The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-09-09 00:00:00

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.
i SAUNTER A13057T W-EYMOUTEI AND ITS

ENVIitOVEL

There are few watering plates bathe west, or south
west of England that present Many objects of attrac-
tion, apart front the *u-shere, where the Wild sad
wave is ishiapering eter of the toil it undergoes, and
where the saunterer Ilea stretched upon the shingle, and
playa " ducks and drakea" with persevering industry,
carmg little for the outward insignificance of his occu-
pation, but Weymouth takes a long stride beyond its
more rural brotherhood of bricks and mortar, and
stands the head and chief watering-place on the coast.
The stranger on entering Weyinouth, and taking attend
about Victoria Terrux, or say, on the step. of that
splendid hotel, the pardon, whereat capital accommo-
dation for "man and beast 4 forms a promineqb feature
in its character and views the noble stretch of buildings
in their crescent-like form, with irregularity sufficient
only to relieve the scene of sameness, will agree with
us that the work of man's band has laid hold of natural
advent-ages, and done its work well. The buildings,
from Hght to left, are an imposing artificial adjunct to
one of the finest bays in the world, and we question
whether there is a more magnificent walk in Europe
than the esplanade. When once upon it, from the
east point, where buildings have ceased for a time to
grow, to the admirably finished pier, you have only to
set your legs going—and walking seems mechanically
done, with no inconvenience. What an opportunity
for the display of crinoline and knowing little lists with
such bright Sowers I and are not these fancy require-
ments, and high-heeled little hoots, In great force at
certain hours. Yet we will be honest, and confess that
the esplanade dress (though of course it contains several
classifications) is very modestly brought out, or up,
just as if it was intended to show a pleasant deference
to present taste, nit to point a ridiculous moral. A._
few little things struck us as nuisances, easily abated.
One was, people would not keep their right aide of the
way in sauntering along this esplanade; we were always
tumbling against, or into one another, quite with a
shook, and an alarm ; and again, the wheeled chairs
obtruded Into the centre of the walls, and seemed bent
on scattering the pleasant pairs and chatterers, right
and left, with eniasing impudence. Then there were
the perambulators, filled with those blessings belonging
tea social party on a seat don by, who of course had
something to say, either to enforce discipline, or ad-
monish Mary, the smart nurse in, charge—so smart and,
so red, what with managing that hoop of her own and
that hoop of Master Tommy, that if you got in her
way you were sure of something sharp, and short.
dropping after you. Then the goat carts I Yea, every-
thing fancifully locomotive seemed on a social equality
on the esplanade, and to assume upon it, we fancied,
there was a sort of individual irresponsibility in these,
arrangements, which, if converted by the authorities
Into responsibility, would work well. The evening
music was a great attraction; the note, floating woes
the tranquil bay, made of it a sea of harmony, as if the
waters were revelling, from some cause only known to
themselves, in pleasant cadence, or in • remarkably
pleasanttconoert. Trade seemed remarkably brisk as we
sauntered about the streets, and we will take this oppor-
tunity of saying, that the tradespeople possessed a very
1 intelligent cast of countenance ; isideedi everybody ap-
peared to thrive; and the bathinginmehines—the light,
airy look o( consequence they anstimed—was most
instructive. Nobody yawns in,therr society, and an we
did not see any other local celebrities in their political
costumes, we must be content to believe they are • good
specimen of the way in which tact can turn airy intelli-
gence to good account. What • pitch, too, photography
has come to at Weymouth. Stu% e run , tiler
.carte de
1144. Cs as inter was. It mutt 'boa thriving trade. It
is not so easy to get a livelihood out of the senses of
human life, but hundreds roll in their carriages and
enjoy good living every day, in cleverly tickling the
vanities, or catering for the vices of others. A mute
inglorious truth. As well write a romance on a kidney
pudding or a fluke potate, as waste sentiment about
ii. Well, we will saunter out of the town, and go on
board the little steanier that plies between Weymouth
and Portland. The 'Wind, 'fbr a wonder, has set in to
