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ing is properly noticed, particularly the singular manner in which nearly all the houses are built, so as to lean considerably forward in the street, which we do not recollect being noticed by other travellers. We also find (what is generally considered to be otherwise) that mendicity exists in Holland as well as in other countries. Upon this subject Sir John Carr remarks: "I soon found that the received opinion of there being no beggars in Holland, is perfectly erroneous. I was frequently beset by those sons and daughters of sorrow or idleness, who preferred their petition with indefatigable pursuit, but in so gentle tone, that it was evident they were fearful of the police." In his account of this city, some curious and interesting anecdotes are given of the family just raised to the throne of Holland, to which we refer our readers. In speaking of the Dutch language, our author observes: "It is generally understood that the language of Hol land is divided into High and Low Dutch, whereas there is but one pure language as in England,, which is called Neder Dutch; the language of the Netherlands, or of a country lying very low.

In the preface, Sir John Carr states that the Tour was taken amidst many untoward and embarrassing circumstances, the melancholy effect of war, and therefore trusts that his pages will be perused with indulgent candour. It will naturally be asked under what protection the author ventured upon a foreign and a hostile shore; this we know not better how to explain than in the author's own words, "the public shall be my confessor." "In the summer of the last year, whilst the larger portion of the civilized world was anxiously awaiting the result of our sincere negotiations for a peace, which, alas! the crafty Ministers of Napoleon never intended should be other than mere "Romans politiques." The desire of contemplating a country and a race of people to me entirely new, induced me to trespass upon their shores. I resolved upon visiting Holland, although in a state of reluctant war with my own country, of a war which yet permitted to her commerce a few stolen embraces with that of England, and which forced many a pursy Dutch-In Holland, as in every other country, there is a man to lament the separation, and in the narcotic atsmosphere of his consoling pipe, wish for better times. In gratifying my wishes, I was guilty of assuming a character respected in every country, as well for its being most wisely and profitably at peace with all the world, as for its integrity and enterprize.

"I became an American, and by an act of temporary adoption fixed upon Baltimore, in North America, as the place of my nativity." Our author also observes, "The stratagem, if not perfectly blameless, was at least intended to be an inoffensive one, I had no hopes of a peace, and consequently none of seeing Holland in a more regular mode.

"I went not to investigate the nakedness of the land, and by availing myself of its confidence to penetrate the military depôts, the deck, and arsenal of a country not in amity with my own. I abhor the character of the spy moving in a friendly garb, however useful his treachery may be to his employers. My imposition extended no further than to enable me to make a picturesque tour through an almost aqueous kingdom, to view its natives in their ordinary habits, to glide upon their liquid roads, to saunter in their green avenues and flourishing gardens, and trace the wonderful results of that daring and indefatigable ingenuity, which has raised the permanent habitation of man in the ocean, and made successful inroads upon the physical order of the universe." After such a confession, we shall not withhold our absolution.

variety of provincial idioms; for instance, a raw native of Friezland would not be understood at Amsterdam." The Dutch have been long celebrated for the harmony of their chimes, or as they are called carillons, of which the following interesting account is given: "This species of music is entirely of Dutch origin, and in Holland, and in the countries that formerly belonged to her, can only be heard in great perfection.

"The French and Italians have never imitated the Dutch in this taste; we have made the attempt in some of our churches, but in such a miserably bungling manner, that the nerves of even a Dutch skipper would scarcely be able to endure it. The carillons are played upon by means of keys, communicating with the bells, as those of the piano-forte and organ do with strings and pipes, by a person called the Caril loneur, who is regularly instructed in the science; the labour of the practical part of which is very severe, he being almost always obliged to perform in his shirt with his collar unbuttoned, and generally forced by exertion into a profuse perspiration, some of the keys requiring two pounds weight to depress them. After the performance the carilloneur is frequently obliged immediately to go to bed. By pedals, communicating with the great bells, he is enabled with his feet to play the base to several sprightly and even difficult airs, which he performs with both his hands upon the upper species of keys, which are projecting sticks, wide enough asunder to be struck with violence and celerity by either of the two hands

