We arrived at Terni at three o'clock and immediately hired a _calèche_ (the

other travellers and myself) to visit the famous cascade of the Velino,

about three miles distant from the town of Terni. The road thither is very

rugged, and is a continual ascent on the flank of a ravine. For a long time

before you arrive on the brink of the cascade, you hear the roaring of the

waters; and it certainly is the most magnificent and awe-inspiring sight of

the kind I ever beheld. It is far more stupendous than any cascade in

Switzerland. That of Tivoli compared to it is as an infant six months old

to a Goliath. The Velino forms three successive falls, and the last is

tremendous, since it falls from a height of 1,068 feet into the abyss

below. The foam and the froth it occasions is terrific; and the spray

ascends so high that in standing at the distance of fifty yards from the

fall you become as wet as if you had been standing in a shower of rain. The

first fall it forms is of 800 feet; the second little less; the third I

have stated already. No painting can possibly give a faithful delineation

of this, and very possibly no poetic description can give an adequate idea

thereof. We passed the whole night at Terni and the next morning we stopped

to dine at Spoleto. The same evening we arrived at Foligno. Spoleto is a

neat town and well paved. Several ruins of ancient buildings are in its

vicinity. Before you arrive there, on the left of the road, is an immensely

high two-arched bridge. There is an aqueduct likewise just outside the

town. We did not omit to read the inscription on the gate of the town, in

commemoration of the repulse of Hannibal, who failed in his attempt to make

himself master of this city, after having beat the Romans near the lake

Trasymene. The gate is called in consequence _Porta Fugae_, and this gate

constitutes the principal glory of Spoleto. We were shown the rums of a

Palace built by Theodoric. On leaving the town, just outside the gate, we

were shewn a bridge which had laid underground for many centuries and had

been lately discovered. A bridge was known to have been built here in the

time of Augustus, and it is very probably the identical one; we could only

see the top and part of the parapet.

Foligno is a large, well built city, neatly paved, populous and commercial,

renowned for manufactories of paper, wax, and confectionary.

The whole road between Spoleto and Foligno is thro' a beautiful valley in

high cultivation. There is a good deal of rich pasture ground, and it is

watered by the river called in ancient tunes Clitumnus. Here are to be seen

a fine breed of white cattle for which this part of the country has been

long renowned, which cattle were used, in preference, for sacrifices

(_Albi, Clitumne, greges_).[116] A similar breed is to be found in India

and Egypt.

The streets in Foligno are broad. I remarked the _Palazzo Pubblico_ and

Cathedral as very fine buildings. Our next day's journey brought us to

Perugia, after passing by Assisi, the birth place of the famous St Francis,

founder of the order of Franciscans. It is situated on an eminence:

convents and churches abound therein.

Perugia is a large and opulent city, standing like a fortress on a

mountain, and towering over the plain below. It is of steep ascent from the

plain, and there are various terraces along the ramparts, commanding

several fine points of view of the rich and fertile plains all round. These

terraces are planted with trees and form the promenades appertaining to the

city. The architecture of the various churches and Palaces is very

superior. The streets are broad and every building has an air of

magnificence. The Cathedral, dedicated to St Laurence, is well worth

visiting; it stands on the _Piazza del Duomo_, where there is a fine

fountain ornamented with statues. In the church of St Peter's there are

some fine columns of marble and some pictures of Perugino and Raffaello.

[108] Virgil, _Aen_., VI, 886.--ED.

[109] Of the two persons here mentioned, by their initials only, the first,

Luigi de' Medici, was chosen as Chancellor of the Exchequer by King

Ferdinando in June, 1815. The second was Nugent, an Austrian

_marescallo_, who became _capitano generale_ of the Neapolitan army,

August, 1816, and _capo del supremo comando_, February, 1817.--ED.

[110] This most distinguished lady, Marianna Candidi, was born in Rome in

1756; her mother, Magdalena Scilla, was the daughter of a well known

antiquary of Messina, Agostino Scilla. Marianna learned Latin, drawing

and music; she achieved a reputation as landscape painter, and was

elected a member of the Academies of St Luke in Rome, of Bologna, Pisa

and Philadelphia. She married the lawyer Domenico Dionigi, and gave him

seven children, one of whom, Henrietta, became Madame Orfei, and was

much esteemed as "improvisatrice." Madame Dionigi herself published

several works, among which a _Storia de' tempi presenti_, written in

view of the education of her children. Her _salon_ in Rome was

frequented by many men of distinction, such as Visconti, d'Agincourt,

Erskine, etc. She died on the 10th June, 1826, at the age of seventy.

--ED.

[111] She was no more than sixty-two at that time.--ED.

[112] To present the calumet is an offer of peace and amity among the

aborigines of North America and to refuse it is regarded as the

greatest insult.

[113] Frye gives only the initial of the name, which I have completed from

the _Almanach de Gotha_, 1818.--ED.

[114] The Interior of the Convent of the Capucini was first painted by

Granet in the year 1811. None of the numerous replicas are in the

Louvre, but there is one in London (Buckingham Palace) and one at

Chatsworth.--ED.

[115] The author may have meant "old Herodotus."--ED.

[116] Virgil, _Georg._, II, 146.--ED.

CHAPTER XV

APRIL-JULY, 1818

Journey from Florence to Pisa and from thence by the Appennines to

Genoa--Massa-Carrara--Genoa--Monuments and works of art--The

Genoese--Return to Florence--Journey from Florence through Bologna and

Ferrara to Venice--Monument to Ariosto in Ferrara--A description of

Venice--Padua--Vicenza--Verona--Cremona--Return to Milan--The Scala

theatre--Verona again--From Verona to Innspruck.

It is the custom for most travellers going to Genoa to embark on board of a

_felucca_ at Spezia, which lies on the sea coast, not far from Sarzana: but

I preferred to go by land, and I cannot conceive why anyone should expose

himself to the risks, inconveniences and delays of a sea passage, when it

is so easy to go by land thro' the Appennines. I started accordingly the

following morning, mounted on a mule, and attended by a muleteer with

another mule to convey my portmanteau. I found this journey neither

dangerous nor difficult, but on the contrary agreeable and romantic. The

road is only a bridle road. I paid forty-eight franks for my two mules and

driver, and started at seven in the morning from Sarzana. The wild

appearance of the Appennines, the aweful solitudes and the highly

picturesque points of view that present themselves at the various

sinuosities of the mountains and valleys; the view of the sea from the

heights that tower above the towns of Oneglia and Sestri Levante, rendered

this journey one of the most interesting I have ever made. I stopped to

dine at Borghetto and brought to the night at Sestri Levante, breakfasted

the next morning at Rapallo, and arrived the same evening at four o'clock

in Genoa. Borghetto is a little insignificant town situate in a narrow

valley surrounded on all sides by the lofty crags of the Appennines. Sestri

Levante is a long and very straggling town, part of it being situated on

the sea shore, and the other part on the gorge of the mountain descending

towards the sea beach; so that the former part of the town lies nearly at

right angles with the latter, with a considerable space intervening. The

road for the last four miles between Borghetto and Sestri Levante is a

continual descent. The inn was very comfortable and good at Sestri Levante.

The beginning of the road between Sestri and Rapallo is on the beach till

near Rapallo, when it strikes again into the mountains and is of

considerable ascent. Rapallo is a very neat pretty place, situate on an

eminence commanding a fine view of the sea. The greater part of the road

between Rapallo and Genoa is on the sea-coast, but cut along the mountains

which here form a bluff with the sea. Villas, gardens and vineyards line

the whole of this route and nothing can be more beautiful. The neatness of

the villas and the abundance of the population form a striking contrast to

the wild solitudes between Sarzana and Sesto, where (except at Borghetto)

there is not a house to be seen and scarce a human creature to be met, and

where the eagle seems to reign alone the uncontrolled lord of the creation.

GENOA, 23rd April.

The view of Genoa from the sea is indisputably the best; for on entering by

land from the eastern side, the ramparts are so lofty as to intercept the

fine view the city would otherwise afford. From the sea side it rises in

the shape of an amphitheatre; a view therefore taken from the sea gives the

best idea of its grandeur and of the magnificence of its buildings, for

everybody on beholding this grand spectacle must allow that this city well

deserves its epithet of _Superba_.

I observe in my daily walks on the _Esplanade_ a number of beautiful women.

The Genoese women are remarkable for their beauty and fine complexions.

They dress generally in white, and their style of dress is Spanish; they

wear the _mezzara_ or veil, in the management of which they display much

grace and not a little coquetry. Instead of the fan exercise recommended to

women by the _Spectator_, the art of handling the _mezzara_ might be

reduced to a manual and taught to the ladies by word of command.

I put up at the house of a Spanish lady on the _Piazza St Siro_, and here

for four _livres_ a day I am sumptuously boarded and lodged. There are

three principal streets in Genoa, viz., _Strada Nuova_, _Balbi_, and

_Nuovissima_. Yet these three streets may be properly said to form but one,

inasmuch as they lie very nearly in a right line. These streets are broad

and aligned with the finest buildings in Genoa. This street or streets are

the only ones that can be properly called so, according to the idea we

usually attach to the word. The others deserve rather the names of lanes

and alleys, tho' exceedingly well paved and aligned with excellent houses

and shops. In fact the streets _Nuova_, _Nuovissima_ and _Balbi_ are the

only ones thro' which carriages can pass. The others are far too narrow to

admit of the passage of carriages. The houses on each side of them are of

immense height, being of six or seven stories, which form such a shade as

effectually to protect those who walk thro' these alleys from the rays of

the sun. The houses diminish in height in proportion as they are built on

the slant of the mountain from the bottom to the top, those at the bottom

being the loftiest. Carriages are scarcely of any use in the city of Genoa,

except to drive from one end of the town to another thro' the streets

_Nuova_, _Balbi_ and _Nuovissima_; and accordingly a carriage with four

wheels, or even with two, is a rare conveyance in Genoa. The general mode

of conveyance is on a sedan chair, carried by porters, or on the backs of

mules or asses. Genoa is distinguished by the beauty of the Palaces of its

patricians, which are more numerous and more magnificent than those of any

other city, probably, in the world.

The Ducal Palace or Palace of Government, where the Doge used to reside,

claimed my first attention; yet, tho' much larger, it is far less splendid

than many of the Palaces of individual patricians. In fact, the Ducal

Palace is built in the Gothic taste and resembles a Gothic fortress, having

round towers at each angle. The Hall, where the Grand Council used to sit,

is superb, and is adorned with columns of _jaune antique_. On the _plafond_

is a painting representing the discovery of America by Columbus; for the

Genoese duly appreciate, and never can forget their illustrious countryman.

The lines of Tasso, "_Un uom della Liguria avrà ardimento_," etc., and the

following stanza, _Tu spiegherai Colombo a urn nuovo polo_, etc. are in the

mouth of everyone.[117] The Hall of the Petty Council is neat, but it is

the recollection of the history of this once famous Republic that renders

the examination of this Palace so interesting. But now Genoa's glory is

gone; she has been basely betrayed into the hands of a Government she most

detested. The King of Sardinia is nowhere; and he is not a little proud of

being the possessor of such a noble sea port, which enables him to rank as

a maritime power.

