Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-08-26
LETTER FROM LONDON.
LONDON, England

Queens Square. Aug. l, 1873
Dear spectator
About seven weeks ago |
sent you letter from this city, and to-day IL
find myself back here again, and not having
anything special to do tonight, have conclu-
ded to devote couple of hours in scrlbbllng
to YOU whatever may occur to me in my recol-
lection of facts while [ am writing, only SO far
as these facts may relate and appertain to this
wonderful city, for the world can produce but
one London. [ have no idea of trying to tell
you where [ have been in the past seven weeks.
Could not do so without referring to a half
dozen note books, for have been travelling by
night and sightseeing by day through Austria.
Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, and
one more week will conclude my wanderings.-
My programme calls for few days in Scotland,
and couple of days in Ireland, at Dublin, the
proud city of the Emerald Isle. digress from
my text (London) simply to name where have
been without any comment. If you will excuse
the DEPRESSION, will now make a few state
ments conveying as they may in a feeble and
imperfect way some few facts about London
and the Londoners. "
This city has history which is peculiarly
and exclusively its own. 1t has been for CEN
turtles the capital of a great and proud nation,
a people that to-day are infinitely superior, eX-
ceiling In every respect any other nation 10 ex
istence and still increasing and advancing in
every department of civilization. It can be
said OF London, without any fear of contradic-
ton or refutation, what cannot be said of any
other city that has ever filled a page of the
worlds history or an epoch in the annals of
time, either in the past or the present. This
city has experienced fewer changes. 1t has
never retrcgaded or declined or lost any of its
fame or glory, its power or might. The sword
of the conqueror has never pierced its vitals,
stolen its treasury, despolled its monuments
and humbled its people, the robe of sackcloth
and ashes has never hung In its mournful folds
from her graceful shoulders Her daughters
sons have only been the invaders while her
gray headed sires in the fullness Of years and
the 'sunset of life either quietly muse over
or relate to their offspring the glory of 'old
England" and the fame of London Town."
for the days of the Normans are only counted
their own They are so firmly engrafed in
flesh and In bone, they are only one great gl-
ant of might.
London naturally impresses an American
with feelings of interest and PRIDE and these
feelings are never felt to the same extent in any
other European city he may visit. He may
go to cities teeming with world history and
all the interest of cultivated intellect and an
appreclatlve responsive nature may be aroused, |
called into action and duly exercised, yet these
tendrils that take root deepest in the heart,
those feelings that begin in the heart and ma
ture in the head, will cherish beyond all others
with flial affection the maternal breast that
first nourished the earliest hours Of life. The |
truest and best of will never forget the old an
cestral home and the offshoots from the parent
tree have taken firm, deep root in the rich soil
of the new world that only requires time and the
mellow tints of age to show picture as great
and grand as e. r was limned by master hand |
This city presents every variety and phase Of
human life: here Is virtue the most pre- emf
nent, grand and beautiful in all its proportions
here is vice in all its blacklist hues its mon
strous gigantic Developments as black and deep
as he'll itself Here is wealth and affluence,
purple aud fine linen" and sumptuous faring
every day-those who have never seen the |
doors and out-all through the day and all |
through the night men and women toll for
their bread aud never taste meat.
The contrast between the rich and poor class
es in all great cities is generally very great but
it is most strikingly SO here: there is no COM
mon ground on universal issues that they meet
upon in life. 1t is only the road to Eternity
that they finally trdveI together. Their own
great poet tours also, for he belongs to us all) |
has happily expressed it In splendldly compre-
hensive stanza:-
'sThen let the stricken deer go weep,
The heart ungalled play.
For some must weep while others sleep,
Thus wsgs the world away"
shakespeare.
Many here realize princely incomes and
live accordingly; very many accumulate
wealth and live in the most comfortable circum-
stances; great many make good livings and
have all the necessaries of life, and there are
many, Emany thousands who earn only their
bread, and vast number who do not have
even enough of this. There are innumerable
hosts Of poor women whose eyes are weak and
weary and whose bodies are sore and faint
with that never ending
''Stitch Stitch |! Stitchll!
Of gusset, seam and band.'
They sstitch'' all the day and far 10 the
night and only cease stitching when they have
stitched" their shrouG
There are thousands OF men here whose pre-
carious subsistence is from hand to mouth.
When one poor meal is secured, the next is in
the unknown future When or where or how
they know not.
A few moments ago, poor fellow clad In
rags, but possessing a magnificent voice, and
with powers of elocution not often surpassed,
stood under my window and recited that STIR I
ring epic poem of ''Horatius' that occurs in s
" Macauley's lays Of ancient Rome" and his
reward was few pennies. This is only one of :
instances that have witnessed. yet
l forbear to mention more, for you will think
my WORD picture" a very gloomy one, with no +
bright tints, cloud without any ''silver lin t
ing" I am only glancing briefly at subject
that volumes have been written upon. w bile
there is much here that is evil, there is also (
much that is good. While there is world of
poverty and wretchedness there is, also, an
limtable amount of wealth and worldly hap
piness-so that the ratio is about on an ave-
rage, and the poise and equilibrium have not eff
fected the balance wheel of the universe. The
world ways on the same. The sun smiles on by
day and the moon looks sadly down by night. !
From business point of view, London re- =
minds an American very much of New York J
City. The business houses are on grand c
scale, the merchants quick and very enterpri q
sing. If you meet them on the street, they v
have no time to talk, but move along rapidly
With lively, brisk gate. If you ''mean bust
ness with them, their offices and counting }
rooms are the proper places, and there you are .
aot to waste time. You state your proposition y
1t once, briefly and concisely, and the merchant .
accepts or rejects promptly aud deeisively. The
natter OF trade is only question of few mo-
nents and not waste Of hours. Men here
always have their wits about them. The shop =
keepers generally, as well as the storekeepers