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diff --git a/old/trvst10.txt b/old/trvst10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..26c2108 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/trvst10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1562 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Travellers' Stories, by Eliza Lee Follen +#3 in our series by Eliza Lee Follen + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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This is a good stormy +evening, and no one will come in to interrupt you; so please, dear +Mother, tell us all you can remember. + +It is now, boys, five years since my return from Europe. Much that I +did and saw while there I forget. However, as I have been lately +looking over my hasty journal, I will see what I can remember. + +On the first of August I set sail in the steamer Caledonia for +England. At four o'clock in the afternoon, we were out of sight of +land; one by one, we had taken leave of every object which could be +seen from the departing vessel; and now nothing was visible to us +but the sky, the ocean meeting it in its wide, unbroken circle the +sun gradually sinking in the west, and our small but only house, the +ship. How strange, how sublime the scene was! so lonely, so +magnificent, so solemn! At last the sun set, gilding the clouds, and +looking, to my tearful eyes, as if that too said farewell! Then the +moon appeared; and the long, indefinite line of light from where her +rays first touched the waters to our ship, and the dancing of the +waves as they crossed it, catching the light as they passed, were so +beautiful that I was unwilling to leave the deck when the hour for +rest arrived. + +The wind was against us, and we did not get on very fast; but I +enjoyed the novel scene the next day, and passed all my time on +deck, watching the sailors and the passengers, and noticing the +difference between Englishmen and Americans. + +On Sunday it was very cold, and the wind, still contrary, rose +higher and higher; it was impossible to set any sail, but I still +kept on deck, and thus avoided sickness. Soon after breakfast I saw +a white foam rising in different places occasionally, and was told +that it was whales spouting; I saw a great number, and enjoyed it +highly. Presently some one called out, "An iceberg!" and, far off +against the sky, I saw this floating wonder. It was very beautiful; +such a dazzling white, so calm and majestic, and so lonely; it was +shaped, as I thought, like an old cathedral, but others thought like +a sleeping lion, taking what I called the ruined tower for his head +and mane. + +Soon after this, the man on the lookout cried, "Steamship America;" +and in a few moments more we saw her coming swiftly towards us with +her sails all set, for the wind was fair for her. Captain Leitch +then told me that he should stop his vessel and send a boat on +board, and that he would send a letter by it if I would write one +quickly; to others he said the same thing. In a moment the deck was +cleared, and in a few more moments all had returned with their +letters; and never was there a more beautiful sight than these two +fine steamers manoeuvring to stop at a respectful distance from each +other; then our little boat was lowered, and O, how pretty it was to +see her dancing over the rough waves to the other steamer! We sent +to the America the sad news of the loss of the Kestrel. After what +seemed to us a long time, the boat returned and brought papers, &c., +but no important news; and in a few moments the two steamers +courtesied to each other, and each went on her way. + +After six days, the waves had risen to a terrible height; the wind +was all but a gale; the ocean, as far as one could see, was one +roaring foam; one after another the angry billows rose to the height +of twenty or thirty feet, and rolled on, curling over their green +sides, and then broke with a voice of thunder against our vessel. + +I crawled out of the cabin, assisted by two gentlemen, and from the +lower deck saw the sublime commotion over the bulwarks, when the +ship rolled over on the side where I was sitting. The sea broke over +our vessel repeatedly; it went over the top of the smoke pipe, and +struck the fore-topsail in the middle but did, not hurt either of +them. The fourth officer was washed out of his berth by a sea when +he was asleep. One of the paddles broke, but in a very short time +was replaced. One of the wheels was often entirely out of water, but +no harm was done us by any of these disasters; and on we went safe +through the troubled waters. + +At night, when we were planning how we should secure ourselves from +rolling about the cabin, there came a sudden lurch of the ship, and +every thing movable was sent SLAM BANG on one side of the cabin; and +such a crash of crockery in the pantry! A few minutes after came a +sound as if we had struck a rock. "What is that?" I asked of the +stewardess. + +"Only a sea, ma'am," she replied. In my heart I hoped we should not +have another such box on the ear. + +We had a horrid night, but the next day it grew quieter, though it +was still rough, and the wind ahead. Soon after, it grew fair, and +the captain promised us that on Monday, before twelve o'clock, we +should see Ireland; and sure enough it was so. I was on deck again +just at twelve; the sun came out of the clouds, and the mate took an +observation. + +"That is worth five pounds," said he; "now I know just where we +are." + +Then the captain went up on the wheel-box, and we heard the welcome +sound, "Tory Island." We were then greatly rejoiced; this was the +twelfth day of our voyage. At night, for one hour, the wind blew a +gale, and the ship rocked in a very disagreeable manner; but at six +o'clock on Tuesday morning we were on deck, and there was the +beautiful Welsh coast, and Snowdon just taking off his night-cap; +and soon we saw "England, that precious stone set in a silver sea." + +Next to the thought of friends whom we had parted from for so long a +time, my mind during the voyage was occupied with the idea of +Columbus. When I looked upon the rude, boundless ocean, and +remembered that when he set out with his little vessel to go to a +land that no one knew any thing of, not even that there was such a +land, he was guided altogether by his faith in its existence; that +he had no sympathy, but only opposition; that he had no charts, +nothing but the compass, that sure but mysterious guide,--the +thought of his sublime courage, of his patient faith, was so present +to my mind, that it seemed as if I was actually sometimes in his +presence. + +The other idea was the wonderful skill displayed in the construction +of the small, but wonderfully powerful and beautifully arranged and +safe home, in which we were moving on this immense and turbid ocean, +carrying within her the great central fire by which the engine was +moved, which, in spite of winds and waves, carried us safely along; +then the science which enabled the master of this curious nutshell +of man's contriving to know just in what part of this waste of +trackless waters we were. All these things I knew before, and had +often thought of them, but was never so impressed with them; it was +almost as if they were new to me. + +Before I quit the ocean, I must tell you of what I saw for which I +cannot account, and, had not one of the gentlemen seen it too, I +should almost have doubted my senses. When we were entirely out of +sight of land, I saw a white butterfly hovering over the waves, and +looking as if he were at home. Where the beautiful creature came +from, or how he lived, or what would become of him, no one could +tell. He seemed to me to be there as a symbol and a declaration that +the souls of those whose bodies lay in the ocean were yet living and +present with those they had loved. + +When we arrived at Liverpool, we found a very dear friend, whom we +had known in America, on the wharf ready to receive us. He took us +to his house, and we felt that we were not, after all, in a strange +land. Love and kindness are the home of all souls, and show us what +heaven must be. + +The thing that impressed me most was the dim light of the English +day, the soft, undefined shadows, compared with our brilliant +sunshine and sharply defined shade--then the coloring