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The following annotated transcriptions are now sorted chronologically, sometimes deviating from the order in the bound volumes. The titles are transcribed from the "List of Letters", written by the father John Patrick Prendergast ("JPP") in 1875, not always accurate.
In the lower area of this window you find some explanations and genealogy trees; use Shift-Ctrl.-ArrowUp/Down or the mouse to move the separator and the focus.
Most mentions of persons are being hypertext-linked to the genealogy index. However, readers are required to remember the following:
| FEP | Francis Ensor Prendergast |
| Papa, JPP | John Patrick Prendergast |
| Mama, mamma | Caroline Prendergast née Ensor |
| S., Ss | family of Robert v. Seckendorff |
| The Baron | Robert v. Seckendorff |
| The Baroness | his wife née Isidore Adolfine v. Heldreich |
{Title page by FEP's mother Caroline}
Bundle No 1 From December 22d 1858 To January 22d 1859
{Pencil annotation by JPP, referring to his wife who had died on 08.02.1875}
Mamma's hand! JPP 6 April 1875
Holyhead Train
Wednesday
My dear papa
I arrived at Holyhead after a rough passage of 5 hours. I was sick but on the whole it was not disagreeable. I am writing this in the Train on the way to the station and will Post it when I get there. There were only 2 in the cabin besides myself.
F.E.P.
I forget the day of the month
{Pencil annotation:} (Decr. 22.d 1858. JPP)
{Steamers go from Dublin (Kingstown) to Holyhead, trains from there to Euston Station, London.}
Pondwell
Friday Dec. 24. 1858.
My dear mamma
I am writing this in the dining room while Mr. Deersly is paying a visit to uncle Charles. I do not think that aunt Leacocks eyes are any worse than when we were at Sandown. Aunt Cuthbert is very well lively and active. The boys and uncle Charles are very well. Charly is more than half an inch taller than I am. Georgy is certainly grown but keeps his old proportions so exactly that its hard to see any difference. Aunt L. says she is going to take me to see the Deerslys and Leacocks to day, which I am very glad of. She say that she is going to have a party on Wednesday and that I must stay for it but I do not know how I can manage it, ask papa what he thinks. I have not been out yet, but whenever I am done writing I will go out with the boys. It is a lovely morning and the glass is rising which is a decided comfort. We 3 youngsters and aunt C. played Casino last night till 11 oclock and I think she would have played all night if she could. I have yet a very uncomfortable room, and aunt L. has just shown me over the house, I had no idea it was so large.
My expences from Holyhead to this were just one pound 10/ and 8d. I could have booked through from London to Ryde and saved about 2/ and a great deal of trouble, but I did not find it out till I got here
Francis E. Prendergast
{Uncle Charles Ensor and his two sons seem to be on a longer stay here. The same applies to aunt Leacock's widowed sister aunt Cuthbert; however, other Cuthberts live in Ryde permanently, probably relatives of her late husband, the Dublin barrister Eccles Cuthbert 1776-1836.
Georgy Ensor was born 1843. On his photo in FEP's photo album as a married man, he is still abnormally small; to camouflage this fact slightly, he is depicted sitting besides his standing wife. As we will read, his popularity and fitness as a walker are undiminished.
Casino = Cassino, FEP's favourite card game.
"expences": sic, always.}
Aix la Chapelle and Cologne Railway
Monday Jan. 3d 1859
My dear papa,
I left Brussels this morning and got into a carriage full of foreigners. I thought I should not have to change carriages but at verviers they bawled out something about "changez" and on asking a porter he said we changed, and having got out the guard said (in German) that we waited for some time. There had been an Englishman in the carriage from Louvain who seemed to know even less of the languages than myself, we kept near one another and got into the same carriage, some talk ensued and he said he was going to Corfu. I think, and thought before he told me his destination, that he looked like a government official. He seemed to be in considerable doubt how he was to get there! I lent him my Bradshaw for which he was much obliged.
Our Passports were taken from us at the last station by a Prussian soldier, I asked my fellow traveller if he knew when we should get them back but he said he had not the least idea. The country about here is very like England, in everything except the people. We have just passed Aix where I got back my passport without any trouble at the Bureau de Passports.
I find I can understand the French pretty well but the German always comes into my head when I want to speak. uncle W. got me some chocolate sticks, and two of Sir W Scotts novels before I left Brussels so I am well provided with food for mind and body. There are an imense lot of tunnels about here. None in Belgium of course. I shall finish this at Cologne Every place in these countries is so well warmed that one never feels the cold, which indeed, as yet, has not been greater than in Ireland. The guard of this train, who is a remarkably civil person and speaks English walks along the foot-board of the carriages while the train is at full speed collecting tickets &c.
Hotel de Belle Vue Cologne. Arrived all right, every body seems to speak English.
If the post does not go out immediately I will write more
F. E. P.
The room I have got is a capital one large and lofty. The examination of the baggage at the station was a mere farce, just opening and shutting the tanks, and when they were done carefully fastening them up again.
In the Train near Aix. Monday Jan. 3. 1859
My dear uncle W
I had the carriage full of foreigners as far as Louvain, from that I had one person whom I immediately set down as a British government official. He seemed to know even less of the languages than I do. at Verviers we had to change carriages and wait half an hour. He got into the carriage with me and some talk ensued. He said he was going to Corfu via Dresden and Trieste but did not seem to know much about it. I lent him my Bradshaw for which he was much obliged. At some station near Aix our passports were taken from us but at Aix the guard pointed out the Bureau des Passports where I got it without any trouble on presenting the cover. While waiting in the carriage a waiter brought round some buns, when he was gone my companion said he was very hungry but hat nothing but English money & did not understand foreign money!!! I offered him 2 sticks of chocolate which I had not eaten and which he was very glad to get. The country about here is very like England. The guard who is a remarkably civil person and speaks English, walks along the foot board outside while the train is at full speed collecting the tickets &c. I intend to finish this at Cologne. Hotel de Belle vue Cologne arrived here all right everybody seems to speak English. The examination of the baggage was a mere farce, just opening and shutting the trunks. I will write more if I have time. F. E. P.
A Waiter has just brought me the Hotel Book to sign. I have ordered mutton cutlets and potatoes, the last word he did not understand however I knew the german. The bed room I have got is large and about 15 feet high. The waiter when I asked for dinner mentioned "bifsteks" but I thought the cutlets preferable. This room overlooks the Rhine but I shall not see much of it. I have written a letter to Tower Terrace and will have it posted with this. In this room I have got a large engraving two large pier glasses a sopha and a bed, with a feather bed coverlet.
Your affectionate nephew
Francis E. Prendergast
{Written on the margin by the recipient William Paul Prendergast in Brussels as a message to his brother JPP, to whom he forwards the letter:}
We had talked over all these little matters before hand
{"before hand" means: at their meeting in Brussels. William is an experienced traveller.}
Cologne & Leipsic train
8.30 a.m. Jan 4 1858. (Tuesday)
My dear papa
I am writing this in a 2d class carriage which is exactly the same as 1st class in England, padded, divisions of the seats, hat slings, umberella racks, blinds, lamps, and everything the same as 1st class except hot water. On getting in they ask you "rauchen Sie"? (do you smoke?) if you reply "nein" they put you in a carriage where smoking is not allowed. My Hotel bill last night was about 10/. I do not know how much my ticket (to Dresden) cost, but I know I gave 3 £ and got back about 5/. The luggage cost about 9/ or 10/. I was put into a carriage where there was one person who turned out to be the Englishman I met yesterday. He is going the whole way to Dresden to day and will arrive in the middle of the night. At the Hotel de Belle Vue everything was good except the grub. Perhaps however this was caused by there desire to have it "a l'Anglaise". At the first station there got in a young German and his wife, who chatter German at a rate that would throw Albert Smith into the shade, however they speak distinctly & I can make a pretty good guess at what they say. The lady (qu?) asked me some question which I did not understand. I replied in German that I did not understand and I hear them talking about the "Englander".
12.45. Just passed Minden, and I have also just finished 2 rolls which I put in my pocket this morning and 3 or 4 sticks of chocolate. I have fairly got into Germany, at the stations you hear nothing but German. The whistles here on this railway are terrific lasting about 2 minutes and of the most piercing kind.
A young Austrian-looking couple have just got into the carriage who speak German in the most delightful clear sweet tones. The lady is about 18 and is the only lady I have seen as yet in Germany. The young man is rather dandy in dress black kids tight boots &c. The country is very uninteresting, but every now and again one comes on a pretty bit, I have seen some hills but nothing in the shape of mountains as yet
4.45 p. m. Hotel de Baviere
Leipsic
I arrived here not without some trouble as I had to get a cab for myself at the station and use more German than I ever did before. I have only seen one waiter here who speaks English and I have ordered some coffee and cutlets.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"1858": recte 1859, of course – typical error in January. We will have more of this.
"black kids": probably gloves of kid leather.}
In the Leipsic and Dresden Train 11 am
Wednesday Jan 5. 1859
My dear papa
I had some difficulty in getting started this morning as the waiter did not speak English. However I got to the station just in time, in going from the cab to the train I got a fall (there was ice & snow) but got up so quickly as to astonish the bystanders. It is so cold that the breath freezes on the inside of the window, but strange to say it does not feel cold, I suppose this is from the absence of wind. I observe that nobody ever stands still but either walks up and down or keeps stamping. Almost everybody seems to speak a little English, but still it is very little.
Dresden 12.12 at professor Hughes.
I found uncle Jeffry at the station and We drove here direct The post goes out almost immediately so I shall finish and write more to morrow or next day.
Francis E. Prendergast
4 Marien Strasse Dresden.
Friday. Jan. 7 1859.
My dear mamma,
On arriving here on Wednesday I was met by uncle Jeffry who brought me here and introduced me to Mr. & Mrs. Hughes. I stayed for their dinner at one, and then waited for uncle Jeffry who came for me at 4 and took me home to dine with him; next morning I breakfasted here, and uncle Jeffry came at 12 oclock and took me to see Mrs. Whittle, by the way, on arriving on Wednesday I found an invitation waiting for me to go to a ball! It came through Mrs. Whittle and was a mixed party of English and Germans. I of course declined as it was the first night and I wanted to be at 2 Carola Strasse. I heard from Mrs. Whittle that it was a very pleasant party and that a young Miss Allen who is very fond of Irishmen (!) had been expecting to meet me there for the last fortnight! however I dare say I shall get enough of it as I hear of nothing but balls public and private. After seeing Mrs. Whittle, uncle J. took me to his house where we found Francisca, she is a little girl of 16 not remarkable for anything neither pretty nor the reverse, she does not speak English. We then all went and walked in the Grosze-Garten and saw the Queen Dowager, but kept out of her way to avoid trouble. We then went home, dined and went to the Opera, which begins at 6 and ends at 8.30 Yesterday was a Great holiday (12th day) and no business could be done, which was the cause of all this going about. I received your letter yesterday at 3. It is snowing hard this morning. I do not think I shall write again for a few days so that I may see how things go on My room is very large well furnished and comfortable.
Francis E Prendergast.
{The names Hughes and Whittle must be familiar to the Dubliners from their earlier correspondence with Jeffry.
The same applies to Franzisca Rauscher, Jeffry's natural daughter. Apparently she lives elsewhere, e.g. at a boarding school for girls, and visits the Prendergasts only for the winter holidays. (Jeffry and Margaretta always speak English among each other.) Mamma is notoriously curious about what persons look like; FEP obliges whenever possible. We would be more curious about Franzisca's interaction with Jeffry and Margaretta, her education, her temperament – neither of these seem to be outstanding either.
Helen Allen is of Irish descent herself, as FEP and we are going to learn later.
"12th day": Epiphany.
Opera: "Oberon" by Carl Maria v. Weber, starring https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Tichatschek. FEP only mentions its length, apparently to convey his "heroism"...}
4 Marien Strasse Dresden.
Friday Jan. 7. 1859.
My dear papa,
You will find an account of my proceedings with uncle Jeffry in mammas, and I intend to give you some account of this household in this. We are on the 2d floor like uncle J. The breakfast is on the table and may be had at any hour from 8 till 10. Mr. & Mrs. are generally there at about 8.30 she presides and talks, while the professor smokes and reads the newspapers. The breakfast consists of coffee rolls & butter, everyone helping themselves. We then lounge and talk about the room for 10 minutes or so and then go to our rooms. The dinner is at one and is very much like an English dinner with the exception of the dishes being handed round. At 8.30 there is a supper of cold meat &c. This meal I have not been at yet, you will see how that happens from mammas letter. I am to get my first lesson in german from young Hughes at 11. to day. Yesterday was a grand holiday so nothing could be done. As to my companions, there is a Mr. Smith who was here with Arthur, he seems good sort of fellow – nothing remarkable in any respect. He is waiting for his commission which he expects in a month or two. Then there is a little fellow of the name of Hogarth more French than English. Then there is a Russian of the name of Stiffle, he is the fatest and most burly looking fellow of his age I ever saw. Then there is a fellow called Etlinger who looks like a Frenchman. Then there is a Swiss who speaks nothing but French and German, all the others speak more or less English. Hogarth seems a nice sort of fellow, but I have not seen much of him, or indeed of any of them.
Francis E. Prendergast
{"Smith who was here with Arthur": Arthur Hugh Dalrymple Prendergast had stayed at the same boarding house earlier, apparently in 1858.
"Etlinger who looks like a Frenchman": Johann Ernst Etlinger's mother is of Italian background, his father German.}
{half of the usual folded paper, torn off to save weight. The addressee must be JPP. Therefore we assume that it is a P.S. to the letter of 07.01.1859.}
I have just got in my possession at present £7,,15. I got £2,,10 from uncle W. which you sent for the coat (which is to be got to day, as well as some boots) and they gave me £1 at Woodside, so that would leave £4.5 out of the £17.. you gave me, making my travelling expences from London (including everything) £12,,15,, uncle Jeffry says he thinks that seems very moderate, considering the weight of my baggage which had to be paid heavily for. I should like all money transactions to be managed through him.
I had heard a great deal about aunt Margaret, but certainly I did not expect her such a magnificent woman. Their house appears to me to be as comfortable as any floor house can well be. I am to dine with them again on Sunday
{Obviously FEP has met Jeffry earlier, but not Margaretta. JPP and his brothers know the couple from many visits in younger days. FEP often invokes Jeffry, whose word seems to be respected by the whole family. Besides, it goes without saying that Jeffry will contribute more than mere pennies to cover the "expences".
"magnificent": beyond being good-looking (in spite of her chronic illness and resulting obesity), Margaretta is elegant, stylish, cultivated, ladylike, self-conscious, generous, charitable, religious and at times sentimental, a lover of cute dogs. She is strongly attached to her Wehrtmann relatives, notably including her retarded brother John. Her famous friend Mathilde Arnemann, who is ostentatiously anti-stylish, holds her in high esteem.
"floor house": The couple has rented only the second floor (third storey by USA counting), but joint of two adjacent houses, Carolastraße 2 and 3, thus offering more space than an average villa. The corresponding amount of valuable furniture will become a problem when Jeffry moves to Bath as a widower, as well as later when FEP is the only heir and lives in California.}
Dresden Jan. 10. 1858 {- the last digit cancelled out and corrected to "9?" by a different writer, apparently much later, judging from the question mark}
My dear mamma,
You will find an accout of my proceedings in papa's letter and I will try to give you a little houshold news in this. I can not give you the exact dimensions of my room as I do not know where my measure is, but it is about 15 feet by 17, very lofty, like all the German rooms, there is a spring sofa, 5 spring chairs, a bureau-chest-of-drawers, a shut-up washing stand apparatus, two tables, a bed, a large looking glass and last, but not least, the stove, it is some thing like this
{A drawing of the stove, dwarfing a door and a chair. Six tiers, marked "A" to "E" from the bottom.}
The fire is put in at A and the hot air passes up the flue in the manner indicated by the arrows and passes out at G. It is made of some kind of earthenware – not porcelain, the stoves of which are totally different. Its height is about 10 feet.
Francis E. Prendergast
{"shut-up washing stand apparatus": a sink with a water reservoir above it, camouflaged as a piece of furniture.}
Monday Jan. 10. 1858 {corrected to "59" as in the previous letter, thus in accordance with the given weekday.}
Dresden.
My dear papa
I received your letter of the 7th this evening – the one sent by the 7.30 p.m. boat. Your former one I received in the morning. Yesterday (Sunday) I went to church with Smith and Hogarth. I suppose the church would aggravate you, not being built with the slightest attempt at conformance with the rules of architecture, however it is very well adapted to the purpose for which it is intended and in my opinion far from ugly. They have an organ, and the congregation is as large as that of Sandymount. Afterwards I went and lunched with uncle J. and then all four – Francisca being one of the party, went to the Grosser-Garten. I tried to talk a little German to Francisca, but I did not get beyond a few sentences. In the morning, Dr. Somebody came in and we had a long talk about money & minerals &c, the conversation was most curious, English and German words being used indiscriminately. This morning I went with Hogarth to his gymnastic place, and found it very good, the proprietor only takes pupils one at a time, – for an hour – he speaks nothing but German and a few words of French, so that it will be a good German lesson for me, I agreed to take 10 lessons, half an hour each time of fencing, and the other half gymnastics, he charges ½ a thaler (1/6) a lesson so that the 10 will be 15/, not a very heavy charge that, is it? After dinner Smith, Hogarth and I went down to the Zwinger to Skate. I having previously worn my skates in my room for an hour, according to Smiths advice, you pay one groschen (a penny farthing) to go on the ice, and give another to the man for fastening on your skates. Smith helped me as much as he could and after some time I was able to stand by myself, and afterwards went about after a fashion with Smith and Hogarth on each side of me. I only got 2 falls – neither of them of the least consequence – in one of them I tumbled backwards, and in the other was run down by a lady who was performing some wonderful feats going backwards &c Smith was with me and was knocked down also, as well as half a dozen others, the only damage done was the amount of breath spent in laughing. I am reported to have got on very well, Smiths says that all his pupils have got on wonderfully well!! He belongs to some English skating club and do all sorts of queer things on the ice, jumping, going backwards, waltzing, &c. Hogarth has only been on the ice 6 or 7 times and he can skate very fairly. I have a German lesson from young Hughes every morning for an hour, but I have not done much with him yet. I had always thought aunt Margaret was an invalid and though she looks like one in the house, she walks at least 3 miles in the Grosser-Garten every day. It is a very nice place consisting of one long avenue nearly 2 miles long, not unlike the Phoenix park in some respects. There is a very fine pond in it just the proper size for skating, it is always crowded with ladies and the crack skaters, the beaut mond of Dresden looking on.
The great objection to the gardens is, that you are likely to meet the queen dowager, and have to stand aside with your hat off which is anything but agreeable. I have got a large, soft, warm coat, which uncle Jeffry chose for me. I find it very easy to keep all except my hands warm. I have tried 2 pair of gloves and everything I can think of, but without much success. Keeping them in the pockets or up the sleeves is the way most people do, but that is so very awkward and uncomfortable.
The supper at 8.30 p.m. is composed of Tea, coffee, bread, meat of several kinds and wine. The professor smokes a cigar at breakfast some at dinner and several at supper, all the fellows smoke except Stiffle – one of the Russians, the other, Etlinger, who comes from Odessa, smokes only a few paper cigarrettes. The rest seem never to miss an opportunity of smoking but as the tobacco is good it is not disagreeable.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Dr. Somebody": probably Dr. Friedrich Hugo Seiler.
Church: Alte Reformierte Kirche, a baroque church originally built for the Huguenot Reformed congregation, now used by several denominations, each with its own clergyman. Note that Jeffry and Margaretta do not join FEP; if they attend services at all, they may prefer the German Reformed denomination to which Margaret has been confirmed, although the Anglican chaplain Rev. Henry Dale is a friend of the family, as we will see.
The fencing and gymnastic master is Ernst Wilhelm Staberoh, formerly of the Saxon army.
"invalid": Margaretta suffers from a disease terminating in ascites ("Bauchwassersucht"), typical for a liver condition, as documented in the Carlsbad church registry at her provisional burial in August 1865 (http://www.portafontium.eu/iipimage/30063599/karlovy-vary-evangelicka-06_0120-z).
"beaut mond": beau monde.}
Dresden Friday Jan 14 1858 {again the last digit corrected to "9" by a different writer, this time without question mark.}
My dear mamma
I have just (4 p.m.) come in from two hours skating and found your letter. I have been on the ice for two hours, going about nearly the whole time and skating after a fashion. I did not get a single fall and do not expect to get any or many more. It is only the 3d time I have been on the ice
My cough and cold are much better though not quite well yet. As to my going to the theatre on Sunday there is not the least fear of it and in fact I do not care for it, it is so very stupid here
I think I buttered up Mrs. Munts sister very creditably and I am glad to find aunt C. thinks so too. There is a young married Hughes who gives me lessons in German he and his wife are at every meal except breakfast, there are several other sons and daughters, none except him here. I get plenty of exercise here and am in capital condition. It is nearly a strait line from this to Carola Str. and takes about 7 minutes (or less) to get there. I can find my way about Dresden pretty well already, and am just going to leave an answer to the Dale's invitation and I shall have to hunt for the house.
F. E. Prendergast.
{Hughes: the young couple has a flat of its own in Zwingerstraße, but spends most of its day at the lodging house, Henry Hughes giving lessons to some of the inhabitants. The entire family are of German mother tongue.}
Subsumed under number 11.
Dresden.
Friday Jan. 14. 1859.
My dear papa,
I am expecting a letter from you to day or to morrow, so shall not close this before Saturday or Sunday. I was at uncle J's last night, Dr. Seiler, Prof. Nicolai, and some one else were there. Prof Nicolai promised to make inquiries about a drawing master, there are plenty here, but uncle J. is very anxious that I should get the best. Prof. Nicolai says that the foundation of all drawing is the correct delineation of the human figure, and that the person who can do this can do everything. The conversation was entirely German so it was a good exercise for me, trying to make out what they said. I had a letter from uncle Joe the day before yesterday, and I have written to him, but have not posted it yet. Yesterday evening a note was handed in to me, which proved to be an invitation from Mr. & Mrs. Dale to an evening party on Thursday next. I had not the least idea who they were, never having heard of them in my life, uncle Joe says it is the English clergyman, and aunt Margaret suggests that it was intended for Arthur. I shall of course go as the invitation was for Mr. Prendergast, and I hear that there is likely to be dancing. There were also invitations for Smith & Etlinger, so I suppose I shall hear more from them to day the thermometer is about 1 degree above the freezing point, which is considered quite temperate. When one first goes out on a very cold day – say 7 degrees below freezing point, you do not at first notice anything unusual, on account of the absence of wind, but presently you find your fingers getting very cold, and the tips of your ears getting a very queer feel, and then getting warm again is out of the question. However when there is no wind it is not disagreeable. If there is any wind, nothing will keep one warm. Mr. Simpson arrived on Wednesday, he seems just the same as the other Englishmen viz. nothing whatsoever remarkable about him. The Swiss, van Berchem, seems a good sort of fellow, though without much apparent breeding; his father was a Flemish count. The Russian, Etlinger (and indeed the other Stiffle) seems a nice sort of fellow, but I have not had much to say to either of them. The Swiss plays the pianoforte unusually well, and generally plays for an hour or so after supper, and the other evening he played a Russian melody while Etlinger sang, it was very melancholy, but he says that they are all the same.
I am afraid that there will be more English than German spoken now as there are 4 Englishmen, and the 2 Russians always speak English. The Professor enforces German at meals, but the moment he is gone, English is the language. The Russians both speak it perfectly.
I think I have told you before that I have got a gymnastic school already and have half an hour of fencing and another of gymnastics twice a week. 2 others of this house go to it also. I cannot tell you which of my looks uncle J likes best. I have not got the brass compasses. There is very little time for working here in fact it is just as Mr. E. told me that I would not be able to work near so much as in Ireland.
Francis E. Prendergast.
☞ over
I send this without stamping it as uncle J says it is just the same. Tell me if it is so.
{Arthur: Arthur Hugh Dalrymple Prendergast, who must have visited and left Dresden previously, probably in 1858, staying at the same boarding house, where the invitation "was handed" to FEP.
degrees above/below freezing point: on the Réaumur scale.
"they are all the same": meaning Russian folk songs, according to young Johann Ernst Etlinger, who is of German and Italian background.
Camillo Stiffel's ancestry of merchants has lived in Odessa for three generations, but still feels strongly German. Learning English and joining "English clubs" has become very fashionable among the upper class in Russian cities, besides being prerequisite for the immensely lucrative trade with Britain and the USA. Aunt Margaret's father had been an ambitious member of such a club in St. Petersburg before moving to London about 1812.
"it is just the same": the postage can be paid by the recipient without surcharge – according to Jeffry.}
Tuesday. Jan 18. 1858 {Corrected to "9"}
Dresden. 9.15. a.m.
My dear papa
On meeting uncle J. on Saturday, I found that he had accepted an invitation for me to go to a ball, given by Mrs. Boyton and Capt. Montgomery (both Irish). I was of course very glad to go, and went, yesterday evening, as I had been recommended, at 7 oclock. We began dancing before 8 and kept it up till a quarter past two! Nearly 7 hours. There were about 40 people there, all English or American with one or two exceptions. Among the people that I may enumerate is Capt. Montgomery, a very nice sort of person, he is a nephew S. Gordon's father in law, and lives near Stranorlar! Then there was Mrs. & Miss Allen, the latter a very pleasant young lady, the exact image of Miss M'Carthy; in manners, age, and appearance just like her, and a first rate dancer: Uncle J. desired me most particularly to make her acquaintance and dance with her, which of course I did, There were 5 or 6 American ladies there, some of them very pretty and agreeable, but nothing different from the English ladies in appearance. There was a Mr. Thompson & family from Belfast, and in fact the Irish and Americans formed the majority. I hear that there are 50 or 60 families of the latter residing here, and you meet thorough Yankee faces and voices everywhere. By the way, I have got a new mess mate here, a young American from Charleston (or thereaway) his name I have not made out, he has been here for 3 months in a German family, and has now come here, so that we have now 4 English, 2 Russians, a Swiss & an American at dinner we generally sit down 12 or 14, and at supper there are often more. I have been making uncle J. look out with me for a riding school and have found one which he thinks very good, and I shall begin immediately. The terms are 14 Thalers for 24 lessons – somewhat more than 1/6 a lesson! Rather different from Clarendon's.
Uncle J. is also very anxious that I should get a a mathematical master as soon as possible. Hitherto I have done nothing but German and gymnastics, it being the opinion of both uncle J. and the Professor that I should do nothing but German for the first 6 weeks or so. Every one here says that it is very easy to learn a little German, but that it takes a long time to make much progress in it. At this moment I am sitting with my window open and the thermometer is 5 degrees above freezing point – quite warm in fact, and very likely to night it will be 10 degrees below it.
Wednesday 19.
This morning the thermometer is higher than it has been since my arrival, viz 9 deg. above freezing point, so that it is absolutely warm. No more skating for the present of course. Yesterday morning I had a very pleasant visit from the Revd. Mr. Dale who came with many apologies for the liberty he had taken of inviting me to his house without having seen me previously, but he had presumed to do so on account of his acquaintance with my cousin &c. &c. &c. Arthur P. is very useful to me, as he is known and liked everywhere, and I am generally supposed to be his brother or some very close relation. I have been talking to uncle J. about getting into some German family, for although I am very comfortable here and enjoying myself very much, still I am not getting on much with the German, for this reason that the only time that I hear it spoken or have to speak it, is at meals, for not one of the fellows will speak anything but English unless compelled to do so, while if I was in a German family and living with them and constantly hearing and being compelled to speak German I should certainly make much more progress than I do here which is certainly not much, besides this I should have more time for working than I have here.
I dare say it would not be so pleasant for me, particularly at first, for I could not be much more comfortable than I am here. Uncle J. says that I am quite right, and that this is his opinion on the subject also. He has been making inquiries, but though there are plenty of houses where I could go, yet he had not heard of anything exactly suitable. At the gymnastic place I met a young Englishman of the name of Simpson who has been staying for several months at a house where there were no other Englishmen or anybody except the family and he said that he had been very comfortable and that they had taken great pains to teach him German. The house is in a most particularly desirable quarter close to uncle Js, and not in a street. He is going away in a week, and invited me to call on him any day I liked. Uncle J. recommended me strongly to go at once and make out all I could about it, and I shall do to day before dinner. I believe he is going to write to you to day on this subject. He agrees with me in thinking, that the great point is to get of the way of Englishmen, for where ever there are two or three, English is sure to be spoken more than German. I hope you will answer this as soon as possible, and let me and uncle J. know what you think about it. Tell mamma that I have had so much to write to her at present, and that she may consider the first part of this letter as intended for her. I was at tea at uncle Js last night, there were two Miss Johnsons there, who they were I do not know, but they were decidedly strong minded ladies and would certainly have frightened uncle Joe. Yesterday it was so warm that I went out dessed as I would in Dublin, and then wished I had put something lighter on, to day it will be still warmer, but one never knows when the frost will set in again.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Obviously Jeffry and JPP have regular correspondence, therefore FEP can assume of some of the persons he mentions, even recent acquaintances, that his father already knows who they are. A pity for us that we do not have Jeffry's letters.
"acquaintance with my cousin": Arthur Hugh Dalrymple Prendergast, see above. NB: he is no longer in Dresden; his usefulness in absence lies in his good reputation – particularly within the Anglican congregation.
Simpson: since he is an acquaintance from the gymnastic place and still lives with that German family, he cannot be identical to the Simpson who lives at Hughes's.
"enclosed": the correspondence between the Dubliners and JFP may well be as frequent as FEP's. Letters going the same way are often enclosed in one of them to save postage; a very common practice even among writers for whom money is no object, if only to have a pretext for a visit. However, the postage also depended on the weight, in steps.
"close to uncle Js": again we see that frequently meeting Jeffry is of high emotional importance to FEP, beyond the practical support he offers.
"not in a street": i.e. with some space between it and the neighbouring houses.
"decidedly strong minded ladies": a family cliché, dating from the times of the Crimean war, says that Joseph Samuel Prendergast disapproves of strong-minded women.}
Dresden
Jan. 22.d 1859
7.45. p.m.
My dear mamma
I went to the Dales party on Thursday, and found a large party there, after a while the servants came in and took up the carpet for dancing, which commenced at about 9, and went until 12. It was a very agreeable party, but not very lively. We had a Sir Roger and the Revd. Mr. Dale danced in it himself. There was a German Baron there who invited all the young fellows to a ball on Tuesday next. All accepted it except Etlinger and myself. I had two or three reasons, first I know nothing about him, 2nd it was mostly Germans, and 3rd I did not like "the cut of his jib". On comparing notes with Etlinger afterwards (he is one of the Russians) I found that he had refused for pretty nearly the same reasons.
Now as to your questions. I have not seen or heard any birds since I came except canaries and sparrows and one blackbird in the Grosser Gartens. The stove is not lit before I get up in the morning. I wear no nightcap and have no intention of wearing one. To morrow I lunch, spend the day, and dine with uncle J. I think that I have seen him every day except one, since I came. I like having the sun so constantly as it is here I think it is always visible except when it is snowing I find it rather unpleasant sometimes here, when there are 8 or 10 people all smoking in a room with the windows and doors shut, but after all it is not often that it is too much. It has been so mild latterly that I have been going out dressed as at T. T. I had a very pleasant letter from Mary this evening and also from aunt E. I shall post this letter tomorrow on my way to or from church.
Francis E. Prendergast.
I found that Simpsons rooms would do for me, but uncle J. is still looking out for some for me.
{"Sir Roger": Since such a dance typically does not involve as close a contact as modern couple dances, it may be considered more suitable for a clergyman.
Mary: probably the "good looking" cousin Mary Irwin *1840; romantic feelings apparent. "Aunt E." is her mother Elizabeth née Ensor. (If Mary Jane Prendergast and her sister Eliza Marian were meant, they would both be titled "aunt".) We know that her sister Caroline Irwin *1841 will later be engaged to FEP but then marries a Rev. John Finlay in 1868.
Simpson's rooms: at a German family "in a most particularly desirable quarter close to uncle Js, and not in a street", where Simpson is about to leave, as mentioned in the previous letter.}
{Missing, or erroneously assigned to a part of either of the adjacent letters.}
Dresden.
Jan. 22. 1859.
9.30. a.m.
My dear papa
I received yours of the 17th on Thursday 20.th I been doing nothing but German and Hume since I came, the former occupies 3 or 4 hours a day, and the time I have here being considerably less than at home, there is very little extra time, and which, I spend in walking. I get up at 8 and go into breakfast whenever I am dressed, my room is then not ready for me, until past 9. I then generally write letters (as I am now doing) until 10. when my German master comes, at 11 he leaves, and I work until 12 (at the German) and then go to gymnasticise until dinner (at 1) or, as I shall do to day, out 3 times a week for the future, to my drawing master. The dinner is at 1, and the table does not regularly break up until half past two, but I generally manage to get away at 2. I then read Hume and do a little German until 3, when I go out, generally to the Grosser Garten, to meet uncle J. I then either walk about with him or alone, until 5. when I come home and work and read until 8.30. at which hour the supper is, it never by any chance over before 10, and as it is the only time when I hear German much spoken I always stay till the last; last night we had the Swiss playing, and did not break up before 11. You will see from this that 4 hours a day are spent at meals, which I consider a great waste of time, and after all one does not learn much German by it, for, as the American remarked to me last night, one cannot expect Englishmen to speak anything but English to Englishmen, when they are in Germany, and as there are 4 Englishmen and an American here, and if you speak to either of the Russians they are sure to answer you in English, you will perceive the force of his remark, and you will also perceive why it is that I wish to get into a German family. I now want to get my gymnastics and riding before breakfast from 7.30 until 8.30 that is, if I can manage it, which would give me much more time.
Uncle Js friend, Prof. Nicolai found out for me a drawing master, who he says is the best here, and I am to go and take my first lesson this morning. He is also trying to find out a classical and mathematical master for me. (Pr. Nicolai is professor of Architecture here) I went to the picture Gallery the other morning with uncle J. I was quite astounded at its size and magnificence, it took more than an hour merely to walk through the rooms without stopping to look at anything!! Uncle J. said he would just take me over it, and that afterwards I might go and look at my leisure. The gallery of engravings is nearly as large I hear, but we did not even look at it. It is all well lighted and warmed.
7.30. p.m. I went to my drawing master this morning, and was set down to copy a head – in pencil of course – and on his finding that I was not very expert with the pencil, he gave me a lot of eyes to copy, and in course of time I shall get on to mouths ears and noses. Rather dreary work after Sharpe. You may tell him this if you meet him, and also that he may be expecting a letter from me before long. I have just received a letter from uncle Joe (viâ uncle Jeffry). He is very anxious that I should begin the riding, and I shall try and get a lesson on Tuesday next. I must leave the account of my messmates for some other time, as I shall have only time to write to mamma before supper. It has got rather cold again to day but still no hard frost. I find that the shamois leather gloves are the warmest. Did you ever know that uncle J. does not, and never did, wear flannel?
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Title page, apparently by mamma Esther}
Bundle No 2
From January 25th 1859
to July 16th 1859
Dresden.
9.15. a.m. Jan. 25 1859.
My dear mamma.
This is a new kind of paper, which uncle Jeffry recommends, and which I think is very good, and, like everything here cheap. You would be surprised at the quantity I use in writing letters. My expences since I came here, coat and boots excepted, have been just shillings, 5/6 being for postage stamps. It is looking very dark this morning and I think we shall have snow, yet it is quite warm. I begin my riding to day, and have also a gymnastic lesson. I do not know if I ever told you about the dog carts here, they seem to use dogs just in the same way as we do donkeys, generally there is only one dog, but sometimes two or three. When the cart stops a piece of carpet is given to the dog to lie down on, and often another piece thrown over him. Some of the dogs are very merry looking, while other again look as if they would like to fly at you. Every dog here, without exception, is required by law to be muzzled, they have generally wire muzzles. I have not seen one donkey, and only one cat since I came here. Last night we had an army surgeon here, who played on the piano till 11.30. p.m. I and one or two others sat up listening, but most went to bed long before he finished. I am looking out for the frost to come on again, for there has been no skating for the last week. I do not think you would like the way the dinners are arranged here, the roasts making thir appearance near the end of the dinner. I looked at Mrs Hughes washing book yesterday, and found that the weekly expence is about 1/10 or 2/. and at the end of every month you pay 6d for the mending of stockings, shirt buttons &c Mrs. Hughes said I could pay by the week, month or quarter, just as I liked. I said I would pay by the quarter. I like the feeding here very much, the only objection being that the dinners are perhaps, a little too good, however that is a fault on the right side. The coffee is first rate, but the tea is not so good. Tell papa that I could not liken any of my companions to anybody I know, he must imagine them. To day it has been absolutely hot and if the sund had shown (which it did not) it would have been like summer. I am writing to M.felt. and will post this and it tomorrow morning. I have not had any more invitations to balls as yet, but I am in no hurry. It seems as if I never could get through my correspondence. I am always writing and always have more to write Jack, Sharpe, & Mr. Ensell must be written to before long
Francis E Prendergast
Dresden
9.30 a.m. Jan 26. 1859.
My dear papa,
I took my first lesson in riding yesterday. The reins are held in a different manner from Clarendons method the school is just about the same size, I took my lesson at 3, and was not alone, which would have been desirable for the first lesson. The master speaks only French and German, so I find it rather hard to understand him.
Tomorrow I go at 8. a.m. and on mentioning this to Mrs. Hughs she said I must eat "ein bischen" (a morsel) before I went and finish my breakfast when I come home. I am sure she is quite right in this
Stiffle is a complete Russian, also from Odessa, and studying at the Polytechnic, he is about 18, and is, without exception, the fattest and burliest fellow of his age I ever saw. He is always laughing and joking and practices all day long on the violincello. The Swiss van Berchem, comes from Bern, and belongs to some Swiss regiment, he has come here to learn German. His Father was a Flemish Baron, which accounts for the "van". He is a really first rate performer on the piano, and generally plays for us in the evening. Then there is a little (very little indeed) Frenchman from Paris, his father was English and he is an English subject, but is far more French than English. He is a melancholy little fellow, and generally gets the reputation of being half cracked – which indeed I think he is. He has been here for 5 months and can scarcely speak a word of German!! Not so much as I can in fact. Then there is Smith, a half Scotchman, who has lived a great deal in the Highlands. He is going into the Rifles, and expects his commission immediately. He is studying mathematics, French, German and the Broadsword. Simpson the last arrival from England I do not like at all. He is the son of a London banker. Lastly there is a little American called Sparkman, who has only been here a week. I get a great deal of information out of him about America and American customs, he is the only fellow here who will carry on anything like a conversation. I do not like any of them well enough to associate with them, and beyond talking to them at meals, or going down to the ice with them, I have nothing to say to them. Smith is the only one with much breeding, except perhaps Etlinger. I must now be off to my drawing master and I will finish this and mammas in the evening.
6.30 I got your letter this evening and took the enclosed to uncle J. immediately. I have not seen him either to day or yesterday. I do not consider that my time has been much wasted since I came, although I have done no Greek or Latin. To day I have already worked 5 hours and wrote letters for one hour. However I should certainly have more time for working, and more opportunities for learning German in a German family.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Frenchman": must be Alfred Henry Hogard, already mentioned on 07.01. and 10.01.
"drawing master": Anton Ludwig Kriebel}
Dresden.
9.15 a.m. Jan. 28. 1859.
My dear papa,
I was at tea at uncle J's last night and Dr. Seiler was there he said he would make inquiries about some German house that I might go into. Unless I could get into a family where they ar entirely German and no English whatsoever, I do not think I should be in a better way of learning German than here, and unless some house can be found which can afford advantages to balance those of this house, I think it would be no use moving. Uncle J. seems to think that no house could be found except when there were some Englishmen, as in private families they have generally no spare room, and this house is too comfortable to be left except for some place which would afford great advantages, however I cannot believe but that some German family could be found where there are no other lodgers. The weather here has been most extraordinary, the thermometer averaging for the last 8 or 10 days plus 5, and there has not been any frost even at night In January this is said to be very unusual. My coat which I got here is of the most astounding warmth and consequently has been useless for the last 2 or 3 days, although in the cold it seemed as if one never could have enough on. The stuff it is made ov is thicker than any I ever saw before, and its lining which is also cloth, is thicker than the stuff of the Inverness Cape! To day there is a slight drizzling Rain, but it always gets fine in the afternoon. I spent an hour in the Picture Gallery yesterday and came away dead tired I ought to have done something at the French before I came away, for almost everybody of any education here can speak it, and although I can understand a good deal of it, yet I can not speak it at all. The German I can generally speak but find considerable difficulty in understanding it thoroughly. I have often tried to combine the two but could never manage it. I shall finish this some other time. At this moment the window is wide open and probably every other one in the house also.
Jan. 29. 7.45. p.m.
To day we have had the first real rain that has fallen since I arrived, but it only lasted a few hours. I rode this morning from 8 till 9. there were 6 other fellows (all German) there. It is quite impossible for me to learn anything there at present, as I cannot understand the fellow who teaches, but I go there 3 times a week, and try and do what the others do. Let uncle Joe and uncle Willie know this, and tell them that they must be satisfied, for I can do no more. On the other 3 days I have got a gymnastic lesson at the same hour. I was with my drawing maste for an hour and a half this morning. He has given me some eyes, noses, and faces to copy. According to his directions I have got "a Blockbook" which is just like those pads of blotting paper which some people have and when one sheet is full you take it off with a knife. I had also a German lesson to day for an hour, and have now been working for the last 2½ hours, and I also read Hume for ¾ of an hour in the morning, so you see I am not idle. I think a dancing master would be almost a loss of time as one is laughed at, if they do more than walk through a quadrille. I had a grand vaulting match with Smith at the Gymnasium the other day. We went over the "horse" raised to its highest, that being about the height of my shoulder and of his chin or indeed perhaps of his eyes. I met uncle J. and aunt M. in the G. G. to day and came in, in the carriage. Uncle Jeffry makes an immense number of puns and jokes and then vainly endeavours to keep from smiling at them. To morrow I dine with them, it being Sunday This is the way my time is occupied at present. Monday. Gymnastics from 8 till 9. German 10-11. Drawing 11.30-12.30 Wednesday & Friday the same. Tuesday Riding from 8-9 German 10-11 Thursday the same. Saturday the same with the addition of drawing from 11.30 till 12.30. This keeps me nearly as busy as I well can be, as the German takes a gread deal of time.
Francis E. Prendergast.
P. S. Do you think a French master would be advisable? It is far more important than German, and this is a good opportunity for learning it.
Dresden.
7.30 p.m. Jan. 28. 1859.
My dear mamma
I took a walk of about 6 or 7 miles (alone) to day. I went out into the country beyond the Grosser Garten, but there it is very flat and uninteresting, at the other side of the river it is much more interesting. I have now got my gymnastics and riding on alternate mornings before breakfast fairly established, and I eat my breakfast in two divisions one before I go (hours are from 8 to nine) and finish it when I come home. The weather here is something extraordinary for Dresden, I think it is warmer than we ever have in December or January.
I find that unless I think when I am dating my letters I always put 58 for 59. I did this in papas letter but have since corrected it. There is a very nice kind of lamp here, which I and all the other fellows are given, it is a sort of argand lamp, with thin porcelain shade (or bell) at the top. As in the Moderateur you can regulate the amount of light required. When I go into supper I have just the least possible flame and when I come back, I have nothing to do but to turn the screw and I have the full amount of light. At supper we always have two large Moderateurs. Glass globes are not used here, but instead of them a paper tundish is put on, this of course throws the light down, but you cannot read unless the book is on the table or very low down. There has been very little excitement here about the Princess Frederick Williams son, but they say that there have been great rejoicings in Berlin. I find that from writing so much German, that when writing English I am always inclined to make the German characters, which will account for my numerous blots. Tell papa that I have thought of a great likeness Simpsons face is just identical with that of "Pells" ("The original Bones") with the exception of course, of its not being black. I cannot think of any likeness for the others Hogarth and Stiffle are perfectly incomparable to any other people in the circle of my acquaintances.
The Elb here is a magnificent river not quite, but nearly as large as the Thames at London, however it is not deep, but considering Dresden is 500 miles from the sea it is a magnificent river. I hear that in summer 8 or 10 steamers pass up and down every day The ice has totally disappeared but I dare say we shall have the frost soon again. I am anxious for it on account of the skating. The 2d best place for skating is not 5 minutes walk from this house. The best (largest) is in the Grosser Garten.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Pells", "The original Bones": An American "minstrel" group, performing caricatures of African American culture, in Dublin for six nights in December 1858. On Jan. 14, FEP found "nothing whatsoever remarkable about" Simpson, but in the meantime he has come to dislike him, as we know from the letter of Jan. 26.}
Dresden.
Jan. 31. 1859.
8. p.m.
My dear papa,
I think a house just the very thing wanted has been found for me by Dr. Seiler and uncle J. The house is in the Räcknitzer Strasse on the ground floor i.e. the lowest floor but one. The people consist of a Baron Von Seckondorf (so pronounced) his wife a son of about 18 who is at the Polytechnic and a daughter who is a little younger. I have not seen them, but uncle J. went there to day to make inquiries, and said they seemed very nice people, there are no other Englishmen or lodgers of any kind, and they wish only to engage by the month, which of course is just what we want. Uncle J said that he had seen the room I would have and says it is better than this room which is certainly a very good one. The street in which the house is, is one of the new streets and has no houses opposite, it is about 3 minutes walk from Carola str. – that is somewhat nearer than this street is, and is in fact in best part of the town. On looking over my list of letters received and despatched in the last fortnight I find that I have received 7, and despatched 8! considering the length of each I think that is pretty well for me. To day I have scarcely had a quiet moment, I went to my gymnastics at 8 had a German lesson at 10 a Drawing lesson a 11.30 dined at 1 read Hume from 2 till 2.45 went out at 3 with uncle J. came back at 4.30 and worked up till the time I began this, and in a few minutes I shall be eating my supper. To morrow morning I go again to ride at 8, so you see I am kept going pretty briskly.
{Note that this place is different from the one previously envisaged as "Simpson's rooms", which FEP had been offered at the gymnastics lessons.
More significantly, we learn that the Seckendorff family has not been among Jeffry's direct acquaintances previously; we will read later that Dr. Seiler had recommended them. Surprisingly soon, by FEP's testimony, they will be accepted to the inner family network, including Annette Preußer acting as an accommodation agent.}
Feb. 1st. I went to day with uncle J. to Baron Seckondorf and settled that I would go there to morrow after dinner. My decrection {or "dicrection"?} for the future is
7 Räcknitzer Strasse
bei (meaning care of) Baron Seckondorf.
I find it almost impossible to write any German name in English characters which was the cause of the first blot. I have just come in from a long walk; after leaving uncle J. I walked out somewhere into the country, and by chance hit a very pretty road running along by the Elb. I went as far as some little village built mostly of wood with a queer old wooden church. I was about 2 ½ hours and therefore conclude it was about 4 miles distant from Dresden. I got into the "guten Tag" ("fine day") region which proves it to be quite countryfied. Please forward the enclosed to Jack, and if you write, let him know of my change of residence. Let them know of it also at Rostrevor and Magherafelt. I shall probably not write again for a few days until I get settled. The weather still continues fine.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden. 4 Räcknitzer Strasse
10.a.m. Feb. 3. 1859.
My dear papa
I have now been here since 3 oclock yesterday, and although I do not much like to speak on first impressions, yet I must say that I think I have got into the very best place that can possibly be imagined. My room is large and light. The baron appears to be a thorough gentleman, and I never look at his wife without thinking of aunt Matilda. The son is absent at the Polytechnic, except at meals, and although he is a very nice fellow, I think this rather an advantage. The daughter is most decidedly not good looking, but she is very agreeable. They have done all they can to make me at home, and if I do not learn German in two months I think I will be very stupid. The baron speaks a little English as well as the son and daughter but it is very little. The quiet of the place is very agreeable after the turmoil of people walking up and down the passage, which was a decided objection at Hughes. I got a letter from aunt Eliza last night, but there was no news in it. I rode this morning for an hour and was run away with in a general shindy which happened from one of the horses shieing, a little groom was thrown, but there was no damage done to anybody. I succeeded in getting my horse to canter for the first time, the riding house is very pleasant in the morning as the sun is on it, and there is no dust floating about, which is always the case later in the day.
My expences in moving to this house from Hughe's were 3/. Smith had got his commission the day before I left and was to leave next week. It causes only one room to become vacant as the American was one too many and had been stowed away in some hole or other. At Easter Etlinger leaves and his place will be taken by the young American from Pf. Hübners whose place I was to have taken so that there will be no vacancy there for some time to come. In talking with the American (young Sparkman the last arrival at Hughes) I was surprised to find that there was such an Irish feeling in America, he said that they hated the English like "pison" but that there was quite a different feeling with regard to Irishmen and Scotchmen and that Americans of Irish descent made no secret of it but on the contrary were proud of it while if of English descent they were always anxious to conceal it. Whether he is to be thought worthy of credit is another matter, for he used to tell most extraordinary stories about America & the natives, but I dare say it is the case. To day it is colder, and some rain has fallen, but there has been no real rain since I came. The flagways in Dresden are very narrow but they make up for it by having pavement also, for walking on, and as Dresden is not a crowded city, it is not so uncomfortable as it would be otherwise. They have fluid gas lamps in this house, they give a splendid light and seem to have no smell. Uncle J. has one hanging in the centre of the room and says it is very satisfactory, the light is much whiter than that given by oil.
5.30. p.m. I called on Mr Dale, our clergyman, to day about a seat in the church, as there are no such things as free seats here. I am to meet him at the church to morrow and he will assign me some place. He is one of the liveliest little parsons I ever came across, and I like him very much. I am going this evening with the Baron to see some chemical experiments at a German lecture given by an Englishman. I want to get into the ways of the family as much as I can, and uncle J. is greatly pleased at my wishing to do so. You will find an account of the feeding here in mammas letter, and if you are not satisfied with it I can only say that I am. Professor Hughes said that I would be heartily welcome any day I liked to come in to dinner or supper, and that I must come in some evening soon, this I intend to do next week.
{"Pf. Hübner": the renowned Dresden painter Professor Julius Hübner (1806-1882) is a personal acquaintance of Jeffry and Margaretta; among his sitters was Annette Preußer's sister Isidora v. Gutschmid (1823-1854; https://skd-online-collection.skd.museum/Details/Index/906792). However, the person mentioned by FEP must be the mere Doctor Johann Gottlieb Hübner, school teacher, as listed above and to reappear later; William Erwin Sparkman seems to be his student. The name Hübner is very common.
Sparkman, grandson of an Irishman, may confuse ethnic prejudices with political objections against England shared by many US citizens of all backgrounds, whereas "Anglo-Saxon Protestant" has always been the most prestigious ethnic group in the country. Anyway, FEP is very pleased with the Americans this time; obviously he is concerned about the bad image of Irish people in England.
The Baron had studied chemistry in Switzerland. In 1850 he bought a chemical factory Heinrichshall in Köstritz (near Gera in his native princedom), processing sulphur minerals from adjacent mines. It went bankrupt in 1854; he was found guilty of delayed filing and de facto exiled: https://digital.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/werkansicht?PPN=PPN746978294&PHYSID=PHYS_0242. The factory was continued in the ownership of his son Hugo from first marriage.
"German lecture given by an Englishman": by the entrepreneur and show "physicist" William Finn, living in Dresden, future father-in-law of Gustav Alexander Preußer. He must be Jeffry's acquaintances, although we read absolutely nothing about that. https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/newspaper/item/PYXA2KRUDSBPWLT2WVS7O6YVTOKS3WX6?issuepage=8; for a general description see https://sachsen.digital/werkansicht/392433/6.}
10.30. a.m. Feb 4. I have just been sitting with the Baroness & her daughter after my second breakfast for nearly an hour, this I consider time very well spent as it is the best German lesson I can have. It has been snowing this morning, but it is too wet for it to lie. I find that the gymnastics and riding do very well between breakfasts, but I can easily understand that they would not do before breakfast. My gymnastic house is a good 20 minutes walk from here, so that I get the benefit of a 2 mile walk as well as the gymnastics. The riding house is quite close, and my drawing master about 15 minutes from this. Carola Strasse is quite close. I shall have had 10 Gymnastic lessons on Monday when I pay the fellow his 5 Thalers (15/).
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden. 7. Racknitzer Strasse
5. p.m. Feb. 3.d 1859.
My dear mamma,
I have just received your letter, as well as papa's, which was enclosed to uncle J.. I have got a really tip top room here, large and light, much superior to the one I had at Hughe's, though indeed I have no reason to complain of the one I had there. I dare say you will remark that the letters I write in the evening are much better written than thos written in the morning. The reason is this, after either riding or gymnastics, my hand always shakes and my writing is consequently not improved thereby. This street is almost the best to be had in Dresden, for there are trees and a large garden (private) opposite, and is almost in the country, which is greatly preferable to the everlasting racket of the Marien Strasse. I suppose you will be asking me for a description of the Baroness, so I may as well give it to you at once. She is a very ladylike person without any affectation, I never look at her without thinking of aunt Matilda and yet she is not like her. She speaks no English, and when speaking to me she tries to speak slowly, so that I may understand, but she frequently forgets herself and tumbles out her German at such a rate that I cannot follow, and then laughs at herself for forgetting that I cannot understand her. The daughter is somewhat like Mary Irwin, but by no means so good looking. She can speak a little English as well as her brother but she will only speak German in my presence. The feeding about which both aunt Margaret and Dr. Seiler tried to frighten me is as good as can be desired. This morning at some unearthly hour the servant came in to light the stove, and at 7.30 they brought me in some coffee and two rolls, and after coming from riding I had another breakfast with the Baroness and her daughter. For dinner we had soup, veal, potatoes and carrots, for second course things somewhat like apple fritters and preserved pears, after dinner coffee, supper is at about 7.30 and consists of cold meat, bread, butter and tea. Is not that good enough for any one? I imagine that all over the world well bred people eat pretty much the same sort of things, though aunt M. says that all Germans live upon garbage!!! I must think of some little present for Mrs. Hughes, to show them that I do not forget them. I have seen no flowers in blow except hyacinths in some of the windows. It is a great luxury here not to have to run up and down stairs; being on the second floor at Hughes', and running in and out 5 or 6 times a day the evelasting 3 flights of stairs were rather disagreeable even to me.
My speed in writing is greatly improved, and I am glad to hear that you think it good. I use nothing but steel pens now, for quills would be too much bother. It has been quite soft since I last wrote and no signs of frost.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{The date in JPP's title is an error. The letters to papa and mamma overlap in time, they might go to different addresses, but will all eventually be read by the whole family, at least those in Dublin.
"all Germans live upon garbage": although Margaretta is quite tolerant, she can be something of a snob, and imagine herself an Englishwoman like her Worcestershire-born mother. Germans tend to think all English live upon garbage. The haute-volée, who hire French-trained cooks, are of course exempt. Margaretta herself is condemned to a strict diet by her doctors.}
Dresden.
7 Räcknitzer Strasse. Feb. 7. 1859
3.. p.m.
My dear papa,
I am still very comfortable here, and have become one of the family, though I am only with them at meal time; we are very merry and I sometimes manage even to make a joke or pun in German. They have lived in Switzerland for many years and say that they always long to be there again. Aunt Margaret has been laid up almost all last week with some internal spasms, on Saturday she was quite well and I walked with her in the G. G. Yesterday (Sunday) she was in bed, and from what I heard from uncle J, I fear in pain. He himself for the last 4 or 5 days has been confined to the house, with an inflamation of the face, round, but luckily not in the eyes, this is supposed to come from the sharpness of the wind I believe. For the last 2 days it has been a frost, so that in a day or two we shall have skating again. Yesterday I walked (alone) to Plauen and Potschappel., the last about 4½ miles off, the walk is exceedingly pretty, running through a narrow valley with high precipetous rocks (cliffs) on each side, a railway, a road and a river running at the bottom. On three sides of Dresden the country is very pretty but for the first mile it is about as flat and uninteresting as anything well can be. I am going now to make enquiries about a German master, as I thought it better to discontinue young Hughes. Uncle J. is looking out for a classical master as I am now suppose to know enough German to get some benefit from him. I have had no letters since Thursday which seems as if there must be something astray somewhere and I think that to day (Monday) it is past the hour of 2d post.
Feb. 8th 5. p.m. Yesterday I got my first lesson from my new German master Mr. Nauwerk, I like him much better than young Hugh's and he is most highly recommended so I suppose that there is some chance of my getting on with him. To day it has been magnificent, a bright sun, no wind and a slight frost the whole day, last night it froze pretty had, but the ice is not yet fit for skating.
I have not had a letter from you since Thursday (this is Tuesday) which rather surprises me nor have I heard from any one else. Uncle J. and aunt M. are much better to day but she is still in bed. I have just come in from a long walk out on the other side of the town and called at 2 Carola St. on my way home. Please forward the enclosed to Mr. Ensell, I wrote it some days ago, and I also have another half finished to Sharpe but that I shall send direct. Uncle J. expects to hear of a classical master every day but as yet he has heard of none.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden
Feb 10. 1859.
5.30. p.m.
My dear mamma
Your letter came yesterday evening and I was very glad to get it as I had not had a letter for nearly a week, and as I write at least 3 a week I thought this rather a hard case. I am wakened in the morning by the servant coming in at about 6 oclock to light the stove, I then generally get up soon after 7, dress, take two cups of coffee and a roll or two, and move off at a little before 8. I get back soon after nine and then go and breakfast again with the Baroness and her daughter, I get back to my room about 10, or sometimes if I am inclined to talk, a little later. Then 3 times a week I have to go to my drawing master from 11.30 till 12.30 and as he is quite a mile off it takes pretty nearly 2 hours, dinner is generally at about 1.30 or a little sooner and about 2.30 I get back to my room. I then generally go out from 3 till 5 and come home and work till supper time which is about 7.30 I generally eat, sit, talk and laugh with them until 10, when I return to my room and work for an hour; on days that I have not drawing I some times go and hear the band which plays at the guard house for half an hour or so from 12 noon. The Barons name is von Seckendorf (with an e not o), and I would suggest that you should put the "Germany" where I put the "Angleterre" viz. in the upper left hand corner, this of course is only fancy, but I think it looks more respectable. By the way in my account of the day here, I forgot to say that my German master comes every second day from 6 till 7. p.m. Feb 11th. 5. p.m. I have just come in from a walk to a place called Räcknitz about 3 miles off, and, succeeded at last in getting a birds eye view of Dresden there is only one other spot that I know of where this can be obtained and it is on the other side of the river, and even there it is not by anymeans a satisfactory view.
On my way home I called on uncle J., he and aunt M. had been walking in the G. G., so they may be considered as nearly well. I am looking out for the change into the new house, which will be on the 1st April, for I think it will be a pleasanter situation than this, that is, a green field on two sides. The time goes over very fast here and it seems as if my lessons came round not every second day, but every 6 hours. Our dinner to day was quite Irish, soup, roast mutton, potatoes pancakes and apples in two forms stewed and preserved.
Somehow I see a great many more cats now than at first, perhaps it is because I walk more about the town.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden.
Feb. 10. 1859.
4.45 p.m.
My dear papa
I received your letter yesterday evening and took the enclosed to uncle J. He and aunt M. had both so far recovered as to have gone out for a short drive, and on my calling there to day I found they were out, so I hope all will be right again soon. Yesterday evening I eat 2 suppers (N.B. I eat 2 breakfasts every morning), the way this happened was, that I had promised to go to Mr. Hughs that evening, his supper is not till 8.30 or 8.45 while here it is at 7.30, and while I was reading, the Baron came and said "wont you take a mouthful with us before you go, one of my nieces is here, she is only 16 and is betrothed already." I of course went in and found her a very nice young lady, but looking much more like 26 than 16. The whole of the family are people of birth and breeding which is of course very pleasant. I heared through uncle J. that the Baron had been once a man of considerable property, but having embarked in some speculation, was nearly ruined and has now only enough to live upon. The young lady his daughter, seems determined that I shall like her, and has little delicacies for my especial benefit, and endeavours to improve my German as much as she can. The feeding is very much like Irish fare, except perhaps that the sauces are greasyer, however as they are always separate one can take, or not, as they like. I am afraid that my time for working is not much improved, but then every moment that I spend with the family I am learning German. Clarendon I should have set down as about 50 not over 55 certainly, it is nothing new to me to hear of his fondness of literary matters, for I do not think I ever went to him without hearing something connected with books. As to the French master, uncle J. says he will be on the look out for some one, and he says nothing but a Frenchman will do. I have often thought that since I am on the Continent, it would be a good plan to spend a month or two in Sardinia or the south of France before I go home, as I might then learn Italian (which is understood all round the Mediterranean more or less) and improve any French I had learned here, to say nothing of the different countries I should see. Spanish I have heared, read and imagine would be easy to anyone who knows Latin.
Between these one might "knock out" a lingua Franca that would pass almost anywhere. German I have a great contempt for, as I think its numerous authors are its only attraction, however it is largely spoken, and I heared from the Russians at Hugh's that in Russia educated people never use their own language when speaking to one another, but instead, French or German, the Russian itself, being only used by the lower orders.
Feb 11. 10.30 a.m.
Yesterday Evening I was in German society for the first time. About 7.30 young Seckendorf came into my room and said, that two of his aunts were come to tea, and that I must come in and see them, I of course did so and found that one of them was a Baroness, and the other a most ladylike person, presently in came 3 Russian ladies, one of whom was the handsomest woman I have seen for some time, she is the Countess of Nostwitz, and though only 23, has been two years divorced from her husband and is now living here with her sisters, There was also a Russian gentleman of 21, who is studying engineering at the Polytechnic here. One of the Russian ladies spoke English perfectly, though she said she had never been in England. It is perfectly marvellous the way these Russians speak languages.
I found that I could not make anything of the conversation when more than one spoke at the same time, but when they spoke singly I could generally understand pretty well. I was greatly surprised to see the way the Seckendorfs came out, in ordinary they live pretty much like our selves but on this occasion they were quite fashionable, and had a really first-rate supper – minus wine or beer which hardly at all used in society here. If I knew French, I might go about here much more, for my German is by no means (as yet) sufficient for much conversation. The more I see of the Seckendorfs the more I like them, and uncle J. says that he hears them well spoken of everywhere. I was at the gymnastics this morning and surprised the man by the distance I can jump, which is more than he can – yet I only jumped 12 feet and I have often done 13½. Tell this to uncle Frank and ask him when he indends to write to me. From the very first day at the gymnastics I could always vault over a height as high as my shoulder, which is the highest vault the man has. I shall send this letter and mamma's to morrow evening when perhaps I may have something more to say. 5.30. p.m. You see this letter is written at 3 different times', which I find to be the only way of getting through my correspondence. I cannot imagine how this paper gets so many blots for they seem to appear by magic There was skating yesterday morning but on my getting there in the afternoon I found that it had been stopped. I forget if I told you that a seat in the church which was assigned to me by Mr. Dale, will be 9/. for a year that being the the shortest time it can be had for. To day it has been most delightfully soft while yesterday it was freezing all day, this makes it very hard to dress suitably, as, if you put on a warm coat you may be overpowered, or if a light one you may be frozen, however my cold and cough are gone, and this is by no means a cold-catching place. This I send tomorrow morning instead of to day, as I had intended so you ought to get it on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning at latest.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Olga née Poel, divorced Reichsgräfin (= countess) von Nostitz, born 1835 in Odessa to super-rich German-born parents. In 1861 she will marry Alexander Georg v. Harder, her second-degree-half-cousin (via Stieglitz), whose grandfather Dr. David Johann v. Harder had been a close friend of Margaretta Prendergast's cousin and childhood housemate August Scheer in St. Petersburg. Note that none of the persons mentioned consider themselves ethnic Russians.}
Dresden.
5. p.m. Feb 21. 1859.
My dear mamma,
My last with aunt Flora's enclosed was despatched in such a hurry that I had not time to answer your questions. My German master I am happy to say, comes to me, and I do not go to him, as you seem to imagine, my French master comes twice a week to me, and once I go to him. I believe that we will be on the same floor as we are now, when we go to Prager Strasse, I do not know if uncle Jeffry told you, that the Seckendorfs are going to have an American family living with them whenever we move, they or rather it, consists of an American Dr., his wife and an only son, who is somewhere about my own age, they come from Philadelphia, but have lived a great deal in France. I have made inquiries in all directions, but have been able to make out nothing more than that they are said to be very nice people. Miss von Seckendorff's hair is like Mary's, or a little lighter her eyes are blue. She goes out to some masters, and when at home, I think she is either occupied in the kitchen preparing the sweetmeats and superintending the cooking, or playing on the piano. By the way the brother plays very nicely on the piano. He and I went through a Sir R. De Caoverly for the benefit of the Baroness the other day, and afterwards I tried a German (old) waltz with Miss Seckendorff, and I have promised to teach her and her brother the Lancers Is not this like Magherafelt?
Miss S. does not skate, but she goes to dances occasionally. At dinner to day the Baroness asked me would I like to go to a ball to morrow, that the Pooles (the sisters and mother of the Countess of Nostwitz who was here the other evening) were going to give, and that if I wished to go I had only to call and I would be invited, I declined as my German is not sufficient to allow me to enjoy myself in Society. However I expect that in a fortnight I shall be able to get on tolerably. My room here is 21 feet by 13½, and has 2 windows, it is very light and cheerful, and altogether I enjoy the house amazingly. It seems to me quite natural to speak German, but I am reminded pretty often of its being not quite so natural by being at a loss for a word.
{American family: Dr. Thomas Forrest Betton. The Baron's mother was born in Philadelphia as well – relatives or old-time friends?
Mary: Mary Irwin, living in Magherafelt, mentioned as Anna Amanda v. Seckendorff's likeness (though much prettier).}
Feb 23.d 10. a.m. After all I went to the Pooles ball last night. They were kind enough to send me a special invitation, and as uncle J. had recommended me to make acquaintance with them, I thought it better to accept it. We had about 30 people only 2 not being dancers, and beginning about 9 or a little before it, kept it up till half past three, which was too long as we were all pretty well tired at the end. It was very agreeable, but I spoke more English than German, almost everybody in the room speaking more or less English. You have no idea how spiritedly the Russians dance – more than half the ladies, and many of the Gentlemen being Russians –. The last Ball that these Pooles gave the ladies half killed the gentlemen, but this time it was the ladies who were tired.
I shall not give a particular account of anyone, for you would not be much the wiser, however we had 4 students who had been telegraphed for, to Leipsiz 2 or 3 Russian gentlemen and the rest Dresdeners. There are 5 Miss Pooles (they come from Odessa) their mother, the Baroness and Miss Seckendorf and some other German ladies. They seemed to be all well-bred people and mostly very good dancers, the Russians all seem to be very agreeable people in every point of view, and certainly no complaints can be made of their dancing. There was tip-top music, consisting of 3 violins, a violincello and a flageolet! The supper was very good, and was managed better than anything I ever saw, instead of our going to it, a long table was brought in and placed in the middle of the dancing room, and when we had done the table was lifted out again; was not that neat? Tell uncle Willy that I was up to extra tours before I was a week in Dresden, and that last night I depended almost entirely on them. Altogether it was very pleasant, no English stiffness about not dancing unless you were introduced. I had heared previously that when the Pooles gave a dance that they did nothing but dance, but I could not have believed that it was so completely the case. The only drawback was that the rooms were so small, this however is almost always the case in Dresden. No less than two gentlemen came down from the slipperyness of the floor. I fully expect that this will cross a letter of yours but that is unavoidable.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"4 students who had been telegraphed for, to Leipsiz": In order to mend an imbalance of sexes in spite of desparate search, the host has invited four male students from Leipzig (three hours each way by train!). Money, including substantial telegraph fees, is no object in the Stieglitz/Poel family; finding respectable and "well bred" husbands for her five daughters – four misses and one divorcée – is worth every thaler. The students are too young to be serious candidates themselves, but may be useful by spreading the message.
Sir Roger de Coverley: believed to be typically British. The game here is "I show you mine, and you show me yours" – dance.
Music: FEP enjoys (popular) music, but has surprisingly little knowledge about it, starting with instrument names.}
Dresden.
5.45 p.m. Feb 21. 1859.
My dear papa,
On Friday last I went out with uncle Jeffry to look for some maps, and I got one of Europe and another of Germany. The one of Europe contains in addition to Europe, all Africa north of 25° and Asia west of the Persian Gulf and Sea of Aral, it has also small border maps of the population, religion and ethnology. Size 3 feet 6 inches by 2 feet 10. It is on Canvass in a case, price 7/6. The one of Germany is the same size and contains not only Germany but the south east of England, north east of France, Italy north of Ravenna and Bologna, parts of Croatia Hungary and Poland, and Denmark south of Copenhagen, with all the adjacent countries; it was 9/. on canvass and in a case with six most beautiful Railway Maps which are given gratis. They are far superior to anything that we have at the same price, and contains one thing that our maps are sadly deficient in, viz. scales of the miles used in every country contained in the map. Yesterday and this morning it was a hard frost, and we were beginning to talk about skating, but this evening it is a thaw again, the Elbe too is much swollen so that I suppose there is a thaw in the mountains. To day I have had a hard days work, at 7.30 I started off to my gymnastic fellow who lives more than a mile off, at 9.15 I got back and got my 2nd breakfast, at 9.45 I went off to my French master who lives nearly half a mile from this, at 11 I went from him to my drawing master who lives about a mile away from him, and at one I was back here; at 3.30 I went out for a walk and came back at 4.30, and now, (6.15) I am expecting my German master every minute. Feb 23d. 3.30. p.m. I kept this letter open so long as I had expected to hear this afternoon, but as nothing came I shall post it, and afterwards go and call on uncle J. who I have not seen since Sunday. You will find an account of a ball I was at last night in mamma's. I have had 3 French lessons only as yet, so I can not say much about it as yet, but my master seems anxious that I should get on, which is a great point. 4. p.m. Your letter has just come with another from uncle W. which I have not yet read. I shall not give up the drawing unless I cannot help it, for I like my master very much and the two Professors of uncle J's acquaintance say he is the best in Dresden. Fitzgibbon is only Mr. E's. friend – the brother of his pupil. Tell mamma I will answer her questions in my next. I don't imagine Crookhaven (and never did) or Berehaven will be ever anything more than ports for occasional visits. Berehaven I had always understood was very dangerous for strangers. I should think that the Turkish bath might be very well once in a way but I have always read that it is very enervating.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Abraham Fitzgibbon is currently busy in Ceylon as a successful railway engineer. Mr. Ensell seems to have recommended him to FEP as a role model, so that JPP has asked whether the two are related. I am only 90% sure that Abraham is the correct Fitzgibbon; he has only one brother, who is older than Ensell, and an overseas merchant.}
Dresden.
March 3.d 1859.
My dear papa
I got your letter yesterday evening when I came home from my walk, of which I shall now proceed to give you an account. In the morning, before dinner, I had had two lessons, and walked about 5 miles in going to and from them. After dinner I thought I ought to take a little extra exercise, and determined to go to Tharandt, a small town lying about 9 miles southwest of Dresden. I left at 2.45 – immediately after dinner that is – and walked on alone as had as I could to Tharandt, it took me just 2¼ hours and the same back, so I conclude it is 9 miles – at least. I went there and back in 4½ hours which is not long for 18 miles I think. I never sat down once, and only stopped twice to look at the map, considering that I had fenced, and had gymnastics for an hour in the morning, and walk for more than an hour, and having been busy from 7.30 till one I think I might have been tired, but I was only the livelier for it, and this morning am fresher than ever, so that I conclude I am in good condition. Tell this to uncle Joe. The walk is very pretty, a railway, road, and a river running through a narrow valley thickly inhabited, and the hills on each side pretty well wooded. Tharandt itself is very pretty, lying in a triangle formed by 3 hills which are covered with Pine wood. The Seckendorfs are greatly astonished at my speed as carriages are supposed to take nearly 2 hours. I shall look for some ancient maps, but I do not like getting anything but what is absolutely necessary on account of the luggage. I am reading German for my own amusement now, and find that I can read it almost as fast as English – that is so as to understand the sense, not every word as you may imagine, and I have been trying my hand at newspapers, but find them not so easy. I do not know how it is, but I am always working and yet never seem to have any time, except what is absolutely required for walking, without which I could not exist. I never knew anything like the way the time goes over here, it seems as if there were no week days, but that the Sundays – which are the only days that have anything remarkable in them – come in constant succession, so much so indeed, that I consider Wednesday as quite at the end of the week. I am certainly in the right place for learning to speak German, and even now I sometimes think in German, which is said to be a good sign. I often think of what might be done in the walking line if you were here, as we could easily go through the best parts of Bohemia in a week – the frontier is only 25 miles from here, and Prague, which is said to be beautiful, is only a 4 days walk from here. I suspect that the wayside Inns are very cheap and sufficiently good. I hear of numbers of people who in one summer have walked through the best parts of Southern Germany and Noth Italy. Uncle J. is beyond much walking now, I am afraid. you might send this letter to uncle Joe.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{The walk from from southern Dresden to Tharandt is 14.5 km , almost exactly 9 miles.
"uncle Joe", Dr. Joseph Samuel Prendergast, is the family's health wallah (or guru) and will survive his nephew by decades.
"Uncle J. is beyond much walking now": i.e. Jeffry can and does walk in the park, but not quite enough to keep pace with young FEP (who is a keen walker even compared to his peers; for a casual stroll of 15 km by Jeffry in 1827 see https://foxtalbot.dmu.ac.uk/letters/transcriptName.php?bcode=PRENDE-H&pageNumber=0). Aunt Margaret makes brave attempts, as we have read earlier.}
Dresden
March 5. 1859.
My dear mamma
Since I last wrote the only change has been in the weather, which for the last 4 or 5 days has rained more or less, and everything consequently is in a shocking state with mud. Everything in the house goes on as before, unless perhaps somewhat merrier than before. To day I paid a visit on Captain Montgomery but he was not at home, however I saw some of the Boytons They certainly do possess a fearfully strong Irish accent, north western I believe, but certainly it is bad enough even for Cork. I find that the American family who are coming to live with the Seckendorffs, will not come till May, so that I hope to have made some way in German before I come in contact with English again. I have noticed that all the lilacs here are covered with buds, but uncle Jeffry says that they will be all nipped off by the frosts, which always come in April. I have not been at Hugh's, or seen any of his people for more than a fortnight, but I must drop in there some evening to supper, which is the most approved method of making a visit there. To morrow – Saturday – I dine with uncle Jeffry. I was in there for tea the other evening when Dr. Seiler and another gentleman were there. Dr. Seiler is a very odd sort of a fish, but I like him very much, he is fearfully shortsighted, so much so in fact, as to be half blind, he understands English perfectly (having been in England) but he speaks both it and German very indistinctly.
I had expected a letter yesterday or to day from you or uncle Joe, but I suppose I shall get one on Monday morning, on Sunday, Monday afternoon and all Tuesday, there is no English post here, the reason of this I do not understand but it is something connected with Sunday. The postmans uniform is very singular, a light canary yellow tunic, and blue trousers, with a yellow stripe. It is a most decidedly ugly uniform, but at present they have long great coats of brown, and are not to be distinguished from soldiers, or indeed any government official, as they all have these long brown coats. The police uniform I have not yet satisfactorily made out, but I think it is dark blue, with a helmet of black leather and brass.
Sunday 6. this morning I got a note from Mrs. Whittle saying that she had been commissioned to invite me to a small (qu?) dancing party at Mrs. Allens – which is next door!! I, of course, accepted. Young Boyton called yesterday to invite young Seckendorff, so I suppose we shall go together it begins at some unheard of early hour – 7 or so, which is a sure sign that they are going to dance in earnest. I shall call on Mrs. Whittle on Tuesday morning (the day of the party) to thank her for the trouble she has taken, as this is the second party she has got me invited to.
I have been giving Miss Seckendorf lessons in reading English, but the explaining the difficult parts in German is anything but easy, however it is good practice for me. Last night we sat up until 10.30 playing all sorts of odd german games, some of them like our "cross questions and crooked answers", and such like things. I do not know whether I ever told you the Barons age; he is 56, and the Baroness is 15 years younger, which would make her 41. He was married before, and had two children, but they both died young. The Baron has told me that whenever I want any white gloves cleaned, to bring them to him, and he will make them as good as new, by some chemical process. I have seen many that he has cleaned, with his son and daughter, and they are certainly wonderfully revived. I shall post this letter on my way to church, but I do not know whether it will go any sooner than if I posted it tomorrow. Everything here, except dancing and music, without which the Dresdeners cannot exist, is stopped on Sunday, they do not approve of dancing on Saturday night, but on Sunday it is quite another thing. Is not this strange?
Make Grandmamma and aunt Nannie write to me when they come up, and also give uncle Frank a stirring up
Francis E. Prendergast
Dresden
March 6. 1859.
My dear papa
I enclose a specimen of the cards I have got. Uncle jeffry said he thought the best way, was to get a hundred lithographed, which was done and this is the result, it is altogether larger than I intended, but is yet smaller than the usual Dresden cards, the hundred was 4/. I have been copying a head in pencil after Raphael, which is as you will imagine rather hard, and I was dead beat after an hour and a half at it last night. Kriebel does not paint at all to my fancy, but he certainly draws beautifully, and copies with the most extraordinary accuracy. I am to be set to work at drawing statues after the antique soon, it will be much pleasanter work, but with the accuracy that Kriebel requires I suspect very difficult. I find the maps I have got invaluable, and often study them, the one of Germany, which is a magnificent one, contains the very spots where the war – that is, if we are to have a war – would be. I do not comprehend how it is, but my progress in reading German is by no means proportionate to that in speaking it, and yet most people find the reading the easiest part. Last night I got young S. to read me some Latin and Greek with the German pronunciation, and had I not known what it was that he was reading, I certainly could not have recognised it. They also brought out some Alt Deutch, or old German, which is as different from that of the present day, as Chaucer or Spenser from the modern English; it is far softer and more liquid than the modern German, and seems to have more resemblance with English; the number of words which are exactly the same in English and German is very curious, the customs and games too, are almost identical, and they have a dance very much like the Sir R. de Coverly, which you have seen at Chesneys and probably elsewhere. You see plenty of men with very English faces, but not often among the women.
I have passed the king twice in the last weeks without taking off my hat, for the simple reason that I did not know who it was, the young Americans here will not take off their hats when he bows to them!! and say that they think the "Britishers" very slavish for doing so! Is it any wonder that that they are disliked here? They seem to take pride in dressing themselves as slovenly as possible, for they say dress was invented by people who thought it of the greatest importance
Francis E Prendergast.
Dresden.
March 9. 1859.
My dear papa
Last night I was at the Allens ball which was the pleasantest party I was ever at. We had between 35 and 40 people there, and beginning soon after 7.30, danced as hard as we well could till 1.30, which is a much better hour for finishing than 4 a.m. like the last party I was at. I never saw so many good looking ladies collected together before, for of all the young ladies there were only two who could not be called pretty. There was one lady in particular who was very handsome or rather pretty, a Miss Schrader, a German-Russian, who danced most splendidly. There was also a young Mr. Russel and his sister – son and daughter of the builder of the "Great Eastern" both very goodlooking, and the young lady very agreeable, she is somewhat like the youngest Miss – I forget the name who was at the Chesneys party – 2 brothers and 2 sisters, perhaps you recollect them. We had 10 Dances, a capital Sir R. de C., and a terrific cotillon. Miss Allen, as might be expected, was the nicest person in the room, and many thought, the handsomest. I danced 3 dances with her. We also had the two American ladies Miss Carruthers & Miss Baldwin, who we had at the Boytons. There were about 6 German ladies, and several German gentlemen, and I spoke more German than the night I was at the German party!
I am beginning to have a very favourable idea of the Russian and American ladies, for all I have seen here – and is a good many – are mostly pretty and sparkling. It would have been impossible to make out a better party, everything went off just as it should, and I do not think that there was ever anything more spirited than the dancing. This morning I have had my gymnastic lesson, and am as fresh as if I had not dance at all. I am afraid it will be the last party here, as almost all the old English residents will be soon moving off, and the Germans do not dance much in Lent. These last two days it has been quite warm and springlike but this morning it is blowing and snowing hard.
Your inference about my occupying young Ss nest is not correct, for the three years that he has been in the Polytechnic he has always had separate lodgings.
I have got a wide-awake under uncle J's superintendance; it is dark brown. The front of this house, and all the sitting rooms, face north west and consequently at this time of year get no sun whatsoever. I cannot ask about the views until you give me the title of the Book, which all-important part, you have hitherto quite forgotten to tell me.
I have never been making inquiries about a history of Saxony, but uncle J. says he doubts there being any history of Saxony separate from that of Germany in general. Going anywhere at Easter is by all means to be avoided, as the country round is inundated with pleasure-hunters, which is also the case at Whitsuntide. Steamers are going up and down the Elbe now, every 2 hours or so, and yesterday I saw one trying to pass through one of the arches of the bridge, but she failed, and bumped heavily against the pier. This morning I met Mr. Dale in a heavy snow storm when I was on my way to my drawing, and walked a short way with him. I have been out in no less than 4 snow storms to day, the first at 7.30 a.m and the last at 4.30 p.m. Last night I got 4 good hours sleep, which was the first time I had ever got a good sleep after a party. I had a letter from uncle Joe on Monday evening (yours came in the morning) which you might mention when writing next to him.
Yesterday and the day before were, as I said, quite warm, and to day it is piercingly cold, with snow and hail ad lib. Tell uncle Willie I have not time to write to him at present, in fact my correspondence has been accumulating lately, and it is not easy to clear it off.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Sir R. de C.": now used generically for "contredanse", see above. This one seems to be German style – we know that our FEP adapts quickly and takes dancing lessons.}
Dresden
March 9. 1859.
My dear mamma
You will find in papas letter the account of the Allens ball which is the only event I know of. I walked out this afternoon to the Grosser Garten to look for uncle J. and found him and walked back with him, aunt Margaret having gone home previously, on account of the snow and cold. I am writing this by daylight now, and have, and hope I shall have, plenty of light for some time – 5.30. p. m. If you are writing to Magherafelt you may tell Mary to be expecting a letter from me before long. Is there no news from Jack?
I am rather at a loss for news to give you as I think I have told everything to papa. I got some capital dancing gloves here for 1/9, which is very cheap, as they are dearer here than with us, I was in the Picture Gallery yesterday morning for an hour and afterwards listened to the military band for half an hour. It (Tuesday) is the only day in the {week} that I can do either. By the way I saw a squirrel in the G. G. to day, uncle Jeffry says that the place is always full of them from the time that the frost leaves; this fellow looked very much like a small rabbit hopping about, I saw him very satisfactorily with my glass and before long he went up a tree not spirally but straight. It was the first wild squirrel I had ever seen. I have not been at Hughes for nearly three weeks, hut I must really go soon again. The fact is that I enjoy my evenings here so much that I am rather unwilling to leave them. I have only been once to the theatre since I came, and uncle Joe writes to me that I expect to go occasionally, which indeed I think myself, for the sake of hearing the German, yet I think I learn quite as much in an evening here. Tell Bridger that the servants here wear no bonnets and seldom caps or anything more than what they wear in the house. Old "Mac" I have only once spoken to and twice seen. Uncle J. has got a man servant who is a very impersonification* of everything that a servant should be, and actually speaks a few (very few though) words of English. Mr. Thompson, I find, is from Carrickfergus and is going home soon, after a three years absence.
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. Our Sir R. de C. last night was perfection, not a single mistake.
*This word is meant for impersonification
{Magherafelt: home of the "good looking" Mary Irwin.
"impersonification": actually an archaic variant of "personification", sometimes confused with "impersonation". FEP imagines the word as a portmanteau of the two, i.e. partially being, partially play-acting. In fact the couple speak English with each other, so that the servant is not even tempted to eavesdrop – or pretends so?
"Sir R. de C.": see above. The typical "Reel the set" figures tend to result in chaos, thus flawless execution is worth a mention.}
Dresden
Sunday March 13
10. a.m.
if papa is not at home when this comes send it in to him reading it first.
My dear papa
The Baron has just come into my room to speak about my staying with him. You know I am here by the month, and on April the 1st we will move into new quarters; on May 1st he receives the American family Betten. (father, mother and son) until they come he has plenty of room, but when they come there would be no room (according to present arrangements) for me. N. B. He had arranged this with them before Christmas so that they were engaged long before I came. I think he told this to uncle J. when he was making arrangements for me, but he probably forgot to tell you. The Baron says that if he was sure of my remaining with him till summer – no exact time need be fixed – he would make arrangements so as to manage this but that he could not undertake it otherwise, on account of the expense. This I think is very proper, and I believe that the family are really anxious for me to stay with them – at all events I am. He wishes to have an answer as soon as possible, so I hope you will answer without delay as up to what time my stay is certain to last, which of course does not preclude its being longer if desirable.
I shall speak about this to uncle J. after church but at all events I wish you would answer either to him or me as soon as possible, or if that does not give you time to think to tell him to act as he thinks best. In short anything would be better than to leave this family. The baron wishes to know as soon as possible, so I suppose if you write immediately I might get the answer by Friday or Saturday. I am afraid that the composition writing and spelling of this letter is not what it ought to be as I am writing against time, for the time for going to church is rapidly nearing. I made a very pleasant walk yesterday with young S. which combined the triple advantages of exercise, company and speaking German I shall probably begin, and finish if possible another letter to night as at present I have only time to fill this sheet The poor Baroness has been laid up these last two days but to day she made her appearance again.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Like Seckendorff, Dr. med. Thomas Forrest Betton is an adept of chemical sciences, co-author of "Elements of chemistry: for the use of colleges, academies, and schools" (1853) and other books.
"expense": corrected by FEP, as an exception.}
Dresden.
March 14. 1859.
My dear mamma
I shall be very glad to get over a few small things by Miss Preusser. I wish you would look out a few small views of any pretty parts of Ireland – Rostevor or Killarney for instance – and send them to me viâ Miss P., as I wish to give the S.'s something for their albums, pick out some with mountain and sea scenery if possible. I think you will find that you will have to get another blind in place of the one you have moved out of my room, and I only hope that aunt Nannie and Grandmamma will not break their hearts with it, for sometimes it was impossible to draw it up or down.
Tom I think must look very well on a green rug; what coulour is the new crumb-cloth? The projection in my plan between the door and stove is the washing stand and over it hangs a shelf of German books.
Last Saturday I did not speak one single word of English, unless to ask the meaning of it in German, this however seldom happens as I generally see uncle J. or somebody I know. Yesterday and to day it has been raining a good deal so I suppose it will be fine to morrow, for this is genuine March weather combining everything from a hot sun to a hard frost in the same week. I find my wide awake very comfortable and have taken to regularly wearing it. No news from Jack, Sharpe, uncle Frank, or Mr. Ensell. Sharpe and Ensell I did not expect to answer however. Tell uncle Frank I want to hear all about Poerio from him. I am in a fearful arrear of letters and am endeavouring to knock a lot off this evening
I dined with uncle J. yesterday and we were for the first time without the lamp at dinner.
I have just come in from wandering about the town looking at the yearly fair, everything is conducted quite quietly and an immense deal of business going on. The number of Soldiers here is very curious, while on the other hand you only see 4 or 5 policemen in a day. They are most unlucky in weather for the market (or fair rather) but perhaps it will be fine to morrow. You must excuse the way this is written, for I really have not had, and will not have, a spare minute to day, from 6.30 a.m. till 7.30 p.m. I have not a quiet moment and I must contrive to write some letters after supper
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Annette Preußer lives with her father's family at Lockwitz near Dresden, but often travels to England to meet her relatives and friends, among whom the famous singer Jenny Lind (Goldschmidt) on 31.03.-02.04.1859 in Wimbledon. Obviously she serves a supply chain between Dresden and Caroline Prendergast, perhaps via Woodside near Southampton?
Poerio: a noble family from Calabria, also involved in northern Italian politics at the time when uncle Frank was there; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Poerio. FEP wants to tease his uncle to write the long-promised letter.}
Dresden
March 14. 1859.
My dear papa,
I am now beginning this with the intention of having it ready for to morrow. I had a good deal of talk yesterday with uncle Jeffry about the state of affairs, and he paid a visit to the Baron, the result is, that we all think it (my staying, that is) will be easily managed, at all events I am sure of remaining as I am at present, until the 1st May. To day and to morrow are the days of the Jahr Markt, or yearly fair, and the streets are all blocked up with booths, street music may be heared in all directions too, N.B. this strictly prohibited on all other occasions. I am going to tea at Mrs. Whittle's tomorrow morning to meet the Allens and uncle Jeffry and aunt M. On coming in this morning at about 12.45 (I had begun with gymnastics at 7.15 a.m. and had been busy all the intermediate time) I found a note on the table, and on opening it found a card of a Mrs. J. Trumbull White hoping to have the pleasure of seeing me at 8 oclock on Thursday evening next. I never heared of her in my life, but of course I shall go, perhaps uncle J. or Mrs. Whittle will know something about her. I suppose it is a dancing party from the hour. I have been at 5 balls since I left Ireland and have been invited to 3 more which I think is on the whole pretty well. I have been a good deal with young S. lately and and am beginning to like him very much; he will have some holidays at Easter and also at Whitsuntide, and having found that he is fond of walking I have been proposing to take a stretch of a week or so somewhere, which he thinks would be a very good plan. Prague – in Bohemia – is only 80 miles off, and the scenery beautiful; everything is raving about the beauty of Prague, and the Saxon Switzerland lies on the way. It would be easy to go there and back in 8 or 9 days and I fancy the living would be nearest to nothing. What do you say to this? There could not be a better way of seeing the country and such opportunities may not always occur for seeing strange countries and learning German, for, for the time I was away, I of course would speak nothing but German. Take a look at some of the numerous maps about the house – I think you will find good maps of this part of the world in my collection of those of the Society for the D. of U. K. – and tell me what you think of it.
I think I will call on uncle J. this afternoon to see if he knows anything about this Mr. J. T. White. I have borrowed a German book on Butterflies from young Seckendorff and find that they have pretty nearly the same Butterflies as we have. The plates, or rather woodcuts, are the best I have yet seen and are beautifully coloured. He is, or was, a collector and seems to take a great interest in Natural History in general
I was talking about Architecture the other evening to the Baron when to my surprise he brought out 2 large folios of plates and letterpress on the subject in question, and at another time he brought out a whole lot of maps of all kinds and descriptions. –
I have just seen uncle J. and he can give me no information about the invitation I received this morning, but he recommended me to go, which however I had intended from the first. I have heared some more about the new house which makes me think that everything can & will be arranged all right. I shall post this tomorrow morning on my way to the riding school.
F. E. Prendergast
{"Society for the D. of U. K.": "Society for the Distribution of Useful Knowledge", an editor of maps, statistics books etc.}
Dresden
March 16. 1859.
My dear mamma
I am beginning this letter now but when it will be finished I do not know. I spent a very pleasant evening yesterday at Mrs. Whittle's and talked the whole evening with Miss Allen. I find that she has an uncle – an Allen – living at Clough near Dundrum C° Down and is often there. You must make inquiries from aunt Nannie about them; I think that the 3 Allens are some of the pleasantest people I ever met, and I must try and keep up acquaintance with them somehow or other. They are great friends of uncle J's. To day I have done a good deal in the visiting line, at 3 p.m. I went to call on the Dales to thank Mrs. D. for getting me invited to this ball. There I found Smith and Hogarth (Hughes) who had come on precisely the same errand. Afterwards I went to call on this Mrs. White N.B. I had never seen her before nor she me! and paid a very pleasant visit of half an hour, she asked me if I knew many Americans here (she is from New York) and on my mentioning young Sparkman (Hughes) she asked me if I would be kind enough to invite him! I said I should be most happy and ported off to the gentleman in question and bagged him!!! He is to call here for me tomorrow evening. Is not that pretty well for one day? I find that this Mrs. White has with the assistance of Mrs. Dale been hunting for me all over the town looking at Hughes, Hubners Madame Dillon's, the younger Hughs and I don't know where besides!!!!! Is not that a great honour?
{The well-documented family of John Trumbull White is not found in the Dresden directory but must have spent at least the preceding two months in the town; their 11th child is reported to be born on 12.01.1859 there. Obviously the lady won't miss a chance, however slim, to invite a potential husband for her daughter Emily Carroll White, hence her preference of Americans; other speakers of English may do all right. But the family is also keen on impressing the local upper class, which only makes sense if they do not plan to move away too soon.
Dundrum County Down: in Northern Ireland. The uncle is John Reed Allen, estate owner, JP, living in "Mount Panther", Clough; born in Dunover like his brother. Wealthy, nice, reputable, and educated people, as it seems.}
18th March 9.45 a.m. I am not long home from the ball yet, of which I will give you an account. In the first place young Sparkman sent an excuse to say he could not come so I went alone. It ws a very large ball, about 80 people or so, four from Hughes were there and many of the ladies and gentlemen I knew, it was very agreeable and we danced from 9 till 2.30 a.m. Mrs. White is a very American lady very agreeable and anxious to do all she could for her guests. Mr. W. is a strange sort of a little fellow young enough almost to be her son and Miss White is a thorough-bred Yankee talking through her nose in the most fearful way but very pleasant in spite of it all, there were numbers of German ladies and a few gentlemen. It was too large to be so agreeable as the Allens which was indeed a model party. The supper was very well managed and first rate satables, the only drawback was that the gentlemen had to stand. Their rooms are magnificent and were most tastefully adorned. Its largeness was its only drawback. None of the Allens were there, and the English and Germans (we had 5 officers) far outnumbered the Americans. I shall now answer your questions. We have very seldom any strangers in the evening here as the Baron prefers being alone with his family. I know nothing about the holidays taken by masters at Easter but I suppose it is a fortnight, and you have already heared of my intentions. I believe young S. enjoyed the Allens party amazingly, at all event he has talked about nothing else ever since. None of the family go to the theatre except Adolf (that is the correct way to spell it) and he goes very seldom. This is a most lovely day and makes me wish that I was on my way to Prague. All the lilacs here are in actual leaf and all the other shrubs in full bud. I dare say that there will be a letter this evening but I shall not keep this on the chances, that is if I can get it ready before one oclock. Answering letters regularly would never do. I must pay Mrs. Whittle a visit this morning if possible but I am afraid I shall not have the time.
No letters from any one yet have come to hand, always excepting Tower Terrace. Keep uncle Frank in mind that he ought to write to me
Francis E. Prendergast
{As for Mrs. White's alleged husband, FEP either misjudges his age or mistakes the person; a ball is ladies' business anyway.}
Dresden
March 18. 1859.
My dear papa
You will find an account of my last ball in Mammas and as my time is very short I will only answer your questions. You must not imagine that my small telescope has such extraordinary power as you seem to think it possesses, it is only a very good one. You speak of never forgetting the history of any place you have ever seen; this is not the case with me in history, but with regard to machinery or inventions it is exactly so with me as history is with you. I hope you will take care of the index maps you have got and don't let them vanish like those of Donegal or Cork and Kerry. After the ball last night I walked home with young Scott Russell he seems a very nice sort of a young fellow and very well informed, he complains of the Polytechnic being very poor and says that the professors will take no pains with you. He is living with his sister in the Hotel de Belle Vue and has been here for some months. I was introduced to the Dresden Belle last night a Miss Maitland half American she is very fine and decidedly handsome but not so pleasing as some of the other ladies. I have no time for any more.
Francis E. Prendergast
[Norman Scott Russell, 1839-1929, ist not enrolled at the Polytechnic, but attending some courses. He goes back to England to assist his father soon enough for the explosion of the "Great Eastern", about which we will read below.]
March 21. 1859.
Dresden.
My dear mamma
Yours and papas which I had expected on Saturday did not come till this morning. I am very glad to hear that you have actually got Grandmamma with you again safe and sound. What did aunt Nannie think of the high tide?, tell her to write me an account of it herself. I will write to them when I can but when that will be, remains to be seen. The weather here. Tuesday 22. This letter was suddenly interrupted yesterday evening by the Barons asking me to come into the next room and be introduced to the Bettens; I went in and found the father (N.B. There was very little light and I only saw them for about 2 minutes) not at all American looking and apparently a very nice sort of person, the son is an out-and-out young Jonathan of not much more than 16. The father is going back to America next Saturday and is coming back in the middle of June, the son and another young American of about 23 or so are to stay with us. The Baroness has been laid up all the past week, but she is all right again now. I have not the least idea how long I should like to remain here with my present masters, not very long I think. I never read any newspapers or new books except on Sunday when I am with uncle Jeffry, and I find the want of this telling greatly telling against me until now I had always looked upon it as an amusement but now I see how very necessary it is. The weather to day has been somewhat rainy and cold yesterday it was most beautiful The shrubs here are all in, or nearly, in leaf, but many of the trees have still their old brown leaves remaining, little fountains are playing everywhere and some of the larger ones also, but the orange trees with which the Zwinger is filled in summer are never brought out until the middle of May; wide awakes are appearing in all directions but straw hats have not yet shown themelves.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden
March 21. 1859.
My dear papa,
I received your letter of Thursday this morning. All the difficulty about room in the new house has been settled by a most melancholy event. Mrs. Betten is dead. I saw her and her son coming out of the church yesterday week; on Monday evening she was sitting quite quietly when all of a sudden she turned deadly pale an began to talk in such a way as to leave no doubt of her brain being affected and on Friday evening she died! Is it not a melancholy story? What the father and son are going to do the Baron does not know and of course cannot ask them at present, but at all events I am now sure of a room. Mrs. B. had always been in delicate health, but still nothing unusual. According to the present state of politics, I should think my movements in the summer must be rather problematical, everyone here expects war some sooner, some later. It sounds so odd to hear the Baroness quietly talking about having officers quartered in the house – N.B. They have been in two revolutions in different towns and have often had officers quartered upon them and on one occasion soldiers.
French I am working at with M. Comte, but as to speaking it and German at the same time, it is impossible, it is hard to imagine two languages more opposed, however that does not prevent my reading and writing it, the last I find very hard; whenever I want to speak the French, out comes the German which as far as the words that I know are concerned seems quite natural. Classics I could not study at present without neglecting my other masters, for I am absolutely working all my time for these, except what is required for writing letters and walking. Recollect that breakfast takes 1 hour dinner 1½ or 2 and supper form 7.30 till 10. This however is time well spent as I am speaking or hearing German all the time instead of English as at Hughes. Drawing is the only thing I could leave off and my master is such a good and pleasant one that it would be a pity to do so. It is a thing though at which I never can be a proficient through want of taste for it, and more than all my bad sight, which goes against me in everything and particularly in drawing and fencing. Uncle J. is anxious for me to begin mathematics but I cannot do everything at once. When the weather improves I shall be able to have my riding and gymnastic lessons an hour earlier which will give more time. I went to the Grosser Gartens to day to look for uncle J. and hit on him by the merest chance in a back walk, he said that there was nothing more in his letter than in mine. I dined with him yesterday and after dinner we went in and paid a visit to Mrs. Whittle and saw the Allens there.
I met Captain Montgomery also yesterday evening and had a talk with him about the Saxon Switzerland which he praises very much. I forgot to ask him if it was equal to Donegal The having to pay for the dilivery of letters here is a great nuisance 3 pfennige for each letter (3 pfennige are somewhat less than a halfpenny). These aforesaid pfennige are a shocking bother themselves two – 9 make one penny! one never knows what to do with them and they are very much used. They have also got Austrian florins in circulation here (value the same as with us) and also Saxon and Prussian 10 groschen (1/) pieces which are almost exactly the same size; this is caused by the superior purity of the Austrian silver. I have seen no gold but there is some gold in circulation. The notes of from every value from 3/ upwards are very convenient indeed, but not so the heavy Thalers (3/) which are almost as bad a 5/ piece with us. I hear that the soldiers here are getting double drill and exercise all day long with their rifles at the other side of the Neu Stadt. What is uncle George about? I have not heared of him for an age. I am afraid Charly I. will never have a months health while he is in his present office, I always thought so from the first indeed, as you may remember.
Sie haben ein grosses buch und 𝖎𝖈𝖍 𝖍𝖔𝖋𝖋𝖊 𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖍𝖙 daß S𝖎𝖊 𝖜𝖚̈𝖓ſ𝖈𝖍𝖊𝖓 Mr. W. so ſ𝖊𝖍𝖗 𝖌𝖊𝖗𝖓 ſ𝖎𝖊 𝖜𝖔𝖍𝖓𝖊𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝖂𝖊ſ𝖙𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉ſ𝖙𝖗𝖆ß𝖊.
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. I had inadvertently written some German there which as far as I can now make out has no earthly sense, I am nearly tumbling asleep over this 12:15 a.m.
{"on Friday evening she died": the official record says Saturday, 21.03.1859.
The crossed-out passage, partly in German script, reads: "Sie haben ein großes buch und ich hoffe nicht daß Sie wünschen Mr W. so sehr gern sie wohnen in Westmorelandstraße." It looks like homework for the German lessons: an imaginary letter concerning his relatives, absentmindedly written on the wrong sheet. It translates something like "You have a large book and I do not hope you wish Mr. W. so very much they live in Westmoreland Street"; such a street exists in Dublin. However, it may also be on purpose, in order to demonstrate the writer's (budding) ability to write German script.
12:15 a.m.: i.e. 0:15, quarter past midnight.}
Dresden
March 27. 1859.
My dear papa,
Since I last wrote we have had a great change in the weather, viz. the ground covered with snow and a pretty hard frost; the snow only lay a few hours but it has made the air very cold and Dresden is in a shocking state of dirt. To day it appears very cold and occasional showers of snow-sleet fall. Otherwise there is nothing new. Since Wednesday – this being Sunday – the only English I have spoken was a few words to uncle Jeffry yesterday – what a difference from Hughs's! Indeed the only English I speak is when I see uncle Jeffry which is generally for an hour or so every second day. The Thompsons (C°. Antrim) are going home immediately and have their furniture auction on Tuesday at which the Seckendorffs intend to buy some articles. They have been here three years for the education of their children. Young Boyton too is going to England at Easter; he was here before Christmas and can hardly speak two words of German, which comes from his living with his family, where of course no German whatever is spoken. Miss Taylor and Miss Thompson left on Friday for Rome, on the preceding Friday two Miss Forbes friends of uncle J. left for the same destination; They were going to travel the whole way to Venice (per rail) without stopping! 2½ days I think it is. Mrs. Whittle and the Allens I am afraid will soon be en route for northern Italy and the Tyrol. Everybody is on the move and I shall not be sorry when I am en route for Prague and northern Bohemia. From what I hear I am inclined to think that Northern Lombardy – the lakes I mean – and the Tyrol are as well worth, or better, seeing than Switzerland, The Baron says that he never knew a country more thoroughly spoiled than it is by the English and tourists generally. Every one speaks of the Italian lakes as something indescribable. It seems so odd to be within a couple of days of everything. Switzerland France Italy Venice Hungary; and even Poland is not 24 hours from Dresden! I intend to invest a few shillings in a pocket compass (a card compass) which is a kind of thing to be had cheap and good here. The night before last the two young Ss. had gone out to a party, and I happening to talk about maps to the Baron he produced a gigantic atlas of Germany over which we sat for an hour and a half, I getting lots of picknigs out of him about the various parts. He has nearly the same mania for maps that I have.
