In '^ucli a dress, and such a situation, who
•xvould have expected to see an intimate ac-
quaintance of Bonaparte : I learnt tliat he
Ava:-: the Abbe Henri, Curate and Professor
of Jena, a Frenchman ]jV birth, thoufili kms;
estab]i>iicd iii German'/, kiHJwn as the au-
thor of several works, and as having latelv
publiched a IIi?to.'-.- oi" tiie r'rencii language.
Al"ler ilie battle of Jena his oihci.' of Cu-
rate gave huii iVi-qiienf "'j]:)0i lumties of feme:
^\illl Bouap.l.t.'. \\!;:i;l lie did iiOt i-iii tc
in;:)ro\'e; >uKi !:•" .i hule <b'\e^r./U^ ilattei'y
lu' acquired lf^.m Iv.ii the ( :,dti\M;)(n:i ^-1 a
considerable e-ial>i!>imK'nj : â– ' '^ire.'" said he
to iiiU); ^' i'-'tmer cinvb- i...^e Irequentiy
SILBERBERG. 2-13
fouiKlcd large churclics for triflinp; successes ;
do you now found a small temple for a great
victory." The idea pleased ; and the church
oi^ Koirc Dame cle la Victolre was reared in
consequence. This might be flattering to
the Professor, but it was no doubt a very
galling remembrance to the Prussians ; and,
having heard the account, I was not at all
surprised, in these troubled times, to meet
the honest gentleman at the bottom of the
ditch of Silberber!i\
After the first novelty of fresh society
had gone by, I began to reflect, that the
placing me thus in company with two men
of a nation so determii^icdly hostile to En-
gland, was a very unfavourable symptom,
and that after commencing with such an act
of cruel injustice, it was probable that the
duration and nature of my confinement
would be proportionable to it. I knew no-
thing of what was going on, and was very
doubtful whether mv ietters from (jorlitz
iiad been foi'wardcd to Enpjand. Vy e v,'ere
141 ^.ILPETIBLRO.
like mvp. cut oil i'von^ the world. Some-
times, ill the sii(MiC(; of the night, we
tiioiigiit \vc heard t-io firing of cannovi at a
great di'T^lance, hut as it generally ceased
with the davvii of dny we knew not what to
think of it, Dcjidcs, ^^â– a3 it possible that
the Frencii coidd alreadv he so near the
mountains of Silesia? W*! gathered, how-
ever, from th.c conver.-..iti(,n of the guards
wlio "daily visited lis, that parties of Rus-
sian soldi(;rc ireqncnily came to the town
of >Silherherg, many of the inliabitants of
Vvhieh had qinttcd it, raid taken th.eir pro-
perty with thciH, for fear (/f hehig ])lunder -
ed. It w[is probable, tlicrelore, that the al-
lied army was at iso great distance. At
It iigth, we h:r<! a doubiiid i-u] 'barful hint, that
tht; French w( re wit:;!
This intelih-enrf, hi-
C( :;'ira(los, <:
V/c heg-i
anee heibrv
IceliuL s ; t'
vaKndate
■.'.•■liv miles of us-
grati lying to mv
.^ \,\ui melanchoK'-
ap]
, witii vcr\- difii-i'ent
c.j:!tii;:r lu the h'^nc
SIOERBERG. 143
01 a triumpliaiit ciilargcmcntj and 1 secinsc
ill such an event only the prospect of per-
petual captivity.
ISueh are the vain hopes and fears formed
i)y mortals^ in tlie contracted view which
thev have of ol)jects here helov/ ! JMeantime;
we had our migrations and changes in our
little world. Four days after our descent
into ilic fosse, wc were again removed to ano-
tlier casematte, and this eiiangej for the iirst
time, v>"as for the better. Before, we had
been in a dungeon ; now we might almost
suppose ourselves in a chamber, it was so
much lighter and cleaner, besides having
hccn recently v;liite-was]icd. But this hap-
r^iness was too great to last. We remained
here only two days, one of which was tlie
•ith of June, v^hi(;h I celebrated liy drinking
for the iirst ii}ne since my continement a
lari^e tumbler of i!'r<K^^ and nnnovinf>" mv
companions with (:;od snve the King, Rule
j^ritannia, and Hearts of Oak. Be it known,
'hat niy friend the Profesior of Jena, by hi;
I.
