Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-04-17
NATURE MADE.
English Seaside Is the Natural PLAY
ground fer the British People.

"AAS olAcL lidIlUu. LUe natural
geographical position of Great Britain
mas made the sea shore the natural
playground of its people, and has given
them the chance of enjoying it during
nearly the entire year With quick rail
way trans and popular excursions in all
dlfectlons during the summer months,
one IS able to travel from one end Of
TIE island to the other and to enjoy it
an from the rocky coasts of Devon TO
public recognizes these advantages and
ENJOYS to the full the delights OF the
coasts
1t is only within the last few years.
comparatively speaking, that the great
seaside places have become popular re-
most OF them have existed as such Tor
many years. yet within the last ten
years they. have all developed wonder
fully, until now they rank among the
nneSt III the world.
Here on our American coast we have
oeen accustomed to the large, frame no.
tel buildings with their limitless extent
OF porches but almost entirely without
any OF that refinement of environment
which Is today the principal character
Istlcc OF the English resort. But in Eng
lana, however, the seaside resort is un-
It can be divided into two separate and
distinct classes, one, the ultra-aristo-
cratic small town by the sea, and the
other, the large city by the sea with
population exceeding many of our Amer
lean cities
Glass distinction is, of course, the IN
derl wing principal of English life and
TO the average American this is almost
ihcomprehenslble. but nevertheless there
1t IS the important factor of life and
naturally sets its mark even upon the
holidays of the people. This very class
distinction has nrO1nnDI tba
places along the coast of Devonshire.
Cornwall and Penzance, now known as
the Cornish Riviera" and has at the
same time made possible Margatc,
Broadstairs and Ramsgate on the Coast
Of Kent, and Llandydno on the coast of
Wales. All OF these latter places are
cities with a population varying from
2O,OOO to 10000 people; and as the first
three OF them are within easy access of
London both by rail and steamer, and
the latter from Liverpool, the number Of
sO-called days trippers" is enormous
OF course in the other class Of sea-
side resorts these crowds are absolutely
unknown, for there the places are either
magnificent estates of the wealthy class
or else small, well built towns where
every house is a permanent home for
some family that can afford it's town
house as we'll.
Within two miles of Margate. high up
on the chalk cliffs overlooking the North
sea, is situated one of these typical
English towns by the sea, where every
street has its beautiful stone houses
each surrounded by its own wonderful
English garden and with its perfectly
kept lawn.
Here at Westgate-on-Sea on the Isle
OF Thranet, one may see and enjoy the
English seaside life which one reads
about all through English literature. No
steamers and few trains stop at this
hoo ify11
is allowed to enter it's streets. Every
where is that dignity of good breeding
in its life, where nothing is done os-
tentatOusly or in hurry; but where
the people can come to have 2, holiday
with moderation in ali things. At Mar
gate, two miles away, one may at any
time Of the day or night see the sands
crowded with men, women and children
all intent upon having a hilarious good
time; vaudeville performances are in
progress on every side and the whole
general atmosphere is one of riotous eX
element. But at a place Of which
Westgate is but a type all is differen'
and one day resembles another in the
orderly arrangement of its amusementS.
In the mornings when the tide is out
the sands are well peopled and here and
there children are building sand castles
and wading into the shallow water with
are let for penny and one sits dream
ing over ones book most of the morn
ing, or looking at the far sails of the
North Sea fishing fleet, or at the play
of lights and shadows on the white chalk
cliffs.
Charles Dickens favorite retreat was
at BrOadstairs only a few miles from
Westgate, around the North Foreland,
and it was there that much of his best
Hnnn and which n
line shows the inspiration of the ever
changing sea.
The whole coast of Kent was the stage
Of the earliest scene of the great drama
of English history, and with Canterbury
as its center even today remains the
richest historical ground of all England.
On every side one sees the ruins of the
early Saxon days when civilization
meant little more than the survival Of
the fttest, and culture as we under
stand it, was entirely unknown. Yet
even those rude and primitive peoples
seem to have been influenced by the sea
for they built their buildings for all time
and devoted themselves to the gradual
uplifting of their native land.
To us who are more accustomed to
the busy seaside life of our Atlantic
coast, the English seaside life with all
of its well-regulated amusements, seems
at first somewhat colorless, but as one
learns the better to understand it, one
begins to appreciate the fact that in it
there is an element of higher develop
ment which our own more superficial
holiday pleasures lack.
Golf, riding and tennis may seem mo-
notonous when INDUCED in every day,
but in the end is not the body and mind
the better for them when not followed
by the nightly chop" of the average
American seaside resort?
In the afternoon at 5 o'clock one sits
in the garden and drinks the national
cup of tea: and in the wonderful twilight
of midsummer, one walks on the cliffs
after dinner and listens to some good
music.
According to our American standard. it
is truly ''slow," but is it not really the
attainment of higher ideal than we
have as yet known in this country? Is
it not the influence of the older civiliza-
ton upon it's people making them under
stand. as we have not yet learned to I'M
derstand. that in moderation one really
reaches the highest plane of enjoyment.
Excess pleases but for a limited time and
true happiness must be the result of
moderation.
English seaside life is a part of the ma
tionaI defense for it gives to the people