of the houses, +the streets, the ground, of every thing; no bright colors, all +sober, some very dark,--the idea of age, gravity, and stability. +Nobody seems in a hurry. Our country seems so young and vehement; +this so grave and collected! + +Now I will tell you something about my visit to my dear friend +Harriet Martineau, whose beautiful little books, "Feats on the +Fiord," "The Crofton Boys," and the others, you love so much to +read. She lives at Ambleside, in what is called the Lake Country. +Ambleside is a beautiful country town in the valley of the Rotha, +and not far from Lake Windermere. Around the town rise high hills, +which perhaps may be called mountains. These mountains are not, like +many of ours, clothed to the summit with thick wild forests, but +have fewer trees, and are often bare at the summit. The mixture of +gray rock and green grass forms such a beautiful coloring over their +graceful and sometimes grotesque outline that you would not have +them other than they are. + +The Ambleside houses are of dark-gray stone, and almost all of them +have ivy and flowers about them. One small house, the oldest in the +village, was several hundred years old; and out of all the crevices +between the stones hung harebells and other wild flowers; one side +of it and much of the roof were covered with ivy. This house was +only about ten feet square, and it looked to me like a great rustic +flower pot. + +I should like some time to read you a description of this lovely +place, written by Miss Martineau herself. Then you will almost hear +the murmuring sound of the Brathay and the Rotha, and breathe the +perfume of the wild heather, and catch the freshness of the morning +breeze, as she offers you these mountain luxuries in her glowing +words. + +Miss Martineau lives a little out of the village. You drive up to +the house through a shrubbery of laurels, and roses, and fuschias, +and other plants,--young trees and flowers,--to the beautiful little +porch, covered with honeysuckles and creeping plants. The back of +the house is turned to the road, and the front looks out over the +loveliest green meadows, to the grand, quiet hills, sometimes clear +and sharp in their outline against the blue sky, and at others +wreathed with mist; and one might sit for hours at the large bay +window in the parlor, watching these changes, and asking no other +enjoyment. + +It was also a great pleasure to witness the true and happy life of +my friend. I saw there the highest ideas of duty, usefulness, and +benevolence carried into daily practice. Miss Martineau took us one +morning to see the poet Wordsworth. He lived in a low, old-fashioned +stone house, surrounded by laurels, and roses, and fuschias, and +other flowers and flowering shrubs. The porch is all covered with +ivy. We found the venerable man in his low, dark parlor. He very +kindly showed us his study, and then took us over his grounds. + +When we took our leave, I asked him to give each of us a leaf from a +fine laurel tree near him; this he did very kindly, and smiled as +kindly at my effort at a compliment, in saying to him something +about one who had received so many laurels having some to spare to +others. I thanked him for his goodness in giving me so much of his +time, and bade the venerable man good by, very much pleased with my +visit, and very grateful to the kind friend who had introduced me to +him, and insured me a welcome. I shall never forget that day. + +Ambleside is a very fashionable place for travellers to visit in the +summer months, and we saw there many distinguished and agreeable +people. + +I had a conversation with an intelligent lad of fourteen years of +age, which impressed me very much. He was talking with me about our +country, and finding faults with it of various kinds. While I could, +I defended it. He thought our revolution was only a rebellion. I +told him that all revolutions were only successful rebellions, and +that we bore with the tyranny of his country as long as we could. "I +don't like the Americans," said he; he blushed as he thought of the +discourtesy of saying this to me, and then added, "they are so +inconsistent; they call themselves republicans, and then hold +slaves, and that is so wicked and absurd." He went on to say all he +thought and felt about the wickedness of slavery. I heard him to the +end, and then said, "There is nothing you have said upon that +subject that I do not agree to entirely. You cannot say too much +against slavery; but I call myself an abolitionist, and while I +live, I mean to say and do all I can against it. There are many +people in America, also, who feel as I do, and we hope to see it +abolished." + +While we were in Westmoreland, we made an excursion of four days +among the beautiful lakes. Miss Martineau was our guide and +companion. She knows the name of every mountain, every lake, every +glen and dale, every stream and tarn, and her guidance lent a new +charm to the scenes of grandeur and beauty through which she +conducted us. + +We took a vehicle which the people call a jaunting car; it is a +square open carriage with two side seats and a door behind; and is +drawn by one horse. Two easy steps and a door easily opened let you +in and out when you please. The car holds four persons. The driver +has a seat in front, and under it he tied our carpet bag. + +Never did four souls enjoy themselves more than we on this little +excursion. I could not give you an adequate idea of what we saw, or +of the pleasure we took. Think of coming down from one of these +beautiful hills into Eskdale, or Ennesdale, of walking four miles on +the banks of Ullswater, of looking with your living eyes on Derwent +Water, Grassmere, Windermere, and many other lovely spots of which +you have seen pictures and read descriptions; and of being one in +the pleasantest party in the world, as you think, stopping where, +and when, and as long as any one pleases. + +It was on this journey that I first saw a real ruin. The ruins of +Calder Abbey I had never heard of; but the impression it made upon +me I can never forget; partly, perhaps, that it was the first ruin +upon which I ever gazed. One row of the pillars of the great aisle +remains standing. The answering row is gone. Two tall arches of the +body of the main building remain also, and different pieces of the +walls. It is of sandstone; the clusters of columns in the aisle look +as if they were almost held together by the ivy and honeysuckles +that wave around their mouldering capitals with every motion of the +wind. In every crevice, the harebell, the foxglove, and innumerable +other flowers peep forth, and swing in the wind. On the tops of the +arches and walls large flowering shrubs are growing; on the highest +is a small tree, and within the walls are oak trees more than a +century old. The abbey was built seven hundred years ago; and the +ruins that are now standing look as if they might stand many +centuries longer. The owner of the place has made all smooth and +nice around it, so that you may imagine the floor of the church to +look like green velvet. It seems as if the ivy and the flowers were +caressing and supporting the abbey in its beautiful old age. + +As I walked under the arches and upon the soft green turf, that so +many years ago had been a cold rough stone pavement, trodden by +beings like myself; and felt the flowers and vines hanging from the +mouldering capitals touch my face; and saw, in the place where was +once a confessional, an oak tree that had taken centuries to grow, +and whose top branches mingled with the smiling crest of flowers +that crowned the tops of the highest arches,--the thought of the +littleness and the greatness of man, and the everlasting beauty of +the works of the Creator, almost overwhelmed me; and I felt that, +after all, I was not in a decaying, ruined temple, but in an +everlasting church, that would grow green and more beautiful and +perfect as time passes on. + +There is a fine old park around these lovely ruins; and, not far +off, a beautiful stream of water, with a curious bridge over it. The +old monks well knew how to choose beautiful places to live in. All +harmonizes, except--I grieve to tell of it--a shocking modern house, +very near, very ugly, and, I suppose, ridiculously elegant and +comfortable inside. From this hideosity you must resolutely