j-io
SILBERHERO,
invcctivo'^ against i-^iu^land, bad ahxadv me-
rited this of vny iiauds. I tried henvtn'cr
jii v:r.:i to excuc a forced gaiety, which wa?
eiilv' i'odowed bv a greater dej)rcssion oi'
>rii"it>. and ever afterwards desisted from the
vair. attcni])t,
TliC lijxt day we were again removed to
another casemaLtc3. a true (luiyj;eon, iH-mg at
limes so dark, that ex(.\|;t near the window
we eould not sec to :^ad at noor-day, and
situated direetl-/ undier the di-aw-bridi'e,
over which cvcrv cart ])assing made a tliun-
derin?;- noise. Here tlie damp ran C(uislantl\'
down the walls^ and tlie saltpetre ieli en our
fiices as we -de^K. Foi'timately ^^e had made
;!i-co\erv ni our tir-t ca>::einatt(\,
-1 ..
a (n"e
wliei'C a n';]n;:er mI i^-ige \voo;:en suutters. ft
il.sleii r.li I.i;^^ ^^;l;:!^!W'; (^\ tci'l ' a! i \' hl-le thc
'â– â– â– â– â– ' ^' ;e!~, \^ (ie ])ile;! U]). !:.c>e
^ ei ' -Ml, ]-\ !oni' H' ^^ -(Mi!.
!!^;,,oi o'w one ^â– ;('e r-^.^rx ;n!.;
iJ e .r maU!e>-e- nnon.
and t.ilerabiy
ve; \ V-'Al i<> -'
:;: j!i '>\u-
eh.iOL:;' - \\ e had talvcn cun-'tanv
SILBERBEilG, \,ij
care lo carry tlicm with us, and wc now
round t'lcn:! oi" the greatest utihty. in protect-
ing us from immediate contact with the
damp Ijrick tloor. By degrees we coilccted
stones, and put under them, tlius raising us
fajtiier fnun the damp. Wc were now- al-
lowed to go out for about half an hour every
dav, to wah>: in the ditch, and even this trifling
liberty was at lirst delightful. In a short
lirne, liowever, wc found ourselves still ex-
posed to occasional insults from the young
boldiers, when they saw- us for the first time ; '
and the return from these half-hour excur-
sions became very mclanchol\', from the
clieerful sun-shine and the pure air, to a
alooinv vault and the door locked. After
some time, my two companions, unable to
■•.viihstand it, fell sick. Thjiv became af-
ifjied wiili violent pains all over their bo-
fiie;-, â– vhich frequjntly compelled them to
inoaU; ai;d sometimes to cry out aloud in
t]]c nigiiu 'Hie poor Pi'oi'cssor lost all his
T!< i)i;ic^<, and cried like a child. For my
I. i
MS SILB£RELRG.
part, they told me tljat my face was marked
with a profound melancholy. At length,
after many petitions, it was thought neccs-
sarv to send the chief suri>;eon of the gar-
rison to visit mv com])anion?, and bv his
interference \\e were allowed the lii)erty ol
walking out three or four hours in the day.
always well guarded. Lefebre also ])rocured
a guitar, and its tinklirig sounds were heard
within these gloomy walls, for the first time
perliaps since their foundation. Ys (^ began
now also to pav attention to the linnets,
which, in great numbers, had built their
iie>ts in the various crevices of tlie loft v wall >
opposite our windows. Ivcerv morning
thev began their songs with tlie first dawn
of liuht. and soothed us with a monif'ntarv
deli;>'on of libertv and ha])pincss.
