a city of Germany, in the circle of Lower Saxony, and capital of the duchy of the same name. It is composed of five towns, viz. the Old Town, the New Town, the Hagen or Burg, the Old Wieck, and the Sac, which makes it a large place, but the houses are almost all built of wood. There are several churches, one of which is an ancient Gothic building, but the appearance of its antiquity is almost absorbed by the repairs it has undergone. Brunswick is a fortified place, and would require a numerous army to besiege, and not a few men to defend it. It is of a square form, divided in the middle by the river Ocker. It is about two miles in circumference, and is strongly fortified. On the ramparts is a mortar-piece of brass, ten feet six inches long, and nine feet two inches in circumference, weighing 1800 quintals, and has 93 quintals of iron in its carriages. It will carry a ball of 730 pounds weight to the distance of 33,000 paces, and throw a bomb of a thousand weight; but it requires 52 pounds of powder for a charge. This city is the residence of the prince whom we style the duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttle. The inhabitants of the city and parts adjacent carry on a considerable trade with Bohemia. Brunswick rum is well known in England; a small fort of which is the common drink of the inhabitants of the city. The religion here is the Lutheran, and they observe it very strictly. The peasants are sober and laborious, but clownish and heavy; however, as they are robust and strong, they make good soldiers. The elector of Hanover is styled duke of Brunswick, though he has no property in, nor dominion over, this city, which belongs to the duke of Brunswick Wolfenbuttle. The number of inhabitants is about 24,000; and the whole income of the duke is estimated at L.130,000. The academy of Brunswick, Dr Moore informs us, has been new-modelled, and the plan of education improved, by the attention, and under the patronage, of the hereditary prince. Students now resort to this academy from many parts of Germany; and there are generally some young gentlemen from Britain, who are sent to be educated here. Such of them as are intended for a military life, will not find so many advantages united at any other place in the continent, as at the academy of Brunswick. They will here be under the protection of a family partial to the British nation—every branch of science is taught by masters of known abilities—the young students will see garrison duty regularly performed, and may by the interest of the prince obtain liberty to attend the reviews of the Prussian troops at Magdeburg and Berlin. They will have few temptations to experience, in a town where they can see no examples of extravagance—have few opportunities of dissipation, and none of gross debauchery.

The fortifications at Brunswick were of great utility last war, and on one occasion they saved the town from being pillaged, and afforded prince Frederick, who is now in the Prussian service, an opportunity of performing an action, which, it is imagined, gave him more joy than twenty victories. This happened in the year 1761, soon after the battle of Kirch Denkern, when duke Ferdinand protected Hanover, not by conducting his army into that country, and defending it directly, as the enemy seemed to expect, and probably wished; but by diversion, attacking with strong detachments, commanded by the hereditary prince, their magazines in Hesse, and thus drawing their attention from Hanover to that quarter. While the duke lay encamped at Willhemthall, watching the motions of Broglie's army, the marshal being greatly superior in numbers, sent a body of 20,000 men, under prince X.vier of Saxony, who took possession of Wolfenbuttle, and soon after invested Brunswick. Prince Ferdinand, anxious to save his native city, ventured to detach 5000 of his army, small as it was, under his nephew Frederick, assisted by general Luckener, with orders to harass the enemy, and endeavour to raise the siege. The young prince, while on his march, sent a soldier with a letter to the governor, which was wrapped round a bullet, and which the soldier was to swallow in case of his being taken by the enemy.—He had the good fortune to get safe into the town. The letter apprised the commander of the garrison of the prince's approach, and particularised the night and hour when he expected to be at a certain place near the town, requiring him to favour his entrance.

