comfortable apartments; furnished, as usual, with huge earthenware stoves. Notwithstanding the distance, we seemed to carry England with us;for, out of sixty persons, who sat down to dinner at the Star hotel, about half were English. LETTER VII. Description of the Rhine, from Bonn to Coblentz-DrachenfelsGodesburg-Nonnenwerth-Rolandseck—Oberwinter-Unkel -Remagen-Apollinarisberg - Erpel — Okkenfels — Linz Sinzig-Argenfels - Breisig - Rheineck Leutesdorf-Andernach senthurm -- Hammerstein — Floating Bridges-Rafts-Weis Neuwied - Engers-Ehrenbreitstein-Coblentz― The Rhine from Coblentz to Mainz-Tombleson's ViewsOber-labnstein Marksburg -Boppart-St. Goar-Oberwesel -Caub-Bacharach - Bingen-Ellfeld-Cassel- MaintzDrusus Germanicus-Roman Antiquities-Cathedral. MY DEAR FRIEND,-It would be vain to attempt a full delineation of the beauties of the Rhine;which, to be appreciated, must be seen. We were now on board the Friederich Wilhelm, which was gaily decorated with a profusion of flags, in honour of the king; and salutes were fired and returned all along the river.-For some time, the Drachenfels, and its sister hills, with their rugged summits, were the most interesting objects. Then the castle of Godesburg, rising, from a commanding height, out of the wood and verdure that embosom it, pointed as far backward in the shades of time, as the days of Roman glory. The width of the Rhine appeared to vary but little, excepting, perhaps, where islands divide its waters; but the diversity of the scenery is endless. Steep cliffs, -sometimes bare, sometimes covered with foliage, or with vines, form the borders; and the river frequently takes a sweep; and is enclosed by abrupt mountains, whose dark solemn forms, and crowning ruins, are impressively reflected in the stream, as shadows of the past. The attention is continually kept alive by the rapid succession, and the delightful blending, of the grand, the beautiful, and the romantic. The numerous sloping vineyards which cover the mountains, on both sides of the river, are a striking example of unwearied labour; and testify to the immense quantity of Rhenish wine, that is here produced. The many villages which line the banks, with their spires and antique buildings, give a human air to scenes which would, otherwise, be characterized by silent loneliness; and on which some hoary remnant of the age of chivalry often frowns from its rocky throne. Above, the frequent feudal towers, Through green leaves lift their walls of gray, And many a rock which steeply lowers, And noble arch in proud decay, Look o'er this vale of vintage-bowers. Among innumerable views, on which we might have lingered in admiration for hours, were that which takes in the island of Nonnenwerth, with its convent, and the ruin-crowned mountains of Rolandseck, and Drachenfels ; - the splendid panorama, beyond OBER-WINTER;- the town of UNKEL, environed with beauty, on the left; *-a little farther, on the right, REMAGEN,-and, enthroned on a commanding height, the priory of APOLLINARISBERG;-ERPEL, with its back-ground of basaltic rock; the ruins on mount Okkenfels, the picturesque little city of LINZ-all three on the left --and, on the opposite side, the solid spire of SINZIG. The scenes continued exceedingly beautiful, on both sides of the river, to Andernach: on the left, were lovely villages, rocky vine-clad mountains, and the castle of Argenfels;-on the luxurious bank on the right side, the town of BREISIG;—and As the passage from Cologne to Maintz is against the stream, the places spoken of as being on the left side, are of course on the right bank of the river, and vice versa. in the back-ground, the castle of Rheineck, magnificently seated on the summit of a steep and projecting rock, and remaining visible, as the prominent object, in several changing scenes of loveliness and grandeur. Farther up the stream, on the left side, and seen from afar, were the ruins of the extensive castle of Hammerstein,-celebrated in the annals of the German empire, like innumerable other strongholds, which, in this region of chivalry and war, have been connected-either with the exile of monarchs,—the cruelty of tyrants, --the tyranny of the papal power,—the feudal conflicts of marauding chieftains,—or the tale of romance. Having passed other huge crags, and an islet or two, we obtained a lovely view, near Leutesdorf, by looking back upon the river, which is here bordered, on each side, by the most picturesque rocks and mountains, with Sinzig in the back-ground. ANDERNACH, the ancient Antonacum, probably the oldest city on the Rhine, and a military station of Drusus Germanicus, the Roman general,-now presented its solemn, and dusky towers, on the right, in a plain, surrounded by dark basaltic mountains; and we regretted that time did not allow of our landing, to give to its interesting ruins a nearer inspection. On no day did the German dinner-courses appear more tedious than on this. Much as the Rhenish air may tend to sharpen the appetite, it |