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sounding through thy native grove, When thou wert blithe and free, Sweet bird.

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THE

LADIES' REPOSITORY.

AUGUST, 1852.

DRESDEN AND ITS ENVIRONS.

A REMINISCENCE OF SAXONY.

BY PROFESSOR WILLIAM WELLS.

DRESDEN is truly the Florence of Germany. This is no unmeaning compliment, but an appellation pre-eminently deserved. No capital of the old Father-land more closely resembles "Florence the Beautiful," in every respect, than does the charming, the accomplished Dresden. As Florence throws the shadows of its stately mansions into the bosom of the Arno, so does Dresden reflect its beauties on the smooth surface of the Elbe. As Florence opens her inestimable galleries of ancient and modern art to crowds of admiring strangers, so does Dresden unfold the treasures of her Muses to the throng of travelers that her artistic wealth always draws within her walls.

Dresden is delightfully situated in the valley of the Elbe, and its beauties are hightened by the attractive scenery of the vicinity, that advances to its very walls. Indeed, it is the beau ideal of a “rus in urbe;” for the gardens, and promenades, and long rows of stately trees that meet one at every step, give it an appearance so rural that it is not difficult to imagine one's self in an immense villa-the city adorned with all the beauties of the country.

The old fortifications of the city have been razed to the ground, and their place is now occupied by a handsome promenade that encircles the inner city. This is a great place of resort in the summer season on account of its shade and its beauty; and along its borders rise many of the most stately private edifices in Dresden. A number of the public buildings also have very large gardens attached to them. These are kept in the most perfect order, and enriched with a copious collection of indigenous and exotic plants. These gardens are open to all classes, who enjoy them without committing the least impropriety or injuring one of the plants. The public, high and low, seem perfectly aware that these are for the public good and for all, and each individual acts as if the care of these

VOL. XII.-22

places of public resort were actually intrusted to him.

At a short distance from the city lies an immense park, known as the "Large Garden." This is also open to the public, and devoted to innocent and healthy amusement. In its midst is an old palace of the seventeenth century, containing a collection of the arms and curiosities of that period; and in the vicinity are several large concert-rooms and places of refreshment for those who resort to its grounds.

Near this spot was fought the terrible battle between the Prussians and the French in which the celebrated hero, Moreau, fell mortally wounded. A plain monument now covers the spot where he received the mortal wound. A cannon-ball carried off both his legs, and they are buried here; his body was taken to St. Petersburg, and there interred with great honors.

Moreau's history and fate was a strange one, indeed. His influence in France was at one period so great, that Napoleon considered him his most formidable rival for the affections of the French people; and he was, without doubt. Napoleon suspected him of conspiring against his own power, and seized the opportunity of banishing him from the country. This so imbittered Moreau against his persecutor that he did what few Frenchmen have done: he fought against his countrymen-not against his country-in the ranks of the Allies. He fell on a strange soil, and his grave was watered by strangers' tears. Few visitors to the "Large Garden" neglect to wander a little farther, to pay a tribute of respect to the memory of the hero who felt it his duty to contend against the man who swallowed up the liberties of his native land.

During the pleasant seasons for outdoor recreations, few afternoons pass by without musical entertainments in the Large Garden; and these are of the choicest kind. An open building is so constructed that the musicians are favorably situated for musical performances, while the public sit around little tables in the open air, sipping coffee or chocolate, or indulging in ice-cream and other refreshments. The orchestra frequently numbers from thirty to fifty performers, and most of these

are men of merit, and play, in the most scientific style, the favorite airs and overtures from the principal German operas. In front of the orchestra is suspended a sort of sign, into which can be placed a board containing the name of the piece that is being played, so that the audience is never in doubt as to the music; and this custom also serves to impress on the mind the master-pieces of the celebrated composers.