Is there the remotest chance of my hearing from uncle Frank? Uncle Joe I have not written to or heard from for some time so I must try and make him up a letter some day soon. Uncle Jeffry has just got a large historical atlas of Europe which I think you would like very much, but apparently very good and proportionably dear. The universal feeling of liking for Austria which seems to prevail here surprises me very much, I had always thought that they were universally disliked, but it seems that the Prussians come nearer to this description.
Do you ever think of coming on the continent in summer?
I am very sorry that my passport was not visé'd for all possible countries before leaving England, it saves endless bother and I imagine is the cheapest in the end – for instance to go into Bohemia I shall require two or three visés here, a new passport I hear all which trouble would have been saved by having one Austrian signature in England – and so with other countries. 28th. Your letter of 25th came this evening. I had also one from uncle Joe which you may mention in your next to him. Also a note from aunt Eliza viâ Carola Strasse. Do you generally post your letters to me before or after 12 noon? and when do you usually get mine?
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"two Miss Forbes": Caroline Selina Forbes, of Irish roots. "Two" may be a misunderstanding; her sister Adelaide Dorothea Forbes has died in January at Dresden. Their brother Hon. Francis Reginald Forbes is a long-time British diplomat in Dresden (since 1858 Rio de Janeiro, probably lonesome), all three used to live together, unmarried.}
Dresden.
March 28. 1859
My dear mamma,
Since I began my letter to papa the weather has again changed and to day it was cloudless and quite warm. Yours of the 25th came this evening enclosing one of grandmamma's for which I am very much obliged to her. Keep her and aunt Nannie (and aunt Flora too for that matter) up to writing as often as convenient to me. Thank Aunt Flora for her present. I do not want any of my money at present my wants indeed are few and far between. Aunt Margaret was at Mrs. Whittles. By the way uncle Jeffry and she are going to Hamburg for a few days; they go on Wednesday and will be back before that day week. I have not been at Hughe's for an age, but I hear that there is a new Frenchman there, I met the Swiss in the G. Gartens to day. Tell uncle F. that time or no time the must write me a letter on the subject of the new Liverpool steamer that has been put on between Belfast, Queenstown and America The boat "City of Manchester" is, as I best remember, a first class steamer. If it succeeds I think one is likely to be put on between Dublin, Queenst. and America. I went off to my gymnastics at 7 this morning and enjoyed the fine morning very much. None of the trees here are green yet but some of lilacs and other shrubs are very respectably out. The larks too are singing as if they were trying to split their throats. Yesterday I took a tolerably long walk and got wet coming home There are now only two roads from Dresden which I have not explored but I shall soon knock them off. I find my pocket glass a great luxury, I wish I had had it last summer. The people here are all taking out the outside frames of the double windows and some already getting the green jalousies in their place. The Sidonien Strasse is fearful even now of a hot day and in summer it must be unendurable.
Tell uncle Charles and the boys that I wish they would give me a line, I wish I had Georgy here to accompany me in my walks. I have already given you my direction on and after the 4.th April. What news from Magherafelt? I think I will finish this now, as it is 11.50 p.m. and I must be in the riding-school at 8 tomorrow
Francis E. Prendergast
{Sidonien-Straße: connecting FEP's and Uncle Jeffry's abodes, east to west. No buildings yet on the southern side, hence not much shade.}
Dresden
April 1.st 1859.
My dear papa,
Since your letter which came on Monday I have not heared from Tower Terrace which rather surprizes me, I, on the other hand have not written since Tuesday. Since I last wrote I have not been quite well, on Tuesday I got a most fearful headache and could not work, or read, or do anything next day I had a kind of rash and the same head-ache, so I left word with all my masters not to come, stayed out all day (9 hours or more) and walked at least 25 miles much to the detriment of my feet which were covered with blisters, However I got what I wished for, viz. a good, sound sleep, next day my headache was gone but not the rash and I called thrice on Dr. Seiler but could not find him, to day I called again and found him, he said I would be all right in a few days and told me to take 2 glasses of magnesia water, which I have got and shall take accordingly. We shall not be in our new quarters till Wednesday at soonest – probably Thursday, as there is a great deal of cleaning &c to be done. I dined with uncle Jeffry on Tuesday and in the evening the windows were open and the air like summer, next day it was very warm and the day after that it was snowing incessantly!! Perhaps these sudden changes have something to say to my complaint. To day also it has been pretty cold, a little hail but no frost. These sudden changes are anythin but agreeable here, and most people have something or other the matter with them. The ball season seems at last to have come to an end – at least I hear of no more. The Thompsons have auctioned off their furniture, and it is said that Mr. Thompson said that that transaction was very lucky for him as the furniture not only repaid its prime cost, but that it put some money into his pocket also! Mrs. Whittle too I hear was rather a gainer than a loser by her auction.
Uncle Jeffry has been laughing at me greatly for using German idioms in English, and a young English boy who is at school here and in a school where there are many English boys (he is often on Sunday at Carola Strasse) uses a most fearful lot of German idioms when speaking English. Does not this seem odd? I often speak and understand German of which I could not tell you the English; how does that come? There are lots of words which I would use correctly in speaking and yet do not know the translation of. Mr. Ensell told me that this would be the case, but I could not believe him at the time.
{Catherine Whittle is about to leave the city for good to follow her husband James Whittle to the castle in Bavaria he has recently bought. Therefore she arranges the auction of the couple's furniture in Lüttichaustraße. On her way to the Bodensee she will make a side tour to her beloved northern Italy, as we have read above.
An English boy who is often on Sunday at Carolastraße? Doubtless with his parents, invited by the Prendergasts; we learn again that the English-speaking community in Dresden is tight-knit and social. James Thompson's children are candidates, though rather considered Irish. By the way, schoolchildren must play much more important a role in social life than represented here, many of our protagonists being among the minority who have none.}
Saturday April 2.d
This morning I am much better and enjoyed my ride pretty well, which I take for a good sign, and with Dr. Seilers magnesia water I dare say I shall be all right on Monday. I shall not say anything about our moving as all seems to be what the Germans call "unbestimmt" or undecided. At all events we must leave this house next week, but whatever comes I am sure to be well cared for, so I shall say no more about it till we are somewhere. Yours of the 29th which came this morning was very welcome as I had not had a letter for 6 days. It is said that the Saxon Switzerland can be seen in 2 days, but I doubt it, you must not imagine that the mountains are any way fine or high; only curious basaltic piles. Prague is only 5 hours distant by rail but there is an hours delay on the Austrian frontier; so that you see one could easily go there and back in a day. I think that the index map of Down is either at Rostrevor or in one of the drawers of our book-case, which, I do not remember. I hear that the cost of pedestrian excursions is reckoned by the Baron at one Thaler (3 Shillings) a day – certainly not more. Does not this seem very cheap. Adolf says 2 shillings but I can scarcely believe that. However things are astonishingly cheap here. I shall try and write again as soon as possible.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden.
April 2.d 1859.
My dear mamma
Your letter came this morning, which rather surprised me, as English letters come usually in the afternoon. I laughed greatly at the idea of a book of travels in the Saxon Switzerland. It is somewhat the same as if you spoke of "travels in the Barony of Mourne;" would not that sound comical? Everybody who has been at Prague raves about its beauty and difference from towns in general. I was very glad of your account of the Allens and hope to receive further intelligence soon. The family here consists of father mother and an only daughter. Miss Allen mentioned Clough, Dundrum and Downpatrick so of course they are the same. There are a pair of Emersons shoes in good condition lying somewhere about the house and if you have not given them away keep and take care of them. The pair I have here with me will be invaluable, as the Dresden shoemakers (and bootmakers) have a decided partiality for brown paper or something very like it. Uncle J. gets all his shoes from Hamburg. There was a Miss Ferrier (English) here to tea last night; she is well acquainted with the Co. Down(!) and knew all about the Hamilton Beauclercs &c. That is in her capacity as a governess. There is a Miss Beauclercs here very blond and plump, but I never took the trouble to enquire if she is from that part of the world. In a walk the other day a butterfly lit just before me, I recognised him at once, but was so astounded at seeing him that I made no attempt to capture him. It was the Camberwell Beauty or Vanessa Antiopa, you will easily find him in the large blue butterfly book. I also saw many of our common ones. Squirrels are said to be common everywhere, but I have only seen one as yet. The steamers are in full swing on the Elbe now, but they seem to get very little custom as yet; in summer they are crowded. The ceilings on all the houses here seem very tastefully done, much more so than with us. I had seen the notice of the new line of steamers before you had got the paper, but don't let that stop your sending such extracts. I saw a very nice miniature Tom yesterday but cats of any description are very scarce here. I shall be glad to get the envelopes you are sending me, as mine are just out, and the foreign ones are very flimsy
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Barony of Mourne": with its 195 square kilometers almost as small as the area called Saxon Switzerland. (Well, Rome is even smaller.) The label "Switzerland", invented by Swiss-born artists in 1766 and later copied by other touristic countrysides worldwide, is indeed a PR "gag", as if there were an "Irish Florida".}
{To the preceding or subsequent letter the following must have been enclosed, as we clearly see from the inscription "The house we are going to in Prager Strasse." The leaf has been bound out of chronology into the second volume under number MSB 26, probably because the recipients continued to use it as a reference.}
Rough plan of Dresden
{The sketch on the front side is rough indeed, but doubtless "traced" from a printed map. The special houses are marked with single letters, whose explanation follows on the reverse side:}
A. 4 Marien Str.
B. Polytechnic School.
C. Mr Comte my French master.
D. 2 Carōla Str.
E. The house we are going to in Prager Strasse.
F. N° 7. Racknitzer Str.
H. My drawing master (Kriebel)
I. English Church (also Calvinist)
K. the guard house where the Band Plays for one hour every morning
My Gymnastic school lies at the Back of the Schiesshaus which you will find on uncle Fs map somewhere between the Zwinger and Frederichs Stadt
{Uncle Frank is the family expert on all matters Continental; both he and the Seckendorffs seem to possess the usual printed map of Dresden. The Schießhaus is a municipal marksmen's house; the entire area west of the Zwinger (hence not covered by FEP's sketch) was used for training purposes of the police etc.
By the way: the letter ß, originally a ligature of s and z, was regularly used in German handwriting and Fraktur print, but not yet available in Antiqua printing fonts (which were meant to be used for foreign words only). If Antiqua was used for German words, e.g. in maps for international tourists, ß was replaced by ss.}
Dresden.
Monday. April 4. 1859.
My dear papa
On Saturday evening I received the long expected letter from uncle Frank which I was very glad to get. I found it on my return from a rather long and solitary walk of 2½ hours to Briesenitz, a pretty little village on the Elbe, about 4 miles to the west. Yesterday after church I walked out with the whole family to a place called the Beterbourg, (so pronounced) about 2 miles off, and afterwards went on further with young S., but as he had on a pair of new boots, and my feet were in anything but proper walking condition, we did not go very far, but strolled about till dark. I am not quite square again yet, but I feel myself much better than on Saturday. There is something for the Dresdeners to talk about at last, viz. a young Frenchman shot himself in the Grosser Gartens last week. He was found by two ladies who were, as you may imagine much shocked. He had shot himself right through the heart. Next – on Saturday evening an Englishman – said to be a courier – threw himself out of one of the windows in the third floor of the Victoria Hotel. One of young S's friends was going by, it is situated in a crowded thoroughfare, at the time, and hearing something heavy fall on the pavement behind, looked round, and to his horror, saw the man lying there; no blood was visible! Some accounts say he was killed on the spot, others that he was taken to an hospital and lived many hours. Is not that a good chapter of accidents for one week? All Dresden is on the move now, as almost every family seems to make it a point of honour to change their abode on the first of April, or rather in the first week. Only think! the Seckendorffs were never two years in the same house so long as they have been in Dresden. It is very disagreeable weather to day, blowing hard, and raining at intervals. Uncle Jeffry will be back to morrow or next day, and I shall have a consultation with him immediately about who is the best classical master to be had here; the invariable result of these conferences is that he invites me and Dr. Seiler in to tea, and he undertakes to make out who is the most suitable person to be had. Were you aware that it was through his means that I got to the S's? I met the younger Hugh's in the streets the other day and he asked me if it was true that Arthur P's father was dead, I asked where he had heared it, he said Hogarth (the little Frenchman) had told him. I said I did not believe a word of it; the probability is that this stupid Hogarth saw in the Times the death of some Prendergast in London, and immediately jumped to the conclusion it must be him.
I have not been at Hughe's for an age, and every Sunday say; well I really must go this week; but somehow I always find when Saturday comes round that I have not been there. On Thursday I am going to a concert with young S. and the Boytons. The price of all the concerts is only 3d. Does not that seem very little, taking into consideration that the music is really first rate, and the orchestra very large? The quantity of coffee drunk in Dresden is something prodigious, and though the Saxon is certainly a beer drinking animal, the amount of beer drunk here is really not so much. One occasionally sees a fellow a little elevated with the beer, but I have not seen one drunken man since I came to Dresden. There is a kind of brown frieze shooting coat worn here, with a green collar, and they seem very muched liked by all I have asked about them, and I think perhaps I may get one, they only cost 9/, and are really serviceable
Francis E. Prendergast.
{We will meet Arthur's father Harris Prendergast below alive, but widowed on 25.04.1859 – a bad omen? The death notice Hogard has read, about one of the host of Prendergasts not closely related to ours, is probably: "March 20. At Highgate-rise, after a short illness, Michael Prendergast, esq., Q.C., Recorder of Norwich, and Judge of the Sheriff's Court"}
Dresden
4. p.m. April 4. 1859.
My dear mamma,
I think I answered all your questions in my letter of Saturday, but I forgot to tell you to keep grandmamma and aunt Nannie up to writing to me; thank uncle Frank for his letter, and tell him I shall answer as soon as possible. Jack's letter has, of course, not come, neither have I heared from Mary for some time.
I shall send you a plan of the floor, and of my room, as soon as we move. I have drawn it already but cannot find it till we are there. I dare say it is quite possible a letter may come this afternoon, but I shall not delay this on chances. I find my wide-awake a great comfort and was quite horrified yesterday on putting on my black for church, to feel how hard and heavy it felt. On the day we move, – whatever it may be – we all will dine at the Poole who have been kind enough to ask us all to dinner on that day, so as to obviate the difficulty of cooking. There are five young ladies all under 23 {the intended number may be 27} and there is not one of them but you would take for more than 23! This, I hear is the case universally with the Russians, and it is the most amusing thing to hear the Germans guessing the ages of English ladies, setting down "elderly young ladies" of two and thirty as under 25. One in particular a Miss Young (somewhat a la Miss Chesney) was supposed to be about about 22 and the lady in question is certainly over 30. We have got a fat young officer with spectacles in the riding school now; I positively did not think that even a fellow who had never seen a horse could be so awkward – clutching at the saddle in turning in the corners and such like things; he has only been there 2 mornings and has got one fall already. Now there are seldom more than 3 there of a morning, which seems rather odd.
I find that filling 2½ sheets of this paper at one stretch is rather hard work, particularly as I had been writing French exercises for half an hour previously. Generally I write any letters in pieces – a sheet or so at a time, but this week I have to pack up my traps which takes a little time away. Would you belive it, I got all my books packed in 20 minutes this morning? Indeed I think in less.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"five young ladies": the daughters of Mrs. Poel, all under 27.
"my black": top hat as required with formal clothing.}
Dresden
April 6. 1859.
My dear papa
I have just received a letter from uncle Willy of the 2nd, I had expected one from you, but I suppose it will come tomorrow. I have just seen uncle Jeffry who has come back from Hamburg all right, and Mrs O'Frere and Miss Preusser will be here tomorrow, per midday train. We are still here in Räcknitzer Strasse and as at present arranged are to move on Saturday, but I do not think it is by any means certain yet, however it is all the same to me. I am going to stop my riding and gymnastics for a few days to allow time for me to get round again for I am not up to much violent exercise. Uncle Jeffry says that he (see what some of beginning a letter without looking at the sheet) thinks the best way about the drawing will be to wait till I go on this tour which will be in about a fortnight; and that when I come back I can set regularly to work at the classics
I have again got a fearful headache in fact I have never been without one for the last 10 days, and I shall go to Dr. Seiler again tomorrow; the only thing I find to keep it off is staying in the open air, but that is not always practicable. I was down on the new Quay for the first time this evening and found it much better than I had expected a small railway runs along it and much improves it, there was some activity going on in loading and unloading barges that is German activity.
I suspect that when I begin the classics I shall want a Latin-German & German Lexicon as a double looking out would be rather a long busines. Thursday – To day is most splendid weather and a large part of the furniture has been moved into the new house, we are to follow with the remainder on Saturday morning. I took a long walk of about 7 miles this morning beginning at 7.30 and have about cured my headache at 11 we had a dinner luncheon as we are going to dine with the Pooles at 5 oclock. I am now going out to the G. G. to meet uncle Jeffry aunt M. and (probably) Mrs. O'Frere and I shall try and finish this to night.
Friday. I saw uncle Jeffry and aunt M. in the G. G. yesterday but Mrs. O'Frere was tired with her journey and had stayed at home, Miss Preusser had gone out at once to Lockwitz. Uncle J. and aunt M. had a rather tiresome journey to and from Hamburg, but on the whole seem to have fared pretty well. I am finishing this in a great hurry so as to get it in before dinner, time seems to vanish here in the most unaccountable manner.
Francis. E. Prendergast.
{"Mrs. O'Frere": Caroline Aufrere, Margaretta Prendergast's sister from Bowness-on-Windermere. The misspelling is certainly due to FEP's relying on spoken information without asking for the correct spelling, as we have seen with the "Pooles" and others.
There must have been a Wehrtmann family-and-friends meeting at Hamburg, and the persons mentioned have travelled together from there. The ladies Aufrere and Preußer may spend a night at Leipzig, visiting the Preußers' countless old friends there, hence arrive at Dresden later "per midday train".}
Dresden.
Thursday April 7 1859.
My dear mamma
We have at last got some fine weather again, which is very lucky on account of the moving, it is to be on Saturday and this morning some of the furniture was removed. I expect to get the parcel this evening as Mrs. O'Frere is probably here now and Miss Preusser is to be with her. I shall have only one envelope remaining after I despatch this so that your supply will be very acceptable, my paper too is just out so I must get a fresh supply, what I expected to last more than 6 months has only lasted 2½! Envelopes, sealing-wax, soap and one or two other articles of the same nature I strongly advise being brought from England. The German sealing wax is execrable and the Seckendorffs were in great admiration of my English sealingwax; the seals themselves too are anything but well cut. I think you and grandmama would like the plan for taking cattle through the streets here, they have a chain halter and ring through the nose generally but the grand contrivance is this; there is a strong girth round the animal with an iron ring at the lowest part through this a double cord goes which is fastened to the fetlocks so that if the animal runs away the man has only to pull the cord and the animal comes down on its nose. This of course would not do with a large herd as every beast must have a man.
Friday. To day is again most lovely weather and is a great Holyday or rather Holy-day in Germany and it is strictly forbidden to work. Nevertheless I have had my gymnastic lesson and will have a German lesson in the Evening. We were at the Pooles last night – Poël is the name I believe – and they gave us a very good dinner, all the young ladies smoke, what would you think if you saw a pretty young lady of 23 with a cigarette in her mouth puffing away as hard as she can? I hear that the mother – a most agreeable ladylike person – and the two eldest daughters smoke almost incessantly. They all draw very nicely and I hear play and sing well also, they are more German than Russian by birth but all their ideas and customs are Russian witness smoking, they have also got a samovar which was the first I had ever seen, it is nearly identical with our tea-urn; they seem to drink no wine whatever but they make for it by drinking tea in a way that would beat Bridget hollow. The only stranger who was there was a German named Hartmann. My next letter will be from the new quarters. Nothing from the Glenties as yet.
Francis. E. Prendergast.
{parcel: Annette Preußer has fulfilled her errand as described in the above letter of March 14.
"Poël": nonstandard but frequent spelling used by the Poel family in Germany, which we met before.}
Dresden
12 g Prager St.
April 10.th 1859.
My dear mamma
We are in the new house at last and I forward you a plan with explanation on the back. I shall make out another of my room and send it as soon as I can. The present plan is far from correct as my room is nearly square and Miss S's is much larger in reality, she and the Baron are to live in the 3d floor hereafter; the kitchen is below stairs. The number of Doors must appear very strange to you but they are not more numerous than is usual in Dresden. The Barons intention is to have three or 4 young Englishmen somewhat a la Hughe's in course of time. Your German G is very creditable, but it looks somewhat shaky in comparison with the English Could you not make it so – G
Here are railway times fares and distances that you wished to know. Dresden to Prague (118 miles) 2d class 11/6. 3 trains daily. Dresden to Vienna distance 270 miles 2d class £1..14s time 20 hours. Vienna to Buda (Pesth) 2d class 19/ distance 170 miles time 10 hours. Is that sufficient? I consider that any time spent at Dresden after I have got some idea of German would be wasted and that if I am to stay (residing) after the summer in Germany that some of the southern cities would be more advantageous though some other country would be better still. I think that if I am to travel in the summer I would lose a great deal of the pleasure of travelling. I wish very much that uncle Charles would send Georgy here to the Baron's for a month or so in summer and then let him come with me. In spite of all his boyish ways he has more common sense than most young people and of all young people I know I would sooner have him as a companion than anyone else that I know – always excepting Jack. Suppose you suggested it to uncle Charles? I really am in earnest about this. Your packet came all safe yesterday. Miss Preusser sent it in to uncle Jeffry and he sent it in to me. How do you like this upright writing? I shall try to have this ready to send off to morrow morning as I go from my French master to the drawing.
I have not got my room quite in order yet, but I think very little more can be done to it. I do not think that Mrs. O'Frere has much of aunt Margarets appearance but still I can see some. I was out at Lockwitz (about 5 miles off) on Friday evening, but not having a minute of spare time, and not knowing anything about the Preussers I did not call. I suppose I shall be starting on my tour some time next week but nothing is settled yet however I shall write as soon as I am certain about it. To day has been fine but showery.
Francis E Prendergast.
Here are a few of my hairs from which you will you will see what a variety I have
{The house is fairly new and belongs to an Ernst Wolf. Seckendorffs rent the ground floor, previously occupied by another retired officer; Wolf lives one upstairs; there are two more floors.
"German G": the writer's new address "Prager Str. 12g" has already been known to and used by his mother. Using German script is not really required; in it, "g" and "G" are mainly distinguished by their vertical sizes. Generally, lowercase letters after house numbers, starting alphabetically from "a", are used for newer buildings behind older ones, when the path leading to them is not found worthy of a name and numbering of its own.}
Dresden
12G Prager St.
9.30 a.m.
Sunday, April 10. 1859
My dear papa
We are at last fixed here after a good deal of trouble with the moving. My room is somewhat larger than my old one, and even already I am beginning to think that I shall like it as well or better. I have got the morning sun until 10.30 or 11 oclock which is a thing I am very fond of. I got your 2 last letters at the same time on Friday last. I think I am all right again but this now roast, now freeze weather is anything but conducive to health. The 9 days that uncle J. was away I did not speak any English which is the longest time I have yet been so, but I am afraid that my progress in reading and writing it does not correspond with the speaking, but I have several times had to write notes to my masters. The French that I am learning now I look upon more as a help to learning it hereafter, for the little German I knew before I came made an immense difference. Yesterday as I was settling my room I heared a great deal of talking apparently English and German at the Hall door and presently the Baroness knocked at my door and asked me to come and interpret, this was young Boyton who had come to look for Adolf. Though he has been here since (& before) Christmas he could not make himself understood and the Baroness does not understand a word of anything but German and French. I shall make inquiries about a horse but I should not fancy riding alone, and there is nobody who rides here that I should care to be with. At the gymnastics we have some horses for vaulting rings for for swinging horizontal ladders, ditto sloping, bars, parallel bars and ropes for climbing. I do not know whether I ever told you that he does not profess to teach feats, but only what tends to strengthen the body. I can vault over the horse as high as my shoulder, which is the highest he has. He has never more than one at a time, so I never can have company. He is the only teacher here. I do not know what coat I shall walk in, the black venetian is the only one that would do as the shooting coat is not adapted for walking and is too tight across the chest. I think that perhaps the best thing I can do would be to get one of the 9/6 frieze upa's such as I mentioned.
Jacks tandem drive is beyond my comprehension for I am sure we had work enough with one horse in the little bit of the way we went.
Francis E. Prendergast
Dresden
April 14. 1859
My dear Papa
I went out yesterday evening for a walk and got as far as the Golden Height which lies about 5 miles to the south from whence there is a splendid (for the vicinity of Dresden I mean) view down towards Bohemia and the Erz Mountains, or rather hills; the country round Dresden is every where ruined by coal works, which are absolutely everywhere, on the tops of hills in valleys in the plains – everywhere in short. On returning I found your letter of the ninth and also a terrific packet from uncle Frank. The coat which I mentioned as only costing 9/ (not 11/) is not a shooting coat, but is a short coat of brown frieze with green stand up collar and buttoning loosely from the throat to the bottom, I think I heard that it is of Bohemian or Hungarian origin.
Miss Preusser I have not yet seen nor do I expect to see her very soon.
This house is very comfortable and as far as I am concerned a great improvement for me, as my room is better and larger, but I suspect that it will not be so convenient for the Baron and his family. This morning they have been hanging a bookcase and a picture in my room. I am now quite settled and what is better I am all square again. This morning it is snowing raining and blowing in a way that would put December to shame, and the unlucky Baroness who has been rather unwell after the tumult of moving must go off tomorrow morning with her youngest son to the Moravian settlement at Ebersdorf near Gera, a long days journey from this, she is going to leave this son at school with the Moravians there and to bring home another son who is going to enter the Polytechnic here. In the 2nd volume of uncle Welds American travels, near the end I think, you will find an account of a Moravian settlement, and from what I have heared from the Baroness, who was educated by the Moravians, I think they seem to be pretty much the same everywhere. I do not know precisely on what day we shall be going off on our tour but it will be next week, nor do I know how long we shall be away certainly not over a fortnight. I am afraid that he (young S) seems rather doubtful about going with me to Prague (on the score of money I suspect) but if he will not come so far I should be inclined to go alone (per Rail) if you thought well of it, for a couple of days, but I hope to succeed in getting him to come. I shall get the 9/ coat as soon as possible for I want some such thing for fencing and riding as the shooting coat is too tight and warm and the black is too good.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Miss Preusser I have not yet seen nor do I expect to see her very soon.": this must be the reply to some remark or question by JPP, such as "What is your impression of Miss Preusser?". The lady is of some importance to JPP; much more so to Jeffry and aunt Margaret, of course.
Ebersdorf: in Thuringia, the home village of the Baron's siblings. The boys attending the boys' school mentioned, known as "Möller'sches Institut", must be Arthur v. Seckendorff and either Oscar or Robert jr. The baroness herself had formerly been educated in the neighbouring girls' school; both schools are being run by the said Moravian Church, in German language, of course.
"uncle Welds American travels": FEP's granduncle Isaac Weld III, 15.03.1774-04.08.1856, author of "Travels Through the States of North America ...", 1799, see Wikipedia.
Moravians: Moravian Church, "Herrnhuter Brüdergemeinde", comparable to evangelical denominations in the US. In Germany, its relationship to the mainstream protestant denominations varies between sharp opposition and assumed compatibility, Ebersdorf tending to the latter. Isaac Weld describes their settlement Bethlehem/PA approvingly on pages 537-546 of his book, focusing on strict discipline and uniformity, also praising the relatively high standard of education (from which godless pastimes such as ballroom dancing were excluded, of course). Criticism has never been scarce, though, beyond questions of creed. FEP wisely refrains from commenting.}
Dresden.
April 14. 1859
My dear Mamma
I am beginning this in a furious hurry as uncle Jeffry has just sent me a note saying that they are going to dine at 3.30 and going to the Theatre afterwards and asking me to come with them, and my French master will be here in a few minutes and I am in tremendous hurry so as to get everything done which must account for this bad writing. I am all right again – at least I think so, so you may make your mind easy about me. I believe that Mr. Ensell really intends to write to me but at the same time I believe he will not write, nor do I imagine that he will get his pupils to form a class.
I have also just got per uncle Jeffry a note from aunt Eliza at Pondwell all well. – My French master has just taken his departure and I am waiting for the announcement of dinner, for the Seckendorffs would not rest easy in their graves if I was not at table at one oclock, though I must dine again at 3.30! I am very jolly in my new quarters here and whenever I can find a little spare time – which most certainly I shall not in this week – I will send you a pan of my room. I never saw anything so nice as the Pigeons here, they are so tame that you might kick them if you liked, and you never by any chance see boys throwing stones at them. Return my thanks to uncle Frank for his gigantic package which came to hand yesterday, I shall answer in due course of time but I owe a fearful quantity of letters at present, Jack uncle Joe uncle Willy uncle Frank aunt Eliza and I don't know who besides. I have not seen any butterflies since, nor is the snow that we had this morning likely to bring more soon. Mrs. Aufrère has not much resemblance to aunt Margaret except in size and voice, the last is almost identical. The fruit trees here are all in blossom and as almost all are fruit trees and every road has a row at each side they make a great show.
I took a very pleasant 3 hours walk yesterday, and the day, without being warm was particularly fine. Did I tell you that uncle Jeffry had brought me a very nice cane stick from Hamburg? it is too short for my fancy but I think it would be the very thing for Papa.
I shall write again as soon as I can to make up for this short letter.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Theatre: If it is the Hoftheater, the performance is the opera "The Merry Wives of Windsor" by Otto Nicolai, in German.
"nor do I imagine that he will get his pupils to form a class": this may mean that Ensell is a typical scatty clergyman who doubles as an elementary teacher without proper training, and tends to deal with one pupil at a time while the rest of the class does not pay attention. Cf. June 17 below.
Mrs. Aufrère: obviously FEP's mother has mentioned the correct spelling and asked for a physical description.}
Dresden
April 18. 1859
My dear Mamma
Your letter enclosing Marys came along with that enclosing Jacks, and is such a long time past that I had answered it before I got your query about it. You wonder who the 5 letters could be to, they were to uncles Frank, Willie and Joe, Mary and Jack. Mrs. Aufrère is somewhat like aunt Elizabeth in ways and appearance and looks 15 years younger than aunt Margaret. I am rather curious about this young Miss Pager, I hope that she may make her way to the Rowleys if suitable. I should think that they were almost more in want of an educated companion with ladylike manners than a governess, for which she would apparently be the very thing.
I do not think that there is any steamer whatever that goes between this and Hamburg, but there are plenty of barges which go and take 2 months to get there and about twice as much to come back. The purse I think decidedly unsafe whatever it may be in theory, and I shall try and find one like my own here. The sovereign was all safe. Please give or send the enclosed to uncle Willie, in the next will be one for Jack, so you might have a letter ready to send him. Two of Hugh's fellows are gone (Smith and Etlinger) so I suppose there will be some new arrivals there soon, he has got a young Guardsman named Burnaby since I left.
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. if you want to be very correct in addressing letters you must put the number last Thus
Prager Strasse. 12.G.
which is the German style.
{Mrs. Aufrere née Caroline Wehrtmann again: Obviously everything else worth knowing about the lady is already known in Dublin from Jeffry's letters, but FEP is the only one, if anybody, to have a comparison to a personal acquaintance of the addressees. He obliges his mother's wish without displaying much interest of his own.
"aunt Elizabeth": probably FEP's own aunt Elizabeth Irwin née Ensor, 1804-1883. Caroline Aufrere, 1809-1885, is known as energetic, intellectual and talkative, responsible, diplomatic if necessary, often compassionate while proud of her English gentry status. Skinny-faced in her youth, later well-nourished. Margaretta is only two years older, more emotional, usually considered better-looking (even "beautiful" and "magnificent"), but now severely suffering from a disease leading to ascites, see below.
Rowleys: family of Rev. James Johnston Rowley, Rockmullan, Monaghan County, Ireland; his wife is "aunt Matilda" née Ensor.}
Dresden.
April 18. 1859
My dear Papa
Yours of the 15th, with note for uncle Jeffry enclosed, came this afternoon, but I am sorry to say that our walking trip to Prague has fallen to the ground and will end in a 3 or 4 days trip in the Saxon Switzerland, as young S. will at no time be able to be away from Dresden for more than 5 days, if so much, however after this, as I said before I should be inclined to take a run down to Prague alone for a couple of days; or perhaps you might also think it adviseable for me to take a run up to Berlin for a few days while the time allows of it (it is 6 hours only) or you might perhaps suggest some other place. The Baron is wishing to get another young fellow as soon as possible; he will have nothing but English (Irish not objected to) as he says he does not want to have anything to say to Americans; it will make a considerable difference to me whoever comes, and I wish I was sure of getting some agreeable person. Do you happen to know of anybody?
You say you thought that no European ladies smoked, but surely those of Spain do, as well as the Russians.
The weather for the past three days has been very disagreeable, a constant cold north-west wind with occasional showers of hail and snow.
I took my last drawing lesson today and was not at all sorry that it was the last, except that I was sorry to leave Krieble who is really a very nice fellow, as the Germans go. I have long been wanting a good German book to read, as Schiller is not much in my line and I can't stand the petty little German novels and have invested 10/ in a book of Travels in two octavo volumes which had been recommended to me by my German master, as being very amusing, good German and not difficult. I had been labouring under the impression that I could badly read any German at all but I find it much easier than I was aware of. I am translating parts of Middleton's Cicero into German, but as you may imagine it is rather difficult.
The uncles have been pelting uncle J. to a most fearful extent with the extract from the Mail about Algeo. They have already sent through me 4! all exactly the same and direct he has got 2 of the same!!!
I have been reading in a German book of travels a most flourishing account of Chilé and the natives. By the way the title of my new purchase is Geographische Wanderungen von Dr. Andree 1859. They are travels in almost every part of the world.
Tell uncle Frank that I shall begin to make him up a long letter immediately, but not now as it is 11.15 p.m. and I was up at 7 a.m. this morning
Francis E Prendergast
{Algeo: probably the obituary of Colonel James Algeo, 24.06.1790-08.03.1859(London/Marylebone), "formerly settled at Hollymount, in the county of Leitrim", in the Dublin Evening Mail of 14. and 18.03.1859. JFP subscribes to many British newspapers.}
Dresden
April 20th 1859.
My dear papa,
Yesterday I took the most tremendous walk I ever was in my life, and hope I may never have to take such a one again. Immediately after dinner – at 2.10 – I started off intending to walk to Pillnitz, which lies upon the Elbe about 7 or 8 miles off, I walked on and on, enjoying tha fineness of the day and the the magnificent view which extended over the Saxon Switzerland and far into Bohemia, and having walked on at my 4 miles an hour for 2½ hours and having lost sight of the Elbe, I began to think I could not be on the right road, and on studying the map I found I was about 9 miles from Dresden and 4 or 5 from Pillnitz, well up in the country in fact; the following will give you some idea of it
{Map drawing indicating that he had gone straight eastwards on the "Road to Stolpen", called Bautzener Landstraße, and thus left the northern bank of the Elbe. Weißig is indeed north of Pillnitz, but with wooded hills in between not allowing straight roads. We already guess what will happen ...}
I was at Weissig and thought it would be quite easy to get down to Pillnitz, cross the ferry and come home the direct way, but when I had got about halfway down I got bewildered by the many field roads and regularly lost my way. Pleasant this, with the consciousness of being 9 or 10 miles from Dresden at 6 oclock and the certainty of having to walk every inch of the way! However at last I hit on a glimpse of the Elbe and immediately made the best way I could to it, which luckily was pretty strait, and there pursued my way along the Eble without troubling my head any more about Pillnitz, and got home at 8.10 having been walking 6 hours without once stopping.
I had asked my way several times but the only person who could give me any information was a toothless old man whom I could hardly understand. I was, as you may imagine, pretty well done, and what was still worse could not sleep; strange to say ti was my arms that were tired and not my legs. I shall certainly take good care another time how I leave the high road at any distance from Dresden. I am not tired this morning nor have I a single blister which proves that I must be in pretty good condition. Tell uncle Joe of this unintentional walk. According to my measurement on the Map it would be about 21 miles which I suppose is about what it was.
21st. I am going to give up English reading i.e. as much as possible and read nothing but German; every one tells me it would double the rate of my progress, and I can often read and understand pages without using a dictionary. The grand point is to get to think in German which I already partially do. I must get some lighter clothing soon, for, with the exception of waistcoats, all my rig is winter costume. I have used no coat so much as the old paletot, certainly it was a well invested £2. for it has lasted 3 (or 4 is it?) years and is as good as ever. I wish I could find some light, thin, and hard stuff for summer trousers, like those I had in Donegal. I wish also I could find somebody to take walking trips with, for though I know plenty of fellows here I like none of them, with the exception of young Boyton, and he is going home immediately.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"going home immediately": to study in Cambridge, Magdalene College: "William Boyton, son of a Donegal clergyman, who was formally reprimanded by the Fellows of Magdalene for 'certain irregularities against the College discipline' in December 1860." The family is not registered in the Dresden directory; they may be living here only temporarily for William's sake. On June 22, we will find them in a villa near Radebeul, 6 km downstream.}
Dresden
April 20th. 1859.
My dear mamma
I have been sewing on some buttons lately and found that you had given me an immense stick of white thread but only one small cardfull of black, which is the cause of what I wrote at outside my last letter. I study my maps a great deal to see where there is a possibility of going if wars break out with violence I feel as if I must travel in the summer, come what will; as the weather gets finer I am gradually getting what the Germans call "Reise-fieber" or travel fever, which has not been lessened by some books (German) of Travels which I have been reading, particularly one about South America, in which there are glowing descriptions of Chilé and the beauty of the Andes with their white snow and the blue Pacific in the distance. In my walk yesterday I had some splendid views, but unfortunately there was a blue haze which prevented my seeing as far as the actual range of the eye. The parts through which I walked were very much like parts of the I. ov Wight about Godshill and thereaway, only without the hedges and with pine forests. To the north of Dresden the forests extend a very long way and the trees are all pines; the smell and noise coming from these is very pleasant and tranquillising, but they stop up the views considerably. I saw two butterflies both little tortoise-shells and great numbers of larks, chaffinches and starlings You never give me any information now a-days about the Galway or Belfast & Queenstown lines. I wish you would tell me something about them every now and then. I am greatly surprized at the numbers of Russian and Polish books one sees here, and you will see most of the Laquais-de Places advertised as speaking Russian or Polish. In the north of Saxony about Bautzen, are remnants of a tribe of Vandals, they are called Wends and speak a language which has not the least affinity to German, the women are much sought after as nursery maids. Think of this tribe being within 25 miles of Dresden! Again in Bohemia they speak another language (a Sclavonic dialect I think) totally different from German, and again the Hungarian is quite different from this. On the coasts of the Baltic about Riga and Reval they speak a language called Lettish and which has only a faint resemblance to Russian. Did you ever think there was such a lot of languages in Europe, and it is only of central Europe that I have spoken?
21st. This morning it was very fine and afterdinner I took a walk of about 8 miles or so but the day being very hot I did not feel inclined to go very far particularly as I saw a thunderstorm coming up and which is now just beginning. I saw a Brimstone Butterfly (see "Blue Book" on title page) another which I could not make out, and a yellow-hammer. Do you keep my letters anyway regularly? If you do I should wish you to keep them carefully as I have no time for writing a journal or diary and they would be nearly as good. I had a letter from uncle Joe this evening, in which he suggests the possibility of my making a trip to Vienna. On my walk out this evening I met Mr. Dale and walked with him for about half an hour. (will be posted 22nd).
Francis E. Prendergast.
Berlin.
2.30 p.m. April 26 1859.
My dear Papa
I suppose you will be rather surprised to see the heading of this letter, as I have gone in exactly the opposite direction to the one you supposed I was going in. I had a great deal of talk with uncle Jeffry on Sunday and he recommended me not to lose the opportunity of seeing Berlin. Accordingly on Monday I got my passport, & Prussian money from uncle J. and left this morning (Tuesday) at 7.15 a.m. and arrived here at 1.30. I am in the Victoria Hotel, Unter den Linden and am now writing this while waiting for the table d'hôte at 3 oclock I shall be back in Dresden on Friday at noon – possibly on Thursday. I have got to see the Museums, Picture Gallery, Potsdam, the Theatre and the city itself. The country between this and Dresden is very flat and uninteresting but Berlin itself from what I have seen out of the cab seems very fine indeed – this street – Unter den Linden – is nearly as wide as Sackville st., and one of the adjacent ones it more than two miles long. I do not know how the expences will be, but uncle Jeffry said he thought they could not be more than £4. or £4.10. I this is the case I hope to be in Prague next Sunday or at all events in the Saxon Switzerland.
Tell mamma I have brought her purse with me to give it a trial. I have got with me 40 thalers = about £6, which uncle J. said I had better take in case of contingencies.
4.15 p.m. I have just come from the table d'hôte which was a very good one, there were about 40 people and all – except two – of those I could hear spoke French and even the waiters answered in French I am going out to look about the place now and shall probably go to the theatre as the best way of passing the evening.
I have not seen such a lively place since I left England – people seem to be living for something which is certainly more than they do in Dresden.
I see omnibuses going about at a smart rate and apparently full, droshchies here too go about in a more buisoness like manner. If I can manage it I think I shall retorn to Dresden on Thursday and be off to Prague or the S. S. on Friday or Saturday. I have had no trouble about my passport and the first person who asked for it was the waiter here. I hear everybody talking about "Troops" "ordered to march" "Engländer" "Piemont" "Turin" but I don't suppose that there is anything really new.
I wish I had got young S. or somebody to poke about with here, but as I have not I shall have to do without him. I am still hoping to get him to Prague with me but nothing is certain; probably by the time you get this I shall be either there or on my way.
Francis E Prendergast.
{Easter Sunday is April 24; schools and other institutions tend to close down for a week or two. FEP does not depend on such institutions directly, but some of his teachers may be absent, so that he has a good excuse for travelling himself.
Jeffry had spent some time in Berlin back in January/February 1827, before moving to Hamburg. We know this from a short note he had sent to his study mate William Henry Fox Talbot.
Sackville street: now O'Connell Street, in Dublin, of course.
Troops etc.: Second Italian War of Independence, see Wikipedia.}
Berlin
9.30 a.m. Wednesday April 27 1859.
My dear Papa
I am writing this in the coffee room after a very good breakfast of coffee and rolls. I walked about the town yesterday evening till 5.45, when I went to the theatre, but was told every place had been full for a quarter of an hour, so I went off again. It was the 90th representation of the opera "the Huguenots." I then walked outside the town in some public gardens, listening to organs played by old pensioners; these gardens are the nicest I think I ever saw, and though not 10 minutes walk from the centre of this side of the city, yet there are woodguests there! I then came home about 7.30 and got some tea and went to bed at about 10. This morning I was awakened at about 6 by military music, and on looking out saw two regiments marching down the street, presently more came making the house shake, these were the artillery. "Bools" came in shortly, and on my asking him, he said they were going out to exercise. I am greatly surprised at the French I hear – every well dressed person seems to speak it, and at this moment there is a gentleman here speaking to the waiter in French. The people are the liveliest and best looking of any I have yet seen, somewhat English in appearance and with a vivacity that is quite astounding after the sluggishness of the Dresdeners. The shops are very fine, and the streets wide and well paved all running at right angles which looks very well but is rather monotonous.
The number of public buildings is very remarkable and many are very handsome. On the whole it gives me the idea of a very large, (population is 350,000) handsome and flourishing city, with plenty of amusement and business going on. I attempted to walk down the renowned Frederick Strasse yesterday evening, but after having walked on for 10 minutes and not seeming to be any nearer the end than on first entering it, I gave it up as a hopeless case; this too was only one half of the street that I was in.
2 p.m. I have just come back, having been walking about since 10.30 and am more than ever impressed with the magnificence and splendour of Berlin.
I determined to walk the whole length of Frederick St. and see how long it took to walk it, I went my usual pace and was exactly three quarters of an hour in going from one end to the other There are handsome shops with large plate glass windows nearly the whole way, and the whole street is well built. I had taken it for granted that this street was an exception, but I have been in dozens as fine, or finer, only not quite so long. Handsome equipages may be seen driving about everywhere, and the streams of well dressed people look very cheerful.
I wen to the museum but found it shut; the portico is the largest, and one of the finest I ever saw; the pillars are Ionic and there is a magnificent range of fresco paintings. The royal Castle too is very fine, though somewhat plain. I never heared anyone talk much about the beauty of Berlin, but I am now beginning to think it is something very fine indeed.
The Germans say that wherever a Berliner goes he is always talking about his Bearléen (so pronounced by themselves) and I don't wonder at it now.
Its great defect is the lowness of the houses which is made more apparent by the width of the streets. I shall try and see Potsdam tomorrow; it is 45 minutes by rail, going at 10 am and coming back at 5 p.m. and next morning be off for Dresden at 6.15. a.m, getting there at 12.5 – just in time for dinner.
I can easily fancy that unless one had friends in Berlin it would be a very tiresome place – and every one says it is so – but I cannot imagine a city better worth seeing.
The weather is splendid – no rain, no sun, no heat and no cold – just what it ought to be in fact; and if it will only keep fine tomorrow it may do what it likes on Friday. I shall be going down to the table d'hôte now in a few minutes and shall probably finish this tomorrow.
{"The Huguenots": Opera by Giacomo Meyerbeer, 1836, original title "Les Huguenots", see Wikipedia. This time FEP goes without being pressed; he loves music but either takes no interest in its particularities or does not assume such of his parents.}
28th. 9.45 a.m.
I am writing this in a 2nd class carriage of the Berlin and Potsdam Railway, while waiting for it go off, 10 it goes I think; I was getting into what I took to be a bad second class – that is better than any of our 2nds, but very bad for a continental 2nd, when a porter said this is a 3d class and showed me into a 2nd class. There is absolutely no difference whatever between the first and second classes here except the price.
As I had some time to spare this morning I took a walk in the suburbs and am still more than ever astonished at Berlin.
Potsdam 12 noon.
I came down by the train in 35 minutes and then wandered about the town, till now. It is very fine, very large and somewhat like Salisbury but larger, better and handsomer. I was assaulted by a commissionaire who wished to make a capture of me and teke me over the palace, on to Sans souci &c, but I declined, and wandered about alone, and then walked out of the town, at about ½ a mile from which I found a most lovely church yard – without exception the loveliest I ever saw; there were several women (hired) weeding and opposite many of the graves I see chairs, evidently for contemplation and thought: almost all the graves are decorated with wreathes of flowers – not immortelles but real – and most of the tombstones are of solid iron with gilt letters, evidently often renewed; at last I came to one which so attracted my attention that I determined to give you an account of it; a pedestal of grey sandstone, about 3 feet high on which stands a cast iron statuette most beautifully finished of an angel holding a table on which are in gilt letters the following inscription (translated) Emma Schade born Schade born 20th Decemb. 1830 died 20 February 1858
on the top of the tablet is a gilt butterfly resting on two crossed leaves, ovr it is hanging a pretty wreath of fresh flowers. I never saw anything tha could compare to it, and I think it would have been worth the journey from Dresden merely to see this church yard and this statue. I wish I had time to sketch it, but as I am standing and must soon be moving off, I shall not attempt it.
Berlin 4. p.m.
I am here again – very glad to have seen Potsdam – but I expect that when I get back to Dresden everybody will ask me have you seen Sans-souci? Frederick the greats tomb? the Museum at Berlin? and so forth, and when I reply "no" they will say "Oh you have seen nothing". However I intend to see places and travel in the way I find pleasantest and not "à la Guide Book".
I must now tell you of my attempt to get to the theatre last night. I went and was there in a crowd for ¾ of an hour before the doors were opened, and then got well crushed before I could get to the office, where we were all severally informed, that they were very sorry there was no more room! However I was very glad to have been in a Berlin crowd and was greatly pleased at its behaviour – plenty of joking and laughing, but all polite and goodhumoured, and the final dissapointment {sic} did not make them angry, but on the contrary brought forth more merriment. It certainly would have brought forth anything but amusement in England or Ireland.
I have have come to the conclusion that the Berliners – men, women and children are mostly good-looing, many really handsome and not puny wretches like the Germans I am accustomed to see in Saxony. The troops are tall, fine, and well equipped but from the look of the men I should prefer the Saxons, who though mostly small and not too well dressed, have yet a something about them which makes me think that they would fight well. The officers too here ar mostly tall handsome gentlemanly looking fellows which is more than can be said for the Saxons.
Don't let uncle Frank be criticising this writing for some was written in a railway carriage, some while standing and the whole with a very short pencil and on paper most peculiarly unadapted for pencil writing.
While at breakfast this morning the waiter brought me my passport, all visé and correct so I have no more trouble about it I am very glad indeed to have seen Berlin and Potsdam which have both given me a very favourable impression of Prussia and its institution.
I enclose my Potsdam ticket which (as is often the case here) was not taken from me and has only a bit torn off each end. It is just the same size as the bank notes that one gets here and in Saxony of 3/ and 15/ (1 & 5 Thaler notes) which as you may imagine are very convenient and portable they have also ten Thaler notes, and up to any amount.
The paper currency is only passable in the country it belongs to, but the silver is current throughout all Germany, though each country has its peculiar coins.
8 p.m.
I have been out since 5 oclock wandering about the city and finding more and more to attract my attention; I have seen one archway in the Castle which is really splendid, seen two noble twin churches, the new Theatre, which is very large and (seen from the front) very handsome, and discovered more splendid streets and Places, and but very little of all that I have seen could be called poor. It is a very dressy place and everybody is dressed, gloved, hatted and booted in a most alarming way. Altogether I have seen a great deal to day, – Berlin in the morning Potsdam in the middle of the day and Berlin again in the evening.
There is a very perceptible "Goaheaditiveness" about the place which is very pleasant to see. I should not be surprised if at some day it became a place of the greatest importance – it is so at present but I mean in the greatest meaning of the word "importance".
I wish I had time to write more about it, but I must get my tea and go to bed as I shall have to be up at all hours tomorrow morning.
{"dissapointment": initially FEP wrote "disapointment", but it didn't look quite right, so he added another s ...}
Friday. 6.15. a.m.
in the train for Dresden
I am now on my way back and shall post this in Dresden, so if you get it with the Dresden postmark you may conclude I am safe back. My expences, rail, Hotel and all included from Tuesday morning till now – and there will be more on this journey were £2..12..10 is not that very cheap? The weather is still fine.
Francis E. Prendergast.
In the train for Prague
5.30 p.m. May 1st. 1859.
My dear papa
I left Dresden this morning at 7. with young S. having agreed to pay his expences, as money is not too plenty with the Ss, and he could not come otherwise. We shall be in Prague at 7 if all goes right. We stopped from 9 till 3 at Bodenbach on the frontier, walking about and dining there, it is in the Bohemian Switzerland which is much superior to the Saxon, and is really very pretty but without any pretensions to grandeur. The weather is lovely and my intention is to see Prague tomorrow, and on Tuesday morning take the rail up to the pretty country and then walk home through the two Switzerlands, coming home on Thursday. Troops are travelling about in all directions and some of the Saxon troops moved off yesterday
The proclamation of the Emperor of Austria has excited the greatest enthusiasm all through Germany, and the people seem to be raging to get at the French and Russians; this morning we had soldiers (Austrian) in the train and they were singing songs and shouting out "God save our Kaiser Franz". There is an Austrian officer sitting next to me at this moment and we have at least 60 soldiers in the tran. The Russians are not more than 150 miles from this spot, and it is supposed we shall have the Danes making a grab at something before long. Altogether there is a prospect of a jolly good row all over Europe before long, and I suppose that at this moment the Austrians and French are cutting one anothers throats. Young S. will have next year to enter the army of some small Prince but he thinks he will volunteer before his time comes. There are 30 from the Polytechnic already made officers and a priest in this carriage said that the school at Prague has been broken up, on account of so many having gone off.
The Saxon troops are in capital order, particularly the Artillery and the cavalry are very good also. In the streets you hear nothing but "Troops" – "30,000 men", "French" – "Russians" – "30 canon" – "Gallicia" – "Florence" – and such like. There can be no doubt that the feeling in Germany is very strong indeed and they are all anxiously looking out to see if England will assist. Affairs are certainly in a state of extraordinary complication.
These Austrian Railways are so badly constructed and they go so fast that it is almost impossible to write. The kit I have bought with me is fastened up in one of my leggings tied with one of the straps of the Inverness cape, and suspended by the genuine large strap is not that turning things to use?
{Switching from pencil to ink, awkwardly using a broad-edge nib:}
Blauer Stern, Prague
10. p.m.
We arrived here at 7. p.m. and then went out about the town for 1½ hour, came back and got some tea and meat in a remarkably fine coffeeroom which was nearly full of officers and gentlemen as well as a few ladies; all were talking as usual about the war and I could occasionally distinguish "England" "Sachsen" "Zeitung". People were walking about the city in all directions and lively and very good dance music was playing in almost every third house. We went on the walls too and found numbers of people there mostly seeming to be people of the upper classes; the theatre was lighted up also, and everything was so merry looking – quite another story from Dresden, particularly in regard to the crowds of well dressed people.
Soldiers surpass in number even those of Dresden and that is a bold word. This Hotel is a very large one and seems much in request; it has a curious name "Blue Star". I am greatly surprised at the numbers of Roman Catholic statues and pictures – one on every bridge and constantly little temples occuring in the fields. I have heared very little Bohemian as yet, but what I did hear sound clear and musical The lower orders seem passionately fond of lively music, and I think I have heared more music today as than in any one day in my life before
Monday morning. we are now going to get some breakfast and then go and see the town.
We have not had to give up our passports but to fill up two sheets of paper with names, ages, religions and professions. This is such an odious pen that it is impossible to write clearly with it. I enclose two old railway tickets.
Francis E Prendergast.
{The last 1½ sentences are written with the customary ball nib.
"army of some small Prince": "Reuß jüngerer Linie" round Gera, a very small principality indeed, but the prince is incredibly high-numbered: "Heinrich LXVII.". Adolf's uncles are based in a village Debschwitz there, near Gera, and serve as officers. Adolf continues to be a subject (https://digital-beta.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/werkansicht?PPN=PPN746978987&PHYSID=PHYS_0079). The well-drilled conscription army is being lent to other states for cash; noblemen are expected to become successful officers in foreign armies. Adolf's father had served in neighbouring Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (whose duke Ernst II. is the brother-in-law of Queen Victoria, FEP's head-of-state); other Seckendorffs, including two of Adolf's cousins, will be generals of the Prussian or German army; https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433081808614&view=1up&seq=891. Even the reigning "small Prince" himself continues to be an active officer, soon to become a general of the Prussian cavalry!}
In Hotel, on the Winterberg the highest point in the Saxon Switzerland.
6.30 p.m. May 4.th 1859.
My dear Papa,
My last letter was dated from Prague and posted on the morning of the second day there, which day we employed to great purpose, going about with a valet de place and doing nine churches (chapels) Hradschin Wallensteins palace and I don't know what besides. I should have much preferred wandering about minus the commissionaire but I did it at the recommendation of uncle Jeffry who thought I had lost the time in Berlin because I had not done any of the lions. I liked what I saw of Prague very much and should like to spend a week or two there, it is most beautifully situated and has very good shops, organs were playing everywhere and the music was invariably polka galop or Wiener waltz. Tell uncle Frank that I asked twice for Butlers grave and was at both times assured that his tomb is not there; also I asked in one library for the Latin-Irish books but they had no catalogues! But they said that they thought it very probable there were some in other libraries. Next morning we left by 8 a m train and went as far as Lobositz, which we reached at eleven and then ascended a mount (not mountain for I am beginning to think that there is no such thing in Germany) from which we had a splendid view over the central plain of Bohemia and where I also saw several Swallow tail Butterflies, one Camberwell Beauty and one Pearl Frittillary, all scare insects with us. We then walked one as far as Aussig where we slept and were off this morning before 8 and walked on to Bodenbach where we arrived at 1.30 having been walking the whole time. We then took steamer as far as Hirni-Schretschen where got something to eat and then went off again. This far all was through the Elbe valley which is really magnificent, scarcely grand but most lovely.
Leaving Hirnischretschen at 2.30 we walked on into the Saxon Switzerland till we regularly lost our way and did not know whether to climb one of the precipitous bluffs of sandstone or to keep in the valleys; at last we were determined to climb upwards and after a terrific scramble through pine woods, over rocks and up precipices of apparent impossibility at last reached the summit in about ¾ of an hour and had there a most glorious view, but were none the wiser as to where we were; so continuing on over rocks and throught woods at las hit the bounday line of little posts which seperates Saxony and Bohemia and where we found the footprints of numerous roe or wild deer, and continuing on at last hit on this Winterberg the highest point in Saxony and on the summit of which is a most comfortable little Hotel somewhat à la Guidore. It commands views over all the adjacent county for many miles and really seems to be well built and well kept. Yesterday we walked 8½ hours not very quick but going steadily and seldom stopping probably about 25 miles to day we walked 5½ hours in the morning and then 2½ hours the best part of which was literal climing somewhat like that we had in going up the Eagle mountain but much severer and – dangerous. All this too has been with a kit on my back weighing with my paletot strapped to it about 10 pounds; I have got so accustomed to the knapsack (which was troublesome at first) that I feel quite uncomfortable without it! Adolf can walk very well but is not up to more than 3½ miles an hour for any long distance. At this moment he is playing the piano at the other side of the room and at the same time (!) smoking a cigar of Austrian origin. He is a very pleasant companion and if he could only keep up 4 miles an hour for 4 hours I would desire no better companion
{The remainder of this letter is missing.
"recommendation of uncle Jeffry": notably not of FEP's parents.
Butler's grave: Walter Butler of Roscrea, Ireland, colonel of the Holy Roman Empire, involved in the assassination of Wallenstein 1634. In 1852, uncle Francis had published "An Authentic Account of the Death of Wallenstein, with a Vindication of the Motives of Colonel Walter Butler". Although his main source is a German book published in 1850, he may have done research in the army archives in Vienna (– according to Mattingly-Prendergast after serving in the Austrian army himself as well!). The original task was to justify property claims of Butler's family, clients and distant relatives of JPP.
organs: street organs, typically operated by veteran soldiers.
Latin-Irish books: probably old manuscripts in Latin language written in Ireland and later mentioned as brought to Prague.
Lobositz: Lovosice, at the Elbe, 70 km north of Prague
Aussig: at the Elbe, 20 km downstream; Ústí nad Labem
Bodenbach: another 25 km downstream, now part of Děčín
Herrnskretschen = Hirniskretschen is another 14 km downstream, at the Saxon border
"highest point in Saxony": according to Wikipedia only second in the Saxon Switzerland and 85th in Saxony
"à la Guidore": might refer to the seaside resort Gweedore in Ireland, in the broadest category of "small tourist hotel in exotic surroundings"
"Eagle mountain": probably Mount Eagle in Kerry, Ireland, 516 metres above sea level, very near to the sea coast}
Dresden.
Saturday 7. May. 1859.
My dear Papa,
My last letter was dated from the Winterberg on Wednesday evening – well next morning it was a pour of rain so starting early was out of the question, however it cleared up about 10.30 – that is pretty nearly, but not quite and passing over the lesser Winterberg and another most lovely rock called the Kuhstall or Cowhouse reached a place called Schandau where we got some provender, crossed the Elbe, took the train and were home here at 6 p.m. (Thursday) The expences of this latter trip – and I paid all of the expences were £4..9d. Does not that seem very little considering that we were out from Sunday morning till Thursday evening? it really was 15/ more, but I made so much by changing a Saxon 20 dollar (= £3.) into Austrian paper money here which is to be had now for about two thirds of its value while in Austria it of course holds its nominal value.
Our living in Prague for two nights at the best Hotel there only cost 1/ (!!!) through this exchange. Now is the time for travelling in Austria or her dependencies. You need not alarm yourself about the war on my account and uncle Jeffry says he does not see why it should interfere with me, Dresden, or any travelling projects – nor do I see why it should hinder my going south.
While we were talking over our adventures at supper the maid came to say that Mr. Prendergast was waiting for me, I ran out and found Harry Prendergast in my room, of course I should never have recognised him if he had not said who he was; we had some talk and as he wished to see uncle J. I took him over – he having only just arrived from Berlin and knowing nothing about Dresden. Uncle Jeffry was at a concert but luckily came back in a few minutes and then wanted him and me to stay to tea; he of course was very glad of it, but I managed to get off it and came back to the Seckendorffs.
Next morning uncle Jeffry called in and said that they were going to have an early dinner with Harry and then were going down in the train to the Bastei or nearest end of the Saxon S{witzerland}. so of course I was very glad to go and we had a very pleasant day there. Uncle J. then invited Harry to come and dine with him to day, and then come to the Opera; we accepted – Harry rather uneasy at not getting off to day, for it seems he can't rest quiet till he gets to the seat of war. He seems much the worse of his wounds.
I am greatly the better of my two trips, except that they have so unsettled me that I am afraid I shall find it rather dull here, for I can think of nothing but blue hills, green pine woods, and the pleasure of being at liberty to go where you like with your traps on your back. I cannot and will not continue the riding any more, I have managed to keep to it for nearly 4 months now, principally for uncle Joe's sake, but it has always been disagreeable to me and I always looked upon it as the only thing which hindered me from being quite contented here, the very thinking about it tormenting me. I shall take the gymnastics and fencing every morning instead. Don't let uncle Willy think that I shall go to it again for I will not and if he or uncle Joe knew how disagreeable it was to me I am sure they would not wish me to be at it again, I held out as long as I could but longer I cannot.
I shall see about getting the classical master immediately and I have German and French lessons again to day so that I am at work again. The warm weather seems to have set in at last and it is time for it.
Dresden looks really very beautiful now – it has not perhaps so many fine buildings as most cities but its gardens river and walks are lovely.
You can't think what a difference the being a fortnight without speaking any English whatever made and it seemed quite strange speaking it again with Harry and uncle Jeffry. I feel quite at a loss for my knapsack, it seems as if I had lost something I could never have expected that one would become so accustomed to it. Tell uncle Frank that there is a new coinage in Austria since last November, according to which the Gulden (florin) consists of 100, instead of 60 kreutzers, the new kreutzer thus equalling as nearly as possibly a farthing.× 2 old ks are computed to equal 3 new, while the silver 6 kr. is computed to equal 10 new!
Perhaps you might think it adviseable for me to begin any intended travels at once, as there is no danger or hinderance at present, and there is no saying what may happen soon. Austria might be seen to great advantage and at a much cheaper price than in more settled times – I mean on account of the state of her paper money at present, but I suppose it is too early in the year for Switzerland. As long as affairs remain in the present state there can be no reason for being alarmed, so long as one keeps out of Sardinia.
Francis E Prendergast.
* the Berlin trip was £2.12s. so that the two journies cost in all £7..1s. !!!
× 50 equal 48 farthings
{Lieutenant Harry North Dalrymple Prendergast, 15.10.1834-24.07.1913, Arthur's cousin and FEP's second cousin, later called "the Happy Warrior" for a reason, plus Sir, General and VC (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Prendergast), is on a 15 months' leave to recover from his arm shot wound received in combat near the Betwa river about one year ago; he uses the time to visit his relatives and to see Europe (– on May 12 he will be reported to have checked in at "Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth" in Vienna). Obviously the entire family is informed about the circumstances. FEP displays the usual family solidarity, but no particular attachment.
Opera: "Tannhäuser" by Richard Wagner, on 07.05. from 18:00 to 21:30 o'clock, again starring https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Tichatschek. FEP wrote that passage on the following day.}
Dresden
May 8. 1859.
My dear Mamma,
I found two letters here on my return from Prague which I was very glad to get, but was somewhat surprised at your having got my first from Berlin according to your latest.
We had a very pleasant day at the Bastei with Harry P. of which you will find a further account in papa's letter. Last night we went to the opera, but it was tiresome and Harry was so fatigued that he went home without coming back to tea at Carola strasse.
I am going to dine again with uncle Jeffry to day (Sunday) at 2 oclock, and afterwards we are going to drive somewhere.
You seem to look upon Saxony as a very dangerous country indeed. Wild boars are unknown; the only wild beasts being a small kind of deer about the size of a sheep, and foxes. However I have not seen anything of them yet, except the footprints of a roe deer. As for brigands I don't believe that anybody of that description was ever heared of in Saxony, and there has not been an execution for many years past.
The shortest way of enumerating all the places I am thinking of wishing to see will be to say – the whole world in general. What put it into your head that Chilé is unhealthy? It is one of the finest climates on the globe, and has only the disadvantage of an occasional earthquake or two. I am afraid that the idea of aunt Matilda's getting a governess is all a snare and a delusion, and I fear that when aunt Flora has found somebody just suitable they will say that they have not quite made up their minds. I have heared of no people flying on account of the war and the Dresdeners only trouble themselves about it so far that they will have Prussian or Austrian soldiers quartered upon them, all the householders having got notice to be ready to take in two or three at a moments notice. I think the Ss would have no objection to having an officer but the danger is of having to take in soldiers who eat up everything and are hard to be satisfied.
Dresden is not fortified so that it can never be bombarded or beseiged, which seem to be the two great evils in was. Were Dresden more westerly it would be near France, if more northerly near Denmark, if more southerly near Sardinia & if more easterly near Russia, all of which are hostile at present, so that you see it is in about the best possible position
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Opera: We wonder why FEP does not even mention which opera it was – Tannhäuser –; obviously he found it tiresome as well, whereas he always appreciates having "tea" with Jeffry – by English definition, i.e. with substantial food, definitely not garbage. Margaretta seems to be bedridden; she and her husband are known to be enthusiastic music lovers and piano owners, though not absolute experts.}
Dresden
May 10. 1859.
My dear papa,
I am beginning a letter though without having anything to tell you, except that I have been much the worse of the last – and last it shall be – riding lesson I took, it was on Saturday morning on Sunday I was far from well, and on Monday morning had to go to bed at 8.30 being completely shaken up by it in all parts. However I was all right again this morning. It is the old story over again which happened every time I re-commenced at Clarendons. I think there must be something in my constitution which rebels against riding and most certainly my inclination does.
I have made myself a writing stand, and now do all my writing and some of my reading standing, as I thought I was getting pains in my chest from stooping so much. I have been studying the map a good deal lately to see what can be done in the travelling way in summer; here are two plans which are almost entirely by rail or steamer. Dresden to Vienna by rail, thence by steamer up the Danube to Regensburg, thence by post to Munich. Thence by rail to the Lake of Constance (German Boden See), through Switzerland, down the Rhine to Mainz, and thence to Dresden – home, or wherever I am to go
A second plan. Rail to Vienna thence per rail to Trieste, Venice, Verona, Milan & Lake of Como through Switzerland and down the Rhine or back to Vienna viâ Munich and the Danube
This last sounds formidable, but it is not much longer than the other and Vienna and Switzerland must always be the two chief points. Take a look at these routes on the map.
11.th Yesterday I spent 1½ hour in the Picture Gallery and then listened to the military music at the parade – and a very poor parade it is – for half an hour. I saw many persons at work in the Gallery copying, and it is very amusing to watch them fruitlessly endeavouring to catch the expression of the old masters The people are mostly young ladies or old men – odd shaggy looking figures in piratical looking dresses and bandit-like hats. I have gone with uncle Jeffry to the tailor and ordered a light shooting coat of a brownish mixture and a pair of light trousers. I went to try the coat on to day and I suspect it will have a very foreign cut, sitting in close to the small of the back &c.
I have arranged to take a gymnastic lesson 4 times a week at 7 a.m. and if I find I have time may perhaps take 2 more. I was to have had the company of a young Hungarian count this morning who thinks himself a great dab at vaulting and jumping, and Staberoh wants to try him against me but he did not make his appearance. Perhaps also it might be advisable, if the time is not otherwise occupied to have the French 4 times instead of thrice as at present.
I have not opened an English book, except to translate it, for more than a month and my German master tells me I write much better, which I suppose is in consequence of that. I sea maps of Northern Italy hung out in all directions and a very fine Italian maps of this part which has disappeared within the last fortnight. The Saxon Artillery are all quartered out at a place called Kesselsdorf about 3 miles to the south west, and I am to walk out with the Baron the first fine day and see them. By the way it was so cold to day that I was sorry I had not taken out an overcoat with me, while in the morning it was hot. It is certainly a most disagreeable climate here in Dresden, and the number of cripples and sickly looking people you see in the streets bears witness to its unhealthiness. What pleased me so much in Berlin was the fine strong looking figures of the people so different from the puny ill made Saxons.
There has been a great clearance at Hugh's this Easter, both the Russians being off, Etlinger as engineer to Munich, and Stiffle to England. Smith too making a third. However there is a Lifeguardsman arrived to whom young S. is giving conversational lessons at some miserable rate, about 10/ a month I think, however I fancy that he is learning English quicker than his pupil German. The fellows name is Burnaby, not more than 18 and very tall. Do you know anything about him?
The large rafts are beginning to come down the river now, and I saw one to day on which I counted upwards of 20 men. It is very interesting to watch them shooting the bridge
There is no fresh news of any kind here nor is any expected for some days. The worst of it is that that there is no believing anything you see in a German paper as it is pretty sure to be cooked to the German taste. I sent 4 books to be bound to day, 2 volumes of a German edition of Sir Walter Scott and 2 volumes of Andrees Geographische Wanderungen.
F. E. Prendergast
{"Stiffle to England": only temporarily, where he will meet Arthur Hugh Dalrymple Prendergast, as we will be told on May 29. Camillo Stiffel will be back for the next semester and stay at Hughes' until 1862.
"books to be bound": booksellers often sell the printed paper without binding, so that the customer can have it bound according to his own "library style". Obviously FEP chose the Walter Scott books because he already knows the originals and can therefore concentrate on the foreign language.}
Dresden
May 11th. 1858
My dear mamma,
I shall begin this letter by requesting that if you have any opportunity, you will send me some straw paper as I always like it for writing when in a train as it holds pencil so well and can also be used equally well for ink. It is not known here. The neighbourhood of Dresden is most lovely now with the fruit trees, which are in full bloom and make a great show. The horse chesnuts too make a great show but I do not think they are finer than our own. I have been planning all sorts of schemes for travelling which I suppose will seem to you tremendous but to me seem like a trip to Donegal or Killarney. If I am to remain on the Continent in autumn I think I should like to go to southern Germany or Northern Italy – Leghorn for instance; but at present these can only be speculations though indeed I do not see what wars or revolutions have to say to me. You may read the enclosed to Georgy Ensor, and please forward it to him. We take the war news quite quietly here and beyond a feeling of curiosity and some slight patriotism it raises no excitement. I am thinking of getting myself photographed à la uncle Joe some time soon, how many copies would you like me to get?
Francis E. Prendergast.
No room for G's letter I shall send it in my next.
{"1858": sic! and nobody corrected this time.}
Thursday morning May 12. 10. a.m.
I received yours of the 8th (Sunday) last night. Harry had left on Sunday so I could go with him and whether I shall follow him or not may be decided by uncle Jeffry. I should be in favour of waiting till July when I hope to get a good fling as you will perceive from the first part of this letter. There would not be much advantage being with Harry as he is unable to take much exercise and is not troubling his head much about sight seeing. I wish you could find some one with whom I could travel, for though I like travelling alone very well still it is pleasanter to have a companion and it reduces the expences. I shall now go in to uncle Jeffry and if he advises me to go may possibly be off in a couple of hours. However I do not think that he will approve of it as if he had he would have probably sent me a note before this. It would be a long way to go to Vienna only for a few days when I must pass that place if I go to Switzerland in the summer.
7.30 p.m. I saw uncle Jeffry this morning and he agreed with me that there would be no use in following Harry as he is probably out of Vienna this time. I should like if possible to be off before the middle of July for I suppose Switzerland and Vienna will probably both be feasable even if the war does spread.
I have just come in from a 5 hours walk with the Baron having been to Kesselsdorf to look for the Artillery and did not find them. On getting back he said well I think a 5 hours walk is not so bad for a man of 58½
F. E. P.
{The 2nd degree Cousin Harry North Dalrymple Prendergast, 1834-1913, has left for Vienna; FEP was asked to follow him but does not want to.
Kesselsdorf is 12 km to walk west of Prager Str.}
Dresden
May 14. 1859.
My dear Papa
I am beginning this letter to tell you that I have got Greek and Latin masters. Dr. Hübner recommended a Dr. Scheibe as a good classical master, to whom I went and found that he had only two days in the week which I could take, and Dr. Hübner hearing this, said I ought to take him by all means for the Greek and he himself would undertake the Latin part, so I have 4 days a week of Classics. Here is my day-bill
| Gymnastics | Latin | Greek | French | German | |
| Mon. | 7-8 | 10-11 | 12-1 | ||
| Tues. | 10-11 | 11-12 | |||
| Wed. | 7-8 | 11-12 | |||
| Thur. | 12-1 | 11-12 | |||
| Frid. | 7-8 | 9-10 | |||
| Sat | 7-8 | 11-12 | 12-1 |
My first Latin and Greek lesson will be on Tuesday next and by Scheibe's direction I have bought a Greek & German Lexicon – Benseler's, only a few months out; it is Royal 8vo, in paper and cost 6/; also the Apologia Socratis, also in paper costing 7d, these seem very cheap, but then they are unbound and on bad paper. Hübner I like very much, he has a great resemblance to Sharpe in manner but not in appearance. I shall also have to get some books for him. Uncle Jeffry says he thinks that I may soon leave off the German lessons as I shall learn a great deal from the having to translate into German. However that will soon be settled.
I had no knapsack with me on my trip, but when my traps were properly strapped up in one of the leggings it looked just like a knapsack and I carried it like one.
My kit was – one shirt, a night-shirt, 2 pair of socks, 2 handkerchiefs, a pair of slippers, soap, and toothbrush in my pockets, I had a map, writing case and pocket comb. The things I have underlined were particularly useful and agreeable. A flannel jacket and pair of trousers would take up very little room and be very useful. Carrying the paletot was troublesome but very necessary. Do you think it would be advisable for me to get off to Switzerland at once? Now is the time for travelling through Austria as the gulden (2/) is to be had for 1/4!! or in other words about ⅘ of its real value. There is no saying how the continent may be stopped up in a couple of months while at present it is perfectly open in all directions, and seeing Switzerland now would be better than the chance of not seeing for a good while to come. I send you another route. Rail viâ Nurnberg to lake of Constance – Switzerland – Lake of Constance to Munich Munich to Donauworth thence per steamer and viâ Ratisbon Passau & Linz to Vienna, thence by rail to Dresden. The Danube scenery is said to surpass that of the Rhine.
Should the war come on so as to prevent any going about in this part of the continent I would like to go up to Sweden or Norway both of which are only 3 days from here.
17.th I have just had my first Latin lesson from Dr. Hübner and as you may imagine did not get very far; what I did being to translate a few sentences into Latin and the first six or 7 lines of Horace into German, the last of which was very, very difficult. He says it will be so for the first 8 days or so and promised that it will greatly improve my German I am expecting Dr Scheibe every minute now.
Wednesday 18. Your letter of Sunday has just come and I shall finish this and take it to the post forthwith.
I am very well contented to remain here till 1.st August, but the plans I have been sending you will not be lost as I suppose you are not well posted in the present state of communication by rail &c over Europe. I do not fancy I shall make such progress in my classics as the the learning through German must always be a sort of hinderance, but of course they will help the German greatly. Bathing is to be had in the Elbe, as well as swimming masters of which I intend to avail myself. To day is lovely and it seems likely to hold. Everyone here has turned out in new rigs – Panama hats – duck trousers and light shooting-coats seeming to be the order of the day.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden
May 14. 1859.
My dear mamma
It was only yesterday that I wrote but I am beginning this now in order to answer your questions. In the first place tell aunt Flora that the pencils I use are Paravisos (or Rowney, it is all the same) H.B. externally of a dark red coulour, and if she is buying any do not let her be persuaded to take hexagonal or octogonal ones but stick to the honest old round. There is no driving road to the Winterberg Hotel, but there is a very fair bridle road – that is such as you might see near Berehaven. In summer the Hotel is often full; when rain coming on the people cannot of course leave and then the people usually dance for want of something better; Adolf and I were laying all sorts of plans how to manage to be there on a wet day in summer.
I keep on making plans for travelling though it is impossible to know what may be the state of Europe in a couple of months.
Would you like me to collect specimens of the different Saxon coins in circulation at present? There is nothing over a 3/ piece so it would cost but little.
You ask me if I am grown, uncle J. measured me the other day and in the last 4 months I have grown one eigth of an inch.
I suppose I may conclude also that I am broader for my summer waistcoats are, I find, too tight across the chest.
17th As I expect a letter to morrow I shall keep this letter, there not being anything of note in it. I am very anxious to get off for somewhere before long as travelling may be rendered inconvenient if the war spreads, though indeed I suppose Switzerland would be always open. I have got the 4 books bound very nicely and cheaply and in the miraculously short time of three days! I have always been sorry that I have brought so many books with me and were it not for the carrying them I would often buy books here where they are so cheap and good.
Wednesday 18.th Your letter just arrived Let me hear more about Miss Holbrooke as I am curious as to the result. Send my best respects to Mrs and Miss Nash. Is there my supposition of the last being about to change her name before long? I took a very long walk yesterday viz. to Tharandt and back doing the whole in 4¾ hours. I got drenched to the skin in the last half hour but as I was able to change it was no matter The Ss were all severally caught in the same shower and all more or less wet thereby.
Francis E Prendergast
P.S. While on a journey where the letter must be like a journal I always write to papa to save breaking it in two.
You can read G's letter if you like
{G's letter: enclosed, as promised previously. FEP's mother corresponds with her Irish relatives regularly, and must forward enclosed letters in her own ones to them. This practice to reduce the overall postage is customary even among people to whom money is no object normally.}
Dresden
May 22.d 1859.
My dear Papa,
Since my last letter we have had nothing but fine warm weather and the unavoidable glare. Uncle Jeffry tells me that in summer he never goes out between 10 and 4 if he can avoid it, for the heat and glare is so great. I went out on a drawing expedition with young S. yesterday, his object being to sketch railway stations, but we wandered about so long that finally we had only time left to draw an iron bridge. To day, to morrow and the next day Austrian troops will be passing through here supposed to be en route for Insbruck; 16,000 it is said which would require about 16 trains on the calculation of every carriage containing 50 men and each train composed of 20 carriages. There is even some talk of their stopping here and as this would be what is called War-billeting (Kriegs Einquartierung) the Ss would have three or four put in upon them. However I don't fancy that it will be so. Other reports send the troops to the Rhine but the fact is that nobody knows where they are going to. That they are to pass through however is certain for notices have appeared in the papers saying that on these days many of the usual trains will be discontinued and none but mail or courier trains will run.
There has been great whistling going on all the morning since an early hour so perhaps they are going through at this minute. We are going to have a new lodger here on the first of June; – an old Prussian colonel who is coming to drink the mineral waters in the Struvesche Garten here. He will only be here till July 1.st There is also a pobability of an English lady named Butler coming here, she was sent by some of Mrs. Whittles friends so I conclude she is a lady. She can speak very little German and the Barons English was unintelligible to her and they hunted for me everywhere to come and act as interpreter but unluckily I was out, so did not see her. She was going to the country for three weeks and would make up her mind in the mean while so that she will not be here (if she comes at all) for a month at least.
The Greek I find goes into German much easier than Latin but the pronunciation is very differend; first the accent is always on the syllable where the accent is; ου and υ are both pronounced oo (as in boot) η and ε are both pronounce as ā in wāve αυ is pronounced ou (as in proud) θ is pronounced like t. ι is of course pronounced ee and ευ is pronounced oi; and as the Germans can make little little or no difference between p & b; d & t; g & k, it changes the sound completely, making it quite soft and liquid; χ too is pronounced like our gh in lough, χρη being pronounced ghray – ουκουν = oogōṓn κα θευ δειν = gadoidān &c.
{"Insbruck": Innsbruck in Tyrol. The railway line starts at Kraków, which belongs to Austria-Hungary, and passes Prussian, Saxon, and Bavarian territory, all more or less allied. The most dangerous enemy is no longer Russia, but France, Napoleon III spreading fear by his mere name.
"mineral waters": Struve produces artificial mineral water from a fountain, normally for bottling; his factory is at Prager Straße 12b, nearby.
The Baron's English: we know that his mother was born and raised in Philadelphia, but of German background and presumably more at home in some German dialect than in English.
Pronunciation of Classical Greek and German: to be taken with a grain of salt. Softening p, t, and k is a peculiarity of Saxon dialect. More interesting: the recipients are assumed not to know any Greek yet, whereas all the male Prendergasts must have a substantial knowledge of Latin – in English pronunciation.}
Monday 23. Your letter came this morning and I have just had a gymnastic lesson from 7 till 8, then home to my breakfast, a German lesson from 9 till 10 and from 10 till 11.30 French, after which as you may imagine I am pretty well tired. I do not like singing my own praises but I think it right to tell you that after talking with my German master for an hour this morning (not happening to have work prepared) he told me that he considered I had made as much progress in the German generally as could be expected in the time, and that he was quite surprised at the ease and correctness with which I spoke it and that if I had given half the time I spent at the drawing, in writing it that I would have been at this time able to have written very fairly. French of course continues (and must continue as long as I am in Germany) to be almost impossible for me to speak but I think I am beginning to get on better with the writing it. My reading desk I found not to answer in practice and I have rigged up another contrivance with a portfolio raised on a few books but it is nearly the same as any ordinary table
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden.
May 22.d 1859.
My dear mamma,
Since my last letter nothing of importance has occured, unless you consider my getting a very handsome moth from the youngest Seckendorff as such. It is called Sphinx occelata (eyed hawkmoth I think) and if you wish to find his picture you probably can by looking in the moth book of the naturalist's library or in Catlow; he (the younges S. by name Arthur, which is pronounced Artoor in German) is also a fancier and has lent me an improved edition of his brothers Butterfly book.
The second supply of paper which I bought is again run out, but that is easily replaced. We shall have the grand (qu?) public entrance of the Prince and princess here next Saturday, which I suppose will be a grand holyday, they are constructing a gigantic arch in the Alt Markt and Adolfs heart is nearly broke because the Polytechnic School was not allowed to get up a torch-dance or rather procession. The S's sit every evening now from 9 till 10 in their little garden in front which seems to be the greatest delight in the world for the Germans. The dryness of the air here is very curious and thus enables people to be out in the evening and sitting in the open air without the least fear of catching cold. Ink too dries up in the most extraordinary way and when writing, the preceeding word is dry before you have finished the following one.
2. p.m.
Monday 23.d I have just returned from the Railway Station where we had been seeing a tremendous long train full of Austrian (Hungarian) troops passing through; there must have been 30 carriages I think all full. The number of troops to pass through is 38,000 and 8 trainfuls are to pass through to day.
They stop in the Neu-Stadt for an hour for refresments but that is all we have to do with them here. Your letter came this morning enclosing Grandmamma's but I don't think there are any questions to be answered.
I was out a long drive yesterday with uncle Jeffry and then in the evening got a fine view of Saturn through his telescope; through this telescope he looks about a quarter of the size of the moon and his ring and its shadow is plainly perceptible. The telescope is hard to manage and requires to be constantly moved as the planet travels along the field of view in no time. Uncle J. has not succeeded in catching Jupiter yet, but though he was plainly visible to the eye the other evening he could not be found by the telescope at all! much to uncle J's disgust who spent 1½ in hunting him.
F. E. Prendergast.
{"the planet travels": anyone truly interested must know that the effect in question is due to the rotation of the earth; the planet's move being negligible in comparison. FEP's taste for mathematical disciplines has yet to develop. Jeffry seems to have some ambition after all. The little finderscopes mounted to some telescopes do have their use.}
Dresden
May 25. 1859.
My dear papa
I am beginning this now to tell you that the expected lady is coming the week after next, and also that her name is not Butler, the Germans with P and B confounding everything; this morning they assured me her name was Buckle, and at dinner they produced her card which was that of Miss Puckle. At this moment there is a sort of cheering going on at the Railway Station close by, a trainful of Austrian troops passing by; they are going through night and day at the rate of 7 or 8 trains a day and will continue to do so until the end of the week, and then Prussians are expected; these troops are the same I saw in Prague, Hungarians and Italians; I was twice at the Station with the S's yesterday and then again there with the whole faction at 10 p.m. when I helped the cheering to such an extent that I got a headache; as soon as the train came up the cheering began, when an Austrian officer got out of the carriages and shouted "God save king John of Saxony" which was immediately answered to by Adolf, who shouted "Long live our Emperor Franz Joseph" (N.B. he is no more an Austrian subject than I am) the success of this was immense everybody, soldiers, men, women and children all screeching at the top of their voices. We shall probably have another train to night at the same time which we will of course go and see as the station is within a good stone's throw.
{"our Emperor Franz Joseph": the kaiser's grandfather had been the last Holy Roman Emperor until that empire was dissolved under French pressure in 1804. Adolf's shouting may be understood as a wish for restoration. Also, the kaiser is a descendent of Saxon electors/kings, notably the famous "Augustus the Strong", and thus a relative of the present king Johann. A common fear is Prussia's grip for domination. However, Saxons of higher political awareness know that Austria is not much better. At the moment, they all are united against France, and even FEP seems to be infected by "slight patriotism".}
26.th Two more trains came last night and were both received in the same manner. Tomorrow night the choral society of the Polytechnic is to be down there to welcome them with the Austrian hymn and and every member of it must take at least 25 cigars with him to give to the soldiers. The number of strangers in Dresden just now is enormous the Police list of arrivals, which appears daily filling generally now a whole page, whereas before this it was seldom more than a quarter full.
The little excitement caused by the first fight in Italy has died away again and the Dresdeners have again subsided into their usual apathy; sleeping seems the order of the day and the Ss say they cannot get on without a two hours siesta after dinner, and it certainly is very hard to avoid sleeping in the middle of the day. There is a thunderstorm going on at present which seems likely to be pretty considerable; last night there was most vivid sheet lightning in the south west which I suppose had something in common with this. Somehow I do not think Dresden air agrees with me, as long as the frost lasted it was all very well, but since the fine weather has begun there is seldom a week that I do not suffer more or less from headaches which till now were almost unknown to me. 8.30 p.m. I have just seen two more trainfuls of Italians going through, they were shouting out viva la Saxonia and cheering in the most boisterous manner, threre were several ladies going about and giving them cigars, some giving money instead, this is the 5th train I heared passing through to day and 3 more will probably come later.
Uncle Jeffry and aunt Margaret were at the station in the carriage but I only spoke to them for a moment. The trains average about 30 carriages about 20 of the carriages having men and the rest munitions. A General and staff passed through last night. I have invested 2/ in cigars for the soldiers – for 2/ you get in this part of the world 50 cigars! I am expecting Hübner every minute now. Last night I was at the station at 10 p.m. and helped to cheer and cry viva to the Italians till I could not speak. Today Friday we are to have artillery passing through and next week cavalry. I am going to get myself a coloured flannel shirt and see how it will do, for everyone tells me they are the things to wear here in summer. I dare say a letter will come this evening but I shall not keep this on chances.
F. E. Prendergast.
PS tell uncle Frank that he owes me a letter.
{Italians: from the north eastern part of Italy under Austrian domination, of course. This war will be labelled "Second Italian War of Independence" by the eventual victors, but many Italians are quite happy with Austria's rule, many others have to pretend so, or fear the French even more. (The grandfathers tend to glorify the days of Napoleon I, long gone.) Uncle Frank has been in Lombardy with the Austrian army only a few years ago; details are yet to be researched.}
Dresden
May 27. 1859.
My dear mamma,
I am sure I don't know how I shall be able to fill up a letter to you for I think all the news that there is, is in papas letter. We are fairly in the warm weather now though of course it is not at its full warmth yet. Tomorrow is the day of the entrance of the prince and his Portugese wife and great preparations are making in consequence, windows too are very hard to be had and you must pay pretty handsomely for them, they arrive at 10 a.m. and all will probably be over before 12. I do not fancy that it will be anything worth seeing but I shall go of course like the rest of the world as I I always like studying the crowd. We shall have a Prussian colonel staying here from June 1st to July 1st and the week after next an English lady is coming of the name of Miss Puckle. I have not seen her yet, but as soon as she comes I shall send you a full true and accurate description of her. Don't forget to tell me any news about Miss Holbrooke that you may hear. I am writing this against time as I want to go and hear the band and make some purchases in the town. I shall make my next longer.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden
May 29.th 1859
My dear papa
Yesterday was the day of the entry of the prince and new princess. The procession began its march at 10 a.m. and lasted till half past 12. There were all the Dresden Guilds with flags &c, police, cavalry, peasant girls and also the miners out of the Plaue'sche Grund, who alone number 2000! all drilled and in black uniforms with enormous schako's of black with a Grecian border of yellow. The procession was immense and the crowd very respectable; I could not see the princess on account of the way she carried her parasol but she is reported to be very pretty*. After dinner I went out for a walk round by Potsschaffel and Kesselsdorf, a 4 hours stretch; on the way I fell in with one of the miners and walked about a mile with him, according to his account of the state of affairs the general feeling among the lower order is very bad, and he added in a significant way since "48" we have always had a "rifle at home and something to put into it" He said he had been 6 years in the cavalry and liked it well enough except for it being compulsory and the pay small, he added "If I had money I should have been out of Saxony long ago and in the English cavalry or in America" He told me that in that particular valley there were 1400 miners almost all of whom had been in the army; well drilled of course, and if they really have arms no contemptible force. The state of feeling here is certainly bad and Miss S. has been once insulted in the streets by common workmen. I remark too that they seem to take a particular pleasure in knocking against one, and none will move off the flagways as before to let a well dressed person pass.
Yesterday evening we had the two pretty young Americans in to supper, the twang that one of them has is very great, the effect of it which is most extraordinary in speaking German. Their names are Miss Crothers (changed from Carruthers of course and Miss Baldwin); the S's had procured them a window to see the procession which was the cause of their visit. It would be impossible to go to the Saxon Sw. now, even from Saturday till Monday – with young S. I mean – but at Whitsuntide he has a few days when I hope to get off for a day or two again, I shall stick to the German master as it is the only way I have for the German writing which is of course very necessary. It is fearfully hard turning Latin into German – far harder than the Greek, which I suppose is much easier by the article being in both languages. I don't think it would be any use sending me an account of uncle C's knapsack as there would no means of sending one, and I should not like to get one made on chances.
Francis E. Prendergast.
*others say as plain as is possible.
{"prince and new princess": Georg, the Saxon king's second son (1832-1904, to become king in 1902), with Maria Anna of Portugal (1843-1884). The princess is partly of German background; a photo shows her reasonably handsome. No big deal, but royalties rarely skip an occasion for a parade.
Plauescher Grund: part of the Gera valley in present-day Thuringia, outside the kingdom. If this place is meant and FEP's information is correct, the miners mentioned seem to be veterans of the royal Saxon army, leased there. The uniforms are miner's habits, not military; see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miner%27s_habit
"since 48": the revolutionary events in 1848 and 1849, particularly the "May Uprising in Dresden" (see Wikipedia) with some 200 shot dead in Dresden.
"Carruthers": a Scottish clan name well-known on the British Isles, hence "of course". The spelling variation Crothers, not quite so common, is also medieval Scottish, thus probably not "changed" on emigration. The two Misses have been mentioned before.
"uncle C's knapsack": as we will read on 17.09., uncle Charles is missionary about his favourite backpack, whereas FEP follows a different creed.}
Dresden
May 29.th 1859.
My dear mamma
Yours and papa's of the 24th cam on the 27th, I having sent off a letter in the morning. The past week has been a very restless one as everybody was perpetually running in and out to see the Austrians passing through. I was very glad to get another sight of the Hungarians and Italians, some of the latter sang most beautifully. This morning I went to the R.C. cathedral with young S. to hear the mass celebrated in honour of the Princesses arrival. What there was of music was very fine but there was very little, and the crowd was very great. Was there more than 3 sheets of this paper in the letter which was charged double? I think I have often sent 3 sheets before and you never said anything about its being over weight. Weigh 3 with an envelope and see howmuch it is.
If I went to Norway or Denmark or thereaway I should of course try to learn the language, but one really requires to know very little of anything but English now adays. One of the American ladies who was here last night gave me a very pleasant account of Copenhagen, she said it was very agreeable, the people most hospitable to all except Germans and a great deal of life going on and a great many things to be seen, which was exactly what I had imagined. Monday 30.th I dined with uncle J. yesterday and we drove and walked a little afterwards, but were prevented from taking any long drive by the tail of a thunderstorm which just touched here. I am now going to the tailor's to order a linen waistcoat as I have only got one wearable with me viz. the one made at M.felt. the Dublin one having grown too small. I do not think I ever told you of the odd noises that the frogs make here; some croaking others bellowing; some cry like children, another kind makes a noise like the hum of falling water and a 5th kind making a really very pretty sound somewhat like a bell; there is one more kind which makes a sort of piping or whistling noise but I think it is only at night that it is heared. They all seem to live in ponds. The number of cock-chafers (German Maikäfer) too is immense here, but butterflies do not seem very plentiful. I have just got a long letter from uncle Joe to whom I had written last week. He said he had dined with Arthur P. who told him he had seen Stiffle – one of the Russians who were at Hughe's, and who had only left this a few days ago, but uncle J. did not say if there was any likelihood of Arthur coming here this summer.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Princesses": as we have seen before, FEP's notion of the "Saxon genitive" has been confused by its different orthography in modern German.
Roman Catholics form a tiny minority in Dresden, but notably including the entire royal family, therefore feast days always come with music with chorus and orchestra which attract music lovers of all creeds.
"all except Germans": during the Schleswig-Holstein uprising of 1848-1851 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Schleswig_War), nationalist emotions had been cooked up by the flourishing newspapers of both countries. Civilians visiting the other country suddenly had to face hostile feelings, such as Annette Preußer's friend (and rumoured would-be fiancé) Niels Wilhelm Gade in Leipzig; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niels_Gade. The worst was over already by 1853, when Gade returned to Leipzig, where the Prendergast couple met him at the Preußers' house and in the concert hall. However, the political conflict was far from solved, and emotions could be reignited at the slightest incident.
Arthur P.: Arthur Hugh Dalrymple Prendergast, FEP' second degree cousin, who had stayed at the boarding house of Prof. Hughes earlier, together with Camillo Stiffel. The latter has left for England, as we know from the letter of May 10; he seems to be Arthur's friend and to have met him there very recently. Camillo will continue his studies at Dresden and actually have his name entered into the directory of 1862 as "Stiffel, Camillo, Rentier, Marienstr. 4. II.", i.e. person of independent means, under the address of Hughes' boarding house! Therefore it is logical to expect that Arthur will return the visit; presumably FEP knows about such plans.}
Dresden. June 2d. 1859.
My dear Papa,
I am beginning this in answer to your letter of Sunday which came yesterday (Wednesday). You speak about the Greek being so different – well the first day Scheibe came I could scarcely follow him when reading it and without the book would not have been able to tell what it was. The Latin is not so very much changed, but still a good deal, u is pronounced oo; a always the same; e, ay; j like y c before e and i tst, g always hard; th like t; &c. thus jungere is pronounced yoongeray (g as in gone) res gestae like rays gestay (g hard) and so on.
However I find it easy enough to read, but to translate the Latin into German or vice versâ is something dreadful, a short chapter in Sallust taking at least three quarters of the hour that Hübner is here, while with the Greek I can translate two good pages in the same time.
The prince and princess who arrived were prince George – the 2d son of the king – and his Portugese bride. The weather is now very curious here from sunrise you have a clear blue sky with a staring, glaring, roasting sun keeping everyone at home who is not obliged to go out; at about 4 or 5 oclock thunderclouds begin to collect and we have a slight thunderstorm with or without rain which soon passes off and the remainder of the evening is fine, people beginning to go out walking at 8.30 or 9 p.m.
The Prussian colonel has come; he is a little man with large moustache somewhat like colonel Roxburg but certainly somewhat larger. I shall have an opportunity of learning Prussian which is considerably different from the Saxon, the principal difference is that g is always pronounced like y, which is different from ordinary German where it is always hard, they also speak very fast and somewhat through the nose. I can understand most of what he says but not all.
{Note that for over 1000 years, the pronunciation of Latin and Ancient Greek has been a matter of each country’s national tradition. Even educated Britons pronounce Latin as if it were written English. In Saxony, the discrepancy from the original pronunciation is only slightly smaller.
"learning Prussian": the "y" pronunciation (as in "yellow") of non-final "g" applies to many northern dialects; FEP is probably describing the dialect of Berlin. "Prussian" has long ceased to be an ethnic or linguistic category at all.}
June 3.d
The heat is getting tremendous; yesterday uncle J's thermometer, which is hung in the coldest possible place where no sun ever comes, registered 21° of Reaumur which corresponds to about 80 of Fahrenheit! It often gets up to 24° which equals 86°!
I have made a most important discovery about travelling, viz that the 3d class is considerably better than our second and the people certainly more respectable than those you meet in our 2nd class and the difference in price is very considerable; in winter of course it would not do.
There are now tickets issued for 3 or four days duration to Teplitz one of the bathing places in north Bohemia and as they only cost 7/8 there and back – about 70 miles off it is – I shall try and get down for a day at Whitsuntide. I have just come in from looking for a coloured flannel shirt, and though I was in the best shop here they had no such thing on hand! I also must go and look for a pair of shoes which I want very badly but I am almost afraid to go as probably they will not be to be found ready made; the shops here are certainly wretched. I have arrived at the conclusion that double soles on shoes are worse than useless as the moment the outer sole is gone – and that is very soon – the shoe is useless.
7.45 p.m. a train of 45 carriages has just passed by full of hussars, such a train carries about 250 men and horses; the trains pour through as fast as ever but they are now always full of cavalry and artillery I have not done anything yet in the way of bathing or looking for a swimming master but I will ask uncle Jeffry about it on Sunday. Adolf says says there is no use bathing now as the water is hotter than the air but that I think is scarcely possible.
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. This will not be posted till tomorrow morning.
Dresden
June 3d. 1859
My dear mamma
Since I last wrote to you we have got the Prussian colonel of whom you will find a full description in papa's letter. I was a very pleasant walk with the two young S's yesterday, viz to the Rabenauer Grund (valley) near Tharandt we walked there and came back in the train. We left after dinner at 3 oclock and got there at 6 coming home at half past 8. On our way there we saw several of the long tailed swallowtail butterfly whose picture you will find in the naturalists library – (not in the Blue-book) they flew most beautifully with a long steady sailing flight. The German name is the sailing-flyer – most appropriate. I knocked one of them down with my stick but though we hunted for him for more than 10 minutes he could not be found.
The dust here is dreadful, it lies an inch thick everywhere and and as there is generally a little wind it keeps it in motion. The English lady is expected to night, and I hope she may find her room (the one corresponding to mine pleasant, but I strongly suspect it will be like an oven as it has the sun all day; mine has it only till 11 oclock and is unpleasant even so.
6.30 p.m. I am writing this in the Grosser Garten as it so hot in the house after dinner that it is impossible to avoid falling asleep if you try to do anything in the shape of working. I brought out all the work I could conveniently carry and worked for about 1½ hour when I moved to another point which commands a view of the Saxon Switzerland and where I am now writing this. Before coming out here I ordered a pair of shoes and also got a flannel shirt, things are very cheap here but by no means equal to ours. There is a concert here every morning at 6 a.m. when people come out to take their breakfasts and I shall walk out some morning soon. The mineral waters about which you were asking are all made here by Dr. Struve in whose garden they are to be had, and where you can go through any prescribed course of drinking without the trouble of going to the watering place! No letter from aunt Nannie as yet, and you may tell uncle Frank he has owed me one for 6 weeks! The hot weather I think seems going to break as the clouds are quite changed We always sit on the balcony or in the garden from supper till bed time which is a very pleasant way of spending the evening, as the air is so dry and warm here; it is now seven so I must be mending my homeward way.
Francis E Prendergast
Dresden
June 6. 1859
My dear papa
Yours of the 1st came this morning and I begin my answer to it at once. Regarding your ideas about my stay in Dresden – which is the principal point in your letter. You seem altogether to ignore my not being able to speak a word of French, the want of which I find every day more and more. German is a tip top language to know, without a doubt, but I am sure French is more important, and the difficulty of learning it would be much greater in a year or two, to say nothing of the thousand and one things that may be in the way in a year or two. If you wish me to remain on the continent during the winter my idea would be this. Supposing I go off on my wanderings on August 1st and get back on or before the first of October; I could then remain here till about Christmas, when I might move down to Switzerland (Veray, Lausanne or thereabouts) and spend 2 or 3 months in a Swiss family where I would hear nothing but French; this I think ought to give my French a good lift and would at all events put me in the way of speaking French, of which it is high time that I should know some more than I do at present.
I have often spoken to uncle Jeffry about this, and he approves highly of it, agreeing with me about the great importance of French. This would give me a whole year in Germany, which I think ought to suffice for the present. I shall never spend the spring in Dresden again if I can help it, for the weather was most disagreeable and I had generally something wrong (in a trifling way I mean) with me. I look upon the time spent on the continent as in a great manner lost to the classics and what might be termed school-studies generally, though of course much is gained in other respects; learning thorough foreign languages must always be a great drawback, not only from the difficulty of it, but also from the extra amount of time it requires. If I return to Dresden I must make some effort about getting on with mathematics and algebra and arithmetic; the last two – particularly algebra I am very backward in and they are both most necessary whether for college or every day life. If living in Switzerland I could of course very soon pursue classics and mathematics in French (at least I think so) to say nothing of seeing a new country, new people, new language, and new modes of life; and uncle Jeffry assures me that there are houses without and of the kind I should require.