blow bard from east, eciutkreaat, or smith-eget and by
east, and the white wives are rolling over the hay, in
irregular lines of white foam, raft as we have seen in
odd sea piotnrea, but sever in reality before. This
wind iumakei up a :little swell, and the little boat
. careered over and (dant ;.and'to ow amusement, emus-
, twain.a essamedstrange hues, and ioternal disarrange-
usent gave palpable (not palatable) evidence of ita
whereabouts. Portland
,thould, unquestionably, be
regarded with great interest by Englishmen. In regard
to its stone quarries no one can understand the fertile
nature and extraordinary oharacteristics of the same
unless he has seen them. These quarries appear to be
as exhaustless as the sea itself, and they have yielded
the material wherewith the wonderful breakwater has
been mainly oonstrusted, and that of itself takes one's
breath swayfrom sheer admiration and wonder asone game
at it. But not for this elumht Portland be an object of
engrossing interest to Ziaglialmjen. Nor far the mut-
ton, and the Is. a pound, which 111 ,a small affaurdity,
nor because he finds a thriving bugling community,
and villages, and roads, andllirms,andaingelaisamery,
and a castiellicei residence; ind'lrMittihr R&M?" nook-
out" as our guide informed im,after the Picts and Scots,
or it may have been the Danes in Canute's time—but
because (we liketriginal ideas),tbere is a practical Morel.
lesson to he learnt ill Porthind. scarcely tube met with
elsewhere. ,A leswan.4 thought, a reflection, which if
ltdrops depp, Aeltai , ink.* human mind, and holds
fast to its intelligence, may prove a Baying hand, a
saviour warning. ' Station yourself in your carriage,
Ice, and at case. the sun shining brightly, arid the soft
elr whispering liberty and peace, and halt in the high
'road approaching the convict establishment. The hour
Is just before one o'clock. Rini you see a string of
smart looking men troop by, pipe in mouth, uniform
blue, and a brew crown on miller of **ie. In their
faces, however, is a look of roughness, of suppressed
pain, of hard-done duty, net suristibir or independent
esactly—at all events, we made a little sad romance
between occupation and inclination out, of it, but have
not come to the moral yet.- , Gime on ;way eastward,
• dark human lino ascends,' he 'hilliinen they are,
marching in fours, keeping decent step. con; en I the
human flood peers on, some thirteen, handered men,
"self-bound;" and by the outraged leas 'bound' to this
galling chain. Some, hardened its the reek they fight
to enslaves from its grasp to itai parent rook,low-browed,
fierce,remorselesa, raglans a would-be murderer—there,
if face soya ought of character; and there —a sad,lone
soul, and and dispirited, the hackbooe 01 his life
broken through torn, uochecked impulse of passion, his
head low bent, grief slid shame gnawing at ithe core of
his better nature' (the cool of him), that nature quiver-
ing from memory of the fresh green life of innocent
youth; mods rays of virtue left, a criminal, a felon, but
penitent. Gled have mercy on him beyond atateimerey.
' And all of us outside the prison walls, date we say, had
we our desserts, if some email matters ishieh soon grow
into large, that were not found out, had been found
.out, we should be where we ant? Oa th&zeftectlon we
think of home, the prattling innocent, ready withits
smile, the neighbour with open hand to . welcome, the
graces of social life to add their eliar,ro, and we are free
1., avail ouraelves of thete well-known bletainga.
,illay
he net See, that whiting' [elan, In the -solitude of his
cell, think also of the *ld familiar, bine/Rags, the lisping
'child frem which his mike bar torn him, the friendly
grasp, the social affeetione—that part of our heart, our
Beninnente, our tuner life of being—aye, the charm of
treadimi free the 014, feather flagstones; and he must
shut ' ht.'. vision in the day to theta scenes, no longer,
living to him, no loom belonging in actual eriatence to
his memory—worse tn A ghost to the nervous sufferer.
' All this haunts him 'till, and shall We not take warn-
ing in all modesty efiheartasid - tlineght 1 , Yes, gaze
'again, if you are tome to this natural and honest tarn of
thought. Said not at him ,valto was, perhaps, a moiler.
Frown not out in your pride false security at him
Who was and, ia the fen. have mercy on you if
you do so. 13etterthank your that some good infla-
med, a Mother's prayer perohinoe—the virtue of which
434
you have taken little mental . not+-14 mercifully
deterrbd you'ficitii turning Ault- natertl heal' 'id ' error
