of the fame Name, which is a great Addition to its Strength, efpecially to that of the Castle, which is built in the very Middle of it.

IN the Year 1160, Henry, the Lion, Duke of Saxony, having depriv'd Niclotus, King of the Obotrites, of his whole Country, of which Schwerin was a Part, rebuilt that City, which had been burnt down by Niclotus, and erecting it, with the Territories thereunto belonging, which, at that Time, extended beyond the Elb, into a County, gave it to his General, Gunzelinus, of the noble Family of Bartenfleben; and tho' Pribislaus, the Son of Niclotus, recover'd his Father's Dominions, Schwerin was exempted, and remain'd to the Heirs of Gunzelinus. Two of his four Sons, Henry and Gunzelinus, II, poffefs'd it fucceffively. The former, in 1223, took Waldemar, II, King of Denmark, Prifoner, and thereby oblig'd him to reftore the Conquests he had made, in Holstein and Mecklenburg. He likewife obtain'd the Privilege of Exemption from Toll, in Saxony, for the Burghers of Schwerin, from the Emperor Otto, IV, which they, to this Day, enjoy in Wifmar and Lubeck. This Earl, dying without Male-heirs, was fucceeded by his Brother, and he by his Son, Gunzelinus, III, who, in a War with Albert the Great, Duke of Brumfwick, loft his Dominions, beyond the Elb. In his Son Otto, furnam'd Rofa, the Males of this Family became extinct, and, his Daughter, Richardis, being married to Albert, II, Duke of Mecklenburg, and King of Sweden, at his Death, in 1360, the County of Schwerin, together with the Castle of Domitz, which had been pawn'd to this House, by Brandenburg, in 1328, fell to the House of Mecklenburg, where they have remain'd ever fince. THE See of Schwerin was, likewife, founded in the Time of Henry, the Lion, Duke of Saxony, on Occafion of the City of Mecklenburg having been

destroy'd

destroy'd in the Wars with the Obotrites, and that See ruin'd; tho' the Bishops did not refide at Schwerin, but at Bützow. Benno, the third Bishop of Mecklenburg was the firft of Schwerin, from whom they fhew you a Succeffion of thirty-one Bifhops, to Magnus, the Son of Henry, the Peaceable, Duke of Mecklenburg, who firft introduc'd the Doctrine of Luther, and married, but died without Heirs in 1550. He was fucceeded, by Ulrick, I, Son of Albert, the Fair, Duke of Mecklenburg, who was, likewife, Duke of Guftrow, and died in 1603. The laft Bishop of Schwerin was Ulrick, II, Son of Frideric, II, King of Denmark, who died in 1624, during the Time of the thirty Years-War; at the Conclufion of which, by the Treaty of Weftphalia, this See, being feculariz'd, was erected into a Principality, together with that of Ratzeburg, and given to Adolph-Frideric, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who was then Adminiftrator of the See, as an Equivalent for the City of Wismar (which was transfer'd to the King of Sweden) and it has remain'd, ever fince, to him and his Succeffors; one of whom John Albrecht, appointed the Cathedral of Schwerin to be the Burial-Place of the Dukes, which before was at Dobran. I am, &c.

LETTER XLVIII.

SIR,

N

ROSTOCK.

OT having yet met with much Conver fation to my Mind here, I have spent a a good Part of my Time, in reviewing feveral Manufcripts, communicated to me by my learned Friend; and a Translation of one

of

of them, entitled; The VISION, or The Return of ASTREA, for Want of other Matter, fhall be the Subject of this Letter.

THIS Manufcript, which feems to have been written and fent to one of my learned Friend's Correfpondents, for his Amusement (as I now fend you the Tranflation of it) is introduced with the following Line of Virgil's;

Jam redit & Virgo, redeunt Saturnia Regna.

"AMONG Other Rarities, (fays my learned "Friend) in my Collection, which I have already "frequently mention'd to you; I have treafur'd "up a Sort of Sweet-Bag, or Cushion, the Pro"duce of Japan; but, in Form, not unlike what "our European Dames call a Pin-Cufhion. This "Bag or Cufhion is fill'd with the moft fcarce "and coftly Aromaticks, collected by that great En"quirer into the Secrets of Nature, Cram Banckju, "a Native and renown'd Philofopher of that "Country.

