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 XXIII.

SIR,Saltzbourg, April 2, 1730.

At my departure from Munich I went and din'd at Eversberg, a Village belonging to the Reverend Fathers the Jesuits, who have a House there which is a large one, and that's all 'tis good for. I went and lay at Wasserbourg a Town of Bavaria built upon a Rock, so encompass'd with the River Inn that 'tis a perfect Peninsula. Mountains and Rocks hang over this Town as if they wou'd crush it, and indeed the Place is not worth much Description. It was settled as a Dowry on the Electoress Theresa-Cunigunda Sobieski who died last Month, but this Princess would never live in it, nor indeed do I know any other Prince that would.

After having pass'd the Inn[157] over a very slender wooden Bridge I climb'd a high Mountain, got down another, ascended a third, and so I travell'd all the way up Hill and down Hill till I came within two Leagues of Saltzbourg, where the Country becomes more passible.

The City of Saltzbourg as well as the whole Archbishoprick takes its Name from the River Saltz which passes thro' the City and Country. It rises in Tirol and loses itself in the Inn. The Mountains that are

about the Town make it not near so broad as 'tis long, tho' take it all together 'tis not a large Town. 'Tis very well fortify'd, and has a Castle which standing on an Eminence forms as it were a Citadel. 'Tis furnish'd with a good Arsenal, and all manner of Ammunition, and I have been assur'd that of Gunpowder alone there are no less than 20000 Quintals. Some Years ago when I was here, Lightning fell so near this Magazine that it wanted but half a Foot of penetrating to the Powder, which if it had touch'd I fancy I shou'd never have wrote to you more. There is always a Guard of fifty Men at the Castle, and the Garison of the Town consists of 600 Men who are lodg'd in the Caserns.

The City of Saltzbourg contains finer Edifices than many great Towns. It has a magnificent Cathedral which was consecrated the 24th of September 1628, by an Archbishop who was of the Family of the Counts de Lodron. 'Tis a vast Structure of Free-stone, and has a stately Front which may be reckon'd the compleatest in Germany. The skilful Architect by whom it was directed has very much copy'd the Front of St. Agnes's Church in the Square of Navona at Rome. It has four Marble Statues bigger than the Life, which represent St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Rupert, and St. Virgilius, of whom the two latter were the first Archbishops of this See. The whole Church is adorn'd in the inside with Pilastres of the Corinthian Order. 'Tis built in the Form of a Cross with a very high Dome which separates the Nave from the Choir. The high Altar which is at the bottom of the Choir is of Marble, as are the two Chapels that form the Cross: The Pavement of the Church is of great Squares of Marble of various Colours. 'Tis pity there was not more Inlet for Light, the Dome being the only lightsome Part of it. But as the Church is magnificent the

Ornaments of the high Altar are more so. Upon the Grand Festivals it bears a Sun of Gold adorn'd with precious Stones to the Value of 100000 Crowns, a great Cross of massy Gold, and four golden Candlesticks. The Front of the Altar, and the Tabernacle are of massy Silver of excellent Workmanship.

St. Rupert surnam'd the Apostle of Bavaria was the first Bishop of Saltzbourg in 582. Leo III. whom the Church honour'd as a Saint, erected this Bishoprick into an Archbishoprick in favour of St. Arnould, in the Year 798. He had for Suffragans the Bishops of Freisingen, Ratisbon, Passau, Briken, Gurck, Chiemsee, Seggau, and Lavant.

The Archbishop has a Right of Nomination to the four last Bishopricks; only the Nomination to the Bishoprick of Gurck is alternative between this Prelate and the Emperor, as Archduke of Austria. The four Bishops bear the Title of Princes of the Empire, and enjoy all the Prerogatives annexed to that high Dignity. Notwithstanding this, the Archbishop never gives them the Preference, and when he talks to them, only compliments them with the Title of Euer Freuntschaft, i. e. Your Friendship. Service is perform'd in this Metropolis according to the Usage observ'd in St. Peter's Church at Rome. The Chapter is compos'd of the Archbishop, a Provost, a Dean, and twenty four Canons, all Men of Quality, who are only oblig'd to four Months Residence, and the rest of the Time they may go where they please. Both the Provost and Dean have the Crosier and Mitre[158]. The Archbishop, as well as the Elector of Cologn, has the Privilege of dressing in the Habit of a Cardinal. This Prelate has the Directorship of the College of Princes at the Dyet of the Empire alternatively with the Archduke of Austria. He is moreover Legatus natus

& perpetuus of the Holy See, and Primate of Germany. His Titles are these, 'Leopold, by the Grace of God, Archbishop of Saltzbourg, and Prince of the Empire, perpetual Legate of the Holy Apostolic See of Rome, Primate of Germany, descended of the illustrious Family of the Barons of Firmian.'

