Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-26
LONDON.
An American GentIeman's Opinion
of the Great City.

An American GentIeInan's Opinion
of the Great City.
We are permitted to make the following
extracts from q letter received by q young
lad, of this city, and written by talented
gentleman now travelling in Europe:
- $3.50 6 saHere / am In London.
and have seen some of its outlines, features
and modes of life, which have given me
great satisfaction. Let me describe what
occurs to me: e2essss q 1s.zi " Ii
As to the place called London, il Is more
than sixteen miles in length and nearly as
many in breadth, and contains population
of about 4, 100000 of people. 1t is not a
compactly built city. That known as the
city is but q small pa t of the whole. Inn
agine New York and Brooklyn and Long
Island City, and Newtown, and Flushing,
and Jamaica, and Flatbush and Jersey City,
and Hoboken, snd Newark, and Elizabeth,
and Yonkers-ali included In New Y ork,
and called New York-snd you have con-
ception of aLondoD," for 1t is as widely
scattered by long and respectable distances.
It is q very clean city, beautiful in many
parts, and desirable as residence. The
historical "reminiscences are very fine. Here
stands Westminster Abbey, the last resting
place of Kings and Judges and warriors and
poets--full of interest to the specula-
tive and material philosopher, the
historian, the scholar and the states-
man, Here sat the Westminster Assem-
bly, which composed the confession and
catechisms of the Presbyterian Church, etc.
l have stood and sst in St. Paul's
and heard one of the profoundest sermons
of the day. have been through the Tow
er and saw the place where Henry
VIII. had his wives behesded, and where
Charles /. suffered, / have been through
the Geological Gardens, Hampton Court
and Windsor Castle. / have also visited
the famous "Billingsgate" and conversed
with it's habitues. have been through
the National Academy of Paintings and
Plans of Monuments in this great city. L
have been through Hyde Park and st.
James Park, and indeed all the parks. l
have visited the best and worst places, and
seen life, 8. atuary and buildings in all their
phases. l have been 70 the Royal Albert
Hall and the Albert Memorial, and seen in
deed almost everything desirable to be seen
anu known, in or connected with them,
and therefore may be permitted to give
some impression about the people and
plans thus seen.
The people are very pleasant; many OF
them kind; some good hammered; Others
vely vulgar. The ladies at first sight are
beautiful, but on nearer view seem de-
MED of that vivacity and intellectual beauty
which adorn our American women. There
is not the same attention shown to the fair
sex as with us. / have seen gentlemen
accompanied by ladies' entering public con-
veyances, the men first, the women after
them the best way they could. l have
scarcely seen an Englishman help his fair
partner either in or off Car, q carriage, or
an omnibus.
The ladies here dress differently, some
of them with very low neck dresses, but all
more plainly than in America; indeed, l
was assonished to see 30 many ladies at
evening parties and at the theatres with
slmostInude necks and chests, all of which
is considered in the highest fashion here.
As to living here, the great body Of the
people live in apartments. They hire 3
suite of rooms and thus enjoy
the comforts of home, Indeed
family. could live here more respectfully
for at least one-third of the expenses that
WOulu % EcQulIcu ab NSW 1oIh' EfOLy
thing is so much more economical that l
am astonished that more American families
don't come here. clothing is cheaper; cab
and carriage hire very much lower. A cab
with four wheels, thst viii hold four per-
sons, will take you to church, or any dis
lance within two miles, for one shilling,snd
for every additional mile sixpence, or at two
shilliDgs per hour. In like manner you can
ride in first, second or third-class
railroad car, for rates as follows: Firstrclsss,
three times as much as third, and twice as
much as the second.
They have underground and elevated
railroads. | have been around on all, both
under ground and above ground. l walked
under the River Thames through tunnel.
The parks here are small. They are not
handsome. All of them Combined would
not excel Central Park in New
York. The palaces are beautiful, and
the drives magnificent. On the whole, |
like this very much-and while there is no
other city equal to New York-this city is
second in my esteem.
met General Ripley, of South Carolina,
an old friend of your mothers. He now
resides here and is doing very well. was
to dinner party at his apartments where
met several Americans and some young
English noblemen.