AUSTRIA. 



741 



mans and the Hungarians. The Austrian nobility are tided as prnices, counts, ano barons. 

 There are seven knightly orders, including one for ladies of princely or ancient noble iamilies. 

 The dress is generally that of Germany, though French fashions are common in the cities. In 

 Bohemia, the general poverty of the peasants is apparent in their dress, which is often little bet- 

 ter than tatters. In Austria, the German is the general language ; in Bohemia, the Sclavonic. 

 The French is generally understood by the higher classes in Austria. 



Architecture has not attained to much excellence in the Austrian States. Some of the cities, 

 and especially Vienna, have many imposing edifices, and the mansions of the nobles are large, 

 though not in good taste ; the dwellings of the peasants are small and mean. There is little 

 peculiar in the common food, except the frogs, snails, and birds, such as sparrows, hawks, and 

 magpies, that are constantly seen in the markets of large towns. To Vienna, frogs are brought 

 in quantities of 30,000 or 40,000 at a time, and kept in conservatories. The livers of 

 geese are esteemed great delicacies. In Bohemia there is little wine, but much beer is used, 

 which is made there of an excellent quality. The most common diseases are fevers, and the 

 general maladies that prevail in the middle latitudes of Europe. The expense of traveling by 

 post is equal to that in France, but the inns, roads, and vehicles are bad ; the system of pass- 

 ports and custom-houses is very strict and annoying. 



The Austrians are more cheerful and allable than the Germans, and their capital is celebrated 



for its splendor and various amusements. The higher classes 

 are fond of show. Quarrels are rare, and years pass without 

 the occurrence of a capital execution. The people are, of 

 course, distinguished for self-command and an even tempera- 

 ment. The Austrians are ingenious in mechanism ; but their 

 greatest elTorts in this way are not of j)ractical utility. Auto- 

 maton chess-players, and a head imitating the sounds of the 

 human voice, are Austrian inventions. Jn the United States 

 and in Great Britain, the same mechanical turn of mind is de- 

 voted to projects of general utility, and adds new facilities to 

 science, commerce, and manufactures. It has been noted of 

 the Austrians, that they take no interest in public afTairs, and 

 seldom converse upon them. From the time of Maria Theresa, 

 however, with few intervals, it has been the care of the gov- 

 ernment to prevent the subjects fioin speculating too curiously 

 upon the right and the expedient in politics ; and the reason 

 why the Austrians do not now converse on public afl'airs, is 

 that they are not permitted to feel that interest which comes 

 from taking a part in them. The Austrians have been called 

 sensual ; and it is certain, that they are more fond of the 

 pleasures of the table than the other Germans. 



The Tyrolese are hardy, brave, and of great simplicity of 

 character. They are practically I'epublicans, respecting lilde 

 the distinctions of wealth or rank, and defending their rude mountains with a courage and con- 

 stancy seldom found in a people dwelling on the most fertile plains. They are devout Catho- 

 lics, but too kind to be intolerant. Their country is too barren to support them by agriculture 

 alone, though this is followed with great skill and perseverance. Many breed canary birds, and 

 wander into foreign countries to sell them. Almost every one is an artisan or manufacturer. 



Woman of Upper .lustria. 



ameth3'sts, and sapphires, darting a radiance which the 

 eye can hardly bear, and which has given many people 

 occasion to compare it to the supposed magnificence of 

 heaven. Besides the variety of forms in those vaults, ta- 

 bles, arches, and columns, wliich are framed as they dig 

 out the salt, for the purpose of keeping up the roof, there 

 is a vast variety of others, grotesque and finely figured, 

 the work of nature ; and these are generally of the purest 

 and brightest salts. The roofs of the arches are, in many 

 places, adorned with salt, hanging from the top in form of 

 icicles, and having all the lines and colors of the rainbow. 

 The walks are covered with various congelations of the 

 same kind ; and the very floors, when not too much 

 trodden and battered, are covered with globules of the 

 same sort of materials. 



In various parts of this spacious plain, stand the huts 

 of the miner.s and families, some single, and ofhers in clus- 

 ters, like villages. They have very little communication 

 with the world above ground, and many hundreds of peo- 

 |)le are born and live all their lives there. 'I'hronffh the 

 midst of this plain lies a road, which is always filled with 

 carriages, loaded v/ilh masses of salt out of the further part 

 of the mine, and carrying them to the place wliere the 

 rope belonging to the wheel receives Iheni ; the drivers of 

 these carriages are all merry and singing, and the salt 

 looks like a load of gems. A great number of horses are 

 kept here, and, when once let down, they never see day- 

 light aaain ; but some of the men take frequent occasions 

 of going uj), and breathing the fresh air. 



