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think it no Stain to her Character, yet, with Refpect to others, it would caft fuch a Blemish upon her Reputation, as might deprive her of the future Converfation of her own Sex: "But (continued "fhe) observe a little the Behavior of these precife Prudes, who condemn a Kifs in public, "whatever they may do in private, as a Scandal to Society; fee what Liberties they allow the "Gentlemen to take with their Hands, Arms, Laps and Waists; What famillar Hugs and "clofe Squeezes; and judge by their Gesture, the wanton Roll of their Eyes, and the affected Simpering of their Lips, whether they are thofe "cold, infenfible Ladies, they would appear to "be. I am miftaken (added fhe) if you Gentle"men would not find an easier Conqueft with one "of these prim Creatures, than with the merriest finging, dancing, prattling Dame in Paris, or "the moft forward Romp, in England.

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We spent our Time, in this Manner, 'till we were fummon'd again to the former Apartment, to Supper, whither the Ladies accompanied us. This Repaft was cold, and confifted very properly of fome of the fuperfluous Dishes, which were not touched at Dinner, with the Addition of a Couple of Weftphalia-Hams, a Sort of Bologna Sausages, which they eat raw, and Lobsters. Supper being ended, as we were pretty near an equal Number of both Sexes, and all feemingly inclined to be merry, I took the Liberty of proposing a Fiddle, and a Country-Dance: Our Hoft was unwilling to refufe me any Thing; nor durft he (as I afterwards heard) comply with my Requeft. A profound Silence therefore enfued, and the whole Company feem'd thunder-ftruck at the Propofal; but my agreable Damoifelle, whom I had taken Care to keep by my Side, and defign'd her for my Partner, fmiling, told me, that the Squeak of a Violin, or

G

an

an Outcry of Murder, were equally terrible to the fanctified Sinners of this City; that a Dancingmaster, if any fhould venture among them, would be esteem'd a more dangerous Animal than a TownBull; that neither Mufic nor Dancing were allow'd by their Priests, even at Weddings, and that when any had been fo bold to break thro' this facred Rule, they have been fure to be cenfured from every Pulpit, and to be avoided by their Neighbours, at leaft publicly, as People of abandon'd Principles, with whom it would be dangerous to converfe. I was glad to withdraw my Propofal, and the Ladies foon after retiring, the greater Part of the Company got innocently drunk, rather than to involve themselves in the Guilt of dancing to the Tune of a Fiddle. Before we parted, one of the Company invited us all to dine with him, the next Day, where we were entertain'd much in the fame Manner; and this fecond Feaft was productive fubfequently of a third, a fourth and a fifth, and would probably have gone the whole Round; but as I found myself in Danger of being kill'd with Kindness, at the fifth Entertainment, I call'd for a large Glafs of Wine, and drinking a Cup of Thanks to the whole Company, declar'd that I had taken a Place in the Hamburg Poft-Waggon, for the next Saturday (it being then Thursday) being obliged to be, the Monday following, in that City. It was with Difficulty they confented to part with me fo foon, having formed feveral Parties of Pleasure for my Entertainment: But finding my Refolution fix'd, at my preffing Inftances, they at Length confented to except of my Foy, the next Evening, at the Cellar; "till when I have lock'd myself up to write you this Letter, and, as my Travelling-Companion was obliged to leave me fome Days before, I have actually bespoke a Place in the Post-Waggon, which departs to-morrow, about

Noon,

Noon, for Hamburg; from whence I will trouble you, foon after my Arrival, with the Continuance of my Adventures, being in the mean Time, as Sir, &e.

ever,

P.S. I fhould have told you, that, between the fecond and third Entertainment, I made an Elopement for three Days, to fee the ancient and famous City of Oldenburg, which is but five German Miles from this Place. In my Way thither, a German Mile from Bremen, I pafs'd thro' Delmenhorst, the Capital (fuch a one as it is) of a County of the fame Name; but now little more, than a poor miferable Village. It was built by Otto the II, Earl of Oldenburg, in the Year 1247, on the River Delme; : and belong'd to that County, 'till the Year 1334, when, by Agreement between the two Brothers, John XI, and Chriftian IV, it fell, together with a certain District of Land, which from the Town was call'd the County of Delmenhorst, to the Share of the latter. It was once united to the Bishopric of Munster for a Time, but being restored to the Houfe of Oldenburg, remain'd fo 'till both Counties fell to the Crown of Denmark. In 1711, it was mortgaged to the Elector of Hannover, but redeem'd with Part of the Mony King George paid that King, for the Duchies of Bremen and Verden.

