the Learned and the Curious, not only for the Beauty of the Room and the regular Disposition of the Books, but for the Number of the Printed Volumes and Manuscripts. As soon as I arriv'd I sent to know if I might have the Honor of waiting on the Duke, who was then at Saltzdabl, a League from Wolfembuttle. From this City to the Castle the Road is lin'd with a very fine Row of Trees. His Highness having permitted me to pay him my Respects, I waited on him, and was receiv'd with extraordinary Kindness. This Prince, who was then fourscore Years of Age, had nevertheless all the Presence of Mind and all the Vigour of a Man of thirty. I believe it needless to observe to you that the Person whom I have the Honor to mention to you was the late Duke Anthony-Ulric. This Duke besides a superior Understanding knew many things, which Princes are glad to abandon to Persons of a mean Condition. If you have read the Romance of Octavia, and his Translation of several of Corneille's and Racine's Tragedies, you will readily own that no Person ever wrote in our Language more politely. This Prince was also perfect Master of the Roman History, which he had made his particular Study. He had moreover a wonderful Taste for every thing that was Elegant, and especially for the Liberal Arts. One may judge of the Skill he had in Architecture by his Castle of Saltzdabl, which is a Structure not inferior in Magnificence to any that has been rais'd by Sovereign Princes. In this Castle, besides immensely rich Furniture, there is a numerous but choice Collection of Pictures that are put up in a great Gallery, which is one of the finest Rooms in all Germany. The
Duke did me the Honor after I had din'd to carry me to it.
The Ducal Family of Brunswic was at that time no more than the Duke Anthony-Ulric, and his two Sons, of whom the present Duke Regent was the eldest. Tho' this Prince has been three times married he has had no Issue, so that the only one of the Family that has had Children is the Duke of Blankenbourg, who marry'd a Princess of Oetingen, by whom he has had three Daughters, the eldest of whom wears the Imperial Crown, the second was marry'd to a Prince of the Czarian Family, and the third to the Prince of Brunswic-Bevern presumptive Heir of the Dominions of Wolfembuttle.
The Ducal Family of Brunswic is intirely Lutheran; yet the late Duke Anthony died a Catholic, to which Religion he was converted a little before his Death. The Enemies of his Reputation affected to give out, that Ambition was the motive of his entring into the Pale of the Church, and that the Bishopric of Hildesheim or the Electorate of Cologne, which were both vacant at that time by the Elector's being put under the Ban of the Empire, was the View of his Conversion: but 'tis easy to perceive that this Reproach is nothing but meer Calumny, if it be consider'd, that the Duke of Brunswic consider'd only in that Quality had too high a Rank in the Empire to be flatter'd with the Episcopal or Electoral Dignity, especially at the Age of fourscore, and when he could not hope for Posterity to inherit either. 'Tis very certain that the Conversion of this Prince was the Effect of a long Examination which he had made of the Religion that he embrac'd, he having entertain'd Thoughts of it for several years. When
he consented that his Grand-Daughter should be married to the Emperor, it was demanded of that Princess, that she should abjure the Religion in which she had been educated. There was at that time an Assembly of the ablest Divines in Germany, who agreed as the French Ministers did when Henry IV. consulted them about his Conversion, that Salvation was to be had in the Catholic Religion. This Confession of the Ministers was some encouragement to the timorous Princess, who being but young and very tender-conscienc'd, thought there was Danger in taking such a Step. The Duke, in order to reconcile her thoroughly to it, promis'd her to turn Catholic himself; and Imhoff his Minister did the same. As the latter was a Man of good Sense, and moreover of great Probity, he had acquir'd his Master's Confidence, and as Religion had for some time past the principal Share in their Conversation, Imhoff after having weigh'd every thing well, could not deny, that the Catholic was the only true Religion; and he made his Abjuration of the Protestant, some time after the Princess. The Duke was a good while longer before he took this Step; for tho' he was a real Catholic in his Heart, he was willing to prepare his Subjects for this Alteration by gentle means; but when he receiv'd a Letter from his Grand-Daughter, he made no longer Delay. This Princess arriving at Barcelona, and hearing that the Duke had not yet perform'd the Promise he made to change his Religion, she wrote a long Letter to him, wherein she let him know how uneasy she was, for fear that the Religion which he had advis'd her to chuse was not the true Religion, because he was so long in embracing it himself. Then the Duke declar'd himself,
and convinc'd his Grand-Daughter, that not content with having procur'd her one of the principal Crowns in this World, he had also done his Endeavor to secure her another that was more glorious and more durable.
After the Duke had embrac'd the Catholic Religion, he caus'd a Church to be built at Brunswic[21], which is a City but two small Leagues from Wolfembuttle, thro' a very strait Road, lin'd on both sides with Trees. When I had taken a good View of all that was worth seeing at Saltzdabl, I came to this City, which I found did not come up near to the Notion I had of it; nevertheless 'tis the Capital of the Duchy of Brunswic. They say 'twas built Anno 868, by Bruno the Son of Alphonsus Duke of Saxony, who call'd it after his own Name. It was afterwards very much enlarg'd by the Emperor Henry the Faulconer. 'Twas formerly rank'd among the chief Hanse Towns, and govern'd it self after the manner of a Republic, pretending to be independent of its Dukes, who always oppos'd it's Liberty Sword in hand, and 'twas not without great difficulty that they brought it in Subjection to them. Henry Duke of Brunswic, surnam'd the Young, besieg'd it three times, but always in vain. At length in 1617, the City was compell'd to perform Homage to Duke Frederic-Ulric, the then Regent. Nevertheless it preserv'd its Privileges, which still gave it an Appearance of Freedom till 1671, when Rodolph Augustus, Duke of Brunswic-Wolfembuttle, made himself absolute Master of it. Duke Anthony-Ulric once had a Design to fortify this Place, and the Duke his Son seem'd at first to have the same
Intention; but afterwards he chose rather to have noble Structures erected in it, amongst which there's a very great Palace, where ten Sovereigns might lodge without incommoding one another. This Prince caus'd it to be built for the Duchess his Wife, in case she should survive him; and no Cost was spar'd to render it one of the richest and most magnificent Palaces that was ever seen, to the intent that the Charms of so fine a Habitation might contribute in some measure to make the Duchess more cheerful in her melancholy State of Widowhood; which indeed could not but be the more so to the Princess, because by losing her Husband, she must also lose her Sovereignty; for they had no Children, and the Duke was too old for them ever to expect any.
This is the only Palace in Brunswic that is remarkable. The Duke of Blankenbourg's, 'tis true, is very large, and has very fine Apartments, but is old, and has nothing extraordinary; it joins to the Church of St. Alaise, which is the principal Church, and the Place where several of the Dukes are buried. On the Square over-against the Church, there's a Lion of Brass, on a very high Pedestal, representing that which they say was tam'd by the Duke Henry surnam'd the Lion, to such a degree, that the terrible Animal follow'd him wherever he went; and even after the Duke's Death and Interment in the Church of St. Alaise, the Lion went towards the Church Door, try'd to break it open, stay'd there in spite of all the Attempts to take him off, and died on the very Spot, for Grief that he had lost his Master.
I afterwards went to Zell[22], and from thence