Dresden to Prague

Wallenstein Palace

Received letters from home & sent answers to them at Dresden Oct. 26. Left there on the 27. at 11 am for Prague, in company with a carriage full of the most inveterate smokers. Luckily I was able to stand my hand with the best of them or it would have proved rather inconvenient company. Reached Prague early on Thursday morning after a ride of some 18 hours, through some of the finest scenery I have ever seen. This portion of the Saxon Switzerland – our first view of the fine old city of Prague was not as favorable an one as we could've wished on account of the dense fog which hung over the city, but as we descended the mountain, the mist cleared away and we saw it in all its glory. It is most admirably situated part of it being built directly on the sides of mountains and the buildings rising up one above another like the seats of an amphitheater. [78] spent the day in walking around the city and environs and ascending to the site of the Palace of Wallenstein. On the whole, it is one of the finest cities in Germany particularly as regards situation & surrounding scenery.

Dresden - Opera and Catholic Church

Dresden Hoftheatre, 1841

The opera is considered one of the first in Germany and I never at home or in England saw finer actors in the comedy than those I saw here the other evening. – – Visited Sunday the Catholic Church to hear the music, but the Orchestre of the opera, was not so much pleased as I anticipated, though 'twas very fine, and is considered the finest church music in Germany. Saw there the King & Royal family.

Am now only waiting for letters from home previous to going to Prague & Vienna. Expect them certainly tomorrow, they should have arrived before 25^th Oct. [77]

More stuff in the Treasury

More treasures from the Green Vault

The coronation robes and jewels of the Electors of Saxony as Kings of Poland and many other curious things together with immense quantities of gold plate and many splendid pieces of carving in old times in [75] various materials, with some most beautiful bronzes. In find the most curious rich collection perhaps in the World. Our next visit was to the armory. This also very complete & superior to most others. I saw there the boots & saddles which Napoleon wore in the battle of Dresden – and the white satin shoes embroidered with gold worn at his Coronation. Many suits of armor by diff [erent] heroes of diff^t  battles and a very fine collection of arms and suits of armor together with a Turkish tent and all the concomitants: bows, arrows, sabers &c. &c. – –In the armory we were also shown the sword of Martin Luther and a very handsome drinking cup presented to him by the Elector of his day.----------


We also took a stroll into the Museum of Antiquities which however was miserably deficient in interest to any one, who like ourselves, had seen so many superior. [76]

Dinglinger's Masterpiece

Johann Melchior Dinglinger (1664-1731),
The Birthday of the Grand Mogul Aurangzeb

The curious part of the collection consisted of many pieces of work by a German artist one Dinglinger, which in execution surpassed any thing I ever dreamed of. For instance one piece was a view of the throne and attendance of the Great Mogul. There are more than 100 figures in the scene all of gold enameled, and each having a distinct expression, Slaves Ambassadors with presents and all things attendant on such an occasion admirably portrayed. Caricatures of people living at the time things were made our admirably executed in precious stones, brilliant pearls &c.

The "Green Vaults"

My next visit was to the Treasury, or as they are here called “the Green Vaults,” containing immense riches, and so arranged that the succeeding room should be richer than the preceding.  The diamonds in one or two of the rooms surpassed in size any thing I ever saw.  There were several setts of Buttons, collars bracelets, &c. Enormous. A collar of brilliant stile worn on State occasions by the Queen I may safely say was composed of stones each large as a small hickory nut. 

 

The Dresden Green Diamond in the hat clasp ornament

Art in Dresden

Our ride from Leipzig on the Rail Road was of about four hours, to Dresden, the capital of Saxony and considered beautiful, principally [72] from its environs.  It is very pleasantly situated on the Elbe, which [is] nice somewhat farther to the South—but initially, it has little or no beauty at all, the Palace perhaps the largest in Extent in Europe, and its other publick buildings, being not handsome, not to say remarkably plain.  It is however much visited by Strangers, on a/c of its galleries &c. and per the fact of the German spoken here more purely than in any other city.  Miserable weather still, which has followed us all the way from Russia. 

I think I recognize these guys...

Saint Mary Magdalen
by Pompeo Batoni
(destroyed during WWII)

Found Williams and  [Astor?] here both studying German.  Visited firstly the Gallery of Pictures considered on the whole the finest out of Italy, and really in viewing it I could almost imagine myself again in Rome or Florence.  The pictures here the most celebrated, and really magnificent, are Raphael’s “Madonna del Sisto” and Correggio’s Recumbent Magdalene.  (I never attempt describing a picture [73] from inability but there are some that I can never forget).  There was another Magdalene hanging near to Correggio’s which I must say pleased me nearly if not quite as much as his—by Pompejo Geronimeo [Girolamo] Battone [Batoni].). There were several fine Titian’s, & Spagnolettos, and the Dutch and Flemish school very well represented.  In one of the first rooms was a small painting of Hagar going into the desert, most beautiful—by whom I know not, as soft as a miniature and one other that particularly pleased me, of Eve presenting the apple to Adam.

A visit out of the general routine

Near the close of the evening the other sisters returned with the intended groom, Count Somebody, from whom [71]I obtained much information regarding our trip to Turkey and Greece he having traveled much in both countries.  Finding we could now leave consistently we made our bows, and left them to one of their last family meetings.  I notice this visit as being peculiar to the upper classes here, who are universally most hospitable to strangers, and as showing the perfect education of the ladies.  In fact almost every where out of Italy, French is universally spoken as every one is considered, strangers and others, as necessarily acquainted with that—and moreover ‘tis about the only occurrence that has happened to us of interest for a long time out of the general routine of traveling & sightseeing-------

An inapropos visit

New Market Square in Dresdenfrom the Jüdenhof - Bernardo Bellotto

After ascertaining that we were Americans, ands intended remaining some days in Dresden, they gave us their address, with a reiterated request to call upon them before we left.  So last evening we called to pay our respects, and I must say that I never spent an evening in any family that seemed more happy among themselves.  Before going there we ascertained that they were the wife and daughter of the first lawyer in Dresden.  On our entry we found the Father & Mother both occupied in a room through which we passed, with a Lawyer and the old lady after introducing us to [70] two or three of her daughters excused her own and her husband’s absence by saying that they were engaged with their lawyer in drawing up a contract of marriage for one of the daughters who was to be wedded in two days.  I began to fear our visit might prove a little inapropos, but we were compelled to wait for the appearance of our former acquaintance the daughter, and her sister l’affiancée—who were out, but were shortly to return.  They all spoke English, but as it seems always to be my lot, I seated myself next to one who prayed me to excuse her speaking that language and compelled me for the rest of the evening to converse in French.  I must say this much for them that I never saw five sisters before so thoroughly well educated as they.