The Present State of Music in Germany, the Netherlands, and United Provinces; Or, the Journal of a Tour Through Those Countries, Undertaken to Collect Materials for a General History of Music. by Charles Burney, in Two Volumes. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1775. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... POTSDAM. The road from Berlin hither, is through a deep running sand, like the worst parts of Norfolk and Suffolk, where there are no turnpikes, till within a few miles of the town; and then it is through a wild forest of fir-trees, with lakes frequently in sight. Upon a nearer approach, there is a fine opening on the left hand, to a very large piece of water, and a beautiful view of the town, in which three towers, of the fame size and shape, only appear, but these are elegant. The rest of the way is through a wood, cut into walks and rides, which intersect each other, and lead to different towns and villas. The examination at the gates of this city, is the most minute and curious, both in going in, and out, which I have ever experienced in my travels; it could not be more rigorous at the postern of a town besieged. Name, character, whence, where, when, to whom recommended, business, stay, and several other particulars, were demanded, to which the answers were all written down. However, a stranger, upon his entrance into this city, is made some amends, by the variety and splendor of new objects, for the bad road, and difficulty of admission, which he has previously encountered. The streets are the most regularly beautiful which I ever remember to have seen; the houses all seem to be built of white stone, though they are only of brick, stuccoed over, in imitation of stone. A canal, supplied by the river Havel, runs through the middle of the town, which is situated on an island, called the Werder of Potsdam, which implies ml island in a river. This island is four German miles in circumference: the approach to Potsdam is over a very wide piece of water, by a stone bridge. The number of houses in this city has been very much encreased during the reign of his prese...