Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03
correspondenee Of The Evening star
HOTEL BRirASSIeuK.

ONE MAY FEHL.
Correspondence Of The Evening star
HoTEI BRITASNIouE.
Arx-LEs-PAISs, August IA, iss2-
The question is often asked, both at home
and abroad. why do Americans 20 10 Europe
when their own country lie 90 beautiful the
scenery 50 varied and the people themselves in
the different sections of the country so diverse2
The question is q broad one. but In q general
way the answer is simple enough. In America
we haye few memorials Of the past; our history
Is written for the most part in invisible ink
upon the pages Of the future, which time only
viii make legible: whereas in Europe even the
blind may stumble over the ruins OF n Roman
arch and the deaf may walk along the banks Of
the Avon with the cadences of shakespeare
verse in his ears
To see the places that have been sung bv
poets, TO tread the ground where once thew
walked TO reflect upon the tombs of the great,
to meet and know the men who are now max
Ing the histories that our children will read is
It not a lsudable desire2 To those Americans
to whom the names OF Scott Burns shake
sPeare. Milton. Pope, Addison Steele,
ihackeray and Dickens arc not mere names,
but the verbal symbols for men who still live
and influence the world. TO whom these names
|
they know their closest friends better perhaps
Than they know themselves, IL is a source Of
parity and strength. never-ceasing fountain
| OF youth, to stand beside their ashes and 90
Walk their accustomed paths.
MORE THAN HOLIDAY EXCURSION.
trip to Europe is in most cases more than
holiday excursion, something more than
gadding about 10 see what men do, something
more than great fantastic dance. where one
clasps hands with the English. bows 20 the
French and waltzes with the Germans A visit
10 Europe is pilgrimage TO the land where
freedom was engendered, where arts were born.
| where culture fourishes
10 smoke a church warden's pipe and drink
mug OF ale in the upper room of the old
Snesnire Cheese where Goldsmith and DIR.
Johnson used TO dine are perhaps commonplace
! things to do; but one must remember that these
men talked like gods while living the common
| place daily lives that We do. Shrines are not
always marked by monuments. and the guardian
angel of many a holy place is rudely jostled by
the business OF the present day and the wants
OF the hour. The room where Oliver Gold
smith died is occupied by firm Of barristers.
| and the staircase where the outcasts wep. the
loss Of the kind doctor IL now trod BY the hur-
ried feet Of solicitors and litigants The house
in Bolt court where DIR. johnson nursed the
sick, protected the needy and rescued the
fallen Is now used for mercantile purposes
But In both these places one may still find
lessons in charity, instruction in nobility and
sermons upon love.
ADDISON AND GOLDSMITH.
Addison is perhaps best known by his beauti-
full paraphrase of the nineteenth psalm and hi.
almost inspired essay upon Westminster Abbey
As one passes by the side of the slab which
marks his tomb in the abbey he can almost hear
the low voices Of the pilgrims chant the words
when look upon the tombs of the great and
thn nxk.~a he - n
whom died but yesterday and some 600 wears
ago, 1 consider that great day when we ehall all
be contemporaries, while TO the mind il seems
as II the vaulted roofs re-ecboed the melodies
| OF the nineteenth psalm.
simple tomb in Temple Church yard marks
| the resting place Of Oliver Goldsmith while an
elaborate monument in Westminster Abbey,
with ponderous Latin bv DIR. johnson, com
memorates his fame. II seems but proper that
one who was so sweet and sunny in disposition.
| so loving and charitable in words and works
should rest benes tn the broad sky, in an AIR
| loved.
There is a material Europe and there Is a
| spiritual Europe. One should see and feel both.
One may walk from Stratford 20 Shottery and
on the way discuss the present values of stocks
and bonds or the increase in the value in land
and he VIII be In the nineteenth century only
or, If he pleases, be NAV walk from Stratford
| to shottery and hear no sound but the singing
OF the birds, see nothing besides the hedge roses
and the hawthorn, and by his side have the
best company in the world-the youthful shake
speare. When one walks with the youthful
Shakespeare the descriptions Of time and space
are swept away and the world is young again.
The youth does not speak vet with the clear
pure accent OF the court. and his voice still has
somewhat Of the Warwickshire tone He does
not talk with the philosophy Of Hamlet nor with
the wisdom of Macbeth. nor are his words sweet
| All of A. Va, 4 t.
young mind struggles impatiently with problems
| beyond its reach: the vigorous voice falters
with melodies it has not vet learned TO utter vet
his words come with directness and meaning
and have the charm of imagery.
THE YOUTHFUL SHAKESPEARE.
walk with the youthful Shakespeare ID
always delightful; but it il particularly anus
ing when he opens his soul TO yen and grows
eloquent about his love-Anne Hathaway. II
you believe him, as you are almost inclined TO
| do. she is the most beautiful the purest. the
wisest of her sex. In her there is no fault at
all; she il good and kind and true; she 10 per-
] lection. All, Willie Williem Willie.u Won arc
! raving over country maiden. You have not
yet been to London. You have not met the
siren with the black hair and the black ewes and
the crafty soul 20 whom you viii write your
most wonderful sonnets, who will teach YOU 20
| write king Lear" and Antony and Cleopa-
| ira" and 'Troilus and Cressida-" You are en-
thusiastic and trustful and Young Vet. Willie,
but We love YOU, and in after wears when Won
have reached your highest ambition YOU will
love YOUR own youth; you will leave the gayety
and hustle of London; YOU will come back to
Stratford and die quiet and respectable citi-
zen. God bless you. Willie.
IL the question answered? IL this the sole
reason why Americans go to Europe? Perhaps
not Perhaps only a partial answer has been
given. Perhaps only partial answer il pos
sible. Perhaps only a partial answer ia desir-
able. But at all events what has been said with
reference TO the poets. their haunts and their
graves may afford some fains idea Of the wealth
OF association which surrounds nearly every
place in Europe-not only in England, but on
the continent as we'll
Libraries have been written describing the
various architectural monuments Of Europe
All history abounds with records and sugges-
tons connected with every foot Of ground YOU
traverse. Poets have written of the romances
surrounding YOU at every point yet the half has
not vet been done.
A.. IL.