This country has undergone several very remarkable changes within the last forty years. The first of these political agitations, in point of time, and the greatest, perhaps, in point of general interest (for, in those days, the European public were not accustomed to the making and unmaking of governments), was the disputed succession in the year 1778. It was occasioned by the extinction of the reigning branch, by the death of the Elector, on 31st December 1777. The right of succession, on the part of the collateral heir (the Palatine of the Rhine), admitted of no doubt; but various fiefs, obtained at successive intervals by Bavaria, were of a nature to be considered in the light of Imperial property, on the failure of the direct line. This, however, was but a small part of the expected change—the House of Austria, having long cast an eager eye on a province which lay so conveniently for annexation, and which had so often, by the influence of France, proved a thorn in its side, was impatient to avail itself of this opportunity of obtaining possession of Bavaria. Little opposition was to be expected from France, the young king (Louis XVI.) being married to a sister of the Emperor Joseph; but a very different conduct was anticipated from Frederick II. This warlike sovereign, though now approaching to his 70th year, came forward in support of the independence of Bavaria with all his characteristic decision: and though unsupported by the heir of the late Elector, found means, by dint of military and diplomatic exertion, to induce the cabinet of Vienna to desist from the chief part of its ambitious pretensions. Had England been so situated as to come forward with the appearance of efficient co-operation, the matter would have been speedily brought to issue; but we were then embroiled with our American colonies, so that the object of the Prussian court was not attained without formidable armaments, and a repetition of manoeuvres indicative of hostilities on a large scale. Fortunately, however, the remembrance of the seven years' war, the recollection of the firm stand made by Prussia, and the disposition to resistance evinced by the smaller courts of Germany, had the effect of producing an adjustment without bloodshed. The particulars of this interesting episode in German history, are given at considerable length in a pamphlet lately published, under the title of Mémoire Historique de la Négociation en 1778, au sujet de la Succession de la Bavière.

From this time forward, Bavaria remained in profound peace until the French Revolution roused Germany to arms. The Elector, although pacifically disposed, felt it necessary to join a cause embraced by Austria and England, and continued to let his contingent fight along with the Imperialists, until the French found the means of making their way into the interior of the empire. His first departure from the alliance took place in 1796 (August), when Moreau advanced with a powerful army to his capital, and concluded a treaty for a cessation of hostilities, at a moment when the French were expected to invade the Austrian states in three different directions. This time, however, the project of invasion failed, the armies being too much divided, and one of the generals (Jourdan) being ill qualified to meet a moment of emergency. The peace of Campo Formio was concluded next year under circumstances that began to favour the influence of France in Germany, and particularly in Bavaria. This peace lasted hardly two years; and, in the second war, Jourdan advanced once more (March 1799) to experience new defeats at the hand of the Austrians. This army bore the high-sounding name of Armée de l'Execution de l'Empire, but its composition bore many marks of the corrupting influence of an interval of peace and bad government. Bavaria remained free from the presence of contending armies for somewhat more than a twelvemonth, until Moreau advanced at the head of a much more powerful and better appointed force. His operations were crowned by the decisive victory of Hohenlinden, and the influence of France over the empire too strongly confirmed by the peace of Luneville.

It is from the date of that treaty (1801) that we are to look for the direct interference of Bonaparte in the affairs of the interior of the empire, where the disunion of Austria and Prussia paralyzed every wish to assert the independence of the Germanic name. That wish, however, was not strongly felt in Bavaria, where Bonaparte's character was not understood, and where the predominant feeling was a dread of Austria. An alliance was accordingly contracted between Bavaria and France; and when, in the summer of 1805, there remained no farther doubt of the hostile movements of Austria and Russia, Bonaparte thought proper to delay his notice of war until the Imperialists had passed the frontiers of his new ally. The consequence of the disastrous campaign that ensued was the aggrandizement of Bavaria by the cession of various provinces, particularly Tyrol, and the elevation in 1806 of the Elector to the title of King, The subsequent resignation of the rank of Emperor of Germany by Francis II. the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine, but, above all, the overthrow of Prussia, rendered the power of France paramount throughout the empire, and enabled her, in 1809, to find, even in a German force, the means of resisting the efforts of Austria. The connection of Bavaria and France, now farther confirmed by the marriage of Bonaparte's step-son to a princess of the reigning family, seemed to rest on an immovable basis, when the intoxication of success produced at last the memorable march to Moscow, and made the possession of unparalleled power the cause and instrument of its own overthrow.

