The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1880-01-22

TIE KEW GARDENS AND RICHMOND PARK
EXAMINATIONS OVER SOME OF JOHN
BULLS PECULIARTTEs.
So powerful was the effect produced upon
us by the strange experiences we had now
acquired, and with which we have made the
reader imperfectly acquainted in the pre-
cedng chapter, that we resolved, for our
heart was troubled, our spirits depressed, to
turn for relief to nature, for all nature
breathes the language of hope and mercy.
Experience teaches the soothing influence
of the country, the beneficial effects of
from time to time looking upon green fields
and bright flowers; of giving the mind an
interval of repose while the body wanders
over scenes of beauty, and the heart expands
under the canopy of heaven.
Thankful for the opportunity of leisure
which enabled us to enjoy at this time,
rural scenes and sights, we betook our
selves with alacrity, in the direction of Kew
and Richmond. We went forth determined
to see, in the limited time at our disposal,
as much as possible of life in villages and
hamlets, farm houses and cottages; in pal
aces and castles, parks and gardens to at
tend fairs and festivals, in word to mix
with the people and study their habits and
customs, if possible,i in all the conditions and
walks of life, persuaded that the character
of people cannot be obtained by combining
ones observation to metropolis, however,
great that metropolis may be.
Our route was down Parliament street to
Westminster which stands in the centre Of
that remarkable locality, which may be re-
garded as the heart and core of the British
empire. From this centre 90 forth the veins
and arteries which give vitality to the most
distant parts of England's dominions. Here
are grouped the Parliament Houses, in
which the Peers of the Realm and the rep
resentatives of the people-tbe Lords and
Commons assemble. Here also the innu.
merable offices for the transaction of all
public business, civil and military Buck
ineham Palace, the town residence OF the
Queen, St. James Palace, in which the
drawing rooms or receptions occur, and
Marlborough House, the residence Of the
Prince of Wales Westminster Hall, in
which for nearly eight hundred years the su-
perior courts of justice have held their sit
tincs; the Horse Guards AMI the Admi-
ralty-the respective head quarters OF the
army and navy; Westminster Schools and
Westminster Abbey ; within few stones
.IakI D,la h. IA so1
dence OF the Archbishops of Canterbury.
On every side are the evidences that the
multitudnous affairs of the British Empire
are here transacted that this is the arena
upon which has been solved the theory
of the British Constitution that here her
great and enduring institutions haye been
moulded into shape the arena where bat
ties have been fought, which if OF less thrill
ing interest. have not been of less impor-
lance, in their influence on the affairs Of
men, than those which follow the shock of
contending armies-the arena where noble
hearts have puisated and long array Of il
lustrous orators and statesmen have passed,
whose names and deeds win be grateful
lY hnSlCtCl ShI IStidbiJ duu
civilization find ar abiding place.
Pursuing our course up Constitutional Hill
we reach Hammersmith, and then the
longed- for country of green hedges and cul-
tivated fields. The day was bright and
Joyous, a rich. soft sunlight descended upon
the landscape and fell in golden streaks
upon the river. Carried forward at brisk
trot In the Putney bus we were soon in
the streets of the antique village of Kew.
Kew is one of those quaint old towns so
common to England, Astounding in the dis
orders of architecture, where are seen side
by side, long low fronts and narrow, high
gables, broad windows, with French plate
glass and narrow ones with diamond
panes, some mulloned, others bay win
dows projecting over the walls, latticed
piazzas and high porticos, houses of red
brick and others of grey stone, some
with one wing and others with two and
where two most usually unlike some roofs
that are fiat and others steep and the whole
without regard to congruity,yet where there
is In the general aspect certain harmony
and decided picturesqueness.
Rich In its ancient historical reminiscent
ces, Kew carries US back to the fan
tastical days of hoops and farthingales,
of full bottomed wigs and snuff celored
coats, OF silk breaches and dangling swords;
OF pointed shoes and cooked hats, all OF
which were in full vogue during the earlier
;o1 re hot Conrrinn ,;ol,
these far famed gardens date their founda,
ton. Those were the days during which
men systematically and as measure of
common prudence executed their wills and
babe farewell to their families before start
ing on the perilous journey from London to
Bath, and when upon the side of the rum
bling stage coach were duly enumerated the
towns it would pass through, and the inns
it would stop at. Old England, however,
has passed away with the stage coach, and
while she has bequeathed to us much to be
grateful for and much to admire, her work
has been done. 1t is with young England
we have now to deal-the England of
railways and telegraphs, Of steam boats, of
the penny post, of gas lit cities and cheap
newspapers, of lyceums, libraries &c.
Crossing Kew green We saw in mary
windows cars offering apartments to let.
Wishing to know how these compared in
various ways with those of London, we rap
ped at one Of the doors and were introduced
by adowdy servant girl, her sleeves rolled
up above her elbows and her face smudged
with dirt and BACKED with smoke, to her
mistress, Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones was quick.
ly discovered to be representative woman
OF her class and with real woman's volubl-
ity. AS she conducted us through the
house she almost stunned us with torrent
of words in which she set forth the advanta-
ges of Kew in general as place ofresidence
and her edice in particular, as the most
eligible and desirable lodging house in it.
Tho impulsive creature went on to declare
that she had been uniformly patronized by
tho onoIitv c,,nh nc Cir Tohp Mol cod ord