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LETTERS FR0M EUROPE,

COMPRISING
THE JOURNAL OF A TOUR
THROUGH
IRELAND, ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE, ITALY, AND
SWITZERLAND,
IN THE YEARS 1825, '26, AND '27.

BY N. H. CARTER.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.

NEW-YORK:
PUBLISHED BY G. & C. CARVILL, 108 BROADWAY,
1827.

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW-YORK, ss.
Be it remembered, that on the 11th day of October, A. D. 1827, in the fifty-
second year of the Independence of the United States of America, Nathaniel H.
Carter, of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the
right whereof he claims as author in the words following, to wit :
" Letters from Europe, comprising the Journal of a Tour through Ireland,
England, Scotland, France, Italy, and Switzerland, in the years 1825, '26, and '27.
By N. H. Carter."
In conformity to the Act of Congress ofthe United States, entitled, " An Act for
the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books,
to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the time therein mentioned ;"
and also, to an Act, entitled, " An Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled an Act
for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and
books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein
mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving,
and etching historical and other prints."
FRED. I. BETTS,
Clerk of the Southern District of New-York.

Sleight & George, Printers, Jamaica, L. I.

ADVERTISEMENT.

The substance of a large proportion of the following Letters
has already been published. In a revision of their contents, it
has not been deemed advisable to change the form, in which
they originally appeared ; although it is liable to some objec
tions, as necessarily leading to repetition, in the connecting
links of a personal narrative. The same remark may be
extended to the style, which is not the most suitable for a de
tail of facts, and for comprising useful information within the
narrowest compass. But such was not the design of these
sketches. The series of letters was commenced, without
knowing to what extent it would be continued, and with no
higher aim than amusement. To write a formal book of
travels, with a view to instruction, was not originally, nor is it
now, the author's intention. His tour was over a beaten track,
through countries which have been traversed from time im
memorial, and on which standard works are to be found, from
pens in all respects better qualified for such a task than his
own. He aspired to nothing beyond desultory and popular
notices of scenes, objects, and persons, that fell within the
sphere of his observation while abroad. The familiar form of
letters, and a style more diffuse than would become a philo
sophical tourist, were thought to be best adapted to such a
work. The materials of these Letters were collected during a tour
of nearly two years. A full diary was uninterruptedly kept.

ADVERTISEMENT.
from the day of embarkation at Sandy Hook, on the 8th of
June, 1825, till the author's return thither, on the 6th of May,
1827. It was his invariable practice to bear about with him a
pocket memorandum, and to note at the moment whatever
attracted attention. Many of his scrawls in crayon convey a
tolerable idea, to what degree the ship or boat was tossing
upon the waves, or what was the roughness of the road, over
which the coach was hurrying, at the time the entries were
made. The substance of these memoranda was at the first
pause, transcribed into a diary, in a more legible form ; and
from the latter, the sketches were drawn, with such references
to books, for the correction of facts and dates, as time and
opportunity enabled him to make. It is not a little remark
able, that in travelling a distance of fifteen or twenty thousand
miles, in all possible modes, both by land and water ; in an
exposure of trunks to custom-house officers and servants at
hotels; and in the risks of mails and packets, not a line ofthe
original notes, nor of letters transmitted across the Atlantic,
has been lost or obliterated.
.But notwithstanding such unwearied industry in collecting
materials, and such singular good fortune in preserving them,
the author cannot even hope to have escaped the common lot
of tourists, in falling into numerous errors. It would indeed be
next to a miracle, if such a volume of matter, gathered from
ten thousand different sources, did not contain many blunders.
Citations have sometimes been made from memory, without
the facilities at hand of turning to the passages. In a word,
it would be endless to enumerate the chances of inaccuracy ;
and no exemption is claimed, except from intentional misre
presentation, and misstatements arising from sheer indolence.
It might be urged in extenuation of defects, whatever they
may be found to be, that the tour was not contemplated, till
a fortnight before the day of embarkation — a circumstance

ADVERTISEMENT.
which wholly precluded any preparatory course of reading or
study. In regard to the topics introduced into the contents, the
author has endeavoured to give them a popular cast, and to
make them as general and miscellaneous as possible. His
sketches were originally intended for all classes of readers ;
and the same character has still been preserved. The man of
science will here look in vain for philosophical disquisitions ;
the antiquary, for any deep researches into the monuments of
other ages ; the scholar, for the stores of erudition ; the con
noisseur, for critical dissertations on the works of art; the
statesman, for any new views of political institutions ; or the
moralist, for an analysis of national character, and of the ele
ments of society. If the writer had been qualified to bring
forward original observations in any of these departments, the
plan of his work would not have permitted him to enter into
elaborate discussions.
It was his object to draw graphic sketches of men and
things. The reader will soon discover, that the latter are
much more prominent than the former. One cause of this
defect, (for such it will doubtless be considered by some,) may
be found in the constitution of the author's own mind and
feelings. But may not plausible reasons be advanced, to
justify what many may consider a fault? The outlines and
fixtures of a country can be described with tolerable accuracy,
in a transient visit ; while a long residence among a people is
required, to give any thing like a correct view of their man
ners and habits. He that has read the book of any foreign
tourist, through the United States, must be aware, what broad
caricatures of the country have generally been drawn . Besides,
in the multitude of emigrants from Great Britain, France, and
Italy, to our own shores, the moral distinctions and national
character of those countries may be studied to as much ad-

ADVERTISEMENT.
vantage at home, as in London, Paris, or Rome. The same
remark may be made, in relation to the state of science,
literature, and politics. In an active intercourse with those
nations, books, reviews, and newspapers are daily received,
furnishing more authentic information in these departments,
than can be gleaned in the cursory observations of a traveller.
These apologies may in part obviate objections, which
will unquestionably be raised, and of which the author, on a
review of his pages, is as fully sensible, as will be any of his
readers. Although as much variety and discrimination have
been thrown into successive views, as the nature ofthe scenery
would admit ; yet it is feared, that in too many instances,
changes have been necessarily rung in language and descrip
tive epithets. It is much easier to find fault, even with one's
own writings, than to amend and improve. So far as it was
practicable, defects ofthe kind alluded to have been corrected;
but it was impossible to avoid them entirely, without remodel
ling the whole structure of the work, at an expense of time
and labour, which the intrinsic value of the materials would
not justify.
An explanatory remark may be necessary, with respect to
the persons of the narrative, as the changes may at times
appear confused to the reader. The author was accompanied
throughout his tour by a friend, who participated in its various
incidents and pleasures. To his society was often added that
of other American tourists ; and in most instances, the disa
greeable necessity of using an odious pronoun was avoided,
except in cases requiring individuality of opinion. The same
delicacy, in suppressing the names of persons alluded to,
has been observed in the volumes, as in the original sketches,
save only where it was impracticable to adopt appellatives, and
where it was supposed no possible offence could be taken.
Some apprehension is felt, that the terms of the prospectus

ADVERTISEMENT.
and title-page, which could not be altered without circumlo
cution, may be thought to hold out a lure, which was not
intended, with respect to the extent of the tour. The language
is exactly true in point of fact, though it may promise more
than the contents of the volumes will fulfil. Ireland and
, Switzerland are both embraced among the countries traversed ;
though only the southern section of the former and a small part
of the latter were visited. The year 1827 is also included,
as a portion ofthe period occupied in the tour; but the sequel
will prove, that little use has been made of the materials, col
lected during a second visit to France and England. It was
impossible to calculate with precision, what number of pages
the copy would fill ; and although as much was stricken out,
as a connexion of the subjects would allow, it was found
necessary to abridge the concluding part, or to add a third
volume, which the public would undoubtedly be less willing
to bear, than the loss of observations on subjects of little
novelty, and analogous to those comprised in the first volume
of these letters.
As Italy and Switzerland were deemed more interesting,
than the details of another Parisian winter, and of an excursion
through the South of England, could possibly be rendered, the
journal through the former countries has been preserved full
and entire, while a summary of remarks on the latter could
alone be given. It will be seen, that even after this abridge
ment, the two volumes contain a much larger number of pages,
than the prospectus ofthe work promised; while the expenses
of the publication exceed by several hundred dollars the
estimate, by which the terms of subscription were regulated.
In consequence of these unforeseen expenditures, arising in
Dart from a finer quality of paper than was originally con
templated, the price to non-subscribers will necessarily be
enhanced. The author is conscious of having spared no pains

ADVERTISEMENT.
to satisfy his friends, and to meet the liberality of the public,
so unequivocally expressed ; and he now sends forth a work,
which has cost him much labour, not without a due snare of
all those little hopes and anxieties, which alternately cheer
and sadden the seclusion of the closet.
New-York, 15th October, 1827.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.

' Page.
LETTER I.— Passage across the Atlantic. ...... 9
LETTER II.— Arrival on the coast of Ireland— Kinsale— Ride to Cork-
Sketch of the city — Excursion to the cove of Cork — Celebration of Ameri
can Independence.  18
LETTER III.— Route to Killarney— Aspect of the country— Sketch of
the Lakes — Departure for Tralee— Banks of the Shannon — Arrival at Lime
rick — Description of the city  • ... 26
LETTER IV.— Route from Limerick to Dublin— City of Dublin— Pas
sage from Dublin to Liverpool  37
LETTER V. — Arrival at Liverpool — Aspect of the Town — Docks — Ex
change — Town Hall — Athenseum — Botanic Garden — Public amusements —
Birchfield— Visit tp Toxteth Park  47
LETTER VI.— Ride to Chester— Sketch ofthe city— Churches— Roman V
Antiquities — Tomb of Parnell — Excursion to Eaton Hall  60
LETTER VII.— Ride from Chester to Manchester— Northwitch— Man
chester — Stockport — Buxton — Bake well  70
LETTER VIII.— Vale of the Wye— Haddon Hall— Vale ofthe Derwent ^
-*-Chatsworfh — Castle of Peveril of the Peak — Cavern — Mam Tor. . . 82
LETTER IX.— Ride to Sheffield— Sketch of the Town— Route to Lon
don — Entrance into the metropolis  95
LETTER X.— London— St. Paul's— The Thames— Bridges— Shipping
— Docks — Deptford — Greenwich Hospital — Tunnel of the Thames — The
Tower.  104
LETTER XI. — London, in continuation — Bank of England — Royal Ex
change — Principal streets — Parks — Westminster Abbey — Parliament House
— Public Amusements.  117
LETTER XII— Ride to Cambridge— Description of the City and Univer
sity.'  . 128
LETTER XIII.— Departure from Cambridge— Huntingdon— Birth-place
of Cromwell — Stamford — Burleigh House — Leicester — Derby. . . . 142
LETTER XIV.— Matlock— Nottingham— Tomb of Lord Byron— New- V
stead Abbey,  155

CONTENTS. Page,
LETTER XV.— Ride to Yorkshire— Wakefield— Leeds— Manufactures—
Kirkstall Abbey.  164
LETTER XVI.— Ride to York— Description of the City— Minster—
Harrowgate.  172
LETTER XVII.— Ripon— Studley Park— Fountains Abbey— Kendal. . 180
LETTER XVIII.— Lakes of Cumberland— Windermere— Coniston—Ry-
i dal Water — Visit to the Cottage of a distinguished Poet — Excursion to
Langdale — Grasmere.  188
LETTER XIX.— English Lakes continued— Thirlmere— Vale of Keswick
— Derwent Water — Bassenthwaite — Borrowdale — Wast Water— Furness
Abbey — Ennerdale — Lowes Water — Cru, unlock — Buttermere — Excursion
to the top of Skiddaw — Visit to the Poet Laureate  202
LETTER XX.— Ride from Keswick to Ullswater— Description of the
Lake — Penrith — Carlisle  214
LETTER XXI.— Ride from Carlisle to Newcastle-upon-Tyne— Roman
Wall — Description of Newcastle — Birth place of Akenside — Gatesend —
Castle — Collieries — Excursion to Shields  223
LETTER XXII.— Entrance into Scotland— Route from Berwick to Edin
burgh — Dunbar Castle — Preston Pans — Dalkeith — Porto Bello — Arrival at
Edinburgh — Calton Hill — Salisbury Crag — Arthur's Seat — Professor of Hu
manity — Literary Breakfast — Nelson's Monument — Hojy-Rood House. . 237
LETTER XXIII. — Edinburgh Castle — Reminiscences of Allan Ramsay
and Robert Burns — Professor of Natural History — National Prison — Cemete
ries — University — Library — Botanic Garden — Market — Gray Friars Church
— Libraries of the Advocates and Writers to the Signet — Old Parliament
House — High School — Visit to the Editor ofthe Edinburgh Review. . .251
LETTER XXIV.— Tour through the Highlands— Loch Leven— Banks
ofthe Tay — Perth — Birnam Wood — Dunkeld — Pass of Killicrankie — Gram
pian Hills — Inverness — Field of Culloden  267
LETTER XXV.— Route through the Western Highlands— Steam-boat
Comet — Manners of the Highlanders — Caledonian Canal — Loch Ness — Fall
of Fyers — Fort Augustus — Loch Oich — Loch Lochy — Ben Nevis — Fort
William — Loch Linnhe — Corran Ferry — Ballahulish. .... 283
LETTER XXVI.— Loch Leven— Glencoe— Birth-place of Ossian— Loch
Tolla — Glenorchy — Loch Awe — Inverary — Castle of the Duke of Argyle —
Loch Fine — Glencroe — Loch Long — Tarbet-f-Loch Lomond — Ben Lomond
— Loch Katrine — Ellen's Island — Trosachs — Ride to CallendarA . . 293
LETTER XXVII.— Ride to Stirling— Roman Encampment— Castle of
Doune — Dunblane — Stirling — Field of Bannockburn — Junction Canal —
Glasgow  30C
LETTER XXVIII.— Excursion to Ayrshire— Kilmarnock— Irvine— Ear
ly Associates and Friends of Robert Burns — Ayr — Burns' Cottage — Mauso
leum— Kirk Alloway — Banks of Doon. ... . 317

CONTENTS. Page.
LETTER XXIX.— Glasgow— Dr. Chalmers— Theatre— Botanic Garden
— Gas-works — Excursion to Greenock — Banks of the Clyde — Bothwell Cas
tle — Hamilton House — Stonebyres — Lanark — Falls of the Clyde — Dum
fries — Tomb of Burns — Visit to his Widow — Gretna Green. . . . 330
LETTER XXX.— Return to Liverpool— Lancaster— Preston— Ride to
Staffordshire — Newcastle-under-Line — Etruria — Porcelain Manufactories —
Lichfield — Reminiscences of Dr. Johnson — Bracebridge Hall — Birmingham. 347
LETTER XXXI. — Coventry-^-Kenilworth — Warwick — Stratford-on-
Avon — Birthplace and Tomb of Shakspeare — Ride to Oxford — The Univer
sity — Eton School — Windsor Castle — Return to London, j . . . . 358
LETTER XXXII.— Second Visit to London— American Library— Covent
Garden — Drury Lane — Steam-Guns — Literary Dinner — Ride to Dover —
Description of the Town and Cliffs — Passage of the Straits. . . . 370
LETTER XXXIII.— Arrival at Calais— Description of the Town— Cus
tom House — Dessein's Hotel — Reminiscences of Sterne — Route to Paris —
French Diligence — Boulogne — Aspect of the Country — Montreuil — Abbe
ville — Beauvais — St. Denis — Montmartre — Arrival at Paris. . . . 381
LETTER XXXIV.— Paris— Funeral of General Foy— Pere La Chaise-
Morgue — Police — Notre Dame — View from its Towers — Outlines of the
City — Coronation Robes of Napoleon and other Regalia—Hospitals — Hotel
Dieu.  . 391
LETTER XXXV.— Paris continued— Boulevards— Faubourgs— Old part
of the City — Hackney Coaches — Public Squares — Champs Elysees — Cours
de la Reine — Place de Louis XV — Garden of the Tuilleries — Place Vendome
— Place du Carousel — Palace of the Louvre — Royal Museum. . . .405
LETTER XXXVI.— Paris continued— The New Exchange— Palais Roy
al — Coffee Houses — Restaurateurs — French Women — Gambling Houses —
Passages — Palace of the Luxembourg — Manufactory of Tapestry. . .418
LETTER XXXVII.— Paris continued— Chamber of Deputies— Hotel des
Invalides — Champ de Mars — Scenes ofthe Revolution — Passy — Manufacture
of Cat pets — Royal Exhibition — Garden of Plants.  426
LETTER XXXVIII.— Excursion to La Grange  437
LETTER XXXIX.— Paris continued— Pantheon— Law School— Obser
vatory — Americans in Paris — Style of French Dinners — Church of St. Sul
pice — School of Medicine — Anatomical Museum — National Institute — Great
Men — Philosophical, Chemical, and Medical Lectures. . . . 447
LETTER XL. — Paris continued — Royal Library — Cabinet of Antiquities
— Palace of the Tuilleries — Public Dinner of the Royal Family — Theatres 
French Opera — Theatre Francais — Italian Opera— Excursion to Versailles. 457
LETTER XLI. — Route from Paris to Lyons — Sens — Aspect of tire Conn-
try — Vineyards — Auxerre — Autun — Chalons-sUr-Saone — Macon — Vale ofthe
Saone. — Environs of Lyons — Sketch of the City  408

CONTENTS.
Page..
LETTER XLII.— Route to Avignon— Vale of the Rhone— Vienne— St.
Vellier — Tain — Valence — Mont Ventoux — Orange — Avignon — Carnival —
Tomb of Laura — Excursion to Vaucluse. ....... 485
LETTER XLIII.— Ride to Marseilles— Aix— First view of the Mediter
ranean — Sketch of Marseilles — Notre Dame de la Garde — Port — Quays —
Commerce — Public Buildings — Garden of Plants — Historical Sketch — Cli
mate — Washington's birth-day — Amusements — Society and Manners. . 497
LETTER XLIV. — Excursion to Languedoc — Ride to Nismes — Amphi
theatre — Maison Carree — Fountain — Route to Montpellier — Sketch of the
City — Concert — Porte Peyron — Aqueduct — Botanic Garden — Tomb of Nai--
cissa — Professor of Botany — Medical School.  514

LETTERS FROM EUROPE.

LETTER I.
PASSAGE ACROSS THE ATLANTIC.
Packet Ship Corinthian, al sea, 25lh June, 1825.
"Thus far we sail before the wind," in a figurative, if not in a literal
sense, our gallant ship having at length reached the fifty-second degree
of north latitude, and the twenty-ninth of longitude, after a passage of
seventeen days from New- York. She is now standing for the coast of
Ireland, with a favourable breeze, bearing us at the rate of eight or nine
knots the hour towards the port of destination ; and as it is possible
we may land at Cape Clear or Cork, if a fair opportunity shall present,
with a view of visiting the principal places in that island, before going
to England, I employ a leisure hour in retracing our path-way over the
waste of waters to this point, reserving the remainder of the voyage to
some future occasion.
Although I have kept a full diary, in which a volume of minute
incidents are recorded ; yet on a review, the contents appear too tri
fling and too monotonous for publication. Circumstances which
attracted attention, and served to amuse us, insulated and cut off as
we were from the rest of the world, would appear trivial in detail, and
could afford no gratification to my readers. A general outline of our
voyage thus far is all I shall attempt. My letter will doubtless con
tain many things at which a sailor would laugh, as exhibiting the
evidences of a complete landsman, or what the English denominate a
Johnny Newcome, the extent of my navigation having hitherto been
confined to Long-Island Sound. The whole scene has therefore been
to me entirely novel.
I hope the struggle of feeling, which a temporary separation from
friends was calculated to excite, was sustained with a fortitude " that
vol. i. 2

10 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
becomes a man ; who dares do more, is none." The heart experiences
a new sensation, and throbs with new pulsations, as the eye surveys
its native shores fast receding from view, with all the endearments of
country and home. To a novice, the feeling is by no means allayed
by the thought, that he is going he knows not whither, launching upon
the wide ocean, and entering in fact upon an untried state of being.
Light as these things may seem on shore, they will occasionally come
over the heart at sea ; and it is enough to say, that they were felt to
their full extent, without however producing a moment's regret, at an
undertaking involving like all others, some doubts and some risks as
to the result.
A fair but light breeze soon bore us away from the waters of New-
York. Object after object faded on the eye. Staten Island and the
blue summits of the Neversink were soon lost in the horizon. Our
course for some distance was nearly parallel with Long-Island ; and
the last land we saw was the hills of South-Hampton. Every American
passenger kept the deck, with his face turned homeward, till between
4 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon, when the last glimpses of the shore
vanished, and several of us for the first time realized the force of the
poet's expression — "undique caelum, undique pontus." The blue sky
and the blue ocean were all of the world that remained to us ; and
we felt, if we did not exclaim — "¦ my native land, good night !"
The separation had not till this moment become perfect ; for the
mind clung to the objects it could yet discern, as old acquaintances,
af|d the dim and distant view of the hills along the island formed trie
last tie to be severed. When this was dissolved, we began to regard
the packet as our only home for the present, and to examine into the
resources which it afforded, for comfort, instruction, and amusement.
Fortunately we have thus far found it abundant in all these particulars.
The Corinthian is one ofthe best built, and most gallant ships belonging
to our port, with a skilful commander, and an active crew. When all
her canvass is spread, and there is a stiff breeze, with the speed of the
Corsair's bark, " She walks the water like a thing of life,"
dashing through the foam, and bounding over the billows with the
utmost grandeur, leaving her competitors far behind. She has fallen
in with perhaps a dozen vessels in the course of our passage, none of
which could keep in sight of her, for, more than two or three hours.
The accommodations of the Corinthian are not inferior to her ex
ternal appearance and her reputation for fleetness. Our table has

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 11
been spread four times a day, laden with all the variety of meats, fruits,
and delicacies, which the greatest epicure could desire, and crowned
with several kinds of wine, not excepting champaign once or twice a
week, for the purpose of drinking " sweet-hearts and wives," — a custom
rigidly observed by us on every Saturday evening. Our ship is a sort
of farm and store-house, from which the most abundant supplies of
fresh provisions are drawn at pleasure. Its deck has quite a rural
appearance, where one hears the crowing of the cock, the cackling
of hens, geese, and ducks, the lowing of the cow, and the bleating of
sheep. There is an honest Irishman on board, named Jemmy, who
is working his passage home, and whose special duty it is, to super
intend the farm-yard and feed the stock. His assiduity, and the ten
derness he manifests towards his little flock, particularly towards the
cow Sukey, have acquired for him the good wishes of all the pas
sengers. We have fourteen passengers, a majority of whom are Americans,
and the remainder English and Scotch. They are all well educated,
intelligent, and gentlemanly men, who have seen much of the world,
and are intimately acquainted with the respective countries to which
they belong. Although we have no ladies on board to exercise their
restraining influence, the utmost decorum in dress and demeanour is
observed ; and as much etiquette prevails daily at our table, as is
witnessed at a genteel dinner party. This circumstance has added
greatly to the pleasures of our passage. There is a good library on
board the Corinthian, which with the books belonging to the passen
gers and thrown into common stock, furnishes an ample supply of
literary amusement. I have not found an hour hang heavy on my
hands since my departure, except in cases of indisposition, which have
been less frequent and less severe than I had anticipated. The day
passes in reading, writing, and conversation, interspersed occasionally
with a game at chess, or back-gammon for recreation. These occu
pations, at once instructive and amusing, together with the various
operations in directing and managing the ship, presenting a new sphere
of life and a language peculiar to itself, with which I was in a great
measure unacquainted, have left no room for ennui.
But there is a pleasure beyond what this little world, enclosed in
wooden walls, can afford — the pleasure of looking abroad upon the
boundless ocean, of watching its changing aspects, its restless agita
tion, its eternal heavings. There is a grandeur in such an expanse of
water, stretching beyond the limits of vision, and on all sides mingling
with the skies, even when its surface is calm and placid. But how is

12 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
its magnificence heightened, when it is lashed into tumult, and the
billows are crested with foam ! I have stood for hours, to see the waves
rolling and tumbling in the verge of the horizon, with which they
appear to be blended. It is at such a moment, that man feels his
weakness and insignificance, while the elements are in commotion,
the sea dashing around him, in all its terror and sublimity, and a
fathomless abyss yawning beneath, insulated as he is from the rest of
the world, and devoid of human assistance. His confidence is limited
to a plank, and that apparently too fragile to withstand for a moment
the violence and concussion of the waves.
In spite of all the convictions of safety and of all resolutions to
meet whatever may come, with firmness and fortitude, the imagina-
nation, startled by the creaking of masts, the piping of winds, and
the dashing of the surge, will sometimes descend to the bottom of
the ocean, and survey such horrors, as are depicted in the dream of
Clarence : " What sights of ugly death within mine eyes !
Methought I saw a thousand fearful couches ;
A thousand men that fishes gnawed upon ;
Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl,
Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels,
All scattered in the bottom of the sea.
Some lay in dead men's skulls ; and in those holes,
Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept,
As 'twere in scorn of eyes, reflecting gems,
That woo'd the slimy bottom of the deep,
And mock'd the dead bones that lay scatter'd by."
When the imagination has once reached the bottom of the ocean, it
is very easy for it to extend its rambles through coral groves and those
green recesses, which poets, and naturalists scarcely less fanciful, have
supposed to exist. Buffon thinks that the depths of the sea exhibit
all the varieties of hill and dale, earth and rock, that we observe on dry
land ; and that its plants and shrubs have a similar regular distribution.
According to others, these vegetables and sub-marine productions are
of the most gorgeous and splendid colours, vying in richness and beau
ty with the most picturesque scenery of the earth above. Fancy may
go a step farther, and people these bright abodes with the inhabitants
of the deep, or those fabled divinities, whom the poets of antiquity
called into existence.
But let us once more ascend to the surface, if my bathos has not
carried me "beyond a retreat. I have never before so fully realized the

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 13
imagery,* which has been drawn from, and the epithets which have
been applied to the ocean, by every writer from Homer to Byron, as
my observation has enabled me to do in this short voyage. The epi
thet employed by the latter, in the first line of the Corsair,
" O'er the glad waters of the dark-blue sea,"
is exactly true to nature, and expresses with minute accuracy the co
lour of the ocean, at depths where there are no soundings. As you
recede from the shore, the sea-green tinge vanishes, and the cerulean
hue darkens in proportion to the depth ofthe water. So perceptible
is this change, that we were able to discover in a moment when we had
arrived on soundings upon the Grand Bank. A skilful mariner will
ascertain with great accuracy the number of fathoms by the eye, with
out the use of the lead.
Other natural objects, such as the sun, moon, and stars, acquire an
udditional interest, when seen from the ocean, particularly at their ri
sing and setting. Some of our sun-sets have been glorious beyond
description. As the ruddy orb sunk into the sea, its disc became ob
long, and flashed its splendours across the waves, tracing a pyramid of
light of the brightest hue. This gorgeous imagery towards the west ap
pears the more splendid, when contrasted with the darkness ofthe east,
where there are no objects to reflect the beams of day, after the sun has
reached the verge of the horizon, owing to the sphericity of the ocean.
His disc appears to be tinged and gradually quenched by the billows,
assuming as it sinks, a hundred different forms. On one evening, some
of our passengers had the curiosity to climb to the round-top, while
others held their watches below, for the purpose of ascertaining how
much longer the sun could be seen at that height, than from the deck.
The difference was found to be one minute and four seconds.
The moon, stars, and clouds have to us been equally fruitful sources
of observation, appearing under new aspects, and being dearer from the
eternal solitude, which reigns over the long and desolate tracts of ocean.
We have often stood upon the deck, to see the star of evening go down.

* The dim and shadowy forms of ships, seen in the distant horizon, journeying
onward over the pathless ocean, will often bring to mind Milton's sublime simile :
" As When far off at sea, a fleet descry'd
Hangs in the clouds, by equinoctial winds
Close sailing from Bengala, or the isles
Of Ternate and Tidore, whence merchants bring
Their spicy drugs : they on the trading flood
Through the wide Ethiopian to the Cape
Ply, stemming nightly toward the pole,"

14 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
and the moon plunge her cold orb into the main, creating a silver draj
pery in the clouds around her, as she sinks to rest. When the sea is
calm, twilight and the reflection of the rosy west is delightfully soft and
tranquil. The mornings too are sometimes extremely beautiful, the
clouds reposing in the utmost serenity along the horizon, and apparently
resting upon the blue unruffled waters. By good fortune, the aurora bo
realis has been added to the phenomena of nature observed by us, during
the passage. It brightened the whole north, and gave to the skies the
appearance of the crepusculum at break of day. The latitude of this
place has in some measure changed the aspect of the heavens, the sun
setting at 7 minutes after 8 o'clock, making the day 16 hours and 14
minutes long. Evening twilight does not disappear till about 10 o'clock,
and the day dawns at a little after two. There are of course at this
season but a few hours of darkness, and even that brief reign is at pre
sent shortened by the moon, now fast becoming full-orbed. The Cap
tain informed us at breakfast to-day, that twilight in the north-west was
visible the whole of last night. In the course of our passage we have
experienced nearly every variety of weather, except the severe gale,
and have therefore enjoyed an opportunity of viewing the ocean under
all aspects.
In three days after leaving the Hook, we reached the Gulf Stream,
and nearly crossed it, our ship being at one time as far south as the 38th
degree of latitude. There is some advantage in taking this current in
an eastward passage, as it runs at the rate of two or three knots an
hour ; but this seems to be in a great measure counterbalanced by the
bad weather and heavy swell to be encountered. It is indeed a region
of tempests, occasioned probably by the different temperature of the
air, and its effects in producing a conflict of the elements. On Mon
day the 13th, we experienced a severe thunder storm, accompanied by
heavy gusts, which continued from 4 o'clock in the afternoon till mid
night. It was truly a terrific scene, especially after night came on.
The flashes of lightning were frequent and vivid, and the peals of thun
der, mingling with the roaring of the sea, were tremendous. The bolts
fell thick around us, but the lightning did not appear to strike near the
ship. A more sublime and awful spectacle than the ocean presented
during this storm, can hardly be imagined. The sea, as well as the
skies, seemed to.be in a blaze, the phosphoric flashes of the former be
ing scarcely less vivid than those of the latter. The grandeur of the
scene was heightened by the active bustle and cry of the hardy mari
ner, as he went aloft amidst the storm, to reef the sails. To a lands
man it is really surprising to witness with what alertness the sailor will
climb to the dizziest heights, and leap from one part of the rigging to

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. lo
another. There is a sprightly and interesting little boy on board, only
thirteen years old, who is sometimes seen poised like the lark at the top
of the mast, handing the royal. His name, as well as his activity in
climbing or descending, has often reminded me of Gay's beautiful
simile, in "Black-eyed Susan."
At 10 o'clock on the night of this thunder-gust, Captain Davis called
me to the deck, (for the rain was so severe as to drive the passengers
to the cabin,) for the purpose of witnessing what mariners term a corpo
santo, or sacred body — a phenomenon I was very anxious to see. A
ball of fire was visible at the top of the mainmast, emitting a light not
unlike that of a lamp. Indeed, so striking was the resemblance, that
I at first suspected some one had been playing off a quiz, or that one
of the crew was aloft with a light. But the reality ofthe phenomenon
was soon ascertained. As it never appears except in storms, it has
generally been supposed to be electrical ; but the mate of the ship
assured me, that he had often examined, the substance emitting the
light, and found it to be a mass of jelly, apparently composed of marine
animalcules, exactly resembling those to which the phosphorescence
of the ocean has by some been ascribed. This testimony seems to
corroborate the theory broached in the Statesman, in the year 1822,
by a philosophical correspondent, who has made many ingenious ex
periments on the subject.
When we had escaped the Gulf Stream, and arrived at the Grand
Bank, a sudden and very sensible change took place in the tempera
ture of the atmosphere, indicated by our feelings not less than by the
thermometer and sea-glass. All the cloaks on board were put in
requisition, and even these were scarcely sufficient to keep us warm.
We were all upon the look-out for mountains of ice, amidst the fogs
which constantly envelop this extensive shoal. June and July are
the months; when these masses of ice from the arctic regions arrive
at this part of the ocean, and are frequently seen in the most fan
tastic forms, resembling enchanted islands, mountains, churches, and
castles. The passengers were desirous of witnessing so great a
curiosity, although they did not care to come very near such dan
gerous and" formidable obstructions to navigation. The melting
of the ice creates a thick vapour around it, and vessels frequently
run close upon the floating masses, before they are discovered, as was
the case with the Packet Liverpool, which was lost a year or two
since. Our eyes were strained in vain, and a few days bore us be
yond the region of these mountains from the pole.
From the 20th tp the 22d of June inclusive, the ship lay in a dead
calm. On the last mentioned day, so perfectly tranquil was the

Iti LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ocean, that the Captain ordered the jolly-boat to be launched, and
four of us with a man at the helm rowed to the distance of a mile
from the ship, the little skiff climbing over the smooth swells with an
easy and delightful motion. We brought back with us a large nau
tilus, or Portuguese man-of-war, as this animal is generally called by
the sailors. He is a curious creature, peculiarly fitted for the element
on the surface of which he moves, being furnished with a keel, anchor,
sails, and ballast, for the purposes of navigation. Possessing the
power of loco-motion, he can shift his position so as to catch the
breeze, and glide over the highest waves with ease and safety. Some
times when the sea is calm and the sun warm, he will turn himself
upon his side, wet his sail, and then right his little bark and resume
his passage. These animals frequently navigate the ocean in fleets,
perhaps under the command of an admiral. Their sails, which are
transparent and beautifully bordered with a bright pink colour, vie in
richness and elegance, particularly when seen in the direction of the
sun, with the silken sails of Cleopatra. We have seen thousands of
them bounding over the billows, reminding us of Pope's couplet :
" Learn of the little Nautilus to sail,
Spread the thin oar, and catch the rising gale."
After our return to the ship, Captain Davis and another party made
an excursion in the jolly-boat, taking a musket with them, and bringing
back a haglet, a large sea-bird, apparently very fierce in its disposi
tion. It was slightly wounded in its wing, and some of the more
mischievous passengers got up a cockfight, pitting the haglet against
Dick, a proud rooster on board, which had worn the gaffs, and acted
the part of a bravado to all the other animals. The combat lasted
for some minutes, when the bird seized Dick by the throat and held
him fast, till he was released by one of the bystanders. The latter
was completely beaten, and could not be brought to another engage
ment. On the same day, the Captain ordered a sail to be rigged
out by the side of the ship, sinking it to the depth of six or eight feet
below the surface, and drawing it up at the corners, so as to form a
fine bath, secure from the rapacity of the shark, which renders
bathing in the ocean dangerous. Half a dozen of us plunged in, and
had a good frolic of it before dinner, not less conducive to health
than amusement. Such are some of the little resources for reprea-
tion during a calm at sea.
In the course of our voyage, we had a glance at nearly all the va
rious inhabitants of the deep. Soon after our departure, numerous
shoals of porpoises were discovered, gamboling in the waves, and

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 17
playing round the ship, being visible several feet below the surface,
and darting like lightning through the water. One of the passen
gers, who was formerly an expert whaleman, and is perfectly ac
quainted with every fish that swims the ocean, planted himself with
a harpoon in the bow. He soon hurled his weapon with unerring
dexterity, and a large porpoise was hoisted upon deck.
One day while we were at dinner, word came below, that a large
whale was along side the ship, within a few rods. We all rushed
upon deck, and had several fair views of the monster, as he stretched
himself upon the surface and threw up torrents of water. His length
was estimated to be about seventy feet, and his enormous bulk fur
nished an image of " That sea-beast,
Leviathan, which God of all his works
Created hugest that swim th' ocean stream."
The process of speaking ships, was to me novel and interesting. The
first we spoke was the Lord Sidmouth from Quebec, bound to Ply
mouth. It was just at twilight. Both were fine vessels and standing
upon the same course. The Corinthian, being the fastest ship, came
close alongside, and passed the other with great dignity, affording
merely time to make the usual inquiries and exchange civilities. Such
an incident, trifling as it may seem to those on shore, is extremely
gratifying at sea, after one has gazed day after day upon the solitary
ocean. Three or four vessels are now in sight. To one of them the
Captain hoisted his colours on the mizen peak. The signal was
promptly answered, by a display of "the meteor flag of England."
The utmost courtesy prevails on such occasions, and the hearty good
will, with which the masters wish each other pleasant passages, has
something in it beyond a cold/ormality, exposed as they are to com
mon dangers, and often standing in need of mutual assistance.
Thus have I given, more in detail than was anticipated at the com
mencement, the history of my adventures upon the ocean, which are
scarcely less voluminous than those of Telemachus ; yet prolix as my
letter is, it contains but a small proportion of the incidents recorded in
a diary of thirty pages. The day has declined since I began to write,
and another charming evening finds us bounding over the billows, un
der full sail : " The weary sun hath made a golden set)
And by the bright track of his fiery car,
Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow."
3

18 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER II.
ARRIVAL ON THE COAST OP IRELAND  KINSALE  CORK  COVE OF CORK,
July, 1825.
At half past 3 o'clock on the morning of the first of July, land
was dimly descried through the clouds and mist, which obscured the
horizon. The report soon circulated through the ship, and called
the passengers from their births to the deck ; for although our voyage
had been neither long nor tedious, the sight of the shore was wel
come. To some of us, the interest of the view was heightened by
novelty ; and to -others, by the ties of kindred and country. The
eyes of Jemmy sparkled with joy, as the distant hills of the Emerald
Isle were beheld swelling above the sea. His charge Sukey lowed
as she sniffed the breeze, blowing from sweet-scented beds of the
shamrock ; and even Dick seemed to wind his clarion to a higher
pitch, with the hope of gaining a response from the shore. In short,
every living thing on board appeared to participate in the gladness of
the moment. The first land we made was Mizen Head, and the
high ground in the vicinity, forming the south-western part of the
Island. So accurately was the ship's reckoning kept, that it did not
vary three miles from the Captain's estimate.
By 8 o'clock we were opposite Cape Clear, which is a bold pro
montory, with a light-house upon its summit, in a very conspicuous ;-
situation. As the wind was fair and the sky clear, the ship ran within
a few miles of the shore, affording us by the aid of the glass a full
and perfect view of every object along the coast. A large number
of boats and small vessels covered the Channel, frequently sailing
close under the cliffs, to the very bases of which the sea is in most
places navigable for the largest ships. A whale-boat, with a crew
of seven miserably clad and dirty fishermen, boarded us off Cape
Clear, and supplied us with fresh fish, eggs, and new potatoes, ta
king in exchange, pork, beef, bread, and a bottle of rum, prized
above all the other articles received in the way of barter. This
crew furnished a specimen of the rudest portion of the population
of Ireland. Their language was scarcely intelligible ; and they had
made but little progress in civilization.
The aspect of the Island for some distance after making Cape
Clear, is rude, barren, and solitary, the high hills being composed of
naked rocks and wastes, exhibiting neither tree nor shrub, and but
little vegetation of any kind. Farther up the Channel, the appear-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 1'J
ance of the country greatly improves, the sloping highlands being
laid out into regular fields to their very tops, covered with verdure,
and bordered with flowers, which were visible through the glass
from the deck of the ship. It is, however, a rugged, precipitous,
and inhospitable coast, with few buildings in sight, and those appa
rently inaccessible. The cliffs are in many places- abrupt, craggy,
and cavernous, with here and there insulated rocks rising above the
water at some distance from the shore.
At about 12 o'clock we arrived opposite the cliff, on which the
packet ship Albion was wrecked. It is a memorable spot, and every
passenger manifested an eager curiosity to examine the rocks, which
proved fatal to so many of our countrymen, and caused so much
affliction. We were near enough to have a distinct view of the pre
cipitous ledge, which is more than a hundred feet in height. On
one side is a sandy beach, and on the other, a small bay or inlet,
indenting the coast. Had the ship providentially drifted a few rods
on either hand, the passengers and crew would probably all have
been saved, as the bank slopes to the water's edge. But such
was not the destiny of the melancholy wreck, which drifted to a point
where no human aid could be afforded. Two transports, filled with
troops to the number of about twelve hundred, were wrecked near
the same place a few years since, and the whole perished. A large
hole was dug in the earth, and officers and men found a common
grave. More respect was paid to the remains of the passengers,
who were lost in the Albion. Their bodies were numbered and
decently interred side by side, at a little distance from the fatal cliff.
It has been my good fortune to become acquainted with Mr. Gibbons,
of Kinsale, and Mr. Mark, the American consul at Cork, both of
whom witnessed the wreck of the Albion, and did every thing in their
power, for the preservation of life and property. They have given me
minute descriptions of the awful scene. Most of the particulars were,
however, publicly stated at the time ; and I have no wish to revive
the sorrow which this afflicting event occasioned in our city and
country. In the course of the forenoon, a pilot-boat came alongside the
Corinthian, and offered to take us ashore at the Old Head of Kins
ale. As the sea was tranquil, the landing convenient, and the pas
sage up the Channel to Liverpool might be protracted and tedious,
six of us concluded to accept the offer, unwilling as we were to de
sert the ship, until she had reached her port of destination. The
Captain gave us a parting dinner, a social glass, and a sentiment.
After making our arrangements, and shaking hands with our fellow-

20 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
passengers, "who in feeling had become as one family, among whom
the utmost cordiality and even attachment prevailed, we debarked at
4 o'clock in the afternoon and made for the harbour of Kinsale, at
the distance of seven or eight miles. As the wind blew off the
shore, our crew, consisting of four Irishmen, were obliged to row the
whole way, which they effected without difficulty by the aid of a bot
tle of brandy, a sip of which was proposed by the pilot, as a premium
to his subalterns for pulling manfully from point to point.
Our passage was sufficiently slow to afford us a very fair view of
the lofty promontory of Kinsale, close under the brow of which the
little boat glided along the waters. The summit is smooth and
green, crowned with a handsome light-house, which is seen at a
great distance up and down the Channel. In many places the cliffs
are tremendous, with deep caverns in the rock, which is of se
condary formation. At one point, a fissure wide enough for the
passage of a boat, was observed to extend quite through the pro
jection, on a level with the water. It is a fine place for smuggling,
and if Jpports be true, the natural advantages of the coast are not
neglected. Back of the headland, the hills are covered with groups
of Irish cottages, and the fields exhibit marks of a high state of
cultivation. On the heights are several of those castles in ruins,
which are so common all over the Island. As these were the first
we had ever seen, their rude, crumbling, and fantastic forms were
regarded with an eye of eager curiosity.
The harbour of Kinsale is easy of access, the water deep, and
completely land-locked by the eminences projecting on both sides
of the river Bandon, on the left bank of which the town is situated.
On the right, as you enter the basin, is Fort Charles, a very strong
and expensive work, commanding the harbour, and at present garri
soned by a regiment. On the opposite side are the ruins of an an
cient fortress, where James the Second landed with an army from
France, at the time he was driven from his own country and sought
to regain his throne, occupied by William of Orange. In the year
1690, the fort was stormed by the Duke of Marlborough. It was a
severe and bloody conflict, the Governor of ^Ireland being killed in
the breach. In 1660, it was captured by the Spaniards. The work
is now a mere ruin, with its dilapidated ramparts mantled with ivy.
Immediately after passing the point on which it stands, the town of
Kinsale opens on the view, at the distance of only a few rods, stand
ing upon an acclivity so steep, that the roofs of the houses on one
street are on a line with the basements of those above. The heights
are planted with trees, and many of the houses have gardens in front.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 21
presenting a picturesque and romantic prospect from the basin, which
spreads before the town and is covered with boats and vessels. Ships
of war may ride to the very doors of some of the houses ; and we
were informed that the officers on deck sometimes converse with the
ladies at the windows of their drawing-rooms.
The town of Kinsale, . having a population of eight or ten thou
sand, bears all the marks of decay, many of its buildings being in a
state of dilapidation, and its narrow, dirty streets filled for the most
part with crowds of poor and miserably clothed inhabitants, who once
depended on the fisheries and the troops for support, both of which
sources are now in a great measure cut off by the unaccountable
failure of the former, and the removal of the latter. We were
thronged with a host of mendicants, from the moment of landing,
till our departure from the place. There is, however, considerable
wealth among a certain portion of the inhabitants, and many of the
houses are splendid. The little we saw afforded us a favorable spe
cimen of the hospitality of the better classes towards strangers. They
took much trouble to point out to us whatever was worth seeing, and
to trace the history of the town, which is of great antiquity. The
family of Lord Kinsale is celebrated in its annals, being descendants
of De Courcy, so renowned for feats of strength and chivalry. His
lordship is privileged to wear his hat in the presence of the king ;
and he asserted his prerogative, at the time George the IV th visited
Ireland. Many anecdotes were told us of the family. One of its
members was unexpectedly called to inherit the title, while he was
in exile, in the State of Rhode-Island, industriously employed as a
ship carpenter.
Some incidental inquiries at a shop, where we called to purchase a
few articles, induced the good lady to send for Mr. Gibbons, who
politely conducted us over the toWn, and offered to take us to other
places in the vicinity ; but as our accommodations at the hotel were
bad, and some of our party were in haste, we concluded to ride to Cork
on the same evening. Several of our company went out and chartered
two vehicles, one of which is called a jaunting-car, being an open
two-wheeled carriage, with the seats on the outside, at only a step
from the ground. It is rather a rude conveyance, but no otherwise
inconvenient, than from exposing the passengers to the dust. Most
of us preferred it to the post chaise, not only on account of its no
velty, but from its ease. The Irish post-chaises are extremely un
comfortable, on account of being so narrow from the front to the
back, keeping the limbs confined. The jaunting-car, with three pas
sengers besides the driver and baggage, was drawn by one horse, (and

22 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
that not very good,) without changing from Kinsale to Cork, a dis
tance of 16 Irish miles, 11 of which are equal to 14 English miles.
The roads are however at this season very smooth, being M'Adam-
ized, or constructed of pounded lime-stone, covered with a stratum of
the soil, which is clayey and forms a hard pan. They are kept in per
fect repair, and must have been enormously expensive. The bridges
are all of stone, and built in the most substantial manner, calculated
to last for ages. We are informed, that the roads are equally good,
and if possible still better, all over the Island ; which is gratifying
intelligence, especially as the carriages and horses, so far as our limit
ed experience yet extends, are much inferior to those of our own
country. The ride from Kinsale to Cork was by no means unpleasant, al
though we were much fatigued with the labors of the day, so filled
with incident from its very dawn. It was at first difficult to realize,
that we were travelling in the land of Burke, Grattan, Sheridan, Swift,
and Goldsmith, in twenty-two days after leaving New- York. The
various adventures of the day, with the novelty of the scene presented
by the streets of Kinsale, appeared to bewilder the mind and leave a
lingering doubt of their reality.
Every mile of the road presented objects to arrest the attention.
The aspect of the country is entirely artificial, even to the few trees
to be seen by the way-side. The surface consists of gentle swells,
perfectly naked of woods, and divided into small fields, by fences com
posed of the soil thrown up into embankments, turfed and generally
covered at top with furze. On every side are to be seen groups of
cottages, composed of the same materials, rude in structure, with
one door, and many of them without a window, or any other aper
ture than the chimney. They are generally thatched, and some of
them are completely covered with ivy, presenting a most picturesque
and fanciful appearance. In several instances, we saw families of
ragged, but healthy looking children re-enforced by hogs and other
domestic animals, as the co-tenants of mud walls.
The country is populous almost beyond what an American who has
never seen it can imagine. It literally swarms with inhabitants, as may
be inferred from the fact, that eight millions are crowded upon an
Island 300 miles long, and of an average breadth not exceeding 130.
The county of Cork alone, which is a mere speck in territory, con
tains a population nearly as great as that of the state of New-York.
Every nook and corner is filled to overflowing. The road for the
whole distance from Kinsale to Cork was almost as much thronged
with passengers, as one of the ordinary streets of a city. They

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 23
were passing both ways in troops, " foot and horse," some in car
riages, some on horseback; frequently riding double ; — women and
girls with arms full of children, and crowds of a larger growth were
seen at the door of every cottage. The first circumstance in their
appearance, that arrests the attention of the traveller, is the extreme
meanness of their dress. A considerable proportion of the lower
classes are literally in tatters, and rags too of the dirtiest kind, with
bare heads and bare feet. Nothing but a climate of this happy tem
perature, which never feels the extremes of heat or cold, could render
such a state of nudity tolerable, or many of the confined mud cabins
habitable. The second striking feature in their external appearance,
is extreme health, and in most cases cheerfulness. Rosy cheeks and
athletic limbs peep from their rags, and their countenances are lighted
up with a smile, which seems to set poverty at defiance.
The last part of our ride was in the evening, which was remarkably
serene, being sufficiently cool to render our cloaks comfortable, and
the full moon pouring her splendours upon the green hills. Just before
entering Cork, the road passes a beautiful promenade called the Dyke,
which was covered with all the fashionables of the place. We arrived
between 9 and 10 o'clock, and took lodgings at the principal hotel,
which is well kept, although in a style in some degree novel to us.
The table is bountifully supplied with meats, fish, and other substantial
articles of a good quality, as well as with the fruits of the season, con
sisting of strawberries, cherries, and gooseberries. Our greatest diffi
culty has been with the butter, which is perfectly fresh, and to our
palates insipid. The salmon and sole, both taken in the vicinity of
the city, are excellent ; as are also the mutton and veal. Judging
from the specimens we have seen, the wines are inferior to those ob
tained at the hotels in our country. The water which is of much
more importance, is of a good quality, coming from the Lee above the
town. The next day after our arrival, having no letters to deliver, as
our visit to Ireland at so early a period was unexpected, we peram
bulated the city and learned its localities, visiting most of the public
places and some of the numerous institutions. Cork is pleasantly si
tuated upon the Lee, the greater part of it occupying an island form
ed by the two branches, which are crossed in many places by hand
some stone bridges uniting the principal streets. It is on all sides
surrounded by hills, forming the banks of the river, and covered to
their summits with ranges of houses and elegant country seats. Most
of the streets are narrow ; the buildings are of grey stone ; and there
is nothing very prepossessing in the exterior, with the exceptiowof the
suburbs, which are rural and neat. The population of Cork is 100,000,

24 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
covering an area of four miles square. Its commerce and manufactures
are extensive, it being the second mart in magnitude on the Island.
Vessels of 1 50 tons come into the heart of the city, and the inhabitants
are now engaged in deepening the channel four feet, so as to admit
ships of greater burthen. There is a good show of enterprise with
a portion of the citizens, who find, however, many drawbacks and
sustain heavy burdens in support of the poor. The number of paupers
and vagrants exceeds all calculation, and numerous as the charitable
institutions are, they are wholly inadequate to the wants of the city.
In the foundling hospital, there are 1200 children ; in the fever hospi
tal 200 ; in the lunatic asylum as many more ; and in the house of
industry an equal number. The large county and city gaols, situate
opposite each other on the banks of the river, are also crowded with
tenants. In fact, every refuge for the poor is filled, still leaving the
streets thronged with vagrants.
On the evening of the 2d instant, four of our party set out for Dublin.
Previous to their departure, one of them introduced us to Mr. Mark,
the American Consul, who has shown us every attention. Yester
day (the 3d) he was so polite as to accompany us to Passage and Cove,
the former at the distance of five, and the latter of seven miles below
Cork, forming its sea-ports, to which the largest ships ascend. We
made the excursion in the steam-boat, crowded with much ofthe beau
ty and taste of the city. The day was remarkably fine, and the pas
sage down the river, lined on both sides with ranges of handsome
country seats, was charming. At a mile or two below the town, the
Consul pointed out to us a large and valuable tract of land, belonging
to some of our acquaintances in New- York. It was on that account
examined with the more attention.
The Cove has a population of about 10,000. Its buildings are large,
and situated on a steep acclivity, so that the town appears to great ad
vantage from the water. There is a handsome Protestant Episcopal
Church in the place, where we attended worship. The congregation
was numerous and highly respectable. In most particulars, the ser
vice is the same as in the New- York churches. There were, however,
no audible responses, except from the clerk; and the chants, as
wellas the singing, were far inferior to ours. There was nothing
peculiar or striking in the sermon, and during its delivery, a spectator
would not have known either from the parson or the congregation,
that he was not in our own country.
After church, the passengers re-embarked, and the boat proceeded
as far as the entrance of the harbour, which is easy of access, and
commanded by two strong fortresses on each side. It is one of the most

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 25
capacious and secure in the world. The whole British Navy might
ride in its waters. Large fleets have often made it a rendezvous, and
it is much resorted to by American and other ships, which put in for
repairs or provisions. There is also a considerable direct trade with
New- York, and other ports of the United States. Four vessels are
there at present. The British frigate Semiramis and one or two sloops
of war were lying at anchor ; also a large ship bound to Botany Bay,
with three hundred convicts on board. Her captain spoke the steam
boat, and inquired if she had any despatches for his passengers, who
are soon to bid adieu to their country forever. Another crowd of vo
luntary exiles were on board the Cambridge, bound to the western
world. There is a large prisonship moored in the harbour, whither
convicts are sent, in readiness to be transported.
On our return, the steam-boat George the IVth, from Bristol, En
gland, passed us with her deck thronged with passengers. She crosses
the Channel twice a week, making the passage in 48 hours. Two or
three other boats are building for the same route ; and a line is soon
to be established between this place and Liverpool, as also one to
Dublin. In short, steam-boats are as much the rage here as they are
with us. The Irish Sea is already crossed by them at four points,
forming the most direct and expeditious communication with England.
In the evening we returned from Passage by land, in a new kind of
vehicle, called a Jingle, open at top, with a door behind. It is drawn
by one horse, and accommodates four persons. The driver whirled
us up the five Irish miles in three quarters of an hour, over a most
beautiful road, in many places entirely over-arched by trees, and bor
dered the whole way with seats and pleasure grounds, in a high state of
embellishment. We took tea with the Consul, and have dined with
him to-day, (the 4th,) in company with one of his friends, an eminent
physician of this city, who has analyzed and given us a full account
of the state of society in Ireland. His conversation and that of his
friend, at whose house and hands we have met with so much hospi
tality, will be of great service to us, in our tour through the Island.
Our country, the' President of the. United States, and other senti
ments equally liberal, were drunk at table ; and the anniversary of
our National Independence has been celebrated in a manner peculiarly
gratifying to our feelings.

26 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER III.
LAKES OF KILLARNEY  TRALEE  LIMERICK. July, 1825.
Ox the morning of the 5th instant, we set out on a visit to the Lakes
of Killarney, which are so celebrated on this side of the Atlantic, and
the fame of which ,.as reached our own shores. The distance from
Cork is about forty-five Irish miles, which the mail-coach travels in
nine hours, — a tardy pace, compared with the rapidity of an American
stage. There were six passengers in the inside, and about as many
more on the top, together with the guard and baggage. Sixteen per
sons are frequently carried by these coaches. The fare is compara
tively cheap. A passenger aloft pays but about half as much as one
below, although in pleasant weather the outside is preferred, especial
ly by strangers who are anxious to see the country.
The party in the inside was extremely pleasant, consisting of an
agreeable gentleman living at Beaufort, who had just taken his degree
at the University of Dublin, and was returning to his paternal estate,
with a young and accomplished wife, who is to share with him the
pleasures of his rural retirement on the borders ofthe romantic Lake.
We found them an interesting couple, — intelligent, literary, and af-
able. With them was a maiden lady, who had in charge two beautiful
ring-doves — a pretty emblem of the young pair whose nuptials had but
a few days before been celebrated. The remaining person of the party
was a bright-eyed and rosy-cheeked girl, with a musical voice and the
full brogue of Ireland. Many inquiries were made about our respec
tive countries, and the ride was far from being tedious, though the road
is not very interesting. For a considerable distance, after leaving
Cork, the fields continue in the high state of cultivation visible in
the environs of the city. Handsome seats and farm-houses border the
way. The peasantry were busily employed, in the harvest, and the aspect
ofthe country clothed with a deep verdure, and fragrant with "the new
mown hay," was cheerful in comparison with the confined streets of
the town. It is, however, destitute of trees and shrubbery, and the
bare hills, although in many places fertile, are too uniform to be grate
ful to the eye, seldom presenting those rich landscapes every where to
be found in the United States.
Midway between Cork and Killarney, commences a rough and
sterile region, with extensive bogs along the road, wild, desolate, and
dreary. In several of these morasses, the poor tenants were at work,

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 27
in cutting peat, which is the principal fuel of the country. It is taken
up in cakes of the size of tile, and arranged in small piles to dry. The
process of digging it has lately been greatly improved, and is much less
laborious than it used to be. It is frequently transported to great dis
tances, and afforded at cheap rates. In these bogs and hills, the
White Boys a few years since were wont to collect in great numbers,
and commit frequent outrages. But Ireland is now comparatively
tranquil, and travelling safe.
There are some antiquities and curiosities on the way ; but at these
the coach enabled us to take only a glance. Four miles from Cork is
the castle of Ballincolly, once owned by the Barrets, and celebrated
in the wars of the Commonwealth, and of James the Second. The
last of the illustrious family has long since descended to the tomb, and
the place is now a ruin. Opposite this castle are extensive barracks,
with powder mills, on the head waters of the Lee. In the vicinity
are also the remains of the castle and abbey of Kilcrea. Macroom,
Mill-Street, and other places on the route are dirty villages, filled
with a miserable population. We were glad to escape from the crowd
of beggars who beset us, and whose distresses we could not relieve.
The language of the mendicants is wholly unintelligible, accompanied
with all sorts of gesticulations, and in tones the most importunate.
Some miles from Killarney, the high hills of Kerry begin to meet
the eye, and peak after peak rises successively to view. The ranges
extend to the Atlantic, which is visible from their' summits. Kerry
is the most mountainous part of Ireland, and the whole aspect of the
country is extremely rugged. The approach to Killarney is pleasant.
Several ruins, groves, parks, and pleasure grounds skirt the road. We
arrived at 5 o'clock P. M. The town, containing a population of
8,000, is badly built at the distance of a mile from the lower lake,
with the fronts of the houses all turned from the beautiful scenery.
It presents nothing worthy of particular notice. The hotels are not
good, and their locations are inconvenient to the objects of the visiter.
After dinner we rambled through the extensive grounds of Lord Ken-
mare, whose woods and walks are enchanting ; but his mansion is in
bad taste and unworthy of the natural charms by which it is surround-
ded. From an eminence in the midst of his demesne, we had a fine
prospect of one ofthe three far-famed lakes of Killarney j^with the ro
mantic hills rising round its borders, and the. hundred green islands
studding its bosom. The expanse of water is small, and a low, reedy
margin detracts something from the beauty of its northern shore. But
the mountains on the southern side, illumined, as some of the peaks
were, with the declining sun, while others were enveloped in clouds,

28 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
presented a view in the highest degree wild and picturesque. The prin
cipal summits in this range are Mangerton, Turk, Eagle's Nest, Tom-
ies, «and M'Gilly-Cuddy 's Reeks. The last mentioned is the highest in
Ireland, being about 3,500 feet above the level ofthe sea. As its lo
cation is near the Atlantic, and in a climate remarkably humid, its top
is almost perpetually covered with mist. Among these hills the three
lakes are embosomed, being near ten miles in length, connected by
narrow straits, which are navigable with small boats. The largest and
most beautiful of the islands is Inisfallen.
After gazing fbr a time at the outlines of the scene, we continued our
ramble along the shore of the lower lake, towards Ross Castle, at the
eastern end. It is in itself a fine ruin, but has been spoiled as an ob
ject of taste, by the addition of a large modern wing, occupied as a
barrack, and resembling a hospital. The ancient part is beatitifully
mantled with ivy to the very top, which is about eighty feet from the
ground, and to which we climbed through a dark winding stair-way,
over crumbling arches. In the upper story is a large hall, in a tolerable
state of preservation, called O'Donohoe's ball-room, through which the
song ofthe minstrel, and the voice of merriment once rang. O'Dono-
hoe was an ancient chieftain of Kerry, renowned for his prowess, his
hospitality, and popularity among the Irish. You meet his name at
every step on the shores of these lakes. One of the islands is called
O'Donohoe's prison. He used there to confine his captives. Another
is denominated O'Donohoe's Library ; "and a curious rock, of a gro
tesque form, is called O'Donohoe's-horse-drinking, from the striking
similarity which it bears to such an object. There is a tradition here,
that when the storm descends from the mountains and whitens the
waves of the lake with foam, O'Donohoe is seen riding upon the water,
still lingering about his favourite abode.
Ross Castle, like many other places in this vincinity, was distin
guished in the wars of the Commonwealth. It was attacked by Gene
ral Ludlow, and gallantly defended by Lord Muskery. A super
stition prevailed, that it could not be taken until a man-of-war should
ride upon the Lake of Killarney. A large boat in the shape of a
frigate was accordingly brought across the mountains from the
ocean, and soon after, the Castle was reduced, though not without
a desperate conflict, attended with much bloodshed. We lingered
about this ruin until 9 o'clock in the evening, and in the enthusiasm
of the moment were not aware, that we had walked about eight Irish
miles after-dinner.
On the morning of the 6th inst. we set out, on ponies, for the head
ofthe upper Lake, there to meet a boat which was to take us home.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 29
The path leads by the ruin of Aghadoe, which is renowned in eccle
siastical history, and still gives title to a catholic bishop. We also
passed the river Lanne, forming the outlet of the lake, over which
is a handsome stone bridge with numerous arches. Near this are
Beaufort and Dunloe Castle. In the- course of the day we received
some fine fruit from the garden belonging to the former — a present
from our fellow-passengers in the coach from Cork. At a little dis
tance from this point is the celebrated pass of Dunloe, being a narrow
and rugged defile in the mountains, just wide enough for a road,
which was so rough that we were compelled to dismount from our
ponies and walk through. The hills rise almost perpendicularly on
either hand, and immense masses of the rock have crumbled from
the cliffs, blocking up the sides of the way with the fragments. A
little stream with several expansions, in the form of ponds, passes
through the gap. Goats and sheep were seen in some places among the
rocks ; and at one point, two of the latter had imprudently descended
upon a cliff, from which they are unable to extricate themselves, and
must soon perish. Around the summit of the highest mountain, we
saw a brace of eagles, soaring and basking in the solar blaze.
They build in the crags.
In the exaggerated descriptions of the scenery about these lakes,
it is stated among other things, that persons have entered the gap of
Dunloe, and were so terrified at the precipices overhanging them, as
to retreat without venturing through. They must have had weak
nerves, if there be the least foundation for the report. We experi
enced nothing like terror. The scene is grand, but cannot be con
sidered awful. In sublimity, it is far inferior to the Notch in the
White Hills of New-Hampshire; The Saco is a much finer river,
than the streamlet hurrying down the rocky pass of Dunloe, and
M'Gilly Cuddy's Reeks and Purple Mountain are mere mole hills, in
comparison with Mount Washington.
From the height of ground in this celebrated gap, the sequestered
vale of Comme Duff opens on the view towards the south-west,
winding among the hills. It is a beautiful glen, watered by a small
stream falling into the upper lake, near the mouth of which is a cot
tage and castle, belonging to Lord Brandon. Here we found our
boat in waiting, and after a most fatiguing walk over a pathway im
passable to our ponies, we embarked and commenced our descent
through the lakes. Our first landing was upon Ronan's Island,
situate in the midst of a group of four or five others, raising their
verdant and wood-crowned- summits to the height of fifteen or twenty
feet above the tranquil surface of the water. We climbed to the top

30 LETTERS FROM: EUROPE.
of Ronan's, whence a fine panoramic view ofthe mountains and lake
is obtained. On the border of the isle under a cliff, are the ruins
of a cottage, the site of which is not inferior to that described by St.
Pierre, and which a Paul and Virginia might not have disdained to
inhabit. The boat next landed us near the base of one of the loftiest hills,
denominated Derry-Cunnihy, on the south shore of the upper lake.
Along a glen and brook of the same name, a walk winds among
the trees for some distance. On emerging from the woods, and
close by a beautiful cascade, the murmur of which is sent back in
echoes from the mountain, the visitant finds a neat garden and cot
tage suddenly bursting upon his view. The sequestered dwelling
is low-roofed and thatched, with alcoves in front, defended from the
beams of the sun by trees and shrubbery. It is entirely surrounded
by hedges of flowers. Roses and woodbines, in full bloom, actually
peep in at the windows, and fill the air with fragrance. The grounds,
garden, and cottage display more taste than I have elsewhere disco
vered in the vicinity of Killarney. They belong to the Rev. Mr.
Hyde. From this rural retreat we hastened down the shore of the upper
lake, and through the straits connecting it with Turk, or the middle
section, debarking at several points to take parting views of the hills.
Several bridges in ruins and covered with ivy, crossed our pas
sage and added much to the picturesque beauty of the scenery. The
boat landed us on Dinis Island, just at the entrance of Turk Lake;
and our guide conducted us to a cottage overhung and concealed by
a delightful grove, where we dined on provisions brought from the
hotel. Near this point we passed close by the foot of Eagle's Nest,
the most rugged and finest peak of these mountains. It takes its
name from an aerie of that noble bird, lodged for many years in the
same crag of the rock, which was distinctly seen by us, at the height
of a thousand feet from the base.
The echo at this and several other places is remarkable for its
distinctness and number of repetitions. A bugleman first tried the
experiment; but as the wind was high, ^Eolus outblew our Irish
trumpeter. A small cannon was next loaded and discharged twice.
The paterara, as it is called, succeeded to admiration. Half a dozen
reverberations from remote parts of the mountain, at intervals suf
ficient to enable a person to count them, were clearly distinguishable.
It is said that sixteen have been counted in still weather.
There is nothing very peculiar in Turk Lake, which washes the
base ofthe mountain of the same name, except that it is the largest

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 31
unbroken expanse of water. It is, however, in all respects inferior
to the crystal sheet of Lake George ; and the scenery about the latter
is equally beautiful with that of Killarney, with the single exception,
that the mountains do not present so great a variety. As night was
now fast approaching, we hurried across its dark and ruffled surface,
and landing at its outlet, walked four Irish miles through the grounds
belonging to Mrs. Herbert, for the purpose of viewing the ruins of
Murcruss Abbey, which is the most celebrated spot in this region.
Its location is at the eastern extremity of the lower lake. The ruin
is entirely concealed from view, by the thick foliage of aged trees
which surround it. Even on a near approach, the eye does not
readily discover it, as the dilapidated and desolate . walls are mantled
with ivy, scarcely distinguishable from the verdure of the ground and
woods. A feeling of awe is felt on entering the cloisters of this venerable
pile. It was near sunset by the time we had reached it. The heron
from the lake was rustling and croaking among the branches of the
trees, where it builds its nest. At the right hand of the tottering
arch, forming the principal entrance, is a mass of human bones, which
at one time reached to the second story of the building ; and the
heap of rubbish is scarcely less at present. The skulls are by dozens,
not to say by hundreds, so arranged as to stare the visitant full in
the face. At every step, we stumbled over fragments of coffins,
which strew the apartments of the ruin. Such a horrid scene ap
peared to us highly* indecorous. The relics of the dead might at least
be collected, and decently covered.
This abbey was a friary, founded in the sixth or seventh century,
and has ever since been a cemetery, for which purpose it is still
used. So strong is the attachment to the consecrated ground, as a
place for depositing the dead, that the whole surrounding country
flock to it; and persons are sometimes brought from Cork to be
here interred. The O'Donohoe family have a tomb in a conspicu
ous part of the shattered building, around which are grouped the
graves of the principal chieftains, renowned in war, or eminent for
piety. We penetrated every cloister, climbed the dark flights of
steps, and read many of the inscriptions, some of which are very
ancient. In the centre of the ruin, is a yew tree, said to be three
hundred years old. Its trunk is a foot and a half in diameter, and its
branches fill one of the apartments, rising to the top ofthe building
and hanging over the walls. Each of us plucked a twig, as a slight
memorial of the scene. By the time our survey of the abbey was
completed, the boat arrived, and took us across the lake and among

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the islands to Ross Castle, where we landed and returned to the hotel
at 10 o'clock in the evening, fatigued but highly gratified with the
numerous adventures ofthe day.
It was our intention to climb some of the peaks, if the weather
would permit, and there should be a probability of obtaining a fa
vourable view. Mangerton is the easiest of ascent, and offers per
haps the most attractions. The prospect from the summit is said to
be both wide and grand. On the top is an oval and unfathomable
lake, a mile in circumference, called the " Devil's Punch Bowl,"
around which the celebrated Charles James Fox once swam— a feat
which is here accounted scarcely less arduous than that of Lord By
ron in swimming the Hellespont, as the water is very cold, and the
shore in some places rugged. As the clouds still continued to hang
round the brow of the mountains, though the sky below was clear and
bright, the excursion to Mangerton was abandoned ; and at 5 o'clock
on the afternoon ofthe 7th, we took the post coach for Tralee, which
we reached about sunset. The road is excellent ; and the countiy
on either side, for the greater part of the way, rich and well culti
vated. From several turns and eminences, the hills of Killarney,
and those still farther to the north-west, about Castlemain, were in
full view, mingling their blue summits with the skies.
Among the passengers in the coach was an intelligent and lite
rary lady, an enthusiastic admirer of Goldsmith and Cowper, and
strongly prejudiced against Byron and Moore. Her animated flow of
conversation and the local information she imparted, contributed in
no small degree to the pleasures of the ride. She had resided many
years in the village of Killarney, and was familiar with the scenery,
the state of society, and the traditions about the lakes. Several in
teresting anecdotes of the family of O'Donohoe were related by her.
The last of the line, whom she recollected, was a princely looking
man, but so ignorant that he could barely write his name. By in
dulging too freely in the pleasures ofthe chase and the rites of hos
pitality, he ruined his fortune. His purse was replenished and his
estate redeemed, by marrying with the daughter of a wealthy mer
chant, which was, however, regarded as a degradation of character,
although his lady was an accomplished woman. As an instance of
his humanity and gallantry, it was stated that one day in a stag-hunt,
a doe was driven from the hills into the lake. On approaching the
poor anima], the big tears were seen to roll from her eyes. O'Dono
hoe took his handkerchief from his pocket, bound it around her head,
and treating the^captive kindly, presented her to Ladv Kenmare.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 33
who with great delicacy of feeling loosed the bonds, and permitted
her to return to her native forests.
The mind of this lady, notwithstanding all her intelligence and re
finement, was strongly tinged with superstition. In speaking of Mur-
cruss Abbey, and on being informed that a sprig of the yew-tree was
plucked as a memorial of the place, she raised her hands in astonish
ment, and exclaimed that she would not- have broken a twig for the
world. She remarked that there was a story still current in the village,
of an officer, who cut off a branch of the sacred tree with his sword :
the wound wept blood ; and an awful fatality pursued the hand which
perpetrated the deed: In her opinion however, the sin of ignorance
would be winked at in our case ; yet the act was abhorrent to the sen
timents of the people in the neighbourhood, although they are by no
means scrupulous in other respects. The boatmen on the lake, will
refuse to row a visiter to the shore, if they know he has a relic from the
Abbey. Our informant stated that two summers ago, the celebrated poet
Moore paid a long visit to Killarney and the county of Kerry, in com
pany with the Marquis of Lansdowne and his lady. On his return,
he wrote the work called Captain Rock, comprising the facts and ma
terials which he collected in this excursion. The volume , I believe,
has been republished in the United States. Captain Rock is a com
mon designation of the White Boys. We heard a great deal of Moore
at Cork. The gentleman from whom we received so many civilities,
accompanied him to the Cove and the entrance of the Harbour, pur
suing the same route, over which he conducted us. He was a school
fellow with the poet, and lived in the next street to him in Dublin,
of which both are natives.
A few miles from Tralee, the road passes Ballyseedy, a fine seat be
longing to Mr. Blannerhasset, a relative ofthe man ofthe same name,
who once owned an island and a beautiful residence in the Ohio, and
was involved in the ambitious schemes ascribed to Aaron Burr. Lady
Kenmare at Killarney, said to be an accomplished woman, is a sister
of thfe individual who figured in the supposed conspiracy. According
to our informant, the beings with whom Mr. Wirt, in his celebrated
speech, peopled the little paradise upon the Ohio, were not that inno
cent and immaculate pair, which the vivid fancy of our Attorney Ge
neral portrayed.
It was not a little gratifying to our feelings to hear this lady speak
in terms of the highest applause of the writings of Washington Ir
ving, which she had read with attention, and gave a discriminating
opinion of their merits. She gave us the origin of the story of the
vol. r. 5

34 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
"Broken Heart," in the Sketch-Book, and related all the particulars
respecting the unfortunate heroine of the tale, whose ashes sleep in a
retired spot, at a little village in the county of Cork. Her affections
were indissolubly wedded to one, whose name is familiar in our city,
and who fell a victim to his attempt to break the chains of his coun
trymen ; while her hand, after the death of her betrothed, was impru
dently and not without some reluctance given in marriage to another.
On our arrival at Tralee, a large and well built place, situate at
the Head of a bay ofthe same name, we walked to the port, which is
a mile below, and connected by a canal, up which the tide flows to the
heart of the town. The estuary opens into the Atlantic, at the dis
tance of five miles, and is easy of access. The trade of the. town is
now considerable, and is about to be greatly increased by the establish
ment of a line of steam-boats, four in number, to run to the United
States. The Knight of Kerry is the projector and patron of this en
terprise. We were told that the boats are now building, and one of
them will be at Tralee by the first of August, in readiness to com
mence running. If this plan succeeds, it will be of great importance
not only to Tralee, but to Ireland, through which a direct communica
tion will be opened between the United States, Canada, and Europe.*
At 3 o'clock, on the morning of the 8th, we took the post-coach
for Tarbert, a small village on the left bank of the Shannon, with the
intention of ascending the river to Limerick, in the steam-boat. Find
ing that the boat would not arrive for several hours, and that part of
her passage would be performed in the night, we concluded to pro
ceed in the coach, especially as the day was delightful, and afforded
a fine opportunity for viewing the country from the top of the carriage.
The road pursues the left bank of the Shannon for 14 miles. It
is a noble stream, and its shores are highly interesting, not only on
account of the variety of landscape which they present, but from the
great number of ruins crowning almost every eminence. These an
tiquities, consisting of mounds, towers, castles, churches, and monas
teries, are not all satisfactorily accounted for. Some of them are
said to have been erected by the Danes ; others are the relics of feu
dal times ; and others were reared by ecclesiastics, and for military
purposes, during the civil wars in Great-Britain.. They seem to prove,
that this part of Ireland has long possessed a dense population, and
was deemed of great importance.
A few miles below Limerick, we passed St. Patrick's Well, a spring
by the way-side, which has given name to the little village around it.

* It is believed this project has been abandoned.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 35
With the holy waters of this fountain, the tutelary Saint is said to
have baptized the neighbouring inhabitants in person, who flocked to
him in multitudes, to receive the token of the remission of their sins.
Four miles from town stand the ruins of a castle and abbey, reputed
to be the oldest in the Island. The spot is said to be enchanted. A
legend is still in circulation and currently believed, that the wife of a
peasant went out one evening to milk her cow, when the animal made
for the ruined abbey and entered the door : the woman followed :
suddenly the dark and crumbling cloister became a splendid apartment,
with furniture of the most dazzling description : the cow moved on,
and the house-wife pursued with her pail : another cloister was chan
ged to a repository of gold and precious stones : in an instant, the
scene was changed, and the ruin became dark and silent as the grave :
the woman groped her way out, but the cow was never again heard of.
Lights were also seen in the dilapidated castle so insufferably bril
liant, that whoever looked at them became blind. St. Patrick pre
sented himself one stormy night at the door of a cottage, and request
ed admittance and shelter from the inclemency of the weather. The
tenants of the cabin refused to rise and let him in, lest they should see
the light and be struck with blindness. He knew the cause of their
fears, and gave them a charm against the influence of the light, com
manding them to cross their faces as soon as it appeared. The cus
tom prevails to this day of making a cross, when a candle is lighted.
I asked the guard of the coach who is an active and intelligent man,
possessed of good understanding and sound sense on other subjects,
if he believed these stories. He replied there was no reason why he
should not ; for St. Patrick had removed serpents and every thing ve
nomous out of Ireland : and that shows, added he, that he had power
to do these things. The opinion was expressed in so much sincerity,
and with such gravity of manner, that his faith was disturbed by no
further interrogatories.
We arrived at Limerick at 2 o'clock. On the left of the road, just
as it enters the town, are the unostentatious residences of Lord Lime
rick and of the Bishop, side by side ; and on the right, at a little dis
tance, a large and new county jail, a lunatic asylum, and an infirmary
for the sick and aged. That part of the city through which we first
passed, is handsomely built. The streets are wide, and the houses,
nearly all of brick, are spacious, finished in the modern style. This
is called the new town and is inhabited by the wealthier portion of citi
zens, who make it merely a winter residence. While dinner was pre
paring, we visited the Court House,. Custom House, and Cathedral.
The last is a venerable pile, of great antiquity. Around its mould-

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ering walls are the tombs of the nobility, with the bearings of their
families, and many inscriptions, some of which are in illegible charac
ters. The organ, which is profusely ornamented, and the tones of
which are said to be uncommonly sweet, was captured from the Spa
nish by Admiral Drake. We climbed this edifice, which is a specimen
of pure Gothic architecture, to the very battlements, whence a perfect
view of the city was obtained.
After dinner our rambles were resumed. Limerick was once a wall
ed city, and is celebrated in the history of the wars between England
and Ireland. A section of the ancient rampart is. yet standing ; as
are also two castles, in one of which, King John for some time resi
ded. They are now both vacant and shut up. Adjoining to them are
the barracks, in which there is a regiment of troops at present station
ed. Near these old fortresses, a stone bridge of equal antiquity, ex
tends across the Shannon. A bloody battle was once fought upon it,
and multitudes of the troops were in the heat of the conflict precipi
tated into the river and seen floating over the falls below.
The Shannon, opposite Limerick, is a narrow stream, but the chan
nel is of sufficient depth to admit ships of 500 tons burthen to ascend
with ease and safety. It soon becomes wide. Where we first saw
it this morning, it is nearly as broad as the Hudson. The distance
from Limerick to its mouth is 63 miles. It rises far in the interior,
and is the largest river, not only in the three kingdoms, but on any
island yet explored. Its commerce is extensive. The steam-boat
Lady of the Shannon, which is small in comparison with ours, runs
every other day to Killrush, a village on the right bank of the river,
near its mouth.
This city is apparently in a flourishing condition. Fewer beggars
are seen in the streets, than in other towns, and the lower classes are
more decently clad. This difference in the aspect of the population
is ascribed to the number and activity of the charitable institutions,
among which is a house of industry, where eight hundred or a thou
sand are constantly kept employed. There is, however, yet a wide
field open for melioration.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 37
LETTER IV.
ROUTE FROM LIMERICK TO DUBLIN — CITY OF DUBLIN — rASSAGE FROM
DUBLIN TO LIVERPOOL. July, 1825.
On Saturday morning the 9th instant, we left Limerick in the post
coach, at 5 o'clock, and arrived at Dublin at 9 on the same evening.
The distance is 91 Irish, or about 116 English miles. Each of the
horses belonging to this line has his name stamped upon the collar.
Our coach was drawn by Bolivar, and other heroes. Relays are sta
tioned at distances of eight or ten miles, and changes are effected with
great expedition, seldom occupying more than two minutes. So exact
are the times of arrival at the different stages, that the teams are stand
ing harnessed at the door ofthe inn, and the only delay is the unhitch
ing and hitching the. traces. Irish horses are generally stout and well
fed, calculated for strength rather than speed. They are not so fleet
as ours. An American stage, with an American driver, would fly like
lightning along an Irish road, which presents no obstructions. I have
smiled at the caution of coachmen in this country. They begin to turn
out by the time another team is in sight, always taking the left hand
side ofthe path, exemplifying the solecism that in travelling, " the left
is always the right." Where there is only a moderate descent, the
wheels are locked. With such precautions, accidents very seldom hap
pen. Travellers feel so much security as frequently to sleep upon the
top ofthe coach, although at almost a dizzy height from the ground.
We were told that our ride from Limerick to Dublin was a pretty fair
specimen of English travelling ; and if so, it has the preference in point
of comfort over ours. The motion of the coach is easy, and very little
fatigue was felt at the end of this long journey.
The road between these two cities stretches across the Island in a di
agonal direction ; and as we rode almost the whole distance upon the
outside, we had a good view of the interior and agricultural part of
the country. Both in point of soil and cultivation, Ireland has much
surpassed my expectations. The surface is uniform, consisting of mo
derate undulations, with here and there chains of hills and intervening
bogs. There is however, very little waste land, the high grounds being
used for pastures to their very tops, and the morasses for supplies of
fuel. A destitution of trees and timber is the greatest defect, both in
point of convenience and beauty of landscape. No woodlands are
seen, except about the seats of the more wealthy inhabitants ; and the

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residence of one of the nobility may be ascertained as far as the eye
can reach, by the green copses about his dwelling. Geologists infer
from the strata in the bogs, that Ireland was at three different periods
covered with forests of heavy timber. These morasses are composed
of vegetable and ligneous materials some of which are found in a perfect
state, in different layers, for many feet below the surface. Stumps and
trees of a large growth have frequently been dug up in cutting turf.
The formation of the Island is secondary, being chiefly composed, as
far as our observation has extended, of lime stone and slate, lying in
strata nearly horizontal. We have seen no primitive rock since land
ing, not even about the mountains of Killarney. The soil is heavy
and moist, being much better adapted to pasture and grass-land than
to other crops. Wheat fields frequently look well, and are sometimes
extensive. One was observed containing twenty acres. Potatoes,
however, are the staple commodity, and fields of them are every where
to be seW The mode of tillage, both as it respects this vegetable
and grain, is generally different from ours, the ground being thrown up
into beds four or five feet wide. Sometimes the former is planted in
drills, but never in separate hills, as with us.
Fruits of all kinds are rare, witli the exception, perhaps of the goose
berry, currant, and strawberry; and these are insipid, compared with
those of the United States. We have not seen a dozen orchards in the
whole of our route. The few apple-trees to be found are dwarfish,
and the fruit equally small and stinted in its growth. New- York pip
pins are spoken of in terms of admiration by those who have tasted
them- They are very frequently brought to the principal cities in Ire
land. Our cherries are as much superior in size and flavour as our ap
ples ; and the peach will not grow here at all. The traveller is struck
with the scantiness of the fare at the inns, compared with the profusion
of our hotels. Nothing is placed before him, but what is expressly or
dered, and a dozen little articles are not thought of, until the knife and
fork are extended to take them. The necessity of making one's tea is
awkward enough. We are not very well versed in Madam Glass ;
and our tea has on some occasions been a strange kind of beverage.
Experience has, however, taught us to measure the quantity with tole
rable accuracy.
Immediately after leaving Limerick, the road runs along a section of
the Grand Canal, which connects the waters of the Shannon with those
of the Liffey and the Barrow. This is an important work, and has
been of great utility to the country. Boats are constantly passing this
navigable channel extending across the island. Farther north is the
Royal Canal, running nearly parallel to the other. But I have not yet

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 39
seen enough of these great national works, to enable me to enter into
detail, or to draw a comparison between them and similar improve.
ments in our own country.
In one of the villages, a beautiful range of white cottages was ob
served, with neat .doors and windows, and the grounds about them in
a high state of cultivation. Every thing appeared in a thrifty condi
tion, presenting a perfect contrast to the poverty, dirt and wretched
ness ofthe ordinary cabin. The appearance was so novel, as to arrest
the attention of the passengers. A gentleman in the coach, who was
acquainted with the country, furnished an easy solution of this moral
phenomenon. He remarked that the tenants were all freeholders, feel-'
ing the pride and ambition of citizens.
Seven or eight miles from Limerick, is Castle Connel Spa, with a
cluster of houses about it, situate upon the banks of the Shannon. The
waters are chalybeate, and said to be efficacious in bilious complaints
and obstructions of the liver. The Spring is much frequented in the
summer months. Mineral waters are very common in Ireland, there
being eight hundred or a thousand similar springs, scattered over the
island. Near this fountain are the ruins of an old castle, blown up by
the Prince of Hesse, in the year 1690. The Earl of Clare has a beau
tiful seat called Mount Shannon, within a mile of this watering place.
In the course of .the forenoon, we passed a lead mine which is the
only one wrought to any extent in Ireland. Several old shafts were
observed about the lakes of Killarney, and pieces of ore were picked
up, which probably contained 25 per cent, of lead. Experience proved
the mines to be not worth working. Metals and minerals of all de
scriptions, except tin, are found on this island. On the banks of the
Shannon we saw several coal mines. One of the shafts extended
about 70 feet under the bed of the river. The coal is of an inferior
quality, used only in reducing lime. It is said that native gold was
formerly abundant in Ireland ; and that immense masses of it were
used in the furniture and ornaments of the early chieftains. It does
not appear to be very plentiful at present.
In the county of Tipperary, we passed through the village of Ros-
crea, where are several interesting ruins, among which is a castle
erected by King John, in the year 1213. It is an immense pile, and
still in a tolerable state of preservation. A few rods from this, stands
the shrine of St. Cronan, consisting of a triangular structure, like the
gable end of a house, with a gate forming the entrance to a modern
church. It is a rude piece of 'antiquity, of Saxon architecture, and
presenting the half-effaced images of Saints, in bas-relief, with some
unintelligible inscriptions. On the opposite side of the way, is a round

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tower, 1 5 feet in diameter, and a hundred in height, supposed to be of
Danish origin. We had barely time to look into the tower, and stand
a moment at the sacred shrine, when the coach took us up and hurried
us away. There is also at Roscrea an ancient castle of great extent,
built by the Earl of Ormond. A dwelling house now stands within
the walls.
A few miles farther on, are seen the ruins of an abbey, situate upon
a little oasis in the bog of Mouela, inaccessible for a considerable
part of the year. Upon the island, traces of an orchard and fish
pond are discoverable. The monastery was founded in the seventh
century. Its site is truly romantic. To the south-west rise the hills
of Sliew-bloom, celebrated by the poet Spenser. The morass around
the abbey was evidently once covered with a forest of heavy timber,
the remains of which are yet found in the bog in three distinct
strata. It is conjectured, that the last growth was destroyed in the
eleventh century. The monastery was therefore for many centuries
in the midst of a deep and dark wood, insulated entirely from the rest
of the world.
At Emo are the ruins of the castle of Dunamase, planted upon an
insulated rock, impregnable before the invention of gunpowder. It
has gone through many revolutions, having belonged successively to
M'Murrough, King of Leinster, the Earl of Pembroke, Lord Mor
timer, and Lisagh O'Moore, until it was finally destroyed by Crom
well, who was any thing but a protector to the castles and monaste
ries of Ireland. The marks of his scourge are visible in every part
of the Island. Had he acted strictly upon the principles which he
professed, the destruction of monastic institutions and of castles
might have been beneficial to the country ; but in most cases, his
career was marked by a barbarous destruction of property, without
substituting any thing better, either in religion or government.
Kildare is one of the most celebrated places upon this route.
The name signifies the wood of oaks. It was so called from being
originally surrounded by an immense forest. In the centre of the
woods was a large plain, now called the Currah of Kildare, once sa
cred to heathenish superstition. St. Bridgid, a natural daughter of
an Irish chieftain, after her conversion to Christianity, here founded a
nunnery, as early as the fifth century. She is said to have received
the veil at the age of 14, from the hand of St. Patrick himself. She
possessed great talents, as well as great sanctity, governing for many
years a friary connected with the nunnery. Her name is still enrol
led in the calendar of saints, and her festival observed on the 1st of
February. Here also Black Hugh, one of the Kings of Leinster,

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 41
took refuge and assumed the habit of a monk, preferring the solitude
of a cloister to a throne and the regalia of power. In 1220, the
Archbishop of Dublin quenched the inextinguishable fire, (if a bull
may be allowed,) which the vestal had kept burning for many ages.
The sacred flame was, however, rekindled, and continued to burn till
the suppression of monasteries.
The Curragh of Kildare is now a common, across which the road
passes. It is one of the most extensive and beautiful in the world,
containing about five thousand acres. It is perfectly level and
smooth, covered with little tufts of furze, and the green sod, closely
fed by thousands of sheep which make it their -pasture. Large
flocks of crows and magpies were seen walking over it, some of
them within a few yards of the coach. The tameness of these
birds surprised me, until I learned the cause. In the turbulent times,
now in some degree gone by in Ireland, fire-arms of every description
were taken out of the hands of the people ; and the crows have
gradually become so domestic, as to hover round the cabins, and tear
up fields of potatoes with impunity.
Kildare common is now a race ground, said to be the best turf
course in Europe. A multitude of people were assembled upon it,
and we saw a kind of scrub-race at a distance. Several of the English
officers were out from Dublin, to participate in the sports of the turf,
which are certainly more pleasant than fighting the Burmese. One
of the fancy overtook the coach, and gave us an account of the mo
mentous events of the day, in the true cockney style. On the eastern
border of the common are numerous entrenchments, or tumuli.
They are denominated in the Irish language Fbrranta Foras, or an
cient graves, where the first inhabitants of the country were buried.
Near Kildare is the ancient town of Naas, once the seat of the
kings of Leinster, and of the Irish parliament. It is full of ruins.
A little beyond the town are the remains of a castle begun but never
finished, by. the unfortunate Earl of Strafford, whose barbarous exe
cution is one ofthe greatest blots on the page of English history. It
is ap immense pile, commanding a fine view of the surrounding coun
try. At Naas are handsome modern barracks, at present occupied by
one or two regiments. Indeed, in every town along the road, in the
streets and market places of the cities, troops are seen parading with
a useless formality — Useless certainly at present, as the White Boys
have in great measure disappeared, and the people are tranquil.
Several spots were however pointed out to us, where English officers
fell, or were murdered in this inglorious species of warfare. The
traces of hostility between the English and Irish are still visible.
vol. i. 6

42 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
The former are viewed in the light of oppressors ; the latter are
considered rebellious and despicable. It will be long, very long, be
fore these feelings, which have been cherished for ages, will be en
tirely obliterated among the lower classes.
The suburbs of Dublin, in the approach from Limerick, are
extremely picturesque and beautiful. On the right, is a distant range
of high hills extending along the coast. The grounds are fertile,
and in a high state of cultivation, with numerous seats of noblemen
and wealthy individuals belonging to the city. Just before entering
the town, we crossed a stone bridge over the Grand Canal. Our en
trance was at twilight. A ride through several of the principal
streets, bordered by a great number of public buildings and other mag
nificent edifices, including the residence of the Lord-Lieutenant of Ire
land and the University, gave us a very favourable impression of the
architectural grandeur and taste of this city, which is the second in
point of magnitude in the United Kingdom. Subsequent observation
confirmed the opinion, which was derived from a first glance. Sack-
ville-street, opening in a northern direction from the bridge of the
Liffey, is a spacious and splendid avenue, lined with ranges of lofty
structures, and adorned with a stately monument in memory of Lord
Nelson. The post-office is one of the largest and most commodious
establishments of the kind I have ever seen. In general, the build
ings are constructed of substantial materials, and exhibit a high de
gree of neatness and elegance. Good accommodations were found
at the Royal Hibernian Hotel. As our arrival was on Saturday
evening, no opportunity was afforded of delivering our letters the
next day ; and as we were in great haste to reach Liverpool, it was
concluded to take the first packet, reserving our visit to this place
till our return from the north of Ireland.*
Our view of the south of Ireland, both town and country, has
been as full and perfect, as could well have been accomplished in
the same time. The weather has been delightfully pleasant, enabling
us to be abroad every day ; and we have been constantly upon the
alert with all the inquisitiveness of Yankees. Although we were
entire strangers, it has been our good fortune to meet with many in
telligent and communicative persons, who have manifested towards us

* Subsequent events compelled us to defer a visit to Belfast and the Giant's
Causeway, till our return from the Continent; and the consequence was, that we
did not go at all. Our stay, at Dublin, therefore, was limited to less than two
days, one of which was Sunday, affording no opportunity of examining the insti
tutions or other interesting objects in this beautiful city.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 43
their characteristic hospitality and kindness. An instance of this
description occurred at Limerick. On making some inquiries of one
of the clerks of the courts respecting the town, he at once locked
his office and devoted an hour to our service, in conducting us to
the public places and in pointing out what was most worthy of ob
servation. The country was undoubtedly seen under the most favourable cir
cumstances. So fine a season has not been known for many years ;
and the Emerald Isle is now in the full bloom of summer, with the
prospect of abundant harvests. Provisions of all kinds are plenty,
and the ordinary sufferings of the lower classes are comparatively
light. There is, however, at present much wretchedness, which
nothing but some radical changes in the structure of society can
remove. At Dublin we read the report in the House of Lords, on
the state of Ireland. The ministerial papers denominate it an able
document, and the King thanks the committee in his speech. But
the report appears to be a mere collusion, calculated to lull the peo
ple into a state of quietude, and to cherish hope long deferred, yet
always disappointed. It is here viewed in that light ; and the catho
lics have already held meetings preparatory to another political cam
paign. They are confident of ultimate success. Their Opponents
accuse them of a wish to revolutionize the Island, and dissolve the
union ; but this they stoutly deny, contending that they are loyal, and
ask for nothing beyond the privileges, which other sects enjoy. Se
ven eighths of the whole population are catholics. The protestants
say, that an accession of power and influence would increase the
number and render it formidable both to church and state. The re
sult of the controversy, and the destination of Ireland, is a great pro
blem, which remains to.be solved,,
It is evident that the government entertain serious fears of such an
immense physical force, in a starving and discontented condition.
Hence the policy of sending so many from the country to Canada.
This is a dangerous experiment. The emigrants will by and by look
for that freedom and independence abroad, which they could never
find at home. To us republicans the policy to be pursued towards
Ireland appears perfectly plain. Education should be the great and
prime instrument of changing the state of society. Let public
schools be established at the expense of the government, and the
children be well educated ; let houses of industry and penitentiaries be
founded ; in short, let the great mass of the people be enlightened,
and there will be no danger of the world relapsing into popery. I
cannot but think, that the benevolent efforts of Bible Societies, and

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other charities, in England, which seek for objects in remote parts of
the earth, might with more philanthropy, and with a better prospect of
success, be directed to the lower classes in Ireland, thousands of
whom have almost as little claim to civilization, or to the enlightened
principles of Christianity, as the Chinese or the islanders of the Pa
cific Ocean.*
At 6 o'clock in the evening of the 1 1th we embarked at Dublin on
board the steam-packet, for Liverpool. The bustle and confusion in
cident to our departure, and indeed during the whole passage, pre
sented such scenes, as we had never before witnessed. Our boat was
a second ark, containing all sorts of beasts and creeping things. A
considerable part of the cargo was taken in, after our arrival at the
dock. It consisted, in the first place, of a stratum of horses, some
thing like a hundred in number, occupying the hold. The process of
letting them down, struck us as novel. A box sufficiently large to
hold a horse is placed upon deck, with a sliding door at each end.
The animal is led in, enclosed, and swung down ten or fifteen feet
into the hold. A man descends on the moveable stable, to open it
and stow away the animal. Above the horses was a stratum of
sheep, one hundred and fifty in number, going to the Liverpool mar
ket. On the deck were numerous crates of geese, ducks, pigs, and
poultry, with all sorts of lumber thrown promiscuously together. To
complete the freight, between two and three hundred Irish, consisting
of men, women, and children, with their baggage and provisions,
were strewed among the rubbish upon the deck of the boat. They
were going over to England, with their families, to labour during the
harvest. A gentleman on board informed me, that they make three
harvests annually — the first in England, the second in Ireland, and the
third in Scotland. The difference in the seasons of the three coun
tries is sufficient to give them time to cross and re-cross the channel.
Scenes were exhibited at the embarkation and on the voyage, which
I sighed for the pencil of a Hogarth to portray. One group in par
ticular arrested our attention. It consisted of a whole family, hus
band, wife, sons and daughters, seated upon their baggage in a cor
ner of the deck. Their poor neighbours were constantly pouring in,
one after another, bringing little presents of cakes, fruits, and other

* It is urged by the protestants of England, that they have instituted schools in
Ireland, and laboured in the cause of education ; but that it has been found
wholly impracticable either to persuade or compel the children of catholic pa
rents, under the influence of the priesthood, to embrace the advantages of in-
Btruction freely held out to them.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 45
comforts, shaking hands, shedding a parting tear, and giving the part
ing kiss, with many benedictions. From the formality of so many
long farewells and last words, we concluded they were emigrants
bound to America, and taking leave of their friends forever, until we
were informed that the separation was only for a few weeks. There
were other scenes less tragic, where Matthews might have gleaned
new materials for his exhibitions. In the bustle of taking in the
freight of horses, sheep, and baggage, one passenger was knocked off
the plank into the dock, mantled with a thick scum. Fortunately he
was not much encumbered with garments. The crowd upon the
wharf cried out, "swim, Pat!" — others, "throw a rope!" The
good fellow buffeted it with lusty sinews, looking up wistfully to the
spectators, some of whom were laughing and others weeping at the
accident. He reached the steps in safety, and shook the wreaths of
sea-weed from his brow, with no other loss than that of his sugar-
loaf hat.
When the boat reached the swell, the confusion deepened. Some
were drinking, singing and carousing ; others huddled into corners
with affright. All sorts of noises were heard, from the gabbling of
the geese to the squalling of children. The deck was literally co
vered, in some spots two or three deep, lying length-wise and cross
wise, with the dying and the dead. A part of them had fallen gal
lantly by the influence of the bottle, which circulated freely, and was
taken " by the word of mouth," to adopt a phrase suited to the
theme. Others met a more unwelcome fate, in sinking gradually,
from the motion of the ship. There was a glorious uncertainty to
which of these causes the sufferer was a victim. The cabin pas
sengers were separated from the multitude, occupying the after part
of the boat, elevated several feet, and presenting a full view of the
field before them. Had any serious accident befallen the ship, ,the
loss of hundreds of lives would 'Rave been inevitable, as there were
but two small boats on board.
The " Town of Liverpool" is a vessel of about three hundred tons ;
but as unlike our steam-boats in style and accommodations, as Hype
rion to a satyr. There is no forward cabin, and the after one is small
and inconvenient. The deck, as already mentioned, is lumbered with
freight. Almost the only good point about the packet is her ma
chinery, which is safe, and drives her forward at the rate of about
ten miles an hour, consuming in that time something more than a
ton of coal. Owing to her promiscuous cargo, the air is a villanous
compound, and said to resemble that of a Guinea trader. It is im
possible to keep her clean, and we suffered more from bilge-water, or

46 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
something worse, in crossing the channel, than during the whole pas
sage in the Corinthian. The captain is a modest, clever man, atten
tive to the wants of the passengers, and willing to do every thing in
his power to render them comfortable. It is said the other boats on
this line are much better, and several new ones are building, which
will commence running in the course of the season. They pass in
all kinds of weather, winter and summer, , although the sea in the
Channel is often rougher and more dangerous than any part of the
ocean. The fare across for cabin passengers is a guinea each, with
half a crown to the steward, whether you receive any benefit at his
hands or not. This latter fee may be considered asa species of impo
sition, since the person who receives it is otherwise well rewarded
for his services, and has amassed a handsome property, amounting to
something like £20,000.
As we receded from Dublin, the view of the bay, harbour, and
town was extremely picturesque. It was a calm and bright evening,
the fleecy clouds reposing in the utmost tranquility upon the hills
surrounding the city, and the sun, as it sunk towards the horizon,
gilding the spires, turrets, and castles with a golden splendour. On
either side of the bay, which was covered with boats and vessels un
der easy sail, are high promontories, extending far into the Channel,
and forming the entrance of the harbour. Back of these on your
right in leaving the city, the hills rise in peaks to the height of per
haps a thousand feet, which, seen in connexion with the blue waters
of the sea, the city, and works of art along the shores, present a rich
and enchanting prospect. On the left, close under the head-land, we
passed " Ireland's eye," a fantastic little island, composed of naked
rock, skirted with a low and green margin. In either direction, up
and down the Channel, verdant promontories are seen projecting into
the sea, until their dim summits fade into water and sky.
By sunset the last speck of land had disappeared. Strange as it
may seem, it afforded us real pleasure to find ourselves once more
bounding over the billows. The sea in one short voyage had become
a familiar acquaintance, and there was music in the waves as they
foamed and dashed round the ship. We wrapped ourselves in
our cloaks, and remained on deck till a late hour, finding it much
more comfortable than a confined cabin. At 1 o'clock in the morn
ing, the boat passed Holy Head. Its light, as also the one at the
harbour, and on the shores, were visible at the same time, appearing
like stars twinkling upon the water. The moon, with her form
wasted to a crescent from the full-orbed splendour, in which she' had

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 47
f
lighted our pathway upon the ocean, rose from the waves, and add
ed much to the scene.
By 5 o'clock, we were in full view of the mountains of Wales, lift
ing their high tops and basking in the beams of a bright morning. This
shore is not less bold and rugged, than the one which had just been left
behind. Lofty eminences are seen projecting into the Channel, with
perpendicular white cliffs. Our approach to Liverpool was extreme
ly interesting. The town is situated upon the right bank of the Mer
sey, concealed by a point of land, until you are within a short distance
of it. The port is not easy of access, the channel being narrow and
crooked. Fleets of vessels of every description were seen entering
and leaving the harbour, with their white sails gilded by the sun. Our
boat cut her way through the multitude, affording us an opportunity
to read their names, and to perceive, with mingled feelings of pride
and pleasure, that many of them were from New- York and other parts
ofthe United States. Haifa dozen steam-boats were also descending
the river, some of them with great rapidity, and others having ships
in tow. Over the town a heavy cloud of smoke hung, so thick as to
render the spires of the churches scarcely discernible. By 8 o'clock,
the packet was ascending the rapid current of the Mersey, which hur
ries on at the rate of six miles the hour ; and before 9 o'clock we
were comfortably settled at the King's Arms Hotel.

LETTER V.
LIVERPOOL. July, 1825.
It would be sheer affectation in me to pretend that I felt on land
ing at Liverpool any of those high and intense emotions, which
have thrilled through the hearts of others. The first step upon the
shores of our ancestors, the land of story and of song, which has
occupied so much of our thoughts from the days of boyhood,
awakened few of the ten thousand trains of ideas, with which the
Island is associated. There was no kneeling to kiss the parent earth,
and less enthusiasm at our debarkation, than was anticipated. In
deed, I can yet hardly realize, that I am in the land of Shakespeare,
Milton, Newton, Locke, and Chatham. The apathy of feeling may per
haps in some measure be accounted for from our gradual ap-

48 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
proach. A ride through Ireland ; the habit of gazing day after day
upon the ruins of castles and other antiquities ; a survey of scenery
not dissimilar and equally consecrated by genius, had doubtless in some
degree blunted the edge of feeling, and rendered curiosity less eager.
Another reason may be found in the external appearance of Liver
pool, which is comparatively a modern town, not unlike New- York.
Although it was founded eight hundred years ago, yet the greater part
of it has sprung up within the last half century. By a comparison of
its number of houses and population at different periods, I find that its
recent growth has been nearly as rapid as that of our metropolis. Not
a vestige of its ancient appearance now remains. A spirit of improve
ment, an accession of population, and the conveniences of commerce
have swept away every relic of antiquity, and left no monuments to
carry the mind back to other times. Even taste has in many instances
yielded to a spirit of enterprise, and been violated by a thirst for gain.
The castles ofthe Molyneuxs and the Stanleys have been demolished
and removed even to the last stone ; new churches are erected on the
sites of ancient structures ; and the mariner, as he spreads his canvass
to the breeze, no longer bends to the image of St. Nicholas, which
once rose near the harbour, as the tutelar divinity ofthe port,'to whom
the sailor made an offering, and implored a blessing upon his voyage.
Light-houses, beacons, manufactories and wind-mills, (the most unpoet-
ical of all imagery,) crown the neighbouring heights, and disappoint the
eye in search for any thing venerable.
The streets, houses, shops, and public buildings are in keeping with
these outlines. They are of brick and stone, all in the modern style.
A moist climate together with the great quantity of coal smoke, has
given the town a dingy aspect. The streets are quite as irregular as
ours ; . and Knickerbocker might here find a second edition of his cow-
paths. There is also the same bustle— the same noise — the same ac
tivity through the town. Every one moves with a hurried step, in
straight lines, and with an air of business depicted in his countenance.
The display of goods in the shop windows is remarkably neat, resem
bling that of Broadway and Cornhill. When to these circumstances
are added similarity of dress and manners in both sexes, and an actual
mixture of population in the two places, the difference becomes so
slight as to be scarcely observable ; and since our arrival at Liverpool,
we have in all respects felt ourselves very much at home. The inter
course is in fact so frequent, and the interchange of inhabitants so
common, that the resemblance between New- York and Liverpool is
much more striking, than between remote parts of our own country.
The first objects, which arrested our attention on arriving at this

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 49
place, were its splendid docks. These far exceed any thing of the.
kind I had before seen, or which I probably shall see, to whatever
countries my tour may extend. The disadvantages of nature have
more than been counterbalanced by the works of art ; and what seem
ed an insurmountable barrier to the prosperity of trade has led to its
greatest facilities. Such are the achievements of wealth, enterprise,
and perseverance. The tides in the estuary of the Mersey, which
rise twenty-five or thirty feet, are so rapid that vessels cannot with any
kind of convenience lie along its shores, to take in their cargoes. At
low water, their decks would be fifteen or twenty feet below the
wharves, along which as one walks, he sees boats sailing far beneath
him. These embarrassments induced the mferchants to construct artificial
channels, resembling the locks and basins of canals, extending into
the very heart ofthe town, and to the doors ofthe ware-houses. Ves
sels go in at flood tide ; the gates are then closed ; and sufficient wa
ter is retained for purposes of navigation, from one wharf to another.
In other basins, vessels are high and dry at ebb tide. The latter are
distinct from the docks, where ships are calked and repaired, with as
much ease as they could be upon the stocks. It is in vain for us to
look for the same improvements at New-York, as the tide is not equal
to the depth of the hull. The difficulty may however in some measure
be obviated by excavation, and by works of art.
The Liverpool docks are constructed of large stones, accurately
hewn, and adjusted with the most exact masonry. Their sides are as
smooth and as handsome, as the walls of a house. Vessels move or
lie by the side of them, without the slightest attrition. Some idea
may be formed of the expense of these gigantic works, when it is
known that upwards of four miles of artificial wharf has been built in
this way, with a perpendicular wall, thirty feet in height. For the
greater part of the distance, the channels are artificial, in some places
excavated, and in others filled up. On the walls, the feet are marked
from 1 to 30, corresponding with the marks on the prow of the ship,
so that the depth can be ascertained at a glance. Across the channel,
swing bridges, like the locks of a canal, some of them of cast iron,
are placed at convenient distances. The piles along the wharves are
also in some instances of iron. In short, the whole structure seems
calculated to endure for ages.
The view of these docks, filled with the commerce of the world, and
presenting a forest of masts, rising among the houses and stores in
various parts of the town, is at once strikingly novel and interesting.
It is by far the most peculiar and prominent feature in the town. The
vol. i. 7

50 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
most rigid regulations are enforced in the police of the docks. A
fire would be destructive, not only to all the shipping in the basin, but
would also endanger the neighbouring stores and houses. Such acci
dents are guarded against, by prohibiting the smoking of cigars upon
the wharves, the importation of gunpowder within the docks, and other
regulations equally strict. The officers live in buildings erected pur
posely on the quays, and are constantly upon the alert. To one who
takes an interest in commercial affairs, or in naval architecture, a walk
by the side ofthe basins, where vessels maybe seen from almost every
port on the globe, is both instructive and agreeable. Prince's Dock
is the most splendid ; and it so happens ihat this is the rendezvous of
vessels from the United States. They are decidedly the finest ships
in the port, both externally and internally. You may tell a Yankee
vessel, as far as you can see her. She sits like a swan upon the wa
ter, with her deck forming a beautiful curve, and her bow not so round
and full as those of other nations.
In many places by the sides of the docks, open buildings, in the
form of markets, have been erected to protect sea-faring men and
merchants, as well as their merchandise from the inclemency of the
weather, in lading and unlading vessels. Some of the warehouses
also have colonnades, which are extremely convenient in case of rain.
In short, no expense has been spared in promoting and facilitating the
commerce of the port. The stores are spacious and commodious,
some of them being twelve or fourteen stories high. Between the
range of docks and the Mersey is an extensive walk, called the Parade,
with a massive brick wall something like ten feet in height, and about
a mile in extent. Its utility is not obvious, and certainly it conduces
very little to ornament. The one on the immediate margin ofthe ri
ver, forming a railing to the perpendicular wall, is apparently more
necessary, to prevent persons in the night from tumbling down a pre
cipice of 30 feet. At convenient intervals along this high embank
ment are flights of stone steps, and in one place, there is a road passa
ble with horses, to the edge of the water, forming a place for embarka
tion, in the steam-boats and other vessels.
There is a striking peculiarity in the carts and dray-horses of this
town. Both are heavy beyond any thing which has met my observa
tion. One of the carts, I should think, would outweigh four of ours,
forming a load for an ordinary team. They are apparently more un
wieldy than Pennsylvania wagons. The horses, however, are pro-
portionably large, being of the real Brobdennagg breed. They are
well fed, strong, but clumsy. They lumber along the streets, with a
jar like the carriages of heavy artillery, carrying sometimes three or

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 51
four tons at a load It is said these horses degenerate, when export
ed to other countries. An anecdote was related to us, which, if it
were strictly true, would be strongly illustrative of their strength. A
carman, it is said, was employed with his span in drawing timber from
a ship : the captain was provoked with the tardiness of the process,
and ordered the driver to whip up his team : the horses had in tow a
large stick, and in quickening their pace, carried away the stern of
the vessel!
Soon after our arrival, a gentleman who came passenger with us,
and to whose polite attentions we are greatly indebted, conducted us
to the Exchange, which is on a scale commensurate with the other
commercial conveniences of the town. It is, in truth, a magnificent
pile of buildings, said to be unequalled by any thing of the kind in
Great Britain. It is almost as well known in the United States, as it is
in England, and any notice of it may seem to be superfluous. But should
my letters embrace only what is new to our readers, they would be ex
tremely laconic ; for I am treading at every mile a beaten track, over
which tourist after tourist from our country has travelled. I am actu
ally afraid to look at the sketches of my predecessors, lest indolence
should lead me into temptation, or the perusal of other journals dis
close to me, how stale must be the materials of my own. My readers
must permit me to write, as if I were the first traveller, instead of
the last. The Liverpool Exchange occupies three sides of a square,
which is 197 feet by 178, and paved with flags. It is two stories
high, built of a kind of free stone from Toxteth Park, resembling that
in the rear of our City Hall, or the Academy at Albany, though lighter
coloured, and not so handsome as either. Its proportions are fine,
and its Corinthian pillars, as well as the magnificent arches in front,
show to very great advantage, being rich, chaste, and highly orna
mental. The lower story of the eastern wing is thrown into a spa
cious room for the accommodation of merchants and the transaction
of business. It is furnished with newspapers, and mercantile appur
tenances of every description. On the, wall is an index, in the form
of a large clock, showing the direction of the wind, the hand shift
ing with every gust. An accurate registry is kept of all the arrivals,
and of vessels below, communicated by signals. Here also the state
of the market may be learned from a record of the public sales, and
the articles entered at the Custom House: In the second story is
Lloyd's Room ; and adjacent are a coffee-room and other apartments
for the use of merchants. The remainder of the building is occupied
by the counting-rooms and offices of individuals.
In the centre of the area is a monument commemorative of the

52 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
four naval battles of Lord Nelson— St. Vincent, the Nile, Copenha
gen, and Trafalgar. It is built of Westmoreland marble, of a sombre
hue, suited to the character of the ornament. The device appeared
to me to be in very'bad taste, but the execution admirable. From the
basement rises a circular pedestal, around which are ranged four
naked images in chains, in the attitude of weeping their captivity.
Over the head of each, on the circular column, are four times repeat
ed the memorable words of Lord Nelson, before the battle of Trafal
gar — " England expects every man to do his duty." As much as to
say, it is the duty of England to keep the rest of the world in chains.
The device is a barbarous expression of power, without its concomi
tants, justice and mercy. As a work of taste, the monument appear
ed to me too crowded, and wanting in simplicity. Nelson is repre
sented in a dying attitude. Death's skeleton hand is extended from
the folds of a flag, and placed upon his breast ; and above, the figure
of Glory is putting the fourth crown of victory upon his sword. There
is also an incongruity in the design. A British sailor, full armed, is
in the act of leaping forward to avenge the death of Nelson — for
what ? for conquering his enemies and confining them in manacles !
The whole expense of this pile of buildings, with its appendages, cost
about £200,000, raised by subscription.
On the fourth side of the area, stands the Town Hall, a magnifi
cent edifice, which appears to -great advantage from Castle-street, but
almost entirely intercepts the view of the pile in its rear. It is built
of the same materials as the Exchange, and the style of architecture
is similar. The dome is a proud structure, upon the summit of which
sits the figure of Britannia. We went through every apartment in
this building, from the basement to the cupola. In one of the rooms,
the Mayor was holding a court, with a crowd of both sexes at the bar.
The suite of apartments on the second floor are splendidly finished
and furnished, and kept in a state of the utmost neatness, the steps
and flags being rubbed with a white cement, and the furniture highly
polished. One of the rooms is ornamented with full length portraits of
the two last Georges, and the Duke of Clarence, which are said to be
good likenesses. The ball room is a spacious and superb hall, with a
lofty and arched ceiling, hung with chandeliers of uncommon bril
liancy. Our ascent up the dark and winding steps to the the top of the
building was tedious ; but the prospect well repaid us for the trouble.
From this point we had a fine bird's-eye view ofthe town, its suburbs,
harbour, and the country in the vicinity on the Cheshire shore. Liver
pool extends along the Mersey for about two miles, and is something

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 53
like a mile in breadth. Although it has nearly the same population as
New- York, it does not cover so much ground, the houses being both
higher and more compact. The former does not show to so good ad
vantage as the latter from the top of the City Hall or the Hospital.
Fewer steeples and turrets are in sight ; and the tall, naked chimneys
of numerous furnaces, emitting volumes of dense smoke, together
with the long, red earthen pipes uniformly crowning the flues, present
a novel appearance. To the east lie the villages of Everton and
Toxteth Park ; to the north, the entrance of the harbour and the
channel ; on the west, the Mersey hurries by the town, and the hills
of Wales rise in the distance, with an intervening country clothed in
green and studded with white buildings. The view is picturesque,
but inferior to that from the State House in Boston, or the Observa
tory at Portland.
The prospect towards the sea is by far the most interesting, as fleets
are almost constantly arriving and departing, freighted with no incon
siderable portion of the commerce of Great-Britain. Nearly one
sixth of the whole trade of the country is carried on from this port
alone ; and the imports in some articles, as cotton for instance, ex
ceed the aggregate of all the rest of the kingdom. The great amount
of business is owing to the facilities of transportation from the inte
rior of the Island, by means of canals and excellent roads. No small
proportion of the wealth of Liverpool was derived from the slave trade ;
and the town still bears one conspicuous relic ofthe disgraceful traffic.
The principal place of business is called the Goree ; a name of Afri
can origin. It should, however, be added, that its inhabitants have
been among the foremost in the abolition of that trade, which was
openly denounced as unjustifiable and barbarous, in a large public
meeting. At a subsequent period, the contraband trade with South
America, and the West Indies, was extremely lucrative. For a long
time this town waged a competition with Bristol ; but the latter has
at length been completely distanced, and the former is now grappling
with the metropolis as her only rival.
The public buildings in Liverpool, with the exception of those
above mentioned, and the church attached to the Asylum for the
Blind, the architecture of which is purely Grecian, have nothing about
them peculiarly worthy of notice. They are modern structures, neat
and commodious. The places of worship are numerous, correspond
ing with the great variety of sects in religion. St. Nicholas struck us
as favourably as any of the churches. Its steeple fell some years
since,-while the bells were ringing for the morning service : the crash
was tremendous, and upwards of twenty persons were buried in the

54 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ruins. The Athenasum is a pretty building of stone, two stories high ;
the lower one is occupied, as a reading room, and the other as a libra
ry, which at present contains about eleven thousand volumes. We
were received with much politeness, and many inquiries were made
about the kindred institution in New- York. Near this is the Lyceum,
containing about 20,000 volumes. Some of the shelves in the gallery
are filled with paintings of books, which struck us as a novelty, in an
institution of this kind. The charitable associations of Liverpool are
numerous. Of these the Asylum for the Blind is by far the most in
teresting. We attended its church on Sunday, and have since visited
the buildings with which it is connected. It is a splendid charity, fur
nished with every thing which can conduce to the welfare and happi
ness of its unfortunate inmates, who are at present one hundred and
twenty in number, assembled from all parts of the kingdom. Their
skill in various mechanical operations is surprising. Some of the fe
males were sewing, others weaving and knitting ; and in one apartment
the males were making shoes. These articles are exposed for sale, for
the benefit of the establishment. The workmanship is remarkably
fine, particularly the needle-work, consisting chiefly of silk reticules.
But the proficiency of the blind in music, astonished us above all.
They chanted the psalms for the day of the month on Sunday, in full
chorus, without missing a word or a note, and their responses through
out were perfect. We have since heard them perform some of the
most complex and difficult pieces of Handell and Haydn, in a master
ly manner. The music hall has a good organ, and is filled with piano
fortes. On its walls are inscribed, in letters of gold, the names of the
benefactors of the institution, with the amount of legacies and dona
tions. On Thursday afternoon, the fashionable day, we visited the Botanic
Garden, at the distance of a mile from the Exchange. It was at this
season in full bloom. The grounds contain an area of between four
and five acres, tastefully laid out, and filled with trees, shrubs, and
plants from every quarter of the globe. Its neatly gravelled walks are
completely overhung with shades of every variety, and furnish a charm
ing promenade. In one part of the garden is a little lake, where the
water-lily was seen in bloom. An excellent band of music occupied
a central position, and the mellow notes stole through the alcoves of this
delightful retreat. There were perhaps three or four hundred ladies
and gentlemen in the garden, promenading in all directions. On every
Thursday afternoon, the first families in town are accustomed to as
semble at this place, to amuse themselves with a walk, music, and con
versation. It is a custom worthy of imitation, being equally conducive

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 55
to health and sociability. The strictest rules are enforced, respecting
admissions, and for the preservation of the plants. We have had
an opportunity of seeing much of the beauty, taste, and fashion of
the town. But as has been already remarked, there is so strong a
resemblance in dress and manners, that one would hardly be able to
distinguish this collection of people from an assembly of ladies and
gentlemen in the United States.
The theatre does not at present offer many attractions. It is small
er than the Park Theatre, but finished in much the same style. There
is one peculiarity in the audience. Most of the ladies sit in the pit,
and judging from our limited experience, there is " a beggarly account
of empty boxes." The acting is of an inferior kind, without one star
to dazzle and delight. Miss Foot is expected here in a few days.
She was playing at Dublin, when we passed, but no convenient oppor
tunity was afforded to see her. There was a partial .riot on one evening ;
some applauded, others hissed, and she fainted in the uproar. Her
acting is not highly spoken of; and the curiosity to see her is in a
great measure factitious. She is said to be extremely handsome.
There are several minor theatres, and rare$ shows in abundance in
this town. We were not a little amused in passing through one ofthe
streets, to see the picture of an " American Giant," so called, contrast
ed with Napoleon. He has been christened " Lambier," probably of
the Lambert family, and is said to be upwards of seven feet high. As
such a gentleman had never been heard of in our country, we resisted
the music of a hand-organ, and did not think proper to pay a shilling to
make his acquaintance. In the street opposite my window, at the
King's Arms, is a curious sign, labelled "Eidouphusicon." Notwith
standing a slight acquaintance with the dialects, the application of the
term at first puzzled me. But every night has furnished a definition. It
points to an exhibition of natural scenery and natural phenomena.
Regularly at 10 o'clock, they come to "the thunder-storm" and "the
shipwreck." There is a tremendous beating of tin pans, and the pat
tering of peas for rain and hail. We have only to look from the case
ment, to enjoy the confusion of elements — such as they are. From
this sketch, it will be perceived that public amusements are much the
same here as with us.
Among other public places, we have been through the several mar
kets. The principal one is a stupendous pile, said to be the largest
structure in the kingdom. It is built of brick, with five spacious ave
nues leading from end to end, on the sides of which the articles are
neatly displayed. There is an abundant supply of meats, fish, vege
tables, and fruits, with the usual variety of miscellaneous commodi-

56 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ties. The salmon from the Dee and the turbot are of an excellent
quality. In the two great necessaries of life, fuel and water, Liverpool is well
supplied. Coal is abundant and cheap. Water of a good quality,
pure, and wholesome, but not cold, is conveyed through the streets in
aqueducts from two fountains ; and families are plentifully furnished,
on moderate terms. The town is lighted with gas of two kinds, one
from oil and the other from coal. There is a strong competition be
tween the two companies, and the controversy, as to the superiority of
the fight, runs high. From all we could learn, the oil gas has a decided
preference. It burns with a purer flame, and is not accompanied with
so much stench. The gentleman who afforded so many facilities to the
superintendent of the New- York Gas-Works, in the prosecution of
his inquiries, imparted to us much information on the subject.
On Friday last, we dined at Birchfield ; a charming retreat at the
distance of about a mile from the centre of the town. It is the resi
dence of taste, ease, and hospitality. The mansion is in the midst of
a park of four acres, surrounded with trees and shrubbery, and hand
somely laid out with walks. Among the guests at table, was the Rev.
Dr. Raffles, who is well known in our country both in his sacerdotal
and literary character, and whom I had a strong desire to see. A cler
gyman from Boston was also present. The conversation turned upon
a great variety of topics, and was extremely interesting. If delicacy
permitted, my limits would not allow me to give a sketch of it in this
letter. Our visit was protracted till 10 o'clock, and for its pleasures,
we are indebted to a friend who has devoted himself to us since our
arrival, and whose kindnesses, with those of his family will long be
gratefully remembered.
On Saturday, we took tea arid passed an agreeable evening with a
family to whom one of my letters introduced us, and by whom we were
received with the utmost cordiality. The gentleman had resided for
some time in New-York ; and it was not a little gratifying to us, to
find his apartments hung with portraits of Washington and Lafayette,
as also with the Declaration of Independence, by Col. Trumbull. On
the mantle-piece was a fine miniature bust of Mr. Roscoe, in Italian
marble. You may judge of my surprise and pleasure, to find an En
glish lady in the party, who had visited the White Hills in New-Hamp
shire, and passed through the Notch, so called, some fifteen or twenty
years ago. She had also climbed the Green-Mountains in Vermont,
and was familiar with American scenery. A gentleman from Boston,
who is on his second visit to Europe, with his lady, and one or two oth
ers were of the party. The evening passed pleasantly ; and I feel un-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 57
der great obligations to a distinguished friend, who made me acquaint
ed with so worthy and agreeable a family.
Sunday evening made us acquainted, through the medium of a kind
letter from another of my New-York friends, with one of the most em
inent men of the age, whose writings and whose philanthropic efforts
are as well known in the United States, as in Europe. I was familiar
with both, before leaving the cloisters of a college, but at that period
little dreamed of ever seeing and taking tea with the admired author
of" Leo the Xth" — the patron of literature and the arts — and above all
the friend of man. He and his family received us with that kindness
and hospitality, which have on all occasions been manifested towards
our countrymen ; and with that ease and attic simplicity of manners,
which could not fail to charm. Although in the presence of such a
venerable man, I wished only to listen ; yet his many inquiries respect
ing the institutions of our country, and the circle of his acquaintances,
compelled me sometimes to talk. This gentleman, who is now at an
advanced age, and has been conspicuous for the last forty years, mani
fests the same zeal and enthusiasm in the cause of science and litera
ture, freedom and humanity, that have characterized his whole life. He
showed us the four first numbers of a most splendid botanical work,
with plates, in which he is now engaged, and which is publishing in
London, in royal folio. It contains a full and accurate description,
with coloured drawings as large as life, of all the plants in the Bota.
nical Garden at Liverpool. The four first numbers are chiefly occu
pied with the class Monandria, Monogynia, and are particularly rich
in plants from the East Indies, where he has several correspondents,
eminent for their botanical attainments. The whole work will be com
prised in twelve or thirteen numbers. God grant him health and
strength to complete an undertaking, which will form such a splendid
acquisition to science and to his own reputation. He also showed us
some elegant specimens of a catalogue of a manuscript library, which
he is making out for his distinguished friend, Mr. Coke, of Holkham.
The catalogue is designed to contain fac-similes of the various illumi
nations ; and the imitations which have been completed are exact and
perfect. There are about eight hundred manuscripts in the. library,
some of which are of the rarest and most valuable kind, comprising
among other things early transcripts of the Gospels.
Only two members of the family were at home, a son and a daugh
ter, both of whom have imbibed the spirit of the father. My readers
have had the pleasure of perusing some of the poetical effusions of
the two sisters, the youngest of whom formed one ofthe circle on the
evening of our visit. Her unaffected manners and polished conversa-
vol. i. 8

58 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
tion are in strict accordance with the productions of her pen. The
residence of this literary family is in a retired and quiet situation at
Toxteth Park, two miles from town. The house is surrounded with
trees, and with a spacious garden, in which the proprietor amuses him
self with his favourite pursuits in botany. He gave us a number of
pamphlets on subjects of interest at the present day. The enjoyments
of that evening, and the image of that great and good man, as he took
my hand and uttered a parting benediction, are too deeply impressed
upon my mind and my heart ever to be effaced, and a visit which was
so instructive, and in all respects so agreeable, will form one of the
eras in my life.
On Monday we dined with a gentleman, with whom I was made
acquainted, and whose hospitality was procured, by a letter from one
of my brother editors in New-York. The party consisted of a circle
of American gentlemen, whose homes and hearts, however distant in
the United States, a foreign shore soon brought together, and pro
duced a community of feeling. A fine turbot, which a Roman epicure
would have extolled and a Roman poet might have sung, bathed as it
was in the true Falernian, formed but a small item in the pleasures of
the evening. Sentiment and good cheer, with many a kind remem
brance of our country, and many a panegyric upon its institutions,
circulated briskly at the convivial board. The laws which govern
physical attraction appear to be reversed in morals ; and I have thus
far found, that American hearts are only the more warmly attached
to the land of their nativity, the farther they are from home. It occa
sioned not a little surprise, that these gentlemen, some of whom have
been residents here for years, should be so minutely acquainted with
the politics of the United States. Not an event has transpired, not
an election has taken place, from the President downward, but they
are familiar with all the particulars. Plied pretty freely by the gene
rous hospitality of the table, and backed by the high authority of a
member of congress, our session was protracted till 1 1 o'clock, when
this little convention of republicans, assembled by accident, and not
for treasonable purposes in the King's dominions, adjourned sine die.
Some of its members are now climbing the mountains of Wales, and
others are bending their course towards the lakes of Scotland.
It will be perceived by the foregoing sketch, that we have not been
inactive since our arrival at Liverpool, and that we have had every rea
son to be pleased with the place. There is a frankness and a cordial
ity in the manners of those whom we have seen, peculiarly prepos
sessing and pleasing. Both sexes when introduced, instead of a for
mal bow, or a retreating courtesy, advance and take the hand of a

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 59
stranger, with a welcome which appears to come warm from the heart.
If it does not, it is an agreeable illusion, which at once removes all re
straint, and renders the guest easy in his feelings. Our letters,
coming as they did, from gentlemen who are known and respected,
have been every thing to us, insuring the utmost attention and kind
ness from those to whom they were addressed. He alone who has
found himself among strangers, upon a foreign shore, can know how to
appreciate duly such civilities ; and if our tour shall have no other good
effect, it will at least more deeply impress the virtues of hospitality.

GO LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER VI.

CHESTER  EATON HALL.

July, 1825.

On the afternoon ofthe 21st, we took leave of Liverpool and crossed
the Mersey in a steam-boat at Birkenhead Ferry to the Cheshire shore.
The estuary of the river is about a mile and a half wide, and in both
directions, as far as the eye can reach, it is covered with vessels of every
description. So great is the number of steam-boats hourly crossing
at three or four different ferries, and plying up and down the river,
that a cloud of black smoke constantly hangs over the water, and adds
to the obscurity in which the town is enveloped. Its spires were
scarcely discernible from the opposite side. The banks of the Mer
sey, so far as they could be traced through a dense atmosphere, ap
peared high and romantic ; and the bustle of commerce in the har
bour, added to the verdure and beauty ofthe surrounding country, pre
sented a scene extremely picturesque. Its effect was heightened by
the serenity ofthe day, and a band of music on board.
At Birkenhead a post-chaise was chartered to take us to Chester.
The distance is sixteen miles. It was accomplished in about two
hours. The road, which is perfectly smooth and most of the way level,
pursues the left bank of the Mersey and presents a full view of the
river and opposite shore. For the whole distance, it leads through the
rich, agricultural county of Cheshire, so celebrated for its extensive
dairies. The land is in a very highly cultivated state. Every rood
maintains its man. In point of populousness, however, it cannot be
compared with Ireland. The fences, consisting of embankments
crowned with hedge-rows of hawthorn, pruned with exactness, are at
once substantial and beautiful.
Hay-makers of both sexes were busily at work in the fields. In se
veral instances, females were observed pitching hay from the cart, with
their cheeks flushed by the heat of the afternoon and the severity of
the toil. The crop of hay is abundant. It is uniformly put into
stacks, exposed to the weather. Not a barn was seen the whole dis
tance. The wheat fields appear to be luxuriant, and are fast whiten
ing to the harvest. As evening approached, large herds of cows were
driven up, and the milk-maid commenced' her task. The rural quiet
ef the country and its pure, fragrant air, were peculiarly grateful to us,
after having breathed for eight or ten days the hot and smoky atmo
sphere ofthe town. Although there was nothing unusually attractive

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on the route, except here and there an antique Gothic Church, or a
neat country seat, the ride was pleasant and exhilarating. The finest
residence we saw belongs to Sir Thomas Stanley, a branch of one of
the oldest and most celebrated families in England. His lady and
suite passed us, on their return from London. There were two out
riders ; but the equipage was not splendid.
We reached Chester at 7 o'clock, and passing under the antique gate,
on the north, took lodgings at the Royal Hotel, which is owned by the
Earl Grosvenor, and is from that circumstance generally preferred by
strangers, as it is said they are the more readily permitted to visit his lord
ship's seat and grounds in the vicinity. So eager was our curiosity to
take a view of this ancient city, the aspect of which was totally unlike
any thing we had seen, that we at once scaled the wall by a flight of
steps and commenced a walk round the parapet. It is a most curious
and interesting piece of antiquity. Its origin, both as it regards the
period of its1 construction and the nation by whom it was erected, is
involved in obscurity. Some say it was built as early as the 73d year
of the Christian era. Authentic records, however, reach no farther
back than the 9th century, when it is spoken of indirectly, and as a
matter of course. There is little doubt, that the work originated with
the Romans, since it is certain that the XXth Legion made this place
for some time their head-quarters. The site of the praetorium is still
pointed out to the traveller. It formed the termination of their con
quests and marches towards the west. The wall has undergone some
modifications at different periods ; but the great outlines of it have
been preserved. It is of various heights, according to the ground over
which it passes, being in some places forty or fifty, and in others not
more than ten or twelve feet. The top is nearly upon a level, wide
enough for two or three persons to walk abreast, paved with smooth
flags, and the sides guarded by railings. It is about two miles in cir
cumference, extending among the buildings of the town, which have
been erected on both sides since it was completed. It is constructed
of red sand-stone, which is weather-beaten, crumbling with age, and
exhibiting all the marks of great antiquity. The remains of battle
ments, niches and towers, along the parapet, now nodding to their fall,
are sculptured with antique figures and black-letter inscriptions, most
. of which are illegible.
The first object which attracted our attention in making the circuit,
was the Cathedral on the left within the town. It is a large Gothic
pile, the age of which is involved in the same obscurity as the other an
tiquities at Chester. It is extremely rude and grotesque in its architec
ture, with stained glass windows, and every thing about it bearing the

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marks of decay. The stone has been discoloured by time ; and ex
posed as it has been for ages to the weather, it has assumed a sombre
hue, as if scathed by a fire. Some years since its spire was taken
down, from an apprehension it was about to fall. The building is con
nected with the old Abbey of St. Waburg, (whose purity and sancti
ty were such that miracles are said to have been wrought at her tomb,)
and surrounded with sepulchres and monuments of the dead. Among
these is a sarcophagus of Henry IV, of Germany. »»§?
A few rods from the Cathedral, on the ramparts, stands a shattered
tower, twenty or thirty feet high, and apparently just ready to tumble
into ruins. It is thought to be so dangerous, that it has been shut up,
and visitants are not allowed to climb it. Many bas-reliefs and half-
effaced images are carved in the stone ; and on one side is an inscrip
tion, which states, that in 1645, Charles I. stood upon the top of it,
and witnessed the defeat of his army upon Rawton Moor, whence he
retired to the summit of the Cathedral, where one of his officers was
shot dead at his side. From this point, the view of the country to the
north-east, in the vicinity of Delamere forest is picturesque and beauti
ful. Under the wall passes the Nantwick canal, cut through solid
rock, in some places to the depth of 30 feet. Beyond the northern
gate, there is a high platform, mounted by a flight of steps, whence
the mouth of the Dee and St. George's Channel, together with the
mountains of Wales are seen in the distance, forming a charming
back-ground to the landscape which intervenes, watered by the wind
ings of the river, and embracing a variety of rural objects. At the
south-western angle of the walls, is another fine ruin, called the Wa
ter-tower, richly mantled with ivy. It was celebrated in the civil wars
of the Commonwealth, and at length yielded to the cannon of Crom
well, planted on the opposite bank of the Dee.
Under the western section of the ramparts, spreads the Roodee, a
beautiful, level common, closely shorn, and bordered on one side by
the meanders of the river. It comprises an area of 84 acres, and is
now used as a race course. Although the green turf has been appro
priated to profane purposes, its name is of holy origin. From the
smooth sod rises a little cross which marks a spot consecrated by a
superstitious legend. It is said that an image of the Virgin, which
fell upon the head of a lady of distinction and crushed her to pieces,
while at her devotions, was thrown into the Dee at Hawarden church,
several miles above, and floated to this place, where it was picked up
and interred, inscribed with a barbarous distich.
Passing by the Infirmary and the Gaol, which are modern structures,
we arrived at the stately group of edifices called the Castle. These

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. &S
have all been lately re-built, and although neat, possess little interest,
except from their associations with former events. The tower of Ju
lius Caesar is converted into a powder magazine and armory. Near
the Castle is an entrance called the " Hole in the Wall," where there
is the remnant of a Roman arch, said to be the oldest in the kingdom.
Besides being consecrated by the footsteps of the XXth Legion, it has
been celebrated in later times, as the place where King Edgar landed,
when he was rowed across the Dee by eight captive princes. At the
corner of one of the streets, in this part of the town, is a little tavern,
called the Edgar Hotel, with a sign on which the above mentioned
scene is delineated, the regal oarsmen all wearing their crowns, with
their coats off.
Opposite the southern gate, is a lofty stone bridge, built in the se
venth or eighth century. It is a rude structure, with five massive
arches and bastions at top, like a fortress, and has probably been used
as such. It is now in a crazy condition, and accounted very unsafe.
On the right bank of the river below, is a beautiful public walk,
shaded with trees, and over-looked by St. John's Church, an extreme
ly ancient structure, associated with much history and many traditions.
The village of Handbridge, on the other shore, where Henry IV. of
Germany resided when he retired from his throne to this place, stands
upon an eminence, and appears to great advantage.
Our promenade round these delapidated walls was entirely novel,
and in the highest degree interesting. The evening was fine. In
the course ofthe circuit, the sun went down behind the hills of Wales,
and the moon soon followed in his train. The bells of the Cathedral
rang a curfew, which is still observed in this ancient city. Herds and
flocks were quietly grazing upon the Roodee, and a thousand circum
stances recalled the imagery every whereto be found in the English
poets. On the following day our examination of Chester and its environs
was completed. In the morning, our steps were first directed to the
centre of the city, where once stood a cross, at the junction of the
four principal streets, leading through the gates placed at the cardinal
points of the compass. The sacred emblem was demolished in the
civil and ecclesiastical wars, and a church now stands upon the site.
Chester throughout is a curiosity. It is one of the oldest cities in the
kingdom, and its venerable aspect is in a great measure preserved.
Its houses are grotesque in the extreme, being a mixture of stone,
wood, brick, and mortar, with the gable ends to the street, and em
bellished with the oddest sculpture imaginable. They are annually
tumbling down with absolute old-age. Most of them are built in what

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the inhabitants call the Rows, consisting of a lower tier of rooms un
der the pavement ofthe side-walk, which forms the roof ofthe subter
raneous apartments, supported by pillars in front. The shops and dwel
lings are back of this odd species of arcades, on a level with the walk.
At convenient intervals, are dark and covered ways leading through the
blocks. It is said this construction was adopted to guard against the
Welsh, who in turbulent times used to make frequent incursions upon
the city, and plunder its inhabitants.
In Bridge-street, a tavern was pointed out to us, connected with a
curious tradition. Dr. Cole, Dean of St. Paul's, was entrusted witii
a commission from Queen Mary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland,
authorizing him to persecute the protestants. On his way to Dublin,
he put up for the night at this house. The landlady apprized of his
errand, and being less a catholic than either her guest or her sovereign,
hit upon an expedient to defeat the bloody project. She secretly slipt
the commission from the box in which it was enclosed, and substituted
a pack of cards in its place, taking care to turn up the Jack of Clubs.
In the morning, the Dean pursued his journey, and delivered the pack
age to the Lord Lieutenant, who on opening it found to his surprise
Pam staring him in the face. The holy messenger trod back to Lon
don with all possible despatch, but some change of policy had in the
mean time taken place, and the persecution was stayed.
On the same street, we penetrated a dark and dirty cellar, for the
purpose of viewing the remains of a Roman Bath. It is situated in
the side of a rock, supported on thirty pillars, about two feet high,
placed at equal distances. - The roof is covered with cement'. Per-
sons have crept into the gloomy recess, until nearly suffocated with the
confined air. Near the bath is a living fountain, hewn from the cliffs,
whence the water was drawn. Here the soldiers of the XXth Legion
used to recreate themselves after the dusty toils of the field and camp.
In this avenue, we also visited St. Bridget's Church, founded by Offa
in the eighth century ; and the old house, in which the Gamul family
afforded refuge to Charles I. when he was driven from the throne, and
persecuted by his enemies. An hour was passed at the Bridge, and
in St. Mary's Church. The latter is a great curiosity, being a perfect
specimen of Gothic architecture. Its roof exhibits the ancient mode
of pannelling, and is fantastically embossed with rose-work. In one
corner, the Gamul family lie in state, sculptured as large as life in mar
ble. At the foot of lady Gamul, a child sits reading the bible. No
blemen, gentry, and persons of distinction lie entombed around, with
their tablets, escutcheons, and armour suspended from the walls.
We next rambled over every part of the Castle from top to bottom.

