luence of adventurers on
literature--Swindlers of distinction--Alchemists
CHAPTER VIII.
Engagement and Marriage at Court (1661)--Fashion and gallantry, a
foreign means of preserving decorum--Courtly Wooing and Marriage at
Vienna--The Royal families--The Elector Palatine Carl Ludwig--Letter of
the Electress Palatine Charlotte to the Emperor--Judgment upon her and
her husband
CHAPTER IX.
Of the Homes of German Citizens (1675)--Order and decorum in
wooing--Narrative of Friedrich Lucae--Change in expression of feelings
of the heart--Life at home--Prosperity of Hamburg--Letter of
Burgomaster Schulte to his Son in Lisbon--Strong sense of duty in
men--Berend Jacob Carpfanger--Sorrowful tidings from Cadiz
CHAPTER X.
German Life at the Baths (1690)--Distinction of ranks--Forms of
society--Bath life--Poggio--Baths in the Fifteenth Century, by
Poggio--In the Sixteenth, by Pantaleon--In the Seventeenth, by de
Merveilleux--In the Eighteenth, by Hess
CHAPTER XI.
Jesuits and Jews--Decay of the Church--Protestants and Catholics--The
Jesuits also weaker--Position of the Jews since the middle ages--Their
lucrative business--The Jews at Prague Story of Simon Abeles--Victory
of humanity over religious intolerance
CHAPTER XII.
The Wasunger War (1747)--Weakness of the German Empire--Division
of classes wider--Anthony Ulrick von Meiningen and Philippine
Cesar--Quarrels at the Court of Meiningen--Cause of the war--Diary of
the Gotha Lieutenant Rauch
Conclusion. From Frederick the Great up to the present time--Object of
these pictures--The mind of the people
PICTURES OF GERMAN LIFE.
INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND VOLUME.
The year 1600 dawned upon a people who had gone through a vast change
in the last century. Everywhere we perceive marks of progress. Let us
compare any learned book of the year 1499 with one of 1599. The former
is written in bad Latin, poor in diction, ponderous in composition, and
not easy of comprehension. Of independent spirit and individual
conviction we find little trace. There are undoubtedly exceptions, but
they are very rare. Even the Latin of the earlier Humanitarians reminds
us of the subtle vapidness of monkish language, almost as much as of
the artistic phrases of ancient
|