In the middle of the night appointed, the prince fell suddenly on the enemy's cavalry, who, unsuspicious of his approach, were encamped carelessly within a mile of the town. They were immediately dispersed, and spread such an alarm among the infantry, that they also retreated with considerable loss. Early in the morning the young prince entered Brunswick, amidst the acclamations of his fellow-citizens, whom he had relieved from the horrors of a siege. The hereditary prince having destroyed the French magazines in Hesse, had been recalled by his uncle, and ordered to attempt the relief of Brunswick. While he was advancing with all possible speed, and had got within a few leagues of the town, he received the news of the siege being raised. On his arrival at his father's palace, he found his brother Frederick at table, entertaining the French officers, who had been taken prisoners the preceding night.

Brunswick (the duchy of), is a country of Germany, bounded on the north by the duchy of Lüneburg; on the west, by the circle of Westphalia, from which it is separated by the river Weser; on the south by Hesse, and the little territory of Piekfield; and on the east by Thuringia, with the principalities of Anhalt and Halberstadt, and the duchy of Magdeburg. The rivers are, the Weser, the Oker, and the Lyne; and it is fertile both in corn and pastures. It is divided into three principalities, Wolfenbuttle, Grubenhagen, and Calenberg, which also comprehends the duchy of Göttingen. The principality of Wolfenbuttle has its own dukes; but the other two belong to the elector of Hanover. The territories of the house of Brunswick are more extensive; the principal of which are the duchies of Brunswick and Lunenburg, with the county of Dannenburg, which is annexed thereto. The rest are Blankenburg, Dieport, and Hoye, besides two or three smaller districts.

Brunswick (the family of). The illustrious and ancient house of Brunswick owes its origin to Azo IV. of the family of Este, son of Hugo III. marquis of Ferrara in Italy. Azo, who died in 1055, left by his wife Cunegonde, daughter and heiress to Guelf III. Duke of Bavaria, a son, who was Guelf IV., great-grandfather to Henry the Lyon. His son, Guelf V., named the Valiant, was created duke of Bavaria by the Emperor Henry II. His son, Guelf VI. married Matilda, the richest heiress in Europe; but having no issue, his brother Henry the Black succeeded to his dominions. He died in 1125, having married Wulfhild daughter of Magnus, last duke of Saxony, of the Bulling family, by whom he had Henry the Proud, who succeeded to Bavaria in 1137; and he having married a daughter of the emperor Lotharius, his father-in-law granted him investiture of Saxony, and meant him for his successor in the empire; but this last he was disappointed of. Dying in 1149, both Saxony and Bavaria devolved on his son Henry V. named the Lyon. He married Maude, eldest daughter of king Henry II. of England, and is always looked upon as the founder of the Brunswick family: it is therefore extremely remarkable, that his present Majesty should be descended from one of our worthiest monarchs, in whom were united the royal Anglo-Saxon and Norman blood. The dominions possessed by Henry the Lyon were the most extensive of any prince of his time; but having refused to assist the emperor Frederick Barbarossa in a war against Pope Alexander III., this drew the emperor's resentment on him; and being already jealous of his power and abilities, all his former services were forgotten; and, in the diet of Wurtzburg in 1179 or 1180, he was proscribed. The duchy of Bavaria was given to Otho count Wittelpatch, from whom is descended the present electoral family of Bavaria; the duchy of Saxony to Bernard Ascanius, founder of the house of Anhalt; and all his other territories disposed of to different persons. On this he retired to England; and, by his father's intercession, Brunswic... BRU

Brunswick and Lunenburg were restored to him. His wife Maude died in 1189, and he in 1195. He left three sons; but the two eldest not leaving any male issue, William, the third son, carried on the line of the family; and his son Otho was created duke of Brunswick and Lunenburg in 1235, by the emperor Ferdinand II. From him all the succeeding dukes of this family have descended; and no family can boast of a line of princes who have more distinguished themselves, both by their political abilities and martial achievements; and they are allied to all the principal families in Europe. The house of Brunswick has divided into several branches. The present duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel is sprung from the eldest; the duke of Brunswick-Zell was from the second; and from this last sprung the elector of Hanover.