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A part of it is used as a town-house,; another part as a prison ; a third
as an armory, in which are 20,000 muskets, pistols, carbines, and other
implements of war neatly arranged. But the modern edifice had
few attractions for us. It was much more interesting to be shown the
spot over one ofthe gates, where Richard II. slept* when he was driven
from Ireland, than to look at the seat where a pursy alderman doses.
From the top ofthe Castle, there is a fine view of Moel Fammo, (the
mother of mountains,) the highest hill in Flintshire, and of Beeston, a
curious insulated hill to the northeast, crowned with the ruins of an
ancient fortress. On the summit of the former is a beacon, erected as
a memorial of the coronation of the present king. By a curious co
incidence, we were gazing at the monument, on the anniversary of
that event, and while the guns were roaring through the city. A
bird's-eye view of the town and its environs, from the battlements of
the Castle, is picturesque and beautiful.
In the course of the forenoon we examined the spacious area, sur
rounded by shops, appropriated to the sale of Irish linen at the Fairs ;
also a large number of very ancient houses in Watergate-street, on one
of which is engraven, " God's providence is mine inheritance," in
scribed by its tenant as a tablet of his gratitude, for being preserved
amidst a pestilence, to which his neighbours all fell victims. Near
this is the former residence of one of the Bishops, who died in 1615.
The front bears his insignia, and a variety of Scripture pieces curiously
carved in wood.
The most interesting part of our visit at this place, was to Trinity
Church, where the remains of Dr. Parnell, the poet, are said to repose.
An old lady, who has charge of the keys, accompanied us, and was re
quested to conduct us to the tomb. She seemed at a loss, but at length
led the way to a pillar, beneath which she believed the author of the
Hermit slept. She knelt down, and brushed away the dust with her
apron, from a little brass tablet, close to the floor of the aisle. The
inscription was half illegible ; but after applying our handkerchiefs to
the plate, it was believed we could read the name of Parnell. It was,
however, afterwards found to be the tomb of Aspinwall ; and we
were compelled to leave the church without being able to find the
place, where sleeps the friend of Swift, and the subject of Goldsmith's
and Johnson's eulogy.
At two o'clock we set out on foot for Eaton Hall, the seat of Earl
Grosvenor, a distance of four or five miles. A pedestrian, excursion
of this extent, after the fatigues of the morning and on a warm after
noon, was undertaken at the suggestion of a citizen of Chester, who
had taken us all over town, and offered to walk with us to the residence
TOL. i- 9

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of his lordship, although he had been there a dozen times. The Eng
lish are much greater pedestrians than our countrymen. This same
gentleman had walked forty-eight miles for amusement on the Sunday
previous. We found him intelligent, polite, and obliging. He de
voted the whole day to us, although entire strangers, and without the
slightest introduction. Our undertaking was commenced with great
spirit, from an eager curiosity to see what is denominated " one of
the Lions ofthe kingdom."
•The weather was oppressively warm, but the tediousness ofthe way
was beguiled by the information which our companion imparted of
the country in the vicinity, and the objects which attracted attention.
Our walk led, for more than half the distance, through the grounds of
Lord Grosvenor, on the rural and quiet banks of the Dee, where thO
hay makers were busily employed in the meadows. A mile on this
side of Eaton Hall is the village of Eccleston, with a neat church
built by his lordship, and in which is his family vault. Beyond this
commences his Park, where several hundreds of deer of all colours,
were reposing beneath the shade, their large branching horns appear
ing like a dry forest.
Eaton Hall is a splendid pile of buildings, in the pure Gothic style.
It is said there is nothing of the kind in the kingdom which surpasses
it. The length of the mansion is four hundred and fifty feet, besides
the other buildings finished in the same style, making a total of seven
hundred feet. Its centre is three stories high, and the wings two,
with Gothic turrets peeping above the groves of oak, and producing
a fine effect. The structure is of Shropshire stone, in colour some
what resembling that of the Exchange at Liverpool. It was begun in
1803, and has but just been completed. I was informed that the ex
pense of the Hall, exclusive of the furniture, was between four and
five hundred thousand pounds, or about two millions of dollars. Nearly
as much more has been expended in furnishing this gorgeous palace ;
and yet his lordship's income, after this deduction, is said to be not
less than $600,000 ! Such is the inequality of wealth in this country,
between the thousands of beggars, who ask an obolus, and the noble
men, wallowing in luxury. Happy, thrice happy is our Republic,
which yet knows not, and God grant may never know, any of these
extremes !
We entered the front door, ascending a flight of white marble steps,
at the same moment with a party of ladies from Boston, on a similar
errand. Our names were recorded in an album, in which the United
States furnished quite a list for one day. On each side of the en
trance, in the principal hall, is a figure in ancient mail, from head to

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foot, armed ana masked. Other statues of the same description
adorn the vestibule. I will not attempt to describe the interior, as
my visit was limited to an hour, and apartment after apartment burst
upon the eye in such rapid succession, and with such dazzling splen
dour, as to render the whole like a scene of enchantment. A few par
ticulars only will be mentioned.
The flodrs and tables are of English oak, highly polished, and ex
tremely beautiful. Many of the doors are of mahogany, certainly
less beautiful, and less in keeping with the style of architecture, than
the other material. There is however much taste, as well as great
splendour, exhibited in finishing and furnishing the rooms ; and if his
lordship has superintended the whole, his duties have been both com
plex and arduous. It would require much ingenuity, and a great
stretch of the imagination, to form a conception of half the luxury
here displayed.
The dining-hall is ornamented with full length statues of the first
Earl Grosvenor, who came over with William the Conqueror ; of
Miss Eaton, who brought a large accession to the estates, and gave
name to the Hall ; of Miss Davis, the late Lady Grosvenor ; and
full length portraits of the present Earl and his Lady, besides many
other statues and paintings, among which is Oliver Cromwell in his
shut sleeves and flapped hat, dissolving the Rump Parliament. He
is in the act of pointing to the insignia of royalty, and exclaiming,
" take away those baubles !" The picture does not seem to be exactly
in its place, surrounded as it is by so many badges of the same de
scription, that the Protector despised. His lordship, perhaps, intend
ed it, as an indication of his political principles, as he is a strenuous
member of the opposition.* (
We were ushered into the state bed-room, and the suite of apart
ments adjoining it. The couch is gorgeous and the pillow seemed
downy ; but who can tell how Often it may have been planted with
thorns ? — Sleep, I suppose, is equally sweet under a less splendid ca
nopy : " Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown ;" and the expres
sion may sometimes perhaps be extended to a badge of nobility,
though from all we can learn in the neighbourhood, the present lord
and lady Grosvenor are much respected and esteemed for their private
worth, being pious, liberal, and charitable. Among other things, a
neat little chapel was pointed out to us, where they assemble morning
and evening, to hear prayers, and kneel with their servants before a

* Under Mr. Canning's administration, he of course belongs to the ministerial
or liberal party, of which he is a prominent member.

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common altar. His lordship is said to be a Roman Catholic at heart ;
but such a report may have arisen from the circumstance of his sup
porting the Catholic Claims.
The state bed was once prepared for the Prince Regent, (the pre
sent King,) who was expected to visit Eaton Hall, at the time he was
at Liverpool. Perhaps his reception at the latter place deterred him
from extending his tour. It. is certain, that he slighted the beautiful
banks ofthe Dee, and thereby gave great dissatisfaction to his friends
in this quarter. On one occasion, multitudes of people lined the
banks of the canal, from a rumour that he was to ascend in a boat
from the Mersey to Chester ; but the day came and went, without be
ing cheered by his royal presence.
Lord Grosvenor's sitting-room is a most splendid apartment. It is
finished and furnished in princely style. Crimson sofas and couches,
inlaid tables, chairs embossed with gold,* mirrors of the utmost bril
liancy, every where meet and dazzle the eye. Over the fire-place is
a fine Rubens, and over each door, a splendid picture by our coun
tryman West. I forgot to mention, that on the Gothic windows,
lighting this suite of rooms, the eight Earls of Chester are delineated
in succession, on stained glass. It is a conspicuous and pretty orna
ment. The Library is in a style of elegance, corresponding with the rest
of the palace. It occupies three large rooms. I was, however, sur
prised to see some of the shelves filled with mock, or painted books,
like those in the galleries of the Lyceum at Liverpool. In a country
where books are so abundant, and in a mansion where so much wealth
and taste are conspicuous, the narrow economy of saving a few guineas
in painting volumes, instead of purchasing them, struck me as very
singular. If my memory serves me, the works thus delineated were
the Encyclopedia Britannica and Jeremy Taylor, both of which his
lordship would surely wish to possess. In his library, as well as in his
drawing room,' he has paid a compliment to American genius. All
the writings of Washington Irving, not even excepting Knickerbock
er's History of New- York, adorn the shelves. Such a circumstance
is flattering to our literature.
The grounds and gardens of Eaton Hall are laid out with a good
deal of taste, although there is nothing very bold or striking in the
scenery. Towards the north, the prospect from the window is fine,
presenting a picturesque view of Beeston in the distance, and a canal,
or artificial channel for the Dee, winding among the trees and form-

* These chairs are said to have cost 100 guineas, or about $500 each !

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 69
ing the border of the garden. On all other sides the view is inter
cepted by groves of large oak and other forest trees, covering a level
lawn. At the distance of half a mile from the Hall, a one-arched
Bridge of cast iron, with a span of 150 feet, has been thrown across
the Dee, at an expense of £10,000 ; but it is entirely concealed from
the house by the intervening foliage. '
The garden contains about 50 acres, covered with every variety of
fruit, vegetable, and flower. Plants of the most gorgeous hues attract
the eye, and load the air with fragrance. From the centre ofthe Hall,
a broad and beautiful walk leads to the water, where a pleasure boat
with sails is moored among the trees. Another promenade runs along
the margin of the artificial basin, at one end of which is a statue of a
naked gladiator, and at the other a Minerva. In a copse on the right,
rises a little temple in which is placed the Roman Altar, dug up near
Chester some years since, with the inscription, " Nymphis et Fontibus
Leg. XX. V. V." On the opposite side of the garden are the hot
houses, through all which we passed, although the temperature of
some of them was as high as 1 10 degrees. Pine apples were fast
coming to maturity, and luxuriant clusters of ripe grapes hung from the
roofs. The vintage continues the'year round, furnishing an abundance
of fresh fruits. There is an imitation of Alpine scenery in one part
of the garden ; but it is upon a small scale, and in an unfinished state.
His lordship is not very fond of horticulture, and has no taste for the
higher sports of the nobility. Politics are his pursuit, and building is
a passion with him. He has a family of three sons ; his only daughter
died a few years since.

70 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER VII.
EIDE FROM CHESTER TO MANCHESTER— NORTHWITCH  MANCHESTER 
STOCKPORT  BUXTON  BAKEWELL. July, 1825.
On the afternoon of the 23d, we rode from Chester to Manchester
— a distance of forty miles. As the day was pleasant, our seats were,
as usual, taken on the outside of the coach, by the side of the driver,
for the purpose of plying him with' questions and learning something
of the road. There were sixteen persons of both sexes on the top,
and four in the interior. As the former exceeded the number that
the coachman is by law allowed to carry, he was obliged to send
some of them below, as he approached the bridge where the officers
reside, lest, as he said " they should touch him for five pounds, to be
expended among themselves in roast beef and porter." A pretty lit
tle Cheshire girl, with her face rendered a brunette by exposure to the
sun in hay-making, was the least likely to incommode the inside pas
sengers ; and she was therefore smuggled through the turnpike.
Just without the walls of Chester, a spot was pointed out to us,
consecrated by the execution of a protestant, who fell a martyr to the
bigotry and persecution of Queen Mary. In the vicinity is an emi
nence, which is said to bear a striking resemblance to the celebrated
Richmond Hill, near London, and to which the same name has been
given. It presents a pretty view of Chester and its environs, and is a
favourite place of resort. Rawton Moor, the scene of former battles,
alluded to in my last letter, has been reclaimed and converted into
cultivated fields, now waving with golden harvests. The extensive
barren, which by courtesy has assumed the name of Delamere Forest,
is nothing more than a heath, of many thousand acres. In one di
rection, it is eight miles in extent, covered with a thick bottom of
fern. It has been planted with fir and oak, under the superintendence,
and at the expense of the government. Shrubs of the former tree
are a few feet in height, and may in time form a forest ; but the soil,
or rather the sand, will never apparently support a growth of oak.
On the waste are several little white cottages, inhabited by the for
esters, who are in the pay ofthe government. There is also an oasis
in the desert, with a small village, and neat Gothic church, erected at
the expense of the Earl of Derby. These buildings in some degree
relieve the eye and break the desolation which reigns around.
At Sandiway hotel, we saw four coursers belonging to Earl Gros-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 71
venor, in charge of as many grooms, on their way to Knutsford, where
the annual races were to take place on the Tuesday following. The
golden cups and high bets, then and there to be lost and won, formed
almost the only topic of conversation on the road. The coachman
entered fully into the spirit of these high sports, and as he did not carry
the mail, and was permitted to loiter as much he chose, he would
often stop his team, to converse on the probable issue of the contest.
Noblemen's horses are much better known than themselves to the
people ; and without taking any particular pains to acquire the know
ledge, we became tolerably familiar with the studs of all the Dukes,
Earls, and Squires in the vicinity. It is said that Lord Grosvenor has
no taste for sports of the turf, but is obliged to participate in its tur
moils, for the sake of maintaining his popularity.
In the course of the afternoon, we passed through the town of
Northwitch, so celebrated for its salines and mines of salt, whence the
extensive exports from Liverpool are obtained. The two places are
connected by the river Weaver and by canals, affording great facilities
of transportation. Immense quantities are annually taken to market
through this channel. Although we had a strong desire to stop and
compare the works with those at Salina ; yet as the day was far spent
and Sunday approaching, affording no opportunity to witness the ope
rations, il was concluded to defer the visit. There is nothing inviting
in the aspect of this town. The Weaver is a dark and sluggish
stream, and the buildings on its bank bear the marks of decay. Some
of them incline, as if ready to fall, owing, it is said, to the sinking of
the ground from excavations. An anecdote was related to us, re
specting the salt works. A year or two since, Earl Grosvenor, (whose
pardon, as well as that of my' readers, I must beg, for so often intro
ducing his name,) was publicly insulted by- the manufacturers in the
streets of Northwitch. He determined to avenge the indignity, by
touching the pockets of his political opponents, and accordingly open
ed a new salt mine, the products of which have seriously affected the
prices of the commodity.
Near Northwitch, is a pretty country seat, the residence of Sir John
Leceister. There is an artificial lake, or canal on his grounds, on
which a small brig, designed as a pleasure boat, was moored. He is
the great patron of young artists, and is said to have an extensive
collection of paintings and statuary, purchased partly to show his mu
nificence towards works of taste and genius. His brother seems in
clined to different pursuits. He was among the passengers in the
coach, on his way to the races. In the same neighbourhood is the
residence of another nobleman. A beautiful vista leads through the

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Park to the mansion, which, at this season, was entirely concealed by
the foliage. The personage referred to is said to be extremely unfor
tunate in his family. The gambling debts of one of his sons, have
deeply involved him in pecuniary embarrassments ; and large lots of
timber have been sold from his grounds, to wipe off the old scores.
But in the opinion of my informant, the deepest affliction of all con
sisted in the marriage of one of his daughters with the son of a bishop,
who has neither titles, honours, nor estates. It was a pure love match
between the young couple ; and such is the artificial state of society
here, that it is reckoned an indelible stain upon the escutcheons of
nobility. His lordship is said to have directed his carriage to keep
the middle of the road, leaving the disinherited pair to take which side
they chose, if they chanced to meet.
Almost every place in England is remarkable for something : — one
town for cloths ; another for cutlery — one village for the best cakes ;
and another for the best ale. These locahties are often ludicrous and
amusing. Our attention was 'directed to Stretford, a little village near
Manchester, where all the Welch pigs are butchered and carried to
market. It appears pretty well adapted to its staple commodity.
An incident occurred in the course of the afternoon, at which all
the passengers save one, were highly amused. Among- our party of
twenty, there was a large, athletic, rosy-faced cockney, with his drab
breeches and white-top boots, who was apparently travelling for plea
sure, and perhaps was going to the races. Happening by mistake to
stop at the wrong tavern to take his glass of beer, the landlady, who
was a shrewd, clever woman, recognized my gentleman, as the per
son, who had drunk his quart of ale a short time before, and left the
house without paying for it. Without much ceremony, she jogged
his memory in the presence of his fellow-travellers. He retreated to
the coach with all convenient despatch, and she pursued him. Some
of us requested the driver to remain, till the demand of mine hostess
was satisfied ; but the cockney coiled himself into the corner and sat
mute, bearing a shower of reproaches, without opening his lips. He
was less forward for the remainder of the journey.
An- hour before reaching Manchester, the crowds of people re
turning from market gave indications of our approach to a large
town. The suburbs are pleasant. After crossing the Mersey, which
is here a small stream, as also a canal connecting London, Liverpool,
and Manchester, we were hurried through one of the principal streets,
to the Star Inn, which the driver pronounced to be " the best hotel
in the world." Our arrival was at an hour, when all the labourers of
both sexes had finished the toils of the week, and were set free until

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 73
'¦>
Monday morning. The immense multitude of oltf^pd young, male
and female, who literally blocked up the streets, afforded conclusive
evidence of the populousness of this borough ; for although it now
coif tains 165,000 inhabitants, it is not dignified with the name of a
city, and has no other government than that of a Reeve and a Sheriff,
without a representative in parliament !
The appearance of Manchester is not very prepossessing. It is
built of brick, manufactured in the suburbs. The buildings are plain,
and discoloured by the cloud of smoke, in which it is constantly en
veloped. Some of the streets are handsome, and all of them much
cleaner than could be anticipated from the pursuits of its population.
None of its public edifices, except perhaps the Collegiate Church, are
very peculiar or striking. There is a beautiful Town-Hall now going
up in King's-street, the design and architecture of which are chaste ;
but its location is bad, and it does not appear to advantage. The
pleasantest part of the town is the Crescent, on the Liverpool avenue,
which presents a fine opening, embracing a view of nearly the whole
borough, the windings of the Irwell, a small stream on which it stands,
and the canal covered with boats.
On Sunday we went to St. Peter's Church, which is a plain struc
ture. The chanting and singing are said to be the best in town.
There was nothing in the least peculiar in the service, except that the
responses in the liturgy are sung instead of said. The politeness of
the ladies to strangers was observed. As there was a deficiency of
books in the pew to which we were conducted, our female neighbours
on both sides, found the places and supplied each of us. Such little
courtesies have frequently attracted our attention, and trifling as they
may seem, convey an expression of civility and kindness.
The Collegiate Church is a curious specimen ofthe ancient Gothic.
It is not however so striking as the Cathedral, or St. Mary's at Ches
ter. Like those it exhibits much rude and fantastic sculpture in its
ornaments, and carries the mind back several centuries, both by its
architecture and the monuments ofthe dead by which it is surrounded.
The whole area is paved with tomb-stones, and any more interments
within the enclosure are prohibited for twenty years. We were told,
that forty couple sometimes appear before the altar at once, and are
united in marriage by the same ceremony. In one instance, a gentle
man among the crowd, and in the perturbation of the moment hap
pened to take the hand of the wrong lady, and was actually wedded
to her. The parson was obliged to tread back, and annul the holy
vow. A gentleman informed us, that he had seen fifty infants receive
the ordinance of baptism in a group, and that the squalling of so many
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74 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
children took away all solemnity from the rite. In populous places,
it may sometimes be necessary to perform such ceremonies in the
gross. One of the largest piles of buildings in the borough, is the Infirma
ry, standing at Piccadilly, in a central position. It is a plain struc
ture of brick, with no other attractions than its conveniences. Its lo
cation is near a large sheet of artificial water, covering an acre or two,
around which are pleasant promenades. The front of the edifice has
an illuminated clock, which is a great convenience to the inhabitants
at night. There is a fine suite of cold and warm baths, connected
with the Infirmary, but likewise open to others. It is in all respects a
useful institution, to which the sick and infirm of all descriptions, stran
gers as well as residents, have free admission, with good medical at
tendance. Not far from this, on Mosely-street, stands the Portico, a neat cir
cular building of stone, two stories high, with a dome. • It is designed
as a literary and news room/ The lower part is furnished with maps,
charts, newspapers, pamphlets, periodicals, and other appurtenances,
for the use of subscribers and strangers, whose names are entered in a
book, and who are afterwards admitted gratis. On the wall is an in
dex, similar to the one in the Exchange at Liverpool, indicating the
course of the wind. In the gallery, there is an extensive and well-se
lected library, with chambers for the use of visiters. The Exchange
is at a little distance. It is a heavy doric edifice, with a circular front,
two stories high, and in most respects bears a strong resemblance to
the Portico. The building is private, open only to subscribers, and
persons introduced by them. It is not therefore a place, where much
public business is transacted.
There are, two theatres in the town, at one of which a part of an
evening was passed, which was quite sufficient. The play was the
Battle of Bannockburn. Hero after hero bit the dust, in a manner
the most ludicrous, and which turned the whole into broad farce. Not
the least excusable part of the murderous work was that of mangling
Bruce's address — " Scots wha ha wi' Wallace bled," the high, harsh,
and shrill notes of which emphatically " pierced the dull ear of night."
Although an advertisement upon the door promised the spectator, that
strict order would be preserved, the galleries were extremely turbu
lent, and made the roof re-bellow, as some kilted warrior fell, or some
Highland beauty ranted in mock-heroics. It is but justice to remark,
that this is " the Minor Theatre," though the papers informed us,
that it is " fashionably attended ;" and the newspapers of course ne
ver tell the world what is not true.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. ?o
A letter from a friend at Liverpool to a resident at this place, in
sured to us his hospitality and kindness, and enabled us to accomplish
the great object we had in view, in our visit to Manchester— an exami-
natiorfof its manufactories. He first conducted us to an establish
ment for carding, spinning, sizing, and weaving cotton. All these
processes were carefully examined ; and I am fully ofthe opinion, that
both intpoint of machinery and skill in operation, the factory is far in
ferior to some of those of the same kind in our country. The one we
saw, however, might not be as extensive or as perfect, as some others.
Manufacturers are in some instances so wise, as to determine to keep
the rest of the world in ignorance of their hidden mysteries, particu
larly the Yankees, who it is feared will pilfer, or what is worse, im
prove upon their inventions. This spirit is illiberal and unfair. The
Americans have contributed their full share to the mechanical improve
ments ofthe age, in the benefits of which England has freely and fully
participated. Her navigable waters exhibit the triumphs of Fulton's
genius, and the machinery in her manufactories evinces the ingenuity
of our countrymen.
An instance occurred while we were at Manchester which shows
how useless is such caution. Soon after our arrival, an acquaintance
was formed with a gentleman at the same hotel, who is extensively en
gaged in a manufactory, in one of the eastern states. He has recently
introduced an improvement in the spinning of cotton, arid the inven
tion is now in operation, by way of experiment at Manchester. In
spite of all the difficulties and jealousies he was obliged to encounter,
he has penetrated work shops of every description, and examined
every operation deserving attention. Another of our countrymen here
has accumulated a princely fortune, chiefly by the variety of patterns
he has introduced in calico-printing.
But the most enterprising and persevering of these adventurers, is
a native of one of the western counties in the state of New- York, who
was on the northern frontier and fought for his country during the late
war. At its close, he beat his sword, not into the pruning-hook, but
into an ingenious machine for the manufacture of reeds.* The same
enthusiastic spirit, which led him to the lines, induced him to cross the

* In February, 1827, we saw this machine in successful operation, on the bor
ders of the Champs Elysees at Paris, and a beautiful specimen of the workman
ship was presented to us by the proprietor. It is one oi the most ingenious pieces
of mechanism I have ever examined. " A patent for the invention has lately been
taken out in France, and a branch of the manufactory has for some time been es
tablished in the Netherlands,

76 LETTERS FROM EUROPE
ocean, and during his residence in this country, he has endured greater
hardships than the toils of the camp or the frosts of Canada. He re
lated to us the history of his invention, and of his efforts in introducing
it abroad, which would make a volume, combining the adventure of
Roderick Random, with the sentiment of Tristram Shandy. At a
certain stage in his story, he produced a beautiful sword inscribed to
Liberty, which he had prepared at the darkest period of his- life, in
readiness to embark for South America, in case his invention did hot
succeed. But a brighter prospect now gleams upon his path, and we
found him "in the full tide of successful experiment," on the road to
wealth, blest with occasional visitations of the muse, grateful to his
benefactors, and warmly attached to the land of his nativity.
Through the influence of the gentleman, into whose hands it was
our good fortune to fall, we experienced at Manchester none of that
ilhberality of which others have complained. Having examined the
process of spinning and weaving cotton, we proceeded to the en
graver's, where the rollers for printing calico are prepared. Free ad
mission was granted to every branch of the business, and the several
stages of it were politely pointed out. Different figures are made to
order, as fashions change, or the interests of individuals dictate. The
shop is filled with thousands of patterns. It requires some fancy to
produce a new combination at present. The figure is first engraved
upon steel stamps, and thence transferred to rollers of copper, about
four feet in length. Some of the work is extremely delicate, requiring
the use of the microscope.
From the engraver's, we followed the stamps to the printing esta
blishment, and saw the machinery in operation. The process is sim
ple and expeditious. Thousands of yards are printed in a day, with
very little manual labour. The cloth passes through rollers, which are
moved by steam and which feed themselves, taking the colouring mat
ter from a trough beneath. A boy is sufficient to attend on a ma
chine, and keep the cloth in order. Two colours only can be impress
ed by rollers. The process of putting on a variety of dies is more
complicated and difficult, being entirely done by hand. It requires
two persons to make the impression ; one, to replenish the sieve con
taining the colouring matter, and the other to use the stamp, which
sometimes assumes the oddest shapes, resembling spiders, frogs, and
other reptiles. In complex figures, the cloth passes through a dozen
hands, before it receives the finishing touch. It appeared to me, that
there is much room for improvement in this department, which would
certainly be desirable, as hundreds of people of both sexes are found in
one of these manufactories, breathing an atmosphere at the tempera-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 77
Lure of 100 degrees, and inhaling the effluvia, of the different dies,
Their countenances wear a sallow and sickly appearance.
In these work-shops for calico-printing is to be found one of the
great sources of wealth to Great Britain. Hence in part, her ships
are laden, and despatched to every quarter Of the globe. The cottons
we saw to-day in the hands of the manufacturer, will perhaps to-mor
row be on their way to India, to the Baltic, or to America. The
commerce of Manchester consists of little else than in vending these
articles, and in supplying the raw material. As nearly as could be
ascertained, the profits of merchants and agents are about 10 per
cent. They pass through many hands, before reaching the consumer,
and each change enhances the price.
Having completed a survey of the principal manufacturing establish
ments, we dined very pleasantly with a small party, at the hospitable
mansion of the gentleman, who had kindly devoted to us so much of
his time and attention during the day. He has an agreeable family.
Both himself and lady, had been in the United States the summer
previous. The evening was passed in the little circle of our acquain
tances, one of whom, by way of a valedictory, played a number of
plaintive airs upon his flute, and among the rest, " sweet home,"
which gave us some idea of the influence ascribed to the national song
ofthe Swiss.
On the 27th, we rode to Bakewell, in Derbyshire, thirty-five or six
miles from Manchester. The route leads through the large and po
pulous town of Stockport, which is famous only for its manufactures,
principally of cotton. It is cradled in a deep vale, the hills in the en
virons being higher than the tops of the buildings. The fires of the
manufactories had just been lighted, and a volume of dense black
smoke filled the whole valley, curling like a well-defined cloud round
the green heights on either side. Winding cautiously down the steep
descent, we plunged into a suffocating atmosphere, where the pure
breeze of the morning ceased to breathe, and the sun was shorn of his
brightness. The coach made no pause, and the only object which
peculiarly arrested our attention, was a large circular edifice, rising
above the buildings on the acclivity, denominated the Castle, and oc
cupied as a hotel.
At 9 o'clock, we reached Buxton, a pretty village, neatly built of
hewn stone, chiefly at the expense of the Duke of Devonshire. On
the left of the road, stands a large octagonal pile of buildings, called
Anne's Stables, within which there is a circus, for the exercise and
amusement of visitants. Buxton has long been a celebrated watering-
place. It is said, the Romans here erected a bath, and that many an-

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tiquities are found in the vicinity. As our stay was limited to half an
hour, we hastened to the spring, at a little distance from the hotel, at
the risk of losing breakfast. The principal fountain is called St. Anne's
Well, the waters of which have been sung by the eccentric Hobbes, in
a Latin poem " on the Wonders ofthe Peak." He ascribes a miracu
lous efficacy to the waters, which few husbands would probably wish
to realize : " Hue, mater fieri cupiens, accedit inanis,
Plenaque discedit, puto, nee veniente marito."
It is distinguished also as one of the favourite retreats of Mary
Queen of Scots, during her barbarous imprisonment in the vicinity.
On her last visit, "she is said to have left the following classical vale
dictory : " Buxtona, quae calida? eelebrabere nomine lympha;,
'Forte mihi posthac non adeunda, vale."
" Buxton, whose fame thy tepid waters tell,
Whom I perhaps no more shall see, farewell !"
We quaffed a glass from the crystal fountain, which plays prettily
into a white marble font, and congratulated ourselves on being free
from chronic affections, if they were to be removed by draughts from
St. Anne's Well. The water is of the temperature of 82 degrees,
being about that of milk, without the taste of any mineral properties
to prevent nausea. It is however admirably adapted to the purposes
of bathing, for. which it is extensively used. Round the spring extends
what is termed the Crescent, a beautiful semi-circular pile of buildings,
three stories high, occupied as hotels and baths, for the accommoda
tion of visitants. It was erected by the late Duke of Devonshire, at
an expense, including that ofthe stables above mentioned, of £120,000.
Upwards of 2000 piles were driven 16 feet irtto the ground, to obtain
a foundation. In front of the spring, is a pretty conical eminence,
with serpentine walks leading to the summit. Many ladies and gen
tlemen were here, enjoying a morning promenade.
We had barely time to take a dish of tea and half a muffin, when the
peremptory twang of the coachman's horn summoned us away. There
is in such cases not a moment's grace ; and although not in very good
humour, at being hurried from table with an unsatisfied appetite, I
could not but laugh at the misfortune of another passenger, who had
just sweetened and creamed his second dish of tea, but had not tasted
a drop of it, when the summons for his departure came. He " cast a
longing, lingering look behind," as he left the room and the remainder
of his breakfast, as a legacy to the waiter.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 79
Our ride from Buxton to Bakewell, was through a hilly' region, ex
hibiting a fair specimen of the scenery in the Peak of Derbyshire, in
which there is great uniformity, so far as it has met my observation.
It is a limestone country, with here and there naked and castellated
precipices. The highest ofthe hills are about 1500 feet, being nearly
ofthe same altitude as the High Lands on the Hudson, but far inferior
in variety and picturesque beauty. They are generally destitute of
trees, and to their very tops exhibit the appearance of a smooth and
closely grazed pasture, with white rocks occasionally peeping from the
surface. A succession of these ridges and deep valleys extends from
Cheshire to Yorkshire. There is the same uniformity in the villages
of the Peak, which consist of one story houses, built of unhewn lime
stone, with thatched roofs. They give a romantic aspect to the coun
try, being cradled among the hills, and often seen hundreds of feet be
low the traveller.
Soon after leaving Buxton, the road reaches the banks of the Wye, a
small stream hurrying on with its clear and sparkling waters, through a
deep ravine, till it unites with the Derwent, below Chatsworth. The
coach arrived at Bakewell about noon, where we found the best hotel,
which has been met with since landing. If belongs to the Duke of
Rutland, who has fitted it up in the style of a private dwelling, with
chambers and sitting-rooms handsomely finished and furnished. Its
walls are hung with pictures and sketches of natural scenery, instead
of race-horses, which are here the common ornaments of bed-cham
bers at the inns. Among the books lying upon the tables in the seve
ral apartments, I was gratified to find the London edition of the Pio
neers, by Cooper, and of Koningsmarke, by Paulding.
Near the front door of the hotel, the following curious notice was
suspended from the wall, in gilt letters, covered with a glass : ' White
Watson, F. L. S. Bath-house, Bakewell, executes monuments, tombs
&c. gives lessons on geology and mineralogy ; and furnishes collec
tions : affords information to antiquarians ; and amusement to bota
nists.' This advertisement furnished an index to a profession un
known in our country ; and while dinner was peparing, we had the cu
riosity to pay a visit to the scientific Caleb Quotem. . He was to me a
perfect original, and it is not improbable he may have sat to the pencil
of Sir Walter Scott, who is familiar with Peak scenery.
On giving a rap at the door, a small, thin-faced, bald-headed man,
turned of three-score, made his appearance and bade us walk in. His
coat, once black, was fast approximating to thread-bare, and might
soon be placed in his cabinet of antiquities, being already covered with
the same honourable dust. It was in admirable keeping with his cord-

80 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
eroy breeches, made before the age of suspenders, finely polished with
grease, and snugly buttoned about the knee, over his blue woollen
stockings. A good old-fashioned pair of shoes, with sufficient lee
way fore and aft, completed his costume. But men of science are
above dress, and Mr. Watson must be a man of science ; for he has
written a quarto on mineralogy, dedicated to the Duke of Devonshire,
and has moreover arranged in neat galvanic batteries all the strata to
be found in the region of the Peak. He is also familiar with its botany,
its history, its antiquities, and its traditions. Many of its " seven
wonders" have been delineated by his pen and pencil, the productions
of which grace the shelves and walls of his apartment.
With much politeness and suavity of manners, he conducted us to
his cabinet, put on his glasses, set in black horn, and commenced an
exhibition of all the articles which his own industry and the contribu
tions of his friends have assembled. Druidical, Roman, Celtic, Saxon,
and Gothic remains, of all descriptions, enrich a museum, which does
not exceed in its dimensions eight feet by ten. Within those narrow
limits may be seen the lachrymatories, in which some Caesar or centu
rion bottled the tears of his mistress ; fragments of stone consecrated
by holy rites, in groves of oak ; and implements which no antiquary can
explain, disinterred from the barrows. In an adjoining room, is a ca
binet of all the minerals to be found in Derbyshire. All these curio
sities, natural and artificial, together with the Roman bath, the nitches
of which are still perfect, Mr. Watson exhibited to us for half a crown.
He also conducted us over the grounds, forming his little domain, neat
ly laid out, blooming with flowers, and embellished with grottos. In
one of these retreats, curiously formed of spar in imitation of stalac
tites, with a door and seats fantastically woven of roots, " a noble
family dined last summer." Chantrey has also visited Mr. Watson,
and was delighted with a bas-relief of a sleeping infant, executed many
years since by one of the ancestors of the s^tiquary, whose family
have acquired some celebrity as artists. Specimens of their skill were
subsequently met with in our rambles through the Peak.
After dinner, which had grown cold, been wanned by the cook, and
become cold again during Mr^Watson's long lecture, we paid a visit
to Bakewell church, which is said to be a thousand years old at least.
A stammering sexton was hunted up, who keeps the keys and acts as
expositor to the treasures within. In front of the antique edifice, the
steeple of which was taken down a year or two since, lest it should tum
ble, stands a Roman relic in the form of a cross, exhibiting much rude
sculpture. On entering the shattered and venerable pile, the tomb of
"old Vernon, so celebrated as the proprietor of Haddon Hall, was

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 81
pointed out, and its Latin inscription deciphered. The sexton next
conducted us to a dark corner, where are deposited two stone coffins ;
but whence they came, or whose dust once filled them, even tradition
saith not. There is a half obliterated inscription on one of therii which
has defied the -skill of the antiquary.
In another part of the church, sleep in marble, as large as life, an
interesting group, wearing the costumes ofthe age in which they lived.
The first in order is Kensley, in full armour, who fell near Tewkesbury
in 1403, while fighting for Henry the IV. Not far from him Peveril
qf the Peak and his two wives rest side by side, with rings upon their
fingers and their dress perfect. The hair of the ladies is done up much
in the modern style, and their shoes are not unlike those of the present
day. Cromwell's licentious soldiery mutilated their features, and broke
some of their noses. In a niche upon the wall, stand George Manners
and Dorothy Vernon, his wife, whom he stole out of the back door at
Haddon Hall, and clandestinely married. Opposite to this group are
eleven statues, consisting of Lady Grace Manners and her family,
kneeling in niches, with concise passages of scripture over each of
their heads.
This church presents many attractions to visitants. During our ex
amination of its interesting monuments, at least thirty ladies and gen
tlemen came in on the same errand. It stands on an eminence, com
manding an extensive prospect into the vale of the Wye, with the high
hills rising on either side ; also a distant view of Haddon Hall, with its
grey battlements towering above the trees, by which it is surrounded.
A walk by moon-light to the rustic bridge, which is thrown across the
river at this place, concluded the toils and pleasures of the day. It
was a rural, quiet, and charming scene. In the course of our rambles,
we saw several Cambridge students, half a dozen of whom, under
the care of a tutor, have been boarding at the hotel for the last three
months, pursuing their studies, and qualifying themselves for the ap
proaching examination.

vol. i. 1 1

S-2 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER VIII.
VALE OF THE WVB  HADDON HALL  VALE OF THE DERWENT  CHATS-
WORTH  CASTLE OF PEVERIL OF THE PEAK  CAVERN  MAM TOR.
July, 1825.
Early on the morning of the 28th, we set out in a post-chaise for
Haddon Hall. The path leads through the Vale of the Wye. In the
distance of a mile and a half, in a direct line, the meanders of the river
exceed seven. It winds its way through a wide and fertile meadow,
in which half a dozen pretty lasses in one group, with rosy cheeks
peeping from under their straw hats, were busily employed in turning
hay, the fragrance of which loaded the atmosphere.
Passing through a shattered gate and over a narrow, stone bridge,
constructed like the one at Chester with bastions, we approached Had
don Hall, once the residence of the Vernons and the Rutlands ; but
which has not been inhabited for the last century and a half. It has a
green old age, and is in such a state of preservation, that the Duke of
Rutland thinks of repairing it for his residence a part of the year.
Were it possible to impart to my description of this ancient hall, the
lively interest, which our visit created, I am sure it would be perused
with pleasure. It differs essentially from any thing we had yet seen,
possessing a freshness of antiquity, and forming a sort of connecting
link between feudal ages and the present time. Not only the apart
ments, but the furniture and decorations are entire, presenting a vivid
image of domestic life as it existed several hundred years ago.
The reader must permit me to descend a little into detail, and retrace
for a moment our footsteps through deserted halls. An aged portress
conducted us to the heavy door of oak, furnished with an iron knocker,
rude in its construction, and corroded by rust. The stone-step is nearly
worn through by the feet of many thousands, who have entered since
the age of the Vernons. This antique portal opens into the principal
court. On the right is the porter's lodge, with the remains of the
couch on which he slept. In an adjoining room are the boots, the
holsters, the musket, and the hunting-jacket of the first proprietor
of the Hall. At the entrance of the chapel stands a little font
for the holy water, and in the interior, one of larger dimensions,
for baptismal rites. The bell which once tolled for matins and for ves
pers is removed from its place, and the massive iron clock is in ruins,
forming a part of the lumber in the gallery. Near by is a heavy and
strong chest for the communion plate. On the wall are paintings of
the twelve apostles, and other images before which the household knelt

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 83
in their devotions. A dim light admitted through low Gothic windows
of stained glass adds greatly to the solemnity of the Chapel. Although
the day was remarkably bright, many of the passages and apartments
wore the gloom of twilight, As Mrs. Radcliffe is not a favourite in
our country, it may be no recommendation of this interesting relic of
other ages, to state that she borrowed from it much of her imagery in
" the Mysteries of Udolpho."
The dining room remains entire. A spacious gallery extends round
its sides, in which spectators could .assemble to witness the feast and
merriment below. Over the entrance and on the walls, horns of the
stag are suspended, emblematic of the pleasures of the chase. The
fire-place, before which the feudal lords used to receive and entertain
their friends, passing whole nights in revelry, and in the generous rites
of hospitality, is of immoderate size, and the blaze of the hearth must
have contributed greatly to the enjoyments of the banquet. On one
side of the room stand two capacious sideboards, arid on the other, a
long table, benches, and a chair at the head, all of oak, and antique in
their structure. In an adjoining apartment are the broad metallic
plates, which I regretted' had not been left upon the oaken table. So
perfect is the hall, that it requires but a moderate exercise of the ima
gination to summon back the guests from the sleep of centuries, and to
seat them at the convivial board, clothed in their ancient costumes, and
participating in the fruits of the chase.
The old kitchen corresponds in its proportions and in its furniture
with the dining-room. There are blocks and oaken tables, worn through
in cleaving venison and other viands for the feast. *A wide and deep
fire-place furnishes evidence, that cooking was carried on upon a large
scale. The ponderous crane and hooks still hang in the chimney. On
each side of the kitchen are capacious larders and pantries, suited to
the profuse hospitality in the age of the Vernons.
We were conducted successively through the sitting rooms, the bed
chambers, and dancing hall, the walls of which are hung with tapestry,
curiously wrought by the ladies of the ancient family ; with escutcheons
of the Manners and the Rutlands ; with the portraits of kings and he
roes ; and with many dusty paintings, chiefly scripture pieces. The
assembly-room is of comparatively recent origin. It was built in the
time of Elizabeth, three or four hundred years after some part of the
Hall. It is ornamented with a likeness of the virgin Queen, and of
Lady Grace Manners, aunt of the first duke of Rutland. The floor
is of oak, said to be made entirely from one tree, and the circular flight
of steps leading to it, of the roots. It sends ' back a hollow echo to
the footsteps and to the voice ; and as we paced beneath its vaulted

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roof, and by its Gothic windows, through which the green ivy peeps,
fancy recalled, the scenes of gaiety which were here once exhibited,
when music resounded through the hall, and the beauties of the six
teenth century led down the mazy dance.
The most ancient part of the venerable pile, is the castle or tower,
which was erected in the time of king John. It has a battlement at
top, for purposes of defence. It is now in a state of partial dilapida
tion, some ofthe stone steps having fallen, and their places being sup
plied by those of wood. We climbed to the very summit, which com
mands a view of the rural Vale of the Wye, and of the surrounding
country. It was about noon, and the landscape around wore the still
ness and langour of a summer day. The hay-makers had sought the
shade, and the herds of cattle the stream, for refreshment. At our
feet, the river, after passing quietly beneath the arches of two stone
bridges, hurries down a rocky bed, forming a beautiful cascade, the
murmurs of which echo through the desolate apartments of the hall.
On the north, the prospect is limited by the high ridge of land, on the
side of which the edifice stands, and by the grove of aged oaks, elms,
and yews which cover its brow.
After remaining half an hour upon this giddy and crazy monument
of other ages, where the foot treads with involuntary caution, we
groped our way back through the winding passages, rendered darker
by having our eyes dazzled with the splendid prospect above, and were
conducted by the guide, in waiting below, to the state bed-room. The
couch is hung with antique tapestry, and its ornaments are rich in spe
cimens of embroidery. Over the fire-place is a representation of Or
pheus, charming the listening woods with the tones of his lyre ; and
the walls are adorned with a variety of pictures. Having a strong cu
riosity to enjoy a moon-light view from the tower, and to indulge in a
dream of gone-by days, we requested of the old lady permission to re
main for the night in Haddon Hall. She said she would not do such a
thing for the world ; although in her opinion, one would have no reason
to fear the ghosts, which some visiters supposed might haunt these de
solate ruins.
We had a fine promenade through the pleasure grounds, enclosed
with high walls, and extending to the banks of the Wye, "where there
is a beautiful bower close by the cascade. It is a cool and sequestered
retreat, its quiet being disturbed by no other noise than the murmur of
the water-fall. Higher up the acclivity was the favourite walk of Do
rothy Vernon, bordered on either hand by aged trees, the branches of
which are thickly interwoven, and their trunks covered with ivy. At
one end, is the entrance to the hall, by a door through which Dorothy

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escaped when she married Manners ; and its portals arc said never to
have been opened since that event.
Our guide gave each of us leave to gather a buoquet ofthe moss-rose,
and other flowers blooming in the ancient court, intermingled with
box, which was left there one hundred and fifty years ago, and yet looks
vigorous and thrifty. These fragrant spoils, fragile as they are, have
been carefully preserved, and will be borne across the Atlantic, as me
morials of a place which probably afforded us a higher pleasure, than
its noble tenants ever enjoyed, when they made it the seat of hospitality,
music, and mirth.
From Haddon Hall, our ride was continued to Chatsworth, the
celebrated residence of the Duke of Devonshire, and still more cele
brated, as the place where Mary Queen of Scots was long imprisoned. |
I will freely confess, that the latter circumstance, while it gave double
interest to our visit, prejudiced me very strongly against the seat of
his Grace, the image of the unfortunate queen haunting me at every
step through his beautiful grounds.
A high ridge of land divides the estates of the Duke of Rutland
from those ofthe Duke of Devonshire, at the eastern extremity of
which is the junction of the Wye and the Derwent. The opening
into the vale of the latter is certainly very beautiful, presenting a rich
and varied landscape, the repose of which was charming at the hour
we arrived, the fleecy clouds resting upon the circumjacent hills, and
the tenants of the park and fields reclining in the groves, or cooling
themselves in the bright waters of the rivulet. A herd of twelve
hundred deer were seen feeding upon the lawn. The aspect of the
valley is extremely rural and romantic. : On the left bank, the scenery
is rugged, the cliffs appearing at intervals, and behind them stretches
an extensive moor, the purple surface of which, when viewed at a
distance, strongly resembles the sea. The hills on the opposite side,
slope with „a gentle declivity to the stream, and are covered with woods
and green pastures to their summits.
We rode through the Park and the little village of Endesor where
there is a small Gothic church, in which sleeps the first Duke of De
vonshire. Here also is a monument, with a long latin inscription, erect
ed by Mary Queen of Scots, to commemorate the fidelity and attach
ment of an old servant, who died while she was a prisoner at this place.
The antique edifice, rising above the thatched roofs of the houses, gives
variety to the landscape. A stone bridge crosses the Derwent, and
conducts to the Palace. On the left, as you approach, is a circular
tower or terrace, covered with earth and planted with trees and shrub
bery. It was a favourite walk of the unfortunate Mary. The branches

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of an aged yew, under which perhaps she used to repose, overhang
the walls, twigs of which were brought away by us as a memento of
the spot.
Notwithstanding the immense sums of money, which have been
squandered upon Chatsworth Hall, I am compelled to think much of
the sumptuous pile in bad taste, and its beauty by no means commen
surate with its expense. There is no point of view from which the
edifice has an appearance of grandeur. The grounds immediately in
front, at present naked of trees and covered with rubbish, together
with the scaffolding of another wing, which is now going up, detract
very much from the exterior. Another deduction is to be found in
the colour of the stone, which is a light yellow, obtained from a
quarry on the Duke's estate at the distance of a mile or two from the
house. The structure is of the Ionic order, with a terrace covered
with a great variety of statues, and a profusion of ornament. Its cost
exceeds all calculation, and its proprietor has not yet arrived at the
sum total. Large additions are daily making to the disbursements, and
extensive improvements are still in contemplation. One part is coming
down and another going up, as fancy or whim may dictate. Numerous
revolutions have taken place, since the building was commenced, more
than a century ago. His Grace is a bachelor of thirty-five, and ap
pears to have some of the caprices incident to such a condition in
life. He has a rage for building, and is a magnificent patron of all
the mechanics in the neighbourhood, and of artists, foreign as well as
domestic. It is perhaps better, that he should scatter a portion of his
princely fortune* in this way, than by engaging in the high and fashion
able sports of some of the nobility.
A pretty, well-dressed, genteel looking girl of twenty, with her
white silk stockings and kid gloves in keeping with her gold chains
and bracelets, received us at the door, and conducted us through every
part of the mansion. She appeared to be well-educated, and qualified
for a more appropriate and higher sphere, than that of a cicerone.
The office of conducting gentlemen through galleries of undraped
statues is, to say the least, not of the most delicate kind. Habit,
however, does much towards removing that squeamishness, which
characterizes, and I hope will long continue to characterize, the fe
male sex in our country.

* The Duke of Devonshire is perhaps the wealthiest nobleman in England.
There is no end to his estates, and his income is said to be not less than 500,000?.
sterling per annum. He has the reputation of being a liberal man both in his
political sentiments, and in the management of his pecuniary affairs.

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This sketch would be extended to an unconscionable length, should
it embrace even a brief description of the luxury displayed at Chats-
worth. Our fair portress had the complaisance to wait patiently till
a memorandum was made, with as much particularity, as if we had
been taking an inventory of his Grace's furniture. As a sample for
the rest, and as a matter of curiosity, it was deemed advisable to take
notes, with some minuteness, of the interior of a nobleman's palace ;
especially, as we hoped never to have an opportunity of seeing any thing
of a similar kind upon our own shores. Long, long may it be, before
the United States shall present the striking contrast of princely wealth
and abject poverty ; of lordly power and cringing servility, which are
visible in this country, though even here probably in a less degree,
than in some countries upon the continent.
It was the pertinent inquiry of some one, no matter who, after ex
amining and admiring the splendid apartments of Chatsworth — "• where
are the rooms for the servants ?" The interrogatory is characteristic
of the Palace. Every thing appears to be fashioned for show, rather
than for convenience. Hall after hall is thrown open to the dazzling
gaze of the spectator, without his being able to perceive to what use
so many of a kind can be appropriated. The drawing-rooms, and
dressing-rooms,and bed-rooms are innumerable, and it would require the
clue of Ariadne to guide one through the labyrinth. I have no inten
tion of treading back, or of losing myself in the maze.
One of the most gorgeous ornaments of Chatsworth is the
frescos or painted ceilings of the principal apartments, executed by
Sir James Thornhill, Verrio and Laguerre. The colouring is splen
did ; but critics have severely censured the designs, applying to them
the couplet of Pope :
" On painted ceilings, you devoutly stare,
Where sprawl the saints of Verrio and Laguerre."
The collection of pictures, statues, and other ornaments by the most
celebrated masters, is very extensive, and creditable to the taste of
the Duke. We were not a little surprised to find in his study, where
he passes his mornings, a full length statue of the mother of Napo
leon. He has a beautiful Cupid, by Trentanova ; several pieces, by
Canova, as well as a bust and portrait of the artist himself. Chan-
trey has also contributed largely to the decorations of Chatsworth ;
and Sir Thomas Lawrence has added the splendid products of his
pencil. In short, the rooms are adorned with fine specimens of
the arts, ancient as well as modern. I was pleased with the Duke's

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partiality for the rocks of Derbyshire, from which a large proportion
of the ornaments are made, the spar and marble being extremely
beautiful. His private apartment contains a cabinet of all the mine
rals to be found in the county, collected and neatly arranged by his
mother. Among the furniture of the Hall, are the chairs used in the
coronation of George the III, on which occasion the late Duke acted
as Lord Chamberlain, and received these splendid ornaments by virtue
of his office.
Six large chambers are appropriated to the Library. The shelves,
however, are not all full. There appears to be an extensive collec
tion of rare books, among which the ponderous tomes of the Fathers
are conspicuous, and many other antiquated volumes in divinity.
" The Tales of a Traveller," by our countryman, occupied a niche,
and the other writings by the same author were probably mixed with
the multitude.
The most peculiar feature in the embellishments of Chatsworth is its
fountains ; and as it was the first thing of the kind I had ever seen, my
readers will permit me to enter somewhat into detail. It may be pre
mised, that the criticisms of Lord Kaimes had taught me long ago
theoretically, that such unnatural works as are here displayed, are in
bad taste ; and a practical illustration has fully satisfied me of the just
ness of his lordship's remarks.
The reservoir from which these fountains are supplied is on a moor,
a thousand feet above the level of the Derwent. It covers about fifty
acres to the depth of eight feet, and is collected from a number of
springs, at a heavy expense. The water is conveyed from the reser
voir to the river in aqueducts, affording an opportunity in its descent
for raising it to almost any height in jets d' eau and other fanciful
pieces. Half a mile in the rear of the hall, on the declivity of the
hill, is the principal fountain, called the Temple. It is a small build
ing fifteen or twenty feet high, supported by open pillars. On the
summit, Nilus and several river gods are seen, in a recumbent posture,
each of them holding an urn, from which the water pours when the
fountain plays. Below, in front, are two huge dragons, opposite each
other, who are made to vomit water instead of fire. There are also
half a dozen other grotesque pieces, unlike any thing in nature, from
which torrents proceed. A stop-cock, or gate-way, like those used
in the locks of canals, is turned, when the water mounts to the top of
the temple, and gushes from all the fantastic statues at once, uniting
in a mass, and concealing the building behind the sheet of foam.
In the interior, among the pillars, there is a great number of small
apertures, which are used for playing " tricks upon travellers," who

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are decoyed in to look at the work, when the fountain is suddenly put
in operation before they have time to escape. We received a fine
ducking ; but as the day was oppressively warm, a shower-bath was
not ungrateful. A dozen ladies are sometimes taken by surprise ;
and in the trepidation of the moment, often throw each other down,
and are nearly suffocated, besides being thoroughly drenched, before
they can retreat.
In front of the temple, is a most business-like sluice-way, compo
sed of hewn stone, descending by regular steps. Over this, the accu
mulated water pours with the regularity of a mill-race, till it arrives near
the hall, where it falls upon a bed of rocks and disappears. It is in
shocking taste. There is not a tree near the artificial channel, and a
hot sun pouring upon the bed, has produced a slime not less disagree
able to the smell than to the sight. It was gratifying to learn that the
Duke contemplates some improvements in this department of his plea
sure grounds.
Farther down the declivity, in a grove of oaks, is another section
of the fountain, as unnatural as the former. Here the water gushes
from the branches of a Weeping- willow, made of copper, and of course
resembling the withered shrub. It would be bad enough to see wa
ter-spouts issuing from a green tree ; but to make them emanate from
dry limbs, is quite intolerable. Here also is another decoy. The vi
sitant is conducted to a little fount, to feel if the water is as warm as the
spring at Buxton^ or in the Derwent, when the stop-cock is turned,
and streams burst from the green turf in all directions, entirely sur
rounding him, and leaving no retreat.
Below is an artificial lake, where the water-lily was in full bloom.
There is a jet d'eau in the centre, which throws the water to the height
of forty-five feet. It rushes out with such violence, as to produce a
crackling sound, like the rapid and successive discharges of musketry.
Between this place and the Derwent are two other large fountains,
with lakes covering an acre or two, on which the Duke sometimes
amuses himself with skating in the winter. One of the jets throws
the water ninety feet high, producing several beautiful rainbows in the
descent. There is here another group of grotesque images in bronze,
consisting of a Triton surrounded by four sea-horses, all of course
spouting torrents. These works were projected by a French artist,
and were executed at an immense expense. While contemplating
such a useless and tasteless expenditure, I could not but think, how
much better it would be to leave the brook to murmur down the land
scape, in the channel which God has made for it, than to mar the sim
plicity and beauty of nature by such whimsical distortions. If her
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works must be improved, let her own designs be adopted, as the most
perfect models.
The gardens at Chatsworth are not worth seeing ; and having com
pleted an examination of the Hall, we climbed a full mile up the hill,
to the Tower which stands upon the summit. • For a considerable
part of the way, the ascent is by flights of stone steps, rising at an
angle of at least forty-five degrees. It was indeed a toilsome passage,
in the heat of the day, and exposed to a fervid sun. The tower is of
stone, about 50 feet in height, and was built a thousand years ago, for
the accommodation of ladies in viewing the stag-hunt in the vale be
low. We ascended to its top, and had a very wide and charming
prospect of the vale of the Derwent, the high hills ofthe Peak, and the
moor to the east. A family lives in the tower. The lady informed
us, that in the winter, when the storms among the mountains of Der
byshire are tremendous, the castle, though founded upon a rock, is
shaken with the wind, and trembles as if ready to fall. A flag-staff
rises from the battlements, used for hoisting the red-cross of Saint
George, when the Duke i3 at the Hall. It was once struck by light
ning, and half consumed, without the knowledge of the family, al
though they were all at home.
At 5 o'clock in the afternoon we left Chatsworth in a post-chaise
for Castleton, distant fourteen miles. The ride for the greater part
of the way was uninteresting, after what had already been seen of
the hills of Derbyshire. On the right, we passed the village of Ey am,
situated among the rocks, and celebrated as the birth-place of Miss
Seward, as also by the residence of Cunningham, her friend, a poet of
some distinction, who, like Camoens, doubled the stormy Cape, and
tried his fortune in the East, in the capacity of chaplain. He expe
rienced as many misfortunes as his predecessor, and returned by land
to his native country.
At Stony-Middleton, we rode under a long range of lime-stone
cliffs, impending over the path in the narrow defile, which was filled to
suffocation with the smoke of the lime-kilns by the way side. One
of the highest rocks was pointed out to us, as " the Lover's Leap."
Places bearing this name are as plenty as blackberries in the Peak,
which has produced many Sapphos, if all the Leucadian rocks are
real. It is said the one under consideration derived its celebrity from
a romantic incident ; but the unfortunate lady, borne on the pinions
of love, cowered to the earth without essential injury.
Curiosity prompted us to visit a smelting furnace, by the side of the
road, where the lead ore of the Peak, chiefly in the galena form, is
run into metal. The workmen explained the whole process, and in-

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formed us of the extent of the manufactory, which belongs to a Mr.
Barker of Scotland. Ore is sometimes found in the Peak, containing
ninety per cent, of metal. The work is said to be productive and
profitable. There is nothing worthy of detail in the operation of
smelting. The flues of the furnaces are carried far up the hill, to
carry off the poisonous fumes of the lead.
We arrived at Castleton, near the extremity of the Peak, at about
7 o'clock in the evening. The peep into the vale, in which it stands,
from the brow of the high hill, down which the road descends, is novel
and beautiful. A perfectly smooth, green, and deep ravine, six or
eight miles long, and two wide, divided into small fields by hedge
rows, stretches a thousand feet beneath you. Several small villages,
with thatched roofs, and as many antique spires, contribute to the pic
turesque scene.
After tea, fatigued as we were with the visit to Haddon Hall and
Chatsworth, having been upon our feet the whole day, we walked to
" Peveril's Place in the Peake," over which the genius of Sir Walter
Scott has thrown a new charm. It is a most interesting ruin, and its
location contributes much to its effect, standing on an eminence several
hundred feet above the village, on which it looks down, like an eagle
from the crag. It is inaccessible on all sides, except the north, occu
pying a peak where the cliffs are perpendicular, and a tremendous
gulf yawns below. The Castle was built by William Peveril, suppo
sed to be the natural son of William the Conqueror. A tournament
once took place within the walls, at which princes and knights of lofty
bearing contended for the prize of beauty, who was a heroine and
would wed none but an accomplished warrior.
Our ascent was extremely wearisome, being up a steep and green
acclivity, without a path or foot hold. Fortunately the distance was
not great. All the materials for the Castle and the enclosure must
have been carried up this hill ; a work which seems impracticable
without artificial means, no traces of which remain. William of
Derby must also have led his troops up the steep, when he took the
Castle by storm. If it was as toilsome to them as to us, feeble indeed
must have been the garrison to yield to an assault. The visit, how
ever, richly rewarded the labour, of ascending. We reached the sum
mit just at sunset. The rampart, now in ruins, encloses an area of
an acre or more. A flock of sheep were grazing within the wall, or
lying upon the green sod. In a copse of thick wood, hanging upon
the verge of the cliffs, jack-daws in great numbers nestled among the
leaves, as they sought their homes for the night. The mingled notes
of the villagers — the low of cattle and the noisy mirth of children

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«¦ came softened from below," strongly reminding us of the beautiful
picture in Goldsmith's Deserted Village.
The Castle is about twenty feet square and thirty or forty in height.
It is fast going to decay. The steps have already fallen, so that there
is no means of ascending to the battlement. Green shrubs, springing
from the crevices in the interior, peep above the parapet ; and a kind
of dry mountain grass, growing upon the projections, covers a consi
derable part of the outside. A view of the grey ruin by twilight,
associated as it is with military events, feudal feats, and marvellous
traditions, was extremely interesting. Having completed the survey,
we seated ourselves upon a fragment of the wall, and waited nearly
an hour for the moon to rise. A pyramid of light was at length seen
upon the opposite hill, and the full orb, in all its glory, soon met our
view, although not till it had been two hours above the horizon. For
some time, the silver chariot of Dian, almost exemplifying the per
sonification ofthe ancient poets, appeared to roll along the mountain,
its height increasing nearly in proportion to her ascent towards the
zenith. Our visit was prolonged, till her beams threw our shadows
upon the Castle, when breaking a fragment from the rock, and culling
wild flowers blooming upon the ruin, as also sprigs of the ivy with
which it is mantled, we descended the hill .much more expeditiously
than it was climbed. To add to the romance of the evening, a call
was made at the village church, on our way to the hotel, where we
lingered for half an hour in looking through the Gothic windows, and
in reading inscriptions upon the tomb-stones by moonlight. Thus
ended the toils and the pleasures of an eventful day.
Before breakfast the next morning we were again upon the alert.
A guide conducted us to the Peak Cavern, the entrance of which is
at the base of the precipice, upon which the Castle stands, several
hundred feet above. The mouth of this cave is a stupendous arch,
the span of which is 120 feet, and its height about 70. It is a little
depressed in the centre, as if by the weight of the incumbent strata,
forming a perpendicular cliff of limestone 250 feet high. The length
of the first cavern is 180 feet. Its roof is fantastically hung with
stalactites, formed by the dripping of the water. A crystal stream,
sufficient to turn a mill, issues from its mouth. To add to the novel
and striking scenery, its entrance has been converted into a work
shop, for the manufacture of twine, and the voices of the workmen, in
calling to one another in the operation, send back unearthly sounds.
At the termination of the first cavern, our guide committed us to
the charge of his son, a lad of fourteen, and his little daughter, at the
age of eleven. This arrangement was not perfectly satisfactory, but

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was agreed to, rather than to retreat. Each of us took a lighted can
dle, and entering through a rude wooden gate, commenced our subter
ranean tour of observation. The first pause is at a point called the
bell-house, where there is an enlargement of the cave, and the roof as
sumes the shape of a bell. On leaving this place, the rock is so de
pressed, that the visitant is obliged to stoop to pass through. But
this is nothing to what follows. Proceeding another stage, we came
to a Stygian Lake, boat and all, except Charon, who was to be persona
ted by our elder guide, having every requisite qualification, saving age
and a grey beard. In his squalid garments, and his crazy, iron-colour
ed boat, he was not a whit behind the ferryman of Tartarus. The
vessel was oval, just long enough for a person to recline at full length,
and of sufficient breadth for two to lie abreast. It was filled witli
straw, to make an easy and clean bed. Onward was the word ; and
following the direction of our guide, we both embarked, lying upon our
backs, to enable us to pass beneath the roof, which descends close to
the water. The boy planted himself in the prow, and the little girl in
the stern ; and thus fitted out, we commenced a voyage over the Styx,
each holding his candle in his hand. Young Charon navigated with
out oars or setting-poles, pushing the'boat along by thrusting his hands
against the roof. The scene would have been ludicrous enough to a
spectator. Our lights " burned blue," and gave a ghastly complexion
to the countenance.
Debarking for the first time beyond the waters of the nether world,
we soon arrived at a spacious cavern 250 feet long, 200 wide, and 120
high. The rocks around are rugged, and the floor is covered with
loose fragments, broken from the walls and roof by some great con
vulsion of nature. On the right hand of the subterranean passage is
a lofty gallery, called the Throne of Pluto. His inexorable godship
was not seated on it ; though a more stately one, and surrounded with
more horrors, cannot well be imagined. Our junior guide, who re
sembled Hecate rather than Proserpine, with the candle in her hand,
and with the fleetness of the antelope, ascended the precipitous rocks
to the summit, and lighted up the gallery with a dozen tapers, pre
viously placed in the cliffs. Her ascent and descent ; the lights so far
above us ; the echoes of her footsteps ; and the sound of our own
voices, seemed more like enchantment than reality.
Passing " Roger Rain's house," so called from the constant per
colation of the water through the roof, we descended by a flight of
grotesque steps for the distance of 150 feet, into the " Devil's Cellar,"
beyond which is the half-way house — an abode as inhospitable, as the
leaky mansion that had just been left. Here the stream, which issues

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from the mouth of the cavern, becomes visible, babbling along the
rocks, and its murmur breaking the dreary silence of the chasm- Pro
ceeding beneath three bold and well turned arches, we came to a sta
tion called " Tom of Lincoln," and soon after reached the extremity
ofthe cave, at the distance of 2250 feet from its mouth.
It now remained to retrace our footsteps, pausing at every turn, to
examine the structure of the rocks, and the stalactites pendent from
the roof. The formation is of limestone, with intermixtures of exuviae,
several specimens of which were brought away with us. It is a damp,
gloomy, and unhealthy region. Our breaths were visible, as in a
cold, frosty morning ; and my friend complained of a slight affection
in his respiration, which was not experienced by myself. A safe voy
age across the lake, and the return to a region of light, afforded us
not less pleasure than the novelties of this Cimmerian realm. On
emerging from the cave, the first glance at the green valley and slo
ping hills, illuminated by a bright morning sun, was brilliant beyond
description. The" excursion occupied something more than an hour,
and gave us a fine appetite for breakfast.
Our next pedestrian tour of observation was of a very different de
scription, leading us as high above the earth, as we had just descend
ed into its depths. It was a walk to Mam Tor, or the Shivering
Mountain, so named from the masses of rock, which are decomposed
by the frost and the influence of the atmosphere, and slide into the
vale below. The noise is said to be sometimes tremendous. It is a
hill of shale, and readily crumbles on being touched. The report,
that the size of the mountain is not diminished, nor the quantity of the
fragments increased, by the masses constantly sliding down, is a mere
superstition, arising probably from an optical deception, as it respects
the dimensions of the hill.
Its height is about 1500 feet, with a naked face or cliff, nearly per
pendicular. We climbed to its top, and had a fine view of the quiet
Vale of Hope, on the other side ; ofthe whole region about Castle
ton ; and ofthe distant mountains of Wales. The ascent was extreme
ly arduous, being in some places so steep as to compel us to crawl on
our hands and knees, holding on by the long grass. In this excursion,
the Odin Lead Mine, which has been wrought for many centuries, and
takes its name from the principal divinity of Scandinavia, was examin
ed ; its shaft penetrated to some distance ; and specimens of the ore
obtained. Our return to the hotel was through the deep pass of cas
tellated cliffs, called the Winnats, Windgates, or in the poetical lan
guage of the Peak, " the Portals of the "Wind," so denominated
from the strong current of air constantly setting through the defile.

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LETTER IX.
HIDE TO SHEFFIELD — SKETCH OF THE TOWN — ROUTE TO LONDON-
ENTRANCE INTO THE METROPOLIS. July — August, 1825.
On the afternoon of the 29th we continued our ride to Sheffield, a dis
tance of fourteen miles. The day was intensely warm, the thermo
meter standing at about 90 degrees ; and the coach was constantly
enveloped in a cloud of dust. Humid as the climate generally is,
there has been but one rainy day since our landing at the Old Head
of Kinsale, and that was not so severe as to incommode us or im
pede our progress.
After passing through the villages of Hope and Brough, we climbed
a ridge of hills at an elevation of twelve or fourteen hundred feet above
the Vale of the Derwent, and crossed Hathersage Moor, an extensive
barren, rendered more dreary in its aspect by the numerous coal-shafts
lining the road. Among the passengers- were three Germans, and a
Frenchman, whose vivacity did not desert him even upon this waste.
He was a botanist, and amused himself, as well as some of his fellow
travellers, with his collections and disquisitions. He told a talkative
Yorkshire girl in the coach, who said she had been to the wake, that
he was gathering all these herbs to make tea of, and was now laying
in a stock for the winter. The suburbs of Sheffield are highly cultiva
ted, neat and beautiful. Several miles before reaching the town, a vo-
lume of dense, black smoke indicated our approach. We arrived at
7 in the evening, and driving through some of the principal streets,-
found but indifferent accommodations at the King's Head.
Sheffield is a plain manufacturing town, with nothing very attractive
to a stranger, except its proverbial skill in cutlery. Its houses are of
brick, neatly built, and the bustle of its streets shows it to be a place
of much business. It has a population of about 80,000, and is said to
be rapidly increasing. The river Dunn passes through it, and one or
two canals connect it with other parts of the kingdom. Its churches
and public buildings are commodious, but present nothing peculiar or
striking. St. Peter's is a large and ancient structure, with an enclosure
of several acres, entirely paved and re-paved with tomb-stones. On the
wall is a bust, which is the first specimen of Chantrey's skill. In the
chancel, the Earl of Shrewsbury and his two wives, on each side of him,
sleep in marble, bearing an inscription of 1 538 . Near by, in full armour.
lies Gilbert Talbot, another Earl of Shrewsbury, celebrated for having had

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charge of Mary Queen of Scots during her imprisonment at this place.
The castle in which she was confined, as also Cardinal Woolsey, has
been entirely demolished, and a new building erected on its site. On
- entering this church, we met a blooming and no doubt happy couple,
who had just been bending at the altar of Hymen, and came out smi
ling. Had our visit been a moment sooner, the nuptials would have
1 been witnessed. An undertaker was at the same time busy in burying
a corpse near the church door.
A gentleman who came passenger with us in the Corinthian, and
who is a native of Sheffield, extensively engaged in business, and ac
quainted with most of the manufacturers, afforded us great facilities
in accomplishing the principal object of our visit to this place — an ex
amination of the workshops and of that mechanical skill, which has
given to it so much celebrity. He politely devoted nearly two whole
days to us, and conducted us to manufactories of all descriptions.
The proprietors were perfectly courteous and obliging, taking us to
every part of their establishments, and pointing out the various opera
tions, without the slightest reserve. Such liberality and kindness gave
us a very favourable opinion of the inhabitants.
Our first visit was to the extensive establishment of Messrs. Shep
herd &, Marsh, who are largely concerned in the manufacture of table
knives, pen knives, and other species of cutlery. Every process, how
ever minute, from the forging of the blade to the last polish of the
handle, was pointed out. The labour is greatly abridged and expe
dited by the use of moulds, frequently giving shape at a single stroke
of the hammer. One of the most curious operations is the prepara
tion of the horn for handles. It is softened by the combined influence
of fire and water, and then pressed into form by hot iron plates, the
material coming out ofthe mould highly polished.
We next went to the razor manufactory of Mr. Barber, whose wares
are known the world over, and have become so celebrated, as to in
duce others to counterfeit his stamp. He informed me, that he had
just sent £10 to the United States, to be expended in advertisements
and in cautioning the public against these frauds, as the sale of goods
under his name not only curtails his business, but ^injures his reputa
tion, by imputing to him the manufacture of razors, which like Peter
Pindar's " were made to sell." Mr. Barber took us to every part of
his manufactory, and initiated us into the mystery of his art. His ra
zors all pass through his own hands, before they receive his mark.
About two hundred dozen are manufactured in a week, and despatch
ed to every part of the globe. We saw a parcel finished in elegant
style, with the names of some of our most distinguished citizens stamp-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 97
ed upon the handles, made to the order of a firm of hardware mer
chants at Albany.
Our next call was at the splendid establishment of Rogers & Sons,
whose wares are as well known in the United States, as in this coun
try. One of the firm resided for several years in New- York. The
show-room of their manufactory is brilliant. All their articles are
highly burnished, kept perfectly clean, and arranged so as to produce
the finest effect. Here is to be seen a knife with 1821 blades, the
number corresponding with the year in which it was manufactured.
These gentlemen are " cutlers to his Majesty," the appointment to the
office being framed and suspended from the wall. It has been of great
service to them. An unfair use has also been made of their brand,
and one or two prosecutions are now pending. An anecdote was re
lated, which proves that the Yankees are not the only people in the
world, who are up to tricks. There is another manufacturer in Shef
field whose name is Rogers, and who of course has a right to put it
upon his knives, as well as to use the royal stamp. The deception is
complete, though practised with impunity. This man finds business
enough in supplying the competitors ofthe celebrated firm of Rogers,
and the articles pass currently under their name. They endeavoured
to employ the man in their establishment ; but others bid higher.
One of the company conducted us through the workshops, in which
about three hundred men are employed in the manufacture of knives
of all kinds, razors, scissors, and indeed every description of cutlery.
A foreman superintends the whole. He gives out all the work, and
every article is inspected by him before it goes to the market. The
departments of the workmen are all distinct. One man makes blades,
another springs, a third rivets, and so on to the end of the chapter.
Females and boys are chiefly employed in burnishing and putting up
the articles. In one of the shops, we saw a mechanic handling a
great quantity of small coins, as pence and half-pence. On leaving-the
room, Mr. Rogers informed us, that this was one of his workmen, who
acts as treasurer of the mechanics. They contribute a few pence a
week from their earnings, to a general fund, designed for their sup
port, in case they choose to enter into combinations and turn out for
higher wages. There is of course no means of prohibiting these pre
paratory steps.
The day was wholly employed in hurrying from shop to shop ; and
as the weather continued oppressively warm, our perambulations were
fatiguing in the extreme. Toil, however, was amply remunerated in
an increased knowledge of various arts. The conversion of iron into
steel, and the process of refining the latter to its utmost state of purity
vol. I. 13

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were among the most interesting. It is effected by raising the metal
to a high temperature and imparting to it a portion of carbon. A
month is required in the metamorphosis.
The manufacture of saws is curious. A plate is first roiled, and
then trimmed into shape with shears. The teeth are cut with a die,
moved by a screw. A boy will perform the operation in a few minutes.
Files and rasps are raised with a chisel, while the metal is yet soft.
It is afterwards tempered. This is done in the manufacture of all
cutlery. We were not a little surprised to find females employed in
making screws, although the mechanical labour is severe. Grinding
and polishing upon so large a scale as is here carried on, is a novelty.
The stones are all turned by steam, and the intermitting screams, is
suing from a circle of fire, constituted a species of music' not the most
grateful to the ear.
The manufacture of tea-pots and other plated ware afforded us much
amusement. It was traced through every stage, from the rough in
gots, as they come from the mines of Cornwall, till the vessel is fit for
use. The plate, after being rolled into sheets, is beaten into form by
a large drop die, similar to the instrument used in driving piles. Next
comes the process of soldering the parts together ; then that of putting
on the japanned beachen handles ; and lastly the burnishing. In plated
ware, a stratum of silver is laid upon a still thicker one of copper, and
heated till they adhere ? then rolled into plate.
But I am afraid of making too long a story out of our visit to Shef
field, although these workshops are not unimportant in a national point
of view, being another of the great sources, whence England derives
her wealth. I will therefore turn for a moment to a subject, which
may be more interesting to a portion of my readers, as it certainly was
to us. It is however one of some delicacy ; and a doubt has been en
tertained, whether under existing circumstances, it ought to be public
ly mentioned.
Finding ourselves rather unexpectedly at Sheffield, without letters
of introduction, and having a strong desire to see the author of " the
Wanderer of Switzerland," " the West-Indies," and many other ad
mired poems, I addressed a note to him, enclosing my card, making
known our wishes, and requesting the favour of an interview. It was
a novel experiment, partaking more ofthe spirit of adventure, than of
either etiquette or politeness. Some slight apology might be found in
a kindred profession, and in the expectation that the interview might
take place at the office ofthe Iris, of which he is editor.*

* He has since retired from the establishment of the In>

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 99
In a few minutes a note was returned, saying that the gentleman al
luded to would be happy to see us at any time between 5 and 7 o'clock
on that evening. At 6 o'clock, thinking a medium the safest, we
called at the number designated in the note, and were shown into a
small, neat sitting-room, in which a table was set for tea. In a few
minutes, the poet made his appearance, and we went through the awk
ward ceremony of a self-introduction, which his politeness, however,
rendered as little embarrassing as possible.
We soon took seats at the tea-table, and his affability, as well as
that of the lady with whom he lives, and who has relations in the circle
of my friends in the United States, made us forget, that we were stran
gers, and in some ¦ degree removed the restraint of unintentionally
throwing ourselves upon his hospitality. The conversation turned up
on a great variety of topics, literary, local, and general ; and one of
the happiest hours of my life passed in the society of a poet, with
whose works I had long been familiar, and from which I could have
repeated to him a hundred favourite passages.
In his manners, the author manifests all that mildness, amiable sim
plicity, and kindness of heart, so conspicuous in his writings. His
flow of conversation is copious, easy, and perfectly free from affecta
tion. His sentiments and opinions on all subjects of remark were ex
pressed with decision and frankness, but at the same time with a be
coming modesty. His language is polished and select, betraying oc
casionally the elevation of poetry, but exempt from any appearance
of pedantry. While the merits of all his cotemporaries were freely
discussed, and the meed of discriminating praise liberally awarded to
each, npt the slightest allusion was made to his own productions, al
though they are quite as much read in our country as those of any
other living poet. It would have been a breach of politeness in me,
to have told him how many generous sentiments he has instilled, and
how many hearts he has made better, beyond the Atlantic.
I was much amused with a little incident, that occurred while we
were at tea. A kitten kept purring and mewing about him, and
would often leap up into his lap, as if it claimed a familiar acquaint
ance, and had been accustomed to receive its daily portion at his
hands. He seemed slightly annoyed, and endeavoured secretly to
silence the importunities of the little animal for its tea. This scene,
trifling as it was, at once suggested to my mind the gentle virtues and
domestic habits of the amiable Cowper.
The poet is now at the age of forty-seven. In his person, he "is
slender and delicate, rather below the common size. His complexion
is light, with a Roman nose, high forehead, slightly bald, and a clear

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eye, not unfrequentlydowncast, betraying a moderate degree of diffi
dence. The contour of his face is not unlike that of Mr. Lloyd,
Senator in Congress, from Massachusetts, and there is also a resem
blance in their persons. The events in his life are too well known in
our country, to need repetition. Both his parents died as missionaries
in the West Indies, and to that misfortune, we are probably indebted
for one of his finest poems. He appears to be universally respected
and beloved in the place of his residence. But I have perhaps already
said more than the delicacy of such a subject can justify, and will
therefore only add, that at 8 o'clock he very cordially took our hands
and wished us a pleasant tour.
We left Sheffield at an early hour, on the 2d of August, and reach
ed London on the following morning at 8 o'clock. The distance is
165 miles, and the road excellent, being the great route from York
shire to the metropolis. It stretches through the counties of Derby,
Nottingham, Leicester, Northampton, Bedford, and Middlesex, afford
ing us a general view of some of the principal agricultural districts in
England. Circumstances rendered it necessary to perform this jour
ney with all convenient despatch ; and as we subsequently visited
most of the places on the route in a more leisurely manner, my re
marks at present, to save repetition, will be circumscribed and as con
cise as possible.
It was a day of alternate storm and sunshine ; and we dashed suc
cessively through showers of rain and clouds of dust, till the garments
of some of the passengers exhibited as many layers, as the geological
strata of our Derbyshire antiquary. The top of a coach during a
squall, would form an admirable subject for the pencil of a Wilkie or
a Teniers ; and Mathews might here find as much matter of amuse
ment, as in a French Diligence. One person after another rises, as
he begins to feel the water trickle about him, till they are at length all
standing up, holding on as they may. Perhaps an umbrella is raiser!,
when the drippings from its eaves pour into the next man's neck.
Finding all expedients fail, they at last resign themselves to " the pelt-
ings of the pitiless storm." The slight misfortunes of one of our
party, were truly ludicrous. He took his place in the interior, for the
sake of keeping dry ; but a gleam of sunshine and the charms of the
country soon allured him to the outside. Scarcely had he taken his
scat on the top, when the skies dropped their floods so suddenly, that
he had not time to descend, till he was thoroughly drenched, thus
losing the benefit of all his precaution, besides paying double fare.
It was believed that my previous sketches had exhausted " the seven
wonders of Derbyshire;" but the famous steeple at Chesterfield,

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though last, is not least among the number. It is 230 feet in height,
and produces the most perfect optical deception I have ever witnessed.
The coach in entering and leaving the town, nearly encircled the
church ; and from whatever point the spire was surveyed, it appeared
to lean and form the segment of a circle to such a degree, that one
would scarcely believe it could stand upon its base. It is constructed
of blocks of stone, laid in such a manner as to render it both deeply
fluted and spiral, which in some way, not very easily explained, causes
the deception. This curiosity is more of a philosophical puzzle, than
the Leaning Tower at Pisa, in as much as the latter inclines in only
one direction, whereas the former seems nodding to its fall towards all
points of the compass.
Soon after passing Mansfield, a considerable town neatly built of
stone, we entered Nottingham Forest, an extensive and desolate moor
resembling those already described. A part of it has been reclaimed,
and planted with firs, which have now attained to a heavy growth. In
the depth of the wilderness, one of the passengers pointed out the
spot, where lately stood a gibbet, on which some descendant perhaps
of Robin Hood or Little John, was crucified for a robbery and mur
der committed in the Forest some years since. A curious pebble
denominated blue-stone, so compact as to resemble a metal, and much
used in burnishing the wares of Sheffield, is found upon this barren
tract. It is extremely valuable, being almost as highly prized by the
manufacturer as is the diamond. A female whom we saw employed
in polishing snuffer-trays, said the one she was using could not be pur
chased for less than £5 sterling.
The entrance into Nottingham, a large and comparatively new town
in its aspect, is singularly novel and grotesque. Every height is co
vered with wind-mills, and the knight of La Mancha would here have
found a formidable host of antagonists. Scores of them are drawn
up in battle array, swinging their giant arms in the air, and furnishing
the Don some grounds of apology for his hallucinations. At Nottingham
we paused only long enough to dine, and at Leicester, to take tea. No
tices of both of these places will be found in some of my future let
ters. In passing out of the former, we crossed the Trent, one of the
largest and finest rivers in England, over which is a handsome bridge,
supported on numerous stone arches. From the summit of a hill in
the vicinity, there is a wide and charming view of the town, with its
ancient castle, and beautiful environs. The scenery is more variega
ted and picturesque, than any that was observed on this route. A
whole horizon, many miles in diameter, is commanded from the emi
nence.

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The ordinary constituents of an English landscape, may be given
in few words. An undulating and smooth surface is divided into
N small fields by hedge-rows, which at this season are clothed in ver
dure, and blooming with flowers. Woodlands in their wild and na
tural state are seldom to be found. Forest trees of moderate size
are sometimes disposed in copses, but more frequently scattered over
extensive tracts, studding with emerald the yellow harvests, or shading
iuxuriant pastures. To these general features are to be added the
appendages of winding streams, rustic bridges, villages with their
tapering spires, farm-houses and cottages proverbial for their neatness,
and the whole enlivened by a due proportion of animated nature. The
scenery will bear the most rigid analysis ; for its elements are intrin
sically rich — a fertile soil, pure waters, exuberant vegetation, foliage
of the deepest green, exact tillage, and taste blended with rural eco
nomy. 'Even a hasty glance obtained during this long ride through
the interior of England satisfied me, that it is indeed a beautiful coun
try, in which the bounties of nature have been improved to the utmost
extent by the hand of art. The season has been propitious, and the
agricultural districts were probably seen under very favourable circum
stances. Crops of grass and grain of all descriptions, are said to be
unusually abundant. The peasantry were just in the midst of the
harvest. Females were observed in the field, using the sickle and
other rural implements, with as much dexterity as the men.
At evening the rain ceased, and the skies cleared. Twilight and
the wasted form of the harvest-moon threw a new charm over the
landscape, rendered fresher and greener, and more fragrant by the
showers of the day. Such rural wealth and splendour appeared wor
thy of all the panegyrics, which have been lavished by the muse of
Thompson, Goldsmith, and a thousand other poets. Our journey was
continued all night. Just at daylight, we passed Wooburn Abbey,
the splendid seat ofthe Duke of Bedford ; and by 7 o'clock, we were
in the suburbs of London. The fatigues of the ride, and a loss of
sleep, did not leave my mind in a fit condition for experiencing any
very strong emotions, as the domes and spires of the metropolis were
first beheld at a distance, rising amidst clouds of smoke. At all
events, my impressions ofthe scene are not ofthe strongest and most
vivid kind. Our entrance was by Halloway, Islington, and the Gos-
well road. A magnificent arch spans the way, and the view through
it towards the capital is certainly sublime. The ingress and egress
through this avenue is astonishing. It is constantly thronged with
vehicles of all descriptions. We met not less than half a dozen

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 103
stage-coaches, starting at nearly the same hour for Birmingham alone,
each carrying fifteen or twenty passengers.
On the left of the road near the arch, the Whittington Hospital was
pointed out to us. It is a neat Gothic building, with a centre and two
wings, crowned with pinnacles. It was built with funds left by the
celebrated lord Mayor of London, whose name it bears. The very
stone on which the fortunate adventurer sat, was designated. But I
must not begin my description of the metropolis so far back as the
story of" Whittington and his cat."
Our debut was not in the most imposing and courtly style. The
coach, threading one dark and dirty street after another, drove to the
Angel Inn, which has nothing angelic about it but its name. Here
we were set down, amidst a multitude of a million and a half, like
drops of water falling into the ocean and lost in the common mass.
Finding ourselves not in a condition to make calls, or seek for a bet
ter hotel, we made a temporary pause at the Angel. The chamber
maid conducted us to apartments, which she pronounced to be excel
lent, but which appeared to have been finished and furnished before
the time of the Gunpowder Plot. Our only consolation was, that
Goldsmith, Johnson, or Garrick, driven by the necessities of an ex
hausted purse, had shaved perhaps before the same antique glass,
(which by dint of its ridges was a fine multiplier,) or had taken a
chop from the same table, at which we were seated. There was
nothing in the appearance of the furniture to render such a supposition
at all improbable. Having taken a hot roll in almost as humble style,
as did Dr. Franklin at his entrance into his adopted city, we hastened
to Mr. Miller's, the rendezvous of all Americans. He recommended
us to a boarding-house, in a central part of the city, where we found
good accommodations and an agreeable circle of our countrymen.

104 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER X.
London — st. Paul's — the Thames — bridges — shipping — docks —
deptford  greenwich hospital — tunnel of the thames —
the tower.
August, 1825.
It was our wish as soon as practicable, to obtain a bird's-eye view
of London, and an early visit was therefore paid to St. Paul's Church,
occupying an elevated position in the heart of the city, and rising to
the height of about four hundred feet from its basement. This gigan
tic and noble structure stands upon Ludgate-Hill, on the northern bank
of the Thames, at a little distance from the water, upon the site of an
ancient church, which was burned in the general conflagration of
1666. Nine years afterwards, the present edifice was begun by the
celebrated architect Sir Christopher Wren, who lived to complete it,
with the aid of one master-mason, in thirty-five years after its founda
tion was laid. A curious, though perhaps fabulous anecdote is rela
ted, respecting its commencement. Sir Christopher directed a labour
er to bring a stone, to be planted as a landmark under the centre of
the dome, and on the ruin of the old church. The workman accidentally
brought a small fragment of a tomb-stone, upon which was the word
" resurgam" — I shall rise again — being a part of an ancient inscrip
tion. It was applied to the resurrection of the building as well as of
the body, and was accounted a good omen, cheering the zealous ar
chitect in his labours.
The modern edifice is of Portland stone, which has been discolour
ed by the influence of the weather, according as its several parts are
more or less exposed. Portions of it retain the original hue ofthe ma
terial, while others are rendered grey and black, by the storms which
have beaten against it for more than a century. At a little distance,
the exterior assumes the aspect of well defined lights and shades in a
picture. Unlike most other churches in the kingdom, St. Paul's is
built in the Grecian style of architecture, embracing several orders,
and fashioned after the purest models. Its situation, however, con
veys an impression that its dome is much too large for the body. It is
entirely surrounded by high brick-buildings, rising nearly to the eleva
tion of its walls, and obstructing the view at all points, except the
opening of streets, converging and meeting at the yard. The dome is
a prominent object, seen from nearly every part of the city and its sub
urbs, while the structure upon which it stands is entirely concealed.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 10.5
The best coup d' mil is from Ludgate-street, presenting a view of the
two towers, upon the western end, a part of the cupola, and the ma
jestic porch forming the principal entrance, together with the colossal
figures of apostles, saints, and kings, which crown the summit of the
edifice. It is built in the form of- a cross, five hundred feet from east
to west, and two hundred and eighty-five feet in the widest part, tech
nically denominated the transept. The whole covers an area of more
than two acres.
Having paid our fee of admission at the north door, we commenced
an examination of the interior, which occupied several hours. A de
scription in detail would swell to a volume, and be too heavy a draught
upon the patience of my readers. Some half a dozen guides in suc
cession conducted us to every part of the building. In the south
western turret is a spiral flight of steps, mounting to the height of
about seventy feet, denominated " the geometrical stair-case," for
what reason our guide could not explain. It was pronounced to be the
greatest work of the kind in Europe. In the opposite turret is the
belfry. The machinery of the clock and bell is on a scale commen
surate with the gigantic proportions of the edifice. There is in the
hall a model of the minute hand of the clock, which measures eight
or nine feet in length, and moves round a circumference of fifty-seven
feet. The ponderous wheels and hammers resemble the engine of a
steam-boat, and the tower trembles with the jarring sound of the bell,
which weighs upwards of half a ton, and may be heard twenty miles.
In the south side of the second story, there is a spacious apartment
appropriated to the library for the use of the clergy officiating in the
Cathedral. It contains a large collection of books, with some valua
ble manuscripts, the rarest of which were shewn to us. The floor is
a curiosity. It is of British oak, laid in small pannels, like a mosaic
pavement, and composed of almost innumerable pieces. On the op
posite side is another spacious room, containing a model of a church
resembling St. Paul's, except that it has but one turret at the end. It
was built by Sir Christopher Wren, and is said to have been his favour
ite plan, which was overruled by the opinions of others, or modified by
circumstances. There are some other architectural designs of his in
the apartment ; as also the funeral decorations, used in the interment
of Lord Nelson.
At the base of the dome is " the whispering gallery," with a mas
sive iron-railing, and walk leading quite round it. The view both
above and below is extremely grand. Stationing himself on the side
opposite to us, at the distance of something more than a hundred feet,
the guide gave, in whispers distinctly heard, an explanation of the lofty
vol. i. 14

106 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
painted ceiling, which resembles that at Chatsworth, and is liable to
the same objections. It is covered with splendid allegories, which
none but the artist himself would probably be able to understand. It
was executed by Sir James Thornhill, who lay the greater part of his
.life upon his back, in touching off these gorgeous ornaments. A story
is told of his miraculous escape, while employed upon this work. On
completing the image of one of his saints, he heedlessly retreated to
the very verge of the scaffolding, to observe the effect ofthe picture. A
friend, who was with him, perceiving his imminent danger, seized the
brush and daubed the image, whereupon the artist rushed forward in a
fit of passion, to demand the reason of such conduct, and was there
by rescued from danger. These circumstances are too complex to be
credible. Around the dome, at the base of the cupola, on the outside, there
is a walk guarded by an iron-railing, the bars of which are nearly cor
roded asunder by rust. The immense panorama of London and its
environs, stretching on all sides below, as far as the eye can reach,
was grand and interesting beyond description. Objects so far beneath
our feet were reduced to a diminutive size ; and the belles and beaux
looked like puppets, hurrying along the side-walks. The city inclu
ding its suburbs, is about thirty miles in circumference, over the whole
of which, together with much of the circumjacent country, our hori
zon extended. A more favourable day could not have been selected.
The morning had been showery and the rain, once compelled us to
retreat after walking two miles ; but at noon the sky cleared, and the
atmosphere was purified of smoke, except at intervals, when clouds of
it were rapidly driven by the wind across the town, for a moment in
tercepting the prospect.
Nearly all the roofs of the buildings of London are covered with red
tiles, with earthen pipes to the chimneys of the same colour. The
whole area of the city, from such a height, seemed composed of this
novel ground-work, except where the streets, in the direction of the
eye, extended like ravines, or green parks occasionally broke the uni
formity and gave relief to the view. Through the heart of the town,
for the whole distance, winds " the silver Thames," covered with
boats and vessels of all descriptions, and its six bridges between Vaux-
hall and Deptford full in sight. Uninteresting as its banks are render
ed by unbroken ranges of brick walls, the river adds much to the pic
ture. In the distance, a green border, rich in rural scenery, stretches
round the whole horizon. This little circle, visible from the top of St.
Paul's, and not exceeding ten or fifteen miles in diameter, embraces a

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 107
population of about two millions — one-fourth greater than that of the
state of New-York.
Beyond this stage in the ascent our guide did notaccompany us ;
but pointed out the way, and gave us leave to climb to the top for
another shilling. The visitant should rather be paid, than pay, for*
climbing up the remaining seventy feet on perpendicular ladders, since
there is nothing to reward his toil, save an occasional peep from the
dizzy eminence. We however had the curiosity to ascend, and seated
ourselves in the brass ball, at the foot of the cross, Which is sufficient
ly capacious to hold half a dozen persons. Only three of the niches
were occupied on this occasion. Although the day below was com
paratively tranquil, the wind roared round the turret, with a dull, hol
low sound, like that of a furnace. In a violent storm, the peels of
thunder and the beating of the tempest against- the dome must be
grand and terrific.
On descending from the aerial height, another guide conducted us
into the vaults of the church, where in darkness and in silence sleep
the ashes of the honourable dead. Though the sun was bright above,
a more than twilight dimness reigned below ; and the portress lighted
her lamp at the iron gate, to direct our footsteps among the tombs,
and to enable us to read the inscriptions upon the monuments. The
sickly rays of the taper, occasionally throwing spectres upon the wall
and ceiling, as we groped our way beneath subterranean arches, and
the sepulchral echoes of our voices, added to the gloom of the ce
metery. Under the centre of the dome of St. Paul's is the tomb of
Nelson. The pavement ofthe church was taken up to make room for
the coffin to descend. A circular iron grate, two or three feet in dia
meter, admits a feeble light from above, and affords a glimpse of the
stupendous dome. The hero reposes beneath a noble canopy, and the
simplicity of the monument over his body is in perfect contrast to the
allegorical and complex decorations in other places. On one side of
the sable pedestal of his vault, is inscribed " Horatio Viscount Nelson."
The black marble sarcophagus, surmounted with a cushion and coro
net, was designed by Cardinal Woolsey for his own interment at Wind
sor ; but a sudden change of fortune and his fall from greatness de
prived him of anticipated honours.
In the southern aisle of the Crypt, under a half window in the base
ment, sleeps the dust of Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of the
building ; and near him were interred, beneath the pavement, the re
mains of Sir Joshua Reynolds, Barry, Opie, and our countryman West
— all eminent artists. Plain slabs and equally plain inscriptions de
signate their tombs. The epitaph ofthe last mentioned is as follows :

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— " Here lie the remains of Benjamin West, Esq. President of the
Royal Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture. He was
born at Springfield, in Chester county, in the state of Pennsylvania, in
America, the 10th of October, 1738, and died at London the 11th of
March, 1820." I find no other monument to his memory in the me
tropolis ; but perhaps this is sufficient for an artist who will live in the
splendid memorials of his own genius. To others, less distinguished,
the breathing marble and pompous epitaph may be more necessary, to
tell who they are and what they have done.
On our return from the Vaults, an hour was passed in examining the
monuments on the walls, in the body of the church. They are nume
rous, and some of them splendid, displaying generally more taste than
those in Westminster Abbey. Most of them were executed by West-
macott, Bacon, Flaxman, and Chantrey. The general fault is a want
of simplicity in the design, and a profusion of ornament, with a long
story for an epitaph, which no one would have the patience to read.
Of the number most interesting to us, were those in memory of Dr.
Johnson, Sir William Jones, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Howard the philan
thropist, Lord Nelson, and Sir John Moore. These are men whom
the world knows — an advantage which some of those, whose names
are here enrolled, do not enjoy. Packenham died gallantly, and per
haps deserved his marble, though unfortunate in a bad cause ; but what
did either Cornwallis or Ross ever do to merit a public monument ?
There are others, whose claims upon posterity .are still more equivo
cal ; while hundreds, whom genius distinguished and the muses loved,
sleep neglected.
Having obtained some knowledge of the outlines of London and
the bearing of the most prominent objects, we next commenced a tour
of observation more in detail. For this purpose, the Thames was na
vigated in an open row-boat, from Vauxhall to Greenwich, a distance
of seven or eight miles, and whatever was most worthy of attention
upon the river and its banks examined. The river itself, in point of
magnitude and beauty, little deserves the splendid epithets which Pope
bestowed upon it, or the apotheosis with which Sir James Thornhill
has honoured it, in his fresco ceilings. In its best estate at flood tide,
" without o'erflowing, full," it is a narrow, turbid stream in compa
rison with the Hudson and other American rive»e. When the tide,
which rises about ten feet, is down, the immediate shores at this sea
son are intolerably dirty, furnishing at every step an arena of mud,
where the heroes of Grub-street and the Dunciad might apparently
dive, without ever returning to the upper air for the awards of Dul-
ness. But notwithstanding all these deductions, the Thames posses-

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ses the beauty of utility, and is every thing to London. It is the great
channel, which conveys hfe and aliment to the heart of the metropolis,
keeping up an active circulation in the body politic, and preserving it
from utter stagnation. On the bosom of this little river, contemptible
as its watefrs may at first sight appear, rides no inconsiderable propor
tion of the wealth and commerce of the world — certainly enough to
give support to a million and a half of people ; and in this ppint of
view, it is worthy of all the encomiums which it has received.
Our descent from Vauxhall to Greenwich led us under the six
bridges across the Thames, within the limits of the city, viz': Vaux
hall, Westminister, Waterloo, Blackfriars, South wark, and London.
These are all stately structures, with bold stone arches, and present a
pretty view from the water, crowded as they constantly are with car
riages, horses, and foot passengers. The finest of them is the Water
loo-, leading from Wellington-place to the Surry side. Its arches are
majestic, but the curve appeared to me a little too flat to form a per
fect line of beauty. The Southwark is of cast iron. On one of its
piers the word " Trinity" is inscribed, probably significant of its triple
arches, which are bold and grand, though inferior in all respects to the
one over the Dee at Eaton Hall. London Bridge, the last on the
Thames, has nineteen stone arches. The numerous piers so much
obstruct the river, as to produce a rapid current, and cause the water
to break at flood and ebb tides. Our little skiff hurried on and danc
ed merrily through the foam ; and on her return she was compelled to
wait an hour for the tide. London Bridge is going to decay, and a
new one is now in progress, a few rods above.
Near this point, upon the left bank of the river, is the noted rendez
vous of fishermen and fishwomen, called Billingsgate, a visit to which
is reserved till cooler weather. Here also commences the place deno
minated Wapping, to which ships of any burden ascend. The river
was covered with vessels of every description, most of which were ill-
shapen and clumsy craft engaged in the coal trade ; fishing smacks ;
Dutch galliots, lighters, and mud-boats. The shipping which we saw
both on the river and in the docks will bear no comparison with that
of Liverpool or New-York. Hundreds of colliers were employed in
unlading their cargoes ; and as the heavy masses of coal were shot
from the deck of the vessel into the lighter, the sound resembled dis
tant peals of thunder. The similarity struck us the more forcibly, as a
sudden and heavy shower compelled us to make a port in the course
of our short voyage. This is but one of a hundred instances we have
witnessed, to show the fickleness of a London climate. It appears to
rain with a peculiar ease. The skies, as if incapable, of retaining

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. moisture, let drop a light shower almost every hour in the day. A
perfectly clear and bright morning has frequently seduced us abroad,
and before walking a mile, a severe rain has driven us back, or com
pelled us to seek shelter. In ten minutes perhaps the rain would be
over, and the heavens cloudless.
On our way to Greenwich, we visited the Docks, which are on the
left bank of the Thames. They are constructed and entered in the
same manner as those at Liverpool, but are less grand, as well as less
expensive, since the tide does not rise to more than one third of the
height. The India Docks belong exclusively to the East India Com
pany, and form but a small item of the immense property owned by
that association, both at home and abroad. It is the most extensive
and most formidable monopoly in the world, controlling not only the
civil and military movements in the East, but the state of the markets,
and many of the operations of the British government. The result is
an important problem yet to be solved.
Deptford, on the right bank of the river, is well known as a great
rendezvous for ships of war. A large number of small vessels were
lying in port, under cover. On the shore, between high and low wa
ter mark, stood a most curious, black, clumsy looking hull, square at
the bow and stern, with a high, straight deck, which was pointed out
by the waterman, as the vessel in which captain Cook circumnaviga
ted the globe. It is without masts, and its form more nearly resem
bles a chapel than a ship. Our curiosity was somewhat allayed by
the fact, that every part of it has been changed some half a dozen
times since the days of the bold adventurer, and the question of its
identity might form a subject for the metaphysical acuteness of a Locke
or a Stewart. As the ingredient of consciousness is wanting, it
would probably be difficult to prove it to be the bark of the gallant
captain ; though it may merit the epithets which Horace applies to
the sun — alter et idem — another and the same.
At the Navy- Yard, the boatman rowed round the King's Yacht, which
was built for George the III, and now belongs to the Duke of Clarence.
The present King's Yacht lies at Plymouth. His Majesty was however
towed a,part of the way in this vessel on his visit to Scotland. It
is a pretty ship of two hundred and fifty tons, elegantly finished and
furnished. Its waist is girt with a series of images in bold relief, and
highly gilt. Wisdom, Temperance, Prudence, and the whole family
of moral virtues stand in long array, with the commendable precau
tion of writing the name over each of their heads, peradventure they
should not be recognized. A canopied head rides upon the bow.
The interior is splendid. We went through every room. The cabins

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. Hi
are finished with mahogany highly polished, with crimson damask cur
tains, sofas, cushions, chairs, and every species of costly furniture.
There is a succession of these apartments from stem to stern.
Just before reaching Greenwich, we passed a " sheer hulk," on
board of which there is a school of 400 boys, who are both theoreti
cally and practically instructed in navigation. They are poor child
ren, trained up from the cradle, under a system of rigid discipline, for
actual service, which they are compelled to enter at a Certain age. It
is an excellent institution, forming a nursery of expert seamen, and
superseding the necessity of the press-gang, which is now out of use.
On our way down, we passed the hull upon the strand, in which the
unfortunate victims were wont to be confined, after they had been
torn from their families and friends, to fight the battles^ not always of
their country, but of an ambitious ministry.
Greenwich occupies the right bank of the Thames, at a point where
it makes a bold curve towards the north. The Hospital, with its
quadruple ranges of wards, two stories high, surmounted by turrets,
rises with much grandeur and beauty from the water. Between the
buildings are spacious open courts, neatly paved and swept, with deep
colonnades along the wards, where the inmates can take air and ex
ercise, without exposure to the inclemency of the weather. The
whole is enclosed with a handsome railing. This fine structure is of
Portland stone, resembling in its complexion St. Paul's Cathedral. Its
Corinthian columns, and other architectural ornaments are extremely
chaste, uniting taste with simplicity in design. It was founded by
William and Mary. There is a handsome statue of Charles II., in the
principal court.
On our approach to the wharf, several men were observed with
scrapers and brooms, washing the shore as the tide receded — an im
provement, which might be introduced to advantage farther up the
river. An officer, if not an " admiral of the blue," acted as porter
at the gate, and remarked by way of securing his obolus, that " he did
not thus freely admit all applicants." His dress was that of all the
inmates, being made of blue cloth of a good quality. Stripes of yel
low are put upon those, who are doing penance for any misdemeanor,
and the tawdry addition shows like ornaments of lace, at a little dis
tance. In their garments and persons, the men look neat and cleanly.
The porter conducted us to the door of the hall of paintino-s
where we were received by another veteran, who had been upwards
of twenty years in the service, and still seemed fit for duty. A shil
ling each, gained a ready admittance to a spacious apartment the
lofty walls of which are hung with the portraits of admirals and other
pictures, with here and there a bust or a statue. The ceiling exhibits

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another memorial of the skill and, industry of Sir James Thornhill, in
painting which, he lay eight or ten years upon his back. It was the
last of his works, and is accounted his master-piece. The whole area
is covered with groups of splendid allegories, in which gods and god
desses, Nymphs and Naiads, zones and zodiacs, Britannia, Thames,'
Isis, and a whole family of modern divinities, mingle together, and are
arrayed in the most gorgeous colours. Sir James did not forget him
self, but modestly gave the artist a conspicuous place, surveying his
handy work, in a rich costume and a full-bottomed wig. The cele
brated Steele has given an elaborate description of this ceiling, in
which he bestows high panegyrics upon the learning and skill of the
painter. But we had a different expositor, and the circumstances of the exhi
bition afforded us scarcely less amusement than the gallery of pictures.
There were, perhaps, thirty ladies and gentlemen in the room, whom
our veteran arranged around him with as much formality and cere
mony as he once used to parade the crew of a ship, commanding
each one to keep his eye upon the ceiling, in the direction of the long
wand which he brandished. The whole group stood like star-gazers,
while the old sailor, with a stentorian voice, and in measured cadences,
chanted his explanations, taking care to skip such spots in Sir James'
frescos, as went by hard names, or involved allegories too deep for his
comprehension. Whenever he came to a ship, a boat, or a cannon,
he would dwell upon the image with complacency, and descant upon
the skill of Sir James, with as much discrimination as did the cobbler
upon the shoe of Apelles.
Opposite to this hall, in another range of buildings is the Chapel of
the Hospital, the vestibule of which contains four statues of faith, hope,
charity, and meekness, designed by Mr. West. On the pedestals are
engraven appropriate texts of Scripture, enjoining the practice of these
virtues. The door is of mahogany, highly polished, and considered a
beautiful specimen of architecture. Over the communion table, upon
the wall, there is a splendid picture representing the preservation of
St. Paul from shipwreck on the Island of Melita, painted by West
many years since, and retouched just before his death. It is twenty-
five feet high and fourteen wide, forming a peculiarly appropriate or
nament for a chapel, in which the audience is composed entirely of
mariners, who have escaped the dangers of the sea.
The grounds belonging to Greenwich Hospital are both spacious
and beautiful. An extensive park stretches to the south and east of
the buildings for some distance beyond the hill, upon which stands the
Royal Observatory. Its sloping and green acclivities are shaded with
copses of large forest trees, beneath which hundreds ofthe inmates of

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the Hospital — some with one leg or one arm, and some having lost
both, with their countenances worn with toil, and their locks whitened
with age — were quietly reposing, conversing with their companions
in misfortune, or sleeping away the troubles of life ; while herds of
deer were grazing round them or reclining in the same shade. It was
a rural, tranquil, and highly interesting scene, calculated to increase
our admiration of this noble institution, which opens an asylum to two
or three thousand mariners, who here find in the decline of life a re
fuge from toil, peril, and penury.
In the Park there is also a handsome building for the accommoda
tion ofthe " Royal Naval Asylum ;" an institution established at Pad-
dington Green in 1801, and lately removed to this place. It is de
signed for the benefit of the orphan children of British officers, who
have served in the royal navy. The establishment consists of 800
boys and 200 girls, admitted between the ages of five and twelve.
Swarms of them, " just let loose from school," were playing in the
grounds about the Hospital, and added interest to this extensive charity.
We climbed the steep ascent to the Observatory, and were well re
munerated for the toil, by the wide and picturesque prospect of the
winding Thames, the distant city, and surrounding country, which the
eminence presents ; although our principal object was defeated, which
was to take a peep through the mammoth telescope of Herschel. On
ringing at the door, it was ascertained that no one is admitted without
an express order from the Royal Society — a regulation, which at the
moment appeared to us severe and illiberal, but which may be all
right ; for I find as strong a propensity in mischievous persons in this
country, to mutilate curiosities, with which they are permitted to come
in contact, as is sometimes discoverable with us. There is scarcely a
statue, which has not lost a finger or a toe ; a curtain that has not
been deprived of. a tassel ; or an ancient banner that does not show a,
rent, by the hands of other barbarians than the soldiers of Oliver
Cromwell. Many an ambitious dunce has sought an easy road to fame,
by showing the world that he can write or carve his name with a pen
knife, adding the important date of his visit, with perhaps an ebullition
of his wit.* Even the sanctity of Westminster Abbey is not proof
against such wanton depredations upon works of taste.
* I was surprised to find, that even Lord Byron fell into this vulgar habit. In
the course of our travels upon the Continent, we frequently found his name in.
scribed by himself on pillars and walls. Surely his fame did not stand in need of
such accessories. The French and Italians, even when children, never evince this
propensity to scribble in public places, and to leavte records of their visits in chulk
or crayon. VOL. I. 15

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On our way back from Greenwich to town, we visited the Tunnel
bf the Thames, on its right bank, half a mile below London Bridge.
The work is now in progress ; but in my opinion it is among the
Wildest projects of a speculating age, and will never succeed, although
an unshaken confidence in the undertaking is expressed by the com
pany and their agents, who have already expended large sums of mo
ney. I would as soon think of digging for Captain Kidd's pots of
gold, as of excavating a road for carriages, under the bed of the
Thames ; and, indeed, there is a strong resemblance between the vi
sionary adventures. The first intimation of our approach to the
scene of operations was a turbid torrent, sufficient to turn a mill,
pouring from the bank into the river. After threading half a dozen
dirty alleys, and of course paying a shilling each for a sight, we were
by special favour permitted to mount the scaffolding, where a large
steam-engine was at work in raising mud and water, and to descend by a
ladder into the abyss below. The circular and perpendicular well is
fifty feet in diameter, and seventy feet deep, with its sides walled up
with brick. Its shaft has already been sunk to the depth that was
contemplated, which is thirty-five or forty feet below the bed of the
river. The workmen are next to grope their way in a horizontal di
rection, securing the passage as they proceed, by arches, models of
which were pointed out to us. This subterranean road, should it
ever be completed, is to be splendidly lighted with gas. It would
startle Sir James Thornhill's river-gods and Nereids, should they see
lights flashing, and hear the rumbling of carriages over pavements, so
far beneath their green abodes.*
A visit to the Tower of London, on the left bank of the Thames,
opposite Wapping, concluded our observations for the day. An hour
was passed, and something more than a guinea expended by three of
us, in ascending from the river by the King's steps, and in looking at
"the lions" here deposited. John Bull carries the division of labour,
in showing his curiosities, to as great perfection as in the manufac
ture of pins. There is a guide and a fee for every department, though
it be as circumscribed as White Watson's museum. One person ex-
* On our return to London, in March, 1827, we found the Tunnel " in the full
tide of successful experiment," with a fair prospect of its ultimate success, con
trary to the anticipations expressed in the foregoing notice. The horizontal ex
cavation is now completed for more than half the distance. During the last win
ter, the chief engineer, who is a Frenchman, and resided several years in Balti
more, was elected a member of the National Institute. His reply to the letter
informing. him of the honour that had been conferred, was written under the bed
of the Thames !

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 115
hibits muskets, another cannon, a third jewels, and a fourth wild beasts.
The aggregate of the demand is exorbitant, and the more inexcusa
ble, since this place is subject to the regulation of the government.
The Tower, in an architectural point of view, is not worth exam
ining. It consists of antiquated piles of buildings standing round
open courts, "and in no way distinguishable from the contiguous wil
derness of houses ; except by four small turrets, which rise to a mode
rate height above them. The curiosities, both natural and artificial,
are so numerous and so well known to our readers, that an enumera
tion would become intolerably tedious. There is a world of notions,
to which honest John seems as warmly attached, and in which he is
as fond of dealing, as any part of the family of Brother Jonathan. A
Yankee sloop or pedler's cart never furnished a greater variety, than
is here exhibited at eight shillings sterling the peep. The motley col
lection, however, is really worth seeing, containing much that will
interest the virtuoso and the naturalist.
We were first conducted to the apartments appropriated tq a mo
dern armoury, in which there are 500,000 muskets, carbines, pistols,
and all descriptions of implements of war, many of which were tried
and found useless in practice. The collection of armour taken from
" the Invincible Armada" of Spain, in the time of Philip II. , is ex
tensive and rare, properly set off by a statue of Elizabeth, in the atti
tude of making her heroic speech to her troops, with her steed capa
risoned for the field, and held by a page. The identical, long-shank
ed, rusty axe with which the left-handed executioner hewed off the
head of poor Anne Boleyn, for no better reason than because she had
blamelessly lost the affection of a capricious and licentious monarch,
reflects as little credit upon royalty,- as it affords pleasure to the visitant.
In the ordnance department of the Tower, there is a variety of cu
rious pieces of artillery, some of them upon a gigantic scale ; mor
tars, Roman scythes, and military ensigns taken as trophies in differ
ent ages, and from various nations. It was gratifying to find no
spoils from the well-fought fields of our own country, or from the
decks of its gallant ships. France has supplied the Tower with the
greater part of its munitions and insignia of war. Spain has also
contributed a liberal share. The fluted pillars in some of the rooms,
are composed of spears and boarding-pikes of his Catholic Majesty.
The air of triumph, with which these monuments of British prowess
are publicly exhibited, is strongly characteristic of John Bull, and
must tend to perpetuate feelings of hostility between him and his
neighbours. But it is not without its effect in inspiring the members
of his family with sentiments of patriotism and a spirit of daring.

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The group of kings, arrayed in a long line, from William the Con
queror to George II. clad in the armour of their respective ages, and
mounted upon their chargers, form an imposing and not uninteresting
spectacle. Several of those whom I was most anxious to see, are,
however, wanting to complete the succession. The hump-backed
Richard, at whose form " the dogs did bark," is not to be found in
the royal assemblage ; although the very spot was pointed out, where
" Lay the gentle babes,-girdling one another
Within their alabaster, innocent arms ;
Their lips like four red roses on a stalk,
Which in their summer beauty kiss'd each other" —
who were suffocated by Tyrrel, in compliance with the order of this
regal monster ; as also the place where the young princes were en
tombed. Parts of the Tower have been hallowed by the genius of
Shakspeare, who here laid some of his immortal scenes, and henCe de
rived a portion of his imagery. These associations are worth more
than all the cannon and perforated armour, taken from the French at
the battle of Waterloo.
The plate and regalia, used at the coronation of George the IV —
swords and chalices, sceptres and saltcellars, of massive gold, stud
ded with the costliest gems — excited in us some curiosity, as works of
art ; though as emblems of power, they failed to inspire much reve
rence or awe. After all, they are merely what Cromwell denominated
them — " baubles," fit only for kings and children to play with, the age
having gone by when they were regarded as the symbols of divine
rights. In the royal menagerie, there are many rare and curious animals,
collected from every part of the globe. America has a numerous re
presentation in this assemblage of beasts, birds and reptiles. The
collection of serpents, embracing the Boa Constrictor and other snakes
of monstrous size, particularly arrested our attention. They lie coiled
up in boxes, with blankets thrown over them, and the temperature of
the room artificially raised, to form a suitable climate. They are so
far domesticated, that the keeper plays with their spotted necks, and
permits their forked tongues to come in contact with his hands.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 11*
LETTER XI.
LONDON, IN CONTINUATION — BANK OF ENGLAND  ROYAL EXCHANGE 
PRINCIPAL STREETS  PARKS  WESTMINSTER ABBEY  PARLIAMENT
nOTJSE — PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS. August, 1825.
The Bank of England, and the Royal Exchange, extensive piles of
buildings, which in architecture are emphatically composite, embracing
all the orders curiously blended, excited little interest, except from the
amoupt of business here transacted. They show to the worst possible
advantage, being situated in a low part of the city, upon narrow, dirty
streets, and surrounded by ware-houses, which in some instances over
top them. The bank is at present rendered still more unsightly, by a
scaffolding covering one facade, for the purpose of making some re
pairs. It is in all respects an awkward edifice, with nothing beyond
convenience to Tecommend it. Over the doors are labels, indicating
the kind of business transacted in the several departments, and also
an ordinance prohibiting clerks from speculating in the stocks. In
each room, there is a branch clock, the hands of which are moved by
a power communicated from a common centre, and therefore exactly
agree in time. Not less than fifteen hundred persons are employed in
this institution, and the amount of business is immense. The Rotun
da is a large public room, in which speculators and persons interested
in the stocks assemble. It is less frequented, than it used to be be
fore the new Stock-Exchange on the opposite side of the street was
erected. The latter is a complete Babel in the hours of business.
Officers are stationed in boxes round the room, who on application
call out in a loud voice for individuals. Brokers, in the midst of a ring
formed about them, proclaim that they wish to buy or sell such and
such stocks, at so much per cent. A person wishing to speculate ad
vances and replies, " I will purchase or sell so much at that rate." An
average of these transfers regulates the prices of stocks for the day.
It is sometimes reduced to a mere system of gamming, the funds never
changing hands, and the difference in yalue, on the next day or next
week, being paid and received by the parties to the bargain.
The Royal Exchange, or 'Change, as it is here universally denomi
nated, cannot be compared with that at Liverpool, in point of extent
convenience, or beauty. Its exterior is so little conspicuous, that I
was obliged to inquire where it was, while standing at its verv en
trance. It is situate round an open court or square of moderate di-

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mensions, with deep colonnades and arches, inscribed with the class of
merchants who there assemble. One arch is appropriated to the
French, another to the Dutch, and a third to the West Indies. The
wall is entirely covered with advertisements and bills, from post-office
notices to " Warren's Blacking." This is in bad keeping with the
statues of kings, ranged in a long line round the gallery above. The
rooms in the basement story are occupied as private shops of all de
scriptions', opening on the outside, with show goods suspended at the
doors. Lloyd's Room, which has acquired so much celebrity through
out the world, is crowded into an obscure place, where no one would
think of looking for it. The entrance to 'Change is beneath two
arches, on opposite sides, which might be passed fifty times a day,
without attracting attention.
In the buildings of London, public and private, with the exception
of St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, and a few others, ! have been egregi-
ously disappointed. There is nothing impressive or prepossessing in
the general aspect of the city. In architectural grandeur and beauty
it appeared to me decidedly inferior to Dublin. Most of the houses
and shops are of dark brick ; two and three stories high, and much
crowded, situate upon irregular and dirty streets. Drury-Iane and
Co vent-garden, which sound so well on paper, are after all but confi
ned and mean districts. Even the west end of the town has by no
means answered my expectations. Its buildings generally, will not
bear a comparison with some portions of Broadway, or the better
parts of Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore. The Chancellor ofthe
Exchequer has a neat house ; but lord Wellington's, near the entrance
of Hyde Park, is a large, square, plain building, of smoky brick, des
titute of every species of ornament and elegance. Lord Liverpool's,
the Duke of Northumberland's, and the residences generally of the
nobility exhibit little taste. As for the Duke of Devonshire, his dwell
ing is so encased by high brick walls, that no one has an opportunity
of viewing it. St. James' Palace, and in fact all the royal edifices
about London, are most unprincely looking structures, displaying nei
ther grandeur nor splendour.
The handsomest part of the town is about Regent's Park and Port
land Place. Regent-street is also fine. The houses are of brick, uni
form in their construction, and covered with a thick stucco, giving
them an appearance of being built of white marble. In this part of
the city, the streets are spacious and airy ; and in the more confined
portions, substantial side-walks, generally composed of large flags,
contribute greatly to the comfort of the pedestrian. The pavements
in most instances are good, and are now undergoing the process of

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MAdamisatim, the expediency of which is very problematical, pro
ducing too much dust in summer, and too rnuch mud in winter.
The great avenues through London run parallel to the Thames,
from Westminster to the eastern end. There are two of them. Dif
ferent sections of the one nearest the river, and generally within fifty
rods of its left bank, go by the several names of Piccadilly, the Strand,
Fleet-street, Ludgate, and some others, leading to the Tower. The
other great thoroughfare runs parallel to this, at the distance of half a
mile to the north, and leads through Holborn, Cheapside and Cornhill.
These streets are generally wide, but are constantly thronged, from
morning till midnight, with carriages, carts, and vehicles of every de
scription, as well as with foot passengers. So great is the promiscu
ous multitude, and the difficulty of passing, that it occupies a much
longer time to ride than to walk the same distance. No person can
witness these ceaseless tides of population, ebbing and flowing like
the restless ocean, and reflect that in a short time the whole will sink
into oblivion, giving place to a new generation, without having his
mind forcibly impressed with the vanity of life. Few of the busy, gay,
and fashionable throng are known beyond their narrow spheres, or will
be remembered after the curtain drops. But this is not the place for
moralizing. One of the leading features in the topography of London is the great
number of public squares and parks. These are every thing to a city
thus crowded and confined, adding equally to its health and beauty.
Several of the largest are open to every one, and afford delightful pro
menades. We have rambled through most of them. The principal
ones are St. James', Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, at the west
end of the town. All of them are spacious, beautifully adorned
with trees, gravel walks, and artificial waters, which cool the air and
vary the prospect. I could almost forgive the mock battle upon the
Serpentine, in which the flag of our country was struck by order of
his majesty, to gratify the potentates of Europe, for the grateful breeze
it afforded me, while walking on a warm afternoon, upon its green and
shady bank.
Our visit to Hyde Park was at the most fashionable hour, for the pur
pose of witnessing the style of" the nobility arid gentry." This Park
contains about four hundred acres. At the entrance is a colossal sta
tue of Achilles, standing upon a lofty pedestal, and armed with his
sword and shield. It was cast from cannon taken at the battles of Sa
lamanca, Vittoria, Toulouse and Waterloo, and is inscribed by the
ladies to " Wellington and his brave companions in arms." Around
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who are able to ride, and some who probably are not, parade in full
dress and equipage. Lords and ladies roll on in their coaches, which
by the bye are generally heavy and inelegant ; while a troop of dandies,
with sugar-loaf hats, whiskers meeting at the chin, and mustaches gal
lop after. The last mentioned ornament is all the rage here at pre
sent, being worn by some of the nobility. Of all the whims and fol
lies in dress, this is the most outrageous, indecent, and disgusting. One
would think that every polished society would cry out against it ; yet
the fashionables are here seen walking the streets arm-in-arm with the
ladies, wearing a tuft of dirty hair upon the upper lip.
Our walk was extended quite round the Park, and to Kensington
Gardens. The whole of these spacious and splendid grounds were
filled with crowds of people, high and low, old and young, male and
female. Such a general rendezvous afforded us a pretty fair opportu
nity of seeing the population of London in their best attire, and with
smiling countenances. The ladies very generally have pretty faces.
Some of them are extremely handsome. It is in fact an uncommon
thing to see a woman with an ugly set of features, except in the very
lowest classes. But in their forms, and the whole contour of their
persons, they do not surpass in delicacy and beauty the ladies of our
own country. The former are generally much grosser than the lat
ter, and appear to enjoy an excess of good health. Some of the
higher classes are said to be perfect angels. This, however, is a de
licate subject, and I will change it for one of a graver character.
Nearly two out of our ten days in London have been passed in
Westminster Abbey, and as many more might be devoted to its nume
rous monuments with equal pleasure. It is indeed a most fascinating
place to one who has read and admired the poets, orators, philoso
phers, jurists, and divines of England ; who is familiar with the civil,
military, and naval history of the country ; or who is fond of witness
ing an exhibition of the arts, exerted for the noble purpose of perpe
tuating the. remembrance of genius, learning, and taste. The build
ing itself is admirably fitted for a repository of the distinguished dead.
No one could approach the venerable pile, with its grey turrets and pin
nacles, without feelings of reverence and solemnity, even if it were
divested of those associations, which the recollection of departed
greatness awakens. Whether it be mere fancy, or owing to some pe
culiarity in the architecture, or the sombre complexion ofthe material,
the Abbey even at a distance, appears to wear an aspect of sober
grandeur, and an air commanding veneration, which no other edifice I
have ever seen possesses ; and a view of the time-worn structure, of
its lofty portals, and Gothic windows, sends a thrill to the heart.

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The only entrance at present is through the southern transept, de
nominated "the Poets' Corner;" and who could wish for a more
interesting passage ? In this section of the Church, the visitant finds
himself at once surrounded by monuments to the memory of Ben
Johnson, Butler, Milton, Gray, Mason, Prior, Grenville Sharp,
Shakspeare, Thompson, Rowe, Dr. Johnson, Garrick, Gay, Gold
smith, Addison, Handel, Hales, Dr. Barrow, Camden, Chaucer,
Spenser, Dryden, Cowley, Phillips, Drayton, and many others less
known to the world. Introduced into the midst of such a group,
with so many attractions on all sides, one scarcely knows to whom
first to turn and pay the tribute of his respect. Having the day be
fore me, I began with " Rare Ben Johnson," whose monument is near
the entrance, and proceeded deliberately round the walls of the
Abbey, against which these mementos of the dead are placed. Fa
tigue often compelled me to brush the dust from the pedestal of one
tomb, and seat myself upon its corner, to read a long inscription and
examine the sculptured marble of the next in order. Full notes were
taken of the designs, the epitaphs, and other circumstances, even in
some cases to the colour of the stone.
There are obvious defects in grouping the monuments. Had the
idea of " the Poets' Corner" been strictly adopted, it would have
been a great improvement. It is gratifying to see those sleeping side
by side, who in life were united by the ties of friendship, or assimilated
by kindred pursuits. There are several beautiful illustrations of this
principle in the Abbey. The monument of Gray is immediately
under that of Milton, and connected with it. On the former, the
lyric Muse, in alto-relievo, is in the attitude of holding a medallion of
Gray, and at the same time pointing her finger to the bust of Milton
above, with the following inscription :
L' No more the Grecian Muse unrivalled reigns,
To Britain let the nations homage pay ;
She felt a Homer's fire in Milton's strains,
A Pindar's rapture in the lyre of Gray."
Another instance of this kind was observed, still more striking and
beautiful. The remains of Johnson arid Garrick repose side by side
beneath the pavement, at the feet of Shakspeare. Here is a triple
association of the most interesting character. The moralist and tra
gedian were, intimate friends in life, sustaining the relation of precep
tor and pupil, and the still nearer one of having encountered penury
and neglect together : they sleep at the feet of the great dramatic
master, whose genius they both reverenced, and both illustrated, the
vol. i. . 16

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one in the closet and the other upon the stage. Shakspeare's monu
ment is beautiful in design and execution, worthy of the poet whom
it commemorates, and of the taste of Pope, who was a member of
the committee that superintended its erection.
In another part of the church, the relics of the two great orators,
William Pitt and Charles James Fox, rest by the side of each other.
But the violation of this principle of grouping the monuments is so
frequent, that the foregoing instances seem rather accidental than pre
meditated. Dr. Watts' slab is interposed between military and naval
heroes, knights and noblemen, whose pursuits were entirely foreign to
his own. The .superb monument in memory of Sir Isaac Newton,
although grand in design and elegant in execution, is liable to the
same objection. He is surrounded by women, and has not a scientific
or literary associate in the neighbourhood. Addison has fallen into a
more appropriate circle. His monument consists of a full length
statue, which is said to be a good likeness, standing upon an elevated
pedestal, and looking towards the Poets' Corner, where he loved to
linger while living. Goldsmith's head, in relief, is over one of the
doors, and is remarkable for little else, than the classical and compli
mentary epitaph by Dr. Johnson.
While in some of these monuments great taste is displayed, in
others, the designs and ornaments are fantastic and almost ludicrous.
On a little slab in the pavement, not more than eighteen inches square,
is the inscription — "O rare Sir William Davennant" — and nothing
more. No one can read it without a smile. As a discriminating
mark of merit, a monument in the Abbey is a most fallacious test,
and its principal object is in a great measure defeated. Wealth, power,
friendship, or favouritism has foisted into the cemetery, and commemo
rated by lofty pyramids of marble, hundreds of persons who might
as well have slept elsewhere. On the other hand, many illustrious
names are not here to be found. I looked in vain for Locke, Bacon,
Cowper, and other scholars equally eminent. There does not there
fore appear to have been much point in Nelson's celebrated motto —
" Victory or Westminster Abbey."
It is, nevertheless, reckoned a high honour to obtain a niche in this
ancient and venerable repository ; and the prominence upon the walls,
which some of its inmates have acquired by the unaided efforts of
their own genius and talents is a creditable commentary on the cha
racter and institutions of England. Shakspeare, Johnson, Garrick,
and hundreds of others, whose memories are cherished and revered,
rose to eminence from the humblest origin. Nor are these honours
in all cases merely posthumous. Several of the most prominent cha-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 123
racters now in power are self-created men. The Prime Minister is
the son of an actress ; Lord Liverpool's father was a cobbler ; and
Lord Eldon, the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, was once a servant
boy, whose business was to sweep the office of an attorney. This is
a noble feature, and in some degree atones for the opposite defects,
with which it is associated.
But I have not yet done with Westminster Abbey. Around the
choir of the church, hung with banners of those who have been knight
ed during the present reign, amounting to a hundred or more, there is
a succession of small, ancient chapels, filled with curious monuments,
and royal families lying in state. The principal of these is denomina
ted the Chapel of Henry the Vllth, by whom it was built for himself
and family. He ordained, that none but those of royal blood should
be admitted into the sacred cemetery. Even the living are not per
mitted to visit this and the neighbouring parts of the Abbey, unaccom
panied by a guide, who hurries the visitant from one group to another,
in such rapid succession as to afford no lime for examination, and to
produce a chaos of ideas. This rigid prohibition has been adopted,
in consequence of the mutilations which have been committed by
visitants. Mary Queen of Scots, who sleeps in white marble beneath
a splendid canopy, has lost nearly all her fingers. Some of the monu
ments have been treated still worse. In that to the memory of Major
Andre, the relief statues of Washington and Putnam have been be
headed. Many of the kings are in bronze, and sometimes an eye or
the nose is scraped bright, shamefully disfiguring the countenance. I
endeavoured to obtain of the keeper a dispensation of the rule in my
favour, with assurances that no depredations would be committed ;
but he was inexorable, and after paying two shillings for walking
twice round the circuit, I was compelled to leave the royal groups to
their repose, with but a slight .knowledge of the monumental honours,
which adorn their tombs. This circumstance was the more regretted,
since the interdicted apartments contain a bust of Lord Mansfield,
seated upon an elevated- tribunal, holding a volume of law in one
hand and the steelyards of justice in the other ; as also a pretty alle
gorical group, in memory of Charles James Fox. The loss of a
nearer inspection of full length likenesses of Nelson, Chatham, Queen
Elizabeth, and other distinguished personages, in wax, was not so se
verely felt ; for it appeared to me that such figures were much more
suitable for a six-penny museum, than for the cloisters of Westminster
Abbey. At the close of our second visit to this place, we went to West
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the same pile of buildings, on the other side of the street, opposite
the Poets' Corner. The hall is spacious, with an arched ceiling, said
to be the largest in Europe, unsupported by beams. Its effect on the
eye is entirely destroyed by the temporary stalls or offices of unpainted
boards, erected at one end, and along the walls. The managers of
the Park Theatre can furnish a more splendid and suitable room, for
the Coronation feast, than Westminster Hall now affords. Our guide
pointed out the places where his majesty sat, the champions rode, and
other scenes of the regal ceremony. His particularity however afford
ed us little gratification.
The House of Commons is a small, plain, insignificant apartment,
in which one of our state legislatures would hardly deign to convene.
Its floor and side galleries are both appropriated to the members, and
will not then accommodate the whole number. In front of the speak
er's chair, which resembles a watchman's box, there is a dark, con
tracted gallery for spectators. The ranges of benches are covered
with green, and the table for the clerks blocks up the area in front of
the speaker. Some of the seats of the great men of the day were
designated by the guide. When a question is taken, one side or the
other, (the opposition always occupying the left of the speaker) is or
dered into the lobby, a dark narrow recess which would not accommo
date one half of the members of that body who usually assemble at
Albany. Its entrance is stained with the blood of Percival, who was
shot by an assassin several years since.
The House of Lords is but little superior in its dimensions to the
House of Commons. It is, however, finished and furnished in better
style. The woolsacks, resembhng bales of cotton, covered with red
cloth, and tied at the corners with cords of yellow silk, give the room
a novel appearance. They form an easy seat ; and to render his posi
tion less tiresome, the Lord Chancellor has caused a temporary rest
for his back to be erected. It must be a curious spectacle to see high
dignitaries in their wigs, mounted upon these bags. In front is the
throne, secured from any seat but his majesty's by a brass railing.
The coronation chair in Westminster Abbey is less guarded, and a
republican may sit down and rest in it, if he chooses. A sight of the
throne inspired us with as little awe as the sceptre. It is a pretty ca
nopy, some ten or twelve feet high, supported by pillars in front, highly
gilt, and hung with crimson tapestry, heavy with ornaments of gold.
The good lady requested us to feel the weight of its folds, and unco
vered the chair for our inspection. His majesty has never occupied it
but on one occasion. The seat of his unfortunate queen, when she
was a criminal at the bar of the house, was pointed out to us, as also

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 123
the obscure door by which she approached, day after day, during her
trial. The exterior of these buildings is even less striking than the inside.
They are surrounded by others of equal height, and although they stand
upon the immediate bank of the Thames, no part of them is visible
from the water, except a small turret upon the house of Lords, and
the Gothic gable-end of the House of Commons. An English audi
ence would be surprised at the magnificence of the legislative halls at
Washington. On Sunday we went to church at White-Hall Chapel, where the
Duke of York and his royal guards attend. It is in the vicinity of the
military and naval offices. A splendid canopy is erected in the gallery
for his Grace, who was at Brighton, and we therefore did not see him.
It cost us a shilling each for a seat, and more than a shilling's worth
of patience to listen to a dull discourse, delivered in a monotonous
sing-song tone. Among the flags which adorn the walls of this
church, as trophies, it was a little amusing to find two in a conspicu
ous place, directly in front of the duke of York's canopy, under the
label of " New-Orleans," printed in capitals. One of them bore the
image of the eagle, and the device of the other could not be distinctly
seen. They are said to have been taken in a skirmish on the right
bank of the Mississippi ; but one would suppose the name would not
revive very pleasant associations in the breast of his Grace, or of the
British nation. There is also an American flag, taken at fort Niaga
ra ; another at Queenston ; and several at Detroit — all well assorted,
and pompously displayed under their respective labels.
Since our arrival we have been the rounds of the theatres and other
public amusements now open, embracing the Italian Opera, Hay-
market, Astley's Amphitheatre, and Vauxhall-garden. At the first of
these, the house, the scenery, the dresses, and audience are splendid ;
but much cannot be said in favour of the performances. We heard
the celebrated Velluti sing, in a most unmanly voice, and saw scores
of dancing grisettes, exhibiting gesticulations, which can afford little
amusement to persons not fond ofthe ballet. They however received
rounds of applause. The five tiers of boxes, elegantly hung with
crimson tapestry, were well filled with fashionable people, and the pit
was crowded with ladies and gentlemen. No person is allowed to go
in boots, or in other than a white cravat. The whole play was per
formed in the Italian language, and nine-tenths of the audience were
probably just as ignorant of the plot and sentiment, if it possessed
either, when they left as when they entered. I could not but think
how keenly Addison, and Johnson, and Garrick would have lashed the

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prevailing taste of the age, and the degradation of the stage, could
they have been present, to listen to the emasculated tones of opera
heroes, or to witness the pirouettes of Neapolitan bellenne.
The English opera is little more than a version ofthe Italian, all the
absurdities and frivolities ofthe latter being translated into the former.
Nonsense in plain English is, if possible, more ridiculous, than when
veiled in a language not understood ; " Vox et praterea nihil— full of
sound and fury, signifying nothing." We saw Braham and Miss
Paton. The musical talents of the former have, in my humble opi
nion, been overrated, or he was not in voice. Miss Paton is a fine
looking woman, but is wanting in animation. She is, however, ac
counted " a star," has great compass of voice, and her performances
are received with much eclat.
Haymarket is a small, neat theatre, opposite the Italian Opera
House. The company possess more talent than any one we have
seen since landing. Liston's comic humour is inimitable. In the
character of the landlord, in the new piece of " Quite Correct,"
which possesses great merits, save that it is a little too broad,fhe keeps
the house in a roar. Madame Vestris is pretty, and has an air of
sprightliness. She is a great favourite ; but her reputation perhaps is
not unlike that of Miss Foote.
Our observations thus far have not given us a very exalted opinion of
the English stage. Due allowance should be made, however, for the
unfavourable season of the year. Every body is said to be out of
town, although enough seemed yet to be left. Drury-Lane and Co-
vent-Garden, the two principal theatres, are closed. Their compa
nies are said to be good, and our first impressions may hereafter be
corrected.* Astley's Amphitheatre is partly dramatic and partly equestrian ; or,
as the- Kentuckians say, "half horse, half alligator." It is a hand
some, convenient building, near Westminster Bridge. " The burn
ing of Moscow" — the show for the night — is a grand spectacle. Na
poleon is not so much of a caricature, as it might be supposed John
Bull would make him. Parts of his character are just, and go off
with applause. The feats in horsemanship are nothing extraordinary.
Hunter surpasses them. A modern Hercules, passing under the name
of " Alcides," gave exhibitions of his strength, and performed some
of the twelve labours of his Theban prototype.

* Some farther notices of the London stage will be found in my subsequent
sketches.

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We were at Vauxhall Garden on his majesty's birth-night, when a
great gala was given. " The King, our patron's natal day," blazed
in capitals, composed of coloured lamps, over one of the principal
walks. I forget how many hundred thousand lights were fancifully
displayed among the trees, and how many alcoves and grots they dis
closed to the admiring gaze of the spectator. Eagles spouted water,
and dragons fire, in a shower of which " a young American," who
was said to be old Mr. Blackmore, ascended by dint of a tight-rope
to the skies. All London was present on this occasion. Much more
order was observed than could have been expected in such a promis
cuous throng. The grounds of Vauxhall, upon the right bank of the
Thames, above Westminster Hall, are spacious and beautiful, being
laid out with taste, adorned with trees, and forming an agreeable pro
menade. Thus have I attempted to sketch some of the more prominent fea
tures of London, examined with as much attention, as a stay of only
two weeks would permit. Other localities and topics, connected with
an overgrown and unwieldy metropolis, are reserved for future visits.