The Bavarian force engaged in the Russian expedition perished chiefly in the latter part of the retreat, between the Berezina and the Niemen. The horror excited by so melancholy an event, and the hatred inspired by Bonaparte's tyranny for some years back, created a general desire in the Bavarians to make common cause with their countrymen in the north, and vindicate the independence of Germany. The public, however, both there and elsewhere, imagined that the court would not go along with the people; and, after the rupture of the armistice in August 1813, Bavaria stood ostensibly on the side of France. Two months elapsed, before it was discovered that this attitude formed part of the plan concerted with Austria, and discovered to the world only by the sudden march of the Bavarians to interrupt Bonaparte's retreat at Hanau. General Wrede commanded on that occasion with great spirit, and caused a severe loss to the French; but found it impracticable to arrest the progress of a mass which pushed on in close order, regardless of the havoc made on its flanks and extremities.

Bavaria now followed, without interruption, the line of policy concerted with Austria, and was not supposed to waver for a moment on the temporary resumption of power by Bonaparte when he landed from Elba. Her unexpected abandonment of him in 1813, is to be attributed to a guarantee from Russia and Austria that she would be maintained in the possession of her actual acquisitions, subject, however, to partial changes, of which the principal was the restitution of Tyrol. That country, proverbially poor, was attached to Austria with all the ardour natural to a retired and simple population. Its relinquishment was, therefore, a slight sacrifice for Bavaria, when compared with the fate that would have awaited her had she ventured, like Saxony, to resist the allies. The proceedings of the Vienna Congress, as well as the subsequent treaties, placed Bavaria on the footing of a power of consequence, confirming the title of the King, granting him a share of the contribution-money paid by France, and stipulating the support of a division of Bavarians, along with the other allies, at the expense of that country.

The military establishment of Bavaria has lately been raised to nearly 60,000 men; in peace, it will probably be somewhat below the half. The population, including the late acquisitions, is understood to exceed 3,000,000; the revenue about L1,500,000 Sterling. Considerable progress has been made during the last half century in redeeming the reproach of ignorance, so long cast on the inhabitants of this, in common with the other southern provinces of Germany; for it must be confessed, that all that we had occasion to lament in regard to the backwardness of education and knowledge in our account of Austria, is applicable to Bavaria. The misfortune of both countries has been a bigoted and ignorant priesthood, who, not content with absorbing in their own hands a very valuable portion of the lands of the country, have all along insisted on the expulsion of the Protestants, and on the observance of the endless holidays and absurd usages which impede the progress of industry among their followers. Hence, a general habit of indolence, and miserable backwardness in agriculture; and, in point of learning, a complete contrast to the northern part of Germany. It would be wrong, however, to carry this unpleasant picture so far as to represent the present generation as worse than their ancestors, or the population as in a state of diminution. On the contrary, Munich hopes ere long to rank among the literary cities of Germany; but ages will be required to bring the population on a level with their northern neighbours.

Bavaria, like Austria and the rest of Germany, has, all along, had the semblance of a representative government, composed of prelates, noblesse, and deputies from the towns. Munich is their place of assemblage; but they have met very seldom for a long time past. That city contains a population of between 40,000 and 50,000 inhabitants, and is one of the handsomest towns in Germany.

As to soil, Bavaria is mountainous and woody towards the south; the ground rising in the direction of the Alps, and containing a number of lakes and marshes, with little that has as yet been brought under tillage. To the northward are plains, extensive and rich, until we reach the Palatinate, which is, in great part, mountainous and woody. The word Palatinate being ambiguous, it may be well to observe that the Palatinate, properly called Bavarian, lies to the north of the Danube, and has Amberg for its capital. But the Rhenish Palatinate belonged likewise, until recent exchanges, to the dominions of this house, the late Elector of Bavaria having been originally a member of the Imperial Diet, in the capacity of Elector Palatine, and having, by his succession to the government of Bavaria, combined the possessions of the two houses. His chief error was, like that of his neighbour, the Emperor Joseph, a desire to introduce improvements without making sufficient allowance for the ignorance of his subjects. He abolished the monastic orders in parts of his dominions, which were by no means ripe for such a change. A great deal has been said about the masonic and other secret societies formed in this country, at the time of the French Revolution, and combining, as was pretended, their efforts with similar societies in Prussia, for the purpose of shaking the established government. These rumours, we are inclined to think, had but slender foundation, there being very little in the condition of Bavaria to afford a promise of success to so strange a project. The present King succeeded to the Electorate in 1799; he was formerly Duke of Deuxponts, and cousin of the preceding Elector.