Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-09-04

Letter from DR.. s. W. Thayer-
SIGHTSEEING IN LoNDoN-THE NUsEUN-THH
TowER-oTHER OBJECTS OF INTEREsT-THE
FREE PRESS ABROAD.
LONDON, ENGLAND, July %. 1874.
As tourists saw, have been for nearly
two weeks doing up London, and | might
remain here a full year and work hard and
then not have it fully done. Since | last
wrote you have, besides my daily visits
to hospitals, visited Westminster Abbey,
where a visitor might spend several DAYS
with interest in looking over thar ancient
edifce. where Kings and Queens have been
crowned and wnere repose the remains OF
sovereigns, n0bemen, the knights Of olden
time, and those who by the sword ard pen
have wrought the destines Of nations, and
by their work have advanced the human
race from the barbara state to the highly
civilized condition Of the present time
Laying side by side are those who have
worked hand in hand, a. well as those who
have struggled ard fought against each
other to the end Of life, which was termina-
ted in the field, in open combat, by the
knife Of the assassin, or by poison. How
sacred and solemn Is the place during the
service of the Episcopal church the light
entering through the stained glass tint-,
the pavements covered with inscriptions
concentrating the illustrous dead. tie
sound OF voices and the notes of the organ
echoing amoag the monuments of centu-
ries, and prayers offered To the Great Trone
ABOVE for the souls of those now occupying
the thrones of this kingdom on earth Al
though it is but pile Of stone and mortar,
the work of human hands, and l. but dust
returned to dust, thought of Its past,
present and unknown future awakcns sen
sations most indescribable.
To the old London Tower we went,
place interesting in its every part-in its
towers, ancient halls. modern barracks. old
moat prison, and place where Lady Jane
Gray, Anne Boiyn, and other more and less
distinguished persons were executed. There
wesee implements OF war and torture and for
the execution of criminals, that have been
and are now used, IN every country under
the sun, and by every tribe upon earth.
from the earliest periods of barbaric war.
rapine and murder, to the present civil
lied age. Trophies captured by sea and
land. from the Turks, Greeks, Mo0rS. Airi-
cans, Russians, French. Germans and from
Indian tribes and barbaric ISLANDERS, some
simple and rude in their Construction, 9TH
ers complicated and highly ornamental
Among item all | saw nothing labelled
:" Captured at Banker Hill. or " Platts-
hurgh, bag was promised by the guide IN
red coat that beiU:e We - got through We
would find something. Whether his &" got
through referred 10 the old Tower or time
Yet to come, was not informed by the gen
tlcman with the Hinglish liaceent.
We have also visited the three most dis
tingui>hed museums in the city, VIZ. the
British, South Remington. and the Inter
national exhibition at Prince Albert Hall
all full Of interest and interesting things
III every department of science and art.
L: l. quite gay time in London. Par
lament Is about closing lis annual session.
and the members and their families are ex-
changing visits, and royalty and nobility
holding receptions. and the fashionable
world dividing their time between Regent
street and the Park Regent street in Lon
don is quite like Broadway, IN New York
city, and Washington street, Boston. = here
the greatest prices are paid for ali pur-
chaseS and lIy de Park Is the place where
ali >uch tnery can be exhibited l. the great
est number OF spectators III the shortest
time. With few exceptions the nobility of
Londen do not make the display of llycried
turnUuts that i seen in Central Park. made
by the ShOddy aristocracy, or in Boston hy
the cudfi-h gentry. | should like very much
to see what heraldIc emblems would emhe.-
iish the carriage panels of some of our !
American would. be arlstOcracY. If apprO- I
prlately applled-as significant OF the ways /
and means by which they or their ancestry /
became distinguished "a bale Of cotton 4
a whlSkey still a tobacco leaf Il fleece OF
wool loom an anvil; Yankee clock; .
sewing machine a cask of coal oil Or of .
rum box of pills, marked Rrandeth,
Motif or Aver ; bottle of Soothing Sy-
rup cough mixture or blood renovation. Orany .
of the scores of other embems which would
be significant of the sources from which
their means for livery parade and show
came. After all 1t Is simply a matter of
privilege and taste which | have never
tasted and do not expect TOY. and for
one | would not throw anything in the way
# | could that would prevent any man
from dressing his driver in the garb OF
clown. it it Is his wish to distinguish his
turnout from that of the vulgar masses,
and make himself conspicuous "a,
i" When Phoebe Dawson gaily crossed the green,
In haste to see ana happy to be seem
to-day, by accident. received the first
copy of the Burlington FREE Press that
have seen since | left New York. 1t was
dated June llth. read it from beginning
to end. and the advertisements as well "a
the general and local items. | was glad to
see it again. 1t brought before me the face
Ut almost every person whose name saw
there. How true it Is that we rarely ap-
precia;e the value of that which Is daily in
our hands that which is procured with
little trouble or expense, and comes To our
door every morning, regardless of storms or
condition of roads. and gives us inf0rma-
ton OF the events of the previous day, not
only of what has transpircd of interest in
our own neIghbOrhood but in the world at
large The FREE Pass is identified wIth
the history of Burlington for a quarter of a :
century Or more, and has throughout the !
" hole period of its life maintained a good \
reputation and never a better one than it :
now possesses. find the coffee in England
II excellent quality and good flavor, but
would be much better relished, with a COPY n
II the morning FREE Press for the ewes, n
whilst that enjoyable beverage is tickling :
he palate. Long life to the FREE Pass
md my best wishes for its corps of editors :
I'D English Castles Annjyer>arr of the sut,.