BELGIUM AND WESTERN GERMANY IN 1833. INCLUDING VISITS TO BADEN-BADEN, WIESBADEN, CASSEL, HANOVER, THE HARZ MOUNTAINS, &c. &c. BY MRS. TROLLOPE, AUTHOR OF "domestic MAXKKRS OF THE AMERICANS." PHILADELPHIA: CAREY, LEA, &. BLANCHARD. 1834. ."\ >;^&4>- CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGE Lord Liverpool Steam-boat — Private Theatricals — Military Mass — Ghistelles — Jabbeke — Oudenboui'g — Flemish Farm-house — Fete Dieu — M. Paret — Bruges — M. Moke — Hospital of St John — JeruspJem Chapel — Marche au Vendredi — Hotel de Commerce 9 CHAPTER n. Ghent — Antiquities — St. Bavon — ThejUniversity — Schamp's Col- lection — BuU-Fight — Espions — Beguinage — St. Michael's — Ant- werp — Spanish Air — Effects of the Siege .... 23 CHAPTER m. Antwerp — Notre Dame — Rubens — Academy — ^Vandyke — Calvary — Passports — Voitures — Arrival at Brussels — Belgian Politics — M. Alexandre Rodenbach — Chamber of Representatives — ^Duel —Society — ^Palace of the Prince of Orange — !Mint — MM. Van- dermaclen — M. Robyns — i)u Bos — Theatre — St, Gudule — Old Town — Louvain — Turoneren — Dilapidations — Tree of Liberty 33 CHAPTER IV. Waterloo — St. Jean — Belle Alliance — ^.lonuments — Road to Na- raur — Namur — Huy — Pensionnat — Citadel — • Liege — Quentin Durward — Churches — Chaudfontaine — Belgian Politics . 49 CHAPTER V. Aix-la-Chapelle — Charlemagne — Napoleon — Relics — King of Prus- sia — German Politics 67" CHAPTER VI. Journey to Cologne — Reasons for travelling — The Cathedral — Museum — Public Walks — Music — Bonn — Concert — Students — Smoking ....... 74 ti CONTENTS. CHAt'f ER fit. ► PAGE. Goclesberg— The Seven Hills— Drachenfels—Friesdorf— Strom- berg — Catholic Devotion — Kreutzberg — I^uried Monks— Table d'h6te — German Manners — Unkel — -Laacher^^ee , . '. ' 85 CHAPTER Vm. Rolandseck— Orlando Furioso — Nonnenworth— Unkel— Neuwied — Coblentz— The Moselle — Steam-boat Passengers— Mayence 104 CHAPTER IX. Mayence — Cathedral — Francfort — Theatre — Cathedral — St. Ca- therine's — Cemetery — Jewish Synagogue — Luther — Hesse Hombom-g . . • • • • • US CHAPTER X. Darmstadt — Heppenheim — Storkenberg — Bergstrosse — Wein- hcim — Peasantry — Crops — Mannheim— The Palace — Ducal Gar- dens — Ball— Observatory — Cliurch of . the Jesuits — Theatre — Schwetzingen Gardens . . . . . . 137 CHAPTER XI. Heidelberg — Neuenheim — Heidelberg Castle — The Necker — Neckersteinach — Tilsberg — Steinach — Tun of Heidelberg — Broken Tower — English Antiquaries . . . 150 CHAPTER XII. Route to Carlsruhe — Seats for Travellers — Wiesloch— Lutheran Hymn — Avenue of Poplars — Carlsruhe — Palace Gardens — Opera — Baden — Chabert's — Old and New Castles — ^^Promenade — Gambhng Rooms ...... 171 CHAPTER XIII. Old Castle—- Secret Tribunal — Roman Bath — Dress Ball — Baden Company — The Gaming Table — Sunday Evening — The Mourg- thal — The Mummelsee — Gernsbach — The Khngel — Eberstein —The Mourg . . . . . .181 CHAPTER XIV. Confinement in the Secret Tribunal — Spiral Staircase — Chamber from which the Prisoners were let down — Theatre — Gambling — Strasbourg — Cathedral — Mummies — Maniac — Monument of Marechal Saxe — Return to Baden — Remarkable Characters- Departure ....... 199 CONTENTS. Vil ^aAjpTER XY. PAGE. Return to ManriUeuTV-T-German Honesty — Batliing- at Mannheim and ^aden — Disappearance of the Jesuits— Voyage to Mayence — Douaiife at Worrns-r— Wiesbaden — Walks— Antiqiiities — Drink- ing- the Waters — Opera— Rooms — Gaming . ' . 213 • CHAPTER XVI. Nassau Scenery — Langen-Schwalbach — ^Nassau — Ems — Pleasant Rencontre — Kurhaus — Public Rooms — Excursion to Braubach — Fortress of Marksberg — Boat on the Rhine — Pilgrims — At- tempt at Suicide . v . . . , 222 CHAPTER XVn. Kurhaus Bazaar — German Ladies — Anecdote of Napoleon — Gam- bhng Fanatic — Donkey Excursion to Pfingstwaide — Table d'Hote — English Party— Reasons for English Shyness — Unneces- sary in Germany — Anecdote of a timid English Traveller — -Duke of Nassau — Departure from Ems — Road over the Taunus hills — Ehrenbreitstein — Coblentz — St. Goar . . . 234 CHAPTER XVm. "God save the King" — Village School — Prussian Education — Freedom of the Press — National Education — The Rheinfels — Country above St. Goar — Students — Smoking — Churches — Ex- cursion to Rheinstein — The Pfalz — Bacharach — Prince Frede- rick's Castle — Caspar Melchior — Nassau Scenery — Boating disagi'eeable — Star-light — Vine-dressers . . . 252 CHAPTER XIX. Voyage up the River to Mayence — Ingelheim Fighters — Le Fa- vorite — Francfort — Marberg — Cassel — Marble Bath — Willielm- shohe — Cassel — German Politics — Road to the Harz — Gottingen Education — Osterode— First View of the Harz — Entrance to the Forest — Goslar — Expedition to the Brocken — Ilsingbourg 269 CHAPTER XX. Ascent of the Brocken — Charcoal-clearings — Iron Cross — Confu- sion of Rocks — Desolation — Top of the Mountain — Brocken- House — Witches' Orchestra — Devil's Pulpit — Witches' Dog- stone— Sunset — ^Night Storm — Morning Clouds — Effect of the Wind — Descent from the Brocken— Return to Goslar . 288 CHAPTER XXI. Antiquities of Goslar — Altar of Croton — Hanover — Herrenhausen — Theatre — Salt Works at Rehme — Sea of Rocks — Cologne — Steam-boat — Rotterdam — Conclusion . . - 304 BELGIUM AND WESTERN GERMANY 1^ 1833. CHAPTER L l,orJ Liverpool Steam-boat — Private tlieatricals— Military Mass — Ghis- telles— J abbeke — Oudenbourg- — Flemish Farm-house — F6te-Dieu — M. Paret — Brug-es — M. Moke — Hospital of St. John — Jerusalem Chapel— Marche au Vendredi — Hotel de Commerce. I LEFT London for Ostend on the 1st of June, accom= panied by my son and Mr. H . The weather was delightful, and we had several agreeable fellow-passengers, but I should have been sorely vexed had I spied any trans- atlantic acquaintance among them ; for, in truth, a com- parison between the accommodation on board the Lord Liverpool packet, and that which is found in all and every of the unnumbered steam-boats of the United States, would have redounded ver}? little to the honour of our steam-esta- blishment. The vessel w^as dirty, and the fare both bad and insuffi- cient. Had any accident detained us, even for a few hours, the passengers, among whom there were many children, must have suffered very seriously from want of provision; for after the three o'clock dinner not an atom of bread, or even biscuit remained on board. We reached Ostend a little after midnight, and found very comfortable rooms bespoken for us at the Waterloo Hotel. Notwithstanding the uncouth hour, we sat down to a meal, wherein supper was at odds with breakfast, as to which it 2 10 BELGIUM AND might be called ; but it was rendered extremely welcome by the previous fast. It was my purpose to pass a few days at Ostend, both for the sake of enjoying the society of some friends residing there, and because my son had engaged to take a part in the representation of a comedy^ whicli was to be performed by a party of English amateurs, who had amused themselves for. some days before our arrival in preparing it. This comedy (She Stoops to Conquer) was extremely well got up, and performed with a great deal of spirit and cleverness ; but it was follow^ed by a farce, which very nearl}'^ proved a tragedy. This unlucky farce (Bombastus Furioso) has a single combat in the last scene, and luy son was wounded severely in the thigh, by a thrust from the sword of his adversary. This unlucky accident stretched our intended three days' stay to ten ; but fortunately produced no lasting inconvenience to the wounded hero. Few tourists pause more than an hour or two at Ostend : it is passed through merely as a door-way, by which to enter the interesting country of which it is the frontier. I will not say that my residence often days taught me to find beauty in the sandy level on w^hich the town stands ;. but it enabled me to discover that, as a bathing-place, it has many advan- tages. As a sea-walk, the Levee, which is raised before the for- tifications, and passes on for a miie beyond them, is delightful. In addition to its fine sea view, it has the attraction of the elegant pavilion recently built upon it under the superinten- dence of the British Consul. This pretty edifice, vvhich commands a noble marine view, is fitted up with great taste for the rest and amusement of the loungers. It contains rooms for reading, refreshments, and raffling ; and is alto- gether as agreeable a resort as any bathing-place I have seen can boast. There is another circumstance at Ostend, which I con- sider very important as one of the agrcniens of a summer residence ; it has a cheap and most abundant market for vegetables, fruit and flowers, wliich perhaps struck me the more, from my having so often experienced the want of these luxuries at our own w^atering-places. Henry's wound, though it confined him to his bed, in no WESTERN GERMANY. 11 resj)ect affected iiis general health, and the tedious restraint was alleviated by books, and the visits of many wlio were kind enough to take pity on his seclusion. Among these was his young adversary, whose constant attention showed a very amiable degree of regret for the unlucky accident. With such excellent substitutes to take my place, I felt no scruple at leaving him ; and found time to see all Ostend has to show. On Sunday I attended mass at the fine old church of St. Peter. The pulpit, confessionals, and stalls are superbly carved. There is no great architectural beauty in the build= ing; but each of the three aisles is terminated by a very • handsome altar. It was vexing to my reformed eyes, to see one of these profaned by a huge wooden doll, with a fine watch at her side, and dressed in satins and lace, intended to represent the Virgin. Its draperies and decorations had just been refreshed and renewed, in preparation for the Fete- Dieu, w^hich was to take place on the following Sunday. Nothing could be more childishly grotesque than this figure: yet I was touched by the unmistakeable devotion of a poor old woman, who kneeled on the pavement before it. Her withered arms were extended, and an air of the most pas- sionate adoration animated her sunken features, as she gazed on this frightful idol. — And after' all, perhaps, there is something sublime in the state of mind, which allows not the senses to dwell on the object before them, but, occupied alone by the holiness of the symbol, is raised by it to such thoughts of heaven, as chase all feelings but those of devo- tion. That this is often the case with sincere Roman Catho- lics I have no doubt; and it is impossible to witness the feeling, without losing all inclination to ridicule the source of it. After the first service was concluded, we remained in the church to witness that most incongruous medley of sighs and sounds, a military mass. I was well pleased to be pre- sent at a ceremony so perfectly new to me ; but it hovered so strangel}' between the sublime and the ridiculous, that it would be difiicult to describe its effect. The measured tread of the long lines of soldiery reverberating along the lofty aisles, and the subdued, serious look that quenched their martial bearing, as they ranged themselves in triple file 12 BELGIUM AND round the building, were solemn and impressive ; but when the grim and grotesque sapeurs, acconipanied by the whole band, marched up to the very steps of the altar, which they seemed to besiege with their thundering drums and trumpets, I knew not how to fancy the ceremony a religious one. The next day was spent in an excursion with a very agreeable pic-nic party, to show us something of the neigh- bouring country. We first drove to Ghistelles, a pretty village with a handsome church. The most interesting object in it is a monument erected to a certain Countess Go- delieve, who was barbarously murdered by command of her husband, some few hundred years ago, and is now wor- shipped as a saint. Her stately monument, indeed, might,- with more propriety, be termed an altar, for the lower part of it is arranged as such, and beside is a shrine of brass, con- taining the bones of the strangled lady, before which a lamp is kept burning day and night. In the highest compart- ment of this monumental altar is a group of three figures, which even at that height appear as large as life. This com- position represents the manner of the murder, which was performed by strangulation. A cord appears to be twisted round the neck of the kneeling female, either end of which is in the hand of a ruffian, who is represented as putting forth his whole strength to complete the work. The atti- tude of one of these, who seems to be pressing his knee against the victim, to obtain a better purchase for his pull, is horribly true to nature. They sell a little book in the church containing St. Godelieve's legend, her litany, and some account of her miracles. The following is a transla- tion of the legend : — " Godelieve was a woman of France, and married a baron of Flanders, who, being a very wicked man, and influenced by a still more atrocious mother, hated her for her goodness, and also for having black hair, unlike the fair girls of his own country. He, therefore, had her strangled, but after- wards repenting him of the cruel deed, he became a monk at Bruges, and subsequently caused this church to be erected to her memory." 1 do not find the name of this saint in the calendar, but the miracles recorded to her honour are numerous, and some of no distant date. A lively Swiss lady, who was one of WESTERN GERMANY. 13 our 'pic-nic, told me that a saint of older standing who had also an altar in the church, had felt himself much offended by the superior devotion manifested for the parvenue St. Godelieve. How this displeasure was made known I did not learn ; but the Cure informed his parishioners that some relics of this older saint were certainly concealed near Gliis- telles. Accordingly a day was chosen, on which he set out at the head of all the faithful to seek for them. They went about and about for many hours, but found nothing; at length the Cure declared he could go no farther, for his limbs refused to support him ; and so saying, he stretched himself on the earth. After some time, he again attempted to proceed; but was still unable to move. "My children,'' he repeated, *'I can go no further; — search here, even here, where my strength failed me." They did so — and, vv-on- derful to tell, found a finger bone exactly at the spot where the pious man had laid him down to rest. This well-authenticated finger of the saint was conveyed to his altar, and enshrined with all the observant devotion for which les braves Beiges are so justly celebrated. It has already wrought many wonderful miracles ; and, to use the words of our bright-eyed chronicler, " La pauvre St. Go- delieve a perdu la plus grande partie de sa pratique." Close to the church is the sight of the old castle of Ghis- telles, and some trifling remains of the building may yet be traced. The prison of the little town is under the same roof as the hotel ; a vicinity which would render any long sojourn there far from agreeable. We saw two very wretched countenances glaring upon us through the bars, at the dis- tance of a few feet, as we passed from the door to the car- riage. From Ghistelles we proceeded to Jabbeke, where the Baron von Larebeke has a very handsome residence. Like all old mansions of the noblesse in that country, it has its tower and its moat. The gardens are large and very full of roses, which seem to flourish to perfection in the sandy soil; but unfortunately wooden efligies of men and women, paint- ed proper, as heralds call it, were almost equally abundant. Some of these groups are much too strange for description. 14 BELGIUM AND The baron Was absent, but we were permitted to see the chateau. It contains several handsome apartments^ and a gallery of pictures, among which are some few originals oi the Flemish, and many copies of the Italian schools. Hav- ing amused ourselves here till we were a little tired, and very hungry, we walked. back to the inn, where we had left the carriage ; and sat down to a repast, agreeable in every way. We returned to Ostend by a different route, that took us through Oudenbourg, for the purpose of seeing some of the highly cultivated gardens which supply the Ostend market; and also to visit a farm belonging to a relation of one of our party, which showed us an excellent specimen of the inte- rior of a Flemish farm-house. The extremest cleanliness, the kindest civility, and a magnificent display of rich cream and Valenciennes lace, vv^ere among its most remarkable features. We observed also many indications of devout Catholicism. Dolls superbly dressed, with lesser dolls pinned to their stomachers, to represent the Virgin and Child, and crucifixes of various dimensions, were displayed in seven different nooks of the principal apartment. This room, which was very large, had a neat curtained bed. Its snow-white quilt and nicely flounced pillows looked as if it were intended only for show. Wesaw, how- ev^er, in the.kitchen, and other inferior rooms, preparations for sleeping less delicately, the beds being laid literally in cupboards ranged against the walls. Our lovely Swiss friend coaxed the good woman of the liouse to exhibit the stays she wore on great occasions. They were unquestionably of many pounds weight; and were fur- nished, on both sides with iron bars, which, one should think, must enter, if not into her soul, at least into her heart, every time she stooped. An examination of this machine enabled me to comprehend the meaning of a term in common use among us. I have often felt at a loss to know why a lady's corset should be termed '^ a pair of stai/s;'' but with this massive fiibric before me, I at once perceived its origin and meaning. . Ribs of steel are enclosed within it on either side, and it could hardly be better described than by calling it a pnir of stays, or supports. About halfway down the sides WESTERN GERMANY. 15 of this ponderous structure is a huge solid, roll of stuffing, which nearly surrounds the waist, and on this the petticoats are suspended. After a full examination of this <^' foreign wonder," we were shown many singularly-fashioned caps, hordered by the most delicate lace. Though the whole CvStablishment had an air of comfort and plenty about it, the cos.tly elegance of these decorations surprised me. But it was easy to per- ceive that a feeling of family dignity was attached to them. The blooming daughters of the house, whose bright hair had never yet been shaded by anything beyond a ribbon, listened to our expressions of admiration, which were carefully in- terpreted, with much such satisfaction as the daughter of a baron might feel if her paternal castle were the theme of praise. The dairy at this house was really a beautiful sight, even though at one end of it we perceived a nymph skimming cream with her fingers. This, indeed, is the universal me- thod ; and if anything could reconcile one to the strange operation, it would be the delicate rosy tips of the Rubens- like fingers we saw so employed. I have never in any country remarked finer crops than in the sandy plain round Ostend. The mode of husbandry is careful and laborious ; but the returns are very great. The constant application of manure converts the arid soil into a fine loom ; and every inch of it is as carefully weeded as the nicest garden. This fatiguing but necessary part of good husbandry is performed chiefly by women, who crawl along the ground on their hands and knees, and in this attitude appear to draw the weeds more efiectually, and with less labour, than can be done by stooping. The ploughing of this district is, as may be supposed, pe- culiarly light ; and is often performed by a single milch cow. No part of Flemish farming appeared to me more worthy of attention than the general management of their cows. They are constantly kept in stables, and fed twice in the day with green meat, of almost every possible variety of vegetation. The collecting this is one of the many agricul- tural labours constantly performed by women ; and it is no inconsiderable feature in the picturesque aspect of the country that groups of maids and matrons are perpetually 16 BELGIUM AND seen bearing, with wonderful ease and activity of step, enor- mous loads of fresh-cut fodder on their heads. I have seen many a pair of bright eyes, and many a dimpled cheek, peeping out sometimes from a bundle of flowery clover, sometimes from a bush formed of the young shoots of forest- trees, and not unfrequently from the thrifty gatherings of every weed, or handful of tufted grass that grows beside the road. That there is much economy of everything but la- bour in this, is very evident; and, as far as I was able to judge, the cows prospered marvellously by this regular mode of furnishing their meals in the stall, instead of permitting them to be constantly browsing in the fields. I never met with either bad butter or adulterated milk; and it appeared to me that there was a greater abundance, and freer use of both, than I had been accustomed to see elsewhere. I rejoiced to find myself, on the 9th of June, in so very Catholic a country ; for the ceremonies by which the Fete- Dieii was celebrated were really splendid, considering the size of the town. The streets were lined with double rows of young straight-grown fir-trees ; every house being charg- ed with the expense of purchasing such, and having them stuck in for the occasion. In the open places of the city, groups of these same slender trees supported wreaths and garlands of flowers, under which the host was carried in a splendid ark. The Cure, who bore this in his hands, was himself superb- ly dressed ; and at each corner of the canopy, borne above his head, walked a child of four or five years old, in fancy costume, that looked as if it had been arranged by a ballet- master. Three of them had wings; and the fourth, dressed as an infant St. John, would have been a beautiful model fur a painter. The procession consisted of all the military in the garrison, a numerous cortege of priests, with their at- tendants, and the various associated companies of the town. But by far the prettiest part of the spectacle consisted of the double ro V of little girls, elegantly dressed in white, their heads adorned with wreaths of roses, and long white veils. Above two hundred of these pretty creatures, looking all smiles and gladness, followed the host ; and when the pro- cession paused, while the awful symbol was laid on the altar of the different re.po&oirs prepared to receive it, they, as well WESTERN GERMANY. 1 / as the assembled multitude, who followed them, prostrated themselves upon the ground before it. The children all visited the Cure in his sacristy as soon as the ceremony was over, and each received from him a little cornet of bonbons. I made many visits during the progress of the procession, with my friend, Mrs. F , to houses advantageously situ- ated for giving a good view of it. This seemed to be the fashion, for we met large parties at several of them. Some of these houses were extremely handsome and well fitted up. After all this was over, we went with the party to visit a rustic hotel, at the distance of two miles from Ostend, where a dinner had been bespoken for us. To see the master of this establishment was the chief object of the excursion ; and he is, indeed, a very interesting personage. Without edu- cation, or advantage of any kind, beyond what his own ac- tive intellect and industry supplied, this M. Paret has made himself an excellent naturalist; and has collected a valuable cabinet of curious specimens in various branches of science. In particular, he has many beautifully arranged skeletons of remarkable fish, put together by himself. Of his ability in this branch of art, all those may judge, who saw the skele- ton of the whale exhibited in the King's Mews ; for the preparation of it. was entirely the work of his hands. This whale v/as thrown upon the beach at Ostend, in 1827, and was purchased, from those who had a right to sell it, for the sum of one thousand francs. The purchaser immediately asked, and obtained, the willing aid of Paret; and by him it was arranged exactly as it was afterwards exhibited. It is painful to add, that for this laborious work the skilful artist is said never to have received any remuneration. On the 10th of June we proceeded to Bruges, accompa- nied by the friends whose kindness had contrived to render Ostend extremely agreeable to us, notwithstanding the vexa- tious accident which had detained us there. We travelled by one of the pretty packet-boats that navi- gate the noble canal ; choosing this mode of conveyance both because it was the easiest for my son, and also that we might see a work superior to everything of the kind in Europe ; for in China only, as we were told, can a still more superb canal be seen. Bruges, and the country round it, is as flat as Ostend, but 3 18 BELGIUM AND there is much to see and admire. Tliis fine old city was former]}^ the cajDital of Flanders, and remained so till the end of the fifteenth century, being; the great Flemish depot for the commerce of the Hanseatic League. This was the source of its vast wealth ; and to this may be traced the re- lics of former magnificence, which are still to be found there. When the monopoly was transferred to Antwerp, both the splendour and activity of Bruges declined ; and I was very gravely assured, that its principal trade at present is in beer and manure. In fact, there is no appearance of commerce in any part of the city. A walk through the fine old streets, vvith their high pointed mansions, and richly carved ornaments, is like looking over a portfolio of Front's best drawings — but there are very few figures in active movement to enliven them. Nevertheless, it was far from being a " dull town to me." There is noj^^quarter that has not some historic record attach- ed to it to excite interest, and gratify curiosity ; and it is^, therefore, notwithstanding its stillness,vvell worthy of de- taining the traveller for several days. Many of the houses are extremely handsome, and almost all appear comfortable, and scrupulously clean. I never saw a city in which so little appearance of poverty met my eye. I was told that sixteen thousand of the inhabitants (the whole number being thirty- seven thousand) receive aid from public charities. Beggars are certainly seen at the church doors, but the streets exhibit no traces of want, or even of discomfort. The tower of the Hotel de Ville is magnificent ; and those who take the trouble to climb it are rewarded not only by the panorama of the city, but b}^ so extended and unbro- ken a map of the country round it, as leaves a more graphic impression of Flemish scenery on the memory than can be obtained by any other means. The machinery of the chimes, which occupies a room near the top of the tower, is another reward of the labour. It is surprisingly ingenious and elaborate. The enormous barrel, upon which a vast variety of tunes are arranged, is of brass ; and is really one of the handsomest instruments I ever saw. The building containing the public library ought not to remain unseen. Its external form and proportions are WESTERN GERMANY. 19 singularly elegant. The cathedral church of St. Sauveur is rich, almost to excess, in ever}'' species of internal decora- tion. Carving, gilding, and massive silver, tapestry, paint- ing, and sculpture, are all lavished up6n it in profusion ; but the fame of the church rests chiefly on two statues ; one of these is the Virgin and Child, said to be by Michael Angelo ; the other, a figure of the Almighty, by whose hand I know not; but it is a composition of wonderful power and ma- jesty. Notre Dame, standing as close to St. Sauveur as St. Mar- garet's to Westminster Abbey, is large, but very inferior in splendour to its magnificent neighbour. It has the honour, however, of containing the bones of Charles the Bold, and his daughter Mary, the wife of Maximilian. Their tombs of touchstone, superbly decorated, are most costly monu- mental structures, and are carefully enclosed in wooden cases, re-moved only on the payment of a fee. I dare not rehearse all that I saw at Bruges which appeared to me worthy of attention ; for the catalogue would be too long for any to read with patience, unless they were about to set ofi' at the instant to visit this museum of antiquities. The friends who so kindly accompanied us from Ostend introduced us to many of their Bruges acquaintance, which certainly increased the pleasure of our stay in no trifling degree. Among these I may take the liberty of naming one, who is already too well known to the public to make my doing so impertinent. M. Moke, the author of Her- mann, is so enthusiastic in his love and admiration of Bruges, and so learnedly familiar with its history, as to make him an invaluable companion among its venerable archives, and mouldering grandeur. It may, perhaps, be partly ovving to -my having listened to its records from so eloquent an histo- rian; and from having the splendid relics of its brighter days pointed out to me witli equal taste and feeling, that I remem- ber this old city with more of interest and admiration than is usually bestowed upon it. Bruges is often passed almost unnoticed by travellers, whose ultimate object is the Rhine or Switzerland ; and while their imaginations are flying forward to rocks and mountains, they scorn the cities of the plain which leads to iheni. 1 strongly recommend all travellers through Bel- 20 BELGIUM AND gium to devote at least three days to making themselves well acquainted with the interesting antiquities of Bruges. If they have the good fortune to be introduced to the society of the place, they will be willing to stay much longer. By what I saw and heard, evening parties are frequent and very agreeable ; though not splendid or ostentatious in any way. We passed one very pleasant evening at the house of M. Moke. The party was small, but so agreeable as to make me think with something like vexation of the enor- mous throngs, which jostle each other from house to house through a midsummer evening in London. We had sing- ing, that might have made Pasta herself look about her (but this was from an English-woman); and then we fell into some of those playful exercises of wit and fancy for which the French language is so admirably adapted. ' As I listened to hit after hit, in this trial of wordy skill, I thought that those, who try the same pastime in England, would do well to adopt the language too. It would not only render their bon-mots more piquant, but familiarize them with the use of a tongue, which will carry them further over Europe than any other. It may be childish, perhaps, to indulge in such a sport, and still more childish to record.it; but, never- theless, 1 own to having been very much amused. — Every one's faculties were brought into play. "From every bead A lambent flame (of wit) arose, wbicb g'ently spread Around tbe brows, and on the fancy fed," When we had laughed till we were weary, we were refreshed by wine, cakes, and the linest fruit of the season j and so ended the soiree. The old paintings in the hospital of St. John are among the things that must be seen at Bruges. In the chapel they show a coffer, said to contain a bone of St. Ursula, the exte- rior case of which is painted on panel by Hemling, with a delicacy of finish that is perfectly astonishing. The subject is the dismal history of the arrival of her eleven thousand virgins at Cologne ; and the number of figures introduced defies any reasonable hope of graceful composition ; but in in the year 1579, this was a branch of the art not well under- stood ; and no deficiency in it could have lowered the esti- WESTERN GERMANY. 21 Illation in which this gem must have been held. It is still *^a thing to wonder at;" but in the sixteenth century it might almost have been deemed miraculous. On leaving the chapel, I accepted the invitation of a Ca- tholic lady, to accompany her round the female wards of the hospital. The rest of the party declined joining us, from a fear of encountering disagreeable objects ; but they were wrong. The pain, which the sight, or even the idea of human suffering must ever occasion, was a thousand times overbalanced by the pleasure of witnessing the tender care the sedulous attention, the effective usefulness of those heavenly-minded beings, Les Soeurs de la Charite. It is they who are the oniy nurses in this large establishment. — - Unpaid, uncontrolled by any, they give their lives to com- fort and help those, who would find neither comfort nor help without them. I remember being told, by a lively young woman in America, who was sadly tormented by her "helps," that her only idea of heaven was a place full of servants. With a little variation I could almost echo her phrase, and say, that my idea of heaven was a place filled with Sisters of Charity. Perhaps I shall hear that I am turned Catholic, if I confess that the treasured symbols of that demonstrative faith, which I there saw so fondly cherished in the hour of suffering and of death, touched my heart more than it offended my orthodoxy. The dying eye, expending its last beam in a look of confiding hope at the image of the Redeemer, at that moment suggested no idea of superstition. One of the curiosities of Bruges, that I will not omit to mention, though I confess I have great doubts of the vera- city of the legend on which its chief interest rests, is the little building called the Jerusalem Chapel. It is said to have been built by a burgomaster of the city, most accu- rately on the model of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. This story, which was pointed out to me in a very ancient volume of tlie city library, states that the pious founder of the chapel himself made three pilgrimages to Jerusalem, to ascertain some d'oubtful points in the architecture; but, at last, the vow he had registered to complete a faithful copy, was declared to be fully accomplished; and this memorial 22 BELGIUM AND of his piety is preserved with all the care which a huilding, bearing such a form, might be expected to meet in one of the most deeply Catholic cities left on the earth. It is a singular little edifice; and those who love things out of the common way, will think it worth visiting. There is a very grotesque group, and well vvorth looking at, in alto relievo, over the door of a brewhouse; but I can- not instruct any traveller where to find it, as I totally forget the name of the street. It represents, in a very catholic manner, the process of brewing. There are several figures employed in mashing, and cooling, and putting the beer into casks, while winged seraphs are seen tasting it; and the Virgin Mary, with the infant Jesus in her arms, sits apart to superintend the whole. At Bruo;es, and, as we afterwards found,. in' many other Flemish towns, they have a weekly market for the sale of every kind of second-hand goods, which is called le Marche au Vendredi. This is well worth seeing. It is always held in some open place of the town, and ofiers a most sin- gular spectacle. Beds and pictures, kettles and old clothes, books and fire-irons, and thousands of other heterogeneous articles, are all displayed together in most orderly confusion. Where this weekly display of worn-out trash can come from is puzzling; but it is still more so, to imagine how so many persons of various ranks, and always with some highly respectable among them, can be found to fancy every seventh day that they have need of such trumpery; yet I never saw a Marche au Vendredi that was not thronged. Our accommodations at the Hotel de Commerce were ex- cellent. We dined twice, during our stay, at the table d'hote, where a very good dinner is very neatly served for two francs a-head. When we dined in our own apartments, the expense was about double ; but we might then have fancied ourselves at one of the best restaurants in Paris. WESTERN GERMANY. 23 CHAPTER li; Ghent — Antiquities — St. Bavon — The University — Schamp's Collection — Bull Fight — Espions — Beguinage — St. Michael's — Antwerp — Span- ish Air — Effects of the Siege. Our Ostend friends still accompanied us when we left Bruges for Ghent. The distance is about twenty-one Eng- lish miles. Here again we found ourselves surrounded by buildings of the most picturesque form and colour; with the additional novelty of numerous canals cutting through the town in all directions, and connecting the rivers Scheldt and Lys. Volumes might be fairly and worthily filled by mere catalogues of the antiquities which an industrious amateur might find in these glorious old Flemish towns. No story of the days that are gone, though we have had some which seemed to bring past ages before us by an enchanter's wand, can throw so forcible a light on that portion of history which relates to the period of Flemish splendour, as the sight of these laboured relics themselves. We read, in most speaking hieroglyphics, through every street, a commentary on the manners, customs, wealth, and taste of this interest- ing country. The vast warerooms reaching up to the very pinnacle of the steep and pointed gable that finishes the richly-orna- mented mansion, show that the wealthy merchant lived splendidly under the same roof which sheltered his wai-es; while the large door-way that opens from more than one of the upper stories, and not seldom the traces of a crane be- side it, prove that the portly dames who sat in the '^ look- out," had no objection to seeing the merchandise, on which their style and state depended, hoisted and lowered before their windows. Then rises close beside the merchant's house, the proud tower which marks the dwelling of a noble. None else were permitted to erect this symbol of power and dignity. At one point is seen the costly stadt-house, ornamented 24 BELGIUM AND with carving without and painting within, of a finish which must have heen paid hy most unsparing expenditure of" civic gold. At another rises a magnificent church, so grand in its conception, so gorgeous in its decoration, and so abound- ing in riches of every kind, as to tell loudly of the wealth of those by whom its pillared aisles were reared, and its accumulated treasures deposited. In short, it appeared to me that, instead of treating Flan- ders merely as a high road to the Rhine, all who have time, and feel pleasure in examining objects, the ideas of which have been long familiar to them, should pause long, and study carefully, every city on the route. Two young students of the University assisted our kind companions in showing all that was most interesting in Ghent. And here, as at Bruges, the variety of objects makes it difficult to rehearse what we saw. The magnificent cathedral of St. Bavon was the first thing visited. This church is more than ordinarily interesting in every way. It is of great antiquity, and full of interesting memorials relative to the history of the city, and indicative of its former importance. There are several inscriptions in the choir, which commemorate the institution of the order of the Golden Fleece, by Philip the Good; and the different chapters of the order which have been held in the church. The date of .the first is 1440. The length and height of the aisles are magnificent ; and the choir a perfect museum of splendid decorations. In a chapel to the north of the high altar is a fine picture by Rubens, painted for the place where it hangs. It represents St. Bavon in the act of renouncing the things of this world, and distributing his wealth to the poor. . The whole composition is very fine; and a group in the foreground, of a womanjon her knees, with two chil- dren, most lovely. The pulpit of this church is considered to be one of the richest in Flanders, both in style and execution. It is a mixture of carved wood and white marble, having many parts very richly gilt. Notwithstanding all the splendour of this superb cathedral, the portion of it which gave me most pleasure, was the subterranean church beneath. There is something so solemn in its sombre vastness, and so vene- rable in its untouched antiquity, that 1 returned to its dark WESTERN GERMANY. 25 aisles more than once; and examined the naked strength and capacious irregularity of the structure with more inte- rest, and a more awakened imagination, Ihan all the magnifi- cence above had excited. In fact, one feels in every fine old church, however re- mote its date, and unquestioned its antiquity, that every age which has passed over it has changed its aspect, as much as it has increased its splendour. But when standing among the sturdy pillars of the subterranean St. Bavon, the thou- sand years that have rolled by since its roughly-hewn stones were piled together seem to vanish ; and you see at a glance how the Christians of 800 wrought. I remember feeling something of the same effect in the underground church at Canterbury ; but it is by no means equal in any way to that of Ghent. Almost all the princi- pal churches in Catholic towns are called cathedrals, though many of them have neither bishop nor chapter. St. Bavon's, however, is really such ; and 1 had the great delight of hear- ing and seeing a Sunday high mass performed there. The music was very fine ; many stringed instruments adding their clear and thrilling notes to those of the organ. The bishop himself, and a very large assemblage of the clergy of the cathedral, assisted at the ceremony ; and, altogether, the service was performed with a degree of dignity and solemn stateliness, which no difference of faith could prevent my feeling to be deeply and religiously impressive. The University of Ghent is a very handsome building, erected by the king of Holland. The portico is Grecian, and of noble dimensions ; and the circular hall, for the examination of the students, peculiarly elegant ; — but the name of William of Holland is effaced from the inscription on the portico ; and a sheet of white paper covers his coat of arms, which are embroidered on the drapery on one side of this graceful amphitheatre. It was very evident, by the tone in which one or two young men who had joined us spoke of this eclipse, that it was considered as throwing a shade over the glory of Ghent. In truth, king William has been a most munificent patron to the town ; and it can sur- prise no one that his name should still be pronounced there with affection and regret. The collection of objects in natural history appears to be 4 26 BELGIUM AND admirably arranged, and the whole establishment is one that would do honour to any country. In the church of St. Michael is an excellent picture by Vandyke, but in very bad condition. The Academy of Painting contains good and sufficient rooms for any institu- tion of the kind ; but the collection of pictures is most lamentably French. It is grievous, in a country teeming with the works of Vandyke and Rubens, to see the wretched school of David prevailing so generally among the young artists. One fine well-lighted room is entirely occupied by pictures to which the annual prizes have been awarded for the last twenty years. They are all of them strictly after the French school. One of our spring fashions in London is to declare unanimously, every year, that '• the. Exhibition at Somerset-house is very so, so ;" — '^ very little worth look- ing at;" and the like. I wish all our critics would pass a few months on the continent, expressly for the purpose of making themselves well acquainted with its modern pictures. I think they would return much less dissatisfied with our own. The Baron von Schamp's collection is too well known to make the mention of it useful to English travellers ; but it is difficult not to uidulge in the pleasure of dwelling on the recollection of such a treat. The tvvo full-length portraits of Vandyke — Rembrandt's portrait of himself — and, above all else, the "Annunciation" of Corregio, will, I hope and believe, never pass from my memory. To insure this, as much as my time at Ghent permitted, I visited the collection twice, remaining there tvvo or three hours each time ; and I do not recollect ever enjoying pictures more completely. — There is just as much attendance on the part of the person who shows them as is necessary, and no more — no throng of company to step between you and the object of your con- templation; and no yawning, weary servant to hasten the delightful lounge to its close. I never saw any painting that I so much coveted for our national gallery, as the little picture of Corregio above named. In taste, feeling, compo- sition, and execution, it is exactly what I should w^ish to place for ever before the eyes of our students. The com- position consists of a single figure. No visible angel divides the attention with this sweet portraiture of the Virgin. — WESTERN GERMANY. 27 Mary is holding a small volume in her hand, which one feels certain is the Bible; she has closed the book but her thumb is between the leaves, at the passage which has caused her to pause in meditation. Her eyes are 'raised to heaven with an expression of such deep and earnest devotion, as instantly to suggest the idea of her having just read the words of Isaiah, ^'a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son;" and of her feeling that she, even she, might be the chosen one. A ray from heaven falls upon her uplifted face, and cold must be the heart, and dead the fancy, that does not feel the holy beauty of the idea. If one of the very few showers which annoyed us during the summer had not chanced to fall at Ghent on the evening of the 16th of June, I should have been present at a bull- fight, notwithstanding the disgust which the idea of such a spectacle suggested. The advertisement made me expect to witness something in the true Spanish style, where men were the combatants instead of dogs. This horror, as we were assured, is sanctioned by the Belgic laws : and does not seem to be considered either as degrading to the men, or cruel to the beast engaged in it. Though I would willingly have enabled myself to give some account of an amusement so truly foreign, I was not very sorry, at the moment, to escape it ; yet, by what I afterwards heard, there is more trick than daring in the matador, who, however, stops short of deserving the title; and the scene in the arena has about as much resemblance to the awful bull-fights of old, as the simagrees between Miss Jacko, and those who acted with her, to the chances of a genuine elephant hunt. The fashion of having " espions" at the windows, though we remarked it in every city through which we ppssed, is more than usually prevalent at Ghent, Notwit'istanding its being evidently so very comsnon a contrivance, it was quite new to me ; and as it is possible it may be equally so to others, 1 mention it as being certainly connected with national manners. By means of mirrors pl.iced on the out- side of the dravv^ing-room windows, those v^ho sit within are enabled to see all that passes without; and yet never be guilty of the indecorum of a])pearing at the window. As these machines are arranged with hinges, which admit of every variety of position, they are not unfrequently so 28 1 BELGIUM AND placed as to present to the passer-by, the reflection of a pretty face, while the person to whom it belongs is safely ensconced within. The first time I saw one of these con- trivances my attention was drawn to it by the vision of a young bright-looking countenance, peeping at me from amidst a profusion of ringlets; and as it was surrounded by a square frame, I thought, at the first glance, that it was a picture, hung out at the window to show that portraits, done in the same style, were to be seen within. A few steps in advance showed me who the artist was. There are still several convents left in Flanders; and we frequently saw, both at Bruges and Ghent, Beguine sisters in the streets and markets. At the latter place, the Be- guinage is a very handsome establishment. We attended the salut in their chapel, and saw seven hundred of them at their devotions. The effect of this large assemblage of kneeling nuns was very beautiful. Many were in the bloom of youth, and the costume is far from unbecoming. When the service ended they all rose, and many drew near the altar to perform some little additional act of devotion, or of penitence, on the steps of it. As each prepared to depart she took off* her veil, which is of delicately white linen, and, folding it up, placed it flat upon the top of her head ; producing exactly the effect of the square head-dress with which we are so familiar in Italian pictures. The knowledge that these secluded women might be absolved from their vows, if they became weary of the peaceful but monotonous life they enjoin, prevented the spectacle from exciting in us any painful feeling of regret for tKe sacrifice they had made of the joys, the hopes, and affections of the world. It is very rarely, however, as we were assured from many quarters, that any are found who wish to talie advantage of this. They live with great com- fort, their moderate incomes producing, when thrown to- gether, a revenue more than equal to their expenses. The whole establishment, with its church, is enclosed within walls, which may, however, be freely entered at all hours of the day. They are not lodged in one large building, as is usual in other convents, but have quite a little town within their walls, each house of which is inhabited by one or more sisters and their servants. These houses have most of them WESTERN GERMANY. 29 the names of the inhabitants on a plate over the door, as "Sister Bertha," "Sister Gertrude;" and on others we read '^ Sainte Adelaide," "Sainte Lucia," and so on. Many ladies of good families reside jfmong them, and we saw more than one handsome carriage at their doors. I believe they are chosen as godmothers for half the popula- tion; and altogether seem, as far as I could judge, to be of more consequence, each in her own circle, than they would have been had they retained their situations as individual single women, instead of becoming members of a large com- munity. Mr. H. being desirous of taking a sketch from a nun in full costum.e, expressed the wish to a lady to whom he had been introduced. She was a Catholic, and having some friend or relation in a convent of Ste. Therese, kindly un- dertook to procure him the opportunity he wished. He accompanied her to the gates, which were opened by an aged sister, to v/hom JNladame L explained the motive of her visit, requesting to see sister , naming a junior member of the community. " Should not I serve the purpose as well?" inquired the venerable nun. Mr. H. looked dismayed ; Madame L. hesitated. "We all wear the same habit;" persisted the old woman. But a whispered word of entreaty from the disappointed artist induced Madame L. to persevere in her request; and they were ushered into a parlour, where a very pretty young woman soon appeared. Mr. H. immediately drew out his sketch-book. ^' I hope it is for the honour of the good cause," said the young nun. ' Madame L. assured her that she might be certain of it ; and a very pretty drawing was made. On the 17th of June we left Ghent for Antwerp; and again had the satisfaction of prevailing on our friends from Ostend to prolong their excursion for a few days. Though the roads through Flanders have no beauty of scenery to recommend them, they are by no means without interest, especially in the summer. The country is a perfect garden; every inch is cultivated ; and the variety of crops standing together without the interval of hedges, or division of any 30 BELGIUM AND kind, I think enhances the idea of their profuse abundance. It was, however, only when they began reaping their abun- dant harvest, that we became fully aware of the prodigious fertilit}'^ of the soil. It seemed like cutting a slice out of a solid cake. The simile is not elegant, perhaps, but no other image suggests itself. Between Ghent and Antwerp \we passed through the little town of St. Nicholas, said to be the largest flax market in the world. It is better to travel through its vicinity during the early summer, than the early autumn; for from the time the delicate flax crop ceases to wave its slight blue bells in fields, to that in which it assumes the dainty form of lace or cambric thread, it perfectly poisons the air. The direct carriage-road from Ghent to Antwerp is by the Tete de Flandre; but owing to the inundation, occasioned by cutting the dykes during the bombardment of the town, we were oblig;ed to leave the road and embark on the Scheldt. It is a noble river, as all the world knovvs; but at this time the objects visible from it, on approaching Antwerp, are more than usually interesting. The ruined citadel, the dilapida- ted depots, and the inundated plain, all spoke of recent war and havoc. But as we advanced our eyes rose from earth to heaven, as the beautiful spire of the cathedral became vi- sible. It is nowhere seen to greater advantage, in respect to its light and graceful proportions, than froni the river ; but the ornaments are too intricate and delicate to show them- selves well at any great distance ; and till you are near enough to distinguish these, I think the general effect would be better were the outline more simple. We took up our quarters at the^r^//2^ Hotel St.Jlntoine^ fromthe windows of which this elegant spire may be studied to great advantage. The circumstance that most forcibly struck me, on my first walk through Antwerp, was the Spanish air of the women. We had retnarked something of this, both at Bruges and Ghent, but by no means in so great a degree. At Antwerp the mantilla is universal among the women. The higher classes indeed, there, as ever3^where else, are as nearly Parisian in appearance as they can con- trive to be ; but many among the wealthy bourgeoisie wear this graceful drapery of costly materials, and arranged with great care and elegance. In many instances the cloak is WESTERN GERMANY. 31 changed for an ample veil of rich black silk, that complete- ly envelopes the head and shoulders. In both dresses the face is concealed in a considerable degree ; and when in the act of devotion, no part of the countenance is permitted to be visible. The long black rows of veiled heads, which we constantly saw in the churches, often made me fancy myself surrounded by nuns. Nor is it in tlie dress alone that the Flemish citizens show traces of their Spanish ancestors. We remarked many beautiful women, who, both in feature and complexion, gave indication of southern forefathers. Yet, if I mistake not, it was under Philip the. Second that Flanders revolted from Spain. One should imagine that years enough had passed over them to obliterate all this ; but, most assuredly, the fact is otherwise. The deep Catholicism too, so infinitely beyond that of any neighbouring people, cannot, I think, be so reasonably traced to any other source. Here, again, as in the other cities we had passed through, we enjoyed that peculiar and vivid species of pleasure which results from encountering, at every step, some record of long- past events, made familiar to us by history, and the confir- mation or destruction of the various fanciful minutiae with which imagination had connected them. I hardly think that Rome itself can furnish such an incessant succession of pic- tures as Belgium. I do not mean on panel or canvass, but in all the startling, powerful force of reality. The pictur- esque outlines of the buildings, their rich and harmonious colouring, together with the costume of every group you meet, arrange themselves into compositions of wonderful grace and interest. The recent siege furnished but too many additions to these. I had never seen with my own eyes the horrors pro- duced by war, till I visited Antwerp ; and I shuddered at remembering, while I looked on the desolation it had left, how lightly I had heard its short and unimportant history mentioned. The crumbling ruins of many public buildings, and the dismal stillness of the dismantled warehouses, are sad spectacles ; but these are gay, compared to the fearful waste of waters that lie upon the ruined hopes of the poor peasantry. I had so lately been occupied in wondering at the teeming plenty of the land, that this miserable contrast 32 GERMANY AND came upon mc with double horror. Seven prosperous vil- lages have been swept away by the flood produced by open- ing the dikes. Their steeples alone remain above the wa- ter to show that they have been. It is remarkable that, notwithstanding the excessive suf- fering which this must have produced, no feeling of enmity is expressed by the inhabitants against General Chasse. On the contrary, his conduct is declared to have been as humane and considerate towards the town, as the nature of the task enjoined him would permit ; and, in proof of this, a hand- some piece of plate has been subscribed for, and presented to him by the citizens, as a memorial of their gratitude. In fact, I believe that no people engaged in the painful labour of repairing the devastation of a siege, ever looked upon the enemy who carried it on with so gentle and forgiving an eye as the worthy inhabitants of Antwerp. They certainly have not forgotten old attachments in recent disunion. WESTERN GERMANY, 33 CHAPTER III. Antwerp — Notre Dame— Rubens — Academy— Vandyke — Calvary — Pass- ports — Voitures — Arrival at Brussels — Belgian Politics — M. Alexandre Rodenbach — Chamber of Representatives — Duel — Society — Palace of the Prince of Orange — Mint— MM. Vandermaelen — M. Robyns — Du Bos — Theatre — St. Gudule — Old Town — Louvain — Tervueren — Dila- pidations — Tree of Liberty. Though I am quite determined not to omit the mention of any object which particularly interested me, merely be- cause it has often been mentioned before, yet I fear I may not venture to indulge in speaking much at length of the churches-of Belgium. There is something dangerously be- guiling in the subject. It is so eas}^ to recall to one's self where and how the effect produced by each noble pile differ- ed or agreed. The rich windows here, the graceful arches there ; the stupendous roof of one, and the wondrous aisles of another ; all come so readily back to one's own eye, and are so difficult to set before the eyes of another, that, I be- lieve, the safest way will be to pass my pen through all notes respecting them, written in the moment of enthusiasm. But for this precaution, I might be tempted to transcribe many a futile page, descriptive of the church of Notre Dame at Antwerp. It is indeed a noble edifice ; and one might almost be excused for losing one's self, for a while, amid the pillared labyrinths of its seven aisles. The acknowledged chef-d'oeuvre of Rubens hangs in this church. The Descent 'from the Cross is, indeed, a powerful picture; and exhibits, most splendidly, all the various species of excellence for which the pencil of Rubens is celebrated ; yet it did not quite realize the expectations I had formed of it. The atti- tude of St. John has more of the graceful posture-master, than of the desolate disciple in it ; and the gorgeous colour- ing of the picture, richly harmonious as it is, seems more in accordance with the taste of the artist, than with the tone of the scene. I had the courage to mount the lofty steeple, and was 5 34 BELGIUM AND rewarded by having Bergen-op-Zoom, Flushing, Breda; Ghent, and Mechlin pointed out as visible specks in the dis- tance. Though quite cairn below, tlie wind was tremendous at the elevation to which we had climbed, but I battled it stoutly for half an hour. From this height the devastations of the siege may be fully traced in every direction ; and the sight is sad enough. On the following day we crossed the Scheldt, to see the works by which the Belgians are endeavouring to repair the breach in the dike. A thousand workmen are employed upon it ; but they proceed very slowly, as the tide sometimes destroys in a night the work of many days. The Academy contains a large collection of pictures, and many of tliem are of first-rate excellence. Among these is one by Vandyke, which if placed beside the Rubens of Notre Dame, would exemplify perfectly what it is that I found, or fancied, wanting in that master-piece. The scene and the persons are the same ; the time somewhat later. The body of Jesus is laid on the lap of his mother ; St. John is placed near her, holding one of the Saviour's hands ; and the Magdalen stands quietly apart, looking with tearful eyes at the group. The agony of the mother is the most speak- ing passion I ever saw upon canvas ; and the sober tone of the whole picture is in beautiful accordance with the awful hour. We made many attempts to see the citadel, having flatter- ed ourselves that an application from a diplomatic friend, who was with us, must meet a favourable answer ; but in this we were disappointed. The impediments thrown in our way seemed frivolous and vexatious in no common de- gree. Sometimes our applications were answered by words of hope and civility ; but delay was always the sequel ; till at last we gave up the attempt rather in disgust than despair. There is a singular monkish relic at Antwerp, less known and visited than, I think, its elaborate piety deserves. This is a representation of Calvary at the ancient convent of the Dominicans. It is reared with an almost grotesque boldness of design against the church of St. Paul's, which formerly made part of the convent. This church forms one side of an interior court, into which the convent windows look ; and against it, mounting to the very top of the building, is WESTERN GERMANY. 