The New York herald., 1871-02-12
THE SNOW SEASON ABROAD
Travelling Through Europe i'm
Mid Winter.
VIENNA AND VENICE
Crossing the Semmering When
Covered with Snow.
MAXlMILIAN'S PALACE AT MlRAMAR.


It has been my fate and my good fortune during
the past ten days 10 study snow under an unusual
variety OF aspects. 10 has been the fate this bitter
winter, OF many better men. All over France Elen
nave found to their cost that snow may be as for
midable an enemy as fire. But few have been so
little Influenced by the serious results Of frost in
increasing the difficulties OF attack and the dangers
OF Defence the chances OF disease and the certainty
OF death, to he quite alive TO the beautiying effects
OF snow. From some points OF view
SNOW is SIMPLY A NUISANCE.
il occasionally stops railway train: 1t generally
lessons The ordinary facilities OF communication; It
always converts every street into very slough of
despond, and 1t never remains long enough 10 he OF
any use. In Northern Europe snow retains its clear
crispness for months, even in the streets, and 1T
quickcns the circulation OF carriage traflc as much
as the frost quickens the circulation Of the blood.
lt completely changes the customs OF town jewellers,
rs well as the mere aspect OF town. In Dresden,
for instance, where there Is lack OF pubic convey
ances on wheels, ana where sleiqhs can scarcely
be said TO be In customary use, snow has forced
the members OF the American colony, who settled
In the Saxon capital under the delusve idea that
they would get comfortably through a pleasant,
GENIAL winter, to see much more OF each others
society than they anticipated or desired. With the
snow lying three feet deep on the ground ana com.
ing down as hard as can, 1t is undertaking even
to cross the road. Hence the complcest IL not the
finest picture gallery In Europe is always deserted
except by few hard working copyers; and 1t Is
possible TO recline full length opposite the Madonna
di San Sisto and gaze your ill upon the oveest face
ever painted. The theatre for the same reason has
been all but empty. This splendid edi1ce, which
used to dwarf the proportions OF the neighbor-
Ing Z0ringer, has not yet been REBUILT glad TO
add that it IS not to be restored In such dangerous
ala
be replaced-and a temporary wooden circus
ike building does DUTY in ts stead. The in
cOngrlity OF seeing artistic acting in q house
that looks like huge barn cannot fail to be
amusing for a few minutes; but defy the most in
veterate playgoer TO enjoy the finest drama If he
has to wrap himself up to the ears ~ his fnr-lned
and beat the devl's tattoo keep the frost bite
from hls toes.
THE COLD IN sAy0NY.
At Dresden, as everywhere else the exceptional
cold IS the neverfalng theme OF conversation, and
the officers whom you choose To meet VIII even
cease holding forth on the fact that we-t r., the
Saxons and Pruss,ans-are now al the top Of
'civilizition' to tell you with shudder that they
have had IN SaXony twenty-five degrees OF cold Yet
II they were AZ patriotic as since they have been
Prussan, these SaXons would he grateful TO the
FROST which has taken away the ridicule rom the
name they give TO their prettes district and which
has made Saxon Switzerland look little more ike
the real thing. It is odd. indeed TO see
ON THE WAY TO PRAGUE,
the peasants striking merry along the broad stream
Of the Elbe, the boundaries or which are completely
lost In the wide eXpanse or snow At the little VII
lages, which generally have few houses on each
side OF the river there is always regular roadway
marked by small shrubs from bank to the other.
1t Is only where the narrowness OF the valley in
the force or the that it securely
frozen over but is crowded, ike the Rhine with
masses OF crashing 1t ls hard work to keep the
smallest peephole open in the window pane OF the
railway carriage; but by unremttlng breathing and
rubbing and cleaning 1t is quite possible to make
out the dark pine trees just fringed with white,
standing out boldly against the lver-colored rocks
whose strange confonnatlons constitute the peculiar
beauty OF Saxon Switzerland. or surety Prague
gains vastly IN beauty by the thick winter garment
that now envel opes IL.
THE CAPITAL OF BOHEMIA.
The magnificent natural advantages OF the capital
OF Bohemia, and the barbara spendor OF lis public
buildings render 1t at all times OF the most pic
turesque cities OF Europe. No wonder that Queen
Llbussa was 50 struck by It's admirable situation that
she established there the chief OF her monarchy.
The bridge, q third or mile in length, from which
st. John OF Nepomuk was hurled, and which since
that pregnant event. has been lined on both sides
with colossal statues Of saints ana martyrs alone
worth making journey to Prague TO see just now
as you emerge from the shadow OF the fortified gate
TO the broad bridge itself the In front OF you
is absolutely fa,ry-ike In It's dreamy grandeur For on
the opposite side OF the river the Hradsnin Aero
polls OF Prague rises abruptly from he bank, and
mass OF palatlal buildings a1d green.domed
churches and gliltering spires and creneated bat
Elements loom vaguely through the misty air and
look-lheir pure white mantles just hnged by the
bright morning sun with roseate nue-ike city
noaLing IN the clouds. The view from the Hradshin
batiemented towers aud the green and gold roofs
Of thus Oriental looking city seem to be rising from a
TRANQUIL lIan u sea. sea-, The en- Modau as wide as the East
circles are cleared Of snow Tor skaters, sedges are
gliding abont and the river Is dotted all with
carts laden with ice, which men steering them. |
selves about on rart-llke masses are busy |
hewug out OF the thick crust. There Is no |
aiicuities in The way OF iocomotion in |
Prague; for the wretched Bohemians. being heavily
themselves. Their cities are for the most part liter
ally unswept; The snow in the streets is allowed to
remain and freeze and thaw and freeze again until
1t forms mass OF Ice from one to TWO feet in thick
ness and as uneven AS poughed field. The autho-
rites seem to be fully alive to the evil, for they
Hradshln yon may see groups OF gray Glad Jalbirds
removing the snow from Y,ta the pathways.
All the weary way from Prague TO Vienna yor pass
through little else than tracts of forest; how they
look in January am unable to say Tor the simple
reason that the intense cold made 1t utterly impos-
sble to keep an incn OF wmdow-pane clear OF
ICE LOT SuRte IuOUleDE. 10 one coming fresh
from torpid Prague, Vienna looks as though
Paris, with all It's superb new bouevards, lofty man
sons elegant equlpages and well dressed women,
had escaped from the Prussian clutches and settled
nn DER schGnen 6idnen DOadu. not blue now. but
beautiful still. The very sleghs seemed cheerful ana
warm, such southern wealth OF color did they bear
along the crisp roadway, and the bright eyes Of the
crowded ddne,Ts gave the lie TO their red noses ana
mufiied rnroats. They were evidently bitterly cold,
but they were as determined TO make the best OF 1t
a. though they had been Frenchmen born. The lu-
sion was carried out by the true Paris ,dlom that
rang out on every side IN hotel and cafe and thea
tre Of truth all the Parlsians out OF Paris who
not In London have taken refuge in Vienna. The
public feeling, too, seems to be entirely In their
favor. This you Will have gathered from the
journals; but the sympathy OF France and the
hatred or Prussia Infinitely stronger than even
the most independent Vienna paper-the Neue
F1ee I1esse for instance would lead you to sus-
pect. The Austrians have certainly not forgotten