LETTER II.
SIR,Hamburgh, June 20, 1729.
Nothing gives me greater pleasure, than the Approbation with which you are pleased to honour the Account I sent you of the Court of Prussia; which I esteem as an infinite Reward for the little trouble it cost me. You must not imagine that I can ever be weary of writing to you; I can never do any thing more agreeable to myself, than to contribute to your Amusement; and shall think myself exceeding happy, if I can succeed.
I set out from Berlin upon the 10th of June, and in less than four Hours came to Oranjebourg, a royal Seat, which King Frederic I. caused to be built, and to which he gave the Name of Oranjebourg, to perpetuate the Memory of his Mother, who was born Princess of Orange. This Prince, great in every Action, spar'd no Cost to render this House worthy of his magnificent Taste. The Situation of this Place is very charming, in the midst of fine large Meadows, with Canals cut in them after the manner of Holland. The Apartments of the Palace
are grand, tho' the rich Furniture it had formerly has been removed to Berlin. The present King not taking a fancy to it, all runs to ruin; the Gardens, which were the finest in Germany, are not kept in order; the great Vessels of Porcellane; which were not to be match'd in Europe, the late King having procur'd the choicest Rarities of that Ware, that were in the Magazines of Holland; all these fine things, I say, are pass'd into the hands of the King of Poland, at Dresden. The Gallery and the Salon of Oranjebourg, which were furnish'd with them, and which were reckoned among the Beauties of Germany, are of no account now but for the Richness of their Cielings.
From Oranjebourg, I went and lay at Ferbellin, a Town which is only remarkable for a Victory gain'd here by the Elector Frederic-William over the Swedes. The latter enter'd his Dominions, while he was engag'd with his Army in defence of the Empire then attack'd by the French on the Upper Rhine. The Elector being inform'd of the Invasion of his own Country by the Swedes, came away from the Rhine with his Troops, and by one of the bravest Marches that ever any General made, deliver'd it from the Enemy. He surprized them in Ratenau, a Town in the Marquisate of Brandenbourg, the Garrison of which he made Prisoners; and then continuing his March, he came up with the Swedes near Ferbellin, at a time when the latter thought him still upon the Rhine, and gain'd a compleat Victory. A venerable old Gentleman, who was very near the Elector's Person at this Battle, told me, that before the Engagement began, the Prince being at the head of his Army, took out his Pistols, fir'd them in the Air, and lifting up his Eyes to Heaven, said, 'Tis to thy Glory, Great God, that I discharge my Arms; defend my Cause, thou knowest it to be just; punish my Enemies.
Then drawing his Sword, and turning about to his Soldiers, My Comrades, said he, I desire no other Defence, nor no other Weapons, but the Protection of God, your Courage, and my Sword. Follow me therefore, my Friends, do as I do, and be assur'd of Victory.
In this Battle, Forbenius, the Elector's Gentleman of the Horse, perceiving that a white Steed which his Master rode, made his Person a very plain Mark for his Enemy, so that they had singled him out to fire at, desir'd the Prince to change Horses with him. The Elector, who had a great Soul, above all Fear, refus'd at first to do so, but upon the repeated Instances of Forbenius, he consented to it; and the Moment that the Gentleman mounted the Horse which the Elector quitted, a Cannon-Shot kill'd him dead upon the Place, so quick, that he expir'd without the Comfort of knowing that he had thereby preserved the Life of his Master.
HAMBURGH, a Hanse-Town in the Circle of Lower Saxony, is, without dispute, one of the richest and most considerable Towns in all the Empire of Germany. It depends solely upon its Magistrates, who are chose by the Burgers themselves. Its Liberty has been often contested by the Kings of Denmark, who as Dukes of Holstein, pretend that Hamburgh is built upon their Territory, and that therefore they ought to be the Sovereigns of it. The Electors of Brandenbourg, and the Princes of the House of Brunswic, always opposed the Incroachments of the Danes; nor will they suffer any Power whatsoever to oppress the City of Hamburgh, because, if it were possible, they would be glad to annex it to their own Domains. The City being exposed to these Attacks, has taken all the Measures possible to be in a condition to defend its Liberty. 'Tis very well fortified, maintains a good
Garrison, and has an Arsenal provided with all Necessaries.
The Commerce of Hamburgh is considerable, tho' 'tis very much lessen'd since Frederic IV. King of Denmark, prohibited the Importation of Merchandize from Hamburgh to his Dominions[19].
