Young Americans Abroad

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DEAR CHARLEY:--

We had no more pleasant day in our excursion than from Cologne to
Coblentz. It would be long before I grew tired of the scenery at that
fine old place. We walked about, in the evening, with our New York
friends; and, though some parts of Coblentz are very filthy, there are
some exquisite plots in it, and all the vicinage is beautiful. We took a
pleasant stroll to the bridge which spans the blue Moselle with fourteen
arches. The city stands on a point of land formed by the two rivers, and
hence was known to the Romans by the name of _Confluentes_. Drusus
fortified this place and Ehrenbreitstein thirteen years before Christ.
Its population is short of twenty thousand; but there are also four
thousand five hundred Prussian troops at the fortress. This is one of
the strongest military posts in Europe. Its fortifications have been the
labor of long years; and the works here, united with those across the
river, are deemed impregnable. I believe Ehrenbreitstein is called the
Gibraltar of Germany. It mounts four hundred cannon, and the magazines
will contain provisions for eight thousand men for ten years. The former
Electoral Palace is now the Government House, and presents a very noble
appearance from the river. It is either stone, or stuccoed, with an
Ionic portico; and, with its wings, is five hundred and forty feet
front. All round this city, the heights are strongly fortified; and,
look where you may, you see means of defence.

We here determined upon an excursion to Stolzenfels, which is about four
miles from Coblentz, and our party went in two carriages--the family of
Mr. B. in one, and ourselves in the other. The ride was very pleasant
along the banks of the Rhine, and through orchards and vineyards--the
heights towering away over us all the way. We came to the village of
Capellen, which is a poor little hamlet at the base of the lofty
mountain on which stood the noble ruins of Stolzenfels Castle, which has
been most admirably restored, and is now the summer palace of the King
of Prussia. The ascent is very steep, but the road is admirable.
Carriages are not allowed to go up, and travellers are supplied with
donkeys, of which we found plenty in waiting. Our party all obtained
these patient beasts of burden, and I assure you that we made a funny
cavalcade. I do think it would have amused you to see ladies, gentlemen,
and boys, all escorted by ragged urchins, mounting the hill. The road
has been made at immense expense, and winds along in the most romantic
manner--giving you, at every turn, the finest views and catches of the
river, up and down; while the walls are frequently at the edges of
precipices, from fifty to two hundred feet over the ravines below. The
woods were in all their glory, and I never saw a finer day. On arriving
at the castle, we rang a bell, and the servant in livery appeared--a
fine, civil fellow he was. On entering, we were all furnished with felt
slippers, so that, in walking through the apartments, we might not
injure the polished oak floors. This castle was the residence of
Archbishop Werner, who, at the close of the fourteenth century, was
devoted to alchemy. The old tower is an immense affair, and still
remains, and is likely to remain for ages. The new parts of the palace
have all been restored with constant reference to the original
architectural style. We wandered from one apartment to another, perhaps
going into twenty or thirty apartments, none of which were very large,
and many of them quite small and cosy. We saw the bed-room of the king.
Every thing was plain, and the furniture generally made of oak or black
walnut. His study table had pen and ink and paper upon it, just as if
he had stepped out of the room. The queen's apartments were very
elegantly plain, and her oratory is as pretty a little thing as you can
imagine. In all these apartments are fine pictures, and one is superbly
frescoed with allegory and history. The room in which the Queen of
England and Prince Albert lodged, in 1845, was shown us, and the state
bed was still in it. The dining hall was finely ornamented with
carvings, old armor, &c. But a room devoted to antiquities pleased us
the best of all. Here were cups, bottles, and glass goblets of the
earliest dates,--some as far back as the twelfth and thirteenth
centuries,--which had belonged to emperors and electors whom I cannot
recollect, they were so many. On the walls were the most precious
mementoes; and here we saw the swords of Marshal Tilly, Napoleon
Bonaparte,--the one used at Waterloo,--Blucher, and Murat, and the knife
and fork belonging to the brave Hofer, the Tyrolese patriot, who was
shot at Mantua. From all the windows of this gem of a palace we had the
finest views of the river, and could see, from the gateway and platform,
Coblentz, Ehrenbreitstein, and eleven different ruins of castles and
convents. Directly in front of us, on a bend of the river, almost making
a peninsula, was Lahnstein and its ruined castle; off to its right,