At Rotterdam, every objeet particularly strik-edgeways, without the danger of hitting either

of the adjoining keys. The player uses a thick leather covering for the little finger of each hand, to prevent the excessive pain, which the violence of the stroke necessary to produce sufficient sound requires. These musicians are very dexterous, and will play pieces in three parts, producing the first and second treble with the two hands on the upper set of keys and the base, as before described. By this invention a whole town is enter tained in every quarter of it; that spirit of industry which pervades the kingdom, no doubt Originally suggested this sudorific mode of amusing a large population, without making it necessary for them to quit their avocations one The British army was moment to enjoy it. equally surprised and gratified by hearing upon the carillons of the principal church of Alkmaar their favourite air of "God save the King," played in a masterly manner as they entered that town."

Sir John Carr observes that the same thrifty spirit, united to the beneficial effects of public and expanded education, preserved the monuments and works of art in Holland from violence during the fury of the revolution which annihilated the Stadtholderate.

An intere ting account is given of the revolution, which changed the republic into a royal government. In the new constitution, which is given nearly at full length, (and which, by the bye, unnecessarily swells the volume), we notice the following striking features: the guarantee of the national debt; the free and unqualified exercise of religion; the predominant, or, as we think, Sir John Carr ought to have called it, the despotic authority vested in the King. The esta blishment of the Salique law, that only natives shall be eligible to any offices under the state, exclusive of those immediately appertaining to the King's household; that the royal revenue shall be two millions of florins, hundred thousand pounds; and that the royal palaces shall be confined to three; namely, the Hague, the Houses in the Woot, and a Soetdyke. As this constitution has not yet had time to shew whether its fruits will be palatable to the Dutch or not, the author conten's himself with merely, and we may add perhaps unnecessarily, submitting it to the comment of his readers.

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The descriptions of the several towns through which Sir John Carr passed, are enlivened with brief but interesting, and not generally known, anecdotes of the most distinguished among the Dutch painters.

It appears that the Hague has materially suf fered by the revolution, much more so than the commercial towns, owing to the resources which they derived from a high and unsubdued spirit of commerce and enterprize, notwith

standing the severity of British blockades, and the vigilance of British cruisers. We also find that the universities here participated in the melancholy effects of war, which has very much reduced the number of its students, by attracting them to the army.

The principal objects in Amsterdam are briefly noticed. In the description of the Stadt House, there is a curious account of the prisons and the state of the prisoners confined in dungeons, which form part of the foundation of that stupendous pile, which must prove interesting to every humane reader.

Of the canals in this great city our author thus speaks:-" the canals of this city are very conve nient, but many of them most offensively impure; the uniform greenness of which is checquered only by dead cats, dogs, offal, and vegetable substances of every kind, which are left to putrify at the top, until the canal scavengers remove them; the barges used on these occasions present a very disgusting appearance; the mud which is raised by them forms most excellent manure, and the sum it fetches in Brabant is calculated to be equal to the expence of the voyage. Some of the most eminent Dutch physicians maintain, that the effluvia arising from the floating animal and vegetable matter of these canals is not injurious, and in proof, during a contagious fever which ravaged this city, it was observed that the inhabitants who resided nearest the foulest canals were not infected, whilst those who lived near pure water only in few instances escaped; but this by no means confirms the asser tion, because those inhabitants who lived adjoin ing to foul canals were inured to its contagion, from its habitual application; for the same reason medical men and nurses generally escape infection, from being so constantly exposed to it."

The ladies of Holland are spoken of very handsomely by our Tourist, and are represented as observing the French fashions in their attire. There is a charming anecdote given in the account of the resuscitation societies, of the heroic humanity displayed by the present Emperor of Russia, in saving a poor fellow-creature from a watery grave in Lithuania. Our fair readers will smile at the account given of a very singular establishment, called the work-house of Amsterdam, where "husbands upon complaint of extravagance, drunkenness, &c. duly proved, send their wives to be confined, and receive the discipline of the house; and wives their husbands, for two, three, and four years together."

From Holland Sir John Carr departe! for the Rhine, where he met with ample subjects for his pen and pencil.

In the beginning of Chap. 22. a singular ad. venture which occurred to the author, is related,

in which his liberty, if not his life, was in imminent peril, and displays by what artful stratagems the French police is supported.

