The daily gazette., 1878-08-21
Impressions of London.

MT. William Winter writes to the NJ
Y. Tribune his impressions of the city
OF London. He says: at il not alone in
the great Abbey that the rambler in
London IL impressed by poetic antiquity
and all kinds OF historic association-al-
ways presuming that he has been read
er of English literature, and that his read
ing has sunk into his mind Little things
equally with great ones, commingled in a
medley most luxuriant and most deli
cious, so people the memory of such a
pilgrim that all his walks Will be haunted
The London of to-day, to be sure las
many be seen in Macaulay's famous Third
Chapter, and in Scott's "Fortunes of
NigeP) is very little like even the Lon
don Of Charles the Second, when the
the great fire had destroyed eigbty-nine
churches and $4,000 houses, and when
what is now Regent street was rural
solitude, in which sportsmen sometimes
shot she woodeock. Yet, though much
of the old capital has vanished, and more
OF 1t has been changed. many remnants
of its historic past exist, and many of its
streets and houses are fraught with q
delightful romantic interest. 1t is not
forgotten that sometimes the charm re-
sides In the eve that sees quite as much AZ
In the object that Is seen. The storird
spots OF London may not be appreciable
to those who look upon them every day.
The cab-drivers in Kensington may nei-
ther regard nor even notice the house in
which Thackery lived and died. The
shop-keepers of old Bond street may per.
haps, neither care or know that this ia
nous thoroughfare witnessed the death
of Lawrence Sterne. The Bow street
Willis Coffee House, and Dryden,o or But
tons and Addison, as they pass the sites
of those vanished haunts of wit and rev
elry in the days of Qneen Anne.
The fashionable lounger through Berk
eley Square, when perchance he pausei
at the corner of Bruton street, will no
discern Colley Cibber, in wig and ruf
fies, standing at the parlor window ant
drumming with his hands on the frame
The casual passenger halting at the Tav
istock, will not remember tnat this wa
once Macklin's ordinary, and 80 coniur'
up the iron visage and ferociOus aspec
OF the first great Shylock of the British
stage, formally obsequious TO his guest
or striving to edify them, despite the
banter of the volatile Foote, with dis
course upon the Causes of Duelling IL
Ireland. The Barbican does not to ever,
one bring up the memory OF Milton; no
Holbern raise the melancholy shade o
Cbatterton; nor Tower Hill arouse tn.
gloomy ghost of Otway. Yet Iondoi
never disappoints: and, for him whit
knows and feels its history, these asso
Citations, AMI hundreds like to these
make it populous with noble or strang
or pathetic figures, and diversity the as
pect of its vital present with pictures o
! a still more vital past. Such a wandere
soon discovers that in this vast capita
there is literally no end to the theme
that are to rouse his Imagination, toucl
| his heart and bfoaden his mind. Sooth
| ed already by the equable English eli
mate and the lovely English scenery, b
is aware now of an influence in the soli
English city that turns his intellectua
| life to perfect tranquility. He stand
amidst achievements that are finished
careers that are consummated, grea
deeds that are done, great memories ths
are immortal: he views and comprehend
the sum of all that is possible to huma
thought, passion aud labor; and the
high over mighty London, piercing tn
clouds, greeting the sun, drawing into i
self all the tremendous life OF the gret
city and all the meaning of its past an
present-above the dome of St. Paul
Cethedral, the golden cross of Christ"