Chapter XIII: Conclusion: Of the Account of the Royal Library. the Library of the Arsenal (9)

Upon the whole, my dear friend, I have taken rather an affection for this place. All classes of people are civil, kind, and communicative: but my obligations are due, in a more especial manner, to the younger Mr. Schweighæuser and to Madame Francs. I have passed several pleasant evenings with the former, and talked much of the literature of our country with him and his newly married spouse: a lively, lady-like, and intelligent woman. She is warm in commendation of the _Mary Stuart_ of Schiller; which, in reply to a question on my part, she considers to be the most impassioned of that Dramatist's performances. Of English she knows nothing; but her husband is well read in Thomson, Akenside, and Pope; and of course is sufficiently well acquainted with our language. A more amiable and zealous man, in the discharge of his duties as a teacher of youth, the town of Strasbourg does not possess. His little memoir of Koch has quite won my heart.[229]

You have heard me mention the name of OHMACHT, a sculptor. He is much caressed by the gentry of this place. Madame Francs shewed me what I consider to be his best performance; a profile, in white marble, of her late daughter, who died in childbed, in her twenty-first year. It is a sweet and tender production: executed upon the Greek model--and said to be a strong resemblance of the deceased. Madame Francs shewed it to me, and expatiated upon it with tears in her eyes: as she well might--for the _character_ of the deceased was allowed to have been as attractive as her countenance.[230] I will candidly confess that, in other respects, I am a very _qualified_ admirer of the talents of Ohmacht. His head of Oberlin is good; but it is only a profile. I visited his _Studio_, and saw him busy upon a colossal head of Luther--in a close-grained, but coarse-tinted, stone. I liked it as little as I have always liked heads of that celebrated man. I want to see a resemblance of him in which vulgarity shall be lost in energy of expression. Never was there a countenance which bespoke greater intrepidity of heart.

I am hastening to the close of this despatch, and to take leave of this place. Through the interposition of Messrs. Treuttel and Würtz, I have hired a respectable servant, or laquais, to accompany me to Vienna, and back again to Manheim. His name is _Rohfritsch_; and he has twice visited the Austrian capital in the rear of Napoleon's army,--when he was only in his sixteenth or seventeenth year--as a page or attendant upon one of the Generals. He talks the French and German languages with equal fluency. I asked him if we needed fire arms; at which he smiled--as if wondering at my simplicity or ignorance. In truth, the question was a little precipitate; for, the other evening, I saw two or three whiskered Bavarian travellers, starting hence for Munich, in an open, fourgon-shaped travelling carriage, with two benches across it: on the front bench sat the two gentlemen, wrapped round with clokes: on the hinder bench, the servant took his station--not before he had thrown into the carriage two huge bags of _florins_, as unconcernedly as if they had been bags of _pebbles_. They were to travel all night--without sabre, pistol, or carbine, for protection.

I own this gave me a very favourable opinion of the country I was about to visit; and on recollecting it, had good reason to acquiesce in the propriety of the smiles of Rohfritsch. Every thing, therefore, is now settled: gold ducats and silver florins have been obtained from Madame Francs; and to morrow we start. My next will be from _Stuttgart_--where a "deed of note" will, I trust, be accomplished. Fare you well.

[224] [This dinner party is somewhat largely detailed in the preceding
edition of this work; but it scarcely merits repetition here; the more
so, since the presiding Hostess is NO MORE!]

[225] _Hermann_; vol. i. p. 154.

[226] _greatly benefited by the Reformation_.]--Among the benefactors
to the cause of public morality, was the late lamented and ever
memorable KOCH. Before the year 1536, it should seem, from Koch's
statement, that even whole streets as well as houses were occupied by
women of a certain description. After this year, there were only two
houses of ill fame left. The women, of the description before alluded
to, used to wear black and white hats, of a sugar-loaf form, over the
veil which covered their faces; and they were confined strictly to
this dress by the magistrates. These women were sometimes represented
in the sculptured figures about the cathedral. Hermann says that there
may yet be seen, over the door of a house in the _Bickergase_ (one of
the streets now called _Rue de la fontaine_, which was formerly
devoted to the residence of women of ill fame) a bas-relief,
representing two figures, with the following German inscription
beneath:

_Diss haus steht in Gottes Hand
Wird zu deu freud'gen kindern gennant._

which he translates thus:

_Cette maison; dans la main de Dieu,
S'appelle aux enfans bien joyeux_.

It should seem, therefore, (continues Hermann) that this was one of
the houses in which a public officer attended, to keep order, prevent
quarrels, and exact municipal rights. The book, in which the receipt
of this tax was entered, existed during the time of the Revolution,
and is thought to be yet in existence. Hermann, vol. i. p. 156.

[227] See p. 401 ante.

[228] For the English metrical version I am indebted to "an old hand at
these matters."

[229] Since the publication of this Tour, I have received several pleasant
and thoroughly friendly letters from the above excellent Individual:
and I could scarcely forgive myself if I omitted this opportunity of
annexing his autograph:--as a worthy companion to those which have
preceded it.

[Autograph: Schweighæuser]

[230] [Madame Francs, whose kind and liberal conduct towards me can never
be forgotten, has now herself become the subject of a monumental
effigy. She DIED (as I learn) in the year 1826.]

END OF VOL. II.

* * * * *

London: Printed by W. Nicol, Cleveland-row, St. James's.