THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 
' 
 
 Wl tv/ <2*** 
 
 THREE WEEKS 
 
 IN 
 
 CENTRAL EUROPE 
 
ROMAN BATHS AT TEE YES 
 
THKEE WEEKS 
 
 CENTRAL EUROPE. 
 
 NOTES OE AN EXCURSION, 
 
 INCLUDING THE CITIES OF 
 
 TREVES, NUREMBERG, LEIPZIG, DRESDEN, 
 FREIBERG, AND BERLIN. 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 BY 
 
 T. SOPWITH, M.A., F.R.S. 
 
 LONDON : 
 WILLIS, SOTHERAN, AND CO., 42, CHARING CROSS. 
 
 1869. 
 
 [_All rights reserved.'] 
 
HEXIIAM : 
 
 PRINTED BY J. CATHERALL AND CO., 
 HEXHAM COURANT OFFICE. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 BRUSSELS. St. Gudule ; Picture Galleries and Museum. To 
 NAMUR. The Ramparts Cathedral George Stephen- 
 son 1 
 
 TREVES. Tower of St. Gingoulph Cathedral The Basilica 
 Roman Baths Amphitheatre PortaNigra Liebfrauen- 
 kirche Roman Masonry White House Churches of 
 St. Paul and St. Matthias Historical Associations The 
 Holy Coat 1 
 
 ASCHAFFENBURG. The " Dom" or Church The Palace 
 Pompeian House Verses by King Maximilian II 19 
 
 NURE MBURG. Church of St. Sebald Shrine of the Saint 
 Chapel of St. Maurice Goose Market Fountain 
 Nassau House Church of St. Lawrence Historical 
 Museum Town Hall Curious Old Houses Dungeons 
 Instruments of Torture The Castle House of Albert 
 Durer Mediaeval Architecture 31 
 
 FRANCONIAN SWITZERLAND. Streiherg Romantic scenery 
 Rocks Castle Cuck-hull General character of the 
 scenery 42 
 
 BAMBERG. The Cathedral or Domkirche Churches of St. 
 Martin and St. Michael 
 
 LEIPZIG Old ramparts New pleasure grounds Reminis- 
 cences of former warfare The Museum and Picture 
 Gallery Brief notice of Paintings The Observatory 
 Battle of Leipzic Modern improvements, &c. 48 
 
 DRESDEN Hotel de Saxe Chateau in " Grosser Gardens" 
 Memorials of Luther Gallery of Pictures and notices of 
 some of the principal works Gallery of Engravings 
 The Green Vaults Museums of Geology and Mineralogy 
 Historical Museums Museum of Antiquities - Col- 
 lection of Porcelain Churches of Dresden The Frauen- 
 kirche Roman Catholic Church Sophiankirche Pub- 
 lic walks and gardens, &c 
 
 SAXON SWITZERLAND. Romantic scenery The Bastei, &c. 82 
 FREIBERG. Railway M. Von Weber Mining operations- 
 Mining College Cathedral Werner New railway... 87 
 
 M310156 
 
BERLIN. Extensive modern improvements Palaces Mu- 
 seums Picture Galleries Description of principal paint- 
 ings Unter den Linden Brandenburg Gate Monu- 
 ment of Frederick the Great The Dom Church The 
 Royal Academy of Art The Bourse The Thier Garden 
 Monument of Frederick William III. Zoological Gardens 
 Charlottenburg 95 
 
 POTSDAM. Babelsberg Sans Souci The Orangeries New 
 p a l ace Charlottenhoff Roman Baths Friedenskirche 
 The Garrison Church 124 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 A few lithographed copies of sketches are inserted to show some 
 details of masonry, curious forms of rocks, &c., such as the four 
 modes of building employed by the Romans at Treves, and the 
 peculiarly shaped rocks and mountains in Franconian and Saxon 
 Switzerland. 
 
 I. ROMAN BATHS AT TREVES 
 II. ROMAN RUINS AT TREVES 
 III. ROMAN MASONRY AT TREVES 
 
 IV. ASCHAITENBURG 
 
 V. CASTLE ROCKS AT STREIBERG, IN 
 
 Frontispiece. 
 
 to face page 10 
 
 do. 14 
 
 do. 
 
 19 
 
 FRANCONIAN SWITZERLAND 
 
 do. 
 
 42 
 
 VI. CASTLE AT STREIBERG, do. 
 
 do. 
 
 42 
 
 VII. Do. do. do. 
 
 do. 
 
 44 
 
 VIII. SINGULAR ROCKS NEAR STREIBERG, 
 
 do. 
 
 44 
 
 IX. PINNACLE or ROCK do. 
 
 do. 
 
 44 
 
 X. Do. do. 
 
 do. 
 
 44 
 
 XI. ROCKS AT THE BASTEI, IN SAXON 
 
 SWITZERLAND do. 82 
 
 XII. VIEW FROM NEAR THE BASTEI, do. do. 82 
 
 XIII. Do. do., do. do. 84 
 
 XIV. ROCKS NEAR THE BASTEI, do. do. 84 
 
 XV. Do. do. do. do. 86 
 
 XVI. Do. do. do. do. 86 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 STEAMBOATS and Railways afford such facilities 
 for travelling that many parts of the Continent 
 and more especially Belgium, the Rhine, and 
 Switzerland are well-known to all who can now 
 and then devote a few months, or even a few 
 weeks, to going abroad, or, as it is often termed, 
 " crossing the Channel," which, by the way, is 
 sometimes the most formidable part of the whole 
 journey. Numerous well-written books, and fre- 
 quent, clearj and able narratives in magazines and 
 newspapers, afford to those who stay at home 
 much information as to what is to be seen not 
 only in well-known Europe, but in more distant 
 parts of the world. To add much original or im- 
 portant matter to this stock of information is 
 scarcely the purpose of the present work, inas- 
 much as a journey of some hundreds of miles in 
 three weeks does not afford sufficient leisure to 
 collect much that is either new or specially in- 
 teresting. The following pages contain a coirect 
 narrative of a visit to some places which are not 
 so generally known as the other countries to 
 which I have alluded. To some this narrative 
 may perhaps revive agreeable recollections of 
 places they have seen, and to others it may form 
 
11. 
 
 a sort of index, or guide, showing what may be 
 seen of Central Europe in so short a time as three 
 weeks. To many more it may possibly convey 
 some information, not wholly without interest, of 
 the places visited. If any of these objects are 
 accomplished I shall not regret the trouble of 
 revising the contents of a journal written day by 
 day, and of adding some descriptions in detail, 
 derived from local publications or from the infor- 
 mation of friends. 
 
 The excursion now described is from Brussels 
 to Namur, Treves, Aschaffenburg, Nuremburg ? 
 Franconian Switzerland, Leipsic, Dresden, Saxon 
 Switzerland, Freiberg in Saxony, Berlin, and re- 
 turn to Brussels in exactly three weeks. Pro- 
 bably in no part of Europe can a greater variety 
 of interesting objects be visited in so short a time. 
 The halo of historical recollection rests on every 
 part of it. In Treves we see the work of the 
 Romans not far from two thousand years ago. 
 Nuremburg, a city of the middle ages, retains 
 much of the original and very striking character 
 then impressed on it. Franconian Switzerland 
 a charming piece of scenery is comparatively 
 little known. At Leipsic the reminiscences of 
 one of the most important battles ever fought, are 
 full of interest, yet still more interesting is the 
 progress of its extension and improvement, and 
 the centralization of European literature in its 
 marts. Of those who have not inspected the 
 
treasures of Dresden, few can have an adequate 
 idea of their number, value, and surpassing in- 
 terest. Saxon Switzerland is the admiration of 
 all who view its enormous rocks and singularly 
 shaped mountains, and Berlin of the present time 
 is an amazing advance on what it was only a few 
 years ago. In many parts of the region included 
 in the circuit I have named, there are personal as 
 well as historical associations of great significance. 
 Independently of the pomp of warfare and the 
 massive works of Roman emperors, we find that 
 both in medieval and modern times the cities 
 above-named are famous for the memory of men 
 who have greatly extended the dominion of 
 literature, science, and art. Of this, even a 
 casual visitor is reminded, in one place by the 
 statue of Albert Durer ; in another by that of 
 Weber. Of Luther, Frederick the Great, 
 Werner, Humboldt, and many others,- there are 
 prominent and significant memorials. These are 
 briefly named as a further reason for attaching 
 much interest to the places included in that central 
 portion of Europe to which the following notes 
 refer. 
 
THREE WEEKS IN CENTRAL EUROPE. 
 
 Intending to leave Brussels oh one of the early 
 days of September, in 1868, my travelling com- 
 panion and I had not formed any definite line of 
 route except that we proposed in a tour of three 
 weeks to visit the cities of Nuremburg, Dresden, 
 Freiberg, and perhaps Berlin. All other details of 
 time and place were matters of uncertainty, to be 
 decided according to circumstances as we proceeded. 
 My companion had not seen Namur, and the attrac- 
 tions of Treves in an architectural and antiquarian 
 point of view seemed very great. So was the pro- 
 mise of fine scenery on the banks of the Moselle 
 between Treves and Coblenz. The former city lay 
 directly on our route, but a view of the river must 
 depend on whether the steamboats were available 
 This we afterwards found was not so, owing to the 
 shallowness of the water, caiised by the remarkably 
 dry and hot summer which had prevailed there as 
 well as in England. Before leaving Brussels at 
 noon, a few hours were employed in viewing some 
 of the well-known attractions of that city. The 
 cathedral of St. Gudule, always grand and impres- 
 sive, has for many years been undergoing repairs 
 and restorations of a most extensive character. 
 These have imparted to it an aspect of newness and 
 complete preservation, greatly adding to its beauty. 
 I found the heat most oppressive as I attempted to 
 view the lofty towers and other parts of the stately 
 exterior ; but within it was agreeably cool, and I re- 
 
mained some time in its magnificent aisles, now 
 radiant with the splendour of richly painted win- 
 dows. The fine tones of the organ, accompanying 
 a religious service, added much to the so- 
 lemnity of the general effect. I walked awhile in 
 the pretty little park, which, with the adjacent 
 buildings, reminds one of Brussels having been 
 called a miniature Paris. Here, indeed, we find 
 much of French taste and French magnificence, but 
 wanting the amplitude of the French capital. I 
 went to the Picture Galleries, saw the collection of 
 historical paintings and the Museum of Natural 
 History. In former years I had often spent many 
 hours in them, and I now allude to them by name 
 as illustrating what may be accomplished in a few 
 hours. A view of Brussels is a good introduction 
 to the cities of the continent, and those who can 
 spare a few days to sojourn in it, will find much to 
 occupy attention and repay any labours of research. 
 It comprises much of the quaint antiquity for which 
 European cities are remarkable, and also much of 
 the modern stateliness and regularity which are 
 becoming more and more prominent as features of 
 nearly all continental towns. The " Grand Place'' 
 of Brussels is a fair introduction to the picturesque 
 character of iSTuremburg, and the " Place RoyaF' 
 indicates, on a small scale, some of the modern 
 characteristics of Berlin as well as of Paris. 
 
 Travelling by what is known as the Luxemburg 
 line of railway communication, extending from 
 Brussels to Treves, a distance of 176 miles, we 
 passed within view of Waterloo and of the lion 
 perched on the mound which prominently marks 
 the position of this famous battle-field. On glancing 
 
the eye over a map of Europe it will be seen that 
 the portion of it to which we were wending our 
 way, as indicated by the cities I have named, may 
 be considered almost as one immense battle-field, 
 over which, little more than half a century ago, 
 the ravages of war spread desolation over vast areas 
 of country, which, as we were glad to see, are now 
 happily smiling in peace and fruitfulness. 
 
 To those who take an interest in realising on the 
 spot, the accounts of military movements and con- 
 flicts as given by historians, I may observe that in 
 many parts of the lands we visited there are favour- 
 able opportunities for pursuing the study of such re- 
 miniscences. I would gladly, if time had permitted, 
 have given more attention to historical associations 
 connected with the projects of Napoleon, and with 
 the efforts of the allied monarchs, who were com- 
 pelled in the first place to protect their several 
 kingdoms, and afterwards were enabled to pro- 
 mote the general peace of Europe. 
 
 A railway journey of 34 miles in nearly two hours 
 took us to Namur, where we spent the remaining 
 hours of the afternoon. Here " grim visaged war" 
 presents his wrinkled front in great amplitude, and 
 the first object of our attention was to visit as much 
 of the formidable rampart* as are accessible to the 
 public. Climbing these as far as is permitted we 
 soon gained an eminence which commands a charm- 
 ing view of the city. The day was clear and bright, 
 and all the churches and buildings, public or private, 
 were distinctly seen. I well remember when in for- 
 mer years I ascended to greater heights, how the 
 beauty of the landscape was increased as it became 
 
more expanded ; much interest is imparted to it by 
 the meeting at this place of the rivers Sambre and 
 Meuse. As to the country which lies between them 
 a quarter of a century has passed away since I had 
 occasion to traverse nearly every portion of it, and I 
 greatly enjoyed an opportunity of again seeing even 
 a limited part of the " District E ntre Sambre et 
 Meuse." 
 
 After climbing up the warlike ramparts of the cita- 
 del, we descended to the level streets of the city, and 
 a short walk took us to the cathedral. It is a modern, 
 not very large, but stately edifice, and in Murray's 
 hand-book is called " one of the handsomest modern 
 churches in Belgium." It is little more than a cen- 
 tury old, and therefore destitute of all claim to 
 antiquarian interest. The dome springs from the 
 intersection of the nave and transepts, and the 
 vaulted interior admits of a clear view from the 
 floor up to the upper part of the cupula and lantern 
 above. The sculptured figures of angels and 
 cherubs on the spandrels of the arches are worthy 
 of observation, and here I may observe how very 
 useful is a small hand telescope, which, if slung over 
 the shoulder, may be easily used to view stained 
 windows, sculptured figures, inscriptions, or other 
 works of minute detail in which much may thus be 
 seen which otherwise woufd remain undiscovered. 
 
 The aspect of the interior generally is light and 
 graceful. The marble floor is wrought into highly 
 ornamental forms, especially under the dome. As 
 I looked around it seemed to me as if only a short 
 time had passed, instead of twenty-four years, since 
 I stood in this church with a companion, whose name, 
 already one of world-wide renown, will, in future 
 
5 
 
 years, probably attain a significance and import- 
 ance which contemporaries can scarcely realize. 
 It was GEORGE STEPHENSON (any appellation beyond 
 his name seems superfluous). We took our place 
 quietly amongst others. A priest sprinkled holy 
 water on many, but he omitted us. " He'll not give 
 us any," said G. S., "he takes us for heretics." 
 Even so ! I have little doubt, this was his idea. 
 How little did that officiating priest and others then 
 present know that there stood before them a great 
 high priest of progress one engaged in promoting 
 mysteries of mechanical science which were largely 
 to influence the destinies of the human race. Print- 
 ing, which has done and is doing a marvellous work, 
 has not perhaps done more than the intercourse of 
 minds and the free intermixture of nation with nation, 
 which has resulted from railway communication. Of 
 the magnitude of these results no one who travels 
 by railway can fail to be observant. In effecting 
 so vast a change the very words of prophecy seem 
 as if in progress of fulfilment. Valleys have been 
 exalted ; Mountains have been made low, or pierced ; 
 and in what surer way has " the glory of God and 
 the good of man's estate'** been developed than 
 by the increasing peace and good will arising from 
 the friendly intercourse of countless millions, who, 
 without railways, would have remained shut up 
 in selfish and solitary isolation. "He takes us 
 for heretics." Even so ! 
 
 Whoever spends a few hours in Namur should see 
 the interior of the church of St. Loup, remarkable 
 
 * The objects of science, which the Royal S ciety of London was 
 established to promote, are defined in these terms in the charter of 
 that institution. 
 
for a richly carved roof of stone, and for much 
 architectural decoration in which the marbles of 
 Belgium are introduced in large masses a not un- 
 common feature in the churches of this kingdom. 
 
 We walked through most of the principal streets, 
 and observed many shops with plate glass windows 
 of very large dimensions. The display of goods in 
 many of the shops of Namur is highly artistic and 
 attractive. 
 
 The Hotel de Harscamp, where we stayed all 
 night, affords excellent accommodation, and the dis- 
 crimination of Murray's Handbook assigns to it the 
 high praise of being " First-rate.'' 
 
 On the following morning we left K"arnur at half- 
 past eight o'clock, and at three in the afternoon 
 arrived at Treves (in German u Trier"), having 
 been travelling, with little intermission, the whole 
 of the intermediate time. The scenery is attractive 
 nearly the whole way, and in some places remarkably 
 so. Extensive woods are predominating features 
 and there is comparatively little corn land. Many 
 of the ranges of forest which we passed form por- 
 tions of the Forest of Ardennes. Long rows of lofty 
 poplars are also very prominent features. 
 
 \Ve passed Luxemburg, which, for strength, has 
 been called a second Gibraltar, others have 
 fancied its position to resemble that of Jerusalem. 
 Hurried as our transit was, we had a tolerable 
 view of the remarkably prominent rocks and sur- 
 rounding gorges, which render the place as strongly 
 fortified by nature as it is by art. 
 
TREVES. 
 
 Having reached Treves, W3 spent the remainder 
 of the afternoon in visiting some places of consider- 
 able interest. 
 
 Oar first aim was the summit of the tower of the 
 church of St Gingoulph, which, by its height, gavepro- 
 mise of an extensive view of the city and its environs. 
 The people who have charge of it live on the 
 summit, and from thence they sent down to us a 
 string with the door key attached to it. We were 
 thus enabled to enter a narrow circular staircase, 
 by which, and by sundry ladders, we gained the top 
 of the tower. The bird's-eye view from thence 
 enabled us to see not only some remarkable and very 
 prominent buildings, but also their relative position 
 and the best mode of approaching them. Rising 
 from the platform where we stood, is a spire, in 
 which are dwelling rooms for the keeper to reside in. 
 His chief duty is to look out for fires, of which he 
 gives notice by ringing a bell and by using a large 
 speaking trumpet to inform those beneath as to the 
 locality of any real or suspected fire. At the time 
 of our visit, a suspicious-looking smoke was under 
 telescopic observation, and, after due inspection, 
 was decided not to be a genuine u fire," but only 
 smoke caused by burning weeds in a garden. 
 
 Having from this lofty point of view made our- 
 selves well acquainted with the local topography, 
 we descended and went to the cathedral of St. Peter 
 and St. Helen. The doors were closed for the 
 evening, but a gentle rap brought the verger, who 
 obligingly showed us through the interior, and ex- 
 plained many interesting objects, in very fair Eng- 
 
8 
 
 Hsh. His recollection of historical dates, of memor- 
 able personages, and of local archseology was 
 very serviceable, and enabled us to appreciate 
 much that otherwise would have been unnoticed 
 The interior of this cathedral is extremely interest- 
 ing, presenting rich materials for the study of anti- 
 quities, including curious monuments, &c. ; but the 
 chief interest is in its architecture, which is remark- 
 ably varied in successive periods. Some portions of the 
 original edifice, built by the Empress Helena, are 
 pointed out, and the student of architectural history 
 might spend much time in studying the different 
 characteristics of later additions. Of these it is 
 in vain to attempt any description, based on so 
 short a visit, especially as the .advancing shades of 
 night prevented our having a clear view of many of 
 the details. The organ gallery is supported by 
 modern columns, of elegant proportions, with finely 
 executed capitals. The pulpit, richly carved in fine 
 sandstone of the district, is adorned with many 
 well-sculptured figures, and bears the date of 
 1572. The seats in the choir are ornamented with 
 marquetry work. The semi-circular, or, as we say, 
 " Norman" arches forcibly claim attention. The 
 cloisters, forming an oblong square about 172 feet 
 by 118, are very fine. 
 
 Some details of the history and archaeology of this 
 church are given inMurray's "North Germany, "and 
 in the " German Murray" or Baedeker's guide book 
 it is stated that this cathedral was once, according to 
 tradition, a palace of the Roman Emperors and the 
 birthplace of St. Helena, mother of Constantine the 
 Great ; thus closely is it linked with the history of 
 Christianity. The same authority observes, that 
 
in the architecture as it now stands, " six different 
 styles have been combined ; Corinthian columns 
 of the time of Constantine, with Romanesque and 
 Gothic arches ; the grotesque styles of the 17th and 
 18th centuries, and the Ionic pillars, erected 1849, to 
 support the organ, form an incongruous though not 
 unimposing whole." 
 
 It added much to the interest with which we viewed 
 this stately memorial of past ages, that the verger 
 not only gave the clear descriptions to which I 
 have alluded, but added to them many expressions 
 of quaint and friendly character, which came grace- 
 fully from one of his advanced age seventy-seven . 
 At length increasing gloom hid all clear definition. 
 
 The BASILICA, so called, is an enormous brick 
 building, exhibiting in its plain and noble simplicity 
 one of the works of Constantine the Great, if not 
 even of more remote date. It is a huge edifice, 
 described in Baedeker's guidebook as being 220 feet 
 long, 98 feet wide, and 97 feet high. The walls are 
 ten feet thick, and are built of small bricks. The 
 enormous masses of wall, with windows in recesses, 
 are as straight and perpendicular as when first built. 
 On a first view it seems like a recently-built brick 
 building. From this place, says Murray, Constantine 
 issued decrees, " governing at the same time Rome, 
 Constantinople, and Britain." The interior, which 
 has been applied to various purposes from time to 
 time, is at present used as a Lutheran church. 
 
 On the following day we made a more leisurely 
 inspection of the places we had already seen, 
 and of other objects of attraction in and near 
 Treves. The weather was singularly fine, the 
 
10 
 
 day throughout being clear and bright, and most 
 favourable for a distinct view of distant objects. 
 Although at times it was very warm, yet for the 
 most part the heat was tempered by refreshing and 
 even cool breezes than which nothing could be more 
 enjoyable. In the forenoon we inspected what are 
 usually called the Roman Baths, but which appear 
 to have been the lower portion of a large and princely 
 mansion; saw the Roman Amphitheatre walked 
 round part of the city to the Porta Nigra, and to 
 the pleasure grounds and public promenades on 
 the site of the ancient walls. We dined at the 
 Table d'hote at one (the usual hour in this 
 part of Germany), and afterwards drove along 
 the ancient and very remarkable bridge, based on 
 Roman masonry, to the hills opposite the town, the 
 upper part of which command extensive views of the 
 city, the river, and adjacent country. We also 
 drove from one extremity of the city to the other, 
 namely, from the church of St. Paul, in the eastern 
 suburbs, to that of St. Matthias in the west, and 
 saw the interior of both. 
 
 Of these several places I shall briefly mention 
 some points which presented themselves to my 
 attention, not aiming at minute descriptions nor 
 historical or architectural details, otherwise than 
 as any casual allusion thereto may serve to indicate 
 the special claims which these places have to the 
 attention of a tourist. 
 
 The " ROMAN BATHS" are situated at the south 
 corner of the city, which in shape is nearly square, 
 one of the diagonals nearly corresponding with a 
 meridian line. These ruins are of great extent, both 
 
ROMAS "7JM3 AT TREYS S 
 
11 
 
 above and underground, and the adjacent surface is 
 well wooded. It is impossible to repress feelings of 
 astonishment as successive portions of this extraor- 
 dinary mass of buildings are gradually disclosed to 
 view. The walls have been built of amazing 
 strength, and many of the arches consist of five or 
 six ranges of stone. Some of the walls are very 
 high, as well as enormously massive, and with the 
 surrounding trees and ivy the general effect is 
 very picturesque. We threaded our way through 
 numerous vaults and subterranean galleries, which 
 forcibly reminded me of similar excavations at Rich- 
 borough, in Kent, and, like them, the full extent of 
 these passages has not yet been ascertained. It is 
 only during the last fifty years that the earth and 
 rubbish which concealed the Roman Baths of Treves 
 have been removed ; even the upper walls of the 
 castle or palace were much hidden by the earth 
 vorks of the fortifications surrounding the city. 
 Curious as these ruins are they are far inferior to 
 the Baths of Diana, at Nismes, where graceful 
 arches and ornamental columns attest a more 
 advanced stage of luxury. 
 
 By a pleasant walk of about a quarter of a mile 
 we reached the remains of the ancient ROMAN 
 AMPHITHEATRE. This also was formerly buried in 
 debris which had fallen from the adjacent hill, but 
 it has been carefully cleared, and not only the form 
 of tli3 Amphitheatre but some of the doors or 
 entrances to the cells are very distinctly seen. 
 The walls which remain are composed of very small 
 stones, joined by cement or grouting. 
 
 These enclose an area of oval shape, about 230 
 feet long and 150 feet wide. The sloping sides on 
 
which the seats for spectators were formerly placed 
 have been formed from the earth excavated in mak- 
 ing the area. This Amphitheatre is inferior in size 
 and decoration to the similar works at Nismes and 
 Verona, and very much more so as compared with 
 the Collosseum at Rome, yet it has doubtless in 
 former times been a place of vast public interest to 
 the inhabitants then -living in or near Treves. In 
 Murray's handbook (North Germany) there is an 
 excellent account of some historical events connected 
 with this and other antiquities of Treves, and espe- 
 cially of horrid barbarities practised by Roman 
 Emperors.* 
 
 The PORTA NIGRA, or Black Gate, is a stupendous 
 monument of Roman power. It forms the principal 
 entry into the city from the east, being one of the 
 gates of the wall which formerly surrounded the 
 city. It is of huge dimensions built of enormously 
 large stones, and contains numerous apartments in 
 various stages of dilapidation. Many of the stones 
 are from two to three yards in length ; they are 
 fitted together by finely worked joints without 
 cement, but the iron cramps which formerly secured 
 them have mostly been removed. The rude columns 
 with carved capitals, many circular-headed windows, 
 and the general arrangement of the stately apart- 
 ments, present an aspect of savage grandeur, and as 
 one looks around it seems difficult to tell whether the 
 traces of former magnificence, of ecclesiastical occu- 
 pation, or the evidences of strength yet remaining 
 
 *"In this place," says Murray, " Constantine exposed many 
 thousand of unarmed Frankish prisoners to be torn to pieces by wild 
 beasts. So great was the number of victims that the savage beasts 
 desisted of their own accord from the work of destruction, and left 
 many alive." Other similar cruelties are recorded. 
 
13 
 
 are most remarkable. It is a strange compound of 
 different styles of building and of various modes of 
 decoration. The lower portion is of undoubted 
 Roman construction, resembling what I have seen 
 in other works of undisputed Roman origin, but in 
 the upper stories much ornamentation of later periods 
 has been introduced, and especially a semicircular 
 gallery with a Norman-like arcade and columns, the 
 adornments of which merit attention. A museum 
 of antiquities has been formed, and almost every 
 hall or apartment contains more or less of altars, 
 statues, coins, implements of war, or other rem- 
 nants of the past, collected in or near Treves. 
 We spent some time in a leisurely survey of this 
 wonderful structure, and in listening to descriptions 
 given by a courteous and intelligent guide. 
 
