Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-03
THE WORLDS CApITAL.
london az Described by Rev. VI. ID.
IfOse. -. ID.

From letter IN the Religions HERALD
Commercially, politically, socially,
leljgiously, numerically, there is no city
On earth comparable TO London.
would like TO read some well.C0nsideref
etsay. by one competent to write 1t,
with regard TO the probable magnitude
which this city will attain in the next
City years. how il is to be governed,
and how its population is to be snp-
ported. There seems to be no limit TO
It's growth, and yet the time must come
" hen conditions unknown at present
will put an end to its expansion. Her
| bert Fry, editor Of the Roydt GH,de 10
London Charities, says there are al
ready 100000 people within the if
tcen-Inlle radius that it contains moro
Jews than there are in Palestine, more
Scotchmen than in Edinburgh or Aber-
deem, moro Welshmen than in Cardiff,
more Irishmen than in Belfast, and
more Roman Catholics than in Rome.
I have spent more time in London
than in any other city Of the world, ex-
cept Richmond, and know some parts
Of it tolerably well-but who can know
London? In q speech delivered by Alr.
Bright, be says: GA great many Of
you have been to London, and yet you
know nothing about it. ! have spent
six months there every year for forty
yea:s, and yet ! know nothing about
it, chat is an exaggeration, but the
rest Of the sentence is true. "l do
not believe that there is a man in It
who is fairly acquainted with all
the parts and districts OF that
vast city," Visitors from the
United States, who have recently
seen Vienna or Rome, sometimes
complain that London is dull and
gloomy. This is because they are 50
ignorant of what objects of interest
/ London really contains and what its re-
sources for entertainment and instruc-
ton are. 1t is owing, too, in some
cases, 10 the fact that they go to hotels
or observation-disclosures in the old part of
the city, where the streets are marrow
and the houses dingy and oppressive
because Of their monotony. Such pOr-
lions Of London are gloomy indeed.
But what does one find IN locality
like The one in which the West
minister Palace Hotel is situated,
whore MEG. aud myself have been
for the last twelve days? Now,
while write, | look out of my yin
dow, end theIe, just across the street,
see the most historic building in the
world-WestmiDster Abbey-where
kings lie in their glory, and where the
great phlanthropists, soldiers, states
men. orators, and poets, who have lived
to apeliorate human suffering, to fight
the battles Of freedom, TO plead in be-
half of right, or to sing to the worlds
sad heart, have found their last resting
place. Immediately beyond the Abbey
rise the towers Of the House of Psrlis'
ment. If go out from the hotel
three. minutes walk brings me to St.
James Park, Of ninety acres, filled
with noble trees, shrubbery, beds Of
flowers, all made more attractive be-
cause surrounding picturesque lake
called 1.-The Ornamental Water"
dotted with pleasure-bOats aud aquatic
birds OF varied plumage. On one side
of,hispsrkis st. James Palace, and hard
! by is Stafford House, regarded by some
as the finest private mansion in London.
On another side Of the Park is Buck
inghsm Palace, where Victoria holds
her court when in London. The stree.
which bounds st. james Park on the
north is Pall-Mall-so called from the
ancient game paiue mail2e, which
Charles IL. often played there with his
courtiers-while little to the right il
, Trafalgar Square, the Royal Gallery o.
Paintings, Piccadilly and Regent
streets. No one stopping in this part
Of London would call the city dull and
gloomy.