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ebig；　so　that　we　can　have　our　feelings　analyzed　whenever　it　is　desirable。　When　we　had　set　up　our　household　gods；　and　a　fire　was　kindled　in　the　tall　white　porcelain　family　monument；　which　is　called　here　a　stove；　and　which；　by　the　way；　is　much　more　agreeable　than　your　hideous　black　and　air…scorching　cast…iron　stoves；and　seen　that　the　feather…beds　under　which　we　were　expected　to　lie　were　thick　enough　to　roast　the　half　of　the　body；　and　short　enough　to　let　the　other　half　freeze；　we　determined　to　try　for　a　season　the　regular　German　cookery；　our　table　heretofore　having　been　served　with　food　cooked　in　the　English　style　with　only　a　slight　German　flavor。　　A　week　of　the　experiment　was　quite　enough。　　I　do　not　mean　to　say　that　the　viands　served　us　were　not　good；　only　that　we　could　not　make　up　our　minds　to　eat　them。　　The　Germans　eat　a　great　deal　of　meat；　and　we　were　obliged　to　take　meat　when　we　preferred　vegetables。　　Now；　when　a　deep　dish　is　set　before　you　wherein　are　chunks　of　pork　reposing　on　stewed　potatoes；　and　another　wherein　a　fathomless　depth　of　sauerkraut　supports　coils　of　boiled　sausage；　which；　considering　that　you　are　a　mortal　and　responsible　being；　and　have　a　stomach；　will　you　choose？　　Herein　Munich；　nearly　all　the　bread　is　filled　with　anise　or　caraway　seed；　it　is　possible　to　get；　however；　the　best　wheat　bread　we　have　eaten　in　Europe；　and　we　usually　have　it；　but　one　must　maintain　a　constant　vigilance　against　the　inroads　of　the　fragrant　seeds。　　Imagine；　then；　our　despair；　when　one　day　the　potato；　the　one　vegetable　we　had　always　eaten　with　perfect　confidence；　appeared　stewed　with　caraway　seeds。　This　was　too　much　for　American　human　nature；　constituted　as　it　is。　Yet　the　dish　that　finally　sent　us　back　to　our　ordinary　and　excellent　way　of　living　is　one　for　which　I　have　no　name。　　It　may　have　been　compounded　at　different　times；　have　been　the　result　of　many　tastes　or　distastes：　but　there　was；　after　all；　a　unity　in　it　that　marked　it　as　the　composition　of　one　master　artist；　there　was　an　unspeakable　harmony　in　all　its　flavors　and　apparently　ununitable　substances。　　It　looked　like　a　terrapin　soup；　but　it　was　not。　　Every　dive　of　the　spoon　into　its　dark　liquid　brought　up　a　different　object；a　junk　of　unmistakable　pork；　meat　of　the　color　of　roast　hare；　what　seemed　to　be　the　neck　of　a　goose；　something　in　strings　that　resembled　the　rags　of　a　silk　dress；　shreds　of　cabbage；　and　what　I　am　quite　willing　to　take　my　oath　was　a　bit　of　Astrachan　fur。　　If　Professor　Liebig　wishes　to　add　to　his　reputation；　he　could　do　so　by　analyzing　this　dish；　and　publishing　the　result　to　the　world。

