Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-08-21
correspondence of the Herald
Jottings of European Travel.
RoCHDAIE, Eng, July 81, 1878

| ...-.... ROCHDALE. Ling, 'July %, AO'to''
Editor Rutland Herald Once more
an opportunity presents itself to write a
few additional notes of European travel !;
and yet, at the outset, | am aware that
am about to write of places and OBJ
iects of interest with which your read
ers must be very familiar, having been
frequently described by pens welded by
an almost heavenly inspiration.
NY last communication dated from
Antwerp, Belgium, the home of Ru-
bens and the depository of his best
treasures. On the same day / sailed
down the noble river Scheldt to Flush
ing, in Holland, and thence across the
German Ocean to Harwich, England
The scenery all along the Scheldt is
quite tame, the country on the right and
left being very low and fiat especially
is this true of Holland, which lies so
much below the level of the sea and
Scheldt that the entire coast is dyked
or embarked, and at very great cost to
| the Dutch Government, kept in repair.
| If you would see Holland from the
| deck of a Scheldt steamer, you must
mount the bulwarks and lift yourself on
tiptoe to look over the continuous line
! of dykes before you can see the flat but
| fruitful farms, the clean cottages and
quaint villages Of that industrious, praise
worthy people. 1t may verify be said
of this country, in the language of scrip
ture: "Holland is my washpot."
On arriving at Harwich, early on the
morning of the 18th lust, | was imme-
diately made conscious of the fact that
l had left the priest burdened, semi-bar-
| barous continent, and that l was in
| Christian England, for the very first
sight that my eyes looked upon was a
company of brutishly drunken men. Of
course, such scenes Gas common in Eng
land as in New York;, make a thought
full person thankful that he was not born
in France, Italy or Switzerland, where
drunkenness is rarely seen and almost
| unknown.
From Harwich to London is brief
ride of two hours through a very pleas
ant, fertile, undulating country, where
unwearying thrift has brought forth
abundant fruit, and caused the wilder
ness to blossom as the rose.
Having reached London, the question
arose, how shall I best improve the linn
tied time at my disposal, so as to see the
most and best of this great city? And
reaching the conclusion, that in London,
as on the continent and elsewhere, he
can do most who works Systematically,
by the aid of maps and guides, plan
was adopted by which, in nine days,
many places and objects of great scien-
tific and historic interest were visited,
including ST. Paul's, with its magnif
| cent architecture, noble dome, whisper
ing gallery, elegant chancel, ancient
| clock, and repository of the warrior
| dead Westminster Abbey, with its ven
cradle, purely gothic outline; its rich
groups of statuary, monuments and tab
let's; its poets corner, where repose the
bones of so many noted men whose
works survive them-prominent among
which, as we find by simple record
in gilt letters, are the remains of Charles
Dickens.
The so-called choral service daily rem
dered in this venerable cathedral is, to a
musical ear, almost uncomfortable.
We were glad to avail ourselves of the
privilege, not always offered, of seeing
the state apartments at Windsor Castle
which privilege is granted the public
| during the absence of the Queen. Here
| roamed through the Queens drawing
rooms, reception rooms, state dining hall,
armory galleries, grand staircase, pic
ture galleries, news, (stables), and as
cended the ramparts and tower, from
the top of which l was enabled to over
look the adjacent country for miles
around, including the noble Windsor
park of three thousand acres, adorned
with noble trees and filled with herds of
deer also the renowned long walk and
Virginia water, and in the opposite di-
rection Elton College, where the sons of
noble or gentle blood are trained for Ok
ford or Cambridge A visit to Windsor
is a pleasure that will long linger in the
memory.
l spent many interesting hours at Re
gents Park and Geological Gardens,
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens,
st. James Park and Buckingham Pal
ace, (the city home of Queen Victoria),
the Crystal Palace and Gardens at Sgd
enham, and Cremorne Gardens in Chel-
sea and the conclusion reached in my
own mind, from the number, size and
beauty of all these parks and public gar
dens, is that London has done more for
the recreation and health of her people,
and has done more to interest the So
journing stranger than any other city in
the world. The British Museum, with
its rich treasures, gathered from every
part of the world, and representing every
age, was visited with grateful interest,
and, am quite sure, with lasting profit
| also visited the Tower of London of
bloody fame, where are stored the weap-
ons and armor of many mighty kings
and warriors of centuries long gone by;
also the head block, executioners axe,
thumbscrew, spiked collar, etc, of dread
full memory.
must lot forget to note visit made
to Bunhill Fields burial grounds, where
l stood at the graves of John Bunyan,
Isaac Watts, John Wesley, Adam
Clarke, RichardW Watson, and Mr.. Benson.
Here, also, l visited Wesley's chapel,
stood in the pulpit, from which he so
long and eloquently discoursed to the
people. / sat in his old vestry chair,
looked upon his old parsonage, and
leaned upon his tomb; all of which
Though reputed close communion
Baptist was grateful to my revering
heart
Leaving London proper, for what is