1^0 LET* ER$ PKOM A TRAVELLER AT BERLIN 1 . 



whole country when brought in comparifon with what 

 are called beautiful fpots in Switzerland, in Italy, 

 France, and the fouthern counties of England ? 



As to the repute in which Berlin is held for beauty, with 

 with fome allowances, I mould very willingly permit it to 

 pafs ; but when it is affirmed to be the moft beautiful city 

 in the world, I cannot help thinking the account of it is 

 much exaggerated, and that it ffends in the fame predica- 

 ment with the former.- Throughout Germany, Berlin 

 is indeed the only city of its kind. Of all the cities in 

 that extenfive region, which arefpoken of as being well- 

 built, Manheim is too diminutive and too regular, 

 CafTel has, in a manner, but one handfome quarter, 

 and Drefden, belides the fine profpecl: a city affords 

 in which all the houfes are conftructed of hewn ftone, 

 and, though large and fpacious, are not built in a truly 

 grand tafte, has but little to boaft of. A German 

 therefore, who has never pafTed the Alps, and perhaps 

 never crofTed the Rhine, mull necefTarily be aftonilhed 

 at the quantity of modern and lofty buildings, adorned 

 with columns and pilafters, with feftoons and ftatues, 

 he meets with at Berlin. But this is the fole caufe of 

 his aftonilhment ; and if it were excited in ever fuch a 

 multitude of perfons, Berlin would Hill not be the moft 

 beautiful city in the World. 



We need only conlider it with a little attention, fot 

 prefently perceiving three feveral taftes in its buildings. 

 King Frederic William the firft was forjd of uni- 

 formity in the highefT. degree, and accordingly we find 

 it in all that he defigned. Frederic II. at the begin- 

 ning of his reign declared himfelf an admirer of the 

 light, frivolous tafte at that time predominant in France, 



though 