 Within a few yards of the cathedral, and con- 
 nected with it by a passage, is the " Church of our 
 Lady Liebfrauenkirche" which, says Baedeker, " is 
 considered to be an exquisite specimen of Gothic," 
 and Murray calls it " one of the earliest specimens 
 of pure Gothic." It was originally built as a "Lady 
 Chapel' 1 to the cathedral ; the connecting doorway 
 is enriched with elaborate sculpture. The Lady 
 Church, though not large in area, is very lofty and 
 of graceful architecture. " It was built," said our 
 venerable guide, " by the architect of Cologne 
 Cathedral," which it certainly resembles in style 
 and beauty, though on a very small scale as com- 
 pared with the mighty edifice at Cologne. It is 
 now undergoing a careful renovation ; the capitals 
 of its lofty columns have been richly gilt ; stained 
 windows of great beauty have been inserted, and 
 
14 
 
 the groining of the ceiling enriched with paintings 
 of foliage and other ornaments. 
 
 It was curious to observe that in four works of 
 the Romans in this city no less than four different 
 modes of building have been adopted. In the Basi- 
 lica Brick and cement only are used. The Palace 
 and Baths are built of Stones of medium size, witli 
 layers of brick work. In the Amphitheatre are 
 Small stones with cement, and in the Black Gate 
 Large stones without cement. This strange variety 
 seems to indicate fertility of resource as well 
 as mechanical skill, for examples of every one 
 of these essentially different modes of construction 
 have endured to the present time in a nearly perfect 
 state, over a period not far short of two thousand 
 years, and bidding fair, if carefully attended to, to 
 remain intact for many centuries to come. I made 
 sketches of the Brickwork of the Basilica, the Stone 
 and layers of brick at the Baths, the Stone and cement 
 of the Amphitheatre, and the massive Masonry with- 
 out cement of the Black Gate. 
 
 A drive into the country in the afternoon took 
 us to the "White House, and to some very fine 
 scenery near it on the left bank of the Moselle. Not 
 only had we a fine panoramic view of the city from 
 the heights as we ascended, but the walks and woods 
 were of such beauty that it is difficult to express the 
 admiration with which we viewed them, and the 
 enjoyment with which we wandered through their 
 charming vistas. 
 
 The church of St. Paul has a painted ceiling, said 
 to be the work of one of the pupils of Rubens. It 
 is well seen by using a mirror, which the guide 
 
HO MAN MAS ONEY AT TilFAT. S . 
 
hands to \isitors. In the crypt we were shown 
 numerous relics of martyrs. 
 
 The church of St. Matthias has a handsome tower, 
 in which a richly ornamented Norman style of 
 architecture prevails, but there is nothing remark- 
 able in the interior. 
 
 Treves is spoken of in guide-books as a decaying 
 town. Of its commercial state, either past, present, 
 or prospective, a mere passing visit affords us no 
 opportunity of judging. Whatever may be its 
 future destiny, of the past there is no doubt. It 
 has evidently been of much greater extent than the 
 area enclosed by the present walls, and it presents 
 many solid and enduring evidences of former magni- 
 ficence. As a city it claims an existence prior to 
 Rome, and a careful study of the buildings I have 
 mentioned would include many associations with the 
 history of the earlier centuries of the Christian era. 
 As architectural monuments they are most worthy 
 of observation, yet still more interesting are the 
 evidences which even on a brief inspection are pre- 
 sented of important changes in the uses, to which 
 these several buildings have been appropriated. 
 The sentiment of " Change, for ever change," seems 
 impressed on all of them ; for in the very aspect of 
 the buildings these changes of condition may be 
 traced. The cathedral was once a palace. The 
 Porta Nigra, built for military defence, has had 
 three churches within its walls, and is now chiefly 
 used as a museum. The Basilica, once a palace, or, 
 as is supposed by some, a hall of justice, has been 
 applied to military uses, and is now a Protestant 
 
1C 
 
 church, in a city where the Roman Catholic religion 
 largely predominates. 
 
 In connection with Treves most persons have read 
 or heard of the celebrity of the seamless or " Holy 
 Coat," which by its exhibition at intervals of some 
 years attracts countless thousands of worshippers. 
 Perhaps the homage paid by adoring pilgrims is less 
 addressed to what some of them may deem a doubt- 
 ful or even superstitious object than to the essential 
 merits of the religion they profess. "We see around 
 us that highly educated and accomplished persons 
 are much bound by conventional usages, and we may, 
 therefore, more readily understand how unlettered 
 peasants and artisans, accustomed from their infancy 
 to revere the legend of the Holy Coat, gladly 
 avail themselves of the opportunities of doing 
 homage on the very rare occasions when it is dis- 
 played. At the last exhibition of it some accounts 
 say that a million persons visited Treves ; our 
 cathedral guide said "seven hundred thousand." 
 Except at the times of the few and far between oc- 
 casions of its being publicly shown it is walled up 
 near the high altar in the cathedral. Concerning 
 other relics said to be preserved here, such as a 
 piece of the Cross, part of the Crown of Thorns, 
 &c., I made no enquiry. I allude to the more cele- 
 brated vesture, because the results of its exhibition 
 have a direct bearing on the material prosperity of 
 the town. A million or even half a million of 
 strangers must bring an influx of wealth. At the 
 church of St. Matthias are some indications of pil- 
 grimages on a humbler scale. We saw fifty candles 
 placed at the eastern end of the choir ; these were 
 
17 
 
 offerings from pious visitors. They vary in size 
 from four feet in height to eighteen, and are richly 
 painted and ornamented with figures in relief. 
 
 Treves is certainly a place in which contemplation 
 may be much indulged in ; for here, indeed, may 
 any one "refresh himself," as Anthony A. Wood 
 said, "with a melancholy walk." The imperial 
 pomp of the Caesars is for ever gone. Ecclesiastical 
 and feudal power, once dominant, are greatly 
 diminished. Great as is the number of pilgrims 
 who come to see the Holy Coat, yet still greater in 
 number are those who come by railways and steam- 
 boats for purposes of trade or commerce, to admire 
 the scenery, or to study the rich and venerable stores 
 of antiquity. 
 
 On enquiry we found that during the last fort- 
 night no steamboats had been able to make the 
 voyage between this city and Coblenz. We there- 
 fore had to abandon our wish to see the scenery of 
 the banks of the Moselle, and we arranged to pro- 
 ceed by railway in the direction of Nuremburg. 
 
 Early next morning I went to view some other 
 remains of Roman buildings, and again visited the 
 " Lady Church." Its graceful architecture is said 
 to have been completed five years before the build- 
 ing of Cologne Cathedral was commenced. In 
 travelling abroad there are few things I observe 
 with greater interest than the services of religion 
 in the principal churches. A feeling of devotion 
 seemed to be the decided expression of many wor- 
 shippers who were present ; they were not cold and 
 listless, but attentive, and to all outward appearance 
 
18 
 
 devout. The soft and plaintive music of the organ 
 seemed like the JEolian chords which Byron describes 
 as " Musical, yet sadly sweet." During other parts 
 of the service louder tones prevailed, but loud as 
 they were they were nearly equalled by the loud- 
 ness of plain and solid psalmody sung by nearly all 
 the congregation. It reminded me of the grand 
 and expressive music to be heard on festival days 
 in the cathedral at Cologne at the early morning 
 services, when some hundreds of school children 
 attend, and in their united voices send forth utter- 
 ances of praise of almost overpowering sweetness 
 and grandeur. 
 
 We left Treves about nine o'clock, and tra- 
 velled all day by rail. The first thirty miles of 
 our journey was through very beautiful and roman- 
 tic scenery in the narrow valley of the Saar. De- 
 scending towards Bingin, on the Rhine, we had a 
 fine view of Oberstein, and of romantic cliffs and 
 woods and semi-mountainous country, which, to be 
 properly appreciated, must be seen. Our travelling 
 was most enjoyable, the carriage luxuriously com- 
 fortable, our companions intelligent and agreeable, 
 the weather charmingly fine. Under these agree- 
 able auspices we reached Mayence, crossed the 
 Rhine, stopped an hour at Darmstadt (where we 
 dined), and at half -past seven took up our quarters 
 in the " Freihof " hotel, in Aschaffenburg. 
 
ASCIIAFFENBURG. 
 
 It has often happened when travelling to a place 
 I have not before visited that enquiries as to the 
 choice of a hotel have met with various and some- 
 times unfavourable replies as to the comforts of 
 unknown hostelries. Notwithstanding some hesi- 
 tation on this score by one of our fello ^ travellers, 
 I had favourable hopes of good accommodation 
 in Aschaffenburg, and these, I am glad to say. 
 were abundantly verified. We met with great 
 comfort and attention in the seemingly well con- 
 ducted " Freihof " hotel. The view from our window 
 was very picturesque. In front of a^dde space were 
 old-fashioned German houses, with rocks and vine- 
 clad hills above, and the whole surmounted by the 
 " Dom," or church, rising from a dense mass of 
 trees. 
 
 To this edifice we first gave attention. At 
 the west front are a double staircase and quaint old 
 balustrades leading into a covered arcade, wherein 
 are several ancient and very curious monuments 
 and a richly sculptured Romanesque doorway. The 
 interior of the church is plain, but its walls present 
 a museum of monumental sculptures in marble, 
 bronze, and stone, as also many brasses of remark- 
 ably fine workmanship. One of them representing 
 the Crucifixion, with attendant figures in bronze, 
 has details of extraordinary merit. Its date is 1628. 
 There are several monumental statues represented 
 as clad in armour ; these are interesting memorials 
 
20 
 
 of former costume, and to those who have time and 
 inclination to study the archaeology of Bavaria the 
 inscriptions and other data in this church would be 
 a mine of wealth. The pulpit has some curious 
 sculptures in marble. Externally, the tower and its 
 adjuncts merit attention ; the former is in two portions, 
 the lower part being square, the other and upper 
 portion, which is octagonal, is surmounted by a 
 lofty and handsome spire. 
 
 The Cloisters, though not large, are very pictur- 
 esque, and the arches of its arcades have columns, 
 the capitals and bases of which are all different, and 
 many of them of very graceful design. The large quad- 
 rangular palace of the King of Bavaria has four lofty 
 towers at the corners, and a still loftier tower, said 
 to be 180 feet ^igh, rising from one of its sides. 
 Both in form and style this mansion reminded me of 
 Heriot's Hospital in Edinburgh, but it is larger, and 
 its towers are differently surmounted. "We entered 
 the court yard and looked into the chapel, where 
 we saw a sumptuous altar piece. We did not care 
 for going through the apartments of what appears 
 to be a somewhat neglected residence. " It contains, 1 
 says Murray, " a gallery of 382 paintings, chiefly 
 curious rather than beautiful, a fine library with 
 manuscript illuminations and early printed books, 
 and a cabinet of 20,000 engravings." 
 
 After a short but pleasant walk in the suburbs 
 we came to the remarkable edifice erected by King 
 Louis of Bavaria (grandfather of the present king), 
 in exact imitation of a Pompeian house. It was 
 commenced in 1842, and, says a local guidebook, 
 " neither time nor expense was spared in ranging it 
 
21 
 
 in a worthy manner among the other buildings of 
 the king so eminent in his taste for the fine arts." 
 
 The antiquarian researches for carrying out this 
 undertaking were made by Von Gartner (Chief 
 Commissioner of the Board of Works), and Pro- 
 fessors Schlotthauer and Louis ; the building was 
 constructed under the direction of the first named 
 of these connoisseurs. 
 
 In the local guidebook already mentioned (pub- 
 lisked for the benefit of the family of an artist, Carl 
 Richard, to whom for some time before his death 
 the care of this place was confided by the king), it is 
 called u THE POMPEIAN BUILDING AT ASCHAFFENBURG." 
 "The wanderer,'' says this authority, " as he passes 
 through the Karlsthor of the old Askapha, the Fran- 
 konian Askafaburg, or as it is now called Aschaffen- 
 burg, must turn to the left and leave the so-called 
 Schbnthal (Beautiful Valley), which is nothing else, 
 but the former town ditch to the right pass 
 through a portion of the castle gardens, then again 
 round a corner to the left, and he will see the Pom- 
 peian Building, the only one of its kind in the 
 world, and an exact copy of a Roman mansion." 
 
 The front door has projecting pilasters with 
 rich capitals, and as we enter the motto or welcome 
 of ** Salve" is seen in mosaic work on the floor of 
 the passage leading into the vestibule (1).*" Here 
 are paintings of Castor and Pollux on either side, 
 copied from those which were found in the original 
 building in Pompeii ; and from these and some other 
 
 * The numbers affixed have reference to subsequent details of the 
 dimensions of the several apartments. 
 
22 
 
 indications it received the name of the House of 
 Castor and Pollux. 
 
 A doorway on the right leads into a porter's lodge 
 (called Ostiarii) (2); from this a small stone staircase 
 leads to an entresol above " containing the rooms 
 of the slaves who waited in the Atrium" (3). " This," 
 continues the guidebook, "is a covered place sur- 
 rounding the compluvium (4), which is in the centre." 
 The latter forms a basin, partly supplied by rain 
 water and partly by a stream conveyed to it. 
 Twelve Corinthian pillars support the roof of the 
 Atrium, and its walls are adorned with paintings of 
 Fortuna, Bacchus, Hygeia, Saturn, Diana, Victory, 
 and Ceres. 
 
 From the Atrium a passage leads into a larger 
 apartment (5), probably a dwelling place for the slaves, 
 and next is an open hall (6) leading to two bed- 
 rooms (7, 8). " The Ala" (9) is an open room u which 
 served as a house of devotion for the Romans, and 
 in it were preserved the statues of the tutelary and 
 household gods." Near to this are two smaller apart- 
 ments (10, 11), probably bed-chambers, which, with 
 the larger room (12), " were used for persons of qua- 
 lity. The walls of these apartments are decorated 
 with paintings of Narcissus at the fountain, Aurora, 
 and Cephalus." Close to this state chamber a door 
 leads into a long and narrow department, which 
 served as a wardrobe (13), and another door led to 
 the "Cella Atriensis'' (14), the apartment of the per- 
 son having the care of the Atrium. 
 
 " Till now,'' continues the descriptive guidebook, 
 " we have only wandered through the front build- 
 
23 
 
 ings of the ground floor." We next reach " one of 
 the finest state apartments, of the most remarkable 
 splendour in the whole building. It is the Tab- 
 linum or hall of reception of the master of the 
 house." The pavement is a rich mosaic, represent- 
 ing Minerva and Apollo. On the walls are repre- 
 sented on one side the discovery of Achilles by Ulysses 
 among the daughters of Lycomedes at Scyros, 
 and on the other the quarrel between Achilles and 
 Agamemnon. From the tablinum the visitor next 
 enters the peristyle, which has a colonnade on ' 
 one side, through which is seen the Viridarium, 
 full of southern plants, and from whence "a bright 
 sky smiles upon us, and foreign birds seem to accost us 
 with their song, for," continues the narrative I am 
 quoting, " the Romans had the weakness to conceal 
 the smallness of their gardens by a perspective 
 painted on a wall, and which is imitated here ; for 
 the bright sky and foreign birds are painted *m the 
 top of the wall enclosing the Viridarium. The 
 pavement of this peristyle is inlaid with mosaic, on 
 which are painted two strange figures of animals in 
 medallions, and on the walls we see the beautiful 
 paintings of Jupiter, Cybele, Mercury, and Venus." 
 It is much to be feared, however, that the winter 
 climate of this part of Europe will prove unfavour- 
 able for decorations exposed to the open air, of 
 which indeed some indications already appear. 
 
 Turning to the right, is an apartment supposed to 
 have been the winter dining room, or Triclinium (15), 
 the walls of which are adorned with paintings of 
 the birth of Castor and Pollux, Helen and Clytem- 
 nestra, the bringing up of Bacchus, the combat 
 
24 
 
 between Eros and Pan, and several representations 
 of dances by groups of Bacchantes. 
 
 Near to this beautiful apartment we reach a 
 smaller one (16), from whence a staircase leads to the 
 cellar, which is also accessible by a door from the 
 outside of the building. 
 
 After crossing the Peristyle we enter a great hall, 
 described as the large dining room or summer tri- 
 clinium (17). The walls of this room are richly orna- 
 mented with marble, " and opposite to the window 
 hangs a splendid mosaic painting (representing a 
 sacrifice), which King Louis of Bavaria received as 
 a present from Pope Gregory XVI. The artist em- 
 ployed on this mosaic is said to have taken twenty- 
 live years in painting it, and we understood our 
 conductor to say that it cost 36,000 florins, or about 
 3,000. 
 
 Turpng to the other side of the Peristyle we see 
 a fountain, by which water flows from a cistern, 
 and near to this is an apartment (18), the 
 walls of which represent Narcissus at the spring ; 
 Venus and Cupid fishing, and Ganymede with the 
 eagle. This apartment has been thought to be the 
 hall of reception of the lady of the house ; others 
 call it the winter dining room. The paintings seem 
 to indicate the latter.' 1 
 
 The apartment (19) in one of the angles of the 
 principal building is supposed to have been used by 
 the servants or " slaves." Near to it is a large 
 kitchen (20) with stoves ; and here, says the 
 pi in ted guide, " we must mention the beautiful 
 vessels and utensils ; they are formed in the most 
 
25 
 
 perfect manner, and prove even in the smallest de- 
 tails the refined taste of the ancients." As we 
 examined these bronze cooking implements very 
 closely I can fully confirm the commendation thus 
 bestowed. Thus, for example, in an ordinary strainer, 
 the small apertures are pierced so as to form a taste- 
 ful design, so thoroughly classic that I regret I did 
 not take a copy, as might easily have been done by a 
 rubbing as in copying brasses. There are clay as 
 well as bronze vessels candelabra, lamps, drinking 
 bowls, &c., most of them being close imitations of 
 those actually found in Herculaneum and Pompeii. 
 
 On the pavement of the doorway (21) in this part 
 of the house is a mosaic picture of a dog chained, 
 as seen in most of the houses of Pompeii, with the 
 inscription " Cave Canem," beware of the dog. 
 
 From this door, on the outside of the building, is 
 a stone staircase (22) not in exact accordance with 
 the original building from whence the designs of 
 this palace are chiefly taken, for, says the guide- 
 book, 4 * most of the staircases in the houses of Pom- 
 peii were built in the interior." " Still," the author 
 adds, " there are many buildings like these to which 
 they were attached from the outside, and these were 
 principally such as were situated (as this Pompeian 
 building is) out of the town, and were called villas." 
 ' It appears," he continues, " very sensible that the 
 apartments of the second story, which were mostly 
 assigned to the ladies, were in connection with the 
 garden of the house, for the ladies in themselves are 
 lovely flowers, and willingly associate with their sisters 
 the tender children of Flora." 
 
26 
 
 Ascending this staircase of thirty-five stone steps 
 we enter a balcony, and from it gain access to 
 the richest apartment of the whole house. It 
 has four entrances by doors, two of which lead to 
 the roof of the lower part of the house ; the door 
 opposite to the entrance" leads to the large covered 
 balcony (23) above the peristyle, and called Pergula. 
 In the large apartment (24) the mosaic pavement 
 represents in three medallions Juno, Jupiter, and 
 Medusa's head. On the walls are paintings of Apollo, 
 Bacchus, Hercules and the Muses, with their mother 
 Mnemosyne. " Here, it is said, the lady of the 
 house occupied herself with her female domestics in 
 the arrangement of her household affairs." The 
 back part of the large balcony (25) is decorated 
 with groups of Bacchantes, and adjoining it are 
 rooms (26 to 27) which include the supposed bed- 
 chamber of the lady of the house, the walls of which 
 are ornamented with paintings on a black ground of 
 a dealer in Cupids, Diana and Endymion, the Judg- 
 ment of Paris, Mars and Venus, Paris and Helen, 
 Ulysses and Penelope, Thetis and Vulcan, Bacchus 
 and Ariadne, Jupiter and Juno. The centre room 
 is painted with genii, and the walls of the room ad- 
 joining represent children playing. These two 
 rooms were probably used as nurseries. Out of the 
 last named room a door leads, as in the first room, 
 to a terrace on the leads of the front building. The 
 remaining large apartment (28) on this floor has 
 walls richly adorned with paintings, and from it a 
 staircase (29) to a large apartment (30) on the third 
 story, with windows on every side, commanding a 
 charming view of the whole vicinity. The decora- 
 tions, which have been mentioned, aie chiefly copies 
 
27 
 
 from paintings found in Herculaneum and Pompeii, 
 the originals of which are preserved in the Museum 
 at Naples. 
 
 Having thus narrated, from local authorities, con- 
 firmed by observation, and by clear descriptions of 
 our conductor, the details of a structure probably 
 without a parallel in the world, I now revert to my 
 notes as written at the time, and find the following 
 remarks on the Pompeian building : It stands 
 proudly on the margin of rocks which form the right 
 bank of the River Maine, and affords probably by far 
 the best idea of an ancient Roman villa ever seen 
 out of Italy. As regards a small portion of a 
 Pompeian house most Englishmen and many foreign- 
 ers are familiar with the example shown in a few 
 apartments in the Crystal Palace at Sydenham (one 
 of the many good works in art for which England 
 is so much indebted to Digby Wyatt). In the Pom- 
 peian house at Aschaifenburg there is more minute- 
 ness of detail, more elaborate duplicates of original 
 models, and more rich and varied decoration ; not 
 only so, but an entire house of three stories is cor- 
 rectly represented. This extensive and beautiful 
 work of art is about 100 feet in length, and nearly 
 120 feet from back to front. It is surrounded by 
 pleasure grounds, through which are charming walks, 
 and we greatly admired the delightful prospects 
 to be seen from thence. We rambled through seve- 
 ral streets. In the church of St. Mary is a finely 
 paint ed ceiling of about 50 feet in width, sup- 
 ported by handsome Corinthian columns. The 
 oppressive heat prevented further exploration, but 
 what we had seen richly repaid us for visiting 
 
28 
 
 a place of which we had very little previous know- 
 ledge. Indeed, I have met intelligent friends 
 to whom even the name of this place (containing 
 7,000 inhabitants) is scarcely known, and yet its 
 venerable church, its beautiful woods and walks, 
 its ancient castle, and its modern palace (for such, 
 indeed, it may be called), of the Pompeian house, 
 will, I think, recompense any tourist who cares for 
 mediaeval monuments, for landscape beauty, for the 
 remains of feudal grandeur as seen in an ancient 
 castle, or the extraordinary restoration of works of 
 still greater antiquity. To this I may add that I 
 thought the Freihof hotel well arranged, comfort- 
 able, and moderate. The varied and pleasing objects 
 .to which I have al'uded may interest many, but to 
 those who care only for the great and grand attrac- 
 tions of large cities or Alpine scenery, Aschaffenburg 
 would, of course, be deemed of only secondary 
 interest and importance. 
 
 The Pompeian building, which is the chief attrac- 
 tion of this place, is certainly suggestive of many 
 associations, and the guidebook from which I have 
 made extracts contains also a short but well written 
 account of the destruction of Pompeii, and of the 
 excavations which were commenced 120 years ago. 
 King Maximilian II., on a visit to Italy, alike ad- 
 mired the works of art at Pompeii, and deplored the 
 calamity which buried it in utter ruin. On his 
 return he was asked to contribute to the Album of 
 the German Union for the support of the families 
 of deceased artists, and wrote in it some lines ex- 
 press.ve of sentiments suggested by the former pomp 
 and subsequent desolation of the ill-fated city. Of 
 
29 
 
 these verses the following are a copy and trans- 
 lation : 
 
 Ich kehre aus dem Land der Lieder, 
 Der Kunst, der Liebe Heimathland, 
 
 Zuriick zu meinen Kindern wieder, 
 Was nehm' ich mit als schones Pfand ? 
 
 Der ew'gen Schonheit Ideale 
 
 Sind tief der Seele eingepragt, 
 Dass sie erwarmt von diesem Strahle 
 
 Entfalte, was sie in sich tragt. 
 
 Doch seh' ich auch vom kiihnsfcen Werke, 
 Oft nichts als eine Hand voll Staub : 
 
 Was niitzt des Arms, cles Geistes Starke, 
 Wenn alles der Yerwesung Raub ? 
 
 Po lernt' ich nur nach dem zu streben, 
 
 Was zu vollbringen Gott gebent, 
 Mich ganz dem Herren hinzugeben, 
 
 Zu niitzen froh das fliicht'ge Heut. 
 
 " I am returned from the Land of Song, 
 
 The home of arts, the dwelling-place of love, 
 Back to the children I had left so long, 
 
 What beauteous pledge shall my aftection prove ? 
 
 The eternal beauty of ideal charms, 
 Is printed in my soul in hues so bright, 
 
 That with its rays my vivid fancy warms, 
 And all it bears within is brought to light. 
 
 Yet in the most stupendous works of man, 
 Oft I saw nothing but a pile of dust ; 
 
 Of what avail his strength ? do what it can, 
 When all is subject to corruption's rust ? 
 
 Thus, then, I schooled myself but to aspire, 
 To that which God had made alone to last ; 
 
 Wholly to yield myself to His desire, 
 And profit by the transitory past." 
 
30 
 
 Approximate dimensions of the apartments of the 
 Pompeian House. See note, page 21. 
 
 1 The Vestibule (Vestibulum) 12 feet by 7 feet. 
 
 2 The Porter's Lodge (Cella Ostiarii} 12 10 
 
 3 The Atrium 38 36 
 
 4 Fountain (Compluvium) 14 14 
 
 5 Dwelling Koom for the slaves 15 12 
 
 6 An open Hall (leading to) 16 10 
 
 7 &8 Bed-chambers (CuUcula) 10 10 
 
 9 The AH, or House of Devotion 11 10 
 
 10 & 11 Bed-chambers 
 
 12 Large Bedroom for strangers 22 11 
 
 13 A room used as a Wardrobe 
 
 14 The Cella Atriensis, or room of the 
 
 person having charge of the 
 
 Atrium 12 8 
 
 15 The Hall of Reception (TaUinum) 16 16 
 
 16 Supposed Winter Dining Eoom 
 
 (Triclinium) 17 16 ,, 
 
 17 Apartment with stairs to Cellars 14 14 
 
 18 Summer Dining Room (Triclinium) 27 18 
 
 19 Apartment for slaves 18 12 
 
 20 Supposed Eeception room of the 
 
 Lady of the House 12 10 
 
 21 The Kitchen 32 13 
 
 22 Drawing Room 30 20 
 
 23 Large Covered Balcony (Pergula) 45 15 ,. 
 
 24 Bed-chamber of the Lady of the 
 
 House 16 12 
 
 25 & 26 Nurseries for children 35 16 
 
 27 A large apartment (Loggia) 30 13 
 
 28 The Belvidere, or third floor 30 18 
 
NUREMBURG. 
 
