Spiers: Memoranda of an autumn tour in 1836

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AUG. 24. WEDNESDAY.

- At an early hour this morning we were en route for Nassau. Messrs Woodgate & Brown overtook us by some blackberry bushes as we expected & we rode with them 3 or 4 miles to Nassau. Here overlooking the town are situated the castles of Henri V of Nassau: we ascended to them by a well formed path, overarched with trees - & rambled over the nicely preserved lionizing ruins. The former is the ancient chateau of the celebrated Prussian statesman, the latter 'the cradle of the Orange family before its division into the 2 branches of the present duke of Nassau & the king of Holland. - Plenty of accommodation is there for short winded dowagers & picnic parties. One room in the town too is nicely fitted with stained glass windows. - At the foot of the little suspension bridge over the Lahn we took leave of our kind friends & after breakfasting at the Crown, started on our route to Nieder Selters. Our landlord assured us that the road was so bad that a voituren we were speaking to would not reach our place of destination until night. Off therefore we walked for some miles by the side of the Lahn when we branched off among the mountains. In endeavouring to make a short cut we entangled ourselves in the ruins of a castle & had annoyingly to retrace our steps - At Langeneu I believe it was. - A little farther on we gradually wound our way up a hill & more & more beautifully did the scene develop itself. We were lying on a steep bank with our feet over the precipice; behind us was a wooded hill, below the Lahn pursuing its peaceful & pebbly course with boats endeavouring to force their way over sand banks & shallow places the boatmen hallooing & shouting the while. Some pollard trees looking like poles with prim little

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