Perhaps afterwards I might get down Italy-ways and pick up something of the language; – but this last is merely speculation. I wish you would think over the Switzerland idea and tell me what you think about it. Ask uncle Jeffry his opinion. I do not see that any plans need be disturbed by the wars – except that one must keep out of Italy for the present, if they wish to travel in comfort. You made a slight mistake about Tegern See in one of your letters – it is not in the Tyrol but a few miles on the Bavarian side of the frontier. June 8.th I met uncle Jeffry in the Grosser Garten this morning and told him of your plan for my stay here. He grumbled and said "hm I don't think that this winter in Dresden would be the thing for you; German is a most important language &c &c, but French &c. &c., so you may write to him and hear his opinion on the matter which would probably be the best you could hear; so till you say more about the question and get his opinions I shall remain silent.
I am afraid I shall not be able to get young S. to come with me on a trip, but at all events I shall go somewhere, where to I don't know. I met Hogarth, the little cracked Frenchman who was at Hughes, this morning; he said he was going back to Paris tomorrow, so that Hugh's will be pretty empty now.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden
June 8.th 1859.
My dear mamma
Yours enclosing aunt Nannie's has just arrived. I received one from Mary and aunt Elizabeth yesterday so this week I am in a flood of letters which is by no means usually the case now. I think they describe Miss H. in very high terms and she seems to be the very thing that they wanted. The flannel shirt I have got is checkquered blue and white, but I have not begun to wear it yet as the collar (which I had to get made) is not yet back from the wash. If it suits well, I shall get some more and another shirt. I have also some thoughts of getting a uba for 10/6 as the shooting coat, though I can't find any fault with it, is not the most comfortable thing for walking in. Its fault (if any) is being too good a fit and yet I cannot say that it is too tight anywhere. You ask if I am forgetting how to speak English. Of course I can speak it as well as ever but I sometimes hesitate for a word and often over the construction. in consequence also of reading little or no English I find the spelling getting very hard and I often have to look out for words. The English Lady – Miss Puckle – has come. She came on Saturday. She is a tall, goodlooking, somewhat stiff, and aristocratic looking person of between 35 and 40, with most ladylike manners. She speaks little or no German, but seems very anxious to learn. She is a painter, but I have not seen any of her performances yet. Her sister is married to Brady, who is, or was lord Chancellor or something* in Dublin. She has a brother holding some Government appointment in Quebec (Customs I think) and another brother who was gold licence commissioner in Australia and has now got some other appointment there. I have also discovered that her family live at or near Brighton and also in Huntingdon.
I like her very well but her not understanding German is a great nuisance for me as I must of course talk a good deal to her and also interpret a great deal. I have a great dislike to speaking English with or even before Germans, and the S's laugh at me, and say they never heard me speak a word of English till Miss P. came. We had the two American ladies in to supper last night and had a very pleasant evening. Adolf says that if wanted a lady to talk with he would certainly take an American, but if he had to marry a foreigner he would take an Englishwoman! They are certainly very lively and amusing as well as pretty. They are living here with Mrs. Davis to learn German and other accomplishments.
I make many travelling plans but I have not got a satisfactory one made yet, and it is possible that the Tyrol may be impassible in August and the French may be in Vienna in 6 weeks; Switzerland will however be pretty sure to be always open.
The weather here continues warm and sunny and I don't know of any news in particular to tell you except that we paid a visit at Lockwitz (the Preussers) on Sunday, and that the Baron went off this evening to Hamburg for a few days about some business.
The Prussian colonel is very agreeable and tells many good stories; he has the iron cross, a mark of distinguished valour; he made the campaign against Bonaparte with the Prussians, and was wounded at the battle of Leipsic.
Francis E. Prendergast
*I have forgotten the names of all our officials and told a German the other day that Lord Carlisle was our L. C.!
P.S. June 9th. Ask papa whether he thinks it would be best to go viâ Vienna to Tegern See, or first to Tegern See viâ Munich and then to Vienna and back again towards Switzerland. I am in favour of the first route, the rail is open from Vienna to Gmunden viâ Linz, Tegern See is about 5 hours from Munich the rail going half way.
{"impassible": sic; probably meaning "impassable", less probably "impossible".
Emily Hale Puckle, 1821-1891, can be safely identified. Her brother, the Australian commissioner, is Frederic Hale Puckle, 1823-1909. She would talk FEP's ear off; no surprise that he cannot remember her exact family relations. Actually her older brother, Rev. Benjamin Hale Puckle, 1822-1892, is rector of Grafham, Huntingdonshire (as was their father, also Benjamin, †1853), and married since 1853 to a daughter of Sir Maziere Brady, 1796-1871, at times Lord Chancellor of Ireland (i.e. highest judge). Emily Puckle may be in Dresden to study at the renowned Academy of Arts (– most of whose professors are personal friends of the Prendergasts and the Preußers); she will die unmarried, and without leaving any paintings known to the Internet, in the house of her third brother George Hale Puckle, 1825-1909.
Now the drumroll: this third brother George is the principal of Windermere College and a good friend, later neighbour, of Annette Preußer. She and the Aufrères are probably those friends of Mrs. Whittle's (via aunt Margaret) who have established the contact with the Seckendorffs, as mentioned on May 22. On June 28, FEP will name Miss Preusser explicitly in such a role.
Brighton: Frederic Hale Puckle has recently, on 04.05.1858, got married at Brighton, Victoria, Australia – not the place FEP imagines, Brighton in England.
Adolf's message may be that although he does not disapprove of self-conscious women, he does not want to marry any such. This is what a traditional "real man" is supposed to say, true or not, to avoid being suspected of weakness and lack of responsibility. FEP finds that strange enough, but keeps his own opinion to himself.
Lockwitz: the visitors are probably Jeffry, Margaretta, and FEP. The Dubliners know the Preußers well, either personally or from earlier correspondence with Jeffry, so that no further comment is required. Doubtless itineraries through Switzerland are being discussed. The Preußer couple and Annette must have recounted their trip to Interlaken in 1842 with Felix Mendelssohn, in which tale the "Hotel de la Couronne" in Meiringen plays a role, see below.
Lord Carlisle: former Lord Lieutenant (more powerful than a Lord Chancellor), and about to regain that office in a fortnight. The Saxons won't mind, I dare say. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Howard,_7th_Earl_of_Carlisle , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lords_Lieutenant_of_Ireland .}
Hotel
La Reine Imperiale
Teplitz. June 12.
7. p.m.
My dear Papa,
I left Dresden yesterday morning by the 7. a.m. train getting out at Mügeln, the second station from Dresden; from thence I proceeded on foot (alone, for Adolf was going to the Saxon Switzerland with a class of the Polytechnic and could not accompany me) through the valley of the Rothes Wasser, or red water, on towards Teplitz and through the Erz mountains. The river is rather small, but the water is of the most extraordinary red colour, not merely reddish but of a bright blood red looking as if it was running over a bed of red lead, and strange to say getting redder and redder as you approached its source; the valley through which it flows is lovely, and swarming with Butterflies many of which I had never seen before but unluckily had neither time or opportunity to catch. I walked on and on passing Glasshütte and Lauenstein, the latter a curious old German village off the postroad, clean, neat, and almost all the houses with green shutters. At both of these places I laid in bread cheese and beer. By the way I do not know if I ever told you that I had taken to drinking beer when walking in Bohemia before; you get a large tankard of einfaches or simple (plain, in English probably) beer for somewhere about three farthings it is not much stronger than toast and water, but is very good for quenching the thirst. I had started, foolishly enough – but I could not help it – with a blister on one foot and a pair of two-day-old shoes, from which I soon began to feel that my feet were getting knocked up, and I asked at one or two places if I could get any conveyance but they laughed and said I would have to send to Teplitz for it, so I was obliged to push on, and I pushed on and on, passing the frontier which is marked by a small stream and finally reached the summit of the hills which command the view of Teplitz.
Here you get a magnificent view of the rich and lovely Bohemia, looking so fertile and teeming after Saxony. The road now began to run in a winding line down the sides of the hills and I had ocular demonstration in three ways that I was in Bohemia, first in the cast of features which seems to change the moment you are over the border, secondly the figures of the Virgin, crosses &c which meet ones eye at every turning, and thirdly in the dirt and negligent Irish look which prevailed everywhere. At 9.15 p.m. I got in to Teplitz, not tired, but very, very footsore and beaten; I had been out nearly 14 hours at least 12 of which I had been on foot, the distance is reckoned at at about 25 miles which I should say was about right, though I had probably gone a few more. By the way I forgot to tell you that in the middle of the day when the sun was very hot I got tired, and turned into a pine wood where with my knapsack as a pillow I slept for an hour and was greatly refreshed thereby.
On getting in here I got something to eat and drank another tankard of beer, making the fifth I had had taken that day. Tell this to uncle Frank as well as to uncle Joe for the latter recommended me to drink beer. This morning I was not out of bed until 10(!) when I got some breakfast and then went out to look for Miss Tudor, for whom I had got a note from the Seckendorfs. I found her most luckily just as she was coming down the stairs; she was very glad and much surprised to see me.
I then sat with her for a while in the garden and then went with her to one of the restaurants (every house here seems to be a lodginghouse, restaurant or bathing house) where we dined; after dinner she introduced me to a Bohemian family with two very pretty gipsy-faced daughters, from Prag, of the name of von Korf.
We then ascended the hill called the Schlossberg which commands a splendid panorama of the country for miles round; it has somewhat the appearance of the central part of Down as seen from Slieve Donard, but though the mountains are really higher they do not look half the height of those of Mourne. This part of Bohemia is certainly lovely. Miss Tudor is going off to Prag and Wien in a few days and will stop for some time near Gmunden in the Salzkammergut in the Tyrol, where I hope to meet her again in August. I have also got Mrs. Whittles adress in the south of Bavaria near the Boden See (Lake of Constance, I think it is in English) so perhaps I may be able to give her a call; the Allens are with her too, so I have chances of seeing a good many friends in the summer.
Altogether I have had a very pleasant day, and tomorrow I shall go back by the train as my feet are not in a condition to stand anymore walking at present. Before leaving Dresden I changed a 5 dollar note – 15/ – into Austrian money for which I got 10 gulden and a half which equals 21/ !! is not that an enormous profit. I am afraid now that I shall have to take a great deal of it back in which case I shall lose even more in changing it back into Saxon money. I must now go and get something in the shape of supper; the coffee room here is always half full of white uniforms smoking reading the papers or playing billards, every coffeeroom in Germany seeming to be furnished with a billiard table.
By the way Miss Tudor told me that when she was staying a Glenarm some time ago she had met a Mrs. and Miss Irwin there and she heard that she had a son in the constabulary who had married a very young wife! ask aunt Elizabeth if she recollects the name. She also knew Mr. Day of Dublin and many of the county Antrim people.
I have got my knapsack made up as before out of one of the leggins which have proved more use than I ever expected they would be. I little thought when I was getting them years ago for a pair of waterproof boots that I would be using them as a knapsack in Bohemia.
Perhaps I might join the geological with young S. until I am going awaw and as the excursions last until the end of July it would just suit. They are every Wednesday afternoon from 2 p.m. until dark. I should have to take a half year which would be about 18/ or thereabouts. I should probably be able to find one or two from the class would at all events be respectable and young S. would of course always be there. The class is about 20 in number. I shall ask uncle J. about it tomorrow and if he approves of it join at once.
F. E. P.
{Mügeln: recte Müglitz; the footpath from there to Teplitz is 47 km over the mountains; the train continues through the Elbe valley, further east. (Mügeln would be on the way to Leipzig, rather in the opposite direction.
The red colour of the creek is man-made, by iron ores from mining rubble.
Miss Tudor is already known to the Dubliners, but if she were a long-standing friend, her knowing the Irwins would not be such a coincidence. Presumably she is being "sent", recommended, to the Seckendorffs as a future lodging guest, like Miss Puckle was.
"Son in the constabulary": aunt Elizabeth's son John King Irwin 1833-1868, who had married a girl of 16 years on 14.04.1858. We will read more about him.}
Dresden
3.30 p.m. June 13.th 1859
My dear Papa
Here I am in my old quarters again and have just read your letter of the 9.th I left Teplitz this morning at 9.40. a.m. and arrived here at 2.15. I had got my dinner in Bodenbach, and was just in time for the coffee after dinner here, which was very agreeable.
The Baron had only arrived from Hamburg an hour before, they were all very glad to see me back, not having expected me till the evening, and somewhat to my surprise I heared the news of Palmerstons re-entry. The Germans look upon this as a great blow to them, for now they expect England will go with France, or at all events that they have no more chance of assistance from the west.
They say they don't care for England or her army but they speak in very respectful words of the fleet, the very name of a line of Battle ships seeming to inspire them with awe. I travelled with two young Belgians this morning – at least I think they were for they spoke French and were everlasting talking about Belgium.
You speak of bathing in the Elbe as being a refreshment; I have not yet tried it but by all accounts it is pretty much the same as a hot bath, and uncle Jeffry says that he as given up bathing in the river as it does not cool or clean you a bit.
As to the Polytechnic School there are lectures open to strangers for a small payment; but from what I have heared from Adolf, Scott Russell, Etlinger and others, one does not get much benefit from them, as the professors will not take any trouble with one. The professors too generally speaking are drunken dissipated scoundrels and very few of the scholars are gentlemen being mostly fellows who are learning to be mechanical engineers. Perhaps some of the out door lectures (afternoon expeditions) on botany and geology or engineering might be of advantage, but I doubt it, as from Adolfs account there is more beer drunken than work done in these. Mr. E's object when speaking of it was, I am sure, for the sake of the German I would learn there, but I could hardly be learning and speaking more than I am at present, –
I believe what uncle Frank says about the Prussians is very correct but our little colonel is a very quiet unassuming little man.
Francis E. Prendergast.
I managed my expences so that I have only brought back 1/3d in Austrian money.
Dresden
June 13. 1859
My dear mamma
I have just read your letter which I found here on my return and as I have told papa all, or nearly all, the news I shall only answer your questions.
As to the flannel, I could not exist without it, for when everyone else is complaining of the heat, I am engaging it greatly, – except that I cannot work over books; as long as I can walk or take exercise I find it not disagreeable – for which I have to thank the flannel, much to the surprise of the Germans who wonder that anyone can like to walk in such weather
As to the Guy Mannering, uncle Frank gave it to me long ago as a birth day present, but I never wrote my name in it. I think the only borrowed book I have is 2 years before the mast which belongs to uncle Willy, but don't return it unless he asks for it.
The Seckendorfs, servants and all, call me Mr. Prendergast, at Hughes everyone said Herr Prendergast, but English people in Dresden, generally speaking, are called Mr., Mrs. and Miss by way of determining to what nation they belong.
There is no fruit ripe yet, except cherries and strawberries, but both are dear as yet. Gooseberries are not much sought after in Germany and are much inferior to our own. I look upon uncle Georges movements as a myth, and until he has gone, or said "upon his honour" he is is going, I shall doubt the fact.
The Elbe water does not look enticing for bathing as it is of a dunduckety yellow mud colour, somewhat like the Rostrevor river in a flood but much yellower.
I am writing this in a great hurry as the S's are going at 5 oclock to a concert – open air – in the Grosser Garten and I want to go with them.
I hope you may get aunt Elizabeth to come up, and don't forget to ask her if she remembers meeting Miss Tudor at Glenarm – or the other place near – I forget the mane of it – Carnlough qu?
Francis E. Prendergast
this letter will be over weight of course, but I can't help it.
PS tell papa my expences were under 15/ everything included.
{Guy Mannering: novel by Walter Scott, 1815; mamma seems to have found the book among FEP's belongings and wondered to whom it belongs. He may have asked for it to be sent to him, so that he can compare it with the German translation he bought recently, as he mentioned on May 10.
"Two Years Before the Mast": autobiographical adventure novel by the US author Richard Henry Dana Jr., 1840.}
Dresden
June 17. 1859.
My dear Papa,
I received your letter of Sunday the day before yesterday from Carola Strasse, and am now beginning this although half expecting one from you to day. You will probably see Dr. Seiler in the course of a fortnight or so, and he having heared of your saying that with uncle Frank's and uncle Willie's German you could make him at home, desired me to say he was particularly anxious to have opportunities of speaking English. He speaks it nearly as distinctly as he speaks German, but that is not saying much, however he understands it perfectly having been a good deal in England.
Uncle Jeffry asked me into tea to meet him the evening before last, and to dinner yesterday. Miss Preusser was there and we afterwards drove out to Lockwitz and drank tea there; on coming home uncle Jeffry arranged about money with me; our calculations were that I would require about £22 in the coming 7 weeks and be accordingly left 200 Thalers (£30) with me.
I shall not take anything in hand about the Polytechnic at present at all events, the only things I could attend would be the Geological excursions and as I should have to pay £1..7 for the 6 remaining excursions it would never do.
I am sure that Mr. Ensell has some idea in his head that I am at Hughes and not learning to speak german for the want of practice, I know at least that his memory is none of the best, so I dare say he imagines I am there still.
We have had a great change in the weather here it having suddenly got cool – almost cold and a regular gale is now blowing, I don't believe that they know what a storm is in Dresden, at least I have never seen anything like one here, and they always grumble at the least little breeze.
My French master (Comte) is going back to Switzerland next week and I must say I am not sorry at his departure for he is a most unamiable being though not a bad master. He has recommended one of his countrymen to me, who I am going to take, as he is said to be very good.
My feet I am glad to say have quite recovered from the effects of my Teplitz walk; I have also got Emmersons shoes, the soles of which were worn out, resoled, and shall keep them for my tour; good, lasting shoes are not to be had in Dresden for the simple reason that they have no good leather in Germany. I am not writing any more projects until I hear from you again which I suppose will be on Monday morning this being Saturday evening.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Mr. Ensell: FEP's former school teacher, obviously in contact with JPP, personally or by correspondence, and anxious to see his labour bear fruit.
Emmerson: apparently a Dublin shoemaker, who works with durable leather.}
Dresden
June 17. 1859
My dear mamma,
I was very glad to get your note of Sunday, as well as Papas, though both were so short. You will be seeing Dr. Seiler soon, who I dare say will rather surprise you. He is fearfully shortsighted and has an odd shy embarassed manner which I think is the consequence of his not being quite able to see who he is speaking to. Do not ask him to take any parcel for you to Dresden unless you have something small and important. If you do send anything you might send a couple of shirt collars for I cannot get them here of the kind I want, at least I cant find any.
When I am going away I must get a strong box for my books as I look upon the old trunk as a very inconvenient and unsafe way of transporting them or even for leaving them here at rest.
My present Idea of my journey would be to go down to the Lake of Constance viâ Nurnberg and Ausberg, per rail, from the Lake of Constance through the Eastern (German) half of Switzerland down to the province of Ticino to get a view of the Lago Maggiore and perhaps Como, then back through Switzerland and the Tyrol to Innsbruck, from thence to Tegern See and Munich, back to Tegern See and thence via Salzburg and the Salzkammergut to Linz, and thence by rail or steamer to Vienna and back to Dresden viâ Prague; when I have mentioned no means of transit I propose to go on foot. This tour I think might be performed in less than two months though I don't pretend to say that I have made any calculations about it.
Saturday 18.th I heared from uncle Frank yesterday; strange to say the letter had come open and the Prussian Postoffice officials at Verviers had sealed it up again. Tell him this. I have not heared anything of the Ensors of any denomination excepting uncle George, this long time, what are they all about?
I had intended making a three sheet letter out of this, but as papa's letter which I was expecting has not come I shall stop at two. I don't think I told you that on my Teplitz trip I saw a rather large & beautiful green lizard as well as many small brown ones. You ask me which of my masters I liked best, at present I like my German master Herr Nauwerck the best, but I think it is probably that I shall like my new French (Swiss) master better; he is a young, gentlemanly, agreeable and very handsome young fellow of about 24, his name is Ayez, and young S. is acquainted with him. I shall probably tell you more about him another time.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Nurnberg and Ausberg": Nürnberg and Augsburg.
"Ayez": recte Pierre Ayer, misspelled also in the subsequent letters. "Ayez" is the French word for "Have!" – pronounced equally, the last letter being mute. In fact r and z look very similar in FEP's handwriting; he may even have misread it in his own notes.}
Dresden.
June 22.d 1859.
My dear mamma,
On Monday I, in company with young S. spent a very pleasant day with the Boytons and Capt. Montgomery at Paradise, a most lovely spot about 4 miles to the west on the Elbe and so called from the splendid view it commands We went off at 10 a.m. by the steamer which takes an hour to get down to the nearest point to Paradise, in walking up we passed through a pine wood full of bilberries and wild strawberries which were so good that we stopped there for more than an hour and eat so much that I began to get alarmed at the quantity, but they only improved our appetite.
On arriving at the house we asked in German if they were at home, when a rich Donegal brogue replied, "I think they are surr I'll gaw and see" which you may imagine greatly delighted me; we were immediately invited to dinner and spent a very pleasant day there dining and taking tea in the open air in a bower, in the regular German fashion, which I highly approve of.
22.d Your letter (which came at last) arrived this evening, and I now proceed to answer your questions. You ask about the roads; it would be hard to lose oneself in Saxony on account of the sign posts at every cross road, but it is very easy to go astray and make round abouts even from this very cause.
One does not meet many people considering how thickly the country is inhabited, and at this particular time scarcely anybody is to be seen in the fields. Miss Tudor is at Teplitz to bathe in consequence of sciatica, rheumatism or some such thing. I did not try to speak French with the Belgians as I do not fancy speaking to people in a railway carriage; with my French master I never speak anything but French, my former master hardly understood German at all, and my present very little, all understand a little English, that is, to read it, not to speak or understand it.
Georgy I have not yet heared from and Jack has not written to me for nearly 3 months!
40,000 Prussians are reported to be coming through Dresden in the first week of July en route for the Rhine provinces which is very probably. Small bodies of Austrians are now passing through, but nobody takes any notice of them now.
We have had very heavy rain yesterday and to day and there seems prospect of more.
Francis E Prendergast
Make aunt Elizabeth give a line.
{"Paradise": Paradies, a hill in Radebeul-Niederlößnitz, with a fashionable restaurant (where the young men would have dined if the Boytons had not been at home or failed to invite them). The Boyton/Montgomery family now seems to inhabit a villa near the top. "Young" William Charles Boyton, however, has left for Cambridge.}
Dresden
June 22.d 1859.
My dear Papa,
Uncle Jeffry did not go until Tuesday, so I dined with him on Sunday as usual; aunt Margaret was complaining greatly about the journey and saying she wished she had not to go, but nevertheless she appeared to me to be looking better and in better spirits than I had seen her since I came here. I have had a fencing lesson this morning, and have been repeating, some of it with a stick and the consequence is that I can hardly write. Staberoh gave me a lesson with the rapier or straight cut-sword on Monday and he is going to give me a few more lessons in it and also in the sabre, which is almost like a Turkish scimeter, being greatly curved in the blade; however I don't like anything so well as the florettes or foils. I have now been at work with the foils nearly six months and nothing but the school exercises without masks in this time, but now as I have gone through the course he is going to set to work with the masks.
Three soldiers were killed here, or rather at Dippoldiswalda, a place ten miles off, yesterday by the lightning, and 7 more injured, they were at the bayonet exercise in a field and the bayonets are supposed to have attracted the lightning. Austrian troops have begun to pass through again, 6000 are said to have past but no one troubles their heads about them now. We paid a visit to the Boytons and Captain Montgomery on Monday, and I made out that the Boytons are, (as well as Captain M.) from Convoy house near Raphoe and Mrs. Boytons mother comes from Ards house, they are cousins of Montgomery the Zoologist in Dublin and seem to have the same tastes, for Mrs. B. has a large collection of insects, snakes, lizards, &c.
I got a letter from uncle F. again on Monday, enclosing one from Sharpe and Driscoll all of which shall be replied to in due course of time.
As to my kit when travelling, I shall take (extra what I have on) a light pair of trousers, light waistcoat and jacket, a light flannel shirts, a collar, 2 pair of socks, slippers, and night shirt. On the top of the knapsack I shall take the plaid rolled up, not merely as a protection against rain but also as covering at night, for I can't manage to sleep under a feather bed in summer and they only give you one sheet in Germany. This I think ought not to weigh more than a stone or 15 pounds. A long cane or bamboo stick must be added to this equipment. Braces I have given up wearing and I find it a great luxury to be without them.
8. p.m. Your letter of the 18th has just arrived. As to the shoes, there is no use looking for them here; I have got Emmersons strongly soled and shall put a lot of nails in the soles myself, as I could not persuade the shoemaker to do it. Perhaps I might get a good pair in Switzerland where people walk, which is more than they do in Saxony. I shall set about getting my kit in order at once, for you have no idea what trouble there is getting anything in the miserable shops here. 14 p.m. My hand is now hardly able to hold the pen as, for the last hour and a half I have been teaching and practising boxing with the two young S's, changeing with them as they got tired and using each arm turn about. The baron is going off to Berlin tomorrow morning for a day or two, and Miss Puckle for a similar time to Schandau, and on Saturday Adolf goes off till Monday with his class to the S. S. so the house will be pretty empty. I like my new French master very much and I think that there is a probability of my learning more from him than from Comte; I really think he is the handsomest young fellow I ever saw, and Adolf, who knows him personally, says his character is equal to his countenance which is saying a great deal.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Journey: to Marienbad, a watering place in Bohemia, 40 km beyond Carlsbad to the south; Jeffry and Margaretta will check in at the lodging house "Germania" on the 23.06., with two servants.
"scimeter": scimitar
"Braces": called suspenders in US English.
"S. S.": Saxon Switzerland, so-called. Thereabouts is Schandau, perhaps chosen to find subjects for landscape art.}
Dresden
June 28. 1859
My dear Papa,
Your letter of the 23d arrived yesterday. I have had no letter from uncle Jeffry as yet – from Marienbad I mean. I have already given you a list of the clothes I intend to take, and as I intend that they shall all go into a knapsack which I shall always have with me, it must be as light as possible; having a complete change with me perhaps it might not be necessary to carry any extra covering: my plaid I am afraid is too heavy and I am afraid I could not find any light waterproff here. A bag or trunk would cost a great deal for transport and would tie me down too much
My French master (Ayez) is going off to Switzerland the last week in July by the Ausburg and Lindau route, and then going on foot from that to a place a little south of Bern – not direct but seeing scenery on the way, and I think it is very possible I may go with him; if we could arrange it it would be very agreeable for me as well as advantageous; I shall do all my railway travelling 3d class which is an immense saving and in summer is pleasanter than the hot stuffed 2nd class. From the enclosed slip you will have some idea of the expence and time required to get southwards. I calculate the railway expences to Lindau at £1.10 which with a night a Nuremberg you may reckon as £2. I shall not take any cap, for the wide awake would not go into a knapsack.
I do not exactly know what money to take with me, but uncle Jeffry says he think that Prussian dollars in silver or paper are as good as anything and have their full value everywhere. I must get a map and pocket compass of course, but there will be little or no trouble about that, also a small hair brush. I shall be very glad indeed to get off for it is very difficult to work in the house in this hot weather
I wish you would say something decisive about my winter stay in Dresden for the Baron has been asking me about it and said if he thought I was coming back for two or three months in the winter he would keep a room for me. The colonel goes away in the middle of July and in his place comes a Miss O'Sullivan who Miss Preusser has recommended to the Ss, and who is going to stay the winter here. As soon as I am off an American lady comes who is also going to stop the winter here. I saw her and her husband who was here but is now gone off, they both seemed unusually well bred people and I am sure would be pleasant companions. Miss Puckle is not going to stay long so that when I come back there would be just room for me. I like the idea of being here for the winter very much, but nothing would induce me to remaing longer than the beginning of March or indeed scarcely so long, I was so out of condition half unwell last spring.
The Baron wants to know before I go and then everything would be settled. About Miss O'Sullivan I only know that she is now in Donegal, is a friend of the Goulds of Derry (Miss Preussers friends), is about 22, has lost her father and some brothers lately and has been recommended a change of scene, more than this Miss Preusser could not tell me. The American lady is from Baltimore and her husband is a large slaveowner. They (She I mean the husband is not coming) were recommended by the Crothers and Baldwin faction
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Ausburg": Augsburg
We learn that Annette Preußer is now established as Seckendorff's agent and talks to FEP often and frankly.
"Goulds of Derry": apparently known to JPP. A good friend of Annette Preußer's was the late Limerick politician Wyndham Goold, 1812-1854, oftentimes seen at Leipzig in connection with the composers William Sterndale Bennett and Arthur O'Leary, even closer friends of Annette's. His brother is a CofI archdeacon at Raphoe, "Diocese of Derry and Raphoe", cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Goold. A nephew of the two, Wyndham Wynne, will be FEP's classmate at T. C. D.
Miss Emily Patience O'Sullivan is already 32 but otherwise fits the description perfectly; her father was in the same CofI echelon as Goold. We will read later that after all she will not arrive because of an illness, but nevertheless is going to spend "a long time in Germany", probably as a teacher of English, until 1871 when she settles in Paris as a professor of (English) literature.
(By the way, the prospective "Gilbert-and" composer Arthur Sullivan is currently studying at Leipzig, doubtless an acquaintance of the Preußers' and very questionably said to be a relative of O'Leary's. The "O'" prefix is often considered optional, but Sullivan is even more common a name than Goold.)
NB: to recommend house guests and professionals reliably, a flawless reputation does not suffice. A realistic judgement of others is essential as well, which is Annette's strong point and secret of lifelong success in various areas.
Slave ownership is something of a disqualification to Europeans, however well-bred the owner. In the 1860 census, Cortland (misspelled "Courtland") lives in Baltimore with his parents, wife, three children and three ("free") servants. We can assume that he has bought farms in the country, where slaves are part of the business. (In the 1860 "slave plan", we catch him "renting" a male slave.)
"She I mean ...": added afterwards with an insertion sign, which I take the liberty to symbolise by parentheses.
Crothers and Baldwin: two pretty young American Misses we have met before, friends (not lodgers) of Seckendorff's.}
Dresden.
June 28.th 1859
My dear mamma
I am very much obliged to you for the pattern of the collar, but I have got some already, I happened to ask Cap. Montgomery and he directed me to a shop where I found them. I spent a very pleasant Sunday at the Preussers who had a great collection of people viz. 4 Preussers, Mrs. P's brother, a Miss Ward, a Swedish countess and her daughter; then two very pretty young ladies, daughters of an Hungarian lady who is married to a Saxon count, two cavalry officers who are quartered there, two Polytechnicers, one from Leipsic, the other from Frankfort, and two young Londoners who are at school in Dresden, thus forming a large assemblage.
I have got some woolen stockings which I find a great improvement on the cotton for walking.
On Saturday I took a long stretch to a place called Radeberg which is about 11 miles off to the north west, this distance I did (there and back) in 5½ hours, but it is an uninteresting walk and there is nothing to be seen when you get there. I do not know how far I shall be able to get on my tour, but supposing I am on foot the whole time and walk 22 miles a day which gives 150 miles a week I would be able to see a good deal; you may reckon how far that would take me in 6 weeks, and 22 miles a day is a moderate calculation.
You need not send me any more envelopes for I am overstocked at present, but send the straw paper when you have room.
As soon as I get an answer from uncle Frank I shall look for a map which is one of the chief points. It has been very hot indeed to day and we have the hot weather, bright sun, and no clouds again.
It is late now and I have to be up very early tomorrow so I must close.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Collar: it seems that Dr. Friedrich Hugo Seiler is back from his trip to Dublin and has brought the desired (?) little parcel.
At Lockwitz, the "4 Preussers" must be Gustav Ludwig, Emma, Annette, and Luise, who live there. The Leipzig "polytechnicer" is probably Gustav Alexander Preußer (– whose sonship to the host has escaped FEP), a student at the Dresden Polytechnic until 1858, now switching to agriculture (in preparation of his role as the heir of the Lockwitz estate, probably against his inclination). The Frankfurt one is probably Alexander Alphons Friedrich Gontard 12.08.1842-13.04.1921, son of the Preußers' friend Friedrich Gontard and second cousin to Gustav Alexander's brother-in-law Moritz Gontard.
"Mrs. P's brother": Paul Gotthelf Freiherr v. Gutschmid, a court official in Dresden, who is also the widower of Annette's late sister Isidora Preußer.
Note that Jeffry and Margaretta Prendergast are still at Marienbad; FEP has been invited directly and individually by the Preußer family.}
Dresden
June 30.th 1859.
My dear Papa,
I have had no news from anybody since I last wrote to you, and the increase of the heat is the only novelty here. My room is hardly endurable between 10 am an 1, and about 3 p.m. I get a second edition of reflected heat. I have ordered a Jacket and a pair of trousers from the tailor, of a most extraordinarily light and thin stuff which ought to pack beautifully.
My French master is going off some day between the 17th & 24th of July and if you are content that I should go off then I should propose going with him. His tour is to go viâ rail to Zürich and from that on foot viâ Lucerne the Rigi Interlacken Junfrau Rhone valley & Lake of Geneva to Bulle. I am not sure but that he may have friends to go with and might not like a strangers company, but I do not think this is the case. He says that on foot, living, guides, and all expences included you (an Englishman he means not a Swiss, for he can do it cheaper) may travel "en prince" for 3 dollars (9/) a day. Supposing I had got as far as Geneva I should then come round through Savoy viâ Chamouni, Rhone Vally, Simplon, across Lake of Maggiore up Lac de Como over the Splügen, through the Engadin, and so up to Innsbruck and home viâ Tegern See, Munich and back to Dresden, leaving Vienna & Salzkammergut for another time.
This is not of course a route to be stuck to, but to be improved upon or altered according to circumstances. I do not know what I shall do about an over covering for it seems to me that it would be almost impossible to carry the plaid it is so heavy; I was not aware of its weight until now.
I am scarcely so intimate with Mrs. Whittle as to expect to be invited to stop, if I did go there, but it is much out of any possible route that I may take.
My entire equipment will be of cloth or flannel excepting waistcoat.
I must be on the look out for some maps now – of Switzerland I mean. Keller is said to be antiquated and surpassed.
I am very anxious to be getting off for the heat is increasing to a fearful extent, (Dresden is renowned for extremes of heat and cold) and it is almost impossible to work in the house; the actual power of the sun does not seem to me so great, but it is the heated stifling air which is so overpowering. I have tried all windows open – all shut – everything in fact but it is no use trying to fight against king Heat The worst too is that the nights are so hot until about 1 or 2 o'clock a.m., when the thermometer often falls to within one degree of freezing point! Colds in consequence are very plentiful.
I however stand the heat and cold much better than the natives in consequence of sticking to cloth and flannel which is much cooler than linen. The heat and the war are the two – and only, subjects of conversation here at present. I am greatly surprised at not hearing from uncle Jeffry; he said he would write immediately and it is now nearly a fortnight and I have heared nothing form him yet.
2.d I think your idea for my staying here from October to January is a very good one, and my wish will now be to get off about the 20th or thereabouts, as all my master's months end from the 15th to the 20.th and that will avoid entering a new month; I shall then make my way down towards the Lake of Geneva and try to get into some family either there, or in Savoy for two or three weeks, and then begin to work my way back viâ Insbruck and Munich. I am going to get a second flannel shirt, a map of Switzerland, a small brush and a pocket compass to day – or rather going to look for them.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Whittle: As we have read on June 12, FEP knows the new address of James and Catherine Whittle, viz. Schloss Syrgenstein in Heimenkirch, 20 km northeast of Lindau/Bodensee, purchased in 1858. Uncle Jeffry would be the one who could arrange an invitation, but he is absent. FEP used to look forward to meeting the Allens there as visitors as well, and he will be passing Lindau anyway, but now he is no longer willing to lose precious time there. Another reason must be his wish to travel with Pierre Ayer, who is invaluable as an esteemed companion, guide, and translator – free lessons in French included, of which however little use will be made, as we are going to read.
Masters' months: their fee seems to be fixed "per month or part thereof".}
Dresden
July 2.nd 1859.
My dear mamma,
Your last letter arrived on Thursday which was a very gay day for us here. We made up a party to go to one of the open air concerts at the Link'sche Bad, consisting of ourselves the two young American ladies, and a young lady, a niece of the Baron's who is only 16 and is going to be married to a Prussian officer. I had the honour assigned to me, or rather obtained it, of going to fetch her and escort her to the concert; I really do not think I ever saw a prettier person in my life and she regularly threw the two American belles into the shade.
Towards the end of the concert our party was joined by two young Americans and then we took a boat and came down the Elbe back to a 10 oclock supper which was the liveliest supper I was ever present at, and as we had to escort the ladies home afterwards, nobody was in bed before half past one or two.
The heat is getting dreadful here and I wishing to be off to mountain air as soon as possible in consequence. I am glad to hear that Charly Irwin is getting strong and also that he has got into another room in the office; in what floor does he hang out in college? What sort of an animal is Coffey reported to be? I do not know of anyone who is an admirer of Louis Nap. but Ayez, like most of those in the French half of Switzerland, is French in feelings through and through, but he is not so violent against the Germans as Comte was. The Grosser Gartens are most lovely now and almost the only cool place about Dresden, but the worst of them is that you must walk a mile in the hot sun and dust (oh! such dust) before you get there, which is rather a drawback. I never saw anything like the dust here, it seems to remain suspended in the air, and gets into the mouth and nose in the most dreadful way, to say nothing of its coming into the rooms. I have got 3 pair of thick woollen stockings for my journey; strange to say I find them very agreeable. I shall be very glad to get back to the S's in October for even now I am sorry at the idea of leaving them for two months. Miss Puckle too is a very pleasant sort of person, always lively and agreeable. If the American lady and Miss O'Sullivan prove agreeable we would have a family which I think would be hard to surpass in pleasantness and merriness.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Niece Johanna v. Seckendorff: FEP already knows this "very nice young lady" (actually 21), as mentioned on Feb. 10, and is now eager to accompany her. She lives An der Kreuzkirche 2 with her parents, half a kilometer from Prager Straße.
The two young American ladies: Misses Crothers and Baldwin. They may or may not be identical to the "two young Americans" that join the party only towards the end of the concert. All the ladies must be escorted home by FEP and the other gentlemen: we know that Johanna lives nearby, the same seems to apply to the "Crothers & Baldwin faction". Do they live in the same flat? With their parents? For how long? What is their relation to the Baron and the Cortlands, whom they recommend to each other? The address directory does not mention these surnames at all.
"Louis Nap.": Napoleon III.; his regime has been Britain's ally in the Crimean war and is currently Saxony's wartime enemy. As a person and ruler he is often criticised.
"we would have a family": after half a year of speaking German, homesickness strikes, against which any native speaker of English will be a welcome relief.}
Dresden.
5. p.m.
July 4. 1859.
My dear Papa
Your letter of the 1st has just arrived. Your first question is where my French master comes from; he is from Bulle a town place lying half way between Freybourg and Vevay.
I am glad to hear that Dr. Seiler gives a good account of my German but I don't think I have spoken more than a word or two with him for the last three months and I hope I have made some progress in that time.
You have no idea of the heat here at present, at this moment I am writing in my shirt sleeves and have all three windows open but still the perspiration is running down my forehead in large drops still the heat is nothing now (5.30 p.m.) to what it was this morning at 10 or 12. I took my last fencing lesson this morning for it is only madness trying to do anything of that kind in this weather. The Ss tell me it is very unusual to have such a heat as this is, last more than two or three days, while this has been going on and gradually increasing for the last fortnight. You may imagine how the sun is reflected when I tell you that now at near 6. p.m. the shadows of people passing by are reflected through the blind to the opposite wall! It is impossible to do any sort of work properly and I have to get up and walk about the room at the end of every dozen lines I am writing now. Everybody is predicting a thunderstorm but there is no indications of anything in the shape of either it or rain.
I have got Kellers map of Switzerland (price 5/) and am going out this evening to look for a knapsack.
July 7.th I have purchased what the Germans call a Reisetashce or travelling pocket which just holds my equipment and looks very well when strapped up as a knapsack. It cost 8/6 which taking the leather of which it is made into consideration seems to me extraordinarily cheap. Your letter of Sunday came yesterday and as I have got your permission to go with Ayez, I hope to get another with permission to start about the 17.th on Saturday. Before going I shall write to uncle Jeffry telling him how much I have left from the £30 he gave me and then get an order from him on his banker here to make it up to £30 again which will be the simplest way of arranging it I think, though I am still doubtful as to what sort of money I ought to take with me
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Reisetashce": Reisetasche = travelling bag.}
Dresden
July 7. 1859.
My dear mamma
Yours of Sunday came yesterday.
In the case of going off soon I shall tell you the longest date for addressing to Dresden as soon as I can. My rule for calculating when any Dublin letter (to or from) will arrive is this, there are always 2 clear days between, so that if a letter is posted on Monday it would arrive here on Thursday afternoon, this is not invariable but it is generally so. Your last letter, stamped with a 4d & 2d stamp was not charged, so of course the letters now only cost 6d. Uncle Jeffry told me that he would write on arriving at Marienbad, but up to this date I have got no letter from him, so I wrote yesterday, thinking that a letter may have gone astray, and he wondering that I do not answer.
I am happy to say that we have got some cool weather again, but it is already showing signs of getting warm again. I was very glad to get the account of the Kensington races. I had known from seeing Charley throwing weights at Ardress last year, that he was a great hand at it, but still it must be a great triumph for him to get the prize. The jumping seems to me to have been miserable, nor do I understand how it is that nobody could jump more than 13 feet; I can do that much with my boots on! I think I have got my kit prepared for starting and am going to see about getting an iron ferrule for my stick to day, but I am afraid I shall have some difficulty about it, as the stick is so large.
I wonder if uncle George is really on the move, and if he is where he is going to; let him know of my intended movements, as we might perhaps meet somewhere. Is there anyone else you know of travelling on the continent at present?
I wish you would forward the enclosed to uncle Joe, which you may read if you like.
I am afraid I shall have a blue chance of seeing any of the Italian lakes, unless some change occurs in the state of the war.
Building is going on here with the greatest rapidity and Dresden is said to be full, but certainly it does not look so. The Saxon Cavalry are going off to the Rhine or somewhere thereaway, on the 15th, and the Prussians are supposed to be going about the same date. Some Austrian grandee passed through yesterday evening, but we do not know who he was.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Kensington races": not yet equestrial, but an amateur sports festival. Note that for long jump different rules may have applied.}
Dresden
July 11.th 1859.
My dear papa
I am greatly surprised at not hearing sooner from you, as I got a letter from uncle Frank on Friday, saying that he had read my letter proposing to go with Ayez; I made certain I should have had a letter from you on Saturday and this is now Monday evening. I am really beginning to get unwell and have lost all energy and appetite; I can neither work in the house nor exert myself to take long walks, and spend the most of my time like other people i.e. lying in a sort of listless helpless way. Only think, one day – the 4th – the thermometer rose to 29° which equals nearly 100° of Fahrenheit! The Dresdener Journal says that there has not been such a temperature for more than 10 years. But now comes the worst part of the story – three days after, the thermometer falls to within a few degrees of the freezing point!!! The consequence is that every person in this house has either a cold, cough, or sore throat. I did not imagine that such a change was possible in and civilized country and I wish with all my heart that I had been off long ago. At present the thermometer is slowly getting up again. I do not know how it came but I had a great dislike to the idea of bathing here, but the S's persuaded me to try it, and I accordingly went down to the bathing place, where I jumped in and swam the usual distance down the stream – say about 20 yards, came back and went down again; when I came out; all of a sudden I felt dizzy and on going into the box to dress had to lie down, everything becoming quite black before my eyes; however it passed off in 15 minutes or so, but I had a headache for the rest of the evening, so I shall not try it again. I forgot to tell you that we walked out to the Grosser Garten the other evening and found it alive with fireflies, they were flitting about in myriads, emitting a pale green light and looked most beautiful, they are only to be seen in such numbers when the summer is unusually hot – and there is no mistake about the heat this summer, One person assured me that the thermometer had been up to 31° but that I can hardly believe, as it would equal 102° oaf Fahrenheit! Has it been unusually hot this year in Ireland?
July 13th (Wednesday). Your letter of Monday has just arrived, and I shall avail myself to the full of the allowance you give of starting as soon as Ayez wishes. He starts on Sunday evening (the 17th) at 2.45. p.m. and proceeding through Bavaria arrives at Lindau on Lac de Constance at 10.55 p.m. on Monday evening, next morning crosses the lake and gets to Zürich at 12.30. p.m. (noon, not midnight) on Tuesday. If the heat continues as it is to day at 27° – for the thermometer has risen again – I shall start in company with him, but should it fall again, I shall leave on Sunday morning at 4.15 a.m. reach Bamberg at 9.15 p.m. sleep there and meet him in the train next morning at 5.10. a.m. The object of this would be to avoid night travelling, but if the weather remains as it is, night travelling is to be preferred to day ditto, for I know from experience that with the thermometer at 28°, a railway carriage full of people and tobacco smoke is anything but agreeable.
Had it not been for uncle Jeffrys thoughtfulness I should not have been able to go with Ayez, for without my asking him he sent me an order on his banker for the 30 £ so that I might be able to start on getting permission
N.B. the post from here to Marienbad takes just the same time as to Ireland!!!
The news of the peace arrived yesterday and the Germans are in a great rage at the intelligence abusing Austria, France, Sardinia England and everything in short, not forgetting Prussia who comes in for a double dose of abuse.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Prussia: supposed to be allied with Austria and Saxony, but not actually involved, and about to be their adversary in the next war.}
Dresden
July 13. 1859
My dear mamma,
This will be my last letter but one, from Dresden for some time to come, as you will perceive on reading papa's. Of course you are not to direct any more letters to Dresden, and the first place that can assign for writing to is Interlaken – Poste Restante.
I shall tell more about this matter in a later letter. I shall probably be there about the 24.th
I am not surprised at your not knowing what the Salzkammergut is; it is a lake & mountain district in the Tyrol between Linz and Salzburg – I refer you to the maps and uncle Frank for further information.
I am very glad at the thought of getting out of this baking place and breathing a little fresh air again. Tell papa that I shall be on the look out for some waterproof or similar overcovering in Switzerland, but there is no sese looking for anything here.
The stuff my portable jacket & trousers are made of is good solid cloth and I shall have a complete change of clothes in my knapsack. I paid a visit to my quondam drawing master this morning and found him suffering from the heat like other people, he recommended me to pay a visit to an exhibition of pictures here and I shall take a look in this evening. The Prussian colonel is going off on Thursday so the S's will be pretty empty just now. I must pay a parting visit to the Preussers before I go which is rather a bother, it is so far.
I am now going to get my passport put in order and I will have a good deal of trouble about the visés I dare say.
Francis E. Prendergast
Dresden
July 16. 1859.
My dear mamma
I enclose a photograph for you which I got taken the day before yesterday as I thought you would like to have it. A few days ago the Baroness said at dinner that she had a great request, would I give her my photograph for her album? So accordingly I got another for her; they are both supposed to be very like and are certainly cheap enough.
Yesterday was the Baroness's birthday, and we had the Bride and her mother here, we had a very pleasant evening and even got as far as a little dancing.
Adolf does not stay at home the whole summer but is generally quartered out in the country some miles off making surveys for imaginary railways &c.
I believe that the S's are really very sorry that I am going away and indeed I am very sorry to leave them. I have not time to write anymore, and must now take this to the post.
Francis E Prendergast
Look at my picture in a looking-glass as that gives the correct position.
{Birthday: 47 years old.
Bride: obviously the Baron's pretty niece Johanna v. Seckendorff mentioned on February 10 and July 2, living nearby. At first sight, the word "bride" might suggest that the wedding is forthcoming, but an evening dancing party without the bridegroom amounts to a proof of the opposite. In fact Johanna will wait 13 more years, on top of the alleged five since she was 16, to get married to Reinhold v. Plänckner, if he is the same fiancé. He is a from a Thuringian family related to the Seckendorffs, but (like many of the latter) occasionaly leased to the Prussian army, currently doing astronomy at Gotha.
Looking-glass: The cheapest version of "ferrotype" technology quickly produces a single mirrored image on a thin metal plate, robust enough to be sent in letters. Our known Carte de visite photos of FEP are not mirrored; he parts his hair on the right hand side, and on the 1860 photo wears a coat of non-standard ("ladies'") buttoning.}
Dresden
July 16. 1859.
Saturday. 11. a.m.
My dear papa
This afternoon I leave for Lindau at 2.45 p.m. in company with Ayez. I take Napoleons with me as the best coin, uncle Jeffry wrote to tell me to take what remained of the 30 £ he had given me before he left, with me; accordingly as there were 35 dollars (£5..5.) unused I changed them into gold as well as half the £30. order he had sent me, and got an order on a banke in Geneva for the other half so as not to have to carry so much gold with me.
After all I am taking my plaid, though adds greatly to the weight; however uncle Frank wrote to me that I could easily leave it at my hotel, and either call or send for it afterwards. I cannot give you the weight of my traps but Ayez, Adolf and I, all guess it at about 10 pounds – not more at all events, including plaid. I got a letter from uncle Joe yesterday telling me what to do in cases of emergency &c, he seems to think that the grand point is to avoid getting a chill from wet clothes, and recommends hot blankets and hot strong tea as safe and good remedies. I am travelling in a cloth waistcoat an have a light linen on to use when this one is too hot. Miss S. has given me a letter of introduction to a family of Lausanne of whom they had two young ladies staying here to learn German. I asked if they thought I could get into the family, but the S's do not seem to think it probable – nor indeed is there much chance of my seeing them, as they are mostly away in summer. Uncle Joe also gave me the address of an English doctor residing on the Lake of Orta (Sardinia)
Uncle Willis letter came at the same time with your last.
My dates (as at present arranged) will be somewhat of this kind, probably on or about the 21st or 22d. at Interlaken, Geneva 28th-31st. These can only be approximate. Don't write to Bern unless you hear further from me.
I have got Kellers map as the safest one that I could find here.
I must shut up now, and you will probably hear from me from Lindau or Zürich.
Francis E. Prendergast.
In the train near Nurnberg
July 17. 1859
8.15 a.m.
My dear Papa
I am now fairly on my journey and have been in the rail since 2.15 p.m. yesterday, Ayez is sitting opposite to me studying a Swiss guide book. Since I left Dresden I have been twice taken for a German and once for a Frenchman the latter time by a Dane from Copenhagen; he was very inquisitive first asking if I was French and then guessing at every possible German state got rather cross at my answering "nein" to all his guesses and at last said "then where the devil do you come from"?!!! He seemed to have a great respect for the English and added "we have not forgotten Nelsons bombardment".
4. p.m. near Augsburg
I have been greatly delighted at seeing some turf near this, I think it is the first I have seen in Germany.
I have now been just 24 hours in the train which is rather hard work in this hot weather; the plaid has already been of great service as a cushion.
The costumes of the peasants here are very curious and as this is Sunday I see them to great advantage. Many of the men look very Irish both in costume and features.
Zürich 22 July. 9.15 p.m.
We arrived at Lindau all right last night, and left this morning per second steamer at 9.0 a.m. and reached Rorchach in 1½ hour I never saw anything like the quantity and tameness of the fish there, they were in myriads and came in shoals to the very edge. What they were I don't know, but some of them were of a lovely blue colour.
We missed
{Continuation missing.
"Ayez": r and z look very similar in FEP's handwriting. This time he may have intended the correct spelling "Ayer", in which case he will forget it again in most of the subsequent letters.}
N° 2
Andermatt
July 21st
Here we are far up in the Alps in a most comfortable little hotel – very English and full of Scotchmen, I see Fitzgibbons name in the Stranger book date August /58 as well as numbers of others from Ireland. In the little Hotel or inn where we were the night before last and had coffee in the evening and ditto with honey &c in the morning we paid 1 Fr. 85 ct.!!! Nothing could have been cleaner or nicer.
Next morning we proceeded to Goldaw and up the slope where we saw the sun set and next (this) morning went up at 9 a.m. to see him rise – and very cold it was and not worth the trouble in my opinion, however it is the thing and we accordingly did it; then after breakfasting we descended to Weggis, took a guide – a young fellow of about 18 addressed us, and after some powwow we agreed with him to accompany us from Andermatt to Interlaken a 4 days journey over the Furka and Grimsel and then viâ Meyringen & Scheidack to Interlaken for all of which he was to receive 30 Franks.
We then proceeded per steamer to Flueln a most lovely trip of about 2 hours, at Flueln we took a carriage in company with two Germans as far as Amstäg where we dined and they proposed to go with us which we accepted at once as it lessens the expence of guide &c very considerably.
There are three large Hotels on the Rigi and at the one where we stopped at least 60 people sat down to the table d'hôte supper, there were not many English people there, but mostly Swiss or German. Considering that all the provisions except water have to be carried up, the hotel is not dear and you certainly are well treated. The Swiss eating is too heavy for me; somehow I have never anything like an appetite and sleep very little which I can't account for;
N° 3
I made out that one of them (the 2 Germans) is a bookseller in Leipsic and his brother is concert master somewhere, they are well informed people and very different from people of the same class in England.
I have been drinking a good deal of wine and bear since I left more because Ayez does it than that I really care for it. Strange to say I have had no appetite here at all – no more than at Dresden which seems very strange to me as I have been in good moderate exercise, say 20 miles a day.
As yet I have seen little or nothing of the Swiss costumes and almost all the new houses are built in the ordinary German or English style and a real Swiss cottage is rather a rarity than otherwise. I never saw anything like the quality of hotels, there is one on the top of the Faul horn, there is one at the Furka pass, another at the Grimsel pass, in short everywhere, and all passable if not good, though the latter is generally the case.
My stick has been of great service and if not quite so useful as an alpenstock is certainly much pleasanter to carry. Ayez's opinion of my walking powers has risen considerably and the guides and people at the Grimsel were greatly astonished at our going out for an evening stroll, or rather climb, after a long day of 10 hours march; he is a very little fellow and can stand anything except a hot sun.
There are not many English here this summer but still one cannot say that Switzerland is empty by any means.
On the whole I must say that I am rather disappointed with all except the Alps themselves and the feeding. The two passes we have been over though considered difficult though of course longer, were nothin in comparison (regarding difficulty) to some of the places in Mourne or Donegal, the fact is that roads or good paths have been made everywhere
{The "N°" numbering refers to the leaves of the letter as sent off together on July 26, not to separate parts. The catalogue erroneously makes four distinct letters of it. The part written last, however, is labelled "N° 1." only because it contains the salute "My dear Papa".}
N° 4
July 23/1859. Handeck
next morning we left the hotel at Andermatt in company with the 2 Germans and after a hand full of 5 hours arrived at the Furka pass, here we dined and spent 4 hours and then proceeded to the Grimsel Hospice (Hotel) a 3 hours walk, where we slept for it rained more or less the whole time, but on the whole was not disagreeable my change of clothes was of great service at the Furka, there we met a couple of young fellows who had gone astray, being without a guide, which after all is not necessary there as there is a horse path the whoule way. they had gone on the Rhone Glacier to examine it, and there could not find their way back for some hours.
5.30 p.m. same day
Meyringen. The above was written in an odd little inn at Handeck (it only boasts of 3 houses) during a shower which detained us some time there. We are now in the Hotel de la Couronne in Meyringen having had another rather rainy day but pleasant for walking, my plaid has been of good service up to this time but the proper Swiss walking t§i§ is a good thick coat, nobody ever walks with a coat on when the sun is shining, and when it is cold or raining you put it on and so require no extra cover, however I shall rest contented with my plaid.
The Rhone Glacier yesterday was very fine but looked more like snow than ice and indeed it was only in the crevasses that one could see that it was really ice.
The costumes at the table-d'hótes are most amusing the most unusual are those composed of flannel shirt sleeves, wet waistcoat ditto trousers and no shoes. My turnout of grey-black coloured jacket and trousers comes out very smart in comparison and is heightened up by my old dancing slippers, one tourist (a regular Englishman) asked me where under the
N° 5.
sun I conceived this turnout, "for, said he, I have a large knapsack with me and I can't get anything into it except a few shirts and a towel, and you don't seem to have a large package with you": the fact is packing is the great secret and not to take anything you do not want. I am sorry to say that I have lost two very useful articles, and strange to say both given me by uncle Frank viz. a blue neckhandkerchief which I lost near Einsiedeln and the pocket comb which I left behind me somewhere.
Tomorrow we proceed by Schiedeck and the Faulhorn to Grindelwald and the two Germans go back to Lucerne so we of course separate. For the last three days we have always been a little before, a little behind or between two parties, one consisting of 4 Englishmen, and the other a Prussian Gentleman and his wife, both very polite and agreeable.
On Tuesday the 26th we shall be at Interlaken where we will stop a day or two. from that there is nothing decided about our – or my – course. Up to this date my expences have been about 9½ francs a day = about 7/6, inclusive of steamers and a carriage from Fluelen to Amstäg, but exclusive of the guide, which is between 3 and 4 francs a day per person. Were it not for the wine and beer I think one could manage very well for 7 or 8 francs a day – and live and lodge well too for that
This letter is very disjointed and rambling, but I cannot help that as my time for writing is very short indeed, and there are very few times when I can write more than a few lines at once.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Handeck": Handegg.
"Scheideck", "Schiedeck": the pass Grosse Scheidegg; on Keller's map labelled "Scheidek".
Hotel de la Couronne in Meiringen, an internationalised alias (– though without the proper circonflex –) of Hotel Krone, run by Christian Michel, famous for Felix Mendelssohn's patronage in 1842. Annette Preußer was involved indirectly, see https://walterbersinger.ch/mendelssohn-reise-1842/, which story FEP probably heard on his visits to Lockwitz. Michel had been Mendelssohn's mountain guide and improvised yodelling duet partner back in 1831.
"Goldaw": Goldau.
"Flueln": Flüelen.
"Amstäg": Amsteg.
"Faul horn": Faulhorn (mountain).}
N° 1
Steinen(berg) near Schwyz.
Tuesday July 26. 1859 9. p m
My dear Papa
Here we are in a small hotel and in a still smaller village, where we are going to stop for the night. This morning we got up at 4.30 a.m. and at 6 bathed in the lake of Zurich in a very nice bath establishment but exactly the same consequences as in Dresden followed it, so I shall give up fresh water bathing as unsuited for me.
At 8 we left with the steamer for Richtenschwyl from whence we walked to Einsiedeln; uncle Frank seemed to think it was a backwoods place but on the contrary it is a neat little village, every second house an inn, and flourishing shops, to say nothing of the electric telegraph running to it as well as 3 or 4 Posts in the day. The monastry is a fine large building with a splendid chapel but somehow I could not get the idea out of my head that the whole affair was like Glenties Poorhouse!!! Indeed the situation of the place is not unlike that of Glenties. We eat and took a siesta in nice little sun there, and then proceeded on to this place viâ Rothenthurm and Sattel.
The scenery is very fine but we are not yet fairly among the Alps. Ayez is a capital walker and is like uncle Frank in going faster when he is tired, he is not talkative but what is a great point for me is able to make a sort of general guess of the Swiss German, which is very rum stuff indeed after that of Dresden.
Tomorrow we proceed to the Rigi and next day southwards toward the St. Gothard, but we have not made out our route yet.
{"N° 1": see above.
"Steinen(berg)": Steinerberg seems to be the place with a post office, whereas the very small village Steinen nearby is where FEP sleeps.
"Richtenschwyl": thus misnamed on Keller's map; the standard name is Richterswyl (now spelled Richterswil).
"St. Gothard": (Sankt-)Gotthard-Pass.}
See above.
See above.
See above.
Interlaken. July 27. 1859
My dear Papa,
We left Meyringen the next morning, and after a walk of 5 hours in the rain, reached Grindelwald, there we spent the night and next morning proceeded (as the rain continued) in a carriage to this place, where we arrived on Monday. We are in the Pension Jungfrau Blick – not Jungfrau which is in the village; but a very nice house, situated on the slope of a hill about ½ a mile from the village.
Yesterday we spent in rambling about the place which puts me somewhat in mind of Rostrevor, though I suppose uncle Willie will laugh at my comparing Interlacken to such a place, but the lip of the hills in the immediate neighbourhood and the lake of Brienz are somewhat like those of Rostrevor. From what I have heard and read of the different pension places I think I shall probably select Vevay, they are said to be at the best, pleasantest and cheapest there. Interlaken seems rather empty and of the people that are here, the greater part seems to be Russian or American. Ask uncle Frank to be making out some return route for me, from Chamouny to Innsbruck viâ the Splügen and Lake of Orta. Wherever I stop I shall be looking out for some companion to lessen any expences of guides &c, but I should like to know what line uncle F. would recommend. I found your letter here at the Poste Res. but the newspaper was not forthcoming. It is only now that I am beginning to enjoy Switzerland for when I first entered I was still suffering from the effects of the Dresden heat which was certainly a settler for people who like fresh air.
I have walked out a pair of stockings in a week!
{Pension: small moderately priced hotel with a private atmosphere.
Jungfrau: the highest mountain in sight (– literally translating "Virgin"), and thus an apt name for a hotel. "Jungfrau-Blick" means "Jungfrau view".
A "settler" is a heavy blow (in boxing sport) that settles the fight.}
Interlaken July 28.
Yesterday we made a famous expedition to Lauterbrun, the Staubach cascade, the Wengern Alp, Grindelwald and back. The climb of the Wengen Alp is very hard but is practicable for mules and horses, the view from the top of the pass (where there are two good hotels) is magnificent and I saw the real beauty of the Alps for the first time; in descending I found a very handsome bible but I also succeeded in finding its owner, a clergyman of the name of Rendall, who seemed very glad to get it again.
The view from the Wengern Alp is the best worth seeing of any that I have yet seen, and you have a fair chance of seeing an avalanche, we saw one very large one yesterday and heared several others, they do not look like balls but like a large foaming waterfall, the noise they make is exactly like thunder. Interlaken is the first place where I have remarked anything like a regular costume among the people, but even here it is only partial, the same remark applies to the houses.
I saw a notice in one of the Interlaken papers which I wish I had copied for you, the English and spelling was so delicious, they written o'clock O'Glok &c!! Indeed without the assistance of the German or French under it I should not have known the meaning of the notice. In this pension here there is a lady from Berlin, a German from Frankfort, a Danish Government official with his wife and her sister and another German lady and gentleman who arrived last night, but we see very little of them as they all go out on expeditions for the day. Of them all the Danes ar the pleasantest, and it is really a pleasure to hear their German.
Tomorrow we shall probably be on the move again for Bern and Friburg.
Interlaken July 29th. Yesterday we did nothing in particular – wandered about the environs &c, and in the evening saw the lovely Alpengluhen. If you don't know what that means ask uncle Frank or Willie. This morning we went to see the Giessbach (cascade) but I am rather inclined to the opinion that cascades – generally speaking are not worth the trouble of going to see. I am writing this at the edge of the Thuner Lake which is at this moment of that lovely blue-green colour which I am sure you know, and the surrounding hills are rather improved by a blueish haze.
Yesterday evening we walked down to this lake, and I shall be very much surprised if the Italian or any other lakes can surpass the colours and tints which it had in the setting sun. Of all the places I have yet seen Interlaken pleases me most and I am quite sorry that we are going away tomorrow (Saturday) though we have been here since Monday. The pension too has taken my fancy greatly it is so clean, nice and quiet, and the Danish gentleman (he is a government official named Scheel) put me in mind of a pleasant old English gentleman; we have also got the Editor of the Bund – a very dangerous person as the Dane says, but though apparently a very gentlemanly well informed person, has the misfortune to be deaf, and the Dane says he wonders how the man can hear the voice of the people!! We have also got a tall Russian who speaks German with a most delightful accent and probably speaks half a dozen others perfectly
We missed the first train by reason of the goodness of the beer here, but got off then but had to go 2nd class; of all the carriages that I have yet seen I like the Swiss 2nd the best they are in the American style. I have not had time to go to the post yet but I will try and do it tomorrow morning,
We went up the Uetliberg this evening from which the view is very fine. We are to leave per 7.30 a.m. boat tomorrow morning en route for Einsideln where each foot tour properly commences. I must now get to bed as we are to be tomorrow at 5 a.m. having various things to do before leaving. I am very glad to be done with the railway for the carriages are like ovens in this weather to say nothing of the tobacco smoke, we have had about 35 hours railway travelling altogether.
Francis E Prendergast
{"Alpengluhen": Alpenglühen, Alpenglow.
Scheel: a German name. The king of Denmark has many subjects of (Low) German mother tongue, quite distinct from Saxon dialect, let alone Swiss German. Educated or mobile speakers often try to adapt their language to written High German, with varying effort and success. Before the advent of the radio, pronunciation was not standardised to the extent written language was.
"Bund": the liberal Swiss newspaper in German language "Der Bund", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Bund. According to witnesses, its editor Louis Jent suffered from neurosyphilis of which he died in 1867. For his deafness I find no other source, but it is a common symptom.
Chamouny = Chamonix.
"had to go 2nd class": i.e. the third class was booked out; cf. June 28th: "I shall do all my railway travelling 3d class which is an immense saving and in summer is pleasanter than the hot stuffed 2nd class"}
Berne July 31.
Yesterday we left Interlaken at 6. a.m. and proceeded per steamer to Thun, where we remained during the middle of the day, and in the afternoon proceeded to Berne, where we walked about till dark.
The pension at Interlaken was 8 francs per day, everything included which is very moderate indeed.
Berne I like very much but not the German of which neither Ayez or I can make head or tail.
This afternoon we proceed to Fribourg, next day to Bulle and then to Vevey. You may now address to me Poste Restante Vevey, for if I don't actually stop at Vevey itself, it will at all events be not far off – perhaps Montreux or some of those places.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Bern is not yet accustomed to tourism to the extent Interlaken is. What natives speak among themselves is equally incomprehensible to the uninitiated, even to Pierre Ayer who was raised nearby in French-speaking Bulle and later learned a Dresden-compatible version of German.}
Pension Ketterer Montreux
August 3d. 1859
My dear papa,
We left Berne on Sunday afternoon (31st) and proceeded per Post to Fribourg, there Ayez found his brother who accompanied us about the town, next day I proceeded per post to Vevey, Ayez remaining with his brother. At Vevey I put up at the Hotel du Lac and at 7 next morning proceeded to Geneva, by chance I got on board of the Sardinian boat, but the only difference that it made was, that we went along the Savoy coast, and the voyage was somewhat longer (4½ hours)
I got your letter at the post read it, got my dinner at a restaurant, sauntered about the town for half an hour and then took the train to Lausanne, from which place the Vevey boat departs. I could not have gone to look for Mrs Douwnton without staying at Geneva, so I did not attempt it.
In the evening I sat on the terrace of the Hotel listening to a band which was playing in the neighbourhood, while the crescent moon was setting over the lake, it was most beautiful, but was not improved by a party of Americans who were discussing dinners they had eaten on the continent.
Next (this) morning I shouldered my traps and walked down to Villeneuve looking at the verious pensions on the way, and then returned to this Pension which is situated on the Vevey side of Montreux, surrounded by vineyards and with a garden running down to the lake, I have a room looking towards Montreux and having a view over the lake to Chillon and Villeneuve, the terms are 4½ francs a day = about 3/6– which will probably, with all included ammount to 4/.
I am afraid it is now the place to learn French for the proprietor is a German and there are two American families here, positively it seems impossible to escape these Americans, they are ubiquitous – nearly as bad as the electric wires which are everywhere in Switzerland, however I shall wait till I hear from you for further instructions before I move but please answer this immediately. Pension Ketterer Montreux – is the address, telling me what you wish me to do. Perhaps at St. Gervais in Savoy about 15 miles from Chamounix – see Keller – I might chance to hit upon a French pension, here I don't think would be possible to find a pension which was not full of English or rather Americans.
Bradshaw say St Gs is much resorted to by foreigners as a watering place and that good pensions are always to be found there for a moderate price.
There are two small boats and a bathing house attached to this pension of both of which I shall avail myself. The flies are a great nuisance here they keep lighting on everything and bother one greatly but still they are not so bad as at Einsiedeln.
I am greatly discouraged at my prospects of learning French for really you have no idea how these parts are peopled with Americans and English. I should be almost inclined to continue my journey slowly onwards, and if I cannot find a place where I can do something at French return to Dresden in the middle of September – supposing that the Seckendorfs have room for me, from the first of Oct. they have promised to have my room for me again. I am sure that this pension is very pleasant and the place too, and also I should not be forgetting my German here for the host is German and he is expecting an artillery officer and his wife from Prag at the end of the week.
Write as soon as you can and let me know what you wish me to do. If you write at once I might get the answer this day week.
Francis E Prendergast
{"Mrs Douwnton": Elizabeth Downton née McKee, from Ardagh, see below at the actual visit.
Prag = Prague, dominated by Austria, where the military speak German, regardless of their ethnicity.}
Pension Ketterer Montreux
August 10, 1859
My dear Papa,
I have been here of course ever since my last letter waiting for your next which I expect tomorrow or the day after, I have been spending a very pleasant time her, boating and fishing being my two principal employments. Last week Mr Ketterer said he was going with a party of friends up the Vallais as far as Martigny to see the cascade of Pissevache and a salt mine near Bex and asked me if I would come with them, I accepted and we had a very pleasant day; the saltmine interested me greatly we walked ahead up and down at a smart pace n the mine for 2½ hours, each with a lamp and going single file, in some places the passage was so small that we had to go sideways, and in another place ascended four flights of steps, which was very tiresome there being 700 steps in all.
I have made the acquaintance of the American family and find them very pleasant people – Apthorpe is the name; the family consists of Mr Apthorpe, his wife and son, sister and motherinlaw; they have been very kind offering me books &c. On Sunday at dinner Mr A. said he was going to walk next morning to an hotel up 5000 feet in the mountains above Bex, and would come back next day, and asked me if I would come with him. I agreed and we had a very pleasant time, walking the first day 21 miles up hill and the next 20 down hill.
He is a barrister belonging to Boston, but seems to have been travelling all his life and in every possible part of the globe. He told me that he had been nineteen times across the atlantic and once round the world!
I am out a great deal in the boat with his (only) son, a little fellow of about eleven, a very precocious, but wellliked and pleasant little fellow, who puts me in the mind of Vincent S. We catch immense quantities of small perch and two other kinds of small white fish of which I do not know the English names. In short I have spent a very pleasant time here, in this lovely spot though I dare say you would find it very dull.
Yesterday we had an arrival, a Swiss artist who has come here to paint two pictures for an English gentleman, however he is not much of gain in the language line for he speaks English like a native and never speaks anything else here.
Friday, 12. I should have sent off a letter long ago, only that I have been expecting a letter every day and so kept putting off writing.
There may be a letter this morning but if there is not I shall not put this any longer. I have invested 5/ in a Bädekers Guide (German) which for foot travellers is much preferable to Murray, as I want to see how I am to work my way from Chamouny to Splügen. I do not know what I shall do for a companion, but there is some chance of Mr Apthorpe going that way, and as he expressed it "we didn't quarrel on that other little trip", however this is only possibility. I have been very lazy in the writing way here, but I must make my next longer.
Francis E. Prendergast
I have just been in Vevey & found your letter there.
{Vallais = Valais = Wallis.}
August 13. 1859
My dear Papa
Yours of the 9th arrived this morning, and tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. I hope to be en route for Aix-les-Bains viâ Geneva.
I took a great dislike to Geneva the day I was there though it was only for a few hours, and if I can manage it, I shall not stay the night there Supposing I get into some Pension on the 15th of this month I might remain four weeks, viz. till September 12th. Longer than this would hardly do, as at least three weeks must be allowed for getting back to Dresden, and according to the agreement with the Seckendorfs they are to have my room ready for me from 1st October.
It would be a sin to pass through such scenery as there is between Savoy and Dresden at railroad speed, and one is not in these parts every day – or year either. My idea would be to return viâ Cormayeur (on the opposite side of Mont Blanc to Chamouny which I shall avoid) Aosta Matterjoch Zermatt (said to be the finest scenery in Switzerland) Val Anzasca Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como, and then Splügen Innsbruck &c. & viâ Munich.
I had hoped to spend a day in Milan as it is only an hour and a half from Como by rail, but now I suppose the time will be too short for it.
Mr Apthorpe was wanting me to accompany him in some Alpine rambles towards Monte Rosa and Zermatt, and when I told him of my intentions he asked could we not meet anywhere in September? He seemed to have taken a fancy to me ever since our walk – and indeed as yet I have not travelled with anybody I liked so much. In fact I shall be sorry to leave Montreux, and still more to leave the Apthorpes, who I should say belong (if there is such a thing) to the old New England aristocracy.
As to money, I have at present in gold – silver not counted 30 Napoleons from which I shall have to disburse about 55 francs for lodging here (11 days) not more certainly. This would leave about 27 Naps. which reckoning at 10 francs a day – and is not usually so much – would last till the 2nd week in October, or at all events I should say till the 1st October.
My Keller is getting into a very venerable condition from having often got wet in the pockets, sitting upon &c, and I shall have to get some small map of the Chambery district as it has not got it.
The Prussian colonel and wife who is here now is a very pleasant person, he looks exactly like uncle Irwin in voice figure and ways and indeed is exactly like him in face except for a white moustache; he is a great butterfly fancier, so that we have now four fanciers in the same house, viz Mrs Apthorpe and her son the colonel and myself, is not that a great collection?
As to French I can speak a certain amount, enough to ask questions and get what I want in an hôtel but not enough for anything like a conversation. With Ayez I never spoke anything else (by the way the conversation at Interlaken was entirely German). I am not aware of having made much progress but I rather think I must have made more than I am aware of particularly in writing it. Everyone tells me that Italian is very easy to speak and understand and I wish I could pick up a little. I think that one half of the waiters in the French Swisserland must be German, they seem all to speak German and if you ask them where they come from it is generally Baden or Würtemberg.
I cannot say that I was very sorry to leave Ayez, – probably because I knew I shall see him again at Dresden but I always liked him and the liking rather increased than otherwise, but of all the people I have yet met on the Continent I like this Mr Apthorpe best.
{"Cormayeur": Courmayeur.}
Villa Tresserve. Aix les Bains
Tuesday August 16 1859
I left Montreux on Sunday morning, reached Geneva, and with considerable trouble found the Downtons. They were very kind, and offered me a bed for the night which I accepted, & next day proceeded to Aix.
As the rail passes through a corner of France I had to get the French Visa which not only cost me 7½ francs but also forced me to wait for the evening train which does not arrive at Aix till 10.30 p.m. I then proceeded to an hotel and this morning went to look for a pension. I found that there is no such thing here – plenty of furnished appartements and restaurants but nothing like a Pension on making inquiries too I found everything very clean, but I got a room in the villa for 4 fr. a day, and after inquiring at some restaurants I found that breakfast dinner & tea would amount to 7 fr. thus making the daily expences 11 francs about 8/9– regular watering place prices; and beyond all no means of meeting people, as table-d'hôtes are not in vogue but dining à la carte. I don't think it will do for me to stay here as I shall have no opportunities for learning French and the living is so expensive; more than foot travelling in fact. I shall of course wait to hear from you, but if you wish me to leave, you might send a short telegraphic message, for it is throwing away time to remain here, nor indeed as far as I can see, is there any use stopping anywhere unless I can get into a private family, which is hardly possible
If you do not like to telegraph, at least answer as soon as possible, for it seems to me useless to remain here.
Francis E. Prendergast
{The number of the year 1859 has apparently been added later, probably by the recipient and collector, although there is no perceptible difference in handwriting. The same may apply to some others of these letters.}
Villa Tresserve. Aix les Bains
August 17. 1859
My dear Papa
I have not discovered anything more in Aix as yet, except that everything is very dear, and my present intention is to devote tomorrow to Chambery and next day – Friday – to leave for Amery. If I cannot find a suitable Pension there I shall try St. Gervais, and if unsuccessful proceed with my journey to Chamouny and Zermatt. I shall now give you a fuller description of my journey from Montreux.
I left at 6 a.m. and after a hot journey reached Geneva at 10.50 a.m. from the rail I had some splendid views of Mont Blanc & the Lake of Geneva which I was very sorry to leave.
I got a man to carry my traps to Mrs Downton who I should certainly never have found alone.
The Downtons have 7 children and a young gent. who is staying there for education and health. Their house is nicely situated, with grounds running down to the junction of the Rhone and the Arne.
I then proceeded by 2nd train at 5.30 to Aix. At Belgarde the first French station we were all turned out to have passports and baggage examined.
By the merest chance my knapsack was not examined, though many smaller articles were opened. The visas too were very necessary as at least a dozen people were sent back to Geneva for want of the necessary visas. So much for the French frontier. I then turned into the carriages again, and went to sleep for a couple of hours, till I was roused up at the Sardinian frontier, however as I had heared of this being a mere farce I thought I might as well stay in the carriage but the gen'd'arme came again so I had to get out, well I went into the office, where after I had stood for some time an official came up to me and asked me what I wanted, I said I was only waiting to have my baggage and passport examined; Oh said he that's all a humbug, you may go back to the carriages at once, we have not got French regulations here!! So much for Victor Emmanuels frontier.
Soon after I reached Aix and slept at an hotel. Next morning I shouldered my traps, and went out for a round before looking for a settlement, and walked off to the lake; on my return I fell in with a countryman who was going to Aix and with whom I had some conversation (By the way I find that sometimes I can speak French quite easily) concerning the country, he had been a "navvy" when the railroad was making; he was also very indignant against the Priests, who he said did all they could against the construction of railroads – education &c.
He said that he had two brothers in America who were well off, but that for his part he was contented with his own country.
I am quite tired of Aix already; it seems as if ther was no chance of getting acquainted with anyone – no table'd'hôtes, no Pensions nothing in short of what I want, and I wish I was back in Switzerland or Germany again it is so dismal being quite alone
The lake is pretty and large enough, but my eye has been spoiled by the Swiss Lakes, with which it cannot compare.
I have been poking a good deal about the environs to day, but I do not find much variety except in the beggars who are a regular nuisance here.
There signs of Autumn here, lots of fallen leaves &c. I can easily imagine that a French family would find the place pleasant enough, as there a fine Casino, with reading rooms salons &c, but also dear enough viz. 3 Fr. a day.
From what I see in Bedecker it seems that Italian travelling is very dear, while in eastern Switzerland and the Tyrol one can travel very cheaply.
I have given up all hopes of learning French this time, and if I find a letter from the Seckendorfs at Chamouny saying that they have a vacant room, I should be inclined to make my way slowly back.
The shoes that I have got at present are Emmersons but I doubt if he would recognise them as they have been once soled, twice heeled, onced patched and will soon want another patch, but I shall stick to them as long as possible.
Ketterer is from Basle or thereabouts – I should not be sorry if I was back in his pension again fishing rowing and admiring the Lake of Geneva which to my taste surpasses all the others, its colour and size are so magnificent. In short I am almost tempted and half inclined to spend another week there to say nothing of the pleasure of meeting the Apthorpes again. Perhaps I may return there after being at Chamouny.
August 18. This morning I walked down to Chambery which is about 8 miles to the south, the road passing through a rich country covered with walnuts and poplars, but there is nothing interesting. Chambery from the distance looks somewhat like Fribourg, and is situated in a sort of basin formed by arid stony-looking hills and seems to abound in heat and dust to a great extent as well as in cafés and fine shops which is to me unaccountable for it looks a dead-alive sort of place as far as the people are concerned.
I did not see anything like a Pension or decent Hotel but there is no doubt about its being quite unsuited to my purpose; it has one fully arcaded street and one other good street but all the rest seem poor.
In looking at the map I have made up my mind that if I don't find a Pension or companion before leaving Chamouny, I shall got straight back into Switzerland; I did not know until now what a hold that country had got on me and I am withing to be again in that land of lakes, rivers and eternal snows
I have a great wish to see two things again viz. the lake of Geneva and the Rhone glacier.
Saturday Aug. 20.
I am starting this morning on foot for Annecy en route for Chamouny, supposing I find nothing on the way. I don't know what to say about directing letters – perhaps Martingny (Valais) is the best chance. At all events I shall write soon again.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Downton: Elizabeth née McKee, born ca. 1817 in Ardagh, daughter of Alexander M., is the Prendergast acquaintance to be visited. She married on 13. June 1849, also in Ardagh, Rev. Henry Downton, born 12. Feb. 1818 in Shropshire, since 1857 "Resident English Chaplain" in Geneva, lyricist of hymns.
Sardinian, Victor Emmanuel: the latter is the king of Sardinia including Piedmont, allied with France and at war with Austria, currently in "preliminary peace".}
Hotel d Angleterre
Chamouny. 22nd August 1859
My dear Papa
My last letter was dated wrong, i.e. Saturday; it being only Friday.
I left Aix at 9 a.m. on that day, and reached Annecy at 4.30 it being what they call 7 lieus.
I liked the look of Annecy very much; its position is lovely, and the town tolerably busy. I saw nothing like a Pension of any kind there.
Next morning I left at 9. a.m. and after a very long, hot and dusty, but lovely walk, reached Bonneville (one of the principal towns on the Geneva & Chamouny road) at 6. p.m. The country and mountains on this road have very much the appearance of the C°. Down, but the sky is bluer (a deep lovely blue it is too) and the sun seems right over your head. It is called 8 lieus; you may trace my route on Kellers map from Pont Broguy, which you will find in the S.W. corner of the map (viâ le Plot & La Roche).
Next morning I left Bonneville at 8 a.m. and after a march of 5½ hours without halting reached St Martin; here dined and immediately proceeded on to Servoz, where I slept. This made altogether 9 lieus – leagues – which I accomplished in 9½ hours including all halts.
This morning at 6 a.m. I left Sevoz and arrived here at 8.45 a.m. thus having made the march from Aix, knapsack and all – and alone – in 3 days & 3 hours, the distance being, calling an heure or lieu 3½ miles, 84 miles, i.e. about 24 miles a day which with a 9 pound knapsack is not bad going.
I have had some pleasant walks with peasants, who are very polite and intelligent, and who I understood perfectly.
I found a letter here from Adolf v. S. but no news that would interest you in it.
During these 3 days I have been living as well as one can wish, and yet my expences have only been 6¼ francs per day! so I shall stick to pedestrianism. I did not feel the want of a companion at all, and I get on quicker alone, to say nothing of the feeling of perfect independence it gives one. This is the best Hotel here and would be considered handsome anywhere, gigantic mirrors, reading room, &c. &c. Albert Smith is here too, and I sat near him at dinner, but he seems to be a consummate cockney and nothing wonderful in private life. I have done nothing in the way of excursions here to day, nor shall I do much tomorrow, as I want to let my feet rest preparatory to crossing the Tête Noire to Martigny (which I shall do the day after tomorrow) and thence to Montreux.
They are firing cannons now – 9.45 p.m. – which I suppose is for the return of a party of 36 people who went up (Mont Blanc of course) the day before yesterday. I am in capital health and spirits, and very much inclined to be satisfied with myself and the world in general at present, which is probably occasioned by being in the mountains and on my way to Switzerland again
Francis E. Prendergast
P.S. This will be posted tomorrow morning.
{"lieu": lieue, league, a measure of distance, in France and Switzerland normalised to exactly 4 km, about 2.5 miles. An older notion evaluates to 4,44 km or 2.77 miles. Both are roughly consistent with the footpath distances of the towns in question as given by Internet map services, taking into account the variability of footpaths over the centuries. In spite of FEP's miscalculation, "not bad going" can be attested.}
Zermatt. Hotel Monte Rosa
August 28th 1859
My dear Papa.
I remained at Chamouny till Thursday 25th, when having been up the Flègere, up to the Mer de Glace &c, I left for Martigny at 8 a.m. (Thursday) and after a very pleasant, but rather hot walk of 8 hours reached Martigny at 4 p.m. Here I met Albert Smith again, he being en route for the Great St Bernard. I never saw anything like the mosquitoes at Martigny, just about sunset they seem worst.
Next morning at 8 a.m. I shouldered my knapsack and proceeded towards Sion, but as the road lay straight as an arrow and level as a railroad before me for 15 miles, (and I dare say you remember the sun and heat in the Valais) I soon got tired, and at Riddes took the Diligence, it was full but the guard gave me up his box as far as Sion, where I was put into the Coubé. Here I found a gentleman and his wife with whom I soon got into conversation, soon I made out that he was Irish, next that he had been born at Rostrevor and then that his name was Evans, a son of Mr Evans and now having a church near Liverpool. John is his christian name so that I suppose Grandmamma knows all about him as he said he knew her. I travelled with him on to Visp where we both stopped, and I think I was of some use to him as interpreter in the matter of getting a horse to take Mrs E. to Zermatt next day. We all left at 6.30 a.m. (Saturday) and after a long day I having my knapsack and a blister reached Zermatt at 6.10 p.m.
To day (Sunday) we are going to rest, tomorrow up the Riffelberg and next day Tuesday I shall return with them as far as Stalden, and from that proceed over Monte Moro to the Val Anzasca and so to the Lake of Orta. I am very glad to have got the Evans company so far, and now wish I could find a companion for the M. M. pass as the expences of getting a guide there are somewhat expensive. You need not expect to hear from me for a week again at least, for there would be nothing gained by posting a letter before reaching Vogogna on Lago Maggiore. I writing this in a great hurry as the English Service is to be in this room (coffee room!!) in about half an hour.
This letter is very short but I cannot help that. I have not got any letter from you since Geneva, and you had better direct your next to P. R. Splüger Switzerland – write the address as distinctas possible particularly the Prendergast
Francis E. Prendergast
{English Service: apparently an Anglican worship service celebrated – improvised – by Rev. John Evans. We will learn that he is pennywise and may appreciate additional income.}
Hotel Monte Moro Saas.
August 31.st 1859
My dear Papa
On Sunday evening we made out way up to the Riffelberg Hotel and next morning ascended the Gorner Grat, descended to Zermatt, dined and proceeded on to St Nicolas, which was a very hard days work. There we slept, and next morning the Evanses went on at 5 a.m. to Viesch; I started for Stalden at 8.30 and at 4. p m. arrived there. On the way I fell in with two Dubliners who I take for counter skippers or something of that kind, but decent fellows in their way, and with whom I expect to cross Monte M.
We were to have started this morning, but it was raining so much that it was out of the question.
In this Hotel there are about 9 people at present all Englishmen – amongst them is Hinchcliffe of Alpine celebrity. I am beginning to think that nolens volens I shall have to pay a morning visit to Milan on account of the Austrian visa for the Tyrol, as people tell me they think the visa I have is not enough. However I might run down on Sunday perhaps from Orta. It is most desperately cold up here, and I shall be glad enough to get down into Italy; at this moment it is raining desperately and is so cold that I can hardly hold the pencil. The road from Visp to Stalden and thence to Saas or Zermatt is very much the same character all the way, i.e. a horse path winding along the mountain side at some 300 feet above the river, which rushes boiling and roaring over a rocky bed.
Some of the glacier streams which join it from splendid cascades, one of them is the finest waterfall that I have seen since the Handeck falls, yet it is scarcely mentioned in the guidebooks.
{The village is called Saas; the hotel is named Monte Moro after the nearby mountain pass.
"Hinchcliffe": Thomas Woodbine Hinchcliff (often misspelled Hinchcliffe, which is a more common variant of the name), born 1828, barrister, mountaineer, author of "Summer Months Among the Alps: With the Ascent of Monte Rosa" (1857) and other similar books.}
September 1st Macunaga.
We pushed on yesterday evening, making a slight detour by Fee, to Matmark, two hours beyond which is the Matmark Hotel, surrounded by glaciers and about the most desolate looking place possible to imagine. However it was very comfortable and nothing to complain of except the coffee. Last night it was blowing hard and piercingly cold, but on getting up this morning at 4.30 we found the wind gone down and the weather quite fine. We started about 6 a.m. (it was freezing hard then) and about 8.30 reached the top of the pass, not having been more than 15 minutes crossing the glacier. We then ascended the Theodulhorn, about 45 minutes climb, from which had a view reaching from the Oberland peaks to the Appenines and from Monte Rosa to the Örtler in the Tyrol. The weather was glorious, but intensely cold. We then descended over some more glacier and snow, then a scrambling descent over rocks, and arrived here at 2.30.
Hotel du Parc Lugano Sept. 4th
On the 2nd we left Macunaga & walked down the Val Anzasca to Ponte Grande, where we met an Englishman with whom I had shared a room at Zermatt, and with whom we took a carriage to Fariolo on L. Maggiore. There we slept and next day did the Islands and went on by steamer to Luino, from which we proceeded by carriage to Lugano. We journeyed at an amazingly small expence everything being divided into four. I was greatly delighted with L. Maggiore – everything combines to make the country lovely – blue sky – bright sun – balmy (that is the true word) air – green mountains – blue water – black eyes and swarthy complexions. The lake of Lugano seems even more lovely, but then it is small and not so Italian looking. This afternoon I leave (alone) for Cape Lago per steamer, thence by omnibus to Como, and reach Milan about 9. p.m. Tomorrow I shall spend there and hope next evening (Tuesday 6th) to be in Chiavenna from which I shall make my way as quickly as I can, viâ Splügen, to Innsbruck. You had better direct your next letter to P. R. Innsbruck, and if convenient I wish uncle W. would enclose a note for the Tegern See people.
I could not have gone to Orta without incurring much additional waste of time & money, so I threw that plan over board. The Val Anzasca is certainly most lovely, soft, rich mountain scenery which is heightened by a blue sky and luxuriant foliage.
I never ate such quantities of fruit before, as I have in the last day or two, on Isola Bella I bought a large plate piled with peaches figs and plums for 4d!! Indeed you get a gigantic bunch of grapes for three halfpence! I am greatly delighted with what I have seen of Italy and not in the least disappointed; this place, though in Switzerland, is completely Italian in all points, excepting this Hotel which is almost entirely German.
As to language I get on very well with French, my stock of which has been much increased by travelling. It almost seems to me as if I could speak Italian it seems so easy and like French & Latin mixed together.
I have not heard from you since I was at Geneva, and though I suppose there may be letters at Chamouny, Aix, or Geneva, I have not sent back any directions, for my route is so apt to change that I can give no settled directions. I have got quite accustomed to this wandering life and look upon "a run down to Milan" just as I would upon "a day in Wicklow" and it seems so odd to be within 6 hours of venice (as I shall be at Milan) and not to go there.
But I dare say that by the time I get up to Munich (I hope to be there on or before the 25.th) that I shall have had enough of travelling for the present, though indeed the farther I go, the farther I wish to go.
Francis E Prendergast.
"Matmark": Mattmark.
Milan, Hotel de Ville
September 5th 1859
My dear Papa
I left Lugano at 3.30. yesterday and arrived here last night at 9.30. The trip on the Lake of Lugano was most lovely, but the rest of the journey was very tiresome; Como was full of French soldiers and a few Sardinians, and the Italian and French tricolor was hanging out everywhere.
This morning I got a commissionaire and in the course of 3 hours or so did all the principal sights. The inside of the cathedral struck me greatly, the immense number of columns, their height and size, is extraordinary, and is the finest thing of the kind that I have yet seen.
The French are regularly in possession here, and the Zouaves are very remarkable.
The Cafés are all filled with officers and soldiers and you hear quite as much French as Italian; the tricolors are waving everywhere and every third or fourth civilian has a gun in his hands.
I have been lounging about this afternoon and find Milan just what I expected, a fine, handsome, wellbuilt city. Tomorrow I have again a 5.45 a.m. for Como.
{Sardinians: politically speaking, i.e. natives of the region.
Zouaves: French infantry legionnaires of Algerian tradition, in uniforms reminiscent of Ottoman glory – or terror.}
Ponte. Sept 9th.
I left Milan accordingly the next morning & proceeded to Como; here I found the Englishman with whom I had been travelling before, and as he was going up the lake we went together; I was quite dissappointed with Como, it seems to me to be the least beautiful of the three. From Colico to Chiavenna we took the Post.
Next morning we took a carriage on to Campo Dolcino, and from that walked over the Splügen pass to Splügen.
Here I asked for letters, but was told twice over that there were none, which seems to me rather extraordinary. Next morning we walked by the Via Mala, which is a most extraordinary reft made in the rocks by the Rhine, to Thusis, one of the nicest Swiss towns that I have yet seem. Here we dined and Tuffnel, the Englishman went on to Coire, while I proceeded by the Schyn pass, which is magnificent, to Lenz; there I slept; the bill in the morning for supper bed and breakfast was 2 f. 85 cts!! and everything was as good, clean and nice as could be desired. I left Lenz this morning at 7 a.m. and reached this place at 5.30 this evening. I have walked a good deal with peasants both yesterday and to day (I crossed the Albula to day with one) and have been much amused at their gusses as to what I am. Yesterday a peasant supposed me to be a Swiss Handwerker on my Wanderschaft!, and asked me what was my trade, and to day my companion asked me what part of Switzerland I belonged to, and in this place here this evening a mans asked me was I not from North Germany?, so see I am becoming a regular Cosmopolite. I very much wonder if an Englishman ever stopped in this hotel (?) before, and I am rather curious to know, what the bill will be in the morning.
I am sure I don't know how I shall make my way from Martinsbruck to Innsbruck as I have neither map nor guide book, but I take it for grante that I shall make my way somehow or another.
{Coire = Chur.
Handwerker, Wanderschaft: a journeyman on tour. Although learning German was much more common among educated Anglophones than nowadays, FEPs degree of fluency is rare, and he is proud of it. German dialects differ considerably even inside Switzerland, and actually most peasants in Lenz = Lantsch have Romansch for mother tongue, a language akin to Italian. In other words, High German as used in Switzerland for official, religious, or touristic purposes is like a foreign language for most users. – Touristic hikers are not quite as rare, but still a minority.}
Fettau Sept 10.th
My bill last night was 3 f 20 cts, and my dinner do day was 1 f. 30 cts, so you see I am now travelling at the rate of about 5 francs a day!! I am greatly pleased with what I have seen of the Engadine. This morning the colours on the mountains and snow was most lovely, and also this evening. The houses here are very peculiar; they are, generally speaking well built of stone and nicely painted and white-washed. the doors are large wooden portals opening into a large half-hall, half-room sort of place, where everything connected with the household is carried on
This is the smallest and wors inn I have yet been at. inn is too good a name for it, but I am easily contented, and as long as I can get a tolerable bed, bread, cheese and wine, I want nothing more. By the way meat seems scarce up here ink and coffee ditto.
Tomorrow I hope to get to Naudens, from which it is only two or three days to Innsbruck
Francis E. Prendergast.
On the road between Martinsbruck & Nauders. Sept 11th
My dear Papa
I left Fettau this morning at 8.30. a.m. and at 1.30 reached Martinsbruck There I dined and for a dinner consistting of cold meat, bread, butter and half a bottle of wine paid one franc! I brought away with me a Romansh newspaper for which the hostess would accept no payment. At the Austrian customhouse on the other side of the river, my passport was examined by a sunny-looking old man, who, though it was not quite en regle, made no difficulty about it, supposed I had no tobacco or other contraband in my knapsack, and finally wished me a prosperous journey. I am now sitting on a knoll above Martinsb. looking up the Engadine which I am sorry to leave. It is the finest and pleasantest of all the Swiss vallies I have yet seen, and though the inns are poor, and as /Baedecker/Bädecker says, little adapted for the reception of strangers, still they are clean and comfortable, and certainly cheap.
Landeck Sept. 12
I reached Nauders last night, and on coming into the hotel found two monks, in brown, with white rope girdles sitting over a very good dinner.
This morning I left at 7.30 and arrived here at 5.15. It rained more or less during the afternoon so it was rather tiresome, particularly as the scenery was monotonous The only company I had was a cattle driver with some long-horned, white Hungarian oxen, but as he went very slowly, and his dialect was almost unintelligible to me, I pushed on.
Tomorrow I shall proceed by the post to Innsbruck. I have now been walking hard for the last six days, and if you look at the map you will see it is a good long stretch from the lake of Como to Landeck. I have not had a letter now for more than a month, and indeed hardly seen a newspaper during that time.
I do not like the Tyrolean custom of drinking coffee out of a glass at all, and I wish they did not use quite so much grease in the cookery. At dinner to day they gave me turnips sliced then and stewed in grease!
Sometime ago I got a letter from uncle Joe saying that he thought a little wine would do me no harm and that a little beer would be good for me; and accordingly on this trip I have been drinking Bohemian beer and find it drinkable but it is always sour or bitter and I can't say I much fancy it; however I am beginning like it somewhat more and Dresden beer is much better according to all accounts.
Tomorrow morning we start at 6 or half past and taking an occasional lift will be in Dresden at 6 p.m.
Where I shall post this I have not the least idea – possibly – indeed probably in Dresden.
I am very glad indeed at having seen Prague and Berlin now and in such a pleasant way for no one cannot tell what may happen now in a couple of months.
Tell uncle Frank that we saw some Hungarian regiments in Prague who greatly pleased me, fine swarthy strapping men, marching with long strides and though whithout any swagger yet having something very impressive about them and altogether looking very capital soldiers. If the worst comes to the worst I can always go into the Austrian army and I believe that worse things might befall me.
Everything here is very lively with soldiers &c, one thin but ever-flowing stream of soldiers and ammunition pouring southwards.
It is a pity that you cannot read the Emperors proclamation in German, it is makes ones blood run quicker and ends with the words Mit Gott fürs Vaterland! (with God for Fatherland) The Germans certainly have their blood up now and will not be easily quieted. They seem to adore Franz Joseph
Francis E. Prendergast
{"what may happen now in a couple of months": the war with France has ended with a preliminary peace, Lombardy being ceased, but other Italian areas are now insurging in order to form a united Italy. Forthermore, rumours go that Prussia is about to challenge Austria's leading role in the German confederation. Saxony is Austria's ally in both conflicts.
Austrian army: uncle Frank had joined it about 1848 for some months in Lombardy and seems to be nostalgic about it; another reason for FEP's demonstrating "patriotic" feelings. Aunt Margaret being extremely wealthy, and in the long run few other heirs in sight, FEP need not really fear poverty.
Franz Joseph: the Austrian emperor since 1848. In his Manifesto of 28.04.1859, cf. https://eudocs.lib.byu.edu/index.php/Franz_Josef%27s_Imperial_Manifesto_on_the_Austro-Sardinian_War, he emphasises his previous peace efforts. His troops must defend his empire, not their fatherland in the newer sense of ethnicity, although he invokes his accord with other German states. One aspect is the common fear of Napoleon III's increasing influence, who is seen as an insatiable conqueror in the footsteps of his late uncle Napoleon I. In the end, as we know, Italy will be united and Franz Joseph's image further damaged. Resorting to God is not only conventional rhetoric, but for a Catholic audience also alludes to the Pope's worldly power being challenged by the insurgents and the French. Not all Germans admire Franz Joseph; even many Catholic Austrian subjects find fault with his absolutist reign, but in war times people tend to rally behind their leader – or hide behind their stoves.}
Golden Star Innsbruck
Sept 13. 1859
I left Landeck this morning at 5 oclock in the Stellwagen and arrived here about 5 in the evening. The fare was about 3/9 and Bradshaw says the distance is 56 miles.
My expences from Splügen to Landeck – 5 days marching – were 23 francs which gives a daily average of 4 fr. 60 cts = 3/8d. Is not that very small considering it includes a bottle of vin ordinaire per day?
I have now got 10¼ Napoleons left which ought, I think, to be enough and more than enough for my journey up to Dresden. I shall go to the Post tomorrow morning to look for letters and if there are none I shall wait a day
{Stellwagen: horse-drawn omnibus.}
14.th I went to the Post this morning, but there was no letter. I am rather surprised at the size and beauty of Innsbruck, and the shops seem good and plentiful which is generally a sign of a thriving place. Its situation is lovely, high mountains overhanging one side and others at a distance on the other side. The place seems full of invalid soldiers, amongst whom I notice some French Sardinians Turcos and numbers of Hungarians.
The weather is miserable, rain about two thirds of the day and the other third cold damp and uncomfortable.
I wrote to the Seckendorfs to day telling them they might expect me about the 25th of this month, as in the last letter I had from them they said they would be ready for me at any time.
Unless the weather improves I thing I shall go round direct by rail to Munich and from that perhaps run down to Tegern See direct, but without letters I can do nothing as I don't even recollect the name of the people I am going to see!!
{Turcos: Algerian legions formerly in Ottoman, now in French service.}
Friday 16. I am going to the Post this morning to see if there is a letter, for as yet I have found nothing. I have now been here since Tuesday and it is very tiresome waiting where there is nothing to be done.
Letter or no letter I shall leave on Sunday morning for Munich, and leave directions for the letter to be sent to Dresden, where (as in the present state of circumstances) I expect to be on the morning of the 24th. If I ever knew the name of the Tegern See people I should try and make their acquaintance, but not knowing the name I can do nothing.
Friday 8. p.m.
I found yours and uncle W's at the post this evening and shall leave tomorrow morning by train at 6.30 a.m. for Munich.
Regarding my studies at Dresden I should be inclined to pursue French Latin and, if you have not objection Italian instead of Greek, I profit little or nothing in learning the latter through German and I may not again have the same facilities for learning Italian. As to mathematics I hardly know what to think, my head is by no means a mathematician's one, and I should feel inclined to wait till I can learn them through my own language. My idea would be to devote my time to these three things only, (say 4 times a week each) and on the 1st January, or latest 1st February to return.
You had better direct your next to Dresden with your opinions about this. I shall certainly be in Dresden before 1st October but my movements will of course depend a good deal on the De Parsevals.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"De Parsevals": plural; Fanny's sons are on the prescribed itinerary as well, at least Max.}
Bayerischer Hof.
Munich Sat. Sept 17.
7. p.m.
My dear papa
I left Innsbruck this morning at 6.24 and arrived here at 2.30 p.m. My bill at Innsbruck, from Tuesday evening until Saturday morning was only 13/6! On arriving here I came to this hotel (not knowing the name of any other) and went off to look for Madame de Parseval at once. I found her alone and suffering from sore eyes, but apparently in good health otherwise; she had great enquiries to make after all the family &c., and recommended me to move into the Marienbad (Hotel Garnie) which is in her street and which she says is good cheap and pleasant, so I shall move tomorrow morning. She also asked me to dine with her tomorrow. I rather flatter myself at the rapidity with which I have transacted matters during the last 24 hours; it was this time yesterday when I got your letter at Innsbruck and here I am now, in Munich, and having already made Mdme De Ps acquaintance. It is lucky I did not go to Tegern See, but the badness of the weather prevented any thoughts of that. I shall at all events remain in Munich till next Friday, possibly longer.
After setting aside the money for the rail from here to Dresden, I have still 5½ Napoleons left. There is no doubt about their being the best money to take with one, they pass unquestioned everywhere. When I was paying for my ticket this morning, the man rather grumbled at being given gold, as it found to give such a lot of small change which is wonderfully scarce in Austria, they seem to have nothing but florin (2/) notes and copper kreutzers, it is even hard to change a florin note. As to the opinions about knapsacks, I do not give a straw for what tourists say, everyone has some particular one which he fancies must be the best. I think that the usual shape of tourist knapsacks is wrong, the usual shape is so, I prefer it so, as the first form tumbles in against the back and is difficult to keep up high enough; the 2nd form sits, or rests against the points of the shoulders. But it is highly probable that som one else would give very good reasons for preferring the 1s form. Tastes differ: there is no saying which is the best, but I should like to see uncle Charles's one at all events.
