The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-06-14
In Merrie England.

Dear Mr.. Editor IF we were to judge |
from our own experience only, we should !
insist that the climate of England had been |
belied. We have now been in Great Brit |
ain about six weeks, and have not encoun-
tered single rainy day,-indeed there have |
been very few days which were even
showery. II is the general impression that
the Englishman always carries an umbrella,
but, if he has done so during the last two
months, he has done large amount of SUI
perhuous work. We even missed one of
the features which are deemed characteris-
tic of London we did not see one of its
noted fogs in our stay of three weeks. On
some accounts it has been almost too pleas
ant, for we have waited in vain for day
when, sight seeing being rendered impos-
sible by storm, we might, without com
Function of conscience or regret, devote
ourselves to making up arrears in corre-
spondence, journal-writing, etc. And this
almost unparalleled fine weather favored
our movements even before we crossed the
North Sea- While we were in France, and
during the time spent in Belgium and Hol-
land, the skies were bright almost inva-
riably. As result, vegetation was several
weeks in advance of its usual condition in
March and April. Cattle were grazing in
the fields in northern France before the
middle of March Cherry trees were in
| bloom before the first of April. By the
middle of April, Hollands magnificent
fields of tulips and hyacinths were delight
| lug our eyes WIFI lutlI SiOIlOuS COlOIs, anu
filling the air that we breathe with their
generous fragrance. May-day found the
| white hawthorn hedges of England, and the
| pink hawthorn trees, and the horse. chest
| nuts and many of the rhododendrons in
| bloom and, as we journeyed north to Edin-
| burgh, we prolonged the enjoyment of the
| beautiful spring which had opened for us
before we crossed the Rhine. Thus it has
| been our happiness to see the fields, gar
dens and lawns of Great Britain under the
most favorable auspices and we shall treas
ure in memory for the remainder OF our
lives soul-refreshing pictures of the most
lovely landscapes.
A trip to Windsor Castle gave us an OPP
portunity to visit that quiet nook at Stoke
Pogis, "the Country Church Yard " to
which Gray's sweet elegy has called the
serious thought of so many thousands.
With the pretty town of bennington as
headquarters we made trips to Warwick
Castle, Kenilworth, aud Stratford- on Avon.
From Edinburgh-one of the most attrac-
tive cities seen in all our wanderings-we
went to Abbotsford, Melrose Abbey, Dry
burgh Abbey, Hawthornden Castle, Roslin
Chapel, the Forth Bridge, Arthur's Seat
Glasgow, aud the Trossachs by way OF
Lochs Katrine and Lomond. In the Eng
lish Lake District we sailed through Ulls.
water, Windermere, and Coniston, and
viewed Grasmere and Rydal Water, also
from their shores and the heights above
them, making Bowness-o Windermere oul
starting point. Then we came south to this
ancient and unique city Of Chester, calling
at Furness Abbey on our way; and from
here we have visited Eaton Hall, the mag
nifcent palace of the Duke of Westminster
which is said to have cost S15,000,000, and
have made an excursion into North Wales
to see that most interesting ruin, Conway
Castle, and the famous Welsh watering
place, Llandudno, near it. Tomorrow W.
; go to Liverpool, expecting to sail for Boston
on the Cunarder, Pavonia," June first
doubly assured now, after so long an alb
, sence, of the truth of what we have oftei
been told, that one of the chief pleasures o
travel is the fresh attractiveness it gives t.
home. Alas! that we cannot expect to NEE
, in the familiar places all the dear friends t
! whom we babe our "God-be-w we"
; twelvemonth ago JE. W.
: Chester, Eng, May 30, 1888