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LETTER XII.
RIDE TO CAMBRIDGE — DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY AND UNIVERSITV.
August, 1825.
On the 18th we left London for Cambridge, fifty miles in a north
easterly direction from the metropolis. An intelligent and agreeable
friend from Philadelphia, who had just completed his travels on the
continent, joined us in a tour through the north of England and Scot
land. Our exit from the capital was by the Newington road, which
for a long distance presented a full view of the dome of St. Paul's and
the hundred spires and turrets of London, upon which we turned and
gazed, as the city receded, until it was lost in a dense atmosphere.
The suburbs in this direction are not interesting. There are extensive
brick-yards in the environs, where immense quantities of tile and other
materials for building are manufactured. The air was filled with coal-
smoke, proceeding from the kilns, rendered more disagreeable by a
rainy morning. An hour's ride, however, carried us beyond the cho
ked atmosphere of the town, and brought us into a region of bright
skies, pure breezes, and scenes of rural quiet — a change, which at this
season was peculiarly grateful to the senses, dissipating languor, and
giving tone to the mind as well as to the body.
Passing Tottenham Cross, we entered a rich agricultural country,
possessing the usual charms of English landscape. Our route was on
the northern road, along the new river, whence London is supplied
with water, and by Waltham Cross, a curious monument erected by
Edward I. in commemoration of his queen.
Our departure from London, as well as our entrance, led through
places consecrated by the feats of Cowper's hero, the immortal Gil
pin, whose race-ground has furnished us more amusement than any
course which has been observed since landing, not excepting those
where golden cups may have been won by the studs of noblemen.
The village of " Ware" derives its principal interest from this facetious
ballad, and from an account given by the coachman of a mammoth
bed, at the Saracen's Head, which is sufficiently capacious to accom
modate twenty persons of a night. Near this village, we met lady Salis
bury in her coach, with two postillions, and a brace of outriders, all in
livery. She is said to be a second Dian Vernon in horsemanship,
riding full speed and leaping the most formidable barriers at the stag-
hunts, in which she is peculiarly fond of participating. The English
ladies generally ride on horseback with boldness, dexterity, and grace-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 129
fulness. Their beaver hats, exactly resembling those of the other
sex ; their high collars and black cravats, tied before in the style of a
fashionable gentleman ; with the appendage of a long whip, give them
somewhat of a masculine appearance. One of the causes, however,
of rosy cheeks and healthy complexions may be found in these eques
trian exercises, and in the habit of walking much more than is com
mon in the United States.
Midway between London and Cambridge, the aspect of the coun
try suddenly changes to naked swells of land, resembling the Irish
scenery, except that the surface is less verdant. There are no fences
of any kind for miles. Hundreds of poor women and children were
seen gleaning the fields, picking up an ear at a time, and filling their
aprons. The scene brought to mind a beautiful passage in the Seasons ;
and we could not but unite in the humane wish ofthe poet, that the reap
er might be merciful in gathering the harvest, leaving a liberal portion
to compensate the toils of these industrious females. A gentleman
in the coach informed me, that they sometimes collect enough to
make five or six bushels of wheat ; and that whole families are sup
plied with bread for the year by the fruits of such patient labour. It
is accounted disreputable and odious, on the part of the wealthy pro
prietor of the field, to be rigid and niggardly in his directions to the
reapers ; and public sentiment in some measure compels him to scat
ter his bounty.
At 4 o'clock we reached Cambridge, and riding by several of the
colleges which compose the University, took lodgings at the Sun
Hotel. With all its air of venerable antiquity, and with all its modern
improvements, the town is not calculated at the first glance to pro
duce a very favourable impression ; and little did we suppose on en
tering, that it would be left with so much regret. The streets are ir
regular, and the general aspect of the buildings is mean. Some of
the public edifices, however, are magnificent, and others present a
still stronger claim to attention, from being associated with one of
the most celebrated seats of learning in the world. By a curious co
incidence, our arrival was on the anniversary of my visit to Dart
mouth the summer previous ; and the recollection of pleasures there
enjoyed in the society of its scholars, and the circle of my friends,
heightened the gratification derived from rambling through the classic
retreats of a kindred institution — the fountain whence the former
drew much of its science, literature, and taste. Upon the banks of
the Cam, I found many interesting memorials of those authors, whose
works had afforded me so much delight upon the wilder and more ro
mantic banks of the Connecticut. Newton, Bacon, Milton, Dryden,
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Gray, and a host of others ! Who would not venerate the Alma Ma
ter of such sons ? — who would not love the haunts of their early me
ditations, and the academic shades which their footsteps have hal
lowed ?
But my feelings are in advance of my story : — An obliging friend
in New- York, among his many favours gave me an introduction to a
Fellow of one of the Colleges, requesting him to make me acquainted
with the Professor of Chemistry. The letter was enclosed with my card,
and despatched by a servant, who in a few minutes returned with a re
port, that " the gentleman had left off tutoring, and had been out of
• town two months." As we had no other letter to this place, such in
telligence created not a little disappointment and regret, and for a
time it was feared, that our visit would, in great measure, be lost.
Thanks to that generous hospitality and that spirit of liberality and
kindness, which can overlook the forms of etiquette, and enter warmly
into the feelings of strangers, our desponding anticipations were far
from being realized ; and I rejoice at an incident, which only served
to increase my respect and esteem for gentlemen, with whom we af
terwards became acquainted.
As a last resort, and in violation of the rigid rules of politeness, the
letter was inclosed to the gentleman indirectly named in it, with an
apology for such a procedure. A friendly note, containing an invita
tion to breakfast next morning, was soon received in reply. Although
favours of this description were neither sought nor expected, the
courtesy was too frank and cordial to be declined. Such an introduc
tion, brief and indirect as it was, led to a series of attentions, and to
personal acquaintances, which will be long remembered with gratitude
and pleasure. An instance so strongly inarked and unequivocal in its
character, in an institution too whose officers might be supposed to
feel all the pride of opinion, satisfied me that the more liberal portion
of the people of England entertain no other than the kindest feelings
towards the United States, and earnestly desire that no political occur
rences may hereafter interrupt the friendly relations between the two
countries. Not restricting his civilities to the formality of a breakfast and an in
troduction to his family, the Professor of Chemistry devoted the whole
day and evening to us, doing every thing which unostentatious kind
ness could suggest, to render our visit profitable and pleasant. Our
first call was at the Philosophical and Literary Rooms, which are spa
cious and commodious, finished in handsome style, and furnished with
newspapers, periodical journals, and a handsome library for the use of
the Society, whose members here hold their stated meetings, and as-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 131
semhle daily to read and converse. The North American Review was
obsep'ed among the books upon the table. , *
W e were next conducted to Trinity College, the most extensive
and celebrated of the .seventeen sister institutions, which constitute
the University. It is a magnificent pile of buildings, standing round
several open courts, covered with green sod. Deep arcades extend
quite round the basement of the four fa§ades, opening into the square,
and affording commodious walks in inclement weather. There the
student finds a porch for exercise and meditation, with something of
nature to refresh the mind and gratify the eye. The apartments of
the officers, fellows, scholars, and other residents are handsome and
convenient, .with their names upon the doors, like private dwellings.
Trinity College was founded by Edward III. and its funds were
greatly increased by Henry VIII. The liberal donations of the latter
were subsequently augmented by Queen Mary. It has produced a
great number of eminent men, among whom are Newton, Bacon,
Coke, Barrow, Dryden, Cowley, Bentley and Porson, with hundreds of
lesser stars. Monuments of these illustrious men adorn its ancient
and venerable halls. The college at present consists of about sixty
fellows, seventy scholars, and three or four hundred under-graduates.
It has in its gift sixty-three livings, and the appointment to the mas
tership of three schools.
At the door of Trinity College we were introduced to the Univer
sity Professor of Geology, who was not less polite and assiduous in
his attentions than his associate in office, devoting to us the greater
part of his time during our visit. He conducted us to his cabinet,
rich with the fruits of research and industry, where something more
than an hour was passed in explaining his extensive collection of fos
sils and minerals. The specimens of organic remains are more nu
merous, complete, and perfect than I had before seen. Most of them
were collected in situ by himself. For this purpose, he makes one or
two excursions every summer to various parts of the kingdom, return
ing richly laden with spoils. His surveys are systematic and thorough,
leaving nothing unexamined which the most laborious investigation
can accomplish. He has just returned from a visit to the Isle of
Wight, the mineralogical treasures of which were explored by him.
The specimens are neatly arranged in drawers, corresponding with the
strata in which they were found, and ready for use in the illustrations
of. his lectures. In this way, a perfect knowledge may be obtained of
the several geological sections of England. He pursues in his instruc
tions the path marked out by Bacon, in natural philosophy, and by
Cuvier in geology — to collect facts and data, laying little stress upon

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theories. From his talents and unwearied efforts, many ad^ancss in
a science, yet in its infancy, may be anticipated.
In his manners, this gentleman has nothing of that precision, sifil
ness, and pompous formality, which learned dunces sometimes assume
to increase their importance. We were charmed with his unaffected
politeness, ease, and frankness. While earnestly engaged in exhibiting
and explaining the skeleton of a monstrous animal, ofthe lizard kind,
found upon the coast of Yorkshire, and the species of which is now
extinct, he for a moment stopped short, and said " by the bye, gentle
men, I hope you will do us the favour to dine with us to-day, in the
Hall of Trinity College, to be there about five minutes before. 4
o'clock" — and then he proceeded in his lecture upon the lizard. This
parenthetical invitation to dinner was more gratifying than a hundred
formal notes would have been.
From his geological cabinej, he and the professor of Chemistry ac
companied us to the Library, where we were introduced to the Fel
low, who has charge of that department, and who adds to his literary
attainments great urbanity and courtesy. He pointed out the objects
most worthy of notice ; and these were both numerous and in the
highest degree interesting. The apartment appropriated to the library
is a splendid hall, 200 feet long, 40 wide, and 38 high, enriched with
fine specimens of architecture and with a variety of busts, among
which are those of Newton and Bacon by Roubiliac. At one end of
the hall, there is a large painted window, representing the presenta
tion of Sir Isaac Newton to George III. It is a striking device, and
the colours are brilliant, being as vivid as when the work was execu
ted. But there is a curious anachronism in making Sir Isaac a cotem-
porary with the third Brunswick. The painting is not treated with
much respect, and the scholars laugh at the blunder of the artist.
In the entrance to the hall stands a reflecting telescope, used by
Newton in his astronomical studies, and in one ofthe recesses, a globe,
a quadrant, and compass, which once belonged to the same immortal
man. In another recess, the librarian showed us a manuscript in the
hand-writing of Milton, containing his Mask of Comus, Lycidas, and
the plan of Paradise Lost, with all the erasures and interlineations —
the correspondence of Newton with one of his friends, while he was
publishing his Principia, with many of his diagrams, algebraical and
geometrical calculations — the notes and indexes to Greek authors, in
the hand-writing of Dr. Bentley — and other literary curiosities of the
same kind, which were examined with intense interest.
There are about ninety thousand volumes in this library. The seve
ral departments are very complete, and the collection is extremely rare

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and valuable. No pains have been spared in the selection and arrange
ment. The books are disposed in thirty alcoves, finished with carved
oak, and ranged along the sides of the hall with a bust in front of each.
This invaluable collection, embracing the science and literature of
every country and every age, is accessible to all the students and gra
duates as well as under graduates.
Our next visit was to the University Library, common to all the colle
ges. In the entrance, at the foot of a flight of steps leading to the hall,
are several antique statues obtained by Dr. Clarke during his travels in
Greece and the Levant. The extensive apartments appropriated to
this Library are in a quadrangular form, fitted up in much the same
style as the library of Trinity College. Over the junction of two of the
halls rises a lofty and highly ornamented dome, lighting the room be
low, which contains many rare manuscripts and other curiosities,
chiefly oriental. In one of the alcoves, we saw a copy of the " No
vum Organum," presented by Bacon himself, with a note in his own
hand-writing — also a treatise " on Witchcraft," by James I. present
ed about the same time, with a specimen of his chirography. One of
our party remarked the difference in the spirit of these two works, by
" the wooden-headed monarch and his prime minister." We here ex
amined a beautiful manuscript of the Gospels and the Acts of the
Apostles, on vellum, in Greek and Latin, presented to the University
by Theodore Beza. The transcript is supposed to have been made
in the fifth century, and is among the oldest manuscripts extant. It
is executed with great neatness and apparent accuracy.
The University Library contains about two hundred thousand vo
lumes, being one of the largest collections of books in the world. It
is constantly receiving accessions, consisting of new works of merit,
and most of the periodical publications of the day. A folio catalogue
of each department enables the student to turn in a moment to any
work that he may wish to consult. Without these needful guides, he
would soon be lost in a wilderness of books, to read the title pages of
which would consume no inconsiderable portion of one's life. If in
clination had prompted us to enter upon such a task, the limits of a
short visit .would have prevented.
From the Library we proceeded to the Senate House, which is a
stately, handsome building, in the Grecian style of architecture, with
ranges of Corinthian pillars in front. The hall is about 100 feet long,
40 wide, and 38 high, with a gallery finished in oak, extending round
the whole, and sufficiently spacious to accommodate a thousand per
sons. On the right of the entrance, elevated upon a pedestal is a
beautiful full length statue of William Pitt, in the attitude of speakino-.

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It is an admirable piece of workmanship, executed by Nollekins. The
spectator is so deeply interested in the countenance and majestic port
of the orator, as scarcely to observe the regal group of statues, by
which he is surrounded. At the west end of the hall is the chair of
the Chancellor, and around it the seats of the heads of the colleges,
regents, and other dignitaries. It was in this house that Gray's Ode,
at the installation of the Chancellor in 1769, was performed; and it
is impossible to visit the ancient hall, without realizing in some degree
the associations which disclosed to the eye of fancy " the sainted sage,
the bard divine :"
" Wrapt in celestial transport they ;
Yet hither oft a glance from high
They send of tender sympathy,
To bless the place, where on their opening soul
First the genuine ardour stole."
An interesting anecdote of the late Lord Byron was related to us,
in connexion with the Senate House. His lordship was as distin
guished for his eccentricities, while a student at Cambridge, as in after
life. Among other odd things, he kept a bear and devoted to bruin
much more attention than to his mathematics, intending to present
him, as he said, for a degree. By such singularities, and others of
perhaps a less venial description, he was conscious, as appears from
his private correspondence, of having lost the respect of the"Univer-
sity. At an election of an important officer, he was anxious to give
a vote to a friend : but on approaching the door of the Senate liouse,
he expressed to the gentleman on whose arm he was leaning, jjreat
reluctance at entering a place, where he fancied his presence would
not be very welcome to those, who were acquainted with his juvenile
indiscretions. But no sooner did he appear within the hall, than the
galleries rang with loud and repeated shouts of applause. A recep
tion so wholly unexpected quite overpowered his feelings, and he
hastened out of the house, weeping like a child.
In the Senate House, public examinations take place, degrees are
conferred, edicts passed, and all business relating to the government
of the University, as distinct from the colleges, is transacted. The
laws and regulations of the institution are numerous and complex,
abounding with technicalities, which it would take a volume to ex-:
plain, and which could not be made acceptable to the reader. There
is no material difference between the requisitions for a degree at Cam
bridge, and at the colleges of our own country. Dunces will some
times crowd through, and a diploma is not in all cases a test of learn-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 135
ing or merit. The examinations, however, appear to be conducted
with rigid impartiality, and scholarship seldom goes unrewarded.
Graduates, who most distinguish themselves, are denominated wran
glers; the second class optimes; and the rest 'oiiroXXoi, the multitude.
The premiums are numerous and liberal, and must operate as power
ful incentives.
The Chapel of King's College is by far the most remarkable in the
whole group of University buildings, and the most prominent object
about Cambridge. It is a grand and beautiful specimen of Gothic
architecture, said to be the most perfect now in existence. Its exte
rior is 316 feet in length, 84 in breadth, and 146 in height, to the
summit of the towers upon the four corners. The interior nearly
corresponds with these dimensions and is all in one room. Its effect
upon the eye is much increased in grandeur, by the curiously arched
ceiling, at the height of about eighty feet from the floor, so construct
ed as to be without any visible support. It is reckoned a chef d' asimre
in architecture, the ingenuity of which is said to have called forth the
admiration of Sir Christopher Wren. The richly painted windows,
exhibiting a great variety of devices, admit a feeble and softened light,
which greatly adds to the solemnity of the sanctuary. Every part of
the building is in exact proportion ; and it is difficult to imagine a
grander view, than opens to the spectator from the aisle near the
entrance. We climbed to the battlements, by a spiral flight of steps leading
up through one of the towers at the corners, and walked from end to
end along the roof, whence a wide and variegated prospect is obtained
of Cambridge and its environs. Within a few rods of the foundations
of this and other collegiate buildings, the Cam, crossed by numerous
bridges, and bordered with beautiful walks, winds sluggishly through
consecrated shades ; and in the distance, a quiet landscape, with many
a grey spire rising from tufts of trees, terminates the view. It was a
bright day, the skies wearing the serenity of early autumn. The plea
sure of leaning against Gothic pinnacles, to catch a first and last
look at the varied charms of such a scene, detained us much longer
from our company, waiting below, than politeness could sanction.
Having finished a too hasty survey of 'this fine Chapel, we went
next the rounds of all the colleges, which had not previously been ex
amined. Interesting as they were to us, from having been once the
residence of poets and distinguished men, whose names and writings
were familiar, the limits of this sketch forbid me from entering into
detail. Curiosity led us to the room which Gray occupied, and in
which he wrote many of his poems. It is in the corner of one of the

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colleges, with its windows darkened by the branches of aged trees.
Its situation appeared to be congenial with his retired habits and scho
lastic pursuits.
In the course of the forenoon, we passed the Botanic Garden, which
to save time had been visited in the morning before breakfast. It
contains four acres of ground, and is handsomely laid out, with a small
lake in the centre, for the cultivation of aquatic plants. The collec
tion of trees, shrubbery, and flowers from every part ofthe globe, is rich
and extensive. Our walk terminated at the Labratory, where the
Professor of Chemistry conducted us through his department, and
pointed out such parts of his apparatus, as he deemed most interest
ing. His galvanic battery is extensive and powerful. He exhibited
several experiments, to show the operation of the newly invented
press, upon the principle of the hydrostatic paradox. Its operation
is simple, and its force, from the mere pressure of the water, is suffi
cient to crush a piece of wood an inch square, placed longitudinally.
At the appointed hour we went to dine at the Hall of Trinity Col
lege, under the guidance of the two gentlemen from whom we recei
ved so many civilities. The apartment appropriated to this purpose,
is sufficiently spacious to accommodate five hundred persons, and it
is not unusual for that number to sit down to table in term time. As
it is now what is called the long vacation, most of the members of the
college were absent ; but enough remained, including the officers, to
fill several tables, which were crowned with substantial dishes, served
up in good style, but without extravagance. Two kinds of wine cir
culated with moderation at the attic feast. But the decorations of the
hall, consisting of the likenesses of great men, executed by the first
artists ; the easy flow of conversation ; the affability and politeness
of the party, render the stranger careless of his fare, and attract his
attention to other objects. There is a full length portrait of Newton
directly over the table where we sat. A French scholar of some emi
nence was once dining in the hall, and was seated so as to face the
picture. After gazing steadfastly for some time, and catching the
glow of inspiration, he rose suddenly, and pronounced an eloquent
panegyric upon the talents of the mathematician and philosopher.
After the cloth was removed, and grace was read in Latin by two
of the Fellows, we were invited into the Combination Room, so called
from the associates who there assemble. It is a handsome side apart
ment, richly ornamented with paintings, and elegantly furnished.
The festive board was covered with the fruits of the season, and
crowned with generous wine. It was emphatically " a feast of rea
son, and a flow of soul." Some of the party had been personally

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acquainted with Professor Porson, and related a number of interesting
anecdotes of that distinguished but eccentric scholar, who was at once
an ornament and a disgrace to the University. The depth and accu
racy of his erudition, particularly in the Greek language, astonished
every one; but, like his favourite Anacreon, he may be said to have
been choked to death by the grape. His habits of intoxication had
become gross and notorious, and it would have been better for his re
putation had he died sooner.
The Professor of Geology presided at the literary board, and gave
as a sentiment, " prosperity to the United States, and uninterrupted
friendship between kindred nations," which the company drank with
much apparent pleasure. Many inquiries were made respecting the
institutions, the state of learning, and the eminent men of our coun
try ; and none but the kindest and most liberal feelings were express
ed towards its rising greatness. It was extremely gratifying to us, to
witness such liberality among the scholars of England, who exercise
an important influence over the community, and can do much towards
correcting erroneous impressions respecting the United States, imbi
bed from the misrepresentations of tourists and their reviewers.
After dinner we visited the Chapel of Trinity College, chiefly
for the purpose of examining the admirable full length statue of Sir
Isaac Newton, which is justly accounted a master-piece, both in de
sign and execution. It is of white marble, elevated upon a pedestal,
standing in a conspicuous place on the floor of the Chapel ; and the
whole figure is bold, commanding, and impressive. The sage is taken
in the attitude of analyzing the rays of light, by means of the prism.
He has just made an experiment with his glass, and his eyes are lifted
from it to ponder upon the result. The expression ofthe face, marked
with intense thought and deep meditation, is inimitably fine. Behind
him upon the wall, is a monument to the memory of his friend, Ro
ger Cotes, who died young, and of whom Newton used to say," if he
had lived, we might have known something." Near by, is the tomb
of the late Professor Porson, with a white marble slab upon the wall,
bearing a likeness ofthe scholar in relief, with merely the dates of his
birth and death. It was executed by Chantrey. The dust of Dr.
Bentley sleeps under a plain, dark slab in the chancel, inscribed with
his name and a brief epitaph.
At 8 o'clock we took tea with the Professor of Chemistry, and pass
ed a delightful evening with his family and a few friends. His lady
and her sister favoured us with a variety of music upon the harp and
piano, upon both of which they play with much taste, forming a charm
ing concert. Supper, with a dessert of fruits, was served up at 10
vol. i. 18

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o'clock ; and an hour after, we took leave of a family, whose hospi
tality and polished society had contributed so largely to the pleasures
of our visit to Cambridge. We parted with a distant hope of having
it one day in our power to reciprocate so much kindness upon our na
tive shores.
Next morning, before breakfast, we went to the garden of Christ
College, consecrated by some memorials of the poet Milton. It is a
sequestered, quiet, and lovely spot, which I could not but think was
the original, whence he drew the picture of his own Eden, in Paradise
Lost. There is a crystal lake in the centre, overhung with deep fo
liage, near which his bust stands upon a pedestal, half concealed and
shaded by shrubbery. Around the garden are classic walks and cool
retreats, where he loved to saunter. Upon a little open and verdant
area stands an aged mulberry tree, which was planted and watered by
his own hand, while he was a member of the college. It is now tot
tering with infirmity ; but its decrepitude is cherished with a respect
due to its venerable age and its interesting origin. Its trunk, in a state
of decay, is carefully wrapped in a sheet of lead, and several props
support its branches. It is now in full bearing, and we were just in
season to partake of its fruit. The gardener was at the tree, with a
ladder reaching to the top, which he permitted me to ascend and
gather for myself. As it was a warm morning, the shade was scarcely
less grateful than the fruit. A rustic chair was standing upon the
dew-sprinkled turf, which would form a delightful seat for reading the
works of the great epic poet of England.
On our return from this pleasant walk, which was almost as lovely
as the first happy pair used to take in Eden, we called at the Church
of All Saints, to visit the tomb of Henry Kirk White. He was buried
in the chancel, under an obscure and humble stone, bearing no other
inscription than his name. A year or two since, one of our country
men, whose name could not be ascertained on inquiring, visited the
church on the same errand as ourselves, and finding no monument to
the memory of a young man, so highly esteemed for his talents and
virtues, directed a white marble slab to be placed upon the wall, orna
mented with a portrait, in relief, of the unfortunate poet, and inscribed
with the following lines :
" Worn with fond hope, and learning's sacred flame,
To Granta's bowers the youthful poet came :
Unconquer'd powers th' immortal mind display'd,
But, worn with anxious thought, the frame decay'd.
Pale o'er his lamp, and in his cell retired,
The martyr student faded and expired . <
Oh ! genius, taste, and piety sincere,

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Too early lost 'midst studies too severe !
Foremost to mourn was gen'rous Southey seen ;
He told the tale, and show'd what White had been ;
Nor told in vain : for o'er the Atlantic wave
A wanderer came, and sought the poet's grave :
On yon low stone, he saw his lonely name,
And rais'd this fond memorial to his fame."
These verses were written by Mr. Walter Smyth, of St. John's Col
lege. The tablet has no other inscription, except the date of White's
birth, in 1785, and of his death in 1806. It was executed by Chan-
trey, who will probably be able to inform us at whose expense it was
erected. Such a liberal act, paying a just tribute to genius and worth,
made us proud of our country. The reader . will recollect Byron's
beautiful eulogy, in the English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.
At 9 o'clock we took breakfast with the Professor of Geology, at his
rooms in College, as he still lives "in a state of single blessedness."
The members of the University have inducements to remain unmar
ried ; since they forfeit their fellowships, on entering into matrimony.
Their apartments are taken care of, and their breakfasts provided, by
females who are called gyps. On inquiring the etymology of the term,
I received for answer, that with the classical scholars of Cambridge it
is supposed to be derived from yu^, the Greek word signifying a
vulture. This mode of living, however, is neither expensive nor un
pleasant. ' We found the rooms handsomely furnished, and ornament
ed with a great variety of paintings and drawings. They contained
also a valuable private library, with all the appendages and conve
niences of a study. Breakfast was served up in good style, and an
hour passed very agreeably.
In the course ofthe forenoon, we had a long and delightful ramble
upon the banks of the Cam, threading every grove and thicket, and
frequently pausing to admire the Gothic turrets of the colleges peer
ing from amidst the foliage. It was our intention to visit the new ob
servatory now in building upon an eminence half a mile from town ;
but our friend accidentally mentioning a favourite walk of the poet
Gray, with the original of his " country church-yard," it was at once
determined to change the direction of our excursion. We according
ly pursued a by-path, sometimes leading between hedge-rows of haw
thorn, and at others, across meadows and fields, until it conducted us
to Grantchester, a small village of great antiquity, at the distance of a
mile and a half from Cambridge. It is said to have been a Roman sta
tion. The houses have thatched roofs, and appear to be going to de
cay.

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The " ivy-mantled tower" guided us to the little church-yard, whither
Gray used to take a solitary walk at morning or evening, and whence
he is said to have derived the imagery of his exquisite Elegy. Whether
his muse gleaned her materials from this place or not, its features
exactly correspond with his description. Although it does not differ
essentially from other country church-yards, its interesting associations
induced us to examine it with minute attention. It is a very old bu-
rying-ground, " where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap."
We sat down in the shade ofthe church, upon the green sod covering
the graves, and repeated the Elegy, applying its stanzas to the objects
around us. One part ofthe cemetery in a particular manner arrested
our attention. It was a little enclosure, planted with the yew, the
ever-green branches of which overhung and partly concealed the mar
ble monuments. A rose grew by its side, and was in full bloom, its
leaves and flowers intermingling with the cypress. Many of the tomb
stones in the church-yard are old and rude, the dates extending back
far beyond the period, when the poet was wont to make this retreat
the scene of his evening rambles and solitary meditations. There was
a pleasure in the reflection, that he had trodden the same turf we were
now treading, and had paused to read the same inscriptions, the same
" holy texts and uncouth rhymes," which have become scarcely legi
ble, overgrown as they are with moss and half obhterated by the hand
of time.
But the banks ofthe Cam furnish still less equivocal prototyes of his
poetical images, and more vivid traces of the footsteps of his Muse : —
" Ye brown o'er-arching groves,
That contemplation loves,
Where willowy Camus lingers with delight !
Oft at the blush of dawn,
I trod your level lawn,
Oft woo'd the gleam of Cynthia, silver bright,
In cloisters dim, far from the haunts of folly,
With freedom by my side, and soft-eyed melancholy."
The foregoing passage is entirely graphic, and accurately descrip
tive ofthe scenery upon the banks of this classic stream, along the im
mediate margin of which we sauntered on our return, following its
meanders through the wide meadow which it passes before reaching
Cambridge. Its waters are clear, but sluggish ; and for the greater
part of the way, the channel is over-arched by willows, growing upon
its borders. Its current is in many places choked with rushes and
other aquatic plants, among which Matthews, the intimate friend of
Lord Byron, was entangled and drowned, while in the act of bathing.

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At this season of the year, the water seems scarcely deep or wide
enough to admit of such an accident, in the place where it occurred.
On the left bank, near the colleges, there is a beautiful grove, called
Erasmus'' Walk. It was the favourite retreat of the eminent scholar
of that name, who was educated at Cambridge. A more sequestered,
cool, and quiet spot for reading and meditation cannot be imagined ;
and here he probably acquired much of that depth of learning, as well
as that pure latinity, for which he was so distinguished. But I have
done : — for there would be no end to my sketch, should it attempt to
embrace all the classic shades and all the interesting objects, around
this ancient seat of the Muses, hallowed by the associations of genius
and learning.

142 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XIII.
DEPARTURE FROM CAMBRIDGE  HUNTINGDON  BIRTH-PLACE OF CROM
WELL  STAMFORD  BURLEIGH HOUSE  LEICESTER  DERBY.
f' August, 1825.
On the afternoon of the 20th, our ride was continued to Stamford,
twenty-six miles from Cambridge. In leaving the seat of the Univer
sity, we crossed a handsome bridge over the Cam, on each side of
which the stream was covered with large boats, employed in naviga
tion between this place and Lynn, in the county of Norfolk. In one
of the public squares was observed the Conduit, erected by the cele
brated Hobson,* as a watering-place for his horses ; also the church
of the Holy Sepulchre, which is a curious antique structure of a circu
lar form. It is said to be the oldest of the kind in England. A part
of it is of Saxon architecture, and is supposed to have been built by the
Knights Templars, between the first and second crusades, dedicated
to the pilgrims who visited the sacred places about Jerusalem. The
new Observatory, yet in an unfinished state, crowns the summit of
Chapel Hill, whence an extensive view is obtained of the Cathedral at
Ely, and the surrounding country.
A few miles from Cambridge, the road leads through the little vil
lage of St. Ives, celebrated in legendary lore, and still more renowned,
as having been for some time the residence of Oliver Cromwell, the
Protector, where he is said to have occasionally preached and exhorted.
It derived its name from a Persian archbishop of great sanctity, who
travelled through England in the sixth century, and whose body was
reported to have been found at this place, where a monastery was erect
ed, and the name changed in honour of the saint. Near the village
we crossed the river Ouse, which is a comparatively large and naviga
ble stream, rising in Northamptonshire, and winding its way in a north
easterly direction, through extensive fens upon its borders. Although
it is not in its appearance a very poetical river, it is not " unknown to
song." Cowper's muse found a charm in its winding and sedgy
margin.

* This old Cantabrian, (blessed be his memory,) was the inventor of Hackney-
Coaches and Livery-Stables. For an account of his services, and an explanation
ofthe proverb, which originated with him, see Milton's miscellaneous poems, and
the 509th number ofthe Spectator.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 143
Among other villages on this route is Stilton, remarkable for a
peculiar and excellent kind of cheese, as it is pronounced to be by
connoisseurs in that article. The place, however, appears, to en
joy a false reputation ; since the commodity whence it derives its fame
is said, according to the best authorities, to be manufactured by the
dairy-women of Leicestershire, while Stilton is entitled to no other
credit than that of amassing fortunes, by the sale of the products of a
neighbouring county :
" Sic vos non vobis fertis aratra boves."
Huntingdon, sixteen miles from Cambridge, is a large and well built
town. It has a population of about 3,000, and is the capital of the
county ofthe same name. It is celebrated as the birth-place of Oliver
Cromwell, traces of whose influence have been observed by us at al
most every mile since landing in Ireland. He appears to have pos
sessed the power of ubiquity. He was, in truth, a man of extraordi
nary talents and great personal activity ; ambitious, bold, and adven.
turous in his schemes ; prompt, energetic, and fearless in their execu
tion ; he accomplished the most important events by the simplest
means. At one period his influence seems to have pervaded simulta
neously every part of the kingdom, like some great convulsion of na
ture. Not only the fortresses of war, but temples, statues, and images
felt the shock and crumbled into ruins. His power reached our own
shores, whither nothing but the merest accident prevented him from
fleeing, and planting himself upon the banks of the Connecticut, in
stead of assuming the purple. Had he been permitted to embark, and
to carry his design into execution, he probably would have become
another Putnam in hardy enterprise, dragging the wolf from his ca
vern, or fighting savages in the wilderness.
Although we could feel but little respect for the memory of a man,
in whose character were united the bigot, hypocrite, and tyrant ; whose
principles could not withstand the allurements of ambition ; and who
added to all the vices of a despot, treachery to the cause he had
espoused — yet curiosity led us to search for the place of his birth,
The house in which he was born is now entirely demolished, and a
handsome mansion erected upon the site. A person pointed out to
us precisely where the old building stood. One section of it, deno
minated " Cromwell's Room," containing some of the original furni
ture, was preserved till within a year or two, when the last vestige
was removed to make room for the modern structure.
Huntingdon was for several years the residence of the poet Cowper
— a spirit forming a perfect contrast to the Protector. He lived with

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his friends, the Urwins, who are a respectable family, and will long be
remembered with gratitude for their kindness towards an unfortunate
bard, whose subsequent fame has given celebrity and interest to the
house, which sheltered his penury. The period of his residence in
this town was just after his escape from a delirious trance of many
years, when he commenced, as it were, a new existence. His insa
nity for so large a proportion of his life, and the successful exercise of
his talents in acquiring reputation after his recovery, may be reckoned
among the most remarkable phenomena in the whole history of mind.
The charms of nature seem to have opened upon him afresh, as he
awoke from the dream of years, and he enjoyed all the novelty and all
the enthusiasm of childhood without any of its weaknesses. He is
said to have been perfectly happy, while at Huntingdon ; grateful to
Heaven for the renovation of his intellectual powers, and to his friends
for their liberal favours. His resuscitated relish for the enjoyment of
natural scenery, as well as of social pleasures, was insatiable. He
was in the field morning and evening and noon-day, taking his solitary
walk, and catching with his pencil every shifting tint, which the
changing seasons presented.
The pleasures of our ride this afternoon were greatly increased, by
the politeness of an intelligent gentleman from London, who was
familiar with the road, and who directed our attention to whatever was
most worthy of notice, not only on this route, but in our way towards
the north. He commenced at Cambridge with an act of courtesy,
which is unusual among strangers in a coach. He was in possession
of the best seat, which he voluntarily surrendered, remarking that he
perceived three of us were travelling in company, and would probably
wish to sit together — he would therefore take a seat behind. Such
an instance of urbanity prepossessed us in his favour, and a subsequent
acquaintance confirmed the opinion. Among other favours, he gave
us a letter to one of the most interesting parts of Yorkshire. This
little circumstance is recorded, as one among a thousand proofs of
the open hospitality of the people of England, which is a prominent
trait in their characters, at least so far as our observation has extended.
There is a peculiarity in the names of some of the places in this
vicinity, which did not strike our ears very agreeably. One of the
villages on the road is called Godmanchester. At Cambridge, they
have not only Corpus Christi, Christ College, and Jesus College, but
what is still worse, Jesus Lane, a narrow street running through the
town. These appellations originated with the ecclesiastics and monks
m an age less refined than the present. The familiar use of these
sacred appellations is unpleasant to those, who are not accustomed to

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it ; and one would, think, that the good taste of the inhabitants of
Cambridge would induce them to alter the name of the lane at least.
We arrived at Stamford, at 8 o'clock, in the evening. This is an
old town, and appears to be rather on the decline. It formerly con
tained fifteen churches, only half a dozen of which still remain. It is
situated on both sides of the river Welland, over which there is an
antique stone bridge. The stream is connected with a canal, and
affords great facilities of inland navigation. A part of the town is in
Lincolnshire, and the residue in Northamptonshire. These subdivi
sions of places are sometimes carried still farther. At Chester, a
little inn called the Hole in the Wall, alluded to in a former letter,
stands partly in Cheshire and partly in Flintshire. The tap-room is
in the former, and the parlour in the latter. As the jurisdictions are
distinct, a citizen of Chester may quaff his ale in the Flintshire apart
ment, free from an arrest, although the bailiff be at the door.
On Monday morning we walked a mile and a half to Burleigh
House, which was erected by Cecil, Lord Burleigh, the minister of
Elizabeth and Lord Treasurer of England. It is at present the seat
of the Marquis of Exeter, who is a young man of thirty, with a feeble
constitution, and not destined, so far as I could learn, to add much
to the fame of his ancestors. The Park and grounds about his
seat are beautiful, varied by gentle undulations, and covered with
groves and copses of oak intermingled with other large forest trees.
Vistas and umbrageous walks open on the eye in all directions. The
lodge is near Stamford, and our rambles extended over nearly the
whole domain. In the centre, spreading in front of the house, is a
pretty sheet of water, winding through the grounds, till it is lost
among the trees. A handsome bridge has been thrown across it,
which contributes largely to the beauty of/ the prospect. The water
was covered by a flock of swans, which were feeding along the green
margin, and playing on the glassy wave.
¦ The exterior of the house is not striking. It is a mixed specimen
of architecture, exhibiting no less than three orders. A want of sim
plicity destroys the effect, both as to grandeur and beauty. The sum
mit is crowned by half a dozen turrets, surrounding an old fashioned
pyramidal steeple rising from the Chapel. At a distance, these gray
towers, seen from among the trees, present a fine view, the charms of
which gradually vanish, as you approach the naked court-yard, and
examine the proportions of the building.
The interior is not calculated to increase the admiration of the visi
tant. We were ushered into a spacious hall, with a lofty arched ceil
ing, of Saxon architecture. The walls are hung with ancient tapes-
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try, wrought into a variety of historical pictures. In niches and on
pedestals along the basement, are numerous statues and busts, some
with broken limbs, and others with smutty faces. The furniture and
decorations of the hall, from Cupid riding on a dolphin, to the hobby
horse and other machines for exercise, are contemptible in compari
son with those at Eaton Hall and Chatsworth.
A female portress of eighteen conducted us through the Chapel,
billiard-room, hall for dancing, and a long suite . of other apartments,
appropriated to the purposes of sleeping, dressing, eating, drinking,
and musjc, which constitute the business, and make up the vicissitudes
of fashionable life. The library and study were not shown to us.
One of the rooms contained an extensive exhibition of cattle of dif
ferent breeds, well-modeled in plaster, and grouped according to their
several species It is a useful ornament, and gave us an impression
that his lordship is a patron of agriculture, although our fair guide
could not satisfy our inquiries upon this point. The decorations ofthe
Chapel exhibit more taste than any other part of the house. They
consist of the ten Virgins standing upon pedestals around the room.
The statues are of black composition, full length, and nearly as large
as life, each holding a lamp decorated with gold. It is a chaste and
appropriate ornament. On the left of the altar, there is a sofa, one
end of which goes by the name of Elizabeth's Seat, being the place
where she used to sit, in her frequent visits to the residence of the
Lord Treasurer, which was a favourite retreat. The cabinet of jew
els, which we were permitted to inspect, contains a great variety of
ornaments, which belonged to the Virgin Queen, and to other distin
guished personages. Among the rest is a beautiful little sword, worn
as an ornament by Mary, Queen of Scots, which excited more interest'
than the gems of her jealous and persecuting rival.
Burleigh House is enriched with an extensive collection of paint
ings, some of them by the great masters of every age ; but they are
scattered amidst a multitude of others, of an inferior kind, which
hardly repay an examination. The show of statuary is meagre.
There are several ancient side-boards or bureaux of a curious con
struction, surmounted with sets of little images, resembling* children's
toys, and appearing to be of glazed porcelain. They form a tawdry
and puerile ornament for the apartments of a nobleman, hung with
the portraits and adorned with the busts of his ancestors. Having '
made the circuit of the suite of apartments on the second floor, we
arrived at a spiral flight of steps leading from the drawing room into a
court below, communicating with the hall, whence our tour commen
ced. It occasioned not a little surprise, to learn from the lips of the

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 147
portress, that the entry and stair-way are called hell, and the rooms
above heaven. This is certainly trifling with sacred subjects ; and I
am unwilling to believe that these nicknames are ever heard from the
mouths of a nobleman's family. Surely good taste, if not a respect
for religion, would restrain a well-bred ¦ person from indulging in such
vulgar levity.
On our return from Burleigh House, we called at the Church of St.
Martin's, in the village of Stamford, where are the vaults of the Cecil
family. The Lord Treasurer lies in state, under a canopy in the chan
cel ; and his family are grouped around him, the children kneeling in
niches upon the wall. The monument to the memory of John Cecil
and his wife, denominated " the travelling lord and lady," is a lofty
pyramid of white marble, reaching to the ceiling of the church, and
placed against a black ground work, so as to give the appearance of
casting a shadow. On a pedestal in front, the rambling pair are re
presented in a recumbent posture leaning upon a sarcophagus, the
lady with an open book or port-folio in her hand. It was executed
by an eminent artist in Italy under the superintendence of Cecil and
his wife, while they were in that country. A long epitaph in Latin
makes them out to have been a matchless pair.
In leaving Stamford we crossed the bridge of the Welland, above
which, on a level meadow forming the borders of the river, is a race
course for bulls. The novel amusement of bull-running, which is pej
culiar to this town, arose from an accidental circumstance. A no
bleman by chance gave chase to one of these animals, and was so
much delighted with the high sport, that he introduced the custom, as
a festival to be observed on the anniversary of his own adventure.
The ride from Stamford to Leicester, thirty miles, extends through
a pleasant and fertile agricultural district, exhibiting many beautiful
fields of tillage and pasture. In the latter, numerous flocks of sheep
were observed, of a larger size than we had ever seen. The cattle
also were remarkably handsome and fat ; furnishing the strongest
evidence of a rich grazing country. It abounds with extensive dairies,
and the treasures of the fleece.
We reached Leicester at 8 o'clock in the evening, and immediately
called on a fellow-passenger in the Corinthian, who resides at this
place. He devoted his whole time and attention to us, during our
stay, and did every thing in his power to render the visit agreeable.
He first conducted us to the top of a five-story warehouse, for the
purpose of giving us a bird's-eye view of the town and its vicinity.
The prospect from such a height was wide, varied, and delightful. We
looked down upon Leicester, as upon a picture, tracing with the eye

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its, streets, its numerous spires and turrets, its public edifices, the great
avenues leading to it from all directions, the meanders of the river
Soar, and the rural environs, which extend far on every side in gen
tle and verdant undulations. It is a large, well built place, with a po
pulation of about 25,000. The houses are almost entirely of brick,
two and three stories high. Many new buildings are going up, and
although the town is said to have been founded long before the chris
tian era, it is generally modern in its appearance. The southern part
of it, bordering upon the London road, and extending towards a beau-~
tiful promenade upon an eminence, which is crowned with shady.
walks, and commands a fine view towards the west, has been entirely
added within a few years. Interspersed, however, with new houses
are several that are very ancient, built in the old-fashioned English
style, like those at Chester ; and after all, the venerable relics of other
ages, still to be seen about Leicester, are among its most attractive
features. Having obtained a general idea ofthe topography ofthe town, we pro
ceeded to the remains of an ancient castle, which was built by the ce
lebrated John a Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the story of whose gigan
tic height is familiar to the reader. The ruin is entered beneath a
lofty and well proportioned arch, forming a gate-way to which there
was formerly a portcullis. A considerable part of the fortress is yet
standing, although it has been sadly mutilated in fitting it up as a mo
dern armory for the county. Its walls are four feet and a half thick,
composed of lime stone laid in a hard cement. On all sides it was
strongly barricaded and rendered impregnable. It is associated with
several historical events, which occurred in feudal times and during
the civil wars. We climbed to the top of its turret, and thence had
a view of another specimen of antiquity, in a neighbouring church
which is of Saxon architecture. Some years since its tall stone spire
was struck by lightning, and rent from top to bottom.
Among our first visits, was one to the Roman Mile-stone, which is
of undoubted authenticity, and forms a curious relic of the imperial
conquerors of Britain. It was dug up many years ago, in an entire
state of preservation, and has been incorporated with the shaft of a
pillar erected at the junction of two of the principal streets. The in
scription is considered the most ancient in England, and according to
the interpretation of antiquaries, the translation is as follows-: — " Hadri
an Trajanus Augustus, Emperor and Cassar, the son ofthe most illus
trious Trajan Parthicus, in the fourth year of his reign and the third
Consulate : from Rata? (the Roman name for Leicester) two miles."
The place where it was found, and where it doubtless stood, coirres-

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ponds in its distance from Leicester with the inscription, and thus esta
blishes the ancient appellation of the town, as well as the fact that it
was a Roman station of importance.
To those who are curious in etymologies, it may be gratifying to
learn the origin of the word Newark. Near the ruins of the ancient
castle mentioned above, there is a pile of buildings, formerly called
New Work, in contradistinction to the old line, which was opposite.
In time and by contraction in the pronunciation, the appellation was
^corrupted into Newark, and the street is now so denominated. As
the Newark of our country was borrowed from England, it of course
has a common origin.
In a beautiful situation upon the immediate banks of the Soar, the
gentleman at whose hands we received so much hospitality and kind
ness, has an extensive manufacturing establishment, which in point of
convenience and beauty is decidedly the finest we have seen in Eng
land. The grounds and gardens around it are laid out with much
taste ; and in entering the gate to a serpentine gravel walk, bordered
by trees and flowers, one would suppose he was approaching an ele
gant private residence, instead of a manufactory. There is nothing in
the appearance of the building to remove the deception. Its spacious
wings stand round an open court, and are three stories high, built
of brick, stuccoed with white. We went over every part of it, and
were highly gratified with a variety of ingenious machinery, as well
as mechanical operations, which had never before been examined.
Among the rest was a process for twisting cord or stay-lace, in which
the spools dance a cotillion, to the sound of music, confusing every
body but the automata revolving in their little spheres. All the ma
chinery is worked by a steam engine. About 300 persons are em
ployed in the manufactory. A speaking-trumpet extends from the
counting-room, to the apartment of the foreman in the upper loft,
, through which directions may be given in the ordinary voice. From
the balustrade upon the top of the building, we had another fine view
of the town and adjacent country. Among other places in the vici
nity, the former residence of the accomplished and unfortunate Lady
Jane Grey was distinctly seen upon a distant eminence.
Across the Soar at this place, is a low, narrow, and one-arched
bridge, over which Richard III. rode on horseback the day before the
battle of Bosworth Field, which was fought at the distance of eight
miles from Leicester, and in which the regal monster fell, fighting gal
lantly to the last. Nothing but the assurance, that not the slightest
traces of the works of war could be found, prevented us from visiting
an arena upon which the fortunes of kings were decided. In riding

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f
over Bow Bridge, above referred to, Richard is said to have dashed
his foot against the railing, owing to the narrowness of the passage
and the prancing of his charger. This circumstance gave rise to a
prediction of his fate, in the conflict with Richmond. The next day
he. was brought back from Bosworth, his bleeding corse stripped of
its military and regal habiliments, being rudely slung across his steed,
and treated with indignity by his conquerors. He was buried in the
church of Grey Friars ; but in the midst of some popular excesses, a
few years afterwards, his body was taken up, borne by a mob to Bow
Bridge, and thrown over the railing, upon a little island just below, '
which once divided the Soar, though now united on one side to the
mainland. There, beneath an aged weeping-willow, the pendant
branches of which overhang and bathe themselves in the stream, re
pose the ashes of a monarch, at whose name " the world grew pale."
The stone coffin in which he was originally inurned, after being di
vested of its contents, was taken to one of the inns in Leicester, and
used as an oat-trough in the stable. It was at length broken by the
frost, water having been accidently left in it on a cold winter night.
As popular indignation at the crimes and cruelties of Richard had by
this time in a great measure subsided, and the muse of Shakspeare had
imparted an interest even to his enormities, the fragments of the sarco
phagus were carefully preserved, and are still in the possession of a
virtuoso living in the vicinity. The same gentleman has also the bed
in which Gloucester slept at the Blue-Boar Inn, near Bow Bridge, in
his way to Bosworth field. The tavern is yet standing. It is an old-
fashioned English house, with a projection in front, built of wood, and
filled in with brick and mortar. It is at present occupied as a store
house for wool. The door was unfortunately locked, and we could
not obtain admittance.
We next went to the ruins of the Abbey of St. Mary de Pratis,
celebrated as the place where cardinal Woolsey died. It is half a
mile from the town, situated upon a little eminence in the midst of an
extensive meadow, whence its appellation is derived. The wall of
the spacious enclosure, containing many acres, remains almost entire.
On one side it runs along the immediate bank of the Soar, forming a
high and romantic mound, with a curtain of ivy suspended in festoons
from the ancient rampart to the water, and mingling its tresses with
the reedy margin of the stream. Above, the enclosure is bordered
with trees and shrubbery. The courts have been converted into gar
dens for fruits, of which we partook, seating ourselves in the shade of
the ruin and of the yew, growing by the crumbling walls. Time has
made but few inroads upon the northern section, near the middle of

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 151
which was the grand entrance, under a lofty arch. At this gate, Car
dinal Woolsey, in a state of penury and decrepitude, bereft of his ho
nours by the sudden reverses of fortune, deprived of his eight hun
dred attendants, sick and solitary, riding upon a mule, made applica
tion for admission, and was received by the charitable Father ;
" At last with easy roads, he came to Leicester,
Lodged in the abbey", where the reverend abbot,
With his convent, honourably received him ;
To whom he gave these words : ' O father abbot,
An old man, broken with .he storms of state,
Is come to lay his weary bones among ye ;
Give him a little earth for charity.' "
This passage from ' Shakspeare is as true to history, as to nature.
Here the Cardinal terminated his misfortunes soon after his arrival.
No traces of his tomb can be found, a*nd it is uncertain where he was
buried. Thefe is a tradition at Leicester, that his remains were inter
red in the church of St. Margaret, standing in the town just on the
margin of the meadow ; and that the inmates of the abbey walked in
procession, with lighted flambeaux and all the solemn pomp of wo,
paying the last honours to the relics of a man, to whose necessities
they had charitably ministered.
Near this ruin ran the Old Roman road, the remains of which are
yet discoverable and have been traced by antiquaries as far north as
Lincolnshire. We crossed it in going to the site of a druidical tem
ple, half a mile from the bank of the Soar. This relic of antiquity
consists of a circular and deep excavation in the earth, perhaps fifty
yards in diameter, with large stones placed in the centre, for the pur
pose of offering sacrifices. ! The circumference was bordered by a
thick and dark grove of oaks, sacred in the mystic rites of the Druids.
There is nothing peculiar in the construction ef this temple, to distin
guish it from others, and its history is of course involved in the same
obscurity. During our stay at Leicester we visited several of the most antique
and remarkable churches ; the poor-house, which is a handsome and
convenient building ; the prison, constructed upon Howard's plan ;
the large county gaol, -which is now going up ; and in short nearly
all the public buildings and institutions in the town. Several hours
were also devoted to an examination of the manufacture of hosiery
and lace, for which Leicester is distinguished. The process of wea
ving stockings is so simple, that children eight or ten years old work at
it, and complete several pair in a day. Both sexes are employed in
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the streets, when the windows are up, the noise of the machines may
be heard all over town, giving alternately a sharp and prolonged note,
like that of a. species of the grasshopper. It is a kind of music,
which forcibly strikes the ear of a stranger.
The machinery for the manufacture of lace is extremely complica
ted, and a description of it, were 1 competent to the task, would be
out of place in this letter. It is a fairy web,, which requires the ut
most attention and exactness. In this, as in every other department
of manufactures, great improvements have been introduced within a
few years. It was formerly woven by females upon a cushion, who
used to sing a merry tune, and keep time with their fingers, to hasten
and beguile the tedious process. It is now made altogether in a loom,
where yards of it in breadth are manufactured at one operation. To
show the difference in the modes, a lady to whom we Were introduced
was so kind, as to let a little girl living with her, give us a specimen
of the former process. The improved method was examined through
all the stages of twisting the thread, winding, warping, weaving, bleach-
ing,(and dressing, except gassing, as it is called, which is entirely done
by one company, at Nottingham. This last process, as it was descri
bed to us, is somewhat upon the principle of Sir Humphrey Davy's
safety-lamp. The web is passed over a wire roller or grate, filled with
ignited gas, the flame of which passes through to a limited extent
and perforates the net- work, consuming the small filaments without
injuring the texture of the delicate fabric. It is a valuable invention,
for which its author has a patent and is realizing an immense fortune.
The thread of lace is so fine, that a pound of it will make thirtyTtwo
square yards, and costs from twelve to fifteen dollars. Most of it is
spun from the finest cotton at Manchester, where alone it can be
drawn to such a degree of tenuity, from a peculiar moisture in the cli
mate. This remark however must be confined to England, as it is
well known that the finest lace in the world is manufactured upon the
continent. On the 24th we rode to Derby, which is a large, well-built, hand
some town, the capital of the county, situate on the river Derwent
near its confluence with the Trent. It possesses great water privi
leges, and has a population of 20,000, chiefly engaged in manufactures.
Our first visit was to the Church of All-Saints, which stands in a
conspicuous situation, and has one ofthe loftiest and best proportion
ed towers in the county. But unfortunately, it does not harmonize
with the rest of the edifice, which is of a different order of architec
ture. It is however a stately structure, and appears to great advantage
from every part of Derby, as well as from the surrounding country.

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In the chancel is the cemetery of the Duke of Devonshire, some of
whose ancestors lie in state, with monumental records containing a
history of the family. The walls are hung with escutcheons and ta
blets. I inquired for the tomb of Dr. Darwin, who resided here many
years, during which he wrote a part of his voluminous works ; but the
guide informed me, that the Doctor died and was buried at his seat,
five miles from town where his wife is still living. Two of his sons re
side in the vicinity, in affluent circumstances, rendered so by the fa
ther, who made a fortune by his practice. His memory is held in great
respect by the inhabitants of this place. Whatever were the faults of
his writings, and of the elegant frost-work of his Muse, he was highly
esteemed for his professional eminence, and beloved for his private
virtues, From the church, we went to the porcelain manufactory, belonging
to Mr. Robert Bloor, who gave us a ready admission to every part of
his works. It is one ofthe most extensive establishments ofthe kind
in England, giving employment to several hundreds of persons. The
clay is all brought from Cornwall and Devonshire, the expense of the
transportation of the materials being much less than would be that of
the coal to those counties. Two hours were passed in going through
the several departments and in witnessing the various processes of
moulding, turning, colouring, and burning. The vessels are made in
distinct pieces, as a side, a handle, or spout of a tea-pot, and then sol
dered together with the same material, in a semi-liquid state. Of all
the processes, the painting is the most delicate and tedious, being all
done with a brush, and requiring to be retouched a number of times.
Three or four heats, of about 24 hours each, are necessary in baking
the ware before it acquires a proper hardness and polish. Among the
most amusing parts of the manufacture is that of images and toys.
We saw poor " Dr. Syntax" in every possible plight, from his dejecta
membra — his pliant arms and legs, his unbaked head, and clay-colour
ed suit, until he at length came out of the kiln, with his black coat,
cocked hat, and well burnished breeches and shoes.
Our next visit was to the silk manufactory belonging to Mr. Taylor.
It is the oldest establishment of the kind in the kingdom, the proprie
tor having introduced it from the continent. From the information
received, the business is on the decline, and has never been very pro
fitable. The manufacturer, who is compelled to import the raw mate
rial, cannot hold a competition with Italy and other countries, notwith
standing all the protection he receives from the government. The
consequence is, that silks are much higher than they are upon the con
tinent, or even with us. They are comparatively little worn in Eng-
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land, except by the higher classes. There are, however, many spin
dles and looms in operation at Derby ; and we minutely examined
every process, from winding the raw material to the finish of the web.
It does not differ essentially from the manufacture of cottons. The
wales are made in the woof by touching a variety of treadles.
After dinner, we walked a mile from town, to visit the infirmary,
which stands in an eligible situation, and is one of the best construct
ed institutions in the country. It is in fact so far as we could judge,
a perfect model for a hospital. Its wards are spacious, airy, and neat ;
its appurtenances and furniture rerharkably convenient ; and its plea
sure grounds for the exercise of patients, beautifully ornamented with
trees. Among its many peculiar conveniences, are the large and se
parate rooms, remote from the wards, for the use of patients who are
convalescent. Here they are removed from the bad air of a hospital,
and enjoy all the benefit and comfort to be derived from society and
cheerful conversation. The change from a sick and solitary cell to a
pure atmosphere and the social circle, has a most salutary effect in
hastening a recovery. Contiguous to these rooms is a little chapel,
where all who are well enough attend prayers morning and evening.

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LETTER XIV.
MATLOCK — NOTTINGHAM  TOMB OF LORD BYRON — NEWSTED ABBEV.
August, 1825.
From Derby we rode to Matlock, a distance of fifteen or twenty miles,
for the purpose of visiting one of the principal watering places in
England, at a season when it is most thronged with company, and
with the view of comparing it with the Mineral Springs of New- York.
The road leading to it passes along the banks of the Derwent, up a
narrow, but green and beautiful vale, hemmed in on either side by ran
ges of hills, and sprinkled with a number of pretty villages, the largest
of which is Belper, with its neat church and gray turret rising on the
declivity. Most of the houses and cottages are built of stone from
the neighbouring cliffs, harmonizing with the surrounding scenery. The
Derwent is crossed in many places by bridges of the same material,
beneath which the little river glides peacefully on, a perfect mirror to
its verdant shores.
A few miles below Matlock, the scenery assumes a bolder, and a
ruder character. On doubling a high promontory, which projects
nearly half way across the valley, and around which the road has been
hewn from the cliffs, scene after scene discloses itself to the eye, with ;
a wild, picturesque, and romantic beauty seldom surpassed. Above, )
to the height of several hundred feet, the hills are hung with native
forest, through which patches of the gray rocks are discernible, some
times retreating among the foliage, and at others, obtruding their na
ked and precipitous ledges from behind the curtain of verdure. Deep
in the vale beneath, the Derwent begins to babble in audible murmurs,
hurrying over a rocky bed, or descending in cascades. Its music is
sufficient to render vocal the whole amphitheatre of hills and woods.
At the point where the village of Matlock is situated, the Heights
of Abraham, a green swell upon the right bank of the river, and High
Tor, a perpendicular cliff of castellated limestone, rising three or four
hundred feet on the left, so interlock as to form apparently an insupe
rable barrier, both to the road and the current ; while the hills below,
by a winding of the vale, seem to have closed upon the traveller, lea
ving him no retreat. Nor would he much regret to be thus imprison
ed, at least till his eye was fatigued with the varied scenery around
him, and his ear satiated with the murmur of water-falls. Immedi
ately under the cliffs of High Tor, the Derwent finds a narrow, bro
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rocks rising above the surface. Below, it spreads into a broader,
deeper, and darker channel, moving on slowly with the quiet of a
lake. Its margin is skirted with woods, the branches of which in
some places dip into the current at a distance from the shore, forming
an arch of foliage, beneath which little pleasure boats glide quietly
along, or lie moored under the brink, to enjoy the breezy shade.
On the left side of the river, for the whole extent of the vale, the
banks are composed of abrupt precipices, generally perpendicular, and
affording at the bases barely room for a promenade, called " The
Lovers' Walk," and one or two cottages, peeping from the woods.
The village occupies the right bank, which is a steep acclivity, in
many places precipitous, and at no point admitting of a direct ascent.
Most of the houses are built on a little basin of alluvial land, washed
by the river ; but far above the roofs of these, there is another street
and range of buildings running along the side of the hills. Still far
ther up the ascent, are houses and cottages scattered among the trees.
The fights at the doors and windows of these dwellings, glimmering
through the foliage, present at evening an enchanted and fanciful pic
ture. We arrived just at twilight, and with much difficulty crowded our
selves into the principal hotel, denominated the Old Bath, which
stands high up the acclivity, and affords from its windows some of the
finest views of the scenery about Matlock. Beneath a copse of trees,
in the handsome enclosure in front of the house, a fine band of mu
sic every evening take their station, and the notes of some plaintive
air steal over the bosom of the stream, or mingling with the murmur
of its waters, die in echoes along the hills. To complete the romance
of the scene, on the night of our arrival the full moon rose above the
hills, unobscured by clouds, and poured a silver tide of radiance into
the valley, throwing a softer fight over the landscape. We rambled till
a late hour by the side of the Derwent, at one moment pausing to listen
to its cascades, and at another to catch the tinkling of the rill, descend
ing over its rocky bed, to mingle with the stream below.
Having said thus much for Matlock, I have said all. Its mineral
waters amount to nothing. They are but slightly tepid, requiring arti
ficial heat to prepare them for a warm bath. So far as we could judge,
they are perfectly tasteless, and the efficacy ascribed to them might
probably with more justice be attributed to exercise, rural quiet, and
the salutary influence of the imagination. If Congress Spring enjoyed
equal advantages of natural scenery with Matlock, it would become
more celebrated than the fount of Helicon. I have yet seen no

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Spas, that will bear a comparison with its bright, sparkling, and salu
brious waters.
The society at the English watering places appears to be much the
same as at ours. It is an assemblage of all classes, thrown promiscu
ously together, and left to assort themselves into coteries, according to
their several affinities. They breakfast and dine at a common table,
which is very unusual at the hotels in this country. At dinner, those
salutary rules as to dress and etiquette, which govern polite society, are
observed ; and at tea, they assemble in the drawing-room, as the mem
bers of one family. Music, dancing, conversation, cards, or other
amusements constitute the pleasures of the evening. On the night
of our visit, a large party of ladies and gentlemen formed a circle and
amused themselves with " Jack at all trades," producing not a little
noise. In the midst of the sport, word came that the Bishop of Lon
don was in the room below, and that his meditations might be disturb
ed by the jarring of the ceiling ; but the social circle seemed to be of
the opinion, that the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of this dignitary did not
extend to the courts of pleasure above, and they therefore proceeded
in their amusements.
The Duke of York and the Duke of Devonshire, with a party of la
dies, were at Matlock the day before our arrival, and we therefore miss
ed the opportunity of seeing them. From descriptions by those
who were present, the style in which their Highnesses appeared must
have been ludicrous enough. One of the carriages was drawn by
three horses, two of which were harnessed so as to go sideways in the
road, instead of straight forward. It is said to be the Russian mode of
riding. The postillions were in a livery, fashionable in the country of
the Czar. Such is the folly in which high life will sometimes indulge,
for the sake of distinction, and to make the multitude stare ! If an or
dinary person had been guilty of such a whim, he would have been set
down for a madman or a fool ; but as it originated with persons of
quality, all the fashionables in the kingdom will probably hereafter ride
in the same way.
There is a favourite lounge at Matlock, called the Museum or Re
pository, containing as great a variety of articles, as Mr. Watson's
Cabinet. Hither all the ladies and gentlemen resort, to buy vases,
snuff boxes, Cupids, and other trinkets, manufactured from Derbyshire
spar ; but above all, to hear the presiding genius discourse learnedly
on geology, mineralogy, conchology, and in short, the whole circle of
the sciences. He has travelled in South America, and written, be
sides an account of his tour, several treatises, which are kept for sale
in the Museum.

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On the route between Matlock and Nottingham, we passed a large
number of country seats, and among the rest, that of Lord Middleton.
His grounds are seven miles in circumference, and appeared from the
road to be laid out with taste. The lodge is one of the handsomest we
have s«en. If his lordship's amusements are such as they were repre
sented to be, he can derive little pleasure from the elegance of his
parks and the beauty of his architecture.
We reached Nottingham at 6 P. M. While dining in a handsome
parlour, at the Black's Head Inn, I inquired of the landlord, the best
way of reaching the tomb of Lord Byron and Newstead Abbey, inci
dentally asking also if he had ever seen his lordship. It created not a little
surprise to learn, by way of reply, that the remains of the noble poet,
enclosed in a splendid coffin, with an urn containing his heart, had lain
in state three days in the very room, and near the spot where we were
sitting ; that multitudes of people thronged the hotel, to look at the
pall ; and that from hence the funeral procession, consisting of a long
array of carriages, moved to Hucknall Church, at the distance of six
or seven miles. Such an image, so vivid as to be almost visible, and
bursting in so unexpectedly upon the mind, produced a dead silence
in our little circle, and left each to finish his dinner with what appetite
he might. The eye involuntarily turned to the place, where rested for
a time the early wreck of genius. It was almost equivalent to witness
ing the funeral obsequies, and in solemnity of feeling, none of those
who followed the hearse to the tomb, probably surpassed the trio of
mourners from beyond the Atlantic.
An intelligent bookseller at Nottingham related to us an interesting
anecdote of his lordship. Every one knows, that he was slightly de
formed in one of his feet. At the age of fourteen he was put into the
hands of a surgeon in this town, with the hope of removing the blem
ish. His foot was encased in iron, and rubbed with liniment. While
this surgical operation was going on, that his time might not be lost,
he was placed under the care of a Mr. Rogers, to read the Latin Clas
sics. One evening his tutor called on him, to go through with his usual
routine of instructions ; but finding him rubbing his foot, in great dis
tress, he proposed giving up the lesson. " Oh no," said Byron — " let
us open Virgil, and I shall soon forget my pain."
This same bookseller, who is somewhat advanced in years, was per
sonally acquainted with the celebrated Gilbert Wakefield and Henry
Kirke White, both of whom were natives of Nottingham. The former
was a singular man in his habits, as well as in his character. He was
remarkably fond of walking, and would frequently make a pedestrian
excursion of thirty miles a day. Our informant recollects to have seen

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 159
him a thousand times taking his daily rounds through the Park at Not
tingham, with his staff in his hand as his only companion.
White was born in a part of the town called High Pavement, but
beneath a lowly roof, and of humble parentage. We had the curiosi
ty to go by the house, and would have called, if any apology could have
been framed to justify the intrusion. He was represented to have
been in person, a tall, slender, and delicate young man, with a hand
some, pale, and expressive countenance ; retired and studious in his
habits, even from boyhood ; gentle, modest, and amiable in his man
ners. He rose from obscurity to eminence at an early age, by his own
efforts, soaring aloft like the self-poised eagle. But after all, he was,
perhaps fortunate in his death, being cheered by a stedfast hope of a
happier state of existence, while a warm sympathy for his premature
fate induced the world to do justice to his talents. His memory is held
in the highest respect, by those who were best acquainted with his ge
nius and worth.
A walk to the Park, an elevated, spacious, and beautiful promenade,
and to the Castle, carried us through the principal streets of Notting
ham. The public buildings are numerous, and some of them stately
and elegant. Most of the inhabitants, amounting to 40,000, are en
gaged in manufactures. The Castle is in a ruinous condition, but
stands in a most delightful situation, commanding an extensive view of
the vale of the Trent. This ancient fortress, which is associated with
many historical events, is said to have been built, like the one in the
High Peak of Derbyshire, by Peveril. Richard III. added to it, and
made it a place of importance during his usurpation. It afterwards fell
into the hands ofthe Duke of Newcastle, who rebuilt it at a great ex
pense, and ornamented its walls with a great variety of sculpture,
much of which still remains, though sadly weather-beaten. An eques
trian statue of rthe Duke stands over the front door. At present it be
longs to his descendant, and is rented for a moderate sum to one or
two families, being too near the town for the seat of a nobleman.
The Castle is founded upon a rock, swelling with much grandeur
and boldness several hundred feet above the plain. On all sides save
one it was perfectly impregnable. Up the precipice from the meadow
to the parapet, is a subterranean or covered way, ascending by regu
lar flights of steps excavated from the solid rock, with port-holes look
ing at intervals from the perpendicular cliffs upon the vale below. It
was formerly barricaded with seven gates, disposed at different points
in the ascent. Through this passage, Mortimer was admitted into
the Castle, where he was found plotting with the Bishop of Lincoln
:vnd others, made a prisoner, taken to London, and publicly executed

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for high treason. It still bears his name. We groped our way through
the dark and gloomy labyrinth, which is filled with rubbish, and has se
veral turns which it puzzled us to follow. At the base of the rock are
numerous caverns, which are formed into dwellings, whence Notting
ham derives its name, being compounded of two Saxon words, signi
fying houses in the rocks. Some of them are yet inhabited. These
natural cells constituted the original nucleus, around which the town
gradually extended.
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, we set out in a post-chaise for Huck-
nall, the tombs of the Byrons. It was a dark and gloomy day, cloud
after cloud rising in rapid succession from the south-west, and the rain
at intervals pouring in torrents. Our ride was by a cross-road, and
much the worst we have seen since landing. It is the one over which
Byron's remains were carried, and from appearances, a carriage has
not been that way since. In some places the grass was green in the
path ; and in others, the sand was washed into deep gullies. The
horses walked nearly the whole distance, and revived the image of a
funeral procession. Such a snail-like pace afforded a fine opportunity
for reflection ; and the aspect of the skies was in strict accordance
with our feelings.
We did not arrive till about 5 o'clock. Hucknall is a humble, lone
ly little village, upon a sandy plain, in the depth of Sherwood Forest.
The sight of a carriage is so unusual, that all the villagers mustered
en masse to look at our post-chaise. There was a throng of a hun
dred around it, in ten minutes after our arrival. In dress and manners
they have the appearance of primitive simplicity, with some degree of
poverty. The houses are mean ; the inn small and incommodious ;
and even the church is ofthe humblest kind, being low-roofed, with a
little Gothic tower at the end, but without one interesting>feature,
either externally or internally, except the cemetery of the Byron fa
mily. After much inquiry and search, the clerk was found, who conduct
ed us to the church. It would be difficult to describe precisely my
feelings, as he unlocked the only door, and pointing to a gray stone
just on the right of the entrance, coolly remarked, " Byron rests there."
Each of us stood gazing in silence ; and not a word was uttered, till
the guide voluntarily commenced a circumstantial detail of the funeral
rites, informing us how many carriages were in the procession and
what crowds were at the burial. The vault was sealed, and could not,
of course, be entered. Eight or ten persons, comprising most of the
family, repose in it. Byron's coffin was placed near his mother's.
On a plate upon its lid, is an inscription, stating the places and dates

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 161
of his birth and death. At its head stands the urn, containing his
heart and brains, (a horrible idea,) with a statement of the fact en
graven upon it.
A monument to his memory has lately been erected by his sister.
Mr. Hobhouse, his friend, superintended the work, and has been se
veral times at the tomb. It is a plain, white marble slab, of small di
mensions, placed against the wall of the church, upon a black ground.
There is nothing of elegance about it — scarcely of neatness, the upper
part of the stone being of a ferruginous colour, which was stained be
fore it was wrought. It was made at Nottingham. The inscription
is as follows : — " In the vault beneath, where many of his ancestors,
and his mother are buried, lie the remains of George Gordon Noel
Byron, Lord Byron of Rochdale, in the county of Lancaster, the author
of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. He was born in London on the 22d
January, 1788 — he died at Missilonghi, in Western Greece, on the
19th of April, 1824, engaged in the glorious attempt to restore that
country to her ancient freedom and renown. His sister, the Honourable
Augusta Mary Leigh, placed this tablet to his memory."
On the right of the monument are the Byron Arms, with the motto
" Crede Byron ;" and on the wall opposite, there is a tablet to the
memory of his mother, who died a few years before him. Near by is a
handsome marble, with a long inscription, to the memory of one of his
ancestors. The whole corner ofthe church is appropriated to the fa
mily. We lingered half an hour about a spot, which the remains of
the noble poet have consecrated, giving ourselves time to call to mind
the principal events, which were crowded into the narrow period of
his existence. Many an admirer of his genius has already performed
a pilgrimage to his tomb, visiting a village which has otherwise not a
single attraction.
The inhabitants of Hucknall spoke of him in terms of respect and
affectionate remembrance. He was generally known, and although
haughty towards his equals, he manifested kindly feelings towards his
inferiors and domestics, possessing a popular turn. Several of the
peasantry spoke of the festival, which he gave to them when he be
came of age. An ox was roasted whole,, and all were invited to par
ticipate, in the carnival. Some of the villagers have collected all the
inscriptions on his coffin, his urn, and the tablet, as also the account of
his funeral published at the time ; and one of them gave to my friend
a small bit of red velvet, which was accidentally torn from the pall at
the interment. Among the boys forming the village group, was a son
of Fletcher, Byron's favourite servant, who figures so largely in his
private correspondence. I found on inquiry of the lad, that his father
vol. i. 21

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is in London making macaroni, instead of holding that important
station among the tenantry about Newstead, to which his late master
used facetiously to threaten to elevate him.
We had now paid to the village a much longer visit than had been
intended, in observing objects the most trifling, and inquiring into
circumstances the most minute. The unusual darkness of the day, deep
ened by the approach of evening, admonished us, that it was time to
depart ; and casting many a farewell look behind, till the little church
was lost in the mist, we hastened our ride as much as the narrow, wet,
and rough road would permit. The rain continued till dark, and in
some places torrents descended along our path. At the distance of
three or four miles from Hucknall, and after passing through several
gates and fields, we arrived at Newstead Abbey, the late residence of
Lord Byron, but at present belonging to Col. Wildman, who pur
chased it for the enormous sum of £90,000, and has expended a great
deal of money in fitting it up. There is nothing remarkably striking
in the grounds, which are a reclaimed portion of Sherwood forest.
The soil is thin and meagre. For any useful purposes, and irierely
from the intrinsic value, the above price would be extravagant ; but
the genius of the late proprietor imparted an interest to the place, which
has greatly enhanced its value to persons of taste. Byron expended
much time and money in planting trees, erecting buildings, construct
ing lakes, building boats, and adding other embellishments to the
grounds. Every reader will recollect, how much he was attached to
the seat of his ancestors, and how unwilling he was to part with it.
Although a gentleman at Cambridge had been so polite as to give
us a note of introduction to Col. Wildman, and strong as was our
wish to examine the late residence of the poet, the day was too far
spent and too inclement, to permit us to stop, had it been a suitable
hour for delivering the letter ; and there was no inn, where we could
remain for the night, short of seven or eight miles. Under these cir
cumstances, it was determined to content ourselves with a view ofthe
exterior. The entrance to Newstead is under a bold and fine arch, the
facade being finished in the style of the ancient Abbeys. Opposite is
a lake covering several acres, surrounded with wooded eminences, on
which temples and fortresses have been erected. A fleet of boats and
a gun-brig were riding at anchor upon the waters. A high wind and
a storm of rain gave to the scene quite a sea-like aspect. The an
cient halls are finely shaded with trees, on the green foliage of which
the lights from the windows began to fling their beams. It was a pain
ful thought, that he who was once the soul of the hospitality and fes-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 163
tivity within, had departed, and that amidst scenes of thoughtless gaiety,
his memory was perhaps forgotten.
A guide was procured at the Abbey to conduct us through Sher
wood Forest to the road. It had now become so dark, and the path
was so bad as to compel us to walk, groping our way up a deep ra
vine, planted with a thick growth of firs. A benighted and weary
ramble through the wilderness afforded ample time to meditate on the
adventures of Robin Hood, whose barn was literally encircled in the
excursion. The guide endeavoured to solace our slight troubles, by
stating that the Duke of Sussex had lost himself in the same intricate
by-paths but a few days before. Worn down with the fatigues of the
day, we were glad to find comfortable lodgings for the night at Mans
field.

164 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XV.
RIDE TO YORKSHIRE  WAKEFIELTJ  LEEDS  MANUFACTURES  KIRK-
STALL ABBEY. August — September, 1825.
On the 30th we resumed our journey towards Yorkshire. My seat
happened to be by the side of a Methodist minister, who had preached
at most of the villages along the way, and was familiar with the sur
rounding country. He was intelligent and communicative, cheerfully
imparting much local information. Every person appearted to know
him, and whenever the coach stopped, a group gathered round to
shake hands. In one instance, a traveller in the lower walks of life,
who was resting at a little inn, came out with his pint of beer, and he
and the parson drank out of the same cup. It was gratifying to wit
ness these little marks of affection between the pastor and his scatter
ed flock. In all his interviews, he took occasion to drop a useful hint,
or express a benevolent wish.
In the course of the forenoon, we passed Hardwich Hall, one of
the seats of the Duke of Devonshire. It stands upon -a woody emi
nence, and the distant view is commanding and pleasant. This castle
is celebrated as the birth-place of Elizabeth, or Bess, as she is fami
liarly called, countess of Shrewsbury, whose marriage brought it into
the Cavendish family ; but still more celebrated, by the long residence
of Mary Queen of Scots.
On the right of the road, the ruins of Balsover Castle cover the
brow of a hill, which looks into a green and fertile valley. The castle
was formerly the seat of the Earl of Newcastle, distinguished for its
magnificence and splendour. It was fitted up for the reception of
Charles I. and his Queen, on their way to Scotland, and the Duke ex
pended £14,000 in affording them entertainment. The talents of
Ben Johnson were put in requisition, to indite speeches and compose
dramatic scenes for the amusement of the nobility, who here waited on
their majesties. Its glory has now entirely vanished, and the present
celebrity of Balsover is derived from the manufacture of tobacco-pipes.
My Methodist friend pointed out a little verdant, retired vale, over
hung by a romantic wooded hill, where Sir Joseph Banks had a coun
try seat, and used to reside most of the year. It enjoyed all the ad
vantages of uninterrupted seclusion, and appeared to be favourable to
the pursuits of this eminent naturalist, who was surrounded with mine
rals, plants, and flowers.

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The borders of Yorkshire are hilly, but finely wooded, rich in til
lage, pastures, and flocks, indicating a high degree of rural wealth.
One picturesque view after another, opens upon the eye ofthe travel
ler, as he climbs a succession of green swells, over which the road
passes between Sheffield and Leeds. A tower crowning a distant
eminence, or the park of some nobleman, not unfrequently forms a
conspicuous object in the landscape. Wentworth House is a pretty
seat, with extensive grounds, belonging to Earl Fitzwilliam. A
stately monument has been erected by him, in memory of his uncle,
the Marquis of Rockingham, on whom Edmund Burke lavished one
of his splendid eulogies.
The towns possess little interest. Barnsley is a large manufacturing
village standing upon a declivity. Long ranges of new and uniform
buildings, occupied by the workmen, are so constructed as to resem
ble regular flights of steps. It was market day, and the streets were
thronged with people. It appears to be a place of considerable busi
ness. For some reason, probably from the smoke of its forges used
in the manufacture of wire, it has acquired the epithet of Black
Barnsley. A passenger in the coach, who is an inhabitant of the vil
lage, resented the appellation thoughtlessly and innocently used by one
of our party. He remarked that there was no propriety in such a de
signation, and that the inhabitants considered it a nick-name.
We made a short pause at Wakefield, a large and handsome town
situate upon a declivity gently sloping to the banks of the Calder.
Near the bridge over this stream, are some curious specimens of an
tique sculpture, being part of an old chapel, now converted to other
purposes. Wakefield is extensively engaged in manufactures of va
rious kinds, and appears to be in a flourishing condition. Its streets
are wide, and its buildings spacious. The church has the highest
spire in the county. I inquired if its vicar gave name to Goldsmith's
exquisite novel ; but the persons to whom the interrogatories were
put, did not seem to know that there is such a work, and of course
were unable to give a satisfactory answer. The town has at least one
interesting literary association, being the birth-place of Dr. Bentley,
the celebrated scholar and critic ; as also of Dr. Potter, author of a
work on the antiquities of Greece.
After passing the village of Huntley and crossing the river Aire, we
entered Leeds just at sunset, and were again enveloped in smoke,
denser if possible than that of Manchester or Sheffield. - So thick is
the volume, that in the most favourable state of the weather, a person
can see but. a few rods before him. What then must it be, when the
atmosphere is so rare as to permit it to sink, instead of rising to the

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upper regions, to be borne away by the winds ? But there is nothing
like habit. Persons who are born and bred in these large manufac
turing towns experience no inconvenience. Smoke becomes as much
an element to them, as water is to fishes, or a pure air to the rustic ;
and they generally enjoy as good health, and are as long-lived as other
people. They appear to be wholly insensible to vapours, which choke
the respiration of others.
A little incident occurred at our entrance into Leeds, which gave
us an unfavourable opinion of some of its inhabitants. Ascertaining that
the inn kept by the proprietor of the line of coaches was much inferior
to other hotels, we directed our baggage to be taken to the Scarbo
rough. The landlord, piqued at the slight upon his house, determined
to make his profits out of us in some way, and accordingly charged
three of us nine shillings for extra luggage. This was the first instance
of the kind we had experienced in England ; and on remonstrating
against the payment ofthe demand, it was coolly stated, that the land
lord is accustomed to exact the uttermost farthing for extra baggage
from those, who prefer other hotels to his own, whilst such as stop
with him carry as much weight as they please. This is a mode of se
curing company, which, in the language of the landlord of the Impe
rial Hotel at Brighton, appeared to us not " quite correct." .
Leeds is one of the largest towns in England, containing a population
of about 100,000, and rapidly increasing. It is situate on an acclivity,
rising by a gentle ascent from the northern bank of the river Aire, which
is navigable to the bridge. Its length from east to west is nearly two miles,
and its breadth half a mile. Some of the principal streets are very spa
cious, being ninety or a hundred feet wide. The buildings are almost en
tirely of brick, two, three, and four stories high, discoloured like all
great manufacturing towns by coal smoke. There are several hand
some churches, and the public edifices generally combine neatness with
convenience. Some of them are magnificent. This town, like Lon
don, has its west end, which differs as widely from the narrow, dirty
streets in the vicinity of the manufactures, as Regent-street and Port
land-place do from Billingsgate. The canal connecting Leeds with
Liverpool, a distance of 109 miles, has been of immense service to
the former, while at the same time, it has greatly augmented the com
merce of the latter. Before its construction, most of the trade of
Leeds went down the Aire, and thence to London.
Our great object in visiting this place, was to examine its woollen
manufactures which have acquired so much celebrity, and been one
of the great sources of wealth to the country, finding their way to
every quarter of the globe. Thompson, in his Seasons, has drawn a

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 167
beautiful picture of the power, which Great-Britain has derived from
the products of the fleece ; and the princely fortunes which many of
the manufacturers of Leeds have acquired, besides the revenues which
have gone for the support of the government, prove that the splendid
representation of the poet is no fiction. England in her woollen fa
brics has realized in a great degree the fable of the golden fleece,
which her Argos and her Jasons. have wafted to the remotest shores,
returning laden with the treasures of other climes. Hence in part,
and in no inconsiderable part, the sinews of war : hence her ability
to support an expensive navy, and to carry her arms to every land and
sea. On the morning of our arrival at Leeds, we were introduced to one
of the first manufacturing houses, from whom every mark of attention
and courtesy was received during our visit. The senior partner in the
firm is an Irishman by birth, a Quaker in religion, and a liberal man
in every thing. He has passed two years in the United States, and
many of his partialities appear to lean towards our country. He is the
proprietor of thirty acres of ground, upon the bariks ofthe Aire, the
greater part of which is occupied by his extensive manufacturing es
tablishment, leaving, however, sufficient space for a charming cottage,
embowered by trees, and enjoying all the rural quiet of the country.
His manufactories too, being a little removed from the central part of
the town, are in a great measure free from coal smoke, and the usual
nuisances of large cities.
Thrdugh every department of this establishment we were politely
conducted by one of the partners, and the numerous processes, from
the picking of the wool to the finish of the cloth, were patiently shown
to us. The examination occupied two or three hours ; and I am sure
that none of our readers would listen to me, if the same length of
time were taken up in the description, which would be necessary, in
giving a detailed account of the several operations. Besides, the art
of making good cloth is now so well understood in our own country,
that it is doubtful whether my letter would disclose any thing new,
should it attempt to reveal all the secrets of a work-shop at Leeds.
The day has gone by, when an American, like the Czar of Muscovy,
can bear away the arts to improve and enrich his nation. As an evi
dence of this, it may be stated, that in this very manufactory, we wit
nessed an American invention for shearing cloth, in full operation.
In short, I saw very few instances of skill, which are not equally pos
sessed by our countrymen. So far as my observation has extended,
most of the useful arts have arrived to as great perfection in the Uni
ted States as in Great-Britain, while in manipulation and activity, our

168 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
workmen may claim a decided superiority. There is an energy in the
American character, which is not to be found in the work-shops of
Europe. It would be folly in me, to pretend to judge with accuracy, of the
products of the loom ; but in my estimation, some of our own fabrics
are equal in quality to the finest I have seen in Leeds, which now rival
those in the West of England. There is much competition between
different sections of this country in the manufacture of woollens.
The West for a long time held the supremacy ; but in Bond-street, the
Leeds cloths now command the highest prices, and are in the greatest
demand. In some points of view, the North enjoys superior advan
tages. Here there is a kind of community of interest. The manu
factories are compact, and improvements made in one, are, by the
exercise of a liberal spirit, readily communicated to all. In the West,
on the other hand, the manufactories are scattered over the country,
while a jealousy among rival establishments keeps any advantages in
skill a secret, for the purpose of securing a monopoly. So say the
inhabitants of Leeds, and such have I reason to believe is the fact,
though not founded on my own observation.
The kindness of our hospitable friend, extended beyond an exhibi
tion of his own manufactory. As we were anxious to witness the
operation of steam-carriages upon rail-roads, he walked with us a
mile from town, exposed to the oppressive heat of a mid-day sun,
where our curiosity was fully gratified. After waiting an hour, we
had the satisfaction to see twenty-five wagons, containing three tons oT
coals each, impelled or rather drawn along a horizontal rail-road, by a
steam-engine possessing a six-horse power. It was a most novel and
interesting spectacle. The steam-carriage is placed in front, and the
whole apparatus is not much larger than an ordinary Jersey wagon.
To this the twenty-five four-wheeled cars are appended by chains, and
follow in obedience to the self-moving power. One man, whose ser
vices are required to regulate the machinery, is the sole navigator,
and even he has little to do,. When the boiler is exhausted, he has
only to throw the engine out of gear, stop by the side of the road, and
pump in a supply. Impelled by curiosity, we mounted one of the
carts and rode a considerable distance. The ordinary progress is four
miles the hour, but of course may be greatly accelerated if necessary.
There are several engines upon this rail-way, which ply regularly be
tween extensive collieries and the town, a distance of three or four miles.
It is odd enough to see the smoke arising, like that of a steam-boat,
and the carts moving about at a distance, with no visible agent to
move or govern them. The experiment has here been fairly and sue-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 169
cessfully tried, and I see no reason why transportation by steam is not
as practicable upon land as upon water. The great desideratum seems
to have been a guiding power, and that is effectually provided by the
construction of the rail-way, which confines the carriage to a given
track. I should feel the same degree of security in one of these vehi
cles, as in a steam-boat, since the carriage is at a distance from the
boiler. There is no doubt in my mind, that a rail-way from Albany to Sche
nectady, with steam carriages, would be found both a useful and profi
table undertaking. But so many elaborate descriptions of these im
provements have been published in the English papers, and thence
transferred into our own, that it would be a waste of time and paper
to enter into detail.*
On our return from this novel and interesting exhibition, which
evinces in a striking manner, to what extent the control of mind over
matter may be carried, producing new combinations of the elements,
and giving motion to the inert mass by an invisible power, we accom
panied our friend to his delightful residence, and dined very pleasantly
in the little circle of his family, in a style of attic simplicity, and free
from that cold formality, which etiquette imposes. The walls of his
apartments were hung with the likenesses of some of our distinguished
men, and much of the conversation at table turned upon the institutions
of our own country. Such was the hospitality of this warm-hearted
Irishman, that he gave three of us, who were strangers to him in the
morning, a general invitation to dine with him every day, as long as
we remained in town. It will readily be supposed, that we took leave
of him and his family with a regret, that an acquaintance, which had
in all respects been so agreeable, could not be protracted.
After dinner we rode three miles from Leeds, up the banks of the
Aire, for the purpose of visiting the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey, which
have justly acquired celebrity for their picturesque beauty. It was a
bright, placid evening, sufficiently cool to be refreshing after the fer
vours of the day. The smoke of the town was soon left behind, and
we arrived in season to see the setting sun throw his radiance upon the
gray and broken arches of the Abbey. It was indeed a quiet and
lovely scene, producing the finest tones of feeling. The situation of
the ruin is highly romantic, being in a deep, verdant vale, upon the

* Since the foregoing paragraph was written, rail-roads have been projected
between the above mentioned places, and in other parts of the United States.
The one from Baltimore to Wheeling, across the Alleghany mountains, is upon the
largest scale, but will doubtless be found practicable.
vol. I. 22

170 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
immediate banks of the Aire, which steals by with a smooth and silent
current, as if unwilling to break the repose of the valley. On the other
side, is a lofty eminence, with its brow covered with hanging woods.
The prospect in all directions is rich in rural objects. Seen with such
accompaniments, the ruin, in itself extremely beautiful, possesses a
double charm. It is deeply mantled with ivy, which sometimes climbs
to the very top of the shattered battlements, and at others, descends in
graceful festoons, concealing the silent dilapidations of time. Some
parts of the Abbey are yet in a tolerable state of preservation, while
others have already crumbled into dust. Notwithstanding the efforts
of the proprietor to stay the progress of dissolution, stone after stone
is dropping from the walls,_yielding to the pressure of years, and some
of the turrets are so crazy, that the owl or rook could scarcely perch
upon the ruin without starting a fragment from its bed. One of the
towers is peculiarly picturesque. Half of it has crumbled away lon
gitudinally, while the remainder, serrated and ragged, is tottering to its
fall. Some years sincej the principal arch, too heavily laden by the in
cumbent masses, and weakened by silent decay, suddenly gave way,
drawing after it two sides of the above mentioned tower, and forming
an immense heap of rubbish.
But enough ofthe venerable pile still remains for picturesque effect,
and beyond this, it has long since ceased to be of any importance. It
was founded in the twelfth century for the order of Cistercian monks.
Its dimensions are about 450 feet by 350. The style of architecture
is Norman Gothic, with a mixture of other orders added at a later pe
riod. Some profane hand has broken the white marble altar-piece
into fragments, and the story goes that the despoiler came to an untime
ly end, for his depredations upon a holy relic of other ages. Half a
dozen white ivory images, and several other curiosities were found in
the ruins a few years ago.
We walked round and over every part of the Abbey, climbing as
high as the dilapidated flights of steps would permit, groping our way
under mouldering arcades, or reposing beneath the aged elms and
among the tangled shrubbery, which shade the ancient courts. The
best view is from the west end, looking through a lofty arch forming
the principal entrance, surmounted by three knotted pinnacles, round
which the ivy has wreathed its folds. A vista here opens upon the
spectator, composed at first of ranges of pillars, the remnant of the
tower already mentioned, the large window in the eastern end crown
ed with turrets and curtained with ivy, and terminating in the green
valley below, where the eye rests upon a rich landscape. The hour
occupied by our visit afforded a great variety of light and shade, which

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 171
constantly varied the aspect of the ruin. At the moment of our arri
val, the beams of a golden sunset were glancing through the clefts and
windows, throwing tremulous gleams upon the foliage and the gray
walls. Then came the reflected tinge of the crimson west, and after
wards, the glimmering, dim, and sober shades of twilight, better suited
to such a scene than the garish splendours of day, and leading the
mind back, by an easy train of thought, to the period when the vesper
bell summoned the inmates of these cloisters to their evening devotions.
There is something fascinating in the seclusion and tranquillity of a
monastic life ; and I am not surprised, that in an age when a mistaken
piety was superadded to secular considerations, these refuges from the
cares, disappointments, and disquietudes of the world were thronged
with tenants.
Kirkstall Abbey is a favourite resort with the inhabitants of Leeds,
who frequently walk thither on a pleasant evening, to emerge from the
smoke of the town, and breathe the invigorating air of the country.
Two well-dressed ladies were seen tripping it arm-in-arm on the banks
of the Aire, to whom the charms of this romantic vale and ruin seemed
to present as strong an attraction as to ourselves. They would often
stand like spectres in their white robes, or sit motionless on a fallen
fragment, to gaze on the picturesque objects around them. A sketch
or a sonnet was perhaps the result of their evening rambles. Haying
lingered till twilight had faded, and after refreshing ourselves with a
basket of fruit growing in the ancient court, and served up to us in
one of the cells of the refectory, which is furnished with a rustic
table and seats, we bade a reluctant good night to the ruins of Kirk
stall, walking on till the outline had vanished from sight, and then hast
ening our ride back to town.
The streets presented a scene in perfect contrast with the retirement
and rural quiet of the valley, which had just been left. A company
of strolling players and showmen were on a visit to Leeds, to amuse
its inhabitants with the double attractions of fireworks and dramatic
representations. The glare of rockets, and the anticipated ascent
of a balloon had assembled a throng of both sexes, pouring forth
from the manufactories in multitudes which no man could number,
and participating from the street in pleasures, which poverty would not
permit them to share in the garden. At the explosion of every rocket,
the shout of the crowd was like the sound of many waters ; and we
were obliged to close the windows of our chambers, to shut out the
confusion and riot,-which continued till midnight.

172 LETTERS FROM EUROPE,
LETTER XVI.
RIDE TO YOKK  DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY  MINSTER  HARROWGATE,
September, 1825.
On the 2d our ride was continued to York. The environs of Leeds
are rich and beautiful. A deep verdure clothes the hills, which sur
round it, and a number of handsome country seats enliven the land
scape. Every acre of the ground is neatly tilled to supply the market
of a great manufacturing town. For several miles, the road winds up
an acclivity, presenting a full view of Leeds and of the valley in which
it stands. The smoke of a thousand factories, contrasted with the green
fields and woods of the adjacent hills, formed a pretty picture.
The coachman and guard were unusually intelligent, and attentive,
taking pains to designate whatever was worthy of observation, in lan
guage too, so free from the broad provincialisms of Yorkshire, as to
be intelligible, which is far from being uniformly the case with the
common people of this county. English tourists have ridiculed the
peculiarities of the Yankee dialect, which is nevertheless pure and
classical, in comparison with the local and drawling jargon of a por
tion of their own countrymen. The whole volume of Americanisms
would not comprise so many corruptions of the English language, as
a single county in Great-Britain, even if that in which the metropolis
is situated were selected. The reasons are obvious. In our country,
all classes of the community enjoy the advantages of early education.
Our school-books and standards of pronunciation are nearly the same
in every state, producing of course a uniformity in language. Another
cause may be found in the enterprising and emigrating spirit of our
people, by which the whole mass is kept in agitation, and local pecu
liarities prevented. An inhabitant of Massachusetts this year, may
the next year be a resident upon the banks of the Ohio or Missouri ;
while the succession of the Yorkshire farmer is much more regular
and uninterrupted, than the line of his kings, never quitting his pater
nal acres from the cradle to the grave, and transmitting his dialect
from generation to generation, becoming broader and mOre strongly
marked as it descends.
Not far from Tadcaster, a large town upon the river Wharfe, is an
extensive quarry, called Peter's Post, whence the stone was obtained
for the York Minster or Cathedral. The huge edifice itself soon
rises to view, like a mountain, and continues in sight nearly the whole
way, till you reach the city. The prominence of this object and the

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 173
distant hills beyond, with a beautiful champain country for a fore
ground to the picture, render the approach by no means uninteresting.
On the right ofthe road, we passed the race-course, which is celebra
ted in the annals of the turf, Yorkshire being distinguished by the
excellence of its horses. Another object struck us much more forci
bly and agreeably — a long procession of young ladies, nearly of the
same age and in a neat uniform dress, who are attending school at the
Nunnery in the suburbs of York.
Our entrance into this ancient city, which at times has been the seat
of political power, as it still is of ecclesiastical, was by Micklegate,
one of the principal avenues. Passing under a lofty arch, which forms
a part of the old wall, and crossing a stately bridge over the Ouse, a
broad, dark, and sluggish stream, we arrived at 7 o'clock.
Although the evening was now fast closing in, and its shades were
deepened by cloudy skies ; yet so eager was our curiosity to catch a
glance at the principal object of our visit to York, that we hastened to the
Minster immediately after our arrival. It is indeed a stupendous pile,
lifting its gigantic and massive proportions with the utmost grandeur,
and making a deeper impression upon the mind, than any structure
we had seen, not excepting Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's. In
character it differs somewhat from both of these, having a less venera
ble and solemn air than the aged turrets of the former, and less magni
ficence than the finished proportions and classic ornaments of the lat
ter. It is by no means deficient in symmetry and architectural beauty ;
yet these things are not thought of at the first view. The spectator
gazes with admiration and reverential awe at the immensity of the
fabric, which seems too mighty for the work of human hands, and to
resemble one of those masses of matter reared by the agency of the
Creator. Its apparent magnitude and the sublimity of its image were
probably heightened by the obscurity of twilight. Taking a position
a few rods from the wall of one of its sides, we threw its dim outlines,
like the shades of a picture, upon the sky, and were able to trace its
form and the shadowy grandeur of its towers. This, with a walk round
its walls, and an indistinct view of the great Gothic window in the
eastern end, was all that could be accomplished for the night. A so
litary lamp was seen glimmering in the church, which was probably
lighting some one to the tomb.
After breakfast the next morning, we returned to the Minster, or
the Cathedral of St. Peter, and commenced an examination of it in
detail. The grandeur of its exterior, the loftiness of its towers, and
the beauty of its architecture detracted nothing from the admiration
which the first view excited. Its length from east to west is 524 feet.

174 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
its greatest breadth 222, and its height 235, The dimensions of the
largest window are 75 feet by 32, which is said to exceed any in the
world. Six centuries have elapsed since the oldest part of St. Peter's
was erected. The different sections were a hundred and fifty years in
building, and the style of architecture varies according to the taste of
the age in which the respective portions were finished. There is not,
however, so much discrepancy, as materially to break the harmony of
the several parts, or destroy the grandeur of the general effect. The
whole edifice is of the Gothic order, with such modifications as a cen
tury and- half introduced. Whatever might be the original colour of
the stone, exposure to the storms and sunshine of so many ages has
mellowed its tints and imparted to it a sombre complexion, which best
comports with the sober character of a temple, and deepens the feel
ing of religious awe. No person can enter such a building for the
first time with a thoughtless levity of heart, or without an impression
of seriousness and veneration.
The interior cannot be compared with Westminster Abbey or even
with St. Paul's in point of interest . not that it is deficient in colossal
pillars, noble arches, and magnificent windows, not in the lesser em
bellishments of the pencil and chisel; for in these respects it is
scarcely inferior to either of the above. Its stupendous dome, its
clustered columns, its vaulted ceiling, and " long-drawn aisles," are
all admirable. It has its shrines and its monuments too in sufficient
number ; but they are not of the right kind — they are such as one ap
proaches without emotion and leaves without regret — such as are ne
cessary to perpetuate the names of arch-bishops, who fretted out a lit
tle day of " brief authority," and left no memorials for the world to
admire, except their rings, caps, chalices, and crosiers. These sacer
dotal relics, some of which lay in the tomb for five hundred years and
were disinterred from motives of interest, may all be seen in the ves
try for eighteen pence. We went the usual rounds, and saw every
thing ; but I recollect few of the personages whom shrines, slabs, and
tablets commemorate, except archbishop Scrope, who had the genius
to be a demagogue, and was beheaded for high treason ; and Sterne,
an ancestor of the eccentric and immortal Yorick. There is a long
inscription, which records a remarkable instance of female fecundity ;
and according to Napoleon's estimate of great women, this Yorkshire
Hecuba ought to be immortal.*

* To Madame de Stael's formal inquiry of Bonaparte, " whom he esteemed
the greatest woman in the world, alive or dead ?" he replied — " Her, Madam, that
. has borne the most children ,"

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 175
Within the pale of the altar stands an antique chair, which is really
a curiosity. It is said to be as old as the Heptarchy, and several of
the Saxon monarchs were crowned in it. Its form and decrepid frame,
actually wasted away and enfeebled by old age, leave little doubt of
its antiquity. Its shape is that of the curile-chair of the Romans.
Among the relics of the church is the ivory horn of Ulphus, made of
an elephant's tusk, and originally finished with golden ornaments.
Ulphus, a Prince of the ancient Deira, presented it to St. Peter's,
with all his estates, that his two sons might not quarrel about a parti
tion of them. The large wooden goblet is also shown, which Scrope
gave to the cordwainers.
Our examination was extended to the Chapter House, which is a
magnificent rotunda, at the north-east corner of the buildings. In this
apartment, the official business of the Cathedral is transacted. The
archbishop's throne occupies a central position, and round the wall are
ranged the stalls of prebendaries. It contains few objects of curi
osity, except the richly stained glass of its Gothic windows, and rude
specimens of sculpture, some of the devices of which are better suited
to any other place than a church.
The workmen were employed in putting up a temporary orchestra,
preparatory to the great musical festival, which was to take place about
the 20th of the present month. Large stagings were erected imme
diately under the central dome, which prevented us from looking down
the vista of pillars, from the western entrance towards the altar — a
view spoken of in terms of admiration by visitants. Several musicians
were busy at the organ, and in adjusting musical chords which de
scended from it to remote parts of the church, to conduct its tones
and increase the vibrations of sound. As they touched the keys in
rehearsal, the notes rolled through the vaulted roof, and the reverbera
tions died away upon the ear like distant peals of thunder, giving us
some idea of the effect, when five hundred voices, with suitable accom
paniments, should swell in general chorus.
We climbed to the topmost stone of the Cathedral by a flight of 273
Steps — so said the guide, and we did not put his accuracy to the test
by counting. It is certain there were enough of them to render us
both giddy and weary before reaching the last. In the year 1663, the
first Charles ascended by the same dark and tedious passage, and this
too, under less favourable circumstances than ourselves. " After din
ner, the King went to the Minster, and so up to the top of the Lan-
terne, to view the city and country." He must have beerr amply
remunerated for his toil, if his prospect was as wide, as rich, and as
beautiful as ours, from a height of 235 feet. York and , its environs

176 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
lay stretched before us, over which we could travel without an effort,
commanding a horizon of fifty or sixty miles- in diameter, and so
level that the most prominent objects could be traced as upon a map.
Through the town and its rural suburbs, the Ouse extends in bold and
bright meanders, till its peaceful waters are concealed from the eye by
the verdure of its banks. In other directions there is a sufficiency of
woods and streams, hamlets and spires, to give variety to the picture.
After you have seen the Minster, you have seen all that is worthy
of notice about York. The antiquary may find some fragments of
Roman altars, with half obliterated inscriptions — some curious remains
of the old wall, and its arches — some castles, fortresses, and abbeys in
ruins — and the traveller who feels disposed to linger, may find employ
ment for a day or two in examining the literary and charitable institu
tions of York, which sustain a high reputation, and are unusually
numerous for a population not much exceeding 20,000. The remain
der of our visit was occupied in a walk to St. Mary's Abbey, situate
upon the immediate bank ofthe Ouse ; a picturesque pile of prostrate
walls, broken columns, and mouldering arches — to Clifford's Tower,
the keep to the ancient castle, perched upon a woody and romantic
eminence near the city — to the spacious prison in the vicinity — to the
new and beautiful promenade, extending for a mile along the bank of
the river, crossing the Fosse on a rustic bridge, and bordered by lofty
forest trees — and lastly through the market, which was crowded with
throngs of people from the surrounding country, who in a concert of
a thousand voices, were jabbering the Yorkshire dialect in its broadest
and most unsophisticated perfection.
On the 3d we left in a post-chaise for Harrowgate, another watering-
place, distant twenty-three miles from York. In this ride, we passed
through a small district, forming a distinct jurisdiction denominated
the Ainsty, which comprises upwards of thirty villages and hamlets.
The government of the city of York, which by the bye is of no little
consequence, the Lord Mayor being the Lieutenant of the King, and
on public occasions appearing in a dress of scarlet ornamented with
crirnson scarfs and chains of gold, extends to the Ainsty, which is
closely connected with it by the ties of interest and social intercourse.
Five or six miles from York, we crossed Marston Moor which in
the year 1644, was the scene of a great battle between the Parlia
ment forces, under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, the Earl of
Leven, and the Earl of Manchester ; and the Royalists, headed by
Prince Rupert. The two armies were nearly equal in point of num
bers, consisting of about 25,000 each ; and the conflict, which took
place on the second of July, was long and bloody. It terminated, as

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 177
is well known, in the defeat of the royal party, the triumph of Crom
well's influence, and the surrender of the king, who was sold to the
revolutionary parliament by the Scots for 200,000Z ; a sum which ex
ceeds the value of most monarchs. In the course of our tour, I forget
where, we saw a pretty painting of Prince Rupert, bearing the royal
standard upon this field, mounted on his charger, without his hat and
with his bosom bare. It struck me as a bold, forcible and expressive
picture. The battle exhibited many feats of gallantry on both sides.
All the royalists fought without their bands and scarfs, by way of dis
tinction ; and their antagonists wore in their hats white handkerchiefs
and slips of paper, as cockades. Sir Walter Scott thus describes the
contest : " On Marston Heath,
Met front to front the ranks' of death ;
Flourished the trumpets fierce, and now
Fired was each eye, and flush'd each brow ;
On either side loud clamours ring ;
God and the cause ! — God and the king !
Right English all, they rush'd to blows,
With naught to win, and all to lose !"
No traces of the battle can now be discovered. The moor has
been reclaimed, and divided into small fields of tillage. In surveying
at evening the peaceful landscape, waving with harvests, and reposing
in rural quiet, it was difficult to realize, that it had ever exhibited the
tumults of contending armies, and been the arena, on which ambition
fought its way to a throne, and the fate of kings was decided. Just
at dusk we reached Knaresborough, a large town upon the river Nid,
by which it is nearly encircled. It has long been a place of some im
portance, and at present contains a population of four or five thousand.
Here is one of the most extensive markets in Yorkshire. In the
vicinity are the ruins of a castle, and some other antiquities ; as also
the dropping and petrifying well, which is said to be a great natural
curiosity. Knaresborough furnishes a striking instance of what is
termed a "rotten borough." It sends two members to Parliament,
who are elected by one hundred persons, not freemen, but tenants and
vassals, entirely under the control of one or two of the nobility. It
is surely mere mockery to talk of a representative body, composed in
sucli a way, chosen by a handful of the veriest machines, while hun
dreds of thousands' of men of property have no voice in the election !
At 8 o'clock in the evening, we arrived at Low Harrowgate, and to
our great disappointment found the hotel so thronged with company, as
to afford no accommodations, and to compel us to ride a mile or two
vol. i. 23

178 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
farther in the dark, on a road of which the coachman was as ignorant
as ourselves. On reaching the Higby hotel, in the upper town, it was
ascertained before leaving the chaise, that others were apparently
happy, if we were not. The windows of the hall were open, and
several cotillion parties were seen threading the mazes of the dance, to
the sound of merry music. It was with some difficulty, that we here
obtained lodgings for the night, the house being filled from top to bot
tom. An invitation was at once extended to us, to join.the dance ; but
the trouble of making a toilet at a late hour, induced us to forego the
pleasures of a gala, and to prefer the quiet of our chambers after the
fatigues of the day.
In the morning we were ushered into a large drawing-roonj, where
something like fifteen or twenty parties were taking breakfast at sepa
rate tables, in the manner of a commercial coffee-house. Little or no
intercourse takes place between the different clans, and each attends
to his own tea and toast. Such a custom is far less social, than the
long table at Matlock, where chance often throws strangers together
and sometimes leads to agreeable acquaintances. Besides, it is very
awkward for one table to stare at another, and unavoidably to hear con
versation directed to a particular circle, and not intended to be public.
Breakfast being over, we walked a mile and a half, to Low Harrow-
gate, to visit the principal spring and take a view of the town. Neither
of them afforded us a high degree of pleasure. The waters are very
strongly impregnated with sulphur, having the nauseating smell and
taste of a stale egg. They are no doubt efficacious in certain com
plaints ; but it was a subject of congratulation with us, that we were
afflicted with no maladies, which could be removed by such a remedy.
Some of the invalids swallow it by the pint, deceiving themselves as
far as possible by the bubbling and transparent chrystal of the foun
tain. It never becomes agreeable by habit, like the Congress waters,
but is always reluctantly taken as a medicine. Convenient baths are
fitted up in good style. There are several fountains, the prettiest of
which, named Cheltenham, is situate near the bank of a rivulet, over
which a rustic bridge is thrown, and a neat little cottage erected for
the repose of the visitant. Near one of the springs, a singular kind
of dial is placed upon a stone pillar. It has something like twenty
faces, with a gnomon and horological lines on each, together with the
names of some of the principal places upon the globe. Its object
seems to be to ascertain the relative time in remote countries ; but
why or wherefore it is erected here, I was unable to learn, and am at
a loss to conjecture. A watering-place, however propitious it may

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 179
be to star-gazing, is of all things the unfittest for measuring time or
studying astronomy.
In point of situation and scenery, Harrowgate is even inferior te
our own Saratoga. It has nothing to recommend it but retirement,
its waters, and a tolerably pure air. The town, consisting chiefly of
hotels, for the accommodation of visitants, the annual number of whom
is 2000, is built upon a sandy pine plain, thrown into a common. It
was rendered the more unpleasant on the day of our visit, by a high,
bleak wind, which raised a tempest of dust. In one direction, there
is a tolerable distant prospect, opening towards the north-east, and
terminated by a range of mountains. York Minster was distinctly
seen from the window of the hotel, rearing its dark pile and lofty tur
rets above the intervening moorland, like a ship at sea.
At 5 o'clock dinner was served up in pretty good style, at a com
mon table, in a large public hall. The company consisted of about a
hundred persons of both sexes, with whom a proper degree of etiquette
in dress and deportment was observed. There was some formality in
taking seats. The waiter conducted us to the end of one of the tables,
where we found our names written upon the bottom of the plates.
They were taken from the Album, in which all entries are made as
visitants arrive. This systematic arrangement is a happy mode of
preventing the jostling and confusion, which usually occur in taking
places at a public table.

1?0 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XVII.
RIPON— STUDLEY PARK  FOUNTAINS ABBEY  KENDAL.
September, 1825.
From Harrowgate we continued our ride to Ripon, situated between
the Ure and the Skell, two branches of the Ouse. It is a place of
great antiquity, and its historical associations are interesting. In bar
barous ages, it was several times pillaged and burnt, but Phoenix like
rose again from its ashes. The celebrated Robert Bruce with an army
of Scots took possession of it in the year 1313, and levied a tax upon its
inhabitants, who from an inability to pay the exaction were inhumanly
put to the sword. Here too Edward IV. driven from London by a
pestilence, once held his court. But its fame is much beyond its
present appearance. The streets are narrow and dirty, and the build
ings mean, except those fronting upon the market square, in which
stands an obelisk 90 feet high, erected at the expense of William
Aislabie, Esq., who represented the borough in parliament for the
term of sixty years. There are several handsome public edifices,
among which is St. Peter's church, a magnificent Gothic structure
standing in a conspicuous situation, and showing to great advantage.
There was an ancient custom in this town of blowing a horn at 9
o'clock in the evening, and remuneration was made for any robberies
between that hour and sunrise the next morning. A tax was levied
upon the citizens to meet the expenses. The usage of sounding the
horn is still kept up, and this odd curfew was heard by us soon after
our arrival.
On the morning of the 5th we made an excursion to Studley Park,
at present the seat of Mrs. Lawrence, and to Fountains Abbey, the
great objects of attraction in the vicinity of Ripon. At the distance
of a mile and a half, the path which all the way is perfectly straight
and forms a beautiful vista, terminated at one end by the Gothic towers
of St. Peter's, and at the other by an obelisk near the mansion, con
ducts the visitant into the Park, ornamented by stately trees, and
watered by the little river Skell, which sparkles and babbles down in
the most romantic manner imaginable. Herds of deer were reclining
upon its banks, as if lulled into repose by its murmurs.
At the end of another mile and a half, leading for the whole distance
through groves and along winding paths, which the taste of Shenstone
might have envied, we arrived at the lodge, procured a guide, and com
menced a ramble of five hours. The pleasure grounds of Studley,

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 131
embracing the ruins of Fountains, and composing about 200 acres,
exclusive of the Park, far surpass in beauty, any thing of the kind
that has met our observation in England. Were I the proprietor of
Eaton Hall and Chatsworth, I would exchange them both, as a resi
dence, for the charms of this lone and sweet little vale, which, with a
few alterations, would approach as near to the beau ideal and to a ter
restrial paradise as my imagination can reach. Mr. Aislabie, the gen
tleman mentioned above, deserves to be immortalized for the taste he
has manifested in laying out and embellishing these grounds. Both in
design, and execution, his ornaments are of the chastest and most deli
cate kind. Instead of counteracting and doing violence to nature, he
has humoured all her little playful freaks, catching her suggestions,
and so studiously fulfilling her intentions, that it is difficult to discern
at what point her works terminated and his commenced. Where there
was an enlargement of the stream, he has widened it to a little lake,
extending the green islets in the same proportion : where there was a
cascade, he has merely increased its foam and its murmur, by adding
another fragment of rock : where a fountain bubbled from the side of
the glen, his hand fashioned a deeper and broader bed, hanging its
margin with the same foliage, and storing its pellucid waters with the
same finny tribes. Here are no aquatic flights of stone steps, down
which the descent of water is as regular as that of a nobleman's
estates — no spouting monsters, nor metallic trees.
These remarks are intended to apply to nothing beyond the natural
scenery of Studley and its improvements — to its waters, woods, and
rocks ; for some of its adventitious and artificial ornaments, if orna
ments they may be called, are in the worst possible taste, creating not
a little surprise in the spectator, that a man so sensible to the charms
of nature, could betray such a want of judgment in the embellishments
of art. Besides a troop of Roman gladiators, gods, and demi-gods,
whose naked statues are posted like sentinels along the margin of the
stream, there is a small edifice denominated the Temple of Piety, the
decorations of which are a representation of the Grecian Daughter
nursing her father, and bronze busts of Titus Vespasian and Nero !
The first of these is well enough ; but what entitled the last to a seat
in the sanctuary, I am at a loss to conjecture. These, however, are
not the worst of the ornaments -. a Priapus guards the walk leading to
the mansion, as if to frighten away visitants, instead of birds. What
a pity it is, that these grotesque and repulsive images were not all
drowned in the beautiful waters of the Skell, and their pedestals occu
pied by statues of some of the great men of England. But the age
has not yet gone by in this country, when the wantonness of wealth

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neglects its own resources, and looks to foreign lands for the ornaments
of its palaces.
Notwithstanding these drawbacks, no tourist can fail to be delight
ed with Studley. Clouds and sunshine, winds and waters, animals
and trees, all conspired to render our visit agreeable. The sighing of
the woods mingling with the murmur of floods stole upon the ear in
plaintive melpdy. I will not attempt to retrace our rambles. Charm
ing as they were to us, they would be tedious to the reader. Some
times we climbed eminences covered with the mountain laurel, or cliffs
shaded with yew ; and at others, crossed rustic bridges over-arched
with evergreens, or reposed upon embowered seats, to admire the
charms of this romantic glen. The most has been made of the little
river Skell. Not a drop of its scanty waters is permitted to escape
from the vale through which it glides, till it has performed every of
fice, which taste or fancy could devise. The fountain named Quebec
is exquisitely cool and limpid. So luxuriant is the foliage upon its mar
gin, as to dip into its pellucid waters, and afford a shade to the pike
and trout with which it is stocked.
Our first peep at the ruins of the Abbey was from one of the sta
tions crowning the high banks of the vale, denominated the Gothic
Seat, at the distance of a mile from all that now remains of this once
rich and celebrated monastery. The view is peculiarly picturesque
and striking, inviting the nearer approach of the visitant. In passing
up the valley by the side ofthe noisy rivulet, we slaked our thirst at a
clear and cold spring near the path, called Robin Hood's Fountain.
It is shaded with brambles, and the rocks beneath which it gushes, are
overgrown with moss. Tradition saith, that Robin Hood and Little
John used frequently to make excursions from Sherwood Forest to
this sequestered retreat.
Crossing the Skell on a bridge of ruins, which once formed a part
of the Abbey, and through which the stream now gurgles in hollow
echoes, we entered under the principal arch yet standing, and stretch
ed ourselves upon the prostrate altar-piece, to listen to the story of
our guide, and mark the mouldering monuments of other ages. These
ruins have justly excited the admiration of visiters, and are reckoned
among the finest in England. Nothing can be more romantic than
the situation^ embosomed by hills and woods, and remote from the
bustle ofthe world. The peaceful solitude of such a spot, surrounded
with all the attractions of natural scenery, would furnish strong temp
tations to a monastic life. So deep is the Abbey cradled in the glen,
that its tower which is 166 feet in height, but just looks over the crags,
near which it stands, and from which it was taken. It was founded

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 183
in the twelfth century by a society of Benedictine monks from York,
who seceded from St. Mary's and retired to this secluded spot for
the sake of a more rigid dicipline ; but an institution, which was
at first distinguished for its peculiar austerities, yielded to the allure
ments of wealth, acquired by splendid endowments, till at last it be
came the seat of luxury and dissipation. At the time ofthe dissolution,
the abbot is said to have had a haram of half a dozen mistresses, and the
halls ofthe monastery resounded with midnight revels. But the hymn
to the Virgin and the song of the bachanal have alike ceased ; and all
is silence and desolation, save the murmurs of the Skell, gliding be
neath the gloomy arches of the cloisters, or the twittering ofthe swal
low which hangs her nest amidst the ivy of the walls. We devoted
an hour to the examination of the ruins, which cover about two acres —
looking through windows broken into the most fantastic shapes, gazing
at shrubbery which has climbed to the very summit of the tower, re
posing beneath copses of yew said to be coeval with the foundation of
the Abbey, treading upon the fragments of nameless urns, and musing
upon the heaps of bones filling one of the cells.
On our way back we made a short pause at the banqueting-house,
where Mrs. or Miss Lawrence, (for she is an elderly maiden lady,)
sometimes entertains her friends with a dinner or tea-party. It con
tains a Venus in bronze, with some antique ornaments and furniture
unworthy of notice. At the lodge, whence our long walk commenced,
we found eig'ht carriages filled with distinct parties of ladies and gen
tlemen, on the same errand as ourselves. Such was the throng, that
there was a paucity of guides, and the services of the old man who ac
companied us were put in immediate requisition, to go the same
rounds. ' *
On our return to Ripon we visited the Minster and looked at its
monuments, which are numerous, but. not remarkably interesting, with
the exception of one to the memory of Mr. Aislabie, the memorials of
whose taste had afforded us so much pleasure. The Dean ofthe church
conducted us into the charnel-house, in the basement story. Its sub
terranean walks are formed of walls of human bones, rising to the ceil
ing and dividing the dreary mansion- of the dead into separate apart
ments. The remains are piled up with much regularity, and have set
tled into a compact mass. Such a scene, so forcibly and eloquently
described in Blair's little poem entitled "The Grave," is calculated to
sober the mind and impress it with a lesson upon the vanities of life.
Not far from the church, in the suburbs ofthe town, is a very singu
lar conical tumulus, or mound, elevated fifty or sixty feet above the
plain, overgrown with green sod, and surmounted by a solitary ash tree

184 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
growing upon the apex. It is said to be composed entirely of human
bones, of which we found no reason to doubt, as numerous fragments
were seen in an excavation near its base, whence materials have been
dug to repair the roads. Antiquaries conjecture, that this great repo
sitory of the dead, apparently formed by alternate layers of human bo
dies and earth, is of Danish origin, and that here were interred many
thousands swept off by some great battle or pestilence.
The fatigues and pleasures of the day were concluded by a long
stroll after dinner, through the streets of this ancient town, and up the
banks ofthe Skell, whence a rich sunset-view of Studley Park was ob
tained. In a solitary part of our rambles, leading through fields and
pastures studded with copses, we met two ladies sauntering arm in
arm, with an open letter in their hands, which doubtless related to
some love affair, and which they had retired to this romantic spot to
con over together. One of them was reading from her album an im
passioned extract from the Pleasures of Hope, in a voice too audible
not to be heard, as we passed by and left them to their evening medi
tations. On the 6th, we left Ripon in a post-chaise, there being no stage
coach across the country in this direction. The uniform price of an
English post-chaise is fifteen pence sterling per mile, exclusive of three
pence a mile to the postillion, and the tolls. The landlords made an
unsuccessful attempt to subject us to the double expense of four horses
instead of two. It was difficult in some instances to resist their im
portunities ; and one or two of them at first threatened not to take us
on at all, under the plea that the road is bad, requiring four horses.
Their entreaties were, however, eluded, and experience uniformly
proved the falsity of their representations. There is here unfortunate
ly no competition ; the inn keepers are a hungry swarm ; and woe
betide the traveller who falls into their hands.
As there were not many interesting objects to retard our progress,
we rode to Sedbergh, in Westmoreland, a distance of sixty miles, in one
day. The greater part of this route lay in the North Riding of York
shire, which, as far as our observation extended, is much inferior to
the West Riding, in point of soil, agriculture, wealth, and population,
It is a mountainous region, with extensive moorlands, on which, some
times, for many miles a house is not to be seen. The towns and vil
lages are comparatively small, poor, and mean in their appearance.
Soon after leaving Ripon, we came upon the banks of the Ure, the
meanders of which, with its bridge, supported on seventeen arches,
and the town with its Minster all glittering in a bright morning sun,
presented a pretty landscape. The road pursues the vale watered by

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this river to its very source, a distance of forty or fifty miles. We cross
ed it half a dozen times in the course of the day ; and in one instance
forded it, riding half a mile up in its broad but shallow current. Its
bed resembles that of a mountain torrent, being filled with rocks, pro
bably swept down from the high hills on either side.
On the left bank stands Bolton Castle, celebrated for having been
for a long time the residence of Mary Queen of Scots, during her im
prisonment. It is now in a dilapidated condition, and appropriated to
some agricultural purposes, as a barn or out-house. Its situation is
commanding, but retired and lonely, looking into the deep vale of the
Ure, far beneath. To the north stretches a dark and barren moor, on
which not a house, nor a trace of cultivation is to be seen, to break
the monotony of its purple surface. The mind of the spectator natu
rally reverts to the period, when the eye of a voluptuous and ill-fated
princess, accustomed to the splendid luxuries of life, was doomed by a
reverse of fortune, to gaze day after day, for a wearisome round of
years, upon the cheerless scenery visible from the windows of her prison,.
and presenting a striking image of her own desolation.
Just at evening, deserting the head-waters of the Ure, we entered
Garsdale, one of those deep, quiet, and romantic vales, so frequent in
the north of England. A few scattered cottages, ofthe same com
plexion as the ground out of which they sprung, with the smoke curl
ing above the thatched roof, occupy the bottom of the glen, and give
shelterto a race of shepherds, whose flocks whiten the green and steep
sides of the mountains. A turbulent stream rushes down the ravine,
and is several times crossed on rude bridges, in harmony with the as
pect of the country.
Night overtook us at Sedbergh, a little village on the borders of West
moreland, and compelled us to take lodgings, instead of reaching Ken
dal, as was intended. Fortunately the inn furnished excellent accom
modations, which were the more welcome from being the less expect
ed. In addition to the ordinary fare, a dish of honey, transparent and
pure as the mountain dew, crowned the profusion of the table. Du
ring the evening, a serenade of some half a dozen boys, paraded near
the hotel, and singing for their own amusement, saluted our ears.
Their voices were musical, and so far attuned to harmony, as to form
an agreeable concert. Several of their local ballads were chanted in
wild, sweet, and plaintive tones.
The next morning we resumed our journey to Kendal. As the road
is hilly, and presents many views of mountain scenery, we deserted
the vehicle and walked the greater part of the way. The highest of
the fells is between two and three thousand feet, commanding an ex-
vol. I. 24

186 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
tensive prospect into Garsdale on one side, and the vale of the Kenned
in which Kendal is situated, on the other. Great numbers of sheep,
of a peculiar kind, with large horns and black faces, were seen feeding
upon the moor, which is irreclaimable and fit only for wild pasture
land. Not a tree of any kind, nor even a bush is to be seen for miles.
The hills, or fells, as they are here called, are uniformly covered with
brown heath, which has a purple blossom, and gives a peculiar com
plexion to the scenery.
In descending from the height of land towards Kendal, we made a
diversion from the road, for the purpose of visiting the ruins of the cas
tle, perched upon the brow of the hill which overlooks the town. This
was once a fortress of great strength, surrounded by a moat, and
entered on a draw bridge. It had four towers, fragments of which
are yet standing, as is also the greater part of the wall. The castle is
girt with a belt of woods, growing upon the ancient moat, and giving
to the gray battlements peeping through the foliage, a picturesque ef
fect. A herd of cattle, grazing the green turf, were at the time of our
visit the sole occupants ; and a surly bull, bellowing and spurning the
earth, seemed ready to make war upon us in defence of his garrison.
But, in despite of his menaces, we succeeded in scaling the parapet,
whence a charming view was obtained of Kendal stretched at our feet,
ofthe river Kent or Kennet, and the Canal by its side, ofthe beautiful
vale above and below the town, and of the high hills by which it is on
all sides encompassed.
Clambering through a breach in the wall, and descending from the
lofty eminence, we crossed the canal and river on handsome bridges,
passed the new gas-works which are of lime-stone, as is indeed the
whole town, and visited St. Mary's Church. This is an antique, odd
ly shaped, but venerable structure, the chief interest of which is deri
ved from having been once visited and minutely described by the poet
Gray. He however descended much more into detail, than would be
either instructive or amusing to my readers, who care little about he
raldry and the genealogies of noblemen, whether buried here or else
where. The Sexton conducted us to a tomb in one corner of the
church, constructed of plain lime-stone slabs, with an oaken canopy
above it, in which he said the remains of Catherine Parr, one of the
wives of Henry VIII. were deposited. There is an illegible inscrip
tion on one end ofthe sarcophagus. Many ofthe Parr and Strickland
families were buried here.
The interior of the church is singularly finished with double aisles,
and ranges of arches running transversely. On the walls, the com
mandments, and the greater part ofthe Sermon on the Mount are paint-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE- W
ed in large letters. It is a very old edifice, and every corner of the
precincts is crowded with the dead. The Sexton is an aged man, and
thought he remembered Gray, but said he had so many visiters, that he
could not recollect all their names.
On our way to the hotel, we perambulated most ofthe town. The
uniform complexion of its buildings gives it a remarkably neat appear
ance. It is a place of considerable trade and importance, being the ca
pital ofthe barony of Kendal, one of the great divisions of Westmore
land. Its population, amounting to six or eight thousand, is chiefly
employed in manufactures of different kinds, none of which were new
to us, except that ofjish-hooks, an article upon too small a scale to at
tract much attention.
While we were at dinner, repeated rounds of applause were heard
from the town-house, nearly opposite the hotel ; and on inquiring into
the cause, the waiter informed us, that Mr. Canning was dining with
the Corporation, augmented by the " nobility and gentry" in the vici
nity, who were holding their annual meeting, as the custom is, to con
sult on things in general, relating to the district. Shouts continued
till late in the evening ; and it was concluded, that the Secretary must
be very popular to create so much noise. It was afterwards mention
ed by some of the family, that Mr. Canning was under the same roof
with us, attending a ball given on the occasion, which kept the musi
cians piping and the house jarring all night. The next morning it was
ascertained, that the Secretary had not been in town, but was expect
ed. He arrived yesterday, stopping to change horses at the King's
Arms, and affording us an opportunity to look at him and his son. They
were on their return from the Lakes. Half ofthe inhabitants in town
collected round the carriage, to take a peep at a man, who is the most
prominent in the government, and who has raised himself by his own
efforts to an enviable distinction.