 After a railway journey of 119 miles which occu- 
 pied four hours and a half, including considerable 
 stoppages, we reached Nuremburg, and found good 
 accommodation at the hotel of the Rothes Ross, or 
 Red Horse. A walk through some streets and 
 market places enabled us to see many examples of 
 the singularly quaint style of building for which 
 this city is remarkable. As the afternoon was far 
 advanced our time for observation was limited, and 
 we spent the evening at the inn. 
 
 In a casual conversation with an intelligent tour- 
 ist some allusion was made to the geology of 
 the district, and this led to other interesting 
 topics. I was thus reminded of a remark of Dean 
 Buckland's, that any mutual interest in geological 
 matters often promoted future amity and friendly 
 intercourse. Geology, he said, is a sort of free- 
 masonry, of which a hammer is the unmistakable 
 " sign." 
 
 On the following day we had the pleasure of visit- 
 ing some churches, museums, and other interesting 
 places in Nuremburg, in the agreeable society of 
 this gentleman and his lady, who, like ourselves, 
 were now here for the first time. 
 
 We first went to the church of St. Sebald a large 
 and venerable edifice, with two lofty square towers, 
 each surmounted by a spire. The nave, we were told, 
 was built in the 10th and llth centuries ; the choir is 
 of later date (about 1377). Of many of the architec- 
 
32 
 
 tural details of this fine church I had an opportunity 
 many years ago of forming a very high estimate 
 from a careful inspection of drawings by Mr. Archi- 
 bald Dunn, of Newcastle, who, in pursuing his 
 studies as a professional architect, had made ex- 
 tremely correct delineations of many of the finest 
 examples of Gothic and other styles in Nuremburg 
 and other European cities. It is only from such ex- 
 act drawings, or from photographs, or carefully 
 executed engravings, that any adequate idea can 
 be formed, without actual inspection of the amaz- 
 ing richness and variety, of the architectural monu- 
 ments of this city. The church of St. Sebald is 
 remarkable for its graceful proportions, for the 
 extreme beauty of the shrine of its founder ; for a 
 bronze font, said to be one of the earliest productions 
 of the foundries established here ; for its lofty arches 
 and columns, with richly carved capitals ; its 
 sumptuous windows ; and for the elegance, as well 
 as the loftiness, of its spires. 
 
 Of the shrine, no one who sees it can fail to be 
 amused by some singularities of its design, as for 
 example its resting entirely on figures representing 
 snails ; but the attention is soon absorbed in admir- 
 ation of the wonderful beauty of the details of the 
 workmanship. It is described in a small local work 
 in French, u Souvenir de Nuremburg, 1 ' as "The pre- 
 cious work of Peter Vischer and his son," and as " one 
 of the most beautiful creations of art. Rich in 
 ornamented columns and lancet arches and magnifi- 
 cent statuary. The crowning glory of the whole 
 are figures of the twelve apostles works of universal 
 renown." There are also figures of twelve fathers 
 
33 
 
 of the church in all about seventy figures of differ- 
 ent sizes, the whole being surmounted by an infant 
 Jesus. In the discriminating criticism of Murray's 
 handbook (South Germany) this shrine is called, 
 " the masterpiece of the distinguished artist Peter 
 Vischer (born 1460, died 1529). " It is the most 
 important work/' adds the same authority, "which 
 German art has yet produced." 
 
 In the interior of the church are several paintings, 
 some of them by Albert Durer, and one of them con- 
 tains a portrait of himself. The north entrance or 
 porch is remarkable for the beauty of sculptured 
 figures which adorn its deeply recessed arches. It 
 is called the Bride's doorway. Opposite to this is 
 the Gothic chapel of St. Maurice, which is now used 
 for the exhibition of a collection of German and 
 Flemish paintings. These we viewed with much in- 
 terest. They are well arranged and in good preser- 
 vation. My object in these notes is not, however, 
 so much to enter upon detailed descriptions as to 
 mention what places we saw, and thus indicate to 
 others what may be seen, and how far in our hum- 
 ble estimation we thought them worth seeing. We 
 had not even a copy of Murray's " South Germany,'' 
 a work which is indispensable for all who have 
 leisure to study the antiquities of Nuremburg, and 
 having since my return to England read its notices 
 of St. Sebald's Church and of the city generally, I 
 cannot too highly commend its concise and com- 
 prehensive descriptions. Among them will be 
 found a reference to the pictures best worth study- 
 ing in the ancient chapel of St. Maurice. Those 
 who have leisure as well as taste to pursue in learned 
 
34 
 
 or artistic works, the study of the venerable anti- 
 quities of Nuremburg, will derive additional gratifi- 
 cation from seeing the originals ; the city itself is a 
 vast museum, showing in every street, and in some 
 parts of it almost in every house, some of the archi- 
 tectural beauties or peculiar styles of building which 
 prevailed in a period " of from four to six hundred 
 years ago. 
 
 In the Goose Market is a fountain of appropriate 
 design, and not far from it is the fountain so well 
 known as one of the most conspicuous as well as hand- 
 somest ornaments of the city. The French Souvenir 
 already alluded to, states that " it was erected be- 
 tween the years 1355 and 1362, by George and 
 Frederick Rupprecht and Sebald Schonhofer." The 
 pyramid of pure Gothic is 60 feet in height. The 
 lower figures represent the seven electors, and there 
 are also statues of Godfrey de Boullin, Clovis, of 
 France ; Charlemagne, Judas Maccabeus, Joshua, 
 David, Julius Caesar, Alexander, and Hector. Above 
 are seven prophets and Moses. The capitals are orna- 
 mented with heads, among which may be seen repre- 
 sentations of those of the artists who restored it, 
 between 1821 and 1824, under the direction of Albert 
 Reindel, director of the Royal School of Arts. From 
 eight heads of lions and from many fantastic animals 
 streams of water are projected into the basin. The 
 movable ring seen on the railing of the fountain is 
 the distinctive sign of Nuremburg. 
 
 The singular and richly ornamented gable of 
 Nassau House had our attention, but no written 
 description can convey any notion of its singular 
 quaintness and picturesque character. We ad- 
 
35 
 
 mired very much the interior of the church of 
 St. Lawrence. Its numerous clustered columns 
 of dark stone remind one of Westminster Abbey, 
 and its architectural features are uncommonly 
 grand. The lofty nave is surmounted by beauti- 
 fully groined arches, and the ceiling of the choir 
 is still more rich and elaborate. The coloured 
 statues affixed to many of the columns add much to 
 the singularly picturesque appearance of this church, 
 but the most remarkable ornament is a monument 
 elaborately carved in stone. It is called the Taber- 
 nacle, and extends vertically from the floor to the 
 ceiling, to meet the curvature of which its summit 
 is bent over and downwards like a crosier. 
 
 We spent some time in the chapels, cloisters, 
 galleries, and other apartments of an extensive and 
 well preserved building, once a Carthusian convent, 
 but now used as the depository of a large and inter- 
 esting collection of antiquities. The vast number 
 of objects of singular variety, and excellent 
 preservation, together with a well classified arrange- 
 ment, render this a truly interesting museum. 
 
 It is in vain to atte&pt an enumeration of even 
 the separate classes of antiquities here exhibited, 
 yet a short resume may convey some idea of objects so 
 curious and interesting as richly to merit any record I 
 can inscribe in these pages. We first saw a long cloister 
 containing several original monuments, and a much 
 greater number of copies. The rubbings from brasses, 
 in clearness and definition, excelled any I had before 
 seen ; in fact, they looked more like carefully 
 printed wood engravings than ordinary rubbings, 
 and some of them were from original brasses we 
 
36 
 
 had admired in the church at Aschaffenburg. A 
 large fresco painting represents the discovery of the 
 dead body of Charlemagne enthroned in state in a 
 vault. It is admirably executed, and corresponds with 
 a similar representation at Aix la Chapelle. where 
 the incident occurred. There are many well executed 
 copies of richly sculptured doors, most of them as 
 large as the originals. The old chapel of the con- 
 vent is filled with church furniture of mediaeval 
 times, and with sumptuous ornaments and dresses, 
 now disused in German Lutheran, as well as in 
 English Protestant churches, but to the resumption 
 of which the Ritualism of the latter church is making 
 some approaches. 
 
 A long gallery is filled with specimens of ancient 
 armour of much historic interest. There are many 
 guns, old and new. of varied forms and elaborate 
 decoration. Among them a breech-loading cannon 
 two hundred years old, which I fancy would be held 
 in small estimation by any military commission of 
 the present time. Two rooms are filled with curious 
 old cabinets. There are numerous specimens of 
 stained glass, many of them old and curious, and 
 works in porcelain in great variety. The collection 
 of engravings and wood-cuts of old MS. books, and 
 early missals with gorgeous illuminations, are well 
 arrayed. I viewed with special interest the wood- 
 cuts attributed to Albert Durer, and bearing his 
 well-known monogram, yet it is doubtful whether 
 he did more than draw designs to be cut by others. 
 A bible is shown which is said to have belonged to 
 Luther, the memorials of whom seemed to be highly 
 prized in many of the places we visited. In this 
 
37 
 
 museum is a remarkable collection of European old 
 musical instruments, such as dulcimers, lutes, harpsi- 
 chords, &c., and there are many paintings and other 
 collections of curiosities of considerable interest, all 
 of them being more or less illustrative of German 
 history. 
 
 We next visited the Rathhaus, or Town Hall, 
 where in a great many apartments we saw a large 
 collection of paintings and other remarkable objects. 
 The great hall (as measured by my stepping) is 
 about 130 feet long, and 40 feet wide. It has a 
 lofty semi-circular roof. The walls are decorated 
 with numerous paintings, the most remarkable being 
 one in fresco by Albert Durer, upwards of 60 feet 
 in length. It represents the Emperor Maximilian 
 entering Nuremburg, and is a work of singular 
 interest. In a long but narrow gallery the stuccoed 
 ceiling represents, in bold relief, a tournament, which 
 in a local guidebook is called " La joute des ouvriers/ 
 It is a most remarkable work, being all white except the 
 few spaces filled with heraldic adornments, and these 
 are brilliantly coloured. In the upper part of this 
 massive and extensive edifice are several apartments 
 containing paintings, stained glass, and miscellaneous 
 curiosities which would repay a much more leisurely 
 examination than we had time to make. 
 
 We were taken to a singular old house, with 
 corridors and ornaments, of palace-like magnificence, 
 but now used partly as a private dwelling house, 
 and partly as a warehouse for mercantile purposes. 
 In it we ascended one of the curious winding stair- 
 cases for which Nuremburg is remarkable ; it is 
 inclosed in a multangular tower, the enrichments of 
 
38 
 
 the interior are of Venetian character, and date from 
 1605. In another house, remarkable for its great anti- 
 quity, we saw a curious collection of articles made of 
 papier mache, and bronzed or gilded, so as to form 
 good fac-similes of the helmets, shields, coats of mail, 
 or other curious relics of the past. Several copies 
 of statues and busts are similarly made from good 
 originals, and sold at moderate prices. 
 
 We saw some dungeons containing apparatus and 
 instruments formerly used for inflicting torture 
 sad testimonies of the barbarous cruelty prac- 
 tised in the middle ages. Some of the tortures 
 inflicted were such as cannot even be thought of 
 without feelings of shame and sorrow that human 
 nature should ever have been steeped in such fright- 
 ful wickedness. Compared with these wretched 
 vaults, the Prison of Chillon seems almost a 
 comfortable home. Some of the mechanical con- 
 trivances for inflicting pain might be thought of 
 doubtful credibility, but many dark pages of 
 history prove that such cruelties were inflicted. 
 A cradle, of large size, filled with spikes, is 
 shown, with other deplorable examples of 
 what malignity can invent, but one of them sur- 
 passes all others in atrocity. It is called " The 
 Maiden," and is a hollow figure, formed of iron, 
 resembling a female. In this the victims were en- 
 closed and pressed to death. The mind is filled 
 with horror at the contemplation of such barbarities. 
 How great is the difference in the present time when 
 any neglect of a criminal even of an inhuman charac- 
 ter would be publicly reprehended. Perhaps in other 
 two or three centuries, some practices of the present 
 time may appear cruel to more enlightened and 
 
39 
 
 generous minds. Let us hope that such a result is 
 at all events promoted by extended intercourse and 
 information. 
 
 The castle and its extensive adjuncts are 
 seated on a hill at the north-western angle 
 of the city, commanding an extensive prospect, 
 which includes a large portion of the city. Many of 
 the ancient walls and fortifications which attest its 
 former strength, now only add a picturesque aspect 
 to this curious old chateau or palace. In a small 
 court-yard, which we first entered, workmen were 
 covering part of the trunk of a venerable lime tree 
 to prevent it from further decay. It is said to have 
 been planted when this part of the castle was built, 
 some seven or eight centuries ago. In two old 
 chapels are some peculiar features of Romanesque 
 decoration. The apartments contain some interest- 
 ing paintings, but are much less sumptuous than 
 Royal residences usually are. 
 
 Of course we went to see the house of Albert 
 Durer and the fine statue of this famous artist, 
 which stands near to it. We wished to see a manu- 
 factory of toys, but were taken to a mere depository 
 where toys are sold, nor did we omit to buy several 
 photographic and other representations of the mar- 
 vels of this fine old city. Finally, we had a pleasant 
 drive through several streets and along part of the 
 suburbs outside the walls, and were thus enabled to 
 form a good idea of the city and of the characteris- 
 tic features of its vicinity. 
 
 In almost every part of our route we saw some 
 peculiarity to engage attention. As to historical 
 associations, which add so much to the interest of 
 
40 
 
 remarkable buildings, I leave all such details to those 
 who have time, knowledge of language, and archi- 
 tectural taste to pursue the requisite investigations. 
 I confine my present notes as much as possible to 
 the incidents and characteristics which came within 
 our opportunities of observation during a short stay 
 in a city where months, or even years, might be 
 passed in observation and study without exhausting 
 the claims which it presents in its manifold riches of 
 the past. 
 
 The surface of the ground on which Nuremburg 
 is built is undulating, and the streets and 
 markets in some places look as if they had 
 been purposely laid out by an artist for pictur- 
 esque effect. The streets are nt mere parallel 
 rows of houses opposite each other ; the markets 
 and "places" so-called, are not "squares." Turn 
 where you will, you see projecting houses, large 
 thoroughfares, fine combinations of architectural 
 stateliness in massive buildings or warehouses as 
 well as in public buildings, beautiful oriels, pictur- 
 esque turrets, and richly ornamented gables. 
 
 If, after a general view, you take at chance any 
 single building for attentive study, the same 
 varieties and peculiarities may be found in many 
 ordinary houses,, although they seem to present no 
 unusual or popular attraction. For instance, looking 
 at almost the first house I came to, after going out 
 of the hotel, I made this kind of examina- 
 tion. It was an ordinary dwelling house such as 
 no guide would ever think of pointing out, and 
 which no one would select as exemplifying the re- 
 markable buildings of Nuremburg, but that is the 
 
41 
 
 very reason why I now allude to it. It was six 
 stories high ; the windows of the two uppermost 
 floors project from the handsome tiling of the 
 roof. I made sketches of the stone facings 
 and mouldings of these windows, then of a win- 
 dow of the highest row in the stone facade 
 or front of the house, and of the three rows of 
 windows beneath it. I thus found that every 
 set of windows was different in architectural 
 design, and every one of them worth attention 
 as neat and even elegant designs. If this is what 
 may be learnt from an ordinary and comparatively 
 plain street house, what are we to say of those 
 edifices, and many such there are, which are re- 
 markably prominent ^for quaintness and pecu- 
 liarity? To this the only answer must be " Circuin- 
 spice" look around for without actual inspection 
 the marvels of this old and most curious city cannot 
 be comprehended. 
 
 The materials employed in bailding houses 
 appeared to be nearly equally divided between 
 stone and stucco. Most of the windows have 
 ornamental mouldings or pediments. Doors, also, 
 are in many cases richly ornamented. Of the 
 roofs, nearly all are large, but some of them 
 are of enormous area, one of them being the in- 
 clined covering of no less than six stories, as 
 indicated by as many rows of windows projecting 
 from it. All is varied, yet all is in good taste ; 
 each specimen seems a harmonious unit in this vast 
 museum -of mediaeval architecture. Two prominent 
 features are of frequent occurrence one is the 
 oriel window, the other corner turrets attached to 
 
42 
 
 many houses. To these I may add that almost 
 every gable is a study. 
 
 In short, to any who visit this city, as we did, in 
 search of antiquarian and picturesque buildings, 
 every anticipation and even every hope must be 
 more than fulfilled and realized. 
 
 I have only to add that the similar tastes, in- 
 telligence, and friendly feeling of our companions 
 in the exploration of Nuremburg added much to the 
 gratification of seeing so many curious and inter- 
 esting objects. 
 
 FRAXCONIAN SWITZERLAND. 
 
 In travelling northward from Nuremburg we 
 were desirous to see some of the romantic scenery 
 known as Franconian Switzerland, but not having 
 guide books of South Germany we were at a loss for 
 exact information how to proceed. All we could 
 learn was, that we should stop at Forcheim Station 
 (22 miles), and there take a conveyance to Streiberg. 
 Accordingly, on arriving at Forcheim, we engaged 
 a neat open carriage and a pair of horses, and at 
 once assented to the fare of two dollars, although 
 with most indefinite notions as to either the direction 
 or distance of our intended drive. The direction 
 turned out to be north-east, and the distance nearly 
 ten miles. The fare and " drink-money" to- 
 gether came to less than ten shillings, and we 
 thought the charge moderate. The driver, more- 
 over, was civil and communicative. 
 
V 
 
 GASTLE HO CKS at STKEIBERG-, 
 VI 
 
 CASTLE RO CKS at STREZBERG-. 
 
43 
 
 We passed through a charming and richly wooded 
 country of gentle undulations In some of the 
 villages were large houses built with timber frame- 
 work, which, being painted black, the contrast show- 
 ing the white plaster had a very striking appearance. 
 As we drove along we found that the hills increased 
 in height and picturesque aspect, and at length 
 precipitous rocks and contours of semi-mountainous 
 character made us aware that we were nearing our 
 place of destination. We drove to the Post, or 
 Golden Bear Inn, where we found very clean 
 and comfortable apartments, the accommodation 
 being far beyond what we expected to find in so 
 small a village. 
 
 For romantic scenery few places can exceed 
 Streiberg. It stands at the base of lofty and 
 nearly perpendicular rocks, on the summit of 
 v^hich are the ruins of an ancient castle scarcely 
 distinguishable from the limestone rocks on which 
 it is built. A very massive, tower-like portion of 
 rock, is quite apart from the rest, but the space 
 which intervenes is spanned by a foot bridge, and 
 the view from this summit is exceedingly grand. In 
 several walks around and upon this rocky eminence 
 we saw many singular rocks of great height rising 
 from the woods, having detached portions so high 
 and yet so slender, that they seemed more like 
 steeples than rocks. Of these I made some 
 sketches to remind me of their remarkable 
 forms. The castle rock, which seems a huge mass 
 when viewed in one direction, is when viewed from 
 another, found to be dissevered and split into 
 high and thin pinnacles. Ascending a deep ravine, 
 
44 
 
 we came to a pinnacle of rock which rose far above 
 the lofty trees which surrounded its base. Further 
 up the valley were precipices on each side, which 
 almost met. 
 
 The general character of the scenery here re- 
 minded me of Roy at, near Clermont, in the Auvergne ; 
 Of the rocky spires I have seen few rivals, un- 
 less at Montserrat, in Spain, and the well-known 
 detached mass of rock near Dinant, in Belgium. 
 
 By far the most extensive view of the country 
 near Streiberg is from the summit of the Cuck-hull, 
 the highest point in the vicinity. This we ascended, 
 and were charmed with a prospect of mar- 
 vellous beauty. We were thus enabled to per- 
 ceive that the range of scenery, to which a Swiss 
 appellation has been given, is of limited extent, being 
 all included in a circuit of a few miles from this 
 place. The valleys close at hand have richly wooded 
 sides, with many precipices and other rock scenery. 
 The distant view includes a vast tract of country, 
 the horizon of w^hich was distinctly seen through an 
 atmosphere of unusual clearness. We remained on 
 this lofty summit some time, tracing the direction of 
 valleys, and rinding on every side landscapes so truly 
 beautiful that we exclaimed " Well does this district 
 merit its name." But although the name of Switzer- 
 land at once conveys an idea of either sublime or 
 beautiful scenery, it must be remarked that in no part 
 of this district is there any approach to what may be 
 called the "sublimity" of Alpine scenery. This 
 will readily be understood from the fact that the 
 elevation we had gained, commanding a clear panor- 
 amic view over a vast extent in every direction, was 
 
CASTLE ROCKS at STREIBER& 
 
ROCKS at STEEIBERG- 
 X. 
 
 
 EUCKSatSTREIBETlG- 
 
45 
 
 only a pleasant morning walk, gained, even on a very 
 hot day, without fatigue. The only Alpine features 
 are the deep seclusion of the valley sand rocky gorges, 
 broad faces of rock, or singularly romantic re- 
 cesses in the woods. The eminences are probably 
 within the limits of from two to three thousand feet 
 above the sea. There are no vast mountains no 
 snowy summits no roseate hues nor Alpine snows. 
 The beauties of Franconian Switzerland are 
 more of a pleasing than grand character, and 
 again and again as we descended, we came on 
 fine points of view from the top of precipices, 
 and saw wild and deep and rocky recesses and 
 caves intermixed with forest scenery. These 
 abound to a great extent, but we had not time to 
 explore the rest of the district, which contains many 
 attractions. Ancient castles seemingly almost as 
 old as the rocks on which they are built and from 
 which they can scarcely be distinguished ; collec- 
 tions of fossils, fruits of the researches of Humboldt, 
 Buckland, and others. Our time permitted only of 
 such an inspection as gave us an idea of a district 
 not much known to English tourists though much 
 frequented by Germans. In the guide books of 
 Murray and Baedeker will be found a comprehensive 
 description of the scenery, caves, and castles, 
 which well deserve the attention of geologists 
 as well as of all who care for antiquity or admire 
 the beauties of richly wooded, rocky, and highly 
 picturesque scenery. 
 
 On our way to Leipzic we remained a few hours 
 in Bamberg, a Bavarian town of considerable im- 
 portance lying partly between the river Regnitz and 
 
46 
 
 the Great Canal and partly on the west side of the 
 latter which connects the river Main with the Danube, 
 and forms, by means of this river and the Rhine, a con- 
 tinuous navigation between the German Ocean and 
 the Black Sea. The facilities for inland communica- 
 tion thus afforded give to this place an aspect of 
 commercial activity which is very conspicuous. 
 Bamberg is of great antiquity, but is not particularly 
 celebrated for any remarkable buildings except the 
 cathedral. Evening was approaching when we 
 arrived so we lost no time in going to see it and 
 other two churches, containing many objects of 
 interest, to which we would willingly have given 
 more attention if time had permitted. 
 
 The cathedral, or Domkirche, is situated on a 
 commanding eminence, and has four lofty towers, 
 each surmounted by a spire. These towers have a 
 peculiarly light and graceful appearance owing to 
 the number of windows they contain. The church is 
 large and plain, although some of the doors and other 
 architectural details of mouldings, &c., are highly 
 ornamental. 
 
 The visitor cannot fail to observe the great care 
 with which this cathedral has been restored under 
 the auspices of King Louis I. about from thirty to 
 forty years ago. It contains a great number of 
 monuments, many of them very elaborate, others 
 have richly carved bronze work, and the Sacristan 
 pointed out those which are considered most worthy 
 of notice. The crypt is very curious and of ancient 
 date. 
 
 Of this church a detailed description is given in 
 Murray's handbook of South Germany, and having 
 
47 
 
 since my return compared the account in that work 
 with the few notes I made at the time, I cannot too 
 highly commend the care and accuracy with which 
 a quantity of authentic information is 1 ' compressed 
 within a small space in the pages of the 'well-known 
 Murray. 
 
 St. Martin's Church (in the lower, or as it may 
 be called, island part of the town), has a western 
 front or facade of remarkable and somewhat pomp- 
 ous modern architecture ; the interior is handsome, 
 especially the painted ceiling, and there are many 
 monuments, altars, and other usual decorations of a 
 Roman Catholic church. I may here remark that 
 even in towns of moderate size and occasionally in 
 villages, the churches, both exterior and interior, are 
 often of much larger dimensions, and are (indepen- 
 dently of church furniture) much more elaborate 
 and beautiful in architectural style than the churches 
 in places of similar extent or importance in England. 
 
 On a hill called Michelsberg still higher than 
 the site of the cathedral is the church of St. 
 Michael, and on the north side of it is a terrace of 
 great height, commanding an extensive and beauti- 
 ful prospect. The two lofty spires of this church 
 form a conspicuous ornament of the town. Its 
 ancient architecture has been much destroyed or al- 
 tered by restorations, and the front now presents a 
 rather graceful example of architecture of the Ionic 
 style. The interior is very high and the groined 
 arching of its ceiling throughout, is enriched with 
 paintings of floral decoration in bright colours. 
 
 Here also are numerous monuments and brasses, 
 in many of which the prevailing themes are the life 
 and sanctity of St. Otho. There are several 
 
paintings, and the inlaid wood work of the choir 
 sittings is curious. Of this church "Murray" 
 says "it is hardly worth entering." The worthy 
 verger who conducted us to the various parts of the 
 building was evidently of a different opinion, for he 
 descanted much on what he deemed its interesting at- 
 tractions. As the gloom of evening increased he 
 took a candle from the altar, and by its feeble light 
 pointed out many objects which certainly appeared 
 to possess some interest either for age, for curious 
 construction, or for exceedingly rich ornamentation, 
 as in the case of St. Otho's shrine. At length, how- 
 ever, he vainly attempted to illuminate the mural 
 monuments by the feeble light ; darkness compelled 
 us to discontinue all further exploration and to re- 
 turn to the Inn (Deutches Hotel) where we awaited 
 the arrival of the train in which we were to proceed 
 on our journey. 
 
 LEIPZIG. 
 
