THE
LIFE OF THE MOSELLE.
LONDON:
Printed by G. Barclay, Castle St. Leicester Sq.
Ein donnernd Hoch aus voller Brust
Ersling zum Himmel laut,
Dir schönem, deutschem Moselstrom,
Dir, deutschen Rheines Braut!
Julius Otto.
Life of the Moselle,
TO
ITS JUNCTION WITH THE RHINE AT COBLENCE.
OCTAVIUS ROOKE,
AUTHOR OF “THE CHANNEL ISLANDS, PICTORIAL, LEGENDARY, AND DESCRIPTIVE.”
ILLUSTRATED WITH SEVENTY ENGRAVINGS FROM ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY THE AUTHOR.
ENGRAVED BY T. BOLTON.
L. BOOTH, 307 REGENT STREET.
1858.
THIS BOOK
IS
DEDICATED
TO
His Wife
BY
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
The beautiful scenery of the Moselle has too long been left without notice. It is true, some of our Artists have presented to us scenes on the banks of this river; but English travellers are, for the most part, ignorant how very charming and eminently picturesque are the shores of this lovely stream.
“The Rhine! the Rhine!” is quoted by every one, and admired or abused at every fireside, but the Moselle is almost wholly unexplored. Lying, as she does, within a district absolutely overrun with summer-tourists, it is altogether inexplicable that a river presenting scenery unsurpassed in Europe should be so neglected by those who in thousands pass the mouth of her stream. When the Roman Poet Ausonius visited Germany, it was not the Rhine, but the Moselle which most pleased him; and although glorious Italy was his home, yet he could spare time
The Moselle, which rises among the wooded mountains of the Department des Vosges, never during its whole course is otherwise than beautiful. Below Trèves it passes between the Eifel and Hunsruck ranges of mountains, which attain to the height of ten or twelve hundred feet above the level of the river.
In the Thirty Years’ War the Moselle country suffered severely from the ravages of the different armies; but there still remain on the shores of this river more old castles and ruins, and more curious old houses, than can elsewhere be found in a like space in Europe.
Having in the following pages endeavoured to lay before English readers the interesting scenery of the Moselle, I trust, that although in summer my countrymen do not mount her stream, fearful, perhaps, of discomfort; yet that by the fireside in winter the public will not object to glide down the river, in the boat now ready for them to embark in; and hoping that they will enjoy the reproduction of a tour that afforded me so much pleasure,
I subscribe myself
Their humble servant,
THE AUTHOR.
Richmond, December 1857.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE I. THE SOURCE 1 II. REMIREMONT AND EPINAL 12 III. TOUL AND NANCY 24 IV. METZ 39 V. FROM METZ TO TRÈVES 65 VI. TRÈVES 70 VII. RIVER INCIDENTS 99 VIII. PIESPORT 110 IX.Illustrations,
FROM SKETCHES BY OCTAVIUS ROOKE;
THE BORDERS AND FLORAL DECORATIONS BY NOEL HUMPHREYS;
THE ENGRAVINGS BY T. BOLTON.
- FRONTISPIECE.
- DEDICATION.
- PAGE
- THE SOURCE 1
- THE SPIRIT OF THE MOSELLE AND HER ATTENDANTS 4
- THE CONFLUENCE 12
- NURSES AT EPINAL 20
- RIVER FALL 23
- BATHING AT TOUL 24
- REAPING 31
- JOAN OF ARC 38
- AQUEDUCT AT JOUY 39
- METZ 52
- ENVIRONS OF METZ 64
- ROMAN BRIDGE AT TRÈVES 65
- INITIAL 70
- PORTA NIGRA 71
- ROMAN BATHS 84