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travellers cannot but obferve the air of content and fatisfaction which appears in the countenances of the inhabitants. A tafte for literature is prevalent amongst them, from the highest to the lowest rank. These are the happy confequences of a mild republican government.

Religion. The established religions are calvinifm and popery; though in fome doctrinal points, they differ much from Calvin. Their fentiments on religious toleration are much less liberal, than upon civil go

vernment.

Government.] Switzerland comprehends thirteen cantons, that is, fo many different republics, all united in one confederacy, for their mutual prefervation. The government is partly ariftocratical, and partly democratical. Every canton is abfolute in its own jurifdiction But whether the government be ariftocratical, democratical or mixed, a general fpirit of liberty pervades and actuates the whole constitutions. The real interests of the people appear to be attended to, and they enjoy a degree of happinefs, not to be expected in defpotic governments.

Hiftory] The old inhabitants of this country were called Helvetii; they were defeated by Julius Cæfar; 57 years before Christ, and the territory remained fubject to the Romans, till it was conquered by the Alcmans, German emigrants, A. D. 395; who were expelled by Clovis, king of France, in 496. It underwent another revolution in 888, being made part of the kingdom of Burgundy. In 1032, it was given by the last king of Burgundy, to Conrad II. emperor of Germany; from which time it was held as part of the empire, till the year 1307, when a very fingular revolt delivered the Swifs cantons from the German yoke. Grifler, governor of thefe provinces for the emperor Albert, having ordered one William Tell, an illuftrious Swifs patriot, under pain of death, to shoot at an apple, placed on the head of one of his children, he had the dexterity, though the distance was very confiderable, to strike it off without hitting the child. The tyrant perceiving that he had another arrow under his cloak, asked him for what purpofe; to which he boldly replied, To have fhot you to the heart, if I'd had the misfortune to kill my fon. The enraged governor ordered him to be hanged, but his fellow citizens, animated by his fortitude and patriotism, flew to arms, attacked and vanquished Grifler, who was shot dead by Tell, and the independency of the several states of this country, now called the Thirteen Cantons, under a republican form of government, took place immediately; which was made perpetual by a league among themselves, in the year 1315; and confirmed by a treaty with the other powers of Europe 1649. Seven of these cantons are Roman catholics, and fix proteftants.

TURKEY.

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Boundaries.] B nia; eaft, by Circallia, the Black Sea, the ProponOUNDED north, by Ruffa, Poland and Sclavo

tis, Hellefpont and Archipelago; fouth, by the Mediterranean Sea; weft, by the fame fea, and the Venetian and Auftrian territories.

Soil, Air and Productions.] Nature has been lavish of her bleffings upon the inhabitants of Turkey in thofe particulars. The foil, though unimproved by the indolence of the Turks, is luxuriant beyond defcription. The air is falubrious and friendly to the imagination, unless corrupted by the neighbouring countries, or through the uncleanliness of its inhabitants. The feafons are here regular and pleasant, and have been celebrated from the remotest times of antiquity. The Turks are invited to frequent bathings, by the purity and wholfomeness of the water, in every part of their dominions. Raw filk, cotton, oil, leather, tobacco, cake-foap, honey, wax, manna, and various fruits and drugs, are produced here in plenty.

Chief Cities.] CONSTANTINOPLE, the capital of this empire, stands on the weft fide of the Bofphorus, in the province of Romania, was rebuilt by the emperor Conftantine in the fourth century, who transferred hither the feat of the Roman government; upon his death it obtained the name of Conftantinople.

