LETTER NO. II 



My Last Hours in Berlin— Voyage from Berlin to Ham- 

 burg— Hamburg and the Hamburg People. 



Hamburg, May 6th, 1851. 



"When I arose from my feather-bed on the morning of 

 April the 29th, my resolution to leave Berlin on the fol- 

 lowing day was unshaken. I had spent already twenty- 

 four hours to watch this cradle of vanity and splendor, 

 and thought it sufficient ; indeed, it did suffice, for another 

 twenty-four hours filled me with so much disgust that it 

 would have been a torture for me to spend the rest of my 

 life in Berlin. Still, let there be justice, where justice is 

 due. The city itself is beautiful, that is, for him who can 

 see something beautiful in a mass of houses, if I may use 

 the expression: "in Sunday-go-to-meeting attire." The 

 weather was bright; trees and lawns were in full spring 

 dress; clean streets, shining window-panes everywhere, 

 door steps and everything admirably clean, whether I 

 examined the most imposing or the simplest, the colossal 

 or the most humble sights; everything was intended to be 

 artistically impressive, and would have undoubtedly been 

 so in my regard— had it not been for the people — such a 

 people! 



Whosoever doubts the veracity of my words may take 

 a leisurely walk on any bright afternoon from Donhofts- 

 platz through Louisenstrasse (named after the immortal 

 Queen Louisa of Prussia), Friedrichstr., Unter den Lin- 

 den, to the Brandenburger thor, taking precaution to 

 avoid in his attire anything that would or could attract 

 attention. I went without cuffs or necktie, dressed very 

 plainly. Thus you will have the best opportunity to ob- 

 serve the thousands and thousands who pas< you with or 



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