The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1882-04-08
Notes Of Summer Travel.

Goldsmith, johnson, Carlyle-England
Then and Now.
-, LONDON, Sept. 80, 1881.
afY DEAR NELL:
Sydney Smith used to say, you know,
that it would be impossible for race SO
dull witted and unready in conversation
as the English to get through life, were
it not for what he called meteorological
platitudes.p Perhaps this is the one
compensating Renaissance in the inflic-
tion Of SO much bad weather. Certain
it is that the tourist who is, for the mo-
snent, quite indifferent to conversational
success, finds no special aid to sight
seeing in a weary succession Of dull,
leaden skies, and cold, drizzling rains.
How we have 'longed for some Of our
glorious Louisiana sunshine! But any
impatient word or expression Of selfish
regret on our part has been checked by
the too-real cry of distress which comes
from the agricultural portions of Great
Britain, where the poor farmers wait
anxiously for fair skies that they may
garner in their grain.
can not feel in London, Nell, that l
am altogether in strange city. Tho
names Of many Of the streets are rs Eamil-
lar to me as those Of Camp, Canal and
st. Charles. 1t is delight, in itself, to
wander about idly for hours together.
How perfectly natural it seemed to saun-
ter along Picadilly street, where we were
told many Of the "tip-tops" live; and
where we saw the residences of Lord
Palmerston, Baron Rothschild, the old
house of the Duke of wellington, aud
others. was surprised to find them all
plain and unpretending buildings, not
nearly SO tine as many on Broadway, or
in our own New Orleans. Clearly, these
old, substantial families do not worship
money and display! Then, what an in
teresting study was Chancery Lane, re-
calling memories Of the great suit of
Jarndyce Is. Jarndyce; and how anx-
iously did we scan the interminable row
Of law Offices, and peer into tho faces of
the passing CROWD, not seeing them, after
all, half so really as we did visions of
poor, crazy little Miss Elite, or good Mr..
Jarndyce, or Dick, or cadaverous Mr..
Vholes.
Diversion for half an hour can readily
be found in the dingy book-shops OF
Paternoster Row, SO called because OF
the prayer books published and sold
there. Thence we wander on to Newgate
street, until VIC stand before Newgate
Prison-the cold Bailey"-associated
with some of the most notorious crimes
OF q century, dark, gloomy, sepulchra
looking place, seemingly impregnable il
strength. / was not sorry to learn tina
the city authorities have decrced that i
shall be leveled to the ground to make
room for other buildings. So, within
few days Newgate will he no more. Re
tracing our steps, we find, near by
Christ's Hospital, founded by Edward VI
where the Blue Coat boys are educated
little further is the market-place 0
Smith6eld, where Wat Tyler was slain
where the Scottish patriot, Sir William
Wallace, was beheaded, and where, later
so many of the martyrs suffered death a
the stake. Still do the English regar
the spot where they yielded up life fo
faith as sacred ground, and erect upo
it no buildings; only the cool waters c
q fountain play where once flame
iiercely the blazing pile. Time fails IN
to speak of Cheapside, OF Pall-Mal}, q
the Strand, Or many other streets wit
unfamiliar names, perhaps, but wit
strangely familiar faces, that are assoc
ated vaguely and dreamily with histor
or romance. have enjoyed few thing
more than stroll Oh Fleet street. Man
changes have taken place since Charlie
i
sweet security of the Streets" Now, "
find instead jostliny crowd and tai
gled maze Ut vehicles constantly passin
and repassing. Fleet street is dull an
unlnvitins in appearance, but the man
literary associations which cluster aroun
its courts and by-ways, invest it wit
peculiar interest for the English reade
Among the eminent men suggested h
the place, think with most pleasu,
and interest of good old DR.. johnson
and Of his harmless cccent,icities an
brave, honest, courteous life. The fan
Gus old hostclry Of the 90 Cheshire Cheese
IS here, where Oliver Goldsmith and Be
johnson SO often dined together, viii
Boswell listened and took notes; b,
being hurried, l did not lnger to fluid i
Turning aside into Gonsh Square, l 81
the quaint old dinsy house where job,
son SO long toile,l at his dictionary. an
afterwards threading my way through
narrow lane into Bolt Court. l tonnd II
house-;' better house, | am clad to -,
where he died. Further down File,
street we come to the Temple former]
a lodge of the Knights Templar, a reli,
o's and military order founded und,
Baldwin, King of Jerusalem, one of IL
early Crusaders. The Temple Church
perhaps the most remarkable and inte
.estinS in London. 1t is divided into tw
sections, the Round Churcsi, and II
ch"'r-the former having been built
the twelfth century. AS ! came With
the solemn precincts Of this yeuerab
church, l felt strangely awed-sha,