Citizenship, at Hamburgh, is personal. The son of a citizen, therefore, is not a citizen of right, but must pur chase his franchise. A Hamburgher, or a stranger, who does not chose to purchase the citizenship, must pay a stipulated sum annually to the town, to entitle him to en gage in trade as a merchant, besides all the other duties and imposts to which the other citizens are liable. The income of the state is very large. It is composed partly of stand ing sources of revenue, and partly of occasional taxes granted by the community. The aggregate revenue is es timated at 3,800,000 marks, or about 285,0001. sterling. The established religion of the city is the Lutheran, and no other public exercise of religion is tolerated. But per sons of a different persuasion may have an opportunity of attending worship at the chapels of the foreign envoys who reside in the city. The number of the clergy, including those of the dependent territories, amounts to fifty-three.
The chief dependencies of this city are, the river Alster, the bailiage of Ilam, some islands and low lands on the Elbe ; and besides some districts acquired from Holstein, the bailiage of Ritzcbuttel, to the north of the duchy of Bremen, including the poi t o1 Cuxhaven, and the isle call ed Neuwcrk, situated opposite to that port.
The Ratla-Keller, or town cellar, may be reckoned one of the curiosities of Hamburgh. It is an immense sub terraneous cavern, which is filled principally with Rhenish wine. Several halls and chambers have been formed, for the entertainments frequently given there by the inhabi tants and strangers. It is under the direction of a burgo master, three senators, and three burghers; but the im mediate management is committed to a steward, who makes a profitable business of it. There is also an apothecaries' hall belonging to the town, which contains a great quantity of every possible species of drugs. These being superior
to those sold by the other apothecaries, have a considera ble sale, and produce much profit to the city.
In Hamburgh there are numerous schools, libraries, and literary institutions, which reflect honour on the en lightened taste of its inhabitants ; besides several valua ble collections or paintings and prints, and cabinets of na tural history, &c. which sufficiently prove that the arts and sciences have not been neglected amidst the pursuits of commerce. This city has been, at different periods, the residence of many literary characters of the first emi nence, among whom the names of Lessing and Klopstock are conspicuous. The principal amusements of the inha bitants are music and dancing, card-playing and billiards ; in winter riding upon sledges ; and, in summer, walking or riding to public gardens in the environs of the town. There is a French and a German theatre; and the musi cal drama, or opera, has long been cultivated with activity and success at Hamburgh. The compositions of Keiser, Matheson, Handel, and Telemann, who all commenced their carrier in this city, are the most celebrated. C. P. E. Bach, the greatest musician of his time, succeeded Telemann as music director in 1767, and retained the situation until his death in 1788.
The merchants of Hamburgh are very luxurious in their style of living ; the tone of society is easy and ani mated ; and there is no place where strangers are enter tained with more hospitality. See Nugent's Travels through Germany ; Riesbeck's Travels ; Peuchet Dirt. de la Geog. Com. vol. iv.; Reichard, Guide des Voyageurs; Account of the management of the Poor in Hamburgh ; Hamburgische Klinstler-?achrichten. Harnburgh,1794. (z)