St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-04-28
ing of the many other interesting things
in Dresden
FROM DRESDEN TO PRAGUE.

ing of the many other interesting things
in Dresden.
FROM DRESDEN TO PRAGUE.
FEBRUARY %.
This letter will perhaps consist of Il
series of instantaneous views" Leav-
ing Dresden, the railroad follows the
Elbe, nearly southwar,l, il hundred miles
to IL point within twenty miles of Prague.
when it leaves the former river and soon
takes its course along the Moldau. | am
Interested IN the general aspect of the
regions through which we pass. as well
us in the architecture and art treasures
of the cities. The valley of the Elbe,
through SaXOn Switzerland, is narrow
lis far us the Bohemian Austrian from
tier, and hemmcd in by somewhat high
and PERCEPTIONS hills. 1t reminded me
of some of the valleys in the more bar
rem and hilly parts of New England,
which ale traversed by railroads. En-
termg the Austrian frontier, the valley
soon widens, and at length spreads out
into broad meadow tracts. The north
ern part of this section of the valley is
like the northern valley of the Connecti-
cut liver between New Hampshire and
Vermont. The southern section. to-
ward Prague, is like the Connecticut
river valley north of Springfield, Mass.
Perhaps | have used Il comparison with
which many are not familiar. There is
here and there Il castle Oh ruin upon the
heights, and now and then IL battlefield
of former times along the way. The
Austrian section, (SOhemia is now i'll
clnded III the Austrian Empire,) of the
valley looks like fine agricultural land.
There are very many fruit trees. One
sees the symbols of Catholicism in the
crosses set up beside the ways and in
the fields. From the Iains and melting
of the snow, the rivers are very high.
All along the valley of the Elbe many
houses and almost the whole of some
small villages had been Hooded. The
water WAS still from one to two feet
deep about many of them.
THE CITY OF PRAGUE.
1t Is very interesting to see places which
have important historic associations.
Prague is such Il place. Its situation
upon both banks of the river Moldau
and the heights surrounding it, render
It's location pleasant. The city locks
very old. aS indeed it is, and ut Just this
season. too early for house cleaning
without as well as within, towns and
cities look still more rusty. Bohemia
has had its share in former European
conflicts. and Prague had an important
place in relation to them.
have always associated the city with
the martyrs Euss and Jerome of Prague.
Huss was bonn IL hundred and fifty wears
before Luther burned the Pope's bull
Atitt.,,I,.r,r IL, l.
ed the Bible. and HusS. by the reading
of this translation, was enlightened and
began to preach against some of the
cardinal errors of P"pery. He held ii
high position as priest and professor in
the University. He WAS soon summon
ed before a council held at Constance.
The pledge of Safr-conduct made to
him was violated. He WAS tried, con
dcmucd. burned at the stake and his
ashes thrown into the river Rhine. Je-
rome was Il friend of HuSs He had
studied at Oxford. He went to Con-
stance to defend lluSs. but was taken
and imprisoned. After some vacillia-
ZION. as with Cranmer in England. he
too suffered martyrdam in the same
manner aS his friend whom he tried te
rc>cue. There WAS Il long strife SubSe-
queutly between Professionalism and
Catholicism in Bohemia. At the begin-
ming of the "ThirtN Years War;" the
Catholic party was victorious, and since
that time has prevailed. ! could not
learn that the names and characters of
liIIS> and Jerome are perpctuatcd in
Prague i'll bronze or marble. But the
Them Church remains, i'll which lluSS
preached. and it contains also the grave
of 1Ncho Brahe. the astronomer. who
died here two hundred and S,vcntN-tive
wears ago.
But another man of different notorie-
tN WAS connected with Prague. Count
WallcnStcin, who figured 50 largely in
the "Thirty Years War;" built a palace
here. WAS curious to see it. but il
occupies no conspicuous place. 1t is so
hemmed in by its surroundings that it
Is difficult to get Il good view of it. |
asked two or three in the street to tell
me where the palace WAS. and got for a
reply. "Ich weiss nicht" Such is fame.
The University of Prague is the old
est III Germany. 1t was founded about
the middle of the fourteenth century,
and students came to it from all quar-
terS.
In Prague, and suppose in all of
Bohemia. the Bohemian language us
we'll is the German is spoken. There
are some queer regulations concerning
guests at public houses. Printed sheets
about lis large as fonlScap. were handed
us. The forms were in both German
and Bohemian. and contained six or
seven questions to he answered in writ
ing. VIZ: where we came from, whittier
going aud when. our character, occupa-
ton. etc.
There is quite large community of
Jews in this old city. They claim that
one of their churches WAS built soon af-
ter the destruction of Jerusalem. With
these few items concerning Prague |
must pass on.
VIENNA.
FEBRUARY 26.
1t does not take long to move from
one city to another, II distance of two
or three hundred miles, provided one
makes the start and connections we'll
But unfortunately, the early train had
left the STATEN before we reached it this
merning, and while waiting two hours
for the next train for Munich. | will
write little of Vienna.
Vienna is ii fair capital city. We
think of Austria us behind some of the
other European nations in civilization
aud enlightenment, and the general ap-
pearance of the common people as one
passes through it, will be likely to con-
firm this previously formed opinion.
But 1t compares fav0rably with any city
which have seen. There is an interior
section, the old city-or city proper,