Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-17
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
FURTHER EXTRACTS FROM THE FAMILY LET
TIERS OF AN AMERICAN LADY IN EUROPE.

scarcely believe my senses, but they assure me
that awake, and at last in DEAR dim rainy superb
London Not until steamed into the grand Easton
station did from the belief that il all
dream We found ourselves, at o'clock, in the well
cushioned railway carriages which, you know hold six
persons and quite comfortable enough for Sleep should
any nsensibe being feel SO inclined but far from fed
the drowsy god. was in continued state of delight
with the novelty and the exquisite country There is
thing bold but the land is unduatng that is through the
much libelled region traversed and by the way,
think that WILLIS mistakes in saying that from the speed
of English the scenery like piece of green silk
unrong for the motion is very smooth that one can
look at the passing viewswith entire satisfaction
ries of the infinitely cabinet pic
lures rush upon you mile after me the finest hair pen
Gil have been at work instead of ploughs and
hoes don't believe that has any thing TO do with
it, it is all by fairy fingers and really in the whole dis
lance did not fifty people in the fields Nature seems
to do every thing Oh the hedges the grain, the enc
raid tinted slopes fences; the green banks the
thatched cottages tiny and picturesque the wooded
hills the numberess churches with ivied tower the old
looking hamlets the magnificent cattle, the distant
glimpse of genemens houses the hazy atmosphere, with
frequent hard showers then the mdest kind Of sunshine
ALL all is far too exquisite for attempt any descrp
ton but these pictures of rural beauty framed and
we saw excited great commotion amongst 1t is finely
situated commanding hill, seen for many miles
Then Tdmcorh but the hall is not visible from the
road nor the residence Of Lord Aberdeen through whose
charming demesne passed.
What most strikes American of course is the sub
stantal sodity of stations built seemingly to last
forever and the certainty feels that accidents are al
most mpossibe-the watchmen the police, the fenced-in
tracks, seeming perfect safety There was only
stoppage for refreshmen and it looked quite Anne
rcan with nothing but pies and cakes to which the En-
glsh did full Yankee justice
must not linger the road but bring you into the
grand station sort of crystal palace, vast and orderly
as parlor The cabs the waen the private carriages
and gay veried servants the peculiar tones of English
men the rudy faces, all strange. Soon was in cab
with four persons, trunks and three carpet bags
drawn by one horse On we dashed, and then indeed
came London Such miles of streets; such TALL black
houses straight crooked, looking each other round
the The peculiar signs the names of such ia
milar squares distant gimpses of parks; private cabs
bewigged coachmen. Then Covent Garden then the
opera house, and nearly pitched myself from the win
dow to see Grsi pacarded Norma; then Drury Lane
then the Strand with its roaring rush of omnbuses then
comfortable lodgings Somerset House. and look
ing the Thames What can say TO give you any idea
of this to most enchanting of places? With all my
intense desire 1.-THE longing of years. did
believe it possible to feel much delight it is all far
beyond what my widest fights had imagined of interest
On Sunday morning first turned pilgrim steps to
Westminster Abbey; and as l caught sight Of its
hoary towers and entered bodily where in thought had
so often BEEN this the second We stood for an
hour in and poets corner looking down the beauti
fully diminishing aisles the forest Of columns the
arches and carvings and gorgeous windows; the eges
and monuments each one history. was really much
overcome and cried during the first half hour Niagara
did not produce much emotion. 1t so incompre-
hensible that should be there Saxon King and Queen
side of me- Sheridan, Shakespeare, and Ben
Jonson on the other There was service going on and
the whole cathedral densely crowded. principally
with strangers all saying about pushing and peering
but that could interfere with my feelings and those
two hours of intense realization always stand
vividly in my history Of sensations.
After lingering around the crumbling black timee
walls gazing " Solomons gate, the beautiful" and
pulling daisy from the surrounding grass went into
the neghborng chapel Of St. Margaret the Speaker
Of the Commons in his square, crmson-curtaned pew,
and far interesting, very ancient monument and
eges Of Percies and then stood the spot where
rest the remains Of Sir Walter Raleigh Could l. could
any ignorant view such places without the
heart bounding ] am disappointed in St. Paus and
vexed with myself for not being impressed but its
yastness did not strike me- its dome appear very
huge But perhaps the for this may be Ito COM
pare very grand with very small thngs that my eye has
always been accustomed to the dome Of our Capitol
From the river, however it does loom up grandly over
every other object the approach to it being unfortunate
y through the densest part Of the city, where any coup
ol is blocked But you don't want to hear about
81 Paups from me, when any gfdebook will tel you
infinite deal more than have heard Of You had much
Their hear about the Palace Grosvenor Square, Pa Mall
and all those names SO familiar us, in the
world though be for rs you once said, mo one
thoroughly enjoy London who has not been nouel
reader - and IL seems to me constantly il had
these places in my childhood and only revstng
them After all the books and descriptions, and accounts
from travelled friends every thing as new, as charm
;ngy FRESH as we're the first American who had
St. Jsmess walked past the Horse Guards
know that you will not believe Il did till now that
the houses in the principal norei streets very much
like those Old bron opposite Treasury Depart
ment; plain threestoried black brick small windows,
Of them desolate-lookng habtstions; at
tempt at architecture nothing indicate them as the re-
sdences Of the great class They have not an ancient
look but If lampblack had been smeared over them
and the rain then streaked in spots Yet such is May.
fair. / do not include the great houses, such as
Devonshire and Apsley, though they too are merely
plain edifoes. Why, St. Janes's Palace is like
old black brick hospital, and buckingham very dingy
residence for the Sovereign Lady Nothing Of course
can remain bright in this humidity and this dim repos
is very grateful TO the eye. As driving aon,