Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-09-13

Of southern people, as they are native "Missou-
%rians." See new advertisement. -Sa'nt LOUIS
NO. Republican.
EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENTS.
PARIS, August 18th, 1860.
Dear ENQUIRER: 1 have been compelled to neg
et writing to you much longer than desired.
I had too much to do the last month of the ses-
sion in Bonn, to think of giving any time to what
was not actually necessary. Many things had to
be completed aud prepared for a break of two
months, besides hearing my usual lectures. l
was there but two days after all closed. These
TWO days were most pleasantly spent with a party
mostly from South Carolina. In this party was
our distinguished scholar, and highly respected
minister, DR.. Thornwell. Though | had never
before had the honor even Of seeing him, i'm
mediately felt as if 1 was in the presence Of one
whom l could trust in every respect. appre.
ciated the privilege of meeting him for himself
alone, but doubly 80, when be told me Of his
friendship and admiration for my old and much
esteemed Prof. E., of Greenville. The DR.. was
like many of our American travellers in Europe
too much pressed for time, but he WAS making the
best possible use of it. mean by this that he
was using it in n way to learn the most that
would be useful to him but I observed that much
of what is of the greatest interest to travellers
generally, had no attractions for him. He went
from Bonn to Frankfort by the Rail Road instead
of by the Rhine, because he could get there four
or five hours earlier, thus missing a view OF all
the old castles and natural beauties, which have
made the Rhine for centuries, the most celebra.
ted of all rivers, as well in history as in poetry.
In Frankfort, the only object Of attraction SEEM
ed to be the old Ramer, q large old building
which has been standing for centuries, in which
the German Emperors were crowned, and in the
principal hall of which all their portraits are to
be seen hanging round the walls. The picture
galleries and other works of art, which make
Frankforta most interesting place, had no attrac'
ton for him. The party was going on to Swift
zerlaud, and probably as far rs Rome, but the
Doctor snid he must be back home early in o.
tober.
Though I had seen the beauties of the Rhine
several times, they had lost none Of their attrac
ton for me, so that I took the boat from Bonn
to Mayence, where I had to 60 to get my pass
port vised for France. I went from there to Wies-
baden to spend a day or two with a friend whose
acquaintance I had made in Bonn. Notwith.
standing the summer here has been so u~nfavor-
able for travelling, all the hotels and boarding
houses were crowded with visitors from all the
civilized countries of the world. After saying
that Wiesbaden was full, it would be superauous
to say that the Kursaal-conversation house,
and gambling rooms were crowded. Fortunate
" I had been in Wiesbaden before, and knew
something Of life there. If had not, l should
have known nothing yet, for this time I stopped
with my friends family, and had no time for
going out. Yet, I certainly had q more agree
able, and 1 will not say q less profitable time,
than if I had been hearing fine concerts or look
ing on hundreds of gaily dressed people whirl-
ing in the dance, or busily engaged in converse
ton. 1t is very interesting, and I think also
profitable, in many respects to stand in some OF
those crowded gambling rooms and see how va
rious persons are affected by the loss or gain of
large sums of money. Here one sees the old
and hardened gambler who seems indifferent as
to whether he wins or loses. These are lost
beyond the possibility Of being rescued. Wo'
men, who have all the appearances of ladies OF
the first stamp, are not at all unfrequently to be
seen who are thus hardened. But another class,
more interesting to the student Of human nature
is the young, who are just starting on the road
to ruin. One may know these by their continu-
| ally their changing countenances and their high
excitement as the game progresses. 1t strikes
our American public, with their moral feelings
refined probably above those of any other people,
as o thing very horrible to see young men enter
ing on such a road, but it must be doubly
painful. to every one to see young and beautiful
girls With all the marks of the highest cultivation
and refinement, beginning to risk money around
those horrible European gambling tables, or as
one might more properly say, these schools teach
ing the way to destruction. Yet even this, is q
sight daily to be seen at any of the great con
~tinental watering places. And the greatest mis-.
fortune of all, that public opinion does not frown
upon such. If that were the case, we might
have some hope Of the evil being remedied, but
as it is, we have none.
As I said, however, I saw but little of that
during my last visit to Wiesbaden. was but a
short time in the Kursaal, and that to see a
painting from an artist now attracting consider
able notice here, whose acquaintance l had just
made. 1t represents q marriage scene, and was
pretty finely painted, according to my humble
Judgment, but I think it owes its great reputa'
ton to the fact that some wealthy American, !
could not learn who, or where from, had recently
bought it for eighty thousand francs.
But that I may not make my letter to lone
again, I will close for the present, and will write
to you again in a few days.
Yours, B.