Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 64, No. 397, November 1848Various
History
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 64, No. 397, November 1848
Various
England -- Periodicals; Scotland -- Periodicals
In the preliminary assembly, the names of five or six mediatised
princes--particularly those of the house of Hohenlohe--and of several
of the higher nobility, were to be found. Few such names occur in
the present roll,--the only mediatised member is the prince of
Waldburg-Zeil-Trauchburg. This is ominous of the tendency of the
parliament, and of its pure democratic condition.
So much I had learned from a perusal of the debates, which are
now regularly published at Frankfort, and which hereafter may be
considered as valuable documents, illustrating the rise and progress
of revolution. But I was curious to see, with my own eyes, the aspect
of the German parliament, and not a little pleased to find that my
old friend, the professor, was punctual in keeping his appointment.
Saint Paul's church, a circular building of no great architectural
merit, has been appropriated as the theatre of council. Thither
every morning, a crowd of the enthusiastic Frankforters, and crazy
students in their mediæval garbs, repair to pack the galleries, and
bestow their applause upon the speeches of their favourite members.
It is needless to say that, the more democratic the harangue, the
more liberal is the tribute of cheering. The back benches on one side
of the main body of the hall are reserved for the ladies, who, in
Frankfort at least, are keen partisans of revolution. The volubility
with which these fair creatures discuss the affairs of state, and
questions of political economy which the science of Miss Martineau
could not unravel, is really quite astounding. Whenever you meet
a German woman now, you may prepare to hear a tirade upon popular
freedom: they are, as might be expected, even more bitter than the
men in their denunciation of artificial rank; nor do they seem to
be in the slightest degree aware of the fact, that of all hideous
objects on earth, the worst is a patriot in petticoats. I have heard
such venom and bloodthirstiness expressed by a pair of coral lips
that, upon the whole, I should rather have preferred soliciting a
salute from Medusa.
Above the president's chair, and painted in fresco upon the wall, is
a very dirty figure intended to represent Germania, clad in garments
which, at first sight, appeared to be covered with a multitude of
black beetles. On a more close inspection, however, you discover that
these are diminutive eagles; but I can hardly recommend the pattern.
The president, Von Gagern, a tall, dark, fanatic-looking man, is
seated immediately below, and confronts the most motley assemblage of
men that I ever had the fortune to behold.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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