DRESDEN, the capital city of the electorate of Saxony in Germany. It is seated on the river Elbe, which divides it into two parts. One part is called Old Dresden, and the other the New Town, in the German language New Stadt. They are joined together by a stone bridge, supported by 19 piers, and 630 paces in length. As this bridge was too narrow for the crowds of people that were continually passing and repassing, King Augustus in 1730, caused two walks for foot passengers to be built, one on each side, in a very wonderful manner; the one for those that go into the city, and the other for those that return back. These are bordered with iron palisadoes of curious workmanship. This noble bridge was much injured by the French in 1813. Dresden is surrounded by fortifications; and was said to contain 45,000 inhabitants in 1811.
All the buildings of this city are constructed with square freestone, and are almost all of the same height. They have stone from the neighbourhood of Pirna, about ten miles from this city, which is readily brought down the Elbe. In general the houses are high and strong; the streets wide, straight, well paved, clean, and well illuminated in the night; and there are large squares, disposed in such a manner, that Dresden may pass for one of the handsomest cities in the world. The king's palace is a magnificent structure, and abounds in many valuable curiosities both of nature and art. The collection of pictures is reckoned one of the finest that exists, and is valued at 500,000l.
Above 700 men are here constantly employed in the porcelain manufacture, the annual expence of which is estimated at no more than 80,000 crowns; and the manufacture yields to the king 200,000 crowns yearly, besides
Dresden, besides the magnificent presents which he occasionally makes, and the large quantity reserved for the use of his household.
The other most considerable article of trade is silver, of which the mines near Friburg produce every 15 days near the value of 20,000 dollars. The metal is brought into the city in ingots, where it is immediately coined and delivered to the proprietors.
The court of Dresden is one of the most remarkable in Europe for splendour and profusion. Six thousand five hundred ducats are yearly allowed for comfits and similar articles, which is near twice as much as the king of Prussia allows for the whole expence of his table. The revenues of the king of Saxony are estimated at about 900,000 l.; which arise from the taxes on lands, and a capitation on all males as soon as they commence an apprenticeship or begin to work. People of a higher rank are taxed according to their class, and are liable to be called to account if they assume not an exterior appearance correspondent to the extent of their fortune. Every foreigner pays capitation after residing six months in the country. The Jews are taxed at 50, their wives at 30, and their children at 20 dollars. There is also an excise on all eatables and liquors; and 10 per cent. is levied out of the incomes of the people.
Though this city lies in a low situation, yet it hath agreeable prospects. It is supplied with a prodigious quantity of provisions, not only out of the neighbourhood, but from Bohemia, which are brought every market day, which is once a-week. E. Long. 13. 34. N. Lat. 51. 12.
DRESSING of HEMP and FLAX. See FLAX-Dressing.
DRESSING of Meats, the preparing them for food by means of culinary fire.
The design of dressing is to loosen the compages or texture of the flesh, and dispose it for dissolution and digestion in the stomach. Flesh not being a proper food without dressing, is alleged as an argument that man was not intended by nature for a carnivorous animal.
The usual operations are roasting, boiling, and stewing.—In roasting, it is observed, meat will bear a much greater and longer heat than either in boiling or stewing; and in boiling, greater and longer than in stewing. The reason is, that roasting being performed in the open air, as the parts begin externally to warm, they extend and dilate, and so gradually let out part of the rarefied included air, by which means the internal succussions, on which the dissolution depends, are much weakened and abated. Boiling being performed in water, the pressure is greater, and consequently the succussions to lift up the weight are proportionably strong, by which means the coction is hastened; and even in this way there are great differences; for the greater the weight of water, the sooner is the business done.
In stewing, though the heat be infinitely short of what is employed in the other ways, the operation is much more quick, because performed in a close vessel, and full; by which means the succussions are oftener repeated, and more strongly reverberated. Hence the force of Papin's digester; and hence an illustration of the operation of digestion.
Boiling, Dr Cheyne observes, draws more of the rank strong juices from meat, and leaves it less nutritive, more diluted, lighter, and easier of digestion: roasting, on the other hand, leaves it fuller of the strong nutritive juices, harder to digest, and needing more dilution. Strong, grown, and adult animal food, therefore, should be boiled, and the younger and tenderer roasted.