fear the suspicion of using a traveller's license when I tell of
Eszterházy's magnificence. Within a few miles of this same spot he has
three other palaces of equal size.
Just at the southern extremity of the lake stands Eszterház, a huge
building in the most florid Italian style, built only in 1700, and
already uninhabited for sixty years. Its marble halls, brilliant with
gold and painting, are still fresh as when first built. The chamber of
Marie Theresa is unchanged since the great queen reposed there; the
whole interior is in such a state that it might be rendered habitable
to-morrow; but the gardens are already overgrown with weeds, and have
almost lost their original form; the numberless pleasure-houses are
yielding to the damp position in which they are placed, and are fast
crumbling away; while the beautiful theatre, for which an Italian
company was formerly maintained, is now stripped of its splendid
mirrors, and serves only as a dwelling for the dormant bats, which
hang in festoons from its gilded cornices. England is famous for her
noble castles and her rich mansions, yet we can have little idea of a
splendor such as Eszterház must formerly have presented. Crowded as it
was by the most beautiful women of four countries, its three hundred
and sixty strangers' rooms filled with guests, its concerts directed by
a Haydn, its opera supplied by Italian artists, its gardens ornamented
by a gay throng of visitors, hosts of richly-clothed attendants
thronging its antechambers, and its gates guarded by the grenadiers of
its princely master, its magnificence must have exceeded that of half
of the royal courts of Europe. I know of nothing but Versailles which
gives one so high a notion of the costly splendor of a past age as
Eszterház.
Haydn was for more than thirty years _maestro di capello_ to Prince
Eszterházy; and, during that period, lived chiefly with the family. His
portrait is still preserved, and it is almost the only picture of much
interest the palace contains. Haydn was a very poor and obscure person
when he was appointed one of the prince's band; so much so, that no one
thought even of giving the necessary orders for his being admitted into
the palace. The following anecdote of his introduction to the prince is
recounted by Carpani:
"The Maestro Friedberg, a friend and admirer of Haydn, lived with
Prince Eszterházy. Regretting that Haydn should be overlooked, he
persuaded him to compose a symphony worthy of being performed on
the birthday of his highness. Haydn consented; the day arrived;
the prince, according to custom, took his seat in the midst of his
court, and Friedberg distributed the parts of Haydn's symphony to the
performers. Scarcely had the musicians got through the first allegro,
when the prince interrupted them to ask who was the author of so
beautiful a piece. Friedberg dragged the modest, trembling Haydn from
a corner of the room into which he had crept, and presented him as
the fortunate composer. 'What,' cried the prince, as he came forward,
'that Blackymoor!' (Haydn's complexion was none of those which mock
the lily's whiteness.) 'Well, blacky, from henceforth you shall be in
my service; what's your name?' 'Joseph Haydn.' 'But you are already
one of my band; how is it I never saw you here before?' The modesty
of the young composer closed his lips, but the prince soon put him
at his ease. 'Go and get some clothes suitable to your rank,--don't
let me see you any more in such a guise; you are too small; you look
miserable, sir; get some new clothes, a fine wig with flowing curls,
a lace collar, and red heels to your shoes. But mind, let your heels
be high, that the elevation of your person may harmonize with that of
your music. Go, and my attendants will supply you with all you want.'
... The next day Haydn was travestied into a gentleman. Friedberg
often told me of the awkwardness of the poor Maestrino in his new
habiliments. He had such a gawky look that everybody burst into a laugh
at his appearance. His reputation, however, as his genius had room to
manifest itself, grew daily, and he soon obtained so completely the
good-will of his master, that the extraordinary favor of wearing his
own hair and his simple clothes was granted to his entreaties. The
surname of the Blackymoor, however, which the prince had bestowed upon
him, stuck to him for years after."
The only part of Eszterház at present occupied is the stables, which
had just received an importation of twelve beautiful thoroughbred
horses from England, with some very promising young stock. An old
English groom had been sent out with them, and bitterly did he complain
of the difficulties he had to encounter before he could convince the
_beamters_--a race of hungry stewards by whom the estates of the nobles
are mismanaged and the revenues plundered--of the many little wants and
luxuries requisite for English race-horses.
