celebrated TUN--of which _Merian_, in his well known views, has supplied us
with a print or two. It is placed in the lower regions of the palace, in a
room by itself--except that, by the side of it, there stands a small cask
which may hold a hogshead, and which is considered to be the _ne plus
ultra_ of the art of cooperage. It is made in the neatest and closest-
fitting manner imaginable, without either a nail, or piece of iron, or
encircling hoop; and I believe it to be nearly as old as the _great Tun_.
This latter monstrous animal, of his species, is supported by ribs--of
rather a picturesque appearance--which run across the belly of the cask, at
right angles with the staves. As a WINE CASK, it has long maintained its
proud distinction of being the _largest in the world_. A stair-case is to
the right of it, leading to a little square platform at the top; upon which
frolicksome lads and lasses used, in former days, to dance, when the tub
had been just filled with the produce of the passing year's vintage. The
guide told us that one Elector or Grand Duke, I think it was CHARLES
THEODORE, had immortalised himself, by having, during his regency, caused
the great tun of Heidelberg to be fairly _twice emptied_;--"those (added
he) were golden days, never to return. At present, and for a long time
past, the cask is filled almost to the very top with _mere lees_." In an
adjoining cellar, I was shewn a set of casks, standing perpendicularly,
called the _Twelve Apostles_. The whole of this subterraneous abode had, I
must confess, a great air of hospitality about it; but when I mentioned to
the guide the enormous size of those casks used by our principal London
brewers--compared with which, even the "GREAT TUN" was a mere TEA-CUP--he
held up his hands, shook his head, and exclaimed with great self-
satisfaction... "cela ne se peut pas être!"
After I had dined, I called upon M. Schlosser, one of the professors of the
University--for which this town is rather celebrated.[181] Attached to this
University, is a famous _Library of MSS. and printed books_--but more
especially of the former. It has been long known under the name of the
_Palatine Library;_ and having been seized and transported to the Vatican,
at the conclusion of the thirty years war, and from thence carried to
Paris, was, in the year 1815, at the urgent intercession of the King of
Prussia, restored to its ancient-resting-place. What "a day of joyance" was
that when this restoration took place! M. Schlosser adverted to it with a
satisfaction amounting... almost to rapture. That gentleman made me a
present of the first part of his _Universal Biography_, published at
_Franckfort on the Main_, the preceding year, in 8vo.--in the German
language--with copious and erudite notes. He shewed me the earlier printed
volumes of the Public Library; of which, having unluckily lost the few
memoranda I had taken--but which I believe only included the notice of a
_first Caesar_, _first Suetonius_, and _first Tacitus_--I am not able to
give any particular details. M. Schlosser conversed a good deal, and very
earnestly, about Lord Spencer's library--and its probable ultimate
destination; seeming to dread its "_dispersion_" as a national calamity.
It was late in the afternoon, when darkness was rather prematurely coming
on--and the rain descending almost in torrents--that I left Heidelberg for
MANHEIM--the _ultima Thule_ of my peregrinations on the German side of the
Rhine. The road is nearly straight, in good order, and lined with poplar
trees. People of all descriptions--on foot, in gigs, carriages, and upon
horseback--were hastening home--as upon a Sunday evening with
_us_:--anxious to escape the effects of a soaking rain. Unfavourable as the
weather was, I could not help looking behind, occasionally, to catch
glimpses of the magnificent palace of Heidelberg; which seemed to encrease,
in size and elevation as we continued to leave it in the rear. The country,
also, on the other side of the _Neckhar_, was mountainous, wooded, and
picturesque: the commencement of that chain of hills, which, extending
towards _Mayence_ and _Cologne_, form the favourite and well known scenery
which Englishmen delight to visit. As my eye ran along this magnificent
range, I could not but feel something approaching to deep regret ... that
_other_ causes, besides those of the lateness of the season, operated in
preventing me from pursuing my course in that direction. It was
impossible ... however I might have wished to visit the cities where _Fust_
and _Schoeffher_ and _Ulric Zel_ are supposed to lie entombed, and where
the FIRST PRODUCTIONS OF THE PRESS were made public--it was impossible for
me to do otherwise than to make Manheim the _colophon_ of my
bibliographical excursion. The glass had been _turned_ for some time past,
and the sand was fast running out.
