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diff --git a/44913-8.txt b/44913-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index eb5f94e..0000000 --- a/44913-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8007 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life of the Moselle, by Octavius Rooke - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Life of the Moselle - From its source in the Vosges Mountains to its junction - with the Rhine at Coblence - -Author: Octavius Rooke - -Illustrator: Octavius Rooke - Henry Noel Humphreys - -Release Date: February 14, 2014 [EBook #44913] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF THE MOSELLE *** - - - - -Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project -Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously -made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - - - - - - - - THE - LIFE OF THE MOSELLE, - From its Source in the Vosges Mountains - To - Its Junction with the Rhine at Coblence. - - - BY - OCTAVIUS ROOKE, - -Author of "The Channel Islands, Pictorial, Legendary, and Descriptive." - Illustrated with Seventy Engravings from - Original Drawings by the Author. - - Engraved by T. Bolton. - - - LONDON: - L. BOOTH, 307 REGENT STREET. - - 1858. - - - - - - - - Ein donnernd Hoch aus voller Brust - Ersling zum Himmel laut, - Dir schönem, deutschem Moselstrom, - Dir, deutschen Rheines Braut! - - Julius Otto. - - - - - - - - THIS BOOK IS - DEDICATED TO - - His Wife - - BY THE AUTHOR. - - - - - - - -PREFACE. - - -The beautiful scenery of the Moselle has too long been left without -notice. It is true, some of our Artists have presented to us scenes -on the banks of this river; but English travellers are, for the most -part, ignorant how very charming and eminently picturesque are the -shores of this lovely stream. - -"The Rhine! the Rhine!" is quoted by every one, and admired or abused -at every fireside, but the Moselle is almost wholly unexplored. Lying, -as she does, within a district absolutely overrun with summer-tourists, -it is altogether inexplicable that a river presenting scenery -unsurpassed in Europe should be so neglected by those who in thousands -pass the mouth of her stream. When the Roman Poet Ausonius visited -Germany, it was not the Rhine, but the Moselle which most pleased him; -and although glorious Italy was his home, yet he could spare time to -explore the Moselle, and extol the loveliness of her waters in a most -eloquent poem. - -The Moselle, which rises among the wooded mountains of the -Department des Vosges, never during its whole course is otherwise -than beautiful. Below Trèves it passes between the Eifel and Hunsruck -ranges of mountains, which attain to the height of ten or twelve -hundred feet above the level of the river. - -In the Thirty Years' War the Moselle country suffered severely from -the ravages of the different armies; but there still remain on the -shores of this river more old castles and ruins, and more curious -old houses, than can elsewhere be found in a like space in Europe. - -Having in the following pages endeavoured to lay before English readers -the interesting scenery of the Moselle, I trust, that although in -summer my countrymen do not mount her stream, fearful, perhaps, -of discomfort; yet that by the fireside in winter the public will -not object to glide down the river, in the boat now ready for them -to embark in; and hoping that they will enjoy the reproduction of a -tour that afforded me so much pleasure, - - I subscribe myself - - Their humble servant, - - THE AUTHOR. - -Richmond, December 1857. - - - - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. THE SOURCE 1 - II. REMIREMONT AND EPINAL 12 - III. TOUL AND NANCY 24 - IV. METZ 39 - V. FROM METZ TO TRÈVES 65 - VI. TRÈVES 70 - VII. RIVER INCIDENTS 99 - VIII. PIESPORT 110 - IX. THE VINTAGE 125 - X. VELDENZ 133 - XI. BERNCASTEL 144 - XII. ZELTINGEN AND THE MICHAELSLEI 153 - XIII. TRARBACH 165 - XIV. ENKIRCH AND THE MARIENBURG PROMONTORY 173 - XV. BERTRICH 185 - XVI. BREMM, NEEF, AND BEILSTEIN 197 - XVII. COCHEM 207 - XVIII. CARDEN AND ELZ 219 - XIX. OLD CASTLES 235 - XX. GONDORF AND COBERN 249 - XXI. CHANGE OF THE SEASONS 261 - XXII. COBLENCE AND JUNCTION WITH RHINE 269 - - - - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS, -FROM SKETCHES BY OCTAVIUS ROOKE; - -THE BORDERS AND FLORAL DECORATIONS BY NOEL HUMPHREYS; - -THE ENGRAVINGS BY T. BOLTON. - - - FRONTISPIECE. - DEDICATION. - PAGE - THE SOURCE 1 - THE SPIRIT OF THE MOSELLE AND HER ATTENDANTS 4 - THE CONFLUENCE 12 - NURSES AT EPINAL 20 - RIVER FALL 23 - BATHING AT TOUL 24 - REAPING 31 - JOAN OF ARC 38 - AQUEDUCT AT JOUY 39 - METZ 52 - ENVIRONS OF METZ 64 - ROMAN BRIDGE AT TRÈVES 65 - INITIAL 70 - PORTA NIGRA 71 - ROMAN BATHS 84 - FOUNTAIN 95 - ROMAN MONUMENT, IGEL 98 - FERRY 99 - WOMAN FERRYING 102 - BOAT-BUILDING 103 - DITTO 104 - HAY-LADING 106 - BEDDING 106 - BOAT WITH CASK 107 - CHURCH 109 - PIESPORT 110 - THE VINTAGE 125 - GIRLS TENDING VINES 132 - VELDENZ 133 - GIRL AT SHRINE 143 - BERNCASTEL BY MOONLIGHT 144 - OLD HOUSES, BERNCASTEL 147 - THE GERMAN MAIDEN 152 - THE GRÄFENBURG 153 - TRARBACH 165 - CONFLAGRATION AT TRARBACH 170 - LILIES 172 - MARIENBURG 173 - ENKIRCH 175 - MERL 183 - BERTRICH 185 - KÄSEGROTTE 192 - ALF-BACH 195 - THE OLD CHURCH 196 - BEILSTEIN 197 - NEEF 199 - KLOSTER STUBEN 203 - COCHEM BY MOONLIGHT 207 - CLOTTEN CASTLE 216 - FISHING 218 - INITIAL 219 - TOLL-HOUSE 224 - CARDEN 226 - GATE AT CARDEN 227 - CASTLE OF ELZ 231 - SKETCH AT CARDEN 234 - BISCHOFSTEIN 235 - ALKEN 243 - THURON CASTLE 245 - ASCENDING SPIRIT 248 - GONDORF CASTLE 249 - LOWER CASTLE AT GONDORF 252 - THE PROCESSION 257 - ST. MATTHIAS CHAPEL 260 - WINTER SCENE 261 - TOWING 268 - MARKET, COBLENCE 269 - SPIRITS OF THE MOSELLE AND RHINE 287 - - - - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - -At a short distance from Bussang, a little town in the Department des -Vosges in France, is the source of the Moselle; trickling through the -moss and stones that, together with fallen leaves, strew the ground, -come the first few drops of this beautiful river. - -A few yards lower down the hill-side, these drops are received into a -little pool of fairy dimensions; this tiny pool of fresh sweet water -is surrounded by mossy stones, wild garlic, ferns, little creepers -of many forms, and stems of trees. - -The trees, principally pine, grow thickly over the whole ballon (as the -hills are here called); many are of great size; they shut out the heat -of the sun, and clothe the earth with tremulous shadows--tremulous, -because the broad but feathery ferns receive bright rays, and waving -to and fro in the gentle breeze give the shadows an appearance of -constant movement. - -Here, then, O reader, let us pause and contemplate the birth-place of -our stream; leaving the world of stern reality, let us plunge together -into the grateful spring of sweet romance; and while the only sounds -of life that reach our ears are the rustling of the leaves, the -buzz of the great flies, the murmur of the Moselle, and the distant -ringing of the woodman's axe, let us return with Memory into the past, -and leaving even her behind, go back to those legendary days when -spirits purer than ourselves lived and gloried in that beautifully -created world which we are daily rendering all unfit for even the -ideal habitation of such spirits. - -And reverie is not idleness; in hours like these we seem to see -before us, cleared from the mists of daily cares, the better path -through life--the broad straight path, not thorny and difficult, -as men are too prone to paint it, but strewed with those flowers and -shaded with those trees given by a beneficent Creator to be enjoyed -rightly by us earthly pilgrims. - -Life is a pilgrimage indeed, but not a joyless one. While the whole -earth and sky teem with glory and beauty, are we to believe that -these things may not be enjoyed? Our conscience answers, No; rightly -to enjoy, and rightly to perform our duties, with thankfulness, -and praise, and love within our hearts, such is our part to perform, -and such the lesson we are taught by the fairy of the sweet Moselle. - - - -BIRTH OF THE MOSELLE. - -The fair Colline slept in sunshine, when from the far horizon a -rain-cloud saw her beauty, and with impetuous ardour rushing through -the sky he sought the gentle Colline, wooed her with soft showers, -and decked her with jewelled drops and bright fresh flowers. - -She soon learnt to love the rugged cloud, and from their union sprang -a bright streamlet which, cradled in its mother's lap, reflected her -sweet image. Then, as the time passed on, the little one increased -in strength, and leapt and danced about its mother's knee. Larger and -stronger grew the streamlet until its tripping step became more firm, -and then it passed into the valley, catching reflections from the -things around. And onward went this fairy stream, her source watched -over by a mother's love; and her cloud-father fed her as she passed -between her grassy banks. - -Then girlhood came, and sister streams flowed in, and, whispering -to her, told their little tales of life: so now, her mind enlarged, -she onward flows, sometimes reflecting on the things of earth, but -oftener expanding her pure bosom to catch the impress of the holy sky; -and all the tenants of the sky loved to impart their infinite beauties -and their glory to the pure stream. - -The age of girlhood passes now away, and she becomes a fair maiden, -to gaze on whose beauties towers and cities, castles, spires, and -hills, come crowding, and line her path, each giving her the gift of -its own being. - -Now come the mountains, too, with their crowns of forest waving on -their heads, and do homage to her beauty: she gives a sweet smile to -all, lingering at every turn to look back upon her friends; but yet -she tarries not, her duty leads her on,--nor worldly pomp, or pride, -or power, can keep her from her appointed path; she leaves them -all behind, and swelling onwards through the level plain, receives -the approving glance of heaven, and meets her noble husband Rhine, -who, long expecting, folds her in his arms. And thus her pilgrimage -complete, her duty ended, she calmly sleeps that happy sleep which -wakes only in eternity. - - - -Such is the history of the birth and life of the Moselle. We have -now to wander from her birthplace here, in the Vosges mountains, -to where she joins her glorious husband Rhine beneath the walls of -Ehrenbreitstein. From time to time we shall linger by the roadside, -to pluck a flower from legendary lore; from time to time we shall -stop to secure a chip from the great rock of history: storing thus -our herbal and our sack as well as our portfolio, we shall follow the -many bendings of our graceful river, which, womanlike, moves gently -and caressingly along, soothing and gladdening all things. - -The fairy and the river are as one, life within life; ever flowing -on, yet always present; ever young, and yet how old; ever springing -freshly mid the hills and woods, yet ever ending the appointed course. - -One life is material, earthly, but still sweet and beautiful; the -other life is born of the first, but far exceeds it,--it is the -life poetic, whose other parent is the human mind: this life, which -leaves the parent life behind, floats upwards on its glorious wings -and reaches the highest realms of heaven, carrying with it the souls -of those who read this life aright---- - - - -Lying here beneath the pines, we recall those old days of the past -when, on the borders of our river, only forests waved, amid whose -depths tribes of wild warriors dwelt apart,--their only amusement -hunting, their only business war, they scorned to cultivate the soil -save for their actual necessities. - -In this neighbourhood lived the Leuci, whose capital was Toul; lower -down, the Mediomatrices had their chief city, Metz; and beyond these -again came the Treviri, occupying the country about Trèves. - -All these were members of that great German family which gave -sea-kings to Norway, conquerors to imperial Rome, and at a later day -that champion (Charles Martel) who stayed the tide of Moslem conquest -near Poitiers; thus Christianising half Europe, and probably saving -all earth from Mahomet's false creed. - -Rugged and strong were these old Germans--the huge pines well -represent them; glorious in strength, stern in duty, upright, sombre, -and picturesquely magnificent: they are recorded as having been of -great size, with blue eyes and light hair, inured to every hardship, -and never laving aside their arms. - -Owning no superior, yet when once they had elected a chief, and -raised him aloft upon their shields, they obeyed him implicitly; if -unsuccessful in battle they would kill themselves rather than survive, -believing that those who died on the battle-field were received by -the Walkyren, or heavenly maidens, who hovered over the fight and -chose lovers from the dying warriors. - -What a picture of barbaric grandeur and indomitable will is given us -in the last act of one of their more northern naval heroes! Being -mortally wounded in a fight in which he had conquered his enemies, -he caused himself to be placed on board his vessel with the bodies of -his slain enemies around him, and all his plunder piled into a throne, -on which he sat,--then the sails were set, the pile was lighted, and -the blazing vessel putting out to sea, he sought his heaven--Walhalla. - -This Walhalla was supposed to contain a great battle-field, on -which the warriors fought their foes all day, receiving no hurt; -and at evening they returned to carouse and enjoy the caresses of -the Walkyren. - -Of these immediate tribes, however, Cæsar relates, that "they only -worshipped the forms of the gods they could see and whose beneficence -they felt, such as the sun, moon, and fire; of others they had never -heard." Doubtless, in after days, they adopted many of the Roman -divinities, but at the time of which we speak they adored their Creator -on the mountain tops; and when Christianity was introduced they built -their churches on the tops of hills, and even now the sacred edifices -are usually placed on eminences. Some remnant of the old hill-worship -still remains, for the Mass is annually read to the Sens shepherds -on the Alps; and not long ago the Saint John's fire was yearly lit -upon the hill-tops. - -Christmas was their most holy time; for then, they said, the gods -walked on earth. - -The oak and the alder were objects of especial reverence; for from -the former man was made, and woman from the latter. - -They considered all trees, and flowers, and plants, and stones, -and even animals, to be inhabited by beings of a superior order, -who came from an intermediate heaven and hell. - -Lakes, rivers, and springs, were held in special veneration; and -Petrarch relates, that even in the fourteenth century the women at -Cologne bathed in the Rhine to wash away their sins. - -Strangely in their natures were intermixed the gentle and the savage, -the cruel and the terrible, with the honourable and brave. Side by side -we find human sacrifices and a festival in honour of the first violet; -men who had been mutilated, and sickly children were sunk in morasses, -or otherwise destroyed; and we find them with a pure love for woman, -whom they held in the highest reverence. Their women were brought -up in the strictest seclusion, scarcely seeing any stranger,--an -injury offered to female modesty was punished by death, and fines -for injuries done to them were heavier than for those to men. - -Maidens were portionless, so only married for their merits or their -beauty: they seldom married before their twentieth year, and the -husband had generally reached his thirtieth; they had but one husband, -and the historian Tacitus observes, speaking of them, "as she can -have but one body and one life, so she can have but one husband." - -Prophetesses were frequent, and great confidence placed in their -predictions,--they were called Alrunæ, and lived apart in the recesses -of the forests. - -They had many ways of interpreting the will of the gods, but of -all interpreters the horse was considered the most sacred; white -horses were peculiarly venerated, and maintained at the expense of -the community, expressly to interpret the divine will,--even the -priests themselves considered that they were but the ministers, -while the horses were the confidants of the gods. - -The priests, as in all semi-barbarous countries, were the real -governors of these uncurbed Germans: no control but theirs was -submitted to; even in camp they alone had the right to bind and flog, -and in all public assemblies they kept order: these functions they -assumed as ministers of the supreme, invisible Being. There was, -however, no priestly caste, and each head of a family could perform -religious offices for his own household. - -Thus we find, at this earliest period of the known history of our -river--its banks occupied by a brave, hardy race, given to dissipation -and war, and governed by priests whose bloody sacrifices were offered -to a supreme Being, worshipped through His great emblems of sun, -fire, and water--they enjoyed a life of action, and looked forward -to a death of glory. - -Under this rugged nature appear the gentler attributes of love and -veneration; and a belief in Fairies, Kobolds, Nixies, and all the -different classes of superior existences with which they supposed -the whole world to teem. - -Savage and grand, loving and honourable, we shall, if we examine -history, find them first engaging the Romans on equal terms, then -for a while giving place to the conquerors of the world, but ever -holding themselves superior to them, not adopting their habits but -merely borrowing their knowledge to render themselves more fit to -encounter them; and finally, we shall find them supplanting these -world-conquerors, and seizing for themselves that crown and dominion, -the fairest portion of which remains with the German race to this -present day. And, moreover, it is this German race that has carried -civilisation over the whole earth, and whose descendants, the English -people, are rapidly populating the great continents of America and -Australia. - -Back from the train of old history our thoughts return as the evening -closes in by the source of our sweet river, and we bend our steps -down through the dim woods. The white butterflies flap past, heavily, -as though feeling the last moments of their short lives are fleeting -fast; frequently above our heads starts out a projecting mass of rock, -from whose summit a great pine towers up, first leaning forward, -then shooting upwards, its top seems piercing the blue sky. - -Ever and anon open out green dells, filled with bright foxgloves and -other beautiful flowers; through these dells trickle tiny rivulets -that swell the course of our young stream, which through the woods -we hear gurgling and gushing on, falling from stone to stone, and -wearing many a little pool in the rough ground. - -Occasionally we pass a heap of fresh-cut wood, and across our path lie -huge trunks of the fallen forest giants; a resinous odour is strongly -mixed with the scent of the wild flowers,--one flower, from which the -mountain bees make their delicious honey, is peculiarly fragrant and -very frequent; occasionally the rivulet is quite hid by the luxuriant -carpets of the false forget-me-not that line its banks. - -At length we pass from the forest to the cultivated land: the little -valley opens into a wider one, which is surrounded by mountains of -diverse forms steeped in sunlight; the sun declines, and wreaths of -blue smoke ascend from the châlets on the hill-sides, where the evening -meal is being prepared for the active, hard-working peasantry, who, -with loads of all sorts on their heads, pass by, saluting politely -as they go us and each other. - -The young stream dances along by the roadside, and thus we enter -Bussang, and close our first chapter of this fairy life. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - -From Bussang to Remiremont our infant stream gurgles plashingly -along; sometimes it conceals itself in little tranquil pools, where -the large trout lie deep beneath the roots of the overshadowing -trees; sometimes it falls with a gentle splash over an obstruction, -leaping, as we do in early life, over all difficulties with a smile, -even seeming to enjoy that which at a maturer age too often frets and -chafes us, though we conceal our chagrin under an unruffled surface. - -Sometimes our stream passes, broken into ripples, over smooth shiny -pebbles,--here the trout from time to time suddenly dart up and -seize their insect food; and sometimes it glides between green banks -which hem it in (fair setting for so bright a gem): here it is blue, -reflecting the sky above. - -Through the sultry summer days, hours spent splashing in this little -stream, or dreaming on its banks, are most delicious,--but beware, -O bather! of the shining pebbles that gleam mid the blue tide, for - - - Beneath the waters bright - The glitt'ring pebbles lie, - Like nymphs whose eyes the light - Shines on with brilliancy: - - Like wicked water-sprites - These rounded pebbles trip - The bather, who delights - His body here to dip. - - The timid foot is placed - Upon the tempting stone, - Then downward in all haste - The luckless wight is thrown. - - And when he wrathful tries - His footing to regain, - The sprites, with shining eyes, - Just trip him up again. - - -The scenery down the valley is altogether charming, occasionally grand, -but oftener sweetly beautiful; the hills are of considerable height, -some cultivated in patches of grain-crops, some covered with trees, -while others again are brightly green with turf, except where grey -rocks crop out and break the outline. Farther off the large shadowy -mountains rise, calmly shutting in the minor hills, the valley, and the -stream; the fleecy clouds float gently on, and rest upon their summits. - -Groups of trees half hide the houses which frequently appear within -the valley; the numerous bridges are generally of wood, some covered -as in Switzerland. - -The peasant women, in great straw hats or little close caps, work hard -amidst the fields storing the hay crop; the oxen yoked together munch -their fill of sweet fresh grass, that has grown in the well-watered -meadows; round them the children play, piling the hay upon each -other until, overcome by the heat, they hasten off to bathe in our -cool stream. - -Here, at a short distance above Remiremont, is the confluence of two -branches of our river; and river the Moselle now becomes. Leaving -her infant days she glides forth, with all the sunny joyousness of -girlhood, through the valleys of Remiremont and Epinal, then on through -the undulating plain, past Toul, to meet her confidant the Meurthe. - -Remiremont is a well-built, clean town, with rivulets flowing -constantly on both sides the roadway; it contains a fine church, -near which are the buildings that formerly held the celebrated Dames -de Remiremont, of whom the following account is given. - -In the seventh century a monk named Amé arrived at the court of King -Theodobert of Austrasia; moved by his preaching, one of the principal -officers of the king, named Romaric, embraced the monastic life, and -gave an estate to found a monastery of nuns: the mountain on which -this monastery was built was called "Mons Romarici," hence the modern -name of Remiremont. - -A community of monks was established shortly after, near the nunnery, -and St. Amé governed both; he dying, Romaric succeeded him: but -now the female monastery was governed by an abbess,--it is said, -a daughter of Romaric. - -To this monastery Charlemagne came to enjoy the pleasures of the -chase, and here the unhappy Waldrada, wife of Lothaire II., came to -die after her long persecution by the Church. - -In the tenth century the Huns penetrated here, and ravaged the -monastery; a few years after it was totally destroyed by fire; -after this event it was rebuilt at the foot of the mountain: the two -communities now separated, the ladies entering on their new abode, -and the monks retiring to the mountain. - -The ladies lived such scandalous lives that Pope Eugenius reproached -them with dishonouring the religious habit; his complaints were -useless, and the ladies soon threw off even the appearance of -religieuses, and remained bound together by a sort of female -feudality. The abbesses were people of the best families, and none -were admitted as members of the community but those who could prove -themselves of noble blood on both sides for two hundred years. - -The abbess ranked as a princess of the Empire, and held a feudal -court,--a drawn sword was carried before her by one of the officers, -of whom she had many in her service; she received her investiture from -the hands of the Emperor himself, and had many rights over different -parts of the surrounding country, her power often clashing with that -of the Dukes of Lorraine. - -The Dukes were bound to appear before the monastery on the 15th -of July of each year, and to carry on their shoulders the shrine -of St. Romaric; they then signed, in a large book plated with gold -and kept for that purpose, a confirmation of all the privileges of -the abbey. In consideration of these services, however, they gained -certain solid advantages. - -One of the most violent quarrels between "les Dames" and the Dukes of -Lorraine was owing to Duke Charles III. refusing to carry the saint's -relics on his shoulders; eventually the ladies gave up the point on -consideration of receiving, in lieu, an annuity of 400 francs. - -In 1637 Duke Charles IV. besieged the town, which had been garrisoned -by the French with fifteen companies of the regiment of Normandy. These -soldiers being driven to extremity, declared, rather than submit -without conditions, they would burn the abbess, abbey, and all the -ladies, as well as the citizens; the ladies despatched six of their -number to the Duke, who, overcome by the tears of beauty, granted an -advantageous capitulation to the Norman rascals. - -Next year Turenne appeared before the city, which the Duke had left -feebly garrisoned; but the abbess, mindful of the Duke's kindness, -so stoutly defended it, that after three assaults Turenne retired -with considerable loss. After this the abbess obtained from the French -king a promise of neutrality. - -The power of these extraordinary "Dames de Remiremont" lasted -(though somewhat shorn) until the tide of the French Revolution -swept away for a time even the name of the town, which was called -Libremont. The church and buildings still remain, the last remnants -of this extraordinary community. - -Having climbed the hills above Remiremont and seated ourselves amid -the heather and ferns, the valley in folds of bright green extends -itself beneath; the hills around are varied and beautiful, clumps of -trees adorn the meadows, and great shadows steal along, presenting -to our eyes a constant succession of moving pictures. - -One of these shadows we watch roll down the distant mountain-side, -leaving it bright and glowing with the grain,--then, coming onwards, -it rests upon a great clump of trees, whose contrasted darkness lights -up the grass beyond: they in their turn are left behind, and, now -quivering in light, they stand backed by the sombre mountain wrapped in -a succeeding veil; these clouds roll on, and others quickly following, -give to the valley an appearance similar to that of a rolling prairie: -now they approach, and envelope the hill on which we sit in gloom; -but shortly all again is clear, the sky above is pure, the air is -sweet; the meadows glory in their abundance, and our river, bending -and turning, now to the far side of the valley, now towards the town, -freshens the heated herbage with its limpid stream. - -From the valley, beautiful though it be, we turn our eyes to the more -glorious beauty of the - - - NOONDAY CLOUDS. - - Over our heads the sunbeams quiver, - The air is filled with heat and light, - While at our feet the shining river - Sparkles with thousand dimples bright. - - The distant hills, in sombre masses, - Sleep calmly on amidst the haze; - A mighty cloud through heaven passes, - And from the earth arrests our gaze. - - For in the shadows of that cloud, - We seem to see extending far - Valleys and hills, where seraphs bow'd, - Praising their great Creator are. - - Praising for ever "Him on high." - Those glorious seraphs also pray, - That from this planet crime may die, - From man and earth sin pass away. - - The shades of these hills of central air, - The gales that spring 'mid their lake, - Spread over our earthly valleys fair, - From our souls the weariness take; - And hope reviving emits its glad beam, - Which brightens our hearts, as sun does the stream. - - -Where we sit the ground is heaped into all sorts of forms, and covered -with ferns and heather,--from the latter rushes a large covey of -whirring partridges, and swoops into the valley. - -Above, the still forest sends down its treasures of bark and firewood, -which are borne in creaking waggons down the steep ascent; the oxen -stagger beneath the weight, while the drivers shout encouragement, -and their great dogs look calmly from the overhanging bank upon the -busy scene. - -All the environs of Remiremont are beautiful, and the town itself is a -favourable specimen of a French country town: it is much better paved -than those towns usually are, and the principal street has arcades -under the first floor, beneath whose shade it is pleasant to sit during -the midday heat, and hear the water rushing through the tiny canals. - -In the little busy inns people come and go rapidly, the fashionable -watering-place of Plombières being only some twelve miles distant: -the tables d'hôte at these inns are wonderful, the number of dishes, -the rapidity with which they are served, and the really excellent -cookery. Most of the diners are men, and they one and all make love to -the woman who, in conjunction with a lad, waits on some twenty guests, -and yet finds time to parry all their jokes with sharp repartee. - -Here may be seen a good specimen of the false politeness of the -French,--they never help themselves to the vin ordinaire without -filling up their neighbour's glass, whether he wants more or not, and -they almost invariably pick out the choice morsel from the dish which -the aforesaid neighbour eyes with longing looks: one, an epicure, -reaches over you to secure the oil and pepper, with which to make -additions to some vile sauce he is compounding for a coming dish; -another will have something out of its proper turn, which irritates -the handmaid; all eat voraciously, and with knives scoop up superfluous -gravy, endangering the fair proportions of their mouths. After dinner -(which is at twelve), cards and coffee fill the time until a little -gentle exercise brings them to a second dinner at seven, when the -knives play their part again. - -Travelling in the smaller diligences is very miserable, but the little -rattling carts that can be hired are worse and slower. Journeying, -again, brings out the politeness of the French men,--who secure the -best seats if possible, never giving them up to ladies, and fill the -vehicle with very bad tobacco smoke. - -Leaving them to the smoke and dust, we will go down into the meadows, -and walk with our fresh river through the fields it waters on its -passage to the gay town of Epinal. - -On a slight elevation at the entrance of the town is a public garden -of fine old beech-trees, that shade seats and walks; rough grass lawns -fill the intervening spaces. Here plays a military band on Sundays -and fête-days, and the young men sun themselves in the eyes of the -fair ladies, who in many-hued attire float up and down, ostensibly -listening to the military music, but really to that of the voices of -their admirers. - -Here on all days play the children, and on the grass sit the -picturesquely-dressed nurses, with great bows in their hair and -snowy sleeves puffed out upon their arms. It is a pleasant lounge and -of considerable extent; on one side is the river, the main body of -which falls over a wear, while a portion of the water is conducted -through the town in a clear stream, which reunites itself with the -main body below the town: thus an island is formed, and Epinal stands -on both banks as well as on this island, several bridges joining the -different quarters. - -There is near the end of the town a very beautiful old church; on -the hill above, was formerly a strong castle, only a few stones of -which now remain: the hill is covered by a private garden commanding -fine views. - -Epinal is on the site of a very ancient town that was twice destroyed -by a fire and pillage; the modern town arose round the walls of a -monastery founded in 980 A.D. by a Bishop of Metz, and enlarged in -the following century. - -The ladies of this monastery appear to have rivalled the "Dames de -Remiremont" in leading scandalous lives, if not in power; and when, -in the thirteenth century, a Bishop of Toul undertook to re-establish -the primitive rules among them, they refused to take any vow, and -ended by secularising themselves, but still kept in some measure -aloof from the world: they had two dresses, one for the convent, -the other for society. They existed as a community till last century. - -As a Bishop of Metz had founded this monastery, his successors -assumed the sovereignty of the town, and one of them, in the thirteenth -century, caused it to be fortified. This sovereignty was often disputed -by the townspeople on the one hand, and by certain seigneurs, who -had been declared guardians of the monastery, on the other: thus many -disputes arose; at last it was agreed that the town should be ceded -to the Dukes of Lorraine, and to this house it remained attached. - -Frequently taken by the French, and as often retaken, it suffered -much from war, but was always constant to its ducal rulers until -Lorraine became finally incorporated in France. At the present day -it is bustling, dirty, thriving, and ill-paved. - - - -And now away, over the hills and valleys. The river swells on beneath -or past us, leaving Thaon, Châtel, Charmes, and many other towns and -villages behind; on it flows, falling over wears and circling many -islands, wearing its course along until it leaves the Department des -Vosges and enters on that of the Meurthe. - -Laughing and gay, we shall in the next chapter find "the fair girl" -basking amid the corn-fields that adorn her course near Toul. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - -"Oh, pleasant land of France!" sings the poet; and a pleasant land it -is, especially when, as now, the tall and yellow grain is spreading -over its fair plains. As we approach Toul the reapers are at work; -the women and children are busy binding or spreading out the sheaves -fast as the men can cut them,--all is gay and happy; the sun glowing -on the grain makes the whole land seem an El Dorado, and we appear -to move in one of the golden dreams of fairyland. - -Coming on our river again, which has serpentined along, loitering to -water those fruitful plains of "old Lorraine," we find her stream -shrunk within its pebbly bed; for the sun has drunk from earth her -moisture, and the fire element rules now for the good of man, where the -water, moistening the earth, had produced the germ within her bosom. - -The contrast of the burning sun and corn makes our dear river seem -the cooler and the fresher. All down its course the bathers are -wading refreshingly about: in a side-stream, shaded by tall poplars -and guarded from eyes inquisitive by rows of piled-up firewood, -bathe the women, maids, and girls; in long loose dresses floating, -with hair wreathed lightly round their glistening heads, they toss -the glittering drops upon each other, and laugh, and scream, and sing: -here, hand-in-hand, with tottering gait, they struggle up against the -stream, slipping and tumbling at each forward step,--then, the desired -point reached, merrily they float down, and the blue tide sparkles -with their beauty. Upon the bank are some timidly adventuring their -hesitating feet before they plunge into the element; some bind their -hair, preparing; others, having bathed, unbind, and the long tresses -stream over the fair shoulders: blithely thus they pass the time, -and defy the hot old sun upon the river's bank. - -A little further, and the green slopes of the fortifications sweep up, -and the cathedral towers stand high above the invisible town; beyond -the towers is a great flat-topped hill, whose smaller brethren stretch -south-wards: in all, the same flatness of the summit is perceptible. - -The river makes a great bend after passing Toul; she seems to have -come so far, to see the old capital of the Leuci, and finding there -little to arrest her progress or detain her steps, she hastens off -to hear from her girlish friend, the Meurthe, the history of Nancy, -whose walls the latter guards. - -Before we go with our Moselle to hear the tales of Nancy, we must -first listen to a simple story from French every-day life, near Toul. - - - -ADÈLE AND GUSTAVE. - -Once more War stalked the land; again France was aiming, and calling -on her sons to fight a foreign foe: but this time her quarrel was a -righteous one, for side by side with England she appeared, to guard -the weak against the oppression of the strong. - -Adèle's heart was beating with anxiety when the day for drawing -the fatal numbers had arrived,--those numbers that should determine -whether Gustave left her for the battle-field or remained to marry, -as had been agreed between them and their parents. - -Gustave, however, though he dearly loved his sweet fiancée, loved more -that empty trumpet glory, a grand word, and one that chains the hearts -of men,--but, like the drum and trumpet, its appropriate adjuncts, -only expressing a hollow though a ringing sound. - -Such was the glory Gustave dreamt of,--not true glory, not heroism -in daily life, not the dying in defence of what we love,--but the -rush and the glitter, the pomp and the pride, the excitement and the -turmoil of the imagined war. - -Little thought he of the days of severe privation, the nights -of watching, the constant petty troubles, and the lingering pains -brought on by disease engendered by a soldier's life; and still less, -it is to be feared, did his mind dwell on the number of Adèles this -ruthless war leaves mourning and trembling, while their husbands, -friends, and lovers, fight and die afar. He only thought of glory -in the abstract; perhaps also of a time when, a high grade won, -triumphant he should return and lay his spoil at Adèle's feet. - -And he was drawn; his friends begged him to let them purchase a -substitute,--he, with his ambition and his love for them combined, -would not allow that they should thus impoverish themselves; but, -being strongly urged, he turned to where Adèle silently was grieving, -and left the choice to her. - -Poor Adèle, knowing well his secret heart, and fearing that he -would only fret and chafe at home,--perhaps, too, being herself a -little tainted with his love for glory,--wept, but said, "Go, then, -dear Gustave; never shall a French girl counsel her lover to desert -his country." - -So, while many a tear and secret prayer are poured out for his welfare, -Gustave goes. - -The land rings with martial preparations; on all sides is the -excitement of the coming war: the eagles and the banners are raised -high; and all the air is filled with the grand anthem, "Partant pour -la Syrie." - - - -Part II. - -Gustave wrote often: first he was learning his drill, then he had -finished his initiation and was in favour with his superiors, often -being able to assist with his clear head and ready pen. - -Soon after these, a letter came to say the regiment was to hasten to -Marseilles, there to embark for Eastern service. - -A long silence, and a battle had been fought upon the plains of Alma: -his name was not in the lists of killed and wounded,--those fearful -lists that break the hearts of many; it is not those fighting, but -those left behind we ought to pity. - -Then came a day of joy: Gustave had performed one of those daring -feats of which the Russian war gave so many instances,--he had been -promoted; and Adèle's eyes sparkled, and her bosom heaved, as friends -came flocking in offering their congratulations. - -The long winter was rolling on; still the enemy, with desperate -courage, defended the beleaguered city; and men died fast of fatigue, -and cold, and want, both within and without the walls. - -Gustave was strong and healthy, never sick or suffering; but, alas! a -day came when, after a night sortie gallantly repelled by the French, -who followed the enemy nearly into the very town, it was found that -he had not returned; and his men reported that he had fallen mortally -wounded close to the city walls: they had endeavoured to bring him -off, but the task was too difficult, and he was left to breathe his -last where he had fallen. - -The Colonel himself wrote to his friends, and a decoration was -forwarded; but did those words of praise, did that cold cross, repay -Adèle for her lost lover? Often, when no eye but that of God was on -her, she sat with these treasures in her lap, but from her eyes the -tears would flow, and the cross and words were dimly seen through -the descending drops,--no, Adèle was not consoled, though he had died -for France; hollow were to her the words, "Mourir pour la Patrie." - - - -Part III. - -Peace was with the earth again; the dear-bought peace, that found -parents and children, wives and sisters, mourning for those the war -had snatched from their embrace. - -Around the walls of Toul the harvest had been gathered; the last few -sheaves were loaded on the carts as the declining sun sank down; -the horses or oxen, gaily decked, moved slowly towards the city; -round the waggons the children danced, and thus the maidens sang as -in the olden time:-- - - - THE HARVEST SONG. - - Our labour all is done; - We've finished with the sun, - Who now, in the far west - Low sinking, goes to rest. - - The golden grain is stored; - The Great God be adored, - Who sent the sun and rain - To swell the golden grain. - - The stalwart oxen strong - Drag the great wain along; - The last ray from the sun - Shines on our work now done. - - Twine, then, the garlands gay; - Let, then, the music play; - And gaily dance till morn, - And fill the flowing horn: - - For now the grain is stored, - The Great God be adored, - Who sent the sun and rain - To swell the golden grain. - - -Adèle entered not into their joy, her heart was like her -lover--dead. As they go with the last waggon towards home suddenly -a shout is heard--a crowd comes on--she hears her name called--many -voices seem to say "Gustave!"