The estates of Prince Eszterházy are said to equal the kingdom of
Würtemberg in size; it is certain they contain one hundred and thirty
villages, forty towns, and thirty-four castles! The annual revenue
from such vast possessions is said, however, not to amount to one
hundred and fifty thousand pounds per annum, though it is capable
of considerable increase. The incumbrances at the present time are
greater than with most other Hungarian magnates, few of whom are
indebted to a less amount than half their incomes.
I remember some years since an anecdote going the rounds of the papers
to the effect that Prince Eszterházy had astonished one of our great
agriculturists who had shown him his flock of two thousand sheep,
and asked him with some little pride if he could show as many, by
telling him that he had more shepherds than the other had sheep! By a
reckoning made upon the spot, with one well acquainted, we found the
saying literally true. The winter flock of Merinos is maintained at
two hundred and fifty thousand, to every hundred of which one shepherd
is allowed, thus making the number of shepherds two thousand five
hundred! But, as a _spirituelle_ of the neighborhood observed when we
were discussing these matters, "Les Eszterházys font tout en grand:
le feu prince a doté deux cents maîtresses, et pensionné cent enfans
illégitimes!"
It is not right to leave Eszterház without mention of Hánystock, or the
wild man of the Hanság. The Hanság is a bog about twenty miles long,
on the borders of which Eszterház is built. About eighty years since,
in some part of this bog, an extraordinary creature is said to have
been found, possessing something of the human form, but with scarcely
any other quality that could entitle it to a place among our species.
It was three feet high, apparently of about the middle age, strongly
built, and said to have webbed feet and hands. It was unable to utter
any articulate sounds, lived entirely on fish and frogs, showed no
signs of any passion or feeling, except fear and anger, and was in
every respect in the lowest state of brutality. The most curious part
of its history is that no one ever heard of it till accidentally found
by a peasant in the bog, when it was brought to Eszterház, where, after
remaining fourteen months, it escaped, and was never heard of again. I
believe there is some reason to suspect an imposition, for an Italian
adventurer appeared and disappeared about the same time with Hánystock,
and though unable to cite name or place, I feel pretty certain that a
similar occurrence took place in another part of Europe soon after.
A few miles from Eisenstadt, and just on the confines of Austria, is a
yet more interesting monument of what we should call feudal greatness,
belonging to the Eszterházy family. The castle of Forchtenstein, built
by a Count Eszterházy, is still in a perfect state of preservation.
It is placed on a bold rock, and commands a view of the whole country
to the northeast and south. It is now used as a prison for Prince
Eszterházy's peasantry,--for he is one of the few who retain the right
of life and death, the _jus gladii_, on his own estates,--and is
consequently guarded by a small detachment of very venerable-looking
grenadiers.
The castle is sufficiently modern to have been laid out for the
employment of artillery, as may be seen by the heavy bastions and
long curtains, and is still sufficiently old to bear marks of the
Gothic architect about it, of which the high watch-tower is not the
least elegant. The interior has all the inconvenient straightness of
a walled-in castle, and the apartments are for the most part small
and simple. The most interesting object after the well, which is one
hundred and seventy yards deep, and said to have been worked in the
solid rock by Turkish prisoners, is the collection of arms. Besides
arms sufficient for a regiment of foot and another of horse, which ere
this an Eszterházy has equipped and maintained at his own cost, there
is the gala equipment of a troop of cavalry which attended one of the
princesses on her wedding-day, thirty pieces of artillery, suits of
plain black armor for several hundred men, many curious specimens of
early German matchlocks, and a quantity of Turkish arms of almost
every description.
