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UNIVERSAL DICTIONARY

OF THE

ARTS, SCIENCES, LITERATURE, &c.

INTENDED TO SUPERSEDE

THE USE OF OTHER BOOKS OF REFERENCE.

ILLUSTRATED WITH

THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY PLATES AND MAPS.

SECOND EDITION,

IN TWENTY-THREE VOLUMES.

VOLUME XX.

EDINBURGH:

PRINTED BY JOHN BROWN, ANCHOR CLOSE,

FOR THE PROPRIETORS,

AND SOLD BY ALL THE BOOKSELLERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

1816.

ļ

AE E56 20

ENCYCLOPÆDIA PERTHENSIS.

SAX

SAXONY, the name of two circles of the German empire, an electorate, and duchy.

1. SAXONY, DUCHY OF, or the ELECTORAL CIRCLE of SAXONY, is bounded by the circles of Meiffen, Leipzig, and Thuringia, the principality of Anhalt, the marche of Brandenburg, and Lufa tia. The principality of Anhalt lies acrofs it, and divides it into two parts. Its greatest length and breadth is computed to about 40 miles; but though it is watered by the Elbe, the Black Elfter, and the Mulde, it is not very fruitful, the foil for the moft part confifting of fand. It contains 24 towns, 3 boroughs, betwixt 400 and 500 villages, 164 noble men's eftates, 11 fuperintendencies, 3 infpections, under one confiftory, and 11 prefecturates or diftricts. The prefent duchy of Saxony is not to be confound with the old; for the latter was of a much greater extent, and contained in it thofe large tracts, anciently called Eaftphalia, Eugern, and Weftphalia, of which the electoral circle was no part, but was taken by Albert the Bear, margrave of Salzwedel, from the Vendi. His fon Bernard obtaining the dignity of duke of Saxony from the emperor Frederic I. the title of duchy was given to this country; and the electoral dignity having been afterwards annexed to the duchy, it acquired thereby also the name of the electoral circle.

SAX

fter are found beautiful pearls. This electorate i extremely well cultivated and inhabited, and includes about 250 great and small towns, upwards of 5000 villages, 196 royal manors, and near as many royal caftles, befides private estates, and commanderies. The provincial diets confift of 3 claffes. The first is compofed of the prelates, the counts, and lords, and the two universities of Leipfic and Wittenberg. To the ad belong the nobility in general, immediate or mediate, that is, fuch as ftand immediately under the fief-chancery or the aulic judicatories, and fuch as are immedi ately under the jurifdiction of the amtman. The 3d clafs is formed of the towns in general. The general provincial diets are ordinarily held every fix years; but there are others, called selection diets, convened commonly every two years. Not only thefe diets, but thofe in most of the other states of Germany, are at prefent extremely infignificant and unimportant, retaining little more than the fhadow of their former power and privileges; yet even the petty princes, though they depend upon their more potent neighbours, and muft be careful not to give them any umbrage, are almost as abfolute in their respective territories as the grand feignior himself. As to religion, it was in this country, that the reformation took its rife in the 2. SAXONY, ELECTORATE OF, or SAXONY PRO- 16th century, to which it hath ever fince adhered, FIR, confifts of the duchy, N° 1, the greateft part according to the doctrines of Luther. The two of the Margraviate of Meiffen, a part of the Vogt- late electors, when they embraced Popery, to qua land, and the northern half of the landgravate of lify themselves to be elected kings of Poland, Thuringia. The Lufatias alfo, and a part of the gave the moft folemn affurances to their people, country of Henneberg, belong to it, but are no that they would inviolably maintain the establish part of this circle. The foil of the electoral do ed religion and its profeffors in the full and free minions lying in this circle is in general exceeding enjoyment of all their ecclefiaftical rights, privi rich and fruitful, yielding corn, fruits, and pulfe leges, and prerogatives whatfoever, in regard to in abundance, together with hops, fax, hemp, churches, worship, ceremonies, ufages, univerfi. tobacco, anifeed, wild faffron, wood; and in fome ties, fchools, benefices, incomes, profits, jurisdicplaces wood, wine, coals, porcelain clay, terra tions, and immunities. The electoral families ftill figillata, fullers earth, fine hiver, various forts of continue Roman Catholics, though they have loft beautiful marble ferpentine ftone, and almoft all the crown of Poland, for which they at first emthe different fpecies of precious ftones. Sulphur, braced Popery. As to ecclefiaftical matters, the alum, vitriol, free-ftone, falt fprings, amber, turf, country is divided into parishes, and thefe again cinnabar, quick filver, antimony, bifmuth, arfenic, into spiritual infpections and confiftories, all fubor cobalt, and other minerals, are found in it: like- dinate to the ecclefiaftical council and upper conwife valuable mines of fiver, copper, tin, lead, fiftory of Drefden, in which city and Leipfic the and iron; and abounds in many places with horn- Calvinifts and Roman Catholics enjoy the free exed cattle, fheep, horfes, and venifon The prin- ercife of their religion. Learning flourishes in this cipal rivers are the Elbe, the Black Elfter, the electorate: in which, befides the free schools and Muide, the Saale, the Unftrut, the White Elfter, gymnafia in moft of the chief towns, are the two and the Pleiffe. Thele rivers, as well as the lakes celebrated univerfities of Wittenberg and Leipzic, and rivulets, abound in fish; and in the White El in the last of which are alfo focicties for the liberal VOL. XX. PART I,

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