 \Ve arrived in this city at eight in the morning, 
 after a railway journey of nearly eight hours, from 
 Bamberg, having left Bavaria and entered Saxony. 
 On our way we saw some towns in which many in- 
 dications of mining and manufacturing industry were 
 conspicuous. We drove to the Hotel de Russie, in 
 Peter Street, a good hotel in a central position, yet 
 less pleasantly situated than the Hotel de Prusse, 
 which looks directly upon the beautifully laid out 
 grounds of a large open space called Ross Platz. If 
 Namur, in its lofty steeps, bristling with fortifica- 
 tions, reminds one of " grim visaged war," so, in 
 
49 
 
 like manner, on entering Leipzic one cannot but 
 admire how much the " wrinkled brow" has been 
 smoothed, for all these beautiful gardens and 
 promenades, and healthy, aiiy open places have been 
 formed on spaces once occupied by massive walls, 
 deep ditches, closed gates, and other defences of 
 the then small and confined city of Leipzic. 
 In no place, probably, have the horrors of war been 
 more concentrated, or of greater atrocity, than in 
 this city. How singular and how pleasing is the con- 
 trast, that the very means of defence which invited, 
 as it were, the contests for its possession, should 
 now afford to its inhabitants the healthy and beauti- 
 ful pleasure grounds which replace the former ram- 
 parts. If it were only for this, Leipzic is worth 
 coming to see. 
 
 The old city, enclosed in walls, occupied an area 
 of only about one-third of a square mile. With 
 its modern suburbs, including the pleasure grounds 
 in the centre, the area is now more than ten times 
 as large. 
 
 Here, then, on a first view of Leipzic was a 
 problem of extension and improvement originating, 
 in no small decree, in causes which are usually 
 thought of as tending only to misery and destruc- 
 tion. 
 
 The old city, exclusive of ramparts, measured from 
 east to west half a mile, and from north to south 
 less than three-quarters of a mile. Now, these 
 respective measurements may be taken as nearly 
 two miles from east to west, and nearly two miles 
 from north to south. 
 
50 
 
 As the large spaces, now so highly ornamented, 
 have many handsome buildings, public and private, 
 adjoining them, the effect is really magnificent from 
 some points of view thus, for example, the Ross 
 Platz, which we first saw, is of great extent, 
 having a width of about a furlong. One-half of 
 this width is laid out in walks and lawns, and 
 shrubberies. In Augustus Place a continuation 
 of the former we see on the west, the buildings 
 of the University ; on the south, the large and 
 handsome museum and gallery of paintings ; on 
 the east are large, well-built, and handsome dwelling 
 houses ; and on the remaining side a theatre, of 
 such sumptuous magnificence as can only be under- 
 stood by accurate pictorial representations. Here, 
 in one view, are prominent indications of Learning, 
 art, science, domestic comfort, and amusement. 
 Can any combination of objects in a town more 
 forcibly show how much " Grim visaged war has 
 smoothed his wrinkled brow." 
 
 We viewed the old market place with much inte- 
 rest for it remains as Leipzic was, when nearly all 
 around, except some old streets and churches, have 
 been transformed. In the busy street called Grirn- 
 ma'sche Strass, we remembered the entrance of the 
 allied troops at the Grimma Gate. They, flushed 
 with victory, were entering the west side and 
 were not far from the eastern walls of the former 
 city. Some memorials yet remain to indicate the 
 dreadful loss of life and liberty which resulted 
 from the retreat of the French army. Nearly all 
 this central portion of Europe (excepting some small 
 districts of romantic scenery, where deep valleys and 
 steep hills are conditions sacred to peace, so far as 
 
51 
 
 the movements of vast armies are concerned,) has 
 been more or less a battle field or the scene of ex- 
 tensive military movements. In Leipzic all the 
 intensity of military conflict was concentrated, and 
 every part of it recalls to an attentive observer, some 
 dreadful recollection of the past, while the present 
 is brightened by anticipations of future prosperity 
 to this great seat of commerce and chosen mart of 
 the literature of Europe. 
 
 We were much pleased with the beautiful park 
 and pleasure grounds called Rosenthal, and with the 
 statues and fountains placed among the walks and 
 ornamental gardens which nearly surround the old 
 part of the city. In the market place and streets 
 those who have not seen Nuremburg can scarcely 
 fail to observe with interest many curious examples 
 of old public buildings and houses ; but in that city 
 we had seen so much that was old and quaint, 
 that probably in no city of Europe can an equal 
 amount of antiquarian rarity be found. 
 
 We spent the forenoon in viewing the statuary 
 and paintings in the museum, a handsome and 
 well arranged building of recent erection, and 
 well adapted for the purposes to which it is 
 assigned. Amongst the older pictures we admired 
 a head of Rembrandt said to have been painted by 
 himself. Two fine works of Murillo, the " Im- 
 maculate Conception" and " Madonna and child ;'' 
 also a picture of " David with Goliah's head," by 
 Guido R,eni. The modern paintings appeared to us 
 to be of greater merit than the old ; perhaps this 
 was owing to the interest of landscapes of well-known 
 places, or to portraits of memorable persons. There 
 
52 
 
 are four large landscapes by Calame, much varied 
 in their subjects, and yet equally varied in style. 
 In one of them "Monte Rosa" stands out in a re- 
 markably clear atmosphere. In the " Squall" 
 the air seems thick and murky. The " Ruins of 
 Psestum" are bathed in the warm light of Italian 
 sunshine, and the " Swiss mountains" charmingly 
 represent the beauty and grandeur of Alpine scenery. 
 Among the portraits, the three which most attracted 
 our attention were full length portraits, all of them 
 admirably painted, of Cromwell, Frederick the 
 Great, and Napoleon. The Prussian monarch is 
 represented sitting in the royal chapel in a pensive 
 attitude listening to a Te Deum for recent victories. 
 Napoleon is still more pensive, for he is seated at a 
 table at Fontainbleau, and the time is March 31, 
 1814, a date of vast significance when taken in con- 
 nection with the scale of military operations, of 
 which he was the prime cause at Leipzic less than 
 half a year previously. 
 
 In the afternoon we went to the top of the tower 
 called the Observatory, part of the Castle of Pleis- 
 senburg, which forms the south-east angle of the old 
 city, and is part of its former fortifications. Here, 
 from an outer gallery we had a map-like view of the 
 city close at hand and a most extensive view over 
 the surrounding country. The district is gener- 
 ally flat, and many parts of it are identified 
 with the military movements made by the vari- 
 ous armies engaged in the Battle of Leipzic. 
 These were pointed out by the "castellan" or 
 keeper, who has made himself well acquainted with 
 the details, and who points a large telescope, so as 
 
53 
 
 to afford a view of some objects closely associated 
 with that eventful time. On a table in the central 
 apartment he has a large plan showing Leipzic and 
 its surroundings for some miles distant. On these 
 he placed slips of cardboard of different colours re- 
 presenting the several armies. They are first 
 disposed so as to show the positions occupied on 
 the day before the great battle commenced, and he 
 successively moves them into several of the more 
 prominent positions in the three days of conflict 
 ending by the armies of the Allies closing upon 
 Leipzic and by the departure of the French army. 
 It was deeply interesting to see, as it were, in minia- 
 ture, the battle fought on paper. It con- 
 tinued four days, and is described as "the most 
 prolonged and sanguinary on record." The whole 
 of the opposing armies amounted to nearly half a 
 million, and 21,000, 14,000, and 16,000 are stated as 
 the numbers respectively lost by Russia, Austria, 
 and Prussia, whilst of the vast army of the French 
 only 90,000 commenced the retreat to the Rhine. 
 Murray calls it " one of the longest, sternest, and 
 bloodiest actions of the war, one of the largest 
 battles recorded in history," and adds that "the 
 number of troops engaged were 176,000 on the side 
 of Napoleon and 300,000 on that of the Allies." 
 Even on the spot it is impossible to realise any con- 
 ception of the dreadful slaughter and misery atten- 
 dant on such a battle. Happily all traces of it have 
 disappeared or nearly so, and the aspect of the city 
 is so changed that the interest of local description is 
 more within the range of imagination than of actual 
 observation. On the top of the tower of Pleissenburg 
 we were told that the battle raged all around, 
 
54 
 
 but if we look for strongly fortified walls and 
 gates, the narrow bridge and other places familiar 
 to all who have read detailed descriptions, we 
 see an animated scene of peaceful industry, of 
 pleasure grounds and gardens replacing the field of 
 blood. The sad events were terrible but of short 
 duration ; the industry, peace, and beauty which 
 have ensued have endured for more than half a cen- 
 tury, and will probably continue for generations yet 
 to come. Misery is much mixed up with the progress 
 of human events, but not so largely as joy and peace 
 and beauty. This was the sentiment impressed on 
 my mind, as I again walked in the gardens, admired 
 the extent of modern improvement, and saw the 
 preparations for one of the great fairs which in 
 another fortnight will for a time double the 
 number of dwellers in the city. 
 
 DRESDEN. 
 
 Leaving Leipzic at nine in the morning we tra- 
 velled by rail to Dresden. The railway station at 
 Leipzic is large, handsome, and commodious 
 a commendation which may be given generally to 
 railway stations in Germany. The line passes over 
 a vast plain, east of the city, (part of the famous 
 battle-field of 1813). The morning was remarkably 
 pleasant a few light clouds intercepted the ex- 
 treme brightness which had so long prevailed, 
 and the air was pleasantly cool. About ten miles 
 from Dresden, the valley, hitherto so expansive, be- 
 gins to contract in width, and its sides become more 
 beautiful as well as more hillv. On the north side 
 
55 
 
 are many prominences most of them crowned 
 with an ornamental chateau, tower, or summer- 
 house. On the opposite side, the hills are more 
 continuous but are well wooded, and as we pro- 
 ceed the landscape becomes more and more diversified 
 a pleasant change from the monotony of the ex- 
 tensive plains over which we had for some time been 
 travelling. 
 
 On approaching Dresden from the north, the city 
 has a lively aspect owing to the great number 
 of white houses with red roofs intermixed with vine- 
 yards and plantations. We drove to the Hotel de 
 Saxe in the New Market, and thought ourselves for- 
 tunate in at once obtaining excellent accommodation. 
 At one o'clock we joined the "Table d'hote,' 1 and 
 had a good dinner in a large and handsomely fur- 
 nished room, having on each side of it galleries 
 with Corinthian columns, resting on Ionic arcades. 
 These and the walls are mostly white, enriched with 
 gold, and the ceiling is sumptuously painted. Along 
 the sides and ends of the room are various plants, 
 which give to the whole a graceful and pleasing 
 appearance. It is used in winter for concerts and 
 assemblies. We drove through some of the prin- 
 cipal streets and ornamental grounds of the city, 
 and admired the handsome houses of several 
 streets, nor were we less pleased with the plea- 
 sure grounds of what are called the " Grosser" 
 (or greater) Gardens. There are part of the Royal 
 domains lying immediately east of the city. Here 
 is a handsome chateau or palace-like building, with 
 much architectural decoration. On the ground floor 
 are vaulted rooms filled with mediaeval antiquities, 
 
56 
 
 most of them being church ornaments, manuscripts, 
 missals, and early printed books. There are, how- 
 ever, some curiosities of a more miscellaneous de- 
 scription and of greater antiquity, as for example 
 flint implements, which, as regards age, throw all 
 ordinary antiquities into the shade. There is a good 
 impression of Luther's bible, printed at Wittenberg 
 in 1532, and a curiously carved pulpit, from which 
 the great Reformer frequently preached. It was 
 brought from Hohenstein, and has the date of 1513 
 'carved upon it. A curious painting, in good pre- 
 servation, represents Luther preaching (as he was 
 wont to do) in the state church of Wittenberg. This 
 portrait corresponds with well known representations 
 of Luther, and many likenesses of the notabilities of 
 the place are included in this curious picture. The 
 number and antiquity of the contents of this mu- 
 seum, together with the artistic beauty of some 
 objects, and the historical associations connected 
 with others, render it a very interesting collection. 
 Above the apartments containing the museum is 
 a large and richly decorated palace-like apartment 
 or hall frequently used as a concert room, and 
 commanding fine views of the adjacent park. In it 
 is a large model of a monument lately erected at 
 Worms in honour of the memory of Luther, who is 
 represented standing on a lofty pedestal in the 
 centre of a large and elevated square area, along 
 the sides of which are several statues of his fellow- 
 labourers in the work of the Reformation. It was 
 curious to see these indications of respect to the 
 memory of Luther in immediate connection with a 
 museum chiefly filled with objects appertaining to 
 the religious system he so violently opposed. 
 
57 
 
 Continuing our drive through the park and 
 through some more well built streets, we obtained a 
 good general idea of the extent of the city, and of 
 the remarkably pleasant intermixture of ornamental 
 grounds with its central portions, and especially on 
 the site of the former fortifications. Both in the 
 city and around its suburbs Dresden is well provided 
 with beautiful promenades and pleasure grounds, 
 which add much to its beauty as well as to the 
 health and enjoyment of the inhabitants. 
 
 The principal places to which we were desirous to 
 give attention were the Galleries of Paintings and 
 Engravings, the Green Vaults, the Geological and 
 Mineralogical collections, the Museums of History 
 and of Antiquities, the collection of Porcelain, and 
 the interior of some of the Churches. 
 
 Of the famous DRESDEN GALLERY I may at once 
 say that the number and excellence of the paintings, 
 and the architectural arrangements of the edifice 
 containing them, far surpassed any anticipations 
 I had formed. The admiration with which we first 
 viewed it was confirmed by subsequent visits. 
 
 Nearly in the centre of Dresden is a large and 
 handsomely laid out oval garden, surrounded 
 by buildings of palatial proportions, in which are 
 contained the galleries of paintings and engravings, 
 the historical and other museums, etc. The entire 
 range of building is called The Zwinger. In the 
 largest, most modern, and handsome portion of this 
 edifice is the collection of paintings, occupying fifty - 
 four rooms of various sizes, of which thirty-four are 
 on the first or principal floor. Seven of these are of 
 magnificent proportions large, lofty, and well 
 
58 
 
 lighted. The remainder are lesser rooms, three at 
 each end, and twenty-one ranged along one side of 
 the central halls. Of the remaining twenty-four 
 rooms, nine are above, and fifteen on the ground floor. 
 The entrance is by handsome staircases and stately 
 corridors. The whole is of a spacious, airy, 
 palace-like character, and the surrounding pro- 
 menades and ornamental grounds are of great am- 
 plitude and beauty. The interior court, or garden, 
 contains some fine statuary, and a number of orange 
 trees are placed in it during the summer. 
 
 The principal rooms (together with six end rooms) 
 are lettered A to N, and the smaller rooms on the 
 same floor are numbered 1 to 21. 
 
 The chief attraction of the gallery is Raphael's 
 Madonna of St. Sixtus, fixed in a massive gold 
 frame in the room A, which is wholly appropriated 
 to it. It is placed obliquely so as to obtain the most 
 favourable light, and at all times when I was there 
 the chairs and sofas opposite to it were filled with 
 spectators. To this apartment every pilgrim of 
 art hastens as earnestly as devotees approach a 
 holy shrine, and here no one who has even the 
 slightest appreciation of art can fail to experience a 
 high gratification. It is only by lonjr- continued 
 and frequent inspection that a due feeling of the 
 merits of so splendid a work can be impressed on 
 the mind, and herein consists the peculiar charm and 
 value of the best productions of art. They never tire. 
 Again and again during our stay in Dresden we 
 went, always with increased estimation, to study its 
 grace and beauty. For more than three centuries has 
 this noble work been preserved, and in freshness and 
 
59 
 
 beauty it looks like the work of yesterday. A local 
 guide book truly says, " On arriving at the gallery 
 the visitor should immediately proceed without de - 
 lay to the hall A, in order, with fresh and unem- 
 paired energy, to inspect and admire the Sixtine 
 Madonna, the gern of the collection, a magni- 
 ficent and impressive work." Wilkie (quoted 
 by Murray) says of this picture, " The head of the 
 virgin is perhaps nearer the perfection of female 
 beauty and elegance than anything in painting : it 
 is truly impressive and beautiful.' 7 
 
 The sight of such a painting is a solid charm 
 added to life, a pleasure never to be forgotten so 
 long as memory retains its power, and this, which 
 in a pre-eminent degree may be said of this great 
 work of Raphael Sanzio, may in a greater or less 
 degree be said of many other paintings which enrich 
 the Dresden Gallery, and render it one of the wonders 
 of the world of art. 
 
 In looking through the galleries, I put aside for a 
 time the criticisms of guide books, and noted such as 
 appeared to possess peculiar merit. In referring to 
 such notes, I only wish to convey some general notion 
 of the impressions I received as being perhaps 
 similar to those which may be experienced by 
 spectators who are compelled to take only a brief 
 survey of this vast collection of artistic treasures. 
 
 The notes I made are not meant as any guide to 
 other visitors ; they are mere memoranda of the 
 general characteristics and effect of what I saw. The 
 discrimination and artistic judgment brought to bear 
 on this subject in the best handbooks render them 
 most useful and, I believe, taithful indices to the 
 works of greatest merit. 
 
60 
 
 I admired the copy (supposed to be by Eomana), 
 of Raphael's well-known " Madonna della Sedia." 
 The penitent Magdalene, by Battoni, seemed a not 
 unworthy companion picture to the same subject, 
 as painted by Coreggio. The marriage of St. 
 Catherine is a very fine painting by Coreggio. 
 These appeared to me to be as gems amongst other 
 precious works, a commendation which may be 
 understood as applying to the other pictures named 
 in this brief notice. 
 
 I was much pleased with the splendid colouring 
 of the painting by Carl Mandor of Madonna with 
 infants Christ and Baptist. Two hundred and fifty 
 years have apparently in no degree lessened the 
 lustre of this brilliant painting, nor can any one 
 fail to admire the well-known u Ecce Homo'' by 
 Carlo Dolci. 
 
 There is a magnificent painting, by Coreggio, of 
 the favourite subject of Italian painters ; the Ma- 
 donna in this instance is seated on a throne or altar 
 with the figure of Christ above; the Baptist and 
 other three figures beneath. This I thought a most 
 admirable work, as is another Madonna, by Coreggio, 
 with many figures and a model of a church. Here, 
 also, is the well-known " Night," or Adoration of 
 the Shepherds, by Coreggio, in which the light 
 radiates from the infant Jesus lying in the lap of the 
 Virgin. The splendid colouring, the gracefulness of 
 expression of the principal figure, and the poetical 
 character of the composition are beyond all praise ; 
 the very mastery of art seems to have been attained. 
 Wilkie, quoted by Murray, says of this picture " that 
 in conception it is the greatest work of Coreggio, 
 
61 
 
 and considers it one of the finest works the art of 
 painting has to boast of." "It is," he adds, "one 
 of the most admirable specimens of that masterly 
 management of light and shade in which Coreggio 
 is unrivalled." 
 
 The works of Paolo Veronese merit special atten- 
 tion. Of these, one, representing Venus, appears of 
 extraordinary merit, as are many of the noble works 
 of Titian. The paintings by Guido Reni and 
 Annibale Caracci are remarkably fine. In the centre 
 is a large circular hall containing a copy of the 
 entire series of Raphael's well-known Cartoons. 
 There are also magnificent pictures of the Spanish 
 school, amongst which the works of Ribera are con- 
 spicuous. The paintings by Luca Giordano merit 
 much attention, as do also the well-known and much 
 admired Madonna with the infant Christ on her 
 knees, by Murillo. 
 
 There are large and superb paintings by Rubens, 
 by Jordaens, and Vandyke. Hunting pieces, by 
 Wildens, seem as wonderfully truthful in the ob- 
 servance of nature as they are skilful in artistic 
 execution. 
 
 The Dutch school is well illustrated. Very large 
 and boldly painted hunting pieces, by Sneyders, are 
 uncommonly grand. In a painting of " Game," by 
 Weenix, the details of fur and feathers, and other 
 similar minutiae, are given with such exactness and 
 beauty as only nature can exceed ; one of the most 
 remarkable pictures in this department is Rembrandt's 
 " Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son." 
 
 I particularly noticed a hunting piece by Albert 
 Durer, a Crucifixion, by Hans Burgkmair, and a 
 
62 
 
 portrait of Henry VIII. of England, by Holbein. 
 There are some beautifully executed works by 
 Quintin Matsys. and a fine painting of the Adora- 
 tion of the Virgin, by Jan de Mabuse. 
 
 A room is almost entirely appropriated to Hol- 
 bein's " Virgin," a well-known and splendid work, 
 the supposed master-piece of the artist. The figures 
 are well arranged, and the colouring is deep and 
 effective. The benign expression of the Virgin, the 
 graceful figure of the infant Christ, the earnest, 
 supplicating expression of the Burgomaster im- 
 ploring the Virgin's aid for the recovery of his 
 child, which she holds in her arms ; of these a good 
 idea may be formed from well executed copies, en- 
 gravings, or photographs, but still more are they 
 evident in the original painting, which is in excellent 
 preservation. 
 
 Raphael's Adoration of the Virgin is of exquisite 
 beauty. So is an admirably painted Madonna, by 
 Francia. 
 
 Of Coreggio's u Magdalene,'' already alluded to 
 it is enough to say that the admiration of the public 
 seems to confirm the praise bestowed by Wilkie, 
 who says "it is one of the sweetest and most pleas- 
 ing, as well as one of the most faultless pictures 
 ever painted." The gallery is very rich in its ex- 
 amples of this great master. A painting by Carlo 
 Dolci, numbered 30 in the catalogue, is a splendid 
 gem. A picture of some figures of Cupids, by Albano, 
 is a very beautiful work, as is one of the dancing 
 Cupids by the same artist. The works of Titian are 
 splendid, especially his well-known painting of the 
 Tribute Money. 
 
63 
 
 I very much admired a finely painted head by 
 Guercino, and the works of Guido lleni, Paolo 
 Veronese, Celliari, Ludovicus Caracci, and Claude 
 Lorraine, whose landscapes are inimitable. 
 
 Paintings of " Gauae" by Mignon, of Churches by 
 Gherings, and of Fruit by Heern, and several Land- 
 scapes by Wouverrnans, are all contained in one small 
 room, which in itself is a charming gallery of art. 
 Of the paintings of Wouvermans there are fifty-four 
 examples. 
 
 "The Madonna and Child," by Vandyke, by its fine 
 execution and brilliant colouring is attractive, but 
 seems not to bear continued scrutiny as does the 
 rendering of the same subject by Raphael. Among 
 the most enchanting pictures in the gallery is one 
 by Andriano Van der Werf " Hagar dismissed by 
 Abraham." The exquisite finish displayed in this 
 work is beyond all praise. There are many other 
 works of this artist on which the same commenda- 
 tion may be bestowed, such as u The Judgment of 
 Paris," " Venus and Cupid," the execution of which 
 seems to rival even the Magdalene of Coreggio. 
 
 The paintings by Gerard Douw are rare gems 
 of art, especially " The Hermit," "The Dentist, 1 ' 
 and a portrait of himself. 
 
 Admirable indeed are the paintings by Gab. Met- 
 zu and Breughel. The extraordinary quantity of 
 elaborate and highly finished detail by the last 
 named artist is astonishing, and yet, wonderful in 
 this respect, as are the examples in this room, they 
 are, I think, exceeded by other paintings of his in 
 the gallery at Madrid, and at least equalled by the 
 
64 
 
 fine examples (''The Elements"), sent by Lord Dudley 
 to the Leeds Exhibition of 1868. 
 
 In the upper floor, in nine rooms, is a large col- 
 lection of works, chiefly by old masters. The ex- 
 cellence and number of these are beyond the power 
 of attention of visitors who merely walk through the 
 well-filled apartments, and this was all that our time 
 permitted us to do. 
 
 On the ground floor, in fifteen rooms, are many 
 paintings, portraits in crayons, &c. I chiefly ob- 
 served those representations of towns (mostly by 
 Canaletti), which convey a good idea of what they 
 are, or have been. Here, for instance, is a painting of 
 a church in Dresden, almost entirely destroyed by the 
 bombardment of the French. There are good views of 
 Venice, Verona, Dresden, and other cities. Any 
 stranger on a first visit to Dresden would do well 
 to examine the pictures of local scenes, and thus 
 obtain good general notions of the former as well as 
 present aspect of the city. 
 
 The GALLERY OF ENGRAVINGS is stated to be " one 
 of the most complete collections of copper plates in 
 Europe." One thousand specimens are placed in 
 chronological order on walls, pillars, or on the doors 
 of cabinets, which are filled with volumes and port- 
 folios, containing 250,000 engravings. Access to 
 these is most obligingly given by the attendants, 
 but among such overwhelming numbers, small 
 indeed, is the progress in inspection which 
 can be made during the few days and hours when 
 this gallery is shown ; how much less on a 
 single visit of a few hours. 1 first took a 
 general view of the specimens exhibited on the 
 
walls, &c., and then made a careful and lei- 
 surely inspection of six volumes of the works of 
 Albert Durer. From the time of this artist to the 
 revival of wood engraving by Bewick, a period of 
 nearly three centuries passed, in which the art of 
 wood cutting, as a fine art, was almost entirely lost. 
 Having stood by the side of Bewick, and seen him 
 employed on his inimitable works, I was desirous 
 to see the wood engravings of A. Durer, and there 
 are many here attributed to him as well as admir- 
 able copper plate engravings in great numbers- 
 Doubts have arisen whether Durer ever cut any 
 wooden blocks or did more than draw upon them the 
 designs which others executed. 
 
 Among the specimens exhibited in frames are 
 engravings by Nuremburg artists of dates from 1500 
 to 1550, and etchings by Vandyke (1599 to 1641.) One 
 copper plate in the collection (1466) is said to 
 be the oldest yet known. After so greatly admir- 
 ing paintings by Rubens, Teniers, and others, it was 
 interesting to see engravings done by them. There 
 is a very fine engraving of cattle by Nicholas Berg- 
 hem (1624 to 1683), and very fine etchings deep 
 and dark by Rembrandt. Amongst the more re- 
 markable examples that I noticed were the follow- 
 ing: 
 
 A farm house, admirably etched by Jacob Reus- 
 dael (Haarlam, 1655 to 1681) ; engravings by 
 Ludovico and Annibale Caracci, Guercino, &c. ; a 
 sepia sketch of Rome, by Claude de Lorraine ; a 
 sketch in sepia, by Salvator Rosa ; a splendid pen 
 and ink sketch, by Annibale Caracci, the subject 
 is a flying angel carrying two infants ; and speci- 
 
66 
 
 mens by Raphael and Titian. To these a vast 
 number of eminent names might be added, but the 
 above sufficiently indicate the richness of the 
 treasures available to public view in the collection. 
 
 The first volume, illustrative of the works of 
 Albert Durer on copperplate, contains many admir- 
 ably engraved portraits. There are twenty engrav- 
 ings of Scripture subjects among them is the 
 Crucifixion, with St. Veronica and the holy face 
 impressed on a napkin, the alleged original of which 
 I had seen in Spain. Many " Madonnas," and some 
 admirable representations of the Apostles are con- 
 tained in this volume. 
 
