A tour through some parts of France, Switzerland, Savoy, Germany and Belgium, during the summer and autumn of 1814Bernard, Richard Boyle
History
A tour through some parts of France, Switzerland, Savoy, Germany and Belgium, during the summer and autumn of 1814
Bernard, Richard Boyle
Europe -- Description and travel
All religions are here tolerated; but, under its old constitution, the
members of government were Lutherans, and Calvinists were excluded from
any share in the management of affairs. The present magistrates are only
provisionally appointed since the late change in its situation. The
cathedral is a venerable Gothic edifice, as is also the town-house; but
Frankfort is more remarkable for a general air of magnificence than for
the exclusive elegance of any particular buildings. There are seven or
eight gates to the city, some of which are handsome, and adorned with
statues of many worthies, whose names I could not learn. The busts of
Alexander and Roxana were however too conspicuous to escape notice; but
their connexion with Frankfort I am not antiquary enough to trace.
Frankfort cannot be considered as a fortified place. Its bastions are
planted with shrubs, and form a pleasant walk for the citizens.
_Hamburg_ has recently afforded a melancholy example of the evil which
walls may bring upon a commercial city; and the people of Frankfort
cannot regret the use to which their bastions are applied. I was, by the
favour of a merchant, to whom I had an introduction, admitted as a
temporary member of the _Casino_, or _Public Institution_. It is one of
the best conducted establishments I have seen. There are not less than
110 _newspapers_, besides other periodical publications; and, after an
interval of two months, I was glad again to peruse an English newspaper.
The reading-room, like the council-chamber at Stutgard, is adorned by a
figure of Silence, and I think the hint seems well observed. There are,
however, several very spacious and elegantly decorated apartments, for
conversation, cards, billiards, &c. These rooms are frequented by ladies
in the evenings, and then bear some resemblance to a London rout. The
_concerts_ at Frankfort are remarkably good. There is only one theatre;
and, as the performance was in German, I only went once out of
curiosity. The number of villas around Frankfort are numerous and
handsome, and the villages are large, and have every appearance of
opulence. Here are many fine orchards, and the _cider of Afschaffenburg_
can be only distinguished from wine by a connoisseur.
At Hochst, six miles from Frankfort, stands the large edifice noticed by
Dr. Moore, as having been built by a great tobacconist of Frankfort, out
of spite to the magistrates of that city, with whom he had quarrelled;
and he endeavoured to induce merchants to settle here. His plan,
however, failed, and this great building is almost uninhabited. This
village is at present chiefly remarkable for a manufacture of porcelain
of excellent quality.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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