It was not till towards the middle ol June,
that the ^i!J"<,con s attendant, \^"ho ^o:v:eLinIc:-
oaine to vi>:l inv com])anions, nnornii^ti uS;
tliat an armistice had t.iken place ior six
"^ve!.'k>. ;nid tlsui it was inteiideci a; a u"e-
SILI5ERBERG. 14'J
jude to a general peace. Tins was tlic first
public news I bad beard since tlie day of
iny arrest. Or tbc circumstances which had
led to this iniportant event, we were en-
tirely ignorant; but judging from the pro-
gress of tlie French armies, I dai-ed not
indulge the hope, that tliey had been favour-
able to tlie Allies. JNly companions becan:ie
now full of spirits. They argued, tliat we
sliould have peace, and already prescribed
the terms to which Prussia must accede.
Their liberty followed of course, and it was
probable, that even I would then no longer
be detained. Even should hostilities re-
commence, and the Emperor advance and
enveloDc Sdberberg in his mio!;tv n^.ove-
ments, they would endeavour to obtain my
freedom from their countrymen, and had no
doubt of succeedmg. This certainly was a
wondcr!'ul consolation, but meantime it ap-
peared as if evcrv preparation was mahing to
j3ut the fortress in a state of re;isting a long
iiogc. Niglit and dav, we lieard the tramp-
150
>[!.!. ERHLRG,
Wu^ cind noir-c of horses and wac;'^"ons passina;
the {Irav.-bridLTC. The manner in nliich wc
had been removed from one caseinatie to
another, and the hints which we received,
ah seemed to indicate that quarters were
],'rcj)aring for a fuH garrison, (ireat nundoers
of vounii; men. com})osing the Landwelir of
the surrounding' districis, wei-c asseudjlcd
licrc to learn the use of aian^, and generalh,'
exercised in thc> ditch, Amotir: them wccc
luanv boys, not more than hfteen and six-
teen V ears of aii,'e ; hut all seennnL^lv ani-
mated v.'iiii one s]iii-ii, and ah-^adv fuU of
lialred to the French natic^ Tinif, m ilie'
iiiid:-t oi an armisiice. 1 ScC.v t.iiat nctlmjc;
â– was g'i^iiiii,' ti.u'ward 'out p:'(^j)ai'ations iiiv wai%
and !)ei;an lo su-^pcct iiait i ndg';:! he 'p!;iced
HI circinnstanccs v'dicre I siiould reoinrc all
the incteci!«jn ^^i;ici! my Fi'encii h-ic-uh
could :"f')rd me.
Yi.r iii'tccn da\ s .*;ic:' in\ arrot. I wa- not
,dlo\\c-;! llic ii'C (f pc'i and nd., except
duii!!i'' the short inlc.'val at G'jr]'!/- c •" ;:'-
SILBERBERG. J 51
.leed was it over cxprcs.-ly ])crmitted. "Wlieri;,
lu)ue\c3r, uc joined the Professor iu tlic
tossc, we found liini in the possession of that
prn deue, wliieh wc ever after enjoved in
common, and did not fail to make use of.
It \\as indeed the greatest of our consohi-
tion-. According as the mc^jd might bc^
^^â– e wrote down songs lor each oihcr, or made
remarks for ourselves, and recorded our own
melanclioly reiieelions. The curate shed
iears v.iien he thought of h.is garden, and
iiis faithful house-kee]3er, and wrote letters
which he kne\v would never be serit. '' Ah !"
\,Q used to say, '• were I now in my church
\sit!i all \r,v robes on, I should be singing out
'.vith all my nr.ii'lit, Pa/cr \os/cr. or Salve
llc^hui. Or i might !)e in. m\- garden, on
the iiiile scat under the a])p!e-tree, v^hencc
there is such a line V;C'.v all over Jena." And
dicn he gave us long dc criplions of his
garden, which lie said was not \'et hni-hed.
Lelebre toiirhcd his guitar, and Avrote ])e-
utio.is !:'.â– turi-t-. For me, I had ddiercnt
152 flfPERBJb'RG.
periods of feeling, like the Gcnic whom
the iisiicrinan dehvered from tlic chest,
where he was shut up and sealed with
tlie great seal of (Solomon. For the
first ten days I was full of ho])e, and
laughed with my fellow~])risoners, and hour-
ly evjjeeted my deliverance. For the
tiext ecjual period of time I became en-
ragedj and vented my e\'eiamations against
the treaeliery and injustiee which had caused
my confinement, ])acing my prison with
hasty steps. Finallv, 1 sank into despon-
dency, from which I was roused only by
the hated name of " dcr Spion,'' or, " the
.8pv," fre(|uently aj.'plit'd to me during my
melancholy walks in tlie ditch ; and in tins
state I continued initil I first had reason to
iioj)e that I might (jl-tain mv release.