35 the extraordinary collection of statues and ol rocks, which they call Mount. Calvary. There are above sixty figures as large as life. I believe the whole to be in stone ; but the effect very nearly approaches that of 'inarble ; and some of the groups have a very graceful and impjosing outline. The entire area of the court is converted into a sort of Pantheon of saints, statues of half the calendar being stuck about in all directions. ' The Holy Sepulchre is at the foot of the mount ; and is at present guarded by an old woman, who for two sous opens the grated door, and permits you to enter. Nothing can be more lamentably ludicrous than this part of the show. The figure of the Saviour is dressed in a drapery of tawdry muslin and lace; and a dingy little lamp burns at its feet. Our last hours at Antwerp were rendered extremely tedi- ous and unprofitable by the difficulty of getting our passports returned to us. The first annoyance was being told, when we sent a commissioner for them, that they woiild not be given to him, but that we must go ourselves. We did so; but found the office shut. We were assured, however, by many who were standing near, that the person whose duty it was to examine them would be there in a few minutes. We departed, and returned in half an hour, but the door was still closed. Again we departed, and again returned ; but still the functionary was not in his place. Nearly half our last day at Antwerp was spent thus ; and when at last we succeeded in finding the man of office, and informed liim of tiie inconvenience to which we had been put by his absence, the " brave Beige" put himself into .a very exceeding rage; and declared that if another word of the kind were spoken, we should not have our passports till the next day, adding with much emphasis, " Je crois bien qu'un fonctionaire, quel qu'il soit, vaut au moins, autant que le premier venu." An English gentleman, who accompanied us to the office, advised him 7iot to re/use our passjjorts ; and after a blus- tering look or tvv'o at each of us, he condescended to exe- cute the duty with which lie was entrusted. Soon after this tioublesome business was settled, we took leave, with much regret, of the friends who had acconipanied us thus far on our journey ; and departed for Brussels in the diligence at a late i)our m the cvenmg. Wc afterwards 36 BELGIUM AND found ample reason to repent this arrangement; for we had no subsequent opportunity of seeing the beautiful church at Mechlin ; and the moonlight just showed enough of its fine old tower, as we passed it, to make us exceedingly regret not seeing more. And here, for the benefit of such of my readers as may chance to travel in the same humble style as myself, I may observe, that whenever the travelling party exceeds two, the diligence is a dearer mode of conveyance than a voiture with one pair of horses. If, indeed, speed be an important point, the traveller must post with four horses, for in no other way can he attain it. But a good voiturier will take you nearly, if not quite, as fast as the diligence ; and in this mode you are not only master of your own time of setting out and arriving, but are not exposed to the vexation of being whirl- ed past objects that you are longing to gaze upon. In this respect, indeed, posting is very nearly as bad as the diligence, for, once started upon a stage, it Would be difficult to make a post-boy pause, en route, for your pleasure ; even if St. Peter's itself rose up to be looked at midway. 1 know few things more dismal than arriving in a city be- fore its population are awake. This was our fate at Brussels; and though we immediatly mounted from the narrow streets of the old town to the bright and splendid region of the new, it was some hours before we were sufficiently recover- ed from our weariness and discomfort to enjoy thoroughly the gay aspect of the place. Before the morning was half over, however, we were establislied in pleasant apartments at the hotel garni on the Boulevard, and quite ready to en- joy all the agreeable varieties of one of the prettiest little capitals in Europe. Every one told us that Brussels was no longer the delight^ ful city to dwell in that it had been before the revolution — that many families, both native and foreign, had forsaken it — and that both pleasure and business went on sluggishly. This, I dare say, may be very true ; and yet Brussels is still delightful. The park, and the handsome streets round it, the Place- Royal, the beautiful boulevard, the public buildings, and the noble palaces, show themselves better, and altogether pro- duce a more brilliant coup-cV(£il than any place I have seen. WESTERN GERMANY. 37 Though we had made no very long abode in Belgium, we had not passed through it without having heard much that was interesting as to its political position ; and I felt considerable curiosity to hear the same, subject discussed in its capital, and to learn, by entering the Chamber of Repre- sentatives, what the tone of debate might be in a country so singularly situated. The whole of the British nation must, I think, ever feel a deep and affectionate interest for the amiable prince who has been induced to accept the throne of Belgium. It is impos- sible to forget how near he has been to England ; and it should be at least equally so, not to remember how perfectly free from reproach lias been the tenor of his remarkable life. With these feelings of respect and attachment to King Leopold, it is impossible not to lament his being placed in the situation he now holds. Everything I heard of him personally, and I conversed with those who had the best means of knowing him well, convinced me that he deserves to rule over a people more attached to his dynasty than the late subjects of the King of Holland are ever likely to be. No one, I believe, could pass a month in Belgium, and converse as freely with the people of all parties as I did, without becoming aware that the King of Holland still reigns in the hearts of the majority ; and that any person, how- ever illustrious, who had become the instrument of the fac- tious demagogues employed to dismember his kingdom, could have little chance of retaining his station were the genuine wishes of the Belgians themselves alone consulted. That abuses had crept into King William's government — that vexatious imposts, hardl}^ worth contending for, had been unwisely persisted in — and that some personal jea- lousies existed between the Dutch and the Belgians, may be very true : but these things were neither sufficient to justify revolution, nor to render the result of it permanent. That such are now the reflections of many of those who were led away by popular tumult, 1 truly believe ; and the number of these is more likely to increase than diminish. No political revolution can take place without putting men's minds into a species of fever, \ery unfit for sane and temperate reasoning. The state which follows is often one of quiescence and languor j but when this passes off, Ihey 38 BELGIUM AND find perliaps that some useful lessons may have been learnt, even daring their delirium. Nevertheless a very natural fear of new disturbances may long keep even a powerful majority passive. if I may believe the representations which reached me from many quarters, no country was ever revolutionized by a feeling so little general as that which severed Belgium from Holland. The deed was done at Brussels ; and many of the most efi'ective agents in it were as alien to the country as hostile to the King. That some honest men were led to be- lieve that they should serve their country by changing its government, there can be no doubt : but even these must now feel something not unlike remorse, when they see how very little of real independence they have obtained for her. Without entering into any discussion respecting the new institutions acquired by Belgium under the recent constitu- tion, or inquiring whether they be or be not politically wiser than some which have been discarded, I believe I shall run no great risk of being contradicted if I say, that the spirit and intelligence of the general mass of the population do in no degree harmonize and accord with them. Nothing can present a stranger anomaly in human affairs than the sight of a nation, deeply and severely Catholic, attempting to ape the chartered libertinism of political thinking, which a few noisy and discontented persons are endeavouring to teach them. The law which authorizes unrestrained license of tongue and pen, both public and private, on ail subjects, whether political or religious, accords ill with the princi- ples of a people whose religion commands them to bring their thoughts, words, and deeds before the tribunal of their priests. With one hand thus unresistingly shackled, and a club or a dagger put by law into the other, the Belgian citizen can hardly be expected to present himself to the world under an aspect either of dignity or usefulness. We did not wait long ere we obtained admission to the Chamber of Representatives ; and, in consequence of an in- troduction from an acquaintance I made at Bruges, we were accompanied thither by a very charming person, the wife and sister-in-law of two gentlemen highly distinguished as among the most influential orators of the lower Chamber. WESTERN GERMANY. 39 It was impossible to make the acquaintance of the MM. Rodenbach without feeling sincere admiration for the talents of both. This tribute of praise I can hardly hope will be acceptable to these distinguished men fVom an obscure indi- vidual, whom not even their eloquence could teach to think as they do in the science to which they have devoted them- selves : nevertheless I offer it in all sincerity, and shall certainly not easily forget the amiable reception they accord- ed me. M. Alexandre Rodenbach is one of the most inte- resting persons I have ever met He is totally blind ; and the stillness which this misfortune gives to his outward as- pect is so forcibly contrasted with the brilliant vivacity of the spirit within, as to make the effect of his animated lan- guage almost electric. His work, entitled ^ Coup-d'oeil d'uR Avevgle sur les Sourds-muets,' would have been deeply interesting from any hand, but from his it is very peculiarly so ; and both in this little volume, and in his 'Lettre sur ]es Aveugles, faisant Suite a celle de Diderot,' there is a tone of such true and amiable philosophy, as to create no common degree of kindness towards their author. In short, if we can but amicably agree to differ in politics, there are fev»^ people with whom I should be more happy to renew ac- quaintance than M. Alexandre Robenbach. We had some sharp debating in the Chamber, and the Belgian Ministry couid hardly have been more vehemently assailed, had they been placed in their stations by King William himself. There is a vivacity of indignation about all M. Dumortier utters, that must constantly insure attention. I have often observed that the majority of people like to listen to violent scolding, provided it be not addressed to themselves; and as 'M. Dumortier employs all his eloquence in pointing out the exceeding wickedness of the Ministers, the rest of the Chamber appear to hear him with great satisfaction. M. Gendebien is another orator to whom every eye is turned when he rises to speak; but I fancied more than once that his lively sallies produced a greater inclination to smile than to frown in those he attacked. In this, however, I presume, I was mistaken, for some of his words were so seriously received, that they produced a duel, before we left Brussels, between himself and M. Rogier, the Minister of the Interior. 40 BELGIUM AND Affairs of this kind are so frequent among the ardent Sj3i- rits of this young government, that it has become a daily exercise among the gentlemen to fire with pistols at a mark; and M. Gendebein is said to have reached such a pitch of dexterity, as to be able to bring down a bee upon the wing with the nicest certainty. In consideration of such peculiar skill, the seconds in this affair placed the combatants at the unusual distance of thirty-six pacesj but the opposition deputy sustained his reputation, and wounded his official enemy in the mouth. We were dining with Prince Auguste d'Aremberg,* the day after the meeting took pl^ce, and it naturally became the topic of conversation at table. *' Gendebien always hits where he aims," said the lively Prince; "he wanted to stop Rogier's tongue, and he therefore seat a' shot through his mouth." I believe it is the fashion at Brussels, either after killing or wounding an adversary, to retire for a few days, for I missed M. Gendebien from the Chamber after this rencon- tre ; and upon another occasion of the kind, which unhap- pily had a fatal termination, I learnt that going out of town for a short time was the only result. I have seldom felt more shocked and astonished than 1 did, on learning that a young Belgian officer, with whom we dined in company, and whose light and amiable gaiety of manner had particu- larly struck me, had the day before killed a gentlemen in a duel, for some political difference of opinion. I did not know this till the morning his unfortunate victim was buried, and then I recollected a few words, which had been addressed to him at table, evidently alluding to the circum- stance. " I thought, * * * *, you were going out of town ?" said a whiskered militaire, addressing him. "Yes; I shall take myself off to-morrow, for a couple of days ;" he replied. The morrow was the day fixed for the funeral. I am persuaded that neither the tumult, the ruin, nor even * This amiable nobleman died within tliree months after we left Brus- sels. His loss will be deeply felt in the circle in which lie lived, and of which, notwithstanding- his great age, he was the ornament and de- light. WESTERN GERMANY. 41 the massacre, produced by a political revolution, are its worst features. It shakes social order to the very centre — - puts all moral feeling out of joint — and makes virtue herself turn giddy. There are many honest men who would shud- der at their own theories, could they see them stripped of the mystifications with which a sort of patriotic slang has veiled them. But it is a hard fate for those who are both honest and clearsighted too, to witness all the elements of social life thrown into confusion — the sturdy materials that nature formed to be the base of the pyramid hoisted, in defiance of all philosophy, to the top, while the polished work that crowned it is thrown to the earth, and trampled in the dust. Some arrangements after this fashion are the inevitable consequence of every great political commotion ; and it requires no great depth of scrutiny to discover symptoms of the kind. at Brussels. The consequence of this has been the breaking up, in a great degree, of the delightful circle of society for which it used to be celebrated. Many of the noblesse have altogether withdrawn themselves; and few of those who remain are as accessible as formerly. We were assured by a Russian officer, that all the gaiety now to be found at Brussels must be sought in the m.ansions of the English ; and that, without this resource, no one, who had a choice, would continue to make that city his residence. This assurance might possibly have been occasioned by the politeness of the speaker towards the party addressed; but, as I repeatedly heard the same statement from the Belgians themselves, I am inclined to believe it is the fact. We had the good fortune, however, to make the acquaint- ance of many agreeable people during our short stay ; and had not the object of our excursion been to wander much farther, I should have well liked to have passed a month or two at Brussels. As it was, we could allow ourselves but one short fortnight: but we made the most of it, and regularly spent our mornings in seeing sights, and our even- ings in very agreeable society. We had the pleasure of dining with the British Minister, whose elegant hospitality and pleasing manners must contribute, in no trifling degree, to render a residence at Brussels agreeable. The palace of the Prince of Orange is not only the first 6 42 BELGIUM AND object of admiration in llie capital of Belgium •; but would, I presume, be considered in every part of the world as a finished model of a splendid palace. It is not large ; but, I think, it may be called perfect in magnificence and in taste: at least, 1 can imagine nothing superior to the superb ele- gance of the furniture and decorations. The date of its com- pletion is 1828, when it was immediately inhabited by the Prince and Princess. It is certainly not easy to conceive a more striking occa- sion for meditation on the uncertainty of human affairs, than the sight of this gorgeous, yet desolate palace suggests. In 1828, the princely founder took assured possession of its marble halls — and in 1830 they know him no longer! Everything within the palace is kept in the most perfect order. The visitors, who throng to see it, walk over the inlaid floors in list shoes, which are furnished by the guide, who watches every individual with jealous attention, lest the envelope should slip aside, and vulgar shoe-leather approach the he3iui\h\\ parquet. The boudoir of the princess is stated to be exactly as she left it; and it has in truth every appear- ance of being so. All the exquisite recherche of a royal petite maitresse is visible in the whole arrangement. The magnificent chiffoniers, the pretty collection of gems, even the writing-table of the banished lady, remain as she left them. The pens, stained with ink, still hang suspended in their golden cradles; and sundry sheets of paper, edged with black, show that she was still in mourning for her empress mother. Even her gloves, looking as if just drawn ofi' her hands, lie on the table. There is something very melan- choly in all this. To describe each princely chamber, going on crescendo, as they do, in splendour, from the first to the last, is quite out of the question. It is useless to say that one room is lined with Italian marble; another hung with crimson velvet, bordered by fringe of gold; and a third, of which the violet satined walls are sprinkled with stars of silver; or to tell of the golden candlesticks which would make those of Solomon's temple dwindle into littleness. To expatiate upon all this, with the best skill I have, would fail to convey a just idea of this princely dwelling. I may, per- haps, do greater justice to its dazzling magnificence, if I confess, that for the first time in my life, in a mansion con- WESTERN GERMANY, 43 taining good pictures, the decorations and furniture made me forget them. After the first startling effect was past, however, I recovered my senses sufficiently to discover that the collection, though small, is a very fine one. "C'estfini!" said the guide, on reaching the last room, and signifying that we might here leave the list shoes, in which we had made the circuit; " C'est fini!" — and though this was said, only with the tone of mock dignity, which these ambulent catalogues often assume, I could not help feeling that, when applied to those tenantless chambers, it sounded like a dirge to the House of Nassau in Belgium. We visited the little Mint; and were introduced to the master of it by Mr.' C. W***"^, a lively and intelligent Englishman, well knawn, I believe, in the literary w^orld, and a resident of long standing in Brussels. His obliging attentions to us were particularly acceptable, as he was quite au-fait .of everything best worth being seen and heard. This master of the mint seemed born to flourish in a revolu- tionary era, and to possess the power of turning his facul- ties, certainly of no mean order, into wdiatever channel the stormy current of the tim.es might open before him. He had been a minister of state, an officer of the army, and I know not how many things beside: but now he is assi- duously occupied in giving his personal superintendence to the making of five-franc pieces and cents. He attended us through the whole establishment ; and his manner gave me the idea of a man whose ran«;c of talent was far above the common. The geographical establishment of the MINI. Vandermae= len ought to be visited by all foreigners who can procure an introduction to them. For this pleasure we were also in- debted to Mr. W. I have never seen a finer example of the pure, enthusiastic love of science, and of a desire to push it into active utility, than in these two brothers. Neither my limits nor my learning suffice to do justice to their establish- ment by any description I can give of it ; and I must there- fore content myself by repeating, that all, who can obtain permission to visit them, will do well to avail themselves of it. Another introduction, which we owed to the active kind- ness of the same gentleman, was to M Robyns. 1 should 44 BELGIUM AND imagine that the bump of collectiveness must be very pre- ternaturally developed in this gentleman ; and had not his ruling passion been rendered "lawful as eating" by a large fortune and unbounded liberality, I think he must perforce have become a thief, as renowned as Schinderhannes him- self; for his mansion and garden render it clearly evident that such an acquisitive rabia must have been satisfied in some way or other. Mr. W. first expressed a wish that we should see his collection of sparrows ; and we were led into his garden, (which, for its size, contains also a good collec- tion of exotic plants,) and thence to a sort of open arcade at one side of it. Here a most singular spectacle met our eyes. The walls and ceiling are covered by the carcasses of innu- merable little birds, nailed into every imaginable vagary of form — stars, crescents, crosses, all packed close together with such cautious economy of space, that thousands and thousands of little twitterers must have been sacrificed to make up the show. " By what means. Monsieur," said I, " have you been enabled to collect such an astonishing number of little birds ?" "I rise with the sun every morning of. the year, Ma- dame," was the satisfactory reply; '^my first care is to set nets the whole length of this gravel walk ; I then place my- self in that chair, with the siring of the net in. my hand for a certain number of hours, according to the season. The result is the collection you see." We then entered the house, where we were soon after joined by so very agreeable a party of English, tliat I shall long remember the acquaintance made in M. Robyns' mu- seum v/ith pleasure. The business of exhibition proceeded; but were I to rehearse one-hundreth part of the things brought in review before us, I should find faith in none, from the impossibility that any, who have not seen, should believe, how many millions of objects may be crammed into a limited space by the force of a strong collective genius. "Soyez amant, et vous serez inventif," says La Fontaine. Nothing is more true. A passionate love of bringing things together has inspired M. Robyns with contrivances to lodge his treasures, that almost equal in ingenuity the space- saving arrangement of a honeycomb. Were this gentleman's WESTERN GERMANY. 45 collection divided into many, each containing objects illus- trative of one branch of science or art, the astonishing accu- mulation would be better appreciated. As it is, nothing is seen well, from the necessity of looking at something else. ^< Shall I show you my collection of butterflies, ladies ?" And in a moment a hundred drawers were protruded from the walls, and a hundred cases were opened in the hollows of window-shutters and the interstices of doorways, contain- ing the richest and rarest assemblage of jevvelled insects that I ever looked upon. " Or do you prefer moths ?" And before we had half gratified our eyes with the bril- liant spectacle contained in every one of the butterfly reposi- tories, they were withdrawn, and by some inconceivable con- trivance, more drawers and more cases seemed to issue from the same places, containing all the moth family, from gaily- coloured .monsters as large as a bat, to milk-white midges that required a magnifying glass. These too were well worth long and patient examination ; but in a moment we were withdrawn from them by a demand, whether we liked engravings ? *' Here is the whole Musee Napoleon ;" and, " here are all the caricatures published in Paris for the last thirty years." "Here is Piranesi — a particular fine copy ;" and, *' here by the by, ladies, I believe 1 have the largest collection of music in the world ; if you will just step par ici I will show it to you." In this way we obtained in the course of a few hours a very tantalizing conviction that M. Robyns had a prodigious number of things worth seeing, but that it was quite impos- sible to find time to look at them. . After a morning of much amusement, the whole party ac- companied Mr. W. to the restaurant of the justly celebrated Du Bos, where he gave us as elegant an entertainment as can well be imagined. It was very evident that whatever confusion the revolution had produced in other departments, that of the cuisine showed no symptom of unseemly inno- vation or incogruous combination. Everything was in per- fectly good style ; and I have seldom been present at a more agreeable entertainment. The theatre at Brussels is neither very large nor very 46 BELGIUM AND splendid ; nor was the company of performers so good as I had expected to find in a continental capital. It did not ap- pear to be the fashionable resort at the period of our visit ; for the house was not elegantly filled either of the two eve- nings we went there. Nothing can be more easy and agreeable than the style of the Brussels parties. A few distinguished individuals give dinners, from which the gentlemen and ladies rise together; and after a cup of exquisite caft noir, taken in the drawing- room, they separate to amuse themselves elsewhere. Many English families have handsome houses, well calcu- lated for receiving company ; and all l3'ing so near together round the park and Boulevard de Namur, as to render the attending the evening reunions, constantly given in many of them, perfectly easy even without a carriage. I had the pleasure of being at several of these parties in two or three different houses, and found the style of them very like that of Paris undressed soirees. Sometimes the young people stand up to waltz ; but in general, music, cards, and conver- sation occupy the hours. I saw a good many gay equestrians, both male and female, and looking very Hyde-parkish, enjoying the beautiful gal- lop of the Boulevard ; and the park also at the fashionable hour of walking was never without some elegant-looking group; nevertheless, all agreed in assuring me that Brussels was no longer what it had been. The old town has many fine Gothic buildings, particularly the cathedral church of St. Gudule and the Hotel de Ville. The great market-place, in which this last is situated, equals, or perhaps surpasses, everything we have seen in Belgium for the picturesque effect of its fine old buildings. If I visit Brussels again, I think that for one week I will have my domicile in the lower town, that the brilliant attractions of the upper may not prevent my seeing thoroughly all the rich old remnants of Brabant splendour, which are to be found in all the ancient parts of the city. We spent one long day at Louvain, and saw all that one day could show ; which, in a place where objects of interest lie so closely together as they do there, was a great deal. We passed an hour in the courts and halls of the Univer- sity,; went inio many handsome rooms containing its large WESTERN GERMANY. 47 library ; left not a school or lecture room unvisiled ; and yet, excepting the old woman who was our guide through them, we saw not a human being in the University of Lou- vain. The whole town appeared to me to look desolate and un- tenanted. The cathedral church of St. Peter is magnificent; and the pulpit one of the finest specimens extant of the lost art of carving in wood. The form of the structure is some- what pyramidical, representing at the base the conversion of St. Paul, in which the figures, horse included, are as large as life; and finished at the top by two elegantly branching palm trees, which bend over the canopy of the pulpit. Se- veral cherubims are floating about this canopy with a de- gree of life and grace quite astonishing in such a material. This magnificent work formerly ornamented the archiepis- copal church at Mechlin, but was removed to Louvain at the time of the revolution. The splendid tabernacle, in which the elements of the Eucharist are enshrined in the church, is most superbly carved in white stone. It is of great height, and covered w^ith scriptural groups in very fine alto relievo. The celebrated Hotel de Ville of Louvain is so well known by drawings, engravings, and descriptions, that all I need add is an acknowledgment that its fame is well merited. It is by far the richest piece of Gothic work I ever saw. Our drive back to Brussels was delightfully cool and re- freshing after a fatiguing day ; and, for the first time since our arrival in the gay little metropolis, we retired early to rest. Another day was given to an excursion into the country, for the purpose of seeing something of the environs, and jbarticularly the pretty villa of Turoneren, belonging to the Prince of Orange. This is another splendid specimen of the elegant taste of its owner ; but there is sornething too melancholy in walking through these silent and forsaken halls, and in meditating on the feelings of those who have been obliged to leave the chosen palaces " in which they made them glad.'^ The gardens are large and handsome, but not very picturesque; nor is there any great beauty in the surrounding country. The road from Brussels passes through an extensive wood ; and the effects of light and 48 BELGIUM AND shade athwart the long avenues form the best feature of the drive. It was no easy matter to fix the day of departure from Brussels. We had old friends to leave there, lon^ valued and long lost, who had made it their home ; we had to say farewell to many new acquaintance, whose gracious and graceful kindness would have made a longer enjoyment of it very agreeable : but already one month of our summer had slipped away, and, though conscious that the interesting old city had not been half explored, we resolutely decided upon leaving it. Part of our last morning was devoted to taking as general a view of the town as the time permitted. The most re- markable objects we had before visited, but I had hitherto formed no very accurate idea of the whole. No contrast in style and effect can be more perfect than that between the upper and lower town. The former is airy, gay, brilliant, and entirely modern ; the latter close, dark, sombre, and venerable : both have charms for the traveller, though of a kind widely different. It must be confessed, however, that the cheerful aspect of the new town is, for the present, greatly injured by the traces of revolutionary violence, which are suffered to re- main so strangely unobliterated in the very centre of its splendour. The residence of Count Crock&nberg, close to the royal palace, is a mass of ruins. The park, as the hand- some area is called round which the principal buildings are erected, is in many places fenced with hurdles; while in others the handsome Tuileries-like railings remain. 1 will also confess, that, to my taste, the tree of liberty, as the symbol of anarchy is called, rearing its lank, uncomely height, '-^ like a tall bully," before the windows of the king's palace, is by no means a graceful addition to the scene. Its branches, however, are withering, and looked very much as if the sap had ceased to flow. Perhaps at my next visit I may see a kingly statue erected in its place. WESTERN GERMANY. 49 CHAPTER IV. Waterloo — St. Jean — Belle Alliance — Monuments — Road to Namur — Namur — Huy — Pensionnat — Citadel— Liege— Quentin Durvvard Churches — Chaudfontaine — Belgian Politics . Notwithstanding the twenty years, or near it, which have passed since Waterloo was the spot of earth to which all Europe looked with the most lively interest, all my Eng- lish feelings were as much awakened at the idea of seeing it, as if its glory had arisen but yesterday. Though I am aware that the subject is "somewhat musty," and decidedly out of fashion, yet I must venture to give a few words to it. A mile before we reached the ground, we were addressed on each side of the carriage by men who offered to be our guides over it : women, too, with baskets on their arms con- taining relics of the battle, came crowding round us, offer- ing imperial eagles, bullets, and brass buttons for sale. One might easily have fancied the event to which they all referred had taken place a short month before. We had been cau- tioned not to stop at the village, though its name made it difficult to obey ; but, in fact, the battle-ground is too far from Waterloo to permit its being reached from thence by a walk. We therefore persuaded our coachman, though not very easily, to take us on to Mont St. Jean, a little hamlet of the same parish, nearly a league farther, in which are seve- ral detached farms ; and in the fields surrounding these was lost and won the most important battle that ever was fought. On arriving at this hamlet, we found, contrary to the assu- rances of our driver, a very decent little inn, close to all the objects we wished to examine, and immediately accepted the services of a guide, recommended by our host, to lead us among them. We could not have fallen into better hands : he was sixteen years old when the engagement took place ; and had been an active agent in the scenes which followed it. He was employed, as he told us, for many hours of the day in carrying water to the wounded ; and towards evening had ministered to the wants of the more fortunate ; to 7 50 BELGIUM AND whom a substantial meal, however rude, was all that was wanting to make them the most contented as well as the most triumphant of mortals. The weather was intensely hot ; and the plain we had to walk over utterly without shade ; but this good fellow con- trived to beguile the vvay wonderfully well. I know not whether he had tact enough to teach him that such anec- dotes would be particularly agreeable; but he gave us more than one beautiful story of British tenderness, generosity, and fortitude. If, however, our Belgian friend intends to be equally agreeable to all the English travellers who may still pause on their way to look at Waterloo, he must study a page of their politics, which it was evident had not yet been opened to him. '* Votre Due de Wellington etait la," said he, pointing to a spot near us ; "je I'ai vu, moi, entoure de ses generaux. Mon Dieu ! Quel homme ! J'etais tout pres de lui ici — justement ici — et lui, il etait la. Quel homme ! et comme tous ses officiers le regardaient. N'est-ce-pas qu'il est adore en Algleterre ?" My cheeks tingled as I remembered the windows of Aps- ley House ; and I would not have been obliged to tell that poor fellow in his rusty bloiize what he would see if he came to gaze on the dwelling of the hero of Waterloo, for more than I will say. '* Oui, mon ami, oui," was my reply ; and if I spoke not truth, the sin will rest on other heads than mine. In the course of our progress, we were led to the monu- ment raised to the Hanoverians who fell ; and to that erected to the memory of Sir Alexander Gordon. But the most striking object on the field of Waterioo is the stupendous mound piled by the King of Holland over the spot where his son the Prince of Orange was wounded. It is a pyramid of 250 feet high, and employed 200 men constantly for three years. Considering the sad numbers who breathed their souls out on the same battle-ground, to whom not even a grassy hillock rises, marking the spot where they fell, this colossal memo- rial of the royal soldier's wound seemed somewhat too pre- dominant. It struck me, moreover, that if living bravery be thus permitted to witness its own renown, it would not be WESTERN GERMANY. Sl amiss to ask permission of King Leopold for the erection of a statue to the Duke of Welh'no-ton. As the thought occur- red, I fixed upon the spot where I woukl have it rise; it was the bit of elevated ground on which he stood when his genius directed the bold and decisive movements which made the conqueror of the world stand aghast. A massive bronze statue on this spot would show" well against the sky ; and, as my fancy conjured it up before me, methought it was classically draped, after the manner of John Kemble, with an attitude and air which recalled the idea of Coriola- nus. We mounted to the- top of the pyramid by steps so rudely cut as to render the enterprise one of some difficulty ; but were rewarded by overlooking the field of battle in a man- ner to give a much more comprehensive idea of its arrange- ment than could be obtained below. Our guide was a very intelligent chronicler, and pointed out with great animation the points where the tug of war had been the strongest. The bronze lion on its summit, which was fabricated at Liege, is a magnificent monster, measuring twenty feet from head to tail, and looked, as our guide remarked, proudly enough towards France. After descending from this artificial mountain, which was very nearly as difficult as climbing up it, we traversed the plain in all directions ; and, spite of the burning mid- day sun, left no spot unvisited to which any record of pecu- liar interest was attached. Not all that has been said and written on the subject — not all the years that have passed since that great day arose — could lessen the interest we felt at finding ourselves stand- ing on the ground whose fame had been so long familiar to us. Who could be told, without feeling some swelling at the heart, "There, where you now stand, stood your Welling- ton — here were his officers all round him — yonder was the farthest point to which Napoleon advanced — and it was there he uttered his last command, * iSVzwve qui peut !^ ^^ The ruins of the Chateau of Hougoumont is, I think, the most interesting point of all. The struggle was there perhaps the fiercest ; the battered walls, the dismantled and fire-stained chapel, which remained standing through all 52 BELGIUM AND the wreck, and where they show a crucifix, that, as they say, repeatedly caught fire, but never was consumed, — the traces of attack upon attack, still renewed and still resisted — all, together, bring the whole scene before one with tremendous force. In the garden of Hougoumont is one solitary tomb raised over the body of Captain Blachnon. He was buried exactly where he fell — " With his martial cloak around him." and his monument is the only one so erected. At length, sufficiently heated and weary to make the sight of the little inn extremly welcome, we reached La Belle Mliance^ over the door of which it is recorded that within its humble walls Wellington and Blueher met, and reposed, on the evening of the ever memorable 18th June, 1815. As I sat down in the little whitewashed parlour where the first triumphant, yet melancholy hour that succeeded the battle was passed by the victorious Generals, I fancied I saw them surrounded by their staJBT, waiting with trembling eagerness to learn who among their brave companions still lived to share their triumph. It was in this room that they heard the names of all the brave spirits who had paid their lives for the mighty prize their country had won ; and it was here that the first and most precious tribute of gratitude and of sorrow embalmed the memory of the slain. We returned to our little inn about three o'clock ; and gladly welcomed the shade of its humble parlour. Our walk had altogether been so long and fatiguing, and the heat continued to be so overpowering, that I reposed for some hours before I ventured out again : but towards eve- ning large masses of heavy summer clouds rolled together; and though the air was stifling, there was at least no longer sunshine to dread : once more, therefore, I walked out upon the field ; my companions had wandered farther, and I was quite alone. Having passed the morning in listening to the brave but bloody deeds it had witnessed, I almost trembled to find myself alone there. The spot was an awful one, and no great stretch of imagination seemed necessary to people it ; moreover, the heavy gloom of an approaching storm hung upon every object, and a poet might easily have fan- WESTERN GERMANY. 53 cied that the air was darkened by the waving banners of a spectre host careering over it. The day ended by the only violent thunder storm we encountered during the whole summer. The next morning, being fortunate enough to find vacant places in a public carriage going from Namur to Brussels, we availed ourselves of it to return to the village of Waterloo. It was Sunday, and we heard mass performed in the little church, whose walls are lined with the memorials erected in honour of the brave men who perished near it. After mass we walked with a guide about the village, and visited many spots made memorable by having some connexion or other with the battle. The object, whose display was preluded with the most ceremony, was a sort of mausoleum, bearing the following inscription : — " Ci est enteiTee la jambe De rillustre et vaillant Comte Uxbridge, Lieutenant- General de S. M. Britannique, Commandant en chef la cavalerie Anglaise, Belg-e, et Hollandaise, Blesse le 18 Juin, 1815, A la memorable bataille de Waterloo, Qui, par son herolsme, a concouru au triomphe De la cause du genre humain, Glorieusement decidee par I'eclatante yictoire Duditjour." On each side of this inscription was a tablet bearing ano- ther : that to the right ran thus — "Get endrolt fut visite le l^r Qctobre, 1821, Par George IV. roi de la Grande Bretagne ;" that on the left, " Get endroit fut visite le 20 Septembre, 1825, Par S. M. le roi de Prusse, accompagnc de Trois princes, ses fils." No one, I think, can help feeling that this singular shrine is not that on which the names of the royal pilgrims could with the most propriety have been engraved : yet it is the only one at Waterloo which bears records of their visits. 54 BELGIUM AND There is something disagreeably approaching to the bathos, in passing from the graves of buried heroes to the repository of a severed limb. Had this brave and noble soldier left no other memorial of his presence at Waterloo than his leg, this strange devotion to it would be less annoying. Who- ever they were who testified the fervour of their admiration by raising this singular mausoleum, they would have done better, had they trusted, for the recollection of the event, to the fame of the noble and well-remembered firmness with which Lord Anglesey bore his loss : but as the leg itself was most assuredly the member to which the brave noble- man was the least likely to be indebted on the field of bat- tle, some portion of the circumstance and ceremony respect- ing it might have been well spared. We dined at PHotel du Roi d'Angleterre, and then took the coupe, which we had previously engaged, in the diii- g;ence for Namur. We passed by Quatre-bras, where Blucher was defeated on the 17th — the day before the de- cisive battle ; and also by the w^ell-known village of Ge- nappe. About two leagues before reaching Namur, our eyes were refreshed by the first picturesque landscape we had looked upon since we entered Belgium. A little bright, meandering stream, a beetling rock of mountain limestone hanging over it, with a most Udolpho- like-looking castle in the woods beyond, formed a perfect treat for three picturesque-seeking travellers, who, for the last month, had seen nothing but the level plains of Flanders, xlntwerp, and Brabant. All the large farm-houses in this neighbourhood have been evidently constructed with a view to defence. They almost always enclose a square : the outsides of the barns, which form the walls of it, are very substantially built of stone, having loop-holes at regular distances round the whole ex- tent : the gates are high, and frequently embattled with a huge portal, calculated to resist everything except artillery. The approach to Namur is magnificent. The town lies in a basin at the juncture of the Sambre and the Meuse. At the angle formed by this ^' meeting of the waters'' is the bold, abrupt termination of the long range of hills running between them ; and on the summit of this lofty eminence WESTERN GERMANY. 55 sLinds the citadel, vvith its superb works, stretching over the whole face of the mountain. The cathedral church of St. Aubaine, and also St. Loup, are well seen in approaching the city :' but the hills which rise so nobly in all directions round it, prevent any building but the dominating citadel from producing great effect. A nearer examination does not, however, greatly increase the idea of their architectural beauty : neither is the town well built; nor are the streets either very clean or very fragrant. We had recently seen too many splendid churches for those of Namur to inspire much admiration : that of St. Loup is the best worth seeing, for the sake of its very singular and beautifully carved roof of stone. Namur had, however, attractions for my son, which, un- happily, my ignorance prevented my sharing. In his opinion, the collection of M. Cauchy, to whom M. Vandermaelen had given him a letter, is one of the most perfect, in the objects it has been his purpose to collect, that can any where be seen. It contains a complete collection of specimens illustrative of the geology of Belgium, I here heard most honourable mention of the savoir of a fair countrywoman ; several fossil shells in the collection having beeii determined, M. Cauchy said, by Mrs. M n. As I have the pleasure of knowing, from my own observation, that this accom- plished lady '' wears her faculties so meekly" as in no de- gree to let them interfei'e with her kindness to the less informed of her own sex, I listened with the more pleasure to the admiration expressed for her unusual scientific informa- tion ; and heartily lamented that, in my own case, "^know- ledge, by this entrance," was so completely shut out. After passing a day at Namur, we embarked on board a little dirty packet-boat, which navigates the Mouse from thence to Huy. We had been particularly desired nor. to omit this pretty voyage ; and in truth we found that it de- served all the praise bestowed on it : but it is only the more to be regretted that the total want of everything like decent accommodation on board the boats should be such as com- pletely to turn pleasure into pain. Whoever travels this route, with a leisure day or two to spare, will do well to spend them at Huy. The MeUvSe is here at its handsomest width, and has a little rapid below 56 BELGIUM AND the bridge, occasioning a lively movement of its waters, which here at least deserve not the epithet of *' sluggish.'' The hills, which rise on either side, are bold and picturesque; and on one of these the citadel of Huy rears its massive front, sometimes crowning the rock, and sometimes permit- ting naked crags to rise amidst the masonry, and become a part of its strength. Below the citadel, and stretching its noble length eastward, stands the cathedral; somewhat in- jured by repeated innovations, but lofty, venerable, and imposing : below this is the beautiful grey stone bridge, with its seven graceful arches : and turn the eye in what direction you will, some tower, some convent, or some old, grotesque Burgundian mansion greets you, all in those mellowed tints of red and grey, so dear to Prout. One cause of this pecu- liarly picturesque aspect is, that the little town of Huy, con- taining only five thousand inhabitants, boasts sixteen churches and monasteries. The guide-boiks say that no town in the world of the same dimensions has so many edifices of the kind, or so many priests residing in it. 1 inquired of an inhabitant, with whom we made acquaintance, if this was so. " Ma foi, oui," was the reply; '^hich distinguishes the well-educated from those who are not so, in every coun- try ; but which has too little characteristic variety to be con- sidered as purely national in any. I took some pains, and not quite without success, to look a little more behind the scenes, and whenever I did so, the conformity in habits and character of the present race, with the portraits made fami- liar to us in the history of ages past, was most striking. It should seem that even the soil and air had an influence on the tailors, stocking-weavers, and shoe-makers ; for there are still the self-same outlines, nay, the self-same colours, and, as it should seem, the identical materials with which they wrought. Nor are the healthy, comely, lusty weavers more changed. No people, I think, bear a stronger national im- press on their features than the peasants of Flanders; and their admirable painters have made us all sufficiently fami- liar with them. Of their manners I saw enough to show me that they were industrious, clean, cheerful, and kind-hearted; and if beer and tobacco-smoke constitute a larger portion of their happiness than might be wished, it should be remembered that it is better to smoke than chew the loathsome herb; and that barley may be taken in a more pernicious form than that of Flemish ale. Of the ranks immediately above these it is less easy to judge : but perhaps if I abstain from naming the city where it was made, I may venture to insert the translation of a pro- vincial sketch given me by a lively young French woman, who had resided some years there. Of its accuracy I am hardly competent to give an opinion, though there are some features which saute aux yeux^ of which I confess the resemblance is striking. WESTERN GERMANY, 63 Journal of a Belgium Lady, (not of the capital.) She rises generally about seven o'clockj provided the chil- dren, who all sleep in her room, have permitted her to re- pose till so late an hour. Her toilet does not take long ; a black petticoat being the only addition she makes to the cap and brown cotton wrapping-gown in which she sleeps. In this equipage, with one child in her arms, and half a dozen following her, she goes down to breakfast ; which repast is often taken in the kitchen and lasts but a few moments, amidst cries and quarrelings for slices of bread and butter, and mugs of coffee. This trouble over, the lady commences the toilet of her little family ; an operation which she always performs care- fully and neatly, and the children are despatched to school. A general review of the mansion follows ; and wo to the servants if any candle ends of the preceding night have been burned too low — if a single grain of dust be visible on the furniture, or a cup broken ; for crimes of this cast ever become the subjects of most vehement reproach. At length the bell rings for mass ; a morning dress, not peculiar for its elegance, succeeds to the first costume ; a black cloak and hood is thrown over it ; and, with a basket on her arm, she repairs to the church, and from thence to make bargains and execute commissions. This period, the happiest of her day, is prolonged till dinner. In the course of her peregrination she meets her -acquaintance, and the most innocent little gossipings take place. It is now that she learns how much Mrs. Such-an- one gave beyond what she ought for a turbot ; and, conse- quently, how very bad a manager she must be : while on the other hand, Mrs. Somebody is so stingy that she stands half an hour higgling about green peas ; — Mrs. A. has given her maid warning ; Mrs. B. has a sick baby ; and the Cure has made a visit at least half an hour long to Miss C. . And now the clock strikes twelve, and dinner leads everv 64 BELGIUM AND body home. The children are returned from school ; the tumult and the din begins again ; and the young ones con- trive to render the dinner as miserable as the breakfast. This dinner, however, is eaten in a handsome room, orna- mented with mirrors, carpets, and so forth, but none of the thousand and one little prettinesses which constitute elegance and comfort. Everything is handsome and correct ; and everything is heavy and gloomy. Its tenants know the wants of animal life, but little more : the dinner is good and abundant, but the conversation — nought. The meal ended and the dessert distributed among the children, peace is once more restored by their dismissal to school. The lady then places herself at her window with her work, which she continues without interruption till she goes to vespers ; after which she gives her children their supper and puts them to bed ; then undresses herself, puts her hair into papillotes, says her prayers, and, while waiting the re- turn of her spouse, amuses herself by chatting a little v/ith her servants in the kitchen. A well-behaved husband is never later than nine ; as soon as he appears, a substantial supper is served, and at ten the whole house is in a state of profound repose. This life, with very few exceptions, is that of all the ladies of ^. If their minds do not greatly improve by it, their plump- ness and fresh complexions prove at least that it agrees well with their constitutions. What can they wish for more ? Of what use wouW mind be to them ? A Fleming marries in order to have a housekeeper who will not cheat him — his dinner punctually served — his children kept clean — and his stockings mended. He asks for nothing more, and is per- fectly contented with this. They are happy. What more can be desired ? — nothing ; — excepting, perhaps, the not being obliged to witness a happiness so insupportable. The scenery of the Sambre and the Meuse is as beautiful as the most devoted lover of landscape can desire : there WESTERN GERMANY. 65 are points near Liege that may challenge comparison with any scenery of the same class in the world ; and I think that I have not yet seen the valley which could be preferred to that of Chaudfontaine. In addition to all this, the glorious fertility of the agricul- tural districts well deserv^es to be mentioned. Were there nothing else to reward a traveller for going thither, I think the sight of the rich fields of Flanders would be enough to do it. It is surely a fair object of curiosity to see what may be the largest quantity of grain that can stand in any given space ; and this, I think, may be satisfactorily decided in Belgium. England has noble fields of grain, and her herbage is rich and abundant ; but in Flanders the soil is crammed with produce, and the corn stands on the ground like a solid mass. In short, Belgium is a beautiful little kingdom ; and, not- withstanding the extent of territory be small, it has sufficient within its circuit to give its name a higher rank among the nations of the Continent than its extent of domain alone could justify. Were the spirit of her present legislators as congenial to the natural temper of her citizens as the air and soil to the various treasures of her fields, it might be fairly hoped that peace as well as plenty would long smile upon them: but there appears to be a restless craving for still further changes among some who have much influence, which promises any- thing rather than permanent tranquillity. There are stirring spirits in Belgium who would vvillingly work political innovation, not only by the modern process of overturning all constituted authority, but by reviving power which has long lain dormant there, and which, in most other countries, may be considered as extinguished for ever. There are more Flemish cities than one in which the destruction, or rather the dispersion, of the Je- suits is openly deplored : and, if I am rightly informed, many efforts are making to organize new orders among the priesthood, that may increase their power and influence. I heard it repeatedly asserted in society, that had King William been a Catholic, or a less bigoted Protestant, (such is the language used,) Belgium and Holland could never 9 66 BELGIUM AND have been severed. But even those who profess the most perfect satisfaction at the result of the revolution, do not, in general, speak of the present order of things in a tone that promises its long continuance. " Ca ira pour le moment" was a phrase I heard repeated with slight variations in many circles. Nevertheless, . were King Leopold to become a Catholic and France rest contented without any fresh " im- mortal three days," the ''moment^' may probably be greatly lengthened. WESTERN GERMANY. 67 CHAPTER V. Aix-la-Chapelle — Charlemagne — ^Napoleon — Relics — King- of Prussia — German Politics. Perhaps it requires rather a particular attachment to the memory of Charlemagne to feel all the satisfaction that I did in going over the city of Aix-la-Chapelle, and seeking out, with a guide-book in my hand, every trace, whether real or fanciful, that this prince of Paladins has left there. No one can deny that there are enough of both to satisfy the most devoted lover of romance : and if the head be but sufficiently crammed with legends of knights and saints, one may almost have the luxury of fancying for a few hours that one is living in the midst of them. I never felt myself in such palpable contact with the ages that are gone as while thus engaged : and though I am afraid that nothing can be less like the profound investigations of the cautious antiquary, than the poetical reminiscences indulged in during this time; I much doubt if, in the way of enjoyment, any degree of sober learning would answer so well as that sort of feminine savoir obtained through the medium of romance, and which enabled me to see not only all that was to be seen, but, spite of the dictum in the Critic, a great deal more. Without this delightful sort of second-sight, I might have doubted the truth of many interesting particulars, the belief in which exceedingly enhanced my gratification; and I therefore re- commend an assiduous perusal, both of Berni and Ariosto, to all travellers about to visit this venerable city. There must be, however, something sufficiently stirring, even to the sober feelings of the antiquary and historian, while standing under the dome of the magnificent cathedral at Aix-la-Chapelle, and hearing, '^ This is the chapel built by Charlemagne, and under that stone he was buried." I wished to believe that he lay there still, but this was impossible; for the singular history of his disinterment is one of the most prominent legends of the spot. He had 68 BELGIUM AND been buried three hundred years, when the Emperor Fre- derick Barbarossa took him from the tomb. This strange sacrilege is spoken of in the history of Aix as "-unefete tou- chante,^^ given by Frederick to the town in 1165, when the embalmed hero was raised from the grave by the Archbishop of Cologne and the Bishop of Liege, and exposed " a la ve- neratio7i publique. '^ He was found buried in royal robes, and seated in a chair of marble, with the Gospels on his knees, his sword beside him, and a small casket, containing a portion of the earth which received the blood of the martyred St. Stephen .it his feet. After this " touchante Jete^^ the body of Charle- magne was deposited in a very elegant antique sarcophagus of alabaster, on which the Rape of Proserpine is chiseled in fine relief. This beautiful coffin is still shown, but no vestige of the illustrious dead remains within it. It is supposed that bone after bone has been taken away, being considered as holy relics; and it is stated that one solitary fragment, saved from this traffic, has been re-interred in the vault from whence his body was removed. The vast stone that seals this vault, and which is placed^ immediately under the centre of the dome, has the words' Carolo Magno inscribed upon it. The sacristan, who went over the church with us, told me that he had accompa- nied Napoleon and Josephine into every part of the building: they were followed, he said, by a numerous cortege of the staff. When Napoleon read these v^'ords, he retreated from the verge of the stone, rendered sacred by such a^ inscription, and having remained for a moment to gaze upon it, walked slowly round without placing his foot within its limits, but with his eyes still fixed on the venerated name. "II y avait quelque-chose de bien fiappant dans son re- gard," said the man; " mais aussi quelque-chose de bien drole dans Pinsouciance avec laquelle ses officiers suivaientsespas, en evitant de toucher la pierre; mais pourtant, sans avoir Pair de partager du tout son sentiment." The marble chair in which the body of Charlemagne was found, as well as the royal symbols that were buried with him, have been since used at the coronation of eleven em- perors. WESTERN GERMANY. 