OLDENBURG is a pretty large City, on the River Honta, which falls into the Wefer, fortified with a Wall and a Ditch, the Capital of a fine and ancient County in Weftphalia, which was known by that Name, in or foon after the Time of Charlemaign; Walpertus, Earl of Ringelheim, Grandfon (or as fome Historians will have it, Nephew) * of Wittekind, who died in the

This Difference in History proceeds probably from the Uncertainty of the Signification of the German Word Enckel. which is ufed indifferently to fignify either Grandfon or Nephew.

G 2

Year

Year 856, being the firft Earl of Oldenburg, and, in Honour to his Countess Altburgis, only Daughter of the Earl of Lefmona or Lefthem, having built a Town on the Wefer, which he called Altburg, or Oldenburg, and from that gave Name to the whole County. From this Walpertus defcended the ancient Earls of Oldenburg, in one continued Line, for twenty-three, or, as fome fay, twenty-four Generations, 'till it became extinct in AnthonyGunther, who died in 1667, without Male-heirs. After his Death, there were feveral Competitors for the Succeffion, which, however, fell at Length, together with the County of Delmenhorst, to the King of Denmark, partly by Sentence of the Im perial Court, and partly in Confideration of a Sum of Mony, and fome Places in Holstein, given as an Equivalent to the Duke of Holstein-Ploen.

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THEY tell you a very odd Story of one of their ancient Counts, call'd "Otto, who, in the Year 967, being on the Chafe, and opprefs'd with Thirst, "cried out; Ach Gott! wer nur einen küblen Trunck "batte! (Would to God I had a cool Draught!)

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Upon which a Hill, call'd the Ofenberg, that lay before him, open'd, and a very beautiful "Damfel, richly clad, coming out of it, approach'd him, and offer'd him fomething liquid, "in a Veffel, of the Form of a Hunting Horn, of Silver gilt, and curiously wrought, telling him, if he drank it all out, Happiness would at"tend his Family. The Earl had the Prefence "of Mind, to throw out the Liquor over his "Shoulder, and turning his Horse about, rode "away with the Horn, upon which the Damfel "retir'd, to the Hill, which clos'd upon her; and "it afterwards appear'd, that where any of the Liquor had fallen upon the Horfe, the Hair "was, as it were, fcalded off, to the very Skin.. "This Horn was afterwards fhewn, for fome Hun

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dreds

"dreds of Years, as a great Rarity, in the Re"fidence of the Counts of Oldenburg. †

A IN the Year 1676, the very Day that the Inhabitants of Oldenburg, which was first built by Otto the Great, were to have taken their firft Oath of Allegiance to the King Denmark, this City was almost wholly confumed by Fire. There are now feveral handfom public Buildings in it, which I vifited, as the Churches of St. Lambert, of the Holy Ghoft, and of St. Nicholas, the Castle, where the ancient $ Earls refided, the Town-house, Chancery, Arsenal, Stables, c. But I faw nothing in them fo remarkably curious as to deserve a particular Description.

This Horn, or what they call fo, is ftill preserv'd in the King of Denmark's Chamber of Rarities at Copenhagen, at least I faw it there, in 1720. It is not in the Form of a Hunting, but rather of a Sow-gelder's Horn: Nor is it of Silver-gilt, but rather Gold, of a base Alloy, or a Mixture of several Metals: Tho' those that will have it to be fupernatural tell you, that the greatest Artifts, after re-iterated Trials, have not been able to make any Compofition of known Metals, perfectly agreing with it in all its Qualities. On the other Hand, those who will not give into the Fable tell you, this Horn was made by Order of Chriftian I, King of Denmark, in Honour to the three Kings or Wife Men of the Eaft, whose fuppofed Names, Cafpar, Melchior and Balthafar are wrought upon it. Be this as it will, the Horn they now fhew you, is of curious Workmanship. Round the Rim, are the Words O Mater Dei, memento mei; and, at the smaller End, is the Figure of a Damfel, holding a Label, on which are the ancient German Words: Drine al ut. (Drink it all out.)