themselves into Alsace, Lorraine, or Burgundy, but upon pain of death not to cross the Rhine. To carry into execution this tyrannic edict, a provost-marshal, at the head of 40 assistant executioners, marched into the town; they bore about them the emblems of their profession, in the shape of a gallows and wheel, embroidered on their dress. On the appointed day the miserable inhabitants were driven out by beat of drum, like a flock of sheep. The French soldiers followed them, after having plundered every thing in the deserted town, which was then left to the tender mercies of executioners and incendiaries. In obedience to the commands of Montclair, the French commander, trains of combustibles were laid in the houses, and lighted; and in a few hours the seven-and-forty streets of Spires were in a blaze. The conflagration lasted 3 days and 3 nights; but the destruction of the town did not cease even with this. Miners were incessantly employed in blowing up the houses, walls, fountains, and convents, so that the whole might be levelled with the dust, and rendered uninhabitable. The Cathedral was dismantled, the graves of the Emperors burst open, and their remains scattered For many years Spires lay a desolate heap of rubbish, until at last the impoverished inhabitants returned gradually to seek out the sites of their ancient dwellings. Since that time the town, although rebuilt, has never raised its head.

This, however, was not the last of the calamities which this ill-fated city was destined to endure, and from foes of the same nation. In 1794, the revolutionary army under Cuştine burst upon the town, and, after six different assaults, carried it by storm, and repeated all the wanton acts of atrocity and cruelty which their predecessors had enacted a century before. Previous to the siege of 1683, the town had 5 suburbs enclosed within ramparts, 13 gates, and 64 towers of defence provided with artillery. After twice suffering desolation so complete, it can hardly be expected to display many marks of its

antiquity and former splendour in its buildings. Since 1816, however, when it came into the possession of the King of Bavaria, much has been done to repair or restore the little that remains.

The Dom or Cathedral, whose twin towers present a noble appearance from the Rhine, is almost the only edifice which has bid defiance to the attempts to destroy it; the French undermined it, and tried to blow it up; but the venerable structure remained unshaken by the explosion. In point of dimensions it is perhaps the most stupendous building in the Romanesque style existing. The two tall pointed towers and the semicircular termination at the E. end, are the sole surviving portions of the original edifice, founded in 1027 by Conrad the Salique, on the spot where a Roman temple of Venus, and afterwards a Christian temple, built by Dagobert II., had stood before. The edifice, as it now stands, certainly arose after 1165, when a conflagration destroyed the earlier building. All that was consumable in the W. end, cupola, nave, and choir, was burnt by the French, 1689, although they had promised to respect the building, and had thereby induced the citizens to fill it with their valuable goods and chattels, which, after being plundered by the spoilers, served as fuel to assist in consuming it.

The interior is severe in its style of architecture, and without ornament, but the width and height of the nave strike the beholder with awe. In the king's choir, between the nave and the choir, is the Imperial Vault, in which 8 Emperors of Germany were buried; among them Henry III., IV., and V., Rudolph of Habsburg, Adolph of Nassau, and Albert of Austria.

Since their graves

were sacrilegiously broken open and plundered by the French in 1689, it is difficult to say who remains behind. The Empr. Charles VI., the last of the male line of Habsburg, caused search to be made for the bones of his ancestors; some were found and reinterred, but to whom they belonged was not ascertained. The Duke of Nassau has caused the mutilated grave-stone of his ancestor Adolph to be replaced by

a modern monument by Ohmacht; it consists of a kneeling figure of the Emperor in armour, on a Byzantine sarcophagus of black Nassau marble. Another monumental statue of Rudolph of Habsburg has been erected by the King of Bavaria; executed by Schwanthaler of Munich. Numerous judicious restorations have been made by the Bavarian government; and the church, which was a ruin in 1816, has been reopened for public worship since 1824. The subterranean Church or Crypt, under the choir, supported by short massy columns, is very curious. Traces of the mines formed by the French in their ineffectual attempt to blow up the building may still be perceived here. The font dates from the 9th or 10th century. In the Sacristy are a set of priest's robes of the 14th century, beautifully embroidered with subjects from Scripture, figures of the apostles, &c. ; they were brought from Aschaffenburg. The treasures of the sacristy disappeared at the Revolution. In the ruined Chapel of St. Afra, on the N. side of the building, the remains of the unfortunate Emperor Henry IV. were laid by his faithful subjects, the citizens of Worms, and remained 5 years unburied, until the removal of the papal ban of excommunication opened for him the imperial vault. The Dom is surrounded by agreeable pleasuregrounds extending down to the Rhine. In the Hall of Antiquities, near the Dom, are deposited various Roman remains found in Rhenish Bavaria, chiefly at Rheinzabern; they consist of pottery of all kinds, elegant vases and dishes, with the moulds in which they were shaped, bas-reliefs in stone and terra. cotta, glass vessels, lamps, votive tablets, spear heads, sword blades, a good statue of Mercury in bronze, and the eagle of a Roman legion. Here is also preserved the gravestone of Rudolph of Habsburg, bearing his effigy carefully copied from the life.

