The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume IV: Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.Pöllnitz, Karl Ludwig, Freiherr von
History
The Memoirs of Charles-Lewis, Baron de Pollnitz, Volume IV: Being the Observations He Made in His Late Travels from Prussia thro' Germany, Italy, France, Flanders, Holland, England, &C. in Letters to His Friend. Discovering Not Only the Present State of the Chief Cities and Towns; but the Characters of the Principal Persons at the Several Courts.
Pöllnitz, Karl Ludwig, Freiherr von
Europe -- Description and travel; Saxony (Germany) -- Court and courtiers
In the Afternoon, when the Elector was withdrawn, the Princess went into
her Lady of Honour’s Apartment, where there was always a great Assembly,
and often a Concert, in which the Princess sung some _Italian_ Song or
other, together with _Signora Claudia_, one of her Waiting-Women. This
little Concert was made up also of some Musicians selected out of the
Elector’s Band, and is one of the completest that I ever heard. The Prince
of _Sultzbach_ assisted at it sometimes; but he most commonly retir’d to
his Apartment at the same Time that the Elector did to his.
As these Two Princes shew’d me great Marks of their Goodness, the
Courtiers too, in Imitation of their Masters, were mighty civil to me: I
was invited to the best Houses, and treated every Day with grand Feasts,
and fresh Parties of Pleasure; and in a Word I pass’d the little Time I
stay’d at _Heidelberg_ very pleasantly. I was so charm’d with that Court,
that I had a great Mind to put in for some Employment there; and for that
end I engag’d some Persons, who I thought could do me most Service; but
notwithstanding the Courtiers seem’d so fond of me, I found a Cabal in my
Way, which was powerful enough to hinder me from obtaining my Wish. These
were, to my Misfortune, Persons of very good Credit, who did not care to
see any body in Place, but such, as they knew, would truckle to them. The
Great Chamberlain, to whom I plainly saw I was not acceptable, was one of
those who made the greatest Opposition to my Advancement. ’Tis true, that
I drew his Resentment upon me by my own Rashness and Folly: For one Day,
as I was attending the Elector from the Princess’s Apartment to his own, I
went into a Room which, according to the Custom of the Court, no body was
permitted to enter, except the Great Chamberlain; but this was more than I
then knew, and therefore I went boldly into the Room, when a Harbinger of
the Court came, and, with a very impertinent Air, bad me _turn out_----I
ask’d him, Whether he had his Order for saying so from the Elector? He
said, No; but from the Great Chamberlain: I then made him an Answer in a
Style that surpriz’d him, and bad him tell the Grand Chamberlain something
that I knew he would not be pleas’d with: At the same time I talk’d both
against the Chamberlain and his Emissary in such a manner as gave Vent to
my Spleen, but excluded me from the Service of one of the best Princes in
the World. I took Leave afterwards of the Elector, who bad me Farewel,
made me a considerable Present, and moreover gave me Letters of
Recommendation to _Vienna_, where I intended to solicit some Employment.
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