236 FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE. [1839, 
exception of an hour devoted to the library, which one 
of the chief officers very kindly showed me through. 
They have about half a million books, excluding dupli- 
cates, and about 16,000 manuscripts. The librarian 
took much pains to explain to me the arrangement 
and classification of the library, which is in excellent 
order, and to show me as many of the rarities as I 
desired to see: very ancient Greek and Latin manu- 
seripts of the Bible or the Evangelists; a number of 
very old and richly illuminated German manuscripts ; 
the collection of printed books without date, of which 
they had 6000 (these early printed books being many 
of them intended to pass for manuscripts) ; a copy of 
Faust’s Bible again (the first book printed), — they 
have two; Luther’s Bible, beautifully printed on 
vellum, and illuminated, — in the frontispiece his ori- 
ginal portrait, a sturdy-looking old fellow, who looks 
as if he might have been as fearless as indeed he was; 
the portrait of Melanchthon, by the same artist, whose 
name I forget, is given on the next leaf. I saw also 
a manuscript letter of Luther, and many other things, 
too tedious to trouble you with now. 
Dined with Martius and his very pleasant family ; 
stayed until six o’clock, looking over plants, ete. ; took 
a little walk, now that it is a little cooler, for the day 
has been exceedingly sultry, and am now going to 
bed, as I have to rise at half past four and meet the 
pedestrian portion of the Linnzan party at half past 
five. If it be as sultry a day as this has been we shall 
have warm work of it. 
15th June, 1839. — We had a truly German féte 
champétre, and I have learnt more of German life 
and manners in one day than I could otherwise have 
obtained in a long time. I was at the place of rendez- 
