Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1838-08-18
MISCELLANEOUS.
RANDOM PASSAGES.

BY ISAAC APPLETON JEWETT.
SWITZERLA AND, GERMANY.
LEIpsIC SEPTEMBER 1O.--Here am ], in the
very heart Of Germany, in the centre of Eu-
rope, within ten hours ride of Dresden, one
day of Berlin, two of Prague, three Of Munich,
four of Warsaw, ten of st. Petersburgh, and a
few more of Rome, Constantinople, and Jerusa-
lem, all of which would fain honor with vis-
it, did time and the reedful permit; at pres
ent, however, this will be my ultimatum, and
to morrow shall commence what the French
man said Napoleon did, after the memorable
battle of this same Lepsic, not retreat, but
movement retrograde toward home. My jour-
neyings will now be toward the setting instead
ofthssrising sun.
y The ride to this city proved, as | expected,
extremely tedious and disagreable. We left
Ffnkfoft at half past nine, P. M, and were for
ty-one hours, including two nights, on the way
the distance being two hundred miles. was
again doomed to the interieur, amid five smo-
kers, as usual, neither of whom could speak
English or French; and the idea of the mis-
takes and vexations to which my solitary igno-
rance exposed me, was aby thing but comfort
able. escaped, however, with nothing worse
than the loss of cloak in the Frankfort dill
gence; for on coming to the Prussian domin-
ions, we were transferred to a respectable We
hicle, on which was inscribed:
fKontg. 4relss,
Srbnell a1ost.'
(Query, mail or snail? Il does not merit
the latter appellation so well as some Of the
French, to say the least.) The public con-
veyances on the continent are all driven by a
postillion, in kind oflivery,with 'sevenleague
boots a trumpet with tawdry tassels, and a
leathern hat: he always rides the nigh horse,
and never goes more than one post, as each
team has its own postillion. Every diligence
is superintended by conducteur, who has the
best seat in the coupe, but does nothing him.
self. except delivering the mails and small par
| cells on the way. The French and Swiss con-
ducteurs are often sur)y and uncivil, but those
in Prussia are very attentive, goodlooking, and
even well educated. The most learned doc
tors Of tho university will converse with them
on familiar terms, with difference and respect.
There is evidently much less exclusiveness
in grades, and less showof naughty superiori-
| ty in the wealthy and even the noble, in these
despotic countries, than in liberal and enlight-
ened England. From the grand Duke down.
ward, it is usual to give bow and q bon Jour,
or odie,i,' to the meanest servant nrettrn fol
the same salutations and these conrtesies GER
tainly do not seem TO be iriisconstrued into thai
familiarity which breeds contempt, but rather
to strengthen respect and attachnen. to the
superior. l
In coming to Leipsic from Switzerland,
passed through no less than eight Independent
states and prncipalities, viz: the Grand Du.
chies' Of Baden, Hesse-D Darmstadt, SAKE Wei.
mar, Saxe-G -Gotha, Hesse-C Cassel, the free city
Of Frankfort, and the kingdoms Of PrussIa ant
Saxony. The boundaries of these great-littlt
duchies are marked by plain stone on the
way-side, inscribed, Weimar,' sGotha, etc.
as the case may be- observed nothing else
to indicate that the country was governed by
SO many different masters. There is nothing
on the route deserving the name Of scenery
even a gentle hill TO relieve the dull, tame pros.
pect Of long and often barren plains, occurs
but seldom. OF the towns shall see more or
my return.
/ was sorry to find that the noted book
publisher, Mr.. TAuoHNITz, Senior, died Of apo