The Jewish burying ground is a curiosity for a person who has never visited
the Oriental countries. The tombstones are stowed thick together. Everybody
recollects the anecdote of the ingenious method adopted by Joseph II for
squeezing a large sum of money from the Jews of Prague, by giving out that
he intended to claim this cemetery, in order to build therein a Palace. The
Jews who, like all the Orientals, have the most profound veneration for the
spot where their ancestors are buried, presented a large sum of money to
the Emperor, to induce him to renounce his design.
The Stadt-Haus (Hotel de Ville) is a fine building; and the Marktplatz
(market square) is very spacious, and contributes much to the beauty of the
town. In the centre of it stands an ancient fountain of a dodecagonal form.
The basin is of red marble, and near it stands a large stone column, with a
statue of the Virgin, bronze gilt, on its summit. A well supplied market,
or rather fair, is carried on here every day in the week. The Theatre is a
fine building and is of immense size. I witnessd the representation of a
burlesque tragedy called Die Belagerung von Ypsilon (the siege of
Ypsilon), but I could not at all comprehend the cream of the jest. Madame
Catalani, who is here, sang at this theatre one night. The theatre was
completely filled and the price of admission to the boxes and parterre a
ducat. The street adjoining to the theatre was crowded by people
endeavoring to catch the sweet sounds. Immense hommage has been paid to
Catalani by the authorities here.
The balls of the bourgeoisie of Prague are splendid and well attended.
The bourgeoisie is very opulent in this city. There are but few residents
Noblesse. The expences at the inns here are rather greater than those at
Vienna, wine being a foreign commodity and beer the national beverage. My
daily expences here for lodging, dinner, supper and breakfast amounted to
four florins Convenzions Muenze, about nine franks nearly, French money.
The country environing Prague is rich and abounding in corn; there are
likewise hops. The walls of Prague still bear the marks made by Frederic's
shot when he blockaded Prague.
PRAGUE, 7th Sept.
To-morrow I shall start for Dresden, The diligence goes off only once a
week, but I have engaged a car or rather light basket waggon drawn by two
horses (a vehicle very common in Germany) to convey me to Dresden in two
days and half. I am to pay for half of the waggon, and another traveller
will pay for the remaining half.
Before I leave Prague I must tell you that I have found out the origin of
the German phrases Jemand den Korb zu geben (to give the basket), which
means a refusal of marriage.