It was rather late when we drove to the _Golden Fleece_ at Manheim, the
best inn in the town--and situated in a square, which, when we visited it,
was filled by booths: it being fair time. With difficulty we got
comfortable lodgings, so extremely crowded was the inn. The court-yard was
half choked up with huge casks of Rhenish wine, of different qualities;
most of them destined for England--and all seemed to be agitation and
bustle. The first night of my arrival was a night of mixed pleasure and
pain, by the receipt of nearly a dozen letters from Vienna, Munich,
Stuttgart, and London, collectively: the whole of which had been purposely
directed to this place. The contents of the Stuttgart letter have been
already detailed to the reader.[182] The first object of my visitation at
Manheim, on the morrow, was the house of DOM. ARTARIA--known, throughout
the whole of Germany, as the principal mercantile house for books, prints,
and pictures.[183] With these objects of commerce, was united that of
_banking_: forming altogether an establishment of equal prosperity and
respectability. The house is situated in the principal square, at the
corner of one of the streets running into it. It has a stone front, and the
exterior is equally as attractive in appearance, as the interior is from
substantial hospitality. The civility, the frankness, the open-heartedness
of my reception here was, if possible, more warm and encouraging than in
any previous place in Germany; and what rendered the whole perfectly
delightful, was, the thorough English-like appearance of every thing about
me. Books, prints, pictures--and household furniture of every
description--bespoke the judicious and liberal taste of the owner of the
mansion; while the large and regular supplies of letters and despatches,
every morning, gave indication of a brisk and opulent commerce.
It so happened that, the very first morning of my visit to M. Artaria,
there arrived trucks, filled with boxes and bales of goods purchased at the
Frankfort fair--which had not been long over. In some of these ponderous
cases, were pictures of the old masters; in others, _prints_.. chiefly from
Paris and London,[184] and principally from the house of Messrs. Longman
and Co. in Paternoster row. Among these latter, was a fine set of the
_Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica,_ in ten volumes, 4to. bound in
russia--which had been bespoke of M. Artaria by some Bavarian Count: and
which must have cost that Count very little short of 120 guineas. The
shelves of the front repository were almost wholly filled with English
books, in the choicest bindings; and dressed out to catch and captivate the
susceptible _bibliomaniac_, in a manner the most adroit imaginable. To the
left, on entrance, were two rooms filled with choice paintings; many of
them just purchased at the Frankfort fair. Some delicious Flemish pictures,
among which I particularly noticed a little _Paul Potter_--valued at five
hundred guineas--and some equally attractive Italian performances,
containing, among the rest, a most desirable and genuine portrait of
_Giovanni Bellini_--valued at one hundred and fifty guineas--were some of
the principal objects of my admiration.
But, more interesting than either, in my humble judgment, and yet not
divested of a certain vexatious feeling, arising from an ignorance of the
original--was a portrait, painted in oil, of the size of life, quite in the
manner of _Hans Holbein_ ... yet with infinitely more warmth and power of
carnation-tint. It was alive--and looked you through, as you entered the
room. Few galleries, of portraits contain a more perfect specimen of the
painting of the times. For the original, I believe, M. Artaria asked three
hundred guineas.[185]
The purse and table of M. Artaria were as open and as richly furnished as
were his repositories of books and pictures; and I was scolded because I
had not made _his house_ my head quarters during my residence at Manheim. I
dined with him, however, twice out of the four days of my stay; and was
indifferent to plays and public places of resort, in the conversation and
company which I found at his house. Yet it was during the circulation of
his double-quart bottles of old Rhenish wine--distributed with a liberality
not to be exceeded by the Benedictines at the monastery at Göttwic, and yet
more exquisite and choice in its flavour--that the gallant host poured
forth the liberal sentiments which animated a bosom... grateful to
providence for the success that had crowned his steadily and well directed
labours! I never saw a man upon whom good fortune sat more comfortably, or
one whom it was so little likely to spoil. Half of my time was spent in the
house of M. Artaria, because there I found the kind of society which I
preferred--and which contained a mixture of the antiquary and collector,
with the merchant and man of the world. After this, who shall say that a
fac-simile of his Autograph (now that he is NO MORE!) can be unacceptable
even to the most fastidious.
