my, or college, formerly supported by the Lutherans, is gone into decay, and has not been replaced by any other learned seminary of note ; but the present monarch of the country has always manifested liberal and enlightened principles of government, and will naturally promote the improvement of the second city in his dominions.
The population of Augsburg has, since 1768, fluctuated betwixt 30,000 and 36,000 souls, of whom two-thirds are Roman Catholics, and the rest Pro testants. Jews were not, until 1605, admitted to live within the walls ; but such as carried on busi ness there, lodged in a village half a league from the city, and paid a certain tax for liberty of trading in it through the day. The manners of the people are, like those of the principal free cities of southern Germa ny, compounded of the primitive ones of the imperial towns, and of the modern of Germany in general. They have afforded the German poets and novel wri ters abundant scope for ridicule, as we may see from the humorous works of Wieland, Iffland, Schreeder, Lafontaine, Kotzebue, and many others, who lash without mercy the lust of titles, the vanity, the love of scandal and detraction, the purse-pride, and ab surd self-importance, and, in short, the whole Rlein stadtisches IVesen (little royal-burgh existence) of those free commercial towns. The foreigner, how.
ever, has usually met with much kindness and ge nuine hospitality among their inhabitants ; and al though he seldom found the light manners, and the versatile elegance of Dresden, Berlin, or Vienna, he was perhaps fully recompensed by that primeval ho nesty, and a something approaching to originality of character, which he looked for in vain in other parts of Germany.
Augsburg has suffered severely from military con tributions during the late wars. Its ramparts and fortifications were not in condition to hold out one moment against a powerful assailant ; and according ly, it has been for sixteen years past the drudge of Bavarian, Austrian, armies, in succession. It is now incorporated finally with a powerful state, and enjoys a prospect of better times. Every Briton ought to wish for its prosperity, for no where are our countrymen better received, or treated with more ho nourable marks of kindness and distinction. E. Long. 10° 53' 38", N. Lat. 4S° 41' 22". See Busching ; Robertson; Nicolai; Riesbeck; Reichart, 8, c. (J.m.)