 In the second volume are wood engravings one 
 a likeness of himself at the age of 56 ; an engraving 
 of the Emperor Maximilian, which I noticed for its 
 size, 2H inches by 15^ ;* many Bible subjects 
 one of them Samson and the Lion most vigorously 
 drawn ; and a vast number of extraordinary sub- 
 jects, evidently meant to illustrate the Apocalypse. 
 
 Volume III. is filled with woodcuts, many of them 
 of large dimensions 15 J inches by 11 inches is a 
 usual size. In one of these woodcuts ecclesiastical 
 dignitaries are represented as calmly directing and 
 witnessing the infliction of horrible cruelties. One 
 engraving represents the Almighty as crowned with 
 a triple mitre. In this volume, also, is a Madonna 
 engraved on wood 17 inches by 13. 
 
 * When Harvey engraved on wood the assassination of Dentatus 
 in 1821, it was considered the largest woodcut of artistic merit 
 executed since the time of A. Durer. Its dimensions were 15 inches 
 by llj inches. 
 
67 
 
 The fourth volume contains engraved copies of 
 Durer's works. The fifth is an extraordinary series 
 of pictorial borders to surround letter-press. 
 
 The sixth volume or portfolio is the most inte- 
 resting of all, as it contains many original drawings 
 by Durer mounted on cardboard. 
 
 The GREEN VAULTS are six apartments on the 
 ground floor of the Royal Palace in Dresden. The 
 amazing number of most curious and costly articles 
 is such as to prevent any attempt at detailed de- 
 scription. I therefore refer the reader to Murray's 
 handbook for a short epitome, and mention only a 
 few prominent features illustrating the exceedingly 
 interesting character of the collection. In these 
 few allusions I cannot attempt to mention a hun- 
 dredth part of the objects we had an opportunity of 
 seeing and of hearing them described by our conduc- 
 tor. "The treasures, '' says the handbook of Murray, 
 " remind one rather of the gorgeous, dazzling mag- 
 nificence of oriental despots, or the magical produc- 
 tions of Aladdin's lamp in the Eastern tale. 
 
 On entering the first room we saw a collection of 
 bronze statuary and other objects, u a Crucifix by 
 John of Bologna-, a masterpiece ;" Bacchus on a goat 
 surrounded by children ; a great many curious and 
 beautiful objects ; an equestrian statue of Charles 
 II. of England, cut out of a piece of solid cast iron, 
 and statues of Louis XIV. and Augustus the Strong. 
 
 The second room is called the Ivory Cabinet, and 
 in it are very curious works in this material. A 
 crucifix said to be by Michael Angelo Battle scene 
 by Durer The fallen Angels (142 figures, according 
 
68 
 
 to Murray and 92 as stated by Baedeker) carved out 
 cf one solid piece of ivory is wonderful, yet not so 
 much so as a similar composition we had seen in 
 Padua. 
 
 In the third room are Florentine Mosaics, 
 ostrich eggs, engraved shells, and many precious 
 stones, enamel pictures, and other curiosities. The 
 fourth room is filled with goblets, vases, dishes, &c., 
 of gold and silver plate. Here also is a jewel case 
 of great beauty and value, inlaid with precious 
 stones. In the fifth apartment are vases formed of 
 agate, jasper, chalcedony, &c. Two goblets, com- 
 posed entirely of cut gems (some of them antiques) ; 
 vessels cut out of rock crystal, and one of the 
 largest enamels known. In the sixth room is a most 
 curious collection of figures in ivory and ebony ; 
 many caricature figures, some of them formed of 
 single pearls, costly jewels, and other most curious 
 and valuable articles. 
 
 The seventh room contains the regalia used at the 
 coronation of Augustus II. as King of Poland, many 
 wood carvings, &c. 
 
 Of the eighth room Murray's handbook of " North 
 Germany" gives a concise description of the princi- 
 pal contents, "which," says that work, " surpass all 
 the others tenfold in value and splendour." Among 
 them are a very large Peruvian emerald a mass of 
 solid silver from the Himmelfiirst Mines at Freiberg 
 the Saxon Regalia the largest sardonyx known, 
 collections of sapphires, emeralds, rubies, pearls, 
 diamonds!!! "The value of the whole amounts 
 to several millions.'' 
 
69 
 
 Baedeker in describing this museum calls it " One 
 of the most valuable collections in the world, of 
 curiosities, rare works of art, jewels," &c. "Visi- 
 tors,'' he adds, " are generally hurried through the 
 different apartments in an hour a space of time 
 totally inadequate for the careful inspection of the 
 principal objects of interest." In the notes written 
 at the time of our visit, I especially noticed this. 
 " We were taken, or I may say hurried, through the 
 eight apartments of the Royal Palace, called the 
 Green Vaults. " The references I have made to af ew of 
 the treasures may convey some idea of the immense 
 value of the whole, but of the extraordinary interest 
 and beauty of most of the articles exhibited no 
 description can give an idea. The exhibition is 
 really a wonder of the world, and richly merits as 
 many hours for inspection as we were allowed 
 minutes, if any one desired to study it as a combined 
 museum of history and of art. By passing travellers 
 even an hour is perhaps as much as should be 
 given to it, having due regard to other claims on 
 time and attention, which are very numerous 
 and attractive in this city. Only six persons are 
 allowed to be shown through the Green Vaults at 
 one time ; this increases the difficulty of obtaining 
 admission but facilitates a clear view of objects, 
 which in a crowd could not be seen. 
 
 MUSEUMS OF GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. These 
 are contained in two large quadrants which form one 
 end of the Z winger. The Geological collection, though 
 not very extensive, contains many interesting objects. 
 Large columns of basalt, specimens of sigillaria, 
 good specimens and casts of Saurians, the Chiro- 
 saurus, &c. Various specimens of rocks and minerals 
 
70 
 
 are well arranged and clearly indicated by the in- 
 scriptions annexed to them, as are also the collec- 
 tions of fossils in cases conveniently placed for 
 inspection. There are many good sections of 
 Westphalian coal-fields and other districts. It is 
 on the whole an instructive museum, although 
 much less extensive than the English collection in 
 the British Museum, the London Geological Society, 
 and the London Museum of Practical Geology. 
 
 The Mineralogical collection contains excellent 
 specimens of Saxon minerals. It is not, however, 
 the collection for which Dresden was once famous, 
 that was destroyed by revolutionary violence in 
 1849. A catalogue and careful inspection are the 
 only means whereby the scientific value of such a 
 collection can be appreciated, but no one can fail to 
 be pleased with the convenient and systematic ar- 
 rangement. I was much interested by seeing here 
 a portrait of Werner, whose name and fame are so 
 closely identified with this district, and still more so 
 with the history of geology. It is curious to con- 
 sider at how recent a period he and his cotem- 
 poraries were laying as it were the foundations of 
 geology. More than forty years ago I quoted the 
 views of Werner as one of the best authorities on 
 mining matters, and exactly thirty years ago I 
 received as a guest at my house one of the most 
 active of his fellow labourers William Smith, the 
 father of English geology. The foundations laid by 
 them in their respective countries were solid, and 
 correspondingly firm is the structure of geological 
 science which has been reared upon them. 
 
 The HISTORICAL MUSEUM occupies nine halls or 
 galleries on the principal floor of part of the Z winger. 
 
71 
 
 I.u the first are curious old portraits of Saxon princes 
 and a great variety of historical objects more or less 
 remarkable for antiquity, beauty of workmanship, 
 or from interesting associations. Among them are 
 ancient drinking cups, some old and curious stained 
 glass, old cabinets (one of which is said to have be- 
 longed to Luther) ; two sideboards each having a 
 cavern-like space from which issues an equestrian 
 figure holding a golden goblet to present to guests 
 of honour. A remarkably rich toilet case is shown 
 as a specimen of costly and elaborate workmanship 
 of Xuremburg artists in 1585. 
 
 The next room is called the " Hall of the Chase," 
 or hunting room. It contains almost every variety 
 of hunting accoutrements. In a large collection of 
 horns is one which belonged to Henry IV. of France, 
 and another is described as being eight hundred 
 years old ; many curious spears and swords ; hunting 
 knives ; guns in great variety, one having the lock 
 carved like a stag; a very handsome cross-bow ; a 
 number of collars for dogs. The minute and costly 
 embroidered and inlaid work on many of the articles 
 is surprising, and shows how much luxury was com- 
 bined with hunting amusements. 
 
 We then enter the Tournament Hall, in which is a 
 series of equestrian figures chronologically arranged 
 from the time of Elector Pius. Some of them wear 
 coats of mail, others are in plated and very handsome 
 armour, not meant for warfare but merely for 
 chivalric display at tournaments and other public 
 occasions. The swords are arranged in very grace- 
 ful figures. The inlaying and engraving on the 
 armour and implements of war are exceedingly 
 
72 
 
 beautiful. The statue of Elector Christian II. is 
 exceedingly curious from the richness of the armour 
 in which he is encased. Some of it is copper, richly 
 gilt ; other portions have very fine engravings on 
 polished steel. 
 
 Next in order is the " Battle Saloon," in which 
 the armour used in warfare is represented in the 
 order of time by a great number of equestrian 
 figures fully equipped for war. Here is shown the 
 bullet which killed the Elector Maurice ; the coat 
 of mail worn by Sobieski at the siege of Vienna in 
 1683 ; equestrian figures and extraordinary plated 
 armour for horses ; many coats of mail ; a small suit 
 of armour of Edward VI. of England, the breast 
 plate having on it a representation of St. George and 
 the Dragon ; a very heavy helmet of Augustus the 
 Strong. The contents of this gallery illustrate in a 
 very remarkable manner the pomp, the personal 
 hardships, and the horrors of war. 
 
 The "Pistol Chamber" contains specimens of 
 various fire arms from the time of their first inven- 
 tion, many of them rare and costly. Among them 
 are the pistols of Charles XII. of Sweden. In this 
 hall, as indeed in all, are very exquisite decorations 
 of implements of war and some elaborately carved 
 powder flasks in ivory. 
 
 There are many articles of costume and other 
 curious objects, ecclesiastical, military, and civil, 
 such as mitres and robes of bishops, the armour of 
 kings and knights, and other historical relics of past 
 ages. Many of the ecclesiastical dresses are very 
 sumptuous. The horses of equestrian statues are 
 armed as well as their riders, both of them having 
 
73 
 
 very rich equipments. One horse in particular is 
 sumptuously caparisoned, the ornaments being of 
 solid gold and of rich crystal. 
 
 A "Turkish Tent'' is fitted up in a room which 
 contains oriental weapons, &c., which with the tent 
 were taken at the siege of Vienna, and in the 
 " Indian Cabinet" are many oriental and south sea 
 curiosities. 
 
 " The Parade Saloon" contains some most curious 
 and sumptuous objects, as for example two suits of 
 armour of solid silver, the coronation robes of 
 Augustus the Strong, and a vast number of orna- 
 mental State and other swords, and magnificent 
 trappings of horses. 
 
 The following extract from Murray's handbook 
 of North Germany is an excellent epitome of the 
 character of the Historical Museum of Dresden : 
 "This is undoubtedly one of the best collections of 
 the kind in Europe. It contains all the weapons, 
 offensive and defensive, of chivalrous warfare ; all the 
 trappings and accoutrements of the tournament, and 
 other wild sports of feudal ages. Wealth and skill 
 seem to have been exhausted in the materials and 
 decoration of the armour. The elaborate workman- 
 ship in gold, silver, and ivory, expended on the 
 smaller arms, and the carving and inlaid work so 
 profusely bestowed, are sufficient to excite wonder 
 and admiration:" This concise epitome is followed 
 by descriptions of the principal objects in consider- 
 able detail. 
 
 The MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES, in the Japanese Pa- 
 lace, is contained in twelve large, handsome, and 
 
74 
 
 lofty halls decorated chiefly in the Pornpeian man- 
 ner and a large collection of statues in bronze and 
 marble, with other antiquities, are well displayed. 
 Of the more important examples, an account is given 
 in some detail in Murray's handbook, accompanied 
 with the remark that "there are many objects of 
 high interest, both in point of art and as illustrations 
 of antiquity." A catalogue and leisure are requisite 
 for the attention which they merit. Amongst the 
 most remarkable objects are the figure of a lady and 
 her two daughters from Hercularieum ; torso of a 
 wounded gladiator, "of great value, executed in 
 the most finished style of art, and the anatomy 
 unequalled for accuracy ;" a rare bust of Caligula in 
 red porphyry, and many curious Egyptian and 
 Etruscan antiquities. 
 
 The COLLECTION OF PORCELAIN is preserved in 
 twenty vaults in the basement floor of the Japanese 
 Palace. In extent and value it far exceeded any 
 anticipations we had formed. It is almost bewilder- 
 ing to think even of so many rooms filled with rich 
 and rare specimens, every article possessing some 
 claim to attention, either as illustrating the 
 history of the art by showing different stages 
 of manipulation, or by merits of various kinds, best 
 understood by connoisseurs. 
 
 As we walked through this long series of vaults 
 and listened to the descriptions given by our con- 
 ductor, I had only time to make a few brief 
 memoranda to assist my recollection of the wonder- 
 ful contents. We saw early burnt specimens of 
 Dresden china in comparatively rude forms, then 
 as polished in lathes, and afterwards the higher 
 
finish given by the different modes of dazing to 
 all these progressive changes the several dates were 
 assigned. Next we were shown the commencement 
 of ornaments in relief, and early imitations of 
 genuine china in 1716. An extraordinary work of 
 art appears in a porcelain tree about four feet high 
 with camelias in bud and full blown, the leaves 
 are thin, and most admirably modelled ; a fallen 
 leaf lyin^ on the (imitated) earth of the flowerpot 
 aids the deception. Several works executed between 
 1740 and 1770 are remarkable for artistic beauty, 
 and chief among them is an altar piece with a cruci- 
 fixion and many figures. Japanese plates of large size 
 (16th century) are very curious and beautiful. There 
 are Chinese idols, curious specimens of Cochin China 
 (16th century), peagreen china (12th century), and 
 " cracked ' china (13th century), with modern imi- 
 tations. The small cracks which cover the whole 
 surface are produced in the baking and hardening 
 processes. Some very fine china of the time of 
 Charles V. was specially pointed out, and many rich 
 specimens of the 14th century. Here are works 
 from Iceland and India, from Pompeii, from Persia, 
 in short from almost every nation in every quarter of 
 the globe examples ancient, mediaeval, and modern. 
 More particularly is the progress of improvement 
 shown in a series of examples from Denmark, Saxony, 
 Russia, Poland, &c., and the triumphs of Wedgwood 
 and other English artists find an honourable place. 
 It is curious to see the productions of so many na- 
 tions in so many different periods of time. Here 011 
 one hand are graceful gems of Etruscan or Italian 
 art, and not far from them uncouth jars from Ice- 
 land and equally rough productions in the form of 
 
76 
 
 water coolers from Bombay. I need scarcely mention 
 the beauty and high pictorial art of the specimens 
 of Sevres porcelain ; a dinner service, given by 
 the first Napoleon to the King of Saxony, has 
 evidently owed its decorations to great artistic 
 skill. To those who possess a knowledge of the 
 various kinds of excellence in porcelain, this gallery 
 must indeed be a rich treat. Viewing it merely as 
 a general observer, few objects appeared to me to be 
 more curious than the imitation in biscuit china, of 
 a lace veil executed as part of the dress in a bust of 
 the late Queen of Prussia. By means of pierced work of 
 almost inconceivable minuteness, the delicate struc- 
 ture and flowery patterns of lace are produced with 
 wonderful fidelity in this hard and crisp material. 
 Venetian and other glass form part of the collection. 
 In all, there are said to be sixty thousand specimens 
 in this museum, which, in its way, is probably un- 
 equalled in the world. 
 
 The remarkable collections shown in the Green 
 Vaults and in those of the Japanese Palace are of 
 such great value as necessarily to impose some re- 
 striction on free admission, the more so as the 
 number and small size of the apartments would 
 render a great number of attendants or guardians 
 indispensable. Only a few persons are admitted at 
 the same time, and these are compelled to follow the 
 custodian or guide, without any regard to the time 
 and attention they might wish to bestow on any 
 special attractions. No doubt foreign visitors must 
 be thankful for such opportunities as are afforded, 
 but in due time it may perhaps be found that even 
 the most rare and costly works may be so protected 
 as to admit of their being viewed with leisure. In 
 
77 
 
 no museum, nor in any collection of artistic works 
 that I have seen, is a proper amount of safety so 
 much combined with facilities for close and long 
 continued attention as in South Kensington Museum. 
 Many of the objects exhibited there are of great 
 value, and yet thousands of visitors may enter the 
 building and spend from six to twelve hours 
 not only in seeing what is rare and beautiful, 
 as well as costly, but can have access to libraries, in 
 which full explanations of many artistic subjects 
 may be found. In expressing much admiration of 
 some foreign museums and collections, I am desirous 
 to keep in mind the great merits of similar museums 
 in England. The taste and genius, the extensive 
 information and untiring zeal of Mr. Cole, have 
 succeeded in the formation of a museum which is 
 really a model for the display of rich and costly- 
 articles, such as are comparatively hidden from 
 public view in the underground cellars of the 
 Japanese Palace and in the justly famed Green 
 Vaults of Dresden. At no distant time the arrange- 
 ments for a more public and leisurely inspection 
 may probably be improved so as to correspond with 
 the admirable facilities above alluded to, and which 
 are abundantly afforded in the picture galleries of 
 Dresden, the galleries of the Louvre, in Paris, and 
 in most of the museums in the principal cities of 
 Europe. 
 
 The churches of Dresden are not of special interest, 
 and I had only an opportunity of seeing three of 
 them. One was the Frauenkirche, or the Church of 
 our Lady ; another, the Roman Catholic or Court 
 Church, and the third a church of handsome exterior, 
 
78 
 
 but of comparably little note, and very plain inside, 
 called " Sophiankirche." In one I was present at 
 the German Lutheran service, in another at a splen- 
 did musical performance of the mass, and in the 
 third I happened by mere chance to seethe ceremony 
 of a wedding. 
 
 The Frauenkirche, one of the most prominent 
 ornaments of Dresden, is a vast structure in the 
 Italian style, consisting of a large square fabric 
 surmounted by a dome. To ttie top of this dome 
 we ascended soon after our arrival. It is of easy 
 ascent, partly by a very wide stone staircase, and 
 partly by an easy inclined plane, the same as in the 
 Campanile at Venice and the Giralda in Seville. 
 The height is stated to be 350 feet, and the view of 
 Dresden and the surrounding scenery from the 
 gallery is very beautiful. The entire church is 
 covered by the dome, and the arrangement of the 
 sittings has been compared to that of a theatrej 
 which indeed it very much resembles. It has, how- 
 ever, this advantage, every one can see, and so far as 
 moderate distance facilitates it, can hear the whole 
 of the services. In arranging the seats of a theatre 
 the architect studies to enable every one to see and 
 hear. This ought to be the sole aim and object 
 in a Protestant church. The "long-drawn aisles," 
 which are suitable for the ceremonial processions 
 of the Roman Church are not so well suited for 
 hearing the liturgy read and a sermon preached. 
 The floor of the Frauenkirche is circular, and cer- 
 tainly much resembles the pit of a theatre, not only 
 in arrangement, but (when I saw it) in every seat 
 being occupied. Surrounding this, at different 
 elevations, are five circular rows or tiers of seats 
 
79 
 
 the lowest one enclosed and these very much re- 
 semble the boxes and galleries of a theatre. Over 
 the whole rises the stately and highly ornamented 
 vaulted dome, which is surrounded and surmounted 
 by a stone dome of great strength. The organ is 
 placed above the altar, in a recess which occupies 
 the position of the stage in theatres. 
 
 On entering this church at half-past eight on a 
 Sunday morning, I heard some short services inter- 
 mixed with psalmody. Three hymns were sung before 
 the sermon commenced. The organ (of great power) 
 was well played the tunes were of that solid 
 Lutheran style, of which the " Old Hundreth'' (at- 
 tributed to Luther) is a good example. Nearly all 
 present seemed to join, and the effect was grand and 
 impressive. It was the sound of praise from many 
 voices, uttered so far as an observer could judge 
 with depth of feeling and sincere devotion. It 
 was really sublime, a magnificent flowing tide of 
 solemn harmony and melody, which appeared to 
 me to be the perfection of divine service in public. 
 
 The inhabitants of Dresden for the most part are 
 Lutherans, but the " Crown and Court" are Roman 
 Catholic. Accompanied by a friend who resides in 
 Dresden, I went at eleven in the forenoon to the 
 service in the Court, or Roman Catholic Church- 
 The sermon was over and many were leaving, but 
 some were now for the first time seeking ad- 
 mission to hear the fine music of the mass, which 
 is performed by professional artists of the greatest 
 skill. The music which accompanied the mass was 
 of great merit, and by a distinguished composer, but 
 
80 
 
 for my own part I much preferred the plain and 
 heartfelt expression of worship I had heard at an 
 earlier hour. It was difficult to gain admission 
 up a densely crowded staircase equally difficult 
 was it to get out, for the staircase and passages 
 were filled by a dense crowd. The following pas- 
 sage in Murray's handbook may be supposed to 
 influence English visitors, but scarcely accounts for 
 the multitude of citizens who attend this service. 
 "The music in this church is celebrated. High mass 
 is performed on Sundays and festivals from 11 to 12, 
 and no stranger should miss hearing it." 
 
 The marriage which I witnessed in Sophiankirche 
 varied from the English form, chiefly in the delivery 
 of a long and seemingly earnest extempore exhorta- 
 tion to the bride and bridegroom, who, with their 
 attendants, were all seated during the ceremony. 
 The liturgical part of the service was very brief, and 
 in conclusion the minister (Lutheran) offered up an 
 extempore and seemingly impressive prayer. Two 
 of the bridesmaids wore dresses of white and pink, 
 the other two white and blue, and on each side stood 
 little girls with laurels round their heads, and bas- 
 kets of flowers in their hands. 
 
 Of Dresden as a city, the most remarkable and 
 pleasing feature is the way in which public gardens 
 and walks are intermixed with its central streets, 
 and form a large portion of its suburbs. As regards 
 public buildings, few things can be finer than 
 the general effect of the panoramic view which is 
 seen from the large open space between the theatre 
 and bridge. On one side are the highly ornamen- 
 
81 
 
 tal buildings of the Zwinger ; near it are well laid 
 out plantations and lawns, with shrubberies and 
 pleasant walks open at all times to the public. 
 The Theatre, with its rich architecture and orna- 
 mented circular facade, is a very fine object. In 
 front of it is a stately statue of the great composer, 
 Weber. Looking in another direction, an animated 
 movement of vast numbers of people may be seen 
 on the bridge, and the scenery of the river is ex- 
 tremely beautiful. Adjoining it is the Bruhl terrace, 
 with its stately trees and fine sculpture, and beyond 
 it rises the massive dome of the Frauenkirche, 
 nearly corresponding in height with St. Paul's, in 
 London. The Roman Catholic Church, ornamented 
 by numerous statues, and the lofty but plain looking 
 walls of the Royal Palace complete the view. 
 
 The Place de la Concord, in Paris, affords a 
 prospect which is perhaps unparalleled for the regu- 
 larity of many elegant architectural public and 
 private buildings, but for variety and picturesque 
 effect, combined with artistic as well as historical 
 associations, the panorama of Dresden here briefly 
 described may be classed among the finest views 
 of the kind in Europe. 
 
 At the Belvidere, on the Bruhl Terrace, concerts 
 of excellent instrumental music, are performed, and 
 near it we saw a good collection of modern paint- 
 ings and drawings. In the public grounds we 
 were much interested by some curious monumental 
 sculptures, and in the shops were many articles of a 
 local character to engage attention, more especially 
 those which exhibit the manufactures for which this 
 
82 
 
 city is celebrated. All these contributed to the 
 enjoyment with which we spent a few days in this 
 interesting city, which by some has been not inaptly 
 called the Florence of Germany. 
 
 SAXON SWITZERLAND. 
 
 When, either by steamboat or railway, twenty 
 miles up the river Elbe have been passed over, 
 rocky precipices, lofty banks, and peculiarly 
 shaped mountains appear as prevailing charac- 
 teristics of the scenery. These for many miles 
 higher up the Elbe are so romantic that to them and 
 to the adjacent country the name of SAXON SWITZER- 
 LAND has been given. To make a satisfactory 
 exploration of the district would require at least 
 three or four days, but some of the most picturesque 
 portions of it, including the rock called the Bastei, 
 may be seen in a single day, and this was all we 
 could devote to it. What we saw surpassed the 
 expectations we had formed from hearing or reading 
 accounts of it, and it seems to be generally admitted 
 that the scenery near to, and the view from the 
 Bastei, are the best specimens of romantic scenery 
 to be found in the district. 
 
 Leaving Dresden by a railway on the left bank 
 of the river, we went for some miles over a plain, 
 from which the view of the city with its domes 
 and spires is very striking. The opposite or 
 right bank of the river is high and steep, well 
 wooded, and studded with pretty villas, some 
 
THE EA.STEI. HOOKS. 
 
 .SKETCH from tlieBASTEI 
 
83 
 
 of them presenting an aspect of princely magni- 
 ficence. About half a dozen miles from Dresden 
 some bold and rugged outlines of mountains appear 
 eastward, and even at a distance, these abrupt and 
 singular prominences are renarkably striking as 
 a feature of the landscape. The town of Pirna, 
 which we passed, is very picturesque, part of it 
 standing on a commanding eminence. Opposite 
 to this town the right bank of the river begins 
 to present the rocky and precipitous character 
 which is the commencement of the still more 
 lofty cliffs which a few miles higher up the river 
 attain a perpendicular height of several hun- 
 dred feet, and culminate in a majestic precipice of 
 upwards of 600 feet high. This is the Bastei, and to 
 gain its summit was one of the chief objects of our 
 excursion. 
 
 We left the railway at a small village called 
 Potzscha, sixteen miles from Dresden, and crossed the 
 river by a ferry-boat to the village of Wehlin. 
 Here a number of guides with horses and mules 
 were waiting in the steep and narrow street. After 
 hiring a guide, we at once commenced a walk of 
 about four miles. A good footpath leads up the hill, 
 and then by a very gradual ascent winds through 
 thick woods, in which are vast masses of rock. 
 There are many boulders of enormous size, which have 
 fallen from the rocks above. The dark shadows of 
 a dense wood, and occasional peeps of sunshine, 
 together with the romantic precipices, were so grand 
 and beautiful as to call forth repeated expressions of 
 the highest admiration. 
 
