invitation to dine with him to-morrow, which I of course accepted.
He is a highly intelligent man, and resembles strikingly in person
his illustrious relative, the late George Canning. Since visiting
him I have been to one of the five tall churches which tower up
above the tall houses; I thought its interior very venerable and
solemn, but the service seemed to be nothing more than a low-
muttered chanting, from which it was impossible to derive much
spiritual edification. There was no sermon, and not more than
twenty persons were present, though the edifice would contain
thousands conveniently. Hamburg is a huge place, and the eastern
part of it is intersected by wide canals communicating with the
Elbe, so that vessels find their way into most parts of the city;
the bridges are consequently very numerous, and are mostly of wood.
Some of the streets are planted with trees, which have a pretty
appearance, though upon the whole it has certainly no claim to the
appellation of a handsome town. But no observer can fail to be
struck with the liveliness and bustle which reign in this emporium
of continental Europe, worthy to be compared with Tyre of old or
our own Liverpool. Another city adjoins it called Altona, the park
of which and the environs are the favourite Sunday lounge of the
Hamburgers. Altona is in Holstein, which belongs to the Danish
Government. It is separated from the Hanseatic town merely by a
small gateway, so that it may truly be said here that there is but
one step from a republic to a monarchy. Little can be said in
commendation of the moral state of this part of the world, for
rope-dancers were displaying their agility in the park to-day, and
the dancing-saloons, which I am informed are most infamous places,
are open to the public this evening. England with all her faults
has still some regard to decency, and will not tolerate such a
shameless display of vice on so sacred a season, when a decent