or Osnaburg, a province of the kingdom of Hanover. It has been formed out of the ancient sequestered bishopric of that name, which by the treaty of Westphalia had been fixed to be held in sovereignty alternately by a Catholic and a Protestant prince; and in consequence it came under the government of the late Duke of York, second son of George III. To the bishopric has been added by cession the Prussian bailiwick of Beckenburg, the lower county of Lingen, and the circles of Meppen and Emsbuhren. It is bounded on the north by East Friesland, on the north-east by Oldenburg and Diepholz, on the south-east and south-west by the Prussian province of Westphalia, and on the west by Bentheim. It extends over 1288 square miles, contains twenty towns and cities, 382 villages, with 249,470 inhabitants, of whom two thirds are Catholics, and the other third Protestants, chiefly of the Lutheran confession. It is generally a level and sandy district, excepting on the southern part, where there are two ranges of hills. Near these the soil is tolerably fertile; but on the other parts, except near the rivers, it is very poor and unproductive. The heaths are extensive, and a large portion of the province is covered with woods. The corn produced, even with the aid of extensive cultivation of potatoes, is not sufficient for the consumption. Flax is grown largely, and the spinning of it was the chief employment of the country people of both sexes during their long winters; but that occupation has been much diminished by the introduction of spinning by machinery in the countries which used to obtain their yarn from this province. Numerous bodies of the agricultural labourers repair to Holland to work, and some after harvest return home to live upon their earnings; but many of them remain to perform the lowest kinds of labour in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and other cities, and many also enlist into the Dutch army. The province is formed into four divisions or circles, viz. Osnabruck, Lingen, Meppen, and Emsbuhren.

Osnabruck as it is called by the Germans, or Osnaburg as it is spelt by us, is the capital of the province. It is situated on the river Hase, is imperfectly fortified, and consists chiefly of one very long and not ill-built street, divided into the old and the new town. It is the see of a Catholic bishop, who has a palace and a cathedral; and there is a fine old council-house, in which the treaty of Westphalia was negotiated. It has two Catholic monasteries, a Lutheran gymnasium, two Lutheran churches, and one, besides the cathedral, for the Catholics. It contains about 1400 houses, and 10,500 inhabitants, who depend chiefly on the decaying linen trade, and on internal commerce. Long. 7° 53'. 40'. E. Lat. 52° 16'. 45'. N.