THE

MEMOIRS

OF

CHARLES-LEWIS,

Baron de Pollnitz.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38495@[email protected]#Page_377" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">377

LETTER XXV391

LETTER XXVI408

LETTER XXVII422

OTHER BOOKS432

INDEX433

ERRATA

FOOTNOTES

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The good Reception these Memoirs, which I most humbly offer to your Lordship, have met with Abroad; and the Protection and Favour the Author has obtain'd at one of the Chief Protestant Courts of Europe; encourage me, tho' with the profoundest Submission, to intreat your Lordship's favourable Acceptance of this Translation.

'Tis, my Lord, the only Homage I am capable of paying your Lordship, and the best Testimony I can give with what Zeal and Pleasure I join in the Congratulation of the Public for that illustrious Regard paid to your Lordship's Merit, and Their Wishes, by his Sacred Majesty, this Day in Council.

That your Lordship may very long enjoy a sufficient Portion of Health, equal to the Abilities of your Great Mind, for supporting you under that vast Weight of Service which you have now taken upon you for your King and Country, is the hearty Prayer of all good Englishmen; and particularly of Him, My Lord, who has the Honour to subscribe

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PREFACE,

By the Translator.

The Author of these Memoirs, who is a Person of an honourable Family in Prussia, and confess'd by all that know him to be a Gentleman of extraordinary Talents, is one that may be truly said to have seen the World; he having not only travell'd twice thro' the principal Parts of Europe, but by his Acquaintance with People of the first Rank, and a diligent Inquiry and nice Inspection into Men and Things, attained to that Knowledge of Both, which is of such Service and Entertainment to Mankind in the general, and so particularly necessary for All who attend to what is doing in high Life.

He has succeeded very happily in the right Narrative Stile; and the French Language, in which he wrote the following Letters, seems to be as natural to him as if it was his Mother-Tongue. But the Thing which has most contributed to the Demand for these Memoirs, is the Multitude of Characters that the Baron has interspers'd, not only of the Deceas'd, but even of Persons that are still living, and distinguish'd by the exalted Spheres in which they move.

That every one of those Characters is equally just, or that every Circumstance relating to them is told with the utmost Exactness, is not to be imagin'd: For supposing the Author to have been ever so circumspect and impartial, how was it possible for him to take the true Likeness of every one, in such a Variety of Personages of both Sexes, and to be perfectly sure of every Particular that he mentions; since he could not be Eye-Witness of every thing, and must be oblig'd for many to Information from other Persons, of whom, 'tis no wonder if some were prejudic'd? But to do the Baron Justice, it must be allow'd, that he no where fails in that Respect and Decorum to Princes which are their due; and that he has not discover'd a predominant Passion for Satire: because where he has painted in the strongest Colours, and represented his Subjects in the most disadvantageous Light, they were such whose Follies or whose Vices were too flagrant and notorious to be either conceal'd or disguis'd: And, considering the Groupe of Courtiers whom he has crouded into his Canvass, the Reader will rather be surpris'd to meet with so few Imperfections in his Characters, and so many excellent Qualities. By this means, his Memoirs have, upon the whole, done Honour to his Understanding, without offending his Conscience, or hurting his Fortune; he being, at this very time, upon a handsome Establishment at the Court of Prussia.

It cannot possibly escape the Observation of the Reader, that the Baron, when he wrote these Letters to his noble Friend, was a profess'd Member of the Church of Rome; but that nevertheless, he was not such a Bigot to its Constitution, nor such a Believer in the Legends of its Writers, or the pretended Miracles of its Saints, as to incur the Character of a blind and furious Zealot; it appearing on the contrary, from several Declarations of his Mind in the following Pages, that he did not want Charity either in his Nature or Principles for those from whom he differ'd in religious Sentiments. Such a Catholic Spirit, assisted by his good Sense, made it, no doubt, much easier for him, after reflecting upon the Fopperies and Impostures which he had seen in that Church during his Travels, to abjure the Romish and to embrace the Protestant Religion, which he did accordingly with great Devotion last Summer, at Berlin; after which, his Prussian Majesty was pleas'd to distinguish him with peculiar Marks of his Favour and Esteem, by declaring him one of the Gentlemen of his Bed-Chamber, and Chief Cup-Bearer of his Court; and he has very lately given him a considerable Prebend.

