Tour in England, Ireland, and France, in the years 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829.: with remarks on the manners and customs of the inhabitants, and anecdotes of distiguished public characters. In a series of letters by a German Prince.Pückler-Muskau, Hermann, Fürst von
History
Tour in England, Ireland, and France, in the years 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829.: with remarks on the manners and customs of the inhabitants, and anecdotes of distiguished public characters. In a series of letters by a German Prince.
Pückler-Muskau, Hermann, Fürst von
Great Britain -- Description and travel; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
In my quality of Chevalier de St. Louis, I was invited to-day to a great
dinner at Prince P----'s, in commemoration of the Saint's day, or the
'jour de fête' of the king of France,--I really don't know which. After
it, I went to see the _Continuation_ of Don Juan at Drury Lane. 'Of
course' the first act was laid in hell, where Don Juan immediately
seduces the Furies, and at last even the devil's grandmother, for which
offence he is forcibly ejected by His Satanic Majesty. Just as he
reaches the picturesque shores of the fire-rolling Styx, Charon is in
the act of ferrying over three female souls from London. While they are
landing, Don Juan occupies the old ferryman's attention with changing a
bank-note (for paper money is current in the infernal regions,) seizes
the moment to make off with them from the shore, and conducts them back
to earth. Arrived in London, he has his usual adventures,--duels,
elopements, &c.; the equestrian statue at Charing Cross invites him to
tea; but his creditors carry him off to the King's Bench, whence he is
delivered by marrying a rich wife, in whom he at length finds that full
punishment for all his sins which hell could not afford. Madame Vestris
as Don Juan is the prettiest and most seductive young fellow you can
imagine, and, it is easy to see, does not want practice.
The piece amused me. Still more amusing was a new novel which I found on
my table, the scene of which is laid in the year 2200,--not a very new
idea, certainly.
It represents the religion of England as once more Catholic, the
government an absolute monarchy, and universal education so diffused,
that learning is become the common property of the lower classes. Every
artisan works upon mathematical or chemical principles. Footmen and
cooks, with such names as Abelard and Heloisa, speak in the style of the
_Jenaer Literaturzeitung_. On the other hand, it is the fashion among
the higher classes, by way of distinguishing themselves from the
'plebs,' to use the most vulgar language and expressions, and carefully
to conceal any knowledge that goes beyond reading and writing. There is
some wit in this idea, and perhaps it is prophetic. The habits of life
of this class are also very simple. Few and homely dishes appear on all
their tables, and luxury is to be met with only at those of the
servants. That air-balloons are the common conveyances, and that steam
governs the world, are matters of course.
A German professor, however, makes a discovery in galvanism, by which he
is enabled to bring the dead to life; and the mummy of King Cheops,
recently found in a pyramid which had remained unopened, is the first
person on whom this experiment is tried. How the living mummy comes to
England, and how horribly he behaves there, you may read when the novel
is translated into German. 'Au reste,' I often feel like a mummy
myself,--bound hand and foot, and eagerly waiting my release.
_Nov. 5th._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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