FRANKFORT, on the Mayne, an imperial city in the circle of the Upper Rhine, is about 35 miles eastward of Mentz, and is situated in the centre of the finest district of Germany. It was anciently the residence of the Frankish monarchs, and is still the place where the electors of the empire hold their meeting for choosing an emperor. The city is large, and contains about 60,000 inhabitants, includ ing the Jcws. It is divided into two unequal parts by the river Mayne, over which there is a bridge composed of 14 arches. The town is well fortified, and is surrounded with a broad ditch very full of water. The ramparts are plant ed with limes, and afford agreeable walks to the inhabitants. Most of the houses arc built of timber, lath, and plaster, and constructed in the antique form, having the upper sto ries projecting over the lower ; but they are kept in good repair, and 11.:.7e always a fresh appearance. The principal houses are built of red or white stone, and many of them are splendid edifices. The principal streets are wide, and there are three spacious squares, which add greatly to the beauty of the place, and in which are situated the houses of the opulent merchants, and the palaces of the neigh bouring princes. Considerable additions have lately been made to it, comprising a square and 18 streets, which are filled with inhabitants. The public buildings most worthy of notice, are the cathedral church of Bartholomew, and the Miner or Stadhouse. The cathedral belongs to the Catholics, and is a large ancient Gothic structure, said to have been erected by Pepin of France, and enriched by Charlemagne ; but it was completely plundered by Louis of Bavaria ; and has neither statues, paintings, nor orna ments. The Milner, or town house, is an immense Gothic pile, bearing the marks of great antiquity, and containing various chambers for the transactions of public business. In the chamber of the electors, are several good paintings; and the grand hall contains a regular series of portraits of all the German emperors, from the time of Conrad in the year 900. Among the archives, is deposited the famous gold en bull of Charles IV. which contains the fundamental laws of the Germanic .constitution, written on parchment, in High Dutch, says Bishop Burnet, (who confesses, how ever, that he did not see it,) but according to Cogan, in the Latin language. The Lutheran church of St Kathe rine, is also a magnificent building, ornamented, says the prelate just quoted, with as much painting as any Popish church, and having a huge carved crucifix over the high altar. The pulpit is extremely fine, constructed of mar blc of different colours, nicely polished and joined. The city is nut encumbered with suburbs; but is surrounded with the country scats and pleasure gardens of the richer inhabitants, intermixed with public houses and tea gardens, for the entertainment of the ordinary citizens. No town in Germany, or perhaps in Europe, is more celebrated for excellent inns ; but there exists a very oppressive law, by which the innkeepers, except at the time of the fairs, can prevent strangers from occupying private lodgings, and compel them both to eat and to sleep in the taverns. Frank fort is one of the principal commercial towns in Germany ; and many of its merchants arc possessed of considerable -wealth. Riesbeck reckons that there are 200 houses or com panies, who have annual incomes of 100,000 guilders, or 10,0001. sterling and upwards ; and in furniture, equipage, and dress, there is a great appearance of affluence among the higher rank of citizens. The trade, however, is of a description unfavourable to the country ; and Frankfort has been termed the great canal by which the gold of the empire runs out." There are considerable manufactures of silk, cotton, linen, woollen, carpeting, porcelain, tobacco, iron ware, £xc. ; but the principal traders are little better than brokers, commissioning articles of internal consump tion. The export of German commodities from this chan nel, scarcely amounts to one-tenth of the impoi is from other countries, which consist of all kinds of spices, ft-male ornaments, handkerchiefs, silks, and the various articles of luxury, furnished by Italy, France, and Holland. As the way to the principal high roads of Germany lies through the direction of Frankfort, there is always a concourse of fashionable company in the town; and several thousands of strangers are attracted to its great fairs, where the southern parts of Germany arc supplied with various commodities. Of these fairs, there are two in the year, one in the spring, and another in the autumn season. Its situation on the Mayne, and its proximity to the Rhine, renders it the ma gazine of all the merchandize which is cant-eyed by these rivers to the different parts of Germany. Besides the number of traders (about 1600) and private purchasers, by whom these fairs are frequented, multitudes are attracted by the love of gaiety and amusement ; and the city becomes, during their continuance, as much a scene of licentiousness as a mart of business. The municipal government of Frankfort is of a very mixed and intricate description ; and warm contests are continually carrying on between the aristocratical and popular interests. The spirit of liti
