Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-06-26
Miseellaag.
Streets of the World.

The crowded thoroughfares of great
,;,ics have a charm for the student of hu-
nam nature. and often possess an historic.
a interest rs the scene OF great events.
nr Johnson never felt so much at home
.. when walking along Fleet street and
,6s strand, and Sydney Smith said that
.bo country was only a kind of healthy
-r,ve; il had no charm for him in com
nnsrison with the crowded city. There are
lF,rre,s in the world that we would all like
:, visit. like that oldest of them all 1.-THE
.,reet that is called Straight" in the an
cient city Of Damascus.
r., the pleasure seeker there is no street
in lhc world like The Champs Elysees, or
TIysIon Fields of Paris This wide avenue
stretching straight up from the Place de la
Conrorde to The Triumphal Arch, with It's
cardens on either side, its outdoor concerts
and various amusements, its palaces and
is luminous sunshine, presents an ever
varyinc scene of pleasure characteristic
of ihp gay city of which it is the brightest
feature. Among The crowds which throng
it, may be found, especially now that the
great exhibition is in progress, men OF all
nations and conditions. Its II cosmopoli-
tan street, where the philosopher may pass
inreview all nations of the earh.
London his no street like this Indeed
tmt rreat city has no one great thorough
fac which serves to open its life 10 the
visitor AS does the Champs Elysees the life
Of Paris. Like English homes, London
streets, though solid and substantial. are
not thrown wide open TO the visitor. They
are dark and narrow, and one needs to get
the clue to them before he can thoroughly
enioy them. But what teeming asSocla-
ti6ns cluster around them, Perhaps the
most characteristic street of Lon'lon is the
Fleet. lhlt narrow thol oughfare OF trade
through which the city passing under
Temple Bar, energies into the strand, and
passes on to Westminster The peculiar
rty of this street is its numerous courts,
irlched through arches nm Ter the build
inrs on either hand. They are like so
many pockets, out of which there is no
way save that by which one enters. Here
are the famous old taverns, the MERMAID"
and others celebrated in song and story.
tls from Fleet street that one enters the
Inn, of the Temple, with their gardens,
50 full of historical associations.
Few streets in Great Britain have a
greater interest that the High streets of
Edinburgh. This ancient street, leading
down from the castle on its commanding
crlg to the valley where stands the old
mlacc of lIoyrood, with all its dark
memories, is Throughout its length full OF
quaint architecture recalling the past. It's
lofty houses with the closes, or narrow
coMts, between them, seems TO belong to
1uith pannl lnnt inne
OF Scottish history.
OF all streets we ever entered that which
exhibited the most novel features of oul
door life was the Strada Trinita Maggiori,
OR street of the Great Trinity, in Naples.
Entering it through the gateway in the
wall which surrounds the city, an extraor-
binary scene bursts upon the visitor. The
swarning outdoor life of this gay tropical
city is ali about him. The street is so mar
row that it barely admits of the passage
of two carriages abreast, and there are no
sid, walks. A continuous line of carriages,
passing both ways, causes frequent jams
and stoppagts. These give the visitor
an opporlunity to observe the curious
scene around him. The street swarms
with hGe and color. The shops on either
side are like yawning caverns, with no
side or rear windows, and wide open
doors. The carriages pass so near them
that one could put his hand out and take the
articles offered for sale. OF in some cases
in he p ocess of cooking on the window
sill. All sorts of occupations, sewing,
cooking, setting type, making chairs, are
going on 1T the doors in the open street.
Naked children sprawl all over the pave.
ment Donkeys are carrying burdens on
their backs or drawing them in little carts,
The lofty houses built of soft yellow stone.
which seems su1used with sunshine, arc
g,y with streamers, and lines Of colored
paper lanterns are strung across the street
From balconies, high up, ladies look down
upon the motley scene, while in the surg
ing crowd, priests, soldiers, and lazzaroni,
mnglc As II pictnre of life in II semi
tropical city this scene cannot be surpassed
A,a,rIWded thorCughfare, presenting
ncver.ceasing stream of humanity, wt
believe no street in the world exceIs
Broadway. No street in Paris or London
j. SO hronged. This comparatively nar
row ,trel seems 10 draw into Itself all tho
teming life of the crowded city, and the
oppos NC currents passing up and dowl
meet and mingle in contending eddies. Tc
cross Roadway is like traversing the cur
rent OF an inn letuous stream. In no stree
in London is the passage so dangerous
The prevailing feature of Broadway is tina
it i, dislinrivcy and emphatically AT
avenue of traffic. In all other streets ir
the world that ever we saw there ar sOm'
quiet hooks, some pauscs in the current
some buildings not dedicated to trade
around which fingers an air of repose ant
leisure. But here all is hurry and hustle
as ii every man were intent on making hi
fortune within the next twenty-four hours
There is no let up, no break in the stream
no object in life save buying and selling
and making money Perhaps we ought tt
except old Trinity church, and its grave
yard from the unive sal rush. but it onl.
serves to point out the head of Wall street
whore the rush grows madder yet. A
passage up and down Broadway is n
crowded with scenes and impressions II
an ordinary lifetime in the country
Pvrttand Transcript.