The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume IV / Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.

by Freiherr von Karl Ludwig Pöllnitz

I follow’d the Margrave’s Court to Himmelscron, which is one of his Hunting-Seats: ’Twas formerly a Convent, and since turn’d into a Castle, which is charmingly situated on a little Hill, inviron’d with Meadows, where the Margrave had a Camp of 2000 Men of his own Troops, which were all in good Condition, and they appear’d to me to be nicely disciplin’d: His Officers are all Men of Merit, and a good Mien: On the Side of the Meadow where the Camp was, is a Mall, planted with Four Rows of Elms, the finest that are to be seen: At the End of this Mall, which is one of the longest in Europe, is a Play-house, and about the middle of this Mall a very large Pavilion, with a Room where the Prince and

Princess play’d every Night with the Nobility of their Court.

The Margrave’s Table, which was always magnificently serv’d, especially at Dinner, is made in Form of a Horse-shoe: The Princess always sate in the middle, having on her Left Hand the Princess her Daughter and the young Princess of Culmbach, and on her Right the Ladies of her Court and the Gentlemen: The Margrave sate over-against her in the Inside of the Horse-shoe, with several Gentlemen on his Right and Left Hand: Besides the Margrave’s Table, there were Two others for Sixteen Guests each in another Room, for such Gentlemen as could not be admitted to the Table of the Margrave: After the Fruit was serv’d, a great Salver was set upon the Table with a Coffee-pot and Cups, all of Silver, and every one there drank Coffee without rising from the Table.

Immediately after Dinner was over, the Margravine and the Princesses retired, but the Margrave stay’d in the Room to talk with the Courtiers: This Prince commonly stood, leaning only against a Table, and the Conversation was spirited every now-and-then by the Circulation of Bumpers: The Margrave was a good Toper, but he left every Person that attended him to his free Liberty.

About Six o’Clock, when the Princess was near upon going out, the Margrave went to the Mall where there was Play at Ombre or Picquet till Supper-time, after which they return’d to the Castle. The Prince had another very fine House just without Bareith, which is call’d Brandebourg: It stands on the Side of a great Lake, where are several Galleys, Yachts and Gondola’s, which he often engages in Combats with one another;

and of this he gave us a very noble Representation, from a Theatre built on the Side of the Lake, so that when the Bottom of it was laid open, the Theatre appears level with the Lake, and has a Prospect of it for half a League.

In the middle of the Lake is an Island with a Fortification, which the Margrave orders his Troops every now-and-then to attack and defend, on Purpose to refresh their Memories with the military Evolutions.

About half a League from this House is another, call’d the Hermitage, because no Persons can go to it, but such as are appointed; and likewise, because all the time that the Margrave stays there, the Prince, Princess and all their Retinue are dress’d like Hermits: An Avenue leads to this House, at the End of which is a large Grotto representing Mount Parnassus, with Apollo, the Nine Muses, and Pegasus, forming so many Fountains: This Mount is open on the Four Sides, and gives Passage into a Court, or rather a Square, where there are several Rows of Trees: The middle Walk leads to the Castle, the Architecture whereof is perfectly rustic, and it seems to have been built out of the very Rock: At the Entrance of it one meets with a very fine Work, adorn’d with Shell-work and several Statues representing the Rivers and Nymphs: As we go out of the Grotto we enter into a little square Garden-Plot, which is encompass’d with a rustic Building, and at the End of the Garden is the main Pavilion, with Two Wings, which communicate with another by means of a magnificent Saloon, fac’d all over with Marble: The Right Wing of the Saloon contains an Apartment consisting of several Chambers, which belongs to the Margrave, who is Father-Superior of the Hermits;

and on the same Side are a Dozen Cells for as many Hermits: On the opposite Side is the same Number of Apartments for the Margravine and the Hermit-Ladies: The great Saloon serves for the Refectory, where the Hermits of both Sexes have their Meals.

The Garden is large, and kept in very good Order: At the End of it is a Cascade, that falling from the Top of a Hill, has a charming Effect: On the Sides of the Cascade are Terraces, and very commodious Slopings, furnish’d on both Sides with a Palisade of Yoke-Elms that is breast-high; and on each Side are Fir-trees, with Paths between them, each of which leads to a Pavilion, whereof every Hermit has one: These Pavilions are built and furnish’d after the manner of a Hermitage: The Hermits were oblig’d to retire thither after Dinner, in order to observe a profound Silence; but this Custom is mitigated in some measure, and they are now at Liberty to visit one another: The Superior and the Superioress commonly pay them a Visit: Towards the time of Recreation the Superioress tinkles her Bell, to which the Prioress answers by her’s, and the Hermits of both Sexes tinkle their’s also, as a Token that they have heard their Summons to their Superior. When they are arriv’d there, they go out together, and repair to the Place of Recreation, where they amuse themselves with all manner of Play, and at the Hour of Supper they repair to the Refectory: Sometimes the Hermit-Ladies regale the Prior with Dishes of their own preparing in the Superioress’s Kitchen: The Hermits for their own Part may take the Pleasure of Hunting: You perceive, Madame, that ’tis pleasant Living enough in such a Solitude, and that there’s nothing too severe in its Statutes.