them. In fact, they must either make up their minds to abandon the concern altogether, and lose all the fruits of their labour as well as of their outlay, or enable the directors to fulfil their contract with the Belgian government for the completion of the line. And I may as well observe, that the difficulties in the way of the company are not so great as those which have been notoriously overcome by other Anglo-Belgian lines, and even in the outset by the Entre Sambre and Meuse Company themselves."

NASSAU.-(The Duchy and Baths.)

The Tourist on the Rhine cannot fail to visit some portion of the Duchy of Nassau, which forms one bank of a portion of the stream. Some may probably be contented with a glimpse of Biberich, and a day at Wiesbaden; but others will not fail to devote more time and attention to this section of what may be called the Rhine country. To these let us, in this-its alphabetical place in the present volume -offer a few words on Nassau and its baths.

The little Dukedom of Nassau, the very model of a small German state, has the Rhine for its western, and the Main for its southern boundary, and on the north and east joins Rhenish-Prussian Westphalia, and Hesse. Without those historical memorials which recal the memory of the heroic and mythical periods of Germany, its picturesque scenery perpetually alternated with fertile valleys, verdant meadows, and vine-clad heights, would make it a favourite resort of pleasure-seekers visiting the neighbourhood of the Rhine. In addition to this, however, it includes the Taunus, a mountainous region, the virtues, real or imaginary, of whose springs, or brunnen, have made the country the resort of visitors from all parts of Europe since the days of the Romans. The springs are of most various temperatures and composition, and the discovery of new specific virtues in them serves to keep pace with the growing distinctions which doctors are inventing concerning human disorders. The books which have been written in England only in praise of the Nassaubrunnen and baths would fill a moderate-sized library; but all which the unprofessional can need to know may be very shortly stated. The springs burst out in various parts of the country at the bottom of the hills; and bath houses are built over them as fast as the increase of visitors promises to render the outlay profitable. With the development given to travelling by recent improvements in the means of communication, the number of travellers enjoying the baths has trebled within these fifteen years, and is likely to progress in a still higher ratio; but so great is the number of the brunnen, that while Nassau is provided with English visitors, she will never want baths for their accommodation.

The most celebrated spas are those of Wiesbaden, (See WIES

BADEN ;) Ems, (See EMS), Schlangenbad, and Schwalbach. That no valetudinarian may be discouraged, the consumptive are invited to Ems, the weak to Schwalbach, the nervous and irritable to Schlangenbad, and the rheumatic to Wiesbaden.

NASSAU.-[Hotel: Krone.] This is an ancient little town on the Lahn, and is about five English miles from Ems, between it and Schwalbach. On the left bank of the river, and over against the town, are seen the remains of two castles, with which a number of memorable historical associations are connected. A count of Laurenberg, progenitor of the counts of Nassau, led hither in pursuing the pleasures of the chase, was induced to build, in the beginning of the twelfth century, the Castle of Nassau, the cradle of a princely house, which has given to Germany an emperor, to Holland a liberator, and to England, in William III., a constitutional king. The second castle, built a little lower down on the rock, is that of the ancient baronial family of Stein, from which has sprung, during 500 years, a race of warriors and councillors of the empire; and in more recent times, the great Prussian statesman, who, by his reforms, and councils, and patriotism, regenerated his country, and kindled a spirit which at length drove the French armies from the German soil. The remains of this statesman, in whom the male line of his house expired, are interred at Frucht, three miles from Ems. His daughter, the Countess Von Giech, resides at a modern mansion close by. Traces of a stone bridge over the Lahn, at Nassau, were until lately visible; they have now vanished, and a suspension bridge connects the two banks of the river. The neighbourhood of the Nassau river is laid out in park-like grounds, interspersed with woods, traversed by convenient paths. The stranger is free to roam about there on the river; and a tower, erected by Baron Von Stein, enables him to command a variety of views of the most pleasing character.