To the new Edition of his Memoirs, from which the following Sheets are translated, there's not only a great number of material Additions in the Body of the

Work, as is observ'd by the Editor of it, Amsterdam, but several new Notes: In this Translation, these Notes are likewise considerably augmented, for the sake of continuing the Thread of the History to the present Time, by the Notice taken of certain remarkable Alterations, or other curious Particulars that have happen'd to the Persons or the Places mentioned, since 1734, when the said Edition was publish'd.

One great Defect for which the foreign Editor has been very much blam'd, was the want of a Table to these Memoirs; which, if not absolutely necessary in a Work of this kind, wherein so many Persons and Facts are mentioned, cannot be necessary for any Book whatsoever that comes from the Press. To supply this Defect, the Translator has added an Alphabetical Index to each of the two Volumes; which Indexes are the more copious, that the Reader might know where to turn in an Instant for some Account of the Characters, Conduct, or Familys of those public Personages, whose Names so often occur in the News-Papers.

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THE

AUTHOR's PREFACE

TO THE

FIRST EDITION.

There are very few Books without a Preface; and that there are so, is in a great measure owing to the Fancy of the Booksellers, who think them to be absolutely necessary, and too often judge of the merit of a Copy by the Flights of its Preface, and the insinuating Tone of the Author's Voice in reading it. I had the misfortune to fall into the hands of one of these Booksellers, so fond of Prefaces, whom nothing would serve but he must have one at the Head of my Memoirs. My telling him that I did not know what to put into a Preface, signify'd no more than if I had been talking to a Post; for he threaten'd to get a Preface compos'd by an Author who wrote for Wages. This startled me, and I trembled for the fate of my Book, not doubting that a Preface written by a Man of Letters, who made it his profession to compose such marvellous Pieces, would altogether eclipse the few Excellencies in this Work of mine. What, said I to myself, the Sale of my Book then must depend only on the Goodness of the Preface, which, when the Readers compare with the Book it self, they will say, O! what a wonderful Man is the Author of the Preface! What a pitiful Writer, the Compiler of the Memoirs! No, said I again to my self, I am resolv'd that the Preface and the Book shall run the same risk; and since Chance has enter'd me an Author, I'll play out the whole part of one.

I am told, that the Design of a Preface is to give the Publick an account, in the first place, of the Reasons that have engag'd the Author to compose his Work; that then he is to inform the Publick, that 'tis in meer Complaisance to his Friends, and because there are mangled Copies of his Manuscript abroad, that he has been determined to put it to the Press; and finally, that he is to conclude with a sort of Petition, wherein he is to beg the Reader's Indulgence for his Productions. This, I have been assured, is the Plan of a Preface; let us now see how well I can execute it.

As to the first Article, viz. what Motives I had to write, I sincerely own that when I set Pen to Paper, I meant nothing more than to amuse myself. I was the farthest in the World from thinking that I should one day be overtaken with the Temptation of setting up for an Author. I wrote Letters to a Friend of mine, purely to divert him with an Account of such things as came in my way; the Minutes of which Letters I preserved till I had insensibly formed a Volume of 'em; and having nothing else to do, I augmented and digested them in the manner that I now give them to the Publick. The truth is, that my Friends have not used the least Importunity with me to commit my Manuscript to the Press, nor was it possible for any spurious Copies of it to get abroad, because no body ever saw it till I put it into the hands of the Bookseller.

But I shall be ask'd, what possess'd me to commence Author, and how came I to be so idle as to put my Name at the Head of a sorry book? I must answer again, that it was downright Indolence. As to my Name, it would have been very difficult to have concealed it from Persons to whom I have the greatest Obligations. I should have been suspected to have been the Author of these Memoirs at certain Courts, for which I have a Respect both by Inclination and Duty; and perhaps, if I had left this Copy to the wide World, as some do those Foundlings which they are asham'd to own, such Passages might have been foisted into it, as would have been father'd upon me, in spite of all Protestations of my Innocence.