A description of the principal cities on the right and left banks of the Rhine, and of their political and social state, since the horrors of war have been removed from them, is given. The author proceeded as far as Darmstadt, when hostilities, which were just commenced against Russia and the state of the Continent, obliged him to re

turn.

The volume is embellished with twenty exquisite engravings by a distinguished artist, from drawings made on the spot by Sir John Carr, and is in no respect inferior to his other productions. Though in some instances the lively imagination of Sir John Carr leads him into the error of verbose composition, and words are sometimes more redundant than ideas;though the sober narrative of the traveller some

times condescends to supply original information by the records of magazines and the collections of newspapers; and the simplicity of good sense yields to the unmeaning melody of poetic nonsense,-yet will the lines of Sir John Carr not only amuse the hours of leisure, but improve those of thought.

When the "bird's eye view" which our author takes of a country is considered, the greatest credit is due to his industry and observation, and our wonder is excited, not at his opportunity to see so little, but at his ability to write so much. He appears indefatigable in his study of countries and manners, and his remarks and observations are in general well expressed, penetrating and just. Upon the whole, we recommend this work to the notice of all those who cultivate a spirit of inquiry, and are interested in the state and history of other nations.

AN HISTORICAL ESSAY ON THE SECRET TRIBUNALS IN GERMANY.

THE curiosity of the public was strongly excited some years since by the allusions that occur in Hermann of Unna, and several other novels, to a powerful society, once existing in Germany under the name of the Secret Tribunals. As no satisfactory account has hitherto been given of the nature and origin of this singular society, we have been led to suppose, that a brief narrative of its institution and original tendency would, by no means, be displeasing. On this presumption we present it to our readers from the third volume of Veit Weber's (Sagen der Vorzeit) Traditions of Antient Times.

When after a war of thirty-three years, the Emperor Charles I. had subjected the Saxons to the sway of his sceptre, and compelled them to worship the cross, the conquered districts were divided by him into counties and bishoprics. On the conclusion of a peace, in the year 805, the Saxons, amongst other privileges, attained permission to retain their national laws, under the inspection of imperial judges (counts,) and to be entirely exempted from the control of the bishops, except in spiritual matters. Several counties and bishoprics composed a delegate county (send. grafschaft), which was superintended by an imperial delegate (send-gruf), whose office was to watch over the preservation of civil and ecclesiastic order, to unite the private and often clashing interests of the counts and bishops for the Emperor's service.

Invested with the power to decide in matters of

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appeal from the country and provincial tribunals, and to give judgment, and enforce execution in cases relating to property, personal liberty, breach of the public peace, apostacy, and transgressions committed against the church, they sat in judgment three times a year, in an open field, when all the hereditary proprietors of the district were unexceptionally bound to appear. On these occasions, the ancient national laws of the Saxons, as well as the privileges and restrictions granted by the Emperor, were discussed, the lawful sal s of estates confirmed, and all illegal actions committed since the last session, reported. On these heads, the community consulted the decrees of the law, and pronounced decisive sentence, provided every thing were perfectly clear, and no capital crime could be proved.

Illegal actions, at that time, were divided into such as admitted reparation, and such as did not (ablösliche, and unablösliche). The former, for instance, calumny, manslaughter, &c. might be compensated by fines, whilst the latter, treason, assassination, adultery, &c. were punished with death.

In the latter class of offences were comprized, apostacy, sorcery, sacrilege, contempt of the christian festivals, profanation of christian tombs, and conspiracies against the worshippers of the cross. In all cases of this kind, the trial was begun in the public session, but concluded before a private or secret tribunal. The whole community, by right, should have pronounced sentence in open court upon the guilty, but the

thorities.

superficial knowledge which the incidental owners maintained, that Charles I. had instituted the of hereditary estates might have of the christian secret tribunals in the same form, both external religion, rendered them incompetent to decide and internal, which it had in the 13th and 14th on the heinousness of the crime; hence, trans- centuries, and conferred upon them that astoactions of this nature were not finally decided|nishing extent of jurisdiction, which was grain public session, and seven judges (schöffen) || dually wrested from the enfeebled executive auwere selected from the community, to inquire, in a secret meeting, into the criminality of such transactions, and to pronounce sentence of death, or decree the payment of a fine, as circumstances might require. In the secret meetings also the judges gave informations of crimes privately committed, and which were reported to them by their spies.

