probably occasioned by the vast dark forests with which those mountains are in general covered. The northern slopes of the ranges of the Alps indicate, along the frontiers of Bavaria and Austria, the boundary between Germany and Italy. The Carpathian mountains, rising in the east of Germany, extend between Poland and Hungary.

Germany furnishes many noble rivers: the Danube, salled in German the Donau, rising in Suabia, flows eastward for about 1300 miles, through Bavaria, Austria, Hungary, and Turkey, into the Black Sea, being navigable for about 1200 miles all the way from Ulm. The Rhine, although rising in the Swiss Alps, forms for many leagues the boundary between Germany and France, its course being about 600 miles into Holland, where its noble stream is dissipated, and arrives without a name in the sea. The Elbe, having its source in the mountains between Bohemia and Silesia, flows northwesterly for 500 miles, and discharges itself into the sea below Hamburg. The Oder, rising in the mountains of Moravia, falls into the Baltic below Stettin, after a northerly course of 360 miles. Other considerable rivers of Germany are the Ems and Weser, running by Emden and Bremen into the German ocean. The Mayne runs westward from the centre of Germany, and passing by Francfort, a handsome independent town, noted for its fairs, and containing 36,000 inhabitants, waters the vineyards of Hocheim, whence originally came the wine we call Old Hock, and, opposite to Mentz, unites with the Rhine, which higher up receives, on the same side, the Necker, a considerable stream from the Black Forest. The Danube in its course receives many rivers, chiefly from the southern mountains, as the Leck, which waters Augsburg, the Iser passing by Munich, and the Inn, which joins it at Passau, contributing a body of water scarcely less considerable than that of the Danube itself.

The northern parts of Germany present a few uninterest

ing lakes, but in the mountainous districts of the south are several of considerable magnitude. The lake of Constance, in the south-west, properly belongs to Switzerland.

Many forests of vast extent, chiefly of oak, are scattered over Germany, vestiges of those for which it was noted in ancient times.

From the present fluctuating situation of affairs in Germany, it is impossible at this time (1808) to point out with precision the limits, the population, or the resourses of the several states into which that country is divided: in the folJowing statement, therefore, it is only meant to convey some notion of the principal divisions, as they stood a few years back.

Saxony contained about 11,680 square miles, and a popuJation of 1,896,000: the chief towns are Dresden and Leipsig, the former with 50,000 inhabitants, and the latter with about 30,000: the country is fertile and well cultivated, producing grain, hops, flax, hemp, tobacco, and a little wine, with mines of silver, tin, copper, lead, iron, and coals. The prevailing religion is Lutheranism; and in Saxony the German language is spoken and written with greater purity and elegance than in any other portion of the country. Saxony is now erected into a kingdom.

Hanover contained about 8,224 square miles, and 850,000 inhabitants. Hanover, the principal town, possesses 15,000 people: Gottingen, a celebrated seat of learning, founded by George II. of Britain, contains about 7,600. The country is in general a sandy plain; but in the south are the Hartz mountains, already mentioned, producing some silver from mines supposed to be the most ancient of the north of Europe, having been worked in the year 968. Other mines afford copper, lead, and iron; marble, slate, limestone, and coal, are also met with in Hanover. The esta blished religion is Lutheranism,

Hesse contained 2,760 square miles, and 750,000 inhabit

ants

ants: the chief town, Cassel, about 22,000. The country is in general hilly, with a number of fertile valleys producing corn, pasture, and a little wine. Gold and silver have been found in the country of Hesse, with copper, lead, and coal. Lutheranism is the prevailing religious profession.

Mecklenburg, divided into two duchies, contained 4,800 square miles, and above 300,000 inhabitants: the country is sandy, with many lakes, marshes, and heaths, interspersed. The chief products are oats and rye, flax, hemp, cattle, wool, and timber. The religion is the Lutheran, and at Rostock is an university.

