Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-03-12
NO. H..
CoryeSb0ndence.


To the Editor Of the Phgnir II started
from Paris this morning for London by
the way of Dieppe and Brighton across the
English Channel. I ain detained here for
few hours, as the steamer starts al irreg-
ular hours TO take advantage of the tide. /
improve the time in writing to my friends
through your columns if you approve. 1t
is pleasure to feel that ! am on my way
home. i have now been travelling nearly
seven months and have visited the three
rreat divisions, Europe, Asia and Africa,
and scanned portion of the first division
pretty thoroughly, and now feel like rest
ing awhile. But there is no rest for me
while ION the wing" So homeward ! am
bound and l hope TO sec America, "my
dear native land" within one month. In
the meantime / must visit London once
more and look up some places Of interest
in central and western England which |
passed by while spending a few weeks in
Great Britain in July and August.
This is a quaint old city OF some 10000
inhabitants, situated on the English Chan
mel, at the mouth of the river Argnes.
Many of the houses look old, weather
beaten and dingy. Some are covered with
moss aud I noticed little bushes growing
on the wall of the oldest church. The
streets are, for the most part, narrow and
filthy like most Of the small continental
towns. TlIay are lowest in the middle and
a littN channel is formed for carving OF
the filth and slOps, but as the water runs
there most of the time, 1t becomesa posi-
live incumbrance. The houses are built
with high fronts, narrow high windows,
thick walls, as if for defence against the
enemy. Iron bars also, as in other towns
on the Continent, are inserted in the lower
windows for the same purpose. some OF
these houses are dOubtlcss four or five hum
dred years old. The town has played an
important part i'll past history and suffered
much during the wars of the middle ages,
especially between France and England,
4. IlNn mol
which separates them. The church Of ST.
Jacques is remarkable for its carved front
and sides, being very elabOrateiy wrought,
and it must have presented "A splendid ap-
pearance when first erected. 1t dates from
the 18th century. | cannot, however, see
the significance or propriety Of decorating
n church with dogs heads in the attitude
of barking, and with winged dragons,
thrusting out their heads horizontally with
open mouths as if for hailing the passer-
by. The carved work is now crumbling,
and in some places the walls are very much
dilapidated. With its eXqisitely wrought
front, its numerous spires and turrets, its
inches filled with busts and statues of
saints its beautiful Gothic architecture and
venerable aspect, its exterior still presents
fine and imposing presence. The interi-
or has the usual statues and paintings per-
tanning to Catholic churches. y statue of
the virgin Mary holding the dead Christ in
her arms, called a Picta a painting of John
baptzing Jesus, with two finely executed
marble statues of winged angels on each
side looking intently on the scene, and SOW
eral other paintings. As in other Catholic
| churches Mary is represented as wearing
| crown, which seems To Protestant Chris
tian little short of blasphemy. And she Is
| worshipped, too, as the mother Of God,
| while in some instances, she is represented
| as worsphippng Jesus, her own cnild, who
| also is crowned aud placed on a throne.
| Such are some of the Inconsistencies of the
| Roman Catholic practices. Their religion
as excmplified in the countries of Europe
| where it prevails appears odd to an Amer
! lean Protestant. 1t j. difficult for them
| to see its magnificcnce or propriety. IL
| seems 50 different from the simple religion
| of Jesus rs manifested in his lite and teach
| ings. This town is strongly fortified. In
| addition to y wall and moat, it has "A large
! castle at the southern end NTH high
| watch tower whose antique aspect reminds
! one OF the middle ages. \ bronze statue
! of Admiral Duquesnc stands on large pc
| destaal in the public square. He stands
i'm the attitude OF a Merry Andrew with a
musical instrument in his right hand, his
left upon the hilt of the sword by his side,
his left foot resting on cannon and an an
chor behind him. le is certainly queer
piece of work designed to commemorate
! the deeds Of brave marine.
The harhOr Is a long, narrow, crooked
| channel, enclosed between stone wharNes
extending far into the city. North there
rises the steep ana IllEl lllt NlOllt ll'lE' VI
the same character a. the Albion white
cliffs on the opposite shore of England.
| The waves here are very powerful ana wash
up vast heaps of stones lime and flint, OF
| all sizes and shapes. Some of them pre-
sent very curious contours and colors.
This afternoon ascended the hill back of
the citadel, and obtained fine view of the
| city aud the country extending back irom
the sea. The fields are green and flowers
| are beginning to come forth. Verify spring
Ill Ia Il . fNT
The sun shines down balmily npon us and
under its genial influence vegetation is
| coming forth. Along the route from Paris,
the men are at work in their gardens and
fields and the hot beds are under full head
| way This weather is about equal TO that
| of Florence on the first of January and
contrasts strangely with the cold and
SHOWS of Berlin and Leipsic, last week.
The women here dress in n grotesquc
habit. passed through the market and
was amused to see the figured white caps
of the tisher-women, drawn far over their
heads in utter defiance of the latest Paris
fashions. and their black, coarse wOollen,
little shawls pinned in real primitive style
across their breasts, and their short, black
woolen skirts drawn tight around them
Verify hoops and long trails We're not made
for them. The fish which they sell her,
very plentifully are nice. \ great variety
is caught in the sea and bays and rivers
\ large oyster trade also is carried on here
Paris is mostly supplied with oysters iron
! Dieppc. Some three miles east of the vii
lage on the sea coast are the remains of the
Roman camp which Julius Caesar once
occupied with his soldiers while engaged
| in subduing the Gauls. The mou"d Is
marked out very distinctly.
PARIS.
spent nearly n week in this city, and IN
that time saw but little Of it. \ world IL
itself, fun of objects of interest and memo
, rials of men and important historical events
| months instead of days are necessary L
examine il with any degree of accuracy oi
thoroughness. Still visited many places
, as the hospital for sick and wounded sol,
, | diers where are not only mutllated ana
3 weak veterans in the service, but paint
? ing. statues flags and relics, to remind one
| of the terrible carnage of war. In lht
, | chanel are hundreds of flags of different
nations taken in battle by the French, and
under the great gilt dome rests the body o
| Napoleon beneath magnificent porphyrN
sarcOphagus, surrounded by statues OF hi
, | comrades and mementoes Of his glory.
The Hotel de Vile and Notre Dame are
full of associations connected with Incl
dents of French history. The bas-relief'
ON the door and other parts of Notre DAME
, | are among the finest ever saw. Those oI
the imposing Arch of Triumph are perhaps
better executed, and display in bold relic
| not only the victories of the great Frencl
general and ruler, but the remarkable skill
, | OF the artists who patiently eNeculcu thes'
| figures, The galleries of painting anC
; sculpture in the Louvre aud LuNemburs
Palace, as well as other public and private
collections in the city, abound in splendit
works of art and afford objects of study
and amusement to the spectator for many
! Il pleasant hour. Here are seen the chic
, | works. not only of French, but of Dutcl
| and Italian artists. All these are freely
thrown open to the public, and thus is of
fcrcd TO them great source OF entertain
| ment and instruction. Tho public build
ug~ of Paris arc splendid, none more so il
the world, and the number of palaces
churches, hotels, gardens, groves, publi
- squares, adorned with statues, columns, etc.
is immense. The mind is confused in con
templating them and their beauty and splen
dor exceed all attempts to describe them
What can be more exquisite or charming
then the Garden of the Tuilleries, the Ely
sium Fields the Grove of Boulogne, tn
Cemetery of lie Peu Chaise, the Garden q
5 Plants and the geological grounds Veril,
Paris is gay city, the abode of gay ne0
| OF