is thought a good conclusion to the Schwalbach course of waters. The improvement in the health is often more marked after a little time.

The creature comforts, without which the cure would be indifferently appreciated, are fairly provided for. There are several respectable hotels in the village. The largest is the "Allée Saal," so called from an assembly-room, built at an early period, in the principal walk or

Allée," and to which a good hotel has been attached. The next in size is the "Herzog von Nassau," which specially invites the attention of the English by its additional inscription, "Hotel to the Duke of Nassau," and by the recommendation of the omnipotent, but by no means infallible, "Murray." The select circle of proud islanders frequenting Schwalbach have responded to the invitation by taking the hotel under their gracious patronage, the effects of which have been various.

The mania of the English for spoiling the foreign cookery is utterly incomprehensible. When we consider that an Englishman cannot step upon any part of the Continent of Europe without finding the cookery superior to his own (if, indeed, we have any cookery at all; which is doubtful, for our national principle is to ignore the art altogether), and when we know that he will go to any expense at his club and his dinner party to imitate at home what he might get as ordinary fare abroad, even in the least pretentious places, what a monstrous inconsistency is it that his first impulse at a foreign hotel is to find fault with everything, and to insist on being served with unutterable abominations, intended, at his fierce demand, to imitate his national roast and boiled! I caught a few days ago, one of these worthies in flagrante delicto. I was dining at one of the principal tables d'hôte at Wiesbaden, where there was brought round a dish of purée de pommes de terre that would have done credit to the Trois Frères, when a pompous Englishman opposite me, who evidently considered himself an important represent

66

waiter for "calling such a mess as that potatoes," and insisted on being given some done in a proper way." He was accordingly served with some wretched boiled bullets, which of course the poor waiter would take care to present to the English in future in preference to the maligned purée. In the same town, at another hotel, I was brought a steak detestably cooked, as the waiter admitted on remonstrance; but he explained that, as he knew I was English, he had done it so purposely, thinking I might prefer it. I have travelled in almost every part of France, not only on main routes, but in all sorts of remote corners; and I can aver that I have scarcely ever known what bad cookery meant, except in the places where English influence has prevailed. Indeed, I have learnt now, when I go into a French or German hotel where English most do congregate, in ordering my dinner, to speak a few words in an under tone to the waiter, begging him on no account to give a hint to the cook of my nationality, but to make him believe he has to prepare for a Russian, or a Spaniard, or a Turk; or even to give me such a dinner as he would provide for one of his own fellow-servants, rather than for a "Milor Anglais." But I must beg pardon for digressing; the subject is one on which it is difficult to keep one's equanimity.

There is a third respectable hotel, the "Post," and a fourth, the "Taunus;" and the "Goldene Kette" (mentioned by Sir F. Head, but rebuilt a few years ago), and the "Russischer Hof," and the "Hotel Wagner," and some others, are all very tolerable.

But most of the visitors prefer residing in private lodging-houses, of which there are a large number, built on the two oblique arms of the Y, principally on the left hand one, and conveniently situated, commanding fine views of the country, and close to the springs, baths, and hotels. They are all called by special names as the Panorama, the Stadt Coblenz, the Einhorn, the Kranich, and so on, and are generally spacious, well

with all necessary conveniences to make them comfortable. Eatables are partly furnished in the houses themselves, and partly obtained from the hotels or from restaurants, of which there are several close at hand. Wine of excellent quality is a natural production of the districtthe Rheingau being within gunshot of the village; and Dilthey's Rüdesheimer close at hand. To give a notion of the cost of living, I subjoin a memorandum of what I am now paying for three persons, put into English currency :

Lodgings, consisting of sitting-room and bed-rooms, with fine view, in the best situation, and attendance. Breakfast; coffee, &c. with steak and omelette from the Restaurateur Dinner at the best table d'hôte in the place

(This might be reduced to 3s. by getting it from the Restaurateur).

Bottle of good Rhine wine

Supper; coffee, with meat and omelette.

Per day. 8. d.

4 4

2 10 6 0

1 8

28 17 6

5 10

Or for each person per day and everything as good as need be set before the king.

The amusements of the place are but limited. There is a respectable band, of sixteen performers, who play at the brunnen promenades two hours every morning and evening; and it happened that during my stay a London musician was there, who amused himself by arranging popular English airs for them to play, which put us pleasantly in mind of "Home, Sweet Home." Then there are reading-rooms, circulating libraries, and billiard-rooms. Further than this, there is nothing but the enjoyment of the charming country walks and drives; and, as people come here really for health, the absence of amusements tending to excitement and late hours is an advantage rather than otherwise. There are German Catholic and Lutheran churches, and also English divine service during the season.