188 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XVIII.
LAKES OF CUMBERLAND  WINDERMERE  CONISTON  EYDAL WATER-
VISIT <TO THE COTTAGE OF A DISTINGUISHED TOET  EXCURSION TO
LANGDALE  GRASMERE . September, 1825.
On the 10th we left Kendal for Bowness, on Lake Windermere, dis
tant nine miles. A constant succession of hills, over which the road
leads, compelled us to walk most of the way. But fatigue was alle
viated and rewarded by the richness of the mountain scenery, which
opened upon us at every step. On the left, towards the south-west
was obtained a distant view of the great bay of Morcamb, setting up
from the Irish sea, and forming one of the boundaries of the lake coun
try. The point visible is called Sand Side, near Milnthorpe, the only
sea-port in the county of Westmoreland.
From a lofty eminence, seven or eight miles from Kendal, we caught
the first glimpse of Windermere, or Winandermere, as it is generally
written, stretching far beneath us, and embosomed in a deep vale, sur
rounded on all sides by ranges of mountains rising peak above peak.
It was a glorious view, affording a presage of the grandeur and beauty
of that region of which this was the entrance. Each of us stood mo
tionless and silent for some minutes, while contemplating the features
of a scene, about which so much has been said, and of which our ex
pectations were raised to so high a pitch. Extravagant as are the
pictures which a luxuriant fancy has drawn of these hills, woods, and
waters, seldom has indiscriminate praise been lavished with so little
disappointment to the visitant.
The road which winds down a steep declivity towards Bowness, dis
closes at every turn a new combination of objects in the landscape ;
and after all the fatigue which was subsequently endured in climbing
eminences, to find the most eligible positions for observation, our
earliest views, obtained without effort, were among the finest. Some
allowance should, however, be made for the novelty of first impres
sions, which are generally the most vivid and interesting.
A loitering walk of a mile brought us to the White Lion Hotel,
situate in the midst of a neat little village, which rises beautifully from
the eastern shore of the lake, about midway between its northern and
southern extremities. The grounds about the house are tastefully
laid out, and the green court-yard in front, looking directly upon the
water, is richly ornamented with shrubbery. The windows of our

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 189
fitting-room, round which the last roses of summer were still cluster
ing, opened upon a wide and diversified prospect, which would some
times steal in and interrupt the more sensual enjoyments of the table.
Immediately after our arrival, we procured a guide, and followed his
footsteps to the summit of a hill called Biscot How, half a mile from
the hotel, taking care to ascend behind the peak of the eminence, so
that the amphitheatre of mountains, with the lake washing their bases,
might burst suddenly upon us, and add to the beauty of the prospect.
Seating himself in the midst of our little circle, reclining upon the
cliffs, in the lee of a ridge of rocks which sheltered us from the in
clemency of a high and bleak wind, the guide proceeded to designate
the prominent objects embraced within our horizon. The recapitu
lation of a long catalogue of names, some of which are sufficiently
barbarous, as Hardknot and Wrynose for instance, could afford no
amusement to my readers. Suffice it to say, that about the northern
extremity or head of the Lake, there is a cluster of mountains, rising
to the height of about three thousand feet, and lifting their naked sum
mits above smooth and green declivities, which slope in graceful curves
to the edge of the water. The loftiest and by far the grandest of these
are two castellated rocks, called Langdale Pikes, towering above the
rest in gloomy majesty, and hiding their storm-beaten heads in the
clouds. This is almost the only point about Windermere, which pos
sesses the character of sublimity ; but there are a thousand views
which are eminently soft and beautiful. The western shore is bound
ed by a high and uniform hill, called Furness Fell, which is clothed to
the top with an artificial forest, chiefly of Scotch fir, and adds nothing
to the interest of the scenery. Towards the south, the mountains sink
into hills of moderate height, and become tame.
The Lake itself is ten or twelve miles in length, and about one mile
in breadth, giving it the appearance of a river as wide as the Hudson.
Nearly its whole extent was visible from this point of observation. It
occupies the bed of a long and deep valley denominated Langdale,
opening from the centre of the mountainous region to the bay of
Morcamb. Its shores are indented by bold promontories, which some
times push themselves far towards the middle. It is studded with nu
merous islands, the principal group of which, opposite Bowness, is so
thickly sown, as nearly to intersect the lake into two equal portions,
when viewed from its level.
On the first day of our visit, the aspect of the water was dark and
wild, catching the complexion of the skies, enveloped in flying clouds,
which alternately thickening and breaking, changed in rapid succession
the scenes of the magnificent theatre around us. The waves were

190 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
crested with foam, seeming the whiter by a contrast with the gloomy-
surges upon which it broke, and with the deep verdure of the shores.
Our guide stated, that he had seen the lake lashed into a perfect fury
by the storms, which pour over the mountains and sweep along the
vale in tornadoes. In one instance, within his recollection, an im
mense water-spout rose from the surface, and dashed against the hills,
descending in torrents. In another, a boat was capsized, and a wed
ding party consisting of forty-seven persons, including the bride and
bridegroom, all went to the bottom.
The legendary tales of this old resident of the village, and the quiet
of our own contemplations, were suddenly interrupted by the " hark-a
way" of a group of mounted huntsmen, and the music of a pack of
hounds, to the number of about thirty, scouring the neighbouring hills
in pursuit of a hare, which had been started from the fern. It was the
first regular chase we had ever seen ; and the noisy concert of the
dogs, sometimes approaching within a few yards of us, and then re
ceding through tangled copses or deep glens, necessarily drew our at
tention to a scene which possessed no other attraction than novelty.
Of all the sports in which "children of a larger growth" indulge, that
of hunting the hare seemed to us the most puerile, inhuman, and un
manly. Here were half a dozen men, tricked out with as much for
mality and equipage, as a militia colonel on muster day, pressing for
ward with ardour in the noble pursuit of a poor, harmless tenant of
the forest, happy in his brief existence, and in the enjoyment of the
little domain which nature had assigned him. What a spectacle ! —
The wanton cruelty of the sport is aggravated by the circumstance of
the animal's being devoured by the hounds, as soon as he is overtaken,
to give them a keener thirst for blood ; as also by the absence of all
those manly feats of horsemanship and personal prowess, evinced in
leaping fences or ditches.
Descending from the eminence, which, with one in the vicinity, still
more eligible as an observatory, was climbed again the next morning,
for the purpose of viewing the scenery under the modification of a
very different light, and shade, we chartered a boat and crossed to the
opposite side of the lake, although the slate of the weather was rather
unfavourable to an excursion upon the water. Our little bark, on
reaching a point where the winds and waves came up from the south
reach, unbroken by interposing islands, was tossed by heavy swells
like the billows of the ocean. Landing at the ferry-house, and pur
suing our way to a charming little cottage closely embowered in
woods and half hidden by flowers still in bloom, we were conducted by a
female along a winding path over-arched by trees, and beaten on one

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 191
side by the surges of the lake, to a building which goes by the local
name of the " First Station." It is a kind of Lodge, erected at the
expense of Mr. Curwen, Member of Parliament, and the proprietor
of Belle Isle, the largest island in Windermere, on which is his sum
mer residence. The edifice is of stone, standing far up the side of
Furness F^ll, at the base of impending cliffs, partly concealed by hang
ing woods. Its location is such, as to command a view from the
windows of the second story, of nearly the whole lake, with its islands
and the surrounding hills. Nothing can be finer than a peep from this
retreat at such an expanse of water, spreading beyond a foreground of
woods covering the declivity, and bounded on all sides by the most pic
turesque mountain scenery. The principal apartment in the building
is of an odd shape, being adapted to the uses of an observatory. It
has three large windows in projecting alcoves, looking in different di
rections. A part of the glass is stained with different colours, for the
purpose of imparting fanciful hues to the landscape : and the panes
possess the magical powers of the kaleidoscope. The blue changes
the aspect of the scene into a wintery prospect, while the green at the
bleakest season can restore the verdure of summer. Mr. Curwen fre
quently gives dinner and tea-parties at the Lodge, which nature and
art both conspire to render a charming retreat.
A squall overtook us on our return to the ferry, and compelled us
to seek shelter in a large and commodious hotel near the water. After
the rain had intermitted, we re-embarked, and landed upon Curwen's
Island, with the intention of walking round it, a distance of two
miles, and of examining the house. Before half the circuit had been
accomplished, a black cloud lowered upon the brow of Furness Fell,
and it commenced pouring' in torrents, accompanied by a high wind,
on the wings of which the storm seemed to ride, descending oblique
ly through the atmosphere. The grandeur of the tempest, and the
pattering of the heavy drops upon the leaves of the forest trees, under
which we sought shelter, reconciled us to the slight inconvenience of
getting wet.
Mr. Curwen has manifested a good deal of taste in laying out and
adorning this island, as well as in the style of his house. Every foot
of the ground is under cultivation. A neat gravel walk, bordered
- with pine, beach, and other forest trees planted in such a way, as to
give the appearance of having been scattered by the careless hand of
Nature, extends close by the shore quite round the island. The man
sion itself, elevating its dome amidst the copse which surrounds it, is
of Grecian architecture, said to be an imitation of the Parthenon.
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192 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
a few fleecy clouds, the shadows of which, as they occasionally
sailed along the placid, bosom of the lake, and crept up the sides of
the mountains, gilded by a bright sun, imparted a new charm to the
scenery. Each of us sat for an hour, like a statue upon the rocks,
gazing at the never-ending variety in this great panorama of nature.
It was Sunday, and the repose which reigned through the village
was calculated to awaken in every heart a spirit of devotion. The
grandeur of the heavens led the poet to exclaim " An undevout astro
nomer is mad !" Might not the remark be extended with equal truth
to other parts of the great system of nature ? What but an omnipo
tent hand could lift these mountains from the vale, hang them with
the garniture of clouds, illumine them with sunshine, and clothe
them in verdure and beauty ?
At 1 1 o'clock the little bell, echoing through peaceful vales and
over tranquil waters, summoned us to the small Episcopal church,
standing close to the shore of the lake. The inside as well as the ex
terior is humble in its appearance. Here are no long-drawn aisles, no
lofty arches, no ranges of Corinthian pillars ; but every thing is in a style
of rustic simplicity. It is low-roofed and without a ceiling ; yet the
tones of the organ and the song of praise are returned as sweetly
from such a canopy, as from gilded domes. The congregation is
small, and of a mixed character, being composed partly of shepherds
from the neighbouring hills, partly of the villagers, and partly of the
gentry who have country seats upon the borders of the lake. But
here they are all upon a level, and belong to the same little flock. The
service was read, and a good sermon delivered by the curate, who has
a charming residence upon one of the woody promontories of the
lake. After church we lingered for a short time to look at a white marble
slab upon the wall, in memory of Richard Watson, Bishop of Landaff,
distinguished for his learning and piety, and author of the reply to
Paine's Age of Reason. He was a native of an obscure village near
Kendal, in Westmoreland, where he received the rudiments of his
education, and rose to eminence from the humblest origin. A strong
attachment to scenery, with which he was familiar from boyhood, led
him to fix his residence upon the shores of lake Windermere, where
he built a handsome seat, a few miles north of Bowness. Here he
died and was buried. A black marble tomb covers his grave.
While we were at dinner, between churches, a black and heavy
cloud came rolling over the summit of Furness Fell, and appeared to
tumble into the vale below. A violent storm of thunder and lightning
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LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 193
during which time the flashes were vivid, and the frequent peals, bel
lowing among the hills tremendous. The grandeur of such a scene
could not have been expected so late in the season ; but it was our
good fortune, perhaps, rather than our bad, to experience all kinds of
weather, while at the lakes, exhibiting the scenery under almost every
possible aspect.
The march of the cloud up the vale, till it dashed against the oppo
sing mountains, was slow and majestic. In its rear, a brilliant rain
bow spanned the lake ; but it was not a token that the storm was over.
Another and another squall succeeded ; and the rain continued to de
scend in torrents for the greater part of the afternoon- At one time
the pattering upon the low roof of the church was so loud, that the
prayers of the clergyman could scarcely be heard. Its music, how
ever, was tranquillizing to the feelings, and mingling with that of the
choir, seemed to rise in a general anthem of praise to the Creator.
At evening the sky cleared, and we proceeded in a row-boat to Am
bleside, a village at the head of the lake, six miles from Bowness.
Two sturdy oarsmen took us up in about an hour. The passage was
delightful, the lake smooth, and presenting from its bosom a still more
striking view ofthe vast amphitheatre of hills already mentioned.
Wreaths of white clouds hung upon the Pikes of Langdale, and af a
distance of twelve miles a torrent was distinctly seen dashing down
their dark sides. Farther towards the east, the mountains descend to
the water by a gentle declivity, are green to their very summits, and
the setting sun played sweetly upon their soft and graceful slopes.
The western shore of the lake is comparatively tame for the greater
part of the way. On the eastern side there is more variety. The
deep vale of Troutbec, down which descends a considerable stream,
and falls into the lake halfway between Bowness and Ambleside, opens
a bold and romantic pass into the mountains towards the north-east.
Its banks near its mouth are skirted with forests ; and the houses- of
Mr. Flemming, the late Bishop of Landaff, with some others, situated
along the shore, add to the richness of the landscape.
Near the head of the lake, a fleet of boats passed us, filled with la
dies and gentlemen, who were out on an excursion of pleasure ; and
among the rest, half a dozen Cambridge students, with their coats off,
and tugging manfully at the oar, as if engaged in a boat-race. Night
and a heavy shower of rain overtook us just at the time of reaching
the port of destination ; and before arriving at the hotel, we were
thoroughly drenched.
The next morning we mounted ponies, some of which might have
vied with Rosinante in figure and gait, and set out for the head of lake
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194 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Coniston, distant eight miles from Ambleside in a westerly direction.
It was a glorious day, and the anticipations of pleasure, with which
the excursion was commenced, were more than realized. For the
first three or four miles, the road winds quite round the head of lake
Windermere, at the base of one of the loftiest mountains called
Loughrigg Fell, through the little village of Clappersgate, and across
the rivers Rothay and Brathay. These two streams, which descend
through different glens with rapid and noisy currents, unite before
joining the lake, into which they peacefully glide after the junction,
constituting its principal feeder. The banks of both of them, as well
as the alluvial tract through which flow their intermingled waters, are
finely wooded and extremely rural. From the single-arched bridges
across them, the speckled trout and char may be seen sporting in the
crystal wave. It is a curious fact, that the former always selects the
Rothay, and the latter the Brathay, in journeying up from the lake,
and are never found interfering with each other's dominions.
The tract between Windermere and Coniston, and indeed the whole
region around the English lakes, comprehending parts of Lancashire,
Westmoreland, and Cumberland, which here corner upon one another,
is strictly a pastoral country, where the shepherd's pipe is still heard,
and Arcadian simplicity still resides. In the emphatic language of
Mr. Wordsworth, whose accurate and beautiful analysis of the lake
scenery has afforded us so much delight, " the cottages look as if
they grew from the soil," like natural excrescences. All the villages
are small, consisting of little more than assemblages of shepherds.
The face of the country exhibits few marks of agricultural improve
ment, of which indeed it is not susceptible to any considerable extent,
being uniformly broken, and composed of continuous ranges of moun
tains. Flocks of sheep cover the sides of these, as far up as verdure
has crept, and all beyond is naked rock, or crags slightly shaded
with brown heath and gray moss. So bright is sometimes the colour
of the former plant, added to the orange complexion of decayed fern,
as to appear among the clouds like gleams of sunshine.
Such a region must necessarily have a sparse population. The in
habitants are plain, simple, unsophisticated, kind and gentle in their
manners. In the course of our ride, we fell in with several shepherds,
who were driving their numerous flocks to market. They were intel
ligent and communicative, entering freely into conversation, and cheer
fully imparting information respecting their employment. In every in
stance they were accompanied by their faithful dogs, a beautiful
speckled animal with erect black ears, and so well trained, as to re
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one of the flock happens to loiter or stray, the watchful dog instantly
observes it and attends to his duty without bidding.
Every step of our travels about these lakes reminded me of the in
terior and mountainous districts of New-England. Although there is
not so much general intelligence and hardy industry in the inhabitants,
there is in many respects a striking similarity of manners. Along the
road are to be seen groups of children, neatly clad, with school-books
in their hands, who seldom fail to salute the passenger by a bow or
courtesy ; and the men whom we chanced to meet on the way, gene
rally made a slight inclination of the head, with sometimes a friendly
good morrow. How different is this decency of manners from the
wild and vacant stare ofthe Irish peasantry, or the clamorous rudeness
of the lower classes in the more southern parts of England 1
Notwithstanding our frequent pauses upon the road, to note the
striking features of the scenery, or to indulge in the more sensual en
joyment of picking blackberries, which hung in profusion from the
hedges, we arrived at the head of Lake Coniston before noon. The
descent into the peaceful bosom of this vale, is one of the most
romantic that can be imagined ; the path winding down for many
hundred feet, through a fine piece of woodland, and by the side of a
brook, which, bounding from rock to rock, outstrips the tardy pace of
the traveller. From the depth of the foliage, glimpses are occasion
ally obtained of the lake upon the left, and of the high, rugged crags
destitute of every species of vegetation, abruptly terminating the vale
on the right. These broken and fantastic rocks form a striking pecu
liarity in the scenery about the head of Coniston. The transition
from their precipitous, naked sides to the green lawn extending to the
lake, is sudden and pre-eminently beautiful. Beyond this slope of
cultivated land and its few scattered houses, Coniston Old Man, swells
from the vale to the height of nearly three thousand feet. It is the
loftiest mountain in the vicinity, and tfie head of it is distinctly seen
from the shores of Windermere. A glance at the bold features, which
characterize the head of Coniston water, satisfied us, that tourists had
not done justice to its comparatively sequestered and unnoticed
charms. The tame descriptions which fell into our hands had nigh
deprived us of the pleasures of an excursion, which was among the
most agreeable of our rambles.
On arriving at the hotel, which stands so near to the margin Of the
lake, that the waves break close to the door, and the gleams of their
undulations are thrown upon the wall of the sitting-room, we char
tered a boat and launched upon the water. The wind blew so hard
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could make little headway, and each of us in turn was obliged to lend
a hand at rowing. Something more than an hour was occupied in
reaching a bold promontory, two miles down the lake, whence the
best view of the hills and water is obtained. Here we landed and
passed another half hour in noting the variety of interesting objects
around us. Coniston Hall, an ancient stone edifice upon the shore,
with its walls mantled with ivy to the very tops of the chimneys ; the
little village beyond, seated near the base of the Old Man, and the
high and desolate Fell stretching along the whole length of the lake,
and forming its eastern boundary, add new features to those already
described at the head. The lake itself is about six miles in length,
and one in breadth, opening like Windermere to the south-west into
the bay of Morcamb. Its depth is about one hundred feet, and its
pure waters are plentifully stored with trout and char, the usual tenants
of all these lakes.
Returning by the way of Esthwaite water and Windermere, making a
circuit of 23 miles, we reached Ambleside in season to walk half a mile
farther up a deep ravine, and look at a cascade called Stock-Ghyll-Force.
The rocks and the woods overhanging them "are pretty; but there is
scarcely water enough in the stream to whiten the cliffs, and produce
an echo. With a plentiful supply of the first ingredient of a water-fall,
it would no doubt be entitled to the fame it has acquired.. Another
walk of a mile after tea, and an excursion upon lake Windermere, for
the purpose of hearing the music of a fine band steal across its bosom,
and echo among the hills, added to the fatigues and pleasures of the
day. The serenity of the evening, the stars resting upon the tops of the
mountains, the inspiring airs of the band, with distant responses from
the shore at Lowwood, possessed sufficient interest to detain us abroad
till 10 o'clock.
The next morning, I despatched a letter of introduction, from.a friend
in New- York, to one of the principal living poets in England, who re
sides at Rydal Water, a mile and a half from Ambleside. The messen
ger soon returned with a note, containing a polite and cordial invitation
to the cottage at as early an hour as might be convenient. Our ponies
had already been saddled, preparatory to an excursion to the head of
Langdale, which would occupy the whole day, and as no time was to
be lost, we rode immediately to Rydal Water. I was ushered into a
small but neat apartment, where the poet was sitting at his round table
covered with books and newspapers, in conversation with two gentle
men, who appeared to have business with him, which, however, could
not have been very urgent, as he left them alone an hour during his at
tentions to us.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 197
Having gone through with the formality of an introduction, which
his easy and unostentatious politeness rendered as little embarrassing
as possible, he conducted us over his grounds, walks and gardens,
directing our attention to. whatever he deemed would be most inte
resting in the place itself, or in the surrounding scenery. It is one of
the sweetest little retreats I ever beheld, in which apparently any resi
dent of ordinary taste and fancy might write poetry ; for all that in
nature can prompt and inspire is around it — mountains, vales, rocks,
woods and waters, with rural quiet and seclusion from the world. Its
situation is far up the green slope of one of the loftiest hills, com
manding a distant view of lake Windermere, and looking down upon
Rydal Water, whose bright wave stretches along and washes the base
of the mountain. In front, an elegant little church lifts its Gothic
tower from the vale, which opens to the south, and through which the
Rothay hurries on towards the lake. The grounds are beautifully
ornamented with forest trees and shrubbery of various kinds, and the
cottage itself is so completely enshrouded in ivy, evergreens and
flowers, that scarcely a particle of the walls is visible.
But I am forgetting the poet in my admiration of his residence, the
embellishments of which are characteristic of his taste and simplicity.
It is awkward enough to be introduced to a gentleman, and then set
to work deliberately, not only to take an inventory of his house and
furniture, but to describe his person, and report his conversation.
This, however, is one of the taxes which eminence must pay to curi
osity, even should it sometimes be at the sacrifice of delicacy. I shall
avoid calling names, that there may be no imputation, if the likeness
is not recognized. A memorandum made soon after parting with
him, says that in person he is above the common height, with a stout
frame and large limbs, slow and stately in his motions — he has a good
head and prominent features, nose inclined to the Roman, full mouth,
eye intelligent, but rather heavy, with the lid slightly hanging : — on
the whole, his face and air, though strongly marked, indicate rather
the gravity of the philosopher, than the sprightliness and animation of
the poet. He is apparently at the age of from forty-five to fifty. In
his dress, he is remarkably plain, not exceeding the limits of even the
most rigid republican simplicity.
His manners are open, frank, and easy ; expressive of great kind
ness and gentleness of spirit. In conversation, he is fluent and ani
mated ; but seemed inclined to talk on subjects connected with go
vernment and political economy, rather than with literature ; perhaps
from an act of politeness, supposing that an American would be like
ly to be better acquainted with the former than the latter. He made

198 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
many inquiries about persons and institutions in our country, and
seemed to be particularly anxious on the subject of poor-laws, remark
ing that the system adopted in England, has been a curse to the na
tion, and expressing a hope that the United States would never fall
into the same error. He appeared to consider any established system
for the maintenance of the poor an evil, having a direct tendency to
increase pauperism. Among other questions, he asked whether ari
stocracy was making any head-way in our country, and what was the
prospect*, as to the permanency of the union. A great variety of
topics were started, on all which he talked like a man of sense,
which is not always the case in the conversations of a poet.
The table was spread, and a pressing invitation given to eat and
drink. On taking leave, he proposed a walk to a cascade not far
from his house ; but when we arrived at the cottage gate, it was found
that there was other business to be first attended to. The ponies im
patient of delay, and feeling more inclination for an eleven o'clock than
ourselves, had in our absence carried away a section of an old fence
to which they were hitched, and were deliberately cropping the green
grass by the side of the road. One of the bridles was broken to pieces
in the fray, and we all set to work to mend it. The poet manifested
not less invention, ingenuity, and adroitness in repairing the harness,
than in the composition of an ode or an elegy. He returned to the
cottage, and drawing a rusty nail from the wall, converted it into a
substitute for the tongue of a buckle, driving it home with the first
stone which met his eye.
This slight misfortune, while it called forth a great deal of kindness
and condolence, did not deprive us of the pleasure of a walk to the
cascade, which is one of the most picturesque and beautiful we have
found about the lakes. The quantity of water is small ; but its puri
ty, its foam, its echo, the conformation of rocks, the little rustic bridge
above, and the deep shade of the woods, are all admirable. I could
not but think that some of the most polished, delicate, and pathetic
tales in our language, breathing the soul of poetry mingled with a re
fined simplicity and purity of feeling, had been inspired by the sweet
seclusion of this scene. ' \
Having a second time taken leave of the cottage and its distinguish
ed proprietor, who was so kind as to make in my friend's pocket book
a particular memorandum of the route to be pursued in our ride, and
of the objects most worthy of attention, we set out for the head of
Langdale, after a much longer and a much more agreeable delay than
was anticipated. To avoid treading back our steps to Ambleside, we
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LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 1915
the river Rothay on one side and the hills on the other, the charms of
which, heightened by a noon-day sun, more than compensated us for
the trouble of opening at least a score of gates, in the distance of a
mile and a half.
After reaching the main road and passing the village of Clappers-
gate, the river Brathay was pursued nearly to its source. It is about
the size of the Croton. The wild romantic beauty of its banks, the
constant music of its waters, its numerous rustic bridges, and a suc
cession of cascades rendered us insensible to the toil of climbing hills.
Our appetites, however, were less proof against the calls of hunger ;
and a ride of several miles, after an abstinence of as many hours, be
gan to awaken a regret, that the hospitality of the Cottage had been
declined. There was no tavern in all this region ; and the only alter
native was starvation, or intrusion upon a private family. The latter
was of course preferred ; and observing an old lady with a little girl
by her side feasting upon an apple-pie at the door of a thatch, we so
licited the favour of participating in the repast. Our plea was not in
vain. After many, apologies, that the fare was too coarse to be offer
ed to strangers, the good woman was persuaded to cut each of us a
liberal piece, and add the luxury of a glass of small beer. So riding
up to the cottage door, (for the interior was scarcely large enough to
admit three additional inmates,) we received the bounty from her
hands, without the trouble of dismounting from our ponies, giving her
many thanks with a compensation proportionate to our feelings of
gratitude for the favour. The adventurous Ledyard has very poetical
ly as well as very gallantly said, that in all his wanderings, he ever
found females hospitable and kind ; and this is not the first instance
within our experience, to illustrate his remark, although there has
hitherto been little occasion to solicit the charity of strangers.
But to return from this episode : — at the distance of some eight or
ten miles from Ambleside, we found ourselves by the margin of a little
dark, solidary, and desolate sheet of water, called Blea Tarn, (the
word tarn being a local term nearly synonymous with pond.) It is
one ofthe wildest, most lonely, and dreary spots I have ever seen. A
few reeds springing from its borders, and a small patch of stinted fir,
creeping up the acclivity, which rises steeply to the northwest, are the
, only marks of vegetation in the vicinity. All else is an amphitheatre
of crags, towering one above another to the height of nearly 3000
feet. Before us, the only pass through the barrier of mountains is
but a few yards wide at the bottom, and partially discloses the congre
gation of horrors at the head of Langdale.
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200 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
grandeur. No one, however stout may be his nerves, can look upon
it without an emotion of terror, if it always be that gloomy abyss.it was
on the afternoon of our visit. With me, it produced a temporary
alienation of mind, and a giddiness ofthe brain, as we descended slow
ly for some thousands of feet down a steep and rugged declivity into
the depth of the vale. To form some idea of this gulf, let the reader
imagine a rampart of mountains, of about the height of the Catskill,
with dark and nearly perpendicular sides, extending three-fourths round
a circle, and terminated at one end by the two Pikes, mentioned in
another part of this letter. Let him imagine, that on the battlements
of this eternal fortress, the clouds are constantly dashing, breaking,
and rolling down the sides, sometimes entirely concealing, and at others
disclosing masses of the rock. Let him add to this simple, but sub
lime combination of elements, here and there a torrent, in its descent
becoming a belt of foam, and its source lost to the eye in the obscurity
above. The foliage, grass and moss-grown thatches of the few huts
which are scattered over the vale, imbibing the hue of the surround
ing scenery, assume a yellowish, gloomy tinge, resembling that pro
duced by an eclipse of the sun. Such were some of the most promi
nent features in this scenery, the character of which appeared to us en
tirely peculiar, and made too deep an impression on our minds, to
be soon effaced, however impossible it may be to communicate it to
others. The wildness and loneliness of the dale as night approached indu
ced us to hasten our retreat ; but in this there was more difficulty than
in entering, arduous as was the descent. In many places the path, or
rather track, leading through the gates and enclosures of shepherds
entirely disappears. Taking a wrong direction in one instance, we
found ourselves after riding a mile in the midst of a morass, and came
to a full stop at a small brook which runs through it. Decoyed by
the pebbles at the bottom, which had been brought down from the
mountain by a torrent, I dismounted and stepped upon the margin, to
try if my pony could ford it, but sunk above my boot in the experi
ment. A kind old lady observing us in difficulty, came half a mile
from her cottage to our relief, and sent us back to the right road.
In another instance a modest little boy rescued us from a similar
error, and conducted us back to the path, which should have been
pursued. A doubt of his correctness was removed by inquiry of his
parents ; and on receiving a sixpence for his services, he blushed like
one of the wild flowers of his native vale.
To add to our troubles, it now commenced raining ; and having yet
twelve miles to ride over an intricate and unknown road, we began to

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 201
think it would be necessary to look out for a shelter for the night.
But a happier issue awaited us. The rain soon ceased, and a plea
sant evening followed. Passing Elter Water, a small lake with green,
cultivated shores, about which there is nothing very remarkable, ex
cept a curious conical mount rising from its bosom, and composed
of rock slightly veiled with verdure ; as also Loughrigg Tarn, one of
the largest and prettiest of its class, slumbering quietly among the
hills, we arrived at Lake Grasmere, so much and so justly admired by
the poet Gray, who visited it in the year 1769, and gave a description
of it in a letter to a friend.
We saw it under very favourable circumstances, approaching from
the west just before sunset, to the brow of the mountain called Lough
rigg, whence its beauties burst suddenly upon the eye. From a crag
forming the summit ofthe hill, to which we climbed, the whole ofthe
lake and the secluded vale in which it is situated are distinctly seen at
a glance. It is surrounded on all sides by lofty mountains and broken
rocks, except an opening to the south-west through which the Rothay
flows, and a narrow pass towards the north-east called Dunmail Raise.
Its length is about three miles, and its breadth one. Near its western
shore there is a small green island tufted with trees, and crowned with
a cottage. From the eastern side, a low cultivated promontory, pro
jects far into the lake, upon which stands a pretty village. The bor
ders around the whole circumference consist of rich fields and woods,
studded with seats, farm-houses, and cottages. Every object within
the vale appears to be in exact proportion, and to harmonize perfectly
with the picture. In symmetry, richness, and softness of landscape
nothing about the lakes surpasses Grasmere.

vol. I, 2fi

202 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XIX.
ENGLISH LAKES CONTINUED  THIRLMERE  VALE OP KESWICK  DER
WENT WATER  BASSENTHWAITE  BORROWDALE  WAST WATER —
PURNESS ABBEY  ENNERDALE  LOWES WATER  CRUMMqCK  BUT-
TERMERE— -EXCURSION TO THE TOP OF SKIDDAW  VISIT TO THE
POET LAUREATE. September, 1825.
On the 14th we left Ambleside for Keswick. The weather was fine,
and the ride along the shores of Rydal Water and Grasmere was
enchanting. Our exit from the vale, in which the latter lake is em
bosomed, was through the singular gap, denominated Dunmail Raise.
By the side of the way, there is a heap of stones, in the form of a bar
row, to perpetuate the memory of a battle fought in the 10th century
between Edmund the First, and a King of Cumberland, in which the
former was victorious, putting out the eyes of the^po sons of the latter.
The vista of hills opening towards the north from this point is ex
tremely fine. On the left, Eagle Crag rears its gray and rugged
mass of rock, entirely destitute of every species of vegetation, and
contrasting admirably with the cloud-capt Helvellyn, on the right,
which is one of the loftiest mountains in all this region. The sides
are clothed with verdure to its top, to which the mists perpetually
hanging round its brow, impart a vivid complexion. Several torrents
dash headlong down the deeply scarred declivities. In front, Skiddaw
and Saddleback, hills of the first class, at the distance of eight or ten
miles terminate the 'view. Thirlmere or Leathes' Water occupies the
bottom of this defile, along the margin of which the road passes its
whole length, being between two and three miles. It is a dark, stern,
and wild lake, with bold shores, and possessing none of that softness
of landscape, which characterizes Grasmere. Much the most pictu
resque view upon its borders is about halfway between Ambleside and
K: eswick, near a little one-story churoh, seated at the foot of Helvellyn
and looking to its very summit, over which the sun but just peeps at
noon-day. Thirlmere is the highest of the lakes, its bed being 500
feet above the level of the sea. ft would be an endless task to enu
merate all the interesting objects crowded into this narrow defile.
After passing Green Crag, a high, broken rock which overhangs
the glen in the most romantic manner imaginable, we reached an emi
nence called Castle-rigg, whence the vale of Keswick, in all its glory
burst suddenly upon our view, illuminated by a bright noon-day sun.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 203
The poet Gray states in his letter, that on reaching this point, after a
long visit to Keswick, and turning round to take a farewell glance of
the scenery he was leaving, the prospect was so fascinating as strongly
to tempt him to return. But it did not require the authority of a man
of so much taste, to render us susceptible to the charms of such
scenery. Nature has here wantoned in the richness of the landscape,
and left no feature unfinished. All that hills, valleys, woods, and
waters, in their sweetest and most delicate combinations can effect
challenges the admiration of the spectator. Before him stretches a
vale many miles in extent, surrounded on all sides by mountains, the
highest of which is about three thousand feet. Four or five narrow
passes open into the valley from different quarters, up which the eye
travels till it- is lost among the hills. On one side, Derwent Water, qf
a circular form, and its bosom studded with several wooded islands,
slumbers at the bases of the mountains, between Newlands and Bor-
rowdale. On the opposite side, lake Bassenthwaite extends towards
the north-west, till its waters are hidden by the hills upon-its borders.
The intermediate space is a level and fertile tract of alluvion, through
which flow the outlet of Derwent Water, and another beautiful stream,
called the Greta. In the midst of the basin, the village of Keswick
rises to view ; and in all directions, handsome seats, copses of large
trees, fields, farm-houses, and cottages fill up the outlines of the
picture. Leaving the coach on Castle-rigg, we lingered for an hour along the
road, climbing every eminence by the way, and every moment catch
ing some new object in the landscape. .Immediately after arriving at
the hotel, we engaged a guide, and in twenty minutes our little boat
was gliding over the waves of Derwent Water, which was entirely
circumnavigated in the course of the afternoon, making a circuit of
five or six miles. We landed upon Vicar's Isle, containing half a
dozen acres of ground, beautifully wooded and crowned with a hand
some mansion belonging to General Peachy. His agent conducted
us over the house which contains some good pictures and statuary ;
among the rest, a fine bust of Dr. Southey. r
Our next landing was at the entrance of Borrowdale, for the pur
pose of visiting the waterfall of Lowdore, called in the guide books
" the Niagara of the English lakes !" The name excited high expec
tations ; and the thunders of our own cataract in fancy began to vibrate
upon our ears. But it was only fancy ; for Lowdore is no more like
Niagara " than I like Hercules." The rocks are grand, being rudely
tumbled together into a narrow pass, the walls of which are perpen
dicular cliffs, several hundred feet in height, with hanging woods

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growing from the fissures. There is also a sufficient descent for a
good cataract ; but the stream is small, gurgling down among the
rocks. What astonishment would it cause in an honest John Bull,
who has borrowed his image of Niagara from this brook, could he see
all of a sudden the green and billowy torrent of that river come tum
bling down the glen, sweeping away fragments of rocks, and making
the hills tremble !
Leaving the cascade to murmur on in its solitude, and' passing an
insulated bog, which alternately sinks, and rises above the water, the
boatmen landed us for a moment upon the shore of the lake, to see a
party of fishermen make a haul with a seine. Some dozens of trout,
pike, and other small fishes were swept upon the beach, several of the
finest of which were purchased at a cheap rate for dinner, or rather
supper ; for evening was now fast approaching.
Our excursion was continued by landing upon Lord's Island, the
largest in the lake, and covered with heavy timber. It was connected
with the shore by a bridge ; and received its name from having been
the residence of Lord Derwentwater, whose immense estates were for
feited, and himself executed for treason. The ruins of the mansion
are yet visible, covered with tangled bushes and brambles. There is
a cliff on the shore opposite to this island, up which it is said the lady
of Lord Derwentwater made her escape, after her husband was ar
rested, although it is apparently too steep and giddy for even the
aifcpnturous foosteps of the shepherd. His lordship's property, embra
cing this island, about one third of the lake, and an immense tract in
theifjficinity, reverted to the government, and was given to Greenwich
Hospital, to which it now belongs, producing a revenue of upwards of
£70,000 per annum.
Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, the guide took us to St.
Herbert's Isle, nearly in the centre of the lake, for the purpose of visit
ing the site of the shrine and hermitage of the holy personage, from
whom the romantic spot derives its name. Some vestiges of the cell,
overgrown by a deep fcnd dark wood, still remain. Near by stands a
rustic grotto, built some^wenty years ago by Sir Wilford Lawson. It
is a charming retreat, beautifully shaded by large trees.
Having now completed the circuit of the lake and islands, noting
to the mean time, the mountains which composed the amphitheatre
around, we returned to the landing, passing a bold, woody promontory,
called Friar's Crag, on which there is a promenade from the village.
Three ladies, arm-in-arm, were seen upon the rocks at the extreme
end, appearing like Naiads, just emerging from the crystal waters. A
twilight view of Crow Park, a smooth and beautiful green, (unclassi-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 205
cal as its name is,) extending from the margin of the lake to the vil
lage, closed the pleasures of the day.
Early next morning we once more mounted ponies, and under the
direction of a guide, who had followed the business for upwards of
thirty years, commenced what is here termed " the long round." It
is a circuit of fifty-seven miles, extending up Bdrrowdale to its termi
nation ; across a hill called Stye-Head, to Wastdale ; thence to Cal-
der Bridge, and thence back to Keswick, by lakes Ennerdale, LoWes
Water, Crummock, and Buttermere, making two days' ride, over a
pathway sometimes hardly discernible, and frequently so precipitous as
to compel us to walk. A strong desire to examine all the scenery
about, these celebrated lakes, impelled us to undertake this arduous
journey, which never occasioned a moment's regret.
Borrowdale, up which the first six or eight miles of our tour extend
ed, is unrivalled in grandeur and sublimity hy any mountain scenery I
have ever visited, always excepting the pass of the White Hills ; and
in romantic1 wildness, by nothing save the head of Langdale, to which
it is scarcely inferior. Crag after crag rises to view, and in the most
savage forms impend over the vale. In many places fragments of the
mountains have tumbled down, and covered whole acres with ruins*.
One rock in particular, which Milton's warring angels, or the Titans
of the Greek poets, could scarcely have moved, has descended from
its bed, and now lies by the side of the road, like the hulk of a strand
ed ship. It is keel-shaped, and so narrow at the bottom, that my
friend and I shook hands beneath it. A ladder has been made pur
posely for ascending it, which we climbed and reposed awhile upon the
blooming heath, growing on its top.
It was not without some reason, that Gray said in passing up the
jaws of Borrowdale, close under its frightful precipices, he held his
breath and hastened on in silence, lest the sound of his voice should
loosen a fragment. His excursion, however, did not reach far enough
to embrace either the grandest or the wildest of the scenery. Had
he known what there was beyond the boundary of his tour, he cer
tainly would have turned back, in the case above alluded to. A furi
ous stream, which rushes and roars down the ravine, adds much to the
wildness of the scene. A rude, one-arched stone bridge hangs loose
ly across it, near the head of the vale. It seemed hardly sufficient to
sustain the weight of our ponies. On a rock below, girt with the
foam of the stream, sat a solitary traveller sketching the bridge, and
the head of Borrowdale above. The picture may perhaps be seen, on
our return to London. A young lady of fortune, who is now in Paris,
was so enamoured of the romantic charms of this glen, that she has

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erected a handsome house in one of the wildest parts of it. She de
serves to be immortalized for her taste. Besides her's, there are
few dwellings in the defile, except the cottages of shepherds, and one
or two little villages of workmen, engaged in a valuable mine of
plumbago in the vicinity, where great quantities of black-lead pencils
of an excellent quality are manufactured.
On reaching the brow of Stye-head, which is at an elevation of
about 2000 feet, and up the rocky sides of which our poor ponies had
as hard work as ourselves to clamber, a view opened down Borrow
dale, which the richest combinations of the imagination could scarcely
surpass, and which it is impossible for me adequately to describe.
From this point, the eye reaches the whole extent of the immense
gorge, and rests upon Skiddaw and Saddleback in the distance, to the
north of Keswick. Into the vale on either side, mountains and crags
of every possible shape and variety project towards each other, inter
mingling their bold fronts^and forming a serrated vista of hills, which
exhibits the finest perspective, and seems lengthened far beyond the
reality by a variation of light and shade. The view so far transcended
the ordinary lineaments of nature, as to bewilder the mind and lead
the spectator to think he was gazing on an unearthly scene. Could
an exact transcript be reached by the pencil, few persons would believe
that the picture had a prototype, and was not the work of fancy.
Every thing is in exact accordance with the outlines — the stream, the
bridge, the scattered huts in the depth of the glen, and the flocks
hanging on the dizziest precipices.
We were now hoth literally and figuratively in the clouds, being be
tween the Pikes of Scawfell and Great Gavel, the two highest moun
tains in the whole region of the lakes, and the former the loftiest in
England. It commenced raining, and volumes of mist rolled along
the dark ledges of rock, forming battlements still above us, and bor
dering the gloomy defile through which the pathway leads over a heath,
and by the side of a solitary tarn. On reaching the brow of the pre
cipice, which looks down for thousands of feet into the tremendous
gulf at the head of Wastdale, where the clouds were seen tumbling
and breaking beneath us, to a depth which the eye could not reach,
my mind at first recoiled from such a descent. But onward was the
word, and we proceeded step by step for a mile and a half down a '
track,, which passes obliquely along the side of Great Gavel and con
ducts the traveller to the region below. The whole declivity, inclining
with an angle of more than forty-five degrees, is covered with loose
fragments, which have crumbled and slidden from the mountains.
The head of Wastdale is entirely desolate, where nothing is seen but

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 207
clouds and rocks, mingling together in gloomy grandeur, and/nothing
heard but the dashing of torrents. After riding a mile or two farther,
we reached the borders of cultivation, and a group of cottages. A
church scarcely as large as an ordinary toll-house lifts its mimic turret
from the bosom of the vale. The whole congregation consists of
only forty-five persons, including men, women and children. They
are entirely insulated from the rest ofthe world, and form a little flock
under the charge of a pastor, who leads a life of primitive simplicity
like themselves.
Our ride to-day exhibited so much wild and romantic scenery, a
faithful description of which seems like exaggeration, that I hardly dare
attempt to delineate a picture, which burst suddenly upon us, on reach
ing the shore of Wast Water. It had rained hard ever since arriving
at the Pikes of Scawfell. All at once the cloud rose from the western
horizon, and a light, half way between a dark and clear sky, disclosed
the whole lake, stretching several miles towards the west, and skirted
at that end with woods and green hills. Its southern shore is bounded
by a long range of hills called the Screes, which push their perpen
dicular cliffs into the lake. The clouds still hung upon the brow of
these rocks, descending in wreaths part way down the sides. Towards
the head of the vale, all was darkness and gloom. The view which
the lake presented, under such a light, and shaded by such drapery,
made an impression upon my mind, that can never be effaced. I was
anxious to fix it, as an image of a perfect picture, which the tints of
no pencil could reach. Our aged guide remarked, that long as he had
lived about the lakes, and often as he had gone this same round, he
never had witnessed a scene, which struck him so forcibly.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we reached a little village at the west
end of the lake, which afforded us some refreshment, and detained us
for a short time to examine its tiny church. Beneath the green sod
in front, the forefathers of the valley repose, whose tomb-stones show,
that many of them lived to a patriarchal age, protracted by a life of
simplicity and contentment. Our ride at sunset along the road to
wards Calder Bridge, affording us a view of Black Comb, a lofty
insulated mountain, and glimpses of the Irish sea, was by no means
unpleasant. After pausing for a few minutes at the village of Gos
port, to look at some curious pillars, in the church-yard, supposed to
be of Roman origin, and to admire a neat sarcophagus, which affec
tion had planted under a sheltering yew, in memory of a young lady,
we arrived at a small inn upon the banks of the' Calder, and were lull
ed to sleep by the music of a waterfall.
Taking an early breakfast, the next morning we pursued our jour-

208 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ney, bending our course back towards Keswick. At the distance of
a mile from the inn are the ruins of Furness Abbey, situate upon the
immediate banks of. the Calder v a rapid stream descending from the
mountains. Several of the ivy-mantled arches are yet standing,
affording a lodgment to flocks of rooks, which are hovering about the
decayed tower, as if in mockery of its former grandeur. The edifice
appears to have been of a mixed order of architecture, partly Saxon,
and partly Norman Gothic. An album is placed in one of the cells,
by means of which the visitant may send his name down to posterity,
by paying a shilling postage. A handsome mansion has been erected
near the ruin, through the garden and fruitery of which the man in
attendance conducted lis.
Soon after leaving this place, the path stretches for many miles over
a bleak and barren moor, called Cold Fell ; a name by no means
inappropriate. A squall of wind and rain here overtook us, against
which our cloaks furnished but a poor defence. Frequent turns in
the road compelled us to beat against the storm, somewhat in the
manner of the old Admiral in Peregrine Pickle, till all sides were
pretty thoroughly drenched. Our guide's tight drab breeches, notwith
standing their qualifications for shedding rain, were quite soaked
through, and gave him a damp seat. Catching his breath between
the gusts, he would occasionally remark by way of comfort rather than
of information," a severe storm is this !"
The squall, however, soon blew over, and gleams of shade and sun
shine exhibited the scenery about Ennerdale and Lowes Water to good
advantage. There is nothing peculiarly striking in the former. Its
western shore is bold, formed by the base of a lofty hill ; its borders
rural ; and its outlet a beautiful stream. * The latter is a romantic
little lake, and the mountain scenery at its head extremely fine. A
deep and rugged gorge opens from its end into Borrowdale. Lowes
Water is the favourite of our guide, and with the doting fondness of
age, he took particular pains to show off the charms of his pet in the
most favourable light. Passing along the whole extent of its border,
and crossing several fine streams, hastening on to the Irish sea, we
arrived at Scale Hill in season to dine sumptuously on trout and char.
The latter is without exception, the most delicious fish I have ever
tasted — at any rate, it so appeared to me on that day.
At the distance of half a mile from the inn, we embarked on board
of a row-boat, and launched upon the waters of lake Crummock, for
the purpose of visiting the fall of Scale Force which could not be ap
proached on horseback. The wind was against us, and two hours
were occupied in navigating four miles, the length of the lake, in-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 209
eluding a walk of three quarters of a mile to the cascade, which is de
cidedly the finest we have found in this region. It is situated in a deep,
rocky, and woody ravine, or gill, as such passes are here called. The
water, what there is of it, descends 156 feet in an unbroken silver
stream, varying but five degrees from a perpendicular. It produces a
pretty echo among the rocks, which form its bed, and the foliage over
hanging it, sparkles with the spray. There is nothing very peculiar in
the mountains about lake Crummock, with the exception of Red
Pike, which differs entirely in complexion from the other hills, as its
name imports. Its naked and ruinous peak is composed of dark-red
sand-stone, which has led to a conjecture that it was once a volcano.
There however appears to be little foundation' for such a hypothesis.
As the afternoon was now nearly wasted, we crossed the lake to its
head, remounted our ponies, and rode a mile to Buttermere, the last
in the long circuit- The alluvial tract between Crummock and But
termere is peculiarly rural and picturesque, being seen in connexion
with both lakes, the latter of which is small, but finely cradled among
the mountains. A headlong torrent, pouring from a tarn on the brow
of Rod Pike, adds much to the romantic beauty ofthe scenery. Our
stay here was short. Crossing a fell denominated the Haws, we de
scended into the vale of Newlands, and just at evening arrived again
in sight of the glassy Derwent, and of the village of Keswick seated
upon its shores. Another half hour's ride took us to the hotel, where
a little repose after a fatiguing but delightful jaunt was not unwelcome.
The next morning I despatched a letter of introduction to the Poet
Laureate of England, who has a beautiful seat upon the banks of the
Greta, half a mile from the village. In a short time a polite and friend
ly note was received, containing not only an invitation to tea at 6
o'clock that evening, but also a memorandum ofthe most interesting
objects about the lakes, which might furnish an agreeable occupation
for the day. As our own industry had anticipated the route designa
ted, and the weather was pleasant, it was concluded to ascend Skid-
daw, an excursion of ten or twelve miles in going and returning, and
occupying about five hours.
At 11 o'clock, we once more mounted our ponies and set out for
the top of the mountain, accompanied by the same guide, who had
been with us for the last three days. For the first two or three miles
our ride was northward, through the vale of Keswick, across the Gre
ta, and over a green hill of considerable elevation, called Latrigg, or
"the Cub of Skiddaw." The name is probably derived from the proxi
mity and relative size of the two hills. After passing a ravine be
tween them, we arrived at the most arduous part of the ascent, Which
vol. i. 27

210 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
is effected by working traverse up an acclivity of nearly 45 degrees,
sometimes in an obscure track, and at others on the green turf.
The horses seemed to understand it much better than ourselves.
They would gp obliquely along the side of the hill for a few rods, and
then voluntarily turning stand upon another tack, thus beating up to
wards the summit.
Toiling in this way for several miles, and gaining an extended hori
zon at every step, we at length reached what may be termed the shoul
der of the mountain, consisting of a tract less steep, of a marshy for
mation, and covered with a thick coat of wild grass. Flocks of sheep
were seen in all directions, which at a distance appeared like white
rocks peeping from the verdant surface. This elevation only served
to show, that other Alpine heights remained to be ascended. The
route for the remainder ofthe way leads across the shoulder, and looks
down from the immense dorsum, into the deep ravines on the northern
side. It was while traversing this ridge, on which the path runs along
the brow of the mountain, that the vivid, but unrestrained and un-
chastened imagination of Mrs. Radcliff conjured up the terrors, which
fill the description of her ascent, and which have actually frightened
some weak women from following her footsteps, after they had climb
ed a part of the way. The sides of the mountain are no where pre
cipitous ; and had her ladyship missed a step, she would not have slid-
den far.
It is true that before reaching the top we trembled — not with fear,
but with cold, which became intense, accompanied by a high wind,
although the weather at the base, after as well as before the ascent,
was so calm and warm, as to be uncomfortable. It was not however
our misfortune to experience an accident, which befel a party of ladies
and gentlemen a few days before. In a sudden and violent squall, one
ofthe females, carrying too much sail, was capsized, and pulled three
or four others along with her to the ground. Nor were we so intent
on the comforts of the body, as to follow the example of Mrs. Rad
cliff, in taking up a bottle of brandy, or other refreshments, to ex
pel the cold, and impart vigour to the imagination.
But we have not yet reached the summit, which is climbed by another
steep acclivity, and consists of naked rock, in the form of broken slate,
some of the fragments standing vertically in the ground, and forming
a rough pavement. On the very apex, there is a heap of stones, where
it is said a beacon once blazed, as a signal for the surrounding country
to rally, in the time of the border wars. Near by a little hut, no lar
ger than a hermit's cell, has been built of rude stone, serving as a tem
porary shelter to visitants from the inclemency of the weather. This

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 211
peak is three thousand feet above the level of the sea, being about the
elevation of Pine Orchard. It is fully exposed to the winds and storms
assailing it from all points of the compass, in this respect differing wide
ly from the woody and sheltered summits of the Catskill. A pocket
thermometer taken with us indicated a temperature of 60 degrees,
while at the base ofthe mountain the mercury stood at 75.
Here we remained something more than half an hour, sitting in the
lee of " the old man," as these piles of stones on mountains are de
nominated, and reading through Mrs. Radcliff 's turgid account of her
excursion to the top of Skiddaw, which she clothes with as many thun
ders and terrific images, as clustered on the brow of Sinai. A more
agreeable occupation was found in casting our eyes round a horizon
of some sixty or eighty miles in diameter, and taking a bird's-eye view
of the country. It would be a tedious task to enumerate the princi
pal objects, embraced within this w-ide circle. To the north, the Ca
ledonian and Northumbrian hills rise in the distance, between which
and the base of Skiddaw stretches a wide champain studded with
towns and villages. The broad and bright expanse of Sol way Frith is
distinctly seen, with Carlisle and Gretna Green upon its borders. To
the east the prospect is bounded by the lofty peak of Ingleborough,
and the fells of Yorkshire and Westmoreland, with the town of Pen
rith rising prettily at the foot of Ullswater. Towards the west, the
Irish Sea gleams along a coast, sometimes bordered with rocks, and
at others with little ports, where vessels are seen labouring in the
waves, or entering and departing from the harbours. To the south
extends, as far as the eye can reach, a chaos of mountains, with a mul
titude of peaks lifting their heads one above another in the wildest
confusion. Between this bristled region and the foot of Skiddaw, the
vale of Keswick is seen beautifully embosomed, with its lakes and
streams reduced to a diminutive size. Such are the mere outlines of
this view, which amply remunerated us for the fatigues of the ascent.
Our return from Skiddaw was in season to comply with the terms
ofthe Laureate's invitation to tea, and to enjoy the high satisfaction of
seeing one of the most eminent as well as the most voluminious of the
living poets, whose Joan of Arc and Madock were among my earliest
readings, and whose latest production had been the companion of our
rambles through England. I was perfectly astonished on being ushered
into the drawing-rPom and meeting him at the door, to find an author
who had been prominent for so many years, so young in his appear
ance, so brisk in all his motions, and so animated in conversation. One
would naturally infer from the time he has been before the public, and
especially from the introduction to his Paraguay, that he is tottering

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with decrepitude, on the very verge ofthe grave. But such a conclu
sion, so far as looks are concerned, is as fallacious as the most ground
less of the poet's fictions. With the exception of a chronic affection
in one of his feet, which drove him from the continent in his late visit,
and has since confined him at home, he seems to be as vigorous and
active as ever, both in body and mind. For any visible infirmities, he
may yet live to hold his office for twenty years to come, and add
another decade to his works. He must be from fifty to fifty-five ; but
enjoying all the greenness of age, he would not be taken for more than
forty-five. I was in all respects disappointed in his appearance, expecting to
find a heavy, clumsy, formal, and prosing old man, stately and distant
in his manners, with his official honours and the pride of authorship
sitting sternly upon him, and rendering him inaccessible. His charac
ter is the very reverse of this in every particular, evincing great viva
city, suavity, affability, and cordiality of deportment, with nothing of
austerity, or of what dunces call dignity. All distance is at once re
moved, and the stranger feels no other restraint than politeness and a
natural deference to talent impose. In his person, he is slender, ofthe
ordinary height, with a light, airy form, indicating, that however many
butts of sack the Laureate may have received in virtue of his office, he
has seldom tasted of their contents. His constitution seems to be de
licate, exhibiting nothing ofthe robustious fullness ofthe Englishman.
In his head and face, there is nothing peculiarly striking — no bumps,
no deep lines of thought, no certain indications of genius, that I could
perceive. His features are rather prominent, his nose aquiline, and
the expression of his face, mild, playful, and animated. His style of
conversation is fluent, rapid, and vehement, reminding me of Vice-
President Calhoun. His dress was plain and simple, but neat.
After an introduction to his wife, who is an affable agreeable wo
man, and to a circle consisting of half a dozen ladies, who were seat
ed at a round table, busily employed in needle-work, tea was served
up, and the conversation turned upon a great variety of topics. The
poet entered freely into his domestic affairs ; and talked much of
his familiarity, from a residence at Keswick of twenty-three years,
with the lake scenery over which we had just been rambling. On be
ing asked if he had often ascended Skiddaw, he replied, " three score
times at least !" Nothing but ill health had prevented him from going
up the present season. He had once made the excursion in company
with Sir Humphrey Davy, who discovered a new and remarkable
rock. He gave me the first intelligence of an accident which had lately

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 213
befallen a clergyman from Boston, in crossing the Sands of Lancas
ter, where he was upset, and was nigh being swept away by the tides.
This gentleman had just been on a visit to Keswick, and professional
associations led the poet to some remarks on the ecclesiastical affairs
of our country, which breathed a spirit of the utmost liberality. He
spoke in terms of admiration of the writings of some of our eminent
divines, and expressed his satisfaction to learn, that a volume of Ame
rican Sermons was about to be republished in London, if I mistake
not, on his recommendation.
To Roger Williams and William Penn, in his opinion chiefly to the
former, belonged the merit of introducing and establishing liberty of
conscience, which had never been properly understood before their
day. By the politeness of his friends in the United States, he was in
the habit of receiving copies of many American books ; and I may
add, that his general information as to the institutions, individuals, and
the state of society in our country, showed that he had read them
with some fidelity. He was daily expecting a copy of the correspond
ence between William Penn and his children, now publishing in Phila
delphia, from a perusal of which he anticipated much pleasure.
Among other topics of conversation in the course of the evening,
he discoursed with freedom on the present condition of Ireland, and
the Catholic question. Great difficulties attended any of the propo
sed methods of improving the situation of that country. The clergy
were opposed to the establishment of protestant schools, and had suf
ficient control over the lower classes, to prevent the inroads which
would be made upon their influence by the diffusion of knowledge.
He inquired with some particularity into the condition of Irish emi
grants to our country ; and as the Island was overstocked with popu
lation, expressed a wish that we had more of them, if they could be
disposed of to mutual advantage.
Several hours passed delightfully in the society of the poet and his
family. His hospitality, kindness, and liberal feelings created a very
different impression from what had been anticipated, and removed pre
judices which had longbefen entertained. If he ever indulged in that abuse
of the United States, which has been imputed to him, but which I am
willing to doubt, his sentiments have undergone a great change for the
better. There was no possible motive to an insincere show of liberali
ty ; for if politeness required him to abstain from open censure, it
surely did not require him to bestow praise. He manifested the ut
most cordiality during a long interview ; and this visit to the banks of
the Greta, where literary ease, taste, and simplicity are happily blend
ed, will long be remembered with pleasure.

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LETTER XX.
RIDE FROM KESWICK TO ULLSWATER  DESCRIPTION OF THE LAKE  PER.
RITH  CARLISLE . September, 1825.
On the 1 8th we once more put in requisition the services of our old
guide, and rode on horseback from Keswick to Patterdale, for the pur
pose of visiting Ulls water. The route lies in an easterly direction,
along the base of Saddleback, and to the north of Helvellyn. Two
miles from Keswick, we left our horses and walked some distance from
the path to see the remains of a Druidical Temple. Large and rude
blocks of granite, about fifty in number, and some of them weighing se
veral tons, stand endwise round a circle two hundred feet in diameter.
It is impossible to ascertain the precise use of these massive pillars.
The stone must have been brought from some other region, as there is
none of the same kind in the vicinity. It is difficult to conceive of a
more magnificent location for a temple than this, situated in the midst
of a vast amphitheatre of mountains, which inspire religious awe.
The remainder of our ride, over a barren and gloomy fell, and by
one or two little villages, was not remarkably interesting, till we reach
ed the shore of Ullswater, which is one of the largest and most beau
tiful of the" lakes. It is nine or ten miles long, and something more
than a mile wide, comprehended by the eye in three reaches, and wind
ing among the hills in the shape of the letter S. Our first view was
from the shore, three miles from its head, from which distance we rode
close along its margin to Patterdale. It began to rain soon after our
departure from Keswick, and before arriving at Ullswater, the storm
raged with unusual violence. The lake was lashed into a perfect fury,
and afforded no mean image of a tumultuous sea. Its waves were
whitened with foam and dashed with violence against the dark rocks
rising along the beach. The din of billows, the roar of torrents cross
ing our path at the distance of almost every rod, the whistling of the
wind, and the pattering of the rain upon the leaves over our heads, pro
duced a confusion of sounds, and presented a scene of grandeur, which
might have startled the imagination of Mrs. Radcliff. But how would
her terror have been augmented, could she have heard the hollow
hoofs of steeds ring along the road, and have seen a troop of knights,
with their fantastic caps, and cloaks flying at their backs, coursing like
the winged couriers of the storm along the margin of the lake ! Such
a spectacle she might have witnessed, had she been present ; and who

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 21,5
knows but another romance might have been the consequence ? My
prosing sketch can make Ho more of the incident than to say, that we
reached the humble hotel in the jaws of Patterdale, completely drench
ed in rain from head to foot. Our guide's inexpressibles were again
sufferers, and smoked like the misty tops of his native mountains, as
he turned himself round to enjoy the comforts of a good fire.
The rain continued all night, and the beating of the storm against
the rugged, gloomy, and desolate sides of Place Fell, a lofty moun
tain rising from the head of the lake, within a few rods of the hotel,
and the outlines of hills and crags around us, dimly discerned among
the clouds, presented some of the grandest imagery, which a visit to
the lakes has afforded. But I am weary of description, and will therefore
hasten to a conclusion, as fast as the winds and waves will waft us.
We rose at daylight next morning, and as it was doubtful how long
the fair weather might continue, embarked in a row-boat for Pooley
Bridge, at the foot of the lake, a distance of nine miles. Our oarsman
claimed the honour of having rowed Mr. Canning, Sir Walter Scott,
and other great men, in their late visit to this romantic region. Dou-_
bling a bold and rocky promontory, formed by a projection of Place
Fell, extending nearly half across the lake, the little boat scud merrily
before a stiff breeze, under the impending cliffs forming the southern
shore of Ullswater, which is here extremely wild and picturesque.
Mr. Wordsworth thinks it decidedly the finest of the lakes ; a prefer
ence which he would not be likely to yield, except upon good grounds,
since his partialities would naturally incline in favour of those, near
which he has fixed his residence. As it respects the lake itself, we
were disposed to concur in his opinion ; but its shores are certainly in
ferior to some of the others. Nothing has struck us so forcibly as
Wastwater, owing perhaps to the peculiar circumstances under
which it was seen. The lower part of Ullswater becomes tame, and
although its shores are soft and rural, there is nothing very striking
except the odd, conical, wooded hill called Dunmallet, which Gray
climbed and- has extolled for its beauty.
Reaching the foot of the lake in about two hours from the time of
embarking, and with some difficulty effecting a landing, owing to a
high wind and rough water, we crossed the Eamont, a large, rapid
stream which forms the outlet, and walked half a mile to the small
inn at Pooley Bridge, where a crowd of people assembled at a Fair'
had well nigh deprived us of a breakfast. Here a cart, without
springs, and drawn by one horse, the only carriage to be had, was
chartered to take us to Penrith. A pretty daughter of the landlord,
standing in the mud and holding the horse till the cart was laden, said

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with a significant smile, that we should find it shaky. The full im
port of the epithet was not understood, till the driver set out upon a
smart trot, and we began to tremble in every limb. He hushed our
complaints, by relating how he once drove in the same vehicle a
Frenchman, who came over one summer to See John Bull, and visit
the lakes. As soon as the horse started, Monsieur le voyageur, being
bounced from side to side, began to swear. This threw the driver
into a fit of laughter, which added to the vexation of his passenger,
who gave peremptory orders to stop. But the wag pretending not to
understand, only drove the faster, till the poor tourist, in search of
" the picturesque," was obliged to rise from his seat, turn his back to
the horse, and hold up by the stern braces. In this attitude he was
carted into Penrith, where all the sashes flew up, to see what was
coming. One of our party suggested, that the carry-all should be la
belled with Dr. Bolus' prescription—" when taken, to be well shaken."
In our ride to Penrith, we passed Lowther Hall, the seat of lord
Lonsdale, who owns immense estates in Westmoreland embracing no
inconsiderable part of the county ; also, Brougham Castle, the resi-
'dence of the celebrated jurist and statesman, beautifully situated upon
the banks of the Eamont, and finely shaded with trees. It is a place
of some antiquity, and has interesting associations. But the talents
of its present proprietor have given it still greater notoriety. He has
been at great expense in repairing and embellishing the castle.
Just before entering the town, we paused a moment to examine a
curious mound, called Arthur's Round Table, situated on a little emi
nence by the side of the road. It is of a circular form, perhaps two
hundred feet in diameter, surrounded by a moat, and covered with
smooth green turf. Its origin and object are both uncertain. The
most rational conjecture seems to be, that it was a theatre for tilts and
tournaments, or some kind of martial exercises.
Penrith is a neat and pretty town, standing on a gentle acclivity,
and built of red sand-stone, which gives it a peculiar, but not a disa
greeable aspect. Its population does not exceed three or four thou
sand, and its trade is inconsiderable. Our first visit was to the parish
church, a large edifice, standing in a high and conspicuous situation.
The dusky complexion of the material, deepened by exposure to the
weather, as well as the style of architecture, renders its appearance
venerable. In the church-yard, Mr. Fenton, the vicar, joined us, and
inquired if we were sketching. He politely directed our attention to
the Giant's Grave, the Giant's Thumb, and other curiosities in the en
closure. The former of these consists of two pillars, ten or twelve
feet in height, in the shape of pyramids, standing at the distance of

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 217
fifteen feet from each other. Between them are two semi-circular
thin stone slabs, placed edgewise and longitudinally in the earth. Tra
dition says, that a giant, whose name was Owen Caesarius, and who
was a modern Hercules, destroying all the wild beasts in Inglewood
Forest, was here buried, and that his enormous size filled the space
between the two columns. The Giant's Thumb is another fantastic
pillar, somewhat in the form of a female.
The interior of the church is handsomely finished, its galleries being
supported by pillars twelve feet high hewn from solid stone. On the
wall is a tablet containing a historical record, which states that in the
16th century 2260 of the inhabitants of Penrith died of a plague,
which extended its ravages through all the North of England, and
nearly depopulated whole districts. There are also in the church two
handsome chandeliers, presented by Lord Carlisle, and inscribed with
the record of a signal victory achieved on a neighbouring moor, in
which the citizens of Penrith bore a loyal part, in the Rebellion of
1745. The walls are covered with ancient inscriptions, in Saxon
character, which could not be deciphered.
From the church, our walk was extended to the castle, standing on
an eminence in the suburbs of the town, and commanding an exten
sive prospect of the environs. It is now in ruins. Large fragments
of the wall have tumbled down, and strew the ground. A small
house and granary have been erected within the precints, and the
sound ofthe flail echoed through the crumbling remnants of a fortress,
which in its day possessed great strength, and in which Richard III.
while Duke of Gloucester, once slept.
On the 19th we rode to Carlisle. Just before our departure from
Penrith, Lord Montague and family arrived at the same hotel, on their
way to Scotland, affording us an opportunity to look at the style of
some of the nobility. The carriage and equipage were neat, but not
splendid, and nothing very remarkable was observed in the appearance
of these great personages. In leaving the town, the Earl of Lonsdale
passed us on horseback with a servant in livery at his heels. He is a
short, thick, round-faced, heavy man, who looks as if his head never
troubled the rest of his body ; but for all that, he may be clever.
On a high hill near the road, and two miles from Penrith, stands a
circular tower called the Beacon, which has been there for centuries,
and was used in the time of the rebellion, for giving the alarm to the
neighbouring country. It is a conspicuous object for a circuit of
many miles. In climbing the long hill opposite this structure, we had
a farewell view of Dunmallet, Place Fell, Helvellyn, and other moun
tains about the lakes, illumined by a bright sun. Their distant sum-
vol. i. 28

218 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
mits, seen in connexion with the woods at the foot of Ullswater, and
the town just left behind, made a splendid landscape.
There is nothing peculiarly interesting between Penrith and Carlisle.
Towards the east, the prospect is bounded by the purple and desolate
fells of Westmoreland, and westward extends a level tract to the base
of Saddleback and Skiddaw. The road traverses gentle swells of
what the English call turnip-land, industriously tilled, but not very fer
tile, or productive except in the vegetable, to which much of it is ap
propriated. It is not uncommon to see fields of many acres covered
with Ruta Baga, and other species of the same root, which are ex
tensively used in fattening cattle.
In the course ofthe afternoon, innumerable droves of beeves passed
us, on. their way from Scotland to England, to be sold at the autumnal
fairs. They are generally black, and of a small breed, seldom exceed
ing in size two-year-olds in our country. The road was so thronged,
as to occasion much detention, and to render it difficult in some cases
to get by at all.
Ten miles from Penrith, we passed a pretty little sheet of water,
called Tarn Wadling, on the margin of which are situated the ruins of
Castle Hewin, which was once a regal fortress possessing great
strength. Its aspect at present is very different from what it seems to
have been in the days of good King Arthur, when it was the seat of
knighthood, and is thus alluded to in a ballad of that age :
" In Tearne Wadlinge his castle stands,
All on a hill so hye,
And proudlye rise the battlements,
And gaye the streamers fly."
We reached Carlisle at evening. Several large cotton factories in
the suburbs, three or four stories high, brilliantly lighted up, added to
the lamps of the town, produced quite an illumination. But notwith
standing all the light, which flashed around him, the stupid coachman
was so heedless, as to meet breast to breast another vehicle, fortunate
ly without any other inconvenience than disturbing his repose.
The next morning, we set about seeing the town with all possible
despatch. Its streets, which are sometimes handsome, often narrow,
and generally dirty, breathing all sorts of odours but such as are grate
ful, were extensively perambulated. A walk to the noble bridge across
the Eden, and thence along the bank of the river to the castle stand
ing upon an eminence near its margin, gave us a good idea of the
outlines of Carlisle and its environs.
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LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 219
ordinary scenery, a view from the battlements of the ancient castle, on
a fine morning, would have afforded us unusual delight ; for it is wide,
diversified, and picturesque. To the north and east, the hills of Scot
land and Northumberland rise in the distance, and to the south, our
old acquaintances about Keswick once more bade us good morrow.
The Eden is a fine river, sweeping down with a broad, rapid, and ma
jestic current from its inhospitable source in the Cumbrian hills, and
watering a fertile alluvial tract between Carlisle and the Solway, five
miles below. It rolls close under the walls ofthe castle, and its banks
present a rich landscape. Nor is the town itself, mean or unsightly.
It is the capital of Cumberland, containing a population of fifteen or
twenty thousand, and possessing a liberal share of public buildings.
The two lofty round towers, of a singular form and neatly construct
ed of red sand-stone, occupying the site ofthe old citadel, and appro
priated to the courts of justice, together with the weather-worn tur
rets of the Cathedral, built of the same material, give to the place
quite a stately appearance.
Independent of its location and its eligibility as an observatory, the
castle possesses some interest. It is an ancient, fortress, and has its
full share of historical associations. At present it is garrisoned by a
regiment, which was on drill at the time of our visit. One of the su
balterns conducted us over every part of it. He and his wife occupy
the room, which was appropriated to Mary, the fugitive and itinerant
Queen of Scots, during her residence in this castle. The apartment
has undergone few alterations since. Here is still seen the little re
cess in which she slept — the pantry, not for her luxuries, but her al
lowanced fare — and her narrow and darkened windows looking out
upon the Eden. In its best estate, her prison could have furnished
but mean and miserable accommodations for a personage, accustomed
to palaces and pillows of down ; for with the conveniences which
have been added, it is now reckoned but indifferent quarters for a cor
poral or a musician.
There is one appendage to this fortress which was new to me, al
though it may be familiar to others. For the security of the maga
zine against the effects of lightning, a welLhas been sunk to the depth
of sixty or eighty feet, and the conductor descends to the bottom, be
ing constantly surrounded by water. It doubtless furnishes an addi
tional safe-guard. Most of the accidents, which happen to buildings
supplied with a rod, arise from its interruption, or from an inattention
to its termination at the ground. The water of this well, though the
shaft is deep and narrow, forms such a perfect mirror, that the soldier
may adjust his cap by the reflection. A Roman fountain was pointed

220 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
out to us, from which the garrison is supplied with water ; but there
is little except the name to attract attention.
From the castle, our walk' was extended to the Cathedral, which
bears the marks of great age, and is highly respectable in its aspect.
The order of architecture is Norman Gothic, with turrets rising above
the other buildings of the town. Its appendages, for the residence
and accommodation of its officers, are neat and convenient, situated
around a small park, and finely shaded with trees. The clerk con
ducted us over the interior of St. Mary's and directed our attention to
what he supposed most worthy of notice, It is a fault with all these
showmen, which has given us a great deal of trouble, to suppose that
only what is new can be interesting to the stranger, and to tell a long
story about improvements which have already been made, or are in
contemplation, whereas these innovations upon antique structures oft-
ener create pain than pleasure.
Taking little interest in the burden of our guide's information, we
inquired of him if there were no monuments in the church deserving
notice. Why, he didn't know, sure ; there was one in memory of
Archdeacon Paley, and another to Bishop Law, father of Lord Ellen-
borough, which might be worth looking at. The name of a philoso
pher and divine, whose writings are very justly honoured with a place
among the classics in our country, needed no eulogium from the clerk,
to call forth a tribute of respect and veneration. A plain, white mar
ble slab on the wall, marks the spot where sleeps the author of the ad
mired treatises on Moral Philosophy, Natural Theology, and the Evi
dences of the Christian Religion. On the monument is the following
inscription: — "William Paley, D. D. Archdeacon and Chancellor of
this Diocese, died May 23, 1805, aged 62."
His two wives rest on either side of him, the last of whom died in
1819. He left several children, four of whom, if no more, are yet
living. One of his sons is a clergyman in Yorkshire, and another a
farmer. Both of his daughters married clergymen. He died while
on a visit to his native town in Yorkshire, and his remains were brought
to Carlisle, to be interred by the side of his first wife. The clerk was
personally acquainted with him, and attended his funeral, which was
without parade, but occasioned much real sorrow. His old friend re
marked, that the doctor was jocular in his turn, popular in his manners,
and much beloved.
On the opposite side of the same partition, is a monument in memory
of Edmund Law, Bishop of Carlisle, and father ofthe late Lord Ellenbo-
rough, who derived his title from a little village of that name, near Mary-
port on the Irish Sea, where he was accidentally born, while his mo-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 221
ther was on an excursion to that part of the country. The family
possess great talents, united with some eccentricities. It is well
known, that one of them pushed his fortunes in the United States,
where he has acquired some celebrity. Another of them went to
Gretna Green, with a dowerless, pretty girl, and was clandestinely
married. The Bishop's monument is of white marble, elegantly
finished, surmounted by an emblem of Christianity, holding a crucifix,
and lamenting the death of the prelate. Beneath is a neat, classical
inscription in Latin.
Many other ecclesiastical dignitaries repose under the pavement ;
but none of them were men of much eminence. There are also
many grotesque ornaments and inscriptions upon the walls, which did
not appear to be worth the labour of deciphering, although they have
furnished subjects for the researches of antiquaries. The arms of the
officers of the church are quartered upon the ceiling ; and the choir,
which is finished with tabernacle work, is handsome, setting off to ad
vantage the large window with stained glass.
After completing a survey of the cathedral, we made an excursion
of a mile or two'across the Calder, a branch of the Eden, to the south
west part of the town, for the purpose of examining the canal, which
connects Carlisle with Solway Frith. In this walk, sections of the
ancient walls, by which the town was once enclosed, with gates at the
four avenues, were distinctly traced. But the object of our pursuit
was less easy of discovery amidst the intricacies of the suburbs. The
directions of a little boy upon the road afforded us more amusement
than information. To our inquiries he replied, " ye gang doon, and
ye gang doon, till you come to a house, and ye gang doon"  " thank
you, my lad ; that will do." The canal was at length reached, and
found to be on a larger scale, than any that had been examined in
England. Its length, to be sure, is short, being only twelve miles ;
but in breadth, depth and workmanship, it exceeds similar works in
this country. In the basin at its termination, several brigs, from Liver
pool, were discharging their cargoes. It admits vessels drawing nine
feet water. There are eight locks of eighteen feet breadth, between
Carlisle and the Solway. It was constructed by a company, who have
a large warehouse upon its margin, and carry on an extensive trade
with the Frith, supplying the town with stone for building, and with
coals. In the afternoon, an hour or two was passed in the Academy of
Fine Arts, which had been opened a few days previous. The col
lection contained upwards of two hundred pictures, covering the walls
of four apartments. Many of them were from London, sent hither

222 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
to be examined and sold, if purchasers offered. Some of them were
valued at £6,000. Among the number, was a splendid picture ofthe
King, just finished by Sir Thomas Lawrence. We saw the fellow to
it at Chatsworth. There is but one more of the same stamp, which
belongs to Lord Lowther. In the collection was a pretty illustration
of Hawk Shooting, from a scene in Bracebridge Hall. The principal
historical painting was Marmion's Mission to Scotland, before the
battle of Flodden Field. But it would be endless to particularize.
Nearly all the artists of any merit in the kingdom contributed to the
assemblage. The show of statuary was limited and meagre. There
was a sad want of arrangement in the collection. Venus and Hercu
les, Hebes and Gladiators, were all crowded into a small room to
gether ; and some of them appeared to have gotten broken arms, bro
ken legs, and broken noses by being jostled. Due allowance should
however be made. The proprietor of the 'hall, who seems to be a
clever artist, has but just commenced this department.
The pleasures of the day and of our visit to Carlisle were closed
with attending the theatre in the evening, partly to learn the fashions
of the town, but more to see Miss F. H. Kelly, a sister to the one
who, I suppose, has been long enough in the United States, and is
certainly sufficiently a favourite, to be called our own. She appeared
in the character of Belvidera, in Venice Preserved, a difficult part, in
which, as in poetry, there can be no mediocrity, but which she per
formed to admiration. Her person is good, her step dignified, her
voice has great compass and flexibility, and she catches the true spi
rit of the author. Her Belvidera was by far the chastest and most
powerful specimen of acting I have yet seen in England. In the parts
of Jaffier and Pierre she was tolerably well supported, and the rest
was bad enough. The theatre is small, and of rude construction.
There was a full house of genteely dressed ladies and gentlemen. The
audience appeared to be discriminating in their applause, and remark
ably silent and attentive, with the exception of one or two drunken
fellows in the pit, who were engaged in a noisy brawl, whilst Belvide
ra was melting others into tears by her genuine pathos. Gratifying as it
would have been to see Miss Kelly in the character of Jenny Deans, pre
parations to be off on the day following towards " the Heart of Mid
Lothian," rendered it inconvenient to remain at the after-piece, and
witness an exhibition of Scottish scenes in anticipation of our visit.

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LETTER XXI.
HIDE FROM CARLISLE TO NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE  ROMAN WALL-
DESCRIPTION OP NEWCASTLE  BIRTH PLACE OF AKENSIDE  GATES-
END  CASTLE  COLLIERIES  EXCURSION TO SHIELDS. September, 1825.
On the 21st, we set out for Newcastle, fifty-six miles from Carlisle.
The road crosses the Eden, on the stately stone bridge already men
tioned, which cost $200,000. At the little village of Stanwix, a mile
beyond, on the right bank of the river, was the termination of the wall
of Severus, extending seventy miles across the country, from the Sol
way to the mouth of the Tyne. A small church, in the above-men
tioned village, is built from the ruins. This gigantic work of other
ages was the most prpminent object on our route, which ran parallel
and close to it the whole day. Sections of it were distinctly seen in
several places. At Thirlwall, as the name imports, about midway
between the two extremities, a breach was forcibly made by the Picts.
Such a barrier, designed to fence out a barbarous nation from their
more civilized neighbours, however wild and unmilitary the project,
was certainly a grand idea. Fortresses were erected, and garrisons
stationed along the wall, enough of which yet remains to show what
it once was, and to aid the imagination in forming a conception of its
grandeur at that day, when the Roman eagles flew on the towers of
the rampart, stretching from sea to sea, and the armies of barbarians,
pouring like torrents from their native mountains, dashed against the
bulwarks of their invaders.
The first part of our ride, for many miles, extended up the right
bank of the Eden, and across several of its branches. One of them,
called the Irthing, came rushing down from the hills, like a torrent of
blood. It was much swollen by the late rains, and the complexion of
the soil through which it runs gives it a deep red colour, forming a
singular contrast with the verdure of its shores. Its waters were so
turbid, and of so ruddy a hue, as to be incapable of producing foam,
where they dashed over rocks, but in the agitation were covered with
froth resembling what physicians term buff.
After passing the village of Brampton, containing a population of
about 2000 and forming a part of the baronial estate of the late Earl
of Carlisle, we ascended Mote Hill, which commands one of the
widest horizons in the north of England. In a clear day, the Irish Sea,
the Isle of Man, Solway Frith, the whole region about the lakes, the

224 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Cheviot Hills on the borders of Scotland, and the German Ocean, may
all be seen from the summit. Unfortunately for us, the atmosphere
was filled with smoke, though not rainy, and our eyes were strained
to catch a parting glimpse of Carlisle. The top of the eminence is
finely wooded, and the landscape in the vicinity is among the finest on
the road.
Some miles beyond this, we had a glimpse of Naworth Castle, the
seat of the late Earl of Carlisle, who died only two weeks since, at an
advanced age, leaving his residence and his large estates to his son,
Lord Morpeth. The mansion is situate under a hill, and does not ap-
per to advantage from the road, its aged turrets being but just visible
above the intervening objects. It is a place of great antiquity, and
came into the present family by a marriage with the Dacres, who re
pose amidst the ruins of Lanecroft Abbey, in an adjacent deep and re
tired vale. A legend is handed down respecting one of the early
lords of Naworth. He was a profound scholar, and so fond of the
seclusion of his closet, that the slightest disturbance threw him into a
violent passion. A person who one day accidently broke in upon the
retirement of this modern Diogenes, lost his life by the intrusion. So
saith tradition.
Soon after leaving the village of Greenhead, and crossing a small
turbulent stream called the Tippel, we reached the banks of the Tyne.
This river has its source in the Northumbrian and Cumbrian hills. It
is a bold, wild, and rapid stream, descending generally at the rate of
seven or eight miles the hour, and breaking over the rocks, which fill
its channel. Its waters are of a reddish-yellow tinge, as if originating
in beds of ochre. Its course was pursued the whole way to Newcas
tle, and even beyond the town, to its mouth, where it is nearly as large
as the Thamesi'i The vale through which it runs presents some agree
able scenery, and is filled with so many old castles, thatit was deemed
hardly worth while to number them, or record their names. Extensive
tracts of moorland and fells stretch along the sides ofthe valley, on which
for many miles no houses nor traces of cultivation are to be seen.
Just before entering Hexham, a large town on the right bank ofthe
Tyne, we walked up a steep hill of more than a mile in extent, on the
brow of which a great battle was fought between the houses of York
and Lancaster. It is said the effusion of blood was so copious, as ac
tually to descend the declivity in torrents ! Hexham possesses some
interesting antiquities, and sepulchral monuments in the old church ;
but the coach paused merely long enough to afford the passengers
time to dine, and the place was imperfectly seen.
In the course of the afternoon, we rode for many miles through

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lands which once composed a part of the estates of Lord Derwentwater,
(alluded to in a former letter,) and which now belong to Greenwich
Hospital. They are laid out in farms of moderate extent, well culti
vated by an industrious tenantry, and produce a large annual revenue
to that institution. The head and trunk of his lordship, having been
severed at London for high treason, were brought to his seat, pointed
out to us from the road, and there repose in a retired and rural situa
tion, after a life of inquietude and restless ambition.
At 6 o'clock in the ^evening, we arrived at the summit of a hill,
which looks down upon the whole of Newcastle, occupying the steep
declivity extending from its brow to the northern bank of the Tyne.
Both the town and its environs present an unique appearance, sombre
and gloomy, but from its novelty not uninteresting. The dark com
plexion of the houses, roofed with bright red tile — the yellowish tinge
of the river — the deep green of its shores — and the black, massive
steam-engines, rising like so many castles over the shafts of innumera
ble collieries, all in motion and vomiting forth volumes of smoke, form
peculiar and striking features in the scenery. An odd taste in build
ing and the fantastic, crown-shaped spires of some of the churches add
to the singularity of the view. Some of the blocks of houses are
ranged endwise on the declivity, rising one above another like steps in
a flight of stairs.
Descending with locked wheels through a long line of streets, we
took lodgings at the Queen's Head, and late as it was, immediately
commenced an examination of the town. One of the first objects of.
curiosity was the birth-place of Dr. Akenside, author ofthe Pleasures
ofthe Imagination. Several fruitless inquiries were made of persons,
who seemed to know more about coals than poetry ; but a clever book
seller at length showed us an engraving of the old house, and literally
put us upon the right scent to find it, authorising us to make use of his
name to a butcher, who keeps his stall at the next door, and would point
out the dwelling. A difficulty in finding the place, however, called forth
an act of kindness from another aged bookseller, who walked through
the streets bare-headed, with his pen behind his ear, to direct us to
Butchers' Bank, the narrow, close, and dirty lane, which gave birth to
the poet. Both sides of it are occupied by stalls, and all sorts of smells
arising from a confined meat market here invade the senses.
Mr. Wright, the butcher, was at last found, and with his apron
on, and his cleaver in his hand, conducted us to the most advantageous
position for examining the house in which the favoured bard was born.
It is a black, dirty looking building, three stories high, the basement
of which is occupied by a stall and the other part by a poor family,
vol. I. 29

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who peeped from the casements with as much apparent astonishment
at;our close inspection, as did some of their predecessors on the pre
mises a few years since, when an Akenside club called to chant an ode
to the memory of the poet, whose name and birth-place were alike un
known to the tenants of his father's dwelling. They supposed a con
stable was after them, and were prodigiously frightened by the myste
rious rites.
Our guide was more intelligent, and appeared to be familiar with
the writings and early history of the son of his next door neighbour,
who followed the same occupation as himself. The doctor, while a
boy, for some time assisted his father in cutting up and selling meat
in this very shop, and was destined to make a livelihood by the busi
ness ; but the fall of a cleaver upon his foot inflicted a lameness from
which he never entirely recovered, and which disqualified him for active
pursuits. By a sort of false pride which does little credit to his charac
ter, he is said to have been ashamed through life of a defect, caused
by an inglorious instrument, indicative of his humble origin. He
ought to have been proud of possessing talents, which enabled him to
subdue fortune, emerge from obscurity, and make for himself a name.
It is for those who lay great stress upon the influence of climate, and
find the elements of a poetic mind in local scenery and early associa
tion, to inform us how a butcher's boy, born and bred in a more filthy
lane than can be found in any corner of New-York, could at the age of
three and twenty, compose one of the most splendid poems in the Eng
lish language.
On the following morning our tour of observation was re-commenced
at an early hour. Passing down streets so steep as to require cau
tion to prevent one from falling, and which in slippery weather must
be dangerous, we visited the business part of the town, the docks, the
Exchange, and the ancient stone bridge, thrown across the Tyne on
nine lofty arches. There is all the bustle of a commercial city in this
part of Newcastle. The river is covered with shipping, steam-boats,
and vessels of every description. Ships of three or four hundred tons
burthen can come up as far as the bridge. They are nearly all enga
ged in the coal trade, and the inside is as black, as the clumsy, heavy
exterior. The Exchange has recently undergone some repairs, which
give it the appearance of a handsome modern structure. It used to
have a steeple, in which a pair of rooks annually built their nest, and
reared their young.
Extending our walk across the bridge to the large town on the op
posite shore, called Gatesend, in the county of Durham, the middle of
the Tyne being the boundary, we spent half an hour in running about

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 227
the streets, to find the house in which Daniel De Foe wrote a part of
Robinson Crusoe. Our old friend, the bookseller, pointed out the
house across the river ; but it was lost sight of on a nearer approach,
and after all our search, it was not to a certainty identified. He in
formed us, that his father was well acquainted with the author of this
popular tale, and that his real name was Foe. The De was capri
ciously added upon his own authority. He was a man of some im
portance in his day, alternately experiencing the flatteries and frowns
of his patrons.
In another part of our errand to Gatesend, we were more success1-
ful, having found the very house in which George Fox, the celebrated
Quaker, preached in the early part of his career. It is now occupied
as a tavern, called the Fountain Inn, situate in a narrow, dirty lane,
as it necessarily must be to form any part of Gatesend. A barber,
whose shop is directly opposite the three clusters of grapes hanging at
the door ofthe hotel, had a book of localities in his window, and rela
ted to us all the traditions connected with the place. Fox here
made many converts ; but his place for holding forth was far less
agreeable, especially to me, than the shade of his venerable oaks at
Flushing, Long-Island.
Recrossing the bridge, we visited the remains of the celebrated cas=-
tie, which gave name to the town. The fortress has been in some mea
sure modernized, and is now occupied as a prison. It stands upon an
eminence, commanding the bridge and the heights beyond, where a
great battle was fought by William the Conqueror. The passage of
the Tyne has since been several times disputed, and the guns of the
castle were brought to bear. Its walls are eleven feet thick. Several
of its apartments remain entire and unaltered. In the keep, Baliol
king of Scotland did homage to one of the Edwards. The chapel has
been sadly perverted, being used as a coal-cellar. Several of the rooms
are filled with fragments of old statues and other curiosities, collected
by a clan of active antiquaries, who here meet to dissect and analyze
images of the 15th century. Its strong holds are, therefore, more
harmlessly occupied now than when living and half-starved prisoners
were chained to the pavement. In clearing out the rubbish from one
of the rooms some years since, several human skeletons were found,
supposed to belong to persons who had perished of hunger.
The keeper of the Castle, who suddenly changed the tones of his
voice after finding that he was to receive a fee of half a crown, instead
of being vexed with a charitable visit from the friends ofthe prisoners,
conducted us over every part of the fortress. There is a battery of ar
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battlements present an extensive view of the river and town, with all its
public buildings, which are numerous and showy. Newcastle, al
though it contains a population not exceeding thirty thousand, covers
a good deal of ground, and appears much larger than it really is, from
its location on a side-hill exhibiting nearly every house.
From the Castle, we went to St. John's Church, chiefly for the pur
pose of visiting the tomb of the poet Cunningham, a native of Dublin,,
and author of some of the finest pastorals in our language. His re
mains rest near a pretty lime-tree, in the church-yard, which is cover
ed with a rich green sod. The inscription on the slab over his grave
is plain, brief and appropriate, stating that he died in Newcastle in
1773, at the age of 44 ; and that his works will remain a monument
of his excellence, as a pastoral poet, long after this temporary tribute
of esteem is forgotten.
St. Nicholas is the most stately edifice in the town of Newcastle.
It is associated with some events, which give it an interest to the
traveller. John Knox, the celebrated reformer, once preached in it ;
and in the vestry, several truces were concluded between the English
and Scotch in the border wars. The Rev. Mr. Brown, author of the
tragedy of Barbarossa, used to preach in St. Mary's Chapel, connect
ed with St. Nicholas.
In the course of the day, a horse and gig with a small boy for a
driver were chartered to take us to the collieries, along the bank of the
river, and to Shields near its mouth, 7 or 8 miles from Newcastle. This
excursion led us by the jubilee school, which was instituted as an ex
tensive and useful charity, to commemorate the 50th year in the reign
of George III.
At Wallend, a small village four miles from Newcastle, we spent
half an hour in examining the shaft and machinery of a colliery, situate
at the termination of the Roman Wall. The colliers, who resemble
and are in fact imps from the infernal regions, were busily at work, and
cheerfully imparted all the information in their power, respecting their
unenviable occupation. They are, however, generally ignorant, pos
sessing nothing beyond a knowledge of the mechanical operations in
a particular sphere, and conveying even that in a dialect scarcely
intelligible. Day after day and year after year rolls on with an unva
ried current, finding them confined to the same mine, and occupied
with the same drudgery. There would seem to be little choice be
tween the chains of a galley-slave, and the monotonous servitude of
these colliers ; and yet they are said to be a contented and compara
tively a happy race. The necessity of bathing every night renders
them healthy and vigorous. But after all, it is a hard life with an
inadequate remuneration.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 229
The shaft which we visited is 720 feet deep, divided by timbers into
three triangular openings. A strong current of air is constantly
coming up one of them, driving before it a tempest of dust. The
corves or large baskets, which are constantly ascending, are discharged
by a man at the top, and returned by the other side of the band or
chain, moved by a steam engine. In this way, sixty chaldrons of
sixty-five bushels each;, are raised per day through a single shaft. The
other apertures are used for ventilating the mine, and for letting down
men and horses. A large sheet of canvass is spread at the opening to
force a current of air into the shaft. We saw a dozen ofthe workmen,
as black as the mineral they are employed in digging, cjing one after
another like bats to the same rope, and descend till they vanished from
sight. Beneath is a subterranean world, a peep into which was sufficient
to satisfy our curiosity, notwithstanding the importunities of the col
liers to induce us to go down with them. Brimstone, and smoke, and
every other horror came up from the abyss. This very mine once
blew up, and killed fifty- two men. The explosion was so tremendous,
that a volume of flame rushed from the shaft, driving before it the
mangled limbs of men and horses, which with shattered implements
and the ruins of the mine strewed the earth for many yards around.
Sir Humphrey Davy's invention of the safety-lamp has rendered such
accidents comparatively of rare occurrence ; but the heedlessness of
workmen will always lead them to incur more or less risk. The only
chance of escape, in case of an explosion, is by throwing one's self flat
upon the bed of the mine, and then there is danger of being suffocated
by choke-damp, which creeps along the bottom.
The quantity of coal raised and exported from this region, embra
cing a district about twenty miles long and fifteen wide, is immense,
being not less than 600,000 chaldrons a year. It bears a heavy duty,
and is a valuable source of revenue to the government. Estimates
as to the extent of the strata must necessarily be vague ; but it is cal
culated, that the mines at the present rate of working will be exhaust
ed in less than two centuries. The whole country in the vicinity of
Newcastle is a mere shell, and subterranean passages run in all direc
tions. A population of about 100,000 on the bariks of the Tyne, look
entirely to this business for support As coal has become a necessary
article, both of trade and consumption, it is difficult to foresee what
will be the consequence of an exhaustion of the mines to the manu
factures, commerce, and domestic condition of Great-Britain.
From Wallend, we extended our ride to North Shields, which stands
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Shields, on the opposite side ofthe river, constitute the port of Newcas
tle, bearing a striking resemblance in location to the Cove of Cork.
The former is only half a mile from Tinemouth, on the German Ocean.
A large three. story hotel of stone has been erected by the Duke of
Northumberland, for the accommodation of commercial men by whom
the place is chiefly visited. The village consists principally of one
long, dirty street, extending at the base of a hill 100 feet or more in
height, and nearly perpendicular. This was ascended by a flight of
stone-steps to a natural terrace, whence there is an extensive view of
the river above, South Shields on the other shore, the harbour, its en
trance and the distant ocean.
On the day of our visit, the prospect was dark and cheerless. A
high wind, accompanied with squalls of rain, blew from the east, and
tremendous waves tumbled in from the sea, breaking upon the rocks
and shoals at the mouth of the Tyne. A light-house stands on either
side. The harbour is difficult of access, and cannot be entered after
a quarter ebb of the tide, when the lights are quenched. It must be
a dreary interval to a ship labouring in a storm. Frequent wrecks oc
cur in making the port in winter ; and the dangers of the coast, per
haps, led to the noble invention of the life-boat, by Mr. Greathead of
South Shields. The first experiment was made in these stormy wa
ters, and has succeeded beyond expectation. It was gratifying to
learn, that the inventor was adequately remunerated both in honours
and emoluments.
The harbour itself is safe and sufficiently spacious to contain a fleet
of a thousand sail. It was filled with vessels of all descriptions, en
gaged almost entirely in the coal trade, chiefly coastwise to London.
The residue is carried on with the Baltic, Quebec, and other parts of
America. There is not much intercourse between this port and the
continent. A few Dutch vessels were seen in the fleet.
Descending from the eminence, we threaded the labyrinths of seve
ral filthy lanes, to visit one of the seven or eight dry-docks at the mouth
of the river. An intelligent gentleman imparted to us every informa
tion. There is nothing peculiar in the construction of these docks,
and they are on a small scale, compared with those of Liverpool and
London. The tide rises twenty-seven feet, and vessels of 400 tons
are admitted.
Just at evening, we embarked on board of a steam-boat for Newcas
tle. The fare for seven or eight miles is only sixpence, including two
or three pipers, who discourse merry music all the way. This is the
cheapest travelling of any kind that has been found in England — a per
fect contrast to the sad extortion practiced in some places. Passing

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 231
South Shields, which is a large town, containing 15 or 20,000 inhabit
ants, with several spires and towers giving it rather an imposing ap
pearance, our little boat ran rapidly up the Tyne, affording us a fine
view of its borders.
The whole aspect of the river and its shores is dismal and dark be
yond any thing I have ever witnessed. Its current continues turbid,
and ofthe colour already mentioned, to its mouth. It is covered with
flat, misshapen, clumsy boats, called keels, used for transporting coals.
They are ofthe same complexion as their cargoes, and navigated by
crews, who looked as if they had just emerged from the nether world.
It required no effort of the imagination, for one to fancy himself sailing
upon the Stygian waters. Thirty of these boats were counted in one
fleet, moving slowly with a dark, solitary sail.
On each side ofthe river, at short intervals, massive machinery has
been erected, denominated straiths, for transferring the coals, as they
are brought from the mines, to the boats, which convey them to ves
sels. A constant thundering is kept up, as they are shot into the
barges. To add to the sombre hue of the scenery, the fires of the
furnaces, steam-engines, and other manufactories along the banks,
were lighted up, and glared upon the river, presenting an image of
Phlegethon itself.
On our return to the hotel, the rain and chilly winds of the evening
for the first time this season rendered a good fire comfortable. Among
the dishes on the table at dinner, was fine salmon from the Tyne. An
anecdote is related of one of these fishes at Newcastle, which is too
remarkable to be credible. It is said, that a nobleman standing upon
the bridge, playing with his diamond ring, accidentally dropped it into
the water. The next day a salmon was bought in market by the ser
vant of the gentleman, and on opening him, the identical ring was
found and restored to the owner. It is at all events a good story, pre
serving the unity of an epic.
An hour was employed in visiting the Royal Grammar School, in
which Bishop Ridley, the martyr at Oxford, Col. Lilburn, famous in
Cromwell's time, Dr. Akenside, Lord Collingwood, a native of this
place, Lord Eldon, Sir William Scott, and several other men of distinc
tion received the rudiments of their education. The edifice is a dark,
antique, one story building, but secluded and convenient for the pur
poses, to which it is still appropriated. It possesses no interest inde
pendent of its associations.
Our exit from Newcastle, led us by the ruins of a nunnery, up a
high hill, and near the race-course, which is situated upon an extensive
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particular attention, exhibiting an air of thriftiness and comfort. Their
tenants, or the male part of them, are employed in the mines, while the
females cultivate the lands and engage in rural pursuits. Between
them they make a good living. There is an advantage in a large fa
mily, as all the children find employment at an early age, and are a
source of income, rather than an expense. Hence the colliers marry
young, and almost entirely with persons of their own occupation,
thus preserving and deepening the peculiar cast of population
The route between Newcastle and Alnwick runs nearly parallel
with the German Ocean, at the distance of five, ten, and fifteen miles.
Frequent and extensive views of the blue expanse, whitened with sails
were obtained from eminences in the course of the ride. On the left,
the fells of Northumberland and the Cheviot hills rise in the distance.
It is a bleak region in the winter. The coachman informed us, that
.the snow frequently falls so deep, as to block up the roads, and ren
der them impassable with carriages. In the course ofthe day, half a
dozen considerable streams were crossed, and as many villages pass
ed, none of which appeared to be particularly worthy of notice. Some
ruins are also strewed along the way ; but they are not very pictu
resque, nor associated with any historical events of importance.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived in sight of Alnwick, a pret
ty town pleasantly situated upon the little river Aln, whence its name.
Before entering it, two or three monuments, erected as testimonials
,of the gratitude of the tenantry to the Duke of Northumberland, for
lowering their rents and diminishing their taxes, arrest the attention of
the traveller. They occupy conspicuous situations on the surrounding
heights. There is one close by the road. It is a column fifty or sixty
feet in height, surmounted by a lion, whose tail somewhat resembles a
stiff, old-fashioned cue. The four recumbent lions at the corners of
the base are in a more graceful posture. This monument, however, is
in much better taste than one which was observed some miles back
erected in memory of Nelson. It is so near the road as to stare the
passenger in the face ; and the man who erected it has taken care,
that his name coupled with the hero's and boasting of an intimacy,, shall
be seen, by cutting away all the trees in the vicinity, lest they should
throw his vanity into the shade. His name, I believe, is Davidson :
but his claims or his ostentatious pretensions to an intimacy with Nel
son are unknown to me. Such is sometimes the mode of acquiring
notoriety in this country.
The next morning we rose at an early hour, and before breakfast
visited Alnwick Castle, the " home of the Percies" from time imme
morial, and the residence of the present Duke of Northumberland. It

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 233
is probably one of the most perfect and most magnificent barronial
fortresses now in existence. After the animated and inimitable poeti
cal sketch by one of our native bards, whose lines stand a much bet
ter chance with posterity than the fame of the present proprietor, with
all his wealth and titles, I cannot hope that a dull prosing description,
measuring lengths, and breadths, and heights, and angles, will be re
lished by my readers.
Its appearance is certainly grand and imposing. It is seated upon
an eminence, upon the right bank of the Aln, commanding an exten
sive view of the vale watered by that river. The castle covers a large
area, being situated round open courts, and enclosed by lofty walls,
above which rise sixteen towers, occupied as offices. It is built of a
light coloured stone, two stories, and surmounted by a great number
of statues, making a group of not less than one hundred in all. The
edifice comprises several orders of architecture, having been erected
and repaired in different ages. Parts of it exhibit specimens of pure
Saxon, and the residue is Norman-Gothic.
Although no portion of this immense pile, when taken by itself, can
be considered either splendid or magnificent, yet its extent and the mul
titude of its towers, rising above the gray walls, give it an air of gran
deur. At the Lodge a female received and conducted us, as usual,
through a long suite of apartments, consisting of dressing-rooms, bed
rooms, dining-rooms, tea-rooms, drawing-rooms, and all other kinds of
rooms, embracing the library and chap^J. There is nothing very pecu
liar in the construction ofthe interior. The apartments are generally
small, for a house of such external dimensions. Its furniture will not
bear a comparison with that of Eaton Hall or Chatsworth. The two
principal apartments are designedly in exact contrast. One of them
is decorated with all the gorgeous ornaments, which fancy could invent ;
while the other is finished with oak, in neat but plain Gothic. A per
son of taste would not hesitate to give the preference to the latter. In
the former, however, there are some elegant specimens of tapestry.
The library is a large parallelogram, besides some adjacent halls ap
propriated to the same purpose. His lordship has an extensive col
lection of books, whether he is the wiser for them or not. It may be
reasonably doubted, if he has ever read some of the Fathers that fill
his shelves. Many new publications and newspapers lay upon the ta
bles, giving the apartments quite a literary appearance. I had the cu
riosity to take up one of the volumes, and found it to be " a system of
complete horsemanship." In pictures and statuary, Alnwick Castle is
' lamentably deficient. With the exception of what is denominated a
vol. i. 30

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good likeness of the present Duke and some splendid medallions in
gold, there is nothing of the kind deserving notice.
The chapel is a neat room, but has few ornaments. In one end of
it stands a beautiful white marble sarcophagus, of unusual dimensions,
elegantly sculptured, with a classical and chaste inscription in memory
of one of the Duchesses. It displays more taste than any article ob
served about the mansion.
In returning through the labyrinth of rooms, we passed that in which
the table was set ready for breakfast. It was loaded with a profusion of
comforts, which reminded us, that it was time to think of our humble
fare at the hotel. The Duke's family muster precisely at 9 o'clock,
at the ringing of the castle bell ; and on reflection, it is an odd thing,
that a group of strangers, sometimes with muddy boots, should be
ranging over the house, as if taking an inventory of the furniture, be
fore the inmates are out of bed. It is true, the show is liberally paid
for, and so far the parties are even ; but with some of the noblemen,
a pittance to the servants can be no object, and they certainly make
great sacrifices to liberality, in permitting crowds of visitants to tram
ple upon polished floors or Turkey carpets.
At the door of the lodge, another guide took us in charge, and con
ducted us to two or three of the towers on the walls, which are filled
with a variety of curiosities, natural and artificial, none of which are
remarkably rare or interesting. There is a profusion of Indian ar
mour — bows, arrows, paddles, and other aboriginal implements, of
which the museums in our country are full, but which are here consi
dered great novelties. There are few trophies or relics, illustrative of
the history of the castle. In one corner, the guide pointed out the
dungeons, in which captives used to be confined, with strong staples
fixed in the rock, and the traces of a rack in front, where prisoners
were wont to be put to the torture. These cells are dark and cheer
less enough. The last tenant was one of the Duke's agents, who was
confined for embezzling his estates. At present, the apartments con
tain nothing but some old mortars of a curious construction — large
balls to be rolled from the ramparts in time of a siege — and a mam
moth shot thrown at an English Admiral by the Turks.
On a particular part of the wall, the seat was designated, in which
sat the gallant Hotspur, while marshaling and reviewing his troops,
drawn up in the spacious court ; and from the battlements, we had a
view of the identical spot, on which fell Malcolm, king of Scotland,
while besieging the castle. The circumstances of his death, as they
are related, border somewhat upon the marvellous. • A daring cavalier
of the name of Hammond sallied from the fortress, hearing the keys

LETTERS FROM EUROPE, 235
upon the point of his spear, and advancing toward Malcolm as if to
surrender them. The credulous monarch rushed forward to take them,
but received the weapon instead of the keys. Hammond and his
horse swam the Aln, and made his escape through the Scottish legions.
The king's son was killed in the same siege, and two monuments
among the trees mark the place of their interment. These feudal
scenes are in perfect contrast to the rural quiet, which now reigns in
the valley of the Aln. Some cannon, it is true, are displayed along
the walls ; but they are never fired, except upon a birth-day, or the re
currence of a festival. Several pieces, recovered from the bottom of
the Tagus, in the Peninsular war, were presented to the Duke. The
Percies have been a martial family from time immemorial. It will be
recollected, that one of them served in America, in the revolutionary
war. Even our guide once possessed the military spirit of the family,
and had been through several campaigns.
On the battlements of the castle, we fell in company with two Po-
landers, who were on the same errand as ourselves, and went the
rounds with us. They were gentlemanly, affable, and pleasant men,
speaking the English but imperfectly. They, as well as the rest of us,
had a curiosity to see the horses and carriages with which the duke
and his suite travelled on the continent, to attend the coronation of
Charles X. where his Grace, as the representative of the British mo
narchy, read his speech to the crowned heads of Europe. His orato
rical powers are said to be not of the most brilliant kind ; but they
were probably well suited to the character and capacity of his audi
tors. His equipage was certainly splendid, and his appearance no
doubt military. His stud consists of thirty-two horses, and there are
coaches, phaetons, and state saddles and bridles without number.
After breakfast, we took a post-chaise for Berwick-upoD-Tweed,
The day was delightfully pleasant, and a parting view of the castle and the
town was not less picturesque and majestic than the approach. On
the right, beyond the Aln, in a copse of trees stands the neat monu
ment already alluded to, in memory of Malcolm. Nearly opposite,
the ruins of Hulmne Abbey, once a place of consequence, peeps from
the woods ; and on a rock by the sea-shore, is seen the wreck of
Wackworth Castle and Hermitage, the subject of a pretty ballad, by
the Bishop of Dromore. Goldsmith was accused of borrowing his
idea of Edwin and Angelina from this poem.; but in a note to the
public, he exculpates himself, and, if I mistake not, says that he sug
gested the plan of the ballad to the prelate in conversation.
For the whole distance between Alnwick and Berwick, the road
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near, that the surges are seen lashing the rocks. Numerous vessels
were descried at a distance, tossing on its bosom ; and among the
rest, the steam-boat from Leith to London was ploughing her way.
The shore, seen in connexion with the hills and woods on the left, is
in many places extremely picturesque. Several of the rocky promon
tories are crowned with ruined castles, against the bases of which the
waves beat. Of this description is Bamborough, standing on a bold,
rugged cliff, near the village of Bedford. Some artist has had the
taste to seize upon the romantic grandeur of the ruin, and a pretty
picture of it was seen in the gallery at Carlisle.
From an eminence a little farther on, Holy Island rises to view, ap
pearing at first like a promontory, connected with the shore by a nar
row isthmus. It is a bleak, barren, and retired spot, girt with rocks
over which the breakers dash, and on which there have been frequent
wrecks. A small group of houses rise from the beach. The sum
mit of the island is surmounted by a ruin, which in its time was a
place of importance. Holy Island once constituted the see of Inis-
farne, and possessed great ecclesiastical power.
At 4 o'clock, we arrived in sight of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and had
a charming view of it, in winding slowly down the hill on the opposite
shore. The town with a spire or two gilded by the sun — an extensive
prospect of the sea — the mouth of the river and harbour — the Tweed
above, which is a fine stream crossed by a bridge of fifteen arches,
erected in the time of Elizabeth — the village of Tweedmouth at the
foot of the declivity we were descending, and the rural vale opening
towards the west, altogether afforded a pretty specimen of border
scenery. Immediately after our arrival at the King's Arms, we com
menced a survey of the town, but found little to retard our progress or
to sweft the contents of this letter. It is a well built place, with some
handsome buildings, and a population of two or three thousand. But
it is devoid (if any interesting associations, except the disputes whether
it stands in England or Scotland. The question, like most others,
has been decided in favour of the former, and topographers now draw
the nominal line between the two countries at the distance of three
miles north of this place. It no longer excites the hot blood, which
it did at that period, when border territory was disputed inch by inch,
and blades flashed upon the banks of the Tweed. The two nations
ate fast amalgamating into one, and the inhabitants upon the borders
are so blended by intermarriages, and so assimilated in manners, that
none but a geographer can tell precisely where England terminates
and Scotland begins.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 237
LETTER XXII.
ENTRANCE INTO SCOTLAND  ROUTE FROM BERWICK TO EDINBURGH
 DUNBAR CASTLE  PRESTON PANS  DALKEITH  PORTO BELLO 
ARRIVAL AT EDINBURGH  CALTON HILL  SALISBURY CRAG  AR
THUR'S SEAT  PROFESSOR OF HUMANITY  LITERARY BREAKFAST 
NELSON'S MONUMENT  HOLY-ROOD HOUSE. September, 1825.
On the 24th, at the distance of three miles from Berwick-upon-Tweed,
we entered Scotland, and did not proceed far, before the difference in
the aspect of the country, in the construction of the houses, in the
language and manners of the people, became perceptible. The change
in our feelings corresponded with that of the objects around us, and
the novelty of entering another region roused attention, and led to
more minuteness of observation. Our eyes and ears were both open
to mark the features of new scenery, and to catch the peculiarities of
a new dialect.
For nearly the whole distance from Berwick to Edinburgh, the road
runs along the German Ocean, sometimes six or eight miles from the
shore, and at others within a few rods of the margin. Such an ex
panse of water, washing a hold, rugged, iron-bound coast, and show
ing many a white sail upon its bosom, contributes largely to the beau
ty of its borders. In many places, the promontories, pushing them
selves far into the sea, are lofty and precipitous. St. Abb's Head, the
boldest of the rocks upon the eastern coast of Scotland, was in- full
sight from the road. It is four or five hundred feet in height, and
took its name from an abbess, who, with some of her sisterhood, was
driven upon the cliffs in a storm, but' providentially escaped without
loss of life, although the bark was dashed to pieces. Others have been
less fortunate. The coachman pointed out a hill, up which five
hundred widows walked in procession, clad in weeds of woe. Their
husbands, employed in the fisheries, had all been lost in a violent gale.
In the course of the afternoon, we passed the ruins of a chapel, in
which the nuptials of one of the kings of Scotland were celebrated ;
as also Houndwood, where Mary Queen of Scots paid one of her im
prudent visits to Bothwell, and amused herself with the pleasures of
the chase. The names of some ofthe villages are odd enough. One
of them is called Catch-a-penny, and another Hotmouth. The latter
is a great place for smugglers, and probably derived its name from the
quantity of ardentspirits here landed and swallowed. By the time

238 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
we had reached the village of Ayton, the people began to talk broad
Scotch ; the lassies were seen with bare feet ; and the peculiar manners
of the country became more obvious.
As evening was now fast coming on, a large and commodious hotel
at Renton induced us to take lodgings for the night ; and here were our
first dreams in Scotland. The moon was bright and nearly fujl. A
century or two ago, her orb might have lighted the borderers to their
predatory incursions, or have witnessed the gambols of fairies upon the
banks of haunted streams. But the age of barbarous warfare and of
superstition has gone " by ; and although we slept upon classic and
poetical ground, no unusual visions disturbed our slumbers, sweetened
by the fatigues ofthe day and the unbroken quiet ofthe inn. Burns'
Cotter's Saturday Night was read, as a kind of homily before going'to
bed. At an early hour the next morning, our journey towards Edinburgh
was resumed. The day was pleasant, and afforded us a fair opportu
nity of viewing the country of East and Mid Lothian, comprising, it is
said, the richest agricultural district in Scotland. Our observations
furnished no grounds for doubting the correctness of this eulogium.
It is certainly a fertile, well cultivated, and beautiful country, although
in my opinion, the landscape is decidedly inferior to that of England.
Trees are less frequent, and are no where seen in those luxuriant
eopses, which add so much to the richness ofthe more southern parts
of the island. The houses are seldom embowered, or ornamented
with shrubbery and flowers, like the English cottages. Nearly all the
buildings are substantially constructed of stone, with red tiled roofs,
and destitute of every species of ornament. The fields bear the marks
of a severe and exact tillage, while the, stacks ofcorn and hay, fifty or
sixty of which are frequently seen in a group, prove that the soil
abundantly rewards the labours of the husbandman. Turnips seem to
be a favourite crop, and I was surprised at the relative proportion of
land appropriated to this vegetable. Hedges and fences are not so
numerous as in England. For miles, the road sometimes passes
through fields entirely unguarded, and yet crowned with a bountiful
harvest. The first part of our ride in the morning afforded an agreeable ex
ception to the above remark, that the country is destitute of trees ;
for it extended several miles through a vista of hills, opening upon the
sea, clothed to their summits with a heavy growth of timber, not unlike
the American forests. Two or three dingles were also passed, which
are finely wooded. But these instances are rare. All the timber has
been planted, and much attention is now paid to this branch of agri-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 239
culture. The face ofthe country has been greatly improved within a
few years. Dr. Johnson states, in his Tour to the Hebrides, that he
found but one tree till he reached St. Andrews.
In the course of the forenoon, we had a fine view of Bass Rock,
near the cape of the Firth of Forth. It is one of the most picturesque
objects along the road, raising its head four hundred feet above the
level of the sea, with which it is girt, being insulated, and standing at
some distance from the beach. Its chalky sides, seen on a field of
blue sky, and in a horizon bounded by the ocean, gave it the appear
ance of a cloud, for which it was at first taken. Beyond it, the shores
of Fifeshire, on the opposite side ofthe Forth, could barely be discern
ed. Before our arrival at Edinburgh, however, they came so fully in
sight, that the fortresses at the entrance of the Firth, and the build
ings along the coast, could be distinctly seen.
A pleasant ride of fourteen miles brought us to Dunbar, a large
town situate upon the German Ocean. The interval required for
changing post-chaises, and shifting our baggage, was employed by us
in walking half a mile to look at the ruins of the castle, once a place
of great importance, and celebrated in the wars between England and
Scotland. Here Black Agnes, Countess of March, performed some
signal exploits : here King Baliol was defeated, and Cromwell achiev
ed a signal victory. The ruin is most romantically seated upon a
cliff, projecting into the sea. It was naturally more than half a fortress,
and the artificial additions of the same materials are so blended, as to
render the lines of separation scarcely perceptible. The rocks are a
dark brown sand-stone, apparently discoloured by age, and worn
into caverns by the attrition ofthe waves, which here roll in with un
broken violence, and murmur beneath the dilapidated arches. Several
avenues lead to the water under the fortress, which rises perhaps fifty
feet above the surface. These dark and obscure passages afford se
cure hiding places for the boats of smugglers. Fragments ofthe walls
and towers of the castle are yet standing, from which some idea of its
extent and strength may be obtained.
In our ride from Dunbar to Haddington, we saw on the left the
remnant of Hailes Castle, which was also once a place of considerable
importance. It is situated in a deep vale, and might apparently be
battered down with great ease, by cannon planted on the neighbouring
hills. A little village, four miles from the road, gave birth to John
Knox, the celebrated reformer, who may be considered the Cromwell
of Scotland. The house in which he was born is yet standing, and it
was a subject of regret that it could not be visited, without occasion
ing too much delay. Haddington is a large town, but contains nothing

240 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
particularly worthy of the traveller's attention. Our visit was limited
to the time requisite for changing post-chaises.
In the course of the next stage, we rode through the small village
of Gladesmuir, where Dr. Robertson wrote his history of Scotland.
The scene of his laborious research and patient industry possesses
some advantages and attractions for a literary man. It commands a
wide prospect of the surrounding country, of the waters of the Forth,
and the shores of Fifeshire. But above all, the pure air and the rural
quiet of the village are favourable to the prosecution of such pursuits.
Tranent, a village some miles farther on, was the field of a less en
viable fame ; and on the right of the road, Preston Pans are visible.
The village is seated upon a declivity near the borders of the Firth.
Here Charles Stewart, the young Chevalier, in the rebellion of 1745, at
the head of his gallant Highland army gained a decisive victory over the
English forces, under the command of Sir John Cope. It was a glorious
field for a battle, affording a wide range of open country, and present
ing a variegated prospect of natural objects. The banks ofthe Esk ;
the bridge over which the Scotch army marched, and were fired upon
by the English fleet moored below ; Dalkeith, the mansion of the
Duke ofBuccleugh, near which the battle of Pinkney was fought, and
and at which the king resided during his visit to Edinburgh in 1821,
all possess some interest, and might detain me longer, if Arthur's
Seat, Salisbury Crag, Calton Hill, and the turreted city of the north,
were not already in view.
Passing the white and neat village of Porto Bello, which was com
menced and named by a sailor ; the Barracks, where a regiment of
troops blocked up the road ; and leaving the port of Leith on the right,
we ascended the magnificent terrace, which leads into Edinburgh, at
6 o'clock on a bright evening. The first view was more splendid and
imposing than any spectacle I have ever witnessed. Dublin and Lon
don, rich and beautiful as the former certainly is, and boundless as the
latter appears from the dome of St. Paul's, furnish nothing which can
be compared with the coup d'ceil from the brow of Calton Hill. How
ever critics in architecture may cavil at the construction or uniformity
of the buildings, when taken in detail and examined closely, it is im
possible for any one not to be forcibly struck with the magnificence
and splendour of the whole, which at the first approach appears like
an immense castle or palace.
Our debut was doubtless under very favourable circumstances for
creating a strong impression. The skies were cloudless, the atmo
sphere transparent, and the sun went down in all his glory, throwing
his golden beams upon the innumerable towers, turrets, spires, monu-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 241
merits, and castellated buildings, which crown the tripple hills on
which Edinburgh is seated. We entered the most imposing part of
the town, being that section of it which is comparatively new, and
which affords a distinct, but distant view of other portions, that will
not so well bear a close examination. But after making all due de
ductions for these adventitious embellishments, it is in external ap
pearance the most beautiful city 1 have ever seen, or ever expect to
see, should my travels extend the world over. Nothing can surpass
it in grandeur and beauty. The first glance reminds one of the pic
ture which the splendid imagination of Gibbon has drawn of " the City
ofthe Seven Hills," in the age of Augustus.
Nature has liberally contributed her part to produce this superb
panorama. If Edinburgh could be sunk to a plain, or even transferred
to the banks ofthe Thames, half its splendour would be lost, intrinsi
cally rich and showy as are its edifices. The hills on which it rises ;
Salisbury Crag and Arthur's Seat, lifting their picturesque summits,
and overlooking the town from the east ; the rock on which the cas
tle stands, towering to the height of two hundred feet, in the midst of
the city ; the deep ravines on each side, in which a part of the build
ings are cradled; the distant amphitheatre of mountains around ; and
the Forth spreading a broad and bright expanse of water to the north
east, constitute bold, peculiar, and striking features in the outlines of
Edinburgh. The hand of art has seized upon these natural advantages,
and wrought upon the same scale in filling up the picture. If an artist,
with all the materials at his command, had seated himself upon Salis
bury Crag, and directed a city to be built as a work of taste, and to be
exhibited as a panorama, he could not have made many improvements
upon the one which has sprung up at different periods and by com
mon consent. The unanimity with which unsightly buildings have been
excluded, and the city adorned with works of art, is indeed remarkable.
In the older parts, which were erected centuries ago, little regard was
probably paid to architectural beauty, and it is almost a miracle that
interest and convenience should have so uniformly coincided with taste.
The symmetry of the new town is less singular, since a council com
posed of judicious and intelligent men exercise a controlling influence,
and prohibit the intermixture of mean structures.
Ascending slowly by the new road, which was made by the go
vernment at an immense expense, over the brow of Calton Hill, the
declivity of which required in some places a terrace of 80 or 100 feet,
we arrived at the head of Prince-street, extending for more than a
mile in a perfectly straight line through the heart of the city, bordered
by blocks of beautiful edifices, and thronged with crowds of well-dress-
v«l. i. 31

242

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ed people. There was more truth than point in the epithet employed
by his Majesty, to characterize the capital ofthe north, when in 1821
he rode along this street, and viewing the assembled multitude on Cal
ton Hill, exclaimed to one of his suite, " How superb!" A compli
ment from a. king goes a great way in Europe, and the two honied
words which dropped from the lips of his Majesty have been embalmed
and preserved by the topographers of Edinburgh, for the benefit of
posterity. As my readers are plain republicans, unaccustomed to dis
cover any peculiar virtue in the oracular sayings of royalty, it will be
necessary to be a little more explicit to give them an idea of the mag
nificence of the street.
The buildings here, as in other parts of the town, are of light co
loured stone, obtained from extensive quarries in the vicinity, and
wrought with the utmost exactness. How much superior both in
beauty and durability is this solid material, to the patch-work and
stucco of Regent-street in London ! The richest orders and the finest
proportions in architecture are observed ; and the new town of Edin
burgh is strictly classical. As the expense of building according to
the best models is no greater than in the ordinary way, I cannot but
think the example of the citizens ofthe Scotch capital worthy of imi
tation. Had equal attention been paid to the construction of houses
on Broadway, nothing could have exceeded it in magnificence ; for the
street itself is on a larger scale, and enjoys more advantages in point
of location, than any thing I have yet seen in Europe, not even ex
cepting the metropolis of the North, which has acquired the name of
the modern Athens.
So steep are the declivities on which Edinburgh stands, that many
of the buildings are four or five stories on one side, and eight or ten on
the other. Of this description is the Waterloo hotel, on Prince-street,
where we took lodgings. It is a splendid edifice, fitted up in elegant
style, and far surpassing any public house, which has fallen within the
sphere of our observation, while the charges are comparatively low.
A few yards beyond it, is the bridge, which was finished in August,
1819, and over which the Prince Saxe1 Coburgh was the first passen
ger, in his visit to Edinburgh. The event was deemed of sufficient
importance, to be engraven over an arch supported by Grecian pillars,
in the centre of the structure.
After tea on the evening of our arrival, we walked to the castle, for
the purpose of listening to a band of martial music attached to the
garrison. This promenade led us over the bridge, which connects the
old and new town. A similar one, on the same street, unites the lat
ter with the southern section of the city. It was a striking novelty,

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 243
to walk over a long structure, eighty or a hundred feet high, without
a drop of water beneath. The deep ravine, where there used once to
be a small lake, is now occupied by houses. In the night the bottom
could not be distinctly seen, and the lights below appeared like the
reflection of those above from the surface of a river. A peep from
the parapet at such a spectacle, and the notes of bugles and other
martial instruments reverberating from hill to hill, imparted to the scene
an air of enchantment.
The spell, however, was in some degree broken, by extending our
walk through High-street, in the old part ofthe town, just at the hour
when an evening lustration was performing, and the odours which
breathed around were very far from being celestial. An artificial torrent
rushing down the open gutters, and emitting the most noxious effluvia,
to the annoyance of the crowds of people who thronged the pave
ments, did not speak much in favour of the police. Subsequent ob
servation satisfied us, that Edinburgh, particularly the middle section
of it, cannot, with all its beauty, be called a clean city. Its dirtiness
is in some degree owing to its construction. From the sides of High-
street, which extends along the dorsum or ridge of the central hill,
from the castle to Holy-Rood, a distance of nearly a mile, passages
called closes or wynds branch off laterally, running to the ravines on
either side. These alleys are narrow, dark, and filthy, with an air so
confined and fetid, as to be almost unfit for respiration.
On our return to the new town, the splendour of a full and uncloud
ed moon tempted us to walk half a mile along the terrace over Calton
Hill, for the purpose of viewing the ruin of Holy-Rood Abbey under
such a light, a splendid diorama of which had been seen in London.
But the building is situated so low at the base of Salisbury Crag, and
at such a distance from the road, that it could be barely distinguished
from the surrounding houses ; and as we were not yet sufficiently ac
quainted with its location to select the most eligible point of observa
tion, our object was defeated.
The morning after our arrival was employed in despatching a great
number of letters of introduction, which our friends in New- York
were so kind as to give us. To our great regret it was soon ascer
tained, that there was a vacation both in the University and the High
School, and that most of the literati were in the country af this sea
son, for the purposes of health, retirement, and pleasure, which the
rich scenery of Scotland never fails to afford, even to natives of the
country. Sir Walter Scott was at Abbotsford, his seat upon the
Tweed, a distance of forty miles from Edinburgh. A fine bust at
Constable's was all that we saw of " the Great Unknown," who has

244 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
almost ceased to receive that appellation in the northern metropolis,
so well settled is the authorship of the Waverly Novels. Mrs. Fletcher
was at Roslin Castle, and Mrs. Grant in the Highlands. But after
all these deductions, and many more, enough of Edinburgh remained
to render our visit extremely interesting to us, and to afford a very
satisfactory view of the town. The most eligible time, however, for
seeing it, is in June or January, when the literary institutions are full,
and the courts of law in session.
Having despatched our letters, we set out for Arthur's Seat, (a
walk of three or four miles,) in order to obtain a more distinct view
of the outlines of the city, as well as to enjoy the delightful scenery,
which this excursion affords. Though the day proved to be squally
and at times unpleasant, our fatigue was amply compensated. Salis
bury Crag is a most romantic hill. Its form is semicircular, and the
impending cliffs, composed of naked and rugged rocks, are in many
places hundreds of feet in height. A narrow path, impassable with
carriages, and arduous of ascent to the pedestrian, winds along the
brow, at the base of the belt of crags, and presenting at every step a
full view of the city as well as a wide prospect of the environs. It
may be seen from every part of Edinburgh, and forms a peculiar and
most interesting feature in its topography. Nothing can produce a
grander effect, than such a lofty and picturesque ledge, looking down
upon the turreted eminences below. At the time of the king's visit
in 1821, a park of artillery and a regiment of troops were planted on
the summit, for the purpose of firing a salute.
We climbed to the topmost rock on Arthur's Seat, which is between
eight and nine hundred feet above the level of the Forth. The ascent
was rendered doubly arduous, by the quantity of rain which had fallen,
and the mud it had produced in the steep footpath. To add to the
slight misfortunes of the day, the wind blew so hard upon the summit
of the hill, that one hand was constantly employed in holding on the
hat,Nand the other in grasping a crag to guard against being blown
, down. But the air for a time was clear, and in spite of these disad
vantages, we obtained a pretty fair view of the numerous objects to
be seen from this eminence.
You look over Salisbury Crag, and trace the outlines of Edinburgh
as distinctly as if laid down upon a map. Beyond the city towards
the west, the romantic hill of Corstorphine terminates the prospect.
To the north and east, the Firth of Forth, the shores of which are
sprinkled with towns and villages, stretches from its junction with
the German Ocean to the base of the Grampian Hills. In
this direction are also seen the tops of the Ochil mountains, so

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 245
much admired and so higly praised by Sir Walter Scott. Towards
the south and south-west, the Lammermuir and Pentland Hills, the lat
ter the scene of " the Gentle Shepherd" of Allan Ramsay, rise in the
distance. The environs of Edinburgh are not surpassed in beauty by
the city itself, presenting a multiplicity of objects both of nature and
art, which it were tedious to describe.
A violent squall of wind and rain compelled us to descend into the
vale below, with all possible despatch. Between Arthur's Seat and
Salisbury Crag, there is a secluded, rural, and green retreat, entirely
removed from the bustle of the city, although it may be reached by a
walk of fifteen or twenty minutes. It is occupied as a pasture for
sheep, which are seen grazing upon the verdant slopes ofthe two hills.
At the opening of the valley towards the Forth, we visited the ruins
of St. Anthony's Chapel, seated on the brow of a precipice. The
building once had a steeple, whence signals were made of vessels
coming up the Firth. Near by are the traces of a hermitage, and
below the rock, a spring which goes by the name of St. Anthony's well,
the waters of which were supposed to possess miraculous virtues. It
was a beautiful fountain ; but the picturesque crag which overhung
the sacred well has been wantonly broken in pieces, and the stream
that issued from it choked up With the fragments.
In our way back to the hotel, we passed through the park, which is
a favourite promenade with the citizens of Edinburgh, although it has
been lately in some measure superseded by the cjiarms of Calton Hill.
It is attached to Holy-Rood, as is also the whole of the ground occu
pied by Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Crag. It constitutes a kind of
asylum, to which the debtor may flee, and be free from arrest.
In the evening, the late Rector of the High School, and at present
Professor of Humanity in the University, honoured us with a visit of
an hour at our lodgings, expressing a regret, that a long vacation in
the literary institutions would deprive us of an opportunity of seeing
them to advantage, and that he was to leave town the next morning
on an excursion to the sea coast, for the benefit of the health of his
lady. He however imparted to us much valuable information, re
specting the present condition of the. University, the High School, and
the literary circles of Edinburgh. The capital ofthe North was per
haps never more flourishing, nor more prominent in the great republic
of letters, than at the present moment. A fortunate combination of
circumstances has led to this ascendency, which however is not facti
tious, and is therefore not likely to be transitory. A literary spirit is
predominant in the metropolis, and constitutes the controlling princi
ple in its associations. Every body reads, and a great many write.

246 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
It is fashionable for both sexes to be numbered among the literati,
and it would be extremely difficult for a person, who has not some
pretensions of the kind, to find a passport to good society. The
topics embraced in the last lecture before some scientific institution,
the merits of the last novel or poem which has issued from the press,
are much more talked of, than balls, routes, and the ordinary fashiona
ble amusements. It is true, this literary enthusiasm may in some in
stances be carried to excess. It may create pedants among men, and
make blue-stockings of ladies ; but no one can doubt, that its general
tendency is salutary.
Although the Scotch have long been a scientific and literary people,
the influence of the Edinburgh Review, the writings of Sir Walter
Scott, the simultaneous appearance of other publications of merit,
and the efforts of Constable as a bookseller, have given a new impulse
to the literary circles, and contributed liberally to the proud reputa
tion, which the city at present enjoys. The University and other kin
dred institutions are all full ; and in the numerous schools of learning,
thousands of youth are daily tfndergoing that rigid system of disci
pline, and acquiring those stores of classical knowledge, which will
prepare them to sustain the present character of the capital. The
High School has proved to be an institution of such undoubted utility,
that another large building of the same description is now going up
on Calton Hill, and will soon be completed.
The Professor of Humanity gave us some interesting information of
Dugald Stewart, the veteran metaphysician, who resides twenty-three
miles from Edinburgh. He has arrived at an advanced age, and is
very infirm of body, although the vigour and acuteness of his intellect
remain unimpaired. He is assiduously engaged in preparing a third
volume of Essays for publication, which it is hoped he may live to
complete. It was mentioned to us, that he has frequently expressed
not less surprise than gratification, at the number of his books, which
have been reprinted and sold in the United State's. His friend too
seemed a little astonished, to be assured that the Philosophy of the
Mind had been successfully introduced into some of our boarding-
schools, and that I had heard classes of young ladies sustain a credita
ble examination in the metaphysics of Stewart.
The kindness and liberality of our new and learned acquaintance
redoubled the regret, that circumstances would not at present permit
us to enjoy more of his society. His familiarity with every part of
Scotland was of great service to us. He was so obliging, as to take
a map of the country, and trace out the several routes, designating on
each the objects most worthy of particular notice. By these atten-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 247
tions of our friends at Edinburgh, we ascertained what was to be seen
at almost every mile of our subsequent tour, enjoying too the benefit
of their remarks on the relative interest and importance of scenes,
which were about to be visited.
On the following morning, we went to the southwest part of the
town, to breakfast with a gentleman, to whom letters from an intimate
friend in New- York had given us an introduction. He holds an emi
nent rank in the medical profession, as well as in the scientific circles
of the city. His library, where he received and entertained us while
breakfast was preparing, is large and select, being particularly rich in
books on natural history and the collateral branches of medicine.
Say's elegant work on Entomology lay upon the table. It had just
been sent him by his friend and correspondent in New-York. He
very liberally accorded to our countrymen the credit of doing more in
this department of science, than, has ever been done in Scotland,
where it has been comparatively neglected, and can at present boast
of no very eminent votary. It would, in fact, be difficult for any
country, whatever may be its pretensions, to exhibit a more splendid
work than the one in question.
Although the Doctor is probably in the habit of bestowing less at
tention on his table than on his library, the repast was served up in a
neat but simple style, and an hour or two passed very pleasantly in the
society of his family. His conversation made us acquainted with the
present condition and reputation of the medical school in Edinburgh,
which has long been celebrated for its eminence and the number of
its graduates. From what I have been able to learn, however, since
my arrival in this country, I am inclined to doubt whether it sustains
that relative rank among medical institutions, which it once did. In
the opinion of better judges than myself, the schools of London and
Dublin are leaving it behind, while those of Paris are already half a
century in advance of it. This comparative declension is ascribed to
a rigid, adherence to the old regime in medical science, and to a tardi
ness in keeping pace with the improvements of the age, which the
lights of philosophy have introduced.
While sipping our coffee and participating in the proverbial boun-
tifulness of a Scotch breakfast, the Doctor amused us with a great
variety of anecdotes, relating to some of the most prominent scientific
men of the present day. The early history of the Professor of Phi
losophy in the University, who fills the office with so much eminence,
was peculiarly interesting. He is of humble origin, and if I am not
mistaken, once acted in the capacity of a cow-boy. He commenced
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drawing diograms and solving geometrical problems with a stick in
the sand. He at length had the good fortune to find a patron and a
friend, who afforded a fairer opportunity for the developement of his
talents. Several pleasant anecdotes were also related of the Rev. Mr. Buck-
land, author of a celebrated work on Organic Remains, which were
discovered in some of the caverns of England. He is said to be very
enthusiastic, and too prone to make facts bend to his theory. His work
has been severely handled, and it is problematical whether it can be
sustained.* On our return from this morning visit, we resumed a survey of the
town, by ascending Calton Hill, which is within fifty rods of Waterloo
Place. A magnificent gate-way and flight of stone-steps lead from
Prince-street to the brow of the eminence, the side of which, next to
the road, is planted with evergreen. The top is surmounted by a
stately monument of stone, something like 100 feet in height, and
perhaps 20 feet in diameter, erected by the citizens of Edinburgh in
memory of Lord Nelson. Its entrance at the base is ornamented with
a model of the admiral's ship at the battle of Trafalgar, and with some
other naval emblems, as also with an inscription recording the achieve
ments of the hero. The inside of the tower is filled with lodges from
top to bottom. In the basement story, there is a confectioner's shop,
where the traveller may regale himself with cakes and ale, before
climbing the long flight of steps conducting to the summit, or refresh
himself after his fatigue. Such an establishment ill comports . with
the dignity of a monument designed as an ornament to the city, and
to commemorate the services of a distinguished officer. • Apples and
pastry, beer and bannocks, are oddly mingled with nautical symbols,
and the escutcheons of the gallant admiral.
The top of the tower is finished with double balustrades, and presents
a charming view of the city and its suburbs. From this eminence,
the new town, which is seated on the gentle declivity sloping towards
the Forth, is seen to better advantage, than from any other point of ob
servation that had yet been visited. Every street, and almost every build
ing may be examined. One is never tired of gazing at such a place
as Edinburgh ; and we passed more than half an hour on Nelson's
"monument, with a pocket compass and map in our hands.
On the summit of the same hill stands the Observatory, which is a

* In October, 1826, we saw this gentleman at Geneva, in Switzerland, where he
made an extempore address before one of the learned societies, on the subject of
his favourite pursuits.

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small, neat building, but contains nothing of any interest. There
are no astronomical or philosophical instruments, except one or two
horizontal thermometers in the open air. A camera obscura may be
seen for eighteen pence ; but the day was not very favourable for the
exhibition, and a throng of ladies and gentlemen, who were entitled to
the precedence, prevented us from going in. It is in contemplation
to erect a splendid monument to the memory of the late Professor
Playfair, near the Observatory ; and also to place a Grecian temple, in
imitation of the Parthenon, or some other splendid model in architec
ture, on the site of Nelson's monument, which is to be removed. The
sum of £20,000 has already been subscribed towards this object. A
distinguished member of the committee informed us, that the work is
to be commenced immediately, and if the funds do not hold out, tJie
temple will assume the appearance of a classical ruin so much the
sooner ! Calton hill is certainly susceptible of many improvements.
Its green summit is at present occupied by a company of at least a
hundred washer-women, who appropriate it to the purposes of bleech-
ing and drying clothes.
From this eminence we walked to Holy-Rood, once the palace of
the kings of Scotland. Its situation is low, in the oldest and filthiest
part of the town. If it possessed any elegance, it could not be seen
to advantage, on account of the surrounding buildings. As it is,
nothing is lost to the spectator ; for the palace is in a shattered condi
tion, and at present partly concealed by scaffoldings in making repairs'
Half a dozen turrets rising from the battlements are the only features
to distinguish it from other structures.
The usual rounds of Holy-Rood commenced with an examination
of the Royal Chapel, or Abbey, which is certainly a magnificent ruin.
although it has no accompaniments of scenery in its immediate neigh
bourhood, to render it interesting. It owes its foundation to David I.
King of Scotland, into whose hand a cross was miraculously put,
which frightened away a stag that furiously attacked him, while enga
ged in the chase. In an age of superstition, a chapel to the virgin
testified his gratitude for the preservation of his life. It has since un
dergone many revolutions. Half a century ago, the roof and the up
per ranges of pillars fell in, and in this situation the building now re
mains. Its length is about 150 feet, from east to west, and its breadth
70. It is of a mixed order of architecture, being in the style of the
12th century. The sepulchral monuments, with which it is filled, are
not remarkably interesting, although the ashes of kings are mingled
with the ruin. David II. Prince Arthur, son of James IV. who fell at
Floddenfield, James V. his queen with two children, and Henry Darn-
vol. t. 32

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ley, all repose in a common tomb, near the south-eastern corner ofthe
chapel. The royal sepulchre appears to be in as sad a condition as
the rest of the Abbey, although a padlock guards it against the intru
sion of spectators.
In the Palace itself there is very little worth seeing — certainly
nothing to compensate the visitant for the exorbitant expense of pass
ing through the hands of six or eight separate guides, who understand
the division of labour, and the art of securing fees, as well as the
showmen in the tower of London. The frequent demands at the
doors of the seveial apartments produced a kind of rebellion in our
party, which did not however openly break out, till our arrival at the
last portals. We were conducted successively through the suite of
rooms appropriated to the Count D'Artois during his exile ; — through
the picture gallery, 150 feet long, and 30 wide, filled with likenesses
of all the Scotch monarchs, whose faces, painted by De Witt, a Dutch
artist, bear a most unfortunate resemblance to one another ; into the
hall which was purposely fitted up for the accommodation of his ma
jesty, on his recent visit to Edinburgh, and in which he gave his levees
to ladies and gentlemen of the north ; and last, to the chambers con
secrated by the loves and tragic misfortunes of Mary. Her bed,
chairs, tables, and other furniture are still preserved ; and the aged
portress kept an eye on us, lest the example of others should be fol
lowed in clipping a shred of the tapestry. She pointed out the little
bed-room, in which Mary and her paramour Rizio were at supper,
when the assassins entered by a back door, and stabbed the latter,
dragging him while yet bleeding from many wounds, through several
apartments. Our faith was put to the test by an exhibition of the
stains of his blood upon the floor, which have not been washed away by
all the royal scrubs of the last three centuries, who flapping their
mops have exclaimed, I suppose, in the language of another regicide
queen — " Out damned spot ! out, I say ! — Here's the smell of the
blood still,"

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LETTER XXIII.
EDINBUEGH CASTLE  REMINISCENCES OF ALLAN RAMSAY AND ROBERT
BURNS  PROFESSOR OF NATURAL HISTORY  NATIONAL PRISON  CE
METERIES  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY  BOTANIC GARDEN  MARKET 
GRAY FRIARS CHURCH  LIBRARIES OF THE ADVOCATES AND WRI
TERS TO THE SIGNET  OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE  HIGH SCHOOL 
VISIT TO THE EDITOR OF THE EDINBURGH REVIEW. September, 1825.
Our next visit was to the Castle, founded upon a rock, the western
face of which is upwards of two hundred feet above the beautiful
green plain which skirts its base. A richer prospect can scarcely be
conceived, than was presented at evening from the battlements of this
fortress. The eye takes in a wide circle, crowded with interesting
objects both of nature and of art. Far below the parapet, the spec
tator looks down upon the most luxuriant fields on one side, and the
turreted city on the other. The castle occupies about six acres of
ground, and from its commanding situation possesses great strength.
Cromwell of course once laid siege to it ; but its military history is
not peculiar or important. It is at present garrisoned by a regiment
or two, who lead an inactive as well as inglorious life, finding suffi
cient time for quaffing ale, which may be obtained in several of the
apartments, without the trouble of making a sortie from the bulwark.
The keeper took us into a small room, artificially lighted, to see the
regalia of the former kings of Scotland, constituting nearly all of royal
ty which has been left to the nation. These insignia, though few in
number, transcend in interest a similar collection of gewgaws in the
tower of London. Here was seen the crown of gold, studded with
gems, made 511 years ago, for Robert Bruce, and worn by his succes
sors, including Mary Stewart, down to Charles II. Here too we en
joyed the signal privilege of handling and examining minutely the sa
cred ermine, used for making the massive diadem press less heavily
upon the brow. The collection also contains the sceptre and the rod
of office, together with a sword five feet in length, presented by Pope
Julius II. They are all splendid — all glittering with diamonds, rubies,
and emeralds. But where are the monarchs who once wore them'jg-
mingling with the same dust as the humblest of their subjects !
Our guide led us to a little room, not more than eight feet by ten, in
the south-eastern corner ofthe castle, which was occupied by Mary, and
in which her son, James I. of England was born. It is tastefully finish-

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ed, and but just large enough for a bed. From a solitary window in
front, the infant monarch was let down a precipice of two hundred feet,
in a basket. Such were the romantic adventures of that age.
In the course of this afternoon, we visited the house which Allan
Ramsay, the celebrated Scotch poet, built, and lived to occupy many
years. It is a curious octagonal structure, two stories high, seated
on the brow of the central hill, not far from the castle, with an exten
sive garden looking down into North Lock, between the old and new
town. The mansion has been so fortunate as to find a literary succes
sor, and is now inhabited by Mr. Baird, Principal of the University.
Some pains were taken to find the house which Hume the historian
occupied ; and likewise the one, in St. James' Court, where Boswell,
the biographer of Johnson, lived, and for some days entertained the
Doctor, when on his way to the Hebrides. One of the highest houses
in the city was ascended by a dozen flights of steps, to make inquiries
of a Mr. Simpson, an elderly gentleman, who knew Boswell, and
obligingly put us upon the right track.
Besides having our literary curiosity" gratified, by an examination of
the very rooms which the moralist and his biographer had consecrated,
we enjoyed an opportunity of learning the construction of the houses
in the old part of Edinburgh, which was formerly the head quarters
of fashion. They are eight, ten, or even twelve stories high, each of
which, called a flat, is inhabited by one or more families. You may
frequently see lawyers, physicians, mechanics and milliners issuing
from the same tenement, although they are perhaps wholly unknown
to one another. The highest house in the town, said to have been
fourteen stories, was burnt down last winter. A curious term is made
use of by the Scotch, in the leases of buildings and lands. , Notices
were seen posted, up in various places of " lots to feu." I believe the
word expresses a peculiar kind of tenure, and is probably the root of
the epithet feudal.
As a proper sequel to our researches for the residence of Ramsay,
Hume, Boswell, and Johnson, we hunted up a small tavern in Liber-
ton Wynd, which was a favourite resort of the poet Burns, where he
used to meet his boon companions, sip Johnny Dowie's ale, and talk
away the night. Our hostess showed us into the very room in which
these nocturnal sessions of kindred spirits were held. The name of
the bard is inscribed on the door, and his bust in bronze adorns thein-
terior of the room, which is not more than five feet by ten, without a
window. There is a tiny fire-place in one corner, which would be
scarcely large enough for the cookery of Queen Mab. An oaken ta
ble is placed in the centre, with fixtures around the wall, on which the

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 253
" favoured and enlightened few" were wont to sit and hold high collo
quies. The slab of oak was alternately used as a festive board, and a
table on which Burns wrote several of his finest pieces — among others,
his address to Edinburgh, and his dedication " to the noblemen and
gentlemen of the Caledonian Hunt," an extract from which is inscri
bed on his tomb. He also here wrote some humourous lines, address
ed to " Johnnie Dowie," who kept the inn for fifty years. One ofthe
party used to sing them for the amusement of mine host. The ori
ginal of the verses was shown to us, as also the letter enclosing them.
A copy was taken by one of our party.
Although there is nothing very inviting in the appearance ofthe
tavern, curiosity prompted us to dine on a bowl of barley broth, and
a mutton chop, with a glass of ale, served up on the old oaken table.
The landlord, not being able to appreciate our motives, in vain at
tempted to persuade us to go to a larger and better room. After din
ner, at the request of our hostess, the widow of Johnnie Dowie, who
has retired on a handsome income, and lives at the next door, came
to our room, and related many anecdotes of the poet and his com
panions ; whom she remembers perfectly well. They were accustom
ed to sit to a late hour, and sing over their ale, the songs which Burns
had composed. She is now at the age of 75, and has frequently seen
David Hume, as well as other great men of the Scottish metropolis.
She recollects the day when there was not a single house in the new
part of Edinburgh, which is now the largest and finest section of the
town. A letter of introduction from a friend in New- York, had secured an
invitation to sup, at 10 o'clock, with the Professor of Natural History
in the University. He lives in one of the splendid houses which form
the double crescent or amphitheatre around the Royal Circus, in the
new part of Edinburgh. Nothing can exceed in neatness and elegance
the buildings about this area. The Professor has a beautiful suite of
rooms, which were filled with ladies and gentlemen. Two ofthe for
mer were at the piano, playing and singing one of the sweet songs
of Caledonia, with a group of listeners gathered round them. The
delicacy of speaking of a private party should perhaps prevent me from
saying in this place, that the ladies of Scotland are often handsome,
uniformly intelligent, and always agreeable, manifesting less fondness
for show, and more simplicity of manners, than their southern neigh
bours. One of the sisters of the Professor did the honours of the drawing-
room. It was a mixed party, many of whom were from distant parts
of Scotland, and had been called together by that spirit of hospitality

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for which the country is so distinguished, and which was well exem
plified in the sociability and festivity of the evening. A genteel, plea
sant young lady from the Orkneys was present ; and a Colonel from
the Highlands gave a favourable specimen of the social virtues and
agreeable manners of his clan.
Among the most distinguished of the company was the Professor
of Mathematics in the University, who has done much in his depart
ment, and by unequivocal proofs of his talent, earned the high reputa
tion which he enjoys. But he brings none of the dust of the closet
into society, and the easy flow of his conversation and pleasantry, is
far from being measured with the precision of angles. I was charm
ed to see with what affability science could bend to beauty ; and to
hear with what freedom and naivete a group of young ladies, importu
ned him, to appoint a night, when they might peep at the moon, or
Venus, through his telescope. He conversed much about our coun
try, and seemed willing to accord to distinguished individuals the fame
they have acquired. Among other things, he spoke of a Professor of
the same name as himself, and the author of a work on the same sub
ject, which had employed his pen, who had been severely reviewed in
Silliman's Journal. At first he supposed his own treatise had been
assailed by a transatlantic critic ; but afterwards ascertained, that by a
curious coincidence of names, titles and publications, the article in the
Journal did not mean him.
The Professor of Natural History, who has a good deal of reputa-
to lose, and is careful not to risk it by injudicious publications, is at
present placed in much the same predicament. A namesake of his
has recently pubhshed a work, of which the Professor is not ambitious
to be considered the author, but which, in the confusion of names, is
ascribed to his pen. With some his eminence will probably give cur
rency to the book, and his friends are fond of rallying him with inqui
ries, as to its sale and success.
At about 12 o'clock, both the ladies and gentlemen were promiscu
ously seated round several tables, and a cold supper, with various kinds
of fruit, was served up in handsome style. Wine and punch circula
ted briskly. The whiskey, water and sugar were sent round unmin-
gled, and each tempered his glass to his own taste. An hour passed
very pleasantly at the table, when judging from my own feelings, the
company retired highly gratified with the generous hospitality of the
board, and the social enjoyments of the evening.
The next morning we visited the National Prison, which is situated
on the brow of Calton Hill, a few rods from Waterloo Place. It has
a magnificent exterior, which viewed in connexion with the Bridewell

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and the Governor's residence adjoining it, crowned with turrets, re
sembles a castle, and was actually taken for one, as it was passed in
our entrance into Edinburgh. The interior is constructed on the plan
of the benevolent Howard, and its comforts would have been gratify
ing to the feelings of that eminent philanthropist. Its apartments
are spacious, clean, and dry. In the rear are extensive walks, where
the prisoners find ample space for exercise, breathe a pure air, and
enjoy the cheerful beams of the sun. The keeper conducted us
through the wards, and designated the most remarkable prisoners.
One of the females had been banished, her term of exile expired, she
returned to her country, and was now going the rounds a second time.
There was an old man in chains, with a wild and piercing eye, who
was constantly talking to himself in incoherent language. He had
been imprisoned twenty-nine years for murder, and is doomed to drag
out the remainder of his life in this wretched condition.
From the prison we went to the next door, and examined the Bride
well for the city and county, to which convicts cannot be sentenced
for more than two years. It is under the superintendence ofthe same
officer as the prison. Both buildings are of stone, four stories high,
and richly finished. The construction of the Bridewell is peculiar.
A semicircular tower rises in the centre, through which there are nar
row openings, commanding a full view of all the cells of the convicts,
ranged in a concentric semicircle. In front are grates and blinds,
which prevent the tenants from seeing one another, although their
movements may be watched from the observatory in the centre. It is
a kind of panorama, where all sorts of mechanical operations are
going on. Some are spinning, some weaving, and others sewing,
while the males are employed at their several trades. An artist would
here find a good subject for a picture. A lassie at her wheel was
solacing her labour by a sweet Highland air. Others of a graver
turn were reading the bible, a copy of which is appropriated to the use
of every convict, and was found lying upon the pillows ofthe neat and
comfortable beds. In the basement, a tread-mill was seen in motion.
Its power is entirely wasted. Machinery was once attached to it ; but
on experiment, it was found to be unprofitable, and has been given up.
The construction and police of this penitentiary exceed any thing of
the kind that I have seen in Europe.
Our next call was at the cemetery adjoining the Bridewell, chiefly
for the purpose of visiting the tomb ofthe historian Hume. The mo
numents in this burying-ground, as well as in another, on the declivity
looking towards Holy-Rood, are upon a large scale, some of them

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more nearly resembling the abodes of the living than the narrow man
sions of the dead. They are all of the same materials as the new part
of the town, and being neatly, though not sumptuously finished, have a
rich appearance. The inscriptions are generally simple, ancj speak
much in favour of the public taste of Edinburgh. Hume's moriument
is on an eminence in a conspicuous part of the cemetery, and shows
to good advantage from Prince's-street. It is a kind of mausoleum, in
the shape of a tower, with a niche in front containing a beatiful urn in
memory ofthe wife of David Hume, a nephew ofthe historian. The
latter died a bachelor. His tomb bears the following inscription, which
is all that such a name could need : " David Hume, born April 26th,
1711 ; died August 25th, 1776." In a little enclosure, at the base of
this mausoleum, rest the remains of Professor Playfair, without a stone
to designate the spot. He is not, however, to be neglected, as has
already been mentioned. His memory is held in universal respect by
the citizens of Edinburgh, who duly appreciate his scholarship and
fame. Returning to the hotel and taking a guide, we set out on- a walk to
Jenny Dean's house, at the foot of Salisbury Crag. The route led
us by the former residence of John Knox, the Reformer. From one
ofthe windows ofthe old building, which is yet standing, he preached
to the multitude below ; and in one of its corners, there is a rude like
ness of the holy man, with his finger pointing to the words, " ®sog,
Deus, God," engraven upon the wall. His birth and death are record
ed beneath, with some uncouth decorations. A barber now occupies
the mansion, who is said to illuminate his shop on the natal day of the
Reformer. On the front of a house opposite, are two antique, odd
figures in relief, originally without a name ; but some successor to the
architect, to prevent all further trouble in guessing at the device, has
labelled their backs with " Adam and" Eve."
Curiosity induced us to step for a moment into the Canongate Tal-
booth, which is a kind of court and prison, united in the same building.
It contains a likeness of Nelson, and also of Lord Melville, with the
inscription — sic itur ad astra — which would seem to import, that the
road to immortality is through the Talbooth. Among the decprations
of the" hall is a tattered stand of colours, presented by Queen Mary.
The church-yard in Canongate detained us half an hour, iri looking
at its sepulchral monuments. There is one erected at fhe expense
and under the superintendence of Robert Burns, to the memory of his
favourite poet Fergusson, who died young and universally lamented.
The inscription is from the pen of his eminent successor and friend.

