Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-08-18
AMERICANS IN LONDON.
How They Seeing tho Country
American and English Voices.

LONDON, July 30, 1892
To the Editor OF the Free Press:
London is full of Americans You meet
them everywhere and know them at once.
y on know them by their rushing gait, their
! keen guizzical glance, and their sharp
voices 1t is a real pleasure to encounter
| the ubiquitous Boston girl, with her eye
| glasses nose and nose in the air, her self
consciousness, her Independence of male
escort mistress of the situation wherever
she is, which is usually on the top of an
omnibus. In the country the American is
generally outside of a bicycle. Hosts of
young fellows from our schools and college 8
are doing England thoroughly, delightfully."-,
and cheaply in this way. Others, including
young women are doing 1t upon their feet
aud in their hand staff Two Boston
schoolmistresses came over on our ship TO
make pedestrian tour of England, and no
doubt are enjoying 1t thoroughly.
The splendid roads cobwebing England
make both walking and cycling easy and
delightful. And then, barring the "Back
Country" which merits all Ruskin's male
dictions every foot of England is interest
ing Almost every county has its own
characterize scenery, and almost every acre
is either hallowed or cursed by some historic
event, or some legendary or poetic associa-
ton. Plant yourself anywhere in England
| and draw ten mile circle round you aud
you are sure to include scores of places,
which, for one reason or another have an
interest for you. l should tire you il, for
example, | should merely mention the IA
nous spots one passes during a trip up the
Thames from London to Hampton Court
Here lived or died this and that great and
famous stateman or hero, here the cabal
plotted, here Hogarth painted and Pope,
Thompson and Keats wrote here Jennie
Deans met the duke of Argyle, and here is
Twickenham Ferry, 70 Ho, 70 llo
One of the pleasantest experiences of
American in England is the mere listening
TO English voices, especially the voices of
cultivated women. The travelled American
usually brings home an aifectstion of this
delightful English speech, but the genuine
is very charming. The cultivated English
voice is low, soft and clear. | don't wonder
they call our voices nasal, which they are
not, but they are harsh and tweazy by com
parison. And yet for some reason which |
cannot make out, the English voice seems
not to be'good for public speaking. The
tones which are agreeable in conversation
are weak in public utterance. The English
voice, as n rule not only is not so distinct
and resonant in oratory as the American;
1T does not carry so much it does not dis
charge, so to speak, 80 much thought and
feeling from one soul to another. | make
this criticism not from the short experience
of this trip, but from having heard almost
all the great speakers of the present genera.
ton.
This leads me to speak of my first Sunday
in London, when | had the rare privilege of
hearing the greatest preacher of America
and two of the most famous preachers OF
England, viz: Bishop Brooks, Archdeacon
tarrar, and DR.. Parker OF the City Temple
On Il stormy Sunday all three preachers
filled their respected churches to overflow
ing. OF DIR. Brooks, | need not speak He
was, as usual, impetuous, as he went, and
soulful The cool phlegnatic English tenn
permanent was ut first dazed, but held its
breath and listened, and suffered itself to
be moved as perforce it must Following
the crowd which surged into Westminster
Abbey in the afternoon, aud dropping into
the first vacant chair, found myself in tho
poets corner, sitting over the tomb of
Handel, my elbow touching the monument
OF Addison, the bust of Thackeray Just over
my head, and the tomb of old Godfrey
Chnucer, with the Canterbury pilgrims
window behind it, just across the
aisle. And yet | listened to Arch
Deacon Farrar's sermon, which was neat,
labored, pious and Disappointing. What
else could 1t be? No one but Savonarola.
or some prophet having his spirit and power
can preach in the pulpit of a vast cathedral
without suggesting the inc)ngruity of the
place and the man. These huge piles are fit
for grand music, for magnificent process
sIons, for civic ceremonies, but are totally
unfit for spiritual worship and instruction.
The anthem, ''He Shall Feed His Flock Ike
a Snephcrd,' was worth coming all the way
from America to hear. As Dr. Parker is
to be IN America this summer, you will hear
much of him. lie is sensational, dramatic,
picturesque. HIS style hoveIs around that
dangerous line which divides the ornate,
horid and to some minds highly impressive,
from the bombastic, though | must say that
DR.. Parker never fairly passed the line, and
gave the impression that he could he trusted
never TO pass it. The singing was the finest
Congregational singing | ever heard
N. H. b.
NORTHERN NEW YORK.
Norwood.