J lad we been treated according to the
strict letter of ihe ancient instructions ro-
•jpectir.g >t;-te prl^oners, wc sliould not ()idv
have been deprived of the use of i;.n ami
mk. t:ut :«.lso oi a kujfe, or e\\'n a ]>air o-
SIIJ3ERBERG. 153
scissars. The fear oi' this, although ground-
less, made me for some time conceal my
razors. As for mv companions, tlicy re-
ceived weeklv visits from the barber of
Silberberg, whom hovve\er I could not
persuade myself to admit. He was a little
stout man, heavily ironed, and condemned
to imprisonment for life. I could not but
slmdder with involuntary horror, Vvhen I
•saw this desperado rattling liis ii'ons at each
movement round the cliairs of the tv»o
Frenchmen, and liourishini;' his razor over
their stretehcd-out tliroats. Sooner than
run such imminent danger, 1 \'\as content,
gradually, to assume the appearance of a
Cossack, until I found tliat the sirict reo-Q^
lations were not to be enforced res})ecting
me. Similar to the barber was tl;e attend-
ant who every morning came to perform
the necessary otHce of cleanliness to our
apartment. This was a woman, al^^o con-
demned to perpetual imprisonment, imd
•Mtii her leifs in irons. Tiie-'\ ■iowc^er;,
â– A>c conr^jalud go fj]ccti;a!!\- with licr c]ollii;=,
tiiat tlic}' were di^^covcrod onh' iiV tlie noi-c
'',;iich ar, i!iip,iiar;ic(l inoti'.jn joniciiincs oc-
casioned. Tiiis con;;-Lr;nt sic!;lu of \\ retchcd-
Me5-s anil wcc^ I ai".":r..-s c(ni<idcrcd as one ol
the mo:^t crucl eircuinstaiiccs aliaened to the
eonlineiiient. IIa])ijilv, all our atleiidauts
',verc n''t of t'nat cjiaraeter. Our re<j;u]ar
'. I'ard ]\\ our \\\d!;> was an honest Foni(>-
Kiiiian. \Ai(j had been a solcher under Seiidl ;
aiid our srant\' loeaf- were brouc;ht k> us ])\'
v( uu" recriui^, \iho uad not vet put 'â– !!" the
'^•uupii! at'," (A ])ea;;ant-> au(i wlio, l)eiriLr
<!:;iM'," d e\'ir\- tiau, aflorded tis a (â– ^u-uuit
var:e!\ (:â– [' eh.;ra<'tn>.
I ia:d i.'A been ilu'ee \\ei:k- in S,!;'^Mâ– berJ:l^
\^',.Q:\ (t\iC u.oruiMi; the :.;Uard luiornied inc.
t'lal -evera! Ihudi -!i < !h"fa'^ liad been tliere
f a' t'-. o da", - to S'/e ihe i":•lrt■^~^ and were
l''e]i ill the low'u b.do\^ . 'i'u;:^ a^;liat^d iru;
L,raat!\'. and iiavnii; in-tautb' "\'.r;i,in a ie\\'
h:as N-,;di a o;aiiab I earua-t!v (Utrvated
h:ni t-! 1 et iheui eeaise-. ad i;il..' ine haud-^ vi
SlLI'.EJiDf.RG.
