Many estates are of large extent, and some, indeed, are strictly entailed.

These circumstances naturally give to a country life in Silesia or Posen quite a different character than that in the Rhine provinces.

In Posen, besides, two foreign elements--found in Silesia also in a far lesser degree--exercise a mighty influence on the social relations of the people.

One is the Jewish, the other the Polish element.

In Posen, the Jews constitute in the country the class of innkeepers and farmers; of course, they carry on some trade in addition.