On the Heights Volume 1-2

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1867 Excerpt: ... guests more rarely invited. The king was in a hussar uniform and was in the hest of humours; during the pauses, he went through the halls and spoke to this one and that, having a congratulatory word for each. The queen looked unwell and evidently had to make an effort to preserve her deportment. Irma was accustomed to enter into cheerful conversation with the musicians who performed their parts on a platform raised above the rest. Malicious tongues asserted that, in so doing, she only wished to show her affability to all the world, but Irma simply believed it her duty to acknowledge personally the artists engaged. The physician stood talking with the director of the academy of arts, and the general superintendent Schoning. The subject in discussion was a design for a painting to decorate the new parliament house, which the king had built. The artist expressed his regret that there was no fixed figure to represent the constitution; a female antique with a scroll or anything of the kind, was always inadequate and allegorically cold. You awaken an old thought in me, replied the superintendent. We lack the myth-making power, and permit me the expression, specially in this case, a power for directing court matters. In the same manner as there is a Field-marshal there should be a Court-marshal, who--I mean it seriously--should always take precedence as herald of the constitution or such-like in all important acts, representing the constitution always at court. Believe me the constitution has no place at court, I mean, it is not represented, and therefore it is foreign there. Do you not agree with me, Privy Counsellor Gunther? The physician answered, rousing himself from a reverie, It will not do any longer to transpose into mythical and symbolical figures th...