St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-09-03


llshments can well be sacrificed for
the sake OF adding to the history OF
our Journeyings a chapter or two on
the old English inns.
The American abroad who would
find the most possible enjoyment IN
his travels must entirely d1vest his
mind OF all precOncelved notions OF
how things should be, must train
himself TO eschew comparisons with
his own glorious country and pro-
greSS1ve cOuntrymen, and must ADAPT
himself With heart and soul to the
present constitution OF things. Let
him not complain at the sIOwness
and long waits OF the accommodate
ton trans, but rather admire the
SW1ftneSS ana easy motion OF the
express, the extreme caution that
prevents accidents, and the polite
ness, kindness and sOcIab1l1ty OF his
ellOw-passengers, less marked in
England than on the Continent, but
delightfully."- conspicuous everywhere.
The many Inconvenience OF travel
in Europe, which IS so tar behind us
In railway arrangements, instead OF
arousing the travellers Impotence
and disposition to grumble, should
be accepted as characteristic features
OF European civilization and slow
ness OF progress in certain directions;
thus they may almost be transform
ed into pleasure.
One agreeable impression made
upon US everywhere IN England is
that the Engl1shman is honest, that
/, 81 n
characteristics, d TRAIT acquired, per
hapS, by centuries commercial
ACTIVITY that could exist only upon a
basis OF honesty. One who has been
victim OF French and Italian
mendac1ty, yelled under sweet smiles
and OHy assurances OF honesty, can
appreciate this as the un1n1t1ated
cOulu not. We have seen many OPP
pOrtun1tles tor dishonesty afforded
TO merchant and clerk, owing to the
stranger untamll1arlty Win Eng
l1sh money; we have witnessed many
attempts to BRIDE vcrgers, atten-
dants, guides; but IN every case that
has IaIlen under our observation the
offer was d1sda1ned. Prices are some
times higher than we think they
should be, and every EnSl1shman
Will accept all that he has honestly
earned, but SO mistaken Is our con-
huence In his prOb1ty that we have
no tear OF beng cneated out OF
penny.
Even nature herself forblds the
American TO make comparisons as
he journeys from place TO place.
What enjoyment can he ind in
travelling IN foreign lands who is
thinking Our MYERS are bigger,
our mountains are higher, our land
scapes more diversified, our valleys
broader, our lakes more vast?' The
sweet beauties OF the Scotch lochs
would be lost to such, the quiet
undulatiOn OF the peaceful landscape
tame, and the monOtony OF the
English TENS unendurab BILE. All re-
membranes of Americas grand
scenery must be for the nonce OBJ
liberated, and the mind opened to
the tranquil, finished beauties of a
different world. Coming down, or,
as the English by some inexplicable
inconsistency say, coming up from
the Scotch Highlands into eastern
England little by little we leave be-
hind US the Cheviot Hills, which
mark the boundary, and the lower
ranges, among which Scott planted
his beloved home, Abbotsford, and
soon enter the region of the fens, or
lowlands, along the eastern portion
of England. In the days of William
the Conqueror and the Saxons who
resisted him here it must have been a
great eXpanse OF swamp and
marshes, but now is like a vast,
smooth, fertile field, with scarcely
an uudulatiOn to relieve its smooth
ness; yet it would be but a dull eve
that would find this landscape
We travel over mile
after mile of the fenny land, with
occasional visits at cathedral towns
SO rich in Norman history, and every
where we have spread out before us
this tar-extended, even surface of
verdure endlessly diversified
with clumps, groves and rows of
elm, poplar, lime and yew trees,
with ha1nlets of low, thatchroofed
houses, or pleasant, isolated homes
OF farmer and peasant. Everywhere
the gardens are fragrant with honey
suckle and ablaze with roses bloom
ing with a luxuriance that almost
We observe that all the
lower branches and twigs are trim
med off, as we have generally seen
them on the Continent, so that one
little trunk runs up for four or five
feet, made straight by the firm stick
that supports it, and suddenly the
top expands like an umbrella into an
axuberance of roses, rich and deep !
in color and ravishing in their pro-
fusion and fragrance. Passing west
ward from the fen region across
Central England, we soon come to
the foothills of the Welsh mountains
and begin to feel the sea breezes
rom the west and south that are