Foreign Correspondence

Frankfort, on titk Main, i July 25, 187a. L Priend Pond : A porson hearing of Loipsic principally through its connection with books and their publication would bo somewhat disappointed in not finding a largo display of iino bookstores upon the business stroets; but as tho sales are principally made at the time of the great Eastor Fair, and upon large whole9ale orders from all parts of tho world, there is no occasion for retail establishraents, further than to rocouiuiodato tho ordinary city trade. In fact, there aro about 50 publisbinghonses and hundreds of booksellers, but vo did not see anything near the display upon the shelves as at Appleton's or Harpers' or Sholdon's and othersn our own country. The railroid route we selected led us through a very interesting part of central Gerraany, being sufliciently varied upon the surfuce to gratify the eye in hearch of nature beauties, and at tho same time embell8hed with such a thorough agricultural that every rod of tillable ground was covered with the richest golden harvest. Just beforo reaching the junction with the road lo Halle we crossed the district made famous by the celebratod battle of Lutzen, Nov. 1G32, in which the King of S weden feil,- an extensivo and fertile plain at that point. It was over this route noarly that Napoleon retired after his defeat at Leipsic iu 1813. Like all the more picturesque portions of Germany this was a favorite resort for the warlike nobles of Mediseval times, as is apparent from the remains of their oastles and towers seen along the way, particularly in the beautiful valley of the Saaie. Several small towns in thi valluy are the growth of 8ait manufacturiug interests, combined with tho loss laborious attractions of watering places upon a liraited scale. Reminisences of the great lights of German literature, Goethe, Schiller, and others, begin to betoken tho neighborhood of their familiar haunts. Further up the Saalu 5 or 6 miles on our lef t, is Jena with its University, where part of Wallenstien was writtenand "Herman and Dorothea" was made first to take forin and substance. At Ossmannstedt is Weiland's tomb, and here at Weimar, where we stop, everything is associated with the literary and daily life of tho brightest galaxy of Germán letters. Averyquietanddull place with the characteristic features of a rural village, one would scarcely dream of its literary associations or of its being the capitilof theDuchy of Six Weimar, if not previously informed. With its 15,000 inhabitants there is little of interest in the place which is not the result of its association in sorue way with Goethe, who sided here 56 years till his death in 1832, or with his cotemporaries Schiller, Weiland, and Herder, all of whoni had here their homes for sometime, under the patronage of the Duke Charles Augustus. Oiily the house of Schiller is owned by the city and we enteredtho unpretentious frame dwelling with its plain furniture and small rooms vith a consciousuess that Genius can hallow the humblcst place. The house of Goothe was much larger, is indeed a large one, two storios in height and quite long upon the street, but his descendents do not appear to appreciate the profound interest feit by tho traveler from all lands, in this home of their groat ancestor, and do not allow tho gratification of this natural desire to visit it. Even his collections are only to be seen upon special application and upon Fridays. A line monument in bronze, by Reitschel, occupies the Theaterplatz, resenting these two great writers in ' ful attitude standing side by side : Goethe ' holding in his right hand a crowu of laurel and with his left familiarly placed upon the shoulder of Schiller, while the latter, with a slightly upturned look like one inspired, holds in his left hand a partly unrolled manuscript, and with the other appears ready to receive the crown. " Das Vaterland " the only in8cripüon. Tho statue of Weiland in another fdatz is a very noblo figure, vividly recalling the grand features of Webster, his right hand and arm somewhat extended and the left hand restiug upou a side support with one finger insertcd in a closed book, underueath which appears a manuscript with " Oberon " iuscribed. He died January 1813. Near the Stadkirche and the house he formerly occupied stands also a good statue of Herder with the toga gracctuüy drawii around him and holding in hls hand a scroll inscribed with those Benten tious worda of his "Liobe, Laben, Licht." We wore highly gratified in our visit at the grand ducal palace with thebeautiful frescoes which havo been so appropriately made to adorn