The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1845-07-25
From the Ne,g York Eyentng Mirror.
wILLIs's LETTERS FROM LONDON
LONDON. JULY l. 1915


We were off from Liverpool at precisely.
The distance from Liverpool to London is, be-
lieve, 220 miles, and we did it in FIVE hours-an
acceleration of speed which is lately introduced
upon the English railways. There are slower
trains on the same route, and the price by these,
is less There also three or four different
kinds of each train, and at different prices |
CHANGED to light upon the first class, and paid G5
for two places-my nurse and child counting as
one. understand, since, that many gentlemen and
ladies OF the most respectable rank take the second
class cars-(as few Americans would, | am sorry
to say, though there would be two degrees still
below them.)
This travelling at forty odd miles the hour gives
ones eyes hardly time to know tree from cow,
but here and there got distant view in crossing
a valley, and recognized the lovely rural beauty
of England, the first impression of which lasts
one, like an enchanted memory, through life.
Notwithstanding the great speed, the cars run so
evenly on their admirable rails, that there was no
jar to prevent ones sleeping being comfortable,
and l awoke from very pleasant dream to find
myself in London.
1t is extraordinary how little the English
change Regent street, after four or five years,
is exactly what Regent street acdS. The men
have the same tight cravats coats TOO small, over
brushed whiskers, and look of being excessively
wash'd. The carriages and horses exactly the
The cheap shops have the same placard
of g SELLING OFF" in their broad windows.
The blind beggars tell the same story, and are
led by the same dogs; but what is stranger than
all this sameness, is that the ladies look the same!
The fashions have perhaps changed-in the mil
liners shops. But the Englishing that is done
to French bonnets after they are bought Or the
English way in which they worn, overpowers
the novelty, and gives the fair occupants of the
splendid carriages Of London the very same look
they had ten years ago.
Still, there are some slight differences observa-
BILE In the street, and among others, observe that
the economical private carriage called " Brough-
am, is very common. These are low cabs hold
ing two or four persons, with driver, and per-
haps footman in livery the outside seat and
one horse seems to do the work as well as two
This fashion would be well, introduced into New
York-that is to say, if our city is ever to be well
enough paved to make drive anything but dire
necessity.
The paving of London is really most admirable.
Vast city as it is, the streets are as smooth as
floor all over it, and to ride is indeed luxury
The break-neck, hat jamming and dislocating
jolts ofBroadway must seem to English judgment
an ineXcusable stain on our public spirit. And
dprOp0S Of paving-the wooden pavement seems
to be entirely out of favor. Regent street is laid
in wooden blocks, and in wet weather land it rains
here some part of every day. it is so slippery that
an omnibus which has been stopped in going ND
street. Is WIN ulllculIy started again. / he horses
almost always come to their knees, though the
ascent is very slight and the falls of cart and car
riage horses are occurring continually Nothing
seems to " do' like the McAdam pavement, and
wherever you find ii in London, you find it in as
perfect order as the floor of bowling alley |
see that all heavy vehicles (by the way) are com
PEELED to have very broad wheels, and they rather
improve the road than spoil it. A law to the
same effect should be passed in New York. il it
ever has pavement worth preserving.
Observing Lady Bessingtons faultless equip
age standing at the door of Cosmorama, | went
in and saw her Ladyship for a moment. She said
she was suffering from recent illness, but thought
her looking far better than when was in Eng
land. Her two beautiful nieces were with her,
and Lord --; and the celebrated Vidocq THAT
was what they had come to see,) was showing
them the DISCUSSES he had worn in his wonderful
detection OF criminals, the weapons he had taken
from them, and all the curiosities of his career
himself the greatest looked at the Prince of
Policemen with no little interest of course after
reading his singular memoirs. Heis fat man.
very like the outline of Louis Phllippe's figure
and his head, enormously developed in the per-
ceptive organs, goes up so small to the top, as to
resemble pear with which the King OF the
French is commonly caricaured Vidoco's bow
TO me when came in was the model of elegant
and respectable suavity, but | could not repress
feeling OF repugnance to him, nevertheless.
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