LETTER XV.

THE various districts or territories into which Germany is divided, go under a variety of designations, not known among us as independent titles to powerprincipalities, seigniories, counties, electorates, margravates, and bishoprics lay and spiritual. Of the lay bishoprics, Osnaburg, the prince bishop of which is our Duke of York, makes one and Liege, where we are now arrived, is the territory of a bishop lay and spiritual, or spiritual and temporal, one of the fairest kind of that class for he possesses temporalities, and enjoys them; whereas their lordships merely spiritual, enjoy and have the ingratitude and impudence to renounce them: but no matter for that; the bishop of Liege possesses a bishopric, fruitful in corn, wine, wood, and pasture, with air extremely pleasant and temperate; and while the latter gives his terrestrial clay health and appetite, the form, er afford him the means of preserving the one, and indulg ing the other, with true spiritual comfort, and high ecclesiastical voluptuousness. In cases of repletion, too, the mineral waters of the bishopric, particularly the well known one of Spa, offer their aid; and some of the best beer in the world, which is brewed in these territories diversifies his spiritual Lordship's cup, and with its pungent bitter, sends back his palate to his wine with renovated relish.

It is astonishing how inconsistent with themselves, and how discordant in their constituent principles, some very wise institutions are. Thus episcopacy and all other branches, posts or ranks, high or low, commissioned or noncommissioned, of the church, publicly and systematically profess poverty, abstinence, and an utter indifference to temporal concerns, while their livings are enormous, and themselves overfed. Nay, so cautiously has ecclesiastical law provided for that, even in our liberal establishments, that a bishop, at his instalment, positively de clares, in the face of God, at the holy altar, that he is averse to being a bishop-nolo e piscopari-Under such conditions, what must not the charity, the condescension, he mortifying submission of a divine be, to stoop to a

bishopric, and suffer such a heavy load to be heaped upon his back against his will! Assuredly, the imposing a bishopric upon him must be a great act of violence on his inclinations for I cannot think it possible that a Christian divine would, in the first place, commit the crime of simony, by seeking preferment, and gaining it by prostitution ; much less can I believe that he would be guilty, at the holy altar, of a solemn act of perjury, by swearing nolo episcopari, if he was not actually, and bona fide, averse to a bishopric.

The bishop of Liege, however, may be fairly acquitted on the score of his temporal half, for the share of transgressions committed by his spiritual half. And unquestionably as a Christian divine, he must groan in spiritual humiliation, when he reflects that his title is emblazoned with the gorgeous vanities of prince of Liege, duke of Bouillon, marquis of Franchemont, count of Looz, &c. Such a set of proud worldly titles are of themselves sufficient (putting the wine and beer, and repletion, out of the question) to annihilate the spiritual merits of the bishop, and expunge the grace of Gd from his name here, if not from himself hereafter.

Of all kinds of slavery, that nation groans beneath the worst, which has the name, without the essence, of a free constitution; and Germany abounds with such. By the constitution of this bishopric, the government consists of three states; the first is the chapter of Liege; the second, the nobility; and the third, the deputies of the towns and capital. These, however, are very seldom called together, except to raise taxes, or on some such extraordinary emergency: but there is a committee of the states who meet three times a-week, and in time of war daily; they are always about the prince bishop, to make remonstrances, and demand the redress of grievances from whence we may reasonably infer, that the people are well protected, or at least well governed; the continual intercourse between the committee and bishops, no doubt, tending to promote a very happy influence in favor of the people!

In forming this constitution, special care has been taken to give the first state a great preponderance. The

chapter is to consist of sixty persons, who must either prove their nobility for four generations, both by father and mother, or have been doctors or licentiates of divinity for seven years, or of law for five years, in some famous university, before they can be admitted.

How is it that the profession of the law should bear such potent sway in almost all countries-that even in Liege, a Catholic country and ecclesiastical government, five years study of the law should be deemed an equal qualification of seven of divinity? In England, and its dependencies, the ascendency of the law is still greater; and even in America, that profession is the first step to state honors. The truth is, that the science of the law, which, however despicable in practice, is the noblest of human sciences, quickens and invigorates the understanding more than all the other kinds of learning put together; while the study of divinity (I do not mean realdivinity or morality, but that whimsicle jumble of miracles and incongruities, of fulsome cant and senseless rhapsody called so by churchmen) contracts the understanding, and bends it into a kind of crooked cunning. Formerly, the clergy were the dispensers of the law and they alone studied it-happy times! happy people! When the united powers of both lawyers and priests were lodged in the same person, it is no wonder that they were able to enslave the persons, when they had got possession of the understanding, of the people that we at this day see so many stupendous monuments remaining of their pride and power, and that the bloated load of episcopacy still has its votaries and supporters.