turn +away; and then you may say, as I did, that your mortal eyes have +never rested on any thing so lovely as the ruins of Calder Abbey. + +Sometimes Miss Martineau would tell us some pretty legend, or some +good story. + +This was one of the legends: Near the borders of the Ullswater is +the beautiful Ara Force, one of the most lovely falls I have seen in +England. One may stand below, and look up at the rushing stream, or +above, on the top of the fall. Here, long ago, in the time of the +crusades, stood a pair of lovers; and here grows an old oak which +was their trysting tree. The lady was of noble birth, and lived in a +castle near by; and her true knight used to come at the still hour +of evening to meet her at the Ara Force. + +At length the lover was called away to the Holy Land. As he left his +lady, he vowed to be her true knight, and to return and wed her. +Many long days passed away, and the lady waited in vain for her true +knight. Though she heard often from others of his chivalrous deeds +in the East, yet no word came from him to tell her he was faithful; +and she began to fear that he was no longer true to her, but was +serving some other lady. Despair at last came upon her; and she grew +wan and pale, and slept no longer soundly: But, when the world was +at rest, she would rise in her sleep, and wander to the trysting +tree, and pluck off the green oak leaves, and throw them into the +foaming water. + +The knight was all this time faithful, but was not able to send word +to his lady love. At last, he returned to England, and hastened +towards the castle where she lived. + +It was late at night when he came to the Ara Force; and he sat him +down under the trysting tree to wait for the morning. When he had +been there a long time, he saw a figure approach, all in white, and +pluck off the oak leaves, and fling them into the stream. Angry to +see the sacred tree thus injured, he rose to prevent it. The figure +started and awoke. In a moment he knew his beloved lady. She was now +on the frail bridge. The sudden shock, and the roar of the Force +below, had made her giddy. He leaped forward to embrace and save +her. Alas! too late. Her foot slipped, and she fell. It was all +over. The water tumbling far down into the rocky chasm beneath told +the story of death. + +The knight was inconsolable. He retired from the world forever, and +built a monastery near by, on the borders of the lake, where he +died. + +The frail bridge is now gone, and a strong plank, with a railing, +supplies its place. But the water still roars down the rock as on +the fatal night; and the foam and spray look as if the white +garments of the fair lady were still fluttering over the deep below. + +From Ambleside I went with some friends to visit Dr. Nichol at +Glasgow. We took coach first, and then the railroad. For the sake of +economy we took a second class carriage. The second class carriages, +on the English railroad, are, in fact, boxes with small holes for +windows, from which you may, if you are not very short, see +something of the world you are flying through, but not much. Good, +honest, hard boards are on the floor, sides, tops, and seats; in +short, all around you. The backs are not slanted at all. You must +sit bolt upright, or not sit at all. Now and then, these vehicles +have a thin leather on the seats--not often. + +Nothing can be more luxurious than a first class carriage. The +floors are nicely carpeted, the seats and backs are all stuffed; +each seat is a very nice easy chair. You can sleep in them almost as +well as in a bed; but these carriages are very expensive; and on +this account many of the gentry take those of the second class, hard +as they are. + +We arrived at Glasgow at eight o'clock in the evening, and were +unfortunate enough to have a driver to the vehicle we took, who did +not know where the Observatory was. We knew that it was three miles +from the city, and not much more. We were advised by a gentleman, +who was in the same railroad box with us, to take a noddy, or a +minibus, to the Observatory. What these things were, of course, we +could only guess, and we did not care much, so we could only get out +of our wooden box. We came to the conclusion that we could +sympathize tolerably well with poor Box Brown. + +We, as we had been advised, took a noddy. A minibus is only a small +omnibus. A noddy is a contrivance that holds four, and has a door at +the end, and only one horse,--very like a Yankee cab. + +Glasgow, as every one knows, is one of the greatest manufacturing +cities in the world. Before we arrived, we were astonished at the +great fires from the iron works in the environs; and, as the streets +were well lighted, our eyes were dazzled and delighted with the +whole scene, and we were so pleased with the comfort of our noddy, +that we did not at first feel troubled at the fact that neither our +driver nor we knew where Dr. Nichol's house was. Presently we found +ourselves left in the middle of the street, and saw our noddy man, +in a shop as bright as day, poring over a directory. All he could +learn was what we had already told him, and so on he went, not +knowing whether right or wrong, giving us a fine opportunity of +seeing the city in the evening. At last, he came to the bridge over +the Clyde, and there the tollman directed us to the Observatory. + +After a long drive, evidently over not a very good road, the driver +stopped, and told us that here was Dr. Nichol's house. He began to +take off our luggage. We insisted upon his inquiring, first, if that +was Dr. Nichol's. He took off our trunk, and would have us go in; we +resisted; and after a while he rang the bell, and the answer was, +"Dr. Nichol lives in the next house." Still higher we had to climb, +and at last stopped at the veritable Observatory, where our friend, +who was expecting us, lived. Nothing could exceed the hospitality +with which we were received. + +Early, one misty, smoky morning, I embarked in one of the famous +little Clyde steamers, and set out on a Highland tour. I had heard +of old Scotia's barren hills, clothed with the purple heather and +the yellow gorse, of her deep glens, of her romantic streams; but +the reality went far beyond the description, or my imagination. The +hills are all bare of trees, but their outline is very beautiful and +infinitely varied. Picture to yourself a ridge of hills or mountains +all purple with the heather, relieved with the silver-gray of the +rocks and with patches of the bright yellow gorse, and all this +harmony of color reflected in the green sea water which runs winding +far in among the hills. As the light changes, these colors are +either brought out more strongly, or mingle into one soft lilac +color, or sometimes a sort of purple-gray. Your eye is enchanted, +and never weary of looking and admiring. I would not have any trees +on the Scotch hills; I would not have them other than they are. If I +were dying I could look at them with joy; they are lovely beyond +words to tell. + +I was on all the most celebrated and beautiful lakes. I was rowed in +an open boat, by two Highland youths, from one end of Loch Katrine +to the other, and through those beautiful, high, heathery, rocky +banks at one end of the lake, called the Trosachs. These exquisite +rocks are adorned, and every crevice fringed and festooned with +harebells, heather, gorse, and here and there beautiful evergreen +trees. We passed by "Ellen's Isle," as it is called, the most +exquisite little island ever formed, a perfect oval, and all covered +with the purple heather, the golden gorse, and all sorts of flowers +and exquisitely beautiful trees. O, what a little paradise it is! A +number of little row-boats, with fine-looking Highland rowers and +gay companies of ladies and gentlemen, were visiting the island as +we passed. They show the oak tree to which they say Ellen fastened +her boat. It was beautiful to see the glancing of the sunlight on +the oars of these boats, and the bright colors of the shawls and +bonnets of the ladies in them, and to witness this homage to nature +and genius which they were paying in their visit to Ellen's Isle. I +was glad to join them, and do reverence too. The heather is usually +not more than two feet high,--sometimes higher, but often shorter; +but on Ellen's Isle it grows to the height of four and five feet. + +Just