When the criminal, after having been summoned, appeared, and was incapable of making a satisfactory defence, he was condemned either to pay a mulct, or else was sentenced to suffer death. The latter punishment, however, was remitted, if he had previously confessed his crime to a priest, and atoned for it as required by the ecclesiastical law; whilst, in such cases, neither the priest nor judges were permitted to divulge it. The interest of Christianity, which it was the Emperor's wish to recommended, rendered this indulgence necessary to the Saxons. If, however, the accused did not appear, he was out-lawed, and this sentence was communicated to the neighbouring counts, who were called to assist in giving it effect.

Annually a public diet was holden by the Emperor's delegate, in Saxony, to inquire into the state of the Christian religion, and in what manner the magistrates had discharged their duty; as well as to compel the counts and judges to administer justice with impartiality, and to give information of such illegal acts of their countrymen, as had occurred to their know. ledge. Besides this diet, he also held special (gebotene) sessions, in which judgment was given in matters of appeal, and against such persons as could not properly be prosecuted before the regular judges. The decrees pronounced in these sessions affected the life of the accused. Those who refused to appear, were declared to be outlawed (vervehmt), whence, afterwards, arose the denomination of vehmgericht, i. e. the tribunal by which the criminal was separated from those who enjoyed the ordinary protection of the laws.

If a conclusion may be drawn from a similarity of procedure and tendency in two criminal institutions, it may be concluded, that these two had both a common origin, and that the secret tribunals of Westphalia were continuations of these secret criminal sessions, gradually changed and new-moulded in conformity to circumstances and the wants of the times; although the free knights, actuated by family pride, unanimously

The Westphalian secret tribunals are first mentioned as generally known in the year 1211, and recorded as having still been in force in the year 1659. They never were formally abrogated; but only lost their influence by degrees, when the sword of justice was again wielded by vigorous hands,

These Westphalian secret tribunals, at first, were only designed for Westphalia, and had no jurisdiction over any other province. The extent of their jurisdiction was limited in the west by the Rhine, in the east by the Weser, in the north by Friesland and the territory of Utrecht, and in the south by the Westerwald (western forest) and Hessia. Tribunals of these secret Westphalian judges ( Freystühle) were to be found only in the duchies of Guelders, Cleves, and Westphalia, in the principalities of Corvey and Minden, and the Landgraviate of Hessen; in the counties of Benthiem, Limburg, Lippe, Mark, Ravensberg, Rechlinhausen, Rietsberg, Sayn, Waldeck, and Steinfurt; in the signories of Gehmen, Neustadt, and Rheda, and in the territory of Dortmund, a free imperial town.

The Emperor, being supreme judge of all se. cular courts of judicature in Germany, was also. the sole creator and chief of all free tribunals.

Free counties were certain districts, compre hending several parishes, where the judges and counsellors of the secret ban administered justice, conformably to the territorial statutes. A free county generally contained several tribunals sub||ject to the controul of one master of the chair (stuhlherr). There masters of the chair, who commonly were secular or ecclesiastical princes, held their appointment by the will of the Emperor, and forfeited it on deciding in matters not coming under their jurisdiction, or deviating in their decrees from the laws of the free tribunals. They appointed the free counts (freygrafen), who were presidents of individual tribunals of the secret ban. They were presented to the Emperor for confirmation by the masters of their chair, who were made responsible for them, upon which they were invested with the royal ban, and obliged to swear fealty and obedience to the head of the empire. The latter also could punish the free counts, or deprive them of their office, occupy the seat of a free count in the tribunals, decide in matters of appeal brought before him, inspect and reform the tribunals, and appoint the free knights (frey

schoffen), though in the territory of Westphalia

resident in the free county, and natives of West

alone He could, indeed, exercise these prero-phaly. The number of these free-knights begatives only when himself was initiated; this, however, was generally done by the master of the chair of the Imperial Chamber of Dortmund, on the coronation of the Emperor at Aix-laChapelle. If, however, the Emperor was not initiated in the mysteries of the secret tribunals, he could demand of the judges of the secret ban no other answer to his inquiries but yes and no.

