ctible
c'est a coup sur la Boheme.--Une nation qui a passe par de pareilles
epreuves ne perira, elle a vaincu la mort."

We must not overlook yet another visitor to Prague whose outlook was
practical rather than romantic, Ibrahim Ibn Jacub. This Jewish trader
from Arabia travelled in Bohemia some time in the tenth century, and was
much struck with Prague, "a great commercial town of stone-built
houses."

So we who would add a belated word of tribute to the glory of Prague the
Golden find ourselves indeed in goodly company. Moreover, we live in the
present, and have, as far as this book is concerned, only just arrived
in Prague.

The morning sun that tips the pinnacles of the Castle of Prague with
gold, that dispels the purple shadows in which the city lies shrouded,
and calls forth sparkling facets on the broad river, dissipates our
dreams of cities that have failed and perished. It summons us to study
this ancient city, old yet ever young. Beautiful, too, in all the
varying glints of light upon the spires and turrets of its hundred
towers, when the morning breeze comes down-stream and rustles in the
trees that deck the islands, to the golden glory of the sunset behind
the purple masses of the castle. Then a short star-lit night while
Prague rests in dreams of former greatness to gain strength to face its
high duties of the morrow.

Indeed, Prague is an ancient city, yet young and active and wonderfully
beautiful in all its aspects.

It is not my intention to conduct you round Prague, to introduce to you
one by one the many features of the city, and tell you all there is to
know about them. This for two excellent reasons: one, that I am far from
having got to the end of such knowledge myself, the other that you may
be induced to come here and find out for yourself how much of interest
and of beauty lies open before you.

As in introducing a friend, I mean to state only a few salient points,
to give you a hint of the city's story here and there as told by ancient
buildings, as shown in public haunts or quiet nooks, hoping that in your
turn you may make a friend of this venerable, this beautiful Prague.

CHAPTER II

Discusses the question of guides and guide-books, and tries to explain
the author's method, or lack of it, when making himself acquainted with
places of interest. Contains also remarks on terraces, which are
expected to edify. There is a good deal about the weather of Prague,
about the gardens