The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-10-27
Letter from Europe Written to q
| Friend by a Virginia Lady.

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Letter from Europe Written to q
Friend by Virginia Lady.
Editors Dispatch: i send you-though
not intended, by the writer, for pubiica-l
tion-a pleasant little letter from Europe,
| thinking 1t may afford moments interest
10 some OF your readers, reminding them.
at least by the familiar names, OF scenes
they, too, have enjoyed. 4 -.1
| PARIS.
Mv Dear Friend, II was more than glad
to receive the letter forwarded to me at
Venice, about two weeks ago, and to know
that you were all well. II you could only
realize your wish, some day, and come over
here to see for yourself, what others could
never see, with your appreciatiYe mind
and heartl If ] have wished for
you once I have thousand times, as in
tensely as ! did that day on the Rhine; for
since then have seen so much that is in
teresting and beautiful cannot feel con-
tent with any effort at description. You
love Heidelberg so much. We stopped
there for two or three hours only-long
enough to take lunch and drive around the
city, including an hour spent in wandering
about the unsurpassed castle ruins. After
| sketching the different points OF interest
there, we drove through the city and across
the river to see it from the other side. The
river and the mountains, the ruins,
and the city. made, IN my estima-
iton, q perfectly beautiful scene. Heidel-
berg is one Of the few cities here in
which I should like to live. and that short
glimpse of it hope never to forget. we
slept at Baden that nigbt-a place OF varied
interest-but as it rained all the time for
the three days we were there we failed to
enjoy its advantages. From there we went
to Schatfhausen and saw Lake Constanz en-
paSSant. Our hotel In Schatfhausen over
looked the falls OF the Rhine, and the roar
was almost deafening. 1t was lovely
place, andI was so glad to see the dear
Rhine again. From Scbatfhausen to Lu-
cerne-how can / ever tell you about Lu-
cerne. the lake as green and clear as eme-
raid, the mountains coming down to the
waters edge, the snow-capped Alps be-
yond, and the pretty, quaint town, with
its old towers and bridges. O it is "a
Joy forever" to have seen it. "Thorwas
den's Lion" is grand; no picture have
seen does it Justice; it is poem cut in the
living rock. A week in Lucerne; then, in
a diligence, over the Burning Pass to Inter-
laken; we saw there the lakes OF Brienz
and Thun and the beautiful cascades Of the
Giessbach and Staubbach, the glacier and
ice-cave OF the Grindelwald; and after four
days in sight OF the Yungfrau we went on
through Berne (wbere we saw The bears) to
Geneva, Just on the banks OF that liquid
sapphire, Lake Lehmhau. we went to the
picturesque castle of Chillon, and saw, OF
course, BonniVard's cell and Lord Bvron's
name on the pillar. From Geneva, after
eight davs, to Chamounix, where we rested
three days at the foot of Mt. Blanc-white
indeed, and monarch Of The mountains /;
then, over the Tete Noire, we came down
into the Valley OF the Rhone, and again
reached Lake Geneva, having made the COM
t plete tour Of the lake, and seen almost
everything OF note In its vicinity. We
were not.ayerse to returning to lovely Lu-
8 cerne, which was on our most direct route
into the Engadine, the most romantic part
: OF the Swiss Tyrol. The scenery there is
magnificent. We were on level with
the eternal SHOWS for nearly two weeks.
did not altogether enjoy, however,
shiyering with cold for that length
OF time in August, and was reieiced
day, into sunny Italy. We stopped on the
banks of Como, at Bellagio, which COM
mands view of the three lakes-Leece,
Como, and Como-proper; then we went on
to Venice, "City OF My Soul" II you ever
r GO to Venice time your arrival, as we did,
in the early twilight OF u moonlight; night.
1t is without doubt exquisite at night; but
our ride in gondola the next morning was
as sad thing as I ever experienced; it was
80 depressing to see those ruined palaces
with 80 little outward remnant OF their for
mer grandeur. Tbelieve I would have left
there the second night il could, but for
tunately I could not, and we stayed there
long enough for me to feel, with ardent
| .k, hot no n n
glory are worth more than ali that modern
invention can claim. We literally tore
, ourselves away at the expiration OF nine
days. Then to Milan, where liked the
churches more than any we had seen. They
; are constructed in the old Lombard style, l
believe, and there is nothing tawdry or
make.belieye, as we saw elsewhere. The
Cathedral and St. Carlo Borromeo's tomb
are magnificent; and nothing that you
? have seen, unless In the mere position OF
: the figures, is at all like "da Vincrs Last
Supper.''1 1t is very much marred, and l
don't think can be copied.
We saw Maggiore and Isola Bella, and
then, in a carriage over the st. Gothard,
came back to Lucerne third tlme-Just
one last night there-and back to Paris.
We reached here last Tuesday morning
inst nine weeks from the time OF starting.
I hone to 90 to London next Thursday,
and. after two months in Eng land, TO return
TO the Continent for more seasonable visit
TO Rome than at this time Of the year. l
am willing to stay here for the best use OF
my advantages, but from "across the
water" so far and yet so near, there comes
sometimes, with resistless sway, Whisper
| Of Home, sweet home," SO prized Dy
/ every American above all foreign-noTelty
travel can present. .,.5.~. .r f.f..y-
/ have made a great many friends, and
met some few people had beard OF be-
fore-among them q young sentleman-Mr.
Eddy MaYo--from Richmond, Va, who re-
turns home very soon, and has promised TO
igo to see you for me. l,4e.,
I am sorry my hurried letter should be so
full of myseh. How I wish could see you.
Ever faithfully, 80 -