ng the sleeping birds, which fluttered from spray to spray,
singing their joyous strains. Then came sounding from afar the tones of
the merry horn. The deer sprang up from their lairs, and the harts and
the roes peered out--shyly, with bright, wise eyes--through the leafy
thickets, at him who lay on the flowers, and then dashed back in alarm
into their coverts again. The horns were silent; but now the chords of
harps were heard, and tones of voices, making a music so sweet, that it
seemed to come straight from Heaven. Nearer and nearer approached
the sound of these beautiful strains, and hunters armed with their
boar-spears, with bright horns slung over their shoulders, rode forth
from the forest shades. On a splendid cream-coloured charger rode
onward a stately lord, dressed in old German garb, robed in a prince's
mantle. By his side on a graceful palfrey, a lady of dazzling beauty,
richly attired, rode along. After them came six cavaliers, riding on
beautiful horses, each of a different colour; their marked and
expressive faces spake of a long vanished time. They had laid their
bridle reins over their horses' necks, and were playing on lutes and
harps, and singing in clear-toned voices. Their horses, trained to the
music, went prancing in time to the strains, after the royal pair along
the woodland way. When the singing ceased for a time, the hunters
sounded their horns, and the horses whinnied and neighed as if in
gladness of heart. Pages and servitors richly attired brought up the
rear of the stately procession, which wended its way along into the
depths of the woods.

"'He who had been sunk in amaze at this wondrous sight, rose from his
flowery couch, and cried enraptured,

"'"Oh, Ruler of the Universe! have those grand old days arisen again
from the grave? What were these glorious forms?"

"'A deep voice spoke behind him: "Did you not recognize the men, whom
you have had so vividly present to your mind?"

"'He looked round, and saw a grave and stately man in a dark
full-bottomed wig, dressed all in black, in the fashion of about the
year 1680; and he recognized the learned old Professor Johann Christoph
Wagenseil, who went on to speak as follows:

"'"You need have had no difficulty in seeing that the stately lord in
the prince's mantle, was the doughty Landgrave Hermann of Thuringia. By
his side rode the star of his court, Countess Mathilda, the youthful
widow of Count Cuno of Falkenstein, who died advanced i