A pretty coffee-house, with a very handsome alcove,
built in a semicircular form, invites the weary traveller to rest
and refreshment, while a band of agreeable music diffuses mirth and
good humour around.
The rest of the scenery around Leipzig presents the appearance of a
vast and monotonous plain.
April 17th.
I had intended to continue my journey to Hamburgh via Berlin, but
the weather was so cold and stormy, and the rain poured down so
heavily, that I preferred the shorter way, and proceeded by rail to
Magdeburg. Flying through the dismal plain past Halle, Kothen, and
other towns, of which I could only discern groups of houses, we
hurriedly recognised the Saale and the Elbe; and towards 10 o'clock
in the morning arrived at Magdeburg, having travelled seventy miles
in three hours and a quarter.
As the steamer for Hamburgh was not to start until 3 o'clock, I had
ample time to look at the town.
Magdeburg is a mixed pattern of houses of ancient, mediaeval, and
modern dates. Particularly remarkable in this respect is the
principal street, the "Broadway," which runs through the whole of
the town. Here we can see houses dating their origin from the most
ancient times; houses that have stood proof against sieges and
sackings; houses of all colours and forms; some sporting peaked
gables, on which stone figures may still be seen; others covered
from roof to basement with arabesques; and in one instance I could
even detect the remains of frescoes. In the very midst of these
relics of antiquity would appear a house built in the newest style.
I do not remember ever having seen a street which produced so
remarkable an impression on me. The finest building is
unquestionably the venerable cathedral. In Italy I had already seen
numbers of the most beautiful churches; yet I remained standing in
mute admiration before this masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
The monument with the twelve Apostles in this church is a worthy
memorial of the celebrated sculptor Vischer. In order to view it,
it is necessary to obtain the special permission of the commandant.
The cathedral square is large, symmetrical, and decorated with two
alleys of trees; it is also used as a drilling-ground for the
soldiers' minor manoeuvres. I was particularly struck with the
number of military men to be seen here. Go where I would, I was
sure to meet soldiers and officers, frequently in large companies;
in time of war it could scarcely have been worse. This was an
unmistakeable token that I was on Prussian territory.
The open canals, which come from all the houses, and meander through
the streets, are a great disfigurement to the town.
Half-past three o'clock came only too quickly, and I betook myself
on board the steamer Magdeburg, of sixty-horse power, to proceed to
Hamburgh. Of the passage itself I can say nothing, except that a
journey on a river through execrable scenery is one of the most
miserable things that can well be imagined. When, in addition to
this, the weather is bad, the ship dirty, and one is obliged to pass
a night on board, the discomfort is increased. It was my lot to
endure all this: the weather was bad, the ship was dirty, the
distance more than 100 miles, so that we had the pleasant prospect
of a delightful night on board the ship. There were, moreover, so
many passengers, that we were forced to sit crowded together; so
there we sat with exemplary patience, stared at each other, and
sighed bitterly. Order was entirely out of the question; no one had
time to think of such a thing. Smoking and card-playing were
perseveringly carried on all day and all night; it can easily be
imagined that things did not go so quietly as at an English whist-
party. The incessant rain rendered it impossible to leave the cabin
even for a short time. The only consolation I had was, that I made
the acquaintance of the amiable composer Lorzing, a circumstance
which delighted me the more, as I had always been an admirer of his
beautiful original music.
CHAPTER II
Morning dawned at length, and in a short time afterwards we reached
the great commercial city, which, half destroyed by the dreadful
conflagration of 1842, had risen grander and more majestic from its
ashes. {11} I took up my quarters with a cousin, who is married to
the Wurtemburg consul, the merchant Schmidt, in whose house I spent
a most agreeable and happy week. My cousin-in-law was polite enough
to escort me every where himself, and to shew me the lions of
Hamburgh.
First of all we visited the Exchange between the hours of one and
two, when it is at the fullest, and therefore best calculated to
impress a stranger with an idea of the extent and importance of the
business transacted there. The building contains a hall of great
size, with arcades and galleries, besides many large rooms, which
are partly used for consultations, partly for the sale of
refreshments. The most interesting thing of all is, however, to sit
in the gallery, and looking downwards, to observe the continually
increasing crowd passing and repassing each other in the immense
hall and through the galleries and chambers, and to listen to the
hubbub and noise of the thousands of eager voices talking at once.
At half-past one o'clock the hall is at its fullest, and the noise
becomes absolutely deafening; for now they are marking up the rates
of exchange, by which the merchants regulate their monetary
transactions.
Leaving the Exchange, we bent our steps towards the great harbour,
and entering a small boat, cruised in and about it in all
directions. I had resolved to count only the three-masted ships;
but soon gave it up, for their number seemed overwhelming, even
without reckoning the splendid steamers, brigs, sloops, and craft.
In short, I could only gaze and wonder, for at least 900 ships lay
before me.
