The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-03-09
TIE DISCOMFORT OF ENGLISH
COLD WEA rHER.

You cannot judge of the distress by the
state Of the thermometer, if you take New
York as standard, Everything is rela.
tive. Freezing point here is almost as
trying as zero with you. We are not
used to cold. There is no preparation
for it, and the want Of preparation is what
occasions so much suffering. Few houses
in London eau be thoroughly warmed in
winter. There are no furnaces, few
stoves, and steam is not available, Open
CRATES are the rule, and very good rule
they are for single rooms, if the rooms
are not too large, But the halls aud
staif-cases are without the least heating
contrivance, and that is where most Of the
inhuenzas, and the far more dangerous
bronchial affections come from. | was
staying, some three months ago, in
country-house-long before there was
any really cold weather-and even then
it was impossible to keep warm. Extra
clothing would not do. In the rooms you
did not need it, and in going from room
to room it was no protection. This, to 5e
sure, was one of those old houses built
some three hundred years ago, and built
to last. Its rchitects-there were
several Of them, for different parts of the
house were built at different periods
took account of everything but cold aud
damp. Tho walls of the most ancient
part are nine feet thick. The hall and
floors are of solid granite. There were
double doors and portieoes, and every ex-
pedient for excluding cold from the
drawing-rooms and bedrooms, and huge
fires all day and night, even in October.
But from one room to another it was n
northwest passage So it is in London
in less degree.
Nor docs London street. life show any
moro rational expectation of winter. An
inch of snow is enough to impede the
whole traffic Of the city seriously. Six
inches would paralyze it. l don't know
whether we ever have six inches at once,
but when that comes, it IS pitiabe to see
the horses and carriages houndering
along. If it freezes, the horses arc not
shod for frozen roads. IF it melts, there
are not enough Of them to draw heavy
vehicles through the "slush." No effort
is made to clear it off the great thorough.
fares. The sidewalks are scarcely swept.
The creates. possible benefit to London
would be an increase of cold and snow.
Then-after century or so-some ar
rangements would be made for them. 1t
is certain that three inches Of snow here
create far greater obstruction to street
locomotion than three feet do in Boston
If we had three feet here as often as the
New England capital has, we should not
manage as well as Boston-that would
be too much to expect-but we should
manage better than we do now. Old
travellers know that to see cold country
at its best ycu should 60 in winter, and in
summer to hot country, St. Petersburg
is delightful in January, and Naples 10
July, They know how to provide for
cold in one, and heat in the other. Eng.
lishmen who come back from Calcutta
tell you that they never suffered from
heat in India as on swelteriug July day
in London, and | am certain that the oc-
casional moderate cold here in December
is harder to bear than the regular extreme
cold of Boston, [SMALLEy's LETTER to
the y. Y Tribune.