It is of a triangular shape, washed by the fea on two fides, and rifing gradually from the fhore, in the form of an amphitheatre. The view of it from the harbour is confeffedly the finest in the world, exhibiting a multitude of magnificent mofques or temples, with their domes and mimarets, and the feraglio intermixed with gardens and groves of evergreens. The expectations excited by this profpect, however, are difappointed on entering the city, where we find the streets narrow, houses of the common people low and built of boards, and the palaces of the great men concealed by high walls before them. The city is furrounded by a wall about twelve miles in circumference, and the fuburbs are very extensive. It contains 1,000,000 fouls, of which 200,000 are Greeks, 40,000 Armenians, and 60,000 Jews.

the

Mountains.] In Theffaly, befides mount Olympus, which the ancients efteemed one of the higheft mountains in the world, are those of Felion and Offa, mentioned fo often by the poets; between these mountains, lie the celebrated plains of Tempe, represented by the ancients as equal to the Elyfian Fields.

Religion.] The established religion in this empire is the Mahometan, of the fect of the Sunnites. All other religions are tolerated on paying a certain capitation. Among the Chriftians refiding in Turkey, thofe of the orthodox Grecks are the most numerous, and they enjoy, among other privileges, that of being advanced to dignities and pofts of

truft

traft and profit. The Turkish clergy are numerous, being compofed of all the learned in the empire, and are the only teachers of the law, and must be confulted in all important cafes.

Government.] The Turkish emperor, who is ufually called the Grand Seignior, has an unlimited power over the lives and fortunes of his fubjects. But this he exercises chiefly towards his minifters and officers of ftate. Their laws in general are equitable, if duly executed, but justice is frequently bought and fold.

Character.] A Turk, or Perfian, contemplates his emperor with fear and reverence, as a fuperior being, to whofe pleasure it is his duty to fubmit, as much as unto the laws of nature and the will of Providence.

Hiftory] The Ottoman empire, or fovereignty of the Turkish empire, was founded at Conftantinople by Othman I. upon the total destruction of the empire of the eastern Greeks in the year 1300, who was fucceeded by a race of the most warlike princes that are recorded in history. The Turkish throne is hereditary in the family of Ofman. The prefent Ottoman, or Turkish emperor, is ABDELHAMET, or ACHMET III. who had been in confinement forty-four years. He fucceeded his brother Multapha III. January 21, 1774.

HUNGARY, belonging to the House of Auftria.

Miles.

Length 300 } Between

Breadth 200

Boundaries.] B

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OUNDED north, by Poland; east, by Transylvania and Walachia; fouth, by Sclavonia; weft, by Auftria and Moravia. Divided into Upper Hungary, north of the Danube; and Lower Hungary, fouth of the Danube.

Population.] See table of Europe.

Air, foil and produce.] The air in the fouthern parts of Hungary is very unhealthy, owing to ftagnated waters in lakes and marshes. The air in the northern parts is more ferene and healthy. The foil in fome parts is very fertile, and produces almost every kind of fruits. They have a fine breed of moufe coloured horses, much esteemed by military officers,

Religion.] The established religion in Hungary is the Roman Catholic, though the greater part of the inhabitants are Proteftants or Greeks; and they now enjoy the full exercise of their religious liberties.

Government.] By the conftitution of Hungary, the crown is still held to be elective. This point is not difputed. All that is infifted on is, that the heir of the houfe of Auftria fhall be elected as often as a vacancy happens.

The regalia of Hungary, confifting of the crown and fceptre of St. Stephen, the first king, are depofited in Prefburg. These are carefully

fecured by feven locks, the keys of which are kept by the fame num, ber of Hungarian noblemen. No prince is held by the populace as le gally their fovereign, till he be crowned with the diadem of king Stephen; and they have a notion that the fate of their nation depends upon this crown's remaining in their poffeffion; it has therefore been always removed in times of danger, to places of the greatest safety.

Chief Towns.] Prefburgh in Upper Hungary, is the capital of the whole kingdom. It is well built on the Danube, and, like Vienna, has fuburbs more magnificent than itself. In this city the ftates of Hungary hold their affemblies, and in the cathedral church the fovereign is crowned.

