The Rhine

A generation ago Víctor Hugo wrote a boot on tho lihine, in wbich, besides giving tho most fascinating and poetic of all defcriptions of that famous stream, iio cried out, " Franco, take back ttie llliine," as he utood at tlio tomb of 1 locho, wlio wns buried on tlie shores of that river, and whose grave to this day is pointed out to the curious tourist. Nipoleoa, t!ie bitter enomy of JIuo, ha-! triod on sevefal oye iions to make of this ory a national slogan, to cali to his support all partios in France. Tho Khine is, according to many Frenchiin'ii, t he natural bouudary of Franco. The Germana, whom tlie Enaperor would liko to make his subjeets, howcver, do not ngreo witli him. The penple of the ltlionisli provinces are Gorman in language, tastos and feelings, and Iiave no admiration of Nnpoleon llf. or his policy. lielgium, with ita French speakDg popnlation, and with bat forty years of national existenco to ovei turn, would be a inucli easier aoqoisitiop for Franco Fruuce already owns tho west l):ink of the ixhine from a few mile north of Basle, in Switzerland, to the frontier of the Palatinate at Lauterberg The po3sfFsion of the last n;imed district would add to the list of French citios Spires, wiih ii s old cathedral, and the fortified places of Landau and Neustadt, besides a large number of smaller towns and vill.'igcs. In llhenish Pmssia - spsnking alwoys of the western shoro of tho Rhine - the first town of importanco is Worms, n.?aociated with the namo of Luther. After passing over the flat, highly cnltivated district throagh which the Hhine hero sluggishly rolls along, the towera nnd bridps of Mn'ence Iqoui in t-iglit. This is a city of strategetio and historie importance. Phortly furtber on is Bingen ; and tliere beging tho mnrvelous secnery whi'ih bas given to the Rhinc sueh world-wide celebrity, %aá hns made farailinr tho names of such trifling though picluresqne haralets as Oberwepsel, St. Goar, Bopart, Andernnch, Bachnrach, Kemagon and tho like. Midway among these s Coblentz, overlooked by " Ehrenbreistein's castled heiglit," and still furthcr clown the stream is the collegiato town of Bonn, To add all of theso to the long list of French towns would certainly bo s spleadid gain to France ; this is what is ineant when Frenchmen cry, with Victor Hugo, " Tako back tb e Khine."