At The Great Easter Meetings, Publishers From All The
Different States Assemble At The "Buchhandler Borse," And A Large
Amount Of Business Is Done.
The fairs of Leipzig have done much
towards establishing the position of this city as one of the first
trading towns in Germany.
They take place three times annually: at
New-year, at Easter, and at Michaelmas; but the Easter fair is by
far the most important. These commercial meetings last about three
weeks, and during this time the town presents a most animated
appearance, as the streets are thronged with the costumes of almost
every nation, the smart dress of the Tyrolese contrasting gaily with
the sombre garb of the Polish Jews. The amount of business
transacted at these fairs is very considerable; on several
occasions, above twenty thousand dealers have assembled. The trade
is principally in woollen cloths; but lighter wares, and even
ornaments of every description, are sold to a large extent. The
manner in which every available place is taken advantage of is very
curious: archways, cellars, passages, and courtyards are alike
filled with merchandise, and the streets are at times so crowded as
to be almost impassable. When the three weeks have passed, the
wooden booths which have been erected in the market-place and the
principal streets are taken down, the buyers and sellers vanish
together, and the visitor would scarcely recognise in the quiet
streets around him the bustling busy city of a few days ago. - ED.
{11} The fire broke out on 4th May 1842, and raged with the utmost
fury for three days.
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