LUNEBURG, the capital of the principality of the same name, is a pretty large town of Germany, on the river Elmen, or the Ilmenau, which is navigable from the town to the Elbe, at the distance of 13 miles. It is 27 miles from Hamburg, 43 from Zell, 65 from Brunswick, 76 from Bremen, 68 from Hanover; and stands in E. Long. 10. 40. N. Lat. 53. 28. Its inhabitants are reckoned at between 8000 and 9000. Formerly this town was one of the Hanse, and an imperial city. Some derive its name from Lina, the ancient name of the Ilmenau; others from Lana, the moon, an image of which is said to have been worshipped by the inhabitants in the times of Paganism. Here were anciently several convents, viz. one of Minims, another of Premonstratensians, another of Benedictines, and a fourth of Minorites. Out of the revenues of the Benedictine monastery was founded an academy for the martial exercises, where young gentlemen of the principality of Lunenburg are maintained gratis, and taught French, fencing, riding, and dancing; but foreigners are educated at a certain fixed price. A Latin school was also founded, consisting of four classes, and well-endowed out of these revenues. The superintendency and management of these, and the estates appropriated to their maintenance, belongs to the landschaft director, and the aufreiter, who are both chosen from among the Lunenburg nobility. The first came in place of the Popish abbot, and as such is head of the states of the principality, and president of the provincial college. He has the title of excellency; and in public instruments styles himself, by the grace of God landschaft director, and lord of the mansion of St Michael in Lunenburg. The chief public edifices are three parish-churches, the ducal palace, three hospitals, the town-house,
Lungs house, the salt-magazine, the anatomical theatre, the
Lupercalia academy; the conventual church of St Michael, in
which lie interred the ancient dukes; and in which is
the famous table eight foot long, and four wide, pla-
ted over with chased gold, with a rim embellished with
precious stones, of an immense value, which was ta-
ken from the Saracens by the emperor Otho, and pre-
sented to this church; but in 1698, a gang of thieves
stripped it of 200 rubies and emeralds, together with
a large diamond, and most of the gold, so that at
present but a small part of it remains. Here are some
very rich salt-springs. Formerly, when there was a
greater demand for the salt, upwards of 120,000 tons
have been annually boiled here, and sold off: but
since the commencement of the present century, the
salt-trade hath declined greatly. A fifth of the salt
made here belongs to the king, but is farmed out. It
is said to excel all the other salt made in Germany.
This town is well fortified; and has a garrison, which
is lodged in barracks. In the neighbourhood is a good
lime-stone-quarry; and along the Ilmenau are ware-
houses, in which are lodged goods brought from all
parts of Germany, to be forwarded by the Elmenau
to Hamburg, or by the Asche to Lubec, from whence
other goods are brought back the same way. The town
itself drives a considerable traffic in wax, honey, wool,
flax, linen, salt, lime, and beer.