LETTER XLIX.
_SIR_, _Cleves, Sept. 1, 1732._
At my Return to _Cologne_, I went to see the Castle or Palace of BENSBERG, belonging to the Elector _Palatine_, in the Country of _Berg_, three Leagues from the _Rhine_, which River I passed over a flying Bridge, between _Cologne_ and _Duitz_. This House is worth seeing. 'Twas founded by Order of the Elector _John-William_, who was a Prince in every Thing magnificent, and sent for the most able Workmen from _Italy_ to build it. All this great Structure is built of very hard Stone. The Ornaments, such as the Frises and Architraves, are of a Kind of grey Marble, which they dig out of neighbouring Quarries. The Apartments are large, very well decorated, and adorned with the finest Paintings; and they have a Prospect of a vast Length of Country, which offers a Variety of grand and noble Scenes to View.
From this House I went to DUSSELDORFF, the Capital of the Duchy of _Berg_, belonging to the Elector _Palatine_. This City stands in the midst of a fine fruitful Plain, five Leagues from _Cologne_. The _Rhine_ washes its Walls, and runs at the Town with such Violence, that they have been obliged to make great Works to break the Current. _Dusseldorff_ is but a small Place. The late Elector _John-William_, who resided in it, had undertaken to aggrandize it with an additional Quarter, which they call the _New-Town_; but that Prince's Death, and the Absence of the Court, put a Stop to the Buildings. The present Elector is fortifying this Place; but 'tis carried on so slowly, that 'twill take up a great deal of Time to finish it.
The Elector's Castle or Palace is ancient, and has nothing remarkable, but a Gallery of Pictures; which Gallery consists of five great Divisions or Salons, three whereof are much bigger than the other two. The Pictures in the first Room are all by the Hand of _Rubens_. That of the _Last Day of Judgment_ is an admirable Piece, and one of the best that was ever done by that excellent Painter. They say he painted it for the Duke _Wolffgang de Neubourg_, in Acknowledgment for that Prince's having taken him out of _Spain_, where _Rubens_ was going to be arrested by the Holy Office. The Pictures in the second Room are all done by several _Flemish_ Masters, but most of 'em by _Van Dyck_. The third Room, which is the biggest, contains Pictures by the most skilful _Italian_ Masters. The fourth is adorned with the Works of the Chevalier _Van der Werf_, a _Dutch_ Painter, who died lately at the _Hague_, having had the Honour to see some of his Pictures sold for a thousand gold Ducats the Piece. The Elector _John-William_ gave him a Pension of six thousand Florins, besides paying him two thousand Florins for each Picture. No _Flemish_ Painter excelled him in Designing, or had a better Hand at mixing of Colours. His Painting is so fine, and the Colouring so lively, and so well fansied, that no Enamel is more beautiful. Among his Works, the Connoisseurs admire _the Life and Passion of our Saviour_; Diana _in the Bath_, a Piece for which the Elector _John-William_ paid twenty thousand Florins; and the Picture of _Mary-Anne_ of _Medicis_, that Elector's Wife, which Princess is represented with her Court-Ladies in the Habit of the Vestal Virgins. The fifth and last Room, which is the most magnificent, contains select Pieces by Masters of the first Rank; as _Raphael_, _Julius Romain_, _Peter di Cortona_, _Guido_, _Titian_, _Paul Veronese_, _Tintoret_, _Correggio_, _Albano_, the _Caracchis_, _Joseph Pin_, _Paul Rubens_, _Van Dyck_, _Reimbrants_, and many others. But that which no less attracts the Curious in another Taste, is the Abundance and Variety of other Things that are distributed up and down the several Rooms; as Figures of Brass, of the utmost Perfection, copy'd, for most part, from the finest Antiques, placed upon beautiful Tables of _Florence_; portable Cabinets, adorned with excellent Miniature, or inlaid Work; and, in short, an infinite Number of other Things, that are very much to be admired, and render this Gallery truly magnificent.
Under these Rooms there's another Gallery, full of Statues of Marble and Plaister, according to the Model of all the celebrated Statues of _Rome_ and _Florence_; the Moulds of which were collected by the Elector _John-William_, with very great Care and Expence.
In the Market-place opposite to the Palace, is that Elector's Equestrian Statue, who is represented in Armour on Horseback, with the Electoral Bonnet on his Head. But this Monument, which is of Brass, is not answerable to the Cost of it: For the Horse is represented in a walking Pace, with his Tail dragging nine Inches on the Ground, which makes a very wretched Figure; tho' 'tis said, that the Man who cast this Statue, took a Horse which the Elector had for his Model. Possibly he might have a fine Mane and Tail, but this is what does not appear in Brass. The whole Monument is erected on a Pedestal of grey Marble, very solid, and even without any Inscription or Ornaments. Nevertheless, _John-William_ of _Neubourg_, the Elector _Palatine_, deserved as much as any Prince in the World, to have his Virtues transmitted to Posterity by some Inscription. He was magnificent, generous, liberal, a Protector of the Arts and Sciences: His Court and his Disbursements were like those of a King; his Good-nature render'd him amiable; he was the Delight of his Courtiers, and the Darling of his Subjects.
