The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume I / Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.

by Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

LETTER XVII.

SIR,Carlsrouhe, Feb. 15, 1730.

I Deny that any Man can be happier than I am at this Juncture. You have wrote an excellent long Letter to me; you assure me that you are well, and that you have still an Affection for me; what more is there wanting to compleat my Joy? I am preparing to make you the best amends I can, and instead of a Letter to write you a Volume.

I came in one Day from Ludwigsbourg to Carlsrouhe, which is the Residence of the Margrave of Baden-Dourlach. The Name Carlsrouhe signifies Charles's Rest. The present Margrave Charles of Baden-Dourlach was the very Man that laid both the Plan and Foundation of this City, and its Castle. Nothing is so pretty as the Disposition of the whole: I wish I were able to give you an Idea of it. Imagine the Margrave's House to be at the Entrance of a great Forest, in the Center of a Star form'd by thirty two Walks, the chief of which behind the Palace is three German Leagues in length. Two large Wings advance from the main

Body of the House, which deviating from each other in proportion as they lengthen, the whole together looks like a Theatre. Behind the principal Building there's a very high Octogon Tower which commands all the Walks. The Space between the two Wings forms the Court, and then come the Gardens and Parterres, at the end of which there's a Semi-Circle of Houses of an equal Height, built Arch-wise, and three Stories high including the Ground-Floor. Between these Houses there run five Streets, the middlemost of which fronts the Palace. At the end of the three chief Streets opposite to the Palace are three Churches; one belonging to the Lutherans, another to the Calvinists, and a third to the Roman Catholics; to which three prevailing Religions of the Empire the Margrave gave equal Liberty of Conscience when he founded the new Town.

The chief part of the Town lies behind the Houses that front the Palace. This properly speaking consists but of one Street, which is of a prodigious Length. All these Houses as well as the Margrave's are of Timber, so that you are not to look for fine or substantial Buildings at Carlsrouhe; but the Contrivance and Distribution of the whole taken together is really wonderful. I took the Freedom to tell the Margrave that I was surpriz'd that he had not at least employ'd Brick in the building of his Palace, and of the Houses which form the Half-Moon about his Gardens. 'I was wil'ing, said the Prince, to make myself a Place of Retirement, and to build without putting the Burthen on my Subjects. I chose moreover to have the Comfort of enjoying what I built. If I had us'd Bricks it wou'd have cost me a great deal more Money; and I cou'd not have finish'd my Buildings without laying an extraordinary Impost upon my Country. It wou'd have taken me up

abundance of Time too, and perhaps I shou'd never have had the Satisfaction of seeing an end to my Labours. Another Reason was, that my Country is so scituate as to be liable to be the Theatre of Wars, and I am not in a Condition to make this a strong Place, nor cou'd I encompass it with Walls. Do you think therefore that I shou'd have been justified in laying out a great deal of Money on a Place to see it burnt down before my Face, as I did my House at Dourlach, and my other Houses which the French reduc'd to Ashes. I am but a petty Sovereign; I have built a House according to my Condition, and I had rather it shou'd be said of me that I have but a mean Habitation, and owe no Money, than that I have a stately Palace and am over Head and Ears in Debt.'

I have given you this account of what the Margrave said to me, because I thought it wou'd let you into an Idea of his Character. This Prince, to whom I was introduc'd on the very day of my Arrival here, took the trouble himself to shew me his Palace, and all about it. I thought the Apartments very well laid out, but there is not room enough to lodge the hereditary Prince, who lives in one of the Houses in the Semi-Circle fronting the Palace.

The Pheasant-Walk, which joins to the Castle, is the prettiest thing in the World. 'Tis a very large Inclosure, dispos'd in various Walks planted with Fir-Trees cut in the shape of a Fan. There's a great Basin in the Center always full of wild Ducks. 'Tis encompass'd with four Pavilions, made in the Form of Turkish Tents. Two of the Pavilions are Volarys, and the two others Summer-Houses, with Window-Curtains of Green Cloth. There are Sofas and Couches, after the manner of the Eastern Countries. In this Place of Retirement and Rest

the Margrave spends some Hours every Day, and he is generally accompany'd by some young Ladies whom he teaches Music; so that they perform agreeable Concerts.

