a duchy of Germany, bounded on the east by Poland; on the west, by Bohemia and Lower Lusatia; on the south, by a chain of mountains, and a thicket of considerable extent which separates it from Hungary; and to the north, by the marquisate of Brandenburg and Poland. From north-west to south-east it is about 274 miles, and about 100 where broadest; but it is much contracted at both ends. Upon the frontiers of this country, to the west and south, are very high mountains, and some likewise in other parts of it. One of the ridges upon the frontiers is styled the Riphean Mountains, another the Moravian, another the Bohemian, and another the Hungarian, Grapack, or Carpathian. A branch of the Bohemian is called the Giant Mountains. The winter on these hilly tracks is more severe, sets in sooner, and lasts longer, than in the low lands. The inhabitants use a kind of skates when the snow is deep, as they do in Carniola. Little or no grain is raised in the mountains and some sandy tracks; but the rest of the country is abundantly fruitful, not only in grain, but fruits, roots, pasture, flax, hops, madder, tobacco, and hemp, yielding also some wine, with considerable quantities of silk and honey. In many places are great woods of pines, fir, beech, larch, and other trees, affording tar, pitch, rosin, turpentine, lampblack, and timber for all uses. In this country also is found marble of several sorts, some precious stones, limestone, millstone, pitcoal, turf, vitriol, some silver ore, copper, lead, iron, and mineral springs. Great numbers of black cattle and horses are brought hither from Poland and Hungary for sale, those bred in the country not being sufficient; but of sheep, goats, game, and venison, they have great plenty. As for wild beasts, here are lynxes, foxes, weasels, otters, and beavers. The rivers, lakes, and ponds, yield fish of several sorts, particularly flurgeon several ells in length, and salmon. Besides a number of smaller streams to water this country, there is the Oder, which traverses it almost from one end to the other; and the Vistula, which after a pretty long course through it enters Poland. The number of the cities and market-towns is said to be about 200, the county of Glatz included, and that of the villages 5000. The inhabitants, who are computed to be about a million and an half, are a mixture of Germans, Poles, and Moravians. The language generally spoken is German; but in some places the vulgar tongue is a dialect of the Sclavonic. The states consist of the princes and dukes, and those called state-lords, with the nobility, who are immediately subject to the sovereign, and the representatives of the chief cities; but since the country fell under the dominion of the king of Prussia, no diets have been held. The king, however, when he took possession of the country, confirmed all the other privileges of the inhabitants. With respect to religion, not only Protestants, but Papists, Jews, and Greeks, enjoy full liberty of conscience. The greatest part of Silesia lies in the diocese of Breslau, but some part of it in the Polish diocese of Posen and Cracow. The bishop of Breslau stands immediately under the pope with regard to spirituals; but all ecclesiastical benefices, not excepting the see of Breslau, is in the king's gift. Besides Latin schools, colleges, and seminaries, at Breslau is an university, and at Lignitz an academy for martial exercises. The principal manufactures here are woolens, linens, and cottons of several sorts, with hats, glassware, gunpowder, and iron manufactures. Of these there is a considerable exportation. Accounts are generally kept in rix-dollars, silver groschens, and ducats. With respect to its revolutions and present government, it was long a part of the kingdom of Poland; afterwards it had several dukes and petty princes for its sovereigns, who by degrees became subject to the kings of Bohemia, until at last king Charles IV. incorporated the whole duchy with Bohemia; and thus it continued in the possession of the house of Austria, until the king of Prussia in 1742, taking advantage of the troubles that ensued upon the death of the emperor Charles VI. and pretending a kind of claim, wrested a great part of it, together with the county of Glatz, from his daughter and heiress Maria Theresa, the late empress-dowager; so that now only a small part of it is possessed by the house of Austria, and connected with the empire, the rest being governed by the king of Prussia, without acknowledging any sort of dependence on the crown of Bohemia or the empire. For the administration of justice in all civil, criminal, and feudal cases, and such as relate to the revenue, the king of Prussia has established three supreme judicatories, to which an appeal lies from all the inferior ones, and from which, when the sum exceeds 500 rix-dollars, causes may be moved to Berlin. The Lutheran churches and schools are under the inspection of the upper confistories, and those of the Papists under that of the bishop's court at Breslau; but from both an appeal lies to the tribunal at Berlin. As to the revenue, the excise here is levied only in the walled towns, being on the same footing as in the marquirate of Brandenburg; but in the rest of the country the contributions are fixed, and the same both in peace and war. The several branches of the revenue are under the management of the war and domain offices of Breslau and Glogau. The whole revenue arising to the king of Prussia from Silesia and the county of Glatz amounts to about four millions of rix-dollars per annum.

Silesia is divided into Upper and Lower, and each of these again into principalities and lordships; of some of which both the property and jurisdiction belong immediately to the sovereign, but of others to his subjects and vassals. In regard to the character of the people, the boors are accounted very dull and stupid; but of those of a higher rank, many have distinguished themselves by their wit and learning, as well as by their military and political talents. However, in general, like their neighbours the Germans and Bohemians, they have more of Mars than Mercury in their composition, and their parts are more solid than shining.