This day we leave _Halberstadt_ and proceed to _Hessen_, a small village belonging to _Rodolphus Augustus_, Duke of _Brunswick_; who has here an old moted house, with a pleasant garden, and a fountain of brass work, which for the variety of animals there artfully represented, and the device of the whole, deserves to be remarked. We continue here the two following days, and then set out for _Wolfembutel_, where we arrive at night, and lodge in the suburbs. December xxii. His Excellency departed this morning from _Wolfembutel_ with a design to go directly to _Hildesheim_; upon which I desire leave to take a different road, in order to see _Brunswick_, _Hanover_, and _Hamburg_. However I spent this day at _Wolfembutel_, in observing what was curious there. The town is pleasantly seated on the river _Ocker_, in a place not so intirely level as the other parts of _Lower Saxony_, but enjoying a variety of rising and declining ground, with a convenient mixture of woods, which hitherto we observed to be intirely wanting from _Leipsick_ to this place. The city is compactly built, has fair and large streets, tho no very stately edifices, and is well fortified with a regular wall, and a double foss. It has two remarkable churches, one of which is the cathedral, an old Gothic building, adorned with a variety of sculpture and statues; and the other is a new church, lately erected by the present Duke of this place, in a peculiar form. It has an ascent at the front by a handsome staircase on two sides, and then opens into a perfect oval, which is supported by six stately pillars, and covered with a cupola. Directly facing the door is a piece of good work in sculpture, representing the _Virgin_, and other religious figures; and under this in a small orbicular desk, which appears as an ornament of the work, is seen the pulpit. Underneath is a table of wood, set so distinct from the wall, that it cannot properly be called an altar, and at each end are two high steps for the kneeling of the communicants. For the Lutherans, who in some places communicate standing, do the same in others kneeling; and the notion of an altar, with the posture of receiving, are in their opinion things indifferent. The castle of this place (which alone is properly _Wolfembutel_) is just without the wall of the city, and is the residence of the Duke. He has here an academy for the use of young gentlemen of all nations, where they are instructed in the arts of fencing, riding, dancing, and other exercises. But what is most remarkable, in the precincts of the castle is the celebrated library, founded by _Christianus Augustus_, the father of this Prince. It consists of two large and spatious galleries, ranged all round with books, and filled in the middle with a double row of desks, which in the inner gallery likewise contain shelves for books of lesser volumes. It was collected with great assiduity, and at a vast expence, by the said