before we came to Oban, we passed the estate of Lord Heigh, +where we heard the following story. The origin of his name and rank +is this: When King Kenneth ruled in Scotland, he was beaten in a +great battle by the Danes, and his army scattered among the hills, +while the enemy was marching home in triumph. A man in the Scottish +army said that he knew a pass through which the victor must go, +where one man might stop a thousand, and offered himself and his two +sons to defend it. He came to the pass armed only with an ox-yoke, +but made such use of his weapon that the Danes were kept at bay, +till the Scots rallied and cut them to pieces. When Kenneth reached +the pass, he found his brave subject lying in truth quite exhausted. +He raised him up, and inquired his name; the fainting man could only +gasp, "Heigh-ho, heigh!" From that moment he was called the Lord of +Heigh, and the king gave him as much land as an eagle could fly over +without alighting. The family arms are an eagle on the wing over an +ox-yoke. + +At Edinburgh, I went to see the Regalia, which are kept in a small +room in the castle, in which they were found after being buried +there for more than a century. It is a small room, not more than +twelve feet square. On one side is the iron chest in which the +Regalia were found; and in the middle of the room is a marble table, +entirely white, surrounded by an iron grating, on which is the crown +which Robert Bruce had made for himself, the sword of James the +First, the signet ring of Charles the First, and other jewels that +had belonged to some of the Scottish kings. Around these and the +other insignia of their former royalty the lamps are always burning. +This is an altar sacred to Auld Lang Syne. + +I arrived in York at half past two o'clock at night. All was dark in +the city, save the lights in the large station, where we were let +out of our boxes with our luggage. We had contrived occasionally to +lie down on the hard wooden seats, resting our heads on our carpet +bags, and, by a little entreaty, had secured a box to ourselves, so +that we were not quite so weary as we might have been, and were in +good spirits for what was before us, which was to hunt up a lodging +place for the remainder of the night, for all the inns were closed. + +After a while, we got a porter to take the luggage. After some hard +knocking we roused an innkeeper, and by three o'clock we were all in +as good beds as mortals could desire. + +At nine o'clock we breakfasted, and at ten my delighted eyes rested +on the real, living York Minster; the dream of my youth was +realized, and I stood in its majestic presence. I entered; the +service had just begun; the organ was playing, they were chanting. +You could not tell from whence the music came. It was every where; +it enters your soul like a beautiful poetic thought, and you know +not what possesses you. Only your whole soul is full of worship, +peace, and joy. I could hardly keep from falling on my knees. Look +at the fine engravings, and study it all out as well as you can; +still you can form no adequate idea of the effect of those endless +arches, of the exquisite carving in stone, of the flowers, strange +figures, and in short every wild, every grotesque thing that you can +or cannot imagine. Well has it been called a great poem in stone,-- +such grace, such aspiration, such power, such harmony. O, it was +worth crossing the Atlantic, that first impression. + +After the service, I took a guide and went all over this miracle of +beauty and genius, and read the inscriptions and saw the +curiosities. + +During my second stay in Liverpool, my friend took me to Chester, +that wonderful old city, just on the borders of Wales. If you can +imagine the front rooms of the second story of a row of houses taken +out, and in their place a floor put over the lower story and a +ceiling under the upper story, and shops in the back rooms, you will +form some idea of Chester. All the streets, nearly, are made in this +way. The carts and horses go in the narrow streets between the +houses, but foot passengers walk in this curious sort of piazzas, +put into the houses instead of being added to them. The most elegant +shops are here in these back rooms, and you walk for whole long +streets under cover, with the dwellings of the inhabitants over your +heads and under your feet. Often the upper story shelves over the +third, so that you almost wonder why the house does not tumble over. + +A friend, whom I had never seen, did me the honor to invite me to +her hospitable mansion in Manchester. It was indeed a great +privilege to be allowed to make a part of the family circle, and sit +with them by their fireside, and be made to feel at home so far from +one's native land; and this I experienced all the time I was in +England. + +I was prepared for the appearance of Manchester. So I was not +astonished at the number of tall chimneys, nor at the quantity of +smoke that issued from them. And I could quite enter into the +feelings of the friend who told me that nothing was more melancholy +than to see a clear atmosphere over the town; the blacker it looked +the more prosperity was indicated, and the more cause for rejoicing. + +My kind friend took me to one of the great print factories. My +principal wish for going was to see how the factory people looked, +whether they seemed well and happy. I observed them; they were well +dressed, and were cheerful in their appearance. There were a few +children employed, who looked healthy and happy. There was at this +factory a reading room, nicely warmed and perfectly comfortable, +where the workman, by subscribing a penny or two a week, could +obtain the right to spend his leisure hours and see the periodicals +and newspapers. Each one had a vote in deciding what these papers +should be, as they were paid for by the subscription money of the +laborers. The proprietors paid a certain sum towards the support of +the reading room. + +Of course, seeing one prosperous factory and the fortunate workmen +in it, in Manchester, cannot enable one to form any adequate +judgment of the condition of the working people. + +I visited the Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, which appeared to me to +have an admirable teacher. One of his best aids is a young man who +was his pupil. The teacher desired me to ask of this young man the +meaning of some word that had an abstract meaning. I asked him what +he understood by intelligence. He put his hand to his head, and +thought for some time, before he attempted to reply; then he nearly +covered the slate with his definition. He evidently saw the +difference between intelligence and learning or knowledge, but had +to use many words to express his idea; but I thought he had as clear +a thought as any of us. After he had given the best definition he +could, he added, "There is another meaning to the word: it means +news, sometimes." + +There was, at this Asylum, a little girl, about twelve years old, +who was blind, as well as deaf and dumb. She was a very interesting +child from her countenance and manner, apart from her infirmity. Her +face was far more beautiful than Laura Bridgman's; her head good, +but not so fine at present, not so well developed. Her eyes were +closed, and her long, dark lashes rested on her cheeks with a +mournful expression. The teacher was just getting into communication +with her, but had to make many efforts, such as pressing her head, +her heart, and shoulders, as well as her hands. When he tried to +tell her that Laura Bridgman, in America, was in the same state that +she was, and that she had learned a great deal, and had sent her +love to all the deaf and dumb, by a lady who had come to see her, +she raised her head, and looked as if trying to see or hear, and +then put out her hand. I took it, and then told the teacher how Dr. +Howe and others communicated with Laura Bridgman by moving their +fingers, and making certain impressions on the palm of her hand. As +I told him, I imitated the motions with my fingers on the palm of +her hand. She gave one of those peculiar screams which Laura +Bridgman does, at times, when she is excited, and her white face +glowed with pleasure and strong emotion. + +Her teacher told me I had put myself into communication with her; +but my heart ached to think I could do no more. + +In