The Genoese are laborious and make excellent sailors; but now there is

nothing to animate them; and they will never exert themselves in the

service of a domination which is so little congenial to them. They sigh for

their ancient Government, of whose glories they had so often heard and

whose brilliant exploits have been handed down to the present day not

merely by historical writers and poets, but by _improvisatori_ from mouth

to mouth. The Genoese nobles, those merchant Kings, whose riches exceeded

at one time those of the most powerful monarchs of Europe, who were the

pawn-brokers to those Sovereigns, are now in a state of decay. Commerce can

only flourish on the soil of liberty, and takes wing at the sight of

military and sacerdotal chains; and tho' the present Sovereign affects to

caress the Genoese _noblesse_, they return his civilities with sullen

indifference, and half concealed contempt and aversion. The commerce of

Genoa is transferred to Leghorn, which increases in prosperity as the

former decays.

The climate of Genoa is said to be exceedingly mild during the winter,

being protected on the north by the Appennines, which tower above it to an

immense height. Beautiful villas and grounds tastefully laid out in

plantations of orange trees, pomegranates, etc., abound in the environs of

this city, and everything announces the extreme industry of the

inhabitants, for the soil is proverbially barren. This shews what they have

done and what they could still do were they free; but now they have nothing

to animate their exertions. The public promenades are on the bastions and

curtains of the fortifications, on the _Esplanade_ and in the streets

_Balbi_, _Nuova_ and _Nuovissima_. There is also another very delightful

promenade, tho' not much used by the ladies, viz., on the Mola or Pier

enveloping the harbour.

One of the most remarkable constructions in Genoa is the bridge of

Carignano, which is built over an immense ravine and unites the hills

Fengano and Carignano. It is so high that houses of six stories stand under

its arches in the valley below. No water except in times of flood runs

under this bridge and it much resembles, tho' somewhat larger, the bridge

at Edinburgh which unites the old and new towns. The principal churches

are: first, the Cathedral, which is not far from the Ducal Palace; it is

richly ornamented and incrusted with black marble; the church of the

Annunziata and that of St Sire. They are all in the Gothic style of

architecture and loaded with that variety of ornament and diversity of

beautiful marbles which distinguish the churches of Italy from those of any

other country. Near the bridge of Carignano is a church of the same name,

wherein are four marble colossal statues.

On the west of the city and running two miles along the sea-beach is the

_faubourg_ of St Pietro d'Arena, which presents a front of well built

houses the whole way; these houses are principally used as magazines and

store houses.

FLORENCE, 5 May.

I left Genoa on the 30th April, returned on mule-back from Genoa to

Sarzana, stopping the first night at Sestri. The second evening when near

Sarzana, it being very dark, I somehow or other got out of the road and my

mule fell with me into a very deep ditch; but I was only slightly bruised

by the fall; my clothes however were covered with dirt and wet. The road

from Genoa to Sarzana might with very little expense be made fit for

carriages by widening it. At present it is only a bridle road, and on some

parts of it, on the sides of ravines, it is I think a little ticklish to

trust entirely to the discretion of one's _monture_; at least I thought so

and dismounted twice to pass such places on foot. A winding stream is to be

forded in two or three places, but it is not deep except after rains; and

then I think it must be sometimes dangerous to pass, till the waters run

off. Those, who are fond of mountain scenery will, like myself, be highly

gratified in making this journey; for it is thro' the loftiest, wildest and

most romantic part of the Appennines. From Sarzana I hired a cabriolet to

return to Pisa and from thence I took the diligence to Florence.

FERRARA.

On the 9th of May I set out from Florence on my journey hither. Two days'

journey brought me to Bologna where I stopped one day; and the following

day I reached this place (Ferrara), six miles distant from Bologna. The

country between these two cities is a perfect plain and very fertile. At

Malalbergo (half-way) We crossed the Reno in a boat. I put up at the _Tre

Mori_ in Ferrara. Having remained two and half days here I have had time to

inspect and examine almost everything of consequence that the city affords.

The city itself has an imposing, venerable appearance and can boast of some

fine buildings; yet with all this there is an air of melancholy about it.

It is not peopled in proportion to its size and grass is seen growing in

several of the streets. I believe the unhealthiness of the environing

country is the cause of the decrease of population, for Ferrara lies on a

marshy plain, very liable to inundation In the centre of the city stands

the ancient Palace of the Dukes of Ferrara, a vast Gothic edifice, square,

and flanked with round towers, and a large court-yard in the centre. It was

in this court-yard that Hugo and Parisina were decapitated. From the top of

this palace a noble view of the plain of the Po represents itself, and you

see the meanderings of that King of Rivers, as the Italian poets term it.

As the Po runs thro' a perfectly flat country, and is encreased and swollen

by the torrents from the Alps and Appennines that fall into the smaller

rivers, which unite their tributary streams with the Po and accompany him

as his _seguaci_ to the Adriatic, this country is liable to the most

dreadful inundations: flocks and herds, farm-houses and sometimes whole

villages are swept away. Dykes, dams and canals innumerable are in

consequence constructed throughout this part of the country, to preserve it

as much as possible from such calamities. Ariosto's description of an

over-flowing of this river is very striking, and I here transcribe it:

Con quel furor che il Re de' fiumi altero,

Quando rompe tal volta argine e sponda,

E che ne' campi Ocnei si apre il sentiero,

E i grassi solchi e le biade feconde,

E con le sue capanne il gregge intero,

E co' cani i pastor porta neil' onde, etc.[118]

Even with that rage wherewith the stream that reigns,

The king of rivers--when he breaks his mound.

And makes himself a way through Mantuan plains--

The greasy furrows and glad harvests, round,

And, with the sheepcotes, nock, and dogs and swains

Bears off, in his o'erwhelming waters drowned.

--Trans. W.S. ROSE.

The next place I went to see was the Lyceum or University, where there is a

very fair cabinet of natural history in all its branches. The Library is

very remarkable, and possesses a great number of valuable manuscripts. But

my principal object in visiting this Museum was to see the monument erected

in honour of Ariosto, which has been transferred here from the Benedictine

church. The inkstand and chair of this illustrious bard are carefully

preserved and exhibited. They exactly resemble the print of them that

accompanies the first edition of Hoole's translation of the _Orlando

Furioso_. Among the manuscripts what gratified me most was the manuscript

of the _Gerusalemme liberata_ of Tasso. But few corrections appear in this

manuscript; tho from the extreme polish and harmony of the versification

one would expect a great many. It is written in an extremely legible hand.

I also inspected the original manuscripts of the _Pastor Fido_ of Guarini

and of the _Suppositi_ of Ariosto.

I then went to visit the Hospital of St Anna, for the sake of seeing the

dungeon where poor Tasso was confined and treated as mad for several years.

When one beholds this wretched place, where a man can scarce stand upright,

one only wonders how he could survive such treatment; or how he could

escape becoming insane altogether. The old wooden door of this cell will

soon be entirely cut away by amateurs, as almost everyone who visits the

dungeon chops off a piece of wood from the door to keep as a relic. The

door is in consequence pieced and repaired with new wood, and in a short

time will be in the state of Sir John Cutter's worsted stockings which were

darned so often with silk that they became finally all silk.

Ferrara has a strong citadel which is still garrisoned by Austrian troops;

and they will probably not easily be induced to evacuate it. The Austrian

Eagle seldom looses his hold.

VENICE, 18th May.

On the 16th May at six o'clock in the morning I left Ferrara in a

_cabriolet_ to go to the _Ponte di Lago oscuro_, which is a large village

on the south bank of the Po, three miles distant from Ferrara. A flying

bridge wafted me across the river, which is exceedingly broad and rapid to

the north bank, where a barge was in waiting to receive passengers for

Venice. This barge is well fitted up and supplied with _comestibles_ of all

sorts and couches to recline on. The price is twelve francs for the

passage, and you pay extra for refreshments. The bark got under weigh at

seven o'clock and descended rapidly this majestic river, which however,

from its great breadth, and from the country on each side of it being

perfectly flat, did not offer any interesting points of view. Plains and

cattle grazing thereon were the only objects, for they take care to build

the farms and houses at a considerable distance from the banks, on account

of the inundations. After having descended the Po for a considerable

distance, we entered a canal which unites the Po with the Adige. We then

descended the Adige for a short distance, and entered another canal which

unites the Adige with the Brenta. Here we stopped to change barges, and it

required an hour and half to unload and reload the baggage. We then entered

the Brenta and from thence into the Lagoons, and passing by the islands of

Malamocco and Chiozzo entered Venice by the _Canale grande_ at three

o'clock in the morning. The whole night was so dark as totally to deprive

us of the view of the approach of Venice. The barge anchored near the Post

office and I hired a gondola to convey me to the inn called _Le Regina

d'Ungheria_.

VENICE, 26th May.

I was much struck, as everyone must be who sees it for the first time, at

the singular appearance of Venice. An immense city in the midst of the

Ocean, five miles distant from any land; canals instead of streets;

gondolas in lieu of carriages and horses! Yet it must not be inferred from

this that you are necessarily obliged to use a gondola in order to visit

the various parts of the city; for its structure is as follows. It is built

in compartments on piles on various mud banks, always covered indeed by

water, but very shallow and separated from each other (the mud banks I

mean) by deep water. On each of these compartments are built rows of

houses, each row giving front to a canal. The space between the backs of

the rows of houses forms a narrow street or alley paved with flag stones,

very like Cranborn Alley for instance; and these compartments are united to

each other (at the crossings as we should say) by means of stone bridges;

so that there is a series of alleys connected by a series of bridges which

form the _tout ensemble_ of this city; and you may thus go on foot thro'

every part of it. To go on horseback would be dangerous and almost

impracticable, for each bridge has a flight of steps for ascent and

descent. All this forms such a perfect labyrinth from the multiplicity and

similarity of the alleys and bridges, that it is impossible for any

stranger to find his way without a guide. I lost my way regularly every

time that I went from my inn to the _Piazza di San Marco_, which forms the

general rendezvous of the promenaders and is the fashionable lounge of

Venice; and every time I was obliged to hire a boy to reconduct me to my

inn. On this account, in order to avoid this perplexity and the expence of

hiring a gondola every time I wished to go to the _Piazza di San Marco_ I

removed to another inn, close to it, called _L'Osteria della Luna_, which

stands on the banks of the _Canale grande_ and is not twenty yards from the

_Piazza_.

I then hired a gondola for four days successively and visited every canal

and every part of the city. Almost every family of respectability keeps a

gondola, which is anchored at the steps of the front door of the house.

After the _Piazza di San Marco_, of which I shall speak presently, the

finest buildings and Palaces of the nobility are on the banks of the

_Canale grande_, which, from its winding in the shape of an S, has all the

appearance of a river. The _Rialto_ is the only bridge which connects the

opposite banks of the _Canale grande_; but there are four hundred smaller

bridges in Venice to connect the other canals.

The _Rialto_, the resort of the money changers and Jews, is a very singular

and picturesque construction, being of one arch, a very bold one. On each

side of this bridge is a range of jewellers' shops. A narrow Quai runs

along the banks of the _Canale grande_.

I have visited several of the _Palazzi_, particularly those of the families

Morosini, Cornaro, Pisani, Grimani, which are very rich in marbles of

_vert_ and _jaune antique_; but they are now nearly stripped of all their

furniture, uninhabited by their owners, or let to individuals, mostly

shopkeepers; for since the extinction of the Venetian Republic almost all

the nobility have retired to their estates on the _terra firma_, or to

their villas on the banks of the Brenta; so that Venice is now inhabited

chiefly by merchants, shopkeepers, chiefly jewellers and silk mercers,

seafaring people, the constituted authorities, and the garrison of the

place.

