AUSTRIA. [Illustration: WOMEN of SLAVONIA.] AUSTRIA; CONTAINING A DESCRIPTION OF THE MANNERS, CUSTOMS, CHARACTER AND COSTUMES OF THE PEOPLE OF THAT EMPIRE. BY FREDERICK SHOBERL. ILLUSTRATED BY TWELVE COLOURED ENGRAVINGS. The proper study of mankind is man.--_Pope._ Philadelphia: PUBLISHED BY C. S. WILLIAMS. W. Brown, Printer. 1828. PREFACE. On turning over the pages of this work, some readers may possibly be surprised to find that so large a proportion of the engravings belong to one of the countries composing the Austrian empire. When, however, it is considered that a high degree of civilization tends to assimilate the manners, amusements, and dress of the great mass of the inhabitants of those countries in which it prevails; and that the people of the German states of this empire are scarcely, if at all surpassed in that respect by any nation in Europe; it will be evident that they must exhibit fewer of those peculiar characteristics which it is the object of this work to collect and delineate. Hungary stands in a very different predicament. Peopled by tribes belonging to many different nations, whose distinctive habits, manners, and prejudices have not been melted down by refinement and cultivation, it affords much more ample materials for the pencil than Austria, properly so called. For this reason, by far the greater part of the embellishments have been selected from among the singular, picturesque and romantic costumes of that kingdom and its dependant provinces. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I.--Provinces of the Austrian Empire--Their Extent and Population 1 II.--Of the different Nations of the Austrian Dominions--The Jews--The Germans--The Slavonians, including the Bohemians-- The Slowacks--The Wendes and the Rascians of Illyria--The Magyares or Hungarians--The Walachians--The Zingares or Gipsies--The Armenians--The Greeks, Turks, &c. 2 III.--Religions--Roman Catholics--Greek Church--Armenians--Protestants--Socinians--Jews--Mahometans 9 IV.--Character of the People of Austria 12 AUSTRIA, LOWER AND UPPER. V.--Inhabitants of Lower Austria--Manners of the People of Vienna--Amusements--Houses--Population and Mortality--Shops--Paved Streets--The Fire-Watch-- Costumes of Upper Austria 16 STYRIA. VI.--Costume of the Inhabitants--The Johannæum at Grätz 26 BOHEMIA. VII.--Costumes of the Bohemians 28 MORAVIA. VIII.--Costumes of the Inhabitants--Account of the Haunacks-- Peasants of the Frontiers 30 THE TYROL.