The manner of living in this City is different from that of all the Hanse Towns. Here is a tolerable Opera all the Year round[20]; charming Walks, choice Company, much Visiting and hearty Cheer. There are several good Houses of the Nobility, where Foreigners are well receiv'd. The Merchants are affable and civil; most of them in their youth travel to the most remarkable Countries of Europe, where they then pass for Gentlemen of Holstein. As they are rich, they can easily afford to make a good Appearance where-ever they come. There they learn that polite Air, and that Behaviour which one would wish to see in all Gentlemen of good Families. The only thing for which I find fault with them, is, that they treat their Wives too much like the Levant People, where the Women are only suffer'd to go to the Mosques; so here, the Women scarce go any where but to Church, or if they at any time take the Air, 'tis in company with
their Husbands: and a Foreigner is so seldom admitted to their Assemblies, that when he is, those poor Women are as much astonish'd at the sight of him, as a Sultana would be to see a Capuchin enter the Seraglio.
There's a great many worthy People here. I have made an Acquaintance with M. de Brocks, one of the Magistrates, who has acquir'd a Reputation for his Skill in Poetry, by such Compositions as cannot but convince Foreigners, who understand the High-Dutch, that as good things may be said in that Language, as in any other[21]. This M. de Brocks is of an amiable Character, civil, and complaisant, and has acquir'd the Love and Esteem of all that know him.
Most of the European Princes have Residents here, for which reason here are several Chappels of the Roman Catholicks, who otherwise would be obliged to go to the Church at Altena, as the Calvinists are forc'd to do, the Lutheran being the Religion that is uppermost at Hamburgh; but the Jews have their Synagogues here. What an odd Establishment is this in a Christian Country![22] how uncharitable, and even nonsensical! and how must it make the Turks laugh! We grant Synagogues to the Jews, the Enemies of Jesus Christ, who would crucify him again, if they had not done it already; and we refuse Churches and Temples
to those that believe as we do in Jesus Christ! No, were you to call me Heretic a thousand times, I would say, Holland for ever! where 'tis a Maxim, to leave every Man to his Conscience; and where they think it would be a Contradiction to admit People to be their Fellow-Citizens, and to deny them the Liberty of worshipping God in their own way.
The Emperor's Minister, who has the Title of His Imperial Majesty's Plenipotentiary to the Circle of Lower Saxony, commonly resides at Hamburgh. The last Gentleman that had this Employment was the Count de Metsch[23]; and since his being made Vice-President of the Emperor's Aulic Council, it has not been fill'd up[24].
The Populace of Hamburgh, just such another ungovernable Herd as the Amsterdam Mobs, having taken it into their heads some years ago, out of a mad sort of Zeal for Religion, to plunder the House and Chapel of the Emperor's Resident; the City in order to make Satisfaction for the Insult, was condemned to build a House which was to be the Residence of the Emperor's Minister always for the future. For this end, the City bought the Palace of the late Baron de Gortz, a Man of great Fame in the History of Charles XII. King of Sweden; and whose Fortune and Catastrophe are worthy your notice.
Henry Baron de Gortz was born of an independent Family in Franconia, which is a Province that abounds with Nobility of Distinction. He enter'd young into the Service of the Duke of Holstein-Schleswic, and rose to be his Minister. He was a Man generous,
noble, and magnificent, even to Profusion; vigilant, full of Projects and Stratagems; a Man whom nothing could surprize, nothing dissuade from a Design that he had once form'd; whose Ambition was boundless, and who always aim'd to do something to be talk'd of. In the North there was no Intrigue in which he had not a hand, and into which he did not likewise draw his Master, whom he push'd upon Enterprizes so far above his Power to execute, that he thereby lost his Dominions. The Baron de Gortz thought Holstein too narrow a Sphere for him to move in, and therefore he attach'd himself to Charles XII. King of Sweden, after that Prince return'd from his long Stay at Bender. Charles was just such a Master as the Baron wanted, and he just such a Minister as was necessary for the King of Sweden; nor was there ever in the World a greater Sympathy between two Men. Gortz was born to form great Designs, Charles to put them in execution; and the constant Design of both was only to throw Europe into a Ferment.
The Baron, besides other happy Gifts of Nature, had the Talent of insinuating and pleasing. He soon got an Ascendant over Charles, to such a degree that tho' this Prince was never to be advis'd by his Ministers, yet the Baron's Opinion was a Law to him. Gortz frighten'd Europe, and made Sweden tremble; being as much fear'd and dreaded there as the King himself. The Swedes were uneasy to see so great a Share of Authority vested in a Foreigner; and therefore form'd Parties and Cabals to strip him of it; but they durst not discover their Designs. The Minister knew all the while they envy'd him, but was in no manner of Concern about it; for being sure of the Favour of the King, he despised the Hatred,
both of the Populace and the Great Men[25].
