Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-07-29
LANC AsfER, PA, July 20, 1880.
The Grand Tour.

The number OF American tourists IN
Europe increases every year. II Is pre-
dicted that the hegira will be greater
this year than ever before. The rates
for cabin passage are lower, and
the transatlantic steamers will be
crowded"
This familiar paragraph appears in
the newspapers every spring. IL would
be strange, of course, If the number of
innocents abroad should not keep
pace from year to year with the coun-
try's extraordinary growth In wealth
and population. But the rage for
European travel seems greatly to exceed
this growth, and the excess is often
based upon nothing better than snob-
berry The excuses urged in Its defense
are frequently seen to consist, not of
reasons, but Of very lame apologies.
They are intended to conceal the true
motives, just rs Talleyrand's language
was intended to conceal his ideas. Is 1t
not strange, for example, that presum-
ably sane Americans should spend their
summer vacations in London, Paris,
Vienna and Rome, when even the worst
Of our own capitals are nearly, II not
altogether rs hot, dusty and nncomfort-
able I? If, like Mark Tapley, they are in
search Of misery, they might be fairly
accommodated at home. Is II not pass
ing strange, too, that many of these peo-
.ple go to Switzerland TO climb the
Alps, when thei. own country contains,
AZ Mr.. Nyc observes, so many "desir-
able and praiseworthy mountains :" s?
And then gravely to tell us that they
act in this way in the hope of imProv-
ing their health
OF course the benefits derived from
even the briefest sojourn in the Old
World can scarcely be too highly esti-
mated. Every year larger number of
the graduates Of our schools and colleges
cross the ocean to continue their studies.
This Is altogether admirable. Consider,
too, the over-worked business man,
weighed down with sordid cares the
country editor, who feels but vaguely, If
at all, the existence of any real world
outside the political one of his,congres-
qonal district; the lawyer and physi-
clan, each immersed too deeply In his
practice to think of aught else the
country clergyman--aye, and his city
brother, too--whose intellect il in
danger of becoming as pctrified rs his
creed aud the teacher, professor and
literary man, each falling gradually
but surely into his particular groove,
from which he will soon be unable TO
lift himself. What blessing run
through Europe is to.each of theso-
what boon to his friends, to all over
whom he possesses influence, and
even to the community in which
he lives F! All are brought back
- II by magic, from plod-
ding, machine-like existence to
large, high-pulsing human life, and
and spirit, like that Of early youth, that
they are, first of all, men, and not
merely editors, lawyers, doctors and
priests. Then, too, in contemplating
the treasures of art and science in many
an ancient gallery and museum, how
the spirit quafis unconsciously the
sweet waters Of the Pierian spring !
How many impressions of beauty are
fixed in the mind never afterward to be
wholly efiaced But even the cultuc
thus gained, however, great its absolute
value, becomes of little relative import
ance when compared to the sapping of
the provincial spirit, the widening of the
sympathies, and the broadening of the
intellect, which are almost invariably
among the results of foreign travel
BESIDES this, all save weak-minded few
;,retprn home better patriots than when
u ,as dcbarked, for their love of demo-
Reynstitutions is deeper, broader and
d hurcplightened.