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HEIDENHEIM

Volume 10 · 714 words · 1823 Edition

a town of Germany, in Swabia, and in the territory of Brentzhall, with a handsome palace or castle, belonging to the house of Wurtemberg. E. Long. 10° 19'. N. Lat. 48° 37'.

(a) Heidegger's countenance was peculiarly unpleasing, from an unusual harshness of features. There is a mezzotinto of him by J. Faber, 1742, from a painting by Vanloo, a striking likeness, and his face is introduced in more than one of Hogarth's prints.—Heidegger was, however, the first to joke upon his own ugliness; and he once laid a wager with the earl of Chesterfield, that within a certain given time his lordship would not be able to produce so hideous a face in all London. After strict search, a woman was found, whose features were at first sight thought stronger than Heidegger's; but upon clapping her head-dress upon himself, he was universally allowed to have won the wager. Jolly, a well-known taylor, carrying his bill to a noble duke; his grace, for evasion, said, "Damn your ugly face, I never will pay you till you bring me an uglier fellow than yourself!" Jolly bowed and retired, wrote a letter, and sent it by a servant to Heidegger; saying, "His grace wished to see him the next morning on particular business." Heidegger attended, and Jolly was there to meet him; and in consequence, as soon as Heidegger's visit was over, Jolly received the cash.

The late facetious duke of Montagu (the memorable author of the Bottle Conjurer at the theatre in the Haymarket) gave an entertainment at the Devil-tavern, Temple-bar, to several of the nobility and gentry, selecting the most convivial, and a few hard drinkers, who were all in the plot. Heidegger was invited, and in a few hours after dinner was made so dead drunk that he was carried out of the room, and laid insensible upon a bed. A profound sleep ensued; when the late Mrs Salmon's daughter was introduced, who took a mould from his face in plaster of Paris. From this a mask was made, and a few days before the next masquerade (at which the king promised to be present, with the countess of Yarmouth) the duke made application to Heidegger's valet-de-chambre, to know what suit of clothes he was likely to wear; and then procuring a similar dress, and a person of the same stature, he gave him his instructions. On the evening of the masquerade, as soon as his majesty was seated (who was always known by the conductor of the entertainment and the officers of the court, though concealed by his dress from the company), Heidegger, as usual, ordered the music to play "God save the king;" but his back was no sooner turned, than the false Heidegger ordered them to strike up "Charly o'er the water." The whole company... HEILBERG, a considerable and populous town of Germany, subject to the Grand Duke of Baden, with a celebrated university. It is noted for its great tun, which holds 800 hogsheads, generally kept full of good Rhenish wine. It stands in a pleasant rich country, and was a famous seat of learning. It was first reduced to a heap of ruins in 1622 by the Spaniards; and the rich library was transported partly to Vienna, and partly to the Vatican at Rome. After this it enjoyed the benefits of peace, till the Protestant electoral house became extinct, and a bloody war ensued, in which not only the castle was ruined, but the tombs and bodies of the electors were shamefully violated and pillaged. This happened in 1693; and the people of the Palatinate were obliged to leave their dwellings, and to go for refuge into foreign countries. To add to these misfortunes, the elector resided at Mannheim, and carried most of the people of distinction along with him. The great tun was broken to pieces in 1693 by the French, and at great expense in 1729 was repaired. The town stands on the river Neckar, over which there is a handsome bridge. The town having been annexed to Baden by Bonaparte, its university was patronised by the new government, and has now 26 professors, with 500 or 600 students. The library is large, and very rich in manuscripts. E. Long. 8. 48. N. Lat. 49. 25.