the walls of four of the rooms named after each of these writors respectively. In eacb, the designs aro exclusively for the illustration of the works of the one for whom it was named, and being by such artista as Jager, Neher, and Preller, afford a beautiful coramentary upon their variou3 writings. In the grand ducal library oontained in another building we found still further memorial of these reigning spirits of Weiinar ; tho colossal bust of Goethe by D'Angers, life size of Schiller by Danneeker ; of Herder by Trippie ; of Wieland and many otheis. Tho buat of Goethe by Trippie gives a hoad and features of remarkable beauty. A miniatura portrait taken f rom lifo when viewed through glass was so veritably natural that, as the librarian remarktd we could say wo had seen Goethe himself. Many other iustructive objects wero gathered together in this collection. Luther's monastio gown of black serge ; a full rigged ship five or sis feet long, the work of that royal ship buildei Peter tho Great, etc. Learning that we were froui America tho librarían pointed out with considerable pride the lithographed facsimile of our Duclaration of Itidependence. The library itself contained about 150,000 volumes, and ascending through thre; stories is a self supporting easy flight of circular stairs, whioh Las been in use for 200 years. A deligiitful park extends frora th(; ducal palace south and along the murmuring limes to Ober Weimar, a mile distan t, in the center of which is the socalled Eoman House, a modest and lonoly d welling once occupied by Goethe. From the southern ond of tho Park a grand avenue of noble oíd Iiudeiis,chestnut8, and elnis, interlaced their wide spreading branches for over a mile further, over the highway which gradually asceuds to the Chateau Belvidere, the residenco of the Duke - one of tho most delightful spots we have seon. As the name implies, a fine prosppct spreads out arouud this eminenctj and from the plateau in its frontis a fiuo view of the city and of the setting sun behiud the far distant western hills. Another extensivo park, with flower garduns. hot houses, and exotic plants, covers inany acres in tho rear of the Chateau, and all is generously open at all times to the public. The dragoons wo saw and met upon the premiges were plentifully bedizzaned with gold and silver laced co&ts of a crimson color and very short tails. In one odge of the Park and just outside the city is a Cemetery in which is located the Grand Ducal vaultcontaining a great many of the royal dead of the Duke's family and ancestors, in their velvet covered or elaborately oxecuted coffins and sarcophagi- one a hero of the 30 yoais war whose heimet nnd visor lay upon his coffin ; but of all these we knew little and carud nothing whon wo stood with uncovered brow in that dim cold vault by the sido of all that was mortal of Goetho and Schiller. Their plain coffins were placed aide by side.'and each was covered with many flowers and wreaths of admiring regard not seen upon any other of the dozens uround them. We saw no inscription but tfao simple name at the head of each. What other was needed? Schiller died i 1805. Goethe in 1832, and their noble friend tho Duke Charles Augustus in 1828. The chapel above coutainud nothingof interest and through the central opening which admitted light to the vault nothing could be seen. It was necessary to go down into the very prison of the dead to distinguish one object from another, and of all the occupauts none were more worthy of noble companionship than those two humble " architects of their own fortunes." With mauy agreeable memories of the day tfaus spent at this Mocoa of Germán letters we resuined our way through a souiewhat brokea country with occasional watch-towers crowning the hill tops and passed Erfurt without stopping, though it has a fine oíd Gothic Cathedral and the Monastery where Luther became a Monk which wo would like to haveseen. Soou after leaving Erfurt the Northern extremities of the Thuringian forest and hills are visible and aS if to throw a glamour of romantic interest over thia picturesque district and tempt usinto its wilds we saw in a single view, crowning the suniniits of three different mountains, the Drei Gleichen aa they are called, three grand old castles. Just before sunset, we arrived at Eisenach, a sinall place of about 12,000, romanticalfy situated amid the beautiful scenery which has. made this región so celebrated. Our rooms looked out upon the greut squaro of the place and the fine old tower oi St. Nicbolas, which forins the gateway and entrance into the viüage, and it was a pleasant sight