Braubach, and the Castle of Marksburg and Martin's Chapel; and, on our
own side, the pretty village of Rheus, where was once "the royal seat,"
and where the electors of the Rhine used to meet, to elect or depose the
emperors of Germany. All round the castle of Stolzenfels are the
choicest flowers and shrubs; and I wish some of my horticultural friends
could have seen the moss roses and fuchias in such luxuriance. We were
sorry to leave the place; but the steamboat on the Rhine is as punctual
as a North River boat; and we had to resume our donkeys, descend to the
carriages, drive briskly, and were just in time to get on board a boat
bound to Mayence. In going up the river, we saw the palace again to
great advantage; and, whatever else I forget, this locality I shall keep
in memory, I assure you. We again looked at Lahnstein, and the ruins of
St. John's Church, built in 1100, and saw a curious ferry, from the
mouth of the Lahn over to Stolzenfels. It is made by five or six boats
anchored off, and the ferry boat goes over, wafted by the tide. We then
came upon Bopart, an old place, but strongly fortified, and having three
or four thousand inhabitants. A gentleman on board, who had been there,
said it was quite an interesting place. Nearly opposite we were
delighted with the ruined towers of the Brothers, as Sternberg and
Liebenstein are called. They occupy the two summits of a rock, every
inch of whose sides is sacred to vines. The story of the brothers who
lived here you are acquainted with. Our next point of interest was the
ruin of Thurnberg, or the Mouse; while not far above is another, called
the Cat. The view here grows more sublime, and the river grows narrower;
and we had a fine prospect of Rheinfels and the town of St. Goar.
Rheinfels grows up from the river's edge, and is, indeed, _the_ rock of
the Rhine. The fortifications were immense, and this is the most
wonderful ruin on the river. A confederacy of German and Rhenish cities
broke up this fortress at the close of the thirteenth century, and long
afterwards it was made a modern defence. Here the river seems pent up,
almost; and just above St. Goar there rises from the water a lofty
precipice, called the Lurley Rock. Nearly opposite, a man lives, who,
when the boat passes, fires a pistol, and a very singular echo follows,
as we can testify. Not far above are seven rocks, seen at low water,
called the Seven Sisters. The legend says that they were hard-hearted
girls,--the Ladies Schonberg,--who trifled with the affections of nice
young men, and so got their deserts by being turned into stones. Still,
at the right, we came to Oberwesel, and we all thought it among the
sweetest spots of the river. Salmon are caught in nets here, from the
rocks. A bend in the river shows us Schonberg, a fine ruin. This was the
family spot whence the Marshal Schomberg, of the Boyne, originated. Just
over the river is the noble Gutenfels. It was spared by the French, and
occupied till 1807, but is now roofless. Caub, on the left, is the place
where Marshal Blucher crossed the river with his army, January 1, 1814.
In the centre of the river is a castle called Pfalz, built about 1320,
which was used as a toll-house by the Duke of Nassau. I think it has
been used as a state prison. On our right lies Bacharach, with its many
towers, and the fine old ruins of Stahleck Castle. Off this place is a
large rock, the Altar of Bacchus; and when the rock is exposed, it is
thought to be the pledge of a good vintage. The region is celebrated for
its wines; and the grapes of the slaty rocks have a highly musky
perfume. A gentleman told me that Bacharach resembles Jerusalem in its
aspect. Of course, it must be in miniature that the resemblance exists.
Here we noticed St. Werner's Church, a most superb ruin of the florid
Gothic. Those lancet-arched windows are the admiration of all who pass
by. Lorchausen is a small place, and just away from it are the ruins of
the Castle of Nollingen. On the other side, or right bank, are the ruins
of the old Keep Tower of Fuerstenberg, destroyed in 1689. Here we enter
on the region where the best Rhenish wine is produced. The Rheingau, or
valley of the river, is divided into upper and lower departments; and
from about Lorch, on the left bank, up to Biberich, are the choicest
vineyards. On our right lay the ruins of Heimberg, and the restored
Castle of Sonneck. Then comes old Falkenberg, and near to it is the
splendid Gothic Church of St. Clement. All these fortresses were the
abodes of wholesale highwaymen, and then might made right. Most of them
became such nuisances that, at the close of the thirteenth century, they
were hurled down, and their places made desolate. Here, too, is
Rheinstein, on the very bank of the river. Its early owner was hanged by
the Emperor Rudolph. One of the Prussian princes has fitted up the
fortress in magnificent style; and I learn that there is no palace in
Europe that can boast of such mediaeval splendor. Every thing that can
serve to illustrate the dark ages is carefully collected for this
charming spot, which seems a rival to Stolzenfels.

