LETTER XXII.
SIR,Munich, April 2, 1730.
Since you received my last I have done and seen a great many Things. On the 23d of March I set out from Frankfort for Darmstadt, the Capital of the upper County of Catzenellenbogen, and the Residence of Ernest-Lewis Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt[154].
This Town is extremely small, and only enclosed with Pallisadoes. If the Prince's Palace had been finish'd according to its Model, it would have been one of the greatest and most magnificent in Europe, and there might have been Lodgings for the Emperor, and all the nine Electors of the Empire. It would have been bigger than the Town, and have
cost immense Sums: That Part which is finish'd makes a very grand Appearance. But all those magnificent Works which the Landgrave Regent at first carried on with very great Vigour are entirely discontinu'd, and there's no Appearance that they will ever be taken in hand again. The old Palace is much more commodious than it seems to be; its Apartments being convenient, and richly furnish'd. The Landgrave does not live in the Palace, but leads a very retir'd Life in a little House upon the Square, where he is never seen but upon Sundays and Holidays. He amuses himself in turning of Ivory, making Chymical Experiments, and in Drawing. He loves Hunting above all things whatsoever. He delights in Agriculture, and in Music, and it may strictly be said that he is never unemploy'd. He has very great Knowledge natural and acquir'd. He has seen a great many Countries, and tho' sixty Years of Age he still looks well, and his grey Hairs, not to call them white, give him a venerable Air. He sits a Horse very well, walks well, and seems to enjoy perfect Health. His Wife was Dorothy of Brandenbourg-Onoltzbach, who died in 1705. They say that he lately married N—— de Spiegel the Widow of Count Seibelsdorf a Lieutenant-General in the Service of Bavaria. Be that as it will, the Marriage is not public, and the Lady still goes by the Name of her former Husband by whom she has Children. 'Tis true that the Landgrave pays her very great Distinction, and indeed she is very amiable.
This Prince commonly dines at a little Table spread only for four People; but on Sundays and Holidays he goes to the Palace, and dines with his Son at a Table cover'd for sixteen Guests, and sups with the Ladies who are never seen at Court but upon those Days. 'Tis a very hard matter to come at the Speech of the Landgrave, and much more
to that of his only Son the hereditary Prince. The Hunting-Officers are the only Persons that have the Privilege of Access to them; for which reason this is not one of the most entertaining Courts; and a Man is under a necessity of throwing himself into the Town, where indeed there are a great many People of Merit who are civil to Foreigners.
The hereditary Prince Lewis, the only Son of the Landgrave, who was born the 5th of April 1691, is a handsome Man, has a noble Air, dances well, mounts a Horse well, has Vivacity, Spirit, and Politeness, but is often thoughtful, melancholy, and goes for Retirement to the Woods, where he is passionately fond of Hunting; but is apt to create himself Uneasiness, and does not know how to dissemble it. Tho' he has all the Qualities necessary to shine in Company, yet he sees but very little. He married Charlotta-Christina of Hanau, who dying in 1726, left him three Sons and two Daughters, the eldest of which was then seven Years of Age. By virtue of this Marriage the Prince is Heir to the Count of Hanau's Estate in Alsace, and to all his Freeholds in general, which will be a very rich Succession.