Part 8 (1/2)
If one is weary of these legendary stories, or even of sightseeing itself, let him rest with me in one of the many public gardens, listening to the charming music of a good orchestra.
There are skilled musicians in these gardens, and their selections are always well rendered. No loud or idle conversation is indulged in during these recitals. Should any such breach of good manners occur, the transgressors are requested to observe the rule of the garden, and if the offence is repeated, they are ejected from the premises. The Germans, being such lovers of good music, tolerate no other in their gardens. There is no admission fee, but the expenses are supposed to be met by the sale of beer, wine, pretzels and Frankfurt sausages.
Before leaving Cologne I must not forget to mention the refres.h.i.+ng perfume which has made this city famous all over the world. The celebrated Eau de Cologne is said to have been invented by Jean Antoine Marie Farina of Domodossola in the year 1709. One could almost bathe in the perfume here for the money it would cost to filter our muddy Philadelphia water. There is an enormous quant.i.ty of it manufactured, and almost every store seems to have it for sale.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”Palace of Bruhl.” (_See page 277._)]
A short distance from Cologne, or Koln as the Germans call it, is the almost forsaken station of Bruhl. I would advise the tourist to alight here, and take a close view of the imperial palace known as the Palace of Bruhl, a handsome building erected about the year 1725. As we advance toward the beautiful and s.p.a.cious grounds, it is not difficult to imagine the magnificent structure looming up in the distance as the home of royalty. The approach to the palace is studded with marble statues, and the palace itself is a cla.s.sic example of the French and German rococo style of architecture; from it radiate many lovely walks and bowery avenues which are adorned with fine statuary. Here too are velvet lawns, n.o.ble trees and glowing flower beds, and should one wish to view the interior of this elegant palace, he will find that some of the rooms are open to visitors.
Our stay within is necessarily brief. Retracing our steps to the station, we take the train, and are carried swiftly toward the old town of Bonn.
Along the Banks of the Rhine.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”Lovely walks and bowery avenues.” (_See page 277._)]
_Along the Banks of the Rhine._
Bonn--The Birthplace of Beethoven--The Museum--Monument--A Famous Restaurant--College Students--Beer Mugs--Special Tables--Affairs of Honor--Konigswinter--Magnificent Views--Drachenfels--The Castle--The Dombruch--Siegfried and the Dragon--A Desecrated Ruin--The Splendor of the Mountains--Many Visitors--View from the Summit--The Students'
Chorus--German Life--A German Breakfast--The Camera--Old Castles and Lofty Mountains--Legends of the Rhine--The Waters of the Rhine--Vineyards.
This town like its sister cities is of ancient foundation, having been one of the first Roman fortresses on the Rhine. It is the seat of a university which attracts students from all parts of the world. It is a prosperous looking place with pleasant villas on the river banks, and ancient picturesque houses. There are lovely shaded walks in the public gardens, and a fine view from the Alte Zoll, but the chief interest of the town for us lies in the fact that it is the birthplace of Beethoven.
In a small unpretentious house the great musician was born in 1770, and here were composed many of those wonderful harmonies which have thrilled the souls of lovers of music all over the world. The room in which this n.o.ble genius first saw the light of day is in the top of the house, a garret ten feet by twelve in size, and contains no furniture whatever: nor is it necessary to remind those who enter it, by aught save the wreath of green which lies peacefully upon the floor, that the spirit whose earthly tabernacle dwelt here breathed forth the fire of heaven.
”Creative genius. From thy hand What shapes of order, beauty rise, Where waves thy potent, mystic wand, To people ocean, earth and skies.”
In an adjoining room are stored some pieces of furniture which belonged to Beethoven, and the piano used by him in the composition of some of his most famous sonatas. Some of the ladies of our party are permitted to play upon this sacred instrument. Do they hope to be inspired by the magic spell of the master's touch still lingering among the keys? The dwelling has been purchased by lovers of the celebrated composer, and fitted up as a Beethoven Museum. Not far off stands the statue of the artist and the monument dedicated to him.
Before leaving Bonn, we visit the famous restaurant which is the nightly resort of the students during the college term. The s.p.a.cious rooms composing this cafe communicate with each other by a wide and lofty doorway. The furniture consists of bare wooden tables, a long counter, and dozens of shabby chairs which look as if they have seen hard service. The corpulent and jovial proprietor informs us that these rooms are filled to overflowing with both gay and serious students every night in the week, and that here, notwithstanding the ofttimes boisterous merriment, questions of grave import are often discussed, together with all the current topics of interest; and that speeches are made brilliant enough for publication in the daily papers. Here the young orator first tests his powers, and in all his future career, he will find no more critical audience than this composed of his fellow-students. Here too are nights given up to fun and jollity, to college songs and wild and reckless mirth, when there is not a serious countenance among the crowd.
”He cannot try to speak with gravity, But one perceives he wags an idle tongue; He cannot try to look demure, but spite Of all he does he shows a laugher's cheek; He cannot e'en essay to walk sedate, But in his very gait one sees a jest That's ready to break out in spite of all His seeming.”
Hundreds of voices make the roof ring with tuneful harmony: choruses, glees and comic ballads follow each other, interspersed with jokes and puffs at pipes and sips of beer, for the German student is a
”Rare compound of oddity, frolic and fun, To relish a joke and rejoice at a pun.”
Pounds of poor tobacco are smoked, and gallons of good beer consumed at these gatherings, and the landlord is always on the side of the boys when there is any trouble, and rejoices in all their collegiate honors and their success in every other line.
Upon the shelves above the tables are long rows of individual beer mugs, with the owners' names or crests conspicuously painted in gay colors upon them. These mugs vary in capacity from a pint to two quarts, and the host a.s.sures me gravely that many of the students drain even the largest ones nine or ten times in the course of an evening. I ponder, as he speaks, upon the wonderful power of expansion of the human stomach which performs this feat.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”Not far off stands the statue of the artist.” (_See page 284._)]
As a natural consequence of this enormous appet.i.te for beer, one sees in the restaurants in many of the German cities an especial table constructed with a deep semicircular curve in the side, which allows the corpulent guest to drink his favorite beverage in comfortable proximity to the bottle. Such as these must have been in Shakespeare's mind, when he wrote: ”He was a man of an unbounded stomach.”
The deep cuts and scars upon the faces of many of the students, are matters of great pride with them, as evidences of the number of ”affairs of honor” in which they have been engaged. They look with scorn upon the fellow collegian whose countenance does not display one or more of these signs of b.l.o.o.d.y combat, and are always ready to seize an occasion of this kind for the exhibition of their bravery or their skill at arms.
Sometimes these duels are a result of the silliest arguments, at others they are sought by deliberate insult given by the one who wishes to fight. A glance is sometimes sufficient for a sanguinary meeting.
Will they ever learn that no stain can ever be washed out with blood, no honor redeemed by the sword, no moral bravery displayed by an encounter of this kind? It is falling to the level of the brute, with perhaps a little more skill evinced in the choice of the weapons of warfare. It cannot but detract from the dignity of the human being, and this is true to a far greater extent in the case of those who entertain themselves by witnessing such unnatural sports as prize fights, c.o.c.k fights, and most degrading of all, but thank heaven a rare sight in civilized countries, the bull fight;--all relics of barbarism.