As to the Book itself, I am apt to think there is nothing in it that any Person whatsoever ought to take offence at. When I speak of Sovereign Princes, 'tis with the Reverence due to the Lord's Anointed; and I also endeavour to honour them in their Ministers, being taught by my Religion that I ought to honour God in his Saints. I have done my utmost to paint the true Characters of People in Place, and can safely say, that my Authorities are not meer hear-says or scraps out of News-Papers; for, thank to God, my Birth and Fortune have put me in a capacity to see, hear, and judge for myself.

It will be thought perhaps, that when I speak of Nations in general, I judge too rashly. It may be so; this being an Article especially in which all Men do not think alike. The French have a quite different Idea of the Germans from what the English have, and the English do not pass the same Verdict on the French as the Swedes do. 'Tis the same in private Life. Every one makes his own Condition the Standard of his Judgment. The Man of Quality, the Citizen, the Soldier, the Merchant, have all different Ideas. The Traveller judges of the Nation where he is, by the Company he keeps. A Frenchman who in Germany converses with none but those of the second Class, will say that the Germans are honest People, but clownish; whereas another, who keeps company with Persons of Quality, or those in Offices, will agree, that the Germans are more polite than they have been painted by certain French Writers, who have been transplanted to Germany either by their Distresses, or by meer Chance. So, a German, who, when he is at Paris, sees no better Company than the Marchionesses of the Suburb of St. Germain, imagines that all the Women both at Court and in the City are like them. In fine, a Foreigner who takes up his Residence in the City of London, will entertain a different Idea of the English from what another shall do who lodges at St. James's end of the town. They are, as one may say, so many different Nations in one and the same State, which stand in little relation to one

another; and sometimes attribute Virtues and Vices to each other without due Consideration. A Foreigner therefore can form a solid Judgment of none but those with whom he is conversant; and if he has the good luck to pitch his Tent well, he entertains an advantageous Opinion of the Nation in general. Let Foreigners, when they return home, after having kept such various sorts of Company, sit down to draw the Characters of the Nations they have seen, I do but think what a strange difference would appear in their Descriptions! The Judgment therefore which I make of People, is founded upon the Company I kept, and upon what I heard from such Inhabitants of the Country as appear'd to me to be altogether unprejudiced, and were pleased to honour me with their Information. I do not say but, after all, I may have been mistaken; for I do not pretend to have painted things in any other light than as they appear'd to me. If, nevertheless, any particular Person thinks himself particularly intended when I speak of the Inhabitants of any Province or Town in general, I beg him to remember, that I confess in my Memoirs there are worthy People in all parts of the World, and 'tis not my fault if his Conscience does not permit him to rank himself in that number.

No doubt I shall be reproach'd for relating too many Trifles, and passing too lightly over things of greater Importance. To speak freely again, I will make no difficulty to own, that, if when I began these Memoirs, I had ever thought of printing them, the desire of promoting their Sale might perhaps have put upon inserting a great many Nothings which I omitted, as not thinking it worth while to charge my Memory with 'em. The far greatest part of what the World reads is Trifles, and a History will make its fortune not by the instructive Facts that are in it, but by the Romantic Turn the Author gives it. Besides, I am not so vain as to write with a design of Instructing; for what could I relate in my Travels which others have not done before me in better Terms? To talk of Learned Men, to make a Catalogue of Books and MSS. that are to be met with in Libraries, to ransack the Cabinet of the Curious, to publish Inscriptions, to treat of antique Medals, to affirm that I have seen an Otho of Brass, which is known to be but of Silver, what a Posse of Men of Learning would rise up against me! Whereas, now I fear nothing; the Learned don't read Trifles, or if they do, they scorn to criticise them. I shall to them remain unknown, or at least, my Meanness will be my Protection against their Indignation.

I would fain be as secure against the Criticism of those, who reading for the sake of their amusement, require an exact, elegant Stile in trifles, that is, adorn'd with the Flowers and Garlands of Rhetorick. But how shall I gain their Indulgence? If I own to them that I could do no better, they will say to me, and justly enough, Alas! then what made you write? To which I shall answer, as I said before, that it was meerly for want of something else to do. If they will but forgive me this time, I assure them that I not only will never relapse into the same error, but that I shall not be sorry if they disdain to take Notice of my Book: And if the reading of these Memoirs inclines them to sleep, I shall think my self very well rewarded for having contributed to their Repose.