Just across, on the opposite bank, is Assmanshausen, famous for hot
baths and red wine. Here you see terrace upon terrace, up to the summits
of the hills; and some of these, the guide books say, are one thousand
or twelve hundred feet. You will often see fifteen or twenty of these
terraces supported by brick and stone fences, and the terrace is often
not more than six feet wide; and the soil and manure have all to be
carried up on the shoulders of the vine-dressers. The value of this
region-arises from its aspect, owing to the bend of the river, which
gives _this left bank, as you ascend_, a direct exposure to the sun at
midday.

The vintage of the Rhine, I am told, is generally gathered in during
October and November, but it is put off as late as possible. Grapes were
introduced here by the Romans.

We now came to Ehrenfels, in its venerable decay, the beautiful tower of
Rosel, and the ruins of Bromseberg; while on our right are the ruins of
Vautsberg, and just beyond we come upon "Bingen of the Rhine," at the
mouth of the Nahe; and close by is the celebrated Mausetherm, or Mouse
Tower, said to have been built by Hatto, the Archbishop of Mayence, in
the tenth century. Southey's fine ballad has immortalized the legend.
Never did town present sweeter aspect than Bingen, at the foot of a
pyramidical hill, which is crowned by the ruined Castle of Klopp. In a
church here lies Bartholomew of Holshausen, who prophesied the fatality
of the Stuarts and Charles II.'s restoration, warning him not to restore
Popery. Bingen has, I think, some five or six thousand inhabitants, and
has a great trade in wine, which is collected here from all the
vineyards around. Rudesheim lies on the other bank, and its famous wine
comes from grapes growing close to Ehrenfels. Next comes Geisenheim,
also famous for wine, and soon comes the renowned village and vineyard
of Johannisberg, or Mountain of St. John. Here the river is wide
again,--perhaps two thousand fire hundred feet,--and we begin to see
fine meadows. This is where Prince Metternich has his seat, where once
was a priory, and various have been its vicissitudes. In 1816, it was
given to Metternich by the Emperor of Austria. The mountain contains
only seventy-five acres, and the choicest wine comes only from vines
growing near the castle, on the crown of the bill. The wine of the
village is very inferior to that of this estate. The place has but few
inhabitants--say five or eight hundred. The house is white, and not very
castle-like. The grape is called the _Riesslingen_.

[Illustration: VINEYARD ON THE RHINE.--Pp. 175.]

Here we found several islands. Erbach and Hattenheim are both famous for
vineyards, and between them grows the famous Marcobruenner; and the
Steinberg vineyard, a fortune to the Duke of Nassau, lies upon a slope
of the hill close to the convent, of Eberbach or Erbach. This convent
was founded in 1131, but is now a lunatic asylum. The churches here are
very fine. Opposite the shore lies Rhine Island, and forms a noble park.
Walluff, with few inhabitants, is regarded as the commencement of the
Rheingau, or wine district, along which we had coasted. Biberich, on the
duchy of Nassau, now comes upon our view; and the noble chateau of the
duke presents one of the finest mansions on the river. Here some of our
passengers left for Frankfort, and took the rail; but we wished to see
Mayence, and so went in the boat. The city looks finely, and its red
towers and steeples make quite a show. This city belongs to the Duke of
Hesse Darmstadt, and is garrisoned by Austrians and Prussians, in equal
force, generally eight or ten thousand. Exclusive of these, the
population is nearly forty thousand. We walked about, and looked at the
fine Cathedral, which was sadly shut up by houses and shanties. It was
too late to enter it. You may be sure, Charley, that we found out the
monument to John Guttemberg, the inventor of movable types. It is of
bronze, and was designed by Thorwaldsen, and stands in front of the
Theatre, once a university. After perambulating the town till weary, we
came to the bridge of boats, sixteen hundred and sixty-six feet long,
and which connects Mayence with Cassel, a strongly fortified place,
where the railroad depot is located. At this bridge are several boat
mills, or tide mills, where grain is ground by the tidal action. They
look strangely, but work well. On the bridge we met many Austrian
officers in rich uniforms, most of them young, and, I thought, very
aristocratical in their bearing. Our dinner on board the boat was as
profuse as the day before; and I must not forget to tell you that we had
an English lordling, son of a former premier, on board, with his lady,
on their matrimonial tour. He was the worst-mannered young man that I
have seen in Europe; and when he had ogled the company sufficiently with
his glass, and manifested his contempt pretty plainly, he and his betook
themselves to the interior of his carriage. He was quite young, and may
grow better behaved. We took the ears at dark, and after riding
twenty-two miles found ourselves at Frankfort, having passed through
Hochheim, where the vineyards are so costly that the railroad company
had to pay well for the passage-way. Here we put up at the Hotel
Angleterre. Forgive this long letter; but I could not well shorten it,
and I want you to know just what we saw.