One of the few surviving relics of the old city is a colossal tower and gateway, called Alt Portal, between the town and the Landau suburb; it is of considerable antiquity.

A ruined and unsightly wall, near the Protestant church (built 1717), is the only remaining relic of the Retscher, of Imperial palace, in which 49 Diets were held. The name comes (it is said) from the Bohemian "Hradschin (see PRAGUE), given to it by the Protestants of that nation (?).

It will be remembered, that the "protest" of the reformed princes and cities against the decree of the Diet held here in 1529, gave rise to the name of PROTESTANT.

There are pleasant walks round the town.

Strangers can be introduced by the innkeepers to read the newspapers 1 the club called Harmonie.

A good road leads to Landau, and the castle of Trifels, the prison of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, described in Rte. 104.

the Rhine

Continuing the voyage up above Spires, we pass (rt.) Phillipsburg named after Philip von Sotern, Arc bp. of Spires, who founded it at the beginning of the Thirty Years' War; i was formerly a fortress of the empir and makes an important figure in the campaigns of Turenne. were razed in 1800.

Its works Marshal Ber wick was killed under its walls, 17t Large and unwholesome morasses, low the level of the Rhine, overspre the country about

be

21. Germersheim. Inn, a fil hole, not fit for a dog; passengers may chance to stop here for the nig had better remain on board the steamer It is a mile distant from the Rhin This is a miserable small town of 20 inhab., of which a barrack and a C spire rising above the ramparts alone visible from the river. It w founded by the Empr. Rudolph Habsburg, who died here, 1291. It of t being converted into a fortress German Confederations, and stro military defences have been in prog since 1834.

Bridge of boats over the Rhine he

The shortest road hence to Strasb runs along the 1. bank of the Rhine, at a little distance from it, by Rhe zabern, 2 Germ. m.; Lauterberg

Germ. m.; Beinheim, 2 French p. ; Drusenheim, 2 p.; Wanzenau, 2 p.; Strasburg, 1 p.: but it is not provided with post horses; so that it is better to go from Germersheim to Landau, 2 Germ. m., or to cross over to the rt. bank of the river.

rt. Leopoldshafen (formerly called Schröck), a poor village without proper accommodation for travellers.

rt. Knielingen (Inn, Zum Rheinbad); here the steamers land passengers bound for Carlsruhe, 5 m. off. Boat bridge here.

1. Fort Louis. The spire of Strasburg is visible from this (27 m. off) in clear weather; and perhaps the best view of it is from the Rhine, higher up. Like Mt. Blanc, its height is not appreciated when you are near it.

A small quantity of gold is found in the sand and gravel of the Rhine in this part of its course. A few persons occupy themselves in gold washing, but the gain is small and very precarious. It occurs chiefly along the banks. rt. Kehl.

}

In Rte. 107.

1. STRASBURG. 1. A little below the bridge of Kehl a new canal opens into the Rhine, connecting it with the Ill, and enabling steamers to ascend up to Strasburg, near to the theatre. Observe the spire as you enter the canal. Larger vessels stop at the bridge of boats which conjects Germany to France, near to the French custom house, about 2 m. from the centre of the town.

ROUTE 103.

MANNHEIM TO TREVES.

22 Germ. m.=1023 Eng. m.

A traveller familiar with the Rhine nay agreeably vary his route by going From Mannheim to Treves, and descend

ng the Moselle. If he proceed from Ludwigshafen by the post road, he will ravel as far as Dürkheim, as in Rte. 04., and from thence to

2 Frankenstein.

A railway opened in 1847, as far as Neustadt, when completed will traverse

Not long after leaving Bruchmühlbach the road quits the Bavarian territory, and enters that of Prussia.