--the crowd gives way. - -Well-known eyes are looking into hers as she awakes to -consciousness--his arm is round her, and his heart is beating -against hers. - -Alive, though grievously wounded, he had been taken care of by a -noble foe; and at the termination of the war, released, he had come -back; one empty sleeve was pinned against his breast, but there she -placed the cross,--he smiled fondly on her, but looking at it sighed, -thinking perchance glory may be bought too dear. - -And now by the Moselle's banks Adèle nurses her invalid husband, and -peace for the moment reigns in France. But, alas and alas! many another -Adèle will mourn many another Gustave, before mankind have learnt to -fulfil the wish contained in Jeanette's song, and be content to - - - "Let those that make the quarrel be - The only ones to fight." - - -Toul contains little to detain us except its fine cathedral; it is -"dullest of the dull," no movement in its streets; a railroad hurries -past her gates, but few of the passengers enter them; her history -alone is interesting: built before history for this portion of the -globe began, she was, when visited by the Roman eagles, the capital -of the warlike Leuci. - -Erected at a very early period into a bishopric, its Bishops were its -rulers; nominally subject to these Bishops and the Counts of Toul, the -burghers seem actually to have enjoyed all the rights of a free city, -and eventually the town was reckoned one of the free Imperial cities. - -In a quarrel which arose between these burghers and their bishop, -Gilles de Sorcy, in the thirteenth century, three arbiters were named -to settle the dispute. It appeared, that formerly the townspeople -had been obliged to find food for the Bishop's table during the -month of April; this custom had fallen into disuse, but now Gilles -claimed arrears and its continuance: the burghers, in their turn, -claimed certain gifts from the Bishop on his entrance into the city. - -It was agreed that the town should pay to the Bishop sixteen pounds, -money of Toul, each year; and he, on his part, was to distribute, -on his solemn entry into the city, forty measures of wine, eight -hundred pounds of bread, and an ox boiled (?) whole, with parsnips. - -By this award it would appear that neither party had the upper hand, -but that the power was nearly equally divided. - -At the death of Gilles dissensions broke out, and in A.D. 1300 -the people placed themselves under the protection of the King of -France. Disputes now arose between the French monarchs and the German -emperors, as Toul was an Imperial free city; but the French were the -more active, and the city was considered under their protection. - -Occasionally the citizens had to be recalled to a sense of their -allegiance by burning their suburbs or occupying their town. Finally, -in the sixteenth century, Toul was formally ceded to France, and -in A.D. 1700 Louis XIV. pulled down the old walls, and erected the -fortifications within which the town now stagnates. - -The great canal connecting the Rhine and Marne runs parallel with -the Moselle to Frouard, near which place the Meurthe falls in: the -country is pleasant, diversified by hill and dale, and richly wooded. - -Beyond Liverdun, railroad, road, canal, and river, run side by -side,--fire, earth, water, and air, all rendered thus subservient -to man. - -And now the Meurthe runs in; full of gay confidence, this friend -imparts her knowledge to our stream. - -She tells her of a city beautifully laid out with gardens of great -trees, beneath whose shade gay dames and damsels walk, while music -fills the air; hard by the numerous fountains play; and the old palace -of King Stanislas, who enriched the town with many a stately building, -is near. The shops and cafés, the theatre and walks, all render Nancy -a cheerful and agreeable abode. - -Within the old town is the curious palace of the ancient Dukes, -containing a museum, where all sorts of relics are preserved. - -Old towers stud the walls; and statues, groves, and churches ornament -the town: in the ducal chapel are the tombs of the Dukes of Lorraine, -who were powerful sovereign princes. This chapel is very beautiful. - -Nancy appears to have been at the height of its lustre during the -reign of Stanislas, who received the Duchy of Lorraine, in lieu of -his own kingdom of Poland, from the French monarch; at his death the -duchy finally reverted to France, and became extinct in 1766. - -Stanislas and his queen, in 1699, took part in a very curious ceremony -called "The Fête des Brandons," annually practised in Nancy. - -This fête was thus conducted: on a certain day all the newly-married -couples, of whatever degree, were obliged, under pain of penalty, -to go out of the city gate and fetch a fagot; these fagots were, -to save them the trouble of going to the wood, sold to them outside -the gates, where a sort of fair was held, in which they purchased -ribands, pruning-knives of white wood, &c.; they returned, with -their fagot bound with the ribands, and the husband with one of the -pruning-knives hanging to his button, to the Halle des Cerfs in the -ducal palace: from there they went in procession to the market-place, -and formed a pile with the fagots; they then inscribed their names -at the Hôtel de Ville, in a book kept for that purpose, and received -certain privileges for the coming year. - -Returning to the palace, they danced in the court, and the young men -pelted peas under their feet; which "being," says the chronicler, -"very hard, occasioned the dancers many falls, which caused great -hilarity among the spectators." - -At seven in the evening they had a grand supper at the Hôtel de Ville, -and afterwards the bonfire was lit and fireworks sent up. - -During the blazing of the bonfire the new-married had the right of -proclaiming from the balcony of the Hôtel de Ville, "Les Valentins -et les Valentines," i.e. they called out the names of any of their -unmarried friends with the following words, "Qui donne-t-on à -M----?" "Mademoiselle ----" was answered by another, and the crowd -took up the names, expressing their approbation or otherwise. - -In the course of the next week the Valentin was to send to his -Valentine a bouquet, or other present; if she accepted it, she -appeared, with the cadeau, at the toilette of the Duchess, on the -following Sunday; if no present had been sent by the Valentin, his -neighbours lit a fire of straw in front of his house, as a sign of -their displeasure. - -The ladies were to give a ball to their Valentins, and if they did -not do so, a straw-fire was lit before their houses. - -These fires were called "Brûler le Valentin," or "Valentine," and -showed "the new-married" had made a mistake in their choice for -the unmarried. The chronicle finishes by saying, "the people were so -pleased at seeing Stanislas and his queen taking a part in their fête, -that they did not pelt peas under their feet when dancing." - -Nancy is not a town of very ancient date like its neighbours, Metz -and Toul; it dates only from the eleventh century, and even then it -was merely "a castle with a few houses clustered round." - -Here Joan of Arc, born at Domremy, near Toul, was first presented by -the Sire de Baudricourt to Duke Charles II., who gave her a horse and -arms, and sent her to Chinon to the King, Charles VII. of France, -to whom Joan made use of the following words:--"Je vous promets de -par Dieu, premier qu'il soit un an, tous les Anglais hors de royaume -je mettrai, et vous certifie que la puissance en moi est." - -After her barbarous murder the King ennobled all her family, males -and females, in perpetuity; and they retained this privilege into -the seventeenth century, when a parliamentary decree confined the -honours to the males. - -Many in Lorraine believed that Joan was not really burnt: this belief -gave rise to several impostors, one of whom was so successful that she -deceived even Joan's brothers, and under her assumed name married a -certain Seigneur des Armoises: another was for some time believed in, -and fêted accordingly, but at last, being confronted with the King, -he posed her by asking what was the secret between them. - -In 1445 the Duke of Suffolk arrived at Nancy to demand the hand of -Marguerite, René's beautiful daughter, for Henry VI. of England; René -willingly consented to this honour, and Marguerite went forth to pass -her troubled life in camps and battles, until, after the murder of -her husband and son, she returned to Lorraine, and died in 1482, near -St. Mihiel. She was remarkable, says the historian, for her virtues, -her talents, her courage, her misfortunes, and her beauty. - -Charles the Bold besieged and took Nancy in 1475; contrary to his usual -custom, he was most affable to the citizens, wishing to make Nancy the -capital city of the new kingdom he proposed carving out for himself -from the adjoining states; but his quarrel with the Swiss arrested -the progress of these schemes, and in his absence René II. retook the -city, the garrison capitulating: after the capitulation the governor -sent René a pâté of horseflesh, and told him that for several days -they had been reduced to such nourishment. - -Immediately afterwards Charles re-appeared, and again besieged -the city; René departed to procure assistance from the Swiss, -the garrison promising to hold out for two months; and in keeping -this promise it suffered great hardships,--the walls were in ruin, -a terrible disease appeared within the town, and no less than four -hundred men were frozen to death on Christmas night only. - -At length René and the Swiss arrived; then the celebrated battle was -fought in which Charles was slain. It is said that before the fight -commenced he feared for the result, as, in putting on his helmet, the -crest fell to the ground. René re-entered his capital by torchlight -the same night. - -Under its Duke, Charles IV., Nancy suffered much from war, and endured -several sieges; at length it was finally incorporated in the French -Empire in 1766. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - - Sweet age of girlhood's prime, - When glad, and gay, and free, - Loving and loved by all, - Life flows on joyously; - Ere yet earth's cares have dimm'd - Eyes bright with happiness, - Or thrown a shade of gloom - O'er the imagined bliss - Of coming life, which in - Dim future seems to shine, - Lit up by present hope - As jewels light the mine. - O fair Moselle! O sweetest Maid! - Who, dancing on midst sun and shade, - Hast left thy distant mountain home, - Through woods and valleys thus to roam; - May no sad shade thy life o'erspread, - No storm break o'er thy beauteous head, - But ever may thy fair wave glide - Peaceful, as when Meurthe's sparkling tide - Flows in, and gently whispering its tale doth tell - To thee, O Queen of Rivers, radiant Moselle! - - -It is a rich green valley where these waters meet, where the Meurthe -dies, and dying, gives her waters to increase those of her friend. - -Bountifully watering the valley's soil, our river flows through the -department named after her, Moselle, and forms a large island, where -the ancient Roman aqueduct formerly strode over. - -Of this aqueduct sixteen arches and one column still remain on the -right bank, at the village named Jouy aux Arches; from the gardens -above, the river is seen glittering through the valley, which is -framed into pictures by the huge arches. - -Of course a legend exists that the Devil built this aqueduct. He had -promised to do it, for some unknown consideration, before cock-crow; -the cock, however, crowed too soon, and the Devil, irritated with the -cock and himself, kicked down an unoffending arch: the uncompleted -aqueduct soon became ruinous. - -Another legend makes Azita (a daughter of Noah) the builder of these -arches; she, being a cautious lady, erected them in order that, -if another flood came, she might climb up and be safe. - -This aqueduct, which was six leagues long, poured its waters into a -vast bason, where representations of naval engagements were given by -the Romans. It was already a ruin in the tenth century. - -Jouy is about six miles from Metz, which is esteemed the strongest city -in France, and is garrisoned by twelve thousand men. As we approach -the town the beautiful cathedral is seen looming large above the -other buildings; it was commenced in the eleventh century, and not -completed until the sixteenth: it is elegant in its proportions and -beautiful in its detail; another older church is incorporated into it, -and its windows are filled with very beautiful stained glass. - -Approaching the town, the river breaks into two branches, and -another stream comes in, all helping to fortify the old capital of -the Austrasians. - -The history of Metz is one of the most interesting that can be studied; -its first appearance in history is as the capital of the Mediomatrices, -and early it became the see of a Christian Bishop. - -In the fifth century, Attila with his Huns swept like a pestilence over -Europe, and Metz was sacked and burnt; to the Romans, Attila was "the -Scourge of God," to his countrymen little less than a god himself. At -length he was defeated by the allied Germans and Romans on the plains -of Chalons, after losing two hundred thousand men; but even then his -power was unbroken, and in a few months he was before Rome, which -city he was induced to spare by the intercession of the Pontiff, Leo, -who, arrayed in priestly robes and surrounded by his clergy chanting -hymns, sought him in his camp. Soon after he retreated northwards, -and was murdered by his wife, Criemhilda, who was of German origin: -with him fell his vast empire, and the Huns disappeared beyond the -Black Sea. This extraordinary century saw the rise and fall of three -separate kings and tribes. First came Alaric, king of the Visigoths, -who overran the Roman Empire and took Rome itself by storm, A.D. 410; -but soon after, dying suddenly, his kingdom perished with him. His -body, it is said, was laid in the bed of an Italian river, from which -the stream had been diverted; an immense treasure was placed around -him, and the stream returning to its natural course, the labourers -were murdered, and thus the secret of his burial-place was hid for -ever. After him came Attila; and lastly, Odoacer, sprung from the -Heruli, became the King of Italy, dethroning Romulus Augustus, the -last Roman Emperor: he perished too, being murdered in 493 by orders -of Theodoric the Ostrogoth. - -During all these wars, and midst the crash of falling empires, -rose slowly the sun of Christianity, and soon its penetrating beams -dispersed the night that had obscured earth since the Roman splendour -had passed away. Now a king was baptized, and anon a martyr died, both -events alike serving to spread the religion of peace; and on the ruins -of Paganism is now built up the Church of Christ, and a new period -of the world's history begins with the downfall of the Roman Empire. - -The history of Metz at this early period is the history of the -Austrasian kingdom, of which it was the capital. - -At the beginning of the fifth century, a nation called the Franks -appeared upon the scene of history: this nation was a powerful -confederacy of German tribes, and came from the north-western parts -of Germany. - -They took possession of the neighbouring lands as far as the Moselle, -and, the half of them settling on that river, were called the -Salii. Gaul soon after being abandoned by the Romans, the Salii became -an entirely independent nation, and about A.D. 420, being emulous of -the fame of the great Gothic King (Alaric), they for the first time -elected a king over themselves, and composed the celebrated Salique -law. This king is handed down to us under the name of Pharamond, -but it is very doubtful whether such a person ever existed; he was -succeeded by Clodion, whose successor, Merowig, was the founder of -the Merovingian dynasty: his grandson, Clovis, was the real founder of -the kingdom of the Franks; he died "leaving a kingdom more extensive -than that of modern France." - -He divided his territories into four parts, but his son Clotaire -reunited them. Clovis was baptized a Christian in A.D. 493; he was -ever the champion of the Church against the great Arian heresy, and -has received, therefore, from the Church's hands, a meed of praise, -certainly unwarranted, "as he had on all occasions shown himself a -heartless ruffian, a greedy conqueror, and a bloodthirsty tyrant;" -his great power was only attained by wading through a sea of blood, -flowing not only from enemies, but also from his nearest relatives -and friends. - -Clotaire, who is recorded as having been "cruel and licentious, -even for a Merovingian," dying, the kingdom was again divided by his -sons into four parts, Sigebert receiving Austrasia, with Metz for -his capital. - -He married the beautiful Brunhilda, daughter of Athanagildis, king -of the Visigoths; and his brother, Chilperic, married her sister: -this sister was murdered at the instigation of Fredegunda, to whom -Chilperic was shortly after married. Then began a series of murders -and bloodshed between the rivals Brunhilda and Fredegunda. - -Never, says the historian, has one family amassed such a heritage of -crime as King Clovis and his descendants,--the cruelties and murders -of his sons were far exceeded by those of his grandsons, their wives, -and successors. The history of this period is a chaos of murders, -treachery, and license. The kings lived each with several wives and -concubines, murdering each other and committing every crime; while -the queens caused those who opposed their power to be assassinated, -poisoned even their own sons, and sowed dissensions on all sides, -leading as vile lives as their husbands. Thus the Merovingian race -fell under the weight of its own crimes, and, long before its final -extinction in 752, it possessed but the shadow of authority, the real -power being in the hands of subjects, termed Mayors of the Palace, -who, from being mere house-stewards, rose to be leaders of the armies -and presidents of the councils of their effeminate monarchs. - -It is curious to find this debased family, through all their misdeeds, -crimes, and impotency, still regarded with affection and veneration by -the mass of their subjects; and although mere puppets in the hands of -the Mayors, the people must have been unaware of their loss of dignity, -and their eyes must have been systematically blinded by a fictitious -state being preserved round these nominal kings. The following legend -of Theolinda will exemplify this; the Sigebert referred to is Sigebert -III., son of Dagobert I., who was the last of the family that exercised -anything like independent authority. - - - -THEOLINDA. - -On the banks of the Moselle, Theolinda was the fairest shepherdess; -happy in love and beauty, she sat by the river's bank, Alcidor's arm -around her. While sitting thus they were surprised by the approach -of Sigebert and his Queen, who were passing a few days in a solitary -castle which stood near the banks of the Moselle, surrounded by groves. - -The King asked Alcidor if he would wish to serve in the army as a -knight's squire; and the Queen offered Theolinda to place her among her -ladies, where she would be "as a rose among wild flowers." Both humbly -declined, urging that love was sufficient for them, but professed -that they were ready to lay down their lives, if needful, for their -King: he smiled and left them, assuring them of his protection and -assistance, should they need it. - - - -The hordes of the Vandals were threatening Austrasia, and Sigebert -stood on the defensive, feeling his weakness; his general took up a -strong position in the Vosges mountains, and there awaited the enemy. - -The news of these events reached the quiet valleys of the Moselle, -and Alcidor hastened to fulfil his promise to the King, and joined -the army that was gathering in the forest of Ardennes; being known -as a brave man, and perfectly acquainted with the intricacies of the -forest, he was appointed to command a body of bowmen. - -A battle ensued, and Alcidor, with his war-cry of "Theolinda," -drove all before him, but in the heat of the battle a javelin struck -his heart; the battle was lost, and Theolinda heard the news from -a grey-haired shepherd: she dropped senseless to the ground, but -recovering, hastened to the royal camp. - -The King was sitting in his council-chamber, surrounded by his -courtiers, in the city of Metz, when a knight came in and said, -"Gracious prince! while setting the watch a virgin approached me; she -was majestically handsome and mild. First I took her for a divinity, -but she addressed me in the following words,--'Permit me to speak to -the General before the King quits the council-chamber.'" - -"Admit her," quoth the King. - -And Theolinda entered, looking mildly and steadfastly around. - -"Poor shepherdess!" said the King, "thy faithful lover hath fallen; -his memory will ever be dear to us. What can I do for thee?" - -"Oh, King," replied Theolinda, "last night I saw him in my dreams, -and he told me that by the decree of Heaven I am ordained to stop -the career of the barbarian hordes. Wheresoever I cast my looks there -shall the dark-red banner fail; the lilies shall advance carried by -thy general, I preceding. Thus the white dove shall precede the army -and victoriously soar aloft like the royal eagle; and I am come, -my King, to lead thy warriors to victory." - -The King, without hesitation, exclaimed, "I feel the power of her -words, and grant Theolinda's request." - -Arrayed in glittering armour, and a white plume on her head, Theolinda -preceded the King's army: the King, on a fleet horse, flew from rank to -rank encouraging, and victory crowned their efforts; the routed Vandals -fled; and peace and prosperity returned to the banks of the Moselle. - -Returning in triumph, the festive train proceeded to the Cathedral, -and all being assembled within the sacred edifice, the King asked, -"Where is the heroic maid that saved the country?" - -At these words the ranks of the guards opened, and Theolinda appeared; -her arms were bright as the morning-star, her eyes were clear and -serious, roses adorned her floating hair. The King addressed her thus: -"Be a member of the most noble order; Pharamond's sword knights thee." - -The virgin humbly bent her knee, he touched her with his sword, and -knights and people shouted, "Hail! all hail! blessed be the saviour -of her country!" - -One only request she made, which was, that at her death her ashes -should be laid with those of the dead Alcidor; and then, heedless of -remonstrance, departed to live the life of a hermit in the wilderness; -and many suffering pilgrims wandered to her for consolation. - -Many years in pious seclusion she lived; at length Alcidor again -appeared to her in a dream, and said, "Thy time of probation is ended; -follow me now to the regions of eternal bliss!" She inclined her head -and died. They laid her, as she had requested, with Alcidor. - - - -In many points of view this legend is curious and interesting; -perhaps, could we tear the veil from history, we might find that these -Merovingians were not so black as they are painted, or, at any rate, -that it was owing to some redeeming points that they lived thus in -their subjects' hearts. Curious especially is this legend, inasmuch -as in all probability it may have incited Joan of Arc to perform -her deeds, the similarity of the two stories being remarkable; and -there can be but little doubt that this legend was rife at Joan's -day in this district, near which she lived: in any case, the legend -is touchingly simple and beautiful; it is given at great length in -"Traditions of the Countries of the Rhine," by Dr. Aloys Schreiber. - - - -The Bishops of Metz early played an important part in history. Arnulph, -who flourished about 622, was almost a king in power, and from him -descended Charles Martel, whose son Pepin became in name, as his -father had long been in fact, King of France. - -Pepin's son Charlemagne, we are told, held his court at Thionville -(about twenty miles lower down the Moselle). Here he was accompanied by -his seven beautiful daughters; all taught to work in wool, to ride, and -to hunt, in order that they might not be corrupted by idleness: they -all supped with him, and when he journeyed rode after him on horseback. - -Charlemagne was said to have been seven feet high, and his arm was -as mighty as his genius; wisdom and dignity sat on his brow; his seal -was the handle of his sword, and he was wont to say, "With my sword I -maintain all to which I affix my seal." He died in 814, and was buried -sitting upright as on a throne, and clothed in his imperial robes. - -His successor, Louis, convoked the States at Thionville in 835; no -less than eight Archbishops and thirty-five Bishops attended on this -occasion, so numerous had become the Christian prelates. In 869 Charles -the Bald was crowned at Metz, the Bishops of Metz and Toul being -especially mentioned; and in his grandson's reign we find a Bishop -Wala, of Metz, killed before the gates of that city, while fighting -bravely in its defence against the Norsemen, who at this period made -frequent incursions into France and the adjoining countries. Bishops -had ceased to be pastors, and become warriors and temporal princes. - -The Bishops of Metz were long able to maintain their authority -in the city, though often the citizens disputed it. In Henry the -Fowler's reign, Metz became a free imperial city; and in the twelfth -century a Maître Echevin, with twelve councillors, was established, -and for centuries this form of government was adhered to: thus the -Bishops were superseded by a Republic. They still, however, enjoyed -considerable power, being the principal parties in the election of -the Maître and his council. - -A curious legend of Metz is handed down to us from the beginning of -the thirteenth century. - - - -THE MIRACULOUS SHIRT. - -In Metz there lived a lady named Florentina, whose husband, Alexander, -was going to the Crusades; she presented him, on his departure, -with a miraculous shirt, which would always retain its purity (a -great comfort in a crusade). - -The Knight was taken prisoner, and being put to labour, the Sultan -remarked the extraordinary circumstance of a prisoner being always -in a clean shirt, and inquired the reason. Alexander told him it -was a miraculous shirt, which would always remain as spotless as his -wife's virtue. - -The Sultan despatched a cunning man to undermine the lady's virtue, -as he thought ill of the sex. - -The emissary was quite unsuccessful. - -Florentina having learnt from the cunning man her husband's -condition, disguised herself as a pilgrim, and reached the place of -his captivity. She then, by her singing, so charmed the Sultan, that, -at her request, he made her a present of a slave who she selected. This -was her husband; and she gave him his liberty, and received in exchange -from him a piece of the miraculous shirt, he not recognising his wife. - -Florentina hastened back to Metz, but Alexander arrived there first, -and was informed by his friends of his wife's long absence during his -captivity. When she arrived, he bitterly reproached her (although -the shirt had not become dirty). She explained, and produced the -piece he had given her, thus showing how she had been employed; -and so they lived happily together. - - - -Very quaint is this legend, and we are at a loss to understand the -origin of so curious an invention. The following is a story of the -same date, and, though not belonging to Metz, serves to illustrate -this period:-- - -A Thuringian Count, who was married, being taken prisoner in the East, -the Sultan's daughter fell in love with him, gave him his liberty, -and fled with him to Europe, he promising to marry her. - -On arriving at home he presented her to his Countess, and with the -consent of all parties, and the Pope's sanction, wedded her also, and -they all three lived very happily together. At Erfurt may be seen the -three effigies, the Count in the centre: the tombs have been opened, -and one of the skulls was found to be like an Asiatic's, thus in some -measure corroborating the truth of this remarkable tale. - -We have now emerged from what may be termed the ancient history of -Metz, and the more detailed accounts of the modern period give us a -series of sieges, battles, and plots, from which we will select those -appearing the most interesting. - -In 1354 the Emperor Charles IV. remained some time at Metz, -and returned there again two years after, when he held a Diet, at -which the Archbishops of Trèves, Cologne, and Mayence, and the four -lay-Electors, were present. At this Diet additions were made to the -celebrated Golden Bull, which was then published, and remained the -law of the Empire until the nineteenth century. Metz was now at the -height of its glory. Now, say the "Annals," Metz was resplendent with -knights, princes, dukes, and archbishops. The Emperor, clothed with -the imperial ensigns, and surrounded by the great officers of state, -the naked sword in his hand and the crown on his head, attended -service in the Cathedral. - -A party in the town wished to raise a tumult, and deliver the city -to the Emperor; but the Cardinal de Piergort representing the infamy -of such treachery, the Emperor sent for the chiefs of the city and -gave up to them the traitors, who, when night-time came, were drowned -in the river. The Emperor departed, and then followed a series of -discords unimportant except to the actors. - -In 1365, companies of countrymen, and pillagers set free by the peace -of Bretigny, succeeded each other in attacking Metz, and ravaging the -neighbourhood. With some difficulty they were defeated and dispersed. - -No sooner were these petty wars ended, than a larger one broke out -with the Lorrainese; and the Count de Bar advanced to Metz and defied -the Messins to combat, sending them a bloody gauntlet. The citizens, -however, declined the conflict, and peace was concluded. - -In 1405 an émeute took place in the town, and the people rising -turned out the magistrates, and replaced them with their own -representatives. Soon, however, the ancient rulers managed to reinstate -themselves, and took a bloody vengeance on their enemies. - -In 1407, the Duke de Bar resolved to take Metz by surprise. He secretly -fitted out a train of boats, filled with arms and munitions of war, -and sent a large body of soldiers, who secreted themselves near the -town. All was prepared, and on the morrow an attack was to be made, -when a sudden panic seized the attacking party, and they fled, leaving -their boats and munitions, by which the Messins learnt the peril they -had escaped. - -In 1444, a furious war was waged between the Duke of Lorraine and the -Messins: the Duke was assisted by his brother-in-law, Charles VII. of -France. The quarrel originated in some money claims that the city had -on the Duchess of Lorraine, which claims she refused to satisfy. The -irritated Messins seized on the lady's baggage between Pont-à-Mousson -and Nancy, as she was performing a pilgrimage to the former. The -Duke, in revenge, besieged the city, and the burghers ravaged his -territories. Much blood was shed on both sides, until at last peace -was made between the belligerents by the King, who received a sum of -money from the Messins. So powerful was this republic, that it could -single-handed wage war with a sovereign prince. - -A few years after, when the celebrated War of Investitures took place, -the Messins were called on to fight for Adolphe of Nassau, the nominee -of the Pope. They pleaded their privileges and the late ruinous wars, -and begged to remain neutral. The Pope, in consequence, excommunicated -the city; a great number of the clergy obeyed the Papal Bull, and -left in procession for Pont-à-Mousson, with the cross and banners at -their head. For three years this extraordinary state of things lasted, -during which time the churches were empty and the dying unshriven. At -length the Pope took off the interdict, and the priests and canons -returned, but the Messins had to pay dearly for their opposition to -ecclesiastical power. - -About this period the wily Louis XI. of France thought the time -was come for joining Metz to his dominions; he accordingly wrote a -kind, mild letter to the citizens, suggesting that they should put -themselves under his protection, and thus secure their peace. The -citizens wrote back cautiously, but expressed their surprise at the -King's proposition; he, fearing to incense and thus throw so powerful -a city into alliance with the noblesse that were taking part against -him, disowned his herald, and denied the letter he had sent. - -The next event was an endeavour to take Metz by storm, on the part -of the Duke of Lorraine, and it very nearly succeeded. Early in the -morning of the 9th April, 1473, while the Messins still slept, ten -thousand Lorrainese arrived near the walls from Pont-à-Mousson, having -marched during the night; with them was a certain Krantz, nicknamed -"La Grande Barbe," who had constructed a peculiar waggon, filled with -casks, which was capable of sustaining the weight of a portcullis, -and thus preventing its closing when once it had been raised. - -Disguised as merchants, Krantz and some of his companions, -with a train of waggons filled with casks, among which was the -peculiarly-constructed one, appeared before the city gates, and were -admitted; the waggons entered, and the particular one was halted -immediately beneath the portcullis, the pretended merchants then -rushed on the guardian of the gate and killed him. - -Being joined by a select body of five hundred men, who quickly entered, -La Grande Barbe raised the shout of "Ville gagnée!" adding, "Slay, -slay, women and children; spare none! Vive Lorraine!" - -The awakened burghers rushed in disorder from their beds, knowing -what these sounds portended, and all was lost but for the presence of -mind of a baker named Harelle, who lived near the gate under which the -waggon was stationed. He ran to the house over the gate, and succeeded -in lowering the side portions of the portcullis, so that horsemen -could not enter, and foot soldiers only by creeping under the waggon. - -Then rushing into the streets, Harelle rallied and encouraged the -citizens, and finally routed the Lorrainese, slaying La Grande Barbe -and two hundred of his companions, the rest escaping by flight. - -In a few minutes all was over; the assaulters dead or flown, the -gates reclosed, and the assembled Council preparing to prosecute the -war. Thus the clear-headed baker saved the good city of Metz. - -In 1473 the Emperor Frederick III. visited the town, and the keys being -presented to him, he promised solemnly to preserve the liberties of -the citizens. He then, accompanied by his son, Maximilian, entered -in state, followed by the Archbishop of Mayence, and other princes -and prelates. - -The Messins had been so harassed by attempts at surprise that they -now were ever on their guard against them; and so fearful had they -become, that when the Emperor, in visiting their church, came to -the great bell, and expressed a wish to hear it sound, they declined -respectfully, saying it was an old custom only to sound it thrice in -the year. This they did, fearing it might be meant as a signal of -attack on their hardly-maintained liberties. They also had, during -the Emperor's visit, 2000 men constantly under arms, ready to obey -the Maître Echevin's orders at a moment's notice; and they kept strict -guard over the gates. - -While Frederick was with them the Messins refused to admit Charles -the Bold, with more than five hundred horsemen. He was furious, -but the Emperor agreed to meet him at Trèves instead; and afterwards -Duke Charles had no time or opportunity to revenge himself on Metz, -but rather conciliated that powerful city, and when he took Nancy -sent a present of cannon and other spoil to the Messins, who were -delighted at the misfortune of their old enemies, the Lorrainese. - -In 1491 another attempt was made by the Duke of Lorraine to gain -possession of the town. Surprise and stratagem having previously -failed, he now tried treachery, and secured the services of a certain -Sire Jehan de Landremont, who induced one of the gatekeepers, named -Charles Cauvellet, a Breton by birth, but who had acquired the rights -of citizenship, to join the plot. - -All was easily arranged, thanks to Cauvellet, who had the keys of the -city. A day was fixed on, but it turning out so rainy that the river -flooded the approaches to the town, a fresh day was named; in the -meantime Cauvellet's conscience pricked him, and he confessed the plot -to the Maître Echevin. His life was spared, but the Sire de Landremont, -after his sentence had been read at every cross-street in the town, -he being led about on horseback for this purpose, was strangled, -drawn, and quartered. He died with a smile on his countenance, saying -he only regretted having been unsuccessful. - -A peace was soon after patched up between René and the Messins. - -Though so long resisting, the city was doomed eventually to fall by -treachery, and the time at length arrived. - -In 1552, Henry II. of France entered Lorraine, and occupied -Pont-à-Mousson. On the 10th of April he presented himself before the -gates of Metz, which is styled in the annals of the day "a great and -rich imperial city, very jealous of its liberties." Although Henry -had taken the most rigorous measures to suppress Protestantism in his -own dominions, he here appeared as the champion of that religion, -and entered into a secret treaty with the Protestant Princes, who -agreed that he should occupy Metz, Courtrai, Toul, and Verdun, as -Vicar-Imperial. Henry, wishing to gain immediate possession of Metz, -engaged his ally, the Bishop, to bribe the inhabitants of the "Quartier -du Heu," and raise dissensions among the garrison. These preparations -made, the Sieur de Tavannes arrived before that quartier, and harangued -the people, telling them that the good King Henry was fighting for -their liberties, and they could not do less than allow him to lodge in -their town with his body-guard of five hundred men. "Surely that was -not too much to grant to their defender?" The people, half-persuaded, -allowed a body of men to approach and commence filing through the -gate, but seeing that instead of five hundred there were nearly five -thousand drawing near, they wished to close the gate; but Tavannes -continued to speak them fair until upwards of seven hundred picked -men had entered, when a Swiss captain, who held the keys for Metz, -seeing the number, threw the keys at Tavannes' head, exclaiming in -the idiom of the country, "Tout est choué." - -Thus was Metz taken, kings and nobles thinking any treachery fair -against mere bourgeois. Of course Henry kept it for himself, not the -Protestant interest; and henceforward it remained a portion of the -French dominions. - -Before the Emperor Charles V. allowed so important a free city quietly -to revert to France, he sent Alba with a large army to besiege it, -he remaining at Thionville to watch proceedings, his health being -too bad to allow him to prosecute the siege in person. - -The town was defended by the young Duke of Guise, who turned out all -the women, old men, and children, and pulled down half the town in -order the better to defend the other half; working himself in the -trenches, he by his example so encouraged his soldiers and citizens, -that they sustained all the assaults of the Imperialists. - -Charles V., seeing that the siege did not progress, and that the -breaches were repaired as fast as made; finding also that his own army -was rapidly wasting with cold and sickness, reluctantly ordered Alba -to raise the siege; the Duke retired, leaving his tents and sick, -together with a great quantity of baggage and munitions: to the -credit of the conquerors, they treated the sick with great kindness, -contrary to the usual custom at that period. Charles departed, saying -that he perceived "Fortune, like other women, accorded her favours -to the young, and disdained grey locks." - -In 1555, the people of Metz became exceedingly discontented at the -Governor's taking-away many of their ancient liberties; this gave -rise to the - - - -PLOT OF THE CORDELIERS. - -A Cordelier, named le Père Léonard, guardian of a convent, engaged -many of the leading townspeople in a conspiracy to retake Metz from -the French. - -For this purpose, having first persuaded his brother monks to join him, -he introduced into the convent, which had walls capable of defence, -arms and soldiers. - -He then agreed with the Governor of Thionville to open an entrance -into the town for a body of Imperialist troops on a given night; -at the same time, to distract the French, the town was to be fired -in several places. - -Vieilleville, the Governor of Metz, hearing that a Cordelier was -constantly seen in conversation with the Governor of Thionville, -became suspicious, and suddenly visiting the convent, found the arms -and concealed men; he also seized Père Léonard as he entered the city -on his return from Thionville, and learning from him that a body of -Imperial troops was to march to Metz that very night, despatched -a force, which, taking them by surprise, routed them and cut them -to pieces. - -The monks, from whom by promises and threats he had extorted a full -disclosure of the plot, he threw into a dungeon, telling them they -should be hanged next day, and might confess to each other. - -On the dungeon being opened in the morning, it was found that the -monks, enraged with the Superior, who had drawn them into the plot, had -killed him and maimed his four advisers; these latter were, with ten of -their brethren, hanged, and the ten youngest were exiled from the town. - - - -In 1631, Metz capitulated to Gustavus Adolphus; he remained there all -the winter, and presented the Bishop's library to his Chancellor, -Oxenstiern, who sent it off to Sweden; but the vessel sank and the -books were lost. - -The only other extract from the history of Metz we shall here give -is of a different character. - - - -Louis XV. arrived at Metz with a strong army, in order to oppose -Charles of Lorraine, whose duchy he had given to Stanislas of Poland. - -Louis, who was accompanied by his mistress, the Duchess of Châteauroux, -and her sister, was taken mortally ill; previously there had been -erected a wooden gallery, which led, along the sides of four streets, -from the Duchess's apartments to those of the King: this gallery -was now given up at the angry remonstrances of the people, who were -much scandalized by the proceedings, and the sisters proceeded to -the King's residence, where they shut themselves into an apartment -adjoining that of the dying monarch. - -The Duke de Richelieu, who was in league with the Duchess, was First -Lord of the Bedchamber, and would not allow any of the Princes to -have access to the King. - -The town urged the King's Confessor to remonstrate with him, but he -refused; then the Bishop of Soissons undertook the task, and threatened -the King that he would not administer the last sacrament to him if he -refused to dismiss his mistresses. The doors were thrown open between -the King's room and that where the Duchesses sat, anxiously waiting -the turn of events. - -At length the King was induced to order them to depart, and they fled -into the country. - -Contrary to all expectation, and in consequence of a strong dose -administered by a quack, the King recovered, after he had been given -over by his doctors and received the last sacrament. The Duchesses -were recalled. - - - -Metz at the present day is the chief town of the Department of the -Moselle; it is situated on both banks and the island formed by the -embranchment of the river: its picturesque streets are connected by -several bridges, from which the views are very striking. - -It has excellent bathing establishments, fine cafés, a theatre, -good shops, and above all a promenade, almost unequalled in beauty; -it is situated on very high ground, densely shaded with great trees: -seats, and flowers, and grass are there; the military bands play in the -evening; the ladies are handsome and well-dressed, and from the walks -the view extends for many miles over the green plains of the Moselle; -the different branches of the river shine in the valley; the sun sets -over the hills which westward bound the view, its golden light streams -through the foliage and suffuses the whole valley; little boats glide -up and down the stream; merry voices sing in the distance; and thus, -with music, beauty, and sunshine, we leave the old Austrasian capital. