Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-07-29

the floor, From this elevation our wonder
ing gaze encountered the most beautiful pros
pec4 we had ever witnessed. The great me
sropolis of the world lay at our feet and its
millions of inhabitants, moving to and fro in
the exercise of their daily avocations pre-
sented the appearance of swarm of busy
ants in large garden. Our curiosity was
satisfied and we descended, but not before our
immortal cognomen was enrolled on high"
The name of Speer Klein may now be observed
by the curious traveller on the highest ceiling
of ST. Paul's Cathedral in letters of pure
black lead-pencil.
We got into Cbeapside-and oh! We rem
inisceucies of ancient Bedlam. what DIM
Hundreds of itincrant fruit dealers with little
hand-carts screaming at the top of their
voices--"Cberries, penny harf pound''-
Milkmen announcing their approach by
howl similar to the agonizing yells of scald-
ed cur-stalwart women balancing huge
buckets on their heads and crying water
cresses'' so loud that you might hear them at
Lands End-hosts of juveniles with penny
papers. singing in every variety of tone from
soprano to basso profundi-squeaking hand
organs and ear-piercing flies amid the heavy
rumhling of rolling vehicles over the paved
streets, created a buzzing in the cars and a
confusion of ideas which was really bewilder-
ing. We got out Of Cheapside and elbowed
our way to Petticoat Lane, which may in
truth be reckoned one of the sights of Lon
don. 1t is always denseIy crowded, as it was
in the present instance, and so narrow is the
way that it was with great difficulty we eff
fected a passage through. Though London
is reputed for its great number of paupers,
and for the misery and restitution of it's poor,
perhaps no part of the great city presents a
more snnaiid anpearan~n than dhes tao iioto-
rious thoroughfare of Petticoat Lane. 1t
comprises mongrel mixture of Jews, Chris
tidns, Negroes. Fish and old clothes, and alto
gether is jumbled mass of rags and wretch
edness. But with all this, it is supposed to
he the wealthest district of all London-for
its deHizens are almost all Jeacs! 'Why," said
Quacklebum to NE, IF the Queens Crown
were stolen, and brought to this place. it
would be disposed of in half an hours time:
bullock there" continued my cicerone, point
ing out two long nosed individuals on the
corner of a by-way, '.those are prigs." He
had scarcely finished speaking before the two
gentlemen above named. were seized by the
policemen, or ''crushers." and conveyed to
the station horSe. They had been tracked up
by the officials. who are ever on the watch.
and who assume DISCUSSES so as not to be re-
cognized as regular police detectives. We
left Petticoat Lane and reached London
Bridge, where we took four-penny steamer
for Westminster, and here we first inhaled the
Presidential atmosphere of the river Thames.
which is creating such a sensation in both
houses of Parliament. The Thames is a per-
feet cess pool. It's waters are black with cor
ruption and filth. for it is the receptacle for
all the sewers of London. The morning pa
prs. for the past week, have been loud in
their prOtestatiOns against this nuisance, but
there appears to be no remedy for the evil
What will be done with it | cannot conceive,
but have taken my last ride on old father
Thames. The paddle-wheels of the little
steamer. stirring the brackish waters. created
stencil that was unsupportable, on my last
iaunt.
We arrived at Westminster, and through
the influence of a friend connected with the
Post Office Department, were admitted to the
galleries of the "House of Commons where
we heard the members in debate There is
nothing remarkable about the interior of this
building except the stained glass windows,
and in point of architectural beauty and
taste, consider it far inferior to our own
Hall of Representatives in Nashville I'm
mediately above the 'WOolsack'' we observed
in long gallery, the reporters for the press.
This gallery contains thirteen desks, at which
the reporters are seated, who report the pro-
cecdings of the House. Quacklebum pointed
out to me ID, Israeli. Lord Palmerston, Roe
buck and other prominent MISUNDERSTOOD
John Russell was speaking when we entered.
The speeches generally were very Indifferent
and not at all entertaining; so we left the
House of Commons and went over TO West
minister Abbey, where we spent an hour in
reading tn Latin Inscriptions on the antiqne
monuments of dead royalty. We visited the
tombs of Milton and of Spenser, of Henry
the Eighth and of Queen Elizabeth, and of all
the distinguished individuals ever entOmbed
in Westminster. We stood on the slab which
covered the remains of a dead King aud look
ed upwards with feelings of mingled awe and
reverence at the latter, d and time-worn ban
ners of ancient knighthood, which hung in
silent gloom from the old walls of the
Abbey.
We next turned our footsteps towards st.
James Park, and visited Buckingham Palace
Seated on one of the benches of the Park, we
had scarcely ignited the extremity of a gen.
erous Havana, when the cry arose that the
Queen was coming. We instantly started for
the Palace gates and arrived just in time to
catch glimpse of Britain's ruling sovereign,
as the royal suite passed through the archway
on the way to Richmond. Her Majesty was
accompanied by the King of the Belgians-a
portly looking old gentleman, and the Dutchess
of Northumberland. Beautiful equipages
with gaily caparisoned steeds and liveried
footmen were rolling through the Park in
various directions. We were satisfied, and
retraced our footsteps towards the Hotel to |
the music of a hurdy-gurdy, and amid the |
appeals of thousand shoe
yer boots sir make 'em |
shine like a wooden dollar ef don't Billy |
blow me-" Further on we encounter a street |
Snowman extolling the beauties of a Cosmo-
rama in IA very elevated tone of voice: Stand |
away you little boys vot haint got no tup-
pence, and quit BLOWN yer noses on the
& glasses" We finally reached the Hotel very
much fatigued and with sharpened appetites.
not to attempt similar tour again
without the aid of cab or bus After dinner