Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-06-17
The Breathing Places of London.


In the Rural Essays of Mr. Downing, recently
published. q chapter is devoted to the Parks Of
London. The writer first gives the dark side Of the
picture, sketches the damps, the fogs and the hoay
look Of the great metropolis, and then he proceeds
to give the bright side Turning to the west end Of
London, he describes its peculiar and Distinguishing
luxury to consist in the fact that it holds the cOun-
try in its lap In the midst ofLondon lying in al.
most connected series the great Parks-Hyde
Park, Regents Park, St James and Green Park, and
Kensington Gardens. ST. James Park and Green
Park are enormous pieces Of real pleasure ground
scenery, with broad gades of turf noble trees rich
masses Of shrubbery and fowery plants, lakes filled
with rare water fowl and all open to the enjoyment
of hundreds of thousands daily. But the pride O
London is in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
which together contain nearly eight hundred acres
so that one has to make a circuit of about seven
miles, to 90 over the entire circumference.
If, says Mr.. D., you enter Hyde Park between sew
en- and eight in the morning, when all the Worlo ~
fashion is asleep, you will fancy after you have rev
the gateways, that you ha made great iniS'aAs'
and stroled out into the country unawares Scarce
ly person is to be seen at this time Of day, unless
it be some lonely foot passenger, who looks as n
had lost his wits his way, at this early hour Du
you see broad grass meadows with scattered group
Of trees and your impression that you had got asrs
and quite out of the reach of the metropolis IS cOp
frmed by hearing the tinkle of sheep bells But 1Ds
Is HYDE Park IN QlSnaDllle. w III dS5tlh 'n ''O
ternoon, any time during the London season ana Wv
place will be so altered and anihiated by the d50"
tbs persona, that you hardly identify it as tne 'O"
of the solitary country ramble you took IN the LpU
ming. The Kensington Gardens are not only HUI
spacious and grand than Hyde Park, but Inc Va
are larger and more grovelke, and the broad glauU
of soft, green turf of darker and richer gs'
The grand avenue Of elms is some hunoreI ~.
years old, and is always majestic and VeneraD'ot
No carriages or horses are permitted IN Aen'nS
Gardens. but its shadowy lawns are sacred To SOu
trians and especially the gambol-helos y,
sands of lovely children 1t is said that as maj vde
two hundred thousand persons have been ID pore1t
Park and Kensington Gardens at once. .h;r3v.s
Park comprises about three hundred anu ." an
acres of land, ornamental plantations ~ han tb
carriage roads 1t has younger IL iooG poyal b
Others and among its attractions are the Is3 an
tanic Garden, with its rich collection OF exten
the Geological Garden some twenty acres finals Nm
where may be seen thousands of living colds colds,
But these luxuries Of fresh air and green Io,don
not wholly confined TO the west emu Oh i' are op
almost all parts of the Great Metro2'n .roos sbru
places of eight or ten acres, filled with now spa
grass and fountains, and besides these q and nil
: called the Victoria Park of two hunude eastern
ty has been laid out lately IN a ne and
ton of London. especially for the are confined
musement of the poorer classes WIZ
that part of the town.-IaqHU@. -