His fame was, of course, frequently discussed
among the citizens, with whom he was very popular, not only from his
ease and freedom of manner, but because his graceful tastes, his love
of painting, sculpture, architecture, and the mechanical turn which
made him an improver of fire-arms and a patron of painting and
engraving, rendered their society more agreeable to him than that of
his dull, barbarous nobility. Ebbo had heard so much of the
perfections of the King of the Romans as to be prepared to hate him;
but the boy, as we have seen, was of a generous, sensitive nature,
peculiarly prone to enthusiastic impressions of veneration; and
Maximilian's high-spirited manhood, personal fascination, and
individual kindness had so entirely taken him by surprise, that he
talked of him all the evening in a more fervid manner than did even
Friedel, though both could scarcely rest for their anticipations of
seeing him on the morrow in the full state of his entry.
Richly clad, and mounted on cream-coloured steeds, nearly as much
alike as themselves, the twins were a pleasant sight for a proud
mother's eyes, as they rode out to take their place in the procession
that was to welcome the royal guests.
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