This great Prince lived at a Time when _Germany_ had four other Princes, who were as great Patrons of the Arts and Sciences as himself; _viz._ _Frederic-Augustus_ King of _Poland_, _Frederic_ King of _Prussia_, _Antony-Ulric_ Duke of _Brunswic-Lunenbourg_, and _Charles_ Landgrave of _Hesse Cassel_; of all which Princes, the only one that survives is the King of[99] _Poland_, the rest having no Life but in History, where they are sure of Immortality; for, besides the Monuments they have left of their Grandeur, Men of Learning will not fail to transmit their Glory to the latest Posterity.
The present Elector _Palatine_ having fixed his Residence at _Manheim_, there's a Regency at _Dusseldorff_, of which the Count _de Schasberg_ is the President. The Country of _Berg_, and that of _Juliers_, depending on it, are governed by States, without whose Consent the Sovereign cannot lay any Taxes. These Countries bring in a Million of Crowns to the Elector. All Religions are tolerated here, and every Communion has its particular Churches; but the Catholics only are admitted to the Civil Employments. The Reverend Fathers the Jesuits have a fine Church, and a beautiful Convent here. There's a Chapel without the _Cologne_ Gate, which is worth seeing. 'Tis built after the Model of the _Santa Casa_ of _Loretto_, and adorned with very fine Paintings. 'Twas founded by the Electress, Wife of _John-William_, to the Honour of the most Holy Virgin.
Tho' the Court is no longer at _Dusseldorff_, yet here is very good Company, and the Gentry are very sociable and friendly to Foreigners. There are amiable and deserving Ladies here, particularly Madame _de Speik_, whose Husband is a Major-General. She would be very fit to adorn a Court.
I went from _Dusseldorff_ to KEISERSWERDT, formerly a Place of Importance, which held out a destructive Siege, but is now wholly dismantled. From thence I proceeded to DUISBOURG, a Town in the Duchy of _Cleves_, at the Extremity of a Forest, where they catch wild Horses, which are small, but indefatigable and very serviceable. The City of _Duisbourg_ is only remarkable for its University. The Country betwixt this Town and _Wesel_, is all a Plain, and a very gravelly Soil, yet produces every thing that's good.
After having crossed the Rivers of _Roer_ and _Lippe_ in the Ferry-boats, I came to WESEL, a strong Place of the Duchy of _Cleves_, belonging to the King of _Prussia_: 'Tis regularly fortify'd, and has a very good Citadel towards the _Rhine_. The late King of _Prussia_, _Frederic_ I. was the first that set about fortifying of _Wesel_; and his Son, King _Frederic-William_, has caused those Works to be carried on and finished. M. _Bot_, now a General Officer in _Saxony_, had the Direction of those Works in the first Place; after which, the Care of them was committed to M. _Walrave_, a Colonel Engineer. They have both contributed to render _Wesel_ one of the strongest Places in _Germany_. Nothing in this Town more particularly deserves a Traveller's Attention, than the _Berlin_ Gate, of which M. _Bot_ drew the Model: I never saw any Thing finer, or more perfect of the Kind. The Arsenal also is worth seeing, and is extremely well furnished with all Necessaries, whether of Ordnance or Ammunition.
In my Way from _Wesel_ to this Town, I came to SANTEN, formerly a famous City, but now very much decay'd. The Catholic Church is a beautiful Structure, and has a miraculous Image of the most Holy Virgin, to which the Natives pay great Devotion.
'Tis five Leagues from _Santen_ to CLEVES, thro' one continued Range of[100] Walks. The Avenue that leads to _Cleves_ is magnificent. This Town is small, but very pleasant, and well built. The King's Palace is ancient, yet it has fine Apartments; and among the rest, a magnificent Hall. There's nothing surely in Nature, completer and finer than a View of these Apartments. _Lewis_ Duke of _Burgundy_, Grandson to _Lewis the Great_, coming with his Army to _Cleves_ in 1702, thought the Situation of the Place so charming, that he was heard to say, more than once, That he wish'd _Versailles_ was as well situate.
_Cleves_ is the Seat of the Regency of this Duchy, the President of which is M. _de Borck_, a Gentleman of Quality and Merit, who acquits himself of his Office with a great Share of Integrity and Application, is very civil, and a Gentleman of a fine Presence.
There are several good Families in this City, particularly those of the Chancellor _de Becker_, a Gentleman of distinguished Merit, who makes very handsome Entertainments, and lives with great Splendor; and of the Baroness _de Blaspiel_, a Lady of Birth and Merit. She was Maid of Honour to the Queen of _Prussia_, who honoured her with her Confidence; and never was a Favourite more worthy of it; for she always preserved the same Respect for her Mistress, and the same Regard for all Mankind. The whole Court of _Berlin_ thought her an Ornament, when it pleased the King to remove her from Court, by banishing M. _de Blaspiel_, who was one of his Ministers, to his Estate in this Province, where he died, and having no Children, left his Wife Heiress of a very considerable Estate. I don't know but this Lady thinks herself as happy in this Retirement, as she was at Court: All the Country respects her; and one time, when the King came hither, his Majesty, together with the Prince Royal, did her the Honour to come and dine with her, and gave her Tokens of the sincerest Esteem. I was formerly very well acquainted with Madame _de Blaspiel_ at Court, and had Opportunity to know the Goodness of her Temper thoroughly, which is what has induced me to give you a more particular Account of her, than of other Persons of Distinction in this City, with whom I was not so well acquainted. Farewel, my dear Friend, I am afraid I shall not see you again so soon as I expected; but whenever that happens, I shall have a great many Facts to tell you, which 'tis not always safe to commit to a Letter. I kiss your Hand, and am, _&c._