dorf informed me, that until he had the accounts made up, the Emperor and his Ministers were ignorant that there existed any advantageous export trade. How long it would be suffered to remain in that beneficial state was extremely doubtful. Many of the Emperor's subjects were much dissatisfied with his absurd prohibition of Dutch herrings, which furnished a cheap luxury to the poor, and gave a relish to the miserable fare they commonly lived on.

SECT. 3.-Vienna, and the State of Society there.

The town is admirably situated in a fertile plain, watered by a branch of the Danube; and though, in extent, greatly inferior to Paris or London, is perhaps as large as any capital ought to be. When a metropolis is overgrown, it is difficult to procure, at reasonable rates, an adequate supply of provisions; the upper ranks become luxurious and dissolute;—and the lower orders idle, and so vicious, that it is very difficult to keep them under proper subjection.

The Imperial Ministers of State, and the Corps Diplomatic, live well. In the morning, each individual pursues his own amusement; and in the evenings there are always two or three houses open and ready to receive them. At these assemblies men and women meet to see and to be seen; and because every night there are several houses open, where idle people can go and lounge in, they maintain, that society is on the best possible footing at Vienna. There were generally two or three card tables. The rest of the company stare at each other, without enjoying much interesting conversation. In short, such a life soon becomes tiresome to any man to whom time is precious.

For a temporary residence, Vienna is rather an expensive place. A stranger is no sooner presented to any of the Ministers of State, than the courier, the footman, &c. call at his lodgings, and he is informed, that "Les gens de Prince Kaunitz, de Prince Colleredo, &c. souhaitent Monsieur un heureux arrivé à Vienne." And one, two, or three ducats are

the expected donation. About Christmas, this perquisite will cost a stranger about L.20 or L.30, in addition to the usual expense of other places on the Continent.

At some of the great houses shops were opened, where it is expected that the visitors should purchase some articles; and occasionally there are lotteries, a ticket in which you are under the necessity of purchasing, so that an acquaintance with the great becomes so expensive, that many are obliged to avoid it.

They play much at cards, but not so deep as at Petersburgh. Loto was becoming very general, and more fashionable than whist.

The nobles and the gentry did not appear to be either highly educated or well informed. Of the young men who promised favourably in point of information or talents, the Count Bergen and the Baron Wrbna seemed the most likely to distinguish themselves. They were both à l'Angloise. The young frenchified Austrians were commonly a very despicable set*.

The ladies were numerous, and many of them handsome. A Spanish grandee, who came to Vienna to be married, got immediately a list of from eighty to ninety ladies, among whom to choose his partner for life. The married women are rather free in their conversation, and some of them not very correct in their conduct.

The English were exceedingly popular in Vienna, and indeed all over the Austrian empire. In Hungary they are peculiarly respected, more especially as that country boasts of a constitution resembling the English. Many of the natives of Vienna speak the English language, and above 600 understand it. A Colonel Baillie, affecting the Frenchman, and calling himself "Monsieur de Baillie," was much despised and ridiculed. The English, however, are so numerous, that they are sometimes held very cheap. This furnishes a useful lesson to

* In Pinkerton's Geography, vol. i. p. 349, a very deplorable account is given of the young Austrian nobility, so late as the year 1802.

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young noblemen on their travels; because, unless they can contrive to make themselves agreeable, no one pays them any attention; while an ensign of foot will be greatly caressed, if his manners are prepossessing.

There were two ladies at Vienna, the Countess de Thun, and Madame de Bergen, whose houses were always open in the evening for the reception of the English. The society at Madame de Thun's was particularly agreeable, when one became well acquainted with the visitors who resorted there; but it took some time to understand the tone of the society, as they had innumerable nick-names, and jests among themselves, the key to which it was impossible at once to discover.

I found the conversation principally related to local subjects, and it was seldom that any useful or important topic was introduced. Politics were cautiously avoided. During the war ending in 1782, the events which then took place, were often discussed at Prince Kaunitz's assemblies. This gave an artful German Baron an opportunity to acquire the reputation of great learning and knowledge on various subjects. When from the papers he found that Gibraltar, Boston, Jamaica, or any other place was likely to be the subject of the day, he read all he could find in geographical books on that topic, and appeared quite an oracle.

