Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-17
OVER THE DEEP.
Lecture by Walter VI. Leman on Eng
land, France, Switzerland and ItaIy.

Lecture by Walter NJ. Leman on Eng
land, France, Switzerland and Italy.
On Tuesday evening the renowned and
venerable author and actor, Walter NJ. Le-
man, who recently made tour of Europe
lectured in Pioneer Hall upon what he saw
in ireland, England and Scotland. Last
evening, in the same hall, before a large
and representative audience, he related in a
most interesting and graphic manner what
he observed in his travels through France
Switzerland and Italy. Mr.. Leman is a
keen observer, and has pleasing and enter
tanning faculty of telling what he saw OF
interest in his wanderings, and closely
holds the attention of his audience
throughout his lecture. Paris, the
great, gay, capital of the French
city on the continent. With her
long lines of clean streets, blue
skies and pure air, she is just the opposite
OF London. Her churches, cathedrals
and public buildings are the wonder
aud admiration of every stranger. Notre
Dame Cathedral is one of the grandest
church edifices of the world No language
can describe the beauty of its interior. and
Its history is part of that of Paris itself.
Its organ, the grandest in the world, has a
hight of 40 and depth of 81 feet. From
the proud towers of that gigantic building
an excellent view of the capital CITY of
France is obtained. The Hotel de Inyalids
contains, or did in July last, but one of
Napoleon's veterans; the rest have fallen
before the great conqueror-
Their bones are dust,
Their swords are rust,
Their souls with God, we trust
The lecturer visited the Grand Opera, and
described the theater that cost $4,000. 900
francs. Its auditorium is constructed en-
tlrely OF stone and iron, and the entire in
terror is one of gl;ttering splendor. The
delightful atmosphere and the bright Paris
ian skies make outdoor life most pleasant.
Having seen so much of art, sculpture and
architecture. and wishing to see some of
the sublime handiwork of God, he left the
gay French capital for Switzerland The
distance was covered by rail, over majestic
mountains, along fertile valleys and
through long tunnels, whose construction
Is the greatest achievement of engineering
skill His first stopping place was Lucerne
whose location is one OF great beauty The
bridges Of this historic city, constructed
of wood and rope contain
pictures, legendry and historical.
and are world-femous. The lion
OF Lucerne, hewed from the solid rock. CO.
iossal IN dimensions, is most magnificent
piece of sculpture. Mount Blanc, as it APP
peared in the distance, looked like great
white dome OF silver piled up against the
deep blue sky. The Swiss are simple. free
honest and gentle. In the fields the women
and children outnumber the men. The
country is poor, and the people have
not cheerful appearance. Great pow
erty, no more than great wealth,
IS not conducive TO happiness. How
ever, whether the people of that little
Republic are happy or not, here ever lived
a Tree seli-governing people, with famous
and memorable history. From Switzer
land to Italy by rail, and the lecturer next
describes the city of Venice, which stands
upon cluster of islands. The PRINCIPAL
thoroughfare is grand canal, with a
double curve, and 100 smaller canals make
the streets. The canals are crossed by up-
wards of 300 bridges. The streets are mar
row, not exceeding fifteen feet in width,
ana sidewalks a thing unknown. For
nearly all purposes the canals are used in
stead OF the streets, the canal taking the
place Of the road and the gondoa the place
OF the carriage. Venice stands alone there
is nothing like Venice in all the world.
No sound is heard save the dipping Of
the oar, the ripple of the water. the sweet
strains OF the guitar or the merry song of
the gondolleri no rumbling wheels; no
Gathering of horses hoofs. The church of
st. Marks, with its roof of gold, its walls of
alabaster, its ceiling and floor of crowded
imagery was interestly described, as was
also the lace manufactures. The country
IN the vicinity Of Venice is most fertile.
the fruits of the best and their pumpkins
and pumpkin pies equal to those of New
England. There is not a cat, dog, a COW.
nor horse in all Venice Viewed from a
hight, Venice is a city of domes, rather
than spIreS-gorgeous, grand and beautiful
beyond compare. The arsenal EMPLOYS
over 1900 men, and few years since gave
employment to 10000 While four-footed
animals are unknown in Venice, it is IA
nous for its pigeons. They are protected
by law, are fed by every one, are quite
tame and very numerous.
On the lecturers return to England. he
visited Stratford, the birthplace of Shake
speare. This was described and many his
toric sketches related On his recrossing
the Atlantic, the traveller bid adieu to Eu-
rope forever. The PROV Of the grand ship
was pointed Over the Deep toward
America-"the land of the free and the
home of the brave" Europe had many
points of interest, many works of art
many natural curiosities However. in all
his travels ne found no mountain so ma
Jestic as Tacoma; no river so grand as the
Mississippi; no lake so beautiful as Tahoe ::
no valley with such grandeur of scenery
as yosemite; no falls SO awe-inspiring as
Niagara.