155
any Kngiishman, olVering him wbatcver rc-
vviird lie thought ])ropcr. lie promised to
do all in his pc.'WC!', hut returned next
niorniiji; witli the iiiteliigencc, that the
" Eugiundors "' had de|}arted an hour before
he rea(dicd the inn. This was a severe dis-
appointniein, and gi'eailv' increased my mc-
ianeholy. J eould not thin.k thai: any of my
country nien would liavc rcniained several
days at l^ilbcr])erg, without makinji; some in-
quiry resiiectinij; tue, haci t]\cy kiiov.n of
jny beting th.cre, and tiiereSore conriuded
that my eonhneinont was kejM, ?ec:'et. I saw
now u'l hopes of hhei'alien, and 1 ognu to iear
th-r I should fdl ill : a ivehi;;, h-^vcvel^,
a':;ainst \\'hieh i ctru^^'gu d as nii:\'ii \\b pos-
:^ible. liy v.av of eon^^^Mulw-n, I \v;i;j in-
formed that the I'^mreror Alexander -,vas
expeeled slioiUv to visn: tic fortress; aad
^o ready is the miiu! to seize any prosp.^;y, of
jiap[)ine-s, tliai I eviMi Luiii hopes en this
sk-nder hnnidati;;;!. A iew <kiys aiierwaid:^,
';owe\'or, we were lo'd, that iiistead (if
156
^UAVxir.nERG,
coming to Silbcrbci-q;, he liad p;i?scd througli
Glatz, to the soiiiul of cannon, on liis v.av
to Prague, to meet the Austrian Emperor^
for the }jurj)0sc of negotiating a general
peace. The sound of the Hring at GKitz
was heard at 8ilhcrV;erg. And thjj? ended
this dream.
In the cascmalte next to ours was cori fined
tlie Baron d'Aansorg, a voung ni.an. a native
of Batavia, and v.ho. so far from being friend-
ly to the Frcncii, was at the time of his arrest
seekini enuilovrnent in the Russian armv.
lie had rec'lveci an excellent education, was
a puT'Ticent in n"ji;.-ic, and had been aecus-
: iii'^t 3;>cictv- (.f Cjermauv ; vet
Ijl'.iced here like Uivself, wiihiont
and a
temoa t-
co;:,m;
put V
i)ri - 'ii;
and da
ron-o. •
â– L
ohahan Luardi
i.e cf'iti
,1
was iu
ji!)err\" 'u
he duel!.
SILBERBERG. ]57
We were not^ however, permitted to be out
at the same time, so that we eould hold con-
versation onlv hv steahh throuu'ii the bars of
each other's windows, which perhaps ren-
dered these interviews the more interesting.
Amonu'st otlicrEuroncan lanf>uas!;es he talked
good English, and 1 \va3 delighted with this
unexpected op]:ortiinity of hearing and re-
peating my native tongue, never ])erhaps
heard beibre at the bottom of the ditch of
Siiber])crg. He too procured a guitar, which
he touclied with a niasterly hand ; and when
sitting within Ids prison bars he accom-
panied it with his voice, the beauty of the
niusic, joined to his situation, produced an
effect of the most touching kind.
DiU'ing the whole of (nir stav in the ditch,
we were obliged to burn lires in the months
of ?vlay and Juiu\ and even ti:cn could
wiih diliicuUy w:.\xi\ oar apartments, rrfsiii
thi5. s^^^lc idea may be i<)rnicd or t:u:ir cold-
ness. They were all lurnishcd witii large
1 :> s
of \\oo(l ; but HuhMniniaiciv. i\i;on iiu; ^^i;i<l
I'anii' in cerUiiti riirr?: loii:- the I'lnokc ij]o\v
all iiuva)-us, and ^^â– ^ ucrc oblimLd to c!ico?c
bctv.ocii cola and ^uffocaii
on.
S
onictirnc:-,
during these winds, siuidcu nvists enveloped
the tops of tlie mountain-, and Silberbcrg
was no lonp;cr vImijIc to tlic jdains l)cio\v.
Then our niisri3iiuno \\\;S connv'leie. Tiic
smoke could find no vent; our candle, even
at nnd-dav, vras n.ot suiHeient to di?])cl the
gicorn, and we \vere for<"'cd to stretcii our-
selves out upon our nuutrcs^es, with our
faces dowmvards, to prnteec our eves from
the pini5;;ent sn^ke^ ami draw breath a
little more twsdv.