SCHWALBACH, OR LANGEN SCHWALBACH, as it is properly called, is reached from Ems by a romantic road which leads by the old town of Dansenau, through Nassau, Arnstein, and Homburg. Travellers who wish to take the nearest road from the Rhine to Schwalbach, without making Ems in their way, take the omnibus at Biberich, and pass through one of the most picturesque portions of the celebrated Rheingau. The village occupies one of three valleys in which the baths are situated, and is so enclosed by hills that the traveller does not see it until he is fairly there.

[Hotels Allée Saal; Europaischer Hof; Natsaver Hof; Hotel de l'Europe.-Post: Hotel de Duc de Nassau. The first-mentioned of these is the largest, pleasantly situated in the shade of a grove, and has a good table-d'hôte at one and three. The Englischer Hof and Pariser Hof are lodging-houses, without tables-d'hôte.]

The exposed situation of Schwalbach on the north of the Taunus,

and its elevation of 909 feet above the level of the sea, render its climate bleak as compared with other bathing-places, as, for instance, Wiesbaden, protected by its situation on the other side of the hill. Although, since the publication of Sir Francis Head's "Bubbles," this place has been largely visited by Englishmen, few of our countrymen stay there to take the waters, most of them wandering about with the "Old Man's" book in their hand, vainly seeking for the attractions which his fancy saw in the place. The tastes of Englishmen are, however, studiously consulted, and their language is spoken by the waiters at most of the hotels.

The principal springs are three-the Weinbrunnen, Stahlbrunnen, and Pauline. The Weinbrunnen, the oldest spring, and which formerly was the only one employed, is supposed to have been so called from the property of counteracting the effects of wine, ascribed to it by Theodor, Von Bergzabern, a physician of the sixteenth century, whose descriptions first brought it into repute. It contains most iron of the three drinking brunnen. The Stahlbrunnen, which from its name (iron spring) might be supposed to be in the highest degree ferruginous, has its iron less attached to carbonic acid than either of the other two, and is thus the most exciting.

The Paulinebrunnen, the most recently discovered spring, is farthest up the valley leading to Wiesbaden, and occupies a charming spot for a morning promenade. Like the other springs, it rises from a circular orifice as from a well; and the water is taken up in glasses by the brunnen maids and offered to the drinker, who is thus assured that his potation is manufactured in no other laboratory than that of Nature herself.

Upon inspection, bubbles are seen rising in the glass, and the liquid seems to be in an effervescent state. It has a sharpish taste, and leaves a sensation of roughness on the tongue. The business of the pump-room begins as early as six, shortly after which hour the colonnade in the bath-house, and the valleys around in fine weather, present in the season the spectacle of two or three hundred persons in active motion performing their penance before breakfast. The baths are in use all the morning until one P.M., the dinner hour. After dinner, the donkeys, as at Ems, are in requisition. At six, visitors under medical care are usually expected to drink again at the brunnen. This duty performed, the evening is beguiled with the usual diversions of a watering-place-music, dancing, and play.

Many agreeable excursions offer themselves in the neighbourhood, the hilly nature of the country, with a fair share of feudal monuments, securing a number of romantic views. To the north-east lies the valley of the Aar, with the castle of Adolphseck and Hobenstein. The first is nearly half an hour's walk from Schwalbach, and was built as a residence by Adolph of Nassau, before he became

emperor. The walk is six miles distant by the pretty bridle way along the river valley and by Adolphseck, although it may be reached in less time by the common carriage road. On this excursion a series of agreeable surprises constantly overtakes the traveller, green meadows and narrow passages through ledgy rocks forming alternately throughout the scene. The castle of Hohenstein, the stronghold of the great feudal counts of Katzenellenbogen is situated at the top of the mountain on the banks of the Aar, and surrounded by extensive meadows. The ruins are well worth inspection.

At about two leagues from Schwalbach is SCHLANGENBAD. [Hotels Kessisdier Hof; Nassance Hof.]

