CHAP. XXXII.-THE PRINCIPALITY OF HOHENZOLLERN

HECHINGEN.

THIS country takes its name from the ancient castle of Hohenzollern. It is bounded on the N. and S. by Wirtemberg; and on the E. and W. by Sigmaringen. The surface is about 100 British square miles. The princes of Hohenzollern, descend from the counts of Zollern, who are also the ancestors of the royal house of Prussia. At the end of the 16th century, they divided into the two lines of Hechingen and Sigmaringen, which still exist. This little country forms a part of the Suabian Ab. The population now amounts to 20,000, the majority of whom are Catholics. The establishments for education are in the hands of the clergy. There is a representative assembly of 12 citizens, who determine the taxation. The revenue amounts to 120,000 florins. The contingent is 145 men. The prince holds, together with Sigmaringen, Lichtenstein, the two lines of Reuss, the two of Lippe, and that of Waldeck, the sixteenth place in the confederacy, and has one vote in plenum. Hechingen, with 3000 inhabitants, is the capital, and residence of the prince.

CHAP. XXXIII.-THE PRINCIPALITY OF HOHENZOLLERN SIGMARINGEN.

THIS principality is bounded on the N. and E. and W. by Wirtemberg, and on the S. by Baden. Its superficial extent is about 400 British square miles. It lies at the foot, and on the Suabian Alb. The soil is stony; but some fertile tracts extend on the right banks of the Danube, which is the principal river. Agriculture has been of late greatly improved, and in spite of the stony soil, there is more corn grown than is needed for consumption. Some mining is carried on upon iron. The population was returned in 1818 at 37,032 inhabitants; it now amounts to 45,000, the majority of whom are Catholics. A constitution has not yet been introduced. The revenue is about 300,000 florins. The prince holds the sixteenth place in the confederacy, with the already-mentioned States, and has one vote in plenum. The contingent is 370 men. Sigmaringen, on the Danube, with 777 inhabitants, is the capital, and contains a castle, in which the prince resides.

CHAP. XXXIV.-THE PRINCIPALITY OF LICHTENSTEIN.

THE principality of Lichtenstein consists of the two lordships of Vadutz and Schellenberg. It is bounded on the N. and E. by the Tyrolese circle of Vorarlberg; on the S. by the Helvetic canton of the Grisons; and on the W. by the canton of St. Gall. This little territory does not exceed 50 British square miles, and is on the S. and S.E. covered by high Alps. The Rhine runs along its boundaries on one side. It produces corn, flax, wine, fruit, cattle, and wood. The population is now estimated at nearly 6000, who are chiefly Catholics. The revenue is 30,000 florins; and the contingent 55 men. Besides this little sovereignty, the prince of Lichtenstein possesses certain principalities and lordships lying within the Austrian monarchy, and extending altogether to above 2,100 square

miles, with a population of 350,000 inhabitants, and a revenue of 1,200,000 florins. The prince has with the two houses of Hohenzollern, the two branches of Reuss, the two houses of Lippe, and the prince of Waldeck, the sixteenth place in the confederacy, and has one vote in plenum. Vadutz, a borough, with 1800 inhabitants, is the chief town in the principality. A constitution was granted to this little state on the 9th of November, 1818.

CHAP. XXXV.-THE PRINCIPALITY OF REUSS OF THE
ELDER LINE.

THE principality of Reuss has its name from its rulers, the princes Reuss of Plauen, in whose family the singular custom prevails that all male individuals are called Henry; a number is added to their name to distinguish them from one another. The principality consists of two large districts: the northern, or the principality of Gera, is bounded on the N. by the Prussian dominions; on the E. and W. by Gotha; and on the S. by Weimar. The southern is bounded on the N. by the Prussian dominions, and by Weimar; on the E. by the kingdom of Saxony; on the S. by Bavaria; and on the W. by Coburg-Saalfeld, and by Schwarzburg. The superficial extent of the whole principality is nearly 620 square miles, with a population now amounting to 79,000. The reigning house is divided into four lines: viz. that of Greiz, Schleiz, Ebersdorf, and Lobenstein; of whom Greiz forms the elder, and the three others the younger line. The prince of Reuss-Greiz possesses a mountainous and woody territory of about 150 square miles, with a population, as given in the act of confederacy, of 22,255 inhabitants, chiefly Lutherans, and a revenue of about 130,000 florins. The contingent is fixed at 222

men.

Greiz is the capital, with 6,195 inhabitants. The Burgkhammer is one of the finest iron smelting works in Germany.

CHAP. XXXVI.-THE PRINCIPALITY OF REUSS OF THE

YOUNGER LINE.