At leni^il!. to our preat icy, al)Out the
latter end of Jinu\ ',• e w c cc tinah\- reii'i(r,e«d
tr<an the ca-cinaSte:- iu ihe diiei;. and; c;n'ried
ihr. 'li.di a lon<; :-ul;iei'raneous passii::;o Jo the
itj">i)er j)art or' th.r Je.rires.-. l.i-ner<on;j Im'UI
ihis pas'>aii;e, wa^ loiitul our^el'.'es m the
little sijuare where \-, e heal iiulual on our
tir::t ai rival, auvl \'\a^ .,. ;Jtv':' !he ':'n.';e^>ns
MLBERBERG.
150
V. c Lad been used to, wore now a cliceri'ul
n[)pearanee. I no Ioniser looked round nie
as upon ])ri^on wall;;, but as upon the liaiu-
tations of hunian being?; soiaie of wlioni 1
saw with eheeriul countenance^- lookin-;^
tln'oupli the sii'aled wiiidows, AVe were
})laced in a long vauhed chamber above the
ground {!oor, (h'V, and well planked. Fire-i
\\ere no longer neccssai'v to us m tlie Ujiddlc
(.>i sinunier. Tlie \\all towards the square
not !>eiiig oi" n'orc than the crdinarv tinck-
iirz?'^ ihe windows, ahlio\i:.'h barred, no
Ion;
r looked hke arched nassapc:
:i;(i me
change ahoKctiier r;];c;uU'd id^e a ei^avin < \i
iiic s[)irit.s oi" mv conn)anions. As a de-
divlion h'oni tins sat:s!acLion, ii(;uc\\-r. wo
buini i Jinid tluu ue wei'c no longei' aI!o\%-. d
the hljci'ty of walking uni even Ihr an he r;r.
'i'iie change of abode was inought quiic
Mifhc'ient to preserve U:? ni heahn. bLil\\e
h.ici pcr:ni>3ion to siiow ourselves -or a ibw
hours, dadv', at a suiali h-!.-on\' '^ o;;n to tlie
ouaic: ■\]]d vvi'u that \v;i^- a •vkrf rVfiin ti;.;
l60 SILBERBERG.
monotony of being sluU u.p night and day
in the same aj;artmcnt. We now saw all
tliat was going on ; the guard })araded every
morning under our windows, the bouse of
the commandant was directly opposite^ and
no ;;tranger could come into tlie fortress
without j)assing under our ins])ection. How
diiferent from t!ic melanchol\- ditch ! where
we saw onlv rude recruits, and where, op.
posite to our dungeons at the distance of
twelve or fifteen yards, a wall built on the
sohd rock rose to tije height of /iUv feet,
di' ' rsified -'u!}' at the top h\- endjrasurcs
aiid >'.n;)ii wmd r.v^, wliicli lo('ked as if meant
for .-louts l'"V rhe rain.
Four o:' Mve ijp.vr} ahcr our removal, I was
eui^'d hc'ore the e;^ifii;'aiidant aiul exanniiefh
[ !;,.:: i _i;;i ah...idv l•pv.ar^l^ ')'' a uioutf! in
S^lhcvhry-, ani i:Ow, li-r I'u." iirst time it
Av;:- i,.' -..-â– Ia. pr'-'/.r to (!o m-' tin-, act oi
^U;0 le ju; t .L?. 1 he ;''o;'iii.;ui''.::!t triuiled me
\^ iii: 1. ;â– ( at "ivi';^'\ 'vul ^\'vc:\vl'] to he a man
('t a :_j'd (!:-i;o-iti â– ]!. 'i'o erov\ u alh he in-
SILBERBERr.. l6i
formed me, that lie believed this interroga-
tion had been ordered in consequence of an
application, which had been made respecting
me by Sir Charles Stewart. Ah ! what a
relief was this to my mind ! My fate then
was known ! ISJy letters from Gorlitz had
been received! Steps were taking for my
liberation ! Never before had I felt so great
and increasing a load of melancholy suddenly
removed from my mind. I ceased to form
gloomy prospects of futurity ; and from that
hour mv companions be«;an to remark a
striking difference in my manners and ap-
pearance.