{Fanny von/de Parseval: 1797-1881, daughter of aunt Eliza's erstwhile harp teacher Countess Fanny O'Hegerty née le Breton Deschapelles. Her late husband was the Bavarian general Ferdinand von Parseval (1791-1854), matriculated to Bavarian nobility ("von") in 1816; his father had been a French nobleman Philbert Marie César de Parseval, exiled by the revolution. Calling herself "Madame de" appears as a statement in favour of the Ancien Régime. Three of her sons also became Bavarian generals "von", among these Max (1823-1903, currently a lieutenant near Nürnberg, married, with one son). The lady feels attached to the Prendergast family, history, and politics. Doubtless she corresponds regularly with papa JPP, who, as we will clearly see, has urged FEP to visit her and Max.}
Marienbad Hotel. Munich
6 p.m. Sunday Sept 18.
This morning I moved into this house, and at 12.30 went off again to Mdme. De P. and dined with her at one. There was another lady there so the conversation was mostly German. I feel already quite as if I was with some old friend. She told me what I ought to do here and even wrote me out of a list of the places I ought to see; her eyes are much better today and she seems in remarkably good spirits, and has no end of inquiries to make about the family. She invited me to come to dinner again tomorrow, so of course I accepted. My present intention is to leave this on Friday at 11. a.m., and be in Dresden next day – Sat. 26th. – at 12. noon, so as to be in full swing on 1st October.
The first thing I shall do tomorrow morning will be to get a pair of boots, as my shoes are literally used up – two large patches – the 2.nd pair of soles and 3rd ditto heels are worn down; but they have seen good service, having now been in hard service for the last 4 months. (they were made by Emmerson). I have also to get my hair cut, and get a pair of gloves.
Munich seems a very fine city, putting me in mind of Berlin, the ordinary houses though, seem better, but the public buildings inferior. However I have not had time to see much of the place yet.
I find two luxuries here in Germany, which are almost unknown in Switzerland, viz. matches and ink in the bedroom. It seems to me quite as if I was at home again, now that I am in Germany and it is so pleasant hearing civilized German again. I have marked out my route on Keller map with ink, as it must never be used again, that of Leuthold being far superior. I have marked it thus
---- parts walked,
―――― parts otherwise travelled
you might mark yours with your travels in the same way and then we could compare the routes at a glance.
I dare say, my next will be from Dresden, but if I have anything to say I shall write again from Munich.
Francis E. Prendergast
P.S. I wrote to uncle Jeffry from Innsbruck .. to Dresden. This will not be posted all tomorrow morning.
{Knapsack: obviously uncle Charles Ensor, *1811, has praised the design of his own backpack, cf. letter of 29.05. above; he is the heir of the Ardress estate and may no longer be inclined to month-long hikes, if he ever was.}
See above.
Marienbad Hotel Munich
Sept. 19. 1859.
My dear Papa,
This morning I went to the Old Picture Gallery, which I found very fine and handsomely decorated, but of course inferior to the one and Dresden; the visitors were mostly English.
I then went and got a pair of boots, (by the way I did that first) they cost 12/ and though much superior to Dresden make, they are far behind English work.
I then went to the Post but there were no letters.
I then listened to the Military music for a while, and then went off to Md. De P.'s where I dined, talked over politics and family matters (her two apparently favourite subjects) and then went off to lounge about the place, see streets, buildings, &c. I wrote to the Seckendorfs to day telling them that I should be there on Saturday.
This Hotel seems very nice, quiet, clean and comfortable, and above all, good attendance and civil waiters. The proprietor is the doctor of the Police force. Mdme. De P. says he is a very speculating person and opened this place about 5 years ago on spec.
Mdme De P. invited me to tea tomorrow, so I shall be with her a good deal. Tell uncle Willie all this. I shall write to Aunt Eliza if I have time, but if you write too it will do no harm. On the whole I like the look of Munich very much: the soldiers look as if they were rather swelled out with Beer and heavy eating, but at all events are better looking than the Saxon troops. I do not much like the Munich beer, it is very light and rather bitter, while the Dresden beer which I got to rather like, is strong, heavy and not at all bitter. The weather is getting better but there is still plenty of room for improvement in that quarter.
I am going to get my French gold (8 Naps.) changed into silver tomorrow, half, Thaler and half florins.
{The title says "Prefer Munich beer to that of Dresden" – recte: vice versa.
"Old Picture Gallery": Alte Pinakothek, displaying paintings of former centuries. The "new Picture Gallery", Neue Pinakothek, specializes in 19th century art from the king's private collection, of conservative taste and in parts "heroic".}
Sept. 20.th This morning I went off to the new Picture Gallery which pleases much better than the old one. It is (internally) handsomely decorated and very fairly filled. I then went to the Bankers where I got my gold changed into silver: you have no idea what a formidable weight it was; just imagine £.6..8. in half crown pieces! I then went to see one of the churches, Schrannen Halle, (Market Hall) and the Bronze statue of Bavaria; it is 40 feet high and backed by a find Grecian temple situated on a large public common near the town I have not seen anything which pleased me so much this long time. The statue is really gigantic and very fine, the expression of the face particularly so. The Temple is quite Grecian looking and agrees with the statue very well.
After dinner I went to the post and found your letter – it was insufficiently prepaid and cost 1/4. You say that you suppose I shall feel quite at home at Dresden, but the fact of the matter is that I feel quite at home everywhere; yo speak too of "such wanderings": to me they seem like nothing; if I had been down to Rome and Sicily it might have been something, but I doubt if even that would do any more than increase my will for further wanderings.
Tom P's method may be a very good one, but I am inclined to think that learning words by heart, grammar and dictionary is the best. There is no Royal Road to Knowledge. I was probably a day or two to early at Splügen for your letter, – at all events it was not there.
After being at the Post I went off to the Au (suburb.) to see a church and then went to Mdme. De P's. having done a good deal to day.
{"Tom P's method": JPP's cousin Thomas Prendergast published a method for learning languages, and various textbooks – highly controversial, of course. Given FEP's sense of diplomacy, his opinion amounts to sharp criticism.}
Sept 21.st This morning I went to see the Glyptothek or Gallery of Sculpture. It is very fine both internally and externally, but I do not much care for statuary. I observed great numbers of people looking at Powers Greek Slave which they seemed to consider as something very wonderful.
I then went to St. Bonifacius's or the Basilica – a most splendid church just like those pictures in Smiths Gibbon. I then went to the Ludwig's church which is nothing particular, (By the way I counted 72 columns in the Basilica!) afterwards to the library which is very fine, and then to visit Mdme De P. She invited me to breakfast tomorrow morning, told me that I had seen all the principal objects here, and desired to be remembered to you all.
I am going off by the 1st train at 5 a.m. on Friday morning and will thus be enabled to spend the afternoon with her son Max near Nurnberg, proceed by the evening train and arrive in Dresden by the same train as I had previously intended. I have made out a route-diary of my wanderings which you may like to see – show it to uncle Frank. You will see that I was "going ahead" most of the time I have been absent from Dresden.
Out of 70 days there were only 18 that I did not actually travel on, and during those 18 days I was making excursions and going over new ground. As to the eating I have come to the conclusion that the best and cheapest way is to take three good meals a day, and not to touch anything else; every glass of beer or the merest snack beyond that increases the cost wonderfully and does no good When alone my general fare was – breakfast at from 6 to 6.30 a.m. of coffee, bread, butter, milk and honey – dinner between 11.30 and 12.30 (sometimes at 10.30!!) cosisting of soup, meat, bread and half a bottle of wine – supper when I arrived in the evening – say at 6 p.m. – consisting of bread and butter, cheese, (sometimes cold meat), and half a bottle of wine. This ought, and used, to cost from 3 to 4 francs per day – I mean of course when walking. One ought to be able to live on this fare, and lodge well in most districts for from 5 to 6 francs per day – often for less. However I always take what is given me and try to live as the people themselves do, which are the two great secrets in this kind of travelling. In almost all the small places I passed off as a travelling German apprentice (Handwerker) and was often asked what was my trade.
I shall send off this letter now as there is no use keeping it till I reach Dresden
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Greek Slave": statue of a nude young woman in chains, to which a small cross is attached, characterising her as a Christian slave. Solidarity with Greece against Turkey was still popular, bondage porn otherwise taboo. Made in the 1840s by the American sculptor Hiram Powers; many replicas shown worldwide. (Ironically, literal Christian sex slaves were quite common a phenomenon in the United States.)
"Smiths Gibbon": "The Student's Gibbon. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Edward Gibbon. Abridged. Incorporating the Researches of Recent Commentators. By William Smith. Illustrated by One Hundred Engravings on Wood", 1857, 667 pages, including pictures of large Roman basilicas, e.g. https://books.google.de/books?hl=de&id=1G4OAAAAYAAJ&jtp=222. The abbey church St. Bonifaz was designed in 1835 to imitate such a basilica. (The original "Gibbon" of late 18th century is text only, loads-of! Accordng to Mattingly, aunt Margaretta possessed all eight volumes of the 1841 edition!)
"route-diary": probably the itinerary that we will read under number 29 below; extending to the very foreseeable future by a couple of days.}
Munich 22.d Sept. 1859
My dear Papa,
After all I am beginning another letter from Munich but this I intend to finish in the train and post on arriving at Dresden, so that if it has the Dresden Postmark you may conclude that I am there again safe and sound.
I breakfasted with Mdme. de P. this morning and was invited into tea again this evening, it being my last here. She has dismissed me from visiting her son, as she got a letter yesterday, saying that a general is to there on that day to hold an inspection, so that he will be absent the whole day. It has been fearfully wet to day but it has cleared up a little. Tomorrow it may do what it likes.
I do not know if uncle Jeffry has returned yet, but if he has not, I suppose he soon will. I conclude that at Prager Strasse there is now the American lady and the young Irishwoman.
By the way here is an extract from Adolf's last letter to me, which you may get uncle Frank to translate to you. Die Amerikanische Dame ist noch nicht da, aber ihre zwei Söhne sind jetzt bei uns, und was ist mehr, sie haben eine sehr nette und hübsche Schwester, die mir erzählt hat, daß sie sehr gerne tanzt (Welche Hoffnungen!)
The same might be said of Adolf i.e. that he is very fond of dancing. My preparations for 25 hours in the rail have been a novel and some chocolate; it is a long spell to do at once, but not so bad as that in July, when I was 33 successive hours in a railway carriage and 10 hours afterwards had 5 hours more! I got something at dinner do day which I never came across, cold stewed apples with a hash! But they go very well together. I have bought a few pictures for the Baroness and Miss Seckendorf as I could not think of anything else to take back with me; one is an engraving of the statue of Bavaria. There is a splendid photograph of the same subject in the shops here which I wish you could see, it is so fine, but on the whole I have not seen many fine photographs here.
There are two luxuries which I shall be glad to get back to again – clean shirts and hair brushes. Two very scarde articles on a knapsack journey; otherwise ther is nothing I want beyond what I have with me.
In the rail between Nurnberg & Bamberg
Sept 23.
4.40 p.m.
I paid a final visit to Mdme De P. this morning and left in the train at 11. a.m. My bill at the Marienbad was smaller than I expected – but Mdme De P. fed me a great deal. Somehow it seems for me as if she was one of the family – an aunt, or near relation. She seemed very anxious that I should pass down by Munich on my return home.
There is capital bread and sausages to be had at most of the stations in Bavaria as well as beer. My first change of carriages is at Hof at 2.55 a.m. and my second at Leipsic at 8.30 tomorrow morning. I have come to the conclusion that the most disagreeable time for railway travelling in Germany is in summer.
Leipsic. Sat. Sept 24, 12 noon.
This morning the train was 25 minutes late, and in consequence I lost the Leipsic-Dresden train, and had to wait 3¼ hours here, and so I shall not arrive in Dresden till 3.30 p.m. My expences are all over now, and I have £2.10 left, but to this you must add 19/6 for boots &c. bought in Munich and which do not belong to the travelling expences. This deducted from the £.35. that I had with me at starting leaves £31.10 as the travelling expences.
The carriages have been constantly full, so that I could not sleep much, but on the whole it has not been a disagreeable journey; still 29 hours is a long pull.
I expect to find Athur to meet me at the train – possibly Adolf.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Die Amerikanische Dame ...": "The American lady is not yet here, but her two sons are now with us, and what is more, they have a very nice and pretty sister, who told me that she likes dancing (what bright prospects!)." The phrase "und was ist mehr" is downright wrong, a word-for-word translation from English, and would be and a gross Anglicism even if corrected grammatically. A corresponding German idiom is "und mehr noch". Obviously a copying mistake or memory slip by FEP, similar to his misspellings of place names which he could have found printed in his guidebooks correctly and clearly, had he bothered to look them up.
Uncle Frank is a fluent reader of German; he used to research in Austrian archives for documents about Wallenstein's death, hoping to whitewash the assassin William Butler who was a distant relative of wealthy commissioners and of the Prendergasts themselves.}
See above.
Dresden. Sunday 25. Sept.
12.30 p.m.
My dear Papa,
I arrived here all right – but rather tired – yesterday evening at 3.30 p.m. and found Arthur at the train. On the way from the train I called in at Carola Strasse, but uncle Jeffry was out. The servant told me that a Mr P. and two daughters were here which puzzled me greatly as I could not think who they were. I found the S's all well and very glad to see me back again. In the evening in came a letter from uncle J. inviting me to dinner to day and suggesting that I should call this morning on Harris P. Accordingly at 10.30 this morning I went off to the Hotel and found him and his two daughters. He looks to me terribly broken down and melancholy. Afterwards I went off to the Brul'sche Terrasse where by chance I met Ayez and arranged that he was to pay me a visit on Tuesday so that we may get to work at once.
I shall call on Hübner and Nauwerck (Latin and German) tomorrow, to settle matters. I shall probably find out an Italian master through Ayer, who is a regular Swiss in that particular, knowing everything about everybody. I shall ask Adolf about the geological lectures, but I very much doubt there being any adapted to me. private lessons can, I think, be had for a mere trifle. You must not expect me to make much progress with the Latin, for it fearful work learning it through German, and what is more the German i.e.The German part of the Latin lesson takes a great deal of time which at home the Latin would have instead. I believe that the only thing that a stranger can get much profit from in Germany – I mean one who is not thoroughly acquainted with the language – is in the learning of modern languages.
Monday. I saw uncle Jeffry and aunt Margaret last night and found them both very well and Harris P. and his little daughter Alice were there, but Dora is suffering from a quinsey, and is confined to the house.
I had some talk with uncle J. about masters, and he thinks that the best way of employing my remaining time here is just what we have settled i.e. French, German, Latin and Italian, so I shall get to work as soon as possible
Dresden is looking very well and the weather is lovely autumn weather. They tell me that the hot weather lasted nearly a month after I left, so it is well I got off at once. Adolf says he thinks that private lessons in Geology would be best – at all events at first, and that I might afterwards attend the Polytechnic lectures.
Aunt Margaret tells me I have not grown any more since I last saw her and that she thinks I have grown thinner – walked off all extra flesh I suppose, for my legs are as hard as wood.
Francis E. Prendergast
{This letter and most of the following ones have the year 1859 clearly added later using a different writing tool or ink, though possibly by FEP himself.
"terribly broken down": by the death of his wife Hannah Mary Elizabeth née Fry, 1814-25.04.1859. Harris is a barrister in London, Jeffry's cousin.
Brühl'sche (Brühlsche) Terrasse: a promenade along the Elbe river.}
Dresden Sunday 25 Sept.
My dear Mamma
On arriving here last night I found your letter waiting for me. Thank uncle Frank for the extract. The American lady is here with her two sons, one about 13 and the other 11. Cortlan is the name, probably derived from Van Cortlandt an old Dutch name. She is a very nice, ladylike and agreeable person, with very American ideas, and a very decided American accent though very little of the twang. Her two sons are very nice little men, you have no idea in England or Ireland how precocious the Americans often are in this respect. The Irish lady is not coming as she is very ill, but in her place comes a young American gentleman son of the American minister here, by name Stockton, more than that I know nothing of him.
By the way he is a Polytechniker. I found my room exactly as I left it, and a bouquet on the table to welcome me, as well as some very nice fruit. Everything seems just as it was before, except that Adolf is stationed out at Potschapple.
Monday. I have been settling things, dusting &c. so much this morning that I can hardly write, but I think I have now got everything into its proper place. I saw Miss Cortlan yesterday; she is a nice young lady of about 16 but looks more German than American.
The ground about this neighbourhood is rapidly filling up, which is rather a pity, however they are not building streets, only separate houses.
I shall have a great hunting for my masters, I suppose, for they ara people that are hard to be found, & being so much occupied are seldom at home.
The poor Baroness is unwell, but I dare say she will be all right in a day or two.
I am going to uncle Jeffrys again this evening to take tea with Harris who is going back to England tomorrow, if Dora is in a condition to move.
You must not be expecting a letter very soon again, as I shall have a great deal of running about for the next two or three days, and I have a great many letters to get off to different parts.
I shall not want any winter clothes, as I have even now got more than I want, it is certainly a great mistake bringing much over covering when coming abroad, but the case is just reversed with under covering. Good sealing wax and adhesive envelopes are hardly to be had out of England, adhesives, I have heard, are not manufactured anywhere abroad.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Cortlan is the spelling the family currently seem to prefer, but Cortland is used in almost all sources including gravestones. Note that in JPP's title the spelling Cortland is used as well. "Van Cortlandt" is not only "an old Dutch name", but also the name of Colonel Philipp Van Cortlandt 10.11.1739(Province of New York)-01.05.1814, the great-grandfather of Catherine Cortlandt Anderson, recently married in Peshwar/India (15.04.1858) to FEP's second degree cousin Guy Annesley Prendergast. FEP may have kept this fact in his subconsciousness. A probable common ancestor is the Dutch emigrant Oloff Stevense Van Cortlandt 1600-1684.
"Potschapple": Potschappel, 5 km southeast of Dresden, site of a study exercise, see below.
"American minister": the former navy lieutenant Philip Augustus Stockton is the US Consul-General to Saxony. The son Howard Stockton, after successful graduation, will join the military "Ordnance Group", captain, until 1867, then be admitted to the Massachusetts bar in 1871, also a church activist.}
The binding of this leaf is grossly out of chronology; obviously it must be dated shortly before the Seckendorffs move to Prager Straße, see above. The recipients seem to have used this plan when reading newer letters from Dresden, and then forgotten to reinsert it at its original place.
Dresden Sept 29th. 1859.
My dear Papa
I have already begun with Ayer, Nauwerk and Scheibe – French, German and Latin at the rate of three lessons a week each. I have also been making inquiries about an Italian master, but have settled nothing yet. Scheibe I have taken in preference to Hübner – perhaps you may remember that he was my Greek master before I left. With him I am to read Livy and pursue composition, the latter being the main point. Young Stockton has arrived; he is a tall, lightly built, sallow young Jonathan, just a year younger than I am. He speaks German perfectly – though the accent is wanting, as he has rather a nasal accent – having been three years and a half in Dresden; wonderful to relate he does not smoke. He tells me he is working at Spanish, which he says is very easy, he is studying engineering and is at work at the Spanish as he expects to go to South America. Your letter of Sunday night has just arrived. You have of course heared by this time that I did not visit Max de P. – but that was not my fault. Yesterday I wrote to Mdme. de P., as she had made me promise to write to her at once on arriving here. Yesterday afternoon I walked out to Potschappel to see Adolf. I found him with about 7 Polytechniker hard at work surveying a field for an imaginary railroad, but next Saturday he will be back for the winter: as yet I have hardly spoken to him and only twice seen him. Harris P. went off last Tuesday, leaving Dora here in a convalescent state, but she got worse and so at present in bed; uncle J. and I were there this morning and I promised to take little Alice out for a walk tomorrow morning. She does not seem to be either grown or changed since I saw her 2 years ago in London. They expect Mr Unthank back here to take them home.
The weather is like summer here, quite warm but not too hot.
The Baroness says that both she and Miss S. suffered greatly this summer from the heat and that she will never spend another summer in Dresden if she can help it. My German master tells me I have improved my German while I was away, and the S's say I am turned into a complete German but how that comes I do not know, as the only book that I have had in my hands during my absence was /Baedecker/Baedeckers Guide. I shall get an italian master as soon as I can, for I want to make the most of my remaining time here in learning languages. I am going to drink tea with uncle Jeffry this evening
Sept 30.th Last night I was at uncle J's and there was somewhat of a collection of artists there as well as Dr Seiler and Miss Preusser.
You asked me in one of your letters if my plaid had been of much use, it did little or no good except against cold and sometimes as an extra blanket, but it was hardly worth the carrying. Something extra is required, but I think something better than a plaid might be discovered.
I have not done anything more about an Italian master and shall wait for another letter from you, as uncle J. says he wrote to you on the subject.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Clement Unthank is listed in Leipziger Tageblatt of 17.09.1859 as checked in at Hôtel de Bavière "from London, with family". Obviously they are close friends of the Prendergasts.}
Dresden Sept. 30.th 1859.
My dear Mamma,
Your letter of Sunday arrived yesterday evening. I was glad to see the extracts about the accident at Zermatt as I was there a day or two after its occurrence. I was very glad to hear of Mr J. Evans, I don't think he returned the way he was intending when I last saw him, I should also like to know how he got on about expences, for he had custom of trying to beat down hotel keepers – a thing which one is sure to suffer for in the end.
I wonder how Jack will like his change of position – what sort of a place is Ballina?
This morning I went and took little Alice P. out for a walk and also helped her to buy some flowers for her sister, who is getting better, but will not be able to move for a week at least.
Adolf returns tomorrow which will make a great addition to our circle here – ten alltogether. I cannot find the seal you gave me anywhere, nor can I think what has become of it.
Tell uncle Frank that I think he ought to give me a line as well as uncle Willy.
I am rather hard up for news to tell you, everything is so exactly the same here as before. Mrs Cortlan is very pleasant and amusing as well as young and pretty, she has a daughter of 16 but as she was married at 16 herself that alters the matter but little. I never saw a person with so much crinoline in my life, but somehow it never seems to come in the way as they usually do. I doubt if you would understand all she says for the number of Americanisms she uses is very remarkable, and even sometimes puzzles me, though I am pretty well used to Americans & Americanisms now. The weather is really lovely now, but I shall be glad to see a little frost and snow again, that however will, I dare say, come soon enough. Nothing here strikes me more than the quantity of English that one hears here, one cannot even walk from here to the bridge without either seeing or hearing half a dozen English people, and it is said that in the six fine houses in the Wiener Strasse there is only one German family – all the rest being Americans! I have very little to say to young Stockton and he says very little to any one unless Arthur, but he seems a good sort of young fellow and has grown somewhat continental by his long stay here.
I am curious to know what this house will be like in winter I expect very cold, but it can hardly be colder than Räcknitzer Strasse, that was about the coldest position in Dresden by all accounts.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Accident at Zermatt: the fatal fall on 13.08.1859 of the Baltic-German tourist Eduard Heinrich Alexander von Grote (born 1824 in St. Petersburg, aka "Edouard de Grotte") into a crevice of the Findel Glacier, presumably by negligence of his two (!) native guides, where he froze to death. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grote_(baltisches_Adelsgeschlecht) , https://de.findagrave.com/memorial/54276277/eduard-von_grote . Fatal accidents in the Alps have never been a rarity; this one was a scandal because of the incompetent guides and the somewhat prominent victim. We learn that language skills and money, while very useful, do not guarantee adequate service to tourists.}
In the summer of 1859.
Route from Dresden via Bavaria Switzerland Italy (Northern) Lombardy Switzerland, the Tyrol and Bavaria and back to Dresden.
July. 1859. Summer Tour.
| 16. 17. | Rail from Dresden to Lindau on the Lake of Constance |
| 18. | Steamer to Rorschach, rail to Zürich. Ascended the Uetliberg in the evening. |
| 19. | Steamer to Richterschwyl on foot to Einsiedeln & Steinenb. |
| 20. | On foot to Goldau and thence ascended the Rigi. |
| 21. | Descended to Weggis. steamer to Flueln. Carriage to Amstäg on foot to Andermatt. |
| 22. | On foot to the Furca & Grimsel. |
| 23. | On foot to Meiringen. |
| 24. | On foot to Grindelwald. |
| 25. | Carriage to Interlaken. |
| 26. 27. 28. 29. | At Interlaken. On foot to Lauterbrunnen Wengern Alp Grindelwald and back. Steamer to the Giessbach |
| 30. | Steamer to Thun. rail to Berne |
| 31. | Diligence to Freyberg. |
| remarks. 22d to 26th were all more or less next. 19 & 20 were very hot. Wengern Alp most splendid scenery. As far as Freybourg I was with Ayez. | |
| August. | |
| 1. | Diligence to Vevey. |
| 2. | Steamer viâ Savoyard coast to Geneva. rail back to Lausanne Steamer to Vevey. |
| 3. | On foot to Montreux |
| 4. to 13. | At Montreux. Excusrion per rail and steamer to the Valais. Pissevache Cascade Saline &c. Excursion to Aigle per rail thence on foot to La Combal Diablerets and back. |
| 14. | Steamer to Morges rail to Geneva |
| 15. | Rail to Aix-les-Bains. |
| 16. 17. | Aix-les-Bains. |
| 18. | On foot to Chambery & back to Aix |
| 19. | On foot to Annecy. |
| 20. | On foot to Bonneville |
| 21. | On foot to Servoz. |
| 22. | On foot to Chamouny |
| 23. | Chamouny |
| 24. | Ditto. On foot to & from Flegère. |
| 25. | On foot to Martigny. |
| 26. | On foot to Liddes. Dil. to Visp. |
| 27. | On foot to Zermatt |
| 28. | On foot to the Riffleberg. |
| 20. | On foot to the Gorner Grat, back to Zermatt & St Niklaus. |
| 30. | On foot to Saas. |
| 31. | On foot to Fee & Mattmark. |
| September | |
| 1. | On foot to Macumaga viâ Monte Moro. |
| 2. | On foot to Ponte Grande Carriage to Fariolo. on L. Mag. |
| 3. | Steamer viâ the Islands to Luino. Carriage to Lugano. |
| 4. | Steamer to Capo Lago. Dil. to Camerlata. rail to Milan |
| 5. | Milan. |
| 6. | Rail to Como. steamer to Colico. Dil. to Chiavenna. |
| 7. | Carriage to Campo Dolino. On foot to Splügen. (Switzerland) |
| 8. | On foot to Thusis and Lenz. |
| 9. | On foot to Ponte by the Albula. |
| 10. | On foot to Fettau (Engadine) |
| 11. | On foot to Nauders (Tyrol) |
| 12. | On foot to Landeck. – |
| 13. | Diligence to Innsbruck. |
| 14. to 16. | Innsbruck. |
| 17. | Rail to Munich |
| 18. to 22. | Munich. |
| 23. 24. | Rail to Dresden |
{This leaf of four pages has no date on it. Probably it is the "route-diary" mentioned in the above letter 21 as being attached, written in Munich.}
Dresden October 4.th 1859
My dear Papa,
Last night I was at uncle Jeffrys to meet Dora and Alice P. and Mr Unthank who has been here since Saturday. To day I was at the train to see them off and Mr Unthank desired particularly to be remembered to you. Dora had got round again wonderfully, and though Dr Seiler advised her to wait a day or two she went off this afternoon at 2.45. p.m. I should think that uncle Willie must be very, very busy if he cannot manage to make a run up here, though I suppose it is 30 or 36 hours distant at least. I wonder if his German will be of much use to him there?
I have not done anything about either Italian or Geology yet. Adolf tells me that there are only lectures once a week in the Polytechnic and he does not think that they could be of any use for any period under six months.
ergo. Private lessons are the only thing. Uncle Jeffry seems rather to advise against Italian as he thinks it would be scattering my energies and that more important things could be found. This ma be true and I dare say he is right, still it seems to me that the more languages I can get into my brain the better for me. You may think over three things and tell me what you think, and in the mean time I shall take the liberty of looking out for a mathematical master – i.e. only for figure mathematics algebra and arithmetic. I am afraid of forgetting them if I do not do something and I should only be groping in the dark without a master. I confess I have a hankering after Italian and indeed languages generally and whatever talent I may have for them I have none for mathematics. I hope you will give me an answer to this as soon as possible.
The French is going on flourishing under Ayer's superintendance. He is making me write letters (composed out of my head) and descriptions of scenery &c, I am reading Voltaire's Charles XII with him and endeavour to get as much conversation as I can with him.
The weather here is most lovely but to me it is not pleasant – too dry – winter was the time I liked best here and I am looking out for its return.
There is nothing that I shall be gladder to get to again than the sea air. I used to wish in summer that I could have got down to the Mediterranean even if it was only for a day.
I like the idea of spending a few days in Holland on my way back very much and should like to hear some more about uncle Willie's business.
I am sorry to hear that the Woodside people will have to turn out, but I dare say they will find something quite as good elsewhere
Francis E Prendergast.
{Uncle Willie is in Holland for business, as we will read below. He and his brothers take commissions for research in archives etc., often to endorse claims to heritage.}
Dresden October 4. 1859.
My dear Mamma
I received your letter of the 29th yesterday the Times came by the morning post, the letters by the afternoon post. I also had a letter from uncle Joe.
On Saturday I got one from aunt Nannie. Tell me if any of the letters which I missed are worth waiting for. Of the nine I only got four viz. the last to Dresden, the one to Interlaken and the two to Geneva. I can hardly fancy that they are worth sending for.
The letters with 6d on them come all right but if 5 groschen will carry a letter to England I had better put it on here, so that you may not have to pay the 8d*. Newspapers are always charged something extra,; your last Times 4d. so you had better not send them; I always see a large number of them at uncle Jeffry's.
I had many good reasons for changing my gold at Munich: 1st they always make a fuss at the railway stations about taking foreign money. 2ndly I should have got some shillings worth of change at the stations, and as the Bavarian and Saxon currency is different it would have been extra loss. 3rdly On account of the convenience of having plenty of cash in the legal currency of the country, as every change is a loss of money and time – this last must be felt to be appreciated. I could give more reasons but these will suffice, and you may depend that I never give myself extra trouble for nothing, and in travelling keep a sharp look out for the main chance.
Adolf was planning imaginary railroads at Potschappel.
None of the S's excepting him were about during the summer.
Did Drake ever return?
The Baron has been away in Berlin this last day or two but he is expected home to night or tomorrow.
Has Jack moved yet? or is anything known about him?
We are very merry in the evenings now as we have a party of 10; – 5 Germans – 4 Americans and 1 Irishman, which makes a pretty good collection, and the collection makes a good deal of noise.
The Grosser Garten are very pretty just now and indeed so is the whole neighbourhood. The houses are springing up here at a wonderful rate, and are often begun in spring and inhabited before the autumn.
Prices too are said to be on the rise both as regards house and food; this is attributed to the English, but I can hardly think that to be the real cause. Nothing that is sold in the shops here seems to be cheaper than in England, except boots and shoes, and they are proportionally worse. Dresden seems to me miserably small and the shops very poor in comparison with Munich, the Dresden gas certainly deserves the premium for being the worst possible.
I shall begin concocting a letter to aunt Nannie at once as I suppose she will soon be at Tower Terrace. Where has Mrs Nash gone to? Is she thinking of settling anywhere?
The following is a list of the articles I lost on my travels; one blue necktie, one pocket comb, one fine bamboo stick, and one pockethandkerchief; the greatest loss was the necktie.
Francis E. Prendergast.
________
* 5 Neugroschen equal 6d exactly.
{"Adolf was planning imaginary railroads at Potschappel.": obviously the answer to a question by mamma in reaction to FEP's previous letters. She seems to have forgotten that Adolf is a student at the Polytechnic rather than an inmate of a lunatic asylum.}
Dresden. October 7.th
My dear Papa
I met uncle Jeffry in the Grosser Garten to day and had some conversation with him regarding a mathematical master &c.
Mr Unthank put me the question the other day as to what profession I intended following, and as I knew that people like him do not ask idle questions it set me thinking, and I had some talk on the subject with uncle Jeffry to day, and he mentions that you seemed to think the engineering line would be suitable for me; this I had no idea of before, and was very glad to hear, as my own inclinations run that way. I had somehow always had an idea that you wished me to follow the law, which used to make me often feel uncomfortable as I did not like to oppose your wishes, though my own inclinations were very much against it. You must remember that I am within a few days of 18, and it seems to me to be time that something should be settled on this point, as it will enable me to apply myself energetically to some particular line of study, for, though I purue my work now as a matter of course, still it would help me on wonderfully if I had some definite object in view; and as that object I should be inclined to choose the Engineer's Diploma of T. C. D.
I believe there is a first rate engineering school in the college, and that after the college course it is required that one should spend a couple of years in an engineers office. More than that I do not know, but you can easily get information on the subject. Supposing that I entered college next year and that everything went on as usual, I should be turned out as an engineer ready for work in 6 years, i.e. at the age of 24. Later than 25 would, I think, hardly do to begin.
You will most probably hear from uncle Jeffry on this subject; he is you know all for mathematics, and says he considers engineering the best profession for young men now-a-days. However I shall expect to hear from you in due time on this subject and in the mean time will get a mathematical master.
Oct. 8. I shall post this tomorrow morning and I dine at Carola Strasse in the evening. I think it would be adviseable for me to return on the 1st of January, for though my life here has been, and is a very pleasant one, yet it always seems to me to be an idle life, particularly regarding the Latin; working at this through German is a fearful and discouraging work for it seems to me that the Latin lesson is certainly more than half a German lesson – accordingly the lesson is only half Latin. French being learned through French, the case is altered there; and another loss is having so many different masters – It seems to me that more is accomplished by one master in two hours taking everything together, than in 4 hours with 4 masters. However the time cannot be called wasted here as I am adding to my French and German daily at all events.
Francis E Prendergast.
Dresden. October 8. –59
My dear Mamma,
I had been expecting a letter to day and was surprised that none came, but I suppose there will be one on Monday. There was a slight accident happened this morning which has given the Dresdners something to talk about. During a rehearsal at the theatre this morning some of the side curtains took fire and created a great deal of smoke and consequent row, but no serious damage was done.
The weather still continues magnificent but it is gradually getting cooler and before the sun is well up is really cold. Mr Stockton has turned out a great addition to our party here, and the noise, fun and excitement which goes on between 7.30 pm and 10 is perfectly astounding. The Baron used formerly to wish to have a houseful of young people but now I think he finds it rather more noisy than he expected.
I wrote to aunt Nannie the other day and directed to 3 T. T. as I thought her arrival could not be far off.
The dancing season has already begun here, and there have been two or three American parties already but I have had no invitations as yet. The numbers of English and Americans are very much less than last winter, bur many of the families have not returned from the country yet – the Boytons for example, who are still out at Paradise, and will not return till the end of October. I cannot make out anything definite as to what uncle Willie is doing in Holland – is it arbitration or what?
I was at an open air concert in the Grosser Garten the day before yesterday with the Seckendorfs; it will probably be the last open air concert this year: there was hardly anyone there and the few that were there were mostly English or Russian.
The Russians are increasing in numbers here very much, and in the streets you see numbers of Russian boys who may generally be recognised by their fantastic dresses and peculiar features. Housebuilding is going on with redoubled energy here just at present as they are endeavouring to make the most of the fine weather before the frost comes, which it is generally supposed to commence about the middle of October. I am at all events well supplied with clothes – far more than is necessary indeed. A good warm coat, warm gloves and a soft handerchief for the neck are the most important things, all which I have, of the best quality.
What I found hardest to keep warm last winter were the hands; the only effectual way is to keep them either in the pockets or up the sleeves. Should there be any opportunity, do not forget to send me a further supply of adhesive envelopes, but there is no use sending them in letters. I have never yet found the seal you gave me.
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. To be posted Sunday.
Dresden. October 13. 1859.
My dear Papa,
This morning I had my first mathematical lesson, and my lessons now stand as follows, French, Latin, German and mathematics, each three times a week, each lesson lasting, as is always the case here, an hour. This gives two hours per day and will keep me busy enough preparing for them. I was out at Lockwitz the day before yesterday and saw the whole of the Preussers who are staying there at present i.e. Mr & Mrs and the two daughters.
I have been hunting for Mr Dale (the clergyman) three times since I returned, to settle about getting a seat in the church, but each time unsuccessfully however I am going to take another look for him to day.
Last night we celebrated the birthday of one of the Seckendorfs relations – the young lady who is engaged – and had some, or rather a good deal of fun.
Unluckily there was no dancing as there is no piano in the house and we did not think of getting a fiddler till it was too late
14.th Yesterday evening I received your letter of Monday, I had hardly expected one so soon, but I was none the less glad to get it. You will have heard by this time that, by uncle Jefferys advice, I am not going to take up the Italian. I am not thinking of renewing either my gymnastics or fencing lessons, for I could not take a lesson before breakfast in winter, and it would take two whole hours from the day, and just at present I have no inclination for anything but working and studying maps.
I believe I am pretty well up in Euclid, thanks to Mrs Ensells method of teaching, but it is in algebra that I am deficient, which is the result of my not having been at it early enough, and thus want familiarity with it. I am afraid skating is another thing which I have not learned early enough, for last winter I took a good deal of pains with it, and yet made little or nothing of it; I am too tall to learn it properly now, but there is nothing like trying. Beyond the mere fact that uncle Willie has left England I know nothing more, either regarding business or anything else. I am certainly lucky in having Ayer as a master but I have also been very lucky in another of my masters, viz. in Nauwerck, my German master, who I like very much, but do not speak much about as there is nothing very particular about him either in manners or appearance. Do you remember a little blue venetian double-breasted waistcoat, which I got ages ago? It is still to the fore and looks almost as good as new! I have quite forgotten when I got it. I had a long walk with uncle Jeffery yesterday and also the day before. He is very full of the advantages of an engineer, and is always recurring to the subject. He told me he had written to you on the subject.
I have no time for reading English now, and I find that my spelling is suffering from it, but I suppose that will return when I get back.
The winter is slowly but steadily approaching; hitherto we have not even had a night frost.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"the two daughters": presumably Annette and Louise Preußer, Caroline Preußer being married (Mrs. Moritz Gontard) in Frankfurt am Main. Also missing is the son Gustav Alexander Preußer, a "Polytechnic" until 1858, who now attends Jena university.
Piano, fiddler: private dancing is often accompanied by the amateur pianists among the hosts and guests, taking turns. Here there is no lack of such volunteers, neither of space, but the formerly well used instrument mentioned on Feb 21. is currently unavailable, e.g. sold or out of tune.
"Jeffery": this spelling is sometimes considered more "original" and was indeed used by a Prendergast ancestor; however, the uncle always writes his name Jeffry.
Note that becoming an engineer is FEP's own wish; he uses Jeffry's vote to counteract any remaining scepticism from his parents' side.
"Euclid": traditional synonym of elementary geometry.
Mr Ensell is known to us as FEP's former school teacher; "Mrs" may be a slip or indeed denote his wife.}
Dresden. 0ct 14. 1859
My dear Mamma
Yours of Sunday arrived yesterday. I shall certainly always prepay the letters as it will save 2d each time. Yours always come quite right, without any extra charge.
I enclose a note to uncle Frank by way of reminder.
I am rather surprised to hear about uncle Georges marriage; I certainly think he might have made up his mind before he was fifty, if he intended to marry at all. How old is he now? We had great fun the other night, playing all sorts of odd games, the only end and object of which is to create laughter.
In the evening we generally play cards (never for money); up till this time vingt-un was the great favourite but I introduced Casino which seems likely to drive the other off the field, tell aunt Cuthbert this, two of the party usually play chess or backgammon, a select party of four are generally at casino and the remaining four or five work away at vingt-un.
Every now and then we have some games by way of variation, but cards are th usual amusement, and they answer the great end of keeping people together, and also keeping them quiet, which is very difficult in a house like this where there are so many young people. I am writing this against time for post, so you must not criticise the writing.
I have had no news from Mfelt since I returned.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Uncle George Ensor "III", 13.09.1808-14.11.1879, will apparently die unmarried (or widowed?), so that his nephew "Charley" eventually inherits the estate of Ardress.
Cassino is considered a typical English card game, known in Germany since the 1840s by the spelling "Casino". It is related to gambling establishments only etymologically, not in character or history.
"Mfelt.": Magherafelt, i.e. family Irwin, as before.}
Dresden. October 17. 1859.
My dear Mamma
I received aunt Nannie and Floras letter this evening enclosing yours, I am afraid I shall not be able to answer either for some time to come. I got a letter from Mfelt the other day but there was no great news in it. I suppose my return may now be considered as fixed for the 25th January that being the pay day here as I returned on the 24. Sept. That must be the outside limit of my stay here, and even then I suppose that with visits on the way &c, I shall hardly be in Dublin before the middle of February.
It is very pleasant to hear of the Rockmullen improvements, it really seems as if some traces of civilization were beginning to penetrate to those remote regions. Have you ever got a personal description of Miss Holbrooke?
I had not forgotten the date of my birthday when writing but 3 weeks = 21 days seem to me to be entitled to the name of a few days.
Indeed the time goes over very rapidly here, which is partly consequent on the quantity of time spent at meals. We shall now have three would be engineers in this house, as both Adolf and Stockton are studying engineering. I have not succeeded in finding Mr Dale at home yet but I shall make another trial soon again.
Dr Seiler was at Carola Strasse yesterday evening but that was the only novelty there.
I think it was very clever of Tom to jump in that way at the window, nor do I exactly understand how he managed to spring.
We have been playing casino all the evening; the amount of chance and skill united in it, seems to give great satisfaction to the people here.
There is some Circus coming here soon and they have got a huge wooden affair in course of erection on the Bürger Wiese. There will be great doings here on the Schiller anniversary (11 November) grand theatre performances, torch procession in which the Polytechnic School will take part &c.
It is very late so I must finish.
Francis E. Prendergast
To be posted Tuesday 18th
{"Bürger Wiese": written in German script. Bürgerwiese or Bürger-Wiese (translating "citizens' meadow"), green strip connecting the inner city with the royal Großer Garten.}
Dresden. Oct 17. 1859
My dear Papa
Yours of the 14th arrived this evening. I am very glad to hear that you approve of the Engineering line, and I shall now be anxious to hear some more about the most approved method to be followed in T. C. D. As to the returning on the first of January or February it is quite alike to me (25th is at present pay day here) except as regards college, for I am not and cannot make much progress at the classics here but there certainly are great opportunities here for modern languages and the mathematics are at least kept in practice. The Hague is just 25½ hours from Dresden, i.e. leaving Dresden at 2.45 p.m. one day you arrive at the Hague next day at 4.14 p.m. the actual time occupied in travelling is not over 23 hours but there is some time lost at Rotterdam &c. The fare 2nd class is about £2:10, by express train somewhat dearer. Amsterdam is only two hours by rail from the Hague.
Our fun and noise is all carried on in German, but I would not undertake to say that it is very classical German. Last week there was as much English spoken that there has been a box established into which a pfennige (half a farthing) must be paid for every English word spoken during a certain time; the extent of my contributions to it have only been one single pfennige up to this time. Stockton is a tall, thin, black haired New Jersey man, and looks a thorough Jonathan; he has never been away from his father and mother until now, and would accompany them to Leipsic were it not that he is at the Polytechnic here; he is only seventeen and internally very merry and boyish; but he is one of the best Americans that I have yet seen, for generally speaking they are as thorough young scamps as well can be.
He is a great walker and it keeps me busy to keep up with him; we went out together (the whole party of youngsters) to the Goldene Höhe the other day; it is what the Germans call 2½ hours, and we two did it in 58 minutes! I don't think I ever went so fast before, but then we ran a good deal of the way. Adolf and Arthur were at least 7 minutes behind us. I like the Cortlans very much, but poor Mrs Cortlan is suffering greatly from homesickness and is often rather melancholy. Her daughter who is at a boarding school here is a remarkably nice little girl of 15; she is here on Sundays and fête days.
Regarding visiting Holland, the Hague and Amsterdam, it would be on my way (nearly) going home, but if you thought it advisable I could run down at Christmas and spend 6 or 7 days there for £9 or £10. Less than that is could not be, as the rail there and back 2nd class would be £5 alone.
The weather still remains the same, no frost, but a little rain every now and again.
I read the account of the Great Easterns voyage to Holyhead in the Times and Illustrated; to me it seems to have been quite successful, but the Times and uncle Jeffrey – probably uncle Frank too – grumble at it. I always read up the Illustrated and Thursday and Fridays Times's at Carola Strasse on Sundays, as well as Punch, so I manage to know something of what is going on at home.
Are there any rifle-clubs or Volunteer Corps in Ireland?
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Pfennige is plural, Pfennig singular.
SS Great Eastern: largest ship ever built before 1899, on which a huge explosion had killed five men on the 09.09.1859, whereupon the safety of such ships, and thus of investments therein, was discussed controversially. FEP's short-time "goodlooking" mate (until June) Norman Scott Russell, see above, is now an assistant of his father who had built the ship in 1858. Norman was "examined" at court, though not really accused.
"rifle-clubs": popular in Germany and England, often bordering on or even expressly paramilitary. Apparently FEP considers joining such an organisation.}
Dresden. October 20th 1859.
My dear Mamma
To day I heard the pleasant news from uncle Jeffry that uncle Joe is coming to Dresden and immediately too, from what I heard I suppose he will be here before 1.st November. Uncle Jeffry had engaged lodgings for him in the opposite house in Carola Strasse.
I have had no letter since Monday but I suppose there will be one tomorrow or next day. The Jahr-Markt or annual (i.e. quarterly) fair is to be held in a few days and there are already great preparations making.
The household here is pretty much as usual except that the Baroness is unwell, but that is an occurrence which happens only too often. Ther is still no sign of frost, though it is gradually getting colder; I think it is not till the middle of November that the cold usually sets in. There are great wood rafts going down the Elbe now; I saw one a few days ago with 27 men on it and small ones may be seen every hour of the day; the long ones go twisting in the most curious way and it seems as if it were impossible for them to pass the bridge, particularly as the water is very low now – 2 of the usually full arches are now quite empty.
It is a great nuisance that the picture gallery is shut now and they say it will not be reopened for some time to come; I think they are cleaning it.
21.st Your letter arrived this evening. There has been a great fire here this evening. The Linkische Bad, a large restaurant and concert room has been completely burned down – no lives lost and the building was insured. It began about 6 p.m. oclock and at 9 was still burning; it is a long way off in the Neu Stadt so we saw nothing of it except the reflection. There is a very good arrangement here by which the moment a fire breaks out, it is known all over the town, and also in what part it is; on the top of one of the churches watchmen are stationed, and the moment they see fire (not smoke along) they ring on the great bells, each part of the town having a certain number of rings as its designation thus this evening when the bell began to give out five strokes, then a moments intermission, then five again, and so on, everyone in Dresden knew that there was a fire in the New Town. The cause of this fire is supposed to be an escape of gas.
You seem to forget that I see all the Illustratedes at Carola Strasse, but I missed a month or two in summer. I am glad to hear of the paper, and am also glad that the shoes are not coming, for in winter I always (here it is almost indispensable) wear boots, and the Dresden work is good enough for anything except a walkingtour. You are right about the German money, the Austrian and Bavarian florins, the Saxon and Prussian Thalers, and one or two others are the only respectable coins that there are. There is no money so beautiful and convenient as the francs and the Swiss 5. 10. &. 20 centime pieces made of billon, a metal like argentine.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden October 21st / 1859
My dear Papa,
I suppose that by the time you get this you will have heard of uncle Joes intended visit to Dresden. Perhaps it might be a good opportunity for me to run down to the Hague when he is going back, as I suppose he will pass that way – I mean if there is any probability of uncle Willies leaving it before the 1st February. There will probably be further particulars to day or tomorrow, but in his letter he said the was going to apply for leave on the 23d Oct. so that he will probably be here next week. I have now got into regular work with Dr Klein, my mathematical master; I find I have forgotten very little (I am confining myself now to algebra) but of course it had grown a little rusty for want of practice during the last 10 months. I am very lucky in my masters, Ayer and Scheibe (Latin) are both well educated people, and as well bred as people of their class usually are; Nauwerk and Klein are also good honest Germans without any pretensions, but both up to their work. However I am convinced that there is nothing like having one master for everything, two or three hours a day; the time is spent to far better purpose and he is able to balance the lessons properly, as he knows exactly how far one is in each subject, which is a great point. Nauwerk and Ayer now make me write composition, i.e. out of my head – substance, idea and all, and Ayer sometimes – often indeed, makes me write from dictation.
From having learned French from such an early age I feel comparatively at home in it in reading, writing or listening, while the German always seems strange to one when reading or writing it. This gives me an opportunity of judging as to the learning a language – French I learned entirely theoretically, i e by reading and grammar, German almost entirely practically i.e. by speaking and hearing Neither method will accomplish both ends. Should I take up the study of any other language now or later, it must be Spanish, with reference to my profession in which it might prove to be a great advantage.
You have no idea how much the Americans are doing towards the spreading of the English language – they generally know a tolerable amount of languages but always insist on other people's speaking English. Uncle Jeffry and most English people who I have met dislike and abuse the Americans, but I have seen and known so many who were well bred and agreeable, that I have quite a fancy for them. It is very unfair abusing them for not conforming with the English customs, for they have theirs against which we offend just as much, and how many of the English conform with the customs of the country they may happen to be in? Very few indeed.
Yours of the 18th came this evening. I must now give all my spare time to mathematics, and only work at classics as much as may be necessary for the college course. It always seems to me that too much of my time has been given up to classics and too little to mathematics
I wish you would make inquiries about the engineering school and lectures in the College, for I should like to begin as soon as possible after entering – one never can begin at a new subject too soon. Of Trigonometry I know nothing as yet, and that is an important branch both in engineering and the college course.
I suppose I may consider my return as fixed for 25.th January?
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden Oct 24th 1859.
My dear Papa
Your letter of the 18th arrived on Saturday evening, so that I had not had time to do anything about the Cicero, nor do I think it would be worth beginning it here. Yesterday evening I had some talk with uncle Jeffry concerning the date of my return, and we both came to the conclusion that it would be advisable for me to leave this beforeJan 1st – say a day or two after Christmas. The reasons are as follows: 1st there will be a general holiday taken by everyone, masters included, from the 24th Dec till 2d or 3d Jan. which is a great loss of time, 2nd if I remain till 1st Febr both this time and the time (say 10 days) occupied in travelling and visiting will also be lost for study, 3dly I shall be able to see them all together at Pondwell – 5 aunts and the Ensors – and might easily do this, as well as pay Holland a visit and be in Dublin by the 10th Jan. If I stop till 1st Feb, the time at Christmas will be lost and the few remaining days in January will be of little value. Besides all this there is not the least doubt that I would make much more progress at home than here. Uncle Jeffry advised me to write to you and mention this, as he approves of it and thinks less time would be thus lost than by any other arrangement.
25th. There would be no good in looking for ancient maps here, for they would certainly not be better than the Eton maps that we have. It is a great mistake to suppose that things – be they as they may – are cheaper on the continent; you can get a bad article for a small piece but that can be had at home, and for a good article you must pay more than the same quality would cost in England.
I have never yet come across any article which forms an exception to this rule.
I see from the College paper that you sent me, that Trigonometry and Logic are required very soon, which forms an additional reason for getting back as soon as possible.
Adolf tells me that after completing his 5 year course at the Polytechnic here he will go for a year either to the Leipsic university or the Karlsruhe college of engineering which has the greatest reputation of all the continental establishments.
They teach a most extraordinary amount of subjects abroad; Adolf for instance is a good chemist, a tolerable geologist and has some knowledge of botany and natural history &c &c, all of which are regularly taught in the schools but only theoretically. This is the great point where the Germans fail, everything is done by theory and nothing by practice. I wish you would send me all the particulars that you can get regarding the engineering school and lectures, and as to the usual course pursued.
There is still no sign of frost though the thermometer has been within a degree or two of freezing point. To day it was lovely, bright and sharp, and the town regularly blocked up with the fair.
Uncle Frank tells me that Cunard has consented to call at Cork which will be a great event for that place. Mrs. Cortlan says she is sure that most of the Americans will leave the ship there with the double object of shortening the passage and seeing Ireland. She tells me that the great objection to the Galway line in America is on account of the pecuniary mismanagemen on that line, such as stewards fees extras &c.
Francis E Prendergast.
Dresden. October 26th. 1859.
My dear Mamma,
This evening I got a letter from uncle Frank enclosing sundry slips of of newspapers &c. A party of us went out to see the remains of the Link'sches Bad on Saturday and found that the damage was much less than hat been expected, as the walls have remained untouched though everything else was swept away. This evening Arthur was electrifying us all – sending shocks through half a dozen at a time, some one gave him an old machine and he is perpetually making experiments with it.
I do not expect that I shall have more envelopes than I want for they are articles which vanish at a wonderful rate. The weather has got cold but there has been no frost as yet, nor any signs of one; Adolf tells me that there has been one shower of sleet already, but I can hardly believe it.
The Jahr Markt was in full go to day and the crowd was tremendous, particularly towards evening wehn it was hardly possible to get about the town, but I did not see anything in the shape of a drunken man; the only way I can account for this is that there is loz law against drunkeness here, so that the idea never enters the peoples heads.
25. I am getting this ready to send off tomorrow morning though I dare say there will be one from you in the evening. I have heard nothing more of uncle Joe but I hardly fancy that he will be here much before the 1st November. I am in hopes that my birthday will pass over without the Ss remembering it, for if the did, they would be having a party, giving me presents &c, &c, in the regular German style. A birthday, whether the person be old or young, is always made a festival, and not to keep one would be something very fearful indeed. I saw the Boytons on Sunday for a few minutes before the church; they were very friendly and told me that they return to town this week. Young Boyton and Capt. Montgomery return at Christmas.
We hat da great game of casino last night played by 8 people with two packs of cards but it was not so amusing as the game of four. Vingt-un is the most amusing game for a large party and is one of those exiting games where one may lose or win to an enormouse amount. We play for counters made to represent napoleons and ¼ naps, and in the course of ten minutes half the counters are often in the hands of one single person. Mr. Stockton and I are always the greatest winners and losers as we generally set half the amount we may happen to have. I can now easily understand how it is that Gambling rooms at the Rhine watering places win so much, for the chances are about 9 to 1 for the bank.
I have now got a seat right in the middle of the church which Mr. Dale recommended to me as a good position for hearing – and seeing! I think he and the Boytons are the only English I know here; all the people of last winter have disappeared.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden. Oct. 27. 1859.
My dear Papa
Yours of 23d came last night.
I do at all like the idea of spending anymore time on the continent after 1st January, for it seems to me such an utter waste of time, nor do I think it fair that everything should be sacrificed to French and German, for studying properly is certainly out of the question when one is abroad. If you do wish me to spend any more time on the continent it must be at Karlsruhe or some other large polytechnic school, where classes will be entirely thrown overboard, and nothing but engineering and its adjuncts be learned. It seems to me that I ought to have entered T. C. D. this October, and trusted to completing my French and German during the vacations. This year has been almost entirely lost except for French and German, the first of which I could almost as well have learned at home.
Every day I see more and more the truth of what Mr. Ensell daid to me when he heard that I was going, viz. that the life in Germany is a very pleasant, and very idle life, (i. e. for Englishmen) and that I could make more progress in everything at home than abroad, except in speaking the language and seeing the world.
I feel certain that living abroad even for a year, throws a person greatly back in what we call education, i.e. of the brain, not manners; in the latter point it may be of some advantage. You have no idea how much we are ahead of the continentals in good sound knowledge; you find many of them who know a great deal superficially, but only a few sho are what we would call well up in anything. It is for this reason that I am anxious to get home, for I do not like the idea of fellows going ahead at home while I am going backwards here. I know I cannot study for an English college abroad and if I do stay to study here it must be for some foreign one; but I am very anxious to be once more at the old steady routine which is what sends us ahead of the continentals. If I am to make any progress I must go to some place where I shall not only have something to work for, but also something to keep me working.
I have often asked my German master if he thought there was any danger of my forgetting the German when I returned, but he says he cannot imagine my ever forgetting it now that I have got so far in it.
As to the French it seems to me that two months in the country would give me a tolerable facility of speaking, but just now, when the time is of more value than at perhaps, any other period it is a pity to give it to that which can easily be acquired any time during the nest few years. I should very much wish to enter T. C. D. next Trinity, and afterwards – should it be thought advisable – I could drop a term. I think the calling of the Cunard steamers will be a great lift for Cork, and I look upon the Galway line as done for – at least for some time to come; from what I have heard from Americans I fancy that nine tenths of the Americans will land there (at Cork). Is Mr. Scully member for Cork now? It seems to me that Mr. Kemmis has done the best thing he could for his son, but I hope he won't leave him long there.
I have not yet seen a young Englishman or American who had lived mor than a year on the continent and not suffered from it in some respect. I am afraid that uncle Jeffry is greatly prejudiced in favour of the continent but every now and then he says something which lets one see that it not coviction. There is one good thing about the German education which is that they keep their children at home until their education is completed, which as a general rule seems to me a very good one.
I have given mamma all the news I can about uncle Joe. He is coming to see my room tomorrow morning (Saturday) and then I shall take him about the town till one o'clock, when he lunches and I take my 1st dinner to be followed by another at 5.30 p.m. in Carola Strasse.
This letter is written in rather an unconnected way, but I am quite put out by the idea of losing any more time on the Continent.
I should have no great objection to entering any of the great continental engineering schools, say Karlsruhe or Paris, and give up T. C. D. More time spent on the Continent in any other way would be lost, but I am sure that the best way of employing the time is to return at Christmas.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Young Thomas Kemmis is going to be sent to Potsdam, as we will learn.}
Dresden October 29. 1859.
My dear Mamma
Uncle Joe arrived yesterday by the midday train, and I just bit on him and uncle Jeffry as they were going to drive off. He is looking very well and is very cheery. I dined at Carola St yesterday so that I saw a good deal of him; all the packages came safe.
On getting up yesterday morning I found on my table (having been placed there by the servant) a bronze inkstand, from the Baroness, and a nicely worked napkin ring from Miss S., and in the course of the morning I received a very handsome present from aunt Margaret, the album of the Dresden Picture Gallery, a large quarto, handsomely bound and containing engravings of all the principal pictures in the Gallery, really a most superb book. I also got some splendid bouquets from the Ss but I have not been able to discover who was the donor er donors, probably the Baroness and Miss S.. Grandmamma sent me a set of little views of the north of Ireland, which were very acceptable though I do not know of any one to give them to, By the bye uncle Joe came by Calais there being no Ostend boat, and he was also delayed at Dover by the bad weather. But you will hear all this from himself.
No English post arrived here yesterday
From the accounts that I have of uncle Willie I should think that there could be no use in my visiting him on my way home, as he seems to be so very busy and un-stationary, but that need not hinder my visiting Amsterdam and the Hague.
Still no frost here; the weather is as fine as can be except that last Wednesday was wet. I am now going out to the Grosser Garten to meet uncle Joe and the rest. The leaves in the G. G. are still mostly remaining on the trees, though of course many have fallen.
6.30 p.m. I found them all in the G. G. and walked with them for nearly one hour there. Don't forget to tell Grandmamma that her pictures came all safe to hand with many thanks, ditto to uncle Frank and the Woodside aunts. I am quite alarmed at the quantity of paper and sealing wax which you sent me; I intend to give two sticks of the sealing wax to the Baroness, as I know it will please her to get anything English. I shall write a great deal indeed if I use the remaining three in the next two months. Up to this time I have worn no overcoat nor have I let them heat my stove yet, ervybody says my room is unendurably cold, but for all that I never find it cold (though I often do in the heated rooms) and have no cold, which is more than most people can say. I do not think that I shall be at many, or any balls here in winter, for all the people I knew except the Boytons and Dales are gone, and neither of these give parties except on occasions.
This letter will not be posted till tomorrow morning.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden November 2.d 1859.
My dear Papa,
Your letter enclosing the propectus of the engineering school in T. C. D. arrived on Monday, and I have handed it over to uncle Jeffry for his perusal. He is very indignant at your attaching so much importance to Latin as the language from which English is derived and he says if you ever learn German you will find that that is the language from which it is derived. Uncle Willie mentions that the Dutch for what o'clock is it? is Hoo laat es eet? N.B. the spelling is mine as I don't claim acquaintance with the Dutch orthography.
Last Monday was the Reformation feast here on which no work can be done or lessons had, and Stockton and I had a famous walk. We left at 5.30 a.m. – in the dark of course – for Freiberg, a place certainly not less than 20 miles from this, reached it about noon, left at one and were back here at 7.15 p.m. thus having accomplished upwards of 40 miles in about 13½ hours, including stoppages. Uncle Jeffrys calculation would make the distance nearly 45 miles. We went the whole time at tearaway pace and would have enjoyed the walk more had it not been that it was snowing or raining most of the time, and the mud on the road about an inch deep. We had nothing with us except our plaids and sticks. It was a splendid walk and we enjoyed it amazingly. Stockton is just the fellow I like to walk with as he keeps up to 4 miles an hour for any distance and never stops to look at anything.
None of the S's believed we could have accomplished the walk and Adolf declined having anything to say to it. Uncle Joe was greatly delighted to hear of it and says we must try something longer next time, but 14 hours is pretty well for one day. Tell uncle Frank of this.
The plant I sent you, I found just before I left in summer; it was growing at the bottom of a small valley about 5 miles to the west of Dresden and the whole place was covered with it. I never saw it before or afterwards. There is a regular gale blowing here to day; it is the first real storm I have seen in Germany an the S's are quite alarmed at it.
I see uncle Joe almost every day in the Grosser Garten which is the regular walking place at this time of the year for everybody.
It is very remarkable that there has been no frost whatever here as yet, the weather is as mild as it well can be. Uncle Jeffry tells me that when I am returning the best way will be to send all heavy baggage direct to London, as it will be cheaper and more convenient, for on the German railways they only allow a few pounds of baggage free, and charge heavily for all beyond that. Uncle Joe had considerable trouble about his portmanteau when he was coming, but that more by accident than otherwise. Adolf showed me the other day, a project for a railway terminal, or large station which he is preparing for the next exposition of work at the Polytechnic; he certeinly does not err on the side of ornament, but he says that when one has to make the estimates as well as the plan one is tempted to leave out most decorations.
Francis E Prendergast
{Freiberg in Saxony is the place where Theodor Erhard in the Preusser relation studies mining sciences (– a future professor). The footpath from FEP's home is about 35 km or 22 miles long.}
Dresden November 2.d 1859
My dear Mamma,
I was very glad to get your extract from the College Calendar and uncle Joe was congratulating himself that it was in your writing and would be easy to read. I am going to take tea there to night and to meet Dr. Sailer. We are now getting the English storm here, which seems to me to have taken a long time to get round to this part of the world.
The people are getting in their double window just now, and as many of them were unfinished, or without proper fastenings there has been a great deal of damage done, so that the glaziers and carpenters will have plenty to do. The Seckendorfs had luckily got ihn theirs a day or two ago. I suspect I shall not spend much on paper before I return, for just before your package came I had laid in a large supply of this kind of paper. However paper never takes damage by being kept.
It is a great nuisance that the picture gallery here is shut, nor does there seem to be much prospect of its soon being opened again.
3.d Your letter enclosing the letter to Montreux arrived yesterday evening, and I was amused at reading over the letter to think how all my intentions and movements depended on chanca at that time. Had I received that letter I should certainly have gone to Orta, but perhaps I may visit that place yet.
I do not think that any of the other letters will be returned at least for some tim, as they ware all to Poste Restantes while this letter was to a particular house.
Has not aunt Elizabeth a collection of newspapers? I was showing uncle Joe a Romansch (half Latin, half Italian, half French, half German) paper from the Engadine the other day, and he said he thought that aunt Elizabeth had a collection and would like to have it. If she has not got a Bohemian paper – I mean one in Bohemian not German – I dare say I could get it for her; ask her about it and tell me.
I wrote to uncle Willie to day and I shall begin compiling a letter to uncle Frank before the week is out.
The gale which was blowing yesterday has gone down and it seems likely to come on to frost now; it is unusual to be so long without it in Dresden. I should fancy that Potsdam was entirely free from English resident though there are plenty of people who go to see it. I think I never came across a more dead alive (though beautiful) place in all my travels, unless it be Lifford, but that has no beauty to boast of. It is composed of handsome palaces and handsome streets, but the whole place has a forced look. I wonder how Tom K. jun. will like it. If he has any military taste, he will see enough of troops there.
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. Ask Papa what he thinks of the Capitol at Washington, the picture of which was in the I. L. N. a few days ago. We have no building to compare to it which has been built within the last 25 years.
{Orta San Giulio: see above, and FEP's excuse; Mamma's letter had given more reasons or higher pressure for FEP to visit the place and the English doctor, but arrived too late at Montreux, was returned and now enclosed.
Potsdam: mamma had asked FEP to give an account of Potsdam from his own memory, so that she can prepare the boy Thomas Kemmis. The titles JPP gave to the letters are inaccurate.}
Dresden. Nov. 6. 1859.
My dear Papa,
I had a walk and a talk with uncle Joe this morning; he seems to think that another year on the Continent spent – say at Geneva, would be of great advantage to me, and he said that he was going to write to you on the subject. Now this is a point which I have been thinking of all the summer and though I should certainly gain something by it, yet on the whole it seems tome that more would be lost than gained. I still wish, and think that the best thing is to return at Christmas, though I am, of course, ready todo what you wish. I do not think that any further stay would be much advantage, and to tell the plain truth, I think I have had quite enough of the continent; continental education is very well in its way, but it is a thing which can easily be overdone, and I have a sort of feeling that if I do not return soon it will be detrimental to me.
I feel that I am getting into a sort of careless way of working which I fear nothing but a return to the English system and competetive work can shake off. This is my own conviction. In short I want some stimulus and I believe that that stimulus is not to be found on the continent, and I think the best thing is to return at Christmas; if it was thought fitting I might easily drop a year during the course, but at present, I fell convinced, that the best thing is to return. There is no time like the present for work and I am sure that the best use of the present time would be to employ it at home.
You might consider the following plan: Supposing I returned as at present settled, I might work on till the Trinity examination – at the end of April. I might then leave immediately for Geneva and remain there till the end of July or beginning of August or even later and thus make my way hom viâ Vienna and Dresden so as to be at home by 1.st October. This would give me 3½ months study at home, 3½ months for picking up French and further study, and 6 weeks travel in the autumn. It seems to me that this would combine the most advantages; I would get a rub up and a start in the College business, know what I was working for, and have some idea how it was best to be done. I would then be able to enter the engineering school next Michaelmas* and would then be able to pursue my studies without further interruption, – if indeed this plan would cause any. I am really very anxious to get back at once so as at least to get started in the proper course. I hope this idea may please you, for it seems to me the best thing I can do. Three months in a place where I could hear nothing but French, ought, I think to give me a fair knowledge of that language.
*that can be cone immediately after entering according to the paper you sent.
I know uncle Joe is very anxious that I should remain on the continent, now that I am here, but I think I have given reasons enough for the necessity of my returning at Christmas, and I hope that that plan will not be altered.
Francis E. Prendergast
to be posted tomorrow morning Nov. 7.
Dresden Nov 7. 1859.
My dear Mamma
Yours enclosing Jack's arrived here on Saturday night, and I sent off a letter to Ballina yesterday morning. We have the most extraordinary weather here, last night at 11 o'clock the thermometer was at 11° Reaumur and to day at noon at 15°!
It is just like summer as far as the feel of the air and look of the clouds is concerned.
If young Kemmis ever learns German I should think it will be now, for he seems to have got into a place where he must learn it, whether likes it or not. The sky just now is really curious, it is just as blue as in summer and there are just the same fleecy white clouds.
I am going out to the Grosser Garten though I suppose I shall not find anybody there as they will have probably taken some long drife on account of the fineness of the weather.
The numbers of hares about here now is very extraordinary, and they are very tame, in the dusk one may see them sitting in the fields and bopping and running about; there are plenty in the Grosser Garten too. Birds semm very scarce excepting crows and sparrows which seem to be the same all the world over.
The Elbe is very low indeed and has shown no signs of rising as yet. Adolf and I called on the Boytons the other day, but theiy were not at home. Uncle Joe says he knew Mr. Boyton in former days, but that he had heard nothing of them for ages.
Francis E. Prendergast
{JPP's title for this letter is inaccurate: FEP does not see Kemmis.}
Dresden. Nov 11. 1859.
My dear Papa
Yesterday was the day of the Schiller Festival and I think I had better begin my account of the day at the beginning. Stockton, Adolf and I had agreed to walk to Stolpen on that day, a place about 12 miles off, and we were to start as early as possible on account of the affair in the evening. I accordingly woke at 4 a.m. and on looking out of the window found that it was raining in torrents and went in to Stocktons room to wake him and have a consultation of war. He had just got up, so we wrapped ourselves up in plaids and held a council, the result of which was that go or not go, we agreed we must go and give Adolf a rousing. We dressed accordingly and wrapped ourselves up in our plaids; we then started, got to Adolf's lodgings, and after some trouble wakened him and got in; we then started of, for a place called the white stag, about 5 miles off, with the intention of breakfasting there an then returning. When we got there the rain had nearly stopped and we voted that it was not worth going to Stolpen and that we would go to Pillnitz instead, we went on to Pillnitz accordingly and when we got there, thought it would be a pity not to visit the Pohrsberg, a hill in the neighbourhood which commands a finr view, this we did and as the weather improved we agreed to go on to Pirna and come back by the rail.
We reached Pirna at 11.30. having already had 5½ hours walking, our first proceeding was to order beefsteakes and beer, then (before eating them) to telegraph to Dresden that we would be back to dinner at one oclock, which was performed, the message costing 9.d We then eat our beefsteakes drank our beer, took the train and in an hour afterwards were eating our regular dinner; I then went off to the Grosser G. but found nobody there, so I came home and turned in for a sleep of an hour and a half. At 6 we had supper and then all went off to meet a party of Americans with whom we had engaged a room to see the sight. We hat a most formidable party, consisting of the Baroness, Baron, Mrs. Cortlan daughter and two boys and myself, while the other party consisted of ten handsome, dashing American young ladies and two boys. The Baron and I had thus the ardous task of conducting 13 ladies through a dense crowed; and no small trouble it was. The Baron and I then went off to look about the streets which were mostly illuminated, and see the procession assemble. This we did and then returned to the ladies. The procession consisted of nearly 2000 people, each carrying a large torch, they marched through several streets and then assembled in the Alt Markt, where they sang some songs, then burned their torches in heaps and dispersed. Mr. Stockton who formed one of the procession as a polytechnicker, came home looking just like a nigger, being completely begrimed with the tar smoke, nor has he been able to wash ist off yet. Adolf escaped better, but still he was pretty well blackened. We got home about 11.30 and could been earlier, had we not waited to let the crowd get a little thinner before we left the house. I have seldom spent a pleasanter day in spite of the wetting we got in the morning. The evening was luckily fine.
Yours of the 7th arrived this morning and when I told uncle Joe what you said about the 40 miles walk, he said "walking will never hurt you now, you can walk as much as you like". I never felt better in my life than after taking it and wish another opportunity may occur. On some occasions I must have done as much in Switzerland. Last night was the first frost that we have had here, but it seems to have set in now.
I am going in to Carola Strasse this evening.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Schiller: the poet's 100th birthday was celebrated as a national festival, not restricted to poetry (– which would not be FEP's cup of tea anyway). See the letter of 17.10.1859. Students' associations rejoiced in demonstrating their unity and selfconsciousness, in favour of German unification, against massive skepticism of Saxon patriots. In 1866, Prussia will declare war on Saxony.}
Dresden. November 13. 1859.
My dear Mamma
I have had a letter half finished, ready since Friday, but I could not find time to finish it, and write you a line till to day. We have now got splendid frosty weather and yesterday I saw som ice nearly half an inch thick. Please send the enclosed to aunt Nannie and you might also send her my letter to Papa as I only gave a very short account of the torch procession. You will see that uncle Joe does not think that the walk was too much; on the contrary he approved of it. If I found that I was the worse for such walks I certainly would not take them, but I always feel the better of a good long stretch. Mr. Stockton certainly has not repented of it and I suspect never will, and he is a full year younger than I am. I have a fire in my room now, for the frost having set it there was no help for it. All other people have had fire for the last three weeks.
I have begun uncle Joes system of early rising and I now get up at 6 a.m. so as to have two hours work before breakfast. Do you hear much of uncle Willie? I wrote to him about a week ago but I have not got an anwer yet.
The envelopes you sent me are a great luxury, for with the yellow ones I had always great folding of this paper to make go in properly, while these seem just made for this paper. The Engilsh mail has, for the last few days always been a mail later so that the letters were delivered in the morning instead of the evening.
Francis E. Prendergast
Dresden November 15/1859.
My dear Papa
I received your two letters yesterday, the one answering uncle Joes letter and the other mine. I think the best thing for me will be to stay here till the 26 or 27 December and be in Dublin about the 10th January. I shall thus complete my year here – or rather my year on the continent, do the travelling and visiting during the holidays and be home in time for the January entrance, – that is if there be any object in entering at a public examination. You might ask Mr. Ensell if there is anything that he would recommend me to look over for the entrance examination. The books that I shall take will of course be Homer I. II. III. and the Anabasis – in Latin Horaces Odes and the Aeneid. I fancy that I know sufficient English and Latin composition, arithmetic and algebra, to enter without further preparation, but I am not so sure as to the English History and Geography. Don't forget to ask him about this.
Since Friday night we have had frost, and this at 8.30 it began to snow, nor has it stopped yet or shown any sign of stopping – it is now 3.30 p.m. Everything is of course white.
Yesterday was Adolfs 19th birthday, and the number of bouquets in the house would have astonished you. I gave him Diez's large map of Germany, a copy of which I have myself. In the evening we had a small party – mostly young American ladies, and a little dancing, more laughing and a great deal of row. Stockton and I had a set to with foils and masks when the company had departed, as a good ending for the party. He, and all Americans who I have yet seen fencing, poke and lunge in a regular go ahead style, so that it is no more fencing but a row. However it makes fun and noise all the same, and that is all that seems expected.
Thursday 17. Last Tuesday morning it began to snow thickly and continued till the evening when there was about 1½ inch on the ground, there was little or no thaw yesterday and this morning it is snowing again.
Dresden has assumed a winter aspect; all carriages and vehicles of every description have bells, this being required by law on account of the absence of noise, which would otherwise be dangerous – not that there is much driving for all that.
The ladies too come out in extra short dresses and smart boots; the gentlemen in fur coats and mufflers. The people all seem to enjoy the snow greatly and the Ss are anxious for a regular good fall, for they say that it may as well be a foot deep as an inch, and it will not require much more than we have now to bring out the sledges. By the way the American word "sleigh" pronounced "slay" is much prettier than sledge. There has been no frost yet hard enough to produce ice fit for skating but I suppose that it is not far off. I am to dine at Carola Strasse to day and I think Miss Preusser will be there too.
18. I have got a slight cold and uncle Joe recommended me to stay at home to day which I shall do accordingly; luckily there is nothing to be done out of doors so I do not lose anything by it.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Diez's large map: "Post- und Eisenbahn-Karte von Deutschland und den anliegenden Ländern", originally by Franz Maximilian Diez (1767-1851), many versions and updates. Notably comprising Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy to cater for tourists from Britain.
"a set to with foils and masks": fencing ("set-to") in French style, as taught by Staberoh; Stockton seems to fall somewhat short of the art.}
Dresden November 17. 1859
My dear Mamma,
Since I last wrote we have had a great change in the weather, which seems now to have regularly set in. This week there has been a good deal going on; on Monday we had a party, on Tuesday we danced again (alone), and last night I had to excort the Baroness Mrs and Miss Cortlan to the Theatre as the Baron would not go and there was nobody else in the way. There was Schillers "Bell" and a comedy, the whole affair being over at 8.30. – just two hours and a half. Afterwards we had more dancing particularly the Lancers.
We have great laughing at our own perseverance, first casino was introduced and was played regularly every night for about three weeks, and now the dancing seems likely to come into favour. The drawing-room here is pretty well adapted for dancing, and a good deal can be done without moving the furniture, which is a great point.
It is still snowing away slowly but steadily and as the ground is frozen it shows immediately. The slop in the streets is fearful, as the warmth of the houses prevents its freezing, but in the fields the snow is as deep as ever; in some places it drifted pretty deep. Uncle Joe still goes about without an overcoat but he looks wretchedly cold and shivering for all that. The red caschmere shawl that uncle Willie gave me is of great use as is also the the great overcoat I got last winter. I don't exactly know how to fill up this letter as the snow is the only novelty here. I saw Miss Preusser for a moment at uncle Jeffry's this morning and I heared that Mr. Preusser was in town too.
18.th We had a frost and some more snow last night, so that it is more like winter than ever. To day is what is called Busstag or Penitence day, and is kept far more strictly than Sunday. I had been expecting that a letter might have come yesterday but none did. There was a pleasant letter from uncle Willie yesterday but no news that I heard of in it. He seems very unsettled in his movements.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Schiller's "Song of the Bell" is a lengthy poem, apparently only being recited to honour the poet's recent 100th birthday. Although rapes and robberies are rare in mid-town Dresden, ladies are supposed to have a male companion.
Lancers: introduced by FEP himself, who seems to be the keenest dancer. Miss Seckendorff wants to do him a favour ...
"I don't exactly know how to fill up this letter": indeed, the second leaf is largely blank. We would have lots of questions, but mamma's erstwhile curiosity seems to be waning.}
Dresden. November 22. 1859
My dear Papa,
Yours of the 17.th arrived yesterday morning together with a D. E. M. from uncle Frank, with something about the Dresden Festivals in it, and which I translated with my German master last night. It must have been written by an Irishman or an American – probably the latter. I must disclaim all credit for the telegraphing on the Schiller day – it was entirely originated by Stockton. I got up every morning for about a week at 6 oclock, but when I got my cold – which is now gone again – uncle Joe advised me again not to get up so early till it was gone, and now as the weather has got cold, and the stove has to be lighted before I get up, it is no longer either so easy or pleasant.
I am afraid I could hardly get the Seckendorfs photographs, nor should I much care to have them, I doubt if the Baron would approve of it, they are too badly off for money to let me ask them to get it done and too proud to let me do it. Do you wish that I should get myself photographed à la uncle Joe before I leave Dresden? The cost of the first picture is about 12/ and every copy afterwards 6/.
Cork seems to be going ahead at a great rate; are there not three lines of American steamers calling there now? I suppose James Baines example will be followed by most of the Liverpool owners. Perhaps the loss of the Royal Charter may have something to do with it. I do not exactly understand the advantage of the running of a line by the Great Southern and Western to Kingstown, nor why they could not manage it by a junction with the Kingstown line. It seems to me that a short junction line connecting all the Dublin terminuses will soon be required, should the Cork traffic much increase, for if it ever does I suppose Belfast will be the great contribution to it. I see by the "Times" that the Galway line is still in full swing, and that the steamers have always a full cargo of passengers and freight.
I should like very much to make a tour round by Cork, Youghal, Waterford and Kilkenny when I return; what a great deal there would be to see in those parts, particularly just now!
I hope I may be able to spend a few days in Holland on my return, for when I have seen that country, I shall have seen nearly all that worth seeing in Europe north of Paris.
Of all the things that I have seen this year there are three or four panorama views which are regularly stamped into my brain. Tirst the view from some of the hills in Northern Bohemia, whence I (Adolf v S. was with me then) had a splendid view over that glorious Bohemia down as far as Prague, the scene being heightened by a fine May sun and everything looking so peaceful and fertile; the Elbe running through that rich plain like a blue thread and the white smoke of the rail train which was running beside the river. Then again the beauty of Interlaken, and above all, the views on the lake of Geneva, which is the finest of all that I have yet seen. Then that glorious view from Monte Moro – on one side the cold solemn snow peaks and glacier valleys of Switzerland, and on the other side, sunny Italy down to the Appenines. Yet, somehow when I compare these and the views from the Monure Mountains I am still inclined to prefer the last! But those two mountain views, – over Bohemia and Italy, – are indescribable, and we cannot boast of that blue sky or those snowy mountains. I don't wonder that the Swiss suffer so much from "Heimweg" for I have got something very like it, merely from writing this!
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Heimweg" translates "way home"; FEP actually means "Heimweh" = homesickness. We guessed it before, and not merely from writing – quite the converse. JPP is an Irish patriot, it will strike a chord with him, who is otherwise still inclined to make FEP spend more time on the continent.}
Dresden. November 22. 1859.
My dear Mamma,
We have still got over frost and snow here and what makes it very disagreeable a stong wind.
23.d I only got that far with the letter yesterday + I wonder if I shall be able to finish it to day. Last night I was at a party (no dancing) at Mrs. Boyton's, out of 14 people nine were Irish; Adolf was there too and enjoyed himself very much; it was very pleasant and I dare say is the forerunner of further gaieties there. Young Boyton and Captain Montgomery are expected back about the middle of December so that I hope to see something of them before I leave. The reason that Miss Seckendorf was not with us the Schiller evening was, that she was with the Russian ladies (Pöols) who had another window somewhere else, and ours was overfilled. I am writing this in a desperate haste as I am expecting uncle Joe in every minute. In returning – if I am to visit Holland – I should like to go direct from this to Amsterdam then to the Hague, and Rotterdam, and from that down to Calais and thence to Dover; from Dover I do not know whether it is best to run up to London and down to Portsmouth, or to go by the coast line which is nearly direct, however I shall make out that in due course of time.
Weather here the same as before – no news of any kind.
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. Please forward enclosed to Grandmamma
Dresden November 27. 1859.
My dear Papa
Yours of the 23d arrived last night. I doubt if I can leave Dresden before 27th, and I think the 28th is more likely to be the date; however this makes little or no difference, and I should like to know what you wish me to do in the way of visiting. It is exactly 24 hours from this to Amsterdam, which bit I will of course get over without stopping anywhere. I suppose a couple of days would do for Amsterdam, a day for the Hague and another for Rotterdam. From the Hague to Calais is 13 hours. The best thing would probably be to sleep at Dover and from that either run up to London and down to the Isle of Wight (a very short days work) or direct along by the coast line. This will of course depend upon the trains. I can then come back by Brighton and visit Lady Prendergast there if you think it advisable. I shall be in motion in a month from this date so it is not too soon to begin settling these matters. I must make inquiries as to sending my books direct, for it would never do to be hawking them about in all these wanderings to say nothing of the additional expense. I must endeavour to be at Pondwell as soon after 1st Jan. as possible for I suppose uncle Charles will return to London immediately afterwards on account of the boys. Let me know what you think of all this in your next. It is now thawing here, but yesterday and the day before there was a little skating. I went out yesterday evening with Arthur to a pond about two miles off, to see if we could skate but it cracked and gave way so much that we thought it better to give it up, and now we can hardly have any ice (supposing it should freeze) before next Sunday. It seems as if the Fates were against my learning to skate, but perhaps we may have some ice before Christmas. To day it is blowing and thawing as fast as it well can.
I suppose I shall find a good deal changed in Dublin and the environs, for a year allows of a great deal of building and alterations. The changes that took place here whilst I was away in summer were very considerable indeed, one large house was built, roofed in and nealy finished in three months!
If you see Mr. Ensell you may tell him that I am busy scrubbing up Quadratic Equations with Dr. Klein, but that with that exception and that of Latin Composition, I am doing nothing that has reference to the College course. You might as well get a T. C. D. Calendar at once.
28.th I was with uncle Jeffry yesterday evening; Miss Preusser was there too, but she does not seem very well.
There had been a letter from uncle Willie from which it seems likely that he will leave Holland before I leave Dresden, so you must consider if it would be worth while making that detour merely to see Holland. Supposin I travel direct, the course is this – leave Dresden at 2.45 p.m. reach Cologne next morning at 8 and reach Dover at about 1 oclock at night; I would then sleep there and proceed next day to the Isle of Wight. The Dover line is said to be much preferable to that by Ostend, and luckily my Passport is in order to go anywhere now, which is more than it was when I landed in Belgium. This day month I suppose I shall be off.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden November 27, 1859
My dear Mamma
I do not think that there is anything new here since I last wrote to you, except the thaw, which is very provoking, – the very day after the ice was fit for skating it began to thaw, and now everything is in a dreadful state of dirt and mud. I am just going in to Carola Strasse to dine, this being Sunday. I fancy uncle Joe is soon going to leave Dresden as he asked me to make out particulars regarding the journey from this to the Hague &c. I hear that the Picture Gallery will be opened next Thursday which will please uncle Joe, and all the Dresden people as well; it has now been shut a very long time – six weeks I think. Somehow during this last week we have had very little fund in the evening here, either Adolf or Stockton was away, or I at Carola Strasse, and we were not one evening all together.
I wish that in your next letter you would send me the January leaf of Browns 2d Almanac; you can keep the rest for me, as I always carry one of them in my pocket-book. You need only cut the thread and send the January leaf, but do not cut the paper – or thus {***}, so that I can put it together again.
28.th This morning I paid a visit at the Boytons with Adolf, and I got the music of a Sir Roger De Coverly from them for Miss S. I also called on the Dales, but they were out. It is thawing fast and the weather to day felt quite springlike, but it is fearfully dirty. Uncle Joe has a large photograph of himself which was done here for aunt Margaret. It is very large and well done, but I prefer the one he gave you, though this is said to have much more resemblance to him. There seem less chance than ever of frost, but I suppose we will get some at last. Tell uncle Frank that he has been owing me a letter this long time and that I want to hear his opinion about things in general and the Club in particular. I am afraid that you will find my stock of stockings considerably lessened, for though I took none with me in summer, I wore out some in my spring walks. I have not heard from anybody since you forwarded me Grandmamma's letter, and it seems to me that your letters are beginning to have rather longer intervals between them than usual. I seldom get them within a week of one another now.
I am expecting letters from uncle Frank Rostrevor, Magherafelt and Ballina, but I have been expecting some time and as yet have got no answers; however I suppose they will all arrive in due time. Uncle Joe has now been here just a month so I suppose he will soon be moving – that is if he intends to pay any more visits.
Have you heard anything from Highfield or Kensington lately?
Francis E. Prendergast.
To be posted tomorrow (29.)
{"Browne's 2nd Almanac": a pocket calendar with local information. At *** FEP inserts a tiny drawing of two calendar pages being separated, one titled "January" and symbolizing a calendar, the other apparently "Hackney cab bla". Perhaps he means to say he can do without the latter.}
Dresden. December 2.d 1859.
My dear Mamma,
The proverb – it never rains but it pours – came true yesterday morning, for in addition to your letter came one from aunt Nannie, enclosing one from Mary and an Evening Mail from uncle Frank. I shall get the Photograph whenever the weather gets a little brighter, bud just at present is very unfavourable.
It would hardly do to bring in my knapsack, I am afraid, but if the brown wideawake can be introduced, it shall, though the said brown hat is in rather a dilapidated condition from southern suns and northern rain. I wonder what aunt Leacock will do with all her visitors at Pondewell this Christmas; I know that the house is very elastic, but I think there must be some limit to its stretching powers. Are the Miss Pagets to be there any time? I believe Miss Cortlan will supply my place in this house; Mr. Stockton is to get my room and the Cortlans will have the three rooms on the south side of the house. I fancy Mr. Stockton is likely to remain here as long as he is in Dresden – two or three years more, – for he enjoys himself very much in this house and his father and mother are anxious that he should learn German thoroughly, which he could hardly do if he was living with them. The Cortlans will stay till spring, when the will probably return to America. Stockton is so Germanised hat I shoud not wonder if he dried for some enineering appointment in Germany.
Last night we were all together, which had not happened for some time and we had great dancing, the Baron showed us a Cossack dance which looked very outlandish and none of us could imitate it. Stockton and I gain great applause by dancing the fancy dances such as Polka-Mazurka and Varsovienne together and I have learned a top Waltz which I think would astonish you. Uncle Joe was in here this morning and I am now going out to the Grosser Garten to see if I can find the three.
3.d We have got into cold weather again all in a jump. Yesterday evening it began to freeze and the thermometer has been down all today at 5° or 6° degrees below zero i.e. about 20° Fahrenheit; we shall probably have skating tomorrow, and the ice will certainly be beautiful if the frost continues. It is nice and dry under foot and Dresden always looks lively in the cold, for people are forced to keep in motion to keep warm, and it is really a charity when anything comes to put a little life in them.
There is a large Vienna Circus here at present, so I suppose we shall be going to see it some of these days.
In looking over some of my boxes the other day I found some postage stamps (English) which I suppose will soon be out of use. It seems that the best way will be to sleep at Dover and next morning proceed viâ the coast line to Portsmouth which you will see runs nearly direct.
I have not written to aunt Leacock yet, but I must send her a line some day soon; according to my present intentions (supposing I do not visit Holland) I expect to be there on or about Sat. 31 Dec.
Francis E Prendergast
To be posted Sunday 4.th
Dresden. December 2.d 1859.
My dear Papa
Yours of the 27.th arrived yesterday and I left uncle Joe's note at Carola Strasse. Since I last wrote we have had a good deal of rain which has been succeeded by snow, and this morning it looks as if it was coming on to freeze again.
I got an Evening Mail from uncle Frank yesterday with a letter of his in it, and what had some interest for me a good deal about railways (Irish) both in progress and intended. I also got a letter from Mary Irwin, in which she speaks of the "Mourne Mountains" looking so small compared with the "Giants of Donegal", the fact being that Slieve Donard is 300 feet higher than any other mountain north of Dublin and 350 feet higher than Arrigal in Donegal, – nor are ther many in Ulster that are higher than the Eagle rock. I have seldom seen a finer or wilder scene than that of the north side of Slieve Bingian. I hope we may have some more walks in those parts before the end of next year.
I suppose that if two Lines of steamers call at Cork now, there must an Ocean Steamer there twice a week. Do they not call on their homeward passage? I suppose it will be of no material benefit to Cork for the first six months but I fancy that it will help Cork ahead at a wonderful rate, nor can I image that it will injure the trade of Belfast, Galway or Dublin but on the contrary increase it. I see they are working hard to get a junction between Limerick and Galway; this must sooner or later be followed by a junction between Monaghan and Cavan, and between Cookstown and Dungannon. This would make the communications tolerably perfect, and I dare say they will also have junctions between Tullamore and Mullingar or Athlone; and between Parsonstown and Ballinasloe.
In short we seem to have tot a start, or something like one, but without coal a country never can do much. I see "Coalpits" marked on the map of Ireland near Killenaule between Killkenny and Cashel. Did you ever hear of them? Have you ever been down at Tralee or Dingle? I do not know anything that puts me more in mind of their native land, when abroad, than looking at a map of it or reading a newspaper. At Meiringen I found a Belfast Whig which I read through with great delight – it seemd like being in the north again. Do you remember what was the longest time you ever were without speaking or hearing a word of English? I was 6 days with Adolf in Bohemia without speaking or hearing a word of English and did not even see an Englishman. In Savoy I was 5 or 6 days in the same way only that in the latter case I spoke and heard French instead of German. Again from Thusis to Munich I was nine days in the same case, and this was made worse by the three days that I was in parts where they spoke Romansch so that I could not talk to everyone, to say nothing of the earwounding German they spoke.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden Dec. 15.th 1859.
My dear Mamma
The skating takes up so much of my time that I have hardly any left for writing, and I am now writing this in a furious hurry to get it in befor post time. you will see that I am not thinking of leaving Dresden before the 31st Dec., but I suppose that will manke noc change as to my arrival in Dublin. We hat da fall of snow last night and this morning it is very cold, but I only hope it may remain so.
Please forward the enclosed sheet of one of uncle Willis letters to Jack; if he is going to, or thinking of migrating he had better go to the best colony and not to some out of the world place.
I had a letter from uncle Willie and another from uncle Frank last Monday, otherwise I know of nothing new since I last wrote. How long are the Ensors to stay at Pondwell? Of course as uncle Willie has left Holland I am not going there – not now at all events. I am to dine at Carola Strasse to day – the last time, I suppose with uncle Joe as he leaves on Sunday
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden Dec. 15. 1859.
My dear Papa
Yours of the 11th arrived last night. I have been skating as hard as I can all this week, generally two or three hours on the ice every day – sometimes more. I have learned to go about as fast as most people can go and never tumble now unless from collisions or similar accidents.
Stockton and I went out to the Grosser Garten last night at half past nine to skate, and had a most delightful skate of an hour. There was not a soul there and we had the pond all to ourselves, to say nothing of its having been just swept.
I think I can go upwards of 8 miles an hour on the ice now and I wish I could find some canal or large expanse of water to try on.
Young Boyton has arrived; I met him with his sister the day before yesterday: all the younger Boytons are very fond of skating – indeed everybody that once has had on skates seems to love it. The Picture Gallery is open, but I am so much taken up with the skating that I have not been there yet, for I give every spare moment to the skating. It seems that uncle Willie is to leave Holland before Christmas; in which case I should feel inclined to stay here till Saturday Dec. 31.st I cannot leave this on Friday on account of there being no Saturday night boat and I may as well have my year on the continent out. I should then reach Brighton on the 2nd and be at Pondwell on the 3d, when the date of my return to Dublin can be settled. This management would give me exactly a year and a day on the continent. If you approve of this plan I intend to keep to it, as there is no advantage in hurrying much to Pondwell.
Uncle Joe leaves next Sunday, which will run him very short of time.
I am going after dinner to the Zwinger to skate, when there will be Ayer Stockton and a whole lot of people I know. Ayer shkates very nicely and gracefully but does not know any of the tours de force which are generally so beloved by good skaters.
I am going to get a book of logarithms and a book on engineering (German) to send home with my books, as the Germans are famous on these points. We have had frost now for more than 10 days without interuption and I only hope it may continue till I leave. I remember your falling into the ditch at Sandown with Tebbs perfectly well, but Tebbs himself has almost vanished from my recollection. I doubt if I should recognise him again.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden. Dec. 18. 1859.
My dear Papa
This evening I saw uncle Joe off for London, en route for Isle of Wight. He left by the 2.45 p.m. train, which arrives in London the day after tomorrow at 4.30 a.m. I think that he will proceed the same day to Ryde, which he will reach in just 48 hours from this.
Yesterday we had a considerable fall of snow, and an increase of cold. I have now been skating just a fortnight and have only missed one day (the day of the thaw); many days I was skating twice.
Uncle Jeffry says that he is going to write to you soon, and in the meantime desires his love to be sent to you. There were several sledges going about the town to day – the first I have seen in the town, though they have been using them this long time in the country round about Dresden. I have not seen young Boyton yet, except for a few minutes: the Boytons dine at 2 or 3 which prevents our meeting much, except by visiting, and the skating prevents that.
Everything here has a most wintry aspect; the streets covered with snow the sledges, for all the small carts are on runners instead of wheels, the fur dresses, and in srossing the bridge, the Elbe half frozen over and the large cakes of ice slowly dropping down with the stream, and out in the country the monotonous white, and the sledge bells tinkling everywhere; everything in short looks like winter and most certainly feels like it, for we have not had the thermometer above 25° of Fahrenheit for more than a week, and seven degrees below freezing point is a degree of cold that we seldom have in Ireland. However it is not unpleasantly cold yet, and it preserves the ice in good condition for skating, which is my great look out now.
Uncle Joes ticket was a curious little book, full of leaves each one of which constituted the ticket of some railway. I shall have to take my ticket to Calais only, as that is the farthest point, short of London, to which I can get a through ticket.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden. Dec. 18. 1859.
My dear Mamma,
By my letter to Papa you will see that uncle Joe is off. He had been here seven weeks and two days!
Somehow the time passes so quickly here that I had fancied that it was much less. In less than a fortnight I shall be after him. Concerning my journey from Dover to Brighton I have not yet made out whether it is better to go by the coast-line or by the Red Hill junction; this I am afraid I cannot find out till I get to Dover. If possible I do not want to be at Brighton before one or two o'clock, as I shall have next day till 11 o'clock and reach Pondwell somewhere about 4 oclock on Tuesday the 3.d. The moment I am certain I shall write to aunt Leacock and tell her.
Adolf is at this moment playing away in the next room and every now and then singing a little, he plays with great feeling and at the same time with fierceness – qualities which it seems to me you seldom find united. He has had little or no instruction but yet plays very well and correctly, unfortunately he has but little voice yet he manages to sing pretty well. I am really very hard up for something to tell you, and you must be satisfied this time with half a sheet for I cannot fill a whole one. This letter will not be posted till tomorrow.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden. December 23.d 1859.
My dear Papa,
I had just read your letter which arrived this evening, when uncle Jeffry came in to tell me that he had got a letter from uncle Joe, saying that at Malines he had fallen in with uncle Willie. We had a great fall of snow since I last wrote, and the thermometer has been down below zero, to say nothing of the Elbe being frozen over! Unluckily it began to thaw yesterday and we had it quite warm again – a change of 50 degrees Fahrenheit in 24 hours in the regular Dresden style.
I had just had one fortnights uninterrupted skating, and I had got as far as going a little on the outside edge, as well as being able to go backwards. I got a little more skating this morning, but the ice was double frozen, i.e. two separate coats of ice, and though in reality perfectly safe it seemed rather unsafe.
I have got Lady P.'s address – aunt Eliza sent it to me. I fully intend stopping at Brighton, on may way to Pondwell, but I am not quite settled yet as to for how long. Uncle Joe was in favour of my making the journey from Dover to Pondwell in one day, so as to avoid sleeping in Brighton which he thinks unnecessary. It might easily be accomplished by starting from Dover at 9. p.m. which would leave me nearly 4 hours in Brighton. Uncle Joe was to consult "Bradshaw" on this point and to send something further upon it, so that I may be at Pondwell on Monday night. This however is as yet unsettled, and must depend on circumstances. It is now blowing and raining in the most uncomfortable manner, apparently precluding any chance of skating for the next day or two; however after a fortnights skating I have no reason to complain. The Elbe is all frozen over, or rather caked over, but there is never good skating on it, as it is always so rough and uneven. However I have now seen a German winter and know what it is. The worst of the Dresden climate is thes sudden changes of temperature, to day the thermometer was at 46° and perhaps tomorrow it will be down to a degree or two above zero! Fancy a change of 50 degrees in 24 hours!
Do not write after receipt of this letter as Friday is the best day that I can get English letters.
I hope my books will be off before my next letter.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden. December 24th 1859.
My dear Mamma
Your letter arrived last night, just after Adolf and I had been paying a visit at the Boytons. Dont write after the arrival of this, as I suppose you will get it on Tuesday, and Friday is the last day that I can get letters here; however if you write by early post on Tuesday I would probably get it on Friday. We have had regular winter scenes here since I last wrote, sledging &c, &c, and all the concomitants of winter in the north. However I like it very well, particularly on account of the skating, which I have learned to like very much. I take my last two lessons this morning, viz French and Mathematics. Ayer grubles greatly at the weather, that now when his holidays have commenced that the frost is gone, but last night it froze a little so that perhaps we may have some skating to day. The ice is more than a foot thick so that it takes a very long time for it to thaw here, and the slightest frost preserves it. I shall begin packing my books as soon as possible for I do not know how long they may be on the road, but I suppose it can hardly be more than a fortnight. The cost will probably be not much short of a pound, but even if it does cost a pound it will still be cheaper than carrying them with me. I have got the photograph, but it is not to be ready till this evening, nor have I seen it yet.
The first costs 10/6 and the after copies 4/6 each. I am not quite settled yet as to the time I shall occupy in going from Dover to Pondewell but in any case I hope to have the pleasure of meeting Harris P. & the rest at Brighton for a few hours at any rate. I must now finish as it is near post time.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Dresden. Dec. 28. 1859.
My dear Papa,
This will probably be my last letter to you from Dresden, – in 1859 at all events. I sent off the box of books, which also contains some clothes, this evening; it is to go viâ Ostend, and I am afraid that its carriage will be costly, but there is no help for that, it will probably cost mor than a pound but the man here could give me no information except that it will cost about 13/ from this to Ostend. I had to state its value, which rather puzzled me, but I said 150 Thalers = £22.
There are some books in it which I wish you would get bound as soon as possible – Arnolds English Latin Lexicon – this had better be half bound, Vegas Logarithmen (large blue book) you might get done in cloth or half bound, Weisbachs Ingenieur, this I would like in some light flexible binding. The little Plato and Sallust you may as well get half bound together as it will preserve them and keep them tidy; Livius (with German notes) might also be half bound. Don't let them bind then in boards half an inch thick, as the book binders love to do, and which does no good except to make the book unmanageable, but in light flexibel boards.
We had a very pleasant evening here the day before Christmas – Christmas Eve I should say –. We had a tree all lighted up, with presents, sweetmeals, gilt nuts and apples, &c., upon it; we then danced till half past eleven, when the whole party turned out to go and hear midnight Mass in the Roman Catholic Cathedral, but unluckily we came a few minutes too late, and could not get in. Consequently I did not get to bed till near 2 a.m. however the next morning – Christmas Day I was skating in the Grosser Garten at 9.30 a.m.! On Christmas Day I dined with uncle Jeffry, where I found Dr. Seiler and some company, principally consisting of artists. On Monday evening we sat up playing Casino till 1. a.m. and at 5.30 of the same morning I started with Stockton for Dippoldiswalde, a small town lying about 12 miles to the south; we went like fury, and got back at 1 to dinner, having thus accomplished 24 miles before dinner!! The Germans call it 4½ hours and we came back in less than three, but I think I never went so fast in my life before. At Dippoldiswalde we laid in cold veal, cheese, bread & butter and half a bottle of wine, which as uncle Joe would say, was good substance to work on. I suppose it was my last walk in Saxony. I have now seen pretty nearly all that is worth seeing about Dresden within a circle of 15 miles.
I shall always look back on this year at Dresden as a bright one, and I only wish that I felt sure of revisiting it and the Seckendorffs before long.
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Christmas Midnight Mass: a tradition shared by all Christian denominations, but Protestant clergy reject the Catholics’ elaborate ceremonies. The church of the Catholic royal court, Hofkirche, is flooded with less principled Protestants, mainly because of the free church music featuring prominent solo singers, a chorus and a large orchestra.
"company, principally consisting of artists": Jeffry and Margaretta are art enthusiasts and personal friends of the leading Dresden artists – FEP does not seem to know even their names.}
Dresden Dec. 28. 1859.