And；　while　we　are　speaking　of　eating；　it　may　be　inferred　that　the　Germans　are　good　eaters；　and　although　they　do　not　begin　early；　seldom　taking　much　more　than　a　cup　of　coffee　before　noon；　they　make　it　up　by　very　substantial　dinners　and　suppers。　　To　say　nothing　of　the　extraordinary　dishes　of　meats　which　the　restaurants　serve　at　night；　the　black　bread　and　odorous　cheese　and　beer　which　the　men　take　on　board　in　the　course　of　an　evening　would　soon　wear　out　a　cast…iron　stomach　in　America；　and　yet　I　ought　to　remember　the　deadly　pie　and　the　corroding　whisky　of　my　native　land。　　The　restaurant　life　of　the　people　is；　of　course；　different　from　their　home　life；　and　perhaps　an　evening　entertainment　here　is　no　more　formidable　than　one　in　America；　but　it　is　different。　　Let　me　give　you　the　outlines　of　a　supper　to　which　we　were　invited　the　other　night：　it　certainly　cannot　hurt　you　to　read　about　it。　　We　sat　down　at　eight。　　There　were　first　courses　of　three　sorts　of　cold　meat；　accompanied　with　two　sorts　of　salad；　the　one；　a　composite；　with　a　potato　basis；　of　all　imaginable　things　that　are　eaten。　　Beer　and　bread　were　unlimited。　　There　was　then　roast　hare；　with　some　supporting　dish；　followed　by　jellies　of　various　sorts；　and　ornamented　plates　of　something　that　seemed　unable　to　decide　whether　it　would　be　jelly　or　cream；　and　then　came　assorted　cake　and　the　white　wine　of　the　Rhine　and　the　red　of　Hungary。　　We　were　then　surprised　with　a　dish　of　fried　eels；　with　a　sauce。　　Then　came　cheese；　and；　to　crown　all；　enormous；　triumphal…looking　loaves　of　cake；　works　of　art　in　appearance；　and　delicious　to　the　taste。　　We　sat　at　the　table　till　twelve　o'clock；　but　you　must　not　imagine　that　everybody　sat　still　all　the　time；　or　that；　appearances　to　the　contrary　notwithstanding；　the　principal　object　of　the　entertainment　was　eating。　　The　songs　that　were　sung　in　Hungarian　as　well　as　German；　the　poems　that　were　recited；　the　burlesques　of　actors　and　acting；　the　imitations　that　were　inimitable；　the　take…off　of　table…tipping　and　of　prominent　musicians；　the　wit　and　constant　flow　of　fun；　as　constant　as　the　good…humor　and　free　hospitality；　the　unconstrained　ease　of　the　whole　evening；　these　things　made　the　real　supper　which　one　remembers　when　the　grosser　meal　has　vanished；　as　all　substantial　things　do　vanish。




CHRISTMAS　TIME…MUSIC

For　a　month　Munich　has　been　preparing　for　Christmas。　　The　shop　windows　have　had　a　holiday　look　all　December。　　I　see　one　every　day　in　which　are　displayed　all　the　varieties　of　fruits；　vegetables；　and　confectionery　possible　to　be　desired　for　a　feast；　done　in　wax；a　most　dismal　exhibition；　and　calculated　to　make　the　adjoining　window；　which　has　a　little　fountain　and　some　green　plants　waving　amidst　enormous　pendent　sausages　and　pigs'　heads　and　various　disagreeable　hashes　of　pressed　meat；　positively　enticing。　　And　yet　there　are　some　vegetables　here　that　I　should　prefer　to　have　in　wax；for　instance；　sauerkraut。　　The　toy　windows　are　worthy　of　study；　and　next　to　them　the　bakers'。　　A　favorite　toy　of　the　season　is　a　little　crib；　with　the　Holy　Child；　in　sugar　or　wax；　lying　in　it　in　the　most　uncomfortable　attitude。　　Babies　here　are　strapped　upon　pillows；　or　between　pillows；　and　so　tied　up　and　wound　up　that　they　cannot　move　a　muscle；　except；　perhaps；　the　tongue；　and　so；　exactly　like　little　mummies；　they　are　carried　about　the　street　by　the　nurses；poor　little　things；　packed　away　so；　even　in　the　heat　of　summer；　their　little　faces　looking　out　of　the　down　in　a　most　pitiful　fashion。　　The　popular　toy　is　a　representation；　in　sugar　or　wax；　of　this　period　of　life。　　Generally　the　toy　represents　twins；　so　swathed　and　bound；　and；　not　infrequently；　the　bold　conception　of　the　artist　carries　the　point　of　the　humor　so　far　as　to　introduce　triplets；　thus　sporting　with　the　most　dreadful　possibilities　of　life。

