My holiday; how I spent it: being some rough notes of a trip to Europe and back, in the summer of 1866

Front matter

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Preface

The greater portion of the following pages were printed as " JEditorial Correspondence " in a daily newspaper, the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser. The considerations that led to their publication originally are set doion at the beginning of the first letter. When it is added that similar reasons have induced the writer to gather them up, correct, add to, and put them out in this shape, critics will learn (should the poor little booh, indeed, fall into the hands of any such august personages) that no attempt to cheat the great reading public is intended, and all is said, then, that need be said in the way of preface*

I

Page A Personal Explanation. — Leaving New York. — The Voyage. — Arrival at Bremen, and a few hours spent there. — An Incident at the Custom-house. — The Journey by Rail to Dresden, and what happened on the way 13

II

Dresden. — The War, and what an American thought about it. — Commencement of Hostilities. — Evacuation of the City by the Saxons. — King John's Proclamation. — The Prussians expected. — Shut up in Dresden 25

III

Occupation of Dresden by the Prussians. — The Austrians expected. — Alarming Rumors. — Flight of the Tourists. — Difficulties of getting away, and how they were overcome. — Arrival at Berlin. — Sight-seeing there and thereabouts. — " Greenbacks are good." .... 33 x. Contents.

IV. Page

Sight-seeing in Berlin. — The Royal Stables. — The Great Palace. — The Exchange. — Potsdam and its Sights. — Cologne, and the Journey thither. — The Cathedral. — Old Stories, Old Churches and Old Smells. — The Rhine. — An Incident. — The War and Rumors of War 47

Last Words about Cologne. — The " Service" Nuisance. — A Trip up the Rhine and a Rapid Glance at some of its Famous Places. — Wiesbaden, its Waters and its Hell. — Frankfort and Homburg. — The War Excitement. — Arrival at Heidelberg 61

VI

Heidelberg, its Traditions, its Castle and its Quarrelsome Students. — A Poor Scholar. — Strasburg, its Cathedral and the Wonderful Clock. — A Brief Trip in Switzerland, and some Briefer Notes about it. — The Alps. . 76

VII

The Route from Berne to Geneva. — The Lake of Geneva. — Some Notes about the Swiss Metropolis. — First encounter with French, and perplexity thereat. — Arrival at Paris. — A week of Sight-seeing in the gay City. — Speculations about the German Difficulty. — The Atlantic Cable 95

Contents. xi.

VIII. Page

A Tribute to the Weather. — A Day at Fontainebleau. — Shopping Experiences. — Wanderings in Pere Lachaise. —Visit to the Gobelins Tapestry Manufactory. — An Artist's Revenge. — Last Days in Paris. — Hurried Sight-seeing 113

IX

Horrors of Crossing the Channel. — Vain Confidence and what came of it. — Sufferings from Sea-sickness. — The Route from Paris to Dieppe, thence to Newhaven. — England at last. — Rural Scenery of England compared with that of the Continent. — London. — A week of Sight-seeing, including visits to Parks, Picture Galleries, the Crystal Palace, Theatres, the Tower, etc. . . 132