Tho' Venice has fallen very much into decay, since the subversion of the

Republic, as might naturally be expected, and still more so since it has

been under the Austrian domination, yet it is still a place of great

wealth, particularly in jewellery, silks and all articles of dress and

luxury. In the _Merceria_ you may see as much wealth displayed as in

Cheapside or in the Rue St Honoré.

I have had the pleasure of witnessing a superb regatta or water _féte_,

given in honour of the visit of the Archduke Rainier to this city, in his

quality of Viceroy of the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom. There were about one

hundred and fifty barges, each fitted up by some department of trade and

commerce, with allegorical devices and statues richly ornamented,

emblematical of the trade or professions to which the barge belonged. Each

barge bore an appropriate ensign, and the dresses of the crew were all

tasteful, and thoroughly analogous to the profession they represented.

These barges are richly gilded, and from the variety of the costumes and

streamers, I thought it one of the most beautiful sights I ever beheld.

Here were the bankers' barge, the jewellers', the mercers', the tailors',

the shoe-makers', and, to crown all, the printers' barge, which showered

down from the masthead sonnets in honor of the _féte_, printed on board of

the barge itself. Every trade or profession, in short, had a barge and

appropriate flag and costumes. A quantity of private barges and gondolas

followed this procession. The Archduke and his staff occupied the

Government barge, which is very magnificent and made in imitation of the

Bucentaur. Musicians were on board of many of the barges, and the houses on

both banks of the _Canale Grande_ were filled with beautiful women and

other spectators waving their handkerchiefs. Guns were fired on the

embarkation of the Viceroy from the _Piazzetta di San Marco_, and on his

return. The _Piazza_ itself was splendidly illuminated, and the _cafés_

which abound there, and which constitute one half of the whole quadrangle,

were superbly and tastefully decorated.

The _Piazza di San Marco_ is certainly the most beautiful thing of the kind

in the world. It is a good deal in the style of the _Palais Royal_ at

Paris, and tho' not so large, is far more striking, from the very tasteful

and even sumptuous manner in which the _cafés_ are fitted up, both

internally and externally; they have spacious rooms with mirrors on all

sides, some in the shape of Turkish tents, others in that of Egyptian

temples. The _Piazza_, forming an oblong rectangle, is arcaded on the two

long sides, and of the two short ones, one presents a superb modern palace

built by Napoleon, and richly adorned with the statues of all the heathen

Gods on the top, which Palace was usually occupied by Eugene Napoléon; the

other presents the church of St Marco and the old palace of Government,

where in the time of the Republic the Doge used to reside. The church of St

Mark is unique as a temple in Europe, for it is neither Grecian nor Gothic,

but in a style completely Oriental, from the singularity of its structure,

its many gilded cupolas and the variety of its exterior ornaments. At

_first sight_ it appears a more striking object than either St Peter's in

Rome or St Paul's in London. On the top of the façade, which is singularly

picturesque, stand the four bronze horses which have been brought back from

Paris to their old residence.

I ascended the top of the façade in order to examine them. They are

beautifully formed, in very good cast and have not at all been damaged by

the journey. The _Piazza_ is paved with broad flagged stones. The Doge's

palace is a vast building, very picturesque withal, and seems a _mélange_

of Gothic and Moorish architecture. At right angles to it and facing the

_Piazzetta_, which issues from the _Piazza_ and forms a quai to the _Canale

Grande_, stands the famous state prison and _Ponte de 'Sospiri_. On the

_Piazzetta_ and fronting the landing place stand two columns of white

marble, on one of which stands the winged Lion of St Marco and on the other

a crocodile, emblematical of the foreign commerce and possessions of the

Republic. The space between these two columns was allotted for the

execution of State criminals. Not far from the church of St Marco, and near

to that angle of the _Piazza_ which connects it with the _Piazzetta_,

stands the famous _Campanile_ or Steeple of San Marco. It is a square

building 800 feet in height, from the top of which one has the best view of

Venice and its adjacent isles, the distant Alps and the _marina dove il Po

discende_. A Quai, if Quai it may be called, which has a row of houses on

each side, one row of which is on the water's edge, leads from the

_Piazzetta_ to some gardens, which terminate on a point of land. This Quai

is very broad and well paved, and is the only thing that can be called a

street in all Venice. The _Piazza di San Marco_, therefore, this Quai and

the garden before mentioned form the only promenades in Venice. This garden

moreover has trees, and these are the only trees that are to be met with in

this city. In this garden are two _Cafés_.

The variety of costume is another very agreeable spectacle at Venice. Here

you meet with Albanians, Greeks, Turks, Moors, Sclavonians and Armenians,

all in their respective national costumes. The first Armenian I met with

here was sitting on a stone bench on the _Piazza di San Marco_, and this

brought forcibly to my recollection the Armenian in Schiller's

_Ghost-seer_.

These _Cafés_ and _Casinos_ on the _Piazza_ are open day and night. Ices

and coffee superiorly made and other refreshments of all kinds at very low

prices are to be had. Some of these _casinos_ are devoted to gaming. The

first families in Venice repair to the _Piazza_ in the evening after the

Opera, female as well as male. They promenade up and down the _Piazza_ or

sit down and converse in the _Cafés_ and _Casinos_ till a late hour. Few go

to bed in Venice in the summer time before six In the morning, so that

sleep seems for ever banished from the _Piazza_. Music and singing goes

forward in these _casinos_, and the ear is often charmed with the sound of

those delightful Venetian airs, whose simple melody ravishes the soul. The

Venetian dialect is very pleasing, and scarcely yields in harmony to the

Tuscan. It contains a great many Sclavonic words. It is the only dialect of

Italy that is at all pleasing to my ear, for I do not at all relish the

nasal twang and truncated terminations of the Piedmontese and Lombard

dialects, nor the semi-barbarous jargon of the Genoese and the Neapolitan

and, least of all, the execrable cacophony of the Bolognese.

I visited of course the Arsenal and the Doge's Palace. The apartments in

the latter are very spacious and ornamented in the Gothic taste of

grandeur. The chamber of the Council is peculiarly magnificent. There is a

good deal of tapestry and some fine paintings and statues: among the former

I particularly noticed an allegorical picture, representing the triumph of

Venice over the league of Cambray. Venice is represented by the winged

Lion, and the powers of the Coalition are pourtrayed by various other

beasts. Among the latter is a beautiful group in marble representing

Ganymede and the Eagle. The terror depicted in the countenance of the

beautiful boy, and the passion that seems to agitate the Eagle, are

surprizingly well pourtrayed.

The principal theatre at Venice, the _Teatro Fenice_, is not open; but I

have visited the other theatres, and among other things witnessed the

representation of a new opera, call'd _Il Lupo d'Ostende_. The piece itself

was rather interesting; but the music was feeble and did not seem to give

general satisfaction. The singing is in general very good at Venice, but in

scenery, dresses and decorations the theatres here are far inferior to

those of Milan and Naples.

I find the air of Venice very hot and unpleasant, arising from the

exhalation from the canals; and it appears to me as if I were on board of

an enormous ship. I begin to pant for _terra firma_ and green fields.

I have visited in a gondola some of the islands, viz., Malamocco and St

Lazare, where there is a convent of Armenian monks.

Why are the gondolas hung with black? it gives to them such a dismal

funereal appearance. They always resemble the bodies of hearses placed on

boats. I am not fond of gaudy colours in general, yet I do think a gondola

should have a somewhat livelier color than black.

PADUA, 8th June.

Padua is not above ten miles distant from Fusina. As I started from Venice

at six in the morning I had a fine receding view of the Ocean Queen, with

her steeples and turrets rising from the sea. Venice has no fortifications

and needs them not. Her insular position protects her from land attacks,

and the shoals prevent the approach of ships of war. Floating batteries

therefore and gunboats are her best defence. The road from Fusina to Padua

is on the banks of the Brenta the whole way, and is lined with trees. There

are a great number of villas on the banks of the Brenta, well built in the

best style of architecture, the most of them after the designs of Palladio,

the Prince of modern architects.

Padua is an exceedingly large city: but its arcades and the narrowness of

the streets give it a gloomy appearance. There are however some beautiful

promenades in the suburbs. There are also the remains of an ancient Arena.

Padua is famous for its Seminario or University, which is a superb edifice.

The Church of St Anthony of Padua is of vast size, having six cupolas.

There are four organs in this church. In the chapel of the Saint himself

are a great many ornaments, among which are a crucifix in bronze and

fresques representing the different actions and miracles of this patron

Saint of the Padovani. Probably as this city was founded by the Trojan

Antenor they have transformed his name into that of a Christian Saint and

called him St Anthony, just as Virgil has been transformed into a magician

at Naples. There is a fine view from the steeple of this immense edifice.

There is another magnificent church also in this city, that of St Justine,

built after the designs of Palladio, the principal ornament of which is a

painting of the martyrdom of the Saint by Paul Veronese. But one of the

greatest curiosities in this ancient city is the immense Saloon in the

_Palazzo della Giustizia_. It is, I presume, the loftiest and largest hall

in the world that is supported by nothing but its walls, it being three

hundred feet long, one hundred feet broad and one hundred feet high. In

the Saloon is the tomb of Livy, the Historian, who was a native of Padua.

The inhabitants of Padua dress much in black, seem a quiet, staid sort of

people, and are very industrious. I put up at the _Stella d'Oro_, a good

inn.

VICENZA, 10th June.

I arrived at this beautiful _bijou_ of a town on the morning of the 9th

June at eight o'clock. I call it a _bijou_ from its exceeding neatness, and

the extreme beauty of the architecture of its edifices, which are almost

all after the designs of Palladio, of white stone and in the Greek taste.

Palladio was a native of Vicenza. The _Piazza_ and _Palazzo Pubblico_

perfectly correspond with the beauty of the rest of the city, and the

promenades about it are tastefully laid out. But the two most striking

objects in point of edifices in Vicenza and both constructed by Palladio

are the covered portico and the _Teatro Olimpico_. The covered portico is

two miles in length and leads to the chapel of the _Madonna del Monte_,

situated on an eminence, at that distance from the city. A magnificent

triumphal arch stands before it, and there is an extensive view of the

surrounding country. The _Teatro Olimpico_ is a small, but beautiful

theatre, built strictly after the model of the ancient Greek theatres. It

is peculiarly precious as being the only one of the kind in Europe. How

admirably adapted both for seeing and hearing are such theatres! It has,

for scenery, the model of a Palacé, curiously carved in wood, which

represents a Royal Palace, for the ancients never shifted their scenes, and

this may account for their adhering so strictly to the unities. Statues and

bas-reliefs adorn this beautiful little theatre. Many years ago, on

particular occasions, it was the custom to act plays here, either

translated from the Greek, or taken strictly from the Greek model. This

theatre is esteemed Palladio's _chef d'oeuvre_.

The _Campo di Marie_ is a vast _Place_ outside the town. The Place and its

gate are well worth inspecting, so is the famous villa with the Rotonda,

belonging to the Marchese di Capra, the original after which the villa

belonging to the Duke of Devonshire at Chiswick is built. The environs of

this interesting city are very beautiful and present an exceeding rich

soil, highly cultivated in corn, mulberry trees and vines hanging from them

in festoons.

VERONA, 12th June.