The Archbishop at his coming to the See must pay 100000 Crowns to Rome for the Pall, but the Country generally raises it for him, besides making a free Gift of the like Sum to its new Prince. The Revenues of this Prelate are about 1500000 Florins a Year. The very Salt which is carried into Bavaria and Swabia brings him in 30000 Crowns. He is absolute Master of all his Revenues, and accountable to no body for what he lays out. The present Archbishop is of Tirol, of a distinguish'd Family, but not favour'd much by Fortune. He was born the 26th of May 1679, and succeeded Francis-Anthony the Count de Harrach. His Advancement was owing to the Division of the Chapter, who all wanted to be either Bishops themselves, or else to advance some one Friend or Cousin. After a great many Debates and Messages sent forwards and backwards, their Choice fell upon the Baron de Firmian who was at that time very infirm, which was the only Thing that procur'd him the Mitre; for the Parties that divided the Chapter united in his favour, because they thought him a Man not very long-liv'd; but they believ'd however he might live long enough to give each Party time to form its Cabals for advancing that Person to the Bishoprick who they thought would best serve their Purpose. But all those Gentlemen were mightily mistaken as to the Archbishop's Life. For this Prelate, like another Pope Sixtus V. lost all his Infirmities when he found the Mitre, and is very like to out-live many of his Electors.

This Prince is tall, has an austere haughty Air; seldom makes any Compliments, and talks much less, except when he is hunting, which is all the Pleasure of his Life. He is almost always alone, and generally eats by himself. In the Summer-time he keeps altogether in the Country where he is of very difficult Access, and keeps no Retinue, nor Company. He is accus'd of being too thrifty, and I don't know but there may be something in it; but perhaps he would not appear to be quite so saving if he had succeeded any body else in the Bishoprick but the Count de Harrach, the most generous, noble, and most magnificent Prelate of his Time. The Archbishop is naturally a Valetudinarian; and under God, he is oblig'd for the Preservation of his Life to his Physician Gersner, a Native of Vienna, a Man of great Skill in his Profession, and of strict Honour and Integrity, who has got so much the length of the Prelate's Foot that he is almost the only Person that dares to speak to him with Freedom. The Count d'Arco Son to the Archbishop's Sister is this Prelate's only Darling; for to the surprize of the whole Court, and Chapter, he prefers him before a Nephew of his own Name, a Canon of Saltzbourg and of Trent, a young Clergyman of great Hopes.

The Archbishop of the Lodron Family who caus'd the Metropolis to be built, likewise founded the Archiepiscopal Palace, the Fortifications, and the Stables, which were all finish'd in the thirty two Years that he was Archbishop. The Apartments of the Palace being not laid out altogether in the modern Taste, the deceased Archbishop Anthony Count de Harrach, made a thorough Change in them, and left little more than the Outside standing. The Palace at Saltzbourg is now more magnificent than many royal Houses. It contains 173 Rooms all richly furnish'd, without reckoning the Halls and Galleries. The Archbishop's Apartment is

stately: It has a great Marble Stair-case divided into three Flights, which leads into a spacious Guard-Chamber, from whence one enters into the Archbishop's Apartment consisting of several Rooms, where able Italian Masters have adorn'd the Cielings with very good Draughts. One is really surprized to see the Richness of the Furniture, and the infinite Variety of other things that are distributed up and down this vast Apartment; such as Marble Tables adorn'd with gilt Mouldings; old Porcellain of the most beautiful sort; Lustres of massy Silver, and Rock Crystal of uncommon Workmanship; Chandeliers also of Silver or Crystal upon large gilded Stands, and a multitude of other things very well worth observation.