a few moments we left her. She told her teacher to tell me to +give her love to Laura Bridgman, and sat down again upon her little +bench, in the solitude of her perpetual silence and blindness. + +When I had been over the institution, and seen the admirable work of +the inmates, and was about leaving, I had to pass near this lovely +child again. When I was within three or four feet of her, she put +out her hand and took hold of me. It seemed as if she knew me from +the rest of the party, after I had thus by chance spoken to her +imprisoned soul. No one will wonder that I could not keep the tears +out of my eyes. + +I visited another collection of children, who might have been still +more unfortunate than these but for the wise charity of the people +of Manchester. The Swinton Union School is a large, noble building, +in the outskirts of Manchester. The school is a fine looking place, +surrounded by nice gardens and grounds. It can contain one thousand +children; there were then in it six hundred and fifty. They have a +fine, large, well-ventilated school room. They have a large place to +wash themselves, with a sufficient number of separate, fixed basins, +arranged to admit and let off water, a towel and piece of soap for +each child; and they are obliged to wash their faces and hands three +times a day. There are great tanks where they are all bathed twice a +week. + +They have a fine infant school for the little ones, most admirably +managed. The large girls are taught to wash, and iron, and do +housework. The boys are, some of them, taught the tailor's trade, +and some the shoemaker's, and others the baker's. It was a pretty +sight to see the little fellows sitting on their legs, making their +own jackets and trousers, and laughing together, and looking as +happy as boys can look; and just so with the little shoemakers. They +work only four hours, and then another set take their place. The +room was large and airy, and perfectly comfortable. I saw the +clothes they had made, all nicely pressed and put away in their +storerooms, ready for wear. So with the shoes; they mended their old +shoes and their old clothes themselves. + +I saw those of the children who were not at work, at play; for the +school hours were past. I saw their happy faces, their clean, tidy +clothes, and their long rows of nice, clean beds, for I went into +every part of the house, and a beautiful sight it all was. In the +kitchen some girls were making up the bread, and most excellent +bread it was, and a good, large, thick slice there was for every +one. I saw the dining hall, and all that belonged to that part of +the concern, and all was just what it ought to be. + +Now, you must know that these are, all, the children of paupers-- +children who have no earthly parents, children that the public must +take care of, or they would live or die in the streets. All the +different parishes have erected this building, and put in the best +teachers, and furnished it as I have related to you, and there +placed these poor children, who were growing up in vice and misery. +Here they are taught habits of order, industry, and obedience, and +learn a way of supporting themselves honestly, and are kept till +they are old enough to be put apprentice to some good person who +will treat them well. So, instead of six hundred and fifty ignorant, +reckless vagrants, the community receives that number of well- +instructed, well-brought-up individuals, who can support themselves +decently and respectably. + +An English country home, where education, high breeding, easy +circumstances, old trees, room enough, and a merry family circle, +make life beautiful--this had always been one of my dreams of +earthly happiness. All this was realized at Mrs. C--'s, at Chobham, +where I stopped for a visit on my way to London. + +Every day my kind friends devised some little plan for my amusement, +beyond the constant pleasure of the every-day life. One day they +took me to Windsor, which, you know, is one of the queen's country +palaces. We approached it through the famous avenue of elms in the +park. The effect of the castle, seen through that long, long vista, +is very fine. The English elm, though not so graceful as ours, is +more grand and stately, and better for architectural effects. There +were many deer in the park, which added much to its beauty. At last +we were at the castle; it is a fine building, but would be far more +picturesque in ruins than in its present perfect state. We went +first into the chapel; this is exquisitely beautiful. The Gothic +clusters of pillars springing up from the floor rise unbroken to the +roof, and spread out like palm trees. The emblazoned coats of arms +of the knights of the garter hanging all around on the pillars of +the chapel, the beautiful carved ornaments like lace-work, and many +other rare and lovely objects, make the royal chapel very +magnificent. There was a horrible old woman who went screeching +about the room, showing the pictures, &c. She was particularly +apropos in calling us, when she found we were Americans, into a +corner of the chapel to show us the tomb of Lord Harcourt, who is +there represented receiving the sword of some unfortunate American +general, and shrieked out with her cracked voice, "I thought this +might interest you." + +After feasting my eyes long enough upon the chapel, I went into the +castle, and joined one of those batches of human beings which are +driven through the state apartments by the guide. The rooms are +magnificent. One contains a beautiful collection of pictures by +Vandyke. We saw the grand malachite vase, presented to Victoria by +the Emperor of Russia, large enough to hold one or two men. After +seeing the rooms, we ascended the tower, whence is a fine view. We +then walked on the terrace, and went to join the rest of our party, +who had gone before us to the hotel. + +We then went to get a look at the famous Eton school, about a mile +distant. The Eton boys amused me much. They go there very young, and +remain there a long while, till they are ready to enter the +universities. Their dress indicates their advancement in age and +standing. First comes a jacket, then a little suspicion of a tail, +which gradually lengthens and widens as maturity comes on, till, at +last, it is a perfect tail coat. I saw specimens in these various +stages of growth. + +After one of the happiest weeks that ever mortals passed, I said a +reluctant farewell, and departed for London, where more kind +friends, whom I had never seen, were expecting my arrival. I can +now, in my mind's eye, see all the dear family on the steps or in +the hall door, giving us their parting blessing, and the old +comfortable-looking gentlemanly butler arranging my luggage. One of +the dear family accompanied me to the railroad, and saw me fairly on +my way to London. + +In London we again enjoyed the great pleasure of being received like +old friends, not heard there truly divine music. There is no +describing and no forgetting the effect of one of those sublime +religious strains that seem to burst forth from you know not where, +and swell and grow fuller and louder, and then more and more +distant, and fainter and fainter, till you think it dying in the +distance, and then gush out with an overwhelming fulness of harmony +and beauty. One feels as if he would hear such strains at the hour +of death. + +Our next object was St. Paul's. How different! how very different! +In a Gothic building, you think that the artist, who designed it, +had in mind the idea of the solemn forest where the crossing +branches produce all those beautiful lines and forms, which so +delight your eye, and where the dim, mysterious light awakens and +accords with the religious sentiment; but the effect of the great +dome, which suggests the open sky, is entirely opposite. The effect +upon your mind of standing in the middle of St. Paul's is very +impressive; but what moved me most was the sound of the people +without the walls. No one of our party spoke, and the noise of the +busy multitude without was like the waves of the ocean. I had heard +the voice of many waters while coming over the Atlantic, and there +is no exaggeration; it is just such a sound, such an ebbing and +flowing, and yet such a full and constant roar, as the waves make +after continued high winds. It was truly sublime, this