Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-05-04
LONDON IGNORANCE
NARROW WORLD OF DAILY ACTIVITY
In which the ness Cslsbrsssd Objects ef
Inssrsss Become Cemmssp plses-Sar-
pricing Dsasity OF Those Whe
kHsw About Other CoantEtss.

LONDON. April 2, 1ssl.-"The ignor-
ance Of these people about the place in
which they have been born and bred u
perfectly shocking" is the frequent re-
mark of the English visitor to . coun-
try town or village who, in the absence
Of guide book, is in quest Of informa-
ton concerning the objects of local in
tsrest. So 1t is, perfectly shocking; but
in very large number of cases the
complainant is in . position of . man
who, living in glass house, is throwing
stones. Before he anathematises the
humble rustic. let him ask himself what
he knowsof his own particular nelghbor-
hood. Supposlng him TO Be London
er, and that his country cousins come
up TO be shown the ''sights." What
does he show themf His program isthe
stereotyped round, hallowed by the
usage Of long years; 1t comprises the
Lower, the Monument, st. PauPs, the
Law Courts, Westminster Abbey, the
Houses of Parliament, the fashionsble
streets, the parks and the theaters. But
how much of historical, romantic, le-
gendary, and, In short, really interest
ing London does this represent That
mine of interest, London city, 10 tapped
80 far As the bank, the Royal Exchange
and perhaps the mint are concerned,
but how many dream Of exploring the
by-ways, or OF visiting the old world
churches, over interiors to which In
foreign countries they 90 into
raptures, and to see which
they put themselves to all
sorts of inconvenience? As it is with
London in particular, so until within
the last very few years, it has been
with England generally. The laudable
pastime of cycling has opened up q
terra incognita to many thousand
Englishmen who, while familiar with
the continent, with Egypt, and India,
and America had never bestowed .
thought on their native land. Fifteen
years ago illustrations of interesting
districts Of England and descriptive
articles of the same were rarities in the
periodical literature of the day. Com
prehensive guide books were almost
unknown, 50 much 90 that when people
gradually awakened to the fact that
the land in which they lived abounded
in happy holiday hunting grounds, and
q sort of furrore set in for home ex-
ploratlon. 1t was found necessary.
pending the preparation of portable
county maps and guide books, to issue
new editions of such an old-time guide,
philosopher and friend as "Patterson's q
Roads" Comparatively unDeatcn
tracks there are in plenty even today
in England, but fifteen years ago three
fourths of the country was an unbeaten
track TO three fourths Of the holiday
makers. who felt it = sort Of duty to
rush. ahroAdo in search of relaxation
and recreation. This, Of course, u
general ignorance.
stsrsotypsd Answers 20 Visitors
Ask many . man in Surry the places
worthy Of . visit in his county.
He will run through . list
of places and go 60 far.
Yet the county of Surry throughout
its length and breadth 10 one rich, in.
tellectual feast To the man who has
been accustomed to 60 to the other end
of Europe for antiquities, and to . few
orthodox neighborhoods in England
for scenery. The same remark applies
TO to the quite IS interesting and even
more neglected county of Sussex. The
mention Of Sussex is associated In the
average mind with Brighton. East
bourne, Hastings. and Arundel. In
land Sussex, with its memories of
Roman, Saxon and Norman times, it
association with the national iron IN
dustry, its enchanting scenery, its
pleasant old towns, is picturesque viii
lagos, and its wealth OF old-time Gus
toms, dialect, and observances, ID
hardly known at all. People flock to
the lake districts in the thousands, but
how many ever penetrate to the almost
adjoining county OF Northumberland,
and become acquainted with what 10 on
the whole the most interesting county
in the North? How many Scarsbor-
ough and Harrowgate visitors know
anything of the Yorkshire dales? Now
we como to London ignol ance for
which il 10 somewhat hard to account.
One would naturally imagine that.
under the process Of popularization,
the inhabitants OF an attractive place
would be incited to learn something
about their own immediate surround.
ings. II can be readily understood
that not even local patriotism can make
peopie believe that their town or village
and attractive If the outer world has
shown no inclination to think 20 BY
visitingit.
Londsn the Center 81 the WorId.
But London is prominent distance
in point. Every Londoner believes his
capital 70 be the center of the world in
point OF size, wealth and importance,
but very small percentage of London
ers trouble themselves TO find out what
else there is around them beyond size
and wealth. Let us take Boston in
Lincolnshire tor instance. Il 10 m Oft
proved fact that Americans know more
about the quaint old Lincolnshire town
than people who have been born and
bred under the shadow of Boston stump.
1--WE happens upon they Americans
everywhere" said . Lincolnshire Bos-
toniau 10 me one day. "They don't
AK no questions, they don't never want
TO know the way; they know every
thing that's 10 b seen and the gainest
way to get to il, and all about it," But
let it Be asked. what do EngIishmen
know Of corresponding spots in Amer
icaf How many Euelish visitors 10
Boston, Mas, know anything beyond
the names of such places - Salem. Ply
mouth, Lexington and Concord, at
which last rlace was fired the shot
heard round the world" An ignorant
American visiting Boston tEngiand)
would learn very little about its inter-
estlng features from . native, butevery
lnhabitant OF any Of the American
towns above mentioned could give she
ignorant English visitor al The infor-