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536 G E R M A Pf r, [Saxony.
princely or country-fchools, which were founded by the Eleflor Mnurice,
and there are likewife gymnafm and good fchools at JVciffenfeh, Mcrfebwg^
Zeitz, Naimburg, Freyberg, Leipzig, Drcjdcn, Chemnitz, and other
towns. Thefe numerous and well regulated inflitutions facilitate education
and promote the reception ot the Iciences in an uncommon manner,
producing: many able, learned, and celebrated men.
§. 7. The ufeful and fine manufacftures and fabricks are likewife very numerous
in this elediorate. Great quantities of yarn too are fpun here, thread
bleached, coarfe and fine linen wove, and tick made, together with cerecloth,
fine lace, ribbon, edging and paper. The porcelain which is manufadured at
Meißen is famous throughout all Ewope, and known alfo in the other principal
parts of the world. Fine glades and mirrors are made here, and out of the
ferpent-ftone all manner of things. Of the tbundaries in which the coloured
earths, and falts, and fixed fcmimetals are purified, and prepared for
all manner ofufes mention has been made above (§. 3.) Iron is wrought
here into black and white plates in the greateft quantity, as alfo in other
fliapes. Steel, brafs, and Ipineback are made and worked here. Saxo?7y
has alfo its manufadures of gold and filver. Cotton, wool, and filk are
made up here in hankerchiefs, neck-cloths, canvas, nettle-cloth, fuftians,
cloths, freezes, flannels, mock-velvet and many other ftufi^s, velvet, pluih,
and flockings. It makes alfo gloves, caps and hats. The dye-houfes are
likewife excellent, and fine tapeftries are alfo made here. In thefe manufadured
wares, as well as in the natural produdions of the country, namely
in corn, flax, anife, fennel, woad, faflor, or wild-faffron, and gardenfruits,
wood, blue, or ftarch, arlenic, &c. as alio in cattle, wool, and
many other articles an important foreign commerce is carried on. Leipzig
is not only the greateft trading town in this eledorate, but alfo one of
the greateft in all Germajty.
§. 8. The prefent Eledors and Dukes oi SaxcJiy are defcended from the
Mar2;graves of Meifferi, who acquired firft the landgravate of Tburingia,
and afterwards the eledorate of Saxony, and other countries and places, as
will appear below from their particular hiftory. The firft Marggrave of
Meijjen, who in 1 42 2 was Eledor of Scixony, was named Frederick the
Warlike. To his Ion the Eledor Frederick li. or the Mild, fucceeded in
the government his fons the Eledor Eriir/i and Albrecht, who for twenty
years governed in common, but in 1485 divided the countries among them,
founding two principal lines, which were named after them. The eledoral
dignity was at firlt vefted in the Erneßine principal line, Frederick the M^ife
and John the Conllant, fons to the above-mentioned Eledor Erneft, enjoying
it fucceflively, and after them John Frederick, fon to the latter : But
this lafl: was put under the ban by the Emperor Charles V. in the year 1547,
and together with the eledoral dignity, ftript of all his countries and fubjeds,
which were made a donation of to Duke Maurice of the Albertine
line.