My dear Mamma
This will probably reach you on Sunday morning, about the time that I am getting to Cologne, so that it will be my last from Dresden. You will find an account of my doings in Papas letter – I had not however room there to tell of what I had got at Christmas – from Mrs. Cortlan I got a miniature Reaumuro thermometer in a black wood case, from the Baroness an ornamental matchbox and from Adolf a pocket drinking cup. In the course of the evening Adolf mounted on a couple of chairs and held forth a speech in rhyme, in which he said something good (or bad) of everybody in the room and at the end of every verse gave somebody a gift.
From Aunt Margaret I got a seal with which I shall seal this letter.
Uncle Jeffry sent me a five pound note saying that he had intended to send me some books, but thought he had better send them in a portable form.
I am sorry to say that for the last four days the skating has been stopped by the thaw but perhaps I may get some to day. I leave this on Saturday at 2.45. p.m. reach Dover about one oclock on Sunday night, sleep there and next morning proceed to Brighton and next day to Pondwell when I hope to arrive about 3 oclock on Tuesday 3.d I am writing at the same time with this to Brighton and Pondwell which will be the last information I can give them. I was out at Lockwitz to pay a farewell visit on Monday, I saw them all except Miss Annette who was laid up with a sore throat. I am to dine with uncle Jeffry do day.
Francis E. Prendergast.
to be posted tomorrow
{Presents: it goes without saying that FEP must make presents to "everybody" as well, such as engravings of Irish countrysides etc. Accompanying presents by reciting funny rhymes is also an established tradition in Germanic-speaking continental countries.
Lockwitz: obviously FEP has had more contact with the Preußer family than we have read about. Gustav Ludwig Preußer is not only an in-law of the Prendergast couple, but their close friend and Jeffry's erstwhile "honorary employer".}
Jan 1st 1860
noon.
In the train near Verviers
My dear Papa
I left Dresden yesterday at 2.45. Uncle Jeffry was so good as to take me to the train which was a great point in every respect for me.
Yesterday was very showry but do day is very fine – quite soft and springlike. I have got on very well this far, and continued to sleep pretty well last night.
At Leipsic two men got into the carriage, speaking what I fancied must be some German dialect, and though I understood most of the words I could not understand the meaning – it turned out to be Dutch! The trains now cross the Rhine at Cologne by the fine new lattice bridge, which saves the omnibus work which was so disagreeable. We are now stopping at Liège, and have already got into the land of blouses and the French language which seem inseparable – when you see the one you may be sure that the other is not far off. I am greatly surprised at the number of Englishmen moving about at this time of the year – in this train there are half a dozen or more. We shall have a photograph of the Seckendorff family after all!!
Whenever it is done they will hand it over to uncle J. who will forward it by the first opportunity; I have a photograph of Arthur with me, and Adolf will send me his.
Mrs. Boyton has sent a glass beer tankard by me for Sam Gordon! but I expect it is gone to smash long ago.
I have also a German book for uncle Frank from aunt M.
I have no extra luggage which uncle Jeffry says is the first case he knows of, of any one leaving Dresden without extra luggage; the weight allowed is only 50 lbs
11. a.m. Jan 2.nd in the train near Hastings
We got down to Calais last night all right, but had a very rough passage of an hour and 50 minutes. I got to bed at the Lord Warden at 2 a.m. and left this morning at 9.
This train reaches Brighton at about 2 p.m. and I intend proceeding tomorrow morning at 10.10, which ought to bring me to Pondwell about 3. I have got a racking headache this morning, the result of 36 hours in a railway carriage finished up by two hours tossing in a steamer. This I intend to post at Hastings, and I shall try and write from Pondwell tomorrow
Francis E Prendergast.
Pondwell. Jan.3. 1860.
10.30. p.m.
My dear Papa,
I arrived at Brighton yesterday at 2 oclock or thereabouts and found them all well at 45. Harris P. was just going up to London and they offered me his room which I of course accepted.
I had a very pleasant evening there and this morning had a long talk with Tom P. about language and he read me out some of his pamphlet. I saw Mrs. Clarke and her daughter Edith there this morning. I left by the 12.10 train and on getting to the Victoria pier at Portsmouth found that the boats could not call there it was blowing so hard; I got a cab and went off to the Southern pier but found that even that was doubtful, so I got a boat and went across the harbour to Gossfort, it was very exciting crossing as it was blowing hard and we had a large sprit-sail which looked topheavy, to say nothing of having to pay double fair on account of the bad weather, the passage to Ryde was of course pretty rough, but not worse than the last time you crossed.
I arrived here just as they were sitting down to dinner with Charles Leacock. They all seem well and lively. The University Calendar is here. I got Mammas note and also one from uncle Joe this evening. I am writing this now, as I know it is hard to find time to write here and I have to write to uncle Jeffry, Joe and the Seckendorffs as soon as possible. Please answer this and tell me what you wish me to do, – if I am to visit uncle Joe, when I ought to be in Dublin, how long you wish me to stay here &c.
I do not expect to have any more time to write to you for a day or two so I want to get this off at once. I am invited to dine at the Leacocks next Thursday with George and Charles.
I must finish now as it is past eleven.
Francis E Prendergast.
P.S. Harry P is to receive the Victoria Cross at Windsor tomorrow. The people at Brighton were Lady P. the three Doras, Alice & Arthur P. Tom P. and Harris who I only saw for a moment
4th Your letter came this morning. I see that the examination is on the 13th, so I cannot visit uncle Joe and must leave this the 10th
{"45": 45 Upper Brunswick Place, later renumbered 44.
Tom P.: Note that the talk with him was long, whereas the previous evening was pleasant.
Mrs. Clarke should be a daughter-in-law of Sir William Clarke, but we do not know of a candidate with a daughter Edith Clarke yet.
Three Doras: Dora Dalrymple Prendergast (who lives with her mother permanently), Dorothea Charlotte Warrender Prendergast, and TODO: perhaps Mrs. Clarke? The titles have been provided by JPP for posterity, but he sees no necessity to give us additional clues.}
Pondwell Jan 11.1860
My dear Papa,
Uncle Willie left us yesterday, and there was a letter from him this morning. I got your letter the day before yesterday and my present intention is to leave this on Saturday morning, get to Chatham the same afternoon, spend Sunday with uncle Joe, com up London on Monday afternoon, sleep at Euston Square and proceed on Tuesday morning by the 9 a.m. train which arrives at Kingstown about 10.30 p.m.
Charley Leacock was here yesterday and we took a walk with him. He is to join in February.
The weather is still uncomfortable and the roads as wet as ever, so that we have not been out much.
I see by the Times this morning that the Round Church has been burned down; is it completely destroyed? Do you wish me to get at hat in London? I have no black hat with me, and my wide awake is past service, so that I am wearing a cap. I hope to be at Chatham on Saturday in time for dinner, but I dare say I shall hear from uncle Joe before that. There is great firing going on this morning – probably some ship coming in or going out
Francis E Prendergast.
{"Round Church": St. Andrew's in Dublin, built 1793-1807, destroyed completely on 08.01.1860, later replaced by an ordinary neogothic building.}
Pondwell Jan 11. 1860
My dear Mamma,
You will see by my letter to Papa that I am thinking of a day for returning, and I do not suppose that anything will occur to change it. There was a letter from Rockmullan this morning and Georgy seemed to be better, as she {he?} was at work with Miss Holbrooke again. Charley and Georgy are playing Bagatelle on this table which does not make it easier to write, and are wanting me to join them.
There is a great scarcity of nice books here – there are plenty of books, but there are not many readable ones. Has the Book-box arrived yet? I hear that I am to take of a box, and I have got a small packet for from some of the aunts, but it is a small affair
Francis E. Prendergast.
Fort Pitt. Jan. 15. 1860
My dear Papa
I left Pondwell yesterday at 9 a.m., reached London at 1.15., drove off to Oxford st. and got a hat at a Townends, but not our Townend's, however I dare say it will do just as well. I then drove back to London Bridge Terminus and caught the 2.20 train, which brought me in here at about 4.
I found uncle Joe on the platform at Strood, and drove up here with him. He advises me not to sleep in London but to leave this tomorrow afternoon (Monday) and proceed by the night mail which leaves Euston Square at 9. p.m. and ought to arrive at Kingstown about 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning. This I intend to do, as it will save much cost and trouble.
I shall leave my measure at Jones & Harrisson's en passant. I suppose I shall find you at Kingstown on Tuesday morning that is, if this letter arrives in time.
Francis E Prendergast
{Fort Pitt in Kent is a former bastion, now "Invalid Depôt and General Military Hospital", where Joseph Samuel Prendergast works as "Surgeon First Class".
"Night mail": a train from London to Holyhead and a steamer from there to Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire) near Dublin, both privately run but organized by the mail authorities to guarantee smooth transport.
"I shall leave my measure at Jones & Harrisson's": a gentlemen's taylor shop in the London West End, where one can have oneself measured in advance for future mail orders.}
Jordans Hotel Glendalough
9. p.m. April 2.d. 1861
My dear Mamma
Emmanuel and I had a very pleasant walk from Bray to Ashford where we found Stewart and Gordon who had arrived before us, and gone out fishing. We had a very pleasant evening there but this morning found it raining heavily. However we started off and made our way through the Devils Glen to Laragh Bridge and up to this place and then went out – in the rain – to see the place and St Kevins Bed which we did after having actually got rid of the guides!
It was raining heavily the whole day but the rain did not come through Nicholls coat in the least. When we came in, we sent our trousers to be dried and strapped blankets round us adding immensely to the picturesque effect.
Stewart and Gordon came this far with us to day but we are to part tomorrow morning – they for Lough Dan and we for the Wooden Bridge. I hope to be back to dinner on Thursday – by 5 p.m. train from Kingstown or if not, by the last train from Wicklow. The shoes have hurt me a good deal but still they are not blistered
your affectionate son.
Francis E. Prendergast
{Gordon might be one of Samuel Gordon's sons.}
AD. 1862.
Hotel des Diablerets
Canton Vaud
July 16. 1862
My dear Mamma,
On Thursday July 10. I did the principal sights of Paris and left for Basle in the evening, arriving there next morning about 9. I went on direct to Neuchatel from that; the railway from Basle to Neuchatel passes through a lovely country and winds curiously along the shoulders of the mountains, at 4 I arrived at Neuchatel and slept there, it is a very pretty place and I was glad to have seen it. Next morning – Saturday I went on to Vervay where I spent Saturday afternoon and Sunday very pleasantly
The English have a church and chaplain there and a very fair congregation
I found no letter at Vevay, but left directions for them to be forwarded to Interlacken if any came.
It was very lovely at Vevay but very hot and glaring in the middle of the day. I think it is about the loveliest spot I know, but is altogether too hot in summer. On Monday morning I left at 8 and walked over the Jaman pass, which is rather a stiff climb, but there are magnificent views from all four parts of it; it is rather a high pass but there is no difficulty in finding the way – I scarcely met a soul the whole way and only three tourists – Swiss. It is too early for the English or indeed any regular tourists yet. I saw quantities of rare and lovely butterflies on the way and many strange plants that I do not remember seeing before.
I selpt {sic} that evening at Montbovon and yesterday morning left, after having packed up all my extra clothes in my plaid and sent them by post to Interlaken, as I found my knapsack too heavy in such very hot weather; then I walked nearly as far as Chateau d'Oex & then took off over a mountain pass towards Sepey – it rained a little but nothing to signify and I had a pleasant though very lonely walk to this place. The last few miles I had been before with Apthorpe and I remembered every bit of it – we slept here for one night in 59 – this time I fear we I are in for two as it is a downright wet day and being in comfortable quarters I shall not stir till it gets fine.
There are about 50 people up here in this hotel mostly stopping here for some time for the sake of the fine air and scenery. There is one English and one American fmily the rest mostly Germans.
It lies just under the Diablerets – a broken topped, snow and Glacier-covered mountain which gets that name – (you will see it not far from Martegney on the map )– in a most romantic situation surrounded by rocks, glaciers, pine woods and green pastures – pretty thickey dotted with cottages or châlets as they ought to be called; it is a capital house everything good and in fine weather must be very agreeable. Many people stay here to make excursions and ramble about. The nearest village is Vers l'Eglise about a mile off. I am beginning seriously to think of not going to Vienna or Ischl at all but to stay a little longer in Switzerland and then go put direct through Bavaria to Carlsbad and Dresden, which I think would be pleasanter and more profitable than going such a tremendous long round which would be very hurried at the best, and I am not in a travelling humour this year at all. On the strength of my doing this you had better not write to Ischl or Vienna, and so save the chance of the letters lying there. I should be at Dresden about the same time as I intended before – Please let Mary know this that she may not write to Ischl or Vienna. It is very lovely in Switzerland, but not so gay as in 59 – just it is too early yet and then everyone is at the exhibition in London.
I was very sick of the travelling when I got to Vevay and was never properly well till yesterday – but it being the second day of fresh air and exercise set me all right again.
I have lost the map out of my continental Bradshaw which is a gread nuisance as it was the only map of Europe I had with me and it is hard to get a portable one here. My Expenses as far as Vevay were somewhere about £12 or £13; but I have not kept very accurate account of all expenditures but I have more than £35 remaining. The next stage will take me out of the French speaking district and I am heartily glad of it. I can talk to and understand all the common people well enough but I don't like speaking French with educated people and it is quite a relief to hear some German again – they say it is spreading in this country on account of all the Germans who travel and stop for the summer.
At the Hotel du Lac at Vevay I met a Wirtemberg family, a gentleman and his wife from Hesse Darmstadt and a Prussian from Silesia (– the waiters were all German) and we were rather merry; the Prussian like most of his countrymen having talk enough for any three ordinary mortals –– something like a middle class Englishman, very vulgar and free but very amusing and well intentioned.
| Krone Hotel | ⎫⎬⎭ July 17. 1862 |
| An der Lenk | |
| canton Bern |
Yesterday afternoon it cleared up sufficiently to enable ont to get a little walk through the pine woods to the end of the curious valley under the Diablerets but it was a very comfortless sort of an evening. I made acquaintance with some of the people at the hotel – two Englishmen named Parker father and son both sworn Alpine climbers and pleasant enough also with a very gentlemanly old Holsteiner from Altona who was staying there with his daughter and was inclined to be friendly, but the house was over-full and several were going away to day for that reason. This morning I left at 8 and had a very fine and pleasant day of it crossing no less than three passes the first one – the Col de Pillon is a very lovely one and not very high with extended views all the way from the Hotel Des Diablets to Gsteig and which took me three hours to get over. Gsteig which is the first German village is most romantically situated at the head of an Alpine valley. There I dined and then came over a second pass of 2½ hours to Lauenen not so high or interestin as the other but very pretty; then I laid in some hot coffee and bread and honey, previous to attempting the third pass, going up it I lost my way but found a Senner who was going up to a châlet near the top and who showed me the way to far he spoke most outlandish German but we got on pretty well nevertheless, at the châlet I got a drink of milk and then went on alone and again nearly lost my way but as ther was no visible path it did not much matter where I went, it is a very high pass and there was some snow at the top but only in the hollows; the view from the top is very extensive and grand – wild and desolate on the extremes, I do not know what height it is but it must be very great to have snow on it at this time of year.
The descent to this place was rather heavy on the feet but the path down was not so bad only for the wet, as half of it was through logs or marshs. This is a most comfortable Hotel, but I am the only stranger here to night and so get the best of everything attention included, and they speak reasonably good German which is very pleasant.
I have just finished my tea which consisted of trout, bread, butter, cheese, excellent tea an delicious cream and strawberries – not so bad you will say. This is a real Swiss house with green painted windows, gallery outside (not often found in Swiss hotels now-a-days) and everything painted, scubbed and washed to the last degree, – one need to visit these comparatively little visited valleys to know what real Swiss life is; and it is pleasant to see all the people so happy and contented.
Frutigen July 18. 1862
This morning I found my bill at Lenk for the best of teas breakfasts and rooms only amount to the small sum of 5 francs! which quite surprised me as everything was of the best and the hotel of some size – everyone who has ever visited it seems to have been delighted with.
Then I crossed rather a stiff pass to Adelboden not very attractive in anything except the view from the top, and in coming down contrived to lose my way but found it again without much trouble. Adelboden is a green little place very much out of the way and not very attractive though in a wild situation. There was no meat to be had there but a good omelet is nearly as good and that is to be had almost everywhere.
From that it was a straight cart road down to this place which is a village of some size on the German road, and already several tourists have passed since I arrived.
By the Strangers book I see that Knox and a Scotchman were here last week, but they have not said where going to or coming from.
I have passed six passes since Monday and have got nearly enough of them for this week, but I have a small one to cross tomorrow to get to Interlaken.
My dress has turned out very well and the flannel back to the waistcoat is literally invaluable, but the black colour of the coat is not quite the thing – it shows dust and dirt too much. I have not had a single blister yet so hope to escape them altogether.
The first day I was rather tired and had no appetite, but now I have got overall that and do not know what it is to be tired, but the heels are nearly off my shoes – that will be settled in Interlacken. This has been rather a shorter day than usual – from half past 8 till 5 including one or two stops.
Interlaken Sat. 19. July /62.
I have just arrived here after a pleasant though rather hot walk from Frutigen. It is lovely weather and the barometer very high, but Interlaken is much cooler than Vervay. It seems odd getting back to a civilized place after being a whole week up in the hills, and not altogether pleasant.
I got your letter at the post with Papas – no other letter then yet, so the Vevay man cannot have sent on the letter as I directed – it was not at Vevay on the morning of the 14th. I do not exactly know where I am going next – Glarus most likely and then to Pfeffers – then probably to Carlsbad. I don't think I could face the long journey to, and round by Vienna without some stronger inducement than that offered by the Salzkammergut, and the heat is rather alarming. However don't write to Ischl or Vienna – nor to Carlsbad either but you might write to Dresden for the 10 August on chance.
your affectionate son
Francis E Prendergast
See above.
See above.
Hotel de la Jungfrau
Interlaken July 21. 1862.
My dear Mamma.
It is too hot and sunny to go out now so I have manufactured some ink an begin a letter.
This is a large and comfortable hotel with excellent table d'hotes at 2 and 6 oclock, yesterday at 2 oclock there were 50 or 60 people sat down. It is very pleasant having a drawing-room with newspapers, and in the afternoon or evening some of the ladies generally play the piano – yesterday evening (Sunday) two young Russian ladies were playing polkas and galops for a long time. The Russians are in overpowering numbers here now – next the Germans and only a few English and Americans. I have made acquaintance with a curious specimen here – an English or rather Indian officer of the name of Heassy (capt.) he has been everywhere, Algeria, Italy, Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, all parts of India and Ceylon, China, Nepaul, Cashmere, and even Chinese Tartary! At least he has told me he has been in all these places and has I daresay been in many others – he was in the same ship with uncle Joe from Galle to Calcutta and knows all about Lucknow and those parts; he is now seeing Europe, going to Algeria for the hunting in winter and next year goes to visit America! He was with Burton in the Cape Rifles and knows him well. He is a regular character and says he can't stay more than 3 months in the one place and will, I fancy, like Burton, be a wanderer all his days.
It is very lovely here and the weather glorious, there has not been a day of rain since Wednesday and the barometer is unusually high. It is hot and dusty about here and I have not taken any walk,– only lounged about the place which is rather gay; there are ten large Hotels here now – 2 built since I was here, and they are now building a monster one with 300 bedrooms a little way out of the town, where the pension used be at which Ayer and I stopped.
The Jungfrau looks most lovely and I can see it when lying in my bed in the morning. I have not been able to lay out any satisfactory plan for getting to – and past Lucerne which bothers me, but I shall start for Lucerne and Glarus tomorrow most likely. Carlsbad will be rather a hard place to get at and the railway travelling will be something dreadful in hot weather; only for the extra fatigue the night time is the best. I am in pretty good travelling condition now, for on Saturday I eat two heavy dinners and drank half a bottle of Roussillon and half a bottle of Beaujolais, so you see I am not stinting myself in meat or drink. This afternoon if the steamer suits I am thinking of going to Thun and back, to see that lovely lake again; but I am nearly tired (like Heassy) of staying so long –– three days – in the one place, but everything is most comfortable in this house. I got a letter from Mary this morning – the Vevay letter did not turn up.
{"Heassy": Hearsey, one from a large family of Anglo-Indian officers, all "regular characters". Most probably Captain William Moorcroft Hearsey, 1814-1886. The Tartary expedition was one generation earlier, "from hearsay".
Burton: Sir Richard Francis Burton, see Wikipedia.}
Unner Boden.
Klausen Pass July 25. 1862
On Tuesday morning at breakfast at Interlaken I met an Englishman who was looking for a compagnon to go over the Wengern Alp, and though I had arranged to go to Lucerne I agreed to go with him, and we left after breakfast, walked up to Lauterbrunnen and up the Wengern Alp to the top, where we slept. There was rather a queer company there one Dutchman 3 Prussians one Austrian two Wurtemburgers and a German named Vecqueray, a master at Rugby who had a little English boy of some 12 or so travelling with him. We spent a very merry evening and I laughed so much that I got a headache; there were 3 ladies among the party and we played all sorts of old German games – my companion turned out to be a master at Cheltenham school (name Green)
Next morning we were up early and saw lots of grand avalanches – afterwards walked to Interlaken and I went on that evening by steamer to the Giessbach but there was no room there and so had to go on to Brienz where I slept. Yesterday I walked over the Brünig to Alpnach and then took steamer to Lucerne. The walk disappointed me – they have a grand carriage road over the Brünig now which is not pleasant for pedestrians.
At Lucerne I stopped at the Schweitzerhof said to be the best (about) in Switzerland, but it was too large and noisy to please me – to say nothing of expense.
This morning I left Lucerne at 5.15 by steamer for Fluelen and walked from that viâ Altorf and the Klausen to this place. The Klausen is pretty nearly the finest pass I have seen – 6000 feet high and had even now a little snow on the top. It is a very remarkable and interesting pass, and on the west side there is a waterfall that takes the shine out of all I have seen. It is the most remarkable of all the passes I have seen, being a genuine pass, but it is rather steep (though horses travel it) and would frighten many – even to me it looked a little unpleasant but the scenery is magnificent. This place that I am stopping at is a curiosity there is not a chair basin or looking glass in the house only fancy! Benches and tables are the furniture, and I expect that the bill next morning will be a curiosity. My supper has consisted of en Omlette and a chopin of wine – quite good enough for me but I suspect it would never do for an Englishman. Unfortionately I can only partly understand the German patois they speak, but they are doing their best to make me comfortable.
{Green at Cheltenham: probably Samuel Green, 1853 B.A. Cambridge, 1854-1879 assistant master Cheltenham College, 1856 M.A., 1875 barrister}
Ragatz July 28. 1862
On Saturday morning I left Urnerboden (the bill was 3 francs) and had a lovely walk down to the Stachelberg baths at the head of the Linthtal – altogether I was delighted with the Klausen – and then down to Glarus where I dined and came on by rail to this place. The Wallmstadt Lake is very pretty. I wonder more is not talked about it, for it is not only pretty but wild and grand – nearly equal I think to the upper end of the Lake of Lucerne. The hotel here was so full that I had to take a bed in the town, as well as many others. I spent a very pleasant day yesterday with an English clergyman who is travelling with his family – he read prayers but as no supplice or anything in the shape of costume was to be had he said he would not preach! I got your two letters on Saturday night just after arriving – I cannot make up my mind what to do – now I have just packed upt my extra traps for Zug and am going there across the mountains which is rather going backwards.
I admired Pfeffers Gorge greatly but is is not equal in beauty or grandeur to the Via Mala.
I am nearly tired of the heat and fine weather now! It is distressingly fine. your affectionate son
Francis E Prendergast
See above.
See above.
Sargans July 28. 1862
My dear Mamma,
It was this morning I posted my letter from Ragatz and left soon after in the train with the intention of crossing the Rieseten Grat pass from this place to Glarus, but going up the hill it was so hot that I was nearly sweated away, and knowing that I had an 8 hour walk before me I thought it better to turn back and not make a toil of a pleasure. I was rather puzzled where to go instead & am thinking now of going to Einsiedeln (where I have been before). It is scarcely possible for me to go anywhere I have not been before – excepting glaciers and difficult passes. I have literally used up Switzerland except two or three at present ungetable places. I am thinking of following the clergyman and his family to the neighhood of Zug, to a pension up in the hills there and then after a day or two going to Carlsbad or Dresden but I daresay I shall cnange my plans half a dozen times between this and that. The heat is beginning to tell on me but there is no help for that and the mountains are the only places that are sometimes cool.
I have just eat a rather simple dinner here of soup stringly beef and some bread and fruit. This is an odd sort of place which puts me somewhat in mind of Sion in the Valais – nearly as hot and glaring, but somehow the Swiss generally contrive to keep their rooms cool. They speak an outlandish lingo here about ¼ German, the other ¾ anything you like. Just now a little travelling boy came in and the landlord spoke to him in a well sounding, though to me unknown language. I thought it must be Romansch, but he said it was Italian Most of the people here seem to speak German (i.e. patois) Romansch and Italian
One of the Clergymans daughters has got 5 little tortoises from Venice with her which she was showing me this morning – ugly little animals, but very convenient to carry – she has them in a cigar box. The family consists of father mother son and two daughters – from Norfolk. They are very friendly and the father studied long ago at Bonn so he has lost the English stiffness and is very pleasant. I have nearly got enough of Switzerland for this year – I should like to stay much longer but for fear of overdoing it I think I shall leave next week, and I expect to be pretty well tired of Germany and the Continent by the end of August. I don't think I can possibly want any more moneay, but if required it can be managed easily as far the sending is concerned.
Ragatz is too big and bustling to be pleasant for a single traveller but in itself it is a nice place and the Pfeffers gorge is always cool and pleasant, and makes a nice shady walk.
Pension Felsenegg near Zug
July 30
From Sargans I went by train to Rapperschwyl and there was heavy thunderstrorm while I was in the train so it was well not to be up in the mountains. From Rapperschwyl I walked across the hills with a merry Wirtemburg bookbinder, who said I was the jolliest companion he had met for a long time, and though our German was very different we got on pretty well, he supposed me to be a travelling tradesman and guessed that I belonged to every nation under the sun except the right one and would scarcely believe that I was an Irishman and even then considered me to be a tradesman. We agreed to stick together for the night and he promised to take me to a good and cheap in at Einsiedln. I knew it would be clean and totally comfortable anywhere, and thinking it a good opportunity for seeing something new agreed. It was quite dark when we got to Einsiedln and he took me to a small inn kept by a widow and her four daughters – kindhearted merry people all of them. One of the young ladies will, I suspect, take up her quarters in Wirtemburg before very long.
We had for supper soup fried eggs bread and two bottles of wine, shared the same room and next morning breakfasted together – my share half of the bill was 2 francs 10 centîmes! He wanted me to stay there the next day and promised to take me over all the printing and binding establishments there of which there are several, but I thought it better to go on. Was not that a little adventure? I was glad to see Einsiedln again – it is a very curious place – about the size of Ballina and somewhat like it with two or three really grand ecclesiastical shops with prints images &c, about one third of the houses inns, the gigantic abbey with its two towers, and the whole stuck down in a bog or rather boggy valley like Glencolumbkill! There is nothing pretty about it certainly but it is very curious and Irish looking. Second visits are certainly very interesting and I would not have missed it for anything.
I had a hot but pleasant wakl from Einsiedln to Zug by the lovely little Egeri Lake, the perfection of quiet soft Swiss scenery, and then made my way up to this place from Zug (1½ hours up hill). It is 3000 feet above the sea – 1700 above the lake – in the midst of green fields and lovely pinewoods quite by itself. The clergyman had not arrived – there was no room and he is not coming for a day or two, and then the only two foreigners in the house are two young Irishmen named Montgomery. I have not spoken to them yet and they seem unsociable. The rest are all Swiss mostly from Basle and seem all rather coarse but are very gay
The meals are curiously arranged breakfast at 8, dinner at 12 coffee (a second ditto of breakfast) at 4, and supper of soup meat &c (no tea) at 8. One of the objects is of course to kill time as there is nothing to be done but eat walk and sleep. The mountain is not unlike the Mourne mts, and there is a real bog near the house. Raspberries small but good grow wild here also fraughans larger and sweeter than ours, also gooseberries. I have seen none with fruit – and of course strawberries but they seem scarce.
This morning I rambled about in the pinewoods for the hours but after dinner it cam on to rain, and the company are all hard put for amusement; the children romping about the house, the men smoking the ladies some working and chatting others playing boisterous German games, and the two daughters of the host (who lives in Zug) have just been playing billiards and laughingly offered to teach me, one of them, the youngest is a very pretty little Swiss girl so nice and fresh looking, and as her sister in the hotel below at Zug sent up her love to her by me, and which I faithfully delivered I have got into her good graces. Only that the Swiss German bothers me I should do very well here and I must stay till Monday as my extra clothes are down in Zug washing.
My present idea is to leave on Monday sleep Tuesday night at Augsburg and get to Carlsbad on Thursday or Friday – stay a day or two there and then go to Dresden, which would bring me there soon after the 10th. I think £30 (in all from Dublin) will carry me as far as Carlsbad and I cant well spend more than £20 coming home. I have now £28 left and this is a cheap pension.
I look on Switzerland as the happiest country I have ever seen, and shall probably never see a happier omen, and am glad that the Swiss house got it, for I think they deserve both it and their liberty which they know how to use, without abusing. It will probably be many a day before I see it again – if I ever do – and thought the people can scarcely be called hospitable, and certainly look sharp afte money, yet I have met many a little piece of desinterested kindness at many of their smaller inns, which will make me think well of the people. Another thing I have observed too – I have travelled 1.st 2.d and 3.d class in the trains in this country and have always found the guards and officials alike civil and obliging whether it was first or third class; could the same be said of any other country?
August 2.d We are having no end of fun here now: the other day we had a man playing the zither during dinner time, and after dinner when the gentlemen had gone off to play billiards smoke and amuse themselves the ladies coolly sent for us as they wanted to dance! and accordingly we came and danced away for a long time – only fancy, just after a 12 oclock dinner! Yesterday I went off at 5 oclock in the morning with a party of 5 Baselers to make a tour of six hours and see the surrounding country – the party was a curious mixture, a Lutheran pastor and his son, a R.C. priest, a Doctor and a travelled man of business; we had a very pleasant walk of six hours and were back for the twelve ocklock dinner. After dinner I played bouls and billiards (playing for money is unknown here) then after coffee a large party of us – some 30 ladies and gentlemen went off on a walk to a rock som 3 miles away from whcih there is a lovely vier – then after supper one of the hosts daughters was good enough to play the piano and we danced away for a couple of hours – was not that a pretty good day?
There a several very pretty and rather nice Swiss girls here, who dance very well, but their conversatonal powers seem to be very limited and they speak the most distressing Swiss German.
There has been a great addition to the company for me in the shape of a young Polytechnic student from Neufchâtel; he is the first real Swiss gentleman I have seen and puts me in mind of Tebles of Sandown and between him, me and the landlords son we generally manage to have something on hands. This is a downright Swiss place and no mistake and it is amusing to see so much of Swiss Pension life. I have a very nice room here and can see at this moment from the window the Rigi Mount Pilatus and a stretch of the snow hills of the Berner Oberland as well as the lake of Zug. The best idea of the situation of the house I can give is, that it is as if a large house were put up on some of the higher slopes above Cloghmore and the mountains well sprinkled with pine woods in all directions.
There are some 50 or 60 people staying here – almost exclusively Swiss of the middle classe.
I have scarcely spoken a word of anything except German since last week and am recovering in some degree my fluency in speaking it which I had nearly entirely lost. We have now lovely cloudless weather and as there is always a fresh breeze up here is is very pleasant – I think I shall stay here as long as it continues pleasant (i.e.) perhaps a week longer, but most of my friends leave on Monday. It is pleasant having such a wind up to my Swiss experiences as this, only that it wil make me all the more sorry to leave the country.
You need not expect to hear from me again till I get to Carlsbad or Dresden and that may be more than a week from this – it is a terribly long journey to either of those places and just as bad coming home – longer indeed but it must be done
I sent some clothes to the wash here (i.e. down to Zug) and have got back two strange handkerchiefs which I suppose I must keep as of course somebody else has got mine. The shoes have lasted wonderfully – nothing has been done to them except heeling and they are wearable still. I don't know whether I can manage to prepay this letter or not as it must be sent down to Zug.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
See above.
St Gallen. August 5. 1862.
My dear Mamma
I stayed exactly one week at Felsenegg and enjoyed the time there greatly, but as almost all my old friends were leaving and there were no young people amongst the new comers I thought it better to go before I got tired of the place.
I was very very sorry leaving it this morning – some of the people really seemed to be sorry that I was going away too.
The place had grown upon me, as it seems to do with everyone who has stayed any time there. My bill for the week was 33 francs 80 cts and more than 4 francs of that were for wine – is it not cheap living? On Saturday 4 English ladies came, two rather (not very) elderly young ladies – Miss Marters from London and a Mrs & Miss Baldock from Bath – Miss B. pretty and pleasant. Yesterday they asked me to show them the way to some of the places near which I did – I found they had met Lenox P. and others of the family, but the Baldocks do not at present live at Bath and seem to know little about the people there.
This morning before I left it was very curious at Felsenegg, thick white clouds below us and a blue sky above – it seemed odd looking down on real white clouds and the effect was very pretty, as the Rigi an other lofty mounains were towering over the sea of white clouds. I left just after breakfast and just caught the Post in Zug which in a few hours brought me over the lovely hilly range of the Albis to Zurich – from that rail to this place. It has been roasting hot all day; everyone complaining of the heat which in the train is fearful and the open windows only let in a sirocco of hot air. This seems to be a very nice Hotel and my bedroom is just what would be nice to have at a place like Felsenegg – so nicely furnished and so cheerful and clean – furniture in pensions is apt to be scanty.
Hof. (Northern Bavaria). Aug. 7
I had a rather pleasant journey from St Gallen to Augsburg – the railway from St Gallen to Rorschach is a curiousity from the steep inclines and sharp curves and the train whisks down at a good speed. From Lindau to Augsburg I had some pleasant company – an Austrian (Vienna) and his wife whom I had met before in Switzerland and who were very conversible; then there was another Austrian and two Spaniards who could not speak a word of German and only a little French.
At Augsburg I followed the Austrians to a very good German inn, very different from the clean fresh airy Swiss inns, but nevertheless very good and comfortable in its way. I left St G. at 9.30 in the morning and reached Augsburg at 7 in the evening. To day I made a very good and pleasant journey from Augsburg to Hof, leaving at 7.30 and arriveing here at 5. It was the express and came at a very fair pace – most of the country is very flat and uninteresting but the last hour or so was through rather a pretty country.
I could not have believed that Germany would seem so like home to me – the people and the language seem so familiar, and it seems so odd understanding everything that they say – it is quite pleasant hearing civilized German again, so that after all I am not grieving so much after Switzerland.
Augsburg seems a dead alive place – they say the grass grows in the streets there – and well it might and here too, but then this is a small town.
To day I had for a travelling companion a young Swede who spoke pretty good German and talked a good deal; oddly enough three years ago I met a Swede just in the same way and place.
Carlsbad August 9.
Yesterday morning I left Hof at half past four and had a long day in the post wagen till half past five in the evening – 13 hours. It was not at all tiresome as it was a wet day, so that there was neither dust nor heat. We camt through Franzensbad, Eger and Elbogen three places that were well to see; Eger is a horrid looking place – dirtier I think than Sligo and as hungry looking as Galway – beggars and bare feet as plentiful as in Ireland.
After getting some dinner at this Hotel I got hold of the Visitors list and found out uncle Jeffery's address and found him and aunt Margaret just sitting down to tea. They are both looking pretty well, but aunt M. is fatter and in worse spirit than three years ago, but looking pretty well; uncle J. paler and whiter and not so sturdy looking.
They have the first floor in a very nice house and have very fair rooms, but as usual complain, especially of the food. This place is exactly what I expected, but the Sprödel (?) is very insignificant looking. The place is very full and there are unheard of numbers of Russians Poles and Hungarians; the Polish Jews are in great force, and may be known at once by their long black coats, lon beards, hooked noses and dirty linen. The Russians are as scampish looking as ever, and the ladies dressed to the last degree.
Alexander Thom and family are here. I saw him this morning; uncle Jeffery knows and likes him. There not many English here yet, but they generally come later.
Uncle Jeffery says that as Carlsbad is out of any road, that he must defray my extra expenses and says he supposes a £10 note will cover them! I have actually nearly half of the £50 left – about £23 I think. I mean to stay here till Wednesday and then go to Dresden which can be done viâ Swarzenberg in one day, but I shall probably take two.
This is a dead-alive place all day – but before 10 and and in the evening it is very lively and fashionable looking. Uncle J. read me some of a letter to day from T. T. saying you were going to Loughgilly so I shall send this there, and post it to day though it only consists of two sheets. So far I have been most fortunate in everything and had the most perfect health throughout – nothing worse than a headache the whole time – not even a blister or a sun-burn. Aunt M. says I am browned to a nut colour and have lost my complexion.
Yesterday was the first time my passport was asked for – fancy all that travelling without reqiring a passport! You had better not write to Dresden for any date later than the 20 Aug. and a letter posted on the 17th would probably reach Dresden by the 20. If posted in Dublin it would certainly. Perhaps uncle J's £10 may make some difference in my plans – aunt M. says I ought to see Vienna and the Salzkammergut; – unless I get strict injunctions to go to Forcheim to see Mdme. de P. I shall not go there – she is only on a visit there herself. At present I am thinking of going home viâ Frankfort then Rhine and Holland, but if Papa can suggest anything with regard to my homeward route he might in the letter to Dresden which you can send after the arrival of this.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{"Post": Stagecoach, horse-drawn, 10 km/h.
Galway and Eger = Cheb: see Wikipedia. The beggars at Eger may have been attracted by the flourishing tourism.
At aunt Margaret's death three years later, the cause will be given as ascites, a typical symptom of a liver condition. She has been ordered a strict diet, of course, quite contrary to her lifestyle before her first stay in 1838. We can guess that her discipline with regard to physical exercise does not extend to nutrition. Among the (vague) suspects is heavy wine from tin cups, both contaminated with lead.
Alexander Thom, 1801-1879, is the editor of Irish directories. According to the Kurliste he checked in on 18.07., Prendergasts on 29.07.}
See above.
Carlsbad. Aug. 11. 1862
My dear Mamma
I have been getting on very well here having a comfortable room in a hotel and eating and spending most of my time with uncle Jeffery. I don't at all like the way of living here; people get up at unearthly hours – before five sometimes and go to bed at half past 8 or 9.
The food is not very nice, – aunt Margaret says she is nearly starved sometimes not liking to eat anything, but as uncle Jeffery says it is quite good enough for people like him and me who have good appetites – which he certainly has.
There is the most delicious bread and coffee here, but drinkers are not allowed butter. This morning I have been rather a long walk with uncle Jeffery and among other things saw Fox's grave.
There are very nice walks in all directions through the woods, mostly nicely terraced along the sides of the hills, but I do not like the place somehow. It is very interesting seeing the strange people that are here Hungarians, Poles, Russians, Bohemians Wallachians, Germans from all parts Servians and nations that we scarcely know the names of, and which yet all speak different languages and for the most part have some peculiarity of dress and appearance. The Poles and Hungarians are in great force, the former all in black, a political demonstration. Uncle J. has the first floor in a very nicely situated house on the slope of the hill just above the houses of the town with a pretty look out on the opposite hill, and has good rooms. The place is very full now, 2000 or 3000 strangers and it is almost impossible to get round. I don't know how people kill time here and for the most part they seem to be hard put to do so, and there is no music in the middle of the day. It is very cool and showery now – almost cold, and it seems so odd after the heat of the Swiss lowlands.
The country is not interesting about here and the population exclusively German which takes away from the interest, at Prague or even Teplitz the Bohemians and their language are so remarkable.
Aunt Margaret seems to have lost her heart to Torquay and Devonshire generally – everything is perfection there according to her – why should not they go there to live? Their house at Dresden has been regularly built up so that even uncle Jeffery seems to say it will not do any longer. I think it is a great pity that they should not try Torquay for a year or so – tell uncle Willy he ought to work the idea – instead of taking a new lodging at Dresden for instance, which is allowed on all hands to be a most objectionable climate, and now not particularly attractive place.
{"drinkers": i.e. those who drink "the waters" on medical regimen.
{"Fox": (according to Mattingly) a cute little dog dearly loved by Margaretta. Pets had to be buried outside the town on the hill "Wittigberg" in large deep pits for sanitary reasons. Separate "graves" there were available only by bribing the official. The story of Fox is obviously already known to the recipient; again, FEP refrains from commenting or even giving details.
Uncle Willy sometimes works as a real estate agent, he may find a suitable house at Torquay. His services will not be needed, Margaretta being terminally ill herself.}
Aug. 12. I have made up my Swiss accounts; of course they were only tolerably closely kept, but the average, including everything was just 10 francs a day, which considering railways, postages, wine and everything was very little – about what the mere hotel expenses would have been in Ireland.
Yesterday uncle Jeffery said he must show me some Carlsbad life, so we left aunt Margaret to dine by herself (!) and we went to one of the dining saloons and for 4/ each got only a middling dinner – the food is certainly not good here – though Austria generally is rumoured for good eating. I have just taken my place in the post for Schwarzenberg en route for Dresden for tomorrow morning, and uncle Jeffery has given me £10..10 to defray Carlsbad expenses, which it probably will, especially as they are only for lodging! Aunt Margaret thinks travelling with only a knapsack must be very miserable, but I do not find it so. I have never used any of my spare clothes as yet, and this is the first place where I have needed my plaid – they (as usual in Austria) only give one sheet to lie on and a featherbed to cover you, so the plaid serves as upper sheet, blanket and quilt – all in one! It is the only German custom I cannot get reconciled to, unless perhaps the way they coolly turn out a coat, plaid or anything left to keep your place in a railway carriage, and for which there is no redress. At Bamberg my knapsack and plaid which I had left to keep my place while I went to get some refreshment were coolly turned out, but as there was room elsewhere I did not complain – a lady and gentleman who had been similarly treated did, but the guard said "if you want to secure your seats you must keep them". Pleasant, is it not. The Macdonald affair was caused by something of this kind.
To day the rate of exchange has turned to something like three farthings in the florin (sam as ours) against Austria and it is supposed that Garibaldi is the cause. The English papers are never stopped here, uncle Jeffery says, which seems odd to me.
There are 70 miles of nice dry gravelled walks about this place within a circuit of some 5 miled and under foot they are the best walks I ever saw and are well kept. The shops too are very good though mostly small, and they seem to like the English – most places (Dresden for instance) they hate them.
Lord Stanley of Alderly is here now – the only English notability, unless Alexander Thom (who has a very pretty daughter with him) can be counted one.
{"Macdonald affair": On 12.09.1860, a Captain James Macdonald had had a similar experience near Bonn in Prussia; he complained "emphatically", and had to pay a fine. British diplomacy intervened for him, in vain. The conflict is a classic, rather between those who reserve and those who miss out than between nations, but newspapers cannot resist a pretext for national outrage.
"The English papers are never stopped here": i.e. they are being sold without censorship, although they favour Garibaldi's reunification cause against Austrian domination of parts of Italy.
Henry Stanley, 3rd Baron Stanley of Alderley, 1827-1903, is not only English, but a convert to Islam. Carlsbad is very tolerant towards those who spend money there.}
Aug 15
Wiener Strasse № 7 Dresden
On Wednesday morning I left Carlsbad in the post and had a long drive to Schwarzenberg over the Erz Ge Mountains; ; it was not very interesting but there was us smoking in the carriage and I had a comfortable place – two rather unusual circumstances. From Schwarzenberg the rail runs through a very pretty country, winding through small pine-clothed valleys and consisting of a wonderful set of curves and inclines. I slept at Zwickau in a queer old Hotel recommended by uncle Jeffery where I fared pretty well, but not a lot of rather tiresome commercial guests who were very anxious to know what my line of busineess was and seemed half doubtful when I said I had no business.
Zwickau is a curious old Saxon town, of historical interest but I did not see anything of it. I left at 6.40 yesterday morning and arrived here at noon.
Oscar, the only son the Seckendorfs have at present with them and whom I had never seen, met me at the station and actually made me out, having been previously shown the various photographs of me; he is a firm little fellow – aged 13 and the very image of his brother Arthur. Was not it clever of him to make me out? I found them all very well and not a bit altered, but in rather a turmoil as the two American ladies and the young American whom they had here were going off after dinner – the ladies going back to America and he going as escort as far as Paris. I spoke to him (Maguire is his name) but as I only saw him at dinner the acquaintance was slight – he is about 19, from Washington, of southern sympathies and sent to Europe by his father, who is Yankee, to be out of the way. He is coming back here but I don't expect to see him before I leave.
The Seckendorfs are as friendly as ever – just the same, and last night the two ladies and I sat up talking till unheard of hours
There is now no stranger in the house at all, which I am very glad of and can almost fancy ther real old times when I first came to them, back again. Of course there is nothing but German spoken and they tell me I have forgotten very little.
My intention on arriving here was only to stay a week at the outside – but I shall stay a fortnight at all counts, get my old German-master and take a few lessons to brush up the language which I hope Papa will not think a waste of time or money. Really it is too comfortable here, I have a very nice bedroom and a sitting room (!) off it, both as nice as nice can be, light, fresh and airy with views over the country for miles round, and all the books in the house at my command. It is a very strange feeling being here again; it seems as if one had wakened up from a sort of nightmare dream of hard work, bustle and worry, to the old peaceful, quiet homely German life. This is the nicest house I ever saw in Dresden – they have 10 rooms on the second floor, and from where I am now writing I can see the windows of any old room in the Prager Str.
The Baroness and Miss S. send you their best regards and the former says she hopes some day to have your carte de visite in her album.
Stockton on going back to America between his silver medal from the Polytechnic and his fathers interest got his commission as captain in the U.S.A. Engineers (he is 4 months younger than me) and is getting on very well, and will, I am sure, do honour to his country – he is really a noble hearted fellow. Luckily I shall be able to get an excellent photograph of him here.
George De Cay a young American whom I had known here, entered the Northern Army got 13 wounds in one of the battles and is since dead, his brother is still fighting. By the way that young man who was killed at Powerscourt was one of my College frinds. Yesterday I visited Dr Seiler, and was introduced to his wife – a remarkably nice person, and they asked me if I would come and dine with them some day, which of course I accepted.
Arthur P. is expected here in a few days so I shall probably see him and his intended too. It is a much better match than I had supposed: Miss Anna (Weinleg) is said to be pretty, amiable and accomplished – the family good – her father was formerly a Saxon minister and is now chief of a government department, so barring the von she is in every way Arthurs equal and very probably a deal too good for him. The only objection that even aunt M. and uncle J. can raise is the probable length of the engagement and (the last and most serious) that she is a foreigner.
I could scarcely recognise some parts of the town – buildings ome up and others down in all parts in this neighbourhood actually new streets and squares. Plate glass is now almost universal in the shops and has improved the appearance of the place 50 per cent. It is very hot here at present – and dry – but not unreasonably so – nothing to 1859, and now there are pleasant breezes. You may safely address a letter to me here at this house till the 25th. at all events – I don't like even to think of leaving it, but at present any plans are to go to Franckfort via Cassel where Adolf is and so see Gotha Eisenach and those parts. I did not know how much I loved the Seckendorfs till I saw them again, and as there is no saying when we may meet again I shall not hurry away. Send any hints as to journey &c, that you can think of.
ever your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. My strong box is amply stocked now – £10 in it
I found 2 letters from you here yesterday
{Albert Weinlig, former interior minister of Saxony, slightly degraded for his liberal leanings, son of a musician, lives Dippoldiswaldergasse 3c, very close to the Prendergasts – no way he could escape their friendship. They must have been the matchmakers themselves, many months ago (– but "even" they have uttered reservations, Margaretta in particular, when FEP has last seen them at Carlsbad). In July 1862, Weinlig had visited the Dalrymple-Prendergasts in London as his future in-laws; he also mentions meeting Dora, Alice, "Mr. Travers" and a "Cousin Mary Tompson" there. On 03.12.1862, however, he will write to his wife: "Grüße mir alle, besonders die glücklich von Australien erlöste Anna" – "Greetings to all, especially to Anna, to whom Australia has fortunately been spared" – https://digital.slub-dresden.de/id514657359, pages 57ff and 68. Australia may have been the destination of a planned extended honeymoon (– neither known of nor very probable –), or a metaphor for "British penal servitude"? – "She is a foreigner": i.e. will be considered as such when she moves to London and cannot possibly be aware of all those subtle codes that define a lady of the English gentry. Margaretta, of English mother and German father, knows what she's talking about; she is perfectly bi-cultural by hard training from early childhood (– like her sister, who is notably described as "a thorough English woman", https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89064849029&seq=76). Jeffry remains a foreigner in Saxony, in spite of his good command of German language and excellent Dresden network; in German company, his wife must do the talking.
Arthur, a barrister by title only, is going to lead a life as a full-time "gentleman", mediocre amateur composer and organizer of (church) choir music, by no means dishonourable, but of little personal lustre; Anna may indeed be in some sense "a deal too good for him". He seems to have cancelled the engagement himself (– possibly unter the pretext that he considered moving to Australia? –), eventually to everybody's relief.
Powerscourt: a medical student named John Wilson, born 1838, living 33 York-street, Dublin, slipped to death on 06.08.1862 while climbing a rock near Powerscourt Waterfall; Irish newspapers reported the accident. Henry Wilmot Ormsby, father of FEP's classmate, is from Powerscourt.}
Dresden 19. Aug. 1862.
My dear Mamma,
On Saturday I dined at 4 oclock with Dr. Seiler, and on the whole spent a pleasant afternoon there – I was the first person had dined there, so is a great honour they have only been in Dresden 3 weeks having made their wedding tour in the Silesian mountains.
Louisa Preusser came in to pay a visit while I was there.
I got away in time to come back and spend the evening here so it turned out very well.
Arthur P. arrived here on Saturday but I have not seen him yet, and only found out his address to day, but I suppose he is too much taken up to be able to have come to see me. I had intended taking German lessons, more by way of having something to do, than anything else, but as usual having nothing to do – I have no time to do anything. Yesterday I paid a visit to my former German master, who appeared to be very glad to see me and certainly I was very glad to see him. I liked him better than any other master I ever had. He tells me I have not forgotten much of my German, but that I have acquired a southern accent (which is not exactly good) but it is no wonder considering all the dialects one has to speak in Switzerland.
I have twice been with the two ladies to concerts in the Grosser Garten already, and last week it was pleasant sitting out under the trees till near night, but on Sunday the weather broke, and we had a good deal of rain off and on since.
There must be more than two hundred English here even now but the Americans have almost vanished: those that remain are mostly southerners who cannot get back without danger of capture.
The Baron has got more gloomy and seldom laughs or jokes – he is working beyond his powers and has lately been unsuccessful.
There is some talk of an Italian lady coming here, a widow, but it seem rather doubtful. The S.s are looking out for some body as the house is absolutely empty now, and the only one coming back is McGuire the Washingtonian. They are anxious to get English or Irish people, as they have had some second class Americans, and got rather too much of them.
The house is very nice, but it is said to be hard to warm in winter; for the ten rooms on the second floor they pay £75 which for Dresden is high – the situation and fresh air is the reason of its being so high.
If Dresden goes on as it has done in the past three years it will soon be far ahead of all the minor European capitals, and in ten years will scarcely be recognisable. It is certainly a beautiful town and some of the new streets will be, or rather are, very fine. A kind of free trade formerly unknown but lately introduced here is said to be the cause – its main want is in fine imposing public buildings; they are all rather small, and unfortunately Dresden is famous for its coal-blacks which ruin everything.
{That FEP does not comment on Louise Preußer's looks can only be explained by assuming that she is known to the Dubliners – at least via Jeffry.}
August 20. This morning I had a visit from Arthur P., he is not at Hughs but but takes his breakfast there and the rest of his meals at the Weinlegs.
The Baroness got a glimpse of him and says she is pretty dissappointed – she had thought all the Prendergasts are handsome, it seems!
He is going to stay a month or so here. The Seckendorfs are badly in want of some people now – Mr McGuire is coming back, but otherwise they have heard of no other; you might chance to hear of some one perhaps who was coming to Dresden – I would not recommend anyone to them unless somebody that I was perfectly sure could be satisfactory – it is sad to think of all they have gone through in the last year, and I was glad to hear the Baroness say that as soon as the children are educated and off their hands, they will be able to retire into quiet life again and probably go and live in the country.
I have got Baedekers Handbook for the Rhine (4/ ) and am slowly making out some kind of a plan. I certainly shall not go through Belgium this time, as I have been in Brussels, Liège, Namur, Malmes Louvain and Ghent before; at present my idea would be to leave Antwerp in the steamer for London on Friday Sept. 5. so as to get to Combe Down on Saturday the 6th, and it will be scarcely worth your while to write to any other address than Combe Down.
all the travelling in rail and steamers from the time I leave Cologne till I land at Warrenpoint or Dundalk will be rather horrid – it is a dreadfully long jorney.
I would rather travel in the severest winter than in summer, the dirt and fatigue are double in summer. I shall hope to get a day up Slieve Bingian with Papa some day in September, and a few good runs in the Mourne Mts., and that with the visit to Rostrevor – and I hope one to Loughgilly – will be a nice round up for the summer. Write to aunt Eliza to tell her of my plans in case I should not write; if there is any change of course I will write to her. It is really very absurd how one never has time to do anything, when ones time is in a way entirely at your own disposal; I have not taken a single respectable walk since I came – nothing but dodging about, but it is very pleasant nevertheless.
My gray leatherbound wide-awake that has stood three summers rain and sun is getting shaky at last, but it will bring me home at all events – it was a cheap half guineas worth. The dyed coat is miraculous – in spite of rain sun and the moisture caused by the knapsack, it is as black in every part as ever it was, and the black never rubs off – it is a credit to the Glasgow dye-works.
I think Charly is unwise to begin working so soon – it will be little good to him and when the time for working comes – and he will need to look pretty sharp if he wants to get into the middle class of the E. S. – he will not be in a humour for hard work; however it is just like him. I shall not stay longer in England than I can possibly help and will most probably be at Rostrevor in the second week of Sept..
{Arthur seems to spend the rest of each day, after breakfast, with the Weinligs, which amounts to an engagement, not just "intention".
"E. S.": Engineering School at the T. C. D.. Charles is going to finish his studies in 1864, but, being a sportsman, wants parallel outdoor practice, presumably as a mere workman in an engineering project.}
Aug. 22. I have just received your letter of the 19th, and though this cannot go till tomorrow I may as well finish it now. Athur has not offered to introduce me at Weinlegs, and of course I shall not go there alone – my ideas regarding family have been terribly warped in Germany, and I have a sort of horror of people who cannot stick a von before their name. Old Weinleg is said to be very worthy and very cross.
The heat soon put all ideas of anything like work or German lessons out of my head – it does very well for a while if you have nothing to do but I think a month of it would knock me up – you have no idea what this dry heat is like – even now at 4 in the afternoon though sitting with the blinds down I am perspiring and my hand are positively wet – the smallest mental or bodily labour is fatiguing, even though the heat at present is moderate for Dresden; one or two days the thermometer was over 90° in the shade – 75° is considered an excessive heat in a stoved room in winter so you may fancy what 90° is like. I was very glad to hear from uncle Jeffery that some Indian folk had been here last year and were regularly burnt out of it – they said their heat was as bad but then the various punkahs &c made it much more endurable – the main want here is fresh air – it is often cool in the evenings but it is not fresh. I believe I am going with the Baron and the ladie to an open air concert in the Grosser Garten this afternoon – it begins at 5 and lasts till 8 – fancy sitting out till dark in the open air. Yesterday evening we all went walking and it was very pleasant as the sun was down but you must not infer from that that it was much cooler.
I should like to see Forkhill very much – there seems to be something romantic about it by all accounts. I hope I may manage a visit to L. G. while John is there – it is an age since I saw him at Ballina and I dare say he would like to meet me there too.
I am reading Longfellow (Golden Legend) with Miss S., trying to improve her accent which is not good. The Baroness has actually learned to understand a good deal of English which I think is very wonderful but she cannot speak a single word of it. I am living a great deal more with them now than I used to, and spend a good deal of time in the drawing room, which is a particularly nice room.
I have not the smallest idea whre my next will be from – somewhere between Frankfort and Amsterdam I suppose. Adolf is 12 hours distant from the Adolf writes this mor-(Saturday) to say I must come by all means and I shall probably leave this or Tuesday next – he is in a frightfully out of the way – though interesting – place. The Baroness is much obliged to you for your message and says that as she cannot visit you she sends you her card. I shall have to study hard now to make out my road to Frankfort – it is like going into the back woods of Germany without exactly knowing whether one can get out again. I hope Saturday the 6th Sept. will see me at Combe Down
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{As for the Weinlig family, Jeffry and Margaretta Prendergast would be the ones to introduce FEP there and inform him in more detail, but they are still at Carlsbad. His current opinion seems to be influenced by the von Seckendorffs. A mere "von" does not indicate a superior education, neither does it mend the stigma of being a foreigner when moving abroad. Only princes' households provide a truly international (i.e. European) upbringing with hard training, such as Queen Victoria's.}
See above.
Between Cassel & Franckfort in the train. Aug 29. 1862.
My dear Mamma
I have been so lazy about writing these last few days that unless I begin now I shall never have a letter ready. Nothing new took place at Dresden since I wrote last, and we went to concerts and tool walks as usual. On Tuesday morning I left at 10 and the Baron walked with me to the train. I then had a long days journey of 12 hours to Cassel via Leipsic Gotha Erfurth Weimar and Eisenach, the whole way from leipsic through a very pretty country and I got very respectable views of all this above mentioned towns. I slept at Cassel on Tuesday night and left next morning at 6 for Carlshafen by the train and from that had a lovely walk along the Weser to Holzminden. It rather startled me coming suddenly on the Weser, even there far from the sea a great river with steamers running up to Carlshafen and big barges that might almost pass for Dutch galliots. The Weser flows through a lovely valley, in some parts not unlike the Avon but generally open and fertile, well shedded with small towns and villages. I there saw for the first time real oak forests – most romantic looking – they mad me think of Robin Hood. It took me 6½ hours to get to Holzminden and there I found Adolf, who was very glad to find I had actually come. We spent the afternoon talking and walking about, and he introduced me to the Holzminden Club. It is a pretty little town of some 4000 inhabitants, beautifully situated on the Weser and has a very nice little inn, where Adolf dines. He has a very pleasant situation, has £75 per annum on which he can ther live comfortably and says he is very contented. Next morning I induced him to go out to work and I stayed with him watching the work for a few hours and then we went off for a walk coming back to dine at 12.30 at the hotel. After dinner I left by the post which was to catch another post at a town some miles of, but we missed it and as I did not want to lose a day, or travel through all night I had to take an extra post all to myself which though very agreeable was rather expensive, two horses and carriage for 14 miles being about 11/. I caught the train and slept last night again at Cassel.
Wiesbaden Aug. 30.
In the train yesterday we had a Norwegian lady and her little son – fine hearty socy faced people: they spoke Danish and very fair German; it is not often one meets Norwegians on the Continent – plenty of Danes and Swedes.
I got to Frankfort at 9.30 having left Cassel at 5, which is too early to be pleasant – at Frankfort I walked about for a while looking at the town, but could not make up my mind to do anything, and in a couple of hours came on here arriving at 1.30. After dining I went out to see the place which pleased me greatly, it is very pretty and aristocratic looking, far the nicest of the large watering places I have yet seen – it seem to be quiet without being dull. In the evening when the lamps are lighted and the band playing in the Gardens behind the Cursaal I think it is the most fairy like place I ever saw.
This hotel distresses me greatly – all the waiters speak English and won't speak German except among themselves; however in the evening I made acquaintance with the porter who did not object to speak German, and much to my surprise he told me that though till quite lately they had scarcely seen any Americans this year, yet within a short time schools of them had come – mostly young men apparently of good means who had left to avoid the conscription. I saw two or three pretty good specimens of New Yorkers yesterday evening, one of whom knew nothing of German or German coins and was getting a waiter to explain the various values to him. I think I shall have to do the sam though, for yesterday at the railway I got two gold pieces whose value I din't know – it was the first gold I ever saw in Germany. The cash has been running out at a great rate since I left Dresden, railways consume a good deal for long distances. Adolf can travel free anywhere in Germany – is not that a great privilege when you consider the size of Germany? To day my journey down the Rhine continues and I hope to be at Amsterdam on Tuesday afternoon.
Coblenz. I had a pleasant sail down the Rhine to day only the boat was too crowded. I was rather disappointed on the whole, the scenery is so uniform that it grows tiresome even in a few hours, but it was a magnificent day, and not unreasonably hot.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
See above.
Antwerp. Sept. 3d. 1862.
My dear Mamma
I spent last Sunday at Coblenz and finding that there was not much to stop for on the road, I wrote to aunt Eliza saying that they might expect to see me on Thursday instead of Saturday. On Monday I came down the Rhine by steamer to Cologne and dined and saw the Cathedral there. It was rather tiresome evening down by the steamer, but the day was fine and the boat not crowded. There is a railway on each bank of the Rhein form Basle to Cologne and two companies running steamers up to Manheim so there is no want of conveyances.
At Cologne I took the train for Amsterdam, and as far as the Dutch frontier had a very pleasant companion – a Dutch officer with his wife and daughter; he spoke German to me and there we had a Frenchman and his wife in the carriage ans she talked English with me, so we had rather a polyglot company – of course the Frenchman spoke nothing but French. From the Dutch frontier to Amsterdam I had another very pleasant companion with whom I shared a cab to the Hotel, and when we got there, as ther was only one room vacant – a large double bedded one – we had to share it. He turned out to be a Dr Sheppard from Colney Hatch near London where he had the superintendance of a lunatic asylum with 2000 patients.
I was not at all dissappointed in Holland or Amsterdam – the capital is certainly very unlike anything I ever saw before, and for cleanliness and comfort can probably be matched against any other city – it looks very rich and comfortable, but the canals are very odoriferous. Even the hotel (and hotels generally are pretty much the same everywhere) was a novelty and very good. On Tuesday at noon I left, and had a wet and disagreeable journey, viâ Rotterdam to this place, it is a 7 hour journey 2½ of which are in a miserable steamer which yesterday wa overloaded with cattle and pigs. I came here intending to leave by the Baron Osy for London direct – an 18 hour passage, but the Baron Osy looks small and it is blowing a gale, so I am going round by Calais and Dover – the ninety minute passage sounds pleasanter!
Yesterday in the train I met three people two gentlemen and a lady (all second class) and the very first word word one of them spoke, was in so marked an accent that I said "You are not an Englishman? An Irishman? from Belfast?" he looked greatly astonished and asked "how on earth did you come on that?", and then I told him that I would swear he was from Belfast if I met him anywhere, he seemed much surprised and not quite pleased. We are at the same hotel here, and on my telling him about the Baron Osy and the gale – they had intended crossing also – they also turned tail and are going viâ Calais. I have been walking about the place all the morning and leave in a couple of hours.
Redhill Junction. London and Dover line.
Sept. 4.
Yesterday at the station at Antwerp I met, much to my surprise, Dr Sheppard who was also coming round viâ Calais, so we travelled all the way together. At Lille we had two hours to wait and we walked about the town part of the time, but as it was quite dark saw little.
The passage though not exactly calm was not rough enough to make me uncomfortable, though I saw some foreigners in a wee begone condition. It is a great luxury that the passage only lasts an hour and a half, or a little more, but the boats are very small. I came on direct as far as this place which is a great junction and now go across country to Reading when I shall catch – I hope – a Bath train that will bring me there before two oclock – it is 6.30 am.now and my train does not go till 7.20 so I am writing this to fill up the time and shall post it here. It is pleasant enough being in England again, but this time I have brought away more foreign money than is pleasant – some half dozen francs or so – it very hard to avoid doing so.
Dr. Sheppard gave me his card and address and said he would be very glad to see me if I ever came to his part of the world.
{It's always good to know the address of a decent male lunatic asylum in case you need one.}
I do not save anything in time by coming this cross country road, but it saves going through London and that is always a great point. There is getting to be a little stir here at last so I suppos the time is nearly up. I think I shall try and be over at Rostrevor by the middle of next week – it will be tiresome at Bath having nothing in the world to do.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
See above.
AD. 1863.
FEP does his pupillage. Probably his father had accompanied him initially, so that the family already know the names of the other pupils under Joseph Fogerty, one of whom is the latter's cousin Robert Fogerty.
For a general idea of the project, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_to_Craven_Arms_Railway
Iron Bridge
May 7th. 1863
5.30 p.m.
My dear Mamma,
This will be a pic-nic letter.
First, on Thursday, telegrams came from Worcester, and from Grierson at Paddington about the Saloon carriages of which there were two; then J. F. was writing out lists of the provisions and giving directions; I had charge of the Lemonade & Sodawater (6 dozen in all); there were 150 lbs of meat, fowl and fish, sweetmeats without end and 5 dozen of wine (champagne, sherry & claret) with beer and foster ad lib. Ridings, Bob, Livsey, Notcutt, myself, Mrs Humphreys, (J. Fs cook), a tent man and a man servant went down at 8 oclock; at the end of the train was a truck with two tents and all the provisions, this was unhooked at Linley when we were met by Tom Jones our faithful chairman and a bargee who had taken an Ironbridge boat down the river in the morning, as the river had to be crossed and there is only one small boat at Linley. Bob and I then proceeded up to the Castle and got the stable man to bring down a cart & horse to the ferry and conveyed the tents &c to the bottom of the hill on which the tent was to be pitched; this however took two journeys to accomplish; Bob, the tent-man and I then carried up most of the tents which was the hardest work I have done this many a day (N.B. all the rest were gathering the traps across the river during this time) and then it took more than an hour to get up the tent; this you must understand was a huge marquee 20 feet long and 25 ft wide, and then was also a provision and pantry tent of smaller size.
Having got the tent up we then went back to the station, which was about a mile off, to meet the party and we had fog signals placed on the line for a salute.
The two saloons were the last in the train and were unhooked at Linley so there was no hurry getting out and the rest of the train went on at once.
Then there was the greatest excitement crossing the ferry as the current is rapid, the boats flat bottomed and shaky and not seats for the people.
All got across safely and we then walked up to the castle and went through the chief rooms which are very handsome, oak panelling, pictures &c. Mr. Whitmore does not live there now but he had sent orders to give us all assistance required and that everyone was to help us.
By this time we were pretty well "paired" and the band had begun to play at the tent towards which were slowly proceeding, I, in charge of a Miss Cooke, when George came running to say I was wanted at the tent and was also to get the people away somehow – there was a party of a dozen or more under my guidance – so I explained to them how to get to the tent (only by a round of a mile or so!) and went off full speed to assist at the tent, when we had no small task to get the repast spread out beneath the tent. However this was at last done, the party assembled, the ladies seated on cloaks, coats &c, – I had brought my plaid which was very usefull all day – and we carved, helped the ladies, poured out champagne for them and did all we could; then we tried to get a mouthful of something solid, but the ladies were so anxious for dancing that we had little time for anything but drinking champagne. In due time the grass was cleared and swept under the Tent and away we went at quadrilles, lancers, polkas, waltzes &c for an hour or more. I kept up till the last dance but was then so tired that I had to give in, being fairly worn out from the hard work of the morning. Then the folk scattered, "paired" and went off walking about the place (700 acres of park). I then took charge of a Miss Nevett, a Shrewsbury lady who was not up for such walking and we wandered about and rested till it seemed time to go back to the tent; then there was a final "Sir Roger" and we all went back to the Station where tea was got ready in the waiting room and then more dancing on the platform till train time. It rained off and on the whole day but the tent was dry inside and none of the ladies seemed to mind the wet grass in the least – it is one of the very few advantages Englishwomen have over Irishwomen, this indifference of theirs to the weather.
We then got back by train and we left the carriages at the station here at 8.45; 10 hours they were absent from Shrewsbury altogether. I don't think anything could have gone off better everybody seemed to enjoy themselves and feel at ease. I am very glad of it for J. F's sake, for it has cost him over £50 and it must be remembered that we seven gentlemen and his cook and housemaid had to arrange everything from first to last. It would be no use to tell you names as you know none of them, but there were 60 people in all and we had 5 of the C. B. Dale brass band – volunteers, who came in uniform. The only contretemps at all was during the dancing on the platform when Mr. Field and a lady fell right across the rails, & though able to go on dancing they must certainly have been considerably hurt.
This morning Bob and Notcutt went down to Aplay to bring back the tent and whatever had to be left behind yesterday but I believe the 5 dozen of wine were fully disposed of yesterday. I turned in last night at nine and slept till 7 this morning and was down at the office at 8 and worked till four. I have been writing this in a desparate hurry as I am going up to Sutton Cottage to night for the Sunday and have a lot to do first. John Fowler was here to day but I only saw him going over the bridge. He came last night (to Shrewsbury) at 11 and left for London to day at 4; I shall hear more about him this evening. I got a letter from you this evening, and some papers yesterday. There were some very handsome girls at the pic nic, but all the feminines over 21 looked heavy and Saxon-full-faced-looking, – or in other words, as if the stuffed at dinner.
I don't like the way these Englishowmen drink beer and porter; as they say in Germany it looks so "crass".
There were 9 Engineers yesterday and a contractor (Mr. Field) so the profession was well represented.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Perhaps the people at Rostrevor might like to see this.
{Apley Castle belongs to Thomas Charlton Whitmore, 1807-1865, former MP (tory, of course), who had allowed the railway line to go through his premises only on the conditions that an on-request stop was installed at Linley; https://www.svrwiki.com/Timetable:_Shrewsbury_to_Worcester_1862.}
July 3.d 1863
My dear Mamma,
Lest I should not be able to write to day otherwise, I am writing this in the train going down to Ironbridge.
Yesterday I got lodgings at Mr. Nevitt's Lincoln Hill Ironbridge – a very nice sitting room and a tolerable bedroom – all expenses candles &c included – for 11/ a week the eating to be paid for separately as seems to be the invariable custom. I am to go into them tomorrow Saturday. Yesterday we had Tyndal up at Sutton Cottage, and Notcutt was complaining greatly of the row Irishmen make then they get together. Mr. Fogerty is very hospitable and pleasant and keeps a very nice house. I don't know about his going to be married as he is always laughing & joking about it, so I think it is not likely. He is quite independent of his profession having a private fortune. His pay as Resident Engineer is about £500 a year and pupils make it up to near £1000, so he is very well off.
I like the look of the country very much and it is much more mountainous than I had imagined.
I shall try and see Reilly sometime – Papa can tell you about his letter. I could not possibly have written sooner as at Sutton Lodge 12 is go to bed hour, talking going on most of the evening and then getting up at six and leaving at 7.15 there is no time for strangers to do anything at all.
I shall be able to write a longer letter I hope next time.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{Sutton Cottage is the temporary lodging for Fogerty, his cook Mrs. Humphreys, his maid Jane, and those pupils who have not found other lodging. Also it serves as additional headquarters for meetings etc. Fogerty's regular home is a rented house in Shrewsbury, which however he will have to quit by the end of the year.
"pupils make it up to near £1000": Each pupil has to pay Fogerty privately for the privilege to work for him. If we assume up to five pupils, each pays ca. £100 p.a., which alone equals the initial salary of an accomplished engineer. Thus, considerable wealth and risk-taking is required to start the career. Like in a gold rush, optimism can be treacherous.
FEP has no intention to question the system. On the contrary, his message seems to be "I may one day have a similar income, and the work is so satisfying that even those do it who don't need the money". His parents, grandmother and uncles are quite able and willing to pay for FEP's professional training, but demand it to be successful.}
July 6. 1863
Mrs. Nevitt's
Lincoln Hill
Ironbridge.
My dear Mamma,
I have scarcely had time even to think since I left, as there has always been something going on. Friday and Saturday I worked in the office all day – the hours are from 8 till 4 without any break, but some of the men go home for lunch for half an hour.
Ridings came up and spent Sunday at Fogertys; we compensated for early rising on the week days by not getting up till past nine, and when Riding and I left for church at 10.30 Mr. Fogerty had not appeared. Ridings and I went to different churches but met afterwards and took a walk together going up a monument to Lord Hill near the town, from which there is a splendid view. Mr. Fogerty came with uns to evening church – his people are methodists – and afterward sent off Ridings and me on a long and very pretty walk from which we did not return till past 10 Mr. F. having in the mean time put in two hours flirtation with the clergymans daughter – Miss Rhoda Collie – a very fine young woman as English women go – and he has promised to introduce me there.
I hear Mr. F. is engaged to a young lady in London, but I cannot vouch for the fact, and talks about some young lady in London He is only 32 and looks even younger – he is so small that I could put my chin on the top of his hat, and he laughingly says if he did not wear a large hat he would be quite invisible. He is out and out Limerick, and though he speaks good and correct English to strangers he indulges in a sound Limerick brogue on ordinary occasions. I like him very much – his chief fault seems being too free and easy with his young men who as often as not address him as "Fogerty" or "my dear fellow." He tells no end of stories, but the worst of it is you never know what to believe, once he gets into an anecdotal humour.
He asked for my photograph and promised to give me his, which is an excellent one, so I can send it to you when I get it. Please order, and send me 3 of my cartes. To day Ridings and I were levelling out near Presthope from 8 a.m. till near six Mr. F. was with us during the forenoon, but has gone off to London this evening, about stations for the Isle of Wight railway not to return till Thursday.
Nothing can be more lovely than the country all about here and office and field work seem to be pretty equally divided; altogether I like the appearance of the place very much and the prospect of staying here, but Ridings told me he finds it rather dull for want of society. It seems that when the engineers first came here they were much sought after and the young ladies were most gracious, but now that it has been found that the young engineers only talk and flirt and go no further, people don't care about them.
This is a very nice sitting room with two windows, one looking over a garden and the upper reach of the lovely Severn Valley looking up towards Buildwas Abbey, a lovely and very extensive view, somewhat like that of Lympley Stoke from Combe Down.
I only got my railway pass this morning, but never had to pay but the first day – it frees me from Worcester to Shrewsbury and up to Much Wenlock – about £15, so that will make a hole in the remaining cash. Mr. F. was to order it for me in London. I will send you more news about this house and its people when I have seen more but as it is barely 2 hours since I entered it, and tea, unpacking, washing and settling have been gone through including writing this, since then, I defer further particulars till better informed, and I am too tired with the long days open air work to be capable of thinking much about what I am writing, but ask questions about all that you want to know. Send me any news you have about uncle Joe or uncle Willy
7.th 7. a.m. Ridings came in when I had written so far and ironworks in the distance looked very grand – the country is covered with them.
I am just going off now for a days levelling with Ridings and have no time to write more.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
I got your letters all right.
Ironbridge July 10/63.
My dear Mamma,
On coming in this evening from levelling I found your letter at the office and a telegram up here from Liverpool saying that the uncles would be at Shrewsbury at 5.30, and wanting me to come in, but as I could not have caught the train without much hurry and worry, and moreover could not have come back tonight, I sent a note to say I should be in by the first train tomorrow morning.
I have been out levelling with Ridings at Presthope (just the one Papa saw with Notcutt. As regards post, the letter leaves this at 7.0 a.m. and 7.45 p.m. and are delivered before 8 a.m. and about 5 in the evening, all come from and go to Wellington by foot postman. I do not want the little strap. Rain unless very heavy and continuous does not stop levelling &c. Reilly went to Liddell, whose chief assistant is Richards – I have not had time to answer him yet.
I have not yet got or seen the Ordnance Survey of Salop – I have not a minute even to think about anything
As to the Wrekin I have not had time even to look at him except from the train, or to ask about any localities or hills thereabouts – I never was so hard up for time in my life, and questions aggravate me when I cannot answer them.
As to exploring the country I don't know when that happy time will come. The best idea I can give you of this place is that it is like Clifton only smokier and not quite, but nearly as steep – there are no absolute precipices but the next thing to them, it is a regular climb of 6 or 7 minutes from the office up here – steps part of the way for a short cut – and such steps! where the Servern Valley opens out at Buildwas it is like the open lower part of the valley of the Avon after you have left the cliffs and downs. It is a most lovely country to the north and west – east the country is ruined with mines (coal, iron, &c) and ironworks.
The view east from this consists of a green bank or low hillside South there is a glimpse down the Severn Valley, but little view –
Fogerty – i.e. the Railway C° – pay all our field expences for car hire food &c – J. F. and 15 young men stopped for some weeks at the hotel in Wenlock when the parliamentary survey for the line was making, and their bills came to over £200 which the C° of course paid.
Coming back to day we came on a lorry or small truck; on the line there is a long incline down to Wenlock from near Presthope, and once the concern is set going it goes by itself the speed being regulated by using a piece of wood as lever against the wheel – it was great fun and we 2 and the 3 men came down on it at about 10 miles an hour Tom being breakman guard and all.
Mrs. Nevitt is a tip top cook and always asks what I would like to have but I try to make her invent the dinner, or rather tea-supper at 7.30 which, except breakfast is the only meal I have had in this house. I think I have told you all I could now. I like Ridings very much he is something like John Irwin in many ways, and we get on very well together; he is about 25, a steady hardworking fellow of a serious turn, but has his own little fun in ihm nevertheless.
I am now (9.30 p.m.) going in to his lodgings to make up our level books with him. You need not be surprised if you do not hear again for some days – I really have no time to write comfortably and must answer Combe Down &c
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Perhaps the Rostrevor folk might like to see this. I must write to aunt Nannie when I got time.
Ironbridge. July 14. 1863
My dear Mamma
On Saturday morning I went in by the nine oclock train to Shrewsbury and found the uncles at the Ravern Hotel. They came out here by the 12 train in which Mr. Fogerty was and he asked us all to dinner. After having shown them my lodgings and all that I thought best worth seeing about here, we went back with Mr. Fogerty in the 4 oclock train. I slept at Sutton Lodge and after church next morning went and found them at the Raven, we then walked about till 5 oclock when I came back here and after tea went to evening church.
Uncle Joe looks sunburnt and I think older, but he seems in pretty good case. I suppose I shall hear from him from Combe Down some day soon. Mr. Eardley the clergyman called when I was out one day last week, and yesterday I went to return his visit; he was out, but the servant said Mrs. E. was at home so I went in, and paid a pleasant visit of half an hour or so. She is a London lady, very much younger than him. Their house is just below this – as close as Tower Lodge is to you. This evening I walked to Broseley and a good deal further but as I have not yet got a map I don't feel at home in the place. I am thinking of trying to get lodgings up at Much Wenlock; it would be more countrified than this place which is rather dusty and smoky though there is plenty of green fields and woods close round, but going up and down this heavy hill twice a day is tiresome, and besides I would rather not be living in the place where I work. The constantly burning limekilns too are disagreeable when the wind is in particular quarters. I fancy however that it would not be very easy to get suitable lodgings at Much Wenlock, but I shall see.
I got a June number of Good words the other day, which I conclude came from aunt Nannie?
Did I leave my nail brush behind? I cannot find it anywhere, but I thought I remembered putting it up. It is the only article I miss, but if there is any chance of sending a parcel over there are one or two articles I should like to get over. Ironbridge would not do at all for you to visit or stop at – the hill would be beyond your powers and there is little to be seen below but if you were ever going to Bath from Holyhead or Liverpool you could easily make the journey via Shrewsbury and the Severn Valley and see a great deal en passant.
Yesterday and to day I was working in the office, it is cooler there than out of doors, but hard work as it is I think I like the field work best. I suppose you will see John some day soon. If I thought there was any chance of getting an answer I would write to him.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
You might direct to Lincoln Hill – I should get the letters earlier then
{The only uncle mentioned by name in the letter is Joe; he has retired recently and is about to move to Bath to be close to his sisters at Combe Down. The title erroneously names the other uncle as Jeffry, who definitely is at Carlsbad with his wife. The remark of 06.07.1863 points at William Paul Prendergast.}
Ironbridge. July 18. 1863.
My dear Mamma,
Yesterday morning I received a letter from you containing the photograph and another (here) this evening from you and Papa. Lauder spells his name with a u and not a w, and I strongly object to your orthography in spelling the days of the week without a capital at the beginning. On Wednesday evening Ridings and I went down to Bridgenorth and spent a couple of hours there; it is a dull old town perched up on the top of a sandstone rock, with the ruins of an old castle, but we had got too much of it before we left. The trip down is most lovely – finer by far than that from Shrewsbury here.
Yesterday evening I went to Little Wenlock, which lies near the foot of the Wrekin, and came back by Buildwas. There is a delightful walk along the Severn from Buildwas to Ironbridge and the whole scene looked enchanting in the seting sun – several parties were boating on the river. This evening Ridings and I went to the top of Benthall Edge – the cliff immediately opposite this place, from which there is the best view I have yet seen of Ironbridge and the Dale – the latter looked very well. Fogerty has gone off to London not to return till Tuesday, so Ridings and I are left alone in the office, as Notcutt is out levelling. I don't know when we shall be out again, but I ought to go up to Wenlock some day soon about some tramway that has to be laid down on a map. I hear the line will be opened from Wenlock to Presthope (3½ miles) before long, but it cannot be proceeded with till some drawings of sidings &c are finished.
Tell Grandmamma that I shoul be very glad to get a Morning News now and again, and indeed a stray Saunders – if not too much mangled – would be acceptable too.
I had a letter from uncle Joe yesterday but nothing new in it.
Ironbridge is certainly in Salop – I wrote to aunt Nannie to day.
There is a fair sized garden attached to this house, half vegetables – half flowers. The chief reason why I do not like the house is that I do not like the people though they do all they can for me, and though there are no children the house is not a very quiet one. Another great objection is that coming in after a long days work or a long evening walk the hill is rather too much of a good thing – Ridings finds it so much so that he is talking of going to live down below; however I shall not be in a hurry to leave this house unless I see something very good. Mr. Nevitt is either a master mason or a builder.
I tried to get the ordnance map both here & at Brigenorth, but in vain – so I shall go to Shrewsbury some evening for it.
your affectionate son
Francies E. Prendergast.
Ironbridge. July 21st. 1863
My dear Mamma
I got your letter this afternoon with the bit of flannel in it, but I had found the nailbrush yesterday.
I was very glad to see about the Greenore Railway and I think it is likely to be made, as it is the interest of Watson the contractor for the Newry and Armagh Line, as well as of that company that it should be made.
I went into Shrewsbury yesterday evening with Ridings and got Cruchleys Map of Salop – the Ordnance was not to be had, and the other is a very fine map. We had an hour and a half in Shrewsbury part of which we spent at Sutton Cottage eating gooseberries, which were very good and very abundant. Mr. F. was in London, but returned last night, bringing with him a Mr. Moore, late professor of mathematics in the Staff College, but who is going to turn engineer.* He came down here to day to see the works &c, and as it was a wet afternoon he could see but little, and spent what must have been to him, a very dreary half day in the Office, as we were all too busy to attempt to amuse him.
In spite of all Fogertys joking and fun, a great deal of work is got through in a day, and he both works hard himself and keeps others busy. He approves of my idea of going to live at Much Wenlock, and says I could get nice lodgings there so I must put my shoulder to the wheel and try to ferret out some, which is not so very easy, as it is not the custom to put cards in the windows when there are lodgings, but you have to find out about them from people who know the place.
Papas ideas of the distance of Wenlock and the time required to get there need some correction – it is 5 miles off and from station to station is never less than 20 or 25 minutes – sometimes more. This evening it came on regular tearing rain, the first I have seen here, and it has also got rather cold, but the rain will be a great refreshment to everything.
I have not subscribed to the Institution and do not mean to do so – it is far off, up & down a hill, but the Nevitts sometimes give me local papers to read.
I shall think about what articles I want over and tell you.
On ordinary days I breakfast at about half past seven or a little earlier and dine about half past 4 – I take a sandwich down to the office as it would scarcely pay to go put and down this hill for lunch – tea at 8 or 9 sometimes later, generally when I come in from walking. If going either up or down the line by the 4 train I dine in the middle of the day coming up for it. Ridings sometimes comes in to tea, or I go in to him, but as neither of us smokes drinks or is very talkative there is no great inducement to do so.
I hope you will see John soon and find out what he does at the Depôt.
I really did not know that my appearance was so venerable, but some one that saw me in Fogertys pew at Shrewsbury asked if I was not a married man (!). Miss Crookes, daughter of the manager of the Iron Works, is supposed to be going to be married to young Procter, the Dale doctor, whom Papa may remember meeting with his sister in the train. Miss Crookes is several years older than him, but all parties seem pleased, and it will be a great event in the Dale – she has been a sort of Sophia Miller of the Dale for some years. I have made no acquaintance with any of these people yet, except young Procter, who is not a bad sort of a fellow.
Mr. Allen the curate called on me yesterday, but I shall have to call again at Mr. Eardleys to find out his abode as he left neither card nor address.
Mrs. Nevitts weekly bill, all included, comes to £1..5.. which for what I get seems rather much (this however includes washing) but it is hard managing for one person, as I have already discovered, particlularly in a place where the only meat that can be had on any day except Friday is mutton chops, and where butter is only to be had once a week. The water here is scarcely drinkable and I have been taking her "home brewed" beer, which is very good, but she says she wants it for Mr. Neviett and now she gets me beer from the town.
Your affectionate son
Francie E. Prendergast
*He is not coming to Fogerty.
Ironbridge
Salop
July 24. 1863.
My dear Mamma,
On Wednesday Mr. Fogerty took Mr. Moore to see the Horsehays Iron Works and Ridings and I went with them. It was a great sight but unfortunately it was a wet day and we were greatly hurried for time. They are wrought iron works, and it is curious to see the way in which the iron is handled, rolled and twisted while at a white heat. Many of the men work half naked – some have iron wire masks to keep off the heat and sparks; some of them are extraordinarily powerful looking fellows, and the puddlers, who are merely common workmen, but who have dreadfully severe work, earn £5 a week. The work goes on day and night, the men working by relays. It was all the more interesting to me, as I had just been making some tracings of iron grinders for bridges which were to be made there, and which tracings were taken up, and left there.
Yesterday Notcutt and I went down by the first train to the Great Cattle and agricultural Show at Worcester. It is a gigantic show – cattle and agricultural machinery to no end, but though there were thousands of people there I saw no gentry (it was a 1/ day) and scarcesly a face or person that could be called nice. The only new thing (to me, at least) that I saw were the traction engines, which were kept moving round in circles to show how they work; they go very slowly, about 3 or 4 miles an hour and look very strange.
Notcutt, like a regular Englishman insisted on doing the show, and we accordingly visited every separate stall, shed and pew, in regular order which was tiresome enough.
We also went and did Worcester, I was greatly pleased with it as a town – there are only one or two good streets, but then they are fine ones. The cathedral, though a great pile, I thought poor, both externally and internally – no character at all. The whole place was very gay, and we did not leave till past six; there was great fighting for seats, and grand crushing on the platform.
It seemed strange going off 40 miles to a show, and as many back, all free of charge except 1/ at the show. Our free passes do not really carry us beyond Hartlebury 11 miles on this side of Worcester, but they seldom make any difficulty about letting you go on to Worcester.
It is a lovely country the whole way down and a very pleasant smooth line. I think half the railway people here must be Irish, for the chief guard on the Severn Valley Line is from Ballinasloe, and one, if not more of the engine drivers, is Irish. Tyndall came back from London yesterday, so now we have three Irishmen in the office, without counting Fogerty.
I had a long letter from aunt Nannie on Wednesday, but no particular news in it. Mr. Allen the curate called again – he is an unfledged young animal from Essex, only here since February – his first office I expect.
Fogerty and Ridings went off to Worcester to day, but I have not seen Ridings since Mr. Moore went off to day – he is a £600 pupil of Mr. Fowlers – I much wonder at his giving up a good position in the Staff College for such an uncertain profession as Engineering at his age – 32 –, Fogerty says he must be mad, to do so.
It has got cool again and Mr. Nevitt is very unhappy that I won't have a fire, and when he hears of my sitting with the window open, says "he will be starved with the cold" but I do not find it at all cold. The folk here keep roaring fires in all weathers and seasons.
I don't expect Charly will make much of his walking tour unless he is a little harder than he used to be – I think the third day would try him.
I am always very glad to get any L. G. news, but there does not seem to be much to get. Where are uncle Charles and Georgie supposed to be going? I expect to be at Wenlock and Presthorpe on Monday, but I suppose I shall be in the field with Ridings all day, and have no time to investigate Wenlock.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
25th. Yours containing Ormsby's just arrived
{Benjamin Moore, now 33, is an "articled pupil" ("£600 pupil") of the famous Fowler. Premiums are a matter of negotiation; Moore is rich and ingenious and can afford fast-track individual tutoring instead of mere training-on-the-job. Moreover, the established engineers can learn from him as much as they can teach him; for Fogerty he seems to act as a paid consultant.}
Ironbridge
July 27. 1863
My dear Mamma,
I have been up at Presthope with Ridings all day – it was broiling hot, and somehow very little work was got through; I had no time to look about at Wenlock, and indeed this place has already so far gained on my affections that I do not much like to do anything more than talk of leaving it. I got your letter with the Saunders, before I left.
The only incident we had to day was when we were getting our lunch at the Plough Inn near "Five Chimneys" there were a lot of half drunken navvies in the kitchen kicking up a great row – one of them who must have been at all events tolerably sober, was playing excellently on a dulcimer – he played some dance music really well and some of the others danced to it. Where the instrument came from, I do not know.
I wish you would send Isabellas carte – if the little album will come for a penny you might send it too. I was very glad to get the stamps – I had not had to buy any yet. Fogerty was to be in Kingstown for a few minutes to morrow morning coming in by one packet and leaving by the other – he is escorting a Limerick young lady – "the" young lady – so far from London on her way home; it is considered "suspicious", but as he told us all about it, and constantly talks of the aforesaid lady, I am inclined to think that she is not the one.
Ridings goes out again to Presthope tomorrow, but I am not going with him. He and I have just been taking our evening stroll after the days work. Ormsbys letter was all geology from from first to last, no news at all. What time do think it is likely you will go to Rostrevor? I got another nomber of Good Words from aunt Nannie, also a Newry with something about W. P. P. in it.
Fogerty will not, we suppose, be back till Wednesday – at the office I mean. It looks like more hot weather coming on again – the crops seem to be magnificent.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. I want a piece of black cord for my eye glass – can you send it in a letter?
Tuesday morning –
Papa's and yours of Sunday with the papers just received. F. E. P.
{"The young lady": Hannah Cochrane, as we will see. FEP seems to be spot-on as to Fogerty's lack of resolve; the couple will get married in 1865 only 6½ months before the birth of their daughter.
"Newry": a newspaper such as the "Newry Telegraph", "Newry Examiner and Louth Advertiser" or "Newry Herald". In February 1863, these papers (and many others) had an official notice:
Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland (Sligo Extension) Act, 1859.
Notice is hereby given to all persons whom it may concern, that William Paul Prendergast, of No. 30. Westland Row, the City of Dublin, Esquire, the Arbitrator appointed by the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland, acting under the powers and provisions of "The Railways Act (Ireland), 1851," and of "The Railways Act (Ireland), 1860," in the matter of the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland (Sligo Extension) Act, 1859, hath, in pursuance of the provisions of the said first-mentioned act, made his Final Award, setting forth the price or compensation to be paid by the Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland Company in respect of the several interests in portions of the Lands following – that is to say,
&c. &c.}
Ironbridge.
July 30. 1863.
My dear Mamma,
In this letter I send you a copy of Mrs. Nevetts last weekly accounts to me (the name is written Nevett). How much tea and how much butter ought to last me a week?
The Derry papers came all right, and I was very glad to get them.
Fogerty has had "important" business every Saturday and Sunday in London but now that Miss Anna Cochrane has returned to Limerick, I dare say he will not find it necessary to go to London quite so often. Notcutt says she is a nice, but rather fat, fairhaired girl, and says he felt greatly in the way for the few hours she was at Sutton Cottage.
Somehow this is a place where there seems to be very little spare time as by the time dinner is done, it is going on to six – then teas and some walking inbetween before bed time, so that I have really very little leisure in the house.
I have given up drinking beer in this hot weather, it makes one too sleepy taken at dinner time. It is very hot, but I do not mind it, and we always have a fresh breeze in the office as the five windows ensure plenty of air – most of the people here walk about under umbrellas, but though the sun is so hot the air seldom feels oppressive
It is a very lovely place – not so much Ironbridge itself as the Dale but indeed it is all lovely – the limekilns are the chief nuisance – I can count 4 groups of them from this house, and independently of them, Ironbridge is a smoky place. Ironbridge is not a post-town, Wellington is the post town but even that direction requires "Salop", as there is another Wellington near Bristol.
Wellington is 6 miles off; we saw it from the Wrekin yesterday, and mean to walk there some evening.
The Dale church is a very nice one and has a pleasant peal of bells whcih they often ring 10½ a.m. and 6½ p.m. are the hours of service both here and at the Dale and both Churches are about the same distance – 4 or 5 minutes. Ironbridge is the Parish, the Dale church having been built for the people connected with the iron works, and indeed they alone nearly fill it.
Among the things I want from T. T. are a little gray jacket which you will find in one of the drawers a measuring tape – a large one – in my press or drawer in the hall and the box sextant in a cloth case you made for it, also envelopes. You might have these articles at hand and I will think of more.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{Enclosed copy of two of Mrs. Nevett's bills:}
| Bread | ,, | 9 | ||
| Butter | ,, | 2 | ||
| Flour | ,, | 3 | ½ | |
| Milk | ,, | 7 | ||
| Egg | ,, | 1 | ||
| Fruit | ,, | 8 | ||
| Vegetables | 1 | ,, | 0 | |
| Washing | 0 | ,, | 10 | |
| Beer | 1 | ,, | 2 | |
| Tea | 1 | ,, | 2 | |
| Beef | 5 | ,, | 6 | |
| Sugar | 0 | ,, | 10 | |
| Apartments | 11 | ,, | 0 | |
| ______ | ||||
| £1,, | 5 | ,, | 0 | ½ |
| Bread | ,, | 9 | ||
| Butter | 1 | ,, | 3 | |
| Milk | ,, | 7 | ||
| Fruit | ,, | 6 | ||
| Beer | 1 | ,, | 0 | ½ |
| 3 Eggs | ,, | 3 | ||
| Vegetables | ,, | 11 | ||
| Tea | 2 | ,, | 2 | |
| Ham | ,, | 5 | ||
| Washing | 1 | ,, | 1 | |
| Veal | 3 | ,, | 0 | |
| Apartments | 11 | ,, | 0 | |
| ______ | ||||
| £1,, | 2 | ,, | 11 | ½ |
Ironbridge. July 30. 1863
My dear Papa,
Tyndal is a Wexford man – I think he was in the back room of the office, the day you were here. He has now been here for two years and is waiting for something to turn up. He is a big burly Irishman of 26 or more but looks much younger; though rollicking looking he is said to be steady enough. He is a gentleman in the strictest sense of the word and is a pleasant fellow, but I do not see any much of him.
You can now probably draw a mental photograph of him. He lives below near the Severn, so does not trouble Lincoln Hill much. Josselyn (that is Ipswich orthography) returns on Tuesday next, but Fogerty says he will not be fit for hard work for some time, and he is going to send him up to Wenlock to live.
I did know about Edwine Taylor, but according to the account I heard of him – from Miss Taylor – he died of consumption; I think I have seen a picture of some kind or other of him at Hillbrook.
Fogerty returned to day having been away since Saturday – with Miss Cochrane of course – she is a young lady of 18 just leaving school and he was taking as far as Holyhead on the way to Limerick – they passed through here on Tuesday evening, and she dined at his house en passant, at Shrewsbury. Notcutt says "Mrs. Humphries" & "Jane" looked daggers drawn at her – their easy times will cease if a Mrs. Joseph Fogerty springs into being.
Yesterday I had a great day – there was some little tracing to be done in the morning, and then Notcutt and I went down by the one traine to Bewdly in Worcestershire to see a new lattice bridge errecting {sic} over the Severn there; we had just an hour and did what we wanted very satisfactorily. Bewdly is a fine old town of some size, like all the places in the Severn Valley beautifully situated; it is 17 or 18 miles off. We were back at 4, and after dinner, at 5, Ridings and I went off for the Wrekin going viâ little Wenlock. It is a tough climb as we went, up the pace; the view from the top magnificent – panoramic, but it was not very clear over towards Wales, they say 13 counties can be seen from the top. There was a large party of 40 or 50 up at the top with music and dancing – a gipsey picnic is West Engalnd parlance. We did not get home till near ten, so it makes a long walk; afterwards I went and drank tea with Ridings; I like him very much, and one reason against leaving this place is leaving such a pleasant next door neighbour.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
July 30 yours of 29th with enclosures just received. I was not done up. You need not mind the album (for Mamma)
Ironbridge Aug. 6. 1863.
My dear Mamma,
I received yours this morning, and am glad to hear yo are going to Rostrevor so soon. There is a hinged folding bootjack, at present I think in the spare room which you might also send over. If the parcel can be left at Shrewsbury, direct it to me "Cloak Room, Shrewsbury Station to be called for," as I can easily get it there. I suppose Papa will return to Ireland viâ Liverpool & Rostrevor, at least he ought to do so, and if he does, I can easily meet him at Worcester or Shrewsbury, or perhaps he may spend a day here. The weather has changed to stormy and showery, but the change is rather pleasant. I care less for Cork papers than any others, but if you get stamped ones you may as well send them.
On Tuesday I called at Mr. Hayes and saw him, Mrs., and "my daughter; Rebecca", as he introced {sic} her. Mrs. H. is a pleasant chatty lady, somewhat of an invalid – Rebecca, nothing remarkable; Mr. H. slightly "up a tree," but anxious to be civil, and in every way a gentleman. Yesterday Tyndal, Ridings and I went down by 4 train to Arley, and spent an hour very pleasantly there; it is a very pretty riverside village, rural in the extreme and the country about all park-like. It is in Worcestershire, I think.
Josselyn has appeared on the scene, he is a very tall, dark haired, fresh complexioned fellow, very English and as old, or older than me.
Fogerty wants to send him to live at Wenlock or anywhere away from Sutton Cottage, as he says he is tired of grumbling Englishmen, but I fancy it is only because he wants to have his house clear – in case of accidents!
There are 5 young men in the office now, so we make quite a large body and are known everywhere, as being "on Mr. Fogertys staff"
Ridings was in at ten with me this evening, but went off at nine; we had been, as often is the case, over the works after dinner; there is a skew bridge building in the Dale which we watch with great interest, but this evening the earthworks were rather unpleasant after the rain.
Mrs. Nevitt thinks I must be "starved" sleeping with my window open these nights, and wonder I would not like a fire in the evening!
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
7.th yours and Papas just received. I have no Gt Western Time Tables, and I strongly advise the Flora in preference to going viâ Liverpool – it is a dear route in the long run, and 3d class trains seldom run through.
I would strongly advise Papa, if going to C. D. for 3 weeks to take more thin hand-luggagae and not flannel shirts – he can have any of my ties.
{"Up a tree": the idiom is used in the sense of "annoyed", so that "but anxious to be civil" makes sense. The pupils seem to be on a diplomatic mission to soften the conflict.
The verb "to starve" has retained its more general meaning in northern parts of England, akin to German "sterben" – to die.
"The Flora": a passenger ship, probably the "SS Flora" between Waterford (Ireland) and Bristol, the latter town connected with Oxford and London by 3rd class trains. The direct railway route between Liverpool and London is reserved to express trains. FEP's advice is his response to the latest letter from his parents; they may want to economise more than previously anticipated. Combe Down (Bath) is just 20 km from Bristol, so that the Flora connection makes even more sense there.}
Ironbridge. Aug. 8. 1863.
My dear Mamma,
I received yours enclosing Johns and the slip – which I was very glad to get – this evening, and the Saunders.
Yesterday evening Ridings and I went down to call at Mr. Hayes' intending to stop the evening there, but he was out with Mrs. & Miss, so Ridings went off to call on some other people while I walked off to Little Wenlock, and back by Buildwas.
To day Fogerty was not in the office at all, and has gone off to London; I had dinner at half past two, intending to go into Shrewsbury but Tyndall persuaded me to come for a row up the river, so I got Ridings to dine here and then we went off to look for Tyndall; Josselyn was with him, and somehow our boating changed into croquet at Dr. Webbs, Tyndall owns the apparatus, and Dr. Webb allows his lawn to be used; he had never seen two of us before but was very civil, and had beer brought out to us; he has 14 children, one daughter a governess and two sons played with us.
Afterwards I went and took tea with Ridings and have only just come back.
I like Josselyn, he is a very gentlemanly sort of person, with a very considerable amount of polish – or as Tashie would say, "with the corners taken off him." I think John is cultivating the acquaintance of the Taylors to a great extent – I must write and get his opinions about them.
You know of course that the office is in the Tontine Hotel, the ball-room on the first floor, being divided into two very light airy rooms in which we work – I sit at a window commanding the bridge so that I see everyone and thing and it is a tolerably lively place. Prehaps I never told you that there is a flight of 124 steps starting from the Hotel coming up here but they do not bring you up more than a third of the way at most; these same steps pass under the church-yard by a sort of tunnel for about 10 yards or so.
I don't think I shall want any money before the end of the month 25/ or 26/ a week is about the thing and I had £10. when I came to Mrs Nevetts. Riding lives cheaper £1. a week at Mrs. Thompsons next door, and though his rooms are not so nice looking as mine, still they are more airy and I think I should prefer them – he does not however eat so much meat as I do – I almost always have it at breakfast.
It has been very stormy to day, but no rain, though there is rather a flood in the Severn.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{"the Saunders": the Dublin daily newspaper "Saunders's News-Letter".}
Ironbridge Aug 15. 1863
My dear Mamma,
On Thursday the monthly meeting of the Bridgenorth Field Club, of geologists and naturalists, was held at Church Stretton, and we made up a party of six here and took a conveyance to take us there. We consisted of Tyndal, Ridings, Josselyn & myself, from the office; Mr. Allen the curate, and Mr. Woolner an artist, and teacher in the Government School of Design in Coalbrookdale.