Always yours,

JAMES.

Letter 42.

STRASBURG.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

James's long letter gave you a pretty correct view of our passage from
Coblentz to Frankfort. You will recollect that we went up the Rhine,
which gave us more time to look about; but I fancy that in going down
stream the shores would show to better advantage, if possible, than in
the ascent. From Coblentz to Mayence the river is narrower than before;
and every rock more precipitous than its neighbor, has a castle. How
some of these towers were built, or could be got at, seems a mystery. I
had no idea of the number of these robbers' nests, for such they were.
Much as I love the Hudson, yet I cannot help saying that the Rhine is
_the_ river of the world, so far as I have seen the watery highways.
Frankfort is one of the free towns of Germany, and lies on the Maine. It
has about sixty-five thousand inhabitants, of whom seven thousand are
Jews. I like the city much, and think a residence here would be very
agreeable. Some of the modern streets are very handsome, and the
dwellings are fine. The old part of the town is old enough. At our hotel
we found a sentinel on guard, in honor of an Austrian general staying at
the house. The house is a capital one, like all the other great hotels
we have yet seen on the continent. We all went to see the Roemer, or Town
Hall, which was built about 1425, and which is quite famous for its
historical associations. Here the German emperors were formerly elected
and inaugurated. We saw the great hall where they were entertained and
had crowned heads for waiters. Here, on its walls, are all the portraits
of the series of emperors from Conrad I. to Francis II., and each
emperor has his motto underneath. Some of these are quaint enough.
Directly in front of this building is the Roemerberg, or Market-place, in
which the carousing incident to coronation used to occur; and it is
large enough to accommodate a vast assembly. We rode along the banks of
the river, to see a pretty little palace belonging to Duke Somebody, and
especially to see the grounds and hothouses. They were exquisitely
beautiful. As we were here upon a holiday of the church, the Museum was
closed, and we lost the sight of some good pictures. We were much
pleased with a visit to the garden of Mr. Bethman, a banker, where we
saw a pretty little collection of statuary, the gem of which is
Dannecker's statue of Ariadne. The building in which these are placed is
neat. We, of course, went to see No. 74 in the Hersch-Graben, where
Goethe was born, in 1749. In the corner house of the Dom Platz, Luther
once dwelt We rode through the Jews' quarters; and, of all the
wretched-looking streets, I think the worst and filthiest is that in
which Baron Rothschild was born. As we passed a Sabbath here, we
attended the English Episcopal Church, a neat building. The service was
well read by the chaplain, and an excellent sermon was preached by a
stranger. After service I spoke to the chaplain, who was quite anxious
to hear about the prospects of Popery in America. He seemed to have very
just views of the system, and anxiously deprecated its influence in our
Country.

We visited many shops, and found the richest collections of curiosities
and antiquities. Here we met with several American friends upon their
tour; and at Frankfort we took leave of our New York friends, whose
kindness and agreeable company we had been favored with for a few days.

We took the rail for Heidelberg, on our way to Strasburg. The whole of
the first few miles was through a very flat-looking country, and our
interest was not called out till we came to Darmstadt, a fine town, with
thirty thousand inhabitants. We saw a tall column, but could not find
out its historical allusion. This is the capital of the grand duchy of
Hesse Darmstadt. In passing through Odenwald, we saw a tract of woody
country; and off to our left we were quite sure that the scenery must be
very beautiful. The hills in the distance form the boundary on the
eastern part of the valley of the Rhine; and the mountain ranges are
richly covered with vineyards and castles all the way, parallel with the
railroad. This beautiful region is called the Bergstrasse, and I am sure
a week or two on these hills would amply repay the pedestrian. It is in
these wild regions of romance that the Castle of Rodenstein is found,
some ten miles from Erbach; and not far from it Castle Schnellert, where
the wild Jager is supposed to live, who haunts the forests and gives
spectral forewarnings of battles. Off to our left there was a constantly
shifting panoramic view of hill top and ruins.

