It Is Completely Commanded And
Protected By Rheinfels, An Ancient Hill Fortress, But The Fortification Of
Which No Longer Exist.
It requires half an hour's walk to ascend to the
summit of Rheinfels, but the traveller is well repaid for the fatigue of
the ascent by the fine view enjoyed from the top.
I remained at Rheinfels
nearly an hour. What a solemn stillness seems to pervade this part of the
river, only interrupted by the occasional splash of the oar, and the
tolling of the steeple bell! Bingen on the right bank is the next place of
interest, and on an island in the centre of the river facing Bingen stand
the ruins of a celebrated tower call'd the "Mauesethurm" (mouse tower), so
named from the circumstance of Bishop Hatto having been devoured therein by
rats according to the tradition. This was represented as a punishment from
Heaven on the said bishop for his tyranny and oppression towards the poor;
but the story was invented by the monks in order to vilify his memory, for
it appears he was obnoxious to them on account of his attempts to enforce a
rigid discipline among them and to check their licentiousness.
Bieberich, a superb palace belonging to the Dukes of Nassau on the right
bank, next presents itself to view on your left ascending; to your right,
at a short distance from Bieberich, you catch the first view of Mayence on
the left bank, with its towers and steeples rising from the glade. We
reached Mayence at 4 o'clock p.m., and I went to put up at the three Crowns
(Drei-Kronen). The first news I learned on arriving at Mayence was that
Napoleon had surrendered himself to the Captain of an English frigate at
Oleron; but though particulars are not given, Louis XVIII is said to be
restored, which I am very sorry to hear. The Allies then have been guilty
of the most scandalous infraction of their most solemn promise, since they
declared that they made war on Napoleon alone and that they never meant to
dictate to the French people the form of government they were to adopt.
Napoleon having surrendered and Louis being restored, the war may be
considered as ended for the present, unless the Allies should attempt to
wrest any provinces from France, and in this case there is no saying what
may happen. This has finally ended the career of Napoleon.
There is in Mayence a remarkably fine broad spacious street called "die
grosse Bleiche" and in general the buildings are striking and solid, but
too much crowded together as is the case in all ancient fortified cities.
The Cathedral is well worth seeing and contains many things of value and
costly relics. When one views the things of value in the churches here, at
Aix-la-Chapelle and at Cologne, what a contradiction does it give to the
calumnies spread against the French republicans that they plundered the
churches of the towns they occupied! There is an agreeable promenade lined
with trees on the banks of the river called L'Allee du Rhin. Mayence is
strongly fortified and has besides a citadel (a pentagon) of great
strength, which is separated from the town by an esplanade. The Place du
Marche is striking and in the Place Verte I saw for the first time in my
life the Austrian uniform, there being an Austrian garrison as well as
troops belonging to the other Germanic states, such as Prussians,
Bavarians, Saxons, Hessians, and troops of the Duchy of Berg. This City
belongs to the Germanic Confederation and is to be always occupied by a
mixed garrison. The Archduke Charles has his head-quarters here at present.
I attended an inspection of a battalion of Berg troops on the Place
Verte; they had a very military appearance and went thro' their manoeuvres
with great precision. From the top of the steeple of the Church of Sanct
Stephen you have a fine view of the whole Rheingau. Opposite to Mayence, on
the right bank, communicating by an immensely long bridge of boats, is the
small town and fort of Castel, which forms a sort of tete-de-pont to
Mayence. The works of Castel take in flank and enfilade the embouchure of
the river Mayn which flows into the Rhine. One of the redoubts of Castel is
called the redoubt of Montebello, thus named after Marshal Lannes, Duke of
Montebello.
The German papers continue their invectives against France. In one of them
I read a patriotic song recommending the youth of Germany to go into France
to revenge themselves, to drink the wine and live at the cost of the
inhabitants, and then is about to recommend their making love to the wives
and daughters of the French, when a sudden flash of patriotism comes across
him, and he says: "No! for that a German warrior makes love to German girls
and German women only!" (Und kuesst nur Deutsche Maedchen.) With regard to
the women here, those that I have hitherto met with, and those I saw at
Ehrenbreitstein, were exceedingly handsome, so that the German warriors, if
love is their object, will do well to remain here, as they may go further
and fare worse, for I understand the women of Lorraine and Champagne are
not very striking for personal beauty. There were some good paintings in
the picture gallery here and this and the fortifications are nearly all
that need call forth the attention of a traveller who makes but a fleeting
visit.
FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAYN, 14th July.
I arrived here the day before yesterday in the diligence from Mayence, the
price of which is two and a half florins the person, and the distance
twenty-five English miles; there is likewise a water conveyance by the Mayn
for half the money. The road runs thro' the village of Hockheim, which in
England gives the name of Hock to all the wines of Rhenish growth.
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