After all, I am more particularly obliged to ask pardon of the French than any other Nation: 'Tis in their Language I have presumed to write, and they are my proper Judges. Such is their Politeness and their Readiness to assist Foreigners, that I doubt not of Mercy. And in return, I promise them, that if a Frenchman ever vouchsafes to write in the German Language, I will forgive him any Errors that he may commit.

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ADVERTISEMENT by the Editor.

N. B. "These Memoirs went off so quick, that before they had been out scarce six Months, the French Bookseller was oblig'd to prepare for this Second Edition; to which, there are considerable Additions both in the Body of the Work and in the Notes, of curious and interesting Facts and Characters, and the principal Alterations that have happen'd at the several Courts, since the first Edition.

"There is added in particular, a very circumstantial Account of the present Elector of Saxony's Family, his Ministers, and Officers; and in short, of the Chief Persons of both Sexes belonging to his Court and Houshold. This is prefix'd in the Original, at the Head of the Memoirs; but the Translator thought it more regular as well as more consistent with the Method observ'd every where else by the Author, to place it at the End of his Description of the City of Dresden. The Baron has dedicated that Account to the present Elector (Augustus, King of Poland) and introduc'd it with the following Preface."

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PREFACE,

To the Second Edition.

The Present State of the Court of Saxony, which is added to this Edition, has no need of a Preface to recommend it, the very Title shewing that 'tis what concerns every Saxon especially to be acquainted with.

All Subjects have a desire to know something of their Sovereign; and private Men in every State have this Curiosity, with respect to their Ministers and Courtiers. These are the Characters which I have ventured to draw, tho' I own, that I don't think I have always hit the Life, for want of that Penetration and Delicacy of Imagination which Nature, to me a Step-Mother, has deny'd me; and also because it would have been necessary for me to have stay'd longer than I did at Dresden. Three Months Residence at so great a Court, are hardly sufficient to make a Man acquainted with it, were his Fund of Knowledge even as deep as mine is shallow. Then what a Presumption would it be for me to think I have attained to it!

I must not dissemble, that this Book with all its Imperfections, has cost me more trouble in composing than one much larger would have done upon a Subject that had been more familiar to me. There was a necessity for me to make Inquiry into many Particulars, and to get some of my Information from a private hand. I own my Obligation to the Civility of M. Konig, the Counsellor of the Court, for the Intelligence I wanted relating to some of the Court-Nobility. If I had been so happy as to have found out but one or two Persons more as active for me as he was, my Work would have been more correct and more extensive. Such as it is, I intreat the Reader to accept it, and to forgive any Errors in it, in consideration that I am the first who has ventured to treat of such a Subject. I own, there is a certain degree of Rashness in the Undertaking, but the noble Motive that has induc'd me to it, seems to plead for my excuse.

All Saxony knows in general, that 'tis govern'd by a Sovereign, gracious, and vigilant to render it happy. It were needless to set the King's Virtues and Actions before their Eyes, which the People already admire, and pray for him. But as

this Great Prince does not want those who envy his Glory, they are the Persons whom I have chose to make asham'd of themselves; and have endeavoured, if possible, to reclaim others whom a fatal blindness keeps at a distance from his Majesty's Person[1].

All that ever had the honour of approaching Augustus III. will agree with me that he adorns that Throne, upon which a respectful Nation has plac'd him; and that whatever I have said of this Monarch is short of what might be mention'd. How is it possible to give the true Portraiture of a King born without Vice, by Principle virtuous, and religiously good? To admire him in silence is the only way to please him, which I know too well, not to conform to it; and therefore I have not presum'd to expatiate so far in his Praise as the Sublimity of the Subject demands.

The same Aversion of the Queen to Praise, has confin'd me within the same bounds. How many Virtues have not I been forc'd to smother? What Thoughts have not I sacrific'd, lest I should offend the noble Modesty of that August Princess, who with a Simplicity attending her Grandeur, makes her Glory to consist in being humble in the midst of Honours?

I believe no body will dispute the Truth of what I have advanc'd relating to the Prince Royal and Electoral, the Princes his Brothers, and the Princesses his Sisters. The hopes I have raised of what may be expected from their Royal Highnesses, will surely be confirm'd by Time, and by all those who have access to them.

