are forbidden to use
them. Innumerable commentaries have been written upon the German
constitution, but notwithstanding this, they have made no advance
because

* * * * *

"The capital of this country (France) is called Paris, and is very
large, and may in a certain degree be considered the capital of all
Europe; for it exercises a peculiar law-giving power over the whole
continent. It has, for example, the exclusive right to prescribe the
universal mode of dress and living; and no style of dress, however
inconvenient or ridiculous, may be controverted after the Parisians have
once established it. How or when they obtained this prescriptive right
is unknown to me. I observed, however, that this dominion did not extend
to other things; for the other nations often make war with the French,
and not seldom force them to sue for peace on very hard terms; but
subservience in dress and living nevertheless continues. In quickness of
judgment, inquisitiveness after news, and fruitfulness of discovery, the
French are much like the Martinians.

* * * * *

"From Bologna we went to Rome. This latter city is governed by a priest,
who is held to be the mightiest of the kings and rulers of Europe,
although his possessions may be travelled through in one day. Beyond all
other regents, who only have supremacy over their subjects' lives and
goods, he can govern souls. The Europeans generally believe that this
priest has in his possession the keys of heaven. I was very curious to
see these keys, but all my endeavors were in vain. His power, not only
over his own subjects, but the whole human race, consists principally in
that he can absolve those whom God condemns, and condemn those whom God
absolves; an immense authority, which the inhabitants of our
subterranean world seriously believe is not becoming to any mortal man.
But it is an easy matter to induce the Europeans to credit the most
unreasonable assertions, and submit to the most high-handed assumptions,
notwithstanding they consider themselves alone sensible and enlightened,
and, puffed up with their foolish conceits, look contemptuously upon all
other nations, whom they call barbarous.

"I will not, by any means, defend our subterranean manners and
institutions: my purpose simply is, to examine those of the Europeans,
and show how little claim these people have to find fault with other
nations.

"It is customary