The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-04
7 v.

All his life Stanley was great traveller but
Il is to be noted that his love Of travel was
based upon characteristic grounds. This is
evident from the numerous records OF places
visited which are preserved for us in these
Volumes For pictures in Themselves, or for
architecture for its own sake. he had no taste.
He was not ono OF those men who can lie on a
hillside and drink In enjoyment; neither could
no lounge through city and simply observe
and photograph effectively. External nature
seldom seized hold upon him. except ms the
symbol OF some idea the background Of his
tory or the framework OF human interest 1t
was not that he had nc eye for beauty, but he
was intent on other things. Scenery. apart
from It's human associations. and viewed in
it's own light possessed little attraction for
him. The Alps struck him as uniformed. un-
meaning Jumps" confronted by the Mat
terhorn, he wishes that 1t were connected with
history with legend. or with worship. On the
Lake OF Lucerne. he cared only for the spots
identified with the story OF Tell. The ash
trees near Odln's Grove. the possible descend
ants Of the Igdrasil OF Scandinavian mythol-
ogy charmed him more than all the lakes and
woods Of Dalecarlia- No man. on the other
hand. ever experienced n more eager delight in
seeing places which are connected with famous
people. striking events. important legends.
or scenes in the works OF great masters OF
poetry or fiction. Where man had set his
mark upon place. there Stanley's interest
was keen and his momOry unerring To every
historic scene he came with full and exact
knowledge OF the points OF view from which
to look and the special features to be noted.
He at once detected any departure from faith
full representation OF such q spot. That tree.
he would say. could not have been seen. or that
rock was more TO the right The page OF his
tory. ancient modern. or sacred. was always
before him. and he bore 1t with him wherever
he lourneyed.
1t is interesting to learn that. with regard to
the relics Of antiquity which time has pre-
served in the respective countries. Stanley
gave Greece the palm. lie used to say that In
Greece the remains are those which trav-
eler desires most to see; they belong to the
period OF the acme OF her fame: they are the
chief glories OF her most glorious age. 1t
should be borne in mi nj. however. that at the
time when this opinion was ex pressed by Stan
ley. there had. AS yet. been unearthed but few
memorials connected with the events OF
the Roman monarchy or republic. and the
more complete specimens OF Roman architec-
ture belonged to the relatively unintcrest-
ing period OF the empire. Aside from this
fact. nevertheless. there is no doubt that the
Greek scenery is stepped in an atmosphere OF
antiquity which is missed In Italy. The Pelo-
ponnesus looks like a land grown old In years
as we'll as glory. Even the outward dress Of
the hoary thyme and the gray olive seem the
natural vesture OF great and ancient country.
The dramatic propriety which in Greece such
features impress upon the landscape ap-
pealed to Stanley more strongly than the
riotous prodiRality Of life in Italian seem
cry. In Italy he could feel no con-
seriousness. as he had felt In Greece
that he was beholdinG the exact scene which
had met the eyes Of Pericles or Plato. The
nature Of the italian soil and the genius OF the
italian people are opposed to such a continu-
ity. In Attica, on tho other hand. the rocky
character OF the soil fixes the most interesting
points with certainty to which, at Rome
when Stanley saw IT, the obscurity that then
hung over the position of the forum offered a
striking contrast