New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-14
LEGENDS CHRISTIAN AND PAGAN.

OF TANNHAEUsEE's ADVENTURES
LEGENDS CHRISTIAN AND PAGAN.
TRoMA STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF The TRIBUNE.
Eisenach, in Thuringia July 81.
The Pilgrim wishes to confess 10 a fiction in
the datene OF this letter 1t is within nearly
a month after the time set down, and on the shore
OF Lake Lucerne. Exactly why the letter should
begin with lie and an apology might he hard
to explain No very pressing reason occurs to
the writer. Necessity does not urge 1t. Rather
vaguely the thought presents itself that associa-
ton of ideas prompted the performance. and All
equally indttermnate sense Of pOetcal prOpriety
rcrhaps It NAV be- o, that buck it there is only
a Wilma notion that it looks nice to have tho
datc-lines in a serial record of pilgrimage Whose
purposes were often aftPrthoughts serve rs mile
stones of the Pilgrims presentations. Indis-
position lazincss, or some related feeling dis
couragcs investigation further than that. 1t Is
one of the beauties of travel in Europe that If you
start ont to look at a CASTLE cathedral or bit OF
lovely nature, to look and enjoy and nothing
more nine times out Of ten y0n find yourself
contemplating that castle, cathedral or natural
picture in the romantic light which some chapter
in history or some old legend has thrown around
lcstorations and rejuvenatons They may not mar
the picture, but they weight the wings OF his
IMAGINATION with their Suggestions of to-day The
Pilgrim went 10 Thuringia to loaf among its
natural beauties: with little thought Of renew
ing old acuuaintanccs and less Of making new
ones: but wherever he turned amiabc spectrcs OK
the past confronted him and offered their COM
partnership on n journey into the flry land OF
Thurin. an romance. So it was IN Wemar, where
the Thousand and one things associated with Tie
poets who gave Germany It's Augustan Age force"
the town Of the ptifnl present ont OF MIND, ana
conjured up instead the little capital of century
ago, in the twilight of whose glory the modern
town still lives. SO 1t was too, in Esenach,
where the monument to Bach in the market place.
the modest house at the end of Butchers Lane In
which TINT musical giant was born the other house
hard BY, in which it is said Luther lived as lad
with Frau Gotta, and the Wartburg. that central
Jewel OF the whole Thurineian coronct, opened
visras 10 the intellectual eye even more enhancing
than the lovely hills and valleys which compass
those objects about.
! wonderful Place is that same old WartburS
despite, perhaps partly because OF. rs perfect res
toration. An eloquent object lesson to those VINO
wish To study thu warfare, political INSTITUTIONS.
and domestic economy of the Middle Ages; hoS
place for the cvout Protestant. who can enter the
room inhabited hy Luther while he masqucraded
III public as Junicr t,e"rgr. and in privat" slard
tho lever with Which he accomplished Lis reat
Labor Of rmancipatins the rnslav"d intellect OF
,,rrnany: a speaking pa"" to the literary student
who knows That the classic German language was
born there with I.uthcr's Bible; fascinating
place for tho lovers Of romance and song. whose
fancy. stimulated by memories Of Wagner, operas
frpS, Of
can easily people the hall Of minsfrclsH with the
Lr,ci,ly ,irrrrs Of Wolfram won Eschrnbach Wal
tier Won der Vocelweidc Tarnhaenscr and their
tuncful companions. The restoration OF The Oil
castle has been made in rare spirit ~ reverence
and nothing ohtrudcS the nineteenth century upon
ones notice except the harboring Of 4 beer saloon
within the castle walls, the trafickers IN pictures
and souvenirs the man who sells you tickets and
asks you for your umbrella. and tho ravag!s ot
the modern tourist. Luthcr's room was left UNI
tortchcd when the rcstorations were made, U!t
il is doubtful if he would recognize II now, never
thclrSS I"us thieves have carried away the
famous inli-~Iot 10 the depth OF an men ana
half and whitfield at the doughty old warriors
writing table until has Ia guess at It's original
shape II would douh,lcs, all he gone by this
time il II had not been bound with wrougilt-irOn
hoop
IMAGINATION is tho SOUL of art and tho child Of
faith Tie Pilgrim has no confidence in his ability
(. compose aphollhris. and probably If that Is one
SOME one has uttered il before but the SIGHTS
and associations Of the Wartburg and its neigh
horhood prompt the reflection III one who has often
Thought If the difficulties provided for native
American music by the pauclty of our country
IN suggestive Legends and Legendary spots Inc
European rilst has only 10 go 10 the theatres OF
the lovely old stories Of cinvary ami romance 10
have faith klnilrd anew and Imagination frcd
alrr,h II may not bc Tie simple religious faith
If "A few centuries ago, bur II will 1T least he an
emotion capable of keeping his fancy from falling
utterly asleep The Pilgrim offers his own case
IN evidence Fnty-hearcd criticism has sought
10 cApungo William Tell from the history OF swift
;rranl even Bacdccier has abandoned him 10 the
limbo pcoplcd by mythical crcations mot bad
heaven, ,otur will think But glance upward
While | write and, 10. the grcciS"drd of tue
,,lc,li. the little spot where Tells companions
took the oath To ifh'r their country from the Ais
trlau opprcs,ol, smiles IN the sunlight from
the opposite shore. Last night rowrd down {"
the Wild spot, now marked by Il pretty chapel III
which ma,s is said once year. where the rugged
mai riot lcatrd ashore from tcsslrr's boat, and
look,d ND frvrrcniV TO the hoary headed peak
If l'ri.Kothstora The old fellow wrapped IA
cloud veil about his face md sOrurd I" tell OF
the scenes which had been enacted al his feet
nearly ,iN centuries ago. but even IT, looked the
national hero of Switzerland took life again In my
admiration ito the confusion OF the HISTORICAL
ina 50 breakers and every drop or OLD SWISS Dlood
IN uy veins and all the meyer American blood,
,oo tiurll AZ the thought of'the glorious battles
for liberty WHICH these Alps have witnessed The
critics. by-thc-way have little hurt the h"iiet
Of the Swiss people in William Tell a, Yesterdays
clouds hurt ri RothstOck: they are raising money
for a monument 10 him IN Altdorf at this blessed
,nnutc and if the landlord leaves II franc In The
Pilgrims purse NJ the eud of this visit II SHALL
go into that patriotic fund. Faith without