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ood working order； and the regular indoor concerts at the cafes have begun。 There is no lack of amusements； with balls； theaters； and the cheap concerts； vocal and instrumental。 I stepped into the West Ende Halle the other night； having first surrendered twelve kreuzers to the money…changer at the entrance；double the usual fee； by the way。 It was large and well lighted； with a gallery all round it and an orchestral platform at one end。 The floor and gallery were filled with people of the most respectable class； who sat about little round tables； and drank beer。 Every man was smoking a cigar； and the atmosphere was of that degree of haziness that we associate with Indian summer at home； so that through it the people in the gallery appeared like glorified objects in a heathen Pantheon； and the orchestra like men playing in a dream。 Yet nobody seemed to mind it； and there was； indeed； a general air of social enjoyment and good feeling。 Whether this good feeling was in process of being produced by the twelve or twenty glasses of beer which it is not unusual for a German to drink of an evening； I do not know。 〃I do not drink much beer now；〃 said a German acquaintance；〃not more than four or five glasses in an evening。〃 This is indeed moderation； when we remember that sixteen glasses of beer is only two gallons。 The orchestra playing that night was Gungl's； and it performed； among other things； the whole of the celebrated Third （or Scotch） Symphony of Mendelssohn in a manner that would be greatly to the credit of orchestras that play without the aid of either smoke or beer。 Concerts of this sort； generally with more popular music and a considerable dash of Wagner； in whom the Munichers believe； take place every night in several cafes； while comic singing； some of it exceedingly well done； can be heard in others。 Such amusementsand nothing can be more harmless are very cheap。
Speaking of Indian summer； the only approach to it I have seen was in the hazy atmosphere at the West Ende Halle。 October outdoors has been an almost totally disagreeable month； with the exception of some days； or rather parts of days； when we have seen the sun； and experienced a mild atmosphere。 At such times； I have liked to sit down on one of the empty benches in the Hof Garden； where the leaves already half cover the ground； and the dropping horse…chestnuts keep up a pattering on them。 Soon the fat woman who has a fruit…stand at the gate is sure to come waddling along； her beaming face making a sort of illumination in the autumn scenery； and sit down near me。 As soon as she comes； the little brown birds and the doves all fly that way； and look up expectant at her。 They all know her； and expect the usual supply of bread…crumbs。 Indeed； I have seen her on a still Sunday morning； when I have been sitting there waiting for the English ceremony of praying for Queen Victoria and Albert Edward to begin in the Odeon； sit for an hour； and cut up bread for her little brown flock。 She sits now knitting a red stocking； the picture of content； one after another her old gossips pass that way； and stop a moment to exchange the chat of the day； or the policeman has his joke with her； and when there is nobody else to converse with； she talks to the birds。 A benevolent old soul； I am sure； who in a New England village would be universally called 〃Aunty；〃 and would lay all the rising generation under obligation to her for doughnuts and sweet…cake。 As she rises to go away； she scrapes together a half…dozen shining chestnuts with her feet； and as she cannot possibly stoop to pick them up； she motions to a boy playing near； and smiles so happily as the urchin gathers them and runs away without even a 〃thank ye。〃
A TASTE OF ULTRAMONTANISM
If that of which every German dreams； and so few are ready to take any practical steps to attain；German unity；ever comes； it must ride roughshod over the Romish clergy； for one thing。 Of course there are other obstacles。 So long as beer is cheap； and songs of the Fatherland are set to lilting strains； will these excellent people 〃Ho； ho； my brothers；〃 and 〃Hi； hi； my brothers；〃 and wait for fate； in the shape of some compelling Bismarck； to drive them into anything more than the brotherhood of brown mugs of beer and Wagner's mysterious music of the future。 I am not sure； by the way； that the music of Richard Wagner is not highly typical of the present （1868） state of German unity；an undefined longing which nobody exactly understands。 There are those who think they can discern in his music the same revolutionary tendency which placed the composer on the right side of a Dresden barricade in 1848； and who go so far as to believe that the liberalism of the young King of Bavaria is not a little due to his passion for the disorganizing operas of this transcendental writer。 Indeed； I am not sure that any other people than Germans would not find in the repetition of the five hours of the 〃Meister…Singer von Nurnberg；〃 which was given the other night at the Hof Theater； sufficient reason for revolution。
Well； what I set out to say was； that most Germans would like unity if they could be the unit。 Each State would like to be the center of the consolidated system； and thus it happens that every practical step toward political unity meets a host of opponents at once。 When Austria； or rather the house of Hapsburg； had a preponderance in the Diet； and it seemed； under it； possible to revive the past reality； or to realize the dream of a great German empire； it was clearly seen that Austria was a tyranny that would crush out all liberties。 And now that Prussia； with its vital Protestantism and free schools； proposes to undertake the reconstruction of Germany； and make a nation where there are now only the fragmentary possibilities of a great power； why； Prussia is a military despot； whose subjects must be either soldiers or slaves； and the young emperor at Vienna is indeed another Joseph； filled with the most tender solicitude for the welfare of the chosen German people。
But to return to the clergy。 While the monasteries and nunneries are going to the ground in superstition…saturated Spain； while eager workmen are demolishing the last hiding…places of monkery； and letting the daylight into places that have well kept the frightful secrets of three hundred years； and turning the ancient cloister demesne into public parks and pleasure…grounds；the Romish priesthood here； in free Bavaria； seem to imagine that they cannot only resist the progress of events； but that they can actually bring back the owlish twilight of the Middle Ages。 The reactionary party in Bavaria has； in some of the provinces； a strong majority； and its supporters and newspapers are belligerent and aggressive。 A few words about the politics of Bavaria will give you a clew to the general politics of the country。
The reader of the little newspapers here in Munich finds evidence of at least three parties。 There is first the radical。 Its members sincerely desire a united Germany； and； of course； are friendly to Prussia； hate Napoleon； have little confidence in the Hapsburgs； like to read of uneasiness in Paris； and hail any movement that overthrows tradition and the prescriptive right of classes。 If its members are Catholic； they are very mildly so； if they are Protestant； they are not enough so to harm them； and； in short； if their religious opinions are not as deep as a well； they are certainly broader than a church door。 They are the party of free inquiry； liberal thought； and progress。 Akin to them are what may be called the conservative liberals； the majority of whom may be Catholics in profession； but are most likely rationalists in fact； and with this party the king naturally affiliates； taking his music devoutly every Sunday morning in the Allerheiligenkirche； attached to the Residenz； and getting his religion out of Wagner； for； progressive as the youthful king is； he cannot be supposed to long for a unity which would wheel his throne off into the limbo of phantoms。 The conservative liberals； therefore； while laboring for thorough internal reforms； look with little delight on the increasing strength of Prussia； and sympathize with the present liberal tendencies of Austria。 Opposed to both these parties is the ultramontane； the head of which is the Romish hierarchy； and the body of which is the inert mass of ignorant peasantry； over whom the influence of the clergy seems little shaken by any of the modern moral earthquakes。 Indeed I doubt if any new ideas will ever penetrate a class of peasants who still adhere to styles of costume that must have been ancient when the Turks threatened Vienna； which would be highly picturesque if they were not painfully ugly； and arrayed in which their possessors walk about in the broad light of these latter days； with entire unconsciousness that they do not belong to this age； and that their appearance is as much of an anachronism as if the figures should step out of Holbein's pictures （which Heaven forbid）； or the stone images come down from the portals of the cathedral and walk about。 The ultramontane party； which； so far as it is an intelligent force in modern affairs； is the Romish clergy； and nothing more