THE younger line of the princes Reuss of Plauen is divided into two branches, which form one State of the confederacy, namely, that of Schleiz and that of Lobenstein; which latter is again divided into two branches, viz. Lobenstein and Ebersdorf. The surface of their united possessions is about 450 square miles. There are extensive woods, and good mines of iron, and the rearing of cattle is carried on to a considerable extent. Manufactures are likewise conducted in a very animated manner. The population, as given in the act of confederacy, was 52,205, all of whom were Lutherans, except one community of Moravians. The revenue is about 350,000 florins. The contingent is fixed at 522 men. Schleiz, capital of Reuss Schleiz, and residence of the prince of Reuss Schleiz, is elevated about 1,521 feet above the sea, and contains a population of 4,620 inhabitants. Lobenstein, with 2,716 inhabitants, is the residence of the prince of that name. Gera, on the Elster, with 7,373 inhabitants, is a very industrious town.

CHAP. XXXVII.-THE PRINCIPALITY OF LIPPE-DETMOLD.

;

THE principality of Lippe-Detmold is bounded on the N. by Prussia on the N.E. by Hessen-Cassel; on the E. by Hanover and Waldeck; and on the S.E. and W. by Prussia. The surface is about 430 square miles: Balbi says 330 geographical square miles. The ancestors of the princes of Lippe belonged in the 12th and 13th century to the Primates Westphalorum, who possessed extensive hereditary estates. In the 16th century, they divided into three lines: viz. Detmold, Bracke, and Schauenburg. The second one became extinct; and the first and third are now existing. The present prince of LippeDetmold stood under the regency of his mother, not being of age when his father died in 1802. She gave a very liberal constitution in 1819, and in 1820 resigned the government to her son. The country is partly very mountainous, but part of it is very fertile. There are some very large and ancient forests. Wood is a staple ware, and the country is very productive. The population has been stated at 69,062, of whom the majority are Calvinists; there are about 5,100 Lutherans, and 600 Catholics. The establishments for education have been greatly improved of late. The princes of Lippe-Detmold, and Lippe-Schauenburg, with the princes already enumerated, hold the sixteenth place in the confederacy, and have each a vote in plenum. The revenue is about 480,000 florins. The contingent is fixed at 690 men. Detmold, the capital, lies on the Werra, and has 2,370 inhabitants.

CHAP. XXXVIII.—THE PRINCIPALITY OF SCHAENBURG

LIPPE.

THIS principality is bounded on the N. and N.E. by Hessen-Cassel; and on the S.W. and W. by the Prussian dominions. Its extent is about 200 square miles. The country is hilly; but there are no mountains of considerable height. The large lake called the Steinhudermeer chiefly belongs to this principality. The population was returned to the confederacy at 24,000, who are mostly Lutherans. A constitution was given in 1816 by the present prince. The revenue is about 215,000 florins; and the contingent 240 men. The only standing military force is a company of invalids, occupying the little fortress of Wilhelmstein, lying on the Steinhudersmeer, and a small body-guard. The chief town is Bückeburg, the residence of the prince, with 2,060 inhabitants. Stadthagen, with 1,461 inhabitants, was the native place of the great geographer Büsching.

CHAP. XXXIX. THE PRINCIPALITY OF WALDECK.

THIS principality takes its name from an old ruined castle, on a mountain near the town of Waldeck. It consists of two parts: 1st. The principality of Waldeck, bounded on the W. and N. by the Prussian dominions ; on the E. by Hessen-Cassel; and on the S. by Hessen-Cassel, and Hessen-Darmstadt; 2d. The county of Pyrmont, which lies on the W side of the Weser, between the Lippe, Hanover, and Prussian dominions

The united surface is nearly 500 British square miles. Both countries are mountainous. There is no large river. The county of Pyrmont is a single valley through which the Emmer flows. The population, as returned to the confederacy, amounts to 60,000, mostly Lutherans. The establishments for education are in a rather neglected state. The revenue

is 400,000 florins, about £45,000, and the debt, in 1826, about £125,000. The contingent 518 men. Arolsen, the chief town, and residence of the prince, has near 2000 inhabitants. Pyrmont, the chief town of the county of the same name, has also about 2000 inhabitants, and is celebrated for its mineral springs, and splendid bathing establishments, which are frequented by 1,500 or 2000 visitors every year.

CHAP. XL. THE LANDGRAVIATE OF HESSEN-HOMBURG. THE landgrave of Hessen-Homburg, a prince of the house of HessenDarmstadt, obtained at the congress of Vienna the rights of a sovereign. His possessions are: 1st. The lordship of Homburg, a small county in the Wetterau, bounded on the W. by Nassau; and on all other sides surrounded by the dominions of Hessen; and 2d. The lordship of Meisenheim, beyond the Rhine, bounded on the N. by the Prussian dominions ; on the E. and S.E. by Bavaria; on the S.W. by the principality of Liechtenberg; and on the W. by the principality of Birkenfeld. Both parts together have a surface of 6 German, or 140 British square miles. The lordship of Homburg lies beneath the Hohe. The soil is not sterile. The lordship of Meisenheim has some branches of the Hundsrück in its circumference: the soil is, however, fertile. Homburg is very well cultivated, and there is also an animated industry. Meisenheim is an agricultural country. The population now amounts to 24,000, of whom the majority are Lutherans. The landgrave has one vote in plenum No constitution has yet been established. The revenue is nearly 200,000 florins ; and the debt about 400,000: the contingent is about 200 men Homburg is the chief town, with 2,964 inhabitants. The castle, in which the landgrave resides, commands a delightful view.