 One mass of rock which we passed, had an un- 
 broken vertical surface of about 80 feet in length, 
 
84 
 
 and was upwards of 50 feet high. This huge mass was 
 almost entirely separated from the adjacent cliff by 
 a space of only a few feet, so that the sides resembled 
 the sides or cheeks of a mineral vein, from which 
 the contents had been removed. The excellence of 
 the road, the cool and pleasant- shade of the trees, 
 the variety of light and shade, and the constant 
 change of scenery, rendered the walk one of the 
 pleasantest I ever enjoyed, and we might have had 
 some feeling of regret on approachin^ its termina- 
 tion, but that we knew it was to be succeeded by 
 the still more wonderful and sublime scenery of the 
 Bastei. 
 
 On a smooth surface of rock not much larger than 
 an ordinary room, and surrounded with a light 
 but strong iron railing, the spectator may safely 
 stand close to the very edge of a precipitous cliff 
 of six hundred feet in height. Below is the winding 
 course of the river Elbe and the gracefully curved 
 line of railway, with the valley extending some 
 miles in each direction. A vast extent of country 
 is seen studded with the singularly prominent 
 mountains of the district, combined in a landscape 
 which merits all the praises bestowed on it as 
 one of the finest views in Germany. 
 
 For the extent, enormous magnitude, and number 
 of rocks which are to be seen from the Bastei, or by 
 walking in the ravines which immediately surround 
 it, I know few places to compare with it. These 
 gigantic masses are rendered still more striking by 
 the rich masses of wood from which in many places 
 they emerge, whilst in others the eye rests on con- 
 tinuous precipices which rise directly from the edge 
 
YTTT 
 
 Sketch of. lie BASTE I and distant Scenery 
 
 j 
 
 XIV 
 
85 
 
 of the river until they attain the altitude already 
 named. Many of the tall and spire-like rocks are 
 as singular in form as they are huge in dimensions. 
 
 Near the summit of the Bastei a tower has been 
 erected, on which an excellent telescope is placed, 
 and through it we had a clear view of many distant 
 rocks and other remarkable objects. Here, also, is 
 a good restaurant. 
 
 Several well-made footpaths, wooden galleries, 
 and staircases enabled us to ascend some of the 
 prominent rocks in the vicinity. A stone bridge 
 has been thrown across a space between steep 
 rocks, and from it are many remarkable views. 
 one of them is a fine landscape seen through 
 a huge crack more than 200 feet in depth, 
 although only a few feet wide. The strange 
 variety and surpassing grandeur of the views 
 are such as to afford as much enjoyment as can be 
 derived from natural scenery. A range over so 
 picturesque a country was an agreeable contrast to 
 the artificial wonders of cities, palaces, and museums, 
 which had recently had so much of our attention. 
 If the rest of the district (for the exploration of 
 which other two or three days are recommended by 
 guidebooks) bears any resemblance to what we saw 
 from the Bastei, it may afford prolonged, but scarcely 
 higher gratification so far as the observation of ro- 
 mantic and beautiful scenery is concerned. 
 
 k To those, however, who can spare the requisite 
 time, and have inclination to study the geological 
 structure of Saxon Switzerland, there is a wide field 
 for interesting observation. Of this I was convinced 
 even from a survey of the limited portion which we 
 
86 
 
 passed through, or saw from elevated points. The 
 general face of the country is a moderately inclined 
 area without much undulation, except where deep 
 vallies cut into it, or where protrusions of basalt 
 occurs. These basaltic rocks are so prominent, 
 abrupt, and lofty as to give a peculiar character to 
 the scenery, better to be understood by even the 
 slightest sketch than by any description. The area 
 or plateau from whence these rocky eminences pro- 
 ject is nearly 500 feet above the sea at Pirna, and, 
 rising in a south-eastern direction, it attains an 
 elevation of nearly 1,000 feet. The extent of this 
 area is about twenty miles from east to west, and 
 fifteen miles from north to south. The basaltic hills 
 increase in height in the same direction as the plain 
 from which they rise, and the several elevations are 
 clearly inserted on local maps of the district. 
 
 From the descriptions and measurements here 
 given it will be understood that neither of the dis- 
 tricts to which the appellations of Switzerland have 
 been given in Franconia and Saxony are of great 
 extent ; neither of them are mountainous as com- 
 pared with Alpine scenery, and both of them may 
 be traversed, better on foot than any other way, in 
 a few days. The one differs from the other in aspect 
 nearly as much as both of them are different from 
 the wonderfully beautiful and sublime country after 
 which they are named, and from both of them every 
 lover of nature will derive much gratification. They 
 are favourably situated for being visited, inasmuch 
 as Franconian Switzerland is only about thirty miles 
 from ISTuremburg, and Saxonian Switzerland lies 
 within a similar distance from Dresden. I may add 
 
ROCKS near the BASTEI. 
 XVI 
 
 ROCKS near tie BASTEI 
 
87 
 
 that the banks of the river Elbe, for some distance 
 above and below this city, are remarkably beautiful, 
 abounding in many places with handsome villas and 
 ornamental gardens, some of them of princely 
 magnificence. 
 
 FREIBERG. 
 
 I was much interested by a visit to the mining 
 district of Freiberg, situated about twenty-five 
 miles in a south-western direction from Dresden. 
 A continuous line of railway connects the two places, 
 one portion of it (from Dresden to Tharandt) belongs 
 to a company, the other is a State railway, and has its 
 present terminus at Freiberg, from whence, however, 
 it is being continued westward towards Chemnitz, 
 An entirely new approach to the Saxon capital 
 will thus be made, avoiding the present detour 
 to the north by Riesa, and affording a good 
 passing view of the mining districts to those who 
 have no inducements to make a sojourn in the midst 
 of them. 
 
 The city of Freiberg is well known as the capital 
 or chief place of a territory which, for its mining 
 capabilities and operations, is famous throughout 
 Europe. The railway by which we approached it 
 has a nearly continuous gradient of one in forty for 
 a distance of ten miles, the only variation from this 
 steep inclination being where the rails are level at 
 the stations. It winds through a narrow but most 
 romantic and richly- wooded valley until at length 
 an elevated range of country is reached, correspon- 
 
88 
 
 ding in elevation from the sea with some of the 
 principal lead mines in the north of England, namely, 
 from fourteen to sixteen hundred feet above sea 
 level. On approaching Freiberg, many evidences of 
 mining ind istry and appliances appear, such as 
 machinery, dressing floors, and smelting houses, 
 with lofty chimneys sending forth volumes of 
 white arsenious smoke, the density of which seemed 
 to suggest whether the full extent of economy by 
 condensing or other means had been attained. 
 
 In extent and pleasantness the city of Freiberg 
 far exceeded my anticipations. It was indeed an 
 entire contrast to a notion I had formed of its being 
 gloomily seated in deep recesses of mountain scenery. 
 Instead of this I found a light and airy aspect, 
 the sun shone brightly on white houses and orchards 
 and boulevards -the country around was of gentle 
 undulations, fertile and pleasant except where covered 
 by waste heaps and other disfigurements of pastoral 
 scenery, too well known as accompaniments of exten- 
 sive mining operations. 
 
 It was a great addition to the pleasure of this ex- 
 cursion that we went under the immediate guidance 
 of one most eminently qualified to explain every 
 circumstance of the railway and adjacent scenery, as 
 well as to afford me the best facilities for obtaining 
 any mining information. This was M. Von Weber, 
 son of the celebrated composer. He is chief engineer 
 of the State railways, and I cannot too strongly 
 express my sense of the kindness with which he far 
 more than repaid some similar attention I had given 
 to him, in England, a quarter of a century ago- 
 Having been introduced by him to M. Berg-ver- 
 
89 
 
 waiter Wengler, chief director of one of the most 
 important mines in this locality, I had an opportunity 
 of viewing the various processes in the dressing 
 floors, and of taking notes of details which would 
 not interest the general reader. A few memoranda, 
 however, may not be without interest as illustrating 
 the importance of the district and the vast amount 
 of mineral wealth which has been extracted from 
 the Freiberg mines. 
 
 Mining in this territory, is of venerable antiquity, 
 extending backward for many centuries, yet having 
 had its fuller developments in the last two or three 
 hundred years, and more especially in the present 
 century. I looked with interest at a plan said to be 
 one of the earliest known ; it is dated 1608, and 
 its execution, rude and inartistic as it is, sufficiently 
 indicates the great depth and extent of the workings 
 then existing. What they are now, can only be 
 fully comprehended by means of detailed plans and 
 sections, several of which were shown to me. They 
 indicate works of vast extent and intricacy, such as 
 can scarcely be appreciated by any general descrip- 
 tion but of which some idea may be formed from 
 the following particulars, which, for the sake of 
 accuracy, I take from a statement drawn up by Dr. 
 Herman Wedding in 1862. 
 
 " In the mining district of Freiberg nearly 829 
 argentiferous lodes have been numbered ; they are 
 arranged in four groups, three of which run 
 parallel to each other upwards of 28 miles ; the 
 middle one measuring 4| miles, and both the others 
 about 3J miles in breadth. The fourth is 18 miles 
 long and not quite 2^ miles wide. 
 
90 
 
 " The silver ores worked are the following : 
 Native silver, muriate and sulphuret of silver, and 
 red and white silver; to these must be added 
 argentiferous galena, blende, arsenical iron, and iron 
 pyrites, then copper, cobalt, and nickel ores. All 
 these are in lodes or veins, which run chiefly through 
 the Gneiss, and again principally in the neighbour- 
 hood of Freiberg, yielding at present about nineteen - 
 twentieths of the whole production of silver in the 
 Erzgebirge." 
 
 The surface operations are conducted under cover, 
 that is in roofed buildings, to a greater extent than 
 in corresponding works in England. This is due 
 to two causes, namely, the greater intrinsic value of 
 silver ores and the severity of the climate in winter. 
 The value of the ores and the close intermixture of 
 several valuable mineral substances, render corres- 
 ponding care necessary in the dressing processes, 
 some of which are of great ingenuity. The English, 
 justly priding themselves on many important works 
 of engineering skill in recent times, are apt to forget 
 how much the metallurgical and mining processes 
 now followed in England were originally derived 
 from Germany and other mining districts of central 
 Europe. It was, therefore, with extreme interest 
 that I viewed a place so celebrated as Freiberg 
 has long been, not only for the number and value of 
 its mines, but for the scientific instruction combined 
 with the practical operations. Over all these, the 
 names of some of the most distinguished men of 
 science shed a lustre, the brightness of which will 
 be more and more appreciated as advances continue 
 to be made in mining industry, and in the numerous 
 
91 
 
 sciences allied with it. Of these it may be sufficient 
 to mention James Watt, Werner, and Humboldt. 
 
 The Mining College of Freiberg has been in full 
 activity rather more than a century, having been 
 founded in 1766. At that time little more than 
 3,000 men were employed at the mines, and the annual 
 value of the produce is stated to have been 33,000. 
 Recently (1865) the number of miners was about 
 8,000, and the value of the produce not far short of 
 a quarter of a million sterling. We paid a visit to 
 the college and saw the Museum of Minerals, a col- 
 lection of models of machinery and other interesting 
 objects. 
 
 The same authority already quoted Dr. H. 
 Wedding makes the following observations on the 
 mining district of Freiberg. They appear to me to 
 convey the general impression which will be formed 
 from a survey of the mines and a study of their his- 
 tory : 
 
 " Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon the 
 scientific manner in which the production of silver 
 has been attended to, among the justly famed miners 
 oft he Erzgebirge. Carried on uninterruptedly for the 
 last seven centuries, and under increasing difficulties 
 as each lower level was reached in succession, these 
 mining operations have exerted a very decided in- 
 fluence upon the development of the art of mining 
 throughout Germany. The progress of this art in 
 all its bearings, with regard to the legislation upon 
 mines and to their management, as well as to technical 
 questions, can be in great part ascribed to the ex- 
 perience gained in the Erzgebirge. In the course of 
 
92 
 
 about a hundred years past, the working of these 
 Royal mines have stood out as a living example of 
 what indomitable energy, combined with a careful 
 application of the principles of science, can effect in 
 conquering difficulties which arise everywhere to 
 thwart the efforts of man in bringing to light the 
 hidden treasures of the earth." 
 
 We visited the cathedral said to be the oldest in 
 Germany (for in former days the city of Freiberg 
 was of much greater importance in its relation to 
 the state than it now is.) It possesses much that is 
 deserving of attention both in architectural enrich- 
 ment and archseological memorials. One of the most 
 prominent attractions is the Golden Door. In the 
 Gothic arch over it are many rich mouldings with 
 deep recesses between, and in these are sculptured 
 figures in great variety. It is well known by photo- 
 graphs and engravings in architectural works, but I 
 chiefly mention it, because, immediately in front of, 
 and only a few paces from it, is the grave of one 
 whose name is for ever associated not only with this 
 city and mining district but with the history of 
 science, and more especially of mineralogy and 
 and geology. Under a plain, flat gravestone, scarcely 
 to be distinguished from the pathway leading to the 
 church, lie the remains of WERNER, indicated by 
 the following inscription : 
 
 ABRHM GTTLB 
 WERNER. 
 
 Near to it is a neat mural monument erected by his 
 sister, and inscribed as follows : 
 
 HIER RUHIT ABRAHAM GOTTLOB WERNER ; DIESES 
 DENKMAL EKRICHT IHM SCHWESTERRLICHE LIEBE. 
 
 ElN BLEII5ENDERES ER SICH SELBST. 
 
93 
 
 An affectionate memorial of one who truly erected 
 a more lasting monument for himself in the usefulness 
 arid celebrity of his scientific labours. 
 
 Accurate geological induction does not date back 
 to a period much anterior to the present century, 
 and public attention was chiefly called to it by the 
 views of Werner and Hutton in theories which 
 became popularly known as Wernerian and Hut- 
 tonian. The difference between these consisted in 
 the prominence given by the former to water, and 
 by the latter to fire, as prime causes in the distribu- 
 tion of the strata which compose the crust of the 
 earth. The one looked to the deposition of vast 
 masses of strata by watery agencies ; the other 
 attached more importance to what were called 
 plutonic or fiery influences ; and, while the world 
 was giving attention to this contest, the really 
 useful labours of the founder of English geo- 
 logy were in a great measure neglected. This 
 was William Smith, who, so early as 1801, con- 
 structed an admirable geological map of England, 
 and by his long continued services laid the founda- 
 tion of geological science in this country on a 
 basis, the soundness of which, having been abundantly 
 established, has well entitled him to the gene- 
 rally accorded name of the Father of English Geo- 
 logy. The cotemporaneous labours of Werner and 
 Smith may be regarded as having chiefly paved the 
 way to the important advances since made in this 
 department of science. Having been intimately 
 acquainted with the founder of English geology, 
 whose friendship I greatly valued, it was with much 
 interest that I paid the silent homage of respectful 
 
94 
 
 remembrance as I viewed the tombstone of his great 
 cotemporary. 
 
 We spent some time in viewing the interior of the 
 cathedral. It is large and lofty. The columns in 
 the nave are octagonal, each of the sides being 
 slightly concave, an architectural flight of fancy 
 which was new to me. These columns are without 
 capitals, and they expand in a graceful manner so 
 as to combine with the ribs of the handsomely groined 
 roof. The ceiling of the choir is of a very bold and 
 unusual design, having coloured figures of such bold 
 relief as to appear like detached statuary. There is 
 an elaborate monument of the Elector Maurice, and, 
 perched over it, is the suit of armour in which he was 
 killed. In the helmet is a perforation made by the 
 bullet we had seen at Dresden, which was the 
 immediate cause of his death. This successive con- 
 firmatory evidence forms a very precise mode of 
 reading history, and brings one into close identity 
 with the circumstances thus curiously illustrated. 
 On the floor of the choir and eastern walls of the 
 church are a great many monuments, chiefly of 
 richly sculptured brasses, doubtless recording the 
 names and deeds of men, who in their time had been 
 accounted wise, or noble, or bra ye. 
 
 The railway westward from Freiberg is unfinished, 
 but a truck having been attached to a locomotive, 1 
 accompanied my friend about four English miles to 
 see a new bridge of large dimensions which is now 
 nearly completed. It has fourteen arches of about 
 70 feet in width, and in the centre of the valley the 
 bridge is 170 feet high. It has been built under the 
 immediate superintendence of M. Constantino Wilke, 
 who very kindly showed me the plans, elevations, 
 
95 
 
 and other details, as also some interesting photo- 
 graphs, showing various stages of its progress. I 
 suggested to him that a full account of this stately 
 work would be an acceptable contribution to the 
 Institution of Civil Engineers in London. It is one 
 of many (and by no means the largest), works 
 which in central Europe indicate a continued and 
 active energy in the increase of railway communica- 
 tion, and the traffic both of passengers and goods 
 which came under our observation gives a favourable 
 impression of the industry and prosperity which 
 first promote, and are afterwards promoted by this 
 economy of locomotion. Indeed, I may truly say 
 that in our brief excursion of three weeks in a por- 
 tion of Europe hitherto unknown to us, no circum- 
 stance appeared more striking than the evidences of 
 commercial activity and of social comfort. With all 
 due regard to the solid blessings of my native 
 land, I rejoice to see in other countries the 
 clear manifestations of industry, wealth, and 
 comfort. Looking broadly at these aspects there is 
 much to aiford reason for a lively hope, that intelli- 
 gence and peace will combine in the furtherance of 
 good and useful works, and that governments 
 will find their true mission in encouraging and pre- 
 serving the welfare and happiness of the peoples 
 under their charge. 
 
 BERLIN. 
 
 Having left Dresden at three o'clock in the after- 
 noon, a railway journey of less than six hours took 
 us to Berlin. We at once proceeded to the Royal 
 
96 
 
 Hotel, where we found excellent accommodation 
 during our stay. 
 
 After breakfast next morning, we went forth to 
 take a general view of this beautiful and interesting 
 city, the improvements of which in the last half cen- 
 tury, and especially in the last ten years, nave im- 
 parted to it an air of grandeur and beauty which 
 cannot but surprise those who have formed opinions 
 of it from descriptions written many years ago. 
 Even those who ten or twelve years since visited 
 Berlin, would now find the city materially altered in 
 many respects, and this great and rapid advance of 
 improvement may at once be perceived by any one 
 who looks at the new and beautiful structures which 
 adorn it. At the commencement of the present cen- 
 tury it was usual to speak of Berlin as consisting of 
 inferior dwellings. Soon after the close of the war 
 in 1815 many handsome residences were erected, 
 chiefly in the central part of the now greatly ex- 
 tended city. Much progress was made under the 
 favourable auspices of the munificence and good 
 taste of King Frederick William IV., and an able 
 writer in The Builder (March 31, 1866), states that the 
 extensive scale of improvement in the last twenty 
 years has rendered Berlin one of the first continental 
 cities in its architecture and illustrations of fine art : 
 "the old shabby houses, " it is stated, "of the Unter 
 den Linden, disappeared one by one, to be replaced 
 by noble mansions forming a street of palaces inter- 
 spersed with hotels." 
 
 After viewing the UNTER DEN LINDEN, near the 
 BRANDENBURG GATE, we went to the other extremity 
 of it and greatly admired the group of stately 
 edifices, as remarkable a collection of public 
 
97 
 
 buildings as can be seen in Europe. The ROYAL 
 PALACE, the OLD AND NEW MUSEUMS, the OPERA 
 HOUSE, the ROYAL ACADEMY OF ART, with many- 
 other splendid buildings, may all be seen from one 
 point of view, and the effect is very magnificent. 
 We spent the day in visiting some of the most 
 interesting places, and especially the museums and 
 galleries of pictures, and in the evening went to the 
 opera. 
 
 On the following day we went to see POTSDAM and 
 its beautiful environs. We left Berlin at two o'clock 
 in the forenoon, and after passing over a few miles 
 of the flat and sandy precincts of that city we found, 
 after travelling half an hour, that the country be- 
 came more picturesque, the surface more undulating 
 and diversified with woods and plantations, which 
 increased in extent and beauty as we approached 
 Potsdam. In partaking of some refreshment at the 
 station the far-fam^d Bavarian beer was not for- 
 gotten, and it well deserves the reputation it has 
 attained. We drove to BABELSBERG, a recently 
 erected chateau or semi- castellated residence of the 
 king, which, as we were informed, corresponds in 
 its relations to royalty in Prussia with Osborne 
 and Balmoral in Great Britain. 
 
 This drive was remarkably pleasant, as we went 
 for some distance along a sort of boulevard, very 
 wide, and separated into several compartments by 
 rows of trees. We passed a lodge, from whence, 
 we were told, pedestrians may proceed through the 
 park, but carriages are to set down visitors at an- 
 other gate. From this, we had a short but pleasant 
 walk to the castle, which having seen, we proceeded 
 
98 
 
 along good roads, past the palace or hunting seat of 
 Prince Frederick Charles. 
 
 This is seated in the midst of beautiful woods and 
 ornamental lawns and avenues, and lakes, which 
 cover a vast area in the vicinity of Babelsberg, and 
 in this landscape scenery the wide and lake-like 
 character of the Havel forms a conspicuous feature 
 for several miles in the environs of Potsdam. We 
 passed some ornamental houses in the Swiss style, 
 and admired the entrance to the palace and park of 
 Prince Charlos (father of Prince Frederick Charles). 
 Here are handsome gateways, richly ornamented 
 fountains, figures of lions and of deer, bronzed and 
 partly gilt, with other tasteful decorations. Here, 
 also, we saw the Belvidere, as it is called. It is 
 copied from the famous Athenian tower of Lysicrates, 
 and near it are some well laid out gardens and plea- 
 sure grounds. 
 
 On the waters of the Havel were some yachts of 
 large size resembling miniature ships of war. One 
 of these, we were told, was a present from the Em- 
 peror of Russia. If time had permitted there was 
 evidently much more to repay a leisurely visit than 
 the few objects we saw in passing. 
 
 After crossing a drawbridge, we drove along a 
 stately avenue, having between its border hedges 
 no less than four rows of trees, and soon reached 
 the " MARMOR," or Marble Palace, in a portion of 
 the Royal Parks called the New Garden. Having 
 viewed the interior, we went to the palace of SANS 
 Souci, and saw as we passed the famous WINDMILL. 
 We then went to the ORANGERIES, and after inspect- 
 ing many interesting objects we went to the " NEW 
 PALACE," as it is called, although built a hundred 
 
99 
 
 years ago, and of this we saw all that strangers are 
 usually permitted to see. 
 
 The palace called " CHARLOTTENHOFF" well deserves 
 attention, so do the ' ; ROMAN BATHS" in the im- 
 mediate vicinity. The parks and pleasure grounds 
 in which these several buildings are situated are in 
 themselves very attractive, inasmuch as they con- 
 tain long and noble avenues, converging towards 
 a stately FOUNTAIN, many ornamental walks and 
 gardens, and several statues of much artistic merit. 
 A leisurely walk in them is not the least of the 
 many inducements which Potsdam and its vicinity 
 offer to those who can prolong a stay in so beautiful 
 a place. No one who visits Potsdam should omit to 
 see the FRIEDENSKIRCHE, a church situated near the 
 entrance to the Royal Park. The GARRISON CHURCH, 
 in the town, is also worthy of attention. After 
 seeing these, we drove through some of the stately 
 streets of Potsdam, and admired the palace-like 
 aspect of many of the houses. We saw the Market 
 Place and Town House a very stately structure, 
 and the church of St. Nicholas is still more so. 
 There is also a lofty obelisk, but the advance of 
 night hastened our progress to the Brauhausberg, 
 literally Brewhouse Hill, on which is a lofty tower. 
 This we ascended. It commands a remarkably fine 
 view of Potsdam and the neighbouring country for 
 many miles around. From this elevated station we 
 could trace all our wanderings through the adjacent 
 parks and pleasure grounds and gardens, and in 
 almost every direction might be seen some palace or 
 other conspicuous object which had come under our 
 observation during the day. The sun was setting, 
 and a glowing, golden light rested on the wide- 
 
100 
 
 spread waters which form so extensive a feature in 
 the prospect. The evening shades were deepening 
 into night, and thus ended a very pleasant day. 
 That it was one of more than usual enjoyment 
 may be readily inferred from the brief recital I have 
 given. What a variety of parks and palaces, anti- 
 quities, sculptures, and paintings had we seen, and 
 what a charming succession of natural beauties in 
 scenery of great extent and luxuriance ! 
 
 Next morning at Berlin, we examined the remark- 
 able statuary of the Bridge near the Royal Palace, 
 visited the BOURSE, or Exchange, and saw the NEW 
 SYNAGOGUE, and the house formerly occupied by 
 Humboldt. We greatly enjoyed a drive in the 
 suburbs (where we saw both the old town wall and 
 the new one, which is replacing it), and also in the 
 THIER GARDEN (the Hyde Park of Berlin), return- 
 ing to our hotel by the Brandenburg Gate. In the 
 afternoon we saw the interior of the Royal Palace, 
 and in the evening enjoyed the hearty hospitalities 
 of a valued friend, whose- aid was most useful to us. 
 We had seen much of stately but artificial grandeur. 
 Even many of the aspects of nature at Berlin and 
 Potsdam are in a great measure transposed into 
 artistic forms ; the flowers are in formal beds, the 
 stately trees of extensive woods are arranged in 
 straight lines, and the eye becomes tired with view- 
 ing splendid interiors. Beyond the beauties of 
 nature and the achievements of art, there are yet 
 more powerful attractions 
 
 " Friendship alone, to city or to shade, 
 Can give the glowing charm." 
 
 Of all the pleasing incidents of our visits to Dresden 
 and Berlin none were more pleasing than the friendly 
 
101 
 
 hospitalities and attention we received in both these 
 cities from intelligent and highly estimable friends. 
 
 In a large carriage building manufactory which 
 we visited, a number of railway carriages were being 
 built for use in Russia. The manager, who accom- 
 panied us over the works, explained some novelties 
 in their construction, and especially in the mode of 
 warming by means of long iron boxes filled with 
 hot sand. All the workmanship I saw here appeared 
 to be well done. One of the apartments is 450 
 feet in length the length of an English cathedral ! 
 About 1500 men are employed. The furnaces are 
 so placed as to have the smoke carried downwards 
 to a flue leading to a chimney 145 feet high. The 
 offices are handsome, and on the exterior are emble- 
 matical figures in terra cotta. The English econo- 
 mist will say, of what account are such ornaments ? 
 Perhaps a correct taste may perceive in neatness, 
 elegance, and order, elements of more satisfactory 
 and lasting economy than is commonly supposed. 
 