concentrated +sound of this living multitude of human beings, these breathings and +heavings of the heart of the mighty monster, London. + +We were shown all over the cathedral; we first ascended to the +inside gallery, and walked around, looking down upon the whole +interior; we then visited the clock, and we heard and felt the +quiver of its tremendous voice. We next entered the famous +whispering gallery, which is made around the base of the dome +inside. The faintest whisper is heard at the point opposite that +whence it comes. Then we went outside, and walked some time around +the dome, gazing about with great delight. Then we ascended to the +Golden Gallery, as it is called from the fact that the balustrade is +gilded. It runs around the top of the dome. From here, you see +London all spread out like a map before you,--its towers, its +spires, all its multitudinous abodes, lie beneath your eye. One +little thing remained. The ball was yet above us. The gentlemen of +our party went up various perpendicular ladders, and at last pulled +themselves through a small hole into the ball. There is room, I +think, there for a dozen people, if well packed, not to stand, walk, +or sit, however; these things the nature of the place forbids. It is +a strange feeling, they say, to crouch in this little apartment and +hear the wind roaring and shaking the golden cross above. The whole +ball shakes somewhat, and by a sudden movement one can produce quite +a perceptible motion. + +We descended the infinity of stairs, and entered the crypt, as it is +called, under the church. There were many grand tombs there. +Nelson's occupies the centre, and is a fine work. But what impressed +me most was the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren himself; a simple +tablet marks his tomb, with this inscription, which is repeated +above in the nave:-- + + Subtus conditur + Hujus Ecclesias et Urbis Conditor, + CHRISTOPHERUS WREN; + Qui vixit annos ultra nonaginta, + Non sibi, sed bono publico. + Lector, si monumentum requiris, + Circumspice. + Obiit 25 Feb. MDCCXXIII., aetat. XCI. + +We subjoin a translation of this inscription for our young +friends:-- + +"Underneath lies buried Christopher Wren, the builder of this church +and city; who lived beyond the age of ninety years, not for himself, +but for the public good.--Reader, if you ask for his monument, look +around you.--He died on the 25th of February, 1723, aged 91." + +He is called the builder of the city, as well as of the church; for +Sir Christopher Wren was the architect of more than fifty of the +churches in London. + +One morning, our friend, Miss S., was kind enough to accompany us to +Greenwich, where, you know, is the Hospital for disabled sailors of +the British navy. The day was warm and lovely, like what we call the +Indian summer in America. We took an omnibus to London Bridge; from +thence we proceeded by railway, and in a few minutes were in +Greenwich. We entered the magnificent old Park, and wandered about +for a long time, to our hearts' content, among the venerable old +trees, admiring the graceful deer that were enjoying themselves all +around us. At last we came to the top of a charming hill, where we +sat down to rest and look at the river. Several of the sailors had +arranged spy glasses of various sizes for the accommodation of +visitors, and for the good to themselves of a few pence. We +patronized one of these, and then descended to the Hospital, which +is the main object of interest. It was just time for the old +sailors' dinner, and we went into one of their dining rooms, where +there were about three hundred seated at an excellent meal, plain, +but wholesome and plentiful. A very pleasant sight it was; they were +chatting, telling good old stories, and laughing merrily, and +evidently enjoying themselves highly. There were, at that time, more +than seven hundred of these veterans in the building. Those who +chose carried their dinners to their rooms. + +The place for the sailors' sleeping rooms was a long hall, with +small rooms on one side and large windows on the other. The rooms +were just large enough for a bed, a bureau, a little table, and, I +think, two chairs. There were shelves around the room, except on the +side that looked into the Hall, where was the door and a window. On +these shelves were ranged little keepsakes, books and various +articles of taste, often beautiful shells; there were hanging up +around the rooms profiles of friends, perhaps the dearest that this +life can give us. I could not help thinking that many a touching +story might be told by those silent but eloquent memorials. We were +much amused with looking at a card put in one of the windows of +these little comfortable state rooms, on which was written these +words: "Anti-poke-your-nose-into-other-folks'-business Society. 5000 +Pounds reward annually to any one who will really mind his own +business; with the prospect of an increase of 100 Pounds, if he +shall abstain from poking his nose into other folks' business." We +returned to London in a steamer. + +Now you must suppose you are walking with me in Paris, on a bright +Sunday morning in spring. We will go first to the Place Vendome. It +is an oblong square with the corners cut off. The buildings are all +of the same beautiful cream-colored stone, and of the same style of +architecture,--a basement story, very pretty and simple, and upper +stories ornamented with Corinthian pilasters and gilded balconies. +There are high, pointed roofs with pretty luthern windows. The Place +is four hundred and twenty feet by four hundred and fifty. Two large +handsome streets, opposite to each other, the Rue de la Paix, and +the Rue Castiglione, open out of the Place; these alone break the +range of handsome buildings that surround this beautiful spot. In +the centre is the magnificent column, made in imitation of the +column of Trajan, and surmounted by a bronze statue of Napoleon in +his military dress. At first he was placed there in his imperial +robes; but when he fell, so did his statue, and it was melted up to +help make an equestrian statue of Henry IV. In 1833, the present +statue was erected; and the people are very proud of the Little +Corporal, as they call him, as he stands up there, looking over +their glorious city, as if born to lead men to conquest, and to +govern the world. Inside the column is a spiral staircase by which +you ascend to the top of the column. You are well paid for the +fatigue of mounting these one hundred and seventy-six steps, when +you get your breath and look down upon Paris glittering in the +sunlight. What pleases me most, however, is the scene immediately +below. All the people are in the streets. Sunday in Paris is a +holiday. Whole families leave work, care,--all their troubles,--and +come into the public places to enjoy themselves. There is no +swearing, no drunkenness, no rudeness, no noise; the old folks seats +themselves in chairs, and the children run about. Some have been to +mass, and some have not, but all are in the spirit of enjoyment. +Nothing can be more enlivening than the aspect of the French people. +You cannot resist their cheerful looks. The appearance of the Place +Vendome is truly enchanting. + +Now let us go down, and take a nearer look at what is going on +below. At the foot of the column you will see a group of children +collected round a man with a large basket of little tin carriages +which are constructed in such a way that they will go with the wind +on a smooth place. For some distance round the column is laid the +asphaltum pavement. These little tin carriages run well across this +wide platform; and you might imagine that the tin horses carried +them. It is a pleasant thing to see the delight of the children, and +a lesson in good nature and good manners, to see how carefully all +the passers by turn aside, so as not to interrupt the progress of +these pretty toys. + +Look up at the beautiful bas reliefs in bronze, on this noble +column, giving the history of so many fierce battles and so much +bloodshed, and at the military hero on the top, and then at these +laughing, merry children at the foot, running after the tin +carriages that go with the wind. Is it not a strange and moving +contrast? Does it not tell a story that all of us hope may be one +day true; when war shall belong only to