Geog 4308.49.10 HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY H. NELSON GAY RISORGIMENTO COLLECTION LONDON: SPOTTISWOODES and SHAW, New-street-Square. PREFACE. FROM the date of Napoleon's exile until the month of February, 1848, few events occurred on the continent of Europe, of sufficient importance to interest the British public. So quiescent were the nations, that John Bull relapsed into a state of something like profound indifference with respect to the politics, religion, and social economics of those various races, who, at the commencement of the present century, fought for conquest or for freedom on countless battle-fields. The events of the last two years have, however, awakened a spirit of inquiry which will render more or less acceptable the publication of extracts from the note books of those who have lately been abroad, especially such extracts as have reference to questions affecting the future prospects of powerful commonwealths and dynasties venerable from their antiquity. Being firmly persuaded that the existing generation will witness mighty changes in the poli tical arrangements of the Continent, and that the recent measures of certain courts, who imagine that liberal ideas have been uprooted by armies, tend to hasten rather than to delay the crisis, I have endeavoured, in the following pages, to direct attention to some facts and opinions relating to these deeply-interesting movements; at the same time that I have attempted to describe, in few words, the scenery of the beautiful countries through which I journeyed. The chapters on Switzerland contain, in addition to what now for the first time appears in print, the substance of a few papers formerly furnished by me to a periodical publication; but the greater part of the volume consists of revised notes of a tour commenced so lately as March, 1849. Dundee, 22d January, 1850. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. Travelling on the Continent. Heidelberg. Banks of the Neckar. Agriculture of Wirtemberg. Fruit Trees. Stutt- gard. Revolutionists. Political Education of the Germans Page 1 Geisslingen. Natural Scenery. View of Ulm. Bavarian Plain. Dress of the Women. Augsburg. Railroad to Munich. The late King. Buildings of the Capital. English Gardens. Bavarian Beer. Sunday in Munich. Love of Amusement characteristic of Foreigners. Attempts to assimilate the Tastes of the Working Classes in Great Britain with those of Germany. Pleasure versus Politics. Young Englanders. Influence of the Fine Arts. Their Leave Munich. Peasantry. Tegernsee. Alps of Bavaria. Aachen- see. Grandeur of the Mountain Passes. Descend to the Valley of the Inn. Innsbruck. Scenery on the River. Laborious Habits of the Tyrolese. The Finstermuzze Pass. Pilgrims. Source of the Adige. Meran. Cultivation of the Soil. Devotion of the People to Romish Ceremonies. Natural and Revealed Religion. Roman Catholicism and Protestantism abroad. Superior Fervour of the Romanists. Cause of this. Unity of the Papal Church apparent, not real. Connection between Church and State. Its |
