the complete writings-2-第23章

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；　which　for　nearly　a　year　has　been　anticipated；　in　a　growth　of　population　and　increased　business。

But　the　social　change　is　still　more　important。　　The　restrictions　upon　marriage　were　a　serious　injury　to　the　state。　　If　Hans　wished　to　marry；　and　felt　himself　adequate　to　the　burdens　and　responsibilities　of　the　double　state；　and　the　honest　fraulein　was　quite　willing　to　undertake　its　trials　and　risks　with　him；　it　was　not　at　all　enough　that　in　the　moonlighted　beergarden；　while　the　band　played；　and　they　peeled　the　stinging　radish；　and　ate　the　Switzer　cheese；　and　drank　from　one　mug；　she　allowed　his　arm　to　steal　around　her　stout　waist。　All　this　love　and　fitness　went　for　nothing　in　the　eyes　of　the　magistrate；　who　referred　the　application　for　permission　to　marry　to　his　associate　advisers；　and　they　inquired　into　the　applicant's　circumstances；　and　if；　in　their　opinion；　he　was　not　worth　enough　money　to　support　a　wife　properly；　permission　was　refused　for　him　to　try。　　The　consequence　was　late　marriages；　and　fewer　than　there　ought　to　be；　and　other　ill　results。　　Now　the　matrimonial　gates　are　lifted　high；　and　the　young　man　has　not　to　ask　permission　of　any　snuffy　old　magistrate　to　marry。　　I　do　not　hear　that　the　consent　of　the　maidens　is　more　difficult　to　obtain　than　formerly。

No　city　of　its　size　is　more　prolific　of　pictures　than　Munich。　　I　do　not　know　how　all　its　artists　manage　to　live；　but　many　of　them　count　upon　the　American　public。　　I　hear　everywhere　that　the　Americans　like　this；　and　do　not　like　that；　and　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　some　artists；　who　have　done　better　things；　paint　professedly　to　suit　Americans；　and　not　to　express　their　own　conceptions　of　beauty。　　There　is　one　who　is　now　quite　devoted　to　dashing　off　rather　lamp…blacky　moonlights；　because；　he　says；　the　Americans　fancy　that　sort　of　thing。　　I　see　one　of　his　smirchy　pictures　hanging　in　a　shop　window；　awaiting　the　advent　of　the　citizen　of　the　United　States。　　I　trust　that　no　word　of　mine　will　injure　the　sale　of　the　moonlights。　　There　are　some　excellent　figure…painters　here；　and　one　can　still　buy　good　modern　pictures　for　reasonable　prices。




FASHION　IN　THE　STREETS

Was　there　ever　elsewhere　such　a　blue；　transparent　sky　as　this　here　in　Munich？　　At　noon；　looking　up　to　it　from　the　street；　above　the　gray　houses；　the　color　and　depth　are　marvelous。　　It　makes　a　background　for　the　Grecian　art　buildings　and　gateways；　that　would　cheat　a　risen　Athenian　who　should　see　it　into　the　belief　that　he　was　restored　to　his　beautiful　city。　　The　color　holds；　too；　toward　sundown；　and　seems　to　be　poured；　like　something　solid；　into　the　streets　of　the　city。

You　should　see　then　the　Maximilian　Strasse；　when　the　light　floods　the　platz　where　Maximilian　in　bronze　sits　in　his　chair；　illuminates　the　frescoes　on　the　pediments　of　the　Hof　Theater；　brightens　the　Pompeian　red　under　the　colonnade　of　the　post…office；　and　streams　down　the　gay　thoroughfare　to　the　trees　and　statues　in　front　of　the　National　Museum；　and　into　the　gold…dusted　atmosphere　beyond　the　Isar。　　The　street　is　filled　with　promenaders：　strangers　who　saunter　along　with　the　red　book　in　one　hand；a　man　and　his　wife；　the　woman　dragged　reluctantly　past　the　windows　of　fancy　articles；　which　are　〃so　cheap；〃　the　man　breaking　his　neck　to　look　up　at　the　buildings；　especially　at　the　comical　heads　and　figures　in　stone　that　stretch　out　from　the　little　oriel…windows　in　the　highest　story　of　the　Four　Seasons　Hotel；　and　look　down　upon　the　moving　throng；　Munich　bucks　in　coats　of　velvet；　swinging　light　canes；　and　smoking　cigars　through　long　and　elaborately　carved　meerschaum　holders；　Munich　ladies　in　dresses　of　that　inconvenient　length　that　neither　sweeps　the　pavement　nor　clears　it；　peasants　from　the　Tyrol；　the　men　in　black；　tight　breeches；　that　button　from　the　knee　to　the　ankle；　short　jackets　and　vests　set　thickly　with　round　silver　buttons）　and　conical　hats　with　feathers；　and　the　women　in　short　quilted　and　quilled　petticoats；　of　barrel…like　roundness　from　the　broad　hips　down；　short　waists　ornamented　with　chains　and　barbarous　brooches　of　white　metal；　with　the　oddest　head…gear　of　gold　and　silver　heirlooms；　students　with　little　red　or　green　embroidered　brimless　caps；　with　the　ribbon　across　the　breast；　a　folded　shawl　thrown　over　one　shoulder；　and　the　inevitable　switch…cane；　porters　in　red　caps；　with　a　coil　of　twine　about　the　waist；　young　fellows　from　Bohemia；　with　green　coats；　or　coats　trimmed　with　green；　and　green　felt　hats　with　a　stiff　feather　stuck　in　the　side；　and　soldiers　by　the　hundreds；　of　all　ranks　and　organizations；　common　fellows　in　blue；　staring　in　at　the　shop　windows；　officers　in　resplendent　uniforms；　clanking　their　swords　as　they　swagger　past。　Now　and　then；　an　elegant　equipage　dashes　by；perhaps　the　four　horses　of　the　handsome　young　king；　with　mounted　postilions　and　outriders；　or　a　liveried　carriage　of　somebody　born　with　a　von　before　his　name。　　As　the　twilight　comes　on；　the　shutters　of　the　shop　windows　are　put　up。　It　is　time　to　go　to　the　opera；　for　the　curtain　rises　at　half…past　six；　or　to　the　beer…gardens；　where　delicious　music　marks；　but　does　not　interrupt；　the　flow　of　excellent　beer。

