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Article SHORT DESCRIPTION OF AUSTRIA, ← Page 4 of 4 Article ANECDOTE OF THE EMPEROR THEODOSIUS. Page 1 of 1
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Short Description Of Austria,
mixture of gallantry with it , which is still to be found evenamongStpeople of rank , degenerates amongst the common people into the grossest and most abominable buffbonety . The Wendes , who are mixed with the Germans in these countries , distinguish themselves by a superstitious custom that does little honour to the human understanding , and would beincredible if we had not the most unequivocal proofs of the fact before our eyes . Many } -ears agothey set out in company
, with some Hungarian enthusiasts to Cologne on the Rhine , which is about one hundred and twenty German miles distant , to cut off the beard of a crucifix there . Every seven years this operation is repeated , as in this space of time the beard grows again to its former length . The rich persons of the association send the poorer ones as their deputiesand the magistrates of Cologne receive them as
embas-, sadors from a foreign prince . They are entertained at the expence of the state , and a counsellor shews them the most remarkable things in the town . This farce brings in large sums of money at stated times , and may therefore deserve political encouragement ; but still , however , it is the most miserable and meanest way of gain that can be imagined . These Wendes have only the risjlit to shave our
Saviour , and the beard grows only for them . They firmly believe , that , if they do not this service to the crucifix , the earth would be shut to them the next seven years , and there would be no . harvests . For this reason they are obliged to carry the hair home with them , as the proof of having fulfilled their commission , the returns of which are distributed amongst the different communities , ancl preserved as holy reliques . The imperial court has for a long time
endeavoured in vain to prevent this emigration , which deprives agriculture of so many useful hands . "When the Wendes could not go openly , they would go clandestinely . At length the court thought of the expedient of forbidding the regency of Cologne to let them enter the town . This happened six years ago , and the numerous embassy was obliged to beg its way back again without the wonderful
beard ; which without doubt the capuchins , to whom the crucifix belonged , used to put together from their own . The trade which the monks carry on with holy salves , oils , & c . is still very considerable ; a prohibition of the court , lately published , has rather lessened it , but it cannot be entirely suppressed till next generation . It is now carried on secretly , but perhaps to nearly as great an amount as formerly .
Anecdote Of The Emperor Theodosius.
ANECDOTE OF THE EMPEROR THEODOSIUS .
THE Emperor Theodosius committing his sons to be instructed bv the learned Arsenius , told them , ' Children , if you take care to ennoble your souls with virtue and knowledge , I will leave you my Crown with p leasure ; but if you neglect that , I had rather see you lose the Empire , than hazard it in the hands of those that are unfit to govern it : ' tis better you should suffer the loss of it , than occasion its ruin , '
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Short Description Of Austria,
mixture of gallantry with it , which is still to be found evenamongStpeople of rank , degenerates amongst the common people into the grossest and most abominable buffbonety . The Wendes , who are mixed with the Germans in these countries , distinguish themselves by a superstitious custom that does little honour to the human understanding , and would beincredible if we had not the most unequivocal proofs of the fact before our eyes . Many } -ears agothey set out in company
, with some Hungarian enthusiasts to Cologne on the Rhine , which is about one hundred and twenty German miles distant , to cut off the beard of a crucifix there . Every seven years this operation is repeated , as in this space of time the beard grows again to its former length . The rich persons of the association send the poorer ones as their deputiesand the magistrates of Cologne receive them as
embas-, sadors from a foreign prince . They are entertained at the expence of the state , and a counsellor shews them the most remarkable things in the town . This farce brings in large sums of money at stated times , and may therefore deserve political encouragement ; but still , however , it is the most miserable and meanest way of gain that can be imagined . These Wendes have only the risjlit to shave our
Saviour , and the beard grows only for them . They firmly believe , that , if they do not this service to the crucifix , the earth would be shut to them the next seven years , and there would be no . harvests . For this reason they are obliged to carry the hair home with them , as the proof of having fulfilled their commission , the returns of which are distributed amongst the different communities , ancl preserved as holy reliques . The imperial court has for a long time
endeavoured in vain to prevent this emigration , which deprives agriculture of so many useful hands . "When the Wendes could not go openly , they would go clandestinely . At length the court thought of the expedient of forbidding the regency of Cologne to let them enter the town . This happened six years ago , and the numerous embassy was obliged to beg its way back again without the wonderful
beard ; which without doubt the capuchins , to whom the crucifix belonged , used to put together from their own . The trade which the monks carry on with holy salves , oils , & c . is still very considerable ; a prohibition of the court , lately published , has rather lessened it , but it cannot be entirely suppressed till next generation . It is now carried on secretly , but perhaps to nearly as great an amount as formerly .
Anecdote Of The Emperor Theodosius.
ANECDOTE OF THE EMPEROR THEODOSIUS .
THE Emperor Theodosius committing his sons to be instructed bv the learned Arsenius , told them , ' Children , if you take care to ennoble your souls with virtue and knowledge , I will leave you my Crown with p leasure ; but if you neglect that , I had rather see you lose the Empire , than hazard it in the hands of those that are unfit to govern it : ' tis better you should suffer the loss of it , than occasion its ruin , '