The Duke of Saxony was supreme governor and administrator of the Westphalian secret tribunds, and after the partition of the Duchy of Saxony, was superseded in this function by the archbishop of Cologne. To him also the members of the secret tribunals were obliged to swear obedience. The free-counts, whom he nominated for the duchies of Engern and Westphaly, were subjected to his examination and instruction, and after being invested by the Emperor with the royal ban, were not only installed by him, but made liable to be deprived of their function, at his pleasure, without being permitted to appeal.

Every master of the chair was authorized to prohibit the free-counts of his tribunals, to decide in certain cases, and to grant letters of protection against the proceedings of the latter. He received of every free-judge, admitted as a member of the tribunals subject to his jurisdiction, one mark of gold, if the candidate was of noble descent, if not, a mark of silver. Beside this; he also enjoyed other perquisites, amounting to a considerable sum.

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longing to each tribunal, never was less than seven, nor did it amount to more than eleven. Seven free-knights, at least, were required to compose a plenary-court (Voltgericht), in which the final sentence was pronounced. Knights of other tribunals were indeed permitted to be present on these occasions as visitors, but were not reckoned, nor allowed to vote. On their reception they promised on oath to be faithful in discharging their functions as free-knights; to give information to the secret tribunal of every thing coming under its jurisdiction, perceived by themselves or reported to them by creditable persons, and not to suffer any thing created betwixt heaven and earth, to divert them from the execution of their duty. They also bound themselves to promote the interest of the sacred Roman empire, and to invade the possessions of the masters of the chair and of the free-courts only on legal grounds. After having taken this oath, they were not permitted to reveal even to their confessors the secrets of the tribunal, and on transgressing this law, though only in the most trifling point, were hanged without mercy. They pronounced judgment according to the statutes of the Westphalian secret tribunal, and executed it conformably to the decrees of the free-courts. They knew each other by certain secret signals.

The free-bailiffs (Freyfrohnen) performed the office of messengers, and also were required to be freemen, begotten in legal wedlock, and of an unim peached character.

The free-counts (vehmgrafen)-v -were required to be begotten in legal wedlock, born in Westphaly, and distinguished as free, unblemished, and respectable men in their community. They promised on oath, at their nomination, to be obedient to the Emperor, the governor and the master of the chair, to discharge the duties incumbent on them as free-counts, to take cognizance of no cause not coming under the jurisdiction of the secret ban; to give to the accused every opportunity of defending himself; to initiate no one whose free and legal birth and unblemished life were not warranted as the statutesguinary banditti, who indiscriminately assassinated required; to promote the good of the sacred Roman empire; not to injure the countries and subjects of their superiors, unless they had lawful authority to do it, and never to oppose the reformation of the secret tribunals. They were intitled to receive thirty guilders of every freejudge admitted as a member of their tribunal, and one-third of all perquisites. Their persons were sacred and inviolable.

The original constitution of the secret tribunals did, however, not long continue in force, bastards and wretches of the most abandoned character being admitted. The number of free-knights allowed to every tribunal, was originally limited to eleven, but in a short time in many amounted to fifty and more, who possessed not an inch of landed estate in Westphaly, and were induced || by self-interest, ambition, thirst after vengeance, or other disgraceful motives, to join the association. The meeting places of the members of the secret tribunals degenerated into haunts of san

The free-knights (Freyschaffen, Vehmschöffen, Wissende) were required to be begotten in legal wedlock, freeborn, of an unimpeached character, No. XX. Vol. III.

the innocent with the guilty. The masters of the chair being actuated by the most sordid avarice, divided the free-countries into numerous smaller seats of justice, whereby the number of spies and secret informers naturally was encreased to a most alarming degree, and numberless opportunities for fraud, imposition, and extortion were presented. Although they were originally authorized to pronounce sentence only in criminal cases, they interfered in private and domestic affairs, in order to encrease their fees, and contrived to lay even Counts and Princes C

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