MAYENCE (MAINZ).

[Hotels:-Rheinische Hof: Europaischer Hof: Hessischer Hof: Hollandischer Hof: Hotel d'Angleterre and Drei Reich-Kroner. At Castel, on the opposite side of the Rhine, Bahrdt' Hotel.]

Mainz, or Mayence according to French orthography, is a town of about 35,000 population, most pleasantly situated on the left bank of the Rhine, just below the point where that river is formed by the Maine. The town belongs to the Grand Duke of Hesse, but the fortress, from which it derives its chief importance, is the property of the Germanic confederation. The works here are the strongest of German fortifications, as well as the most extensive, measuring in circumference two leagues and a half, not including the fortified vil lage of Castel on the right bank, which is connected with Mayence by a bridge of boats. In time of peace, 8000 troops, consisting of Austrians and Prussians in equal numbers, are formed here, together with some battalions of the Sovereign's army, and the governor is appointed by Austria and Prussia in turn. In time of war, however, it is calculated that 30,000 men would not more than suffice for its defence.

If the saga be well grounded, and Mainz was in truth founded either by the magician Nequam, 14 hundred years before the Christian era, or two hundred years later, by Megantius, the fugitive from Troy, their work does them small credit. The streets are nearly all narrow, crooked, and gloomy, and the town must be considered, notwithstanding a few good modern streets, as ill-built. Even those natural advantages which volunteer to redeem the constructive defects of Mayence, have been greatly neutralized by art; as for political and strategic purposes, the Rhine is all but shut out by the works erected along the river, and commerce of course is impeded through the usurpation of the proper highway by the military power. A hundred years since, travellers described Mainz as a city of monks and abbés, it now looks like a monastery turned fortress, most of the best houses having their windows stoutly stanchioned, and every street swarming with soldiers.

THE CATHEDRAL, dedicated to St. Ignatius, is of great antiquity, and is built in the massive round-arched style. It is not seen to advantage, on account of the houses which closely surround it. On the side next the market-place it has folding doors of brass, of an imposing brightness, on which may be seen the indentations made by the balls fired at them, when, in 1793, the Prussians bombarded the edifice. A number of small and indistinct words, which cover the doors from top to bottom, are all the remains of ancient inscriptions, the records of the charters received by Mainz from

Archbishop Willigis. One of the choirs of the church, for, like those of Worms and Speyer, it has two, was begun in the 10th century. It is 350 feet long, 150 wide, and has 20 chapels and 14 altars. Its most beautiful chapel, that of All Saints, has a remarkably fine window. The chapel of St. Gothard, near the north-west transept, was lately let to a leather merchant, who used it as a store-room. A number of monuments of archbishops, princes, electors, and barons, are contained in the cathedral. Here also is the tomb of Heinrich Frauenlobe, the minnesinger. The proper name of this famous man is lost; he is said to have been a Doctor of Theology; the appellation of Frauenlobe (lady's minstrel) has, however, represented his personality since the 14th century. Since his song was devoted to the celebration of female beauty and virtue, four days after his decease, which took place in November, 1328, eight of the fairest and noblest ladies of Mainz bore him to the grave, over which they scattered flowers and poured libations of wine. They afterwards caused a monument to be reared to his memory, and surmounted it with his bust crowned with laurels. The original has perished, and until 1843 his name was only recorded on a poor tombstone. In that year, however, the gratitude of the ladies of Mainz procured for their minstrel a monument from the hands of Schwanthaler.

In Mainz, Guttenburgh, the inventor of moveable types, first set up his printing press. His house no longer exists to gratify the reverential curiosity of the stranger, its site being occupied by the Civil casino, a club, with reading rooms, &c. In the market-place, the patriotism of Germany has raised a monument to his memory, a bronze statue cast by a Parisian founder, from a model by the Dane Thorwaldsen. Considering the eminence of the Bavarian and Prussian founders, and the sufficiency of Germany for the production of objects of art, this resort to foreigners may justly excite surprise, as it cannot fail to do regret, the statue being designed and executed with a minimum of artistic taste.