 On Sunday, I attended Divine service in the 
 " DOM CHURCH," the chief ecclesiastical structure or 
 cathedral of Berlin, where, to strangers not conver- 
 sant with German, the performance of the choir is 
 the chief, though not the only, attraction. In the 
 afternoon, we saw the STATUE OF FREDERICK WILLIAM 
 III. in the Thier Garden, went to the pleasure grounds 
 and mausoleum at CHARLOTTENBURG, and to the 
 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 
 
 In the preceding notes the several places we 
 visited at Berlin and Potsdam are marked with 
 capital letters in the order in which we saw them. Of 
 these I shall now add some description, mostly from 
 memoranda made at the time, but with extracts 
 
102 
 
 from Grieben's local guidebook. My special object 
 is to name only such places as came under actual 
 inspection, so that a clear idea may be formed as to 
 what may be seen in the short time we had at our 
 disposal. To those who can make a longer stay in 
 this interesting city many other objects of interest 
 claim attention, but the few notes here given may 
 serve as an index to what we considered most 
 attractive. In the following memoranda I class the 
 places in Berlin and Potsdam separately, irrespective 
 of the order in which we went to them. 
 
 The " UNTER DEN LINDEN" is a wide avenue ex- 
 tending from the Brandenburg Gate, on the west, to 
 a group of public buildings at or near its eastern 
 extremity. These buildings are of great extent and 
 magnificence, and in Murray's handbook they are 
 thus enumerated :- " Few European capitals can 
 show so much architectural splendour as is here 
 seen, in the Colossal Palace, the beautiful Colonnade 
 of the Museum, the chaste Guard House, the great 
 Opera, the University opposite, the Arsenal, and 
 the Academy of Arts." Between and in front of 
 these several edifices the Unter den Linden, and 
 places extending from it, form a very wide space, 
 which on a first view is exceedingly striking, and 
 may be ranked among the finest town views in 
 Europe. Towards the western end the adjacent 
 buildings are also of a very stately character, and 
 in the centre of them is the entrance to the spacious 
 park called the Thier Garden, by the Brandenburg 
 Gate. Between these two extremities about a quar- 
 ter of a mile in length is planted with lime trees in 
 four rows, and on each side are handsome shops and 
 numerous hotels. The width of the avenue in this 
 
103 
 
 business part of it is upwards of 200 feet, and the 
 following is tke arrangement by which it is made 
 available for different uses. Adjoining the houses 
 on the north side is a well-flagged pathway 15 feet 
 wide ; next is a paved road for street traffic, 30 feet ; 
 a road formed with soft material for equestrians, 
 25 feet ; a promenade, 50 feet wide, in the centre 
 (reminding one of the Rambla at Barcelona) ; then 
 two paved roads separated by a row of trees 
 together nearly 50 feet. A pathway of 20 feet 
 adjoins the houses on the south side* This was 
 being relaid, and the irregular flags are replaced by 
 a smooth covering of asphalte. Such are the seven 
 divisions forming the width of the Unter den Lin- 
 den, and along the portion there are four rows of 
 lime trees, from which the avenue is named. 
 
 The BRANDENBURG GATE is said (in local guide- 
 books) to have cost 75,000, and its dimensions are 
 nearly 200 feet wide, and 65 feet high. It is a fine 
 composition of Grecian Doric, copied from the 
 Propylaeum of Athens. It is surm ounted by a fine 
 group of statuary, the horses being 12 feet high. 
 This was taken to Paris in 1807, but restored to its 
 original position in 1814. There are five passages 
 between the noble Doric columns ; of these two are 
 for pedestrians, two for carriages, and the central 
 one, 18 feet wide, is Used only by the Royal Family. 
 A local guidebook suggests that it is "perhaps the 
 finest city gate of Germany," and one cannot look 
 on it without perceiving that its rivals cannot be 
 many nor unimportant. Although of less dimensions, 
 the gates at Hyde Park corner are quite equal in 
 classical taste were it not for the extreme dispro- 
 
104 
 
 portion of the huge equestrian statue which mars 
 the harmony of an otherwise faultless work. 
 
 The ROYAL PALACE. Trough the kind offices 
 of a friend we were permitted to see the interior of 
 this palace at a time when it is not open to visitors 
 generally. I made a few brief notes as I passed 
 along from room to room, but the number, the 
 splendour, and the interest of the several apartments 
 we saw would require much time to enumerate, and 
 much more to describe. Each succeeding room 
 seems to surpass those already seen in magni- 
 ficence. The chapel under the dome is a 
 wonderfully fine specimen of architectural taste 
 and splendour. The front of this palace is described 
 as being 627 feet long, and in it, says a local guide- 
 book, are seven hundred apartments. How many of 
 those we saw I can scarcely say, for long continued 
 repetition in viewing stately interiors had rendered 
 me somewhat indifferent to its reasonable claims on 
 attention. 
 
 The most interesting part of the interior is the 
 chapel under the dome, in which upwards of seven 
 hundred persons can be accommodated. Its decora- 
 tions are amazingly rich. The floors and walls are 
 of marble, and ten chandeliers of Pompeian de- 
 sign have upwards of seven thousand lights. In the 
 interior of the dome are paintings by eminent artists 
 representing cherubim, and on the other part of the 
 walls and arches are representations of the greater 
 prophets, patriarchs, and evangelists, and illustra- 
 tions of the main incidents of the life of Christ, and 
 nearly 100 painted figures of patriarchs, prophets, 
 and apostles. A silver cross, adorned with enamels, 
 costly jewels, and paintings, is described as being 
 
105 
 
 worth half a million of thalers (75,000). The fol- 
 lowing is a short enumeration of the principal rooms : 
 Fifteen rooms, with numerous paintings once oc- 
 cupied by Frederick William I. Here is a fine por- 
 trait of Humboldt. The King's Rooms are nineteen 
 in number. .The Gemalde gallery, used as a dining 
 room on state occasions, is upwards of 200 feat long, 
 and the Weisse Saal, or grand state gallery, is up- 
 wards of 100 feet long, about 50 feet in width, and 
 40 feet in height. This is used on grand occasions, 
 such as the opening of the Chambers, &c. The floor 
 is beautifully inlaid, and the whole is of great sump- 
 tuousness. The chandeliers contain 2,600 candles, 
 which are lighted in a short time by a very ingenious 
 contrivance of a fuze which passes from candle to 
 candle till all are ignited. The cost of the decora- 
 tions is said to have amounted to 120,000. The 
 private rooms of Frederick William IV. were once 
 occupied by Frederick the Great. The rooms of the 
 Queen Mother contain very fine statuary. In the 
 Mecklinburg rooms are fine copperplate engravings. 
 There are many others, but it is in vain to attempt 
 more than a general notion of the number and splen- 
 dour of the various halls and galleries and apartments. 
 English visitors will not fail to observe a bronze 
 equestrian statue, " St. George and the Dragon," in 
 one of the courts of this stately and extensive 
 palace. 
 
 The OLD AND NEW MUSEUMS are separated from 
 the Royal Palace by handsomely laid out gardens 
 and walks called the Lust Garden, open to the pub- 
 lic at all times, and affording good views of the 
 magnificent buildings already spoken of. 
 
 These museums are contained in two separate 
 
106 
 
 buildings, between which, on the upper floor, is a 
 connecting gallery. The dimensions are as follows : 
 The Old Museum is 290 feet by 174 feet (an area of 
 50,460 square feet) ; the New Museum is 331 feet 
 by 133 feet (an area of 44,023 square feet.) The 
 portico of the old museum is one of the chief archi- 
 tectural glories of Berlin. It has 18 fluted columns 
 of the Ionic order, and the inner wall is richly 
 decorated with fresco paintings. The length of this 
 splendid facade is about 250 feet. 
 
 In front of the new museum is a corridor 160 
 feet long, and from it we entered a vestibule up- 
 wards of 30 feet square. From thence we went to 
 a gallery more than 70 feet long, and about 30 wide, 
 containing a most extensive and curious collection 
 of northern antiquities. It is rich in flint and bronze 
 implements, yet less so than the collection of similar 
 objects at Copenhagen. The several articles are 
 admirably arranged, and the walls are decorated with 
 appropriate paintings in fresco. Here, and through- 
 out thewhole interiors of both maseums, the columns, 
 floors, and walls are of composite materials, repre- 
 senting exquisite marbles and porphyries ; these 
 are highly polished, and are in large masses, giving 
 an air of sumptuous splendour to the whole. 
 
 We next entered a central vestibule, 50 feet by 
 30 feet, in which are four stately marble columns, 
 and continuing our route on the ground floor of the 
 Museum we went into the famous Egyptian galleries. 
 This part of the Berlin collection is of world wide 
 celebrity, and it contains the rare and truly interest- 
 ing objects collected in Egypt by Lepsius. 
 
 The first apartment, called the " Hall of Tombs," 
 is very properly named. It is 90 feet long, and 30 
 
107 
 
 feet wide. Its walls are covered with representa- 
 tions of Egyptian figures, copied from originals in 
 Egypt. Here is a vast collection of sarcophagi, 
 mnmmy cases, &c., which covers most of the floor. 
 A small corridor about 30 feet square is also filled 
 with similar objects, and after seeing these we 
 entered a splendid gallery in which are representa- 
 tions of the halls at Karnac. These are two in 
 number and of great magnificence, even apart from 
 their deeply interesting historical character. One of 
 these galleries is 60 feet by 30 feet, the other 70- 
 feet by 45 feet. It would require a volume to do 
 justice to the numerous and wonderful monuments 
 of Egyptian history here preserved or represented. 
 There are several fresco paintings on the walls, 
 representing some of the grandest works of 
 antiquity. 
 
 Another gallery, upwards of 100 feet long, and 
 about 30 feet wide, contains a great number of 
 Egyptian rarities. The ceiling of this room is curi- 
 ously painted in the Egyptian manner. The contents 
 are of such variety and interest as to baffle all 
 attempts at minute description on a mere cursory 
 inspection. The following memoranda written at 
 the time is necessarily brief and incomplete, even as 
 a mere summary of the principal objects to which 
 we gave attention. There is a large collection of 
 rolls of papyrus with writings and curious drawings. 
 Egyptian bricks, in which the admixture of straw 
 revives very old associations. Several statues of 
 great ones of the earth of some three or four thousand 
 years ago, and a vast number of articles which 
 illustrate the domestic life and habits of the Egyp- 
 tians, and which have a special interest to all who 
 
108 
 
 have made themselves acquainted with the researches 
 of Sir Gardner Wilkinson. There are a great 
 many embalmed animals, and multitudes of idols in 
 great variety of form and figure. Coins in vast 
 numbers, as well as seals and medals. Two collossal 
 heads are described as being three thousand years 
 old, and a figure of somewhat graceful aspect, seated 
 under a canopy, is said to represent Queen Ramake. 
 On the walls are paintings of battles and of many 
 incidents of domestic life ; these are all the more 
 deserving of study as they are known to have been 
 accurately copied from the originals. Much 
 as I had read and heard of the Egyptian portion of 
 the Berlin Museum, its contents more than realized 
 my expectations ; and few persons, however pro- 
 ficient in the history and antiquities of Egypt, can 
 fail to be instructed as well as gratified by an 
 inspection of the several halls and galleries so 
 rich in historical, artistic, and antiquarian objects 
 illustrative of that wonderful country. 
 
 The hall of the grand staircase which ascends 
 from the central vestibule already mentioned is one 
 of the finest architectural arrangements I have seen. 
 It is 120 feet long, and 50 wide, its height being 
 about 100 feet. The general effect is really sublime. 
 The walls are adorned with large paintings by 
 Kaulbach, emblematical of great eras of progress in 
 the history of the world. These subjects are as 
 follows : 1st, The destruction of the Tower of 
 Babel ; 2nd, Homer and the Greeks ; 3rd, The fall 
 of Jerusalem ; 4th, The battle of the Huns ; 5th, 
 The Cru'saders before Jerusalem ; and 6th, The 
 Reformation, in which the figure of Luther is the 
 centre and most prominent figure. As an example 
 
109 
 
 of the minute detail and peculiarly interesting char- 
 acter of these paintings, I copy the following de- 
 scription of two of them from an excellent local 
 guide-book : * 
 
 44 HOMER AND THE GREEKS. Homer, standing in a 
 boat, the lyre in his right hand, coming fromlconium 
 (Asia-minor) lands in Hellas. Sibyl steers the 
 boat. Thetis rises up behind him to the sky, hiding 
 the ashes of her son Achilles at her bosom, with her 
 sisters, the Nereides, she escorts the poet, who has 
 made immortal by his songs her heroic son. All 
 the people, artists and poets, high and low, listen to 
 the singer, for to Homer the whole Hellenic culture 
 is to be carried back ; in the foreground Pericles 
 holding the wreathed cup ; he embraces the young 
 Alcibiades, sitting on a Doric column ; behind them 
 stand Solon with tablets of law and the architect 
 Muesikles with the plan of the Propylaion. Then 
 follows the troupe of poets : Hesiod, the three great 
 tragedians JEschylos, Sophocles, and Euripides, the 
 comic poet Aristophanes, the lyric Pindar ; peasants, 
 warriors, and a satyr join them. To the left in the 
 foreground the prophet Balds cutting his sentences 
 into stone. Turned away stands the dark figure of 
 Orpheus, the poet of a long-passed time. Phidias, 
 the sculptor, surrounded by beautiful boys and 
 girls, looks up from his work, a statue of Achilles, 
 while his eye is fascinated by a new vision. On the 
 smoke, arising in the distance from an offering, 
 round which warriors are dancing, soars the troup 
 of the gods, the Graces and Amor, Apolio with the 
 nine muses, Jupiter and Juno, Pallas, Diana, Mer- 
 
 * Grieben's Travelling Biblothek 
 
110 
 
 cury, etc. ; they approach together with Homer to 
 enter the new-built temple." 
 
 " THE REFORMATION. We find ourselves in the 
 interior of a Gothic church of three naves. 
 On a high choir a troup of singers, who are the 
 masters of the Protestant church -music. Below 
 them on an elevated seat the forerunners of the 
 Reformation have taken a place : Huss, Savonarola, 
 Abailard and his disciple Arnold of Brescia, Petrus 
 Waldus, Wessel, Tauler and Wickliff. The wall 
 behind them is adorned with the Lord's Supper of 
 Leonardo. Before the altar stands Luther, holding 
 up with both hands the open bible ; beside him 
 stand Calvin and Bugenhagen, Zwingli at his right, 
 Melancthon at his left, giving the Lord's Supper to 
 the German princes in the reformed style. Behind 
 the reformers stand a group of Huguenots with 
 their valiant chief Coligny, and farther to the left 
 Elizabeth of England. Corresponding to her has 
 Gustav Adolf of Sweden found his place on the 
 opposite column. A group of English Protestants, 
 with Archbishop Cranmer at their head, stands near 
 Elizabeth, while Wilhelm von Oranien and Barne- 
 veldt turn towards the German reformers. In the 
 side-nave the artist shows as the arts in their new 
 development, Durer and Holbein, Peter Vischer, 
 Leonardo, and Raphael ; next to them Guttenberg 
 with type-setters and printers. Farther on a group 
 of scholars and poets, among them Erasmus and 
 Reuchlin, Shakespeare and Cervantes, Ulrich v. 
 Hutten, Thomas Morus, Petrarca, and others. In 
 the left side-nave we find Copernicus, Galileo, 
 Kepler, Newton ; more in the foreground Colum- 
 bus, with his hand on the globe ; then, Seb. 
 
Ill 
 
 Frank, Toracelsus, Agricola, and other men of the 
 sciences." 
 
 I have given these quotations as indicating the 
 great variety and interest of these extraordinary 
 and splendid compositions. In addition to the six 
 large paintings, there are several of life-size yet of 
 great interest and merit Moses holding the tables 
 of the law ; Solon, the lawgiver of Greece ; Charle- 
 magne, Frederick the Great, and emblematical 
 figures of History, Knowledge, Poetry, Architecture, 
 and Painting. I entirely concur in the opinion ex- 
 pressed of this staircase in the local guide-book, al- 
 ready quoted, as follows : " With such grand di- 
 mensions and the combination of splendour, taste, 
 and art, the looker-on cannot help to be wonderfully 
 impressed." This, indeed, must be the effect pro- 
 duced on the mind of every one who cares for history 
 and art, combined in the most pleasing and in- 
 structive manner. To those who would reflect on the 
 past and admire the present, few places are more 
 admirably suited than the splendid hall or staircase of 
 the New Museum of Berlin. We visited in succes- 
 sion the GREEK ROOM, the APOLLO ROOM, the CU- 
 POLA ROOM, NIOBES' ROOM, the ROOM OF BACCHUS, 
 ROMAN ROOMS, MEDLEVAL ROOMS, and MODERN ROOMS. 
 The contents of these would each require a volume 
 of description, and I, therefore, do not enter upon 
 any detailed notices. I may add that both English 
 and local guide-books convey a good general notion 
 of the rich variety of objects, and a very excellent 
 set of plans may be bought in the vestibule, by 
 which the visitor may readily find his way to .any 
 part of the museum. I must not, however, omit to 
 mention the extremely interesting collection of an- 
 
112 
 
 tiquarian objects placed in the basement rooms and 
 galleries of the Old Museum. 
 
 The GALLERIES of SCULPTURE and PAINTING in the 
 Old Museum are of great extent and interest, and 
 we spent much time in a leisurely view of them. As 
 regards the finest productions of great masters it is 
 not, says the local guide book equal to the gal- 
 leries of Dresden, Munich, and Vienna, " but it is 
 ahead of them as far as art history is concerned, as 
 it contains a very large number of the older times. 
 It is divided after schools, particularly rich in old 
 German pieces, and consists of three divisions 1st, 
 Italian, French, and Spanish schools, since the 15th 
 century ; 2nd, Netherlandish and German ; 3rd, 
 Byzantine, and the older Christian paintings. Over 
 all the doors are the necessary inscriptions, and in 
 the second cabinets are complete indices." 
 
 These picture galleries occupy thirty-one apart- 
 ments or spaces, in a range of galleries formed by 
 partitions, which leaves an open passage next the 
 walls opposite the windows. The reservations I 
 have made with reference to the Dresden gallery 
 equally apply to the following brief memoranda of 
 some of the contents of the gallery at Berlin. 
 
 A painting by Vivarini of the date of 1451 (No. 5 
 in catalogue) is remarkable for bold relief and for 
 rich ornamentation in gold. The subject is the 
 " Adoration of the Magi." No. 37, a very fine pic- 
 ture of u St. Sebastian " by Bosati. No. 38, an 
 " enthroned Madonna," surrounded by many figures, 
 the work of Luigo Vivarini, particularly attracted 
 attention. No. 47 is an admirable work by Fogolino, 
 date 1550. There are a few of a series of forty-nine 
 paintings which exhibit the state of the Venetian 
 
113 
 
 school in the fifteenth century. There are seven 
 examples of the Lombardian school, of which the 
 raos j remarkable are by Ambrogio, Borgognone, and 
 P. F. Sacchi. There are fifty-four pictures of the 
 Tuscan school of this period, and among them a 
 *' Madonna," by Roselli, is a very fine work. Nearly 
 all the pictures of this period are Scripture subjects, 
 in which Madonnas form the prominent feature. I 
 thought the paintings by Bigordi, Lippi, and Pollo- 
 guolo very attractive examples. 
 
 Of this period there are seventeen paintings of the 
 schools of Bologna and Rome one of the most re- 
 markable is a Madonna by Luca Loughi (1507 to 
 1580) and twenty-three paintings of the first period 
 of the Italian art, ten of which I greatly admired ; 
 they are by Alunno, Perugini, Santo, and Vanucci, 
 but the chief glory of this part of the collection are 
 six works by Raphael Sanzio, one of them a very 
 famous cartoon. These precious gems of art are 
 locked up in a side room, to which I obtained ad- 
 mission. 
 
 In the second period of Italian art there are fifty- 
 three paintings of the Venetian school, thirteen of 
 which are by Titian. Of the Lombard school, 
 twenty-five ; and the Tuscan, Roman, Bolognese, 
 and Ferrara schools are represented by sixty-three 
 paintings, among which are some splendid produc- 
 tions of Caracci, Del Piombi, Andrea del Sarto, and 
 others. 
 
 In the third period 1550 to 1590 there are 
 thirty-seven pictures of the Venetian school, and of 
 these eleven by Paul Veronese, and five by Tin- 
 
114 
 
 toretto. Of the Tuscan, Roman, and other Italian 
 schools there are twenty-one specimens. 
 
 The fourth period (Italian) is illustrated by works 
 of great magnificence, as for example, seven by 
 Annibale Caracci, four by Ludov. Caracci, six by 
 Guido Reni, six by Domenicbino, two by Guercino, 
 six by Michael Caravaggio, and eight by Albano. 
 
 The Spanish school of painting is shown in many 
 fine works, of which those of Ribera, Murillo, Vales- 
 quez, and Miranda are conspicuous. In the French 
 school fifty-one paintings are shown. But by far the 
 most interesting part of the gallery is the rich collec- 
 tion of Dutch paintings, as may be at once inferred 
 from the names of Van Eyck, Holbein, Cranach, and 
 others. Of the early period of this school (1420 to 
 1550) there are no less than one hundred and twenty- 
 eight pictures, nearly all of them by illustrious 
 painters. Of the second period (1510 to 1670) there 
 are seventeen pictures, and the productions of the 
 seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are in number 
 two hundred and eighty- two, comprising admirable 
 works by Rubens, Van Dyke, Snyders, Gerard Douw, 
 David Teniers, De Heem, Ruysch, Salomon, Kdning, 
 Van der Heist. Caspar Netzcher, Bercham, and 
 others. These few particulars are given as some 
 illustration of the number and excellence of the con- 
 tents of this museum, and I cannot better express 
 what I believe to be the distinguishing character 
 and chief excellence of the collection than by quoting 
 the following passage from Murray's excellent hand- 
 book, which, it may be observed, gives a copious 
 reference to the paintings most worthy of notice : 
 " For those who are desirous of studying the history 
 
115 
 
 and progress of the art, from the Byzantine schools, 
 through those of Florence and Sienna, to its period 
 of excellence, and thence to trace its gradual decay, 
 there can be no better opportunity than is here 
 afforded." 
 
 One of the most remarkable objects in this part 
 of Berlin is the STATUE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT, 
 certainly one of the finest monuments of its kind in 
 the world. We made repeated visits to it, and ex- 
 amined it with the aid of Grieben's local guide. It 
 is so fine a work of art so lofty elaborate, and as 
 a historical record so deeply interesting that I here 
 annex the particulars from that guide book, which 
 alone enabled us to understand the various eques- 
 trian and other statues which accompany the noble 
 representation of the warrior king : 
 
 " The Monument of Frederick the Great on 
 horseback stands between the Palace and the Uni- 
 versity at the beginning of the Linden. The 
 corner-stone of it was laid by order of Frederick 
 Wilhelm III. on June 1, 1840, a few days before his 
 death, the monument itself was finished under 
 Frederick William IV. on May 31, 1851. It is one 
 of the greatest masterpieces of Rauch and his dis- 
 ciples Wolf and Blaeser, and was cast by Friebel. 
 The entire height reaches 43 feet, of which 18 feet* 
 belong to horse and rider. The figure of the king 
 has a military dress, on the head the well-known 
 three-cornered hat ; from the shoulders falls in easy 
 
 * These dimensions in Prussian feet are nearly but not qu'te 
 equal to English feet, to which in these notices I reduce all the 
 dimensions I have occasion to mention. The height of this monu- 
 ment is 44 feet 3 inches (English), and the height of the horj-e and 
 his rider 18 feet 6 inches. 
 
116 
 
 and tasteful foldings a rich mantle of ermine. Sword 
 and sash are on the left side ; over the stretched 
 out right arm hangs the well-known crooked cane. 
 Under the main figure on the different sides of the 
 pedestal are eight bas-reliefs : birth of the hero, 
 Clio's instruction in history, delivery of the sword 
 by Minerva, the well-known monument after the 
 battle at Kollin, his taste for art and music, im- 
 provement of industry, Apotheosis. On the four 
 corners the figures of the four cardinal virtues : 
 Temperance, Justice, Wisdom, and Strength. Under 
 those* bas-reliefs groups of generals and statesmen of 
 his time ; at the corners on horseback, Prince 
 Heinrich von Preussen, General von Ziethen (draw- 
 ing the sabre), Duke Ferdinand von Braunschweig 
 (with roll), and General von Seidlitz (stretching 
 out the hand). The group on the main front, 
 towards the Schloss, contains the figures of General 
 von Prittwitz (in the uniform of Hussars), of Gene- 
 ral-Major von Lestwitz, of Prince August Wilhelm 
 von Preussen (in the middle), of Colonel von der 
 Heyde (with the plan of battle at Colberg), and of 
 General- Lieutenaat von Huelsen. Behind them on 
 horseback General Field-Marshal Keith and General 
 Markgraf Carl Albrecht von Brandenburg. On the 
 side towards the Palace of the King, General-Major 
 Freiherr von d. Goltz (with the hand at his chin), 
 General-Major v. Wartenberg (Hussar), the here- 
 ditary Prince Leopold Maximilian von Anhalt- 
 Dessau (in the middle), Colonel-Lieutenant von 
 AVedell (with a laurel wreath on his sabre), General 
 Field-Marshal Graf Gessler. Behind them, the Ge- 
 neral Field-Marshals Leopold Duke, of Anhalt- 
 Dessau (the old Dessauer) and Count Schwerin, 
 
117 
 
 both on horseback. On the other side, towards the 
 Linden, Secretary of State, Graf von Finkenstein 
 (with lead pencil and roll), von Schlaberndorf (left 
 hand on the chair), Grosskanzler Graf von Carmer 
 (sitting) ; behind him Graun, director of music ; 
 next to him G. E. Lessing talking to Immanuel 
 Kant. Reliefs in the background : Ceres and For- 
 tuna indicating the blessings which those men have 
 given 'to the country. On the side, towards 
 the University, General-Major von Kleist, General- 
 Lieutenant von Dieskau and von Winterfeldt (with 
 map), General v. Tauentzlen (meditating), Prince 
 Eugen v. Wurtenberg. Bas reliefs : Frederick 
 Wilhelm II., Crown Prince of Prussia, and General- 
 Lieutenant v. Belling. To the lower part of the 
 monument are attached tablets of memory, with 74 
 names of celebrated persons ; on the side towards 
 the Schloss the inscription : To Frederick the Great, 
 Frederick Wilhelm III., 1840 ; finished under 
 Frederick Wilhelm IV., 1851." 
 
