HINTS of OCCURRENCES

ON THE

RIVER R H I N E, &c.

A Gentleman whom we found in the paffage-boat, accompanied us to Coblentz; and took us to an inn onthe river’s fide, dire&ly oppofite to the caflle of Ehrenbreiflein, of which I had already taken one view. In theway, we were flopped by an officer, who with the ufual jealoufy and interefled infolence of arbitrary govern-ments, demanded our names, our bufmefs, how long we intended to remain in the town, and where we wereafterwards going.

The hoflefs at the inn was rough in her appearance, and rude in her manners. This was of great importanceto an invalid ; to whom her mode of cookery was almofl equivalent to an interdi£l. We perceived, however,her temper was fo flormy, that we confidered the rifque of a little indifpofition as lefs dreadful than that of herdifpleafure ; and we humbly received what fhe gave us, and at what hours fhe pleafed. Every thing fhe conde-fcended to do, was in the manner of conferring favours; and no flranger would have imagined that we wereafterwards to be fubje6l to her pecuniary demands.

As my excurfions and journies had been hitherto confined to England, France, and Switzerland, the flri<5tfuperflitious devotion of Germany often furprized me, on my entrance into that country. Though we were inthe dominions of a brother of the late and prefent emperor; there were no traces of that fpirit of innovation,which once.conflituted their glory. The Archbifhop of Treves inherits the fevere religious fpirit of Maria The-refa; and his fubje6ls, particularly the priefls, record with folemn pride, the holy zeal with which he met andthrew himfelf at the feet of the Pope, in his celebrated journey to Vienna ; and the pious pains and trouble hewas at, to give effe6t to the exhortations of the holy Father, to prevent the depredations of the late emperor onthe poffeflions of the church.

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