I started yesterday morning from Vicenza and arrived here in about three

hours, the distance being nearly the same as between Vicenza and Padua. We

crossed the Adige which divides the city into two unequal parts and drove

to the _Due Torri_, a large and comfortable inn with excellent rooms and

accommodations. Verona is a very handsome city, for here also Palladio was

the designer or builder of many edifices. It has a very cheerful and gay

appearance, tho' not quite so much so as Vicenza. The reason of this

difference is that in Verona the greater part of the buildings are in the

Gothic style, which always appears heavy and melancholy, whereas in Vicenza

all is Grecian. The Amphitheatre of course claimed my first notice. It

yields only to the Coliseum in size and grandeur and is in much better

preservation, the whole of the ellipse and its walls being entire, whereas

in the Coliseum part of the walls have been pulled down. Indeed the

Amphitheatre of Verona may be said to be almost perfectly entire. _Tempus

edax rerum_ has been its only enemy; whereas avarice and religious

fanaticism have contributed, much more than time, to the dilapidation of

the Coliseum. The Amphitheatre of Verona can contain 24,000 persons. In it

is constructed a temporary theatre of wood, where they perform plays and

farces in the open air. Verona is much embellished by several _Palazzi_

built by Palladio, which form a curious contrast with the other buildings

and churches which are in the Gothic style. Verona can boast among its

antiquities of three triumphal arches, the first, _Porta de' Bursari_,

erected in the year 252 in the reign of the Emperor Gallienus; the second,

called _Porta del Foro_; and the third, built by Vitruvius himself, in

honour of the family Gavia.

The churches here are richly ornamented and the _Palazzo del Consiglio_ has

many fine marble and bronze statues. In this city also are the tombs and

monuments of the Scala family, who were at one time Sovereigns of Verona.

They are in the Gothic style and of curious execution. The Cathedral has an

immense _campanile_ (steeple), from which is a fine view of the surrounding

country, and the progressive risings of the Alps, the lower parts of which

lie close upon Verona. Beautiful villas and farmhouses abound in the

neighbourhood of this city. The favourite promenades are the _Corso_ and

the _Bra_. On the _Bra_ I saw a very brilliant display of carriages, and

some very pretty women in them. The theatre is by Palladio, is exquisitely

beautiful, and very tastefully fitted up. I assisted at the representation

of _La Gazza Ladra_, one of Rossini's best operas.

I should think Verona would be a very delightful séjour; everything is very

cheap; a fine country highly cultivated; a remarkably healthy climate; a

society which unites much urbanity and a love of amusement with a taste for

the fine arts and for the graver sciences, and a general appearance of

opulence and comfort. The shops in Verona appear very splendid, and the

_Bra_, when lighted up in the evening, is a very lively and animating

scene.

MANTUA, 15 June.

I could not go to Milan without stepping a little out of my road to visit

this ancient and redoubtable fortress, so celebrated in the early campaigns

of Buonaparte, besides the other claims it has on the traveller's attention

as the birth place of Virgil. This place is of immense strength, as a

military post; being situated on a small isthmus of land, separating two

lakes, and communicating with the rest of the country by an exceeding

narrow causeway. This position, added to the strength of the

fortifications, render the fortress impregnable, if well garrisoned and

provisioned. The city is, however, unhealthy from the lake and marshy land

about it, and there is but a scanty population. Grass grows in the streets

and it is the dullest and indeed the only dull town in all Italy.

Everything in this city announces decay and melancholy, and I met with

several men looking full as halfstarved and deplorable as Shakespeare's

Apothecary in Romeo and Juliet. Yet the city is by no means an ugly one.

The buildings are imposing, the streets broad and well paved, and there is

a fine circular promenade in the centre of which is a Monument erected in

honor of Virgil by the French general Miollis, who had a great veneration

for all poets. The _Palazzo pubblico_ and the Cathedral are the most

striking buildings. The latter contains the tombs and monuments of the

Gonzaga family, the whilom Sovereigns of Mantua. There are also several

monuments in honor of some French officers, who were killed in the

campaigns of Italy under Buonaparte and erected to their memory by his

direction.

Outside the town, at a short distance from the causeway and _tête de pont_,

is the celebrated palace called the T, from its being in the form of that

letter, which was the usual residence of the Dukes of Mantua. It is a noble

edifice and its gardens are well laid out. These gardens have this

peculiarity, that at the entrance of each of the grand avenues is a figure

of a man on horseback caparizoned in armour, like the Knights of old. This

is all I have to say about Mantua. The Mincio beset with "osiers dank"

flows into the lake.

CREMONA, 16th June.

From Mantua I directed my course to this city, which is large and

fortified, situated on the Po which forms many little islands in the

environs. This city is of great antiquity, and has a number of Gothic

buildings. You do not find here the specimens and imitations of Grecian

architecture as at Vicenza and Verona. The _campanile_ of the Cathedral is

of immense height, but one is repaid for the fatigue of ascending by the

extensive view from its summit. There are 498 steps. I put up at the

_Colombina_, a very good inn. The Cremonese seem to be an industrious

people. There is a great deal of pasture land in the environs of this city

and much cheese is made here and in the Lodesan. Several ricefields are

also to be met with between this place and Lodi.

MILAN, 25 June.

I have been on a visit to the ancient and venerable city of Pavia, which is

about eighteen miles distant from Milan, thro' a rich highly cultivated

plain. The road lies in a right line the whole way. About three miles

distant from Pavia on the Milan side stands the celebrated _Certosa_, which

we stopped to visit. The church of the _Certosa_ contains the greatest

quantity of riches in marbles, and precious stones, of any building in the

world, probably. The architecture is Gothic, and the workmanship of the

exterior exquisite; but the ulterior is most dazzling; and at the sight of

the rich marbles and innumerable precious stones of all kinds with which it

abounds, I was reminded of Aladdin and began to fancy myself in the cavern

of the Wonderful Lamp. This church was built by Galeazzo Visconti, whose

coffin is here, and his statue also, in white marble. There are several

bas-reliefs of exquisite workmanship. There are no fewer than seventeen

altars here and of the most beautiful structure you can conceive, being

inlaid in mosaic with jasper, onyx and lapis-lazuli. Besides these precious

marbles of every colour and quantity under heaven, here are abundance of

rubies, emeralds, amethysts, aquamarines and topazes, incrusted in the

different chapels and altars. Here again is a proof of the falsehood and

injustice of the aspersions cast on the French army, as being the

plunderers of churches; for if they were so, how comes it that the

_Certosa_ the richest of all, was spared? Mr Eustace[119] in his admiration

of Church splendour, should at least have given the French no small degree

of credit for their abstinence from so rich a prize. A canal runs parallel

to the road the whole way from Milan to Pavia, where it joins the Tessino.

The banks of the Canal and each side of the road are lined with poplars.

Pavia is one of the most ancient cities in Italy and has something very

antique and solemn in its appearance. It is quite Gothic and was the

capital city of the Lombard Kings. The streets are broad and the _Piazza_

is large. I could not find any traces of the ancient palace of the Lombard

Kings, which I should like much to have done; for then I should have

endeavoured to make out the chamber into which Jocondo peeped and

discovered what cured him of his melancholy, and where the impatient Queen

received the petulant answer from her beloved Nano, conveyed by one of her

waiting maids who told her:

E per non stare in perdita d'un soldo,

A voi nega venire fl manigoldo.[120]

Nor, lest he lose a doit, his paltry stake,

Will that discourteous churl his game forsake

--_Trans._ W.S. ROSE.

MILAN, 28th June.

I have been to the _Scala_ theatre, to see the _Ballet of the Vestal_, one

of the most interesting Ballets I ever beheld. Oh! what a mighty magician

is the ballet master Vigano, and as for the prima ballerina, Pallerini,

what praises can equal her merit? then, the delightful soul soothing music,

so harmonious, so pathetic, and the decorations so truly tasteful and

classical! I can never forget the impression this fascinating Ballet made

on me. It is called _La Vestale_. It opens with a view of the Circus in

ancient Rome, and various gymnastic exercises, combats of gladiators, of

athletes, and ends with a chariot race with real horses. The Roman Consuls

are present in all their pomp, surrounded by Lictors with axes and fasces.

The Vestal virgins assist at this spectacle, and from one of them the

victor in the games receives a garland, as the recompense of his prowess.

The victor is the son of one of the Consuls and the hero of the piece; the

heroine is the Vestal Virgin who crowns him with the garland. The young

victor becomes desperately enamored of the Vestale, and she appears also to

feel an incipient flame. After the games are over, the victor returns to

his father's house, and meeting there one of his friends, discloses to him

his love for the Vestale and his idea of entering by stealth into the

temple of Vesta, where his beloved was appointed to watch the sacred fire.

His friend endeavors, but in vain, to dissuade him from so rash an attempt,

which can only end in the destruction, both of his beloved and himself. All

the remonstrances, however, of the friend are vain; and the hero fixed in

his resolve watches for the opportunity, when it is the turn of his beloved

to officiate in the temple of Vesta, and enters therein. The Vestale is

terrified and supplicates him to retire: in vain; and after a long but

ineffectual struggle she sinks into his arms at the foot of the altar.

Suddenly the sacred flame becomes extinguished; a noise is heard; the

Vestals enter; the unfortunate fair is roused from her stupor by the noise

of footsteps and has just time to oblige her lover to retire, which he

reluctantly does, but not unperceived by the Vestals. The Matron of the

Vestals reproaches her with the crime she has committed and orders her to

be placed in a dungeon. She is brought out to be examined by the High

Priest, found guilty and condemned by him to the usual punishment of the

Vestals for a breach of their vow, viz., the being buried alive outside the

gates of Rome. The moment the sentence is pronounced a black veil is thrown

over her. The scene then changes to the place of execution; the funeral

procession takes place; the vault is dug and a man stands by with a pitcher

of water and loaf of bread, to deliver to her when she should descend. The

Consuls are present, attended by the Lictors and Aediles. All the other

vestals are present, of whom the culprit takes an affectionate leave and is

about to descend into the vault. Suddenly a noise of arms and shouts are

heard. It is her lover who having collected a few followers come rushing

forward with arms in their hands to arrest the execution. He forces his way

into the presence of the Consuls, but the sight of his father inspires him

with awe; he staggers back; at this moment a Lictor at the command of the

other Consul plunges a spear into his breast. The Vestal is hurried to the

brink of the vault, into which she is forced to descend to the

accompaniment of mournful music, while her dying lover vainly endeavours to

crawl towards her. The curtain falls.

The exquisite acting of La Pallerini drew tears from my eyes: it was indeed

too horrible a subject for a _Ballo_, which in my opinion ought to end

happily. The scenery was the finest of the kind I think I ever witnessed.

The first scene represents the _Circus maximus_; the interior of the temple

of Vesta and the place of execution outside the walls of Rome were most

classically correct and appropriate: the music was beyond all praise and

singularly affecting. This Ballet has excited such an enthusiastic

approbation that Vigano the Ballet master, Pallerini who acts the Vestal

and the young man who performs the hero of the piece were summoned every

evening after the termination of the Ballet, to appear on the stage, and

receive applauses, which seemed to increase at every representation. I have

been to see this ballet six or seven times, and always with increased

delight. I was there on the last night of its representation, when some

amateurs and people connected with the theatre put in practice what

appeared to mean ill-judged _concetto_, however well merited the compliment

it meant to convey. When the Vestal was about to descend into the vault, a

genius with wings rose from it and repeated a few lines beginning _Tu non

morrai_ and telling her that the suffrages of the Insubrian people had

decreed to her immortality, and printed sonnets were showered down on the

stage from all parts of the house. I think it would have been much better

to let the piece finish in the usual way, and then at its termination call

for La Pallerini to advance and receive the garlands and hommage so justly

her due.

I was in the _loge_ belonging to my friend Mme L-----; there were three or

four _litterati_ with her, and they were all unanimous that it was an

absurd and pedantic _concetto_.

