The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-04-08
Interesting Letter.

Interesting Letter.
A friend has allowed us to copy the follow
ing interesting letter from abroad, written by
a gentleman not unknown here. who intends to
make Minnesota his future home
ROME, ITALY, Feb. 1851.
M Dear Si:-You will little expect to re-
ccive letter from me in this distant land and
from within the walls of this ancient, classic
city although you may have heard that bust
ness for a mercantile house in New York, had
sent me to Europe this winter, and perhaps al
so seen papers which sent Mr.. II. from Lon
don, and Manchester. While spending few
days in Paris some weeks since and viewing the
many interesting sights, and places.of interest
in that remarkable city. my thoughts would
frequently wander to the scenes and incidents
of my visit to st. Paul last summer, and then
made up my mind to write to you when | had
travelled on as far as Rome. Oh. how much one
sees, enjoys. and learns in travelling about
these, old time-worn, dilapidated cities. How
many little incidents in history, Which were al
most blOtted out Of the memory, are wildly
brought up. never again to be forgotten. Du-
ring my stay in London, learned more of Eng
fish Government and the history of England S
great men. by visiting such places as Wcstmn-
ster Abbey, the Tower, st. Faui's Cathedral,
anu tuC llOuSc vi al COulu
from books in five years study. And as came
on through France, Switzerland and Northern
Italy, stopping now and then at the different
places, which were once the scenes and loca-
tons of the mighty acts and exploits of the
Great Napoleon, found that was obtaining
more accurate impressions of the French RevO-
luton than had ever before thought of learn
ing. But reflections aside, we will come to
facts.
| | left New York in the magnificent steamer
Pacific, and in just ii days reached Liverpool
without suifcrnga great deal from sea sickness
Ny stop in England was mostly in the large
towns and in the great British metropolis How
immense, how almost bouNdlcss is London
Our cities in America, are all small affairs
compared Will. this huge town. Tell Mr. H.. J
was extremely we'll pleased with England and
! liked The English people so much better than |
expected, that really regretted to leave them
From London, my route was south, entering
France at Calais and then 10 Paris. From here
by way Of Lyons to Geneva. in Switzerland.
then across the Alps and Apennines, to Genoa,
on the Mediterranean, and so on by steamer to
Lcghorn, through western Italy to Rome. In
England, ] saw Parliament opened and heard
the Queens speech from the throne. IN Paris
I saw the Emperor Napoleon and the Empress
frequently, in the Elys!an Fields and the gar.
den OF the Tuilcrics. AtGenoa, saw the OLD
half ruined house, once occupied by Columbus
the discoverer of our part of the world Here
in Rome. ] have seen the Pope poor old man
he looks a. if he enjoyed little of happiness anf
comfort in his ticrated station. But what ,lial
say Of Italy poor. wrttched, tramplcd. 500
crushed Italy. She has indeed blue Skv :
fruitful soil, elegant paintings, ard unriyallct
statuary; but She has also feeble heart :
stunted intellect, dcspotic government, and
miserable reasantry. have seen here much
OF splcndor. much Of grandeur, aud much {.
AFT but at the same time, how much of super
stition, of poverty, and Of sin. Beggars ga
luted me when First arrived here they hav,
continually surrounded he during NY stay thu
far. and expect they i'll remain near ME til
| leave. Bat word II regard to the Eterna
City. How true il i, that Rome is mighty an,
magnificent even in her tlesoatiOn knew In
world had nothing like her, and yet the i'm
preston She has made on me, is unexpected,
great and lasting Her Coliseum. her Captoi
her Pantheon. and seven hills. her Gbclisks
and pillars, her Vatican and her unmatchc,
Cathedral, are each Of them worth journey t,
Italy. to behold. st. Peters is in every respect
the Niagara of churches. l never have. ant
never eNpec; again to look upon its Ike. Blu
| see that my paper is nearly used up. for i
will not answer to Scad this in an cnvelonc, q
the postage rates here and in France. are
ounce. will forward this with package, t,
} Paris, whore my bankers will see it mailed
leave here for Prussia and Germany in day o.
F two, and after taking lock at Ireland ant
Scotland. will return to the United States. ant
be at St. Paul the first of May. The Russio
Turkey war is assuming 4 rather serious aSpec
: here Englal.d and France will speedily give
the Russian bear some trouble. Every Wher,
in my travels, have noticed many troops, can
non ami cannon balls on the way to the scene
of trouble. Diplomatic relations between Eng
land and Russia are suspended and every thin,
seems to argue a general European war Blu
| must close.
Tr,,l,r