The statistics of the place have been given by Dr. Genth. There are about 2,200 permanent inhabitants, and nearly

are 60 or 70 large buildings prepared expressly for visitors, and containing nearly 1,000 well-furnished rooms. The number of visitors usually present at one time in the height of the cure is about 1,000-the total number this season being nearly 4,000.

Schwalbach has been especially favoured this year by the presence of two Empresses, with crowds of royal and other distinguished visitors. The Empress of Russia came, with three children, on the 15th of July, and remained till the 23d of August. She is said to have derived much benefit; indeed the improvement was obvious by the increased strength she latterly manifested in her daily walks. She had the whole of the Alleé Saal Hotel fitted up for her accommodation; and she was visited during her stay by others of her children and relations, and by the King of Bavaria. The other distinguished patient was the Empress of the French, who arrived on the 7th of September, and took up her quarters in a pretty little house close above the Weinbrunnen, called the Villa Herber. She was attended only by a very small suite, and went through the cure in a most unostentatious way. She drank (from a glass, abjuring the odious pipe) at the Weinbrunnen regularly three times a day, had an ordinary bath at the bathhouse, and took her regular walks in the grounds, wet or fine, in as plain and simple a manner as the humblest guest in the village. She adopted all the habits of the place-dined at the local hour, of viands cooked by the local artists, in the local style; went to bed soon after dark; and was out soon after daylight in the morning. Her dress was simple, and the lower portion of very moderate circumference. Her unaffected and kindly manner quite won the hearts of the people. She was visited during her stay by the Emperor of Russia, the Duke of Nassau, the King of Prussia, the Queen of Holland, Prince Metternich, and several other distinguished guests.

In addition to these two great per

liam of Hesse Phillipsthal Barchfeld, with their suite, from Cassel, and many other individuals of royal families, or of noble descent. I counted about sixty persons of noble families in the list at one time, and probably this number may have been exceeded earlier in the season.

According to the custom of all watering places, there is published a list of the visitors, or, as it is here termed, a Kur-liste, from which everybody who is curious can see who everybody else is. A few items from the number now before me are worth extracting.

The Empresses were defined by their. travelling titles simply as follows:Frau Gräfin BORODINSKY nebst drei Kindern, aus St. Petersburg. Comtesse de PIERREFONDS, aus Paris.

The following blunders are amusing (I have altered most of the English names):

Dr. Doe, Cambridge Collegue, England. Madame Wilieminoff, avec Princesse Lydie Wirzimsky, son neveu.

Colonel Helène Rostiker.

But in opposition to this we have— Herr Rosanoff, Psalmist, aus Stuttgart, and the

Rev. Honourable St. John.

Lastly, we commend the names of the following distinguished personages as studies in pronunciation :— Fürstin Lwoff.

Baronin Csekonicshissthay.

Mad. Argyropoulonée de Creszoulesco.
Hepexoba Kpomkaba C. Remepsypea.
Floirzoba Cypsyseoba Ca Nemepndyyre.

This year there have been jubilee fêtes all over Nassau, in honour of the reign. Wiesbaden, on the 21st August twenty-fifth year of the present duke's and following days, was decorated splendidly with garlands and wreaths. Music, fireworks, and illuminations made the gay little residence gayer than usual, and it was proposed to let the public fountains run for an hour with wine. Some of the preparations for this purpose were actually made; but, as the time drew nigh, the municipal courage failed, and the project was abandoned. Schwalbach manifested its loyalty by

aus England.

general jollification, and by the public singing of an ode by a native poet, in which not only were all due glorifications offered to the sovereign, but somewhat unnecessarily, dire threats were enunciated against any unprincipled plunderer who would dare to lay his hand on the sacred Nassau soil-a warning which we hope Prussia and Austria will keep in mind if it should ever suit their purpose to divide the little Duchy between them! By the way, this ode was sung to the tune of Haydn's wellknown Austrian hymn, and it says but little for German musical originality that this and our "God save,' "both exotics, appear to be the only loyal tunes the northern Germans use.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THIS important decision, when at last finally settled, necessitated other steps more embarrassing and difficult than anything that could be discussed in the ilex avenue. Even Sora Antonia's protection ceased to be altogether satisfactory to the suddenly-awakened mind of Alice, who at the same time was so unaccustomed to think or act for herself that she knew not what to do in the emergency. If Colin had been the kind of man who would have decided for her at once, and indicated what he thought she ought to do, Alice was the kind of woman to act steadily and bravely upon the indication. But, unfortunately, Colin did not understand how to dictate to a woman, having known most intimately of all womankind his mother, who was treated after an altogether different fashion; and Lauderdale, though sufficiently aware of the embarrassing nature of their position, belonged, not withstanding his natural refinement, to a class which sets no great store upon punctilio. Now that everything was settled between the "young folk," Alice's unprotected state did not distress him so much as formerly. The marriage, which must take place immediately, was already in his eye a sufficient shelter for the solitary girl; and the indecorum of the whole business no longer occurred to him. As for Colin, he, as was natural, regarded with a certain excitement the strange step he was about to take, not