[Illustration]
Among the antiquaries, were Messrs. TRAITEUR and KOCH. The former had been
public librarian at Munich; and related to me the singular anecdote of
having picked up the _first Mentz Bible_, called the _Mazarine_, for a few
francs at Nancy. M. Traiteur is yet enthusiastic in his love of books, and
shewed me the relics of what might have been a curious library. He has a
strange hypothesis, that the art of printing was invented at _Spire;_ on
account of a medal having been struck there in 1471, commemorative of that
event; which medal was found during the capture of that place about two
centuries ago. He fixed a very high price--somewhere about forty
pounds--upon the medal; which, however, I never saw. He hoped (and I hope
so too, for his own sake) that the Prince Royal of Bavaria would offer him
that sum for it, to enrich his collection at Munich. M. Traiteur talked
largely of a German book in his possession, with the express date of 1460;
but though I was constantly urging him to shew it to me, he was not able to
put his hand upon it. I bought of him, however, about ten pounds worth of
books, among which was the _Life of St. Goar _, printed by _Schoeffher_ in
1481, quarto--the date of which had been artfully altered to 1470--by
scratching out the final xi. This was not the knavery of the vender. M.
Traiteur _offered_ me the _Tewrdanckhs_ of 1517, upon paper, for ten
pounds: a sum, much beyond what I considered to be its real worth--from the
copy having been half bound, and a good deal cropt. He was incessant in his
polite attentions to me.
M. Koch had been, if he be not yet, a grocer; but was so fond of rare old
books, that he scarcely ever visited his canisters and sugar-loaves. I
bought some very curious little pieces of him, to the amount of ten or
twelve guineas: among which, was the strange and excessively rare tract, in
Latin and German, entitled _De Fide Concubinarum in Sacerdotes_, of which a
very particular account appears in the _Bibliographical Decameron_, vol. i.
p. 229, 235. His simplicity of manners and friendliness of disposition were
equally attractive; and I believe if he had possessed the most precious
Aldine Classics, upon vellum, I could have succeeded in tempting him to
part with them.
The town of Manheim is large, neat, and populous; containing 20,000 souls.
The streets run generally at right angles, and are sufficiently airy and
wide. But, compared with the domestic architecture of Augsburg, Munich, and
Vienna, the houses are low, small, and unornamented. The whole place has
much the appearance of a handsome provincial town in England. There are
gardens and public walks; but the chief of these is connected with the old
red-stone palace of the former Elector Palatine. The Rhine terminates these
walks on one side; and when I visited them, which was twice during my stay,
that river was running with a rapid and discoloured current. The Rhine is
broad here; but its banks are tame. A mound is raised against it, in some
parts, to prevent partial overflows, and a fine terrace crowns its summits.
A bridge of boats, over which you pass into France, is immediately in view.
Upon the whole, these gardens, which seem to be laid out in the English
fashion, and which are occasionally varied by some pleasing serpentine
walks, are left in a sad state of neglect. The breeze from the river plays
freely along the osiers and willows, with which its banks are plentifully
planted; and I generally felt refreshed by half an hour's walk upon the
broad, dry, gravel terrace, which comes close up to the very windows of the
palace. The palace itself is of an enormous size--but is now bereft of
every insignia of royalty. It is chiefly (as I understood) a depôt for
arms.