But after the Death of Charles XII. who was killed at the Siege of Frederickshall, in the Month of December, the Swedes did not fail to punish him; for the Baron, before he cou'd have Intelligence of the King's Death, was actually put under an Arrest; and upon that Occasion he said to the Officer, Surely the King must be dead! From that Moment he was never once heard to complain or murmur; for he was intrepid even to Death; the Sentence of which he received with a wonderful Constancy of Mind, chose to die like a Philosopher, and thought too freely of Religion to the very last. A Divine, who is now one of the King of Denmark's Chaplains, turn'd his Heart, and brought him to acknowledge that 'twas the Hand of God which smote him. He was conducted to the Place of Execution in a mourning Coach, in which the Chaplain rode with him. He had a long Robe of black Velvet, ty'd with Ribbands over his Shoulders; and as he was mounting the Scaffold, which was hung with black Cloth, perceiving one Duval, a Frenchman, who was his Steward, he held out his Hand, saying, Farewell Duval, I shall eat no more of thy Soups. When he was on the Scaffold, an Officer of Justice read a Paper to him with a loud Voice; in which it was declared that he was degraded from the Rank of Nobility, and that the Queen had order'd him to be beheaded. Alas! said he, I am born a free Baron of the Empire. Sweden cannot take from me what it never gave me; and if I had really deserv'd to be degraded, none has a Right to do it but the Emperor. Having requir'd one of his Valets de Chambre
to undress him, he deliver'd the Ribband of the Order of the Black Eagle of Prussia to a Gentleman who stood near him, and enjoin'd him to carry it to one of his Kindred, that he might return it to the King of Prussia. Then he fell on his Knees, without shewing the least Sign of Fear; and receiv'd the Stroke of Death with a Constancy of which there are very few Examples. His Head being exposed to the People, was a pleasing Victim to their Hatred and Revenge. The Baron's Corpse was interr'd, at the Place of Execution, from whence one of his Footmen took it away in the Night-time, put it into a Barrel, and carry'd it to Hamburgh; where it was laid upon a Bed of State, and bury'd with all the Formalities fitting the Rank which he had held in the World.
Within a Cannon-Shot of Hamburgh, stands the Town of Altena, which belongs to the King of Denmark. The Swedish General, Steinbock, reduc'd it to Ashes, the 9th of January 1712, by way of Reprisal, as he said, because the Danes had burnt Staden: but there was this Difference, that the Danes had besieg'd Staden in form, and destroy'd it by their Bombs; whereas Steinbock acted the part of an Incendiary. As soon as he appear'd before Altena, he sent in a Message to advise the Inhabitants to retire with what they could carry off, for that he was going to destroy their Town. The Magistrates came out in a Body, and falling at his Feet, begg'd for Mercy, and offer'd him a considerable Sum of Money. Steinbock insisting on more, they granted him his whole Demand, only they desir'd Time to go to Hamburgh for the Money. The merciless General would admit of no such Delay. The poor Inhabitants were oblig'd to turn out; the Mothers carry'd out their Infants; the young Fellows, the paralytick old Men; some groan'd under Loads of Furniture; all lamented their Fate,
and uter'd Cries that wou'd have almost pierc'd a Stone. The Swedes stood at the Barriers, with flaming Torches in their Hands, to see them pass; and before the poor Inhabitants were all gone out, they enter'd the Town, and set fire to all parts of it; not sparing even the Vaults of the Dead.
Never was a greater Desolation known; but what compleated the Ruin of the Altenois, was the Necessity of the Times, which was such as oblig'd the Hamburghers not to entertain them. Several prejudic'd Authors have said that the Hamburghers, insensible, if not overjoy'd at the Calamity of their Neighbours, kept their Gates shut, that they might see them perish. But the truth is, that the Hamburghers were oblig'd to be thus strict; because the Plague raging at that time in Holstein, the Elector of Hanover had forc'd them to stop all Commerce with that Country; threatning them, that if he heard they had the least Communication with Altena, he wou'd prohibit his Subjects from all manner of Correspondence with the City of Hamburgh. Besides, it wou'd not have been prudent in the Hamburghers to have open'd their Gates in the Night-time; for the Swedish Army being so near, they could not tell but the Swedes might come into the Town as well as the Altenois. To the Misfortune of the Times therefore must be ascribed the Distress of the Inhabitants of Altena, most of whom perished with Cold, Want, and Despair.
Frederic IV. King of Denmark, being touched with Compassion for the Misfortune of his Subjects of Altena, relieved them as far as the Necessity of the Times wou'd give him leave. He caus'd them to be supply'd with Materials for rebuilding their Houses; and now Altena has recovered her Losses: for the King of Denmark has not only granted it many new Privileges, but has caus'd a Harbour
to be made there; and does all that is in his power to draw a Trade to it. This City being a privileg'd Place for Bankrupts, many of that Character come from Hamburgh to settle here; and there is a general Toleration for those of all Religions, who have their Churches and Temples here; which draws such numbers of People, that in time Altena will probably become Hamburgh, and Hamburgh Altena: For the Hamburghers, on the contrary, will tolerate no Christian Sects; tho' they grant the Jews the public Exercise of their Religion, as has been already observed. The Governour of Danish Holstein resides here, who is the Count de Reventlau, Brother to the[26]Queen of Denmark. I am, &c.