69 A vast gallery runs round the octagon of Charlemagne's chapel, from whence branch off sundry large oriels, forming what is called the Hoch Munster, or upper church. In that division of the octagon gallery, which, fronts the high altar below, is placed this sepulchral chair ; and it is here that the emperors have been seated to receive the sacre, while the electors stood round the gallery, between porphyry pillars, which supported its roof. Some handsome columns still mark the places where these porphyry pillars stood, but the originals went the way of all art, by the order of Napoleon ; and though many treasures 6f the church (not holy relics) which shared the same fate, were returned after the battle of Waterloo, these rich and rare pillars still remain at the Louvre. When our guide removed the oaken case which covers it, I sat down in the dead man's chair ; upon which he told me that Josephine also had placed herself, '<■ while the emperor stood there with his arms crossed upon his breast, looking at her." It was in a tone that seemed modestly to confess its want of high antiquity, that we were informed the choir of the church vras not more than seven hundred years old; but 1 "^forgave its recent date in favour of its beauty ; it is simple, lofty, light, and elegant. A little golden crown and sceptre, for the figure of the Virgin at the altar, and still smaller ones for the infant on her arm, are pointed out as an offering from Mary Queen of Scots. Over the stone inscribed with the name of Charlemagne is suspended an enormous crown of silver gilt, the gift of Fre- derick Barbarossa ; it forms a lustre of forty-eight lights, and ,is a beautiful and highly curious specimen of the goldsmith's art of the twelfth century. People from all quarters of the world have for ages consi- dered themselves as more holy if at any period of their lives they have made the J^ch/ahrt, or pilgrimage, to the munster of Charlemagne at Aix ; and the wealth, which their offerings have brought to the church is immense. No shrine in the world, I believe, boasts so many relics of first-rate sanctity as this. These sacred treasures are divided into tvvo classes, distinguished as the great and the little relics. The first class 70 BELGIUM AND are exhibited every seventh year, from the 10th to the 24th of July ; and some centuries agOj the pilgrims, who came to visit there, were so numerous that the town could not contain the hundredth part of them ; and the fields for miles round were converted into stations of rest and refreshment. It is recorded that in the year 1496, no less than 142,000 persons arrived in one day to make their offerings. We had not the good fortune to arrive on the seventh year, and therefore only know by hearsay evidence that they consist of a chemise of the Virgin Mary, the swaddling clothes of the infant Jesus, the linen cloth which received the head of John the Baptist, the scarf worn by the Saviour at the crucifixion, and a small portion of the manna of the desert. These were all sent to Charlemagne by the Patriarch of Jerusalem in the year 799. I was told by a citizen who had often had the. advantage of be- holding it, that the chemise of the Virgin was of most prodigi- ous size, quite long enough for a person seven feet high. As for the little relics, they are displayed to all comers, and consist of a vast variety of treasures, both sacred and profane. The article which interested me the most amongst these was the ivory hunting-horn of Charlemagne; it is ornamented with gold, on which are repeatedly engraved the words ^' Mein! Ein!^' The Hotel de Ville stands on a part of the ground once occupied by the palace in which Charlemagne was born: and one of the towers, called the tower of Granus, is said not only to have been a part of his dwelling, but to have stood there long before, being decidedly of Roman construction. A bronze statue of this mighty king stands in the market-place before the Hotel de Ville; it is a work of the fourteenth cen- tury. It is not difficult, I believe, for a notable, persevering, check-defying antiquary to trace the course of the external walls of the old palace. They extend far and wide, and pass through the inclosures of many private dwellings. It appears that Charlemagne was particularly attached to this city, and declared it the second in his empire. The inscription upon his palace was — Hie sedes vegm trans Alpes habeatur caput Omnium provinciarum et civitatum Gallise, WESTERN GERMANY. 71 Independent of all these memorials of history and romance, Aix-la-Chapelle is a beautiful and interesting town. Its hot springs are abundant, and held to be highly salubrious. The one which is of the highest temperature rises at Borcette, a little town perfectly distinct from Aix, but close to it. This Borcette spring is much too hot for the hand to endure; but I doubt its being actually boiling, as I have heard stated. We saw, however, several women taking pails of it for their washing, and were told that they never find it necessary to use any other in the process. The large smoking cauldron, which is open in the middle of the street at Borcette, has a very strange appearance, the vapour rising, and spreading up and down it, to a considerable distance. A gentleman, to whom we brought a letter of introduction, kindly accompanied us in a beautiful drive round the town. The Louisberg is a singular hill, rising very abruptly from the plain, and commanding a magnificent view. The forest of Ardennes makes an interesting feature in this fine land- scape. On and about this pretty little mountain are various memorials of Napoleon and his family. Josephine and Pau- line have given their names to temples, groves, and gates. The public walks begun by Napoleon, and completed by the present King of Prussia, are beautiful in no common degree. It was here that I first heard the name of the King of Prus- sia pronounced with that emphatic love, reverence, and ad- miration, which met us so frequently afterwards in the course of our travels through his dominions. I do not speak of the strong personal attachment of his nobles; but whoever will take the trouble of conversing with the lower and middling classes in Prussia, will hear their wise and good monarch spoken of as the father of his people. Had I travelled through the country half a century ago, it is probable that even an equal expression of attachment to the sovereign would not have struck me so forcibly. Loyalty was not then so rare and precious a plant as it has since be- come, and to feel a glow of universal satisfaction at the heart, because a good king was spoken of with love and reverence by his people, would have been hardly less extravagant, than if one had fallen into a rapture at hearing a son speak with affection of his father. 72 BELGIUM AND *' For so it falls out, That what we have we prize not to the worth. Whiles we enjoy it; but being- lacked and lost. Why then we rack the value." While remarking on the strong feeling of attachment ex- pressed by all classes to. the King of Prussia; I am naturally led to mention the general result of my endeavours to dis- cover the real state of political feeling in the countries through which we travelled. To facilitate this object, I repeatedly accepted introductions from persons whose speculations had, I well knew, led them very far from what I considered as the principles of political wisdom. I did so from the wish of hearing those subjects fairly discussed abroad, which are so constantly thrust into all companies at home ; and in the expectation of obtaining, in the intercourse of general society, a more just idea of popular feeling than we can hope to obtain from all our newspapers, whether domestic or foreign : but, notwithstanding I thus threw myself in the way of what are called liberal politics, 1 never, except in one solitary instance, heard any sentiments or opinions expressed, in the slightest degree, approaching to the mad licentiousness of doctrine, which is weekly and daily poured forth by the presses of England. We are contiriually told by these, that there is a spirit abroad in Germany, which, in the fulness of time, is to bring forth revolution, — that massacre and rapine shall engender liberty and peace, and that, in a few short years, all the na- tions of the earth are to be levelled into one vast ocean of equality. Should this prophecy be fulfilled, the completion of it will not owe its origin to Germany. Not one of the vari- ous dynasties, whether great or small, included in that term, hold rule over a population disposed to seek their happiness or their glory in universal equality. There is a high-spirited and very noble sort of ambition about them, more likely to show itself in efibrts to raise their native thrones and scep- tres above all others on the earth, thao to trample the least atom of their dignity in the dust. Instead, therefore, of listening with blind faith to statements, as false as they are absurd, it would better become the wisdom of Englishmen to look out, with a feeling of emulation, at least, if not of WESTERN GERMANY. 73 fear, at the enormous strides which that magnificent country is making to outstrip us in arts and commerce, in learning and in wealth. While we are mouthing out bombastic de- clamations upon liberty, they are quietly studying the pro- foundest theories of state policy ; and while we avowedly endeavour to make the ark of our government (the only se- curity by which we hold our lives and property) drive along by the current of popular tumult ; their rulers sit on high, marking the signs of the times, and making use of the light that is spread abroad, to steer their noble vessel on its course. One remarkable feature of difference between my own dear country, as seen in these latter days, and the land through which I was travelling, struck me very painfully. At home, 1 had of late been accustomed to hear every voice from the class, emphatically styled the people, whether heard through the medium of the press, or in listening to their conversation, expressive of contempt and dislike for their own country, its institutions, and its laws. The same class that I remember, in early youth, to have heard splitting the skies in vivats to their own glory, now mutter curses on the church of their fathers, and almost de- precate the flag round which they used to rally wi'th such proud enthusiasm. Far different is the state of public feeling in Germany. Ask a Prussian— not of that rank which makes the absence of any noble feeling a disgrace — but among those whose habits have not taught them the expediency of affecting ex- alted sentiment, if they have it not— ask such a one his opinion of his country, her government, and her king ; and you will be answered by such a hymn of love and praise, as might teach those, who have ears to hear, that passing a reform bill is not the most successful manner of secur- ing the affection and applause of the multitude. 10 74 BELGIUM AND CHAPTER VI. Journey to Cologne— Reasons for Travelling— The Cathedral— Museum —Public Walks— Music — Bonn— Concert— Students Smoking. ^ We left Aix-la-Chapelle in a diligence, not having at that time, fully mastered the problem of whether delay plus independence equalled in value despatch minus comfort. Our companions were, a very agreeable old militaire, com- mandant of Jailers ; a young student, going, I believe, to the University of Bonn ; and an elderly gentlewoman, who no sooner discovered me to be her countrywoman, than she appropriated me to herself, as her own particular listener ; two young men, her nephews, were in another part of the vehicle, and she therefore appeared to be greatly in want of such a commodity. I was rather vexed at being thus con- strained to give up hearing many amusing anecdotes, which our military companion was detailing ; but as I found some- thing very whimsical, though, perhaps, not very new, in the joro/e/ de voyage of my countrywoman, I soon gave her my undivided attention ; and, having scribbled our conversation as soon as it was over, I will transcribe it for the benefit of my reader, who may be at a loss for a reason why it is good for him to travel. "It is quite a pleasure," said the lady, "to meet an Englishwoman. I never speak anything but English. Pray, ma'am, is your journey to be a long or a short one ?" "As long as the summer will enable me to make it,'^ I replied. "Oh, then, I see that you travel quite in my way : you will go as far as possible within the time you can spare. My intention,'' she continued, "is to get as far as Geneva, and then to Paris .... How long may it be since you left London, ma'am ?" 'I answered, that I believed it was about six weeks. . "Six weeks from London ! Why we have done it in six days. What can have delayed you so long ? WESTERN GERMANY. 75 I tokl her, that we had met with many things which we were anxious to see. " I think that is just the notion, begging your pardon, that prevents people from ever taking a really long journey in proportion to the time they are about it. I, and my nephews, make a point of never stopping to look at things." "But does not such rapid travelling fatigue you ?" said I. "Oh, dear, no ! am I not sitting still all the time ? It is just so much rest — and that is exactly the reason I like tra- velling. Seeing sights would tire me to death — it always does in London ; but driving along in this way is quite pleasant. No, no ; nothing will ever induce me to tire my- self by running after curiosities in every town I pass through: I make the greatest point of never seeing sights." The commandant here drew my attention to some anec- dote about Napoleon, and, for a few minutes, I was permit- ted to listen to him ; but the lady then sought to renew our conversation, by asking if I were aware that the climate of Switzerland required great precaution. " We have very little luggage," said she ; " 1 am as par- ticular about that, as about not seeing sights. My young men and I have each of us a cloak-bag — that is all I allow ; but even in this I. have contrived to pack an oil-skin hood and cloak, for stepping in and out of the stages. I should be sadly put out, if I caught cold just in travelling through Switzerland." This was certainly the ne plus ultra of travelling for travelling sake ; but I afterwards encountered more than one party who appeared to proceed somewhat on the same prin- ciple. The weather was beautifully clear the day we arrived at Cologne, and from our windows at the Grossa Rheinberg we first caught the wild outline of the Siebengeberg^ or seven mountains. I have often heard these called the Dra- chenfels, why, I know not, for that name belongs only to one of the seven; but be this as it may, these Drachenfels, or Siebengeberg, or seven mountains, form a most magnificent portal to the scenery of the Rhine; and when seen, for the first time, beyond the plain on which Cologne is situated, they set the imagination busily at work, to anticipate all the wonders behind them. 76 BELGIUM AND It was impossible to look upon the Rhine, and upon the misty sevenfold grandeur of these hills, without longing in- stantly to embark, and be amongst them. But the city of the three Kings was not to be treated thus; and a second thought recalled, not only the glories of Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, but also of the stupendous cathedral that shel- tered their relics. We therefore determined upon devoting two days to the venerable city, where Clovis was proclaimed king; and of which Pepin was duke, before he ascended the throne of France. Every quarter of Cologne is full of the highest historical interest; and, instead of two days, two months might be profitably spent in becoming acquainted with its antiquities: but as long as steamboats keep running up the Rhine, the giddy throng, who come flying over sea and land to look at its rocks and its ruins, will never spare time to examine this interesting old city, with one tenth part of the attention it deserves. The day after our arrival was, most fortunately for us, a Sunday; and we enjoyed a treat, which I will venture to say, no one can form the slightest idea of, if they have not themselves tasted it. It is difficult to speak of the Munster Church of Cologne, without employing words, which would to many appear greatly misplaced, when applied to a build- ing not more than half completed. Were 1 to say, for in- stance, that the most exalted imagination could conceive nothing more perfect in Teutonic architecture, it might per- haps be asked, if I considered deal planks as the perfection of Gothic roofing; and if I confessed that the impression made upon my mind was more like the effect of magic than of reality, I might hear that a tower half-reared, and sur- mounted by a hideous crane, could be obtained without the aid of necromancy. Nevertheless, in both cases, I should speak the truth. 1 can never forget, nor perhaps ever again hope to enjoy, the exceeding delight I experienced from hearing high mass performed in the quire of this matchless church. The graceful windows, each one a separate won- der, rearing their bold and light proportions to the towering roof, let in such streams of gorgeous coloured light, that the whole edifice glowed with it. The service was performed with great solemnity and pomp: the music, consisting of an organ, and very fine WESTERN GERMANY. 77 string accompaniments, was most glorious; and the voices, rich, firm, and in perfect harmony, made us feel that we were indeed in Germany. In addition to all this, delicious in- cense rolled its sweet cloud of fragrance over our heads, and completed the enchantment. This beautiful quire is lined behind the stalls with tapestry, from designs by Rubens; it is so wretchedly faded, as to render the subjects nearly un- intelligible; but were they as fresh as in the hour when the needle finished its unprofitable labour, and had they been designed by Raphael, or Apelles himself, they would still be most miserably ill-placed where they are. What decora- tion of the kind cou]d look otherwise than pitiful, under a vault rising one hundred and fifty feet from the earth, on pillars so boldly majestic, that they branch into arches for its support, apparently only a few feet from its summit ? The miserable organ-loft, too, would be painfully felt to disfigure the sublimity of the building, were it not that the eye naturally rises to the immense space above, so rich in beauty from every source that can give splendour and noble- ness to a church; and the puny work of yesterday is for- gotten. It was not till after long and repeated visits to this won- derful building, that we recollected the absolute necessity of seeing the celebrated treasures it contains, in gems and relics: these are said to be immense in value — and so in truth they ought to be, in proportion to the extravagant sum asked for showing them, which is no less than fifteen francs. I believe I should have demurred at this demand, had not another party proposed to divide the fee with us. This arrangement being settled, we began to look, to wonder, and to admire, as ivory, gold, and precious stones v/ere displayed before us. 'But the wonder of wonders is the Mausoleum of the East- ern Kings; with the most grave and dignified assumption of historical truth, you are informed that this splendid monu- ment contains not only the bones of Carpar, Melchior, and Balthasar, but likewise those of St. Felix, St.. Nabor, and St. (jregory. Let tlie bones contained in it be whose they may, the shrine itself is most superb; and when you enter the little tabernacle in which it is deposited, there is something so mj^stically glowing in the eternal lamplight reflected by the gold and precious stones, — something so horrific in the three 78 BELGIUM AND grim skulls, protruding themselves from amidst the jewels with which they are encircled, for each one, *' The likeness of a king-ly crown has on," and the whole scene is at once so ghastly, and so gorgeous, that, for the moment, one is almost tempted to believe some real sanctity must be attached to the relics, which princes and prelates have for ages agreed to honour with such extra- vagant and strange devotion. The date of this singular monument is 1170. It is said that the King of Prussia is extremely desirous to finish, or at least to proceed with this splendid edifice: but, hitherto, all the money devoted to it, has but sufficed to carry on the costly, but most necessary, repairs. The foundations of the church are of basalt; but. Unfortunately, the superstructure is of the crumbling stone of the Drachen- fels, and the work of the elements is sadly visible upon it. Workmen are at present employed in covering the whole external surface with some unctuous composition, which it is hoped will preserve it from further injury; the colour of this is so nearly that of the stone itself, that when perfectly dry, it will not, I think, disfigure it. There is an admirable picture by Rubens in the church of St. Peter ; it represents the terrible crucifixion of that saint, and I could hardly have believed, unless I had felt it, how completely the influence of a powerful genius can overcome disgust and horror. Hideous as is the subject of this picture, it is impossible to look at it without delight. Rubens was christened in this church; and the house in which he was born, distinguished by his portrait hanging over the door, is at no great distance from it. The Musee de Wallrof has many curious old pictures, and a very interesting collection of local Roman antiquities. The rooms containing them were exceedingly crowded when we made our visit; so much so, indeed, as to make the passing from one to another a matter of considerable difficulty. We entered it on Sunday, immediately after the cathedral service, and found much interest and amusement in examining the appearance of the mixed assemblage which filled the rooms. The dresses in general were perhaps more picturesque WESTERN GERMANY. 79 than elegant; the endimanches of the city, indeed, were many of them exceedingly well dressed; but the majority of the company had the appearance of peasants in their holiday attire; and the highly-finished, but uncouth groups in violet and in green, wdiich adorned the walls, though many of them stood forth from a back-ground of gold, were hardly more gaudy in colouring, or grotesque in outline, than some of the parties who came to visit them. The public walks and drives round the town, though seen to great disadvantage immediately after the beautiful prome- nades of x\ix-la-Chapelle, are very pretty, and almost every part of the city affords picturesque and interesting points of view. On crossing the bridge of boats to Deuty, the scene is peculiarly striking; the whole city, with all its variety of venerable towers, is spread out before the ej^e, and with the river for its foreground, forms a most magnificent picture. That peculiar national characteristic of Germany — a love of music, with the almost universal advantages of voice and ear, are strongly manifested at Cologne. At our table-d'hote we had a violin concerto, which many a London soiree would have gladly welcomed ; and the mere accidental warblings in the street, which reached methrough my chamber windows, were of a tone and cadence very unlike any sounds I had been accustomed so to hear. Much as I wished to find myself fairly launched on the Rhine, I regretted not having more time to devote to Co- logne : and as it was a city of vows, I registered something very like one in my memory, that I would not leave the country vs^ithout making it a second visit. On the 8th July we left this city of the kings for Bonn, by the Prince Frederick steam-boat; but. though greatly de- 'lighted by the consciousness of being actually floating on that f^ abounding river,'' which has formed the theme of so much enthusiastic admiration, it was impossible to deny that its banks were, at this portion of it, as dev^oid of beauty as well could be. The Seven Hills, however, seemed to beckon us on, and to promise all that was wanting to give interest to a stream, which, in the copious volume, and immense rapidity of its waters, yields to so few of the rivers of Europe. Ex- cepting the gradual approach to these hills, there was nothing in this little voyage to atone to me for leaving Cologne so 80 BELGIUM AND hastily: but on reaching Bonn, I found enough to convince me that I was travelling through a country where I shall find small leisure to lament the objects I had passed, amid the busy interest excited by those I had reached. If Bonn had nothing but its University, this would be suf- ficient to detain the traveller very delightfully for several days; but there are many other circumstances to repay such a delay. It is full of interesting antiquities, and it has the charm of being the first point at which one's expectations of beautiful scenery begin to be realized. There are views in the environs of Bonn, equal in extent and richness to almost anything on the Rhine. This very pretty town was formerly an electoral residence, and the palace, W'hich is an extensive and handsome building, at present makes part of the University. Everything con- nected with the University is upon a noble scale; the schools, the library, the academic walks, and gardens are all hand- some, and arranged in a grand and expensive style. To those who have their fancies over full of the Gothic glories of Ox- ford, or imagine that on any other spot of earth they shall meet the perfection of King's College Chapel, or the magni- ficence of Trinity College at Cambridge, Bonn may cause a sensation of disappointment: but to all who are sufficiently instructed to be aware that the academic magnificence of En- gland stands alone, it will appear what it really is, — a noble , and beautiful seat of learning. The bronze statue of the Empress Helen, the sainted mo- ther of Constantine, is the most interesting object in the ca- thedral, which has been too much defaced by repairs to retain any great claim to admiration. The walk on the Altezoll should by no means be neglected : both from thence and from the gardens behind the cafe, strangely styled Vinea Domini, the view is delightful. The musical reputation of Bonn is considerable: it boasts Beethoven among its eleves; and during the reign and resi- dence of the last elector, some of the first performers of the age made it their head-quarters. Perhaps it was this reputa- tion, though belonging rather to the past than to the present times, which induced us to give three hours of a lovely sum- mer'sevening to a public concert given by a Madame Milden. The sacrifice, for such I certainly felt it, was, however, not WESTERN GERMANY. 81 in vain, the whole scene being new and amusing. The apart- ment used for this occasion was the ball-room, about one- fourth of Vv'hich was occupied by the orchestra; but without any other line of division than a clear space between the last bench occupied by the company and the first music-stands. We were told that there were between three and four hundred people present. I was extremely pleased to find myself in a room so well filled with German company; at a point sufficientl}^ distant from any metropolis to enable me to judge of the national style, when divested of that conventional air and tone which have made almost alL characteristic national varieties disap- pear in the great cities of Europe. This must inevitably be the case, whenever people agree to submit themselves to the uniform laws of high breeding and cultivated taste: but at Bonn this livery of elegance was neither to be hoped nor feared; and I found as many points of difference between Ma- dame Milden's concert, and all other assemblies of the same kind, that I had seen elsewhere, as I could possibly wish. Yet there was nothing in the slightest degree displeasing or uncouth. The extreme simplicity of dress was the first thing which struck me, while reviewing the female part of the company; but a few moments' prolonged examination of the faces around which the luxuriant tresses were so simply braided, sufficed to convince me that the fair girls were right to trust more to their blooming complexions, and sweet ex- pression of countenance, than to a more elaborate toilet: we remarked many extremely lovely faces among them. After the room.appeared to be perfectly full, a door, which I had not before remarked, opened to admit a party, some of whom had a very decided air of metropolitan bon ton. They "jjlaced themselves on chairs, on one side of the foremost bench, and the performance immediately began. A fair neighbour, who appeared very willing to converse with. me, announced their names and titles; but I forget both : I think she said that they resided in the neighbour- hood. One of the party was as lovely and graceful a woman as I ever saw. This distinguished vSet was immediately sur- rounded by a party of officers : on the broad chest of one of these I counted seven decorations. 11 82 BELGIUM AND The orchestra was very respectably filled, and one violin concerto excellent. Madame Pvlilden sung three or four songs in good style, and with a powerful voice, which had, however, seen better days ; but she was enthusiastically applauded ; and, when not singing, placed herself among the company, many of whom, particularly the elite, conversed with her with an air of great affability and kindness. Of course, no public meeting can take place at Bonn, in which the young students do not make a distinguished figure. On this occasion they did not appear to mix much with the company, but stood almost entirely apart in groups of three or four, and forming pictures, which made me fancy myself in a saloon with Vandyke and Rubens ; for certainly such must have been their models. I suppose it is in the nature of all young gentlemen, par- ticularly when congregated together, to mix a little fancy, and perhaps tant soit peu of affectation in their outward seeming. Something of this may assuredly be seen both at Oxford and Cambridge, despite the gown and cap which so greatly curb the display of individual whim : but at Bonn, where no academic dress is worn, the costume of the young men is sometimes marvellously imaginative. Whenever a set of European youths assemble to receive the last finish of their education, it is probable that some will always be found among them upon whom the stamp which marks the gentleman is too strongly impressed to permit any vagary of dress to conceal it : and of such many are to be seen among the students of Bonn ; but the majority are much more picturesque. Hair, long and exquisitely dishevelled, ; throats bare, with collars turned back almost to the shoulders; with here a miniature beard, curiously trimmed into a perfect triangle ; and there moustaches, long, thin, and carefully curled, might be seen repeated in one knot after another, through the whole length of the room. Some presented a fair young forehead bared a la Byron, and others looked about them with a wild eye rolling a la Juan. One had the pale cheek and deep-set eye of a premature philosopher ; while another looked with such a dashing, reckless sauciness upon all around, that I felt inclined to watch him, half from fear, and half from fun, to WESTERN GERMANY. 83 see what mad-cap frolic would deliver him of the load of merry mischief that lay laughing in his eye. Not the slightest indecorum, however, to the amount even of a too audible whisper, disturbed the entertainment : and notwithstanding all we hear of the boisterous licence assumed by the students of Germany, I question if so large a party of young men could often be seen assembled, and remain as long together, so entirely without noise or disturbance of any kind. L' hotel de Cologne, where we had taken up our abode, was far from uncomfortable, though situated in a street so extremely narrow as to render a sitting-room, which was exactly opposite the one we occupied, rather nearer than we might have wished. It was inhabited by a young officer, upon whose retirement I would certainly not have permitted my eyes to intrude, had his mode of passing his morning permitted me to avoid it : but his two large windows being opened from the top to the bottom of the room, he took his coffee as much in public as if he had been on a stage ; and by no device, except sitting in total darkness, could we avoid seeing him. Such being the case, we submitted to the ne- cessity ; and certainly were not a little amused by the scene that passed before our eyes. On one side of his room hung a row of splendid pipes, amounting, I should think, to nearly a dozen : having dismissed his coffee, he selected one of these, and placing himself at the window, soon became enveloped in an atmosphere, the mysterious charm of which none, I suppose, but a German can fully understand. The counte- nance of our military nei^bour expressed all that tranquil serenity which one is sure to find on all features seen athwart a cloud of tobacco-smoke : but after a time the ample bowl became exhausted, and something like weariness seemed to mix itself with the supine beatitude he was enjoying. He placed his prodigious hookah against the window-frame, stretched his legs, and yawned. Ere long, however, the door opened, and a gentleman entered, whom he welcomed with the most cordial satis- faction : but the next moment, nay, the very same in which he grasped his hand in friendly greeting, he flew to his col- lection of pipes, and selecting the largest among them, put 84 BELGIUM AND it into the hands of his friend. He then hastened to reple- nish his own, which being done, they both sat down together at the open window with every appearance of enjoyment, and in a few moments the mutual vapour hid them from our sight. This is a species of social pleasure which it is very difficult for the uninitiated to appreciate : we can only darkly guess its value, by weighing all that is sacrificed to obtain it. WESTERN GERMANY. • 87 precipitous rock has been worked into as a quarry ; at least such is the tradition ; though the hoHow, pointed out as the spot from whence the stones were taken, is so high in air as to render the statement almost incredibly to me, particularly as the same stone might have been obtained below: but my doubts are quite unsupported by any authority. This bold attack upon Nature is said to have been made by Archbishop Conrad, in 1284, for the purpose of building the cathedral of Cologne ; and this point of the mountain is called the Domquarry. Another object at which we were bid to look was a yawning cavern, which opened its black portal in a hollow on the opposite side of the little ravine, over which we hung; This mysterious-looking chasm is called the Dombruch ; and the man very gravely assured us, that it was the home of the celebrated dragon who had given his name to the mountain on which we stood. Ex- actly overlooking the abode of this ominous neighbour, stands the castle, whose origin is so remote as to be lost in fable. Some portion of the beetling rock on which it stands has been rent away ; and the ruin now literally hangs over the precipice, one corner of it projecting several feet beyond any support whatever. The view from this point is prodi- giously grand ; and all the features of the spot are wild and impressive in the extreme. On the very summit of the mountain, and there only, Henry discovered an enormous block of lava ; which, in conjunction with the crater-like form of the Wolkenberg, just below it, made us feel that we were in a region which had been visited by some violent convul- sion of Nature. While we were enjoying all this in perfect silence, our guide suddenly thought proper to awaken the celebrated echo of the Siebengeberg by some of the most hideous noises that the voice of man ever produced. If such sounds be often heard, repeated from rock to rock, and from mountain to mountain, it is not wonderful that this castled peak has the reputation of being haunted ; for never did more unearthly notes strike upon the ear than those our Caliban of a guide produced. He laughed, he shrieked, he bellowed, till the dragon himself might have trembled to hear him. On descending from the mountain, which we did on the side farthest from the river, we had a singular and beautiful 88 ' BELGIUM AND view over the wavy tops of the innumerable hills, from among which the Siebengeberg rise. It was, I confess, in this di- rection only, that I could perceive any portion of that sub- limity which I had heard so lavishly attributed to the region of the Drachenfels. The Oelberg, which, I believe, is the highest, rises only 1827 feet above the level of the river; and though they form altogether a very noble feature in a very beautiful landscape, I cannot think they merit the epithet of sublime. But this vast extent of vine-covered heights, with the dark and intricate valleys, which wind along them, the frequent bare masses of rock, protruding their ca- pricious forms, and looking like the giant inhabitants of the woods, added to the seven bolder heights that raise their crested heads above them all, form together a scene so wild, so desolate, as may well justify the use of such a term. It is only during a part of the descent, however, that this is enjoyed; the road winds round the side of the mountain, and ere long brought us in sight of a landscape, forming as perfect a contrast to it as it is well possible to imagine. The splendid river rolled its vast mass of waters at our feet: be- low us hung terrace after terrace of vines, just swelling with the promise of an abundant vintage: while, on the opposite bank, such fields of yellow corn were spread out before us, as might have made Ceres herself laugh to look upon them. Never, I think, did so short a space divide scenes so utterly discordant. After recrossing the river, we took a path through the fields, which led us by a short cut to Godesberg. The fine ruins of its castle were exactly before us, and we saw the sun set behind them in a style of unusual splendour. The whole mass seemed on fire; for the rich red light streamed through every crevice of the ruined wall, and appeared to wrap round the base of the isolated tower, making it look much smaller at bottom than at top: the effect of this delusion was most singular. How keenly we enjoyed our delicious coffee after this long expedition ! The fair hands of Mademoiselle (for thus only was our active little landlady ever designated) prepared it; and the assiduous attention w^ith which she performed every service of the kind, most assuredly deserves to be recorded in recommendation of the "Beautiful Sight.'' Notwithstand- WESTERN GERMANY. 89 ing there were waiters and chambermaids in abundance, this kind-hearted little lady seemed to mix her own thoughtful care with every service they performed ; and one felt certam that it was only necessary to make '\ Mademoiselle''' ac- quainted with a wish or want, to have it supplied promptly, cheerfully, and efiectually. The next day we set out upon an exploring walk, Mr. H. with his pencil, and Henry with his hammer. After linger- ing for awhile am.ong the beautiful ruins of Godesberg, we turned to the left, and passed through fields profuse in their promises of bread and wine, till w^e reached the wood that covers the whole range of hills from Godesberg to Bonn. Here we soon fell into a gravel path, so pleasant to the feet, and so abounding in pretty points from which to look out upon the river below, that w^e were led on by the mere plea- sure of walking, without any definite object in view, for a distance that we afterwards learned was nearly four miles. At length we reached an open space, where the wood, and indeed every trace of vegetation, suddenly ceased; and we saw an enormous mine before us, in and about which a vast number of workmen were employed. We soon found that we had blindly stumbled upon a most interesting spot — no other than the extensive brown-coal deposit of Friesdorf. Even the most ignorant eye cannot examine this singular formation with indifierence; and I am tempted to transcribe a note from my son's journal, which, I think, describes it more intelligibly than I can do. " The stratum contains large masses of wood in every stage, from simple wood, to stone, or iron ore, which still retain all the marks of organization. The superior stratum of this range of hills is gravel: under this there is a stiff',^blue, sandy clay, which is used in a neighbouring pottery. This has thin layers of the brown coal in it, and likewise detached masses of wood, together with sulphuret of iron mineralizing the smaller branches. Beneath this is the first stratum of brown coal, about five feet thick, or rather more in some places; under this is the alum earth, sufficient in quantity to employ some considerable alum works erected close to the excavation. I have collected several good specimens of the fossil wood, in all its different stages— one of them, a stem imbedded in the iron ore, is extremely beautiful. The fossil remains of 12 90 BELGIUM AND several kinds of fishes, and a very few fresh-water shells, have also been found here, from which there is great reason to believe this brown coal formation to be a lacustrine depo- sit. I am told that some trunks of trees have been found of thirty feet in circumference, and that all lie in an east and west direction. " The stratum of alum earth, beneath the brown coal, is of a dark purple or almost black colour, and very unctuous to the touch: there are crystals of the alum in the small fissures of the clay, of a very pure white, but exceedingly minute. This stratum is also about five feet thick, and beneath it is another of the brown coal of nine feet. Under this is white clay, which, I am told, has been bored to the depth of sixty feet, without coming to its termination." After passing above an hour in examining what looked like the relics of a buried forest, we proceeded to visit the alum works and the pottery. A great number of men were employed in each; and both here, and among the much larger number engaged in the difierent processes of the brown-coal works, we were struck with the respectful and unobtrusive civility of the labourers. When they observed us engaged in examining the fragments of disinterred wood which were lying about, many of them came around us with specimens; but the moment they had put them into our hands they re- tired, without showing the least indication of expecting to be paid for them. The following morning we again crossed the Rhine to Kcenigswinter, when I once more mounted the obedient donkey who had done me such good service on my former expedition, and, attended by my two squires, prepared to mount the Stromberg. Nothing can be much less interest- ing than the road which leads to its summit, for it is cut through a wood so thickly grown, that a high, dark vegeta- ble wall is all you can see on either side. The ascent is not so steep as that of the Drachenfels, but much longer, and 1 was heartily tired before I reached the top. Here we hoped to be rewarded for our tedious climbing; but found the trees too high in every direction to permit our seeing any- thing on earth but themselves, and the singular little church dedicated to St. Peter, which crowns the very summit of the mountain. It is said that this almost inaccessible chapel was WESTERN GERMANY. 91 built by a knight, named Dielher, in consequence of a vow made in Palestine. This story is rendered probable by the impossibility of supposing that any, not bound by a vow, would have selected such a spot for the purpose. A small shanty for the sale of schnaps, (milk and black bread) to restore the strength of any pious pilgrims who may reach it, is now the only human habitation on the Stromberg. It is recorded, however, that in days of yore sundry holy hermits made it their abode: if so, these self-denying an- chorites might truly be said to have been above temptation ; and, as they proved themselves quite unfit for earth and its blessings, by choosing the dank hollows of this dismal moun- tain to dwell in, instead of the rich and smiling valley at its foot, let us hope they were more fit for heaven. We descended by a different path from that which led us up, and again enjoyed a view over the dark, dreamy region which we saw when coming down the Drachenfels. Never- theless, mounting the Stromberg, or Petersberg, as it is often called, is an exploit, which I would recommend to no travel- ler, who has not a positive pleasure in the art of climbing, independently of any object to be attained by it. It is cer- tain, however, that this mountain, uninteresting as it appears at present, must have been held in much religious reverence; for we counted no less than fifty-six crosses, or stations, as they are called, on its side. Many of these have evidently been lately repaired, and still more have the marks of recent devotion; for we saw many flowers, not yet completely faded, either lying at the feet of the Saviour, or adorning the brows of his mother. A proof of this feeling was given by the lad who acted as our guide. As I preferred walking to riding down the de- , scent, I dismissed him with the donkey soon after we reach- ed the top. As we returned, following in the path he had taken, we observed a bright fresh wreath of beech-leaves twusted round the bust of a wooden Virgin, while evident traces of my donkey's hoofs were visible upon the side of the little hillock, on which she was stationed. There is something to me extremely pleasing in these outward and visible signs of religious feeling, especially when demonstrated where no human eye is expected to approve it: nor can they, I think, be classed with those 92 BELGIUM AND superstitious observances with which the Roman Catholic religion has been so reasonably reproached. Another day of our stay at Godesberg, or, at least, the morning of it, was spent in visiting Kreutzberg, a high and very singular hill near Bonn. The road which led to it passed through Poppelsdorf, where some handsome build- ings connected with the University of Bonn are situated. Every feature in the scenery of this village is beautiful, and the road that leads to the top of Mount Calvary, or Kreutz- berg, magnificent. The isolated building that stands on the summit of this hill, was formerly a convent of Servites; it is surrounded by an ample garden, and commands one of the finest views in the neighbourhood. At present it appears to be occupied solely by peasants; and the only trace left of this once cele- brated establishment is the church, which is still considered as an edifice of peculiar sanctity. All travellers are sent to this spot, both to see the wondrous chapel, and to look upon the long-interred, but still undecayed bodies of the monks, which lie in a vault beneath it. We met here, as indeed happened to us in many other points of our wanderings, a very agreeable party of Dutch travellers, who, like ourselves, were come to look at the wonders of the place. The rencontre was particularly for- tunate upon this occasion, as we had long to wait before the guardian of the tomb returned from an excursion he was making in the neighbourhood. Meantime, however, we had the church to see. Having sufficiently examined its various altars and antique monuments, we were led, by a narrow staircase behind the high altar, to a small chamber above. As there was nothing whatever in this room to gratify curiosity, its only decorations being a few copes and sur- plices, hanging upon the walls, we were at a loss to guess why we were brought there; but, after a few moments' delay, our conductor opened a door, and led us from the dark ob- scure room in which we stood into a chapel, extremely rich in its decoration, but of most singular form and arrangement. The entire width of the building (between thirty and forty feet) is occupied by a magnificent flight of stairs, divided into three compartments. The centre one, which occupies about half the entire space, is of superb Italian marble; this WESTEHN GERMANY. 93 is fenced on each side by a handsome double balustrade, dividing it from the inferior staircases which flank it, and which reach to the outer wall of the building : at the top of the marble stair at an altar, with a large-figure of the Saviour suspended over it. The door by which we entered was on a level with this altar; and having stepped to the front of it, I was about to descend the marble flight, when our conductor seized my arm, and exclaimed in French, with much vehemence, " These stairs are sacred!" I apologized for my indecorous attempt, by stating my ignorance of their history : the offence, I imagine, is not an uncommon one among the num.erous heretic travellers who visit the shrine, for he readily accepted the excuse ; and pro- ceeded to inform us, that three drops of the Saviour's blood rest upon these holy stones. " They fell,'' he said, ''from the wounds the thorns had made, and dropped on the steps which led to the judgment-seat of Pilate." The morsels of stone which received them are inserted on three of the mar- ble stairs, and are covered by thin plates of gold. This relic, together with the sumptuous marble in which it is lodged, was a gift from one of the Archbishops of Cologne to the monastery of Kreutzberg ; accompanied by a bull from the Pope, which hangs near the entrance to the chapel, announcing to all pilgrims, who may visit the holy spot, that it is sacrilege to place a foot upon the centre stairs (except for an armed knight, wdiose armour would prevent him from using his knees); but that to mount them kneeling, insures plenary indulgence for a year. The form of the ceiling is very graceful, and ornamented with fresco painting. On the floor of the building, imme- 'diately at the foot of the stairs, are a pair of enormous fold- ing doors, which open upon the forest ; through these, in more Catholic times, vast numbers of pilgrims used to pour at particular seasons of the year to perform this act of devo- tion. Beneath this chapel is a subterranean chamber, represent- ing the stable, and all the accompaniments of the nativity. Among the numerous plaster figures which occupy the scene, we recognized our friends Casper, Melchior, and Balthasar, in the act of presenting their gifts. Everything about this 94 BELGIUM AND singular place seems to mark the very extremity of super- stitious devotion. The examination of all this took more than an hour ; but still the sacristan had not returned. The Dutch party, as well as ourselves, were desirous to wait for him ; for it was, in fact, the sight he had. to show which had brought us there: so we walked in the garden^ we climbed the tower, we ate cherries, we read every inscription in the church, yet still he came not. At length, much fatigued, but, nevertheless, stedfast in our determination to wait for him, we all assembled round the high altar, near which was a large trap-door that opened upon the vault ; and having seated ourselves upon the steps and benches round it, endeavoured to beguile by conversation the still prolonged absence of the sacristan. I remarked on this occasion, and, in truth, on every other that gave me an opportunity of conversing with them, that the Dutch are not only extremely courteous in their manner to strangers, but that they are particularly well-informed and intelligent. After this observation, it will appear like na- tional vanity if I say that they resemble the English : but they certainly do so, in their passion for travelling ; and in the active perseverance of their researches for information. I do not, however, claim these remarks as my own : they were made to me by a German of high rank, who knew both countries well. He added, that the English and Dutch were often mistaken for each other at the German inns : " but this,'^ said he, '^probably arises from the wealth and indiffe- rence to expense so remarkable in both." At length the person we were all so anxiously awaiting entered the church. I hardly know what we had expected from this sepulchral examination ; but it certainly must have been something very different from the reality ; for we were jesting and laughing when the man arrived : and even when we saw the two lads, who accompanied him, raise the massy door, I believe not one of us felt any portion of the awe which the scene it opened to us was calculated to inspire. The sacristan, with a lighted candle in his hand, descended a dark and narrow flight of steps, desiring us to follow him : I was the first that did so ; and I shall not soon forget the spectacle that met my eyes. On each side of us, as we en- tered the vault, was ranged a row of open coffins, each con- WESTERN GERMANY. 95 taining the dry and shrivelled body of a monk, in his robe and cowl. They are so placed as to be exposed to the closest examination both of touch and sight ; and the remembrance of my walk through them still makes me shudder. The wonderful state of preservation in which these bodies remain, though constantly exposed to the atmosphere by being thus exhibited, is attributed by good Catholics to the peculiar sanctity of the place : but to those who do not re- ceive this solution of the mystery, it is one of great dijffi- culty. The dates of their interment vary from 1400 to 1713 ; and the oldest is quite as fresh as the most recent. There are twenty-six, fully exposed to view ; and apparently many more beneath them. From the older ones, the coffins have either crumbled away, or the bodies were buried with- out them. In some of these ghastly objects the flesh is still full, and almost shapely upon the legs ; in others it appears to be drying gradually away, and the bones are here and there becoming visible. The condition of the face also varies very greatly, though by no means in proportion to the antiquity of each. In many, the nose, lips, and beard remain ; and in one, the features were so little disturbed, that ** All unruffled was his face. We trusted his soul had gotten grace." Round others, the dust lies where it had fallen, as it dropped, grain by grain, from the mouldering cheeks ; and the head grins from beneath the cowl nearly in the state of a skeleton. The garments are almost in the same unequal degree of pre- servation : for in many the white material is still firm, though discoloured; while in others it is dropping away in frag- -ments. The shoes of all are wonderfully perfect. The last person buried in this vault was one who acted as gardener to the community. His head is crowned with a wreath of flowers, which still preserves its general form : nay, the larger blossoms may yet be distinguished from the smaller ones ; but the withered leaves lie mixed with his fallen hair on either side. Altogether the scene is well calculated to produce a cold shiver in the beholder ; and yet we all lingered over it. 96 BELGIUM AND There is certainly some nerve within us, that thrills with strange pleasure at the touch of horror. Our Jong delay at Kreutzberg prevented our return to the hotel in time for the table-d'hote ; and though sufficiently fatigued to render a lazy, lounging meal very agreeable, we had begun to find so much charm in the society, that we much regretted losing it on this occasion ; and the more so, as the time drew near when we must lose it probably for ever. While recalling the party, which we found on arri- ving at Godesberg, and which continued together as long as we remained, I am tempted to give a slight sketch of the principal members of it ; chiefly for the benefit of such of my countrymen, and countrywomen, as maybe fearful. of speaking at a public table when travelling, lest their words should fall on ears not sufficiently refined to be worthy of receiving them. This shrinking kind of aristocracy is worse than needless when travelling in Germany ; and I be- lieve it occasions to those who yield to it the loss of half the pleasure their travels might afford. Should these pages reach any of the party to whom I al- lude, and should they recognize the portraits, I trust they will forgive the freedom, as it goes not the length of affixing names ; and will accept the record as a proof of the pleasing remembrance I cherish of them. At the head of the table was the Dowager Baroness , of one of the noblest houses in Germany. Short as was my acquaintance with this lady, I could not fail to per- ceive that she was a person of no common endowments ; full of spirited and original observation, and gifted with that enviable species of wit which makes even an ordinary thought seem striking. She never spoke without winning all within reach of her to listen. On her left hand sat Count ; a very distinguished Belgian officer, of the old regime, who was on the Duke of Wellington's staff' at Waterloo : on her right, his lovely, graceful, and most fascinating Countess. This charming woman was more like the heau ideal of a fabled heroine, than any person I ever saw. Were I to follow such a being as Madame d'Arblay's Cecilia into married life, I should fancy her just such another. I have often watched the Countess in the garden before our hotel, surrounded WESTERN GERMANY. 101 traveller need start from, whose only object is to visit the Laacher See, I will give the whole of the long day's excur- sion, as it passes through a very interesting district. " Leaving Linkel, we proceeded along the eastern bank of the Rhine; after an hour's walk we reached Erpel, an extensive village of poor vignerons; and a little beyond this is the celebrated basalt rock, called the Erpel Sei. It is of the columnar basalt; and is reckoned a very fine specimen; and so it certainly is in respect to its size; but for the beauty of the columns, I prefer the quarries opposite Linkel, or Roland Seek ; where there is a fine collection of bare co- lumns heaped together in confused masses. From Erpel we continued our walk through the old city of Lintz, and under the interesting chateau of Argentfels, and passed through several small hamlets whose names have escaped me. Hav- ing reached Rheinbrohl, we crossed the Rhine, and entered the beautrful valley of the Brohl-thal, which runs nearly at right angles to the Rhine, and leads towards the Eifel moun- tains. We wound along this deep and narrow valle}^, till we reached the mineral spring of Soenstein, which, I believe, is a contraction for Antoenstein, or Anthony's stone. The spring contains much fixed air, and tastes very much like soda water. We went into a little inn near the spring; and mixing wine and sugar with some of the water, it effervesced strongly, and made a very refreshing draught. A great quantity of this water is exported, and near the source is a manufactory of stone bottles for the purpose. Here we began to mount the steep hills to the left of the valley. My companion was highly agreeable and entertaining; and when the interest of the surrounding objects flagged, beguiled the way with amusing anecdotes of his military life, and by giving me much valuable information respecting the country. He spoke very highly of the Prussian system of making every man in the kingdom, of whatever rank, to bear arms for three years. Even the king's sons are not exempt from this universal law: they v/ear the uniform, and do the duty of common soldiers, and stand guard before the palace of Berlin, with a musket on the shoulder. When in society, they wear the same dress as to form and colour; but are then permitted to have it made of a finer material. Captain told me that he had had the sons of princes in his troop; who 102 BELGIUM AND did all the duty as privates, cleaned their own horses and arms, and stood the usual time on guard. ** As we mounted the hill, we began to see large masses of lava lying in all directions; and the crosses and crucifixes which stood thick upon the road-side, are all carved from the same material. The soil here is not very good; and the farms are small and poor. Another hour's walking, the road rising steeply before us the whole way, brought us to Wapanach, a village not far from the lake we had come to see. Here we ordered our dinner at an inn, which was formerly the castle of a knight, who is said to have committed many black and fearful crimes, and afterwards to have taken refuge in the beautiful monastery, which is still to be seen in admirable preservation on the south-western corner of the lake — and here, dit-on he ended his days. '^ Leaving Wapanach behind us, we again toiled up to a great height through woods and corn-fields. The woods which surround the Laacher See are royal forest lands, and are of very great extent: they contain much game; deer and wild boars are very abundant in them. When we reached the skirts of this forest, we turned round, and resting on our stafis, enjoyed the magnificent view which this elevated spot commanded. In the distance was the high chain of theWes- terwald, to which we looked across the charming valley of the Rhine. To the north were the towering tops of the Seven Mountains, with the singular basalt-capped hills of the Hochwald, speaking plainly of their violent and igneous birth; behind us were the Eifel mountains, on a small branch of which we stood ; at our feet wound a little valley, deep sunk between the richly wooded and precipitous hills we had ascended. ''' Having gazed on this landscape for a few minutes, we entered the wood ; and descending for a short distance, came upon the Laacher See. It would be impossible for me to describe the astonishment I felt, even though prepared for the scene that opened upon me. I had just climbed to a great height, and but a few^ moments before had been gazing upon distant valleys far beneath me, yet here I stood beside the blue expanse of an inland sea. It appeared to be the ef- fect of magic, and I felt utterly confounded. ^' The lake is a mile and half long, and a mile wide ; it is WESTERN GERMANY. 103 surrounded on all sides by hills, without any visible outlet. To the north and east these hilly banks are very steep, and beautifully wooded to the water's edge, and the pendant boughs dip themselves in the lake. To the west the bank rises more gradually, and pastures border the water, reaching upward to the noble forest, which here also crowns the sum- mit with a most luxuriant growth. To the south are bare, uncultivated peaks, which proclaim a volcanic origin; and their sterile nakedness contrasts finely with the rich foliage and smiling meadows which surround the lake on the other sides. Vast masses of lava lie scattered round; and I have no doubt that they are right, who in this mountain lake think they discover the crater of an extinct volcano. '' The accounts given respecting its waters differ: while some assert that neither the heaviest rains nor the longest droughts ever cause them to rise or fall an inch; others relate, that the inhabitants of the monastery on its edge were once nearly overwhelmed by their sudden swell. This lake is of great depth, — some say it has never been fathomed; and the peasants all declare that bottom it has none. The waters are quite clear, and as blue as in the middle of the Atlantic." 