The Actions of the Duke John-Adolphus of Saxe-Weissenfels are so well establish'd that I have not thought fit to anticipate History, by which they are to be consecrated: And for the same reason, I have but just touch'd upon the amiable Qualities of his Mind, which are rever'd both by the Court and the Army.

As to the Princess of Saxe-Weissenfels, I frankly own, that as I had not the honour of paying my Court to her, what I have said of her Virtues has no other Authority than the Voice of the Publick, which can never speak enough in her Praise.

I have been more copious in treating of the Ministers; and what I have said of them is so true, that they who know them not may thereby form a just Idea of what they are.

I have taken as much notice of the principal Lords and the most distinguish'd Ladies of the Court, as the little time I had for this Work, and the Limits to which I was confin'd, would permit. I flatter myself they will forgive the Freedom with which I use them; and hope I have preserv'd a Decency in my Language which will secure me from Reproach.

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ADDENDA to Vol. I.

Pap. 15. M. Beausobre, Minister of the Gospel at Berlin, and Author of several learned Treatises, died in May 1738.

P. 26. The Princess of Brandenburg-Schwedt, fourth Daughter of the King of Prussia, was deliver'd of a Daughter in April 1738.

P. 27. The Count de Truchses-Walbourg, Major-General in the Service of the King of Prussia, died at Berlin in April 1738.

P. 34. In July 1738, his Prussian Majesty, together with the Prince Royal and Prince William, made a Tour to Holland, and paid a Visit to his most Serene Highness the Prince of Orange.

P. 66. His Excellency Baron Hattorf, Secretary of State for the Affairs of Hanover, died in August 1737.

P. 70. Christina-Louisa, Princess of Oetingen, died in 1736.

P. 72. Philippina-Charlotte, Duchess of Brunswic-Wolfembuttle, and third Daughter to the King of Prussia, after having had two Sons by Duke Charles her Husband, viz. the first born in 1735, and the other, who is called George-Francis, in 1736, was deliver'd also of a Daughter in September 1737, who in the Month following was baptiz'd by the Names of Christina-Sophia-Maria.

P. 105. M. de Miltitz, who was Tutor to the present King Augustus when he was Electoral Prince of Saxony, died in March 1738.

P. 113. The Princess Royal of Poland was married in July 1738, to Don Carlos King of Naples and Sicily.

P. 130. The Count de Sulkowski in January 1738 fell under some Disgrace, so that his Majesty order'd his Papers to be seal'd up, and excused him from farther Attendance on him, but was willing he should keep the Title and Rank of Minister of the Cabinet, and General of the Foot, with 6000 Crowns Pension.

P. 140. Adolphus de Bruhl was in January 1738 appointed Grand-Master of the Horse, at the Saxon Court, in the room of the Count de Sulkowski.

P. 142. The Count de Moschinski died in September 1737.

P. 147. The Count de Diedrichstein died at Prague in September 1737. He was Baron of Hollenbourg, Finckenstein, Dahlberg and Landskroon, Hereditary Great Huntsman of Styria, Hereditary Cup-Bearer of Carinthia, Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Grand Prior in Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Carinthia, Styria, Tirol, Austria and Poland, Bailiff of the aforesaid Order, and Commander of the Commanderies of Little Oels, Furstenfeld and Mosling, a Privy-Counsellor of the Emperor, and Governour-General of the Kingdom of Bohemia.

P. 168. The last Duke of Saxe-Mersebourg mention'd in the Note of that Page, died in May 1738.

P. 182. In April 1738, the Emperor appointed the Prince of Saxe-Gotha Lieutenant Velt-Marshal of his Armies; and in September following he solicited the Diet of Ratisbon for the Post of second Velt-Marshal-General of the Empire, in the Disposal of the Protestant States, vacant by the Death of the Baron de Wutgenau.

P. 182. Augusta Princess of Wales was deliver'd of a Princess on the 31st of July 1737, who was baptized after her own Name; and on the 24th of May 1738, she was deliver'd of a Prince who was baptiz'd George-William Frederic.

P. 208. The Margravine of Brandenbourg-Culmbach, Mother to the Queen of Denmark, died at Copenhagen in August 1737, in the 70th Year of her Age, very much lamented.

