38 HINTS of OCCURRENCES, &c.

tleman accofted us in Englifh, and having obferved that we examined the ruin with fome degree of curiofity, in-formed us it had been the refervoir of an aqueduct, built by the Romans for the ufe of Nieder-Lahnftein. He en-tered freely into converfation with us, and appeared to be well acquainted with the country. I thought we hadmade a fortunate acquifition in his acquaintance; but we learnt too foon that he was bound for Treves, and wouldfet off in half an hour.

He fpoke with rapture of the beauty and fertility of this Eledlorate: but lamented the weaknefs of the Eledtor.He reprefented him as the molt pious and devout, but the mod bigotted of all the ecclefiaftical Eledlors; the go-vernment, he faid, was directed by a JluEluating miniftry, preliding over monks permanently powerful: rewards andpunifhments were principally directed to the obfervance of meagre days, and a traveller in Lent may not pur-chafe an indulgence for his. dinner, at a lefs price than fifty ducats of the currency. In the holy week the cureor vicar vifits all the families of his parifh, and requires billets of confeflion. Eight days afterwards he repeats hisvifit, demanding a certificate of communion. If any are found deficient in thefe teftimonials of their fubmiflion tothe difcipline and authority of the church, they are fummoned by an ecclefiaftical fynod; the fmalleft inconveni-ence attending this procefs, is an expence of eight or ten pounds fterling.

He related this with ftrong marks of indignation, and feemed very defirous to imprefs me with an opinion, thatthe poverty, idlenefs, and ignorance which every where appeared in the ecclefiaftical ftates of the empire, were theeffedts only of fuperftition, and that the fubjedts of thefe ftates were not in reality (what every ftranger muft con-ceive them to be), an inferior order of beings. After congratulating us on the happinefs of living under the Eng-lifh government, he took leave, politely exprefling his regret that he could flay no longer with us.

The firft fubjedt I delineated, is that of the fixteenth plate. The building, in the Flemifh ftyle, is the caftle:which, having ramparts behind, a bridge in front, and a variety of trees on the wall, furnifhes a very pleafmg pic-ture ; though the fcene be different from any hitherto given. Every perfon of tafte will perceive that the diftantprofpedt has a very fine effedl.

THE END OF THE FOURTH NUMBER.