Boswell doesn't just meet exiled Scots and German nobility, though. He befriends a couple of families which I had to skip, and also, being a good tourist, checks out more than palaces and parades.
Here's Boswell at Wittenberg being Boswell, and I just had to share:
I saw the Convent where Luther lived, and I went to the old Church in which he first preached the Reformation. It has been miserably shattered by the Bombardments. But the Tomb of Luther is still entire as is that of Melanchthon just opposite to it. They are nothing more than two large plates of metal fixed on the floor. The y have inscriptions in raised letters. (...)
I was in a true solemn humor, and a most curious and agreeable idea presented itself, which was to write to Mr. Samuel Johnson from the tomb of Melanchthon. The woman who showed the church was a good obliging body, and very readily furnished me with pen and ink. Tht my paper might literally rest upon the monument or rather the simple epitaph of this great & good man, I laid myself down & wrote in that posture. The good woman & some more simple beings gather'd round & beheld me with wonder. I dare say they supposed me a little mad. Tombs have always been the favourit resort of gloomy distracted mortals. I said nothing of hot-headed Luther. I only mentioned the mild Melanchthon, and that at his tomb I vowed to Mr. Johnson an eternal attachment. This letter must surely give him satisfaction. I shall not send it till I see if he gives me a favourable answer to my last two letters.
At Leipzig, Boswell meets Gottsched (alas, Luise Gottsched the Émilie fan had already died):
Lying on the floor did me much good. I sprung up cheerful. Experience shall ever be my great 'Guide! (...) I went and saw the fair where there is a concourse of all nations, even of Turks. Such a scene gives me agreeable agitation of ideas. (...) We dined together with some more Germans in a house on the Horse market, where we were mighty well. I then went and called on the Professor Gottsched, one of the most distinguished Literati of this Country. It was he who set agoing the true cultivation of the German language of which he has given an excellent grammar. He has also written several pieces both in verse and prose. I found him a big comely man, wiht an ease of manners like a man of the world. Altho I had no recommendation, he received me with perfect politeness. We talked of Scotland, of it's language and the difference between it and English. I mentioned to him my plan of a Scots dictionary, & promised to show him a specimen of it. He said the preface to Johnson's dictionary was one of the best pieces he had ever read. Said he: Il connait le suject au fond. He advised me tait upon Mr. Bel Professor of Poetry. I did so, & found him a lively Hungarian, with a degree of French manners. He had a very good Library. I should have mentioned that Gottsched & I were quite easy together in a few minutes; and I was at once among his books. Both he and Bel promised to be of what service they could to me, during my stay there.
Bel and Gottsched make it possible that Boswell visits the Leipzig University library, which impresses him. Otoh, hte only literary celebrity he meets, Gellert, does not.
I resolved to have a noble library at Auchinleck. I saw here a volume of original manuscript letters of famous learned men in Germany. I saw Luther's bible, which the verse of St. James says that the three which bear record in heaven are one is not to be found. Bel sent my name to Gellert, a professor here, who apointed me to come to him at three. (...) They call him the Gay of Germany. He has written fables & little dramatic pieces. I found him a poor sickly creature. He said he had been twenty years hypochondriack. He said that during a part of his life, every night he thought to die, and every morning he wrote a famble. He said Ma Poesie est passée. Je n'ai plus la force d'esprit. He spoke bad Latin and worse French, so I did my best with him in German. I found him a poor mind, with hardly any science. His conversation was like that of an old Lady. (...)
I am very fond of Leipzig. The Professors here are easy men o the world. I said I regretted I had not stuided here myself. But, I would go home & marry & send a son. Give me your hand on that, said Bel. I gave it him that I would send my son to his care. Let me remember this. I supped with him in an easy way with his family. Is not this being treated with much Civility? If I ever laugh at Germans, I am a villain.
Monday, 8 October.
After sleeping all the night in a thick mist on the Postwagon, I awaked much out of order. My blood was quite stagnated, and my teeth were loose. I was alarmed. When we came to astation, I got down & danced with much vigor, which by degrees brought me to myself. (...) This day I had a pleasant drive between Meissen and Dresden. We went along the side of the Elbe. On each side of the river were beautiful rising grounds covered with vines. Pray may not we have the same in Scotland? Surely our climate differs little from that of Saxony. I saw too here & there old castles, Herrschaften's houses, seats of gentlemen. It pleased me. It was Scottish. In Brandenburg I don't remember to have seen any; and I believe they are extremely scarce. I got in good time to the beautiful city of Dresden, put up at the Hotel de Pologne, an excellent house, dressed in scarlet and Gold, & went immediately to call on Mr. Stanhope the British Envoy, for whom I had a letter from Mr. Burnet at Berlin. He was not at home. I returned to my inn & went comfortably to bed. This was a degree of luxury to me, for I had not been undressed for ten days. I am really campaigning in Germany! I like it much.
Mr. Stanhope the English Envoy is Mr. Philip Stanhope, illegitimate son of Lord Chesterfield, and the recipient of his letters that form the book on which Chesterfield's enduring fame rests.
I dined at Mr. Stanhope's. He is natural Son to the Earl of Chesterfield: but has received the education of an nobleman and been always considered, by My Lord his Father, in the best light. He is little & young, but much of a Gentleman. He abused the King of Prussia. He talked lightly of the Saxon Court, & said he tired sadly at Dresden. This was not quite the formed man. But, I liked him the better.
Monday November 12th: I have quite the disposition for travelling. When I find a court agreeable, I wish to remain there for life. I would be attaché. Were I but so fixed, oh how tired I would be. I must however learn to keep my place at Auchinleck. It is my duty as I am born a Laird. Were all the German Princes to go & live in the delicious Spain, their families would fall & I would find no courts.