How magnificent soever this Apartment is, there's another made use of upon Days of Ceremony which infinitely surpasses it. I will only mention the principal Rooms of it. We first enter into a great Salon adorn'd with the Pictures of no less than fourscore Archbishops of Saltzbourg. Next to it there's another Salon ingeniously and magnificently decorated, which discovers Grandeur in every part of it. 'Tis furnish'd with a Suit of Hangings of Crimson-Damask with Gold Lace, forming a rich Architecture in Pilasters of the Composite Order, the Frize of which is adorn'd with a pair of Brackets, which is a vast Addition to the whole Decoration. The rich Gilding shines every where with profusion. At one end of the Room there stands in the Wall a sumptuous Beaufet of Silver gilt, and at the other there's a rich Canopy under which the Archbishop sits when he dines in State. There's a stately Lustre in the middle of the Room which consists of magnificent pieces of Rock Crystal. At the end of this grand Apartment there are two Galleries that deserve the attention of the Curious in Painting, who will certainly pass their time here very agreeably,

and find a great many choice Pictures done by the best Masters. The Chimney-piece of the first of these Galleries is a great Ornament to it, being of the finest Marble adorn'd with Brass, gilt with Water-Gold. Over it there's a Statue of Brass as big as the Life representing Antinous. The second Gallery is as magnificent as the first. The Floor, Cieling, Door-Cases, and all the Ornaments in general are of fine Marble. The Walls are painted in Fresco, and exhibit Geographical Charts of the principal Dominions in Europe in divers Pictures, which are executed with very great Art and Exactness both as to the Painting and Disposition of the Things that are the Subjects of it.

A third Apartment which is over the Archbishop's is for lodging foreign Princes, and is not inferiour to the others in Grandeur and Magnificence. It consists of several Rooms all in a row. In one Room there are all the Pictures of the Emperors from Charlemain to Charles VI. The Rooms that follow it are hung with very rich Tapestry, particularly one Set representing the War between Pompey and Cæsar, which is so wonderfully well drawn that the Marshal de Daun Governour of Milan offer'd 40000 Florins for it to the late Archbishop. I shall say nothing of the other Apartments, having treated so much of the Archiepiscopal Palace; tho' if it had belong'd to a Temporal Prince I should have said much less of it, but I thought fit to give you an Idea of the Wealth of a Prelate.

Adjoining to the Palace there is a great Building which serves for lodging the Archbishop's Domestics. The Stables are fit for a King, and if a Frenchman was to see them he would be forc'd to own that as to the Inside they are more magnificent than the so much boasted Stables of Versailles. They hold 150 Horses in two Rows, with a broad Walk in the middle; and the Roof which is pretty high

is supported by two Ranges of Stone-Pillars. Next to these Stables is a Riding-House cover'd, the Ceiling of which being painted in Fresco, represents a Tournament; and all round it there is a Gallery. 'Tis pity that this magnificent Riding-House is not broader. There's another Riding-House uncovered which has not its Fellow in the World. 'Tis a very great square Place, three Sides of which are lin'd by very high Rocks, in which three Rows of Seats are very artfully cut out for the Spectators, when there is any Carousal, or Combat of wild Beasts. The whole Work is really magnificent, and the old Romans would not have been ashamed to own it.

Trinity-College Church is extremely well adorned. The Floor is of Marble, and the Roof painted with a great deal of Art, representing the Assumption of the Virgin, and the Crown placing on her Head by God the Father and by Jesus Christ. The High-Altar is of a very singular Form, but very magnificent. Two Angels of Brass, exceeding human Stature, in a Posture of Humility and Adoration, support a Heart of Brass which serves for a Tabernacle. Over it is a Globe, between God the Father and the Redeemer. God the Father seems to rest his right hand upon the Globe, and presents the left to our Lord, who puts his left upon the Globe, and in the right holds a Cross. They are supported by very large Rays which shine with very rich Gilding. This stately Groupe is surmounted with a Glory, in the midst of which the Holy Ghost appears in form of a Dove, extending its Rays over God the Father, and God the Son. The whole is of Brass gilt with Gold, of a very curious Fancy.

