A few minutes afterward I was on my way to the Hotel-de-Ville, the supposed birthplace of Charlemagne, which, like the chapel, is an edifice made of five or six others.  In the middle of the court there is a fountain of great antiquity, with a bronze statue of Charlemagne.  To the left and right are two others—­both surmounted with eagles, their heads half turned toward the grave and tranquil emperor.

The evening was approaching.  I had passed the whole of the day among these grand and austere “souvenirs;” and, therefore, deemed it essential to take a walk in the open fields, to breathe the fresh air, and to watch the rays of the declining sun.  I wandered along some dilapidated walls, entered a field, then some beautiful alleys, in one of which I seated myself.  Aix-la-Chapelle lay extended before me, partly hid by the shades of evening, which were falling around.  By degrees the fogs gained the roofs of the houses, and shrouded the town steeples; then nothing was seen but two huge masses—­the Hotel-de-Ville and the chapel.  All the emotions, all the thoughts and visions which flitted across my mind during the day, now crowded upon me.  The first of the two dark objects was to me only the birthplace of a child; the second was the resting-place of greatness.  At intervals, in the midst of my reverie, I imagined that I saw the shade of this giant, whom we call Charlemagne, developing itself between this great cradle and still greater tomb.

[Footnote A:  From “The Rhine.”  Translated by D.M.  Aird.]

THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE[A]

BY JAMES HOWELL

The Hans, or Hanseatic League, is very ancient, some would derive the word from hand, because they of the society plight their faith by that action; others derive it from Hansa, which in the Gothic tongue is council; others would have it come from Hander see, which signifies near or upon the sea, and this passeth for the best etymology, because their towns are all seated so, or upon some navigable river near the sea.  The extent of the old Hans was from the Nerve in Livonia to the Rhine, and contained sixty-two great mercantile towns, which were divided into four precincts.  The chiefest of the first precinct was Luebeck, where the archives of their ancient records and their prime chancery is still, and this town is within that verge; Cullen is chief of the second precinct, Brunswick of the third, and Dantzic of the fourth.  The kings of Poland and Sweden have sued to be their protector, but they refused them, because they were not princes of the empire.

They put off also the King of Denmark with a compliment, nor would they admit the King of Spain when he was most potent in the Netherlands, tho afterward, when it was too late, they desired the help of the ragged staff; nor of the Duke of Anjou, notwithstanding that the world thought he should have married our queen, who interceded for him, and so it was probable that thereby they might recover their privileges in England.  So I do not find that they ever had any protector but the great Master of Prussia; and their want of a protector did do them some prejudice in that famous difference they had with our Queen.