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Boswell in Saxony: Tourist a large
Date: 2020-10-24 03:09 pm (UTC)Here's Boswell at Wittenberg being Boswell, and I just had to share:
I saw the Convent where Luther lived, and I went to the old Church in which he first preached the Reformation. It has been miserably shattered by the Bombardments. But the Tomb of Luther is still entire as is that of Melanchthon just opposite to it. They are nothing more than two large plates of metal fixed on the floor. The y have inscriptions in raised letters. (...)
I was in a true solemn humor, and a most curious and agreeable idea presented itself, which was to write to Mr. Samuel Johnson from the tomb of Melanchthon. The woman who showed the church was a good obliging body, and very readily furnished me with pen and ink. Tht my paper might literally rest upon the monument or rather the simple epitaph of this great & good man, I laid myself down & wrote in that posture. The good woman & some more simple beings gather'd round & beheld me with wonder. I dare say they supposed me a little mad. Tombs have always been the favourit resort of gloomy distracted mortals. I said nothing of hot-headed Luther. I only mentioned the mild Melanchthon, and that at his tomb I vowed to Mr. Johnson an eternal attachment. This letter must surely give him satisfaction. I shall not send it till I see if he gives me a favourable answer to my last two letters.
At Leipzig, Boswell meets Gottsched (alas, Luise Gottsched the Émilie fan had already died):
Lying on the floor did me much good. I sprung up cheerful. Experience shall ever be my great 'Guide! (...) I went and saw the fair where there is a concourse of all nations, even of Turks. Such a scene gives me agreeable agitation of ideas. (...) We dined together with some more Germans in a house on the Horse market, where we were mighty well. I then went and called on the Professor Gottsched, one of the most distinguished Literati of this Country. It was he who set agoing the true cultivation of the German language of which he has given an excellent grammar. He has also written several pieces both in verse and prose. I found him a big comely man, wiht an ease of manners like a man of the world. Altho I had no recommendation, he received me with perfect politeness. We talked of Scotland, of it's language and the difference between it and English. I mentioned to him my plan of a Scots dictionary, & promised to show him a specimen of it. He said the preface to Johnson's dictionary was one of the best pieces he had ever read. Said he: Il connait le suject au fond. He advised me tait upon Mr. Bel Professor of Poetry. I did so, & found him a lively Hungarian, with a degree of French manners. He had a very good Library. I should have mentioned that Gottsched & I were quite easy together in a few minutes; and I was at once among his books. Both he and Bel promised to be of what service they could to me, during my stay there.
Bel and Gottsched make it possible that Boswell visits the Leipzig University library, which impresses him. Otoh, hte only literary celebrity he meets, Gellert, does not.
I resolved to have a noble library at Auchinleck. I saw here a volume of original manuscript letters of famous learned men in Germany. I saw Luther's bible, which the verse of St. James says that the three which bear record in heaven are one is not to be found. Bel sent my name to Gellert, a professor here, who apointed me to come to him at three. (...) They call him the Gay of Germany. He has written fables & little dramatic pieces. I found him a poor sickly creature. He said he had been twenty years hypochondriack. He said that during a part of his life, every night he thought to die, and every morning he wrote a famble. He said Ma Poesie est passée. Je n'ai plus la force d'esprit. He spoke bad Latin and worse French, so I did my best with him in German. I found him a poor mind, with hardly any science. His conversation was like that of an old Lady. (...)
I am very fond of Leipzig. The Professors here are easy men o the world. I said I regretted I had not stuided here myself. But, I would go home & marry & send a son. Give me your hand on that, said Bel. I gave it him that I would send my son to his care. Let me remember this. I supped with him in an easy way with his family. Is not this being treated with much Civility? If I ever laugh at Germans, I am a villain.
Monday, 8 October.
After sleeping all the night in a thick mist on the Postwagon, I awaked much out of order. My blood was quite stagnated, and my teeth were loose. I was alarmed. When we came to astation, I got down & danced with much vigor, which by degrees brought me to myself. (...) This day I had a pleasant drive between Meissen and Dresden. We went along the side of the Elbe. On each side of the river were beautiful rising grounds covered with vines. Pray may not we have the same in Scotland? Surely our climate differs little from that of Saxony. I saw too here & there old castles, Herrschaften's houses, seats of gentlemen. It pleased me. It was Scottish. In Brandenburg I don't remember to have seen any; and I believe they are extremely scarce. I got in good time to the beautiful city of Dresden, put up at the Hotel de Pologne, an excellent house, dressed in scarlet and Gold, & went immediately to call on Mr. Stanhope the British Envoy, for whom I had a letter from Mr. Burnet at Berlin. He was not at home. I returned to my inn & went comfortably to bed. This was a degree of luxury to me, for I had not been undressed for ten days. I am really campaigning in Germany! I like it much.
Mr. Stanhope the English Envoy is Mr. Philip Stanhope, illegitimate son of Lord Chesterfield, and the recipient of his letters that form the book on which Chesterfield's enduring fame rests.
I dined at Mr. Stanhope's. He is natural Son to the Earl of Chesterfield: but has received the education of an nobleman and been always considered, by My Lord his Father, in the best light. He is little & young, but much of a Gentleman. He abused the King of Prussia. He talked lightly of the Saxon Court, & said he tired sadly at Dresden. This was not quite the formed man. But, I liked him the better.
Monday November 12th: I have quite the disposition for travelling. When I find a court agreeable, I wish to remain there for life. I would be attaché. Were I but so fixed, oh how tired I would be. I must however learn to keep my place at Auchinleck. It is my duty as I am born a Laird. Were all the German Princes to go & live in the delicious Spain, their families would fall & I would find no courts.