Near this magnificent Church is the Palace of Mirabel, where the late Archbishop the Count de Harrach, used to spend the Summer. This Prince who is truly magnificent in every thing, caus'd this House to be built at a great Expence from the very

Foundation; but the Architect whom he employ'd has not answer'd his Intention, and it appears that he did not understand the proper Distribution of the Apartments. Every Part of it indeed taken distinctly, is beautiful, but there is not one in its proper Place. The grand Stair-Case is very fine, as well for its Contrivance as for its rich Ornaments, but 'tis placed in a Corner, and without a Guide 'tis no easy matter to find it. The Salon, which is the Master-piece of the Archbishop's Apartments, is worth the Observation of the Curious, with respect to the grand Manner in which 'tis painted: Marble, Brass, and Gilding, seem to have been bestowed on it with profusion. As to the Pilasters, the Corinthian Order is entirely observed; and there are Basso-Relievos imitating Brass which are well design'd, and make a very good appearance. 'Tis pity this fine Salon wants proportion, it being much too lofty for its Size; and 'tis still more to be lamented that it has not a Prospect over the Gardens, the River of Saltz, and the adjacent Country, which are the Objects that are discover'd from the Apartments next to the Salon.

The Chapel of Mirabel is also very magnificent; and though but of a middling Size, is not inferior to the finest Churches. This Palace is accompanied with Gardens finely adorned with Fountains and Statues; and there are several Orange-Trees planted in the Ground, which are cover'd up in the Winter in a wooden Box.

Thus, Sir, have I given you a very particular Account of the City of Saltzbourg: What remains for me is to speak of the Archbishop's Houshold, which will give you an Idea of his Wealth and Grandeur. This Prince has

A Steward,
A Great Chamberlain,
A Grand Marshal,
A Master of the Horse,

A Great Huntsman,
A Captain of the Guards,
A Master-Cook,
A Pay-Master,
Twenty-four Chamberlains,
Sixteen Gentlemen-Servants called Truchsses,
Sixteen Pages,
Fifteen Ushers of the Cabinet,
Eleven Ushers of the Chamber,
Forty-two Valets de Chambre,
Twenty-eight Footmen,
Eighteen Cooks.

How many Coachmen and Grooms he has I know not, but there must be a great number of 'em, the Archbishop having 750 Horses.

Besides the Officers that I have now mentioned, there are also the Great Hereditary Officers of the Archbishoprick, who are four.

The eldest of the Lodron Family is Hereditary Grand Marshal.

The Count de Kuenbourg is Great-Cup-Bearer.

The Office of Master of the Pantry is vacant by the death of the Count de Thanhausen, the last of his Family.

The Count de Torring is Great Chamberlain.

All these Offices are executed by the eldest Sons of the Families above-mentioned.

The Archbishop confers the Order of St. Hubert, which was instituted the 25th of November, 1702, by the Archbishop John-Ernest, who has thereto annexed six Commanderies, or Prebends, of a considerable Revenue.

The Archbishops are obliged for most of their Wealth to the Princes of Bavaria[159]. Mean time the Members of the Chapter of Saltzbourg admit of

no Princes, that they may have a Plea for refusing the Princes of Bavaria, of whose Power they are jealous; in which I think they shew more regard to the Rules of Policy than those of Gratitude.

The City of Saltzbourg is worth seeing, but does not afford Amusement. Every one lives here for his own sake, and except some Gentlemen of the Chapter, and the Master of the Horse, who is the Count de Truchsses Zeil, there's nobody to visit. The latter is a Nobleman whose Manners and Sentiments are intirely conformable to his Birth. I know nobody that is more polite; and I have abundant reason to praise his Civility to me. He is of a Family, one Branch of which is settled in Prussia, where it has for a long time held distinguished Employments, and produced Subjects of great Merit who have done the State good Service.

I forgot to mention two things to you that are worth seeing, viz. the Capuchins Convent, from whence there's a Prospect of a vast Tract of Country; and St. Sebastian's Church-yard, in which is interr'd the celebrated Paracelsus; his Tomb lies in a Place very much neglected, behind a Door, where a Latin Epitaph says, 'There rests Philip-Theophrastus Paracelsus, the famous Physician, who with wonderful Art cured the Leprosy, Gout, Dropsy, and other incurable Distempers; and who after having given all his Estate to the Poor, died September 24, 1541.'

Paracelsus cured most of his Patients by Sympathy, which made the Vulgar, who are always apt to run into extremes, believe that he was a Magician. He wrote several Books, whereof one of the most curious is his Treatise of Secret Philosophy, which really contains such Passages as would make one believe that if Paracelsus was not a Conjurer himself, he was at least one of the Sect.

