Subside into a tranquil ganz alltaeglicher
Mann and become totally averse to any innovation which demands the
sacrifice of repose.
The pipe which has this sedative effect on political effervescence, has a
still stronger similar effect, it is said, on the passion of love; hence
the German husbands are proverbially sluggish. But the ladies, none of whom
smoke, preserve their romanticity during their whole lives, and would, if
they had their choice, give their hands to foreigners, who are more
attentive to them than their own countrymen.
The young ladies here are, 'tis said, extremely romantic in their ideas of
love and capable of the strongest attachment. They think that any thing
should be pardoned to sincere passion. It has been related to me that some
time ago a young man, who was devotedly attached to a girl, on the father
refusing his consent to the marriage, stabbed the girl and then himself. An
immense number of young ladies attended their funeral, to throw flowers
over the grave of the two lovers. Assuredly the young man was only a
noviciate in smoking.
Everybody must, I think, admire the Saxon women. They are in general
handsome and have fine shapes; they are warm hearted and affectionate; and
they are almost universally well educated.
