German Towns--the Rhine

Paius, Nov. 13th, 1864. Ifyou supposo, re:idcr, that I am going to force you to follow me slowly and wearily down the llhine, stopping to mark every odd costume, to describe every old cathedral, or eing songs to every ruiued castle, you will be agreeab!y disappointed. The journal vovager has as great inany liberties which the the raal traveler anuot erriploj. He can anuihilate dieUance, shorten time, and by a single dush of the pen transport himselt' from city to city, or from natiou to nation. ïherefore, instead of taking cars, and lodgiug at hotels, and sauutering fortli to see and to hear, anc visiting each guide book loculity ; fiaally, instead of being tied down to time and plaoe by that physioal form which is 80 necessary to the real voyager, let ub, fairy like, transform ourselves iuto beiugs of the air, and make some of those aerial fiights for the accomplishment of which the flesh is soweak. Well then, at Baden Baden we preac our wiugs, after a parting salute, an suddeuly fiud ourself over Carlshorne and, (as we are at perfect liberty to alight wliere we choose), let us come down on tbe most honorable position to wit : tbe palace of the Grand Duke Here we fiad ourselves standing in a focus, as it were, while a series of the most regular street8 of the most regul town oí Germauy are converging'-íf"1 wards us. We turn. in another direction, and spread out afar is the hunting park oí the duke - a miniatura American forest - where hia dukeship often holds the sport, or joins the hunt. We wander through the beautiful salons of the Palaee, we go forth to visit some of the noted places ot the capital of Baden, and then we make another aerial leap which brings us info the midst of the ruins of the castle of Heidelberg, and in sight of the University. As we look upon the city below us, as we turn to the winding Neeker, as we observe the bluffs and the foresta and the gardens that surrouud us, we can almost wish ourselve? oheva&era, and the castle our abode, and the country our domain ; our enemy, loneliness - our life object, pleasure. But the wine casks ia the cellir are empty, the fair ladies and gallaat kniglits are gono, and the oíd castle no longer echoes witb tfae voiee of joy and of carnival. Another flight, and we are at Worms, standing beside the very stone that maiks the spot where the Diet of the Empire summoned befora it the Augustin ïnonk, and where the new reformor maintaiued before one of the most brilliant of assemblies, those opinions which have revolutioQizd the religious world. Now we aru at Mayence, where lived another rcformer whose influence upon society has been no less tban that of Luther. Gutenberg witb bis press has filled the world with ligbt, and what we have of civil and religinua liberty can be traced in no smail degree to the printer of Mayence. Now we are at Frankfort, the home of Goethe, with its beautiful environs, its fine residences, and busy air. We are here on the traök of the king of Prussia once more, whom we have followed froua Baden Baden. The royal arms and natioual flags which decórate the Russian Hotel announcea that the honorable vishor is there. Now we are in beautiful Wiesbaden, another Germán Saratoga. The Erapress of the French has arrived just before us, and the elegant cars of her train are standing in the depot as we enter it. Here let us stand upon the steps of the Uussian temple, whose gilded domes acd marble interior represent well the splendors of the churches of Moscow and St. Petereburg. From the elevation ,t whieh we are, the view is of the most charming, made up as it is of plain, mountain, and city. Beneath us is the little Uablyon, gay and attractive where decorated gambliog houses, and brilliant ball-rooms, and elegant cafes unite to make man forget himself, and laugb at destiny. Another flight, and we are back agaiu at Mayence, ready to take the steamer that descends the Ehine. Botween Basle aud the latter city, the riper runs through a low, flat country, offering it is true a picture of cultivation, but otherwise not particularly attractive. But a little below Mayence, the scenery changes, and the real Khina comraenoes. The prospect boeomes wilder, more rocky, and more beautifu . The plains give way to mountains, the cultivated fielde to rocky or vine olad bluffs, and ' i the modest cottage or rich palitce to the old castle or aoeient tower. Betweon what heights, b}r the side of what preci pices, amid what cultivation, under what ancient souvenirs, novv swiftly, now deeply, now caltnly, now loudly, flows tbis king of rivera ! How the heart in moved as it iiuds itself upon the Rhine ! It 8 net that the imagination has spread a soft interest about the ïiver, and touched every rock aud peuk with love ; it is not that every castle speaks of somo Iloland, and that every heigbt secms tLe tomb of some heroiue. But it is that the Rbine is the most historio of rivers, and that its banks have oft feit the tread of armies, and seen the rise and full of nations. Has it not been a silent witDüsser of the héroism of the people of Holland ? has it not seeu the civil wars that have desolated Germany ? has it not wutched the asceuding star oí France ? has it not blessbd tha rise of Swiss liberty ? Here oíd Cíesar crossed it, there Attilla plunged iuto its waters, here Charlemagne essayed its passage, while the aruiies of Charles V, of Gustavis Adolphus, of Louis XIV, of Marlborough, of Napoleon, have fought upon its banks. Man, with hia depraved tastes, loves tbese bloody marka, They spread an interest everywhere. Were it not so, the Mississippi, runniug amid peaceful but solema grandeur, with no history but that of the Indiana, would attract the voyager froin a remoter clime, than that oi' htm whom the Khine oalls to ita side. The first night was sppnt at Coblentz, rejoicing in its beautiful situation,strong n its Ebreubreitsteiu fortifications, ani proud of its battle-field, where the groat est generáis of the world bave fought The second night at Cologne, notec among architeots for its cathedrals, among the superstitious for its bones o: the Magi ; and among the ladies for its perfumery. When we said good-bye to Cologne we also bade adieu to the Rhine, and at leugth to Geiniany itself. As we nearec the border, we oould not but contrast ir our miud the present condition of the Germán confederaron with what it has been The time is gone when to be its Emperor is to be governor of EuropeTbe thrones oí Charlemagne and Charles V. have passet! away. The power oí unity has vanisbed before división. The rise of Prussia found sn eneray in Austria, the power of Austria found a rival in Prussia. Napoleon strengthened these risiug animosities, brobe in pieces the Gerroanie confedera tion, and ever since seotional antagonism lias taken the place of national cohesión. It is sad to see thus divided the power that, if united, might stand as a barrier to eastern encroachment, and western ambitiou. Eussia would look ea-tward for oonquest, rra'ice would not venture to extend her territory to the Rhine, aud Europe would be balanced. A word from Germ ïny, would decide Eu ropean diplomacy, and the annual Euroean war would be avorted. What Surope wants is a grand umpire like bat of a umted Germany. But Germany never can be united till forgetting cingdoras and dukedcm.s, and free oities, hose secession elementa, she createa one ereat national center, whiuh can appe-1 br aid not to different governments, but irectly to the people. Ins'ead of a fedration, she mtist benomo a nation. A stop at Aixla-chapelle, another at iiege in Belgium, and our next haltiDg ilace was the heart oi Europe- Paris.