Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad, Vol. 2 (of 3): With Tales and Miscellanies Now First Collected — John Shaqi
Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad, Vol. 2 (of 3): With Tales and Miscellanies Now First CollectedJameson, Mrs. (Anna)
History
Visits and Sketches at Home and Abroad, Vol. 2 (of 3): With Tales and Miscellanies Now First Collected
Jameson, Mrs. (Anna)
Germany -- Description and travel
In this truly German dwelling there was an extreme simplicity, a sort of
negligent elegance, a picturesque and refined homeliness, the presiding
influence of a most poetical mind and eye every where visible, and a
total indifference to what we English denominate _comfort_; yet with
the obvious presence of that crowning comfort of all comforts--cordial
domestic love and union--which impressed me altogether with pleasant
ideas, long after borne in my mind, and not yet, nor ever to be,
effaced. How little is needed for happiness, when we have not been
spoiled in the world, nor our tastes vitiated by artificial wants and
habits! When the hour of departure came, and De Freyberg was handing
me to the carriage, he made me advance a few steps, and pause to look
round; he pointed to the western sky, still flushed with a bright
geranium tint, between the amber and the rose; while against it lay the
dark purple outline of the Tyrolian mountains. A branch of the Isar,
which just above the house overflowed and spread itself into a wide
still pool, mirrored in its clear bosom not only the glowing sky and
the huge dark mountains, and the banks and trees blended into black
formless masses, but the very stars above our heads;--it was a heavenly
scene!--"You will not forget this," said De Freyberg, seeing I was
touched to the heart; "you will think of it when you are in England,
and in recalling it, you will perhaps remember us--who will not forget
_you_! Adieu, madame!"
Afterwards to the opera: it was Herold's "Zampa:" noisy, riotous music,
which I hate. I thought Madame Schechner's powers misplaced in this
opera--yet she sang magnificently.
Spent the morning with Dr. Martius, looking over the beautiful plates
and illustrations of his travels and scientific works. It appears from
what he told me, that the institution of the botanic garden is recent,
and is owing to the late king Max-Joseph, who was a generous patron of
scientific and benevolent institutions--as munificent as his son is
magnificent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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