104 BELGIUM AND CHAPTER VIII. Rolandseck — Orlando Furioso — Nonnenwortli — Unkel — Neuwied — Co- blentz — The Moselle — Steam-boat Passengers — Mayence. We were not sorry to hear that the delightful party at our table d'hote was to be broken up by the departure of some of its chief ornaments, on the same day that we had deter- mined upon leaving Godesberg. Had it been otherwise, I think we should have looked behind us with too much regret to have permitted our fully enjoying the journeying forward. As it was, we said adieu as well as we might; and set off on the 17th July in Mademoiselle's rattling sociable for Roland- seck. This is a little hamlet of a few houses only, situated at the foot of a basaltic rock, on the summit of which stands the lonely tower of Roland. Having been assured that this scathed and crumbling frag- ment was built by no less a wight than the luckless, but mag- nificent hero of Ariosto, I could not resist my inclination to halt beneath it. The situation, indeed, is attractive enough to justify the loitering of a day, even to those who felt no interest in the ruin. Exactly opposite to Rolandseck is the pretty island of Nonnenworth, on which stands a very noble mansion, for- merly a nunnery, but now a most delightful hotel. Here we decided upon passing the night; after devoting an hour or two to climbing the hill, examining the wonderful forma- tion of basalt of which it is composed, and peering into every nook and cranny of Orlando's Castle. It cannot be denied, I fear, that this idol of romancers was a very faithless and fickle lover; and, questionless, the departure of his wits to the moon was a punishment for his infidelities. It was one of his numerous love affairs which led to the construction of this most desolate dwelling-place upon the rock above Rolandseck. Its legend tells us of a noble maiden, who, having won the love of the hot-brained Paladin, pre- ferred the sheltering cloister of Nonneworth to all the worldly pleasures he could offer. Whereupon he built this lonely WESTERN GERMANY. 105 tower, that he might look upon the roof which sheltered her. But even this sad consolation was not long enjoyed ; for one evening, as he stood before his tower, he saw the whole train of nuns issue from the principal gate of the building, and wind round to the entrance of the vaults beneath the chapel. Here they stopped ; and a coffin was borne forward from among them, under the low arch of the tomb. The plain- tive notes of a funereal chaunt reached his ear, — his heart told him it was the requiem for his love; and, darting from the place where he stood, he dashed down the face of the preci- pice, springing from rock to rock till he reached the bottom ; on arriving there he mounted his war-horse, which ever stood ready, and galloped off to King Charlemagne's court at Aix. Those who recall this tale while the Rolandseck rock rises before their eyes, will allow it to be in keeping with many of the feats recorded by Ariosto of this same fiery hero. As we mounted the zigzag terraces of the vine-covered hill, on which the ruin stands, the notes of a duet of Mozart's, most deliciously sung, reached us by snatches from two young men, who came bounding down the declivity to- wards us. They politely stood aside, and ceased their song as we passed. I would rather have been rudely jostled, had they but continued it. But we stopped to listen, after they had passed the next turning ; and again we heard their rich young voices, like the music of Ariel, floating about us. It is difficult to give an idea of the sort of magical effect produced by hearing sounds so sweet, and so perfect in their artist-like harmony, from among trees and rocks and desert wildernesses. Often as this happened during our journey, I never ceased to experience from it all the delight produced by pleasure when completely unexpected. Having been told to see the sun set from Roland's tower, we contrived that so it should be ; and I beg to transmit the same recommendation to all who may chance to follow in our track. It must have been from some such spot, and at such an hour, that Claude studied those effects of light and darkness which " enchant the world." On descending from Rolandseck, we crossed to the island of Nonnenworth, with just light enough left to show us the most perfect reflections on the water that I ever saw. 14 106 BELGIUM AND As it is my especial ambition that these volumes should become a profitable guide-book to all who may travel by the route they describe, I will venture, even at the risk of being tedious, to dwell a little upon the charms of this beautiful island, and on the peculiar interest of its solitary mansion. I am principally led to. do so by the statement of our host at the hotel ; who told me that before steamboats were esta- blished on the Rhine, all travellers, especially the English, used to come in crowds to his house, and pass a week or fort- night there, exploring; the country on both sides, in every di- rection : ''But now,^' he added piteously, "they drive past, as fast as they can go, and never set foot on shore, except at night, from Amsterdam to Mayence.'^ Though not so deeply interested in the affair as the inn- keeper, 1 really lament this alteration in the mode of travel- ling ; for I am convinced that the expressions of disappoint- ment, which we must all have occasionally heard of late from our touring friends, respecting the scenery of this celebrated river, arise chiefly from the earlier pictures of it having been given by such as have loitered through every "dingle and bushy delF' upon its banks. Those who have watched its majestic waters, not from the crowded stern of a steamboat, but while luxuriating in the shelter of some deep cool val- ley, winding upward from its banks ; or have looked down upon them from the dark shade of a ruined w^atch-tovver, perched so high as to make the broad stream itself but a small feature in the landscape ; or indulged themselves, per- haps, for hours in gazing, when lovelier still, its bosom gave back the bright image of a moon-lit sky, while rocks and ruins hung their black shadows over it, — may well paint it differently from the tourist of later days ; who knows it only by standing on the deck of a vessel, with a panoramic view of the Rhine in his hand, turning his head this side to see one ruin, and that side to see another ; — his finger placed with nervous eagerness upon some famous promontory, and his thumb on a first-rate castle,— while kept in a state of feverish agitation, lest the panting engine should bear him out of reach before he can get a peep at either. Before this mode of seeing the Rhine became the fashion, Nonnenworth was one of the favourite points at which tra- vellers took up their rest ; and there are a multitude of rea- WESTERN GERMANY. 107 sons, both real and fanciful, that render it a spot of peculiar attraction. The real reasons must of course rank first ; and these are, — its possessing the very best accommodation in every way; excellent rooms, excellent cuisine, excellent wines ; and, though last not least, its benig in a neighbour- hood abounding with objects of every kind that can most interest an intelligent traveller. For its fanciful advantagi|s — it might perhaps be wiser to keep them to myself; and so I would, did I not believe that many others would feel as much gratification as 1 did, in exploring every part of this magnificent nunnery, vvith all its distinctive features carefully preserved, and the traces of its late holy tenants still legible on every part of it. Nonnenworth was a very rich establishment for a nume- rous society of noble recluses, when Napoleon took posses- sion of the country. He signified his will that it should share the -fate of all the similar institutions which had fallen into his hands. But, by some means or other, the holy la- dies got access to Josephine ; and received her promise, that she would use all her influence to obtain permission from the Emperor for them to keep possession of their island and their fane, as long as any of them should survive. This was granted, but on express condition that no new sisters were to be received. For several years the society continued to exist, though gradually decreasing. Nothing, as my infor- mant told me, and she knew them well, could be more mournful than the meeting of this lessening band at the hours of re-union. The stately gallery of the chapel, which formerly was hardly large enough to hold them, seemed, as the melancholy remnant entered it, to stretch over the tombs below, only to show the graves that waited for them. ' While the abbess lived, the remaining sisters dreamed not of the possibility of leaving her : but when they lost her, the survivors, then reduced to six, had not courage to watch further the work of death within their little circle ; each perhaps hoping, yet fearing, to be the last. It was too much even for the disciplined spirits of nuns to bear: so they disposed of their remaining interest in the island, and each retired to such relations and friends as their long seclu- sion had left them. 108 BELGIUM AND I heard this history from one who had resided in the con- vent during its last sad years ; and though neither old nor ugly, it was evident that she did not consider the destruction of a convent as a jubilee for its inmates. It has been probably with a view of increasing the at- tractions of his establishment to foreigners, that the present proprietor of Nonnenworth has suffered the monastery to remain so nearly in the same state as when inhabited by its nuns. The building is very extensive, and in many respects extremely handsome. Several noble flights of stairs lead from the chambers below to a magnificent corridor, which runs round the whole edifice ; and though its vast extent receives no light, except from the large high windows at each corner, it is rather solemn than dark. A row of low doors, very low in proportion to the great height of the gal- leries, open on either side ; and mark the cells, which, at no very distant period, were the abode of some of the noblest ladies in Germany. Many of these remain exactly as they were, and make very comfortable sleeping rooms; those on one side looking into a large quadrangle, surrounded by the venerable cloister, and now laid out as a flower-garden ; and those on the other commanding some of the finest views on the Rhine. As we were led through this echoing gallery to the apart- ments destined for us, we passed before a door, which, in- stead of being low like the others, was lofty and folding. It stood partly open, and the attendant, who preceded us, pushed it together, but not so as completely to close it. Be- ing a few steps behind my companions, and feeling curious to know to what this stately door-way could lead, I put my hand upon the heavy lock, pulled it open, and entered ; when I was startled to find myself in a wide gallery, which overhung the chapel. It was very nearly dark ; and the little light left just served to make every object look like something it was not. Monumental figures had the air of kneeling nuns; and the very altars seemed full of shapeless mystery. I quickly retreated and overtook my companions, who were passing before another lofty door, which, on be- ing opened, discovered an interior staircase ; and beyond it still, another high and handsome folding door, leading into a very noble saloon. This chamber, and another still grander WESTERN GERMANY. 109 room, that was shown us next day, were formerly used on state occasions, when the Elector of Cologne held a court at Nonnenvvorth. Having signified our approbation of -this apartment, the attendant led the way to a ci-devant cell beside it; and asked, if that sleeping chamber would please Madame ! No- thing could be more comfortable than its appearance. The window looked upon Rolandseck, now visible by the moon- light ; and after admiring this for a moment, 1 turned to ex- amine another window over which a curtain was drawn. On removing it, I perceived that the casement it covered was open ; and that I again looked dowm upon the gloomy chapel. As I do not profess a belief in supernatural visitations, I am rather at a loss to account for the sudden distaste I conceived for this pretty little cell, as a sleeping apartment. Certain it is, however, that I chose another. When going over the house on the following morning, I asked my conductor to show me the late abbess's room : but this, she said, she could not do, as it was occupied by an Eng- lish clergyman ; who had been some weeks in the house; together with two or three young men, whom she believed to be his pupils. She added, that he read English prayers in the gallery of the chapel ; and that one or two English famihes in the neighbourhood joined his little congregation every Sunday. I could not learn his name from her, though she tried to recall it ; which I regretted, as I should have been happy to have learned who the gentleman was who showed so excellent a taste in his choice of a retreat for the purposes of study. Before leaving the island, we carefully explored every part of it. The undertaking was not one of much fatigue; 'for the extent of this pretty territory does not exceed one hundred and sixty acres; but the views from the different parts of it are very beautiful. To the north is the ''castled crag of Drachenfels," infinitely finer when seen from thence than in any other direction. To the east is the opening of the wavy valley of the Rhine ; on one of whose sunny slopes a brother of Lord Portarlington has made for himself a little paradise. To the west stands the melancholy, but most picturesque tower of Rolandseck, with the octagon 110 BELGIUM AND columns of its basaltic rock ; and to the south the Rhine loses itself among mountains that shut it in like a lake. The chief part of the island is occupied by a large wheat- field ; but near the house are ample gardens and orchards ; and the whole extent of its shores have a growth of under- wood, affording innumerable pretty nooks for the sketchers or gazers who wish to study, in shade and at ease, the lovely scenes that present themselves in all directions. At eleven o'clock we took a reluctant leave of this sweet and quiet spot; and having hired a little skiff for the pur- pose, were towed up the river to Unkel. I had here the plea- sure of being introduced to my son's agreeable new friends, and found them all he had described. There are some inci- dents in life that make a deep impression, more from the manner in which they occur than from their real importance. Such, perhaps, was the case as to my short, but delightful, visit at Unkel. The frank, gentlemanly cordiality of Cap- tain ; the bright, glowing animation of his charming dark-eyed wife, as she welcomed a countrywoman ; their lovely children ; their elegant yet perfectly rustic dwelling, with its books and its music, its flowers and its vines ; had altogether something so very delightful to the heart and the fancy, that, after it was all over, and we had got on board the steam-boat for Coblentz — after w^e had seen them wave their last adieu from the shore, and finally lost sight of Un- kel and them — I could hardly persuade myself that the last hour had not been passed in a delightful dream. The waking, however, was not so painful as one some- times feels it, when obliged to give up all the bright nothings of a morning vision : for a sober and certain recollection remained of having met a group of just such beings as one should like to see the world peopled withal. Nothing tends more to put one in good humour with oneself and every- thing else, than such an adventure ; and I am certain that the bergs and the steins, the fels and the thals, by which we flew along on our way to Coblentz, appeared vastly more beautiful than they would have done without it. Neverthe- less, the river is ** an exulting and abounding river;" and dash through it as rapidl}^ as you may, it has beauty which will make itself felt. The appearance of the flourishing town of Neuwied is WESTERN GERMANY. 115 hieroglyphics. Not a mile, often not half a one, is passed without coming upon some object, which, to the very- dullest fancy, must suggest ideas of power, of pomp, of strug- gle and renown, of danger and of death. The very act of building these eagles' nests, on pinnacles which few tame animals would venture to climb, speaks a sort of daring hardihood, somewhat difficult to be understood in these days of peaceful comfort. As to the lonely ladies, of whom chro- nicles say that every castie made its boast, they must have been drawn up by windlasses; for in no other way, I think, could they have ever reached some of the strongholds which stand so grimly alone upon the mountain-tops. Unfortunately, these interesting remains came thicker and faster upon us as the hour of dinner approached : and, when we were actually seated at table, notice was given, by such as caught a passing glance through the windows, of such wondrous congregations of fortified towns, mouldering mo- nasteries, and castled crags, that half the company started upon their feet, and the other half nearly choked themselves in the hope of getting their dinner despatched before all the ruins were out of sight. Had the ruthless spirits of the barons themselves animated these towers, over which they once held cruel sway, even they could hardly have desired to produce upon us, by their aspect, more distressing effects. The seats of one half the company being fixed to the sides of the vessel, those who occupied them had to creep under the table everj^^ time a fresh burst of enthusiasm arose. This happened no less than three times, during the dinner of this day, to a French gentleman, who sat immediately opposite to me. Had I or my neighbours been forociously disposed, it would have been easy to have "whipped the offending Adam out of him,'' for he grovelled in so extraordinary a manner among the feet of the company before he could ex- tricate himself, that the visual organs he was so anxious to indulge ran great risk of being severely damaged, if not destroyed for ever. Though I had previously decided upon indulging myself with another and more tranquil survey of the objects we were passing, I at last left the table in utter despair of being permitted to sit at it with any degree of comfort, and went upon deck, not so much for the sake of seeing what was in- 116 BELGIUM AND deed very beautiful, as to escape suffering from the fitful fever of my opposite neighbour, who ceased not to crawl forth when castles came ; yet, whenever we passed a few yards without one, never failed to return, with renewed appetite, to his chicken-bones and Moselle. Those who choose to see the Rhine from a steamboat, should decidedly make up their minds not to eat dinners between Cologne and Mayence; or, if this exceed their power, they should content themselves with eating, like my fair bride, with their plate upon their knees, without quitting the deck; and so placed as to enable them to look on either side with as little dislocation of the neck as possible. It must not be thought, however, that because I some- times withdrew my eyes from the landscape to look at my neighbours I was insensible to the great beauty, nay, sub- limity, of the scenery between Coblentz and Mayence. This part of the river is by far the most beautiful; and there are some points which rather exceeded than fell short of the ex- pectations I had formed. While remarking the inconvenience which a too rapid mode of travelling through scenes so beautiful occasions, I remembered that nearly all I had seen of the Hudson was while running up and down it in a steamboat : — and, though the movement was at least as rapid, or even more so, I could not recall anything like the same vexation from the circum- stance. The reason of this, certainly, is not that the Hud- son is less beautiful ; — on the contrary, I think the scenery near West Point, and, generally speaking, the whole of that portion called the Highlands, decidedly superior to any part of the Rhine : but it arises from the infinite variety of in- terest which the combinations of history and romance throw over every inch of the European stream. I well remember that I thought we passed too quickly by the tree under which poor Andre was made prisoner ; and that I gazed upon the spot till I could see it no longer. But when this was over, the banks of the Hudson had nothing but their own loveliness to fill the mind ; and though this be much, the spirit enjoys it more tranquilly than when a thousand associations rouse up as m.any different springs of feeling in the heart. Before reaching Mayence the banks of the river become WESTERN GERMANY. ' 117 comparatively tame ; soon after Bingen the rocks close alto- gether ; and hanging slopes, covered with vineyards, take their place. The far-famed hill of Johannisberg, with the mansion of Prince Metternich on its summit, is seen rising in terraces from the plain which skirts the water's edge, rich in its precious growth of unequalled wine. The almost unvaried continuance of the vineyards is cer- tainly a great defect in the scenery of the Rhine ; but here again association helps to make us regard with pleasure what is neither beautiful nor sublime. For who can look upon the promise of so much wealth and enjoyment, and wish it other than it is? The delicious Stein wine is cause of least offence in this respect; for the grape from which it is made grows almost from the fissures of the rocks, and in little patches of such wild irregularity, as rather to increase than diminish the charm of the prospect. Bieberich, the magnificent palace of the Duke of Nassau, is a splendid ornament to the scenery on the eastern bank, a few miles below Mayence ; and the fortresses of Castel and Kostheim, with the bridge of boats, and the picturesque towers of the cathedral, all contribute to make the approach to the city, by water, a scene of great beauty and interest. 118 BELGIUM AND CHAPTER IX. Mayence — Cathedral — Francfort — Theatre — Catliedral — St. Catharine's — Cemetery — Jewish Synagogue — Luther— Hesse-Homboarg. Mayence is another very interesting old city, as I think everybody must allow ; but I believe the report of its claims to beauty will depend greatly upon the temper of the travel- ler, according to the principle laid down in Franklin's story of the man with one handsome and one ugly leg. The good- tempered traveller will remember its handsomest streets and public buildings, its beautiful gardens, and the picturesque effect of its multitude of Asiatic-looking domes and mina- rets ; but the cross and melancholy traveller will not easily forget its narrower streets, its dirty pavement, or its villa- nous smells. Its beautiful situation, however, none can fail to acknowledge ; and it has the great advantage of being situated within easy reach of many places of first-rate at- traction. Francfort, Wiesbaden, Ingleheim, and all the beauties of the lovely Rhingau, are within a morning's ride of Mayence. This city is one of those which severally claim the glory of having witnessed the invention of printing within their walls ; and it stoutiy vindicates its pretensions, in spite of all that Strasburg or Haarlem can adduce to the contrary. — The house where Gutenberg first used his moveable types, is shown as one of the proudest boasts of the city. The cathedral is large and splendid, but by no means beau- tiful. It has, in fact, been so battered and bruised by the eternal wars of which Mayence has been the victim, that it is now little more than a vast and costly mass of reparations. The monuments, which have been wonderfully preserved, are highly curious : — that of Fastrada, one of the wives of Charlemagne, bearing date 794, and another of the old trou- badour Frauenlob, 1218, cannot be seen with indifference. Archbishops and Electors lie here in great magnificence. Among the latter are some who assisted at the coronation of WESTERN GERMANY. 119 more than one Emperor ; — a piece of good fortune quaintly commemorated on their tombs. There is one monument of great antiquity, on which the effigies of the entombed Elec- tor is represented as putting crowns pn the brows of two imperial personages, whose figures kneeling before him seem to knock their heads together in order to place them con- veniently for receiving the symbols of empire. There are two high altars in this church ; one at the east, the other at the west end : the same thing, I am told, is to be seen at Spires and at Worms, but nowhere else. The effect is very strange. The font of bronze, of the year 1325, is superb ; and the brass doors, which open from the market-place, and which are of a still earlier date, are wonder- fully ingenious and elaborate. But the object which pleased me most, in this strange col- lection of old and new curiosities, was a fine antique head of Jupiter, m white marble. It is placed beneath a monument fixed in a wall, at the north-east corner of the church, near the door which leads out to the cloisters ; but how it came there we could by no means learn. The head is set between wings ; the finish of these, the graceful flow of the beard, with the noble expression of the imperial countenance, are all admirable. Mayence is garrisoned by Prussians and Austrians ; — I believe, in equal numbers. It is considered as one of the most important fortresses of the Germanic Confederation. The civil department belongs to the duchy of Hesse Darm- stadt ; and a few soldiers of that state are seen mixed among the Austrians and Prussians, who do the military duties of the garrison. On the following day we started for Francfort by the di- ligence, and were nearly four hours on the road. We pass- ed by the little village of Hockheim, and looked with great respect towards the vineyards which we were told produced the genuine Hockheimer. On our way we saw^ a village funeral, and it appeared as though the whole of the rustic population had left their la- bour, to do honour to the dead ; for above two hundred pea- sants followed the corpse. The females walked first, all dressed in decent black gowns and white hoods ; the men following in their ordinary Sunday attire. 120 BELGIUM AND Almost as soon as you enter Francfort, you become aware of its neatness, its beauty, its venerable antiquity, and its modern splendour. Francfort has no " ugly leg" to remark upon, and the most splenetic traveller must, I think, allow himself to be pleased by the numerous agremens it has to offer. We fixed ourselves in the Hotel de Paris, where we found excellent accommodation ; and, after a breakfast a la four- chette, set forth to perambulate the town. However impa- tient we felt to see the streets and examine the buildings, it was quite impossible to resist the trees and flowers which drew us aside, ere we had proceeded a hundred yards, into the beautiful public garden that entirely surrounds the city. The beauty, salubrity, and luxury of this arrangement, can- not be fully appreciated without visiting this delightful place. I never saw such a profusion o^ flowers, and flower- ing shrubs, in any other garden ; and the manner in which the walks are planned, sometimes running through narrow and shady alleys, and sometimes opening into broad and handsome promenades, leaves nothing to be wished for. It was not without difficulty that I was at last persuaded to turn from this beautiful garden towards the streets of the town ; — nor did 1 leave it till I had walked for nearly a mile through roses, carnations, lilies, honeysuckles, and everything, else of the sweetest and best which a garden can present. Why is it impossible to teach my dear countrymen and countrywomen that flowers may be enjoyed without the as- sistance of the. fingers ? Had the gardens of Francfort been inclosed by a wall as high as that of Babylon, the preserva- tion of the flowers could not have been more perfect : — yet groups of children were playing in every direction, and the benches were occupied by people of all degrees. It must, however, be confessed, that at Francfort, this expres- sion includes nothing either disorderly or sordid — at least I saw no such persons. Having at length re-entered the town, we wandered on through handsome streets and noble squares, till I was too tired to do more than return, by the shortest cut we could find, to our hotel. We had previously decided upon passing our evening at WESTERN GERMANY. 121 the theatre, and found it necessary to hurry through our din- ner, as the performance was to begin at six. Mrs. K., the lady of the British consul, had obligingly oflfered us places in her box. The first impression on entering the Francfort theatre is made by the extreme plainness of the house. 1 never saw any so little ornamented, and it can hardly be doubted that a little more decoration would be an improvement. The play was "The Brothers," — a very close translation of "The Woman never Vexed." The acting was excel- lent ; and, in spite of our imperfect German, we had no dif- ficulty in following the fable throughout. Though, I fear, it would be impossible for us, or, perhaps, any other people than Germans, to follow the example, I must still say a few words upon some peculiarities of the Francfort theatre ; as it is, in my judgment, more complete- ly what a place of this kind ought to be, than any I ever saw or heard of. The absence of ornament in the part oc- cupied by the audience, is its only defect, and is, perhaps, of no great importance ; nay, it probably adds to the splen- did efiect of the scene. But the first indisputable excellence I shall mention, is its size. A more just medium could hardly be imagined, between the vastness which obliges the performer to distort, if I may so express it, both features and voice, and the diminutiveness, which would not permit even full houses to furnish funds sufficient to supply the ex- penses of a first-rate performance. Its next advantage con- sists in giving one piece only : — the entertainment continues just long enough to amuse without fatiguing. But the last, and infinitely the greatest excellence, consists in the manners of the audience, in which there is such an entire absence of every species of indecorum, as to render the theatre as safe as the drawing-room. The consequence is, that females of all ranks enter it, with as much modest, unembarrassed free- dom, as they would their homes ; and they are equally se- cure there from insult or alarm as they would be at home. Nearly all the boxes are let by the year; and the ladies enter them alone, without fuss or parade of any kind. I saw several ladies (who, as I happened to know, had come there in their carriages) take otf their bonnets, and hang them on the pins with which the back of every box is fur- 16 122 BELGIUM AND nished, with a degree of unembarrassed ease and comfort which was quite delightful. The evening parties take place after the play or opera; and as the dinner hour is generally early, the performances interfere with nothing. In a word, the theatre of Francfort is so arranged, as to add a great intellectual pleasure to life, without any one drawback whatsoever. The following day was Sunday. We first attended mass in the Catholic cathedral, and the Lutheran service after- wards in the new oval church of St. Paul's. In the after- noon we heard another Lutheran service performed at St. Catherine's. The Catholic cathedral is said to be the latest specimen of genuine old German architecture ; it was com- pleted in 1509 ; and is built in the form of a cross. It has little beauty of any kind to recommend it; but as it has been neither injured nor embellished by any alterations, it forms an interesting specimen. The machinery of a huge clock, curious from the extreme complexity of its movements, is shown among other " lions" of the edifice. No stately mo- numents of Archbishops and Electors are to be seen here, but there are tombs of Burgomasters innumerable. There are, moreover, some Knights Templars buried in this cathedral, whose martial trophies adorn the walls with very picturesque effect. The chancel, which is very large, was most com- pletely crowded in every part. One priest alone officiated at the altar, and he had not the tonsure: — we counted thir- teen at the celebration of high mass at Cologne. This differ- ence is very remarkable, and would seem to indicate that the wealth, which flows so liberally into Francfort, does not find its way into the hands of the Catholics. The congrega- tion consisted evidently of the lower classes; and the crowd which filled the aisles so closely, as to render it impossible to pass through them, had chiefly the air of peasants of the neighbourhood. The female head-dress among them was extremely neat and pretty; particularly for matrons. It con- sisted of a small silk cap, generally black, with a ribbon bound over the neatly braided hair, and hanging in long bows and streamers behind. But I thought it less becoming to the young; as it concealed too much of the luxuriant hair, which is so beautiful a feature in German girls. The new Lutheran church is a magnificent temple. It is WESTERN GERMANY. 123 an immense oval, with a vaulted roof of great height and boldness. Three light and elegant galleries run round the lofty walls. The lowest of these is supported by twenty noble pillars of marble. This church, aPso, was completely full, and offered a most brilliant coup-d^oeil; the ladies filling the entire floor, and the gentlemen the galleries, or the space immediately under them. Of the multitude who filled this vast church, there was not a single individual who was not perfectly well-dressed. It was decidedly the most elegant- looking assembly I ever saw in a church. That at the Ca- tholic cathedral at Baltimore approached the nearest to it; but the company there vvas neither so numerous nor so well displayed. This beautiful edifice was just completed; and I thought it a piece of good fortune not to have arrived till it was so. The old church of St. Catherine's, founded by a Knight Templar, is well worth visiting. It is now Lutheran ; and we there heard one of those glorious universal hymns, which, when they rise from a congregation of German voices, produce an effect so indescribably solemn and affect- ing, as never to be forgotten. This reformed old church looks as if it had resigned the ancient faith reluctantly, at least as to outward appearance; for the symbols of Catholicism are still visible in every part of it. Pictures, crosses, and carved representations of the Passion abound. The only conspicuous change is at the altar, from which the ark for the elements of the Eucharist, and the great candlesticks, have been removed, and the whole covered with plain velvet. It has a fine altar-piece by Boos. The walls of this church are literally covered from top to bottom with monuments. ' In the evening we went to the Opera, and were again kindly admitted to Mrs. K 's box. The performance was the Bestalin of Spontini. It is a delightful opera, and was most gloriously performed. The chorusses have an effect, at least when performed by Germans, which I am at a loss how to describe: — they are sounds of feeling, of passion, and of eloquence. The indignation I have experienced from seeing the plays of Shakspeare turned into operas, would have been spared, I think, had I heard them performed 124 BELGIUM AND here. Never was music so lawfully " married to immortal verse" as in this country. Mademoiselle Gned, who played the part of Julia, has a voice of great power; but as yet it seems almost more than she can manage. She has great merit also as an actress, and showed much animation and feeling; — but she should study the perfect harmony of Pasta's movements. It is no trifling addition to the pleasure of an opera, when we can say of the prima donna — ''Where'er she turns, the Graces homage pay ;" and, as a lady's raised arms must either "float upon the air," or pierce through it, it is well w^orth some study to acquire the power of choosing which it shall be. Mademoiselle Gned is, however, a young actress of great promise, and two or three 57ears will probably bring her into general notice. How delightful it is to come away from such an entertain- ment as this with the spirits perfectly fresh and unwearied ! Instead of dragging to bed, with the head aching, the heart asleep, and the imagination utterly extinguished, w^e leave the theatres of Germany exactly in a state to feel, or fancy, ourselves above all mortal cares and discomforts; and, I think, the evening parties which succeed them must see the very best of our social faculties in activity. • I had the pleasure, on this evening, of being introduced to Madame Goethe, the daughter-in-law of the immortal poet and philosopher. She is a lady of very pleasing manners, and has an air of great intelligence and animation; she speaks English of the most perfect purity and elegance. It seemed to me no small privilege to hold converse with a person bearing a name so illustrious. After the opera we went to the public gardens near the river ; we were told that they had been extremely full, but the company were then departing rapidly. The orchestra, chiefly of wind instruments, performed some pieces of Mo- zart very beautifully; but, as about two men out of every three we met (let the companion beside each be as lovely as she might) were armed w^ith that instrument of torture a tobacco-pipe, these gardens, when most brilliantly filled, could not be agreeable to me. Happily, smoking is not allowed in theatres or drawing-rooms; and as long as this WESTERN GERMANY. 125 continues to be the case, it is very possible, by a little skill and good management, to confine one's sufferings from this source, to sorrow arising from the sight of so glaring a defect, in a people so admirable in other respects. I was surprised at being told, in answer to an inquiry on the subject, which I addressed to a Protestant, that the Cal- vinists and Lutherans frequent the Sunday opera, quite as much as any other people. The only difference, indeed, which I perceived at Francfort, from towns entirely Catho- lic, was, that no shops were open on a Sunday; and this I was assured arose from no religious restraint, but solely from such a degree of ease in the general circumstances of the citizens, as rendered attention to business on the seventh day quite unnecessary. The same reason causes all the shops in the town to be closed at seven o'clock every evening, as no one will suffer business to interfere with his hours of recreation. There certainly is, however, something very remarkable in the religious aspect of Francfort. I believe there is no denomination of Christians, which cannot be found there ; each of them having one or more places of worship. These are uniformly filled twice every Sunday with devout and observant congregations. But, at about six o'clock, every church and chapel is closed ; and from that hour, there is scarcely an individual to be found who is not actively en- gaged in the pursuit of pleasure. Catholic and Protestant, Calvinist and Lutheran, all join in the universal jubilee. The wide circuit of the public walks is gaily filled in every part; the theatre overflows ; the cafes and guinguettes are thronged ; and I was assured that dancing, music, and feasting, are uni- versally, and equally, enjoyed by all sects and denomina- tions throughout the city. It should seem from this, that the lawgivers of this Fries- tadt act much upon the same principles as did our first King Charles, of pious memory, and his martyred Protestant Archbishop Laud, when they put forth ^^The Book of Sport ;" which not only legalized, but enjoined diversions for the people on the Sunday. Another circumstance, which is remarkable, when viewed together with this manner of passing the Christian Sabbath, is, that on Friday evenings, after the Jewish Sabbath has 126 BELGIUM AND begun, the theatre is always closed. Why this is thought necessary no one could tell me ; though all allowed that it was done " because it was the Jews' Sabbath." At the same hour on Saturday, when this rigid Jewish observance ends, Jews and Christians are again permitted to amuse them- selves. The proportion of Jews to Protestant Christians, is stated to be about one to ten. Whether anything like poverty, or real want, is to be found at Francfort, I know not ; but certainly nothing ap- proaching it ever meets the eye ; nor did I ever see any place so perfectly well ordered, and free from nuisances of all kinds. 1 had a great deal of conversation on the politics of this fair and free city, with a gentleman who has long resided there. He told me, that no people could be better satisfied with the laws that governed them, than the citizens of Franc- fort ; and stated, as a proof of it, their having witnessed, with so much approbation, the arrival of Prussian and Aus- trian troops, when some political disturbances appeared to threaten the stability of their institutions. He spoke with great indignation of the injustice of foreign newspapers, and particularly of the English, for representing the riotous frolic of a few noisy young men, as affording indications of a general revolutionary spirit. I will transcribe his words, as I find them in my notes, having set them down immediately after the conversation took place. '' C'etait une bonne plaisanterie de voir courir de journal en journal Pefirayante annonced'une mouvementrevolutionnaire a Francfort. — ^Voulez-vous savoir, Madame, I'histoire de cette emeute redoubtable ? Cela ne vous prendra pas long tems, car la revolution etait terminee precisement trois heures et demi apres sa commencement. C'etait assez pour remplir les journaux, efirayer les honnetes gens, et faire chanter les vauriens. Cependant, tout cela n'etait qu'un fracas dans la rue." We had the pleasure of dining with the British Minister: the party was quite a small one, and I had reason to feel par- ticularly gratified, by the invitation being sent as soon as my card was received, for we were so much birds of passage, that I must otherwise have lost the pleasure of making the WESTERN GERMANY. 127 acquaintance of one of the most charming women I ever met. Lady C, who is of a German family of high rank, has the appearance, though she has been some years married, of extreme youth ; and her graceful animated m.anner is that of a young person highly born, and highly educated, full of intelligence and information, but simple and unaffected to perfection. Another charm, which greatly increased my pleasure in conversing with her, was the peculiar and chosen elegance of her English. She took us a delightful drive to a pretty woodland scene near the town; where, in seasons of peculiar gaity, and par- ticularly at Easter, the population of Francfort resort, to amuse themselves by smoking, drinking, and dancing in the shade. The heau raondt on these occasions make it their fashionable drive, and often leave their carriages, to mix with the joyous crowd. The banks of the Maine have no very noble features here ; but they are thickly studded with pretty villas, belonging to the wealthy merchants ; and the whole neighbourhood has an air of affluence and comfort. I was amused by the mode of towing vessels up the stream : the horses employed to perform this service are ridden into the middle of the river, where they proceed to draw the flat-bottomed craft after them ; sometimes, as it appeared to me, at the risk of drowning both horse and rider. The public gallery of pictures and casts is a delightful lounge. This institution owes its origin to a splendid be- quest from a citizen of the name of Stadel ; and the collec- tion has been since greatly augmented at the expense of the town. The building, prepared to receive it, is so elegantly decorated, that it is itself a beautiful exhibition ; and the 'only fault, if fault it may be called, is, that the beauty of the rooms divides the attention of the spectator, and withdraws the eye too much from the objects they contain. This mu- seum has some very valuable old Flemish pictures, many curious original drawings, and a fine collection of casts from the antique. The picture that pleased me best was the por- trait of a burgomaster, by Matsys, bearing date 1482. The finish and life of the head are wonderful. There is also, by Rubens, a child amusing herself with some toy. She is dressed in all the quaint stiffness of Flemish hon ion, but 128 BELGIUM AND certainly looks as nearly alive as it is possible for canvass to do. It vvas not till our second visit to this city, on our return from Baden, that I saw its magnificent Burial-Ground. I mention it, however, here, as well as some other objects ex- amined at the same time, that I may not write a chapter upon Francfort with such very glaring omissions. The British Consul, Mr. K , who has been a most active and efficient patron of this noble undertaking, had the kindness to show me the plans, and to explain the nature of the establishment, which greatly increased the interest I felt in seeing it. If my eye does not greatly deceive me, the new Ceme- tery of London is very much larger than that of Francfort; but their relative forms are so different, that it is very possi- ble I may be mistaken, at least, as to the degree of their dif- ference in size. Like every other public work of Francfort, its Cemetery is planned upon a noble scale, and handsomely executed ; and there are some regulations, which have been enacted respecting the interments in it, which I should re- joice to see adopted with us. But, as I have not the docu- ments before me, I am unwilling to enter too minutely into detail respecting them, from the fear of inaccuracy. The leading principle being, however, as simple as it is admira- ble, I may state it without any danger of blundering. Either the company, by whom this noble work has been projected, or the constituted authorities of the city, (it mat- ters not which,) have taken upon themselves the entire charge of all interments, and the regulation of all the melancholy business connected with the performance of the last offices for the dead. When a citizen expires, notice is given by the family in the proper quarter : — from that moment, every attendance becomes a public instead of a private duty ; and all is performed with that undeviating propriety and exacti- tude, which can be insured only by the systematic operation of the law. The body is immediately removed to a build- ing erected within the gates of the cemetery, where it is watched in such a manner, that the slightest indication of returning animation could be instantly perceived ; — and, should such a circumstance occur, every contrivance that science has discovered, or art imagined, to assist resuscitation. WESTERN GERMANY. 129 is at hand to foster it. In a house, also within the gates of the cemetery, a physician resides to direct the application of the means employed, and to watch their result. The interment which follows, when every hope of the return of life has passed, is performed with all the reverence and solemnity which the feelings of the surviving friends can desire ; — and the expense is fixed at a sum never exceeding five pounds sterling, but often falling below it. Not only does this ad- mirable regulation insure to all the solemn performance of a sacred rite, but the last clinging tenderness of human love to the object it has lost is not made, as elsewhere, to watch, with sickening agony, the hideous approach of the moment that is to part them for ever — nor is it permitted to drain the purse of the poor reckless mourner, who, at such a mo- ment, will rather forget his duty to the living, than omit even the shadow of respect for the dead. I doubt whether the costliest ceremonial that ever was devised, for the inter- ment of the most honoured relics, could produce an effect of so much solemn dignity, as this civic care for the dead. The vaults in which the bodies are deposited, as well as the monuments erected over them, are private property; and they are as simple, or as superb, as individual wealth and taste can dictate. The enclosure is already adorned by many handsome tombs. One splendid mausoleum, belonging to the family of Bethman, has some very beautiful Italian sculpture, commemorating the loss of a son, who died at Rome. Close to this Christian burying-ground is another large area, which has recently been enclosed as a cemetery for the Jews. I did not enter it, but the gateway appeared ex- tremely handsome. • There are so many beautiful and interesting things to be seen at Francfort, that it is very difficult to enumerate them all. — It is a positive embarras de richesses ; but it would be treason to good taste not to mention the beautiful statue of Ariadne, in the museum of Mr. Bethman. It is said to be the chef-d^ oeuvre of Dennecker, and it is a figure of in- conceivable attraction and loveliness. There is, perhaps, rather too much trick in the manner in which it is exhibited ; !r— the light being thrown upon it through a screen of rose- coloured silk : — and yet it is quarrelling with part of one's 17 130 BELGIUM AND pleasure to find fault with this, for it certainly gives a tint of life that increases the beauty. Still, I remembered, as I looked at it, the severe simplicity of the little cabinet con- taining Somariva's matchless Magdalen, by Canova, and could not but allow that the purer taste was there. As I had never chanced to enter a Jewish synagogue, I thought I could find no place more favourable for the gratifi- cation of the curiosity I felt respecting such an assembly than Francfort. We therefore agreed to join some pleasant friends, who were staying at the Hotel de Russie, and to proceed together, at six o'clock on a Friday afternoon, to witness the ceremonies, of which I had heard so much, and knew so little. To describe the place we entered would be very difficult. There was a varie?ty and confusion of ob- jects, perfectly defying detail. The building is by no means large, but very lofty. What first strikes the eye, on enter- ing, is the immense multitude of lights — innumerable gilt chandeliers, each one with innumerable branches, were sus- pended from the roof by richly-wrought iron chains. There was no corner of the building without them : besides these, sconces are thrust into every cranny that can be found to hold them ; and enormous candlesticks, exactly in the form in which we see them represented in old Bible engravings, are placed upon the altar. In the midst of the temple is a large, heavy, square elevation, capable of containing about a dozen persons, which was also surrounded on all sides with enormous can- dlesticks. This illuminated tribune was approached by two flights of steps ; and contained seats on three sides of it ; the Book of the Law opened upon a desk on the fourth ; but no one approached these seats, apparently so distin- guished, except some little boys, who amused themselves by running up and down the steps incessantly. In the midst of the ceremonies, a man mounted this tribune, and chanted a few sentences from the open volume. The ladies of our party were shown into an open gallery, but the gentlemen remained below, and obtained seats very near the altar. The gallery had glass windows, which we easily opened, and looked down upon the blaze of light below. The first ceremony we witnessed was ths^t of a man's changing his round hat for a flat cap. This done, he twisted a white blanket, edged with blue, around him, and chanted ^ WESTERN GERMANY. 131 from a large volume, in a most inconceivable variety of tones; bowing his head as he did so, almost incessantly. At intervals the congregation burst forth into a response: — so loud, so wild, so startling, as almost ^to cause an emotion of terror. This response varied in tone, from something approaching a shrill cry to a plaintive wail, the dying cadence of which was occasionally very sweet. The ladies who sat near us in the galleries sometimes appeared earnestly engaged in their devotional exercises; bowing continually and uttering a low chant; and sometimes they chatted together with per- fect ease, without even affecting to whisper. Several times during the service, the blanket was laid aside by one and taken by another; and once by a lad, apparently about four- teen, who retained his little casquette on his head while he read, or rather chanted, some portion of the Scriptures, which lay upon the altar. There is one feature, so peculiar and so prominent, that I cannot avoid mentioning it; this is the un- cleansed state of the building. If I might make such a dis- tinction, I should say that it was not dirty; I mean that no objects of accidental disgust contributed to its extraordinary condition: but it seemed as if the dust of the temple were held sacred; for there is no part of the building, walls, ceiling, floor, steps, nor any object within it, that is not covered, nay, loaded, with a mass of heavy, accumulated, long-settled dust. The vast number of handsome gilt chandeliers and candle- sticks would have a splendid appearance, were they not thus veiled in this universal drapery of black, stifling dust and cobweb. I was disappointed at hearing no music, — for certainly none of the sounds I heard deserve the name — and 1 had en- tered with ideas of Hebrew melodies floating in my fancy. I asked a lady near me, if music made no part of their service, and I almost expected she wouid answer — " As for our harps, we have hung them up upon the trees;" but she only replied, " Quelquefois nous avons encore des meilleures voix." I must by no means forget to mention the very courteous civility which was shown to us by every one we approached. Each lady, as she entered the gallery, smiled and bowed to us, as if we had been her especial guests; and the gentlemen told us they were treated with the same politeness below. 132 BELGIUM AND Baron Rothschild was present there ; and I afterwards learnt from a gentleman of the city, who knew him well, that his religious observances were peculiarly severe. He said, that, at particular seasons, long fastings were enjoined in the sy- nagogue; and that, on these occasions, this gentleman had been known to remain in the temple for eighteen hours to- gether, and had more than once been carried home in a state of complete exhaustion. We obtained permission to see the Baron's pretty villa, which is about a mile from the town ; — or rather the gardens belonging to it, for the house is not shown. These gardens are not at all superb; but they are nicely kept, and show an abundance of fine flowers. As we approached the entrance, we met a very gentleman-like looking personage leaving the gates in a handsome carriage; and our coachman informed us, this was the Baron's Master of the Horse. At our second visit, we again passed^ a Sunday at Franc- fort, and once more visited the beautiful new church. I thought, as I looked at its majestic simplicity of style, and listened to the glorious hymn ringing round its dome, that Luther himself might look down upon it with complacency^ This great reformer's name is still spoken of among the people, as freshl}^ as if the benefits he had conferred on them were of yesterday. '^ Luther was a greater man than Napoleon," said a citizen of Francfort, who sat by me at the table d'h6te, '' and his new rule will be longer felt than the famous code of the other though that was worth something too." I heard another German remark, that, in travelling through the country, he would undertake to tell, on entering a village, whether it w^ere Protestant or Catholic. " The Protestants," said he, «' are always better o^— they have not so many fetes and festivals to make them idle." We enjoyed another Sunday opera on our return, and on this occasion were so fortunate as to hear Madame Fischer Achten. She is by far the most accomplished singer I have heard in this country. The performance was Sargino, by Paer, and much of the music is delightful. I hope to hear Madame Fischer again at the Haymarket. Among the many proofs of obliging hospitality afforded to strangers, is that of admission to the Cassino. A stranger's WESTERN GERMANY. 133 ticket is easily obtained; and the bearer of it has the full pri- vileges of a subscriber for one month. I availed myself of the permission granted me to walk into the reading-rooms, which are very commodious, and well furnished with books, pamphlets, &c. The large table was covered with a polyglot collection of newspapers. In casting my eyes upon a French one amongst them, I was amused by the following literal translation of a modern political phrase: — "11 y a tout lieu de croire que le Roi dWngleterre refusera la demission des Ptlinistres, et consentira a une fournee de pairs." Before leaving Francfort, I took the liberty of requesting permission to wait upon her Royal Highness the Landgra- vine of Hesse Hombourg, which was most kindly granted. Her Highnesses beautiful residence is about two hours' drive from the city; and, even if it had not the interest of being the abode of a Princess of England, it well deserves to be visited. The town of Francfort is situated on a plain, the extent of which, at least in the direction of Hombourg, almost marks its territory ; for, after passing by one of the old towers, which stand like sentinels round its limits, the country gra- dually rises ; and the town of Hombourg is situated on a beautiful elevation, which seems to rise on purpose to look out upon the noble line of the Taunus hills, and down upon the lovely valley which stretches towards them. The residence of our amiable Princess is just what a loyal English subject would wish to see it; — noble in style and di- mension, beautiful as to its site and the country which sur- rounds it, and adorned throughout with that exquisite finish of perfect comfort, which perhaps only an English princess would require, and which certainly no other could so well succeed in bringing about her. ' The Princess had returned only a few days before from Hanover, and spoke with great enthusiasm of the beauty of the scenery through which she had travelled. *' I can never forget Windsor and Richmond," said her Royal Highness, "but Germany is a glorious country !" With the condescend- ing good-humour for which she has always been distin- guished, she herself led us through the noble suite of rooms that look towards the richly-wooded ridge of the Taunus hills, or mountains, as we should certainly call them in Eng- land. The view from these rooms is superb. 134 BELGIUM AND The road leading to the castle, though very steep, had not prepared me for the bold declivity on the other side, over which this range of apartments looks. The gardens of the palace lie at his feet, and the whole scene is one of great beauty and magnificence. ' It was with true English spirit that her Royal Highness showed us her noble library. <' I brought these volumes from England with me," she said; adding, with a smile, '^ I am proud of my library" — and she might well be so, for not only does it contain a very large and excellent collection of books, but everything in the room announces it to be the favourite retreat of a person of literary habits and refined taste. It is the only room, that I saw in Germany, at all in the same style. There are many in which books are found in abundance, but I saw none so calculated for the elegant indulgence of literary leisure. Yet it appeared that all the hours of reading were not spent here, for I think there was scarcely one of the apartments, in the fine suite which we saw, that had not books in it by some contrivance or other. Sometimes there was an elegant little table with a row of volumes forming the back of it— some- times a small portable case, just large enough to contain a set of miniature favourites; and in one room, filled w^ilh all kinds of pretty things, the whole space below the hangings is lined with a wainscoting of books. In many of the rooms are portraits, some of them very fine ones, of the Royal Family of England. I stopped be- fore one of George the Third, being struck by the powerful likeness: "You know that portrait.''" said the Princess; '^it is my father— it is quite perfect." After this gratifying visit, we drove to a hotel at Hom- bourg, where we ordered dinner; and, both before and after this repast, amused ourselves by exploring the beautiful environs of the town. As the gentlemen were disposed after dinner to take a longer walk up the hills than I liked to venture upon, I returned alone to the hotel, scribbled in my note-book, and took coffee while they proceeded. I will therefore give my son's account of this walk, as being much more satisfactory than my own. " A road, as straight as the flight of an arrow, leads from Hombourg to the top of one of the Taunus range, and the WESTERN GERMANY, 135 view from this point is very fine, looking over the whole of the Francfort plain, or valley of the Maine, to where the hills of the Black Forest close it in on the opposite side. The greatest part of the Taunus is lime; with large and fre- quent veins of quartz, sometimes very white and pure, and sometimes containing iron. The summits are a chaos of broken rocks, without any soil between them; some of the blocks are of an enormous size, and it can hardly be doubted that the state in which they lie is the consequence of some violent commotion of the earth. If I might be allowed a theory, I would say that, at the time the volcanic matter at the Siebengeberg, Rolandseck, and Unkel burst through the slate stratum, these rocks were dashed by the same convul- sion into the fragments which we here find scattered around in all directions. The dip of the slate stratum, always from north to south, certainly seems to favour this wild hypo- thesis. '' I would advise every one who visits Francfort to spend a day or two, — a week would not be too much, — at Hom- bourg. I know no place where there are so many delightful excursions in the environs, and so many enchanting views within reach of a lady's walk or ride — such forests to wan- der in, such hills to climb. On the side by which we quit- ted the town, the woods have been most tastefully laid out in walks and drives, so as to make the forest both safe and easy of access; and yet it has been done without at all injur- ing the romantic beauty of the scene. The singular part of the arrangement is, that the different kinds of scenery are made to blend; or rather to follow each other, so artfully, that it is difficult to say where one ends and the other be- gins. On leaving the town we came to ' gardens trim' and 'well laid out with gravel walks and terraces; from gardens we came to groves, from groves to woods, still getting wilder and wilder, as we advanced ; the paths becoming narrower and less frequent, the shade thicker and darker, till here and there a mass of rock appears, and the woodland scene becomes a forest. What seemed the gentle slope of a hill, now grew to be the steep side of a mountain, till at length we found ourselves in the midst of crags and leaping waterfalls, in a mountainous wilderness, wild enough for the 1 36 BELGIUM AND most romantic spirit to revel in, and this without being con- scious where the different changes had taken place. " We had not long entered the forest when we roused a fine doe from a thicket close by. We saw a variety of game here, — -deer, hares, and pheasants. On one side of the straight road I have mentioned, there is a beautiful well- fenced park, belonging, I presume, to the Landgravine, which seemed to be well stocked with deer. Just as we came to the palace gardens, on our return, we met the Prin- cess going out on an evening drive among her lovely groves and noble hills. '^ WESTERN GERMANY. 