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - -Leaving Metz, and all its soldiers, ramparts, and ditches far behind, -our river, passing through a level country, arrives at Thionville. This -town was in the diocese of Trèves, and dependent on the Parliament of -Metz. Here Charlemagne had a favourite palace; and here, in a solemn -assembly, he parted his vast estates between his three sons. - -Its history is like that of Metz, made up of sieges, assaults, and -surprises, but of less importance and less interest. It was always a -strong place, and at the present day its fortifications, constructed -by Vauban and Cormontaigne, are amongst the strongest in Europe: it -lies in a level plain, and is uninteresting, though rather picturesque. - -The Moselle rolls on, and in about twelve miles reaches Sierck, a -clean little town, on its right bank; and then we pass from France -to Prussia, and our river becomes German, its future beauty beginning -to dawn as it approaches Trèves. Two streams here increase the volume -of her waters--a smaller one on the left, and the Saar on the right. - -There is one peculiar charm about the banks and neighbourhood of -the Moselle, found equally at its source near Bussang, and amidst -the German hills, this is, the number and variety of the beautiful -wild-flowers with which its whole course teems, and with which our -river is, as it were, garlanded. - - - MOSELLE FLOWERS. - - Where the Mosel [1] murmurs low, - As its waters gently flow - Through the woods and flow'ry dells, - There a wood-nymph hidden dwells. - - Hidden she from mortal view, - Yet her footsteps may be traced - Where the night has scattered dew. - And the boughs are interlaced. - - If her feet have pressed the ground, - There the blooming flowers are found; - These gifts mark where she has strayed,-- - Thus we trace the fairy maid. - - The violet and lily grow. - The wild-rose and the tiny pink. - And the brilliant corn-flowers blow. - Hard by the gentle river's brink; - - The foxglove waves its lofty head - Above the trickling streamlet's bed; - The wild convolvulus doth twine - Its graceful arms around the vine. - - The snapdragon and mignonette. - The clematis and flox, - In ev'ry vale are frequent met; - And springing from the rocks, - The broom, the fern, and sweet red heather. - Profuse are found in groups together. - - The raspberry, strawberry, and thyme, - Over every hill do climb; - And in ev'ry wild retreat - We find the honeysuckle sweet. - - Blackberries, with fruit and thorn, - With the wild hop intertwine; - All these flowers the woods adorn, - And their loveliness combine. - - So the wood-nymph's steps we trace, - As she roams from place to place, - Scattering beauty o'er the ground; - Thus the earth with flowers is crowned. - - -Only a few of the flowers that we find growing there are enumerated in -the above; moreover, they are more beautiful than wild flowers usually -are, attaining to great size; the enothera, harebells, and campanulas, -with wild geraniums, and a host of others, go to swell the list. - -Before the Saar runs in, the red rocks of Trèves appear on the -left bank, jutting over the trees, close to the river's course; -then they retire inland, until the old Roman bridge is reached; -there they again approach, and from their heights the remnant of old -Trèves is spread out, environed by its avenues and studded with its -churches and ruins. The river is beneath; and the eight-arched bridge, -complete as in the golden days of Rome, clasps the waist of our river -as a zone encircling that of a young girl just budding into womanhood. - -And so, our graceful woman-stream at Trèves ceases her girlhood and -becomes more beautiful, more reflective, and more graceful; the hills -draw near, and the vineyards sparkle among the rocks; her handmaidens, -the brooks, wait at every turn to tend her, increasing her beauty; -and following in her train, pass along in glorious procession, the -trees bending and the rocks falling back before the might of innocence -and love. - -Strong in innocence, with virgin bosom unsullied, nothing less bright -than heaven's reflection ever having rested there; but mightier -still in love,--abounding love,--that causes her to feed the earth -and fertilise the soil wherever she passes; so that man, receiving -at her hands his daily food, thanks and blesses her, and praises, -through her, her Creator. - -We, the lookers-on, or lighter toilers, should bless her surely not -less than the poor vine-dresser or digger of the soil. True, for one -she has carved the rock into sunny platforms, and for the other she -has left upon the rocks a thick coating of productive earths; but to -us she has given that brighter gift of higher value far,--the impress -of God's beneficence, not merely through material food and drink, -but through the superior senses which feed the mind. - -It is impossible to wander from the source of our Moselle, to muse -over the rise and fall of the nations and cities on her banks, to -look upon her rocks and flowers, to glide adown her stream, to stand -amidst the ruined walls of her old towers, to watch the seed-time and -harvest on her banks, the clustering bunches and the brilliant glow of -the wine and corn, with all the lesser incidents adorning her;--it is -impossible to view all these, to ruminate and gaze, to live with her -and be of her in all her windings, all her sunshine and refreshing -shade, and not imbibe a portion of her spirit; a portion, larger as -we look deeper and think more, of her innocence and peace of mind, -which, laid up within our hearts, as the corn and wine within the -store, will give us at a future time joy and gladness. - -Harvest-time passes, and the vintage ends; but when the long winter -comes, their productiveness is present, and the stores laid up are -found to be indeed true treasures. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - -"Augusta Trevirorum" of the Romans, "Trier" of the Germans, and -"Trèves" to English, is, or at any rate claims to be, the most -ancient city of Europe; according to the legend it was founded by -a Prince Trebeta, who was driven out of his Asiatic possessions by -Semiramis. He is described as having been a wise and strong prince, -who built a magnificent palace of vast strength on the heights over -the Moselle, opposite to the town, which he called after his own -name: these things he did 1300 years before the foundation of Rome; -and on the "Rothen Haus" in Trèves are still the words, "Ante Romam -Treviris stetit annis mille trecentis." A picture, said to represent -this Prince Trebeta, is in the Town-hall: he is sitting on his father's -lap, with the spires of the Cathedral in his hand. - -Very interesting is Trèves; and if we cannot place confidence in Prince -Trebeta and his days, we must turn to that surer period when it was -the capital of the Roman dominions beyond the Alps, and received the -name of Augusta of the Trevii; these Trevii being the German tribe -residing around this part of the Moselle. - -Under its Roman name Trèves rose to the height of its glory; it -was then celebrated for the number of its magnificent temples, its -splendid palaces, its amphitheatre and baths. Remnants of this past -splendour still exist; such as portions of the baths and amphitheatre, -the bridge, and especially the Porta Nigra, which is one of the finest -Roman ruins extant. - -Trèves was frequently the residence of the Roman Emperors, and -its inhabitants had all the privileges of Roman citizenship. In -the last half of the third century Galienus held his court here; -and here Maximian was attacked by the Franks, whom he defeated. Here -Constantine the Great, when celebrating a victory that he had gained -over the Franks, caused two of the captive princes to be thrown -to wild beasts in the arena. They met their death with smiles, -and shortly after the whole of the German nation rose to avenge -them. Constantine disguised himself, and entering the hostile camp, -gave the enemy false information, which led to their total defeat, -A.D. 310. The simple-minded Germans were no match for the Romans -in fraud; they deemed any ambuscade, or advantage taken against an -enemy, dishonourable, and we even find them sending messages to their -opponents of the day and hour upon which they intended to attack them. - -The cruelty of throwing captives to wild beasts, however, we find -surpassed by a German named Magnentius, who, having become a Roman -soldier, set himself up for Emperor in opposition to Constantius. This -Magnentius, on the eve of the great battle of Marsa, sacrificed -a maiden, and mixing her blood with wine, gave his army to drink, -and invoked his gods, pouring a libation of this fiendish drink in -their honour. He was totally defeated, and killed himself. - -The Western Empire of the Romans fell, and Germans walked the streets -of Rome, supplanting with their fresh vigour the worn-out strength -of that wonderful empire, on the ruins of which their leaders planted -their feet, which at first slipped and stumbled, but eventually found -a firm basis, on which was erected what we call Modern History. - -Many legends are given us by the German poets connected with Trèves; -the following are the most remarkable:-- - - - -LEGEND OF THE GREAT CANAL FROM TRÈVES TO COLOGNE. - -For more than a hundred years the people of Cologne had been -endeavouring to raise a Cathedral that should eclipse all others. The -master-builder was busy making measurements for the arch of the -great door, when one of his apprentices jeeringly said the building -would never be finished, but ever remain in fragments. Thereupon -the master waxed wroth and dismissed the apprentice, who departed, -saying: "Woe to thee, O my master! never shall thy work be finished; -sooner shall I complete a canal from here to Trier, than shalt thou -place a tower upon thy cathedral." - -Years passed on, and the Cathedral was rapidly approaching to -completion, when the master saw a huge worm creep from the ground. This -was the fiend, by whose assistance the apprentice had made a canal -from Trèves to Cologne: the apprentice appeared to the astonished -master and said, "Lo, my canal is complete, while thy church is yet -a fragment!" and water flowed from the canal, on which a duck came -swimming from Trèves. - -The water rose and encompassed the master, who thus perished, and his -cathedral is still unfinished; but the wicked apprentice fared still -worse, for the great worm strangled him, and he is doomed evermore -to haunt the cathedral, measuring the uncompleted works. - -The canal thus formed was used to send wine from Trèves to Cologne, -without the trouble of putting it into casks. [2] - - - -Not less wonderful is the following:-- - - - -LEGEND OF THE DOM [3] OF TRÈVES. - -While meditating over his undertaking, the contractor for the building -of the Dom was accosted by a gentlemanlike stranger in red, who said -to him in a hearty tone, "Cheer up, for I can help you; but first -tell me for what purpose you wish so large a house." - -The contractor, delighted, guessed who the stranger was, and replied -in artful words that he wished to raise this house for a gambling -and drinking palace. - -"Hurrah!" said the man in red, "just what I am fond of!" and they -agreed upon terms and went to work. - -The building went bravely on, until the Red Man seeing altars and -such-like things arising, with which he was then unacquainted, asked -what it all meant; but being told that these were tables for dice, -was satisfied. - -One day, returning from the roof to which he had been carrying -up large stones, the Red Man saw the Bishop consecrating the new -church; then the bells tolled solemnly, and Satan found he had been -outwitted. He rushed at an altar, and endeavoured to tear it down, -but left a claw sticking into it, it having been consecrated; then -with a yell he fled, and the contractor mocked him, shouting "Never -build more churches without a written agreement." - -The conversion of the heathen Trevii to Christianity was, according -to the legend, thus effected:-- - -The people of Trèves worshipped a statue of marble, from whose mouth -oracles proceeded; troops of pilgrims came to Trèves to hear from -this idol's lips answers to their questions: but now a foreign priest -appeared before the crowd, and with a crucifix in his hand he spoke -to them of Christ the Son of God; the people, leaving their idol -for the Truth, flocked to his feet, in spite of the threats of the -heathen priests. - -Thus Saint Eucharius converted the Trevii. - - - -The Moselle country was especially resorted to by hermits, who lived -in recesses of the mountains; of these Saint Antony was the first. - -Saint Nicolas was the patron of the bridge, and his statue stands -beneath the stone crucifix which adorns it. On one occasion, a mariner, -whose ship was in great danger of being cast away beneath the bridge, -called on the Saint, and vowed an offering of a taper as big as his -mast should he escape. - -He landed in safety, but finding himself secure snapped his fingers -at the Saint, saying, "Nicolas, thou wilt not have so much." The -Saint replied not. - -Again this mariner's vessel coming down the stream was in danger of -the bridge; once more he cried on Nicolas, but the water checked his -cry, and man and ship were lost. - - - -There is another legend of the Moselle bridge, which we will call-- - - - -THE RING. - -A certain man of noble family, after leading a glorious life, -committed fratricide; repenting of his crime he left his country, -and after many years arrived at Trèves. - -At sunset he stood upon the Moselle bridge, and there, kneeling before -the crucifix, wept; his tears flowing into the stream beneath: an Angel -swept by, and left him a palm-twig from heaven. He exultingly cried, -"Lord, forgive my sins before my end--never will I cease to repent -my grievous sin;" then, throwing his ring, which he had taken from -his brother, into the river, he prayed that if he were forgiven it -should be returned to him. - -Rising, he retired into a monastery, and eventually became a Bishop. A -fisherman one day arrived and offered him a fish; he took it, thinking -it a mark of reverence. - -At dinner the cook approached and presented him with a ring, which -he had found within the fish. - -The Bishop perceived it was his own, and exclaiming, "Heaven has sent -it to me as a proof of forgiveness!" expired. - - - -THE CRUCIFIX IN THE MARKET-PLACE. - -In the market-place at Trèves there stands a column, with a crucifix -on its summit. An inscription on it gives the following miracle as -the cause of its erection. - -The Huns were swarming over Germany, burning and destroying all things: -their march was as a pestilence; but the people of Trèves were gay and -merry, as if no danger threatened,--they rioted in wine, and luxury. - -One man only, within the city, still remained sober and prudent, and he -dreamt that he saw a great monster descending from the Marcusberg and -crawling its hideous length towards Trèves; arriving at the Moselle, -the loathsome monster rolled into its blue waves, and caused them so -to swell that the city was overflowed. - -Awaking, this good man ran to the Archbishop and told his dream, -explaining its meaning to be that the Huns were marching on the city -by the Marcusberg; the Archbishop only laughed at him, at which he -grew angry: but soon better thoughts possessed him, and he prayed -Heaven to avert the impending ruin. - -The sky grew black and dreadful; a nameless horror came upon the -people, and falling down they implored pardon for their sins, and -crosses fell from heaven. - -Then, believing, they marched out to the Marcusberg, and finding the -Huns vanquished them. - - - -Two new powers arose in Europe during the last days of the Roman -Empire: the one, as we have before said, planted its feet on the ruins -of Imperial Rome, and henceforth wielded her temporal authority,--this -was the German, or Frankish power; the other, amidst the fallen temples -overthrown by the German conquerors, raised up a fairer temple and a -purer worship,--this was the Church of Christ. At first over-shadowed -by the more gorgeous worship and grander temples of the false gods -of Paganism, the new Church had to struggle for a mere existence; -but these being overthrown, the remnants of Paganism soon melted away -before the innate majesty of truth, and the fanes of superstition -crumbling into dust, afforded a sure foundation for the new and -mightier edifice. - -These two powers, at the extinction of the Western Empire, ruled -nearly the whole of Europe: neither was as yet concentrated, both had -many heads, and it was not until the two powers coalesced that either -attained that temporal influence which they have since possessed. Hand -in hand, we find these two powers progressing in might and influence; -sometimes a temporary quarrel would separate, but common interest -invariably reunited them. - -It is in its infancy that the Church of Christ shines with its purest -light; and it is, consequently, to this period that the mind loves to -revert, and dwell on "that happy spring time" when the Fathers of the -Church went forth among the heathen, gathering the nations into one -family, the centre and head of which was God. How wonderful to watch -"the little star appearing in the East," and rising over the ruins -and decaying temples of old Rome, till gradually the whole air was -filled with the "light of truth!" - -Alas! that a time should come when, waning from its throne on high, the -Church fell so low in the person of its ministers and adherents, that -we find the chroniclers of the fifteenth century recording that "Nuns -did what the Devil was ashamed to think; and that Abbots, by means of -their poverty, became the greatest proprietors; of their obedience, -mighty princes; and of their chastity, husbands of all women;" and we -hear of men complaining that they were not rich enough to become monks. - -It is needless, however, here to give an account of those vicious -customs that arose within the bosom of the Church of Rome, and -eventually caused what we have quoted; we will rather turn to -the legends of the earlier period, many of which are singularly -beautiful. Among them we shall find many things which at first sight -may provoke a smile, but on reflection we shall arrive at the meaning -of what must be taken merely as an allegory. - -For instance, we are told that "King Sigebert appointed St. Goar to -the Bishopric of Trèves, and the Saint entering the King's saloon, -hung his cloak over a sunbeam, to prove that he was enlightened by -God." This would probably be an illustration of the power of faith, -and so with the other legends of the time. Here we shall only select -a few that are immediately connected with Trèves. - - - -LEGEND OF ORENDEL. [4] - -The great King Eigel resided at Trèves. He was supreme over twelve -kingdoms; his favourite son was Orendel. - -Orendel having reached his thirteenth birth-day was invested with a -sword, and vowed before the Virgin to be "a true chevalier on earth, -and a defender of widows and orphans;" then proceeding to his father, -he begged of him a wife, that the kingdom might have a queen. - -His father told him there was none in all his kingdoms worthy to be -his spouse; but at Jerusalem there lived a beautiful Queen, Breide -by name, to whom the holy grave belonged: her he must seek, and could -he succeed in wedding her, his happiness would be complete. - -Orendel, transported with the account of this virgin queen, prayed -his father to prepare him ships. His father consented, and three -years were spent in preparing for the expedition. - -Then in a great assembly the young King, who wished none but volunteers -to go with him on his journey, spake aloud: "Where are ye, O courageous -Kings! who will risk with me the voyage to the Holy Tomb?" and eight -brave kings stepped out, each with a thousand knights. - -Again King Orendel spake out: "Where are ye, Dukes and Counts! who -will join me in my voyage for the honour of God and the Holy Tomb?" and -a thousand nobles offered. - -Once more spake Orendel: "Be warned, O Kings, and Knights, and -Nobles! ye will suffer hell's heat and distress before ye reach the -Tomb. Come not unwillingly, nor unarmed." Nothing daunted, all girded -their swords, and prepared for the long journey. - -Thus went King Orendel forth from Trèves, surrounded by his kings and -knights, a golden cross grasped firmly in his hand, and the people -cheering. Embarking, he was carried by the Moselle upon his course, -and in the Holy Land he found his "Breide." - - - -THE GREAT MASSACRE. - -Varus, the governor of Gaul, caused so many Christians to be massacred -in Trèves that the Moselle ran red with blood, until it reached -Neumagen. For this he was condemned to ramble restlessly about the -city after his death, and to do deeds of kindness, assisting every -one requiring his aid in Trèves. In this character he is called -"the City Ghost." - -In after days a penitent from Trèves sought absolution from the -Pope. The latter ordered him to fetch a piece of earth from Trèves; -and on the penitent's again presenting himself with the earth, the -Holy Father prayed, and pressed it in his hands, and blood dropped -therefrom immediately. - -"This blood," said the Holy Father, "was shed by martyrs in Trèves, -who loved Christ so heartily that they gave their lives for him, -and thus became protectors of their city. - -"Go; thou art absolved for their sakes. And tell thy people what thou -hast seen and heard, that so they may be increased in their faith." - - - -ST. MATERN. - -St. Matern was the first Bishop of Cologne, and was much beloved. He -died young, and the mourning people sent to Rome to pray St. Peter -for comfort. - -St. Peter gave a staff to the emissaries, and bid them beat upon the -earth where Matern's bones were laid; at the same time they were to -call on him to rise, as it was not yet time for him to rest, but he -must still combat for the sake of God. - -This was done; and Matern, who had been dead forty days, arose, -and administered three bishoprics at once; viz. Tongern, Trèves, -and Cologne. - - - -THE FIRST FOUNDLING HOSPITAL. - -The first institution of this nature is said to have been in Trèves, -and was thus established: Saint Goar was a very pious man, harming -none, but the wicked calumniated him to the Bishop of Trèves. - -The Bishop ordered him to appear before him, and, to test his power, -asked him to declare who was the father of a child that had been -exposed near the Cathedral. - -The Saint bending prayed, and touched the child's lips; whereon -the child spoke, and the uttered word was "Rusticus," which was the -Bishop's name. - -The Bishop grew pale, the calumniators slunk away, and St. Goar, -turning to the Bishop, said, "Perceivest thou not thy duty? As the -Church embraces with tender arms erring children, so must thou, the -head of thy Church, foster such poor children, and bring them up in -the fear of God." - -The city of Trèves and surrounding country fell under the sway -of the Archbishops of the diocese, who were usually more warriors -than priests, if we may judge by their acts. Here is a picture of a -brother-Archbishop, who flourished in 1169:--"Christian of Mayence -is said to have spoken six languages, and was celebrated for his -knightly feats of arms. He was daily to be seen with a golden helmet -on his head, armed cap-à-pié, and mounted on his war-horse, the -archiepiscopal mantle floating from his shoulders, and in his hand -a heavy club, with which he had brained thirty-eight of his enemies." - -There were at this time four orders of nobility:--the Ecclesiastical, -comprising Bishops, Abbots, and other Church dignitaries. The remaining -three orders may be classed as follows:-- - -First, the old and proud families who still retained their free -grants of lands; these despised alike Princes and Bishops, Court and -Ecclesiastical dignitaries. - -The second order was formed of the nobles belonging to the different -orders of knighthood; these collectively enjoyed the power of -individual princes. - -The remaining order consisted of the feudal aristocracy; these were -the court nobility, who filled all the offices of state, and although -bound by oath to support their princes, they were often leagued -together in arms against them. - -These four powers were in constant hostility, and from the skirts of -the second and last crept forth a fifth disturbing force; this was made -up of what are ordinarily termed the Robber-Knights, the ruins of whose -castles are frequent on the Moselle and Rhine. In consequence of their -depredations, the princes and nobles were forced to erect strongholds -to protect their towns and villages; hence arose the numerous towers -whose ruins adorn the banks of the Moselle and other rivers. - -Most of the later legends are connected with these Robber-Knights; -and the history of their petty wars with the Archbishops of Trèves -and the Counts of Sponheim (the latter being lords of a large tract -of country), is the history of the Moselle during the middle ages. - -The Counts of Sponheim, too, were generally at variance with the -Archbishops of Trèves, and both these powers with the Archbishops of -Cologne; so we plainly see the necessity of the walls, which still -exist in fragments round the old towns and villages; and while we -quietly sketch the picturesque gate and water-towers, our minds revert -to the days when the poor burghers guarded them with jealousy. - -The burghers eventually, however, carried the day; and as they -increased in power the Robber-Knights were gradually swept away, -leaving only the blackened walls of their old keeps to mark where they -had plied their trade of robbery. See in the following story how the -citizens of Trèves paid off a certain Robber-Knight, named Adalbert, -whose castle was situated near their town, meeting violence with fraud. - - - -THE ANIMATED WINE-CASKS. - -Adalbert, from his castle of Saint Cross, disturbed by robbery the -city of Trèves. The city swore vengeance. - -A certain brave knight, named Sicco, offered to destroy both Adalbert -and his castle by cunning. This offer was gladly accepted, and the -clergy blessed the cunning knight. - - - -On a very hot day, when all within the Saint Cross castle were dozing, -a stranger appeared at the gate, and begged the warder to give him a -cup of wine, as he had travelled far, being just arrived from Italy, -and was on his way to his castle on the Moselle. - -The refreshment was given him, and the grateful traveller requested the -warder to tell his master that his kindness would not be unrewarded, -as he was the owner of a fair vineyard, and when he arrived at -home he would send him some casks of his best wine in return for -his hospitality. - -Before long a troop of peasants were seen approaching the castle, -escorting several carts laden with casks, which, however, were filled -with armed men instead of strong wine. - -The warder challenged the procession, and Sicco, who was disguised as -a peasant, said that they were sent by the pilgrim to whom Adalbert -had been so hospitable, and who now forwarded them in conformity with -his word. - -The door was opened, and Adalbert himself conducted the carts into -the court-yard; then Sicco drew his sword, and gave the signal to his -followers by slaying Adalbert, and the men, being liberated from the -casks, rushed on the garrison and slew them all; then the castle was -burnt. On the ruins a church was built. - - - -The Crusades gave a new impetus to arts and sciences, bringing -the luxury and refinement of the East into contact with the almost -barbaric simplicity of the Western nations; and from the eleventh -century we find the legends assume a different character, saints and -hermits giving place to knights and ladies, and minstrels sing lays -of love and pleasure in place of dwelling on the old themes of war -and religion. Instead of descriptions of lives passed in deserts, -and celestial visions, we have pictures of tournaments and tales of -robbers, ghosts, and stirring adventures of all sorts, mingled with -dreams of Eastern luxury. - -Popular fury having been raised by the preaching of Peter the Hermit -and others, it expended itself in the first place on those more -immediately within its reach; and in Trèves the Jews were so persecuted -that they frequently committed suicide, after slaying their children: -multitudes of them also embraced Christianity, only to resume their -real faith when the storm had passed. - -In the two succeeding centuries many curious laws were enacted to -suit the times,--those relating to trial by combat are among the most -remarkable; we will merely instance one: If a woman of the lower -classes had been violated, but the matter could not be proved, the -accused man was buried up to his middle in the earth, and a stick, -an ell long, put into his hand; thus he fought the woman, who was -armed with a stone tied up in her veil. - -Coiners were at this period boiled in kettles. - -In addition to courts of law, there were now established courts of -love; these were composed of select women and knightly poets, who -with extraordinary sagacity gave judgment in love affairs. - -The service of the fair formed an essential part of -knightly customs. To insult, or in any way injure a woman, was -disgraceful. Woman--the ideal of beauty, gentleness, and love--inflamed -each knightly bosom with a desire to deserve her favours, by deeds of -valour and self-denial. She was worshipped as a protecting divinity, -and knights undertook any task, however difficult, at the merest -hint that it would be acceptable, even deeming themselves happy to -die for her sake, and so win her approbation. - -Love became an art, "a knightly study," and this submission to -the gentle yoke of woman, bred in humility and religion, chiefly -contributed to humanise and civilise the manners of the age; and we may -thank the German element for superseding the grosser and more sensual -manner in which woman was regarded previously to the rising of that -nation. The historian concludes his remarks on this subject by saying, -"Fidelity was the essence of true love; and such were lovers then." - -In the thirteenth century arose an institution immediately allied -with the neighbourhood of our river; this was the Fehm-gerichte, -or Secret Tribunal. Engelbert, an Archbishop of Cologne, was the -first president and founder of this secret court. It was in the first -instance composed of a number of honourable men of every class, who -joined together for the purpose of judging and punishing all evildoers; -its measures were chiefly directed against the licentious nobles and -robber-knights; its proceedings were necessarily secret, as, were the -names of the judges known, they would have been objects of vengeance -to all the turbulent spirits of the day. In the fourteenth century -this association numbered a hundred thousand members, all bound by -a solemn oath, and known to each other by a secret sign. - -No ecclesiastics, except the spiritual lord; no Jews, women, or -servants, were admitted as members; nor were these amenable to the -court, all accused being judged by their peers. Accusations brought -before this court were only such as would not have been received by -the more legal tribunals. - -The accused was summoned to appear three times; and if he did not -then come forward, judgment was passed on him by default, the oath -of the accuser being considered sufficient proof of his guilt, -and the condemned criminal was secretly and mysteriously deprived -of life. His body was always found with a dagger, on which were the -letters S. S. G. G., [5] plunged into it. - -As an instance of the working and rude justice of this tribunal, -we read the following:-- - -"A certain Baron Wolfgang von Cronenburg ravished a nun, and bade -defiance to the laws, in his castle; but even here the arm of this -secret society reached him, and he was found dead. The nun being -pregnant by him was released from her vows, and the possessions of -her ravisher bestowed on her and her son." - -An extraordinary pilgrimage was founded about the end of the thirteenth -century by an Archbishop of Trèves; the pilgrims were to go to the -grave of Saint Willibrod at Epternach, and there join in a general -dance in her honour. During this dance the pilgrims of all ranks -were linked together; first they advanced, then retired, afterwards -ziz-zagging off to the right and left. This custom was kept up for -many years, and is still in existence in a modified form. [6] - -In 1473, Trèves was selected by Charles the Bold and the Emperor -Frederick III. as the place where they should meet and settle the -marriage of Mary of Burgundy with Maximilian, the son of Frederick; -Charles was on his side to be invested with the rank of King, and -receive the title of King of Burgundy. - -Frederick arrived, magnificently attended; but Charles, surrounded -by his nobles from the rich country of Flanders, outshone the -Emperor. The latter invested Charles with the Duchy of Guelders, -and a day was fixed for his coronation as King; but before the day -arrived Frederick quietly took boat and dropped down the Moselle, being -probably instigated by the French emissaries [7] to take this step. - -The disgust of Charles defrauded of a crown, and of the towns-people -disappointed of a spectacle, must have been excessive. - - - -The abuses of the Romish Church now culminated, and Luther, hurling his -bolt against the Roman Bishop, drove the faith of the times into two -opposite extremes,--infidelity and superstition. Men's minds became -unhinged; none knew what to believe; fantastic visions of every kind -dazzled the eyes of all; the devil seemed to walk on earth, and men who -believed in little else sought his protection. Now was the time when -people believed that certain charms rendered their bodies invulnerable; -and bullets, which never missed, could be cast. Gold was supposed to be -obtainable by skill; and above all, the elixir of life, which should -enable the possessor to lengthen his term of existence at pleasure, -was eagerly sought. One charlatan asserted that gold could be extracted -from Jews, and that the ashes of twenty-four of this nation would yield -one ounce. In the preceding century a Bishop of Lausanne had believed -in the efficacy of a spiritual anathema for driving away grasshoppers -and mice, and soon after a Bishop of Coire cursed cockchafers. - -The burning of witches formed one of the most remarkable features of -the age of the Reformation; it had commenced at an earlier period, -but became general in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. - -In the fourteenth century the Council of Trèves condemned the -belief in witches, and declared their supposed nightly expeditions -to be a fabulous invention; but in the fifteenth century the belief -came suddenly back with fresh force, Pope Innocent VIII., in 1485, -affirming the existence of witches. - -Old women were more persecuted by the Lutherans than they had been by -the Inquisition. They were accused of being in league with the devil, -and with his help raising storms, depriving cows of milk, carrying off -corn through the air, striking men and cattle dead, or afflicting them -with sickness, exciting love by potions, and unnatural hate by spells. - -For all these, and many other imaginary crimes, poor old women were -dragged from their homes and subjected to different ordeals. Firstly, -came the shaving of the head; and if any mole or scar was found, she -was proclaimed a witch. Secondly, if no mole or scar, she was usually -tried by either water or weight; if the former, her right thumb was -tied to her left great toe, and her left thumb to her right great toe, -and she was thrown into the water: if she floated, she was a witch; -if weight was the test, little shrivelled-up women had no hope, -for they were generally declared under weight, and tortured till -they confessed. Under these tortures they confessed whatever their -persecutors thought fit, and were then burned. There were many other -ordeals practised in different places. - -The Archbishop of Trèves, in 1589, sentenced so many women to the -stake, that in two districts only two women remained. This Archbishop -also condemned the Rector of the University of Trèves as a sorcerer. - -Towards the end of the seventeenth century, Trèves suffered much -from the different armies that repeatedly traversed her territories; -and in the beginning of the eighteenth century, one of its Electors -had the temerity to declare war against Louis XIV., without waiting -for the decision of the Empire. - -Louis determined to seize on the person of the Elector, who he -jeeringly named the "Little Curé of Trèves." For this purpose -he despatched a regiment of Hussars from Sarre-Louis, with orders -to bring him dead or alive. The Hussars endeavoured to surprise the -Elector while hunting; but a certain Postmaster warned him of the plot -and he fled to Ehrenbreitstein, closely followed by the Hussars. The -Elector rewarded the Postmaster, by ordering that whenever he came -to Ehrenbreitstein he should be allowed to eat and drink his fill of -whatever he chose, that was in cellar or larder. - -In 1803 the spiritual Electorates were abolished, and Trèves included -in France. It now forms a portion of Rhenish Prussia. - - - -Having touched on the leading historical events connected with Trèves, -from the earliest times to the present century, we will take a survey -of the city as it now exists. - -Formerly Trèves occupied a large space on both sides of the Moselle, -but it has in later years been confined to the right bank of the -river; indeed, it cannot properly be said to be on the Moselle at -all, for the principal part of the town is at some distance inland, -and everywhere walls shut it out from the stream, only a few detached -houses appearing on the banks. - -Completely modernised, Trèves yet possesses a certain look of age, -owing probably to its walls with avenues of trees surrounding, and an -air of decay visible throughout its streets and squares. The later -style of houses are of the time of Louis XV., and many of them are -good specimens of sufficiently ornamented dwellings. - -The Market-place presents a most animated appearance on the great -market-days; and it is with difficulty we can force our way through -the crowd on those days, owing to a fashion the women have of wearing -their baskets on their backs; which unwieldy things are unmercifully -pushed into the ribs of the passer-by, and while he tries to recover -his breath after the concussion his incautious foot probably receives -a solid sabot on its tenderest part. In the Market-place stands an -elegant fountain, opposite to which is the Rothen Haus, formerly the -town-hall: this building is now a comfortable inn, well placed for -studying costumes and customs. - -Within sight of the Market-place is the famous Porta Nigra; what its -original use was is a matter of vague conjecture, the learned in such -subjects not being able to agree in their opinions. During the middle -ages it was used for ecclesiastical purposes, and was fitted up as -two churches, one above the other, in which service was regularly -performed: the Prussian authorities have restored it to its original -state, and it is very well preserved, and is certainly quite one of -the most interesting Roman buildings extant. - -There are (as we stated at the commencement of this chapter) many other -reminiscences of the Roman rule to be seen in Trèves, the principal of -which are the bridge, the amphitheatre, and the baths: of the latter -a considerable portion still remains, but of the amphitheatre only -the form is left, with a mere fragment of wall at the entrance. It, -in common with the other ruins in Trèves, is well kept and preserved. - -The old palace of the Archbishops is now a barrack, and only -interesting from its associations. - -The Liebfrauen Kirche is a beautiful Gothic edifice, with noble arches -of extreme lightness and delicacy of appearance; the doorway is richly -carved; and, altogether, this church is as beautiful a specimen of -its order of architecture as can be found. - -The Cathedral is a fine building and stands side by side with the -Liebfrauen Kirche, which it far exceeds in size but to which it -is inferior in beauty; it is, nevertheless, a good specimen of the -Byzantine style, and from its proximity to the Liebfrauen Kirche we are -able, at a glance, to contrast the different orders of architecture. - -In this Cathedral is deposited the coat of our Saviour, "woven without -seam from top to the bottom;" and here flocked, so lately as 1844, -no less than one million one hundred thousand persons to gaze on -the wonderful garment, which was exhibited to the faithful for eight -weeks and then returned to its coffer. - -There are many other churches in and around Trèves, one of which the -commissionaires think very grand, and accordingly march their slaves, -the sight-seers, off to visit it, and expect them to fall into raptures -with a whitewashed, high-roofed ball-room, covered with tawdry, -coarsely-painted arabesques, and indifferent pictures; the slaves -generally gratify their tyrants by falling into unbounded raptures, -and nearly twist their necks off to get a look at the paintings on -the ceiling: latterly, little looking-glasses have been provided, -to save them from getting cricks in their necks. - -About six miles from Trèves, on the Luxembourg road, is a village -called Igel. Here is preserved a very curious stone obelisk, covered -with carvings of figures and inscriptions: as usual, there is a -considerable dispute as to its origin and purpose, but it undoubtedly -is a very curious relic of bygone days, and is not without beauty in -design and execution. - -Luxembourg is a very strong place, so scientifically fortified that it -is most difficult for an uninitiated person to find his way into it; -and having done so, the town is so wretchedly stupid and dull that -the visitor generally comes to the conclusion that he has taken a -good deal of trouble for nothing, and hastens to make his way out: -which task he finds not less difficult than the entry. From the walls -very striking views might be seen, only the sentries order you off -immediately, especially if you have so deadly an implement as a -sketch-book in your hand; however, we have no particular cause to -expatiate on Luxembourg, as it is only one small feeder of our river. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - -That portion of our river which lies between Trèves and Coblence is -the most beautiful, and the part usually visited by the few who allow -themselves the enjoyment of seeing scenery yet unspoiled by Art. The -Moselle at this present time is much what the Rhine was half a century -ago. No great roads line the banks, cutting off the quaint houses -of the old towns and villages from the river-side; and the towns and -villages themselves are, with some few exceptions, far more picturesque -than those on the Rhine. Their old water-towers and walls still lave -their bases in the stream, as those of St. Goarshausen-on-Rhine did -until a few years back, when the new road drove them inland. - -In places where the rocks approach closely to the river, the usual -arrangement of the houses is in one long street, with behind it -ruined towers perched at intervals upon the ascending walls, which -straggle through the vineyards, till the rise becomes too sudden for -them to climb or intruders to pass over. Where the space is larger, -the houses are clustered among walnut-trees, which grow to an immense -size. Perhaps the greatest charm of all in descending our river is the -absence of those swarms of mere sight-seers who infest the Rhine,--the -trifling discomforts of a more unfrequented route being sufficient -to deter these garrulous butterflies from "doing" the Moselle; and -as yet Murray has not given in detail the number of turrets to each -castle on this river, for eager watchers to "tell off" as the steamer -breasts the stream. Still it is remarkable how few of all those that -pass the mouth of the Moselle at Coblence ascend its waters. - -We now invite those who cannot in person see "the blue Moselle" -to embark their minds in our skiff, and as we glide along we will -tell them tales of the old time, when the ruined towers above our -heads clanged with the tramp of armed men, and echoed to songs of -love and wine. - -Trèves and its bridge are shut out by the trees, and the river nymphs -surround us with garlands and with song. - - - Now our boat adown the stream - Floats, as in a happy dream,-- - Thoughts to fancy's kingdom go, - There, like waters, tranquil flow; - - Airy palaces they build - Where our kindred spirits dwell, - Who with woven sunbeams gild - Regions that we love so well. - - Rippling now the gentle waves - (Gay sunshine our pathway paves), - Sing to us as on we glide - Down the swiftly-glancing tide: - - "Happiness and harmless mirth - Innocently we enjoy, - So the denizens of earth - May, like us, their time employ,-- - Working we sing, - In leisure hours we play; - O'er toil we fling - A garland ever gay." - - O'er our heads the dark rocks rise, - Stern their mass the stream defies,-- - Round their base the dark wave flows, - Battling, silently, she goes: - - Thus in life, too frequent, rocks - Stand before us in our way; - And their bulk our passage blocks, - Bidding us our course to stay. - - Shall we at their bidding turn, - Fearful of their aspect stern? - No: for patiently we may - Round, or through them, win our way. - - -The little incidents seen on the banks of the river as we move along -are eminently picturesque, and give life and reality to what we should -otherwise almost imagine to be a dream of beauty, rather than real -actual scenes, where toil and labour are at work. Such foregrounds, -too, for artists! Here is a woman mowing: further down, one impels -a heavy boat along by means of a pole: there red cows stand, half -in the water, half on a grassy slope, with the reflected green of -which their red contrasts. Again, as we approach a village, some -of the maidens are seen drawing water; while others, in groups and -attitudes that present endless studies, wash their gay clothing, -or bleach long strips of brownish linen. - -Boat-building is carried on at nearly every village, and the smoke from -the accompanying fire wreathes among the walnut-trees. In reality, -the people work hard; but it is difficult to divest our minds of the -idea that they are merely sauntering about, and forming groups for -their own amusement and the delight of others. All is so complete in -loveliness, that it seems unreal. - -The ribs of the great flat-bottomed boats look like skeletons of -some curious animal, which the apparent loungers are examining at -their ease; and the nearly completed barge seems to be a sort of -summer-house, in which the idler can sit, or under which he may smoke -his pipe in the shade,--for, of course, all smoke. Usually the long -stem with the earthenware or china bowl is the medium by which the -fragrant weed is inhaled, but sometimes a few inches of coarse stick -(in appearance) is the substitute. - -These boats, when finished, are used for all sorts of purposes. The -want of good roads, and the fact of the stream being less rapid -than that of the Rhine, as well as the absence of steam-tugs, makes -the Moselle more lively with barges and small boats, especially the -latter; though, of course, there being only three or four steamers -on the whole distance (about 150 miles) between Trèves and Coblence, -the absence of those puffing drawbacks to tranquil enjoyment renders -the Moselle more quiet on the whole. - -The larger barges carry iron, earthenware, charcoal, bark, wine, -and general cargoes; while the smaller ones are filled with market -produce of all sorts going to be sold in the larger towns, and numbers -of these small boats are kept at each village for the residents -to cross to their farms or vineyards on the opposite bank. There -are also ferry-boats, large enough for carts and oxen, or horses, -at nearly every cluster of houses. - -Often watching these great boats with their miscellaneous lading, or -waiting our own turn to cross, we have been struck by the contrast -between the young fair children with flaxen hair and the careworn -countenances of the parents, whose skin is nearly as brown as that of -a Maltese boatman, his approaching to claret-colour. The peasantry -are, as far as we could judge or learn, a simple, contented race, -working hard, and in bad seasons ill-fed. - - - THE FERRY. - - On grassy bank the village stands, - The crowds returning, throng - The ferry-boat, which quickly lands, - Impelled by arms so strong. - - The heavy boat is filled with men, - With women, and with carts; - Amongst the crowd the children - Move with their lightsome hearts. - - The women's brows are stamped with care, - The men with toil are worn; - But midst them stand those children fair, - Those happy newly-born. - - The doom of man, "for life to toil," - Rests on the parents both, - But on that young, fresh, virgin soil, - Even the Sun is loth. - - His hot red hand too fierce to press, - Where innocence and love - Call for a mother's sweet caress - And from the sky above - Speak unto us, who labour here, - This message through them sent: - "Live, love, and worship, in God's fear; - "To labour be content; - "So shall ye live, and dying, shall not miss - "The life immortal, in the realms of bliss!" - - -The different seasons of the year, of course, bring different incidents -on our river into existence, each in its proper turn. The hay-harvest -is a very lively time upon its banks; everywhere the green slopes -are rid of their superfluous load, and boats cross and recross the -river with the sweet-scented cargoes, some of which are stored, -some transferred to larger bottoms for transportation down the stream. - -Later comes the corn-harvest, then the boats are freighted with the -golden ears; soon after an equally busy time sets in, when every -sort of boat is seen piled with small branches of the oak: the leaves -are stripped from the branches so brought home, and, being carefully -dried, they form an excellent material with which the people stuff -their mattresses, this making, as they assert, much warmer and softer -beds, than straw. Every village possesses a right of cutting bedding -at some place, and the different inhabitants have days allotted them -by the authorities, on which they may help themselves. - -The winter draws near and the vintage sets in, then all boats are -employed on this absorbing service; the little boats, with large casks -on board, look in the distance very much like gondolas: wherever the -eye rests, nothing is seen that has not some connexion with the great -event of the year on the Moselle. However, the vintage has a chapter -to itself, so we will not dwell upon it here. - -Carrying firewood is the last great occupation of the year for the -smaller boats, and it is well for those who can procure a good supply -of fuel, for the winter is cold and severe; unfortunately, too, wood -is very scarce and dear, and though somewhat cheaper on the Moselle -than in most parts of Germany, yet a good fire is quite out of the -reach of the poorer classes, and they scrape together every morsel -to enable them to feed the iron stoves which warm their cottages. - -The river is in parts so shallow that breakwaters are built out -from the banks, in order to deepen the centre of the stream; this, -of course, makes the water run swifter, and it requires great toil -of many horses to tug the barges up the stream. Floating down these -rapids is agreeable enough, and the descent is made with very little -labour, towns and villages succeeding each other on the banks, the -approaches to them being lined with fruit-trees, of which the walnut -and cherry are the most conspicuous. - -The cherries are excellent, and so plentiful that children will often -refuse a handful when offered, having previously gorged themselves -at home. Numbers are exported, going by river to Coblence, and so on -down the Rhine. - -Apricots are also abundant in good seasons. They are grown on -standard trees. - -Garden produce of all sorts abounds, and apples and pears drop unheeded -to the ground. - -Through incidents like these, on bank and river, we glide on. We have, -perhaps, halted during the midday heat at some inviting spot, where the -cool shadows reposed beneath the walnuts; now the evening draws near, -and rounding a corner, our resting-place for the night appears. The -thin mist rising from the river obscures the base of the church, whose -sharply-pointed spire is conspicuous above the trees; lights fall in -tremulous lines from the high windows, and in the air is the sound of-- - - - CHURCH MUSIC. - - From the church the anthem pealing, - O'er the wave is gently stealing: - Now it swells, now dies away, - Making holy harmony. - The spire from out the trees - Our eyes directs on high; - The sounds which swell the breeze, - The heavens to us bring nigh; - For while we listen to the song - Of glory rais'd to "Him on high," - Our thoughts soar up, and dwell among - Those realms where Immortality, - In angel forms and bright array, - Before God's throne for ever pray, - And Hallelujahs joyous raise - To their "Almighty Maker's" praise. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - -From Trèves to Trittenheim the scenery of our river, although very -pleasing, has not yet attained to its full beauty; the Moselle, woman -as she has become, is still scarcely matured in beauty; many charms are -hers already, but until approaching Neumagen her life does not reach -the fulness of its summer glory. Then, indeed, the full enchantment -of her beauty breaks upon us, as, often in life, we have been in the -habit of seeing a lovely girl pass from childhood into the graces -of early womanhood, we admire and love; but at some future day we -suddenly perceive that the lovely girl has become a glorious woman, -replete with every grace. The change seems to take place in a day, -even in an hour: some incident, trifling perchance in itself, has awoke -the spirit, and the lately shy and timid girl has become a woman in -spirit as in name; losing none of the happy loveliness of her earlier -years, she has acquired a dignity and nameless, indefinable grace, -which completes her beauty and robs us of our hearts. - -Such has our Moselle become when she winds among the mountains past -Neumagen and Piesport. - -The promontory at the back of Neumagen is divided into two parts by -the little river Drohn. It is supposed by many that it was on the -bank of this little stream that the celebrated Palace of the Thirty -Towers stood. This palace, built by the Archbishop Nicetius of Trèves, -is supposed to have been most beautiful, and formed entirely of marble, -with pleasure-grounds sloping to the stream and river. The description -given of these gardens by the poet, Venantius Fortunatus, reads more -like an Eastern account of those gardens of Paradise sometimes for a -moment unveiled to the wanderer in the Arabian desert. Bishofstein -(lower down the stream) also claims the honour of being on the -site of the Palace of the Thirty Towers, but it does not in any way -answer the description. Whether the banks of the Drohn were the site -of this marble palace or not, the beauty of the situation certainly -gives it a claim to have been so, and the Archbishops did possess a -country-house near Neumagen. - -A few miles below Trèves we pass Pfalzel, which lies on the left bank; -this little town is interesting, as it is said to be the site of the -beautiful legend of Genoveva, handed down to us in so many different -versions. - - - -LEGEND OF GENOVEVA. - -The Pfalz-graf Siegfried was married to a lovely and virtuous lady, -named Genoveva, and they lived together in great happiness and content, -until a wicked courtier, named Golo, whose attentions the lady had -repulsed, plotted how he might ruin her in her lord's esteem. - -To this end he poisoned the Pfalz-graf's mind against his virtuous -wife, and so, deeming her guilty of crimes she never even imagined, -her lord drove Genoveva from his castle, that so she might be slain -of wild beasts or die of hunger. - -Genoveva, as she passed out from the castle gates, threw her -wedding-ring into the water, that so the crime of her lord might be -lessened, as he was thus released from the marriage-tie. - -Time passed on, and Siegfried, being on a hunting excursion, wished -for food and rest; he therefore ordered a tent to be pitched on the -banks of a stream. No sooner was this done than two fishermen arrived -with a great fish, which they presented to the Pfalz-graf; the fish -being opened, a ring was found, which the Pfalz-graf no sooner saw -than he perceived it was that of his dead wife. - -Returning home he was much troubled at this circumstance, and falling -asleep he dreamt that he saw a dragon persecuting Genoveva, who still -was dearer to him than all the world beside. He related this dream -to Golo, who pacified him for a time: but again he dreamt, and in -his dream he hunted a pure white hind, following, and persecuting it -remorselessly; awaking, he felt that the hind was Genoveva, and he -was indeed a cruel huntsman, who had chased a spotless deer to death. - -He ordered everything to be prepared for the chase,--why, he knew not, -but felt the dream must be followed out; Golo was seized with agony -when the Pfalz-graf set forth, and secretly followed his master's -steps. - -A spotless hind was found, and the Pfalz-graf eagerly followed on her -track, wounding her with an arrow; on sped the hind, until, with a -last bound, it forced its way through the bushes, and fell bleeding -and exhausted at Genoveva's feet. - -Siegfried followed close, and threw himself on his knees before his -injured wife, who had been wonderfully preserved from death, and, -together with the child to which she had given birth, nourished by -the poor deer, which now was dying of her wounds. - -Pointing to her babe, Genoveva showed that in every feature it was -the counterpart of her lord: thus was Golo's treachery made manifest, -and his head, being struck from off the body, was exposed upon the -castle walls. - - - -Another legend of Pfalzel tells of a wicked nun, who, by the devil's -aid, worked a magic garment and presented it to the Archbishop; -immediately on putting it on horrible desires seized on him, and he -felt as if the fiend were dragging him to perdition. Throwing it off, -others tried it, and on all it had the same effect; being therefore -convinced of the iniquity of the worker, the Archbishop turned the -nun out of the convent, but finding that her sister nuns were as -bad as she, he was compelled to treat them all in a similar manner: -the garment, however, still exists, and is worn by many. - -Inland of Pfalzel is Rammstein, where a certain Count of Vianden (like -Adalbert of St. Cross) came to an untimely end by an overfondness -for wine. He had once taken the Bishop prisoner and put him into -fetters; this the latter never forgot or forgave, so, knowing the -Count's fondness for wine, he, one very sultry day, sent a string of -carts filled with barrels past the walls of the Count's strong castle; -down swooped the Count's followers, like beasts of prey as they were, -and carried off the convoy; then they all set to work drinking, -in the true German fashion. - -While thus carousing, the armed followers of the Bishop suddenly -surprised them, and the castle was taken and burnt; the Bishop -shouted to the Count, who in his turn was put in fetters, "Behold -the consequence of raising thy hand against the Lord's anointed!" - - - -Near Pfalzel several brooks run into the Moselle; one on the same -bank, named the Kill, passes Rammstein, and flowing through a charming -valley, waters a large strip of most productive garden-ground, which -extends from the Moselle to some distance inland. - -These lateral valleys are very frequent on our river. We can scarcely -wander along her banks for a quarter of a mile but a recess in -the neighbouring hills is seen, through which a little stream comes -dancing. Penetrating into the gorge we find busy little mills at work, -and are led into scenery which at every turn seems to increase in -beauty. We shall hereafter have to describe some of these lateral -valleys, so need not now dwell on their delights. - -On the opposite shore, which is watered by another stream, is -Grünhaus, and above it Grüneberg. From these vineyards come the most -highly-prized wines of the Moselle, though many think the wines of -Zeltingen more delicate in flavour. - -Past little islands, and through rich fields filled with garden -produce, we glide on, following the serpentine course of our river. The -wood-embosomed villages peep at us as we go by, each group of houses -has its church rising in the midst: gradually the banks grow steeper, -hills swell up inland, and here and there come down to look on the -Moselle. These reconnoiterers retire, and having told their chiefs -of the approach of the glorious stream, at Trittenheim we find the -right bank covered with mountain-giants, come to do homage to the -spirit of the waters. - -At Trittenheim is one of those flying bridges, almost peculiar to the -Moselle. It is thus formed: two strong towers are built, one on each -side of the stream; from the summits of these towers, attached to -great posts built into the solid wall, stretches a rope, which falls -in a curve over the river; a stout cord attached to a swivel, which -runs freely along the rope, descends to the surface of the river, and -to it is fastened a barge, which propelled by the action of the swift -running stream, and guided by the boatman, passes from side to side at -his pleasure, carrying heavy loads, with little labour to the ferryman. - -Where the breadth of the river admits, these sort of flying bridges are -used; in other parts, those with which the reader is probably familiar -on the Rhine are in operation; and again, where the stream is sluggish, -barges unattached to any rope are poled up stream, and floated across. - -Trittenheim was the birth-place of the celebrated Trithemius, famous -for his many writings and his learning. He, in common with all learned -men of his time (end of fifteenth century), was considered a sorcerer, -and the Emperor Maximilian applied to him to raise the spirit of -his deceased wife, Mary of Burgundy. This he is said to have done, -and the dead Princess reappeared in all the charms of her youthful -beauty: but a more probable account of this transaction is given in the -following version, taken from the beautiful poem in the Mosel sagen. - - - -TRITHEMIUS AND THE EMPEROR. - -One very dark night a man wrapped in a mantle, so as to conceal -his features, entered the cloister at Spanheim, and demanded to see -the Abbot. - -Trithemius (the Abbot) advanced to meet his visitor, who he immediately -recognised as the Emperor Maximilian. The Emperor requested him to -raise the shade of his first wife, Mary; upon which Trithemius took -him by the hand, and leading him out of doors, pointed to two bright -constellations in the form of staves, which were shining in the sky, -and addressed him as follows:-- - -"You see there, my Prince, the two principles of government; by ruling -with the one, bad princes beat down their subjects beneath their feet, -and cause those little stars, which represent drops of blood and -tears, to flow; in that garden where the seeds of time are ripening, -this staff will stand like a parched trunk, but the other staff will -flourish green as a palm-tree, unhurt by the heat of the summer's -day; for this last is a righteous sceptre, a staff of pure gold, -serving to support and strengthen those who lean trustfully upon it, -and use it to benefit their subjects. Choose, then, O Monarch, with -which staff thou wilt rule." - -While the Priest thus spoke another star shone forth, and directing -the Emperor's attention towards it, Trithemius again addressed him. - -"I see, O King, a young and smiling face beam from the newly-risen -star. Tearless and blissfully it smiles on you, wearing the look of -your glorified wife. Pain and tears are left behind her in the grave, -on which they blossom like pale roses. Mary beckons to you from on -high to join her in the gardens of God. - -"Choose, then, thy sceptre, O Prince. Erect to thy loved wife a -monument of deeds. To act is a ruler's duty. We priests have had -bestowed upon us a magic virtue; it consists in wiping away your tears, -and animating you to tread the right path with the sceptre of blessings -in your hand. - -"Be strong, be wise, my Prince, and receive my blessing on your noble -path. Farewell." - -The Prince, perceiving the value of the counsel he had received, -departed through the night, which now was luminous, with the words -of truth. - - - -The promontory on which Trittenheim is situated is clothed with -fruit-trees, and rivals in fertility the opposite shore, on which, -a little lower down, Neumagen is situated. - -Before reaching Neumagen we pass a little chapel, erected at the spot -where, according to tradition, the waters of the Moselle ceased to -be tinged with the blood shed at Trèves in the massacre of Christian -martyrs. - -Neumagen enjoys a most agreeable site. Sheltered by the hills which -rise at its back, it faces the bold cliffs that now have arisen on -the left bank of our river. On ascending the hills at the back of the -town we find ourselves on a level platform, with the Moselle on one -side of us and the Drohn on the other; beyond these, other table-lands -swell into hills, and varied outlines of distant mountains curve into -the sky. - -On this elevated table-land a refreshing breeze blows, even on the -most sultry days, and the tender blue lines of the receding hills give -an air of coolness which is delicious to the heated pedestrian. Such -variety of scenery as the walking tourist meets on the Moselle is -scarcely to be exceeded; hill and dale, mountain, river, wood, and -plain, all are there combining their charms. - -It was over these hills that Constantine was marching when, at break of -day, [8] the fiery cross appeared in the sky, with the inscription, "In -hoc vince." Wonder arose in the minds of Constantine and his legions, -but none could interpret the meaning of the celestial sign. At night, -in a dream, Constantine saw Jesus with a cross in his arms, like -to that he had seen in the heavens; and the vision commanded him to -attach a mark of the same form to his standard, telling him that by -so doing he should vanquish all his enemies. - -Arriving at Trèves, Constantine, mindful of his dream and the -celestial sign, called together cunning artificers; and a cross, -surmounted with a crown of gold and jewels, was set upon the lance -from which the purple standard of royalty floated. - -And all his enemies were conquered, in accordance with the words -spoken to him in his dream. So Christianity triumphed over idolatry. - - - -Walking across the promontory that lies between Neumagen and Piesport, -we found the ground covered with the delicate autumn crocus, whose -jewels sparkled among the grass; and apples, with their ruddy hues, -lay beneath the trees, from which they had abundantly fallen. - -Piesport is confined by the mountain at its back to one narrow, -straggling street; it possesses a handsome church, from which we saw, -soon after our arrival, issue forth a long procession. First came men, -two and two, clad in blue frocks; then children, followed by women in -like order; these preceded the old priest and choristers; then again -came men; and, lastly, old women. The procession wound its chanting -stream along, round the little town, and returning, made the circuit -of the church and re-entered the edifice. The object of the ceremony -was to charm rain from the sky by their chanting. The performers and -assisters ill the scene gossiped and chatted to each other in the -intervals of singing, and the poor old priest seemed quite wearied, -and glad to return to his church. The singing did not in any way -influence the weather, certainly for some weeks. - -The mountain behind Piesport is entirely covered with vineyards. These -celebrated vineyards were considered the best on the Moselle in the -earlier part of last century; but having gained this reputation for -their wine, the cultivators introduced a worse sort of grape, which -bore more fruit, in order to make a greater quantity of wine; but, -fortunately for the place, a new Curé, who was appointed in 1770, -induced them to restore the old sort of vine, and thus regain the -reputation they were rapidly losing. - -Having succeeded in getting up nearly to the summit of the mountain -without un coup de soleil, we got among groves of picturesquely-formed -oak, many of the trees being of considerable size. Throwing ourselves -down beneath their grateful shade, a fine view of the surrounding -district is before us. This view we have endeavoured to lay before -our readers in the vignette at the head of the chapter. The spire of -the church at Piesport is seen cutting against the bed of the river, -and the peep of distance gives a good idea of the peculiar formation -of the hills. - -The hills of the Moselle are not hills in the ordinary acceptation of -the word, as they all form part of a high table-land, which extends -from near here to beyond Andernach-on-Rhine, on the left bank, -and on the right to Bingen. The range on the right bank are called -the Hunsruck mountains; that on the left bank, the Eifel. Through -the great table-land thus formed flow the Rhine and Moselle; thus -the banks of both rivers are very similar in formation, and average -about the same height: but the Moselle, being a much smaller river, -of course her banks appear more mountainous; the ranges also approach -nearer to the stream, and the lateral valleys are far more frequent. - -It is astonishing at first, after climbing unceasingly for an hour, -to find one's self standing on a gently undulating plain waving -with grain, and forest-trees growing in masses. The river is then -seen to be in a gorge, worn by the perpetual action of her waters, -and we have only attained to the natural level of the country. - -This level is, however, broken by many other gorges, each containing -its stream, bounding downwards to our river. Towards the horizon -also (as we have mentioned in describing the view above Neumagen) -the table-land generally rises into higher ranges; thus there is -never any monotony about the scenery, which is enlivened by the -spires of churches, and busy labourers at work in what seemed to -us like Jack and the Bean-stalk's country. It so strongly resembles -the description given, where the immortal Jack climbs up and up his -bean-stalk, until at length he arrives at the level of a new world. - -In autumn, when the weeds, &c. are being burnt, the scenes on this -table-land are very striking. Far as the eye can reach wreathe up -the columns of white smoke, spreading a purifying smell of burning, -and wrapping the view in a filmy veil that increases its beauty. - -The name of Piesport is derived from Pipini Portus, the place having -been thus called from being an allod of the Carlovingian house, -of which Pepin was the founder. - -Clausen, which lies at a short distance from Piesport, contains -a miraculous picture of the Virgin, which was originally brought -from Trèves by the zealous Saint Eberhard, whose hermitage stood in -the forest. - -The Saint built a chapel, and in it he placed this wonderful picture: -here many miracles were performed; on one occasion a paralytic man -was completely restored to the use of his limbs: he threw away his -crutches, and walked home, no longer requiring the horse that had -brought him. - -The miracles wrought in the Saint's little chapel gave great offence -to the constituted Priest of Clausen, and eventually the picture was -removed to his church; but it ceased to perform miracles, its virtue -was gone, and now it is only regarded with veneration on account of -its former celebrity. - -Having now arrived in the heart of the wine-district, we will -proceed to give some little account of the vintage, which occupies -all attention and employs all hands in these parts. - -And, with the merry peasants, we will sing the praise of their good -genius:-- - - - THE VINE. - - The vine! the vine! - Hurrah for the vine! - That gives us wine-- - Bright, joyous wine; - Hurrah for the merry vine! - - O maiden mine, - Press out the wine - With feet that shine - Like gems in mine,-- - Press out the glorious wine! - - The clusters press - With firm caress - Of glist'ning feet, - That merry meet: - Flow freely forth, O wine! - - Then, maiden sweet, - With full lip meet - My offer'd kiss; - Complete my bliss, - And quaff with me the wine. - - So love and wine - Shall thus combine, - And no alloy - Shall mar our joy, - As thus we quaff the wine. - - So, sing the vine-- - Hurrah for the vine! - That gives us wine-- - Bright, joyous wine; - Hurrah for the merry vine! - - - - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - -On the Moselle the vintage is still conducted in the old-fashioned -way, much of the wine being still pressed from the bunches by the -feet. The clusters, which have been carefully cut from the trees, -are placed in the baskets (which the people seem always to wear on -their backs), and borne down the hill-side to the village, where -they are tumbled into great tubs, in which they are crushed, if not -by the feet, by wooden mallets. - -The long toil of carrying up great basketsful of dressing for the -roots, of hacking round the vines, of carefully tying up the boughs -and tending them in every possible way, repairing the walls and steps, -and placing beneath the fruit-bunches flat stones to refract the heat -on to their lower sides, is ended; all having prospered, joy is at -its height, for plenty will fill the homes of the cultivators during -the coming winter. - -The peasantry suffer great hardships in bad years; and, unfortunately, -these more frequently recur than good. - -Having, week after week, toiled up and down the nearly perpendicular -cliffs, and worked amid their vineyards unmindful alike of sun and -rain, it is very sad to think that generally the gain is small for so -much labour; and even in good years, although the peasantry benefit -considerably, yet it is not they, but the wine-buyers, who make the -principal profit. - -In every village may be seen one or two houses, evidently occupied by -a class far above the peasantry. To these houses are attached large -cellars, through whose open doors we sometimes see great casks piled -up; the owners of these dwellings are small merchants, who buy up -the grapes from the poorer people, paying by the weight. They are the -real gainers by a good year, for they rule the prices of the market; -and by advancing sums when necessary to the peasants, the latter -are in a measure bound to accommodate them. That all do benefit is, -however, an undoubted fact; and the happy vintage-time is the most -joyful season of the year upon our river's banks. - - - - THE HARVEST. - - The green leaves wither with the autumn's breath; - The brown leaves falling, pass from life to death. - The winter, stealing on with silent feet, - Hastens the yearly cycle to complete. - - But on our river's banks no sorrows dwell, - No sigh is breath'd for summer on Moselle; - For autumn's glory throws its ripening beam - Upon the cluster'd vine, whose branches teem - With the rich fulness of the luscious prize, - Which each year gives to man, ere yet it dies. - - The evening spreads its shadow over earth, - From ev'ry vineyard comes the sound of mirth; - High spring the fiery rockets into air, - And hearty shouts the vintage-time declare. - - The ruddy fires illumine ev'ry hill, - Reports of arms the throbbing valleys fill; - These from the river back are lustrous thrown, - Those by the rocks repeated thunder on. - Thus is the grape-god welcom'd to his throne. - And Bacchus rules, in vintage-time, alone. - - -With sounds like these the great harvest of the year is ushered -in. Rejoicing and merriment rule all hearts; the voice breaks forth -in song, and the dance is followed by unwearied feet. Every thought -for months past has been directed to the vine. Other harvests have -been stored, with thankfulness, but the vintage has ever been the -great subject of conversation in every cottage and at every well. The -tedious watches are at an end, for, thickly clustered on every tree, -the grapes are ready for the gatherer's hand. - -Our river is now more beautiful than ever: the panorama at our feet -is gorgeous with crimson and gold; groups of children pile the grapes -into the baskets; boats, laden with the rich treasure, are passing -to and fro; and from them we hear the voices of the rowers, which, -re-echoing from the rocks, roll away into distance, filling the great -valley with songs of happiness:-- - - - From the Mosel's clust'ring hills - Freely flows the sparkling wine; - Midst them cooling water-rills, - Through the greenwoods pleasant shine. - - These sweet draughts of beauty give - To the charmèd eyes of men; - Let us hasten, then, and live - With woods and rivulets again; - Our eyes shall feast on streams, our lips on wine; - We'll quaff by night--by day we'll garlands twine. - - And with these garlands gay - The lovely maids we'll crown; - So joyous pass the day-- - The night in goblets drown: - Life thus shall roll its days and nights along, - We'll pass the hours away with cup and song. - - -The whole course of the Moselle is more or less sheeted with -vineyards. Wherever a shelf of rock is accessible, or can be made so, -there are the vines. Within the old walls of the mouldering castles -are vineyards; upon the nearly level ground are fields of vines; -hanging from every wall, and climbing round every window, are the rich -green leaves and graceful tendrils of this wine-giving plant. And -yet there is no sameness; from the peculiar formation of the hills -there is always some outjutting crag or overhanging precipice, with -roof of trees, to break the lines of the vineyards. Great masses -of forest still remain in many places, reserved for fire-wood and -other purposes: the vineyards, too, are for the most part formed of -old vines; their foliage, consequently, is more luxuriant. Owing to -these reasons the vine does not assume on the Moselle that monotonous -appearance that it presents in many parts of the Rhine, and generally -in France. Interspersed with the vines are numbers of wild flowers, -of which the white convolvulus is the most conspicuous; its graceful -flower contrasts beautifully with the deep rich green of the supporting -plant, and where the vines festoon, wreaths of unsurpassed loveliness -are formed. - -Piesport is considered the centre of the wine district, and its wine -bears a high reputation, though other names bear a higher price, and a -few of the wines are better flavoured. Almost all the Moselle wine is -white, and has a scented flavour and exquisite bouquet; it is thought -by many superior to Rhine wine, but it will not bear transport so well. - -Even the most ordinary table-wine has generally a sparkling freshness, -most grateful to the drinker, as it assuages his thirst much better -than other wines; but what we term "sparkling Moselle" is only to be -obtained in Trèves or Coblence, and even then it is not like our idea -of that wine: therefore it must, like port and sherry, be prepared -expressly to suit English palates. - -Some of the red wine is tolerable, but not to be compared to the -red wines of the Rhine and the Ahr valley; it has something of the -roughness of the latter, but not its flavour. - -They have in many places in Germany what is termed the "Grape -Cure." The season for this begins as soon as the grapes are ripe -enough to be eaten; and the cure consists simply in munching as many -bunches as the patient can possibly swallow,--about fourteen pounds -being considered a fair day's eating for one person: nothing else is -to be taken. Whether this cramming cures the patient of anything but -love for grapes is doubtful; but it must have that effect, so it is -perhaps properly called "Grape Cure." - -Little paths lead up to the hill-sides through the vineyards. Often -steps in the solid rock have had to be cut, and the labour and -perseverance must have been immense. When the vintage approaches, -these paths are closed by great bundles of thorn, and other signs -and marks are put up to warn off intruders. - -In bad years more vinegar is made than wine; often even they do not -attempt to make the latter. - -The completion of the vintage is celebrated as it began, by firing -and shouting, dancing and singing, and then the toil of tending the -vines recommences; but if the season has been propitious, the result -may be easily read in the features of the peasants, which are now for -a time released from the anxious contracted look they wore through -the summer and earlier part of the autumn. - -So much in celebration of wine; but, ever mindful of our beautiful -Moselle, we will close this vintage chapter, with its praise of -wine, with a few lines in praise of water, and thus preserve that -happy balance between the two fluids which is the true secret of -enjoyment. Both are good; both are gifts to be rightly used and -thankfully enjoyed: but if the palm is to be given to one over the -other, it should not be to the usurper Wine, who generally sits upon -his sister's throne. - - - PRAISE OF WATER. - - Many sing in praise of Wine, - Many toast the bounteous Vine; - But I will sing in praise of Water, - Earth's fairest, best, and sweetest daughter. - - Many love the grape to sip, - Carrying goblets to the lip; - But I will rather seek the spring, - Its pure delights will rather sing. - - Wine will cheer, but also steep - Senses in a troubled sleep; - Water ever thirst assuages, - Cooling us when fever rages. - - Wine, like man its maker, flows, - Joy mixt up with many woes; - So water, made by "Him above," - For ever flows a stream of love. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - -A little below Piesport the course of our river is obstructed by a -huge mass of nearly perpendicular rock, descending so abruptly into -the water, that no path can be made round its base. From the top of -this tremendous rock the best view on the whole river is obtained. From -there the eye can follow the windings of the stream as it serpentines -through the hills, for many miles. - -Unable to force her way through, the river bends off to the right, -and wins by concession what she cannot gain by force, affording a -lesson to her sex; teaching them to encircle by affection, instead -of battling against the rock. By the latter course she may at length -succeed in her desires, but not without fretting and chafing the hard -rock, causing many a line upon its once smooth brow; and, finally, -when the way is worn, the passage forced, will not the sullen rock -for ever hang, darkening with its shadow the stream conqueror, and -threatening to fall and overwhelm the persevering brawler? while, by -the course here taken, the glad wave circles with her bright arms the -lordly rock, and the sunlight on his face is reflected in her bosom; -while the light from her gay, happy breast, is thrown back upon his -manly front. - -At this corner, too, the tree-groups teach us the same lesson; repeated -and beautified by the tender water hues, they, in lending beauty to -the stream, enhance their own, and give another of the innumerable -instances in which by nature we are shown how all things are adapted -and suited to their several stations; and, by aiding and assisting -one another, increase their own beauty or usefulness: thus should it -be in life. - - - REFLECTIONS. - - The dark shades quiver - Where the tree-tops bend - Over the river, - To whose depths they lend - Their leafy beauty, which reflected lies - Within the wave, like love that never dies; - But ever from the loved one back is thrown, - Encircling him whose love is all her own. - - -On the promontory which we are now leaving behind us on the right -are several little villages, of which Emmel is the principal. It is -celebrated for a schism which took place there. - -In 1790, the Directory at Paris wished the Curé of Emmel to take -the same oath they had compelled the French clergy to pronounce; -and on receiving the Curé's refusal, he was proscribed. All his -flock accompanied the Curé on his being driven forth, until he thus -addressed them: "I quit you, but my spirit will always remain with -you. At Bornhofen, whither I now go, I shall say the mass every -morning at nine, and you can in spirit join in the service." - -They all promised so to do; and every day at nine the people collected -in the church, and said their prayers without a Curé. - -After some years the Curé died, and a new one was appointed, but -the people of Emmel persisted in saying their prayers by themselves -without any assistance; and, in spite of all remonstrances, many -families remained schismatics until a few years back. It is doubtful -whether they have all returned to their former allegiance, even at -the present time. - -Round the pebbly bed in which our river sings along her course where -her banks widen, then again beneath impending cliffs, we hurry on, -past Minnheim, Rondel, Winterich, and other little nests of vitality, -from which the labourers come forth to cultivate the fertile soil. - -Two pretty legends are told of this district; the first is called -"The Cell of Eberhard;" the second, "The Blooming Roses;" and there -is an evident connexion between the two. - - - -THE CELL OF EBERHARD. - -A mother, being provoked, said to her unoffending child, "Go off -to the devil!" The poor girl, frightened, wandered into the woods, -then covered with snow. - -Soon the mother, growing calm, became anxious about her child, -and sought her everywhere, but she could not be found: lamenting, -she wept all night. - -At daybreak she arose, and induced her neighbours to join her in her -search; but no tracks were found in the freshly-fallen snow. - -The mother then sought Eberhard's Cell, and wept and prayed till -four days and nights had passed. She now requested the priest to -say a mass for her lost child. No sooner had the priest raised the -Host on high, than a tender voice sounding from the forest said, -"Your little girl yet lives." - -Out sprang the mother, and there, beneath the trees, she found -her little daughter, a nosegay of summer flowers in one hand and a -green twig in the other. With tears of joy the mother clasped her, -and asked her how she had been preserved. - -"Dear mother," replied the child, "has always been with me. Dear -mother carried a light, and with her ran a little dog, white as the -snow, and so faithful and kind." - -Then the mother perceived that the Virgin had guarded her child; -and she led the little girl into Eberhard's Cell, where they offered -the wreath at the Virgin's shrine. - -Still blossoms the wreath, embalmed by love and thankful prayer. - - - -THE BLOOMING ROSES. - -Within the forest stood a little chapel, in which was a statue of -the Virgin. Hither came a young girl, and day by day adorned it with -fresh flowers. From the Madonna's arms the infant Jesus smiled upon -the child. Thus passed the spring and summer. The girl, devoted to her -occupation, and her heart filled with love for Jesus, thought less -and less upon the things of this world. One thought alone troubled -her as the autumn advanced; this was, that in winter she would not -be able to find flowers to adorn the chapel. - -This sad thought weighed heavily on her till one day, when sitting -weaving a rose-wreath for the child Jesus, a voice said in her ear, -"Be not faint-hearted: are not the summer's blessings still present -with thee? let the present be sufficient for thee:" and so the girl -wove on with lightened heart. - -When winter came and the roses faded, the young girl was lying on her -death-bed; her only sorrow was leaving the Virgin and child Jesus so -lonely in the forest. - -Lo! at her death the hedges once more bloomed; and, in spite of snow -and frost, fresh roses blossomed in the forest. With these was the -pall decked, and on the gentle wings of their fragrance the spirit -of the young girl was wafted to the sky. - - - -A funny story is told of an old lady at Winterich (which we are now -passing). The old lady had been the superior of a convent which was -suppressed by the French. Much grieved at this, the old lady was seized -with fits of melancholy, and when in these fits was in the habit of -knocking her head against the table. These knocks being often repeated, -and with considerable force, the part thus ill used became hard and -horny, until at length a regular ram's horn, with three branches, -protruded from the much-knocked head. The old lady cut them down; -but they only grew larger and harder, entirely covering one of her -eyes. A surgeon being called in, operated on the old dame, who, -although now eighty-eight years old, got well through the operation, -and lived for two years after, dying in 1836. - -The hill called Brauneberg is now passed; the vineyards on it produce -a fine wine, called by its name. - -At Muhlheim we must leave our river for a time, and explore the -charming valley of Veldenz, with its ruined castle placed on the -summit of a richly-wooded hill. The walk there is through miles of -vineyards edged with fruit-trees, and the valley below the castle is -emerald with well-watered grass. - -The hills are a mass of forest, and the variously-shaped houses, -which are dropped at uncertain intervals along the bubbling stream, -form a pleasant picture of rural beauty. - -Veldenz was a little principality in itself; formerly it was governed -by the Counts of the same name, but afterwards it was given to the -church of Verdun, and was then governed by fourteen magistrates, -elected by the different villages, and presided over by a prévôt, -probably appointed by the Bishop of Verdun. - - - -LEGEND OF VELDENZ. - -Irmina wept for her knightly lover, who had departed to fight the -Saracens. Her mother bade her dry her tears, for there was no lack of -lovers for a pretty girl like her; but Irmina replied with sobs, that -the ring which her knight had given her, and which she always wore, -united her to him for ever, and seemed to whisper words of love and -caress her hand. - -Then the mother, fearing for her daughter's health, advised her to -throw off the ring, for her lover was surely dead, and it would be -wiser to take a live husband than mope for a dead lover. - -Persuaded at length, Irmina cast her ring into the well, and seemed -to get the better of her melancholy; but one day the ring was drawn up -in the well-bucket, and the maid brought it in to her young mistress: -then her love likewise returned. - -Her mother again persuaded her to cast away the fatal ring, and this -time it was buried deep in the earth; but a bean that was buried -there likewise, grew rapidly up, and carried the ring to the window -of Irmina's chamber. - -Much frightened, Irmina yet rejoiced at recovering her ring, and -her love for the absent knight grew stronger than ever. Her mother -once more pressed her to destroy it, and this time proposed fire as -a means of being quit of the ring for ever. - -"Do not, dear mother," said the maiden; "'twould be sin before -God. In spirit I am wedded to my absent knight, and, alive or dead, -none other husband will I have." - -Still the mother persisted, and wrested the ring from her daughter's -hand; but before she could cast it into the flames the knight -stood alive in the room, and soon the ring was used for the purpose -of turning the wandering knight and the lady Irmina into a happy -bridegroom and bride. - - - -A day's exploration of the Veldenz-thal, and other valleys into -which it leads, makes us acquainted with many agreeable walks and -charming scenes. The old castle itself is quite a ruin, but well worth -exploring, there being still a good deal of its stone-work remaining; -vineyards are found within and around its walls. - -What enjoyment there is in finding one's self free to climb and saunter -amidst delicious scenery! Now we walk briskly along, returning the -"Guten tag" of the ever-polite peasants, who enunciate this phrase -from the bottom of their throats. The guten is not heard at all, -and the tag sounds as if, in the endeavour to swallow the word, the -performer choked, and was obliged, when half-strangled, to gasp it out. - -At midday we halt, and luxuriate over our hard-boiled eggs and -bread and cheese, with green cloth ready spread, and gushing stream -sparkling from the rock. Then, as we lie back musing and dreaming, -what strange thoughts of the old times come into our heads! Peopled -by fancy, the old towers and walls again re-echo to the lutes and -voices of long-gone days. - -And what a charming friend or mistress we find in Fancy! Most -beautiful of aërial beings, she gilds for us the darkest paths, -and smiles through every cloud upon her admiring followers. - - - FANCY. - - I climb the hill, - And sit me in the shade; - Sitting I muse, - And, musing, woo the maid - Whose steps earth fill - With flower and loveliness - For those who use - Her kindness not amiss. - - She softly sends - To me the gentle gale; - My brow she cools - With scented sweets, that sail - From where she bends - The tree-tops down below, - Mid which in pools - The tiny brooklets flow. - - I woo her, she gently kisses me-- - Thus goes day, as happy as can be. - - -Great peaks of jagged rock start out of the green hills that surround -Burg Veldenz. The stream at its base glitters through the foliage; -and the neat, well-kept farm-houses (unusual in this part) that are -sprinkled through the valley, make "Thal Veldenz" a perfect Arcadia. - -Re-embarking at Muhlheim, and continuing our descent of the river, -into which three or four streams now now from the side-valleys, we -soon get a sight of the ruined castle above Berncastel, and rounding -the island opposite to Cus, the town itself, with its picturesque -houses and towers, comes into view. - -Muhlheim is celebrated in verse for the sorrows of three sisters, -who, as young ladies will do, fell in love, one after another, as -each came to years of indiscretion. The eldest, being forbidden to -marry by her father, died in three months; the second, being also -forbidden, was obliged to be confined in a mad-house; still the -unrelenting old father treated his third and youngest daughter in -the same harsh manner, objecting to her very natural wish to marry a -brave young esquire: having more spirit than her sisters, or being -warned by their fate, this youngest ran away with her sweetheart, -and was disinherited by the old curmudgeon, who seems to have loved -nothing but his gold. We are not told the after-fate of the youngest, -or whether love made up for loss of gold. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - -Berncastel is a delightful, old, tumble-down-looking conglomeration of -queer-shaped houses; a mountain-stream hurries through its principal -street, if such a heterogeneous jumble of odd gable-ends and door-posts -may be called a street: but as it does duty for one, it must receive -the appellation. - -This street should rather be spoken of in the past tense, for the -greater part of it was burnt in 1857; three times the town was on -fire in this year, a church and about forty houses being consumed -in the last and largest conflagration. As we shall have to revert to -these fires again, suffice it to say that the part of the old street -nearest the mountain was destroyed. - -Berncastel contains some four thousand inhabitants; the tourist passing -in a steam-boat would hardly believe so many people were housed in -so small a space. This remark will apply to most of the towns and -villages on the Moselle, for only a few of the better class of houses -are visible from the water in general, the mass of buildings being -huddled out of observation as much as possible, and crowded under the -base of the impending hills; formerly these Burgs were all walled, -which accounts for the crushing. - -This town dates from the tenth century, and at the end of the -thirteenth it was destroyed by a fire, in which the château of the -Bishop was burnt, together with many pictures and other valuable -objects, to the estimated worth of 70,000 rix thalers; it is now -inhabited by many rich people, to whom a great part of the fine -vineyards of the vicinity belong: there are also mines of gold, -silver, copper, and lead, which serve to enrich the community. - -The vineyards are very extensive, and produce a very good wine; they -cover the mountain to a height of some hundreds of feet, and extend -for miles down the river. We are shown the estimation in which the -Berncasteler wine was formerly held in the following story of - - - -THE BEST DOCTOR. - -The lord of the château of Berncastel sat with his Chaplain drinking -his wine,--not sipping it, but pouring down huge bumpers, as was the -custom then. - -Seeing his Chaplain did not drink, the Baron pressed him to do so, -assuring him that the fine Muscatel-Berncasteler would be good for -his health. - -The Chaplain sighing, refused, saying, "It was not meet that he should -be drinking while his Bishop lay sick in the town at their feet." - -"Sayest thou so!" cried the Baron; "I know a doctor will cure him;" -and quaffing down another mighty flagon he set off to the Bishop, -carrying a cask of the precious wine upon his own shoulders. - -Arrived at the palace, he induced the invalid Bishop to consult the -doctor he had brought with him: the invalid tasted, and sipped, then, -finding the liquor was good, he took a vast gulp, and soon a fresh -life seemed glowing within him. - -"That wine restores me," quoth the Bishop. "In truth, Sir Baron, -thou saidst well; it is the best doctor." - -From that time the Bishop's health mended, and returning again and -again to the great phial--for he was in nowise afraid of its size--he -soon was quite cured; and ever after he consulted this doctor when -feeling unwell, keeping him always within easy reach. - -Since this wonderful cure many patients have imitated the example of -the venerable Bishop, and a single barrel of Berncasteler-Muscateler -is considered sufficient to cure an ordinary patient. More must, -however, be taken by those who require it; and in all cases it has -been observed, that the patient so loves his good doctor he never is -willing to be separated from him for long. "Come and try the Doctor -Wine, O ye who suffer under a vicious system of sour beer!" - - - -The little openings in Berncastel, for we cannot call them squares, are -rich in subjects for the painter of old houses; they look as if they -had walked out of one of Prout's pictures, and set themselves up like -stage-scenes for the oddly-costumed people to walk and talk between. - -A good view is got from the ruined castle over the town; which not -in itself very interesting, is yet, on this account, well worth -a walk. When there, Cus lies at our feet, with the river rolling -between us and it. This Cus (pronounced Koos) was the birthplace of -the celebrated Cardinal Cusanus, who, report says, was a fisherman's -son: this is, to say the least of it, very uncertain; but doubtless he -was born in quite a low station of life, and by his abilities raised -himself to be Bishop of Brixen in the Tyrol, and a Cardinal. - -He died in 1464; his body rests at Rome, and his heart is deposited -in the church of the Hospital which he founded at Cus, for the -maintenance of thirty-three persons who were to be not less than -fifty years of age, and unmarried; or if married, their wives were -to go into a convent. - -Of these thirty-three, six are ecclesiastics, six nobles, and -twenty-one bourgeois; they all dine at a common table, and wear a -like habit of grey; they are presided over by a Rector, who is to -be always a priest of irreproachable manners, a mild and good man, -and not less than forty years old: all the inmates take a vow of -chastity and obedience to the orders of their superiors. - -The Inn in Berncastel is a fair sample of the houses of refreshment -on the Moselle: the landlord dines with his guests; the dinner is -good, but ill-served, and is eaten at one o'clock, being followed -by supper at eight. Travellers come and go without the people of the -house seeming to care whether they stop long time or short; they are -charged according to their nation, English paying more than French, -and Germans less than either: however, the charges are not at all high, -except for private dinners and out-of-the-way things. - -The original pie-dish bason is here found in full force, accompanied -by small square boards of napkins; the scantiness, combined with the -hardness of which, render them about as useful as a wooden platter -would be for the purpose of drying your face,--which, owing to -the fortunate construction of the bason, does not, luckily, become -very wet. - -An agreeable fellow-diner informed us, that on the Moselle two codes -of law were in force,--the Prussian on the right bank, and the Code -Napoléon on the left: thus, in Berncastel a couple could not be -united in marriage without a church ceremony, while in Cus it was -optional. Our informant added that the ladies generally insisted on -a church marriage, not because they thought the ceremony necessary, -but to show off the grand array of their wedding-finery. - -A tale is told at Cus of a Ghost who haunts the neighbourhood, and -sometimes visits the town; he is called - - - -THE BAD MAURUS. - -The departed Maurus, who now figures as a pernicious hobgoblin, -was formerly a resident of Cus; a drunkard and scoffer at all things -holy, this wretch filled up the measure of his iniquities by beating -his wife: so ill did he use her, that the neighbours were constantly -obliged to come in and save her from his brutality. - -The thread of his evil life was summarily cut in this manner: one night -as he returned, drunk as usual, to his home, fully intending to beat -his wife if waiting up, and equally bent on thrashing her if she had -gone to bed, a man in black with a lantern kindly offered to show him -the way home: he eagerly accepted the offer, and his guide preceded -him; so the two went on, the black-hearted man led by the man in black. - -In the morning Maurus was found lying dead at the foot of a rock; -they raised the body and brought it to his poor wife, who, forgetting -all his ill-usage, sorrowed for the death of her husband. - -The widow ordered a suitable funeral, and the body was laid in the -churchyard, but on coming back from the funeral, Maurus was seen -looking from the garret-window, where he had been observing and -sneering at his own funeral: everybody was horrified, and Maurus -continued to haunt the upper story of his wife's house until three -priests exorcised the hobgoblin, and forced him into the country. - -Here the mischievous rascal amused himself by shouting to the ferrymen, -"Fetch over! Fetch over!" They, thinking it the voice of a voyager, -willingly crossed; then Maurus jeered them, clapping his hands: at last -the priests attacked him again, and drove him into the forest. Still, -at times the wicked Maurus sneaks into town, and sits on the doorstep -of his old house, and his voice is yet heard in the forest, where he -wanders for ever. - - - -A charming mountain walk of about four miles leads to Trarbach. Up -through the vines we climb, no longer wondering where all the wine -comes from; above the vines is a bare crest of heath-covered turf, -then a steep descent leads into the valley, at the mouth of which -Trarbach is placed: but by going this road, beautiful as it is, -more interesting scenery is omitted. The distance by river from -Berncastel to Trarbach is about fifteen miles, while by land it is -only, as we have said, about four, so great are the bendings of the -stream; which, however, we shall follow, being by no means tired of her -society. It was at Berncastel that the following verses were written, -after admiring the lovely effects there produced by the - - - MORNING MISTS. - - I love the river when the sunshine gay - Kisses the waves, which joyful seem to play, - Dancing like elves so merrily around, - Rippling and gurgling with many a happy sound. - - I love the river when the dewdrops fall, - When rocks re-echo to the herdsman's call, - Who, as the eve spreads darkly o'er the plain, - Returning, leads his cattle back again. - - I love the river at that moonlight hour - When all bad spirits lose their evil power; - Calmly and holily she rides on high, - The waves soft murmur and the zephyrs sigh. - - But most I love thee, O my gentle River! - When at glad morn the mists around thee quiver; - When round and o'er thee the faint-flowing veil - Now falls, now rises with the swelling gale. - - As on her wedding morn the blushing bride, - With fleecy veil and white robe seeks to hide - From eager gazers, who in crowds attend, - Her beauty, and the very act doth lend - - A greater charm, a new and crowning grace, - To which all other lesser charms give place: - Arrayed in veil and robe of pure white, she - Fit emblem is of virgin modesty. - - O thy great beauty! thy enduring grace! - To which all other scenes and streams give place; - Causing all those who thy sweet waters know, - To praise their God, "from whom all blessings flow." - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - -Early rising is absolutely indispensable to the tourist on the -Moselle. The steamers constantly start at five or six in the morning, -and if walking, the midday heat is too great to be encountered; added -to which, he would lose his pleasant rest-time by the sparkling stream. - -From Berncastel, then, in the grey of early morning, we wander -forth. There are roads on both banks,--small pleasant by-roads, -through gardens and vineyards. As we proceed, and begin to think -that coffee and new-laid eggs would be no encumbrance, but rather -help to balance the system, a faint tinge of crimson appears over -the grey hills; little wreaths of mist break away from the mass of -watery vapour that clings to the river's banks, and curl upwards to -the light, and then with all its glory comes the - - - BREAK OF DAY. - - How beautiful the first faint rays of light, - Gilding the clouds that, banishing the night, - Come like swift messengers, and drive away - From us the darkness, ushering in the day! - - The day approaches, brighter and more bright; - The heavens seem bursting with the coming light; - Up flames the sun! and first the lofty hills, - The corn and uplands, with his lustre fills; - - The shades retire, the birds melodious sing, - The glad earth turns to meet its gracious King; - Cool blows the wind, the water freshly flows, - All earth rejoices and in sunlight glows. - - -How strong and full of life we feel as (having break-fasted) we stride -along, drinking in with every breath the pure sweet air! "Guten morgen" -has not yet given place to "Guten tag," and the peasants are ascending -to their labour amid the vines; suddenly a strain of martial music -fills the air, and all look towards the trees through which now wind -a body of soldiers, with their helmets glittering in the light; gaily -they march along; the music ceases, and voices take up the strain, -which gradually sounds fainter as "the pomp of war" recedes into the -distance, until at length the air is left free to the songs of birds. - -The birds, the flowers, the trees, the river,--all inoculate our -senses with their delights; all claim our praise and thankfulness: -but to which shall we award - - - THE PRIZE OF BEAUTY? - - The birds sang, "Unto us the prize - "Of beauty must be given; - "Our songs at morn and evening rise, - "Filling the vault of heaven." - - The flowers uplifted their bright heads - From where they had their birth; - "Nay, for our scented beauty sheds - "A charm o'er all the earth." - - The trees from ev'ry leafy glade - Their claims with haste expressed; - They urged that they "gave cooling shade, - "'Neath which mankind could rest." - - The stream in gentle music said, - "Like birds I sweetly sing; - "Like flowers a charm o'er earth I spread, - "Like trees I coolness fling: - - "Thus all their beauties I combine; - "And unto me is given - "A greater glory, for I shine - "With light that flows from heaven." - - -Where we come to patches of grain-land we find the ploughman busy with -his oxen turning up the fresh earth. The oxen are coupled together -by short beams of wood, which are fastened to their heads, and must -keep the poor animals in a constant state of misery; in other respects -the cattle seem well cared for. - -Occasionally we meet droves of sheep tended by boys and dogs. The -sheep crop a precarious livelihood from the bits of waste land near -the river and on the slopes of hills, whose aspect is unfavourable -to the culture of the vine. - -Arriving at Zeltingen, on the right bank, we taste one of the most -delicious wines on the Moselle; it is of a fine rich colour, with -a highly-scented flavour, but is withal light and sparkling. In -the following incident it will be seen that this wine was properly -appreciated by the prebends who owned the Martinshof farm in former -days. - - - -THE CASK IN RESERVE. - -The fame of the wine made from the grapes that grew in the Martinshof -vineyard penetrated even to Trèves, and the Elector Philip was very -desirous to drink of a wine so renowned; but the monks, who owned the -vineyard, would not take heed of the hints dropped by the Elector on -this subject, as they did not love his tyrannical government. - -The Elector, therefore, determined, under the pretext of an official -inspection, to visit the Cloister. - -He accordingly arrived, and the prebends, who had been summoned to -meet him, did not fail to make their appearance. - -The Abbot perceived that the inspection concerned more his cellar -than his cloister. He kept his own counsel, and ordered different -sorts of Rhine, Moselle, and Nahe wine to be set before the guests, -murmuring the while to himself, "Drink on--drink away, my noble Elector -and guests; but the Martinshof wine remains, bright in the cellar: -of the mother cask shalt thou never taste." - -When the Elector was about to leave he called the Abbot aside, -and praised highly the wine he had drunk, and thanked him for his -hospitality; he also invited the Abbot to Trèves, but told him he -feared he could not give him as good wine as his own Martinshofberger. - -The Abbot smiled, thanked him for the compliment, and added, that -when the Elector should come to see his cloister, not his cellar, -he would serve to him the real Martinshof wine; till then it would -be saved for his true friends. - - - -The prebendaries and monks were so fond of good wine, that the -people suppose their saints must also have a liking for grape-juice; -therefore, as soon as the new wine is made each year, a bottle is -placed in the hands of the effigy of the Patron Saint, or offered at -his shrine: who drinks it eventually, does not appear. - -We seem to be quite out of the world on the banks of the Moselle. We -wander along amid its ever-varying scenery with that delight which -novelty always gives. At every turn new views break upon us; at every -step something calls our attention; now it is a flower, then a rock, -and again a castle, a group of old houses or trees, or perhaps a -little gay boat adorned with boughs of trees, in which children, -celebrating a holiday, are singing: so we wander on, and find at -midday that, owing to the many detentions caused by these things, and -the frequent sketches the beauty of the localities have compelled us -to make, we have progressed but little on our road. But what does it -matter? we cannot be in a paradise too long; and at every few miles -we are sure of finding a little village inn, with a clean room in -which we may eat or sleep. - -Cloister-Machern is on the left bank of our river, a little further -down the stream than Zeltingen. This cloister once contained a lovely -nun, named - - - -ERMESINDE. - -Antioch had fallen before the Crusaders' arms, and the Cross waved -from her towers. The joyful tidings were brought to the banks of -the Moselle, and bonfires celebrated the event. The pilgrim who had -brought this news from over sea was feasted by Ermesinde's father, -and all gathered round him, eagerly catching his words. - -He told of the deeds of valour performed by the Christian Knights; -and as Ermesinde greedily listened, but feared to question the pilgrim, -he mentioned the name of her lover, and highly extolled him, mournfully -adding, "Such valour as this Knight showed forth was surpassed by none, -but now the grave is closed over his glory." - -Hearing, poor Ermesinde fell as though dead, and lay motionless on -the stone floor; then the pilgrim saw by the looks of those present -that he had incautiously broken her heart. Further interrogating the -pilgrim, Ermesinde's father only gained a repetition of the first -story told him, and other particulars seemed to confirm it. - -The walls of Cloister-Machern received the poor broken reed, who -offered to heaven a heart that was dead to the world. - -Soon poor Ermesinde found that stone walls do not shut out wickedness, -nor sombre dresses cover only morality; for in Cloister-Machern the -nuns, one and all, led scandalous lives, and mocked her for not joining -with them. She resisted their wiles, and sought refuge in prayer. - -One evening a pilgrim arrived at the gate, and asked Ermesinde, who -answered the bell, to give him refreshment. As a strain of music, -once familiar and dear, the sounds smote on the nun's ear, and with -a bewildered look she gazed on the pilgrim's face; the light fell on -her pale features, and the pilgrim exclaimed, "Ermesinde!" One long -look into each other's eyes and time had vanished, care was forgotten, -intervening years had rolled away, and Ermesinde and Rupert were in -each other's arms. - -Bound by her vows, Ermesinde would not consent to accompany her lover -in flight, but she agreed to see him at intervals; and while her sister -nuns rioted in the hall she sometimes knelt with Rupert in the chapel, -where they prayed for each other's happiness. - -When waiting one night for her lover, an old beggar drew near, -and prayed for some food. Ermesinde went in to fetch some, but the -others refused her request that the old beggar should be relieved, -and coming out to him, they drove him away with threats and abuse. - -Then the old beggar turned round, and raising his hand to the heavens, -cried out: "Woe be unto you, ye false servants of God! chastisement -will soon overtake you." So saying, he vanished into the dark cloudy -night. - -Rupert and Ermesinde were kneeling within the chapel when the storm -which was threatening burst forth; fire struck from the clouds on -the cloister, destroying the nuns in the hall; the chapel alone -was preserved. - -Ermesinde now was persuaded that she was released from her vows, -and soon she pledged them to Rupert, and as his loved wife she -worshipped her God and performed all her duties far better than those -who uselessly shut themselves up from the world. - - - -A curious old robbers' nest is still to be seen in the Michaelslei, -which is a tall red cliff, a mile or two further on. It consists of a -cave, with a strong wall built over its mouth. No path used to lead -there, and long ladders were used by the robbers, who, drawing them -up after them, were in perfect security. - -This castellated cave was once used as a prison, in which an Archbishop -was placed; this was the good Bishop Kuno, who was on his road to -Trèves, where he was to be installed as Archbishop. - -The prebends of Trèves wished not to have Kuno for their -Archbishop. They, therefore, excited Count Theodorich, who was governor -of their town, to send out armed men and capture the Bishop. - -Accordingly, when halting at Kylburg, the Bishop, who was travelling -in company with the Bishop of Spires, was seized and carried off to -the Michaelslei fortress, and there thrown into a dungeon. - -Many days the good Bishop languished in his damp cell. At length four -ruffians entered and carried him forth to the top of the rock; there -binding his limbs, they addressed him as follows: "We have brought you -here to see whether you are, indeed, elected of God; as if so, no harm -will befall you." Thus jeering, they threw him down into the valley; -but the Bishop sustaining no hurt, they twice repeated their deed. - -Finding he was not thus to be slain, they ended by killing him with -their swords, and cut off his head. - -The good Bishop was laid in a tomb, and many miracles were there -performed. These coming to the ears of the Count Theodorich, his -conscience smote him, and he took the cross and proceeded to the -Holy Land. The vessel, unable to uphold his guilty weight, sank down, -and the waters now shroud the remains of this wicked Count. - -Rounding the promontory on which the Wolf's Cloister is buried in -trees, our river's course turns for awhile in the direction of its -source, so much does it wind. The Wolf Cloister is only a ruin, -of which but little remains. - -At a small chapel near here the Pastor of Traben used to perform a -service on each Tuesday after Pentecost, and here gathered crowds -from all parts to attend at the ceremony. All were covered with -flowers, and the young of both sexes pelted each other with bouquets, -and dancing and merriment occupied all. But now, says the narrator -(Storck), the convent and the sanctuary are no more; their place is -filled with vineyards. The present age respects nothing but gold; -popular fêtes, sanctuaries, souvenirs of antiquity, and rustic -simplicity, are alike swallowed up, and all is sacrificed for money. - -A wonderful story is told of a young lady of these parts. One fine day -in summer, a very beautiful girl of the family of Meesen was sitting -at her open window, engaged in knitting. She was so occupied with her -work or her thoughts, that she did not perceive the fearful storm that -was rising over the mountains, until suddenly there came a clap of -thunder that shook the whole house. Arising in haste, the "fräulein" -endeavoured to shut to the window; but before she could accomplish her -object a thunderbolt fell, and striking the metal-work which adorned -the laces that fastened her bodice, it passed through her garments, -softening the metal clasps of her garters, and partially melting -her shoe-buckles; then, without having harmed the fair fräulein, -it burst its way out by the floor. [9] - -Very high hills are surrounding us as we approach Trarbach, a -beautifully wooded slope, and rich cliffs announce a site of more than -ordinary beauty; but before we take our evening's rest in Trarbach -we must, landing at Riesbach, climb to the top of Mount Royal. - -This fortress was made by Vauban for Louis XIV. It cost an immense -sum of money, and people from all parts were collected and forced to -work at its ramparts; but sixteen years after its completion it was -dismantled in compliance with treaties, and only a few mounds and -walls now mark the site. - -Splendid views are seen from it on all sides. The river, starting -from our feet, appears gliding in all directions; and the evening -shadows are filling the valleys and climbing the hills, while the -glory of the departing sun hangs yet upon the corn-fields. - - - MOUNT ROYAL. - - Upon the Royal Mount I stood, - The day was waning to its close; - Soon the great "Giver of all good" - Would send to weary man repose. - - The glorious brilliancy of day - Now soon would leave the world to rest; - And speed on glowing wings away, - To shine on regions further west. - - Beneath my feet, the haunts of men - With many sounds of eve were teeming; - The herds returning home again - Drank where the river's tide was gleaming. - - Beside me were the wrecks of power - That had been grasped by hand of man; - Around me was that evening hour, - Reminding me how short the span - - Of life which kingly pomp and pride, - Though strong on earth, yet vainly tries - To lengthen or to set aside, - When dying on his couch he lies. - - Throw down thine iron sceptres then, O kings! - Lift up thy feet from off thy people's necks; - No longer look on fellow-men as things, - Whose toil enriches and whose labour decks - - Thy fleeting pomp, thy quickly-passing pride, - Which leaves thee but a worm when life decays; - When no proud robe thy earthly dust shall hide, - And vanished be the pomp of former days. - - Like this dead king, whose ruined forts surround, - Lay not up on earth what ye deem glory, - But store that which hereafter may be found - Immortal crowns and thrones to set before ye. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - -Trarbach was an interesting little town, of perhaps fifteen hundred -inhabitants. It was one of the most perfect specimens of its class -existing, and the fire that burnt it to the ground has robbed many a -tourist of subjects for his sketch-book that can scarcely be replaced. - -The streets of the town were very narrow and winding, the houses -projected over their bases in every variety of irregularity: they -were nearly all built of wood frames, filled up with plaster, as -those in the villages are; but frequently this plaster was covered -with many-coloured tiles, rounded at the edges. The general effect -was a sort of green shot with red tints, and being glazed, these -tiles reflected blue from the sky, and broken lights and hues of all -sorts, giving a very gay and pleasing appearance. The casements were -filled with glass that was nearly as green as the tiles, and from -the windows hung out lengths of cloth; or bright flowers in their -pots filled the openings, when not occupied by the faces of gossips, -who carried on quick conversation with others below in the street, -or else in the opposite windows, almost within reach of their arms. - -A little canal wound about, following the course of the streets. This -was covered over with flat stones; but many apertures allowed your feet -to slip in, if a careful watch was not kept. The pavements required -the same caution, as holes were abundant, and cabbage-stalks plentiful. - -Here and there houses more modern, or of greater pretension than -others, had large windows and walls built of stone. The church was -placed on an eminence, and had many gables, quite in keeping with the -little walled town over which it presided. Squeezed into a space too -small for its wants, the town overlapped the old walls and formed -different suburbs, the chief of which lay on the banks of a brook -which here dashes down through the steep valley into the river. - -Busy and flourishing, Trarbach was quite a gay city compared to the -clusters of houses that call themselves Stadts and Dorfs on the banks -of our river, and in the valleys surrounding. - -High up on a lofty cliff directly over the town are the ruins of -the Gräfinburg Castle. In bygone days this castle belonged to the -powerful Counts of Sponheim, and was built with funds procured in -the following manner from an Archbishop of Trèves, and named after -the sharp-witted Countess. - - - -THE BISHOP'S RANSOM. - -The Count of Sponheim dying, his beautiful wife, Lauretta, was left -with her young son to contend against the malice of the Archbishop -Baldwin of Trèves, who claimed her territory for himself, with no -right but that of "the strong hand;" Baldwin deeming that a young -widow would not be able to support the claims of her son against an -Elector and Prince-Bishop. - -The Archbishop formally excommunicated her as a first step, on her -contumaciously refusing to surrender her rights to a usurper. The -beautiful Countess laughed at this proceeding, and being assisted by -many good knights, defied all his efforts. - -One fine day in May, the Bishop, who was lodging in Trarbach, embarked -in a boat for Coblence, and much enjoying the voyage, stood talking -and planning with his adherents how best he might surprise the Countess -of Sponheim, whose castle of Starkenburg rose from the rocks overhead. - -While thus scheming, the Bishop perceived on the bank a number of men, -who seemed armed, and awaiting his coming. Hastily, therefore, his -lordship gave orders to quicken their pace; but suddenly a great shock -threw Baldwin and many of his friends down on their knees. This was -caused by the bow of the boat coming quickly against a strong chain, -which was placed by the Countess's orders just under the water, -reaching from shore to shore. Before the Bishop and friends could -recover their footing the Countess's adherents were on them, and the -whole party made prisoners and marched up to the Castle of Starkenburg. - -The angry Bishop was led into the presence of the beautiful lady. At -first the Prelate demanded that he should instantly be freed, and -spoke of the rights of the Church, the shameless treachery of the -whole proceeding, and the risk his captors ran of damnation. - -At all this the lady but smiled, and the Bishop's heart melted within -him as he gazed on her beauty. - -The days sped away, and the Archbishop Baldwin finding the beautiful -Countess was not to be moved by his threats, nor yet won by his love, -bethought him at length of his people, who pined for so gentle a -shepherd; therefore he sent off to Trèves, asking his flock for a -ransom, which the Countess insisted his lordship should pay before -he set out, "as some slight compensation," she said, "for the loss -of his presence. Moreover," her ladyship added, "that the Archbishop -was something indebted for the use of her larder and cellar." - - - -The bill for eating and drinking proved heavy, and the amount for the -loss of his pleasing society brought the sum total up to sufficient to -pay for the building the strong castle, whose ruins now crumble over -the good town of Trarbach: this castle proved an effectual barrier -against the Archbishop's encroachments. - -At parting, the Prelate absolved the fair Countess of guilt, and took -away the excommunication under which she had laboured; so there is -probably no truth in the tale that her ladyship haunts the old ruin, -and constantly weeps for her crime of incarcerating so holy a man. - - - -This castle of Gräfinburg was a most important fortress, and capable of -making a stout resistance, even in the days of cannon; for, in 1734, -the Marquis of Belle-Isle was sent by Louis XIV., with a strong army, -to ravage the territories of the Elector of Trèves, who escaped -by flight to Ehrenbreitstein. The Marquis laid siege to Trarbach, -and after a hard struggle, and enduring a fierce bombardment, the -garrison capitulated, and marched out with all the honours of war: -the castle was then rased to the ground by the Marquis, leaving only -the portion engraved at the head of the preceding chapter. - -The burning of Trarbach, which happened last autumn, was a splendid -but melancholy sight; we chanced to be sleeping at Traben, a town -on the opposite side of the river, and from our windows we saw the -magnificent spectacle. - -About four in the afternoon the fire first began, caused (it was said) -by some children playing with matches. As may be easily imagined, from -the fact of the very old houses, all built of wood, being crushed into -narrow streets and enclosed within walls, the flames spread rapidly; -so fast, indeed, they came on, that the poor people flying were forced -to throw down the goods they were trying to save and run for their -lives. The church, being on an eminence a little out of the town, -was thought quite secure, and in it were stored the effects from the -neighbouring houses until it was filled from roof-tree to floor. - -The night now set in dark as pitch; still the fire crept on, reaching -its red forked tongue over the narrow streets, in spite of the water -which was freely supplied from the river; at last the church caught, -and the flames, bursting from windows and roof, consumed all the -goods that were stored, and destroyed the old building itself. - -The sight was superb; the whole space, enclosed by the hills in which -the town lay, surged in great waves of fire: in this huge molten sea -great monsters appeared to be moving, whose shapes seemed writhing -with pain as those of the devils in hell. - -The glare fell on the ruins of Gräfinburg, and the water reflected it -back. The houses were all burnt to the ground, excepting only those -seen in the view, and a very few others which lay in the outskirt. The -inhabitants laboured all night with the engines, but at six in the -morning, when we came away, great clouds of dull smoke still ascended -from where Trarbach had stood, but which now was only a ruin. - -This fire was one of a series. In three succeeding days, Zell, -Zeltingen, and Trarbach were more or less burnt; and within a short -time Berncastel was thrice visited by the Fire-fiend. Many other -smaller fires also took place, and no one could give us the reason; -troops were sent out from Trèves, but nothing was ever elicited. - -Traben, which was also partially burnt, is a curious enough place, -and has as bad pavement as any in Europe: the little inn there was -well spoken of by Murray, so now they charge very dear, and give -very indifferent food. When we speak of dearness on the Moselle, -we do not mean actually dear, for prices are far lower than those -on the Rhine; only when in one little inn we get our supper and bed, -with bottle of wine, for three shillings, we grumble at paying five -for the same in another, where nothing is better. - -Not far from Traben is the place where Kloster Springiersbach formerly -stood in a solitude; here came crowds of pilgrims, for the place was -most holy, and inhabited by many pious monks: of one of these a legend -is told, called - - - -THE LILY IN THE CHOIR. - -A very pious monk lay dying upon his bed, around him his brethren -prayed for his soul; the dying man suffered from much pain, therefore -his dissolution would be a blessing for him. The monk had been too -weak to attend at his prayers in the chapel for many days past, -and lo! over the place where he had been accustomed to pray, a white -lily put forth its leaves. The holy man died, and the lily then burst -into flower: so passed the guileless soul of the man from earth into -heaven, and the pure blooming lily long marked the place where he -knelt in the chapel,--an image of him whose departure from earth we -now have narrated. