oog, etc. It is a place of immense natural strength, but the
fortifications were destroyed by the French, who did not chuse to have so
formidable a neighbour so close to their frontier, as the Rhine then was.
The Prussian Government, however, to whom it now belongs, seem too fully
aware of its importance not to reconstruct the fortifications with as
little delay as possible. Ehrenbreitstein completely commands all the
adjacent country and enfilades the embouchure of the Moselle which flows
into the Rhine at Coblentz, where there is an elegant stone bridge across
the Moselle. Troops without intermission continue to pass over the flying
bridge bound to France, from the different German states, viz., Saxons,
Hessians, Prussians, etc., so that one might apply to this scene Anna
Comnena's expression relative to the Crusades, and say that all Germany is
torn up from its foundation and precipitated upon France. I suppose no less
than 70,000 men have passed within these few days. The German papers,
particularly the _Rheinische Mercur_, continue to fulminate against France
and the war yell resounds with as much fury as ever. From the number of
troops that continue to pass it would seem as if the Allies did not mean to
content themselves with the abdication of Napoleon, but will endeavour to
dismember France. The Prussian officers seem to speak very confidently that
Alsace and Lorraine will be severed from France and reunited to the
Germanic body, to which, they say, every country ought to belong where the
German language is spoken, and they are continually citing the words of an
old song:

Wo ist das deutsche Vaterland?....
Wo man die deutsche Zunge spricht,
Da ist das deutsche Vaterland.[26]

In English: "Where is the country of the Germans? Where the German language
is spoken, there is the country of the Germans!"

Coblentz is a clean handsome city, but there is nothing very remarkable in
it except a fine and spacious "Place." But in the neighbourhood stands the
_Chartreuse_, situated on an eminence commanding a fine view of the whole
_Thalweg_. This _Chartreuse_ is one English mile distant from the town and
my friend the Austrian Captain had the goodness to conduct me thither. It
is a fine large building, but is falling rapidly to decay, being
appropriated to no purpose whatever. The country is beautiful in the
environs of this place, and has repeatedly called forth the admiration and
delight of all travellers. Near