I knew him there, and found that he had the Esteem of every body. He has such Sentiments of Piety and Honour, that ’twere to be wished all our Clergy had the like; for then they would do more Service both to God, and the World. The Elector’s Houshold is very numerous, but he has no more than two Regiments of Foot in his Electorate. The Baron _de Nothasst_ is Commander in chief of those Troops, which, tho’ but a Handful, are sufficient for the Guard of _Bonn_, _Rhinberck_, and _Keiserswaert_, which were fortified heretofore, but have since the Peace been demolished. In the Absence of the Elector, the Dean of the Chapter of _Cologne_ governs with the Title of Stadtholder. He is lodged in the Electoral Palace, and is served by the Elector’s Officers. During this Time, _Bonn_ is a very melancholy Place. The Nobility and Gentry have their Assemblies at the House of the Countess _de Fugger_, where there are many more of the Fair Sex than ours, and the Canonesses of this City make a shining Figure. In such good Company I leave you, and am, &c. [Illustration] LETTER XLVIII. _SIR_, _Mentz, Aug. 20, 1732._ I have been up the _Rhine_ from _Bonn_ to _Mentz_, to avoid the disagreeable Passage over the Mountains of _Wetteravia_. I was not fatigu’d, but then I was pretty much chagrin’d. I landed at LINTZ, a little Town in the Electorate of _Cologne_, on the right Side of the _Rhine_; and there I drank the excellent Wine of _Bleickert_, which is made near the Village of _Huningen_, about a League from this Town. The _Liegeois_, who know how to brew Wine as well as Beer, buy up a great Quantity of it, which they balderdash after their Manner, and sell for _Burgundy_. After I had fill’d my Bottles, I continued my Voyage, and arrived at ANDERNACH, a little Town, which is a considerable Gainer by the Floats of great Timber that are brought hither, and sent from hence for _Holland_. Here is also a great Vent of Stone Jugs and Pitchers, and of the Mineral Water of _Dunchstein_, which in the Summer is very much drank with Wine. A little above _Andernach_, on the other Side of the River, there’s an abandon’d Seat belonging to the Count _de Neuwidt_, who lays up his Hunting-Equipage in it. The Vulgar have a Notion, that this House is haunted by the Devil; which is a sort of Superstition that is to be met with, more or less, in all Countries. The little Town of NEUWIDT gives its Name to a County of the Empire, where the Count has a very pretty House. This Nobleman, and his Subjects too, are[98]Calvinists. He married a Daughter of the late Count _Alexander de Dhona_, who was the King of _Prussia_’s Governor. She is a Lady highly to be valued for her Virtue, her Understanding, and her Behaviour.