to see the cliuging swallows and haar their noisy chatter as the twilight brought thein home to tbeir thousand haunts in the many nooks and crevices about the time-worn old editice. Dut delay wo startêd out and made the tour of a very cbarming park aud garden which covers a steep eimnencö just outside the old gate, the summit of which we had a view of one of the most beautif ui sunsets we have seeu and a wide prospect of the durkening forest and of the towering Wartburg, whose castle we were to visit on the morrow. In order to iuiprove the fresh morning air for our walk we wera out betiraes, and without the aid of any of the numerous boys or donkeys, whosc services were tendered we began the gradually winding ascent of the Wtirtburg, a distance of about two miles and upward, 618 feet above the village. The path was for the most part well shaded, and delightful retrosjtecls were at our command wheuever we chose to halt by the way. All obstaules were finally overeóme and we stood upon tho highest lookout, with a splendid landscape of the wild scenery for miles around aud of tho quiet villages basking in the sunny vallcys belo w, spread out before us. Ilere, on tkis comnianding height, stands the brave old Komanosque Castlo ioanded in 1070, for nearly four hundred years the residenoe of the Landgravos of Thuringia, genprally kept in ïepair and now a eoun try residence of the Duke of Saxe "Weimar With an eventful history covoring so long a period, it is chietiy interestiug to trav clors as the place whoro from May 152 to March 1522 Luther was kept in friendly imprisonuient after his capture by th Eldctor Frederio of Saxony.wheu return ing from his brave defense of himself bo foro the Diet of Woruis. We were firs taken through a long narrow side hal lighted from an urcade next the court i which tho walk were oovered with fres coes ïllustrating the Kfe of St. Elizabeth wifeof the land grave Ludwig, who resid ed hore and died during his absenca i one of the crusades. A fine legend relutes many inarvelous incidents concerning her ; ono of which is, that the bread she was carrying down from tho ca8Ü8 to the poor iu the village, was turned to beautifnl rose whan hr husband demanded to know what she had concealed in he apron. All these are suitably portrayed in the frescoes. The chapel and the pulpit from which Lutherpreached while at, the oastlo is not a large or very showy room. Most of tho furniture had been restored. Luther's sword was proserved there. We were next shown the fine old huil in which, on the 7th of July, 1207 the Miniiesingers of Qermany held thoir Sangerkriog or contest in musical skill. A large picture repre8enting this scène occupies one side of the hall. Upon the end wall, back of the raised platform, was inscribed, in largo lettering, some of the songs of the principal contestants. Another hall of considerable size was in olden times the dweiling room : the heavy furniture was finely carved with arm supports and fept of various animal figures, frescoes pon the walls, an immense lire-place in ono corner, and a correspouding large sideboard in the other completed tho arrangements of this comforti-.ble room. Upon the floor above we entered the banqnet hall of the Knights. Tapestry portraits adorned the piÏÏars, the raftera of the decorated open roof re3tupon deftly citived bracket supports, with painted panel and ceiling after the Byzantino Btyle ; and animáis and birds were introduced into tho furniture in all couceivable designs. The wholo constituting a rare place for knights and troubadours and wassail bowl. Entering again another narrow hall, opening into the court by a seoond arcaded story, we f ound frescoe3 of a historical character and upon the pan els betwoen the arcade openings the artist had indulged in a humorous representation of the different decades of man's and woman's life, with birds and animuls symbolically introduced as illustrations. In the armory and adjoining chainbera were numorous specimens of the arinar and weapon3 used in the twelfthjand subsequent centuries, embracing crusaders' shields and coats of mail, &c, together with tho personal suits of armor belonging to several of the Saxon princes. Among these were also displayed a stoel coat of mail used during the late French and Germán war, through which a larga musket shot had penetrated, leaving a ragged holo both in front and behind. Crossing the couit we were now introintroduced into Luther's sraall chamber, the one occupied by him while at the castle, and where he testified his finn belief in a personal devil by throwing lus ink stand at him. Tho celebrated ink spot