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Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel

Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel

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— 270 —<br />

I have dwelt up<strong>on</strong> this <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>cident, because it seems to me suggestive<br />

of <strong>the</strong> whole questi<strong>on</strong> of scenery <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> literature. I could<br />

not at <strong>the</strong> time, I cannot now, understand why <strong>the</strong> top boy’s<br />

summary was not sufficient. With all due deference to <strong>the</strong><br />

poet, whoever he may have been, <strong>on</strong>e cannot but acknowledge<br />

that his wood was, and could not be o<strong>the</strong>rwise than, “<strong>the</strong> usual<br />

sort of a wood.”<br />

I could describe <strong>the</strong> Black Forest to you at great length. I<br />

could translate to you Hebel, <strong>the</strong> poet of <strong>the</strong> Black Forest. I<br />

could write pages c<strong>on</strong>cern<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g its rocky gorges and its smil<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

valleys, its p<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e-clad slopes, its rock-crowned summits, its<br />

foam<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g rivulets (where <strong>the</strong> tidy German has not c<strong>on</strong>demned<br />

<strong>the</strong>m to flow respectably through wooden troughs or dra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>pipes),<br />

its white villages, its l<strong>on</strong>ely farmsteads.<br />

But I am haunted by <strong>the</strong> suspici<strong>on</strong> you might skip all<br />

this. Were you sufficiently c<strong>on</strong>scientious — or weak-m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ded<br />

enough — not to do so, I should, all said and d<strong>on</strong>e, succeed <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

c<strong>on</strong>vey<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to you <strong>on</strong>ly an impressi<strong>on</strong> much better summed up<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> simple words of <strong>the</strong> unpretentious guide book:<br />

“A picturesque, mounta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ous district, bounded <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> south<br />

and <strong>the</strong> west by <strong>the</strong> pla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> of <strong>the</strong> Rh<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e, towards which its spurs<br />

descend precipitately. Its geological formati<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>sists chiefly<br />

of variegated sandst<strong>on</strong>e and granite; its lower heights be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

covered with extensive p<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e forests. It is well watered with numerous<br />

streams, while its populous valleys are fertile and well<br />

cultivated. The <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ns are good; but <strong>the</strong> local w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>es should be<br />

partaken of by <strong>the</strong> stranger with discreti<strong>on</strong>.”

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