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Besides a record of his birth in 1751, and of his death in 1774, it con
tains the following effusion from the muse of Burns ¦
" No sculptur'd marble here, nor pompous lay,
No storied urn, nor animated bust : —
This simple stone directs pale Scotia's way,
To pour her sorrows o'er her poet's dust."
These lines do not bear the impress of the author's usual originality
and genius. The whole stanza is a palpable imitation of Gray's elegy,
from which one line is copied verbatim. Some person has made an
addition to the monument, by placing on its top another tablet, in
scribed with the name of Burns.
In the shade of the wall, near the entrance of the church-yard, is the
grave of Adam Smith, the author of the Theory of Moral Sentiments,
and of the Wealth of Nations. A tablet records his birth in 1723,
and his death in 1790. He was a native of Kirkaldy, in Fifeshire,
Close by his side repose the ashes of the celebrated Dr. Gregory, with
out the slightest index, except the finger of the old sexton, to tell
where he lies. The sun never shines upon his grave, which is over
grown with rank grass and plantain.
Leaving Canongate, we pursued our way towards the far-famed re
sidence of Jenny Deans. After wandering for half an hour about
Salisbury Crag, it was ascertained that our guide was comparatively a
stranger in Edinburgh, and totally ignorant of its localities, without the
frankness to acknowledge it. Finding that he was leading us a wild-
goose chase, we discharged him, and trusted to our own inquiries, for
directions to a scene consecrated by the genius of Scott. The house
was at length found, and a communicative old lady who is its present
tenant, conducted us through the several apartments, not forgetting
the one whence the heroine was taken. It is a small one story build
ing, with antique mean rooms, and large fire-places. But it is not my
intention to furnish illustrations of the Waverly novels, which would
be an endless task ; for there is scarcely a rood in Scotland, to which
the pen of this popular and voluminous writer has not imparted a
charm. The aged matron informed us, that Sir Walter paid her fre
quent visits at the time the Heart of Mid-Lothian made its appearance,
and conversed with her as freely as " ony ither person."
On our way back, we visited the University, although under great
disadvantages, as it is at this season deserted by its officers and stu
dents, and every thing was in confusion, in consequence of a splendid
addition which is making to the pile of buildings, for the accommoda
tion of the Library and other purposes. The new hall is two stories
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high, with colonnades in the richest style of Grecian architecture. It
will soon be completed, and the books belonging to the University be
collected from the several apartments, through which they are now
scattered. The old part of the college edifice is a stately pile, and
presents a magnificent front, with lofty arches leading to an open court
in the centre. There is a curious inscription on the wall, stating the .
year in which the building was erected, and dedicating it " Christo et
Musis." The Professor of Natural History here joined us, and was so obli
ging as to take us to the large Hall, where the government of the Uni
versity hold their meetings. It is neatly finished, and its walls are
adorned with portraits of Napier, Hume, Robertson, and other great
men of Scotland. From hence he accompanied us to the Library,
containing about two hundred thousand ' volumes. At his request, the
librarian opened a large chest, filled with a variety of antiquities and
rare curiosities. Among other things, he showed us a copy of the
Bible in the Hindoo language — several old and valuable manuscripts —
a large number of beautiful illuminations — a transcript of the Koran,
written on a slip of parchment an inch and a half wide, and fifteen feet
in length — and the original Protest against the burning of John Hesse
for heresy, signed by the German nobility, and sealed in a singular man
ner by a string of wax knobs, extending quite round the border ofthe
parchment. To these favours, the Professor added the very acceptable one of
giving us a note to the superintendent of the Botanic Garden, which
is about a mile from town on the road towards Leith, and for which
we immediately set out. It contains ten and a half acres of ground,
situated on a gentle declivity, and commanding a full view ofthe new
town of Edinburgh, the Castle, and the romantic scenery in the suburbs.
A substantial wall eight or ten feet high surrounds the whole area.
The several compartments are tastefully laid out, and filled with plants,
shrubbery, and trees, collected from all parts of the world. There is
an artificial lake in a central part of the garden, for the cultivation of
the lily and other aquatic plants. Eight large hot-houses are warmed
to a proper temperature, by pipes leading from a common chimney.
We went through all of them, and saw a great variety of exotics,
among which was an extensive collection of heaths from the Cape of
Good-Hope. Several species of the fig-tree were observed, one of
which possessing a parisitical and chamelion-like nature, clings to a
perpendicular wall, and has flourished for many years without any other
nutriment than air. Besides the usual appurtenances', a convenient

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lecture-room is attached to the Garden, where a Professor gives a course
of instructions at the proper season.
Our walk back to town afforded us another opportunity of admiring
the streets, squares, crescents, and monuments, which cover the de
clivity descending towards the waters of the Forth, and constituting
the new part of Edinburgh. Unlike the other sections of the city, it
improves on a close inspection. Several churches have recently gone
up, and the Gothic structure, in imitation of the chapel of King's Col
lege at Cambridge, is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever
seen. By way of variety, we walked up the street which leads under the
bridge on Prince-street, and saw horses, carriages, and people pass
ing a hundred feet above our heads. A noble arch spans the passage
below, and affords a firm support to the incumbent road. Our rambles
were continued under the North Bridge, to the Loch which is now oc
cupied as the principal market, abundantly supplying a population of
150,000 with meats, vegetables, and fruits of good quality. West of
the market-place, there is a large open area, laid out in gardens, and
beyond these, an artificial mound extending across the ravine, and con
taining a million and a half loads of sand. It forms one of the links to
connect the old and new town, and is crowned with several buildings.
Ascending through the market to High-street, we traversed Cowr
gate, occupying the deep valley between the central hill and the south
ern district, to Grey Friars Church, for the purpose of looking at the
monuments in memory of Allan Ramsay and other eminent men en
tombed here. The poet's tablet is placed on the external wall of the
church, eight or ten feet from the ground, and bears the following in
scription : — " In this cemetery was interred the mortal part of an im
mortal poet, Allan Ramsay, author of the Gentle Shepherd and other
admirable poems in the Scottish dialect. He was born in 1686, and
died in 1758." " Though here you're buried, worthy Allan,
We'el ne'er forget your Canty Callan ;
For while your soul lives in the sky,
Your Gentle Shepherd ne'er can die."
Near this memorial, is a handsome tablet in memory of Dr. Blair,
the eloquent divine, and author of Lectures on Rhetoric. He was
born in 1718, and died in 1800. A classical inscription adorns his
tomb. Hard by reposes another distinguished man, Colin Maclaurin,
Professor of Mathematics in the University, and a profound scholar.
This walk afforded us a vi§w of Heriot's Hospital, which is one of

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the largest and most venerable edifices in the city. It was built and
founded by the munificence of the individual, whose name it bears,
and has been the means, of administering comfort to thousands of
inmates. The charitable, as well as other public institutions of Edin
burgh, are upon a large scale, and reflect the highest credit upon its
citizens. Notwithstanding the fatigues of the day, which was so busily em
ployed as to leave no time for dining till dark, the splendours of an
unclouded sky tempted us to pay another visit to Holy-Rood, for the
purpose of viewing the ruins of the Abbey by moonlight. This excur
sion was much more successful than the first, which was made on the
same errand. The portress, who was a clever and talkative widow,
led the way and conducted us up a flight of steps to the shattered wall
of the Chape], whence the whole could be surveyed. It was a silent
and impressive scene. The gleams of moonlight, glancing through
antique windows and broken arches, slept quietly on the tombs below,
imparting an additional solemnity to the cemetery, and seeming to
deepen the repose ofthe dead.
Next morning we paid a visit to Constable's Literary Rooms, which
are the head-quarters of a fashionable lounge at Edinburgh. They
are situate on Prince-street, near the North-Bridge. The lower story
is occupied as an extensive bookstore. On the second floor, there is
a large hall, or library, with a table in the centre covered with reviews
and other publications, for the amusement of visitants. Handsome
busts of Mr. Jeffrey and Sir Walter Scott are the presiding geniuses
of the hall.
Thence we went to the libraries of the Advocates and Writers to
the Signet, the latter term designating a species of lawyers, chiefly em
ployed in conveyancing. The building appropriated to these exten
sive collections of books, stands on High-street, near St. Giles' Church,
and within a few paces of the site of the Old Talbooth, which figures
so largely in the Waverly Novels. It is 140 feet long, 40 wide, and
as many in height. The library for the use of Writers to the Signet
occupies the lower story. It contains about 40,000 volumes, a large
proportion of which relate to the law and its collateral branches. The
books are contained in deep alcoves, with a stand in each for reading
and writing.
The Advocate's Library, occupying the upper story, is in all re
spects superior to the other. It contains 15'.i,000 volumes, compri
sing one of the richest, collections of legal science in the world, besides
many curious manuscripts, among which is a translation of the Bible
into the Malay language. The hall itsejf is a splendid specimen of

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architecture, the ceiling being supported by ranges of Corinthian
pillars, and ornamented with a lofty dome in the centre, bearing paint
ings of Apollo and the Muses, Demosthenes, Cicero, Homer, Virgil,
Bacon, Newton, Milton, Shakspeare, and other eminent men. These
valuable libraries in the capital, which is the principal seat of justice
for the whole of Scotland, are a very great convenience to the lawyers,
who can step in at any moment, and consult the authorities of every age.
Adjacent to these rooms is the old Parliament House, now occu
pied by the Courts of Justice. The principal hall, 120 feet long, 40
wide, and 40 high, is a most singular and rich specimen of Gothic
architecture, being entirely unique, and its complexity baffling descrip
tion. Its vaulted ceiling is composed of open work, finished in oak,
highly varnished and polished, with the ends ofthe pendent ornaments
splendidly gilt. The apartment is ornamented with a statue of Lord
Mansfield, and the side rooms contain busts of Chief Justice Forbes
and other dignitaries of the law. There is nothing Very peculiar in
the accommodations of either the bench or the bar, with the exception
of small boxes placed in the lobby, with the name of a lawyer labelled
on each. They are designed for the reception of letters and papers,
saving the trouble of disturbing the Court by calling the member out.
It struck me as worthy of imitation, both in courts and in legislatures..
A fear that some unforeseen accident might prevent us from visiting
Edinburgh again, and a wish to adhere to the principle of leaving
nothing till to-morrow which may be seen to-day, induced us to go
through the apartments of the High School, although nothing more
than its construction could be learned. The edifice, rooms, and ac
commodations are in all respects inferior to the institution of the same
kind in New-York. Its library is small, consisting chiefly of elementa
ry books. A portrait of Alexander- Adam, former Rector, and author
of a Latin Grammar, ornaments the wall ; and a tablet, in a conspicu
ous place near the entrance, contains a record of the names of all the
boys who have annually signalized themselves by gaining premiums.
After the full and very accurate account of this institution by the au
thor of" A Year in Europe," who has since surpassed the original by
a school of his own, I could add nothing new and nothing interesting,
had I enjoyed an opportunity of seeing it to greater advantage.
One other topic will conclude my sketch of Edinburgh ; and that
one will give me more uneasiness than all the rest, since it is a case
of peculiar delicacy. In my notices ofthe poets of Rydal Water and
the Greta, I hinted at the misgivings of conscience which every per
son must feel, in making a spectacle of eminent men, and in speaking
of their persons, manners and -conversations, with the same freedom as

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of inanimate nature or of an ordinary show. In most instances I have
consoled myself with the reflection, that a series of familiar letters,
thrown off with the hope of affording a temporary amusement to my
readers, would probably never meet the eyes of those gentlemen who
have occasionally been made the subjects of my remarks, and that to
them, a publication beyond the Atlantic would be as the affairs of
another world. But in the present case, circumstances are materially
different ; and if the family of whom I am about to speak should never
give me another thought, they have relatives and friends in the United
States, whose good opinion I would not willingly forfeit.
One of these relatives in New-York was so kind as to give me a
letter of introduction to the reputed Editor of the Edinburgh Review,
whose legal talents and literary attainments are almost as well known
in our country, as in his own. Immediately after our arrival the note to
him, like those to others, was cast upon the waters, in a way which left
it perfectly optional to show us any civilities or not. Learning from the
messenger who delivered it with my address, that the gentleman refer
red to was at Glasgow on business, to be absent some days, I gave up
all expectation of having my curiosity gratified by seeing him. He
returned the next day, and did me the honour to call immediately and
leave his card at the hotel, while we were out. This mark of polite
ness and attention was followed on the same evening by a cordial note,
inviting my friend and myself to dinner, either the next day, enfamille,
or on the Saturday following, in a circle of his friends, leaving the al
ternative to us, as might best comport with our arrangements. As we
had already made preparations for our departure towards the north as
well as from other considerations, the former was preferred, and an an
swer was returned to that effect. Not satisfying himself with these
civilities, he despatched another friendly note the following morning
requesting us to come an hour before the time mentioned for dinner,
and he would show us the scenery and interesting objects in the vici
nity of his residence three miles from town.
At 5 o'clock we took a coach and set out for Craig-Crook, his seat,
embosomed among the Corstorphine hills, in a north-westerly direc
tion from Edinburgh. After several cross roads, leading through a
rural and romantic district, had been traversed, the house was at length
discovered, surrounded and half-hidden by trees. It was once a cha-
pelry belonging to Holy-Rood, and the antique building has undergone
few alterations. Old fashioned turrets and the cross still crown its
battlements, and give it quite a castle-like appearance. Its present
proprietor has added a wing, preserving the same style of architecture.
On arriving at the door, the servant ledus up a narrow, winding, and

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 263
ancient flight of steps, and showed us into the sitting room. He re
marked that his master had gone out for a moment, to accompany some
ladies as far as the road, and invited us to walk in the garden till his
return. A promenade through the grounds had scarcely been commenced,
when hearing a voice behind us crying, 'halloo there!' we faced
about and saw a small well built, handsome man, apparently at the age
of a little more than forty, clad in a blue frock coat, white pantaloons,
checked cravat, and a fashionable hat, with a riding whip in his hand,
advancing towards us with a pace next to running. He came up and
took us both by the hand at once apologizing for being out at the mo
ment of our arrival. His face would have been instantly recognized
from the admirable bust at Constable's. His features are striking,
particularly his mouth and eye. The vivid and searching flashes of
the latter, with the rapidity of -his articulation, and the sprightliness of
all his motions, indicate no common share of genius. His mind is
so clearly depicted in his countenance, that I believe the poorest phy
siognomist would not take him for an ordinary man.
Remarking that we were on the right road towards the point, to
which he intended to conduct us, the walk was continued through an
extensive lawn, occupied as a pasture, and skirted on the west by an
eminence, several hundred feet in height, clothed to the top with a
grove of oak. Just within the fringe of woods, a stone wall without
a gate or passage seemed to intercept our farther progress ; but he
promptly leaped the barrier, as if he had been used to it, and we fol
lowed his example. A winding and obscure footpath leads up the
slope, and at suitable distances, as well as on the summit, rustic seats
have been placed, for the accommodation of the rambler. The hill
and woods do not belong to him. He remarked, that exercise was
necessary for him after the sedentary pursuits of the day, and that his
neighbour had permitted him to make use of this walk, and to furnish
it with resting places, whither he was frequently in the habit of resort
ing at evening.
The view from the rocky and woody top of the eminence is one of
the widest and richest in the vicinity of Edinburgh. We reached it a
little before sunset of a clear and mild autumnal day, the departing
splendours of which were reflected in all their beauty from Arthur's
Seat, Salisbury Crag, the castle, and the distant turrets of the city.
To the right, the Lammermuir hills were still in sight ; and on the
left the estuary of the Forth, from a point at some distance above us to
its union with the ocean, sent back from its quiet waters, from its islands,
from its white sails and its picturesque shores, the fading glories of

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evening. A rural foreground, where flocks and herds are seen peace
fully grazing, and sprinkled with houses, stretches from the base of
the hill to the margin of the Firth. It is not surprising that a man of
taste, with a fondness for natural scenery, should feel some degree of
pride and pleasure, in pointing out objects with which his frequent
contemplations had rendered him familiar. Certainly his complacency
and obliging civility in introducing us to such a scene, did not exceed
our admiration ; and half an hour passed delightfully in the ramble.
This walk, and the conversation which its little incidents suggested,
made us better acquainted with one of the most eminent men of the
age, than the intercourse of a week could have done, amidst the cold
and repulsive formalities of fashionable life. His manners were at
once discovered to be plain, frank, easy, and polite, reminding me every
moment of one of our own distinguished lawyers. In conversation he is
rather careless of his diction, bringing his mind down to the level of com
mon-place topics in the most familiar way, seldom affording any indi
cations of his impetuous eloquence, or the measured grandeur of his
written periods. His colloquial powers, however, are said to be equal
to his forensic talents, or his abilities as a writer.
On our return to the house, he presented us to his lady and little
daughter, who is an only child, and hung around her parents with the
most affectionate and playful fondness. The whole family possess the
faculty of placing the stranger at his ease, and of rendering themselves
agreeable by a cordial and unaffected politeness. In the house itself,
in the furniture and ornaments of the rooms, in dress, and the style of
conversation, an elegant and charming simplicity predominates ; and
the editor passes his summers just as every literary man would wish,
in retirement, with books and a pleasant family, free from the bustle
and senseless parade of the world.
At 6 o'clock we were introduced into the dining-room, and seated
at the table, crowned with a series of genuine Scotch dishes, from
barley broth down to the bannock, which is a thin cake made of oat
meal. It is a national and favourite kind of bread with all classes,
and I believe Dr. Johnson became reconciled to it, before his return
from the Hebrides. Two species of fish from the Forth, a dessert of
native fruits, half a dozen kinds of wine, one of which was old Ma
deira from his friends in the United States, and a round of whiskey,
the usual finale of a Scotch dinner, were among the varieties of the
festive board, which was spread with neatness, but with no marks of
extravagance. The conversation at table turned upon a variety of topics, chiefly
relating to the scenes we had just visited, and those to which we were

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going, with both of which the editor and his lady are familiar. They
are in the habit of visiting Loch Lomond twice a year, and have walk
ed to the summit of Ben Lomond, a distance of five or six miles from
the base, over a rugged road. The view from the top was described
as being wide and magnificent, extending from sea to sea. With
them, this mountain and lake are favourite portions of Highland
scenery. Among the English lakes, the heads of Windermere, Co
niston, and Ullswater were preferred. The discriminating comments
of such judges were instructive and acceptable.
A circulation of " the mountain dew," (I mean round the table,
and not through the warm currents of the blood,) led to some remarks
on the comparative effects of beer and whiskey upon the constitution.
It was stated, that from a series of well-attested facts, it had been
satisfactorily ascertained,, that the excessive use of the former, which
leads to plethora and apoplexy, is far more pernicious than that of the
latter. The contrary opinion has generally been maintained ; and if
this new doctrine is correct, there should be less anxiety in our coun
try to break up the distilleries and establish breweries. Perhaps it
would be an improvement to supersede the use of both, by extending
our orchards and planting vineyards.
After dinner, we were conducted into the very sanctum sanctorum
of the Editor, which contains his miscellaneous library, and in which
he does his writing. It is an antique, but comfortable little room, en
joying a perfect seclusion, with a low, solitary window looking out upon
the hill we had climbed. The chairs are coeval with the chapelry,
and were obtained from the continent. In the centre of the apartment
stands an old-fashioned table, covered with green baize, and very much
resembling one of those terrific stands, on which surgeons perform
their sanguinary operations. To preserve the figure, I could not but
think that on this fatal board many a learned dunce and literary cox
comb had writhed beneath the dissecting-knife of the Reviewer. In
nocent blood has doubtless in some instances been shed ; but it is no
more than justice to add, that the general character of the Edinburgh
Review has been liberal, even towards the United States, in compa-
parison with Blackwood and the Quarterly.
On returning to the drawing-room, tea was served up, and an agree
able as well as instructive conversation of an hour or two succeeded.
The character of General La Fayette, and the warm reception which
had been given to him in the United States, drew forth one of the
finest panegyrics, and grandest flights of colloquial eloquence I have
ever heard. Such an encomium, emanating from such a source, made
us prouder than ever of our country. As the same liberal sentiments
vol. i. 34

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had but a short time before been openly expressed in a public assem
bly at Edinburgh, they no doubt came warm from the heart, and ma
nifest a sincere attachment to free principles. The visit of La Fayette
has been not less honourable to our country than to himself. An event
of so much prominence has attracted general attention in Europe ;
and all who lay claim to any liberality of feeling speak of the subject
in terms of admiration. It is viewed in its proper light, as a sponta
neous tribute of gratitude from a great and generous nation towards
one of its early benefactors, whose services after the lapse of half a
century might have been overlooked, without any positive charges of
a dereliction from duty. National gratitude is generally an inert and
frigid virtue, under any form of government, and its tardy and reluc
tant exercise has been peculiarly chargeable upon Republics. The
noble example of ours is therefore placed in a stronger point of view
by contrast ; and this generous burst of enthusiasm, arising from no
other motive than genuine feeling, has more unequivocally developed
the character of our countrymen, than half a century of little items
could have done.
But I am wandering from my subject, and after so long a detail,
dare not ask the reader to return even to a conversation relating to the
living poets, whose respective merits were spoken of with a frankness,
perhaps with a confidence, which I will not betray. An editor, how
ever, who is in the habit of expressing his opinions boldly through the
medium of a public journal has fewer secrets than most people ; and
probably nothing was broached in a conversation with strangers, which
would not have been expressed with the same freedom in the columns
ofthe Edinburgh Review.
At 10 o'clock in the evening, after receiving as a parting favour a
memorandum of the most eligible route to be pursued through the
Highlands, and the warmest wishes for a pleasant tour, with an offer
of any assistance which could facilitate the objects of our travels, we
took leave of the family with unmingled feelings of gratitude for their
kindnesses, and hastened home t j prepare for our departure from town
the next morning.

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LETTER XXIV
TOUR THROUGH THE HIGHLANDS  LOCH LEVEN  BANKS OF THE TAY 
PERTH  BIRNAM WOOD  DUNKELD  PASS OF KILLICRANKIE  GRAM
PIAN HILLS  INVERNESS  FIELD OF CULLODEN. September— October, 1825.
On the 30th we took places in the coach for Perth. The weather
was favourable. Though the air was less soft and spring-like, than it
had been for some time previous, the skies were serene, and a bright
sun gilded the castellated city, as it receded from our view. We de
scended the declivity, which falls with a gentle slope, from Edinburgh
to the Forth, and at the distance of two miles arrived at New-Haven,
whence there is a ferry by steam-boat of seven miles to Burnt-Island,
on the Fifeshire shore. Adjacent to New-Haven is Leith, the port of
Edinburgh, and a place of some importance in a commercial point of
view. It is rapidly extending towards the city, and the two will soon
be united by buildings, as they already are in interests and the daily
intercourse of merchants. The road between them is as much throng
ed as one of the streets of Edinburgh. Coaches run every half hour,
carrying passengers for sixpence each.
The time occupied in transferring a great quantity of baggage to
the boat, afforded us an opportunity of looking at the shipping in port,
and at the docks which have been erected, for the conveniences of
commerce. Nature does not appear to have done much for the har
bour. It is exposed to the violence of the winds and waves, and the
water is so shoal, that at ebb tide, vessels cannot come up to the
wharves. Even the steam-boat was obliged to lie at a distance from
the shore, and to take in her freight and passengers by the aid of light
ers, occasioning much delay and a great deal of trouble, especially
when the weather is bad.
Nearly half an hour was consumed in embarking, and another half
hour in undergoing the same process on the other side. The steam
boat, like every one I have seen on this side of the Atlantic, was nar
row, crowded, and inconvenient, although sufficiently fleet in its mo
tion. There was a heavy swell in the Forth, and in going the seven
miles, I experienced more sea-sickness than in crossing the ocean.
Many of the passengers were in the same predicament, and seemed
little disposed to listen to the music of a robustious piper, who stood
upon the prow, and like Arion endeavoured to charm the listening
deep with the shrill notes of the pibroch.

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Burnt-Island appears once to have been insulated, and a bridge or
mound still connects it with the main. It is a small village, with a
solitary, old-fashioned church, and is remarkable for nothing that I
could learn, except giving birth to Michael Seott, an ancestor of Sir
Walter, who was the Roger Bacon of Scotland. He was a profound
scholar, and his extraordinary knowledge, in an age of ignorance and
superstition, gave him the reputation of a wizard. His magical tricks
are celebrated in the Lay of the Last Minstrel ; and his potent wand
seems to have been bequeathed as a legacy to his illustrious de
scendant. The shores of Fifeshire are mountainous, rugged, and rather sterile.
Kinross, the capital of the county of the same name, stands on the
margin of Loch Leven, about midway between the Forth and theTay.
It is no otherwise interesting, than on account of its pleasant situation,
and the romantic scenery in its vicinity. The Lake is a fine sheet of
water, twelve miles in circumference. Its borders, particularly to the
east and north-east, are rural and picturesque. It has four islands, on
the largest of which, are the ruins of a monastery, dedicated to Saint
Servanus by one of the Pictish monarchs. On another the shattered
remains of Loch Leven castle are still visible from the road. It is
among the hundred places to which the charms and the misfortunes of
Mary gave celebrity. Here she underwent a rigorous imprisonment,
till she was rescued by the gallantry of young Douglas, on the 2d of
May, 1568. The coachman directedour attentionto a little eminence
on the shore of the lake, which yet retains the name of Mary's Knoll,
where the queen and her devoted lover are said to have landed after
their escape. He threw the keys of the castle overboard, which as
the story runs, were fished up in 1805, and deposited in Kinross
House for the admiration of travellers. But this tale was quite too
incredible, to gull us out of a shilling to look at them.
At a subsequent period, the castle was besieged by the English,
who adopted the novel expedient of drowning out the garrison, by
building a dam across the outlet of the lake. But the" wily Scotch
perforated the bulwark at night, and the sudden flood swept away the
army of their invaders, encamped on the bank ofthe stream below.
Between Kinross and Perth, the route becomes more interesting,
leading by Burleigh Castle, the ancient seat of the celebrated lords of
that title, and through the secluded vale of Glenfarg, deeply embo
somed by the Ochils, which bear a striking resemblance to the Peak
of Derbyshire, being smooth and clothed with verdure to their summits.
In some places, the passage through the ravine is skirted with a growth

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 269
of young forests, and scattered with a few cottages, which enjoy an
uninterrupted quiet.
Three or four miles from Perth, we crossed the Earn, which is a
considerable stream mingling with the waters of the Tay a short dis
tance below. It is navigable for small vessels to the bridge, where
there is a neat village, with extensive accommodations for invalids and
other company, annually flocking to the medicinal springs in the vi
cinity. ' On the right of the road, is seen the village of Abernethy,
once the capital of the kingdom of the Picts. Its principal attraction
is an ancient tower, seventy feet in height, and similar in its construc
tion to those which are found in every part of Ireland, where enough
of them had been examined to satisfy our curiosity.
On arriving at the summit of the hill of Moncrieff, over which the
path leads, a magnificent prospect opened upon us, though not fully
answering the expectations excited by perusing the description of
Pennant, who terms it " the glory of Scotland." It is reported, that
when the Roman legions, in their campaigns with the Picts arrived at
the top of this eminence, and looked into the valley of the Tay, they
exclaimed with admiration, " behold the Tiber ! lo the Campus Mar
tius !" To say nothing of the points of resemblance, the view of the
fertile borders of the Tay, stretching as far as the eye can reach to
wards its mouth, and in a clear atmosphere embracing glimpses ofthe
distant ocean, together with the town of Perth, seated on the bank a
mile or two above, is certainly rich and picturesque. The river itself is
one of the largest in Scotland, and sweeps down with a bold and ma
jestic current through a beautiful tract of alluvion, highly cultivated
and very productive.1 It forms one of the finest agricultural districts
in the country.
We reached Perth at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and immediately
commenced an examination of the town. The politeness of a pro
fessional gentleman, residing near Inverness, who was a passenger in
the coach, and who had spent several years at school in this place,
afforded us very great facilities in accomplishing our objects. He de
voted the remainder of the day to us, on the strength of an acquain
tance formed in travelling from Edinburgh, and conducted us to what
ever was most worthy of notice.
Perth is pleasantly situated on the right bank of the Tay, which is
here about the size of the Mohawk at Schenectady. A magnificent
bridge, 900 feet long and 20 wide, resting on ten arches, is thrown
across the river opposite the town. It occupies the site of a wooden
structure ofthe same description, built by Agricola, who here pitched
his camp and founded a provincial city, which was surrounded with

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walls and guarded by a fortress. The view from the parapet of the
bridge, embracing Scone, the former residence of the Scottish mo
narchs, and extending as far down as the great bend in the Tay near
Moncrieff, together with the handsome seats and grounds on the left
bank, presents a rich variety of scenery.
The town contains a population of about 20,000. It is well built,
chiefly of light-coloured stone, which gives it a cheerful aspect. Many
of the streets are neat and handsome, with the exception of closes like
those of Edinburgh, and equally dirty. Some of the public edifices,
particularly the Town-Hall, and the Military Depot, built by the go
vernment, and now used as a ware-house, are rich and beautiful. In
one ofthe churches, an inflammatory sermon preached by John Knox
kindled the fire ofthe reformation. At its close, some of his zealous
hearers, assaulted a priest, who was about to say his pater-nosters,
broke his images, scattered his relics, tore in pieces the pictures of his
saints, and prostrated his altars, A theatre was observed in our ram
bles ; but the bill of fare was not sufficiently attractive to induce us to
go in, after the fatigues ofthe day. Perth was once a place of much
more importance than it is at present, owing to its contiguity to Scone,
the seat of royalty, where many ofthe sovereigns were crowned on a
stone, which was long since transferred to Westminster Abbey. At
that period parliaments and ecclesiastical assemblies here convened.
In the course of the afternoon, we walked nearly a mile down the
bank of the river, to examine the substantial stone quays, which ex
tend for that distance, and the shipping in port. The vessels consist
chiefly of small craft, which carry on a considerable trade with the
large town of Dundee, near the mouth of the Tay. Many of them
appeared to be colliers. Several ships were upon the stocks. Those
of 300 tons burden can descend the river, but not come up with cargoes.
In returning to the hotel, our obliging companion pointed out the
Academy, which has long been a school of much eminence, and was
"the play-place of his boyish years."
At 5 o'clock the next morning, we pursued our journey to Dunkeld.
The lawyer who had been so attentive to us the day previous, and an
intelligent young gentleman, who is a descendant of one of the most
prominent Highland chiefs, were extremely kind, and rendered us es
sential services in obtaining a knowledge of the country. A peculiar
satisfaction appeared to be felt by the latter in detailing the conflicts
between different clans, and in pointing to hills which had been the
homes as well as the glorious fields of his ancestors. There is scarce
ly a mountain or a pass which has not been signalized by the prowess

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 271
and the blood of a warlike, proud, turbulent and gallant race, who on
the slightest occasions appealed to the sword.
Dunkeld is fourteen miles north of Perth, and the road between
them runs along the banks of the Tay, presenting at intervals beauti
ful glimpses of the meanders of the river. ' The coach left just at the
peep of dawn, and for the first few miles the scenery could be but im
perfectly examined. Scone, with its palace, where once stood the
throne and the palladium of the kingdom, was barely discernible on
the opposite shore. It is at present the residence ofthe Earl of Mans
field, who has modernized every thing in the vicinity, and thereby de
stroyed the attractions which strangers would otherwise feel. Near
this place, we crossed the bridge over the Almond, a small stream
which joins the Tay just below. On its banks formerly rose the vil
lage of Bertha, which has now disappeared. It is said to have been
the original site of Perth ; and tradition adds, that the great battle be
tween Galgacus and Agricola, recorded by Tacitus, was fought at the
junction of the two rivers.
" What wood is this before us ?" " The wood of Birnam," answer
ed the coachman, adopting the response of Lord Menteth to the inter
rogatory of Old Siward. The sight-of classic ground so far converted
one of our party into an improvisatore, that he gave the following im
promptu imitation of "Drunken Barnaby," a celebrated itinerant
Englishman, whose doggerel verses on the topography ofthe country,
had afforded us much amusement :
Veni Dunkeld, ubi cernam,
• Juxta viam, sylvam Birnam.
But the moviwg grove of Shakspeare has all vanished except two
venerable trees ; and in this age of incredulity, it is questioned whether
from either of these Malcolm or Macduff, Angus or Rosse plucked a
bough. A young forest has, however, sprung up in place of the
one hewn down by the swords of the soldiery, and now beautifully
covers the wild fell on the left of the. road. On the right, at the dis
tance often or twelve miles, and just discernible from this point, stood
the castle of Macbeth, with its double walls, seated on a ridge of deso
late hills, whither he fled after his usurpation, and defended himself till
Birnam wood approached Dunsinane, and he fell by the sword of
Macduff. The tragedy is founded on facts circumstantially related in
the chronicles of that period.
Shortly after leaving this interesting scene, we arrived in sight of
Dunkeld, charmingly situated on the left bank of the Tay, at the en
trance into the Highlands. It occupies a little basin of alluvion, a

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mile or two in diameter, and surrounded on three sides by an, am
phitheatre of mountains. Several green eminences rise from the plain,
and among the houses, as if they had once been islands in a lake. At
the early hour of our approach, the smoke of the morning was curling
in wreaths above the tops of the houses, and presented one of the
most quiet images I have ever witnessed. The venerable remnant of
the Cathedral, shaded by evergreens, adds much to the picturesque
charms of the village. There was once an abbey connected with the
church, which was demolished during the reformation, under the in
fluence of a favourite maxim with Knox, in relation to catholic and
monastic institutions — "Down with the nests,, and the rooks will fly
away!" Dunkeld was formerly an episcopal see, and a place of considerable
importance ; but at present it appears to be sadly on the wane . All the
efforts of the Duke of Athol, in fixing here his residence, and in laying
out fifty miles of walks through his grounds, have rendered the village
little more than a picturesque object to the traveller. After the exte
rior has been seen, not much remains for admiration. There are some
interesting scenes in the vicinity, but the curiosity of visiting them was
overruled by the paramount desire of reaching the Ultima Thule of our
tour towards the north, while the weather continued favourable. Con
tenting ourselves, therefore, with such an examination of the village as
a ride across the bridge and along the banks of the Tay, with half an
hour's pause at the hotel, afforded, we breakfasted at 8 o'clock, and
took our seats upon the top of the coach for Inverness, a long reach
of one hundred miles across the Grampian Hills.
The exit from Dunkeld towards the north is not less romantic than
the approach to it from the south. Directly in front is a lofty hill,
clothed with evergreens, through which the gray crags peep out upon
the vale below. For some distance, the road appears to be approach
ing a central point of this insuperable barrier ; but suddenly turning to
the left, it winds round its western base, and after passing through a
heavy forest, emerges upon the cheerful banks of the Tay. The river
is pursued eight or ten miles towards its source, when the traveller
parts with his old acquaintance, not without a degree of reluctance,
and traverses the left bank ofthe Tummel, one of its principal branches.
At the junction of the latter with the Garry, is the celebrated pass
of Killicrankie, which is reckoned among the wildest and most ro
mantic scenery in Scotland ; but in which I regretted in any measure
to be disappointed. In my opinion it is far inferior to the passage of
the Hudson through the Highlands ; or to select instances less liable
to the influence of national prejudice, it will not bear a comparison with

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 273
the gap of Dunloe, or the pass of Borrowdale. A ridiculous story is
told of the terrors of this Caledonian Thermopylae. It is said that a
battalion of Hessians, on reaching the entrance of Killicrankie from
the south, overawed by the savage grandeur of the scene, suddenly
halted and refused to march any farther. If there he any foundation
for this tale, our party might congratulate themselves upon their com
parative courage, or perhaps blush for possessing less sensibility than
mercenary troops ; since the defile was passed without a very strong
emotion of any kind.
But let not the reader infer from these remarks, that the pass is des
titute of interest, or unworthy of the notice of the traveller. I mean
only to say, that my own feelings being the standard, it does not de
serve the panegyrics which some have lavished on it. At the southern
extremity, the opening between the mountains is narrow, which
gradually widens towards the north. On the right, the hills form a
continuous ridge, somewhat in the form of a crescent : on the left, they
are more irregular and broken, rising stage above stage, at first deeply
wooded, but terminating in naked, precipitous crags. The Garry
foams along in the depth of the ravine, several hundred feet below the
traveller, and its faint echoes but just reach his ear. Much the most
striking view is obtained from a point near the northern extremity, in
looking back at the vista which has been left behind.
Just at the opening of the defile towards the Grampians, a battle
was fought between a party of Highlanders, under the command of
Claverhouse, Viscount of Dundee, a gallant partisan of the Stuarts,
and an English army commanded by General M'Kay. The latter was
defeated, though much superior in numbers and equipments. Dundee
fell in the arms of victory ; and in the language of Burns,
"His latest draught of breathing left him
In faint huzzas I"
A stone was pointed out to us, in a green field, by the side ofthe road,
which pillowed his dying head. With him, for a time, expired the
hopes of the Stuarts in that part of the country.
A little farther on is the village of Blair- Athol, consisting of a hotel,
with a cluster of houses about it ; and at no great distance, on the
banks ofthe Tilt, is one ofthe seats of the Duke of Athol, who owns
the whole of this region. He is a descendant of a Highland Chief
tain, who once fed, and could muster for war, an army of 3000 men.
The estates of the present Duke are almost boundless in point of ter
ritory, though in part made up of barren rocks and irreclaimable fells.
His house has little else than its size to recommend it, being naked Of
vol. i. 35

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trees, and its exterior destitute of ornament. It has often changed
hands in the civil wars of Scotland, and was frequently occupied as a
garrison. Cromwell's influence once penetrated the Highlands, and
took possession of it, after a regular siege. Soon after the rebellion
of 1745, the late Duke, to prevent farther quarrels about his mansion,
hit upon the happy expedient of taking down the greater part of it, and
dismantling the rest.
The mountains in this vicinity are lofty, presenting a wild and savage
aspect. Among the highest are Ben Vracky and Ben-y-Gloe. Several
deep glens open into them towards the east, which afford channels for
streams, or rather torrents which dash headlong over the rocks, and
form the sources of the Tay. In their descent from the hills, they pre
sent a succession of cataracts, celebrated for beauty rather than gran
deur, as the quantity of water is generally small. Burns visited one
of these cascades, called the Falls of Bruar, not far from the road.
Finding them exposed to the glare of a summer sun, and without
foliage to give them picturesque beauty, he wrote a poetical petition to
the proprietor, that the barren waste around might be planted with
trees. The prayer ofthe muse was at least for once granted, and a
fine forest now adorns the brow of the hill down which the cascade
descends. It would be an ungrateful task to retrace our progress, stage by
stage, across the Grampian Hills, which for many miles afforded little
variety of scenery or incident, although from the novelty of the tract
and its classical associations, the ride was far from being uninteresting.
The whole region is wild, desolate, and inhospitable, with undulating
mountains of a uniform elevation, and extending on all sides as far as
the eye can reach. They are generally clothed to their summits with
a coat of brown heath, which at a distance gives them a dark purple
or bluish aspect, not unlike the waves of the sea. We travelled for
hours, with very slight variations of our horizon. Along the road,
which is smooth, but of course very hilly, are a few scattered houses and
cottages, often built of no other material than turf, with a solitary door
and without a window. Groups of these huts were sometimes ob
served ; and in the whole village not a wooden frame, a brick, or a
pane of glass was to be seen. A happy equality of penury seemed to
prevail, and no one had reason to be envious of the comforts of his
neighbour. Farther from the road, the aspect of the waste is still more cheer
less. Hill rises above hill, and range after range, in perfect desola
tion. The eye searches in vain for a dwelling of any kind. Some
times a smoke is seen curling above the heath, and a group of High-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 275
land shepherds, perhaps the descendants of "Young Norval," are
wrapped in their plaids and encamped by the fire, with their dogs
sleeping by their sides. Several pictures of this description met our
observation in the course of the day. Nearly all the people scattered
over this wide district, finding temporary abodes in the defiles of moun
tains, lead a pastoral, and often a wandering life. Great numbers of
them were seen upon the road, driving their flocks, herds of small black
cattle, and Shetland ponies, to a southern market. They uniformly
wear the Highland cap, and the plaid, which, in pleasant weather, is
folded up, and thrown like a broad sash across the shoulders. Among
themselves they always speak the Gaelic language, and many of them
cannot understand a word of English. Even our drivers, and the host
lers at the inns jabbered away in a dialect which to us was perfectly
unintelligible. The language abounds in gutturals ; but the tones of
the Highland voice are extremely clear and musical.
Upon the height of land between Dunkeld and Inverness, we passed
Loch Garry, which is a small lake, with a narrow border of green,
slumbering at the base of one of the loftiest of the Grampians, which
sometimes rise to an elevation of about four thousand feet above the
level of the sea. One of our travelling companions informed us, that
here a curious combat once took place between two Highland chieftains.
The weaker party plunged into the lake to escape his antagonist, who
soon followed, and they there fought with swords, keeping their heads
above water, till the contest was decided. Not far from this place,
Charles Edward Stuart, the Pretender, took refuge in a cave, after the
battle of Culloden.
From the height of the land, the scenery begins to soften, and traces
of cultivation appear on the borders of the deep vale, which opens
towards the north, and which frequently presents a magnificent vista
of mountains. The valley is called Badenock, and was the country of
the M'Phersons, one of the most numerous and warlike of the High
land clans. It is watered by the Spey, which in several places spreads
into small lakes. On the shore of one of these, denominated Loch
Alvie, is the cemetery of the Lairds of Cluny, where the former chief
tains of the Grampian Hills repose.
At Pitmain we obtained a comfortable dinner, and soon after arrived
at Belleville, the seat of James M'Pherson, Esq. son of the translator,
or author, as the case may be, of Ossian's Poems. Here that cele
brated work, the origin of which is not entirely free from doubt, was
prepared for the press. It is a handsome seat, occupying an elevated
situation on the slope of the mountain, and commanding a wide pros
pect into the vale. A neat monument in memory of the translator has

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been erected in the grounds near the house, beautifully shaded with
trees. It is a cenotaph, as M'Pherson died and was buried in Lon
don. His son had business with the coachman, and stood sometime
at the gate, affording us a fair opportunity to see him. He is a good
looking man, apparently at the age of about fifty, and is said to pos
sess a literary turn, although he has never distinguished himself by his
talents. In the course of this afternoon, we met the Duke of Bedford in his
carriage, with a lady, travelling towards the south in great style,
having several outriders. He has a shooting lodge near Belleville,
where his Grace has been amusing himself in killing woodcocks,
in company with his brother-in-law, the Marquis of Huntley. A great
fete was given a few days since in honour of his presence, when there
was a general mustering of the clans.
Soon after passing Belleville, night closed upon us, leaving about
thirty miles to be travelled in the dark. From all I could learn, we
lost little, except a view of Loch Moy, so near the road, that the re
flection of the stars could be seen on its quiet bosom. It is a small
lake, with an island in the middle, which belonged to the clan of M'ln-
tosh. For sometime the coachman drove up and down these hills,
where there are frequent terraces in the road, without lights to guide
him, and to the no small peril of eight or ten passengers seated upon
the top. Fortunately we reached Inverness at 1 1 o'clock, without
accident, and with some difficulty succeeded in finding lodgings, after
a ride of 114 miles during the day.
On Sunday the 2d, we attended the principal Kirk, and heard a very
eloquent and excellent sermon by the Rev. Mr. Fraser. It breathed
the true spirit of the Gospel, inculcating the virtues of humility, meek
ness, charity, and good-will towards others, and was entirely free from
those illiberal principles and austere notions of piety which have been
imputed to some ofthe Presbyterians of Scotland. The audience was
numerous, well-dressed, and remarkably attentive to the services, fol
lowing the preacher while reading a daily portion of Scripture,
and singing the psalms in general chorus. A peculiar plainness is
generally observed in the construction and furniture of the Kirks in
this country. There is no display of architectural taste ; the galleries,
and sometimes the pulpits are unpainted ; and the pews are upon a
large scale, with few of the usual appendages. In the one to which
we were conducted, and which is ofthe same dimensions as the others,
there were twenty persons, who sat without being crowded.
A tablet on the wall opposite to my seat forcibly attracted attention,
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LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 277
towards the Americans. It was erected in memory of a Mr. Inglis,
formerly a merchant at Savannah, Georgia. The inscription states,
that he was " murdered by a band of ruffians, hired by the execrable
Congress," on account of his fidelity to his king and country, while
he was living with a friend near Charleston, South-Carolina. I do
not recollect the story of this Mr. Inglis, in the history of our revolu
tion ; but it is probable he was a Tory, and shared the fate of some
of his brethren. Certain it is, that the monument is a disgrace to the
church, bearing upon its face a falsehood and a malice towards " the
execrable Congress" of 1776, as impotent as it is ill-suited to the walls
of a sanctuary. I am willing, however, to believe that the epitaph
expresses sentiments entertained of our government half a century
ago, rather than at the present time.
Just at evening, which was delightfully pleasant, with bright skies
and an air breathing a delicious softness, we walked to a hill called
Craig Phadric, a mile to the west ofthe town, and climbed to its top.
It swells to the height of upwards of eleven hundred feet above the
plain, and presents a magnificent vie w of the adjacent country. To the
north innumerable peaks of the Ross-shire mountains bound the hori
zon : towards the north-east, Moray Firth spreads in a broad and
silver sheet, till it mingles with the German Ocean : on the south, the
dark and sterile ridges of the Grampians terminate the view • and on
the west are seeS several woody eminences, among which is the keel-
shaped "Hill of Fairies."
The landscape, forming the foreground ofthe picture, is rich, rural,
and highly picturesque. At a short distance in an easterly direction,
the town of Inverness, with its several spires and domes, is seen plea
santly situated on both sides of the river Ness, which after many wind
ings through a fertile vale unites with the waters of Beauly and falls into
Moray Firth. Within less than half a mile of Craig Phadric, a
curious eminence, called Tomnahenrick, rises like an island from the
flat alluvial plain. Its shape is oblong, resembling an immense tumu
lus, and its sides are thinly shaded with evergreens. The Great
Caledonian Canal passes between the two hills, adding variety to the
scenery below.
At the foot and half way up the acclivities of Craig Phadric are deep
forests of pine. Its brow is composed of naked rocks ; and on the
very top are the ruins of an old fort, overgrown with a tuft of trees.
The ramparts of this fortress consists of vitrified stone, globules of
which hang from the wall, and bear evident marks of having once
been in a state of fusion. I am not sufficiently versed in the antiqui
ties ofthe country, to explain the phenomenon, which has. occasioned

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a good deal of speculation among philosophers. Similar relics are
found in other parts of Scotland. The most rational supposition seems
to be, that these elevated fortresses were used as beacons, and that the
intensity ofthe watch-fires, kept burning for a long time, was sufficient
to vitrify the walls,
In winding down from the summit ofthe hill, we accidentally stum
bled upon Fingal's Chair, which is a natural niche in the rock, where
tradition says the hero used to sit and survey the mountains of his
empire. Some mushrooms growing near the spot led an old High
land guide, who had voluntarily joined us at the foot of the hill, to re
mark that he had eaten many of those in America. On being inter
rogated, he stated that he served in all the campaigns on the Niagara
and the northern frontier of the United States during the last war.
Stripping up his trowsers, he showed a wound which he received in
the leg, at the battle of Lundy's Lane, with the scene and particulars
of which he was familiar, adding by way of comment that it was the
hardest fighting he had ever witnessed, although he had twice before
been wounded. One of our party, assuming the guise of an English
man, remarked, " but the Americans behaved in rather a cowardly
manner." " No," said the veteran with some warmth, " they were as
brave troops as ever took the field." To an inquiry how he liked
Niagara, he replied that it was a fine river and a noble cataract ; but
in his opinion the Oronoco was fully equal to it. This old soldier had
been in the service upwards of twenty years, visiting in that time South
America, the West-Indies, and Canada. At length becoming tired
of arduous campaigns and poor pay, he has retired to his native High
land glen, to pass the remnant of his days in penury.
On the following morning, we walked over the town, for the pur
pose of looking at its public buildings, and whatever else is worthy of
attention. It has a population of ten or twelve thousand, and is the
capital of the northern Highlands. Some of its streets are spacious
and handsome. The Hospital, the Academy, the Assembly Rooms,
for the accommodation of the northern gentry, at their annual meet
ings ; and the court-house and gaol, under the same roof, are among
the most stately edifices. In the lofty steeple of the latter, near its top,
a horizontal fissure is still seen, which was cleft by a severe shock of
an earthquake, in August, 1816. The spire was entirely broken off,
and turned partly round, giving it a disjointed appearance. Several
earthquakes were experienced about the same time ; and by the one
above referred to, the people were so alarmed as to remain whole days
and nights in the open fields.
The river Ness, which flows through the town with a broad and

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 279
rapid current, contributes much to its beauty and cleanliness although
the water is not of sufficient depth, to form a good port, or for purposes
of navigation. Ships of 500 tons burden come up within a mile of
the town, and those of a smaller class much nearer. A considerable
trade is carried on with Edinburgh, London, and other places.
Two bridges have been thrown across the river, one of which is a
handsome stone structure, supported by half a dozen arches. On an
eminence near one end of it, formerly stood an old castle, which is
said to have been the scene of the murder of Duncan by Macbeth.
Every vestige of it has been obliterated, and its claim to the conse
cration of Shakspeare's muse is questionable. Historians as well as
the bard merely state, that Duncan was murdered at Inverness, with
out fixing precisely the locus in quo. It is certain that the heath,
where Macbeth and Banquo met the weird sisters, was near Fores, or
Moray Firth, some distance to the east of Inverness.*
Besides its connexion with this drama, Inverness possesses many
interesting associations. It lays claim to great antiquity, and as early
as the sixth century was the capital of the Pictish kingdom. In the year
1067, it was constituted a royal burgh ; and its wealth several times
subjected it to the capture and plunder of the Lords of the Isles. In
after times, it fell into the hands of Cromwell, who demolished its
ecclesiastical edifices and converted the materials into fortresses.
During the last rebellion, it became the camp and head quarters of

* The incidents on which the tragedy of Macbeth is founded, are thus related
in Holinshed's Chronicle :
"It fortuned as Macbeth and Banquo journied towards Fores, where the King
(Duncan) then lay, they went sporting by the way together without other com
pany, save only themselves, passing through the woods and fields, when suddenly
in the midst of a laund, there met them three women in strange and wild apparel,
resembling creatures of elder world, whom, when they attentively beheld, won
dering much at the sight, the first of them spake and said, ¦ All hail Macbeth,
thane of Glamis,' (for he had lately entered into that dignity and office by the death
of his father Smel.) The second of them said, ' Hail, Macbeth, thane of Cawdor.'
But the third said, ' All hail, Macbeth, that hereafter shall be King of Scotland.'
Then Banquo, ' what manner of women,' saith he, ' are you, that seem so little
favourable unto me, whereas to my fellow here, besides high offices, ye also assign
the kingdom, appointing forth nothing for me at all?' 'Yes,' saith the first of them,
' we promise greater benefits unto thee, than unto him ; for he shall reign indeed,
but with an unlucky end : neither shall he leave any issue behind him to succeed in
his place ; where contrarily, thou indeed shalt not reign at all, but of thee those
shall be born, which shall govern the Scottish kingdom by long order of continual
descent.' Herewith the aforesaid women vanished immediately out of their sight."

280 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Prince Charles ; but since that turbulent period, it has enjoyed an un
disturbed quiet, and an unusual measure of prosperity.
Having completed a survey Of the town, and the day being remark
ably fine, we mounted ponies, and set out on an' excursion to the Field
of Culloden, distant five or six miles in a south-easterly direction.
The environs of Inverness on all sides are picturesque, presenting
pretty combinations of mountains, woods, and waters. Our route led
us at first along the shores of Moray Firth, and thence through cross
roads by Culloden House, the seat of Mr. Forbes, heir to the estates,
but not to the talents, of the late President of the Court of Sessions,
whose bust was seen in the Parliament House at Edinburgh. The
mansion is charmingly situated, and the grounds are laid out with much
taste. A mile beyond this place, and after passing through a grove of
pines, we reached the celebrated Field of Culloden, where on the 16th
of April, 1749, expired the last hopes of the Stuarts. Every reader
will recollect the poetical description of this battle by Campbell,
which in my opinion is one of the sublimest compositions in the En
glish language, and would of itself be sufficient to immortalize his
muse. The infamous Duke of Cumberland* was at the head of the
English army, and Prince Charles commanded the Highlanders in per
son, or rather pretended to command them ; for although said to be
a gallant man, he behaved in a most inglorious manner on this occa
sion, concealing himself in the garb of a peasant, and lingering in the
corps de reserve, instead of bringing his brave countrymen to the
onset. His conduct is ascribed to a full conviction of defeat, and the
failure of his cause.
A wilder and more romantic arena for an engagement of this kind can-
* The ravages and atrocities of this monster after the battle of Culloden, are
thus detailed in Smollet's History of England: — "In the month of May, the Duke
of Cumberland advanced with the army into the Highlands, as far as Fort Augus
tus, where he encamped, and sent off detachments on all hands, to hunt down the
fugitives, and lay waste the counfry with fire and sword. The castles of Glengary
and Lochiel were plundered and burned: every house, hut, or habitation, met
with the same fate, without distinction : all the cattle and provision were carried
off: the men were either shot upon the mountains, like wild beasts, or put to death
in cold blood, without form of trial : the women, after having seen their husbands and
fathers murdered, were subjected to brutal violation, and then turned out naked with
their children, to starve on the barren heaths. One whole family was enclosed
in a barn, and consumed to ashes. Those ministers of vengeance were so alert in
the execution of their office, that in a few days their was neither house, cottage,
man, nor beast, to be seen in the compass of fifty miles : all was ruin, silence, and
desolation. "

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 231
riot be well imagined ; although Marshal M'Donald, who paid it a
visit a few months since, condemned it in a military point of view,
and thought the Scotch mad to risk a decisive action on such ground.
The scene of the battle is an extensive fell or moor, commanding a
full view ofthe distant mountains, Moray Firth, and the ocean, being
elevated more than a thousand feet above the latter. It is covered
with brown heath, above the level surface of which a few turf cottages
now rise, but have probably been constructed since the sanguinary
and fatal conflict. The Duke of Cumberland approached from the
east ; and as the field inclines gently toward the west, he enjoyed a
decided superiority in point of position. But an adventitious circum
stance gave him a still more important advantage. A high wind, ac
companied with rain, blew from the east, directly in the faces of the
Highlanders, and often prevented them from seeing their antagonists.
The armies met about midway in the field, when a tremendous
contest took place, and heaps of carnage strewed the ground.
Trenches were opened, and thousands were buried upon the spot.
Their graves are now only distinguishable by being covered with a
smooth green sod, forming little patches of verdure on the desert
heath. Here fell the flower of the Highland Clans, whose valour
deserved a more gallant leader and a better fate. The event of this
battle had a more important influence than any other cause in break
ing down the chivalrous and heroic spirit of a brave people :
" Land of proud hearts and mountains gray,
Where Fingal fought and Ossian sung !
Mourn dark Culloden's fatal day,
That from thy chiefs the laurel wrung.
Shades of the mighty and the brave,
Who, faithful to your Stuart, fell j
No trophies mark your common grave,
Nor-dirges to your mem'ry swell !'•'
Following the example of others, we sent the guide from house to
house for a spade, and dug over some of the tumuli, which had already
been opened in search of relics. Several interesting memorials of
the place were obtained. Nearly two hours were passed upon the
field, and even then it was left with a lingering regret. We visited
two or three of the huts, whose tenants could neither speak nor un
derstand a word of English. They are miserable abodes, rudely fur
nished, and but little superior in any respect to the wigwams of the
aborigines of our country. Marshal M'Donald succeeded in finding
an old woman in one of these cabins, who was at the age of twenty, in
the year 1746, and who witnessed the battle of Culloden. She impart-
vol. i. 36

282 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ed to him a great many minute facts, relative to the incidents of the
day. An ignorance of the Gaelic language rendered our inquiries
less successful.
One of the most conspicuous objects to be seen from the Field of
Culloden is Fort George, af the distance of four or five miles on the
Firth of Moray. It is built on a peninsula, which stretches more than
half way towards the opposite shore, and completely commands this
great pass from the sea to the northern Highlands. The fortress was
begun the year after the battle of Culloden, and cost £160,000. It
covers nine acres, mounts 80 pieces of cannon, and has accommoda
tion for a garrison of 3000 men. The ramparts appear to rise out of
the sea. It is said to be the most perfect wo/k of the kind in Great-
Britain, and some degree of curiosity was felt to give its construction
a nearer examination. But our last day at Inverness was now fast
declining, and as the time for our return towards the south had been
fixed to an early hour on the following morning, we were compelled
to hasten home and make preparations for our departure.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. •>*:!
LETTER XXV.
route through; the western higheanus  steam-boat comet 
manners of the highlanders — -caledonian canal  loch ness 
pall op fyers  fort augustus  loch oich  loch lochy  ben
nevis — fort william:— loch linnhe — corean ferry — ballahu-
LISH. October, 1825,
The servant awoke us at 5 o'clock, on the morning ofthe 4th, giving an
hour to prepare for' our journey, and to walk a mile to the steam-boat.
We were abroad before the dawn of day, while the stars were yet forth,
and the moon hung her crescent in the west. So far as our meteoro
logical observations of a few days extended, Inverness enjoys an elysian
climate. In a latitude reaching so near to the polar regions, being
between the parallels of 57 and 58, ten degrees farther north than
Quebec, fears were entertained that at this season the hills would be
lashed by autumnal storms. But so far from encountering any incle
mencies of weather, balmy gales breathed around us, and a genial
sun preserved the verdure of the fields and woods in all the freshness
of summer. The air during our visit of two or three days possessed
a delicious softness, which I have never experienced elsewhere, not
even excepting the finest portion of our Indian summer ; nor those
serene skies which sometimes brighten the banks of the Potomac.
The morning of this day was a continuation of the same mild season ;
but the sequel proved, that if a clear and calm atmosphere always
encircles Inverness, it does' not at least extend far into the Highlands.
At 6 o'clock we embarked, with between one and two hundred
others, on board the steam-boat Comet, and launched forth on the
Great Caledonian Canal. The usual bustle on such occasions was
repeated, and a great many farewells were waved to the Highland
lassies and kilted laddies, who thronged the deck. There were all
sorts of people aimong the passengers, who were necessarily brought
into contact by the narrow dimensions of the boat, not exceeding-
eighty or a hundred tons burthen, with' contracted cabins, and misera
ble accommodations of every kind., Not more than ten or a dozen
persons can breakfast og- dine at the same time ; and a succession of
tables continued the greater part of the day, the meals running into
each other, so as to render it difficult to say which was which. The
cook kept his fires lighted, and his kettles hot from the time of embarka
tion till dark ; and go into the cabins at what hour you would, some

284 LETTERS FROM EUROPE. -
one was eating. There was no respect of persons ; and the miller's
maxim was rigidly observed-—" first come, first served." Some of
the passengers, weary of waiting for their turns, or unwilling to
breathe the confined air ofthe cabin, collected in circles on the deck,
and converted trunks into tea-boards.
To persons accustomed to the splendid accommodations and the
sumptuous tables on board of an American steam-boat, the contracted
size and wretched fare of the Comet afforded but a sad specimen of the
little progress, which Europe has. yet made in this mode of travelling.
From first to last, the whole establishment is badly managed -. the
boats are too small : they are apparently Constructed in the worst pos
sible manner, both for speed and comfort : the officers make bungling
work in guiding them : and coarse provisions are badly cooked. After
atrip in any ofthe steam-boats that I have yet seen on this side ofthe
Atlantic, an American will congratulate himself on the conveniences
and comforts, which the enterprise of his own countrymen has afforded
him, for traversing the waters ofthe United States.
But the tourist seldom finds himself in a situation, which does not
open some source of consolation. Adversity is said to be the best
test of character, and often draws forth virtues or defects, which would
escape detection amidst the unbroken monotony of prosperity. Such
a multitude, subjected to so many inconveniences, furnished an excel
lent opportunity for studying the dress, habits, and manners of the
Highlanders, who constituted a large majority of the crowd. When
the bonnetted and plaided representative of some half-extinct clan
promptly rose and yielded his place to a lady, it was natural to con
clude, that he was a descendant of a gallant and polite race, accus
tomed to pay deference to the female sex. When another was ready
to share with you the res angusta domi — the half of his seat, or the
half of his loaf at table — it furnished evidence, that the ancient spirit
of hospitality has survived the wreck of national manners. When a
circle of half a dozen gathered round a table, and for hours drank
whiskey punch, till their cheeks became flushed and their eyes dim, the
scene but too clearly proved, that they had not forgotten their fondness
for the bottle. So far as I have observed, a love of whiskey is uni
versal among the lower classes in Scotland. Both sexes will' take it
in any and every shape,and in immeasurable quantities. It is as much
a' national drink, as beer is in .England, but has a very different effect
upon the constitution, producing when taken to excess, thin, ema
ciated forms, with sallow, smoky countenances, instead of the rotundi
ty and rosy complexion of the English.
Although " the age of chivalry is gone" with the Highlanders ;

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 285
• «
though the lofty spiritjof the clans has been broken down by conquest
in war, and the oppressions of the government ; and though inroads
have been made upon their language and peculiar habits, by the esta
blishment of English schools among them, and the commercial inter
course of modern times ; yet a sort of twilight of national manners
still lingers upon their hills, and in some of the 'remoter glens, the ori
ginal cast of character is preserved in its pristine simplicity. An at
tachment to the former modes of dress, and a fondness for music and
dancing almost universally prevail. A majority of the passengers of
both sexes on board the boat wore the plaid, not only in the shape of
cloaks, but of coats, trowsers, gowns, and full suits. All the military
and many of the citizens wear kilts, leaving the leg entirely naked
from the knee downward. They even attend balls, and fashionable
parties, in this costumeT especially if their limbs chance to be well
formed. His majesty mounted a pair of these trowsers, in his visit to
Edinburgh, which exposed him to the ridicule of the higher classes
of society, since it manifested an ignorance of this part of his domin
ions. The kilt is peculiar to the Highlands, and by no means the na
tional dress of Scotland.
But to return from these remarks upon the people, to the country
they inhabit : — The whole of our tardy march this day was along the
great Caledonian Canal, which is the most extensive work of the kind
in Great- Britain, opening a chain of inland navigation through the
mountains of Scotland, from the Irish sea to the Baltic. Ships of the
largest burthen, with full cargoes, may pass, and occasionally have pass
ed through this channel ; but the delay in going through the great
number of locks, the difficulty pf navigating with sails in narrow lakes,
hemmed in by mountains, and above all the enormous tolls levied by
government, have led mariners almost universally to prefer the out
ward passage, and go north" about, even between the Clyde and Moray
Firth. The foreign trade carried on through this channel is next to
nothing. We did not see more than half a dozen vessels in the whole
extent. The Caledonian Canal occupies the bed of the principal pass
through the Highlands of Scotland, called Glen-mor-na-albin, runnino-
from Moray Firth, in the north-east, to Loch Linnhe, an arm of the
Irish sea, in the south-west, a distance of sixty miles, thirty-seven of
which consist of navigable lakes, and the ramainding twenty-three of
artificial channels connecting them together. A survey of the route
led to a belief, that the work could be constructed at an expense of
£20,000, and an appropriation to that amount was first granted bv
the government. The trifling sum of £980,000 was subsequently

286 LETTERS FROM EUROPE. , * •
added, making an aggregate nearly as great, as the whole cost of the
Erie Canal, with an artificial excavation of 360 miles ! From a care
ful examination of both canals, I have no hesitation in saying, that
there is no part of the Caledonian which will bear a comparison with
the locks of the Little Falls, and the Mountain Ridge, or even with
the aqueduct at Rochester. Such is the difference between the two
countries in enterprise, skill, and the mode of expending public mo
ney. The artificial part of the Caledonian Canal is 1 20 feet wide at top,
50 at bottom, and 20 deep. There are twenty locks in all, forty feet
in width, with an average of eight or ten feet lift, the summit level
being 94 feet above tide-water. Two of these are sea-locks, one at
the northern extremity on Moray Firth, and the other at the head of
Loch Linnhe, where it meets the tides of St. George's' Channel.
The foundations of the former reach 1200 feet into the Firth, from
high watermark ; and a basin is connected with it, 3000 feet in length
and 400 in breadth. From this dock four other locks lift the canal to
the level of Loch Ness, distant eight miles, for which extent a supply
of water is derived from the outlet of the lake. The construction of
the locks is similar to those on the Erie canal, though in workman
ship certainly inferior ; and I saw nothing about this gigantic structure,
which could apparently be imitated to any advantage in our country.
Fifteen minutes were on an average occupied in passing a boat through
a lock ; which, if my recollection serves me, is about three times as
long as our boatmen require.
But from a dry detail of facts, I hasten to give a concise sketch
of the country, through which our march upon the waters this day
conducted us, with some of the little adventures of the voyage. The
society of two intelligent American tourists from New-England, and
of two graduates from Oxford, all on the same errand with ourselves,
served to alleviate the inconveniences and heighten the enjoyments,
to which I have already alluded. If Highland scenery chanced to
grow tame, and a crowd of strangers ceased to excite interest, there
was always a resource in the conversation of our little circle.
No complaint however can fairly be made of a want of a sufficient
variety of natural objects on this route, to keep the attention awake,
and excite the curiosity of the traveller. Loch Ness opens a beautiful
vista through the mountains for a distance of twenty-four miles, in a
line so direct, that it may be seen from end to end. Its shores near
the margin are deeply wooded, and the hills on either side rise in bold
and lofty swells. Its breadth is uniformly about a mile, giving it a
striking resemblance to the passage of the Hudson through the High
lands. A profound abyss yawns below, which is said to be in some

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 287
places six or seven hundred feet' deep, with almost perpendicular
banks. Owing to its great depth, it never freezes, and the vapOur
rising from the surface in the frosts of winter has led to the popular
belief that it rests On a bed of subterranean fires. Its waters are dark,
and are said to possess cathartic properties, ascribed to the decompo
sition of vegetable matter. The great earthquake at Lisbon in 1755
rocked this remote little glen, cradled among the mountains, and the
lake tumbled in tremendous tides towards the south-west.
Several deep, wild, and romantic glens open laterally from the
mountains into Loch Ness. The first of these on the right, in de
scending from the north, is called Glen-Urquhart, the seat of the
Grants. It is watered by two streams, which form a little bay at their
junction with the lake. On a promontory projecting boldly from the
shore, are seen the ruins of Castle Urquhart, once the strong-hold of
a Highland chief. Edward I. of England is said to have captured it
after a gallant defence, and to have put the Governor and garrison to
the sword.
At a distance of a mile from the left shore of the lake, are the
falls of Fyers, which certainly make a great noise on paper, what
ever may be the reality. When we took passages at Inverness, the
captain' of the steam-boat promised to set us ashore, and give us an
opportunity to look at them. On arriving opposite the place for land
ing, the request was renewed, and the steward was sent below in search
of hirti, but made a return of non est inventus. Our companions from
Boston, who had been at the expense of a ride from Inverness to the
cascade, consoled us with the assurance, that little had been lost by
the forgotten promises of our commander ; that there is no water ;
and that nothing is to be seen save a skeleton of rocks. Dr. Johnson
paid a visit to this spot in his northern tour, and gave it celebrity by
one or two of his sonorous periods. Tourists who quote him, take
care to leave off precisely at the point, -where he begins to complain
of a drought. Justice perhaps does not require them to give evidence
against themselves ; but if they choose to cite the Doctor as a wit
ness, they should surely permit him to tell " the whole truth." If the
representations made fo us were literally true, he might have added,
that his twenty-four dishes of Mrs. Thrale's tea would produce as fine
a cascade. But let me not speak lightly of a scene, which Johnson
deigned to honour with a paragraph, and Burns, with a poetical stanza.
The forirter of these two distinguished men here took his departure
for the Hebrides, passing up Glen-Morrisson, on the opposite shore of
the lake.

288 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
The boat reached the head of Loch Ness about noon. Here is
another piece of. artificial canal, with six locks of the ordinary lift and
construction. An hour and a half was occupied in passing them, af
fording the passengers ample time to visit Fort Augustus, which stands
in a delightful situation at the south-western end of the lake, com
manding from its battlements a view towards the north, extending
twenty-two miles through the vista of mountains. The shores of the
lake become much bolder and loftier as you approach its head; and
this circumstance added to the natural effect of distance, produced a
perfect perspective reaching along the narrow sheet of water, which
had just been traversed. The fortress is strong and well built, -but
from its 'position might be easily battered down by cannon planted on
the neighbouring hills. It was taken and nearly demolished by the
Highlanders in 1746, occasioning a heavy expense to the government
for repairs. At present it is dismantled, and has a garrison of only a
corporal and seven men to guard the works, which might very easily
have been stormed by the multitude of passengers, who rushed to the
parapet. A small village has risen round the fort, which seems to be
entirely secluded from the rest of the world.
Returning to the boat, and passing an artificial channel of five miles,
we entered Loch Oich, which is one of the smallest in the chain, be
ing only two or three miles in length. It constitutes the summit level
of the canal, and is fed by the river Garry, whi«h rushes from the
bleak summit of the Grampian Hills, where its source was spoken of
on our passage from Perth to Inverness. Its shores are wild and
solitary, but in character do not differ materially from those of Loch
Ness. From this little lake, an artificial communication, two miles in ex
tent and in some places forty feet deep, leads into Loch Lochy, the
waters of which are raised to the height of fifteen feet, by a dam at
the outlet, to bring the surface to a level with Loch Oich, and to save
the expense of excavation. As what is gained by. this contrivance
is lost by the necessity of two additional locks in the descent into
Loch Linnhe, I was unable to appreciate the ingenuity and wisdoni of
the engineer. It struck me, that some part of the one million sterling
might have been saved by a series 6f locks, instead of the expensive
excavation of forty feet, especially as the summit level has an ample
supply of water. But it is no concern of mine, how much money
the British government squandered for the benefit of the Highlanders.
Other millions might have been expended without making full repara
tion for the wrongs and outrages inflicted upon a gallant people, by

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 289
carrying a war of desolation into their peaceful vales, in the manner
already alluded to, after the battle of Culloden :
" Where once they ruled and roamed at will,
Free as their own dark mountain game ;
Their sons are slaves, yet keenly feel
A longing for their fathers' fame."
Loch Lochy is ten miles in length, and about a mile in breadth, with
straight, bold shores, giving it the appearance of a large river. The
mountains on either side are loftier and more savage in their aspect,
than those farther north. They rise nearly perpendicularly from the
water, and their projecting fronts are deeply scarred with the beds of
torrents. A road winds along close to the south-eastern margin,
which is often rendered impassable by the quantities of water and
debris tumbling from the hills. On the left are the dreary solitudes
of Lochaber ; and the opposite shore constituted the sterile domains
of Lochiel, the hero of Campbell's exquisite poem. His name was
derived from Loch Oiel, an arm of Loch Linnhe.
To deepen the wild and gloomy scenery of this lake, the charming
weather which had continued for several days here deserted us, and a
violent gale setting up through the narrow pass from the Irish sea,
lashed the waters into foam, deeply as they are embedded between the
impending barriers. The hills were soon enveloped in clouds, and
the rain poured in torrents, driving as many of the passengers below,
as could crowd into the cabin, the others being left to shelter them
selves as well as they could by the aid of umbrellas upon deck. Night
came on in the midst ofthe storm, leaving us in this situation to make
slow head-way against the winds and waves.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, we arrived at the foot of Loch Lochy,
and made a port till morning. It was so dark and rainy, that the dock
could scarcely be seen from the side of the boat. There was a gene
ral rush of passengers to the Neptune Hotel, the only one at the land
ing, and which contained but twenty-six beds for the accommodation
of one hundred and fifty persons. For some time, the rooms present
ed a perfect scene of confusion, bordering almost upon a riot. The
hostess at length adopted a rigid rule of adjustment, and those who
first arrived were first served. Although one of the passengers offer
ed her a guinea for a bed, her integrity was such as to lead her to re
fuse the bribe. The rooms were of course full, before one-third of
the multitude had found accommodations. At 10 o'clock, a caravan
lighted their lanterns, and set off on foot, in the rain, for Fort Wil
liam. Others returned to the boat. Our party were so fortunate as
vol. J. 37

290 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
to obtain a small sitting-room, where temporary beds were made up
for five of us, and afforded confined, but comfortable quarters for the
night. For an hour or two, the interior of the Neptune Hotel, with
the stern landlady half-way up a stair-case, dispensing justice and dis
tributing favours to the crowd below, would have furnished a novel
subject for the" pencil of an artist.
On making a sortie the next morning from the hotel, we found our
selves in the midst of an immense amphitheatre of hills, surrounding the
alluvial plain between Loch Lochy and Loch Linnhe. Directly in front
of the inn, and at the distance of not more than three quarters of a
mile, Ben^Nevis swells from the vale to the altitude of 4370 feet above
the sea, being the loftiest mountain in Great-Britain. The scenery in
the vicinity is in the highest degree wild and romantic, showing off
this stupendous mass of rocks to the best advantage. To the west of
the chain of lakes, as far as vision extends in both directions, peak
rises after peak, frowning upon the waters below. The basin is skirt
ed with dark and desolate heaths, and sprinkled with a few turf
cottages, so rude in construction that grass and wild plants are seen
growing from the roofs. A lake opens on either hand, and between
them flows the river Lochy, on the banks of which are seated the
ruins of two or three old castles. Upon such a scene, this monarch
of the Caledonian hills looks down from his throne in gloomy
grandeur. Giving up all idea of ascending Ben-Nevis, as well from the uncer
tainty ofthe weather, as from the time required to climb to such a
height, and wishing to see as much of the mountain as possible, we
left the steamboat to pursue its course through the remaining part of
the canal, where it would be delayed an hour or two in passing eight
Jocks, and walked on, to join it again at Fort William, two or three
miles below. A boy ferried us over the Lochy, and a short visit was
paid to the ruins of the fortress standing upon its borders. It was
once a strong work, with four massive towers at the corners. Several
great battles have been fought under its ramparts, in one of which
fifteen hundred of the clan Campbell were killed.
Our walk was directed close along the base of Ben-Nevis, and the
clouds breaking aWay afforded a full view of the summit. The rocks
are of a reddish colour, at a distance giving a dark hue to the tremen
dous precipices. On the south-west side of the mountain, Glen-Nevis
opens into Loch Linnhe. A wild torrent hurries down the ravine, on
the banks of which there is an extensive cemetery, with its white
tomb-stones rising from the green sod. The epitaphs are chiefly in
the Gaelic language. Here the forefathers of the vale repose, except

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 29J
kings and heroes, whose dead bodies were transported from a little
harbour on the opposite side of the lake, to be interred in the remote
island of lona. So says tradition, and so say the poetical dreams of
M'Pherson. Fort William is situated upon the shore of the lake. It was esta
blished in the time of the Commonwealth, and remodeled under Wil
liam and Mary, whence its name. There is nothing interesting about
the fortress, nor in the dirty little village of Gordonsburgh, in its vici
nity, where the steamboat took us up with a large accession to the
number of passengers. The defck was so thronged, that if the multi
tude chanced to be attracted to either side, the weight was sufficient
to make the vessel roll.
At Corran Ferry, eight miles below, five of our party concluded to
send on their baggage to Glasgow, pass up Glencoe, one of the most
interesting portions of Highland scenery, and thence across the country
to Loch Lomond. Our New-England friends continued their voyage,
on their way to the Island of Staffa. A crazy boat took the rest of us
ashore, and, as a sequel to the adventures of the trip, was nigh capsi
zing us in the surf.
We immediately chartered a one-horse cart, (the only kind of ve
hicle to be found in this part of the country,) to take us to Ballahulish,
four or five miles up Glencoe. Fortunately the road was excellent,
forming a part of the great military route from Fort William to Stirling,
and poor Rosinante whirled us briskly forward, though in truth cutting
but a sorry figure. The ride along the shore of Loch Leven, which
is an arm of Loch Linnhe extending far up the glen, and where the
waves are seen rolling in from the sea between lofty mountains rising
on either hand, was one ofthe most pleasant which this romantic region
has afforded. In one direction the traveller surveys, across a wide
expanse of waters, Morven and other hills celebrated by Ossian,
while towards the east, he looks up the glen which was the birth-place
and residence of the poet himself.
Just at evening we arrived at a small, but comfortable inn, standing
within a few yards of the lake, and took lodgings for the night. The
wind blew in violent gusts, often shaking our little tenement to its foun
dations, and creating an anxiety for those, who were tossing on the
surges of the Irish sea, in a miserable boat crowded with passengers.
It was subsequently ascertained, that she was nigh being lost in her
passage to Oban. On the very next trip, the Comet went down in the
waters of the Clyde, at two o'clock in the morning, with seventy er
eighty passengers on board, nearly all of whom perished.

292 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
As we were now in the region of song, a musical party consisting
of our hostess, Mary Campbell, and John M'Gregor, great names and
born of proud ancestors, contributed to the enjoyments of the evening.
They formed themselves into a little circle, and taking hold of the
corners of a handkerchief, which was kept swinging to beat time, as
the custom of the Highlanders is, chanted half a dozen wild and sweet
airs, in the Gaelic language. The landlady, who was leader of the
choir, acted as interpreter of the sentiment. One of the songs, de
scriptive of a chase upon a neighbouring hill, is ascribed to Ossian,
with what truth I am unable to say. The voices of the trio were me
lodious, and the music was soft and melancholy, stealing over the mind
like the dying cadence of an iEolian harp.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 293
LETTER XXVI.
LOCH LEVEN  GLENCOE  BIRTH-PLACE OF OSSIAN  LOCH TOLLA — GLEN-
ORCHY  LOCH AWE  INVERARY  CASTLE OF THE DUKE OF ARGYLE 
LOCH FINE  GLENCROE  LOCH LONG  TARBET  LOCH LOMOND  BEN
LOMOND  LOCH KATRINE  ELLEN'S ISLAND  TROSACHS  RIDE TO
CALLANDER. October, 1825.
Early on the morning of the 6th, having entered into another con
tract for the same horse and cart to take us to King's House, a dis
tance of sixteen miles, we crossed the lake 'at Ballahulish, and com
menced an excursion ujf Glencoe. For the first four miles, the road
runs along the margin of Loch Leven, into which green and beautiful
peninsulas project ; and on the right a range of lofty hills impends over
the traveller. At the woody base of one of them, stands a pretty little
episcopal church, of the Gothic order, where the peasantry of the glen
occasionally meet to unite in public worship. Great efforts have re
cently been made by missionaries, to diffuse christian knowledge
through the Highlands.
At a short distance beyond this, we visited an extensive slate quarry,
from which many hundred thousand tons have been taken, and carried
to every part ofthe kingdom. An immense circus has been excavated
to the depth of eighty or a hundred feet, with galleries of rock extend
ing round it like an amphitheatre. Ropes are made fast at top, up
which the workmen climb with as much ease and carelessness, as
sailors upon the shrouds of a ship. It is one of the largest works of
the kind in Great-Britain, giving employment to 200 men. Ships of
any burden ascend Loch Leven to this point, beyond which the lake
makes a bold sweep towards the north, and terminates seven miles
above among the Highlands.
A little farther on, we passed the river Cona, which is said to be the
native stream of Ossian, and to which his poems contain such frequent
allusions. It has its principal source in a little lake, or mountain tarn,
seven or eight miles above ; but the thousand torrents, which are con
stantly pouring in from the hills on both sides, produce a rapid accu
mulation and swell its current to a considerable size. - Its waters are
perfectly pure and bright, foaming the whole way over a bed of rocks
and filling the glen with echoes. In some places the banks are cover
ed with woods, among which the mountain-ash abounds, hanging its

294 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
red berries over the sparkling flood. So celebrated is this stream, that
it has given to the glen the poetical appellation of " Cona's Vale."
The two principal mountains which rise on opposite sides of the
narrow pass, are called Marmor, and Con-Finn, or the hill of Fingal,
whence the great Highland bard drew some of his wildest and subli
mest imagery. Here may be seen the originals of those rocks, soli
tudes, clouds, mists, storms and torrents — all those grand and terrific
forms of external nature, on which his muse was so fond of dwelling.
From the striking coincidence between some of his figures and the fea
tures of Glencoe, an argument might be drawn to strengthen the popu
lar tradition, that this was the place of his nativity and abode. His
poetry is familiar to the peasantry of the vale, who frequently sing and
recite it in the Gaelic language. But I have no disposition to enter
upon the discussion of a topic, which has excited so much hot blood
among the literati of Great-Britain.
An inhabitant of the glen pointed out to us the scene of the barba
rous massacre, which was perpetrated in the year 1691, by order of
William and Mary, at the suggestion of the Earl of Breadalbane. Col.
Campbell was the instrument selected for the execution of the atro
cious deed. He for many days partook of the hospitality of M'Donald,
chieftain of the clan, and of the residents of the valley, who were sub
sequently butchered in cold blood, in the unsuspecting hours of sleep,
under the pretext that some irregularities had been committed in the
vicinity. Such a brutal act has stamped the name of, the perpetrator
and his superiors with indelible infamy.
Midway between Ballahulish and King's House, is the narrowest
and most rugged part of Glencoe. In solitary, gloomy and romantic
wildness, the scenery surpasses any thing we have found in Scotland.
The most prominent feature is a mountain on the south side of the
glen, which is three thousand feet in height and pushes its front far into
the ravine, so as to meet the eye for a long distance on the road. It
is composed of perpendicular belts of dark cliffs, piled one upon
another, till the top is literally lost in the clouds, which are constantly
breaking upon the rocks and feeding torrents that tumble into the vale
below. Directly under the base of the mountain, and overhung by its
crags, the small lake from which issues the river Cona, reposes in sul
len and unbroken solitude. For a mile or two farther, on either hand,
stupendous masses of granite are thrown together in the wildest and
most savage forms. Streams of foam are seen pouring in from all
quarters, and at one point their congregated waters present a magni
ficent cataract. While we stood admiring the scene, three or four

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 295
goats were observed on the giddiest crags of the opposite rocks, seve
ral hundred feet above our heads, watching us with a steadfast gaze.
At the distance of a mile or two onward, the hills on either hand
begin to recede, and the glen opens towards the south-east upon a
dreary moor or fell, covered with brown heath, and on which not a
single habitation of any kind is to be seen, till you arrive at King's
House. This building was erected by the government in the time of
the rebellion, for the accommodation of troops, on their march from
Stirling to Fort William. It stands upon the banks of the Etine, a
turbulent little stream, watering the desert, and flowing into the lake
of the same name. Although the inn has a regal name, which remind
ed us ofthe " imperial pop" on some ofthe signs over the ginger-beer
shops in England, its accommodations of course cannot be very good,
situate as it is, in a remote and sterile district. The bread on which
we dined, with the addition of an egg, was brought from Glasgow,
distant a hundred miles or more, and had been baked perhaps some
ten days before.
The stable was as scanty as the larder, and it was soon ascertained
that no other conveyance could be had than a cart without a seat, and
a skeleton white horse, on which an image of starvation and death
rode as postillion. But that traveller has little philosophy who is not
determined to make the best of circumstances, and to meet with pa
tience the trifling difficulties which he must expect to encounter. Di
rections were given for the team to be harnessed, and the body of the
vehicle to be filled with straw, into which we nestled ; and in this situa
tion, Duncan M'Intosh, a sprig of Highland chivalry, drove us off to
Inveroran, cheering the solitary way with many a Gaelic song. For
the whole distance, which is nine or ten miles, the road passes through
a continuation of the fell above mentioned, where silence and desola
tion forever reign. There is no dwelling between the two places ;
and with the exception of a forester, who was elevating his spy-glass
to the top of the mountains, to see if he could descry wild deer, and a
party of workmen, who had pitched their tents while engaged in re
pairing a bridge, our ride did not afford the sight of a human being.
Just as twilight was fading from the hills, we arrived on the shores of
Loch Tolla, which is a lake ofthe smaller class, and possesses but few
charms of any kind, except small patches of cultivated ground upon its
borders, which to us had almost become a novelty. Another lonely
little inn, by the side of a noisy water-fall within a few yards of the
door, afforded us a dish of tea, and a pillow for the night. Duncan
M'Intosh, whose name and lineage suggested the proud appellation of
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some who wear it can boast, had sufficient'influence with the landlord
and^his family, consisting of half a dozen lassies, and as many yellow-
haired laddies, to get up for our evening entertainment not only
another musical party, but a dance. Mine host, whose face had been
converted by whiskey into a fine piece of bronze, held the light : an in
mate ofthe tavern played the fiddle, but was unfortunate at the outset
in snapping one of the strings : while the rest of the party formed sets,
and with naked feet on the naked floor, went through with the various
dances of the country,
" Where hornpipes, jigs, strathspeys and reels,
Put life and mettle in their heels."
The fidelity of Duncan, whose luminous disquisitions on the mar
riages, funerals, habits and manners of the Highlanders occasionally
served to beguile the tediousness of the road, induced us to enter into
another agreement with him the next morning, to take us in his cart
as far as Inverary. After breakfast, we crossed the river Orchy, the
outlet of Loch Tolla, and commenced a descent through the secluded
vale which it waters, and which from that circumstance is called
Glenorchy. It gives title to the eldest son of the Earl of Breadalbane,
who is the proprietor of large estates and a princely seat at Taymouth.
The young nobleman has erected a small episcopal church in the glen,
for the accommodation of his scattered tenants, and occasionally visits
his wide but sterile dominions, to amuse himself with shooting. With
the exception of a romantic stream, with a series of fine water-falls,
the ravine presents few objects of much interest to the traveller.
At about noon, we reached Dalmally, and paid a visit to the hand
some church, which is situated on a beautiful little island in the river
Orchy. It stands upon a gentle eminence, commanding a view ofthe
vale of Glenorchy, and is surrounded with copses of the mountain-
ash and other forest trees. The rustling of the foliage, and the mur
murs of the stream, flowing rapidly by, give a delightful tranquillity to
the church-yard, which is thickly peopled with the dead. Its wide
walls were scaled, and half an hour passed in looking at its sepulchral
monuments, among which are numerous antiques, brought hither from
the island of Innis-Hail. They bear many grotesque specimens of
sculpture, and their quaint inscriptions are yet legible.
Two miles from Dalmally, we arrived at the head of Loch Awe,
which is reckoned among the most picturesque scenery in the High
lands. A fine view of the lake was obtained from an eminence not
far from the road, where a silver sheet of water, a mile and a half in
.*
width, is seen stretching towards the southwest till its extremity is lost

LETTERS FROM EUROPE, 297
among the distant hills. Its whole length is thirty miles, winding like
a broad river between woody shores. Numerous islands rise from its
bosom, several of which are crowned with the ruins of castles and con
vents, once forming a connecting link between the north and south of
Scotland. At the head of the lake, Ben-Cruachan rears its stupendous
pile of granite, twenty miles in circumference at the base, and 3390 feet
in height. It is much less rugged and grand than Ben-Nevis, or some of
those in the pass of Glencoe. A pretty little village, near the foot of
the mountain, looks down from the green declivity into the vale be
neath. The waters of Loch Awe are discharged into Loch Etine,
through a deep gorge, the sides of which rise like an artificial wall.
Our ride extended five or six miles along the immediate shore of the
lake, and its scenery was surveyed under the favourable circumstances
of a bright afternoon. At the village of Cladich we made a short
pause, to examine a manufactory of tartan plaids, which are said to be
of a finer quality than can be found in any other part of the country.
The show, however, was small, and the inhabitants seem not to have
been enriched by the reputation of their fabrics ; for it is a mean, duty
looking place. One of the very few beggars who were observed in
our tour through Scotland, here sturdily beset us for a penny.
Just at sunset, a high hill, over which the road runs, afforded a fare
well view of Loch Awe, already left several miles behind ; and at dusk
we had a glimpse of a cataract on the river Aray, the foam of which
sparkled through the trees overhanging it, and echoed among the wilds
ofthe glen. Night here overtook us, and the poor horse had become
too much jaded to move beyond a walk. Passing through the grounds
of the Duke of Argyle, which form a thick and dark forest on both
sides of the road, we were happy to reach Inverary in safety, and find
a comfortable hotel.
i The next morning, we took a view of the town, which is pleasantly
situated on a promontory projecting into Loch Fine, an arm of the
Irish sea reaching far into the Highlands. It is four or five miles
wide opposite Inverary, and its agitated billows, rolling in close to the
door of the hotel, as well as the number of vessels riding out a storm
in the harbour, gave it a sea-like appearance. The town has a popu
lation of 1200, who are chiefly engaged in the fisheries. Its church
and neat white houses rise prettily from the water, presenting an ex
tensive view of the surrounding mountains.
In the course of the afternoon, notwithstanding the wind and rain,
the whole of our party turned out to visit the castle, the seat of the
Duke of Argyle, which is situated upon a small alluvial plain, near the
mouth of the Aray. The large quadrangular edifice, with four stater
vol. i. 38

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ly towers at the corners, is built of a bluish kind of stone, which gives
it a sombre and venerable aspect. It is in the Gothic style of archi
tecture, two stories high, besides the basement, which is under ground,
with the offices ranged round a moat or a kind of open court.
An aged guide took us the usual rounds. The hall forming the
principal entrance contains much ancient armour, and among the rest,
muskets used in the battle of Culloden, where the late Duke acted a
conspicuous part. They are arranged so as to form radii in the shape
ofthe sun. The rooms are adorned with beautiful species of tapestry,
representing the harvest-home,, a Highland marriage, a stag-hunt, and
other rural scenes in Scotland. Portraits of a long line of ancestors,
one of whom died on the scaffold in the time of Charles II. and another
during the reign of James II. are among the extensive collection of
paintings. There is a pretty view of Westminster Abbey, done by the
present Duke while a boy. Several apartments are finished in the
French style, with splendid mirrors and marble ornaments from quar-,
lies belonging to the estate. Two or three rooms are appropriated to
the library, which contains many valuable books. A beautiful edition
of Shakspeare in folio was observed upon the shelves.
The view from the battlements of the castle is rich and extensive,
embracing the deeply wooded vale of Glenary on one side, and the
romantic shores of Loch Fine on the other. An insulated and oddly-
shaped hill, which goes by the barbarous name of Duniquaich, rises to
the height of 700 feet, and is crooned with an ancient watch-tower,
looking directly down upon the castle. The Aray is a beautiful
stream, which makes a bold sweep through grounds covered with
forest trees, and after passing under two bridges in sight of the house,
mingles with the waters of Loch Fine just below. This seat, on the
whole, manifests a good deal of taste, and is considered one of " the
lions" of Scotland.
Before our return to the hotel, the skies cleared, and two rainbows
spanning the lake from hill to hill, gave a double pledge of fair weather.
Chartering another cart, the only vehicle to be had, although the land
lord lives in a three-story house, sets a good table, and his daughters
play well on the piano, we again set forward at 3 o'clock, pursuing the
road which winds round the head of Loch Fine, close to the margin
of the water. Several deep ravines, besides that of Glenary, open in
to the lake. One of these is watered by the river Shira, to which the
muse of Ossian has imparted celebrity. Doubling a bold promontory,
which presents a fine view of Inverary and the castle, and passing one
or two ruins along the shore, we reached a comfortable inn at Cairn-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 299
dow, near the head ofthe lake, and took lodgings for the night. John
son's Tour to the Hebrides furnished amusement for a quiet evening.
The fatigues of a busy week in the Highlands, as well as a respect for
that blessed day of rest, which is as acceptable to the way-worn travel
ler as to the labourer, who finds a respite from his toils, induced us to
lie by during the forenoon of the 9th ; but finding there was to be no
preaching in the pretty Gothic church near the hotel, and being
anxious to emerge from the mountains before the approach of cold
weather, we concluded to ride in the afternoon to Tarbet, on Loch
Lomond. The poor horse had returned from the same jaunt at a later
hour on the preceding evening, and was so completely fagged, as to
be scarcely able to draw the empty cart up a succession of long hills.
Soon after our departure it began to rain, and gradually increased, till
at length it poured in torrents, accompanied by a violent wind, which
blew the greater part of the way directly in our faces. The gale was
frequently so severe as to prevent the use of umbrellas, and the neces
sity of getting out at the hills left no dry place in the vehicle. But
onward was the only alternative, since there is no inn between Loch
Fine and Loch Long, a distance of twelve or fourteen miles.
Under such circumstances, it may be very justly supposed that the
scenery upon the road was not observed to much advantage. Some
part of it, however, is but too deeply impressed on the memory ; and
the dreary waste of mountains, rendered more savage and inhospitable
by the violence of the storm, with here and there a shepherd's misera
ble turf cottage, to which the eye looked in vain for a shelter, will' not
soon be forgotten. The road leads through two deep valleys, the first
of which opens into Loch Fine, embosoms the little lake of Restal,
and is watered by the river Kinglass, whence it takes the name of
Glenkinglass. On the height of land, which cannot be less than two
thousand feet above the level of the sea, there is a stone by the way
side inscribed with the appropriate motto — " Rest and be thankful."
From this point the road winds down a steep declivity into the other
vale, which opens upon Loch Long, and is called Glencroe, from the
river, or rather torrent Croe, tumbling and roaring down its rocky bed.
This pass approximates almost as nearly to Glencoe in character as in
name. For some distance the road traverses the shore round the head of
Loch Long, another arm of St. George's Channel, setting far inland.
The lake was lashed into a perfect fury by the violence of the gale,
and large flocks of sea-birds, deserting their ordinary haunts, and seek
ing refuge from the storm, were feeding upon the green margin of the
water. At the upper end of this inlet, in the little village of Arroqu-

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liar, there is a large hotel, to which our exposure drove us for lodg
ings, two miles short of the place of destination. On our arrival at
the front door, a servant came out and without saying with " your
leave, sir," directed the driver to go round to the other side ofthe house;
where v/e were shown into a smoky, dirty room, and told that the better
apartments were engaged. Suspecting that our condition and style
of travelling, though the best which the region affords, led to this at
tempt at imposition, with a mistaken certainty that, in stress of wea
ther, accommodations of any kind would be accepted, we turned short
upon our heels and directed the baggage to be again put into the cart,
leaving the servant to stammer out an apology, and resumed our jour
ney with blood a little quickened in its circulation by an indignity.
There is a peculiar satisfaction in exposing that species of meanness,
which would trample upon adversity ; and I hope that none of my
countrymen at least, will ever pay a sous to the landlord at Arroquhar.
Our reception at the neat and comfortable inn at Tarbet was very
different, without even the recommendation which the story of our
wrongs might have furnished. The landlord not only showed us into
his best room, dripping and muddy as we were, but loaned us a change
of clothes, which a slender wardrobe, in the absence of our trunks,
could not supply. A cheerful hearth, and the hospitality of a bounti
ful table, afforded an agreeable contrast to the inclemency of the
storm without.
The hotel at Tarbet stands immediately upon the shore of Loch
Lomond ; and on the following morning, which was clear and bright,
we had a charming view of Ben-Lomond, towering above the Alpine
region on the opposite side, as well as of the bright mirror of the
lake, stretching along at its base. The mountain was visible to its very
summit, which is 3262 feet above the level of the sea. Its top is
conical, and its sides are covered with a smooth coat of verdure
which detracts as much ftom its grandeur, as it contributes to its beau
ty. It does not rise so high as Ben-Nevis by more than a thousand
feet, and in rugged sublimity is far inferior.
From Tarbet, is seen a large proportion of Loch Lomond, which is
about thirty miles in length, and five or six in breadth, being in some
places 600 feet deep, and its surface twenty feet above the waters of
the Clyde, into which it discharges itself at its southern extremity.
Our point of observation was eight or ten miles from its head, around
which numerous peaks of lofty mountains cluster, and bold, rocky
promontories project into the lake. Several islands rise from its bo
som, some of which are crowned with ruins. The shores are in many
places deeply wooded, and the general character of the scenery is

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 301
grandeur, softened by the picturesque and beautiful. Superstition,
war, and civil strife, have added many interesting moral associations to
the simple graces of nature.
Strong as was our curiosity to tread in the footsteps of some of our
friends, and climb to the top of Ben-Lomond, whence the greater part
of the Highlands, the North of Ireland, St. George's Channel, the Isle
of Man, Edinburgh, the Forth, and the German Ocean may be seen,
the quantity of rain which had recently fallen, rendered such an excur
sion wholly impracticable ; and as there was little else beyond this ob
ject, to prolong our stay at Tarbet, after breakfast we chartered a row-
boat, and crossed Loch Lomond, on our way to Loch Katrine. The
ferry runs in an oblique direction, making a distance of six or eight
miles, affording an extensive view towards the head of the lake. At
the landing on the eastern shore, a tremendous cataract, gathered
from a thousand rills, and swollen by the storm of yesterday, was
pouring its amber-coloured tribute into the flood. A mile and a half
above us was Rob Roy's Cave, which is inaccessible by land, and is
generally visited by taking the steam-boat. On the opposite shore a
smoke was seen to rise, and a peep through the glass discovered to us,
that our Oxford friends, who had parted company at Inverary, were
making signals for a boat in the usual way by kindling a fire on the
beach. From Loch Lomond to Loch Katrine, a distance of six or seven
Scotch miles, which always possess the merit of good measure, even
the luxury of a horse and Cart could not be obtained ; and climbing a
long, steep hill, through mud and water, at the outset, we commenced
the excursion on foot. The valley, or rather moorland, between the
lakes, called Inversnaid, possesses little interest of any kind, except
that General Wolfe, who fell on the heights of Abraham, commanded
the old fortress now in ruins, where he was a subaltern, and that one of
our American friends here met with a memorable adventure. This
tract, as well as the whole region about Loch Lomond, including the
mountain and the lake, belongs to the Duke of Montrose. It is occu
pied by shepherds, and rents for £300 a year. A novel kind of sledge
was here observed, which consists of two shafts like those of a one-
horse wagon, but longer and larger, dropped upon the ground behind
and drawn after the team. The driver rides postillion. It is a rude
article, with a great deal of friction, and seems to possess no other
merit, than a capability of being used where nothing else could.
An eminence in the road, at the distance of five miles from the
shore of Loch Lomond, afforded us the first view of Loch Katrine, a
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moderate both in point of altitude and boldness, when contrasted with
those which had already been seen. The first feature that arrested
attention, was the peculiar complexion ofthe water, which is cerulean,
and differs several shades from that of the other Scottish lakes. Its
hue is probably modified by the verdure upon the shores, as well as
by the geological structure of its bed, in which there is little or no
mud. Like some of our own pellucid waters, it is a Naiad of the
purest kind, sleeping on coral and crystal couches. Its blue tinge
was doubtless in some degree heightened by the distance whence it
was first descried, as well as by the deep azure of the skies after the
late storm
Hastening to the shore, we waited some time for the oarsmen, who
accompanied us from Loch Lomond, to bring out their boat from be
hind a little promontory, which for aught I know, was the very place
where Rob Roy and Ellen Douglas used to hide their canoes. There
is no house within several miles of the landing. The only building
of any kind is a small temporary hut, of rude construction, serving as
a poor shelter in case of rain. As this lake has become a fashiona
ble resort, one would suppose the number of travellers would justify
the expense of a boatman's house, which would relieve the oarsmen
from the trouble of walking half a dozen miles, and the tourist from
the vexation of paying for it.
At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, seven of us, including the boat's
crew embarked, and commenced a voyage to the foot of the lake, a
distance of nine miles in a south-eastern direction. Winds and waves
both conspired to accelerate our progress, and no Highland bark pro
bably ever bounded more merrily over the blue billows. The cone of
Ben-Lomond rapidly receded, and Ben-venue and Ben-an, on oppo
site sides of the outlet, came more fully in view. At the head, Glen-
gyle opens prettily from the north-west, with serrated hills forming the
lofty ramparts of the pass, in the entrance of which is a seat belong
ing to one of the descendants of Rob Roy M'Gregor. The width of
the lake is about two miles, with deeply indented shores, which are
generally bold and romantic, exhibiting occasionally scattered houses
and patches of cultivation, particularly on the north-eastern borders.
Our course was nearest the south-western side, touching at one little
desolate promontory, to exchange boats, and often approaching so
close, as to enable us to examine the scanty growth upon the margin.
In about two hours from the time of embarkation, we reached El
len's Island, near the outlet ; and half encircling the green eminence,
rising beautifully from the bosom of the lake, our Highland mariners
made a port in the identical little bay, where the far-famed heroine

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was wont to moor her skiff fastening it to an oak, which still hangs its
aged arms over the flood. This miniature harbour is also signalized,
as the place where Helen Stewart cut off the head of one of Crom
well's soldiers. As the story goes, all the women and children fled
-hither for refuge. After a decisive victory, one ofthe veterans ofthe
Protector attempted to swim to the island for a boat, with an inten
tion of pillaging and laying waste the asylum ; but as he approached
the shore the above mentioned heroine, stepped from her ambuscade,
and with one stroke of her dirk decapitated the marauder, thus rescu-
? ing her narrow dominion with its tenants from destruction.
The Island is small and rises perhaps fifty feet above the water. It
rests on a basis of granite, covered with a thin coat of earth, through
which the rocks occasionally appear, and which affords scanty nutri
ment to a growth of oak, birch and mountain ash. The red berries
of the latter hung gracefully over the cliffs, in many places shaded
with brown heath. A winding pathway leads to the summit, which is
beautifully tufted, and affords a charming view of the surrounding hills
and waters.
In a little secluded copse near the top stands Ellen's Bower, fashion
ed exactly according to the description of the same object in the Lady
of the Lake. Those who are curious to form a minute and accurate
image of it, have only to turn to that picture. The exterior is com
posed of unhewn logs or sticks of fir, fantastically arranged, with a
thatched, moss-covered roof, and skins of beasts converted into semi-
transparent parchment for windows. Every thing within is in rustic
style. A living aspen grows in the centre, and supports the ceiling.
Upon its branches hangs a great variety of ancient armour, with tro
phies of the chase. >• Here may be seen the Lochaber axe, Rob Roy's
dirk, and sundry other curiosities. A table strewed with leaves extends
nearly the whole length ofthe bower. The walls are hung with shields,
and the skins of various animals. Chairs and sofas woven of osiers
fill the apartment. The chimney is formed of sticks, and the head of
a stag with his branching horns decorates the mantlepiece. Half an
hour was passed in lolling upon Ellen's sofas, and in examining her
domestic arrangements.
Bidding a lingering farewell to the sweet little island, we again em
barked and soon completed the residue of our voyage. The foot of
Loch Katrine is very romantic and beautiful. Innumerable hills of mode
rate elevation raise their gray, pointed peaks around and above a deeply
wooded glen, opening towards the south-east and forming the outlet of
the lake. The highest of these are Ben-venue and Ben-an rising on
each side of the pass. Both are fine mountains, something like two

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thousand feet in height, with naked masses of granite overhanging
wild and woody bases. From the great number of peaks or pikes
which are crowded into this narrow district, it has been called the
Trosachs, or bristled region. The lake is here reduced to less than
half a mile in width, sheltered on all sides from the winds by high
promontories, jutting so far into the water, as to appear like a group
of islands.
Towards the north- west, the eye looks up the glen of Strathgartney,
in which tradition says that the gray charger of Fitz-James fell. The
boatman gravely informed us, that his bones are to be seen to this day !
Such stories, and the sketches of certain topographers, have afforded
us an infinite fund of amusement. The foremost of these is " John
Knox, Esq." certainly not a reformer, although a very bold innovator
upon the King's English. His prose has all the musical bombast of
Ossian, without a redeeming particle of his spirit ; and the swells of
his periods run higher than the waves of the Scottish lakes. Take,
for example, the following graphic delineation of a hill at the foot of
Loch Katrine : — " Turning to the north, we see the gray head of
thunder-splintered Ben-an, rising above the green copsewood ; and
we trace upon the right the course of a mountain torrent, over-hung
with wood, which falls in many a thundering cascade, till reaching the
farm-houses, it passes quietly to Loch Achray. Though his crest is
cleft with lightning he listens to the crash of thunder, and the warring
winds, without dismay ; and exposing his bare forehead to the tem
pest's shock, grimly guards the pass, like a veteran gray in arms !"
These successive peals of thunder and lightning, which surpass the
volleys of Peter Quince and Nick Bottom, are quoted in the two prin
cipal " Pleasure Tours" through Scotland, with a well-turned compli
ment to the author, by printing his name in capitals, and by lauding
his " spirited description of scenery." Surely if such rant could find
a sale, and could please the public taste in our country, it might be
asked with emphasis, " who reads an American book ?"
But I forget that the object of my tour, as well as the wish of my
heart, is to be pleased, not to cavil ; and in the language of Sterne, I
pity the man who travels from Dan to Beersheba, merely for the sake
of venting his spleen and of finding fault. Those who go abroad with
such feelings would manifest much more wisdom in remaining at home ;
for in every country, a captious spirit may pick up enough to sour the
temper and furnish subjects of complaint. Happy is the tourist who
looks upon new scenes with more complacency, adopting the maxim of
the great moral poet,
" Laugh where you must — be candid where you can."

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 305
To return from this digression, into which the gray steed of Fitz
james heedlessly carried me : — we landed at the foot of Loch Kat
rine, and after walking a mile and a half reached Stewart's hotel.
Here an hour was passed in taking a parting view of the Trosachs, in
searching a folio album for the names of our friends, and in takino-
some refreshment after the fatigues of the day. At 6 o'clock a vehi
cle was chartered to take us to Callander. Our route lay through the
former dominions of Rhoderick Dhu ; by Lochs Achray and Venna-
char ; at the base of Ben-Ledi ; over the Brig of Turk ; and along
the banks of the Teith : but night came on too soon after our depar
ture from the hotel, to afford us a fair view of the scenery upon the
road. The outlines of Ben-Ledi were dimly visible ;. but no bale-fire
flashed upon its brow : no tartans, nor bonnets, nor spears started
from the heath, at the signal of the Highland whistle : and no bairns
were seen scouring " the Wood of Lamentation" or the shores ofthe
lake, mounted upon the wizard Kelpie.* Some of these are objects
of "second sight," and can alone be kenned by gifted seers.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, we arrived at Callander, standing at
the southern verge of the Highlands, our tour through which here ter
minated, having extended several hundred miles, and occupied ten
days. It was in all respects satisfactory, contributing not only to tem
porary amusement, but to a more accurate knowledge of a large and
interesting portion of Scotland.

* This local superstition may need some illustration. The Kelpie is an evil
spirit of the water, who appears in the shape of a horse. On one occasion he is
said to have been seen at the "Wood of Lamentation, on the borders of Loch Ven-
nachar, assuming for the time being, the guise of a gray Highland pony. Some
half a dozen children in sport clambered upon his back, when he plunged into
the lake, and all save one were drowned.

39

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LETTER XXVII.
RIDE TO STIRLING  ROMAN ENCAMPMENT  CASTLE OF DOUNE  DUK-
BLANE — STIRLING  FIELD OF BANNOCKBURN  JUNCTION CANAL 
GLASGOW. October, 1825.
On the 11th, we took a post-chaise for Stirling, eighteen miles
from Callander. In the suburbs of the town, a walk of half a mile
was taken through the rain and wet grass, for the purpose of looking
at the Roman Encampment, which is reckoned among the first remains
of antiquity in Great-Britain. It consists of a semi-circular mound,
elevated ten or twelve feet above the plain, and enclosing an area of
several acres between it and the river Teith, on the left bank of which
it is situated. The circumvallation is composed of stone and covered
with turf, which at present supports a growth of large forest trees. A
footpath winds along on the summit, commanding a beautiful view of
the bold, rapid river, the intermediate plain, and the grove of oak at
the north-western extremity. The porches and fences of a handsome
seat in the vicinity are antique, designed to correspond with this curi
ous relic of other ages.
Our ride this morning extended through a fertile, agricultural dis
trict, forming an agreeable contrast to the sterility of the Highlands,
which had just been left behind. A house was passed, on the right
of the road, called Cambus More, where Sir Walter Scott spent seve
ral years of his early life, and imbibed his taste for natural scenery. It
is deeply embosomed in woods, and its environs are extremely rural.
A little farther on is Lanrick Castle, the seat of Sir, Evan Murray
M'Gregor, the chieftain ofthe clan of that name. It is prettily situa
ted on the bank ofthe Teith, surrounded by hills and woods, with the
distant view of a monument erected to the memory of one of the fa
mily. At the village of Doune we stopped an hour, and visited the ruins
of the Castle, standing on an eminence at the junction of the Teith and
Ardoch, which flow close under the walls. The situation of the an
cient fortress is one of the most pleasant I have seen, commanding
from the grass-grown ramparts and crumbling tower a wide prospect
of both streams, as well as of the little village with a Gothic church
rising in the midst. It was once a place of great strength, the walls
being ten feet thick, strongly cemented. Home, author of the
tragedy of Douglas, a royal volunteer in the Rebellion of 1745, was

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taken a prisoner by M'Gregor of Glengyle, and confined in its dun
geon. Here also Queen Mary had a hunting-lodge and a suite of
apartments, over which a talkative female conducted us. The Castle
at present belongs to the Earl of Moray, who lives in the vicinity, and
derives from it one of his titles.
Not far from this, we had a glimpse of Blair Drummond, formerly
the seat of Lord Karnes, author pf Elements of Criticism. It was a
subject of regret, that no opportunity presented of examining the resi
dence of a writer, whose excellent work had afforded me so much in
struction and pleasure. Some of the principles of his taste are said to
have been exemplified in the embellishments of his rural situation, which
now belongs to Henry Home Drummond, member of parliament.
Curiosity induced us to ride two miles out of our way, for the pur
pose of visiting Dunblane, which stands upon the river Allan, a branch
of the Forth. It is a populous, but dirty place, with nothing interest
ing about it, except the ruins of the large Cathedral, situated upon the
high and woody banks of the stream murmuring by, and furnishing a
pretty promenade in summer. The tenants of the church-yard appear
to out-number the present residents of the town. Before the Refor
mation, Dunblane was the seat of ecclesiastical power, and a place of
much more importance than it now is. As " the lofty Ben-Lomond"
was veiled in clouds, and no traces of " the charming young Jessy"
could be found, our stay was hmited to half an hour. The garrulous
old sexton informed us, that the popular song alluded to, was founded
in fact.
Re-crossing the Allan, we pursued our journey with all convenient
despatch. Soon after passing Craig Forth, a high and romantic hill
on the bank of the river, a distant view of Stirling Castle was obtained,
and it continued in sight till our arrival in the town. Its resemblance
to that of Edinburgh struck us instantly. The similarity is increased
by the general character ofthe scenery, but especially by Abbey Crag,
which is very like that of Salisbury. The town also is built in
much the same manner as the old part of Edinburgh, being situated
on a declivity sloping from the Castle at the western end, towards the
Forth. It has, however, a less magnificent appearance, as the houses
are not so lofty and more scattered, large hanging gardens often inter
vening between the blocks.
The weather was too inclement to permit us to see much of the
place on the afternoon of our arrival. Early the next morning, we
visited the Castle, which is elevated two hundred and fifty feet above
the beautiful plain spreading at its base. The prospect from the para
pet is one ofthe richest in Scotland. Arthur's Seat was recognized

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as an old acquaintance towards the south-east. In a clear atmosphere
the Castle of Edinburgh may be distinctly seen. The Forth is traced
for many miles east and west of the town, winding in silver mazes
through a broad, fertile, and verdant meadow, highly cultivated, and
ornamented occasionally with copses of trees. It pursues a very cir
cuitous route, and is here a large, majestic river. On one of the pen
insulas just below the town, stand the ruins of Cambus-Kenneth Ab
bey, once a place of importance, but now merely serving to give
variety to the scenery. Dumiat and other ranges of the Ochils rise to
the north ; and Craig Forth swells from the bosom of the charming
vale extending towards the west. In this direction, the distant tops of
Ben-Ledi and Ben-Lomond may be seen.
The castle commands a view of many fields, ¦ which were once
drenched with blood, and are celebrated in Scottish story. To the
north-west is Sheriff-Muir on which a bloody action took place in the
rebellion of 1715. To the south-east is Falkirk, where Edward I. of
England defeated the Scots, and where Wallace induced Bruce to join
his countrymen, by a conference held across an intervening stream.
Towards the south, and only two miles distant, the field of Bannock-
burn, the celebrated arena on which the liberties of Scotland were
achieved, is in full view ; and on the banks of the Forth, close under the
Walls ofthe Castle, Wallace fought a great battle with the English, in
which he was victorious and established his fame. The reason why so
many decisive engagements occurred in this vicinity is found in the
fact, that Stirling was once the seat of regal power, and the Castle was
reckoned the key to the country. In all wars, civil as well as foreign,
its possession was obstinately disputed.
At present it appears to be scarcely worth a contest, although it is
one of the places where the English by the articles of union between
the two countries are obliged to keep up a garrison. There are few
men, and the jackdaws, which build in the cliffs, appear to be by far
the most numerous class of tenants. The buildings are antique, and
ornamented with grotesque devices. A subaltern conducted us through
the several apartments. In one of them James I. received the rite of
baptism. A great feast was given oh the occasion, at which French
buffoons were introduced, and caused mortal offence to some of the
guests. Darnley, the father of the regal boy, refused to attend, while
Bothwell, the paramour of Mary, was present, clad in garments wrought
by her own hand. Another room was pointed out to us, in which
James II. stabbed Douglas in a treacherous manner, after having in
vited him to his apartment. Near the base ofthe cliff, there is a green
artificial mound, composed of concentric circles with a throne of turf

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in the centre, where it is said James IV. used to celebrate his tilts and
tournaments. To this arena he was fond of resorting, forgetting the
cares of empire, to which his disposition much less inclined than to
some romantic adventure. In an opposite direction, and immediately
under the walls, is Gowling Hill, on which the Duke of Albany and
the Earl of Lennox, with many others, were beheaded. In the time
of the rebellion it was occupied by a party of Highlanders, who madly
attempted to storm the Castle.
On Our way back to the hotel, we visited Gray Friar's Church, a
venerable pile erected by James V. and in which James VI. was
crowned. In the time of Cromwell, General Monk planted his batte
ries, designed to operate against the Castle, in the cemetery of this
church, and the top of the edifice still bears marks of shot fired from
the garrison. The buildings which go by the names of the Argyle and
Marr's houses, 'in this part ofthe town, are extremely antique and gro
tesque in appearance, bearing a number of quaint inscriptions. Cu
riosity led us to call at the hospital founded by Robert Spittal, tailor
to James IV. and exhibiting in front a pair of shears, as the insignia of
his profession.
Stirling lays claim to an antiquity, " whereof the memory of man
runneth not to the contrary." It has at present a population of about
7000, engaged in manufactures, and a trade carried on down the
Forth, which is navigable for small vessels. There are seven churches,
a handsome Athenaeum, and a large number of charitable institutions.
Many new houses are going up in the western end of the town, although
generally speaking it appears to be on the decline, having lost much of
its relative importance by the growth of Edinburgh and other places.
At 1 1 o'clock seats were engaged in the Glasgow coach ; and we
walked on two or three miles to examine the' field of Bannockburn.
Though the day was fine, the muddiness of the road almost made us
repent of our curiosity. The route led through St. Ninian, a large
village, where the church, since rebuilt, was blown up in the wars of
Cromwell. Here an old man who spoke broad Scotch, and whose
memory carried him back through a lapse of sixty years, was taken as
a guide to conduct us over the far-famed field.
The whole ground for the distance of a mile after leaving St. Ninian
is consecrated by the incidents ofthe celebrated battle ; but the prin
cipal scenes of Scottish chivalry is a mile south of the village. By
the side of a by-path leading over a gentle eminence, a rock is
shown with a hole or socket six inches deep, in which it is said the
staff of Bruce's banner was planted. The tradition is by no means
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it would therefore be a very proper rallying point. On this height
Bruce's army amounting to about 30,000, was formed. The English
troops, varying according to different accounts from 100,000 to 300,000,
and commanded in person by Edward II. occupied the base of a declivity,
distant perhaps two hundred yards. Between the positions spreads a
little sheet of water or pool, with low marshy borders, out of which
issues a burn, giving name to the field. In this fen, deep pits had been
dug by the Scots, and covered with grass. The English cavalry,
rushing heedlessly forward, plunged in and thousands of them pe
rished. This great national battle was fought on the 24th June, 1314. Its
event is well known. The turning points were the above mentioned
stratagem, and the descent from a neighbouring hill of a multitude of
women in odd costumes, and with hideous yells, leading the English
army to believe, that the Scots had a large reinforcement. After the
lapse of so many centuries, it will readily be supposed that not many
memorials of the terrible conflict remain. All except what the histo
rian has recorded, is lost in a faint twilight of tradition. A spot was
pointed out to us, shaded by a circular copse of elms, where it is said
thirteen English earls were interred ; as also the precise place where
Edward stood, and the route he pursued after having been driven from
the field. Gold rings, helmets, spears, and other relics are reported
to have been found on the borders of the morass. But the traveller
is at liberty to believe just as much of these stories as he chooses.
The old guide, drawing a very natural inference from the collision of
such forces, informed us that " the burn ran blude on that day." The
muse of Burns has imparted scarcely less celebrity and glory to the
field, than the sword of Bruce. It is said he composed his popular
song, while riding with a friend through a solitary forest, in the midst
of a violent thunder-storm. I do not recollect his letters to Thompson
on the subject, except that he peremptorily refused to strike out the
epithet " gory," contending it was worth all the rest of the poem.
We had time for a complete survey of the field, and to make a full
memorandum of its features before the arrival of the coach, which
here took us up, and after carrying us nine miles through a pleasant,
well cultivated district, sprinkled with villages, and watered by the
Carron, set us down at Castle Cary, a cluster of houses on the bank
of the Junction Canal. An hour spent in waiting for the arrival of
the packet-boat, afforded us an opportunity of examining the construc
tion of the canal and of the four locks at this point. The average
width of the channel at top is fifty feet, and the depth nine feet. Small
vessels pass through from the Clyde to the Forth. At Falkirk the

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Union Canal from Edinburgh meets the Junction Canal, connecting
the two great cities, as well as the two principal friths of Scotland, by
artificial navigation. The distance from Edinburgh to Glasgow by
this route is sixty-one miles, and on both canals there are twenty locks
ofthe ordinary lift and construction. A supply of water on the sum
mit level is obtained from an artificial reservoir of eighty acres.
At 4 in the afternoon the packet arrived, and we embarked among
the hundred passengers already on board of a boat nine feet wide, and
of the ordinary length, drawn by three horses at the rate of four miles
the hour. The after cabin is well finished, and furnished with a small
library, maps, and newspapers. This apartment is comfortable. Ad
joining is a room appropriated to eating and drinking It was crowd
ed to overflowing with whiskey-drinkers, who swallowed mutchkin after
mutchkin, which is a small measure answering nearly to the English
gill. Among the crowd of topers was one blooming lassie, whose
countenance manifested an anxiety to restrain the indulgence of the
gentleman who accompanied her. In the forward cabin was another
multitude huddled promiscuously together, and in an adjoining room a
party of Highlanders, by themselves, circulating the cup and jabbering
Gaelic. There is a degree of coldness between the inhabitants ofthe two
great districts of Scotland, and they are not fond of mingling together.
On board of all the packet boats in Europe, there are two kinds of pas
sengers, who pay different prices, answering to the cabin and steerage
in ships. The fare for a passage forward is but about half as much as
for one in the after cabin, and the multitude never pass the line of
separation. In the sixteen miles of artificial navigation which we traversed,
there is very little either in the work itself or on its borders deserving
of particular notice. The town of Kilsyth is prettily situated at a
little distance from the northern bank ; and on either side are collieries,
with rail-roads, which supply a portion of the trade on the canal. But
although this would seem to be the principal commercial channel
across the country, it does not exhibit one tenth part of the business
and active bustle, which are observed at any point on the Erie Canal.
The freight-boats are clumsy and awkwardly managed in comparison
with those of the United States.
At 8 o'clock in the evening we reached Port Dundas, and walked
thence about a mile through the rain, mud, and darkness, to Argyle-
street in Glasgow, where excellent accommodations were obtained at
the Buck's Head. This hotel had been appointed as a place of gene
ral rendezvous. Our Oxford companions had arrived before us ; as
had also our trunks, which had been forwarded from Corran Ferry.

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The remainder ofthe evening passed pleasantly in recounting our mu
tual adventures since parting in the Highlands.
On the following morning we commenced an examination of Glas
gow by paying a visit "to the Cathedral, which stands on an eminence
in the north-eastern part of the town. It is one of the few venerable
relics of antiquity, which escaped the furious zeal of Knox and his
corps of reformers, who levelled all the ecclesiastical institutions then
existing, however precious as specimens of the arts. This stately edi
fice, which is of the Gothic order, and was founded in the 1 2th century,
is 320 feet long, 60 wide, and the walls 90 feet high, above which a
steeple rises to the height of 225 feet from the ground. Its pillars and
other ornaments are massive in proportion to its dimensions. Its vault
ed roof is magnificent, and the stained windows give the interior an
air of grandeur and solemnity.
A bright, pleasant morning induced us to climb with much difficul
ty, (a part of the way by a perpendicular ladder,) to the battlements of
the western tower, for the purpose of taking a bird's-eye view of Glas
gow. Notwithstanding occasional interruptions by the volumes of
smoke rising from a town, which is the second in size in Great-Bri
tain, and which has a population of 160,000, with a great number of
manufactories, our object was accomplished, and a correct idea of the
outlines obtained. In its general aspect, in its complexion, in the con
struction of its streets, as well as in the busy, bustling commercial spi
rit which every where prevails, Glasgow much more nearly resembles
London or Liverpool than Edinburgh, or any other Scottish town that
has met our observation. It is eligibly situated on the north bank of
the Clyde, rising by a gentle declivity from the river, and extending a
mile and a half or two miles along its margin, with which the principal
streets run parallel. Numerous hills, villages, and a picturesque
country form the environs. The buildings are all stone, obtained from
a quarry in the heart of the town, and are substantially as well as neat
ly constructed, being generally three and four stories high. Some of
the streets and squares are magnificent, exhibiting like the new part of
Edinburgh not a single diminutive or mean structure. It possesses,
however, little of that classical ornament, elegance, and splendour
which.characterise the metropolis ofthe country.
The Clyde is a fine river, nearly equalling the Thames in breadth,
and sweeping down with a bold, rapid current, though of moderate
depth. Its waters are turbid and much discoloured opposite the town,
which greatly injure its appearance. It passes under three bridges,
connecting Glasgow with Gorbals on the southern shore. None of
these structures can boast of much grandeur or elegance. The upper

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one is a rude fabric of wood, designed for foot-passengers ; and the
other two are substantially built of stone. A handsome bridge was
commenced many years ago ; but a sudden flood swept it away before
it was completed, and the heavy loss discouraged a renewal of the un
dertaking. Having fixed the general features of the town in our minds, we de
scended from our aerial station, and entered upon an examination more
in detail. The Royal Infirmary, standing at the head of High-street,
near the Cathedral, is a fine building, and from its position appears to
great advantage. It is surmounted by a dome, which is not more or
namental than useful in lighting the institution. There are several
handsome churches in this vicinity, the lofty spires of which give an
imposing aspect to the town.
At twelve o'clock we paid a visit to the College, though under the
disadvantage of strangers, without a letter of introduction. In age,
this institution ranks next to that of St. Andrew's, having been found
ed as early as the middle of the 15th century. The edifice stands on
High-street, is two stories high, and three hundred feet in front, but
does not show to any advantage, being scarcely distinguishable from
the other buildings in the block. It is ornamented with antique towers
upon the corners, which do not rise even so high as the walls. The
gate-ways lead into the courts, which have nothing to recommend
them in point of beauty. Round these are the lecture rooms, the
houses of the officers, and the apartments of the scholars.
The University has at present a library of 40,000 volumes, twenty
Professors, and from 12 to 1500 students, several of whom were ob
served treading the courts with sophomoric dignity, clad in an odd red
gown or cloak, which is the collegiate dress, but which appears rather
as an emblem of Mars than of Minerva. This institution has produ
ced its full share of scholars, who have arrived at eminence in the se
veral departments of science and literature. Among these may be
mentioned Simpson, the mathematician, and Reid, author of an inge
nious system of metaphysics. Sir John More, who fell in the wars of
the Peninsula, and whose fame has been perpetuated by the beautiful
elegy of Wolfe, was a native of Glasgow, and received his'education
at this school. A colossal statue of him adorns one of the public
squares. At the extremity of the inner court, and on the hither side of a gar
den of ten acres, is the Hunterian Museum, which was bequeathed to
the University by the late Dr. William Hunter, with a donation of
£8000, to defray the expenses of a building for its reception. The
edifice is spacious and handsome, being two stories besides the base-
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ment, with rotundas on both floors, lighted by a dome. From the
windows there is a charming view into the garden, planted with shrub
bery and trees, and designed as a promenade for the students. The
rooms are ornamented with a suitable proportion of statuary and paint
ing, among which are likenesses of the founder, taken from a cast
after death, a head of Newton, and a portrait of Harvey, who discover
ed the circulation of the blood. In the hall is suspended the old ban
ner used by the Covenanters in the battle at Bothwell Bridge.
The articles of the Museum are numerous and in a fine state of
preservation. One of the apartments in the lower story is appropria
ted almost entirely to the anatomical preparations, which belonged to
the founder, and which are extremely valuable. To these are added
the extensive collections in conchology and entomology, made by the
late Dr. Fothergill. The cabinet of coins is said to be the most com
plete in Great-Britain ; and the mineralogical specimens are both rich
and well arranged. There is a select library in the upper story, con
taining many rare books and manuscripts. Among the latter are au
tograph letters from Gen. Washington and Dr. Franklin ; as also the
original subscription paper for raising a fund, to enable Dr. Priestly to
prosecute his investigation of the gases.
An Observatory is attached to the University, which it was our
wish to visit, chiefly for the purpose of seeing a large reflecting tele
scope, constructed by Herschel. A walk towards the building, stand
ing eastward of the garden, had already been commenced, when the
guide informed us, that there was no admittance, except by special
permission of professor Cooper, with whom none of our party had the
honour of an acquaintance. A spirit of liberality and accommodation
towards strangers certainly did not appear to prevail to a very great
degree among the subordinate officers of the University. The super
intendent of the Museum was monosyllabic in his replies to our inqui
ries, and nothing was seen which was not paid for.
A very different spirit is manifested at the Tontine Coffee House,
which was visited in the course of the day. Here is a large, and con
venient room, furnished with periodicals, newspapers, maps, charts,
and shipping-lists, to which strangers have free access. The Town
Hall, adjoining the Tontine, is a chaste and elegant edifice. In front
of it stands an equestrian statue of William III. Just below, on the
same street, there is a town clock, the face of which is illuminated at
night by a lamp placed in a reflector. Such a convenience in a large
city seems to be worthy of imitation.
Leaving High-street and Trongate, we took a turn through the
Green, which is a large public square, in the south-eastern part of the

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city, containing 133 acres, and stretching along the right bank of the
Clyde. The blocks of houses facing it are among the handsomest in
the town. At one corner the new gaol and public offices are situated,
presenting a magnificent front, richly ornamented with Corinthian pil
lars. Near the centre of the Green stands a pillar 140 feet high, in
memory of Lord Nelson. His naval victories are engraven upon the
quadrangular base. It was struck by lightning soon after it was erect
ed, and traces of the cleft are still discernible.
A walk of something more than a mile along the bank of the Clyde,
by the new and beautiful Roman Catholic Church, the bridges, and
quays, to the western extremity of the town, and thence back to the
hotel by another route, completed our tour of observation for the day.
Glasgow has no docks for its shipping. The vessels all lie side by
side along the straight artificial bank of the river, in which the tide
rises to the height of eight feet, permitting schooners and small brigs
to ascend with cargoes. Much of the craft is employed in the coal-
trade. Some of the vessels were discharging freights of cotton, su
gar, and molasses. There are about fifty steam-boats belonging to this
port, which are all moored at the same quay, forming a sable fleet,
plying to every part of the kingdom. The first experiment in steam
navigation in Europe was made upon the waters of the Clyde. In the
course of our rambles through this part of the town, a street was ob
served which bears the name of Washington, and on which stands the
Washington Hotel. Such a compliment, trifling as it may be in itself,
manifests a feeling of liberality towards our country, and a respect
for the character of its great benefactor.
In the evening we attended the theatre, partly for the purpose of ex
amining the house, and partly to hear Miss Stephens sing. This edi
fice ranks among the most magnificent of the public buildings in
Glasgow. It stands upon Queen-street, and was erected twenty years
ago, at an expense of $80,000. It is considered the most splendid
of the provincial theatres. The interior is elegantly finished and fur
nished, being sufficiently spacious to accommodate fifteen hundred or
two thousand persons, although scarcely one-fourth of that number
usually attend, as the Scotch are not a play-going people. Much
taste is displayed in the scenery and embellishments of the stage. The
drop-scene presents a rich view on the shores of Loch Lomond.
There was a small, but genteel audience, exhibiting few peculiarities
to distinguish it from a similar assemblage of persons in New- York.
Miss Stephens who has made some noise in the world, and found ad
mirers among the nobility, is pretty and possesses musical talents
above mediocrity. She was tolerably well supported by the rest of

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the company ; but the drama for the evening — " the Slave" — is such
an unnatural piece, as to be uninteresting, however well it may be
performed. On our return to the hotel, we had the satisfaction to find our New-
England friends, who had parted with us at Loch Linnhe, safely arri
ved, after many hair-breadth escapes, from their excursion to the Island
of Staffa. They gave frightful accounts of the terrors of the seas,
and of their own adventures, upon the western coast of Scotland, at
this tempestuous season. A part of their voyage among the Hebrides
was performed in an open cock-boat, exposed to the united violence
of winds and waves, with a crew who were willing to risk life for mo
ney, and whose native temerity was increased by liberal potations of
whiskey. Wo betide the traveller, who too late finds his mistake in
having committed himself to such hands.

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LETTER XXVIII.
EXCURSION TO AYRSHIRE— KILMARNOCK  IRVINE  EARLY ASSOCIATES
AND FRIENDS OF ROBERT BURNS  AYR  BURNS' COTTAGE  MAUSO
LEUM  KIRK ALLOWAY  BANKS OF DOON. October, 1825.
Reserving other objects of interest in and about Glasgow for a
second visit, we set out on the 14th, to make an excursion through
Ayrshire. The route to Kilmarnock passes through the populous
village of Gorbals, on the left bank of the Clyde ; and thence to
Langside, where a great battle was fought, fatal to the partisans of
Mary Queen of Scots. She stood upon a neighbouring eminence,
spectatress of the fight, and witnessed the defeat of her arms, on
which hung her future hopes and fortunes. In retreating from the
scene of action, she fell into the hands of two barbarous rustics, who
were about to mow her down with their scythes, like a flower of the
field ; but she eluded their brutal violence, and was destined to expe
rience a fate still more tragic.
Another pretty eminence was pointed out to us, which is less heroic
and elevated in its associations. It is crowned with a handsome coun
try-seat, which was purchased by an old woman of Glasgow, who
made her money by selling tripe. But the envious multitude whom
she left behind dissolved her dreams of romance, and poisoned the
sweets of retirement, by fixing upon her residence the unpoetical name
of Tripe Hill.
At 10 o'clock we arrived at Kilmarnock, a large, well built town,
containing a population of 10,000, chiefly employed in the manufac
ture of plaids and carpets. Many new buildings are going up, and it
appears to be a thriving place. The first edition of Burns' Poem^
was here published, and his muse has imparted an interest to some of
its localities. But the weather was too unpleasant to permit us to examine
them at present, and a post-chaise was therefore employed to take us
immediately to Irvine. The first object of attention after our arrival
was to find the friends of my companion, and deliver the letters of in
troduction, which he had taken from his family in New-York. This
anxious, but agreeable duty was soon performed ; and in a few hours,
we found ourselves almost at home, encircled by warm hearts, kind
looks, and a generous hospitality. I was happy to feel myself some
thing more than a mere spectator of a scene, so strongly illustrative
of the character of our country, which furnishes beyond that of any

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other, striking instances of what may be termed the romance of real
life. In this point of view, I may be pardoned for alluding to circum
stances, which delicacy towards individuals would otherwise restrain
me from making public.
Among the crowd of emigrants from Scotland, as well as from
other parts of Europe, to the wilds of America, soon after the Revo
lution, was an adventurous boy, who embarked without knowing pre
cisely what was his object, or where he should land. After traversing
the banks of the St. Lawrence and the shores of Lake Ontario, he at
length found his way to New-York, without any of those flattering
prospects, which the young imagination is prone to paint in distant re
gions. Here, however, enterprise, industry, and success in business
gave him fortune and friends ; and he is now sending back his children
one after another to the place of his nativity, to enjoy the society,
gladden the heart, and receive the benediction of his aged parent.
The incidents of such a story may not be entirely new or peculiar ;
but they are certainly interesting, furnishing a stronger illustration of the
advantages of our country to an emigrant of suitable character, than
a volume of comments — especially such a volume as Fearon or Faux,
or any one of that race has written.
Paradoxical as it may seem, the first night passed in the circle of
my companion's relatives, and I hope it may be added, of my friends,
did more to make me homesick, than all the solitary hours we have
spent among strangers, in traversing wilds, climbing mountains, and
navigating lakes. Numerous objects around us, from the features of
living faces, to the portraits and other memorials of affection that de
corated the walls, awakened a train of feelings, which in spite of pre
sent enjoyments would bear our hearts to a still nearer circle beyond
the Atlantic, and seek for gratifications amidst the endearments of
home. Every thing, however, which hospitality and unaffected kind
ness could effect, was done to make us happy ; and amidst a conver
sation reaching back to the incidents of by-gone years, our first eve
ning at Irvine was protracted to a late hour — a prelude of the round
of social pleasures, which continued for ten days.
Next morning the principal lawyer in the town, to whom a letter
from New- York had been delivered the preceding evening, called and
invited us to walk with him. He was the school-fellow, playmate, and
early friend of my companion's father ; and this circumstance, as well
as his native frankness of manners and warm-hearted hospitality, at
once removed all formalities, and made us feel like old acquaintances.
He first conducted us to a one-story, low-roofed building, which was
once an academy, where he and his American friend passed many

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years together in acquiring the rudiments of education. The self
same little bell, which was wont to quicken their unwilling pace and
summon them to the daily task, still tinkles in the tiny balcony ; but it
is now used for calling together a company of weavers, who occupy
the building, and are employed in manufacturing more substantial fa
brics, than the gossamer webs of logic and metaphysics. For a mo
ment they suspended the music of the shuttle, and seemed not a little
surprised, that the antique fire-place and the former throne of the vil
lage master could present any attractions to strangers.
From the school-house, our friend took us to his mansion,-in the
immediate vicinity, which is pleasantly situated, and is among the
most substantial and handsomest in the town. The front windows of
the drawing-room on the second floor look out upon the village
church, standing upon a gentle eminence near by, and upon the dis
tant ruins of a feudal castle, which was the birth-place of Robert
Bruce, and which at present belongs to the celebrated Lord Cochrane,
who is a native of Ayrshire. From the garden on the other side of
the mansion, there is a fine view of the insulated rock of Ailsa,
rising like a white pyramid to the height of 1100 feet, from the bo
som of the Irish sea ; of the mountains on the large island of Arran,
at the distance of twenty miles to the south-west ; and of the top of
Ben Lomond towards, the north. The town of Irvine, pleasantly situ
ated on a river of the same name, with its harbour, shipping, and an
extensive prospect of the sea, is also visible from this point.
Our friend's residence is finished and furnished in the usual style of
the better kind of houses in Scotland, with every thing that can con
duce to substantial comfort or supply an " elegant sufficiency." Here
we were presented to the family of the proprietor, consisting of an
agreeable lady, and a son, who is an only child and of the same pro
fession with his father. Both of them entered at once into our feel
ings, and warmly seconded that unreserved hospitality, which in Scot
land sets no bounds to acts of kindness towards strangers. The little
circle seemed to think of nothing else, but how they could make us
forget that we were on a foreign shore, and what they could do to ren
der our visit pleasant.
This first call resulted in an invitation to breakfast and dinner the
next day, which was accepted though not without some hesitation at
drawing so heavily upon their civilities at the outset. But a Scottish
ear refuses to listen to apologies ; and our visit corpmenced at 9 o'clock
on Sunday morning. After partaking of a bountiful breakfast, upon
which the people of this country lay almost as much stress as upon
dinner, and which usually presents as great a variety as is seen on an

320 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
American table, we all went to kirk together, and heard a good ser
mon" from the village parson.
Notwithstanding the severity of the wind and rain, which beat inces
santly in one of those violent storms, not uncommon upon the west
ern coast of Scotland at this season, the population of Irvine appear
ed to turn out en masse, to attend church, headed by the government
ofthe parish bearing the Lochaber axe, the staff, and other insignia of
office. The attendance was probably more general, in consequence
ofthe approaching observance of one ofthe sacred rites ofthe church,
recurring only once in six months, and from which no person can be
absent without a sufficient apology, or a forfeiture of what is termed
a token, consisting of a metallic plate with the name of the parish en
graven upon it. Not less than a dozen sermons, and addresses of dif
ferent kinds were delivered during the week of our visit, which is pe
culiarly a season of piety.
Besides the edification which so many discourses at least ought to
have afforded us, they furnished a favourable opportunity of ascertain
ing the government, doctrine, and discipline of the Kirk of Scotland,
which is the established religion of the country. . As not only a simi
lar kind of ecclesiastical government prevails among the Presbyterians
of the United States, but as the emigrants from Scotland have trans
ported their tenets and their forms of worship along with them, it is
unnecessary to dwell on a subject with which many of my readers are
more familiar than myself. The audience, as well as several clergy
men assembled from the neighbouring towns on this occasion, mani
fested much zeal ; and nothing was observed, to lead to the belief that
it was not a zeal according to knowledge. Intelligence is diffused
among all classes of the inhabitants, and as in New-England, contro
versial points in divinity are favourite themes of popular discussion.
After an intermission of half an hour, a lunch, and another sermon
of about twice the ordinary length of discourses from our desks, the
residue of the day was devoted to fireside comforts, rendered doubly
welcome by the inclemency of the weather without. At 5 o'clock
dinner was served up in handsome style. Two kinds of fish from the
Irvine and the Ayr .were among the dishes : the rest was very similar
to what had been observed at other genteel tables in Scotland, and has
already been described. " The mountain dew of Arran" — a poetical
name for whiskey made in that Island — is of a peculiar quality, consi
dered to be the best in the world.
But not to lay too much stress upon the most trifling part of our
enjoyments : — several of the citizens of Irvine were guests at the social
board; and in the midst of an agreeable conversation, the evening

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 321
glided away with uncounted hours till 1 1 o'clock. In the meantime
tea was brought in ; and before leaving, the cloth was spread for a
cold supper, making the fifth time we had been invited to the table in
the course of the day. Such is a specimen of Scottish hospitality, which
is perhaps the most prominent trait in the national character.
On the following day, our friend walked with us through a conside
rable part of the town to the harbour, near the mouth of the river, for
the purpose of examining a curious machine, to draw vessels on shore,
in making repairs, superseding in some measure the use of the dry-
dock. A strong chain is attached to parallel timbers placed like a
sled under the keel, and passes over a windlass possessing a power
much multiplied by wheels, and sufficient with the aid of levers to pull
a ship of any burden up ways moderately inclined, constructed ex
actly like those used in launching. About two hours and a half are
required for the operation. The experiment has been here fairly tried,
and is found fully to succeed.
While we were standing upon the beach, viewing the harbour, a
vessel was observed to enter the mouth of the river with most of her
sails furled, but under a strong impetus, till all at once she struck the
bottom and stopped short in an instant. The sand is so fine and
quick, that ships under full sail may run into it without injury. There
is a considerable trade carried on from this port chiefly with Ireland,
Liverpool, and the north of Scotland. Ship-building is also an im
portant branch of its business. The harbour does not seem to pos
sess many advantages, being difficult of access, and the channel shoal.
Irvine has a population of 10,000, chiefly engaged in manufactures.
The inhabitants are remarkable for their industrious habits. Not an
idler of either sex is to be seen in the streets. Besides the churches
and a large, handsome academy, the town has few public buildings.
A convenient reading and news-room has recently been opened, where
most of the periodicals and best journals are taken. Through this
channel and several good libraries, useful information is very generally
diffused among all classes of the community. The town has some
claims to a literary reputation, having given birth to the poet Mont
gomery, and to Gait the novelist, as well as a temporary residence to
Robert Burns.
The shell of the house in which the latter lived was passed daily in
visiting our friends. His adventures here were exactly in character.
He took it into his head to learn the trade of flax-dresser, chiefly with
a view to make it subservient to the profits of his few paternal acres.
He and another person accordingly entered into partnership, and com
menced business in style. In the meantime a new-year came round,
vol. I. 41

322 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
and while Burns was drinking whiskey-punch with his friends, his shop
took fire and burnt up, flax, tow, and all, to the bare walls. Thus
ended that concern, and the poet took himself off.
A detail of the little incidents and social pleasures of the week,
however interesting to us, might not be so to my readers, and would
extend this sketch beyond its proper limits. We twice visited Kil-
winnie, Mount Ker, and Eglinton Castle, at the distance of three or
four miles from town, to enjoy the charming scenery in company with
our friends, and to indulge in the luxury of feelings which the associa
tions of some of these places are calculated to awaken. In one ex
cursion both the senior and junior lawyer deserted their clients, con
trary to our earnest remonstrances, for the purpose of accompanying
us to the woody banks of the Lugden, a beautiful stream which flows
through the grounds of Eglinton. It is bordered by extensive gar
dens, green-houses, parks, and promenades. Several rustic bridges
and pretty cascades add variety to the landscape. The castle
is a large substantial edifice, but the exterior is not elegant. Its pre
sent proprietor and heir to the title is now a promising school-boy at
Eton. The late Lord Eglinton expended something like £50,000 in
attempting to make a sea-port, where nature never designed there
should be one ; and the consequence was a serious embarrassment of
his estates.
We took breakfast with the physician to. his lordship, and what was
still more interesting to us, the personal friend of Robert Burns. He
is an elderly gentleman, but possesses much vivacity, pleasantry, and
cleverness. He has an agreeable family, consisting of a wife, whose
beauty when young drew forth a compliment, under a fictitious name,
in one of the poet's songs ; a handsome and accomplished daughter,
about to marry with an officer who was wounded in the battle of
Waterloo ; and a son who is a member of the Caledonian Hunt, and
a great sportsman. The latter and the companion of my travels
devoted one morning to the chase during our visit, and succeeded in
killing two or three hares. At table the conversation turned prin
cipally upon Burns, with whom both the Doctor and his lady were on
terms of intimacy. They possess many original copies of his verses,
one of which was kindly presented to my friend. The former repeat
ed an unpublished song ofthe poet, which he was so polite as to write
off for us ; he also permitted me to transcribe an original poetical
note, addressed to him by way of a masonic invitation to attend a
meeting of the lodge to which they both belonged. It was conceived
in the happiest vein of Burns' humour ; and I regret to find, after di
ligent search among my papers, that it has been mislaid. To these

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 323
numerous favours the Doctor's daughter added the loan of a volume
of poems by another personal friend of Burns, to whom the latter ad
dressed one of his finest odes, entitled an " Epistle to Davie, a bro
ther poet." si:
This volume, as also the poems of Wilson, the celebrated American:^
Ornithologist, who was a native of this part of Scotland, furnished
amusement for the few leisure hours, which a constant round of civi
lities left us. But our knowledge of "Davie, ace o' hearts," as he is
called in the ode alluded to, was not derived from his writings alone :
we saw much of the author himself, who lives in handsome style on
the main street in Irvine, blest beyond the ordinary lot of poets with a
fortune of some £20,000 left him by a wealthy relative. Our legal friend
among his other innumerable favours gave us an introduction ; and an
invitation to take tea and pass the evening was the consequence.
Saturday night was selected for the social visit. We went at an early
hour, which did not, however, prevent us from coming away late.
The veteran bard lost his wife many years ago, and his only child is a
respectable physician in Liverpool. Two young ladies from the
neighbourhood did the honours of the tea-table. They retired at an
early hour, and left the poet to make a quartetto with his three guests
at the round table, in the centre of which a decanter of old whiskey
was placed, like the sun, to diffuse light and heat through the system.
The reign of pleasure commenced with several sweet Scotch airs
on the dulcimer, which he plays with a skilful hand. Most of the
tunes were composed by himself. One of them, adapted to Burns'
song called " the Rose," is remarkable for its plaintive pathos. As a
finale to this concert, he took us into his library, where he sleeps
among his books, and played half a dozen airs on a violin made entirely
by himself, which is put together with as much ingenuity, and as high
ly polished, as any of his verses. His library is small, but select, and
the room contains a cabinet of curiosities. We were taken all over
the house, even to the garret, which the affluence of the poet enables
him to appropriate to other uses than those, to which some of his fra
ternity have been driven.
But not to enter with too much minuteness into domestic concerns :
— after, a return to our respective orbits at the round table, from
which the influence of the dulcimer and fiddle had attracted us into
eccentric mazes, the poet unlocked a bureau sacred to the muses, open
ed only on special occasions, and disclosed the literary treasures of
half a century, which other eyes had perhaps never beheld. Among
the infinite variety of manuscripts were several original letters from
Burns, addressed to his friend " Davie." They have never been pub-

324 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
lished, but are written with all the point and humour, which charac
terize the correspondency of the poet.
The evening passed pleasantly to a very late hour in a perusal of
the papers, which were submitted to our inspection, and in listening
to the recitations of the author, who, although he has reached his sixty-
fifth year, enjoys a green old age, and retains much of the spirit of
better days. His eye kindled in rehearsing the inspirations of his own
muse, and glistened with a tear while reverting to the days, when he
and Robin used to walk arm in arm, engaged in high converse. He
related many anecdotes illustrative of the character of his friend. If
a lassie chanced to cross their path in any of their solitary rambles,
he was sure to be left alone ; for Burns would advance and enter into
conversation with her, although she was a perfect stranger. But I
will cut short this prolific theme and only add, that on taking leave,
the poet was so kind as to offer to accompany us to the banks of Ayr
and Doon, which he was apprised we intended to visit on the Monday
following. A cordiality and frankness of manners had so far initiated us into
the social circles of Irvine, and had woven such strong ties round the
hearts of strangers, that the only painful part of our visit, was to bid
adieu to our friends. With some this duty was performed by rising
round the table, locking hands, and chanting Auld Lang Syne in full
chorus. In other cases the parting scene assumed a graver character,
and was hallowed by some of the best feelings of our nature. But
in no instance was the separation without a hope on our part, that
another visit would be paid to Irvine before our return to the United
States. The hospitality of our legal friends held out with unabated
ardour to the very last ; and from their breakfast table, after bidding
the family a reluctant farewell, we stepped into the carriage, which
was to convey us from town. One of the gentlemen, not satisfied
with these attentions, concluded to bear us company to Ayr, and thence
to Glasgow.
The appearance of snow upon the mountains of Arran, and the
other hills around Irvine, admonished us, that it was time to flee to a
milder climate ; and on the morning of the 24th, we took a noddy,
(a vehicle answering very nearly to a hackney coach,) and set out for
Ayr, accompanied by the two gentlemen above mentioned. They
both were well acquainted with the localities of the country, one of
them having often rambled over the same ground with his friend Burns,
and the other being equally familiar with it, from a residence of several
years at Ayr. With such companions for guides, nothing worthy of
notice escaped our attention.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 325
The first ten or twelve miles of our ride were comparatively unin
teresting, except so far as the conversation of our companions afforded
us instruction and amusement. For nearly the whole way, the road
passes over a, slightly undulating district bordering upon the Irish sea,
and presenting a view of the same prominent objects upon the coast,
as have already been described, with the addition of Lady's Island, a
picturesque tuft in the waste of waters, and the little port of Troon,
midway between the mouths of the Irvine and the Ayr. The latter is
an artificial harbour, constructed at the expense of the Duke of Port
land, who owns large estates iii the vicinity, and has introduced many
improvements, as well for the accommodation of his tenantry, as to
enhance the value of his property. A rail-road unites Kilmarnock with
Troon, which is useful in the transportation of heavy articles, particular
ly large quantities of coal, foundin this region. A small village has spruno-
up round the port, which carries on a considerable trade with Ireland.
At 12 o'clock we arrived at Ayr, and crossed the new bridge, the
high colloquy between which and the " Auld Brig," a few rods above,
the mnse of Burns has reported in poetical and elevated strains. The
personification is so vivid, that the dramatis persona seemed some
thing beyond inert matter, and to be endowed with a portion of ani
mated nature. Even the presence of a poet, however, could not make
them a second time loquacious, and they bore us over the shoal curr
rent of the river in dead silence, each of us being busy with his own
thoughts, while contemplating the scene.
Notwitstanding Burns' eulogy on
" Auld Ayr, wham ne'er a town surpasses,
For honest men and bonny lasses,"
it presents few attractions to the eye of a traveller. It has a popula
tion of 10,000, and a trade to some extent is carried on from the port.
Wellington Place and the County Buildings are handsome, as are also
a portion of the houses on the other streets. In the suburbs are many
stately seats belonging to adventurers, who have made their fortunes
in the Indies, and returned to enjoy them in their native land. Per
haps the tempting luxuries of these mansions first suggested to the
houseless bard of Ayr his scheme of emigrating to Jamaica, with the
hope of being equally successful.
Contenting ourselves with a ride through the town, and with such
a view as a peep from the windows of the noddy afforded, we pushed
forward to Burns' Cottage, which stands within two hundred yards of
the banks of Doon. It is a low one-story building, with additions
made at each end, to enlarge the accommodations of the inn, to which

326 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
purpose it is at present appropriated. The host is an odd, whiskey-
drinking genius, who goes by the name of " Miller," an appellation
derived from his former occupation. He seems still to retain a fond
ness for his tolls, and always expects to participate with the traveller
in the social glass, which is drunk to the memory of Burns.
The walls of the cottage are ornamented with likenesses of the
bard, who gave it celebrity. A respect for his genius has preserved
without alteration the apartment in which he was born, although the
sanctity ofthe place does not prevent it from being used as a kitchen,
where half-a-dozen robust, barefooted lassies were busy in washing,
and regarded our examination of the natal bed, occupying an obscure
niche, as no uncommon incident. The house is surrounded with pretty
gardens and fields, which are no otherwise peculiarly interesting than
as having occupied the early years ofthe poet in agricultural pursuits.
Here he grasped the spade, swung the scythe, or whistled by the side
of his team : " The simple bard, rough at the rustic plough,
Learning his tuneful trade from every bough."
From the cottage we walked to kirk Alloway, which the poetical
tale of Tam O'Shanter has made immortal. It stands by the side of
the road, within a few yards of the banks of the Doon. The ruins
are surrounded by a church-yard, enclosed by a rude fence, and still
used as a cemetery for the neighbourhood. A grave just opened and
destined to receive its tenant on the afternoon of our visit, stared us
full in the face at the entrance, on the right of which is an aged thorn
apparently coeval with the church. Two ash trees and a few clusters
ofthe wild briar dropping " the sere and yellow leaf" upon grass-
grown graves, are the only embellishments of this quiet repository of
the dead. The tomb-stones are of as humble a character as the grounds.
That to the memory of the father of Burns has been shamefully muti
lated by the curiosity of strangers, who in some instances have car
ried fragments of it to the banks of the Ganges, or to the shores of
Ontario and Huron. So large a portion of it has been broken off for
relics as to render the inscription illegible.
The building itself is a roofless, sad ruin, the rude one-story walls
of which alone remain, and even those are dropping away piece-meal.
Its gable end stands towards the road, and is yet entire. It is sur
mounted by a small antique bell, from which hangs the fragment of an
iron chain, corroded with rust, and the whole machinery appearing as
if a knell had seldom been tolled, except perhaps at the hour of mid
night by mischief-making fays, or the invisible hands of witches and

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 327
warlocks. The windows through which Tam O'Shanter must have
kenned the congregation of horrors within, have been darkened by
substantial stone and mortar, and a partition of the same material has
been extended across the interior, apparently with the view to render
still more lonely a solitary and nameless grave in the enclosure, shaded
with a tuft of rank grass, and overhung by the desolate ruin. Our
party, with the exception of " Davie," whom age had rendered too
clumsy for the enterprise, climbed to the summit of the walls, which
looked as though they had been scathed by one ofthe flashes that the
hero of Burns witnessed ; and seating ourselves upon the ruin, we
read over Tarn's adventures, while the old sexton, who had joined us
in the church-yard, acted as the expositor of localities, and " a brother
poet" added the benefit of his comments.
Within a few rods of the church, and still nearer the right bank of
the Doon, stands the new monument raised by subscription to the
memory of Burns. It is a proud and splendid mausoleum, sixty or se
venty feet in height, seated upon a gentle eminence, and seen to ad
vantage for a circuit of several miles. It is in the form of a Grecian
temple with a balustrade and a double dome, supported by a colon
nade of nine Corinthian pillars, the number probably being designed
to represent the sisterhood of the muses. The dome is surmounted
by a gilded tripod, which holds an urn. On the floor of the temple
below, there is a niche between two highly finished columns, intended
to contain a bust of the poet. The monument is now in progress,
and will soon be completed. There was some debate about its loca
tion, and censure has been cast upon the committee for not placing it
upon his birth-place.
Our walk was continued from the monument, across the old brig of
Doon, over which Tam drove his Meg at full speed, with witches and
warlocks at her heels, till the key-stone of the one arch was reached,
and running water put an end to the chase. The banks of the river
are deeply wooded, rural, and highly romantic, well deserving the epi
thet " bonnie," which has been bestowed upon them by a native and
immortal bard. A mixture of evergreens gives richness and variety to
the foliage overhanging the broad, dark, and rapid stream. On the old
bridge we met with an Englishman, loitering to examine the seenery,
who entered into an elaborate argument to prove, that the merits of
Burns had been greatly overrated, and would not bear a comparison
with the poets of his own country. The " Ace of hearts" manfully
defended his friend, and the errand of the whole group was one evi
dence among a thousand, that he had the best of the argument. It
was a very unfortunate arena for disputing the genius of the author of
Tam O'Shanter.