In a day or two I shall start from Milan for Munich thro' Brescia and

Verona and the Tyrol.

CHAPTER XVI

JULY-SEPTEMBER 1818

Innspruck--Tyrol and the Tyrolese--From Innspruck to Munich--Monuments and

churches--Theatricals--Journey from Munich to Vienna on a floss--Trouble

with a passport--Complicated system of Austrian money--Description of

Vienna--The Prater--The theatres--Schiller's _Joan of Arc_--A

_Kinderballet_--The young Napoleon at Schoenbrunn--Journey from Vienna to

Prague.

INNSPRUCK, 15th July.

I had engaged with a _vetturino_ to convey me from Verona to Innspruck for

four _louis d'or_ and to be _spesato_. A Roman gentleman and his lady were

my fellow travellers; they were going to pass the summer months at a small

_campagne_ they possess in the Tyrol. We stopped the first night at

Roveredo. The road from Verona to Roveredo is on the banks of the Adige

(called in German the Etsch) in a narrow and deep valley, shut up on both

sides by mountains, almost immediately on leaving Verona. We found the

weather extremely hot in this valley. Roveredo seems to be a very neat

clean little city, and the Adige flows with astonishing rapidity along this

narrow valley. The women of Roveredo have the reputation of being very

beautiful; and I recollect having seen two Roveredo girls at Venice, who

were models of female beauty. They have a happy mixture of German and

Italian blood and manners, but Italian is the language of the country. The

second morning of our journey we arrived and stopped to dinner at the

venerable and celebrated city of Trent. The country we passed thro' is much

the same as that between Verona and Roveredo, the Adige being on our left.

Trent lies also in the valley of the Adige, shut up between the Alps. The

whole valley appears in high cultivation. The streets of Trent are broad;

the Cathedral is a remarkably fine Gothic building. In the church of Sta

Maria Maggiore was held the famous council of Trent. There are a great many

silk mills in Trent. German as well as Italian is spoken; indeed the two

languages are equally familiar to most of the inhabitants. In the evening

we arrived at Sabern after passing thro' Lavis. One description will serve

for these towns and indeed for most of the towns in the Tyrol, viz., that

of being neat, clean and solidly built. The inns are excellent and the

inhabitants very civil. The Adige runs close to the road and parallel to

it, nearly the whole way to Bolsano or Botzen, where Italian ceases to be

spoken and German is the national tongue. Botzen is a large and flourishing

place.

One general description will serve for the Tyrol, regarding the towns,

adjacent country, customs, inns, inhabitants, dress and manners.

First the towns are fully as neat, clean and well built as those in

Switzerland; the country too is very similar, tho' not quite on so grand a

scale of sublimity; but you have fully as much variety in mountain and

valley, glacier and cascade. The climate is exactly the same as that of

Switzerland, being very hot in the valleys in summer. The inns are clean

and good, the provisions excellent and well cooked, the wines much better

than those of Switzerland; there is good attendance by females and all at a

far cheaper rate than in Switzerland. The Tyroleans are much more courteous

in their manners than the Swiss; they have not that boorishness and are of

more elegant figure than their Helvetic neighbours. The women of the Tyrol

are in general remarkably beautiful, exceedingly well shaped and of fine

complexions.

In the towns the bourgeoises dress well, something in the French style, and

it is their custom to salute travellers who pass by kissing their hands to

them. The dress of the female peasantry, however, is unpleasing to the eye

and so uncouth, that it would make the most beautiful women appear homely.

In the first place I will speak of their head dress, of which there are

three different kinds, two of which are as _bizarre_ as can be imagined.

The first sort is a cap of sheepskin, the fleece of which is as white as

snow, and the cap is of conical shape, the base being exceeding large in

proportion to its height, and resembles much the sugar loaves made in

Egypt. The second is a black scull cap, with the three pieces of stiff

black _gaze_, sticking out like the vanes of a windmill; so that when put

on the head, one vane stands upright from the forehead and the other two

from each ear. The third head dress is a broad straw hat, and I wish they

would stick to this coiffure, and discard the two others. Then the waist of

their dress is as long as

...du pole antarctique an détroit de Davis.[121]

Their petticoats are exceedingly short, scarcely reaching the calf of the

legs, which are enveloped in a pair of flaming red stockings. Who the devil

could invent such an ungraceful dress for a female?

The costume of the men on the contrary is becoming and graceful. It

resembles very much the costume of the Andalusians. The hat is exactly the

same, the crown being small and the rim very broad.

The Tyroleans are a fine gallant race of men and are excellent marksmen.

They were formerly much attached to the House of Austria; but that

attachment is now entirely changed to dislike, from the ingratitude they

have met with, since they have been replaced under that scepter.

The only fault I find in the Tyroleans, is that they are rather too devout

and consequently too much under the influence of the clergy. Yet in their

devotion there is not the smallest tinge of hypocrisy and they are esteemed

a highly moral people.

If you arrive at an inn in the evening, while the family are at prayer,

neither master nor servants will come to wait on you, till prayers are

over; and then you will be served with sufficient alacrity; but the prayers

are rather long.

I believe the priests extort a good deal of money from these good people.

The road thro' the Tyrol was made by the Romans, in the time of Septimus

Severus. An immense number of Crucifixes on the road attest and command the

devotion of the people.

How Kotzebue can call Innspruck a dirty town I am at a loss to conceive. He

must have visited it during very rainy weather; for to me it appears one of

the cleanest and most chearful towns I have ever seen. There are several

very fine buildings, for instance the Jesuits' College, and the Franciscan

monastery; Nothing can be more picturesque than the situation of this city

in the valley of the Inn and its romantic windings. The suburbs are very

extensive and can boast several fine houses. The cupola of the Government

House is gilded, which gives it a splendid appearance. In the _Hofkirche_

or church of the court there are a number of statues, large as life, in

bronze; among which my guide pointed out to me those of Clovis, Godfrey of

Bouillon, Albert the Wise, Charles V, Philip II of Spain, Rudolph of

Hapsburgh, and to my great astonishment the British King Arthur; there were

twenty-eight statues altogether. But on my return to my inn, I found that

my guide had made a great error respecting King Arthur, and that the said

statue represented Prince Arthur, son of Henry VII, King of England, and

not the old Hero of Romance; and my hostess' book further informed me that

these statues were those of the Kings and Princes belonging to families

connected by descent and blood with Maximilian I. In the same _Hofkirche_

is a fine monument erected to Maximilian and a statue of bronze of this

Emperor is figured kneeling between four bronze figures representing four

Virtues. In the gardens of the Palace of the Archduke Ferdinand in this

city is a fine equestrian statue which rests entirely on the hind feet of

the horse. From Innspruck there is a water passage by the river Inn all the

way to Vienna, as the Inn flows into the Danube at Passau. The banks of the

Inn are so romantic and picturesque that I would willingly prolong my

_séjour_ at Innspruck, but as I mean to take the journey from Mittenwald to

Munich by the river Isar, I must take advantage of the raft which starts

from that place the day after to-morrow.

MUNICH, 20th July.

I left Innspruck in a _chaise de poste_ on the 16th, and arrived the same

evening at five o'clock at Mittenwald. At a short distance before I arrived

at Mittenwald, I entered the Bavarian territory, which announces itself by

a turnpike gate painted white and blue, the colours and _Feldzeichen_ of

Bavaria. In the Austrian territory the barriers are painted black and

yellow, these being the characteristic colors of Austria.

Mittenwald is a small neat town, offering nothing remarkable but a church

yard or _Ruhe-garten_ (garden of repose) as it is called, where there are a

number of quaint inscriptions on the tombstones. At Mittenwald I had some

trouble about my passport, as it was not _visé_ by a Bavarian authority;

but I explained to the officer that I had never fallen in with any Bavarian

authority since I left Rome, and that, while at Rome, I had no intention of

going thro' Bavaria; that at Milan the Austrian authorities had _visé_ my

passport for Vienna and that I should only pass thro' Munich, without

making a longer stay than one week. He acquiesced in my argument, but

inserted my explanation on the passport. At half a quarter of a mile beyond

Mittenwald I met the raft just about to get under weigh at eleven o'clock

a.m. This raft is about as long as the length of a thirty-six gun frigate,

and formed of spars fastened together; on this is a platform about one and

a half feet high. The Isar begins its course close to Mittenwald, and the

place on which the raft stood, previous to departure, was very shallow; but

water was quickly let in from sluices to float the raft, and off we set

with a cargo of peasants, male and female, and merchandise bound for

Munich. As the river Isar rushes between immense mountains, and forms a

continual descent until the plains of Bavaria open to view, you may

conceive with what rapidity we went. We encountered several falls of water

of two, three, four and sometimes five feet which we had to _shoot_, which

no boat could possibly do without being upset. The lower part of the raft

was frequently under water in making these _shoots_ and we were obliged to

hold on fast to our seats to prevent being jerked off. Nothing can be more

romantic and picturesque than this journey, and there is something aweful

in _shooting_ these falls; these rafts are, however, so solidly constructed

that there is no danger whatever. They can neither sink nor upset. We

arrived and halted the evening at Tölz, a large village or town on the

right bank of the Isar. What gives to Tölz a remarkably singular appearance

is, that on a height at a short distance from the town, and hanging

abruptly over the river, you perceive several figures in wood, larger than

the life, which figures form groups, representing the whole history of the

passion of Jesus Christ. At a short distance, if you are not prepared for

this, you suppose that they are real men, and that a procession or

execution is going forward. On landing I immediately ascended this hill in

order to observe this curiosity, and there I beheld the following groups,

first: Christ in the midst of his disciples preaching; secondly: the

disciples asleep in a cave, and Christ watching and praying; next was Judas

betraying Christ to the soldiery; then the judgment of Christ before

Pilate; then Christ bearing his cross to the place of execution; and lastly

the crucifixion on Mount Calvary. The ground is curiously laid out so as to

represent, as much as possible, the ground in the environs of Jerusalem.

Tölz is a pretty village, but contains nothing more remarkable than the

above groups.

The next day at twelve o'clock we perceived the spires of Munich, and at

two anchored close to one of the bridges from whence, having hired a

wheelbarrow to trundle my portmanteau, I repaired to the inn called the

Golden Cross--_Zum goldenen Kreutz_. At Tölz the Rhetian Alps recede from

the view; the landscape then presents a sloping plain which is perfectly

level within four miles of Munich. The river widens immediately on issuing

from the gorges of the Tyrol and for the last five miles we were followed

by boys on the banks of the river, begging for wood, with which our raft

was laden, and we threw to them many a faggot. Wood is the great export

from the Tyrol to Bavaria, as the latter is a flat country and has not much

wood, with which on the contrary the Tyrol abounds. A sensible difference

of climate is now felt and the air is keener than in the Tyrol. The price

of a place on the raft from Mittenwald to Munich cost only one florin, and

at Tölz an excellent supper, bed and coffee in the morning cost me only one

florin.

MUNICH, 23rd July.

Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is an ancient Gothic city of venerable

appearance. The houses are very solid in structure, and the streets

sufficiently broad to give to the city a cheerful appearance. There are

some suburbs added to it, built in the modern taste, which embellish it

greatly. A large Place outside the old town, called the _Carolinen-Platz,_

presents a number of villas disposed in the form of a circus. In these

suburbs the people assemble on holidays and Sundays, to smoke and drink

beer, of which a great quantity is consumed, it being the favorite and

national beverage. From the lively scene of the lower class of the

bourgeoisie, male and female, meeting here in the _Biersschanks_ and

_Tanzsaale_ I was reminded of the lines in Faust:

Gewiss man findet hier

Die schönsten Mädchen, und das beste Bier,

which may be thus rendered:

Here let us halt! 'tis here we're sure to find

Beer of the best and maidens fair and kind!