Mainz, despite of the fabulous traditions referred to above, had its origin from the Romans, to whom, as to the moderns, its locality recommended itself as the site of a frontier fortress. Julius Cæsar was well acquainted with its topography, and in the time of Augustus Roman entrenchments surrounded Moguntiacum. Drusus, the second founder of Mayence, made it a chief fortress, and strengthened it with more than fifty castles. The fortified camp in which Mayence took its rise, is believed to have stood where now the citadel rears its head. According to the assertion of father Fuchs, the Rhine at that time flowed further to the left than at present. The 2nd, 13th, 14th and 16th legions had here their head quarters, being distributed over the country from Basle to Andernach. The grave-stone of a Roman mayor of Mayence has been found, bearing

the inscription, "Caius Sertorius, Veteran of the 16th Legion, Civium Romanorum Moguntiaci." The 4th legion arrived here at a later date, but the 22nd legion in the year 89 A. D., which made the longest stay of all, came to Mainz. After having dwelt long in Egypt, and taken part in the Jewish war under Vespasian and Titus, they accompanied their favourite leader to Italy, and were thence sent to Mainz, where for more than two centuries they had permanent quarters, and filled the whole neighbourhood with their memorials.

A Roman tablet to the memory of Drusus, found here, has been preserved, and is now in the city museum of Mainz. The most considerable monument, however, is the Eichelstein, now a shapeless mass, standing upon the highest point within the citadel. It is the remains of a tower seventy feet in height; its external masonry has been removed, probably by the hand of time, and the base being now of smaller girth than the upper part, its figure may have favoured the popular transmutation of its original German name, Adlerstein (Eagle-monument), to Eichelstein (Acorn-stone). It rests upon a square foundation, and is said to have been formerly encased with marble, surmounted by a cupola. In 1689, the Adlerstein was broken through, and a passage made to its summit. About a mile from the city are the remains of an aqueduct, constructed by Drusus, for the supply of the garrison. It was 2900 feet long, and is said to have rested upon 300 columns, of which but sixty-two are now extant. The era of the highest prosperity of Mayence began about the middle of the eighth century, when the Carlovingians founded the great empire of the Franks. About this time Mayence received its first archbishop, St. Boniface, who by the Pope's nomination became primate of Germany. The temporal power was for some time after exercised by the secular prince or the people, as by turns either party became powerful, but the influence of the archbishops increased every day, while they became at first councillors, and then chancellors of the empire. The number and beauty of the churches greatly increased, and the city was extended towards the Rhine. Its history was henceforward not very unlike that of every German civic community in the middle ages. In the fifteenth century, however, it lost its independence, and "from this time forward," says Sebastian Munster, "it fell away, and its trade was ruined." Hatto, whose name is connected with the legend of the Mousetower at Bingen, was archbishop here, and for his crimes was driven away by the citizens, who were compelled by the Emperor Arnoulf to receive him back again, after a long siege. The people were more happy under some of their spiritual chiefs. The memory of Archbishop Willigis is preserved at Mainz with gratitude; the remains of his charters we have seen engraved on the brazen gates of the cathedrale. He ruled from 976 to 1110; he also founded the cathedral. Willigis made good laws, gave

the city new immunities, built the bridge at Aschaffenburg, and restored that of Drusus, at Bingen. He was the son of a wheelwright of Saxony, and not being ashamed of his origin, placed a wheel among the armorial bearings of the city. Subsequent bishops took some needless pains to persuade the citizens that the wheel represented a cross. In the history of the more recent European wars the name of Mainz frequently occurs. In 1798 it became the capital of the French department of Mount Tonnerre, and in 1816 was ceded to the Grand Duke of Hesse, of whose Rhine province it now forms the capital.

MONS.