137 CHAPTER X. ' Darmstadt — Heppenheim — Storkenberg — Bergstrosse — Weinheim — Peasantry — Crops — IMannheim — The Palace — Ducal Gardens — Ball — Observatory — Church of the Jesuits— Theatre — Schwetzingen Gar- dens. From Francfort we proceeded to Darmstadt, — a little capital which, not long ago, was as celebrated as that of good King Rene for music, dance, and song; but it lost much in losing its late Grand Duke. His garden of pleasance, his stately manege, his delightful Opera, are all, if not fallen to decay, at least fallen into disuse ; and the place, notwith- standing the noble air of its spacious mansions, with their ample gardens and gay verandahs, looks like a city whose glory has passed away. The late sovereign appears to have been the centre around which all that was gay and courtly moved; and the mourning draperies put up to honour his obsequies, seem still to hang about the objects he loved best. His darling Opera is hushed and silent; weeds contest the soil with the flowers of his garden; — and in the streets of his pretty capital too much gra^ss is growing to permit it to look either gay or flourishing. Nevertheless, I advise all travellers to proceed from Franc- fort to Mannheim by the way of Darmstadt, instead of turn- ing back to Mayence, and going on by the river. Having tried both routes, I feel privileged to give counsel in the case, and can testify, not only that there is very little interest or beauty in the voyage between Mayence and Mannheim, but that the drive from Darmstadt is through some of the love- liest scenery of the country. It is true, indeed, that the steamboat passes by the venerable city of Worms, but all which can be seen of it from the deck is not enough to induce a change of route. We made this delightful little journey in an open carriage: but even so, I could by no means see as much as I wished, and therefore determined, though at the risk of arriving late at the place of our destination, to climb one of the castled 18 138 BELGIUM AND hills, at the feet of which we were passing. For this purpose we left the carriage for an hour or two at Heppenheim, and indulged in one of those delightful rambles, of which I en- joyed many during our tour, and which showed more of the characteristic features of the country, and of its wild and pe- culiar beauty, than can be conceived by merely looking at the various celebrated spots seen from the high road of the l| Rhine. The little town of Heppenheim itself has much that is inte- resting: its high antiquity is proved by a stone in the church bearing date 805; it has, moreover, considerable claims to pic- turesque beauty, from the bright ripple of its pretty brook, its uncouth bridges, and its ruinous walls. We hardly took a step after leaving the inn that did not bring us to a picture. Little urchins, with one scanty garment as the only covering to their rosy limbs, were dabbling under the shade of one green bridge; and a beautiful girl, with golden hair and bare legs, was carrying flowery fodder to her cow, over another; and at the low, wicketed door of many a Teniers-like cottage, were groups which would have made an admirable study for Wilkie. After a lingering walk through the town, we mounted, mounted, mounted, by a long, sinuous path among the vines, till we reached the majestic ruins of Storkenberg. I wish that the barons who built, and dwelt in, these glorious old castles, had not left such reputations for tyranny, cruelty, and all that is hateful, behind them; for there is something so noble in the choice of their commanding sites, that it is diffi- cult not to feel respect for the daring spirits who, planting a foot upon these towering heights, exclaimed, ** Here shall be my stronghold and my home!" Having conquered this steep ascent, spite of a flinty path beneath our feet, and a scorching sun above our heads, we sat down in the shade of a mighty wall, and fully enjoyed the recompense of our toil. The view from the Storkenberg is made up of all that the eye best loves to look upon. Hill and valley, forest and fertile plain, rocks, ruins, lowly ham- lets, and knightly castles, all are spread out before the sight, with such lavish prodigality of beauty, as might well suffice to furnish forth a dozen landscapes. Behind us the hill sunk but a little, ere it rose again into a mountain forest; — so dark WESTERN GERMANY. 139 and wild, and yet so lovely, in the contrast its shade offered to the sunny hill we were about to descend, that it was only by an effort of great prudence that I was enabled to refuse my consent to plunging into it. The spot on which we re- posed was, however, well calculated to make us forget our fatigue. The shade was perfect, and a delightful breeze seemed to ascend to us from the valley. It is really a woful thing to turn from such a spot, and know that it is resigned for ever; for who can hope a second time to be favoured by all the little intricate contingencies which must be strung together, all in the right order, before one can find oneself on the rocky summit of the distant Storkenberg? But the day was waning fast, and reluctantly leaving our delightful lair, we traced back our way, peeping over the luxuriant growth of the vines, till we again found ourselves beside the brook of Hep- penheim. We got some excellent coffee at the little inn, and then proceeded along the Bergstrosse, as the magnificent range of hills is called, among which this fine road passes. Every moment of our progress showed us new and increasing splen- dour of scenery, till we reached the wondrous little town of Weinheim. I shall make no attempt to describe the situation of this place, as singular as it is beautiful, for I am quite sure I could not make myself intelligible. We saw it, too, when the setting sun gives that breadth of shadow and power of light to a bold and hilly landscape, which is so utterly beyond the power of words to record. We here again left the carriage, and spent more time than our driver willingly allowed, in running from point to point, to gaze upon the plain below us, through which the broad Rhine swept along; and then upon the wild peaks of the Bergstrosse on the other side, which, lovelier far in the near distinctness of their dark forests, and their granite crags, seemed to make the distant Vosges look like a thin mass of vapour on the horizon. Let no one, who has time to spare, content himself with seeing the country between Darmstadt and Manheim, merely in the course of a long day's short journey, as we did ; but, let him, after taking up his quarters at the latter place, devote one entire day to Weinheim. The high antiquity and bold position of its walls and towers, as well as the exceeding 140 BELGIUM AND beauty of the landscape over which they hang, render it a spot of very peculiar interest. It was not till after our cautious driver had repeatedly told us we should be very late at Mannheim, that we at length remounted the carriage to follow the road, which we saw, but too plainly, must immediately take us out of sight of all that had so greatly delighted us. A rapid descent soon brought us to the plain on which Mannheim is situated, and the coming darkness appeared likely to hide nothing from us, more than a continuation of rich and ripening crops. This valley is cultivated in long narrow strips, without any en- closures. We saw wheat, hops, potatoes, flax, hemp, oats, rye, clover, Indian corn, and tobacco. There are also some patches of vines, but these are in small quantity here, being chiefly cultivated on the southren sides of the' steepest hills; — a situation which at once shelters them from the biting north, and gives all the sunshine of the climate, doubled by reflection. I was surprised to find such fine crops of Indian corn. Though it does not grow quite so high as I have seen it in America, it appears to flourish, and bears a large and heavy ear. Independent of the beautiful scenery of the Bergstrosse, the road we had this day travelled was more than commonly- interesting from the picturesque dress of the numerous pea- santry scattered in and about it. It was the last week of July, and harvest of every kind, except that of the vineyards, was near at hand. All the rustic population seemed in activity, and there really appeared no end to the pretty variety of figures that peopled the landscape. Old men and women, young men and maidens, frolicsome boys and laughing girls, all in the strange, fantastic dresses of the country, thronged the fields. The costume of the women was very pretty — large white sleeves, pushed high above the elbow, coloured bodices, and full, short petticoats, with the hair sometimes fastened up in a net, and sometimes plaited in long braids, as the girls of Switzerland wear it. A few among them had enormously large straw hats, but these were much less fre- quent here, than we found them afterwards towards Baden. The men, too, all looked like pictures out of a book of fancy dresses; with their large cocked hats, long straight-breasted coats, and showy waistcoats. The general effect was very WESTERN GERMANY. 141 much that of the corps de ballet in a rustic dance at the French Opera. According to the prediction of our driver, we did not reach Mannheim till long after night-fall. The streets appeared long and wide, but very dark; an occasional candle on the counter of a druggist's shop, or from the yet open window of a private dwelling, being all the light we saw. On reaching the principal hotel, however, every window of its wide extent seemed illuminated ; and we received, in answer to our application for apartments, the reply that might have been expected, " Every room in the house is occupied." These are unpleasant sounds to hear at eleven o'clock at night; — and, as we had received no direction to any second inn, we remained for a moment quite at a loss to determine what we were to do next. On perceiving this, a waiter again stepped forward, and begged to recommend us to the Weinberg. We gladly followed the direction, and in a few minutes found ourselves as perfectly comfortable, and as completely at home, as it was possible for a hotel to make us. I have seldom seen so large a town as Mannheim with so few people moving about it ; and yet there is no appearance of desolation either. Everything looks handsome, neat, and cheerful. There are well-dressed ladies and gentlemen walk- ing in the streets ; and pretty soubrettes, with hair as nicely arranged as if they were going to a ball, tripping with dainty baskets on their arms, to do their ladies' bidding. Then there are soldiers enough to make it look military, and mu- sic enough to make it seem gay ; but all is so orderly and quiet, and has an air of such point-device neatness, that it seems as if there were some officer in the town whose duty it was to go through the streets every morning, to see that all things were put in order; the nice little fruit-stalls in their proper places ; and all the tidy little boys, whipping their tops just in the right corner, and nowhere else. The whole appearance of the town points it out as a princely residence; but the present Grand Duke of Baden has fixed his residence at Carlsruhe ; and some apartments, only, in the magnificent palace at Mannheim, are inhabited by the Dowager Grand Duchess Stephanie. In elegance of arrangement and decoration, I have seen 142 BELGIUM AND nothing to compare with the Prince of Orange's palace at Brussels ; but, in size, it is a plaything compared to that of Mannheim. One wing of this immense fabric was destroy- ed by fire, when in possession of the French in 1795, by the bombardment of the Austrians ; and, till informed that it had contained the theatre,! felt quite at a loss to imagine to wdiat purpose it could have been applied ; every requisite for a princely residence being so amply furnished by the other parts. Besides rooms for state, and rooms for comfort, al- most innumerable, this vast pile contains a very extensive suite of apartments fitted up as a picture gallery, another for antiques, and another for books. In addition to all this, there appear to be numerous suites, appropriated as residences for persons of distinction holding places about the court ; and very charming residences they must be, manyof them look- ing over the superb gardens to the Rhine, and the fine chain of mountains beyond it. There is also a large and handsome chapel making part of the remaining wing ; and more colonnades, galleries, corri- dors, and staircases, than would suffice for half-a-dozen palaces in these degenerate days. That part of the residence, which has been recently fitted up for the Dowager Grand Duchess, is rich and elegant in its furniture and hangings ; but it bears about the same proportion to the entire edifice, that the pri- vate apartnients of the Queen of England do to the whole of Windsor Castle. The fine gardens, which reach from the palace to the Rhine, are admirably laid out a VAnglaise; and, like those of all the other sovereign princes of Germany, are open to the public. This indulgence is repaid by the most cautious and respectful forbearance from all injury, on the part of the people ; all the beautiful variety of shrubs and forest trees, so profusely scattered over the grounds, still sweep the lawns with their luxuriant branches, and evidently can never have been touched by any wanton or mischievous hand. These noble grounds are bounded towards the river by a terrace, afibrding one of the finest walks imaginable. The Rhine, and the fertile valley beyond it, with the wavy out- line of the Bergstrosse, are on one side ; the gardens, the palace, the towers of the church and observatory, with Mont Tonnerre for a background, on the other. WESTERN GERMANY. 143 The unfettered privilege of entering at all hours among such groves and lawns, such shrubs and flowers, would be delightful to any people; but must, I think, be very pecu- liarly so to the Germans, whose passion fpr flowers is as uni- versal, and as evident, as their love of music. Not a cottage but has its sweet-scented parierre; not a hut but can show some little morsel of earth, if it be only a yard square, fenced about with broken platters, and fragments of old tubs, yet containing delicious blossoms, cultivated with a degree of care, and science too, that would not disgrace the King's Road between Chelsea and Fulham. This love of flowers is equally perceptible in town and country ; and I think it would be difficult to find a house in which some balcony or windov^r did not give a proof of it. There are so many pleasant excursions within a morning^s drive of Mannheim, that I should have much liked to have passed a week there ; but unfortunately we had not the ad- vantage of knowing a single person in the town. I brought a letter of introduction, which would have been sufficient to do all I wished for us, in the way of presentation, but, par vialheur, the individual to whom it was addressed had left Mannheim for the summer ; and nothing remained for us, but to see what was most interesting in the place, and depart. Having decided that less than two days could not suffice, even for this, we inquired of our host what public amuse- ments were going on, that might occupy the two evenings we proposed to stay. "There is a ball to-night, and a play to-morrow,'' was the answer received ; and we rejoiced at our good fortune, for neither of these was of daily occur- rence. I was rather surprised, however, upon making inquiries respecting a carriage to convey us to this ball, at being assured that I should have no need of one, for that all the world walked to the Muhlau, and that it was " une pro- menade enchanter esse. ''"' The weather was, indeed, such as to make an evening walk far from disagreeable. The heat throughout the day had been oppressive, but we had now a cool breeze and a bright moon ; and we set off, nothing loath, for the Muhlau. The room is very plain, but of good size and shape for waltzing. It was already nearly full ; but with the civility 144 . BELGIUM AND or rather kindness, which is so remarkable a feature in the manners of this country, we were ushered, as strangers, to the top of the room, and obtained good places for seeing the dancing. But, though beauty was abundant, and though nothing was to be found fault with in the general neatness of dress and appearance, it was immediately evident that this was not the sort of meeting we had expected ; and, on making subse- quent inquiries we found that two balls in the week were held throughout the season : — the one being for the noblesse, and the other for the bourgeoisie : — we were at the latter. Though we might, perhaps, have preferred seeing how noble ladies performed the dance which is native to them, and which is engrafting itself slowly, but surely, on our own manners, we had, nevertheless, much to console us for the disappointment ; for never did I see two hundred people met together, who had more completely the air of enjoying themselves. For my own particular share of the amusement, I found a study that would have lasted me longer than the time we stayed, without any danger that I should grow weary of it. Close to the place where we had stationed ourselves was a group of females; consisting, I think, of two families, for there were two matronly women seated together, and four young girls, who, when not dancing, constantly returned to stand near tliem. Three of these were certainly sisters ; the other was perhaps a cousin, or a friend, or an acquaint- ance ; but it was clear that they had joined parties for the eve- ning. The three sisters might have served as models, if not for the Graces, at least for Hebe ; or any other goddess or nymph that should be represented as the personification of prettiness, health, and gaiety — fresh, fair, light-haired, bright- eyed beings, who looked as if they had nothing to do but to dance through life, throwing flowers and smiles about them as they went on. The solitary girl was a little yellow crea- ture, with an undeniable pug nose ; and, if her teeth were white, she had certainly no business with so extremely wide a mouth to display them. But this yellow little creature had a pair of eyes — such eyes ! I might be able to describe them better had it been possible to look at them steadily for two minutes together ; — but they sparkled, and shot, and WESTERN GERMANY. 147 constructed of the most costly marbles, and the pillars of the ark that stands upon it are of fine agate. The whole aspect of this church, though immeasurably inferior in all respects to the glorious cathedrals of former ages, ha3 that about it which strongly awakens interest. Its peculiar arrangement, as con- nected with the palace and the convent, vividly recalls the days when princes and priests felt mutual dependence and mutual reverence. The abbot passed from his convent to the presence of his sovereign through a private room, un- challenged and unannounced, to be consulted on the prince's political anxieties, and to aflford him the comfort and assist- ance of his advice. The sovereign, by the same route, could enter the cell of his confessor, and pass thence with the sacred privacy of devotion into the chamber, which is still to be seen, enclosed by windows, above the altar. That for purposes such as these the palace, convent, and church were constructed in the manner we now see them cannot be doubted. Such intimate communion is now no longer needed; but, perhaps, it requires the test of longer experience than has yet been given it, before the advantages to be derived from withdrawing the voices of churchmen from the councils of the state shall be clearly ascertained. Our second evening was spent at the theatre, which is large and handsome. It was extremely well filled, and the com- pany had the same air of feeling themselves at home as at Francfort. The alley in the pit, immediately below the boxes, was filled by very gentlemanlike-looking men, most of whom were officers. They remained standing during the whole performance; and between the acts took advantage of their position to converse with the ladies in the boxes. Here we saw two pieces performed; but both were so short, that the curtain dropped upon the lamps before daylight had quite disappeared. The least agreeable features in Mannheim are its waterless fountains. These are, I think, six in number: they are built of marble, and very nobly conceived; but it seems that the Grand Duke, who projected this beautiful and useful embel- lishment of the city, died before the water was conveyed to them, and in this abortive state they have remained ever since. From Mannheim we drove to Schwetzingen? for the pur- 148 BELGIUM AND pose of seeing the celebrated gardens there; second only, it is said, to those of the Elector of Hesse Cassel, at Wilhelms- hohea They are, indeed, truly magnificent ; and on so much more vast a scale than anything of the kind in England, that I know not to what I may compare them. Were I to enumerate the terraces, fountains, aviaries, tem- ples, waterfalls, grottoes, groves, parterres^ lawns, lakes, sta- tues, mosques, baths, boats, and bridges, with which they are studded, I should delude the reader into a belief that it was a crowded collection of incongruous objects; but this is very far from being, the case. The space they occupy is a hundred and seventy acres; and this, by the skilful arrange- ment of the artist who laid them out, is made amply sufficient to present all these pretty things in succession, without un- pleasantly interfering with each other. Some of the sculptured groups are sufficiently good to pro- duce an excellent effect, and the magnificence of the trees among which they are seen, the stately length of the noble avenues, the judicious mixture of water in the landscape, and the wonderful variety and extent of the walks leading through it, altogether make these ducal gardens an exhibition that no one should neglect to visit. Among the gratifications offered by this now forsaken re- sidence, is a theatre for private performances, which, some years ago, were carried on with great spirit by the court. It has pit, boxes, orchestra, scenes, and so on, in very good style; with the additional advantage of opening at the ex- tremity of the stage upon a grove of trees, whenever the piece performed would admit such a decoration. At another spot in the grounds there was a prettier theatre still, in which a raised terrace of turf made the boxes, a well-shorn lawn the pit, a bright cascade, surrounded by statues, the back scene; while roses and honeysuckles, trained upon trellis- work, constituted the side scenes. Here, as the gardener informed us, plays were frequently performed by noble lords and ladies during the summer, as well as at the less airy theatre ; and to both the public were freely admitted, some of the best places being courteously reserved for strangers. There is something exceedingly noble in the arrangements of these German princes, as to their places of recreation: everything is upon a scale of great magnificence, and the WESTERN GERMANY. 149 public are admitted to so large a share of the enjoyment, that it may well be supposed every amusement prepared for the prince must increase his popularity with the people. A large suite of banqueting and withdrawing-rooms show a fine facade to the gardens on one side of the palace; and an orangery and conservatory, ending in the theatre, answer to it on the other. The flowers retain possession of their noble habitation, but all the rest of the dwelling, including the chapel, has a most desolate aspect. There are, in truth, so many splendid palaces belonging to the Grand Dude of Baden, that it would be equally useless and troublesome to keep them all up as residences. To main- tain their extensive gardens in the style in which they are always kept, must require a very considerable revenue ; yet this appears to be done at all of them ; the motive for which may be, that the neighbourhood of each should sufier as little as possible from the absence of the sovereign. We dined, not too well, at one of the little inns in the vil- lage of Schwetzingen, and then proceeded to Heidelberg. 150 BELGIUM AND CHAPTER XL Heidelberg — Neuenheim — Heidelberg Castle — The Necker — Necker- steinach- — Tilsberg — Steinach — Tun of Heidelberg — Broken Tower — English Antiquaries. Heidelbekg is placed at the point where the Necker emerges from the narrow valley through which it has run from its source, and whence it flows through a flat rich plain, till it joins the Rhine at Mannheim. At the entrance of this narrow valley, hills, or rather mountains, covered with dark forests, rise suddenly from the water's edge on either side, and you are again in the midst of the wild heights of the Bergstrosse. Between these, after passing the town of Hei- delberg, there is just room enough for the stream to pass, with a road on each side of it. Here and there, indeed, a hollow recess gives space for a little villa, with its hanging garden; and on the left, as you ascend the river, a few vines find room to grow; but these often give place to rocks with their frequent quarries. It is on the right-hand height that the majestic ruins of Heidelberg Castle hang in mid-air. These are opened to the eye, on entering the town from Schwetzingen, with a degree of splendour quite unequalled^by any other view in the coun- try. The evening was closing as we drove up to our hotel, but v/e all agreed that it was impossible to sleep till we had penetrated to the centre of this enormous pile. Having given a hasty glance at the apartments, and ordered coflee to be ready in an hour, we set off. But more than two elapsed ere we returned ; and, even then, darkness had driven us from the walls before one-half of this extraordinary fabric had been even looked at. I would I had povv^er to describe all we saw through those hours of twilight, but there is a two-fold difficulty in the at- tempt. On the one hand, I might disgust the reader by a high-flown rhapsody of admiration; and on the other, I WESTERN GERMANY. 151 should be sure to vex myself by the tame and flat insufficiency of any praise I could bestow. Though the ascent is steep, the road has been made almost easy, by the care bestowed upon it. The first steep, straight portion of it, however, has no beauty; but, having mastered this, your reward awaits you. From this point, there are two approaches to the castle; one, by a fair, smooth path, sheltered by noble trees, and gradually leading above the tops of those which grow on the hill-side, till at length the level space behind the castle and in front of the great gateway is reached; the other is by a steep flight of steps into the very heart of the fortress, through a vast, subterranean, vaulted hall, which conducts you to a small interior court, and thence by another flight to the level of the court-yard. Take which route you will, there is no danger of the highest-wrought expectations being disappointed. By the first, you will wind round the. base of towers, which look as if a giant architect had reared them for a giant prince ;— by the last, you will be led under arches which, even in ruin, seem to speak of eternal duration: — -and both lead to a terrace, from whence a view is seen, so much beyond what the power of words can paint, that all the most faithful traveller can say, to any purpose, on the subject, is, " Go, all, with as little delay as possible, and look at it.'' On our first visit, we followed the more circuitous route under the trees. Had we not done so, we should have been quickly involved in almost total darkness; for, even at mid- day, but little light finds its way into the subterranean hall. On reaching the esplanade, before the chief entrance, you have no very extended view; for the lofty summit of the Geissberg is on one side, and the wide-spreading castle on the other; but, on passing under this portal, and crossing the court-yard, you reach another archway, which leads to the grand north terrace, acknowledged to be one of the finest points of view in Europe. The very last glories of sunset were fading from the summit of the Vosges, as we reached it; and all below this gigantic terrace was already in the deepest shade. The Necker, alone, still reflected the faint remnant of daylight; but, on the opposite side, the towering Heiligen- berg was as black as night. On the terrace, however, we remained — not planet-struck, but prospect-struck — till we 152 BELGIUM AND could see no longer; and then we found our way back as we could, through the darkness of the arched gateways, and un- der the scarcely lighter shadow of the fine trees, which hung over the walk leading down to the town. The following morning it was decided, that, before mount- ing again to the castle, w^e should cross the bridge over the Necker, and look at it from a distance. The view from the opposite side of the river is very beautiful ; but the cas- tle itself loses somewhat of its magical effect, by being seen completely against the hill which rises behind it. Unhke all the other ruins I have seen, Heidelberg owes not its great- est beauty to decay. There are many parts of it, in which the architectural splendour of the building still remains suffi- ciently entire to render it an object of universal admiration ; independently of its superb position and great'historical in- terest. In fact, the most valuable drawings that have been made of it, are by no means picturesque, but entirely archi- tectural. The scenery around it, of a style the most grand and wild, is hardly within reach of the pencil. If attempted from the heights, all the enchantment vanishes; for a map- like sort of bird's-eye view is all which can be hoped for. If taken from below, the great object of the attempt, the glo- rious castle, is seen fiat against the dark uniform background of the Geissberg hill ; and neither light, air, nor effect can be hoped for. In short, Heidelberg is a place calculated to put a landscape painter in a fever; for, while it surrounds him with all he must most wish to have, it shows, him, at the same time, that little of it is w^ithin his reach. The village of Neuenheim, on this side of the river, has many interesting features. We were shown a roof, — a very humble one, — which is said to have sheltered Luther, on his retreat from Worms, after rneeting the Convocation assem- bled there in 1521, by order of Charles V. Two windows are pointed out as being those of the chamber w^hich he oc- cupied. There is a very tempting walk, called the " Sentier des Philosophes,^^ that leads from the village to the top of the Heiligenberg; and, had such a path, to such a mountain, met me anywhere else, I should certainly have followed it,™ whatever the risk of fatigue might have been ; — but, now, the great magnet drew us back again across the bridge; and once more we prepared to mount the castle. We were ac- WESTERN GERMANY, 153 costed, on our route, by numberless little boys, who petitioned for the honour of serving us as guides amid the ruins. Their mode of address was very engaging ; for they uniformly pre- faced the request by presenting to each of us a pretty nose- gay of freshly-gathered flowers, out of the little baskets with which they were furnished, apparently as a sort of profes- sional property. We selected a fine bright-looking little fel- low, who performed the office admirably ; and, under his guidance, we now traversed the whole of this amazing fabric. J will not venture to inflict upon my readers any attempt of mine to recount its vast, complicated, intricate, and most splendid varieties. All I can do is to record our delight, our wonder, our intense feeling of astonishment at the marvels, both of art and nature, so lavishly spread before us. This enormous pile, the work of successive princes, through many ages, is a relic of what was most gorgeous and most noble in each. Towers and battlements, statues and columns, with " sto- ried architrave,'^ and sculptured frieze, — the banqueting-hall, and the chapel, — all stood before us, almost appalling in their stateliness- — yet all slowly crumbling into irretrievable decay. On turning from this scene to the still fresh beauty of the landscape below, — to the town, the river, the valley,— over which the lordly dwelling had so long towered, pre-eminent in dignity, as in place, the whole effect is so magnificent, that it is impossible to contemplate it without strange emo- tion. I heartily wish to avoid, if possible, the writing descriptions in issimo, as Lord Orford calls it, but sometimes it is very difficult to do this; and, spite of all the caution I have endea- voured to use, I almost fear whether I may not already have offended against the modesty of common sense, whilst speak- ing of this extraordinary scene. The remainder of a long morning was spent upon the Geissberg. After visiting every part of the ruins, and deciding that we should pass one entire day amongst them, before we left Heidelberg, we proceeded to the fine gardens, the lawns and terraces of which cling to the side of the mountain all round the castle. To the summit of this mountain we then ascended, and sought, in vain, for some traces of the original tower, said to have existed before the present magnificent 20 154 BELGIUM AND edifice was built upon the lower elevation of the JettenbuhU There are many wild legends circulated respecting it; some of which speak of a beautiful sorceress, named Jetta, who was its inhabitant; and who, before a stone of the present castle was laid, prophesied its foundation, its greatness, its long-in- creasing splendour, the glories of its founder's race, (now on the throne of Bavaria,) its awful trembling, when repeatedly struck by thunderbolts from heaven, and its subsequent slow and lingering decay into the elements, from which her voice had called it. But, though we failed to find the fragments of moss-covered stones, which they told us still remained in*' the depth of the vvoodvS, we came upon the Wolfsbrun, — a small stream,, on the brink of which the sorceress Jetta was slain by a wolf, immediately after she had uttered the pro- phecy above-mentioned. It is a spot which a poet might draw upon for ever, for his woodland imagery. In the evening, we took a circuit of the town ; which de- rives great beauty from the castled hill adorning it on one side, and the bright stream, with the still loftier eminence which skirts it on the other. The streets were perfectly crowded by the students, who, but for their eternal pipes, would be a very fine looking set of young men. There are some handsome buildings belonging to the University; but I am almost ashamed to confess, that the picturesque fever was. so strong upon us at this time, that we made no attempt to see any of the literary and scientific treasures they contain. I think, indeed, that in this town nothing, however pre-eminent in excellence, if it be quite unconnected with the locality, can hope for a due share of notice and ad- miration. Were I, for instance, a very distinguished person- age, and fond of being recognized as such, 1 would rather seek my honours where I had to contend with all the great ones of the earth, than with the attractions of the crumbling stones, the rugged hills, and shallow stream of Heidelberg. The next day was devoted to following the Necker, as far as a summer's day and a pair of horses could take us. On quitting the town, by the southren side of the river, we passed under a gateway of some pretension, but no great elegance. The drive, through this narrow valley, to Neckergemund, is as full of beauty as any two or three leagues which any of us remembered. One pretty feature of it is the working of WESTERN GERMANY. 155 the red-stone quarries, on the opposite side. This continues, at intervals, the whole way; each quarry being divided from its neighbour by jutting crags, too beetling, perhaps to be worked; but diversified by a beautiful sprinkling of dwarf oak and beech, that contrive to push forth almost horizon- tally from their fissures. Nothing can be more picturesque than the numerous groups of labourers, employed in blasting, raising, and launching the stones down to the river's edge, this last operation adds no trifling charm to the scene. The continual masses sent from a great height, rolling, bounding, springing, and rattling as they descend, till they finally dash into the water, create a sort of fearful interest by no means unpleasing, when watched from the opposite side of the Necker; but, wo to the unwary wanderer who may chance to take a fancy for rambling on the northern bank! The en- countering a train, on the Manchester railroad, would hardly produce more certain destruction, than would a contact with one of these falling rocks. The pretty village of Neckergemund hangs, most trinket- like, upon the chain of hills we had followed from Heidel- berg. A bright little mountain brook comes dancing down, among its cottages, to join the Necker ; and it seems proba- ble, that this brook is sometimes sufficiently copious to occa- sion a very inconvenient augmentation of the latter stream; for we read, on several houses, inscriptions, recording the height of the water at different periods, in some of which all the lower part of the village must have been submerged. We here crossed the river, — carriage, horses, and all, — in a flat-bottomed boat, just large enough, and not an inch to spare. The Necker makes a turn at this place, almost at right angles ; and, when we were in the middle of the stream, and could command both reaches at once, the view almost suggested the idea of fairy land ; so much did the bold, unexpected objects, which became visible, exceed all we had seen, or hoped to see. In looking towards the country we had passed, we observed that the river assumed the appearance of a lovely lake, surrounded on all sides by towering cliffs ; and, on turning the eye forward, a lofty, conical, forest-covered hill presented itself, crowned by a circular town, which covers its summit completely. A ruinous, embattled wall surrounds the whole ; and a mighty 156 BELGIUM AND tower, of size most disproportioned to the town it guards, rises magnificently against the sky. On reaching the left-hand shore, the road continues close to the water's edge ; till, at the distance of two miles, the ancient town of Neckersteinach, unquestionably one of the loveliest spots in this most lovely land, appears in sight. From this point, to the little hotel, to which we had been directed, a distance of about half a mile, we drove through some scenery which really looks as if the objects had been brought together purposely to enchant the eye. The mar- vellous Tiisberg, with the circular town and lofty tower on its brow, rises steep and abrupt, on the opposite side of the river, from the midst of a little, bright, green, level meadow on its bank. Before us was the rambling town of Necker- steinach, scattered up and down the little hill on which it stands, with about a score of light craft moored before it ; and, above our heads, towering rocks and dark forests rose steep and high, with the ruins of two stately castles looking down upon us from among them. On another rising knoll, quite distant from all the hills around it, stood the disman- tled, but less ruinous, remains of two other bergs ; which seemed to have their strength linked together by walled ter- races erected between them. The Necker makes a sudden, but beautiful, sweep round the little meadow at the foot of the Tiisberg; and the curving shore opposite, the boats, the houses, and their hanging gardens, the ruined castles, and the forest-covered height on which they stand, altogether form a picture seldom equalled. It was just such scenery as one longed to revel in, without the incumbrance of carriage and horses, or anything else to prevent one's turning first this way, and then the other, without any restraint whatever. We wasted but little time in bespeaking dinner, giving orders to the driver about our return, and such other ordi- nary matters, ere we found ourselves climbing the isolated knoll, towards the most curious, though the least ruined, castle of the four. But, before we reached it, another plea- sure awaited us; for, on attaining the summit of the little ridge, and looking down upon the side of it, farthest from the Necker, instead of seeing the undulating ground, which generally connects such an elevation with the loftier heights in its vicinity, we beheld a little valley deep sunk below us; WESTERN GERMANY. 157 SO bright in verdure, and so tempting from its cool and quiet shade, that nothing prevented my immediately descending into it but the timely recollection of the labour of returning. Through this emerald valley flowed a -stream, rapid, deep, and clear, called the Steinach ; which a guide-book describes as ^' le ruisseau le plus anciennement cite loin a la ronde." If it were cite for its exceeding beauty, I can well under- stand this ; for it is just such a stream as an errant knight might wish to reach, when longing to slake his thirst, after a fierce and fiery combat, or to repose his limbs on a velvet turf, under the eternal shade of lofty hills and umbrageous oaks. After gazing at this miniature valley, till we had sujffi- ciently refreshed ourselves by the sight of its coldness, we proceeded to the castle ; which, old records say, was the residence of a powerful baron : — lord, not only of the valley and the stream, but also of the knights, who inhabited the three other strongholds in its neighbourhood, and who held them as his vassals, and for his security. One of these sub- ject knights acquired the name of Landschaden, signifying ''curse of the country," or something very like it; which amiable appellation remained with his race, till a few years ago, when the last male died childless. The castle of his chief, though the oldest of the four, and known to have ex- isted in the year 1140, is still in part habitable. The Ritter- saal has, probably, been little changed ; being still a large handsome room, commanding most lovely views by two large windows, one looking across the Necker towards the Tilsberg, the other to the little valley of the Steinach. In this hall of the knights was seated a person, whom we ima- gined to be some public functionary, as he had various pa- 'pers, and implements for writing, before him. He was very civil ; and, had he been not quite so old, or not quite so young, I doubt not that the romance, which, from the mo- ment I came in sight of the place, had been gathering be- fore me, like the mirage of the desert, would have enabled me to imagine him some very distinguished personage ; taking refuge from the malice of fortune, in a spot where nature alone seemed capable of atoning for all the sorrows that the world could bring. But, alas I a middle-aged per- sonage at once puts to sleep, extinguishes, and annihilates 158 BELGIUM AND all sublime inquiries ; so, after obtaining what local informa- tion he could give us, we left the Rittersaal, and climbed and dived into every part of the half-ruinous edifice — save one. That defied us; and the girl, who padded about after us with bare feet and staring eyes, assured my son, who was the best German of the party, that no one, in the memory of man, had ever found the way to enter that tower. This was by no means the only instance we met with, in our pertinacious examinations of towers, placed in the midst of mysterious old bergs, where the entrance must have been either by excavated passages from below, or by communica- tions from above ; but now so completely removed, as to leave no trace whatever as to where or how they could have been used. I decidedly lean to the subterranean hypothe- sis ; as being not only the most mysterious, but the most reasonable: for I cannot believe that any Landschaden of them all would have contrived his castle in such a sort, as to have rendered scaling-ladders necessary, for his own entrances and exits to and from his tower of strength. There were several other particulars, in this wild old fortalice, that strangely awakened our curiosity ; and more still in its situation, that excited our admiration. Had I time and money, ad libitum^ I" should like to enter into a nego- tiation with the present lord of the land, for the purchase of this sight, and the old stones which stand upon it ; for I could make, 1 think, so rarely sweet a dwelling of it, that no Eng- lish friend, wandering between Heidelberg and Stuttgard, but would like to pay me a visit there. Wishing to pursue our way to the woods, we contented ourselves with a distant glance of the smaller castle, which stands nearer the town, and immediately followed the up- ward path leading into the forest, which overhangs the road to Neckersteinach. When seen from below, this forest ap- pears too thick to enter; and the ruins, which look out from amidst it, seem to be perched upon unapproachable cliffs; but the beautiful zigzag track we now took led us gradually higher and higher ; till, at length, we found ourselves, not only on a level with, but above, the first ruin. It was, how- ever, only from thence we could approach it; and, even so, the way, if not dangerous, was difficult. Thorns and bram- bles were to be braved ; and the last descent upon it could WESTERN GERMANY. 159 only be performed by scrambling down three or four feet. This done, we came upon a bit of close-shorn turf; — kept thus neatly, either by the scythe, or cropped by the wild animals of the forest. This had been the fortress of the redoubtable Landschaden, and we were therefore determined to enter it ; but, from the point we had reached, there were no means of getting into the only chamber that remained entire, except by crawling, on all-fours, through a breach in the wall. This we performed, with the proper degree of antiquarian enthusiasm, and found ourselves in a very inte- resting dungeon, from whence there was no exit, save by the self-same hole through which we had entered. So far, we had gained but little by our noble daring ; but, having crawled out again, we found one or two spots among the heaps of fallen stones, which had once formed the bul- wark of the knight of Landschaden, so singularly well placed for commanding a look-out up the river, and down the river, and across to the old frowning Tilsberg, that we understood why this one, at least, of the three independent bergs was necessary for the protection of their chief. Here, again, we found a tower not to be entered but by scaling or undermininsr — and a solid tower it is. We were told that the stones, of which it was constructed, were covet- ed by some person in the neighbourhood for the purposes of building ; but it was found that the Jabour of separating them from each-other would be greater thaa that of hewing materials from one of the neighbouring quarries. From these dark fragments, we scrambled our way up again to the mountain-path, which now led, by nearly a level terrace, to the fourth castle. This, too, is utterly in decay ; but the platform before it, looking down a tremendous precipice, is -occupied as a garden by a poor m.an, who has made his dwelling among the ruins. At this point, we decided that our party should separate for an hour before dinner ; that none might iuterfere with the occupation of the others. Mr. H , having spied out some spot, which he thought more beautiful still, to sketch from, set ofi' in that direction. My son mounted up, ham- mer in hand, to the summit of the rocky heights .above our head. And I turned back^ to scribble in my note-book, at a point where I thought I could rest greatly to my satisfac- 160 BELGIUM AND tion ; and where my companions promised to join me. I was not, however, quite alone. My little guide sat on a neighbouring stone, with his elbow resting on his knee ; looking down upon the river, and its boats, the town, and its castles, with an air of most happy idleness. A little adven- ture occurred, while securing his services, which made me look on his contented face with peculiar pleasure. On set- ting off from the inn, this little fellow stepped up, cap in hand, to make an offer of himself, as our guide to the various ruins. I have constantly found that these little local urchins are excellent in that capacity. They know every myste- rious hole and cranny ; and have a marvellous talent of helping out their words, in answer to our imperfect German inquiries, with most amusing and expressive grimaces ; — so we set off without asking for any other. The young rogue testified his satisfaction, by every imaginable demonstration of glee. He smiled, he laughed, he bowed, as he scampered on before us ; but, ere we had gone fifty yards, a boy, more than twice his age, presented himself, and, pushing aside the little one, began to chatter forth his own information, with an air of great importance. We wished to get rid of him, but it was impossible, and we proceeded with our double escort. On reaching the top of the ridge, from whence the Steinach becomes visible, the little fellow stepped eagerly forward to point out the beautiful valley, and its bright clear brook. This was more than the senior could bear ; and seizing upon his rival, with no gentle gripe, he thrust him rudely back. The gay smiles of the poor boy gave place to a burst of tears; whereupon I instantly found German enough to make my election clearly understood : '* Nein geld fiir sie,'^ was sufficient to make the elder stalk off, and my little man remained master of the field. I never witnessed a pret- tier ebullition of happiness than this triumph produced. He has bowed his merry head every time I have looked at him; gathered every flower in our path to present to me; and, in short, made me feel exceedingly well pleased with myself, for having protected the w^eak against the strong. After enjoying, for about an hour, the beautiful seat I had chosen, our man of science, and our man of art returned, and we all repaired together to our inn. What the little, remote town of Neckersteinach can have to do with a ball- WESTERN GERMANY. 161 room, 1 cannot imagine ; but our very good dinner vvas set forth in d. saal, of excellent dimensions for a waltz of fifty couple, with a fine, glittering, glass chandelier, suspended in the middle of it. It required some resolution to leave this airy room, with its double range of beautiful windows, to plunge again into the sunshine ; and still more, to decide upon climbing the almost perpendicular side of theTilsberg, in order to examine the singular buildings on its top. I mustered courage, however, for the undertaking; and cross- ed the Necker, to the bright green meadow on its opposite shore. Had I been quite aware how very long this walk up the Tilsberg would have been, I should probably have requested my companions to undertake it without me ; yet I gloried in the enterprise, when it was achieved ; both from the satisfaction of having performed a difficult task, and for the strange, wild, desolate aspect of the curious place we had reached. The view was most magnificent. We looked down upon the ruined castles, and their little heights, as if they had been toys ; and the valley of the Necker spread itself, like a map, for several miles, on both sides. As to the town itself, and the ruins of its immense castle, it would be very difficult to give any idea of either. Their form and position are very singular. The town is so nearly in ruins, and the few hovels, which continue to be inhabited, are so extremely wretched in appearance, that I should think they would, at no very distant period, be as utterly forsaken by the peasants, who still cling to them, as the castle has been by the knight who held it. Yet, few and poor as the inha- bitants are, they have still a decent little Catholic church ; and their piety shows itself by many tiny offerings to the Virgin, pinned about her shrine. A few Inches of narrow ribbon, or a scrap of muslin, or silk, had not been thought too paltry to ofier, or too worthless to accept ; and, though flowers could not be found round their desolate dwellings, they had plucked green branches from the forest which clothes the isolated hill, and with these the altar was deco- rated. The only dwelling in the place, which appeared cal- culated to be a shelter for man, was a small tenement, close to the church : it was in no respect superior to the cottages which poor men inhabit in the world below ; but, amidst the ruins of Tilsberg, it had an air of superiority, which 21 162 ^ BELGIUM AND led US to imagine, that, if there were a priest in the place, he must dwell there. We judged rightly. On applying at the door, for permission to enter the church, it was the cure himself who answered us ; and who had the politeness to unlock the door, and show us the little all it contained. He informed us, however, that this lonely spot was not his dwelling-place ; but that he came once or twice a week to perform mass, and to administer to the spiritual wants of the poor people. On the whole, though I am certainly pleased to have seen this very remarkable village, I do not recommend the expe- dition to my travelling readers ; particularly if they be la- dies, for it is a most fatiguing one. Let them contemplate Tilsberg from the lovely woods of Neckersteinach ; and they will see enough of its singular position to gratify their curiosity, without paying the penalty of so much weariness. When preparing for our return, we got outside the walls, and were obliged to cling round them, almost as cautiously as if walking on the parapet of a house ; so completely does the exterior of the town reach the edge of the small table- land on which it is built, in one direction only is there an approach less precipitous, and this is on the side farthest from the Necker. While recrossing the river on our return, we were much struck by the beautiful appearance of the Steinach brook, where it runs into the Necker. I have seen the clear Ohio join the muddy Mississippi ; and, still more to the purpose, I have seen that turbid stream rush among the bright blue waves of the Mexican gulf; and, in both instances, there is a very tardy mixture of their waters ; — but the pertinacious purity of the sparkling little Steinach is more remarkable than either. It flows gaily and swiftly through the gentle descent of its own valley ; but, just where it joins the Necker, it comes down with a vehemence which carries it pure and pellucid, for a longer distance than I could have believed possible, before it is stained and lost in the stronger and coarser stream. We greatly enjoyed the cool evening drive back to Heidelberg. It had all that beautiful variety of light and shade which a brilliant sunset gives, in a region of high cliffs and deep valleys. WESTERN GERMANT. 165 very little fancy might enable one to believe in their having been petrified, lace and all, as they were stepping down from the balcony above. The ivy around these figures has been very skilfully cut; and they appear to be pushing it aside to enable them to look down upon the terrace. This part of the structure is called par excellence '^ the Great Tower ;^' and in it was the famous banqueting-hall of Frederick V. On a tablet of stone placed between the two Electors is an inscription, of which the following is a trans- lation: — " Lewis, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Elector and Duke of Bavaria, erected thi? tower, and finished it in 1583. "Frederick V., Count Palatine of the Rhine, Elector, Vicar of the Holy Roman Empire, and Duke of Bavaria, pulled down the upper part of this tower, rebuilt, and vaulted it; and added thirty-three feet to the height of the banquet- ing-hall, after having removed the column which supported the roof, without any damage or derangement whatever. Finished in the year 1619." This magnificent tower is con- nected with the building, which contains the chapel, by a simple, but very noble range of apartments, called '^ the Eng- lish Buildings." These were erected in 1612, by Frederick v., for the especial use of his wife, the Princess Elizabeth of England, daughter of James I. The windows of two lofty stories are still remaining; and this enormous wall, seen to- gether with the mighty tower, which flanks it, against the clear, blue sky of Germany, conveys an idea of immensity and grandeur which cannot be described. Nature and art both appear gigantic here; for, turning to the right, a hill of such sudden steepness rises to the clouds, while the trees which cover it are so noble, and the masses of rock starting forth from among them so enormous, that the style of the building seems chosen on purpose to be in keeping with the stupendous features of the landscape. Many parts of the castle, have reference, by their history, or by inscriptions, to the Princess Elizabeth of England. Over the arch of what must have been a very noble gateway, leading to this terrace, is the following inscription: — " Frederick the Fifth to his dear wife Elizabeth, in the year 1615." 166 BELGIUM AND I have now got into the very deepest recesses of the ruin. 1 have climbed up one very long spiral staircase, and sounded my way down another. After this, I had the good fortune to find a third, darker and narrower than either; and, having mastered it, I found myself amidst a labyrinth of paths, run- ning along the tops of the walls of Otho Henry's palace. For- tunately they are, one and all, broad enough to make a very respectable promenade. Moreover, many of them are guard- ed by bushes springing from the mortar; and along others a slight garde-fou has been placed, that curiosity might not lead to danger, nor fear to disappointment. After threading these paths till, spite of the rails and the bushes, I found my- self sufficiently giddy, and perfectly bewildered, I at length found my way to what my map tells me is the '^Tour de la Bibliotheque:"— and here I write, seated oh what seems the hearthstone of Frederick the Second, who is said to have built this splendid chamber to contain the famous library of the Palatinate ; — one of the most valuable collections then existing. The room must, 1 think, have been half a circle. It has eight large windows, among which it is difficult to select that which commands the most enchanting view. Some look down the side of the hill, over terraces and covered ways, orchards, and forest trees, to the river, the town, and its pigmy population. Others open upon the towering Geeisberg: — and it is not without an effort that" you can get sight of the blue sky above it. From one of them are seen the noble range of windows at the back of Otho Henry's palace, behind the famous Rittersaal ; and beyond these again, is the octagon tower, which is the highest fragment left; and which is visible at many points where no other part of the ruins can be seen. The floor of this room is now, perhaps, more softly carpeted than in the days of its greatness; for a well-kept, green, grass turf covers it. A stunted, leafless shrub stands in the centre; just on the spot where, formerly, some massy oaken table probably supported the precious manuscripts and illuminated missals, when they were brought forth to regale the eyes of the learned visitants to this princely library. The noble Elector himself must have intended to use this room as a favourite apartment; for the building is so arranged as to communicate, by a small vaulted closet, with the chamber of Otho's palace, called 'Mhe Elector's Bed- WESTERN GERMANY. 