The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-06
ENGLISH LIFE.
Letter from Bishop atkinson OF N Carolina.
80 DUBLIN. September 80, 1866.

DUBLIN, September 80, 1866.
EDITOR CHURCH INTELLIGENcER Il had
Hoped to have written you letter nearly every
week, but now more than month has elapsed,
without my sending you line. The reason has
been, that as my acquaintance has extended, my
leisure has been abridged I last wrote you, L
believe, from Tunbridge Wells. l found that
watering place extremely pleasant one, and
very beneficial to my health. The water is the
best tonic | ever tried, the scenery beautiful,
and the air extremely pure and sa1ubrious. The
merits of the Chslybeate Spring were first made
known to the public by Dudley, Lord North, a
dissolute young noblemar, in the reign of James
7, whose shattered constitution was SO invi CORA
ted by its use, that instead of the premature
death which seemed to await him before be
tried this remedy, he was, by virtue Of it, en-
abled to attain extreme old age 1t has ever
since been much esteemed, and greatly fire.
ouented by the English. Near it is one Of those
historical houses of which they are justly proud.
1t is Pedshurst the seat of the Sidney family, to
whom it has belonged since the time Of Edward
VI. 1t was the birthplace Of Sir Philip, and
Of Algernon Sidney, and is adorned with por-
traits of these, of Queen Elizabeth, and Dudley
Lord Leicester, her tavorite, of Dorothea Sidney
(Waller's Saccharissa) and of many other per
sous the world will never forget. 1t has also
pictures by the old masters, and curious relics,
pieces of armor, and the like, of the great men
whose names are associated with the place
The building is fine old mansion of stone,
quadrangular in form, enclosing court, and
surrounded by park, remark able for the size
and beauty of its oaks.
While at Tunbridge Wells received an in
vitation from venerable old clergyman in Nor
folk county, to meet the Bishop of Brisbane, at
his house, and to take some part in meeting to
be held in his Parish, liz furthcrance of the in
terests Of the new Diocese Of Brisbane. [ &C
cepted the invitation, and met fhe Bishop and
some fifteen or twenty clergymen of the neigh
borhood many of them accompanied by their
wives, at the table of my hosptable friend
We had afterwards pleasant, lively missionary
gathering, in which, as representative of the
American Church, 1 received most cordial
welcome.
The next day [ went with the Bishop and our
host to Norwich, mainly to visit the Cathedral,
bestowins portion Of our time, however, on the
Palace and grounds of the Bishop of Norwich,
shown US by his sons, the Bishop and the rest
of his family being absent, and taking glance
at the Castle and some Of the Churches.
The Cathedral of Norwich would, in almost
any other country, be considered one of its chief
architectural glories The building was COM
men ced as far back as A D. 1904. The work
was carried on for centuries, and the splre was
not erected until 1861. give these facts to
illustrate the antiquity of these grand and vene-
rable monuments of Christian devotion The
architecture is Of course, from its era, Norman.
1t is All feet long, and l91 wide, while the
spire is 3l5 feet high. 1t will give an American
reader better idea Of its size for him to con-
slider that if the width of the Transepts we're
that of the whole building, there would be more
than enough room in it for twelve churches 100
feet long, by 60 wide, or for at least twenty, of
the average Of such as We have in North Caro-
lima. To stand at the western door Of such a
Cathedral and cast your eye to its eastern ex-
trenity is like looking down avenue Of lofty
trees whose branches intertwine far above you
in the air. And when one remembers that the
light which streams in on you, is gorgeous with
the coors of richly painted windows, that thickly
planted around you are the monuments of saints
and warriors of past ages.-here the etlgy OF a
stern knight reclining in his armour,-there the
figure of a devout prelate, with his arms crossed
on his breast in the attitude Of prayer, aud that
here they have been lying century after century,
while the restless loom of Time has been weav-
ing the web Of human life around them, one
feels that a building may have other than merely
material uses, that sacred building may serve
other purposes than to furnish room in which to
hear sermon; that it may be itself sermon, a
solemn and elevating sermon in tone, preaching
with power to many successive generations
That day dined with country gentleman
who has handsome place, near the residence,
although not in the Parish of my Kind clerical
host, and as [ have more perhaps of Eng
Iish country life than Americans generally do,
it may be well to give my impressions of it, es-
peclally it is very much confined to this coun-
try In the South we had something like it
before the war. Whether it will continue under
the new order Of things is doubtful. At the
North, and on the Continent of Europe, men of
wealth prefer to corgregate in cities, and in the
summer to resort to watering places. Most
! Englishmen who have estates ia the country
prefer, on the other hand, to reside on them,
and to come up only occasionally to town, unless
they confined to it, by the engagements of
political life. Their houses, l observe, are built
chiefly in valleys, while ours, if possible, are on
hills, the difference, | think, being due to the
Influence of climate We who suffer from heat
wooing the winds, while in this cooler and more
stormy region, they seek rather to shelter them
selves from their violence Around their houses
they have parks of greater or less extent accord
Ing to the wealth of the proprietor. These are
covered with grass Of the richest verdure, which
is carefully and frequently mowo and on which
| feed iocks sheep, and fat happy looking COWS,
and on the grounds belonging to great houses,
herds Of deer are enhancing tina. aspect Of album
dance, and Tranquil beauty, which seems to me
the characteristic charm of English scenery
Of course, there are always fine trees Objects
much valued by the English) growing singly, or
in c!umps and if possible, water in stream, or
lax eet, and near the house profusion Of bean