do so, and we here heartily give him this free recommendation to any of our friends who may be in want of his services.

From Warsaw we came to Vienna; distance about four hundred miles, and time eighteen hours. Until we reached the frontier at Granica, where the road joins the main line from Cracow, the country wore the same sterile and desolate appearance which it presented to us before we reached Smolensk, en route to Warsaw. But as we entered Austria the landscape gradually underwent a change,- hills rose from the horizon, and thrifty villages and populous towns, whose smoking chimneys and well-built factory buildings attested the existence of manufacturing industries,-proclaimed to us the nature of the change that had taken place. The soil was better tilled than in Russia (the grain cultivated being chiefly rye and oats), until, as we neared Vienna, the whole country became one immense garden, teeming wirh luxuriant crops, first, rye and oats, standing in extended plains on both sides the railway, and then, as we came southward, the same grain ripe and being cut, with the addition of wheat and corn, which are not grown in the higher latitude, all giving evidence that this year, at least, there will be no famine in Austria. For a hundred miles north of Vienna the country is one immense grain field; as far as the eye can reach, upon each side of the railway, stands the yellow rye, either in the field, or cut and stacked ready for thrashing, a sight which would well re-pay our New England farmers to see. From two o'clock until five we feasted our eyes on these splendid crops, and then, upon the south horizon, rose up minarets and spires, and crossing the Danube we entered the Austrian capital.

Vienna

LETTER XIII.

The Empire of Austria

Architecture of Vienna Its noted Streets and Buildings—The Exposition of '73― Churches and Palaces The Treasury - Picture Galleries · Arsenal-Shops Kahlenberg

and Merchandise

Fruit in Vienna.

Concert and Beer Gardens

VIENNA, the beautiful!" says the author of a recent work descriptive of the various continental cities. Vienna, the magnificent! would have been more comprehensive, and, perhaps, more apt and appropriate. Surely there is no city in the world that can vie with her in the possession of the various characteristics which go to make up our understanding of the word magnificent. In beauty of location, in the elegance and harmony displayed in the architecture of her buildings, in the grandeur of her public edifices, in the laying out of her streets and gardens,in these respects she is metropolitan. In the essentials of what we call beauty she may be excelled by Paris, but in some points she differs from the French capital, and hence may perhaps more appropriately be termed "the magnificent." Though in Paris there may be more of what we term taste and stylishness, yet, where the people make a business of pleasure and cultivate it until it almost becomes an art, it is difficult to draw comparisons, or exactly to determine where to fix the lines. Each one has different characteristics, and each stands first in its own peculiar line. The empire of Austria is one of the largest and most important of all the European powers. The seventeen states which comprise it compose a greater portion of the conti

nent than belongs to any other single power, excepting Russia. Her total area of territory is about twice the size of Great Britain and Ireland, or one-third more than our own Eastern and Middle States together. The history of Austria possesses considerable interest because of the circumstances under which, at different times, she obtained her position among the nations. She derived her origin from Rudolph. Count of Hapsburg, in Switzerland, an able and powerful prince, who, in 1273, ascended the Imperial throne. The marriage of Maximilian, son of the Emperor Frederick III, with the daughter of Charles, Duke of Burgundy, brought to Austria an accession of influence and wealth. It was further increased by the marriage, in 1521, of Frederick I with Anne, sister of Louis, king of Hungary and Bohemia. In 1740 the male line of the House of Austria terminated by the death of the Emperor, Charles VI; but his daughter, Maria Theresa, married to Francis of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany, succeeded to his dominions, and, finally, to the Imperial crown. Her son, Joseph II, succeeded her, instituted govermental reform, and added territory to the empire. From this time the country was ruled by several monarchs until 1848, when Francis Joseph, the present emperor, ascended the throne.

Vienna, the capital, is situated on the south bank of the Danube, here about the size of the Connecticut at Saybrook, and contains to-day a population of nearly a million souls. It is the wealthy capital of a wealthy power; having more wealth than any city in Europe, except London. The number of the nobility who reside here is large, comprising some two hundred families of princes, counts, and barons, who are said to spend annually from fifty thousand to two hundred thousand dollars each. They all have splendid residences, which, of course, adds much to the magnificence and attractiveness of the city.

The first thing that engages the attention of a stranger on entering Vienna, is the size, symmetrical proportions, and beauty of architecture of the buildings, and next the width and cleanliness of the streets and thoroughfares. Paris possesses one advantage over Vienna, and that is in her possession of stone for building material; otherwise Vienna is nearly her equal. In most cases the material here used is brick, finished with yellow stucco, but the style of architecture is almost up to that of Paris. One is astonished, in passing through the streets, especially in the neighborhood of the Ring Strasse, to see so many splendid buildings as exist already, or are springing up on either hand. There are now in process of erection buildings as follows: the University of Vienna, the City Hall, the House of Parliament, two new Museums, the Imperial Theatre, and the new Barracks, a fine brick structure, capable of containing and providing for two regiments of infantry and one of cavalry, with all their arms, equipments, and munitions of war. This last is now complete. Of the buildings already standing, the Grand Opera House, the Comic Opera House (owner failed and house closed), the Hotel de France, Hotel Austria, Hotel Metropole, and others, are noticeable for their size and beauty. This last (the hotel at which we are stopping) was built to anticipate the rush consequent on the Exposition, and is as fine a hotel as there is upon the continent. It is situated upon the Ring Strasse, directly fronting the Danube, and also the landing of the steamers which ply up and down the river. It is five stories high, and has four hundred finely-furnished rooms; a cafe and a garden connected with the house are located directly opposite.

The streets of Vienna are broad, paved with the Belgian pavement, and are kept neat and clean. There are many fine boulevards in Vienna. That called the Prater Strasse, upon which the Exposition buildings are located, is among

the chief. Starting out from the neighborhood of the Northwestern depot, it divides the magnificent Prater Park in twain, extending through its entire length from west to east, a distance of between two and three miles. It is lined upon either side with fine trees, and is to Vienna what the Bois de Boulogne is to Paris. Upon the north side of this avenue, and within the grounds of the park, stand the buildings in which were held the great Fair or Exposition of 1873. Some of the smaller buildings have been torn down, but the grand rotunda, with its wings and connecting halls, still remains. Its immense dome, surmounted with the Imperial crown, and rising some three hundred and fifty feet from the ground, is the first object seen in approaching the city. It is entirely empty, but preparations are being made to open the building as a permanent exhibition hall in a short time. The grounds in front of the building are tastefully laid out, and kept in perfect order; they are extensive, and appear like the grounds of a palace. The approaches to the building are through large archways of wood, carved in fancy lattice work and varnished with shellac to protect them from the weather. These are covered with creeping vines, as are also the long, covered passageways that lead up to the wings of the building. These passages are simply long roofs, supported by pillars around which twine these vines (apparently our common bittersweet), giving a pleasing and beautiful effect. In the grounds still stand the buildings of the official bureau, the hall of fine arts, the pavilion of the Turkish Sultan, the house of the Viceroy of Egypt, the Russian pavilion, and a few minor buildings in the neighborhood. Behind the main edifice stands the great machinery hall, a structure extending the length of the great building itself. These, and the pavilion of the Emperor in front of the grounds, are all that remain, the others having been demolished or taken