The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-29
LONDON, June 25.

LONDON, June 25.
| left Birmingham yesterday, amid the
brightness and freshness of one of the loyeliest
mornings ever beheld, for an excursion to
Kenilworth, with a small party of pleasant
friends consisting of two charming Quaker.
esses, with a world of unwritten poetry in their
deep, quiet natures, and sweet little girl who
fitted down among the ruins like bird or a
butterfly, enjoying their beauty and uncon-
scious of their desolation
The old castle of Kenilworth far surpassed
my widest imaginings in the grandeur of its
yet unleveled walls and towers, the loneliness
of its surroundings, and the strong spell of it,
majestic and mournful memories 1t was
enough to make one in love with ruin, and more
than forgiving towards the spoiler. The all
seemed now throbbing with the proud glory O.
Elizabeth, now heavy with signs of poor Amy
Robsart. As fingered on the spot where stood
the ancient gateway through which passed
that memorable procession, the gorgeous Queer
Bess, escorted by her handsome fayorite, tn,
magnificent Earl Leicester and followed by
her brilliant court and the bravest and proud
est men of her realm-I could defy death ant
decay, long wasting years, desoating wars
and ivy-mantled ruins, to shut from my sigh
So with "that inward eye" could gaze pity.
ingly on sweet Amy, as she sat alone in Mer-
vyns tower feeling her heart bleeding and
fainting within her with wounded pride, and
the agonized foreboding Of her fond and fatal
love. Oh, time, and death, and ruin are re-
morseless leyelers-the ivy whispers as mourn
fully of the crowned sovereign in the gateway
as of the deserted wife in the tower for both
had weak woman-hearts and both were de-
ceived
After returning from kenlworth, we spent
some hours with kind friends at Coventry,
where we visited st. Andrews Church. st.
Marys Hall, and an old hospital, of which [
forget the name-all fine antique and pictur-
esque structures, charmngly blackened by
time, and in a delightful state of dilapdation.
At the corner of one of the principal streets,
a friend pointed up TO the effgy of I" Peepng
Tom You remember the legend-hOw the
gentle Lady Godiva once interceded with her
stern lord, that the people should be lightened
of an oppressive tax and how his lordship,
who seems to have been an eccentric sort of a
husband, would only grant the prayer of his
fair dame, on condition that she would ride
through the length and breadth of the town,
attired simply and solely Ia mode Parodisien,
in her ladyships golden and abundant hair
and how her ladyship, who was evidently a
woman of spirit, consented to these hard con-
ditions and on certain day went her chart
table round, at u round galop-frst having
made proclamation, commanding all her faith
full people to shut closely their doors and win
dows for specified time, and TO retire to the
innermost parts Of their domicils-and how a
certain idle fellow, daring, as his soubriquet
| betravs 10 disobey this modest Injunction was
struck with total blindness-and served him
right
| am now about to take my plunge into the
surging tide Of London life You must not
look for any very clear transcript of my i'm
pressions till the first shock and bewilderment
are past. Thus far, my head seems dizzied
and my heart drunken with the very at
mosphere of London surcharged, as it seems
with the grandest, fearfulest, proudest, and
mournfulest memories Of our common race
for, tell my English friends that the great fal
past is ours as well as theirs.
As ever, yours GRACE GREENWOOD