The Count de Nassau-Weilbourg lives here also. His Birth would engage me to give you an Account of him tho' I were not induc'd to it by the Consideration of his Merit. This Nobleman has an infinite share of it; he is generous, magnificent, genteel, and civil, knowing what Family he is descended from; but knowing it for no other reason than to discharge all the Obligations of it. He is the Ornament of this Court, tho' he is not in the Service of the Elector. His Father was Velt-Marshal, and Commander in Chief of the Palatine Troops during the Reign of the late Elector John William. The Count I am speaking of was Envoy Extraordinary from the Elector to the Court of France during the Minority of Lewis XV. He then went often to the Royal Palace to pay his court to the Regent's Mother, and there it was that I knew him; for that Lady and the whole Court of France had a very great Value for him. That Princess speaking of him one day to me, said she was very glad that he was a Count of Nassau; for indeed, said she, he deserves to bear a great Name[141].
There are amiable People here of both Sexes who are very sociable, so that 'tis a Stranger's own fault if he misses of Amusement here; for such are generally treated very civilly. As for my own part, I have received so many Courtesies from the Elector, and so many Favours from his Court that I shall for ever acknowledge them.
The Nobility maintain a Company of French Comedians who act three times a Week upon a very little Theatre, but both the Townsmen and Foreigners pay. Tho' this Company, of which the Count de
la Marck has the Direction is not the best, yet 'tis a pleasure to go to it for the sake of seeing Company. In the time of the late Princess there were a thousand Pleasures which there are not now, so that her Death is still lamented.
The Elector's Revenues are reckon'd at two Millions of Crowns. You may rate them more or less, 'tis no matter; for my own part, I affirm nothing, being not willing to imitate the Marquis de Breton-Villiers, who in his Memoirs of the Regency values the Revenues of all the Princes of the Universe with as much assurance as if he had been Superintendant of every one's Finances. The Elector has about 7 or 8000 Soldiers, exclusive of his Guards. His best Places are Manheim, Juliers, and Dusseldorp. The three Religions tolerated in the Empire have Churches here, and the Jews a large Synagogue. They are very numerous at this Place, and two thirds of the Houses belong to them, as being either built by them, or mortgag'd to 'em. Some of them are very rich, and drive a great Trade with the Jews at Meiz, Frankfort and Amsterdam. 'Tis certain that they do a great injury to the Christian Merchants, and that they are not honester here than elsewhere.
Don't write to me, if you please, before I have sent you my Direction, because I know not whether I shall stay long enough at Frankfort, to which some Affairs call me, to receive your Letters.
Just now we hear of the Death of Pope Benedict XIII. As I never saw a Conclave, and am in the Humour of Travelling, I have an inclination to take a tour to Rome. I shall not resolve on it till I come to Frankfort. Which way soever I go you shall be inform'd, and I will not fail to desire your Commands. Mean time I am always very sincerely, &c.
