HINTS of OCCURRENCES, &c.

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Though perfecuted with the fumes of four crout, and the pungent effluvia of vinegar fauce, which never failedto diforder me, I have frequently fat down to more fumptuous repafts with lefs fatisfa&ion. The inconveniencewe had fuffered in the laft ten days from our total unacquaintance with the language of the country, had verymuch difheartened me. The agreeable and unexpected change which the gentleman’s arrival made in our fitua-tion, had therefore its full effeCt upon my mind. Paft difficulties were forgotten, and future ones being at leadprovided againfl while the gentleman continued with us, I felt more comfortable, and my fpirits were more en-livened than at any time fince I left England.

Though we did not fpend much time at our dinner, the appearance of the landfcape, when I refumed mypencil, was fo altered from the fun having changed its fituation, that I could not finifh the drawing to my fatis-fa&ion till the next day. As foon as I had fucceeded, and the bill was fettled, we fet out for Haverdorf, a villagefituated on the eaft fide of the Rhine, about half way between Nether-Lahnftein and Coblentz. From hence wehad a fine view of the caflle of Ehrenbreitftein, which hands on the eaft fide of the river, and is directly oppofiteto Coblentz. The gentleman obferving I was ftruck with its appearance, defired I would not fuffer the confider-ation of detaining him to prevent my adding this view to my collection. Availing myfelf of his politenefs, I fetimmediately about drawing it. I ffiould indeed have paffed it by with fome regret, as a piCturefque objeCt;

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but I was the more indebted to his civility becaufe the fubjeCt was connected with, and forms a neceffary com-panion to, the twenty-firft plate, in which this famous and important fortrefs is more fully delineated. FromHaverdorf we took boat to Coblentz : the face of the country on both fides of the river was beautified and infi-nitely varied, as far as the eye could reach, with little hills, vineyards, cattles, convents, and a great number ofvillas and pleafure houfes, which formed a fucceffion of fcenes in this little voyage, more numerous and beauti-ful than can be imagined.

It was not my objeCt to contemplate cities, or to examine their government and police. I ffiould otherwifehave procured fome materials of entertainment at Coblentz. Its advantageous fituation rendered it a key to theeleClorate of Treves: and the records of military paffes in Germany abound with anecdotes, legends, and hifloricalevents. It has been taken by the Spaniards and by the Swedes; and the different occurrences in the tranfaClionsof nations fo oppofite in religion and manners, have given rife to abundant traditions, which I have not leifure todifcriminate or to relate.

To fome artifls the flrong works of this place, ereCted at various periods, would afford proper fubjeCls. ButI have no tafle for baflions, half-moons, counterfcarps, and covered ways, unlefs they form appendages, or giveeffeCf to a large and piClorefque view.

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