The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-17
SOME NEW BOOKs.
q Medieval German Coiony-Notes Of Travel
in Trsusyivania aud Rouman MIA.

II 10 common enough for the normal
tourist TO journey by steamer from Buda-Pesth
% the Black Sea, but the vast region east OF
central Hungary, aud which stretches from the
Dinube to the Carpathians, IL loss known TO
him than parts 0; Asia. One section, indeed, has
lately been laid open by the network II railways
erested 10y Dr. Sirousberg, but facilities Oh
travel are signally deficient IN Irdnsylvania'
which IA likely to remain for many years the
peast visited corner OF Europe. We are glad to
vcreive, therefore, the observations Of Dr. BERN
BARD RCHwARz lately collected In a somewhat
sunorncial but lively book, entitled Aus dem
Osen and we may mention for the benefit Of
th few who may choose to follow him through
" ala hla aud eastern Hungary, that his nu-
NJ arous practical hints will supplement Ia some
measure the want OF atrayeller's guide Tor those
countries. A feature OF DIR. Schwarz volume
which Is recommended by a sort Of romantic
novelty. is his account OF a Saxon colony found
oil centuries ago In Pennsylvania and which en-
vVio9od hy an alien and unfrlsndly p,pul tion
has preserved the strongly accented traits and
a mint customs " theif medieval foreiathc g. as
vii ~ tho curlou, l. 'w-Uerman dialect sp ken
si,rr the Ellie and tae Weser in the d avs OF the
d Itohcnstaufons.
40 doubt the professional and trading classes
OF al Trans,iynil towns include numerous
Germans descend "a from many branchcs Of the
itonic race, end VINO have come hitler At
ei.ors times. Tnesc, however, you do not have
b. mind when you speak ~ the emisrants who
~ setted In the land, and who siil bear the
bs'ne of Saxons, which In the earlier middle
WAS not applied to the present Saxon
dc, out ~ tins, vigorous aud widespread
ok occdp lng The territory now known as
v s!phtlla and II mover Colonists from this
., {. wor. invited TO Transyivana, which al
o been Incorporated With their dominlons by
KINGS OF Hungary In 1850 VITA tho doublo
W % Offering the iutractable Masyars the ox-
A.s"ie OF more advanced civilization AMI OF
o. citing solid bulwafk against the wild horles
o &c Lower Dlnlha. The quarters accordingly
,aned TO tho new settlers were IN the mo IN
IT, Qua district surro indins the frontier citio,
o Hernannstndt. Krons,adt, ami Dlstritz
i,h they presently converted by their din
y &c INTO a sort Of Paradise, zeaously main
ling their nation .lity by = system OF rigorous
g. isolation, and enarding -nxiously the rights
sni riyileges conferred by charter.
Although these privileges have gradually, and
- ciaIly s'ncc lsas, been tetronche d. the native
q liues e THIS sturdy race and most OF their
e..,rnal charicteristcs have Withstood in1ex-
~, tho PRESSURE OF Magyar Capitalization. The
8" tcomlngs Of their neIghbors. sprung from
cr siocks. throw into sharp relief the Saxon
i1sry, prooity, sohriety, and intelligence.
n .nfies are enabled 10y thelrremarkable school
=, iern to read and speak High German, the
Z 0lhNr tongue OF the whole colony IA still
g niiye form Of that Plsttdcutsch which is So
s. RAJ distributed throughout the north II
g tAtherlAnd. While, too, tho residents Of the
roe cities have adopted the normal m odern
.ss. the agricultural classes cling to the qutiut
n.suiaval costume. part OF which 4. likewise
r.'ai Ell by the Nes.phalian peasant to this
nv. The ssme thing may be said. as we shall
sac, Il the arc conjecture and equipment OF their
uweilinRs
Notwithstanding the tenaoity which these col
saists exhibit In many ways, they are fast dwin-
Ding In point Of numbers. and therefore losing
q ir hoir upon the land. A few decades a1o
Rtcry village between the capital cities before
mentioned was Saxon. whereas examples Of the
purs type are now somewhat rarc. Many OF them
va perished utterly, not even name marking
- site where they once stood, and IN their
81 &c have sprung w wallachian hamlets. the
. ~ growth OF that nation in Transylvania Of
years being the most notable OF the local
.-uomena. The cause Of this striking decline
-------s'v't s''v- UTvu sysrern Nrutcr IL pTrt
rhareesble with the stationary condition Of
tns French population. and which Is now rigor-
D1sv practised 10y the old German comm unities
Of 1ransylvNnia. II seems the Saxon peasant
ra1not bear 10 see the fine farms bequeathed by
~ rreat-Rrandfather split W among host Of
heir. and he persists therefore in course
ehieh Is likely at no distant day 10 root up
rthy onshoot Of the German trunk nom a re-
I"n which can III spare such tenants.
me stuition OF Hermsnnstadi, on broad
pa'eau IN front 81 the mountains, Is scarcely
'e'n'hul compared with kronstadt, which lies
among then. Nevertheless the view as you
hear the former city, has In &c something
p'ndiose' the mountain chain which sirds the
pam sprinsng upward so abruptly that VIII lie
NY three miles distant It seems to be
e'''e at hand. sharp and regular a, the teeth
o. saw peak alternates With ravlne, IA cir
seep sides hecked hero and there with gielm-
ing snow. In the foreground OF this somewhat
"'notonous vet Imposing picture stands the
thnpue GERMAN CITY villa Hermann, which few
70 r ago presented IN It's external aspect
I."n'uI REPRODUCTION OF Nuremberg Latterly,
'h' walls having crumhlcd In many places, have
'e-h 'eVeIed' aud only the town gates now re-
u m NothlhE' however, could be more inter-
70 tho antiqlary than the main street
WIN us oId-iashioned shops and many gabled
hn-ons. which trav.rses the wide market