ine view may
be had of it from either of the bridges which cross the Moldau, but a
more satisfactory one is to be had from the Belvedere, a large public
garden situated on an eminence just outside the city proper. This garden
forms a beautiful park and is a favorite drive with the citizens. One of
the bridges is called the Karlsbruecke (Charles Bridge); the other is the
Suspension Bridge, also known as Emperor Francis's Bridge. At the end of
the latter is the memorial which commemorates the five hundredth
anniversary of the founding of the university. The niches on either side
are filled with statues representing the several sciences, added to
which are statues of two archbishops. The Charles Bridge, built of stone
over five hundred years ago, is the most interesting of the two bridges,
and has its two extremities protected by lofty towers. The arches of the
bridge are ornamented with groups of saints numbering thirty life-size
figures. It is not surprising that Prague appears in decay; but as it is
a sort of half-way place between Dresden and Vienna, it is insured a
certain amount of business from travellers of all nations.

[Illustration: BRIDGE CROSSING THE MOLDAU.]

One prominent feature of Dresden, the capital of Saxony, which strikes
the stranger, is that the military appear in such large numbers
everywhere, in the streets, the hotels, in the shops and parks. The
expense and waste of supporting such large numbers of soldiers is
enormous. The student of art, music, and history finds a rich field for
educational purposes here, where there are so many choice collections of
antiquities, museums, and remarkable paintings. The Zwinger Museum
contains among other treasures a collection of three hundred and sixty
thousand engraved plates, all of great value. Art treasures and
libraries are freely open to the public, as in all parts of Europe.
Dresden is a busy city, commanding a large trade, and containing over a
quarter of a million inhabitants. Gold and silver manufactures form a
large share of the industry; artificial flowers, china ware, and paper
hangings also, constitute a large portion of its extensive exports. The
Royal Public Library contains four hundred thousand volumes, and is
particularly rich in the several departments of literature, history, and
classical antiquity. There are many volumes in this Dresden library
which are not to be found elsewhere in Europe, and learned men come
thousands of miles to consu