St. Sebastian's Church-yard is a square Place, encompassed with a Gallery supported by Arches: 'tis 119 Paces in length, and 96 in breadth.

The Neighbourhood of Saltzbourg is not disagreeable; and though the Valley in which the City lies is pretty much inclosed with Mountains, yet it presents several Objects that are pleasing to the Sight.

The Archbishop has two Pleasure-Houses, viz. Cleisheim and Heilbron, which are both of them beautiful and magnificent. Heilbron especially is worth seeing on account of its fine Waters and Cascades.

I hope to write to you speedily from Venice, and perhaps you will hear from me when I come to Inspruc; but this will depend on the Stay I shall make there, and on the departure of the Post.

POSTSCRIPT.

Since the year 1730, that this Letter was wrote, great Revolutions have happened in the Archbishoprick of Saltzbourg, with regard to Religion; for about 22,000 Persons have abandoned this Country, together with their Estates and their Fortunes, and declared themselves of the Lutheran Communion; which is very strange, and almost inconceivable! For in short, those People never knew any Clergy but their own Priests, they lived in a Country where there was no Controversy about Religion, because all the Inhabitants were reckon'd staunch Catholics, by consequence those People could not be instructed; and even the greatest part of them could not read, but were bred up in such gross Ignorance that they scarce knew the Principles of Christianity. Therefore how could these poor People know that they were in an Error?

I am not ignorant that at the beginning of the pretended Reformation, there were Saltzburghers that followed the Doctrines of Luther, such as Staupitz, Abbot of St. Peter's at Saltzbourg; Paul Speratus, a Preacher in the Cathedral of this City; and several others. But Lutheranism was thought to be quite suppressed in this Province, when it seem'd all on a sudden to take deeper Root than ever; tho', as I said before, I can't conceive how it should happen. Is it possible that the Archbishop, the Curates

and Priests should take so little care of what ought to have been most dear to them, I mean the Salvation of Souls, as that so many Thousands of People should pass with them for good Romans, at the same time that they abhorred Rome and its Precepts? For in short, I suppose, and believe too, that there have ever been Protestants in this Country, since the pretended Reformation; it being not in the power of Man to destroy a Religion when once it has had Followers in a Country; but the Difficulty is, how those Sectaries should subsist there, without the Knowledge of an ecclesiastical Sovereign; and how it was possible for them, not only to subsist, but even to multiply, and the Priests and Archbishop not perceive it. Ought not the Curates to know the Sentiments of their Parishioners by Confession? Ought they not to acquaint the Archbishop their Head of it? and ought not this Prelate and his Priests to endeavour to reclaim those that go astray, by the Example of a lively Faith, and by charitable Exhortations, and from a Compassion for their Error, diligently to oppose the Propagation of it? But all this has been neglected: The Priests, and their Archbishop, knew not there was a Fire, 'till 'twas too late to put it out; and instead of the Good-nature, Compassion, and Charity, which like Water were necessary to extinguish it, they pour'd in the Oil of Hatred and Violence, and abandoned themselves to their furious Zeal. The haughty, rigid, and severe Archbishop, forgetting that he was both a Father and an Archbishop, and giving way to the Violence of his Temper, has for ever lost those Souls which he might have hoped to reclaim, by Instructions truly pastoral, and treating them as Children led astray; whereas this Prelate, by using the contrary Method, has caused a great many Persons to declare themselves Protestants, who would have died in the Bosom of the Church, if the proper Remedies had been employed, to bring them back to it.

But I am persuaded that among the Emigrants of Saltzbourg, there is a vast number who made Religion only a Cloak to leave their Country, in hopes of bettering their Fortunes elsewhere, and who were seduced by the ensnaring Temptation of throwing off the Yoak of Submission. Be this as it will, those unfortunate Subjects, like the Jews, are spread into divers Countries, as Germany, Holland, and Prussia, where the King, I must confess, (as much a Catholic as I am) has received them with a Charity and Generosity perfectly christian and royal; his Majesty having grudg'd neither Care nor Expence to convince the World that as France is the Asylum of unfortunate Kings, so the Dominions of Prussia are the Refuge of oppressed Subjects.

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