It was a drive of 18 miles through lovely scenery and we had a very pleasant day ascending Caer Caradoc, a mountain of some height (for Salop) and heard an antiquarian lecture on the top, where there were fully 100 people. This field club is mainly composed of clergymen and young ladies and gentlemen who make science an excuse for amusing themselves. There is a very fine view from Caer Caradoc, and afterwards Ridings and I went up the Long Mynd Hills behind Church Stretton, which is a charmingly situated, half Shropshire, half Welsh village, lying between the Caradoc and Long Mynd Hills. We left at 8.30 and were not back till near 10 – the day's expenses for each were only about 6/- Tyndall was the manager for us. There was a great deal of walking and I think some of the ladies must have been done up after it. It was a lovely day but very warm, and the climb up Caer Caradoc rather steep.
On the whole we had a very pleasant day, and I saw a great deal of new and very interesting country. There were very few people ther that I knew, and still fewer that I should care to know – they are a terribly second class lot of people about here.
Fogerty is afraid he will have to leave his nice house at Shrewsbury and does not know what he will do as houses are scarce there.
I had a letter from Papa from Bath yesterday, and one from you this morning. I shall want some money next week, so you had better send the first half a £5 note.
Aunt Nannie's address reached me just as soon as yours, but it is well to put it in full. Thank her and aunt F. for their letters and Grandmamma for the papers. I got the Kilkenny paper at the same time, it was marked "mis-sent to Carlow"!
This evening I walked down with Ridings to Buildwas; then it was very fine, but now it is dark and stormy – it will rain sometime I suppose. I am very glad to find that such a taste for music is creeping up in England; in numbers of the cottages and workmans houses about here, you often hear harmoniums very fairly played and sometimes tolerably good singing also, but the English do not shine much at vocal music – harmoniums are used I suppose as they are so cheap.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Ironbridge August 31. 1863
My dear Mamma,
Papa duly arrived at Ironbridge by the 7.¾ train. After tea I took him about some of the Dale walks as it was a fine moonlight night. Yesterday was a lovely day and in the morning we went to the Dale Church, after which we walked up to Little Wenlock and while looking at the Parsonage there through the gate we were asked in by the Revd. Mr. Edmonds, his brother and sister in law live with him. They are Co. Down folk and 33 years ago Mr. Edmonds was curate of Newry since which time he has not been in Ireland.
Captain E., his brother, knew all about the Anchorage and Mrs. Innes, and several of the older inhabitants of Rostrevor.
We walked back by Buildwas and visited the old Abbey.
After dinner we went to Broseley church, a fine large handsome parish church to hold 1300 people; it is something like M.felt church only more cathedral-like. The service was very well performed, and the singing artistic. I think it is the first parish church I ever saw, and there is a great preacher there – Mr. Cobbold. It was past nine when we got back.
We were to have gont to Wroxeter to see Uriconium to day but the morning was so wet that we gave it up and are now thinking of going down to Bridgnorth as it seems to be clearing up. Ridings came in and paid a visit this morning before going down to the office. I got a letter from you this morning with a note for Papa in it, which I gave to him.
I don't think I have anything else to tell you now.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Ironbridge. Sept. 5. 1863.
My dear Mamma,
This morning I received your letter of the 3.d, mentioning aunt C's accident – uncle Joe had written to tell me of it already. I also received two papers – thank Grandmamma for the Morning News.
I must be reminded in proper time about Papas pen or I shall forget it. Thanks for the stamps, but you need not send any more for a while to come. There was a letter from Fogerty to day from Kilkee but no news.
On Thursday I paid a visit at Mr. Hayes' and saw him and his daughter – Tyndal was there at the same time. Yesterday Ridings entertained Mr. Hayes and me at a 5 o clock dinner, and you may like to hear what Lincoln Hill can furnish – 1st Soup; – 2d Sirloin of Beef very nicely served up with horse radish, potatoes, French leaves and vegetable marrow; 3d plum pie and soft rice pudding; 4th, cheese; 5th dessert of sherry buiscuits {sic} plums and pears, and soon after coffee – is not that a pretty good bill of fare? Mr. Hayes made himself agreeable and stayed till 8; I asked Ridings to see his degree and diploma which he accordingly brought down an also his gold medal, as having been first of his year; the latter I think rather surprised Mr. H.
After he had gone Ridings and I went out for a turn and then he came and took tea with me. The weather has regularly broken and this evening it is wild and stormy. We are all trying to make ourselves ill in the office by eating pears, which Josselyn brings down in his bag every morning from Sutton Cottage, but as yet we have not succeeded – they are fine pears, and I generally eat 3 or 4 every day. I have been working all day at my lattice bridge for T. C. D. and tired of having to work through all the summer; if I had not to work in the evening as well as in the office it would not be so bad, but I have no chance of any rest before Dec. 11., from that till Christmas I mean to do nothing but that is a long way off.
There is a fine red tom cat here who has just come in at my window – accompanied by the little kitten – I like the cat but kittens are generally in the way. When does Charley expect to be in town?
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{As we have read, Hayes must be placated on Fogerty's behalf. Ridings seems to act as the chief diplomat; he does not pay for the dinner from his pocket money. The location is probably at Mrs. Thompson's, but neighbouring Mrs. Nevett may have overseen the cooking, being the specialist. No effort and expenses are spared to soften severe conflicts and Hayes's possible mistrust in the team's proficiency; the gold medal – in 1860, in applied mathematics, of Queen's College/University of Cork, not TCD – does the trick! In October 1861, Ridings had obtained a Diploma in Civil Engineering "without Honors", which is simply a shorter version, not implying any dishonouring.
"Charley" Ensor is studying at TCD but using any spare time to work outside Dublin.}
AD. 1864.
FEP has returned to Dublin, taken his "Practical Engineering" diploma at Trinity College Dublin successfully, together with Wyndham Wynne and Montague Ormsby (as published on 03.12.1863 in Irish newspapers), and rejoins the team at Ironbridge. We can assume that he can expect a salary in the magnitude of £100 p.a. as soon as his diploma is written out, as we will read soon.
Ironbridge Jan. 30.th 1864
My dear Mamma,
Yesterday afternoon came a telegraph for J. F. saying he was wanted at Wenlock this morning, so at 8 I met him at Buildwas and we went up to Wenlock; with us were Mr. Clark, engineer of the Shrewsbury and Hereford Ry., Mr. Grierson Goods Manager in Chief to the Great Western and Mr. Roberts traffic Manager to the West Midland. They wanted to settle about the Wenlock Station &c, and after we had been at Wenlock for a short time, the engine was ordered out to take us up to Presthope, it is a small engine with no room for any except driver and fireman so we, – there were 7 altogether – stood all round the framing outside which was rather airy work. We rattled up, spent a few minutes at Presthope and came back down to Buildwas where Josselyn met us, and we then walked over the Dale line to Lightmoor. Mr. Grierson is one of the pleasantest, quiet, gentlemanly persons I have met this long time and is rather a young man. He is a very important person and has £2000 a year. Goods and traffic managers are not generally gentlemen but he is certainly an exception.
Roberts is a rough and ready Englishman and looks after the West Midland traffic.
Mr. Clark, though a very young man has been in India and seen a great deal; he was much amused when I told him of having drawn the lattice bridge at Bewdly which is on one of his lines.
I heard J. F. tell Grierson that the C. B. D Line could not be open before July – generally he says March. He did not go to Ireland.
I am rather tired, having been up since half past six and walking or on an engine till 12 and then drawing till 4 and J. F. and Josselyn went home considerably the worse for the wear of the day. It was very cold and windy going up to Presthope and we got the benefit of any wind that was going.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
What soppy, miserable paper!
{"a rough and ready Englishman": the opposite of a gentleman by Irish standards, but apparently at least somewhat pragmatic and constructive.
"C. B. D Line": Colebrook Dale Line, two months behind schedule. We are dealing with top business here; what a comedy to imagine the powerful managers standing on the outside framing of a running steam engine in cold windy weather, as intended for ordinary workers! (Although railways have been about for many decades, we're still in the pioneering age. In later times hierarchies become steeper, planning more detailed, and delays much longer nevertheless.) FEP and Josselyn seem to act as Fogerty's secretaries and "networking assistants", not unimportant at all.}
Iron Bridge. June 20. 1864
My dear Mamma,
Last Friday evening to get a little change I went to Madeby and then took train to a place called Malinslee, walked from that to Priorslee and then by Oakengates to Wellington, and train back to Lightmoor. It wa all through the "Black Country" and not pretty, but interesting. Saturday J. F., Notcutt and I were up at Wenlock and further, and I went up to spend the Sunday at Sutton Cottage. Josselyn was about so we were only three. On Sunday morning Bob and I walked out to Battlefield Church 3½ miles from Shrewsbury. It is a very ancient (Henry IV's time)(partly restored) church, very handsome inside, with choral service and more R. C. customs than I ever saw in any church or cathedral: at the end of the 2nd Creed the clergyman walked straight into the pulpit put his hand in his pocket, took out a discourse – it could not be called a sermon – and after reading it through, which certainly did not take 15 minutes put it in his pocket and concluded!
Our Sunday dinner was rather nice: lamb peas new potatoes, bilberry pie, cream cheese, strawberries and cherries, and the usual large amount of claret.
I found your letter here to day and send back the notice from D. E. P. Grandmamma also sent two papers for which I am very much obliged, the Newry was full of news that interested me.
I heard from Livsey on Saturday: his sister is dead; he expects to come back soon. Ridings has got a place under a Mr. Ross who is making a railway near Madrid; he is to have £150 per annum to begin on and his travelling expenses out will be paid; he has gone to Cork to bid his folk farewell as he is to go out at once. It is likely to be a long job. I know no more about it but will tell you when I do. Coghlan, one of J. F.s men who left shortly before I came is also likely to go out with Mr. Ross, but he will not go under £250 which he is well worth being (though very young) a man of long experience at the work; he was a paid asistant when here. I think I know the brother of Jones' bride; he used to sit next me at Exams, but I did not like him. Precy of Garadice, Leitrim.
Please send some more money as soon as convenient as I have only enough for this week. I have just got a pair of boots (ankle, lace) in the Dale and they seem very good, 16/- they were to be. Also please order and send 3 more of my "cartes". I don't think Wales is a good place for Geological Section – it is too troublesome a place and one of the very best places is near Ardress about Coal Island Pomeroy and Dungannan, where Shillington made his. Tell this to Charley Also that some of our men tried Wales and found it unsatisfactory. Don't get excited about my going over – it may be very far on in autumn, but of course it is quite impossible now to say how soon or how late. I walked over the line with J. F. to day, to see about the Lightmoor Junction which I am to arrange, it is a complicated place and will take much time and Consideration, and I have not quite finished Buildwas Junction yet though it has been on hands for more than six weeks, and I think Lightmoor will take at least a month before even the drawing are ready, to say nothing of the work, tipping, laying rails &c. However they are working at Buildwas already.
I doubt if even August 1.st will see the line open. I think it is just as well to be staying another year with J. F. both for the name of it and the profit of it, but I wish there was more more work going on, there is so little to see now, Bob and I are the only two who have any real work (i.e. not made work) on hands.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Ironbridge July 30/64.
12 noon.
My dear Mamma,
I have had a strange life since I last wrote. On Thursday I had an invitation to go to a pic-nic at Church Stretton given by the Arrowsmiths, Collegs and some other. Only Bob and I could go, as J. F. had accounts to settle and Josselyn was unwell. We left at 10.30, walked first up the hills on one side of Stretton and then after dinner 3 young ladies and three young gentlemen, of whom Bob and I were two, started off up the Longmynd hills on the Welsh side of Stretton. Young Lock and Miss Ward did not like climbing, so Bob and Miss Patty Nevitt and one of the Miss Arrowsmiths and myself started for the top, it was about 2 when we left and we did not get back till 6 when we had tea; it was a splendid afternoon though it had rained in the morning and we enjoyed the day very much, getting back to Shrewsbury at 7.30. I went to see the Arrowsmiths home and got asked to spend the evening there but as there were three young ladies and their mother and no other gentlemen I did not care to stay, so went back to Sutton Cottage, Bob having gone off with some one else. Well when I got to Sutton Cottage, I found J. F. had got a telegram from London to go up with the account at once and that he had gone back to Ironbridge to get papers &c, and had left a note for me and Bob to say we should have to work all night; soon he came back and Bob came in very soon after, when we had tea, and at ten sat down to the accounts, we then worked on without stopping for a moment, except for some coffee at 12, till 5 oclock next morning J. F. writing and Bob and I at accounts, J. F. was to start at 8, and at 5 he turned in for an hours sleep, but Bob and I did not feel inclined to go to bed or to sleep in the fine bright summers morning, so we went out for a walk till six, came home and had breakfast with J. F. who then went off: then we had a a good wash and lounged about till 11, when Bob and I had agreed to go and see Hawkeston, a splendid park belonging to the Clives near Wem; when we got to the Station we found the train did not stop at Wem, and in spite of the pic-nic, when we must have walked 15 miles at least and not having had a moments sleep, we walked off to Hawkeston 12 miles, then we went about the Park, which is magnificent, for an hour, and then walked 4 miles back to Wem where Professor Jack (C. E. Queens Coll. Cork) is staying with his wife at a Mr. Stewarts, when there on 5 Miss Stewarts; we were forthwith asked to stay to tea and play croquet, both of which we did, besides going in after dinner to see Mr. Jack who was dining with a Mr. Gwynne, who asked us to come in after dinner, and finally came back by train and got to Sutton Cottage at ten, so for 40 hours we had been pic-nicing, night-working or walking. We really did not feel the worse of it and came down by 11 train this morning, and I am taking it easy to day, but my arm is so tired between writing and helping young ladies that I cannot write properly. I expect uncle Joe here some time this evening. He did not say how long he would stay, but I have got him a bed at Mrs Thompsons.
We had a very pleasant day at the pic-nic, but the refreshment of it was lost by having to work all the night after it. Uncle Frank will be amused at these doings
Hawkeston is one of the finest places I ever saw and the trees are splendid ant there is water and rocky hills too. I never saw anything like the quantity of black rabbits, the place literally swarms with them.
The house is nothing remarkable. Miss Tudor, Rhode & one Miss Nevitt were at the pic-nic; they are the only names you know, I think. There were 30 or 40 people in all.
I don't feel inclined to write more just now but I think I have given you a full account of our doings. Josselyn is getting better and was up yesterday.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendegast.
["belonging to the Clives": that family had large estates in the region, but Hawkestone Park belonged to Rowland Hill, 2. Viscount Hill.]
In the train near Mychnlleth
(Mahunthleth is the pronunciation)
15 Aug. 1861
6.30 p.m.
My dear Mamma
Young Fogerty and I left Ironbridge at 4 p.m. with the rest of Sutton lot, went up to Sutton Cottage got our dinner in a hurry at wen left Shrewsbury at 5.30 and got down to Aberdovey where R. F. has a Cork friend on the railway. We did not get there till near 11 p.m. and next morning lounged about the place, walked on 4 miles to Towyn took rail there for a few miles and then reached Barmouth at one. On our road we had a splendid bath in the sea
Aberdovey I did not much like and the village is decidedly disagreeable. The Resdt. Engineer on the works there is also a Cork man – Irishmen seem to abound here. We nominally went for a walking tour in Wales" but the real fact was to get some ladies society at Barmouth as the Nevetts were staying there and had asked us to come and spend a day or two there. Barmouth is really a lovely place and the hills about most romantic. I don't think I ever saw a more attractive seashore place and there are lovely scenes there. We spent our whole time there from Saturday till Monday morning in the Nevetts society and Mr. N. kindly surrendered his sisters into our charge for the time being and I think we both pretty appreciated his kindness. On Saturday afternoon we all went out in a boat up towards Dolgelly up the estuary; the scenery there is something between Glengarriff and Lago Maggiore – really lovely, and we a repetion of everything by moonlight which gave a double charm. Both mornings R. F. and I had delicious bathes before breakfast, off some rocks.
This morning we all crossed in a boat to the South side, where Mr. N, who is not strong, went back with the boat and the two Miss N's came part of the way up the hill, for we were bound for Cader Idris; however they soon bid us adieu and turned back, while we pursued our way up Cader; we began walking at 11 and reached the top at 2.30 after a very hard walk and climb. There we came down a very steep path and had a glorious bath in one of the lakes Tal-y-lon which cold and clear and refreshed us greatly. We then Came down a lovely mountain gorge and on reaching the road found we had an hour and three quarters to go 8¾ miles to catch the train; it was a good road and by dint of hard and continuous walking we just did it and then found the train was 20 minutes late, so we had time to cool
The walk was through most lovely mountain scenery and an excellent road winding through the valley. I think Cader Idris is the most "paying" mountain I ever went up and view from it pretty magnificent. There steep precipitous rocks on almost every side with mountain lakes below – two, very large ones; there is a grand panorama of the most lovely scenery, and a more satisfactory view than one usually has. At the top we found the parsley fern in abundance. I enclose a piece. Altogether we have had a most satisfactory trip and, thanks to our friends who fed us everywhere, and from our going 3d class the first day it will be the least expensive trip I ever made about one pound in all!
We hope to reach Sutton Cottage at 9.30 to night after having thoroughly enjoyed ourselves since Friday evening – This being Monday evening.
We have got on very together and have had glorious weather the whole time. I heard from W. P. P. and J. S. P. on Friday, uncle Joe being about to go to Windermere. Tell me if this reaches you on Tuesday morning.
This train has been making up lost time and it has been hard to write. It is nearly dark now too.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
We went via Welshpool an are returning same way
Rostrevor. Sept. 19. 1864
My dear Papa,
On Monday morning last I left for Donegal and John met me with his gig at Strabane at 3.45 p.m.; it is about an hours drive to Raphoe through a hilly but highly cultivated country.
I found Isabella and the children all well and we had Mr. Weir, Head Master of Raphoe Royal School to dinner; he is is a very nice gentlemanly fellow of about 40 but unfortunately quite deaf, however John and Isabella manage to converse with him. On Tuesday morning John took me to a hill about two miles off called Mongorry from which there is a surprisingly fine panoramic view of Donegal Tyrone &c and fortunately we had a clear morning. At two, John, Isabella and I went off on his car to Convoy (2 miles) to see the Boytons and Montgomeries at Convoy House. We found them all, Dowager Mrs. M., her son Major M., Mrs. B., her three daughters and son, the latter about to enter the church, a Miss M., sister in law of S. Gordon's and another lady whose name I did not hear. They insisted on keeping us to dinner which was not till past seven and we did not get home till past 12. Convoy is a back-gone village but prettily situated in woods on the Deal Burn river, a very respectable stream. Convoy House is a large mansion in tolerable repair with nice old furniture; the grounds are very extensive with a great deal of fine timber and some very nice old tree-wallks. The kitchen garden is the finest one I ever saw attached to a gentlemans house. Major M. and Miss B., paint very well, the first shines at landscapes and the latter paints portraits from nature in a style that would please G. Sharpe.
Wednesday John drove me to St. Johnston (6 miles) and we took rail (6 miles) into Derry as I wanted to see the new bridge, which is well worth seeing – there is a good lithograph of it in my room. Derry has gone ahead greatly since we were there in 1858.
That evening I visited the school at Raphoe; the old diocesan library in it is very curious and contains many old manuscripts not relating to the church. Weir and John went over it and found many curious old books and manuscripts. I wish you could see it. Thursday John drove me over in the gig to Letterkenny (12 miles English) and then Fallon the Sub Inspector there, a Longford man, and Hill the County Inspector took us on their cars to the police barrack at the end of Lough Veagh (12 miles Irish) where we put up the cars.
Fallon came to do the honours to us and inspect his two stations there and Hill came to fish; then we went up the lough which is five miles long, Hill hooking a trout every now and then. The scenery is splendid as fine lake scenery as I know of the kind anywhere. No strangers are allowed into the glen unless by Adairs orders or unless known to the police. A keepers lodge near his house at the end of the glen has been turned into a barrack for seven men, two of whom are constantly on duty at the house, sleeping there during his absence and going on sentry when he is there. They look on being stationed there as a sort of penal servitude and all the scamps in the police of the county are sent there.
Hill and Fallon both say Adair will be shot, but they think not in Donegal. Fallon is one of the nicest fellows I have met for some time, quite the gentleman in every way; he is a good deal older than John – unmarried.
Hill was 14 years at Rathfriland and knows everyone in these parts; his chief failing seems to be selfishness but he is a pleasant fellow on the whole. John, Fallon and I went up to Adairs house and on coming back to the place where Hill was fishing we all dined on the grass, after which John and I walked back along the lake the rest going by boat. I see the juniper grows there in great abundance. We had a glorious moonlight drive back to Letterkenny – where Hill gave us tea – his wife is sister to Pratt, the Kilkeal curate, and she gave a package for Miss Hamington, which if weather permits I shall deliver personally. John and I did not get home till one oclock but as it was a fine moonlight (full moon) night it was pleasant enough. Friday morning John drove me into Strabane, and at 1.35 I reached Annaghmore and walked up to the cottage to see the Nashes; on the way up I met a farmer sort of fellow who was going my way, and I led him on to talk about all the people there, gentry &c and got opinions from him as if I knew nothing about them, finally he got inquisitive as to how I knew their names, and said he thought I must have been reared up in that county – when I said that old Mr. Ensor was my grandfather he sheered off to the other side of the road and looked at me as much as to say "You might have told me that before."
I found the Nashes both well and an invitation for them and me to go up to Clantilew to dinner; all the Obrés were very hospitable ane wanted me to stay the night and next day but as I had told uncle George I would sleep there, I walked over to Ardress after tea, slept and breakfasted there and walked over again in the course of the morning. I found uncle G. unable to walk with his foot, but otherwise well.
The place as usual. Saturday I dined at Clantilew and stayed till 4.30 when I walked into Portadown and only just caught the six train which brought me here to tea. The Obrés all seem most happy at Clantilew and the place is trim and the house nicely furnished, Mr O. as usual in high spirits; Eddie was not there, he leaves for India on the 12.th Oct.
His eldest daughter, now 17, is very nice and attractive, though not absolutely pretty, the little one is the prettiest little girl I have seen this long time. Altogether they seem to be a very happy household. Croquet is their main amusement.
I have got leave till Thursday and Mama wants me to go up to Dublin with her, so I shall go up with her on Wednesday and go on at once by Holyhead that same evening which will bring me to Shrewsbury early on Thursday morning. Would you get me a 4d telescope penholder like the one I have, and give it to me at the train? Tallon in Grafton St is the place they are sold. Also if it is not too much trouble would you bring Rob Roy and Two Years before the Mast which you will find in the small bookcase in the drawing room, and I can get them from you when I see you at the Drogheda Railway Terminus?
Please send this letter on to Combe Down as it will save a lot of rewriting – I will write to J. S. P. from Ironbridge. I forgot to say that Mr. Weir is all the better schoolmaster for being deaf, as the boys have to "speak out" and there can be no mumbling at translations, John helps to examine the school every quarter and says he never heard better translation. Johns house is a fine large light and airy one.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Adair: the owner of the entire area of Lough Veagh, The National Villain (after Cromwell), whose name needs no explanation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_George_Adair. To disobey his orders whenever possible is a national duty. He is neither going to be shot nor brought to justice, but causes worldwide outrage, even from the London Parliament in unison. When however Vincent Scully and few other MPs propose laws against Adair's practices, none pass.
James Ponsonby Hill: County Inspector of the Royal Irish Constabulary in Letterkenny, Irwin's superior. Note that the actual inspection is the duty of the two sub-inspectors; Hill takes the opportunity to "inspect" the trouts of the lake.
George F. Fallon: 1st-class Sub-Inspector dito
"Adair will be shot, but they think not in Donegal." – probably because only here the Constabulary is directly responsible for his security, and the officers will not risk their jobs.
Adair's house: Glenveagh Cottage – while Adair's pompous Glenveagh Castle is being planned.
Translations: from written Latin to spoken English, of course. The élite "Raphoe Royal School" is a mainstay of the Empire and thus a worthy object of a sub-inspector of the Constabulary, whose ability to sub-inspect Latin is implicit.}
Ironbridge Oct. 15. 1864.
My dear Mamma,
The Bridgenorth & Wolverhampton line is not going on this year, and I am to leave for Glasgow at 9 oclock on Monday morning – the train ought to arrive at Glasgow at 9.30 p.m.
J. F. has written to Blair to see if he will give Josselyn work, and if he will do so, Josselyn and I would travel together, but our starting might be delayed 12 hours or so, as Josselyn cannot have an answer till Monday morning.
Post nothing more to me at Ironbridge but address "Post Office" Glasgow till further notice. I only heard for positive this afternoon that I was to go on Monday.
I have just done dinner and am going for a while with Livesey but nevertheless mean to have all packed to night. It is rather short notice, but quite long enough for me.
Livesey and I had a pleasant walk down to Bridgnorth by full moonlight last night. I have had two letters from W. P. P., in one he said he had written about me to Blair so it all comes apropos. I hope to get the P. O. order on Monday morning, but have money enough to travel without it
I have no time to write more.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{Blair, now in Glasgow, had been busy at Castlebar (Ireland) before, from where he seems to be known to the Prendergast family. He is considered a rising star and genius, a great career boost for FEP, so that workaholic exploitation and possible lack of payment is accepted. An ambitious gentleman cannot be penny- and minutewise anyway, can he? https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/James_Fairrie_Blair}
Preston Station. Oct. 17. 1862
2.40 p.m.
My dear Mamma,
I got all packed on Saturday night and on Sunday took tea before church with Livesey and after church went with him by invitation to supper at Hayes' where were also Mrs. & Mrs. Bonner. They all (Hs) seem to be the better of their Swiss tour.
I got the P.O. order this morning but the advices not having arrived could not cash it and shall have some delay in Glasgow to get it transferred. This morning I left Ironbridge by the nine train, with Bob, who had come down by first train to get Josselyns traps. At Sutton Cottage I got a very acceptable 2nd breakfast at 10 oclock, and at 11.40 Josselyn and I left Shrewsbury with through tickets for Glasgow. I have left two boxes at Ironbridge addressed to Tower Terrace as I don't expect to be at Ironbridge again, Livesey is to see that they are forwarded – they contain summer & extra clothes and books that I can do without, as I have quite Luggage enough as it is, and we may not be fixed in Glasgow
J. F. says he expects to move to London about Dec 1.st but nothing is settled.
It is very pleasant going with Josselyn he is such a pleasant gentlemanly steady fellow – as Fogerty said in his testimonial, "of his personal character I cannot speak too highly". Blair is to give him work and pay and promises that I shall not want work – more, we do not as yet know. Josselyn only heard he was to go, last night
Though very glad to get to new scenes and fresh work I am very sorry to leave CB Dale and all its associations of 16 months standing. The only person it much troubles me to leave is Notcutt Livesey, though of course I am sorry to leave the rest. I shall most likely be with Blair till Christmas if not longer. J. F is very glad to get rid of Josselyn and me just now, but I don't think he likes the idea of parting finally with either of us. We are just at Lancaster now & I shall try and post this at Carlisle
your affectiate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
27 Sandyford Place
Glasgow Oct. 18. 1864
3. p.m.
My dear Mamma,
We arrived here at 9.30 last night and were met at the Ry. Station by two of Blairs men, which was very fortunate as we did not know the name of an hotel to go to. We went to Carricks, Georges Square and after breakfast went to Blairs Office 175 Hope St. where he has really grand offices, everything is in flats here.
I will tell you about them and their inhabitants in due time
There we went out lodging hunting under the guidance of one of Blairs men and after hunting in all directions in about 30 different houses, came to the conclusion that this would suit best, Josselyn and I having agreed to chum. We get two lofty, airy bedrooms and a large sitting room all on first floor (flats again as usual) for 29/ a week, firing, gas and attendance included – with a weeks notice to quit on either side. I don't suppose it will be quite as cheap as Ironbridge. Please send me by post Blacks Scotch Guide, which I think you will find in small bookcase in drawingroom, and take care that the map which is loose in it is not left behind.
I am not up in the geography of Glasgow, so cannot tell you about its (Sandyford Places) situation yet except that it is in the west end of the town. Please let my direction be known in all quarters where I am likely to receive any letters. I like the look and the idea of Glasgow very much as does also Josselyn.
Mr. Ross is the landladys name here. We saw lots of nice lodgings but only two that suited our ideas – some would have been £2.10.0 others only 23/-, but for the only two suitable ones they asked 30/-
I have been to the P.O. and arranged about the P.O. order which I shall be able to get cashed in a few days. I got your letter of Sunday at the same time and will answer questions and give more news when I have time.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{Erased initial address, accidentally confused with Tower Terrace, Sandymount:}
27 Sandyford Terrace
27 Sandyford Place.
Glasgow. Oct. 20/64
My dear Mamma,
On Tuesday Josselyn and I prowled about all the afternoon and had to dine at a restaurant as Mrs. Ross could not get us dinner on such short notice.
This is Communion and Fast week here (whatever that may mean) and everything is at sixes and sevens, shops are all shut to day and no business done except in some few offices like Blairs. Our hours are from 9.30 till 5.30, and at present the two principal assistants come back for three or four hours in the evening 8 till 11 or 12, and we shall all soon have to do the same.
The two assistants are called Gower and Crouch, both late of Fowlers office; Gower is an Ipswich man then there is a pupil called Carey from Guernsey (very young) and a young man called Simpson whether pupil or paid I do not yet know. It is all hard work the whole time, Blair working as hard as any, in a room by himself. Josselyn, Carey and I work in another room and the rest in another, besides which there is another spare room. I cannot tell you about Josselyn yet, but when things are settled will let you know; perhaps he may not stop at all. I had a letter from uncle Joe this evening; no news. Please send some more stamps. Open the nailed up box as soon as it comes and take the things out; if you can, open the other box with any key, if not I can send its key. You may tell Mrs. Harden about me and also Mrs. Griffith when next you write. If I am to stay here I might like to know some people. What is Lord Woodhouse remarkable for besides diplomacy, is he married and is it supposed he will be liked? The last thing I saw in the CBDale Works was a large statue of J. R. Godley about to be cast for Canterbury N.Z. Tell uncle Willie of this.
Sandyford Place is 12 minutes fast walking from 175 Hope St, through fine open streets like almost all streets in Glasgow. Yesterday was one incessant pour and it is cold an raw here.
Your affectionate son.
Francis E. Prendergast.
21st Yours of the 18-19 just received also P.O. order from Ironbridge.
{"Communion and Fast week": the week of the "Fast Day" (Thursday, Oct. 20), "Communion Day" (Sunday, Oct. 23), and other ceremonies of the Scottish Presbyterian Church. On Fast Day shops and factories must be closed.}
27 Sandyford Place
Glasgow. Oct 24/64
My dear Mamma,
Yours of 22-23 came this evening and I shall proceed to answer all your questions at once.
Here is no regular cessation of work in the office all day, but it is understood that we can go out for about ½ an hour (or less) to get luncheon which Josselyn and I do at a confectioner-restaurant sort of place in next street but one. I know nothing about passes yet.
Letters are not delivered on Sundays but are given out at G. P. O. from 8 till 9 a.m. if asked for. The Post delivery is morning and evening about 9 each time, but sometimes the letters do not come before we leave for the office.
I don't know enough of Blair yet to give an opinion on him; he is tall, light built, rather fair, unshaven, speaks rather affectedly (Dundreary like, a little) is unmarried, about 35, lives at an hotel here and though pleasant in his manner is not a person one would get very thick with. Our tickets from Shrewsbury were 36/6 each.
Hitherto all our work has been in the office with Ordenance maps, putting lines on there and making and mounting tracings of them; some of the others have some levelling to do in the City.
Blairs Lines are the Glasgow City Union, a line of 7 miles to unite all the Rys running into Glasgow and to make a central station; the Bill passed last Session, but there is a deviation wanted this Session which needs fresh work. His other line is in Ayrshire, 4 miles long, the bill is now getting ready; Josselyn goes down there with him tomorrow for some days, and I am to follow in a day or two; so if you don't hear from me for a week or so, you need not think anything is astray, as I expect there will be no time for writing down there: I suppose we shall be in Ayrshire for a few days. J.F. told Josselyn he ought not to work for less than £100 a year; Blair has offered him £75 for first year with increase afterwards if found satisfactory; if he does not like to take this, he will pay all his expenses during Parliamentary work (till end of Nov.) and as much besides as J.F. thinks reasonable. I think Josselyn will take the latter offer and not accept the years engagement, but I don't know, and will tell you when I do. I don't think Blair has any idea of paying me now. I expect to hear from Ormsby when the Diplomas are out.
I am surprised to find Glasgow such a very large place; its present population is about half a million (over 400,000) and is rapidly increasing. The street lamps are ver badly gas-sed and arranged for such a place.
There is a bath-room on every flat – water (from Loch Katrine) good and abundant. Shops good, but mostly rather small. Hope St is 12 minutes sharp walk from this.
The G. P. O is beyond that, about 7 minutes further. There is no drawing properly speaking going on in the office now – all map & plan work.
Yesterday Josselyn and I went to St Marys Church in the morning and St Judes in the evening, both Episcopal Chapels with Church of England service. Don't ask me any questions about churches yet for I can't answer them.
I don't expect to be able to write as much here as at Ironbridge – we are seldom done dinner till near seven, and generally take a walk then, but Josselyn had to go back to the office this evening, so I had a solitary walk. We have not been anywhere except in the streets yet.
your affectionate son F. E. P.
27 Sandyford Place.
Oct. 29. 1864
11.30 p.m.
My dear Mamma
Yours enclosing gloves arrived yesterday, many thanks for them.
I did not get the letter till this morning having been working in the office from 8 p.m. till ten minutes to 12 so it was Saturday morning before I got home.
We have been working very hard all the week, seldom leaving the office till 11.30 or later, beginning the second edition of work some time between 7.30 and 8 p.m.
Blair works as hard as anyone, and through the first two nights it seemed a very heavy pull working on so late, yet now I have got used to it and only grumble because it leave me no time to myself. I hav not even read the Times' regularly much less any of aunt F's cuttings which I directed and posted yesterday to her.
I also enclose a map whcih you can return to uncle Joe as I have not time to write to him or indeed to anyone but you, just at present; – please explain this in all quarters as I owe letters to him, aunt Flora &c. Josselyn went down to Dalry & Largs on Tuesday and only returned this afternoon. He was levelling and had great difficulty in one part, where the line runs through Lord Glasgows property; his agent had orders to stop the engineers and keep them off the property and had a gang of gamekeepers and ruffians constantly watching Josselyn and Simpson, however they managed to outwit the watchers and after some trouble and a good deal of dodging got all they wanted. Lord Glasgow objects to the line. This was at Largs & Fairlie (Ayreshire). On Wednesday Carey and I were down at Dalry correcting plans in the fields and Blair was with us most of the day. On Monday night Gower Carey and I are to go down to Dalry and the country about there and stop there till the section of 10 miles to Fairlie has been taken, which will take the whole week; I dont suppose we shall be at Dalry all the time.
Yesterday I dined with Gower, I like him very much, he is a good humoured solid Englishman (Ipswich) of about 28 and has been with Blair since he was at Castlebar. He is not very polished and has seen some service having been out in Portugal. Crouch, another of our men was out in Piedmont last spring. Please send P. O. order for £5. 0. 0 when next writing.
We have passes to Dalry. (vide map from Bradshaw in right hand drawer of Drawingroom book-case). Blair has gone to London to night.
Our bedrooms here are excellent – flats in Glasgow (as at Dresden & elsewhere) have kitchens on same floor and all just like separate houses. We stopped work at 10 to night and it seems quite like a half holiday! My hand is tired and cramped with constant drawing
Your affectionate son Francis E. Prendergast
West Kilbride
Ayrshire. Nov. 5th 1864
My dear Mamma
Last Sunday we saw something of Glasgow, visiting the cemetery and seeing the outsides of the Cathedral and Barony Church (Norman McLeods).
Tuesday, Gower, Carey and I came down to Dalry when we stopped Tuseday and Wednesday nights, being engaged in the vicinity both those days, then next day we moved on to this place where we shall be till Monday, when we expect to return to Glasgow.
We breakfast at 7.15 and start at 8, then work on as long as it is light which is about 4.30 or 5; and then return to dinner at six. My work is setting out the line by means of a plan, sticking whites, i.e. small sticks with a piece of newspaper stuck in a cleft in the top, in the hedges, roadsides and wherever the line goes, Gower levelling and Carey chaining behind me, I being generally a quarter of a mile ahead of them, they have two men with them and I have a boy, my work is easy enough except in woods, through which it is very hard to see how to drive the line, particularly as I have never been in the country before and do all from the plan. We only do about 2 miles each day and there are 10 miles in all, but I walk or run at least 20 miles set out, as one has to keep going backwards and forwards altering and "trimming" ones work, the curves particularly. It is most lovely country, something like that about Loch Awe, only not so grand, part of it is very like the Co. Wicklow, and we are close to the sea here; opposite we have Cumbrae and the Isle of Arran with the Mull of Cantire behind it.
We eat the most tremendous breakfasts and dinners, but nothing between except a lunch of bread and we take a cup of tea to keep us awake in the evening. The line is 14 miles long (Dalyry to Largs) but we have only 10 miles to do, Josselyn and Simpson having done the other 4.
Externally this Inn, the Wellington looks like a smal pothouse, but somehow it contains good grooms and comfortable beds and they feed us remarkably well, so I consider we are very well off. The letter was directed "Stoneyford" instead of "Sandyford" Place, and there were som P.O. hieroglyphics on it to the effect that there is no Stonyford Place in Glasgow and they had sent it to Sandyford, I think Papa might remember the name from its being so like Sandymount.
Charley sent me the Diploma list – he has got a Special Certificate in "Chemistry and Geology" – One subject not two. We shall have a quiet Sunday here tomorrow and if it is fine I hope to see something of the country, for really during working hours in the field one has not time to look at anything. We have had glorious weather except a little rain one morning, and it has not been very cold, in fact we have no time to feel cold; it is very pleasant, but there is no mistake about its being real hard work, and having to be constantly thinking the whole time makes it harder. I can't quite understand the natives yet but manage to get along pretty well, Scotchmen have no fun or life in them and won't hurry much but they are civil and work well but they don't understand "chaff" at all. We shall be working up to all hours again when we get back to Glasgow and I shall have no time for writing, so I wish you would forward this to uncle Joe as I have not time to write a separate letter to him. I suppose I shall find some letters from you at Glasgow as I desired them not to be forwarded.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{"Mull of Cantire" or Kintyre, a symbol of Scottish-Irish connection, long before Paul McCartney.
"Charley" Ensor has just finished his studies of engineering at Trinity College Dublin, with the mentioned "Special Certificate". FEP himself has won such a certificate in "Practical Engineering" the year before.}
27 Sandyford Place
Glasgow. Nov. 12/64
My dear Mamma,
On returning here on Tuesday I found several letters from you, ont of them containing P.O. order.
On Sunday we went to the Free kirk at West Kilbride and afterwards walked to Androssan along the shore (5 miles). I was glad to see the place and was surprised to see how much shipping there is in so small a place. Monday was wet and I had a weary day, fishing out my way through pine woods and sticking pieces of paper every few yards to guide Gower and Carey after me; the woods were dripping and in some places the ground was very steep and slippery and we all had quite enough of it when we finished at 5 oclock. Then we had 5 miles to walk back and I pushed on to get some dinner and a change of clothes, as well as to pay the bill and order a conveyance as we intended to Dalry and catching the Glasgow train there. However we missed it, and spent the night at Dalry, coming up by an early train on Tuesday morning. There has been nothing new this week except three days fog, during which we had to work by gaslight most of the day. This evening Gower, Josselyn, Simpson and Carey have gone down to Ayrshire to steal a march on Lord Glasgows keepers and agent and get a fresh section taken over his property on Monday as the line has been altered by Blair. I dont look at it in the light you do, as Blair or the Co. will pay any fines and it is great fun dodging people. I believe our fellows will go to different places – Ardrossan Kilbridge &c, and make a sudden, and it is hoped unexpected assault with our levels &c on Mnday morning.
I wish you would send another P.O. order for £5.0.0 as I have had to get a hat, and also a glass to replace the one I lost – this one cost 24/-. However I shall get some cash besides, next week, as Blair pays all our field expenses (all from the time we leave Glasgow till return) and I shall get them from Gower next week. Is the photo of Grandmamma approved of? I am very much obliged to her for her present but could not possibly write to her – I can only write needful letters now. To day I was at the office till 6, and on the strength of that and its being Saturday, am not going back to night. I heard from Sunsby that he is not going to India.
I shall write to Mrs. Harden to night, to thank her, and to say that any amusement is out of the question during November. I don's feel the wors of the work, but Josselyn looks "washed out", – I can stand as much work as most people and don't dislike this work, only for having no time to myself.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
I send a letter of Liveseys
Please return
{"West Kilbride Free kirk": FEP may have hoped to find tendencies towards mainstream Protestantism here, and found quite the opposite. In his letters he refuses to discuss religion, probably to avoid controversies with his parents.
"Lord Glasgow": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Carr-Boyle,_5th_Earl_of_Glasgow. The railway line was of course approved by parliamentary act (– how detailed? –), but the landowner, a former MP, is known for his stubbornness and occasional violence, thus morally "fair game" for dodging.
"glass": a pocket telescope, used on the job.}
AD. 1865
The gap of nine months indicates that FEP has returned to Dublin, looking for paid employment, but still under contract with Joseph Fogerty. Engineers are still in demand worldwide, but now produced excessively. A trip to London, together with Robert Fogerty, may help. The reports of his pupillage are satisfactory, but not the automatic door-openers previously hoped for.
Uncle Jeffry Francis Prendergast, recently widowed, is going to move to Bath, so that unfathonable financial resources are available if needed, but paid work is increasingly important for a gentleman's self-consciousness. (Jeffry himself has occasionally worked for Gustav Ludwig Preußer, mainly for fun and friendship.)
6 Blandford Place
NW. Aug. 17/65
My dear Mamma,
Yesterday I called on Marshall but made nothing by it except finding out that he was not a person likely to be of the slightest use to me, and my opinion of him is, that in a small way, he is the greatest humbug I have come across this long time.
Afterwards I called on Forde who I liked very much, he has no work to offer now, but hopes that some of his Russian and German lines may go on when they get capital enough. He gave me an introduction to Vignolles and also to a contractor named Crampton. Vignolles is out of town this week and Crampton was not at home when I called so I have those introductions still to present. I called on Vereker this morning but did not find him so I shall call again tomorrow. I called on Harris P. to day and he said he could get me an introduction to a Mr. Chaine (or Cheyne?) and could further me in getting some more if I knew of anything definite to ask for. I thought it well to let him know what I was about and he was, as ever, kind and thoughtful giving me some hints which had not occurred to me.
Is the Mr. Hore who shot himself the one we know?
Yesterday evening we went over the works of the North London Extension from Liverpool Street to Islington, they are nearly finished now, the station at Liverpool St. will be one of the largest in London.
I send a copy of J. Fs letter, which you might send to uncle Joe. I like Blairs better and think it is the more useful of the two, however it is well to have both.
I is quite possible that I may not leave J. F. at all, as, if the Bridgnorth Line goes on, or any fresh work turns up, I expect from what he said that he will give me £100 per.ann. and keep me on, but there is no certainty regarding the Bridgnorth business and I have little faith in it.
On Wednesday evening Bob and I went to one of Mellons Concerts in the Opera House Covent Garden, the pit and stage are boarded over and forms the "promenade" (1/-) the rest of the house is more: the music was excellent and the place crowded, they are all in rage now.
I wish you would get and send me on Saturday a P. O. O. for £5 in case we should start for Wales on Wednesday as Bob wishes to do; I don't expect J. F. will let us off so soon.
F. E. P.
Please send some more stamps.
{Charles Blacker Vignoles 1793-1875, https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Charles_Vignoles
Herbert Francis Hore 14.03.1817(Wexford)-15.08.1865(Dublin), "extensive landed property" Pole-a-Hore in Wexford, lived in Dublin, 15 Kildare St., "took much interest in the study of Irish antiquities, on which subject he had written several essays for scientific and literary periodicals" (certainly known to JPP), suffered from "neuralgia" and insomnia, "immoderate use of chlorodyne", shot himself two days before the date of the above letter, leaving wife and children. FEP must have read about the incident in an English newspaper.}
On board the Defiance
Burham to Cardiff
Aug 24/65
My dear Mamma
We left London on Tuesday evening and got to Salisbury at 8 p.m. and put up at the White Hart. Salisbury is changed since I was there last as they have got new drainage works and all the running water that used to be so nice has been covered in.
On Wednesday morning it was an even downpour with no signs of a change, but under the protection of our plaid and macintosh we die the Cathedral. The restoration of the Chapter House has just been completed and is very gorgeous. I think it is the finest piece of restoration I have seen yet.
At noon the sun came out and we started for Old Sarum and Stonehenge, it came on to heavy showers and thin rain soon after we had left Old Sarum which is the largest piece of ancient earthwork I know and occupies a very remarkable situation. It is 9 miles to Stonehenge and it was tremendous rain most of the time, however it cleared upt before we got there and we had fine weather the rest of the evening. Stonehenge is less in extent than I had expected but the size of the stones is very great. Salisbury plain is not very level-rolling like prairie.
We had a smart walk back, got our dinner at the Sation {sic} where there is a very good dining room, we got off by the 6.30 train and reached Glastonbury at 9.30 where we slept. There is a capital old hotel there and it looks an interesting place, however as our train left at 8.15 this morning we could not see the place as the Hotel people were late and we could not get our boots.
This is a lovely bright morning and we are sitting perched up on some chest on the fore part of the steamer, which although it is almost quite calm somehow contrives to roll a little. I shall post this probably at Cardiff.
The Bristol channel is muddy as usual but the coasts look pretty this fine morning.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
I don't think I told you that Marshall asked me to stop and dine but I did not. A girl has just begun playing a Welsh harp on board and the Celtic fans on board seem to light up.
Aug 28./65
Red Lion Aberystwith
My dear Mamma,
After leaving Cardiff we went up by rail to Merthyr Tynirl by rail through a very fine valley and left Tyndirl on foot at 2 p.m. whence we pursued the valley of th Taff to the foot of the Brecon Beacons which we got up after a long climb and then walked down to Brecon where we arrived about 8. The view from the Beacons is very fine and though there were two or three distant thunderstorms muttering on the horizon none of them reached us. The north side of the Beacons is very like the Mournes. There is a nice little Hotel at Brecon belonging to a limited Company like many others in Wales. We went on the following morning by train to Rhayader following the valley of the Wye the whole way, we got to Rhayader at 1.30 and then further walked up the valley till we crossed the Wye just at its source on the shoulder of Plynlimmon. It is a lovely and ever-changing walley wooded and picturesque in the lower parts and getting wilder and grander towards the upper parts. At one part it is somewhat like the Engadine and then narrows in to a dreary Scotchlike upland valley. We stopped at a place called Castle Taffryn Inn, an old posting house that had seen better days but where we fared very well. On Saturday morning we left the inn at 8 and ascended Plynlimmon, which was a much longer climb than we had expected but the view from the top was grand, we could see all Cardigan Bay and east as far as the Clea Hills in Shropshire.
We had a bath in a mountain stream and did not get back to the inn till one oclock when we had some potatos and porter, shouldered our knapsacks and set off for Aberystwith via the Devils Bridge – 16 miles – it was a lovely walk and the Devils Bridge is really grand and the scenery about there very fine for any country.
We got into Aberystwith at 7.30 and found all the hotels full, however they took us in here and got us beds out.
We then went to the P. O. where I found your letters and one from C. E. Jun. and another from Miss v. S. the two latter forwarded from Blandford Place.
We then went in search of the young ladies and found the two Miss Nevitts (alias Polly and Patty) just going out after their tea, but they brought us back and gave us some, after which we went out and were soon joined by Miss Barrett and Miss Thomason (alias Lottie and Emily) and spent the rest of our evening with the four young ladies, – is it not great fun the idea of four young ladies and two young gentlemen getting on in this way! The Miss Ns had not thought it proper to come to Aberyswith alone but thought four young ladies made quite a sufficient party.
Yesterday after church we were walking and dined with them, Miss Nevitt putting me at the head of the table; after dinner we sat and talked till it was time for evening church when Miss Nevitt, Miss Thomason, R. F. and I went off to hear Welsh service at a village about two miles from this, the other two young ladies going to Church here. The Welsh service and singing I thought very nice but we left before the sermon as we should not have been much the wiser for that part of the service.
We then had tea when we came home and went out walking afterwards till 10. Is not this the romance of tourring?
We had a grand bath before breakfast yesterday, but it is raining this morning so we could not get one. I don't know what we shall do to day, the young ladies are going home and I dare say we shall got part of the way with them. Miss N. has invited me to Shrewsbury along with R. F. to their house and apologises for not having a bed to offer as there is only one spare room which R. F. has been long before invited to occupy during his stay in Shrewsbury but I do not yet know if I shall go there at all.
I have laid out no route to Bath yet.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Miss Barrett and Miss Thomason (alias Lottie and Emily)": yet to be researched. JPP interprets "Thompson", does he know more than we do? FEP avoids first names whenever possible, as required by "good form". In cases of ambiguity, first names can be added. "Miss Barret" seems unambiguous enough, thus we may assume that momma knows her and usually addresses her "Lottie".
The conjectured Miss Emily Thompson may be one of the daughters of FEP's Dresden acquaintance James Thompson, moved back to Carrickfergus, who in the meantime has become a friend of the family, living sufficiently close to the Ensor relatives. Yet to be researched.}
The Ship.
Dolgelly.
Aug. 29. 1865
My dear Mamma
Yesterday afternoon we went out walking with the young ladies till four, when they retur{n}ed to pack up, R. F. and I going off to the top of the Constitution Hill on the South side of Aberyswith from which there is a splendid view.
At 5.30 we all left Aberys{t}with completely filling up a first class carriage with our party of six, we only went as far as Ynislas with them a few miles from Aberystwith whence we crossed to Aberdovey and spent the evening there with Hunter one of the engineers there and a Queen College Cork man.
This morning we came on by rail (4 miles) to Towyn where we struck up a lovely valley to a celebrated lake called Tallylinn where we went right upt the face of Cader Idris, reached the top about 4, after a stiff climb and got down to Dolgelly about 7, and as we left Towyn at 10 and had 12 miles before we got to the base of Cader we had a pretty good day walking. It was about the finest day we could possibly have had, we saw the whole extent of Cardigan Bay, a long low line of the Irish mountains, south the Brecon Beacons an all down that way, east the Wrekin and some other Shropshire hills and only on the north was there anything to obstruct our view. It was a grand day on the whole and we enjoyed it greatly. I have been walking the last three days in slippers with cotton socks and two wollen ones over them. It does very well as long as it is tolerably dry but when it gets wet or we come down a stone slide as we did to day the slippers do not suit quite so well. However I manage to get along very well but it is a nuisance having had my heel damaged by heavy boots as has happened to me.
I expect to be in Bath on Friday, or at latest on Saturday.
This hotel is full, but they have got us beds out.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Do you know anything of the McCauslands of Wrockwardine – Shropshire?
{Capt. Conolly Thomas McCausland 13.05.1828(Drenagh,Limavady)-25 Jun 1902, pre-marital daughter Mary born 1862 in Wrockwardine.}
Shrewsbury & Hereford Ry.
near Salop.
Sept 2/65 7.10 a.m.
On Wednesday morning we left Dolgelly and had a lovely walk to Beddgelert diverging from the road to visit the waterfall of Pistel-cain, about the finest I have seen in these countries, in going to it through an upland valley we passed some small ruines where a woman gave some directions. I asked her if she was Irish, she seemed much surprised and said she was a Wicklow oman and had not been in Ireland for 27 years.
Continuing our walk we passed through Maentwrog in the vale of F{f}estiniog and so on by the grand pass of Pont-aber-glass-lyn to Beddgelert, this was a 28 mile walk if we had kept to the road but we increased it considerably by going to visit the waterfalls.
There is a very nice hotel at Beddgelert and I am glad to see that ladies use the coffee rooms in Wales largely. Thursday morning was very wet, but it cleared up at 10.30 and we set off to go up Snowdon, without expecting any view however, and accordingly we were not disappointed when we entered a thick mist about half way up and remained in it till half way down. There are some wooden huts called hotels at the top, where the charges are proportional to the heigt. We came down to Llanberris and walked by the grand pass of the same name to Capel Curig and Bettws-y-coed where we did not arrive till after dark. I think this place and Beddgelert are the best I have seen – they are almost Swiss like.
Bettws-y-coed is the artists great rendezvous and there were a large number of that class staying there, in fact they were in possession in the hotel and we had, as usual to sleep out. We started on Friday morning at 8 and walked by the grand Holyhead road to a place called Cerrig-a-druidion (12 miles) from which we drove down to Corwen and took rail for Salop where we arrived at 4.30. R. F. had sent down a portmanteau and hat box from London to Shrewsbury Station, much to his disgust he found that the Station master had quietly sent them up to the office in Westminster knowing J. F.s address and thinking he was doing a kindness. However they were telegraphed for and were to be back to day. We spent a very pleasant evening with the Nevitts and I slept at the George which I recommend in preference to the Raven. Shrewsbury looked much the same as ever – quieter and sleepier if possible than before.
I am quite sorry to think of only passing through it and Shropshire, but I don't see any way to a longer visit. R. F. stops a few days with the Nevitts and will visit the Severn Valley &c. We have had a very pleasant time of it on the whole seen most of Wales as you will see by the map and my expenses as far as Salop have been £6.15.3. The hotels in Wales are fair enough in their charges except as regards attendance which is 1/6 per night and is very bad. I think we only twice slept in the hotels, they are so crowded that if you arrive late, there is scarcely even a bedroom to be had.
Except up Snowdon I walked for more than a week in slippers with cotton socks and two pair wollen ones over them. This trim does very well as long as it is not very wet or stormy. I completely wore out one pair. I have booked through third class to Gloucester via Hereford – it is very cheap 6/8½ from Salop to Gloucester and one more often is put into a second class carriage than a third
Gloucester – I have just seen the Cathedral and town and don't think much of either. The Cathedrall seems small and poor internally.
It is tremendously hot here and I shall post this without waiting till I get to Bath
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendertast
The Peahen.
St Albans.
Hertfordshire.
Sept 16/65
My dear Mamma,
I had written to Martley to ask fo a pass of self and Livesey to Canterbury from Saturday to Monday, but instead of the pass I got a letter from his secretary saying Mr. Martley was out of town, so the pass was not forthcoming; I wanted to get out of London for the Sunday if possible, and Livesey and I settled on this place, it is 20 miles from London and we came down there the first 10 to Barnets by rail and walked from that.
It was nearly dark when we got in so we have not seen much of the place; it is mainly remarkable for a large and ancient abbey.
I called on Mr. Thomas at Turners yesterday – he said if I was willing to undertake the entire charge and responsibility of the surveying and levelling of 10 or 12 miles of him for Parliamentary work that Mr. Turner would employ me, adding that the work would be certainly opposed – i.e. gone over by opponents to try and find out mistakes.
I did not at all like the idea of undertaking this work, the responsibility being so great and the time for which I should be employed so short – a month at the outside, with no prospect of being kept on Turners staff.
I wrote to Mr. F. asking if he thought I should be justified in accepting this work – my own impressions being against undertaking it. I send his reply which you may as well return to me – of course I shall act on it and not take the work, which really is work only to be undertaken by an experienced surveyor. It is strange, if one has any introductions, how ready people are to take one at his own estimate of himself.
At any rate I have no intention of taking anything but what I feel capable for.
Your affectionate Son
Francis E. Prendergast
6 Blandford Place.
N.W.
Oct. 16/65
My dear Mamma,
We arrived this morning as usual 15 minutes behind time and I found the same grey fog or mist up here as at Oxford which lasted more or less the whole day.
J. F. came in soon after me and professed to be very sorry on hearing that I had to go, the more so as he is really (if all goes right) going in for the Bridgnorth line and talks of sending down all the office this week. He told me to make out an account at the rate of £100 per an. since I came back from Wales as there was that amount due to me. This will be £9.11.9 which though not a very gigantic sum is still worth having. I really had not understood that I was working for pay during this time, but he explained that he had intended giving me £60 a year till he got some definite work (such as the Bridgnorth Line) when he would give £100, and now says that he will always keep a place for me on his staff, &c all which sounds very well, but the cash is the only definite thing I have seen or heard of this long time.
I can make out nothing about Southampton and Bordeaux boats, there seem to be none, but there are boats every 10 days from off the Tower which I shall enquire about tomorrow. I see 2d class to Marseilles is about £5. 0. 0 to Bordeaux about £4. 0. 0 both from London. Till uncle Joe specifies some plan it will be hard to decide on any route.
I find I have a lot of books &c to leave behind. Also a 2nd hat, is there any use taking this down to Oxford?
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
I sent a Daily Telegraph to you to day which has advt. of Edinburgh Review, also notice of Ensor of Queens Cambridge having been elected to a scholarship – but is only the formal consequent on what he really got in Spring.
{If I calculate correctly, FEP has been working for Fogerty at London for 35 calendar days. Only if you really quit, you will be offered cash. Moreover, FEP is now accepted as an employable professional, which he can use as a good argument against any offer of less salary or unpaid "beginner's" work.
But travelling to the Continent is another qualification for a gentleman, valued highly by the parent generation, though not by all engineering enterprises. Uncle Joe co-sponsors the trip and has a say about who is to be visited ("called at") in Italy.
Newspapers e.g.: "Cambridge, Oct. 14. ... Queen's College. The following appointments have been made: – ... Ensor, elected to a scholarship of £40; ...". No first name, no subject mentioned.}
Note.
Here should follow the 'Letters from South of France & Italy' which are bound up in a separate volume, the paper they are written on being so thin that they required a different kind of binding, called Caoutchouc binding.
John P. P. 20 Feb 1876.
{In this digital file, we continue chronologically with the MS(FI) volume and resume MSC afterwards.}
Lyons. Hotel Collet.
Wednesday Oct. 25th.
My dear Mamma,
The first event after leaving Oxford was the meeting Mr. Dickinson of Coalbrookdale on the Paddington platform but of course we had only just time to shake hands. It was pouring rain in London and generally miserable it having been raining most of the day.
I had only just time to get all down and get over to Waterloo, in time to get a cup of tea (not good) and some cold beef in the refreshmen {sic} room. Of course I did not get across without a storm; it was dead calm and raining when we railed but before morning it cleared and came on to blow hard enough to make the steamer very lively and finally before reaching Havre to make me very uncomfortable; instead of 9½ it was an 11½ hour passage. The boats are very roomy, airy and clean, with fine large berths in a sleeping cabin forward, after the fashion of the Holyhead boats. Just before landing I picked up with what I supposed to be a German and we took a cab together up to the station. No one produced any passports on landing, though a fat gend'arme came on board to look after them. He asked some French castle dealers on landing if they were English they replied "oui, Englisch", whereupon he laughed and corrected them saying they should have answered in English! My companion and I went to a restaurant near the station and got some "dejeuners" but neither of us could do much in that line; I don't ever remember feeling more done up after a passage.
After we got into the train I found my friend was one of those unhappy mortals who have no native tongues and can speak no language perfectly – he could talk French, German, and English quite fluently but you would know in a moment that he did not really belong to any of the three nations, he was born in the Vosges and had lived everywhere, I think he was a commercial, a little better than the ordinary scum, at all events he was very amusing and useful to me. It was a lovely but windy day going up to Paris and part of the country near Pont de l'Arche put me much in mind of Saxony as seen from the Leipsic-Dresden railway across the Elbe.
When we got to Paris we left our luggage at the station and went and dined at a café restaurant and afterwards walked about for an hour to the Place de la Concorde, the nwe Opera-house, Tuileries gardens &c. I found I remembered all the places well enough, though only there for one day in 1862.
Afterwards he left by a Strasbourg train before mine, and when I got to my station, I found that the train started at 9 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. having been altered the very day before. This entailed a long wait but there was plenty to look at.
The train started duly at 9 and as there were only three in the carriage there was plenty of room for sleeping and I slept pretty comfortably most of the night. Train arrived here at 8 and there is a Ry. omnibus which takes passenges to all the hotels, a very good arrangement I think, as they charge only 60 cants (6d); everyone seems to use it. This seem a very fair Hotel, but is the 3d or 4th best in the town and I came to it not liking the gigantic ones.
The only individual here who seems to be able to speak anything but French is a little waiter, who comes from Stuttgard and as I talk German to him, has taken me under his special charge.
They put me into a wrong room this morning and there has been a lot of trouble changing the luggage, keys &c and I have had to air my French considerably already, very much against my will, however it seems coming back even now.
Lyons is a grand city. I have never seen anything finer than the Quays running the whole way along the Rhone and Saône on both sides, and a new street, the Rue Imperial, would compare with any in Paris. I like the cathedral too, and the picture gallery, though small, is well worth seeing. It is now 4 oclock and I have been lounging about ever since eleven, but though I twice attempted it, both times missed the way to som heights on the western bank of the Saône overlooking the city and which Murray says is one of the points to be done. The shops are very fine, the word "châles" (neither châles nor shawl to be found in Nugent!) seems the predominant one here.
The streets are very gay and lots of people walking and lounging about. It is just a pleasant heat out of the sun, but at mid-day most people had umbrellas up when walking in the sun. My companion yesterday told me that Taylors two sons still live at Marseilles and have large machine factories there. Might not an introduction be obtained to them viâ P. M. Taylor? I find on inquiry that the steamers to Avignon are rather uncertain so I think I shall go by rail. After the long journey I don't feel tired and am now looking forward to the table d'hote at half past five. This paper having been folded before, is very unpleasant to write on.
You might send this to uncle Joe as I don't feel inclined to write two sets of letters. Your affect. son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Grand Hotel de Marseille
Marseilles. Friday Oct. 27/65.
My dear Mamma,
After posing my letter to you yesterday I went to the table d'hote at 5.30 at which about 20 sat down, no English, two Germans and one Italian. The little German waiter was duly attentive to me and after dinner advised me to go across the street to a music hall place where there was some wonderful lady who had got 8000 (qu?) francs to come down from Paris and sing at Lyons. However I was too tired for such amusements and turned into bed at nine. Yesterday morning I left Lyons at 8, going to the station in the hotel omnibus which figured in the bill for one franc, a Frenchman who had been stopping at the hotel just like me and had come in the omnibus too, only paid the conductor half a franc – do they in France as in Switzerland, charge English folk just double what they do their own country men?
In the carriage for Avignon there was a young woman dressed in black who turned out to be a German ladies maid, travelling with an English family, a Parisian lady and her two children and a young man speaking English French and German, who on inquiry proved to be a Frankforter – Germans again. I never yet met a Frankforter who had not highly republican ideas on all points and this one was no exception to the rule. He remarked, as is quite true, how much time the French spend billiard playing and card playing, at both of which you see them quite early in the morning lounging in the café's as if business was quite a secondary matter.
The first thing that struck me after leaving Lyons was the great number of huge melons or gourds lying in the bare fields, some green, some white and others bright yellow or orange; then the barrels; barrels everywhere, like coals in England. Here I saw the adobé walls for the first time such as one reads of in books on Mexico and Califorrnia; once built they seem sufficiently lasting, but while building they have to keep them covered, or the clay and stones of which they are built would be washed away.
How fond the French are of suspension bridges, they are to be seen everywhere and always look light and graceful; probably one reason why they are so much used in this part of the country is that the rivers are mostly mere torrents, dry in one season and huge rivers in another and the one or two piers required for a suspension bridge take up so little of the available waterway. The whole country looks as if it was alternately deluged with rain and scorched up with the sun.
How is it that the water here though generally as muddy as our own when running, yet so perfectly clear when allowed to settle in the pools and ditches? Doas the sun cause this?
In some places I observed that the Railway was raised on a slight bank without any apparent engineering reason, as the stuff for the bank had to be taken from beside the line, but I suppose this was done where the country was likely to be flooded. As we got further south the rugged and broken Alps of Dauphiné began to appear in the east, olive trees – unromantically like bog myrtles, – roses and acacias looked summerlike under a bright blue sky and even the houses began to have an Italian look.
Perhaps the most striking change of all was the clearness of the air, very refreshing after the thick October weather in England.
At ome place we passed the scene of a late railway accident, the account of which I had read in a Marseilles paper at Lyons; the engine had run down the side of an embankment and was lying there on its side about half way down; some yards from it lay the tender similarly situated. While talking of French Railway I may mention some particulars which may be new to you; at the station, having taken your ticket you then proceed to register your baggage, you present your ticket (which must be obtained before you can register the luggage or enter the waiting room) and the lugguage is weighed by a porter who takes your ticket and shouts out the number of your articles their weight and destination to a clerk in an office close by, handing in your ticket at the same moment which you get back with another luggage ticket at a window beside where you are standing. For my portemanteau I have had each time to pay 10 centimes (1.d) but I believe this is merely registration fee and not overweight charge. (Weight allowed free 30 kilogrammes = 66 lbs.) On arriving at your destination you are kept waiting some minutes till the luggage is all set out in the station house and you get it on presenting your baggage ticket; all this does very well when one is not in a hurry and saves a great deal of trouble in some ways, but on the other hand it wastes a great deal of time both on at starting and on arriving and entails a great nuisance – that of people lugging into the carriages with them anything they can possibly carry. This is I think a silent comment of the people themselves on the whole proceeding and shows how they dislike it.
To return to the point of departure; having procured your ticket and shown it to the man at the entrance of the waiting room he admits you and you are there kept penned up till five or at most ten minutes (often less than five though) before train time when the doors are thrown open, all politeness vanishes and a general rush and scramble for the carriages ensues. N.B. This is not the case at Havre – perhaps they found John Bull would not stand it. As Bradshaw says this whole system cannot be too much condemned. Indeed it is hard to see what possible advantage it can have either for the public or the railway officials, unless perhaps that it gives employment to a large number of the latter. The French 1st class are about the same as our own and the 2nd class almost the same as the 1st except that they hold 5 instead of 4 on a side and are perhaps not quite so lavishly padded. The third class seems the same as our own. What hideous engines they have! It is strange that so tastaful a people should be so utterly devoid of all taste in machinery – they seem to have no idea of proportion in the various parts.
About a month ago I had prepared some wedges to carry with me in railway travelling for the purpose of stopping rattling windows, little thinking that they would so soon be used on a long journey like this. I have been intending to make them for a long time but this is the first journey on which I have either had or used them. However I am taking a long time to get to Avignon when I arrived at three p.m. and got to the Hotel d’Europe.
Avignon seemed to be a thoroughly Italian place, tall houses, narrow streets all paved and rather odoriferous, with women sitting in all the doorways. I first made my way to a very fine promenade by the Rhone, where a French military band was performing some rather wild music, seemingly much to the delight of the townsfolk who were lounging about in great numbers, then I strolled up past the old Papal Palace (now a barrack) to the Cathedral and the heights above it, which are nicely laid out as a garden and promenade.
This point commands a splendid view; on one side, the city abounding in churches all seemingly under the guardianship of the gilt angel on the top of the cathedral, on another the Rhone far below at our feet, a very long narrow steamer slowly struggling against the stream and further off across the the grand old fortifications and walls of the town of Villeneuve. As if to make the scene a little more romantic a crescent moon was high up in the south, the sun having just gone down, and the strains of the military band could just be faintly heard.
It is our of those views that remain fixed in the eye and can be recalled at any moment. However the hour for the table d’hote was rapidly approaching and on sitting down to it I found the company almost exclusive English, all en route for Cannes; the hotel people and porters all seem to presume that every one must be going there and everyone asks me if I am not "going to Cannes".
There were two town Cats present at the table d'hote one of them (red) the largest cat by far I have ever seen and quite as sedate as such ainmals are wont to be.
Here begin the tiled floor (even in the bedrooms) large open court-yards with trees and flowers, hearths instead of fireplaces and other southern signs reminding one of Italy. It is a very nice hotel and the hostess the first Frenchwoman I ever met who would speak slowly if asked to do so. No one seemed able to speak anything but French, though they call it an English hotel. The portes too speak a horrid patois and to my ears not over and above familiar with rough French it was all but unintelligible. I had just two hours yesterday in Avignon and felt quite sorry this morning at leaving it so soon, but it was drizzling rain and no particular inducement to stay so I came off by the nine a.m. train and after a while emerged into the sunshine.
It is strange country one passes through south of Aviguon, part of it is that dreary barren plain called the Cran, a stony desert which makes one feel the luxury of railways to take one so rapidly across so dreary a spot.
Here I remarked, how small an extent the eye could take in even from the railway carriage and how small, or rather how close an horizon a man must have in the Desert or on the Prairies.
To day in the train I observed an officer, probably naval, with a uniform very similar to that of the English Navy, except that it had volvet cuffs of that peculiar reddish purple which gives so rich an appearance alongside of gold.
The last station we stopped at before Marseilles was Rognac after which the character of the country changes entirely, and assumes what I fancy to be a Mexican look – plains, with mulberries and olives scattered over them and here and there rocky hills, gently sloping at the bottom and suddenly getting precipitous at the top where the rock is quite bare. Then comes a tunnel 2¾ miles long and on emerging from it the Mediterranean comes into view, to day looking rather hazy and not very blue, in fact looking very much like any other sea. I had been advised to go to the "Grand Hotel" at Marseilles but on referring to Bradshaw (there are new hotels everywhere since the date of my Murray – 1861) I find "Grand Hotel du Louvre”, “Grand Hotel de
l'Univers", "Grand Hotel Noailles", "Grand Hotel des Colonies" "Grand Hotel de Marseille"
Pretty well is it not? However I selected the last named and it is a large and most excellent hotel – the bill of course I have not yet seen. There is no table d'hote but you dine à la carte in a courtyard roofed in with glass, and very light and chearful. It is in fact a regular large 1st class hotel.
The head writer and some others are Germans so German proves my travelling language, it is a most useful Hotel language on this account. I got here at 1.30 and after having had a good déjeûner of ommelette, veal cutlet and claret went off to expose Marseille. It is a magnificent city very gay and with fine shop and Quays. This street (Rue Cannebière and Noailles) is a very fine broad handsome street leading right down to the port. I first went to the post and got your letter (enclosing card of hotel at Hyères) which I see by the post mark arrived this morning. Then I went down on the Quays but as the vessels lie at right angles to the wall there is not much of them to be seen. I did not hear a word of English or see an English face either there or anywhere except in the hotel to day, which seems very strange to me – there must surely be so very many English here. Afterwards I made my way up to a chapel on a hill south of the town from which there is a magnificent view, panoramic in fact, taking in the Mediterranian, the whole of the city, surrounding country and coast in the east. The chapel, Notre Dame de la Garde is a curious building filled with pictures of all kinds of escapes from shipwrecks, accidents &c, really very curious and though Murray calls them daubs, they do not all deserve that name.
I have seen faces and costumes and heard languages to day that I never came across before; indeed from Lyons down everything has been new and interesting to me and I never enjoyed a journey more. The weather too is nearly perfect for travelling, warm enough to be summerlike and pleasant, yet not too hot for comfort in Railway travelling where heat gets very unpleasant. The only things I have to grumble at are the Frenchmen and their language, but perhaps I shall know and like both better before long. I have not written anything about the people as I do not yet know enough of them to continue without prejudice – they are not like things that one can read at a glance. However I have one thing to growl at and that is my writing apparatus – the paper has been folded and is odious to write on, rising and falling with the strokes of the pen, the case is new and sags when one tries to write on it and finally the table is a thoroughly uncomportable one to write at; the ink (my own) is the only good thing in the lot.
However I have written these 2¾ sheets this afternoon and only hope you will be able to read them easily. It is 11. p.m., so I stop.
Hotel d'Orient, Hyères. Oct. 28.th
This morning after breakfast I resumed my wanderings about Marseilles and went down to the new Port of la Joliette by the new Rue Imperial, a magnificent street nearly completed and which when finished will be the 2nd, if not the first street in the city; it connects the land ends of the new and old ports.
They are building at a most astounding rate all round the new port, I should almost fancy they were overdoing it, but probably they know best. They do not seem well off in the matter of docks. I was amused at the signs over the shops on the Quays, in every language imaginable – Greek, Russian and Turkish or Arabic amongst others. One sign was G. Murphy Ship Chandler; another "Richards Store over the way"; another "Good Vinn".
Near the post office I was delighted to see a green "London Chatham and Dover Railway" advertisement. I should not wonder if they had put one up on the great pyramid or somewhere in the rocky mountains; they certainly are ubiquitous. I walked out to the point on which the Baths (sea) are situated and there part of the way along a fine road round a high rocky point, but was fairly driven back by the wind. It was blowing a strong gale from the south and the blue-black waves were rolling in and breaking into spray on the rocks some 60 feet below, the wind sending the spray up over the road and making the gravel and dust fly about in the most unpleasant manner. However it was most enlivening and invigorating and much pleasanter than a burning sun. There is a curious little cove in this headland which seems as if it was made for boats and is occupied by fishing craft; the entrance to it is by a great archway under the road leading inland from the sea. At one, I left Marseilles and can recommend the Grand Hotel de Marseille for everything but economy; however its charges are only in proportion to its luxuries. It is a lovely line of rail all along the coast to Hyères, bright sunny glimpsed of blue sea dashing into white foam against the rocky islets which stud the coast all along, vineyards and olive yards, the latter with rugged looking old olives straggling over the burnt up ground and gigantic reeds waving beside the railway. Near Marseilles the meadows were green and in some they were just getting in a crop of hay. The hills all along the coast are very romantic, some being of bare rock, others pine clad to their very top.
In spite of the gale that was blowing the sky was summerlike with fleecy clouds flitting over it and getting banked up into darker masses in the north. Near Toulon the coast is very lovely and some grand rocky hills rise up behind it. Near Toulon I saw the first aloe, looking very tropical, but on the whole I am disappointed in the vegetation, and the olives look dusty and dreary; vineyards seldom have any beauty in any country.
At 3.30 we arrived at the station of Hyères and it is a drive of four miles from the station to the town, a place of some 9000 inhabitants with gas, telegraph and other signs of civilisation. There seem to be many large hotels here, this one is at the eastern end of the town and seems a nice place. I am the only stranger in it, but M. Cauvin says he expects a family named Doolay (?) from Lower Gloucester Street Dublin on Monday. The only person in the house who can speak anything but French is the interpreter whom I have not yet seen. Mr. Cauvin though he has travelled so much does not seemed to have learned any new languages thereby.
I have a comfortably, and indeed very nicely furnished room on the 1st floor looking towards the south; room breakfast lunch and dinner – everything in fact except lights and wood for firing (last not likely to be wanted) 10 francs a day, or in other words nearly ₤ 3 a week. This is expensive but will do till I can look about and see what else can be got.
I have had a grand dnner to day (at 6), pea soup, cutlets of tunny fish, exactly like veal, potatos, mutton cutlets, with beans, beefsteak, apricot preserve and desert. Is not that good feeding? I had almost forgotten to add that the vin du pays seems a much warmer and more Italian like wine than either Bordeaux or Burgundy and mixed with water makes a delicious drink.
I have not had a single contretemps the whole way out and have had a pleasant journey without fuss, worry or hurry of any kind; total expenditure from London to Hyères, 1st class to Lyons, 2nd from that £7..13..7 – from Monday to Saturday. M. Cauvin says he expects his head waiter on Monday, – he is a German of course, and Cauvin assures me he speaks English "très bien"; however I shall not trouble him much in that line.
No one has arrived here yet, Nov. 1st seems usual date of first arrivals.
Of course you will forward this to uncle Joe; I shall write to himself an a few days when I see how matters go here.
I wish I knew that day C. M. P. and Co, were to pass and I would go and see Toulon and come back this far with them that day.
This will be an 8d letter, but it is the winding up of my travels for the present and I don't mean to go on writing letters at this rate.
Your affectionat son
Francis E. Prendergast.
There were numbers of English in the train en route for Cannes and Nice. Cannes seems the favourite this year.
Hotel d'Orient
Hyères. Nov. 1. 1865.
My dear uncle Joe,
This I begin to day but probably shall not post it till tomorrow or next day. You will have read already of journey hither, which was pleasant and exactly as I had laid out. I arrived here on Saturday at 2.30 or so p.m. – French time is very puzzling; there is Paris time, post time, "ville" time, in fact our can never be quite sure as to the exact time alluded to in ordinary conversation. As yet (Wednesday morning) I am the only stranger in this house, and the only individuals I see in it are M. Cauvin, the proprietor, a jolly, hearty Frenchman who has been round the world on board a French ship of war, as purser or steward I think, one waiter (from the neighbourhood of Lyons) and Miss Cauvin, a little girls of 12 or so – none of these speak anything but French and of the very few strangers yet arrived all seem to be French, nor have I seen an English face or heard a word of English since I left Marseilles. Then are many large hotels here and almost every house is "Maison meublée à louer" or "Appartements meublés, au midi, à louer" but all as deserted as an English bathing place in winter. I asked if Mr. Bush the Clergyman or Mr. Griffiths the doctor had arrived yet, but the answer to this and every similar question is "pas encore". Visitors commence to appear in the beginning of this mouth, but I fancy they will have few this year, Cannes seems all the go with the English this year and I saw an article in a French paper praising Cannes as the most lively of all these sea side places and holding out as one of its many attractions “Les Misses Anglaises" who resort to it in such numbers "pour leurs delicates poitrines”!
Amongst the names in the strangers book of last winter at the Hotel I see the Duke of Norfolk, a Hope Scott, Mgr. Manning and a Mr. Ryan (this bon catholique, says M. Cauvin) Coffee planter Kandy, Ceylon – you may have met the latter?
Hyères is a lovely spot on the southern slope of a rocky hill, houses half way up, olives pines and orange trees to near the top where the bare rock crops out. The houses are mostly large and good, built for strangers, all facing the south and would probably be little better than ovens in summer being built to catch the sun.
The feeding here is very good, much like what one would get at Pondwell – rich and plentiful. café an lait, rolls and butter, all excellent, for breakfast, dejeuner, which M. Cauvin calls “le lunch”, at whatever hour one likes, of mutton chops and potatoes, or cold veal or foul, some sweets, fruit and vin du pays ad lib, the latter very good, softer warmer and sweeter than Bordeaux or Macon – most like the latter. The waiter says it is very good "pour la poitrine". Then dinner at 6 (when there are people here the table d’hote is at 5.30, but as I am here in solitary grandeur I choose my own hours) of soup, often cutlets of tunny exactly like veal, mutton, veal or fowl all very good, beef not quite up to English; always two courses of some of these, swests, fruit and dessert. Is not that a pretty good carte?
Cooking moreover is excellent, French, modified to suit English taste and the sea breezes form a capital sauce. I forgot the vagstables, all very good, potatos fried in olive oil., cauliflower, spinach, haricots &c., I am never able to get through half the good things on the table and wish there was some more company to do justice to the cuisines.
From Hyers to the sea is three miles good, all flat, but not marshy or unwholezone looking, the ground mostly occupied by olive-yards and when there are streams of clear running water, willows, plenty of huge reeds and at the coast a few umbrella pines. The beach is gravelly and stony somewhat like that of Ravenswell only not quite so shelving; available for walking but rather monotonous. The bay is large but almost landlocked by two peninsulas of low wooded hills, the Isles d'Or (or d’Hyères) nearly filling up the open in the centre so that the sea horizon is very small. Ships at anchor in the bay, douaniers huts here and there on the sand dunes just behind the beach; there are hills all around, they are picturesque but almost all alike, gently sloping at the foot with vineyards and olive trees, then pines, cork-wood and rough rocks at the top. The whole place is unlike anything I ever saw before so I cannot give you a simile. There are available walks close by and there are actually lanes with hedges. Olives Pines, cork wood and vines form the staple vegetation, in the gardens orange trees, palms, cartuses &c.
Sunday was a cloudless day, hot of course, but not unpleasantly so, Monday at noon it began to pour and continued for 24 hours, to day is cloudy but fine. They say no rain had fallen here for seven months (but query?); the evenings seem cool; on the whole it puts me in mind of June in Ireland. I see plenty of small birds, but they are perpetually shooting them, on Sunday I saw a fellow in a blouse take a shot at a little black bind of some kind sitting in an olive tree about as close to him as the tree in little garden at Woodside to window! Of course he blew it to pieces. I see plenty of magpies or birds just like them, Butterflies are plentiful, also the large hawk moth so common this year in England; it is a nuisance here coming constantly into the room and making more noise than a humble bee. Mosquitos are still here, but only indoor they are very aggravating at night, even though I know there were only three or four in the room and I killed two, still the remaining two are troublesome at night coming with a ping-r-r-r over the bed and occasionally biting. I have seen a few small lizarards
Nov. 2d. Yesterday morning came a letter from Oxford, in the afternoon yours of Sunday from J.U.S.C.; let me know Doras address when you get it.
You had better still address to me Poste Restance Hyères as I have left address at the P. Rest., so they are forwarded to this Hotel, and any change can be easily notified at P.Rest. Yesterday afternoon I had a pleasant walk over the hills behind the town; the old town, very Italian like, lies on the hill side and is curious.
The walks on the hills charming, winding, terraced paths through the woods which are of small cork-wood chiefly. Afterwards I climbed some rocks at top of a hill about 3 miles from this and had a grand panoramic view.
So far I like and enjoy the place; still no one has arrived; the natives look at me as one would at a swallow come before summer in England. Yesterday I saw a few grizzled old Frenchmen (visitors) prowling about, but very few of them; no English at all. I expect the Dublin family who were to be here on Saturday have gone to Cannes instead, but this opinion I keep to myself. Please forward this letter to Tower Terrace. My next will be to them and you will see it in due time I hope. Love to all at Combe Down and Bath. Your affect. nephew Francis E. Prendergast
{Note that Woodside has long been left by the Prendergast aunts, but is remembered vividly enough.}
{Tracing from a printed map, "Map of Coast near Hyères".}
Hyères, Var. Nov. 3/65.
My dear Mamma,
At the head of this sheet I have made a little sketch map of the country about here. I got a little map extending from Toulon to Nice – the dept. du Var, for 4d and this is a tracing of part of it – it is in pencil, the land shewn by shading but I dare say it will last long enough.
The largest of the three islands runs off the paper, and I will remark that the railway though shewn as on the printed map is very loosely put on: it is more than twice as far from Hyères to Railway station as from Hyères to the sea for instance. The scale is very small about 8 miles to an inch.
from Hyères down to the shore of the Rade de Hyères is all flat, from Hyères to the Rade de Giens, wooded hill of some height commanding a lovely view. The Presqu’ile de Giens is a low peninsula, very peculiar and not unlike Howth in general outline, there are two narrow necks of land connecting it with the main land, between these is an Etang, now known as the "new saltworks"; here they make 22,000 tons of salt yearly almost solely by evaporation.
The Rade de Giens is a lovely bag with wooded hills almost running into the sea, but I see no rocks anywhere on the actual shore.
It is six miles from Hyères to the station and only twelve altogether to Toulon, good wholesome old diligences, with two horses as wheelers and three in front of them, still run twice a day each way between this and Toulon.
This is a much larger, and in every way better supplied place than I had been led to imagine, masters of all kinds to be had, and I see the advertisements of an Italian teacher posted up in the streets.
There does not seem to be any good bookseller. On Sunday last I noticed a great number of butterflies, almost all our common and handsome ones. The yellow strongflying butterfly which Papa will remember hunting with me near Sandown Fort, is one of the commonest here – the Colias Edusa, or Clouded Yellow. The painted Lady is also very common (Cynthia Cardui)
Please look out for me in Westwood (blue 8vo, 2nd. shelf from bottom, near window – large bookcase) the Latin name of the "small Copper" also that of Common Blue. Polyommătus something. Also in red moth book in small bookcase in drawingroom the Latin name of the Humming bird hawkmoth Sphinx –– ?
Except Sunday, every day has been more or less wet since I came, but instead of the time hanging heavy on hands, I never have half time to do what I want. At present my proceeding in French is to read some book, newspaper and grammar each day, I also translate a piece of French into English one day, and retranslate it next day, then compare with original, correct faults and try to find out from the grammar why they should be so translated. As in German the point to be sought is, in what do the two languages differ, how? and why?; of course it is waste of time to study any part of the grammar that corresponds with our own. I find the whole thing coming back very fast, at Dresden I could write the French as easily and correctly as German, but never practising it, of course it temporarily disappeared. I never was fluent in conversation so of course that cannot come back. To day it poured all day so I staid indoors and wrote a long German letter to the Baroness v. S. and a ditto English to Miss v. S. I am given La Patrie and Galignani to read every evening. I like both, but they are badly printed
{"Westwood": an entomology author, "staunchly anti-Darwinian", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Obadiah_Westwood}
Nov. 4. This is a fine day at last, one humming bird hawk moth has been into the room already so it must be tolerably fine. By all means I should like to have an introduction to the Marseilles Taylors (Daniel & Philip). It might be very useful some day. I got an "Express" from Grandmamma yesterday. You had better address P. Restante still; it will save trouble if I should change. I object strongly to your spelling Fenians with two ees. On all Souls eve (Toussaint) I heard some splendid singing in the Marketplace; it lasted more than an hour and was very pleasant to hear. I have not heard anything like it since I was in Germany. The peasantry here are a fine looking set, like a cross between Italians and Munstermen, not a bit like Frenchmen of northern France, nor does their dialect sound like French it is an atrocious patois and they sound the final vowels which in true French would be mute; however they talk intelligibly when addressing stranger and on the whole, look sufficiently ruffianly to be intesting. On Sunday last I was down walking on the shore when a douanier (i.e. coast guard in this case) offered to ferry me across a small creek which was he going to cross, and assured me it was much shorter to Hyères from the other side, so I went across, the next douanier I met stammered very much so I could not understand much of his directions, however he said I could not miss the way which however I did, and a countrywoman I next inquired of, was almost as unintelligible, and I was later out than I had intended to be. No, one else has arrived at this Hotel yet. This being Saturday perhaps some may appear. A very common colour here for garments is red or rather crimson which has a very gay effect, a tawny yellow is another favourite colour for scarps and dresses. The women wear huge straw hats and the girls do up their jet black hair in a great bunch behind with stripes and strings (vertical) of pearls.
On Thursday I went to the Montagne des Oiseaux overlooking the Rade de Giens; I think the summit is about as high as the Shepherds Cottage on Rostrevor Mountain or perhaps higher, it is covered with stunted pines and the dwarf prickly oak – not as high as furze – which is so plentiful here. There is a lovely view from the top, from Toulon over to the far east. There is so much new in the way of plants and shrubs that I never can get far, being perpetually stopping to look at novelties. Rosemary is very common, it is in flower now and also has red berries, the latter I never saw in England. There are plently of small shrubs of arbutus covered with large orange and crimson berries; cypress, stunted oak, wormwood, myrtle in flower and with bevries (all plants seem to be in both stages), heath of several kinds, large broom, a plant like a branching rush, another shrub somewhat what like a dwarf budleia globosa with narrow dark green leaves, which I fancy I have seen in English Gardens, a plant like large single sweet william, another like stock (now in flower that I can see), a small shrub with light green leaves (a cross between box & holly) spiked at the end, and a bright scarlet berry like a cherry, but hard, growing out of the centre of the leaf; a creeper with prickly arrow shaped leaves, blossom like clematid, and a variegated variety of same, juniper with its brown berries and bunchy stonerop; – that is a pretty good list of novelties in the walks of two days! There is a shrub here which puzzles me, its leaves are dark green, small, & mimosa like, berries small & round, red, and black afterwards somewhat like elder berries: the shrub grows 2 or 3 feet high and is woody. Do you know it from this description? The dwarf prickly oak is covered with long accorns, with prick cups. I think I have seen the Quercus Ilex but am not quite sure. Pines and corkwood are the only two native trees that I have seen and few of either are twenty feet high; everything seems dwarfed. I don’t fancy pitching into botany all alone but perhaps some botanical lady or gentleman may turn up among the visitors, if any do come here instead of going Cannes. For anyone who can walk and climb this seems to be a pleasant place, but I wish the sea was a little nearer, it is ¾ or an hours walk to the nearest place, and there the shore is uninteresting. I never can get half what I want to say into a letter and seem to be always writing. I wish I had brought a portable copying press with me to keep copies of letters for my own use. It is too much to write long letters and a journal too. Ask uncle Joe to send you my letters to him, to be kept for me.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Of course you will forward my letters to J. S. P.
Hyères. Nov. 8. 1865
My dear Mamma,
This morning arrived yours of 4th, also one from J.S.P. of 5th enclosing a note from E.M.P.
I am glad you saw the Severn Valley and Ironbridge, strangers generally thought the town a horrid place, but I liked it notwithstanding. The solid compots (plenty of good food, cash, good coal and cheerful fires in clean bright room) of the black country, strangers never see nor think about. Whitmores – Apley – is a lovely place and the house is very fine; the former man ruined himself by the house and place; it was the scene of J. Fs. pic-nic. Worcester is one of the nicest stations I know anywhere and is peculiar in having a glass roof with no more iron than required for support, in hot summer weather, it gets overpoweringly hot inside.
Caghlan and Swesey were at Wolverhampton, R. Fogerty and Notcutt at Bridgnorth, Tyndall in London office, J. F. everywhere and some talk of Josselyns going down also on this same work (Parliamentary for Bridgnorth and W. hampton) however I don't fancy Josselyn would give up permanent work with the Gt. Eastern Ry. for temporary work like this. They were all to be up in town soon. I am very much in favour of all accounts being sent in at once
My cough is not gone yet but is much less. Saturday last I had a long walk round by the village of Carquairannes at western side of the Rade de Giens. It is a lovely bay open only to the south and I observe larger trees and more vigorouss vegetation than hereabouts, fine elms, pines, and huge old olives, the latter the largest I have yet seen. At the western side of this same bay is a fountain said to be Roman and not far from it the remains of the old Roman town and naval station of Pomponiana, ruins just like those at Wroxeter running into the sea. All along this bay the large heath grows profusely, and the red and green soft porphery crops out on the shore; this tideless shore seems very interesting. I wish you would look in my Amon (2nd shelf from top near window parlour bookcase) and see if you can find anything about tide in Meditarranean – I fancy thomas a tide of 18 to 24 inches, rise and fall, from what I see. The road menders here I observe generally have a pet goat instead of a dog with them, I suppose, because its feeding costs nothing?
On Sunday for the first time I saw a live mantis or "praying insect", curious to look at but sluggish and uninteresting otherwise.
In the afternoon I went down to the shore and in one of the etangs there close to the edge I saw a flat fish of this shape, –ⵎ:} mud-coloured and about the size of my hand (not including tail) I stirred it up and it went off into deeper water; it struck me as being like the pictures of one of the electrical fish (not eel) perhaps you could find it in "Book of Plates" in little bookcase in drawingroom. (bottom shilf, parlour side). Does Papa know if the rhododendron grows wild here – I saw a bush like one the other day but forgot to examine it. The berries of the arbutus are magnificent, so large and the colour so bright; it is a very local shrub here, growing profusely in some parts, and not at all in others.
I dont think I told you that they fry the potatoes here in oil, they are delicious; however I do not like all their oil dishes; for instance beans boiled in oil, they are not bad, but too rich.
Olives I tried one day and did not like them salt and oil for being the prevailing taste with a dash of tar or turpentine. These were preserved green olives – not ripe ones. On Monday I had a tête-à-tête dinner with a gentleman who turned out to be Dr. Edwin Lee who has written medical books on this and other places. He is of course well know (by reputation) to J.S.P.; I did not of course know who the stranger was, but on asking him if had been here before he said he had written about this place, whereon I bowed and said I supposed he was Dr. Lee (luckily I knew all about him). He then lent me his book to read, a 2nd edition of which had been just sent out to him, and which I was very glad to see. He was en route to spend the winter at Mentone and asked me to come and see him there at the Hotel de Londres, if I should chance to be there during the season. He seemed very common place, and I could not hit on any subject on which he would talk with interest. He is often at this hotel. I have not done anything about getting a master either in French or otherwise and do not see any particular object in so doing. I think it is generally better to work by oneself unless when beginning a new subject. It is a regular "set-in" rainstorm to day.
Please forward inclosed.
Your affect. son Francis E. Prendergast
{"porphery": JPP couldn't resist correcting this to "porphyry" first, then striking it through and writing "sandstone" above it.}
Nov. 13. 1865
My dear Mamma (Hyères.)
I enclose a note I received from Dora this morning, I had written to her regarding Cannes to know what sort of a place it was, with a view to future change to that place; she seems to think I am going at once, though I never said I was going at at all! But people will jump to conclusions. This hotel, though first class, is not likely to have any French visitors, nor probably many of any sort during this season, last week one young Englishman turned up, named Roberts – from Morpeth – but he is not much of an acquisition, a great invalid and belonging to the commercial class. Yesterday there was English service for the first time – congregation of 15, all told, some of them French I fancied, afterwards I was introduced to Dr. Griffiths by Roberts (who was here last winter); he is a youngish man, very continental, and I did not much fancy him; he is a great invalid, and has to spend his winters in warm climates, but I understand makes a good thing of it. I was looking this morning at one of the Pension Bourgoisés, but did not much like the look of it, dejeuner at 10.30, dinner at 5.30, terms 6 francs a day.
I think one day this week I shall go over to Cannes for the day (and night) to see the Ps and have a look what sort of a place it is. It is 3 hours by rail. I wish to have the subject of staying here or moving "ventilated" by you, uncle Joe, &c, so I hope to hear something on this point. I have just got yours enclosing P. M. T.s for which I am much obliged. I wish I had known about their being Marseilles people before I passed through the place.
I have just been investing in a soft felt hat but could not find one quite to my mind. The chaplains note to Dora was very civil, but only a list of likely Pensions at Cannes (i.e. of those where French company {is likely to appear.)}
Saturday I went down to the sea at a new part, but it was not any more interesting; it always takes me nearly an hour to get to the shore. Yesterday I went in the afternoon to L’Hermitage an ancient, but partly rebuilt chapel on a hill a little to the south of the town; it has the best view about here that I have yet seen and is only two willes off up a gentle ascent. From Fenouillet I saw what might might either have been snow covered Alps or clouds, in the far N. E., it is the second time I have seen them in the same place, so begin to think they must be snow mountains. The weather continues clear, bright and warm – a little windy and dusty to day; M. Cauvin says it is "St. Martins summer" in the language of Provence. St. Martins day was on Saturday I think. Here the country people instead of saying Chataign (for Chestnut) say "Castania" (or ia) quite Italian
At the Pension this morning I found Mdme Senéquiese rather hard to understand – the people try to talk French French with strangers but the Provençal keeps cropping out nevertheless. I do not want Doras letter back, let uncle Joe kee{p} it. I will make up a longer letter next time. It is 2.30 now, and I have scarcely been out to day.
Your affectionate son Francis E. Prendergast
Hyères.
Nov. 14. 1865.
My dear uncle Joe,
To day I begin a letter to you though not sure of sending it off to day. The weather has got much cooler and it has been blowing hard from the east these last few days – bright sun notwithstanding. Yesterday I sent a note of Doras to Tower Terrace to be forwarded to you in due course. I send it chiefly for the purpose of "ventilating" the subject of staying here or moving elsewhere on this coast – in a "French” point of view this place is likely to be unprofitable. There is a good (I hear) French master here, so if you thought it advisable I could easily get lessons. There is a sort of a Theatre here, but only a Penny Gaff style of affair. On Sunday I met Griffiths the Doctor, and got some rises out of him about Edwin Lee and Hunter; how the profession pitch into Lee! His name is generally like a match in gun powder if mentioned before regular practitioners. Griffiths, though a youngish man has tried Madeira, Malaga, Arcachon &c and prefers (personally) this coast to any other, he had just come from Pau where everything was snow clad. At Arcachon all wet, stormy and miserable, houses on that coast he remarked are generally built for summer bathers and not winter visitors. I spent half an hour last week in the cemetery looking for the tomb of Mdm. de Parseval (the Prot. part of the place is only about half the size of Combe Down garden), but could not find it nor did the grave digger know of any such being here. I then went and called on a Mr. Pattison, a strange old Englishman who has kept a shop here for more than 30 years and who looks after the protestant cemetry and is a general factotum, but he could throw no light on the subject, but said if the exact date of death could be found. I could refer to the registry in Town Hall. Bradshaws and Murrays accounts of this place are both good, but it is still in transition stage from quiet French town to place of large resort. The cholera has never been here; to day there are thanksgiving masses etc., at the Hermitage Chapel about two miles from this (for preservation of Hyères from cholera aforesaid) and Philip the waiter tells me "all the world" have gone off there. For pocket dictionaries I can recommend Nugents – French – as being atrociously bad Williams – German –excellent, this is worth remembering. I want the proper English term for (1) Biscaïen, (2) Mitraille (3) Obus. They are all war terms (artillery) and refer to projectiles. Can you give them to me?
I have been reading and translating backward and forwards a French book called "Souvenirs de L’Armée D’Orient." (Lille. chez Lefort. 1858. 12th edition) this I mention as it might suit aunt Eliza for translation for English tract or religious magazines the stories being well suited to British readers. I see the rights of translation are reserved, but a word to the editor would probably settle all that. In any case it interested me greatly.
Young Roberts – from Morpeth, a young wine merchant – is the only other stranger as yet in the hotel; he has spent two winters at the Cape, part of one of them at Natal and the last winter here – he is said to be getting well, but is not able to walk more than few hundred yards. I have never gone to see Toulon yet, it is 11 miles and trains and omnibussed do not suit well unless one spends the entire day at Toulon, which I do not care to do alone.
{Hunter: probably the US doctor Robert Hunter, "A Practical Treatise on the Diseases of the Throat and Lungs with Their Treatment by Inhalation".
Again, the title of the letter is manifestly erroneous.
"tomb of Mdm. de Parseval": Fanny's late husband, raised entirely in Bavaria, was the son of a French nobleman who fled from the revolution. The French family has members in and near Hyères. "Our" Madame is alive and has probably asked for FEP's services.}
15th. Two Russians arrived last night; they have not appeared yet. I hear a French family of four are expected tomorrow. To day warm, as there is no wind and hot sun. Yesterday in turning over some stones on one of the hills I found two scopions, the first live ones I had ever seen. One I sacrificed to science but lost him on the road home. I hear there are plenty of them here but people scarcely ever get stung by them.
I have only seen one snake. Lizards are plentiful enough in some places, but I have only seen the common brown ones as yet. The humming bird hawk moths are very troublesome, they are of course quite harmless, but still it is not pleasant when they come booming into the room and poise themselves close to ones ear or face as they constantly do. Non-evergreen trees here are only just beginning to show autumnal tints, but the vine leaves are all gone.
I am getting very lazy in-doors and feel dislike to anything in the shape of work at French &c
The Patria Calls (in Fenian cases) Luby, Lubz, Stronge Stranze, Dowse Dorse, this not once but always. Thommas Gammet in same, Emmet?
Yours of 12th just received. Also one from Miss Nash, the latter and her mother expect to follow Obrés to Bath in the spring.
Your aff. nephew F.E.P.
{Fenian cases: lawsuits against republican rebels in Ireland. A publication "Patria", possibly a pro-republican newspaper column in the USA, misspells their names. The Prendergasts are Irish patriots but usually against any rebellion; there must have been discussions. FEP avoids any controversy and restricts his criticism to spelling errors.}
Hyères.
Nov. 17. 1865
My dear Mamma
Some people have come at last, and we had eight at the table d'hote and four languages spoken! The two Poles talk Polish French and German, of course I converse with them chiefly in the latter language, then there was a family of four French people, a lady, two daughters and a son; they talk in whispers and seem all very shy. Then Roberts and I talk English, so that makes up four languages. I never before came across any Poles or Russians who habitually spoke their own language. What is the name of the Bond's place at Edgworths town, I have twice seen it written, but neither time distinctly? Yesterday I walked into Toulon (11 miles) and prowled about the place for a couple of hours. It is dirty and unattractive in the extreme, with a large variety of smells. I had never before seen much of the French men-of wars-men, who to my eyes look as unsailorlike as the soldiers do soldierly, somehow the sailors look as if the life or food did not agree with them, they look nice and cleanly, but pinched in the face and not hearty. The officers seemed a nice gentlemanlike set of fellows, apparently jolly enough.
I shall go and see the Dockyard sometimes if I can get someone else to come, but do not care to go alone. Did I ever tell you that Hyères Station and Hyères town are 6 miles apart? This keeps many people from stopping here en passant and was probably the reason why the Ps did not stop here; it is well they did not, as the omnibus would have been a rough conveyance for Charles. I came back by rail yesterday; the train seemed to have many passengers for Cannes and Nice. Few got out here, and those few for other hotels. I have got a French Master M. Payang and had a first lesson from him to day. We had more dew here during the night before last than I have yet seen, it was perceptible an hour before sunset and the roads were damp at 10 next morning even in bright sunshine. The walk into Toulon put me in mind of the Valais, the mountains to the north are so fiery and rocky looking with red bands of porphyry cropping out low down, and stony desert peaks above.
18th. Yours of 14th arrived yesterday also one from aunt Flora. It is an hour and a half from Marseilles to Toulon by the fastest train. I had a letter from Miss Nash a few days ago, but she had not then received mine. She says the Obrés talk of stopping in Co. Longford till Christmas, then to Bath, the N’s probably to follow in spring.
Some of the French mis-spelling I see on signs &c, here amuses me s’addraisser for d’adresser, gaingatte for guinguette. They are still hard at work gathering in the olives; they beat the trees with long sticks and the olives come to the ground much the worse for the fall, and the labour of picking them up seems very great. I wonder they never think of spreading a sheet or blanket on the ground under the tree, it would save the olives, and much labour too.
At Toulon I saw a London, Chatham & Dover Ry. advertisement in French ; these is no mistake about the wholesale way in which they advertise ! One very pleasant feature about this country is the way it is all dotted over with white houses, not like France in general where you scarcely ever see houses except in the towns and villages. They are nearly as plentiful here as in Co. Armagh and that is saying a good deal. The French family have gone off into lodgings so we have only a party of 4 now and the Poles are only here for a visit to some friends, so they will probably soon go too. They have fine large railway maps painted on the walls of the waiting rooms in most railway stations here and they look very fine. Roberts gets the Telegraph (Daily) but it is often stopped. Last year Dr. Griffiths took Punch, they stopped it very often and then he got the bookseller to put it inside the "Lancet" which he also got – they never examined the Lancet, it being a medical paper; was not that an artful dodge? However they found it out at last but not till near the end of the season. Yesterday I went to the Fontaine de S. Salvador (old Roman well, said to be at least) and wandered about on the shore there for some time, but did not find anything particularly interesting. Please forward enclosed. The weather continues the same, but I dare say the fresh outbreak of cholera at Toulon will frighten people away. The Poles wondered I went there even for a few hours! Your affect. son F. E. P.
Hyères. Nov. 21. 1865.