I ought to mention, among the social gratifications, of which I partook at
Manheim, that arising from the kind attentions of M. ACKERMANN; a
gentleman, retired from business, and residing in the place or
square:--devoting the evening of a bachelor's life to the amusement
resulting from a small but well chosen collection of coins and medals. He
shewed me several of surprising delicacy and finish ... more especially of
the sixteenth century, executed at Nuremberg--and tempted me to become a
purchaser of the _Gold Royal_ of our _Edward IV._, for which I offered him
five louis. As he thought himself handsomely paid, he presented me, in
addition, with a beautiful silver medal of the sixteenth century--struck at
Nuremberg--of which particular mention has been made in a preceding,
page.[186] One of my visits to M. Ackermann was diversified by the sight of
a profusion of fine grapes, of both colours, which had been just gathered
from his garden--within the suburbs of the town:--where, indeed, a number
of finely trimmed gardens, belonging to the citizens of Manheim, are kept
in the highest state of cultivation. The vintage had now set through-out
Germany and France; and more delicious grapes than those presented to me by
M.A., could seldom be partaken of. Yet I know not if they were quite equal
to those of Ratisbon and Heilbrunn. Passing along a very extensive
vineyard, we stopped--requesting the valet to alight, and try to procure us
some of the tempting fruit in view ... in order to slake our thirst during
a hot journey. In a second he disappeared, and in a minute reappeared--with
a bunch of black grapes--so large, full, and weighty ... that I question if
Van Huysum or De Heem ever sat down to such a model for the exercise of
their unrivalled pencils. The juice of this bunch was as copious and
delicious as the exterior was downy and inviting. We learnt, however, that
these little acts of depredation were not always to be committed with
impunity; for that, in the middle of extensive fields, when the grape was
ripe enough to be gathered, watch-boxes were placed--and keepers within
these boxes were armed with carbines, loaded with something more weighty
than _powder_!
It only remains to mention, that, having left particular directions with
the house of M. Artaria, to forward all _the_ cases which had been
consigned to me, at their own house, from Vienna and Nuremberg, to that of
Messrs. Arch and Co., booksellers, Cornhill, I had nothing to do but renew
my letter of credit, and pass over the Rhine into France. I started
immediately after dinner, from M. Artaria's house; horses having been
brought to the door.
MANHEIM TO PARIS.
About four o'clock we passed over the bridge of boats, across the Rhine,
and changed horses at _Ogersheim_ and _Spire_, sleeping at _Germezsheim_.
The Rhine flows along the meadows which skirt the town of Spire; and while
the horses were changing, we took a stroll about the cathedral. It is
large, but of a motley style of architecture--and, in part, of a Moorish
cast of character. Nothing but desolation appears about its exterior. The
roof is sunk, and threatens to fall in every moment. No service (I
understood) was performed within--but in a contiguous garden were the
remains of a much older edifice, of an ecclesiastical character. Around,
however, were the traces of devastation and havoc--the greater part arising
from the bullets and cannon balls of the recent campaigns. It was
impossible, however, for a _typographical antiquary_ to pass through this
town, without feeling some sensations approaching to a sort of pleasing
melancholy: for HERE were born the TWO SPIRAS--or _John and Vindelin de
Spira_--who introduced the art of printing into Venice. I do not suppose
that there exists any relic of domestic architecture here old enough to
have been contemporaneous with the period of their births.
The journey to Paris, through the route we took, was such--till we reached
_St. Avold_, about two hundred and fifty English miles from the capital--as
is never likely to induce me to repeat the attempt. The continuation of the
chain of mountains called the _Vosges_, running northerly from Strasbourg
downwards--renders the road wearisome, and in parts scarcely passable--as
the government has recently paid no attention to its reparation. _Landau_,
_Weissenbourg_, and _Bitche_ are the principal fortified towns; the latter,
indeed, boasts of a commanding fort--upon a very elevated piece of ground,
ranked among the more successful efforts of Vauban. The German language
continued chiefly to be spoken among the postilions and lower orders, till
we left _Forbach_ for _St. Avold_. At _Landau_, about three hundred and
sixty miles from Paris, I parted with my valet--- for Strasbourg; under the
impression that he would be glad to resume his acquaintance with me, on any
future occasion: at the same time he seemed to long to be taken with us to
_London_--a city, of all others, he said, he was desirous of seeing. He had
also half imbibed the notion that its streets were paved with gold.