knowing what anybody would think of it, nor how he was to live with his bride, nor what influence an act so unsuitable to his circumstances would have upon his prospects and position. It was of a piece with the rashness and visionary character of the whole transaction, that Alice's money, which she had herself recurred to as "enough to live upon," never entered into the calculations of the young man who was going to marry on the Snell scholarship, without being at all convinced in his own mind that the Snell scholarship could be held by a married man. A married man!-the title had an absurd sound as applied to himself, even in his own ears. He was just over one-and-twenty, and had not a penny in the world. But these considerations, after all, had not half so much effect upon him as the thought of his mother's grave countenance when she should read his next letter, and the displeasure of his father, who perhaps already regarded with a not altogether satisfied eye the spectacle of a son of his gone abroad for his health. If Colin could but have made sure of the nature of the reception he was likely to have at Ramore, prudential considerations of any other character would have had but a momentary weight; but at present, amid his other perplexities, the young man felt a certain boyish confusion at the thought of asking his mother to receive and recognise his wife. However, the important letter had been written, and was on its way, and he

liam of Hesse Phillipsthal Barchfeld, with their suite, from Cassel, and many other individuals of royal families, or of noble descent. I counted about sixty persons of noble families in the list at one time, and probably this number may have been exceeded earlier in the season.

According to the custom of all watering places, there is published a list of the visitors, or, as it is here termed, a Kur-liste, from which everybody who is curious can see who everybody else is. A few items from the number now before me are worth extracting.

The Empresses were defined by their. travelling titles simply as follows:Frau Gräfin BORODINSKY nebst drei Kindern, aus St. Petersburg. Comtesse de PIERREFONDS, aus Paris.

The following blunders are amusing (I have altered most of the English names):

Dr. Doe, Cambridge Collegue, England.
Madame Wilieminoff, avec Princesse Lydie
Wirzimsky, son neveu.
Colonel Helène Rostiker.

But in opposition to this we haveHerr Rosanoff, Psalmist, aus Stuttgart, and the

Rev. Honourable St. John.

Lastly, we commend the names of the following distinguished personages as studies in pronunciation: :Fürstin Lwoff.

Baronin Csekonicshissthay.

Mad. Argyropoulonée de Creszoulesco.
Hepexoba Kpomkaba C. Remepsypea.
Floirzoba Cypsyseoba Ca Nemepndyyre.

This year there have been jubilee fêtes all over Nassau, in honour of the reign. Wiesbaden, on the 21st August twenty-fifth year of the present duke's and following days, was decorated splendidly with garlands and wreaths. Music, fireworks, and illuminations made the gay little residence gayer than usual, and it was proposed to let the public fountains run for an hour with wine. Some of the preparations for this purpose were actually made; but, as the time drew nigh, the municipal courage failed, and the project was abandoned. Schwalbach manifested its loyalty by

aus England.

Miss Charles Roe, aus London.

Miss T. Smith, und Jones, aus Miss Wiesbaden.

Marcheisse of Angleka, aus England.

The Continental nations have an odd love for titles; as for example :

Frau Doctor von Biltering, aus Curland.
Frau Generalin Bosse, aus Wiesbaden.
Frau Buchbinder Atinger, aus Stuttgart.

And then there are some curious names, as

Mad. und Fräulein Bräutigam.
Fräulein Schuh.

Fräulein Sauerwein.

Fräulein Graf nebst Fräulein Bauer.
Frau Schäfer und Frau Fischer.
Fräulein Teufel, aus Berlin.

general jollification, and by the public singing of an ode by a native poet, in which not only were all due glorifications offered to the sovereign, but somewhat unnecessarily, dire threats were enunciated against any unprincipled plunderer who would dare to lay his hand on the sacred Nassau soil-a warning which we hope Prussia and Austria will keep in mind if it should ever suit their purpose to divide the little Duchy between them! By the way, this ode was sung to the tune of Haydn's wellknown Austrian hymn, and it says but little for German musical originality that this and our "God save, "both exotics, appear to be the only loyal tunes the northern Germans use.