, 1874-08-16
LONDON'S SIGHTS.
The "Season,'' from May to-
September.
The LaDgham Uotel: and Its Servants
.-.Not a Representative Inn.
The New Parliament Bnildfngs---0ne Of
the Most Splendid Works Of
Modern Architecture.


Modern Architecture.
Few Americans Become enthusiastic over Lon
don. Perhaps j; rains for week after their al
rival. aud they sit at the window of dull hotel
and look out upon the gloomy streets with any
thing but complimentary reflections. Or the
como from Paris, brilliant with sunshine o
sparkling With fountains, and, when they ar,
net down in Trafalgar Square, and see Nelson
column, the lions at the base, and the mnrb
basin OF the cascades below, all black with smoke
and fog, they inrolunrarily shudder, aud pro
uounce1t
MORE LEE TOMB TEAM METROPOLIS.
But London, in this respect, il true type o
tho rsce Of which it is the centre. -1epellant
to stranger, faithful to frleEd. 10 one who
makes himself familiar with it's highways anc
byways, how qunint, original, and altogether de-
Ughtfi,I 1t reveals itself; how surprising its re-
sources, how peculiar its charms. To Que, above
al, who inherits the speech OF Shakespeare. the
results OF Hastings, Runnymede, and Marston
Moor,-there cannot be more fascinating fle1G
of exploration than this old, old city.
To 20 sightseeing therein. the pleasantcst
tinaa ia from May to September. During those
months, the climate, souuch berated at home and
abroad is simply delicious. 10 be sure, it often
rains, but in a mild, deprccating way, ss If it
would stop if you objected And there IL good
deal Of mist. hut that lays the Gust and tcmpers
tie heat OF the sun. The soft humidity Of the
atmosphere has kindly influence on eyes and
lungs; you miss tho stimulus Of American air.
but YOU loose also 1hs burned-out. exhausted
feeling which here follows reaction. And,
wien the weather is really fine, there s about it
something
EARE, sA11HFNSd, PERFECT.
II this seems exaggerated, let one look into
Chaucor. Spensar, Shakespeare, Milton, and the
Robla-Hood Ballads, aud ask himself whence
came those exquisite pictures OF the spring and
summer time in which English literature SUI
passes erory other. Not from Imagination they
we're painted, but from Nature itself; and of
those great poets il is noticeable that all four,
either By brih or long residence, wece Lon
doncrs-
The English have shown great good sense in
p,ac,us trcir ''scason'-the annual era Of FASH
iouatte amusement and disslpatiou--in these.
months Of lorey weather. If one desires to fit
from concert and dinner to ocera, assembly, and
bal, a1r2ye1 III aupertiuo broadclotA or dlayba-
nous 1obcs how much pIeaaanter to do 20 in
days when existence is blessing, when nomay
lice bome with uncovered head ut midnight, and
recover IRON the nights excuses By the after-
noon'H drive OF reunion in the cEen air, than,
Ike ourselves in America, to dun full dress night
after night in months when the passage from the
to the carriage Is like that from
the Equator to the North Pole
The American tourist. whom the lack Of time
or special opportunity does Lot permit to pene-
Lrsto the charmed circle OF Lonuon society, finds
the cit: itself more than enough to occupy and
Interest him. Being IN Arle1lcan, tiltIe are ten
|ng-place,
Rising at Whist viii seem to him, in spite
ii Ills wctco, Ill early hour, he Wall
lock down into Portland Place, aud re-
+;iat M locality has done duty. lie will watch h tie
butcher. and the baker, and the mllkman, make
tlelr rounde and will IcInark particularly COW
Rni o goat driven to the door and MIXED; and
Of this he will make note for tae benefit of
bis courl1ymen. Ae hreskfast he wall make ac-
1ualprance with that finest form OF animal food,
The chop of Southdown mutton. at dinner lie
will fud all his autcipationB of solid English |
beef and plam-pudd1ng wholly unrealized- The
bill Of fare is French there ere ten courses,
and Ill, from fried snle to crenm-mer1usues, are |
Of 4 pronounced Gallo character. Ihe dignitied
rai.er, when addressed, bows over the wlute |
napkin On lis left arm, but makes no reply; and
IN obligmg ,couutryman informs the inquirer
that the servants speak only F1ench. Clcarly
the Lapghnm Hotel Is not . representative one.
BE engages in a dispute with young country
woman as to the large globes Of purpls fruit
heaped up in front of tten.-plums be calls
tLc1n;-and m appeal is made to flying attend
ant with "a file-rcd cherubiune's tuce." "Ce
sout des groacll!es ?" says the Young Amen.
Llat last explanation rs to language.
Ihe waiter answers her gestures rather than
words, in round, outrageous sowels, tnat seem
to expand to the full aze Of tile dining-room
stranger drew long breath Of satisfaction. This |
is Punch hiIlnstrated-this, at last, is London.
But then there are
SO MANY IoyDoSs,
each with such Il wealth Of attractions as may
we'll embarrsas you un your first setting ou1 to
cid nacmo11.l buildings and localities; the STU
dents London, with the great South kensington |
aud British Museums, and National Gal1err and !
the Crystal Palace; Charles Lambs London, of
quaint little cofec-louscs aud irresistible old |
boos-stalls; aud modern, popular London, With |
its busting thoroughlares aud fashionable prone
nades, its brilliant theatres and uprOarous |
And beside, around, within them |
all, the London Of the poor,-tle oyercrowded |
centre Of an imperfect Observation-Disclosures
London, in nhort,-nhich hides IN dark alleys |
and Bwarms in unhealthy courts and skuiks |
under the bridges and around the barees Of the
Thames. But do not you hesitate moment. 0 |
my compatrlot! bht, whether your time be long
short in the land. give itB fist hours to West
minister Abbey, the new Parliament buildings
the Tower and st. Eauls.
Do not go to
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
first at the hour OF service. Whatever may be
SAID Of the grandeur Of choras or sermons there,
nothing is there 80 grand As silence. ~ mau |
shall hear the most eloquent sermon that uaa
ever preschei il he will so to the sepulchre OF
Kings" ssyB old Jeremy Taylor, and hero cer-
tainly lie the Kings Of the earth crowned with
gold or laurel.
Who can describe Westminster Abbey? The
inassiso Gothic towers Of tie western front the |
great rose window Of the north iranRept, aud |
the mango1d OF the south the fine tracery and |
rich carving Of the stalls and pews, whero the
dsrk oak flowers out. 1uto the foliage Of willow
Rno maple, iEy, hop, and vine; the wonderful /
chAlel Of Henry the Seventh, with its great
trass gates SO curlously wrought; with it's lofty
arches, clustered columns. and delicate spires
with its marvellous 1oof; whose solid stone b3os-
CONS out Into Tudor roses and the tleur-de-lis
INTO four-leaved cloSe1s aud poppiea, which
hnnE above us IN m1d-air along the lofty aisle;
VIII 4ts nrmotial bearings of Knight and Squire,
?.s scuipturcd angels uplifting escutcneons, and
1's marble sambaaccs of SAINT, Bishop and
apos!le, looking from theis eladony n1ches,-alI
tt u.is ADDISON and Avioy saw and described but
lu1 N Ideee things however raro and },esut;ful |