on the wall has been carried off long ago and also so much of tho cement of the wall at that point as to íorm a cavity threo or four inchrs deep and at least a foot in diameter. The table and other furuiture is now protected by a wire nettiug from the ravages of relie bunters. About the exterior court are a dozen or more pieces of ancient ordnance, very long and very slim. Notwithstandingits steepness a very excellent carriage road, by taking a long circuit, ascends quite to the top. As we looked off upon the noble scenery which extends suuthward from Eisenach our longiug to penétrate at least as far as the Inselberg, was very strong, but the sultrinessof July, with itsscorchiug sun, compelled us to go direct to Frankfort. For a considerable distante we paased through a fine district, following the course of the small rivers that draiu thia section and getting most ïascinating glimpsea iuto picturesque vsllages on either side. None of the niany . tions were of inuch importauce. Fulda ia a venerable oíd town with a fine display of towers but has ouly 10,000 inhabitanta and littlo worth stopping us. Hanau ia a more important place, in thu inidst of a rich agricultural country in the valley of the Main. The palace of Phillippsruhe was visible nmong the trees. With that princely generosity whiuh characterized Napoleou's distribution of the possessions of others, thi3 palace was presented by him to bis sister Pauliue, The Taunus now carne into view on the ri"ht, and in a few minutes the station lying easl of the Allerheiligen Thor of Frankfort was reaohed and our wandeiings substantially closed. We visited Hamburg last week and notwithstanding the expulsión of the gamblers and the Vienna expositioa and the disturbed conditionof the money matket there was a fair display of fasnionable and do-nothing people there, and a small percentage of invalida. ïhere is a falling off, however, as we were told, of 'rom 33 to 50 per cent of visitáis this season. It is a very pleasant watering place, having a very extendve park and promenades, a healthy situation at the base of the Taunus hills and every accessary to comfort in additiou to the chalybeate springs with their sanitary eflects. The u-amiug tables were unquestionably a great attraction to many, and as yet it is hard for the landlords and boarding house keepers to adapt their charges &c, to the uew order of thinga and some dissatisfaction at the high prices is inanifested. But all such things regúlate theinselves in due time, and as a pleasant and fash, ionable resort Homburg will no doubt continue to be ono of tho favorito waterng places of Gerniany. About 5 miles ïortn of the village is an extensivo ancient fortifioation, supposed to be the work of Geruianicus iu Boinan period, as Dart of the defense against the Germans, ind to be that relerred to in the Aunáis of Tacitus. At Mayence and luany other alaces these ancient reuiains have been iiscovered, and at Bonn quito an extensive coüection of antiquitiesof tho Roman Linie has been made fïomthatvicinity and other portions of uortheastern Germany. Our preparations are being made for the honieward journey, and already as the time approache8 we feel that however pleasaut may be the temporary sojourn iu these historie lands ; however buautiful the objects of Art and the picturesque remains of Medioeval times ; however absorbing in interest the hoary Antiquity of tho Koman era and the grand Architecture of the ages past, there is yet a cliarm that plays around the bouyant lifo and buundlessexpanse of NativeLand ; about its self-reliance and personal freedcm ; its thrilling progresa and splendid possibilities, which make us turn with beating hearts to our western homes. Various ot course are the advantages of European travel, and various also are the bindrances to its most complete eujoymeut. For nearly uiteen months we shall have been engaged in tho wauderings of which to souie extent tbess letters have ktpt you informed, and while there has scarcely been any cessation of deep interest in the new and strauge objects around us in whatever place we may have been, there has not unfrequently been feit a want of more thorough preparation for such a trip. Greater familiarity with the local history, legends and languago of the different peoples we have been atnong, would have added much to the enjoyment of cvery mile of travel and every spot of temporary sojourn, and if to thiscould be added a moro reliable taste and judgment in matters pertaining to Art and Architecture then indeed might we feel that no pleasure could transcend that of a year's travel in Europe, Ever vours,