Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-04-28
European Travel.

with which they are familiar. we reineI
Der TO have read the rccollections Of Gait
ole priest, in which we were treated only
the personal prejudices Of the reverend ger
tleman. England was visible only throug
the fog Of his own ecclesiastical notions. !
was an infdel country, Of vast aud vioiou
population, with Mammon for its king, am
Lust for its queen, and Folly for its clown
The irrclirious character Of the people wa
the most noticeable feature in their life
Their chapels were all empty on the Sab
bath. except the Catholic churches, which
were crowded with multitudes Of devout
souls. And when he came 10 Italy in his
descriptions, there were no traces Of unbelief,
or poverty. or crime. Even the beggars who
infest its towns and highways, and whine
and clamor at all the church doors, and fol-
low one like hungry dogs, wore the aspect
Of saints, and came stretching forth their
pteous hands as Of the forsaken aud impover-
ished Saviour II the country he saw was
heretical, it had nothing good in it in its
natural scenery, its society, art, customs and
life. The best hotels were inhospitable and
uncomfortable If they were located in an in
fi1el and Protestant country, and no Aeas
were to be found in Naples, and no lazzaroni
in Leghom and Pisa Mt Blanc, which
rose out Of Catholic Savoy, had infinite
charms. but Lake Leman, which washed the
quays Of Geneva, was discolored and unhand-
some, a medium pond, furious when excited,
but usually duh and stupid enough
We have known Protestant clergymen
who were afflicted with the same color
blindness who see nothing but in the light
Of their own local and religious prejudices;
but it is not usual. But at any rate, IL is a
great mistake for man when he travels
abroad, to take his political or religious
glasses with him lie should leave them at
home, lest he should see nothing while he is
gone, save himself.
1t is well for the tourist in foreign coun-
try not to expect too much from few
weeks or months observation. 1t is quite
difficult to get to the heart of things in a
foreign land, where all the customs, as well
in less than year or two. Not too much
must be anticipated from few mouths Of
superficial observation. 1t would be too
much to hope to fathon all foreign pol
icies and religions in so short a time. 1t
will be quite enough for man to be
able to get good idea Of the personal
appearance Of the reigning sovereigns and
the great leaders of society, of the general
outline Of the country, and of the public
fashions both social and religious, of the
various populations. 1t will be quite i'm
possible to get much below the surface, to
become a connoisseur in art or an adept in
foreign politics.
Yet a surface view of Europe is not neces-
sarily narrow view, nor an incorrect one.
II man has crammed himself with Euro
pean history it will help him very much in
the enjoyment Of short tour. 1t is some
thing for man TO get the general lights and
shades Of a foreign society. A new eye, un-
accustomed TO the minute details Of such a
society, may get a clearer and juster general
impression. II is not necessary TO live long
in place to get a fair general idea of it.
A long acquaintance is apt to confuse and
dim the general idea by bringing up null
ttude of perplexing particulars. The mo-
ment we begin to mix in society, or to study
it infinitely, we become incapable of taking
a just and harmonious general observation.
ha
at home he can get very fair idea of society
in half-dozen countries in Europe in a
ninety days run. He can get correct idea
at least, of the differences between Roman
and Protestant development, between demo-
cratic and imperial government, between
Rubens, Titan, Raphael, Salvador Rosa and
the modern painters between st. Peters and
a Methodist chapel; and he will find good
reasons enough, that he can define vigor-
ously if he desires to do so, why he prefers
the chapel to the cathedral, Bierstadt to
Rubens, republic to an empire, and Pro
testantism TO Romanism
He will get some idea also of social life.
A man who keeps his eyes open, and the
avenues from eye and ear to the thinking
brain open, will be likely to understand the
social life of the countries through which he
passes, with considerable breadth and cor
rectness. The frescoes and entablatures on
the walls of Pompeii give true idea of the
old social life which was buried near two
thousand years ago, under the ashes of Vesu-
vius. The monuments and inscriptions of
the Catacombs are a record of the religions
and social life of the early Christians who
fled TO them to escape the sword of the en-
perors of Rome And there are things to be
seen in the streets, in the shops, in the thea
tiers, in the markets and in the churches of
any foreign land which "the wayfaring man
though fool" can readily comprehend, and
from which the wise man can Justly infer the
temper, the habit and the drift of a society.
of whose domestic and personal life he
knows but little, il anything. Study, ma.
ture thought and contemplation are not need.
full in some cases. At least, the materials can
be collected in a rapid observation for sub.
sequent criticism, analysis and inference 1t
would not take years survey Of Paris to
learn the utter friyolity of its social life. IL
would not take six months of careful inspec-
ton to discover the utter sterility and impo-
tence of mind, the dead tradtionalism, the
absence of all energy in literature aud art
and science which have long been so conspic-
uous in Rome. The very letter of credit
which one may take with him over Europe
from Il n lon banking firm will convince
him before he has half finished his tour that
London is the great centre of the worlds
trade and finance. lie might prefer to get
his hat or his wife's dress in Paris, but he
would rather have his credit in London. If
his transactions were large enough the bal
ance of exchange would make him rich to
pay Paris debts with London paper
1t is well to travel in Europe in order to
learn how TO do some things much better at
home than we are accustomed 10 do them.
Take railway carriage and you will have
the pleasure of being locked safely in your
place before the train starts, lest YOU
should take notion TO jump on the NOV
In frui in al