The roads in the neighbourhood of Vienna are extremely dusty, which, it is said, produces many consumptions. These, however, are supposed to be principally owing to the intenseness of the cold, against the effects of which sufficient precautions are not always taken. The dust likewise occasions complaints in the eyes. Numbers of men, on that account, wear ear-rings, which, they assert, are good for the eyes; the hole in the ear, and the weight of the ear-ring, drawing any humour in the eyes to those parts.

SECT. 4.—Observations on the Character and Conduct of
Prince Kaunitz.

He was born in 1712, and, when I saw him, in 1786, was

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about 74. For that age he was remarkably healthy. He rode every day, either in the open air, or, when the weather was unfavourable, in a menage couvert, and eat most voraciously. He is the proudest, and, at the same time, the vainest of all mortals; and it is hardly possible to conceive, the existence of such a character, in a civilized European country, for it seemed much more analogous to that of a despot, trained up with all the blandishments of an eastern seraglio, than to the freedom of European society. But flattery, on weak minds, has every where the same effects. He is so inflated with pride, that he thinks he has no equal, and perhaps, that such a human being hardly ever before existed. He is convinced, that he is the only man in Europe, who knows the real interest of each sovereign in it, and is inflated with other ideas equally ridiculous. He thought himself so much wiser than his predecessors in the councils of Vienna, that he would chalk out a new system. He abandoned, therefore, the English alliance, and resolved to unite the two rival houses of Austria and Bourbon, by marrying an Austrian archduchess to the future sovereign of France. The mischievous consequences resulting from that alliance are well known.

Having, as he supposes, no equal, he thinks it beneath him to entertain either friendship or enmity. He considers himself the only good horseman and architect in the universe. "When I die," he says, "equitation will be lost ;" and he maintained, that all former architects were ignorant men, who knew nothing of the matter. Had he time, he affirmed, that he would undertake to draw up the plan of a theatre, with this advantage, that the side boxes were to have a front view of the stage. His mode of living is as follows. His niece, a goodhumoured little widow, resides with him, and superintends his household. He has every day a table of eighteen or twenty covers. His courier goes about a day or two before, and by a verbal message invites the company. He dines at six, and, as the opera begins about seven, on these nights, he finds it difficult to get a sufficient supply of good company, and

young strangers are generally taken in to dine with him. He certainly gives very good victuals; but seldom more than two bottles of wine to eighteen or twenty people. It was once remarked as a wonder, that an Englishman had drank four glasses during dinner. After he has dined, he sits for a quarter of an hour picking and cleaning his teeth. There never was a more disgusting toilet. He then returns to the drawing-room, where he spends the evening, and where all the principal people of Vienna come and go just as they please.

He sometimes plays at billiards there, but always with a servant, as if it was beneath him to place any person of rank on a footing with him.

I saw the Archduke and Archduchess paying him great court, and with much humility. The Emperor also comes occasionally, and there is an arch from the ramparts to Kaunitz's house, which he crosses, when he chooses to come privately. His influence at Court, however, is very much diminished since the accession of the Emperor, which chagrins him not a little.

He treated the Pope, the Grand Duke of Russia, and the Duke of York, with the greatest hauteur;—was indignant that the Pope should ask him if he knew Italian. "Je le connais au fond," he answered; and was very angry with the old Galliard, as he called him, for supposing that Prince Kaunitz was ignorant of any thing.

He is very fond of horses, and, if he likes a horse, will ask for it without ceremony. Lady Craven sent him one she had received from a Turkish Bashaw; but, after trying the horse, he sent it back very ungallantly, saying, it did not suit him.

He has a remarkably fine set of teeth for his time of life, in consequence of the great care he has paid to their preservation. From the regular exercise he takes, and attention to his health, he is likely to live long. But it was generally remarked that his understanding, (never a strong one), had begun to be impaired.

On the whole, I do not recollect, either in my own extensive experience, or in any history, either ancient or modern,