giousness is described as unusually prevalent in the place; and the annual expence of the law suits, in which the ma gistrates are uniformly engaged with the burghers of the city, or with the neighbouring princes, is estimated at 50,000 rix-dollars. The annual revenue is about 600,000 guilders, or 30,0001. sterling, which is raised chiefly from the cus toms and excise ; but partly from the contributions of the burghers. There are two rates of contribution, one of 50 and the other of 25 guilders per annum. The former is imposed upon those who have an annual income of 30,000 guilders and upwards ; and the latter upon smaller in comes; but every person estimates his own property, and consequently taxes himself, which it sometimes becomes the interest of the merchants to fix at the higher, rather than the lower rate. The citizens who are not Lutherans, have greater taxes to pay, while they possess fewer privi leges. The Calvinists are wholly excluded from the rights of burgesses ; and the Catholics, though admitted to that distinction, are not allowed to take any share in the govern ment. The inhabitants of this city have a peculiar institu tion, called colleges, or associations of persons of the same rank or profession, colleges of nobles, colleges of lawyers, colleges of physicians, colleges of booksellers, colleges of all orders and artists ; so that a stranger, upon being intro duced into any of these, finds himself instantly acquainted with the most respectable persons of his own station. Many of the wealthier inhabitants possess considerable private collections of paintings, and of natural curiosities. These they take great pleasure in exhibiting to strangers ; but are apt to exhaust both the patience and politeness of the vi sitors, by their tedious description of the minutest articles. Many of the principal literary characters of Germany, and well-informed men in every branch of the arts and sciences, may be found in Frankfort ; but the low state of religious toleration, indicates a tardy progress in the path of real ci vilization, and in the spirit of true Christianity. While in manners and conversation there is too great a degree of licence ; there are, in the exercise of public rights, many partial and preposterous restrictions. The established re ligion is the Lutheran ; but both the Catholics and Calvi nists are nearly equal to them in number, and the latter rather superior in point of wealth. The Catholics enjoy their principles and observances in-full liberty, and have numerous chapels, monasteries, and nunneries ; and the Calvinists, who about 20 years ago were obliged to resort to Saxenhausen, a village on the opposite side of the Nlayne, in order to observe public worship in peace and tranquillity, have now two handsome places of worship within the city, one German, the other French. 'There are 10,000 Jews in Frankfort, who have a considerable synagogue, and enjoy a precarious toleration. They are found too useful to he totally eradicated, but are often subjected to such oppres sions, as the self-interest of their persecutors will permit. The streets, to which their residence is restricted, were formerly inclosed with walls, in such a manner that, if thought necessary, they could be imprisoned in a body by locking the gates ; and their habitations were so crowded, that in seven of the houses, which scarcely occupied a space of fifty yards, and which happened to be burned down, there were found to have dwelt twelve hundred in dividuals. There is a law, which prohibits them from re siding in any other part of the city, and even from appear ing out of their own enclosure ; but it is only occasionally enforced, and sometimes in order to extort money for the exemption. At other times they are forced out of their retreat, to perform the more servile offices, such as to carry water in cases of fire, &c. They are a most indus trious people, and some of them possess considerable wealth. They are chiefly employed in selling toys, and dealing in old clothes, of which they receive vast quanti ties from England ; but they refuse no kind of occupation, however degrading or dishonourable. " Those who go into their streets," says Riesbeck, " arc in danger of being pressed to death by them. They fall upon strangers by dozen, and compel them to buy their wares. It is very difficult for a man to disentangle himself from them with out the help of a good stick ; and they call to strangers from the distance of three or four hundred paces." Since their quarter of the city, however, was nearly consumed by fire, they have been dispersed over all the town, which they greatly prefer to their old habitations. East Long. according to solar observations, 8° 36', and North Lat. 50° 7' 29". See Kiittner's Travels through Denmark, and Guide des Voyageurs, vol. ii. p. 75. Riesbeck's Travels through Germany, vol. iii. Cogan's Journey on the Rhine, vol. ii. Bishop Burnet's Travels; and Letters on a Tour through Germany. (q)