Our great amusement was now to watch
all that passed in the square. We daily
saw Russian Generals or Ofticers, who came
to view the fortress ; Cossacks with dis-
patches ; parties with deserters ; and peasant
girls, who passed with fruits, butter, milk^
and bread of different kinds for sale. These
latter were sometimes allowed to visit us^
\n(\ \vQ were now plentifully supplied with
M
\6'Z SILBERBERG.
cberricSj mountain strawberries, and a kind
of small wild blue-berry, witb the name of
wbieh I was unacquainted. Thus our break-
fasts no longer continued to be merely bread
and water, but wc might even be said to
enjoy luxuries, for such they were to us.
Among other visitors, two young Princes of
the blood came to Silberberg. They rode in
a miserable old coach, drawn by eight
horses, with a harness of ropes, and four half
clothed postillions. I was struck with this
spectacle of ragged greatness, which, how-
ever, occasioned no remarks from my com-
panions ; from which I inferred, either that
such sights were not uncommon in France,
or that, by living long in Germany, they
had become accustomed to them. The
princes tliemselvcs were two fme bovs,
sceminglv about fourteen and sixteen years
oi" a^e : and tb.eir elder brother, Prince Fer-
dinand, v, ho came some (lays alteruards.
did also great credit to the appe^iranct- of t])e
Prussian Iloyal Familv.
SILBERBERG. 3 63
On the morning of the 8th July, a day
ever to be remembered in my annals of Sil-
berberg, I saw an Englishman arrive, and
alight at the commandant's. My heart pal-
pitated, but in vain. In an hour, after
viev/ing the fortress, he departed without
even looking towards me. In the afternoon,
iiowever, I saw two others arrive. Yes, I was
sure they were Englishmen. My heart
beat again rather quicker than usual, but I
was afraid of being again disappointed, until
I saw a soldier cross the square towards us.
lie came for me ; our door was unlocked,
and I soon found myself once more in com-
pany with my countrymen. Mr. I. C.
Ilobliouse and the Honourable Doucrlas
Kinnaird, hearing of my confinement, had
ca!led to inquire into my case. Captain
Diiring; ihe Aid-de-camp of Sir Charles
kstewart accompanied them. I heard at
length the language of civility and kind-
ness, to which my ear had been so long a
s»raii<:!;er. Everything was done for me by
M 2
lOi feILr.ERi>ERG,
these gentlemen, that even an ancient friend-
shi]) eould liavc demanded. They wrote in
niv behah'^ and procured for me from the
commandant the hberty of walking about
the souare. This alone was to me a great
rehef; but still greater to my mind was
the certaintv tliat I should no lonwr be nca-
leeted. After this, at dilferent times, I re-
ceived xWiUi from several other gentlemen,
\"»hose kiri(h>iess made a deep impression on
mv mind. 1 was delighted with an obser-
vation made to my fellow-prisoners })v
ihe (^onimandant on these visits. '" Tliese
Enghs';."' said he, " seem to take a great
interest in each other; but this is as ii.
,-hoa!d be. This is sclu'm.'''
The ilrst ste]) wiiich 1 took wa^ to write rt
lojiii' meiDorial to ^>u- Charles Stewart, which.
like ah the letters winch I was i)ermittcd tc
seii«h ^\a- fichvered open to the command-
anv. Ai'ier ten daws, reeei\ing no ans\\ei'-
I 'vrove ygaiu : but 1 alterwards iound, that
.'u;it';cr oftiicie papers i.ver came to liand
SILBERBERG. 1 65
1 kiicw tliat they were sent away from Sil-
berberg, but could never learn what farther
became of them. I might have relapsed
into melancholy, but for the news from
Spain, of which I had received ample de-
tails, together with English newspapers,
which to me were hig-hlv interesting:. 1
translated some of the most prominent ar-
ticles for my comrades, but was secretlv
pleased to observe, that out of four French-
men confined as prisoners here, three of them
could make out the general meaning of an
Englisli gazette, a proof that the study of
our language is not altogether neglected on
the Continent.
In consequence of the liberty granted to
me of walking about the square, I soon
formed an acquaintance with some otficers,
confined in the fortress as prisoners of war.
l\vo of them were West].)halians ; the third,