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - -Still surrounded by very high hills, the course of our river winds -onwards past Starkenburg, from which the Countess pounced down on the -crafty Archbishop. The pathway to Enkirch extends, under fruit-trees, -a little way inland, to where the ferry-boat crosses the river. - -Passing from Bertrich to Traben one day, we heard, on arriving near -Enkirch, sounds of music and lowing of cattle. People in shoals, too, -were crossing the river, filling the boats of all sizes. We found it -was Fair-day in Enkirch, so, joining a party of brightly-dressed girls, -we went over to see all "the fun of the Fair." - -At these Kermes, or Fairs, the amusements are much like those on -similar festivals in England. Goods of all sorts are exposed in little -old booths, round which the gossiping purchasers stand. Ribbons and -gingerbread, shawls, pottery, and cheap dresses, are the principal -objects of purchase; also spikes for the back of the hair of unmarried -girls, and little embroidered pieces of velvet or cloth. - -The amusements consist chiefly in dancing and drinking; there are -not many shows, but "the round-about" plays its full part, and even -women and men ride, as well as the children. - -The dancing is carried on with the greatest possible spirit; in fact, -it seems a matter of duty. The "Schottische," or something very much -like it, seems to be the favourite dance; but waltzing in the old -style has many adherents. - -The girls are smartly dressed, and very lively and pleasant; they and -their lovers drink freely of the light wine of the country, and grow -a little more lively as the day turns into night. - -Strangers at these places are considered as part of the show, and -stared at amazingly; but when addressed, the peasants are perfectly -civil, and seem glad to talk: they are, for the most part, well -informed,--far more so than farm-labourers in England usually are. - -When the Kermes is over, the holiday-makers in groups embark in their -boats, or walk merrily home, often singing in parts as they go. Some -of the men take rather more wine than is good for them, but a quarrel -very seldom occurs. - -Enkirch is a small town of 2000 inhabitants, containing nothing -remarkable. A great deal of wine is made near there, and its situation -is very agreeable; surrounded as it is by hills, the summer showers -often break over it, cooling the air, and freshening the sail. - -From Enkirch a very pleasant path leads us to Entersburg, famous for -the legend of - - - -THE VALLEY OF HUSBANDS. - -On the heights over the little hamlet of Burg are still to be -seen some remnants of an old castle. Here a Robber-Knight once had -his residence. This Knight made it his profession to capture all -travellers, and carry them off to his dungeon, from which they were -only released on procuring a very large ransom. - -For a long time this trade was most prosperously carried on, but at -length (success perhaps begetting envy, as usual,) a certain nobleman -vowed vengeance on the depredator, and swore to destroy him and his -castle. For this purpose he set out with a large force, and surrounded -the Robber-Knight's tower. - -The robbers fought furiously, yet were forced to retreat into their -fort by the superior force of the nobleman. - -The chief then being short of provisions, consulted his wife (as all -prudent men should), and she concocted a plan. The lady then mounted -the tower, and addressing the nobleman, said that the stronghold -should be given up if he would allow her to carry out a bundle of -whatever she wished. To this modest request the besieger readily gave -his assent, and the lady came forth with a heavy bundle placed in a -basket, which she carried with difficulty. - -The besiegers allowed her to pass, and rushed into the fort, slaying -the robbers who there were collected. - -The lady and bundle were all that escaped; and so this courageous -and sharp-witted woman saved the life of her husband. - -The valley is still called the Manne-thal, or Valley of Husbands. - - - -Below Burg, on the left bank, is Reil, most charmingly snuggled in -trees; a road from it leads up to the forest, through which passes -a good road to Alf. This road keeps along the crest of the hill, -past the neck of the Marienburg promontory, then descends into Alf. - -The views from this road are superb. Through the openings of oak-trees -are seen distant landscapes, that, sleeping in sunshine, seem gems -to adorn the green girdle which Nature binds round the earth. - -The fairy Moselle seems tranquilly sleeping through noontide, while -in the heavens the fleecy white clouds are protecting our gentle river -from harm; and their brightness reflected in her, seems a sweet dream -sent from above, which gladdens the heart of the sleeper. - -There is a dip in the long neck of land that leads towards Zell, -which enables us to see a distant reach of our river; thus, standing -quite still, three different windings are seen, and by taking a very -few paces, a fourth (beyond Alf) comes in view. - -Comparisons are more or less odious, as every one knows, and has -written when young; but, considering the raptures in which people -annually indulge on the Rhine, it is, to say the least of it, wonderful -that scarcely any visit our lovely river, which certainly will not -suffer by being compared with the grander and manlier stream. - -The Convent of Marienburg dates from the twelfth century. Owing to -its situation, it was always sought by conflicting parties as a strong -post in war-time, which so interfered with its usefulness as a place -of repose for the weary in mind, that Pope Leo X. had it abolished, and -the twelve canonesses received each a pension of twenty-five florins of -gold, a half tun of wine, and three sacks of corn; so with these goods -of the world they contented themselves for the loss of their convent. - -At this present time the ruins of the convent and church are still -standing, and within them an inn and a bright little garden, where -refreshments are served by the landlady and her two daughters: the -father is one of the Foresters, and his house is adorned with arms -of all sorts. In the garden is a large room, surrounded with spoils -of the chase, and stuffed animals of all sorts and sizes. The young -ladies play the guitar and sing national songs, so a day may be -pleasantly spent there in the old German style. - -There is a little chapel still fitted up; as they open the door -the interior is gloomily seen, but a window throws a strong light -on a misshapen image of some cadaverous saint. The effect is quite -startling, especially if you have been listening to the tales of the -hermits and ghosts who delighted to live and to wander here. Here is -one of the stories, called - - - -THE PALE NUN. - -Over-persuaded by the Abbess and sisters, Marie had entered the -convent, forsaking her lover, the Knight Carl of Zant, and all her -worldly possessions. - -The vows were taken and the days wore on, the kind attentions and -former solicitude of the nuns vanished, and poor Marie found her life -one long monotony; then she remembered her lover, and the wings of -the poor prisoned bird were hurt by the wires of the cage. - -At length she bethought her that her possessions, not herself, were -the objects desired by the Abbess; so she fell at the feet of this -lady, and offered to give all that she had to the convent, if only she -might depart. The haughty Superior severely replied, that her goods -had all passed to the cloister, and inflicted a penance for the carnal -desires that she said were wickedly filling the heart of the nun. - -From this time forth Marie rapidly drooped like a poor blighted flower, -whose beauty and gladness departed, remains on its stem with bowed -head and but a semblance of life. - -One morning a fisherman found her dead body at rest within the -Moselle. The Knight Carl being informed of her fate set off for the -Holy Land, and there died fighting the battles of faith. - -The Pale Nun may often be seen, with her wan face lit up by the moon, -as she glides noiselessly through forest and ruin. - - - -The ruins are placed on the summit of the neck of land, and Murray's -"Guide-book" compares the view at this place to one on the Wye, and -with justice; indeed, those who are acquainted with the beautiful -Wye will find the Moselle has many points of resemblance to her -young sister in England, but she is in every respect more lovely -and graceful. - -This promontory is about three miles in length, and scarcely five -hundred yards across in the narrowest place. It is a spur of the Eifel -mountains, or hills, as they are called, according to the fancy of -the speaker. The promontory is two or three hundred feet over the -bed of the river, and near the ruined cloister the slope is almost -precipitous, just affording spaces for vines, which flourish extremely -on the south side. The forest extends over the base of the promontory, -and then gives place to the corn-fields and meadows. - -The Eifel is a volcanic range, which is thrown up in peaks and great -rugged masses. Formerly, these were volcanoes or craters, but now -they are merely objects of interest in the landscape, shining above -the level of the forest, which climbs round their bases. This level -varies in height, but is always some hundreds of feet above the river; -and from the table-land break little valleys, completely embosomed -in trees, and glittering with brooks. In the next chapter we shall -visit one of these valleys. - -On the upper or south side of Marienburg, and immediately opposite, -is Punderich, famous for nothing except the following legend:-- - - - -THE GOLD CROWN. - -A little way out of the village of Punderich stands a small chapel, -within which, on a stone altar, is a figure of the mother of God. A -crown of silver shines on her head, and a white veil flows over -her shoulders. - -A long while ago the Virgin was crowned with a crown of pure gold; -but a wicked knight, named Klodwig, who owned many forts on the banks -of the river, passed by. When he was near to the chapel a great storm -arose, and the fierce thunder crashed round him. Seeing the chapel he -sought refuge there, and guided his horse up to the altar. Thankless -for shelter, on perceiving the crown he snatched it down from the -image's head, and placed it upon that of his courser. - -No sooner was the sacrilege committed than off started the courser, -and fled frantically over the fields; the guilty knight, seeing the -river before him, endeavoured to throw himself down from his horse, -but before he could accomplish his purpose the river received them, -and down sank the gold crown, the knight, and his charger. - - - -At the end of the Marienburg promontory, round which we are now -passing, is the village of Kaimt, and on the opposite shore stands -the bright town of Zell. - -Zell is a flourishing place, extending along the bank of the river; -its general aspect is cheerful and new, but here and there an old house -with little quaint pinnacles reminds us of the age of the place. These -little old houses seem squeezed into corners by the pretentious -new-comers, whose elbows push into the ribs of the poor old fellows, -until their timbers or ribs are bulged out by the pressure. - -There is a round tower above, and lines of poplars reach out of the -town; the mountain overhead is full of ravines, and bushes of stunted -growth here and there appear on the surface. A little higher up stream, -where the river turns round, resuming her course to the north, the -hills are most beautiful; for, covered with trees, the shadows as -the day lengthens creep on, and break into masses the huge cliffs -and sons of the forest. - -Zell is renowned for the bravery of its inhabitants, which at one -time had passed into a proverb. - - - -The village of Kaimt, from whose gardens the vine-wreaths sweep down -just over our heads as we pass, was always unlucky; as the weaker in -war go to the wall, so, being close to the strong fort of Zell and -the fortified cloister of Marienburg, Kaimt was generally burnt by -one or other of the contending parties, and always plundered by both. - -Soon we reach Merl, where the Knight Carl of Zant lived, who loved -the Pale Nun of Marienburg. Many other distinguished families lived in -this town, which is very old, and full of quaint houses; its situation -is very delightful: sheltered from cold by the vine-covered mountain -behind, it looks out on the bend of the river, with Marienburg opposite -and Alf in the distance. - -Before arriving at Alf is Bullay. This charming town is celebrated for -its fêtes and its gaiety; on one of its fêtes, a noble and numerous -company being collected, the host of the party, a relation of the -Knight Carl of Zant, filled a huge bumper and asked one of his guests, -named Frederick of Hattstein, if he could drink it down at a draught, -as he thought he seemed afraid of his wine. - -Frederick being a very strong man (not liking to be mocked), seized a -full cask that stood in the room and lifted it up; then exclaiming, -"I take this draught in honour of the Elector of Trèves, my good -master;" he finished the ohme. - -Excited by this, and not wishing to be outdone by a stranger, the -host and his brother each seized a like cask, and emptied them in -honour of the Emperor and the Abbess of Marienburg: these three are -still known as the three topers of Bullay. - -Without answering for the truth of this story, we believe it is an -undoubted fact, that in the "old times" German nobles daily drank a -portion of wine equal to about sixteen of our bottles. - -We now arrive at Alf. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - - Deep down, within the caverns of the earth, - Reigns Rubezahl, the Gnome; - Here reigned he, long before man had his birth, - Beneath the rocky dome. - Fires glowed around him, and the great hall shone - With fitful glare that from their flames was thrown. - - Diminutive and swart his subject slaves - Grim-visaged stood around, - Collected in all haste from central caves, - Where, delving underground, - Ever these baneful sprites are doomed to toil, - And win from rocky beds their iron spoil. - - Met thus within the murky council cave, - The Gnomes and their great King - Agree to stay the course of the pure wave - Which now is hastening - From her far mountain source with joyous tide, - To meet her husband Rhine, a fairy bride. - - The scheme agreed upon was, by the fire - Enchainèd underground, - To raise within the earth commotion dire; - And thus with rocks surround - The pure stream, which hitherward was flowing - With beauty crowned and with heaven's light glowing. - - So with his flame-sceptre King Rubezahl - Causes the earth to shake; - Back flow the streams, the neighb'ring mountains all - With fear and terror quake; - The lurid fires burst forth with horrid glare, - Defacing earth, defiling the glad air. - - Thus were the Eifel mountains upwards thrown - From out the deep abyss; - Thus sought the Evil King to reign alone, - Driving from earth that Bliss - Which rapidly was gliding here to dwell - In the sweet person of the bright Moselle. - - Joyously onward, from the Vosges hills speeding, - Dances the fairy stream; - Attendant rivulets her course are feeding, - Whose shining torrents gleam - Forth from the valleys, where they timid hide, - To join their life with hers and swell her tide. - - Thus flowed she on, until her course was stayed - By the uplifted hills;-- - Grim smiled the Fire-king at the fairy maid - And her attendant rills. - The Gnomes peeped forth from many a cavern hole, - And forged fresh fetters to enchain the soul. - - Oh, short-lived triumph! never yet was sin - Allowed to conquer long; - Never was bounteous love thus hemmèd in - By evil spirits strong, - But it would win its way through hearts or stone, - Causing their power to yield before her own. - - So wins her way around, with graceful bend, - The fairy stream Moselle; - And the Gnome King, and all his will attend, - Are forced their wrath to quell; - While she and her enleaguèd fairies throw - Over these Eifel hills, thus raised, a glow - - Of more than earthly beauty, which exceeds - All else around her course; - Each Fairy gives her gift--the streamlet leads, - Above the hidden force - Of demons toiling in eternal night, - Its silv'ry thread, for ever glad and bright. - - The Wood-Nymphs give their shadiest coverts green, - Spread out fresh turf and flowers, - And clothe the banks which the brooks glide between - With everlasting bowers. - Thus were the rocks thrown upward by the Gnome - Made pleasant spots for future man to roam. - - In the most exquisite of these sweet vales - Gushes a healing fount, - A bounteous spring, whose water never fails - To flow from forth the mount. - Love so has banished Hate, and Beauty shines - Above the darksome toil of demon mines. - - -From Alf to Bad Bertrich an excellent road runs winding through a -succession of green valleys, shut closely in by the mountains, which -are covered with foliage. The Alf-bach, or brook, runs by the side -of the road; its waters turn the wheels employed in the iron-works, -which are embosomed in trees near the entrance of these secluded -valleys. So, after all, we find the fire-fiend is not extinguished, -but by the assistance of his friend Man is, as of old, still defacing -nature and enslaving a beautiful stream. - -Six English miles of beauty bring us to Bad Bertrich itself. In all -probability, the tourist in Germany will here exclaim, "I never heard -of Bad Bertrich." Even so, we reply; and that constitutes one of its -greatest charms. While the English, and Russians, and French are all -swarming to Baden, to Ems, Schwalbach, Wildbad, and the legion of -baths with which all Germany teems, there is left neglected one of -the most beautiful places in Europe. There is plenty of shade, and -plenty of sun, and plenty of air, and yet "the Bad" is quite sheltered. - -The village is very small and clean. There are several small inns, and -one good hotel, called Werling's. This hotel is kept by an unmarried -woman, who is one of the oddest, best-hearted old bodies possible. She, -however, is not the leading person in the establishment, as everything -is left to the waiter, a remarkable character. - -This waiter is an exceedingly jolly old fellow, who, as the day -advances, becomes more and more deeply in liquor; his eyes close up -gradually, and his senses seem to be wandering. Now these symptoms -are not unusual to men in his state; but it is most unusual for a man -when so overcome to be able to wait on some twenty or thirty guests, -to bring what is wanted for each, and to (without any notes) keep -account in his head of what wine and food each has partaken. Yet all -this he does, and does it right well. - -In the winter this hotel is shut up, and our old friend the waiter goes -hunting with two apoplectic dogs, that snore on chairs all the summer. - -While we were there, his waiting, and drinking, and hunting were nearly -all brought to a sudden termination; for one night, while sitting at -supper, a tremendous smell of sulphur began to pervade the apartment, -and following our noses, we found that it came from a small room to -which the old waiter retired between courses to indulge in a sip. By -this time the smell was so strong, and on opening the door the air -became so dense, that it was all we could do to drag the old fellow -out. It then appeared that some visitors had given him a parcel of -fire-works to put safely aside, and he had for safety placed them -among matches and candle-ends, and somehow the whole had exploded. - -Adjoining the inn is the bath-house, and around it a garden and -promenade. Close by is a fountain, where the public drink the -waters for nothing. The baths cost one shilling each, and are most -delicious. The water flows through all the time you are in, and -bubbles and seethes round your body: the after-effect is to freshen -and strengthen the frame, while the nerves are all soothed. - -The Herr Director is an old officer of engineers or artillery, and -speaks excellent English. He is a man of great taste, and has laid out -(at the expense of the Government) the walks and extensive grounds -of the place. - -All over the woods and the valleys these walks wind through the shade; -and at all the best points of view are seats of wood or stone, covered -with bark. Often, too, summer-houses, with roofs that will keep the -showers from wetting the visitors, are met on the hills. - -Bad Bertrich was well known to the Romans, who, in the fourth century, -erected a bath-house and other fine buildings. Remnants of these are -often turned up, and some are preserved. - -In the fifteenth century these baths again became noted, but fell -again into disuse; but in 1769 the last Elector of Trèves had the -springs properly managed, and built the Kurhaus, which now stands. - -The bathing establishment, hotel and village, are clustered together -at one end of a circular valley. Precipitous cliffs shut in this -beautiful valley, round which a brooklet runs singing. The cliffs -are covered with forests of oak, beech, and other fine trees. The -little paths that wind round them are bordered with mountain-ash, -through whose red clusters of berries the green carpet which lies in -the valley, with the water splashing around it, is seen. - -Two eminences in the green valley are surmounted by the two churches: -one is Protestant, and the other (the old one) is for Roman Catholic -worship. - -A pleasant little society of Germans collect at this place, and music -enlivens the air; but the season is considered quite over in September, -and the music then goes away. - -Water to drink and water to bathe in, and plenty of fresh air and -exercise, will render a stay at Bad Bertrich most pleasant; added -to which there are plenty of excursions to make, plenty of pleasant -walks, and objects to sketch; and wild flowers and rocks to examine; -or shooting for those so inclined. - -One of the shortest and most beautiful walks about Bertrich is to the -Käsegrotte, or cheese grotto: this is a cave supported by basaltic -pillars which look as if made of cheeses placed one on the top of the -other. By the side of the cave tumbles a rill of water, which flows -from a most beautiful little pool above; over the ravine is a rustic -bridge, exceedingly well-constructed: the banks are covered with trees. - - - LINES ON THE KÄSEGROTTE. - - Pure and beautiful the streamlet flows, - Fresh from the earth it springs; - Like heavenly light that o'er earth glows, - And fans the angels' wings. - - Within the grot a Spirit dwells, - Lovely, and pure, and sweet; - Hard by the streamlet gently wells, - Cooling the fair retreat. - - So, hidden in the heart of man, - Is love for nature pure; - So, ever since the world began, - Has welled God's mercy sure. - - -Close to this grotto is a seat commanding an exquisite view of the -Alf-bach; its course is blocked with masses of stone washed down by -its torrent: these stones form the brook into a succession of little -pools, in which the setting sun reflects his brightness. Paths along -the brook lead through groves in which seats, beautifully placed, -are dedicated to different German poets. - -Another little spring, called the Peter's Brunnen, on the side of the -hill opposite the village, is famous for the extreme clearness and -coldness of its waters; the water is collected into a cistern, and -sitting in the shade under the rock which holds these cold waters, -the air is cool even on the hottest day. A lion's head allows the -imprisoned spring to send forth its waters, which trickle and splash -into a bason underneath. - - - LINES ON THE PETER'S BRUNNEN. - - Trickling gently, lightly falling, - The Water-Nymph to us is calling - From her hidden cool retreat, - Where the hill-drops fresh do meet; - And to us she seems to say, - "My commands on you I lay, - "That, while thus you near me stay, - "You shall drive all care away, - "And with my waters' murmur sweet - "Refresh your minds at my retreat." - - -The meadow that fills the valley of Bertrich is intersected with -walks, and gardens are being formed at the end farthest from the -village. Above these new gardens the Alf falls in a cascade over the -rocks; a part of the water is conducted into fish-ponds, that are to -be well stocked. - -The Falkenlei is well worth visiting; it is a bare mass of rock, -that rears its head over the tree-tops on the summit of a mountain: -it is 160 feet high and 600 feet long; it is formed of basalt, and -is inhabited by foxes and falcons. It is supposed to be an extinct -volcano. - -One of the best rambles is down the valley nearly to the village -of Alf, and then up the hills to Burg Arras; afterwards, explore -the Uesbach valley. But in all directions the walks are nearly -equally beautiful, and as only a visit can convey a proper idea of -Bad Bertrich, we will not endeavour to bring into mere words such -beautiful scenery: go and explore! - -The first Knight of Arras was a brave man, who, at the time of the -Hunnish invasion, was a poor collier; he had twelve sons equally brave, -and they all fought so stoutly and well, that after the defeat of the -Huns the Pfalz-graf selected this collier as the bravest and best -warrior there, and causing him then to kneel down conferred on him -the order of knighthood and gave him this castle. - -The Alf-bach, of which we here give a peep, falls into the Moselle at -the village of Alf, which is a cheerful old town; as usual, beautifully -placed between the river and brook: it contains very good little inns, -and is a good point to rest at. - - - EVENING SHADOWS. - - The sun retires--the shades draw near-- - Their lengthened forms now close appear; - With noiseless step they onwards speed, - Like Time, whose passage swift we heed - As little as the close of day, - Which vanishing from us away - Leads surely to eternity. - - Oh, let the waning daylight teach - This lesson; whilst yet Time can reach, - Ere from our eyes is passed for ever - That day which life from death doth sever,-- - "From earthly shadows let us fly, - "Let upwards soar our thoughts on high, - "To where Love reigns eternally." - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - -The steamers that ply on the Moselle are few in number, but very well -appointed. Sometimes in summer there is not enough water to enable -them to travel, and often a good bump is experienced from some hidden -rock. On one occasion we knocked quite a good-sized hole in the bottom, -and tore off a large piece of one paddle-wheel; but there was not the -slightest danger, as the water was not deep enough for us to sink into -it, so we pumped away for some time, and patched up the hole. Shortly -after we met the down-steamer, which had likewise started a leak, -and we were all much amused at the solemnity with which our captain -handed over to his friend a pump, which he knew would not work, -as he had tried it in vain in our boat. It was received with gratitude. - -There was a waiter on board this boat, whose sole object in life -seemed to be to cheat the passengers; his powers of addition were -very great, and only surpassed by his effrontery. There is a printed -tariff for everything, so his attempts were generally unsuccessful; -but, like a gallant fellow, he returned again and again to the charge, -nothing abashed; we frequently met this individual, and although he -must, after the first two or three attempts, have found out that we -were not to be done by him, yet up to our last settlement he tried -to overcharge; poor fellow, it was, we suppose, an innocent mania, -like some people have for pocketing lace. The living is good, and -the boats not at all crowded, which is better for the passengers than -the Company; and the officers are very polite. - -A straight reach of the river brings us to Neef, which is completely -embosomed in trees, and the hills at its back are covered with -vines. On the opposite bank the bare rock abruptly approaches the -water; from it a road has been blasted. - -The Government are yearly improving the navigation of our river, -by blowing up rocks and damming the stream. - -There is a legend connected with Neef, nearly similar to that of -St. Brelade's Church in Jersey, which we have already laid before -our readers in Channel Islands. The following is the Moselle version:-- - - - -THE ANGEL WORKMEN. - -On the hills above Neef is a graveyard, still used for its original -purpose. In this formerly stood a chapel, which was built here for -the following reasons:-- - -In olden times the chapel of Neef fell into a ruinous state, -and collections were made all about the Moselle country to enable -the village to rebuild their chapel. The holy communities in the -neighbourhood gave liberally, and soon sufficient being collected, -the work was begun. - -To the surprise of the builders, every morning they found their -yesterday's labour undone, and the stones and other materials carried -up to where the graveyard now is. - -The Pastor ordered night-watches to guard the new works, and punish -the guilty offenders. - -The night closed around them, and the hours wore on without anything -happening to alarm the watchmen, when suddenly one exclaimed that -the stars were moving towards them. The eyes of all then beheld -luminous flakes, which, coming nearer and nearer, grew into angels, -with bright shining wings, and love on their brows. - -The angels approached and gathered the stones, then bore them to the -hill-top, after which they receded again into heaven. - -The materials thus consecrated were used for the purpose so clearly -pointed out, and the chapel was raised on the top of the hill, -instead of being hid in the valley beneath. - - - -A sharp turn to the left brings us to Bremm, an old rotten town, -with a good church. The people of Bremm seem more squalid than those -of any other town on the Moselle; whether they merely wish to be in -keeping with their houses or not, we did not ascertain. - -Opposite Bremm is a fair promontory, on whose sloping green turf -the ruins of Kloster Stuben are seen. The hills on the left-hand -bank bend round in the form of a horse-shoe, and the river flows -at their base. The hills are very superb, of considerable height; -and their grand sombre mass contrasts with the green fields around -Kloster Stuben. - -This horse-shoe form constantly occurs on the Moselle; and not only is -the bend of the stream in the form of a horse-shoe, but the enclosed -space is usually shaped precisely as it would be had it been formed -of soft lava, and stamped by the gigantic foot of a horse. Perhaps the -Wild Huntsman rode here while the volcanoes were still in full force. - -The first Abbess of Kloster Stuben was Gisela the Fair; her father, -a knight, built the cloister, and endowed it as a resting-place for -his poor daughter Gisela, who thus lost her lover:-- - - - -GISELA. - -The fair Gisela sat in her bower, waiting impatiently for her knightly -bridegroom. - -The sun watched with her all day, but at last, growing weary, sank -westwards. - -Still Gisela watched--for love never wearies--and at length she had -her reward; for, rounding the cliffs, a noble bark came gallantly on, -and nearer and nearer it glided until she could see her loved knight, -who stood looking eagerly up. - -On seeing Gisela he shouted, and all his friends waved their hands. His -ardour could not be restrained to the vessel's slow motion, and -landwards he sprang to embrace his fair bride; but the leap was too -great, and the good knight sank down, overpowered by the weight of -his armour, and never rose more. - -Gisela wept not, but her bosom became cold as the waters that closed -over the head of her lover, and she passed from the world into the -cloister of Stuben. - - - -Another legend of Kloster Stuben we may call - - - -A LIBEL ON NIGHTINGALES. - -The monks of Himmerode led dissolute lives, and Saint Bernard was -sent to reprove them, and endeavour to bring them back to a sense of -their duty. - -In vain the Saint lectured--the monks were wicked as ever, and the -Saint in despair sought his chamber; there, opening his window, -he sat down to plan fresh arguments with which he might touch the -wicked hearts of the monks. - -The music of the sweet nightingales swelled up to his ears, and -steeped his senses in bliss; but the Saint perceived, to his horror, -that wicked desires then arose in his breast: so, closing the window, -he hastened away. The thought then occurred to the Saint that, if the -songs of the nightingales thus affected so holy a man as himself they -must do infinite harm to the monks; he therefore (having the power) -banished the birds, and shortly the monks were reformed. - -The Abbess of Stuben, who gently ruled over a religious body of nuns, -hearing the nightingales had been driven out, and were wandering in -search of a home, invited them to settle in the meadows and groves -that surrounded her cloister. - -The birds gladly arrived, and their songs, which had harmed the wicked -monks' hearts, cheered and exalted the thoughts of the pure-hearted -nuns. - - - -Nuns and nightingales are now alike departed, as well as the droning -old monks, whose notes we could better have spared. - -There is a fine view from the cliffs behind the cloister, and the -walk hence to Beilstein is very agreeable, as the banks are all richly -wooded, and of a great height. - -The river winds on past many a hamlet and burg; the forests and vines -succeed to each other; islands are passed, and the scene constantly -changes; spires rise among trees, old houses peep forth, cattle wade -in the stream, and our little skiff glides along until Beilstein -Castle appears, so beautifully placed, and so charmingly surrounded -by forest, that we at once stay the course of our boat, and pull out -our sketch-books. The townlet is nestled in walls, which are adorned -with several turrets, and over it stands up the sharp-pointed spire -of a church: the castle presides above all. - -A great load of bark is slowly drifting down our river's sparkling -tide, and the boats are crossing and recrossing, filled with busy -husbandmen. - -Where our boat now stands, once a gentle peasant girl found her death -and grave together, and with the latter peace, we trust. - - - -THE SHIPMASTER'S DAUGHTER OF BEILSTEIN. - -Kuno of Beilstein was struck with the beauty of a shipmaster's -daughter. She heard and responded to his love, believing the words -that he spoke. - -The innocent dove cannot stand any chance with the hawk; so the poor -girl after a time found out, to her cost, when Kuno forsook her. - -Madness seized on the brain of the wretched girl, and for a long -time her senses were wandering; but one morning in spring her memory -returned, and she begged her father to take her where she might gaze -on the castle of her false betrayer, for she loved him still. - -Her father, who truly loved her, placed the poor girl in a boat, and -rowed up the river to where a good view of the castle was gained. She -gazed with tears on the spot, and prayed for the welfare of Kuno. - -While gazing, a sound of horns and of dogs swept down the valley, and -as the shouting grew nearer Count Kuno was seen, with his young haughty -bride riding near him. Kuno, at seeing the girl in the boat, started, -and uttered her name. The young bride grew jealous, and questioned -the Count as to what he knew of the girl. He replied, she was nothing -to him; and, to pacify her, launched an arrow at his former love. - -The shot took effect, and the father, rushing to save her, overbalanced -the boat, and both father and daughter sank down for ever. - - - -Beilstein is not over-clean, although a stream runs through it; -but then it is the essence of picturesqueness, which more than makes -up. It seems to have been in former days a place of some importance, -but with the decay of the castle the town itself has decayed, and -the walls crumble down, and the houses are empty. - -Many Jews live here, and it is said the dark-eyed Jewesses are very -beautiful, and extremely inquisitive about strangers, asking them -many questions. - -A series of valleys--all wooded, and watered, and pleasant--lie at the -back of Beilstein. Unfortunately the inns are very poor, so it is not -a good place to stop at; but if not very fastidious, the accommodation -will suffice for two or three nights; and the white wine is good. - -There still remain considerable portions of wall and fragments of -towers of the castle of Beilstein. Its situation is very happily -chosen for both beauty and strength. On the side over the town an -ascent is impossible. A narrow ridge connects the castle with the -neighbouring mountains; along this ridge is a path, which conducts us -through fruit-trees and vineyards to an old burial-ground, filled with -tombstones with Hebrew inscriptions. Here the Jews are buried apart. - -On the opposite side of our river is Poltersdorf, or the village of -blustering fellows; so called, because its inhabitants were always -quarrelling with those of the neighbouring hamlets. - -The scenery from Beilstein to Cochem is not to be surpassed on -our river. There are mountains, beautiful churches and villages, -trees, rocks, and water, with happy faces smiling from under their -picturesque head-dresses. - -Arriving at Cochem, Herr Paoli, who talks French, and his wife, who -talks English, will attend to your comforts at the Hôtel de l'Union. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - - The moon shines bright o'er vale and hill, - O'er castle wall and donjon keep; - Her beams they dance on every rill, - On every turret seem to sleep. - - -Such was the hour and such the night on which the mad Pfalz-graf, -Henry of Cochem, slew his wife. Thus runs the tale in the overture:-- - - - -LEGEND OF COCHEM. - -The Pfalz-graf Henry, called "the Mad," had a bitter quarrel with -the Archbishop of Cologne, and had been worsted in combat with the -Archbishop's troops; retiring, he shut himself up in his castle -of Cochem. - -As the evening drew on, the Pfalz-graf became more and more excited, -and strode to and fro in his chamber. The light of the full moon -still further added to his fury, and he raged like a lion confined -in his den, constantly calling on the Archbishop by name, and vowing -vengeance against him. - -His gentle wife approaching him sought to soothe him with her caresses, -and addressed him with words of endearment. For a few moments he -seemed to be calmer; but then starting up, he seized a great axe and -struck his wife to the earth. - -At seeing this monstrous deed, the attendants sprang forward; alas! too -late, for the gentle lady was dead. - -The madman was seized and taken to the Archbishop of Trèves, who had -him confined in a cell, where he soon after died. - - - -The town of Cochem is hid by the trees on our left as we look at the -castle: it contains about 2500 inhabitants, and is a very clean, -flourishing town. It contains very fair shops, and the hotel is -good. It is very picturesque; its streets are steep and narrow, and -the old walls and gate-towers add to its general appearance of age. On -market-days it is crowded with people from all the adjoining villages, -who sell their produce to dealers who supply the market of Coblence. A -little steamer bustles and puffs down the stream into Coblence every -day, and gets back again in the evening. - -Cochem is a good resting-place, as in its neighbourhood are found -many interesting places, such as Beilstein, Marienbourg, Clotten, -Treis, Elz, &c.; and immediately around it the country walks are very -numerous, varied in character, and beautiful. - -Sitting in the balcony of the inn, too, is very pleasant; the steamers, -with their passing life, arrive and depart just opposite; the great -fleets of barges are pulled past by dozens of horses, at which the -drivers scream and crack their whips till the whole valley resounds; -fishermen ply their trade, and at night-time light fires on the banks, -that thus they may be able to see their prey in the water. - -Opposite is a small village, and behind this village are vineyards -belonging to Cochem; so the constant communication necessarily kept -up makes the river appear very lively. Boats also are generally being -built or repaired, and the girls are washing linen or carrying water -up from the stream. - -Between Cochem and Beilstein there is, at a turn of the river, a -beautiful cemetery, and a church with twin-spires. The cliffs and -river sweep round the angle and shut in this retired nook, which, -thus separated from the world, appears a fit resting-place for those -whose waking will be in a world more glorious than this. There are on -our river many cemeteries and graveyards, most beautifully placed; and -the graves, with their simple crosses, seem the realisation of peace. - -Nearer to Cochem is a very perfect echo; it repeats twice with great -clearness, and is so long before answering that there is time to -say quite a sentence. Thus it invited us to "come again to-morrow;" -and for many a morrow we visited and revisited the scenery here, -the endless foot-paths over rocks and through vines, or forests, or -fields, ever giving us new views and fresh combinations of beauty, -and we found days pass into weeks with the greatest rapidity. - -Following the brook at the end of the town, we arrive at the foot of -the hill on which the strong castle of Winneburg stands, midst its -own ruins. It has two sets of walls and moats, and must have been -quite inaccessible in the old time. It is difficult to get into it -now, even without anybody to poke a pike down one's throat, or pour -molten lead in your eyes. - -Its situation is fine, and from it part of Cochem is seen, and the -castle of Cochem, which rises quite close to the town. It is curious -how deceptive these places are in size. What seems from below to be -a mere fragment of ruin, becomes, at your nearer approach, a most -extensive circuit of wall, with many roofless chambers and turrets; -just as we never know the size of a tree until it is felled. - -The legend of Winneburg, called "the Immured Maiden," merely relates -that the master-builder who had contracted to finish the keep within -a certain time failed in his contract; and being reproached by his -employer, was about to jump into the Moselle from the walls: but a -stranger assured him, if he would allow him to build into the wall -the little daughter he loved so dearly, he would finish the keep in -a day. The rascal consented, and the devil built the little girl up -in the foundation of this strong keep-tower. - -We doubted the truth of this story, as the master-builder must have -been a very active man to have jumped two miles and a half, which is -the distance from Winneburg to the Moselle. - -Continuing our course from the hill on which Winneburg stands, we -enter a narrow part of the valley called the Enterthal. This Enterthal -consists of a series of openings in the very high hills; the openings -are exquisitely green lawns, surrounded by thick foliage and rock; -through or round these openings runs the brook, heaping up stones -and spreading into pools, or tumbling down headlong in its hurry to -reach its gentle sovereign the Moselle. - -The path is rough, and constantly you have to hop from stone to -stone across the brook. Thus picking our steps, we came suddenly on -a most aristocratic fishing-party, consisting of the burgomaster -and his attendants, clad in blue, with red stripes to their caps, -and with naked legs. They seemed very successful in procuring trout -for the official supper. Their mode of fishing was not scientific or -sportsman-like,--an odd-shaped net, which they poked under the banks, -being the only tackle of this great man, who did not disdain to wet -his own Herr-burgomasterial legs in the pursuit. - -After a long ramble an old mill is reached, and a good sketch found; -indeed, the whole walk was a sort of diorama of beautiful moving -pictures of rock, and tree, and water. The people we met in these -valleys were by no means civil; and we found out at last that their -incivility was caused by their thinking we were making plans to divert -the course of the stream, or otherwise injure their properties. - -English ladies were evidently quite new objects of curiosity to -the people of Cochem. On leaving the hotel, the ladies of our -party immediately became objects to be pointed at, talked about, -and stared out of countenance. If the streets had been empty before -their appearance, there were always spies of some sort on the alert, -who called to doors and windows those who made a perpetual peep-show -of these wonderful strangers. Every tea-table and wine-party also, -as we were informed, discussed us, and wondered what could induce -us to remain at Cochem when we might be enjoying all the gaieties -of Trèves or Coblence. Although we passed weeks there their wonder -never diminished, nor did their curiosity cease. They seemed to have -no idea of scenery being worth anything. - -Luckily, this unpleasant curiosity was confined to the people of the -town; in the country a hearty "Guten tag," or "Gute nacht," always -greeted us, and the greatest readiness to direct or assist us was -always shown by the peasants: one man was, it is true, exceedingly -tickled at the idea of our asking the way to a valley which we were -already in, and could scarcely answer for laughing. Evidently, too, -they in general fancied that so important a place as Something-heim, -or whatever the name of the place happened to be, ought to be well -known to every one. - -The castle of Cochem affords a most agreeable retirement to those who -are fond of reading, sketching, or musing through the summer's day: -unlike the ruins on the Rhine, it is wholly uninfested by beggars, -donkeys, or venders of faded flowers and wreaths. Here you may walk -up the hill and enter by a stone bridge into the outworks; perhaps -a few sheep or goats, with an attendant boy, are there: if not, -Solitude holds his court amid the deserted walls. Through the ruined -window-arches the river is seen, and the town is immediately under us: -vines cover one side of the steep hill, and a little chapel nestles -itself into a corner where the rock shelters it from stones; above -rise the mountains, covered with cherry and other trees to near the -top, where young oaks supersede the less hardy fruit-trees: a soft -green lawn fills the space surrounded by the outworks of the castle; -in the centre stands the massive keep, beside which is a smaller tower, -and in the distance, Winneburg is greyly visible. - -Cochem was one of the three castles given up to the Countess of -Sponheim by Archbishop Baldwin, as a security for the heavy ransom she -made him pay: this happened in 1328. About the same period the Jews -of Cochem were massacred; the popular fury was raised against them -by the story of the supposed murder of the child Werner at Oberwesel -on Rhine. The truth appears to be, that the Jews had become richer -than the other members of the communities in which they lived, and -therefore Envy roused the populace to fury with a fictitious story -of murder, and by this means plundered the unfortunate Hebrews, -who no longer lived to protect their property. - -Cochem suffered terribly when it was taken by Marshal Boufflers, -who, after devastating the Palatinate, advanced against this town; -thrice his troops were repulsed by the brave defenders, at length -the superior numbers of the besiegers forced an entrance, but with a -loss of 2500 men, among whom were six colonels: all the inhabitants -that remained alive after the pillage were sent into other countries, -and only a few ever found their way back. After the taking of the town -the cruelties exercised by the French troops were only surpassed by -Tilly at Magdebourg. - -The assault took place on the fête of St. Louis, and Boufflers sent the -news of the taking and burning of Cochem to Louis XIV. as a pleasant -gift, well suited to the occasion. - -The château of Winneburg was taken and sacked at the same time. This -castle afterwards became the family seat of the Metternichs. - -For a long time after these outrages, it is said that those who had -witnessed the dreadful scenes at the taking of Cochem were wont to -start up in their sleep, crying, "The French! the French!" - -Passing out of Cochem, as we continue on our flowery path, we find -ourselves in the shade of the Kreuzberg mountain: it is covered with -vineyards, which produce a small quantity of excellent wine. - - - -The next town is Clotten; between it and Cochem a fine range of rocky -precipices form an amphitheatre, that dwarfs even the gigantic works -of the old Romans. What ants we appear when from a rock we look down -on our human mole-hills! - -The church at Clotten is remarkably well placed on an eminence, -where its handsome proportions are seen to the greatest effect. The -town is very dilapidated and irregularly built: there are some very -picturesque houses in it still, but the old walls and gate-towers -have nearly all disappeared to make room for the vines. - -At a little distance from the town is the ruined tower, that alone -survives of the former castle of Clotten; it is partially undermined, -and a great hole broken into its centre. The castle of Clotten was -extensive, and very strong; at one time it was the residence of -a queen, Richenza of Poland. She was the wife of Miceslaus II., -and during her husband's lifetime she managed all the affairs of -the kingdom: at his death she was made Regent during her young son's -minority, but the Poles drove her out of their kingdom, and she took -refuge with her son Casimir in Clotten: here she shut herself up, -and Casimir became a monk. Some years after, a deputation from Poland -waited on Casimir, and begged him to return to Poland as king; this he -did, the Pope releasing him from his vows on the whimsical condition -that all the Poles of good birth should cut their hair close to the -point of the ear, in perpetual recollection of their king having been -a monk. - -Richenza endeavoured to persuade her son not to accept the throne, -but her arguments did not convince him of the vanity of royalty; she -remained in this country, constantly residing at Clotten Castle, near -which she built a hermitage with a chapel, to which she often retired. - -A fine reach of the river is seen from the ruin, and behind it is a -deep valley, in which one or two mills are just perceptible through -the trees that envelope the course of the brook which turns their -great wheels. - -The spires of the churches are in general finely pointed, the one -at our feet, as we stand here, is a fair example of their style of -architecture. On Sundays and fête-days they are crowded; often they -are so full, that late-comers are obliged to stand in the doorway or -outside: the crowd is made up of both men and women; the head-dresses -of the latter are gay and graceful. The embroidered cloth or velvet -covering the thick plaits of the unmarried girls, the close caps of -the old women, and the smart streaming ribbons of the young wives, -make the heads of the crowd like a bed of tulips. - -The men always wear blue blouses and black hats, or plain cloth caps, -so they are commonplace-looking enough: the boatmen are alone, of -their sex, picturesque; a red cap sets them off amazingly, and they -seem to have a very good opinion of themselves, if we may judge by -the ease with which they joke the mädchen they pass on their voyage. - -A good many fish are caught in the river, but they are generally -small. All day long solitary men sit in boats, and at long intervals -dip up and down nets that move on a pole at the end of a swivel: they -must have immense patience, and consume, we should suppose, the greater -part of their earnings in the tobacco that they constantly smoke. The -casting-net also is much used, but then there must be two men, one -to pole the boat into the rapids while the other swings in his net. