The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-07-31
Sreeia1 Contributors.
DRESDEN AND WITTENBERG.


Over all the face of Germany the
legendary light flickers, sprites haunt
the groves and fairy creatures sing by
the streams. The Germans remind US
in many things of the old Greeks. They
have their sacred retreats their hills
of fame, and their lovely wales, where
Pan and Bachus, nymphs and naiads
preside. Their artists, poets and schol-
ars cluster together. Their meeting
place must be unique and fascinating,
where fountains play, flowers bloom,
and breezes regale. Such is Dresden
for artists and musicians. Here they
find charms and inspiration, and so
they work, and they sing, and come to-
gether in conclaves to compare paint
ings and melodies. The city of itself
has no splendid buildings like Vienna,
or Paris; no suspension bridge like
Pesth, or New York no grand monu-
ments like Rome, or London. 1t is a
city of two hundred thousand Saxons,
situated on the banks of the Elbe, sur
rounded by hills, near and far. The
level meadows close about it are rich in
grass and grain, gardens and orchards.
AS you walk the streets the pictures
and sheets of music in the windows at
once convince you what is the ruling
spirit in Dresden, Though it believes,
in good public schools and really shasA
them, still the fervor of the people is
most in the line of art and music. This
expresses itself emphatically, as you see
the little children and the aged linger-
ing by the show-windows and the music
stands, admiring and enjoying the beau
tiful pictures and the sweet melodies.
The people are most delighted, not with
the Green Vault, with its myriad of
precious Jewels, now the armory, which
is one of the best in Europe, but with
their picture gallery where hang some
of the best works of Durer, Holbien,
Rembrant, Van Dyke, Murillo and
Rubens. Still the pride and the gem of
their gallery is Raphael's Madonna
del Sisto,' which stands at the head of
all paintings. Really, there is some
thing about it ineffable and almost di-
vine; you can but admire it the first
time seeing it, and all the more to
the ten thousandth. The features of
the Madonna are heavenly her atti-
tude is perfect, and she has embraced
the Christ-child as tenderly as though
he had just dropped from on high; then
the face of Saint Barbara is celestial ;
the expression of Sextus is full of trust
and hope; and lastly, those eherubs
that have just come in sight, are the
outburst of childish rapture. The whole
is the fulfllment of the real and the
ideal, complete work of art. 1t en-
bodies enough to render city famous
for art.
Our departure from Dresden was in
the morning. The sky was just lower
ing enough to give the greenest aspect |
to plain and hill, waving with luxuri-
ant vegetation. Villas spotted the hill
sides. Our way was along the winding |
Elbe. Elms and deciduous trees dot
ted the meadows. In places we passed |
woods of evergreens, large fields of |
ripening rye, blooming clover, and
patches of potatoes. The farmers were
busy breaking the sod /; the womea
were thronging the fields, planting,
wedding and moving, The villages
passed looked thriving. No wandering
stones could be seen in low lands or on
high lands. Larks were merry, and |
crows plenty. A four hours ride brought
us to the town of Wittenberg. OF |
course here we stopped, for here is an
other town immortalized, though in a
very different manner from Dresden. |
1t has no famous picture gallery or re-
nOwned Madonna. 1t stands on a plain |
and is bordered by woods of pine, oak,
birch and willow. 1t has one main
street nearly a mile in length. The
are mostly old style and two
stories in height, made of brick and
stone. The people appear as though
they were clinging to the past rather
than hoping in the future. However,
a new park is being laid out and adorned
with trees, but their cemetery looks
forlorn. Really, it is a town of the
past, and would be passed by, were it
not that two noble characters nobly |
wrought and died here.
How seldom great man enters the