering by the electorate being again
made the feat of war.

F 1 X I S.

",L. ~ „r-.>*> *:-.