to crime, • that that error had not graven Am brime.
Pray to God, as you still gase On tbet ltvingepenteete of
lawfuldeeerts, of uncheaked panda j end'. -desire that '
you may 'matinee to be honest, in.erderthat when you
think yourself most acme you may not be drawn from
your security, and ultimately find yourself Om wrong
aide of those dreadfilwalls. Scores of nil who have the
. hard word for these wretched felons, if found out in Use
natural depravity of our 'own' lives, would not be fat
frem being amossietes with them, we may be assured. No
lesson in this eight—in these reflections I Yes,,Y*ll
"Sermon, in stones, and good in everftbfeg." ,In '
Portland, stones verily preach sermons, 'every huge,
block aroakii of opportunities lost, of nature defiled,ani,
WWI of grid said sorrow over theta. Sweat of ,
brow, and hascrt of agony, testify a solemn warning. An
Egyptians of old placed • death's head in presence of
asevivial life, to warts it of its fate, so may a gess lute
shcanomat establialiment at Portland impress upon
hearts prone to sin, (and where are they which are not?)
a weaning as to the 'means to avoid a more familiar
mamaintance with its precincts, and its punishments,
The Breakwater, too, must be seen to be al pre-
elated. It is a wonderful work so far, testi-
fying to the perfection of mechaniesl appliances
of the present age. No antecedent age ever
could have grappled successfully with this work as it.
stands now. In ages to come, whets, if kingdoms, lital .
human nature, have their Spring and Bummer
,'
Autumn, and decay follows as a 1114,4111 setiocnoe, we
may fancy the effete and woni-Out, generation of that
time gazing upon this work, and belisiing that giants
must have lived in the days of its creation. However,
for the present although the breakwater exists, and
does itduty well, we own to , long tease such a worts
thoroughly completed. Portland will eventually be a-,
place of note—a large ahipholding, shipbuilding, or sk,
least, ship repairing port. She muet pave her docks..
' her deeds for coal, Sac. She must hare, her railway tic
, the mainland; her telegaaph--(ake has her Telegram,)—.
Pre lathe event of war what goodjwill the breakwater be;
what will Portland do with disabled vessels And the
ace? In fact, both' Weymontit and Portland mud ,
1. undergo a considerable ran:4lll,lton before many year', -
ti eonseluence of the greet faellities afforded to the+
mereantda marlin of the weld through the work we ,
have spoken of. That the former will beoomo • wins
, raercial port of considerable consequence, we are quite
rtore, and th, latter will be estimated hymns cleverer ,
'ment far-seeing, enough to be alive to the practical, In ,
'a way which will place it foremost amongst harbour,
of refuge and defence, or which we are not too
femme in old England. Now to the Chesil Beach—the
pebble beaoh, which asefiste,' with the breakwater, to
eimose landlock the alapi'sof• waters which late the) .
• shares for many miles. The singular isolation of this•
beach frOm the land naturally fiat strikes the mind,
o estranges the hulled, were " Whoa on earth is it l,
' ow extraordinary I" And an after acquaintance with.
I °optima the feelings we speak a. The rough and
' rugged there to the south is a singular feature ist.
•itegSalk scenery, reminding one a good deal of a certain
'port of (Astra M Portugal. Indeed, the whole of Port-
land has • foreign look About It; the scenery, the
villages, the people so well-mannered and quiet, trans.
port one (don't ase the word in • convict sense, pray,
miler) to the more primitive and natural mode of
Fdis,d A natural 'pie* amide's the din and bustle to the.
, eof the water, abash through force of contrast hal&
• considerable chugs. Time and spage warn us to b.L
our saunter to an ,ond, ~although we ootild have sauf,__bii
page Or 110 about attractive volute 4% Oartlll within
. our kin i however, it must not be so sed Ire were
overpowered by the beauties of smaerY slant Wey-
mouth. Far from it, if its naighbourhodd hid the
, valleys el the ASO, or the Teign, it 'Mild be be-
iiial ail, .-.4.r,

c.

;./,•LU iS

witching; but mit has not, it is nevertheless very plea-
rant, and faking. local advantages into consideration,
the civility of ydur lodging-house keeper., of yonr
landlorda, and- thee@ belonging to their admirably ap-
pointed coffee-room a„ ban, or bathing machine, you
may saunter about Weymouth end its environs far a
fortnight, feeling very little tedium or ennui, and
less cliaposbd to grumble than a stranger *ay tnippnee,
atipposing lihn to be a thotough-going Englishinall.'