P. 220. Count Philip Kinski was made Chancellor of Bohemia, in May 1738, in the room of the late Count de Collowrat.

P. 233. The Archduchess, Wife to the Duke of Lorrain, had a Daughter, born January 25, 1737, and another born in September 1738.

P. 264. The eldest Son of the Duke Ferdinand of Bavaria, died in April 1738.

P. 266. The Count Maximilian de

Fugger died at Vienna, in January 1738.

P. 266. The Count de Thirheim died in January 1738, at Lintz, the Capital of Upper Austria.

P. 285. Charles-Alexander Duke of Wirtemberg-Stutgard, died on the 1st of March 1737, and was succeeded by his eldest Son Eugene-Lewis the present Duke, who was born the 30th of January 1728.

P. 298. The Margrave of Baden-Dourlach died the first of May 1738, at Carelsruhe, who having no Issue living, is succeeded by Frederic of Witgenstein, who is marry'd to the Princess Augusta-Amelia-Albertina of Nassau-Siegen. The Deceased was 58 Years and near 11 Months of Age, being born the 17th of June 1679. He was a General in the Emperor's Army, and Great Master of the Artillery in the Circle of Suabia. By his Wife, a Daughter of the Duke of Wirtemberg-Stutgard, he had four Children, who are all dead. When he laid the Plan and Foundation of the City and Castle of Carelsruhe, he gave equal Liberty of Conscience to the Lutherans, Calvinists, and Roman Catholics.

P. 321. The Cardinal de Schonborn died in August 1737.

P. 335. The Baron de Beveren, Grand Marshal at the Elector Palatine's Court, died there in January 1738.

P. 357. In January 1738, the Prince of Hesse-Hombourg was married to the Velt-Marshal Trubetskay's Daughter.

P. 362. After the Death of the Count of Hanau without Issue, the Succession was awarded to the Prince of Darmstad as next Heir, on condition of his paying 200000l. by way of Compensation to the House of Cassel.

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ADDENDA to Vol. II.

Pag. 14. Cardinal Bissi died in August 1737.

P. 44. Cardinal Olivieri, Secretary of the Pope's Briefs, died at Rome in February 1738.

P. 61. Prince James Sobieski died in December 1737.

P. 136. On the 28th of June 1737, the Great Duke of Tuscany died in the 67th Year of his Age, and was succeeded by Francis Duke of Lorrain (who married the Emperor's Daughter) for whom possession was immediately taken of the Duchy by the German Forces.

Ferdinand, Duke of Courland, who is mentioned in the same Page, died in 1737; and the Nobility assembling at Mittau elected Count Biron, a Native, to succeed him.

P. 150. The Affairs of Corsica are very much alter'd since the first Edition of these Volumes. Baron Theodore having left the Island, and promis'd to return soon with Succours, went to Amsterdam, where he was confin'd for Debt; but being soon discharg'd by the Interest of some foreign Power, he proceeded to Paris, and thence to Marseilles, in order, as he gave out, to put himself again at the Head of the Corsicans: But during this the French having undertaken to be Mediators betwixt the Corsicans and Genoese, have, with the Approbation of both, sent a General thither with some Troops, and the Corsicans have agreed to send over a dozen of their chief Men to the Court of France as Hostages for their good Behaviour; but since this, Theodore has set his Foot again upon that Island.

P. 257. The Duke of Liria, Son and Successor to the late Marshal Duke of Berwic, died at Naples in May 1738.

P. 260. The Marshal d'Estrees died the 5th of December 1737.

P. 309. The Marshal de Wrangel, Governour of Brussels, died in August 1737, in the 87th Year of his Age.

P. 332. The Succession to the Duchies of Juliers and Berg, is an Affair which has been very much canvass'd for several Months past, between the Elector Palatine and the Courts of Prussia and Saxony. The maritime Powers of Great Britain and Holland have proposed an Accommodation, with regard to the Succession, into which the Elector Palatine is willing to enter; but the Courts of France, Prussia and Saxony don't concur with it; and France has guarantee'd the actual Possession of those Duchies to the Prince of Sultzbach.

P. 447. On the 20th of November 1737, Wilhelmina-Carolina Queen of Great Britain died of a Mortification in her Bowels; and on the 17th of December following she was privately interr'd in Westminster-Abbey.