The Royal order of Louis was founded by King Louis I., for those officials who have passed fifty years, satisfactorily to the government, in the civil, military, or ecclesiastical service of the state, or in that of the court.

The order of Theresa was instituted December 12, 1827, by Theresa, queen of Bavaria. It is intended for the daughters of noble families, in reduced circumstances, and, with it, is conferred a pension of 300 florins. Besides these, there is an order of Elizabeth, founded in 1766.

BRUNSWICK ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD.

The order of Henry the Lion was instituted April 25, 1835, by Duke William, to reward civil and military merit, and eminence in the arts and sciences. It is divided into four classes. A cross of merit is also attached to this order.

A Cross of distinction for Military services was decreed April 1, 1833.

HANOVERIAN ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD.

The order of the Guelph was instituted by the Prince-Regent, afterwards George IV., August 12, 1815, to commemorate the epoch when Hanover was liberated from the French domination and elevated to the rank of a kingdom. It is divided into three classes. The grand cross is only conferred on persons of the rank of lieutenant-generals, and for services rendered on occasions when they acted on their own authority. The dignity of commander is granted to the rank of major-general. But no rank is specified for the candidates for the knighthood of this order. The sovereign of this order is the king of Hanover.

ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD OF THE ELECTORATE OF HESSE.

The order of the Golden Lion was instituted August 14, 1770, by the landgrave Frederic II. It is divided into three classes, and is conferred as a reward for distinction in the civil and military service of the state.

The order of the Iron Helmet, created March 14, 1814, corresponds to the Prussian order of the Iron Cross. There are, also, an order of Military Merit and a cross of Merit.

ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF HESSE.

The order of Louis was instituted by the grand duke Louis, August 25, 1807. It is divided into five classes. The grand cross is only conferred on princes, or persons with the title of Excellency.

A mark of honour for Military Service was established December 26, 1823.

PRUSSIAN ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD.

The order of the Black Eagle was founded by Frederic III., elector of Brandenburg, January 18, 1701, on the day on which he was crowned king of Prussia. In 1835, there were one hundred and eleven knights of this order, of whom eleven were princes of the royal family; fifty-four foreign sovereigns and princes; fifteen Prussian knights; and thirty-one foreigners.

The order of the Red Eagle was formerly called the order of Concord, and received its present name in 1734. It was reformed by the margrave of Baireuth-Culmbach in 1777, and by him transmitted to Frederic William of Prussia, in 1791. Its knights rank next to those of the Black Eagle. It is divided into three classes.

The order of the Iron Cross was instituted by Frederic William III., and conferred on all who had distinguished themselves in the Liberation-War.

There are, also, a Prussian order of Merit, an order of St. John, and of Louisa. A decoration of Merit for having saved a fellowcreature from danger, was instituted February 1, 1835.

SAXON ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD.

The Military order of St. Henry was instituted by Augustus III., king of Poland and elector of Saxony, October 7, 1736, as a recompense for brilliant military exploits. It is divided into

three classes.

The order of Civil Merit was created by Frederic Augustus, June 7, 1815, on his return to Saxony. It is conferred on those who are distinguished for patriotic merit, and on foreigners who

have earned the gratitude of Saxony. It is divided into four classes.

There are, also, an order of the Crown of Saxony, and a medal of Military merit.

In the duchy of Saxe Weimar, there is an order of Vigilance, and in those of Saxe Gotha, Saxe Altenburg, and Saxe Meiningen, a ducal order of the Ernestinian line.

WURTEMBERG ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD.

The order of Military merit was created February 11, 1759, by Charles Eugene, as a recompense for those officers who had distinguished themselves in the Seven Years' War. It was renewed in 1799, by Frederic I., and totally reformed in 1806. It is now divided into three classes.

The order of Civil merit, with which is now united the order of the Golden Eagle, was instituted by King Frederic, November 6, 1806. It is divided into three classes. Every councillor can claim it, who has served with zeal during twenty-four years; personal nobility is conferred with it. This order is, at present, known by the name of the order of the Crown of Wurtemberg. There are, also, an order of Frederic, and a medal of Civil Merit in gold and silver.

Since the desire of distinction is inherent in mankind, and has been the source of many of the greatest actions and works which have embellished and benefited society, we cannot join with those who profess to depreciate such rewards. When profusely distributed, they lose, of course, a portion of their value; but there are many individuals who do not desire money, and who require some such stimulus as an incentive to exertion.

CHAPTER XVI.

REFLECTIONS ON THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CONDITION OF GERMANY.

NOTHING appears more easy, at first sight, than to deliver an oracular sentence on the morality, the refinement, the hospitality, and the disposition of various countries and cities; a visit of a few weeks suffices with some to afford the requisite data, and others seat themselves on the tripod after a casual intercourse with four or five natives, or supported by the experience of a few adventures at an inn. It appears to me that the only safe road to experience on this head lies in the domain of Statistics; it is only by a large comparison of facts, published by the respective local authorities, that an approximation to the truth can be attained; and I refer with far more confidence to such documents scattered throughout this volume, than to the following personal impressions.

To deliver a correct opinion on the political condition and sentiments of any given country is one of the most difficult tasks that can be attempted; which any one will admit who observes the diversity of sentences pronounced respecting the tendencies of his own countrymen. We find, in fact, in every nation, that society is divided into four or five political classes, each of which supposes itself to be infallible, and the traveller is generally converted to the tenets of that sect, whatever it may be, into which he happens to have been thrown by accident, by his position in life, or by his previous tastes. One party is for rudely pushing forwards, another is disposed to progress cautiously, a third is willing to stand still, and a fourth entertains an Epicurean carelessness as to every movement, except that which may interfere with his own amusements or pursuits. I shall endeavour briefly to sketch out the general outline of political views and of social life in Germany, but with little hope of success, and with no expectation of satisfying all judges.

The complaint is sometimes heard in Germany, that it does not form one great empire; that it is so much subdivided as to lose the importance and consideration, which ought to attach to so many millions of people; and some look forward with eager anticipation, to the period when this wish may be consummated. Others more soberly confine their views to the possible formation of two great states out of the numerous elements, of which Austria and Prussia might form the centres. But it is difficult to foresee all the good which is imagined by speculators, as likely to accrue from such a centralisation of dominion. The manufacturers of Germany are already boldly competing with those of England and France; its maritime relations are not capable of any very considerable extension, because nature has stinted sea-ports to it. As far as political and military weight can go, Germany has earned for itself a dignified preponderance. What more is to be obtained from this desired fusion of states? Is a larger portion of freedom, more prosperity, more happiness, descried in the visionary distance? There are some advantages which a native of Germany possesses in a higher degree than any other European. One of these consists in the greater number of employments which lie open to his ambition and his talents. All the numerous German states afford existence to their own respective cabinet ministers, envoys, generals, dignitaries, and civil officers, of various denominations. In some situations, which only a single individual fills in England and France, perhaps twenty individuals are installed throughout Germany. England sends only one minister to France, while Germany sends about thirteen; and the same observation applies to several other functions*. In short, a German enjoys several chances of obtaining an honourable post for the exercise of his

According to Schön, the following is the comparative number of persons employed in the administration of the State in different countries: namely,

(See his Allgemeine Geschichte und Statistik der Europäischen Civilisation, p. 223.)

T