The record-union., 1893-08-12
Special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. COpyrght 1S93.l

anu CHARMING AtGulOTleSs
Special Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright 1881
LONDON, July %, 1893.
The vastness of London's population is
less felt in its impressiveness from meet
ing it face to face in London thorough
fares than even the still inadequate COM
prehension securable through seeing
some of its component parts in its vari-
GUS holiday resorts for summer outings.
In the first instance, if one could sever
ally confront its four or five million in
habitants along its seven thousand miles
of streets, the monotony of the expert
ence would detract from just perception
of its tremendous import. But when you
might pass an entire month, indeed, per-
haps, an entire summer, without being
able to visit with the most careful dispo-
sition of time, any large proportion of its
immediate resorts, finding at each outing
crowds numbering from hundreds to al
most hundreds of thousands, the immen-
sity of the totality of those who are ''out-
ers" and those who are not, begins to
dawn upon the observant mind.
4liGIe are llOIb LudI1 one DO D.
ulous resorts, from thirty minutes to two
and a half hours distance from the
Strand, beginning at Bournemouth and
following the south coast with circle of
the Isle of Wight to the east coast, in
Guiding those of the north and south
shores OF the lower Thames, and thence
up along the Channel to Great y armouth.
On every pleasant saturday half-holiday,
on sunny Sundays and on Bank holiday
and other full summer holidays, every
one OF these places is thronged. The
rich, the well-to-dO idlers and the families
OF comfortable trauesmen are found in
these. | believe quarter of a million OF
cutters" OF ali classes, are at the same
time aftoat upon, or l0unging beside the
Thames, from Margate to Windsor.
As an experiment in seeing London
outing crowds, in one days travel |
found, perhaps, $1,000 people in Green
wich Park, as many more at Brighton, at
least 10000 overflowing Royal Kew Car
dens, fully 10000 in Hyde Park, where, it
seemed, that all the open-air speakers of
England were haranguing crowds upon
every conceivable social, political and re-
lgious subject: from 10000 to $4,000 on
and about Hampstead Heath; and from
100000 to 100000 dispOrting themselves in
the sun and shade of ancient EppinC
Forest. On this one day | secured at
least glimpses of crowds that in all forms
OF holiday making must have numbered
more than three quarters of million of
souls.
Unquestionably the greatest two resorts
for the London middle classes and the
lOwly are Hampstead Heath and Epping
Forest. 1t IS but pleasant walk from
the heart of London TO Hampstead Heath,
Tor its tartheSt reaches can be no farther
than six miles from the Strand, while an
Epping Forest to and return fare is but
smiling and the TDNrjnA I
costmongers and other possessors of tidy
carts aud traps find it an easy jog for their
donkeys or screws to either Of these re-
creation grounds. The result is that in
both OF these resorts you invariably find
hordes Of the common people" filled TO
the brim with hOrseplay, -four ale'' and
good cheeer. They are vigorous in their
merry-making as children loosed from
school. They are grudgingly but good
naturedly fierce in the utilization OF every
moment Of the holiday in some sort OF
rugged diversion. And altogether they
furnish scenes of the heartiest, easiest
provoked, most unctuous and vociterouS
holiday enjoyment to be found i'll all the
world.
But who can properly describe this an
cient Hampstead Heath and it's quaint
ana picturesque surroundings, or titly
tell its weird and pleasant memories?
'Gor bli me-" exclaimed a coster friend.
4AAO hAOOIulii NlOldn u ldl&t 10 q naDgGI,
ef didn't jog her upon th' 'Eath wonct a
week er so, Cor bli me, so she would"
That was his idea Of its exceeding utility
''pd rayther h'a mouthtu' o. 'Eath air
than than the best wittles my missus do
mess together" observed a tramcar
driver on the Kentish town road, and that
was his glowing tribute to its fine salu-
brlty. Wen yer goes in for a regular
lark-a reg lar lark, mind, watts easy TO
glt, an sweet as a Essex milkmaid to re-
member. 'Ampstead 'Eath's th' parydise
yer wants ter keep yer hye on" was the
brisk and authoritative remark of a green
grOcer'S man upon its ethical and divert
ing advantages, as Iruminatively trudged
into old Hampstead town. All these fine
eucomIums brought ME with CHEEKY en-
thuslaSm to the verge of the enchanted
holiday region.
The Heath is a tritie west of north of
the heart Of London. 1t is not more than
800 or 400 acres in extent, but as it COM
prlses the highest and widest hills rising
out OF the valley OF the Thames. the rail-
ways have had to stop ut its edge and
leave the region for the people, almost as
nature fashioned it. The High street of
olu hampstead town, winding up the last
steep of the first hill which has stood as a
rampant against London encroachment,
gives charming views of ancient houses,
old streets which have held >their old
names, old courts and avenues of lines
and elms so old that the midday light be-
meath them is like the saffrony cleaning
Of eventide. There is peusive hush in
these streets and lanes suggestive of
splendid antiquity and gentle, loving de-
cay. 1t would be glorious outing in itself
to saunter and dream in these lovely
avenues and courts, with here and there
their shadowy vistas blending into bios
soming lanes, every one of which, sun
heeked and odor laden. invites to the