Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-09-08
Ulattbnlan & 5tatc Journal.
+. p. wALToN,sR.. EDITOR.
Thursday, sept. y. 1854.
LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Noxtx.

Ny DEAR SiR,--Iondon is a great city in |
point Of extent, population, wealth and com
merce, and has been too often described to make
IL advisable for me to enter into any minute par
ticulars, still when viewed IN detail, there is no
thing very remarkable about it, more than many
other cities Most of the buildings are old and
dingy, and the very few in proportion Of modern
date only make the contrast more striking. There
is no street in London equal to broadway, n. y,
in point of extent and beauty of buildings. At
the West End" it is true, there are many mag
nifcent residences belonging to the nobility,
but those are detached and tend to break in up
on any thing like an uniformity of style. There
are also many expensive private residences in
that neghborhood, forming terraces aud short
streets, OF fronting on some small open square,
but ] saw nothing surprising the splendid dwell
hngs on some of the "up town" avenues Of n.
Y. Il seems a matter Of pride with the nobi-
IS to have their town residences appear old and
diugy it corresponds with the long line of an
cest1rs who have inhabited the same places
The Duke Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Palace, and
even ST. james itself is 800 dingy to make a re-
spectacle appearance amongst the ware houses
ia any business street in America. The city
proper is very compacty built. without any open
squares of account. The largest saw was the
Smthdel Market or common, celebrated as the
place here John Rogers and many others were
burnt at the stake by jealous bigots. 1t is now
weekly filed with cattle and sheep for slaugh-
ter, and is a missioner aud disgrace to the city,
and the wonder is, that the city authorities
should thus long have tolerated the practice OF
driving cattle through the streets 10 the very
heart Of the city for market place. A. tie
ciy gradually spread ont beyond IFS aucientlm-
ils and absorbed tle ueighboring towns and yl-
lagos, large tracts were set apart for public use,
2caeut's Park and Hyde Park contain each a.
bout four hundred acres, beautifully diversified
with wood, water aud lawn. Green and 81.
james Parks, though smaller, are equally beau
ttnl, aud they are all kept M most excellent of
der. These are all "a, the West End, and seem
dcsl5 ncd for the arlstocmcy alone. he mau
WHO keeps hs own carriage, or is willing % pay
guinea ior drive IN " glass coach" may en-
Ger them hr tle poor man 90 "his own hired
Iclrnaee,' must keep the highway The nltur-
al consequence IT, that the aborng classes of
The community are seldom seen there, and for
the want of convenient places of recreauon
fear leo often resort to the grog-shops. Among
the laborug classes there is but little pride OF
appearance. their counteuances are care worn
and their clothes often rugged, forming strk-
ing contrast to the same classes in Paris. There
are many interesting places in London with
which every reader OF the English language
must DE more or less familiar bat Westminster
Abbey stands preeninent amongst them ALL
Seeing that building was the realization of all
my antci pations Of MS venerable appearance
It's messy and weather beaten exterior, and It's
high vaulted arches within, Wondering and crum-
blng by the hand Of ume, all proclaim It's anti
putty and IN the mind q the behoiaer 9TH awe.
The whole building is OF beautifully carved
stone work, but the chapel Of Henry VII, which
is an addition to the original building, is one Of
the finest specimens Of architecture In ex sience
It's walls, turret and roof are an of stone finely
carved and as seen from the pavement resemb-
lie ne work, the equal Of which do uol know
m any modern building. To the centre of the
chapel is his tomb, with iu length statue Of
himself resting upon IL, and surrounded by d
bronze railing OF exquisite Workmanship. The
various uses 10 which the Abbey is appropriated
give it an additional interest There, daily are
offered TO the Most lligh prayers for mercy and
songs Of praise. Beneath ms hullowod arches
for more than seven hundred years ulllhe Kings
al a D
until within the last century they have all been
buried there Amongst the monuments erected
To their memory, those to Edward the Coufessor
Queen Elizabeth and Mary are the most con-
spcuous. The door is entirely OF tomb stones
and heath them repose the ashes Of many of
highlands most remarkable men, while the walls
are covered with monuments of marble Ia the
" Poets corner" are many familiar names Sllsk-
spear Milton, Dryden, Pope, aud many others,
occupy conspicuous inches, while TO Statesmen,
Ike Pit and others, ;ae country has erected mon
umenis worthy Of the men and place. 81. Paurs
is lac usual burial place of military and naval
heroes That asa modern building compared
with Westminster Abbey, and n external APP
pearanco Is more commanding. There are en-
tombed Wellington, Nelson. Howe and many
others. The interior being surrounded with
costly monuments erected by the Government To
the memory Of those who have honorably sery-
ed their country giving to the building more the
appearance Of temple dedicated to the God Of
War than to the religion Of Peace as taught in
scripture. The practice Of buryng within their
churches and covering the walls aud floors with
tomb stones, produces strange sensation on
entering the building. The first impulse is to
avoid treading upon the monumental slabs but
one soon perceWes that the whole floor is moth
ing but tomb stones, and he must step upon lem
or retire from the building. The new Parliament
building is in the most ford Of the Gothic style,
and IN It's turrets, carvings and bas-reliefs is an
attempt TO initiate the architecture of the four
teenth century. The building is about 500 feet
IN length and Of an unequal width of from two
% three hundred feet The interior, like too
many Of our public buildings, is cut up into a
/ great number Of small rooms, the partitions
seeming to occupy the most Of the space. 7 he
committee aud reireshment rooms are well A.
dapted for use, but neither the House of Lords