W185 
possible to live. Austria, at that time, 
was usually considered to be a country 
abounding in wealth, in which provisions 
were cheap, and where foreigners had 
frequent opportunities of distinguishing 
themselves. The two brethers but too 
easily gave credit to these flattering re- 
ports; and having sold all the trifling 
eifects appertaining to them, packed up 
their clothes, and with the little money 
they possessed, repaired to Vienna. 
Their hopes however were most cruelly 
disappointed! Amidst the tumult and 
the luxury of that great city, they re- 
sembled two drops of water last in the 
immensity of the ocean. ‘Their eyes 
were everywhere dazzled with opulence 
—they beheld a crowd of individuals 
enjoying all the pleasures of life, and 
obtaining these by the most easy means. 
But they themselves, being destitute of 
acquaintance, and devoid of interest ; 
professing a religion which did not 
happen to be the ruling one; and be- 
sides, being natives of a country, the in- 
habitants af which were viewed witha 
jealous eye, they did not participate in 
any of those felicities that everywhere 
surrounded them. The little sum of 
money brought in their purse soon melted 
away, and they were at length reduced 
to a state of singular embarrassment, 
not krowing how they should be able to 
subsist any bonger. 
An Englishman, who took a few lessons 
from the younger Schredder in natural 
history, proposed to carry him to visit 
the mines of Hungary; but this only 
presented a momentary resource. He 
accepted it, however, for want of a better 
offer, while the elder remained in the 
capital, and lived in a sovry manner, on 
a very moderate salary obtained by him, 
as a reward for transcribing some writings 
appertaining to an advocate. -He was 
always employed on those that were 
either-too dificult, or too laborious, for 
the ordinary copyists; and in addition to 
this, he was constantly menaced with 
Josing such a resource, trifling and con- 
temptible as it was. 
also bis misfortune to have given umbrage 
to the lawyer’s wife, perhaps because he 
did not suthciently humble himself in 
her presence: and he heard her one day 
reproach her husband for his kindness to 
a man convicted of the- doubie crime of 
being a heretic and a Prussian. From 
that moment, every time that he carried 
home his task, the advocate, after paying 
him with a few pieces of copper coin, 
Retrospect of French Literature—JLiscellanies. 
It happened to be 
a 
et 
was sure to repeat, that he had no firs 
ther occasion for his services. 
_ But at the moment he least expected 
it, fortune began to smile upon the elder’ 
Schreeder, and chance presented him. 
with a new mode of ‘subsistence. It 
proved very trifling, it is true, but yet it 
was the first step in the ladder of his 
fortune. 
At the time, to which we now allude, 
the Prince de Lichtenstein was at the 
head of the Austrian artillery. His 
whole happiness, and even his glory, 
seemed to consist in giving to it all that 
_ perfection, and all that lustre, of which 
it was susceptible. Nothing was want- 
ing on his partto make it- attain the very 
summit of excellence, and for this pur- 
pose he entered into the most. minute 
details.-: Whenever he heard of any 
scheme, which had succeeded elsewhere, 
he risked the proof of the experiment, 
and paid the -expences out of his own 
private fortune: was it unfortunate, he - 
bore the loss without a murmur; but 
did it succeed, the state reaped all the. - 
advantages. Both friends and enemies 
agreed in praising his probity, the dis’ 
interestedness of his mind, and the ex- 
tent of his patriotism. Even Frederic 
the Great, whose. victorious progress had. 
been so often stopped by him, and whom. 
he had caused to lose several battles, 
that of Kollin in particular, has long 
since immortalized him in his writings. 
Among other establishments he had 
formed for the instruction of subaltern: 
and in order to excite their emulation, was 
a military academy, There they heard 
lectures from professors, in mathematics, 
geometry, and all the sciences necessary 
for forming.a good artillerist. The stu- 
7 
% 
dents were classed by divisions, of from _ 
forty to fifty each, and these had all their 
separate hours of employment. Publie 
examinations. exhibited the degree of 
their respective progress, and none could 
hope for advancement, except those who 
conducted themselves with ability. 
The prince recompensed the professors. 
~ 
in a noble manner; and in respect to — ‘ 
their choice, he neither regarded their 
country nor their faith: merit constituted 
their sule recommendation. Huwever, 
like other men, he sometimes. fell ito 
error, an example of which occurred in 
the present instance, forhe had appointed 
as professor of mathematics, a French- 
man, who might indeed be very learned, 
but had two great faults, that totally un 
fitted him for his situation: the ene je. 
* that 
¥ 
, 
