To a question respecting the antiquity of the monastery,[100] J M. Klein replied, that their crypt was considered to be of the eleventh century.  I had not a moment’s leisure to examine it, but have some doubts of the accuracy of such a date.  The Dean, M. Klein, and several monks followed us down stairs, where the carriage was drawn up to receive us—­and helping us into it, they wished us a hearty farewell.  Assuredly I am not likely to forget THE MONASTERY OF ST. FLORIAN.

We were not long in reaching Ens, the first post town on the high road from Lintz to Vienna.  On approaching it, our valet bade us notice the various signs of reparation of which the outer walls and the fronts of many houses gave evidence.  Nearly half of the town, in short, (as he informed us) had been destroyed by fire in Bonaparte’s advance upon Vienna.  The cannon balls had done much, but the flames had done more.  We slept at the next post town, Strengberg, but could not help continuing to express our surprise and admiration of the fruit trees (the pear and plum) which lined each side of the road.  We had determined upon dining at Moelk the next day.  The early morning was somewhat inauspicious; but as the day advanced, it grew bright and cheerful.  Some delightful glimpses of the Danube, to the left, from the more elevated parts of the road, accompanied us the whole way; till we caught the first view, beneath a bright blue sky, of the towering church and MONASTERY OF MOeLK.[101] Conceive what you please, and yet you shall not conceive the situation of this monastery.  Less elevated above the road than Chremsminster, but of a more commanding style of architecture, and of considerably greater extent, it strikes you—­as the Danube winds round and washes its rocky base—­as one of the noblest edifices in the world.  The wooded heights of the opposite side of the Danube crown the view of this magnificent edifice, in a manner hardly to be surpassed.  There is also a beautiful play of architectural lines and ornament in the front of the building, indicative of a pure Italian taste, and giving to the edifice, if not the air of towering grandeur, at least of dignified splendour.  I send you a small bird’s-eye view of it—­necessarily furnishing a very inadequate representation—­for which I am indebted to Professor Pallas, the Sub-Principal.

[Illustration]

As usual, I ordered a late dinner, intending to pay my respects to the Principal, and obtain permission to inspect the library.  My late monastic visits had inspired me with confidence; and I marched up the steep sides of the hill, upon which the monastery is built, quite assured of the success of the visit I was about to pay.  You must now accompany the bibliographer to the monastery.  In five minutes from entering the outer gate of the first quadrangle—­looking towards Vienna, and which is the more ancient part of the building—­I was in conversation with the Vice Principal and Librarian, each of us speaking