328 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Haifa mile from the Carrick side ofthe Doon, a bold range of hills
runs parallel with the river, and terminates near its mouth in lofty per
pendicular cliffs upon the Irish sea. We ascended to the brow of this
eminence, whence was obtained an extensive view of the beautiful vale,
with several pretty seats ; of the monument on the other shore, illumi
nated with the declining sun ; of the town of Ayr, on the plain be
yond ; and ofthe sea-girt mountains of Arran in the distance. It re
quired less partiality than arises from native attachment, to lead us to
admire the features of such a scene.
Descending from the hill, we re-crossed the Doon on the new bridge,
a few rods below the old one, and rambled some way down the right
bank of the river, to look at a fountain consecrated like Helicon by the
footsteps of the Muses. It is a living spring, gushing from the bank
and from beneath the roots of forest trees, which overhang and darken
the declivity. Forming ourselves into a little circle, we filled a cup
from the cottage with crystal waters, and drank to the memory of Ro
bert Burns.
In passing kirk Alloway, on our way back, the old sexton threw
over the fence to each of us a walking-stick of sweet-briar, which in
our absence he had cut from the site of the monument. These relics
are highly prized, and by more poetical minds might be converted into
wands possessing a magical influence. To complete the incidents of
this walk, we met just beyond the church a funeral procession ap
proaching the grave, which had been observed in readiness to receive
the corpse. The black hearse with its white horse and nodding
plumes, followed by a long train of mourners in weeds of woe, alter
nately appearing and vanishing as the winding path was skirted with
hedge-rows, produced a solemnity of feeling above what is ordinarily
felt on such occasions.
Hastening to the cottage, and thence to Ayr with all possible de
spatch, we took leave of our poetical friend ; and the remaining three
of us set out immediately in the coach for Kilmarnock. The road
presented few objects of any interest, and the ride was attended by no
adventures, except the risk of being capsized by a sudden squall of
wind and rain, which blew with such violence that the driver could
scarcely keep his seat, and the passengers aloft were obliged to cling
to the baggage. Having taken lodgings for the night at Kilmarnock,
while dinner was preparing, and just at twilight we walked to the vil
lage church-yard to look at a tomb-stone " in memory of Thomas
Sampson," who is the original of Burns' " Tam Samson." The ele
gy was written while the eccentric subject was yet living ; but the fea-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 329
tures of his character were delineated with such fidelity, that an ex
tract from the poem has been placed upon the monument.
In the evening our friend took us to the new reading-room, which
is furnished with periodicals and newspapers. He also introduced us
to the proprietor of one ofthe principal manufactories of carpets and
Highland bonnets, who obligingly conducted us through his extensive
works, and explained the operation of the complex machinery. Fa
brics are- here made in great quantities, and equal in quality to the best
manufactures of the same articles at Brussels. The foreman of a
similar establishment, belonging to one of our friends in New- York, is
from this manufactory ; and it would be a superfluous task to enter upon
a description of foreign commodities, which are found in as great if
not greater perfection at home. The wider my sphere of observation
extends, the more fully am I satisfied, that in the whole circle of the
useful arts, the work shops of Great-Britain can supply few valuable
additions to the ingenuity, enterprise, and skill of our own country
men. Whatever is worthy of imitation is already known in the United
States ; and subsequent improvements are much more likely to spring
up among what Cobbett denominates " a thinking people," than among
nations willing to hazard few experiments, and wedded to the preju
dices of their forefathers.
At 6 o'clock the next morning, we took seats in the coach for Glas
gow by the same route which had been once traversed, but which
could not be a second time avoided. In the promiscuous fortune of
this mode of travelling, it was our lot to be thrown into the basket,
which is a kind of rotunda behind the wheels, forming what may be
termed the after-cabin, and sufficiently capacious to hold four persons.
A crowd of passengers gave to our apartment its full number, among
whom was an intelligent lady, who seemed anxious to make a dull
road as agreeable as possible, by designating the scanty variety of in
teresting objects it affords.

VOL. 1

330 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XXIX.
GLASGOW  DR. CHALMERS  THEATRE  BOTANIC GARDEN  GAS-WORKS
 EXCURSION TO GREENOCK  BANKS OF THE CLYDE  BOTHWELL CAS
TLE  HAMILTON HOUSE  STONEBYRES  LANARK  FALLS OF THE
CLYDE  DUMFRIES  TOMB OF BURNS  VISIT TO HIS WIDOW  GRETNA
GREEN. October — November, 1825.
Without the benefit of fore-knowledge, and by a most lucky accident,
we arrived at Glasgow, on the morning of the 26tb, just in time to
hear Dr. Chalmers preach his great charity sermon, in aid ofthe funds
of the Roman Catholic Free School, which is a noble institution, con
ducted on liberal principles, and affording the advantages of education
to twelve hundred poor children. It was necessary to go an hour be
fore the service commenced, in order to secure a seat, although the
discourse was delivered at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the most busy
part of the day in a great commercial metropolis. Soon after leaving
the hotel, a current of people could be distinctly observed setting to
wards the chapel, in Albion-street, at the distance of half a mile ; and
throwing ourselves into the vortex, we were swept along without the
trouble of inquiry. At the outer gates of the church, large plates
were placed in the open air for the reception of contributions, which
appeared to be liberal. A mite from each individual in such a multi
tude soon swelled to a heavy aggregate.
It was our good fortune to find seats in front of the gallery, being
the most advantageous position both for seeing and hearing. As we
once more found ourselves in company with our two New-England
friends, and the variety of dress and manners in such an audience, pre
sented a field for silent observation, a session of an hour was worn
away without much tedium. Long before it expired, the church had
been filled, aisles and all, with as many as could either sit or stand. As
the appointed time drew near, the eyes of the immense concourse were
directed to the pulpit with as much anxiety as is manifested for the cur
tain to rise, when some distinguished actor is to make his appearance
upon the stage.
Precisely at 2 o'clock, the Doctor ascended the desk. He is appa
rently at the age of about fifty-five, with a short, thick-set, clumsy
form, and a heavy, pock-broken face, exhibiting few external- indica
tions of talent. The first sentence he uttered showed, that the re
finements of education have not divested his pronunciation of the

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broad Scotch accent, which is sometimes so marked, as to render his
language scarcely intelligible to an English ear. It is not improbable
that these national peculiarities of dialect have added somewhat to his
popularity with the lower classes, although he has a much more sub
stantial foundation for his fame.
After the usual preparatory exercises, he commenced his exposition
of a passage in the Epistle of James — " For the wrath of man worketh
nOt the righteousness of God." His great object was to censure ec
clesiastical pride and intolerance, and to inculcate the most liberal
principles of christian charity. The peculiarity of his tenets is proba
bly well known to many of my readers. He has no other creed than
the Bible, and professes to belong to no particular denomination of
christians :

"Slave to no parly — bigot to no sect.1

His charity is as wide as Christendom, and his philanthropy embraces
the whole human family. I believe the Doctor's liberality, impressed
upon the minds of others by the influence of his commanding talents,
has been productive of much positive good.
To him was assigned on this occasion the difficult task of address
ing an audience, composed of about equal proportions of Roman Ca
tholics and rigid Presbyterians. There is an amalgamation ofthe two
sects in the board of Trustees, who have the management ofthe insti
tution. When he began to speak with perfect freedom of all sects,
and denounce the eternal collisions between them, I was unable to per
ceive how he would escape the point to which his doctrines were tend
ing, without giving serious offence to one or the other party of his
hearers. But he held the balance with an even hand ; and where his
ingenuity could not untie, his boldness severed the Gordian knot. That
neither sect might complain of partiality, he censured the defects of
both. Dr. Chalmers has none ofthe graces of oratory, either as it regards
his elocution or his gestures. Both of these are positively bad. The
effect of his preaching arises from vigour of thought, boldness of con
ception, and earnestness of manner. He throws himself forward as if
he would pitch headlong from the pulpit : he clenches his white pocket
handkerchief firmly in his fist, and brings down his hand, as if smiting
some one at his feet : this gesture is uniform, answering fully to what
Hamlet calls "sawing the air," and nothing but the conviction that it
is wholly involuntary can reconcile it to the hearer • the orator seems
eonvulsed with the throes of thought, and the grandeur of his periods,

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rolling out one after another in rapid succession, leaves the mind little
time for dwelling on minor considerations.
His manner approaches very nearly to what in our country would be
called methodistical. For some minutes he continues to kindle gra
dually, and the tones of his voice grow louder and louder, till he fairly
thunders. As he ascends these climaxes of all that is sublime in
imagery, or violent in gesture, the listener sits astounded at the bolts
which are falling around him. The audience are silent as death, and
" the boldest holds his breath for a time." Then comes a respite — a
break, in which the language ofthe speaker is in an under-tone, so, low
as to be scarcely audible. I cannot illustrate his manner better, than
by comparing him to a torrent of his native hills, which at one time,
rushes impetuously down its rugged bed, and then glides away in a
deep and silent current.
The discourse occupied something more than an hour. I have no
time for attempting its outlines. A tolerable sketch was given in
some of the papers, and the whole of it has been published in a pam
phlet form. The speaker has the same prominence at home, as he
has in the eyes of foreigners. He is almost idolized by the people of
Glasgow. From what was observed, I should think him very accessi
ble and popular in his manners. We paused a moment at the door
of the church, till he came out. A large circle of ladies and gentle
men approached familiarly, and shook him cordially by the hand :
" E'en children follow'd with endearing wile,
And pluck'd his gown, to share the good man's smile."
In the evening we went to the theatre, to see the celebrated Miss
Foote, whose loves have given her as much notoriety as her dramatic
talents, although the latter appeared to us much above mediocrity.
Her person and voice are both good. She has a handsome and ani
mated face, with a peculiarly fine forehead and eyes, formed for smiles
rather than frowns, and expressing more of softness than of dignity.
She personated the character of Lady Teazle, in the School for Scan
dal, a part to which her powers are not very well adapted. Her per
formance was respectable, although in my opinion inferior to that of
Miss Kelly, of the Park Theatre, in the same character. The house
was very thin. There were but two ladies in the boxes. This paucity
of numbers is ascribed to various causes. The Scotch are not fond
of dramatic representations. Miss Foote's reputation has suffered
much in the estimation of the public, and it is said she cannot be sus
tained on the London boards. She is going the rounds of the provin
cial theatres, attended by her father and followed by one of her para-

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mours, who add nothing to her popularity. But besides these causes,
the temporary desertion of the play-house may be attributed to the
strong sensation created by the loss of the steam-boat Comet, alluded
to in a former letter. Many of the passengers belonged to this city,
and an event so afflicting has spread a gloom over the town.
During our stay of a few days at Glasgow, we visited one of the
principal cotton manufactories at Gorbals, for the purpose of seeing a
power-loom in operation. It is upon a large scale, and the machinery
appears to be very perfect. Two hundred looms are moved by one
engine, each of which weaves twenty-five yards a day. Nearly all
manual labour is saved. A woman can manage two of the looms,
and a girl of ten or twelve years old, one. The cloth sells at six
pence sterling the yard, and immense quantities are manufactured at
this and other establishments in the vicinity.
We also paid a visit to the Botanic Garden, which is in the western
end of the town. It is situated on a declivity looking towards the
south, and contains ten or twelve English acres. The grounds are
judiciously laid out and well filled with trees and plants of every variety,
most of which are labelled. But the soil appeared to me heavy, hard
of cultivation, and not the most suitable for a work of this kind.
Many of the exotics wear a sickly appearance. A lecture-room is
attached to the garden, where instructions are given every day during
the summer months, by the Professor of Botany in the University.
The whole establishment, which was commenced in 1 8 1 7, is now
complete, having the usual number of green-houses and other appur
tenances. Seats are placed in the alleys and alcoves for the accom
modation of musical parties, which are given at stated periods during
the warm season, in the same manner as at Liverpool. It is a charm
ing retreat for the citizens, where they may enjoy a pure air and pretty
views of the banks of the Clyde, as well as the conversation of their
friends, after the cares and fatigues of the day.
From the Botanic Garden we went to another part of the town, in
the vicinity of the cathedral, to examine the extensive gas-works,
whence Glasgow is splendidly lighted. The superintendent conduct
ed us through the several departments in the large block of buildings,
directing our attention to the apparatus and to the process of convert
ing coal into gas, upon a large scale. Two furnaces were in opera
tion, the port-holes of which were opened during our visit, to let in
the external air, which kindles as it comes in contact and produces a
report not unlike the discharge of cannon. A salute of more than
the federal number of guns was fired in making the circuit. There
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gas is purified by passing through a vat of lime-water, before it is
drawn off for use. I have been unable to learn with precision
either here or elsewhere, the amount of capital employed, or the exact
per centage it yields. The profits must be very great, as gas-lights
are almost universally used in dwelling-houses, shops, and public
buildings. On the 28th we embarked in the Highland Lad, one of the fifty
steam-boats lying at the wharf, and made an excursion to Greenock,
the port of Glasgow, on the left bank of the Clyde, twenty-four miles
below. As a constant and active intercourse is kept up between the
two places, boats, run every half hour, occupying about three hours in
the passage down, and usually a little longer time on the return. The
fare is cheap, being three shillings each way, and the convenience to
men of business very great. Steam-boats are also extensively used
for freights, and in towing small vessels up and down the river, the
depth of which varies from six to twelve feet, according to the tide.
For several miles below Glasgow, the channel of the Clyde is nar
row, and confined between artificial stone embankments, which give
it the appearance of a canal. Large sums have been expended for
improving its navigation. I was informed that the whole amount of
duties collected at the port, being something like £15,000 per annum,
is appropriated by the government to this purpose. If the informa
tion derived from the captain of the boat be correct, it manifests a
munificent and liberal policy. Such a spirit, though it cast its trea
sures upon the waters, will generally reap the benefit after many days.
Seven miles below Glasgow, and three miles from the left bank of
the river, stands the town of Paisley, which if occasioned not a little
surprise in me to learn contains 100,000 inhabitants, a population
little inferior to that of Edinburgh. With us, I believe, it is hardly
known that there is such a place in Scotland — certainly not of such
magnitude. A navigable communication connects it with the Clyde.
The steeple of the principal church is visible from the river. It is an
overgrown manufacturing town, interesting for little else than as being
the birth-place of Wilson, the ornithologist, where he spent his early
years in that kind of struggle, which genius often wages with penury.
The celebrated Dr. Witherspoon also resided in the vicinity of Paisley
previous to his emigration to America.
Farther down, the banks of the Clyde assume a bolder and more in
teresting character. On a rugged promontory jutting from the north
ern shore, the ruins of Douglas Castle are romantically. seated ; and
beyond them rises the bipartite rock of Dunbarton to the height of
three or four hundred feet from the water, and surmounted by an old

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fortress. The fantastic hill is nearly insulated by the waters of the
Leven, which here unite with the Clyde, forming the . outlet of Loch
Lomond. A charming vale opens towards the north, which has been
immortalized by the nativity and the muse of Smollet.
Below Dunbarton, the Clyde becomes a broad estuary, surrounded
by lofty hills, and presenting some pretty views of mountain scenery.
Port Glasgow and Greenock occupy the southern shore, at the dis
tance of a mile or two from each other. At the latter place we
landed, and spent an hour in examining the town, which has fourteen
churches, and 26,000 inhabitants. The spirit of the place is entirely
commercial, and there is nothing worthy of particular notice, except
the large and elegant custom-house, and the docks opening into a spa
cious basin, forming a safe and excellent harbour. These public
works will sustain a fair comparison with those of Liverpool. Amidst
the fleet of ships in port, we could discover but one vessel from our
own country, and she was unlading a cargo of lumber from the forests
of Maine. The objects of our excursion were accomplished in
season to re-embark at 3 o'clock, and return to Glasgow the same
evening. On the 31st, we set out in a post-chaise for New-Lanark, twenty-
five miles up the Clyde. Just at the moment of our departure, the
establishment of a sprig of nobility or gentry drove up to the door of
the Buck's-Head. The carriage and equipage were splendid— four
horses, two postillions, and a long train of servants, embracing no less
than six waiting maids. All the sashes in the neighbourhood of the
hotel were raised, and a crowd of people assembled to see the show.
It was some time before a humbler vehicle could approach to re
ceive us.
Our ride in leaving Glasgow extended along the right bank of the
Clyde to Bothwell Castle, where we lingered half an hour to look at
the magnificent ruin, and the seat of Lord Douglas, an infirm1 old
man, who is the proprietor of princely estates, which he must soon
leave behind. His mansion is of red free-stone, and occupies a pretty
lawn, looking down upon the Clyde, some hundreds of feet below.
His grounds are splendid, laid out with taste, beautifully wooded, and
adorned with retired walks in all directions. We pursued one of them
half a mile, through groves of variegated foliage, and along the mar
gin of the river.
The ruins of Bothwell Castle are situated on a lofty promontory,
formed by a bold sweep of the Clyde, commanding an extensive view
of the river and its woody banks, as well as the distant mountains.
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was once the seat of feudal splendour, the outlines yet remain, and
show what it was in the day of its glory, when the Bothwells, the
Stuarts, and the Douglases used to revel in its halls. The building is
of a dark red sand-stone, between two and three hundred feet in
length, and a hundred in breadth, with lofty battlements fast dropping
to decay. It is surrounded by a copse of large firs and other forest
trees, which have thrown their branches over the walls, and dropped
seeds into the crevices, whence springs a growth of hanging shrubbe
ry. Flocks of jackdaws darken the air, and find a home in the de
serted abode of luxury. On the other bank of the river, directly op
posite the castle, a perpendicular cliff, several hundred feet high, is
crowned with the remains of the priory of Bantyre, adding much to
the romantic beauty of the scenery.
Two miles from this place, we crossed the Clyde over Bothwell
Bridge, which was the scene of a bloody battle between the Covenant
ers and the troops of Charles II. under the command of the Duke of
Monmouth, in the year 1679. The severest part of the engagement
was fought on a little plain north ofthe river. But the passage ofthe
bridge, which remai is entire to this day, was obstinately disputed, and
the waters of the Clyde were crimsoned with promiscuous slaughter.
A little farther on, we reached the large and dirty town of Hamilton,
built on a declivity, and containing a population of 7000. The only
object of curiosity in the vicinity is the palace of the Duke of Hamil
ton, which stands upon an extensive lawn, stretching between the
village and the Clyde. Its situation is by no means eligible, either in
point of convenience or beauty ; for although it commands a wide
view of the lawn in front, the river is not seen, and the prospect on
the other side is entirely intercepted by the town. The exterior of
the building is at present extremely plain, -consisting of an old-fashion
ed three-story centre and two wings, without any architectural orna
ment. But extensive improvements are now in progress, and the
specimens of the new edifice, so far as completed, are splendid. After
all, the mansion from its location, can never appear to advantage, and
the expenditure of so much money appeared to me injudicious. The
Duke's grounds are much more suitable for farms than for parks and
palaces. In taste and elegance, the interior of the building far surpasses the
exterior. An old lady conducted us through all the apartments,
which are handsomely furnished, and contain a rich collection of
paintings. Among the finest are Daniel in the Lion's Den, by Ru
bens ; the Earl of Denbigh, in the attitude of going out a shooting,
by Vandyke ; a portrait of Napoleon, by David ; and the two Misers.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 337
by Matsys. The last is an admirable picture, and by far the most
striking in the gallery. Besides these, there is the whole family of
the Hamiltons, done by Sir Godfrey Kneller, and looking very much
alike. One of the most interesting in the collection is the portrait of
Miss Gunning, the daughter of a clergyman, mother of the late Duke,
as also of the Duke of Argyle. She was a dowerless beauty, and in an
age more chivalrous than the present, her charms won both the heart
and hand of the nobleman. Some of his descendants are said to have
been actuated by a less romantic passion, although a sudden reverse
of fortune produced the same result, without the same credit.
Pausing no longer than was necessary to go through the halls ofthe
palace, and to partake of some very indifferent refreshments at the
village hotel, we continued our ride up the banks of the Clyde, which
are extremely rural, picturesque, and beautiful. The vale is one of
the most fertile and best cultivated in Scotland. Large farms, with
suitable proportions of tillage, pasture, woodlands, and orchards, give
to the country an appearance of substantial wealth. Several pretty
seats rising along the borders ofthe river, and embowered with trees,
give variety to the scenery. Of these, the mansion of Mr. Lockhart
is the most conspicuous and in the' best taste.
Just at evening we reached the falls of Stonebyres, and walked some
distance from the road to catch a twilight view. The descent of the
Clyde is here seventy feet, in nearly a perpendicular pitch. Rugged
cliffs, slightly covered with hanging woods, rise on either side, and a
deep chasm opens at the feet of the spectator. There is sufficient
water to give an air of grandeur to the falls. Salmon ascend the river
as far as the basin below, but are unable to climb the cataract. The
whole of this region, including land and water, belongs to Mr. Owen,
who has lately established himself in the United States.
Having lingered till nothing save the foam of the torrent could be
seen, we returned to the coach, and after crossing the Clyde on a
high bridge, arrived at the old town of Lanark, where comfortable
lodgings were obtained for the night. Although Lanark has long
been a royal burgh, where the Parliament of Scotland once convened,
and is at present the seat of justice for the county, it is a dull, uninte
resting place, with a population short of three thousand, engaged in
manufactures on a small scale. The streets are narrow, dirty, and
badly lighted. An ineffectual attempt was made to find the market-
cross, on which the Presbyterians posted up a proclamation, excom
municating Charles II. accusing him of perjury, and abjuring his au
thority. Early on the following morning we walked three fourths of a mile to
vol. i. 43

338 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
New-Lanark, which is beautifully situated on the right bank of the-
Clyde, close on the margin of the stream. In approaching it from
the north, the spectator looks down suddenly upon the village, seve
ral hundred feet beneath him, and descends from the green hills by a
steep winding path. The buildings, consisting of manufactories and
dwelling-houses for the labourers, are uniform in their appearance,
being three or four stories high, substantially constructed of stone, and
neatly finished. They were erected at the same time, and the mate
rial has assumed the same complexion. There is not a single low or
mean structure of any kind in the village^ which has an air of neatness,
and even magnificence, seldom found at the seat of extensive manu
factories. On arriving at the lodge or office of the establishment, we learned
with regret that Mr. Owen had sailed for the United States some
weeks before. But after stating that I had had the pleasure of an in
troduction to him, and had moreover brought a letter from one of his
acquaintances in New-York, we were received with great cordiality by
the superintendent, who devoted nearly the whole day to us. He first
introduced us into a large hall, containing much of the apparatus used
in Mr. Owen's system of education. Among other articles were large
historical charts, covering the walls of the apartment — a folio volume
of topographical delineations of the principal towns in Scotland — a
terrestrial globe six feet in diameter — and a suite of emblems designed
to illustrate the principles of English grammar. The last invention
has at least the merit of being ingenious. It consists in personifying
the parts of speech, and in assigning to each its relative importance,
according to the military system. General Noun figures in his cocked
hat, sword, and double epaulettes. By his side stands Colonel Verb,
and so on down to Corporal Adverb.
From this vestibule ofthe establishment, the superintendent took us up
stairs to the large dancing hall, which opens precisely at 7 o'clock every
morning. Here we found some eighty or a hundred children of both
sexes at an average age of about ten, paraded on the floor, under the
charge of a dancing-master, and moving in measured steps to the mu
sic of an orchestra. They were all in uniform — the boys wearing
Highland kilts of plaid, and the girls ginghams of a different figure.
Both sexes met the floor with naked feet. After undergoing sundry
drills in marches and counter-marches, they were directed to take
partners for cotillions, to which were added strathspeys, reels, and
other national dances.
Next came a concert of music. The children were paraded in batta
lia, and sang half a dozen ofthe finest ofthe Scotch songs in full chorus.

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So far as I am a judge, they made no discords, and the effect was cer
tainly pleasing as well as imposing. Music is learned upon the Lan
castrian plan, from a large roll many yards in extent, containing the
gamut, with the addition of select tunes. It is placed.in a conspicuous
part of the room, where the notes can be distinctly seen at the same
instant by every pupil. The words are committed to memory from
printed cards, embracing a selection of the best songs. Perfect or
der, decorum and good feeling seemed to prevail among the children,
who are taken promiscuously from the families of the labourers.
From the ball-room we proceeded to the other departments of the
school, and heard classes go through with their recitations in geography
and botany. The former is taught entirely by maps, and the latter by
transparent plates. In both, the children answered with surprising
promptness and accuracy. Girls of twelve years old appear to be
perfectly versed in the Linneean system of classification, and able at a
glance, not only to give the technical names of the parts of a plant,
but to reduce it to its genus and species.' How far such a knowledge
is acquired by rote ; what effect the discipline has upon the mind ; and
whether some of the branches taught are relatively the most important,
are questions upon the discussion of which I am not disposed to en
ter. My general impression was, that while Mr. Owen's system of
education is calculated to divest large manufacturing establishments
of their terrors, by, removing gross ignorance, vulgarity of manners,
and vicious habits, and by substituting in their places the decencies
and refinements of good society, it is somewhat deficient in those
branches which qualify the young mind for the more serious duties
and avocations of life.
Of the admirable financial scheme for the support of the school
there can be no doubt. The fund is supplied by the profits of a pub
lic store, which belongs to the establishment, and contains all the arti
cles necessary for the consumption of the village or the surrounding
country. As the business of the shop is conducted upon an extensive
scale, the commodities can be afforded at a cheaper rate than at other
places, besides saving a sum sufficient to educate all the children of
the workmen in the manufactories, and supplying their families with
medical attendance. It is true, each pupil pays a penny a week for
instruction ; but the pittance is designed rather as a stimulant than as
a bar to education — to remind children and parents of the value of
such a school, not to deprive the poorest families of its advantages.
After breakfast, the superintendent conducted us through the prin
cipal manufactories, explained the machinery, and exhibited the seve
ral processes, from picking the material, to packing the product for

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market. The whole establishment is appropriated exclusively to the
manufacture of cotton yarn. There are in all 35,000 spindles, moved
by six water-wheels 26 feet in diameter — 7000 lbs of yarn are pro
duced daily. As the whole of the Clyde is at command, there is a
never-failing supply of water, which, aside from 'the expense, gives a
far better power than steam. The management of this establishment
appeared to me superior to anything ofthe kind, that had met my ob
servation in Europe. Every thing is in its place, and the machinery
moves like clock-work. The apartments are kept clean, and the la
bourers wear healthy, cheerful countenances. There are about 3000
inhabitants in the village, most of whom find daily employment in the
manufactories. All the machinery and implements of every kind are
made in shops adjacent, and the whole system is conducted upon the
most rigid principles of economy.
New-Lanark was built by Mr. Dale of Glasgow. At his death, it
fell into the hands of Mr. Owen, who married his daughter. The lat
ter added many improvements, and has been the presiding genius, al
though he is not the sole proprietor. A capital of £200,000 is em
barked, divided into thirteen shares, of which seven belong to Mr.
Owen. The annual profits are about 10 per cent.
One of our friends in New- York who is extensively engaged in ma
nufactures, was at New-Lanark in the course of the last summer, and
examined this establishment with minute attention. He ascertained,
as I was informed, that the price of labour here is about half as much
as in our country. A workman in these manufactories receives about
twenty shillings sterling a week, and a female half that sum. It is sa
tisfactory to know, that if any thing which could benefit our country
has escaped my observation, the deficiency will be supplied by the
gentleman alluded to, who is practically acquainted with the subject ;
or has already been done by the travels of one of my predecessors,
who has left me httle to glean.
In going through the various apartments of this establishment, four
Gypsies of different ages and sizes were pointed out to us, being the
first we had ever seen. Few of these now remain in Scotland, and
the race is fast becoming amalgamated with other classes of the peo
ple. The first -that attracted attention was a sprightly little girl
iri the dancing-room. She is said to be a fine scholar. The second
was a girl of eighteen, with a pretty face, but heavy form, observed
among the females engaged in spinning. A man of forty, who has
the eye of an assassin, but who is said to be clever, honesi, and reli
gious, is the only male representative of the race among the workmen.
But the most remarkable ofthe little remnant was an old woman, call-

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ed Jenny of the Woods, who was employed in carrying bags of cot
ton. She has an athletic frame, and reminded me of Meg Merrilies.
In one of the workshops, an aged man was busy at the lathe, who was
said to have been acquainted with Old Mortality. The latter used fre
quently to visit Lanark, where he last wrought at his trade of repair
ing tomb-stones. Our intelligent guide also mentioned that Dr. Smol-
let resided for a long time in this vicinity, and here found several of
the originals in his novels, whose characters were drawn with so much
fidelity that they recognized themselves on perusing the sketch.
Among other eccentric individuals in this assemblage of representa
tives from every part of Scotland, we conversed with a tailor, who has
resided thirty-four years at Lanark, without ever having seen the falls
of the Clyde, although his shop-board is within the sound of their wa
ters. He walks six or seven miles every Sunday, to attend church,
and his indifference to' the charms of nature is in part owing to the
severity of, religious principles. The clergyman under whose preach
ing he sits denounces the Waverly novels, and prohibits any one of his
flock, who is in the habit of reading such profane works, from coming
to the communion table.
Having fewer conscientious scruples, and a. greater regard for the
attractions of nature than the tailor, we walked two miles up the
Clyde, to examine the falls of Bonniton and Corra Linn. The former
is the commencement of a series of cascades, which terminates at
Stonebyres, four or five miles below. Our approach to it was by a
foot-path, winding along the high, rocky, and romantic banks of the
river, which are richly covered with hanging woods, now wearing the
sober livery of autumn. The first pitch is about thirty feet perpendi
cular, where the current is confined to a narrow channel, by a lofty
cliff on one side, and a rocky island on the other. To the latter, a
rude, rustic bridge of unhewn timber has been thrown from the shore.
It is so fragile as to seem scarcely sufficient to bear our weight, lightly
as we trod in crossing it. The little island which stems the torrent is
rendered more romantic by a tuft of evergreen and other trees, pendent
over the flood. Wicker seats have been made for the accommodation
of visitants, where they may recline1 and watch the eternal descent of
the torrent. ¦ The rocks are of a dark complexion, and the foam of
a rich amber colour, both harmonizing admirably with the variegated
foliage at this season.
Leaving the island and the upper fall, we sauntered along close to
the margin of the river, in some places creeping upon our hands and
knees under the cliffs, to Corra Linn, which in magnitude and grand
eur far surpasses Bonniton. Its altitude is eighty-four feet, in a dis-

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tance of perhaps twenty rods. At the head of the falls is a fantastic,,
conical eminence covered with a coat of brown heath and moss, and
crowned with a few straggling firs. It forms a fine observatory for
the spectator. The river here strikes the shore at right angles, and
rebounds over the rocks below from an eddy, On the southern side,
a columnar rock, rising to the height of perhaps 200 feet, and sur
mounted by the ruins of Corra Castle, impends over the deep and dark
basin, where the stream lingers for a moment before it leaps headlong
down the precipice. There are two principal pitches. Above the
highest and narrowest a natural arch of trees, springing from the fis
sures of the rocks, extends nearly across the torrent, almost interlock
ing their adventurous arms. In its general character, the scenery of
Corra Linn is the same as that about Bonniton.
The best coup d' oeil of the falls is obtained from the high bank be
low, where stations consisting of rude railings have been suspended for
the accommodation of spectators. On the summit of the cliffs, and
embowered by woods, a pretty little tenantless lodge or temple has
been erected, furnished with seats, tables, and mirrors hung from the
ceOing in such a way, as to present a full view of Corra Linn, increa
sing the effect too by making the torrent seem to pour from the skies.
Several volumes of Albums lay upon the tables, filled with the names
of visitants. Among the many from our own country, the neat signa
ture of " John Randolph of Roanoke," and those of some of our
New-York friends were recognized. The finale of our visit consisted
in adding two others to the number, doubtless for the edification and
benefit of posterity.
On the following morning, at 10 o'clock, we took the coach for
Dumfries, a distance of fifty-seven miles. The route, which leads up
the vale of the Clyde to its source, is without much interest of any
kind. At Hyndford a handsome bridge is thrown across the river, the
banks of which are in many places rural and pleasant. To the south
are Fintock hills, the highest in Lanarkshire, though of moderate ele
vation. In the afternoon, the weather was so rainy and unpleasant, as
to drive us from the top of the coach, and thereby contract the sphere
of observation. Descending into Glen Girvel by a terrace on the road,
which for the distance of a mile or two winds like a belt round the
smooth green hill, and passing the large manufacturing village of
Thornhill, we traversed the banks of the Nith, and reached Dumfries
at 6 o'clock, after a dull ride, fortunately furnishing few incidents to
add to the volume of this letter.
The evening of our arrival was too dark and inclement, to permit
us to go out, even to the theatre where Kean first wore the buskin.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 343
and commenced his dramatic career. Early the next morning, we
walked over a considerable part of Dumfries, which is a large town
standing upon both sides of the Nith, and containing a population of
about 15,000. The high- tides of Solway Firth reach as far as this
place, although at low-water the river is broad and rapid. It is cross
ed at the head of navigation by a bridge, resting on nine stately arch
es, and erected in the 13th century. The port owns a good deal of
shipping, and drives an active trade in a small way. Hats and stock
ings are almost the only articles of manufacture.
Having understood from our friends at Irvine, that the widow of
Robert Burns was still living at Dumfries, and that she is accessible
to strangers without formal letters of introduction, after breakfast this
morning, we addressed a note to her, stating that two gentlemen from
the United States, who are among the transatlantic admirers of the
Scottish bard, and who had just visited his birth-place, as well as the
scenes which his muse had consecrated, were anxious to pay their re
spects to Mrs. Burns in the course ofthe forenoon, if perfectly agree
able. The request was communicated by our clever and obliging-
landlady, who lives within a few doors.
In the mean time while this interesting suit was pending, we walked
to the village kirk, to visit the tomb of the poet himself. Our old
guide was personally acquainted with him, and had passed many a so
cial night before his own hearth. The church-yard contains an unu
sual number of handsome monuments, many of them being finished with
little turrets in the Gothic style. The mausoleum in memory of Burns
is creditable to the liberality and taste of the public, at whose expense
it was erected. It consists of an octagonal temple supported by Io
nic pillars, and surmounted by a handsome dome. In the back part
there is a statue of the poet, as large as life, with his bosom open, and
in the attitude of holding the plough. Above, the muse is seen throw
ing over him " the inspiring mantle." The design was taken from a
passage in the dedication to the Caledonian Hunt, in which the author
alludes to his early and subsequent pursuits. There appeared to be
a defect in the representation, since the plough is seen, with the poet
in the awkward posture of holding it without a team. If there was
riot room for the whole, a part of the rural implement might have been
concealed, so as to render the defect less obvious. The monument is
enclosed by a neat iron railing, and the little area, perhaps forty feet
square, is covered with a profusion of shrubbery, consisting of holly,
the wild rose, laurel, yew, and other evergreens which beautifully shade
the tomb.

344 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
On our return to the hotel, the hostess communicated the compli
ments of Mrs. Burns, with the gratifying intelligence, that she would
be happy to see us at any hour we might choose to call. Being anx
ious to leave town as soon as possible, we promptly accepted her act
of kindness. She lives in a neat two-story house, on Burns'-street, not
far from the church. We were received by her at the parlour door
with a cordial shake of the hand, and by every mark of hospitality.
The apartment is tastefully furnished with all that can conduce to com
fort, and is ornamented with an original portrait of Burns, by Nai-
smith, of Edinburgh, whence the other likenesses are derived. In this
house the poet died ; and in the warmth of Scottish feeling blended
with conjugal affection, the surviving partner of his bosom informed
us, that she would not exchange it for a palace. She lives comforta
bly on an income of £300 a year, with a little auburn-haired grand
child, (not yet too old to give each of us a kiss,) to occupy her atten
tion in the hours of retirement. She has three children, all of whom
are absent — one in London, and the other two, officers in the army,
now in the East Indies.
Mrs. Burns is apparently at the age of between fifty and sixty, re
taining traces of those lineaments of beauty, which the poet found in
his " bonnie Jean." She has a good form, and her. dark full eye is still
quick and animated in its glances. Her pretty hand was tastefully set
off with rings, and the perfect neatness of her dress left no regret, that
in order to^how her every mark of respect, something beyond ordina
ry attention had been paid to our own. Her easy flow of conversa
tion, marked by few of the peculiarities of the Scottish dialect, and
embracing a variety of topics, among which were inquiries after her
friends in New- York, protracted our call to a visit of more than half
an hour. She showed us, with a good deal of apparent satisfaction,
an elegant set of silver candlesticks and snuffers, which were " the gift
of a few Scots in Sheffield to the widow of Burns." The tray bears
the following appropriate inscription from the pen of the poet Mont
gomery : " He passed through life's tempestuous night,
A brilliant, trembling northern light ; ,
Through years to come, he shines from far
A fixed, unsetting polar star."
Having received at parting the same warm pledge of kindness,
which bade us welcome, with the addition of many good wishes, we
stepped into a post-chaise, which drove us off to the borders of Scot-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 345
land with all possible despatch, a distance of about twenty miles from
Dumfries., but embracing few objects which could interest the reader.
Curiosity, as well as the necessity of taking some refreshment, prompt
ed us to call at the large hotel standing on Gretna Green, in which
all the clandestine marriages in England are celebrated ; and such
were the quiet comforts it afforded, that we concluded to take lodgings
for the night, in preference to riding a part of the way to Carlisle in
the dark.
In the course of the evening, Davie Lang, to whom an English
lord, after the celebration of his nuptials, gave the title of " Bishop of
Gretna," was introduced to us, and disclosed a volume of anecdotes,
relating to the various fortunes of those, whom this " blacksmith" had
welded in wedlock. Some of the stories were extremely interesting,
abounding in the* adventures of a romantic passion, and the conse
quences of good or ill to which it led. The bishop, as he is fami
liarly called, but who seems to have few qualifications to entitle him to
the appellation, has married between nine hundred and a thousand
couples, of all ranks and characters, whose names, with the place of
residence and other circumstances, are registered in a book kept for
that purpose. In the volume of facts which he has collected, the
novelist might find materials enough for the wildest tales of romance.
The last of these secret marriages took place but a day or two before
our arrival, and was between a servant and his master's daughter,
who deepened the story of their loves by running away on foot.
This veteran in illicit practices, who has now arrived at the age of
three score and ten, gave us one of his printed certificates of mar
riage. The whole authority rests upon no better foundation than an
ingenious quibble. Bishop Lang ascertains in the first place from
the parties themselves, in what parish and county they reside, with
other circumstances, and then makes out a certificate exactly cor
responding, stating that he and two others were witnesses of the mar
riage, according to the forms prescribed by law. He informed us,
with what claims to credibility I know not, that he has lately met
successfully one or two suits brought against him in Ireland, and that
the court of chancery has decided his marriages to be so far valid, as
to form a legitimate descent of property.
It so happened that our last night in Scotland, after a satisfactory
and agreeable visit of six weeks, was on the anniversary of what
is denominated, in the legends of superstition, Halloween, and its
mystic rites were duly observed by a group of rosy-cheeked lassies
at the hotel. Near the witching time of night, half a dozen of them
groped their way into the garden to pull cabbage-stalks. But a de-
VOL. I. 4'1

346 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
scription of the ceremonies would be too long for the end of a
sketch already prolix, and if any of my readers are curious to revive
their recollections on the subject, they have only to recur to the gra
phic poem of Burns :
"jSome merry, friendly countra folks,
Together did convene,
To burn their nuts and pou their stocks,
And haud their Halloween Fu' blythe that night."

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 347
LETTER XXX.
RETURN TO LIVERPOOL  LANCASTER  PRESTON  RIDE TO STAFFORD
SHIRE  NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LINE — ETRURIA  PORCELAIN MANUFAC
TORIES  LICHFIELD  REMINISCENCES OF DR. JOHNSON  BRACE
BRIDGE HALL — BIRMINGHAM. November, 1825.
On the 4th, we left Gretna Green in a post-chaise for Kendal, where
we arrived the same evening at eight o'clock. Nearly the whole dis
tance had been traversed on our way to Scotland, and the country had
been examined with so much attention, as to occasion not a moment's
delay on our return. The hills and lakes and streams were recognized
as old acquaintances, although they had assumed a very different garb
from that which they wore at the time of our departure. The tops of
the mountains around the English lakes were mantled with snow, and
the foliage of the forests had been tinged by the frosts of auturnn.
It was a faint image of home, to recal objects and faces which had
become familiar to us by a previous visit. There is a great deal of
politeness, kindness, and good feeling in the inhabitants of the North
of England. It is instilled into them from childhood, and seems to
have become habitual. They are engaged in agricultural pursuits,
have schools established among them, and, as in some parts of our
country, one of the first lessons inculcated upon the youthful mind1 is,
to treat others with decency of manners and externa] marks of respect.
Nothing sooner prepossesses a stranger in favour of a people than such
decorum, and surely there is nothing more disgusting than the oppo
site extreme of rudeness and vulgarity.
Next morning we took the coach for Liverpool. The distance is
seventy-two miles. To me the road wafe not entirely new, as I had
traversed it before on business, leaving Kendal at about 12 o'clock at
night in the mail-coach, and reaching Liverpool on the following morn
ing at 8 o'clock, giving an average of nine miles the hour, and this too
for the greater part of the way in darkness. As my seat with half a
dozen others was upon the top, whence the ground was not discerni
ble, it was like flying at random through the air. The least alteration in
the road must inevitably have dashed us to pieces. There was some
thing grand in travelling- with such speed, and in catching a rapid
glance of green hedge-rows and other objects by the glimmer of the
coachman's lamp. ¦
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348 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
same ground a third time, made me better acquainted with the route
than I could wish to have been ; for it presents few objects of much
interest to the traveller — fewer perhaps than the same distance in any
part of England. It leads through Lancashire, which is a substantial
but heavy county, with a scanty variety of objects either of nature or
art to attract attention. Glimpses of the Irish sea, along which the
road runs for the whole distance, the banks of the Lon and Ribble,
two pretty streams which fall into it, and a curious rock, said to bear
a striking resemblance to that of Gibraltar, are almost the only inte
resting features in the scenery. The country is uniformly flat, with
marshes and long tracts of sandy beach alternately bordering upon
the coast. Some of the land is good, and the most is made of it by
an industrious agricultural people.
The towns are as dull as the country. Burton, Lancaster, Preston,
and Ormskirk are all considerable places, but possess few attractions
either in point of architectural beauty, or moral association. Even the
Castle of Lancaster, which crowns a picturesque eminence upon the
banks of the Lon, from a proud residence of feudal chivalry and regal
ambition, has been converted into halls for the administration of justice,
and the dark cells of a prison. A circuit judge now dispenses law
with the scales, where John of Ghent used to expound it with his
sword. The town of Lancaster is built of a dark coloured stone, with
contracted and gloomy streets, which give it an antique appearance.
It seems to have little trade of any kind, and is in all respects a dull, un
pleasant place.
Preston is a large manufacturing town, with wide streets, and is
much more cheerful in its aspect than Lancaster. It is built almost
entirely of brick. Some of the blocks in the western end are hand
some, appearing to have been recently erected. The town stands
upon the river Ribble, which is famous for its salmon fishery, and sup
plies the whole district at the proper season. It is intimately connect
ed with Liverpool in trade, and with Manchester in manufactures.
Ormskirk is a dirty, old market-town, midway between Preston and
Liverpool. At the time of my first ride through it, the streets were so
completely blocked up with cattle and horses, (brought to the annual
fair for sale) as to be scarcely passable. It is remarkable for little
else than its church, which has the double ornament of a tower and a
steeple. The unique design is ascribed to an unfortunate disagree
ment between two maiden sisters, who defrayed the expense of the
edifice from the sale of poultry and eggs. They differed as to the ex
ternal decorations. One was in favour of a steeple, and the other, of
a Gothic tower. To reconcile the collision of opinion, the favourite

LETTERS FKOM EUROPE. 349
ornaments of both were adopted and placed side by side. In this
church is the cemetery of the Earl of Derby.
At Liverpool we remained a few days, entirety absorbed in busi
ness, with the exception of one evening, which was both usefully and
pleasantly passed in dining with an intelligent friend, residing a mile
or two from town. The extent of his mercantile relations has render
ed him familiar with the commercial interests of England, and his
hours of leisure, employed in reading and observation, have supplied
an intimate knowledge of the political state of the country, as well as
of public characters, from the king downward. Wide as had been the
sphere of our inquiries since parting with him in July, his disquisition
over a surloin of beef and a bottle of generous port was not less in
structive than agreeable. To the many favours which had been expe
rienced at his hands since our first acquaintance, he added the gift of
a volume of Essays, containing an interesting biographical sketch of
Mr. Canning, with a collection of the early productions of his pen,
while he was yet a student at Eton School. The juvenile lucubrations
of the Secretary gave promise of the talents, which he has since dis
played in the cabinet.
Having satisfactorily accomplished our errand to Liverpool, on the
11th we took seats in the coach for Newcastle-under-Line, a distance
of fifty-six miles. The coachman called for our luggage half an hour
before he was expected, and his peremptory summons produced one
of those ludicrous scenes which are witnessed, when the contents of
tables and bureaux are promiscuously emptied into trunks, without
time for packing, and the lids are closed to smother the articles, and
keep them from quarrelling. On opening them at night, it was an
even chance, whether shoes or shirts, relics or razor-strops, would
first .come out ; and the result of a good shaking furnished a fine il
lustration of that geological hypothesis, which supposes the earth was
formed from chaos, by the heavier substances settling towards the cen
tre, and the lighter rising to the surface. ¦
Our ride to-day extended across the counties of Lancaster, Chester,
and a part of Stafford, through Prescot, Warrington, Knutsford, and
Congleton, which are large manufacturing towns, offering no tempta
tions to induce the traveller to linger. Between Liverpool and Pres
cot, we passed a handsome white monument, erected at the public ex
pense, to the memory of William Pitt. At Warrington the road
crosses the Mersey, and runs for some distance along its banks. It
is here a considerable stream, much swollen and quickened in its cur
rent at this season by heavy rains. Near this place we rode under an
aqueduct on the Duke of Bridgewater's Canal, and saw boats naviga-

350 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ting the channel over our heads. Thanks to the enterprise of our
own country, there was nothing new in the picture, which is in all re
spects much less interesting than may be witnessed at a dozen places
between the Hudson and Lake Erie. Canal, boats, and all are very-
far inferior to ours.
Knutsford is remarkable — for what ? certainly for something, since
there is no town in England which is not. This village relies for its
celebrity on an annual assemblage of jockeys, and on a peculiar custom
the inhabitants have of strewing sand at the door of the bride and
bridegroom after marriage, neither the origin nor design of which is
known. At 7 o'clock in the evening we reached the Roe Buck at New
castle. This town is situated in a vale, and its brilliant gas-lights
were observed from the hills of Lime several miles beyond. It hence
derives the name of Newcasile-under-Lime, corrupted into under-line.'
Next morning, we walked to the village of Etruria, two miles from
Newcastle, for the purpose of examining the Porcelain Manufactory,
belonging to a son of the celebrated Wedgewood, inventor of an in
genious pyrometer for measuring high degrees of heat. His wares
are known the world over. The manufactory is situated upon the
bank of a canal, which communicates with London and Liverpool.
Immense quantities of porcelain of the finest quality are here made
and sent to the metropolis. Five hundred persons are employed in
the business.
Mr. Wedgewood was not at home, but his agent conducted us
through the manufactory, and explained the various stages, from grind
ing the materials to giving the last polish to the ware. The processes
are very nearly the same, as in the large establishment of a similar
kind at Derby, mentioned in a former letter. In some departments, I
should think Mr. Bloor's manufactory superior to Mr. Wedgewood's.
The materials for both are obtained in Cornwall. A steam engine of a
twenty-eight horse power* was here examined, which moves with such
exactness as to regulate the hands of a clock. We saw several inven
tions in the useful arts, which were new to us, although they may not
be to others. Among these was a churn, the piston or paddle of
which is moved by a bow, like that used by a hatter in cutting fur, or
by a watch-maker to turn his drill. But the improvement which ap
peared to me most worthy of imitation, was a new kind of steps for
the exterior of buildings, made of cast iron, with half of the superfi
cies open, like wrought muslin, to let the rain through.
Having examined whatever there is worth seeing at Newcastle,
which is a pleasant town, with a population of 10,000, we took a post-
chaise for Lichfield, distant about thirty miles. The intermediate

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. ' 351
country is both rich and beautiful. Even at this late season, the land
scape was not without its charms. The fields were yet green, and
large tracts of woodland retained a splendid foliage. As the road
was as good as it possibly could be, and the day . bright with a com
fortable autumnal sun, our ride was unusually pleasant, embracing a
sufficient variety of objects to make it interesting.
At the junction of the river Lyme with the Trent, the banks of
which are fertile and picturesque, we passed the seat of the Earl of
Stafford. In rural splendour, it will sustain a comparison with the
finest in England. The beautiful eminences covered with forests of a
large growth, and the stream flowing quietly by, render it a delightful
retreat. A little island was observed, which, like another Delos, rose
from the bosom of the water during the last summer — at the com
mand of a more sordid divinity than Neptune. The seats of Lord St.
Vincent ahd Lord Anson are in the same neighbourhood. In this
vicinity there is also a Lunatic Asylum, which is charmingly situated,
surrounded with woods, fountains, and jets d' eau, for the recreation
of its unfortunate inmates. It is a private establishment, and the pro
prietor is said to make it profitable.
At 7 o'clock in the evening, we reached Lichfield, the birth-place
of Dr. Johnson, who, following the etymology of the word and the
authority of antiquaries, defines it in his dictionary " the city of the,,
dead," adding byway of allusion to his nativity, " salve magna parens!"
Although it hardly seemed to merit the epithet which his partiality
bestowed, the streets were brilliantly lighted up, and the appearance
of the town was by no means contemptible. We took lodgings at the
George Inn, which was formerly kept by Harrison, alias " Boniface,"
and was the scene of the " Beau Stratagem," written by Farquhar
while he was a recruiting officer at Lichfield. The waiter showed us
into the very room which was occupied by the author, and gave us a
glass of ale as smooth as that by which the former jolly landlord ac
quired his celebrity.
The day after our arrival, we attended church at the Cathedral,
which is a magnificent and venerable pile of buildings, with three lofty
steeples, one in the centre, and the other two at the south end. It
covers a large area, standing upon an eminence, with handsome blocks
of houses around it, placed however at such a distance that the edifice
shows to good advantage. The principal entrance is finished with
tabernacle work, and double rows of statues extend across the fiujade.
Modern improvements are making bold innovations upon the simpli
city of the ancient structure, rendered perhaps in some measure ne
cessary by its great age and the inroads of time. The inside corres-

352 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ponds with the exterior in grandeur of design, and the richness of its
ornaments. There are many supulchral monuments, some of which
are embellished by the chisels of the first masters.
In the service of the Cathedral there was nothing very peculiar, ex
cept that the young clergyman who officiated, chanted or sung out the
conclusion of each prayer, in the manner of the Romish Church ; and
the responses were given in the same formal manner. A large audi
ence appeared to be intent on the religious duties of the day. The
music was remarkably fine, and the mellow tones of a powerful organ
reverberated from the vaulted ceiling, and echoed through the long
aisles. The interest of Lichfield lies within a narrow compass, and depends
almost entirely upon its literary associations. There is a cluster of
houses about the Cathedral, consecrated by the residence of celebra
ted personages, the catalogue of whom is too long for enumeration.
But the most sacred of the antique buildings is that in which Dr.
Johnson was born, and which yet remains unaltered. It is an old-fash
ioned house, three stories high, with a projection in front supported by
two pillars. The material was originally a light-coloured stone, which
has grown dark with age. Its window shutters were closed, and the
interior could not be visited, owing to the insanity of its present te
nant, who is at times furious. We dined at the Three Crowns, the
next door but one, in the room which Johnson and his friend Boswell
occupied on their visit to the birth-place of the former. The hotel is
kept by an old Frenchman, who came from the continent in the train
of an English nobleman, and bound himself to Lichfield by the ties of
marriage. He was personally acquainted with Dr. Johnson, and gave
us a fund of anecdotes, besides a good dinner.
In the same neighbourhood stands the old town-hall, (profusely or
namented in the antique style,) in which Mrs. Siddons first made her
appearance as an actress ; and near by are the houses in which " Dame
Oliver," the elder Addison, David Garrick's father, Dr. Darwin, and
other celebrated persons resided. There is scarcely a street in this
ancient town, which is not consecrated by interesting recollections,
Here Bishop Newton, the eminent divine, was born : here Major An
dre, whose misfortunes form an episode in the history of our revolu
tion, spent his early years : and here Brook who gave lialf of the name
to the town (Saybrook) at the mouth of Connecticut river, whither he
intended to emigrate, was massacred in the streets. The school-house
in which Dr. Johnson taught David Garrick, with one or two other
pupils, before the two pennyless adventurers set out for London to-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 353
gether, is several miles from town, and could not conveniently be
seen. In the course of the afternoon, we walked to Stowe Hill, where
"Molly Aston" and a group of the Doctor's friends resided. Some
of the old houses are yet standing. In front of one of them, the cor
pulent and clumsy lexicographer ran a race with Miss Ines, a Scotch
lassie, who came off victor, and whom he accused of having the ad
vantage by running bare-foot, according to the custom of her country.
Lucy Porter, the daughter of Mrs. Johnson, and the favourite of the
great moralist, has a neat monument in the church, which stands on
the margin of a little brook brawling by the base of Stowe Hill.
On our way to this spot, we visited the aged willow, to which John
son's early attachment and subsequent fame have imparted celebrity.
Its branches formed his favourite shade in the days of boyhood,
and a seat for meditation in his riper years. If it was not planted by
his hand, he nursed it with parental fondness. Its trunk, which is four
or five feet in diameter, is a mere shell, with an aperture so large, that
I went in at one side, and out at the other. It is tottering with the
infirmities of age, and like its former admirer, must soon sink beneath
the weight of years. Most of the branches within reach have been
broken off as relics by visitants ; and following the example of others,
we plucked a few slips, with the hope that they may hereafter be seen
flourishing in the United States.
Our last walk was to Abbenhalls, to visit the site of Dr. Darwin's
Botanic Garden, which was the original of his poem. Its location
was not far from the Cathedral. Few traces of it now remain. The
compartments are visible, enclosed by hedges of hawthorn, between
which there are straight narrow walks. More substantial crops now
supply the places of shrubbery and flowers. Here the author of the
Botanic Garden spent many years of his life, and wrote some of his
principal works.
Next morning, we took the coach for Birmingham, in Warwick
shire. The only object which arrested particular attention during the
ride, was Aston Hall, the seat of Mr. Watt, a son of the distinguished
gentleman of the same name, who made so many improvements iir*
steam-engines. It is three or four miles from Birmingham, situated
upon a sloping lawn, twenty rods from the road. The grounds are
beautifully shaded with woods, and the house has a palace-like appear
ance. It is the scene of Washington Irving's Bracebridge Hall, a
name by which it was once called.
We reached Birmingham at 10 o'clock, and took lodgings at the
Royal Hotel, in Temple Row, near St. Philip's church, which is one
vol. i. 45

354 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
of the finest parts of this over-grown manufacturing town, denomina
ted with a great deal of truth " the toy-shop of Europe." Although
it is, situated upon an eminence, with a suitable proportion of public
buildings, it has few handsome streets, and no architectural beauty.
Every thing is calculated for a money-making utility. The houses are
generally substantial, but none of them elegant. Were it otherwise,
the town could not possibly appear to advantage, since it is eternally
enveloped in a cloud of coal-smoke, so dense- as to be scarcely respi-
rable. It has a population of nearly two hundred thousand, engaged
almost exclusively in the manufacture of hardware.
Immediately after our arrival letters of introduction were despatch
ed, which made us acquainted with one of our own countrymen, who
is connected with an extensive commercial house in New- York. He
devoted himself to us during our stay of a few days, and rendered us
essential service, by gaining admittance to manufactories, the doors
of which are barred against strangers, and but for his aid would have
been impregnable. A residence of several years at Birmingham, and
the expenditure of large sums of money in the purchase of goods,
have made him acquainted with every body and every thing in town.
Through his introduction, and by an accidental meeting with one or
two old friends, we found an agreeable circle of Americans, whose
hospitality contributed much to the pleasure of our visit.
On the afternoon of our arrival, we called at Mr. Thompson's show
rooms, which are ten in number, filled with every variety of wares of
the highest finish. It is an amusing spectacle for the mere visitant,
and an hour was spent in looking at articles, a description of which
would fill a volume. Among the most curious is a copy of the fa
mous Warwick vase, seven feet in diameter, made of bronze, and ele
gantly finished. The labour of a full year was expended upon it.
Mr. Thompson's assemblage of imitation coins and medals is also' ex
tensive. His rooms are the most splendid in town, with the exception
perhaps of those of Mr. Jones, to which he has given the classical
name of navTS^va^xa — repository of all the arts. These apartments
are as much visited by both sexes as public museums.
On the same afternoon we visited Mr. Mann's extensive manufac
tory of buttons. His wares are well known in our country, where
large quantities of them have been sold. He has a folio of patterns,
among which is the military and naval button of the United States.
The obliging proprietor conducted us through the various apartments
of his establishment, and exhibited the process of cutting the articles
from plates, stamping, and polishing. They pass through some twen
ty or thirty hands, before receiving the last finish. But few of my

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readers would have the patience to follow me through the details of
the art.
The whole of the next day was busily occupied in going the rounds
of various manufactories, in company with the gentleman above alkK
ded to, and the veteran commander of one of the Liverpool packets,
who has crossed the Atlantic one hundred and twenty-nine times,
without ever being wrecked, or losing a ship. In our walks from
place to place, he gave me the leading incidents in his hardy and ad
venturous life, from his birth at Cape Cod, the cradle of maritime en
terprise, to his last voyage to Liverpool. He had never before visited
the source of those cargoes, which he had so often transported to the
shores of our country ; and every thing was therefore as new to him
as to us.
In the course of the day, we visited the principal establishments in
Birmingham for the manufacture of needles and fish-hooks — Japanned
ware — for rolling sheets of copper — for drawing wire — making frying
pans — forging, boring, polishing, and proving gun barrels and other
fire arms — plating and finishing swords and pikes — cutting screws —
blowing, annealing, and grinding fine glass, with various other opera
tions too tedious to mention. About twenty pages of notes were
taken ; but the intercourse between the United States and England is
now so frequent, and practical men are so much in the habit of taking
a trip across the Atlantic to examine the workshops of Europe, that
the result of my observations would probably be of little utility.
On the following morning, our tour of observation was resumed by
calling, in company with four yankees, on Dr. Church, a native of
Massachusetts, for the purpose of examining his celebrated printing
press. He politely invited us into his study, the tables and shelves of
which were loaded with diagrams and scientific publications. In a
few minutes we were invited to accompany him to the building, where
the model of his invention is in operation. After several years of
severe study and labour, he has succeeded in his plans, and produced
one of the most ingenious pieces of mechanism I have ever examined.
Mr. Perkins, of London, remarked to me, that it is the most perfect
machine he has ever seen ; and few men have had a wider experience,
or are better qualified to judge.
Dr. Church at first put his press in operation, and directed perhaps
a hundred sheets to be struck off, for our examination. He then
took the whole to pieces, and particularly explained the various parts.
Its motions approach nearer to those of an intelligent being, than,I
should think it possible any combination of inert matter could produce.
It reaches out its iron hand, grasps the edge of the sheet, draws it

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under the form where it receives the impression, returns it to the top
of the machine, and there deposits it in regular files. All this is done
in an instant, without the least noise or confusion. Between two and
three thousand sheets are struck off in an hour, the paper being drawn
alternately from each side, and the form being almost constantly em
ployed in producing an impression. It feeds itself with ink,1 by means
of rollers communicating with a trough. Three persons are required
to work it — one to turn the crank and the other two to, supply the
paper. The typography is beautiful, being uniform in its complexion, and
free from blurs. I examined numerous specimens, taking the sheets
indiscriminately from reams ofthe ordinary work upon which the men
were employed. It is designed rather for printing books than news
papers. The price of a press is £1000. Dr. Church is a silent,
modest man, who makes no comments on the merits of his own inven
tion, but merely exhibits the result, and leaves others to judge. He is
now engaged in completing his new method of setting types, which is
to be effected by melting and recasting the metal at every impression.
He remarked that his greatest difficulty was to prevent the loss of
material by frequent fusion ; but this he hopes to. obviate by a chemi
cal process, which prevents the formation of dross. He is on the
whole a very clever man, possessing much scientific research and me
chanical skill, united with inventive genius and natural acumen.
Whatever may be the result and practical utility of his printing-press,
the ingenuity it displays reflects credit upon the indefatigable inventor.
It is amusing to see with what boldness and ultimate success ad
venturers from our country encounter the prejudices of foreigners, and
push their fortunes in the principal towns of England. In one of the
most fashionable parts of Birmingham, a portrait painter from the
woods of Pennsylvania has opened his rooms, and is well established
in his professional pursuits. We called to pay our respects, but found
his door locked upon a lady, who was sitting for her likeness. Such
an undertaking requires a more daring spirit of enterprise, than to sub
due the forests of the west, or to give chase to the whale amidst the
icebergs ofthe poles.*

* In the winter of 1827, we became intimately acquainted with the young and
promising artist, alluded to in this paragraph. He was then in Paris, on his way
to Italy, where a study of the great masters of that country, added to his native
genius and self-acquired proficiency, cannot fail to render him eminent in his pro
fession. He took a likeness of General La Fayette, which is in the highest degree
creditable to his pencil.

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The people of Birmingham appear to entertain liberal feelings to
wards our country. With the single exception of the man who draws
wire and makes frying-pans, and who seemed to entertain fears that
we would borrow his trade, the manufacturers treated us with great
kindness and attention. The proprietor of one of the principal esta
blishments invited us to dine with him at Pike Hall, two miles from
town. He has a rural and beautiful retreat, with extensive grounds
and gardens. His house is elegantly furnished, and among its orna
ments are paintings which cost him £30,000. As his manufactory
has supplied most of the arms for the East-Indies, his table has long
been the resort of military officers. He gave us one of the best din
ners that had been found in England, with a speech and a round of
sentiments, breathing a spirit of liberality towards the United States.
One of the guests informed me, that he dined twice with the celebra
ted senator of Roanoke, when he was at Birmingham, and found him
pleasant over a bottle of old port. On our way to and from Pike Hall,
we passed the ruins of Dr. Priestley's house, which was destroyed by
the formidable mob at the commencement of the French Revolution,
and drove its tenant to our own shores. It was the most terrific riot
England has ever witnessed.
Previous to our departure from Birmingham, an hour was passed in
examining a newly invented steam-carriage, calculated for ascending
hills ; and also various kinds of metallic bedsteads, for which patents
have been secured. The former has not yet received a fair experi
ment ; but the latter appeared to me a valuable invention, worthy of
being introduced into our own country, if it has not already been. It
effectually prevents the greatest annoyance of a summer night, in warm
climates. The theatre at Birmingham, which is a handsome building, had not
sufficient attractions to induce us to attend. One of our American
acquaintances introduced us into the large and commodious Reading-
Room, which has recently been opened at the Post-Office. Files of
American papers were found upon the tables. Our survey of the
town was concluded with an examination of a monument in memory
of Nelson, standing near the market. The hero is represented in the
attitude of resting upon the admiral ship in the battle of Trafalgar.

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LETTER XXXI.
COVENTRY  KENILWORTH  WARWICK  STRATFORD-ON-AVON  BIRTH
PLACE AND TOMB OF SHAKSPEARE  RIDE TO OXFORD  THE UNIVERSI
TY/ — ETON SCHOOL  WINDSOR CASTLE  RETURN TO LONDON.
November, 1825.
On the morning ofthe 18th, we took seats in the coach for Coventry,
seventeen miles from Birmingham. The approach to the town, which
the muse of Shakspeare has immortalized by making it the scene of
Sir John Falstaff 's military adventures, is not uninteresting, indepen
dently of its associations. Three lofty and well proportioned steeples,
rising to the height of about three hundred feet, give an imposing
aspect to the place, which boasts of great antiquity, and has enjoyed
its day of celebrity. It was once encompassed by a strong wall, and
was entered by twelve gates. Its present population is about 14,000.
After breakfast, an intelligent and polite citizen who appeared to
feel some pride in the place of his residence, accompanied us without
solicitation to St. Michael's Church, and directed our attention to such
objects as are interesting to the stranger. It is an old and venerable
pile. The spire is a beautiful model of architecture, and was much
admired by Sir Christopher Wren. It is now tottering with age, and
must soon fall, unless means are speedily taken to preserve it. The
ceiling of the interior is magnificent, bearing a strong resemblance to
that of King's Chapel at Cambridge. It contains an organ, which is
so powerful as to drown a full peal of bells. Many sepulchral monu
ments crowd the walls and pavement. The pulpit, which is of oak
and highly .ornamented in the Gothic style, was the first erected in
England after the Reformation.
From the Church, we were conducted to another part of the town,
to look at a curious figure called " Peeping Tom." The image of a
tailor, dressed in a cocked hat, and ornamented with a profusion of
lace and ribbons, is seen peeping from a niche in the exterior wall of a
house, standing at the corner of the streets. Tradition says that Go-
diva, Marchioness of ancient Mercia, consented to ride through the
streets of Coventry, more slightly clad than even Falstaff 's ragged re
giment, for the purpose of propitiating her lord, who had consented to
relieve the citizens from a heavy tax upon such conditions. An edict
was issued, that the shops and houses should all be shut during the
ceremony. The curiosity of a certain tailor triumphed over his re
gard for the ordinance, and prompted him to peep from his window

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at the passing spectacle. As a retribution for such an act of indeco
rum, he was instantly struck blind ; and some editions of the legend
add, that his eyes dropped from their sockets. By the unanimous
voice of the citizens, he was " damned to everlasting fame." The
heroic exploit of Lady Godiva is gratefully commemorated once in
two or three years, when some gallant female volunteers to ride through
the streets at the head of a procession, personating as nearly as possi
ble the great patroness of the town. On such occasions, Peeping
Tom enjoys the benefit of a new hat, a new coat, and other decora
tions. The next anniversary will be celebrated in a few months. In
an age of refinement, this Eleusinian ceremony might perhaps be ad
vantageously commuted.
At Coventry we took a post-chaise for Kenilworth, a small brick
town, situated upon a sandy plain. The road between the two places
is bordered by large trees, which are the remains of an extensive forest
once infested by robbers. Our sole object at Kenilworth was to see
the ruins of the Castle, seated on a little eminence to the west of the
town. Something more than half an hour was spent in rambling over
the enchanted spot, and in tracing out its associations. The propor
tions ofthe Castle, plainly discoverable by the fragments which remain,
are upon a gigantic scale. Massive walls, arches, and columns cover a
large area, and were calculated for great strength, having been sur
rounded with a moat and furnished with draw-bridges. A luxuriant
growth of ivy, intermingled with mountain-ash, hawthorn, and the wild
brier, mantles the ruins, climbing the broken pillars, and hanging
around the gray battlements, in the richest and most fanciful festoons.
But why should I attempt a description of a Castle, which has sat
to the graphic pencil of Sir Walter Scott, who has seized its features
in the happiest attitude, and portrayed them with a strength of colour
ing that will endure the test of time ? It is fortunate, that the magni
ficent ruin has found such a master, before its evanescent charms have
farther disappeared. Few places can boast of more various or more
interesting associations than Kenilworth. It has alternately been the
seat of war and of pleasure—of feudal strife as well as feudal luxury — :
the prison and the palace of kings. Here the first Edward gave a
splendid fete, at which a hundred knights and as many ladies in gor
geous dresses were present, and here one of his successors was long a
prisoner. Here also in 1575. Elizabeth was sumptuously entertained
for the space of seventeen days by her favourite Dudley, Earl of Lei
cester, during which time a round of tilts, tournaments, and other
amusements enlivened the halls of Kenilworth. But I am recurring*
to scenes, with which many of my readers are probably familiar.

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After pausing for a few minutes at the lodge to look at the antique
ornaments, composed half of oak and half of marble, which decorated
the old fire-place of the Castle, and have been dug from the ruins, we
resumed our journey and rode to Warwick, six miles beyond. On the
left side of the way is a romantic cliff, beautifully shaded with trees
where Guy of Warwick terminated his eventful life. Many chivalrous
adventures are ascribed to this knight. He fought the Danish giant,
killed the dragon in the forests of Yorkshire, visited the Holy Land, sig
nalized himself by his valour in Germany, where he was offered the
emperor's daughter in marriage, whose hand he rejected on account
of the love he bore to the beautiful daughter of the Earl of Warwick,
the source and the reward of all his high achievements.
Passing under a lofty arch of the old wall, surmounted by a tower,
we entered the village of Warwick, which is pleasantly situated and has
several handsome streets hewn from the cliffs. It contains a popula
tion of eight or ten thousand, with a large proportion of public build
ings. To our regret it was ascertained on arriving at the hotel, that
the Castle would not be open until the next day at 1 o'clock, a de
lay which our arrangements would not justify. Our view of it was
therefore confined to the exterior, from the bridge ofthe Avon, on the
rocky bank of which the Castle is prettily seated. Its battlements
look immediately down upon the stream, which flows peacefully by,
and is bordered by copses of forest trees. The lodge and entrance
are in bad taste, looking much like the approach to a stable, or any
any other building, than the seat of a nobleman.
The remainder of our short stay at Warwick was employed in a
visit to St. Mary's Church, which contains a great number of sepul
chral monuments. Its interior is spacious, with a lofty Gothic ceiling,
highly finished. The section of it called the Lady's Chapel, is a splen
did specimen of architecture, enriched with a profusion of ornaments,
and containing the tombs of the Earls of Warwick. That in memory
of Beauchamp is peculiarly striking. He lies in state, clad in ancient
armour of double-gilt brass, with a bier of the same material above
him. Numerous other groups sleep around, imparting to the chapel
an air of solemnity.
After taking some refreshment at the hotel, for which an exorbitant
price was charged, amounting to about twice as much as is paid for
the same fare in the north of England, we again took a post-chaise for
Stratford-on-Avon, distant eight miles. Our minds the whole way
were filled with the recollections of Shakspeare. On the left side of
the road, at the distance of a mile or two, stands the mansion of Lord
Lucy, from whose park the young bard stole the deer, and on whom

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he subsequently wrote a lampoon, which had the effect to drive its
author instead of its subject from the village. It however proved to
be the source of his fame and fortune.
At six o'clock in the evening, we arrived at the Red-Horse, and
took lodgings for the night. A copy of Washington Irving's sketch
of Stratford-on-Avon was lying upon the table in the parlour of the
hotel. It was presented by a Virginian,* on condition that when it is
worn out, another will be substituted at his expense. The essay was
written in an adjoining room ofthe same inn, and we had the pleasure
of occupying the author's bed-chamber. A poker in one ofthe rooms
is inscribed with the words — " Geoffrey Crayon's Sceptre." This
compliment was paid by a traveller, who astonished the landlady by re
questing the loan of the instrument for a day or two.
Notwithstanding the fatigues of the day, we did not feel like going
to bed, without having first paid our respects to the birth-place of
Shakspeare, and a guide was accordingly procured to conduct us to
the memorable spot, at the distance of less than half a mile from the
Red-Horse. The old-fashioned two story house, with a wooden frame,
filled in with brick and mortar, and a white plastered front, stands upon
one of the principal, streets of Stratford. It has two small rooms on
the ground floor. The one in front is occupied as a butcher's stall,
which was lighted up and hung with meat. Back of this is the kitchen,
which is much more classical in its appearance. It has remained
without alteration since the days of the poet, who used to play when
a child upon the hearth of the large fire-place. One of the old chairs
stood in the chimney corner till within a few years, when it was borne
away by sacrilegious hands, and carried to the continent. The lady
who is the present tenant of the house, conducted us up a narrow flight
of steps, to the chamber in which the favoured child of genius was born.
This apartment is of a piece with the rest of the mansion, small in
dimensions, and antique in its construction. The walls are entirely
covered over with the names and inscriptions of visitants, among
whom are numbered kings and dignitaries of all descriptions — a proud
compliment to literary eminence. There is no other furniture in the
room than a solitary table, on which lies an Album containing the re
sidue of signatures and sentiments, which the walls would not hold.
It appeared from an inspection of the pages, that a large proportion of

* I subsequently saw much of this estimable gentleman at Paris, where he is
diving into the depths of mathematics and the science of engineering, laying the
solid foundations of his future fame, and qualifying himself for an extended sphere
of usefulness in his own country.
VOL. I. '16

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the visiters were from our country ; and the names of several of our
friends were recognized. But pilgrims from all parts ofthe globe have
come hither, to bend at the shrine ofthe divine bard.
The good lady agreed to give us a bed in the room for the night ;
but as the floor was damp, and the chimney was not in a condition
for a fire, she came to the hotel at 9 o'clock, to inform us of her dif
ficulties, and the project was abandoned. From the cradle, we went
to the tomb of Shakspeare, on the same evening. He was buried in
the village church, half a mile from his birth-place, in a retired part of
the village. The pretty Gothic edifice, ornamented with antique
turrets, stands within a few paces of the right bank of the Avon. It is
approached by an avenue, leading through ranges of trees, forming in
summer an arch of foliage. At this season, the walk was strewed
with the leaves of autumn, which rustled beneath our feet, and perhaps
deepened the solemnity of the cemetery.
The church was locked, and it was too late to think of the key till
morning. A most delightful hour was passed in rambling over the
church-yard, and along the rural banks of the Avon, which is a much
finer stream than I had anticipated from a description. Its width is
perhaps fifty yards, bordered with rich meadows, which still retained
much ofthe verdure of summer. It winds silently by the church and
cemetery, as if unwilling to break the repose of the dead. The shore
is shaded with a curtain of trees and wild shrubbery. Just below is a
water-fall, the murmur of which returns softened upon the ear. The
evening of our visit was perfectly tranquil ; and while reposing under
aged yews, or reclining upon tomb-stones, we could exclaim with as
much truth as poetry —
" How sweet the moonlight sleeps on yonder bank" —
for her orb was nearly full, and shed a mild radiance, better suited to
the objects around, than the glare of day. It scarcely requires the dust
of Shakspeare to give interest to such a scene ; but with the wide
range of associations, which his name awakens, the charms ofthe place
are absolutely enchanting. Proud as is the monument to the memory
of the bard in Westminster Abbey, this rural and sequestered spot,
upon the margin of his native stream, and hallowed by his ashes, is
worth more than the most splendid decorations of art.
The remnant of a long evening was passed at a museum, kept by
the same old lady who is described in Irving's Sketch. It is filled with
relics of various kinds, which are said to have belonged to Shakspeare ;
but the authenticity of the articles is so doubtful, and the. cabinet has

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 363
been opened under such suspicious circumstances, as to destroy the
pleasure of the visiter. A sudden rise in the rent of the house where
the bard was born, compelled Mrs. Hart, who claims to be a descend
ant ofthe family, to quit it and set up for herself. She took with her
all the articles in her possession, and has since made copious additions,
some of which have very strong marks of being apochryphal. Her
manner is not the most winning, admitting of no sceptical suggestions,
and challenging the admiration of the spectator in every particular.
She is also too much in the habit of decrying the merits of her rival,
who holds what may be called the homestead of the poet, and between
whom there is a strong competition. Mrs. Hart is on the whole rather
an original character. To increase the profits of her establishment,
and to strengthen her claims to relationship with the great poet, she
has written a drama called " the Battle of Waterloo," a copy of which
she seemed anxious to palm upon us.
We slept merely to dream of Shakspeare, and woke at 6 o'clock
the next morning to revisit his tomb. A bookseller in the village,
who is familiar with all its localities, was so polite as to obtain the key
and accompany us to the church. He has become acquainted with
several of our countrymen in their visits to Stratford ; and his devotion
of two or three hours to us, who were entire strangers to him, furnishes
additional evidence, that a laudable spirit of hospitality prevails in
England, and that many of the people entertain the kindest feelings
towards the United States. He remarked, that the Americans gene
rally who had visited the place, appeared to take a more lively inte
rest in its associations, than even the English themselves.
The church in which the great poet of nature sleeps, has a goodly
number of monuments ; but the eye involuntarily passes over all
others, and rests upon one alone. Noblemen and kings might slum
ber unnoticed by his side. His tomb stands against the northern wall,
near the altar. It is a handsome marble structure, supported by Co
rinthian pillars, and surmounted with the figures of two children, one
of which holds a spade, and the other a funeral torch. At top is a
death's head, in the taste of the age when the monument was erected ;
and below, a bust of the poet, which is said to be an admirable like
ness. The inscription is too familiar to my readers to bear a citation.
Malone undertook to improve the tomb, by giving a complexion to
the marble image of the poet, and by clothing it with the costume he
used to wear. His eyes were painted of a hazel colour, and his locks
and beard auburn. The public taste soon corrected these ill-judged
alterations, and the original simplicity of the monument has as far as
possible been restored. In front ofthe tomb, a plain slab in the pave-

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ment, with a half obliterated inscription, covers the dust of the bard ;
and near him repose the ashes of his wife and family. A delightful
tranquillity reigns around, and the sleep of the grave is unbroken, save
by the gentle murmurs ofthe Avon, which die in faint echoes among
the columns and arches ofthe church.
In returning to the hotel, we rambled along the banks of the river,
passing the site of the temporary theatre which David Garrick erected
in 1769, for celebrating the birth-day of Shakspeare. It stands on
the meadow close to the margin ofthe stream. At the time of the
fete, a succession of heavy rains had produced a flood in the Avon,
whieh encircled the theatre, and compelled the audience to approach
it in boats. This circumstance was regarded by the good people of
Stratford, who saw less of divinity in the poet than did some of his ad
mirers, as a judgment from heaven on such unholy rites.
At 9 o'clock we took places in the coach for Oxford, the seat of the
University. In leaving Stratford, the great road from Birmingham
crosses the Avon on a handsome stone bridge. Just below, there is
another bridge, forming a part of an extensive rail-road. The banks
of the river are in both directions extremely rural and quiet. In as
cending a hill for several miles, the village and little church of Strat
ford continue in sight, to which the traveller bids a reluctant farewell.
The whole 'of our ride this day was through a rich and beautiful
country, forming parts of Warwickshire and Oxfordshire. Numerous
streams flow through fields highly cultivated, and bordered by forests,
presenting a great variety of scenery, to which a bright autumnal day
imparted an additional charm. Ten or twelve miles from Oxford, we
passed through Woodstock, which was once a place of importance,
the scene of interesting transactions, and the resort of many ofthe no
bility. At present it is remarkable only for the manufacture of gloves
of the best quality, materials for which covered all the fences in the
neighbourhood. The town is pleasantly situated on a steep and rocky
declivity. Many of the houses are built upon the cliffs and upon the
terraces, which are better suited to the ancient magnificence than the
present condition of the place.
Near Woodstock, we had a view of Blenheim House, the seat of
the Duke of Marlborough, whose ancestor received it from the govern
ment, as a reward for his distinguished services. It is seated on an
eminence, at a little distance from the road, whence it appears to
good advantage. The grounds are rich and beautiful, and the exterior
of the building is imposing. It is reckoned one of the " lions" of
England ; but so many shows ofthe kind had already been examined,
that Blenheim was passed without a visit. The present Duke is said

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to have declined sadly from the character of his progenitors. His es
tates are incumbered with pecuniary embarrassments, incurred, as the
report goes, by gambling, and the expenses of his mistresses, till he
has at length been reduced to an income of 500 a year. As the pro
perty is entailed, his son has lately commenced a prosecution for a
trespass in cutting down and selling timber. Rumour adds that he
has offered to sell the sword of his ancestors. Such is the reputation
ofthe great Duke of Marlborough !
At 2 o'clock we arrived at Oxford, and took lodgings at the Star
Hotel. This inn is mentioned by way of warning, not of recommen
dation to others. Its accommodations are but indifferent, while the
charges are exorbitant, far exceeding those of the first houses in Lon
don. For an ordinary dinner without wine, for lodging and breakfast,
we paid twenty-two shillings sterling each, besides the customary fees
to the waiters. A remonstrance against such outrageous extortion
had no other effect than to produce a gallery of sullen faces. If all the
hotels possess the same character, the traveller will never visit Oxford
but once, and then remain for as short a time as possible.
Fortunately, the objects of our visit were soon accomplished. Im
mediately after our arrival a guide was employed to conduct us over
the University. We commenced the tour of observation by going
through the Bodleian Library, which is one of the largest in the world
containing five or six hundred thousand volumes. It is peculiarly
rich in rare and valuable manuscripts. The books occupy three spa
cious halls, a centre and two wings, which are neat and convenient,
but have little to boast of in point of architectural beauty, furniture,
or ornaments of any kind. A few portraits decorate the walls at the
entrance. Connected with the library is an extensive picture gallery,
which occupies three other large halls filled with painting, statues,
architectural models, and other curiosities. The superintendent of
the department is an intelligent, clever man, with a good deal of taste
in the arts, and very polite to strangers. He detained us more than an
hour in pointing out the best pictures and the most interesting objects
committed to his charge. Of these, a bronze statue of the Earl of
Pembroke, which occupies a conspicuous situation, and half a dozen
models of Greek and Roman edifices, are most attractive to the eye of
the visitant. Some of the pictures are by the first masters ; but gene
rally speaking, the collection cannot be considered very rare.
Our next visit was to the Radcliff Library, which is in the vicinity.
It is a magnificent rotunda, eighty or a hundred feet high, and forming
the most prominent object about Oxford. Its architecture is as beau
tiful as its proportions are grand. It was founded by Doctor Radcliff,

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at an expense of 100,000Z. and is appropriated to natural history and
medicine. An observatory is connected with it. The inside corres
ponds in grandeur with the exterior. A succession of round rooms
rise one above the other from the bottom to the top of the building.
Alcoves for the books are arranged in a circle about the open area.
Statues, portraits, and antique curiosities ' are among the ornaments.
In the handsomest of these apartments the Prince Regent, Alexander
of Russia, the King of Prussia, and the other great characters accom
panying them, dined during their visit to Oxford in 1814.
A spiral flight of steps ascends to the dome, which we climbed, and
had a charming view of the city just before sunset of a bright evening.
One of the students accompanied us, and designated the localities of
Oxford, which is beautifully situated at the junction ofthe Isis and Char-
well, the head waters ofthe Thames. The banks of these streams fur
nish charming promenades, which were the favourite haunts of Addi
son, Johnson, and other eminent men, who have imparted a classical
character to the scenes of their meditations. In picturesque beauty,
the environs of Oxford certainly surpass those of Cambridge. The
town is also far superior in the style and taste of its buildings. Its
streets are wide, and many of its edifices magnificent. On the top of
the Radcliff Library, the spectator finds himself in the centre of nine
teen colleges composing the University, and a great number of church
es, which lift their domes and Gothic towers around him, affording a
coup d' oeil of architectural grandeur seldom equalled. But after all,
I should prefer the Cam to the Isis. In the antique piles, the venera
ble halls, and secluded walks upon the banks of the former, there is
an air of retirement and classical dignity, which cannot be found in
the more modern, stately, and fashionable city of Oxford.
On descending from this point of observation, our guide conducted
us to the Collegiate Theatre, appropriated to the literary exercises of
the University. Two rostrums in classical style are erected on oppo
site, sides of the hall, whence the prize poems are delivered. The
walls are adorned with a splendid likeness of his present majesty, in
his royal robes, painted by Sir Thomas Lawrence ; as also with por
traits of Alexander and the king of Prussia, who in this room re
ceived the degree of LL. D. at the time of their celebrated visit.
The same honour was conferred on Blucher and a host of others, who
were unable to construe their diplomas. An old man who keeps the
keys of the room, and who was present on the occasion, seemed to
think that nothing else about the University could interest us. He was
so full of the subject, as to point out the very place where each of the
illustrious group sat, and to describe the grandeur of the spectacle.

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In the vicinity of the Collegiate Theatre are the Schools of Phi
losophy and the Museum, containing the Arundel Marbles, which we
had a strong desire to see, but found the doors closed. The-guide
took us to the chapel of New College, chiefly for the purpose of ex
amining the splendid Gothic window, which is one of the finest spe
cimens of stained glass I have yet seen. The painting itself, on a
different material, would reflect the highest credit upon the artist.
Our tour of observation for the day was concluded by a visit to Christ
Church College, which is the largest and most celebrated of the
group composing the University. It was founded by Cardinal Wolsey,
at the time of his wealth, and influence at court. In construction, it
is similar to all the colleges at Oxford, which, like those of Cam
bridge, are situated round open areas. The centre of the court is
ornamented with a large and beautiful fountain, affording a copious
supply of water, and imparting a refreshing coolness to the air in sum
mer. We were conducted to the Chapel, which has a bell weighing
several tons, classically denominated Magnus Thomas, or Great Tom ;
to the dining-hall, and other departments of the institution, which are
upon a large scale, but do not differ materially from those that have
already been described. In short, the government, professorships,
modes of education, and the whole internal police of the two Univer
sities are so nearly allied, that after our very satisfactory visit to Cam
bridge, Oxford presented few novelties ; and nothing except the ex
terior of the place excited a remarkable degree of interest.
On the 20th, we rode to Windsor, forty miles down the Thames,
the banks of which were charming even at this season, affording all
the richness and variety of the English landscape. Judging from our
own observations, Oxfordshire is one of the finest agricultural dis
tricts in the country. The road is bordered with wide fields of till
age, and the hills in many places are clothed with a luxuriant growth of
wood. Large manufacturing villages rise at intervals along the way ;
but none of them possess much interest. On arriving at the summit
of a moderate eminence, it occasioned in us not a little surprise to
be assured, that we were then upon the highest ground in England,
over-topping Skiddaw and Scawfell. A pole has been erected to
mark the apex. The ascent from the Irish Sea and the British
Channel to the top of this swell is so gradual, as to be scarcely per
ceptible. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived at the village of Slough,
situated on the great London road, opposite to Windsor. A hackney
coachman at the hotel asked twelve shillings sterling to take us across
the Thames, to the seat of his majesty, a distance of only a mile and

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a half. Being yet sore with the exorbitant charges at Oxford, we
were not prepared for new extortion. Our baggage was therefore
left in charge of the landlord, while we set out on foot, to pass the
remainder of the day and night at Windsor. On our way thither, a
call was made at Eton School, which is situated upon the left bank of
the Thames. It is an old two-story building, with broken windows,
and in appearance little worthy of its celebrity. A glance was taken
at the court, the grounds, the chapel, and some of the rooms ; but
there is nothing in the exterior which can interest a stranger.
Crossing the river on a pretty bridge, we entered Windsor, and
climbed the steep hill, on which the town is built, to the Cas
tle. Here a guide took us in hand, and for eighteen pence each,
showed us all the wonders which the Palace affords. He conducted
us through a long suite of apartments, filled with beds, furniture, sta
tues, and pictures, calling them all by name, and singing out his song,
in the usual style of showmen, to a gaping crowd of spectators.
State beds, crimson cushions, and galleries of family portraits had be
come an old story with us : besides, the favourite palace of his majesty
is in all respects far inferior to the houses of many of his subjects.
Neither the Castle itself, nor the furniture, will bear a comparison with
the seats of several of the noblemen that had been examined.
Its location is extremely beautiful, being seated upon a rock elevated
several hundred feet above the Thames, and commanding an extensive
view of the meanders of the river, through the fertile meadows by
which it is bordered. A single turn upon the terrace, constructed at
an immense expense for a promenade in front of the Castle, and a
peep into the green elysian vale stretching below, and enriched with
all the luxuriance of nature, far surpasses in interest the assemblage
of the works of art, which regal wealth has accumulated. So true it
is, that in the dispensations of providence, those objects which are
the sources of the purest and most lasting enjoyment are equally open
to all — free as the air we breathe, the stream that refreshes, and the
sun that warms. Give me the grandeur, the beauty, the simple mag
nificence of nature, and without a sigh I will leave to kings their
thrones, palaces, and artificial luxuries.
After a delightful promenade upon the terrace, we went to the
Chapel Royal, where the king attends public worship. It is a beautiful
Gothic edifice, situated upon the declivity below the Castle. The
lofty pillars, arches, and ceiling, as well as the decorations of the inte
rior, are scarcely surpassed by any thing of the kind that has met our
observation. It was brilliantly lighted up for evening prayers. The
porter showed us into the seats of two of the noblemen, who were

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 369
both absentees. There are no striking peculiarities in the'service,
except the same sing-song in reading and responding, as was remark
ed at Lichfield. At the conclusion of the exercises, the choir chanted
an anthem, extracted from Handel's Creation. A great number of
voices, accompanied by a powerful organ, gave a fine effect to the
music, the peals of which seemed almost sufficiently loud and anima
ting to break the repose of the royal group, who sleep the sleep of
death in the vault below.
It is a singular fact, that the sovereign and court of a nation, which
professes to be ultra christian in its sentiments, and has been free in
its censures upon other countries for an opposite tendency, should pay
so little regard to the Sabbath. At Windsor, Sunday is the fashiona
ble day both for business and amusement. The king sometimes at
tends church ; but he generally selects the Sabbath for inspecting the
public works which are going on for his accommodation, at an expense
of several hundred thousand pounds — for reviewing military parades —
for fishing in his favourite Virginia waters — and for giving splendid din
ner parties. On this day the gates of the Palace are flung open, and
crowds from London, as well as from the neighbouring country, rush
in, to indulge in scenes of gaiety and pleasure, imitating the example
of the court. While these practical violations of -a sacred ordinance
are sanctioned by the English, they certainly do not furnish just grounds
for denouncing the religious creeds and customs of other nations.
It was our intention to have visited the Cottage, where his Majesty
resides, at the distance of a few miles from Windsor, as also Virginia
Water, whither he is fond of resorting in his "Pony Phaeton," for ex
ercise, and to forget the cares of state, in the pleasures of angling.
But a violent November storm, which beat all night against the win
dows of the White Hart, and had not entirely subsided by the next
morning, changed our plans and determined us to set out for London
as soon as possible, leaving the remainder of Windsor, the Forest,
Twickenham, Richmond Hill, and the banks of the Thames between
the Castle and the metropolis, to be traversed at a more favourable sea
son. The rain compelled us to take places in the interior of the coach,
which whirled us over a distance of twenty-one miles in less than three
hours, affording little opportunity to look at Hounslow Heath and
other places lying on this great avenue to London, the suburbs of which
extend five or six miles towards Windsor.

47

370 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XXXII.
SECOND VISIT TO LONDON  AMERICAN LIBRARY  COVENT GARDEN —
DKUEY LANE — STEAM-GUNS — LITERARY DINNER  RIDE TO DOVER —
DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN AND CLIFFS  PASSAGE OF THE STRAITS.
November, 1825.
A return to the little circle of our acquaintances in London, after an
absence of several months, was not without its pleasures, suggesting
to the mind a slight image of home. The literary rooms of Mr. Mil
ler were calculated to deepen the impression ;' for besides the perma
nent decorations of his apartments, among which are busts of Wash
ington and Franklin, the Declaration of Independence, and an extensive
collection of American books, we here found files of papers from every
part of our country, containing the body of the times since our depart
ure. In sentiment and feeling, the proprietor of this extensive esta
blishment is American ; and his liberality has done more than that of
any other individual to make the literary character of the United States
better understood in England. Possessing a discriminating taste, he is
in the habit of perusing such books as originate with us, and of select
ing those that will bear a re-publication. He has generally been judi
cious and fortunate in his choice of the numerous productions which
issue from the American Press ; and to his efforts, rather than to any
new era in our literary history, may be ascribed the increased estima
tion in which transatlantic works are now held. As such instances of
liberality are yet sufficiently rare in Great-Britain, I take very great
pleasure in commending the exertions of this gentleman to the favour
able notice and patronage of my countrymen.
Our first object of attention, after reaching London, was to complete
our pecuniary arrangements preparatory to a departure for the conti
nent. This business was accomplished in the most satisfactory manner
through the medium of a respectable house, who obtained for us
letters of credit from Mr. Baring, affording us an opportunity of
examining the establishment of that celebrated banker. His extensive
pecuniary transactions are conducted with more system, ease, and
security than any operations of the kind I have ever witnessed. Every
clerk is at his post, and the room so silent, that one might hear a pin
drop. The two brothers, who effected an accommodation agreeably
to our wishes, added to their professional favours, others of a descrip
tion which we had no right to expect. One of them took us again
through the bank of England, the Exchange, and other mercantile

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institutions, designating such objects as merited attention and explain
ing the methods of transacting business in the metropolis. He carried
his politeness still farther by a cordial invitation to dine with him at his
country seat, five or six miles from town.
One evening during our second visit to London was passed at
Covent Garden Theatre, to see Kemble personate the character of
Charles the Second, in the Merry Monarch. Expectations raised so
high as ours had been, by the reputation of this actor, are seldom an
swered, and a single exhibition of his dramatic talents certainly left not
a little disappointment. His person is good, but by no means command
ing ; and though his acting is chaste, it cannot be considered powerful.
Some parts of his performance were tame, falling short of the spirit of
the author. In my estimation Cooper is decidedly his superior — -in
person, port, voice, gesture, and diction. I could not perceive that
his entries or exits were marked by any extraordinary applause of the
audience. He is nevertheless a favourite with the public, and his
histrionic merits are well established. The rest of the company ac
quitted themselves in a creditable manner ; but Covent Garden on that
night was as starless as the smoky canopy of London. The theatre
itself is a magnificent building, finished much in the style of the Italian
Opera House, with splendid furniture, decorations, and scenery.
On another evening, we visited Drury-Lane, more for the sake of
completing the rounds of the Theatres, than on account of any extra
ordinary attractions that the entertainment offered. It is by far the
handsomest theatre in London, and probably one of the finest in the
world. Its arches, pillars, and saloons, its crimson curtains and gilded
decorations, resemble a palace rather than a play-hoUse. A new piece,
called " The Wager or Midnight Hour," was brought out. It is one
of those high-wrought, showy, noisy dramas, depending more upon
the eye than the ear for eclat, and better suited to draw forth the plau
dits of the multitude than to stand the test of criticism. Neither the
play itself, nor the awkwardness of a first representation, was calcula
ted to afford a fair specimen of the talents of the actors — at least I
should be sorry to think so. Dowton personated an old man to some
advantage; and Miss Kelly, another of the triple sisterhood of ac
tresses, evinced a sprightliness of manner,- which made us forget that
she has few personal accomplishments. With these exceptions, the
performance was intolerably dull.
But what shall I say of the after-piece, which was nothing less than
the celebrated " Jocko ?" Many a baboon has doubtless trod the
stage ; but it is uncommon to see one without some disguise, and with
out at least attempting to enact a human character. In the present

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instance, an actor assumes the port and bearing of a monkey, skipping
about on all-fours, scratching his ear with his paw, climbing trees, and
" playing such fantastic tricks," as would make the spirits of Shaks
peare, Garrick, Addison, Goldsmith, Sheridan and Johnson weep for
the degeneracy of the age, and the degradation of the English stage.
What must be the literary taste of an audience, who can witness with
complacency the antics of a player, in the guise of an ape ? — Yet the
fashionables of London applauded Jocko to the skies.
It is sincerely to be hoped, that such buffoonery may never reach
our own shores ; for I should view the introduction of these unnatural
spectacles, these gross departures from the legitimate drama, as one
of the greatest curses that could befal our country, having a direct
tendency to corrupt the public taste and undermine the simplicity of
our manners. In government, religion, and laws, in the useful arts
and the modes of education, we have had the good sense to analyze
the institutions of the old world, and to separate the chaff from the
wheat. So let it be with our literary and public amusements. A
plain republican people want no gladiators nor boxers, no rope-dancing,
bull-baiting, nor ballad-singing — none of those dramatic exhibitions,
which pervert the design of the stage, and which have sprung up
like excrescences from the luxurious and effeminate habits of other
nations. The lapse of a few days convinced us of a truth which might have
been learned from the Spectator, that the month of November is not
the time for seeing London. Neither sun, moon, nor stars are visible
through the dense cloud of smoke, which envelopes the city. At this
season there is not more than four or five hours of imperfect daylight.
The lamps are lighted in the shops by about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
Add to these circumstances incessant rains and muddy streets, with
the impossibility of moving without a coach. Several attempts were
made to visit Westminster Hall, the Museum, and other public places,
but the inclemency of the weather, or the sudden approach of night
prevented. Such a state of things compelled us to relinquish the idea of com
pleting a survey of London for the present, and to prepare for our de
parture from England immediately. With one or two exceptions, the
civilities of those acquaintances, who on the strength of letters of in
troduction had invited us to dine or offered other attentions, were de
clined- or deferred till our return from the continent, and the two or
three remaining days of our visit were occupied with the social and
fireside enjoyments, which the politeness and hospitality of our friends
afforded.

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In the circle of those who did us the honour to call was our cele
brated countryman Perkins, whose two extensive establishments, filled
with the ingenious and interesting products of his mechanical genius,
had been examined during our first visit to London. His conversation
is always instructive as well as agreeable. He was so kind as to show
us all the letters, which had passed between him and the Duke of Wel
lington, Mr. Canning, and Lord Liverpool, respecting his invention of
steam-guns. They pay a high compliment to his ingenuity, and after
visiting his manufactory, express a favourable opinion as to the practi
cability of this mode of warfare. The Duke of Wellington remarked,
that he saw no reason why it should not produce a new era in military
science ; and he thought no troops could be brought up to face a park
of artillery, discharging a shower of shot with such rapidity. This is
high authority; in which the two ministers concur. The invention will
be equally affective by land and sea. A public experiment was tried
in Regent's Park on the 6th of December, at which the staff of the army
and the great men of the metropolis were present. It fully succeeded,
and no doubt was entertained as to the efficacy of the invention.
Invited by the comforts of the hearth, Mr. Perkins entered some
what at length into philosophical and mechanical speculations, giving
the result of his experiments in hydraulics, to prove the compressibility
of water. His investigations have led him to a full conviction, that
the ocean at the depth of five hundred miles from its surface ceases to
be liquid, becoming from, mere pressure a solid, dense, mass of matter,
constituting the central portions of the globe. He related an amusing
anecdote connected with this topic. Soon after his arrival in London,
he went one evening to listen to the instructions of a Professor of Phi
losophy. The subject of the lecture happened to be hydraulics, in
which the incompressibility of water was inculcated as an axiom. At
the close of the exercises the American philosopher entered into a dis
cussion of the point with the professor, and so fully satisfied him ofthe
falsity of the axiom, that on the following evening he had the candour
to retract his doctrines, and give another lecture' to his class on the
compressibility of water. Mr. Perkins also gave us a detail of his ex
periments, which were successful, for converting air into a permanent
visible liquid. In short he seems to play with the elements ; and
above all, has been the first to bring into complete subjection the fiery
and intractable power of steam.
This gentleman takes alively interest in the inventive genius of his coun
trymen, to whom his situation in the focus of mechanics, his acquaintance
with London, and above all his own experience enable him to afford great
assistance. He introduced a Philadelphian, who has an invention for ex-

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trading calculi. I have examined the ingenious instrument, and wit
nessed the method of using it. If it shall succeed, it will supersede the
horrible operation of lithotomy. Like many men of genius, the inventor
has the misfortune not to be in affluent circumstances, and on that account
met with some difficulties in securing the benefits of his skill and in
dustry. I was told that one of the most distinguished physicians in Lon
don, after examining the apparatus and satisfying himself of its merits,
sat down and wrote a check for £500, handing it to our countryman,
and saying that if the invention should form a source of profit, the mo
ney might be refunded ; but if not, he would please to consider it as
a gratuity. Such acts of liberality do more to subdue national preju
dices than all the wars that were ever waged.
One of our countrymen, who has resided long in England, and is
acquainted with the fashionable circles, gave us a most amusing ac
count of the system of climbing, which prevails in the metropolis. With
a certain class, the highest object of aspiration, for which they would
spend a life of toil and of petty intrigue, is to obtain an introduction at
Court, and mingle with the nobility. To effect this, a train of the
aspirants hang upon the skirts of each other's garments, forming a
connected chain from the highest to the lowest, and anxiously waiting
for admission. If the first link happens to give way, it produces a
tremendous crash, and the whole group tumble, losing the labour of
years, and like Sisyphus, compelled to commence their toils anew.
Ahnack's is the place of rendezvous for the Haut Ton, and he that
has entered the threshold of this establishment has passed the Rubi
con. No one can go without a particular card of invitation from a
leading member. The rules of the circle are rigid, and instances have
occurred, in which noblemen themselves have been deposed for a
season. A good person, a sword, and cocked hat are the best pass
ports. On the evening of the 24th, I rode from London to Clapham, a
distance of four or five miles, to dine with an eminent literary gentle
man, to whom a mutual friend in New- York had been so kind as to
give me a letter of introduction. He has two brothers in the United
States, and his own heart appears to be there also. His halls are de
corated with the busts of Washington and Franklin, and with other
memorials of our Republic, ofthe rising greatness of which he delights
to speak. To the Americans who come recommended to him, he
manifests the kindness of a friend and parent, receiving them with a
generous hospitality, and affording by his influence in society the most
valuable facilities. He is a connecting link between our countrymen
and the great institutions of the British metropolis ; and his good of-

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lices as well as his liberal sentiments have done much to break down
the barrier of prejudice and soften the asperities between the two na
tions. In person he is an aged, venerable looking man, whose white locks,
mild countenance, and dignified deportment at once command re
spect and esteem. His suavity of manners and easy politeness make
the stranger perfectly at home by his fireside ; while his flow of con
versation is an unfailing source of entertainment and instruction, en
riched as it is with anecdotes of the great men of his time, with whom
he is familiar, and of the public institutions of the capital, of which he
is a prominent member. His house is remote from the bustle of the
town, and furnished in elegant though not extravagant style, its em
bellishments consisting chiefly of choice specimens of the fine arts. I
almost envied the retirement, literary ease, and quiet enjoyment, which
reign in this dwelling, and could not but contrast its tranquil pleasures
with the gay, giddy, and noisy round of the fashionable world.
In such society, dinner is the last thing that will be thought of by
the guest. At 7 o'clock it was served up with neatness, taste, and
simplicity. A liberal abundance, but no luxuries, crowned the board.
The party at the table was small, and the conversation of the most
agreeable kind. It was gratifying here to meet a gentleman, who has
travelled over the greater part of our country, and visited many scenes
with which I am familiar. Our circle of acquaintances are also in a
great measure mutual. His father has a charming seat upon the banks
of the Kennebec, in the vicinity of Hallowell, where his active bene
volence has acquired for him the appellation of " the Man of Ross."
The son appears to possess much of the same spirit. He is now en
joying the library and literary society of his distinguished relative, but
considers the United States his home.
I was delighted with this visit, and regretted that my arrangements
compelled me to decline a pressing invitation to pass the night with
the family. In addition to all the civilities which hospitality and kind
ness could dictate, I was favoured with a letter of introduction to the
celebrated sculptor, Chantrey, from his intimate and estimable friend ;
as also with an invitation to attend a meeting of the Royal Society,
on my return to London.
On the 26th, we took our seats in the coach for Dover, which is
seventy-one miles from London, and which was reached at 7 o'clock
in the evening, with few incidents to vary the ride, and a sight of still
fewer objects of interest to swell the contents of this sketch. It so
happened that the whole of the interior of the carriage was occupied
by four Americans, all from New- York. Our companions were both

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physicians — one of them a surgeon in the navy, on his way to join the
United States squadron in the Mediterranean ; and the other was go
ing to Paris, for the purpose of attending the medical lectures. As
they had left our country at a much later period than ourselves, and
were familiar with all that had transpired in the interim, our thoughts
would occasionally turn from foreign scenes to inquiries and conver
sations about the affairs of home. The inclemency of a raw, misty
day, and the necessity of closed windows, increased this propensity.
Our exit from London was over Westminster bridge, and by Dept-
ford, Woolwich, and Dartford, down the right bank of the Thames.
The last mentioned is a large, dirty town, celebrated as the place
where Wat Tyler's insurrection first developed itself and burst into a
flame. For the first ten or twelve miles, the road extends through a
part of Surrey, and thence, for the whole way to Dover, through the
large county of Fent. It runs parallel with the Thames for about
half the distance, and affords extensive views of its windings, as well
as ofthe towns and villages situated along its banks. The most con
siderable of these are Gravesend and Rochester. The former is a
great rendezvous for vessels and boats navigating the river. To the
latter, which is a large town situated on the Medway, a principal
branch of the Thames, a handsome bridge six hundred feet in length,
resting on eleven arches, and the venerable ruins of the castle, crown
ing the summit of a cliff just above, give an imposing appearance.
But we were hurried along through these and other places, with such
rapidity, as to be able to catch only a glance at the most prominent
objects they contain. The natural scenery of Kent, with the excep
tion of the immediate banks of the Thames, possesses little interest,
consisting of sandy plains and banks of chalk, filled with nodules of
flint. Most of the soil is appropriated to the cultivation of hops.
At Canterbury the coach stopped only long enough for the passen
gers tc dine ; but more than half of that time was employed by us in
taking a hasty view of the Cathedral, to which we all ran from the
hotel, creating no small surprise in the inhabitants, who seemed to
suppose the town was on fire. Canterbury is the seat of one of the
Archbishops of England, and the venerable Cathedral is in a style of
grandeur and magnificence corresponding with its ecclesiastical dis
tinction. Its architecture is extremely rich, and the ornaments of its
interior are suited to the dignity of its character. Several stately
towers crown the edifice, and are visible for a great distance. Nume
rous sepulchral monuments and the dim light of Gothic windows im
part an air of solemnity to the aisles and chapels. Edward the Black
Prince was here interred ; but his tomb was at the moment undergo-

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ing some repairs, and we were only permitted to take a peep through
the railing which encircles it.
Soon after leaving Canterbury, night came on, and little else was
seen, till the lights of Dover flashed through the windows of the
coach. It was the evening of the annual Fair, and the town was
brilliantly illuminated. An immense crowd of people thronged the
streets. Drums, trumpets, horns, and fiddles — the cries of the show
men, and all sorts of noises saluted our ears in passing through the
multitude to the Ship Inn, where excellent accommodations were ob
tained for the night. The hotel is spacious, and fitted up in a style
of elegance unusual for such buildings. Its doors are ornamented
with fine specimens of stained glass. The remainder of the evening
was occupied in attending the theatre, mingling with the crowd, -and
looking at the shows, of which there was a great profusion. The
drama for the night was "the Vision ofthe Sun" — a gratifying spec
tacle after so many rainy days. Little was observed worth noting,
except two Albiness girls, with red eyes and white hair, and a Malay
dwarf, who sang and danced for the amusement of the audience.
Some of my companions attended the Masquerade, which was held in
a hall erected pro tempore, and covered with an awning.
On the following morning we all rose at 7 o'clock, and commenced
a round of observations while breakfast was preparing, in order to
complete a survey ofthe town before crossing the Channel. Dover is
a larger place than any of us had expected to find. It is situated upon
three principal streets, beautifully cradled under the white cliffs,
which rise perpendicularly to the height of several hundred feet, and
crowned by a large castle, looking down upon the sea. A deep
ravine opens towards the west, watered by a small stream, down the
banks of which the road from London descends. The harbour is ca
pacious, but has little navigation except what is necessary for crossing
the Channel.
The morning was bright, and we extended our walk to the highest
of the cliffs, at the distance of a mile from the hotel. It is arduous
of ascent, but the prospect from the summit is an ample reward for
the toils of the traveller. The eye takes in a wide circuit of the sea,
the green waves of which break and murmur upon the rocks below,
while its more distant surface is covered with white sails glittering in
the sun. On his left, the spectator sees the town of Dover far beneath
him, reduced in appearance to the size of a hamlet. The shores of
France were distinctly visible, at the distance of about thirty miles.
One of the party read, for the edification of the rest, Shakspeare's
celebrated description of this eminence, which, coming from such a
vol. i. 48-

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source and being so true to nature, will perhaps bear a quotation for
the thousandth time :
" There is a cliff whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully on the confused deep —
How dizzy 'tis to cast one's eye so low .'
The crows and choughs that wing the midway air
Seem scarce so gross as beetles. Half-way down
Hangs one that gathers samphire ; dreadful trade !
Methinks he seems no bigger than his head.
The fishermen that walk upon the beach
Appear like mice ; and yon tall anchoring bark
Diminished to her cock ; her cock a buoy,
Almost too small for sight. The murm uring surge,
That o'er the unnumbered idle pebbles chafes,
Cannot be heard so high. I'll look no more,
Lest my brain .turn, and the deficient sight
Topple down headlong."
We were just descending from the rocks, through a shaft ten or
twelve feet in diameter, and by a spiral flight of steps of several hun
dred feet in height, when a servant from the hotel came running to us
out of breath, to communicate the information that the steam was up
and the boat on the point of departing. Our baggage, after an ex
amination at the Custom House, had already gone on board ; and we
commenced a race which made us pant as severely as the waiter, and
did not render the blood in a very fit condition to encounter the cold
wind of the sea. Breakfast-was out of the question, as hardly time
remained for paying the bill of expenses already incurred ; but each
of us took the precaution to put a roll of bread in his pocket, as no
thing is to be had on board. To increase our embarrassments and
toils, a drawbridge had been taken up to let a vessel out of the dock,
which compelled us to go round the harbour, making a circuit of a
mile or more.
But notwithstanding these delays, we reached the dock in season to
embark on board the steam-boat Medusa at 10 o'clock, and to hear
for the last time at present, the importunate claims of English servants
— " please to remember the waiter — please to remember the porter —
please to remember the person who saw your baggage safely on
board," and half a dozen other demands in the same style. One of
the men at the wharf carries the joke so far, as to put in a claim of
sixpence for every passenger, who walks over his plank laid upon the
side ofthe boat. This circumstance reminded me of a little incident,
which occurred in our ride from Limerick to Dublin. As the coach
drove up to the door of a small inn, a female placed a flight of portable

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 379
steps reaching to the top of the vehicle, and the passengers thought
lessly walked down, thinking the people at the hotel very accommo
dating. But on reaching the ground, the good woman presented a
charge of an Irish sixpence for descending by her ladder.
The steam-boat Medusa has a name not more classical than appro
priate ; for she is clothed with as many terrors as her Grecian proto
type. She is a mere cock-boat in size, of about thirty-five tons bur
then, and of course without any convenient accommodations for pas
sengers. Her construction is extremely rude, awkward, and uncom
fortable. It occasioned not a little surprise to find such a packet at
one of the most frequented points in Europe. In our country, the
vessel would be condemned as unseaworthy, or if she attempted to
run, the number of passengers would not pay for her fuel. But here
no alternative offers, and the traveller is compelled to submit to such
inconveniences. Fortunately our voyage of about thirty miles was
accomplished in three or four hours. Had the boat met with adverse
winds, and been compelled to remain on the water during the night,
as is frequently the case, our situation would have been intolerable.
The preceding packet which left the French shore, did not arrive at
Dover till 1 1 o'clock in the evening, being driven about the Channel
all day and a part of the night- without provisions or refreshments of
any kind. The duty on a boat is £10 sterling a trip, levied by the
French government — fare, half a guinea.
The day on which we crossed was perfectly clear, and compara
tively tranquil. There was, however, a heavy swell coming in from
the south-west, occasioned by a severe gale on the night previous,
from the agitations of which the sea had not yet subsided.. For the
first mile or two, the receding view of the English coast, and of the
white cliffs of Dover, with the town and harbour at the base, was
charming. But it was of short duration to a great majority of the
passengers, who thronged the deck ; for no sooner had the Medusa
reached mid-seas, than she began to dance and roll about upon the
the waves like an empty cask. Both the leeward and windward
quarters received more applicants for places than could be accommo
dated, and they often interfered with one another. For two hours, I
found enough to do to hold on by the stays, experiencing much more
sickness than during my whole voyage across the Atlantic. Two of
our party were more fortunate, having been accustomed to the tossing
of ships ; but the fourth was worse off than myself, rolling upon the
deck, pale as a corpse. In the midst of my afflictions, a gentleman
whom I did not at first recognize, came up to console me, remarking
that we did not experience such troubles on board of American steam-

380 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
boats. This person proved to be the author of "Nature Displayed." He
travelled with us to Paris, and afforded many facilities on the way.
The geological formation of the French coast is similar to that of
the English about Dover. Bold chalky cliffs and promontories rise
from the sea in the same manner. The two shores appear as if they
had been divided by what geologists, with all the vagueness of Cow
per's sticklers for primary causes, denominate " some great convulsion
of nature." By the time two thirds of our passage had been accom
plished, the boat Was in the lee of the Gallic hills, and the water be
came less agitated, resuscitating our crew, and rendering their condi
tion more comfortable. The Castle of Dover is just discernible above
the surface of the sea from the opposite side ; and it is possible there
was no exaggeration in the picture, which the itinerant orator Ogilvie,
was fond of drawing, and in which Napoleon was represented as cast
ing a wistful eye upon the white cliffs of Albion. There is much less
probability in the vulgar belief, that the steam-guns of Perkins will be
able to send shot across the Channel, and that the two quarrelsome
neighbours may hereafter have a kind of national cannonade from their
respective hills, over the narrow frith that divides them.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 3HI
LETTER XXXIII.
ARRIVAL AT CALAIS  DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN  CUSTOM HOUSE 
DESSEIN'S HOTEL  REMINISCENCES OF STEKNE  ROUTE TO PARIS 
FRENCH DILIGENCE  BOULOGNE  ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY  MON-
TREUIL  ABBEVILLE  BEAUVAIS  ST. DENIS  MONTMARTRE  ARRI
VAL AT PARIS. November, 1825.
At about 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the 27th, we arrived at Calais,
which is situated upon a patch of alluvial ground, reclaimed from the
dominion of the sea, and susceptible of being restored to its former
allegiance at any moment, by opening the flood-gates of the dikes.
This is one of the defences of the place, and if my memory serves
me, it has been used with success. The harbour is small and incon
venient, being entirely artificial ; and the town, owing to its sunken
position, does not appear to any advantage from the water, although
it is not wanting in a due proportion of churches, steeples, monu
ments, and other architectural ornaments.
The wharf on which we landed is one of the greatest works at Ca
lais, and would do credit to a port of more commercial importance.
It is faced with hewn stone, and rises several feet above high-water
mark, possessing all , the usual conveniences for embarking and de
barking. The Custom House fronts upon it, near which is the light
house, as also a monument to commemorate the landing of Louis
XVIII. on his return to France after his exile. A strong barrier, with
a handsome iron gate, separates the port from the town, and prevents
the entrance of strangers, until they have undergone the requisite ex
aminations. At the time of our arrival, the wharf was covered with a great crowd
of spectators, such as is seen, at New-York on the departure of the
steamboats, all jabbering with the usual French loquacity, and pro
ducing a curious jargon. A laughable incident occurred in two mi
nutes after setting foot upon the strand of another country. One of
our party, who had not taken the precaution to fix on the hotel to
which he would go, was beset at the same moment by a dozen waiters
and runners from the various inns, all extolling their respective accom
modations, and urging their claims to a preference in the most ob
streperous manner. As he had not made up his mind what to say, he
at first stood mute, and endeavoured to elude the clamours of the
mob by a profound silence ; but this was construed into indecision,

382 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
and the importunities of the circle around him were carried so far, as
to take hold of his garments and pull him different ways. Such treat
ment produced a degree of irritation, and he dashed through the throng
like a second Sampson.
Our baggage was all taken to the Custom House, where it under
went another examination, although on inspecting our trunks after
wards, we could not find that a single article had been moved from its
place, or in any way molested, either here or on the other side of the
Channel. It has been our good fortune thus far to escape all those
vexations arising from a rigid inspection of baggage and a demand of
exorbitant fees, to which other travellers have been subjected. On
landing in Ireland, and subsequently in England, our trunks were not
examined at all ; and in the present instance, the business was accom
plished in a few minutes, without any trouble, and for a very moderate
fee. The present peaceful state of Europe has undoubtedly produced
a relaxation of the system regulating the intercourse between nations.
Our passports were delivered in at the police office, and substitutes
handed to us, which were taken to Paris, where the originals were re
stored. After going through with these ceremonies, we were permitted to
enter within the walls of Calais, and to take lodgings for the night at
Dessein's Hotel, in the Rue Royale. Our reasons for selecting this
in preference to a multitude of others, were grounded on the celebrity
it has received from Sterne's Sentimental Journey. The chamber
which the eccentric author of this work occupied yet remains unalter
ed, and was pointed out to us. It is on the second floor of the hotel,
fronting upon a pretty flower-garden, which in the season of its bloom
might inspire taste and sentiment, especially of the description in which
Sterne most delighted. The door of the room bears his name. I
suppose we saw the very " Remise" that contained the " Disoblige-
ante," in which the preface to the Sentimental Journey was written,
and where Yorick held high colloquies with the fair brunette, the
monk, and Monseiur Dessein. The latter has been dead many years,
though the establishment he left behind has been enlarged, and is kept
up in good style. It is a spacious house, standing round two open
courts, and presenting a showy exterior.
The apartments of this hotel, which is above the ordinary standard
of French inns, are handsomely finished and furnished, with the ex
ception of the floors and fire-places, both of which are uncomforta
ble in cold weather. Count Rumford's philosophy does not seem to
have reached the firesides of France. There is a want of system and
economy in the mode of constructing chimneys and warming houses

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 383
— a fact the more remarkable, since fuel, consisting almost entirely of
wood, is scarce and extravagantly high. In winter, it costs a family
more to supply the hearth than the table.
At Dessein's we met with good fare, and at comparatively mode
rate prices, although it is the most expensive house at Calais. Of
French cookery and French dishes, I shall say little at present. The
science of gastronomy has been carried to what gourmands consider
the utmost perfection. Innumerable dishes are placed upon the ta
ble, many of them so disguised as to puzzle one to know whether
they are composed of fish, flesh, or fowl. Every thing is,eaten sepa
rately, meat by itself, and potatoes and other vegetables by themselves.
The bread is generally excellent, being of a fine quality, light, and
palatable. It is done up in rolls, some of which are several feet in
length, and six or eight inches in diameter. Each person cuts off a
section of the cylinder for himself. Ordinary red wine is set upon
the table both at breakfast and dinner, without any extra charge to
the traveller. It is drunk out of tumblers in the same manner as ci
der with us. Coffee and chocolate are universally good, far surpass
ing what is to be found in the best hotels in England or the United
States. One article of the furniture at all public tables in France, however
humble may be the inn, appeared to me particularly worthy of imita
tion at the hotels in our own country, where it has not been generally
introduced. Every plate has a napkin, which is sufficiently large to
shield the lap, and supersedes the use of a handkerchief, or a more
vulgar resort to the table-cloth. On retiring, each person rolls up
his cloth, and thrusts it through a wide ring to keep it in place, and
containing a number corresponding with that of his chamber. Fin
ger-cups are seldom used, as at the better hotels in England.
Our stay at Calais was occupied in looking at the scanty supply of
objects it furnishes to attract the eye of the traveller, among which
are several churches, with oddly shaped steeples, and a proper share
of antique embellishments ; a town hall, ornamented in front with
statues of St. Pierre and Cardinal Richilieu, and containing the bal
loon, in which two aeronauts crossed the English Channel ; a thea
tre, which is open only on Sunday evening ; and a fortress, seated on
an eminence, which commands the harbour. It is said that the print of
Louis XVIII's foot may still be seen upon the beach, where he landed
upon his return from England ; but we expected to see traces enough
of the legitimate sovereigns of France, without stepping out of our
way to look at this sacred impression. The town of Calais is built of
stone, with confined dirty streets, and a population of seven or eight

384 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
thousand. There is an open area in the centre, called the Place
d'Armes, around which the public buildings are situated.
Next morning we took seats in the. Diligence for Paris, a distance
of 173 English miles, by the new route through Abbeville and Beau-
vais. Our vehicle and its equipments looked more like a caravan,
destined to Mecca or the Holy Land, than like a stage coach for the
metropolis of France. Its construction is in all respects unique and
amusing. The body is fifteen or twenty feet long, and divided into three
compartments, separated from one another by partitions, which cut
off all intercourse between the passengers. Of these sections, the
one in front, which is before the wheels, is called the cabriolet, formed
like the top of a chaise, and sufficiently wide to hold three or four
persons. Behind this, and between the wheels, is the body of the
Diligence, called the interieur, fashioned with protuberant sides, like a
stage coach, and capacious enough to accommodate six passengers.
The rear division, behind the wheels, is termed the derriere, resem
bling the body of one of our hacks, and large enough for half a dozen
persons. In addition to these grand divisions, there are places for
a few odd passengers aloft, among the baggage. The wheels of the
vehicle are massive and strong, in proportion to the other parts, ex
ceeding in clumsiness the heaviest of the Pennsylvania wagons. Be
hind each of them a scraper is placed, to clear off the mud at every
rotation, and to keep the tire clean.
The team is as odd as the carriage. It consists of five, six, seven,
and sometimes eight horses, harnessed together in the most curious
manner. Two of them are fastened to the pole, and the remaining
three travel abreast in front, with traces so long as frequently to drag
upon the ground. The animals bear upon their shoulders a kind of
pack-saddle, covered with blue shaggy cloth, and armed with tall
horns of wood branching out on each side, to hold the reins. Their
heads are ornamented with blue and red tassels, with other finery, and
a string of bells, giving them a most fantastic appearance. The har
ness generally is of the cheapest and most ordinary kind, made more
of hemp than leather, and presenting a striking contrast to the bur
nished equipments of an English coach. A postillion, clad in his
long boots frequently made of wood, and reaching above the knee,
rides the near horse behind, guiding the team more by dint of his long
whip, than the cords which serve for reins. To shield him from the
inclemency of the weather, he often wears the skin of an animal,
with the hairy side out, giving him a savage aspect. Every Diligence
has an agent called a conducteur, corresponding with the guard of an
English coach. He is an important personage, seating himself in

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 385
good weather on his throne aloft, and directing the whole movements
of the caravan. To his eharge is committed the baggage of the pas
sengers, as well as their passports, and he relieves them from the vexa
tion of paying a fee to the coachman at the end of every stage as in
England. At the inns, it is his province to preside at the table,
and in short, to afford every accommodation and facility to the tra
veller. Comfortably seated in the rear department of such an establish
ment, the same group of Americans who had monopolized the inte
rior of the coach from London, made a sortie through the royal
gate of Calais, by the canals of St. Omer, Gravelines, and Dunkirk,
the suburbs of St. Pierre, and the fortress of Nieulay, thus com
mencing their travels in France under circumstances rather inauspi
cious, since a severe storm of wind and rain rendered it necessary to
keep the windows of the vehicle closed. A peep through the glass
at a very circumscribed horizon discovered to us, that we were alter
nately climbing and descending smooth, rolling, gravelly hills, of mo
derate elevation, destitute of wood, without fences, bleak and barren,
with a sparse population.
The road between Calais and Paris has for the greater part of the way
been M' Adamized, and looks as if it might be good in summer ; but at
this season, it was extremely muddy, and the Diligence lumbered along
like a great baggage-wagon. Fortunately it was impossible, amid
the multifarious and complex modes of measuring roads in France, to
ascertain with much accuracy at what rate we travelled. There are
three kinds of computation in vogue, which appear to be used indis
criminately. The first is by posts, which have been established by
the government all over the country, at the distance of about five
English miles from one another. Here, post-horses and other facili
ties of intercourse are always to be obtained, at prices fixed with the
utmost precision. It is a very perfect and excellent system. The
tourist has only to purchase or hire a carriage, and at these points he
is Sure to find relays to expedite his passage. From these establish
ments has arisen another mode of measuring distances by the hour.
The French say so many hours, instead of so many miles, from one
place to another. With a good team, on a good road, and in good
weather, distances may be very accurately computed by time ; but it
must of course in most instances be extremely vague. The re
maining mode is by the league, which is about two and a half miles.
Finding ourselves only perplexed by the responses to our inquiries,
and that taking the motions of the Diligence for a standard, one
vol. i. 49

386 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
French hour was as long as two by our watches, we adopted the com
fortable maxim of the poet, that
" When ignorance is bliss, 'tis folly to be wise,"
and resigning all the cares of a toilsome march to the conducteur, we
beguiled it of tediousness by the Journal of Yorick, conversation,
and the few objects which claimed attention along the road. Several
villages were passed, prettily situated upon the hills, but presenting
nothing very striking, except the cross which every where meets the
eye of the traveller. The buildings are uniformly constructed of
stone, generally in a rude state, covered with a thick coat of plaster,
and exhibiting nothing of that neatness, which is visible in the villages
of our country.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived at Boulogne, a large
town, twenty-one miles from Calais, situated upon a declivity, and
containing 13,000 inhabitants, many of whom are English, attracted
hither by the cheapness of living and the advantages of trade. It has
a port whence tradition says that Julius Cassar sailed in his expedition
for the conquest of the Britons. Its ancient tower was erected in
the time of Caligula. The town is divided into two sections, called
the upper and lower. The former is much the most pleasant, con
taining a wide avenue with handsome houses, and several stately edi
fices. On the summit of an eminence near the entrance, stands a
lofty Corinthian column, 155 feet in height, and 12 or 14 in diameter.
It was commenced by Napoleon, as it is said, to commemorate his
meditated conquest of England ; but a change of fortune in the Em
peror left the monument to be finished by his less ambitious suc
cessor. It is used merely as an ornament, and an observatory for
taking a view of the harbour and surrounding country.
Our stay at Boulogne was only long enough for dinner, which was
served up in the usual French style, with a great variety of made
dishes, a dessert of nuts and fruits, and a bottle of red wine — the
whole for three francs, or about sixty cents each. The afternoon of
this day was bright, and afforded us a much better opportunity of ex
amining the country. In its general features, the landscape bears a
much stronger resemblance to the United States than to any part of
Great-Britain. Hills of moderate elevation are clothed with exten
sive forests of natural wood ; Consisting of oak, hickory, and birch.
By the side of the way are large fields, appropriated to various kinds
of tillage ; and most of the farms have orchards, resembling those
that are seen in our country. Several vineyards were observed ; but
at this season they add nothing to the scenery. The vine is planted in

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 387
rows of about the same width as Indian corn, and rises to the height
of three or four feet. Stacks of dry bundles of twigs, pruned off
every year, and used in kindling fires, are the only ornaments of the
fields, after the charms of the vintage have disappeared.
There are few fences or hedges in France, so far as my observation
has yet extended. The country all lies common, and each proprietor
guards his own flocks and herds. The number of domestic animals
appears to be much smaller than in England or the United States —
particularly of cattle, which are seldom seen covering the hills in
droves. From what I can learn, the country is badly stocked. The
French make but little use of oxen, except in particular districts, and
every body knows they are no beef-eaters. Nearly all the labour of
tillage and transportation is done by horses, which are generally of a
small breed, ill-looking, but strong and docile. They are emphati
cally the drudges of life, doomed to hard fare, and cruel treatment.
I have seen the poor animals shamefully abused for falling down,
where it was so slippery, that they could not stand, having no corks
on their shoes ; and for not pulling burdens too great for their
strength. Such instances of inhumanity are frequent, and have
sometimes strongly tempted us to interfere in behalf of the dumb
beast. Early in the evening we arrived at Montreuil, an antique town, ro
mantically seated upon a rock, strongly fortified, and containing four
or five thousand inhabitants. A full moon afforded us a glimpse of
its castellated walls, and of its narrow, close streets. Our entrance
as well as exit, was by a strong gate, guarding the only avenue by
which it can be approached. After leaving this place, the road tra
verses the forest of Cressy, celebrated in the wars between England
and France ; but if it possesses any objects that can interest the tra
veller, they were all lost to us, except perhaps an occasional dream of
the Edwards and Hotspurs of other times.
At half past one o'clock in the morning, the Diligence reached Ab
beville, a town with a population of eighteen or twenty thousand, situa
ted upon t^he river Somme. Here the conducteur mustered all his pas
sengers to take supper, as there would be no other opportunity of eat
ing for the next ten or twelve hours. The fare was hard, and it was
dull work to eat soup, and drink sour wine at the witching time of
night, immediately after being aroused from sleep. One of the most
serious inconveniences of travelling in Diligences arises from the ar
rangements for eating, drinking, and sleeping. They uniformly travel
all night. Even on short excursions, they commonly set out just after
dark, and arrive as soon after daylight the next morning as possible.