Brunswick.-This duchy contained 1472 square miles, and 170,000 people: the chief town, Brunswick, possessing 22,000. The country in appearance and productions resembles the other parts of Hanover, within which it is in a great measure inclosed. From the Lunenburg branch of the house of Brunswick the present royal family of Britain is descended.

In the north-west corner of Germany, but independent of any of the princes of that country, lies the great trading city Hamburg, containing about 100,000 inhabitants; on the north bank of the Elbe there very broad, but divided by several islands.

Lubeck.-Another considerable and independent trading town on the river Trave, which discharges itself into the Baltic, contains about 30,000 people.

Lubeck and Hamburg, in the year 1241, formed an agreement for the mutual protection of their commerce against pirates and robbers; and in the course of time many other cities of Germany, both maritime and inland, were united with them for the same purpose; whence arose the celebrated Hanseatic league, so called from the obsolete German term hanse, signifying an alliance or association.

Bavaria, a district extending 150 miles by 120, is watered

by

by the Danube, the Lech, the Iser, and the Inn. The country is in general plain, although there are considerable mountains in different quarters: it has been reckoned to possess a million and a half of inhabitants, and affords mines of silver, copper, and lead; but its greatest mineral treasures are the salt springs of Traunstein and Reichenthal. Munich, the capital, with a population of 38,000, is one of the handsomest towns in Germany, situated in a vast plain on the west side of the Iser. The religion of Bavaria is the Roman Catholic; and from being a duchy and electorate, this state has lately been erected into a kingdom.

Wurtemburg. This duchy, now also become a kingdom, contained before its late accessions of territory, 3,200 square miles, and 600,000 people: it occupies the most considerable and the most productive part of Suabia, and the face of the country is agreeably and profitably diversified by the mountains of the Black Forest, and other districts. Grain of various sorts is produced in sufficient abundance to admit of exportation, and the banks of the Necker furnish very good wine. The mineral productions are silver, cop per, lead, iron, sulphur, coal, and salt. The chief town is Stutgard, a good town: at Tubingen is an university : the established religion is Lutheranism,

Salzburg. This country, formerly the archbishopric of Salzburg, contains about 2,880 square miles, with a population of 250,000. Being situated amongst the northern slopes of the Alps, it presents many lofty mountains and picturesque lakes, particularly that of Berchtoldsgaden, to the southward of the capital, Salzburg, a considerable town, with 20,000 inhabitants, pleasantly situated on the river Salza. This country furnishes mines of gold, silver, copper, and lead; and at Hallen are very valuable salt mines dug into the heart of a high hill, through which streams of water are conveyed, to be impregnated with the salt, which is afterwords crystalised by evaporation; warm mineral springs are likewise found in various parts. The Roman catholic is

the established religion; and by a late arrangement this ecclesiastic state has been secularised and united to Austria.

The sovereigns of the territories lying along the right or east bank of the Rhine, having formed themselves into a confederation, under the protection of France, the Emperor of Germany, Francis the II. in 1806 resigning all claim to that title, declared himself and his successors to be hereditary emperors of Austria; and lately sundry states in the north-western parts of the country have been drawn together to constitute the kingdom of Westphalia.

VII.

PRUSSIA.

Situation and extent.-This kingdom, which commen ced only in the year 1707, and which had arisen to be one of the most considerable powers on the continent, is now, by the reverses of the late campaigns, reduced to a very feeble and precarious situation. In its prosperity, its greatest length along the Baltic was about 560 miles, and its greatest breadth about 300. Before the division of Poland, this kingdom, in all its parts, some of which are detached from the main body of the country, contained above five millions and a half of inhabitants; but including that of the Polish acquisitions, the whole population belonging to the crown of Prussia has been reckoned at above eight millions.

The capital of the Prussian dominions is Berlin, a very extensive and well-built town, but containing only about 140,000 people; it is situated on the river Spree, and fortified. Konigsberg, the principal town of Prussia Proper, is a noted sea-port on the river Pregel, near the Baltic, containing