There are other very agreeable promenades outside the town, laid out as

_jardins anglais,_ the garden of Ostenwald for instance; and should you

wish to extend your walk further, there is Nymphenburg, a royal Palace and

gardens, just one league distant from the city.

The _Residenz-schloss_ or Palace of the King is a solid building. The

interior is well worth seeing. There is a superb saloon with a vast number

of valuable miniatures appended to the wainscoating. An enormously heavy

bed, groaning with gold and silver embroidery and pearls and which is said

to weigh a ton, is to be seen here. There is a very good collection of

pictures, chiefly portraits, of the Electoral, now Royal family. There is a

fine chapel too belonging to this palace; a superb staircase of marble, and

some fine old tapestry representing the actions of Otto von Wittelsbach.

There is likewise a curious miniature copy of Trajan's column in gold and

incrusted with precious stones, besides a variety of other things of value.

There are two theatres in Munich; one called the Hof or Court theatre,

where there is a company of comedians for tragedy and comedy, the expences

of which are defrayed principally by the King. The boxes are generally let

to the nobility and the _parterre_ is open to every body on payment. I

witnessed the representation of Mozart's _Nozze di Figaro._ The King was

present and was greeted with much affection. He has a very benignant

expression of countenance. He is much beloved by his subjects, for he has

governed them paternally. He has given to them a constitution _unasked;_

for they were so contented with the old Government, that they desired no

change; but he, with his usual good sense, saw the propriety of consulting

and complying with the spirit of the age. A German writer of some eminence

at the time of the French Revolution, when the aristocrats and alarmists of

all countries were crying out against it, and proposing harsh measures to

arrest its progress, said: "Sovereigns of Europe, do you wish to set bounds

to the progress of French principles? Nothing can be more simple; you have

only to govern your people like Maximilian of Bavaria and Frederick of

Saxony, and your subjects will never desire a change."

At the German (national) theatre which is a fair sized one, I saw a tragedy

performed called _Der Wald bey Herman-stadt_ (the Forest near

Hermanstadt),[122] It was an interesting piece taken from a feudal legend.

The part of Elisene was performed by Mlle Vohs, a very good actress. I

missed very much one thing in Munich, and that is the want of _cafés_ like

those in France and Italy, which have so brilliant an appearance. They make

coffee here at the inns; and there are two or three dull places up one pair

of stairs, where they play at billiards, and make as indifferent coffee as

is made in England. The hour of dining at Munich is in general one o'clock.

A slice of ham or sausage with beer form the _goûter,_ usually taken at

five or six o'clock; and at nine follows a supper as solid as the dinner.

The Germans are not loungers as the French and Italians, who, for the most

part, spend all their spare time in coffee-houses. When I mentioned to a

Bavarian that I could find no _cafés_ in Munich resembling those in France

and Italy, he said with emphasis! _Gott bewahre_ (God forbid)! I could not

help thinking he was in the right; for those splendid _cafés_ are very

seducing to young people and tend to encourage a life of idleness and to

keep them from their studies. The lower _bourgeoisie_ and _Stubenmädchen_

(_maidservants_) wear a singular head dress. It is made of stuff worked

with silver or gold and resembles two horns sticking out one at each ear.

This head dress must be costly. This class of women wear also on _fête_

days gold crosses, collars and earrings.

The Bavarians seem a frank, honest set of people, tho' sometimes a little

rough, in their exterior deportment. The character of Otto of Wittelsbach,

in the tragedy of that name, gives the best idea of the Bavarian character.

I have made acquaintance here with a Mr F-----, an Austrian gentleman, and

two Polish gentlemen, the one an officer and the other a medical man. They

are brothers and had both served in the French army. We have agreed to

travel to Vienna together on board of the raft which starts every week from

Munich to Vienna. This raft brings to every day between twelve o'clock and

two near some town or village on the banks of the river, in order to allow

the passengers to dine, and anchors every evening at seven o'clock near

some town or village to sup and sleep. You have only to tell the

_Flossmeister_, or Master of the Raft, at what inn you mean to put up, or

if you have no preference, he will recommend you one; and at five the next

morning he goes his rounds to the different inns to collect his passengers,

and at six gets under weigh.

VIENNA, 2nd August.

I left Munich on the 25th July and arrived on the 6th day of our journey,

30th July, at Vienna, The _Floss_, or raft, on board of which we embarked,

is about as long as the main deck of an eighty-four gun ship and about

forty feet in breadth. It is constructed of strong spars lashed together.

On the spars is constructed a large platform and on the platform several

cabins, containing tables and chairs. Mr F----, the Poles and myself hired

a cabin to ourselves. On the raft was a great deal of merchandize going to

Vienna. At Vienna the _Flossmeister_, after landing his passengers and

merchandize, sells his raft and returns on horseback to Munich. A raft is

constructed weekly at Munich from wood felled in the Tyrol and floated on

the Isar down to Munich. We arrived the first evening at Freysingen, but it

was nearly dark when we arrived; it seemed however as far as we could

observe to be a neat village; at any rate, we met with a very comfortable

inn there with good fare and good beds. We met with a very pleasant family

on board the raft, bound to Landshut; M. and Mme S. were extremely

well-informed people and their two daughters very fine girls.

We arrived the following day at twelve o'clock at Landshut, which is a very

fine town. There is an immense Gothic tower or steeple to the Church of St

Martin, about 450 feet in height. At Deckendorf, where the Isar flows into

the Danube, I saluted for the first time that noble river. We stopped the

night at Pillshofen and arrived the following day at twelve o'clock at

Passau. Passau is a large, well built and handsome city, and is situated on

the confluent of three rivers, the Inn, the Illst and the Danube; for here

the two former flow into the latter, one on each side. Each of these rivers

just before the point of juncture seem to be of different colors; for

example the Danube appears blue, the Inn white, and the Illst black. At

Passau we put up at the Wild Man (_Zum Wilden Mann_), a favorite sign for

inns in these parts.

The Cathedral and _Residenz-Schloss_ are striking buildings, and the city

has a lively and grand appearance. The women appear to be in general

handsome and well dressed. We brought to the evening at Engelhardtzell,

where the barrier, painted black and yellow, announced our return to the

Austrian territory. We underwent at the Customs house a rigid search for

tobacco: they even took away the tobacco that some passengers had in their

pouches. They were likewise very rigid about our passports. The English

passports do not please them at all, on account of the features of the

bearer not being specified therein, and as I answered their questions in

German, they supposed me to be a native of that country and asked me what

business I had with a British passport. I replied: _Weil ich ein Engländer

bin.--Sie ein Engländer? Sie 'sind gewiss aus Nord Deutschland. Sie

sprechen recht gut Deutsch.--Meine Herren, ich bin ein Engländer: viele

Engländer studieren und sprechen Deutsch, und wenn Sièmit mir eine

langeUnterredung gehalten hätten, so hätten Sie bald ausgefunden durch

meine Sprachfehler, dass ich kein geborner Deutscher bin.--Aber Sie haben

unsere Fragen vollkommen gut beantwortet.--Warum nicht? man hat mir die

nehmlichen Fragen so wiederholten Malen gestellt, dass ich die dazu

gehörigen Antworte auswendig habe, wie em Katechismus_.[123] The officer

laughed, took up a pen, _viséd_ and gave me back my passport.

The whole of the country on the banks of this noble river the Danube is

picturesque and presents much variety. There cannot be a more delightful

summer tour than a descent down this river. The next town of consequence

that we arrived at was Linz, a large, populous and beautifully built city

and capital of Upper Austria. The circumjacent country is in part

mountainous. The Danube is very broad here, and there is an immensely long

wooden bridge. We put up at the inn _Zum goldenen Kreutz_ (golden cross).

Here it became indispensably necessary to change our money for Austrian

paper, for that sort of it called _Wiener Währung_ (Vienna security), since

neither foreign coin nor another description of Austrian paper, called

_Conventions-Münze_ (conventional currency), are current for ordinary

purposes; and it is necessary to get them changed for the current paper

_Wiener Währung._To explain this matter more fully and clearly: there are

two sorts of paper money in the Austrian Dominions. One is called

_Conventions-Münze_ (conventional currency), which is fully equivalent to

gold and sliver and cannot be refused as such throughout the whole of the

Austrian dominions; the other, called _Wiener Währung_ (Vienna security) is

current and payable in Austria proper only, and bears a loss, out of the

Archduchy. The value of the _Wiener Währung_ fluctuates considerably, but

the usual par of exchange is as 2 to 1: that means, two hundred florins

_Wiener Währung_ are equal to one hundred _Convenzions-Münze_ or gold and

silver money. Even the _Convenzions-Münze_ bears a loss, tho' trifling, out

of the Imperial Dominions. The exchange has been known to have been at 400

per cent; that is, four hundred florins _Wiener Währung_ were only worth

one hundred florins gold and silver; but just now it may be reckoned a

little beyond par, fluctuating from 200 to 220. In fact, the value of a

florin _Wiener Währung_ may be calculated at a frank in French money. All

this is exceedingly troublesome to travellers, particularly to those who do

not understand the German language; for as they cannot read the

inscription, it would be difficult for them to know the difference between

one sort of paper money and the other and they might be seriously imposed

upon. I advise therefore all travellers, before they arrive at the Austrian

frontier, whether coming from Bavaria, Saxony, or Italy, to buy up the

_Wiener Währung_ notes they may meet with, and which may be purchased at

great profit, probably, beyond the frontier, whereas if they defer

purchasing till they arrive within the Austrian frontier, they can only

procure the _Wiener Währung_ at the common rate of exchange current.

At Linz we find ourselves again in a wine country. Linz is renowned for the

beauty of its women, and we had a most favorable specimen in our landlord's

daughter, one of the most beautiful girls I ever beheld. We talked to her a

great deal, and a scene ridiculous enough occurred. She has very beautiful

arms which we all seemed to admire; and all at once, by instinct as it

were, the two Poles lifted up one arm and I the other, and our respective

lips were fastened on either arm at the same moment as if by word of

command. We apologized for the liberty we took, saying that her arms were

perfectly irresistible and that we had never seen such fine ones before.

She accepted our excuse with the utmost good nature, and laughed very

heartily. Her father is a man of information and a good classical scholar,

a thing which is by no means uncommon among the inn-keepers of Germany. We

stopped here that night, and the ensuing forenoon. We had an excellent

supper, very good wine, and we drank to the health of the fair Amalia, the

host's daughter. Our host, who was a friend of Mr F----'s, gave us the

best of every thing, and our expences did not amount to more than seven

florins _Wiener Währung_, for supper, bed, breakfast and dinner. We passed

the forenoon in visiting the different parts of the city and we were struck

with the appearance of opulence and industry that prevails.