38ts LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Subjected to these inconvenient regulations, we were sometimes
compelled to endure hunger, and at others, almost to eat without ap
petite: In sleeping* there was less difficulty. Our two seats were
each wide enough for three persons. By filling one the other was
left vacant, and formed a tolerable couch for the fourth man of our
party. A regular watch was called every two hours, which gave each
of us a turn for repose. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon, we reached
Beauvais, a large manufacturing town, situated on the river Therain.
The tapestry made here is among the finest in France. There are
some peculiar properties in the water, which render it excellent for
dying. The town has a very antique appearance. It is remarkable
for never having been captured, though often besieged. Jeane Hach-
ette, like another Joan of Arc, aided by her heroic female compa
triots, compelled the Duke of Burgundy to retire in disgrace, in the
year 1472. Her exploits are commemorated by an annual proces
sion on the 10th of July, somewhat resembling that at Coventry in
England. The Cathedral and one or two other buildings are said to
be worth examining ; but we remained only long enough to take a
postmeridian breakfast, and to catch a glance at the exterior of the
place. The weather continued fine all day, and as long hills frequently com
pelled us to walk many miles, a fair opportunity was enjoyed of seeing
every thing worthy of notice upon the road. From the tops of some
of the eminences, our horizon embraced a wide circuit. Chateaux,
corresponding to the houses of the nobility in England, are frequent
along the way ; but they are generally in a shattered condition, and in
point of taste and elegance cannot be compared with the seats of Bri
tish noblemen. The Revolution gave a shock to this description of
property, from which it has not yet recovered since the restoration of
the ancient regime. As far as I could judge at this season, the lands
are tolerably well cultivated ; but there are few marks of that substan
tial wealth among the peasantry, which may be seen in every part of
our country. The labouring classes appear to be poor, holding their
small parcels of ground by a kind of feudal tenure, which has a ten
dency to check agricultural improvements.
At 10 o'clock in the evening, the Diligence reached St. Denis, a
large and celebrated village five miles from Paris, containing four or
five thousand inhabitants. It has a church, which boasts of great an
tiquity, and is distinguished as the cemetery of many ofthe royal fami
ly. Here sleep the ashes of Louis XVI. and his Queen Maria Antoi
nette, the Duke de Berry, Prince Conde, and Louis XVIII. The

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 389
edifice was demolished in the time of the Revolution, and the dust of
the dead, as well as numerous relics and curiosities, were scattered to
the winds. It was rebuilt by Napoleon, who enriched it among other
ornaments with the splendid altar before which his nuptials with Maria
Louisa were celebrated, as also with the bronze gates that were de
signed to form the entrance to his tomb.
Another hour took us by Belleville and Chaumont to Montmartre,
whence was obtained the first view of the lights of Paris. Entering
by the northern suburbs, and descending rapidly through a labyrinth of
narrow streets, under lamps suspended from ropes extending from side
to side, twenty or thirty feet above the pavement, we at length reached
the Messagerie Royale, the rendezvous of public coaches, in a central,
part of the city. It is an immense establishment, where Diligences
are seen arriving and departing at all hours to and from every part of
the kingdom. Here our passports were again demanded, and our
baggage underwent another examination. It was however very slight.
The officer merely unlocked our trunks, and thrust his hand down each
side, in our presence.
A swarm of runners and waiters from the hotels, still more nume
rous and importunate than the host on the quay at Calais, besieged us,
with cards in their hands, and all jabbering at the same moment. A
previous determination to go to the Hotel Montmorency, which had
been recommended to us as a good house, and the principal rendez
vous of Americans, relieved us from the embarrassment of a choice
amidst such competition. The sequel proved, that the offer of some
one of the numerous applicants for our company should have been ac
cepted. Apartments were sought and obtained at the above mention
ed hotel ; but after being shown into our rooms, accompanied by our
baggage, and considering ourselves settled for the night, we were for
the first time informed, that lodgings could not be taken in the Mont
morency for a shorter term than a week. As the accommodations
were very indifferent, and not choosing to be compelled to keep such
chambers longer than suited our convenience ; and above all, feeling
indignant that the supposed necessity of the case had been seized to
force strangers into an arrangement, we just put on our boots and
coats, directing our baggage to be again taken to the streets. Learn
ing our determination, the mistress of the hotel sent word that we
might remain for the night ; but the offer of a bed was not accepted
under such circumstances. Thus a slight degree of yankee spirit and
independence threw all four of us into the mazes of a strange city, at
the hour of midnight, without where to lay our heads, or directions to

390 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
find another house. Two of us stood sentry over the baggage, while
the remaining two found a carriage, to take us in pursuit of a hotel.
Fortunately accommodations were soon obtained for the night ; and in
a day or two, a fine suite of apartments in the Rue Montmartre, a cen
tral part of the city, were rented on moderate terms, where we went
to lodgings, and lived very pleasantly during our visit to Paris. If
others are of the same mind with ourselves, the hotel Montmorency
will not be troubled hereafter with American company.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 391
LETTER XXXIV
PARIS  FUNERAL OF GENERAL FOY  PERE LA CHAISE  MORGUE  POLICE
 NOTRE DAME  VIEW FROM ITS TOWERS  OUTLINES OF THE CITY
 CORONATION ROBES OF NAPOLEON AND OTHER REGALIA  HOSPITALS
 HOTEL DIEU. November — December, 1825.
We found the city of fashion, gaiety, and dissipation, dissolved in tears
and clad in the habiliments of woe — a spectacle, which probably is not
witnessed once in half a century. The death of General Foy, distin
guished as a soldier and a statesman, esteemed for his talents, but still
more for his integrity, his public and private virtues, created a sensa
tion in the French metropohs, which I had supposed nothing short of
a recurrence ofthe scenes ofthe Revolution, or another visit from the
allied armies could produce. His funeral obsequies were attended on
the day after our arrival. All classes of an enthusiastic people, from
the nobility down to the humbler walks of life, appeared to participate
in the tribute of respect to the remains of a man, who was universally
known and as universally beloved. Every street through which the
procession was to pass, in its progress from the church of Notre Dame,
in which the funeral rites were solemnized, to the cemetery of Pere
La Chaise, where the General was buried, a distance of two or three
miles, was thronged with spectators, of both sexes, in carriages and
on foot, who remained all day in the rain, to witness the military pa
rade and pompous ceremony.
Our little party took a fiacre, (answering very nearly to a hackney
coach in London or New- York,) and joined the multitude, whose dif
ferent equipages, costumes, customs, and manners, afforded much
more interest, than the mere interment of a great man, who was com
paratively unknown to us, and whose death could therefore occasion
nothing more than a general sympathy for another instance of the com
mon lot. A remarkable degree of order and decorum prevailed
throughout the immense crowd, whose feelings seemed hallowed by
the solemn occasion. There were no riots — no quarrels for places —
none of that noisy and boisterous confusion, observable among the po
pulace of England, and sometimes amidst large collections of people
in our own country. While the procession was passing, not a voice
was heard above a whisper, in the innumerable concourse, and if there
chanced to be the least movement or bustle, a hiss soon checked the
breach of decorum. The only confusion arose from the struggles of
a company of young men, belonging to one of the public institutions,

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who were ambitious of carrying the corpse of General Foy, and were
so enthusiastic, as to resist the arrangements for the ceremony, and to
press their claims to the honour, till the hearse had arrived at the very
gates ofthe cemetery. Every few minutes, they would rush up to the
coffin, whence they were driven back by the military escort, but with
out any act of violence.
The whole day, from 10 or 11 o'clock in the morning, was occupied
in the solemnity. We rode to Pere La Chaise at an early hour, and
there waited till dark, expecting every moment the approach of the
procession. Just in the dusk of evening, the flambeaux were seen to
glare along the avenues, and upon the multitude of faces thronging the
sides of the way. A long array of the military, carriages, and citizens
on foot followed the nodding plumes of the hearse, occupying nearly
half an hour in passing the gates of the burying-ground. It was im
possible for us ,to make our way through the crowd, and approach
near enough to witness the ceremony at the grave. Gleams of the
funeral torches were alone distinguishable. The interment was not
completed till 7 or 8 o'clock.
A temporary monument was erected over the grave, and hung with
garlands of flowers in a few days after the burial ; and the sum of eight
or nine hundred thousand francs has since been raised by subscription,
to defray the expense of a public mausoleum to the memory of the Ge
neral, and to provide for his family. La Fitte, a rich banker, set the
example of liberality by subscribing 50,000 francs, or 10,000 dollars.
The day after the funeral, portraits, prints, and biographical sketches
of General Foy, as well as the elegiac effusions of the Gallic Muse,
were for sale at all the shops in Paris. The papers were filled with
eulogiums ; pocket-handkerchiefs were struck off, bearing likenesses
of the deceased ; and in short, his name met you at every turn in the
streets. He was of the liberal, or rather moderate party in politics,
agreeing in sentiment with General La Fayette, of whom he was a
personal friend. His death has produced a strong sensation in the pub
lic mind, not only at Paris, but throughout France, giving strength to
the republican cause, in the guise of honours fo his memory.
Our casual attendance at the interment of General Foy, and a sub
sequent visit on a day more favourable for observation, afforded us a
full opportunity of examining the cemetery of Pere La Chaise, which
is the great repository of the dead at Paris, and reflects infinite credit
upon the city, as well as upon the character of the-French people. In
all respects it very far surpasses any thing of the kind I have ever seen,
and the design strongly recommends itself to the imitation of all great
cities. Were it possible for the inhabitants of New-York, en masse.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 393
to pay a single visit to this cemetery, I am persuaded they would at
once surrender every lingering prejudice, and be unanimously in fa
vour of adopting a similar plan ; for besides possessing all the conve
niences of sepulture, on very moderate terms, a burying-ground, which
in narrow enclosures and amidst a crowded population is generally a
repulsive object, has here become a great monument of national taste
and national feeling, inviting the stranger, as well as the citizen who is
attracted by more sacred ties, to resort frequently to its rural, retired,
and consecrated walks, where the body is refreshed by a pure air, the
mind meets with themes for serious meditation, and the heart cannot
fail to be improved.
Pere La Chaise is in the eastern suburbs of Paris, situated upon the
declivity of Mont Louis, about three miles from the centre of the city.
Its appellation is derived from a Jesuit of the same name, who was
confessor to Louis XIV. and at one time presided over the ecclesiasti
cal affairs of France. As a recompense for his arduous services, his
sovereign gave him this beautiful eminence, and built him a chateau
near its summit, which was once the seat ofthe intrigues of his power
ful order. Its site is at present occupied by a large and handsome
chapel, approached by a lofty flight of steps, lighted at top by a dome,
and surmounted by a cross, forming a conspicuous object at a distance.
The edifice has recently been erected, and is destitute of any ornaments,
or interesting associations, other than those that have been named.
The cemetery itself was commenced in 1804, under the auspices of
Napoleon, and the superintendence of M. Brongniart. Its location is
charming, commanding a full view of Paris and its romantic environs.
The enclosure comprises an area of about seventy acres, on a surface
so broken and diversified, as to embrace a great variety of natural
scenery — rocks, hills, and deep vales. In many places the acclivity is
so steep, as to render terraces and flights of steps necessary. The
whole is encircled by a substantial and handsome fence. In front,
there is a semi-circular recess, with lofty portals conducting to the
principal avenues, which are wide gravel walks, and extend by the
chapel to the extremity ofthe grounds. The gate is finished in a style
of architecture, and with ornaments suited to the place, bearing over
the top a Latin version ofthe following passage from the book of Job : —
" For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that I shall rise from the
earth in the latter day." On the right, are inscribed the words of the
Evangelist — " For he that believeth in me, though he were dead, shall
live :" — and on the left of the gate is another inscription equally ap
propriate — " Their hope is full of immortality."
Such is the entrance to this great receptacle of the dead : and surely
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nothing can be more chaste in design, or more consonant with the
spirit of the christian religion. Here are no altars erected " to the
unknown God" — no evidences of those atheistical or deistical notions,
which French philosophers have been accused of entertaining. The
area ofthe cemetery is beautifully shaded with cypress and other ever
greens, amidst the lively verdure of which the white marble monuments
and tomb-stones, in every possible form, and wrought with much ele
gance, produce the finest and most picturesque effect, In some cases
a solitary shrub hangs its sombre tresses over a grave ; while in others,
the monumental marble is completely embowered by the green branches.
Every stone, every plant, every turf is adjusted with perfect taste But
the most striking and interesting features in the cemetery are the little
marks of remembrance, feeling, and affection which the French mani
fest for their departed friends. Every variety of ornament has been
devised to decorate the tombs. Most of them are enclosed by a neat
railing. Some times miniature temples have been erected at the heads
ofthe graves, and at others, bouquets of flowers are placed under glass
covers, like those used for the ornaments of mantel-pieces. A profu
sion of garlands strew the consecrated sod, and are entwined among
the cypress.
So vivid is the image produced by a multiplicity of these little de
corations, composed perhaps of the pledges of mutual affection in life,
as to seem almost to form a medium of communication between the
living and the dead. Not a single grave, however humble it may be,
bears the marks of dilapidation or neglect ; and what will appear still
more remarkable both in the United States and Great-Britain, all these
fragile ornaments are daily exposed to crowds of people, high and
low, old and young, without being in the slightest degree molested.
In a word, this cemetery furnishes throughout, the most striking monu
ment of a refined and delicate nation, that has ever fallen within the
sphere of my observation. Something no doubt is to be ascribed to
the influence of a popular and splendid faith, which enjoins it upon the
living to visit the tombs ofthe dead at stated periods, and which sanc
tifies the humblest offerings, in the estimation of the multitude. On
All-souls day, immense crowds perform a solemn pilgrimage to Mont
Louis, bearing garlands and decorations of every description, to be
strewed upon the graves of their departed relatives, recollections of
whom are annually revived, and sacred oblations pouted forth to
their manes.*

* In November, 1826, 1 again visited Pere La Chaise, to witness the rites ofthe
Fete des Morts, in company with the author of the Pioneers and his family. We

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 395
As Pere La Chaise is decidedly one of the most interesting objects
we have met in our travels, I trust my readers will pardon me for sub
joining a few additional particulars, especially as New- York and other
places may hereafter think proper to adopt something of the same
kind. Albany has already a burying-ground similar in design, though
far inferior in artificial embellishments. In our country, where beau
tiful forest trees and shrubbery of all descriptions are so abundant, it
is the easiest thing in nature to convert the church-yard of the hum
blest village into an attractive object, without any expense. Every
person of taste and of feeling would prefer, that his grave should be
shaded by a cypress or a willow, planted by the hand of affection, rather
than decorated with the proudest marble that wealth and art could
erect. But the two ornaments may be united, as they have been at
Mont Louis ; and although the ashes of the dead may regard none
of these things, which are of little moment in comparison with the other
concerns ofthe grave, yet reason does not restrain us from extending
our cares to the unconscious dust :
" E'en from the tomb the voice of nature cries,
E'en in our ashes live their wonted fires.''
The income arising from the settled price of interments in Pere La
Chaise has been amply sufficient to defray the whole expenses of the
cemetery, without imposing any public tax upon the city. There are
three kinds of graves : First, those denominated fosses communes, in
which the poor are gratuitously buried in coffins placed near each
other. The trenches are four and a half feet deep, and are opened
once in five years, which is a sufficient time for the body to be decom
posed. Secondly, temporary graves, which are held for the term of
ten years, on the payment of 50 francs. By paying 200 franks more,
before the expiration of the time, the tenure may be rendered perpe
tual ; otherwise, they must be given up, though monuments may have

saw along the road many pilgrims, bound to Mont Louis, and bearing garlands
for the graves of their departed friends. The cemetery was filled with a crowd of
both sexes, who had come to make their annual offerings, and renew the pledges
of affection. Nearly all the inhabitants of the faubourg adjacent to Pere La Chaise
are employed in the manufacture of sepulchral monuments, and of little ornaments
for the tombs. Since my last visit, Talma, whom I left treading the stage in the
fulness of his dramatic fame, had made his final exit, in a style strictly tragic,
amidst the tears and the plaudits of his enthusiastic countrymen, adding another dis
tinguished shade to the great congregation of the dead. A severe gust of wind
and rain drove us from the cemetery, before we had time to pay a tribute to hie
grave.

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been erected. Thirdly, permanent graves, which are purchased at
250 francs the metre, and are secure from disturbance. About 100,000
persons have been buried here since the 21st of May, 1804, on which
day the first funeral took place. There are two or three other ceme
teries upon the same plan, in the suburbs of Paris ; but they are
small in comparison with this. The catacombs or subterranean re
positories of the dead, extending for miles under the city, and running
even beneath the bed of the Seine, are now undergoing repairs to pre
vent the roof from falling, and cannot on that account be visited.
This sketch of the abodes ofthe dead, which to some of my readers
may be less interesting than the dwellings of the living, has already been
protracted to such length, as to leave me little space to speak of some
ofthe more remarkable monuments. The most conspicuous, as well
as the most attractive of these, is the lofty tomb in memory of Abelard
and Heloise, the two unfortunate lovers who have been immortalized
by the beautiful poem of Pope. It is in the form of a Gothic Chapel,
formed out of the ruins of the Abbey of Paraclete, over which Heloise
presided, and where she died in the 12th century. The mausoleum is
14 feet in length, 11 in breadth, and 24 in height, surmounted by four
pinnacles at the corners, and one in the centre, rising 12 feet above
the roof. Ten arches rest upon fourteen beautiful columns, six feet
in height. This chapel contains the tomb built for Abelard at the
Priory of St. Marcel, near Chalons, where he died. He is represent
ed in a recumbent posture, with the statue of Heloise by his side.
There is no doubt, that the real dust ofthe two lovers, after being re
moved from place to place, alternately united and divided, is at last
here commingled. The monument is very complex, and loaded with
a profusion of ornaments, with a number of historical inscriptions, and
an epitaph in Latin from the pen of Marmontel. One of our native
artists, now prosecuting his professional pursuits at Paris, has made
a very accurate sketch of the tomb, a print of which may perhaps
hereafter be seen in the shops of Broadway.
Among the numerous other tombs of distinguished persons, chiefly
grouped together in what has been denominated the classical depart
ment of the cemetery, are those of the poets Moliere, La Fontaine,
Delille, and Chenier ; St. Pierre, author of the Studies of Nature, and
of Paul and Virginia ; Hauy, the mineralogist ; Fourcroy, the che
mist ; Delambre, an eminent astronomer ; Sonini, the naturalist and
friend of Buffon ; Madame Blanchard, the celebrated aeronaut, and
a hundred others too numerous to be mentioned. Delille's grave is
surrounded by a beautiful little garden, and the marble in memory
of La Fontaine is ornamented with the images of some of the ani-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 397
mals, that formed the dramatis persona: of his Fables. One of the
most interesting monuments is a stately mausoleum of black marble,
erected in 1 823, to commemorate the fame and philanthropy of the
Abbe Sicard, who signalized himself by his successful efforts for the
instruction of the deaf and dumb. Near the top of the column six
hands are portrayed in different positions, so as to spell his name, ac
cording to the signs manual adopted in his system of education.
In another part of the cemetery, along the brow of the eminence,
are the tombs of many of the celebrated Marshals of France ; Mas
sena, Davoust, Lefebvre, Decres, Perignon, Beauharnais, Ney, and
others. Many of them have lofty columns of marble, sculptured with
emblematic representations of their achievements. Marshal Ney,
who was shot by a file of his own soldiers in the garden of the Luxem
bourg, giving to them himself directions to fire, once had a splendid
monument, which has been barbarously demolished since the restora
tion, and he now sleeps without even the record of his name. His
grave is enclosed by an iron railing, and four beautiful cypresses raise
their little pyramids of verdure at the corners.
On the declivity below the Chapel, and amidst the thickest copses
of evergreen, stands a charming little cottage or bower, woven of
reeds and thatched with turf. It is just large enough for a chair and
small table, which still remain, though the door is locked, and the
tenant has gone, I believe to another world. Its history, as derived
from the old man who conducted us through Pere La Chaise, is so
romantic that I was not very anxious to inquire into its authenticity.
As the story runs, another Abelard in enthusiastic, though not crimi
nal love, was strongly attached to an accomplished lady, who sudden
ly died, and was here buried. Crossed and crazed by a hopeless pas
sion, he erected this little rustic shrine over her grave, where he used
to pass whole days in writing letters to the departed spirit of his He
loise, leaving them upon the table, and fancying that she came each
night to peruse the messages of his unchanging affection.
Towards the northern side of the cemetery, and on the most elevated
point of Mont Louis, is a section of the enclosure devoted chiefly to
the interment of foreigners. In this silent assemblage of the dead,
may be found representatives from every nation on the globe, who
died at Paris, and here rest side by side. The graves of the English,
Scotch, and Irish, are the most numerous ; and next to these, Spaniards,
Germans, and Italians. Too large a group of our own countrymen
add to the number and variety of the mixed congregation. A beau
tiful marble pyramid attracted us to the spot, where sleep the remains
of Adam Seybert, formerly of Philadelphia, a member of Congress,

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and author of a valuable work on the statistics of the United States.
He died at Paris in May, 1825. The monument was erected by the
piety of his son, and does credit to his taste as well as to his filial affec
tion. Near by is the grave of Mr. Miller, of New-Jersey, an eloquent
and eminent young lawyer, who fell a victim to the ardour of his
professional pursuits. He came out to France for the benefit of his
health the last summer, and died soon after his arrival. In the same
vicinity, are the graves of Richards of New-iork, a promising young
gentleman, educated at West Point ; and of Tucker, from Boston,
who died, and were buried on the same day. Their premature deaths
in a foreign land, tar liom their friends and country, produced a lively
sympathy even among strangers. A monument was observed in me
mory of Mr. Smith of New- York ; as also a remarkably neat column,
erected by paternal affection, to commemorate the death of Louisa
Butler, a young lady from the United States, who died at the age of
seventeen. With a tribute of sympathy for the fate of so many of
our countrymen, we concluded our survey of Pere La Chaise, as I
now conclude the prolix sketch of my observations.
On the second day after our arrival, we commenced a regular ex
amination of the little world embraced within the confines of Paris,
by paying a visit to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, the mother church
of France. The guide, on our way thither, took us into an establish
ment upon the banks of the Seine, called La Morgue, where the dead
bodies of persons, who have fallen victims to accidents and murders,
or have committed suicide, are exposed to be examined and recogni
zed by their friends. A strong grate separates the public room from
that in which the unfortunate individuals are deposited. The corses
of two men were stretched out upon boards, with pillows under their
heads, and their clothing by their sides. One of them was shockingly
mangled, and the other was supposed to have put an end to his own
existence by jumping into the Seine, which is the general mode of
committing suicide at Paris. An average of about four hundred per
sons are annually exposed in this receptacle, most of whom are found in
the bed of the river. This number, I believe, is comparatively small
for a population of 800,000, crowded together within narrow limits,
and exposed to all the temptations and vices which Paris affords.
As it was in our way, the guide also conducted us through the Po
lice Office, which is an immense establishment, giving employment to
a regiment of clerks, and constantly thronged with people. Its regu
lations are rigid and exact beyond any thing that is to be found in any
other country. Not only the names of strangers, but also those of all
the citizens are here registered, and they are obliged to take put pass-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 399
ports or permits before they can reside at Paris. The shelves cover
ing the walls of a large hall are filled with records, labelled with the
month and year. An anecdote was related to us, illustrative of the
exactness and utility of such a police, beyond that of affording facili
ties in detecting the commission of crimes. A stranger, who was
wholly unacquainted with Paris, had stepped out without taking ob
servations, and was soon so bewildered in the labyrinth of streets, as
to be unable to find his way back to the house, the name of which
had escaped his memory. After wandering about for a long time to
no purpose, he hit upon the expedient of making application at the
Police, the officers of which told him at once where he lived, and gave
him directions for finding his way home !
The day was very favourable for our visit to Notre Dame, which is
situated on the Isle du Palais, in a central part of the city. We be
gan by climbing to the top of its two gigantic towers, forty feet square
and upwards of two hundred in height, whence a satisfactory bird's-
eye view of Paris and its environs was obtained. Could I succeed in
delineating the features of the splendid panorama with as much clear
ness as they were beheld from this point, through the medium of a
transparent, blue atmosphere, and under the influence of a bright sun,
my readers might almost ramble with me through elysian fields, and
gaze upon the hundred palaces of the metropolis, lifting their domes
and towers and turrets above the waters of the Seine. The outlines
are marked by striking peculiarities, and the coup d' oeil far surpasses
that of London from St. Paul's, though in my opinion much inferior
in every thing but extent to that of Edinburgh from Salisbury Crag.
Paris occupies a broad, deep basin, three miles and a half in breadth
from north to south, and extending about four miles and a half along
the banks of the river from east to west. On all sides, the hills and
woods in the suburbs rise above the city, sloping towards its centre in
some places by a rapid declivity. These eminences, forming the en
virons and bounding the horizon of the spectator, sometimes swell to
the height of several hundred feet, and are of a dark, gloomy com
plexion, contrasting finely with the white chateaux, which occasion
ally crown their summits and sides, as well as with the dazzling mag
nificence of the city, covering the plain below. The peaks which
elevate themselves at intervals along this natural, though not lofty
rampart, have assumed different names. Towards the east, is Mont
Louis, to the summit of which my i eaders have already been conducted.
To the north rises Montmartre, which is a picturesque hill, with houses
and terraces climbing nearly to its top. To the west is the barrier of
Neuilly, and beyond it the rocks of St. Cloud, crowned with the pa-

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lace, appear in the distance. Towards the south-west, Mont Calvary,
the loftiest of the group, and surmounted by a white chapel dedicated
to the Virgin, forms the extremity of the chain, which encircles the
city. The south and south-eastern environs are lower, though suffi
ciently prominent to limit the range of the eye to the distance of a
few miles. From all points of the compass, great avenues lead into
the metropolis, on which lofty barriers are erected, some of them
discernible from the towers of Notre Dame. The most conspicuous
of these is the magnificent portal of Neuilly, leading into the Champs
Elysees, through which the Duke d'Angouleme entered in triumph, on
his return from Spain.
Through the centre Of the natural basin I have described, runs the
Seine in nearly a direct course for four or five miles, dividing the city
into equal parts, and of course forming a very prominent feature in its
topography. The river is about the size of the Mohawk, with a bold
strong current, sweeping down with a good deal of grandeur, but of
such moderate depth as to be navigable only for large batteaux, which
constantly cover its surface. Its waters are extremely turbid bearing
down the ruins of a clayey soil above, and deepened in complexion by
floods of filth from the city. Its banks for the whole distance of four
miles and a half are artificial on both sides, consisting of walls of hewn
stone, rising eight or ten feet above the water, to the level of the
pavements, and forming a long succession of quays, which go by dif
ferent names. At suitable intervals, roads in the form of terraces
lead to the surface of the river, for the accommodation of the boats.
The current divides, and forms three natural islands within the limits
of the city. Of these, the upper one is called Louvier, the second
St. Louis, and the lower Isle du Palais. The first is small, and used
merely for a depository of wood : the other two are larger, and covered
with buildings.
Between the extremities of the town, twenty bridges are thrown
across the Seine, all of which except one are free of toll and passable
with carriages. The Pont des Arts which is a beautiful structure,
is designed only for foot passengers, each of whom pays something like
half a sous for crossing. Although none of these bridges when taken
singly, can boast of a remarkable degree of magnificence or grandeur,
yet the assemblage of them over-arching a bold stream, and extending
from ranges of palaces, which rise along both banks, contributes es
sentially to the beauty of the city. The effect is much increased by
the richly wooded gardens of the Tuilleries and Champs Elysees on the
right shore, and the Champ de Mars on the left, upon which the eye
rests, as it glances down the Seine.

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It would be an endless task to describe all the prominent objects,
which even from this one point, present themselves to the view of the
spectator. The whole of a vast metropolis stretches itself at his feet,
and dome after dome arrests his attention, as he makes the circuit of
the horizon. Churches, hospitals, and public edifices of every de
scription, displaying the loftiest proportions and richest orders of archi
tecture, appear without number, overtopping the houses, and resem
bling the towers of one immense castle. The aspect of the city is en
tirely different from that of London. Nearly all the buildings are of a
light complexion, some of them being built of marble or white stone,
and the remainder stuccoed ; with dark slate roofs and oddly shaped
chimneys in the form of pipes. I believe that most of the structures
are less substantial and durable, certainly less comfortable than those
of England ; but the exterior is more showy, and the absence of coal-
smoke, with a climate less humid, gives to Paris a much more light,
clean, and cheerful appearance.
On descending from the towers of Notre Dame, we devoted an hour
or more to an examination of the church, which in its architecture,
ornaments, and historical associations is full of interest. It is the most
ancient religious edifice in Paris, and occupies the site of a heathen
temple, erected in the reign of Tiberius, '"and dedicated to Jupiter,
Castor and Pollux. Its proportions are grand, and strike the mind
with awe, as well as with respect for its venerable age, which dates back
as far as the commencement of the 11th century. It is upwards of
400 feet long, 144 wide, and 100 high, with massive walls, and sup
ported by 120 colossal columns. In the various parts of the structure
there are 297 pillars hewn from solid blocks. Two of the three por
tals are of antique architecture, and loaded with a profusion of orna
ment. On one of them the signs of the zodiac are delineated. The
choir is extremely splendid, abounding with decorations of elegant
workmanship, and enriched with paintings from the pencils of the first
masters. In the centre is a brazen eagle measuring several feet from
wing to wing. The altar and steps leading to it are of Languedoc
marble, variegated with stars of gold, and all the embellishments are
in the costliest and most superb style, corresponding with a religious
faith, which appeals to the heart rather through the medium of"the eye
than of the ear or the understanding.
Thirty chapels extend quite round the walls of the church. Some
of them are handsomely finished and decorated with paintings and
statuary. Of the former, are several large and showy pictures by
David ; and among the latter, the mausoleum of Lord Harcourt, and
the splendid pile of marble in memory of Cardinal du Belloy, Arch-
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bishop of Paris, are the most distinguished. To these may be added
bus'ts of Louis XIII. and XIV. presented by the late incumbent of
the throne, as a tribute of respect to the memory of his ancestors.
In this church, the coronation of the Emperor Napoleon took place
in 1 804. By a singular and unpremeditated coincidence, our visit was
on the 2d December, the anniversary of that splendid ceremony.
What changes had taken place in the twenty-one years which had
elapsed since the imperial pageant was celebrated ! — A colossal empire
crumbled into dust — the triumphal arches, chariots, and throne ofthe
conqueror demolished — his trophies of victory and the spoils of war
vanished — his temple of glory converted into the church of Magda
len* — and himself, after having been twice an exile, wrapped in the
cerements of the grave, instead ofthe regal purple! The robes worn
at the coronation by Napoleon, by the Empress Josephine, by Pope
Pius VII. and the retinue of priests, are deposited in the cathedral,
and were all exhibited to us by one of its officers. They were made
by the express orders of Bonaparte, to give splendour and eclat to the
ceremony, and were subsequently presented to Notre Dame. In
richness of figure, colour, and ornament they baffle all description.
Some of them are blue and others purple, massive with gold, and em
bossed with the most dazzling devices. They are preserved in a case
of drawers, ten or twelve feet square, which are swung out one by one
and display the robes full spread, without the necessity of handling.
At extraordinary fetes, the fat corps of ecclesiastics attached to the
church sometimes put them on, to increase their importance in the
eyes of the multitude.
In the same room are deposited the other regalia used at the coro
nation, consisting of vases, chalices, and the usual furniture of kings,
of the purest gold, studded with the richest gems. Some curious an
tiques, forming a part of the regalia of Charlemagne, were shown to
us ; as also the sacred relics of the church, comprising among other
things a portion of the crown of thorns, worn by the Saviour, and a
veritable fragment of the cross. The most modern article in the col
lection is a golden image of the sun, of large dimensions, presented

* In 1807, the anniversary of the coronation and of the battle of Austerlitz was
celebrated by the Emperor and his triumphant army upon the banks of the Vis
tula, on which occasion he issued a solemn decree, instituting the " Temple de la
Gloire" at Paris. It is a colossal pile, with colonnades of massive pillars, situated
on the Rue Royale, and destined when completed to contain expiatory monuments
to Louis XVI. and his queen Antoinette.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 403
to the Cathedral by Louis XVIIL in commemoration of the glorious
campaign in the Peninsula, in 1823.
On going out from an examination of these regal gew-gaws, which
cost the nation something more than a hundred millions of francs, we
were beset at the doors of the sanctuary by a host of beggars clothed
in rags, and shivering with cold, who besought us in God's name for
the charity of a sous ! Such are the extremes of poverty and splendour,
of imperial pomp and abject penury, which every where strike the
mind of the American traveller, and draw forth a benediction on the
blessed condition of his own country. As there are no poor laws in
France, and the lower classes are proverbially gay, heedless, and im
provident, seldom looking beyond the wants and pleasures ofthe pre
sent moment, the number of paupers and street mendicants is far
greater than in England.
It is not perhaps very surprising, that such a mass of floating popu
lation, breaking loose from all moral and religious restraints, oppressed
by the extravagance of the government, goaded on by hunger,rand
seduced by false ideas of liberty, should have burst forth into the ex
cesses and licentiousness of the Revolution. The wealth of palaces
and churches presented allurements, and it was reckoned a virtue to
demolish every vestige of royalty, as well as every monument of religion,
however valuable as specimens of art. An ignorant and infuriated
mob wantoned in the work of destruction, both as it regards property
and life. Nothing was sacred — nothing was spared. The public edi
fices of Paris resemble a forest shaken and shattered by the violence
of a tempest. In the whirlwind ofthe Revolution, innumerable mon
uments of the arts were irrecoverably lost. Notre Dame experienced
the fate of all other churches. Its statues were prostrated, its altars
demolished, and its treasures pillaged. Royal and ecclesiastical muni
ficence has since furnished it with the same temptations, destined
perhaps at some future day to produce the same scenes of licentious
ness. Contiguous to Notre Dame, and standing immediately upon the
bank of the Seine, is the Hotel Dieu, one of the thirty or forty hos
pitals which are to be found in Paris. They are of two kinds, deno
minated hopitaux and hospices. At the former, the sick alone are ad
mitted : at the latter, the aged, infirm, and needy are received. Both
classes are maintained by the government, and are under the superin
tendence of a general council, consisting of the principal magistrates.
Upwards of 15,000 beds are made up in these charitable institutions,
and the annual expenditure averages about £250,000 sterling, or more
than a million of dollars. In the hospitals alone, 50,000 sick are an-

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nually accommodated, at an expense of two and a half millions of
francs. The number of deaths is on an average about one in seven.
The hospices generally contain about ten thousand inmates, with an
annual disbursement of three millions of francs. Besides these exten
sive charities, a million and half of francs are annually distributed to the
indigent at their own houses.
As the Hotel Dieu is a fair specimen of the arrangements and ac
commodations of the Parisian hospitals, and as it would be impractica
ble for us to go the rounds of all of them, we went through its several
wards, its kitchen, its medical department, and in short, gave it a full
examination. Although its location is extremely injudicious, being in
the most crowded part of the city, with a confined air, these disadvan
tages have been obviated as far as possible, and the apartments manifest
a remarkable degree of neatness. The floors are as spruce and clean as
those of a palace. Most of the bedsteads are of iron, placed at con
venient distances, and the couches bear the marks of the strictest at
tention. The culinary utensils also appear to be kept in good order,
and the articles of food palatable and wholesome. We saw about 800
inmates stretched upon their beds of pain and sickness ; but rendered
as comfortable, as the nature of their diseases would permit. Con
nected with the hospital, is a large and convenient amphitheatre, where
one of the most eminent surgeons of the age gives lectures to a nu
merous class of students, accompanied by anatomical dissections, and
by practical illustrations derived from the wards. This system of me
dical education is as perfect, and attended with as many advantages,
as can be effected by science, skill, and industry.
The Hotel Dieu is indebted for much of its cleanliness, neatness, and
comfort to the Sisters of Charity, a society of nuns, whose industrious
habits and assiduous attentions to the sick extremely interested us.
They are uniformly clad in black robes, with pretty white caps, and a
silver cross suspended at their breasts. In their manners, they are
modest, polite, and affable. The whole of their tirrrfe is gratuitously
devoted to the unfortunate inmates of the hospital, at the side of whose
beds they are constantly seen sitting with their needle-work, watching
all the little wants of the sick, and administering comfort and consola
tion. Whatever may be the faults of their creed, the heart pays a
voluntary tribute to that practical and operative faith, which instead of
relying solely on correctness in speculative doctrines, manifests its sin
cerity by a spirit of active benevolence and charity, seeking out the
abodes of wretchedness and distress, and imitating the example of the
great Author of our religion, who went about doing good.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 405
LETTER XXXV.
TARIS CONTINUED  BOULEVARDS  FAUBOURGS  OLD PART OF TnE CITY
 HACKNEY COACHES  PUBLIC SQUARES  CHAMPS ELYSEES  COUES
DE LA REINE  PLACE DE LODIS XV  GARDEN OF THE TUILLERIES 
PLACE VENDOME  PLACE DU CAROUSEL  PALACE OF THE LOUVRE 
ROYAL MUSEUM. December, 1825.
Three or four of the first days after our arrival, which were remark
ably pleasant, being a lingering remnant of autumn, were actively em
ployed in completing a topographical survey of Paris, and in fixing in
our minds itsgreat outlines. ' With this view, we threaded its thousand
intricate streets, and traversed its Boulevards. The latter constitute a
peculiar and conspicuous feature in its topography. They consist of
broad avenues planted with double rows of stately trees, well paved, with
wide convenient side-walks, and bordered with ranges of handsome
buildings, four, five, and six stories high. This belt of spacious and
beautiful streets designated by different names, extends quite round
the city, being built upon the ruins of its old walls. The generic term
boulevard is derived from the French words bouler sur la verde, or
bowling green, for which purpose the ancient ramparts were once used.
Louis XIV. who, with the exception of Napoleon, did more than any
other monarch for the improvement of the capital, directed these pro
menades to be adorned with trees, and at intervals erected triumphal
arches, enriched with numerous devices in bas-relief, which remain
entire, and are among the most splendid embellishments of the city.
The Boulevards make a circuit of four or five miles, and for the
whole distance present a Constant scene of activity, bustle, business, and
pleasure, being filled with carriages and thronged with pedestrians,
from the most fashionable belles and beaux of the metropolis, down
to apple-women, pastry-cooks, and paupers. Both sides of the way
are lined with shops, boutiques, and open stands, where goods, arti
cles, and trinkets of every description, embracing a variety which no
thing but French ingenuity could -devise, are ostentatiously exposed
for sale. All possible modes of attracting attention are resorted to,
from the vender of gew-gaws who vociferously cries his wares, to
some pretty brunette, who throws the glances of her dark eye from
the door or window. I have seen a seller of jack-knives draw a cir
cle of customers, by playing with a live snake ; and there is a boot
black who has made money, by availing himself of the services of a

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monkey. The animal will use the brush with great dexterity, and go
through with ,the whole operation of cleaning shoes, which is every
where done by Frenchmen in the open streets. Even mendicants
have recourse to tricks, and contrive to make their share of the bus
tle. One of them, perhaps, will attempt to charm the ear of the
passenger by the music of his violin, while another has a dog by his
side, holding a hat in his mouth to catch the sous. A person might
linger whole days about this extensive panorama, where every thing is
in motion, in looking at the ten thousand little nothings, which he had
never before witnessed, and would never care to see again. But I
have already perhaps allotted too much space to this noisy world of
trifles. Between the Boulevards and the new ramparts of the city, which
are fifteen or sixteen miles in circumference, and concentric with the
ancient walls, is a wide belt of ground called the Faubourgs. They
are intersected by the great avenues, leading from the barriers into the
centre of the town, which form the principal streets. The population
of this district is less dense, than in that which has been longer set
tled, and in the outskirts, the buildings are scattered. Some of the
most beautiful parts of the metropolis, as well as a number of the
principal institutions, are in this section, which is fast filling up, and
rapidly improving.
Within the circle of the Boulevards, the streets form a perfect la
byrinth, and are uniformly narrow, dark, and gloomy, assuming in
some places, on account of the castellated roofs, a degree of wildness.
They are almost universally constructed with an inclination towards
the middle, where there is a gutter to carry off the mud and water,
frequently rushing down in torrents. There are no side-walks, and
the width is generally so contracted, as to admit of none. These
circumscribed limits often leave but little space for the pedestrian be
tween the constant throng of carriages, and the walls of the build
ings, against which he is liable to be pinned, or to be run over. His
least calamity is a certainty of being bespattered with mud, which is
thrown up so as to darken the shop-windows. Accidents frequently
happen. We saw one man knocked down by a coach-wheel, and
tumbled headlong into the torrent of filth, without any other injury
than drenching him from head to foot. The rules regulating the
hackneys and cartmen are very strict : they are obliged to sing out in
turning corners, and if they run over a person, they are instantly re
ported to the police, and lose their license. Trusting to these rigid
regulations for security, and with the satisfaction of knowing, that if
their necks are broken, the coachman must suffer, foot-passengers

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 407
are extremely adventurous, walking or crossing at their leisure di
rectly in front of the horses. Strangers are more timid, and often
fly to the shop doors for refuge, or, like the rustic upon the bank of
the river, wait in vain for the stream of carriages to run away.
The great thoroughfares in this part of the town are Rue St. Ho-
nore, running parallel to the right bank of the Seine, but at some dis
tance from it, in an easterly and westerly direction ; and Rue St.
Martin, extending from north to south through the whole extent of
the city. These are incessantly thronged with crowds of an active
and bustling people, always in motion, and intent either on business
or pleasure. With the exception of Rue Rivoli, forming the north
ern boundary of the garden of the Tuilleries ; Rue de la Paix, ex
tending thence through the Place Vendome, and one or two others,
there are no handsome streets within the Boulevards. The buildings
are often six or seven stories high, with fronts projecting so near to
one another, that the sun, especially from the low level of his winter
declination, seldom peeps into the deep and cheerless avenues ; and
there is very little in stucco walls, or the dim twilight of the shops to
reconcile us to the loss of his beams.
For the greater part of the time since our arrival in Paris, the
streets have alternately been covered with snow and ice, or deluged
with torrents of mud and water. In either case, it is extremely un
comfortable walking or riding. The public coaches are of two
kinds, called fiacres and cabriolets — the former drawn by two horses,
and the latter, in the form of a chaise, by one. Both are cheap, safe,
and commodious conveyances in good weather — just the time when
they are not wanted. The French to our great annoyance, as well
from feelings of humanity as from a regard for our own necks, never
cork their horses ; and when it is slippery, the poor animals fairly
skate along the inclined pavements, upon their smooth shoes, being
frequently unable to keep their legs. One of our countrymen and
his lady were a few weeks ago thrown from the coach, at the immi
nent risk of their lives, by the fall of the horses ; and my friend met
with an adventure of the same kind, in riding half a mile to dinner,
but fortunately without injury. In such cases you will see a group of
a dozen Frenchmen stooping to the burden, and lifting up the beast
with as much sang froid, as they would smoke a cigar. With all
their ingenuity and taste, displayed in the invention of bonbons and
articles of luxury, which were never dreamed of by any other people,
they appear to be deficient in that faculty, expressed by the yankee
word contrivance, so useful in procuring the substantial comforts of
life.

408 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
One of the^most prominent features in the topography of Paris is
the great number and beauty of its open areas, denominated Places,
Promenades, and Gardens. There are between seventy and eighty in
all, scattered through every part of the city, with which they are co
existent, serving to purify the air, to afford space for exercise, and to
relieve the eye by breaking the long ranges of monotonous buildings.
Some of them exceed in splendour and elegance anything of the
kind I have seen in Europe ; though in my opinion there is not so fine
a promenade about the whole metropolis of either France or Eng
land, as the Battery at New-York. The confined and muddy cur
rents of the Seine and Thames, covered with small boats and choked
with filth of every description, will bear no comparison with the junc
tion of the North and East rivers, and the blue waters of our own bay,
studded with islands, and varied by ships under sail, dancing upon the
tides of the sea. Surely this preference is grounded upon a better
reason than prejudice or partiality. There are many points, however,
in which the citizens of New- York may imitate the Parisians to ad
vantage, and without endangering the simplicity of our republican in
stitutions, which in my view should always be paramount to every
other consideration. The number of our public places is much too
small for either the health or beauty of the city ; and certainly those
which do exist, are susceptible of improvement by the addition of fo
rest trees, fountains, and perhaps a few of the embellishments of the
works of art.
A full description of all the public places at Paris, with their orna
ments and historical associations, would occupy a volume. I shall
mention only a few of the most celebrated. On the right bank of the
Seine, and at the extreme western limits of the city, are the Champs
Elysees, or Elysian Fields. They are about a mile in length, and
something more than half a mile in breadth, extending from the Place
Louis XV. to the Barriere Neuilly. The broad and magnificent
avenue, leading from this barrier under a triumphal arch, passes in a
direct line through the whole extent of the Champs Elysees, on a
slight declivity,, so as to be distinctly seen for the whole distance, form
ing one of the finest vistas imaginable. On either side, the grounds
are covered with large trees, shading the smooth green turf, and em
bowered seats for the accommodation of parties of pleasure. Walks,
lawns, and cottages, furnishing rural retreats, open to the eye in all
directions, and invite the passenger to ramble amidst enchanted
scenes. In the summer, these grounds are thronged with the inhabit
ants of the metropolis, who resort hither for exercise, and to indulge
in various amusements. Such must be the rural charms of this

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 409
place at certain seasons, that its poetical name can hardly be consi
dered a misnomer.
Between the Champs Elysees and the Seine, is another wide ave
nue, denominated Cours de la Reine, or the Queen's Course, which
was laid out and planted by Mary de Medicis, in 1628. It winds
along close to the margin of the river, and is adorned with four rows
of trees, forming a central path much used for riding, and two beauti
ful side-walks for promenades. From this avenue, there are exten
sive views of the Seine, both above and below, of several bridges
thrown across it, and of the distant domes and palaces of the city.
It is unnecessary to add, that a place presenting so many attractions,
is much frequented by the votaries of fashion and pleasure. I was
almost sorry to find, though in no wise interested, that these grounds
are in any measure to be divested of their rustic charms, by laying out
a new street through them, on which many splendid buildings are now
going up.
At the eastern extremity of the Elysian Fields and the Queen's
Course, is another large public area, called the place of Louis XV.
bounded by the Seine on the south, and by lofty ranges of palaces on
the north. It is of an octagonal shape, with statues at the several
angles. On many accounts, it is a memorable spot. Here the nup
tials of Louis XVI. were publicly celebrated in 1770, on which occa
sion several hundreds of people were crushed to death by the crowd.
Here too originated the first spark, which kindled the flame of the
Revolution. On the 12th of July, 1789, an old man was wounded,
as it is said by the carelessness of one of the noblesse. The com
bustible materials were ready to take fire, and the next day the vol
cano burst forth, which shook Paris and the whole empire to its cen
tre. In the middle of the area once stood a statue of Louis XV.
which in 1792 was dashed from its pedestal, and an image of .Liberty
substituted in its stead* At the foot of this altar, Louis XVI. fell a
victim to his own subjects, and many of his adherents were executed
upon the same scaffold. In the midst of these scenes of civil strife
and bloodshed, the name of the place was oddly enough changed to
that of Concorde; but the original appellation has now been re
stored. Adjoining upon this area to the east is the Garden of the Tuille
ries, which derives its name from the humble origin of a brick-yard,
but which has been metamorphosed by imperial wealth and luxury
into a little paradise. It is bounded by the Seine on the south, and
on the north by the Rue Rivoli, which was the favourite street of Na
poleon, and is certainly one ofthe most magnificent I have ever seen.
vol. i. 52

410 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
It was his intention to have extended iMhrough the city, parallel with
the river ; but this design perished with all his other schemes for ag
grandizing and embellishing the capital. The garden is bounded on
the east for its whole width by one fa$ade of the Palace of the Tuille
ries, several hundred feet in extent, two stories high, of three or four
different orders of architecture, crowned with turrets, and richly orna
mented with vases, statues, and decorations of every kind. Age and
the original complexion of the material, the columns being composed
of red and brown marble, give to the long range of connected pa
vilions a venerable aspect, far surpassing in grandeur and magnificence
any of the numerous residences of his Britannic Majesty, in the vi
cinity of London. From the centre of the pile, under which there
is an arched passage to the court-yard on the other side, a broad
avenue opens in a straight line through the garden, and thence through
the Place Louis XV. and the Champs Elysees, to the Barriere Neu
illy, a distance of a mile and a half, skirted the whole way with the
most splendid pleasure grounds.
The borders of the Garden of the Tuilleries, lying in the form of
a paralellogram, stretching nearly half a mile along the immediate bank
of the Seine and Rue Rivoli, as also the western end, are elevated by
wide and lofty terraces, shaded with rows of trees, and adorned with
a great number Of classical statues by the first artists. In the cen
tral and lower portions are extensive and beautiful groves of lime
trees and horse-chestnuts, interspersed with little enclosures and par
terres, fringed with the orange and, at the proper season, blooming
with flowers. At either end, a large fountain spreads a crystal sheet
of water, in which we saw shoals of gold-fish, playing upon the pearly
bottom, and appearing to enjoy the beams of a winter sun, as
much as the Parisian belle, or some self-enamoured Adonis, who
hung over and found a mirror in the glassy wave. The whole of
these grounds are in the very highest state of artificial embellishment,
being adorned with numerous groups of statues by the great masters
of different ages, forming as general an assemblage of the gods and
goddesses, as ever frolicked on the Grecian mountains. Here Apollo
may be seen in pursuit of his fugitive Daphne ; here the huntress
Diana gives chase to the wild boar in the woods ; the hand of Flora
scatters the blossoms of spring ; and the symmetry of Venus invites
to love, while the circle of the Muses lend the sweet enchantment of
the lyre. A still more animated scene may be witnessed on the after
noon of a bright day, when the whole area is thronged with the living
beauty, taste, and fashion of the metropolis, enlivened by the buoy
ancy of French feeling, exhibiting all the gaiety of Parisian manners.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 411
and printing the turf with light, airy, and heedless footsteps. We
passed through the gardens at least a dozen times, and never without
seeing a crowd. A degree of cold scarcely surpassed by the severest
weather in our climate, and sufficient to choke the Seine with ice,
did not produce a desertion of the public walks. Even the ladies
seemed to delight in a frosty atmosphere, which set off the fur trim
mings of their habits to advantage, and deepened the rouge of the
cheek, without the necessity of resorting to artificial means.
Midway between the Garden of the Tuilleries and the Boulevard
Capuchin, on the Rue de la Paix, is the Place Vendome, of an octa
gonal form, about 450 feet in diameter, surrounded by lofty, uniform
ranges of buildings, which are among the handsomest in Paris, being
adorned with Corinthian pillars and arcades in front. In the centre
of the area, a splendid column, in imitation of that of Trajan at
Rome, to which it is but little inferior, rises to the height of 140 feet,
resting upon a pedestal 12 or 15 feet in diameter. It occupies the
site of an equestrian statue of Louis XIV. which was removed, and
this pillar erected, to commemorate the events of the campaign of
1805-, under Napoleon, terminating with the battle of Austerlitz. The
square basement is ornamented with numerous devices in bas-relief,
with four eagles at the corners, holding crowns of laurel in their
beaks ; and the whole column is encased with plates of brass, made
of the cannon taken from the Austrians, rising from the bottom in
spiral belts, and engraven with the records of military achievements.
It was originally surmounted by a colossal statue of Napoleon, which,
like the hero himself, in 1814 was hurled from its conspicuous station
overlooking the city. To add to the indignity, it was swung from the
top by a rope fastened round its neck, instead of being taken down by
the spiral flight of steps in the interior.
To the east of the Palace of the Tuilleries, and between its court
yard and the Louvre, is the place called the Carousel, which is a large
area used as a parade for the king's guards, who were frequently seen
undergoing the daily drill, as well as on the march through the streets
of the metropolis. The corps consists of every species of troops,
with an excellent band of music. In a nation emphatically military,
it may be expected of course that, the system of tactics is very per
fect, and the discipline rigid. All the men wear mustaches, and the
pioneers are rendered in appearance still more fierce by full-grown
beards, and the ancient battle-axe, forming a part of their equipments.
The disgusting fashion of unreaped chins and upper lips has been ex
tended from the military, with whom it is more pardonable, to Parisian
dandies, who never reduced other fortresses than a castle of sweet-

412 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
meats or an oyster pie. Some parts of the uniform of the French
troops appeared to me extremely inconvenient and burdensome.
They wear upon the head bear-skin caps about two feet in height.
Grenadiers sustain the load tolerably well ; but a small man appears
to stagger under it, his body being out of all proportion to his cap,
which becomes as ridiculous as the six-story head-dresses of the ladies
in the age of Elizabeth. Grecian helmets of polished brass, and or
namented with tresses of horse-hair, are worn by the cavalry and have
a less savage, if not a more martial aspect. The winter uniform of
the common soldiers is extremely slovenly and unbecoming, consist
ing of a loose frock coat and trowsers, which often look as if they had
been made for men of twice the size.
The chief ornament of the Place Carousel is a splendid triumphal
arch, erected by Napoleon, over the passage, leading from the square
into the court of the Tuilleries. It is sixty feet wide and forty-five
high, built upon the model of that of Septimius Severus at Rome.
The central entrance is fourteen feet, and the two side passages eight
or ten feet each. Both fronts are decorated with Corinthian columns
of Languedoc marble, richly finished and surmounted by military em
blems. Branches of laurel and palm, and figures of children bearing
garlands adorn the roof of the arch. Over the centre formerly stood
a triumphal car, guided by a statue of Napoleon. The bronze steeds
were brought as trophies from Venice, and once adorned the arch of
Nero at Rome. Many spoliations were committed upon this superb
structure by the allied armies in 1815 ; and since the restoration of
the Bourbons, the Venetian horses have been led back across the
Alps, the triumphal car removed, and the image of the conqueror
dashed to the ground.
On the south of this square is the long gallery, which connects the
Palace of the Louvre, to the east, with the Tuilleries, to which it is
similar in the style of architecture, and general appearance. The
basement story contains a numerous suite of apartments, occupying
the long range between the two palaces, which is a distance of 1400
feet. Above is an immense hall of the same dimensions, the whole
being thrown into one room, and appropriated to the fine arts. Bona
parte formed the splendid design of connecting the two palaces on the
north by a co-extensive pile of buildings, which were commenced and
finished for about one third ofthe way, previous to his dethronement.
The work is still in progress, and when it is finished, the Carousel
will be converted into a court, enclosed by four magnificent facades of
regal edifices.
The Palace of the Louvre itself, to which one of our earliest visits

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 413
was paid, surrounds a square four hundred feet in diameter. It is two
stories high, and built of light coloured stone, which preserves its
complexion, notwithstanding its great age. Three of the sides, pre
senting exterior walls between five and six hundred feet in extent, are
of the Corinthian order of architecture, and the remaining one of the
composite. That which faces the Seine, including the gallery con
necting the Louvre and the Tuilleries, presents a noble front, stretch
ing for about a quarter of a mile along the right bank bf the river,
from which it is separated only by the street, and without any objects
to intercept the view from the opposite shore, or from the bridges, for
'a long distance above and below. The eastern facade is reckoned the
most splendid monument of the reign of Louis XIV. ; but owing to the
obstructions of the adjacent buildings, no view of it can be obtained,.
equal to the one just mentioned. It is celebrated for the magnificence
of its arcades and the richness of its ornaments, among which is a
bust of the monarch under whose auspices it was erected, and ded
cated to himself. The whole immense pile is profusely decorate.
with allegorical devices, which in some instances require an interpre
ter to explain. It is the most ancient of the numerous palaces at
Paris, and once had a tower, commensurate in its proportions with
the rest of the edifice, in which the feudal chiefs of France were com
pelled to assemble at stated periods, and do homage to the king.
Those who were refractory were confined in a gloomy dungeon be
neath, the horrors of which gave rise to frightful tales, and eventually
caused the tower to be demolished.
My readers need not be informed, that Napoleon consecrated Jthe
Louvre to the fine arts, and made it the great depository of all the
paintings, statues, and antiquities, which he had collected in his cam
paigns in almost every state upon the continent of Europe, consider
ing them as the legitimate trophies of victory, and making use of the
plausible argument, that they would be more secure from destruction,
as well as accessible to a larger number of persons at Paris, than in
the countries over which they were scattered. His gallery contained
twelve hundred pictures, comprising specimens of the great masters
of every nation and every age,' and embracing a large majority of the
most celebrated in the. world. His collection of statuary was equally
extensive, being enriched by the finest models, which either the an
cients or moderns had produced. The Louvre was in fact the great
Temple of the Fine Arts, to which subjugated empires had contribu
ted, and which became the admiration of the world. But the
splendour of such a work was destined to be as transient as the power
of the imperial conqueror ; and " Ilium fuit" might be inscribed upon

414 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
the portals of the Palace. After the downfal of Napoleon and the
pacification of Europe, the Royal Museum was in turn stripped of its
ornaments, which, sharing the fortunes of war, were restored to their
former proprietors. Notwithstanding the efforts of the French go
vernment to negotiate an exchange of articles, and to retain as many
of the pictures as possible, the number in the gallery was reduced from
twelve hundred to two hundred and fifty. The collection of statuary
suffered still more severely, and several of the rooms were left entirely
naked. Much as these spoliations may be regretted by the artist and
amateur, they seemed to be based upon the principles of retributive
justice, and cannot therefore furnish grounds of complaint.
Having parted with nearly all the rare and valuable works in the
^.Louvre, the French set about filling the vacancy with productions of
their own. With this view, the better paintings at the Luxembourg,
Versailles, and other palaces were removed, and accessions from all
quarters have since been made, till the number is again raised to up
wards of a thousand, forming by far the most extensive collection we
had ever seen, though but a shadow of what it had been. The gallery
was visited by us on one of those public occasions, when it is open to
the whole city, and crowds of both sexes fill the spacious halls. There
is a lodge at the entrance, where it is necessary for visitants to divest
themselves of their loose garments, over-shoes, umbrellas, walking-
sticks, and other incumbrances, depositing them with the portress,
who gives to each person a number as a security for the articles on
coming out, and who expects a sous or two for her trouble. This is the
sole expense of attending the exhibition. In France no exorbitant
fees are extorted from the traveller, as in Great-Britain, for gaining
admission to objects of curiosity. A person may see the whole of
Paris, for a less sum than he is obliged to expend in going through the
Tower of London, or Holy-Rood House. The churches are always
open, and at the other public places, a moderate fee is gratefully re
ceived by the attendants, who have too much politeness to ask for more,
however small it may be — the very reverse of the English servants,
who are sure to ask an addition to the utmost stretch of liberality.
The paintings of the Louvre, or Royal Museum, occupy four con
tiguous apartments, approached by a grand stair-case, which is orna
mented with twenty-two marble columns of the Doric order, and the
whole richly embellished with sculpture. Allegorical devices in fresco,
representing the revival of the fine arts, cover the ceiling. The first
saloon contains a collection of the earliest productions of the French
and Italian schools, which are no otherwise interesting, than as fur
nishing illustrations of the progress of the art. To the battle pieces

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 415
of LeBrun, the next saloon is almost exclusively appropriated. These
rooms are of moderate dimensions, forming the mere vestibule to the
temple. On passing the latter, the long vista of the great Gallery opens on
the eye of the spectator, for the whole extent of fourteen hundred
feet, and cannot fail to strike him with surprise and admiration. By
the natural effect of perspective, the farther extremity is contracted to
narrow limits ; and throngs of ladies and gentlemen in full dresses,
moving along the varnished floor, and reduced to a diminutive size in
the distance, together with columns at suitable intervals, splendid mir
rors, busts, altars, antique vases, and other embellishments of the hall,
present a scene more like enchantment than reality. The gallery is
lighted by double rows of windows, which sometimes throw a disad
vantageous glare across each other ; and the walls from top to bottom
are lined with pictures, which challenge attention and distract the
mind of the spectator.
We were accompanied by two of our countrymen, who were not
only familiar with the articles of this museum, but had visited Italy,
and examined with attention its most celebrated collections. One of
them assured me, that so frequent had been his lounges at the Louvre,
as to enable him to distinguish every picture at the first glance, and
ascribe it to its author — an achievement, which appeared almost as
great as that related of an ancient general, who could call the com
mon soldiers of his whole army by name. Such guides were of great
service to us, in directing our attention at once to the most celebrated
paintings in the gallery, the contents of which would require a week
for a full examination and analysis. The hall is partially and rather
nominally divided, by arches erected along the sides, into nine com
partments, three of which are appropriated to the French, three to
the Flemish, German and Dutch, and the remaining three to the Italian
schools. Among the great masters, whose pencils have contributed
to enrich the gallery, are Corregio, Guido, Raphael, Salvator Rosa,
Titian, Paul Veronese and Rubens. The marked difference in the
leading characteristics, and particularly in the colouring of the several
schools, will strike the most superficial observer. In anatomical ex
actness, and in boldness of perspective, the French perhaps surpass
any other artists ; but in some instances their gaudy arid glaring co
lours appear to be laid on with a trowel, and are wanting in that har
mony, softness, and delicacy, which characterize the schools of Italy.
They also generally fail in expression, particularly in the milder affec
tions of the human face, " o'erstepping the modesty of nature," and

416 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
throwing something showy or fantastic upon the canvass, as if to
challenge admiration.
But I make no pretensions to the taste or nice discriminations of a
connoisseur, and will therefore abstain from criticisms. Among the
most celebrated pictures in the collection are reckoned the Holy
Family, by Raphael — the entombment of the Saviour, by Titian — Ju
piter and Antiope, by Corregio — the Witch of Endor raising the ghost
of Samuel, by Salvator Rosa — the Marriage at Cana, by Paul Vero
nese — Hercules contending with Achilles, and killing Nessus, by
Guido — ./Eneas bearing on his shoulders his father Anchises, and ac
companied by the boy Ascanius, by Domenichino — a portrait of
Charles I., by Vandycke — Diogenese looking for an honest man, by
Rubens — St. Ambrose, by Philip de Champagne — the Ports of France
at sunrise, sunset, and in a tempest, by Vernet — the Judgment of So
lomon, the Institution ofthe Eucharist, and the Deluge, by Poussin —
and several Landscapes, by Claude Lorraine.
Another flight of steps, in the same stairway which forms the en
trance to the principal hall, leads to the Gallery of Apollo, constructed
under the auspices of Mary de Medicis, and intended to represent the
various attributes of the god of the lyre, upon a splendid ceiling.
But the painter, Le Brun, did not live to complete the work, and the
saloon contains little worth seeing. In the vestibule to the hall, are
several pictures representing the Fall of Icarus — Hercules and Antaeus
— Venus receiving from Vulcan the arms of iEneas — jEolus exciting
the Winds — and Achilles in danger of being swallowed by the Zanthus.
None of them are very celebrated.
After gazing for an hour or two at the contents ofthe galleries, we
were conducted by our friends through the labyrinth of apartments
appropriated to sculpture. The halls are upwards of twenty in num
ber, designated by classical names — gods, goddesses, and heroes,
from Hercules down to the Duke d' Angouleme. Although they have
been robbed of their most interesting and valuable antiques, they still
contain more than I shall attempt to describe, or my readers would
have the patience to read. The catalogues of the Royal Museum
comprise three volumes, containing merely an exposition of the cu
riosities to be seen. In this part of it, there are about fifteen hundred
articles, embracing specimens of every sculptor, from Phidias and
Praxiteles to the scarcely less celebrated Canova. Several exquisite
relics of the two former are among the antiques ; and two beautiful
groups of white marble, from the chisel of the latter, adorn the mo
dern hall bearing the name ofthe Duke d' Angouleme. Both of them
represent Cupid and Psyche. The proportions, finish, and expression

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 417
of one of them are inimitably fine. In the other, the god of love is
in the attitude of rescuing Psyche, while sleeping, and ready to fall
from the brink of a precipice. The design is not more beautiful than
the execution. Of the antiques which have acquired the most cele
brity, are the groups of a Gladiator combating with an enemy on
horseback, ascribed to Agasias of Ephesus — a statue of Pallas — Sile-
nus and the infant Bacchus, said to be found in the garden of Sallust
— and a colossal figure of Melpomene. The mosaics and various
specimens of ancient marbles are extremely rich and interesting. Ad
ditions are daily making to this extensive collection, to supply the
places of those which have been removed.

VOL. I.

53

4 IS LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XXXVI.
PARIS CONTINUED  THE NEW EXCHANGE  PALAIS ROYAL  COFFEE
HOUSES  RESTAURATEURS  FRENCH WOMEN  GAMBLING-HOUSES 
PASSAGES  PALACE OF THE LUXEMBOURG  MANUFACTORY OF TAPES
TRY. December, 1825.
The Palais de la Bourse, or the Exchange, is one of the most mag
nificent structures I have ever seen, and is perhaps unequalled by any
thing of the kind in Europe. Its location, however, is very bad, be
ing in the centre of the old part of the city, surrounded by a swamp
of buildings ; and although particular pains have been taken to elevate
it from the low, circumscribed area which it occupies, no distant glimpse
of it can be obtained. Were it situated upon some of the open squares
on the banks ofthe Seine, the grandeur and classical simplicity ofthe
edifice could not fail to strike the mind with admiration. It is sur
rounded with 'sixty-four columns of the Corinthian order, rising to the
second story, and forming a most splendid colonnade. In front is a
porch, with fourteen additional pillars, the ascent to which is by a
lofty flight of sixteen steps. The principal hall is 116 feet long, and
75 wide, being sufficiently spacious to accommodate two thousand
persons. In the upper story, the Tribunal of Commerce holds its ses
sions. By a whimsical inconsistency of taste, it has been deemed
necessary to label the Bourse, with large letters, such as would be
placed upon a grocer's sign, reminding one of the painter's specific de
signation — " this is the man, and this the horse." This building
was commenced by Napoleon, and is not yet entirely finished.*
* To save repetition and the necessity of recurring again to the same subject, it
may be as well here to add, that the Exchange is now completed, and was opened
by a speech from the King, a few days after our return to Paris, in the autumn of
1826. An immense crowd assembled to witness the ceremony, and for a month or
two, throngs of both sexes were daily seen upon 'Changej to examine the mag
nificent edifice, of which the Parisians are very justly proud. I paid it several
visits. The inside is as rich and beautiful as the exterior. Notwithstanding the
boasted architecture of Italy, it is, taken as a whole, the most chaste and perfect
building I have ever examined. The material is substantial, the designs classical,
and the workmanship finished. A flight of marble steps, worthy of the taste of
Bramante, leads to the second story. Splendid corridors open from the galleries
into the principal room. Over each of the arches is inscribed the name of some
prominent commercial city ; and in the corners of the hall are medallions, emble
matic of the four quarters of the world, as also of commerce, science, and the art?.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 419
The Palais Royal is in all respects a perfect unique, and baffles
description. It is emphatically a little world in itself, sui generis,
comprising every possible variety of character, occupation, and amuse
ment, from the highest to the lowest, from the gravest to the most
trifling, from the most refined to the most brutal. Its history is not
less curious than its present condition. In the year 1629, the cele
brated Cardinal Richelieu commenced building him a palace in a style
proportioned to his means. While the work was in progress, he was
gradually and unexpectedly making accessions to his wealth and power,
which enabled him to increase the splendour of the edifice. He kept
on building in this way for seven years, at the end of which the palace,
then bearing his own title, exhibited a perfect history of his fortune,
displaying all sorts of architecture, from the most modest to the most
gorgeous. It subsequently fell into the hands of Louis XIII. after
whose death it was inhabited by his queen, Ann of Austria, with her
two sons, Louis XIV. and the Duke of Anjou. Hence the name of
the Royal Palace.
By descent it came into possession of the celebrated Duke of Or
leans, conspicuous for the part he took in the French Revolution, as
well as for his luxuries and the profligacy of his character. To him
the immense pile owes its present magnificence, as also the vile uses
to which it is in part appropriated. His career was the reverse of
Cardinal Richelieu's. Possessing a princely fortune, he rebuilt and
adorned the palace in the most splendid style of architecture ; but by the
time he had completed it, his funds were exhausted, to replenish which
he resorted to the novel plan of cutting up the whole range of build
ings into small shops and of letting them to the highest bidder. The
expedient succeeded to a charm, and the Duke derived an enormous
revenue from the rents of his establishment. As he had no great ve
neration for ancestry, rank, or title, it occasioned in him no compunc
tious visitings of conscience, to see boot-blacks, pastry-cooks, rope-
dancers, gamblers, fiddlers, and courtesans occupying saloons intend
ed for- noble personages.
The Palais Royal is in the form of a parallelogram, half a mile in

The painting is so admirably executed, that on my first visit, the figures were mis
taken for bas-relief. An oblong dome, co-extensive with the apartment, admits a
perfect light, and exhibits the superb mosaic pavements to the best advantage.
Several elegant chambers open into the corridors. The removal of rubbish and
many improvements in the public square have added greatly to the appearance of
the exterior. A friend was so kind as to give me a folio description of this edifice,
with a set of plates illustrative of its architecture.

420 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
circumference, and standing round an open court, which contains six
or eight acres. The area is handsomely laid out, planted with treesi
and adorned with a garden which has a large fountain in the centre,
together with jets d'eau constantly throwing the water in fanciful forms
to the height of twenty or thirty feet. Originally the whole court
from end to end was unobstructed ; but necessity or cupidity induced
the proprietor to extend across the middle of it, several ranges of small
buildings, filled with boutiques or hucksters' shops and forming a kind
of market. The proportions of the palace itself are grand and rich in
architectural ornament. Lofty arcades, forming a covered walk, ex
tend the whole way round the interior. They are about two hundred
in number, enclosed by an iron railing, and lighted in the evening by a
lamp to each pillar. Many ofthe shops in the basement story are oc
cupied by jewellers and other trades equally showy, whose wares are
tastefully displayed at' the windows, and present a spectacle seldom
equalled in brilliancy. Every article which ingenuity has been able to
devise, or the wants and luxuries of man require, is here exposed for
sale, though generally at a higher price than is asked in other parts of
the metropolis.
The description of tenants is as various as the commodities of the
market, or as the motley multitude that throng the arcades from morn
ing until midnight. In one end of the palace the noble family of the
proprietor resides, and splendid equipages of Dukes and Dutchesses
are seen at the door ; while at the other end, theatrical buffoons,
blind fiddlers, and dancing automata amuse the crowd, or debauchees
and harlots hold their subterranean orgies. The intermediate regions are
inhabited by all classes of society, good, bad, and indifferent, high
and low, learned and illiterate. A lecture on the abstract sciences
is liable to be disturbed by the rattling of dice, or the concussion of
billiard-balls in the next room ; and the voice of the female calling
from the boutique for purchasers of books is drowned in that of her
neighbour, who cries bonnets or bonbons. Such is the variety and
confusion which this busy, bustling scene forever presents.
In the first and second stories of the Palais Royal, are almost innu
merable Cafes and Restaurants, or coffee and eating houses. These
form one of the peculiar features of Paris. There are nine hundred or
a thousand of each kind in the city, a large proportion of which are
concentrated about the palace. A breakfast may here be obtained for
ten or fifteen sous, and a dinner for any sum, from two francs to a
Napoleon. Crowds of both sexes daily resort hither for their meals,
a majority of whom dine at those houses, where they pay forty cents
for three or four dishes, with a dessert and a bottle of wine. The fare

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. * 421
is generally good, and sufficiently abundant. A person has his choice
out of two hundred and fifty dishes placed upon the bill, any one of
which will be ready in five minutes after it is called for. We began
with the beginning of the catalogue, and determined to go as far
through, as our visit of six or seven weeks would permit. But there
is little use in such experiments, as a person does not know half ofthe
time what he is eating, being none the wiser for the name, which is
often borrowed from some popular personage of the day, or from some
local district.famous for good eating.
The coffee-houses are entirely distinct from the restaurants. Both
are furnished in a style which would not disgrace a palace of more ele
vated character than that of the Duke of Orleans. The whole walls
are frequently covered with large mirrors, in elegantly gilt frames, and
the windows hung with crimson curtains. In some conspicuous part
ofthe room, a throne is erected to the height of several feet from the
floor, ornamented in the most tasty manner, and furnished with silken
or velvet cushions. Here the presiding goddess sits in state, dressed
with all the showy, elegance of the French women. On entering and
leaving the room, each person takes off his hat and bows to her with
as much reverence, as he would manifest in approaching or taking
leave of a princess. She returns the salute, and sometimes deigns a
smile, or whispers a soft word to those whom she recognizes. But
generally she sits in silent and motionless dignity, overlooking the
tables beneath her, and frowning at any impoliteness. It is a great
point to procure the prettiest women for these places, who never fail
to attract company. Some of them have held their thrones much
longer than eastern monarchs, and received more marks of homage
than any of the Bourbons. The Mille Colonne, so called because its
mirrors reflect a thousand gilded columns, has long been celebrated for
the beauty of its incumbent. Every pretty girl is an heir-apparent to
this species of dominion.
But the office, unlike that of many other sovereigns, is far from be
ing a sinecure. The presiding female, besides doing the honours of
the coffee-houses and restaurants in receiving company, has more se
rious duties to perform. It belongs to her to superintend the whole
establishment ; to keep all the accounts ; to make out the bills, and
receive the money at the hands ofthe waiters, in the train of whom her
husband is frequently found, forming one of her undistinguished and
most submissive subjects. The French women are extremely clever
in the transaction of business ; and possessing perhaps an innate fond
ness for supremacy, increased by education and habit, they exercise a
controlling influence in all the departments of life. They are the un
disputed mistresses of nearly all the shops in Paris, and manage them

422 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
with great financial skill. I was surprised to find among them so
much industry, patient drudgery, and laborious attention to business.
They are up early and late, absorbed in the cares of their families,
whose support depends chiefly upon their efforts, while their husbands
are lounging at the theatre, coffee-house, or gambling-table. This re
sponsibility is voluntarily assumed, and arises from a propensity to
rule in every thing. They know nothing of the lessons of obedience
inculcated by Milton, and cheerfully commute the exclusive but invi
sible empiie of the heart, for the more tangible demonstrations of
power. This feature may be traced through all classes of society ;
and among the lower orders, females become the drudges of life. I
have seen them engaged in almost every species of servile employment,
even to the use of the spade in turning up the soil, and to still more
masculine occupations, such as in our country are universally thrown
upon the other sex — a singular inconsistency in a nation, proverbial
for gallantry and politeness. If the females of France have their faults
and foibles — if they are fond of show and addicted to pleasure, they
certainly possess many redeeming virtues ; and my respect for their
character has been much increased since crossing the Channel.
But I have not yet quite done with the Palais Royal. As our ob
ject was genera] information, we went the rounds of the gambling-
houses, which are accessible to well-dressed and well-behaved persons,
without the necessity of adventuring. At Frascati's, in the Rue
Richelieu, which is the most fashionable in Paris, the visitant must put
on his shoes and a white cravat. In the anti-chambers, servants are
in waiting, who take charge of hats, cloaks and other outer garments ;
and there is as much parade in an entree, as in entering a parlour fill
ed with a select party of ladies and gentlemen. No loud talking or
noise of any kind is allowable. A long table covered with green baize
stands in each of the suite of apartments, on either side of which sits one
of the managers, with the group of adventurers of both sexes about
him ; some with smiling countenances, and others with anxiety or dis
traction depicted upon the brow. I have seen persons so frantic with
the fortunes of the wheel, and with ruin staring them in the face, as to
tear the hair from their heads. The next morning perhaps they were
found below one ofthe bridges, in the bed ofthe Seine.* A spirit of

* In the winter of 1827, a genteel young gentleman, who had been unfortunate
at play, became so frantic with despair, that he could not wait to walk as far as
the Seine, but blew his brains out with a pistol, near the fountain of the Palais Roy
al, Sometimes pa=sion assumes a less serious type. A friend informed me, that
he had seen a Frenchman, enraged by his losses, rise from the table and butt the
wall of the room with his head, like a mad bull.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 423
gambling appears to pervade all classes. The labourer who has toiled
'all day for a franc or two will play it away or double it at night. This
vice however is not attended with its usual concomitant of intempe
rance. No other kind of drink is taken in the room, than a glass of
lemonade or of light table beer, which is furnished gratuitously.
The games of chance are — rouge et noir, roulette, trente et un, and
par et impar — played with cards, and with balls thrown into a wheel
set in motion. With one slight exception, the chances appear to be
exactly even, and the play is doubtless managed with fairness. The
gains ofthe table are calculated on chiefly from the natural operations
of the human passions. Novices will come in, and after losing all
their money, are obliged to quit ; or if they at first chance to win, the
intoxication of good fortune leads them on, till her favours are re
versed. Large banks, which are licensed by the government and form
a lucrative source of revenue, enable the managers to make their cal
culations independent of temporary losses. They are however suscep
tible of being exhausted of their funds. It is said that Mr. Baring of
London went to one of the tables with £20,000, and did not quit it
till he had broken the bank.* Others have tried the experiment to
their sorrow, and immense fortunes have been lost in a single night.
The central situation of the Palais Royal, and the crowds of people
who daily resort thither on business and pleasure, have led to many
improvements in the vicinity, and among the rest to the construction of
several Passages, opening from one principal street to another, through
blocks of buildings, and all the way under cover. They are occupied
as extensive bazars, consisting of a connected series of stores of every
description, where ladies may do their shopping without damping their
feet in the worst weather. Some of them are very splendid, particu
larly at night, when the shops ire brilliantly lighted up with gas. The
improvement has increased the value of property ten-fold. In my
opinion, the plan might be successfully imitated in some central part
of New-York, say from Broadway to one ofthe parallel streets.!

* The author of Lacon, who wields the raleau with as much dexterity as the
pen, and who finds gambling more profitable than authorship, is said to have car
ried away 55,000 francs, or $1 1,000, won at a single sitting at Frascati's, in the
course of the last winter.
t When the foregoing paragraph was written, I little expected to find on my
return a Passage in our metropolis, surpassing in elegance any thing of the 'kind to
be found in Paris. The galleries, in the arcades between Maiden-lane and John-
street, are entirely original, so far as my observation extends, and add much to the
splendour of this beautiful bazar. It is also more tastefully lighted, than any one
I have elsewhere examined.

424 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
One of our earliest visits was to the Palace of the Luxembourg, em
bracing the Chamber of Peers, situated half a mile from the south
bank of the Seine. It has some interesting historical associations.
During the Revolution, it was converted into a prison, in which were
confined many of the celebrated public characters of that period. It
was afterwards occupied by the Republican Senate, and is now appro
priated to the Chamber of Peers. In extent, architecture, and mag
nificence, it is among the first edifices in Paris. The length of its
principal front is 360 feet, and of the other sides, 300 feet, standing
round a spacious court. It is crowned by a lofty and beautiful dome,
which is visible from all parts of the city. The garden and grounds at
tached to it are scarcely surpassed by the Tuilleries in dimensions and
artificial embellishments, forming one of the hundred delightful pro
menades in the metropolis. They are laid out in wide gravel walks
and parterres, and adorned with fountains, groves, and statues.
The entrance of the Palace is beneath a noble arch, and by massive
portals. We passed several hours in the two principal halls, which
are now chiefly appropriated, to the pictures of modern French artists,
affording a fair opportunity of studying the broad characteristics and
merits of their school, at the head of which is David. As I have al
ready mentioned, the best paintings of the Luxembourg have been
transferred to the Louvre, and as the show of the sculpture is extreme
ly meagre, the curiosity of the visiter is limited to the above named
object. The design of one of the pictures struck us as being very
forcible and beautiful. It is a dog guarding a sleeping infant. The
faithful animal has his foot upon a large serpent, which was creeping
toward the child. Another of the paintings afforded us not a little
amusement, as manifesting the national feeling and spirit of France.
It is a historical representation of the capture of an English frigate by
a French corvette. The former is dismasted, riddled, and raked from
stem to stern ; while the latter has all her sails set in gallant trim.
This is a fair retort courteous for some of the military and naval tro
phies exhibited in the tower of London.
The Chamber of Peers is accessible only during the session of that
body, and by making application in writing to the Custode. It is said to
contain nothing of great interest, its columns being imitation marble,
and its ornaments a group of ancient orators and sages in modern
marble. The stairway leading to it is among the grandest works of
the kind we have seen, consisting of a flight of forty-eight steps, each
hewn from solid stone, twenty feet in length.
Our excursion was extended from the Luxembourg to the Gobelins
Manufactory of tapestry, situated on the bank of a small branch of the

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 425
Seine, called the Beivre, near the southern limits of the city. The es
tablishment took its name from Gobelin, the founder, an emigrant from
Flanders, who here built a die-house in the time of Francis I. Colbert,
celebrated for his efforts in favour of French manufactures of various
kinds, added many improvements, and introduced the manufacture of ta
pestry in imitation of the Flemish, which the fabrics of this place as well
as those of Beauvais are said to transcend in texture and elegance. The
building appropriated to the works, now belonging to the government,
is spacious ; but in the extent and nature of the operations in the inte
rior, we were much disappointed. There is none of that noise of ma
chinery, or bustle of numerous persons employed, which the large ma
nufactories of Great-Britain present, i^ Three English ladies went the
rounds with us, and seemed as much surprised as ourselves. The
whole process of weaving the tapestry is slowly and silently performed
by hand. Several years are required to complete a single piece. The
webs are suspended vertically from the ceiling, and the workmen sit
by them like so many painters at the palette patiently weaving in a
thread at a time, in imitation of the pattern before them. Both the
figures and colours of the finest pictures are accurately transferred
from the canvass to these fabrics ; and the two arts are in fact very
nearly allied.

vol. I. 54

420 LETTERS FROM EUROPE
LETTER XXXVII.
PARIS CONTINUED  CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES  HOTEL DES INVALIDES —
CHAMP DE MARS  SCENES OF THE REVOLUTION  PASSY  MANUFAC
TURE OF CARPETS  ROYAL EXHIBITION  GARDEN OF PLANTS.
December, 1825,
On a sunny, pleasant day, near the close of the year, we made a pe
destrian circuit of five or six miles, passing down the left bank of the
Seine, and returning on the other side through the Elysian Fields,
taking in our way a variety off objects. The first of these was the
Chamber of Deputies, a lofty and showy edifice, standing within a few
paces ofthe river, at the south end of the bridge Louis XVI. and op
posite the Place Louis XV. whence its noble front, ornamented with
twelve Corinthian pillars of white stone, appears to the greatest ad
vantage, the view being unobstructed for a mile or two up and down
the Seine. A handsome flight of steps leads to the porch, at the bot
tom of which, seated on pedestals, are colossal statues of two Grecian
divinities, who look extremely weather-beaten, and appear to be far
from immortal. Aloft are several allegorical emblems, representing
Law resting upon the Charter, and supported by Strength and Justice,
with personifications of the Seine and Marne, pouring plenty from
their urns. A label or two upon the foreheads of some of these figures
would be a much greater convenience than those upon the Exchange,
In truth, a distant view of the Chamber of Deputies is much more in
teresting than a closer examination.
The keeper of the keys conducted us through the interior, and show^
ed us every thing worth seeing, with something besides, such as busts
and portraits of the Bourbons, which stare you in the face, at every
turn through the streets of Paris. In all respects, the legislative
hall of France is superior to that of England, but every way inferior to
our own. The apartment appropriated to the sittings of the Deputies
is in the form of an amphitheatre, with the seats rising one above
another before the speaker's chair, which in point of elegance will sus
tain but a poor comparison with that in the hall of representatives at
Washington. Near it stands the Tribune, which every member for
mally mounts, when he wishes to address the house, although he has
not above five words to say — a custom which cannot be too severely
deprecated, as destroying the ease and freedom of debate, as well as
retarding the transaction of business by studied harangues. The seats

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for the accommodation ofthe ministers of the government are covered
with green morocco, and the other furniture is convenient, but common.
A group of half a dozen antique busts, representing the great orators
of Greece and Rome, are among the decorations. The gallery will
convene 300 spectators, and is open to the public during the sessions
of the house.
Around this central hall extends a suite of rooms, that go by differ
ent names, and contain a scanty show of paintings* statues, and other
curiosities, numbering among the rest the chair in which the king sits
at the opening of the session, and which Napoleon used for the same
purpose. On the mantel-piece in one of the apartments called the
King's Saloon, is an ingenious clock, made by Lepaute, in the form of
a globe, and indicating the hour by the rotation of the earth under the
hand, and by lines of longitude. The Chamber of Conferences to the
tight ofthe President's chair is ornamented with several paintings and
pieces of sculpture, the most conspicuous of which is a bust of the
Duke of Berry, with his last words after his assassination inscribed upon
the pedestal—" Jatiais espere verser mon sang pour la France" — I
had hoped to shed my blood for my country.
Leaving behind the Palace of Bourbon, which is contiguous to the
Chamber of Deputies, but in appearance has little to recommend it*
save a magnificent terrace 300 feet long, with gardens and walks*
commanding an extensive view ofthe opposite shores of the Seine, we
continued our rambles to the Hotel des Invalides, corresponding in
design with the great institution at Greenwich, near London* for the
relief of decrepid mariners, and if possible surpassing even the latter in
conveniences and comforts. Its extent, arrangement* and internal
police reflect infinite credit upon the humanity and munificence ofthe
French nation, dispensing more real happiness than all the palaces for
noblemen and kings, which Paris can boast. Here the invalid soldiers
of France, like the sea-worn and shattered sailors of England, find not
merely a comfortable, but sumptuous asylum, ending their days in peace
and plenty, after all their arduous campaigns, and the hardships of the
field, with perhaps the loss of a leg or an arm in the service of their
country. I have long been of the opinion, that the most liberal provi
sion should be made for common soldiers and common sailors, who
at best have a hard time of it, participating largely in the toils and
dangers of war, but sharing moderately either its benefits or its glories.
The Hospital of Invalids is worthy of the memory of Henry IV,,
and Louis XIV. who projected and brought it to completion, and of
whose greatness it forms a more substantial and creditable monument^
than all the canvass and marble, which perpetuate their military

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achievements. As a work of art merely, which is the least of its me
rits, it ranks amongst the most extensive, boldest, and most magnifi
cent edifices, that adorn the capital. Parts of it are unequalled in
architectural grandeur and beauty. The whole range of connected
buildings covers an area of more than seven acres, standing round
five courts of equal dimensions. A lofty arch in the centre of the
pile forms the entrance. The principal front is upwards of 600 feet
in length, and three stories high besides the basement. Arcades sur
round the interior, affording spacious covered walks for exercise.
The chapel is surmounted by the largest dome in Paris, bearing a
cross at top, three hundred feet from the ground. It is sheathed with
lead, and highly gilt, sending back at evening the beams of the sun,
and rearing itself as a splendid beacon to all parts of the metropolis.
But the grandeur and beauty of the Hospital are nothing in com
parison with its utility. One of its officers conducted us through all
the apartments, beginning with the Library, which contains 20,000
volumes for the use of the inmates. Tables and seats are fitted up
for the accommodation of each person, round which sat a group of
gray-headed veterans, reading perhaps the history of their own cam
paigns, and looking as happy as ease and quiet could render them.
Others were hobbling about the arcades, or basking in the rays of a
wintry sun, forgetful of the turmoils of the camp and the dangers of
the field. One of the more ingenious of them had amused his lei
sure and exercised his talent at engineering, by making an exact
model of the Hospital, which is deposited in the Library. The
whole number of inmates is 7000, consisting of officers and men ,
from colonels downwards. Distinctions of rarik are still kept up,
and they are almost as well organized, as when in actual service, the
whole corps being under the government of a Marshal of France,
whose arrangements are systematic and precise.
We went through the dormitories, eating-rooms, and kitchens, and
were delighted with the order, neatness, and comfort, which pervade
the whole establishment. The several divisions of the corps dine at
different hours, from long tables, furnished with porcelain, and in some
instances with plate for disabled officers. But what is of still greater
importance, the board is crowned with plentiful dishes of well cooked
and wholesome food. As if to preserve . a miniature of the outer
world, a cafe and restaurant, labelled in the Parisian style, have been
erected within the court whither the inmates may resort, to quaff their
favourite beverage, or read the news. These of course form a part
of the Hospital, and are under rigid regulations.
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are covered with portraits of the dead Marshals of France, who are
here enrolled by an edict of the government, as soon as they have
paid the debt of nature. But the greatest ornament of the establish
ment is the Chapel, which is said to be the grandest piece of archi
tecture in France, and which certainly transcends any thing of the
kind that I have seen. No person can stand in the centre of the
dome, and lift his eye gradually from a splendid mosaic pavement to a
circle of lofty and massive pillars around him, and thence up to the
vaulted and painted ceiling several hundred feet above his head, with
out experiencing an emotion of sublimity, which few buildings can
excite. To this thrill which comes suddenly across the brain, the
half dozen chapels opening around the rotunda, the superb altar over
which the spectator looks, through a vista of columns beyond, and the
monuments of the distinguished dead rising from the area, all mate
rially contribute. The dust of Marshal Turenne sleeps beneath the
pavement, and a monument to his memory, sculptured with a figure
of the hero expiring in the arms of Victory, and bearing no other in
scription than his untitled name, adorns one of the chapels.
From this dome were suspended the colours taken by the French
from different nations, amounting, it is said, to upwards of three
thousand stands, which the inmates of the Hospital daily saw waving
above their heads, as fresh memorials of their achievements and their
victories. When the allied armies were approaching Paris, the in
valids, animated with the spirit of other years, and determined that
the trophies of their valour should not be recaptured by the enemy,
tore down the banners and made a bonfire of them ! The sword of
Frederick the Great, Kvhich was taken by Napoleon and here depo
sited, was not so easily disposed of. It was claimed by Prince
Blucher, and restored to Berlin, whence it had been brought.
Our visit to this institution afforded us a high degree of interest
and satisfaction, which continued unabated till we were without the
spacious enclosure, spreading in front of the Hospital, and opening
towards the Seine. These grounds display a great deal of taste ; but
they possess a charm beyond what an ordinary portion of walks, trees,
and fountains can impart, arising from certain peculiar circumstances.
Round the margin of the area an innumerable series of little gardens
have been enclosed, and one of them appropriated to each of the in
mates, constituting his only real estate, of which he is the tenant for
life, and which would be scarcely large enough for his grave. A tiny
gate leads into the narrow domain, and is susceptible of being placed
under lock and key. As the day was pleasant, many of the veterans
were at work in their gardens, and we lingered half an hour, to see

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with what assiduity and emulation each plied the spade, in planting
some new shrub or flower that shall put forth its blossoms in due sea->
son, and rival the beauty of some neighbouring parterre. Napoleon
had it in contemplation to convert these grounds into a military ely-
sium, by placing among the trees and around the fountain, (out of
which his bronze lion from Venice once drank,) a collection of all the
statues of ancient and modern heroes ; but in my view, the beautiful
picture I have attempted to describe is worth more than the whole
group of military busts, from Alexander down to the Duke d' Angou
leme. Bonaparte's plan evidently smelt of the shop ; and his ancient
heroes, as for any resemblance to the originals, might as well have
been cast in the same mould, and christened per catalogue. How
much more agreeable is it to witness the display of industry, taste,
and quiet enjoyment in these old soldiers, whose doting cares remind
one of the boots and bastions of Corporal Trim!
From the Hospital of Invalids, we continued our walk to the
Champ de Mars, which forms a part of the plain of Grenelle, on the
left bank of the Seine, at the south-western extremity of the city. It
is about half a mile in length, and a quarter of a mile in breadth,
lying in the form of a perfect parallelogram, slightly inclining to
wards the river. The area is a hard, smooth gravel, sufficiently
spacious for a parade of 10,000 troops. It is surrounded with a
moat, and with mounds, where thousands of spectators may stand
with safety, and overlook the military exercises, or the races of horses
and chariots below. Double rows of trees extend quite round the
beautiful square. At the southern end stands the Military School,
presenting a noble front towards the Seine, and crowned by a lofty
dome. It cannot be examined without a formal permit from the go
vernment. This institution is appropriated to the education of young
men of good family, but small fortunes, whose fathers have fallen in
the service of their country. The students were seen at play upon
the plain, in classes under the eye of their instructors.
This square is associated with some of the most interesting events
of the French Revolution. The embankments above alluded to
were constructed for the accommodation of the multitude, at the
grand ceremony of the Federation on the 14th of July, 1790. " It
was necessary," 'says Madame de Stael, who was an eye-witness of
the scene, " to erect around this extensive space eminences of green
turf, to hold the spectators. Women of the first rank were seen
joining the crowd of voluntary labourers, who came to bear a part in
the preparations for the fete. In a line from the Military School and
in front of the Seine, which flows past the Champ de Mars, steps had

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been raised, with a tent to accommodate the King, Queen, and all
the court. Eighty-three spears fixed in the ground, and bearing each
the colours of its respective department, formed a vast circle, of which
the amphitheatre, prepared for the royal family, made a part. At the
other extremity was seen an altar, prepared for mass, which, on this
great occasion, was celebrated by M. de Talleyrand, then Bishop of
Autun. M. de La Fayette approached this altar to take the oath of
fidelity to the nation, the law, and the king,— and the oath and the
man who pronounced it, excited a strong feeling of confidence."
The same lady has given a still more animated description of the
tumultuous celebration, on the anniversary of 1792. "The expres
sion of the Queen's countenance," says she, " will never be effaced
from my remembrance : her eyes were swollen with tears : the splen
dour of her dress, the dignity of her deportment, formed a contrast
with the train that surrounded her. Only a few national guards sepa
rated her from the populace ; the armed men, assembled in the Champ
de Mars, seemed collected rather for a tumult than a fete. The king
repaired on foot from the pavilion, under which he sat, all the way to
the altar, raised at the end of the Champ de Mars. When he mounted
the steps of the altar, he seemed a sacred victim offering Himself as a
voluntary sacrifice. He descended ; and, crossing anew the disor
dered ranks, returned to take his place beside the Queen and his
children. After that day the people saw him no more, till they saw
him on the scaffold?"
Opposite to the Champ de Mars is the bridge of Jena, the lowest
on the Seine near Paris, which we crossed, and visited the village of
Passy, prettily situated upon the declivity of a high hill, on the right
bank of the river. Terraces, hanging gardens, and several handsome
houses give it a picturesque appearance. -It has associations pecu
liarly interesting to an American. Here our celebrated countryman,
Dr. Franklin, resided for some time, while minister to the court of
France. The house in which he lived is still standing, and the vil
lagers have paid a tribute of respect to his memory, by calling one of
their principal squares and streets Franklin. It must certainly be ac
counted ii high honour for a man to acquire such prominence and
popularity, as to impart his name to any portion of a foreign territory.
The Wood of Bologne, which is a beautiful forest in the vicinity of
Passy, was a favourite haunt with the American philosopher, proba
bly reminding him of the sylvan scenes of his native country. There
is a chateau in the midst of the wood, where he for a time resided.
On our return along the bank of the Seine, just at evening, we
called at the Royal Manufactory of Carpets, called La Savonneric,

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at the Quay Billy. It is under the superintendence of the govern
ment, and the internal arrangements of the establishment, as well as
the process of weaving, are in all respects similar to those of the
Gobelins. Ten years are sometimes occupied in completing a single
web. We saw one that had been in progress four years, and it would
require three more to finish it. The fabrics are wrought with the
richest figures, equalling the most splendid paintings, of which they
are little more than copies. Some of them are valued at 60,000
francs, or 12,000 dollars. None but regal feet are allowed to tread
them. During the Holydays, we attended a general exhibition of the royal
manufactures of France displayed in a suite of rooms at the Louvre.
Among the articles were carpets from the Savonnerie, tapestry from
the Gobelins and Beauvais, and porcelain from the celebrated manu
factory at Sevres, near Paris. Some of the commodities were rich
and beautiful beyond what England, or perhaps any other country
can produce. Nothing can be more splendid, or in better taste, than
the finest of the French wares. Every device and every colour are
blended in the ornaments, executed in the most delicate manner. It
was a display of the fine arts, little inferior to the gallery of the Royal
Museum, creditable to national taste and ingenuity, rather than to
useful, substantial industry ; for most of the articles were fit only to
adorn the palaces of kings and noblemen. In my opinion, one of
the greatest faults with the French people is a misdirection of na
tional resources. They too often overlook solid comforts, such as all
might enjoy, and think only of luxuries, which must always be con
fined to a few. The love of the fine arts engrosses attention tfiat
should be devoted to the useful. I have seen women busy in em
broidering silks and weaving artificial flowers, when they ought to be
employed in darning their own stockings or in mending their petti
coats. There are manufactories of almost every kind, in and about Paris ;
but with few exceptions, they are on a small scale, and the products
of irraustry are poured forth silently into the market without knowing
whence they come. The variety and quantity of articles of an orna
mental kind, particularly of clocks, watches, and jewellery of all de
scriptions, seem without limits, originating from small private esta
blishments. Glass wares are equally extensive, and exceed in beauty
any in the world. Single plates for mirrors are sometimes cast ten
feet in length, and six or seven in breadth. The French are extrava
gantly fond of this article. In the meanest apartment, you will always
see two or three looking-glasses, and frequently the walls are entirely

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 433
covered with them. Besides the ordinary purposes of reflecting
faces and dresses, they produce the agreeable illusion of making a
small room appear like the saloons of a palace. We visited one or
two of the porcelain manufactories ; but while the wares are superior
in quality, the extent and management of the establishments are no
thing in comparison with Wedgewood's or Bloor's in England.
On another pleasant day, in company with a friend whose unremit
ted attentions were of the utmost service to us, we made a circuit in
a different quarter of the city, embracing a great variety of interesting
objects, the first of -which was the Corn Market. This curious struc
ture is situated in a central part of Paris, not far from the Palais
Royal. It is in the form of a rotunda, with a dome of cast iron, the
diameter of which, at the bottom, is 131 feet. The light is admitted
by a lantern in the centre. Its whole construction is perfectly un
ique. On the area of the interior, immense quantities of grain and
flour, in bags and casks, are exposed for sale. This is only one of the
hundred markets, whence the capital is plentifully supplied with pro
visions of every kind. The buildings erected within the last twenty
years for the accommodation of the public have cost the state fifty
millions of francs ; and the money has been well expended, though
not perhaps in a very economical manner. Most of the improve
ments were commenced under Napoleon, and have since been com
pleted. These have added not less to the cleanliness and beauty of
the city than to its convenience.
On our way to the Garden of Plants, we passed through the Place
de Greve, on the right bank of the Seine, and in front of the Hotel de
Ville, or town-house, which is an antique building, celebrated only for
being associated with the sanguinary scenes of the Revolution. On
the area in front, most of the executions took place, during the Reign
of Terror in 1793, when the pavement was literally deluged in blood.
Here the guillotine is still erected, and all public executions take
place. The head of one criminal was taken off during our visit to
Paris ; but the show was over, before it came to our knowledge.
The loss of such a spectacle did not occasion much regret. Those
of our countrymen who witnessed it are of the opinion, that this
mode of execution is less barbarous and decidedly preferable to hang
ing. In a moment the business is finished. The head and body are
tumbled into a basket, and removed from the sight of the multitude,
the whole operation occupying less than five minutes.
Just above this placet a broad and deep canal, extending from the
site of the old Bastile, opens into the Seine, and is crossed at its
mouth by a handsome bridge. It forrns a spacious basin for boats,
vol. i. 55

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and its banks would seem to be a convenient place for a deposit of
heavy articles, although they are not.used for such purposes to any
extent. This channel was formerly subterranean, and communicated
with the gloomy dungeons of the Bastile, being sufficiently spacious
for the passage of troops. The prison itself, so celebrated in history!
is now in ruins. Napoleon formed the plan of a colossal elephant, to
stand upon the site. I examined the monster, which is fifty feet long
and forty high, with a brood of young ones, as models, about him.
The animal appeared to me badly proportioned, and the whole pro
ject unnatural, grotesque, and in bad taste, unworthy of the genius
of the Emperor. This beast was to supply the city with water issu
ing from his trunk, drawing it from the aqueduct called the Ourcq.
The work will probably never be completed. A large wooden shell
of a building rises over the contemplated fountain.
Crossing the beautiful bridge of Austerlitz, which is the uppermost
over the Seine, opposite Paris, and the arches of which are of cast
iron, we arrived at the Royal Garden of Plants, on the left bank of
the river. It is one of the greatest ornaments of the French metro
polis. It is chiefly indebted for its inestimable treasures, as well as
for the beauty of its design, to the efforts of the celebrated Buffon.
Cuvier, Haiiy, and Humboldt, scarcely less distinguished in their re
spective departments of natural science, have followed the footsteps
of their great predecessor, and made this museum every thing, which
either science or taste can require. A student might pass not only
days, but months and years to advantage, in the gardens, the halls,
and schools comprised within this great temple of nature. It con
tains a botanic garden, a menagerie, a museum of natural history and
anatomy, together with numerous apartments, in which public lectures
are delivered. These several compartments are all upon a large scale,
and rendered as complete as possible ; whence some idea of the ex
tent of the whole establishment may be obtained.
The location of the Garden of Plants is admirable, not only in
point of soil and other advantages, but of natural scenery and pic
turesque beauty. A broad and magnificent esplanade opens from the
bank of the Seine, rising by a gentle acclivity towards the south, and
presenting a full view of the halls at the farther extremity. Above
these, a charming spiral walk ascends to the top of an eminence of
considerable altitude, overlooking the garden, and commanding an
extensive prospect of Paris and its environs. Below, the Seine rolls
quietly on beneath its numerous bridges, and by its splendid palaces.
The sloping sides of the hill are beautifully shaded with forest trees
and evergreens, such as love a mountainous country. Among these,

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the most conspicuous is a veteran cedar of Lebanon, planted by the
celebrated botanist Jussieu, whose system of classification has been
adopted in the arrangement of the plants. His favourite exotic from
the Holy Land lost its head during the stormy period of the Revolu
tion, the monarch of the woods sharing a common fate with the so
vereign of the nation. It was subsequently in danger of being cut
down, to boil the camp-kettles of the Cossacks. The allied armies
had the barbarity, (almost equaling that of their ancestors,) to threaten
to bivouac in this splendid garden ; and nothing but the spirited re
monstrances of Baron Humboldt prevented a measure, which would
have rendered it a scene of desolation.
Half way up the eminence, beneath the overarching branches of a
copse of trees, is a bust of Linnaeus, the presiding genius ofthe place,
and near it the solitary grave of one of his disciples. The former
was hurled from its base, amidst the wanton excesses of the Revolu
tion, but has since been restored. On the summit of the hill rises a
little Grecian temple, supported by eight pillars, and furnished with
seats around the circumference, where visitants may repose. It has
a sun-dial on the top, accompanied with a lens, by which a gun is dis
charged at 12 o'clock. A Latin motto states, that the hours pass un
numbered, when the skies are not serene.
The Botanic Garden contains upwards of seven thousand plants,
which are all classed and labeled. They are arranged in beds bor
dered with box or other shrubs, exhibiting not less taste than scientific
accuracy. The Seine affords every facility for watering the garden,
and supplies little lakes for the cultivation of aquatic plants. A range
of green-houses six hundred feet in length, and furnishing every va
riety of artificial climate, runs through the grounds. Besides the or
dinary appendages of a Botanic Garden, the visiter here finds some
striking peculiarities, such as specimens of different soils and manures,
affording a comparative estimate of their fertility — models of the va
rious kinds of fences and hedges — a kitchen garden containing all
sorts of vegetables, used for food in any country— and samples of all
descriptions of fruit-trees, with the best modes of training them.
These valuable appendages render the Garden of Plants not less ser
viceable to the practical purposes of agriculture and horticulture, than
to the abstract science of botany.
The menagerie far exceeds in every respect the show of animals in
the Tower of London. A numerous congregation of the animal king
dom is here assembled from the four quarters ofthe world. The col
lection of beasts is rare as well as extensive ; and the aviary contains
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of the Garden instead of being imprisoned in gloomy and dirty cells,
as in the Royal Menagerie of England, have little territories of their
own, ornamented with chateaux, and surrounded with those natural
localities, which they are fond of frequenting in their wild state, ren
dering the loss of their freedom less intolerable. We saw bears climb
ing large trees, such as they are wont to ascend in forests ; herds of
deer gamboling in little lawns ; and patridges secreting themselves
amidst their favourite evergreens. These appurtenances have a ten
dency to preserve the natural habits of the animals, and to exhibit them
to the best possible advantage.
The museum of Natural History is such an extensive establishment,
that a mere description ofthe several compartments, without entering
at all into detail, would exceed the limits of this sketch. Suffice it
to say, that every object in the three kingdoms of nature, which can
furnish illustrations of science, or data for philosophical researches,
is here to be found exactly in its place, arranged according to the best
systems extant. In short, a student may pursue his investigations
here with as much certainty of the facts, and with more facility of ex
amining materials, than he could by an actual visit to their localities.
The result of the labours of many eminent men during their whole
lives, in making collections and arranging them, is here seen at one
view ; arid speculative theories may at once be brought to the test of
truth. Of the numerous departments, we were most pleased with
{hose containing the organic remains of animals and vegetables, whence
Cuvier drew the materials of his work on geology. The cabinets of
human and comparative anatomy are also extremely interesting, illus
trating every point of analogy or discrepancy between the structure of
man and the inferior tribes of creation.
The establishment has a large library, embracing nearly every work
in natural science, that has been published in any language, age, or
country. Lectures open to the public, and free of all expense, are
statedly given in the amphitheatre, on all the subjects connected with
the institution. They are well attended, and have a most salutary in
fluence, by diffusing the instructions of able professors through all
classes of the community. The Garden of Plants belongs to the go
vernment, and is supported at an annual expense of more than fifty
thousand dollars, giving employment to about two hundred persons.

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LETTER XXXVIII.
EXCURSION TO LA GRANGE. December, 1825.
Our visit to La Grange occupied four days, which will often be re
called and fondly remembered as among the happiest of my life. A
knowledge of the fact, that General La Fayette is frequently overrun
with company, and that he was about to leave his country residence
with his family, to pass the winter in Paris, half induced us to relinquish
the idea of visiting La Grange for the present ; when some of our
friends returned from a similar excursion, bearing to us a most friendly
note from the General, and expressing a hope that we would visit him
before going to Italy. Such- a kind and cordial invitation removed all
doubts, and was promptly accepted.
On the morning of the 27th of December, we took the Diligence
for the village of Rose, within about two miles of which La Grange is
situated, forty miles in an easterly direction from Paris. Our exit from
the metropolis was through the Place Royal, the Place Bastille, and
the Place du Trone ; thence by the Barrier, Palace, and Forest of
Vincennes, up the banks of the Marne, which is one of the largest
branches of the Seine, being nearly as broad and deep as the river, in
which it loses its waters and its name. In one place it makes a circuit
ous route of several miles round a high peninsula, which is only half
a mile across, and through which a subterranean canal has been cut,
navigable for boats. For the first few miles, this route presented many
interesting objects. The Palace of Vincennes is a large venerable pile,
without much ornament, and occupied at present as a state prison.
Several events of some interest to the traveller have transpired within
its walls. Here the two great Princes of Conde were imprisoned for
years ; and here Charles V. Cardinal Mazarine, and Henry V. of Eng
land expired. The forest of Vincennes covers a wide tract, consisting
of a small growth of natural woods, through which avenues and vistas
open in all directions.
At the distance of eight or ten miles from Paris, the road becomes
comparatively dull, leading through an agricultural country not remark
able for its fertility, and studded with little villages, which add nothing
to its beauty. Midway*in the journey, the Diligence stopped at a small
inn to take breakfast or dinner, call it which you will, as the bill of fare
is generally much the same, not even excepting soup. On the plate
from which I took my mutton chop, was a representation of General

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i
La Fayette on horseback, in the attitude of storming a fortress, with
the following inscription :
" // s'elance le premier dans la Kedoulte?''
At a table on the opposite side of the room, engaged in taking Such
a dejeune' as the little tavern afforded, sat a group of three ladies and a
gentleman, whose faces, dresses, and genteel manners attracted our
attention, and who were, as it was subsequently ascertained, a part of
General La Fayette's family, on their way to town to attend the exa
mination of a literary institution, in which one of the juvenile inmates
of La Grange bore off the palm of scholarship. It was gratifying to
witness what a lively interest the intelligence of this triumph, and the
early promise it held out of future distinction excited in the whole circle
at the Chateau.
We reached the village of Rose at 5 o'clock in the evening ; and
that no unnecessary claims might be made to the hospitality of General
La Fayette, or his family subjected to any inconvenience, we dined at
the hotel, before taking a carriage and setting out for La Grange. On
arriving at the Chateau, the General gave us a warm reception, and
presented us to his numerous and interesting family, consisting of a son,
two daughters, and twelve grand children, with a beautiful and accom
plished' daughter of Count Segur, together with two or three other in
mates, making in all a circle of something more than twenty. Sim
plicity, politeness, and affability of manners, genuine kindness of heart,
and unaffected hospitality characterize the whole group, from the pa
triarch himself down to the youngest of his descendants. They need
only the American name — a claim to nativity in the land of Washing
ton and Franklin — to call forth all the warmth and generosity of their
feelings, making the stranger at once at home, and treating him with
the cordiality of a friend or brother. The only uneasiness which the
visitant experiences, arises from a fear, that the proverbial politeness of
the French, accompanied with all the enthusiasm of feeling, will sub
ject the family to inconveniences on his account, and lead them to do
too much for his happiness.
The evening glided away delightfully and almost imperceptibly, in
the midst of conversation on a variety of topics, chiefly relating to
our country • for the inmates of the Chateau talk and seem to think
of nothing else than the United States, where their feelings, their hopes,
and wishes all centre. The General considers himself emphatically a
citizen of the American Republic, and familiarly speaks of it precisely
in the same way, as if he had been there born and educated. He re-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 439
ceives a great number of American newspapers, reviews, and other
publications, and regularly corresponds with many of his friends in
every part of the Union. These various sources of information, pe
rused with the utmost attention, added to the astonishing accuracy of
his observations and recollections of circumstances connected with
his tour, render him better acquainted with the condition of our coun
try, than almost any one of its actual residents. He has visited every
state in the confederacy under very favourable circumstances, having
been introduced to the most prominent individuals, and seen a large
proportion of the whole population in each. A package of letters
and papers had just reached him, and he gave us a detailed account of
events, which were new to us, and of an interesting character.
In the course of the evening, he often reverted to the scenes he had
visited, and to the friends with whom he had met and parted, with no
expectation of ever seeing them again. Many anecdotes were related
which had escaped attention, even in the voluminous reports of our
papers. He stated that during the thirteen months occupied in his
tour, he travelled between sixteen and seventeen thousand miles ; and
that his health had been greatly improved, instead of impaired, by the
necessary fatigues of such a constant scene of bustle and activity.
Before he left home, he had been troubled with a chronic affection,
which had entirely disappeared ; and his health is as perfect as his hap
piness at the result of his visit. I could not but feel a degree of pride
and pleasure, that our country had in any degree been instrumental in
contributing to the domestic felicity of such a man and such a family,
who merit all, and if possible, more than all the gratitude and esteem
they have received at our hands.
Before retiring to our chambers to dream only of La Grange, we
examined some of the principal rooms of the Chateau, our hospitable
friends kindly acting as expositors. The furniture is perfectly neat,
and even elegant, but bears no marks of extravagance or luxury — no
thing which is incompatible with a refined taste, and a republican sim
plicity of manners — nothing which does not conduce more to conve
nience and comfort than to show ; and which could be compared in
point of richness and splendour, as the General himself remarked, with
what he had gratuitously been made master of in his tour through the
United States. The ornaments are nearly all American. In the hall
at the head of the stair-way, and forming the entrance to the drawing
room, is a portrait of General Washington, with the colours of the
frigate Brandywine, (presented by Commodore Morris on his arrival
at Havre,) hung in graceful festoons around the almost idolized picture.
On the right of the Father of his country, is a fine portrait of Frank-

440 LETTERS. FROM EUROPE.
Iin, copied by one of the accomplished grand-daughters of General
La Fayette. In a conspicuous part of the hall, stands an admirable
bust of President Adams, presented by Mrs. Adams, just before the
General left Washington. To these are added a portrait of Commo
dore Morris, ^taken by particular request,) and several pictures con
nected with the history of our Revolution. The rotunda, or drawing-
room contains, besides other decorations, a painting of the seige of
Yorktown, and a portrait of General Wadsworth, the revolutionary
friend of La Fayette.
At 10 o'clock, which is uniformly the hour for retiring at La Grange,
we took leave of the circle for the night, and were shown into our bed
chambers, after having been notified, that the ringing of the Chateau
bell would summon us to breakfast at 10 the next morning. Our apart
ments were in the same style of neatness and comfort, as the sitting-
rooms, with a cheerful wood fire blazing upon the hearth, and carpets
covering the polished oaken floor. As is usual in French houses, fur
nished with fewer conveniences than this, each chamber had a bureau,
or scrutoire, containing an ample supply of pen, ink, and paper, to
gether with other appendages for writing, all under lock and key.
The temptations of such comforts, the whistling of the wind round the
Gothic turrets and antique windows of the Chateau, with the delights
of a fire-side reverie on the events of the day, induced us to protract
our waking dreams to a late hour.
In the morning a grey-headed servant, who is almost as old as the mas
ter whom he loves, and from whom he has imbibed his kindness of heart,
opened the door gently, and performed his office of rekindling the fire,
with such studied quiet, as would scarcely disturb the slumbers of a
sick bed. We reached the drawing-room in season, to see the mem
bers of the happy family appear one after another, and share the pa
ternal kiss. Breakfast was served up in a large hall on the ground
floor, in the usual French style, with wine, and coffee after the dessert.
The table was crowned with abundance, without superfluity ; and a
circle of smiling faces would have rendered a less sumptuous repast
agreeable. Among the rarer dishes, was a kind of pie extremely rich
and delicate, sent as a rarity to the General from some of his friends at
Strasbourg. After breakfast was over, we walked out in company with Washing
ton La Fayette and the whole group of ladies, to examine the exterior
of the Chateau, and the farm, of which scarcely a glance had as yet
been obtained. La Grange was formerly a fortified baronial castle ;
and notwithstanding the modifications it has undergone, much of its
antique and feudal character still remains. It was once surrounded

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 441
by a deep double moat, sections of which filled with water, have been
preserved, and the residue filled up, either for the sake of health or
convenience. The edifice consists of a centre, perhaps a hundred feet
in length, with two wings of about the same dimensions, and joining it
at right angles. From traces still visible, a gallery evidently extended
across at the other extremity of the wings, enclosing a quadrangular
court-yard, strongly defended, with only one entrance under a lofty
arch in the northern wall, guarded by a portcullis.
The Chateau is three stories high, plainly constructed of a hard and
dark coloured stone, rendered of a deeper hue by its venerable age
and long exposure to the climate. Two Gothic towers of a conical
shape rise from the ends of each of the wings, and form almost the •
only ornament. The approach is by a winding avenue on the northern
side, leading through a thick grove of evergreens and other trees, and
under the arch already mentioned, around which hang festoons of ivy,
planted by the celebrated Charles James Fox, in one of his visits to
La Grange. The beautiful plant is as green as his memory, and man
tles nearly the whole fa§ade of the Chateau. Its luxuriant foliage,
shading the gray walls, the thick copse bordering the moat, and the
four antique turrets half concealed by the intervening branches present
a view on this side, seldom equalled in an air of rural, quiet, and unos
tentatious retirement. An artist from our country has taken several
very exact sketches of La Grange, plates of which will hereafter be
published. As the morning was bright and pleasant, though the ground* yet ver
dant, was covered with a heavy hoar frost, we made a circuit of a mile
or two over the farm, which is one of the largest as well as the most
complete in France. It contains five hundred acres, lying in one
body, in a circular form, with the Chateau in the centre. Great pains
have been taken to round it off in this way, by exchanges of contigu
ous territory. It is divided according to the most approved models,
into suitable proportions of tillage, pasture, and woodland, with the mi
nor compartments of gardens and orchards. The General has planted
three thousand apple trees, which are yet small, but thrifty, opening in
vistas all over his plantation. He is much engaged in the cultivation
of fruit of the best kinds.
The soil of this large tract, though not perhaps remarkable for its
natural fertility, has been highly improved by culture, and yields wheat
with other agricultural products in abundance. It is finely wooded
and watered. Half a mile from the house, in the direction of Rose,
there is a large and living fountain, cradled in a green vale, and shel
tered from the sun in summer by a grove of venerable oaks. Its lim-
vol. I. 56

442 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
pid waters at this season, repose on a bed of autumnal leaves, and are
as pure as they are copious. From this rural and secluded retreat, a
distant view of the Chateau on one side, and of two little villages, with
a spire to each, and the smoke curling above them, on the other, makes
a quiet and charming picture. Not far from the fountain, Washington
La Fayette, (whose name perhaps I use somewhat too familiarly for the
sake of distinction,) is much engaged in constructing an ice-house, up
on the plan of some of those he saw in our country. In short, nearly
all the improvements of La Grange, now in progress, are according
to American models.
On our return from this delightful promenade, and after resting for
a few minutes, we were merely consigned from the hands of one part
of the family, to receive the assiduous attentions of another. The
General himself accompanied us to the farm-yard, which in point of
practical utility, is more interesting, especially to the eye of an Ame
rican, than all the parks and pleasure-grounds we have seen in Europe.
A range of buildings extends quite round an open area, containing
perhaps an acre. The first of these is the granary, which was once a
chapel, and the turret of which is yet left standing. Men were at
work in winnowing wheat of an excellent quality. The second de
partment is appropriated to all kinds of poultry, among which are
wild geese from the banks of the Mississippi. A flock of about a
thousand merinos, prettily feeding at their long ranges of cribs, occu
pied another portion of the buildings. It was odd enough to see the
little lambs bearing on their backs the same name, which had graced
our triumphal arches ; and to witness the hero himself engaged in the
construction of stalls and folds on a new plan recommended in some
of the agricultural journals of the United States. Among the twenty-
two cows, are eight from Switzerland, sent to the General by his
friends in that country ; and four of the Holkham breed, presented by
Mr. Patterson, of Baltimore. The assortment of horses is as exten
sive as the other kinds of domestic animals. In making the circuit,
we next came to the farm-house, kitchen and dairy, the walls of which
are ornamented with a map of the whole plantation, designating the
ground appropriated to each department. Then follow the pens con-
taing several rare species of animals, among which are wild turkeys
and partridges from the United States, (intended if possible, to be do
mesticated ;) ducks which came as a present from the Garden of Plants,
at Paris ; and a pair of beautiful Mexican pheasants. For the latter,
and for the American partridge, a new house is going up, to be artifi
cially warmed by a stove. To these animals, may be added a dog
from Washington, and a racoon from our forests, who are inmates of

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 443
the Chateau, instead of the farm-yard. The latter is so tame, as to
play about the parlour, and climb up into the General's lap.
At 5 o'clock, the bell called us to dinner, which was bountiful, and
served up without any formal parade. Among the peculiar dishes,
were lentiles, much resembling boiled peas ; and a rich kind of pastry,
such as we had not found in the infinite assortment of a Paris table.
A dessert of apples, pears, and dry fruits, with three or four varieties
of wine, including champagne, crowned the festivities of the board.
The General entertains no doubt, that the grape from which the latter
is made would flourish in some parts of the United States ; but
whether the wine could be produced is more problematical, as it is
confined to one province in France, and depends much on a peculiar
quality of the soil. It is however my intention to send home slips of
the vine, by way of experiment.
On retiring to the drawing-room, a large folio volume, bound with
red morocco, and richly gilt, was found lying upon the table. It was
presented to the General just before he sailed from Washington ; and
contains a transcript of all the addresses to him by the authorities of
New-York. The specimens of ornamental penmanship are certainly
elegant, and have excited general admiration at the Chateau. By its
side was a voluminous portfolio, containing portraits and autographs
of public personages in France since the commencement of the revo
lution — both brought out for our amusement.
After tea the ladies favoured us with a great variety of songs and
music upon the piano, which they play with much taste and skill. One
of the number, finding that her voice and execution could contribute to
the enjoyments of the social circle, and forgetting herself in endea
vouring to add to the common stock of pleasure, continued to sit at
the piano, till she was solicited to leave it, instead of the ordinary re
quest to remain longer. This mark of politeness was so peculiar,
that it appeared to me worthy of record and imitation. Among the
musical pieces, was one or two composed in the United States, during
the General's visit.
At 9 o'clock in the evening, we manifested an intention to return
to Rose that night, and set out for Paris next morning, desirous that
if the hospitality of the family were not already exhausted by a visit,
which seemed too long for strangers who had no other claim than
simply that of being Americans, a share of it might be reserved for
others, upon the republican principle of equality. But at La Grange,
feelings of generosity and kindness towards even the humblest citizens
of the United States know no bounds. Favour after favour descends
spontaneously upon the visitant like the dew ; and in view of the pa-

444 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ternal affection manifested on this occasion, our country might address
to its illustrious benefactor the forcible apostrophe — " inasmuch as
thou hast done it unto the least of these my children, thou hast done
it unto me." Pretexts as plausible as genuine hospitality requires,
were urged with a politeness that could not be resisted, and the re
sult was a happy prolongation of our visit.
After breakfast on the following morning, the General conducted us
to his Library, which is on the third floor, in one corner of the Cha
teau. The windows, which in summer are shaded by a copse of trees
lifting their aged branches from below, look in two directions and
command a view of a rural domain, such as Cincinnatus or Washing
ton would have enjoyed, and such as its own proprietor would not ex
change for an empire. In the ante-chamber, and the apartment itself
are several likenesses of his friends, transatlantic as well as European ;
and in several neat cases, on which the utmost care has been bestow
ed, are deposited all the little presents he has received from our coun
trymen, from the sacred memorials of his beloved Washington, down to
the humblest pledges of gratitude and esteem collected in his late
tour. The whole makes an extensive museum, which is guarded with
more vigilance, and is shown by the family with more delight, than
would apparently be felt in exhibiting the costliest collection of dia
monds. All the articles were taken out of their places for our in
spection ; and the history of them detailed with a familiarity, which
proved how much they are valued. One of the most conspicuous of
these memorials is a beautiful model of the water-works at Philadel
phia, which the General took to pieces, to point out the ingenuity of
its construction.
The library itself contains about two thousand volumes of well se
lected books. A large proportion of these were presented by his
friends. One compartment is filled entirely with American works,
containing a majority of our best publications. Additions are daily
making to the collection, by the attentions of. his correspondents.
The Phi Beta Kappa Oration of Mr. Everett, and the Address of Mr.
Webster before the Bunker Hill Association are cherished among the
choicest treasures. It was a curious incident, that I should here re
cognize the copy of the Columbiad, which had been brought to me at
New- York a year previous, for examination as a specimen of splendid
binding, before it was presented to La Fayette.
Having passed an hour or two in the library, and glanced at its in
teresting contents, we took another long walk with the ladies over the
farm, pursuing a different route from what had been taken on the pre
ceding day, and treading many a bypath in a long circuit through the

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 445
wood-lands. A keen December air imparted an additional tinge to
complexions naturally rosy ; and to the eye of a poet, some of our
fair companions, in their rambles through tangled copses and groves
of oak, might have appeared like Dryads. In the course of this pro
menade, one of the daughters of General La Fayette gave me a cir
cumstantial account of his imprisonment at Olmutz, and ofthe suffer
ings both of himself and family. The story is long, and its leading
incidents would not be new to any of my readers. One little anec
dote, however, which gave relief to the tragic tale, so much amused
me, that I cannot forbear to repeat it. In their flight through Aus
tria, the female part of the family were obliged to assume the guise
of English travellers, in order to elude the vigilance of their enemies.
As they had some knowledge of the language, to which was added a
similarity of national dress, they succeeded tolerably well among
strangers. At length they were thrown in contact with an English
waiting-maid, who had emigrated to the continent some years before.
Serious fears of detection were here apprehended. But the poor girl
entertaining no doubt, that the ladies were really English, although
she found difficulty in understanding them ; and as they were suppo
sed to have left her native country at a much later period than her
self, she came to thcmelancholy conclusion, that by a long residence
abroad, she had lost her mother tongue !
In the midst of walks, conversations, and enjoyments like these, the
hour of dinner again came round. By this time, our places at table
had been as perfectly learned, as if we had become permanent in
mates of the Chateau. Another evening of music and social pleasure
was added to the sum of our happiness. At 8 or 9 o'clock, an inten
tion was again signified to go to Rose, in readiness for the Diligence
the next morning. But " it would be madness to go to the hotel that
night, where the accommodations were not good ; besides, it was snow
ing, and the weather was unpleasant : a servant should be sent to en
gage places for us, and it would be easy to reach the village by 8
o'clock, the hour for the departure of the coach on the following
day." In vain were any suggestions opposed to these kind persua
sions : and at 10 o'clock, we retired for the third night to the cham
bers of the Chateau.
The next morning at 7, we found both the General and his son in
the drawing-room before us, with coffee upon the table, and his own
coach at the door, in readiness to take us to Rose. In a few minutes
more, a cordial grasp of the hand and the parting benediction of the
patriarch, produced a state of feeling, which on our part admitted of
few words ; and we left La Grange with a full conviction, that if there

446 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
is a paradise on earth, it must be found in the domestic, unsophisticated
and innocent delights of such a family, and if unalloyed happiness be
the portion of any mortal, it must consist in the luxury of such feel
ings, and in the practice of such virtues, as are possessed by General
La Fayette.*

* In justification of the foregoing sketch, it may not be improper to remark, that
my sole object was to present a domestic picture of La Grange. The events in the
military and political life of General La Fayette — his character as a soldier, a
statesman, and a philanthropist — his public services and private virtues, are so
universally known through the medium of books of history, biography, and tra
vels, that I have studiously avoided an allusion to any of these topics, on which
nothing new could have been advanced, or presented to my readers in a more ac
ceptable form, than may be found in the writings of others. Such a picture of
domestic life as I have attempted to draw, must necessarily be made up of little
items and incidents, which in some instances may seem trifling and unfit to meet
the public eye. But it is enough for me to know, that a sketch of objects, which
I supposed would be interesting to the people of the United States, has not forfeit
ed the friendship of the best of men and the most estimable of families; while it
has had the good fortune generally to meet the approbation of the American
public.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 447
LETTER XXXIX.
PARIS CONTINUED  PANTHEON  LAW SCHOOL  OBSERVATORY  AMERI
CANS IN PARIS  STYLE OF FRENCH DINNERS  CHURCH OF ST. SUL
PICE  SCHOOL OF MEDICINE  ANATOMICAL MUSEUM  NATIONAL IN
STITUTE  GREAT MEN  PHILOSOPHICAL, CHEMICAL, AND MEDICAL
LECTURES. January, 1826.
Several calls were made at the Pantheon, now the church of St. Ge
nevieve, which presents a noble front, surmounted by a dome little in
ferior in grandeur, and fully equal in the beauty of its proportions to
that of St. Paul's at London. A lofty porch, 1 12 feet in length, and
supported by twenty-two Corinthian columns, each fifty-eight feet in
height, and five feet and a half in diameter, form the entrance. The
dimensions of the church are 337 feet by 253, in the form of a cross.
Long ranges of 130 Corinthian columns support the galleries ofthe in
terior ; and the dome rests on a rotunda of fifty-two additional pillars,
each fifty-four feet in height, the whole forming a specimen of archi
tectural magnificence seldom surpassed. Some innovations have been
made upon the simplicity of the dome, by the necessity of giving it a
firmer support, and an attempt to conceal the alterations by splendid
gildings and paintings. This edifice was designed as a temple dedica
ted exclusively to the great men of France, where their ashes were to
be deposited in a gallery of vaults below, and their names recorded as
a testimonial of public gratitude for their services. As the religious
edifices of Paris were already sufficiently numerous for the accommo
dation of all the piety discoverable among the ecclesiastics, and the
design of this building was unique, it is to be regretted, that its origi
nal character has been changed. The priests have manifested such a
hostility to the plan, as to disturb the ashes ofthe dead, and to remove
the remains of Voltaire and Rosseau to an obscure vault.*

¦* In November, 1826, 1 paid another visit to this church, in company with the
author of the Spy, on the great festival ofToussaint, when the aisles were throng
ed with votaries, clouds of incense rose from the altars, and the chorus of a thou
sand voices was reverberated from the dome. It was rather an impressive spec
tacle ; though the Pantheon, both in external grandeur and the splendour of its
internal decorations falls infinitely short of St. Peter's at Rome, to which it has
by some been likened. All temples made with hands must suffer by a compari
son with the glories ofthe Vatican.

448 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Near the Pantheon stands the. College of Law, presenting a plain
but majestic porch ofthe Doric order. The school has seven profes
sors, who lecture on the Roman, Civil, and Commercial Law, together
with the Practice of the Courts. Students are required to attend re
gularly for two years, to obtain a degree of bachelor ; three years for
a license to practice ; and four, to secure a doctorate. The examina
tions are said to be rigid, and the French lawyers well versed in their
profession, which however appears to be much less prominent than
with us. The same distinction prevails here as in Scotland, between
the attorney and notary, the latter being exclusively employed in con
veyancing. In the afternoon of a bright day we paid a visit to the Observatory,
which occupies an eminence near the garden of the Luxembourg. A
broad avenue opens in a direct line with the Palace. This lofty struc
ture, which covers a large area, and is built entirely of stone, even to
the vaulted roof, without the aid of either wood or iron, stands precise
ly in a north and south direction, the meridian of Paris passing through
the centre. In altitude, it may be said to extend from the lower re
gions to the skies ; for a shaft opens from the top, through all the sto
ries, and thence pierces the'crust of earth into the catacombs beneath
the city. It is used for measuring the accelerated velocity of falling
bodies, as well as for astronomical observations. We climbed to the top
of the edifice, and had a charming view of the city and its environs,
just at evening. Four lines of telegraphs were in sight — one running
over Montmartre to the English Channel ; another south, to the Py
renees and the Peninsula ; a third to the north of Europe, by Stras
bourg ; and a fourth to Italy. The signals changed once in a minute
or two, and bulletins from Madrid were passing directly over our heads,
like " sightless couriers of the air." Intelligence is communicated
with almost the rapidity of lightning. In my opinion, telegraphs might
be much more extensively introduced into our country to advantage.
The Observatory is furnished with an extensive apparatus, consisting
of excellent glasses and instruments of all kinds requisite for making
observations with the minutest accuracy. Three astronomers are con
stantly employed, as sentinels of the heavens, being on the alert, and
noting every phenomenon, even to the changes of the wind and weather,
whence precise meteorological tables are deduced.
On our return towards home, curiosity prompted us to call and ex
amine a unique establishment, which was nothing less than a hospi
tal for sick dogs. The surgeon, who acted also in the capacity of phy
sician, was very polite, taking us through the wards, and describing
the diseases of his numerous patients, some of which were from a dis-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 449
tance, attracted by the celebrity of his mode of treatment. Each
of them occupies a separate cell, furnished with a couch and vessels
for food and drink. The doctor had just been the rounds for the night,
dressing wounds and administering medicine. ' Some of the animals
were bundled up in such a way as to present a most fantastic and ludi
crous appearance. A Frenchman appears to think almost as much of
his dog, as of his wife and children. The animal is the companion of
his travels, wherever he may go, and he will " not permit the winds
of heaven to visit too roughly" the object of his doting affection, a
place for which is often paid for in the interior of a public coach, to
the no small annoyance of the other passengers. Dogs are in fact the
darling pets, while dumb beasts of a more useful kind are treated in
some instances with less humanity.
The. delivery of a large package of letters of introduction, had soon
after our arrival made us acquainted with a numerous circle of friends,
whose hospitality and kindness have greatly contributed to. the pleasure
as well as the instruction derived from our visit to Paris. There are
not less than a hundred of our own countrymen in the city, attracted
hither by different objects from all parts ofthe United States. Seve
ral of these belong to the diplomatic corps, consisting ofthe Minister,
his Secretary, the former and present Consuls, together with the Charge
des Affaires at Sweden** the Consul at the Isle of Wight and his fami
ly, and the Secretary of Legation to Madrid, who are passing the win
ter at Paris. Another class of Americans are residents here, engaged
in commercial business, and such other pursuits, as interest or enter
prise may dictate. The remainder, like ourselves, are mere travellers
or temporary residents, in search of information or health. A large
number of young physicians, from almost every city between New-
Orleans and Portland, are at Paris for the purpose of attending the
medical schools, and completing their professional studies. We met
one gentleman from the Green Mountains, another from the banks of
the Ohio, and a third from the wilderness ofthe Arkansas, two or three
hundred miles west ofthe Mississippi — all making the tour of Europe,
and comparing the old world with the new. Both the Navy and Army
of the United States are ably represented. The former has a Commo
dore, one or two captains, three or four lieutenants, and as many sur
geons ; and the latter numbers up its officers to the rank of Majors.
This numerous circle of our own countrymen are actively engaged

* Mr. Somerville, who died during our visit, universally regretted, and was
buried at La Grange.
vol. I. 57

450 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
in acquiring information in general, and particularly such as relates
more immediately to their professional pursuits. As they bring with
them their republican sentiments and feelings, their characteristic ha
bits of inquiry and discrimination, there is little danger that their eyes
will be dazzled by the luxuries, or their minds contaminated with the
politics of other countries. Acting on the liberal principles, which
have hitherto guided the United States in their march of greatness and
real glory, they will sift the chaff from the wheat, in their examinations
of foreign schools and foreign institutions, seeking to transfer all the
excellencies, without any of the defects, for the benefit of our own. In
my view, there is much more danger, that the United States will copy
too much rather than too little from the customs and manners of Eu
rope. The patriot and philanthropist, who regards the substantial
wealth, independence, and comfort ofthe great mass ofthe people, as
the best criterion of national happiness, will be slow in his wishes for
the introduction of any of those refined and expensive luxuries, which
are incompatible with republican simplicity, and lead to political degra
dation. We are a happy people at present, and the progress of the arti
ficial embellishments of society is likely to be sufficiently rapid, with
out any laboured efforts to give it a new impulse.
From the American Minister and his family, we received a liberal
share of their characteristic hospitality, urbanity, and kindness, manifest
ed on all occasions to citizens of the United States. With a palace
for his residence, a fortune at his command, and a lady for his partner,
whose accomplishments peculiarly qualify her for the sphere of social
and fashionable life, our ambassador is enabled to show those atten
tions to his countrymen, as well as to the extensive circle of his friends
abroad, which some of his predecessors could either not afford, or had
not the disposition to manifest. His expenses probably exceed twice
the amount of his salary. He lives in one ofthe most splendid palaces
in Paris, the rent of which is something like $5,000 a year. It was
formerly occupied by the Danish Minister. Its entrance is by a spa
cious court, and on the other side is a beautiful garden, with a pro
menade planted with ornamental trees, containing an area of six or
eight acres.
The suite of apartments are not surpassed either in extent or elegance
of furniture, by the chambers ofthe king himself; and the style of his
table exceeds in taste, as well as in splendour, any thing of the kind,
which has fallen within the sphere of my observation. Plate of the
richest and costliest descriptions, brilliant chandeliers, and pyramids of
flowers, almost make the guest forget, that he is at the festive board of
a plain, substantial citizen of the United States, who is ultra republican

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 451
in his sentiments, and devotedly attached to the institutions of his coun
try. I do not myself lay much stress upon this display of style ; but
at a French Court, where every thing is done for show, it is in some
degree rendered necessary, and procures a greater weight of influence
than would the philosophy of a Franklin, the elaborate scholarship of
an Adariis, or the financial talents of a Gallatin. Both the minister
and his lady have been familiar with the language, manners and cus
toms, of France for many years ; and the embassy could not possibly
be better filled.
As I have had an opportunity of witnessing a perfect specimen of
Parisian style and fashion, it may be pardonable so far to violate the
privacy of the social circle, as to dwell for a moment on the etiquette
of a dinner. The hour of dining is about 6 o'clock. All the guests
enter the drawing-room, wearing their hats and gloves. During the
greater part of our visit, black has been necessary, as a badge of mourn
ing for the Emperor Alexander. At the door of the apartment, the
name of each person is announced by the servant, and he receives no
other introduction to any of the company. In going to the table, there
is no formal allotment of places — no sit thou here, and sit thou there —
but each one must look out for himself, and for the lady of his charge.
The French, although fond of good living, make a business instead of
a pleasure of eating, and the great object is to get through as soon as
possible. An hour and a half is the longest time occupied in a fash
ionable dinner, during which the guest tastes perhaps of thirty different
kinds of food, and as many varieties of wine. A succession of dishes
is constantly circulated by a train of waiters, and each person, even the
ladies, help themselves to what is presented ready carved at their side.
Another train of servants bear round all varieties of wine, naming
them as they pass. There is no drinking of healths — no loud talk
across the table — and none of that noisy festivity, observable at an
English or American dinner. Each guest converses in a low tone of
voice with the persons who happen to sit next to him. A Parisian
would think it extremely rude to attract the attention of the table, or
to disturb the almost whispered colloquies of others. Ladies and
gentlemen retire from the table to the drawing-room at the same time,
where coffee is served up, and in the course of the evening a dish of
tea sometimes follows. No refreshments are subsequently sent round
as with us ; and I have passed five or six hours in fashionable French
circles, without either eating or drinking.
By being obliged to leave town on an excursion to the environs of
Paris, it was my misfortune to lose an opportunity of seeing all the first
circle of Paris together at a diplomatic soiree. The party consisted

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of upwards of one thousand persons, embracing the public functiona
ries, military and naval officers of distinction, men of scientific and lite
rary eminence, together with a large share of the beauty, taste, and
fashion ofthe metropolis. I have another invitation to a similar party
on my hands ; but only three weeks-have yet elapsed since it was re
ceived, and before the fourth expires, the fashionable circles of Paris
will be left far behind. A person might cross the Atlantic with the
utmost ease, (in the manner that Mr. Randolph went to dinner,) be
tween the time the cards of invitation are issued, and the f&te.
From others we received civilities more important, and not less ac
ceptable, than the hospitalities of the table, although these were oc
casionally intermingled with their favours. The former Consul, who
is not less distinguished for his scientific and literary attainments, than
esteemed for his amiable virtues and unassuming worth, afforded us
every facility in visiting the institutions of Paris, between which and
his country, he may be considered as the connecting link. On one
day he accompanied us to the Church of St. Sulpice, and thence to
the School of Medicine. The former is one of the grandest religious
edifices in the metropolis. Its front is Composed of double ranges of
columns, placed one above another. The first are ofthe Doric order,
forty feet in height, and five in diameter : the second are Ionic, of
nearly the same dimensions. At the corners of the edifice rise two
gigantic towers to, the height of 210 feet, the tops of which are
crowned with telegraphs. The inside corresponds with the exterior in
extent and magnificence. Its chapels are numerous, and its orna
ments of all kinds rich. Behind the altar is a representation of the
descent of the Virgin, with the Saviour, pillowed and supported upon
the clouds of heaven. The light is admitted in a peculiar way, by an
opening at the top of the recess, and suggested the first idea of the
Diorama, a fashionable and truly admirable kind of perspective, -re
cently introduced into all the great cities of Europe. Near St. Sul
pice. stands the Theological Seminary, the head of which we had the
pleasure of meeting at the American Consul's. He resided twenty
years at Montreal, and traversed the shores of the North American
Lakes, for the purpose of making himself acquainted with the Indian
tribes. He is an affable, intelligent, and pleasant man.
The School of Medicine and Surgery is considered the first insti
tution of the kind in France, and perhaps in the world. It is an ex
tensive pile, consisting of four buildings which stand round a spacious
court, and are decorated with the usual share of columns and other
architectural ornaments, although the exterior has not much to boast
of in point of either grandeur or beauty. The interior has a large

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 453
amphitheatre for lectures* halls for the. meetings of the members, and
other convenient appendages. We were introduced to the Libra
rian, who is a naturalized Irishman, and a man of much eminence.
Besides taking charge of the library, which is extensive and relates
chiefly to medical science, he has the superintendence of the anato
mical museum, to which the influence of our friend procured us ad
mittance, although it was not one of the days, when the halls are open
to the inspection of visitants. The anatomical preparations and the
models in wax are more complete and in a better state of preserva
tion than I had ever before witnessed. Every part of the human
frame is here exhibited both in a sound and morbid state, modified by
all the diseases and monstrosities, "that flesh is heir to." It is
scarcely possible for a case to occur, which the student will not here
find accurately represented.
On another day, the former Consul took us to a meeting of the
National Institute, which convenes on every Monday at 2 o'clock, at
the Palace of the Fine Arts, situated on the left bank of the Seine,
opposite the Louvre. The edifice is in a semicircular form, fronting
the river, and surmounted by a handsome dome ;' but its exterior does
not correspond with its moral celebrity. A part of it was formerly a
church, which has been converted into a hall for the accommodation
of the Academy. The other saloons are appropriated to a library of
140,000 volumes, to a school of the Fine Arts, and a cabinet of
Architecture. Numerous busts and paintings decorate the interior,
and the ashes of Cardinal Mazarine, the founder of the institution,
sleep beneath the pavement.
We went at an early hour, for the purpose of obtaining good seats,
and to take a fair view of the great men as they entered. Our friend
is acquainted with every member, and designated the most distin
guished as they came in. As there is a forfeiture of ten francs for
non-attendance, the meetings are always full. It is much the most
numerous, grave, and venerable corps of the literati I had ever seen,
and the mere gallery of portraits was. extremely interesting to us. A
majority of the members are at an advanced . age, and some of them
tottering under decrepitude. In their dresses and manners an ex
treme simplicity prevails, exhibiting no formal dignity, or affectation
of wisdom. Some of their coats bore the dust of the closet, or the
stains of the laboratory, and that of one of the perpetual secretaries had
suffered still more essentially by the loss of a button behind, the
thread of which hung dangling at his back. It was curious to con
trast the appearance of such an assemblage, with some of the fash
ionable Parisian circles, with whom one half of their waking hours
is occupied in the cares ofthe toilet.

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A sight at La Place, from his universal celebrity, and the almost su
perhuman reach of his intellect, interested us more than that of any other
member. He was clad in a purple silk wrapper, apparently rendered ne
cessary to shield from the inclemencies of the weather a delicate con
stitution, beginning to feel the infirmities of age. In his person he is
small and slender, treading with a light step, and polished in his man
ners. His complexion is fair, with a mild blue eye, a little heavy
with age. A sandy-coloured wig prevented us from any craniologi-
cal observations. His face certainly bears some resemblance to that
of Newton, as it is represented by his busts. He has a long nose and
thin lips, the nether one of which he is in the habit of biting, indica
ting an absence of mind. None of his features are very prominent ;
and no person would be likely to infer from the general expression of
his countenance, that the softened glance of his eye could compass
the heavens, and his mind measure with more than Newtonian pre
cision the movements of the planetary world.*
Cuvier is one of the perpetual secretaries. His person is large,
with a full face, aquiline nose, and long chin, having in his dress and
deportment more the appearance of a man of the world; than most of
his philosophical brethren. He was reading a book during the whole
of the exercises ; and a majority of the members manifested as little
attention to the business of the meeting, as do our representatives in
Congress, during a long and dull debate. Two papers were read —
one by a celebrated entomologist, and another by a young member, on
the analysis of vegetable matter. The frequent repetition, in the
latter, of the words pomme de terre, reminded us of dinner ; and ha
ving kept our seats for three or four hours, we left the philosopher in
the midst- of his profound investigations, to make a practical illustra
tion of his doctrines.
Some of our friends were so kind as to procure us tickets, and
take us the rounds of the philosophical, chemical, and medical lec
tures. With one of my yankee brethren from Boston, who is com
pleting his professional education in the celebrated schools of the
metropolis, I weht to the Sorbonne, to hear Orfila lecture on the ele
ments of chemistry. He is a young man of about thirty, very emi
nent in his department, and popular with the students, who applaud
when he enters and leaves the room, as well as when he says or does

*This great man died in March, 1827, on the very day we left Paris. It was
our good fortune, to be just in time to see before their deaths La Place and
Talma ; the first mathematician and the first tragedian of the present age, per
haps of any age. It may be doubted, whether the former was surpassed by New-
ton, or the latter by Garrick.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 455
a good thing, with as much enthusiasm as is manifested at a theatre.
He unfortunately failed in one of his experiments, and it was amusing
to witness the silence and sympathy, which pervaded the whole au
dience, consisting of something like three thousand persons. His
lecture occupied about an hour and a half, and was delivered with
great fluency and ease, without a scrap of paper before him. Much
use is made of the black-board by all the French Professors, who
place upon it a programme of the subject, together with all their
illustrations. The amphitheatre is extremely convenient, the seats
risjng in a semicircle one above another, so that every spectator can
gee and hear distinctly. Spacious as the apartments are, it is very
f "difficult to find a place ; and the zeal of the scholars often leads them
to go an hour before the time, taking a piece of bread and apple in
their hands, for breakfast or dinner.
From the Sorbonne, we went to the Hospital of Charity, and ac
companied the celebrated Laennec through its wards, to witness his
daily examination of numerous patients upon the auscultation system,
of which he is the inventor. He is a most singular man in his ap
pearance and deportment, being under five feet in height, with a pale,
thin, care-worn face, surmounted by a black pyramidal cap, and oddly
set off with a pair of black horn spectacles. He glides from bed to
bed like a spectre, and examines one patient after another with asto
nishing rapidity. The instrument he makes use of for sounding the
state of the lungs and chest is a cylindrical tube of wood, commonly
of cedar, a foot or more in length, and an inch and a half in di
ameter. He presses one end upon the chest, and puts the other to
his ear, in which position the patient is required to read, talk, cough,
or draw a long breath. The sound is communicated perfectly through
the tube ; and by a long course" of experiments, this ingenious system
has been brought to such a degree of perfection, that every affection
of the chest is ascertained with the utmost precision.
In a thousand cases, the predictions of Laennec have been verified
by dissections after death. He was, however, once mistaken in re
gard to himself. Having a feeble constitution, after labouring in vain
to invent an instrument by which he could examine his own lungs, he
left his business and went into the country, expecting never to return,
and expressly for the purpose of dying. But a pure air and relaxation
from his intense pursuits soon led to an agreeable disappointment, and
he returned to his sphere in good health.* At the close of his round

* This remarkable man also died in the interval between our first and second
visit to Paris. He was born and educated a Jesuit, possessing an original mind,
great depth of learning, and much professional skill.