167 room;*" and from this closet a little spiral staircase leads to the ground-floor. A subterranean passage comnaunicates, from a point near this tower, with an entrance at a very con- siderable distance in the side of the Jettenbuhl. ****** Henry has found out my retreat; he assures me that the hour of dinner is fullv come, and that we must find some spot of transcendent beauty, whereat to assemble for the purpose of making our repast. The only difficulty will be in choosing among such vast variety. I think, at least, an hundred different parties might find spots of first-rate attrac- tion, where they might place themselves, without interfering with each other. vt* 7t^ vp Tf* VP Vf* After due consideration, we have decided upon the match- less northern terrace, outside the chapel, for our dinner station. It overhangs the town and river, and looks over them to the Heiligenberg; as one good neighbour does to another, across a narrow street. Here, in the deep shade of Frederick the Fourth's lofty palace, — with one stone bench for our table, and another for our seat, — we have spread our repast. It is a banqueting-hall which might content the most fastidious prince on earth. vf" ^ tF tF vP tF Having eaten, and looked about us for at least one long, but not unsatisfactory hour, we went in search of the person who keeps the keys of the chapel, the picture gallery, the chamber of the Great Tun, and various other curiosities, by the exhibition of which she contrives to get a living. The chapel of St. Udalrich is the part of the castle which has undergone the latest reparation ; and it was used as late as 'the year 1803. It makes part of Frederick the Fourth's palace, and is large enough to have assorted well with the dignity of the entire building ; but now it has only its bare walls and naked altar to show, and possesses little other in- terest than what is derived from its being part of the ruins of Heidelberg. There is, however, one strange object there, — wherefore, or by whom placed, I know not, — but it deserves mention, were it only for the startling effect it produced on us all. On entering the chapel we passed by the side of an old con- 168 BELGIUM AND fessional, placed near the door ;— it had neither dignity nor beauty of any kind to attract the eye, and it was quite un- heeded. On reaching the altar, we turned to examine the extent of the building; and, at the same moment, the eyes of each of us were drawn to the figure of a pale old man, who, dressed in the habit of a monk, sat in the confessional we had passed. There was something so desolate in the look of the place, and so unearthly in the livid hue of his complexion, that I almost shuddered as I looked at him. He seemed to bend his head meekly towards us, as in salu- tation; and a strong feeling of interest and compassion was excited in us all ; for it appeared as if he alone had survived the universal wreck in which all around him had perished, and that, faithful to his duty even to the last — for his hollow eye and sunken cheek showed that life was fast ebbing — he still held his post, to minister comfort to the repentant spirits who might yet hover near to confess their sins. The wo- man, who had led us into the chapel, watched us earnestly as we continued to gaze upon him ; and, after the silence of a moment, said, " Go up to him." We all obeyed her; and it was not till we found ourselves close to the confessional that we discovered this excellent mockery to be of wax. From the chapel, we passed on to a building which has the honour of containing the Great Tun of Heidelberg. This celebrated cask is certainly very large ; and the idea, that it was wont in days of yore to be filled with Rhine wine, approaches to the sublime ; — but, before I could fully appre- ciate its dignity, Henry quite destroj^ed the efiect of all its greatness, by exclaiming, — " A dozen of them might dance in Meux's great vat." We next visited a queer collection of pictures, kept in a room over the great gateway. It consists, almost entirely, of portraits of the princes and princesses of the Palatinate, to whom the castle has at different periods belonged. After we had sufficiently examined these, Mr. H returned to his drawing, and Henry and I set off in search of vaulted dungeons, and subterranean passages. Of these we found many more than we could follow, or even enter. The par- ticular spot which, more than any other, possesses this kind of interest, is, perhaps, that beneath the stupendous ruin of WESTERN GERMANY. 169 the circular tower which fronts the Geissberg. The man- ner in whicli the upper half of this tower now lies extended on the ground, — the solid mass of its enormous walls still preserving their circular form, while the lower half yawns beside it, — presents one of the greatest charms of the whole ruin ; and the vaults beneath are in the very highest style of dark and dreary mystery. It was quite impossible,, how- ever, even for Henry, to penetrate quite as far as might have been wished for the gratification of that curiosity, which on such occasions, grows by what it feeds on ; but, on the whole, we were well satisfied with the result of the accu- racy of our researches, so far as they had proceeded ; and, when the failing light admonished us to desist, we con- gratulated each other upon having dived farther into the hidden recesses of Heidelberg than it was likely any other travellers had done before us. When we returned to the front of the Rittersaal, where we had left Mr. H , we found him in conversation with a French artist, who has devoted the last twenty-three years of his life to making drawings, and superintending engravings, of all the most interesting parts of the ruin. Some of these, especially such as give the detail of Otho Henry's superb facade, are admirable. This gentleman, by name M. Charles de Graimbergj gave us many amusing anecdotes of occurrences which had passed • under- his notice, during his long residence among these noble relics. He has had the opportunity of witnessing the impressions produced Iry them on a great variety of tra- vellers of all nations : and this, I thit^k, must have left on his memory a sort of patchwork recollection of high and low feeling — of extravagant enthusiasm and cold indifference — which may enable him to judge of the average taste of man- kind better than most people. I believe it was this gentleman who told me that a set of learned and most energetic English antiquaries, having wor- shipped these remains of German magnificence, during the day, returned to them, in the darkness of night, armed with sledge hammers, and testified their love of art by severing sundry fragments of stone from the beautiful ornaments of the Rittersaal. Notwithstanding the pleasure they had given us, our af- 22 170 BELGIUM AND fection for the caryatides, the corbels, and the cornices, did not lead us to go this length ; and we left the ruin of Heid- elberg, carrying away with us nothing, save the remem- brance of its surpassing beauty. When we returned to our inn w^e were too tired to do anything but sit still and drink coffee ; but the evening was beautiful, and, till a late hour, the streets were thronged with students, who gave us in passing many delightful spe- cimens of their skill in singing. One large party, who per- haps had been quaffing some few flasks of Rhenish, in honour of the belles of Heidelberg, came carolling down the street, with such a preponderating force of lungs that all weaker strains gave way before them ; and then we had a very beau- tiful example of one of the most characteristic features of Germany. All those, who met this long array of wassail- lers stretching across the street and suffering nobody to be heard but themselves, instead of breaking their harmony, as they- broke their line in passing through it, joined the joy- ous chorus; with tune, time, and taste so admirable as to produce an effect inconceivably delightful. This did not happen once only, or twice or thrice ; but, as they pursued their walk through the street, every party they met joined voices, in most sweet and skilful accord, to the strain they were singing. WESTERN GERMANY. 171 CHAPTER XII. Route to Carlsrhue— Seats for Travellers— Wiesloch — Lutheran Hymn^ — Avenue of Poplars — Carlsruhe — Palace Garden — Opera — Baden— Chabert's— Old and New Castles — Promenade — Gambling- Rooms. The road from Heidelberg to Carlsruhe has little beauty, beyond what a mountainous outline in the distance can give it. For many miles in this direction all the attraction is behind you ; and, in truth, when turning from the Berg- strasse and the Neckar, it would be hardly possible for any road to appear beautiful. There is one feature remarkable in all the roads of Ger- many which I do not remember in any other country. On every great route that we travelled, we observed benches placed by the road-side for such as journey on foot. These are generally found under the shade of a large tree; and, in many instances, they are furnished" with the additional luxu- ry of a bowery shelter of branches, carefully twisted into an alcove. This may appear to be a matter of very little con- sequence, and hardly worth mentioning; but it is strongly indicative of the temper of the country, if I may so express myself: and, as I know not by whose hand, or at whose cost, they are reared, I am disposed to believe the feeling, that causes their formation, as universal as the accommo- dation they offer. ' We baited ourselves and our horses at Weisloch, at the distance of two leagues and a half from Heidelberg, where we had a very excellent breakfast, at a very low price. While it was preparing we walked to the Church, which we entered on hearing from it the full and solemn notes of a Lutheran hymn. The little building was quite full, and I never beheld a congregation of such severe austerity of look and demeanour. The dress, both of men and women, was just such as the fanatics of Cromwell's day might have sanc- tioned ; and the whole scene realized, not the heau^ but the 172, BELGIUM AND triste ideal of a method ist assembly. Nothing could less resemble the reformed church at Francfort than this harsh- looking conventicle. Tljere was no clergj^men among them, nor any one whom we could suppose likely to fill the office. The men and women stood in separate rows, aii singing with the whole strength of their lungs. I have no doubt but that our sudden and unauthorized intrusion might have somewhat increased the austere expression so remarka- ble on every face : but, in spile of the scowling brows that greeted «s, 1 gave the poor people credit for real piety in thus assembling to chant their morning hymn;, for as the day was not Sunday, nor marked for any religious obser- vance that we could discover, this meeting, even without a minister to call them together, spoke plainly of a strong re- ligious feeling, and had some wise and Christian-minded divine been among them, to soften the temper of their zealj the effect would have been perfect. We passed an hour at Bruchsal, which was formerly the abode of the Prince Bishop of Spires. There is a handsome castle of residence, which does not appear, however, to be in very good repair. The church of St. Peter has some handsome monuments of the last Bishops of Spires. But. the thing that struck us as most remarkable in the little town of Bruchsal, was the number and abundance of its beautifully clear fountains. Though I am not in general an admirer of poplars, it was impossible not to confess the dignity and beauty of the ave- nue composed of them, which foi^ms the approach to Carls- ruhe. It is a league in length ; and the height, size, and regular growth of the trees render it magnificent and strik- ing in no common degree. Carlsruhe, from being the chief residence of the Grand Duke, is considered as the capital of Baden. It is a small, well-built, gay-looking town, and has all the attraction which the actual residence of a German prince is sure to give to the spot where he holds his court. Though many of the grand ducal residences may nearly equal that of Carlsruhe in size, and the one at Manheim greatly exceeds it ; yet this alone has that air of finished splendour and uniform elegance which indicates the presence of the prince. The town is on a plain, sheltered to the WESTERN GERMANY. 173 Tiorthwest by the forest of Hartwold ; and the castle is so placed as to form the centre of a circle, of which its beauti- ful groves and gardens occupy one half, and the town the other. - The Place Roy ale is a very splendid area. Innumerable orange-trees border the noble walks, that traverse it from the town to the palace in various directions; reservoirs and fountains adorn it; and the palace spreading its elegant semi- circle on one side, with the church, and other handsome buildings flanking it on the other, produce a most brilliant coup d''oeil. On applying at the great gates of the palace for leave- to see the apartments, the sentry entered one of the lodges, and returned with an officer, who appeared to be on guard there, and who very civilly gave us the permission we asked. • A large party of English had entered just before us, and we all passed tagether through the state rooms. These are ex- tremely elegant ; and ample enough, without rivalling the endless succession of apartments at Manheim, to receive a very numerous society. After seeing all the rooms that are opened to strangers, we mounted to the top of the central tower, which, I pre- sume, must have been erected solely for the sake of the sin- gular view it commands. The objects which form the hori- zon here, as throughout the whole of this extensive plain, are the Qdenwald and the Bergstrasse to the east, the Vosges to the west, and the heights of the Black Forest in the southern distance. But the peculiar features of the land- scape are those immediately below the eye. The small but handsome town, with its many noble buildings, occupying the space to the very verge of the woods, which stretch to- 'Wards the eastern hills, is seen on one side ; and the superb gardens of the palace, with their exquisite flowers, their shrubberies, and- their lawns, losing themselves in the dark forest, that seems to form a line along the base of the Vosges, on the other. What renders this bird's-eye view so singularly pleasing is, that the whole landscape, noble as its features are, has the air of being arranged expressly to fur- nish forth the lovely panorama that surrounds this lordly tower. The Rhine seems to twist and wind on purpose to show its beauty to the lord of the land through whicii it 174 BELGIUM AND flows; and, like a shining snake in the hand of an enchanter, converts its vastness and its strength into grace and plea- santness. The forest spreads its inviting shade beyond the bright and sunny streets — and the distant hills bend round the picture as if to frame it in. Every object within sight contributes, in a greater or less degree, to the beauty of the whole; and nothing obtrudes itself, in any direction, that one could wish away. Roads from every point of the compass concentrate, as at Versailles, making the palace the centre of a star. Some of these are seen stretching to a great distance over the plain, or cutting a narrow line through the trees. Having walked again and again round the gallery that hangs over this splendid view, we wandered into the gar- dens, and passed the remainder of along morning in examin- ing the multitude of exquisite flowers and shrubs with which it abounds. All these are carefully and scientifically labelled; and the high perfection to which they grow, their profuse abundance, their beautiful arrangement, and the exquisite odour which they exhale, render the privilege of wandering among them one of no trifling value. Immediately under the windows of the palace, the assemblage of blossoms was the most brilliant I ever remember to have seen. J have before mentioned the passion for flowers, which appeared to me so remarkable throughout the country^ and from their profuse abundance here, it should seem that the royal mis- tress of this prettiest of palaces, though not " native there or to the manner born,'^ loves them as. well as if she were. The pre-eminence of the Carlsruhe flower-gardens beyond those of her other palaces, seemed to mark her. presence among them, as a silken banner, when floating from a kingly tower, shows that the monarch is within its walls; — and cer- tainly no lovlier ensign ever gave its gay colours to the breeze. The tints are of heaven's own dyes.* * A recent traveller. Sir Arthur Brooke Faulkner, in speaking of this residence of the Grand Duke of Baden, says, " The palace is not more imposing in appearance than a second-rate gentleman's villa in England." As this statement differs considerably from that of the text, which never- theless was written on the spot, with the intention of describing it-faith- fully, the author must leave it to those, who may chance to read both, and also to have visited Garlsruhe, to decide between them. WESTERN GERMANY. 1S3 as close to its blaze as if Christmas had taken place of the dog-days. The old woman gave us a smiling welcome, and I never remember to have enjoyed the sight and feel of " crackling fagots" more completely. On looking round I observed sundry leaders of donkeys, my own among the number, re- posing in odd corners of this singular cabaret : their beasts stood at no great distance, and formed no bad addition to the picture. An old chair was drawn out from its hiding-place behind a ledge of rock to do me honour, and seated in this, 1 watched with exceeding satisfaction the process of boil- ing some water in a little brass skillet, that looked as if it came out of one of Ostade's pictures, as well as the kind old frau who watched it. At length she presented to me the result of her exertions in my behalf in a steaming cup, which contained neither Rhine wine, nor any other species of nec- tar, but something which she called ponch, and which at that moment I thought infinitely better. The two hours that remained of our morning were to be devoted to the Residence, and the chambers of the secret tribunal beneath it ; yet we did not leave this grotesque but picturesque retreat, till Mr. H. had made a sketch of the old woman and her grand-daughter, her rocky shed, and her altar-like hearthstone. This done, I remounted my donkey ; and in less than half the time it had taken us to crawl up, we reached the gates of the chateau. The only adventure that befell us on the way, was encountering two young military-looking Germans, both mounted on donkeys, and both smoking from pipes of such prodigious length, that they all but touched the ground under the feet of their lowly monture. They rode closely and lovingly side by side, one 'tube taking an angle to the east, and the other to the west. We met them at a point where the road was narrow; the rock, which had been cut through to make it, rising on one side, while something very like a precipice fell on the other; and my part of the adventure consisted in so choosing my path, and adjusting myself in the saddle, as not to run a-tilt against either meerschaum. My donkey-boy, perceiv- ing the difficulty, seized my rein, and unceremoniously set the head of the animal in a line that appeared to lead s^vy decidedly over the edge of the precipice. Some sign or 184 BELGIUM AND .: ^ sound of disapprobation probably escaped me; for one of the gentlemen immediately dismounted, and disposed of himself, his pipe, and his donkey, in such a manner as to leave me room to proceed. And here, as I pass him, I must observe that the phlegmatic slowness, for which the Germans are so celebrated, can, I think,- scarcely be attributed to them at the present day. Their long incorporation with their lively neighbours of France may perhaps account for this ; but certainly, as far as my observation went, I saw nothing ap- proaching to slowness or heaviness among the younger part of the population: they may perhaps carry a little more bal- last than their neighbours, but it rather steadies than impedes their movement. On reaching the gates of the chateau, our curiosity was drawn to the examination of the armorial bearings engraved on a stone above the gate. There was no part of this noble shield with which we were not familiar, from having con- stantly seen some of the bearings with which it is charged at every point of our progress through the country, either on princely tombs, or sculptured gateways; and we now clearly traced their connexion with some remnants of heral- dic carving stiil visible at the castle above. A lively black-eyed Alsatian girl acted as our guide through the castle. She was by far the most intelligent person of her profession that I ever met; and we had much amusing conversation with her. In the old picture gallery particularly, she dilated with considerable savoir on the differ- ent alliances of the Baden family. The whole of the castle is extremely curious; but what remains of the habitable partis far from superb, though there is an air of old-fashioned dig- nity in the apartments which are fitted up, and oi'ten used as a summer residence by thS Dowager Grand Duchess Ste- phanie. The view from them is magnificent: but I doubt if all the beauty without could make me forget the fearful memorials within the walls. Her Highness was at Rome at the time of our visit— we therefore saw the whole suite ; and I almost m.arvelled at the strong nerves of the princess, as I contemplated her gloomy and remote bed-room. Having again reached the interior gate of the castle, our pretty guide stopped— "Et maintenant vous allez voir les cachots?'^ said she, as if doubting my intention: " Assure- WESTERN GERMANY. 185 ment, Mademoiselle," was our reply. ^^Attendez done," said she; and left us for a few moments on the steps before the great door. Returning with a lantern and huge key, she pronounced the words "Suivez moi!' in a tone of much comic solemnity. We did so, to an outer door in a tower which flanks the building; on her opening which, a hand- some spiral stone staircase, both ascending and descending, became visible. She went down, and we followed ; but I felt something very like disappointment at this unmysterious approach to chambers that I almost dreaded to behold. These stairs led to a large vaulted room, sufficiently lighted by grated windows placed high in the wall. "This," said our guide, "and the two chambers beyond, were formerly the retreat of the women in time of war." The two other rooms were in the same style; being all vaulted, and looking very like a prison, from the strong iron bars which defended the windows. From these we passed into a chamber con- taining the relics of a noble Roman swimming-bath: around it may be traced, without the slightest difficulty or danger of blundering, the whole arrangement for the accommoda- tion of these luxurious bathers. The aperture, by which the hot stream entered, is not far from the present principal hot spring of Baden, Large stone reservoirs are placed in an outer room, from whence cold water was conveyed to tem- per the heat of the spring, which was doubtless then, as now, of much too high a temperature for bathing. That the whole of this part of the structure is of Roman workmanship no one doubts; but of the dungeons to which they lead, different opinions are entertained. The one most generally received, I believe, is that the dungeons are not of Roman, but of German construction, and of a date greatly anterior to that of the dwelling erected over them; having been probably constructed as an appendage to the castle above, with which they are connected by a subterranean passage. It is said that the first castle built on this spot (afterwards almost entirely destroyed by fire) was raised in the thirteenth century; and that it was inhabited, in times of peace, by the Margrave; who still preserved his more powerful stronghold at the Alt Schloss on the mountain: but it is perfectly evident, from the construction of the pre- 24 186 " BELGIUM AND sent building, that a part of it, at least, is of a date coeval with the use of these terrific caverns. Having reached another small vaulted room, beyond that in which the reservoirs are situated, our guide stopped; and told us we were here to take leave of the daylight, which a continuance of grated windows had let in upon us, through all the chambers we had hitherto passed. She then sought .and found several candles, which she placed in our hands; saying, that the passages we were al^out to enter were such us to render it highly dangerous to run any risk of being without a light. She then unlocked a small door, and de- scending two steps, we entered a narrow passage, which ter- minated in a square vaulted room. The aspect of the pas- sage, and still more the dismal horror of this vault, removed all fear that I should not find the dungeon terrible enough. It is quite impossible that stone walls can convey a feeling of more hopeless desolation. From this square room branched more than one opening; but the utter darkness, and the irregularity of arrangement in the horrid cells they led to, prevented our being able to conceive any very cor- rect idea of their relative position. On reaching the termination of one of these passages, we were stopped by a door of stone a foot thick, hewn in one piece out of the granite rock. This door stood ajar, and our guide opened it, by thrusting a thick stick, that lay near, into the aperture. She then asked Henry to assist her, and between them they contrived, by using the stick as a lever, to move the heavy mass sufficiently to enable us to pass it. "This is the first prison," said she; and paused long enough to let us see its dismal horrors. Utterly dark, and totally without ventilation, it struck damp and cold both to body and soul. " This is the second," she continued, as she passed through another massive door of rock, constructed in the same man- ner as the former ; and again a dismal vault opened before us. In this manner she led us into ten distinct dungeons ; some of these are hewn out of the solid rock, as well as the passages which lead to them, and others are constructed of immense blocks of stone. After passing through several passages, which I should be loath to travel without a guide, we reached a chamber of WESTERN GERMANY. 187 larger dimensions, the aspect and atmosphere of which might have chilled a lion's heart; our guide paused as she passed the threshold, and said, " Void la charnbre de la question.'''' Many massive iron rings, fastened into the walls of this room, give indications, suiFiciently intelligible, of the mode in which the questionings were wont to be carried on there: and so strongly did visions of the past rise up before me, that, with the strange clinging to horror which makes so puzzling a part of our nature, I remained gazing on these traces of ven- geance and of wo, till our lively Alsatian declared she would wait no longer. One of the openings, that led from this frightful room, terminated at a wall,^ along which another passage ran at right angles. Exactly at the corner were the turn was made, the footing of solid earth or rock, that we had hitherto trod, was changed for a flooring of planks, which, if not quite loose, were yet so placed as to leave considerable interstices between them. She suffered us to pass over these, and when we had entered the door-way, that stood at right angles, she stopped, saying, " VoiJa ! this is the oubliette ;" and pointed, as she spoke, to the planks we had passed. " And what is the oubliette?'^ w^as the natural question ; though the untranslatable word had already conveyed the idea of eternal oblivion. I suspect that the dark-eyed damsel had studied her business with considerable tact; and that the tone, in which she answered this question, was not so much the effect of emotion, as meant to be the cause of it. "It is the fatal baiser de la vierge,^^ she replied ; " when a prisoner was sentenced to be forgotten, he was made to pass from the judgment-hall through this door: these planks ,then sunk beneath him, and he was heard of no more.'^ The thrilling feeling made up of horror and curiosity, which these words excited, induced us all to apply our can- dles to a dark space of half a foot wide, which yawned be- tween the wall and the boards covering the abyss. Henry threw himself across them ; and thrust his candle down to the extent of his arm — but all in vain; if darkness can in- deed be called visible, he saw it, but nothing else. The girl smiled as she watched his vain efforts! ^^ You. are not the first I have seen," said she, " who seemed as if 188 BELGIUM AND they would gladly have torn those boards from under them, rather than not see the gulf below — but a little dog, they say, managed the matter better than any of you." We eagerly inquired her meaning; and she told us a story, that I have since seen in print, of an accident that happened about thirty years ago. • A gentleman, who came to see the dungeons, was followed by a favourite dog: the animal was small, and while sniffing about the aperture, contrived to squeeze himself through it, and fell with a fearful yell to the bottom. The gentleman, who was greatly attached to the little creature, had influence enough to obtain permission to seek for him. Workmen, carrying lights, were let down by ropes; and not only was the little dog restored alive to his master, but fragments of garments and of bones, and de- tached morsels of a wheel stuck full of knives, were found on the spot where he had fallen. After listening to this dark history of the pit, on whose verge we stood; we followed the narrator to an iron door, of curious workmanship, which creaked most hideously upon its rusty hinges as she opened it. ^'This," said she, " was the hall of judgment ; here the members of the secret tribunal assembled to examine the prisoners before their doom; and there is the entrance by which they came to it from the castle on the hill." As she spoke, she held up her light, to show us an opening, high up in the wall, but which was closed by stones at the distance of a few feet. " Here are traces," she continued, pointing to stones that projected at intervals from the walls, " of the seats that were placed round for the judges." " Has that passage ever been traced from the one end of it to the other ?" said I. "Oh yes, very often; but not of late years. Part of the roof fell, and it was thought dangerous; so it has been closed at the two extremities, to prevent mischief." We would have given much, and willingly have run some trifling risk of broken heads, could we have obtained per- mission to enter this curious passage; but it might not be, and we turned to retrace our steps. Suddenly, our young guide stopped in one of the passages, which appeared connect- ed with many of the chambers, and told us to look upwards. We did so; and, at a great height above, perceived the light WESTERN GERMANY. 191 irect in both particulars ; and to a looker-on, the melange affords considerable amusement. I have heard it remarked that people of low station, and perfectly uneducated, often show a marvellous tact in dis- tinguishing true from false pretensions in those with whom they have dealings : and I remember a money-changer at Dieppe telling us, that for thirty years he had been in the habit of lending money to travellers who had outrun their purse ; but that he had never, in any single instance, found his discrimination fail him as to who might be trusted. "I can read them," said he, *'as plainly as if I had their ban- ker's book in my hand." I never doubted the truth of the statement, but it was at Baden only that I fully understood how legible were the characters of the alphabet by which he read them. As I neither danced nor played, I had ample leisure du- ring the week that we remained at the baths to study this alphabet. It is strange that neither mother-wit, nor constant effort, though spurred to the task by the sharpest interest, and lashed by desperate need, can teach one man to ape what comes so easily to another. The outward materials, too, in each appear the same. Here are eyes, nose, and mouth, broadcloth and satin, moustache, and ribbon at the button- hole ; and yet, to the eye that will give itself time to look, the gaudy flower, bright and stiff under its case of glass in a milliner's window, is not less like the flexile gracefulness of a fresh plucked rose, than the very best mimicry of the coun- terfeit to the bearing of a gentleman. Whatever they do, the fatal test follows them ; and even the best gifts of nature, when lavished on the exterior, cannot save them from it. The brightest eye will twinkle out some symptom of the 'coarse vulgarity that lurks within ; and even if the nose be proudly arched, or the teeth splendid in their whiteness, they still seem to ^' wear them with a difference." On no occasion did I watch higher play than on the eve- ning of the dress ball. All the best company in Baden were assembled, and the birds of prey, whose profession it was to watch them, doubtless came armed for the encounter; and prepared to " fool them to the top of their bent." The following day was Sunday. We passed through the public walks on our way to church ; and having time to 192 BELGIUM AND spare, looked into the rooms, which even at that early hour had a crowd of people hanging round the gaming tables. On our return we entered them again, and then this fright- ful scene of madness was at its height. I doubt if anything, less than the evidence of the senses, can enable any one fully to credit and comprehend the spec- tacle that a gaming table offers. I saw women distinguished by rank, elegant in person, modest, and even reserved in manner, sitting at the rouge et noir table with their rateaux and marking cards in their hands; the former to push forth their bets, and draw in their winnings; the latter to prick down the events of the game. I saw such at different hours through the whole of Sunday. To name these is im- possible; but I grieve to say that two English women were among them. , ' There was one of this set, whom I watched day after day during the whole period of our stay; with more interest than, I believe, was reasonable: for had I studied any other as at- tentively, I might have found less to lament. She was young — certainly not more than twenty-five — and though not re- gularly nor brilliantly handsome, most singularly winning, both in person and demeanour. Her dress was elegant, but peculiarly plain and simple, A close white silk bonnet and gauze veil; a quiet coloured silk gown, with less of flourish and frill by the half than any other person; a delicate little hand, which when ungloved displa5^ed some handsome rings; a jewelled watch of peculiar splendour, and a countenance expressive of anxious thoughtfulness, must be remembered by many who were at Baden in xlugust, 1833. They must remember too, that enter the rooms when they would, morn- ing, noon, or night, still they found her, nearly at the same place, at the rouge et noir table. Her husband, who had as unquestionably the air of a gentleman as she had of a lady, though not always close to her, was never very distant. He did not play himself; and I fancied, as he hovered near her, that his countenance expressed anxiety. But he returned the sweet smile, with which she always met his eye, with an an- swering smile; and I saw not the slightest indication that he wished to withdraw her from the table. There was an ex- pression in the upper part of her face, that my blundering science would have construed into something very foreign WESTERN GERMANY. 193 to the propensity she showed: but there she sat, hour after hour, and day after day; not even allowing the blessed Sab- bath, that gives rest to all, to bring it to her — there she sat constantly throwing down handfuls of five-franc pieces; and sometimes drawing them back again, till her young face grew rigid from weariness, and all the lustre of her eye faded into a glare of vexed inanity. Alas! alas! is that fair woman a mother? God forbid! Another figure at the gaming table, which daily drew our attention, was a pale, anxious old woman; who seemed no longer to have strength to conceal her eager agitation under the air of callous indifference, which all practised players en- deavour to assume. She trembled, till her shaking hand could hardly grasp the instrument with which she pushed or withdrew her pieces; the dew of agony stood upon her wrinkled brow: yet hour after hour, and day after day, she too sat in the enchanted chair. I never saw age and station in a position so utterly beyond the pale of respect. I was as- sured that she was a person of rank; and my informant added, but I trust she was mistaken, that she was an English wo- man. In the evening of Sunday there was a ball, pas pare, at the Conversations Saal. It was one of the three weekly soii^ees dansantes, to which all subscribers to this room are admitted. We again saw some beautiful waltzing; but the room is less calculated to show it off to advantage than the great saloon. The only difference the Sunday appears to make at Baden IS, that multitudes of the neighbouring peasantry mix them- selves with the gay throng on the walks; and diversify the scene very agreeably, by their pretty costumes, and light- hearted gaiety. The evening was a sultry one, and we passed but little of it in the rooms ; but placed ourselves under the stately portico, to watch the motley groups that paraded be- fore it. Not a single being of them all but seemed to be sharing the universal enjoyment. Some were eating ices, some were flirting, some walking in gay rows, that obliged those less sturdy in their pleasure to give way before them ; and some were seated in little knots at the tables near us, sipping coffee, and discoursing of all things in heaven and on earth. As the evening advanced, many of these were drawn, hke 25 194 BELGIUM AND fragments of straw into a whirlpool, through the door of the gambling room. These we saw no more that night enjoy- ing the cool breeze; but when we took a parting glance at the table, we remarked the same faces, that an hour before looked happily at ease, now shrunk into all the pitiful and painful expression that avarice and anxiety could give. The next day was devoted to seeing the celebrated valley of the Mourg; and also Eberstein, a hunting-seat belonging to the Grand Duke, which overhangs the river at one of its loveliest points. In order to see as much as possible of this beautiful part of the country, it is usual to make the excur- sion by driving over the mountains to Gernsbach ; proceeding thence along the Mourg to Eberstein, and returning through its valley to Baden. It is in truth a summer day's journey of much fatigue for the horses, but of almost unparalleled gratification to the tra- veller; and I will venture to say that no one, who has made it, will ever forget its magnificent features. The chain of hills, over which the road passes, forms the outposts of the Black Forest; and partakes of all its dark and solemn wild- ness. Having once mastered the Herrnwiesse, the road fol- lows an elevated ridge, that connects many heights together; and leads in and out through an inconceivable variety of forest scenery, for several miles, before it again descends. There are points of this bold road, so locked in by blocks of granite, and interminable depths of pines, that I almost wondered how I got there; but at others, it breaks out again upon the hill side, and permits you to look down upon valleys and rivulets, cottages and vineyards, so far below that they seem like the miniature features of fairy land. In one of the wildest passes of this mountain road, having left the carriage that we might the better enjoy the beauty of it, we were startled by hearing a chorus of voices at a dis- tance among the trees. We soon found it was approaching us; and stood still to wait for the choristers: they presently appeared from behind a turn in the road which we were ap- proaching, to the number of twenty or more; and we learned from our driver, that they were pilgrims returning from the shrine of Sindenkirch. In one of the sweetest valleys seen from these hills, and which, though deep below their summit, is far above the WESTERN GERMANY. 197 bly fall into the issimo style again. It is most noble, most lovely, most magnificent. About thirty years ago, a mass of ruins only stood on this predominating point ; and the JVeio Eberstein was erected by the Margrave Frederick ; to whom every casual visitor must feel indebted for a spectacle, proba- bly not to be matched in the world. The castle is small, but fitted up with great taste. The windows have balconies hang- ing over a scene that one remembers rather as a dream, than a reality; and the narrow pinnacle, on which the building stands, is occupied, to its extremest edge, by a terrace walk, bordered with flowers, as rich in size, colour, and fragrance, as if they grew on some soft sunny slope, instead of spring- ing from the summit of a granite rock, which from below appears to be almost lost in the clouds. It is neither the extent nor the richness of the view from Eberstein, that produces the enchantment; though Mont Tonnerre -only is its limit; and the sweet villages of Weis- senbach, Hilpertsau, Obergroth, and others, whose names I remember not, throw life and culture up and down the bold granite cliffs that border the river : not all these united have the power to charm, which this wild little river itself pos- sesses. It is this, curling, dashing, springing, foaming, as it winds round the foot of the mountain, that fascinates the eye, and makes a moving picture, that one could look down upon for ever. Nor is this all : rough and rocky as it is, this noisy stream can seldom be looked at for many minutes together, during the summer, without shovv^ing that most picturesque of all objects; a raft formed of the timber of the Black Forest, and navigated by the wildest-looking figures in the world, battling with its rapids, and dashing down, with reckless daring, among its rocks. ' Three of these made the tremendous passage, immediately under the castle, while we stood upon its terrace ; and I never saw skill and courage more conspicuous than in the man who led them. Though nowhere seen under circumstances so wildly pic- turesque as at Eberstein, these rafts form a feature of great interest and beauty on all the streams that descend from the Black Forest ; and the more so, from the varying appear- ance they assume at different stations of their passage to the Rhine. We saw them both on the Mourg and the Neckar, 198 EELGIUM AND formed of the enormous logs, entire, as when felled in the wild spot where they grew. At a .short distance below Gerns- bach, the Mourg, though still falling at a very rapid angle, and through a tortuous and rocky bed, is less vehement in its movement than above; and here are seen numerous saw- ing-mills, which form most picturesque objects in the land- scape. The logs here are cut into planks, and, no longer in danger of splitting by continual concussion against the masses of granite, which seem, above Eberstein, to madden the stream by their resistance, they bend and yield to its im- pulse without danger; and linked together in long lines, win their way to the Rhine. Hundreds of them are then formed into one prodigious fabric ; bearing houses and workshops on their surface ; and often navigated by a crew exceeding five hundred men. Small as the new castle of Eberstein is, there are some apartments in it well worth seeing. The one containing ancient suits of armour, arranged on each side of it, is parti- cularly so ; and that at the top of the tower, ornamented by- all the successive shields of the house of Baden, from 901 to 1790, is particularly interesting to those who have recently travelled through the Baden territory ; in every part of which some of these bearings may be found. On leaving the castle, we again walked round the garden terrace ; and then with real pain quitted a spot, the like of which we can never hope to see again. When Vv'e once more entered the hotel beside the river, the preparations for inilors^ dinner were at their climax ; and just as we got into our carriage to return home, the whole party arrived. It was indeed as brilliant and happy looking a cavalcade as I remember to have seen; all English, 1 believe, and all among the gayest of the set ^vith whose faces we had become familiar at Baden. Our drive home through the valley was very pretty; but we were spoiled, just then, for all scenery but Eberstein, We dined at the little village of Kuppenheim, from whence we visited another residence of the Baden family, called La Favorite; and returned to Baden by eight o'clock, too tired to look into the SaaL WESTERN GEliMANY= J 99 CHAPTER XIV. Confinement in the Secret Tribunal — Spiral Staircase— Chamber from which the Prisoners were let down— Theatre— Gambling-— Strasbourg — Cathedral — Mummies — Maniac — Monument of Mareschal Saxe — Re- turn to Baden — Remarkable Characters— Departure. I HAVE already dwelt so long on the chambers of the Secret Tribunal, that I am almost afraid to recur to them again : and yet our second visit deserves to be mentioned, because we are probably the only persons who have been fairly locked up within their ghastly precincts since the days of the Francs Juges. Our motives for returning to the dismal scene were two- fold ; — one being to indulge Mr. H. in his wish for a sketch of the passage leading to the Oubliette : and the other to try if we could persuade our black-eyed Alsacienne to let us mount to the chamber from whence prisoners were let down into the dungeons. By the aid of perseverance we succeed- ed in both. The damsel seemed rather surprised at seeing us again ; and, when informed of our wish to be permitted to remain for some time in the vaults, looked as if she sus- pected that we had, one and all, lost our wits. 1 shall not forget the look she gave Mr. H. when he made her under- stand his object. " Faire un tableau la !" she exclaimed ; '* mais c'est drole." After thinking about it for a moment, she said ; that if we were determined upon this, we must consent to be lock- ed up in the dungeons ; for that she was particularly en- joined never to leave them open. I am not quite sure that this was not said to try my coijrage; for there was "a laugh- ing devil in her eye" that made it by no means improba- ble. However, I did not shrink from the undertaking; and we were accordingly once more led down to this region of blackest night. Having told us to be careful of our candles, and to keep together, she turned the grating lock ; and we were left to indulge to the ftdl in all the thick-coming fan- 200 BELGIUM AND cies that were sure to visit us. The only indication of not quite liking the business that I ventured to give was, by desiring, with some earnestness, that our confinement should not exceed half an hour. This our pretty gaolor promised : and having thus bid adieu to everything like agreeable sen- sations for that space ; I- gave myself up to the full con- sciousness of all the positive, real, and unimaginative hor- rors of the spot ; which I am sure can never be done com- pletely, Vk^hile merely following a guide through its recesses. The only mode that could be devised, by which Mr. H. might make the sketch he wished, was having a light held over the fearful oubliette. I volunteered this service ; and performed it too: and though I will not take credit for having braved any real danger thereby, I nevertheless feel conscious of having mastered a whole legion of airy spirits, as I stood on the hideous threshold ; in the act of passing which, so many aching hearts had heaved their last sigh ; — ■ for the next step precipitated them down the yawning, yet hidden gulf, where their wrongs and their sufferings were stifled and silenced for ever. When the half hour was fully elapsed, we had the satis- faction of hearing the sound of a key rattling in the lock that shut us in. The damsel smiled at seeing us all waiting on the threshold as she opened it. " Je vous ai laisse aussi long terns, il parait," said she; and then assured us, with some earnestness, that she had not exceeded the time named. Our watches perfectly confirm- ed this — nevertheless, I confess, it appeared to me the long- est half hour I ever passed. I believe she thought we must have had enough of the secret tribunal ; for when we reminded her of the promise extracted before our incarceration, that she would take us to the treacherous guest chamber ; she uttered the word vraiment ! in a tone of much surprise. She kept her promise, however ; and led us to the top of the building, where we saw the whole of the extraordinary contrivance re- sorted to for the purpose of securing a prisoner with a degree of secrecy, which must have set even the curiosity of do- mestics at defiance. The place we were taken to certainly did not resemble " an ordinary chamber," as the girl had called it; though I WESTERN GERMANY. 201 can easily suppose that it might have done so before the burning of the castle, and its subsequent repairs. The situ- ation and arrangement of the secret descent to the vaults are so remarkable, that I will endeavour to' describe them ; but in order to do this, it v/ill be necessary to begin from the en- trance to the chateau. The great door-way opens into a vaulted hall or vestibule ; traversed at the farther end by a wide passage, leading on the right-hand to the principal apartments of the rez de chaussee, and to the offices on the left. Immediately in front of the vestibule are three pairs of large-folding-doors. The one on the left opens upon a flight of steps leading to the gardens ; and that on the right upon an enormous spiral staircase : that in the centre our guide did not open to us. In visiting the picture gallery and the apartments of the dowager Grand Duchess, we had mounted by this spiral staircase ; and it was by the sam.e that we were now led to the top of the building. On both occasions the construc- tion of this staircase had struck us as being very singular. It was, as I have said, spiral ; but the column around which it turned was of enormous dimensions ; and the stairs them- selves, as if to be in proportion with it, were at least six feet in width. On this second occasion, we continued to mount the same flight, without any diminution of its width, for three stories; when we found ourselves in a sort of open garret : and close beside the spot where the spiral staircase ended, our guide pointed to a net work of iron, fastened by a padlock over a hole that sunk deeper below it than the eye could reach. We immediately perceived that the monstrous staircase, we had mounted, wound round this aperture ; and consequently, 'that the castle had been built with a view to this frightful entrance to its vaults. When we again reached the foot of the stairs, our attention was directed to the centre pair of folding-doors ; which, it now appeared evident, must open upon the interior and hidden descent. Henry put his hand upon the lock ; but the damsel stopped him. " li n'y a rien la, Monsieur, vous avez tout vu." W^e persisted, however ; and at length, half laughing half scolding at our pertinacity, she permitted us to enter. 26 202 BELGIUM AND These large and stately dooris opened upon a closet, which had much the air of a butler's pantry ; but upon examination, we found that it communicated both with the dungeon below and the secret entrance from above. From this arrange- ment it appears probable, that in some cases, when the un- happy victim, marked for oblivion, was brought into the castle, he was immediately led, by this handsome entrance, into what we may easily suppose might have had the ap- pearance of a small ante-room ; and there, without further delay, lowered to his slaughter-house and his tomb. Those who love to penetrate into the recesses of old ram- bling buildings, and to amuse their imaginations by assigning uses to most unaccountable collections of arches, vaults, and passages, should not fail to explore all that part of the castle which opens upon the gardens. Part of this side front is converted into a sort of rude green-house ; but by far the greater portion consists of the most puzzling and intricate labyrinth of stone and cement that I ever attempted to thread. We had fixed on this evening to visit the theatre; more for the purpose of seeing everything that contributes to the amusement of Baden, than from expecting to find as much amusement within its walls, as we were very certain of meeting without. The building is small, but perfectly large enough for its purpose, which can only be to a catch a few of the francs which fly about here so abundantly during the season. The piece was *' Fra Diavolo;" but this performance of it must not be cited among the musical treats of Germany. Nothing, certainly, could be worse than both music and act- ing; — a convincing proof that the rooms are too attractive to leave patronage enough to support a theatre. The most agreeable part of the business ; and which, if the opera had been worth hearing, would have enabled one to enjoy it in great luxury, was the easy way in which the spectators left their boxes, and took a cool promenade upon the walks, be- tween the acts. How different from the penance inflicted by being shut up for four hours together, without the possi- bility of stirring! The performance was over at half-past eight; and we then repaired to the rooms. They were crowded to excess; and we had patiently to advance, inch by inch, before we could WESTERN GERMANY. 203 reach the scene, which, despite all its hateful features, still continued to excite in us all a species of interest, more re- sembling that felt by the naturalist, when contemplating the quivering nerves of some tortured subject, than anything else I can think of. I used formerly to fancy that I understood in what con- sisted the pleasure of gaming. I thought it arose from an animating vicissitude of hope and fear, which kept the spirits in a delightful flutter of excitement. But this was before I had watched its torturing effects; and I am now utterly at a loss to conceive what the feeling is, which can tempt men to endure so great agony. It can hardly be avarice: for a child can tell, that to lose, and not to gain, is the certain result of playing at a public table, if the gambler does but go on long enough to see the chances round. Yet if it be not avarice, what can it be? Excepting to those who feel a strange and tragic pleasure in watching the workings of the human soul, a gaming table must, one should think, be as totally devoid of amusement as the monotonous progress of the tread-mill. What can equal in dulness the whining, languid repetition of the crou- piers cry, " Faites votre jeu. Messieurs. Le jeu est fait le jeu est fait . . . Trois . .. . Quatre . . . . Le rouge perd, le cou- leur gagne." And again the weary sound begins — '^'Faites votre jeu, Messieurs .... Le jeu est fait . . . . Le jeu est fait .... Neuf . . . . Dix ... . Le rouge gagne, et ie couleur perd." Yet this is all the gaming offers, besides suffering: for that the hours spent there are in truth hours of acute misery, I feel perfectly sure. I have watched the working muscles, and read the agony they expressed, even where the lips have been firmly set, and the eyes fixed, almost without winking to con- 'ceal it. Even in the moments when Fortune seems to fa- vour the gambler, it brings relief only for an instant; for scarcely have his feverish fingers grasped the gold, before they tremble, and relax again, to put once more in hazard all that his soul clings to. Almost every passion has been successfully depicted on the stage; yet I doubt if the pitiful, yet mighty tortures of a gambler, while the agony is on him, could be acted. Bever- ley's despair is easy to imagine, and probably not difficult to express: but this is totally unlike the state of a man while in the act of playing: and I am pretty sure, that hitherto nothing 204 BELGIUM AND has been written, nothing painted, that can convey to those, who have never witnessed it, the fearful miseries of a ga- ming table. There is something, to a looker-on, peculiarly painful in watching the degradation of such, among the infatuated throng, as were evidently intended for something better. Brave officers, whose blood never fell back upon their hearts when an enemy faced them in the field, turn lividly pale at the sound of "Rouge perd . . . . coleur gagne;" and I have watched men, whose eagle eye, and proud demeanour, looked as if they could not quail before anything on earth, shrink into littleness, as the gold, they had madly thrown upon the table, was carelessly raked up by the callous bankers. How can such men bear the quiet smile, which these reptiles ex- change with each other, when some indication of feeling es- capes — when some throb of agony becomes visible? Perhaps they do not see this; — but I have w^atched it, till I have ex- pected some ruined victim, mad with suffering, would crush them to death beneath his feet. But I will dwell upon this hateful spectacle no longer. It ought not to contend in the memory with all the delight- ful recollections that Baden must leave. The solemn black pine-covered hills, the misty valleys hid among them, the historic interest of their ancient castles, and all the bright fas- cination of light-hearted gaiety, that revels at their feet, will all, I hope, be remembered, when the frightful horrors of the gaming table are forgotten. * ;^ ;^ -^ ^ * •* * It w^as impossible to be within a few hours of Strasbourg, and not visit it. We had already caught sight of its un- equalled spire; which, seen even mistily in the distance, en- ticed us onward : and though half reluctant to leave Baden for a day which we might certainly have added to our stay there, we yet decided upon doing so ; and rising at an early hour, set off to cross the barrier between Germany and France. The crossing this barrier is in general not performed with- out considerable inconvenience: but we had been warned of the ultra strict examination which takes place at the Douane at the entrance of the city ; and took care to have no baggage to annoy us. We were, however, witnesses to one or two WESTERN GERMANY. 205 searches, which enabled us to judge what we should have had to submit to, had it been otherwise: and I certainly never saw caution to so comic an excess. We saw two ragged pe- destrians overhauled; who laughed most' heartily during the operation, conscious, poor fellows, that they carried nothing beside their own lawful limbs. But had they been suspected of introducing the most precious contrabands, or the most fearful treasons, the scrupulous douanier could not have done his duty better. Strasbourg has little that is beautiful to show, except its church ; and that, at least the spire of it, is matchless. The original conception of the whole building w^as very noble; but it happened here, as it frequently appears to have done elsewhere, either that the funds for the undertaking failed, or that those, who had devoted themselves to the work, were buried within its own walls before it was finished. The consequence of this is, that when close to the building, this light and elegant spire, which seems meant to pierce the heavens, is from the condition of what was intended to be its fellow, rather a deformity than a grace. The west front is very grand in design and proportions ; and almost too profusely elaborate in ornament. It is said that the multitude of little statues which surround the great western door-way are by the hand of a female, the daughter of the architect of the tower. The general appearance of all the external sculptures, which are lavished on every part of the building, and look as if thrown against it by handfuls, is rich to excess; but cannot to my fancy be compared in grace or dignity to the effect produced by those parts of the Co- logne Munster which are finished. The spectator must be at some short distance from the church, on the fortifications for instance, before the beautiful tower can be seen to advan- tage. Its lightness is such as then to give it the appearance of a model, constructed with fine wires, than of an enormous structure of stone. The elegant curves of its spiral stair- cases are seen from top to bottom; and the light is permitted to pass through it on all sides, with a regularity, in the form of the apertures, which gives the idea of a transparent em- broiderv of flowers. The interior was majestic from its vastness, but strangely incongruous in style ; some parts, particularly the windows, 206 BELGIUM AND being finished in the highest degree; and others, as the dome, being left rough as the masonr}'' of a rustic bridge. While wandering about the enormous aisles, and examining the side chapels that open from them, I found, as is usual with me whenever I tread ground described by the Scotch enchanter, the exact spot where Margaret of Anjou kneeled, and where the noble Oxford received her last commands. I entered the church with the intention of climbing to the top of its spire; but gave it up on listening to the sacristan's account of the ascent. My son, however, who is not easily discouraged by threatened fatigue, persevered in his deter- mination, and achieved the enterprise ; but confessed, when it was over, that it was neither easy nor agreeable. Above half the tremendous height (500 feet) is scaled by steps on the outside of the spire; and though these are protected by a rail, it is so slight, and its supports are so distant from each other, that it takes but little from its horrors. It is on record, that three females have been at different times so overpowered by the giddy eminence, which they had reached, when climbing it, that they have thrown them- selves off in a momentary fit of delirium and been dashed to atoms. The latest of these awful accidents occurred with- in the last ten years; and the man, who recounted the tale to Henry, while he was standing on the self-same pinnacle, told him that he had himself witnessed it. He said that the unfortunate creature was quite a young girl; and the first symptom she gave of her senses wavering, was excessive mirth. She laughed and shouted, as if in ecstacy ; and having reached a point where nothing intercepted her view of the abyss below, she sprang off, screaming wildly as she fell. " The sound of that cry, as she passed dov/n, was terrible," remarked the guide. Terrible, indeed I too much so to bear thinking of. The protestant church of St. Thomas is another object pointed out to the attention of travellers. Its celebrity arises from its containing the splendid monument erected to Mareschal Saxe ; and also the imperishable remains, as they are called, of a Count of Nassau and his daughter. The last of these is an uninteresting, and most irreverent exhibition of the bones of the dead, kept in glass cases, and clothed in WESTERN GERMANY. 