One suit of armor is interesting from the tale of rude courtesy
attached to it. It formerly belonged to a Count Eszterházy who fell in
a battle against the old enemies of Hungary, the Turks. A ball from
the Pasha's own pistol had already pierced the Count's cuirass, but,
anxious to make more certain of his death, the Moslem leaped from his
horse and beat the helmet of the Christian till he broke open his
visor, when he discovered in the fallen foe an old friend by whom he
had been most kindly treated when a prisoner in Hungary. Faithful to
his friendship, the Turk made the only reparation in his power, for,
after treating the body of Eszterházy with every possible mark of
respect, he collected the armor in which he had died, and sent it, with
the arms which had caused his death, as a present to his family.
A great number of banners, as well those taken from the enemy as those
under which the followers of Eszterházy fought, are hung round the
walls. It is characteristic of the times that most of the Hungarian
flags bear a painting of the cross, with a figure of Christ as large as
life.
In one room we noticed the genealogical tree of all the Eszterházys,
in which it is made out, as clearly as possible, that, beginning with
Adam, who reclines in a very graceful attitude at the bottom of the
tree, they pass through every great name, Jewish as well as heathen,
from Moses to Attila, till they find themselves what they are now,
magnates of Hungary. What is still more extraordinary, there is a long
series of portraits of these worthies from Attila inclusive, with their
wives and families dressed in the most approved fashion, and continued
down to the present century.
It is a pity the noble owner of Forchtenstein does not imbibe a little
of that Gothic mania so often ill-directed in England, and restore
this castle to its former state. As a national monument of the taste
of the Middle Ages in Hungary its restoration would be very desirable,
and it would possess peculiar attractions, not merely from being the
only castle of the kind here, but as a specimen of that mixture of the
Asiatic and Gothic which, in those days, so strongly characterized the
habits and customs of the Magyars, and the remains of which even yet
distinguish them from the rest of Europe.
The only purpose for which it is at present used, except as a prison,
is to contain the treasures of the prince. Of these I can only speak
from report, for previously to my visit I did not know that in order
to see them it is necessary to have two persons present who live at a
distance, each of whom has a key, without which the other is of no use,
and therefore had not provided against the difficulty.
The splendor of the Eszterházy jewels is no secret in England, and it
is in this good castle those heaps of treasure, which so tempted her
majesty's fair lieges at her coronation, are commonly preserved. It
is said that each prince is obliged to add something to these jewels,
and that they can never be sold except to ransom their possessors
from captivity among the Turks. When the French entered Hungary, a
small party presented themselves before Forchtenstein and demanded its
surrender. The grenadiers, however, shut the gates, cut the bridge,
and set them at defiance; and, as the enemy had no means of enforcing
obedience, Prince Eszterházy saved his jewels. Besides the jewels there
is an extensive collection of ancient Hungarian costumes; among others,
if I recollect rightly, one worn by King Mathias Corvinus.
FROM HAMBURG TO STOCKHOLM.
MRS. ANDREW CROSSE.
[It is a journey in Sweden which our traveller proposes to
describe in the work from which we quote, but we find the story
of her journey to Sweden more interesting, and give her graphic
account of the German cities of Hamburg and Lübeck, and the
picturesque water route along the Swedish coast, ending with an
account of what she saw of interest in Sweden's capital city.]
Our route to Sweden was by Hamburg and Lübeck, for at the latter
place we were to pick up some of our party; and, indeed, under any
circumstances, it is the best route for a first visit to the country,
for then you approach Stockholm by the Baltic. The average passage from
London to Hamburg by steamer direct occupies forty hours, but the waves
and winds were favorable, and we accomplished the distance in four
hours less. However, calm as the seas were, every tourist's soul felt
more in sympathy with Nature when we were actually in the river Elbe.
By daybreak we were steaming up towards Hamburg, past the pleasant
suburb of Blankensee, which reminds one very much of Richmond. It is a
collection of magnificent villas--indeed, one might say palaces--built
among the hanging woods of the river-bank.
Hamburg was more worth seeing than I expected; in the older parts
there are very picturesque bits, consisting of tall, ancient houses,
leaning at different angles over the dark and busy waters of the
canal,--indeed, both streets and canals are crowded with the world's
commerce. Everything nowadays comes from Hamburg. Chemistry competes
with the vineyards of Spain in producing what we innocently drink as
sherry. We survive it, so we must be grateful to Chemistry for her
wonderful adaptations.