history, and when peace +shall possess the earth? + +Around the base of this beautiful column many of those who served +under Bonaparte, or who remember him with affection, hang wreaths +and garlands as expressions of their tender remembrance. This is +still done; these memorials are ever there. At one time this was +forbidden by the government, but to no purpose. At last, an officer +was stationed at the foot of the column with a water engine, and +with orders to play it upon any one who should bring any votive +offerings to the fallen hero. A lady, whose love and admiration +could not be so intimidated, came the next day in her carriage, +which she filled with wreaths of flowers, and stood up in it, and +threw wreath after wreath at the foot of the column, crying out, as +each one fell, "Will you play your engine upon me?" But not a drop +of water was sent at her, and she deposited all her offerings, and +went away unharmed. I suppose a Frenchman would sooner have been +shot than have done any thing to quench the enthusiasm of this +heroic woman. + +One thing struck me much in Paris, and most agreeably, and that is +the good appearance of the children. This is not confined to the +rich; you will see a very poor woman leading her child, really well +dressed. You never see boys idling in the streets; you never hear +them swearing and quarrelling. If you ask a boy to show you the way, +his manner of doing it would grace a drawing room. I am told that +the French are never severe with their children; that the French +nature will not bear it; that strong excitement makes the children +ill; that the law of love is the only one they will bear. + +Stop with me now on our walk, at this little low cart, just by the +sidewalk; it is as you see larger than a common handcart, and much +lower, and on four small wheels; it is full of china, all marked 13 +sous. See how pretty these cups and saucers are. After your looking +at all the pieces, the owner would say, "Bon jour" very kindly to +you, if you took nothing, but we will take this pretty cup and +saucer; as a remembrance of his little cart. As we walk along, we +shall see many others, containing every thing you can imagine. + +I bought many things in the streets,--combs, saucepans, clothes- +brushes, &c. Look into this shop window; see these lovely flowers, +and, in the midst of them, a small fountain is playing all the time +to keep them fresh. Look at those immense bunches in the windows,-- +of pansies, violets, hyacinths of all colors, ixias, wall flowers, +tulips, geraniums, narcissus; and O, this is not half the variety of +flowers! look into the shop; there are bushels of them and other +flowers, all ranged round the wall; the perfume salutes the most +insensible passer-by; it tells of the songs of birds, and of the +delights of summer time. You cannot resist its influence. Let us go +in and look at the flowers. The person who keeps the shop has the +manners of a lady; she wishes you good morning; and, if you do not +behave just as you would if you entered a lady's parlor, you are set +down as an American or Englishman, who does not know how to behave. +When you leave the shop also, you must remember to say, "Bon jour," +or you commit an offence. How kindly the lady who keeps this flower +shop shows us all her flowers! how she seems to love them, as if +they were her children! We must get a bouquet to show our gratitude +for her kindness, though she would not demand it. At every street +corner is a woman with a basket of violets and evergreens. She +offers them in such a pretty way, taking care that you shall take +their perfume. You cannot resist them. + +Now, suppose we were taking a walk, some other morning. Before us is +the "Place de la Concorde," all glistening in the spring sunlight. +See, there, in the centre, is the Obelisk--a monument of the time of +Sesostris, King of Egypt, erected by him before the great temple of +Thebes more than three thousand years ago, or fifteen hundred and +fifty years before Christ. This enormous stone, all of one piece, +seventy-two feet high, seven feet and a half square at the base, of +red granite, and covered with hieroglyphic inscriptions, was given +to the French government by the Viceroy of Egypt, in consideration +of an armed and naval establishment which that government had helped +him to form at Alexandria. Eight hundred men struggled for three +months in Egypt, in the midst of all manner of hardships, building a +road and constructing machinery to drag the obelisk, completely +cased in wood, down to the Nile. It cost two millions of francs to +place this monument where it now stands. This was done with great +pomp and ceremony in October, 1836, the royal family and about a +hundred and fifty thousand other people looking on. + +Now try to place yourself in imagination at the foot of this great +Obelisk of Luxor, mounted up as it is upon a single block of gray +granite of France, covered all over with gilded engraving of the +machinery used in placing the great thing where it is. The Place de +la Concorde itself, which surrounds you, is eight sided; and if the +excavations around it were filled with water, it would be an island, +seven hundred feet or so across, and connected with the main land by +four elegant little bridges. But instead of water, these "diggings" +are beautifully filled with flower gardens. At the eight corners of +the island are eight pavilions, as they are called; or great watch +houses, of elegant architecture, occupied by the military or the +police, as occasion requires. Each of these forms the base of a +gigantic statue, representing one of the principal cities of France. +It is as if the whole eight were sitting in friendly council for the +good of Paris. How beautiful they are, with their grand +expressionless faces, and their graceful attitudes, and their simple +antique drapery. They are all sitting in their mural crowns,--the +fortified cities on cannons, the commercial ones on bales of goods. +Strasburg alone seems full of life. She has her arm akimbo, as if +braving Germany, to which she once belonged. Look, north from the +Obelisk, up the Rue de la Concorde, and the splendid church of the +Madeleine bounds your sight. On your right are the Gardens of the +Tuilleries; on your left are the Champs Elysees; behind you is the +Chamber of Deputies. Both before and behind you, in the Place +itself, you have a splendid fountain, each being a round basin, +fifty feet in diameter, in which stands a smaller basin, with a +still smaller above it, supported and surrounded by bronze figures +of rivers, seas, genii of fruits, flowers, and fisheries, and all +manner of gods of commerce and navigation, all spouting water like +mad. + +See the famous marble horses from Marly. How impatient they look to +break away from the athletic arm which holds them! what life and +spirit they show! how beautiful they are! Take one look now at the +Arc de Triomphe; it is nearly two miles off, but looks very near. +Now turn; and directly opposite, at some distance, you see what +James Lowell calls the "Front door of the Tuilleries." + +The gardens are full of beautiful children. Their mothers or nurses +are sitting under the trees, while the children run about at will. +There are thousands playing at ball, driving hoops, jumping ropes, +shouting, laughing, merry as children will be and ought to be. + +Let us take a stroll in the Champs Elysees. You have never seen any +thing so beautiful, so captivating, as the scene. It seems like +enchantment. All the world is here--young and old, poor and rich, +fashionable and unfashionable. All for their amusement. Let us see +what this group are looking at so earnestly. A number of wooden +ponies are wheeled round and round, and each has a rosy-cheeked boy +upon it. Here is another in which they go in boats; another in +chairs. This amusement costs only two or three sous apiece to the +children. The parents or the nurses stand around enjoying it almost +as much as the children. Let us walk on. See that little fountain +gleaming through the tender green of the young leaves as you see +them in the pretty wood that forms a background to the picture. All +along in the road you observe fine equipages of all sorts standing +in waiting, while the gay world, or the poor invalids whom they +brought to this place of enchantment, are