large/6923/diary_pilgrimage_1112_librivox_64kb_mp3/diaryofapilgrimage_07_jerome_64kb_81
large/6923/diary_pilgrimage_1112_librivox_64kb_mp3/diaryofapilgrimage_07_jerome_64kb
English
6923
I confess it was not my original intention to let you off so easily. I started with the idea of giving you a rapid but glowing and eloquent word picture of the valley of the Rhine from Cologne to Mayence. For background, I thought I would sketch in the historical and legendary events connected with the district, and against this, for a foreground, I would draw, in vivid colours, the modern aspect of the scene, with remarks and observations thereon. Here are my rough notes, made for the purpose:   Mems. I CONFESS IT WAS NOT MY ORIGINAL INTENTION TO LET YOU OFF SO EASILY I STARTED WITH THE IDEA OF GIVING YOU A RAPID BUT GLOWING AND ELOQUENT WORD PICTURE OF THE VALLEY OF THE RIDE FROM COLOGNE TO MY AUNT FOR BACKGROUND I THOUGHT I WOULD SKETCH IN THE HISTORICAL AND LEGENDARY EVENTS CONNECTED WITH THE DISTRICT AND AGAINST THIS FOR A FOREGROUND I WOULD DRAW IN VIVID COLOURS THE MODERN ASPECT OF THE SCENE WITH REMARKS AND OBSERVATIONS THEREON HERE ARE MY ROUGH NOTES MADE FOR THE PURPOSE MEMS
heer and majestic from its margin, the wooded rocks that hang with threatening frown above its sombre depths, the ruined towers and turrets that cap each point along its shores, the pleasant isles that stud like gems its broad expanse of waters. Few things in this world come up to expectation, especially those things of which one has been led to expect much, and about which one has heard a good deal. With this philosophy running in my head, I was prepared to find the Rhine a much over-rated river. I was pleasantly disappointed. The panorama which unfolded itself before our eyes, as we sped along through the quiet twilight that was deepening into starry night, was wonderfully beautiful, entrancing and expressive. I do not intend to describe it to you. To do justice to the theme, I should have to be even a more brilliant and powerful writer than I am. To attempt the subject, without doing it justice, would be a waste of your time, sweet reader, and of mine--a still more important matter. RECIPICES THAT RISE UP SHEER AND MAJESTIC FROM ITS MARGIN THE WOODED ROCKS THAT HANG WITH THREATENING FROWN ABOVE ITS SOMBRE DEPTHS THE RUINED TOWERS AND TURRETS THAT CAP EACH POINT ALONG ITS SHORES THE PLEASANT ISLES THAT STUD LIKE GEMS ITS BROAD EXPANSE OF WATERS FEW THINGS IN THIS WORLD COME UP TO EXPECTATION ESPECIALLY THOSE THINGS OF WHICH ONE HAS BEEN LED TO EXPECT MUCH AND ABOUT WHICH ONE HAS HEARD A GOOD DEAL WITH THIS PHILOSOPHY RUNNING IN MY HEAD I WAS PREPARED TO FIND THE RHINE A MUCH OVERRATED RIVER I WAS PLEASANTLY DISAPPOINTED THE PANORAMA WHICH UNFOLDED ITSELF BEFORE OUR EYES AS WE SPED ALONG THROUGH THE QUIET TWILIGHT THAT WAS DEEPENING INTO STARRY NIGHT WAS WONDERFULLY BEAUTIFUL ENTRANCING AND EXPRESSIVE I DO NOT INTEND TO DESCRIBE IT TO YOU TO DO JUSTICE TO THE THEME I SHOULD HAVE TO BE EVEN A MORE BRILLIANT AND POWERFUL WRITER THAN I AM TO ATTEMPT THE SUBJECT WITHOUT DOING IT JUSTICE WOULD BE A WASTE OF YOUR TIME SWEET READER AND OF MINE A STILL MORE IMPORTANT MATTER
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