207 trumpery garments, vvhicb, it is evident, are occasionally- renewed. The Count's face has been refreshed also, being thickly covered with a recent coating of paint. The head of his daughter is merely that of a sl^eleton; on the bare skull of which is placed a wreath of flowers. There is some- thing revoltingly indecent in thus taking from the tomb the remains of noble individuals, to whom honour was intended by the ceremony of embalmment ; dressing tliem in fanciful attire, and placing them in the vestry of the church, whose sacred roof was meant to cover them, and then exhibiting them for a penny a-piece to all comers. Far different is the extraordinary spectacle at Kreuzberg; where such of the living, as have nerves enough to stand the awful sight, may well be permitted to descend into the grave, to behold the unaccountable preservation in which some un- known natural cause has kept the remains of the monks who lie buried there. No abortive attempt has been made to save them from returning to dust, by the application of rich balms and precious spices ; and the brothers of the commu- nity rest there undisturbed beneath their altar, as they were laid by the hands of their friends, each in the weeds of their order. Why they have not followed the common law of mortal mould is a question sufficiently puzzling to justify a strong degree of curiosity; but certainly no feeling at all similar to this is gratified by beholding the disinterred fragments of the Nassau mummies. The monument of Mareschal Saxe is very magnificent; being composed of many colossal figures of white marble, which are well shown against a pyramidical back-ground of grey. But when we saw it a living figure stood at its base, which more than divided our attention. It was that of a maniac ; but of one who, in losing reason, had still retained so much of grace and dignity, as to show that it is not by his highest attribute alone that man is superior to every other mortal thing. This unfortunate gentleman was an officer of rank in the French service, and had received a wound in the head. Being a person of large fortune, and perfectly harmless, he is kept under no restraint; except that a servant always attends him, who it is his pleasure should be dressed as a soldier. I never saw a more graceful or commanding figure than that 208 BELOIUM AND of this poor madman; and the wildness of his countenance and gesticulation often suggested the idea of enthusiasm, rather than insanity. He was dressed in mourning ; and the only peculiarity of his attire was the wearing a black silk handkerchief round his body like a military sash. He was conversing in a very animated manner with a gentleman whom he had casually met in the church, and who appeared to listen to him with the deepest interest : but from time to time he stopped short in his discourse, and uttered a few magnificently powerful and musical notes, as if to try the effect of the reverberation from the vaulted roof; and then he put up his finger in the attitude of one who would enjoin silence, while his uplifted countenance had the expression that one could imagine in a person listening to sounds from heaven. He paused before a monument, whose inscription announced that it was in memory of one who died young. He shuddered — ^'Si jeune," said he, in an accent of deep melancholy;— '' est il possible!" — then turning away and shaking his head, he added — '^ Mais enfiyiP^ .... It was not difficult to follow the course of his sad thoughts. I have seen many maniacs ; but never one with features so like what poetry would choose to reJDresent insanity. There were moments when the struggle between memory and madness was so evident in his fine countenance as to make one's heart ache. How Garrick would have gloried in meeting such a study! The environs of Strasbourg are perfectly flat ; and, were it not for the ever-beautiful line of the Vosges, which is at no great distance, would be totally without beauty. There is, however, one source of interest in the neighbourhood, that would atone to many for want of all else; I mean its antiquities. The traces, always so legible, and often so no- ble, of Roman art and Roman power, through the Rhenish territories, cannot be counted as the least among the mani- fold attractions that draw all Europe to visit it. But here the avenue, through which we look backward upon the past, formed as it is of the relics of every age that has preceded us, reaches beyond the period at which Rome's legions con- quered and enjoyed the strongholds and luxurious baths of Germany. In the neighbourhood of Strasbourg, particularly in the direction of the Vosges, numerous vestiges have been , IT' WESTERN GERMANY. 211 guests were furnished : these probably had deeper recesses for their play than the table of rouge et noir. There was one pretty woman, who constantly dined at Chabert^s while we were at Baden, and occasioned me much speculation. She was perhaps rather more than thirty ; her eyes were beautiful, but their expression not such as capti- .vates woman's admiration ; her complexion was clear, and with the help of a little rouge, almost brilliant; and her form exactly such as Rubens loved to paint. She appeared to be rich and independent. No gentleman ever attended her in- to the room ; but when she left it, she was generally accom- panied by two or three. Notwithstanding the particularly easy gaiety with which she welcomed every man who ap- proached her, I must presume her respectable, from the so- ciety in which I occasionally saw her ; but she was certain- ly a very puzzling personage. This talking, laughing, flirt- ing lady was constantly accompanied by a little girl of about seventeen, who made one's heart ache. She was the most quiet, modest, unobtrusive being I ever looked at. The simple elegance of her dress formed as remarkable a con- trast to that of her companion, as her person and manner. No one spoke to her; no one noticed her; in the ball-room she sat silently beside her laughing friend; she never danced ; she never smiled. At the gaming-table, where her flighty chaperone often played, she stood close behind her, with the same gentle look of immovable gravity. Who could have had the barbarity to consign her to such cruel care ? If pity really melts the soul to love, she must, I think, have conquered many hearts ; for to watch her, and not pity her, was impossible. Another individual, whose peculiarities made him remark- able whenever he appeared, was a man between thirty and forty ; whose face, with the exception of about one inch square below his eyes, was literally covered with hair. He was most hideous : yet there was a bustle and a. fuss about him, wdiich constantly compelled one, as it were, to watch what he was about, though it was really disagreeable to look at him. At the gaming-table, at the walks, in dining, in dancing, it was the same ; let what might of lovely and gracious be near, this most inexpressibly ugly person was still the thing most looked at. If he played, it was with 212 BELGIUM AND gesticulations so vehement, as to win a stare even from those whose hearts and souls were shining on the table before them. Yet these • grimaces were clearly for the good of the public ; and by no means to relieve his own emotions : for he did not stake high ; and was clearly thinking more of himself than his money. On the walks, his overdressed person assumed the movement of a weathercock in a squall. With his glass eternally applied to his eye, he twisted now this way, now that, with such evident consciousness that all eyes were upon him, that every soul in the walks seemed to have entered into agreement to feed his vanity for the amusement of watching it. At table he was, if possible, more ludicrous still : for in eating, he appeared to gratify no appetite but vanity. Every finger was in an attitude, and his eye incessantly roving round the rooni, to ascertain that they were looked at. In dancing, he waved his beard, his favoris, and his moustaches, as if to fan his partner : and what made this profusion of hair the more comic, was the fact, spite of careful combing, he vvas very nearly bald. He called himself Count Something ; but whence or how this title came, I never could thoroughly understand. Many, I think, must remember this Orson-Osrick. But it is time to leave Baden, and all its multiplied and contrasted fascinations ; the delightful hilarity of its public walks and public rooms ; and the awful solitude of its moun- tain-paths : of which there are some, where, at the distance of five hundred yards from the subscription rooms, ladies may find themselves wandering among primeval forests ; and gentlemen may think, as they stride upward beside the mountain-stream, that they have abandoned the gaming-ta- ble for ever. It is time to leave them all : but I, in common, I imagine, with every human being who ever visited the spot, and left it without being utterly ruined, must and will indulge the hope that is not for ever. WESTERN GERMANY. ^13 CFIAPTER XV. Return to Mannheim^German honesty— Bathing at Mannheh-n, and Baden —Disappearance of the Jesuits— Voyage to Mayence— Douane at Worms— Wiesbaden— Walks— Antiquities — Drinking the waters — Opera — Rooms— Gaming. On the 9th of August, we left Baden-Baden for Mann- heim, having hired a carriage to take us there in one day ; a distance that I should have thought too long for one pair of horses, being seventy miles, had not the driver assured us that he had repeatedly done it without distressing them. When my son made the engagement with this man, the day before we left Baden, he was surprised by his drawing a piece of five francs from his pocket, and insisting on his taking it as a proof that it was a real bargain between them. Henry repeatedly refused ; but the driver as repeatedly de- clared to him that it was for his own satisfaction, as then, " he was sure the gentleman would employ him, if only to give him his money back ;'' and so perfectly in earnest was he, that the contest ended by Henry's being positively forced to take his pledge that he would be at the door of our lodg- ings on the following day exactly at six o'clock. Another trait of one of the same class of men, I think de- serves recording. On arriving at Heidelberg, we were so eager in our desire to despatch all the business that must necessarily be got through before we could start for the cas- tle, that while I looked at my rooms, my son w^as engaged in seeing the luggage taken from the carriage. During the time he was thus occupied, our driver followed me, and I paid him for the day's engagement. It seems that the man lingered in the town, in the hope of taking us on ; for a day or two afterwards, he accosted my son in the street, who, recollecting his person more ra- pidly than he could understand his words, pulled out his purse, knowing that he had not paid him, (as it was his cus- tom to do,) and not having heard me mention that I had done 214 BELGIUM AND SO. From this moment, all the poor fellow's hope of a fu- ture engagement was lost in his eagerness to declare that he was paid — fully paid ; and in entreaties that Henry would put up his purse again ; making it very evident that he was not only honest, but most feelingly alive to the pain of being thought otherwise. We arrived at Mannheim about ten, more fatigued, as it appeared, than our horses ; for the driver declared they were still well able to go another stage, if necessary ; but most cer- tainl}^ I was not. We had the good fortune to find our old apartments at the Weinberg unoccupied; and immediately felt very comfortably at home. Our first care, on the following morning, was to learn the time at which the steam-boat should start for Mayence. This being three o'clock, we ordered dinner at two, and amused ourselves in the interval by walking about the town and its superb gardens, and in taking a warm bath. '' Tout est comparatif," says the French proverb; and I never was more fully aware of its truth than during this day. The pretty garden of the bath-house, and its little vine-co- vered arcade, overlooking the Rhine, had seemed delightful, the last time I bathed there; and the knowing that my bath was from the waters of that '^ abounding river," was quite enough to content me; but now the exquisitely clear blue crystal of the Baden baths was remembered; and this from the Rhine seemed absolutely muddy in comparison. In like manner, our comfortable private dinners at the Weinberg had appeared excellent; but now the vision of Chabert's restau- rant haunted us ; and, like Sancho's dread doctor, taught us to find fault with everything. During our morning walk, we entered the Jesuits' church while mass was performing there ; and again remarked that the officiating priest had not the tonsure : moreover he wore loose pantaloons and boots; circumstances which, though of no great importance in themselves, yet speak loudly of the gradual decrease of veneration for catholic pomp and popish dignity. Those who run may read what position the now extin- guished Jesuits once held in this country. There is hardly a bridge that has not the effigy of a Jesuit, wuth a crucifixion in his arms, placed on its centre: and along the road, beside WESTERN GERMANY. 219 spoke to him. He turned his head ; — and his elegant friend, stooping a little forward, and turning his head too, (as if to follow the eyes of the other,) gently, delicately, and most skilfully, abducted one or two of the gold pieces; which, before the young man was at leisure to obey the monoto- nous "faites votre jeu, Messieurs," of the croupier, were quietly conveyed to his pocket. How I longed to expose him ! But the ardour of my indignation, though it made my heart throb, and my cheeks tingle, was yet insufficient to in- spire such noble daring. It would, indeed, have been about as wise, as attempting to rescue the honey of some silly bee from the centre of a nest of hornets. The Sunday banquet at the Kursaal has an air of great splendour ; for the whole of the immense saloon is filled with guests. . The amiable and popular Duke of Nassau has a hunting-seat near the baths ; his beautiful chateau of Bie- berich is aJso at no great distance; and, while residing at either of these palaces, it is his custom to appear in public every Sunday at Wiesbaden, and dine at the table d'hote of ihe Kursaal. This good-humoured condescension contri- butes greatly to his popularity, and is the source of a hand- some revenue to the restaurant : for, on these occasions, it appears, that though the tables are stretched to the utmost extent of the immense hall, they are always fully furnished with guests. The gardens behind the Kursaal were exceedingly gay on the Sunday we passed at Wiesbaden ; and for the last half- hour before dinner, the esplanade, on which the rooms open, became thronged. But whether it were that my fancy was so bewitched by Baden, that it could be satisfied with nothing else ; or that, in truth, I only saw things as they were ; it certainly appeared to me that there was much less of fashion and elegance in this crowd, than in that which had daily animated the walks at Baden. On the evening of this day the gaming-table was crowded ; and once more we saw folly and misery hand in hand, seek- ing destruction, and calling it amusement. No women played, but many were occupied by watching the chances of the game. There was one party standing close to mine, and among them was a lady, who discoursed more eloquently by her features, than the generality of her sex, while so young 220 BELGIUM AND and so fair, have yet learned to do with their lips. 1 could almost repeat, in sober prose, what has been so well express- ed in verse, and say "her body thought:" — so strongly did every delicate but powerful feature speak scorn and loathing of the occupation, and the beings engaged in it. Yet, plain as this language appeared to me, it should seem that it was not equally so to all; for a towering moustache, who stood near, having the air of a man of fashion made up for the sea- son, had the effrontery to address her, with " Mettrai-je-pour vous sur la table. Mademoiselle ?" I hardly knovv pencil or pen that could do full justice to the look which answered this. It was not the startled glance of a terrified girl, abashed and frightened by an impertinent freedom; but resembled far more the steady eye-beam that I once saw Mrs. Siddons dart at Comus, before she replied to him ; and I almost expected to hear "I had not thought to have unlocked my lips In this unhallowed air." The man absolutely quailed before her, and his craven glance replied as plainly, « She fables not— I feel that I do fear." Indignation seemed to conquer, for one moment, all feeling of timidity; for it was not till the next that she blushed; and then neck, cheek, and brow mantled so painfully, that she drew the old gentleman, on whose arm she leant, from the table; and retreating through the crowd, as hastily as its closeness permitted, left the room. 7^ 7p vp ^ vp ^ One of the prettiest features at Wiesbaden is the row of gay shops under the colonnade. These form a sort of bazaar in the open air; and the fantastic costume of the venders, both Tyrolese and Swiss, gives the whole scene the air of a fancy fair. 1 think a good imitation of such costume might furnish a very agreeable variety at any rustic fete, where the ultimate object may be to make both the talents and vanity of the rich minister to the necessities of the poor. It would be too attractive for a London sale, but would do excellently well in the country ; and the fair artisans might be rewarded WESTERN GERMANY. 221 for their kind-hearted industry by a dance on the green, after they had disposed of their wares ; being ready clad in the prettiest dancing dresses in the world. It appeared almost as general a fashion to sup at the Kur- saal, as to dine there ; but the parties at supper ale a la carte, instead of being supplied as at a table d'hote. The whole arrangement, however, is immeasurably inferior to Cha- bert's. During supper on the last evening of our sta}^, we were regaled by the music of an excellent band of Jewish musicians. They had with them a boy of about ten years old, who sang deliciously ; — but listening to him was like watching the beauteous colours of a dolphin while expiring : the life and being of his sweet voice was evidently perishing under its display. 222 BELGIUM AND CHAPTER XVI. Nassau Scenery — Langen-Schwalbach — Nassau — Ems — Pleasant Rencon- tre — Kurhaus — Public Rooms — Excursion to Branbach — Fortress of Marksberg — Boat on the Rhine — Pilgrims — Attempt at Suicide. The drive from Wiesbaden to Ems is much too varied in its beauty to admit of detailed description. There are points of it equal to anything, even in the neighbourhood of Baden itself. And it is here that I would wish to lead all those who, while they speak disparagingly of the Rhenish scenery, in fact know nothing about it; — beyond what may be learn- ed from catching a hasty glance at the side front of a rock, or through the tangled entrance of a dark valley, from the deck of a steamboat. I imagine that all who are accused of laudatory exaggeration upon this subject, and are said, accord- ing to the usual phrase, to "rave about the beauty of the Rhine," have become familiar with the various indescribable scenes which are to be found among the intricate recesses of this portion of the Nassau territory. The voyage between Bingen and Coblentz is the part of the river expedition which least disappoints the floating tourist ; but it is behind the cliflfs, whose " castled crags'' diversify the right bank, dur- ing the whole of this distance, that the most beautiful scenery is to be found. The capricious variety of rock, and forest- covered hills, the dark, deep, lonely valleys, the narrow pathways leading up to the wild sequestered ruins hid among them, the pretty windings of the silvery Lahn, with, from time to time, bright glimpses of the " exulting river'' that flows through the sunny landscape in the distance, alto- gether make this region a source of exceeding enjoyment to the real lover of Salvator Rosa-like combinations. The baths of Langen-Schwalbach, or Schwalbach, as it is generally called, are situated between Wiesbaden and Ems, and make excellent head-quarters for those who do not wish to enter into the constant dissipation of either. The strength- ening and restorative effects recorded of the waters are such. WESTERN GERMANY. 225 commodate nearly all the company at the baths, runs along the base of a rocky ridge, called the Baedersly, which forms one side of the narrow valley of the Lahn. Some of these hotels contain excellent rooms, but non'e have any preten- sions to magnificence: there is, however, one among them, which, if vastness be held a quality of sublimity, may per- haps be entitled to that still higher epithet. The Kurhaus, as this enormous pile is called, is as remarkable for its ram- bling, irregular construction as for its size. Three hundred beds were occupied in it when we were at Ems, and I was assured that it had room for many more. This ungainly edifice touches the Basdersly rock on one side, while the other is separated from the river only by a narrow gravel path; the carriage-road passing through the hotel under an archway. This singular building belongs to the Duke of Nassau, who derives a considerable revenue from the rent of its almost innumerable apartments. Each room has the amount of its daily rent marked over the door ; and an agent of the Duke is constantly in attendance to receive the daily or weekly returns. The table d'hote at this house is too large to promise much comfort. I saw a table there laid for three hundred persons, but felt no inclination to make one of them. Many of the smaller establishments have the re- putation of a better table; that at the hotel de Russie I caa venture to pronounce excellent. We did not fail, according to our Baden and Wiesbaden custom, to go to "the rooms," the first evening we passed at Ems; but we soon found we had no business there, and made a hasty retreat. Two or three apartments were open to the public ; but they were ill-lighted, and looked almost desolate: a iew groups of ladies and gentlemen, evidently strangers, like ourselves, were passing through them ; but the only company appearing to be there by right consisted of about a score of singularly ill-looking persons, seated around a rouge et noir table. It seems that the more ele- gant and aristocratic mischief at Ems is carried on at the private lodgings of the parties engaged in it; but 1 fear it must not be presumed, from this, that gambling prevails less here, than where its theatre is more public ; — on the contra- ry, that most hateful process, by which the cool and calcu- 29 226 BELGIUM AND lating villain fleeces the thoughtless and unwary, is said to be often in full action here. At rouge et noir, Folly stakes against Fortune; and though the odds are terribly against Folly, she may generally look for fair play; but where Knavery makes Fortune his thrall, and forces her to take the credit of all the tricks he may choose to play, poor Folly isbadly off indeed. — -And Ems has been the scene of more than one gambling tragedy. The morning after our arrival at the baths, our friends having proposed an excursion through the forest, to Bran- bach, and the fortress of Marksberg, on the Rhine, we gladly set about preparing for it. In addition to the sociable hired for the occasion, our party required the assistance of two donkeys; and as it is the fashion to be very active, and do a great deal of business before breakfast at Ems, we crossed the Lahn by its little bridge of boats, which looks like a miniature imitation of those on the Rhine, and were among the first customers at the picturesque shed, where the herd of saddled donkeys stand to be hired. There is nothing more peculiarly characteristic of the place than this shed, and its accompani- ments. Many of the excursions amidst the beautiful country in the neighbourhood are through roads that are better tra- versed by the feet of donkeys and mules, than by any less humble beast; and accordingly, the demand for them is so great, that ninety-six donkeys, and four mules, are to be seen every morning, gaily caparisoned, with a proportionate num- ber of attendants, each eloquently, and somewhat clamorously, recommending their own particular beasts. Every individual quadruped of this numerous herd is labelled on the forehead with a number ; and some of the numbers which belong to the strongest or best-managed donkeys, are as well known throughout the place, as the names of the most disti-nguished personages. "Forty-seven! forty-seven!" exclaimed more than one voice among the applicants, who began to arrive. But we had already the happiness of having secured the beautiful zebra marked forty-seven. "Twenty-two!" — *« Seventeen!"—" Fifty-six!" bawled the eager customers; while the proposal of other numbers, backed by the assurance of their respective merits, was bawled louder still, by the drivers. Fortunately, a police- WESTERN GERMANY. 227 officer is always in attendance, to prevent the spirit of com- petition from becoming troublesome, or any exorbitant charge being made; and his occupation appeared to be no sinecure. This important business happily arranged, we re-crossed the bridge; and in our way to the hotel Des Quatre Saisons, our friends led us to the source, at which it is the fashion for all the world to prelude their breakfast by a smoking glass of brackish water. This spring rises in, or is at least con- ducted to, a strange, dark chamber, supported by pillars, situated under part of the Kurhaus. It is open to the street, and entered by many archways ;~these are, nevertheless, not sufficient to prevent its having a dark and gloomy appear- ance. It is, however, under this sombre shelter that all the smart shops of Ems are to be found, and the scene is singu- lar enough. On this occasion, we had riot time to amuse ourselves long with its peculiarities; for the misty morning was brightening into a lovely day, and we were anxious to set out upon our expedition. Beautiful indeed was the road, which now led us to the banks of the Rhine, and wild as beautiful. We mounted the steep hill rising on the left bank of the Lahn, only that we might dip again into a dark deep chine, where nothing less than mid-day sun could chase the eternal gloom of the thick forest which clothed its sides. Again we mounted, and then, over the world of dark woody hills which rose and sank around us, we caught sight of the bold broad stream, seem- ing as though it carried light and life through the landscape. We had still, however, many a steep mile, both up and down, to go, before reaching Branbach; but, whatever our horses and donkeys might think of it, I could have wished for more miles still ; for each seemed lovelier than the last. We passed a maison de chasse, belonging to the Duke of Nassau, the walls of which were ornamented with antlers, some of them very noble ones. Under the shelter of the wood close by, is a sort of rustic ball-room, the orchestra of which isar- ranged with a taste so truly sylvan, that none but Pan, or his disciples, should presume to play there. From this point the road began steadily to descend towards the Rhine; and, ere long, we reached the curious little town that was to be our glte for the day. Here, towers, too old to convey any certain indication of their origin, but re- 228 BELGIUM AND nowned by legends and mysteries innumerable, divided our attention with the lovely Rhine, which flowed close to the pretty garden of our hotel. I almost regretted that there was anything else to see; for many a summer's day might be well spent, in looking only at the scene which the terrace of that garden gave to view. But the fortress of Marksberg rose majestically above our heads; our donkeys were pronounced to be in good condition to start again, and, turning our backs upon the river, we prepared to mount the steep but beautiful path, that led to this last of all the Rhenish fortresses. Mrs. W , having already seen the castle, wisely de- cided upon enjoying the cool and tranquil luxury of the Bran- bach garden; and I set off with the rest of the party. Had I trusted to any feet less sure than those of th& steady quad- ruped on which 1 was mounted, 1 might have felt, and not unreasonably, some alarm from the nature of the path. It was narrow and steep ; its boundary, on one side, often pre- cipitous ; and, worse still, the summer drought had showered upon it so many loose stones, and treacherous rolling pebbles, that many a step was abortive, leaving the pieton rather lower than when he made it. Nevertheless, we reached the bare and rocky summit in safety. Never, I think, from any of the various points, whence I have gazed, upon the Rhine, did it look more glorious than from the little platform before the gates of Marksberg. The day, the hour, was all that summer could give of best and brightest — just clouds enough to temper, by their flitting shadows, the too fervid splendour of the stream; and a breeze, that seemed sent on purpose to fan those, who had laboured up that toilsome rock ; — for all below it was so hushed and still, that not a vine-leaf trembled. Major W — — had either knocked, or rung, or blown a horn, or given some signal or other to the sentry, notifying that we wished to enter, for, long before we had " gazed our fill," we were informed, with all military courtesy and promptness, that his Excellency the Governor permitted our approach. Marksberg is the only fortress in Nassau, and, moreover, the last solitary remnant of the castled strongholds of the Rhenish nobility. This alone remains to tell us what they WESTERN GERMANY. 235 under the signature of the accused. She clasped the scroll firmly, and fixing her eyes on those of Napoleon, read some- thing, even as he turned them from her, which gave her strength to rush towards the hearth ;-^and,in an instant, the record had blazed and perished. The happy, but trembling woman, once more sought the eyes of the Emperor, but in vain; one hand hid them from her view, and the other waved her from him. The sentence against her husband was revised ; and proof of his guilt being imperfect, the doom of death was changed to that of banishment. Whilst parading through the motley throng that bustled throuo;h the bazaar-like sort of arcade below the Kurhaus, the idea of Esper George often rose upon my fancy : and I looked about to find something, that I could take for him, or his ghost : but though I could never quite satisfy myself in this, I was led to the glove-stand of an original, quite as whimsical, but much less amiable. I know not to what na- tion he belonged ; but some of the party led him into con- versation, which he carried on, partly in English, and partly in French, or German, I really forget which ; but a more ludicrous picture of fanatical hypocrisy, than he contrived to give in speaking of himself, can hardly be imagined. '* Were you at the gaming-table last night ?" said a gen- tleman, addressing him. " Oh fie. Sir! how can you ask me such a question? I was in my business, Sir, until I went to rest.'^ *'But I saw you at roulette, on Sunday night." " Sunday, Sir, is quite a different thing. I played on Sunday in the name of the Lord. Whatever I do on Sun- day is in the name of the Lord ; that sanctifietb it, let it be what it will." After breakfast, accompanied by the same agreeable party as on the day before, we set off', all mounted on donkeys, to visit the Pfingstwaide silver mine. The road took us up one of the pretty valleys that lead from the Lahn .; and the ex- cursion enabled my son to collect some beautiful specimens. This valley leads to a picturesque ruin, opposite to, but about a mile beyond, the mine : we were, however, obliged to content ourselves with looking at it in the distance ; and to turn ihe heads of our troop homeward, from the necessity of finding ourselves ready for the table d'hote dinner, atone 236 BELGIUM AND o'clock, at the Hotel de Russie, where we had bespoken places. Our friends were particularly anxious that we should dine there, as they happened to know the set, which was composed of many distinguished individuals ; and they moreover expected some amusement, from the oddities of an additional party who had also bespoken places there. To make the scene which followed intelligible to the reader, it will be necessary to repeat the particulars of a conversa- tion, which took place a day or two before, between the gen- tleman who related it to me, and another, who is the hero of my tale. This conversation occurred, I believe, in the pub- lic rooms ; the parties were strangers to each other, but both were Englishmen. Whether my friend, who, for distinc- tion's sake, I will call Mr. A., addressed the stranger, who shall,^be named Mr. B., or was addressed by him, I cannot say, but the following dialogue ensued : — Mr. A. — " You find the Kurhaus a comfortable hotel. Sir?" Mr. B. — "Yes, indeed — for this country." Mr. A.—" And the table ?" Mr. B. — " The only fault is, that they serve my table with too great variety." Mr. A.— "You do not, then, dine at the table d'hote ?" Mr. B.—" At the table d'hote ! Oh no; Mrs. B. would find that utterly insufferable — quite out of her way." Mr. A. — '^ 1 have never dined at the Kurhaus. It has, I believe, a very large society. At the Hotel de Russie the party is much smaller, and so very agreeable, that I think you would find it much pleasanter than dining in your own apartment." Mr. B.- — ^'Really? I would certainly make the experi- ment — for the novelty of the thing — could I induce Mrs. B. to consent. I will propose it to her — as a frolic." Mr. A. — " I hope you will succeed, Sir." And, so saying, he left him. Before we started in the morning for the silver mine, our friend had called at the Hotel de Russie, to bespeak our places at dinner. In the dining-room he had met Mr. B., who told him that he was there for the same purpose ; having, though certainly not without some difficulty, pre- vailed on his lady to consent. WESTERN GERMANY. 237 We now, therefore, repaired to the table d'hote, with some curiosity to observe the effect it might produce on our fastidious countrywoman. As no single room in the Hotel de Russie was large enough to accommodate all the compa- ny expected, two were prepared ; and we had taken our chairs in the smallest, — because nearly every individual of the party, who usually dined there, was known to our friends. These were nearly all assembled when we entered, and among them were a Russian Prince, a German Count and Countess (the lady being a relation of the King of Bavaria), a German Baron of the Empire, and his lady, and several others ; — the party altogether amounting to about twenty ; — a pleasant and sociable sort of intimacy appearing to exist between them all. We had just taken our places, when the family of Mr. B. entered. It consisted of two ladies and three gentlemen. Mr. B. led in his lady; — and a stout- hearted Mr. B. he was, to venture upon bringing such a lady into a presence she deemed unworthy her greatness. The expression of her countenance, and, in particular, the attitude of her nose, which truly seemed " Commercing with the skies," presented, by far, the finest piece of comedy 1 ever saw off the stage. The noble party, seated at the table, bowed at their ap- proach. Mrs. B. instantly stood stock still — as if petrified by their audacity. " This, I believe, is the second table .?" said she aloud, turning her reproachful eyes upon her husband : — but, being assured by the civil attendants that it was at this table that her place was taken, she sat down ; — with much such an air as Juno might do, if obliged by the Thunderer to remain in company with some earth-born damsels, whom he favoured too highly. The dinner proceeded : it was really excellent — but the grimaces of Mrs. B. were better still. W^hen the soup was put before her, she shuddered ; and, making a sign with her hand that it should be removed, exclaimed — ''Can they believe it possible that I should eat that ?" The unfortunate bouilli and cucumber, so little relished 238 BELGIUM AND }3y the generality of the English, succeeded; then came some dish that she ventured to taste ; but though Mr. B. honestly and bravely pronounced, looking at her, too, almost full in the face, '^ This is very good," she ate it as if every mouth- ful w^ere a sacrifice offered on the altar of conjugal obedience. Mr. B. endeavoured to " look lively, and at his ease; and every now and then attempted to converse with his party : but his topics, chosen, perhaps, with the amiable wish of propitiating his lady, were not particularly new. " It is certainly very singular, that no nation but the Eng- lish can learn the elegancies of life — no salt-spoons, you see! and fish after fricandeau! — so absurd!'^ Just at this moment, the Countess, who was seated at the head of the table, took off her bonnet, which one of the noblemen near her received from her hand, and hung upon a peg against the wall. I have seldom seen a lovelier, or more dignified head than this action made visible. Her beau- tiful hair was very tastefully arranged, and confined by a bandeau, which passed across her fine forehead. Mrs. B.'s horror was now at its zenith. Her look plainly spoke her complete conviction, that she was in very bad company in- deed; — and her indignation found vent in a whisper, not quite audible, which speedily induced her vexed and peni- tent husband to lead her out of the room. That cases, so extreme as this, of blundering fastidious- ness, occur but seldom, I am willing to admit; but that they should occur at all is to be lamented : and the more so, as the effect, left upon the memory of those who witness them, is much deeper than they deserve, and tends to confirm and justify that dislike of English manners, which is so general on the continent. Another instance of the same sort of tem- per occurred a short time before, at one of the less frequent- ed springs. A party had remained together for some weeks, were nearly dispersed, three only remaining. These were the Baron F , who had been Minister from his own court to that of St. James's ; a general officer, who was governor of the district; and a nobleman who had the honour of being related to the Royal Family of Prussia. They were standing at the window of the dining-room, in which the reduced table d'hote was about to be served, when an English carriage, with two young men in it, drove to the door. WESTERN GERMANY. 239 The tnree gentlemen congratulated each other upon this augumentation of their small party ; and when the door opened, and the young men entered the room, they were greeted by a smiling bow from each of its occupants. Without taking the slightest notice o'f this salutation, one of the Englishmen, pointing to the table said, " Qu^'est que c'est que cela ?" " La table d'hote Monsieur," replied the waiter, '^ on va servir a Pinstant." '^Table d'hote!" exclaimed the indignant young traveller, ^^ we never dine in public. Sir." And, having spoken these awe-inspiring words, he strut- ted out of the room, to the extreme amusement of the noble natives. It is vexatious to hear such stories as these, knowing them to be true, yet knowing, at the same time, that they no more furnish a likeness to the better species of English, than do the caricatures in the print-shops of the Palais Royal. But, of all countries in the world, it is most vexatious that this vidgar sort of ostentation should be displayed before the no- bles of Germany. They too have pride, and in abundance, perhaps; but they keep it as they do their armorial bearings — it belongs to their house, but it is seen rather on the coat of their footman than on their own. Their nobilitv, how- ever, is never lost sight of, or forgotten; and the}^^ have, therefore, no need to take any ostentatious or ungraceful means of proving its existence. Where every one knows his place, and keeps it, there can be no danger of jostling. It is the eternal effort of every set amongst us to elbow them- selves into the places next above them, which occasions that sort of self-protecting attitude so extremely distasteful to peo- ple of all classes on the continent. A German tradesman has, at no time, the slightest inten- tion of being mistaken for a German noble: nor has the no- ble any fear of being classed as a tradesman; and it is this, as I imagine, that produces the remarkable difference be- tween a mixed assembly of English and a mixed assembly of Germans. But, unhappily, the present is no time for us to hope that we may follow their excellent example: it is not while an active and powerful party are directing all their efforts to 240 BELGIUM AND break down the barriers which mark the different classes of society, that it would be wise to advocate such a tone of man- ners, as might aid the work of anarchy among us. It is not in England, divided against herself, as she now is, that this graceful, easy, benevolent sort of intercourse between all ranks can exist. A little reflection on the subject might, nevertheless, teach the gently-nurtured classes of England to walk more fearlessly over the uninclosed field of German society. The delicate and inoffensive lines of demarcation are sufficiently visible ; and, where none are inclined to remove them, there can be no necessity for erecting palisa- does, chevaux-de-frise, or any other style of hostile barrier. These could but disfigure the graceful and harmonious arrangement, and should never be resorted to but in cases of absolute necessity. Happy the land where such necessity exists not ! This is one of the points in which we must shrink back from a comparison with ^'well-ordered Ger- many;" and the mortification of allowing this is the greater, because every genuine description of our national manners, as they were in the days that are gone, gives as delightful a picture of the tie that united us all, with no entanglement from the doubtful situation of any, as Germany herself can show. Wo betide those who would remove the sacred land- marks, that have served us so long and so well! Should they succeed, our best and wisest will forsake us— ^absenteeism will become as general in England as in Ireland — and those who have done the work will then have leisure to gaze upon it ; while drooping commerce, expiring art, outraged reli- gion, and polluted learning, shall each raise a dying voice, to thank the parricide patriots as they deserve. * * Wiesbaden is now considered as the capital of Nassau, and is, in fact, the seat of government ; but there is no point of the duchy which does not appear to be often bene- fited by the immediate influence of this amiable and popular sovereign. From all I heard, it should seem, that his with- drawing his presence, long together, from any part of his small but beautiful dominions, would be more likely to cause disaffection among his subjects than anything else he could do. To avoid this, he divides the year among several resi- dences ; and his arrival is hailed around each as a source of XVESTERN GERMANY. 245 endeavouring to collect intellect sufficient to decide on what to do. With great difficulty, and much real suffering, I at length scrambled up to one of the little nooks, about six feet square, whereon grow the scanty vines* Here I took refuge, my eyes being relieved from the agony of gazing on the depth below, by the grape leaves: among which I placed myself, while my kind and merciful companions, laughing as little as they could, took measures to release me. As I sat alone on this tiny platform, studiously avoiding to look upon the beautiful river, into which I could easily have dropped a pebble, I remembered too late the poet's warning — ** Seek not the giddy crag to climb, To view thetiiiTet scathed by time; , It is a task of doubt and fear To all but goat, or mountain deer." But, unfortunately, no such wisdom was in my thoughts, when it might have availed me. It was not long before my two friends returned wnth a rope, obtained at Welmich; this they fastened round the stem of one of the vines, and by means of holding it in my hand, I gained sufficient courage to get below the perilous turning, which, good cragsmen as they were, both confessed to be frightful. The danger once over, however, I could myself laugh at the excess of terror I had felt, and fully enjoyed the scene that awaited my arrival at the foot of the rock. The whole population of Welmich v^^as out to receive me, which at this hour consisted of women and children, the men being at work in the neighbouring mines. These poor people had seen my situation, and appeared to watch my descent with much interest; though they must have thought the danger altogether imaginary, as they ail climb like goats, and dress their vines in places where to me it seemed impossible to stand. After this adventure, we entered a little gasthaiis (An- glice, inn), and asked for milk and brantwine. Of the first they brought a small cup, perfectly sour; of the last they had none, but produced some villainous schnapps insteiid. Having reposed for^ few moments, we asked the sulky-looking, heavy-browed Caspar Melchior, — for such was the doubly regal name of the host — what we were to pay. He told us 246 BELGIUM AND we had better return, after the walk we proposed taking up the valley, and we should pay him then. To this we agreed, leaving a cloak or two that had been brought in the boat. We then proceeded in our walk, which must not be de- scribed, lest the wild and lovely beauty of the ravine, through which it led us, should tempt to a wordiness of admiration, -^notthe less wearying to the reader, from being only half as much as might be said of it. We passed the mouth of a mine, whence Henry brought some beautiful specimens; found the best possible point from whence to look at the spreading ruin of the Rhinefels on the opposite bank of the river; collected some lovely wild blossoms; and then re- turned to the gast-haus of Caspar Melchior. I thought the looks of this man exceedingly detestable at our first visit: never did a countenance more candidly confess' its owner's character. We repeated our demand of ^^ what have we to pay?" and, after a little hesitation, he demanded a dollar. Our boatman, who had come up to meet us, laughed, but said nothing — "Half a dollar then," said Melchior. The boatman again shook his head; upon which I laid upon the table a sum, which I knew to be more than double his due, and we walked oflf with the boatman, and the lad who ac- companied him to tow us up. On reaching the landing- place we found Melchior already there, foaming with rage. The boatman made a sign to us to embark, which we did, while the lad fastened the rope round his shoulders, and pre- pared to draw us on. Seeing this, Melchior drew a large open knife from his bosom, and sprung upon the boy, who saved himself by instantly yielding the towing-rope to his hand. Having thus made us his prisoners, he again ap- proached the boat, armed with his frightful knife. Never, certainly, did three men, in very great and justifiable anger, behave better than my two young men and our boatman. The ruffian Melchior was a pitiful little fellow that either of them might have jerked into the river in a trice; but it was plain he rested his security on my terror of a fray; and he was right, both as to my feelings, and their attention to them. I prevailed on them to let the boatman give him the half- dollar he clamoured for, and we departed. Our first feeling, after this outrageous assault, was naturally a wish to bring the ruffian to legal punishment; but remem- WESTERN GERMANY. 247 bering that St. Goar was in Prussia, and Welmich in Nassau, we thought any process against him must give more trouble than he was worth, and the idea was abandoned. If any scene could have charms sufficient to soothe the disagreeable irritation produced by this adventure, it was that which surrounded us on our twilight return to St. Goar. The ripple of our boat, as it passed through the water, with now and then a few strokes of the oar, to assist the towing- rope, was the only sound that broke the profound tranquillity of the evening. The river never looks so lovely as at this hour; like beauty beheld through a veil ; every feature is softened and harmonized; and the imagination, delighted with all it sees, is in a mood to ascribe a charm, more per- fect still, to all it does not When we reached St. Goarhau- sen, the lad, who towed us, sprung into the boat; and we could have been well contented had our two oars pulled us across to. our hotel less hastily. But though the voyage was short, it had sufficed to calm our angry feelings. Cas- par Melchior was almost forgotten; and if, as we took our delightful Francfort tea, we exclaimed, "Bless me, how re- freshing!" it was by no means in the spirit of Lady Worm- wood. While thus engaged, and with our lamp placed at the farthest extremity of the room, to prevent its glare from in- terfering with the silver grey of the landscape, we were agreeably surprised by the notes of a French horn, ex- tremely well played, immediately below our windows; and more delighted still, when the same notes, repeated from the other side of the water, sunk away into a most delicious *' dying fall" in the distance. Then the horn blew a blast, sharp, loud, and strong, and presently it was answered, not 'by one only, but by many in succesvsion; the last being evi- dently stationed amidst the ruins of the Rhinefels, at a short distance below. While we were still listening with mixed wonder and delight, the waiter entered to express his hope that we were pleased with the echo. Pleased we assuredly where; yet, even after this explanation, some feeling of doubt rested with us all, as to the possibility of a duet so perfect being thus performed. To increase our wonder, or to remove our scepticism, the performer ran through a mul- titude of capricious passages on the instrument, which were S48 BELGIUM And each and all repeated with such clear and smooth distinct- ness, that I began to think the sweetest orchestra in the world was to be found amid the rocks of St. Goar; and that, one single human leader being provided, to give the spirits the key, no better music need be wished for than its haunted hollows could furnish. The next morning our party divided; Mr. H. placing himself on a mass of rock on the edge of the river, to take a sketch of the "cat and mouse," as countrymen called the two ruined castles on the Nassau side; while Henry and I set off to look at the celebrated Lurleyberg, amidst whose inacces- sible caverns dwells, as the neighbouring peasantry believe to this day, one of that pretty amphibious class of spirits which is called Undine. Below this rock is the well-known whirlpool, called the Gewirr; and nothing but the most re- solute determination not to listen to her sweet beguiling voice can save the navigators who pass it from being engulphed. Though this danger is, as every body declares, so well known, and the security of the precaution, if obeyed, so per- fect, it nevertheless frequently happens that men perish be- neath this stupendous rock. Unhappily, this part of the story is no fable. The immense rafts, by which the timber of the Black Forest is brought down the Rhine, often lose, in rough weather, one or more of their men at this point of their voyage. That portion of the numerous crew which is stationed at either end of the vast machine, with oars to accelerate and guide its movements, are very liable to be dashed from their wet and slippery stand by the violence of the struggling eddy which they have to combat; and not un- frequently the thongs connecting the various portions of the raft together give way, putting life and property to desperate peril. There is something very poetical in the superstition which has grown out of this danger. This Lurley rock is a spot so awfully beautiful, and the echo which every sound awakens so likely to captivate and enthral the attention, the whole of which is wanted for the difficult task of navigating the dangerous Gewirr, that it is not difficult to understand how the legend arose, nor how it has been so long believed. The walk from St. Goar to the grotto by the roadside, immediately opposite this remarkable rock, is one not easily to be rivalled in any country. All who have been upon the WESTERN GERMANY. 249 Rhine, or its banks, will probably remember to have heard the report of a gun, and a few notes from a French horn, as they passed this spot. They are produced by a man, who spends his life, or at least his summer life, under the scanty shelter of this grotto, for the purpose of awakening the marvellous echo of the Lurleyberg for their amusement. We sat down with him, and he seemed exceedingly happy to talk a little. He spoke extremely good French, and en- tertained us with the popular legends of the most cele- brated places, in that most superstitious of all regions. The Pfalz, the Gutenfeis, the Rummelstein, the Schonberg, were all, according to him, the scenes of most dire and dreadful transactions; and so many holes, caves, whirlpools, and eddies, are haunted by divers kinds of spirits, that it was only necessary to treasure, with due faith, a small portion of his chronicles in the memory, to believe that every leaf that moved in- the breeze spoke with "most miraculous or- gans." In the course of our conversation, he gave us to understand, that it was he who had played a duet with the echo the night before, for our amusement. I told him that I believed it was all a trick, and that some one was stationed on the op- posite bank, to produce the illusion. " Vous le croyez, Madame?" said he, quietly; and, taking the instrument in his hand, he produced one of the wildest and prettiest capriccios I ever heard. We listened for what was to follow, and, for an instant, I felt disposed to believe that his performance was intended to prove me right; but then began the response; and on it went, through every sweet vagary, so clear, so firm, so perfect, that the pheno- menon might well give rise to superstition through all the Country round. Having enjoyed our surprise and admiration, he changed the conversation, by observing that we had met with a troublesome adventure the last evening. We expressed our surprise at its having reached him. "My home is at St. Goar," he replied; "and Melchior is too well \inown partout, for such a story not to be talked of." He then proceeded, in his narrative vein, to tell us that this Caspar Melchior had a brother, who resembled him 32 250 BELGIUM AND perfectly in his morale^ though totally unlike him in phy- sique, for he was a perfect Hercules; whereas the Melchior we had seen was comparatively a pigmy. These two men, he said, had been guilty of repeated acts of violence, which had exposed them, to temporary punishment; but that crimes, much w^orse than any yet proved upon them, were strongly suspected. He hinted something of a traveller, who had complained of extortion, and had never afterwards been heard of; and he remarked, that miners had opportunities of doing dreadful deeds. He talked so long, and so elo- quently, upon this theme, that I began to be very thankful the river flowed between us and this fearful Melchior; and I would not recommend travelling ladies, who, like myself, may love a solitary ramble up these romantic .chines, to in- dulge the fancy where the population are chiefly miners. We extended our walk about a mile beyond the grotto; and, while retracing our steps towards St. Goar, had the good fortune to be overtaken by one of those prodigious accumu- lations of timber, in the shape of a raft, of which we had heard so much. On the Neckar, the Main, and the Mourg, I had seen the constituent parts of this gigantic whole; but neither the number of these, nor all I had been told of the magni- tude of this monstrous fabric, had at all prepared me for its vast extent, or the singular effect of the numerous popula- tion it carried, which amounted, as we were told at St. Goar, to nearly four hundred men. Fortunately for the gratification of our curiosity, we were exactly so placed as to see it pass the whirlpool; and, upon this occasion, I am happy to say, that the quadruple row of stout rowers, at each end, evidently thought more of attend- ing to the preservation of their lives, than to the syren voice of the Undine of the Lurleyberg: for, with equal judgment and strength, they made the flexible divisions of this enor- mous length bend and twist through the tortuous passage in perfect safety. The moment this was achieved, the whole crew uttered a joyous shout ; and then Undine answered, but so cheerily, that this time it w^as evident she had no sin- ister object in view, and raised her voice only as a vivat to their success. In the middle of this floating plain was placed a lofty stage, on which stood a man, who seemed on the WESTERN GERMANY. 251 look-out, and to command the movements of the rest: — there were also six very comfortable little dwellings, with glazed windows, at different parts of the fabric: — in short, the little rafts we had seen dashing down the rapids of the Mourg were, in comparison to this, of which they perhaps made part, like a single house to a large city. Before we reached the hotel, we were passed by the two steamboats of the day. Both had much company, and many carriages on board; but that which was going down had by far the most, giving indi- cation that the height of the season was past. 252 BELGIUM AND CHAPTER XVIIL " God save the King" — ^Village School — Prussian Education — Freedom of the Press-— National Education — The Rhinfels — Country above St. Goar — Students — Smoking" — Churches — Excursion to Rhinstein — The Pfalz — Bacharach — Prince Frederick's Castle — Caspar Melchior — Nassau Scenery — Boating disagreeable — Star-light — Vine-dressers. While loitering through the streetof St. Goar, — if that may be called a street, which is open on one side to the river, — we were surprised at hearing our own beautiful national hymn pealing from a large building near it. I doubt if the most heartless radical could hear " God save the King," in a foreign land, without some pleasurable emotion; for my part, I could not resist the temptation to enter the open door, and discover who the parties were, who showed so excellent a taste in choosing an air, let the vvords to which they ap- plied it be what they might. This building Ifound was used as a school-house, and on each side the door had a large room, one for girls the other for boys. It was the male part of this youthful population whose shrill voices were pouring forth the notes so familiar to our ears. They sung the air in parts, and with wonderful correctness. Our accidental visit to this school led me to make some inquiries concerning it of our civil and intelligent landlord. In this little village, as in every other part of the kingdom of Prussia, the educa- tion of the people is the business of the state. So deeply are the benevolent and philosophical lawgivers of this enlight- ened country impressed with the belief that the only sure method of rendering a people pre-eminently great and happy, is to spread the light of true knowledge among them, that the government leaves not the duty of providing instruc- tion for the children of the land to the unthinking caprice of their ignorant parents; but provides for them teachers and books; selected with a degree of vigilant circumspection which would do honour to the affection and judgment of the tenderest father. Nor is this all :^ — not only are the means WESTERN GERMANY. 