Or　you　may　if　you　choose；　and　I　advise　you　to　do　it；　walk　at　the　same　hour　in　the　English　Garden；　which　is　but　a　step　from　the　arcades　of　the　Hof　Garden；but　a　step　to　the　entrance；　whence　you　may　wander　for　miles　and　miles　in　the　most　enchanting　scenery。　　Art　has　not　been　allowed　here　to　spoil　nature。　　The　trees；　which　are　of　magnificent　size；　are　left　to　grow　naturally；the　Isar；　which　is　turned　into　it；　flows　in　more　than　one　stream　with　its　mountain　impetuosity；　the　lake　is　gracefully　indented　and　overhung　with　trees；　and　presents　ever…　changing　aspects　of　loveliness　as　you　walk　along　its　banks；　there　are　open；　sunny　meadows；　in　which　single　giant　trees　or　splendid　groups　of　them　stand；　and　walks　without　end　winding　under　leafy　Gothic　arches。　　You　know　already　that　Munich　owes　this　fine　park　to　the　foresight　and　liberality　of　an　American　Tory；　Benjamin　Thompson　（Count　Rumford）；　born　in　Rumford；　Vt；　who　also　relieved　Munich　of　beggars。

I　have　spoken　of　the　number　of　soldiers　in　Munich。　　For　six　weeks　the　Landwehr；　or　militia；　has　been　in　camp　in　various　parts　of　Bavaria。　There　was　a　grand　review　of　them　the　other　day　on　the　Field　of　Mars；　by　the　king；　and　many　of　them　have　now　gone　home。　　They　strike　an　unmilitary　man　as　a　very　efficient　body　of　troops。　　So　far　as　I　could　see；　they　were　armed　with　breech…loading　rifles。　　There　is　a　treaty　by　which　Bavaria　agreed　to　assimilate　her　military　organization　to　that　of　Prussia。　　It　is　thus　that　Bismarck　is　continually　getting　ready。　　But　if　the　Landwehr　is　gone；　there　are　yet　remaining　troops　enough　of　the　line。　　Their　chief　use；　so　far　as　it　concerns　me；　is　to　make　pageants　in　the　streets；　and　to　send　their　bands　to　play　at　noon　in　the　public　squares。　　Every　day；　when　the　sun　shines　down　upon　the　mounted　statue　of　Ludwig　I。；　in　front　of　the　Odeon；　a　band　plays　in　an　open　Loggia；　and　there　is　always　a　crowd　of　idlers　in　the　square　to　hear　it。　　Everybody　has　leisure　for　that　sort　of　thing　here　in　Europe；　and　one　can　easily　learn　how　to　be　idle　and　let　the　world　wag。　　They　have　found　out　here　what　is　disbelieved　in　America；that　the　world　will　continue　to　turn　over　once　in　about　twenty…four　hours　（they　are　not　accurate　as　to　the　time）　without　their　aid。　　To　return　to　our　soldiers。　　The　cavalry　most　impresses　me；　the　men　are　so　finely　mounted；　and　they　ride　royally。　　In　these　sparkling　mornings；　when　the　regiments　clatter　past；　with　swelling　music　and　shining　armor；　riding　away　to　I　know　not　what　adventure　and　glory；　I　confess　that　I　long　to　follow　them。　　I　have　long　had　this　desire；　and　the　other　morning；　determining　to　satisfy　it；　I　seized　my　hat　and　went　after　the　prancing　procession。　　I　am　sorry　I　did。　　For；　after　trudging　after　it　through　street　after　street；　the　fine　horsemen　all　rode　through　an　arched　gateway；　and　disappeared　in　barracks；　to　my　great　disgust；　and　the　troopers　dismounted；　and　led　their　steeds　into　stables。

And　yet　one　never　loses　a　walk　here　in　Munich。　　I　found　myself　that　morning　by　the　Isar　Thor；　a　restored　medieval　city　gate。　　The　gate　is　double；　with　flanking　octagonal　towers；　inclosing　a　quadrangle。　　Upon　the