Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-12-05


palace-a work which makes all fables seem
possible, except the romance Of large divi
dends. 1t is sublime idea to bring quar-
ter of mile Of the tropics into the raw
mists of England-to rebuild Egyptian and
Assyrian temples among the groves of palm
and besides the pools of Lotus-to restore
the glittering courts of the Alhambra and
make them fragrant with their native bay
and myrtle-to collect together in one daz-
cling company the artistic glories of all ages
and the vegetable splendor Of all zones
What new world is here opened to the la
boring million of London. But in England
poverty is a crime, and piety helps to keep
it so. Piety says gin is less sinful than in
struction and healthful recreation, and she
keeps the door locked.
We ran down to Aldershott one day to
see Victoria review the Crimean troops
Twenty thousand were encamped on the hot
moors: the thermometer stood at 500, the
dust was enormous, and the Queen far off,
so that we were scarcely paid for the trouble.
As a spectacle, it was by no means brill
liant, and pleased me less than a parade Of
our gallant Newly York firemen. The men
were chestnut brown, and their uniform
showed much darning and patching; their
step was careless, and they looked fatigued
and bored. I was surprised to see so many
mere boys in the ranks, and SO few veteran
soldier faces. They certainly fell much be-
low the average English physique, and even
below that of the sol1iery of the Foreign
Legion.
From London it is but step to Paris
I had given nay companions a glowing des-
scription of French courtesy and suavity,
but our first experience in France shook
their faith in me nightly. Our luggage
was booked through to Paris, and first ex-
amined there; and of all costom-house Off
GERS in Europe, the most pitifully mean and
contemplate are those same Parisians.-
We were detained an hour, while separate
articles of clothing, especially linen, were
examined with microscopic minuteness to
ascertain whether they had ever been worn.
A lady who came in the same train was
obliged to pay duty on two or three pair Of
of children's socks. Since then, l have been
through Austria Italy and the dominious
Of His Holiness, without meeting govern
ment officials so brutal and vulgar.
Such cases are exceptional in Franco, but
it is no less true that, while the French sur
pass all other people in the outward forms
of courtesy, they possess little of that gen
uine politeness which springs from kindness
of heart. There is far more sincerity and
and goodwill in Germans Vie gehfF'
than in a Frcnchman's "Je suis re0i de
Uous Qoir." I was almost repelled from
making the acquaintance of a French. Gov
ernment official the other day-a very intel
ligent and interesting person-on account
Of the multitade Of obliging and hattcring
expressions which be employed, from sheer
habit without meaning anything in Partic-
ular
On landing in Dieppe, had a specimen
Of English independence which contrasted
strongly with this Gallo trait. The night
was warm and went into the refreshment-
room at the station to get bottle hnaonade
gazease. While it was opened, solid,
middle aged Englishman standing near me
said: E:Do you need more than half bot
tie, Sir? want little with my brandy"
l shared it with him, and the bottle having
been paid for in advance, was moving away,
when he called after me, Chow much must
1 pay?" "Nothing," l answered; 'there
was more than I needed, and l had already
paid for it" "Sir," said he, fercely, 81 take
nothing from anybody +; l am in the habit of
paying for what get" "But L" replied,
sam not in the habit dealing in soda-water," I"
and so left him; but he Immediately called
the garcon, and satisfied his independence by
paying over again the price of halfbottle
: had not seen Paris since March, 1876,
and the transformations achieved under the
the Napolconic regime struck me with as
constituent. The completion of the noble
Court of the Louvre, the extension of the
Rue de Rivoli, and the opening of the new
Boulevards, have completely changed the
aspect of the northern bank of the Seine,
while the Bois de Boulogne, then a wild,
unpruned wood, has become within three
years the most magnificent public park in
the world. In its municipal regulations,
also, Paris, now far surpasses all other cities.
There are no streets so well swept and water
ed, or so admirably lighted, no such cheap
and weIl-arranged omnibus lines, no such
abundance of hackney-coaches, with (per-
force) honest drivers, no such thoroughly
organized and efficient policemen. In these
respects, Paris is a model city, and Louis
Napoleon a successful ruler. When his
enormous selfshness and his unscrupulous
ambition are considered, less might have
been expected from him. Certainly no one
since the first Napoleon has done so much
towards furthering the material develop
ment of France. So far as I heard him
spoken Of it was with certain degree of
respect, but without the least personal at
tachment.
From Paris we went by railroad through
Charleroi, Namur and Liege, to Cologne
AT the Prussian frontier we were treated
with a politeness as marked as was the want
of it in France. Our days on the Rhine
would have been considered heated term,
even in New York-the sky cloudless and
sultry, and the mercury at 900 in the shade.
On the high table-land north of the Thur
ingian Forest, however, we found fresh
breezes and a milder sun, together with old
friends and German welcome. We again
climbed the Wartburg and sat in Luthers
room; looked from the Inselsburg over
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