they were destroyed simultaneously with the mines. Independently of the consideration that the exposed surface bears no marks of any large cavity, the Romans were too skilful miners to have exposed themselves to such an accident. This opinion is further confirmed by the statement of our guide that on the other side of the mountain he believed a similar falling-in to have occurred where no mines ever existed, the space formed by which now serves as a natural reservoir for water.

*

In Kremnitz all the gold and silver produced in Hungary is or ought to be coined, whether gained by private individuals or by the Government. The Hungarians always had, and have even to the present day, the greatest horror of their gold and silver leaving the country, and they firmly believe that they should all grow rich if they could but keep it at home; so that many laws have been made at different times with this object in view, and among others one which renders the coining at Kremnitz imperative on the Government. The amount annually coined at Kremnitz is about 250,000l. sterling (2,500,000 florins c. m.); but it is probable this is much less than the amount produced, for it is known that a large quantity finds its way to Vienna in

* I find from a note in Engel, (Geschichte von Ungarn, pt. iii. p. 61,) that, in 1443, a great earthquake occurred in Hungary, Poland, and Bohemia, and that the mines in Hungary were much injured by it; so that it is probable this may fix the date of the fall at Kremnitz.

bars, besides the acknowledged 267 marks of gold and 17,812 of silver-of which no account is rendered to the nation. The gold and silver, when brought to Kremnitz, are mixed together in molten masses in different proportions, according to the district whence they come: here they are separated by boiling in sulphuric acid, by which means sulphate of silver is formed while the gold remains pure, and the acid is again separated from the silver by lime.* The process of coining, allowing for the difference of machinery, is pretty much the same I believe everywhere. The metal is rolled into thin plates, the round pieces punched out, reduced to weight by delicate filing, cleaned in spirits of wine, and then stamped. The stamping-machines now used are new ones made in Vienna from a Prussian model; but they do not work well, the stamp not falling flat on the coin. This might be remedied by a very simple change in the machinery; but they say they have no mechanist here capable of doing it, and consequently they will continue to wear out their stamps unnecessarily for some time to come. The silver is mostly coined into pieces. of twenty kreutzers (zwanzigers), and the gold into ducats and half-ducats.

* It is not improbable (as suggested by Hene) that the noble metals, united in this way in different proportions, was called by the Greeks EAEKTPON; for, as far as we know, they were not acquainted with the method of separating them, and therefore could have used pure only what was found in a pure state.

On the morning we were about to leave Kremnitz, the gentleman to whose kindness I had been already indebted for much attention sent down to tell me I might see a Silber-blick; which, as it occurs but once a week, and rarely at a convenient time for travellers, was an opportunity not to be missed. I was just in time.

Contained in a gigantic caldron was a molten mass of liquid metals,gold, silver, lead, and copper, over the surface of which a huge pair of bellows continually drove streams of flame.

The object of this process, which lasts four-andtwenty hours, is to separate the noble from the ignoble metals, which is effected by the oxidation of the latter. At the moment the oxidation is complete, a bright bluish-white metallic lustre spreads itself over the whole surface of the liquid metal, which is hailed with no slight joy by the workmen, as it proclaims that their long and painful task is finished.

The impure metals are then allowed to run off, a stream of warm water is passed over the gold and silver to cool them, the solid mass is taken out, cut up into bars, weighed and sent off to the mint, where the gold and silver are separated, as already described, and coined. The smeltinghouses of Kremnitz are the best in Hungary: instead of the common bellows, they have the doublecylinder bellows worked by water, which maintains a constant blast; and the loss of lead, instead of

being twenty pounds to the mark, is reduced to twelve.

And here we shall rest for a little space from our travels, and dedicate a short chapter to an important part of the laws and institutions of Hungary, which, although frequently alluded to, has not yet been fully brought before the reader's notice.

SMELTING HOUSE.

398

HUNGARIAN NOBLES.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE HUNGARIAN NOBLES.

Nobility in Hungary a Privilege, not a Rank.-Bulla Aurea, similar to our Magna Charta. — Privileges of Nobles. — Tenure of Property not Feudal. — The Insurrection. Non-payment of Taxes. Classes of Nobility.-The Magnates.-Count Crachat. -The Gentry. The "One-house" Nobles—their Hospitality. -The Constituency of Hungary compared to that of other constitutional Nations.-The Costume of the Nobles.

"Nemes ember vagyak!" (I am a nobleman!) proudly answers the mustachioed Magyar when any question of freedom of speech or action is raised ; and, as he does so, he twirls the cherished ornament of his upper lip, strikes together his long spurs, and seems to increase in stature on the announcement of his dignity. Whence flows this pride of rank? Not from the social position conferred by it, for I have seen a noble wear the livery of servitude ; not from wealth, for many of them are as poor as the peasantry; not from high name or historical recollections, for the reputation of the greater number never extended beyond their native villages, and the ignorance of these at least is so great as to preclude the indulgence of such associations. No! from none of these-the ordinary attendants