The modern portion of Hamburg has been entirely rebuilt since the
memorable fire of 1842. What a useful renovator a great fire is to
an old city; there is nothing like it for a great clearing out of
nuisances! The new quarter here is extremely handsome and imposing.
The greater part of the houses built around the artificially-formed
lake called the Binnen Alster are the residences of the great citizens,
for whom nothing seems too luxurious. The Binnen Alster communicates
with the Grosse Alster, and here we saw for the first time the little
fidgety steamboat-omnibuses which later on became so familiar to us at
Stockholm.
Time did not permit us to see the Zoological Gardens, which are said to
be almost the best in Europe; for the hour for starting for Lübeck had
arrived, and we were obliged to leave the wealthy city of Hamburg but
half explored.
During our pleasant railway drive of two hours we were struck with the
immense number of birds that we saw; the whole air seemed alive with
them. Every homestead has its stork's nest,--indeed, it forms part of
the building, which is considered incomplete without it. The stork is
held in great reverence among all the northern people, and any stranger
who is wicked or foolish enough to molest one of these birds is sure to
be severely punished. In Whitelocke's "Memorials," the author mentions
that, in returning by this route from his embassy to Sweden, in the
time of the Commonwealth, one of his suite killed a stork in this very
district, and that he was with difficulty rescued by the ambassador
himself from being seriously maltreated by the natives.
Arriving at Lübeck, when the evening light was red upon the beautiful
Holstein Thor, and upon the many spires and towers of the quaint old
town, it seemed almost as if we had been dropped into the Middle Ages.
It impressed me more strongly with a sense of Old-World life than
Nürnberg, Regensburg, or any other of the German towns that I have
visited dating from about that time.
The environs of Lübeck are very pleasant in summer, for the whole
country round is so densely wooded, and there are drives in all
directions to quaint little villages that look like pictures out of the
past....
I shall never forget our first night on the Baltic. It was a veritable
poem of beauty. The sea was so tranquil that it reflected all the hues
of the gorgeous sunset, and our ship seemed as though in a translucent
medium of colored light, which came from below, around, above us. We
watched and watched till the tremulous yellow and crimson horizon had
paled in intensity, giving place to an exquisite golden green, which
lingered on till the silvery moonlight made its path across the sea,
and then we knew it must be night, though darkness there was none. If
going to bed was not a sort of respectable duty enforced by the habits
of the animal, I don't think we should any of us have gone below.
We did not sleep late, for six o'clock found us all reassembled again
on deck, enjoying the crisp freshness of the morning air, and the sight
of the waves dancing in the sunlight. The arrangements on board these
steamers are excellent; everything is clean and comfortable, and the
food well cooked. At six o'clock coffee and rolls are served on deck,
at nine o'clock there is a serious breakfast in the saloon, where you
have your choice of tea, coffee, or light claret, and a taste, if you
like, of the national strong waters, which every Swede partakes of
before a meal. Eggs, hot cutlets, with vegetables, are interspersed
with a variety of savory cold dishes, such as dried salmon, reindeer
tongue, or ham of bear, which is very good. The favorite breadstuff
is a sort of biscuit made with seeds; it seems strange at first, but
after a time one gets to like it very much. After this substantial
breakfast you may very well subsist till two o'clock dinner,--a meal
which occupies an hour and a half nearly. The cuisine is excellent, and
there is nothing to do particularly on deck in the middle of the day
except to select an easy seat under the shady awning, so you submit to
the table-d'hôte with admirable patience.
After dinner the Swedes regale themselves with a glass of sherry or
cognac, with a cigar, and an hour later you will see every coterie with
their glasses of seltzer water and fruit syrup. At seven o'clock supper
is served, and then "may good digestion wait on appetite," if happily
you have any of the latter left. Before bedtime a seductive beverage
called Swedish punch is produced, which is stronger than it seems, and
should be sipped with caution. It is a noteworthy fact that the charge
for all these good things was extremely moderate, as, indeed, prices
are throughout Sweden. It seems the only cheap place for touring left
in Europe. Norway is quite a third dearer,--thanks, I suppose, to the
English invasion....
