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Views taken on and near the river Rhine, at Aix la Chapelle, and on river Maese
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HINTS of OCCURRENCES, &c.

Though the chara6ler of the archbifhop is religious to the extremity of fuperftition, yet it is mild, amiable,and popular. By the manners of the people, it may, however, be difcerned, that fuperftition is the prevailingingredient of it.

Obeying the fummons of our hoftefs to dinner, we perceived, on entering the parlour, a white friar, and alady drelfed in white cloth fuch as the friar had on. They were accompanied by a little girl, and handing in themiddle of the room, while the dinner was fmoking on the table. We made our obeifance, of which they tooknot the leaf! notice; and they appeared planet-ftruck. A little difconcerted, we left the room, and fought theclemency of our hoftefs; who happened to be in tolerable humour, and accompanied us to the parlour, to enquirethe occafion of our difcomfiture at the appearance of her religious guefts. The lady, who fpoke French well, toldus that after fermon a certain bell was rung ; and it was their cuftom during its ringing, to employ themfelves inprayer wherever they were, and whatever their engagement. The friar not underftanding French, it took fometime to explain to him the reafons of our furprize; but he did not feem to confider them with that indignation orinfolent compaflion which the Romifh clergy are fo apt to affe£t towards thofe who are ignorant or diftnclined totheir religion.

When this explanation had introduced us to each other, much more effe6lually than the offices of a mafter ofthe ceremonies, our converfation took a lively turn, in which the lady bore the principal part. She was inqui-fitive and fenfible ; and with a different education would have been a very ufeful and amiable woman.

At a fmall diftance from the inn, the varied grounds on the banks of the river, and forming the beautiful fite ofthe archbiftiops palace, offered me numerous fpots for taking another view of the caftle of Ehrenbreiftein. Theftrength and extent of the fortifications ; the magnitude of particular parts ; the height and boldnefs of the craggyrock which fuftains them ; the contrail of the palace and other capital buildings, which I wifhed but could notcontrive to introduce; created fome difficulty. But I foon chofe my ftation, and took the view which is givenin the twenty-firft plate.

The fubje6t was in nature illumined by the fun nearly at noon: and I have endeavoured to make it fhine withfull force down the centre of the pi6ture. The rocks are richly variegated in colour, and charmingly decoratedwith trees. Adjoining the dark rock which is given on the right fide of the pi6lure, is a large draw-bridge,which would have greatly added to its beauty if I could have introduced it.

There