Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-12-03
From Our Regular Correspondent
Our European Letter.
LnNnnN. Eng. Nnv. Is. Is

man VINO always llVeu IN LOhuou cOulu
ever write really good novel" lie
would not see enough life" The epigram,
paradoxical as it seems, has as much
truth in it as most other paradoxes. Peo-
Pile who live in London are necessarily
thrown into contact with such perpetual
" moving mass OF. human beings that
they have no time to know anything of
each individually. If man really wishes
to study life and character, he must mi
CRATE to some quiet country town, where
he can meet the same persons seven days
in every week, and learn II little more
about them than can be derived from mere
casual observance of outward habits and
peculiarities. But most thoroughgoing,
middle-class Londoners would look aghast
at the proposition that very little life can
be seen in the metropolis. To them the
whole world worth knowing lies between
Hampstead on the north and Sydenham on
the south; their east is bounded by Green
witch, and their west by Richmond CT Ted
dngton. Beyond these limits Of the
metropolitan universe stretches a vast and
vague terra lncognita, known indefinitely
as 1.-THE country" and held 10 be quite
unworthy of serious attention or philos
optical consideration by the enlightened
mind. Life "means the various aspects
Of human society within the narrow
boundaries thus defined; and to know life
is TO be acquainted with the city, the West
End, the theatres, the clubs, the morning
papers and the monotOnOus round OF ex-
i,tence which eliminates in IN o'clock
dinner and a nightly crush in somebody's
drawing room. Even Thackeray himself,
who managed to keep closer than any
other writer within the fOur-mile radius
from Charing Cross, could never have
manufactured a readable novel from these
scanty materials.
The one, sided position Of London in
the south of England has doubtless done
much to increase the provincialism of it.
inhabitants. Very fe = even Of the mosI
educated even remember that the rea
heart Of Britain, the great central mass o
industrial workers who make the natior
what it is, lies between the valley Of thu
Clyde and the Midland plateau Of Biz
mingham. This comparative isolation o
the capital has had IL double bad result. /
has made the northern industrial towns
more provincial, by cutting Them off from
the main artery OF cultivation and of pc
itcal life, while at the same time it ha
left London too solitary in the south. Til,
ordinary Londoner who escapes for a day
from town can only exchange Rcgen
street for the Kings road at Brighton, o
the Esplanadc ut Ramsgate. Living in a
essentially artificial centre, II vast con
gress of the distributing agencies, tn
wealthy pleasure seekers, the Legislative
journalistic and literary classes he neve
gets clear idea of tbs real industrial
world which lies at the back Of hi
strangely conventional city. He passe
his days not unlike the prisoners in Plato
cave, rs it were, in huge bazaar, ignoran
OF the modes in which the wares wer
originally grown or manufactured, an'
implicitly believing that all mankind con
Sist of rich buyers and eager vendors
While the Glasgow workman can visit tn
Kyles of Butte for shilling, while th
New York clerk can bctake himsclfamo
the Hudson highlands for half n dolIai
he spectacle London shopkoeper derive
his idea Of nature from Richmond or tn
Crystal palace, and passes his entire life
time in the perpetual embarrassment of
rock coat and 4 tall hat. The CONVEX
tionaliy OF the season is redeemed for tn
West End by couple Of months anon
the moors or by the salmon stream; bt
the thoroughgong Londoncr can nevo
p look upon the country except as certai
lull cXpanse beyond the town, where 70
/ Gear your clothes in walking and find Ii
, nnsupportable at the end of fortnight.
In spite Of the partial revivals in SON
h branches of trade, it is to be feared h;
& the coming winter will witness almost
II much general distress rs its prcdecesso
y rhe sulfeIings endured last year are not
be measured by either the poor law +
uins or the known number of people wi
we've saved from starvation by the CHART
Die efforts of their neighhors. Beyor
these two classes were vast numbers wi
endured privations none the less sevel
or being silent. In the hope of bctt
:, times coming with the warm weathe
:, many temporary sacrifices were made la
winter; but these cannot be renewed II
-, year, for the simple reason that owing
, the dizziness of summer trade, the usu
title provisions for the winter could not
made. 1t is, unfortunately only too &C
n tain that, during the last four months
r. what was by courtesy designated us SUI
mer weather. the operatives of our gre
manufactures and the artisans of our lea
. ing industries have, for the most part, OF
3. been able to lead kind Of hand to mou
- existence For the first time for ma
" " years, industrial depression has been AT
~ mcnted by unusual agricultural losses, a
- it would be difficult to point to any ella
except tie solicitors of the bankrupt co,
and liquidators, which does not feel
= indirect effects Of commercial stagnatic
y. ALPHA
is ----- --~-'---r---
IN SOLDIERS IIEADSToNEs.-At the !
tie department encampment of the state
r. Vermont, G. A. r.. n committee, consi