CHARLES V. INCLEDON'S TAUNUS.
Mn. CHARLES V. INCLEDON, the son of the CHARLES INCLEDON, having been usuccessful in his farming pursuits, and having a vivid impression of German gemiithlichkeit (kindliness) from an adventure of his youth, determined to emigrate to Germany, in order to husband his means, and to advance the musical education of his son, whom he hopes to see rival the fame of his famous grandfather. In both these objects our adventurer was successful ; and he was then tempted to make a variety of tours through the dukedom of Nassau, in which he resided, and its neighbouring confines—and, harder task ! to write an account of them in a
book.
The Taunus mountains, the Switzerland of Germany, embrace the fruitful fields of Nassau, as the side of a basin embraces the bottom; and it was in this region of mineral springs, fashionable watering-places, beautiful prospects, and Roman and chivalrous antiquities, that Mr. INCLEDON rambled; though he sometimes struck the Rhine, as the Americans would say, and mixed in the busy cities on its banks. His tours were made at all seasons, and mostly on foot : he mingled with the people, and the poorer inn- keepers, taking every thing just as he found it; so that he pur- sued the best method for seeing both man and nature; and he seems to possess a bonhommie and lightness of heart that well adapted him for this mode of travelling. Here, unluckily, his qualifications end. Either father's blood, or early associations, or both combined, have given him too much of the player's habit of mind to make an effective or even an agreeable book-tourist. He only regards the outside of things. and that he overlays in description. He cannot be satisfied with the natural expression of his thoughts or feelings, and becomes theatrical and affected by wishing to be better than nature. Too often, also, he falls into the grievous but common error of fancying that his words can endow a thing with qualities it does not possess; and hence a sense of unreality, that induces a feeling of indifference or weari- ness, or worse. Moreover, there is a defect in the plan of the book: having performed his journies on various occasions, and without any definite objects, his itinerary is obscure, and his path desultory. As regards his route, we feel as in a maze—quite lost. The subjects Mr. INC LEDON handles are just what comes be- fore him. Sometimes he describes a prospect, sometimes his fare and adventures at an inn. Now he picks up a tale of the past, or the present, or a few statistics; or he gleans an anecdote, or a piece of information, or a short biography of humble life, from a casual companion. He translates extracts from a work on agri- culture in the country, and froth a book on the properties and pro- portions of mineral waters when at the baths. A fortress or a prison, a play or an assembly, a church or a gaming-table, all bring grist to his mill. In short, he writes of all things, and Ire- land to boot, by means of jumping digression.
As an example of Mr. INCLEDON in his better moods, we will take his account of the Lunatic Asylum at Eherbach ; especially as it closes with a practical hint to the friends of madmen who speak German,—for to send a mere Englishman thither would be absurd.
We now proceedeil with the keeper to the part of the building appropriated ta the lunatic patients; and while conversing with our attendant in their general roan, the unfortunate beings entered from their afternoon's walk. They were one am! all extremely orderly in their deportment, each took off his cap and saluted us, and in many there was such an expression of composure that no one wculd have imagined reason had resigned her empire o'er the brain : some in passing grinned hideously upon us, some seemed to regard us with an expression ef anger, as would have caused in me a sensation of fear for my personal safety, hail the keeper been absent ; others surveyed us with curiosity, while some few seemed to enjoy the embarrassment into which my situation threw me, and which I believe I could not conceal. • • • • * We were now shown into several private sleeping-rooms for gentlemen of property, whose friends have placed them here for safety. These were furnished Wit!, a regard to the situation of the occupants, and were replete with every comfort. There is also an exeellently well furnished sitting-room, with a billiard.table, where the different private lunatics assemble : here the governor, secretary, and medical gentlemen visit the patients, taking tea with them generally once or twice a week. The private rooms, board, attendance, &c. accords with the payment made. The highest sum paid is 1,000 guldens or Xt35—fl. 500 or £41 10 p. fl. 300 or 25 and 100 or A:ti sterling per *nu. For this latter sum the lunatic is also clothed. It is impossible too highly to speak of the arrangements of this place 7 the kindness evinced towards the confined is beyond all praise. The excellence of the food, (we saw the supper carrying out of the kitchen.) the cleanliness of the roams, beds, the large open bath in the garden, in which the water is turned en in the morning to be tempered by the atmosphere, the excellent hot and cold baths in the house, and which all are obliged to use ; (water being considered one of the safest and surest means of cure), the fine gardens and charming shady walks, for the use of the afflicted, the means here adopted for the cure as well as safe Iletention of the deranged are so judicious, that it would be worth the attention of all governments, erecting such institutions, to take an example by this.
After visiting the least afflicted of the patients, and surveying all the arrange- ments made fur their comfort, experiencing, (as far as pleasure under such cir- cumstances can be enjoyed), a high gratification, in contemplating such means for alleviating the distress of our fellow creatures, we were conducted to the incurable and raving-road wards. Passing through the garden to a distinct building, erected for the purpose, we heard at some considerable distance from this scene of human degradation and misery, the confused and mingled sounds Of north aml wo, song, prayer, and declamation. Among these poor creatures not one was under the least restraint ; and such a regard seemed to be evinced for their comfort, (as far as corporally such could be administered to beings in- capable of estimating the enjoyments of life), as was highly gratifying. In their actions many evinced the ruling passion which hail agitated, and most likely had deprived them of reason's empire. One played with his cap, and seemed to regard it as the globe, and each compartment as a quarter of the Vtrth ; another falling so violently on his knees I thought he must have hurt Ptenelf. frequently crossed his face and breast, and was loud in prayer • another Imitated a performer on the violin, while with his voice he uttett%1 sounds scarce human, and fancied his a song. One bearing ore speak in English to my son, addressed nee in the language, and, setting aside a strange expression of countenance and • hurried manner in speaking, appeared rational in his answers. I was glad to burry from this scene of human misery and mental prostration. We now inspected the bath-room : the room for (tis sad to write it) necessary restraint and correction, for this system must sometimes be resorted to. In this room were chairs, in which the refractory are occasionally strapped, to prevent their injuring others or themselves. Serait-waistcoab of all descriptions, and a small tread-mill, as a punishment for the violent, &ad: who alone by such harsh means can be managed. Bedsteads in the different rooms were of divers forms and constructions; many with stuffed sides, that the unfortunate occupants could not in any sudden paroxysm possibly injure themselves: in fact, never did I behold any human institution so perfect as tbe one here described, in my life. It is well worth the consideration even of many of my countrymen who are PO unfortunate as to have friends or relatives so afflicted, and who, far not half elm advantages that are here embraced, pay enormously in similar situations i a their own country, whether it would not be advisable to place such unfortunates in this establishment. Here is so fine a climate, that its equal is hardly to he fund in a country the beauty of scenery in which has hardly a parallel, the luxuriance of which is proverbial even to superfluity : here, surrounded by every comfort and daily attended by medical men, appointed by the Liovetn- silent, of the highest professional talent, the remuneration, imluding every possible expense, amounting to less than a hundred pounds fur the table and attendance of a gentleman of fortune, and so in proportion down to .ES per Saturn.
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