A tour through Holland : $b along the right and left banks of the Rhine, to the south of Germany, in the summer and autumn of 1806Carr, John, Sir
History
A tour through Holland : $b along the right and left banks of the Rhine, to the south of Germany, in the summer and autumn of 1806
Carr, John, Sir
Netherlands -- Description and travel; Rhine River Valley -- Description and travel
The principal hotel here is upon a noble scale, the politest attentions
are paid to strangers, and the charges are far from being extravagant.
The only striking object of curiosity in the town is a very spacious
building, formerly belonging to Count Zinzendorf, and now to a
fraternity of ingenious and industrious Germans, amounting to eighty
persons, who have formed themselves into a rational and liberal society,
called the Herrenhuthers, or Moravians. This immense house, in its
object, though not in its appearance, resembles our Exeter ’Change, but
infinitely more the splendid depot of goods of every description, kept
by a very wealthy and highly respectable Englishman of the name of Hoy
at Petersburgh. Upon ringing at the principal entrance, we were received
with politeness by one of the brotherhood, in the dress of a layman, who
unlocked it and conducted us into ten good sized rooms, each containing
every article of those trades most useful, such as watchmakers,
silversmiths, saddlers, milliners, grocers, &c. Many of these articles
are manufactured by the brethren who have been tutored in England, or
have been imported from our country. The artificers work upon the
basement story, at the back of the house, and no sound of trade is
heard; on the contrary, the tranquillity of a monastery pervades the
whole.
After inspecting the different shop-rooms, it will repay the trouble of
the traveller to make interest to see the other part of the premises,
shown only upon particular application. The refectory is a large room,
kept with great cleanliness; and the meals of the fraternity, if I may
judge by so much of the dinner as was placed upon the table, are very
far from partaking of the simple fare of conventual austerity. A _bon
vivant_ would have risen from their table without a murmur. In this room
were several music-stands, used every other evening at a concert; the
vocal and instrumental music of which is supplied by certain members of
the brotherhood, who I was told excelled in that elegant accomplishment.
In the chapel, which was remarkably neat, there was an organ, and on the
wall was a very energetic address from one of the society upon his
retiring from it, handsomely framed and glazed. The dormitory upon the
top of the house partook of the same spirit of cleanliness and order.
Never was any sectarian association formed upon more liberal and
comfortable principles. In short, it is a society of amiable,
industrious, and agreeable men, who form a coalition of ingenuity and
diligence for their support, and benevolently remit the surplus of their
income, after defraying their own expenses, to their brethren
established in the East and West Indies, and other parts of the world.
They marry whenever they please; but those who taste of this blissful
state are not permitted to have chambers in the house, although they may
contribute their labours, and receive their quota of subsistence from
it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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