The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-02-24
The Epoch Of Travel.

i've characteristics; sometimes more
marked and manifest, sometimes less
so. Our own epoch is no exception in
that regard. Indeed, one might not
go far wrong if no were to say that. if
exceptional at all, it is for the number
and piquancy of its salient traits.
When we have said that it is in the
age of steam, the age of telegraphs. the
age of invention, the age of the news
paper and the novel, the age of free
thought and free speech, abused often
to the extreme of license, the age of the
politician and the defaulter, we have
surely catalogued special features
enough to make it notable in history.
But one, at least. may be added; our
age is, pre-eminently the age of h'arel.
Has the reader ever thought what a
restless race, in this respect, the race
of man has become? When Captain
Cook made his voyage around the
world, just about one hundred years
ago, it was miracle. We seem to be
near the time when man will be re-
garded as miracle of laziness who has
not been round the world. DR.. Wbe-
we'll has recorded the fact that Sir
Isaac Newton resided in Trinity Col
lege, Cambridge, "for thirty-fve years,
without the interruption of month. "
There is prospect that in little time
more. the man who resides month in
one place will be thought to have done
q thing no less extraordinary than this
of Newton. Gibbon, while working at
his "Decline and FALL" was wont 10
say: Sufficient for the summer is the
evil thereof, viz: one distant country
excursion" The vacation" now so
universally Indispensable, was submit
ted to by him as physical necessity,
to be taken as he might take dose OF
medicine. Americans, especially, are
in this respect now considered marvel
to the rest of the world. We shall
not soon forget the expression of face
and voice with which man in Leices-
ter, England-one of those who seem
to have genius for staying at home
said to us. as we stood on his threshold
introducing ourself as from America:
"What on earth are you running around
the world at this rate for?" And we
are, as traveller, mere pigmy COM
pared with the typical American.
A recent writer, touching upon some
phases of the general fact to which we
here refer, says: "There is an extraor-
binary difference in this respect be-
tween the present age and those which
went before it, restlessness and change
of scene have become almost neces-
sity of life with us, whereas our ances-
tors could continue healthy and happy
for months and years without stirring
from home. What is there to explain
the change? We must not pretend
that we work harder than they did
Quite probably chief reason of the
change is found in the very common
place fact that facility of locomotior
promotes locomotion. 1t is likely thai
Gibbon would have found his summer
touring much less a tax, and much more
a delight, if the journey he actually
took days for, pounded and bedusted il
a stage-coach, he could have performed
in luxurious railway carriage in TWEEN
ty-four hours, at the longest. And a.
to circumnavigating the globe, that is
now simply question of money to pay
fares. Railways and steamships have
made the mere journey ing part sort Of
holiday excursion. Then the spirit OF
travel, as every one knows. grows by
indulgence. And it is contagious. Sc
that reasons for the change noticed art
not very far to seek. Tile STANDARD.