New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-03-14
BAYARD TAYLOR'S LETTER.
yr.ruRrs OF GERMAN FAMILY LIFE.

Our retreat here is not so Tar distant from q
large circle of old and intimate friends that we can
not ion in their Summer diversions. The laws when
govern the ordinary course OF life are much the same
in all civilized countries. certain amount OF LABOR
is everywhere necessary; men set up different goa''
but depend upon similar helps order to reach tne
1t is rather in their social characteristics and tne
habits of recreation that the people differ tro eaeH
other. 1 do not think the Germans are fonder Vi
leisure and pleasure than We are but they nave IT,
duced this part of life TO system, ana thus ao ]"
attainablc to almost all classes
Friedrichroda for instance. is by nOmeahs Water-
lnp-place in our sense of the word III mas no IeIa
sprinps no elegant hotels, no amusements; IL Oners
only pure mountain air, delightful scenery and sum
mer quarters ut moderate prices Yet the number Oh
Ouests already amounts to 1000 If any OF these
have brought their home conventionalitles with
them. have seen 10 evidence of the fact they GER
family find no ones here to be assumed Ihey
live and dress they please make or avoid acquain-
tances. spend much or little, knowing that no one
will take the trouble to inquire into their way of life
There two or three pensions, wherein the guests
dine at the same table but the most OF them take
furnished apartments by the week, and either get
their meals at the hotels OF have them sent 10 them,
hot in covered dishes 1t costs them from So to $40
a week to live in this manner. ,
During the hot GAYS the people live mostly IN the
woods. Ladies take their Work ana gentlemen ther
books and make the cool T-trees their sttlngroom
They arc plainly and practically dressed they soon
discover the most picturesque points the most agree
able excursions and toward evening there is not
summit or valley within radius OF hVe mics where
Won will not encounter groups of them. Now ana
then tho landlord of the FeisRketf tries to get mp
ball. but only few of the younger people attend
When Dr. HOlZkOpf advertised that h6 would read
selections from Shakespeare and Goethe, they came
together but the most of them showed their correct
appreciation of the performance by leaving before
its close. There Is committee OF the prhclpal per
sons of the place, who hear and act upon all conf
plants suggestions of the guests The p0lice-torcc
Is not increased there are no disturbances or OK
fhc Oir a the meadows
the white-headed boys take off their caps to inc
stranger. and everybody salutcS everybody else. by
and by the Summer crowd viii gradually drop away,
and the little city will fall naturally INTO us WINTER
quiet. =, -. 81 7
should scarcely think it worth so many lines, were
not FriednchTOda the counterpart OF hundred
mountain-towns in MidGermany, which are tenanted
during the Summer by visitors from the clteS CaliS
had aud Kissngen are only two wateTng-placeS, out
of host of unknown names, and the German does
not need to be rich i'll order TO have his regular sum
mer vacation. OR custom seems rather to De- 10
crowd into n few placcs-which soon become ont
raeeOusly eXpensive-because others 90 there lOnce
went TO Cape May intending to stay fortnight but
went home the next morning after one OF the most
uncomfortable nights of my life. was at SaratOga
a day. and saw ladies going to the spring III low
necked dresses lace and leWelS-Whch theN cOuiu
not do without loss of character even NJ BADEN
Baden. We have, moreover, nothing between inc
extroyopant independence of hotel andthe cheaper
dcspotism of boarding -housc To the inhabitant OF
city the charm of country life in summer shOuid pe
its entire freedom. u;.
MIC in which we all participated the other day. The
cVer OF il resides in GOTTA, twelve miles to the north
of us, but he appointed for our meeting tne summit
of the mountanrange four or five miles to the south,
ward. We took a carriage Tor the ascent Dut ltlt IL
after entering the deep, narrow valley behind me
town in order TO follow fOot-path through the
forest Here, in the dense shadows, the AIR was cool
and sweet. only sprinkle of golden light OCCASION
made a plunge of eight feet into n rocky basin.
young artist sat- painting, with hls boots III INC va
ter. Further up, IN the OPEN rocky pastures tnt o1
gloves lifted their tall crimson spikes, and the chime
of innumcrahle bells, from the grazing heIds, hlleu
the air So little by little. the children ACCOMPANY,
ing us on dOnkeys we reached the crest peypn9
which the mountains slope down to the land OF
Menngen.
Here our host with three stalwart sons. was in
waiting that he might guide MS 10 beechen forest
on higher slope half mile distant. A thread of
smoke rising above young plantation OF frs,
denoted the spot Ii was secluded nook; shaded by
the roof of beech yet with outlook on the southern
spur Of the Thiiringian Forest-broad, sunllt noun
tains. sinking into glmmerng valleys. Seats, COW
cred with leaves rested against the gray boes III an
open space the fire cracked Justify rustic table
had been arranged on fOrked sticks, and the baskets
and boxes around it promised something substantial
Two young gentlemen adjusted a small portable cask
of beer between two ree-trunks and then covered IT
with ice, while the councillor saying: Let me show
you my wine-cellaro lifted up huge sod, and dis
closed number of bottles lying imbedded III the
earth.
BY this time the party had assembled-95 OF 30 in
ALL aud the first thing they did, the illumination oil
tho landscape being unusually beautiful was to go
from point 90 point and enjoy the best views A
forester Kept up the nre ana gradually prepared
bed of Goals. which seemed unnecessary on such
balmy evening" but the production OF grldlrOn IN
dicated another sort OF holocaust. When the 6rdt-
scRrSt began 10 hiss and sputter the bars, there
came different perfume into the air than that of
wild fern and mountain grass and the scattered com
pany was drawn together by an instinct which was
not altogether unconscious. The eaSk, meanwhile,
had been preached, and its cold fOaming contents
rapidly circulated. The baskets were unpacked and
supply came forth which seemed sufficient for an
army-cOd vensOn. ported sardines, cheese and sal
ads, with lighter and less substantial refreshments
According 10 the old German prOverb, the wine came
after the beer 1t was generously dealt out yet there
no result such as the enemies OF the beverage
always pr0-SuppoSe.
Here let me say that while either wine or beer, or
both. make an indispensable part of German pic
Ric have never known an instance OF lntoxicatlon
In the first place the beverages always pure and
light in q9ality in the second they are not looked
as a special indulgence. Leaving the question OF eX
ample out of yiew-which is the main argument
used by the advocates of temperance against those
who use wine UithOm eroeSS-I confess i see no harm
in the habitual use of hight pure vintage Nothing
rs so difficult to measure as the positive influence on
individual upon his fellow-men, and the cases are
rare where man. without conscious purpose, leads
another to his ruin. have been frequently aSsalled
by over-zealOus reformers for writing of the of
wines without adding condemnation of the habit;
but have no condemnation except for excess. do
not consider that the weakness OF one gives me the
right 10 attack the temperance OF ten. The most
temperate people have ever found are the Greeks,
every one of whOm-man, woman and child-drnks
wine. Excess in fact, is physical disease, and
should be treated as such: where there Is any ten
deney toward it the only remedy is total abstinence.
But the stronger and healthier nature has always
seemed to that which is able to control itself Let
our education, domestic as well as public, develop
and strengthen this quality, and VIC shall accomplish
more than by prohibitory laws.
Whatever may be the readers views on this ques-
ton he will at least allow to describe things as
they actually occurred. When all had eaten and
drunk sufficiently the company took their seats upon
the grass and addressed themselves 10 song. Begin
ming with John Browns body lies a-mOldeTing in
the grave" (which stirs the Gernan blood as II does
ours the course of music meandered back and FORTH
r. 1odi htro lodi