My dear Mamma
On Saturday I walked across the hills to the Plan du Pont a level green valley to the N. of the chain of hills – as the Guide books say like a piece of Normandy, green fields, maples, elms and a large river quite unlike any of the rest of the country about here. At the foot of the hills on the other side I could have fancied myself in Shropshire on a warm summer day. On the little "Plan" were several flocks of sheep with their shephards; some of the shepherds piping on a kind of flageolet, so as to make one think of "Tityre, tu patulae recubans sub tegmine fagi", only there were no beeches.
The sheep, goat and cow-bells here all sound very pleasant. I see the shepherds generally have something to represent a plaid thrown over their shoulders. On Sunday there were about 25 or 30 at morning service, but only five at afternoon service and Mr. Brooks did not give us a sermon then.
They have a very nice little harmonium in the church, which is well played by Mrs Gordon wife of a clergyman who spends each season here.
Yesterday it rained at midday and when I went out to walk in the afternoon it felt like a June day in Ireland, so soft and warm and the hills were all cloud-capped, making a pleasant change after the constant sunshine and clear weather. Yesterday I received yours of 16th-17th. Roberts remembered Capt. Blacker. who was stopping at this hotel, but he says he was not liked – a constant grumbler at everything. The "great unknown secrets" amuse me – as usual every one tells every one else! There are two bathing establishments on the shore near this, but no bathinng now.
I counted 16 good sized vessels in the bay twice, but last time I saw none. They come chiefly for the salt, and there is a soda manufactury on the Ile de Porquesolles.
I often see vessels getting tugged from or towards Toulon and Marseilles. To day I walked across the hills to La Cran a village some four miles from this. I never saw a country like this – I have been here now nearly a month and generally walk 8 or 10 miles every afternoon and yet I have scarcely ever gone out without finding not merely some actually new country, but also new kinds and new features of country, and the ranges of hills and mountains present different aspects from every different point. We have had great changes of visitors, the two Poles and family of four French left, then came another French family of four from Melun, really very nice people, and a gentleman and two ladies from Naples, but whether Greek or Italian I have not ascertained – the former I guess. He addressed Roberts to day in wonderful English for a foreigner, so much so that I continued the conversation to try and make him out, he said he had been at Trinity College Cambridge 30 years ago and had lived much in England and London and much liked the country. He seemed very familiar with "City" life, from which I guess him to be a Greek Merchant.
Both these parties have however left the Hotel and gone into lodgings. For several days there has been a Greek merchant from Marseilles and his wife (newly married) stopping here, but they do not dine at the table d’hote.
To day the table was reduced to Roberts and myself and a Frenchman and his wife, but the latter only temporary visitors I think.
This evening an English family of four arrived but I have not seen them yet.
Last winter the Hotel was quite full and they used to have pleasant music and sometimes dancing in the public sitting room in the evening. My French masters name is Payan – he was formerly professor of Logic in Paris University; he is a good hand at teaching but is not quite the kind of teacher I most want – i.e. someone to talk and to make me talk and chaff, rather than to look after grammar and writing. He also teaches Italian. He comes for an hour five days a week, terms 40 francs a month.
{"Tityre, tu patulae recubans sub tegmine fagi": Oh Tityrus, reclining beneath a beech's spreading roof, ... (Vergil, Bucolia).
Church: rather a room for services; the clergyman Rev. William Brookes, apparently known to mamma already, will be mentioned later.}
22d. A letter of 19th-20th just received from J.S.P.. I have no immediate intention of leaving this place – it is too pleasant as yet, but hereafter change may be agreeable. Roberts and I lunched to day with new English arrivals, a Lady, Gentleman and (?) their daughter. All seemed to be very nice people of A1 class. The lady is so charmed with the place and Hotel that she wants her husband to stay the season here, though they only came to see the place.
Your affect. son
Francis E. Prendergast
Hyères. Nov. 24. 1865
My dear Mamma,
Yours of 20-21 I received to day. Company has made great changes in the house. The lady, gentleman and (qu?) daughter are named Squire, he seems to have been in India and they have travelled in almost every possible country you can think of and have consequently much to tell. The young lady is the finest and best looking I have seen since leaving England – not thereby implying anything very remarkable. They live near Clermont 16 miles from London.
The other two are Sir Vere de Vere and Lady Vere, both very nice people – Irish, where do they come from ? They have also been great travellers. We now sit in the drawing room (adjoining the salle à manger) after dinner till nine oclock or so round a wood fire, more for the name of it than anything else, for it is not at all cold, and have very pleasant evenings. The talk is of course mostly of travelling and the various countries each has seen, which comprise most of Europe, Asia and the Cape, Egypt indeed too. I do not ever remember meeting a lady who had travelled so much as Mrs. Squire. They are going on to Mentone soon, where I think they have taken a house for the winter.
The moths in the red book also almost all badly, very badly-coloured.
Yesterday I went to Carqueirannes (Rade de Gians); it was very pleasant there, I went across the hills and at one place found some bay trees quite 20 feet high and covered with black berries. Near Carqueirannes I found a nice pure wood right on the shore and further on a little cove, half natural, half artificial, with one little boat in it. It looked so pleasant on that rocky coast. I also found a grand walk along the cliffs (they scarcely dirserve {sic} the name – only about twenty feet high) really a most romantic one. To day I went down to the Pinède de la Tour and walked along the eastern isthmus of the Presque Ile de Giens, but except a fine pine wood, did not find anything. It was blowing in fresh from the east and was very pleasant. The frogs were croaking vigorously in some of the ponds on the road to the shore. I have not heard any frogs croaking till to day for a long time.
25th. No letters to day. I went up me rocky hill Fenouillet at Toulon end of the chain of the Maurettes this afternoon, it was a fine blowy day very pleasant but not very clear. On the north side of Fenouillet is a chapel near the top and a man lives in an adjoining cottage to take care of it. He was on the rocks at the top to day sunning himself and watching his goat browsing; I lay down on the rocks and talked to him for about 20 minutes and he told me how the Queen of Spain had been there last winter. Then when I was coming away he offered to show me the chapel (which is kept locked) so I went in but there is little to see. I gave him half a franc and then he wanted me to come in and take some wine in his little cottage but I declined, then he said perhaps I would like liqueur better and as he seemed to have taken my first refusal to heart I went in, and he gave me a little glass of some sweet liqueur flavoured with aromatic herbs. He lives there all alone with nothing for company but a goat. He is only a common peasant, not a frère.
Please forward the enclosed. Let me hear about the new L.L. and Chief Secretary.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Hotel d'Orient.
Hyères. Nov. 29. 1865.
My dear Mamma,
I was very glad to get yours of 24th-25th yesterday evening. I perfectly understand Marshalls note and am almost certain that he wanted me for a short time, say a week or ten days, at high terms so that would be nothing very tempting; however I shall not neglect to send him a civil answer. I think it is a great mistake not to be civil to everyone, as they may prove of service when least expected. Where is Lord Charlemont?
I object to being considered ill, or even in any way an invalid; pray let this be known and don't let aunt Leacock or others be making out that matters are worse than they are – it is quite bad enough to have to keep out of an English winter without being put down as a "sick man". You all seem to be thinking I would madly push off to Cannes forthwith, when as I expressly said I only wrote about it to get the subject ventilated. Just now I am in full enjoyment of this place and our "family party" of seven; the evenings spent in the drawing room are very pleasant, the ladies are generally there in the morning too but I have too much to do to spend any of the morning in the salon. Sir V. de Vere is a pleasant gentlemanly person but I dont think he has more than a quantum suff. of brains; Lady de V. however has brains enough for both, and behaves accordingly. I like her and Mr. Squire best of the party. At dinner I sit between her and Roberts. Roberts and I lunch with the Squires. They were all rather shy of us two young men at first, but I began on Mrs. Squire and thawed them all round in turn.
The de Vs are Limerick people I think, and were perverted at Rome some ten years ago. Lord Brownlow and Sir Henry Bulwer have both arrived here, but I understand the former has gone to Mentone.
I am very glad to hear George Knox is going off to Quensland – he can hardly fail to succeed, having brains, cash and steadiness, as all seem to say of him.
I wish I had a chance getting some out-door work, and not be always waived up in an office or in a city. We had some rain yesterday, but to day it is again cloudless summer weather. This afternoon I walked with Sir V. de V. to the Fontaine de S. Salvador this afternoon. He says that account of Lord Dunravens place in the Month (?) (the one you had at Oxford) was written by his brother. The Cannes chaplain was over here to day and says Cannes was never so full as this year. All except Roberts are likely to leave this house for more eastern places soon, and if so, you need not be surprised at my going off to Cannes any day. It costs little to go there and if that place should not be pleasant, it would be easy to go elsewhere or return here.
I had a long letter from uncle Joe on Sunday. I wrote to Gower yesterday so perhaps I shall get some Glasgow news soon. I also forwarded P. M. Ts. note to Marseilles to day.
We have got a German waiter (additional) here now, but I expect Cauvin will find his house empty some fine day before Christmas. It is very unfortunate for the people here that so very few strangers have come, – all the hotels and houses nearly desolate. I don't think I ever told you about the water supply to this place, it is called the Béal and is an aqueduct about as large as Rostrevor mill race, it brings water from the Gapeau, a river about 5½ miles from this; part of the way it is on curious old arches, not very high; it is more than 400 years old having been designed and begun by Jean Natte in 1458; he got the exclusive privilege of establishing mills in the town to be worked by the water brought by the aqueduct. Last year they brought a supply of good drinking water into the town from another point. I find I have written 17 letters this mouth, most of them as large as this, and I have received 18. When you see uncle Charles you might tell him about Marshall.
Mosquitos still continue troublesome here and to day Lady de V. was shewing me where one had bit the back of her hand through a kid glove. There is one wretch in my room now who is very annoying at night, coming pinging in the dark and sometimes biting.
Your affectionate son
Francis E Prendergast.
{"quantum suff.": "quantum sufficit", pharmaceutical Latin for "as much as (minimally) suffices" – but for what effect exactly? Note the contrast to "brains enough".}
Hyères.
Dec. 1.st 1865
to be posted on 2.d (Sat.)
My dear uncle Joe
Yours of 23d Nov. arrived here on Sunday last and is the latest news I have of your movements. All here going on pleasantly, you will have already heard of what Mrs. Squire calls our "family party" of seven; this however seems likely to be soon broken up by the departure of the Squires (Mr., Mrs. and a young lady, a cousin, who is travelling with them) for Mentone; Sir Vere de Vere and Lady de V. who are soon going to Cannas, where I also purpose being at or before Christmas, say between the 15th and 20th. Should it not prove agreeable or profitable it is easy and inexpensive to move either further east or to return here. Travelling on this coast is simple and reasonable, and as far as I can ascertain the expenses of living are much the same everywhere. The French do not stay much in the Hotels, they generally go into lodgings and thus one seldom meets them. Little or no increase of visitors here – none in this hotel; the natives are getting very triste and and are continually "touting" for lodgers. Poor people it is no joke for them having a bad season. I have found a walking companion in Sir Vere de Vere but though pleasant and gentlemanly he is too good a Tory to have enlarged ideas on subjects in general. He is from Co. Limerick somewhere near Killaloe, and with his wife was perverted at Rome some 10 or 12 years ago. They seem to have lived but little in Ireland and much abroad. The Squires are from some place on S. W. Ry 16 miles from London near Clermont (Claremont?) and seem to have travelled in every place and country of Europe and the east that one can think of. I certainly never met any lady who had travelled as much as Mrs. S., Mr S. (I guess from his manners and appearance) has been in India. I have no news of any kind from Fogerty and Co.
I was glad to hear about Cheigne and agree with his ideas regarding engineers and contractors on some (not all) points. Professionally speaking I do not think a contractors engineer holds a good position and his comfort depends very much on the resident engineer in charge – if he should be hard to get on with and they dont pull together the contractors engineer must have a dogs life of it.
Since writing the above I have had a letter from young Fogerty. Bridgnorth Line deposited and so far finished. He tells me that the London and Northwestern and the South Eastern Ry. have joined hands to make the line from Euston (underground) to Charing Cross. This is all his general news.
I have also found out that Mr. Squire is not Indian. Also a letter to day from Mamma. Hope-Scott (Abbottsford) and family arrived here to day. They have a house of their own. I have been looking at a 1864 Murray; he has cut out Corsica and increased his notices of these parts besides devoting many pages to Nice and Mentone. The latter place, or rather its eastern bay seems to be allowed to be the warmest and finest climate on this coast, Hyères, the next most even climate, Nice, all say, is liable to rapid changes and is said to be dusty, glaring and city-like, frequented chiefly on account of its resources; these opinions, expressed by people (not invalids) familiar with this coast – may interest you. All say that the food and cuisine here in Hotel d'Orient are the best on the coast. No news from Cannes.
There are only seven people in the Hotel des Iles d’Or, the largest, but not best hotel here. Is it not strange! Mosquitos here are still troublesome, flies and hawk moths still abundant. The last few days the weather been rather wet, broken and relaxing, warm even at night.
Have you had much house hunting at Bath and what do you think of the general run of houses there? Probably few like Combe Lodge? Lady de Vere tells me that this place is exquisitely lovely in early spring from the many flowers and rich vegetation, I can easily fancy it, seeing what it is in autumn. Jonathan Richardson of Lisburn, whom uncle Charles accompanied out here two years ago is I hear this winter at Cannes and much likes it.
Let me hear any news you have of Arthurs intended movements. Love to all at Combe Down & Bath
Your affect. nephew Francis E. Prendergast.
{"house hunting at Bath": Joe, his sisters, and Jeffry Francis Prendergast plan to move close to each other, the latter with his gigantic furniture. Eventually, Villa Bianca and a house nearby must do.}
Hyères. Dec. 5. 1865.
My dear Mamma,
To day, for the first time for more than a week, we have a clear blue sky and bright warm sun Sunday afternoon while we were at church there was a terrific thunderstorm with bright flashes of lightening and the thunder following instantly and such rain and hail as one rarely sees. I think the strangers here are getting fewer, there were not 20 people in church either morning or evening. Last night two ladies arrived here; they are friends of Dr. Griffiths who dined at the table d'hote and waited till they arrived at nine. Otherwise this household remains the same, the Squires and Veres are always going away either "at the end of the week" or next Monday but somehow when the time comes, they are always still here. Roberts says we shall all be here on Christmas Day! Quite possibly, I think. One of his friends who was here last winter was always going away "next Monday" from December till March. However I have quite made up my mind to leave or stay exactly as seems pleasentest, so don’t case one way or another.
Sir V. de V. and I have a long walk now regularly every afternoon and go together as a matter of course. He has more brain than I gave him credit for, and knows German French and Italian having lived with the natives in all three countries, besides having been some time in Spain. He plays very nicely and played a long time for us yesterday evening. Miss Squire plays too, but has no music with her and generally escapes on that account.
It is very pleasant being with a set of people who pull together so well. I had a long letter from "Bob" a few days ago; the B. & W. Line is deposited and the battle will be fought in spring (it will be opposed by an Engineer named Addison who has an opposition line in, and possibly by others).
I agree with R. F. in thinking that it has small chance of passing. Notcutt is now at Victoria Street, but who is in Salop he does not say. There is also a new pupil called Perrott, a Queens Coll. Cork man, some relative of Mrs. William Fogertys.
I got weighed the other day and find I have gained 5½ lbs since leaving London but am not quite up to my usual weight even so. I wish you would get December Good Words, the copy forwarded to me by Hodges and Smith and Co., is perfect as far as reading goes, but it is so mis-stitched and mis-sewed pages that it could never be bound up. I never saw anything like it, it read's backwards in one place and the numbers have somehow got to the inside corners of the pages.
Did you know Nice was a city with 50,000 inhabitants? I had never supposed it was half so large. It is only an hour by rail from Cannes so if I ever do get to Cannes it will be a place to go and see.
I wonder Ormsby has never written. If you see Charley E. you might ask if he knows anything of him. Have you any news of the Roxburghs? It is a great luxury getting a fine day like this after so much gloomy weather, the west wind here drives away the clouds and brings fine fresh weather just like the east wind with us.
Whenever the wind comes west and the sky gets clear they say the "Mistral" is blowing but the real cold mistral does not come till after Christmas.
I am not in a mood for letter writing this fine morning so I had better stop. Perhaps I may have a letter to acknowledge by midday post.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Hyères. Dec 7. 1865.
My dear Mamma,
I have decided, unless something unforseen occurs, to move to Cannes on Thursday the 14th, so please address to me Poste Restante Cannes, and let my intended move be known as much as you can so that my letters may go there.
The de Veres leave for Cannes on Monday, the Squires on Tuesday, and I stop to finish out the month with Payan.
I don’t yet know to what Hotel I am going – there are literally dozens of Hotels large and small there, the Grand Hotel makes up 250 beds!
Tuesday Sir V. de V. and I joined the Squires in a walk to the Hermitage and as we got back at 4 he and I went for a further walk, in which we met Hope-Scott, to whom I was introduced; I had seen him in the Committee Rooms before. He has bought 8½ acres near this hotel in a capital situation and is going to build a house for a winter residence for himself, he has begun by constructing a huge cistern about the size of a large drawingroom. He comes here every winter. yesterday Sir V. de V. and I went off to Fenouillet the rocky point at the western end of this chain; it was a clear day and we had a grand view; the snowy range in the far north east looked very fine.
To day I déjeûnéd with the Veres at 10.30, and at 11 went of to the Presqu’ile de Giens. It took me two hours to get there and the views out there were glorious; blue sea, green pines, brown rocks and luxuriant vegetation with a blue sky and sun overhead that would have shamed an English summer. Butterflies and dragonflies were there in abundance and I saw plenty of lizards on the road. Lady de V. had kindly given me some dried figs, which with a roll, I eat under the shade of a fine pine, sitting on the roots. There, the only sign of life was a large mosquito who left a remainder on my ancle. The slaty rock is all cut into little coves by the waves and in these coves the shelving beach consists of pure white gravel, the beryl colored waves gently coming in over it looked lovely; further out, the sea was deep, deep blue, it could not have been painted too blue. The Presqu’ile is a fouvourite place for donkey party pic-nics in ordinary season. How lovely the bright green of the maritime pine is! In shape it most resembles a Scotch fir which has reached a head, but its colour is a bright light green like young corn. To day I saw an old woman at a door with a distaff, the first I have seen here. I received yours of 2d yesterday. I don’t expect there will come any more "Churchmans F. Mgs."
I also had a letter from Gower; Blair has had a good deal of work this year and they have had the same late work as last year. The Railway works however are not yet commenced, nor anything yet done about the Clyde Bridge. Gower was still living at the Thomsons at Breadalbane-Terrace. To day I had a letter from Miss Nash but no very special news.
I think Miss Taylor seems to have given me up as a correspondant. I wonder why Miss v. S. does not write? To day I also had a letter from aunt Leacock and shall enclose a note for her in this, which please forward. The says she never gets any news about me, as you allways refer her to the Combe Down aunts and they scarcely ever tell her anything about me! Perhaps they might give a different version of the story, but at all events I will send her some news direct. To day when about a mile or two from the town, coming home, the Squires and Roberts overtook me in an open carriage and gave me a lift in; they had been taking a long drive round by Casqueiranne. Lady de V. is very kind, always getting something for me to look at; yesterday she brought me in a lovely little green tree frog to look at, and to day a Basque grammar which she got the loan of from some friend here, and she thoughtfully gave me those figs for my expedition to day. This is to be posted on the 8th.
According to some photos that the Squires have The Maison Carrée and Amphitheatre at Nismes must be very fine and perfect, the former particularly.
Your affect. son Francis E. Prendergast.
Hyères. Dec 12 1865
My dear Mamma
I heard from you the day I last wrote and also got the Sat. Review. I don't think people keep away from Hyères because it is dull but because of the cholera, which was so bad both at Toulon and Sollies-Pont, both within eleven miles. Sunday, I received a kind letter from Mr. Taylor from Marseilles. He says he is 80 – seven years younger than P. M. T. and has quite given up work. His son managed the engine factory at Marseilles and their Shipyard at La Seyne (near Toulon).
Yesterday I had a letter from aunt Nannie. For two or three days last week at the table d’hote we had the celebrated Michelet; he spoke in a most peculiarly modulated voice but did not seem inclined to enter into conversation with anyone. Queen Emma of the Sandwich Islands is at the hotel du Parc and was in church on Sunday, with a small retinue of dusky individuals; in the afternoon she went out diving in a bran new and very nice carriage and got upset on the Carqueiranne road, no damage was done except to the carriage. On Friday Sir V. de V. and I took the Squires a long walk over the hills and on Saturday he and I had a good wholesome sharp walk of 3 hours over the Oiseaux range the weather having got quite cool. On Saturday a very young man named Drewett from Christchurch (Hampshire) arrived, but he is a very mild specimen and not much of an acquisition. Sunday was wonderfully warm and fine; in church we had quite thirty in the morning. Yesterday the Veres left for Cannes, and in the afternoon I had a very long walk by myself; it was so cold that it was hard to get warm and I went as hard as my legs would carry me for 3½ hours, up a new valley, across a nice wild col, where there was a profusion of myrtle literally bending under the weight of its purple berries, down into a valley I had never even seen before and then back by the San Tropez road. I saw some very fine cork trees, 6 to 8 feet in circumference, they seldom grow so large about here.
I don’t think you would like the fashion of carrying guns, so prevalent here, almost every mans has a gun slung at his back and woe betide any small birds he meets!
There are dogs of every size and kind everywhere, but they seldom bark or look cross. I think the people make friends with all the various animals more than we do. Cows and goats especially. The Squires left for Cannes this morning.
Some, only, of the hotels on this coast have salons, consequently it becomes a consideration for a single man to go to an hotel where there is a salon. At Nice only two hotels have them, if reports are true. It is such a civilized thing in an hotel to have a public sitting room where one is always sure to find company, and in the evenings light, warmth and society. I see in Galignani that Ben Burland has been appointed Staff Surgeon, R.A. in reward of his services during yellow fever at Bermuda.
If you see any paragraphs relative to the appointments on the Great Eastern Railway please send them to me. I see the committee have advised that an Engineer and Loco do. be appointed in place of Sinclair who has been holding both appointment as well as others and has been clearing many thousands a year. This may affect Josselyns present position; for the better I hope.
I see the lavander, either the same as, or very similar to ours, growing wild about here but there is not very much of it. Wild thyme of a gray colour is common enough.
To day it is blowing fresh from the S.E. and is cold for Hyères. I see some oaks and maples in sheltered places quite green still, but generally the deciduous trees are either brown, or bare. The Louis Quatorze, two decker, training ship from Toulon, is now lying in the bay and we often hear her exercising with the heavy guns. Last evening I saw a good many large merchantmen at anchor in the bay.
Tomorrow I finish with Payan and on Thursday morning mean to start for Cannes, it seems quite desolate here, now that "our family party" is broken up, but still though glad I am going to see new places and faces, I am half sorry to leave this comfortable house where the host and all are so civil.
F. E. P.
{Queen Emma: "baptized into the Anglican faith on October 21, 1862", see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Emma_of_Hawaii}
Villa Marie Thérèse
Cannes. Dec 16. 1865.
My dear Mamma
On Wednesday I went and called on Mr. Brookes, he having called on me the day before, and was very glad to make his acquaintance, but as I left on Thursday morning our knowledge of each other must be rather limited. Drewitt left the Hotel d'Orient the evening of Wednesday, the French family of three were leaving on Thursday so poor Roberts was left absolutely alone in the house! All the pool were frozen on the morning I left, so you see it is not always real summer on this coast.
(I have an odious little table to write on here – it is very aggravating). Well I left Hyères at nine and reached Cannes at three after a cold and tiresome journey, the latter part of the way the line runs along the coast, à la Brayhead line, and is very pretty, but cold, dark leaden clouds hung like a pall over the scene and sure enough when I got to Cannes it was snowing and the high mountains in the north were all snow clad.
I went to the Grand Hotel and having left my traps there, went off to the Belle Vue Hotel to see Dora and Co.; it is a long way from one end of the town to the other, more than a mile, and these two hotels are at opposite ends. Well I found Dora just coming in and I went up and saw Charles and Alice, the former looking very much better than when I had last seen him and seemingly in good spirits. Dora gave me a note from Mrs. Greene asking me to come to this Pension and take her son Dawsons room till he arrives (end of next week), so I came down to thank her and say I would come next day. Poor Elise is no better; she got better at Wildbad and then while they were waiting at Geneva for that imaginary bugbear, the cholera, to cease it became so cold and wet that she got rheumatism and under all the good she had gained in summer. Then I went back to the Grand Hotel and as the table d'hote bell rang and I emerged from my room at one end of a long corridor, the Squires came along from the other end! I knew they would be there, but certainly did not expect to meet them in this fashion.
The table d’hote there was large, about 30 people sat down, all English and all the waiters English speaking Germans; the fare not good. There is a nice public salon well supplied with newspapers, and the visitors seem to use it a good deal. The house was nearly full. Next morning I again met the Squires at breakfast and afterwards got my traps shifted over here. This is a small pretty Villa kept by a Swiss (Geneva) lady Mdme. Fatio who comes here for the benefit of her daughters health. Mrs. Greene and Elise, two other ladies, a Mrs. Nevin and a Miss Copeland (sisters), form the household. We are just below the Belle Vue, Dora is constantly in and out, and there is a perpetual in and out of friends and relatives. Yesterday afternoon Elise and Mrs. Nevin went out on donkeys for an hour and a half and Miss Copeland and I went with them on foot.
Lunch is at 12.30 dinner at 5.30 and we all sit a while afterwards in the salon; last night Mrs. G. Elise and I retired at 9 to Elise’s room to sit another hour there, as it is more comfortable than the salon.
This morning I breakfasted alone with Mdme. Fatio at 8, a nice Swiss breakfast with egg, honey and cold meat; she cannot speak a word of anything but French, so it is good practice for me in talking French.
My first impression of Cannes was "a horrid place" very lovely no doubt, but it is town like, English, and swell to an extent that grates on my feelings after Hyères,, moreover though there are said to be nice walks, one must always have to go a long way to get clear of villas and high walls. It is a very large place in appearance, the villas are so scattered. The visitors are almost all English – a few French – there are many grand carriages driving about and a Mr. Woolfield gives croquet parties every Thursday. Two English churches, services every day in one of them.
The sea views are lovely, quite different in style from Hyères, grander and bare from absence of trees, but not near so pretty. Yesterday and to day the weather has been bright and clear but cool, it has the reputation of being colder than Hyères. Sir V. de V. I must try and find out, I don’t know where he is. Lady de V. wrote to Mrs. Squire saying she liked the hotel they were stopping at so much and hoped the Squires would come to it, but unfortunately she forgot to say what hotel or pension it was!
Dawson Greene comes next week so I shall then have a walking companion but shall have to find other quarters as there is no room here. I enclose the heading to the Grand Hotel bill. It gives a tolerably faithful idea of the hotel and the hills in the back ground. The hotel is really gigantic, and bar the table d'hote, is a good one; it is Anglo-German – all the servants above “boots” seem to be German, and English is the hotel language.
I shall get off a letter to J. S. P. in a few days when I see something more of this place. I hear great numbers of people are expected here after Christmas.
Tell aunt Nanine I shall go and call on Miss. Campbell; the Villa Christiana is close to this. The rail it a nuissance here, at this side of the town it runs close to the shore and cuts off free access to the beach. The number of new hotels and houses, just built, and buildings is very surprising. I dare say my letters will be slow in reaching me here. Mrs. Greene says the P. O. here is conducted on very easy going principles and letters are often delayed. I am the only man in this household of six ladies.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Cannes Dec. 20. 1865.
My dear uncle Joe,
I arrived here last Thursday having left one solitary individual in the Hotel d'Orient at Hyères. Poor Hyères! It is a bad season for it. At the moment I am stopping in the Villa Marie Thérèse with Mrs. Greene and Elise Travers but have to move tomorrow to make room for young Dawson Greene and I have not yet fixed on my new abode. Many of the Pensions here are quite full – of English solely for the most part. This is an English colony pure and simple, almost the only other visitors are Russians. There is one great nuisance here, an excessively irregular Post Office; all my letters are sent up to Charley at the Bellevue, though the man at the Post Office acknowledged that he thought they were not for him! I hear complaints on all sides. It is utterly different here from Hyères, brighter, a hotter sun and clearer air, with the most magnificent scenery and walks, at the same time there is less variety of both and I don't think they are so attractive as at Hyères though far superior in actual beauty and grandeur. There are no nice walks in the immediate neigbourhood; nothing nearer than half an hour or so. However it is a brighter, gayer place with more to look at and I like being actually on the sea instead of three miles from it. The town (native) is about as large as Hyères, semi-Italian and the patois quite unintelligible to me; at Hyères it was not quite so bad.
The views from some of the neighbouring hills are very grand; one overlooks this glorious Golfe de la Napoule, on which Cannes is situated, with the Esterel Mts. on its western side, then to the east the Golfe de Jonan (the scene of Napoleons landing from Elba), a fine bay but not equal to this one, just beyond it Antibes, further on the glistening white houses of Nice and the long line of the Corniche Road, or rather I should say the Rivièra, dying out in blue haze in the far east.
In the N. E. the splendid snow clad peaks and ranges of the Alpes Maritimes many miles away. This is the view, but it looks much the same from all points, like a handsome face without expression. The Esterels are a most picturesque range, six miles or so distant the railway provokingly runs through them and does not stop anywhere till some distance on the further side.
The Bellevue seems to be a most comfortable house, Charley looks quite a different being from the time I last saw him, almost hearty, and seems cheery and reasonably contented with the place, he seems to cough very little and has quite energy enough to abuse vigorously continentals in general and Frenchmen in particular at which Dora and I assist him to the best of our ability. He walked to and from church on Sunday, not very far, but there is a considerable hill (two indeed) and seems to go up and down stairs without any difficulty. He goes out driving a good deal, and the only thing he complains of, is having so few men to talk
Unfortunately we know so little about each others antecedents, and as I cannot talk military "shop" or he engineering ditto, I am afraid I cannot do much in the way of amusing him. The weather now is gloriously bright and warm from about 9 a.m. to 3.30 or 4 p.m. but the mornings and evenings are very cool; I fancy there is a slight frost every night. Then has not been the usual amount of rain yet, so I suppose we shall have some more. This climate is very different from Hyères – about the same kind of difference as between the south of England and the south of Ireland. It is ever so much drier hire; the skin and hair show it distinctly. Mr. Rolfe our Clergyman is very active and anxious to be useful in any way, I called on him on Monday and he returned the visit to day. I have also called on our of Mrs. Hardens friends. The Squires and Sir Vere de Vere are both here, the latter I have had one or two walks with, but as they are in the eastern, and I in the western town, more than a mile apart we do not often meet. Your affect nephew F. E. P.
I have managed to stay on here some days longer at all events.
{Charles Middleton Prendergast has obtained his captain's rank "by purchase" on 02.06.1865, but caught a terminal disease shortly after, presumably tuberculosis. On 26.01.1866 he will resign, i.e. resell his patent, worth more than £1800, and die on 17.04.1867. If he died while in still service, his heirs would not see a penny.}
Villa Marie-Thérèse Cannes. Dec 21/65
My dear Mamma
Ever since the Calais packet collision the post has been all astray, papers come behind time and soaked. Letters ditto. The almanac only arrived to day, fortunately it had not suffered. I have made arrangements to stay on some days longer at all events, in this house; it is pleasant being with ones relatives and I like the house. Madame Fatio (née de Celigny) and her servants are Swiss, all from the Pays Vaud and I feel quite at home with them, they are ever so much pleasanter than French people. Madame F. has one invalid daughter, whose health brings her here, and the whole house has a pleasant Swiss aspect, internally only of course. I breakfast at 8 alone with Madame F. and as she cannot speak a word of anything but French it is good practice for me. I have now got Dawson Greene's room and must turn out when he comes into a room on the west side of the house, and if I like it shall very likely remain in this house. Some of the larger pensions would be gayer I dare say, the company is English everywhere on this side of the town and chiefly so on the other also.
Cannes consists of one very long street running east and west, at the eastern end of this are the Grand Hotel and many hotels and Pensions and the ground is flat and just on the sea level; at the western end of this street is an abrupt rocky hills covered with native houses and a chapel on the top, west of this the road is lined with Villas, Chateaux and a few Pensions – the Bellevue where the Ps are is a few hundred yards off it, up the hill inland, this house being half way between the Bellevue and the road. There are hills east and west protectioning this bay, the lovely Golfe de la Napoule, and the country to the north slopes up gradually to the Alpes Maritimes, the higher range of which are now snow clad, and look glorious, but they cannot be seen from the town. For a week then has not been a cloud, the sky and sea are deep blue and in the middle of the day the sun is so hot that most people carry white umbrellas, but I enjoy the sun. The olives here are much finer than at Hyères, or rather I should say are more tree-like and graceful. Then are immense quantities of small orange trees, a few lemons, but scarcely any palms. The general aspect of the country is bare compared to Hyères and the soil and air are very much drier.
There are very many Irish people here and by the list from Nice I guess they are about to be deluged with Americans there. On this coast they put down in the list Anglais, Irlandais, Ecossais &c and do not call all Anglais as elsewhere.
I have called on Miss Campbell who was very friendly; she is a genuine Scotchwoman and no mistake either in voice or features. She asked me to come and see her now and them. I foresee I shall probably want some clothes and as foreign tailors stuffs and fits and are dear and doubtful I wish enquiries were made regarding sending out small parcels. Wharton has got all needful measurements. Try Globe parcels express. There is a Continental Parcels Express in London, vide first page of Times. I will write what I want some other time as there is no immediate hurry.
Tuesday afternoon I was one of a walking party of some dozen people from the Bellevue &c, two donkeys for children and tired ladies. I don't give names as I should have a shower of questions that would take some pages of genealogical writing to answer, – the names must come out by degrees. I have invested two francs in a guide book and map this morning. It seems good and is only just out, it is dated 1866. Mr. Rolfe has service every day in the church; there are so many parsons here that I fancy his duties are not very heavy.
Love to all at Rostrevor. Yours of 15 came Yesterday.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"née de Celigny": Céligny is a village near Geneva, probably the lady's home rather than maiden name.}
Villa Marie Thérèse
Cannes Dec 26/65
My dear Mamma,
Yours of 18-19th which should have been delivered two days ago at least only came last evening, also one from uncle Joe. The Times came to hand all right and another came from J. Fs office also, announcing that Mrs. J. F. has had a daughter.
Friday evening Dawson Greene arrived, having come right through from London, 46 hours en route, as he missed a train at Marseilles and lost 5 hours thereby.
On Saturday the Clement Unthanks arrived at the Grand Hotel and I met them after church on Sunday afternoon. Yesterday they moved up to the Bellevue and are on the same floor with the Ps, but they do not intend to stay long here: they are en route for Nice and Rome. Mrs. Unthank is not quite well. On Sunday night Dawson and I went to Midinght Mass at the chapel (cathedral they call it); we went at 11.30 and sat there for more than two hours. There was little of interest and the music, except a little chanting, very poor. On Christmas day our church was very nicely decorated, and crammed even to standing, 15 minutes before the service began; almost the whole congregation remained for the Communion. They say they have had more strangers in Cannes previous seasons, but never so many English. I heard the English put down at a thousand, and I dare say rightly. Yesterday we had 12 at dinner, our own party makes 8 now and Madame Fatio invited Dr. and Mrs. Whitely (I am not sure about the h, their daughter a very nice and pleasant semi-French young lady and a young man who is at their house. Dr. W. is the senior Dr. here and I liked his looks. Then in the evening Dora, Alice and Mrs. Whateley (née Levinge of W.meath.) came in, and we had a very pleasant evening.
It amuses me to hear the French and English talked indiscriminately though English was chief last night. Alice and Miss Unthank wanted to go to the midnight Mass, but unfortunately we did not know it in time. Mrs. Whateley is a very nice and very young widow, though one of hers sons is 12; she looks about 30. She has two sons and two dear little girls, they are so pretty and nice that everyone turns round to look at them. She is very thick with the P's, and I tell you so much about her as you will probably often hear her name. Alice is getting very fat and all seem thriving on Cannes air. Fancy on Christmas day ladies coming to church in light summer dresses, and gentlemen, not invalids either, under white umbrellus to keep the sun off! This morning I went out after breakfast and it was warmer than it often is in England in a hot summer. There is slight frost here in the mightbourhood every night, but within a few miles of this I saw ice half an inch thick the other morning. It is very chilly just at sundown but gets warmer again afterwards.
I have made the acquaintance of a Mr. (and Mrs.) Kerney here. He is very anxious to read the Cromwellian Settlement, but has only seen the Times' preview of it. In going to call on him one day I got into a wrong place and found it was Mr. Richardsons Villa, to my mind the nicest small place here. I have heard so much of the charms of Miss R. and the pleasantness of Mrs. R. that I should like to make their acquaintance. Introduction viâ uncle Charles query? If he would mention my name I would go and call there, which is the correct way of doing things here.
Madame Fatio knows them too. People seem to pull together pretty well here and some season there is a good deal of gaiety. The hills behind this place are quite close; in fact we are on their slopes; at the Grand Hotel they are some 2 miles back. I took Dawson up the hill behind this house yesterday and showed him the snowy Alps; he guessed their distance at 12 to 15 miles; they are more than 40 miles away! Some that we see are over 10,000 feet in height. All distances are very deceptive here; everything looks close. I never saw such a house as this is for chairs and tables, I cannot find a single comfortable place to write at.
Having nothing to do here, and doing it, I find it very hard to get time to write. Since I came I have absolutely done nothing indoors but write three letters and read half of two French books! I will give you a specimen day; breakfast at 8 alone with Madame Fatio and talk French with her till near nine, them out alone till 10.30 or 11, then come in read, write or otherwise pass time till 12 or so, then go out and talk and sit with some of the ladies in the garden or go up to see C. M. P. sitting in Bellevue Garden. Lunch at 12.30, this is a meal of three courses and generally lasts nearly an hour. Then out either for a long 3 hour walk, or with Elise on a donkey (to day I am going somewhere with Mrs. Whateley and Dora) till 5, dinner at 5.30 and read or talk till 10. We, i.e. Mrs Greene, Dawson and I use Elises bedroom a good deal as our salon, which I dare say would surprise English ideas but is usual enough here. The Veres and Squires are still here. I was walking with the former on Sunday afternoon. Dr. Lee is also still here and is much disgusted with this season, he says there are so few invalids, almost all people come here to enjoy themselves! I believe I get more French taking in this house than I should any where else, so that is a great point as well as being with ones relatives.
Mrs. Greene says I am always to call her aunt. It is just lunch time so I must stop. As at all new places I have lots more to say.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Still bright cloudless weather.
Love to all at Rostrevor.
{Richardson's Villa: probably not belonging to Jonathan Richardson, who lives in hotels, as we will see.}
Villa Marie-Thérèse, Cannes, Dec. 29/65.
My dear Mamma,
Since I last wrote to you I have got such a shoal of letters, about ten in all I think. The one you forwarded from Miss von S. was a most formidable epistle, 4½ closely written sheets in smaller German writing; she is still at Weymouth. The bad sad news from Dresden, the Baroness'es dress had somehow caught fire and she was badly burned, her children Bertha and Oscar who came to her assistance were also severely burned. All were better by last accounts. On Tuesday afternoon I went off with Dora and Mrs. Whateley, the latter on a donkey, to pay some visits and afterwards we went scrambling up a hill to look for the Unthanks, it got so steep at last that Mrs. W. had to hold on by the mane and finally to proceed on foot; we found the two Miss Us by a happy chance and all came home together. After dinner I went up (as I often do) to the Bellevue where the Ps room was well filled by the Unthanks and others.
Wednesday morning I went off at 7.30 to Nice, spent two hours then and was back to lunch. Nice is a gay bright city, something like Geneva or Brussels, with fine streets and handsome shops; you know it is very large, 50,000 inhabitants and the visitors average 6000 every year. It is right on the sea like Brighton and there are fine rocks and a snug little harbour on its eastern side. It seemed much colder and more windy than Cannes. The railway station is very nice but it is a long mile from the town proper. I did not care to spend much time at Nice as I only went in to get a pair of boots (they seem good and cheap) and to change some circular notes. Bye and bye I intend to spend a week there to see the place and country, besides Dora and Mr. W. want me to escort them there some day.
The views from the Ry. which coast along the shore are very fine, blue sea for a foreground, then the white houses of Nice backed by hills wooded at the base but bare and rocky at the top, with the snowy Alps in the rear towering over all. Yesterday afternoon Dawson Greene and I went off to Napoule, a little village on the W. side of this bay about 6 miles off; there is a ruined castle there and the coast scenery, being rocky, is very fine. Pic-nic parties are going on here now – fancy in Christmas week people driving about in open carriages, spending all day out of doors and pic-nicing on the grass! It sounds Australian like. I have been here a fortnight to day and there has been nothing but blue sky and hot sun ever since, except the last day or two when in the morning and evening there are a few small clouds on the horizon; this they say indicates coming rain. As I sit writing this I can see in the next garden some orange trees literally bending under their golden crop. Those that they cultivate for the flowers are Seville Oranges. They feed the cows here largely on half ripe orange; I wonder how the cows can like them! There are some letters by a Miss Brewster from Cannes which give a pretty good ladies view of the place. It you come across them read them.
This place is one of those that is yearly changing so rapidly that any but recent accounts are little use. Many fortunes have been made here by land. One Russian bought some waste sandy land at on the shore three years ago for 17,000 francs; six months later he sold the fifth part of it for 18,000 francs, and the remainder of it in still smaller lots soon after, each for a still larger sum! This is only one instance out of many I have heard.
I wish J.F. or some such speculative man would come out here and lay out a few new roads and building lots, and by so doing would benefit himself and the place; I don't think the French, though good road makers and engineers, understand laying out land and roads for building purposes.
There is still room for an upper terraced road here but they do not seem inclined to make it. The approach road to this house and the Bellevue would scarcely be considered drivable in England.
The mosquitos are still here and Mrs. Greene suffers much from them; they have given up biting the rest of us. Love to all at Rostrevor
your affectionate son F. E. P.
Cannes. Jan. 1. 1866.
My dear Mamma,
The new year has set in with storm and torrents of rain. On Friday evening some suspicious looking clouds came up on the horizon and it rained in the night. On Saturday were were to have had a party to Grasse, 10 people to fill two carrages, the Ps. (not C. M. P.) the Unthanks and Mrs. Whateley. However we were driven back ignominiously by the rain. Saturday night more rain and Sunday dark and cold but dry, then last night it rained again and most of to day, now at 4 p. m. it is coming down in torrents.
They have some tolerably good bells here and all this week they have been keeping up such a din – perhaps they will rest a little now. I don’t remember if I ever told you that Jenny Lind is here and sings in our church; her voice is unpleasantly powerful if one is close.
Lord Brougham is also here now and was in church on Sunday. A most picturesque Spanish pedlar has been going about here for many days – how very peculiar the Spainards look and dress
I had a letter from Livesey on Saturday but he had not much news. Tyndal has got employment in Spain on some works of Batemans – no particulars given
R. F. was in Ireland. In a wood near this I saw a yellow foxglove just coming out, but it was only a single specimen. In reading a book on Cannes by a young Parisienne I was amused to find her saying that the Engliswomen now dress better than the Frenchwomen and lamenting the times when it used to be the other way. I don’t think the time seems to pass as quickly here as at Hyères, perhaps because I do less in the shape of work; to day I began to retranslate a little, but I read and talk a good deal of French almost every day.
{Jenny Lind, married Goldschmidt, is a world celebrity, but also a personal acquaintance of the Dresden Prendergasts' – this fact seems to have escaped FEP. She spends several months at Cannes with her entire family and will give a famous concert there on 07.04.1866. I assume she does not "perform" at the service, but joins the congregation singing hymns – indeed a problem.}
Jan. 2d. No letters this morning. Yesterday we had at dinner Mr., Mrs. and Miss (aged 9) Kearney; they are Mayo folk and are above for the health and education of their daughter. I do not much fancy them. It is fine again to day. Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Please forward enclosed.
Villa Marie Thérèse
Cannes. Jan. 4. 1866
My dear uncle Joe
John Travers has not yet arrived, but is expected on Saturday. This house is elastic and they have found rooms for us all.
There was a ball at the Cercle Nautique on Tuesday and all the English were supposed to be invited. I got an invitation but did not feel inclined to go, Dawson Greene, Alice and the Unthanks went. It was a mixed affair, but chiefly English. Alice was quite off her head about this ball – her first public one – and got chaffed no end by C. M. P. and Dora. Yesterday I went up to a village near this called le Cannet ("little Cannes") curiously situated in a sunnny corner of the hills to the rear. It has a milder and warmer climate than Cannes itself, but there being no hotel or pension and few or no houses to let, it is little resorted to. Rachel died there. It is a curious crabbed little place rising out of the middle of Orange groves now laden with their golden crop. When passing through the village it has a most picturesque effect to look through a dark passage open from the street to the garden and get a glimpse of the oranges shining among the dark polished green of the leaves.
They have already begun to send away the oranges largely from this neighbourhood. Is day for the first time in my life. I tasted at lunch a sea urchin of which immense quantities are consumed here; it is eaten uncooked, with bread and only a very small portion of the inside is eaten. It has no particular taste – more like oyster than anything else. A few days {ago} I saw a man going about with a muzzled wolf, said to have been captured in the Alps. There are wild boars in the Esterels not m{any} miles off, and they say wild cats {too.}
You talk of return ticket to Toulon or to Marseilles – it was only lately that I found out that return tickets are seldom issued in France and not at all on this line. This was new to me and will probably be so to you too?
I see by "Times" that the Caledonian, the North British, and the Glasgow and South Southwestern (the three companies possessing Scotland south of Clyde and Forth) have agreed, or are about to do so, to writhdraw all their bills in Parliament this year and all those authorised during the last three years which have not yet been begun, the shareholders not liking the idea of the immense number of new lines and the consequent capital required; this will be a great blow to many Scotch engineers, Blair among the number, as I see the Central Terminus at Glasgow and some Ayrshire Lines (both given by the last company to Blair) specially mentioned as ones to be "shelved", temporarily at all events.
I don’t envy Blairs assistants and pupils when that news came in; as we used to say there was probably some "brimstone burned" in the office! The last rain came down in the form of snow on the distant mountains which now look splendid in their new pure white mantle. All relatives here and at Bellevue send their loves; Mrs. Greene wants to know if you lately saw a paragraph in Naval and Military Gazette saying that they presumed the 68th and some other regts. were on their way home? Or do you know anything about probable movements of 68th?
This letter is not to be posted till tomorrow – Friday 5th, Cannes is badly supplied with letter boxes; besides the G.P.O. there is only one other box and that not near this. In strangers list of Nice the American arrivals seem nearly to equal those of all other nations put together. Here I do not see many.
San Remo (beyond Mentone) I hear much sproken about, it seems to be getting into favour. Love to all at Combe Down and Bath
Your affectionate nephew
Francis E. Prendergast.
Cannes. Jan. 8.1866
My dear Mamma,
On Friday we went to Grasse, our party consisting of the Unthanks, Dora, Alice Mrs. Whateley, her two little girls and myself, two carriage loads. We left at ten and were back at 4.30. The day was fine and having our provisions with us we pic-niced in the public garden at Grasse much to the surprise of the natives in general and the children in particular, afterwards we visited some of the bow-bon establishments for which and perfumeries Grasse is famous. The ladies spent about 40 or 50 francs in bon-bons and boxes for them; there is every imaginable kind of form and shape of these articles, mostly pretty good.
On returning I got your letter of the 2d. The Roberts who died at Hyères is not the one I knew; Brookes told me the day before I left that this Roberts was very far gone.
John Travers has just arrived and his arrival makes some changes in this house not at all to my taste. There is a public salon which we all used in the evening, Mrs. Niven and Miss Copland have a salon of their own up stairs but always spent part of the evening in the general salon; now the Greenes and Travers have got the general salon for themselves and though of course it will be as free to me as heretofore, still Madame and Miss Fatio will now be in one room, Mrs. N. & Miss C. in the salon and the Greenes, Travers's and I in the large salon, an arrangement not at all suiting my ideas. When living in this way I like to be in a large salon and have a lot of people to talk to and look at.
To day it came on to blow a regular "mistral" (NW wind) strong, but not cold and with a clear sky. Mr Rolfe the clergyman has a notice up in his vestry requesting that sermons shall not exceed 20 minutes, and his own are never so much; is not that a good arrangement?
I forget if I ever told you that all the floor, and stairs too, here are tiled with small red polished octagonal or hexagonal tiles; they have the advantage of great cleanliness. The great objection to them is their slippiness when not carpeted. They are quite universal here. The little port here is amusing to watch, of course none but small coasting vessels come in here and a steamer (Nice & Marseilles) twice a week.
Charley is looking much better even since I came and he himself told me that an Italian doctor a friend of his who comes over now and then from Nice to visit him (not professionally) also thinks him looking much better.
I saw a flock of goats and sheep going along the road the other morning; the herdsman had a lump of salt in his hand and there was great contention among the animals to get a lick of it. I see a few Americans about here now, some of them most unmistakable specimens. An "American Dentist" lives and practises in a pension close to this. I do not think he seems to get much to do. Don't pelt me with questions about John Travers; I will tell you about his stay &c, when I find out. I have come to the conclusion that though Cannes is a finer, handsomer, gayer place than Hyères, still as far as mere walks, place and view go, I prefer Hyères.
F. E. P.
Villa Marie-Thérèse Jan. 13.1866.
Cannes
My dear Mamma,
I had a letter from you on the 10th and from uncle Joe and from Miss Taylor yesterday. C. M. P. also got the papers J. S. P. sent him. On Tuesday I made an attempt to get up some hills called the Tanneron, east of this, but I had not time; some of the heath on them is quite twelve feet high and with stems as thick as my wrist.
On my way back I visited a curious little chapel called Saint Cassien on the tope of a curious little wooded knoll standing, like a rath, quite by itself in the plain. A Piedmontese monk lives there and at the time I was there was entertaining a tramp in his little den. In the evening of same day it came on to a violent thunderstorm which the natives say is very unusuall while the Mistral is blowing. Next day the same mistral was changed to a wet south wind and the sea got up in grand style, great rollers coming tambling in and thundering on the beach. Another day I went up to Le Cannet and walked from that over some wooded hill to a curious town called Mougins built on the top of a conical hill, a very strange place and commanding a grand panoramic view. Yesterday was very fine and I went up some hills to the east of this and had a fine view of Nice, but the coast beyond was invisible yesterday.
Yours of 9th has just come.
There is a small garden in front of the house, very sunny and pleasant; Elise sits out there a great deal and Greenes and Travers use it largely for smoking. There are handsome red roses in flower in it and some smaller flowers, a pepper tree with pepper-corns (pink shell) on it, a Japan Medlar (qu?) with large sweet smelling white flowers, and orange and lemon trees, some with fruit on them, some just coming into flow{er}
In uncle Joes letter received yesterday a note from aunt E says C. Ottley has got a curacy at Stoney Stratford and that his mother is going to live with him.
John Travers has got 4 months leave and will be at Cannes till April. He is not an acquisition as he seldom opens his mouth and when he does seldom says anything remarkable. He has been suffering from neuralgic headaches, but has not had any since his arrival here.
I am getting rather tired of this place and of the Pension, it is so very "slow" no change of people and little variety indoors or out of doors; unless I hear something against so doing from you or uncle Joe I think I shall move on to Nice early in February for a week or so, en route for Mentone and further east; I am beginning to fidget for want of something to do.
I am anxious to try San Remo, 30 mides beyond Nice which is now getting into favour as a winter place; from all I hear it must be a pleasant place, and there are large hotels there with public salons an institution which is always a great boon to single men as one thus gets society. Here was an getting more "spliit up" every day, and the general salon is all but deserted.
If uncle James could persuade himself to try a winter in this climate I am sure it would produce permanent benefit. To day is warm and cloudless; I hope we may get another spell of "midsummer" weather again.
I see the De Veres are at Nice now; they were going on to San Reino. Bordighera, within a few miles of S. Remo was the scene of Doctor Antonio. Sometimes people winter at Bordighera but there is only one hotel there as yet.
I am writing in a hurry as Dawson Greene and I are going off for a a walk.
Your affect. son
Francis E. Prendergast
Cannes. Jan. 16. 1866.
My dear Mamma,
On Saturday morning at 10.30 Dawson and I started off for Fréjus and had a lovely walk across the Esterels. The Col over which the road passes is 1000 feet above the sea and the mountains rise another 1000 feet above that. The Esterels are finely wooded with pine and cork trees, and the road is nicely laid out over the range; there is no town or village the whole way and only one or two auberges; it is 21 miles to Fréjus and we got there about 4.30; there are some very fine remains of a great Roman aqueduct on the road close to Fréjus which except the fine sceney is the only object of interest. We came back by rail. It was a glorious day without a cloud and a hot sun, though the wind was cold at the top of the pass. These Esterels were inhabited till comparatively recently by the Moores and there is a village or rather a cluster of villages in them still called le Tanneron the inhabitants of which do not intermarry with the Provençals and who are said still to preserve the Moorish features and characteristics. In the Esterels there are plenty of wild boars, and they say deer and wild cats. There is to be a battue of wild hours ("sangliers") some time soon by the members of the Cercle Nautique here. I have been reading two books lately which might interest Papa and uncle Frank, "Artemus Ward, His Book" and the "Story of the Great March" (Shermans, through the Southern States, written by his aid-de-camp Nichols).
In mentioning the plants in flower in the garden, I forgot to give scarlet geranium heliotrope, anemonies, violets and indeed many others. I had a letter from Roberts from Hyères yesterday; he seems to be improving, but says the only other English man in the Hotel is Capt. Blacker, there are two French people and the rest are Poles and Bazilians {sic}; there are great numbers of the latter on this coast this season, particularly at Nice. It seems someone has be written an abusive account of Hyères in "London Society" and Mr Brookes and Dr. Griffiths who both "believe in" Hyères, are reported by Roberts to be nearly indignation mad. There are more people at Hyères than when I left but it is a bad season. I have had a great catch here, Deighton, Elises maid has mended all my socks. I wish Papa would look at Arnolds Henrys "First Italian Book" and if it seems good, get it and send it out to me at once. I have got the loan of an Italian grammar and Dictionary from Miss Fatio, but I cannot say much for either of them.
Jan. 17. Yours of 12th-13th has just arrived. Please forward both enclosed.
I dare say I can get anything I want in the way of clothes at Nice: there is an English tailor there. Cooper I will remember; he was with Ormsby and myself during part of our geological survey – and he used to tell Ormsby and me that we were "the queerest chaps he ever met"!
Do you know if Mrs Ramadge will remain at the Craig? (I forget if that is the right name of the place?). There are 6 strangers bedrooms in this house. Mrs. Niven and Miss Copland have the only private salon; Elises bedroom is used as the salon for that faction. Poor Mrs. Niven is very ill (chest) and has not been visible for many days. Waterspouts are sometimes seen here, but there have not been any this winter. Yesterday was quite warm and springlike and to day seems the same. As Madame Fatio and I breakfast at 8 sharp and the mornings are so frosty and cold there is not much temptation to be moving earlier. The English posts arrive here at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., one goes out at 2 p.m. Roberts said that the annonncement in Times of death of a Roberts at Hyères startled some of his people very much, but of course he did not get any condoling letters! Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Villa Marie-Thérèse.
Cannes. Jan. 18. 1866
My dear uncle Joe,
I may as well begin by mentroning receipt from Tower Terrace of Times containing Fowlers speech or whatever it may be called. I believe he is famed for doing everything well but paying.
Dawson Greene and I had a grand walk right round the Esterels yesterday following the sea the whole way. We left at 10.30 a.m. and got to Agay, whence we took the rail home, at 4.30. It is most splendid sceney the whole way and an almost level path, much like that round Howth, passes between the railway and the sea the whole way from a little village called Napoule at the foot of the Esterels on this side.
The coast is rocky, the wild and picturusque hills running down to the water; they are covered with brushwood of cystus, rosemary, Spanish broom and heath and except where the rock crops out are one mass of verdure. The distance by rail from Cannes to Agay is 16 miles but as we went it is over 20. On the way are two magnificent viaducts one of them really very fine and handsomely built. There are many nice coves, some of them with sandy or gravelly beaches and where such occur there are generally one or two fishermens cottages to be seen, which except the Douaniers posts, 8 or 10 miles apart, are the only signs of life. There are villages of ruined cottages and indeed houses, but these were the temporary dwellings erected for the navvies and others employed during the construction of the line; these remains do not improve the landscape. At Agay we met a gentleman (English) who had come down from Nice by rail for a days shooting but he had only got one partridge. Agay is only a few miles from Fréjus (on this side) and there is no station on the 16 miles between this and Agay and indeed Agay only consists of a few houses. It was hard to realize that it was January as there was a cloudless sky, hot sun and no wind; to day is the same. C. M. P. and all invalids enjoying this glorious weather. Your affect nephew F. E. P.
Cannes. Jan. 20. 1866.
My dear Mamma
Yours of 16th came yesterday, also the I. L. N. The word you could not make out in my letter was tramp.
I am glad to hear of the socks. Has Papa any of mine in use now? I wish for the sake of the small birds that this place, and indeed all France was proclaimed; you have no idea how dead the all but complete absence of small birds makes the country. On our walk to Agay we saw one hawk, one robin and few small birds in the heath; I don't think I had seen as many in all the time I have been at Cannes.
Coming through the market this morning I saw many curious fish, mackarel the only English one I observed; they get and eat the cuttle fish here and it is said to be very good. I see many women here with distaffs, what a strange way of working it is! I see Fowlers great Bridge across the Severn is likely never to be made as they talk of building a cheaper one higher up, proposed by the Midland Ry. who I believe have got the bill for it. What time does the evening post arrive? Is it brouchitis that Lou{is} is supposed to have?
Yesterday I walked right round the bay by the sands – 5 miles – to where the River Siagne runs out near Napoule, it was heavy sand-walking but I wanted to do it. There are only two places now remaining within a few miles of Cannes that I have not visited; one of them is Antibes and I cannot get there and back (it is 8 miles off) between any two meals and the trains do not suit as to hours. I have great dislike to going into French cafés to get anything to eat or drink, it always seems to me a most unsatisfactory proceeding. Dawson and I went into a Café at Fréjus to get something to drink and there were two men in it who seemed very anscious to get into conversation with us; one of them informed us as soon as he found we had walked from Cannes, that the other man was writing about Fréjus and was "a very learned man", this the other overheard and went out, I fancied in disgust at his friends officiousness; no such thing; in ten minutes he came back with a lot of documents and testimonials from the Ecole Polytechnique, the Horticultural Society at Nice and from many schools and Societies, all for our inspection. It struck me as being a remarkable instance of French vainty. The first man seemed delighted at getting the chance of trotting out his friend and wanted us to come over again and said either of them would be most happy to show us the antiquities of Fréjus. I most sincerely hope I may never come across either of them again.
Dawson Green and John Travers went to Antibes by rail yesterday and wanted me to go with them, but I dont admire J. T. and so keep as clear of him as I can. William Travers, the eldest, is said to be nicest of the family, he is in 14th Hussars.
22d. Please forward enclosed. Miss Copland, I find comes from 7 Longford Terrace, is anything known of the people of that name living there? If you see anything as to Places in Alfords Riviera that you think would interest me, please mention them. I hear they are going to build a large new hotel just close to this house and hope to have it ready for next season.
It is amusing to watch all the women in the market place here with their distaffs, it looks such a mysterious process.
When is Charley E. expected back in town?
Yesterday there were a few heavy clouds floating about and the hills looked all the better for the shadows. To day it is again cloudless and warmer than ever. I hear the Dugmores (a large English family) are all bathing now. The natives do not begin till April. I have not yet decided as to date of moving. Italian postage is 6d I think; see what it is and tell me. Mentone is in France.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Cannes Jan. 25. 1866.
My dear Mamma
Yours of 20th arrived yesterday also a letter from young Fogerty, he says he was in Limerick for a month at Christmas and also that "Josselyn and I went down to see Ridings in his own house, one night before Christmas, he seems very happy with the wife who manages tip-top in her own house".
I presume Ridings is living in his ₤ 50 house at Blackheath. I don’t think R.F. told anything else that would interest you.
On Tuesday Dawson and I went off at 10.30 to a place called Ansibeau 8 miles from this, a curious little village on the top of a high hill in a very pretty situation; we then went on up the mountains called Le Tanneron, said to be inhabited by the descendants of the Moors who formerly held part of this country; these hills are covered on their lower slopes with pine woods and at the top are partly covered with brushwood and partly cultivated by these "Moors", we saw two chapels and houses innumerable, but if there is anything to represent a village we did not come on it. We spoke to some of the people we met and at one house where we asked the way an old woman asked us to come in; there was only one chair in the room, one table and one bed and no window of any kind, but a liberal supply of light came down the capacious chimney; we could understand very little but she was polite and lamented having nothing in the house to offer us. One thing struck both Dawson and me as being strange, the spoke of us as being French and natives, while they spoke of themselves as strangers and not able to talk French.
We could make out but very few words at all intelligible and those only such as villade for village, églésé for église and so on; however as the Provençals sound final vowels this is somewhat like the Patois. We did not get back till near five and had 7 hours hard walking, but it was almost all new and interesting.
Yesterday evening I was up at the Bellevue, going up by Doras special request "to help to tease Alice"!
They are all very flourishing; C. M. P. came down here yesterday and paid a long visit to Mrs. Greene and Elise. He seems in very good spirits and though I dare say he, Dora and Alice would all rather be in London, still they certainly make the best of being here.
We still have clear fine weather; yesteray it blew strongly from the east and in the wind was cool enough.
I should not care for the Italian dictionary. I am meditating moving on to Nice next week, but do not intend to stop there more than a few days and then go on to Mentone. You might address to me at Poste Restante Mentone, Alpes Maritimes France to reach me there up till Feb. 6th after that till further advised, San Remo Italy. Please let uncle Joe know of this as soon as convenient.
I do not remember if I ever mentioned that Mentone is about 15 miles from Nice and San Remo about 15 miles beyond Mentone. You had better get uncle Franks Doctor Antonio and read it up.
The French frontier is now at, or near Ventimiglia between Mentone and San Remo. I expect to meet the Squires at Mentone and the de Veres at San Remo.
This fine weather makes me fidgetty to get underweigh and be doing and seeing something new, but at the same time I am so comfortable here as to be unwilling to make the first move. It is very lovely weather now, so clear and bright, seldom any clouds and the sun so warm, however the mornings and evenings about sunrise and sunset are alway fresh, if not cold; it gets warmer again about an hour after sunset. Do not direct any more letters to me here at present. This I think ought to reach you on Sunday, possible not till Monday.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"underweigh": under way; misspelled but not uncommon, by confusion with "to weigh anchor". Walking to get underweight is not yet in vogue.}
Cannes. Jan. 29. 1866.
My dear Mamma
Yours of 23d arrived on 26th. Also a letter from Charley the same day. I presume from it that he will be in town, this, or next week. Mr Richardson has been at the Hotel de Provence ever since he came but either he or some other Mr R has a villa here. On Thursday Dawson and I walked to Antibes and back, we also went out to the end of the long peninsula which runs out beyond Antibes; we there found some crocuses just like our autumnal ones. Antibes itself seems a dull little garrison town, very uninteresting, but prettily situated with a view of Nice and a long rarage of the Corniche road.
On Saturday we had a long walk in the Tanneron hills, but lost our way entirely and did not accomplish what we started to do, a "short cut" across the hills by which we hoped to save an hour lost us three hours! However we were back in time for dinner. Two yachts have been in here, one of them a little steamer belonging to Blakeley the gun inventor, and also a small French war steamer. I see the French papers transulate "proclaimed" by being "put in a state of siege" (!) another paper says they expect the whole county of Ulster will soon be placed under martial law. This for uncle Frank. Lord Brougham was in church yesterday afternoon, looking very old and feeble. I see peas in blossom in several places about and the orange flowers are coming out in all directions.
In the Tanneron on Saturday I saw a fine holly tree, the first I have seen in this country anywhere; there was but the one tree that I could see. There are flocks of very nice white goats in these hills; they look most picturesque when seen like white dots on the high hills from below; they are much white than sheep ever are.
I have made a change in my plans; instead of stopping at San Remo now I am going on eastward first. Dawson Greene wishes to come with me and as he is soon to return to England I must go now if I want company. Tomorrow (Tuesday 30th) I intend to go on to Nice and at the end of the week to Mentone. As at present arranged D. G. will leave this on Monday Feb 5th and meet me some evening at Mentone, we then mean to send our portmanteaus on to Genoa and follow them on foot, expecting to get to Genoa by Sunday Feb. 11th, so you may address to me there for that day. If cash is then found not to be running out too fast we purpose again proceeding on foot, having previously forwarded portmanteaus, towards Florence and I think you might address to me at Florence for Feb. 18th.
It is on the morning of the 6th I expect we shall leave Mentone. Of course you will not address to me now at San Remo, and will let uncle Joe hear of all this at once. I have literally used up every place within reach of Cannes now, with one exception and I am going on a pic-nic with the Kearneys to that place to day.
I do not know, but imagine from what I hear that Mrs. Greene is soon to return to England, so only Elise and her brother will be left here. I am very glad to think of being once more wandering, as this fine weather and long absence from work is making me fidgetty to be doing something; in travelling through a new country and people one is at least getting new impressions and pleasant as Cannes is I am pretty well tired of it.
I do not much like the general run of the English people here, a few are nice but not the generality, and there is a large sprinkling of that objectionable class of English known as "Continental English" who as a general rule are anything but nice people, the ladies I think deteriorate more than the gentlemen, but both get vapid, mindless creatures, whose only aim seems to be to kill time anyhow.
We still have the same glorious weather, yesterday people coming to Church under white umbrellas, yet it was cold enough at sunset.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Cannes. Jan. 31. 1866.
My dear Mamma
You will be surprised to see that I am still here, but as Mrs. Greene is to leave for London on Monday next, I agreed to wait till that day, when Dawson and I are to start together on our road. Mrs. G. does not expect to be in London (at McTaggarts) till about Feb. 12.
Yours of 26th and the Times only arrived this morning, thus a post behind.
It seems to be thread that the women spin with the distaffs. Some people stay on here all summer and do not find the heat excessive on account of the sea breeze but the glare is said to be bad; the nights are always cool, so it cannot be as warm as the Lake of Geneva in summer, and people who know both places say so. My stopping here till Monday will not alter dates at Mentone Genoa &c, as now I shall leave all stops at Nice &c, till returning. On Monday we had a great pic-nic party to this Esterels; 3 carriages full of people; we started about twelve oclock, lunched on the grass and then ladies and all went up a high rocky hill from which there were very fine views. The party consisted of a Mrs. Wilberforce and her son (some not very distant relatives of the Wilberforce) Mr. Mrs and little Miss Kerney, a Miss Somerset, a Miss Gleig and her chaperone Miss Tench, a Mr. Coward, a Mr. Vansittart Neale, John Travers, Dawson and myself.
It was a pleasant day except for wind and dust, but in the mountains we escaped those disagreeables. I cannot tell you any more about these people as I had met none but the Kearneys before. Yesterday Charley came down to see me before lunch as he thought I was going off, and while we were sitting in the garden Elise joined us, then came in Dora, Alice and Mrs. Whateley, and John and Dawson soon after, so we had quite a crowd in the garden.
Feb. 1st. I am finishing this to night to post tomorrow. Please forward enclosed to C. E. Junr. wherever he may be and also send on note to uncle Joe with this. Madame Fatro told me this evening (apropos of my leaving) that she thought I had got fatter, especially about the face, since coming here and also that she remarked I used to cough a little in the morrings, and now do not do so. Two sets of people have already been looking for rooms here.
Today I was to have gone with a large party to the Esterels but it at last came on drizzling rain and the expedition is to come off tomorrow or Saturday if fine.
This is the first break in the weather for some weeks, but here one is always inclined to grumble at anything but real fine weather. Just now I can hear the sea breaking heavily on the shore, but we have had no wind here to day or yesterday.
If I had left as I intended your last letter would not have arrived in time.
Mrs. Greene intends stopping (sleeping) at Marseilles, Lyons and Paris; it is a long journey for her to make by herself and the more the stops, the greater the trouble. Dawson is going home when our tour comes to an end whenever that may be. He is not intending to come back here. I have got the "Practical Guide to Italy"; there is a similar one for Switzerland; they are small & cheaper than Murray and quite different in style. It might amuse uncle Frank to take a look at one of these “Practical Guides", they are utterly unlike anything else and in their way are good.
Your affectionate son.
Francis E. Prendergast.
Hotel de Londres.
San Remo
Feb. 6th 1866.
My dear Mamma
On Monday (yesterday) morning Dawson and I left Cannes by the 8 oclock train for Nice, having had our two portmanteaus forwarded on to Genoa by the Messageries Imperiales. We left the train at Nice about 9 and in passing through the town met Sir Vere de Vere who is still stopping there. It is a long pull up out of Nice by the road to Turbie 2100 feet above the sea; there are some old Roman remains up there but except for its fine situation it would be a horrid place; just below on a little peninsula we saw Monaco and far away on the horizon, but still very clear, Corsica with its line of rugged hills looking like a piece of a saw.
We got some lunch at a strange little village a little off the high road called Roquebrune and reached Mentone about three. We put up at the Hotel de Londres and then went out to see the place; it is a pretty little nook hemmed in by rocky precipitous mountains and it seems as if no wind could penetrate to it; it is the most peculiarly sheltered place I have seen on this coast; there are two bays, east and west, with the town or the dividing promontory. English of course is heard in all directions and indeed there are many English notices up over the shops; in all these hotels they are quite au fait at English and will scarcely talk French at all; even at the post office at Mentone they spoke English. I got your two letters and the book there all right.
As we were wandering about I met Mrs. and Miss Squire who asked me to come and see them in the evening, which I did. They are at the Hotel de la Mediterranée but none of them are as well as they were at Hyères. I spent an hour with them and heard a good deal of coast news and talk. Thy had been stopping at the Hotel des Anglais at Nice (English Linited C°.) and said one great objection to it was the number of fast and noisy people at it this season. Mr. Squire said some of the young ladies were playing billiards in the billiard room till half past eleven at night! This he said he thought rather "stiff". There are six or seven hotels in each bay at Mentone; at our one we had a table d’hote op 15 or 16 people, all English 4 of them clergymen. There are two English churches at Mentone.
This morning we left at ten and about a mile out of the town passed the gorge forming the frontier between France and Italy across which there is a bridge ; on the French side the Douaniers had got hold of an organ grinder and were making him give them some music. On the bridge is a storm with "France" on one side and "Italia" on the other.
On the Italian side a little way on was a douanier playing with his drawn sword but looking very peaceful; at the regular costom house a little further on they did not stop us either for examination of knapsacks or passports. The latter are abolished. At the very first spring I stopped at in Italy the maiden hair fern was growing and I saw it everywhere along the road to day. Corsica was very clear too and we could see the great patches of snow on the mountain sides, one of the peaks is 9000 feet high. The general appearance of the country seems soon to alter after crossing the frontier, people barefoot houses looking "rack rent" and dirty; the road worse kept an children begging, priests in their long black dresses and three cornered hats plentiful everywhere.
Many travellers in carriages passed us going both ways. Lemon trees take the place of orange trees on here. At Ventimiglia, the first Italian town, there is a barrack and counted six campaniles in the town. Next after Ventimiglia comes Bordighera where we lunched. The number of palms there and all along after that is very wonderful.
They are making the railway all along the coast and have most of the tunnels made but only for single line and the work looks very badly done. They seem very slow at it; only a few men working lazily here and there. The road is dusty and had being mended with unbroken pebbles off the shore; it always follows the sea but rises and falls a good deal.
We got in here about 4 and rallied out to see the town, it is a place of 11,000 inhabitants and is a very curious town, built on the slope of a hill and with houses arched, often closed over the streets. It is very Italian looking and so are the people. The olives and lemons seem to grow in great profusion and I like the look of the place generally; it looks a very large place and is well studded with fine churches.
There are three large hotels here; at this one we had a large table d'hote, all English except one German. The salon seems nice and well used and the house decidedly first class. The country up to the back is very picturesque, the mountains running up to 4000 feet and being well covered with olives a good way up.
The weather is fine and warm, the only unpleasantness being the layers of dust on the road. We are making a six day walk of it from Nice to Genoa it being 127 miles (last nine, rail) so that is only about 20 miles a day. Yesterday we walked 18 and to day 17 miles.
I have got my old German sack and Dawson a knapsack he bought at Cannes for this tour. It is his first knapsack town. Mrs. Greene was to leave yesterday afternoon and was going through to Paris. A day and a night. I saw them all at the Bellevue at on Sunday evening and advised them to think of returning viâ lake of Geneva which none of them have seen and I believe is considered the correct way for invalids to return, spending a short time at Vevey, Lausanne or Montreux.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Finale. Feb. 8. 1866.
Hotel de la Chine.
My dear Mamma
Yesterday morning we left San Remo, both carrying away the idea that it is one of the nicest places on the coast and the Hotel de Londres a most comfortable house.
The number of people at the hotel, the host said was about 25 and it could hold about 45. Pension terms 8, 9 and 10 francs according to story and aspect of room.
We went winding along the coast round bays and headlands to a large town called Porto Maurizio where we lunched. It is a handsome town well situated on a hill jutting out into the sea and abounding in churches and colonnades. A few miles further we reached our sleeping place called Oneglia, a draggled, ruined looking town (it was bombarded and ruined by the French in the last century) and with an hotel to match the town. We had at the table d'hote two parties of the most genuine "Shoddy" Yankees I ever met and two Germans; it was quite refreshing to hear their regular nasal twang and the high pitched voices of the ladiew.
In the evening Dawson and I went out to a café and got into one where no French was understood or spoken so we had to make them understand as best we could and when it came to paying, the man brought me pen and paper to write what I we had had; I managed to get it down in Italian sufficiently well for him to understand. It is so much pleasanter in Italy (and especially in the cafés) than in France finding the people quiet and noiseless, not perpetually talking at the top of their voces and bawling out over cards or fiercely rattling dominoes as is always the case in French cafés. The Italians, in this part at least, are to my mind much pleasanter than any Frenchmen I ever came across. To day we walked on from Oneglia to Alassio and Albenga (18 miles) at the latter place we got a carriage and drove on the 12 miles to this place as the guide describes these twelve miles as "very level and better driven than walked”.
This is a curious house that has once been some grand ald private house; this room (the table d'hote room, only there is no table d'hote) is of really gigantic proportions and must be at least 25 feet high the ceiling domed and the walls covered with curious old paintings. One end of the room is screened off to form a passage and the kitchen and our bedroom are at opposite ends of the passage thus formed. There is only one other person staying here to night; an Italian from Savona who can talk a little French but he is not conversible, the host is the only other person who can talk anything but Italian. Where we lunched in a small café to day they could talk no French so it is absolutely necessary to be able to understand and talk a little Italian. The carriages here are the most rattletrap concerns possible to imagine; it is hard to understand how they hold together; sometimes they put me in mind of the pictures on the old sereens of posting in Ireland in the last century. The vetturino carriages however are good enough.
I see all the carts here have a small third wheel placed underneath the body, this I suppose is to keep the shafts off the ground when the horse is not in them. Lots of carts loaded with rags pass us every day; I suppose they are taking them from Italy to France. Italy always reminds me of Ireland, with its rags, its beggars, its tumble down houses and broken windows, its bare footed children and ragged idlers with yet a certain amount of comfort and luxurious emjoyment amid all the dirt and rags. It certainly is not so thriving looking a country as France.
The dried bush hangs often over the doors here as a sign of the sale of wine, I wonder on what principle it is supposed to indicate the whereabouts of wine.
Along the road purple single anemones were very beautiful to day also a blue star shaped flower growing low like a thistle. Almond trees are in blossom everywhere. The Orange trees on here are much larger and pines and palms seem to get larger and more tree-like as we go east.
Hotel Royale
Genoa. Feb. 12. 1866.
On Friday morning we left Finale on foot and reached Savona early in the afternoon. It was a bright sunshiny day and butterflies and humming bird hawkmoths were about in plenty. Aloes too were growing quite wild on the rocks, up to this point they all seemed to have been planted but here they were growing in all sorts of inaccessible places.
What extraordinary caps the men wear on this coast, consisting of a black band to wear round the head and above this a long and rather stiff crinson bag which the wearer lets hang in whatever way his ideas of comfort or of the picturesque suggests to him. Is this the kind of cap known by the name of Phrygian to Warburton and Kinglake? Dean Alford remarks on the arched-over howses in Alassio; as far as I observed they are arched over here and there across the street in every town on the coast, but least so at Alassio of any town on this coast!
Savona is a flourishing town with a good deal of ship building going on but not interesting, the Hotel is one of the best and cleanest on the coast.
Saturday we walked on to Voltri and came by mail into Genoa. We had had splendid weather up till Saturday but that afternoon we had a little drizzling rain for the last hour. I give a little summary of our walk to show you distances and you will see our longest days walk was 21 miles.
| miles | ||
| Monday. | Nice to Mentone | 18 |
| Tuesday | Mentone to San Remo | 17 |
| Wednesday | S. Remo to Oneglia | 16½ |
| Thursday | Oneglia to Finale | 30 (drove 12 miles) |
| Friday | Finale to Savona | 15½ |
| Saturday | Savona to Voltri | 21 (rail 9 more to Genoa) |
The sceney and the many towns, which are seldom more than three or four miles apart, make it a very interesting walk and I am very glad to have so seen it.
We got into Genoa about six and walked on to the Messageries Imperiales where we found our portmanteaus and only 10 francs to pay for the carriage of each all the way from Cannes.
Yesterday morning I went to the P. O. and found two letters from you, one enclosing a note from J. S. P. (date Feb. 4th).
Tell uncle Frank that Baedeckers Guides were translated into English seven years ago (when I was at Dresden) but I do not believe they have superseded Murray to the extent he seems to imagine. The "Practical Guides" are running through many editions and for go-a head, do-everything-in-the-least-time-people, are very good, but none give the actual prices of each hotel like old Baedecker nor his minute "road, time and place bill" so useful to pedestrians.
The colored covers you send me come all right. Yesterday morning after breakfast I went to the English church; it is som distance off and I got a lift in a carringe from a receolg married couple whom we have been meeting at hotels on the road. – Mr. & Mrs. Newton, she is from Galway, he English. The church is small but nice, the congregation seemed almost entirely American.
Afterwards we walked about the town which was very gay with the Carnival crowds, a few of them in masks and costumes. In the afternoon we went to the cothedral and heard some fine music and intoning and the congregation joined in in the singing and chanting more than I ever heard in R.C. service before.
The interior of the Cathedral is fine but its grandeur is more due to the marble and the gilding than to architectural beauty. After dinner Dawson went off to the Opera and I to wander about in the crowded streets now lively with masks and holiday folk.
What quiet, good humoured people the Italians seem to be, so different from those noisy and often quarrelsome Frenchmen who push and shove in a way that would not surprise one in an English mob. I saw no quarerels or row of any kind.
The greatest fun I saw was caused by one huge fellow, dressed up to parody a French Sergents de Ville, who attracted great crowds and from their laughter seemed to be very witty, accosting a half drunken Irish sailor, chaffing him in Italian and broken English to the intense delight of the crowd till some new attraction drew them off. The narrow flagged streets make the crowd seem much greater than they are. The police men look very grand in their shiny hats long black caats and headed canes but they seem quite useless according to all accounts. The great number of troops here and their varieties of uniform add greatly to the picturesque appearance of the crowds and there are many officers and men of the Italian Navy too. All the officers seem nice gentlemanly fellows. Dawson and I are quite agreed as to the immense superiority of the Italians over the French as far as we have seen, and though they are not perpetually bowing, and sweeping and sweeping off their hats have much more real, useful politeness and it is pleasant to get amongst people who can talk to each other over their coffee without raising their vaices as if the force of an argument depended on the noise.
We have been lunching in all sorts of strange little cafés on the road and never came across noise or row in any off them. The dress of the women here is very nice, a long gauzy white veil pinned over the top of the head, let fall and then gathered under the arms. Blue silk on Sunday seemed the favourite dress and this with the white veil was well calculated to set off their good figures and dark eyes and features, which however seemed to me rather pretty than handsome.
This morning it has been coming down in torrents of rain and we are quietly staying indoors in this comfortable house and at present intend to stay here till it gets fine. The only people in the house besides ourselves and the Newtons are three Boston (U.S.A.) ladies and a gentleman who from his accent and appearance I had imagined to be French, but who turned out to be an English subject from St. Domingo.
I expect we shall be at Pisa, Leghorn or Florence next Sunday and I think I gave you Feb 18th as address for Florence which will be about right. After that I scarcely know what to say as to dates. Dawson wants to go on to Rome and talks of returning by long sea from Civita Vecchia or Leghorn to England and of course wants me to go on to Rome with him. My only objections to so doing are the increased expense and the return over much of the same ground.
However in the past week my expenses have only been 14 francs more than if I had been quietly staying at Hyères or Cannes and if we can keep on at that rate I think it would be well worth spending 4 or 5 pounds to see Rome; I shall see more about all this at Florence and I think you might address to me on chance to Poste Restante Rome for Feb. 25th, as, if I do not go, I can write and have the letter forwarded elsewhere. The Unthanks are there now: do you know of any pleasant people there?
I dont think I mentioned that on Saturday we passed through Cogoleto, the birth place of Columbus; his house, a watched looking place now, has a marble tablet on it with Latin Inscription. They take in the Times here, also L'Italie, a paper printed in French at Florence and which seems a very good one. Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
See above.
Hotel Royale. Genoa
Feb. 13. 1866.
My dear Mamma,
Yesterday afternoon it cleared enough to let us get out a little and in the evening we went to see Faust at the Carlo Felice theatre which is very handsome both inside and out, but Faust is so cut up in the Opera as to be merely a peg to hang the music on. This morning it was drizzling again so we remained here, and the sun coming out in the afternoon we went down to the Mola and lighthouse and saw some of the largest waves rolling in that I ever saw.
The ships in the harbour were jumping about in all directions. In the town masks were very plentiful and in one carriage, holding some very nice looking people, was a little girl deesed in red, white and green and with the Roman head-dress; it was evidently of political signification and was much gazed at.
To night, being the last Carnival night the streets are crowded and more masks than ever and the town is more noisy.
To day we went to see the Annunziata Ch. which is wonderfully giled and adorned inside.
Locanda Della Posta. Rapallo. Feb. 14.
This morning we left Genoa at eleven. All at the Hotel Royale had been particularly good even to the bill which was very moderate.
For me, from Saturday evening to Wednesday morning, 38½ francs – less than Cannes. Madame Perosio the proprietress is English and the whole establishment highly to be recommended. This was a bright clear day and we have had a most glorious walk of 19 miles along the coast. First we went to the Messageries Impériales and forwarded our portmanteaus to Pisa; after some miles we got to Nervi the winter residence of the grand Genoese, a long town stretching along the coast for three miles and abounding in splendid villas with orange gardens running down to the sea and looking very fine.
I dare say the English will find their way to it as a winter place when the railway is open. However the orange and lemons are not seem as far advanced as at Cannes.
The rail along this coast is very wonderful in and out of tunnels and over viaducts every bay, all the heavy works seem nearly finished but only at one place have I seen anything like a staff of navvies at work.
Later in the day we lunched at a strange little shop where we got some very good Piedmontese wine much like Marsala, bread and dried figs. Then we came to Recco and after that came up a long pass over 1000 feet high at the top of which we lost the view of the bay of Genoa and got a fresh one down towards Spezzia.
This I suppose is the view alluded to by Alford as one that never can be forgotten, certainly it is a most glorious view, one of the finest on this magnificent coast and as we got down to this place at about five oclock the view and colours were getting finer every minute and I was quite sorry that the walk was at an end. This is a picturesque little town at the end of a long bay, but this is not much of
an hotel, however as it is clean and we have had a fair dinner, we cannot complain much.
{"Faust": opera composed by Charles Gounod, 1859.}
Hotel d’Europe. Sestri. Feb. 15.
To day we had a pleasant walk of 15 miles along this lovely bay which seems to me to be the loveliest we have yet passed on this coast; the way the steep slopes of the Appennines plunge down into the sea, the high state of cultivation, every available inch of ground being cultivated either for Olives, vines or corn and the thickness of houses villages and towns, is something wonderful. The people look thriving and happy, and if the climate was not so fine, would probably have their houses and clothes in better repair.
Ship-building weaving and lace-making are three great branches of industry all about here; the more I see of this part of the country the more I wonder at its immense population and the signs of industry everywhere visible.
The country seems ahead of France in everything but mere appearance. Sestri is exquisitety situated at the Eastern side of this great bay on a neck of land connecting a rocky, wooded promontory with the mainland, on the top of this promontory is the "Campo Santo”. This is a comfortable quiet little hotel standing a little out of the town; it was formerly a "Palazzo", alias a gentlemans house. We saw the Fishermen drawing in net after net on the beach, and on going out to see then found the "haul" to consist of small silvery fishes, either sardines or a fish very like them; we had some for dinner and very good they were.
Hotel Peverada. Pisa. Feb. 17. 1866.
On Friday morning we left Sestri and as we went out of it had the most splendid views back towards Genoa; it certainly is one of the finest places on the coast; it is known as Sestri di Levante to distinguish it from Sestri on the other side of Genoa. About here for the first time I saw the vines trailed over trees, in summer it must look very well. The pass we had to cross was 2100 feet high and as we got towards the top primroses began to appear and the maidenhair fern to show wherever there was any moisture. Some long mule trains passed us and very picturesque they and the muleteers looked. They oval wine and oil kegs I never saw in any other country. These mountains were pretty well wooded with sweet chesnut {sic}, but now all was bare and leafless except a few evergreen oaks.
Cultivation is pushed a long way up the hill sides – till the olives get so stunted and poor as to be no longer of any value. The rocks were dark green serpentine, here and there was dark pink heath and bright yellow furze, so there was a good foreground for the view of the chief range of the Appennines which we got from the top of the pass. We were crossing one of the ranges which shoot off towards the sea and far away stood the main range with snow-clad top, looking like the back bone of Italy, and towering away over the sea of brown village'd hills which lay between us and them. Once before I had seen these same Appennines, but it was only from the Monte Moro pass in Switzerland when they looked like a blue cloud on the horizon. Near the top of the pass we lunched off bread, figs and wine in a post house, where one large room served the purposes of a Café, the living room of the family, the Bureau of the Messageries Impériales and general store. We came in about 12.30 and the proprietor and his family and two labourers were dining off soup, bread, boiled beans and sour wine, two beggars or tramps came in and got their share too. How much of a country and its people one sees in travelling on foot feeding and often sleeping at places where carriage folk never stop much less see any thing of the ways of life of the natives. The Italian may be rogues but they are a hearty pleasant lot nevertheless. Just as we started on the way down we passed a villainous looking organ grinder who wished us good evening in very fair English! After a 24 mile walk we reached Borghetti and thence got a trap to take us the 14 miles into Spezia, and such a trap! I believe it is called a calessa; it consists of two long shafts & two cross pieces to keep them together, a hurdle is placed across it for the feet and over all is hung by leathern springs a seat which will just hold three people. We had a very small boy for driver and the latter half of a twisting hilly road to be driven in the dark, but the old horse took us all right.
It was dark when we got into Spezia and we left in heavy rain by rail this morning, so did not see much of it. We reached Pisa at 12.40 and found all bright, dry and clear down here.
Pisa is on a plain, the muddy Arno bisecting the city, which by the way, though small and dull, is one of the cleanest and best paved towns I ever came into. The Leaning Tower, Duomo, Baptistry and Campo Santo seem to be the chief sights, all very fine, and all close to each other. The inside of the Duomo is magnificent and the coloured marbles add greatly to its beauty.
The air feels particularly fresh and inland here, perhaps because I have been so long used to the salt atmosphere.
I expect to be in Florence on Monday but shall post this tomorrow (Sunday) without waiting for letters. Your affect. son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Any news of Forde and his foreign Railways?
See above.
Pisa. Feb. 19. 1866. 10.30 a.m.
My dear Mamma,
Yesterday morning I went to the English church and found a large congregation, evidently of residents and not mere passers through; I suppose there might of have been about 50. In the afternoon we went by rail to Leghorn (30 minutes) and came back to dinner here. Leghorn is a large busy city with some fine streets, but not attractive looking. I saw a good many English walking about there.
Pisa on the whole seems a dull, humdrum place and without some settled occupation I should not like to spend much time here. It is wet and cold this morning and we are waiting for the one oclock train to go to Florence. All this paper that I am writing on has been already folded to fit in my case and is very tiresome to write on. One great comport in Italean Ry. travelling is that they do not pen one up in the waiting rooms, but allow free access to the platforms and they always put the price on the tickets.
At our place I saw a man climbing telegraph posts with long iron hooks fastened to each foot; he seemed to go up and down quite easily. Everything that could be made of it, is white marble in this house, it does for the stairs particularly well.
Hotel d’Europe Florence. Feb. 20.
Yesterday at noon we left Pisa and came up here by rail (3 hours), and I then got your letter enclosing Charleys and uncle Joes enclosing W.P.P.s.
Charley informs me that Ormsby has got a berth on the Indian Geological Survey and has sailed.
Florence seems to be a fine large gay city with all the signs of life and vigour belonging to a rising capital. The streets are rather narrow, flagged all over, but no trottvris, the carriages drive recklessly and in every paper one reads accounts of people being run over. The Duomo is a splendid pile of chequered marble but the external effect is spoiled by the magpie appearance produced by the parti-coloured marbles. To day we visited the Pitti Palace with its splendid gallery of pictures, the floors nicely inlaid with stone and cement and some of the tables and marble mosaics are very curious – but I see nothing to come up to the Dresden Gallery for comfort, light, arrangement, and (to my eyes) pictures. We also had a long hunt for the British Embassy, Legation or whatever it is called, Dawson to get a passport and I to get mine viséd for Rome, they have also yet to be viséd by the Spanish Legation, the Pope having no representation in Florence the Spamards do his visé-ing.
We think of leaving on Friday morning and shall be 4 or 5 days on the road; I do not expect to leave Rome before March 4th and have no fixed plans after that; one idea of mine is to come back here and spend a week or a fortnight, as I see there are good pensions at 7 francs a day and it might be pleasant to spend a little time in this, the new Italian Capital. D. G. inten. going on to Naples and thence viâ long (3 weeks at least!) sea to London and hopes the vessel will stop at Messina Palermo and Gibraltar en route.
On the whole I think you might address to me Post Restante Florence for March 6th and later unless further advised. I should like to do something if possible towards laying in some shight knowledge of Italian, which does not seem to be a difficult language, in its elements at all events; I can now ask my way in the streets and understand the answer, make out the newspapers without much trouble, and that little might be further improved.
This is a good hotel and much to be recommended. Table d'hôte excellent. There is a reading room too with Tauchnitz novels Galignani and Italian papers.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Uncle Joe has given FEP "errands", obviously to earn a generous subsidy.}
Hotel d'Europe Florence
Feb. 20. 1866.
My dear uncle Joe,
Yesterday I received yours of 11th enclosing W. P. Ps. of more ancient date.
This morning I called on Messrs Plowden and French, and found the latter who was very kind and is going to give me a letter to Mr. Plowden who has retired and now lives at Rome.
Mr. Ottley (Charles) is an invalid and paralysed. If I have time I shall go and call on him. J. N. Maxwells address was not so easy to discover; French sent me to another English banker who could not give me the address, so I tried at Goodbans (English Bookseller and factotum) after having tried at the Jockey Club Reading Rooms previously, Mrs. Nesbitt happened most opportunely to be in the shop so I introduced myself and she kindly took my card to give Mr. N. and asked me to call tomorrow morning which I shall do and in due time let you hear.
French asked for uncle Jeffrys address I gave him it as Combe Down Bath. In the afternoon I went to the English Cemetery (Protestant, I should say) and found a tomb with following inscription
Sacred to the Memory of
Major Alexander Tompkins 77th Regt.
youngest son of the late Burgoyne Tompkins M.D.
Physician at the Tower of London
Departed this life on the
24 Nov. 1852 aged __ years.
The age is not given; the tombstone a flat horizontal marble slab, enclosed by 4 small stone pillars and 4 iron rails.
The Cemetery is well placed, well kept and well filled; it is large and has a splendid view. The Custode can talk nothing but Italian; however he soon found me the tomb. Some celebrities are buried there; amongst others Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Theodore Parker, the well known Transattantic Theolog.
I have seldom seen a better kept or nicer cemetery at home or abroad. I did not penetrate to the Cemetery at Genoa. I like the looks of Florence very much. The women look and dress curiously English like. The new ape English style and make guys of themselves in tall hats English boating coats with large buttons tight kid gloves and ditto trousers, altogether a most incongruous outfit.
However they are better than Frenchmen any day. French tells me that everything has risen enormously in price houserent and food particularly. He does not think that there is much doing in the Italian Railway World for want of Govt. Guarantees; however he is an "outsider" and as such probably knows little of these matters. I know there is much in progress at the moment in the country. I see an English Engineer named Abernethy has a line between Savona and Turin and I am pretty sure I saw a young English I saw a young English Engineer at Pisa Ry. Station.
Your affectionat nephew
Francis E. Prendergast
Love to uncle Jeffry and all.
{"Nesbitt" is a slip by FEP, obviously he is talking about John Nesbitt Maxwell and wife.
Uncle Jeffry erstwhile spent two years at Florence, ca. 1833-1835, together with his wife, brother-in-law John Wehrtmann and, as a teacher for the latter, Ferdinand Prössel. Jeffry's half-brother Joe knows some of the Florentines as well, notably including his "colleagues" Dr. John Nesbitt Maxwell and Major Alexander Tomkins; he may have come for short visits. (In the book "The Anglo-Florentines: The British in Tuscany, 1814-1860", https://books.google.de/books?id=c7-4DwAAQBAJ all those immigrants are mentioned; many of them members of the "Anglo-Florentine Jockey Club".) That was three decades ago; obviously most contacts have faded away.
Alexander Tomkins' age will later be inserted to the tombstone as 52, possibly at the Prendergast's initiative; 54 would be correct.
Now Jeffry is looking for a house in Bath large enough to accomodate his extensive and valuable furniture still kept at Dresden. Eventually he will find Villa Bianca, but until then his sisters' house serves as a temporary address; actually he seems to travel about most of the time.
James Abernethy: https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/James_Abernethy.}
Perugia.
Hotel de la Poste. Feb. 24/66.
My dear Mamma,
On Wednesday we visited the Uffizi Gallery at Florence, it is very fine and better lighted than that of the Pitti Palace. There were two French artists painting there and they made more row than all the other painters and people together. I also called on Maxwell (uncle Joes friend) and paid him a visit of an hour. He was very friendly and so was Mrs. M. I find they are relatives of my friend and late classmate "John Maxwell". In the afternoon we went to the Spanish Embassy and had our passports duly viséd for Rome – gratis.
On Thursday morning we left at 7.30 by rail for Montevarchi and went on by so called diligence, really a rattletrap carriage, to Arezzo; it had been raining all the morning and was not clearing up so we stopped at Arezzo: It is a large garrison town and has a very fine cathedral with handsome old stained glass windows. It was the Roman Arretium. From the walls we saw some arched a mile or so off and went to look at them. They proved to be the arches of a still perfect aqueduct seemingly very ancient; Roman I should say from the tile-shaped bricks and peculiar aches {sic}. Further we saw the remains of some larger arches but had not time to reach them. The guide books do not mention these remains. Yesterday we walked on to Cortona (16 miles) and lunched at a strangle little place called Castiglione where there was a caffé kept by a Venetian who could actually talk a little French, German and English. Cortona is perched up on a hill side and is still surround by its old Etruscan walls, I suppose at least 2500 years old. It was the Corythus of Virgil and the Lake Thrasimene is visible from it. It is a most primitive town with a most primitive inn where we could only get beds and had to get our dinner at a wretched little traiteurs or "trattoria" and had to get coffee this morning at a caffé (N. B. I am using the Italian spelling of Caffé).
We got a trap on to Passignano, 17 miles, passing parts of the way along the shores of Lake Thrasimene, a lovely sheet of water seven or eight miles across and about the same in length. The road and railway now in construction run across the scene of old Flaminius' slaughter by Hannibal.
From Passignano we walked the sixteen miles into Perrugia. Near Passignano we passed a curious old square tower standing quite alone; its upper looked very old but the base for some 8 or 10 feet seemed very much older. Guide books do not mention it. The rail is nearly finished on to Perugia, fit to open in fact till within a few miles of the place. Here this evening there are some Italians and a German and his wife, the two latter pleasant people and with whom I have been talking German (and French when Dawson joined in the conversation) most of the evening.
This German was telling us how a landlord in Savoy had shamefully overcharged him and how he takes his revenge by sending him non-prepaid letters, always reminding him of the shameful overcharge he had made.
Our walks these last two days have not been very interesting as "Umbria" as it is still called, is rather monotonous in these parts. Thrasimene and Cortona have been the only two interesting points. The weather too has been broken and the roads are muddy and greasy. Cultivation is at a high pitch here and though the natives look lazy they evidently take care of the land and make use of every inch of it.
Perugia 25th.
This has turned out a wet day so we are quietly staying indoors; neither of us being in a hurry to get on, it makes little difference as we are in comfortable quarters. In the strangers book at Arezzo I saw Dean Alfords name, also that of a Mr Curran, Dublin qu? These Italians are very cunning at painting their houses inside and outside. Inside they paint really creditable pictures on the walls and outside such good imitations of cut stone balconies, and windows as often to deceive one at a distance. There are magnificent milk coloured oxen down in these parts, some of them with huge horns and looking so strong and gentle. All the cattle I have seen these last few days have been large milk-white animals, no red or black ones at all. At Arezzo, Cortona and here we have been rather bothered by the people talking nothing but Italian, at Arezzo and here the landlords know a little French; it is easy enough to get on with the Italian for the usual questions and answers but anything out of the way gets rather beyond ones powers when they are so very limited. The Tuscan Italian seems very easy to understand; this less so.
This place is up a great height on a hill and they have contrived to get the railway a long way up toward the town. Statistics in this country seem to vary, one guidebook gives the population at 18,500 of Perugia, another at 30,000! and many other towns similarly. It is raining now as well as it could do in Ireland and Dawson says people should come to Italy to see how broken weather can last.
Ever since we left the coast at Spezia we have never had one really fine day and there were four days bad weather at Genoa. I wonder if it is fine at Cannes. Our portmunteans have gone on per the Messageries to Rome so we have no trouble about luggage and can come and go and go and change routes as much as we like.
10. p.m. In the afternoon it cleared up and we had a grand forage about the town which is very interesting, there are antiquities in all quarters, the principal one is an Arch of Augustus, the upper part only being Roman, the lower Etruscan, the large clean-cut stones being still quite perfect. There is another good Roman arch, and remains of the old Etruscan walls here and there and indeed many of the houses and old square towers, which are built of clean-cut stone, may possibly be Etruscan too. The view from the town is exquisite, almost panoramic and embracing an immense tract of country with mountains in the distance.
Hotel Europe. Terni. Feb. 27. 1866
Yesterday morning we left Perugia and had a 12 mile walk to Assisi; on the road we met a carriage with two mules as wheelers and two oxen as leaders, a most singular looking team. The banks by the road side were literally alive with brown and green lizards darting into their holes in all directions as we passed along. At Assisi we lunched and visited the churches; the town is a most extraordinary dead-alive place; parts of it seem very ancient. Assisi is certainly curious and its three chuches, one over the other, worth seeing but it did not strike me as being so very wonderful. In the afternoon we walked on 10 miles by Spello to Foligno where we slept. Spello is another curious old place with remains of its old walls. This morning we came on here through some fine country by rail and went and saw the "Falls of Terni". Certainly it is the finest waterfall I ever saw; the height (said to be 500 feet, of the middle fall) the body of water, its clear, free fall and the glorious scenery, all render it magnificent; we had a perfect day too, sun and cloud alternately. It is 5 miles from the town to the falls.
This morning on the rail we passed Spoleto now best known for what the Guide Books call its gallant defence by the Popes Irish Brigade of 300 men against the Piedmontese army. All the country about is rich and well cultivated, Spoleto itself occupies a commanding position on a hill. Between Spoleto and Terni the rail traversed a most wonderful gorge and goes through a tunnel of nearly a mile.
Tomorrow we hope to reach Rome by rail. Your affect. son. F. E. P.
See above.
Hotel d’Angleterre. Rome.
March 2. 1866.
My dear Mamma
On Thursday we left Terni and after five hours of railway at the rate of 12 miles an hour, with long stoppages at every station, reached Rome.
The rail goes through pretty country, the latter half through the valley of the Tiber. A few miles from the city a glimpse of St. Peters is seen, then the rail makes a sweep, cuts through the walls and comes in to a "Central Station".
We went to the Hotel de Minerve and dined at the table d'hote at which I should think 150 sat down, chiefly foreigners. Next morning as we did not like the hotel, we shifted to this one, getting our baggage cleared at the Dogana on our road, as we had not been able to get it the evening we arrived. It was a troublesome and expensive process and we were kept waiting nearly an hour.
I got your three letters at the P. R. and had to pay a small fortune on them, 10d on each. Papal States to England and vice versa is 11d and you had only put on 6d for Italian postage, so the other 5d was charged double. Yesterday we went and saw the Coliseum and antiquities about there, Arches.
The Coleseum is the finest ruin I have yet seen there is something very grand about it and it is quite perfect enough to show what the place must have been. Then we wernt off and visited St Peters, equally grand inside and outside. The inside is wonderfully clear from all screns or other interruptions so that one can get a good view of it. The Piazza in front is magnificent with its double curve of quadruple columns. Rome is one of the few places that has surpassed my expectations. The prevailing feature at present is the number of French soldiers everywhere in the city, sentinels, and soldiers lounging about everywhere, and the French tricolour floots in every street.
Last night we went to see the Coliseum by moonlight, an order from the French authorities is required as sentinels are on guard there day and night, and at night no one is allowed in without an order. When we got there we found thirty or forty carrigges waiting outside for the people who were “doing" it inside. A young French soldier took our pass with a "Merci, Monsieur" and the whole thing was like going into a theatre.
The night was warm and clear and the moon full; the old Coliseum instead of looking deserted and gloomy, was far better filled than in the day time, nasal twang predominating amongst the voices.