The bishopric of Liege is very populous and extensive, containing many large towns, many baronies and seigniories, seventeen abbeys for men, who must be all gentlemen, and eleven for ladies, exclusive of swarms of inferior note. In this distribution of the abbeys, male and female, I do not think that sufficient regard has been had to equality of numbers: I really think the fathers have been ill used. The ladies, though, I dare say, are well enough contented with the arrangement.

Although, as I have already apprised you, I do not mean to enter into a minute description of towns, so ve

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ry easily found in many volumes of geography and history, there occasionally occur certain curiosities in some of those towns, which it would be unpardonable in me to pass over, as they may not perhaps be found in such books of those sciences as fall in your way.

Liege, the capital of the bishopric, is unquestionably a beautiful city, of immense size: its opulence, its pleasantness, its plenty, and salubrity, may be calculated from the name it has long been expressly called by way of eminence the Paradise of Priests. Indeed, it must needs be a holy and happy city; for it is chiefly occupied with convents, churches, and other religious foundations.

The Paradise of Priests !-Excellent! Why, if the genius of sensuality himself were to torture his invention for centuries, to strike out an appellation for the grand emporium of luxury, voluptuousness, and sensual enjoyment, he could not have hit on one so singularly appropriate as the Paradise of Priests.

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In a grand cathedral here, are five great silver chests full of reliques, besides several silver statues of saints; and a Saint George on horseback, of massy gold; and in Samt William's Convent, without the city, is the tomb of the famous English traveller Sir John Mandeville, from whom all lying travellers have been since proverbially called Mandevilles-an appellation which, I promise you, I will hazard the imputation of dulness rather than incur. suppose it was for his truly priestlike powers in the marvellous, that he was honored with a birth among their reverences. They have thought it necessary, however, to entreat, by an inscription in bad French, all persons who see it, to pray for his soul. In truth, poor Sir John's marvellous stories were as harmless as ever were invented, and entertaining to boot. If so much could be said for their reverences they might venture to rest their future safety on their own innocence and God's mercy : but I fear their miracles cut deeper, and will be found to go to a much more important and serious account.

In the bishopric of Liege, twenty miles from the capital, stands the famous town of Spa, so renowned for its excellent waters, that it has become a vulgar name

for almost all mineral waters whatsoever. Those are said to open obstructions, concoct crudities, dry up excessive moisture, and strengthen the nerves and bowels; and such is their reputation, that prodigious quantities of them are carried into foreign countries.

Fortunate coincidence, to have such a choice and easy panacea for intemperance attached to the Paradise of Priests.

LETTER XVI.

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A1X-LA-CHAPELLE-The imperial city of Aixla-Chapelle, by the Germans called Achen, lies at the distance of twenty-six miles, nearly east, of Liege. As it was a moderate stage, the weather fine, and the face of the country around beautiful, I found my journey extremely pleasant, and entered that famous city in as good. a disposition to be pleased with it, as circumstances and reflections so melancholy as mine (which in spite of every effort, would intrude themselves) may be supposed to allow. It is certainly a very fine city, and well deserves: the reputation it has in all parts of the world..

Perhaps no city in Germany has a fairer claim to antiquity than Aix-la-Chapelle; for it was famous, even in the time of the ancient Romans, for its waters, and was by them called Aquisgranum, or Urbs Aquensis. It was destroyed by the Huns, who, like the French now, destroyed and trampled under foot every vestige of refinement, wherever they carried their conquests; and it lay in ruins till it was rebuilt by Charlemagne, who made it the seat of his empire on this side of the Alps. By him it was ordained, the kings of the Romans should be crowned there and it has been famous, since that time, for councils and treaties, particularly that famous one between France and Spain in 1663, and another lately between France and Great Britain.

Although there are many Protestants, both Luthe rans and Calvanists, in this city, they are obliged to go to church two miles off, at a place called Vaels, in the dutchy of Limburg; so that Popery prevails with some