Spiers: Memoranda of an autumn tour in 1836

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CONT. AUG. 22. MON.

too were practised in which Edward took the lead. The prettiest bit of scenery on the river was perhaps that of Beilstein where with a river below, a village above, a church towering over that & pinnacled on a rock still higher a good old ruin of some extent, backed by green mountains behind a pretty picture was exhibited. Many such occurred & one at Cochem where 2 castles are perched on isolated heights, one of which was formerly the seat of the Metternich family was very romantic.

Our horse this day afforded us some fun by his adroit method of kicking round at the man who wished to mount him; it reminded one much of the gun shooting round a corner. The horse made a noise as much as talking as I could have imagined a horse to imitate. Whether the tone implied remonstrance or maladiction I could not ascertain.

At length the heights of Ehrenbreitstein came in view, and taking leave of our friendly companions we were the first to land for our anxiety for letters from home had begun assail us. Much to our disappointment neither letter nor the bag we expected from Liege were arrived. Over the bridge of boats to Turn Weisse ross, under Ehrenbreitstein went we & finished our day with coffee & the sight of whiskered officers in the saloon of our large & apparently well tenanted hotel.

I have not sufficiently appreciated the lovely beauty of the river I have just returned from. In fact viewing it from a boat too much resembles the panorama at a theatre: the scenes roll on while one seems to remain a spectator in the same spot; it requires one to mingle more intimately with the scenes to enjoy & appreciate them entirely, to be an actor as well as a spectator. - Another fault was that there is no ugly flat country as in Belgium to contrast with the scenery. It is all too good, too cloying for want of variety. 2 miles

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