The Margrave was in the right to give his House the Name of Charles's Rest, for he leads the most tranquil Life here that can be. Far from being infatuated with vain Grandeur, he has the Charms of it, without the Check and Constraint of it. This Prince is of a very robust Constitution, and tho' he underwent a vast deal of Fatigue in his Youth, he is as fresh-colour'd and as vigorous as if he was but forty Years of Age. He travell'd when he was a young Man into the principal parts of Europe; and during his Father's Life-time was several Years in the Service of Sweden. When he return'd to his Dominions he serv'd in the Army of the Empire on the Upper Rhine, under his Cousin Prince Lewis of Baden. Tho' the Margrave is very fat, yet he uses a great deal of Exercise. He rises in Summer at five o'Clock in the Morning, and walks in his Gardens till the Heat of the Weather obliges him to retire within doors; then he does Business with his Counsellors, or else employs himself in Experiments of Chymistry, and sometimes he draws. He commonly dines at four o'clock, and is attended by Waiting-Women, of whom there are no less than threescore, tho' no more than eight wait upon one Day. These, when the Margrave goes abroad, attend him on horseback, dress'd like Hussurs. The Generality of these Damsels understand Music and Dancing; they also perform Operas at the Theatre of the Palace, and are Musicians of the Chappel. They have all Lodgings in the Palace. After Dinner is over the Margrave grants Audience to his Subjects; and upon particular Days of the Week hears all that come. Few Princes render Justice more speedily, and more punctually. Sometimes he goes a Hunting.

He makes very light Suppers, and retires early to Bed. He delights in Agriculture, and is one of the greatest Florists living. This Prince is never unemploy'd. There are few things which he does not know, and very many which he understands to Perfection. His Conversation is as agreeable as any I know. He speaks several Languages well. His Behaviour is obliging and courteous. He loves Foreigners, treats them with Distinction, and loads them with Civilities. Upon Sundays and Holidays he eats with the Prince his Son, and the Princess his Daughter-in-law. His Table, which is then spread for sixteen Guests, is serv'd with more Delicacy than Profusion.

The hereditary Prince[122], only Son to the Margrave, is pretty short, and has not the Life and Spirit of his Father. He is very complaisant and civil, and seems to me of a good-natur'd Disposition. He has been at Paris, in England, and in Holland, where he marry'd the Daughter of the unfortunate Prince of Nassau, who was drown'd in 1711, as he was passing the Maerdyke to the Hague, to adjust with Frederic I. King of Prussia, such Differences as related to the Succession of the late King William of Great Britain, to which they both laid Claim. The hereditary Princess seems to me to be well behav'd; and she makes very handsome Entertainments. The Court assembles at her House every day, viz. at Noon, and at five o'clock in the Evening; and there they dine, game, and sup. Foreigners are very well receiv'd there, and both the Ladies and Gentlemen are very civil and complaisant.

The Grand Marshal, and his Brother the Great Huntsman, are Persons capable of making a Figure with Distinction in the greatest Courts.

The first marry'd a legitimated Daughter of the Margrave.

The Baron d'Ixter, President of the Regency, and Chief of the Council, is a Person of signal Merit, and capable of any Business, be it ever so great.

Generally speaking the Margrave's Court is extremely well regulated. This Prince is fond of the Nobility, and seeks to do them a Pleasure. He has none but Persons of Quality in his Service. 'Tis great pity that this Court does not come together again. The Margravine, who is Sister to the Duke of Wirtemberg, resides at Dourlach, and never comes to Carlsrouhe but when 'tis a Holiday, or when some foreign Prince is there. This Princess is actually very much indispos'd, so that I don't think I shall have the Honour of kissing her Hand. The Margrave also educates at his Court three young Princes his Nephews, the Sons of his Brother. They are under the Government of the Baron de Gemming, who takes very great Care of their Education.

As to the Margrave's Revenues, I cannot be positive what they are, because I found that People who ought to know best, vary in their Calculations not a little; some assur'd me they were 400,000, some 500,000 Florins, and others much more. Be it as it will, 'tis certain that the Margrave lives nobly, that every body is well paid, and that the Subjects are not over-burthen'd. Farewell, Sir, I set out to-morrow for Rastadt, and shall write to you as soon as I can, &c.

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