There is a peculiarity about the coast of Sweden; it is said to have
two coasts, an inner and an outer one, the latter being a fringe
of islets, so numerous that no map or chart can mark them. It is
marvellous how vessels make their way through this labyrinth. If you
leave Calmar in the evening, you find yourself the next morning in the
thick of this _Skargard_, or reef defence. At first the scene is very
desolate; the rocks are barren, and the only sign of life the lonely
house of a pilot, round which the sea-birds were screaming in their
whirling flight.
When about five hours' distance from Stockholm the scene changes; the
barren desolation gives place to wooded islets clothed with the most
exquisite vegetation. The beauty of a veritable fairy-land surrounds
you. You are in the midst of floating groves and gardens. It is quite
unlike any other scenery that I know in Europe; it is not like a lake
or river, for there is no expanse of water. The steamer threads its
way among a crowd of islands; you could sometimes touch land with a
boat-hook. The character of the islets is most varied; at one moment
you pass a tiny floating meadow enamelled with flowers, whose sweet
scent is wafted in every zephyr; on the other side is a grotesque
grotto, or the semblance of a ruin, shaded by the graceful birch-trees
that group themselves together. Another time you pass a longer island,
with its belt of dark firs, intersected with miniature fjords and
little sanded bays. No pencil could do justice to the loveliness of
this changing scene.
Approaching the capital, the islands are more extensive and numerous;
pretty villas are dotted about the woods, and you see terraced gardens
and well-kept lawns. It was market-day when we arrived, and it was very
picturesque to see the boats laden with fruit, vegetables, and other
necessaries of life proceeding on their way. Each house, or cottage,
sent out its messenger boat to make purchases at the floating market,
and the scene was very animated and amusing. In another half-hour we
were passing the superb deer park of Stockholm, and then we were under
the sentinel forts of the capital, and directly afterwards by the
side of the busy quay. The first sight of the "Venice of the North"
pleased us more than the far-famed Queen of the Adriatic, that city of
souvenirs that can hardly be seen by the "light of common day."
Seen from the Kungsholmen, Stockholm looks like a city floating on the
sea, especially when the image of all this crowd of churches, palaces,
and towers is reflected in the blue mirror of the calm, tideless waters.
It is the fashion to admire the Royal Palace, built on the highest of
the three islands of Stockholm, but it has too much the appearance
of a vast barrack. It was completed in 1753, from a design of Count
Tessin, a Swedish architect of renown. It seems to want towers, or
irregularities of some sort, to break the painfully straight lines of
this mass of building.
The interior bears a strong family likeness to every other palace in
Europe. The upholsterer is decidedly the presiding genius in Royal
apartments, where dazzling chandeliers, rich brocades, and oppressive
gilding are more or less the properties of all alike. In Paris they
vary the scene by turning the royal or imperial upholstery out of
the window, from time to time, and making a bonfire of the same for
patriotic reasons.
However, in the Royal Palace of Stockholm we did light upon some
individual belongings,--some instances of characteristic taste. In the
picture-gallery there was, at the time of our visit, an unfinished
painting, from the pencil of the late King Carl. It stands on the
easel, just as the master's hand had left it, a few months only before
he passed away, in the prime of life and of popularity. The scene
selected by the royal artist is one of those forest-fringed lakes
of Dalecarlia, with a lovely and enticing vista of green valley and
distant waterfall. The solemn aspect of the pine-woods, bathed in the
after-glow of the delicious northern sunset, is well given in this
picture, breathing forth something of that mingling of mystery, beauty,
and gloom which characterizes the ancient mythology of the land. One
might quote the king's own lines:
"Everywhere we found in Nature
Spirits fitted to interpret
Saga tales of Sweden's childhood."
[Our traveller here describes her visits to the scientific and
educational institutions of Stockholm, and gives some statistics
which we may safely omit.]