Heidelberg is sweetly situated on the bank of the Neckar--a beautiful
river, and one that I long to trace by its course through wood and hill.
This town is famous for its university and castle. It has about seven
hundred and fifty students. We could only see the castle, and admire its
exterior. The college was founded in 1386, and is very distinguished as
a law school. The library is very large and excellent. The barbarian
Tilly is said to have provided litter for his cavalry from books and
MSS. out of this then magnificent collection. The ruin of this glorious
old castle dates from 1764, when it was burnt by lightning. It is built
of red stone. If I live, I hope to visit this place again, and make a
thorough exploration of this stupendous ruin. It is here, in a cellar,
that the largest wine butt in the world is found, and it will contain
eight hundred hogsheads. It has long been empty, however. I never longed
to follow a river more than I do this same Neckar--it is so clear, and
all my glimpses of it have been so filled up with quiet beauty and wild
scenery. We saw a hill, near the town, which affords the finest view, we
are told, in Germany, and even takes in Strasburg Cathedral spire, which
is quite ninety miles off!

From Heidelberg we again took the cars for Kehl, about four miles from
Strasburg, a distance of nearly ninety miles. The first-class cars are
very luxurious and reasonable; second class, excellent, and very
genteel-looking persons using them. Lord Cowley, father of Lady Bulwer,
wife of the minister from England at Washington, was in the cars with
us, and two of his children--one a beautiful little girl. They were
going to Baden, and were accompanied by a governess.

We found no more of the extraordinary beauty that had made our morning
ride so charming. Bruchsal seemed a dull place, as seen from the
station; and Durlach had not much greater attractions. Carlsruhe is
quite a place, has some repute for its baths, and is the capital of the
grand duchy of Baden. Off to the south of this town we saw the skirts of
the Black Forest. All around we saw a fine growth of poplars. Passing
Etlingen and Muggensturm, we come to Rastadt--rather a pretty station,
and the town is fortified. At Oos our passengers for Baden took a branch
train, which, after three miles' ride, brought them into the famous
Baden-Baden. We reached Kehl, which is a mere village on the Rhine, but
has seen enough of war. Here we took an omnibus and started for
Strasburg, distant some four miles. When we reached the French
custom-house, over the river, we had quite a searching time; and even a
flask of cologne was taxed some twenty cents. We were weary enough, and
glad to get into quarters, which we established at the Ville de Paris,
a very superior house, with excellent rooms and elegant furniture, while
the cookery was perfect. To-morrow we have enough to see and to do.
To-night we shall retire early; but, go where we may, we shall furnish
you the promised account of our wanderings.

Yours affectionately,

J.O.C.

Letter 43.

STRASBURG.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

Long before we entered this city, we obtained a fine view of its great
glory, the Cathedral spire. What an object! It does not seem as if
hammer and chisel had had any thing to do here. I can almost fancy that
this spire was thought out and elaborated by mere intellect. It would be
long ere I grew weary of looking at this wondrous work of man. The more
you examine this edifice, the more you are impressed with its
magnificence. Let me tell you about this same minster, as it is called.
The spire is four hundred and seventy-four feet high--one hundred and
forty feet higher than St. Paul's, and twenty-four feet higher than the
Pyramids of Egypt. The architect was Erwin of Steinbach, and his plans
survived him. He died in 1318, when the work was carried on by his son.
The tower was not finished till four hundred and twenty-five years
after the commencement of the building, and then Hueltz, from Cologne,
came to effect the undertaking. The tracery of this lofty pinnacle is
inimitably beautiful. We ascended the spire, and I can assure you that
the prospect amply repays the trouble. We saw the winding, silvery
Rhine, the Black Forest, and the long line of the Vosges Mountains. I
never felt more keenly my inability to describe a place than when I
walked through this gorgeous sanctuary. You must see it, to form an
adequate idea of its grandeur. The nave was begun in 1015, and completed
in 1275. The choir is yet older, and is thought to belong to the times
of Charlemagne. The large rose window, over the front entrance, is
thought to be the finest specimen of stained glass now existing. The
stone pulpit of 1486 is the grandest we have yet seen, and in better
taste than some of the carved wood pulpits in Belgium. The columns are
very massive. One of the chief attractions in this church is the
mechanical clock, which occupies a large space at the left hand as you
enter the building. The true time to see it is at twelve o'clock, when
Death strikes the hour, the apostles all pass before you, a large cock
up above flaps his wings and crows admirably three times, flags are
waved, and the affair ends. Here, close by, is the architect Erwin's
effigy, in stone.

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