At dinner one gentleman suggested that it was a service of danger to visit it after dark, but if French soldiers can keep a place in order, there were enough about to keep off all the robbers and brigands in Italy; as to the last mentioned gentry, though there can be no reasonable doubt as to their existence somewhere in Italy, I suspect they are oftener talked about than seen; I have heard of no authentic instance of their existence anywhere north of Rome except in the single case where a diligence was stopped near Nunziatella about a month ago, and all those men engaged in that case were captured shortly after; at Genoa and Florence people talked of the dangers of a journey to Rome; in Umbria and here all such ideas are laughed at but the country about Naples said to be "very dangerous"; I dare say there they laugh at the idea similarly. In Umbria a great many of the men carried guns and looked villainous enough, but were probably bent on nothing worse than killing small birds, at which they seem to be remarkable successful; if one may judge from the poulterers shops.
The Italians north of Florence seem to me to be a much finer and handsomer race than those living south of Florence, but whoever called the Italeans a noisy race was surely wrong and none that I have seen use their hands as much as the French or northern Germans. This morning we went off and saw the Forum, St John Lateran, the Pantheon and the Terme of Caracalla, the latter a vast ruin, you will probably find pictures of all these either in the Students Gibbon in the old folio book of plates under one of the card tables.
This morning we also saw Trajans Column, the Egyptian obelisk baptised by Constantine (qu?) and a host of minor and more fragmentary remains; about the Forum and Coliseum are the principal arches, wonderfully perfect. Ancient Rome seems to have been some 15 or 20 feet below the level of the present streets and most of the remains are in walled round excavations like bear-pits, so one looks down at them instead of looking up and thus loses much of the effect. The weather is splendid, warm and cloudless the streets gay and Rome said to be “full”.
Miss von S. is soon going home, the Clarks children are going to school and she does not intend going on as governess at present. All at Dresden seem to be flourishing again. Columbus' birth place is often given "Genoa", but at Cogoleto there is a house with marble tablet outside saying he was born there, so I stick to Cogoleto.
We are in comfortable quarters here and like this hotel, there are two couples here whom we have met before. About 50 sit down to the table d'hôte at 6.30, almost all English; there are at least double that number in the hotel. We have a light, airy double-bedded room (we always have a d. b. room) on the 5th floor in which I am at the moment writing, while Dawson is sitting at the other side of the table smoking and reading a novel of Hawthornes in which the scene is laid in Rome.
They have different money here, scudi and baiocchi, a scudo is about 5 francs and 100 b. make one scudo. They talk some French in most of the shops, but most travellers seem to know some Italian.
For its size, 180,000 inhabitants, Rome is large and not very easy to find ones way about, but there are always plenty of French soldiers everywhere to ask questions of. I have no plans as to future moves yet.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{"Student's Gibbon": See above.}
Hotel d'Angleterre Rome.
March 5. 1866.
My dear Mamma,
To day I found at the P. R. yours of 26th also one from uncle Joe dated 27th.
On Saturday we went and saw the Sculpture Gallery in the Capitol in which are some of the most famous statues, the Dancing Faun, a wonderful Bacchus in red marble and the famous dying Gladiator, the last most wonderful, the marble looks alive or rather dying; poor fellow he has been leaving on his elbow and been just on the point of dying for 1800 years, now so I suppose he will last perhaps as long again.
Then we went and saw the picture Gallery in the Barberine Palace, none of these pictures of great note except the well known "Cenci." We also saw St. Johns Lateran where the Popes are crowned, the outside of the Quirinal and a host of other sights, the only other remarkable one being the Church of the Capucins, in it there is a grand Guido "Michael and the Devil"; underneath the church is the monks burial place, here the bodies with the dried up flesh still clinging to the bones and dressed in their morkish robas either repose in hollows in the walls or are fixed standing up, the place is decorated with bones placed on the walls and and sides of the arches, the walls for some feet from the ground have piles of skulls and large bones built up against them and it is in hollows made in this skull-wall that the bodies of the old monks repose. It is a most extraordinary sight and did not seem to me disgusting in the least.
Yesterday I went to the English Church, the congregation was very large 700 or 800 I should guess and six chergymen officating. I saw the Unthanks there but have not gone to see them yet.
Then are American and Scotch Churches besides, several of the latter. In the afternoon we went to the Botanical Gardens (insignificant) and to St Peters to hear Choral Evening service, there was no organ but good voices. The more one sees of St. Peters the larger it seems to grow; it is very hard to take in the idea of its vastness, the ant-like appearance of the people in it shows its enormous size, otherwise it looks nothing remarkable.
This morning we went to see the Sculpture Galleries of the Vatican and after visiting room after room and gallery after gallery for more than an hour began to think it was a hopeless case to see the whole even by merely walking through, and came away with no very clear ideas of anything except the Laocöon. The size and extent of the Vatican and its Galleries are enough to alarm the most energetic sight seer.
The hounds meet somewhere near the city constantly at this season and English and Americans figure largely in all directions. I called on Plowden on Saturday and he desired to be remembered to uncle Jeffry, but I did not get much out of him. Among the people at this hotel, is a Mr Jeffers (& Mrs.) to whom I sit next at table d'hote he is I think from Dublin and is amusing and pleasant. Dawson sits next to a Col. and Mrs. Strackey, they seem nice people but I have not conversed with them.
Amongst the names in this hotel list I see that of Mr. & Mrs. R. Tighe. I know nothing of them except that I have often heard the name mentioned.
Yesterday being Sunday we had a "blow out" table d'hote, wild boar roast (very good), roast keep, game, plumpudding and a host of minor dishes. It is a good table d'hote every day and the hotel is deservedly commended by Murray and the Practical Guide man as being good and reasonable. The Minerve we did not like and Mr. Jeffers had left the Hotel de Rome as not being good
March 6th. Yesterday afternoon we walked out and saw St Pauls a magnificent new basilica church built to replace one burned some years ago. It is said to be the next largest church here after St Peters. The interior, walls, pillars and floor are all of polished marble, the ceiling richly decorated. It is more than a mile outside the walls. We also saw the Arch of Janus, a Temple of Vesta and a rectangular temple very perfect and now converted into a church; the name of it we could not ascertain.
Just outside the Porta San Paolo is the pyramid of Caius Cestius a very respectable pile of stones to be out of Egypt. In the city near the Forum is the front of a handsome temple of Minerva now occupied as a bakers shop! One of the mast curious features to me in Rome are the old Egyptian obelisks brought here I suppose by the Romans as curious antiquities.
After all, the remains of Rome which we see here are probably new as compared to the walls and other remains in those Etruscan cities which we visited in Umbria.
Though we have been taking things easily we have pretty well done Rome now, of the chief sights few remain unvisited; guide book{s} are published which show the anxious tourist how all may be done in eight days, hard work no doubt, but still quite feasible. Some people in this hotel are steadily and conscientiously working through "Murray's Rome", a large book in itself, but somehow we who take matters more easily seem to see as much.
The postmen here wear dark green uniform and cocked hats, they do not look at all business-like.
March 7th. Yesterday morning we visited the picture gallery in the Vatican, the pictures ase comparatively few but all picked works of the best masters, and so placed and lighted as to be all most satisfactorly visible. However I see no pictures anywhere that please me so much as the Dresden Madonna, and the "Madonna in the Chair" at Florence, both Raphaels. Then we visited the Theatre of Marcellus, a great Coloseums-like edifice with its arches built up and the whole used for shops and dwelling houses, in many of the ground arches are smiths shops the smoke from which has blacked and begrimed the front till it looks like a foundry. Then we went to the Tarpeian Rock – not a good sight, as alteration of level and the houses below destroy the effect of any precipice that there may be. St Clements was the next place we visited, an old and curious church below which is an older St Clements supposed to be of the 3d or 4th cent. and with fine marble pillars and curious old frescoes, again below this second church they have found the remains of some very ancient Roman building with large uncemented stones, which in default of any record is called "a temple, probably of the time of the Roman Kings". At all events it is very ancient and very curious. We visited many more churches and minor antiquities, but nothing else very remarkable. At La Scala Church there is a long flight of marble steps which devotees ascend on their knees saying some formula at each step and kissing it before they rise to the next, while we were there there was a lady in silks and satins, whose carriage was waiting at the door, doing this. It is said that those who do this are absolved from all past and future sins. The steps are well worn by frequent application of knees.
We get lovely glimpses of the country above Rome and often see riding parties coming in at the gates but the country just outside the walls is not very attractive.
Ancient Rome was much larger than the present city and there are great open spaces inside the walls, now used as market gardens. The walls and some of the gates are very perfect, French soldiers of course are at every gate.
German I have found a useful language in Rome on account of the Popes Harlequin clad Swiss Guard, who keep guard in the Vatican, the Quirinal and elsewhere. They are always very civil and seem glad to be addressed in German. One would scarcely have expected to find German useful in Rome.
I am still without decided intentions of moves, but after receipt of this you had better address Florence, as I suppose I shall go there early next week and when writing tell me what letters you have written so that I may know if they have all come to hand
Your affectionate son Francis E. Prendergast.
I posted letters to you on the 27th and on the 2d.
Hotel d’Angleterre Rome. March 8.1866.
My dear Mamma
Yesterday morning we went to St Peters ascended the Dome and got into the ball, all very easy and safe; the views from the top Gallery are very fine and it is only there that one can see how St Peters towers over everything else in Rome. Looking down into the interior from the inside galleries, all the people and everything below look dwarfed most curiously. A great many people were there "doing" the Dome.
Then we went to the Mosaic studio to see the construction of the large mosaics for new churches. For both these sights a special order is required which I got at the British Consuls. Then we visited once more the Vatican pictures, and went to see a new giant gilt Hercules lately found in Pompeys Theatre, but it is much broken.
Then to see the Rospigliosi Palace in which is Guidos celebrated "Aurora", which with the Cenci seems the most favorite subject for copying in Rome. Finally we visited the Colonna Gardens where there are some gigantic carved blocks, the remains of a temple of the sun as well as various odds and ends of old sculpture. Slabs with "Dis Manibus" &c seem common everywhere.
We called on the Unthanks but they were all out. As we were coming home we saw in a shop window what appeared to be an unusually good copy of the "Cenci"; on looking close at it, it proved to be a mosaic; it is wonderful to what perfection they have brought mosaic-copying at Rome.
9th. Yesterday morning I went to the Lateran Museum but found little of interest there; some copies of frescoes from the catacombs, and some very pretty clay groups and figures of American Indians by a Dresden artist named Ettrich, were the most interesting objects. In the afternoon Dawson and I were joined by a Revd. Mr. Houze, when we walked off on a long tour beginning with the "Tomb of the Scipios", underground vaults and passages with some few inscriptions and other remains, very curious, but as the darkness was only dispelled by a wax-taper candle by each, of course we could see but little.
Then we continued our walk, passing under the Arch of Drusus at the Sebastian gate, out to the Church and Catacombs of St. Sebastian, here a monk supplied us with wax tapers and led the way down into the catacombs, they were exactly what I had expected, underground passages cut in soft rock, of great extent and very intricate. Niches for bodies (all now removed) lined the passages vaults and small chambers; then we visited the tomb of C. Metella.
The Papal Zouaves in gray and red dress may be seen about the city in all directions; they do not contrast favourably with the smart, tight built little French Soldiers. I have never noticed any of the Popes Swiss Guard about the town; are they not allowed out in uniform? The Roman Newspapers seem very wretched – they are more fly leaves with scarcely anything in them. Almost all the notices on the walls are headed S. P. Q. R., which looks strange on the posters! The Italians shine greatly as pastry cooks in the variety, excellence and cheapness of all that is in that line.
We always resort now to the confectioners for lunch instead of cafés.
Rome seems very well supplied with water, I never saw so many fountains anywhere but the water, though clear, is almost too soft. The Pincian Hill is now laid out as a park and in the afternoons is crowded with carriages and promenaders, it is nicely laid out and the views from over the city are very good. They call Genoa a city of Palaces but Rome deserves that title quite as much, in almost every street one gets views into columned court-yards, often with garden and a fountain in the centre. There does not seem to be a single good street in the city unless perhaps the Corso and that is narrow and rather irregular; however it is generally gay enough. To day it has been raining off and on most of the day and I only got a walk in the Corso and on the Pincian Hill.
{"Ettrich": (Friedrich August) Ferdinand Pettrich 1798(Dresden)-14.02.1872(Rome), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Pettrich.}
Florence. March 14.
On Saturday Dawson was to have left Rome for Naples but he did not get off till Sunday; Saturday was wet and we saw little except the pictures in the Capitol – nothing of any note. Sunday morning D. G. left and soon after Col. Groves came and introduced himself to me; we had been in the hotel together all the time and he only found who Dawson was on Saturday evening. I sat for some time with him and Mrs. on Sunday evening. They are to be in Florence this week, so I shall see them again.
On Monday morning I left by rail at 5. a.m. for Civita Vecchia, thence took diligence (8 hours) to Nunziatella, there rail to Leghorn arriving there at 8 p.m.
It was the Civita Vecchia and Nunziatella diligence that was robbed lately and we were pointed out the spot, quite close to a Sardinian Guard House, but still within Papal territory. I slept at Leghorn and came up here yesterday morning by rail, arriving here at 11.30.
First I went to the P.O. and got your two letters of 6th and 2d, one enclosing aunt Fs, also the Bath Cr.
Then it being wet I strolled into one of the picture galleries for a while and then went to call on Maxwell but only found Mrs M. at home. Then I went to the Railway Station, got my luggage and came here – Casa Schneiderf; Pension formerly kept by Mrs. Molini Clark, now by her daughter and her Italian husband. It is the one most recommended by Murray and also by Mrs. Maxwell. Terms 8 francs a day. Breakfast at 9. lunch from 1 till 3 dinner at six, tea at eight. There are about 20 people in the house, Charles Weld among the number – at least I was told so after breakfast to day and I shall soon find him out. Also a Mr. and Mrs. Dick who know Harris P. & Co. Also a young American (Kentucky I think) who seems pleasant. The others I have not yet "found out". There is a large well furnished drawing-room which seems much used and very comfortable; it looks out "Lung' Arno" i.e. is on the Quay beside the river which now instead of being the "Silver Arno", is a muddy, flooded river.
It rained all yesterday and seems inclined to do the same to day and is as cold and raw as it ever is anywhere.
After afternoon church on Sunday last I went to St. Peters and came in for vespers there with very fine music, there were over 100 priests in their robes, not perfoiming, but as the congregation. St Peters and the Coliseum are the two grand points in Rome to my mind.
The Rome and Civita Vecchia rail has 2nd class carriages on it that would disgrace an English Line, I never saw such bad 2nd class abroad. The diligences were very good, two horses as wheelers and three abreast for leaders.
I was in the Cabrolet or Impériale on the top and had for my companions a young Neapolitan who could speak French and an amusing, conceited Venetian Courier who was travelling with Americans. He spoke English pretty well and spun a long yarn about how the Austrians had pressed him into their army in 1859 how he had deserted and escaped in a boat across the Po under fire from the Austrian sentries. When we crossed the Papal fronteer he was pointing out how the whole country was improved and how even the trees seemed to grow freer! Not quite without truth either. All say Rome will be "Italian" either this summer or next year – I hope so.
In Umbria the walls were printed everywhere with "Viva Garibaldi, Roma o morte". In Pisa it was "Italiani, liberiamo Venezia, sacchiamo lo straniero". The last I quote from memory, so perhaps the sacchiamo is not right as to spelling. Similar notices are up in many places. I wonder if the French & Germans will ever be content to learn from the English and Italians and allow passengers free access to the Railway platforms. Perhaps they are too great children to be allowed such freedom and require perpetual looking after. It is so cold that I saw them putting feet warmers into the 1st class carriages yesterday.
Your affect son
Francis E. Prendergast
address for the present P. R. Florence
See above.
Casa Schneiderf.
Florence March 16. 1866.
My dear uncle Joe,
Yesterday at the Poste Restante I found a letter from Tower Terrace enclosing a small note of yours dated 6th
I saw Maxwell yesterday, he and Mrs. both well; I like her very much but cannot tell you anything of her history. He talks of visiting England and Ireland next summer. I have been at his house twice since arriving here but there has always been some casual visitor there too, so I have not talked much to Mr M.
Ottley I had a long hunt for the day before yesterday; they have changed the names of most of the streets here and all the numbers so it is very hard to make anyone out without having the exact address the more so as the houses here are in flats and many families in each house. I tried several houses and floors in the street where I got his address, but failed to find him. However I mean to try again.
N.B. This kind of hunting comes heavy on time and patience. Dawson Greene was in no hurry to get back to England and did not think the passage could be too long, as long as there was enough of the three Bs (Beer, 'Baccy and Brandy) which modern Oxford men seem to regard as the grand enjoyments of life.
Yesterday I walked out to Fiesole, 4 miles or so; it is well situated on a hill overlooking the City and commands splended views over it and the surrounding country which now looks verdant and springlike in spite of the cold weather. Roses in the hedges along the road in flower and the gardens attached to villas with some show of flowers.
I have subscribed here to Vieusseux's Reading Rooms by way of having some place of resort; there are three good rooms with Italian French and English newspapers, really an immense assortment of each and some few magazines; the subcription is only 7 francs a month, he also has a good landing library.
I like this house very well and there are some nice people in it now.
A Mrs. & Miss Brown (the latter was at school at Brighton with Alice), a Miss Lowe from Exeter, Mr. & Mrs. Moore the former the "rejected cadadicate" for Brighton, Mr. & Mr{s} Dick, Charles Weld, who is getting materials for another book, a Mr. Nolan and his sister (a widow) a young Kentuckian named Dudley, a medical student lately in Paris and some few others whom I have not yet become acquainted with. Our breakfast is at 9, tea, coffee, cold meat, eggs, bread and butter, lunch, one till three; bread, butter, cheese and fruit, dinner at six ; plainer than hotel table d’hotes but more substantial, tea at eight; at lunch and dinner Tuscan red wine ad lib. Madame Barbensi the proprietress is a ladylike person, her mother was English and she speaks English perfectly; she and her husband, who is a government official, preside at opposite ends of the table at breakfast and dinner but are seldom in this, the drawingroom, a large, well furnished and most comfortable room with three windows looking out over the Arno. There are about 20 people in the house at present. C.R.W. has been in Florence since January, but only in this house for about three weeks. There are some other similar pensions in the town. They have got double windows here, and people seem generally agreed as to the unpleasantness of the Florentine climate. I think it is one of the cleanest cities I know, every inch of the streets being flagged.
The priests here wear tall black hats and look very respectable in consequence. Yesterday 50 miles of new line down by Arezzo and Cortona (on road to Perugia) were opened, but there is still a gap of 30 miles between the rails on that route to Rome. It was this line we walked alongside of in our walk down.
Your affect. nephew
Francis E. Prendergast
{"Ottley" recte Otley, misspelled by confusion with the Irish family friend Rev. Charles McMahon Ottley.}
Casa Schneiderf. Florence. March 19.66
My dear Mamma
On Friday I posted a letter to J.S.P. enclosing one for aunt Flora. On the same day Mdme. Barbensi kindly got me a ticket for the Chamber of Deputies and I went there for about half an hour; there seemed to be much interest regarding the proceedings both amongst the Deputies, and the public in the gallery. Next day was wet and I did nothing more than a visit to the Uffiri Gallery, where I came across Col. Grove and party. Yesterday was the only tolerably fine day we have had and after church I went to the Cascine Gardens, a long stutch of park and pleasure grounds along the Arns and commanding fine wiews of the Appennines.
I also walked up to the Kings Villa at the other side of the town, the Avenue leading to it seems to be the favourite Sunday walk of the lower orders in Florence, there is a double row of fine evergreen oaks on each side of it, but they always look gloomy
20th. Yesterday I went with Charles Weld to the Garibaldi-Mazzini meeting in the Pagliano Theatre; it was very crowded and great enthusiasm prevailed but the people seemed very orderly.
Some of the speakers spoke very well as far as I could judge. Uncle Frank will tell you what it was all about. Yesterday it was again wet almost the whole day. At the P.R. I found your letter of 13th enclosing one from Miss von S. It was not I that put on the stamps so curiously on one of my letters. All the hills about here have been snow-clad since I came, but these last two days it has been much warmer; the weather is still broken and wet. The drawing room where I am writing this is a very fine room thirty fact square and most comfortable, some of the people have private sitting-rooms but even they use this room a great deal. In the evening after tea two tables of whist are got up and then I sit down to do some Italian. C. R. W. is out a great deal but when he is here in the evening he generally writes after tea. The people on the streets here are a very mixed lot, the lower orders look heavy, fat and good-humoured; they give me the idea of the "bos piger"; then come the smart dandies, generally small light built young men who ape English dress to a most amusing extent, finally there are the ladies who are the best-looking and nicest dressed of any I have seen abroad. Then there is a very large English and American population who having nothing to do are of course very much out of doors. In the Reading Rooms there are six London daily papers, four weeklies and nearly as many American papers. They have all the Italian and French papers I ever saw or heard of but no German ones that I can see.
I like Florence better than Rome to stay in; the atmosphare of perpetual sightseeing and talking about it is very tiresome at Rome. At the table d'hote there the only and constant subject was "what have you seen to day and what are you going to see tomorrow?" Then here one goes in and out of the galleries as free as air, while at Rome the custodes are for ever at the doors and an always expecting something. The number of English cads on the Continent now is very distressing; here and at Rome the galleries are filled with those fearful 2nd class English; I only know of one more objectionable class, namely the French of the same position and there is a very considerable sprinkling of them here.
The English post comes in late at night and goes out at 8.30 a.m. Your last letter has the Dublin stamp "March 13th" Firenze 17th. There is a great flood in the river this morning, probably from melting snow. Please forward enclosed.
I have heard nothing from Fogerty & Co this long time. I see Forde & Fleeming are the electric engineers for Reuters new German telegraph. F. E. P.
Florence. March 22. 1866.
My dear Mamma
Today I received yours of 17th with many slips enclosed. Yesterday I had a long and amusing letter from Dora. She says C. M. P. is much better and they have had fine weather ever since I left. They intend leaving Cannes early in April for Nice, Mentone, San Remo and Geneva to return to England early in May; how, she does not say. Elise is much the same, John Travers very much better
Only one new arrival at the Villa Marie-Thérèse; a Mrs. Cox, cousin
of Mrs. Niven who was there with me. Alice, she says, is bursting her dresses, she has got so fat! I hear (viâ Mrs. Dick, from the Merricks) that Harris is much cheered at the prospect of Cs return. Arthur has joined some very swell singing club, the "Moray Minstrels" and they were invited to the Duke of Sutherlands to sing before the P. & P.cess of Wales. Dora says the dust at Cannes is troublesome, and they have had some mistrals.
Still continued rain; seldom more than an hour or two of any day available for going out, but between the comfortable drawing room here, the reading-room and the Galleries, the day passes quickly.
I have only thrice been outside the walls since I came. Yesterday I called on Col. Grove at his hotel and saw him and party. Maxwell I see constantly in the reading room. The Arno is very full, two arches of the bridge opposite this were said to have nearly "choked" the night before last. C.R.W. sends a weekly letter to the Athenaeum (on Florence) and to do him justice, it is about the most readable thing in the paper; what a wretched prosy concern it has got to be! In this house there are two white Persian Cats, the father and mother of two nice little white kittens; the whole four constantly lie in a basket near my door. I never remember seeing any entirely white oats before. These ones do not seem intelligent animals. For some years there has been an English church at the other side of the town, but a few Sundays ago a new one was opened close to this in a room which had been a library; it is nicely fitted up; the seats are well padded armchairs, 100 in number, besides some cushioned alcoves in the wall; it is not very church-like, but is very comfortable. It was nearly full morning and evening on Sunday last.
23d. Yesterday I dined with Maxwell, a Dr. Duffy was there and in the evening a Miss Gough. Mrs Maxwell was a Miss Fullarton of Derry or Antrim Co.
To day was the first really fine day we have had and I got some walks in the suburbs which are very pretty. C.R.W. left to day for London, and we have got four new comers, two young Russian ladies, who speak French; one of them is very nice looking; the other pair are a gentleman and his wife, English I think. To day at the P. R. I found a letter from Livesey dated Feb. 11; it had been forwarded from Cannes. From what he says and from what I see in the paper I think J. Fs Bridgnorth Line must have
passed. Livesey is looking for work but has not got any yet. Notcutt ditto.
It is wonderful how soon the roads about here dry up, to day they were almost all quite dry. Yesterday I took a turn into the Duomo and heard a mouk peaching very clearly and forcibly; I can just catch a little of what is said by Italians in regular speaking. I don't think I ever told you that when I was coming up from Rome they weighted my luggage at one place and called it 25 kilos, at another they made it 22 kilos, just half a stone difference! So much for their machines. They are constantly dredging for sand in the Arno with long scoop-shovels from boats; they seem to have very little sand for mortar in the neighbourhood. At night the long line of lamps on each side of the Arno looks very well as there is a slight curve in the river.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Florence. March 29. 1866
My dear Mamma
This morning I received yours of 24th enclosing the B.P.B. also J. S. Ps of 21 and C.E. js. of – without any date! The English post has twice lately been 24 hours late.
I hope whenever you go to Oxford you will get lodgings in some more airy and cheerful locality than John Street; I should think it would bee no harm to be a little further from the Radcliffe. I think Kate Taylors Italy is rubbish; I looked over it when at Pisa.
The weather has at last cleared up and since Sunday we have had magnificent bright spring weather. Very few of the trees here are out yet. A Mr. and Mrs. Hyland (he Dublin, she German) who had been here left on Tuesday; they were very pleasant people and I am sorry they are gone. The two Russian young ladies are a great addition as I now have some inducement to talk French. A Mr. and Mrs. Stone, Americans, have arrived, a Mr. and Mrs. Denny from Quebec, an American named Curteis from Colorado, and two English ladies, so the party is large. I believe the house is a very elastic one.
Tomatines in the evenings there is a sort of musical reunion in the Salon a few strangers being asked. Madame Barbensi herself plays and sings splendidly.
The view up and down the Lung' Arno (i.e. the Quays) is magnificent, hills and snowy Appennines towering up in the distance; I cannot remember many inland citees in such a fine situation. I forget if I mentioned about the "Florence Improvements"? they are going to throw down the walls and make a fine boulevard in their place. It will alter the city very much for the better. The "Florence flask" is visible here in in every size from the small ones we see in England up to huge monsters twice the size of an ordinary decanter.
I often see cartloads of them; it is wonderful how much knocking about such delicate articles will stand. They are much used here for wine and the way they cork them is by putting in a little oil over the wine and then a rough stopper of rushes over all. Almost all the cabs and carts have breast bands for their horses instead of collars.
Madam Barbensi tells we me that there was a Captain (Naval) Prendergast staying here with his wife a few years ago, she thinks they were English, but I fancy they must have been Americans?
On Tuesday I walked out with Mr. and Mrs. Dick to the Certosa (Monastery) about three miles from this; she had to wait in a ladies room outside the walls but we were admitted. It is a fine building on the top of a hill which rises up in a valley at the junction of two stream. It is large, but only has 30 monks in it now, all Italian except one Irishman named, as well as I could make out from the Italian of the monk who showed us over, McComas, it would have been no use to ask to see him as they are not allowed to talk to strangers except when on "custode duty".
Ladies are only admitted by an order from the Archbishop. There is a good deal to see inside, some well sculptured monuments and a fine painting by Perugino. Monday I went out to Fiesole and saw in the Cathedral four small columns said to be Etruscan. There are still good remains of the old uncemented Etruscan walls. This morning I took a turn down to the Cascina – it was very pleasant there, shade or sun as one liked, and actually plenty of small birds singing. Glaring and dusty as it is here in fine weather I like the climate better than that of Rome, which did not suit me at all. People cut this place in June generally, when the heat becomes excessive.
Col. Grove and Co. leave this on Monday en route for the Lake of Geneva. I wish to get every thing possible in the way of introductions to any people here, at Leghorn, Pisa, Genoa or in this part of Italy as I might thus get to hear of some work out here. Your affect. son
Francis E. Prendergast
{"Kate Taylor" alias Mrs. Whittle was FEP's personal acquaintance from Dresden; she had written "Letters from Italy to a Younger Sister" in 1840 – a praise rather than a guide, never meant to be practical and now obsolete to boot. The Dublin Prendergasts know about her work (and her nickname) from her friend Jeffry Francis Prendergast – whose recollections of Italy must be similarly outdated.}
Florence. April 2. 1866.
My dear uncle Joe
Some days ago I found out Mr. C. Otleys address and called on him.
I found him in bed; for two years or more he has been so paralyzed as to be scarcely able to move. He was glad to hear of uncle Jeffry and desired me to say that he was now quietly waiting for death which he supposed was not very far distant. He is living in the Palazzo Pepi, Via Pepi. He also said that in these latter days he has not been well off and had only enough to live on by careful management.
A brother of his lives in Florence also.
Yours of March 21st reached me some day last week (viâ Tower Terrace). Maxwell I see often in the Reading Rooms. He is always friendly and amusing. Mrs. M. I saw at church yesterday; she had hurt her foot somehow but was getting better.
Ogilvys name I remember seeing on the board at H. d'Angleterre at Rome, but as I had never heard his name before, could not know who it was. You must let me know anything you hear of Dawson Greene when he arrives; he is a bad correspondent and I am not likely to hear from him directly. I have heard nothing lately from Dresden.
A Mrs. Coxe is in this house, widow I believe of a General (?) Coxe who was at Corfu not very long ago. Also a Captain Penny (with his bride) of Bombay R.E.; he knows Hew and Harry P. He seems a nice fellow and his wife is an unusually nice person. I like the life and change of faces in this house very much and the evening society in the Salon is generally very pleasant. Now we sit down about 30 to dinner.
My last idea is to leave this about the 16th of this month, and allow three weeks or a month from that date for getting home to England, or tenperarily to Dublin, as the case may be.
I have got (per Dr Duffy) an introduction to Jones, Brasseys agent at Leghorn and shall try if any work or useful information is to be had from him. Perhaps I may get some introduction from French. All these I shall try; to day I also wrote to Fogerty to know if he wanted me in his office or knew of any likely quarter to apply for work, either here or at home. I wish I knew about Fordes Russian and German lines, if they are likely to come to anything this season? Taylor at Marseilles I hope to visit, but he writes that they are swamped with young men from the Ecole Polytechnique and other schools whose time has been profiltessly spent copying drawings; so you see affairs are much the same in France as at home. I believe London to the most likely place to look for work. I should like very well to remain in Italy, a country which I believe to have more of an active future before it than most European countries. I have received £25 from Tower Terrace so am amply supplied as to funds.
Your affectionate nephew
Francis E. Prendergast
PS. I have got nothing in the way of useful information out of French (I think he has smoked his brams into a hazy state.) He mentions for uncle Jeffrys information that Dr. Harding, once of Florence, is now living with his family at Lymington, Hants.
{Upside down, directed at the addressee of an enclosing letter:}
Please forward
J. S. Prendergast, Esq
Florence. April 3d. 1866.
My dear Mamma,
Yours of 26th reached me on 31st, and yours of 29th to day. They always arrive at the P. R. late at night so I get them the day after they actually reach Florence.
Madame Barbensi says she has 50 people writing for rooms here this week – the tide abbing from Rome after the Holy Week; 8 of our party leave this week so there will be a fine supply of new faces.
The House holds about 40 when full. Saturday there was a grand show in the Piazza at the Duomo. A wire is stretched from the altar in the Duomo through the nave and out of the door into the Piazza where it is attached to an ornamental stand, hung all over with fireworks and bombs. An image of a white dove is attached to the wire and sent along it by means of a rocket from the altar out into the Piazza, a fresh rocket catches fire as soon as it reaches the stand and drives it back into the Duomo, then all the fireworks go off.
This takes place at noon. Mr. Dick and I took charge of four ladies, Mrs. Dick, Miss Brown and the two young Russian ladies, there was a dense crowd and it was no place for ladies to be on foot, however we did not find out that till we were well wedged into the crowd and had to make the best of it. If all goes right with the flight of the dove it is supposed to indicate a prosperous harvest; if the dove sticks or anything goes wrong, a bad harvest. I was not very close and so could not be quite sure that the above account is accurate in its details but that is what it seemed to be.
This month the railway is to be opened from Ancona to Foligno, thus giving a complete line of railway to Rome. and for those who go from Piedmont and Lombardy, is a tolerably direct route i.e. viâ Milan, Parma, Bologna, Ancona, Foligno, Terni and on to Rome. A fine viaduct over the Tiber near Perugia has just been washed down by the floods; this line was soon to have been opened but this will delay it. Among the new comers here last week are a Captain and Mrs. Penny (Bombay R. E.) who know Hew and Harry, also two Mess Nortons and a clergyman and his wife who were at Bellevue Hotel at Cannes in January.
A young lady left this yesterday for Liverpool – going all the way alone, via Leghorn Marseilles &c; though young and rather nice looking she seems quite used to travelling alone when necessary.
Seven people are expected here to day and four on Saturday. Yesterday I had a long walk out on the Bologna Road and then down into a large valley beyond Fiesole, very bare and wild; it put me in mind of the country about Ballyvalley Bridge at Rostrevor. They have started a great number of one horsed omnibusses in Florence, they run short instances and the fares are only a halfpenny and a penny; they seem always full. As the streets are flagged and the 'busses not large, one horse is quite enough. I see plenty of wild tulips (red) and anemones in the fields about here but flowers in general are not plentiful. I hear that at New York they are going to have a 30 days Quarantine after the 1st of June; 1000 a day is the average of arrivals there so at the end of the first mouth they will have 30,000 people in Quarantine! This for Cholera.
My present idea of moving is to leave this – if nothing turns up, on or about April the 16th but I have not much thought of what route I am going to pursue. Mont Cenis is the most direct route for London but there are plenty of others available and I should rather like to return viâ South of France.
All this is doubtful but if people ask for my address do not give Florence
after April 14th.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
I should like some opinions as to various routes.
Florence April 6. 1866.
My dear Mamma
I enclose two letters which please forward.
you can read that to C.E.j. On Wednesday Mr. Jones, Brasseys agent at Leghorn was up here and I presented my letter of introduction to him (from Dr. Duffy). He was very civil and told me a good deal of news but as to any but an Italian getting work out here in any subordinate position, he did not seem to think that at all likely. His work is just finished out here. yesterday I got a letter from Wynne – forwarded by you – he is now working for the Contractor on the St. Johns Wood Metropolitan Extension at £3. a week. Ormsbys post is that of Mineralogist to the Indian Geological Survey; Salary ₤500 a year, with liberty to leave it for any other place, a very important part of the agreement, people being generally tied in some way. I had a letter from Dora yesterday. They were to leave Cannes yesterday on their tour. She says the weather there is really too hot. Dr. Battersby (of Cannes) pronounces C.M.P.s hung to be in a very much better condition than when he arrived at Cannes. Mrs Greenwood had something astray with hers and Cannes cured her, I hear. I intend leaving Florence for Cannes early next week (say 9th or 10th) so till further advised address Villa Marie-Thérèse Camres.
I have had enough of Florence for the present and Jones, and French (the Banker) give such news as to work here that I think there is no use staying here on that spec. Besides I want to see Cannes again. If you are likely to be at Oxford in the spring I do not see much use in my going to Dublin, and the only places I much want to see in the S. of France are Nismes and Arles which are on, or close to the Marseilles and Paris line. If you do want me to come to Dublin find out about Dublin and Bordeaux steamer, I think I gave you the advt. to keep when last at Oxford. The agents are I think Burns & McIver 1 Rumford St. Liverpool. However I do not much incline to that route home.
It poured all yesterday and part of this morning; let no one praise the Florentine climate.
The two Russians and many other nice people have left and we have a flood of 16 or 20 new-comers, everyone second-class Americans and consequently not attractive. I shall get Mr. Dick to forward any letters that may arrive after I leave. Your affect. son
Francis E. Prendergast
Genoa. April 11.1866
Hotel Royale.
My dear Mamma,
On Monday morning I left Florence at 9.30 a.m. for Bologna with an American named Curtis for my companion. It is a most interesting line crossing the Appennines from Pistoia to Bologna by a series of windings, tunnels and viaducts. It is said to be the most remarkable line in Italy and I can well believe it. We reached Bologna at two oclock and then went out to see the Picture Gallery, Leaning Towers and some of the Churches, but after Rome and Florence one is rather blasé of churches and pictures. Eight people had come with us from the Casa Schneiderf to Bologna and Cartes went on with them on Tuesday morning at 6.30 to Venice; on Tuesday morning I went out by the three miles of arcades up to St. Lukes on the top of a hill near the town; these arcades are really very wonderful and the view from the top of the hill is very extended, to the south the range of the Appennines, north, east and west the great plains of Lombardy and Venetia bounded on the north by the Alps and on the east by the Adriatic.
It was a lovely day and all the country looking very well. There are several Piedmontese batteries on the side of the hill and at the top under the church are barracks with shot and shell piled up outside, some "awkward squads", were drilling in the hot sun and matters were a decidedly warlike air; here everyone expects war. Then I went down the hill and visited the famous Campo Santo, the largest and finest in Italy but it did not seem so interesting to me as the one at Pisa. On the whole Bologna pleased me, and the arcades everywhere about the town give it a very peculiar air. There is a capital Hotel there, owner, servants and all about it are German, and were it not for the tasteful gilding and painting our might fancy that it was in Germany. It had one of the nicest public salons I have yet seen and well furnished with newspapers.
I left Bologna by rail at 2.30 p.m. and reached Genoa last night at 11. p.m. and on reaching the station had the pleasure of quietly getting out, with no luggage to think about, and feeling as if I knew Genoa of old, just walk down to this comfortable hotel and find Madame Perosio (an Englishwoman) and her old head waiter remembering that I had been here two months ago. When my bill appeared at Bologna yesterday, there were two nice little items "omnibus to and from the rail, 2 francs," so I had the pleasure of sending it back to have that amount knocked off. I forgot to tell you that on Sunday evening I had deposited my portmanteau at the Messageries Impériale de France at Florence and expect to find it all right at Cannes. It is a saving of time, troubles, temper and cash to forward in this way for on Italian lines they charge for every pound of luggage – and heavily too. This time I have very little with me as I expect so soon to be at Cannes.
I wish Papa would not write my name Fras., the signature I always use is Francis E. Prendergast, nor does uncle Frank even use the abbrevation Fras. He wrote it thus on the B. P. Bill and it was nearly the cause of a mistake. French cashed it for me, at par, 25 francs to the ₤1 and charged 1 percent commission; had it been forwarded in circular notes, I should have got the exchange above pair and had no commission to pay, it would have saved 7/6 or 8/- thus.
I thought I had written and talked so much about the virtues of circular notes that he would have tried to send it in that form. Maxwell and Dr. Duffy were both particularly kind to me, and Mr. M. has given me a note of introduction to Cutbills chief man in London and a card to introduce me to Cutbill himself, who is now at Cannes.
This paper has been already folded to hold in my case and is very tiresome to write on.
3. p.m. I have been walking about all the morning in the town and suburbs; it is bright and fresh and I feel quite sorry at the thought of leaving Italy so soon – a day or two more now and I shall be out of it, probably for a long time to come. To day I went into a confectioner to get some lunch and got three cakes and a tumblerful of Marsala for 4½d. I wonder what the cost price of Marsala is out here? This morning at breakfast I felt very like "an unprotected young man" for there were two parties of five ladies each and no gentlemen with them! Some of the parties were young, but mostly, strong minded females.
I was very glad this morning to see the blue Mediterranean once more and as there was a breeze it looked lively. It is pleasant to leave Italy with good impressions of all the towns and places; I cannot remember a simple town that it would not be pleasant to revisit – when leaving Florence on Monday morning it looked so gay and some of the trumpet-banded regiments which chanced to be moving about produced an enlivening effect.
I think people in travelling would do well to leave places before "the gloss" wears off and then come away with none but pleasant impressions.
I don't wonder at everyone liking Florence and if, as Madame Barbensi predicts, Victor Emmanuel gains Venice and loses southem Italy, it will become more and more attractive to strangers. However Madame B. is a reactionist, a Tuscan, rather than an Italian.
I meditate starting by land tomorrow for Cannes, and the day of my arrival there will depend a good deal on whether I meet C.M.P. and Co. on the road or not. They ought to be somewhere between Nice and San Remo now. On{e} reason why I leave Italy so soon, is that I should like to spend a few days in Paris, as I feel grossly ignorant of that capital having just once spent 24 hours there!
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
Don't let uncle Willie abuse this writing.
Cannes. April 16. 1866.
My dear Mamma,
Yours of 11th reached me yesterday – the day before arrived the one from Florence with note of introduction to O’Hara. I return the list having marked with a stroke what is to be brought and with a circle (o) what I do not want. If there is a large unmounted map of London & environs bring that, but not the small mounted one in red cover.
The Russian Young ladies were quite alone, they said they did not mind travelling about alone except in France where they found it would not do – a nice compliment to the most civilized nation in Europe!
Nobody here could make out the riddle without help.
On Thursday morning at 8 oclock I left Genoa in the Banquette or Impériale of the diligence and came right through to Nice getting there at 10 a. m. on Friday, just 26 hours; our longest stop was ½ an hour for dinner at one place. I got rail on from Nice and was here at noon none the worse for the long journey. We had some incidents on the road, first a landslip in a very awkward place right across the road which was there some 60 feet above the sea and no protecting wall of any kind. The laboures who were clearly away the stuff had to put their shoulders to the wheel to help us over it and the passengers seemed very uneasy while this was doing. Then in one of the narrow towns the driver drove us against the side wall and damaged the top of the diligence. At another we had seven horses to help us through some mud which was axle deep but finally all the passengers had to get out and dodge along by the sides as best they could, even then the seven horses could scarcely drag out the diligence.
We had six horses almost all the way. Coming along the coast each stage seemed to bring us into fine weather till at last at Nice the weather was fairly summerlike, hot blazing sun and blue sky and sea. It is the same here and the sun is so powerful that an inubrella becomes really desirable. It is regular summer as far as English ideas go. We have new potatoes, peas &c, the latter were in all the winter. At Mentone (French frontier) passports were asked for, I replied "Anglais" and was passed at once, the others had to show theirs. Mentone looked very lovely in the clear early morning at 5 a.m. Now that I am once more in France I feel sorry at being out of Italy and amongst these hateful French folk; still it some comfort to think that the people in this house are Swiss and dont belong to that race of mongrel curs, the French. C.M.P. and Co. passed through to day, I went to see them and found them all looking very well; they are en route to Montreux, are to be at Paris the end of the month and if the weather is fine, in England on May 1st. Miss T. says that "Gerry" has had a cough all the winter and has been ordered to South of France, she says she has had a cough herself too, and that Mrs. J. is much frightened at all the coughing.
April 16. 1866.
Cannes is very full, but chiefly with people stopping en route from Mentone and Nice to England. I never saw it looking more lovely than to day basking in the hot sun the Esterels, sea and adjoining hills are perfectty enchanting in their beauty. Certainly I have as yet seen few places to compare with it; some on the Riveras are as fine but scarcely more lovely. John Travers leaves this week, so Elise and her maid will have to take care of each other.
Mrs. Niven is much better, in fact everyone, except those like Lord Harrington who were sent out just simply to die, has got better. There are some mosquitos about and the croaking of the frogs in the trees and ditches is rather tiresome.
There are lots of large locust grasshoppers in the garden which is one mass of flowers. I am thinking of leaving this on Monday 23d. or some day soon after so do not write to me here after receipt of this but address Poste Restante Paris. I expect to meet C.M.P. there.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Cannes.
April 21. 1866
My dear Mamma
Yours of 14th arrived on the 18th. In this I enclose a note of Elise's which may amuse you as there is Cannes news in it. You can burn it. I should like my letters brought over to Oxford. Also I want 50 or 100 more visiting cards – you have my plate – and three of my "carte de visites" from Lauder. Also two pieces of white curd soap.
John Travers left on Wednesday, so when I go Elise will have nothing here to represent a relative; I think it is a great shame of the Travers not to send out a brother or a sister to her at once, when two of her sisters and one brother have nothing to engage them.
Yesterday I went to look for Mr. Richardson at the Hotel de Provence but found he had gone to Nice some time ago. It is a lovely valley up near that hotel, which is at the other side of Cannes and is about two miles from this; now the corn is a lovely green nearly ripe and the polished green of the leaves on the fig trees mingle with the gray green olives in a most picturesque manner. It was very hot and a magnificent swallow tailed butterfly was sailing grandly about the place. They fly almost like birds. Lots of nightingales are said to be about here now, but I have not heard them.
The air is quite sweet and perfumed everywhere about here, now, and they are gathering in the orange blossoms to make scent of. I saw Lord Brougham tottering along the road the other day; he is very feeble but will accept no assistance.
When John Travers was packing up I learned a wrinkle from him, namely before packing up coats or trousers (and particularly dress ones) turn them inside out; they thus escape all dirt and dust in the portmanteau and he says, come out without a crease.
I see that last week or the beginning of this, that there was so bad a slip on the Corniche road near Savona that the Diligences could not pass and had to exchange passengers.
Mr Dick wrote to me from Florence but he did not give much news.
Your have never yet mentioned any date for your going to Oxford. I hope you will bring a few books this time to make the room look comfortable and take away a little of the lodging-house look. Last time Papa regratted not having brought Pope and a volume or two of Plutarch, so I dare say he will do it this time. I brought out many more books than I wanted, still they furnish a room even if they do nothing else. It is wonderful weather here and after dinner at seven oclock it is so dry and warm that we go out into the garden for a while.
I expect to reach Paris about Friday or Saturday next; possibly W. P. P. might be there about that time? Probably also C.M.P. & Co; they talked of going to Hotel Chatham. I shall probably be at H. des Etrangers Rue Vivienne.
Does Papa remember Bradleys (13 Bury St) charges? Can a bedroom be had there for 10/6 a week or less? I have some idea of going temporarily, at first till I see what is going to become of me. It is tiresome to think of having to go through the same worry of looking for a berth as last year, but this is the best reason to get permanent (versus Parliamentary) work.
{One sentence, presumably mentioning a hopeful employer, has been made unreadable with considerable effort. (Gossip in Dublin is notorious ...)}
Very likely there will be a letter from you this evening but this has to be posted in the forenoon. I think of moving on Tuesday.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Bradley: Henry Bradley, in St. James's, London SW.}
Cannes. April 23d 1866
My dear Mamma
Yours of 19th arrived yesterday afternoon. Uncle Willys account of Hotel St James sounds well and according to Bradshaw it seems nice, so perhaps I shall try it.
Is Lord Charles C. now in Paris, and if so what is his address? What sort of a man is O'Connell? You don't say where the Villa Bianca is? Did you or Papa ever think of India Railway Bonds as investments, they are 5 per cents, Indian Government Security which ought to be as good as English Funds and they vary from 98 to 102? Great Indian Peninsula Co. is said to be the most flourishing line, but I do not know that that much concerns the bonds. Some Canadians at Florence were much amused at the idea of English people thinking 5 p.c. a good investment; they thought 7 p.c. poor! I think Cannes would set up Uncle James if anything would, but it would not do to come out here now.
I never heard from J. F. – perhaps he is out of town. Mrs. Nivens husband arrives at Marseilles from Bombay in about a fortnight, when she and Miss Copland intend going to meet him and go on to Switzerland at once, so Elise will be amongst strangers without any relative or English person. Madame Fatio expects a Swiss family from Mentone here soon; they come for the bathing, there being none at Mentone.
Papa had a pair of gray-brown trousers at Oxford last year which he did not seem inclined to wear; if they are still lying by he might bring them over for me.
It rather amuses me in France to see "Chocolat Anglaise" advertised and many other things similarly, in which we think the French surpass us.
I am writing with some ink I got from Elise, it writes rather violet colored but very likely it turns black before you see it.
Yesterday and to day some thunder showers have been circling about in the neighbourhood but they have left this place untouched. Tower bathing is going on, but the natives who come down here to bathe do not begin before the end of next month.
Mrs. Whatety leaves the end of this week to meet the Ps in Paris and return with them.
Good Words for March never arrived, so I shall have to get it when I come back. The Coxes leave tomorrow and Mrs. Whately said that on Tuesday there would not be any of the young men who were here in the winter left.
I have just 18 sheets of this paper left and about envelopes to match, so my stock chanced to be pretty well gauged.
Please forward enclosed.
Having written on Saturday I have not much to say and write chiefly on account of enclosed which I forgot then.
I wish you would stir up Charley to write. His scraps are the only definite news I ever get of him.
When is uncle Jeffry to be at Combe Down again? I went to look for some watercolour sketches of this place in the town this morning and found some very nice ones, both large and small, but the prices were so high I did not get any, the largest were 30 francs, the smallerst 12 francs.
Nothing but painting can convey an idea of this place so much depends on its colours and bright clear air; this morning I was thinking it was the most lovely spot I had ever seen.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Hotel de L'Univers et de Castille
Marseilles April 25. 1866
My dear Mamma
Yesterday morning at eight I left Cannes; it was a wet day and I reached Marseilles at three, after a tiresome journey of seven hours. Luckily it was not raining in Marseilles and at the Station I got a cab and thereby discovered an excellent plan they have here. As soon as you get into the cab a Railway official asks your destination and gives you a card with the fare and drivers name written on it, thus preventing overcharge. Perhaps you did not know that Castille was not in the "Univers" but the propriator of this hotel seems to think it is not, from the title he uses. Madame Fatio recommended it, but I do not think it very good. Yesterday I did not feel inclined to go and look up Mr. Taylor and prowled about the town. This hotel is semi-Spanish, has Spanish newspapers, Railway Guides and waiters who speak Spanish. After breakfast this morning I walked down the Rue Impériale now nearly finished; I think it will be one of the finest in the world, the houses are magnificent. It is estimated to cost twelve 18 millions of francs (£720,000) of which the Government contributes one third.
After walking down this street to the new harbour and coming back by the old port I made my way out to St. Marguerite and found Mr. & Mrs. Taylor; their place is about three miles from the town and is very nice, he has about 20 acres of land and on his land at the highest point is a most abundant spring which irrigates all the land and bubbles in fountains near the house. Mr. T. is an old man of eighty with a snowy beard and fresh English complexion. He busies himself about his place but has not been in Marseilles for years! It is 15 years since he gave up business.
His works are now in the hands of a Limited Liability Co. and one of his sons is chief manager; they are much increased since he gave them up, but in consequence of French Offical Routine system now only produce 15 per cent instead of 20 per cent as under his more practical management. However that is a handsome percentage. He asked me to dine there tomorrow and gave me a note to his son, introducing me and asking him and his family to come tomorrow. I have just seen Mr. Arthur T. (the son) and he has asked me to dinner to day, so the time is well filled up.
What a gay, busy city Marseilles is! It looks like what it is, the Emporium of the Medeterranean. When Mr. Taylor came here 36 years ago there was not a steamer in the Mediterranean, he set up his factory and soon after a Government Line to Alexandria (of English built ships) was established and the Government wrote to know if he would undertake all repairs of their engines; this was his great start; then he commenced iron ship building at La Seyne close to Toulon and now he has disposed of all his interest in it (leaving in it his capital) to a Company called Les Forges et Chantiers. He says the administration is very heavy, two staffs, one here the other at Paris and every written document having to be done in duplicate.
I see beef and mutton advertised in the shops here at one franc the kilo (2 lbs 3 oz). How perverse the French are about some English words; they have adopted revolver but spell it rewolwer in many advertisements; then they will write Vauxhall, Wauxhall though they have no w in their language!
April 26.
Yesterday I dined en famille with Mr A. Taylor; the only people were his wife (a Frenchwoman) their two children and his wife's mother, who is a German. He showed me some lovely photographs of buildings and landscapes of his own doing and gave me a letter of introduction to the works to a Mr. Drury the only Englishman on the staff, I went there this morning and Mr. D. was very kind in showing me over the place, but except a huge dredging machine for the Suez Canal there was little of interest to me in the works but the drawings were more in my line. Mr. Taylor also gave me a letter to the foreman at some more works they have at the other side of the town but I spent so much time watching the building and hoisting of materials in the Rue Impériale that I had not time to go to these works, but they are only dittos of the others.
I have a most uncomfortable place for writing – the top of a chest of drawers and can scarcely get at the paper. To day the sun has come out and the dust and glare are tiresome.
I had intended being on the road northwards to day but in consequence of Mr. Taylor's invitation to dinner do not start till tomorrow. I expect to be in Paris probably some time on Saturday. I am writing in a hurry as it is nearly time to start for Sainte Marguerite.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
See above.
Hotel St. James.
211 Rue St Honoré.
Paris.
April 30. 1866.
My dear Mamma
On Thursday Mr Arthur Taylor kindly gave me a seat out to Marseilles and we had a quiet family dinner at St. Marguerite. He also brought me in again thus saving me all trouble.
Mr. A. T. is one of the pleasantest people I have met this long time and the only fault to be found with his wife is that she is a Frenchwoman.
Mr. Taylor père desired to be remembered to the aunts at Green Park.
On Friday morning I left Marseilles by 7 a.m. train and reached Arles at 9 a.m. where I got out, lionesed the town, dined at a restaurant and took the train again at 2.40 p.m.
Arles is interesting but only for Roman antiquities (except one church), and after Italy one is rather blasé of Roman remains. The amphitheatre (i.e. Coloseum) is fine and wonderfully perfect. The headdress of the women is curious, a black handkerchief tied round a white cap; it put me in mind of that in vogue at Eger in Bohemia – rather a different locality!
After getting into the train at Arles at 2.40 pr. m. on Friday there was no change of carriage and no stop of more than 30 minutes till I got to Paris at 4 p. m. on Saturday – 25 hours in all. However these French second class are comfortably padded and though there is no 2d class carriage where smoking is not allowed I managed to escape any smoking and had as companion a German from Holstein. At the Station in Paris while I was waiting in the cround for my luggage a Railway official came up, addressed me in perfect English and took entire charge of me, rowing the porters till I got my luggage, then doing the same with the octroi men till they passed and finally putting me into a small railway omnibus with a ticket marked with the fare.
I hear English people are almost always thus "taken in charge” on arriving in Paris. I actually had no headache nor was otherwise out of sorts after the long journey but the table d'hote here is at 5.30 and after that it came on to rain so I did not go to the post, however on Sunday morning I went and found there yours of 21st and 25th. with J. S. P s. of 22d inclosed and also a letter from him of the 26th. At Church I met Dora and Alice and went with them to their hotel (Chatham) and lunched with them and C.M.P. They have been a good deal about in Switzerland; Geneva, Montreux Bern, Lucern, Schaffhausen, and Bale and had come through (12 hours) from Bale on Saturday. C.M.P. looks even better than when I last saw him and Dora says she thinks he is the better of the travelling after the dullness of Cannes. They expect to be in London some day this week. After lunch they were to have had a carriage to go out but it was the day of some race and no carriage could be had, so I went out on foot with Dora and Alice.
I think my large German box would do well to go to Oxford, but take care that the lock, hinges, handles &c are all right as I know they suffered on its solitary journey. I think it a very bad plan to stint oneself in luggage when only just "moving" – in regular travelling of course the less the better.
I wish you had mentioned the probable date you expect to be in Oxford and not given me such a lot of calculations to make before I could arrive at at any conclusion; even now I hardly know even in what week you are likely to be there. I expect to be in London about the end of this week, Friday probably, or perhaps even Thursday.
You had better address to me "care of J. Fogerty Esq. 1 Westminster Chambers Victoria Street S.W.{"}
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
I shall probably return via Havre and Southampton.
{"aunts at Green Park": in Bath, the widowed sisters "aunt Cuthbert" and "aunt Leacock", whose aunt had been married to Philip Taylor's uncle.}
Hotel St. James.
211 Rue St Honoré.
Paris. May 1st 1866
My dear uncle Joe
I duly received your note of 22d and letter of 26th April. Imprimis in the important matter of potels – I do not consider this up to the mark; the table d'hote is poor and wine not included, they charge to a franc for ½ a bottle of very inferior ordinaire. In fine weather this would not matter as one could dine elsewhere but in present cold, wet weather it would not do.
Well the coffee room attendance is very bad and each morning I have had to wait 20 minutes at least for a cup of coffee – this at 9 a.m. Then at nine this morning the head waiter (a German) and another were coolly taking their breakfast at a side table – this I consider impardonable in well conducted house in the public salle à manger.
Next the rooms are often not made till near dinner time and there is perpetual confusion about the bedroom keys and candles – really atrocious ill management. Yet people call this a good hotel! This house used to be the Hotel de Lille et d'Albion, kept by M. Lebas and under him obtained a good name; he left it and took away its name to the new hotel de Lille et d’Albion N° 223 Rue St. Honoré, which I hear is the one to go to and that this is every day sinking.
Externally the other looks very well and is hilphly spoken of. Let uncle Willy know this and any others whom it may concern. C.M.P. and Co. are at Hotel Chatham (new) Rue Neuve St. Augustin just off the Boulevard des Capucines. It is small, clean, quiet and comfortable and they are well satisfied with it.
So much for hotels. Between the bad weather and going about with Dora and Alice I have not seen much, however having once before “done” Paris with a valet de Place pretty thoroughly in a day I don't consider sight seeing here or duty.
Yesterday afternoon we went to show Alice Napoleons tomb but were too late to get in, then we went to Notre Dame and while there it came on to rain heavily and not a cab was to be had for love or money to come back and we all got pretty well wet. In my three visits to Paris – once in July, once in October and now in May-April it always has been both wet and cold!
All hotel's are said to be full, English and American faces are everywhere in the streets. At Hotel Chatham they could not give C.M.P. a room either on ground floor or in entresol and as he would not take a room high up they made the small public salon into a bedroom for him! He talked of starting for London tomorrow, to go through viâ Bologne and Folkestone if the weather was fine, but now at 11.10 a.m. it is raining hard and does not seem inclined to stop, so very likely he will not start tomorrow.
This morning at P.R. I found two letters from Tower Terrace of 28th, and 29th ult.
I cannot recommend any four or even three language pocket dictionaries, such small polyglot ones are generally merely rublish and a French one is rather more likely to be rublish than an English or German one. I carry three small ones in preference – French German & Italian and one is not likely to want more than one language at a time. Your affectionate nephew
Francis E. Prendergast.
Hotel St. James
Paris.
May 4th 1866.
My dear Mamma
The weather has been so atrocious, cold, wet and miserable that I have been quietly staying on here without attempting to move and doing very little in the way of sight seeing. On Tuesday I dined with the Ps at Hotel Chatham, the table d'hote there is excellent, the company small, about 20, and of very mixed nationality. Yesterday in the Louvre I met Mrs. Whateley who is staying at Hotel Bristol till the weather gets fine. She gives a bad account of that hotel. I am very much surprised at the numbers of Germans here, in the Louvre and in the streets German seems far to overpower the English. The driving in the streets is very bad, I see collisions several times every day and yet the streets are not very much crowded.
For the last three days I have been spending two hours each day in the Picture Galleries of the Louvre, really about the only thing to be done in present state of weather; I feel as if I had seen a good many pictures and picture gallories in the last two months, between Florence, Rome, Bologna and Paris! I do not see very many pictures I care for in the Louvre, though the collection is so large, and the arrangement of all the pictures except those of Rubens seems to me very irregular.
There is rather a stupid set of people in this house and a good many toresome Americans.
A Mr. Hayward, with daughter and ni{e}ce (Hertfordshire people) is pleasant and gentlemanly, then there was a gentleman named Egan and his wife who had been at Mentone during the winter, he is in the R. H. A. (rank I don't know) comes from the Kings Co., was a well known mathematical man in T. C. D. some years ago and is pleasant and has lots to say.
Then came a young man named Lyell (Canterbury) who is going out to Queensland this month to sheep farm.
A. Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill, an Italian, an Humgarian who is a painter, some French people and a dozen or so of Americans mostly Bostonians, some from Louisiana. Very few of these however dine at the table d'hote, but all appear at intervals in the salons; in the evening some one plays and there is generally music going on from seven till ten, but it is a decidedly "slow" house, no fun or larking of any kind; the English and American won't mix, oil and water would mix better than they do.
I hear the American's much resort to the giant Louvre and Grand Hotels; at one of them, I forget which, a written order has to be given for everything even down to "another egg".
The Americane are all in a panic about the proposed American Cholera quarantine; I heard a party of 6 or 7 ordening their passages viâ the Havre and New York Line this morning. How fond the French are of having clock in every room! It is more for ornament than use however as the majority of them are never going.
I am tired of waiting here and intend to start to day with intention of reaching London at noon tomorrow. Now, at 11. a.m., it is raining hard and looks most comfortless.
{Edward Egan, from King's County in Ireland (– not King's College).}
Westminster Chambers
May 7/66
I left Paris at six on Friday and had a slow and rather blowing passage to Southampton but was not sick or uncomfortable. We were late and I did not reach London till three p.m.
I found your letters at this office and went to Euston thinking your might arrive by Irish day mail. Your last was dated May 3d. By a letter from J.S.P. this morning I find you are not to be in London before Wednesday.
Perhaps to day I may find a letter from you at Whitstrall Club.
Yesterday I saw the McTaggarts and was at Talbot Square at tea and supper. I have been these two nights at Mrs. Burtons – St Albans Place – J.S.Ps, lodging house, but shall be elsewhere to night or tomorrow at all events. Where I don't yet know. My old lodging house is quite full. You can address to me here or Whitehall Club Parliament St. Here is best address I think.
3 p.m I have been running about all day but have only had a glimpse of J.F. Bob is in the country.
To night Arthur is to give me a dinner and bed in the Temple.
I have no time to write more
No letter from you to day
Your affectionate son
Frances E. Prendergast
{Paper with printed logo "WHITEHALL CLUB"}
Parliament St.
May 5. 1866 {Perhaps erroneous for "May 15"}
My dear Mamma,
I this morning received yours of 8.30 p.m. of yesterday.
Yesterday I heard from Miss von S., she will not be in London for a fortnight or so.
Uncle Willy arrived on Sunday morning but I have not yet seen him. Sunday evening I spent at Talbot Square, – C. M. P. is looking well; he had been out every evening except one last week and was to go down to Aldershot to day for a few days. To day I am to go down and dine with Ridings at Blackheath. On Monday next the Meyricks have asked me to some evening affair.
I heard from aunt Nannie on Saturday, and wrote to Reilly yesterday. I never see any one else breakfasting here but there are always plenty lunching and dining, but for those meals I always go elsewhere. On Monday I was in the City and asked at Reuters chief office for C. R. W., but no such person was known there.
The other day I saw three monks in the Euston Road, they were dressed in black serge, had bear {sic} heads and sandalled feet but looked like English men all the same; the people were scowling at them as they passed. It poured yesterday evening but is fine again now.
In this hot weather the idea of a room over the kitchen does not sound pleasant.
I suppose my next will be addressed to you at Bath. I got a note from aunt Eliza at Talbot Square.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Junior United Service Club
May 18. 1866
My dear Mamma
Yours of yesterday arrived this morning. I am still stopping at № 4 and remain there to night, but am to move up to your room to night as a capt. Somerset has this morning taken the two first floor rooms.
Regarding the Commemoration Week I think the best way would be for you (if you do not like to take that opportunity of visiting Bath) to move to Abingdon or some other station on the line near, where you would no doubt easily get lodgings and then Papa could go in and out of Oxford by rail. I will look up the trains and stations in Bradshaw for you, but at the moment have not time as J. S. P and I are going down to visit the Travers and the Crystal Palace. I had a letter from Miss v. S. this morning she is still with the Clarks at Brentry, but is going in the first week in June to Dresden and thence to Odessa where her mother has found her a situation in the family of a Count Camarina. She seems to like the idea. I will give you more particulars another time. I wish Papa would make friends with Professor Tyndal as I might get an introduction through him to Bateman the great Hydraulic engineer.
Swesey and I intend to leave tomorrow at 3.50 p.m.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
The London Joint Stock Bank have taken up Hallet Ommaney & Cos business, will pay 10/- in the £ at once and realise the rest of the assets as soon as possible so I suppose there will be little or no loss.
Me Is gave a good dinner but of course it was stupid there as it always is!
{"Camarina": perhaps the female form of the name Camarin, Камаринъ, a family that certainly counts, in Moscow and the Ukraine, but are not counts, as far as I can find.
"Professor Tyndal": probably the physicist John Tyndall, born in Leighlinbridge, Carlow, now based in England, see Wikipedia. Son of a poor constable, only related "from Adam" to the wealthy branch of JPP's aunt's husband Joseph Tyndall and FEP's mate Albert Henry Tyndall – but JPP is good at making high-profiled "friends" by boasting his genealogical knowledge. However, FEP's chances of thus getting a meaningful recommendation to John Frederick Bateman any time soon seem quite small.}
Combe Down.
May 26. 1866.
My dear Mamma
I intend to be in Oxford on Monday, to stay till Thursday. I shall try and come by train arriving at Oxford at 1.15. Should I not start by that or miss the train at Didcot I shall be in Oxford at 3.55.
I have not seen aunt Leacock since she got your letter saying you were coming.
Uncle Jeffery ist expected here next week, W. P. P. probably some time soon. J. S. P. talks of going to Actons at Manchester on Monday. There was a letter from him this morning.
Yesterday I heard from Elise, almost all the English have left Cannes; she says the flies and mosquitos are getting unbearable.
I also heard from Mrs. Greene, she and Dawson have gone to Weston. I have not been to see Miss von S., the wind and dust put me off going. I met the General and Mrs. Justice in the Victoria Park on Wednesday. They told me their 5th son was just going into the army – they may fairly be called a military family!
I saw the Obrés, all flourishing they are at 8 Russell Street Close to the Assembly Rooms now, in very nice lodgings.
Ralph says he likes Bath.
Dora Dal. dined with us all at № 6. Yesterday I did not go into Bath and was only out for a very short time, the dust, glare and wind were so disagreeable.
The barometer here (aneroid) has been steadily but slowly fallen ever since I came; to day the sky is leaden and rain seems at Land.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Uncle Jeffry Francis Prendergast is a widower since 1865 and moved to Combe Down to live near his sisters.}
{Paper with printed logo "WHITEHALL CLUB"}
Parliament St.
S.W.
June 1st 1866.
My dear Mamma
Our train arrived as usual 12 minutes behind time at Paddington but that did not matter much to me. I went to J. F.s at once and found all as usual. The berth Notcutt has got is on the Chatham Dockyard Extension he has indoor and outdoor work and gets £100 a year. I found a letter from Wynne here, he had been over to Ireland for a weeks holiday. I called on some engineers but did not find anyone at home. I met Forde here; he told me he was going abroad in a few days but of course I did not ask him what for. I dined at Bibras and took tea at Gattis, both places I think are improved since last year. I have got a bedroom on top floor in 23 Northumberland St (where I was before) for 10/6 a week. I tried at Mrs. Hitts but she was full.
This morning I breakfasted here, tea, toast, cold meat, 1/6, all of course nice as nice can be. A plain breakfast is 1/-.
The library on first floor is now finished and is fitted up as the general sitting and reading room, it is a fine handsome room but I liked the smoking room upstairs better, which is now bereft of papers and given up to the smokers. I see few members about the house. To day I saw Grover (Crouches friend); he was very civil but knew of nothing now.
Yesterday J. F. gave me a letter to Baldry (Fowlers head man) but I got no satisfaction out of him.
To day I called on Scully and found Sir M. Sausse with him – just come home, retired on full pay. Scully was friendly as usual. Sir M. S. asked after Papa and offered to do anything he could for me in the way of introductions. He does not look much the worse for the climate. When Papa is writing to Lord Gort next I wish he would mention that I am looking for work. Does Lord Charlemont know any engineer I wonder? His name would be worth something.
No news of W. P. P. Scully wants to know if Papa got a note from him viâ Vincent, and if so, why he has not answered it.
your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Sir Matthew Sausse: from Ireland, a senior judge in Bombay; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Richard_Sausse.
"Lord Gort": Standish Prendergast Vereker, 4th Viscount Gort, 06.07.1819-09.01.1900, JPP's distant relative and fellow genealogist.
The lordships can arrange introductions to high society, but hardly serve as a reference for an engineer's competence.}
{Paper with printed logo "WHITEHALL CLUB"}
June 15/66.
My dear Mamma,
On Monday evening I was at the Meyricks and had rather a pleasant evening. It was a musical soirée, about forty people there, and I did not get home till 2 a.m. On Tuesday W. P. P. and I went down to see the Travers, we only saw Lady T., Lorenzo and Harry; afterwards we went to the Palace for a couple of hours.
On Wednesday C. M. P. had asked me to dine with him at the Junior United Service Club at seven which I did and spent a pleasant evening with him. Yesterday morning I had a note from Miss von S. and went to meet her at Paddington at 11.15. I then drove with her to Woburn Place near Russel Square where she had some introduction to a lodging house and immediately after went out with her sight seeing; this was at noon. First to St Pauls then the Guildhall, Bank Exchange and Monument, then on to Tower Street to make enquiry about the Hamburg steamer which we found sailed so early next morning that she would have to go on board in the evening. This was all on foot. Then we went by steamer up to Westminster where she saw The Hall, Houses &c and we turned into the Abbey just before evening service commenced which we staid for, did the cloisters afterwards and then walked through St James' and the Green Park up to Rotten Row, after which I put her in a cab an sent her back to Wolurn Place. This was at 5 p.m.
At half past seven I went up to Wolurn Place and took her in a cab to Horseleydown (S. side of River opposite St Katherine Docks) and got her on board; we had of course to take a small boat as the steamer was lying in the stream. I told the boatman to return for me in an hour and stayed and took tea with her on board.
It is a nice clean German steamer, the Castor, – all on board German and they gave us a regular German tea with black brod (rye) and ham.
She was to sail early this morning and was due in Hamburgh early on Sunday morning. The Russians have given her £35 for the journey to Odessa which seems ample. It is an awkward time for a lone lady to be going such a long journey, but she does not seem to mind it much and at all events I saw her safe under the German flag and in German hands. All on board seemed nice kindly German folk.
Love to all.
The Travers asked W. P. P. and me to dine with them on Monday so I think I shall not go to Oxford before Tuesday.
I have been calling on many engineers but got no satisfaction anywhere.
Your aff. son
F. E. P.
{"brod": obsolescent spelling of German "Brot" = bread.
Oxford is the place where FEP's parents now live for many months; JPP is working there "to calendar and select for transcription the Carte MSS in the Bodleian Library". During "Commemoration Week" from 10.06. to 16.06., all accomodation is needed for guests (– particularly sponsors –); Prendergasts are "asked" to move elsewhere. [1] #.18.05.1866
"safe under the German flag": The Castor is a large passenger steamer under Hamburg's flag, built in Rostock 1856. FEP is unaware of the current war between German states (each with a flag of its own), notably between Prussia and Saxony. Hamburg is neutral but surrounded and dominated by Prussia, not safe at all. The armies try not to hinder civilian travelers, unless suspected of espionage or smuggling – Anna Amanda must be considered quite brave.
Obviously FEP's visit to Oxford materialises, hence no letters for more than a month.}
68 Stanhope St. N. W.
July 18/66
My dear Mamma,
Griersons invitation was to a very pleasant dinner party, but seemingly had nothing to say to business. He has a nice villa at Kensington and there was a party of twelve. I had charge of Miss Clarke, a young lady whose name has often been coupled with J. Fs. Amongst the guests was a Mr. De Leon, who said he had known some Prendergasts at Reading School long ago, also the Butlers – he was born in 1797. I forgot to ask what he is. The party did not break up till 12.15 there when on the road home with Kilgour, one of Fowlers men, he asked me to come into his lodgings to get some sherry and look over some engineering drawings – this at 1 a m! I did not get home till 2.30 when it was already nearly daylight. I think uncle Willy has met Kilgour at Castlebar with Blair. He is an Aberdonian.
This evening I had an invitation from Dora for some grand musical affair at Talbot Square on Friday, which I have accepted.
When at tea here just now, came a letter from uncle Joe, saying uncle Jeffry was at the Burlington Hotel; this was the first I had heard of it. Uncle Willy I have not seen since Monday.
I have heard no more of Cheyne.
I enclose a note I had from Notcutt, please forward it and this to uncle Joe, he may return Notcutts to me at his leisure.
I am working seven hours a day – 10.30 to 5.30 – at J. F's tracing hard on my own account; before going there I spend half an hour at the Whitehall reading the Times.
We dine in the middle of the day and after 5.30 I generally sit an hour or two at the Club.
Your ink is very pale; I would suggest the gross extravagance of a penny bottle.
I had fancied Miss Erhard was older. The weather is perfect now. This is a totally "disconnected" letter but I think it contains all the news I have. Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{De Leon: probably Hananel de Leon 1797(Kingston,Jamaica)-1869(London), M.D., a Sephardic Jew, not related to the French "Prince de Léon" alias Louis François Auguste de Rohan-Chabot whom JPP had met in 1830. The "some Prendergasts" include uncle Jeffry Francis Prendergast (as stated by JPP in the title and confirmed below). JPP attended Reading School from 1818 to 1824, when de Leon had already left it to study at Edinburgh in 1816. Note that Reading School was "strictly" Anglican, but very open to rich Jamaicans. Universities in England, however, were absolutely uncompromising in matters of religion at that time; Hananel had to escape to Scotland.
"Kilkenny Butlers": JPP and his brothers are proud of their distant relation to that prominent family. He believes the Butlers at Reading School to be relatives, perhaps erroneously?
Marianne Erhard from Dresden, now a governess and member of the "Oxford Philharmonic Society" chorus, has renewed her acquaintance with the family.}
{Paper with printed logo "WHITEHALL CLUB"}
July 22/66
7 p.m.
My dear Mamma,
Yesterday evening I went down with uncles Willy and Jeffry to Greenwich by boat and had a fish dinner there at the Crown and Sceptre. Uncle Jeffry is looking very well and seems cheerful; he returns to Combe Down tomorrow or Monday, uncle Willy talked of going down to day. Yours enclosing aunt Matildas reached me last night – at least it was there when I returned. This morning came a letter from Miss Nash but there was little in it.
I have traced a good many things for insertion in my book and if it does not weigh more than 2 lbs (8d postage) I wish you would send it up to 68 Stanhope St N. W. by post.
In this mornings Times I read some very interesting letters from their Austrian and Prussian correspondents. In this months "Cornhill" is a most graphic account of the loss of the London by one of the three surviving passengers. It would be well worth Papas while to read it at the Union. Uncle Jeffry rememberd De Leon perfectly.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
To Mrs. P. 2 St Giles st Oxford
{Paper with printed logo "WHITEHALL CLUB"}
August 2/66
My dear Mamma
Yours enclosing Miss Erhards and Stamps came this morning. You might send me up a P.O. order on Parliament Street S. W. for £5 as my supply is nearly out.
Was there no other reasons which induced George to travel 1st. class?
I liked Omash's binding but they never will put thin enough boards.
I intend to mount my new tracings in the same book and if they swell it out too much, I can cut out some of the blue paper.
The printed letter is not by the engineer: his name is George Willoughby Hemans.
I enclose Miss Erhards which amused me. I also return the printed letter. How long does George stay and where is he lodged?
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Book binding: FEP wants his own drawings or "tracings" of engineer work bound, probably as reference work for his job applications; Oxford is a place with many bookbinders to choose from.
Printed letter: A recent open letter to the "Guardian", reprinted by many newspapers, from the antiquary and writer Charles Isidore Hemans, explaining his re-conversion from Catholicism to the Church of England (– important to JPP for various reasons, including questions of Irish identity). The engineer George Willoughby Hemans is his brother; both men are usually mentioned with the epitheton "son of the poetess".}
Combe Down.
Sept. 3d. 1866.
My dear Mamma
On Friday uncle Joe and I went to Weston Super Mare and spent the day with Mr. & Mrs. Guy Clarke. It was a very fine day and we were not back till ten. I did not much fancy Weston, but it is a breezy place and regular sea side. It takes two hours to get there from this.
Charly and Dora are to leave Windermere tomorrow for London stay there till Thursday and then come to the Railway Hotel in Bath till Saturday, so we shall see them. They then go to stop with some one near Axbridge.
I had a letter from Notcutt from Chatham this morning, not much in it.
I also heard from Coghlan he is going to get another small tramway to make.
It is cold and blowy here and we have had a great deal of rain. Did you ever write to Miss Erhard or hear any more of her?
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
You might send me some more stamps
{Windermere: Annette Preußer lives in the village now, Caroline Aufrere nearby in Bowness. In spite of the very distant relation, visits/invitations are obligatory. Annette's half-niece Marianne Erhard is now considered family as well.}
Combe Down.
Sept. 6/66.
My dear Mamma,
Yours enclosing stamps came yesterday.
Dora and Charly are not coming quite soon but expect to be here in a day or two, after that I think of going to Oxford for a week or fortnight previous to going to town to look again for work.
I heard from Bob on Tuesday he is still at Downton and seems likely to remain there.
William Fogertys (J. Fs brother who lives in Harcourt St.) wife has just died; cause not mentioned. Though W. F. is younger than J. F., he had been married some years and had several children. J. F. is in Dublin.
Let me know when my room is likely to be vacant.
I called on the Justices yesterday and saw them.
The rainfall here has been tremendous these last four days. I enclose a letter which you can read and return.
We have fires regularly every evening now.
Your affect. son
Francis E. Prendergast
In Wednesdays Times is an article on the picking up of "the Cable" which would interest Papa.
{Paper with printed logo "WHITEHALL CLUB"}
London S.W.
Oct 4/66
My dear Mamma,
Last night your letter of 3d reached me and this morning the D. E. M. which I forwarded to Mrs. Nash.
I saw Fogerty yesterday; I don't think he had anything particular to say. He does not seem to anticipate much Parliamentary work this year. In the evening Swisey and I went to Mellows promenade concert at Covernt Garden theatre. Carlotta Patti was the chief "star" she sang four songs amid tremendous applause.
While there I met Grubb, formerly of T. C. D. engineering class, two years senior to me; he is working for Mallet an engineer who has invented some new Iron Ordnance. Grubb told me about some of the men of his class whom I had known.
Scott (C′ Wicklow) is now professor of engineering in the College at Calcutta, Dickinson on irrigation works in Spain, Jamieson and Geoghehan have turned brewers, Clarke engineer on Castlebar & Ballina Line, Trail in India, Smith left enigneering and gone into India Civil Service and getting on well, another man gone out on £1000 a year to superintend the erection of some machinery in Abyssinia to be out there for three years! I called on and sat for half an hour with Forde this morning who takes rather a dismal view of engineering prospects in this country and suggested sheep farming in Buenos Aires or New Zealand as the best look out!
I had a letter from uncle Willie this morning enclosing introduction to Hemans and Hassard.
Love to all at Rostrevor.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
P.S. Blair has had and "lost" another assistant this summer!
{"Introduction": Willie seems to have met the engineers before, FEP hopes they will offer him a job or a recommendation to other firms. Although such letters cannot say anything about the protegé's qualification, they are invaluable as proof of "decency".
"lost" another assistant: working day and night is not everybody's pleasure, hence the high turnover. Blair's excellent reference letter would be all the more valuable.}
13 Ruttland St N. W.
Oct. 6/66
My dear Mamma,
Yesterday I went down to Chatham and spent the afternoon with Notcutt; he took me over their works (making new docks) and afterwards I dined with him.
Their work is easy, easy hours and certain pay, but any out door work they have is among the convicts and they work in an office from the windows of which the convicts and their warders with loaded guns can be seen.
However Notcutt seems to like his berth well enough and if he likes to remain in it, is sure of gradual small, but certain increase of pay and if he stays long enough, a pension.
I saw Barry, who wanted me to take the entire work and charge of "getting up" 10 miles of line through a difficult country and which is sure to be opposed he says. I would not take the sole responsibility at all and don't much fancy parliamentary work for Barry under any circumstances. Charley and Dora are in town, they are to leave for Cannes on the 17th.
J. F. has just got a new pupil! His name is Strickland and he has been as a pupil for three years at Maudslay and Fields large engine works and now takes to civil engineering as the mechanical offers so little inducements! In about three years more he will probably have the same opinion of civil engineering. Yesterday morning I met Hill, a cousin of Ridings, who is an architect and he says that business is entirely overdone! It is the old story, each thinks his particular line is the worst chance.
Same damp gloomy weather still continues. Love to all
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
Whitehall Club.
Oct. 9/66
My dear Mamma,
You will I hope duly receive a letter of mine to J. S. P. from Combe Down, if it has not already arrived.
On Monday morning I met, by appointment, Wynne at St. Johns Wood Railway and spent three hours most pleasantly and profitably with him going over the works. He has had a rise of pay and is satisfied with his position and pay, and so he ought to be for few, if any men of his standing have such opportunities of seeing large works carried out. His job will last about another year. Ormsby has been very lucky; it seems the professorship of engineering in Calcutta college was temporarily vacant by illness of the professor and Ormsby while still holding his original post of £600 a year got it pro.tem. and was paid at the rate of £500, so he was drawing £1100 a year! His health, though not bad, was not as good as in Ireland. Yesterday evening uncle Joe turned up here. He breakfasted with me this morning at Rutland Street at 8.30.
Dora and Charly are going to Madame Fatios so there will be a family gathering in that house, with them, Alice, Elise and William Travers.
Your passage seems to have been a great success; I am always in favour of that passage
I enclose for Papa, Scullys lithographed manifesto, it much amused me.
I had 3 dozen stamps when I left Oxford and have only two left now. All used for letters!
Paper comes cheap writing from the Club! Fogerty has got Killymoon to sell. Was it a clear morning when you came upt the Lough? I quite envy you that nice passage!
I must try and write you a more "detailed" letter to night or tomorrow but what between wanting to make some more tracings at J. T.s, uncle Joe, and London bustle I feel as if there was not a spare moment.
Love to all. Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
{The Ormsby erroneously mentioned in JPP's title is a younger cousin of Montague's.}
Whitehall Club.
Oct 10/66
noon
My dear Mamma,
I enclose two "cartes" one for you one for aunt Flora.
Yesterday I dined with uncle Joe at his Club, this morning I saw him there again, and in an hour we go to visit the Travers at Norwood.
My last idea is to leave Liverpool by Boston Cunarder on Oct 27. If this is to be done I should like to go over to Rostrevor early next week stay a few days there and then go up with you to Dublin and thence via Holyhead to Liverpool. Can Grandmamma take me in? I find Warranpoint steamers of that week will not suit, and I should probably go round via Fleetwood and Belfast, which is cheaper, and not much longer, than via Dublin.
Yours of 8.th did not reach me till last night. I should think Mrs. Huthnance would forward the case if it is worth the postage.
I have not decided on these moves I write about, but think them probable. I should try to reach Rostrevor on Tuesday or Wednesday.
As usual I am pressed for time, last night dining with J. S. P. stopped all writing.
Must Papa leave Rostrevor before I appear, and how about his Kilkenny moves?
I should have preferred having a week longer in Ireland but the Boston Cunarders only go once a fortnight (alternate Saturdays to New York and Boston).
What does Papa think about dates for sailing? Does he advise a later steamer?
I hope you have not been making mysteries at Rostrevor about my transatlantic ideas; if you have, remember I never gave you any injunctions as to secrecy! Love to all.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Paper with printed logo "WHITEHALL CLUB"}
Oct. 12/66
My dear Mamma
Yours with news of Georgie arrived yesterday evening. I have no doubt that he will take a wife out to China with him, but I still think it very doubtful as to who will be the happy woman.
To day uncle Joe lent me £25 and I have engaged a berth in the "Cuba" (£22) Cunard screw steamer to sail with the mails for Boston on Oct 27th.
There are two berths in each state cabin and the other berth in my cabin is already taken by some Mr Wallace, connected with the Canadian "Grand Trunk Railway". The passage money has to be paid down to secure a passage. She seems likely to be full, a great number of berths being already engaged. The agency office is in the City whither I have had two journeys to day, the second time with uncle Joe to advise.
The Cuba will sail on the morning of the 27th from Liverpool where I shall embark. I don't think I know anymore on the subject. I heard from uncle Charles this morning with some hints as to voyage &c.
On Wednesday I went down with uncle Joe and spent some time in Dulwich Picture Gallery, thence we walked to Norwood and saw Sir W. & Lady Travers, Agnes and Harry T. That day uncle Joe dined at Talbot Square.
On Thursday (yesterday), I dined with him at the Club; where I got home I found Josselyn had called. To day I paid a visit to Tom P. at the Grosvenor Hotel, and the rest of the day has been spent running about. I had a letter from Charley from Glasgow, he says nothing about his foot so I suppose it is all right.
I don't know how J. F. has anything to say to the sale of Killymoon, unless it comes somehow through his brother who is an architect in Dublin. I am sorry not to be able to agree with Papas criticisms on the Miss Jones.
In you letter which arrived last night, I have only just found out about what was written on the last page! It is of no importance but might have been otherwise. A "turn over" would have obviated the difficulty. I also heard from uncle Frank and aunt Henrietta – he was going with the McTaggarts to Weston for the day to visit Mrs Greene. I have never presented the note to Richards yet, and suppose I shall not do so now.
My present intention is to leave London some time on Monday but I have not yet quite made up my mind as to the how and when, which I will let you know of tomorrow.
J Fogerty is out of town, I caught a glimpse of him going yesterday. To day I met Blair here, and just had time to say a few words to him.
The Roxburghs of course I shall not see. Charley and Dora leave on Wednesday and Elise is to reach Cannes about the same time as they do.
Charley is considered by uncle Joe and others to looking better
When will Papa return to Dublin from Kilkenny?
Love to all.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast
As this must be a 2d letter I enclose uncle Franks and aunt Henriettas.
{"turn over": Mamma had written a P.S. on the last page, which she had better indicated by writing "please turn over" below her signature.
Two different "Charley"s are mentioned in this letter: the engineer (1st degree cousin, future Don Juan and heir of Ardress) and the former captain (2nd degree cousin, resigned since 26.01.1866, terminally ill).
"As this must be a 2d letter": Since the weight of the letter already requires a postage of two pence, higher than minimal, FEP can enclose the two letters without additional cost, instead of destroying them. Obviously some letters to FEP from the aunts and uncles outside Dublin have landed in JPP's drawers; what a pity he did not pass them on to us.}
{Paper with printed logo "WHITEHALL CLUB"}
Oct 13/66
12.30 p.m.
My dear Mamma,
I dined with uncle Joe at his Club last night and on going home found your letter of the 11th. Uncle Joe tells me he has written to you to say that the person to be in my cabin is engineer of the Candaian Grand Trunk – nothing of the sort, and mind you correct the mistake it is a Mr Wallace "Traffic Superintenent" of the "Great Western" of Canada, who of course is not an engineer at all. Uncle Joes assertion and having already written it to three people is very aggravating, but however he seldom makes mistakes.
This morning I came down early and brought back to my lodgings by cab my level &c which have long been at Fogertys Office. I found yours of 12th there then. Papa seems to have imagined that getting a berth in a Cunard was a very simple operation, but as it was, you see even 15 days in advance only one or two available berths remained and the passage money has to be paid down at once to secure a berth. In the morning I had been offered one of the best berths in the ship and would have had an American Naval Officer as chum, but that berth had been taken before uncle and I returned in the afternoon.
J. S. P. has gone to Woolwich this morning; he talks of going to Combe Down on Monday.
My intention is to leave London at 11.20 a.m. on Monday and proceed via Fleetwood and Belfast. This will, I calculate, bring me to Newry on Tuesday in time for the train leaving for Warrenpoint at 2. p. m. I shall have to wait an hour in Newry as the Goragh rail arrives earlier. It is cheaper, and will I think be less fatiguing than coming via Holyhead & North Wall.
Love to all.
Your affectionate son
Francis E. Prendergast.
{Preface by JPP to his binding and cataloguing of the letters since 1874, sent to FEP across the Atlantic. Implicitly he addresses posterity as well, but is not always up to this task, also inaccurate in some of the few details he does mention:}
Preface to this series of Letters by
John P. Prendergast
127 Strand Road
Sandymount
Dublin.
August 15.th 1890
My dear Frank,
Your regularity in writing Every Sunday to your Mother during her life time and to me since her death in February 1875 is now I hope rewarded by such a record as few possess.
From the time you left this house for Dresden, there to continue for an Entire Year to perfect yourself in German you have been in the habit of sitting down every Sunday in your absence from home to indite a letter to home.
You yourself may probably have forgotten that you worked on such and such a place:
But here is almost day by day certainly week by week that which will recall them to your memory.
To your children it will be a proof of all you have travelled all you have done.
It is a pity that the several volumes of letters during your earlier years were not bound up so well and as artistically as the Seven Volumes I now transmit comprising all your letters between 1874 and 1889, a period of Fifteen years.
But you have got these Earlier letters, or at all events I sent them to you shortly after your Mother's Death in February 1875.
Your Letters were her greatest Comfort in your absence. She used to say (in allusion to your sleeping in the front room which was only divided by a partition wall from ours)
"I like to know I have him just behind my head", – for the bed where Uncle Frank is dying was your's just behind your mother's and my head.
It was an amusement to me when I went into the Entrance hall at the postman's knock to Sing out to your mother,
"Nothing – but only a letter from Frank" – the thing she most coveted.
She would say "Now I am happy for two days to come"; for when two days were over she would begin to think of all the coil chances that might befall you.
In her letters to me on Circuit you will find how her Father (George Ensor of Andrep new Loughgall in the county of Armagh) thought there never was so fond a mother. And she in some of those early letters asks me
"Did I think she was Exceedingly fond beyond all other mothers of her son?"
I have sent Mary, your wife, a volume of these letters, beginning in 1843 and ending (if I remember rightly) in 1850.
She told me with pride, of a beggar woman, as she was walking with you along the sea road to Merrion, she heard her say
"God bless that mother and son!" as if she was moralising and it escaped her involuntarily.
She remembered it often with unalloyed satisfaction.
Your marriage was a great source of joy to her: for she could not conceive how you could get acquainted with any decent people.
One day you spoke in your letter of the beauty of a girl that opened some gate for you as you were driving
Your Mother said to me
"Do you belive Frank will think of marrying that girl?"
When you had engaged yourself, (to my great Regret) to your cousin Caroline Irwin, of Loughgilly Rectory, in the county of Armagh, there came a letter to your Mother from her Eldest sister, Elizabeth Irwin, the mother of Caroline to say that Caroline was going to be married to the Revd. Mr. Finlay, of Ballymoyer parsonage near Manor Hamilton in the county of Armagh, your Mother was in tears; while I laughed with joy.
She thought only of your feelings as she knew they would be wounded for the moment: I looked to the future and rejoiced.
We were at breakfast together at Oxford when this letter was delivered, I being then engaged with the Revd. Dr. Ragsell, President of Magnooth on the Carter Papers in the Bodleian Library there.
When Mary your wife miscarried of her first child it was an inexpressible grief to her: the more so as it was probably the result of the visit you and your wife paid to us here in this house in the year ____.
Sarah White our little red haired Presbyterian girl told me after your Mother's death she admired and wondered at your Mother's resolution in going through her daily work of weeding the garden, thus to try to occupy her thoughts, and Sarah White saw that she was often weeping while she worked.
In these letters you will also have a record to prove to your Sons how hard you worked for them. One of your hundert trials must have been the suddenness of your separations from your wife and family.
In it would not do to wait, – the business must be accepted at once, – often nearly by return of post, – or rather an answer to be sent by telegram.
And thus you would be obliged to part and go hundreds of miles away from your happy home to be divided from it for months and months.
Nothing seems truer than what once you wrote,
An Engineer's is a homeless profession
alluding to these separations
Your mother did not enjoy the happiness of seeing you and your Son Jeffry here in 1884.
I can scarce Conceive the over powering delight it would have given her.
May you have, my dear Frank, all that happiness you do well deserve.
Your affectionate Father
John P. Prendergast
Swapping "Carte de visite" photographs is highly in vogue. Since the reverse is completely covered by the studio's advertisement, people usually do not bother to write down the sitter's name – to their regret only a few years later.
After his emigration, FEP decides to remove the cardbords from his collection and glue the thin "albumen" layers of the photos into an album, so that at least those names he still remembers will be documented for posterity.
My page numbers refer to those of the PDF minus one (– the cover –).
Pages 1 through 22 have been created in one go, apparently about 1873 (– marriages of Charles E. Ensor and of FEP himself). The order does not follow any discernable criterion, notably mixes countries and characters of relationship randomly. The 16 photos that FEP could not assign names to come last, pages 19 through 21, 12 ladies and 4 gentlemen – the former looking younger than the latter, on the average.
Pages 23 through 26 show similar photos from FEP's possession, but not glued into the album; with pencil inscriptions on the reverse.
| ● Baedecker [4] #.10.08.1859 #.17.08.1859 #.20.08.1862 #.12.02.1866 | A series of tourist guides in German language. |
| ● Baron Osy [1] #.03.09.1862 | A steamer from Antwerp to London, the second one of that name, built in 1855, sank in 1863 |
| ● Bradshaw [12] #.03.01.1859 #.03.01.1859_ #.03.08.1859_1 #.13.09.1859 #.23.12.1859_2 #.16.07.1862 #.29.10.1864_1 #.27.10.1865_1 #.27.10.1865_2 #.14.11.1865_2 #.23.04.1866 #.18.05.1866_1 | "Bradshaw's Guide", a series of tourist guides featuring railway lines and timetables |
| ● Carte de visite [8] #.16.07.1859_2 #.15.08.1862 #.06.07.1863_2 #.27.07.1863_1 #.20.06.1864_1 #.21.04.1866 #.10.10.1866 #.Photo_album | Photograph of standardized size mounted on cardbord, popular as a gift and souvenir. FEP will later transform his collection to a photo album |
| ● D. E. M. [2] #.22.11.1859 #.04.10.1866_1 | Dublin Evening Mail, a newspaper |
| ● Galignani [3] #.03.11.1865 #.12.12.1865 #.20.02.1866 | "Galignani’s Messenger", a newspaper in English published in Paris by John Anthony Galignani |
| ● Jahrmarkt [6] #.14.03.1859 #.14.03.1859_2 #.14.03.1859_3 #.14.03.1859_ #.20.10.1859_1 #.26.10.1859_1 | "Jahrmarkt", literally "year market", general term for a town fair; the one at Dresden is actually held quarterly |
| ● Jonathan [3] #.21.03.1859 #.29.09.1859 #.17.10.1859__1 | Used generically to describe a loyal friend and "sidekick" like the Biblical character. We may associate "... without much willpower". |
| ● Keller [11] #.30.06.1859_2 #.04.07.1859 #.04.07.1859_2 #.17.07.1859_2 #.23.07.1859 #.26.07.1859 #.03.08.1859 #.13.08.1859_1 #.22.08.1859 #.18.09.1859 #._16 | Map of Switzerland, "Keller's zweyte Reisekarte der Schweiz", published in 1834 by Henri Keller in Zurich. It consists of 15 sections connected by cloth, thus safely foldable; a bestseller all over Europe, to the extent that its misspellings have become folklore. JPP owns one as well, possibly the first edition of 1819, much less detailed, used for his own "grand tour". Note that all such maps before 1860 are partially hand-coloured. |
| ● Lancers [3] #.21.02.1859_1 #.17.11.1859_1 #.18.11.1859 | Les Lanciers, a quadrille variant, in Ireland danced with folkloristic fervour in the style of "Irish set dancing" |
| ● Leuthold [1] #.18.09.1859_1 | Map of Switzerland, about 1855, in the same style as Keller's, still hand-coloured. Soon after 1860, printed colouring became sufficiently precise and much cheaper. |
| ● Murray [10] #.10.08.1859_1 #.25.10.1865_1 #.27.10.1865_3 #.27.10.1865_4 #.14.11.1865_3 #.01.12.1865_2 #.01.02.1866_1 #.12.02.1866_1 #.05.03.1866 #.14.03.1866_1 | "Murray's Hand-Book", a series of tourist guides, frequently updated, optimised for British gentry on "Grand Tour" |
| ● Napoleon [6] #.17.07.1859 #.13.08.1859 #.13.09.1859_1 #.17.09.1859_1 #.26.10.1859_2 #.26.10.1859_3 | Coin of 20 French francs containing 5.8 g of pure gold; versions of 10 and 5 francs exist; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoléon_(coin) |
| ● Parliamentary [7] #.10.07.1863_1 #.24.10.1864_1 #.16.09.1865 #.08.11.1865_1 #.21.04.1866_1 #.04.10.1866_2 #.06.10.1866 | ... work or survey: preparing an entrepreneur's railway line project for parliamentary approval. Since competition is tough and time very short, many engineers and "pupils" are hired on temporary contracts in that phase, typically for one summer, most of whom will be dismissed subsequently even if the application is successful. |
| ● Practical Guide [3] #.01.02.1866 #.12.02.1866_2 #.05.03.1866_1 | "... for Italy", "Practical Swiss Guide", etc., a series of compact tourist guides "by an Englishman abroad" (Alexander Tighe Gregory), Longmans, London |
| ● proclaimed [2] #.20.01.1866 #.29.01.1866 | (about an area of Ireland): temporarily put under martial law to prevent an imminent uprising; all firearms, otherwise perfectly legal, are banned by the British authorities. Although poaching has been illegal at all times, wildlife miraculously recovers. Hunting songbirds is considered immoral anyway, whereas on the continent they are regularly trapped or "birdshot" for food. |
| ● Pupillage [9] #._0 #.03.07.1863_3 #.06.08.1863 #.20.09.1864 #._2 #.05.12.1865 #.04.01.1866 #.06.10.1866_1 #._17 | a sort of apprenticeship for engineers after college studies. The "pupil" works all day and has to pay a considerable "premium" on top. Knowledge of theory is prerequisite. The contract specifies the premium and the time each side must invest – in theory. |
| ● qu? [9] #.05.03.1859 #.22.05.1859_ #.13.06.1859__2 #.27.10.1865 #.01.11.1865_1 #.24.11.1865 #.13.01.1866 #.25.02.1866 #.02.03.1866 | "query" as a technical term, meaning "I'm not quite sure"; the reader is not expected to know any better |
| ● Ry [13] #.30.01.1864 #.10.10.1864 #.24.10.1864 #.02.09.1865 #.25.10.1865 #.08.11.1865_2 #.18.11.1865 #.01.12.1865 #.01.12.1865_1 #.29.12.1865 #.20.01.1866_1 #.19.02.1866 #.20.02.1866_2 | Railway |
| ● Sir Roger de Coverley [8] #.22.01.1859 #.21.02.1859 #.21.02.1859_5 #.06.03.1859 #.09.03.1859 #.09.03.1859__4 #.27.11.1859__1 #.07.05.1863_1 | A British "country dance" = contredanse. Other cultures have similar dances, but not interchangeable; guests must adapt to their host's preferences. |
| ● T. C. D. [19] #.28.06.1859_2 #.07.10.1859_1 #.17.10.1859_ #.27.10.1859_ #.27.10.1859__1 #.27.10.1859__2 #.27.10.1859__4 #.02.11.1859 #.15.11.1859 #.27.11.1859_4 #.20.08.1862_6 #.05.09.1863 #.05.09.1863_4 #.04.05.1866 #.04.10.1866 #.04.10.1866_3 #._40 #._47 #._50 | Trinity College Dublin, the university of the Protestant élite |
| ● Wideawake [8] #.09.03.1859_1 #.14.03.1859_1 #.21.03.1859_2 #.04.04.1859_ #.28.06.1859 #.02.12.1859 #.11.01.1860_2 #.20.08.1862_5 | A broad-brimmed low felt hat, often viewed as a "romantic" counterpoint to French elegance. |
The common ancestor of FEP and the following gentleman is found six generations above each of them:
Another Prendergast genealogist is Caroline Mattingly Prendergast, wife to a grandson of FEP, typoscript "The Prendergasts, 1169 to 1969: The 800 year history of a family". [4] #.04.05.1859_4 #.21.09.1859_1 #.11.08.1862 #._36
Wehrtmann, Preußer, Aufrere
Jeffry Francis Prendergast, though without financial concerns, sometimes works for Gustav Ludwig Preußer's enterprises, probably by keeping contact with British business partners; they are good friends and spend time together at Carlsbad.
Gustav Preußer's second marriage, Erhard connection:
Ensor, Weld (Dublin, Northern Ireland etc.)
Connection of Patrick and Weld via Kerr:
Clarke, Obré (Northern Ireland; connected via Ensor, not related to the Prendergast husband William Clarke from Cork)
Leacock (Isle of Wight, England; connected via Weld)
Taylor (Norwich etc., Marseille; connected via Weld)
O'Hagerty, often spelled O'Hegarty, O'Hegerty, Ohéguerty etc.:
Sources include
Important: The Dublin solicitor Samuel Gordon, 15 Molesworth-street, executor of the Prendergasts' testaments, is not recognizably related to the above MDs, apart from being each other's clients!)
Poel: original Dutch pronunciation [pu:l], hence in Russia spelled Пуль; in Germany sometimes Poël to contrast with the island named Poel [pø:l] – at the risk of being mispronounced [poəl]. http://www.familiepoel.de/index.php/en/1-linie-pieterii-died-out.html:
Seckendorff family
We abbreviate v. Seckendorff for Freiherr, Freifrau, or Freiin v. Seckendorf/f/-Gudent or -Gutend. The titles Baron, Baronin, or Baronesse, respectively, are often used as synonyms (although purists reserve them for styles of address); see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freiherr. Note also that "v." is a regular abbreviation for the nobility particle "von", always in lower case:
Yet to identify, in the Dresden directory from 1853 until 1878, apparently related, but not necessarily very closely: M. (Marie?) Elisabeth Baronin v. Seckendorff, Pragerstr. 25 III. – the titling suggests a married woman or widow. Robert's mother would qualify, were she not dead.
Sources include
http://digital.ub.uni-duesseldorf.de/ihd/periodical/pageview/8253504
https://books.google.de/books?id=l1cNAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA700
https://www.geni.com/people/GUSTAV-Anton-Freiherr-von-Seckendorff/6000000064818310911
https://www.archiv.sachsen.de/cps/suche.html?q=Seckendorff
For more family atmosphere see https://www.wgsebald.de/100/funde/seckendorff/seckendorff.html, featuring Arthur's fate (– in German).
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1159847r/f138.image.r=%22Emily%20Patience%20O'Sullivan%22?rk=42918;4
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k57445156/f5.image.r=%22Emily%20Patience%20O'Sullivan%22?rk=21459;2
Todo:
Nevett
Directory Ironbridge 1871:
Nevett Brothers, builders and timber dealers, Waterloss street
Nevett Samuel, building surveyor, Blue cottage
Nevett Samuel, jun. builder, Madeley road
Landlord at Lincoln Hill; ?William Nevett -ca1856, developer Bellevue, also spelled Nevitt
F. Nevett (photo)
Miss Nevett, (middle aged, photo): ? Miss Mary A. Nevett, Bellevue villa, Shrewsbury?