The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-07-20
Entered at the Post Office at Richmond, Va as
second-class matter.
CORRESPONDEN NCE.
Letter from England.
SoUTHAMPToN, July 4th, {

SOUTHAMPTON, July 4th, 81.
Messvs. Editors, Your Philadelphia
correspondent, after a considerable silence
caused by illness, has joined the throng
of Americans seeking health and recrea-
tion amid the fresh scenes of Europe, and
according to his promise will transmit
awakened by the various spectacles of
his tour. He however gives warning
that his letters will not assume the form
of connected book of travels No man
should ever pretend to write book of
travels about another country, with which
he can be but imperfectly acquainted,
who would never have dreamed of writ
ing one about his own country, with
which he should be perfectly well ac-
quainted A-man who visits an unknown
country, like Bruce, or Stephens, or who
makes political tour to discover the
workings of a new government like De
Tocqueville, or poetical pilgrimage like
Lamartine, or sentimental one like
Sterne, or comical one like Twain, may
well be excused for writing book of
travels, for they have something to say
of the world which the world has not
heard before. But for the ordinary
traveller who goes to foreign land and
sees no new sights, makes no new inves-
legations discovers no new truths, to make
record of his commonplace ideas, and
publish connected account of stoppages
and accidents, his passage and progress,
his dinners and his breakfasts, is sheer
lmpertinence. 1t is wasting good mate
rlals and valuable space in Improbable
enterprises. Your correspondent pledges,
therefore, no bookishness nor any order
and itinerary in his letters. When a
people, or monument, or landscape
makes any impression on his mind he
will take up his pen and communicate it
with W hat fidelity he can to your readers,
He seeks not what relation the pictures
may bear to each other, if they be but
true to the subjects which suggest them
The details of the passage from New
York to Southampton, via the North Ger
man Lloyd steamer, Nurnburg, we can
not dwell upon with any personal enthu-
siasm. Life on the ocean wave" may
be beautiful thing in song, but to us in
a modern steamship tumbled up and
down" by the pitchings and tossings of
the vessel, dreadfully sick, and loathing
things generally, it is but wretched re-
allty. Whatever may be the true medi-
cal explanation of sea-sickness, whether
1T be from purely mental or purely ply
slcal cause we know not; but of one thing
we are assured now, that there can be no
doubt of the truth of the narrative that
the whale delivered Jonah successfully
on the shores of the Mediterranean. Our
experience casts great light on the old
Bible story. Swallowing Jonah never
was any trial to our faith. Vomiting
him whole and unhurt was always our
stumbling block. 1t is now forever re-
moved. We could almost do it ourselves
after fair trial of. sea-sickness. It is
well calculated to open ones understand
Ing In, regard to the fexibility of ones
organs and how wonderfully and fearful
~ he is made. Enough Of the subiec-
tive The ocean is manifestly not our
element, and ship is strange monster
10 us, OF which we know as little, techni-
caliy, as butcher in the market knows
about a Megatherium.
And yet all the impressions of sea
voyage on a German steamer are not
those OF tobacco smoke, and villainous
smells, and more villainous stomach !
e. tew days out, in the northeastern sky
OF night, we beheld brilliant comet, the
most vivid seen for twenty years-that
phenomenon among the splendor of the
stars, which science has never yet ex-
planned. Indeed it requires no addition
ol cometary glory to make the night at
sea so llemnly grand The great ship goes
Plun!ging through the ftfel shadows,
81 ttiIrainlng and painting as if in battle with
o ene waves that smite her brow, vainly
Ilnueavoring to draw her back. What
D?auty Of colors notwithstanding the
Hlgntl The stars seem to tremble in the