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write pages concerning its rocky gorges and its smiling valleys；
its pine…clad slopes； its rock…crowned summits； its foaming
rivulets （where the tidy German has not condemned them to flow
respectably through wooden troughs or drainpipes）； its white
villages； its lonely farmsteads。
But I am haunted by the suspicion you might skip all this。 Were
you sufficiently conscientiousor weak…minded enoughnot to do
so； I should； all said and done； succeed in conveying to you only
an impression much better summed up in the simple words of the
unpretentious guide book：
〃A picturesque； mountainous district； bounded on the south and the
west by the plain of the Rhine； towards which its spurs descend
precipitately。 Its geological formation consists chiefly of
variegated sandstone and granite； its lower heights being covered
with extensive pine forests。 It is well watered with numerous
streams； while its populous valleys are fertile and well
cultivated。 The inns are good； but the local wines should be
partaken of by the stranger with discretion。〃
CHAPTER VI
Why we went to HanoverSomething they do better abroadThe art of
polite foreign conversation； as taught in English schoolsA true
history； now told for the first timeThe French joke； as provided
for the amusement of British youthFatherly instincts of Harris
The road…waterer； considered as an artistPatriotism of George
What Harris ought to have doneWhat he didWe save Harris's life…
…A sleepless cityThe cab…horse as a critic。
We arrived in Hamburg on Friday after a smooth and uneventful
voyage； and from Hamburg we travelled to Berlin by way of Hanover。
It is not the most direct route。 I can only account for our visit
to Hanover as the nigger accounted to the magistrate for his
appearance in the Deacon's poultry…yard。
〃Well？〃
〃Yes； sar； what the constable sez is quite true； sar； I was dar；
sar。〃
〃Oh； so you admit it？ And what were you doing with a sack； pray；
in Deacon Abraham's poultry…yard at twelve o'clock at night？〃
〃I'se gwine ter tell yer； sar； yes； sar。 I'd been to Massa
Jordan's wid a sack of melons。 Yes； sar； an' Massa Jordan he wuz
very 'greeable； an' axed me for ter come in。〃
〃Yes； sar； very 'greeable man is Massa Jordan。 An' dar we sat a
talking an' a talking〃
〃Very likely。 What we want to know is what you were doing in the
Deacon's poultry…yard？〃
〃Yes； sar； dat's what I'se cumming to。 It wuz ver' late 'fore I
left Massa Jordan's； an' den I sez ter mysel'； sez I； now yer jest
step out with yer best leg foremost； Ulysses； case yer gets into
trouble wid de ole woman。 Ver' talkative woman she is； sar； very
〃
〃Yes； never mind her； there are other people very talkative in this
town besides your wife。 Deacon Abraham's house is half a mile out
of your way home from Mr。 Jordan's。 How did you get there？〃
〃Dat's what I'm a…gwine ter explain； sar。〃
〃I am glad of that。 And how do you propose to do it？〃
〃Well； I'se thinkin'； sar； I must ha' digressed。〃
I take it we digressed a little。
At first； from some reason or other； Hanover strikes you as an
uninteresting town； but it grows upon you。 It is in reality two
towns； a place of broad； modern； handsome streets and tasteful
gardens； side by side with a sixteenth…century town； where old
timbered houses overhang the narrow lanes； where through low
archways one catches glimpses of galleried courtyards； once often
thronged； no doubt； with troops of horse； or blocked with lumbering
coach and six； waiting its rich merchant owner； and his fat placid
Frau； but where now children and chickens scuttle at their will；
while over the carved balconies hang dingy clothes a…drying。
A singularly English atmosphere hovers over Hanover； especially on
Sundays； when its shuttered shops and clanging bells give to it the
suggestion of a sunnier London。 Nor was this British Sunday
atmosphere apparent only to myself； else I might have attributed it
to imagination； even George felt it。 Harris and I； returning from
a short stroll with our cigars after lunch on the Sunday afternoon；
found him peacefully slumbering in the smoke…room's easiest chair。
〃After all；〃 said Harris； 〃there is something about the British
Sunday that appeals to the man with English blood in his veins。 I
should be sorry to see it altogether done away with； let the new
generation say what it will。〃
And taking one each end of the ample settee； we kept George
company。
To Hanover one should go； they say； to learn the best German。 The
disadvantage is that outside Hanover； which is only a small
province； nobody understands this best German。 Thus you have to
decide whether to speak good German and remain in Hanover； or bad
German and travel about。 Germany being separated so many centuries
into a dozen principalities； is unfortunate in possessing a variety
of dialects。 Germans from Posen wishful to converse with men of
Wurtemburg； have to talk as often as not in French or English； and
young ladies who have received an expensive education in Westphalia
surprise and disappoint their parents by being unable to understand
a word said to them in Mechlenberg。 An English…speaking foreigner；
it is true； would find himself equally nonplussed among the
Yorkshire wolds； or in the purlieus of Whitechapel； but the cases
are not on all fours。 Throughout Germany it is not only in the
country districts and among the uneducated that dialects are
maintained。 Every province has practically its own language； of
which it is proud and retentive。 An educated Bavarian will admit
to you that； academically speaking； the North German is more
correct； but he will continue to speak South German and to teach it
to his children。
In the course of the century； I am inclined to think that Germany
will solve her difficulty in this respect by speaking English。
Every boy and girl in Germany； above the peasant class； speaks
English。 Were English pronunciation less arbitrary； there is not
the slightest doubt but that in the course of a very few years；
comparatively speaking； it would become the language of the world。
All foreigners agree that； grammatically； it is the easiest
language of any to learn。 A German； comparing it with his own
language； where every word in every sentence is governed by at
least four distinct and separate rules； tells you that English has
no grammar。 A good many English people would seem to have come to
the same conclusion； but they are wrong。 As a matter of fact；
there is an English grammar； and one of these days our schools will
recognise the fact； and it will be taught to our children；
penetrating maybe even into literary and journalistic circles。 But
at present we appear to agree with the foreigner that it is a
quantity neglectable。 English pronunciation is the stumbling…block
to our progress。 English spelling would seem to have been designed
chiefly as a disguise to pronunciation。 It is a clever idea；
calculated to check presumption on the part of the foreigner； but
for that he would learn it in a year。
For they have a way of teaching languages in Germany that is not
our way； and the consequence is that when the German