The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-18
LETTER FROM The EDITOR.

LONDON, July 1853.
1t is worthy of remark, that the people, de-
voted above all Others to the pursuit of pleas
ure, should have supplied US with the word
most expressive, not only of the absence OF
pleasure, but of all relish for it, No single
term in the English language means all that
is comprehended in that wOrd-ennw for
the state Of feeling it defines is unnatural to
an American or Englshman. Life with III
IS a serious business We propose the discharge
of some duty, the assertion of some right, the
advancement Of rome interest and, in the pur-
suit Of this object, in the excitement and ac-
consists our pleasure. There is no room for
snnu the enjoyment, though incidental, IL
enduring, as the natural result of steady
healthful development of the intellect and al
fectons. The Partisan, devoted to the pleas
ures of Taste and Sense, exhausts, by over
stimulating, his sensbilities; enjoyment with
him becomes an art novel contriyances and
extraordinary excitements are needed to save
him from disgust; these failing, he is seized
with ennm, and is then fit for suicide or revo
luton
There is a wonderful contrast between Lon
don and Paris People here are always busy
They rush along the Strand Fleet street
and Cheapside, in dense crowds, earnest,
thoughtful apparently intent upon some object
BE in as great haste as you may, you will find
yourself moving with others equally hurried
But in Paris nobody seems to think that time
is too short. The Bouevards the Broadway
of Paris are crowded with people, strollng
leisurey arm in arm. Innumcrabe idler
throng the windows Of the pcture.shops an,
fancy stores. All along chairs and benche
invite the indoent to rest and on the pave
ments before the cafes, you sec ladies and gen
tlemcn refreshing themselves with ices ant
sherbet At Palais Royale, in the garden Q
the Tuileries, in the Champs Elysees, smila
scene is exhibited Thousands of chairs ar
occupied by people talking, embroiderng, o
reading newspapers, or dreaming All tn
walks swarm with loiterers; children are trun
ding the hoop or rolling the ball fantasti
shows Of every variety are surrounded wit
careless spectators; bands of music and artf
cial fountains mingle their sweet sounds a
Paris seems to have nothing to do but to su
and air itself
Such people may be graceful amiabl
agreeable, ingenious--but to me they appea
frivolous and irreligious Ennm and lack
bread may drive them ut times to sudden an
violent revolution, but the work Of selfgoverl
ment would be too serious business for then
30, having enjoyed n catastrophe and obtainc
bread, they are quite willing that NapoleC
should assume tho task of governing for ther
The streets of Paris are excelently pave
und kept very clean. The sky and wealth,
are almost rs bright as in America and Il
city being free from coal smoke, its building
constructed generally Of a fine light yello
stone have nothing of the diuginess or SCOT
London about them. And yet they do NJ
convey to AN American the idea of comic
He sees everywhere closely-packed house
wall to wall, five, six, or seven stories high u
entrances to which generally are by gloon
courts, and among which he can discover l
green enclosures, no pleasant yards in fro
or rear--no outdoor provision for the famil
Rarely does he SEQ anything like homestead.
one house sacred to one family. Many fan
lies lodge on different floors under the san
roof, dine at the cafes and live ON the Boul
wards, or in the public gardens This is Pari
ian enjoyment, but il is not comfort
With all the apparent cleanliness of Par
there is an unmistakable odor about it, viii,
will be readily understood when the reader
told that all along, even the Boulevards,
intervals of few yards are public CONVEX
ences, resembling watchmen's boxes in OF
cities, 50 open and exposed, that all the wor
is compelled to see what is going ON therci
The refined Frenchman laughs at the "pr
deryO Of an American or Englisbman, wi
rebels against such institutions.
The American in Paris will look in vain e
private residences SO magnificent as mar
which adorn New York Some Of the buil'
ings on Broadway, erected for commercial pu
poses surpass any structures Of the same cla'
that have seen abroad. As 10 public edit
ces, Excluding churches and cathedrals) tn
Patent Office and Capitol Of Washington, whe