Near Coblentz Is The Monument Erected To The
French General Marceau, Who Fell Gloriously Fighting For The Cause Of
Liberty, Respected By Friend And Foe.
July 10th.
We had a large society this day at the table d'hote. The conversation
turned on the restoration of the Bourbons, which nobody at table seemed to
desire. Several anecdotes were related of the conduct of the Bourbon
princes and of the emigration, who held their court at Coblentz when they
first emigrated; these anecdotes did not redound much to their honor or
credit, and I remark that they are held in great disgust and abhorrence by
the inhabitants of these towns, on account of their treacherous and
unprincipled conduct. It was from here that "La Cour de Coblentz," as it
was called, intrigued by turns with the Jacobins and the Brissotins and, by
betraying the latter to the former, were in part the cause of the
sanguinary measures adopted by Robespierre.[27] The object of this
atrocious policy was that the French people would, by witnessing so many
executions, become disgusted at the sanguinary tyranny of Robespierre and
recall the Bourbons unconditionally; which, fortunately for France and
thanks to the heroism and bravery of the republican armies, did not take
place; for had the restoration taken place at that time, a dreadful
reaction would have been encouraged and the cruelties of the reign of
Terror surpassed. With the same view, emissaries were dispatched from the
Court of Coblentz to the South of France in order, under the disguise of
patriots, to preach up the most exaggerated corollaries to the theories of
liberty and equality.
Among other things at Ehrenbreitstein is a superb pleasure barge belonging
to the Dukes of Nassau for water excursions up and down the Rhine. A coche
d'eau starts from here daily to Mayence and another to Cologne. The price
is ten franks the person. The superb chaussee on the left bank of the
Rhine, which extends all the way from Cologne to Mayence, was constructed
by the direction of Napoleon. In the evening I went to the theatre at
Coblentz, where Mozart's opera of Don Giovanni was represented. I
recollected my old acquaintance "La ci darem la mano," which I had often
heard in England.
MAYENCE, 12th July.
I embarked in the afternoon of the 11th in the coche d'eau bound to
Mayence. Except an old "Schiffer," I was the only passenger on board, as
few chuse to go up stream on account of the delay. I, however, being master
of my own time, and wishing to view the lovely scenery on the banks of the
river, preferred this conveyance, and I was highly gratified. After
Boppart, the bed of the river narrows much. High rocks on each bank hem in
the stream and render it more rapid. Nothing can be more sublime and
magnificent than the scenery; at every turn of the river you would suppose
its course blocked up by rocks, perceiving no visible outlet. Remains of
Gothic castles are to be seen on their summits at a short distance from
each other, and where the banks are not abrupt and escarpes there are
coteaux covered with vines down to the water's edge.
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