walking about or sitting +in chairs, courting health and amusement. Here is something still +prettier than any thing you have seen--a beautiful little carriage +that can hold four children and a driver, drawn by four white goats, +with black horns and beards. + +The French are peculiarly kind to animals. No law is necessary in +France for the protection of animals from the cruelty of their +masters. You meet men and women, very respectably dressed, leading +dogs with the greatest care; and in the fashionable drives, every +tenth carriage (it seemed to me) had a dog lying on the seat, or +standing on his hind legs, looking out of the window. A friend told +me that, when present at a grand review where there was a great +crowd, she saw a woman, who could not get near enough to see the +show, hold up her dog over the heads of the people, that he might at +least have the pleasure of seeing what was going on. + +I must tell you about the ceremony of making an archbishop, which we +had the good fortune to witness. It took place at Notre Dame. + +The nave of the church was full. Around the altar, all the priests +and dignitaries of the church were seated; the officiating +archbishop in a high seat, and an empty chair by his side for the +new archbishop when finished and prepared for the honor. All the +priests were in full dress. Their garments were stiff with gold and +silver. My eyes were dazzled with their splendor. + +Perfect silence prevailed, and the ceremony commenced. The priest, +who was to be made into a bishop, had all sorts of things done to +him. He knelt, he prayed, he was prayed over, he was read to, he had +hands laid upon him, he was crossed; incense was thrown up, the +organ played, and all the priests and bishops knelt and rose from +their knees, and knelt and rose again, and again; high mass was +said, and the show was very remarkable. + +Once the poor mortal, who was to be consecrated, knelt, and a large +book was put upon him, like a saddle. Finally they took him and tied +napkins upon his arms and his neck, and then led him to a knot of +priests a little out of my sight. In a few moments, he reappeared +with all his canonicals on, except the mitre. Now he was brilliant +indeed, loaded with gold ornaments, stiff with splendor. His face, I +noticed, was very red, and he looked weary. I did not quite +understand the tumbled towels; whether these were to catch the +consecrating oil that they poured on his head, or whether they were +emblematic of the filthy rags of this world, which he laid aside for +the new and shining garments of perfect holiness, I could not find +out. Now the new archbishop knelt again before the old archbishop, +and the old one put the mitre upon the head of the new one. Then the +old archbishop embraced and kissed the new, and after that all the +other bishops, who, as the French say, assisted at the ceremony, +performed the same act on both sides of his face. After this, the +new archbishop and his holy brother walked side by side, followed by +all the other bishops and priests, down from the altar among the +audience; and the new dignitary gave his blessing to all the people. + +I wish I could carry you with me to the palace at Versailles. The +magnificent equestrian statue of Louis XIV., which you can see afar +off as you approach, the noble statues in the grand court yard, and +the ancient regal aspect of the whole scene, with its countless +fountains and its seven miles of pictures, are beyond all +description. As I stood lost in wonder and admiration, my friend, +who introduced me to this world of wonders, pointed to a window in +one corner of the building; there, she said, Louis XVI. passed much +of his time making locks; and there, from that balcony, Marie +Antoinette appeared with her children and the king, when she +addressed the wild, enraged Parisian mob. We saw the private +apartments of the unhappy queen, and the small door through which +she escaped from the fury of the soldiers. We went to see the little +Trianon which she had built for her amusement; a lovely place it is. +Here she tried to put aside state and the queen, and be a happy +human being. + +Here Marie Antoinette had a laiterie, a milk house, where she is +said to have made butter and cheese. Here she caused to be built +twelve cottages after the Swiss fashion, and filled them with poor +families whom she tried to make happy. + +We went into her dairy. It was fit for a queen to make butter in. In +the centre of the beautifully shaped room was a large oblong, white +marble table; on each side were places for admitting the water, and +under them beautiful marble reservoirs in the shape of shells, and, +underneath, large slabs of white marble. All is still, all so +chaste, so beautiful, all as it once was, and she, the poor +sufferer, what a story of blighted hope and bitter sorrow! See her +the night before her trial, which she knew would end in death, +mending her own old shoes, that she might appear more decently. The +solemn realities of life had come to her unsought. + +I left Paris and travelled through Belgium to Cologne. The day I +arrived was some holiday; so there was grand mass in the cathedral, +and such music!--the immense building was filled with the sound. The +full organ was played, and some of the priest singers took part. +Never did music so overcome me. The sublime piece,--as I thought of +Beethoven's, surely of some great composer,--performed in this +glorious old cathedral, was beyond all that I had ever dreamt of. It +seems to me that I might think of it again in my dying hour with +delight. I felt as if it created a new soul in me. Such gushes of +sweet sound, such joyful fulness of melody, such tender breathings +of hope, and love, and peace, and then such floods of harmony +filling all those sublime arches, ascending to the far distant roof +and running along through the dim aisles--O, one must hear, to have +an idea of the effect of such music in such a place. + +At Bonn we took the steamer; the day was perfect, and our pleasure +was full. You must see one of these fine old castles on the top of +the beautiful hills--you must yourself see the blue sky through its +ruined arches--you must see the vines covering every inch of the +mountain that is not solid rock, and witness the lovely effect of +the gray rock mingling with the tender green--you must hear the wild +legend of the owner of the castle in his day of power, and feel the +passage of time and civilization that has changed his fastness of +strength and rapine to a beautiful adornment of this scene of peace +and plenty, its glories all humbled, its terrors all passed away, +and its great and only value the part it plays in a picture, and the +lesson it preaches, in its decay, of the progress of justice and +humanity. + +From Coblentz to Bingen is the glory of the Rhine scenery; old +castles looking down over these lovely hills covered with vines and +cornfields; little villages nestled in between them; beautiful +spires of the prettiest churches you can imagine, looking as if they +gathered the houses of the villages under their protecting wings. +Your soul, in short, is full of unutterable delight. It was a sort +of relief to laugh at the legend as we passed the little island on +which is the Mouse Tower, so named from the history of Bishop Hatto, +who it is said was eaten up by rats because he refused corn in a +time of scarcity to the starving poor, when he had a plenty rotting +in his storehouses. + +When I was obliged at last to turn away from all these glories, the +words of Byron were in my heart:-- + + * * * * * + + Adieu to thee again; a vain adieu; + There can be no farewell to scenes like thine. + The mind is colored by thy every hue, + And if reluctantly the eyes resign + Their cherished gaze upon thee, lovely Rhine, + 'Tis with the thankful glance of parting praise. + More mighty spots may rise, more glaring shine, + But none unite in one attracting maze + The brilliant, fair, and soft, the glories of old days, + The negligently grand, the fruitful bloom + Of summer ripeness, the white cities' sheen, + The rolling stream, the precipice's gloom, + The forest's growth, and Gothic walls between + The wild rocks shaped as they had turrets been, + In mockery of man's art." + + + + +End Project Gutenberg Etext of Travellers' Stories, by Eliza Lee Follen + |