Before we arrived at Mölk, which is the next important place, we passed the

town of Ens and beyond that the famous _Strudel_ or Whirlpool which is

dangerous at times for boats. Our raft was completely whirled round. This

whirlpool is caused by rocks rising abruptly out of the water. The popular

tradition is that this whirlpool is the abode of a very malicious and

spiteful _Wassernixe_, Undine or Water Goblin, who delighted in drowning

passengers. The scenery hereabouts is more wild and romantic than what we

have hitherto passed and bears a great resemblance to the landscape on the

Rhine between Mayence and Coblentz. Mölk is an Abbey and a very magnificent

edifice it is, situated on an eminence which forms the angle with the river

and rises quite _à pio_ from the water's edge; it lies quite _en face_ to

those who approach it, descending the stream, so that the river seems to be

terminated by it. It commands a noble prospect. I had only time to inspect

hastily the church. Beyond Mölk is a range of rocks that bear a great

resemblance to a wall, and jut out a great deal towards the river. It is

called the _Devil's wall_ from the tradition of the Devil having

endeavoured to make a wall to dam up the river. Above this wall is the

famous castle and vineyard called _Spitz am Platz_, and further on is the

castle of Dierenstein, situated on a mountain on the left bank of the

Danube. The ascent is very steep; this castle, now in ruins, was the place

where Richard Coeur de Lion was confined. The walls only of the castle and

part of the chapel are all that remain; we did not fail to visit a place of

such celebrity. A convent lies below it.

We brought to the night at a large village where there is an excellent inn;

and the next day, the Leopoldsberg, bursting forth to view, announced to us

the approach to Vienna. We anchored at Nussdorf, where there is a Custom

house, and from whence the distance to Vienna is about one and half mile

English. After having my trunk examined, I hired a hackney coach and drove

into Vienna. The barriers beyond the suburb are called _Lines_, and between

the Suburbs and the old town is an Esplanade. We entered the Suburbs by the

_Währinger Linie_, and the old town by the _Rothes Thor_ (Red gate); and

from thence I repaired to the inn _Zum weissen Wolf_ (white Wolf) in the

_Altem Fleischmarkt_ (old meat-market).

VIENNA, Augt. 4.

The old town of Vienna is not very large, since you can walk round its

circumference on the ramparts in two hours. It was formerly fortified, but

the French blew up the fortifications, leaving only the rampart; and by so

doing they did a thing of great utility for the Viennese, and gave to the

Austrian government an excellent opportunity of joining the old town to the

magnificent faubourgs, by filling up the esplanade which separates them

with streets and squares, which would prevent the unpleasant effects of

dust in dry, and the mud in wet weather, for this dust and mud renders the

esplanade almost at all times a disagreeable promenade, there being a sharp

wind prevalent almost the whole year at Vienna, which blows about the dust

_en tourbillons_. Here then was an excellent opportunity, afforded by the

blowing up of the fortifications, of paving the whole of the esplanade and

filling it up with streets. But no! the Austrian government seem determined

upon restoring the fortifications, and a considerable number of workmen are

employed. This is very silly, for these fortifications are not of the least

use against a foreign enemy, inasmuch as the enemy can always erect his

batteries among the faubourgs and need only make one parallel, the

protection and cover afforded to him by the faubourgs rendering the other

two superfluous. The faubourgs are by far the finest part of the city, and

the garrison of the old town, in endeavouring to defend it, would destroy

by every shot they should fire the fine buildings on the faubourgs. Of the

folly of making such a defence they were made fully sensible in 1809. One

of the Archdukes threw himself into the old town of Vienna, with an

intention of defending it to the last and refused to surrender. Napoleon

caused batteries to be erected on the _Rennweg_ or _Corso_ covered by the

church of St Charles, the Manege and Palace of the Hungarian noble guard,

all magnificent buildings in the faubourgs. He then summoned the garrison

of the old town again to surrender saying: "Every shot fired against the

besiegers destroys your own most valuable property and finest edifices."

This argument, backed by the entreaties of the citizens, had its effect and

the capitulation was signed. This shows the perfect inutility of fortifying

the old town of Vienna against a foreign enemy. Indeed a capital city

should never be fortified; it generally contains too many things of value,

ever to be exposed to the risk of a bombardment. It would seem, however,

that the object of the Austrian government in reconstructing these works

were to keep its own subjects at Vienna in check. But in this case it would

be much more advisable to construct a fortress on the heights of Kahlenberg

or of Leopoldsberg, both of which command the city and the whole expanse

below. The Turks were encamped on the Kahlenberg at the famous siege of

Vienna.

Vienna proper, the old town, is a Gothic city, but a very handsome one. The

streets are in general broad and well paved; but the _Places_ or Squares

are small. With the exception of the _Herrengasse_, where the nobility

reside, the rest of Vienna is inhabited by shopkeepers and wholesale

dealers; and the shops are brilliant and well fitted up. The _Kärnthner

Strasse_, a long and tolerably broad street, and the _Kohlmarkt_ present

the greatest display of wealth. Indeed the _Kärnthner Strasse_ may be

considered as the principal street; this street and the _Kohlmarkt_ have a

great resemblance to the finest parts of Holborn. The _Graben_ also present

a fine display of shops and may be termed the Bond Street of Vienna. The

_Sanct Stephans Platz_ where the Cathedral church of Vienna, called _St

Stephans Kirche_, stands, is the largest _Place_ in Vienna. The Cathedral

is a very ancient and curious Gothic edifice, and the steeple is nearly 450

feet high. I happened to enter the Cathedral one day on the occasion of a

solemn requiem celebrated for the soul of Prince Metternich's father. Had

it been for the son, instead of the father, many an honorable man

persecuted at the instigation of that most machiavelic of all ministers,

might exclaim in making a slight alteration in a well known epitaph:

Cy-gît M---- ah! qu'il est bien

Pour son repos et pour le mien!

Among the other striking buildings in the old town is the _Hofburg_ or

Imperial Palace, a very extensive quadrangular building, with a large court

in its centre. A Guard mounts here every day at eleven o'clock. It was in

one of the saloons of this palace that the celebrated Congress of Vienna

was held; a Congress whose labours will be long and severely felt by Europe

and duly appreciated by posterity, who will feel any other sentiment but

that of gratitude for the arrangements entered into there. The _Hofburg_

was built by Leopold VII in 1200. This building, from its being extremely

irregular and from its having received additions at intervals in the

different styles of architecture, has been aptly enough considered as the

type of the Austrian monarchy, and of its growth from a Markgraviate to an

Empire; in _this_, by the continued acquisition of foreign territories

differing from each other in manners and hi speech; in _that_, by the

continued addition of various specimens of architecture and style of

building in its augmentation.

VIENNA, Aug. 8th.

I am very well content with my abode at the _Weisser Wolf_, tho' it is not

a first-rate hotel. They are very civil people, and I have an excellent and

spacious room for two florins _Wiener Whärung_ per diem. Lodgings are the

only things that are dear in Vienna, every other article is, however,

cheaper than in any other city I have yet been in. All kinds of Hungarian

wine may be had at the most reasonable prices. I generally breakfast at a

neighbouring _Café_ in the _Fleischmarkt_ for the sake of reading the

_Allgemeine Zeitung_ which is taken in there, and which is the only journal

having a shade of liberality which is permitted in the Austrian dominions.

From the hours of twelve to three, dinners _à la carte_ are served at the

_Weisser Wolf_. For two and half florins _W.W._, I get an excellent dinner

with a bottle of Offener wine. The wine of Offen resembles much that of

Bordeaux in its quality and flavor. The tariff however of the dinners and

wines varies daily a few kreutzers, in consequence of the eternal

fluctuation of the _W.W._, so that every morning a fresh tariff is affixed

to the wainscot of the saloon where the dinners are served. Supper, served

likewise _à la carte_, is at its full tide between the hours of eight and

ten o'clock; and as Vienna is renowned for the celebrity of its beefsteaks

and cutlets, called here _Rostbraten_, these and a salad seem to be the

favourite dish for supper. My mornings I have hitherto passed in lounging

about the _Kärnthner Gasse, St Stephen's Platz, Kohlmarkt_, etc. For an

hour before dinner the fashionable promenade is on the rampart in front of

the palace of Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen; in the evening on the _Prater_,

in a carriage, on horseback, or on foot. The _Prater_ is of immense extent

and offers a great variety of amusements and sights. I generally return

home at night pretty well fatigued from my rambles.

There is another great inconvenience at Vienna, resulting from the

fluctuation of the current money, and this is that a stranger, dwelling at

an inn, is sure to be disturbed five or six times in the morning, sometimes

as early as five or six o'clock, by Jews who rap at his door to enquire if

he wants to exchange gold and silver against currency or _vice versâ_. I

used to lose all patience at being so disturbed in the morning, and was

obliged in self-defence to put an affiche on the door of my room to this

effect: "_Man kauft und verkauft hier nichts; kein Wechsler darf

hereintreten_." "Here there is no buying and selling; no money changer is

allowed to come in," and I hereby recommend to all strangers not to treat

with these Jews, but on their arrival, or at any time they think fit, to go

to a banking establishment in this city, where every day after eleven

o'clock you can exchange your gold and silver for paper at the just rate of

exchange, as published at the Bourse, paying only a very slight premium,

and on leaving Vienna to go to the same establishment to change your

superfluous _Wiener Währung_ for _Convenzions Münze_ or gold and silver

money. For when the Jews tell you the rate of exchange is so and so, you

conclude probably your bargain with them, and on enquiring at the Bourse

you find that the Jew has made a percentage of six or eight per cent, out

of you. _Louis d'or_ are the best foreign coin to bring into the Austrian

Dominions. Next to them in utility are the Dutch ducats, or _Geharnischte

Männer_ as they are termed, from the figure of the man in armour upon them.

All other corns suffer a loss in proportion. The bankers in Vienna pay the

foreign bill of exchange in _Convenzions Münze_, which you must afterwards

change for _Wiener Währung_, the only current money in Vienna and Austria.

But what makes it additionally troublesome is that here in Vienna there are

particular payments, which must absolutely be paid in gold or silver or

_Convenzions Münze_, and _not Wiener Währung_; for instance the franking of

foreign letters at the post office, where they do not take the _Wiener

Währung_. In vain you may intreat them to take the _Wiener Währung_ at any

rate they please; no! you must go elsewhere and buy from the first person

you can meet with as much gold and silver as is required for the franking

of the letters; so bigotted are they in the Austrian dominions to the

letter of the law! This happened to me: I wanted to frank three letters for

England and I went to the post office with _Wiener Währung_ paper, not

being aware of this regulation, and I was obliged to return to my Hotel, to

lay hold of a Jew, and to buy from him as much gold and silver as was

requisite for the franking of the letters.

At the _Wechselbank_ or Bank of Exchange I have before mentioned, the crowd

that attends daily is immense; but the business is carried on without hurry

or confusion. You hand in your paper or your gold and silver coin, the

clerk who receives it gives you an order on paper for the amount specified,

which paper you take into another room and therein receive the amount. This

establishment, however, remains open only two hours every day, between

eleven and one I believe; so if you are too late for this interval of time,

you must apply to the brokers, Christian or Israelite.

VIENNA, August 11th.