CHAP. XLI. - IMPERIAL AND HANSEATIC TOWNS.

THESE are now reduced to four, namely, Frankfort on the Mayne, Bremen, Lubec, and Hamburg. The number of imperial cities in Germany once amounted to 90, and the Hanseatic league formerly comprehended 72 federal cities. We have already traced the rise of this association. Almost every trading-town in Europe was ambitious of becoming a member of the league; but it appears to have been a fixed principle, to exclude every town that was not situated on a navigable river, or on the sea-shore. The towns were divided into four classes, at the head of which were Lubec, the capital of the league, Cologne, Brunswick, and Dantzic. This powerful association was in its most flourishing state about the end of the 14th, and commencement of the 15th century, when it interfered to a great extent in the affairs of Europe. But this commercial greatness excited the jealousy of the continental princes, who induced the merchants of their respective countries successively to withdraw from the league, which in a short time was so

much reduced, as to comprehend only the five cities of Hamburg, Lubec, Cologne, Brunswick, and Dantzic. In 1803, the only members of the league were, Hamburg, Lubec, and Bremen ; and during the latter period of Napoleon's power, these cities were stript of their independence, which they however again recovered by the expulsion of the French from Germany, and which was finally recognized by the congress of Vienna. These things premised, we shall give a short account of the Hanseatic towns, along with the imperial city of Frankfort.

THE FREE TOWN OF FRANKFORT ON THE MAYNE.

THIS ancient, free, and imperial town, previous to the dissolution of the German empire, was the place at which the emperors were elected, and crowned; and by the congress of Vienna it has been fixed as the place of assembly for the German confederacy.

History and Government, &c.] The origin of this town reaches up to the earliest epochs of German history. In 794, there was a royal palace here, which was reckoned among the oldest of the possessions of the Franconian kings. After the treaty of Verdun, it formed the capital of the East Franconian empire. In 1254, Frankfort was declared a free town of the German empire, and was confirmed as such in the Westphalian peace. When the Rhenish confederation was formed, Frankfort was given to the prince-primate of the confederation, and fixed as the place of assembly. Frankfort holds now, with the three other free towns, the seventeenth place in the confederacy, and has a vote in plenum. The territories of the town occupy a surface of about 100 square miles, and are surrounded by Hessen-Cassel, Hessen-Darmstadt, and the Nassau dominions. The plain in which the city stands is extensive, level, fertile, and cultivated like a garden. The whole population of the city and territory amount to 73,400, of whom 60,000 live in the town. The majority are Lutherans, who have 7 churches in town, and 7 out of the town; the Catholics have 9 churches, and the Calvinists 2; and there are about 12,000 Jews, who have 2 synagogues. The constitution was formerly entirely aristocratic; but a new one was instituted in 1816, which places the sovereign power in the hands of all the citizens of the Christian confession. The legislative body consists of 20 senators, and 65 other members chosen from the citizens. The senate is the executive power, and consists of 42 members, divided into branches, among whom are the syndics and the two burgomasters. The revenue, in 1826, was about 800,000 florins, or £90,000, and the debt above £800,000: the contingent is 473 men.

City.] Frankfort is a large, indifferently built city, of a circular figure, and containing 3,600 houses. It is divided into two unequal parts, by the Mayne, over which there is a bridge here of 14 arches. That part on the north of the river is by far the larger, and is properly called Frankfort; the other, on the south side, is denominated Saxenhausen. It was till lately well-fortified, with bastions, large and deep ditches, and coun. terscarps; but the fortifications have been converted into public walks. The principal streets are handsome and broad, but the others are narrow. Frankfort is one of the most commercial places in Europe, and possesses two annual fairs of great celebrity. These fairs are held in March and September; and are frequented by above 1,500 merchants from every country of Europe. The principal transactions are in cotton, woollen, and books. After the fairs are over, most of the shops of the foreign merchants are shut up. The pleasure-gardens of the richer inhabitants, and the public tea-gardens, add greatly to the beauty of the vicinity. Frankfort is the birth-place of Goethe. It is 22 miles east of Mentz; in E. long. 8° 35'; and N. lat. 49° 55'. The Taunus railway-which derives its name from the Taunus mountains, along which it extendsconnects Frankfort with the steam-navigation on the Rhine, the important city and fortress of Mentz, and the much frequented watering-place of Wiesbaden; and passes