Hiftory.] This kingdom is the ancient Pannonia. Julius Cæfar was the firft Roman that attacked Hungary, and Tiberius fubdued it. The Goths afterwards took it; and in the year 376, it became a prey to the Huns and Lombards. It was annexed to the empire of Germany under Charlemagne, but became an independent kingdom in 920. It was the feat of bloody wars between the Turks and Germans, from 1540 to 1739, when, by the treaty of Belgrade, it was ceded to the latter, and is now annexed to the German empire. Formerly it was an affemblage of different states, and Stephen was the firft who affumed the title of king, in the year 997. He was diftinguifhed with the appellation of SAINT, because he first introduced chriftianity into this country. The prefent fovereign is Leopald II. who fucceeded his brother, the late em peror, Jofeph II.

Miles

GERMAN Y,

Length 600 Between
Breadth 520 S

Boundaries. B

45° 4' and 54° 40' North Latitude.

5° and 19 Eaft Longitude.

OUNDED north, by the German Ocean, Denmark, and the Baltic; eaft, by Poland and Fungary; fouth by Switzerland and the Alps, which divide it from Italy; weft, by the dominions of France and the Low Countries, from which it is feparated by the Rhine, Mofelle, and the Meafe.

Divifions.] The German empire is divided into ten circles, viz.

Circles.

Population.

Circles,

Population.

Upper Saxony

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1,880,000

Lower Saxony

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Weftphalia

2,300,000

Swabia

1,800,000

Upper Rhine

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1,600,000

Lower Rhine

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4,182,000

Befides

Besides these ten circles there belong alfo to the German empire,

The kingdom of Bohemia, divided into 16 circles
The Marquifate of Moravia, in 5 circles,

The Marquifate of Lufatia, (belonging to the elector of
Saxony)

Silefia (belonging to the Roman empire)

Population.

2,266,000

1,137,000

400,000

1,800,000

Productions and Commerce.] From the advantageous fituation and the great extent of Germany; from the various appearance of the foil, the number of its mountains, forefts and large rivers, we should be led to expect what we actually find, a great variety and plenty of useful productions. The northern, and chiefly the north-eaftern parts, furnish many forts of peltry, as fkins of foxes, bears, wolves, fquirrels, lynxes, wild-cats, boars, &c.The fouthern parts produce excellent wines and fruits; and the middle provinces great plenty of corn, cattle and minerals. Salt is found in Cermany in greater abundance and purity than in most other countries.

If the Germans are inferior to the English in the manufactures of cloth, hardware, and in the articles of luxury, it must be accounted for from the political fituation of their country: The great number of princes, the variety of the forms of government, the different interefts and mu→ tual jealoufies of the petty ftates, operate as checks on the commerce and profperity of the whole; and the difficulty of obtaining their concurrence in measures of general utility, is frequently the cause, why there are fo few canals and good roads, to fafcilitate travelling and inland trade.

Government.] The German empire, which till the year 843, was connected with France, now forms a state by itself, or may be connected as a combination of 300 fovereignties, independent of each other, but compofing one political body under an elective head, called the Emperor of Germany, or the Roman Emperor. All other fovereigns allow him the first rank among the European monarchs. Eight princes of the empire, called Electors, have the right of electing the Emperor. The electors are divided into ecclefiaftical and temporal.

The Archbishop of Mentz,
The Archbishop of Treves
The Archbishop of Cologne.

Ecclefiaftical.

The King or Elector of Bohemia,
The Eector of the Palatine of Ba

varia,

The Elector of Saxony,

The Elector of Brandenburgh,

The Elector of Brunfwick, (Hanover) Temporal.

The emperor, upon his election, engages to protect the Roman Catholic religion and the Holy fee. He is lord paramount of the Roman empire, of whom the princes are fupposed to hold their dominions in fee--He has power to affemble the Diet, over which he he prefides in perfon or by his commiffary, and of ratifying their refolutions by his confirmation-He is fupreme judge-has power to confer titles of nobility-to eftablish poft offices throughout the empire, to give charters to the uni

versities,

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