_Metz_ is a noble city: finely situated, strongly fortified, and thickly
inhabited. The _Moselle_ encircles a portion of it in a very picturesque
manner. The inn, called the _Cheval Blanc_, should rather be that of
_Cheval Noir_--if it take its epithet from the colour of the interior--for
a dirtier hotel can scarcely exist. It was a fine moonlight night when we
left Metz, on a Sunday, resolving to sleep two stages on the road. The next
day we dined at _Dombasle_, a stage beyond _Verdun_; and were within about
seventy miles of _Chalons sur Marne_. The vintage and the fruits of Autumn
were now rich and abundant on all sides. The fields were all purple, and
the orchards all red and gold. Wine casks, stained with the gushing juice,
met us between every stage; while on the right hand and left, we saw the
women walking beneath their perpendicular baskets, laden with the most
bountiful produce of the vineyard. Such a year of plenty had hardly been
remembered within the oldest memory. Mean time, the song and the roundelay
were heard from all quarters; and between _Dombasle_ and _Clermont_, as we
ascended a wooded height, with the sun setting in a flame of gold, in
front--we witnessed a rural sight, connected with the vintage, which was
sufficient to realise all the beautiful paintings ever executed by
_Watteau_ and _Angelis_.
It was late when we reached _Chalons_. The next day, we started for
_Rheims_, and stopped at _Sillery_ in our way--the last stage on that side
of it. The day was really oppressive--although we were in the middle of
October. At Sillery we drank some Champagne--for which it is famous--the
produce of the same year's vintage. It had not been made a fortnight--and
tasted rather sharp and strong. This, we were triumphantly told, was the
sure test of its turning out excellent. We were infinitely delighted with
Rheims, more especially with THE CATHEDRAL. The western porches--and
particularly that on the north side--are not less beautifully, than they
are elaborately, sculptured. The interior, immediately within the western
porches--or rather on the reverse sides of them--presents sculpture of
admirable workmanship:--of the fourteenth century. But the porches appeared
much lower than I had imagined. In the nave is an isolated roman
sculpture,[187] of the lower age, cut in a block of marble--and
unconnectedly placed there. This has been engraved in the _Antiquité
Expliquée_ of _Montfaucon_. At the further end of the choir, is an
elaborately sculptured modern monument--containing many beautiful figures
in white marble:--upon the whole, one of the most interesting which I had
seen upon the Continent. The upper part of the exterior of the cathedral,
on the south side, is very elegantly carved; but the towers are short, and
under repair. The lower part of the south exterior of the cathedral is
entirely marred, as to picturesque effect, by the recent buildings attached
to it. Upon the whole, however, the Cathedral at Rheims is a very pure and
interesting specimen of Gothic architecture. Nor must I omit an anecdote
connected with its present state of preservation. That it escaped the
ravages of the revolution, was owing, as I learnt, to the respect which was
paid to the Curé of some neighbouring parish. He came down to the armed
multitude, when they were ripe for every species of destruction. He told
them--they might take his LIFE ... but entreated them to spare the MOTHER
CHURCH. They spared both: but many marks of their devastation are yet seen;
and pieces of old sculpture, dragged from their original places of
destination, are stuck about in different parts, over shopkeepers' doors. I
could have filled a caravan with several curious specimens of this
kind:--which would have been joyfully viewed by many a Member of the
Society of Antiquaries. The population of Rheims is estimated at about
thirty thousand. It appears to be situated in a fertile and picturesque
country.
As the weather continued not only serene, but almost sultry--and as we
began to be weary of packing and unpacking, and sleeping at so many
different inns in the route--I resolved upon travelling all night, and
pushing on at once for Paris: where our fatigue would have a temporary
cessation. I left, therefore, this venerable city about six o'clock in the
evening--intending to travel without intermission till I reached my old
quarters at the _Hôtel des Colonies_, in the _Rue de Richelieu_. The road
is paved in the middle, the whole way to Paris; but we were careful to
avoid the centre. In other respects, this road is broad, and has a noble
appearance. As we quitted Rheims, and were gaining the height of the first
hill, on the Paris side, we turned round to take a farewell view of the
venerable cathedral. It will be long ere I forget that view. The moon, now
at full, was rising--in unclouded majesty--just above the summit of the old
towers of the cathedral. Her orb was clear, pale, and soft; and yet
completely irradiated. The towers and western front were in a cold, gray
tint: the houses, of inferior dimensions, were shrunk to insignificancy.
There was, therefore, nothing but a cloudless sky, a full moon, and the
cathedral of Rheims:--objects, upon which the eye rests, and the
imagination riots... as ours did ... till a turning of the road shut out
the scenery from our view.