[Hotels: De la Couronne, Grand Place; du Duc de Bavière, Rue d'Havre.-Cafés: Pienard, Grand Place; de la Gaiété et l'Union.] MONS is a fortified town, population 30,000 inhabitants. Several derivations are given to the name it bears; some suppose it to be derived from a high mountain close to the town, now called Mount Panissel, from the circumstance of a temple to Pan. The origin of the present city was a fortress built by the Neurians, and in which they defended themselves for many years from the attacks of the Roman troops. In the year 1425, during the reign of Jacqueline de Bavière, the town was besieged and taken by an army of the Brabançons; the princess was placed under the care of the Duke of Burgundy and carried to Ghent, from which place she made her escape shortly afterwards. During the wars of the sixteenth century, Mons was surprised and taken by the Count Louis de Nassau, in 1572. Soldiers were sent into the town disguised as wine merchants, whose merchandize, transported in waggons, consisted of barrels containing but little wine, and a good supply of arms. The first act of the soldiers, thus secretly introduced into the town, was to slay every Spanish soldier that came within their power; the town was re-taken the same year by Frederick of Toledo, son of the Duke of Alba. Louis XIV. carried it by assault in 1691; then the treaty of Utrecht gave it to Austria; by the battle of Fontenoi it came into the possession of the French, who, under the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, restored it to the Austrians. At last, after having sustained all the vicissitudes of the French revolution, Mons became under the republic, and remained so during the Empire, the chief town in the department of Jemmapes. The establishment of the kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815 gave it the title of Capital of Hainault. The fortifications, which were demolished by order of the Emperor Joseph II. of Austria, were entirely reconstructed, according to the modern system of fortification, in 1815; they are at the present day kept up with the greatest care, and are considered to be among the strongest in Belgium.

The town contains seventy-six streets and seven squares. The river Tronille crosses the town, and in its passage works several mills; it joins the Haine, outside the fortifications. But we now come to that which will be more immediately interesting to the tourist, the principal churches and monuments worth inspecting, and shall commence with the church of Sainte Waudru, which is one of the finest in Belgium. The first stone of this edifice was laid in the reign of Philippe the Good, in 1460. The high tower with which it was intended to be surmounted was never completed; this is the case with most of the churches in Belgium. Much space would be required to describe in detail the many objects of interest which this church contains; we shall therefore confine ourselves to calling attention to a few of the most attractive objects. There is a famous painting of St. Francis, by Van Thulden; a Descent from the Cross, by Abraham Teniers; also a stone altar so exquisitely and minutely sculptured, that until closely approached it has all the appearance of light lace. The stained glass windows and some excellent bas reliefs must not be overlooked.

SAINTE ELIZABETH.-This is a fine building, surmounted by a spire in the Spanish style, of elegant workmanship. The interior lost much of its original beauty at the fire, which, in the last century, destroyed many parts of the ornamental work, in restoring which, the original style of architecture has been intermingled with that of a more modern date: this reflects little credit on the taste of the architect to whom the important charge was entrusted. There are not any monuments or pictures here worth especial notice. The next edifice is the Church of Saint Nicolas en Havre; the interior has an imposing, though sombre effect; it was constructed towards the close of the seventeenth century. The chief attraction, in addition to the building itself, is the carved oak ornaments; they were executed by a native of Mons, and placed in the church in 1742.

SAINT NICOLAS EN BERTAIMONT contains two pictures of some note, one by Philippe de Champagne, the other by Frank.

THE TOUR DU BEFFROI was built by the Spaniards, in 1662, to replace the ancient structure, which fell down in 1661. The tower, sometimes called the chateau, stands on the summit of the hill, upon which a portion of the tower is built; the three stories of this tower are composed of different orders of architecture, and has a light and elegant appearance.

THE HOTEL DE VILLE is a Gothic building, of a heavy appearance; it stands on the Grand Place; its date is 1440.

THE THEATRE is quite a new building, and may be classed among the best in Europe; it is large, well situated, and richly and elegantly decorated.

THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE.-A new building is being erected to replace the old one, which for a long time was not worthy to rank