33 St. Wendel. A small town: the interior of the church, near the Post, is worth a visit while changing horses. Beyond this the road is good, and the scenery pleasing, to

1 Tholey. (An inn close to the Post, tolerable.)

The scenery beyond this is very pleasing. The road, formerly bad in places, has been repaired. The ruins of an old castle are seen on an elevation on the left, before reaching

2 Wadern. Inn, Zum Kratz, a clean and comfortable village inn. There is an ascent on leaving Wadern; and by a long descent over an open country the road descends into

2 Niederzerf. From this place the road again ascends for some distance, and then crosses a tract of open, bleak table land, until it begins a long winding descent, during which beautiful views of Treves and the valley of the Moselle are obtained; and passing the church of St. Mathias, enters

23 TREVES. (Rte. 41.)

ROUTE 104.

MANNHEIM TO ZWEIBRÜCKEN (DEUX PONTS) THROUGH NEUSTADT, LANDAU, AND ANNWEILER.

15 Germ. m.=72 Eng. m. Eilwagen daily from Spires by Lan

dau; from Ludwigshafen several times a day to Dürkheim. Railway as far as Neustadt, opened in 1847: this is part of the Railway through Kaiserslautern to Bexbach. (See Rte. 103.)

The circle of the Rhine ( Rhein Kreis) includes much pleasing scenery among the chains of the Haardt and Vosges mountains, and many old towns and castles, interesting from their history. The following route, not much traversed hitherto by English travellers, lays open some of the most interesting objects in this part of the country, and will conduct to the prison of Richard Coeurde-Lion, an object of interest for all Englishmen. They must not expect, however, to meet with a good road, or very capital accommodation.

If the traveller keeps the post road, he will follow that from Mannheim to Mayence as far as

1 Oggersheim (p. 527.). 2 Dürkheim. Inn, Vier Jahreszeiten, good. This town, of 5500 inhab., was once the residence of the Princes of Leiningen-Hartenburg, whose palace was burnt by the French, 1794; it was originally a strong fortress, but its works have long since been razed; it is now chiefly remarkable for its agreeable situation at the foot of the hills on the skirts of the plain of the Rhine, and at the entrance of the valley of the Isenach, up which runs the road to Kaiserslautern, and for its pleasing environs. The chief beauties of the Rheinpfalz begin at Dürkheim, on the borders of the Haardtgebirge. The proper way —indeed the only one-to explore its heights and valleys is on foot; guided by a good map-such as Reizmann's map of Germany, sheets 199 and 218, price 15 Sgr. each.

Romans, and when on his way to take possession of Rome itself. It has given a name to a novel of Cooper, the American. Near it is the Devil's Stone, a natural rock, bearing the im pression of a gigantic paw, on which the pagans are said to have sacrificed. The view from it over the plain of the Palatinate, along the Rhine and Neckar as far as Heidelberg, and the near prospect of fertile and industrious val leys, is highly pleasing.

At the entrance of the Isenachthal, at the top of a hill nearly encircled by the stream, stand the ruins of the Abbey of Limburg, with its vast church, founded in 1030, in the style of the Dom of Spires, and destroyed by the Swedes in 1632. The height on which it stands commands fine views, and is now converted into gardens. A crypt and part of the cloister remain. Within sight of the ruins of the abbey are those of Hartenburg, the castle of the Counts of Leiningen, its greatest enemies, who were engaged in constant feuds with the monks, and burnt the abbey in the 15th century. One of the Raugrafs of Hartenburg having made the abbot his prisoner, built his head into the wall of the castle, with his face towards the abbey, that he might see the coufla gration.

The road to Neustadt passes through Wachenheim, Forst, and Deidesheim, (Inn, Bairischer Hof), all famous for the wines produced in the neighbouring vineyards. It is a most delightful ride. Geologists will remark with interest the eruption of basalt, proceeding from the mountain called PechsteinKopf: the basalt assumes the shape of balls.

2 Neustadt an der Haardt. - Inns: Post; Golden Löwe. This town 8000 inhab. is old and uninviting within, but its situation at the foot of the Haardt mountains is delightful. Its Church dates from the 10th cen

called the Paradise, some remains of of the Pfalzgraves. In the fore-court ancient fresco paintings may be traced The neighbourhood abounds in ruined castles, many of which were reduced to