406 
ing, the bafticn which overlooks what is 
called the Italien Village. It is there 
that every fenfible heart palpitates with plea- 
fure, that the foul expands and enlarges 
at the view of a bafin much more exten- 
five than that of Florence; it is there that 
the eye embraces and inveftigates all the 
beauties which the fouthern fide of the 
mountain exhibits, as wellas the long ter- 
race belonging to the palace and the gar- 
den cf Bruhl (one of-the principal crna- 
ments of Drefven), the ative multitude of 
individuals paffing and re-paffing from the 
new to the old town, the ncife of the car- 
riages and horfes, inceffantly in motion 
from one bank tothe other, over the bold 
yet delicate arches of a long and broad 
bridge. On another fide the curious fpec- 
tator will admire the fuperb Palais de Fa- 
pon (Japanefe Palace), the moft beautiful, 
perhaps, in the two cities, which railes its 
majefticdomes inthe midit of furrounding 
groves, and receives the light of the laft 
rays of the fetting-fun. After having 
_ enjoyed the refleflion of its beams on the 
tranquil furface of the river, the admirer 
agreeably repoies his dazzled fight onthe 
verdant extremity of that fuperb alley, 
which, in its almoft interminable courfe, 
ftretches out as far as to Ubigau, paral- 
lel with the bed of the Elbe, and whofe vi- 
gorous trees have braved, for a century 
paft, thefury of the ice, and otinundations. 
Ifvyou walk on a fine day on the pave- 
ments of the bridge, you are tempted to 
fit ‘down’ on the elegant balconies, with 
iron ballufirades, which feem to invite the 
friends of embellifhed nature to come and 
‘contemplate the rich vineyards that rife, 
like an amphitheatre, befpangled with 
agnificent villas, and» which fometimes 
ornament even the fummits.of the hills, 
and fometimes are crowned, in a pictu- 
‘ref{que manncr,’ with groves of tuited 
trees. 
Comparing the German Florence with 
that cf Italy, you will be delighted with 
the aétivity of the watermen, who feem 
to glide over the furface of the water; 
for the navigation of the E}be has a cha- 
rakter of animation very different from 
“that of the Arno. And, laftly, your en- 
chantment will net ceafe until you fhall 
- dave enjoyed the picturcique fcenes which 
‘await you in the environs at twenty diffe- 
rent points of the circumference of Dref- 
den. 
Returning into the citr, you will be 
‘charmed with the beautiful fimpliciiy of 
‘the houfes ; for palaces are rare, and even. 
the Electoral-chateau has but ae infignif- 
7 4 
Deferiptisn of Drefden and its Environs. 
{June 1, 
cant exterior, although, from the richnefe 
and tafte of the furniture, it is fuperior to 
many other refidences. 
The two palaces of the Princes An- 
thony and Maximilian, fituated, one in 
the fuburb Frederickfiadt, and the other 
out of the Seethor, deferve to be noticed. 
They are in the modern tafte, of an 
agreeable architecture, with gardens half 
Englifh, half French, which exhibit a 
handfome icenery. - The promenade in 
them is free for the public, 
Among the gardens to be met with out 
of the city, the moft extenfive is the Elec- 
toral garden, two thoufand five hundred 
paces in length, by a confiderable width ; 
but it is not the more frequented on that 
account. The grove, which makes part 
of it, is fhut up from the public, and re- 
ferved for pheafants. This garden con- 
tains fome large alleys, but has little vari- 
ety ;~it is adorned, however, with fome 
beautiful fiatues ; from time to time con- — 
certs are given there, which attract a great 
concourfe of auditors, the moft valuable. 
pieces of the beft compofers, theNaumanns, 
the Schuffers, being executed here in the 
mof corre ftyle. 
The Garden of Richter feems to be 
the moft popular; a concert is held there 
regularly every week; befides particular 
jétes, iluminations, &c. 
There are fo many other beautiful pro- 
menades, that it may be faid, within due 
bounds, no other refidence difplays fo ma- 
ny, and no other place is fo rich in, natural 
and artificial beauties of this kind. 
Without the gate of Blafewitz, on 
the banks cf the Elbe, lies a meadow 
appropriated to an annual popular feat, 
viz. that of La, Cible; a {pectacle tru- 
ly curious, and which cannot be beheld 
without a tender emotion, excited by the 
appearance of a multitude of all ages, and 
all conditions, indulging the impreffions of 
joy, without tumult, and without any of the 
diforders commonly infeparable from fimilar 
affemblies. It is, at the fame time, 
a fort of fair: the villager, the arti- | 
fan, the modeit bourgeoife, find wherewith 
to fatisfy their tafte and the inclina- 
tions of their children at a trifling ex- 
pence. On the firft and following days of 
this popular feftival, the work-fhops are 
deferted ; men, women, children, old men, © 
all with to enjoy the divertifements of the 
place; and, when the weather is fine, 
from five to fix thoufand perfons may 
be reckoned there.’ Dancing, mufic, fire- 
works, illuminations, refrefhments cf all. 
kinds, are to be found here in aye): °° 
e 