A few cents, seldom more than ten, gives admittance to these concerts, and provide rational and dignified amusement for an afternoon or evening. Here, then, the Dresdeners resort to spend a leisure hour, but never without their wives and children. Around dozens of the tables may be seen family groups, taking tea in the garden instead of taking it at home. Indeed, it is not uncommon for a lady in Dresden to invite a few intimate friends to take tea with her family on a certain afternoon in the Large Garden; and all the arrangements are so perfect, that an invitation of this kind is attended with no inconvenience and no trouble-at most, that of sending out early in the afternoon to secure good tables and favorite places for listening to the music. When seated at table, the lady orders tea or coffee and other refreshments for as many as grace her board, and in a few minutes all is in order, and a corps of faithful servants are ready to do her bidding. The expense is comparatively a mere trifle, and the heart-felt and innocent enjoyment might be envied by a king.

But a still more pleasing spectacle is the quiet and refined pleasure of the poorer classes. High on the banks of the Elbe, on a spot that commands all the beauties in the vicinity of the city, is a public concert-room and garden, known as the Elbe Terrace. The latter borders the river, and forms a promenade of the most attractive character. Go with us, dear reader, to the Elbe Terrace concert, and if you do not sincerely wish that the harmless enjoyment that prevails there might be infused into the same classes at home, we shall be disappointed deeply, and regret having invited you, on the ground that our feelings are so widely different that there is no mutual sympathy. As we approach the concert-hall, the sounds of music greet our ears, and social groups join us on our way to the entrance. At the gate of the garden stands a keeper, who holds out his pewter plate to receive one single groschen-about two cents and a half-and this for the most elevating and refined music from seven o'clock till ten. A father, mother, and bevy of happy children precede us, and seat themselves around a table; and curiosity tempts us to take a seat near them. As we enter, the musicians are playing an overture from Mozart, and quite a large company is collected-all chatting with each other in a low voice, or listening to the music, and expressing satisfaction at certain striking parts of the piece. On looking around the room, we conclude that the company is composed of persons of a humble though comfortable position;

many of them mechanics, and others small tradesmen, whose incomes induce them to seek pleasures that are not expensive. But we have followed our family, and we prefer to tell their story more in detail. The children having been comfortably arranged, the mother opened her rather bulky basket, and began to draw out its contents, composed of bread and butter in slices, generally known as sandwiches, and a variety of tea-cakes. These are laid on a coarse napkin in the middle of the table, and the waiters who are standing near are requested to bring a number of cups of coffee or chocolate, seldom tea. When the latter arrive, a social meal is enjoyed with all the coolness and nonchalance that would reign at home. The reader will, of course, perceive that the object of bringing the eatables along in a basket is the praiseworthy effort of preventing a high bill, which would otherwise hinder the whole family from enjoying a happy evening. The owners of such establishments, for the humbler classes, are so accustomed to this thrifty economy among their married customers and families, that they never raise the least objection, although their only sale is tea, coffee, or chocolate. They make up in numbers what they lose in quantity.

Near us, however, was one case of an incorrigible and avaricious old bachelor, who had come with some bread and cheese wrapped up in a paper. After sitting awhile alone and forlorn, he drew forth his package from his coat-pocket, and, calling for a glass of beer, used his jack-knife to cut his bread and cheese, and thus took his solitary supper at the expense of two cents laid out in the establishment. He was evidently an old customer, as many a leering eye was cast over toward him, and even the waiters indulged in a smile to see him enjoying the outlay of two cents for his own personal welfare and enjoyment.

Our happy family finished their frugal meal with chitchat and merry laughter, hightened by an occasional nod from a friend and neighbor, or a joke from a passer-by who had come too late to secure a table. It will not be forgotten, that all this time the music is playing at intervals, and is enjoyed to its full extent, though one might suppose that these doings would be an obstacle; on the contrary, they only highten the pleasure by the variety. Supper being over, mother brings out the knitting for herself and eldest daughters, and the latter learn to knit young; and now the needles move apace, seeming to keep time with the music; and thus we have no doubt that all the stockings needed by the family are made during these hours of leisure and enjoyment. But the knitting is no more a barrier to conversation and mirth than is the music; on the contrary, the livelier the conversation, the faster seem to go the needles. In the course of the evening, the happy family may, perchance, indulge in a little sugar water, or the father in a mug of beer, seldom any thing more. And this is the story of nearly all of the several

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