The　German　bakers　are　very　ingenious；　and　if　they　could　be　convinced　of　this　great　error；　that　because　things　are　good　separately；　they　must　be　good　in　combination；　the　produce　of　their　ovens　would　be　much　more　eatable。　　As　it　is；　they　make　delicious　cake；　and　of　endless　variety；　but　they　also　offer　us　conglomerate　formations　that　may　have　a　scientific　value；　but　are　utterly　useless　to　a　stomach　not　trained　in　Germany。　　Of　this　sort；　for　the　most　part；　is　the　famous　Lebkuchen；　a　sort　of　gingerbread　manufactured　in　Nurnberg；　and　sent　all　over　Germany：　〃age　does　not　＇seem　to＇　impair；　nor　custom　stale　its　infinite　variety。〃　　It　is　very　different　from　our　simple　cake　of　that　name；　although　it　is　usually　baked　in　flat　cards。　　It　may　contain　nuts　or　fruit；　and　is　spoiled　by　a　flavor　of　conflicting　spices。　　I　should　think　it　might　be　sold　by　the　cord；　it　is　piled　up　in　such　quantities；　and　as　it　grows　old　and　is　much　handled；　it　acquires　that　brown；　not　to　say　dirty；　familiar　look；　which　may；　for　aught　I　know；　be　one　of　its　chief　recommendations。　　The　cake；　however；　which　prevails　at　this　season　of　the　year　comes　from　the　Tyrol；　and　as　the　holidays　approach；　it　is　literally　piled　up　on　the　fruit…stands。　　It　is　called　Klatzenbrod；　and　is　not　a　bread　at　all；　but　and　amalgamation　of　fruits　and　spices。　　It　is　made　up　into　small　round　or　oblong　forms；　and　the　top　is　ornamented　in　various　patterns；　with　split　almond　meats。　　The　color　is　a　faded　black；　as　if　it　had　been　left　for　some　time　in　a　country　store；　and　the　weight　is　just　about　that　of　pig…iron。　　I　had　formed　a　strong　desire；　mingled　with　dread；　to　taste　it；　which　I　was　not　likely　to　gratify；one　gets　so　tired　of　such　experiments　after　a　timewhen　a　friend　sent　us　a　ball　of　it。　　There　was　no　occasion　to　call　in　Professor　Liebig　to　analyze　the　substance：　it　is　a　plain　case。　　The　black　mass　contains；　cut　up　and　pressed　together；　figs；　citron；　oranges；　raisins；　dates；　various　kinds　of　nuts；　cinnamon）　nutmeg；　cloves；　and　I　know　not　what　other　spices；　together　with　the　inevitable　anise　and　caraway　seeds。　　It　would　make　an　excellent　cannon…ball；　and　would　be　specially　fatal　if　it　hit　an　enemy　in　the　stomach。　　These　seeds　invade　all　dishes。　　The　cooks　seem　possessed　of　one　of　the　rules　of　whist；in　case　of　doubt；　play　a　trump：　in　case　of　doubt；　they　always　put　in　anise　seed。　　It　is　sprinkled　profusely　in　the　blackest　rye　bread；　it　gets　into　all　the　vegetables；　and　even　into　the　holiday　cakes。

The　extensive　Maximilian　Platz　has　suddenly　grown　up　into　booths　and　shanties；　and　looks　very　much　like　a　temporary　Western　village。　There　are　shops　for　the　sale　of　Christmas　articles；　toys；　cakes；　and　gimcracks；　and　there　are；　besides；　places　of　amusement；　if　one　of　the　sorry　menageries　of　sick　beasts　with　their　hair　half　worn　off　can　be　so　classed。　　One　portion　of　the　platz　is　now　a　lively　and　picturesque　f