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volumes never were supplied. When asked for, they were always on the point of coming. In a year, insisting very strenuously on having them, they came; but what was our astonishment to find, that, instead of new and perfect volumes, the man had actually been at the trouble (though the loss was really that of the binder, and not his) to go through the almost innumerable leaves-to tear all asunder-and to fill in the torn-out words laboriously with a pen! The ink, as might have, been expected had run, and instead of words, we had now so many hideous blots! The amusement this gave us may be conceived. We shewed the volumes to our English friends, who too were very merry over this odd circumstance, and thought the edition quite worth bringing to England as a curiosity. As we, however, preferred a perfect copy, I returned these oddly-patched volumespointed out to Mohr, that such a fact would be very amusing to a London bookseller, and that I must have new ones. The Dumm-Kopf, as such fellow is expressively called in his own language, blushed like a great booby of a boy, and promised most readily to replace them with new ones. Another half year, however, went on; they were as usual, always coming, but never came. It was then suggested to us by some of his own countrymen, that Mohr probably felt himself internally "beleidigt," or offended, by my amusement at the patchwork of the books, and never meant to send

the new ones at all. On this I proposed the immediate sending of them in; but, spite of the most ready promises, a month only remained for my stay, and they had not made their appearance. I then assured Mohr, that nothing was so annoying to me as to have my affairs unsettled at the last moment, and that they must be sent instantly home. Up to the day before I left town they came not, and then came the old patched volumes again, with a note, that the time was so short that he could not get the new ones; if I could allow him ten days more, he thought he could have them from Leipsic! The man had had them TWO YEARS to rectify, and he wanted ONLY TEN DAYS MORE!

But he knew very well that I had now not ten hours to give him. My boxes, which were waiting for these books, were obliged to be dispatched. I therefore sent the whole edition back to him, and requested he would return the money. No answer. I then took a German gentleman, who had seen the volumes, and declared that no Jew would offer such on a bookstall, and applied to the Bürgermeister for redress. The Bürgermeister very indignantly said

"Send the man his books back."

"They are sent."

"Then don't pay him."

"Unfortunately he is paid."

"Then employ an advocate; go to the Amt

E

mann, and he will compel him to refund the cash, and pay the costs, and that speedily."

"How speedily?"

"In a fortnight."

"But I go to-morrow!"

The answer was the expressive shrug of the shoulder, and there this singular transaction ended.

CHAPTER VI.

THE chapters on settling in German lodgings have somewhat stretched themselves beyond my intention, but to those who have to make the experiment, not beyond their importance. There is not a step in your foreign sojourn where so much of the comfort or discomfort of your whole residence depends on the knowledge you possess, and the prudence with which you act, as this. The consequences of a false step may pursue and cross you with annoyance to the last day of your abode in the same place. If it be a small place, it will You are foreigners; you are English; you are amongst a people who are up in arms against any evasion of their impositions; and though you may think that to resist the knavery of a lodging-house keeper is both proper and can do you no harm with sensible people, you do not recollect that you are living in society constituted very differently to your own; and offend but one of the little ones, and you will find annoyances start up where you little expect it.

certainly do it.

Above all, steer clear of the lady or gentleman

lodging-house keeper. In my "Rural and Social Life of Germany," I have described this class. They profess, because people of fortune and rank often let a story of their houses, to belong to this class-to let a story, not from necessity, or as a trade, but because it is the custom. These people will expect to be of your acquaintance. They will tell you that they never let their rooms except on that condition. When you hear this, fly that house; let no advantages of agreeable rooms, charming situation, or any other attraction, seduce you into the fatal error of taking apartments in such a house. It will be very likely that these people do mix with what is called the better society if it be a small town, for the best is there but of an amphibious order; but for that very reason fly the people and their house. They are all the more capable of becoming your torment. If you admit their advances you will soon find that you are in a regular spider's web, whose designs, thick as the fly-devouring monster's threads, gather about you; if you refuse them, expect their vengeance. They will find means to raise the whole little town against you, and make the place too hot for you. This is another reason to avoid small towns, and the one all-sufficient one to avoid the lady or gentleman lodginghouse keeper. Out of a thousand such histories which occur, I will here as a general warning relate one which occurred to ourselves.

On going to Heidelberg it was our ill fortune to

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