The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-05-04
MISC ELL A N e O u S &.
From the N. Y. Evangelist.
LETTERS FROM DIR. BEMAN.

me, as an invalid, and who had received, as he
said, a special CHARGE from the agent ia New
York to take good care of me, saw me securely
seated on the box, before he left me- and we were,
in moment, under full speed for the great me-
tropolis Coach travelling is much finer in Eng
land than in any other part of the. world. Every
thing is nearly perfect in its kind. The roads are
smooth and hard and the horses not large, nor We
ry remarkable fortheirelegance, but generally well
made and fleet; and it is never necessary TO take
minute observation of objects at rest, in order to
ascertain whether the coach is in motion, or not.
| Ten miles, per hour is the usual speed And,
then, there are no delays on the road One min
ute is enough TO discharge one team, and take an
other, In all the changes which take place, there
is an entire freedom from that furious and hmri-
cane manner which is very annoying to quiet
traveller. | know not what truth and justice may
require me to record hereafter, but so far as my
trip to London is concerned, can say, that wit
messed none of that important staggering, none Of
these low and limping attempts at wit, nothing Of
that downright profane and broad vulgarity, which,
am sorry to say, characterize too many OF the
public conveyances of our own country.
NY observations on the country may be COM
pressed into few particulars. The road from
Portsmouth to London does, by no means, pass
through the most picturesque or productive part of
England; but still the country, especially to
stranger, is not without its interest. The fields
though at the commencement of February, were
clothed in the most beautiful and perfect verdure.
The wheat fields, especially, were very attractive.
The grain is planted, by machine, in drills of
about four inches apart, and the young and tender
blades appeared as uniform and even as if every
seed had been deposited by hand. The cattle and
sheep were grazing, at large, upon the heaths and
commons-the former not remarkable for size or
beauty, certainly not superior to those which are
ordinarily met with in our own country, but the
latter were peculiarly fine. Those which feed up
on what are called the south downs, furnish the
tenderest and the finest favored mutton in Eng
land Whether it is owing to the particular kind
of sheep or to some peculiar quality in their food,
am not able to say. 1t is not improbable, how
ever, that it is to be attributed to the last named
cause. The farms are in a state of high cutva-
ton, and the farm-houses present perfect picture
of neatness and economy. Every thing appears
to occupy its own appropriate place, aud nothing
is thrown away, or wasted The large estates of
wealthy gentlemen, and of the nobility few of
which are SEEM here and there, upon this road,
present picture Of elegance and grandeur. 10
a native Of America, who has never before been in
Europe, they have many attractions, and not the
least among these is their novelty. He cannot
have seen anything of the kind before. The state
" mansion, the pleasant grounds, the forests, the
artificial ponds and fountains, the gravel walks,
the lawns, the landscape gardens, all in a style
peculiar to an old and highly cultivated country
and while they speak, in no equivoca terms, of
proud and lordly aristocracy, yet, viewed as the
combined productions of nature and art, they will
be looked at, and admired even by a plain repub-
lican. could not envy the taste Of that man, who
is not moved and delighted by the combinations
Of finished elegance, and venerable antiquity,
which are thrown around them. Among others,
we passed the seat of the Duchess of Kent, the
mother of the present Queen of England. TWAS
formerly the residence of Prince Leopold, now
King Of Belgium. We passed by one ancient and
venerable ruin, during the day, the remains of a
Roman Catholic Chapel, said TO have been erected
more than 800 years ago. Its Wondering col
ulnns, and half demolished walls read, TO the pass
ing traveller, a grave and thrilling lecture upon
the mutability of things. Man and his proudest
monuments of art, must soon decay. The memo
nv of both will be blotted out, so that the places
thatsnow know them, shall know them no more.
The country between Portsmouth and London
abounds with that kind of commons, called heahs,
covered with plant of the same name, which
makes very fine appearance when crowned with
its multitude of CAV and brilliant flowers. One
of these commons, called Black Heath, is more es-
peciay worthy of notice. 1t is vast in extent,
broken and rugged in It's surface, and clothed as
it is in its dark brown mantle, presents wild and
romantic appearance In the sandy heights of
this heath, there is a gulf or chasm around which
the road winds, in fearful nearness to the brink,
called THE DEVILS PUNCH Bowl" 1t is circu
lar at the upper end, near the public highway, and,
in its form resembles bowl, while, at the lower
end there is a narrower channel, furnishing an out
let for the water which, in rainy weather, must
accumulate in great quantities, at this particular
point. The chasm, like its name, is terrific How
it came by its cognomen, am not informed. That
it resembles bowl of most enormous dimensions,
a single glance of the eye can tell but whether it
was called the Deuel'S Punch Bo1vl, because some
one has secretly discovered, that satan is fond of
"he good creature" in this particular FORM or be-
cause it is large enough to satisfy the thirst even
of such being if he were a topper, or because it
has been shrewdy conjectured that large potations
of the beverage are necessary, in order to retain
the allegiance of his devoted subjects, shall sub
nit to the curious in such matters to decide At
all hazards, the appropriation Of the name, plain
Iy indicates, that the Punch Borcl belongs some
how, to the fraternity; and the amazing capaci-
ty of this particular vessel that large supplies are
necessary in carrvinn IN and nerfpctinu the