Schlangenbad lies in a deep hollow. Its spring is said to have been discovered about 200 years ago, by a heifer that was ill. This animal daily left the herd, and the herdman met it one day, to his great astonishment, near a spring of warm water which it had frequented for the cure of its disease, and from it received benefit.

In 1657 Dr. Gloxin gained possession of this bath, which was sold to him by the commune of Berstate, together with the surrounding land and timber, for two butts of wine. Schlangenbad is the most retired of the Nassaubrunnen. The water is famous for its effects on the skin, which, it is said, it softens, cleanses, and renders as smooth as satin.

NEUWIED.

[Hotels Rheinischer Hof, Anker, Wilder Mann and Cæsar's Hotel.]

NEUWIED, being a town of modern date, contrasts strongly with its neighbour in the straightness of its streets and the uniformity of their arrangement, which, however, subjects it to the imputation of a dull sameness. The town was founded in 1737 by the Prince of Weid, who encouraged the arrival of settlers by assuring to all comers the completest toleration in religion. In consequence of this policy, Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists, and Jews, have harmoniously and energetically combined to raise the fortunes of the new community, which at this day has flourishing manufactures and a population of 5300. The house of the princely founder is now no longer occupied, having been mediatized at the last European settlement, and Neuwied is now included within the dominions of the King of Prussia.

The Schloss, or Palace, inhabited by the Prince, overlooks the Rhine, and contains two curious collections, or museums of Natural History and Antiquities. The former of these contains a great number of objects brought home by Maximilian of Neuwied from Brazil and North America, in the interior of which countries he

had gathered them. The antiquities contained in the second collection were principally derived from excavations made near Niederbiber, two miles to the north of Neuwied, where a buried village was discovered. Among the discoveries were, a bronze image, twenty two inches in height; a knife, such as was used by the priests in sacrifice; a ploughshare; specimens of the usual weapons and armour; pottery; and besides the bones of many animals, a quantity of oyster shells. The Moravians have here a colony 400 strong, and, according to their wont, occupy a separate quarter of the town.

OSTEND.

[Hotels Hotel de Bains, in the Rue de Quai; Hotel de la Cour Imperiale, Rue de la Chapelle; Hotel des Flanders, 10, Rue de Chat.-Cafés: Grand Café de Commerce, Grand Place; De la Concorde; Du Port, Quai de l'Empereur; Hamer's, on the Dyke. Besides these establishments, a number of private houses are thrown open for the accommodation of families in the bathing seasons—namely, between the 1st of July and 31st of September.]

Situated at the extremity of a plain, Ostend is now defended by modern fortifications: it is entered by four gates. The streets are straight and well built. It has a population of 11,500 inhabitants, but possesses no remarkable monument.

In the ninth century, Ostend, whose name signifies eastern limit, was a mere village; its port had acquired reputation two centuries afterwards, and, in 1445, Philippe le Bur inclosed it with walls, and in 1583 the Prince of Orange fortified the town. From 1601 to 1604 the Dutch sustained there against the Spaniards a siege of three years, one of the most famous recorded in history, and which ended in a capitulation. Seventy-two thousand nine hundred of the besieged perished, and the Spaniards lost a still larger number. The town remained a shapeless mass of ruins. In 1706 it was taken by the allies, and in 1715 was ceded to the Emperor of Germany. In 1715 Louis XV. entered Ostend, after a siege of eighteen days, which destroyed almost every street and public building in the town; he surrendered it four years after. In 1794 it was taken anew by the French.

The entrance into the port of Ostend is neither always certain nor easy. It is frequented by vessels of every flag, from the sloop to ships of from 500 to 600 tons burden. The ramparts which command the sea-shore form an agreeable promenade, at the foot of which a lighthouse rises. The herring and oyster fishery is carried on here, an important branch of industry: the oyster bed should be visited.