The Nobility and Gentry of this Country are extremely haughty. There are some Families which are really of very great Quality, but a great many, who, tho’ they have very pompous Titles, would be very much at a Loss to prove their noble Parentage. If you would take their Word for it, they were all heretofore Counts of Hainault, Flanders, Dukes of Brabant, Guelderland, and so on. Their Ancestors have performed important Services to the State, but most of them are now retired, or if they serve, it is in Spain or France. To go to Vienna, to make Court to the Emperor! oh fy! say they, ’tis fatiguing to
Death. The Manners of the Germans are so different, proceed they, from ours; their Service is so unpolite! To be confined in that Place called Hungary! don’t mention it to us. There’s not a Mortal to converse with. These Gentlemen, after all, have Reason on their Side: For many of ’em, tho’ they have never served the Emperor, and perhaps, never seen him, have been preferred to Regiments, Governments, and the most distinguished Employments in the Netherlands; and as they have had such good Success, they would be to blame to act otherwise. They serve in Spain, and come to Brussels to receive their Reward.
It must be owned, nevertheless, that tho’ few of the Flemings, under whom I generally include all the Subjects of the Austrian Netherlands, go to Vienna, ’tis partly owing to the Narrowness of their Fortunes. The Nobility, being not rich, are not able to lay out much Money; and they live therefore with very great Œconomy, like private People. They seldom make Invitations to Dinner, and not one of ’em keeps an open Table. Yet there are more Equipages here with the Ducal Mantle, than in Vienna itself. All those Dukes and Princes, made by the Kings of Spain, formerly assumed only the Title of Excellency; but since they have been under the German Government, they are called my Prince, and Monsieur. They would fain usurp the Title of Highnesses, which is given them by their Domestics, and many poor Gentlemen, who interlard it with abundance of Monseigneurs. The Duke d’Aremberg is the only Nobleman who supports the Expence of a Man of Quality; and tho’ he is the Person to whom most Honour is due, yet he is one that least requires it.
Brussels is a great Sufferer by the frequent Absence of the Prince of la Tour and Taxis, Hereditary
Post-master of the Empire, and the Netherlands. When this Nobleman is at Brussels, he lives with very great Splendor and Magnificence. His House is open to all Men of Quality, and ’tis the Asylum of Foreigners. The Princess de la Tour, who is a Princess of Lobkowitz, is wonderfully civil; and by her noble and gracious Deportment, and her agreeable Conversation, attracts all persons of Merit; and all Foreigners are charmed with her[83]. The Natives have a Regard for the Family of la Tour, but ’tis attended with Envy. The Prince de la Tour, tho’ not a Sovereign, is nobly ally’d. His Mother was a Furstenberg: His Wife is a Lobkowitz: His Son is married to a Princess of Brandenbourg-Culmbach; and his Daughter to the Prince Alexander of Wurtemberg: So that all who question the Antiquity or Nobility of the Family of la Tour, are, I think, very much in the wrong. I will not dispute that there are Families more ancient, tho’ those of la Tour have printed several Volumes in Folio, to prove the great Antiquity of their Origin, as well as their Descent from the Torres, who were so long at Variance with the ancient Viscontis. And I can’t help thinking, that a Family, which has been ally’d for many Generations with the greatest in the Empire, and whose Son has been a [84]Canon or Count of the Cathedral of Cologn, may be rank’d among our best Families in Germany.
Of all the Ladies, the Princess de la Tour is most distinguished by the Archduchess; for which the other Ladies envy her, but this is very natural: For the Princess de la Tour was born at
Vienna, and, as it were, brought up with the Archduchess; and Friendships so early contracted are generally the most lasting. Besides, the Princess de la Tour discovers such an Attachment to the Archduchess, that ’tis not surprising that she should honour her with her Confidence.
I have told you, that the Pleasures of the Court of Brussels are not very gay, and I’ll assure you those of the City are much of the same dull Taste. There’s a very fine Theatre here, but the Comedy acted on it is horrible. The Assemblies here are very melancholy, and will be more so when the Countess de Visconti is gone, since, were it not for that Lady, there would be no such Pleasures here. Whoever saw Brussels in the Time of the War, and sees it now, scarce knows the Place again. Every thing falls to decay, and it has hardly any Trade stirring, but in Lace, Camblets and Tapestry; the Fabric of which is, indeed, brought to very great Perfection. Lenir’s Manufacture of Tapestry excels all the rest for the Beauty of its Colours, and he furnishes England and Italy with it. Devos, who works for Germany, made the fine Tapestry of Prince Eugene of Savoy, and the History of Charles V. for the Emperor Charles VI. Vermillon sends a great many of his Works to Portugal, France, and Muscovy. Van der Borg the Son has lately made a fine Piece of Tapestry for the Archduchess, representing the Israelites worshipping the Golden Calf, and Moses receiving the Tables of the Law. The Father of Van der Borg, who is as good a Workman as the Son, has made magnificent Tapestries for the Chamber of the States, which represent the joyful Entry of Philip the Fair, Duke of Brabant. They are in the Town-house, and worth seeing.
Here lives the Marshal de Zumjungen, who commands the Emperor’s Troops in this Country.
He is a Person of very great Merit, and has been raised by his Valour and Services to the chief Military Employments[85]. He is descended of an ancient Patrician Family of Francfort, and professes the Lutheran Religion. He was at first but a common Soldier, and has gone thro’ all the Degrees of Preferment. He is a General of very great Experience, and is very well beloved by the Officers. He makes Foreigners very welcome, and lives very handsomely, without being at extraordinary Expence.