We left the old town by the _Burg-thor,_ and crossing the Esplanade,

directed our course to the _Rennweg,_ one of the suburbs, in order to view

the majestic edifice of St Charles, which is equal in the beauty of its

architecture to many of the finest churches in Rome. Its façade and cupola

render it one of the most striking buildings belonging to Vienna. We next

visited the _Manège_ and the Palace called the palace of the Hungarian

Noble Guard. They are both beautiful edifices. The faubourgs of Vienna are

built in the modern style and their buildings, both public and private,

excellent in their way and in the best state. The streets of the faubourgs

are broad but not paved. The most celebrated of these faubourgs are _Maria

Hülf_, _Leopold-stadt_, _Landstrasse_, the _Rennweg_, the _Wühringer

Gasse_; and I am persuaded that if the old town were united to the faubourg

by means of streets and squares and the esplanade filled up with buildings,

Vienna would perhaps be the handsomest city in Europe and the fourth in

size, for the best buildings and palaces are in the faubourgs, viz., the

Military College, the Polytechnic School, St Charles' Church, the Porcelain

fabric, the Palaces of Esterhazy, Kaunitz, Stahremberg, Schwarzenberg,

Palfy, and the beautiful Palace and ground of Belvedere in which last is a

noble collection of pictures open to the public. At the Polytechnic school

one of the principal professors is a friend of Mr F------'s, and he

explained to us the nature of the establishment and the course of studies

pursued. The apparatus for every branch of science is on the grandest

scale. After dinner we repaired to the _Prater_, crossing a branch of the

Danube which here forms several islands. The _Prater_ requires and deserves

particular mention. Part of it is something in the style of the _Champs

Elysées_ at Paris, and it is fully equal to it in the variety of amusements

and enjoyments to be met with there; but it is far larger and more

beautiful on account of its landscape and the diversified manner in which

the grounds are laid out. The _Prater_, then, is an immense park, laid out

on an island of considerable extent on the Danube. The nearest faubourg to

it is the _Leopoldstadt_, which is also the most fashionable one, and a

bridge conducts you from that faubourg direct into the _Prater_. The

_Prater_ presents a mixture of garden, meadow, upland and forest; the lofty

trees arranged in avenues or in clumps give a delightful protecting shade.

On the road destined for the carriages there is every afternoon a most

brilliant display of carriages. Another avenue is destined for equestrians,

and two avenues, one on each side of these two, for pedestrians. There are

besides winding footpaths, that conduct you all over this vast extent of

ground, and circular grass plots surrounded by trees where the pedestrian

may repose and eat and drink if he will. Here are _restaurants_ in plenty,

_cafés_, Panoramas, exhibitions of wild beasts, swings, tennis courts,

places for running at the ring, do for burlesque dramatic performances,

_farceurs_, jugglers, De Bach's Equestrian Amphitheatre in the style of

Franconi, _Salles de Danse_, baths, billiard rooms, gaming tables, and even

houses appropriated to gallantry. In fact, the _Prater_ is quite the

Paradise of the bourgeoisie of Vienna, who are fond of the pleasures of the

table and take every opportunity of making dinner and supper parties. The

bourgeois of Vienna are far more sensual than spiritual and not at all

disposed to self-denial.

Excellent hams and sausages are to be had here; and the Viennese who dines

and sups heartily at his own house never fails, during his evening

promenade, to take a tolerable good portion of ham or sausage, with a

proportion of Offen wine or Maylander Beer, by way of staying his stomach

during the tedious interval between dinner and supper. I need scarce add

that smoking is universal, as indeed it is all over Germany, for I scarcely

ever see a German without a pipe either in his mouth or fastened to his

coat and a bag or pouch of tobacco either in his pocket or attached to his

button hole. In the _Prater_ dances often take place in the open air

between the grisettes of Vienna, who are in general handsome and well made,

and who dress well, and their lovers and admirers. The _Prater_ was first

opened to the public by the Emperor Joseph II. The _Au-garten_ is another

place of recreation and amusement, but on a smaller and much more tranquil

and sober scale, than the _Prater_. None of the lower classes think of

coming here, tho' it is open to every body decently dressed: there is not

that profuse eating and drinking going forward. It is more properly

speaking a promenade, and forms a garden with alleys of trees where music

is often performed and there is a superb saloon where refreshments may be

had. The _Au-garten_ is frequented chiefly by the _Noblesse_ and _Haute

Bourgeoisie_. In the morning likewise it is a fashionable resort to drink

the mineral waters. It adjoins the _Prater_, being on the same island. It

was the favourite lounge of Joseph II, who opened it to the public by

affixing this inscription on one of the gates:

Allen Menschen gewidmete Erlustigung von ihrem Schätzer

"Place of recreation open to all Men by their esteemer."

VIENNA, Aug. 13th.

There are a great number of theatres at Vienna. Two are situated in the old

town, viz., the _Hof-theater_ and the _Burg-theater_. The _Hof-theater_ is

only open when the Court are at Vienna, and they are now at Baden, ten

leagues distant. The _Burg-theater_ is open all the year round, and may be

considered as the national theatre. It is much frequented by the

bourgeoisie and inhabitants of the old town, who do not chuse to take the

trouble to go to the _Wieden-theater_, which is situated in the faubourgs,

and which is more of a classical and fashionable theatre than the other,

inasmuch as it is more elegantly and classically built, better fitted up,

and has a far better company of comedians. At the _Burgtheater_ I saw

Kotzebue's _Edelsinn und Armuth_ performed. The Wieden theatre which is, as

I have said, in the faubourgs, is the handsomest theatre perhaps in Europe

for its size. It is not large, but it is fitted up with so much taste and

you see and hear so well; every ornament is so chaste and there is nothing

at all tawdry or superfluous. It is, I really think, a model of what every

theatre ought to be. There is a good deal of bronze about it which gives it

a classical appearance, and the boxes are supported by Caryatides in

bronze. There is a peculiarity in all the theatres at Vienna, which is,

that in the _parterre_ you must sit in the place the number of which is

marked on your ticket. These places are called _Gesperrte Sitze,_ and each

seat resembles an armchair. When not occupied, the seat is folded up and

locked to the back of the chair, until the person who holds the ticket

corresponding to its number comes to take it; so that no other but the

person holding the ticket corresponding to the number can take it, and you

are thus never likely to be shoved out of your place, as you are at most of

the theatres in Europe. There are men stationed at the doors who follow you

into the _parterre_ to unlock and let down a seat for you, and to them you

give your ticket with a slight gratification, which is however quite

optional; your ticket you previously pay for at the door.

VIENNA, Augt. 20th.

I have been to see Schönbrunn, the usual residence of the young Napoleon;

but he is now at Baden with the Imperial family, where his mother, who is

lately arrived from Italy, is also on a visit. The young Napoleon is said

to be a remarkable fine boy, and a great favorite with his grandfather the

Emperor. Many are the anecdotes related of him. I shall mention one. He had

heard so often talk of his father, that shortly after the arrival of his

mother, he wished to see his father also and asked his attendants

repeatedly and not in a very patient tone: _Wo ist denn mein Vater?_[124]

This was told to his grandfather the Emperor; and he gave directions that

the child should be brought to him, the very next time he should put the

question. He then said to him: _Du möchtestwissen wo dein Vater ist? Er ist

in Verhaft. Man hat es mit ihm gut gemeint; weil er aber unruhig war, so

hat man ihn in Verhaft gestellt, und Dich wird man auch verhaften, wenn Du

unruhig bist._[125]

So much for this anecdote; but I did not hear what was the answer of the

young prince. The young Napoleon is, it appears, a great favorite of the

soldiers, who quite adore him, and he will sometimes go into the kitchen to

get bread and meat to give to the soldiers on Guard at the Palace. A

singular event happened lately to Maria Louisa. During her stay at

Schõnbrunn, her _chatouille,_ with several things of value in it,

_bijouterie,_ etc., was stolen from her. She caused enquiries to be made,

and researches to be set on foot. Nobody has been able to find out who took

it; but it was put back in the precise place from whence it was taken, and

not a single article of the _bijouterie_ or things of value was missing. It

is supposed this theft was made for political purposes, in order to

discover the nature of her epistolary correspondence, if any existed. Had

it been taken by a vulgar thief, it is not probable that the articles of

value would have been restored. Such is the unhappy condition of that

Princess to be always an object of suspicion and espionnage.

_Journey to Prague_.

I left Vienna on the 28th August in a _Landkutsche_ and arrived at Prague

on the first of September.

These _Landkutsche_ are on the same plan and footing with the _vetture_ in

Italy, and travel in the same manner, with this difference, however; that

the _Landkutscher_ do not usually, as the _vetturini_ do, undertake to

provide for the supper and bed of their passengers. In a word, you are not

_spesato;_ and in Germany there is not the least necessity for it, for

there is no such thing as extortion on the part of the German innkeepers,

who are by far the most respectable of that profession. Besides, in most

places, everything is _tariffed,_ and where it is not, the landlord never

makes an unreasonable demand, or attempts to make foreigners pay more than

natives; whereas in Italy if you are not _spesato_ there are no bounds to

the rapacity of the innkeepers, witness mine host of Terracina. Both Italy

and Germany present the greatest convenience for travellers, as the

_Landkutsche_ or _vetture_ are continually passing from town to town. There

is however this difference between them, that the Italian _vetturini_ will

abate their price, if their carriage is full excepting one place, and that

they must start, whereas the German _Landkutscher_ never abate their price.

I paid for my journey from Vienna to Prague thirty-five florins _Wiener

Währung,_ and we made the journey in five days. Our first day's journey

brought us to Höllabrunn, having stoppd to dinner at Stockeran. The road is

excellent and the several towns and villages we past thro' clean and well

built. The landscape was either a plain, or gently undulating and extremely

well cultivated.

Bohemia resembles Moravia, being an exceedingly rich corn country,

generally open; not many trees about the country near the road side, except

at the _Chateau_ and farm houses. The language is a dialect of the

Sclavonic, mixed with some German; but at the inns there is always one or

two servants who speak German. In Bohemia a traveller not speaking German,

and who has no interpreter with him, would find himself greatly

embarrassed. The Bohemians call themselves in their own language

_Cherschky_, and the Hungarians call themselves _Magyar_.

[117] Tasso, _Gerusalemme liberata_, canto XV, ottave 31, 32:

Un uom della Liguria avrà ardimento

All' incognito corao esporsi in prima...

Tu spiegherai, Colombo, a un nuovo polo

Lontane si le fortunate antenne...--ED.

[118] Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, XL, 31, 1.--ED.

[119] See reference to Eustace p. 131.

[120] Ariosto, _Orlando Furioso_, XXVIII, 38, 7.--ED.

[121] Boileau, _Satires_, XI, v. 117.

[122] The drama, _Der Wold bei Hermannstadt,_ is the work of Johanna

Fraenul von Weissenthurn (1773-1847), a celebrated Viennese actress

and authoress. An opera was written on the same text by W. Westmeyer,

--ED.

[123] Because I am an Englishman--You are an Englishman? you are certainly

a North-German; you speak very correct German.--Gentlemen, I tell you

I am an Englishman; many English study and speak the German language

and if you had held a long conversation with me, you would soon have

perceived from my faults in speaking, that I am not a German.--But you

have answered our questions so correctly.--Why not, the same questions

have been put to me so often that I have all the necessary answers by

heart like a catechism.

[124] Where is my father?

[125] "You wish to know where your father is? He is under arrest; people

were well disposed to him; but he is placed under arrest, because he

was unruly, and if you are unruly you will be placed under arrest

likewise."

CHAPTER XVII

SEPTEMBER 1818-MARCH 1819

The splendid city of Prague--The German expression, "To give the

basket"--Journey from Prague to Dresden--Journey from Dresden to Berlin--A

description of Berlin--The Prussian Army--Theatricals--Peasants talk about

Napoleon--Prussians and French should be allies--Absurd policy of the

English Tories--Journey from Berlin to Dresden--A description of

Dresden--The battle of Dresden in 1813--Clubs at Dresden--Theatricals--

German beds--Saxon scholars--The picture gallery--Tobacco an ally of

Legitimacy--Saxon women--Meissen--Unjust policy of Europe towards the King

of Saxony.

PRAGUE, 4 Sept.