Journal of a Tour in the Years 1828-1829, through Styria, Carniola, and Italy, whilst Accompanying the Late Sir Humphry DavyTobin, J. J.
History
Journal of a Tour in the Years 1828-1829, through Styria, Carniola, and Italy, whilst Accompanying the Late Sir Humphry Davy
Tobin, J. J.
Davy, Humphry, Sir, 1778-1829; Europe -- Description and travel
_18th._ We left Neustadt in the morning, and drove on through pretty
and hilly country, chiefly covered with fir wood, to Postsari, where
we came down close upon the Danube, and beheld some most beautiful
rocky scenery, far superior in grandeur to that of the Rhine. Immense
perpendicular masses of grey rock, with dark fir-trees here and there
forcing themselves through the fissures and crevices, form the right
bank of the Danube at Abach, a small village at the foot of a hill, on
the top of which stands an enormous round tower, the only remaining
vestige of a large castle which formerly crowned the summit. Before
entering the village the road is hewn through the solid rock, and high
above the head of the traveller is a gigantic Latin inscription, cut
in the rock, purporting that this work was undertaken and completed by
Charles Theodor, Elector of Bavaria; two colossal lions on pedestals
mark the spot which was once solid rock. From this little village
we passed over the hill to Regensburg, or Ratisbon, which lies in
the valley beneath. The appearance of this old city from a distance
is not more imposing than when in it, for it has no high towers nor
fine prominent buildings. We entered it at about one o'clock, through
an alley of young poplars, on the right of which stands a small
modern temple, dedicated to the memory of the celebrated astronomer,
Keppler. A light pretty gateway leads into dark and narrow streets,
at the end of one of which was our inn, the Golden Cross, and the
good accommodation we here found, was not rendered the less agreeable
from its contrast with that of the wretched inn at Neustadt. In the
afternoon I walked out with Sir Humphry to see the town. The greatest,
or rather only curiosity it possesses, is the large room in which the
celebrated Diet of the Empire used to be held: the exterior has a
miserable appearance, and Sir Humphry, instead of going in, went to see
some fish in a tank, and wished me to accompany him as interpreter.
I went in the evening again to see the hall of the Diet, but it was
shut, and the man who shows it was not to be found. From the fish-tank
we went to the bridge over the Danube, which is well built of stone,
and is entirely paved with large flag stones. The river, already of
considerable breadth, rushes through it with astonishing rapidity, and
turns a number of mills below it. We then returned and took our tea,
and our evening's book was "Palamon and Arcite."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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