253 of instruction thus amply and admirably provided, but the children of the people are not permitted to absent themselves from school on any plea except that of sickness, which must be authenticated by the certificate of a physician. This system, already so prolific of the happiest results, has attracted the attention of all Europe ; and England, among the rest, is said to be taking a lesson on this most important branch of government, from the benignant absolution of Prussia. Assuredly she cannot do better; but let her not put in action one part of this immensely powerful engine, while another part, on which the whole utility of its move- ment depends, is left neglected. Wo betide the politician who shall labour to enforce, by law, the art of reading; while he slothfully, viciously, or from party spirit, continues to advocate the unrestricted freedom of a press, which fills every village-shop with blasphemy, indecency, and treason! Let him not dare to imitate the pure and holy eiforts of Prussia, to spread the blessing of knowledge through the land, till he has manfully set to work to purify the source whence it is to flow. He, who shall best succeed in making the power of reading general throughout England, while this monstrous mass of impurity is permitted to spread its festering influ- ence through the country, will have a worse sin to answer for, than if he forced all to drink of a stream he knew to be poisoned. In Prussia, the purity of all that issues from the press has become so completely a source of national pride, that, were the parental care which guards it withdrawn, it would, I have been well assured, be long before vice would grow sufficiently audacious to attempt speaking by so uncor- rupted an organ. Infamy would dog the heels of the pub- lisher, and prompt justice be done on the miscreant author, Who should dare to violate the sacred pledge, given by the king to the people, that sin shall not be the fruit of that know- ledge which he has thought fit to enforce. Another vitally essential part of the Prussian scheme of national education is its watchful religious superintendance of practical morality. It is so very easy a thing to teach children to read and write, that, were these the only objects in view, it would be scarcely worth while for the government to interfere about the business. A very poor man may contrive to pay two- 254 BELGIUM AND pence a week to obtain this for his children; and multitudes may easily get my lord, or my lady, or the squire and madam, to pay it for them. But it is the cautious, systematic selec- tion of persons proper for the office of teachers, and the im- possibility that individual whim should interfere in the choice of them, which can alone ensure a profitable national edu- cation. And how is this all-important business transactedwith us? In some places, a teacher is appointed by the clergyman, who would regulate his parish school with the same anxious care which he exercises in the government of his own family. In others, some vain and canting Lady Bountiful has the power of nomination, — and selects a person who shall look sharply after the uniform, and take care that the children show them- selves off well, upon all public occasions. In one village, a staunch constitutional Tory shall exert his utmost influence that the little people about him may be brought up to fear God and honour the king. He may watch- fully see them led to the venerated church of their fathers^ and teach them to look up, with equal love and respect, to the institutions of their country. In the very next, perhaps, a furious demagogue may insist that every lesson shall inculcate the indefeasible right to re- bel. A.nd, if the poor rogues be taught any religion at all, it may be with the understanding that each and every of them, when they are big enough, will have as good a right to be paid for preaching as the parson of the parish. What can that whole be, which is formedof such discord- ant elements? And would it not be better for our rulers even to enforce such a mode of instruction as might give a chance of something like a common national feeling among the people of England, instead of letting them be blown about with every wind of doctrine, as they are at present? In coming up the river, one of the objects which strike every body, as being among the most picturesque and noble on its banks, is the ruin of the Rhinfels. Its fine position, and the contrast, between the colour of its wide-spreading walls and the dark background afibrded by the wooded hill behind, bring it out upon the eye, as the boat swings round WESTERN GERMANY. 255 the sudden turn of the river at Wilmich, in the most impo- sing manner. To explore every corner of this majestic pile, was one of the projects w^hich helped to decide us rn fixing on St. Goar for our head-quarters^ during the week devoted to our Rhe- nish rambles. In addition to its magnificent aspect, it had the attraction of much historic interest. The original for- mation of a stronghold on this commanding point was con- ceived by Count Diether, the first of Katzenellenbogen, in 1242; — a personage whose name figures so frequently in Rhenish history, that this spot on which his ambition and rapacity made the boldest stand, and occasioned the most im- portant consequences, cannot be passed with indifference. It is recorded that this Count Diether built the fortress of the Rhinfels for the purpose of enforcing tribute from all the boats that passed it; and it was to contest this self-constituted right, that the first celebrated Confederation of the Rhenish towns was formed, w^bich ultimately produced the destruction of nearly all the strongholds on the river. Having repeatedly changed masters, it came at length to be annexed to the ter- ritory of Hesse-Cassel, when an immense sum was expended to repair and enlarge its fortifications; but, in 1794, it fell, after a very short, defence, into the hands of the French re- volutionary army, and was subsequently destroyed by gun- powder. Full of all these interesting reminiscences, we ap- proached the venerable remains by a beautiful terrace road that, cut in the side of the hill, shaded by noble trees, and commanding, Cat, Mouse, and river, to perfection, leads up to it from the town. We found that, notwithstanding its ruined appearance, all its outworks were not destroyed; for, though we peeped in through various apertures, the only en- ' trance Was by a padlocked gate. After some time, however, we succeeded in discovering where the key was deposited, and obtained admission by the payment of a trifling fee, and the penalty of being followed, through our romantic, enthu- siastic, antiquarian researches, by a guide whose explanation we did but half understand. This last circumstance was, however, of small importance, as we discovered forthwith; — for no explanation of the present, no legendary lore of the past, could give interest to the dusty accumulation of stone and mortar that surrounded us. I will certainly never again 256 BELGIUM AND take any particular trouble to visit the remains of a dilapi- dated fort; so utterly devoid do they appear to me of all those features which excite the imagination when penetrating among the reh'cs of a baronial castle. All, I think, that can be said or felt concerning the one is, that the position was good or bad; while every gateway, every turret, every stair- case of the other, sets all the poetry of the spectator to work, and leads him, at once, into the region where fancy best loves to wander. From the imposing aspect of this most deluding ruin, as it appears from the Rhine, I really expected to find something almost as glorious as Hiedelberg; — but a comparison between Tintern Abbey and a dilapidated limekiln would not be at all more extravagant. To a military man, however, it may, perhaps, be full of interest;™ but let no woman ever more break her shins, or dust her sandals, among the unromantic ^e*?»m of the Rhinfels. The road which continues from this enormous fort to the top of the hill, is well worth following, for the sake of the view it commands. But a still more beautiful walk, to the fine table-land above St. Goar, is by the side of a winter watercourse, the path to which commences at the other end of the town. This path was not followed without some struggle with my constitutional dislike to precipices; but the effort was well rew^arded. Having attained the summit, a perfectly new style of country opened before us. While labouring up the steep ascent, I expected to find the top barren and rugged; instead of whichj I was in the midst of corn-fields and orchards. A dozen villages reared their towers and spires over the plain, and, could 1 have forgetten whence I came, I should have thought myself in a well-cullivated level coimtry. After walking half a mile inland, the river is entirely lost, and the opposite cliffs seem within twenty minutes' walk. We spent three or four very delightful hours in wandering about these mountain corn-fields. Henry found them peculiarly rich in fossil remains — Mr. H. in picturesque effects—and I in all sorts of delightful novelty. In consequence of a somewhat imprudent variation of our course, by which we intended both to change and shorten the road home, we descended into a little green valley, — running parallel to the Rhine, — with the notion of following WESTERN GERMANY. 257 the banks of the stream that watered it, thinking it must in- evitably lead us to the river. And so indeed it would, could we have contrived to wade through the marshy ground that intervened; but, this being deemed impossible, we had the further imprudence to cross the stream, and mount the oppo- site woody hill ; where a path, through its beautiful beeches, seemed evidently leading towards the river. Having fol- lowed this path for some time, always mounting, we found ourselves, at length, upon a projecting point of rock, face to face with the Lurleyburg. I was considerably startled at per- ceiving how far we were from home; — but no fears, either of darkness or distance, could check our exceeding delight in finding ourselves on such a spot. — How very little do those who navigate the Rhine, guess what scenes are within their reach !--The Lurley rock, and its w^hirlpool, which make the whole of the vaunted beauty of the pass below, ap- peared, from the point where we stood, but as features in the magnificent landscape: and we looked upon the abrupt turn- ings of the river, which form what has been called the "rocky basin of St. Goar," as upon one little but lovely variety in its widely-followed course. There could hardly be a stronger proof of the surpassing beauty of this spot, than my long and total forgetfulness of its distance from St. Goar. Could we, indeed, have contrived to leap, like squirrels, from bough to bough, till we had reached the bottom, we should have found ourselves exactly at the grotto of the horn- blower. But, to find a footing, among the crags which the matted foliage covered, would have been nearly impossible, even for my companions; and for me, it would certainly have been as reasonable to take to the squirrel mode at once, as to attempt it. — So, refreshing ourselves with one last look, op and down the glittering stream, and over the extraordi- nary assemblage of objects, all in such exquisite keeping with its noble character, we turned away, and patiently traced our steps back again, nearly as we came. Most cer- tainly I was very tired; but I would willingly endure double the fatigue, to stand again, for ten minutes, upon the point of rock opposite the Lurleyberg. The day which followed this expedition was Sunday. It was a jour de fete to many, and I never watched a Sabbath of more innocent enjoyment. The first party I saw, on look- 33 258 BELGIUM AND ing out of my beautiful window in the morning, was one composed of four youths, — the eldest I think under twenty, — who, from their dress and appearance, I have no doubt were students from Bonn. They had their breakfast-table laid on a sort of platform, on the other side of the road before our hotel, overlooking the river. The full morning sun shone upon them; but the freshness of the hour, and the delicious breeze from the water, prevented any annoyance from heat. It was a very interesting group — their animated young faces spoke the delight which the glorious scene inspired ; and they ate with the gay zest which exercise and health give to appetite. Yet, notwithstanding the double occupation of breakfasting, and looking at the view, each one had a small pocket volume beside him, which as the lin- gering meal went on, stole, now and then, a moment from the laughter and the din. All this was really delightful; and it was impossible not to sympathize in their enjoyment. But, alas! my next glance destroyed all the sympathy; and turned the pleasure of looking at them into positive pain;-- - for, in the hand of each, was an enormous pipe; — and the look of glowing animation which had so delighted me, was changed for the heavy quiescence of smoking. Could they but have seen themselves as they looked then, and as they had looked one short half-hour before, I think they must have foresworn the loathsome habit for ever. It is as much a subject of wonder, as regret, to see the ex- tent to which this unhappy infatuation is carried, among the young men of this most glorious country. Were they not so very fine a race, — were the noble and intellectual expres- sion of the young heads I saw at Bonn, Heidelberg, and else- where, less striking, — I should have witnessed this lamenta- ble degradation with more patience; but to behold these youthful features, one moment beaming with the finest ex- pression, and the next stultified by that look of ineffable stu- pidity produced by smoking, is really too vexatious. Could these young men be fully aware of the effect this habit pro- duces on their charming countrywomen, 1 am greatly tempt- ed to believe that it would soon get out of fashion. It was cautiously, and with the fear of giving offence, that I first touched upon the subject with some of the delightful women to whom I had the happiness of being introduced. WESTERN GERM-ANY. 259 But I very soon found, that, the deeper the dislike 1 ex- pressed to smoking, the greater was the sympathy I found. I have often alluded to this subject already; and, as I shall recur to it no more, I will take this occasion to repeat the words that were said to me by two German ladies, who, in my opinion, possessed attractions enough to make their wishes, laws. I wish that I could, without impropriety, name them here, but this would not be fair; and I therefore refrain from adding the influence of their names to the strength of their words. "It is this," said one of these ladies, "which makes the society of foreigners so much too agreeable to us. A mouth, unconiaminated by a pipe, may win with words, which, if scented with tobacco, would be listened to with very differ- ent emotions." The moment I heard these words, I determined to print them, in the hope that they might preserve some still " un- razored lips" from the hateful taint. Another lady, as yet unmarried, and with a face whose delicacy seemed fitter to receive the gales of Eden than the fumes of tobacco, said to me, while we were discussing the same subject—" If I marry, I hope I shall love my husband well enough to forgive him ; — but I sometimes think it may be a dangerous experiment." *# ^ * * * * * There are two very old churches at St. Goar ; both of which formerly belonged to Jesuit communities. One of these is now Lutheran, the other remains Catholic ; there is much in both to gratify a curious hunter after antiquities. In the Catholic church, is a strangely uncouth figure of St. Goar, carved in stone, and said to bear a very remote date ; but the record of this we were unable to find on the stone. Legends connected with the name of this good Saint are still currently repeated ; — the exact situation of his hermitage is shown, and many tales are recorded of the miraculous aid he continually afforded to the mariners, who came within the danger of the Undine of the Lurleyberg. There are also some curious, and well preserved, old pictures in this church. To the Reformed church we were attracted by the full swell of their hymn, which never failed to draw me as near to it as possible. I know nothing more calculated to reach the 260 BELGIUM AND heart than one of those solemn strains, poured forth by some hundreds of voices, among which, not one shall offend by a false note. We were in the act of mounting the hill when this burst of music induced us to enter a door, before which we were passing; when, to our surprise, we found ourselves in a gallery, looking down into a very old and very gloomy church. The same thing happened to us at the Catholic church ; for, while mounting towards the Rhinfels, and pass- ing the gable-end of what looked like a dilapidated barn, we were stopped by the sound of an organ, close to our very ears, and, entering a low door, we were in the organ-loft of the Catholic church. Some powerful voices were singing the vesper service; — so powerful, indeed, that our position became' painful, and we continued our walk. The following day we procured a very pleasant open car- riage, to take us to Rheinstein. This is one of the old Rhenish castles, and it has been recently restored by Prince Frederick of Prussia, as nearly as possible on the plan of the original construction. The identical walls have been pre- served wherever it was possible to do so, and they still form a considerable portion of the edifice. This singular and in- genious enterprise has been most beautifully executed ; and much antiquarian lore has been brought into action, both in the external masonry and in furnishing and fitting up the in- terior. It is now considered as a perfect specimen of the baronial dwellings of the sixteenth century. The road to this pretty play-thing led us through Oberwesel and Bacha- rach, and gave us, also, an opportunity of examining at our leisure the singular construction of the Pfalz; which, rising from a rock in the middle of the Rhine, has more the ap- pearance of a floating ark, with the addition of a tower or two, than any solid, earth-born edifice. There is a strange tradition extant, that all the ladies of the Counts Palatine of the Rhine were obliged to repair to this desolate little rock for the period of their accouchemens. The only entrance to it, now, is by an opening, which looks more like a hole than a door, and can only be reached by means of a ladder. It is to be hoped that the Palatinate Countesses had some bet- ter contrivance for getting within these dark and dismal WESTERN GERMANY. 263 to see them, when they exchanged the falchion for the wine- cup. Beautiful and curious as this castle is, we should, perhaps, not have so greatly enjoyed seeing it, had not our imagina- tions been filled of late with thoughts of castles, knights, and armour. It is probably the last we shall see on the Rhine; and it serves admirably as an illustration of all the others. The ingenious antiquary has shown us at a glance, better than many volumes could have taught, what was the former as- pect of the rest. I owe the pleasure of seeing this curious, hieroglyphic commentary on the manners of the olden times, to the con- descension of her Royal Highness the Landgravine of Hesse Homburg, who had the kindness to tell me that I must not pass the Rhine without a visit to it. Her Royal^ Highness also told me, that festivals have been held there by the Prince, at which the banquet was surrounded with guests clad, with all possible historic fidelity, in the fashion of the sixteenth century. Our fancy balls are sometimes very pretty things; but, could an entertainment be given where the whole scene, as well as the guests, should tell thus learnedly of distant lands, or of distant times, it would approach very delight- fully to enchantment. We again passed an hour or two at Bacharach, on our return, this gave us an opportunity of seeing something more of this The delicate, Gothic arches of St. Werner's fairy chapel had captivated the fancy of Mr. H., and he wished to sketch it; very singular place. The old berg of Staleck stands aloft, as a look-out and ci- tadel; but no corner of the town itself is without a three- sided tower of defence. There are not less than twelve of 'these, placed at intervals along the walls which surround the town. At Oberwesel, besides the beautiful white tower, which stands with such picturesque effect at the water's edge, and which is considered one of the finest objects on the river, there are fifteen of these same oddly constructed pre- parations for defence. It requires more learning than I pos- sess, to discover the mode in which they could have availed the besieged. The state of the country must have been fear- fully insecure, when it was thus needful that every little village should be protected by a wall completely surrounding it, and 264 BELGIUM AND flanked by towers, from whence all comers might be chal- lenged. If the human race has learnt nothing else in its progress^ it has at least discovered how to live without being in eternal dread of destruction and plunder. Bacharach is famous for its wine trade, and every part of the town now rang with the sound of the cooper's hammer; the whole population being actively engaged in preparing their casks for the approaching vintage. We scrambled up into the vineyards, on the side of a hill, divided from the beautiful ruin of St. Werner by a very narrow valley, through which runs a stream watering the little town. The grapes were beginning to be delicious, and we ventured to refresh our- selves with a few of them. The vigneron was near, and made no difficulty of accepting a pecuniary apology for the liberty we had taken. The sketch finished, we returned to the town, where our coachman appeared to be rather impatiently wait- ing for us; and vve went back to a very late dinner at St. Goar. As soon as this repast was over, our civil landlord made his appearance, w^ith a message from one of the legal authorities of the place, signifying his wish to see the two gentlemen at his bureau. The mandate somewhat startled us; and as the hour was so late, the visit was postponed to the morrow. Immediately after breakfast they waited upon this official personage, who informed them that the conduct of Caspar Melchior had been reported to him; and that, having prepared 2. proces-verbal of the affair, upon the state- ment of the boatman, he wished to read it to them; and, if they found it correct, to request their signature. The boatman and his boy were both present; and the statement being duly read, and fully interpreted to all parties, their signatures were affixed to it, and the functionary dis- missed them; with the assurance that the document should immediately cross the river to Nassau, where a magistrate, residing at St. Goershausen, would use means to have the offender taken into custody before night. We afterwards heard that this had been done, and that he was to be tried for extortion and violence, the sen- tence for which would be some weeks' imprisonment. This he most assuredly deserved ; but it is probable that the man's previous character had sharpened the ears of justice WESTERN GERMANY. 267 often suggested the idea of aerial music. I heard this con- stantly every night; and am almost ashamed to confess the thrilling effect it produced. The sober truth is, that, such a sufficient knowledge of music, as enables them to play on some instrument or other, is universal among the peasants of Germany. And we need not, therefore, have recourse to any supernatural agency, to account for the fiict, that music is often heard amongst them where it might be least expected. The boors of Germany have been represented, both by pen and pencil, as a coarse, rude, heavy race; but I suspect, that the glance, which sufficed to make this portrait, had little acuteness in it. Poor and laborious they are, and must be. Their mines lie deep in the earth — their vine- yards hang on beetling rocks ; — and the richness of the valley must be scattered over many a barren upland, or the Wide- spread race would perish. But this brings no degradation with it ; — nor can the active youth and vigorous age of their females deserve the scorn they have met; though strength, instead of softness of limb, be the result. The Gerrtian pea- sant girl, cultivating her rich flower-bed, and singing the de- licious strains of her country with taste and feeling, — accom- panied, perhaps, in both, by her lover, — certainly offers as refined a picture of rural life as we can hope to find any- where, beyond the bounds of Arcadia. And should a tinc- ture of superstition be added to this, and the wildness of nature give birth to some wildness of fancy, I suspect the tone of moral feeling is rather raised than lowered by it. Another pleasure, which I enjoyed from my window at 'St. Goar, was watching the wine-dressers upon the hill op- posite. This steep and rugged height is covered with little patches of vines, divided from each other by masses of rock, and approachable only by the race who are native there. It is startling, before the spectacle has become familiar, to see the women clinging to the crags, and picking the leaves from the vines; which is done for the double purpose of admitting a sufficient portion of sun to the fruit, and of feed- ing the cows upon the leaves. I have watched these women, perched three hundred feet 268 BELGIUM AND above the river, with a sheer precipice before them ; yet there they stood, without a thought of danger, picking a dozen leaves from half a dozen plants — for the plots often hold no more ; — and to this plot, and to a few others, as dangerous in position and as scanty in produce, it is half the business of their lives to climb ; sometimes with the manure which they carry up these rugged precipices in baskets, sup- ported on the head ; sometimes to prune the vines, some- times to pluck their leaves ; and at last, to gather their small, but precious produce. Excepting what is produced on the one farm of Johannis- berg, the wine produced on the rocks in this neighbourhood, and from thence called Stein, or rock wine, is among the finest that the Rhine produces ; and, for this reason, the la- bour bestowed on the vineyard is unsparing, and almost in- cessant. Nor is the labour of cultivation the only expense incurred; for the crumbling soil, in which the vines grow, can only be preserved from falling by terrace walls; which, at different points, and unequal distances, are continued up to the very top of the rocks. WESTERN GERMANY. 273 comfort; but, unfortunately., the greater part of the distance was passed over in the night ; and, judging of the country we did not see by that which we did, our loss was much greater than the time we saved could atone for. The even- ing light served to show us Vilbal, and all the pretty scenery round it ; but after this, and watching the sun as he set glo- riously behind the Taunus hills, we had nothing but moon- light glimpses of the fine country we were passing. Even this, however, was enough to show that the long, broad street of Friedelberg, on the summit of a lofty hill, must be strikingly picturesque; and that the descent from it, upon a perfectly new country, would have well repaid the loss of a day to see. Vv'e breakfasted at Marberg; and, finding the coffee of the w^orst possible fabric, we armed ourselves each with a roll, and found time enough just to take a most tantalizing, dis- tant peep at the castle on the hill above it. — Such a castle! and in Westphalia too! — The very centre of all that is most mysterious in history, and most exciting in romance. But there stood the diligence, with horses all ready, and the horn of the conductor at his mouth! — and there stood I, inwardly vowing that I would never again chain myself in the same manner. For many miles, after leaving Marberg, its castle continues in sight, and, with the hill on which it stands, forms a magnificent object. The country, between this town and Cassel, is a succes- sion of finely-wooded hills, and well-watered plains ; which, when we passed them, had just yielded their abundant har- vest. — The chestnut, beech, and mountain-ash, grow here with uncommon luxuriance — the villages are frequent — the costume is singular and picturesque — and the whole scenery interesting in no common degree. We reached Cassel at six, having been twenty-four hours en route : — and, but for the impossibility of lingering by the way, when and where we wished, I should say that I had never made a journey of the same length with so little fatigue. Cassel is surprisingly beautiful. I had heard much of its fine position, and the splendour of its terrace, its cii-cus, and Platz Frederick; but I expected nothing equal to what I found: — and, as I despair of ever acquiring that last finish of 35 274 BELGIUM AND an accomplished traveller, the nil admirari^ — so general in these latter days, — I will honestly confess that its beauty and magnificence delighted me. The finest part of the town stretches along the brow of a steep hill, the longest level of which is laid out as a public garden, through which drives and walks are cut, with great taste and skill. At the bottom of this hill runs the river Foulde; — and close upon its oppo- site bank is the palace of the ci-devant King Jerome. The interior has been completely destroyed by fire; but the out- ward walls are sufficiently entire to render it a beautiful ob- ject. A rich, but narrow tract of land surrounds this palace; and beyond it rises the finest amphitheatre of hills I remember to have seen. The celebrated Platz Frederick is a square of enormous dimensions. Three sides of it are occupied by handsome buildings; — the Elector^s palace being one ; — and the fourth opens upon the public garden and the distant hill above, by a noble gateway ; through which, and the lofty iron railing on either side of it, the whole magnificent view is seen from every part of the square. This presents, beyond all comparison, a more splendid coup d'^ceil than any city I have yet seen can boast. On descending to the palace, its dismal and dilapidated slate is immediately perceptible. All that remains of its former elegance is the esplanade — still filled with superb orange-trees, — and the marble bath, which is said to be unequalled for the beauty and magnificence of its decorations. This building consists of one large marble chamber, adorned with twelve statues of excellent workman- ship, and many fine alto-relievosr-^the whole, I believe, from the hand of Stephen Monnot. In the centre is a swimming- bath, of most royal dimensions. We were told that Napoleon had bathed there, and that Jerome used it constantly. '' How- ever," continued our guide, with inimitable gravity, " the statement which you have doubtless heard, that his majesty used wine, instead of water, for his bath, is not at all cor- rect. — King Jerome constantly bathed in pure water." I know not how it happens that things, which, upon a reasonable valuation, appear equal in splendour, and, to the eye of sober criticism, equal also in grace, should produce upon the fancy effects comparatively different. Delicate as are the sculptures of this bath, it is easy to recall many, in- comparably superior; — and yet the idea of that high and WESTERN GERMANY. 275 graceful chamber, its delicious coolness, and visions of the fair marble people, who seem so fitly to inhabit there, will, I think, rest upon my memory, when nobler works shall be forgotten. In the afternoon we drove to Wilhelmshohe, the principal residence of the Elector of Hesse. It is at present inhabited by his son and heir apparent; to whom he had resigned the government of his dominions, as well as his palace.* We had been constantly told by all Germans, to whom we had mentioned our intended route, that we should see, in this palace and its wonderful gardens, the most perfect speci- men of a royal residence in the world ; and, if I had never seen Windsor, I could readily believe that it is so. The build- ing, however, magnificent as it is, is a mere toy to Versailles, in point of extent; — but it is furnished as if Aladdin's lamp and ring had been the upholsterers; — and it stands on a ter- race equal in beauty, and superior in extent of view, to that of St. Germain. Yet, still, Windsor is as far superior to it, as the dominions of Great Britain are to those of Hesse Cas- sel. The gardens, however, which spread behind it, gradu- ally rising to the summit of one of the highest ridges in Westphalia, are, I truly believe, unique in beauty and mag- nificence. It is strange enough, that, when garden ground is laid out in some conformity with our ideas of natural beauty, it is still, even in Germany, called an "English garden." But this style of decoration is there found on so much larger and bolder a scale than with us, that it appears to me the epithet ought to be changed ; and, wherever groves take place of parterres, and forest paths of neatly edged gravel walks, it should be ca\\c6, par excellence, a German garden. At Wil- helmshohe, however, these are not the only features that dis- tinguish the princely pleasure grounds from those of ordi- nar}?^ mortals. There are buildings, which I suppose answer to our humble root houses and rustic temples, but vvhich might themselves serve as palaces. And there is an aqueduct, erected for the purpose of conveying a mountain stream to * The circumstance which led to this resignation, seem still to be a fa- vourite subject of gossip throughout Germany; but as they appear to be quite of a private nature, I shall not take the liberty of repeating them. 276 BELGIUM AND form a sheet of water behind the palace, which rivals, in the loftiness of its magnificent arches, any of the finest structures of a similar kind, in the world. To our great regret, we found the famous Opera of Cassel closed; and we were told that it was not likely to be soon opened again. While it continues shut, the attraction of the city, as a residence, must be considerably lessened. Cassel has, still, however, many other recommendations. Ail the necessaries and luxuries of the table are in abundance and perfection, and at a very moderate price. The country is beautiful and rich in every species of interest; and it is not its least recommendation, as a residence, that the laws are so faithfully administered as to render the security of property greater in Cassel than in almost any other city in the world. No one thinks of using locks or bolts ; and any extortionate demand, or attempt at dishonest dealing of any kind, is sup- pressed in the most prompt and efi'ectual manner, on appli- cation to the police. This, too, is an absolute, arbitrary government, of which the sovereign is by no means popular ; — and yet, any one, who will take the trouble honestly to inform himself of the general feeling among the people, re- specting the political state of the country, will find its insti- tutions proudly boasted of, and their beneficial effects warmly acknowledged. Whenever I have been favoured in society, by the communication of information, or the expression of individual opinion, I have cautiously avoided alluding to it, while writing of the place where it was received; lest any- thing approaching to the impertinence of personal allusion should be suspected; — but, while carefully avoiding this, I may safely venture to state, generally, the result of all the information I have gathered. I have no business with the righteousness of the feeling, arise w^here it may; but the truth is, that, in many places, where nothing like discontent exists towards the present rulers, the ambition of being some day annexed to Prussia may very easily be discovered. It is not, however, by agi- tators or demagogues that this feeling is expressed. On the contrary, — it appears to result from that wish for a substan- tial, secure, and unvacillating government, which a philoso- phical contemplation of the present state of Europe has ge- nerated throughout the whole of Germany. WESTERN GERMANY. 277 Where the smaller states have granted constitutions, and undermined the foundations of authority, by signing trum- pery charters concocted by a reckless set of noisy orators, the consequences have been uniformly injurious to the pros- perity of the people. Yet some, who had a prophetic con- viction that so it would be, have nevertheless yielded before the cuckoo cry for reform. This it is, which has turned the eyes of many towards Prussia. She, tranquilly firm in her just, undeviating policy stands like a tower of strength amidst the wavering, tot- tering politics of some of her neighbours. It may be objected, -to any opinion I may give as to the political feeling of Germany, that it is not in the course of a summer's tour, any important information on such a sub- ject can be obtained. Certainly, upon such an occasion, no information which does not lie upon the surface can be hoped for. Truth, however, is not the less truth, because it is ob- vious : — and it is not in stating what may be seen by all, that misrepresentation is most likely to occur. But, after confessing that my means of judging are such only as are open to every one, I venture to repeat, that a revolutionary spirit is not prevalent in any part of the coun- try through which I have travelled. That "• such a spirit is abroad,'^ to use the fashionable phrase, is most certain ; — and so is a spirit of drunkenness, and a spirit of gambling, and a spirit of robbing, and that in mor^icountries than one ; — yet it would hardly be fair to state that either of these spirits were about to rule the destinies of any land. I heard much ridicule from various classes, — and, decid- edly, not the least pointed from among the lower orders, — against the political enterprises and revolutionary snappings, which are continually exploding with the bustle and efi'ect of a cracker. The tone in which even our reform proceed- ings are canvassed, approaches sometimes very saucily to- wards quizzing. Nevertheless, the Germans are far from paying us in kind for the prophecies so often put forth in our journals, of their threatened insurrections ; for I continually heard it repeated, with great emphasis, that " England was not a country to be overthrown by the cabals of a 7nob.^^ 278 BELGIUM AND On leaving Cassel we engaged a carriage to take us through the Harz country, — (with the understanding that we were to pause when and where we chose,) — and then to proceed with us to Hanover ; on the very equitable condition that every additional day, beyond the time necessary for the ex- pedition, should be paid for at the same as if we were tra- velling. The scheme answered perfectly ; and to those who travel for pleasure, and not for business, it is unquestionably the most agreeable that can be adopted. We crossed the Foulde on leaving Cassel ; and our road continued near the stream, though we had to mount and de- scend some magnificent hills by its side. The scenery the whole way from Cassel to Miinden is beautiful. At the latter place we stopped for breakfast ; and while it was pre- paring we walked through the lovely meadows on the banks of the river. The Foulde joins the Werra at this place; — both here lose their name in that of the Weser ; — and the wild narrow little valley, through which they run before their confluence, is one of the prettiest spots imaginable. The first thing which caught my eye, on entering Miin- den, was the arms of England over the Post-office ; — by which we perceived that we were in the kingdom of Han- over. For some time, after we had left this curious old town, and its massive fortifications, falling into reluctant de- cay, the road continiied to be very beautiful, passing through a narrow valley close by the side of one of the brightest streams in the world. We afterwards mounted to a region of bare hills, and from this point to Gottingen there is little either of beauty or interest. Had not the Harz been before us, we should have seen more of this celebrated University ; but one professor, to whom we had an introduction, was out of town, and ano- ther was at a great distance from our hotel ; so we deter- mined to see all we could that evening, and not risk losing the lovely weather, which still followed us, by staying ano- ther day. The old fortifications round the town have been turned into public walks, and by following these we obtained a good general view of the town; which has, however, no beauty, either of situation or architecture, though some of the old WESTERN GERMANY. 279 towers are curious and venerable. The buildings of the University appear by no means splendid ; and, such as they are, would be shown to greater advantage were they more separated from the town, which presses round them in every direction. The University library is preserved in a part of the old church, and we made some efforts to see it: but the lateness of the hour prevented our success. The moon was nearly at the full, and lengthened out the hours of light for us very pleasantly : — by her help we saw nearly every part of the city. Though I had here no opportunity of obtaining the in- formation I wished for, respecting this University, I had afterwards the good fortune of receiving, from a distinguish- ed friend at Hanover, very satisfactory details, not only re- specting Gottingen, but on the subject of education through- out Germany in general, and the kingdom of Hanover in particular. From the statements of this gentleman, which are of un- questionable authority, it appears that the number of profes- sors and teachers, in every part of the country, is much larger, in proportion to the population, than it is with us. In Hanover they have one University (Gottingen), with fifty professors, and forty private teachers ; — sixteen public schools of the first rank, in which 135 teachers are employ- ed ; — fourteen public schools of the second rank, with sixty- four teachers ; — and about 350 elementary schools. Out of 900 students residing at Gottingen, about 600 are Hanove- rians. At the public schools of the first order there are 2,200 pupils ; — at those of the second class, 2,100; — and at the elementary schools, 215,000. As the population of the kingdom of Hanover is only about 1,600,000, it is evident that the business of education is carried on there on a much more extended scale than in England, Ireland, or even in Scotland. Some judgment may be formed as to what ranks chiefly furnish students to the Universities of Germany, by the fol- lowing statement respecting Gottingen. In the year 1831, 135 young men commenced their academic studies there. Fifty-nine of these were the sons of gentlemen employed' in public administration, and of lawyers, physicians, and other learned men; six were the sons of officers; five of landed 280 BELGIUM AND proprietors; thirty-nine of tradesmen; and nineteen the sons of peasants or artisans. The idea, so prevalent everywhere, of the relaxed disci- pline of the German Universities, accords so ill with the equally general belief that the scholars they send out stand pre-eminently high, that I asked my friend to solve this pro- blem for me. This, I think, he has done satisfactorily, by referring simply to the rigorous examinations required be- fore any man can enter upon public life as a magistrate, pro- fessor, advocate, physician, &c. It clearly appears from the rank of the students, as stated in the account of the matricu- lations at Gottingen in 1831, that few among them are placed by fortune above the necessity of passing these all-impor- tant examinations well : and, where this is the case with the great majority, it is not surprising that even the wildest spirits should require no very rigorous discipline, in order to keep the one thing needful ever in view; nor that the love of frolic, however vehement, should fail to induce them to forget it. The Harz mountains become visible in the east a few miles after leaving Gottingen ; and, were it not for this, the landscape would have no great charm. We breakfasted at Nordheim, vv^here marks of a recent conflagration were pain- fully evident. And the movement and stir about the build- ings, which were beginning to rise from the ashes, were like the bustle in an ant's nest, after injury by some rude blov/. At this place w^e left the high road which leads from Francfort to Hombourg, through Cassel, Gottingen, and Hanover, and which may be called the great north road of Western Germany. We turned aside in order to pass through that renowned region of romance called the Harz ; and, above all, to visit the Brocken, universally ac- knowledged to be the scene of the wildest and most poetical superstitions of Germany. Almost immediately after leaving Nordheim the country begins to assume a more interesting character ; and the lit- tle village of Catlenbourg is one of those rare spots where every object seems placed on purpose to give pleasure to the ieye. From thence we proceeded to Osterode, the first WESTERN GERMANY. . 285 It was very late before we reached Goslar; and here again the moon played us strange tricks. This place, by any light, presents a most strange, grotesque collection of architecturalantiquities; and by that of the moon, the "al- ternate ebon and ivory" took strange forms indeed. Goslar, the capital of the Harz, was once a city of much importance, and has more conspicuous traces of high anti- quity, in every part of it, than any town I have seen. It is of considerable extent, and our tired horses dragged the car- riage so slowly along the principal street, that I began to think some of the mystical powers of the region were at work, and that we were driving in a circle. At length, to my inexpressible joy, we stopped; and, to my equal sur- prise and delight, I found we had got to a most comfortable hotel, with an exquisite French waiter, and all appliances and means for welcome refreshment after our long day's journey.- We went to bed, however, with a good deal of anx- iety upon our spirits. The Brocken was within fifteen miles of us ; and to mount, or not to mount, was the ques- tion. We had been told by many, and particularly by our friend the hunter, that, if the weather were unfavourable, we should find the ascent a most fatiguing labour, and utterly fruitless: as, nine times out of ten, the top of the mountain is so enveloped in clouds as to veil every ob- ject below in impenetrable mist. Yet, still we held our purpose, and every arrangement was made for the expe- dition; though we were all aware that, in case a positively rainy day should rise upon us, we must in common prudence give it up. Our good star, how^ever, still prevailed. The morning was not bright, but it was dry; and a brisk wind gave us hope that the remaining clouds might all be so completely blown off, before evening, as to permit our seeing the sun set brilliantly from the Witches' Orchestra. We started for Ilsingbourg at half-past five. It is from this village that the most interesting ascent of the mountain is made ; but it is also the most difficult. This, however, we did not learn till afterwards; and I know not how to regret the ignorance which led us to take this route; for the 286 . BELGIUM AND additional fatigue is of small importance, when compared to the pleasure it gave us. The road immediately after leaving Goslar, is very good; — being kept in repair for the sake of an important silver mine in the neighbourhood, the ore from which is conveyed to the town ; — but, having passed the mine, nothing beyond a rough, and sometimes indistinct track remained for us. This was not followed without diffi- culty, and something like danger too; however, both were happily overcome, and we arrived at the "Red Trout" at Ilsingbourg, in safety. A few miles from Goslar, we passed into the territory of Brunswick; and not long after into that of Prussia, where, on an open heath, and far from any habi- tation, we were stopped and closely inspected by two very strange-looking figures, who, however, declared themselves officers of the Prussian douane. If they really were so, I can only say that they were totally unlike, both in dress and demeanour, any officials of that country which we had before seen. Fortunatel}^, we had nothing to provoke a legal seizure, or to tempt an illegal one ; and the two rugged asserters of office departed, having examined, as I fancied, the strength of our party, as accurately as the contents of the carriage. Ilsingbourg is a wild-looking village, situated at the en- trance of a narrow gorge; through which dashes a mountain torrent, having there found its way from a spring amidst the mountains. I never saw^ an inhabited spot more fitted to be the scene of some dark deed, " done in the eclipse," than this Ilsingbourg. A barren waste leads to it ; a hundred hills, covered with tangled forests, fence it round ; and, high above their heads, rises the giant Brocken, amidst whose deep covers, superstition has been cradled for ages. We were shown into a long dark room at the '^ Red Trout," so filled with tobacco-smoke that it was a pain to breathe; and the countenances, seen through the vapour, were melo-dramatic in the extreme. As for the landlord himself, he looked exactly as if he could not order his ostler to saddle a mule, or signify to his hollow-eyed yraz/, the necessity for a fresh supply of schnaps, without raising the flap of his cloak to conceal his face, and muttering under his breath, " Feignons de feindre, afin de mieux dissimuler." In short, the place was a most fitting entrance to the forest WESTERN GERMANYo 287 of the Brocken: — and, as we received the promise of " three mules and a trusty guide," to mount its bold summit, I felt a half real, half make-believe sort of shudder, at recollecting how extremely easy it would be to rob and murder us en route^ without any one ever hearing a word about it. These sublime forebodings, however, did not prevent my feeling conscious that I had eaten no breakfast, and much bustling activity was produced by our demand for eggs and coffee: but, v/hen I saw that part of this was directed to the removal of one or two idle pipes, which lay upon the table, and understood, thereby, that it was intended we should eat among the mining and charcoal-burning party, who sat smoking round it, I Braved all my terrors of the conspirator- like landlord, and boldly demanded another zwimer. I was sturdily told there was none other in ^Mhe Trout," and a very ominous scowl passed across his brow as he said it. At this critical moment my mother-wit came to my assistance. I had remarked, as I entered, that there was behind the house a garden, which, albeit all else about it was rude and cheerless, had the true German abundance of flowers. I felt sure, as I remembered this, that I had the key to his heart, as certainly as if one of his witch neighbours had given it to me. I praised his garden; — and asked leave to eat my breakfast in front of a prodigious bed of gilly-flowers. Upon this, his frown melted into a smile; he darted off, beck- oning me to follow him, and, in less than ten minutes, the best breakfast the house could furnish was spread in the open air. It is true that this air, which whistled down the valley upon us, bit shrewdly: — but, had it bit us to death, it would have been preferable to being stifled in the heavy vapour of tobacco. 288 BELaiXTM ANP CHAPTER XX. Ascent of the Brocken — Charcoal-clearing's — Iron Cross — Confusion of Rocks — Desolation — Top of the Mountain — Brocken-House — Witches' Orchestra — Devil's Pulpit — Witches' Dog-stone — Sunset — Night Storm ■ — Morning Clouds— Effect of the Wind — Descent from the Brocken— Eeturn to Goslar. At eleven o'clock the three mules were led to the garden- gate ; and I looked in the face of our guide to see what might be there threatened or promised. If eyes be the windows of the soul, through which its movements become visible^ this poor man afibrded but half the usual chance of discover- ing what was passing internally,— for he had but one. — The expression of his other features, however, was in no degree lessened by this misfortune: and if a kind and gentle nature could ever be unmistakenly read on any countenance, it was on his. The little village was soon passed; and we reached a green common, on which lay a great quantity of felled timber, in various stages of the process of sawing, and that of barking. The work-sheds are sheltered by many beautiful beech trees; and a broad, bright stream runs gaily among them. The road, which for the first two miles rises very gently, has been well rolled by the charcoal-carts; and, for that distance, a carriage might go with ease and safety. The same stream, which we saw on leaving the town, continues close beside the road, long after the ascent has ceased to be thus gentle ; and it gradually changes the character in which, as a quiet rivulet, it had refreshed the village common, into that of a dashing, bounding, rock-defying torrent. As this changed, so did the whole scenery change with it. The soft turf faded, withered, and was lost amidst rude blocks of granite, — some- times tangled over with moss and lichen, and sometimes dry and bare, as if just thrown from the crater of a volcano. As we toiled upwards, these increased in size; — the bright, gay green of the beech entirely disappeared; — and pines, dark, tall, and cheerless, encompassed us on every side. A more WESTERN GERMANY. 291 If I could have spoken at all, I should have exclaimed with the Bruce— *' A scene so rude, so wild as this. Yet so sublime in barrenness Did ne'er my wondering footsteps press.'* By degrees the trees ceased altogether: the mosses and, lichen apparenily ceased with them; and a monstrous ex- panse, entirely covered by detached, bare, dry, sun-whitened rocks, stretched upwards and all round. It was a desert at which an Arab might tremble. The idea that I had Still to sit upon my weary mule amongst, and over, these steep, smooth crags, made me shudder. It seemed to be the exact spot which fiends would choose where- in to keep their holiday; and I almost expected to hear imp- ish laughter from behind some of the stones, or out of the hollows between them, through which dark, brackish streams were heard, and occasionally seen, trickling down the moun- tain. The scaling this hideous precipice was the most tremen- dous part of the expedition ; and, by far, the most difficult feat I ever achieved. My saddle was furnished with a strong handle before, and another behind; and, by dint of hold- ing against the latter, and pulling myself up by means of the former, 1 contrived to keep myself on the poor creature's back ; but it was painful to feel the strong working of her muscles. Having mastered this most arid and desolate por- tion of the mountain, we again reached symptoms of vegeta- tion. Whortleberries, moss, and a twisted growth of dwarf pines, covered its rugged side. Here again the guide stop- ,ped, and bade us turn and look below; — but what combina- tion of words can convey an idea of all which that look showed us ? First came the rocky desert, — next a wavy sea of unnumbered forest-covered hills, in every, shade from black to gray, as the capricious clouds swept over them — then came the wide-spread world below, bright in unmiti- gated sunshine, with here and there a small speck that might be a beacon, tower, or village church; but all so blended in one flood of light, that, contrasted with the dark forest en- closing us, it seemed almost like an opening of the bright and sunny heavens, rather than any view of earth. 292 BELGIUM AND Terror, weakness, weariness, all vanished at this spectacle; and, when our kind-natared guide nodded an encouraging assurance, that " Brocken would be good for us this night," we turned our heads again towards the lofty summit with- renovated strength and unshrinking spirits. Without the renewed energy, which this sight and these w^ords had given me, I really doubt wiiether I should have reached the top at all ; for every step became steeper and more difficult; and, as I recall it, I still wonder how it was that I continued able to cling to the powerful little animal, as it strained on from rock to rock up the last painful mile. But at last the deed was done, and we stood triumphant on the summit of the mountain. I have heard it said that the pleasure, produced by visit- ing any celebrated object, is lessened in exact proportion to all the eloquence we have listened to concerning it. Had I, however, been wholly unversed in German romance, — had I never seen Der Freischutz, or never read Faust, — I should not have felt all the satisfaction I did on this occasion: — and it must have been great, for it enabled me to meet, not only with patient endurance, but with a feeling of extreme enjoy- ment, the blast of wind which assailed us the instant we reached the narrow platform finishing the monstrous cone. The guide held me on the saddle, till he had led the mule under the shelter of the solitary Gast-Haus, and then placed me on my feet; congratulating me with hearty good-will, on my safe arrival. This building is constructed in a manner that shows, at a glance, what it has to endure. The granite walls are six feet thick, and the small windows are set even with the internal surface; so that, before each of them there is a deep, square embrasure. On entering the house we found ourselves in total dark- ness. A passage runs through the whole length of the build- ing, and exactly divides it, — several doors open into the passage from the chambers on each side. When any of the doors are open, a gleam of light reaches this cavern-like pas- sage; but when this is not the case, no dungeon can be darker. We groped our way along, neither knowing where to go, nor how, till an old woman from the kitchen came to our WESTERN GERMANY. 293 assistance, and led me by the hand to her small, but most warm and welcome domain. The chillness of the atmosphere, which we found upon reaching this unsheltered pinnacle, made our teeth chatter and our limbs shake; and the old woman told us that every- body took hrandwein and hot water as soon as they arrived. To this we made no sort of objection; and having thus strengthened our nerves, and ordered dinner, we again left the friendly shelter, to battle with the strongest wind I was ever exposed to. Our guide, who had shared our potation, accompanied us. He led us first to a magnificent congeries of granite fragments, which seemed to have pierced through the surface, and darted up twenty feet towards the clouds. Wild and whimsical are the forms in which these masses are grouped ; and here it is that the witches of the Brocken assemble, to perform their unhallowed serenades. They neither play impromptu, nor from memory; or numerous rocks are pointed out, which serve them for music-desks, and the pile is therefore called " The Witches' Orchestra." High in the midst a single stone rises above the rest, of course for the leader of the band ; it is named " The Devil's Pulpit." To this Henry scrambled up; but his ambition very nearly cost, him an overthrow, for it was with the greatest difficulty he could keep his footing. To stand up- right was quite out of the question, and he described the sen- sation, which the wind produced at this elevated spot, to be exactly like one strong, long, uninterrupted box on the ear. And a box on the ear it undoubtedly was, — a not unfitting reprimand for his audacious intrusion. From " The Witches' Orchestra" we proceeded, shiver- ing and gasping for breath, to a very singular little lake, 'called " The Hexensee, or Witches^ Lake." This has been much larger wathin the memory of man ; it is now but a few yards across, but is said to be of vast depth — no man, accord- ing to our experienced guide, having ever found a line that could reach the bottom. On the other side of the Orchestra, bubbles forth the clearest and sweetest water in the world : — but even this, pure as it looks, is also the property of the same unearthly hags, and is only known by the name of '^ The Witches' Spring ;" — moreover, it is said to be strongly influenced by their wicked will ; and though never perfectly 294 BELGIUM AND dry, it rises and falls in a manner most supernaturally capri- cious. As we followed our guide, to these several mystical points, he stopped us from time to time, to harangue upon some of the botanical peculiarities of the mountain. Iceland moss grows there in great abundance, and the Alpine anemone was in the fullest bloom ; though it is a wonder how its delicate flowers can open before such piercing gales. The plant must certainly be under the espe- cial protection of the weird sovereigns of the place. — Near the door of theGast-Haus, is another monument of their un- lawful power; — a large fragment of rock stands there, having a deep natural cavity in it. This is denominated ^' The Witches' Dog Stone;" and let the weather be what it may, this cavily is never without water — in vain has it been care- fully emptied by well-disposed Christians, — nay, rubbed till no particle of moisture could be discerned, but ere the daring hand had ceased its office, drops of cold perspiration were seen oozing from the solid rock, and again the witches' dog might slake his thirst therein. All these marvellous things are on the mountain's top — and it is easy enough to recount that I saw them — but how am I to tell of what met our eyes below? How venture to describe a scene which, when it was before me, seemed too vast for my senses to comprehend? It is safest not to at- tempt it. When we spoke to the old woman of the Brocken- House, who, if she be a witch, is a most benign one, and to a certain fair Sophia, her handmaid, concerning the matter of dinner, they both modestly hinted, that nothing strictly deserving that appellation could be obtained within their dominions; adding, however, that the best they had should be at our service. As it certainly appeared more extraordinary that there should be any dinner at all for un- expected guests, on such a spot, than that it should not be sumptuous, we readily promised to be thankful for whatever they set before us. It had cost us three hours and eleven minutes, with very good mules, to get from the bottom of the mountain to the top: and how it could answer to these poor people to drag up provisions, and furnish them at the moderate prices they mentioned, was perfectly incon- ceivable. The mystery, however, was explained when WESTERN GERMANY. 295 we were informed that the Prussian Government, learning that much extortion had been practised upon those who had unwarily taken shelter in the miserable hut, which a few years ago was the only dwelling here', immediately reme- died the evil by taking the establishment into its own hands. The present building was erected by its care, substantially and scientifically: and, during the summer, a person is ap- pointed to keep the house open for all comers, and to furnish good but simple viands, wine, and spirits, at regu- lated prices; which appeared to us to be rather less than what we generally met with in the world belovv. After making the