CHARACTERS: 
the Afa Literaria Bohemiz &F Mora- 
wre; and the editor of the latter 
publicly acknowledges in the pre- 
face to it, how much Bohemian li- 
terature is indebted to him. Prague 
and Vienna were both without a 
public cabinet for the ufe of the 
ftudents: it was at his inftigation 
that government was induced to 
form one; and he himfelf affifted by 
his contributions and his labours. 
In 1775 he laid the foundation ofa 
literary fociety ; which publifhed fe- 
veral volumes, under the title of 
Memoirs of a Private Society in Bohemia. 
His fame reaching the Emprefs 
Mary Therefa, in 1776 fhe called 
him to Vienna to arrange and de- 
fcribé the imperial collection: and 
about two years after, he publifhed 
the fplendid work containing the 
Conchology: in the execution of 
this, I believe he had fome affift- 
ance. The Emprefs defrayed the 
expences for a certain number of 
copies. On the death of this pa- 
tron the work was difcontinued, her 
fucceffor; the Emperor Jofeph, not 
favouring the undertaking. He had 
likewife the honour of inftructing 
the Archduchefs Maria Anna in 
natural hiftory, who was partial to 
this entertaining ftudy ; and he 
formed and arranged for hera neat 
mufeum. In 1779 he was raifed to 
the office of Actual Counfellor of 
the Court Chamber, in the depart- 
ment of the mines and mint. This 
office detained him conftantly in 
Vienna, and engaged the chief part 
of his time. 
The confequences of his misfor- 
tune at Felfo-Banya began now to 
be felt in the fevereft manner; he 
was attacked with the moft excru- 
ciating colics, which rofe to fuch a 
degree as to threaten a fpeedy ter- 
mination of his life and miferies. 
Vou. XXXIX. 
385 
In this depth of torment he had re. 
courfe to the ufual calmer of bodily: 
pain, opium; and a large portion of 
this being placed by the fide of him, 
which he was ordered only to take 
in {mall dofes;—once brorght to 
defperation through the intenfity 
of his pain, he {fwallowed it at one . 
draught. This brought ona lethar- 
gy, which lafted four-and-twenty 
hours; but when he awoke he was 
free of -his pains. The diforder 
now attacked his legs and feet, par- 
ticularly his right leg, and in this 
he was lame for the reft of his life. 
Sometimes the lamenefs was accom- 
panied by. pain, fometimes not. 
But his feet by degrees withered, 
and he was obliged to fit or lie, or 
lean upon a fopha; though fome- 
times he was fo well as to be able 
to fit upon a ftcol, but.not to move 
from one room to another without 
affiftance. 
His free and aéttive genius led 
him to intereft himfelf in all the 
occurrences of the times, and te 
take an active part in all the inftitue 
tions and plans for enlightening 
and reforming mankind. With 
thefe benevolent intentions, he 
formed conneétions with the free 
mafons, whofe views in this part of 
the world were fomething more 
than eating and drinking, as may 
be conjeétured by the laws and re- 
gulations made againft mafonry by 
the Emperor Jofeph. Under The- 
refa, this order was obliged to keep 
itfelf very fecret in Auftria; but 
Jofeph, on his coming to the throne, 
tolerated it; and the Baron founded 
in the Auftrian metropolis a lodge 
called the True Concord. This 
was no card club, or affociation for 
eating and drinking, where the lead- 
ing members were chofen by their 
capacity for taking in folids and li- 
quids, 
