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Views taken on and near the river Rhine, at Aix la Chapelle, and on river Maese
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54

HINTS of OCCURRENCES , &c.

with a beautiful Proteftant lady. The Chapter of Cologne, probably more alarmed at the Proteftantifm, thanfcandalized at the crime, blocked up the caftle. The lover and his miftrefs, however, efcaped to Strafbourg,where he married her, and facrificed his religion at the fhrine of beauty.

In going up to this old caftle, we faw a large and nearly modern building, which is becoming a min. Thechurch is ferved by hermits, who fell wine, and are Shoe-makers. The tombs of princes, and the Gothicinfcriptions, render the infide of the church pittorefque. The hill is furrounded by villages well peopled; andthe Proteftants of Cologne have had permiflion to build a church here, from the chamber of Wetzlaer, or ratherby the power of the late emperor; but the Catholics have deftroyed every attempt toward ereCting the edifice,and the poor Proteftants muft wait the full effeCt of the French Revolution on the fpirit of the German govern-ments, to obtain a peaceable toleration of their public worfhip.

The objeCts of my tour did not require our continuance at Bonne; of which we took a curfory view, as it layin our way. It is a beautiful town: the ftreets wide ; the fortifications in order ; and the palace and gardens ofthe Elector of Cologne, though regular and formal, are extenfive and grand. The fituation is at the extremityof a plain; the river, unconfined by hills, is not much lefs than a mile in breadth; and the walks on its banksare beautiful and pleafant.

We proceeded to Cologne. The firft appearance of this celebrated city ; the numerous fteeples; the foreft ofmafts; and other indications of population and induftry, greatly raifed our expectations. But on entering thetown, they were greatly difappointed. The ftreets are narrow and dirty ; the houfes old, decaying, and inter-mixed with numerous ruins.

If we had wifhed to continue, the infolence and extortion of the officers at the gates; the conduCt of thefervants at the inn; the rudenefs and naftinefs of the common people; the multitudes of audacious beggars,intermixed with dirty abbes and monks : in fhort, the general fymptoms of decline and depravity, under theinfluence of an incurable fuperftition and bigotry, would have altered our intention.

The trade of the quay is in the hands of a few foreigners; and feems to have little or no influence on themanners or profperity of the whole city.

THE END OF THE SIXTH NUMBER.

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