"THIS Cushion has the extraordinary and pecu"liar Virtue, that, being laid under the Pillow of "a Perfon going to Reft, it operates in fuch "Manner on the Brain, as not only, in a very "fenfible Manner, to quicken the Force of his "Imagination; but, at the fame Time, to recall "to his Memory thofe Images which have di"verted him, while blefs'd with the Light of the "Sun, and to reprefent to his Mind the most important Occurrences of the foregoing Day, in an agreable Vision.

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66

"I HAVE already given you fome Samples of the "Operation of this Cufhion; tho' I have hither"to kept the efficient Cause of my Dreams or "Vifions, as a Referve from your Knowledge. I "make it my conftant Endeavour to be of fome "Service to you, and the Reft of my Friends,

❝as

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as well fleeping as waking; and, by Means of "this my Cushion, I have it in my Power, to be "watchful for the publick Good, even while I " am enjoying that Refreshment of the Mind which the Nature of Mankind abfolutely requires. Our Friend Mr. R coming lately "to vifit me, in the Morning, faw this Cufhion lying on the Table; and, believing it to be "a common Pin-Cufhion, in his ufual jaunting "Way, began to rally me, and ask'd me for "which of my She-Favorites I defign'd this Em"blem of good House-wifery: But I no fooner "difcover'd to him the fecret Virtues it contain❜d, "than Curiofity gain'd fo much the Afcendant "over him, that he would admit of no Denial; "but I was oblig'd to lend it him, in Order for "his making an Experiment of them himself, for "one Night; which gave Occafion to the follow"ing Letter from him, a few Days afterwards;

SIR,

"I

AM infinitely oblig'd to you, for the agreable Dream you procured me laft Night. My "Thoughts were Yesterday pretty much employ'd in reflecting on the vaft Inequality which is to "be observ'd in the Distribution of the Bleffings "of this World to Mankind: I mean what little

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Regard was had to real Merit, and how fome, "amidst all the Disadvantages of Sloth and Indo"lence, advanced their Fortunes, whilft others, "notwithstanding the moft indefatigable Industry, "approach'd daily nearer to their impending "Ruin. I began to think with myfelf what a "furprizing Change we fhould fee in this World, "if every one were to be rewarded according to

his Deferts in this Life: If Honour or Difgrace, "Plenty or Want, Promotions or Punishments, were to be diftributed to every individual of the

"human

"human Species, without any other Regard what"foever, but to that of perfonal Merit.

"THESE, I fay, were my Thoughts, the best "Part of the Day; and, at Night, I follow'd "your Direction, and laid your wonderful Japan Cufhion under my Head. For fome Time, "either an intense Reflection on my own Curiofity, "or the Power of the Aromaticks contain'd in it, "which already feem'd to begin their Operation in

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my Brain, kept me awake. At Length, how"ever, I fell infenfibly into a sweet Sleep; but "thought I was fuddenly awak'd out of it, by the "Noife of a great Number of People, crying "aloud. It is done! It is done! Methoughts I

immediately hurried on my Cloaths, and went "out to fee what was the Matter; and meeting "a Man, with a large Map in his Hand, upon "asking him what then was done? He immediate❝ly anfwer'd; Right and Justice to all Mankind.

Every Man (continued he) is promoted according "to his Merit, and every Man is punish'd accord"ing to his Deferts.

"I ENQUIRED into the Circumftances of this furprizing Revolution; upon which he told me, that Aftræa, the Goddefs of Juftice was again "come down to this World, had just brought all "the Kingdoms of the Earth, as well as all the "private Families contain'd in them, into their

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juft and proper Order, and had affign'd to every "one in particular his lawful Right. Here (added the) is a new Map, in which this new Distribution of Dominions and Territories is diftinguish'd by "different Colours.

"I TOOK a View of it, and found it beautifully << illuminated; but could hardly enough admire "the prodigious Difference I obferv'd between this "Map, and the common Maps I had hitherto "feen, in Europe alone, tho' the least of the four

"Parts