This, which was the common Life at Court, was very often diversify’d, by Parties for Hunting, Fishing, or other Pleasures. The Elector himself gave Direction for all the Feasts he made, and I believe it would have been difficult to have found any body that understood the Matter so well; every Thing being conducted with such charming Delicacy and Regularity, that I own to you, Madame, I thought myself in some enchanted Island. What contributed to render the Court of Munich yet more splendid, was, the Presence of the Count de Charolois, a Prince of the Blood of France, who made some Stay here at his Return from the War in Hungary[6]. That young Prince being spurr’d on by Glory, thought he could not better signalize his Valour, than by bearing Arms against the Infidels, with whom the Emperor had just declared War; but as he plainly foresaw, it would be difficult for him to obtain Leave from his Mother and the Regent to go out of the Kingdom, he resolv’d to get away without speaking a Word of it to any body but Two Persons that he carry’d along with him. The Day that he put this Project in Execution, he set out early in the Morning, on Pretence of going a Hunting. He travell’d Seven Post Stages without Baiting, with the Horses of the Duke his Brother, and he was got as far as the Austrian Netherlands, when they thought at Chantilly he was but in the Forest. He went to Liege, and from thence to Bon, but always with an Equipage that did not denote his Quality. From Bon he proceeded thro’ Munich to Vienna; from whence without visiting either the Emperor or Empress he repair’d to Belgrade, which was then
besieg’d by Prince Eugene of Savoy. He distinguish’d himself greatly in this Campaign, and gave Demonstration that he was worthy of his Illustrious Blood. After the Reduction of Belgrade, he went to Vienna, where he stay’d some time, and then travell’d to Italy, from whence he return’d to Munich. The Elector, who had been perfectly well receiv’d by the Duchess, who was the young Count’s Mother, took a Pleasure to shew his Gratitude to the Prince her Son. He therefore lodg’d him at the Castle, and defray’d his and his Attendants Charges all the Time that he stay’d at Munich; he provided a Table for him in his Apartment for Twelve People; and when he din’d with the Elector, which he never did but with Ladies in Company; and when they were to go out a Hunting, his Gentlemen had a Table allow’d them, which was spread for Eight; but some Difficulties in the Point of Rank prevented the Count from dining in public with the Elector and the Princes. His Electoral Highness gave him a certain Number of Officers, Pages and Footmen to wait on him, and Care was taken to chuse such only to attend him as talk’d French; but he soon acquainted himself with the German Language to such a Degree, that the Country-People understood him better than they did me. Of this I had Experience one Day as I went a Hunting with him, when he bad me ask something of a Peasant, who I saw by his Looks did not know what I meant; but the Count accosted him with the same Demand, and the Peasant understood him immediately, by reason of the Bavarian Accent, in which that Prince express’d himself happily: He return’d to Chantilly the 1st of May 1720.
Three Quarters of a League from Munich is the stately Palace of Nymphenbourg[7], to which I have had the Honour to acquaint you the Court repaired very often. ’Tis impossible for a Place to be more charming; the Gardens especially are very beautiful: A grand Avenue leads to Nymphenbourg, which runs from Munich to the Iron Gates of the Palace. In the Front of this Palace, next to the Court, there are Three Pavilions, which are connected by Two Apartments for Lodgings. The middlemost Pavilion, which is larger than the other Two, is square, and contains a great Hall, finely adorn’d with Architecture, and an Apartment on each Side. The Two Side Pavilions are terminated by Two large Pavilions, that run further out, and form Two Wings. On the Side next to the Court there are Steps, by which there is an Ascent up to the Hall; and on the opposite Side there are others, which lead down to the Garden. From the Steps on the Court-side is a Prospect of a large Canal, lin’d on each Side with a Row of Elms, which is separated from the Court by a Grate.
As to the Apartments, they are all of the utmost Magnificence, but the only one that I shall speak of now is the Elector’s. The first Room at the Entrance is very fine, considering its Extent, but not much adorn’d, being altogether bare white Walls, so that only the Ceiling is painted. As one turns to the Right, we enter an Antichamber, which is a Thorowfare both to the Elector’s Apartment, and to another on the Left Hand, then occupied by the Count de Charolois. This Antichamber is wainscotted throughout,
and leads to a Gallery, which is also completely wainscotted, the Pannels being painted white with gilt Fillets. There we saw in Compartments very fine Pictures, which represent either Hunting, or the Prospects of the Elector’s several Houses. From this Gallery is an Entrance into a large Antichamber, all over wainscotted, and adorn’d with Chimney and Pier-Glasses and magnificent Pictures. From thence, turning to the Left, we enter into a large Closet, the Furniture of which is a fine Sky-blue Damask, lac’d with Gold. The Ceilings, Doors and Window-Shutters are painted white, with gilt Basso Relievo’s. In this Closet as well as in the Chamber next to it, are a great many very fine Pier-Glasses and Marble Tables: The latter is the Bedchamber; the Furniture and Bed are of blue Damask, as is also the Closet: Out of this Chamber there’s a Passage to a second Closet, furnish’d in the same Taste. These Three Pieces follow one another, and look into the Garden: The last mention’d Closet terminates the Elector’s Apartment, which communicates by little Offices and a Stair-case to a small Apartment which his Electoral Highness lives in, the great Apartment being only for keeping his Court. On the other Side of the Palace are the Apartments of the Electoress and the Princes, who are all lodg’d there very commodiously.
The Gardens of this Palace are very well laid out: As one enters them by the Steps from the Castle, the first Thing one sees is a very fine Parterre, which reaches to a Wood, that is cut into Three great Walks, in Form of a Goose-Foot; in the midst whereof are Three Canals of Spring Water, the middlemost of which runs
out of Sight, and has its Issue by Three Waterfalls, in Form of a Cascade. The Wood consists of Groves, adorn’d with Bowers, and noble Water-Works. On the Right Hand of the Garden is a Grove, which contains a Mall; and a little further is a very great Mall, in Form of a Horse-shoe. The Two Ends run to the grand Walk, and contain between them a Pavilion, built in Form of a Cross arch’d, consisting of Two Stories, and forming an Octogon Saloon in the middle with Four Windows, between which are Four Summer Houses, one of which is an Antichamber, the second a Bedchamber, the third a Closet, and the fourth a Stair-case. This House is built in the Form of a Pagod’s Temple, and all the Furniture is Indian, which is the Reason that ’tis call’d Pagodenbourg. Over-against this pretty House, on the Left of the great Canal, are Bagnio’s. Nothing in the World can be better contriv’d, and more charming: All the Ceilings, the Basso Relievo’s and other Ornaments have some Relation or other to the Use for which this House is appropriated. The Baths are of Marble, adorn’d with Statues and Vessels of very great Price.
Tho’ the Elector seem’d to be mightily delighted with Nymphenbourg, yet he was about building another Palace, which was to be call’d Schleisheim: According to the Designs that I saw of it, this Palace must be much larger and more noble than Nymphenbourg, so that they said, that Schleisheim would be the Versailles of Bavaria, and Nymphenbourg the Marly.
I spent my Time so agreeably while I stay’d at Munich, that indeed I was very loth to quit a Place so charming: Nevertheless, I set out with