Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Germany: Vols. XVII–XVIII. 1876–79.

Introductory

Germany

By Lord Byron (1788–1824)

(From Don Juan)

FROM Poland they came on through Prussia Proper,

And Konigsberg the capital, whose vaunt,

Besides some veins of iron, lead, or copper,

Has lately been the great Professor Kant.

Juan, who cared not a tobacco-stopper

About philosophy, pursued his jaunt

To Germany, whose somewhat tardy millions

Have princes, who spur more than their postilions.

And thence through Berlin, Dresden, and the like,

Until he reached the castellated Rhine;—

Ye glorious Gothic scenes! how much ye strike

All phantasies, not even excepting mine:

A gray wall, a green ruin, rusty pike,

Make my soul pass the equinoctial line

Between the present and past worlds, and hover

Upon their airy confine, half-seas-over.