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - -From Cochem, an easy walk brings the tourist within reach of no less -than seven castles,--viz. Beilstein, Cochem, Winneburg, Clotten, -Treis, Elz, and Pyrmont. The first four we have already noticed: -in this chapter we will make a walking tour to the other three named. - -Leaving Clotten behind us, we walked on, under a broiling sun, to -Pommern. At the back of Pommern is a long, winding, narrow valley, -through which the Pommerbach runs. Where it enters the Moselle, -the banks of our river are covered with turf and shade-spreading -trees. Under these latter we lay, enjoying the cool after our hot, -dusty walk. The brook was nearly dry, so we made an agreement with -a wild-looking girl, who was watching some cows drink in the river, -that she should for the sum of twopence sterling fetch us a pannikin -of fresh, cold water, we stipulating to look after her cows in the -meanwhile. We found our task rather difficult, as the cows were -a most unruly set of brutes, who, not recognising our authority, -wished to make their way into the adjoining gardens. At length, -however, the water arrived, and the bargain was completed. - -Most luxurious was the fresh well-water, the tree-shade, and the rest: -a cigar also lent its "enchantment to the view," which embraced a reach -of the river, with the woods on its shores, glowing in the noonday -haze. Close to us was an ancient château, with its high-peaked roof -and many gables; a tower was at one end, and over the roof appeared -the church spire. The brook trickled past, and the pollard willows -on its green banks marked its course down to the river. The château -is now only used as a farm, and the upper part was stored with -hay. Formerly it was the residence of a knight, who held it in fief -from the Archbishop of Trèves. - -Our river lay so still, so clear, so blue beneath us; she also seemed -resting till the heat should pass. The mountains, towers, and towns -were watching as she slept over the glorious beauty of our Fairy Queen -Moselle. As of old, in her earliest days, the freshness of purity -still was in her waters,--still innocence and beauty were combined -in her azure form; but who shall describe the glory of her maturity, -the loveliness of her now perfected form? - -It was noontide, and no foot was stirring. The birds had ceased their -songs, the trees were motionless, and the still mountains were repeated -in the stream, as though they had plunged from their burning heights -headforemost into the cool wave. - -And thus we sat and mused: speech would have been desecration. Peace -was on the earth! What sermons Nature preaches!--always eloquent and -simple. How she touches our hearts, and teaches us the truth; while -human eloquence, with all its art, fails to impress or rouse us from -our state of apathy! What lessons may be learnt, what blessings gained, -in a summer's ramble by rivers' banks, and through the mighty forest, -where the silence is more eloquent than words; or on the mountain-tops, -where earth seems already left behind, and the sky appears almost -within our reach! - -A little below Pommern, where a large island ends, we crossed to Treis, -and went through the meadow valley to the base of the rock on which -Treis Castle stands. It was a good climb to the summit, and the path -appeared as unfrequented as the forest round the princess who slept -until an adventurous knight woke her with a kiss. - -The castle of Treis belonged to a very ancient family, who sent -knights to the Holy Land under Godfrey de Bouillon. Afterwards it -passed into the hands of Queen Richenza of Poland, who gave it to -the Convent of Brauweiler, and it was henceforth garrisoned for the -Church by dependants of the Archbishop of Trèves. - -On one occasion, the Pfalz-graf of the Rhine sent word to the -Governor of the castle that the Church did not want forts, as it was -sufficiently protected by the Divine power. The Governor acquainted -the Bishop, and he excommunicated the Pfalz-graf for his impiety -(a step the bishops always seem to have taken in their personal -quarrels). The Pfalz-graf, however, did not care for the Bishop's -threats, and took the castle. - -The angry Bishop assembled an army, and marched to retake this Church -property. He soon appeared before the castle, and, with his crucifix -in his hand, summoned it to surrender, and upbraided the Pfalz-graf -for seizing it. - -The Pfalz-graf, seeing the army of the Bishop was too numerous for him -to contend with successfully, began to think the Bishop's arguments -were strong ones, so he quietly gave up the castle. - -The poet ends by saying what may be thus almost literally translated:-- - - - "The Cross a perfect victory gained, - "Thus was its mightiness maintained." - - -This castle is curiously constructed. It is placed on the summit of a -neck of land, both sides of which are precipitous. The keep is at the -outer extremity of this neck, and the high rock on which it stands -towers perpendicularly from the valley to the height of some four -hundred feet. The main part of the castle was on the neck of land, and -at the inner end of the neck was a very strong gate-tower and other -buildings. These three portions of the castle were joined together -by strong walls: but if the gate-tower was forced the garrison could -first of all defend the centre, which was divided by a great ditch -from the gate-tower; and, finally, they could retire into the keep, -which formed a castle in itself. Thus the assailants had to take -three separate fortresses. - -The tower and considerable fragments of the other parts of this -castle still remain, wrapped in solitude. The old hall can still -be traced. Where the knights caroused and the ladies smiled is now -the haunt of the owl, who sleeps among the branches of ivy that are -gradually forcing out the stones from the old walls. - - - IVY-GIRT RUINS. - - From the ruined, crumbling wall, - Ancient fragments downwards fall, - No longer held in iron grasp - By ivy hands, which twining clasp - Those ancient towers and turrets grey, - To which their girdling brings decay. - As an old nation, tottering to its fall, - Doth foreign legions to its armies call, - A time triumphant! then the hireling Band, - That erstwhile strengthened, seize on the command. - - Alike the ivy and the friend - Their aid insidious freely lend, - And gradual push their fibres in, - Until the tower or land they win,-- - Until the yoke is firmly placed, - Or firm the twigs are interlaced; - Then dies all freedom from the conquered land,-- - Then is the ancient tower compelled to stand, - Supporting by its strength the plant whose sway, - Like despot monarch's, brings it sure decay. - - Years wear away, the despot's crown - Is green with laurel of renown. - In slavery the nation groans: - Griped by the iron twigs, the stones, - Disjointed from their firm array - By tyrant plants' (or monarchs') sway, - Fall crashing down, and in like ruin hurled - Are walls, and stones, and conqu'rors of the world; - Oppressors and oppressed all equal share - The curse inhaled in slavery's foul air. - - -Treis boasts a fine church and good inns. Carden is a town of size, and -many of the buildings deserve notice, the first is the old toll-house, -the landing-place. - -On the hill opposite Carden is a chapel high upon a rock: the road -leading to it has at intervals shrines, at which the religious -processions halt on their way to the chapel. Through the vineyards -inland of the town there is also a road, with shrines at every ten -yards; this likewise leads up to a Calvary chapel. Carden, in the -number of its religious edifices, surpasses all the other small towns -on the river. - -Many of these buildings are now secularised into barns and outhouses, -but the church of St. Castor has just been repaired, as also a small, -elegant chapel, that stands close to the river. - - - -LEGEND OF ST. CASTOR. - -For many years St. Castor lived in the forest, eating nothing but -herbs, and drinking only from the clear spring. He taught the Gospel -to all, and was much reverenced by his hearers. - -The people, who were living in rough huts in the forest, now -collected by St. Castor, built a village, and raised a church to -the glory of God. His work completed, the Saint died; and in the -course of centuries men forgot where his body had been laid, until -a certain priest dreamt, and in his dream it was revealed to him -where the Saint slept. Thrice this dream was repeated; so, going to -the Bishop of Trèves, the priest told him what had occurred. Search -was then made, and the bones of the Saint were discovered; and over -them was raised the stately church which we see at the present day, -and which is dedicated to this good Saint. - - - -Brauer's Inn is good, and Carden is a very interesting old place. The -space near the church is surrounded by funny-looking, high-peaked -old houses, a group of which we here give. - -The highly picturesque and interesting castle of Elz is about four -miles distant from Carden. It is situated on a great rock in a narrow -valley, and surrounded on three sides by the Elz brook, that nearly -encircles the rock. The hills surrounding are higher than the rock -the castle is on, and completely shut it in. They are densely covered -with forests, full of roe-deer: hares, foxes, and occasionally wolves, -are shot there in winter. - -The lord of the castle sometimes comes there to shoot, or to fish in -the Elz brook, which is swarming with trout. - -We slept in Carden, so as to have the whole day to explore the valley -of Elz; and early the following morning we set off over the hills, -passing out from the town under one of its little old gateways, -several of which still remain. - -Coming suddenly on Elz as we gained the top of the mountain above it, -the view was very striking; we might have been living in the dead -centuries, it looked so perfectly habitable; and yet there was such -a quaint look about it, it seemed scarcely real. Soon after we met -some of the Count's people going out with dogs and guns: they were -dressed after the fashion of huntsmen whose representatives appear -nowadays only in theatres,--at least, so we thought until now. - -On reaching the castle, we found it more ruinous than we at first -had supposed. On ringing a bell we were admitted, and shown over -the rooms, in which are preserved many old pieces of armour, arms, -pictures, and furniture; also spoils of the chase. - -The shapes of the rooms, and the staircases leading to them, are -wonderful: two American artists were hard at work, sketching interiors -and old furniture. - -We read of a knight, George of Elz, so far back as the tenth century, -figuring at a tournament at Magdebourg; and the family holding this -castle were always of the highest consideration. But they appear -to have been a very turbulent race, and much given to quarrelling -amongst themselves, even on some occasions slaying each other; and a -family agreement was signed by three of the brothers, who seem to have -all resided at Elz, which concluded with the following extraordinary -terms:--"He of us who shall during this peace kill either his brother -or son (from which God defend us!) shall be forced to quit the house, -and neither he nor his heirs shall have any rights over the castle of -Elz, unless expiation for such mortal sin shall be made. He of us who -shall disable one of the others, or his wife or child, shall quit the -house and never return. He of us who shall wound or stab the other, -shall be banished the house for a month." - -This wonderful treaty provided that they should assist each other -against their common enemies, and they appear to have done so. - -Of course, a castle inhabited by such a set of quarrellers is haunted -by the ghosts of those murdered; thus Elz is particularly rich in -such stories. But, in general, they are only commonplace ghosts,--just -ladies knocked into the valley beneath for not kissing an importunate -lover, or built into a wall by a jealous husband; or a mournful -murderer, who howls through the long winter's nights in expiation of -his crimes here committed. In winter time the occupants must need -large fires and a good cask of wine to keep out these troublesome -spirits. A better one of these ghosts is a lady, who came by her -death in the manner recorded in the following version of - - - -THE PERFORATED HARNESS. - -The Lady Bertha of Elz was left by her brother, who had gone to fight -in the Holy Land, to take care of the castle of Elz; her lover, Count -Edmund, had died, and she mourned for him whom she so dearly had loved. - -One evening, when the stars were consoling her for the loss of her -lover, she sat gazing on them, and tranquillity fell on her heart. - -The hours silently passed, and the lady prepared for her rest, little -thinking how near to its final repose life was passing. Suddenly she -saw glittering of helmets, and heard noises of clanking of armour -below in the valley. Rousing her attendants, Bertha armed herself in a -light suit of mail, and went forth with her esquires and adherents to -oppose the robbers, who came like caitiffs to attack a female by night. - -Advancing in front of her friends, the courageous lady addressed the -leaders of the marauders, asking why thus they attacked her. An arrow, -launched from an unseen bow, pierced her harness: this was the only -reply. Bertha fell dying, and her soldiers rushed on and defeated -the foe. - -The Lady Bertha was laid in a grave near the castle, over which a -weeping willow still points out the spot; and in the still, starlight -nights, she and her lover, happy in death, sit hand-in-hand, contented -and silent. - - - -The castle of Elz was at length taken from its proper possessors by -the Archbishop Baldwin of Trèves, who, although outwitted by Lauretta -of Sponheim, seems generally to have worsted his enemies. - -There had been a long feud between the knights and the Bishop, who at -last vowed to reduce them to obedience. He accordingly besieged the -castle in form, and, in order to cut off all supplies, caused a new -castle to be erected on the rocks opposite (a fragment of it still -exists). This new castle he filled with armed men, and at length the -knights of Elz agreed to own the warlike Bishop for their liege lord, -and henceforth they held the castle as vassals. - -Three or four miles higher up the valley of Elz is the castle of -Pyrmont. It is romantically seated on rocks which border the stream -that a little lower down falls in a cascade into a deep pool. This -fall is said to have been a favourite resort of the lady whose lover -met the sad fate here recorded:-- - - - JUTTA OF PYRMONT. - - A minstrel came to the castle-gate, - And tidings ill he bore; - He told of the brave Count Fred'rick's fate,-- - The Count was now no more. - - For in the far Italian land, - In lowly grave he lay; - Slain by the loathsome headsman's hand, - Though spared in the bloody fray. - - Of all who loved the noble knight - Only this Page was left, - Who now fulfilled, in woful plight, - His master's last behest; - - That he should seek far Pyrmont's walls, - And there his master's fate, - In Lady Jutta's lofty halls, - With speed and truth, relate - - How many frays the Count did win - Till that sad field was fought, - Where he and brave Count Conraddin - Both prisoners in were brought; - - How then the coward Duke d'Anjou - Struck off his captive's head, - And slew his followers so true - (All save this Page were dead). - - The Lady Jutta heard the tale; - No word the lady spake, - But still she sat, and deadly pale, - The whilst her heart did break. - - To convent walls the dying maid - Retired, her days to close; - Soon in the grave her sorrow laid, - God sent her his repose. - - -Retracing our steps down the valley of the Elzbach, we found a good -path leading through the bottom of the vale. Little meadows bordered -the brook which we were compelled to cross frequently, but the great -stepping-stones afforded a sure footing over the stream in which -the trout were greedily rising at flies. It was evening, and on our -left the dense foliage was glowing in light, while the meadows and -opposite hills were in shade with little puffs of grey spreading in -thin lines among the trees. - -At the mouth of the valley we came upon Moselkern, and put up at a -tidy little inn, where the young lady of the house rather despised -two travellers who had no baggage but what their capacious pockets -contained. She was a pretty girl, and doubtless a village belle, so -had a right to give herself airs. She, however, relented, and became -more polite, when we, regardless of expense, ordered the best wine, -which cost at least eighteen-pence a bottle. - -In all these inns, we observed that the landlord or his representative -thought it a matter of necessity to sit and keep company with his -guests, even if they did not talk. - -Moselkern we found to be a cheerful village, very prettily placed -among the trees, just below where the Elz brook falls into the -Moselle. Between it and the river is a broad, green piece of land, -where boat-building is generally going on. - -Here the youth of the place bathe, and the inhabitants meet to discuss -the prospects of the coming vintage, and rejoice or mourn over the -past one. - -There seemed to be a great leaning towards the French on the banks -of our river. In most of the villages there is to be found some old -soldier, who expatiates to his listeners on the glorious days of the -old Napoleon; and many of the better class of villagers speak a sort of -mongrel French. Even among the lowest, French expressions are common. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - -Three more castles now claim our attention; they were all places of -great importance. Bischofstein appears to have been, as its name -denotes, garrisoned for the Bishop (of Trèves), while Thuron and -Ehrenburg were held by adherents of the Count Palatine, or other -enemies of the Elector of Trèves. - -Pursuing our course down the river, we left Moselkern by a path -running through gardens, whose hedgerows are vines trained on -a lattice-work. We found the peasants digging up fine potatoes, -so congratulated them on their crop, and also on the appearance of -the grape bunches; but people are never satisfied, and they said, -"Yes, it is very good for the wine, and the corn, and potatoes, -but the garden greens are all burnt up with the sun:" we thought of -the wretched farmer, whose potatoes were all so large there were no -little ones for the pigs. - -Bischofstein is finely placed on a spur of the rugged mountain; -beneath it is a chapel and farmhouse: vines grow in the castle-yard, -and wherever a shelf of level ground can be made into soil fit for -their cultivation. - -There is a great white stripe round the middle of the tower, which the -popular belief attributes to a deluge which submerged all the valley, -and only stayed its course when half up the tower of this castle; -the account given in the following tale is more probable:-- - - - -THE BISHOP'S SERMON. - -The country round Bischofstein was swarming with robber-knights and -pillagers of every degree, to such an extent, that the Archbishop -Johann of Trèves sent out a strong band of knights, who took up their -abode in the castle of Bischofstein. - -The knights stayed the ravages, and soon the robbers found their -occupation gone, and good living on plunder a thing of the past; -so they took counsel together as to what should be done. - -The robbers determined that Bischofstein must be taken and the knights -in its garrison slain; therefore, with the utmost secrecy, a plan was -concocted by which they succeeded in entering the castle by stealth: -thus they were able to seize on the knights and their servants, -and they slew every one. - -A poor peasant who was in the fort contrived to escape, and he carried -the tidings to the Archbishop, who sent out an army, which arrived -at the fort and found all the robbers sleeping, quite drunk: these -they quickly despatched, and the fort was regarrisoned. - -Then the Bishop Johann caused a white line to be made round the wall of -the tower, that all rogues should see, and by noting the fate of the -robbers preserve themselves from the stern hand of justice. "Thus," -said the Bishop, "I preach them a sermon by which evildoers from sin -may be saved; if they heed not this warning, the sword must preach -in its turn." - -Hatzeport, which we pass on the way to the castle of Ehrenburg, -is a well-built, well-to-do place, with a fine church. It stands at -the entrance of one of the innumerable valleys that break the great -ridges of mountain that shut in the course of our river. - -Crossing from thence to the village of Brodenbach, we enter a gorge -of the hills which conducts us to the beautiful valley, at the far -end of which the castle of Ehrenburg seems hanging in air. - -The contrast of the sweet smiling valley, with its brook murmuring -along, makes the stern fortress more gloomy. Leaving the valley, -we gradually ascend by a footpath, until at length we reach where -the draw-bridge formerly stood; now there is but the stone pillar -that used to sustain it. - -Some rough steps lead up to the gate-tower, and a ring at the bell -brought a chubby-faced child, that looked much out of place amid the -ruins. We entered, and an old dreamy man took the place of the child; -he led us through a ruined garden that surrounded a tower of immense -thickness, entering which he slowly led us by a winding road, that -would admit six men to mount abreast, up to the summit of the tower. - -To our surprise we now were on a piece of level ground; this tower, -which was the only entrance, having been built on a lower ledge -of rock. - -The garden we were in was neatly kept and full of vegetables; at its -extremity stood the castle, from the centre of which, and on a still -higher piece of rock, the donjon keep, with its twin towers, rose up: -these towers are circular, and joined by a double wall. - -All round outside the walls was air; the valley seemed far away: -for hundreds of feet, a pebble that we dropped fell down, striking -nothing till it came into the depths of the valley. Much of the ruin -still remains, and the old man showed us how we might ascend to the -top of the twin towers. - -There we sat wrapped in solitude, the valleys far beneath us, and -the hills spread out like a raised map, with here a tint of green -where trees should be, and there a grey patch for rock, while over -them shone out a bit of molten silver where our river flowed: so -was the whole country charted out for us, and here for hours we sat, -our senses drinking with delight from the pure well of fresh, sweet -pleasure raised by our most novel situation. - -The old man sat still beneath us; and the records in our hand told -us what the old guide could not, the legends of the place. - -The Knights of Ehrenburg were vassals of the great Counts of Sponheim, -and very powerful in council and war; the last of the race was Count -Frederick, who, according to the Chronicle of Limburg, burnt down -a great part of Coblence: his reason for so doing appears in the -following legend:-- - - - -THE LAST KNIGHT OF EHRENBURG. - -Count Frederick of Ehrenburg was the last of his race, his father had -died while he was yet young. Feeling his castle to be lonely without -a companion, he looked far and near to find a fair lady whom he might -love and bring home to be mistress of Ehrenburg. - -Having found a suitable lady, he begged her hand from her father, -saying that he would give her his castle, his name, and his sword as -a dower; but the grim old warrior replied, that though his castle was -strong and name great, yet his sword was too bright, too glittering, -and new; and added, that his daughter's husband must be able to show -some marks of hard fighting on sword or on person. The old warrior -further suggested that the young Count should burn Coblence, as he -had a feud with that town. - -Count Frederick retired and collected his friends, with whom he made -many inroads on the burghers of Coblence, and at length he succeeded -in burning a part of the town. - -He immediately repaired to his loved lady's castle, when, to his -great annoyance, he found the fair one was flown. Having heard of -her father's wicked promise, that he would give her in marriage when -Coblence was burnt, she had retired from the world, and in a nunnery -was endeavouring to atone for the crime of her father. - -The young Count raged and swore, and eventually took to his bosom -a different lady, but no children were granted them, so he was the -last of his race. - - - -The records go on to relate how this last Count, having no son of his -own, adopted one of the sons of a friend; this boy's name was Walter, -and he met with the adventure described in the tale called-- - - - -THE TIMELY WARNING. - -It was Carnival in Coblence--all the world was there; the streets -were thronged with masks, shows and processions were in all the public -places; music, dancing, and merriment, reigned supreme. - -Walter, the adopted son of the Count of Ehrenburg, longed to visit -the gay scene, but the Count had never yet permitted him to go so far -away; at length, by dint of importunity, he got leave to set out, but -was strongly cautioned to meddle with no one, and avoid all disputes -or quarrels: with two stout men-at-arms he went forth. - -When arrived at Coblence, he went first to an hotel by the shore; -in the windows of this hotel stood the young Count of Isenburg with -a beautiful girl, and many of the Count's servants were loitering -about the doors of the inn. - -The Count of Isenburg, on seeing young Walter, commenced forthwith to -mock him, and sneered at the lad's scanty retinue. Walter was angry, -but, remembering his promise not to quarrel or fight, strode into -the house without saying a word. - -Walter had nearly forgotten the incident, and was gazing on the gay -crowd that moved to and fro over the old Moselle bridge and in the -road under his windows, when a soft low knock came to the door. On -opening he found the beautiful girl that he had seen by the side -of Count Isenburg; she hastily entered, and said, "Noble youth, you -must hasten away, for the Count is now gone into the town to excite -the townspeople against you, and unless you depart with great speed, -the people, who hate your family, will certainly seize you." She added -that, like him she addressed, she did not belong to a noble family, -but her father being Count Isenburg's vassal, she was forced to -dissimulate and receive his attentions till she could make her escape. - -She had scarcely done speaking when the Count appeared in the doorway, -his naked sword in his hand, and fury flashing out from his eyes. "What -dost thou here, venal wench!" he cried out; "how darest thou speak to -this Bastard?" Then, running at Walter, he sought to slay him while -off his guard. - -But Walter, hastily drawing his sword, not only parried his thrusts, -but wounded him sorely; then, whispering adieu to the girl Wallrade, -who had given him so kind and timely a warning, he sought out -his servants, and rode forth from the town, not without some sharp -exchanges of blows between them and the Coblencers, who were collecting -in haste to oppose their outgoing. - -The Count of Isenburg and a party of citizens followed soon after, -and besieged the castle of Ehrenburg; but the garrison mocked them, -and when the besiegers retired, they advanced upon Coblence, and -burnt down the suburbs. - -Walter contrived to rescue from durance the girl Wallrade, who, -together with her father, had been thrown into prison; but the -chronicle does not relate whether he married his fair preserver or no. - - - -After an afternoon spent at Ehrenburg we returned to the village of -Brodenbach, where there are several clean little inns. - -The great castle of Thuron well merits its name of "the Throne Castle;" -it stands on the heights above Alken, which is a considerable village -at a short distance from Brodenbach. - -At Alken, and in the vicinity, many Roman coins, coffins, and pieces -of armour, have been found; so it is probably a place of considerable -antiquity. It is sheltered by a bold rock that juts into the stream, -and was connected with the castle of Thuron by a line of towers, -which still remain standing in the surrounding vineyards. - -On the preceding page we have given a sketch of one of the little -chapels, with a line of shrines on each side of the steps that lead up -to it; these shrines and chapels form a leading feature in the Moselle -scenery. Nestled under the side of the hill on which the great castle -of Thuron stands, this little chapel, with its sharp-pointed spire, -is in fine contrast to the huge cliff and massive walls; but there -is a look of age about it and the old houses near which renders the -whole scene in perfect keeping. - -On leaving the river to explore our way up to Thuron, we enter one -of those beautiful valleys into which the hills so constantly break; -a clear trout-stream runs through it, and the mountains close it in -on all sides. - -One or two labourers are past, a "good day" exchanged, and then -we commence the ascent, which is long and steep. The path lies -through a wood, and not a single person did we meet in our walk, -after leaving the valley, until on the top of the hill we found some -wood-gatherers. Here the castle with its two towers appeared; it is -the most stately ruin we ever saw, very extensive, grandly placed, -and so inaccessible, that when we arrived at the base of its outer -wall we could not get in. - -At last we managed to scramble through a window, and then luxuriated -in the great ruin; blocks of stone and bushes usurp the ancient -place of knights and ladies, and no sound is heard but the song of -birds. This castle was built by the Count Palatine Henry, in 1209, -after he came back from the Holy Land; he was the delegate of his -brother, the Emperor Otho IV., and he exercised a sovereign power -over the countries adjoining the Moselle. He often resided in his new -castle, and had many feuds with the Archbishops of Trèves and Cologne, -who enjoyed certain rights of sovereignty in Alken. - -These discords gave rise to the celebrated siege of Thuron. It is -celebrated, not so much for the deeds of valour there carried on, -as for the extraordinary quantity of wine there drunk,--no less than -three thousand cartloads having been consumed by the besiegers alone. - - - -SIEGE OF THURON. - -The Knight Zorn commanded for the Count Palatine in his strong castle -of Thuron, when the Archbishop of Trèves advanced and laid siege to -it. The commander of the castle, who was supported by a brave garrison, -amply provisioned, laughed the besiegers to scorn. - -Finding they made no progress, the Archbishop's Commander sent to -the Archbishop of Cologne for assistance. This was willingly granted, -and the united armies blockaded the castle. Zorn expected daily that -they would deliver an assault, but to his surprise, day after day and -night after night went by, and no movement took place in the camps -of his enemies; eating and drinking seemed their sole occupation. - -Every house in the neighbourhood was ransacked by the troops of the -Church, and every cellar was emptied; carts also arrived in long -strings, bringing great butts of wine. Thus they went on drinking -and singing, while Zorn from above looked on astonished at these most -unusual proceedings. - -Occasionally a herald arrived, and summoned Zorn to surrender; but -no assault was delivered. - -The empty casks of the Church were piled up in heaps, and at the end -of two years they formed a mass which looked like a great fortress; -and a message was sent to the castle, that if the garrison did not -surrender they would continue to drink till the whole country was dry, -and the empty casks sufficient to form a fortress larger and stronger -than Thuron. - -Zorn now agreed to capitulate, and at length it was settled, that -he and his garrison should retire unmolested, that the soldiers of -Cologne should at once leave the country, and that the castle should -be dismantled. - -One unlucky personage appears to have been excluded from this pacific -arrangement: this was a village magistrate, who had acted as spy for -the besieged. He was taken by the conquerors, and a rope having been -stretched over the ravine, between the castle and the hill of Bleiden, -he was suspended at an immense height from the ground. - -Another version of this story makes the magistrate-spy to walk -across ropes so stretched over the valley; and it is added, that he -accomplished the feat, and in gratitude built the chapel which we see -(now in ruins) on the hill to the right of the castle. - -The views from Thuron are very extensive, a long reach of the -river leads the eye back to the villages and cliffs we have past; -undisturbed by those infesters of the Rhine, who turn every place -of interest on that river into a tea-garden, we can here enjoy our -meditations without hindrance, and muse our fill. - - - THE BIRD AND THE RUIN. - - I gazed on an ancient keep; - Its hoary turrets high, - And its gloomy dungeons deep, - Its mould'ring cistern dry, - All seemed to me to say, - "Behold in our decay - "An emblem of mortality!" - - Whilst thus I mused and gazed, - A little bird upsprang, - To heaven its voice it raised, - And thus it sweetly sang: - "On earth all creatures die, - "But in the holy sky - "Is love and immortality." - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - - -The rock that projects into the river below Alken was formerly a -very dangerous point for boats to pass; now, owing to the submerged -portions having been blasted, it is no longer regarded with terror: -but still we see a saint's image placed in a niche of the rock, so -that he may be near if required to render any assistance. The summit -of this rock is level, and some hundreds of acres of corn are grown -on the curious table-land thus formed. - -The road from Alken to Coblence is very indifferent, but not so bad -as represented by the coachmen of Coblence. One who drove us told us -beforehand, that a short time previous a lawyer going this road was -upset, and had not since left his bed; but as we found that the road -so abused was perfectly safe if ordinary care was taken, we suspected -that, like the man in the play, who wished "every soldier would kill a -lawyer and take the legal consequences," the learned gentleman's driver -must have had some spite against him. Our driver was a funny fellow, -and among other things, speaking of a village we were passing, he said, -"They make excellent wine there, although they are Protestants." - -At Kür we found so clean and pleasant an inn, that we stopped for -the night. As we were resting at one of the open windows, through -which the still evening was visible, suddenly the shutters flapped -to, and in an instant the water was ruffled, the wind howling, and -everything creaking and slamming. - -The storm grew louder and fiercer, the waters were boiling: then came -a crash through the hills, as if the mountains were rent; the rain -poured in jets from the sky, the blackness of which was illumined by -lightning, which at short intervals flashed over the valley. - -Soon the storm had passed by, and the ever calm moon was floating -serenely in heaven. - -The lights of the stars fell tremulously down on the still agitated -waters. The air was so sweetly refreshing, that we sat on and on -enjoying the now lovely evening, till we were quite startled by being -suddenly summoned to supper,--not exactly startled at the notion of -supper, but astonished to see the ghost of a first-rate-inn waiter, -for such our summoner seemed, clad, not in grave-clothes, but clothes -of grave hue, and a white handkerchief, folded with the greatest -precision, round his waitership's neck. We had so long been absent -from civilisation, that we were rather abashed at so fine a gentleman -waiting on us rugged wayfarers, as we appeared; so we came quietly -up to our table, modestly ate, and retired to our rooms. - -In the morning, to our relief, we found our stately waiter in his -shirt-sleeves and not very dandy continuations; so we mustered up -courage to settle our bill, and departed, to revel among uncivilised -castles. - -Kür was formerly a domain belonging to the Archbishop Poppo. He -gave it to the ecclesiastics of the Cathedral at Trèves, and the -wine there produced--which was more than sixty tons annually--was -used by the recipients as table-wine, the surplus serving to pay for -its transport: thus they drank their wine at no cost. The Bishop, in -presenting this gift, told the clergy, "that he hoped to have their -prayers at the last judgment." In 1802 the vineyard was sold, and a -Jew who bought it bequeathed it to the civil hospital at Coblence; -and "thus," adds the writer we quote, "the Israelite nobly revenged -his race on the Archbishop Poppo, who was described in a document of -the period as a friend of Christians and a mortal enemy of Jews." - -Traversing a green bank of turf, we arrive in ten minutes at -Niederfells. On the opposite side of the river is Gondorf, and a -farthing ferry deposits us under the walls of the old Stammschloss, -or family house, of the Counts von der Leyen, given at the head of -the chapter. - -Members of this family have figured in history as generals in the -Imperial armies, in the Swedish, French, and Turkish wars; and as -deans and prebends in the Rhenish churches and chapters. - -The last of this time-honoured race, the Count Philip, died in 1830 -at Cologne. He was buried, in accordance with his expressed desire, -in the little churchyard above the castle of Gondorf, where his -bones lie in the midst of a people to whom his forefathers and he -had endeared themselves by centuries of charity and kindness. - -The motto of this family was, "Rock I am; on rock the lily never -thrives, for in rock-clefts the eagle only lives." - - - -THE RED SLEEVE. - -The Chronicle of Gondorf tells us, that in the olden times the judges -of Gondorf used to wear red robes when pronouncing sentence of death on -criminals; and the citizens regarded these robes with great veneration, -considering them to be part and parcel of their own dignity. - -So exemplary were the inhabitants in their behaviour, that many years -passed without the robes being wanted; but at length a criminal was -brought before the Court, and found guilty. - -The attendants searched and the judges searched, but no red robes could -be found: time and moths had consumed them, all but one sleeve. The -situation was difficult, for the people would not believe that justice -was done unless they saw the red robes. - -A happy thought lit up the face of one Judge, and this was his plan: -each Judge in his turn was to put on the one sleeve, and presenting -himself at the window there deliver his judgment, hiding thus the -unrobed part of his person. The idea was deemed a hit, and put into -practice accordingly,--the populace being led to believe that the -Judges gave their opinions thus separately, in order that the opinion -of one should not bias the minds of the others. It is added, that -the people were very much pleased at the whole proceeding; but the -narrator does not say what the criminal thought of it, or whether his -counsel raised any objection to the irregularity, if not illegality, -of a sentence so pronounced. - - - -The lower castle of Gondorf is used as a barn, and looks very -dilapidated. - -Getting near Cobern, an opening in the trees shows us the castles -that crown the hill over the town. A chapel is in the foreground, -and here once lived - - - -THE HERMIT OF COBERN. - -Robin of Cobern had a beautiful daughter named Else. Her heart had -long been given to the Knight Hans of Sable, but Hans had offended -the Bishop of Trèves, and so was outlawed and excommunicated. - -Hans was obliged to conceal himself, and hastily flying, took refuge -for a long while in solitudes. At length he could no longer endure -being absent from his beloved, so he procured a harp, and set out for -the castle of Cobern, where some festival was then being held. In -his character of Minstrel he was readily admitted into the castle, -and there he sang a favourite song which Else knew well. The tide of -long-past events rushed so tumultuously back upon fair Else's mind -that she fainted: when she recovered, the Minstrel was gone. Knowing -the hopelessness of his passion, yet unable to conquer it, he now -assumed the habit of a Hermit, and established himself where he could -sometimes see Else as she rode forth on her palfrey. - -One evening the Hermit was sitting silently dreaming of days of -happiness, that might have been his in reality, had not his headstrong -will marred his prospects. As thus he sat musing, some robbers drew -near, and not being aware of the Hermit's proximity, one of them said, -"Well, be it so; at midnight we meet: the postern gate is secured, -and Else shall be our prize." The robbers were now out of hearing. - -The Hermit, who had little doubt of the meaning of the few words -he had heard, hastened up to the castle in order to warn the Count -Robin. At midnight the robbers came on, and it then was found out -that the postern gate yielded at once to their efforts, which showed -that some treachery was working within; but, spite of both force and -fraud, the robbers were beaten. The Hermit, fighting most valiantly, -fell mortally wounded, and when the fight ended his life was fast -ebbing. The Knight and his daughter stood by him; to the Knight's -eyes the valiant Hermit was dying, but Else wept for her lover. - -In his hour of death concealment was no longer necessary; and Hans -avowed his identity, and begged that his body might be laid in the -chapel below in the valley, that so in death he should still be near -his loved Else. - -Then turning his eyes upon her, who, whatever his faults, had but one -feeling for him that had so long and faithfully loved her, he said, -"Farewell, my beloved; in heaven I trust we may meet!" - - - -The town of Cobern lies at the foot of a lofty hill, which separates -two valleys that meet in a level plain close to our river. This town -was strongly fortified and defended by the castles, of which the -lower one still exists, and is shown in the vignette on the opposite -page. The drawing is taken from the wall of the upper castle, of -which only one tower and a very few fragments remain. - -In the upper castle-yard also stands an elegant chapel; it is -hexagonal, and supported inside by a cluster of pillars, which spring -from the centre, from these start six pointed arches: the interior -is chaste. - -This chapel is called by the people the Church of the Templars, -because the castle, in whose walls it stands, was inhabited by some of -the Knights of the Temple after the suppression of their Order. The -proper name of the building is the St. Matthias Chapel, and it was -the principal station of the great pilgrimage which yearly took place -from Coblence to Trèves. These processions now are less frequent, -but still, in a modified form, they often take place. - -With song and banners waving, these processions wind their way along, -stopping at intervals when before a shrine. The background is formed -by ruined castles, woods, and vineyards; the songs resound among -the hills as in the old days of Germany, when churches there were -none, and God was worshipped under the holy vault of heaven; where -the visible beauties of his works preached the religion of Nature to -those who bad not yet heard Christ's Gospel. Sorrow it is, and shame, -that so much mummery should now be mixed with that which was so clear -and simple when proceeding from His lips. - -A legend of Cobern, relating to the old possessors of the castle, -which still stands, is called - - - -THE CHARACTERISTIC MARK OF COBERN. - -The battle was won, the enemy defeated and flying, when the Commander -of the army collected his forces and caused proclamation to be made -that the young warrior of Cobern, who had saved his life at the risk -of his own, should stand forth. For a long time no one came forward, -the modest soldier not wishing to make too great a service of what -he had done. - -At length a young man advanced and said he was the man, whereon all -hastened to praise him, and the Commander offered his thanks and bade -him kneel down to be knighted. Then out stepped the true man of Cobern, -and addressed the young man thus: "Of Cobern thou sayest thou art, -O Goliath! then tell to this gallant assembly, what is the sacred -and characteristic mark of that place?" - -The impostor not being of Cobern, was unable to answer the question; -he stuttered and turned pale, whereon the Commander ordered him to -be placed in fetters. - -Then the true Coberner said, the secret mark, only known to our -townspeople, is this: "Beneath the high altar in the Church of Cobern -is a spring; this spring bubbles and murmurs while the priest prays." - -The brave man, whose modesty was highly extolled, was knighted in place -of the young man who had tried to assume a credit not due to him; -and the Knight so made was the first lord of the Castle of Cobern, -and for centuries his family flourished there. - -Among his descendants were three sisters, so renowned for their beauty -that they were called "The beautiful Trefoil of Cobern." - -Cobern was the country of the poet Reiff, whose sonnets, of a triste -character, were much prized. The ruins which cover the country are -said to have much influenced, and given this sombre character to, -his writings. - -The earliest traditions of this town record that a certain Lubentius, -who was a contemporary of St. Castor of Carden, converted the ancient -inhabitants and performed many miracles; and on one occasion a dispute -having arisen between the canon, Peter of Carden, and the chaplain, -William of Cobern, as to the respective merits of their two patrons, -they fought it out with their fists. William of Cobern being the -biggest and strongest, his cause was the best; so Saint Castor must -rank after Lubentius. - -On the fête of Lubentius fires were lighted on the surrounding hills, -in emblem of the light of the Gospel, which dispersed the darkness -of Paganism. - -This fête took place at the time of the vintage, and the assisters -thereat frequently imitated their champion, William the Chaplain, -and strove to uphold their patron's authority by the same arguments, -the new wine giving life to old quarrels. - -The ancient documents relating to Cobern are filled with histories -of the quarrels of the inhabitants one with another, or with those -of the neighbouring places. - -The last Knight of Cobern was Johann Lutter, who, being taken prisoner -by the citizens of Coblence, was by them beheaded as a disturber of -the public peace. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - -Autumn had long been turning the green leaves to gold. A tinge of -yellow first appeared upon the trees; then warmer and brighter grew -the foliage; the vintage came and ended; the corn-harvest was long -stored away, and, like the Roman Empire, more gorgeous in decay than -in its prime. The forest stood crowned with a thousand hues,--crowned -like a sacrifice of old prepared for death,--prepared to offer up at -Nature's shrine the loveliness she gave. - -The most gorgeous of the seasons, Autumn is still the saddest. We -look on the fallen leaves and think of friends departed; the useless -heaps that lie around the stems remind us of our lost time, and -as the winter comes age seems stealing on our brows. Who can say, -I shall see spring again? Yet the lesson thus taught us is for our -good. Time moves on and brings us to eternity; therefore, is it not -well for man that Nature warns him of the lapse of Time? - -Nor is winter to us an unpleasant or unprofitable period. In winter -we meet again our friends, we gather round our hearths, or meet by -theirs those that we love; old friendships are renewed, old ties -are strengthened, and by the cheerful fireside we repeat tales of -old times,--tales of days that made our country famous; in gaining -which fame our fathers bled, and we their descendants receive fresh -strength to emulate their deeds. - -In the old days, upon our river's bank, the Germans deemed Christmas -more sacred than all other times; for then, they said, "The gods -walked upon the earth." - -So should it be. At Christmas, we should with the old year bury our -quarrels and our cares; and as our religion teaches, look forward -with a sure hope and certain faith to the new year, which assuredly -will dawn. - -In the dark days of Paganism we can well imagine how men's minds were -affected with the gloom of impending winter; but we are no longer -fearful of the coming time, now that we know eternity is open and -that we shall live hereafter. - - - THE SUCCESSION OF THE SEASONS. - - The day succeeded night, and eve the morn, - In those far ages back ere Man was born; - Then only Elves and Fairies played - Beneath the leafy covert's shade, - - And all was Summer, and the bright sun shone - On this fair world, and ruled it for his own; - For Winter there was none, nor cold - Nor cloud in those bright days of old. - - The birds and flowers for ever bloomed and sang, - The springs perpetual from the dark rock sprang; - Time strode with even step along, - His path begirt with flowers and song. - - The dainty Elves and Fairies wandered free, - Passing their hours in mirth and harmless glee, - Until at length of sunshine they - Grow weary, and for some new thing pray. - - Then Autumn first into the world was sent, - And all the Elves and Fairies were content; - But soon they learnt that, Change begun, - Its onward course would ever run. - - Succeeding Autumn, cold, dark, Winter's reign - Commenced; the Elves wished Summer back again, - Fearing no more its light to see, - Dreading lest thus Eternity - - Should Time have swallowed up, and, falling fast, - Their fairy tears were shed for pleasure past, - As ours too often vainly fall, - Seeking our lost ones to recall; - - Till Spring the wintry earth revived again, - Refreshing all things with its gentle rain. - Then danced the Elves, then sang the Fairies gay, - And so the winter clouds all passed away; - Henceforth the seasons in succession rolled, - And new years hastened to supplant the old. - - Thus let us learn when coldest winter chills, - And darkest night with fear our bosom fills, - To trust in His unfailing love, and turn - Our hearts to where, with thankfulness, we learn - - That, as the Spring and Summer cold succeed, - And morning to the night, - So will His mercy wandering footsteps lead - From darkness into light. - - -Between Cobern and Winningen our river makes its last great bend at -a point where a splendid mass of rock towers up on the left bank. It -is the last of the Eifel family of Giants we encounter; for, beyond -Winningen, the scenery on that side becomes softer in character, -smaller hills become undulations, and then, as we get close to -Coblence, these slope into the garden with which the plain is covered. - -The first cluster of houses we encounter after leaving Cobern is -Dieblich. It lies quite back from the stream, and looks anything but a -place that would be especially selected by witches to carry on their -spells and incantations; yet so infected (say the Chronicles) was -this town with witches, that in a short time twenty-five individuals -were burnt there, who all confessed that they were in the habit of -meeting on a neighbouring mountain and worshipping a goat, who was -an incarnation of the Evil One. - -They also confessed to having emptied cellars, cursed cattle, raised -storms, destroyed the harvests, and performed all the feats usually -attributed to those unfortunates. The key to the true causes of their -being persecuted lies, perhaps, in the following tale, which, if true, -clears the memory of one witch of Dieblich. Spite, envy, jealousy, -or some other evil passion being, in all probability, the denouncer -of the unfortunate witches in nine cases out of ten. - - - -THE FATE OF THE FALSE SWEARER. - -An old country Squire who was unmarried, having been much struck -with the appearance of a young girl of Dieblich, determined to ask -her mother to give him the daughter in marriage; so he donned his -best suit and set off. - -Now Elsbeth was, as she richly deserved, the belle of the place. Many -and many a head had been broken, and many a tall wine-bottle emptied, -in honour of her. The mother was naturally proud of her daughter's -attractions; indeed, perhaps, as mothers will do, she rather overrated -her merits. - -When the Squire rode up to her door, the housewifely frau was busy -preparing the soup, which forms so essential an item of dinner -in Germany. "Good day! God be with you!" said he. "And with you -also, mein Herr!" replied she; "what brings your honourable and -ever-to-be-delighted-in presence to the door of my humble abode?" - -Then followed the explanation of how the Squire would honour the -buxom Elsbeth by making her his wife; but the frau, nettled at the -Squire's manner, demurred,--thinking much greater ceremony should -have been observed in asking the hand of the Belle of Dieblich. - -The Squire, not expecting any obstacle, was astonished, then angry; -but at that moment the Beauty entered, and he addressed himself for -an answer to her. She laughed in his face, and averred that he had -better marry her mother; so off rode the Squire, vowing vengeance. - -It was, however, a very dear joke for the mother; the Squire hurried -off to Coblence, and there denounced her for a witch. Her friends and -her daughter's lovers came forward to plead in her favour, and swore -that she was a godly old woman, who never had harmed man or beast. - -The false-swearing Squire swore to the contrary, and said these -neighbours of hers were bewitched. The Court, of course believing a -rich man rather than a number of poor ones, ordered the old woman to -be put to the rack; there she confessed sins of which she had never -been guilty, and then she was burnt. - -Elsbeth, afraid she should meet the same fate, jumped into the river. - -The wicked Squire rode thoughtfully home, beginning to fear that he -had not gained peace of mind, though he had had his revenge. He came -in sight of his house, and perceiving a storm was arising, pushed on -with all haste; but it is in vain to fly from our fate: the lightning -flashed out, and his horse starting, reared,--then bounding forward, -it hurled its rider with force to the ground. Thus perished the -swearer of lies. - - - -At Winningen the inhabitants are Protestants, and are, says M. de -Bourdelois, "distinguished for their religion, language, and manners, -above their Romanist brethren." The vine is nearly the sole object -of culture. Formerly, at Pentecost, a very great fête was held in -the neighbouring forest, at which was collected all the nobles and -knights, burgomasters and aldermen, of the district; the Lord of -Elz gave a huge tun of wine, and the monasteries of St. Martin and -Marienrod sent the eatables, to this gigantic pic-nic. - -The people living at this part of our river, especially a little lower -down, near Lay, have been subject to terrible disasters, caused by -the ice which collects here in winter, and then, suddenly breaking -up, floods the whole country. In 1670 the Lahn, being unfrozen, and -swollen with the rain that had fallen in the Taunus range, rushed -down, and sweeping past Coblence, forced its way up the Moselle; -thus causing great icebergs to form in our river, which killed the -vines and swept away orchards, houses, men, beasts, and boats, all -in one chaos of general destruction. In 1709, thrice the ice became -melted and then froze again, each time spreading disaster abroad; -Coblence, Güls, Lay, and Moselweiss, all severely felt the effects. - -On the hills above Lay is the great drill-ground of Coblence; here -the large body of forces collected in Ehrenbreitstein and Coblence -are manoeuvred. From these heights, too, a remarkable view of the -windings of both Rhine and Moselle may be seen. Stoltzenfels and -Lahneck appear in the distance. Coblence, with long lines of trees -approaching it from all quarters, is just underneath the end of this -promontory of rock; the stone bridge of the Moselle and the boat-bridge -of the Rhine are observed; and the strong fortress of Ehrenbreitstein -is on the opposite side of the Rhine. - -Just opposite to Güls the Hunsruck mountains recede inland from the -Moselle, and our glad river flows now through a plain. Her course is -nearly finished, her journey is almost accomplished; soon she will -unite her pure spirit and her being with the lordly Rhine. But one -other city standing on her banks has yet to be described; one other -chapter is required to finish the life of our sweet river. - - - - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - -Coblence is situated at the extremity of a level plain watered -by the Moselle and Rhine. It is placed in the angle formed by the -junction of those two rivers. Immediately opposite to the town is the -strong fortress of Ehrenbreitstein, which has the reputation of being -impregnable: it is much doubted whether this fortress would be found -as strong as it is represented to be, now the art of gunnery has been -so much improved; yet it would certainly be a formidable obstacle -to an attacking army. Coblence itself is strongly fortified, and, -together with Ehrenbreitstein, is garrisoned by about 4000 men. Every -year troops are gathered from other garrisons to the neighbourhood of -Coblence, where they encamp and rehearse all sorts of field evolutions. - -During the earliest period of the Roman Empire a castle was built -by the Romans at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. This -fortress fell into the hands of the Franks towards the end of the -fifth century. Gradually a town arose round the fortress, till the -space between the rivers was filled; then two suburbs were built, -one called Thal Coblenz, or Coblence in the Valley--this was on the -right bank of the Rhine; the other, on the left bank of the Moselle, -was called Klein (little) Coblenz. - -After a time the town passed into the possession of the Electors of -Trèves, and they built a palace and fortified it. - -The bridge over the Moselle is of Roman origin; but it has frequently -been repaired and partially rebuilt, being subject to great pressure -from the breaking up of the ice on the Moselle, when parts of Coblence -are frequently inundated. - -Ehrenbreitstein is built on the site of an ancient Roman tower, which -is described in old maps as "Turris adversus Germaniam Magnam." The -Archbishops of Trèves built a palace under the walls of this castle, -which was by that time much enlarged and strengthened. The palace -still remains. - -During the Thirty Years' War, the garrison of Ehrenbreitstein was -reduced to such straits for provisions, that on one occasion, at a -banquet given by the General Commanding to his officers, there were -served up to table sixteen mules, eight dogs, and eighty rats,--the -latter delicate animals costing twenty sous each: in addition to these -appetising viands, a morsel of bread was served out to each guest, -the flour to make which cost one hundred florins a bushel. - -At the French Revolution, Coblence became the capital of the Department -of the Rhine and Moselle; in 1814 it was given to Prussia, and is now -the capital of the Rhenish Provinces of Prussia, and the seat of the -Government of those Provinces. - -Old Coblence was built along the right bank of the Moselle; and its -formerly important suburb of Little Coblence formed with it one town, -immediately connected by the bridge. This bridge was entirely rebuilt -by the celebrated Elector Baldwin of Trèves. It is recorded of him, -that he, by his influence, procured the election of his brother Henry -to the Imperial throne; and after his brother's death he placed the -crown on the head of the Duke of Bavaria: his nephew also was raised -to the throne of Bohemia. He travelled into Italy with the Emperor, -and was on that occasion surrounded by all the chivalry of the Moselle, -the Counts of Elz, Von der Leyen, &c. &c.; in short, he seems to have -equalled in power and magnificence any prince of the age. Yet he was -outwitted by Lauretta of Sponheim. - -The bridge was formerly the great centre of gaiety, and the place -most resorted to for exercise and fresh air. Here, on the first day -of the new year, came the chief magistrate to receive tribute from -the different communities that owed him allegiance. The Seigneurs -presented cheeses or a couple of fowls; the Religieuses of Oberwerth -a cake, and those of the Chartreuse a quarter of a hundred of eggs. - -On the occasion of this ceremony the senators and magistrates were -allowed to snowball each other; but the bailiffs of the Elector were -not permitted to take a part in this exercise. - -A reunion of the authorities also took place on the bridge on -the eve of St. Walpurgis. Then the two burgomasters of Coblence -and Little Coblence arrived, each with a bouquet of lilies freshly -gathered. Lavender and thyme that had been plucked in the woods near -Coblence were also made into bouquets and presented to the wives and -daughters of the principal citizens. - -The Walpurgis eve was, according to the old stories, the great day -when the witches assembled from all parts, and rode abroad on the -wind, or else bestrode their housewifely brooms. On one of the annual -reunions upon the bridge a handsome and well-dressed cavalier, holding -a bouquet of the fairest flowers in his hand, was seen wending his -way through the crowd. The eyes of all the young maidens were turned -with admiring glances upon the cavalier's handsome face, and great -was the jealousy when he stopped before Lieschen, and presented his -bouquet to her. The plaited tails of their hair became more and more -agitated, and meaning looks were exchanged as Lieschen (who, the men -said, was lovely, but who, the girls said, was an impudent thing) was -led by the hand through the crowd, her conductor being the handsome -young stranger; but all their jealousy turned into pity when, the -next morning, it was found that Lieschen had vanished. Doubtless the -young man was a spirit of evil, who had carried her off to destruction. - - - -On the day of the dedication of the Church all the young people danced -on the bridge. - -The air inhaled on this bridge was held to be of peculiar salubrity, -and an old locksmith, who lived to the age of 120, considered that the -length of his life was entirely owing to his daily walk on the bridge; -and he believed that he might have lived to a much greater age had -not he been prevented one day from taking his accustomed exercise. - - - -LEGEND OF THE MOSELLE BRIDGE. - -A youth stood leaning on the parapet of the Moselle Bridge. He -thought of the numerous stories then rife in those regions, in which -water-spirits played so conspicuous a part. As he silently gazed, -and his young heart yearned for something to love--something more -pure and ethereal than the Sannchens and Lisbeths of every-day life, -a gentle Spirit arose from the waters--a Spirit of purity raised by -the Spirit of Love. - -"Dreamer," said the pure Spirit of Water, "day after day and night -after night I hear thy sighs and complaints. Thy tears fall down into -the stream, and cause me to pity thee. Nay more, I could love thy -sad heart were I a mortal; but, unlike thee, my poor youth, I live -for ever. I was old when thy fathers were young, and young shall I -be when thou art departed." - -Then broke forth the youth:--"Ever young, ever glorious art -thou! Receive but my love, and I shall be contented to pass from my -mortal existence at once." - -"Nay," gravely replied the pure Spirit, "thou thinkest alone of thy -love and thy pleasure; know this for thy good,--all like thee of mortal -race must perform the duties of their lives before their great reward -is gained. If then thou truly lovest me, and earnestly fulfillest the -work appointed thee to do, faithfully and steadfastly pursuing the -straight path in life, then will I, when thy years are full, receive -thee in my arms, for so only canst thou gain perpetual youth and be -a fit associate for even such as I, who am but a handmaiden of the -Queen Moselle, who herself is but one of the lesser Spirits of the -Universe. Go, and be just, and honourable, and brave; be kind to all, -and liberal to the poor; so shalt thou gain immortal youth and me." - -The Spirit was gone, and the bright waves shone in the moonlight; -the youth returned, silent and thoughtful, towards the city. - - - -Year after year went by, and every night a solitary figure appeared -at the same spot on the bridge, until the snows of a century crowned -the brows of him who was still in heart but a youth; then his radiant -bride appeared, and the pure-hearted man was wafted away on the bosom -of the pure Water Spirit. - -Still on the waters live spirits, beautiful and pure as that which -appeared to the youth, but as yet no other mortal has been found -who, at his death, could claim by his own spotless life an immortal -bride. And if it is the case that scarce one is sinless enough to -claim even a handmaiden among spirits, who shall take his place with -those higher hosts that fill the sky? Who shall dare aspire to the -central heaven itself? - - - -The Germans of the present time are quite as much given to amusement -as their forefathers were; on every possible occasion they indulge -in pic-nics, dances, fairs, processions, and festivals of all -sorts. Christmas and New-year's Days are perhaps the greatest holidays -in the year, but Carnival time is also universally kept as a fête, -the same as in Italy. - -In summer, excursions into the country are the most favourite -amusements; people of all classes, high and low alike, indulge in -these excursions. Some of the villages on the Moselle are particularly -frequented by the people of Coblence. Güls, Moselweiss, and Lay are -often crowded with pleasure-seekers of the poorer class, while the -richer are met with at much greater distances; crowned with wreaths, -and laughing and singing, these latter seem to pass very merry days -in the woods, exploring old castles, &c. Certainly our pic-nics -in England are but dull affairs in comparison, but then our belles -are on such occasions better dressed, and it might hurt their fine -clothes if they went romping about as the German girls do; besides, -the impropriety would be shocking. - -Coblence is, on the whole, an uninteresting town; it has all -the disadvantage of being a garrison without any particular -redeeming point; the rivers are quite shut out from the town by the -fortifications, and can only be seen by going on to the bridges: -however, the hotels, which are very good, command views of the Rhine -from their windows; and the Belle Vue may be especially mentioned, -as affording most animated scenes to those who occupy its apartments, -it being just opposite to the bridge of boats, where promenaders sun -themselves and military are always crossing and recrossing. - -Occasionally the bridge of boats is opened, and steamers, each tugging -a fleet of from two to six, or even seven vessels, beat up the stream; -or else a gigantic floating village of wood comes gliding down, -quite filling the aperture, and looking as if it would carry away -the whole bridge. It is wonderful the skill with which these unwieldy -rafts are managed. - -In the town there are good shops, but not much outward display; -and though, as we have mentioned, not in itself very interesting, -yet there are many and beautiful excursions to be made from it: -the society is said to be agreeable. - -Near the junction of the rivers is the church of Saint Castor; -it stands in a large open space, and is a stately and interesting -building: it contains a handsome monument to one of the Electors -of Trèves. - -The palace is a large house, not remarkable in any way; in it is a -chapel where English service is performed, as there are a good many -English constantly residing here, as well as the swarms of summer -visitors. Most of the more important buildings are near the Moselle -Bridge, or between it and the church of Saint Castor; that is to say, -they are in the old part of the town. - -Near the Castor Church, in the large square, is the monument erected by -the French to commemorate their invasion of Russia. To the inscription -recording the object of raising the monument, the Russian General -who in his turn invaded the Rhine provinces, added-- - - - "Vu et approuvé par nous, - Commandant Russe de la Ville de Coblence. - - - "Janvier 1ère, 1814." - - -The monument is a remarkably ugly lump of stone, which perhaps was -meant for a fountain, but there is no water. - -Very few historical associations belong to Coblence, and those that do -are not particularly interesting, so we will turn back to the legends. - - - -LEGEND OF MARIAHILF. [10] - -Near the Moselle Bridge stood a chapel, piously dedicated to the -Mother of God and her Son. Within the chapel were images of both -Mother and Son. - -Here resorted many pilgrims, especially those who suffered under bodily -infirmities: among others came a certain man who was paralytic, and -given over to death by his physicians. With great labour and trouble -he contrived to totter into the chapel by the aid of his staff. - -The pilgrims were singing a hymn, in which the words, "Help us, Maria," -occurred frequently. The poor cripple endeavoured to join in the hymn, -but could not, he was so weak. - -At last he made a great effort, and the words from his lips were -scarcely audible, but immediately he was relieved: his voice returned -to him, and his limbs became strong again; so that he no longer needed -his staff, which he therefore presented to the chapel. - - - -SAINT RITZA. - -Ritza lived in Little Coblence, just opposite to the Church of -St. Castor. When the bells tolled for morning prayers she used to walk -over the waters to attend at the service, returning by the same road. - -One day the waves were high, and the sky full of storms; she hesitated, -and finally gathered a vine-branch, with which she endeavoured to -assist her tottering steps: but faith had deserted her, and she sank -deeper and deeper into the waves--the prop was utterly useless; then -she thought on her Saviour and prayed for assistance; instantly she -rose again from the waters, and, casting away the false prop, gained -the opposite shore. - -After her death Ritza was canonised, and her bones were laid in the -Church of St. Castor. - - - -Another legend also relates how prayer saved those who had faith. It -was on the occasion of a great flood, which submerged a large portion -of the town, the people prayed at a shrine and the waters dispersed; -then on the sands, by the bridge, a figure was found, which all -declared to be the Virgin: it was taken up, and with great pomp placed -in a chapel. In after days this image was again thrown into the water -by the enemies of Coblence, but again it was washed on to the shore; -and, according to the legend, it is now placed near the harbour, -where it watches over the safety of the good city of Coblence. - -The other stories of Coblence are of a more material character. One -tells us of - - - -CORPORAL SPOHN. - -The great Corporal Spohn is still well remembered in Coblence; he -was one of the most faithful of men. He saved the life of the Emperor -Napoleon at the battle of the three Emperors. Napoleon had advanced -too boldly, and was in imminent danger of being taken prisoner by the -Cossacks; if not, which was more likely still, killed by those wild -soldiers. Corporal Spohn having noticed the desperate position of -Napoleon, ran up, and an agreement was hastily made, by which Spohn -mounted the white horse of Napoleon, who escaped then unnoticed. - -The Emperor was saved as a corporal; and the Corporal died as an -emperor. - -Ever since Spohn has been called the Great Corporal, and Napoleon -the Little Corporal. - - - -HENRY AND BERTHA. - -Henry was expecting his dearly beloved Bertha to arrive at Coblence; -he, therefore, stood watching most anxiously on the old bridge over -the Moselle. At last the boat which contained her came into view, -and she waved her kerchief to her constant lover. - -Alas! before he could clasp her the boat overturned, and Bertha was -struggling beneath an arch of the bridge. Henry rushed down to save -her, but just as he arrived at the edge of the water she uttered his -name and went down. - -Marking the place, Henry dashed in and seized on her loosened hair, -which floated on the surface of the agitated river: thus he succeeded -in saving her life, and gaining from the stream a loving wife. - -One more tale we found under the head of "Legends of Coblence," -so we conclude the scene therein depicted took place at this town; -it is called - - - -THE POET'S DEATHBED. - -Max of Schenkendorf is well known in Germany by his songs on those -combats for liberty, of which so many took place in his Fatherland. The -Poet was in the last stage of consumption. - -It was the morning of his birthday. Max lay sleeping in bed, but his -wife had arisen, and was now busy adorning his chamber with flowers -in honour of the Poet's birthday. - -Having arranged all the bouquets, she made up a garland of evergreens, -which she placed softly on the brow of the sleeper, fervently praying -that it might become an emblem of new laurels which her husband should -gain in this new year of his life. - -As she leant over him to place the wreath on his head, she tenderly -kissed the lips of the sleeper, and softly she murmured, "Oh, would -I could kiss you to health!" - -The decorations now were completed, and softly the wife stept from -the husband's bedside, softly she passed from the chamber. - -But as she went out an unbidden guest entered there--Death came over -the threshold and took the wife's place. Death strode up to the bed -and laid his chill hand on the feverish brow of the sleeper: closer -and closer then wound those arms which supplanted for ever those of -the wife--closer and closer, until icy and rigid became the frame of -the Poet. - -An hour slowly passed, and the fond wife re-entered. Max now was lying -a corpse, crowned with the wreath that she had placed upon his living -brow. In agony she cried, "Wake, O wake, my own, my beloved! Depart -not from her who lives but in thee! One word, but one----" - -The smile was on his lips, but the spirit was gone, leaving only its -imprint on the cold clay. - - - -"Weep, not, O woman!" said his spirit to her, "weep not for the clay -that lies here; the shackles are broken; what earth could not hold, -nor love longer detain, can neither be fettered by Death: the body is -dead, but the soul lives for ever; it lives in thy love and thy heart; -it lives in the sky." - - - -This is the last of our legends; and with a few remarks on the habits -and customs of the part of Germany near our river we will come to the -conclusion of our last chapter. Not without regret shall we end; for -it is a pleasant task, in these cold short days of winter, to record -that which brings to our remembrance the long bright days of summer; -especially as that summer was spent among such lovely scenes. - -The Germans bear the character of being an honest, hardworking, -intelligent people, very domestic in their habits, even to -exclusiveness; the different classes assort together less than they -do in England, but passing communication is freer and less constrained. - -During the many weeks we passed on the Moselle, and in a former -excursion on our river, we never once encountered a family of tourists -of the upper class of Germans. At Bad Bertrich there were some, but -they were there because it is a watering-place--not because it is -beautiful; and as soon as the season was over away they all went, as -if they were afraid to remain at a Bad out of the fashionable season, -although the weather was much more suitable for country pursuits than -it had been during the season. - -This same fashion arrays the dumpy young ladies of Germany in a most -strange deformity of inflated petticoats. Bad enough as these things -are in England and France, in Germany they are much worse. - -The gentlemen are, in general, agreeable, and more truly polite than -the French; but French ladies certainly have the advantage over their -sisters in Germany. - -The poorer classes still bear the stamp of the old German -character. They are frugal, hard-working, honest, and cheerful. They -are well-mannered and well-informed for their class. They also exhibit -considerable neatness and taste in their dress. No pleasanter object -can be met in a summer-day's ramble than a group of the mädchen, -with their hair neatly folded, smooth on the brow and plaited behind, -with the smart embroidered cloth or velvet head-dress, and the gilt -paper-cutter passed through the hair; neat shoes and blue stockings are -shown by the sensible length of the petticoats, and a gay handkerchief -sets off the firm bust. Their figures are lithe and upright, though -somewhat thick and substantial. The paper-cutter in the head is -supposed to represent a nail of the Cross. - -As housewives, the Germans are doubtless unsurpassed by any other -nation; the houses are clean, the stoves shine brightly, and they -are for ever washing clothes in the river. We cannot applaud the -way in which they cook their meat generally, but their puddings are -admirable. At Cochem our landlady used to send us up souffléd puddings -that would have done credit to the Palais Royal. On the Moselle -the old-fashioned spinning-wheel is to be seen in every village, -and knitting is always taken in hand when walking or superintending -household affairs. - -Singing is constantly heard in the evening, and many of the little -coteries in the townlets by our river's side subscribe to hire a piano -from Coblence or Trèves, and by the aid of its music they make lively -the long hours of darkness in winter. - -The priests seem respected, and on amicable terms with all classes, -but generally they do not hold the same social position that they do -in this country. - -If the traveller on the Moselle is himself not over-exacting, and -ready to meet civility half-way, he will find all those he encounters -polite and pleasant, and he cannot fail of spending an agreeable time -on the banks of our charming river. - -The Roman poet Ausonius, who about the year A.D. 370, when passing -through the dense forests that covered all Germany, suddenly came out -on the Moselle near Neumagen, was so struck with the beauty of the -river that he explored its course, and then wrote a poem thereon. The -palaces and the buildings he mentions have all passed away, but the -natural beauties remain; and the old castles that at the present time -adorn the tops of the hills quite make up for the towers that are gone. - -Now, as then, the vine grows luxuriantly over the cliffs, the peaceful -river flows calmly on; and the people dwelling on its banks are simple, -loyal, and brave. - -We have now reached and described Coblence, and with Coblence ends -the Life of the Moselle. We have sat with her beneath the forest -shade that shelters her birthplace in the Vosges mountains; we have -day after day wandered by her side as she bounded along in all the -freshness of her youth, or as, in later days, she floated on majestic -in her beauty; we have slept night after night, lulled by the ripple -of her waters; we have climbed among her mountains and her forests; -we have mused or sung amidst her ruins; we have dreamt of other days, -of olden times, of things that come not again save in such dreams; -we have also, it is to be hoped, in some measure, profited by our -communion with the great heart of Nature,--something, we trust, we -have learnt of that inner life which makes the very stones and earth -preach to us of their Divine origin. - -By the Moselle we have found flowers growing, beautiful in their -forms and colours, but more beautiful in their uncultured wildness; -we have listened to the songs of the gay birds as we rested in the -woods; the clouds have fleeted through the pure blue vault, rain has -freshened earth and sun has ripened her fruits: all these, and many -other incidents, have striven to teach us to love and reverence the -great heart of Nature; that heart which, if the Painter, with all -his skill of colour or of handiwork, fail to express, he sinks back -into the mere copyist; if the Poet feel it not or love it not, his -bark is stranded on a barren shore; and what would music be without it? - -If, then, the Moselle has whispered or suggested to us aught of this -heart, this inner life of Nature, let us preserve it within us pure -and beautiful, as all things in Nature are; so shall our summer's tour -have not been made in vain, nor useless been the life of the Moselle. - -Standing at that spot where the Moselle and Rhine are met, we now -take leave of our dear river. - -Night is in the heavens, the still cold night of winter; the stars -look down upon us with their eyes of love; the great fortress of -Ehrenbreitstein looms hugely over the Rhine stream, telling of war and -horrid strife, but on the shore of the Moselle rises a fair church, -telling of peace. The fortress shall crumble and decay, but the church -shall, in the end, remain when all else has passed away. - -The light of the stars falls coldly on the waters; the air is chill -and frosty; if we look further, we perceive in the distance forms -of beauty floating on: dark is the night around, but the stars are -bright. So with us, all is often dark and dreary; the very light we -have, seems cold, but if we search earnestly into Nature's heart, -and follow her guidance, she will lead us where those faint shining -stars become great worlds of light; and they, the footstools of still -higher realms, shall guide us to Heaven itself. - - - THE END. - - - - - - - -NOTES - - -[1] German name for the Moselle. - -[2] The foundation of this legend is, that portions of canals have -been found between Trèves and Cologne, but it is supposed they were -separate canals, not portions of one large one; therefore, perhaps, -the duck did not swim all the way from Trèves. - -[3] Cathedral. - -[4] Grimm supposes Eigel and Orendel to be Ulysses and Laertes. - -[5] Stock (stick), Stein (stone), Gras (grass), Grun (green). - -[6] As the author was informed at Trèves. - -[7] Query, Was this the origin of taking French leave? - -[8] According to Eusebius. - -[9] This extraordinary incident is related as a simple matter of fact, -which is well known in these parts. - -[10] Maria of help. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Life of the Moselle, by Octavius Rooke - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE OF THE MOSELLE *** - -***** This file should be named 44913-8.txt or 44913-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/9/1/44913/ - -Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project -Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously -made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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