Daily American telegraph., 1852-11-09
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
NOTES BY THE WAY IN ENGLAND.

before the great York races, and the train
was very long and excessively crowded. l
was cautioned that the station would DO the
rendezvous of all rascals, so Isat downquietly
upon my baggage n long time surveying the
rush and hurry of the sporting gents, thoir
servants, and the waiters--but all come out
well in the ond-" cared for nobody, and no
body cared for mo-" Crowded as tho city was
with strangers, found u good room just
MS | was stepping into tho car at Boston, the
Rev. Mr. Matthew'S put two letters into my
hand, with an injunction to use them. inn
mediately started with a guide to the house of
DR.. Allen, the surgeon of the city. 1t was to
his lady that one Of these letters was direct
ed. In five minutes we were on our way to
the antique garden, private property, which
incloses some of the most interesting Of Eng
lish antiquities.
The Victoria Regia was in blossom. 1t Is
the flower which the Duke of Deyonshire pur-
chased from the South American captain four
years ago--the glasshouse over which, ,construc-
ed by Paxton at Chatsworth, suggested the
Crystal Palace.
This was the first year of the flower in York.
There was one at Hampden Court, and one at
Chntsworth, and no other known in the world
away from the wilds of South America. 1t is
water lily, and the tank is 20 feet broad,
and the coal consumed is half q ton per week
to keep the temperature between ~ and
100 dcgrees-because it is an equatorial plant
The gardiner says it is an annual, and dies in
six months. This one is 81 weeks from the
seed, and lowered in 10 weeks. The largest
leaf was 5 feet inches broad, circular in
shape, with the border turned up an inch high
and lying on the surface of the water, The
leaf is cut away in five days, to make room
for successors, and five or six leaves cover the
basin. The largest flowers are II inches
broad, open mt night, and closed by the sun.
1t IS white the first day. and beautifully ting
resembles pine,appl This lily natures in
two days, and is removed, and another sue
ceeds, till The plant dies. 1t was for the sight
of this lilly that Mrs. Allen hurried to the
garden while the daylight lasted for in the
morning it will be gone.
The city of York has great attractions. AS
one approaches, he sees Micklegate Bar, and
the city WALL and quickly passes under an
arch in the wall 40 feet high, and jumps from
the car within walled city. There is but
one other walled city in Britain, viz, Chester.
No doubt q wall was raised around York by
the Romans. but this wall is known to have
been built 1000 years later, and to have been
several times repaired within 500 years. The
top of the wall is most delightful prone
made, and wide enough for three or four per-
sons to walk abreast. The wall is three miles
long, with gates fortified by watch tower,
portcullis and barbacan. One will examine
these fortified gates and the wall itself rs per
feet specimens of fortified towns throughout
Europe in the middle ages and feudal times.
The Clifford Tower is n ruin Of great antiqui-
ty, and should be examined as a strong city
retreat and defence of the olden time. From
this one may have the curiosity to 60 into the
Castle, or State Prison. Here the prisoners
are taught to read, and on long shelves by
the side of the wall they learn to write, and
here are scales to weigh the legal allowance,
and every prisoner who thinks his dinner is
too small can weigh for himself. | was
shown caste of the head of every criminal
who had been executed here for many years,
and was reminded Of the sameness in their
formations-foreheads low, lips compressed,
and the countenance vulgar. Here is the ra-
zor on which Martin struck fire, when he set
fire to the stceple Of the Cathedral, in 1929,
which damaged the building 1926 600. Here
/ saw the skull Of Daniel Clark, murdered by
Eugene Aram, 100 years ago. had read the
book by Bulwcr, rs n novel, and was agtated
to see it verified as n true history. | was
shown the clubs, swords, guns, razors, and
all sorts of weapons, with which the death
blow. of the murderer had been dealt for the
last $50 years or more, by such rs had paid
tho death penalty Mt York.
Two Roman Emperors, Severus and Con
stantius, the father of Constantine the Great
died, and were buried in York, and historians
have claimed that Constantine was born here.
Yet Gibbon contradicts this. But certainly
York was the capital of tho Roman power in
Britain for nearly 400 years, until 45O Of the
Christian era.
As one might believe, so it is true, that the
Roman antiquities found here are numerous
and very interesting | saw dozen cottins,
of noble Romans: perhaps twO of them in
closed tho Empprors. They were granite,
and upon the outside rough and Of u very un-
even surface, being bad rock 10 split The
lids were ahicl, rnd heavy, and the whole very
rugged externally, and without inscription
This granite is not the product of England |
am informed.
saw ear and finger rings which were found
in these collins, and skeletons, and n large
room filled with these curosities. in this an
tiquc garden is St. Mary's Abbey, in ruins
The south wall is yot standing. and some 9th
er parts are not totally down, and the frag-
mcnts scattered around show the magniiiccuce
Of the building. 1t is n most perfect spec
linen in England of an old rich Abbey in
ruins.
st. Lconards Cloristers are near tine en-
trance of the garden--a singular curiosity OF
antiquity before the year 1O00-but | cannot
think how to describe it. Some OF the pubic
and private buildings in York are the finest
specimens ct architecture in the age OF the
Tudors, back to which the taste of building
is now turning, in imitation. There is an el
cgance in it which must please the eye of taste
forever.
Races of the swiftest horses in England,
and in the world, were being made all day
long, within q mile of me, and have only to
confess land | am afraid the most of you will