 The DOM CHURCH is wanting in exterior architec- 
 tural eifect, and within, it is a very plain building, but 
 contains some interesting monuments. Murray the 
 great authority to English visitors says " it was 
 built in 1747, is ugly in its exterior, and within has 
 hardly the air of a church," but, it is added, " the 
 Berlin choir who sing Mendelssohn's psalms unac- 
 companied by instrumental music on Sundays (10 
 a.m.) should be heard by all lovers of sacred music." 
 This was an attraction not to be resisted, and by 
 going half an hour before the time of service I ob- 
 tained an excellent seat in the very centre of the 
 church, which even then was beginning to be well 
 
118 
 
 filled in every part accessible to the public the re- 
 served seats or pews remaining empty, as they did 
 also for the most part during the musical part of 
 the service, although well filled when the sermon 
 was delivered. At ten, every place that was acces- 
 sible was densely filled. The members of the choir 
 entered a gallery at the west end of the church, in 
 number perhaps 130 or 150. and sung the liturgy in 
 " most excellent style" as described in the local 
 guide. It was, doubtless, a very fine performance, 
 but it lost much of its effect from my not knowing 
 the words, and consequently being unable to follow 
 the sentiment. The music of first rate composers is 
 intrinsically pleasing, and so fine a collection of 
 skilful singers poured forth volumes of sound in lofty 
 chorus, or in plaintive cadences which enraptured 
 the ear, but if the instrumental music of the 
 44 Messiah," or even the mere sound of its vocal parts 
 afford gratification, how much is that pleasure 
 enhanced when we understand the words " Com- 
 fort ye my people," u Every valley," " Lift up your 
 heads," or the magnificent terms of the u Hallelujah 
 Chorus." The beautiful music is then invested 
 with a new and powerful charm. As to choral 
 singing, I may say the service I heard in the Dom 
 Church appeared to me to be perfect. The voices 
 all blended in one harmonious accord now soft, 
 now gently swelling, and then bursting forth in 
 jubilant chorus of exquisite melody and overpower- 
 ing grandeur. Yet with all this commendation of 
 a performance far too celebrated to need any praise 
 of mine, I cannot say that I derived so high an en- 
 joyment from it as I have often done from cathedral 
 services in England, where, from knowing the Ian- 
 
119 
 
 guage, meaning was conveyed to the mind at the same 
 time that beautiful and impressive sounds entered the 
 ear. 
 
 The choral liturgy of the Dom was partly accom- 
 panied by congregational singing, and this, in all 
 German churches where I have heard it, has always 
 conveyed a sublime expression of devotional fueling. 
 
 The musical service of the Berlin choir lasted 
 about twenty minutes, and the members then left 
 the gallery in a body, very few, if any, remaining. 
 Many of the congregation then present also left, 
 but their places were soon occupied by those who 
 came u Not for the music but the preaching there.'' 
 A sermon, an hour in length, was delivered by M. 
 Kojel, minister of the Dom. The pews as well as 
 the aisles were now well filled, and it was quite 
 evident that however many the music attracted the 
 sermon attract sd still more. 
 
 The subject of the sermon was (so I was informed 
 by an intelligent friend) ' ' The widow's son of Nam." 
 To me nearly every word was unintelligible, yet I 
 could not but observe the deep emotion the ex- 
 treme earnestness of manner the easy and eloquent 
 flow of language the animated aption in short, all 
 that goes to produce a deep effect. It had all the 
 appearance of being an honest as well as an earnest 
 exhortation. The incessant vigour of the preacher 
 did not exceed the limits of graceful propriety of 
 action, and there was at times umnistakeably 
 solemn and deep feeling, indicated by tones which 
 needed no interpreter so far as the general intention 
 of the preacher was concerned. 
 
120 
 
 The ROYAL OPERA HOUSE replaces one which was 
 built by Frederick the Great and burnt down in 
 August, 1843, the outer walls only remaining. Its 
 complete restoration was effected in 1844. It is a 
 very handsome building both in exterior architecture 
 and interior decoration. It is, says the local au- 
 thority already quoted, "well entitled to rank with 
 the finest theatres of Europe." I thought it appeared 
 larger and more splendid than the Theatre of Dres- 
 den, but both of them are very fine structures, and 
 the performances in both were of great merit. 
 
 The ROYAL ACADEMY OF ART. On entering this 
 gallery it was interesting to observe His Majesty the 
 King of Prussia and the Crown Prince quietly inspect- 
 ing the paintings the former wore a plain morning 
 dress and a military helmet a tall and noble looking 
 figure ; and both here and on seeing him at ParisI could 
 not but reflect on his long connection with European 
 history he having been in Paris in 1814 ; and in the 
 period of more than half a century which has since 
 intervened how many and important changes have 
 taken place ! I spent some hours in viewing many 
 works of art of various excellence, many of great 
 merit. I observed from the catalogue that there 
 were exhibited 774 oil paintings, 54 cartoons and 
 water colour drawings, 130 objects of statuary, and 
 66 specimens of very fine copperplate engravings and 
 lithographs. This exhibition takes place every two 
 years, and the present is said to exceed in merit any 
 former exhibition. 
 
 The BOURSE, or Exchange. A very stately, ex- 
 tensive building of almost royal magnificence in its 
 noble f^ades and grand interior. The local trans- 
 
121 
 
 lator of Grieben's guide-book quaintly enough says, 
 " it finds not perhaps its equal anywhere." The 
 summit is handsomely ornamented by statuary. 
 Photographic views or very exact architectural 
 designs can alone convey an adequate idea of the 
 merits of this fine edifice, its several facades being 
 quite of palatial character. The interior hall is 
 220 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 65 feet high. It is 
 separated by a lofty screen into two parts, one being 
 used for a money exchange, the other as a corn 
 market. In summer time the meetings are held in 
 a large chamber open to the sky. The columns in 
 the interior, of dark grey marble, with richly gilt 
 Ionic capitals, and a number of fine fresco paintings, 
 render these halls a splendid example of architec- 
 tural skill and taste. A statue of King William 
 I. stands in the noble corridor in the principal front. 
 
 In a wide street, in the north part of the city, 
 called Oranienburger-strass. we saw the NEW SYNA- 
 GOGUE. It is built in the Moorish style, and is 
 richly ornamented. A lofty and richly gilt cupola 
 forms a prominent feature in a general view of the 
 city. After passing through some anti-chambers 
 we entered the principal church or synagogue, 
 vhich is 145 feet long, 102 feet wide, and 85 feet 
 high. The windows are double, and the artificial 
 lights are interposed between them. Berlin is said 
 to contain not far short of one hundred thousand 
 Jews, many of whom are wealthy, and certainly 
 their place of worship is a proof of opulence. Not 
 far from it, in the same street, is the plain but neat 
 mansion (No. 67) in which the illustrious Baron 
 Humboldt resided from 1842 to 1859. An inscrip- 
 
122 
 
 tion on a tablet in front of the house records this 
 interesting circumstance, and shows the laudable 
 pride of the inhabitants of this great city in doing 
 honour to their illustrious countryman. 
 
 The THIER GARDEN at the west end of Berlin is a 
 handsomely laid out park, corresponding in its 
 general appearance and adjuncts to Kensington 
 Gardens in London, but of larger dimensions, being 
 in length about a mile and a quarter, and the 
 average breadth nearly half a mile. A carriage 
 drive extends through the whole length of it, and 
 various avenues, drives, and walks extend in several 
 directions. There are several ornamental pieces of 
 water, and the surrounding buildings are modern 
 and of very tasteful design, some of them indeed 
 are magnificent examples of the perfection which 
 classical taste has attained in the Prussian capital. 
 Grieben's local guide with pardonable partiality calls 
 " the Thiergarten" one of the finest pleasure grounds 
 of this kind in Europe, and it is certainly a most 
 agreeable adjunct to the city. We passed through 
 several portions of it, but had not time to visit 
 many of its walks and gardens, which are said to be 
 very attractive. 
 
 By far the most interesting object which we had 
 time to examine carefully was the MONUMENT OF 
 FREDERICK WILLIAM III. (died 1840) on the south 
 side of the Thier Garden, and about half a mile 
 from Brandenburg Gate. It is executed in white 
 marble by the eminent sculptor Professor Drake, 
 and was placed here by the inhabitants of the city 
 as a mark of respect for his memory. The statue is 
 admirably done, and the likeness is said to be 
 
123 
 
 very good. The pedestal is round, and has figures 
 in high relief emblematical of the interest which the 
 good king took in the well-being of his subjects. 
 
 The ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS are immediately ad- 
 jacent to the south-west part of the Thier Garden, 
 and rather more than a mile from the city gate. They 
 occupy a well planted space of three furlongs long, 
 and a quarter of a mile wide, and contain a great 
 number of well arranged buildings for the various 
 animals exhibited in them. We viewed in succes- 
 sion stags, antelopes, reindeer, and buffaloes ; 
 monkeys (in a handsome circular cage), ostriches, 
 emus, &c. ; flamingoes, storks, &c. ; deer, peacocks, 
 guinea fowl, &c. ; lions, tigers, leopards, elephants 
 (lodged in a handsome castellated mansion), &c., &c. 
 There are the usual bear pit, swans swimming in 
 ponds, and other usual contents of a zoological 
 garden, and figures are placed so as to guide a 
 stranger to the whole of the houses or inclosures. 
 Beginning with No. 1 we followed a winding la- 
 byrinth of walks until we ended with No. 27, and 
 had seen all the intervening numbers. An illus- 
 trated guide-book contains full descriptions, and by 
 means of this arrangement the whole of the collec- 
 tion may be seen in a short time. 
 
 CHARLOTTENBURG. This beautiful suburb of Ber- 
 lin, as it may be considered, is a place where the 
 Berliners greatly resort on Sundays and holidays. 
 Being only three miles from Berlin, and the road a 
 very pleasant one, vast numbers of conveyances are 
 employed, and the town contains a great number of 
 restaurants, in one of which, called "The Turkish 
 Tent," we had some refreshments. Tea gardens are 
 
124 
 
 also greatly patronized. The Schloss, or Palace, is of 
 great size and splendour, and is surmounted by a 
 lofty dome in the centre. The orangeries, broad 
 promenades, and beautifully disposed pleasure 
 grounds are well worth seeing, but the object of 
 surpassing interest is the Mausoleum the resting 
 place of King Frederick William III., who died in 
 1840, and of his beloved and greatly lamented Queen 
 Louisa, who died in 1810. It is built of Silesian 
 granite, and is of Grecian Doric, designed very 
 closely after the style of the Temple of Theseus at 
 Athens. The interior is of marble. A purple hue 
 is caused by coloured windows, and the tints which 
 thus fall on the recumbent marble statues of the 
 king and queen have a singularly solemn effect. 
 The te;nple was designed by Schinkel, and the 
 statuary is the work of Rauch. The position of 
 this monument is well chosen. " It stands," says 
 the local guide-book, "in silent retirement between 
 weeping willows, flowers, and shrubberies. The 
 interior, " it is added, u is in the highest degree 
 worth seeing, and may be called the jewel of 
 Charlottenburg." 
 
 POTSDAM. 
 
 This town, so well known in European history, is 
 built on an island in the River Havel, and surround- 
 ed by parks and pleasure grounds of great extent 
 and beauty, which are much visited on account of 
 the palaces and other remarkable edifices in them. 
 It is said to contain nearly 50,000 inhabitants, 
 " but," says the local guide-book (Grieben's) " is 
 
125 
 
 without commerce, and very quiet." Many of the 
 streets as well as public buildings in Potsdam are of 
 considerable architectural pretensions. The Royal 
 Palace nearly two hundred years old is very 
 stately. Its various f a9ades and colonnades are truly 
 regal in character. The Town Hall is ornamented 
 by fine Corinthian columns. The square called 
 44 Wilhelms Platz," is extremely handsome, and many 
 parts of the town and its immediate precincts are well 
 deserving of more leisurely inspection than we could 
 bestow. I have already enumerated the places we 
 viewed in the locality and of these I now add a few 
 descriptive notes. 
 
 BABELSBERG. This castellated mansion is very 
 beautifully situated a few miles out of Potsdam, and 
 being on an eminence in the midst of a park of un- 
 dulating scenery, it commands very fine prospects of 
 hill and dale, wood and water. The rooms are of 
 moderate size and not very lofty they are comfort- 
 able living rooms, fitted up in a style of simple 
 elegance, which reflect honour on the taste of the 
 Royal designer and owner of this beautiful chateau. 
 It was built in 1835, and greatly enlarged and im- 
 proved in 1848. It is open to the public on certain 
 days, and the Royal family (who were residing here 
 at the time of our visit) kindly leave the principal 
 rooms open to inspection, occupying only some of 
 the lesser rooms. The distinguished character of 
 the place is domestic comfort combined with much 
 artistic taste, and some of the paintings and draw- 
 ings are interesting to English visitors, not only for 
 their merit but as being the production of the Eng- 
 lish Royal family. 
 
126 
 
 The MARMOR (or Marble) PALACE is built with 
 red bricks but relieved by the introduction of grey 
 Silesian marble. The apartments are highly ornamen- 
 tal, and Iwas much interested by seeing goodportraits 
 of Ehrenberg, Yon Bach, and Humboldt. There is 
 a colonnade with statuary. A vast quantity of mar- 
 ble has been employed in its construction, and from 
 this circumstance it derives its name. There is 
 however a coldness of aspect which pervades all 
 this magnificence, and seems to suggest the useless- 
 ness of pomp and display in comparison with real 
 comfort. 
 
 " SANS Souci" is the name of a palace built by 
 Frederick the Great in 1744. It is only one story 
 high (about 30 feet) and is nearly 400 feet long. 
 The front is adorned with vases and figures of chil- 
 dren in groups carved in stone. The windows reach 
 down to the ground and many of them open as glass 
 doors. At the back is a semicircular colonnade with 
 88 Corinthian columns supporting the roof. The 
 Queen Dowen was residing in it and we could not 
 see the interior. It is chiefly remarkable for historical 
 associations connected with the great Frederick 
 and Voltaire. Very near to the palace is the 
 WINDMILL, which has come to possess some historic 
 fame. The owner refused to sell it to Frederick the 
 Great, relying on the laws to protect him in the 
 ownership of it. Subsequent anecdotes as to this 
 contest between the monarch and a miller for the 
 mill, but the final result is said to have been as 
 creditable to the loyalty of the owner as it was to 
 the right feeling and munificence of the King. 
 Whatever may be the details of the story the mill 
 
127 
 
 yet standing in the midst of the pleasure grounds of 
 the palace, is looked upon as a landmark of Prussian 
 independence. 
 
 THE ORANGERIES. A stately range of buildings, 
 upwards of 300 feet long very lofty and richly 
 decorated. The apartments or galleries within are 
 very stately one large saloon contains a great 
 number of copies of the finest works of Raphael 
 Sanzio. They are so admirably done as to convey 
 a vivid idea of the merits of the originals, and such 
 an exhibition of pictorial grandeur cannot fail to 
 excite admiration. 
 
 There is also in the apartments at the Orangeries 
 some very fine statuary Ganymede and Hebe, by 
 Vos ; Miriam, by Imhof ; Iphigenia, by Heidel, and 
 many others. Much time might be spent in viewing 
 the beautiful rooms and their rich decorations 
 sculptures and paintings. The terraces and marble 
 staircases in front, and the general disposition of the 
 ornamental gardens, altogether form a scene of such 
 magnificent art combined with natural beauties as 
 can only be appreciated by being seen, and the vast 
 area over which similar attractions extend is one of 
 the distinguishing features of the neighbourhood of 
 Potsdam. 
 
 THE NEW PALACE is situated at the western 
 extremity of the Sans Souci parks and pleasure 
 grounds. It was built by Frederick the Great about 
 a hundred years ago. It is said to contain upwards 
 of 200rooms, "of which, however," saysthe infallible 
 local guide book, " only the smaller and more costly 
 finished up part is shown to visitors." The same 
 
128 
 
 authority quaintly, and very truly adds, " the in- 
 spection endures but one hour, as one is led through 
 in altogether too fast a way." It is much to be 
 wished that some classification of sight-seeing could 
 be brought about ! Suppose there were first, second, 
 and third .class visitors. The third class might, (as 
 at present happens to all), be hurried through at a 
 considerable pace and be content with a hastily 
 uttered sentence or two in each room, describing 
 objects which certainly require more time to be 
 seen than the rate of three or four in a minute. 
 The second class might go at a more moderate pace 
 and be allowed a little but not much breathing 
 time, and the first, on paying a comparatively high 
 douceur, might even be permitted to examine with 
 some approach to leisure any points of special in- 
 terest, with opportunity to understand the paintings, 
 statuary, and historical associations. The guides, 
 of course, would be of corresponding capacity. 
 The third class would not expect anything beyond 
 very brief comment, for the second class a higher 
 grade, and as to the first they would expect not only 
 some one of intelligence, but one who would willingly 
 and gladly answer any reasonable enquiries. 
 
 The entrance-hall of the new palace presents a 
 fairy-like scene of splendour, more nearly allied ID 
 character to the transformation scene of a pantomime 
 than the vestibule of an ordinary palace. Its walls, 
 its pillars, and its vaulted ceiling, are entirely 
 covered with minerals and shells. Rock specimens 
 of great richness and variety. Innumerable shells, 
 of great size and beauty, are disposed in ornamental 
 patterns. Passing from this most singular place, 
 we entered a large and noble hall of marble. In the 
 
129 
 
 next apartment were many portraits, and some fine 
 paintings by Rubens. A room, with rich specimens 
 of the porcelain of Meissen, followed then a room 
 of green and gold. Another room, with silver gilt 
 ceiling and imitations of china in stucco. In vain 
 did we wish to look at the contents of these 
 rooms. No ; the rule is inexorable ; and it is evi- 
 dent that half the palace only could be seen in an 
 hour, at about half a minute to each apartment. 
 We hurry on, and are shown some sitting and bed- 
 rooms once the abode of Frederick the Great. The 
 draperies, pink and blue, are much faded. A small 
 and very plain room is next shown. Here, the great 
 monarch dined when alone. We again are hurried 
 to a chess-room with Turkish curtains the colour 
 of which has barely withstood the assaults of time. 
 The library is a small gallery of books some of 
 them said to be written by Frederick, and others 
 undoubtedly written by Voltaire. Of the French 
 philosopher there is a humorous caricature, which is 
 stated to have been drawn by his royal entertainer, 
 Frederick the Great. Of this I made a copy, 
 neglecting for a time the summons of the guide. 
 After ascending a large and plain staircase we came 
 to the theatre very compact and elegant, with 
 chairs of state for royal visitors. We then saw a 
 gallery with many curious paintings, and then a 
 gallery of full-length portraits. There is a most 
 spacious, lofty, and highly-decorated ball room, 
 containing some large paintings. It is decorated in 
 white, red, and gold, and the gilded cornice which 
 supports the ceiling is of handsome design. 
 
 Then we proceed to the concert room a marble 
 hall of very large dimensions about (as I stepped 
 
130 
 
 it) 160 feet in length and 60 feet wide the height 
 is probably 40 feet. There are several fine paint- 
 ings, and some rich Corinthian architecture. The 
 marble floor is formed into many ornamental de- 
 signs, and the ceiling is sumptuously painted, repre- 
 senting subjects derived from the heathen mythology. 
 Next is a room with armorial bearings, commemo- 
 rating the valiant knights who took part in an 
 amateur or ornamental tournament some years a^o 
 the scene of conflict being in front of the palace, 
 and visible from the windows of this hall. It is 
 called the shield room, and being in the centre of 
 the palace, commands very beautiful views. I do 
 not pretend to follow in detail one hundredth part 
 of what was to be seen, but I cannot conclude these 
 few memoranda without again mentioning the 
 entrance-hall. It is really a museum in itself a 
 most unusual and very costly decoration, yet withal 
 more whimsical than tasteful. It is said that at 
 night, when lighted up, it sparkles with such variety 
 of colour and brilliant lustre as to present a scene of 
 marvellous beauty. 
 
 CHARLOTTENHOFF is half a mile south-east from 
 the new palace, and three quarters of a mile south- 
 west from the palace of Sans Souci all the inter- 
 vening space consisting of beautiful parks and 
 gardens, terraces and ornamental walks, laid out in 
 various styles the more formal modes of old French 
 landscape gardening predominating in long avenues, 
 some of which radiate from different centres, and 
 lead to basins of water, fountains, and statues. The 
 small but very handsome villa at this place was 
 built about forty years ago, and belongs to the 
 
131 
 
 widow of King Frederick William IV., who occa- 
 sionally resides in it. It is pleasantly situated in 
 the midst of ornamental grounds, which, as well as 
 the building, have been designed with consummate 
 skill. The principal apartments (ten in number) 
 are of moderate size, yet they are very elegant, 
 showing, in many details, a highly cultivated taste. 
 We saw a plain chamber which Humboldt occupied 
 when staying here, and I was glad to observe, in 
 this and other instances, the regard in which the 
 memory of that great man is held. Science in 
 Prussia appears to be highly estimated and publicly 
 honoured more so, I would say, than it is in 
 England ; and this opinion I have heard expressed 
 by others who have had wider opportunities of 
 observation than myself in both countries. The 
 several corridors, passages, doors, and windows, are 
 arranged so as in summer time to present most 
 charming combinations of lawns, flower beds, and 
 fountains the latter being, for the most part, the 
 central as well as most prominent feature of each 
 prospect. 
 
 THE ROMAN BATHS are separate buildings, not far 
 from the villa. They are of modern construction, 
 but the designs are faithfully copied from ancient 
 models at Pompeii. One of the baths is formed out 
 of one immense mass of jasper, at the cost, it is said, 
 of six years' labour and of upwards of 70,000 
 sterling. There are some bronze statues brought 
 from Pompeii, and several well-executed fresco 
 paintings, one of them a fairy landscape, from a 
 sketch made by the royal founder of the baths. A 
 piece of statuary, by Herschel, merits attention : 
 
132 
 
 " Hebe and Ganymede." These admirably sculptured 
 figures are cut out of one solid block of marble. The 
 ceiling of the principal bathing room is supported 
 by four figures of Caratyda, brought from Rome. 
 The floors are laid in mosaic work, and one of the 
 subjects represented is Alexander the Great in 
 battle with the Persians. This is copied and partly 
 restored from an original floor at Naples, of which 
 a drawing is hung up to show how much is original 
 and how much is restored. By far the greater por- 
 tion of the original design remains, and what is new 
 seems to have been added with taste and judgment. 
 One of the apartments is decorated in the Pompeian 
 style, and another is open to the sky both being 
 rooms to repose in after taking a bath. With all 
 these most costly and luxuriant appliances, it seemed 
 a strange comment to be told that the royal founder 
 had only once used them for bathing in. Some per- 
 sonal discomfort prevented him from using them 
 again ; and here again there seemed to be a lesson 
 of the small value of mere external pomp as com- 
 pared with the more solid comfort so easily attained 
 by any one of moderate means in a private dwelling. 
 
 FRIEDENSKIRCHE. This modern church, situated 
 not far from the eastern or city entrance of the 
 . parks and gardens of Sans Souci, is so interesting 
 that no one visiting Potsdam should omit seeing it. 
 It is built in the Italian style, and has a lofty square 
 campanile or bell tower. The open corridors and 
 terraces connected with it are contiguous to groves 
 of weeping willows and other trees of sombre hue, 
 which, reflected in still waters, have a peculiarly 
 solemn aspect. This effect seems to realise all that 
 
133 
 
 can be conceived of landscape expressing the poetry 
 of sorrow. The interior of the church is well de- 
 serving of close inspection, being richly ornamented 
 with Corinthian columns, and a vaulted ceiling over 
 the altar with fresco paintings. 
 
 In front of the altar is the tomb of Frederick 
 William IV., who died in 1861. The statuary in 
 and about this church is admirably executed, and 
 amongst other subjects are the " Pietus " (the dead 
 Christ and weeping mother), by BietscheL A group 
 in marble, of which Moses is the principal figure, by 
 Rauch, and a copy from the figure of Christ, by 
 Thorwaldsen, at the church of St. John in Copen- 
 hagen. A statue of an angel is placed near the 
 king's tomb at first, on a distant view, I took it 
 for a copy of Thorwald sen's angel of baptism, but 
 though somewhat similar in conception, it is an 
 original and wholly different design, representing 
 the angel of judgment with a trumpet extended 
 towards the spot where the body of the monarch 
 rests in peace. This is denoted by a plain marble 
 slab. It is altogether a monumental church a place 
 for pensive thought. 
 
 THE GARRISON CHURCH. In the midst of the town 
 is a large and plain edifice, with a lofty steeple, in 
 which are chimes which play every half hour. It is 
 the Court church, and the soldiers of the garrison 
 attend Divine service here. The interior has nothing 
 of what can be called ecclesiastical character it is 
 a huge square or rather oblong space, with large gal- 
 leries on every side, and resembles on a large scale 
 the arrangements of the plainest class of Dissenting 
 meeting houses in England. Our object in visit- 
 
134 
 
 ing it was to see the last resting place of Fre- 
 derick the Great. In the centre of the ground floor 
 of the church is the altar a plain table near it is 
 a magnificent pulpit of marble, and behind it, in the 
 middle of one of the side walls, is a small common- 
 looking door without ornament of any kind. Passing 
 through this we found ourselves in a small arched 
 vault, only large enough to hold two sarcophagi, one 
 of them is square in form and made of black marble, 
 the other is made of zinc and is hexagonal in its 
 shape the first contains the remains of King Fre- 
 derick William the first, and in the other are those 
 of Frederick the Great 
 
 From the preceding notes it may appear that, 
 even in so short a time as three weeks, much 
 may be seen of several places of considerable 
 interest in Central Europe. The Roman re- 
 mains of Treves the ancient monuments and 
 Pompeian restorations at Aschaffenburg, and the 
 rich stores of mediaeval architecture at Nurem- 
 berg well repay any one who is interested in the 
 study of antiquity. The cities of Bamberg and 
 Leipzic have much to interest a visitor. Dresden is 
 replete with all that artist, architect, or antiquary 
 can desire; and the Museums and Palaces of that 
 city and Berlin have attractions far more numerous 
 and important than can be fully estimated in so 
 short a tour, and which, to those who have more 
 leisure, cannot fail to afford much solid enjoyment. 
 The lover of romantic landscape will find much 
 to admire in the scenery of Franconian and 
 
135 
 
 Saxon Switzerland ; and in conclusion, I may add 
 a word of commendation on the safe and punctual 
 railway travelling, by which we were enabled to see 
 so much in a comparatively short time. We left 
 Brussels on Monday, the 7th of September, at mid- 
 day, and on the afternoon of Monday, the 28th 
 of the same month returned to that city, after 
 three weeks of enjoyable travelling in a portion of 
 Central Europe containing several important cities 
 much romantic scenery many venerable remains 
 of antiquity and precious stores of art which richly 
 merit the celebrity they have attained. 
 
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