Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-04
wALLENSTEIN,S MAGN.EICENCr

From Niehiels "history Of tle Astriaa Government
Wshenste'ns immense riches, his profound reserve
ana thcatrea manners the principal he en-.
ployed to exait the imagination of the masses. He al.
ways appeared In public surrounded by extraordinary
pomp, and allowed all those attached to his house to
snafe IN ms luxury His officers lived sumpuously his
table where never less than hundred dishes were
served As he rewarded with excessive liberality not
only the multitude but the greatest personagcs were
uazzed py TINS Asatic splendor. Six gates gave
trance to his palace Prague to make for which
he had pulled down one hundred houses Similar cha.
ieauS were erected, by his orders, all his
estates Twentyiour chamberlains, sprung from the
most noble families disputed the honor of serving him.
and some sent back the golden KEY emblem of their
wallenstein.
Wacnstcns appearance enough Itself to inspire
fear and respect His tall thin figure his naughty a
ndc the stern expression of his pale face his wide fore
head, that seemed formed to command, his black hair
close shorn and harsh his little dark eyes, in which the
flame of authority shone, his naughty aud SUSPICIOUS
look his thick moustaches and tuted beard produced
at the hrst glance, startling sensation. His usual dress
consisted OF usaucorps OF elk skim covered by white
doubet and cloak; round his neck he wore n Spanish
run in his hat hutered large red plume, while scarlet
panaioons and boots of Cordovan leather carefully pad
ded account OF the govt completed his ordinary at
tire. While his army devoted itself pleasure the deep
est silence reigned around the general lie could not en-.
dure tue rumong OF carts loud conversations
simple sounds
He educated sixty pages dressed in blue velvet and
gold to whom he gave the first masters fifty trabants
guarded his anechsmber night and day six bsrons and
the number of chevaliers were constantly within
call to bear his orders His ,aaitre hof,i was person
OF distinction thousand persons usually formed his
household and above one thousand horses filed his sta.
bles where they fed from marble hangers When he
set his travels hundred carriages drawn by four or
SIX horses conveyed his servants and baggage; sixty
carriages aud fifty led horses carried the people of his
suite ten trumpeters with silver bugles preceded the
procession. The richness OF his veres the pomp of his
eqpages, and the decoration of his apartments we're in
harmony With all the In hall of his palace at
Prague he had himself painted in a triunphal car with
wreath OF aure- round his head and star above him
one o' his chsmberains was hanged for waking him
without orders aud officer secretly put to death be-
cause his spurs had canked when he the Gene
cral His servants gided about the room ike phanoms
and dozen patrols necessarily moved round his tent OF
palace TO maintain perpetual tranquility. Chants were
also stretched across the streets in order guard HIM
against any sound walerstcin was ever absorbed in
himself ever engaged with his plans and designs lie
was never seen 10 SMILE and his pride rendered him in
accessible to sensual pleasures Ills only finatcisu w
ambition This strange chief meditated and acted in
ces'any, only taking counsel of himself, and dsdanine
strange advice and inspirations.
When he gave any orders or explanations he could
not bear 70 be looked at curouy when he crossed the
camp the soldiers obliged pretend that tey did
not see him. Yet they suffered from an involuntary
shudder when they him pass like supernatural he
ing. There something about him mysterious sol
cmn and awespiring. He walked along surrounded by
this magic influence, like saddening halo His troons
firmly believed that he in communion with the spr
of darkness that the had no secrets from him
that the Growing OF cocks the barking of dogs never
reached his cars that bullets Sahres and nces coul
not wound him. for he possessed talisman that render
ed him Master of Fortune. They followed him n per
sonihcAon of Fate Though champion of Rome against
the innovators the gloomy captain only put faith in the
dreams OF the occult sciences.
While youth he was accompanied on his travels by
the mathematician and astronomer Verdungas who
Taught him TO read the stars. He also resided for some
time at Padua, in order learn from another professor
The rooms of his palace at Prague were covered with
emblens OF divination and aegorca figures. His am
Don led him 70 the desire of penetrating the secrets of
tile future the Italian astrologcr Semi lived beneath
his roof aud the visionary couple frequently passed the
night in chimerical studies. Never did Wacnstein set
out on enterprise till he had consulted the Ium
nous Pythonesscs of the armament for these dumb oun
sellers were to him Bible aud Gospel peasant would
not have behaved in a different wav