nversant.
They are all proud at Strasbourg of their countryman Mentelin, and of
course yet more so of Gutenberg; although this latter was a native of
Mentz. Mr. Levrault concluded his conversation by urging me, in strong
terms, to visit _Colmar_ ere I crossed the Rhine; as that place abounded
with "DES INCUNABLES TYPOGRAPHIQUES." I told him that it was impossible;
that I had a great deal on my hands to accomplish on the other side of the
Rhine; and that my first great stroke, in the way of BOOK-ACQUISITIONS,
must be struck at _Stuttgart_. M. Levrault seemed surprised--"for truly,"
(added he) "there are no _old_ books there, save in the _Public Library_."
I smiled, and wished him a good day.

Upon the whole, my dear friend, I have taken rather an affection for this
place. All classes of people are civil, kind, and communicative: but my
obligations are due, in a more especial manner, to the younger Mr.
Schweighaeuser and to Madame Francs. I have passed several pleasant evenings
with the former, and talked much of the literature of our country with him
and his newly married spouse: a lively, lady-like, and intelligent woman.
She is warm in commendation of the _Mary Stuart_ of Schiller; which, in
reply to a question on my part, she considers to be the most impassioned of
that Dramatist's performances. Of English she knows nothing; but her
husband is well read in Thomson, Akenside, and Pope; and of course is
sufficiently well acquainted with our language. A more amiable and zealous
man, in the discharge of his duties as a teacher of youth, the town of
Strasbourg does not possess. His little memoir of Koch has quite won my
heart.[229]

You have heard me mention the name of OHMACHT, a sculptor. He is much
caressed by the gentry of this place. Madame Francs shewed me what I
consider to be his best performance; a profile, in white marble, of her
late daughter, who died in childbed, in her twenty-first year. It is a
sweet and tender production: executed upon the Greek model--and said to be
a strong resemblance of the deceased. Madame Francs shewed it to me, and
expatiated upon it with tears in her eyes: as she well might--for the
_character_ of the deceased was allowed to have been as attractive as her
countenance.[230] I will candidly confess that, in other respects, I am a
very _qualified_ admirer of the talents of Ohmacht. His head of Oberlin is
good; but it is only a profile. I visited his _Studio_, and saw him busy
upon a c