456 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
of visitations, he gave an analysis of all the cases, with instructions to
his class of pupils. I have a good deal of confidence in his system,
and think it might be advantageously introduced into our country,
where I believe it has yet made but little progress.
After witnessing this novel exhibition and hearing the lecture, we
visited the dissecting rooms, which present a horrible scene, but are
the sources of that anatomical and surgical skill to which the French,
perhaps, above any other nation have arrived. Fifteen or twenty sub
jects were stretched upon the tables, and eighty or a hundred students
were at work in dissecting them. The same enthusiasm is visible
here as in the amphitheatres. A degree of industry is manifested by the
medical, scientific, and literary men at Paris, which is wholly un
known in our country. Both professors and scholars are frequently
at the amphitheatres and hospitals by five or six o'clock in the morn
ing, giving lectures and cutting up dead bodies by candle-light. They
hardly give themselves time -to eat, drink, or sleep ; and the eminence
to which they" have arrived is obtained by intense application, and
rests upon a firm basis. There is apparently much less empiricism in
France, than in either the United States or England ; though it is the
opinion of better judges than myself, that the practitioners of the
former are generally inferior to those of the latter. The regular edu
cation and licenses of their apothecaries, by means of three great in
stitutions in different parts of the country, appeared to me worthy of
imitation, since it would prevent persons from going into that business,
who are unacquainted with the drugs they vend.
On a subsequent day we went to hear Gay Lussac lecture on Natu
ral Philosophy, and Thenard on Chemistry. Both are professors of
the first eminence. The former appears to be under the age of forty,
and lectures with great fluency. The subject was the expansibility
of the gases, the principles of which he turned over and over, in a
diffuse and elaborate manner, presenting them under every point of
view, with diagrams, figures, and illustrations of every kind on the
black-board. Thenard is an old man, makes much use of his notes,
and is less fluent and animated than the other professors. He failed
in several of his experiments, but turned it off with a joke and a
shrug of the shoulders, which drew forth peals of laughter from the
audience. In point of manipulation, it appeared to me that the
French lecturers are not more expert or skilful, than our own ; but
students, who attend the amphitheatres daily, think otherwise.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 457
LETTER XL. 'w*
PARIS CONTINUED  ROYAL LIBRARY — .CABINET OF ANTIQUITIES — PA
LACE OF THE TUILLERIES  PUBLIC DINNER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY 
THEATRES  FRENCH OPERA  THEATRE FRANCAIS— ITALIAN OPERA
 EXCURSION TO VERSAILLES. January, 1826.
Among the noblest institutions that enrich and adorn the metropolis
of France, are the public libraries, which in number and extent far
exceed any think of the kind to be found in our country, or in Great-
Britain. Almost every civil, ecclesiastical, and even military esta
blishment, possesses a valuable collection of books and manuscripts,
which are accessible to the public, and diffuse useful information
through all classes of the community. The most extensive of these
is the Royal Library, which was commenced as early as the 12th cen
tury, and has been gradually increasing, till it at present contains four
or five hundred thousand volumes, together with eighty thousand
manuscripts. A series of halls 500 feet in length are appropriated
to this invaluable collection. Tables and seats are provided for visit
ers, who may sit and peruse the rarest works in every language.
Many persons appear to avail themselves of this privilege ; for on the
day of our visit, cold as it Was, the tables were crowded with guests
at the literary feast ; and among the rest, One of our own countrymen
was here found poring over Dutch folios. The books are neatly ar
ranged, and bear the marks of being kept more for use than show. It
would be an endless task to specify even the rarest productions, which
crowd the shelves.
In the centre of one of the halls is a pretty ornament, representing
Mount Parnassus, its rocky sides being shaded with shrubbery and
mantled with ivy; The top is surmounted by a Pegasus ; and near the
winged steed is a figure of Apollo, intended to personify Louis XIV.
encircled by the sisterhood of the Muses. Bronze statues of eminent
poets, occupy stations along the cliffs, at an altitude corresponding
with an estimate of their respective merits. Some of them have
nearly reached the summit, and are basking in the smiles of Phoebus ;
while others have just commenced climbing the crags, and see hill
rise over hill above them.* An amusing incident occurred, as we
* The design of this Mount is not an original idea, but was doubtless borrowed
from a fresco in the Chambers of Raphael at the Vatican.
vol. I. 58

458 ~ LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
stood examining this ingenious device. Two English visitants came
along, and paused for a moment opposite the consecrated hill. The
word " Andromache" caught the eye of one of them, who turned
away with an air of contempt and- said to his companion, without sus
pecting any one present understood the same language — " come,
this is nothing — it is merely the Rock of Andromache, which we read
of in. Virgil !"
The same hall contains a model of the Egyptian Pyramids, pre
serving the relative proportions of their altitudes, the formation of the
surface of the ground in the vicinity, and the most striking objects in
the scenery. In a contiguous room are two globes, a celestial, and
terrestrial, thirteen feet in diameter. Although the delineations are
said to be accurate, the apparatus appeared to be unwieldy, and an
object of curiosity rather than utility. A large orrery standing near
by, illustrating all the movements and phenomena of the solar system,
with the orbits of several comets, is entitled to more praise. A fine
bust of Voltaire is also among the ornaments of the gallery.
We examined the cabinet of antiquities, the articles of which are
so numerous as to distract the attention, and to leave the visiter in
doubt which to select as the most curious. A description of them
fills a volume, which is kept for sale by the superintendent. The
museum contains 80,000 medals ; 5000 portfolios, tracing the gene
alogies of the French nobility ; the same number of volumes of en
gravings, comprising among other things 50,000 portraits of cele
brated characters in all countries for the last six hundred years ; and
the costumes, manners, and amusements of every nation upon the
globe. Fortunately for the visiter, some of these cabinets of curi
osity are not open to the public. A person might pass his whole life
in this establishment, without exhausting the sources of instruction
and amusement it contains.
On the evening of the first of January, I went to witness a novel
and farcical spectacle, which was nothing less than to see the king
and royal family dine in public, at the palace of the Tuilleries..' A re
port had gone forth, that whosoever would put on small-clothes, with
the usual accompaniments of a full dress, might be admitted into the
presence of majesty, and attend the regal banquet. It was the unani
mous opinion of our republican circle, that we would not subject our
selves to the expense and humiliation of such a metamorphosis, for
the sake of seeing an assemblage of all the crowned heads in Europe.
This first impression was strengthened perhaps by the laughable ac
count, which one of our friends gave of his own adventures, on an oc
casion somewhat similar.* He took it into his head, that he would go

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 459
to court, and by way of preparation mounted a cocked hat, a sword,
epaulettes, and military boots reaching considerably above the knee —
all which equipments were hired for the night at a trifling expense.
In this guise he was ushered into the room among marshals, generals,
admirals, nobles, kings, and princes ; but as this was his first appear
ance in a martial attitude, and his dress was a world too wide for his
slender frame, he was obliged to use both hands, to keep the articles
of his uniform in place. After marching up to the king with as fierce
a look as possible, and receiving the salutation of " how do you do,
sir ? I hope to see you very well" — he made a hasty retreat, blunder
ing out of the room, with his sword dangling between his legs, and
clattering against his French boots.
Having no curiosity to repeat such adventures, we had given up all
idea of witnessing this unique raree-show, when a Lieutenant in the
United States Navy, who is a native of the same town, and was once a
school- fellow with me, was so kind as to present a ticket of admission,
with assurances that no change in dress would be requisite. Upon
such conditions the favour was accepted, and at l5 o'clock we set out
for the Tuilleries, in company with a lady and gentleman from Phila
delphia. None but the carriages of the nobility were permitted to
.drive into the court, and the whole plebeian multitude of both sexes were
¦ compelled to dash through mud and water, in the same shoes which
were destined to trample on royal carpets. On arriving at the door,
we found the arcades thronged with ladies and gentlemen from all na
tions, and jabbering in all languages. There were men without fe
males, and females without men, all huddled together like so many
sheep in a fold, exposed to the inclemency of the night, with nothing
but ranges of Corinthian columns to shelter them from the piercing
winds. The gates on either side were closed, and there was neither
ingress nor egress ; otherwise a hasty retreat would have been effected.
In this condition the crowd remained for an hour or more, when the
doors were thrown open, and the long procession marched up the
grand stair-case, guarded by a line of soldiers, into the chambers of the
Tuilleries. At the portal, an officer sung out, " abas chapeau!" — off
hats ! The ladies were dismantled of their shawls, and directed to
drop the arms of their companions, to walk single-file into the presence
of his majesty. They found themselves subjected for perhaps the first
time to military dicipline ; and although a degree of insubordination
prevailed among the raw recruits at the outset, they eventually became
good soldiers, treading the floor with martial pomp, and pushing their
conquest with great gallantry.
The slowness of our march toward head-quarters afforded us a fa-

460 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
vourable opportunity for examining the king's apartments at the Tuil
leries, which were brilliantly illuminated by a full blaze of chandeliers,
exhibiting the lofty fresco ceilings, spacious saloons, Gobelin tapestry,
Savonniere carpets, silken couches, and other splendid furniture up to
the throne itself, to the best possible advantage. Our entrde was
through the large room denominated Salle des Marechaux, from the
circumstance of its containing portraits of the Marshals of France, and
busts of other distinguished officers, who have fallen in battle. The
next in order are the Saloon of the Nobles, and the Saloon of Peace, the
ceilings of which are splendidly^ adorned with allegorical paintings.
In the latter is a fine emblematic statue of massive silver, holding a
cornucopias. Before reaching these rooms, the echoes of music from
an excellent band stationed in the banqueting hall, stole at first faintly
upon the ear, but grew louder and louder at every stage of our pro
gress. The fourth in the long succession of apartments is called the
Salle du Trone, where the throne of the Bourbons bust upon our re
publican eyes in all its splendour. It is canopied with crimson velvet,
bordered with gold, and embossed with fieurs-de-lis, the curtains being
suspended from a crown of laurel and wreaths of oak, surmounted by
a plumed helmet. The ascent to the seat is by three'steps ; and the
whole apparatus, as well as the room itself, is gorgeously decorated
with the costliest ornaments, to which many a citizen, now perhaps suf
fering the hardships of penury, has contributed.
We at length reached the dining-room, which is spacious, but was
filled to overflowing, even to the windows, with ladies and gentlemen
who had been presented at court, and were therefore privileged to re
main during the whole banquet — a prerogative which I felt little anx
iety to enjoy. Temporary boxes had been erected round the hall,
overlooking the table. These were filled with ladies in full dresses,
who sat the whole evening, patiently watching all the important move
ments at the festive board. A little incident occurred, showing to
what extent a taste for such scenes is carried by fashionable people in
Europe. A general in the British army, who had behaved with great
gallantry in several battles, and received one or two wounds in the ser
vice of his country, tamely suffered himself to be pushed about from
place to place by the waiters of his majesty, all for the sake of seeing- a
man, of probably not half the talent or worth with himself, munch his
bread and take his soup.
The table was in a semi-circular form, on the outer side of which,
near the centre, the King was seated, with the Duke d' Angouleme on'
his right, the Dutchess d' Angouleme on his left, and the Dutchess de
Berry on the extreme right. They all sat at respectable distances,

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 461
looking cold and unsocial enough, staring at the crowd, and the crowd
staring at them. His majesty is a genteel man in his appearance, with f
rather a thin face, and a gray head, with no marks of decrepitude^
though now at the age of sixty-nine. There Was nothing peculiar in
his dress. He seemed less embarrassed by his awkward situation,
than the rest of the royal group, who sat like statues over their plates,
while he handled his knife and fork with a good deal of ease and dex
terity. , His whole appearance is so like the Philadelphian* who ac
companied us, that the latter has several times been taken for the king
while walking the streets of Paris.
All the others are a poor lot. The Duke and Dutchess d' Angou
leme are both coarse in their features, particufarly the latter, who has
a bold masculine face, and looks as if she might be a Catherine of
Russia in character. She is said to be a woman of talents, and to
have an ascendency in the cabinet, whence originate all the ultra mea
sures ofthe government.* The king has not half the ability of Louis
XVIII. Aware of his weakness, it is said he is inclined to relax the
cords of government, and to pursue a popular course ; but his authori
ty is overruled by others. His son, the Dauphin, is now at the age of
about fifty, and looks as old as his father. On his shoulders, and after
him, on the young Duke of Bordeaux, who is now a sick child, and
was not at the table, the future hopes of France rest ! The Dutch
ess of Berry is a small inferior looking woman, with nothing prepos
sessing in her appearance. Both ofthe ladies were dressed in black,
with their robes profusely studded with diamonds.
Our observations were limited in time to a few minutes, occupied in
passing through the room, close by the table ; but by throwing our re
marks into joint stock, and by balancing opinions, we have probably
arrived at a sufficient degree of accuracy. On the whole, this was the
greatest farce I ever attended. It is converting the palace into a me
nagerie, and the royal family into so many lions, for the amusement of
the multitude. Intelligent Frenchmen consider the show, which re
curs annually, in the same light as I have done. It is a relic of royal
ty, at least two centuries behind the age, which the mere progress of
reason has rendered ridiculous.
It remains to say a word ofthe Parisian Theatres. During our first
visit to Paris, we attended only four or five out of the twenty, which
are to be found in the metropolis ; and to only one of these was a visit
repeated. Our debut was at the French Opera, or Royal Academy of

* Napoleon used to say, that . the Dutchess d 'Angouleme is the only man among
the Bourbons !

462 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Music. It is a new building, opened in 1821, after the old one, ren-
1 dered odious by the assassination of the Duke of Berry, was demolish
ed. Its interior is spacious, magnificent, and splendid beyond any
thing of the kind at Paris, or as some say, in the world. It is finished
in the style of the Italian Opera, in London ; but much superior in
taste and elegance. The orchestra comprises about one hundred mu
sicians, some of whom are celebrated for their talents. Nothing can
exceed in splendour the scenery and dresses ; and the coup d'oeil of
the house, when it is brilliantly lighted, when the boxes are filled with
spectators in full dresses, and the curtain rises to disclose scenes in the
most beautiful perspective, is indescribably magnificent and striking.
The throne ofthe monarch himself at the Tuilleries scarcely surpasses
in the richness of its decorations the box on the right of the stage, for
the accommodation of the Royal Family. So far as the dazzling glo
ries of a mere spectacle, the glitter of costume, the enchantment of
shifting scenes, and the charms of instrumental music can delight, no
thing can surpass the French Opera ; but amidst pageantries and pi
rouettes, faries and figurantes, the spectator may look in vain for dra
matic interest or literary amusement. Even the ballet itself, in the ge
neral degradation of the stage, has been perverted from its original de
sign, and is fast sinking to the level of rope-dancing and other feats of
agility. This species of amusement was probably intended to reflect
the ease, the elegance, the grace, and pohsh of the ball-room and of
fashionable life. What would be thought of a group of genteel ladies,
who in a private circle should undertake to exhibit the gesticulations,
which are witnessed upon the stage ? But it is the most idle of all
occupations, to attempt to throw the fetters of reason over the Proteus
of Fashion : [lie suae contra non immemor artis,
Omnia transformat sese in miracula rerum,
Ignemque terribilemque feram, fluviumque liquentem.
The Theatre Francais or French Theatre, as it is justly called by
way of eminence, corresponds more fully with my ideas of a classical
and perfect stage, such as the Athenians would have patronized, and
the critics of the Augustan age, as well as the great masters of the
drama in modern times, would have approved, than any thing of the
kind which has fallen under my observation. We have attended as
often as once a week, and each time with new delight — with an in
creasing admiration of the talent, the taste, and refinement, which
characterize the boards. Here are no innovations upon the purity
and dignity of the legitimate drama, the principles of which are rigidly

LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
i
observed — no noisy, ad captandum spectacles, to attract vulgar ap
plause — no dragons spouting fire, to frighten women, nor the tricks of
Jockos, to amuse children — in short, none of those pageants which
degrade and disgrace the modern stage. ' Meretricious ornaments and
attractions of every kind in scenery, dress, music, and even in the de
corations of the house, are scrupulously excluded. On the genuine
merits of the best productions ofthe dramatic Muse, and on the good
sense of a polished audience, the managers solely rely for support.
Nor are they disappointed j for the house is thronged every night with
people of the first respectability, who observe as much decorum and
propriety of conduct as they would in a drawing-room, and who listen
with intense interest to the plays of Racine, Corneille, Voltaire, and
Moliere. A theatre thus conducted is not only a source of rational amuse
ment, but of instruction, fulfilling the great purposes of the drama —
" To raise the genius and to mend the heart,''
by inculcating the noblest sentiments, through the medium of impas
sioned- eloquence and refined language. There is nothing iri London
at present, which can sustain a comparison with the French Theatre ;
and a model drawn from this school, with some slight modifications,
would probably be as perfect, as any age or any country can furnish.
A translation of it to some of our principal cities, before a false, un
natural, and effeminate taste for pageantry is formed, would in my
view be a national blessing. Public amusements of some kind will
be resorted to in every country ; and the patriot therefore is as deeply
interested, as the man of pleasure, in selecting those that are liable to
the fewest objections, and that have the most salutary influence on
the manners of a people.
The most celebrated tragedian at the French Theatre is well known
to be Talma, of whose talents and character it is in my power to add
nothing new, although I have seen him frequently in different parts.
His person is not remarkably striking, being rather below the middle
size, with a full round face ; but his voice, his step, his gestures, and
in short, his whole manner are inimitably fine. He treads the stage
with the dignity of a monarch, and sways the feelings and passions of
the audience with an irresistible power. His eloquence is a standard
of all that is chaste in oratory, and elegant in diction. It is not sin
gular that the Parisians, who are extravagantly fond of the drama, al
most idolize him. He enjoys as wide and as substantial a fame as did
David Garrick at the height of his glory. To his talents and to his
unceasing efforts the Theatre Francais is chiefly indebted for its im-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE
measurable • pre-eminence over all others. For the last twenty-five
years, bb hits been its presiding and directing and controlling genius,
inculcating his taste both by precept and example. To the reputation
of a finished actor, he has added that of an accomplished scholar,
possessing high literary attainments, and a familiarity with the best
models in his profession. Study, reflection, the patient labours ofthe
closet have not done less for him, than the extraordinary endowments
of nature ; while the concentrated powers of both have been directed
to one object, and enthusiastically exerted in elevating the character of
the stage. He has succeeded to admiration, and made his theatre all
which the most fastidious critic could wish. Whatever faults remain
are inherent in French tragedy, and not ascribable to him. On the
contrary, he has perceived, and has done much to obviate these in
trinsic defects — to soften what he could not correct — to conceal what
it was impracticable. to remove.
He has manifested the same talent in the selection and organization
of his dramatic corps, as Napoleon did in the choice of his officers
and the discipline of his army. In Madame Duchesnois, who stands
at the head of the tragic actresses, he at once finds a coadjutor and a ri
val of his reputation. She is as coarse and ugly in her person, as she is
vehement, impassioned, forcible and persuasive, in her eloquence.
The spectator feels almost inclined to turn away his head, to avoid the
prejudice of looking at her face, while he listens with admiration and
delight to the harmonious intonations of her voice, and to the grace
as well as the power of her elocution. In genteel comedy, which has
greatly the advantage over French tragedy, Mademoiselle Mars is bv
far the most prominent, and may be ranked among the very first ac
tresses of the present day. Her personal accomplishments, which
have subdued imperial hearts, are perhaps even more celebra
ted, than her dramatic talents. She , is now at the age of fifty
or upwards, although she has not the appearance of being more than
thirty-five. Her person is becoming a little gross ; but her eye retains
its fascination, and her face its beauty. In the gracefulness and ani
mation of her manner, she is unrivalled. The rest of the corps are
all highly respectable in their several departments, though none of
them have yet attained to much celebrity.
To the Theatre of Variety and the Italian Opera, we went but once.
The former is attended chiefly by mechanics, and the latter by the
ultra fashionables. To amateurs in music it may present many attrac
tions, though it offered few to us, beyond the curiosity of hearing the
celebrated Madame Pasta sing. |Her reputation stands almost as high,
as did that of Madame Catalani at the acme of her fame. She pos-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 465
sesses no charms besides the clear, sweet, and mellow tones of her
voice, the compass and management of which are both admirable.
Her face is rather pretty, but her form is clumsy and heavy-moulded,
by no means justifying the dress and attitude, which she seems fond of
assuming. The police of the French theatres is not less worthy of imitation,
than the taste and dramatic propriety of the stage. Here national
politeness and refinement are conspicuous. Frenchmen go to the
play with as much, decency, as Englishmen go to church ; and the
former would no more think of violating the temple of pleasure, than
the latter would the temple of piety, by an act of indecorum. There
is no wrangling of coachmen — no rush of a mob for precedence at
the doors. The carriages drive up silently in the order they arrive ;
and the pedestrians fall into a procession, two by two, forming what
is called a quieu^ and waiting patiently for their turns. In the pit, in
the galleries, you hear no noisy, drunken brawls, no loud conversation,
no voice above a whisper, and seldom even that. Every one is intent
on the spectacle, with as much earnestness as if it was a serious duty.
If a spectator wishes to leave his seat, he may secure his place till his
return, by the deposit of a glove or handkerchief: he might leave his
watch, purse, or pocket-book, without danger of its being molested.
During our residence at Paris, we made an excursion to Versailles,
which occupied only one day, the distance being fourteen miles, in a
westerly direction from the capital. Four of us went in company, all
from New- York. The road leads across the Seine, by the Palace of
St. Cloud, the favourite residence of Napoleon, beautifully seated upon
the high and rocky bank of the river. Our view was confined to the
exterior ; and as it is our intention to pay it another visit at a more fa
vourable season, I shall at present pass it by in silence.
The approach to Versailles is magnificent. A broad and beautiful
avenue bordered with trees, leads to the far-famed Palace, which
stands upon an eminence and appears to the best possible advantage.
Radii of great roads, coming from all points of the compass, here
meet, somewhat upon the plan of the city of Washington. Nature
has done nothing for Versailles, and all its attractions are artificial.
It may with emphasis be styled the Folly oftlie Bourbons ; and the im
mense sums of money they have expended in converting a desert into
a paradise, to the impoverishment of the nation, may be considered as
one of the remote causes of the Revolution. They here sowed the
wind, and subsequently reaped the whirlwind. Louis XVI. could not
have been more unfortunate in his reside nee, during the stormy period
of 1789, than in the gilded saloons and sumptuous gardens of a Pa-
vol. i. 59

466 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
lace, which had originally cost the French nation millions of dollars,
and which was swallowing up other millions to maintain its luxuries,
while the government was bankrupt, and the people were crying for
bread. The infuriated mob from the metropolis evinced a slight de
gree of reason and justice, intermingled with a great deal of madness,
in first presenting itself for redress at the gates of a Palace, which was
a conspicuous monument of regal extravagance, and the glittering
domes of which were so well calculated to add to the excitement of a
starving populace.
To render such a waste of the public money the more inexcusable,
there is very little taste displayed in the midst of so much luxury and
splendour. Versailles is in fact a perfect abortion, exhibiting all the
wantonness of wealth without any of its allurements. With the ex
ception of the western facade, which is perhaps equal to any thing in
the vicinity of Paris, and the ancient chapel, there is nothing of archi
tectural grandeur or beauty in the Palace, immense as the pile is, when
taken collectively. But the terraces, the promenades, the gardens,
the fountains, the groves, grottoes, and canals, are in a style of magni
ficence scarcely equalled by the Tuilleries. These had charms even
amidst the frosts of winter, whenthe waters were congealed, the birds
mute, and the trees stripped of their foliage. Our countryman Van-
derlyn has given such a faithful and perfect representation of the. gar
den, in his splendid panorama, that it would have been instantly recog
nized by me, had I been conducted blindfold to the place. I some
times almost fancied myself looking at the picture instead of the re
ality. An old lady, blest with a full share of French vivacity and volubility,
but with a very humble portion of other accomplishments, conducted
us through the extensive library — showed us the volume of splendid
costumes worn at the Triumph of Louis XIV. in which the American
Indians are placed among the captive nations — guided us through the
labyrinth ofthe Palace — pointed out the theatre and chapel, the latter
of which is extremely rich in architecture and decorations — led us
through the innumerable halls of paintings, bearing the names of all
the heathen goddesses, and of some that were not goddesses — chal
lenged our admiration of saloons and bed-chambers, the walls of which
are composed entirely of sheets of mirrors, multiplying one face into a
full gallery, and celebrated by the unfortunate adventures of Maria
Antoinette — acted as pioneer in climbing every terrace, treading every
grove in the garden as well as a subterranean orangery half a mile in
extent — explained the historical associations of the Palace, as connect
ed with the Revolution — designated the gate through which the mad-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 467
dened mob rushed, and the piazza, where the gallant La Fayette res
cued the beautiful queen, with a volume of commentaries on these
events, evincing the loyalty of her own sentiments. Such are the mere
outlines of Versailles, an examination of which occupied about three
hours of an intensely cold day. Most of the good pictures have been
removed to the Louvre, and the collection which remains is not very in
teresting. The most striking one that was observed is the shipwreck
of the poet Camoens, in which he is represented in the attitude of
grasping the crag of a rock with one hand, and lifting his manuscripts
above the waves with the other. At this season, the Palace is desert
ed, and the vacant halls are cold, dreary, and cheerless. The only
persons visible were a party of the gendarmerie playing cards before
a twig fire in one ofthe saloons. We hastened our retreat with all con
venient* despatch. Whatever attractions Versailles may possess in
summer, when the fountains are playing and the gardens in bloom, it
affords few, very few inducements for prolonging a visit in winter.

468 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XLI.
ROUTE FROM PARIS TO LYONS  SENS  ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY  VINE
YARDS  AUXERRE  AUTUN  CHALONS-EUR-SOANE  MACON  VALE
OF THE SOANE  ENVIRONS OF LYONS  SKETCH OF THE CITY.
January — February, 1826.
At 7 o'clock on the evening of the 20th of January, we left Paris in
the Diligence for Lyons, by the way of Burgundy, a distance of about
three hundred miles. Our party was at least well officered, consisting
of a surgeon in the United States Navy, a Major in the Army, an of
ficer of the same rank, from Virginia, my companion, and myself, all
bound to Italy, and forming but a small rear guard, in comparison with
the advanced corps of our countrymen, who have crossed the Alps
the present season. We engrossed the central division of the coach,
with the exception of an Englishman, who seemed surprised to find
himself in company with so many transatlantic tourists, and a French
man accompanied as usual by his dog. As the latter paid half price
for his companion's place in the interior, it was in vain for us to re
monstrate against the intrusion of Tray, although he was constantly
nestling and yelping under our feet, occasioning a serious annoyance.
The master would apparently sooner have been turned out himself,
than have suffered any indignity to the animal.
Our exit from Paris was by the Place Bastile and the Faubourg St.
Antoine, through the Barrier of Charenton. The keeper of this pass
was in great distress, in consequence of an incident, which had oc
curred a day or two previous. A young man entrusted with his keys,
had secretly formed an attachment for a Parisian grisette, who had se
duced him to the gambling tables of the Palais Royal. He was led on
from step to step, till he had lost something like 2000 francs of his
employer's money, when having no funds to proceed farther, or to
make up the defalcation, he was one morning found missing, and had
not since been heard of. Here was one practical illustration, out of
perhaps ten thousand, of the evils brought upon private families, by
the system to which the French government has lent its sanction for
the sake of raising revenue.
In the course of this night, a novel scene was witnessed, which af
forded no small amusement to our party. At 11 or 12 o'clock, the
Diligence paused a moment at a village tavern, where all the passen
gers rushed into an old-fashioned kitchen, with a fire-place half as
large as the room, for the purpose of warming their feet. The mis-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 469
tress of the house, who was strictly Amazonian both in person and
dress, with the exception that the exposure of her bosom was not con
fined to one side only, had paraded upon a long oaken table a roast
turkey, which was as colossal and gross as the cook herself. Our Vir
ginian, comrade signified his wish to take a cut ; whereupon the land
lady took the animal by the legs, and holding it upon a butcher's block
with one hand, used the other in chopping off its limbs with a large
cleaver ! The bird, however, was delicious and delicate, by no means
corresponding with the coarse mode of carving.
Crossing the Marne, and riding all night up the banks of the Seine,
passing among other places the large town of Melun, where the cele
brated Abelard once taught a school of philosophy, we reached at
day-break the village of Montereau, situated at the confluence of the
Yonnfe with the Seine. On a bridge at this place, the Duke of Bur
gundy was assassinated in the presence of Charles VII. at the instiga
tion of the perfidious prince ; and here also the French gained a se
verely contested victory over the" allied armies, in 1814.
At 1 1 o'clock, the Diligence arrived at the old town of Sens, stand
ing at the junction of the Yonne and Vannes. While breakfast was
preparing, we paid a visit to the Cathedral, which is a venerable Go
thic building, with painted windows, two of which are circular. One
ofthe chapels is dedicated to Thomas a Becket, who fled hither from
Canterbury, in England, being driven abroad by the displeasure of his
sovereign. In the centre of the choir stands a complex and curious
monument, erected by Louis XV. to the memory of the Dauphin and
his wife. Among other allegorical figures, is a statue of Time, as
large as life ; and tha't the remorseless monarch may not be mistaken,
he is actually armed with a large iron scythe, which is of a coarse con
struction, and raised in the attitude of mowing down whatever falls in
its way. It is only less formidable in aspect, than the guillotine. The
old sexton who conducted us over his antique charge, manifested as
much complacency in pointing out its curiosities, as does the superin
tendent of Notre Dame or the Louvre.
Our ride this day was up the vale ofthe Yonne, which is one ofthe
principal branches of the Seine. The scenery upon its banks is uni-
' form, consisting of calcareous hills of moderate elevation, alternately
planted with the vine and clothed with forests. Immense quantities
of wine and wood descend the river in boats to Paris, from which the
navigation extends more than a hundred miles into the interior. The
mode of cultivating the vine is by terraces, running in belts round the
hills, and rising stage above stage often to the very tops. At this sea
son of the year, the aspect of the country was gloomy and uninterest-

470 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
ino, in no respect relieved by a dull succession of towns and villages,
occupying the bosom ofthe vale.
At 7 o'clock in the evening, we arrived at Auxerre, containing a po-
pulation of ten or twelve thousand, and carrying on an active trade
with the metropolis. Our stay was merely long enough to take din
ner at a hotel, which afforded few comforts except a bountiful table,
crowned with the red wines of the district. Another cold and cheer
less night succeeded, during which, the Diligence journeyed on at a
slow rate, bringing us at day-break the next morning to Avejlon, and
by 1 o'clock in the afternoon to Saulieu, where we took breakfast.
The latter town is the birth-place of Marshal Vauban, celebrated for his
skill as an engineer, and the mode of fortifying towns, still in vogue.
There is a handsome monument to his memory, in the chapel of the
Hospital of Invalids at Paris.
Between Saulieu and Autun, the country becomes extremely moun
tainous and rugged, the hills frequently rising to a height of between
two and three thousand feet. They were covered with snow, and the
woods along the way were beautifully frosted, leaving not a speck of
the bark or twigs visible. The scene brought to mind Cowper's pic
ture of a morning walk in winter, and Savage's not less poetical de
scription ofthe frozen regions ofthe north. In many places the road
was filled with ice, and so precipitous as to render it necessary to lock
both wheels in descending the hills. To the ordinary risks of traver
sing such a route, was added in one instance, what is by no means
common in France, the carelessness of a drunken coachman. He
was so intoxicated, that the conducteur was obliged to discharge him
and take another. This was the first example of the kind, that had
been witnessed since crossing the Channel, either on the road, or at
Paris.*

* I subsequently met with » striking instance of intoxication in a private
coachman. A friend and myself had been to pay an evening visit at Paris. On
calling to cocher at the door, he returned no answer ; and we found him stupidly
drunk upon his seat. In leaving the court, he was unable to hit the gate, but
drove his horses against the wall, and notwithstanding our remonstrances, /persisted
in the attempt to whip them through several feet of substantial stone and mortar.
The truth is, that drunkenness is becoming more common in France than it used
to be. I have frequently seen Frenchmen staggering through the streets of Paris,
though the vice is neither so habitual or so gross as it is either in the United States
or England, Observation compels me to believe the French a less temperate
people, than I had supposed. They take less substantial food, and less heavy li
quors than the English. But they often eat enormously; and it is no uncommon
thing for a person to take a bottle and a half or even two bottles of wine, with a .
a glass of l'eau de vie, at dinner.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 471
At 9 o'clock in the evening, wc passed under a lofty antique arch
that forms the entrance to Autun, the old Bibracte of the Romans.
It was the capital of the iEdui, and is mentioned in Csesar's Com
mentaries, as the largest and most populous town of that warlike
tribe. Many of its antiquities yet remain, among which, is the gate"'-
above referred to, with another of the same description standing near
it. The present population of the town amounts to 9000, engaged
in manufactures. Here we paused an hour, took dinner, and again
resumed our journey for the third night, without having taken off our
clothes. The Diligence had become a kind of home to us, serving
the triple purposes of a sitting-room, library, and bed-chamber.
After crossing a lofty and solitary ridge of mountains, which sepa
rate the waters of the Atlantic from those which flow into the Medi
terranean, we descended rapidly into the vale of the Soane, and at 8
o'clock the next morning reached Chajons, charmingly situated upon
the right bank of that river. The town is handsomely built, present
ing a range of neat and lofty buildings to the quay, opposite to which
a stately stone bridge extends to one of the suburbs on the other shore.
Compared with the desolate track, which had just been traversed, the
scenery even upon the wintry banks of the Soane was agreeable. The
water is of a beautiful sea-green colour, and was so choked with ice,
as to obstruct the navigation between this place and Lyons. In sum
mer, a boat called a coche d'eau, takes the passengers in the Dili
gences by water, forming a part of the line. ¦ Chalons is the great
place of depot between Paris and the south of France. A canal con
nects the Soane, from this point, with the Loire, opening a navigable
communication between the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
After taking breakfast and resting till 10 o'clock, we once more
resumed our journey in the Diligence, passing down the vale of the
Soane, which opens beautifully towaids the south, and is both broad
and fertile. The soil is a light sandy loam, with rich meadows bor
dering upon the river. Along the road were observed large fields ap
propriated to the culture of Indian corn, the first we have seen since
leaving home. Extensive vineyards climb the adjacent hills, and
pretty villages rise in rapid succession. It is on the whole a fine coun
try, and at almost any other season, the scenery would have been
charming. Just at twilight we reached Macon, a large town on the right bank
of the Soane, and took lodgings for the night, enjoying the luxury of
a bed for the first time since our. departure from Paris. The hotel
stands close to the margin of the river, which is here about the width
of the Hudson above Waterford. It is crossed by a handsome stone

472 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
bridge, resting on lofty arches. From the quay in front of the hotel,
the snow-clad summits of the Alps are visible, the winds from which
seemed to reach us ; for the cold was intense, surpassing what is
felt in the depth of an ordinary New- York winter. For some days
the thermometer was below zero, and in many places the Soane was
crossed on the ice. To such a state of the weather French hotels are
but ill adapted, and woe betide the traveller who is found upon the road.
In a large gloomy hall, before an earthen stove, furnished with a mo
derate portion of fuel, sat a group of English travellers shivering with
cold, and sighing for the comforts of their own country. There was
no room for reproaching them with the folly of travelling for pleasure
at such a season.
At 4 o'clock the next morning, the coachman again summoned us
to the Diligence, and after crowding for half an hour round a large fire
place lighted by a single bunch of faggots, we resumed our descent
down the vale of the Soane. Vine-clad hills on the right, the green
waters of the river on the left, villages scattered along the road, and
chateaux embosomed by copses of forest trees, render the scenery of
this valley extremely picturesque. At almost every town, a new spe
cies of wine was found : that of Macon has attained great celebrity,
and is much used at the Parisian tables. In the course of our ride to
day, some striking peculiarities in the costume of females were obser
ved. The women of the country wear a small black hat, scarcely
large enough for a doll, fantastically poised upon the crown of the
head. We took breakfast at Villefranche, a pretty town containing a popu
lation of six or seven thousand. Tradition says, that the privilege
granted to husbands of beating their wives as much as they pleased,
provided death did not ensue, was held out as an inducement to the
first settlers. The women are celebrated for their beauty and personal
accomplishments. Forbidding as was the dirty kitchen of the hotel,
through which it was necessary to pass in reaching the salle a manger,
a plentiful repast, consisting of fifteen dishes, was served up for break
fast. Some of the guests partook of the whole number, which is not
unusual with Frenchmen, " be the same more or less."
After resting an hour, we set out on the last stage for Lyons. The
severe cold of the morning had been softened by the influence of a
bright sun ; and the remainder of our journey was extremely pleasant.
Among the passengers in the coach was a polite and intelligent French
man, who was wejl acquainted with the localities of the district, and
who without solicitation pointed out to us the most interesting objects
along the road. The weather .was so fine and the scenery so pictu-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 473
resque as to induce us all to walk many miles in our approach to Ly
ons. On our left, between the road and the Saone, the hill called
Limonest rises to the height of about 2000 feet, and overlooks a wide
region. Its base and sides are covered with white villas. Farther up
is a solitude of rocks and hanging woods. On the southern side a
deep, narrow, and romantic ravine opens to the river. At the head of
this sequestered and quiet glen stands the chateau of Baraliere, en
closed by semi-circular crags of the mountain, and exhibiting a beau
tiful view from the path. It was the head-quarters of the Republican
army* during the seige of Lyons in 1793.
From the heights of Limonest to the Faubourg de Vaize, on the
right bank of the Saone, the road descends rapidly through a wide
avenue bordered with trees and neat farm houses. On the left, the
hill called Mont d'Or, and the retired vale of Rochecardon afford a
variety of beautiful scenery. In one place we looked from a terrace*
cut through a point of rocks, into a ravine so deep, that the roofs of
the houses along its sides were seen far beneath our feet. Some of
the wild and lonely recesses in these broken hills are said to have been
the favourite retreats of Rousseau, and to have inspired his dreams of
fancy and sentiment.
In variety and romantic beauty, the environs of Lyons yield to no
place I have yet seen in Europe* with the exception of Edinburgh ; and
perhaps even Salisbury Crag, Arthur's Seat, and the Forth, are less
picturesque, than the numerous hills crowned with white chateaux,
which in all directions overhang the banks of the Saone and Rhone.
The beautiful sea green complexion of the water contrasted with im
pending, rugged, and dark rocks ; deep vales embosomed by hills ;
tufts of trees rising from broken eminences, all contribute to embellish
the picture, which at the hour of our arrival was gilded with the splen
dours of an evening sun.
Crossing the bridge of the Saone between two twin-like rocks, which
rise perpendicularly on either side of the river, and leavo merely room
for a terraced road, we were dropped at the coach-office, upon the quay
of Lyons, amidst carriages and coal carts, in the thickest of the busi
ness and bustle. A walk thence to the hotel on the other side of the
town, through irregular, narrow, dirty, dark, and gloomy streets, into
which the sun scarcely peeps at noon-day, at once satisfied us that the
charms of this city are confined to its environs and the features of its
natural scenery. The buildings resemble in height and construction
the older parts of Paris. Many of the shops are constantly enveloped
in the dimness of twilight, and do not show to any advantage either by
day or night, as the town is badly lighted. Good accommodations
vol. i. 60

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were obtained at the Northern Hotel, a large establishment which
appeared to be entirely under the management of two genteel young
ladies, who were constantly seen at their desks making out and receipt
ing bills, with as much regularity as clerks.
On the morning after our arrival, we all commenced a survey of
Lyons, by sauntering down the right bank of the Rhone to its junction
with the Saone, a distance of two or three miles from the central part
of the city, which occupies the tongue of land, less than a mile in width,
between the two rivers. A canal formerly ran across the peninsula,
through what is now the heart ofthe town, called the Place Terreaux
from its being composed of land and water. Below this point used to
be a group of islands, which have been artificially united by made
ground and covered with houses. A finer situation for a large town
can hardly be imagined. Two noble streams bathe its foundations,
supply it with pure water, and afford the advantages of inland naviga
tion. The Rhone is the largest river we have seen since' leaving home.
Its waters come from Alpine regions and are of a bright azure hue.
Its bed and current are irregular, being filled with shoals, and islands
of pebbles, swept down by winter torrents, and giving a barren aspect
to its margin. The right bank for several miles is lined with a high,
substantial, and handsome quay, composed of hewn stone. Along
this are ranges of lofty buildings, forming the finest part of Lyons.
The side next the water is bordered by rows of trees, furnishing a
charming promenade. Such is the rapidity of the stream, that flour
mills and other machines moored along the quay, are kept in motion by
water-wheels. The Rhone is about the width of the Susquehanna at Columbia, in
Pennsylvania, and is not unlike it in the appearance of its shores.
After it receives the tribute of the Saone, scarcely inferior in magnitude
and superior in the regular grandeur of its current, it sweeps onward
with increased majesty till its last gleams are lost, six or eight miles
below, among lofty ridges of hills which rise on either shore. There
are ten bridges across the two rivers opposite Lyons. Some of these
are stately structures, resting on numerous arches, and contributing
largely to the beauty as well as to the convenience of the city. The
handsomest of them was built by Napoleon.
Crossing the bridge at the mouth of the Saone, we rambled by a nar
row path up the right bank of the river, to the centre of the to wn . A hill
several hundred feet in height rises from the margin of the stream, and
with such a rapid acclivity, that the houses and hanging gardens rest on
terraces, accessible only by flights of steps and gate-ways. Here are
some delightful summer retreats, looking down upon the bright waters

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 475
below, enjoying a pure air, shaded by trees, and cooled by fountains,
which gush from the rocks. Over the entrance to one of these retired
mansions, I observed the following classical inscription :
" Hie gelidi fontes, hie mollia prata, Lycori,
Hie nemus, hie ipso tecum consumerer a^vo."
At this season such scenery was rather repulsive than inviting, present
ing the bleak aspect of a northern winter. The streamlets descend
ing from the walls and terraces were frozen into icicles of the most
fantastic forms, hanging like stalactites from the arches and roofs of
grottoes. Leaving the bank ofthe river, we climbed up by winding and narrow
streets to the summit of the hill, to examine the remains of the Roman
Aqueduct, by which the ancient town of Lugdunum, was supplied
with water. It is supposed to have been erected by Antony, or as
others say, by Agrippa. The ruins are massive, and in a tolerable
state of preservation, indicating the extent and substantial masonry of
the work. It would appear from the construction of this and similar
aqueducts, that the Romans were ignorant of one of the first princi
ples in hydraulics — that water will rise to the height of its source.
Gigantic piles of arches were reared, to conduct streams in an air
line across valleys from hill to hill, while the same quantity of water
might have been conveyed in pipes at a tenth part of the expense.
The Roman town, founded by Lucius Munatius Plancus, was large
and populous, covering the greater part of the hill on the right bank
of the Saone. Here Augustus for a time resided, and here one ofthe
Cffisars was born. Traces of a palace, a theatre, a temple; and a
school of eloquence have been discovered by antiquaries. Like Rome
itself, Lugdunum was burnt down in one night, under the reign of Ne
ro, and rebuilt by Caligula. The situation of the ancient town was
even more beautiful than that of the modern, occupying the summit of
the hill called Fouvieres, in the faubourg of St. Irene, overlooking the
whole of Lyons, and the beautiful vale of the Rhone for many miles
above and below.
On the very top of this hill an extensive cemetery has recently been
laid out, enclosed by a handsome railing, and planted with cypress, in
imitation of Pere La Chaise at Paris, to which it is scarcely inferior
in extent and in the taste of its sepulchral monuments. Hither all the
dead of Lyons are borne, and interred under the strictest regulations,
the graves and vaults being arranged in rows, shaded with shrubbery,
and exhibiting the attractive neatness of pleasure grounds. Several
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in weeds of woe, slowly climbing the hill one after another, bearing
flambeaux, and chanting the service in lugubrious tones of voice, had a
tendency to solemnize the feelings.
On our way from the cemetery to the little church of Notre Dame de
Fauvieres, we met a poor man who was doing penance by walking over a
rough , stony, and frozen path, without shoes or stockings. He had ap
parently just been to the chapel to say his prayers, and perhaps to receive
his sentence from the priest. What must be the character of ecclesi
astics who impose such a punishment for religious offences ; and how
degraded the people who quietly submit to it ! After such an expo
sure of the naked feet on a cold day in the depth of winter, the next
pilgrimage of this deluded votary will probably be to the cemetery in
stead ofthe chapel.
Notre Dame occupies the site of Trajan's Forum, standing upon
the verge of a cliff several hundred feet above the level of the Saone,
and forming one of the most picturesque objects in the vicinity of Ly
ons. It is a small edifice of the Gothic order, more remarkable for its
position, than for its architectural beauty. It was restored and dedi
cated to the Virgin by Pope Pius VII. on his return from Paris. The
walls of the interior are entirely covered with votive tablets, consisting
of models of vessels saved from shipwreck, consecrated banners, devo
tional pictures, and trinkets of every description. Among other things
is " a fragment ofthe true cross," (so says the inscription,) enclosed
in a metallic case. The terrace on the right of this church commands
an extensive and splendid prospect into the vale ofthe Rhone.
From the brow of this hill we descended by a flight of steps of more
than a thousand feet, to the lower town, and visited the Cathedral, a
venerable Gothic structure standing near the bank of the Saone. It
has a bold antique front, and several lofty towers. In the interior is
the celebrated clock made by an ingenious Swiss artist in the 16th
century. It stands in the nave of the church, in the shape of a pyra
mid, about twenty feet high, and surmounted by a cock that numbers
the hours by crowing and clapping its wings. This clock designates
not merely hours, minutes, and seconds, but days, months, and years ;
the course of the sun and the phases of the moon, together with all
the saints' days in the calendar. It is a complex and curious piece of
mechanism, though not more so than a time-keeper which I once ex
amined at Vogel's, opposite Washington Hall in -Broadway.
On our way home from this long ramble, which occupied the whole
day, we passed through the Place Belle Cour, a spacious and beauti
ful area extending from the Rhone to the Saone, through the heart of
(he city. It is lined with long ranges of handsome buildings, and bor-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 477
dered with rows of trees. In the centre ofthe square stands a colossal
equestrian statue of Louis XIV. which appeared to be a work of some
merit. Belle Cour is a fashionable promenade for the beauty and
taste of Lyons ; as also the Campus Martius, where all the military
parades take place, one of which was witnessed by us. The regiment
had not a very warlike appearance, all the men wearing gloves, which
made them bunglers at the manual exercises. It was the opinion of
our military companions, that the French troops do not generally sur
pass those ofthe United States in discipline. The music from a large
band was excellent, and drew together a multitude of both sexes far
greater than the number of soldiers.
In the course of the day, we examined the Hotel de Ville, or Town
House, which is a large pile of buildings, situated upon the place
Terreaux, and making a complete block between two streets. No part
of the edifice appears to any advantage, except the facade fronting the
square ; and even that seemed to us undeserving the praises which have
been lavished on itby tourists. It is said to be inferior to only one build
ing ofthekind in Europe. On the right and left of the principal entrance,
elevated on pedestals in the open vestibule, are ' two colossal bronze
statues, reclining upon lions. One of them is intended to represent
the Rhone and the other the Saone. Both the design and execution
are in good taste. The staircase leading to the second story of this
building is stately, and much admired for its architecture. . All the
public offices of the city are here concentrated. The apartments are
spacious and convenient ; but the edifice will in no respect bear a
comparison with the City Hall of New- York.
On the second day after our arrival, we took a valet de place and
went the rounds of the most celebrated manufactories at Lyons, com
prising those for drawing gold wire, and winding it upon silken threads,
to compose the braid of epaulettes ; and for weaving velvet, tapestry,
stockings, ribbons, and silk stuffs of every description. Velvet is wo
ven in the same manner as carpets, except that the rod is much small
er. Immense quantities of the article are annually made and sent to
all parts of the world, particularly to Russia. The process of wea
ving tapestry is complex and tedious, requiring the utmost attention
as well as patience.
Patterns of the richest figures and of the finest textures were shown
to us in the looms. It is a curious fact, that the most beautiful of
these fabrics are destined to the American market, to be consumed by
the plain Republicans of the United States. Others of an inferior
quality, but more gaudily ornamented with tinsel, are designed for
Spanish and Italian noblemen. Ribbons are despatched by the whole-

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sale. Twenty of them are warped in the same loom, and filled from
the same shuttle.
In the manufactures of Lyons I Was disappointed — not in the quali
ty of the articles ; for nothing can exceed in richness and beauty some
of the fabrics ; but in the manner of producing them. There are no
great establishments, such as are to be found in Great-Britain, or even
in the United States — no wealthy proprietors, who purchase the raw
materials, employ the labourers, and vend the goods. The merchant
is the all in all : he buys the raw silk, and gives it out to private fa
milies, to be manufactured in small parcels : his profits are immense,
and the poor workmen, who are obliged to accept of his own terms
or starve, can barely gain a livelihood by incessant toil. Our guide
tqok us to perhaps, a dozen houses, which were uniformly filthy, and
exhibited marks of extreme poverty and wretchedness. It was not
uncommon to see the kitchen, bedroom, and manufactory of the mi
serable tenant crowded into the same little apartment. In one in
stance we saw twenty bars for winding silk set in motion by one wheel,
which was turned like a tread-mill, by an emaciated individual. His
servitude is of the most abject and pitiable kind, continuing from 4
o'clock in the morning till 7 in the evening, for the slender pittance of
two francs a day. He is worn to a skeleton, and death will apparent
ly soon put an end to his toils. Such drudgery is unaccountable in an
age when steam engines and labour-saving machines are in general
use. The silk manufactures are sources of immense wealth to Lyons ;
but it is wealth to the few, and degradation to the many — a state of
society above all others to be avoided.
Having completed an examination of the workshops of industry,
we were next conducted to the Hotel Dieu, the great hospital at Lyons,
and said to be the first establishment of the kind in France. It is a
noble edifice, of the Ionic order, extending along the bank of the
Rhone, crowned by a lofty dome, and exhibiting a front of much archi
tectural grandeur. The principal stair-way is magnificent, and the
apartments spacious, airy, and commodious, though perhaps too much
crowded for comfort at certain seasons. There are 1500 beds in the
several wards, and about 6000 patients are annually received. Twenty
young physicians are generally in attendance. An extensive pharma
cy is connected with the Hospital from which the city is supplied with
medicines of the best quality, and the profits of which go far towards
supporting this valuable charity. The superintendent politely con
ducted us through all the wards, the theatre for operations, the hall for
convalescents, and the kitchen. Groups of the poor were seated
round the fires, and looked both clean and comfortable. In connexion

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 479
with the Hospital, is St. John's Hall, a large apartment where persons
may find good beds, board, and medical attendance for 30 sous a day.
It is designed for the use of strangers, and for citizens who are able to
support themselves at a moderate expense.
From the Hotel Dieu, we crossed the Rhone to the large and popu
lous faubourg on the left bank, called Guillotiere, but considered as a
part of the city. ' It consists chiefly of a broad and beautiful avenue
denominated the Cours Bourbon, running parallel to the river, and
lined with handsome buildings. At a short distance On "the right, is a
spot rendered memorable by the massacre of 6000 persons, amidst the
bloody scenes of the Revolution, on the 25th of August, 1793. They
were buried in a common grave. An odd,, misshappen kind of mau
soleum has lately been erected over their ashes. The front is in the
form of a pyramid, behind which is a small temple of bad architecture,
and yet in an unfinished state. Beneath is a dark and gloomy vault,
filled with piles of skulls, and an inscription scarcely legible for the
want of light. It is a disputed point among the citizens of Lyons,
whether this monument is in good or bad taste : an unprejudiced
stranger Will meet with no difficulty in deciding the question.
By a strange sort of grouping; the " Elisees Lyonnais," or Lyon-
ese Pleasure-grounds, are located within a few rods and in plain sight
of this .mausoleum ! With a sentimental people, (and surely the city
of Rcusseau ought to sustain that character,) such an association of
objects would be disagreeable, the intrusive scenes of gaiety breaking
in apon the repose of the tomb, and the sepulchres of the dead poison-
iig the festive joys of the. living. In these elysian fields, which by no
means enjoy the eternal spring, perennial verdure, and soft skies of the
poet's heaven, are amusements more consonant with the climate than
with the designation of the grounds — a Russian Mountain, with all
the appurtenances for descending the inclined plane in chariots, after
the manner ofthe Muscovites. To complete the image of a northern
winter, the gardens at the time of our visit were perfectly desolate,
and the trees beautifully frosted with congealed spray from the Rhone.
During the summer months, this is said to be a favourite promenade,
thronged every night with the votaries of fashion and pleasure. ,
On the following morning I rose at an early hour, and had a solitary
ramble up the wintry banks of the Saone, to Isle Barbe, two and a half
miles from Lyons. A wide and excellent road runs close to the mar
gin of the river the whole way. The hills and rocks on the right, as
well as the opposite shores, sprinkled with white buildings, are ex
tremely picturesque. A mile or two from town is a little port, which
is the rendezvous for boats navigating the Saone between Chalons

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and Lyons. A fleet of at least a hundred were moored along the
strand. Among the number was a steam-boat, the only one observed
on these waters.* He Barbe is a small but romantic island* girt by
the green wave. The lower end of it is flat and covered with woods,
while the upper part rises into a bluff, crowned with several handsome
buildings and Gothic towers. Charlemagne is said to have been so
enamoured of the charms of this spot, as to have selected it for the
place of his retirement from the throne. He even went so far as to
purchase books for his library. These shores were also the favourite
haunts of Jean Jacques Rousseau, where the vales, rocks, and foun
tains which he loved are still pointed out to the traveller.
In passing through a small village upon the banks of the Saone, a
novel scene arrested my attention : — it was the bearing of the host or
sacred symbols through the streets. The procession consisted of a
ragged boy, who at intervals rang a bell, like a crier of sales or lost
goods — a priest in his white robes carrying the consecrated emblems
of his faith, and chanting in a melancholy tone of voice — and a soli
tary, squalid old man, who hobbled after in all the decrepitude of age.
Such a religious spectacle, in which there was neither dignity nor so
lemnity, appeared to me like mummery, and so it seemed to be regard
ed by the villagers, who permitted it to pass unheeded.
I returned to Lyons by the great market road, which leads along the
high ridge of land between the two rivers, elevated several hundred
feet above the water. On this route is situated the populous faubwrg,
called La Croix Rousse, which overhangs the north part of the city,
and looks far down the vale of the Rhone. The heights terminate
abruptly, and the streets forming the descent into the town are so pre
cipitous, as to be impassable with carriages. On the brow of the emi
nence is a fine area denominated Place Grande, planted with trees, and
bordered by handsome ranges of buildings, new and neat in compari
son with other parts of the city.
On a subsequent day, I made another excursion up the right bank of
the Rhone, along the quay St. Clair, and the magnificent terraced road
leading to Geneva. Immense sums of money have been here expend
ed, in constructing an embankment fifteen feet in height, and of suffi
cient strength and solidity to withstand the impetuous current of the
river, which at certain seasons descends headlong from themountain-
ous region above, and threatens to sweep away every thing in its course.

* Others have since been added by the enterprise of Mr. Church, American
Consul at Geneva, who has steam-boats running on the rivers and lakes of France,
Italy, and Switzerland.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 48 1
It here makes a bold turn, and strikes the shore at nearly right angles.
The scenery in this direction is highly picturesque. Houses, hanging
gardens, and terraces, rise stage above stage to the summit of the hills,
several hundred feet above the level of the water. One or two lodges
arid Chinese temples,, rearing their fantastic turrets among the trees,
crown the heights.
Winding up one ofthe terraces, and often turning to enjoy the beau
ty ofthe prospect below, I climbed to the top of these hills, and thence
paid a visit to the Botanic Garden, situated on the declivity, midway
between the two rivers, and within a few minutes walk of the centre of
the town. The enclosure contains an area of fourteen acres, occu
pying the site of the monastery of the Desert, on the hill of the Car
melites. Its surface is beautifully broken into gentle undulations, in
tersected by winding walks, and filled with trees, shrubs, and plants of
every variety, among which the evergreen abounds. The entrance is
by double spiral terraces, climbing to the brow of the eminence by a
moderate acclivity. At the portal stands a bust of the Abbe Rozier
a distinguished naturalist, who was a native of Lyons. Besides the
utility of this garden in a scientific point of view, it forms a charmino-
retreat for the inhabitants of a crowded city, to whom it is always
open, but guarded by strict regulations. How much would a similar
institution, located on the banks of one of our great rivers, contribute
to the health, comfort, and embellishment of New- York.
Public squares or places are even more numerous, in proportion to
the extent ofthe city, at Lyons than in Paris. Not less than sixty are
scattered over an area, which is scarcely half as large as that of New-
York, though the population is about the same. Were it not for these
openings, to give circulation to the air, and like windows to furnish
light to the confined, obscure blocks of building, the inhabitants could
hardly see or breathe. None of the squares except those already men
tioned, have much to boast of in point of beauty or ornament. On the
Place des Cordelieres stands a column surmounted by a colossal figure
of Urania, who holds in her right hand an index, (much resembling a
ladle,) to designate the meridian of the city. The column is inscribed
with the signs of the zodiac and other astronomical characters.
Fronting the Place Terreaux is the Academy of Fine Arts, which
presents a handsome fa§ade. It is a quadrangular edifice, with ar
cades and galleries extending round an open court in the centre. We
paid it a visit on one of the public days, when its halls were filled with
visitants of both sexes, who appeared to be principally of the lower
classes, and intent on amusement rather than instruction. The walls
of the vestibule are covered with paintings of flowers in the French
vol. i. , 61

482 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
style. To this succeeds a gallery of pictures, which did not strike us
very forcibly, after our recent visit to the-Louvre and the Luxembourg.
A third hall contains a numerous and valuable collection of antiquities,
found in the department of the Rhone. The arcades on the ground
floor are filled with Roman sarcophagi, taurobolic altars, mile-stones,
fragments of statues, sepulchral monuments, cinerary urns, and lachry
matories, discovered amidst the ruins of the ancient city. Of these
the altars for the sacrifice of bulls are the most peculiar and interesting.
On the front is sculptured the head of the victim, entwined with fillets ;
and on the sides are the sacred implements used by the priest in the
expiatory offering.
In customs and manners, amusements and fashions, the Lyonese
bear a. strong resemblance to the Parisians. Half of the inhabitants
live at the coffee-houses, which are fitted up in the same style, and are
governed by presiding females in the same manner as those ofthe me
tropolis. There is, however, one point of difference of some im
portance to the comfort of the visitant. At Paris all the cafes where
smoking is allowed are marked by the word " estaminet ;" but at
Lyons this distinction does not prevail, with one or two exceptions,
and a person is obliged to sip his coffee enveloped in a cloud of tobac
co smoke, as dense as that which, according to Knickerbocker,
shrouded the good Dutch settlement at Communipaw. Every one
seems to be in the habit of smoking, without regard to time or cir
cumstance. You cannot walk five rods in the most fashionable parts
of the city, without meeting people with pipes in their mouths. The
custom of gambling is equally prevalent at the coffee-houses. It is
odd enough to see gentlemen, after taking coffee at 8 o'clock in the
morning, sit down to a card-table, instead of hastening to the busi
ness of the day.
There are two theatres in town, both of which we attended. The
largest is a handsome building, finished in a peculiar style. It has no
seats in the pit ; and those who choose to go there must stand up
during the whole performance — a degree of fatigue which more than
balances the pleasure, unless the actors and the play are commonly
better than they were on the evening of our attendance. The other
theatre is at the Place des Celestins, which is very far from being a
celestial place. It is open every night for the representation of low
comedy arid farces. The taste for amusements of this character is so
prevalent, as to have driven the company of the Grand Theatre into
the same line, although designed for better things. It is an unac
countable moral phenomenon, that during the Revolution, when the
city was in constant commotion, and one might suppose a relish for

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 483
public amusements would cease, amidst scenes of outrage and blood
shed, two other theatres were supported, which died as soon as tran
quillity was restored. An unusual taste for pleasures of all kinds
prevailed at Paris during' the same period.
On Sunday I attended public worship at one of the fifty Roman
Catholic churches in the city. The audience was small, and con
sisted chiefly of women and children. There are no fixed seats in
any of the French churches ; and a person who wishes to sit must give
a sous to an attendant for a chair, stacks of which are kept in the
vestibule. After saying mass, a priest clad in his black robes and silk
cap ascended the desk, and made an animated popular harangue to
his congregation, who did not manifest much solemnity of counte
nance or feeling. The discourse appeared to be extempore and dis
connected, unworthy the country of Fenelon, Saurin, and Massilon.
In returning to the hotel, I witnessed a scene which few travellers
have probably ever met at Lyons. The quay of the Rhone was
thronged with people of both sexes, assembled to see a collection of
boys skate upon the river, the waters of which are seldom frozen.
After such a spectacle, there was no longer any ground for astonish
ment at the fact of Caesar's crossing the Rhine with his army on the
ice — an historical incident which has been often cited to prove that
the climate of Europe has undergone a radical change. In France
the intensity of cold has been greater the present winter, than has been
known within the recollection of the oldest persons living.
Amidst the severity of the frost, our three American companions,
some of whom at least had been seasoned by every variety of climate,
hot and cold, humid and dry, set out at 7 o'clock in the evening, to
ride all night on their way to Italy, over Mount Cenis, with the hope
of reaching Venice before the great day of the Carnival. This hardy
attempt to cross the Alps, like Hannibal in the depth of winter, in de
fiance of snow-storms, glaciers, and avalanches, drew forth the pa
thetic expostulation which Virgil puts into the mouth of his friend
Gallus, addressed to one who was about to encounter the same hard
ships : " Tu procul a patria, nee sit mihi credere tantum !
Alpinas, ah dura ! nives et frigora Rheni
Me sine sola vides. Ah ! te ne frigora lajdant !
Ah ! tibi ne teneras glacies secet aspera plantas !"
To which one of our party added the following very free impromptu
translation, by way of a valedictory :

484 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Mad, monstrous purpose ! far from friends and home*.
O'er Alpine rocks and wintry wastes to roam !
But since resolv'd, Heaven send ye fleet traineaux,
To skim the glaciers and Mont Cenis' snows :
Safe be your passage through the icy realm,
No storms impede, no avalanche o'erwhelm !
My friend and myself, less eager to witness the noisy revelries of
the Carnival, and less prepared to brave the horrors of an Alpine win
ter, concluded to descend the vale of the Rhone, and seek a refuge
from the frosts in the south of France, seduced perhaps in some mea
sure by the bewitching notes of nightingales, which warble so sweetly
the whole year — in the pages of Galignani's guide-book. The resi
due of our visit at Lyons was rendered pleasant, by an acquaintance
incidentally formed at Table d'Hote, (resembling one of our public
tables,) with a young Russian Count, to whom the American name
was a sufficient recommendation. He remarked that in the United
States alone, is liberty enjoyed or properly understood. One of his
distant relatives was a volunteer in our revolution. He gave us much
precise and valuable information, respecting the present state of Rus
sia, and the characters of the two brothers of Alexander, whom he
had often seen. In his opinion, Constantine is a man of much more
talent than Nicholas. The former is a bold, brave, and ambitious
prince ; a soldier in his manners, and a favourite with the people ; the
latter has never manifested much ability, is moderate in his views, and
pacific in his temperament. Nicholas is now about thirty, married to
a Polish princess, and has two or three children.
One of my last walks in Lyons was to visit the former residence of
the celebrated Louise Charly, known under the name of the Belle
Cordiere, from the profession of her husband. She is represented as
another Sappho. Her personal accomplishments, the enchantment
of her voice, her poetical talents, and the fascinations of her taste,
drew around her all the literati of the city. The house is yet stand
ing in which she used to hold her evening parties once a week, and
charm the social circle, with the flashes of her fancy aud the display
of her colloquial powers. Such was her fame as to give name to the
street in which she lived. Her memoirs, with specimens of her poe
try, have recently been published at Lyons.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 485
LETTER XLII.
ROUTE TO AVIGNON— VALE OF THE RHONE  VIENNE  ST. VALLIER 
TAIN  VALENCE  MONT VENTOUX  ORANGE  AVIGNON  CARNIVAL
 TOMB OF LAURA  EXCURSION TO VAUCLUSE. February, 1826.
On the 6th we left Lyons in the Diligence for Avignon ; a distance
of one hundred and fifty miles. Our departure from the city was across
the Rhone, and through the faubourg of Guillotiere, alluded to in a
former letter. As the suburbs in this direction had already been seen,
a ride of an hour or two by starlight probably did not occasion the
loss of many interesting objects. The day dawned, the morning
opened, and the sun rose pleasantly upon rural and highly picturesque
scenery, composed of woody hills, retired vales, and scattered vil
lages, skirting the banks of the Rhone, eight or ten miles below
Lyons. Farther on, the country becomes more rugged, and the soil
barren. The coach reached Vienne at 9 o'clock, where we took breakfast.
This town was the capital of the warlike tribe of the Allobrages, so
often mentioned in the commentaries of Cassar. It became an im
portant place, after falling into the hands of the Romans, and it is
yet full of antiquities. The remains of one or two old fortresses,
upon the brow Of a precipitous and craggy hill impending over the
city, present a romantic view. Near by are the ruins of an amphi
theatre. But the most interesting object at Vienne is the magnificent
quay, which stretches along the Rhone, whose sea-green waters here
sweep down with a bold and impetuous current. A rock is shown near
the shore, whence it is said Pontius Pilate threw himself and put an
end to his existence. He was banished hither by Tiberius Cassar.
Vienne was long the rival of Lyons, the latter being a colony from the
former. Vestiges of ancient jealousy still exist between the two
places, although they have long ceased to wage a competition in trade,
the one containing a population of only 15,000, and the other
150,000. On leaving the town we passed the cathedral, a venerable gothic
pile, with two stately towers rising amidst smaller turrets. Seated up
on a plain, between the road and the river, is an ancient and curious
monument, supposed by some to be the mausoleum of a distinguished
Roman. It is quadrangular at the base, with four open arches. Tra-

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dition refers it to the age of Severus, or even as far back as the reign
of Augustus.
A lofty range of mountains extends along the right bank ofthe Rhone,
as far as the eye can reach, the summits being snow-clad, and the sides
girt with terraces of vineyards, which at a distance have the appearance
of natural strata. The left shore of the river is flat, with glimpses of
the Alps in the distance, basking like white clouds in the morning sun.
Nearly the whole of this region is appropriated to the cultivation of
the vine and the mulberry, imparting a uniform aspect to the scenery.
The soil is thin, gravelly, and apparently not very fertile, though by in
dustry rendered productive. Almost every post brought us to a region
celebrated for some new species of wine. The mulberry tree is plant
ed in orchards, grows to the height of fifteen or twenty feet, with a
spreading top, not unlike the butternut of our country. Its leaves, as
is well known, form the exclusive food of the silk-worm, one of the
staple commodities of the district.
The houses in all this region are uniform in their construction, being
built of rude stone and mortar, and the walls covered with a thick coat
of stucco. At a distance the white villages show to advantage, but
will not bear a close examination. The streets are generally narrow,
dirty, and often poverty-stricken, though the people do not appear to
be wanting in activity and industry. Fewer beggars were observed on
this road, than in any part of France.
The navigation of the Rhone is peculiar, and struck us as a novelty.
In descending, the rapidity of the current is sufficient to bear down
vessels without oars or sails ; but the ascent is extremely arduous, and
so expensive as almost to annihilate the advantages of a navigable
channel. In the course of the day, we saw strings of ten or twelve
boats fastened together and drawn along the shore at a snail's pace, by
a team of twenty horses. At certain seasons the torrent is so head
long, as to obstruct all navigation in either direction. The margin of
the river, for the greater part of the way, is composed of banks of peb
bles and barren sand, swept down by the floods.
At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we reached the town of St. Vallier,
situated in the midst of a fertile plain, abounding with fruit trees of
various kinds, and producing a large kind of chestnut, called marrons
de Lyons, famous in Paris, as well as in all the south of France. Per
sons make a business of roasting this kind of nut, along the side-walks
of the metropolis and other towns, selling it while hot as a luxury to
the passenger. It is about twice the size of an American chestnut, and
not unlike it in taste.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 487
Soon after leaving St. Vallier, we rode for a mile or two along a ter
race, impending over the turbulent and azure waters of the Rhone,
with high and rugged hills on the left. Several of the eminences are
crowned with ruined fortresses, looking down upon the vale, and pre
senting many picturesque views. At one point a village literally over
hangs the wave, which dashes with the grandeur of the ocean on the
rocks beneath. This is perhaps the most romantic part of the vale of
the Rhone. Just at twilight the coach reached the village of Tain,
pleasantly situated on both sides of the river, and connected by a state
ly bridge. It carries on an extensive trade in Hermitage and Cote
Rotie wines, celebrated for their excellence and produced in great
quantities in the neighbourhood.
Soon after leaving this place, we crossed the Isere, a large and ra
pid branch of the Rhone, with which it unites a mile or two below the
ferry. Its banks are celebrated in the wars of the Romans, and sub
sequently of the Goths. A battle was here fought by Camillus, in
which something like a hundred thousand were left upon the field.
The low and barren shores of the stream are so swept by torrents from
the Alps at certain seasons, that no bridge will stand, and the river is
crossed in the same way as Schoharie Creek, by cables extended from
large timbers on either side. It was so dark, that the cordage could
not be seen, and the boat appeared to glide across without oars or sails,
while the creaking of the iron rings in the air over our heads was at
first mistaken for the shrill cry of a bird of prey, hovering in darkness
above the stream. /
At 8 o'clock in the evening, we arrived at the large town of Va
lence, containing a population of fifteen thousand. Here Pope Pius
VI. died in 1799, while an exile from the papal throne. His remains
were interred in the Cathedral, and honoured with a mausoleum from
the chisel of Canova. A trifling circumstance afforded us an oppor
tunity of seeing with what grace a pretty French woman could play
the termagant. She and her henpecked husband were journeying
from Paris to Nismes by the way of Lyons. By mistake he had en
gaged passages in the wrong coach, in con/equence of which she
would be kept up another night. On discovering the error, the
restraints of a public table and of a large circle of strangers did not
prevent the sallies of her anger, and her open reproaches, which he
bore with philosophical coolness. The passengers took sides with
the combatants, and made it an affair of as much moment, as a na
tional revolution. At every hotel the discussion was revived with the
same warmth, till the moment of our separation at Avignon. The
versatility of the French language and the rapidity of French enuncia-

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tion are admirably adapted to the purposes of a termagant. Here
sound is emphatically an echo to the sense ; and Homer's animated
picture of the domestic strife between Jupiter and Juno would bear
no comparison with the passionate and astounding vehemence of this
Gallic Xantippe !
Our journey, as it is necessarily the case with travellers in the Dili
gence, was continued all night. At four o'clock in the morning, we
reached Montelimart, a large town, the first in France where the pro
testant religion was preached and established. The glimmering of
wasted lamps afforded a glance at its narrow and antique streets. A
pause to change horses, and the chilliness of the night, induced us to
step into the kitchen of a large old-fashioned hotel, the colossal fire
place of which, ornamented with regular Gothic pillars, was sadly
disproportioned to the quantity of fuel. The smell of garlic with
which almost every house in France is strongly imbued, caused a pre
cipitate retreat, suffering from cold being more tolerable than a tor
ture of the senses.
A bright sunny morning found us traversing a wide plain enclosed
by an amphitheatre of hills, with snow-capt peaks of the Alps in the
distance on the left. At the village of Pierrelatte, a lofty ridge of
mountains terminates in bold, rugged cliffs, near the bank of the
Rhone. The crags of gray rock overhanging the town are crowned
with ruins, and in some places rude habitations seemed to have been
scooped out of the perpendicular bluff. From the beautiful plain
which the road traverses after leaving this village, there is a fine view
of Mont Ventoux, or the Mountain of the Winds, at the distance of
several miles to the left. It is the highest hill in all this region, its
snowy top being often lost in the clouds, while its base is covered
with perennial verdure. Petrarch climbed to its summit in the year
1336. He has given an amusing account of his excursion in a letter
to Father Dennis, written in a cottage at the foot of the mountain,
on a bright moonlight evening. Seated upon the highest peak, he
says his eye insensibly turned towards Italy, his native country, and
rested upon the barrier ^through which the proud enemy of the Ro
mans, (Hannibal) hewed a passage. The Mediterranean was dis
tinctly seen ; the Rhone glided beneath him ; and the clouds were at
his feet. " Never," exclaims he, " was there a more extensive, va
riegated, and enchanting prospect!" His letter relates an incident
which seemed so marvellous, that he thought it necessary to call God
and his brother, (the companion of his tour,) to bear witness to its
truth. On opening the Confessions of St. Augustine, which had
been taken with him to aid his solitary meditations, his eye accident-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 489
ally fell on the following passage : — " Men go far to observe the sum
mits of mountains, the waters of the sea, the beginnings and the
courses of rivers, the immensity of the ocean ; but they neglect them
selves!" Such a lesson, learned amidst the solitudes of Ventoux,
made a deep impression upon his heart, and augmented his sense of
guilt arising from his unconquerable passion for Laura.
At a milder season, and under more favourable circumstances, we
might have been tempted to follow the footsteps of Petrarch to the
summit of this mountain. But the mistral, a keen, piercing wind
from the north-west, yet whistled round its bleak top, and swept the
plain, which the fancy of certain tourists has clothed in unfading beau
ty. " Nothing," says one of our itineraries, " can equal the climate
and landscapes of Orange ; here the eyes are ravished and the imagi
nation feasted ; here we seem to forget the world, and wish to remain
forever !" Not so with us ; a large dirty town, bearing the marks of
decay, was entered without emotion, and left without regret. In a
field near the northern gate is an ancient monument sixty feet in
height, with triple arches at the bottom, supposed to have been
erected by Marius, whose name it bears, in commemoration of his
victories and triumphs. There are some other antiquities in the town,
such as the ruins of theatres, aqueducts, and baths, indicating that
Orange was a large and important place in the time of the Romans.
A few miles farther on, we crossed the track of Hannibal in his
march from Spain into Italy. No traces of his pathway after the pas
sage ofthe Rhone are to be found, and his route over the Alps is mere
matter of conjecture. Instead of impressing the footsteps of his army
upon solid masses of rock, by dint of vinegar and fire, his path seems to
have led through wastes of snows, which the next sun or the next storm
obliterated forever. The investigations of antiquaries and tourists will
probably never be able to throw any new light upon a subject, which the
Roman historians have left in doubt and uncertainty. Select what
point you will, the achievement does not become the less daring and
incredible. From the broad and fertile plain consecrated by the heroic enter
prise of the Carthagenian, we caught the first view of Avignon, seat
ed round the rock of Dons, on the left bank of the Rhone, lifting its
massive ramparts, its castellated heights, its numerous antique towers
and steeples above the surrounding vale, and the river which washes
its foundations. The situation of the town is beautiful, and its struc
tures yet exhibit the display of papal magnificence, lavished by the
Popes during a residence here of seventy-two years. Our entrance
was by a circuitous route, leading half way round the city, immedi-
vol. I. 62

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ately under the walls, and along an immense quay, planted with trees,
apparently designed rather for a public walk than as the seat of com
merce. The bulwarks and gates are in as good repair, and as strongly
barricaded, as they probably were in the fourteenth century, though at
present there seems to be little danger of capture or pillage.
We arrived at 2 o'clock in the afternoon, and obtained excellent
accommodations at the Hotel de l'Europe. It happened to be the last
day of the Carnival, the great festival of the Catholics. As Avignon,
was long the residence of the papal see, and accustomed to all the
pomp, and parade of the ecclesiastical court, its inhabitants imbibed
a taste for religious ceremonies and spectacles, which continues to
this day, and gives to the Carnival as much eclat as in an Italian town.
Soon after our arrival, a long procession composed of the military, of
persons in masks, and of a multitude of both sexes, accompanied by
a full band of music, paraded through the principal streets. To close
the splendid and noisy exhibition, a handsome lady and one or two
children, arrayed in gorgeous attire and decked with wreaths of flowers,
rode through the town in a triumphal car, strewing oranges and other
presents to the crowd as they passed. The sashes were raised, and
all the beauty and taste of Avignon appeared at the windows. Fes
tivity and mirth, attended as is usual with a degree of licentiousness,
reigned through the ancient head-quarters of popery ; and enough of
the Carnival was seen by us, without being at Rome or Venice.
More interesting occupations engrossed the afternoon. The guide
of the hotel, who seemed offended that he should be considered old
at the age of three score and ten, conducted us over the town and
pointed out the the various objects of curiosity it contains. Our sur
vey commenced with an ascent to the Rock of Dons, rising to the
height of several hundred feet in the midst of the city, whence was
obtained a charming view of the Rhone winding through the vale be
neath, together with the distant mountains of Provence and Langue-
doc. Two stately bridges cross the river, one of them of stone
and now in ruins ; the massive and dilapidated Castle of Villeneuve,
on the opposite shore ; as also the venerable towers elevating them
selves around the spectator, contribute much to the variety and gran
deur of the picture.
On the declivity, not far from the summit of the eminence, stands
the Palace of the Popes, a colossal edifice, three stories high, present
ing a majestic front, but containing little which can interest the travel
ler. The exterior is in bad taste, and bears the marks of decay.
One end of it is occupied as the Cathedra], in front of which stands a
lofty crucifix, bearing a bleeding image of the Saviour, attended by

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 491
four angels. A group of poor women were kneeling upon the steps
of the pedestal, muttering their prayers, regardless of the gaiety in
which others were indulging.
Opposite the papal Palace in Avignon, stands another large pile of
buildings, once used as the mint of the Romish Court. Its front is
richly ornamented, and in architectural beauty far surpasses the former
residence of the pontiffs. Not far hence, once stood the church of
St. Clair, in which Petrarch first saw Laura at her devotions, and be
came a captive to her charms. The chapel was demolished many
years since, and a shop erected on its site, where tape and calicoes are
now most unpoetically vended.
Another memorial of. the two immortal lovers has been better pre
served. In a garden near the church of the Cordeliers is the tomb
of Laura, where it is said her ashes really repose. The hallowed
ground is marked by five little pyramids of cypress, shading in a most
picturesque manner a fragment of a white marble pillar rising beneath
their boughs, and resting upon a neat, but unadorned and uninscribed
pedestal. Much taste is displayed in the elegant simplicity of the
monument. By a singular and unpremeditated coincidence, the wa
ters of Vaucluse, drawn from the Sorgia, and conducted through
Avignon for mechanical purposes, murmur by the tomb, as if anxious
to lull the sleep of beauty, and pay back the debt of gratitude for
their fame. Unsettled as are the claims of Laura, in the first place
to any thing beyond a poetical existence ; and in the second place, to
those qualities which entitle her to remembrance and respect ; yet
Petrarch has imparted such an interest to the real or fictitious mistress
of his affections, that the mind is irresistibly led to pay homage, per
haps to the shadow of a shade. Our attachment to her dust was al
most as great as that of the poet to her living charms ; and we linger
ed about the tomb till the approach of twilight, plucking twigs of
cypress, as rehcs from the little shrine.
It was our wish to visit the Museum at Avignon, which is said to
contain many local antiquities and curiosities ; as also the Hospital
and Lunatic Asylum ; but in consequence of the great festival, every
body was engaged abroad, and the public institutions were all closed.
A walk, therefore, across the bridge of the Rhone into Languedoc,
a distance of nearly a mile, and an attendance of a few hours at the
play-house in the evening, concluded the occupations and amusements
of the day. The theatre is new and one of the finest we have seen
in France. There was a large, well-dressed, and genteel audience,
although there seemed to be nothing very attractive in the talents of
the company or the merits of the play. From the numerous circle

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of ladies, a person might have selected several faces to which the lover
of Laura would not perhaps have disdained the tribute of a sonnet.
A little circumstance occurred in the course of the evening, illustra
tive of the politeness of the French. One of us left an umbrella in
the box, not thinking of it until the rain without reminded us of the
loss. On returning to look for it in the crowd, we found that a French
gentleman, notwithstanding the impediment of a lady hanging upon
his arm, had been at the trouble of delivering the article for safe keep
ing to the man at the bar of the coffee-room, who promptly restored
it. Much politeness and affability were also manifested towards us
by a party of ladies and gentlemen at the public table of the hotel, to
whom the American name seemed a recommendation, and who la
vished their praises upon the land of Washington and Franklin. La
Fayette has riveted the golden chain of friendship, which binds the
liberal party in France to the republicans of the United States.
The eighth of February is entered in my calendar as one of the hap
piest days of my life ; for it was passed in visiting the Vale of Vau
cluse, a retreat rendered interesting by whatever is beautiful in nature,
elegant in letters, and romantic in love. Petrarch used to say, that
he was almost angry to find any thing so enchanting out of Italy ;
since it had a tendency to weaken his attachment to his native coun
try. I can so far unite in the sentiment as to say, that could the
charms of any foreign scenery shake the constancy of my affection
for my native shores, the rocks, solitudes, and waters, the bloom and
verdure, the seclusion and rural quiet of this little valley, scarcely sur
passed by that which the imagination of Johnson has created in the
pages of Rasselas, would present the strongest temptations. Here if
any where on earth might a restless spirit lay down the burden of its
cares and be at peace, finding a retirement so tranquil, that there
would be but a slight transition from the repose of a cottage to that
of the grave. But the experiment has once been tried with so little
success, as to offer few inducements to a repetition ; and my enjoy
ment of such an elysium will probably be confined to a short and single
visit. Vaucluse is hidden among the hills, fourteen or fifteen miles in a
north-eastern direction from Avignon. Having made our arrangements
the evening previous, we left in a post-chaise at the dawn of day,
while the stars were yet bright in a cloudless and transparent firma
ment. The gradual advances of morning, from the gray twilight
to skies of the softest and richest hues, were delightful. At length
the sun rose in all its splendour, and poured a golden flood of light
upon the landscape and the battlements of the ancient city ,now seen

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 493
in the distance and receding from our view. From a green eminence,
crowned with orchards of olives, the eye catches a wide and enchant
ing prospect of the vale of the Rhone on one side, and on the other,
of a fertile plain, opening between the hills towards Vaucluse.
Passing the little white village of Moliere, seated upon the brow of
a hill of the same name ; and those of Tore and Gardam, occupy
ing the bosom of a rich valley beyond, we reached the banks of the
Sorgia at LTle, a pretty town standing upon both sides of a clear
stream, which leads the traveller to anticipate the purity and copious
ness of the fountain whence it emanates. Its noisy and limpid waters
bathe the very thresholds of some of the villagers, who from their
windows may see the trout playing upon the pebbly bottom. On
either bank groves of trees have been planted, and avenues for public
walks opened, embellished with a degree of taste seldom found united
with rustic simplicity.
Beyond L'lle, the country becomes more solitary. The path winds
through unfenced fields, bordering upon the right bank of the Sorgia,
which for some miles is lost sight of, till it again suddenly bursts upon
the eye of the visitant, in a beautiful cascade at the entrance of the
vale of Vaucluse. On one side of the falls, the rocks are high, bro
ken, and precipitous ; and on the other, there is but just room enough
for a path between the base of a ridge of hills and the margin of the
stream. The gorge opens in such a manner, that the valley and the
fountain are entirely secluded from the rest of the world, and cannot
be discovered, till the traveller finds himself in the bosom ofthe glen,
enclosed on every side by lofty, bald, and craggy mountains.
From the pass to the head of the valley is perhaps a mile and a half.
Along both sides of the Sorgia are narrow alluvial belts, clothed in
the liveliest green, and bordered by trees, among which was the almond
already in full bloom. Its flower is delicious in complexion as well
as in fragrance ; and was doubly grateful from being found in this se
questered retreat, as also for affording the first indications of the re
turn of spring. Vegetation was here several weeks in advance of the
adjacent country, owing to a southern exposure, to constant irrigation,
and above all to a security against the icy winds from the north. On
the day of our visit, the air possessed the temperature of May, and
the softest gales breathed around us. The same causes must operate
the whole year, and it may be doubted whether the frosts of winter
are ever severe in this sunny vale, embosomed in the form of a cres
cent among the hills.
Leaving our carriage at the small inn, which bears the name of
" The Two Lauras," and taking the landlord for a guide, we traced

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up the silver stream of the Sorgia to its -fountain. Nothing can be
more exquisitely beautiful. The water is clear as crystal, being as
perfectly transparent as air itself, and of such depth as to exhibit all the
hues of the rocky bed reflected from the surface of the current. We
counted several distinct colours, such as green, purple^ blue, and
white, blending by the most delicate shades, and forming the most
splendid piece of liquid mosaic imaginable. This is a striking pecu
liarity, which distinguishes the Sorgia from all other streams.
From the cascade already mentioned, at the outlet of the valley, to
the fountain, the current is the whole way so rapid as frequently to
break over the rocks ; and in several places are falls of considerable
height, the murmurs of which fill the glen and die away in echoes
among the hills. The confused and perpetual uproar, sent back upon
the ear in hollow reverberations from the cliffs, has an indescribable
effect in soothing the mind, and in lulling the feelings into a pleasing
melancholy. Sauntering along the green margin of the stream, we
often paused to read Petrarch, and to think how often he had watched
the descent and listened to the music of the same bright waters ! So
vivid are the impressions produced by the enchanting scene, that the
hills seem scarcely to have forgotten the name of Laura :
" Je redemandais Laure a l'echo du vallon,
Et l'echo n'avait point oublie ce doux nom.''
But I have not yet conducted the reader to the Fountain itself.
Let him approach with me, and gaze at the glassy, dark, and fathom
less abyss of waters, sleeping at the base of an impending cliff, which
rises to the height of about six hundred feet, and strikes the spectator
with awe. The semicircular basin, the chord of which is formed by
the shelving base of the mountain, is perhaps twenty feet in diameter.
Its bottom has never been reached by the longest lines. Not a wave,
nor a ripple, nor a bubble is seen upon the unbroken surface — nothing
save the reflected image of the crags overhanging the mirror, and of
shrubs of evergreen lodged in the crevices. The outlet of the foun
tain is double — sometimes subterranean, and sometimes pouring over
a bed of rocks at the surface of the ground, covered with long green
moss. At the time of our visit, the upper channel was perfectly dry,
being several feet above the level of the water. Our guide assured
us, that the channel often alternates in the course of a single night.
The subterranean current gushes out several rods below the fountain,
and all at once forms a river sufficiently large to be navigable with
boats. A literary society, manifesting more zeal than taste or judg
ment, have been at the expense of erecting a shapeless column near

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 495
the margin of the fountain, to perpetuate the names of Petrarch and
Laura ; as if the fame of the poet needed such a monument !
Crossing the stream at its source, curiosity prompted us to climb
the mountains which overhang the fountain and vale. But the effort
cost us dear. We were obliged to creep the greater part of the way
upon our hands and knees ; and so great was the fatigue, that one of
the party fainted on reaching the top of the hill, compelling the guide
to go in pursuit of water. The prospect was worth much, but would
hardly repay an adventure of this description. On the summit of the
rock impending over the Sorgia, are the ruins of a castle or chateau,
said by some to have been the house of Laura, and by others, a palace
built by the Bishop of Cavaillon. The latter opinion seems to have the
fairest claim to authenticity. Nothing now remains but the shattered
walls, perched upon the precipice, and forming a picturesque object
when seen from below.
Descending from the mountain by a route less arduous than the one
pursued in reaching the top, we visited the site of Petrarch's cottage,
at the base of a stupendous cliff, within a few paces of the river, and
directly under the mountain on the brow of which the prouder man
sion of Laura is said to have stood. A humble habitation covers the
ruins of the poet's residence. An old lady conducted us to a crystal
spring, gushing from beneath the rocks, and touching with a wand the
moss growing upon the side, several beautiful trout shot from the co
vert, and seemed to play in the fountain at the command of their mistress
for our amusement. These waters are said to have been hallowed by
the visitations of the muses, and the cool grotto to have been a fa
vourite haunt of their solitary and impassioned votary. The spring is
shaded by shrubs of laurel, branches of which the old lady permitted
us to pluck, as memorials of the consecrated retreat.
Opposite the bold and craggy projection of rocks, under which the
cottage of Petrarch was sheltered, is a little green island in the Sorgia,
once cultivated as his garden. It contains but a few rods of alluvial
ground, lying nearly on a level with the surface of the water, and kept
always verdant by irrigation. In one of his letters descriptive of Vau
cluse, Petrarch remarks — " I have made myself two gardens, which
please me marvellously ; I do not think they are to be equalled in all the
world: they are my transalpine Parnassus. One of these gardens is
shady, formed for contemplation, and sacred to Apollo. It hangs
over the source of the river, and is terminated by rocks, or places ac
cessible only to birds. The other is nearer my cottage, of an aspect
less severe, and devoted to Bacchus : and what is extremely singular,
it is in the middle of a rapid river. The approach to it is over a ridge

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of rocks, which communicates with the garden ; and there is a natural
grotto under the rock, which gives it the appearance of a rustic bridge.
Into this grotto the rays of the sun never penetrate. I am confident
it resembles the place where Cicero sometimes went to declaim. It
invites to study. Thither I retreat during the noon-tide hours. My
mornings are engaged upon the hills, and my evenings either in the
meadows, or in the garden sacred to Apollo."
Leaving a spot hallowed by so many interesting associations, and
passing under a long arch hewn out of the rock, we sauntered along
the left bank of the Sorgia to the rustic bridge thrown across the
stream, in the midst of the little village which rises in a picturesque
manner upon its shores. The houses are small, and in some cases
scarcely distinguishable from the cliffs and crags with which they are
incorporated. There are but few inhabitants, who derive their sup
port from the agricultural produce of the valley, and from the stock
offish with which the river is abundantly supplied. They are as sim
ple, mild, and inoffensive, in their manners, as they were in the age
of Petrarch, holding little intercourse with the rest of the world, and
blest with a happy rusticity.
Having spent the greater part of the day in rambling over this en
chanting and peaceful vale, we left it with regret late in the afternoon,
and returned to L'lle, where an excellent dinner of various kinds of
fish from the Sorgia was prepared for us, at the Hotel of Petrarch and
Laura. The apartment in which the repast was served up contained
no less than six portraits of the two lovers, suspended from the walls,
and tastefully ornamented with festoons of evergreen. Neatness and
comfort are happily blended in this small inn, and its classical dinners
contribute much to the pleasure of those who visit Vaucluse. To
add to the romantic adventures of the day, the coachman proved to
be a legitimate descendant of the Troubadours of Provence, and
amused us all the way home by chanting the sweet and plaintive bal
lads of his ancestors. There is a striking resemblance between the
simple music of this district and that ofthe Highlands of Scotland.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 497
LETTER XLIII.
RIDE TO MARSEILLES  SKETCH OF THE CITY.
February, 1826.
Immediately after our return to Avignon, on the evening of the 8th,
we took seats in the Diligence for Marseilles, prepared as usual to
travel all night, and dream ofthe charms of Vaucluse. Little was seen
or heard, save the glimpses of a few unimportant villages along the
road, and the murmurs of the Durance, till the coach reached Aix at
break of day on the following morning. The entrance into this large
and ancient town from the north is beautiful, and calculated to convey
a favourable, not to say a deceptive, impression of its importance. A
massive and handsoriie iron gate forms the barrier. On the right is "
a crucifix 20 feet in height, similar to the one at Avignon. The fre
quent exposure of the image of the Saviour, wearing the crown of
thorns, and the blood streaming down his naked body, however it may
serve to remind a portion of the multitude of the author of their reli
gion, cannot but be regarded as a barbarous custom.
From the portals of Aix, a broad, straight, and magnificent avenue,
resembling the Boulevards of Paris, bordered with dofible rows of ve
nerable elms, and lined with long ranges of stately buildings, opens
into the centre of the town. Along the sides of the walk, seats are
erected for repose, and several copious fountains pour forth streams
of pure water. That which terminates the vista is ornamented with
a colossal statue of Rene, king of Provence, and a patron of the Trou
badours, renowned for his skill in the fine arts, and beloved for his chi-'
valrous virtues. He and his queen descended to the simplicity of a
pastoral life, merely for the sake of rendering their subjects more hap
py. The monument, bearing two medallions on the sides with a clas
sical inscription in Latin, does credit to the taste of the inhabitants.
An hour was employed in walking over the town, the streets of
which are generally wide, and the houses well built. Some of the pub
lic edifices, such as the Hotel de Ville and the new county prison,
have an air of magnificence. The cathedral is a stately Gothic struc
ture, and one of the steeples rises to the height of 200 feet. This
place stands in the midst of an olive country, and its oils, manufactu
red in great quantities, are celebrated for their purity and excellence.
It carries on an active trade with Marseilles.
On leaving Aix we plunged into an ocean of fog, so dense that ob
jects could not be discerned at the distanceof ten rods from the coach.
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A bright sun at length broke through and dissipated the mist, disclo
sing a country richly clothed in olives and almonds, the latter of which
were now in bloom. The formation ofthe country is limestone, with strata
dipping towards the west. Along the road are numerous manufacto
ries of vitriol, which is one ofthe staple commodities ofthe district.
From the last post, the road descends by a rapid declivity the whole
way to Marseilles. An eminence within three miles of the town af
forded us a first and noble prospect ofthe deep blue waters ofthe Me
diterranean, slumbering beneath bright skies and a vernal sun, at the
bases of bold, calcareous mountains, which push their white promonto
ries far into the wave, and form a deeply indented coast. The view
came suddenly upon us, and was, therefore welcomed with the livelier
transports. Numerous white sails were descried at a distance, upon
the azure waste of waters. Seldom have I witnessed a scene, which
united more of grandeur and beauty. Something must be allowed for
the influence of association. The eye now rested for the first time
upon a sea, the shores and waves of which have from the earliest ages
been the theatre of great events.
We soon found ourselves in the suburbs of Marseilles, looking down
upon the city itself, stretching in magnificence beneath us. The ap
proach is splendid. An amphitheatre of lofty, broken, and chalky hills
rises on all sides, save that which is washed by the sea, enclosing a
basin of perhaps twenty miles in circuit. On the chord of the semi
circle, formed by the waters of the bay, stands the city, between which
and the foot of the mountains stretch the environs, composed of green
acclivities studded with white villas, chateaux, and gardens. The
houses are uniformly handsome, shaded with a profusion of evergreens,
and encircled with grounds in a high state of cultivation.
Passing through a long faubourg, we at length reached the Cours
St. Louis, a broad avenue which, in connexion with the Roman Road,
opens in a direct line through the whole extent of the town, a distance
of a mile or more, and is terminated at the farther extremity by a
handsome obelisk. In the widest part, this beautiful avenue is border
ed by trees and enclosed by barriers, to prevent the entrance of horses
and carriages, it being designed for a public walk. A street runs on
either side of it. Several copious fountains are among its ornaments.
At the hour of our arrival, the whole vista from end to end was throng
ed with a busy, bustling, and fashionable crowd, moving in every direc
tion, and presenting much such a spectacle as is witnessed in Broad
way at 2 o'clock of a bright April day. It gave us a very strong indi
cation of the populousness and activity of Marseilles. The street
leading from the Cours St. Louis to the Port, forming the thorough-

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fare between the seat of business and of pleasure, was if possible still
more crowded. Both the number and dresses of the people almost led
us to fancy ourselves again in. the metropolis. .
Excellent accommodations were obtained at the Hotel Beauveau,
which is in all respects one of the best public houses we have found
upon the continent. It is situated on a street ofthe same name, which
in point of magnificence and beauty will sustain a comparison with
the finest parts of Paris. The blocks of houses are four stories high,
ranged in an exact line, and finished in a style of great architectural
neatness. At the upper end of the street, terminating the view, stands
the Theatre, raised on an elevated basement, ascended by a lofty flight
of steps, and supported by a majestic colonnade in front. Almost the
first objects which struck us, while peeping from the windows of our
chambers, weie the American Coffee-House, and the United States
Coffee-House, on the opposite side of the way. The latter is a new
establishment, and the most splendid that has met our observation
in France, not excepting the Mille Colonne ofthe Palais Royal, which
it resembles, but surpasses in the brilliancy of its mirrors and other de
corations. These name-sakes and neighbours made us feel quite at
home, even before associations of a more elevated and interesting kind
had been formed at Marseilles, to remind us of our country.
Being settled to our minds and favoured by a delightful day, we
took a long stroll through the southern section ofthe town, to the hill
denominated Notre Dame de la Garde, traversing on our way Paradise"*
street and the Cours Bourbon, among the first in the city, and corres*
ponding in magnificence with those already mentioned. The latter is v
upwards of 100 feet in breadth, and terminates at the base ofthe e*mi-
nence in a splendid semi-circular terrace, with a gate- way and a beautiful
spiral walk bordered with evergreens, leading up the steep1 acclivity.
On the brow ofthe height, and ranging exactly with the Cours, stands
a stately monument erected in honour of Louis XVIII. in whose reign
these avenues and public walks were completed. The name of Bour
bon is inscribed on every object at Marseilles, save the hearts of the
people, who are republican to the core, whisper their sentiments in
murmurs of discontent, and seek only a fair opportunity of manifesting
their opposition to the reigning dynasty.
Pursuing the winding pathway by a constant ascent of something
like half a mile, resting frequently upon the seats erected for the re
pose of visitants, and sometimes pausing to examine the little shrines
dedicated to the Virgin along the walk, we at length reached the sum
mit of Notre Dame de la Garde, elevated several hundred feet above
the town, and crowned with a small chapel together with an old fort-

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ress. The battlements of the latter command an extensive view of
the whole region, both of land and sea, in the vicinity of Marseilles.
We here found ourselves in the centre of the amphitheatre of calca
reous hills mentioned above, making a bold sweep around the city,
and bathed on either hand by the bright waters of the bay. Below
lies the harbour filled with shipping ; and in , the offing, some six or
eight small islands lift their white and barren crags above the waves.
On one of them stands a prison, which was a place of exile during the
Revolution : the others are perfectly desolate. From this eminence, the
eye is able to survey at a glance the splendid panorama, which occu
pies the valley. The buildings are uniformly white, and the inter
vening patches of verdure of a deep green, forming a beautiful pic
ture, which at the hour of our ascent to Notre Dame was brightened
by pure skies, and glittering in the beams of a meridian sun. Ar
duous as was the walk to the top of this hill, which for a considera
ble part of the way is up a flight of steps hewn out of the rocks, the
visit was several times repeated, to see the sun set, twilight fade, and
the stars rise upon so fair a scene. Our observations had already
satisfied us, that in point of situation and external beauty, Marseilles
is much the finest town we had seen in France.
In descending from the eminence, a troop of some fifty friars, in
their black gowns, and triangular cocked hats, were observed lounging
upon the rocks and basking like alligators in the sun. They did not
appear to be on a pilgrimage to the shrine of " Our Lady," whither
her votaries often repair to pay their devotions ; but rather on an ex
cursion of pleasure, where they might indulge in a frolic, free from
restraint and unexposed to censure. Their vulgar levities, bursts of
loud laughter, and acts of rudeness towards one another would have
disgraced gentlemen even of a different cloth, and ill became the dig
nity of the holy brotherhood. Owing to the religious zeal of the
Dutchess D' Angouleme, and the disposition of the government to in
crease the influence of the Church, with the hope of rendering it sub
servient to state purposes, France is at present almost as much priest-
ridden, as it was before the Revolution. Monastic institutions are.
encouraged, ecclesiastical fraternities are multiplied, and the ear is
stunned with the ringing of bells during all hours of the day and
night. Swarms of ignorant, lazy, and frequently vicious priests are
quartered upon the people ; the veriest drones of society, serving no
other purpose than to aid the cause of legitimacy. The number both
of soldiers and ecclesiastics is much greater in the south of France,
than in the vicinity of Paris, since the sentiments and affections of its

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inhabitants are supposed to be less loyal, and not so fully under the
eye of the government.
On the day after our arrival, we visited and examined the harbour
of Marseilles, which is one of the finest I have ever seen. It is em
bosomed in the heart of the city, sufficiently capacious to contain
1200 sail, and deep enough for merchant ships of any hurthen to
come up to the very doors of the warehouses. The entrance is by a
narrow but safe channel between two natural promontories, defended
by the strong fortress of St. John on one side, and St. Nicholas
on the other. Thus surrounded, it enjoys a perfect security from the
winds and waves in the roughest weather ; and as there are no varia
tions of the tide, vessels may enter and depart a.t any season, or any
hour of the day.
The port lies in the form of a paralellogram, about which extends
for nearly the whole distance a magnificent quay of peculiar construc
tion, faced next the water with hewn stone, and paved at top with
tiles standing vertically. Vessels can come alongside and discharge
or take in their cargoes. This quay is in some places forty or fifty
feet in width, lined with handsome ranges of warehouses, shops, and
other buildings. It is kept perfectly clean, and what is very singular,
in winter it forms the fashionable promenade of the city. Here may
be seen ladies and gentlemen of the first rank and respectability.
taking their morning walks amidst sailors and fishwomen.
Facing the widest part of the quay, stands the Hotel de Ville,
serving the double purpose of a town-house and an exchange. The
front is stately and profusely ornamented with bas-relief of white mar
ble. It was constructed by the celebrated Puget, and is much admired
for its richness of design, though loaded with too many decorations to
please the eye. The exchange is on the ground floor. I attended
several meetings, (which take place between 5 and 6 o'clock in the
evening,) for the sake of observing the motley group of faces, com
plexions, and dresses assembled on this commercial aiena. Here
may be seen merchants not only from the several countries of Europe
and America, but Jews, Moors, Greeks, and Turks, all clad in their
national costumes. Some of the most wealthy and respectable citi
zens are of the scattered tribe of Israel. Perhaps there is not so
mixed a population in the world, as Marseilles possesses. Its hun
dred thousand inhabitants, though. a majority of them may be natives,
are made up of emigrants from every quarter of the globe, collected
for the purposes of trade. Even among the ladies, many distinct
races may be traced, from the blue-eyed German to the black-haired
brunette of Spain.

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Much as the commerce of Marseilles has declined since that pros
perous and proud period, when it monopolized the trade of the Le
vant, and indeed of nearly the whole of the Mediterranean, it is even
now considerable. Its haven is full of ships, and its streets resound
with the hum of business. Our own country appears to enjoy a libe
ral share of its foreign traffic. Not less than eight or. ten vessels
from various parts of' the United States were in port at the time of
our visit. Curiosity prompted me to go on board, partly for the
pleasure of treading American decks, and partly to make inquiries
into the nature and extent of our commercial intercourse with the
South of France. The exports consist of red wines, oil, olives, soap,
vitriol, drugs, coral, silks, and a great variety of small wares.
The amount of shipping owned at Marseilles is not great. Some
half a dozen new vessels were observed in progress upon the stocks.
Most of the navigation is carried on in foreign bottoms, and a large
proportion of the business is dorje on commission. The merchants of
France seldom embark in any of those adventurous speculations and
risks, so common in Great-Britain and the United States. Their
profits are small but certain. The consequence is, that the failure of
a mercantile house is of very rare occurrence. Amidst the tremen
dous crash, which within the last six months has shaken the credit of
England to its centre and threatened universal bankruptcy, the mer
chants and moneyed institutions of France have remained unmoved.
Financial and mercantile operations enjoy a stability and regularity,
not to be met with in any other country.
The public buildings of Marseilles are numerous. Two or three
days were occupied in going the rounds of the churches and hospi
tals, which present no peculiarities in architecture, ornament, or po
lice, sufficiently striking to justify me in entering into detail. The
most interesting of the churches is the Cathedral, which stands near
the Place Major, an elevated terrace by the sea shore in the oldest
part of .the city, where once rose a temple to Diana, who was the tu
telary goddess of the place, till the advent of Christianity. Some
vestige of her worship may still be traced in one of the public festi
vals, in which the sacred bull is led in triumph, having his head adorned
with fillets, and being accompanied by a child, who holds a mystic
roll in one hand, and with the other points to the skies. But the Ca
thedral has a still stronger claim to the notice of the traveller, from
its being associated with the memory of the celebrated Belzunce,
whose intrepid piety and philanthropy amidst the horrors of the
plague, in the year 1720, justly entitle him to the respect and venera
tion of posterity :

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" Why drew Marseilles' good bishop purer breath,
When nature sicken'd and each gale was death.''
One of the most stately edifices is the Observatory, three stories
high, occupying a prominent position, and appearing to great advan
tage from the hill of Notre Dame de la Garde. It was founded during
the reign of Louis XIV. whose" princely munificence is discernible
in many of the embellishments of the town. The almost perpetual
serenity of the climate and the transparency of the atmosphere in
the south of France, render it peculiarly favourable to astronomical
observations ; and hence the science of the stars has heen a favourite
pursuit with the Marsillians, from the age of Pythias, who was a na
tive of this town, to the present day. To a taste for astronomy and
the discoveries to which it has led, may in part be ascribed improve
ments in navigation and commerce. Pythias and Enthymenes pushed
their geographical adventures into the tropical and polar seas, whither
their less scientific successors have followed them on voyages of traf
fic and gain.
Marseilles possesses a full share of those public institutions, which
meliorate, instruct, and embellish society. Its charities are nume
rous, and reflect credit upon the humanity of its inhabitants. Among
these is the Rumford Society, whose object is to dispense food to the
poor upon the most economical plan. The town can boast of many
scientific and literary associations, that have been the nurseries of ge
nius and talent. An extensive museum is the depository of works of
art, as well as ofthe few remaining antiquities ofthe district ; and the
cultivation of natural science has been encouraged by the establish
ment of a Botanic Garden. The former of these institutions is situ
ated in a quarter of the city, which is designated by the name of the
Allees, consisting of wide avenues occupying the site ofthe old walls,
beautifully shaded with elms and adorned with copious fountains.
One of these streets, forming a favourite promenade, opens through a
long vista of trees and buildings upon the harbour, in one direction,
and upon the distant hills, in the other.
The Garden of Plants is still more rural and pleasant in its location,
occupying the bank of a small stream in the suburbs, a mile and a half
from the port. It possesses all the usual appendages of such an insti
tution — hot-houses, lecture-rooms, and pools for the culture of aquatic
plants. The grounds are sufficiently spacious, laid out with taste, and
filled with the products of every clime ; but the eye of the visitant is
much displeased with a high blind wall, enclosing the garden and en
tirely intercepting it from the public view. However necessary such
defences may be in other countries, they are always superfluous in

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France, where even the lowest and most heedless classes of the com
munity manifest no propensity to mutilate works of taste.
In the vicinity of the Botanic Garden are extensive pleasure grounds,
filled with arbours, refectories, and all the allurements whkh a gay and
luxurious people can require. But the most attractive appendage to
this fashionable retreat is a Russian Mountain, which is a break-neck
species of amusement, with just enough of danger in it to tempt belles
and beaux of spirit. We walked up the artificial hill, and then —
walked down again ; for the path-way was undergoing repairs, and
not in a proper condition for a descent in carriages. The mountain
consists of a square wooden frame, sixty or eighty feet in height, with
an inclined plane extending thence into a remote part of the garden.
At the outset the angle of the declivity is about 45 degrees, and as the
surface is perfectly smooth, the little cars go like a shot, following
each other in rapid succession. They are drawn back to the goal by
a wheel turned by a horse, while the fashionables toil up the side-walk
on foot. A carriage will hold two or three persons, and the fare is
about ten sous a trip. This amusement is mentioned merely as an
object of curiosity, and not with any wish that it should be introduced
into the United States ; for it is inferior in variety and incident to the
sport of sliding down hill upon the snows of our own country, to which
" children of a larger growth" can resort, free of expense, when they
need any such recreation.
The history of Marseilles is full of interest. Its origin borders on
romance. Six hundred years before the christian era, a band of pira
tical adventurers from Ionia, in Asia Minor, by dint of superior skill in
navigation, pushed their discoveries to the mouth ofthe Rhone. Charm
ed with the white cliffs, green vales, blue waters, and bright skies
which they here found, they returned to their native country .and per
suaded a colony to follow them to the barbarous shores of Gaul, bear
ing with them their religion, language, manners, and customs. On the
very day of their arrival, (so says tradition,) the daughter ofthe native
chief was to choose a husband, and her affections were placed upon
one of the leaders of the polished emigrants. The friendship of the
aborigines was conciliated by marriage, and their rude manners were
softened by the refinement of their new allies in war, their new asso
ciates in peace. In arts and arms the emigrants soon acquired the
ascendency, and the most musical of all the Greek dialects, (how un
like the barbarous Patois of the present day !) became the prevailing
language ofthe colony.
From this little band of adventurers, in the wilds of a remote and
uncivilized country, sprang a powerful nation which rivalled Athens

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itself in the wisdom of its laws, the prudence of its councils, and the
elegance of its letters. So celebrated were its schools of learning and
philosophy, accompanied by sober habits and pure morals, that Rome
herself in the age of Cicero did not disdain to call Massilia a sister
city, and to send her Patrician youth to be educated in one of her pro
vinces. But as in all other cases, wealth led to luxury, and luxury to
a corruption of manners. So rapid was the decline of this proud city,
that in the age of the Caesars, " Naviges Massiliam" — embark for
Massilia — had become a proverb to express the extreme of debauchery
and licentiousness.
The modern history of Marseilles also abounds in incident. A
people naturally of a warm temperament, subject to sallies of passion,
and fond of freedom, have frequently manifested a restless spirit and
spurned the yoke of their oppressors. It is well known, that for a
considerable time a-kind of confederated republic was established in
Provence, when Marseilles was foremost of the league. In the latter
part of the 16th century, a popular leader named Bayou, a native of
Corsica like his still more celebrated successor, relieved the city from
the odious duumvirate of Casaulx and Louis of Aix, by an act of gal
lantry and patriotism which acquired for him the title of "Liberator"
of his country. The gratitude of his fellow-citizens directed his bust
to be placed in the great hall of the town-house, and the king con
tended with the people in loading his name with honours. His fame
is still cherished and his memory revered by his enthusiastic country
men. The part which Marseilles took in the French Revolution is too
well known to my readers to require a recapitulation. Unfortunate
in some respects as was the issue pf that great contest for liberty, an
intelligent citizen of this town informed me, that the value of pro
perty has increased fifty per cent, since the beginning of the present
century ; that the prostration of overgrown landed estates produced
an entirely new era in agriculture ; that manufactures and the useful
arts have advanced with unexampled rapidity within the last twenty-
five years ; and that the Revolution, with all its bloodshed and all its
licentiousness, gave an activity, an impulse to national industry, which
the calm of despotism could never have awakened. I feel the more
satisfaction in recording this opinion, because it favours the great
principles of liberty, and because I have been inclined to the belief,
that considering the excesses and the ineffectual struggles of the
French Revolution, it ought to be viewed rather as a misfortune than
a blessing to Europe, since the result might discourage any future
efforts to be free. What prosperity, greatness, and glory would have
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awaited France, had Napoleon, instead of aspiring to the imperial
purple, and thereby reducing his character to the level of other de
spots, imitated the example of Washington and La Fayette, by di
recting his ambition to the establishment of the liberties of his country.
In the history of Marseilles, the frequent visitations of the plague
form an interesting item. It has been scourged not less than twenty
times by this awful calamity, sometimes losing half of its population.
From July 1720 to May 1721, about forty thousand persons died of
this disease at Marseilles, and as many more in the neighbouring vil
lages — producing a degree of depopulation, from which the district
had scarcely recovered at the commencement of the French Revo
lution: The sufferings and horrors with which the town was afflicted
during the prevalence of the pestilence, find no parallel in the epi
demics of our country, not even in the ravages of the yellow-fever at
the close of the last century. A thousand persons sometimes died in
a day. The living were not sufficient to bury the dead, and the
streets were strewed with corses mangled by dogs. Physicians were
wholly ignorant of the proper mode of treatment, and themselves fell
victims to the disease. In a word, the vivid picture which Thucy-
dides has drawn of the same scourge at Athens, was here realized.
The visitation and mortality of the Plague cannot fairly be ascribed
to the climate of Marseilles. In every instance, its origin was clearly
traced to vessels, which brought it from the east. The alarming ca
lamity of 1720 led to the establishment of lazarettos and quarantine
regulations, by which a repetition of the evil has since been averted,
although infected ships have been allowed to enter the bay. In ge
neral, the climate of this city may be considered healthy, though in my
opinion, very unfavourable to persons afflicted with pulmonary affec
tions. The air is extremely dry, and during the prevalence of the
mistral, harsh, chilly, and piercing. Even the natives are subject to
pectoral complaints, inflammatory rheumatism, pleurisy, and spitting
of blood. Add to the unfavourableness of the climate, the difficulty
of reaching it by water without a long quarantine, or by. land, with
out a fatiguing journey ; as also the want of comfort in the domestic
arrangement of houses, fire-places, and carpets — and I believe a phy
sician in our country cannot commit a greater error, than by recom
mending to his patient a trip to " the South of France." The sick
man, on his arrival, finds the tract of country designated by the fore
going phrase a kind of " terra incognita," lying somewhere between
the Pyrenees and the Maritime Alps, but in other respects as vague
as the poet's North —
¦" At Iceland, Greenland, or the Lord knows where."

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If in this state of distraction and embarrassment, the unhappy in
valid shall take up a guide-book, or set about making oral inquiries,
he will perceive that no two authorities agree — that one complains of
the scorching dryness of the mistral at Marseilles, and another of the
dampness of the marin or sea-wind at Montpellier. But what is still
worse, the patient after an actual trial of all the climates of the South
of France, if indeed he live to go the rounds and make the experi
ment, will learn that none of them are free from obvious objections,
and thaj it requires the strength of a man in full health, to endure the
fatigues of a ride from place to place, to resist the changes of wea
ther, and to sleep in chambers with plastered walls, naked brick or
stone floors, and an apology for a fire. The truth is, that the climate
of the South of France is only relatively good — good in comparison
with the winter fogs of England ; and hence the error. Our physi
cians have in too many cases adopted the advice of those of Great-
Britain, without taking the foregoing circumstances into view. Af
ter much inquiry and actual observation, my opinion decidedly is, that
the climate of many parts of our own country, and particularly of the
West Indies, is far more favourable to invalids than any I have yet
found in Europe.
As this is a subject of some little importance to our countrymen, I
shall be excused for citing one or two cases out of many, in justifica
tion of my opinion. The circumstances which attended the recent
death of one of the most eminent citizens of New-Jersey are proba
bly fresh in the minds of many of my readers. After a long and fa
tiguing passage, he arrived at the port of Marseilles, where he was
compelled to undergo a quarantine of something like forty days, cut
off from the society of friends and the comforts of life. At last per
mitted to land, he sought in vain for the fountains of Hygeia amidst
the arid hills of Provence and the dusty valley of the Rhone. He
pursued the goddess to her cool retreats in the north ; but the fatigues
of a long journey prostrated his strength, and at Paris he expired
among strangers, instead of quietly closing his existence in the bosom
of his own family.
Another case which 1 hope may prove less fatal, has fallen under
my own observation. On arriving at Marseilles, we found within
two doors of our hotel, a friend from New- York, who is travelling for
his health. His physician advised him to take refuge for the winter in
the South of France, whither he hastened from Paris by the way of
Lyons. The journey was performed in the coldest weather in the
month of January, in a coach which travelled day and night. Such a
jaunt is enough to kill a well man ; and it is next to a miracle that an

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invalid labouring under a severe affection of the lungs, should survive
the icy winds from the Alps. He was in truth but just alive on his
arrival ; and nothing but the skill of an eminent physician, and the
unremitted attentions of one of the kindest families in the world, ap
parently rescued him from the grave. We broke in upon the solitude
of his chamber, finding him seated before a French fire, making the
most of the rug of his hearth, and lamenting the folly of those who
adopt such measures for the restoration of health.
I have almost become so far a sceptic and a fatalist, as to believe
it impossible to escape death by flight .to a foreign shore. If an in
valid can find no remedy for his maladies amidst the comforts and con
solations of home, in the air he has been accustomed to breathe from
childhood, in the elements with which his system is familiarized, in the
prescriptions of physicians who are acquainted with his constitution
and temperament, in the pleasures of society, and the cheerful faces
of his friends, what is he to expect from the innovations of new cli
mates, new modes of living, new physicians, and the eternal solitude
of strange faces 1 Every medical man well knows how indispensable
quietude of mind is to the convalescence of the body ; and it needs
scarcely be added, that nerves enfeebled and rendered more sensitive
by disease, are ill at ease in a strange land, where a hundred little cir
cumstances will daily occur to discompose and irritate the feelings.
This, however, is mere matter of speculation ; and it is far from my in
tention to contend, that in certain cases a change of climate may not
be highly conducive to health.
But to turn from such topics to those of a more agreeable nature :
the hospitality, kindness and attention of several of our countrymen
resident at Marseilles, contributed very largely both to the instruction
and pleasure of our visit. On the 22d of February, the birth-day of
Washington, we dined with the American Consul, to whom his part
ner in New-York had politely given us a letter of introduction. He
has been at Marseilles some years, speaks French with fluency, and
besides discharging his official duties, is extensively engaged in busi
ness. His residence is in a conspicuous situation on the Cours Bour
bon, where the republican eagle proudly spreads his pinions amidst
the lilies of France. On that day too the stripes and stars waved at
the mast-head of every American vessel in port, as also, I believe, in
front of the Franklin Hotel, the head-quarters of most of our coun
trymen. Such a spectacle, on a foreign shore, was doubly gratifying,
and a display of the untarnished flag of the Republic could not fail to
awaken a conscious pride and quicken the pulsations ofthe heart.
The entertainment given by the Consul appeared to be rather offi-

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 509
cial than national in its character ; for with the exception of ourselves
there was not a citizen of the United States present. A French din
ner, consisting of at least thirty different dishes, was served up in
handsome style, at' 7 o'clock, which is the usual hour for dining at
Marseilles. There were ten or twelve guests at table, among whom
were the Portuguese Consul, who was an officer in the army of Na
poleon, and signalized himself during the burning of the Kremlin at
Moscow ; and the American Consul at Stockholm, in Sweden, who
is a native of Fifeshire, Scotland. He has held the office twenty
years, and married an agreeable Swedish lady, who is passing the
winter with him at Marseilles for the benefit of her health. Dr. Cou-
vier was also of the party — a gentleman of extraordinary talents, and
the most eminent physician in the south of France. He is a disciple
ofthe celebrated Laennec of Paris, author ofthe auscultation system,
mentioned in one of my former sketches. Such is his skill and confi
dence in the invention, that I was induced to subject myself to an ex
periment, partly for the sake of becoming better acquainted with the
operation, and partly from more serious motives. The whispered re
sponses of the oracular tube were highly favourable, and uttered with
all the graciousness of French politeness. The doctor gave me much
information respecting his professional brethren, and expressed it as
his opinion, that Sir Astley Cooper is decidedly the first medical man
of the present age, not excepting any of his own distinguished coun
trymen. But I forget, that dinner is not quite over. The occasion of course
led to much conversation on the politics of the two countries, which
were discussed by the French guests with a freedom, that occasioned
not a little surprise. No delicacy was observed in speaking of the
ruling dynasty ; and the whole party seemed to breathe the spirit, not
only of liberty, but in some sense of independence. Numerous sen
timents, giving body and point to the same freedom of thought, and
expressing a wish for a nearer resemblance between the political con
dition of France and the United States, circulated briskly round the
convivial board. After dinner, the party retired to the drawing-room,
where coffee was served up, and the pleasures of the evening were
protracted to a late hour.
From another of our countrymen we received numerous civilities
and favours, which were the more welcome for having been unsolicited.
He is a Bostonian by birth and education. An enterprising and ad
venturous spirit led him some twenty-five years ago to the shores of
the Mediterranean, where he has ever since been engaged in com
merce, having successively resided in Spain, Malta, Sicily, and the

510 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
South of France. During his residence at Alicant, he married a
highly accomplished lady, and his house is now in the very vort.ex of
fashionable life at Marseilles. A generous hospitality crowds his ta
ble with guests, and his soirees, statedly held once a week, bring to
gether a polished circle of citizens and strangers.
As an attendance at one of these evening parties afforded us a spe
cimen of the manners and customs of the fashionable classes of so
ciety at Marseilles, a few remarks may not be unacceptable to my
readers. The hour for going to the soiree is 10 o'clock. On enter
ing a large and handsome suite of apartments, we found them already
thronged with ladies and gentlemen in full dresses, making a little
Babel by the animation and confused hum of conversation. Although
it was said not to be one of the most brilliant of these social nights, a
liberal share of beauty and taste gave splendour to the circle. To
throw the responsibility of a delicate subject upon the shoulders of a
native topographer, and to veil its glow, in the shade of another lan
guage — " Les dames sont en general belles, bien faites, agreables,
et leurs grands yeux noirs, en exprimant beaucoup de choses, sem-
blent en prome'ttre davantage encore. Elles ont de I'esprit, de la
grace, et sont tres-aimables par la douceur et les charmes de leur con
versation." Two of the handsomest and most accomplished of the
circle were Spanish ladies, the first of that nation I had ever met.
One of them was peculiarly beautiful, her dark and languishing fea
tures being finely shaded with a profusion of glossy tresses, which de
scended and played in ringlets upon her bosom.
The visitants are left to amuse themselves according to their incli
nations — some with conversation, some at the piano, some with dan
cing, and others at the card-table. With all classes of society at Mar
seilles, the last mentioned amusement has the ascendency. Both sexes
are fond of gambling. The fashionable game is ecarte, which has the
merit of sociability in its favour, as the whole party may participate.
Two champions enter the lists, and the one who is beaten finds a sub
stitute. Bets to any amount, from a franc to a Napoleon, are made
upon the respective sides. It is curious to see with what spirit and
enthusiasm the French ladies enter into these contests, probably more
from an innate love of superiority, than from the sordid motives of
increasing their pin-money. But however elevated may be the cha
racter ofthe passion, the dexterity with which they manage the cards,
and the gamester-like manner in which they plank and pocket their
cash, detract somewhat from the softer and more amiable accomplish
ments of the sex.
Several specimens of vocal and instrumental music contributed to

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 511
the social enjoyments of the evening. The ladies play and sing with
unusual skill. A taste for music seems to be universal with the Mar-
seillese. Once a week, an association of amateurs give a concert to
the upper circles, to which our friends had the kindness to introduce
us. The company have a spacious private theatre, handsomely adorn
ed with Ionic pillars and other architectural embellishments. It is
generally thronged with ladies and gentlemen in full dresses, among
whom as much etiquette is observed, as in a drawing-room. The
lower classes too, have their musical entertainments. In walking the
streets in the evening, I have seen nine bits of candles stuck upon the
pavement, to represent the circle of the Muses, while in the centre
stood a Troubadour and his female companion, chanting a duet and
charming the listening crowd. At the close of the humble concert,
a hat is passed round to receive the contribution of sous.
To the middling classes of society two theatres are constantly open ;
but are neither fully nor fashionably attended. Even the fame of Ma
dame George, who was making a dramatic tour through the South of
France and played one night during our visit, could not draw a good
house. She is a coarse, masculine, ugly woman, exhibiting no attrac
tions either in person or voice, and courting applause rather by the vehe
mence of her declamation and gestures, than by any pathetic appeals
to the heart. The dramatic entertainments at Marseilles are generally
of a broad, noisy, popular cast. "Robin Du Bois" was a hundred
times repeated, and half of the audience joined chorus in some of its
spirited music. A striking peculiarity was observed in the police of
this theatre. Between the acts, the whole house if they chose were
at liberty to go behind the scenes, and chat with the dramatic corps.
But I have taken " French leave" of the Soiree and it would now
be too late to return and make my conge, if modern etiquette tolerated
that old fashioned custom. It was my intention, however, to add a
few particulars, which appeared to be worthy of remark and of imita
tion by others. Social pleasures in France possess the peculiar merit
of costing little or nothing, save time. Ladies and gentlemen can
never visit for the sake of the luxuries of the side-board and table.
Their enjoyments must be purely mental ; for in the course of the long
est evening, no kinds of refreshments are introduced, not even to a
dish of coffee or a glass of wine. This custom is not less conducive
to temperate habits, than to a diminution of the expenses, and of
course to an extension of the sphere of fashionable life.
The same gentleman, to whom we were indebted for the social plea
sures of this evening and for other acts of hospitality, was so obliging
as to procure for us a ticket of free admission, for the term of three

512 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
months, to an association of citizens, denominated the " Cercle des
Phoceens," from the first settlers of Marseilles. An extensive esta
blishment, consisting of reading-rooms, a coffee-room, and apartments
for card parties, has been fitted up in a central part of the town, where
a portion of the members meet every evening to peruse the public
journals, indulge in literary conversation, or amuse themselves at cards,
as inclination may prompt. I could not learn that the transactions of
the society are very important, or that its objects differ essentially from
those of our own " Lunch" — to pass a social evening pleasantly, and
to promote good taste in general.
In a day or two after our arrival, a mutual friend introduced us to
another of our countrymen, a native of Connecticut, who emigrated
some twenty years since, and is now the senior partner in one of the
first mercantile houses at Marseilles. I might as well perhaps at once
call this gentleman by name ; for his house, his fireside, his table are
known as a kind of home to every American who has been in the south
of France. Enterprise, industry, and success in business, have given
him wealth, to which he seems to attach no other importance, than as
a means of making himself and his friends happy. No inconsiderable
portion of it is lavished in contributing to the convivial and social en
joyments of his countrymen, to whom a liberal hand and a warm heart
are always open.
At our first interview, with a frankness, simplicity, and cordiality of
manners which set aside all etiquette, he invited us to take dinner with
him on the following evening. The invitation was accompanied with
so little formality, that even the hour was not named. In such a dilem
ma, availing myself of the yankee privilege of guessing, and thinking
it always better to be too early than too late at dinner, I blundered into
the drawing-room half an hour before the time, and while the family
were probably yet busy at the toilet. A solitary and awkward inter
val was occupied in admiring with what elegance and taste it is possi
ble for a confirmed bachelor to fit up his residence, aided by no other
than occasional consultation and advice with the circle of his female
friends ; and with how many domestic comforts opulence may surround
itself, independent of that greatest of human blessings — a good wife.
The floors were spread with Turkish carpets ; damask sofas and elbow
chairs encircled the cheerful hearth ; tables of Italian marble at one
time reflected the polish of a mirror, and at another, the varied beau
ties of the landscape. The windows were hung with crimson and
emerald, and the walls adorned with the choicest specimens of the
arts. What a little paradise had here been created without its Eve ! though

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 513
at present it was cheered by a visitation from one of the fairest of her
descendants. My meditations on the comforts of " single blessedness' '
were soon interrupted by the entrance of the proprietor of the mansion,
with an accomplished niece of eighteen hanging upon his arm. In
this instance, an introduction was an acquaintance at once. We were
natives of the same hills, residents ofthe same city, had traversed the
same ocean, and visited the same scenes abroad. Many of our asso
ciations and friendships were also mutual. The junior partner in the
firm, a brother to the elder, soon joined the little circle of inmates ; and
one American guest after another dropped in, till the hearth was sur
rounded by a congress of a dozen or fifteen of our countrymen repre
senting perhaps as many different states. A sumptuous dinner was
served up, rather in the American than in the French style. The
table exhibited the same taste as was visible in the decorations of the
drawing room ; and a spirit of genuine hospitality presided, which
would have rendered a less elegant and a less luxurious repast accept
able. Such was the commencement of an acquaintance with this estimable
and agreeable family, whose attentions and kindnesses knew no limits
A dinner party led to an invitation to tea on the following evening ;
and the tea-party was made an occasion for another invitation. Deli
cacy at first induced us to decline a portion of these civilities, till our
friend assured us, that one of his greatest pleasures, after the business
of the day, consisted in dining with a circle of his countrymen. His
unbounded hospitality was afterwards accepted with as much cheerful
ness as it was offered ; and most of our evenings during our visit to
Marseilles passed delightfully at his fireside. Every successive party
drew some new guest to his table, and the society was so exclusive,
as to present a vivid picture of home. A constant round of social en
joyments continued to the very eve of our departure from town, when
at a farewell dinner we had the pleasure to meet twenty of our coun
trymen, and to pledge them in a parting glass. The separation from
such a family was as painful, as an intimacy with it had been delightful ;
and it would grieve me to think, that the friendships contracted with
the members of the little circle are destined to be brief as the happy
hours which gave them birth. We parted not without a hope of meet
ing again upon our native shores. Be that as it may, gratitude on our
part for such unaffected kindness, and a cherished remembrance of
those social nights, can perish only with life.

65

514 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
LETTER XLIV.
EXCURSION TO LANGUEDOC  RIDE TO NISMES  AMPHITHEATRE  MAISON
CARREE  FOUNTAIN  ROUTE TO MONTPELLIER  SKETCH OF THE
CITY. March, 1826.
On the afternoon of the 2d, we left Marseilles in the Diligence, to
make an excursion to Nismes and Montpellier. For about half the
distance to the former place, it was necessary to tread back the same
road, which had been once traversed in coming from Avignon. But
the advances of spring and the rapid changes in vegetation rendered
a second view of the country by no means unpleasant, especially as
the weather was now delightful. Abundant resources were found in
the conversation of our three fellow travellers. Two of them were
Spanish gentlemen, intelligent, friendly, polite, and extremely agreea
ble in their manners. Our sympathies were warmly excited in their
favour, on learning that they had been driven from their country, in
consequence of the active part they had taken on the side of the Con
stitutionalists and against the legitimates, during the late troubles ;
and that they are still the enthusiastic advocates of free principles,
entertaining a hope ofthe future emancipation of Spain. They spoke
in terms of admiration of the liberty, greatness, and glory of the Uni
ted States, with the political history of which they seemed well ac
quainted. Finding their country overrun by the legions of France,
and the cause of the patriots hopeless, they took refuge at Marseilles,
where they are now respectably established in business. I hardly
thought it possible for me to entertain so much respect and esteem
for the Spanish character, as a passing acquaintance with these gen
tlemen inspired.
But the most original and amusing of our coach companions was
a Swiss Corporal, who was returning from Marseilles, to join his
regiment stationed at Nismes. His cheeks were as red as his coat,
and his hair almost as white as the cotton epaulettes, which danced
upon his shoulders. From motives of economy and patriotism, he
had taken with him, by way of rations, a bottle of light wine from his
native hills, together with a plentiful supply of bread and sausages,
converting one of the pockets of the Diligence into a knapsack. He
was a great talker, and delighted to dwell on the romantic scenery of
his own country — its mountains, lakes, and cataracts, with which he
appeared to be familiar. Learning that we were from the United

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 515
States, he made very particular inquiries respecting the Swiss colony
at Vevay, in the State of Indiana, whither one of his relatives had
emigrated, and was now a leading man in the settlement. It created
in us not a little surprise, that this mercenary subaltern from the soli
tudes of Switzerland should be far better versed in the geography of
the United States, than are many of the editors, reviewers, and
public functionaries of Europe. There was in his mind no confusion
of states and cities — that ass's bridge of English topographers. He
did not with the British Admiralty imagine the great Lakes of North
America to be filled with salt water ;* nor was he, like the Mayor of a
French city, till the last winter ignorant of the fact, that General
Washington is dead.
A gentleman at the table ofthe hotel, in a small village beyond Aix
where we dined, related a local anecdote of Napoleon, which was
new' to me. The emperor, on his return from Elba to Paris, was ap
prised that the people in this vicinity were hostile, and had formed a
determination to take his life as he passed. As it was impracticable
for him to change his route, and he was not at this time prepared to
encounter opposition, however feeble, he had recourse to stratagem.
Assuming the dress of a postillion, and mounting the forward horse,
whip in hand, he drove through the village in safety, leaving its inha
bitants to await in vain the arrival of the imperial exile.
Nothing occurred to disturb the repose of our ride during the night,
with the exception of one trifling incident. While the Diligence was
pausing a few minutes to change horses at Orgon, the cessation of the
lullaby of the coach, and the dull sound of the village clock
striking two in the morning, awoke me from a confused dream about
cataracts. I heard a sort of gurgling noise, which, in the dubious
twilight of the mind between sleeping and waking, was mistaken for
the murmurs of the Durance. It however proved to be nothing more
than the Corporal, sucking away at his bottle, for which a slice of his
sausage had given a relish. A becoming spirit of hospitality led him
to arouse the whole circle of his fellow travellers, to invite them to
partake of his soldier's fare.

* An English officer who served in the Niagara campaigns informed me, that
during the'late war, the British Admiralty sent to Commodore Yeo a large num
ber of machines, to be used on board his fleet, for converting the salt-water of the
Lakes into fresh. The other instance of gross ignorance, alluded to above, actual
ly occurred a few months since. The mayor of a town in the vicinity of Paris, ask
ed one of our countrymen, with some degree of surprise, if Washington was dead !
In truth the great mass ofthe people in Europe know next to nothing of America,

510 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Day dawned upon us at St. Remi, and at 6 o'clock we reached
Tarascon, a considerable town situated upon the left bank of the
Rhone, fifteen or twenty miles from its mouth. The only place of
importance below this is Aries, the ancient capital of Provence, but
now in the last stages of decline. A handbill signed by its mayor,
and inviting strangers to visit its antiquities, was observed posted up
in the hotels at Marseilles. But even the novelty of this official invi
tation did not divert us from our route ; and after examining the im
mense Gothic Castle of good King Rene, together with a few other
curiosities at Tarascon, we continued our journey to Nismes. The
Rhone is here crossed on a bridge of boats, some fifty or sixty in
number, and moored by strong cables. A desolate island of sand
divides the river into two channels of nearly equal breadth. The cur
rent though unbroken by rocks, is so rapid as to foam and roar like a
cataract, bringing to mind the animated picture which Livy has drawn
of Hannibal's passage of the same stream, some miles above.*
On the right bank of the Rhone opposite Tarascon, stands Beau
caire, a place of great antiquity, with narrow, dirty streets, and old-
fashioned houses. An arch in the wall, beneath which the road leads,
is inscribed to Louis XIV. ; and the rocky eminence overlooking the
town is crowned with the massive ruins of a Castle, which once be
longed to the same family. The country between Beaucaire and Nis
mes is rich and beautiful. On the right of the road rises a long range
of picturesque hills, and towards the left stretches a broad sunny
plain, watered by pure streams, and smiling with tillage. In some
places, orchards of olives extend as far as the eye can reach, clothing
the hills in perpetual verdure. The olive however cannot be called a
very beautiful tree. In form, size, and foliage, it bears a strong re
semblance to the willow. Its lanceolate leaves are of a pale or whi
tish green, giving a peculiar aspect to the landscape. Intermingled
with these verdant orchards are the mulberry, almond, and vine, to
gether with patches of grass and grain. Both the fertility of the soil
and the neatness of cultivation gave us a favourable opinion of the
Province of Languedoc.
At nine in the morning we entered Nismes, and took lodgings at the
Hotel de Luxembourg. It occasioned not a little surprise, to meet at
* " Galli occursant in ripam cum variis ululatibus, canluque moris sui, quatientes
scuta super capita, vibrantesque dextris tela : quanquam et ex adverso terrebat
tanta vis navium cum ingenti sono fluminis, et clamnre vario nautarum etmilitum,
qui nitebantur perrumpere impetum fluminis, et qui ex altera ripa trajicientes suos
hortabantur."— VideLiv. Dec. Ter. Lib. I. Crtp.X.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 517
the very threshold two of our countrymen, one from Troy, New- York,
and the other from Phiadelphia, who had come from Paris by the way
of Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Montpellier, and were about to visit
Avignon, Vaucluse, Marseilles, and Toulon, completing the tour of
the South of France. They had been here a day or two, and were
able to give us a clue to the curiosities of Nismes, as well as some
useful hints respecting the residue of our excursion towards the Pyre
nees. Our notes of objects worth seeing in the vale of the Rhone
were cheerfully given in exchange. Such a meeting was as pleasant
as it was unexpected.
Having taken breakfast and parted with our friends, hoping to join
them again at Marseilles, we at once commenced a survey ofthe town.
In passing from the hotel to the Amphitheatre, our attention was ar
rested by a military parade, on a beautiful area surrounded by a ter
race. Nismes is full of troops, owing to suspicions entertained ofthe
loyalty and orthodoxy of its inhabitants. It has long been the seat of
protestantism and ecclesiastical feuds. At times, the most horrid
atrocities have here been perpetrated ; and the reigning dynasty en
tertain fears of the leven of heresy mingled in the religious sentiments
of the people. Hence the town at present resembles a fortified camp.
Every fifth man is a soldier. In the appearance and discipline of the
troops no striking peculiarities were observed. The Corporal was al
ready at his post, busy in drilling his platoon, and apparently the more
ambitious of displaying his skill in tactics, for having perceived two
of his fellow-passengers among the spectators.
The great object of attraction at Nismes is the Amphitheatre,
which next to the Coliseum itself is said to be the most stupendous and
the most interesting of Roman antiquities. In point of preservation,
it claims a superiority even over its rival upon the banks of the Tiber.
Its situation is on an open area, with no obstructions to prevent its
colossal proportions from meeting fully the eye and striking the be
holder with astonishment. The inhabitants of the town certainly de
serve much credit for the pains they have taken to preserve this gi
gantic ruin ; for clearing away the foreign rubbish with which it was
formerly encumbered ; and for removing the buildings about it, so as
to present a perfect view. Its arena once contained a little village,
consisting of something like fifty dwellings, and a population of two
thousand — a fact which will give some idea of its dimensions. In the
year 1809, all these houses and shops with their tenants were removed
by the public authorities, and the arena has been restored to the con
dition in which it was left by the Romans. Within a few years the
falling, pillars and arches have been repaired with so much taste and

51S LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
judgment, that it is difficult for the eye to distinguish the portions
that have been added.
The form of this immense pile is an exact oval, the longest diame
ter of which, extending from east to west, is about 450 feet, the
transverse something like 350, and the height of its walls 70 feet,
consisting of two stories besides an attic. It is built of large blocks
of stone, admirably adjusted together without mortar, and originally
bound by iron clamps, which have been pillaged by its barbarous as
sailants. Round the parapet masts were erected to support an awn
ing for protecting the audience from the inclemencies of the weather.
Its four entrances correspond with the cardinal points of the compass ;
and over the portals are some remains of Roman sculpture, such as
the wolf nursing her regal boys. It was sufficiently spacious to ac
commodate seventeen thousand spectators, nearly half the present
population of Nismes. Its size furnishes a strong argument, to prove
the extent of the ancient town, which in the day of its glory was
called a second Rome.
Having walked round and examined this astonishing fabric from
the ground, we climbed to its top, and standing upon its battlements
indulged in that train of associations, which' the ruin readily awakens.
What scenes of gaiety and pleasure were here exhibited some sixteen
or eighteen hundred years ago, when the benches-were thronged with
the beauty and fashion of the provincial capital ; and when the arena
was enlivened by the combats of gladiators, the spectacle of human
beings condemned to encounter ferocious beasts, or the more po
lished amusements of dramatic representations, intermingled with the
song and dance ! How had these crumbling arches once rung with
applause — these dark recesses once blazed with the splendours of the
fete ! What a contrast with the silence and desolation which now reign
through the dreary habitations of the owl and the bat !
Other reflections not less interesting are suggested by this splendid
monument of other ages. For a period of near two thousand years,
during which other edifices and even empires have risen and fallen to
decay, these solid ramparts, like the works of nature herself, have
withstood the shock of war, the assaults of barbarians, and the silent
devastations of time. In the fifth and sixth centuries, the Amphithea
tre became a citadel, which was frequently taken and retaken by the
Francs, the Visigoths, and Saracens ; and in the year 737, the cele
brated Charles Martel made a formal attempt to demolish its walls by
fire, the traces of which are yet visible. But the fury of its savage
conquerors spent itself in vain against the durable monument of a na
tion, whose legions, whose fortresses and works of art in other cases

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 519
proved less impregnable : and the traveller here finds an image of
Rome herself, prostrate in the dust, yet great even in ruins.
From the Amphitheatre at Nismes, we went to another relic of
Roman taste and magnificence, called the Maison Carree, or square
house — an appellation not justified by its form, as it is a paralellogram
about 80 feet in length, 40 in width, and upwards of 60 in height.
The only entrance is at one end, where there is a splendid porch sup
ported by ten fluted Corinthian columns, thirty feet high, and three
feet in diameter. A lofty flight of steps leads to the portico, and the
whole edifice stands upon elevated substructions, so as to appear to
the best advantage. Rows of pillars and pilasters, about thirty in
number, extend on all sides ; and the frieze, as indeed every part of
the building, is of the most exquisite workmanship. In the lightness
of its form and the symmetry of its proportions, it is the finest archi
tectural model' I have ever seen. The opinions of antiquaries are at
variance, as to its design and the uses to which it was appropriated
by the Romans. Some have considered it a temple, and others a
praetorian palace. The traces of an inscription have led to a conjec
ture, that it was consecrated to Caius and Lucius Cassar, the adopted
sons of Augustus.
Its destination in after times is less a subject of doubt. In the
middle ages it was used as a town-house, and subsequently as a stable,
till the monks of St. Austin performed a lustration, and elevated it to
the dignity of a church including a cemetery. During the French
Revolution, it served the triple purposes of a place for public meet
ings, a granary, and store-house. In May, 1823, the Dutchess d' An
gouleme paid it a visit, when it was converted into a Museum and
dedicated by an inscription in letters of gold to " Marie Therese."
It is now filled and surrounded with a great number of Roman anti
quities, found in the neighbourhood of Nismes. The articles consist
of altars, sepulchral monuments, specimens of mosaic, coins, and va
rious kinds of sculpture, together with a collection of paintings and a
variety of minor curiosities, not very well assorted or arranged. A
handsome railing has been extended round the premises belonging to
the Maison Carree, and the whole is in an excellent state of preserva
tion.*

* When the celebrated Abbe Barthelemy, author of the Travels of Anacharsis,
visited Nismes in 1755, on his, way to Italy, he found its antiquities in a most
wretched state of dilapidation, and his influence was strenuously exerted to
save them from utter ruin. He proposed, with more zeal than judgment, to the
French minister, that the Maison Carree should be removed to Paris, to embelr

5'20 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
Another prominent object of attraction at Nismes is a singular
Fountain, scarcely inferior in the copiousness and transparency of its
waters to that of Vanchese. It gushes out at the foot of a calcareous
hill, filling a natural basin seventy feet in diameter and twenty or thirty
in depth. The margin is fringed with aquatic plants and surrounded
on all sides by a terrace, whence the eye looks down and fathoms the
crystal wave, with almost the same ease as it would so much air.
Fishes of various kinds were seen playing in the sun and revelling in
the purity of their little domain. This fountain is so copious, as to
form all at once a stream navigable with small boats, which, after de
scending in a pretty cascade near its source, winds through the town,
furnishing an abundant supply of water both for mechanical and do
mestic purposes. Its banks are bordered with beautiful walks, form
ing the fashionable promenade of the inhabitants. In one place a
deep canal has been cut round an area of several acres, planted* with
ornamental trees, intersected by alleys, furnished with seats, and
adorned with statues, the whole being designed as a pleasure garden.
But the statuary is bad ; and it appeared to me, that a great deal of
money had here been expended with very little taste. Had the wa
ters been left to flow naturally through these grounds, more slightly
embellished by works of art, a far more agreeable retreat would have
been opened to the citizens of Nismes.
Between this spacious garden and the fountain is a little island
planted with evergreens, blooming with flowers, and decorated with
piles of marble gods, demi-gods, and heroes, with broken noses,
much weather-beaten, and in a shattered condition. To this islet
there is no admittance. Above and below it are handsome bridges,
and around it are the public baths, much exposed and now little used.
They were established by the Romans, who also erected on the mar
gin of the fountain a temple to Diana, the remains of which are still
visible. The edifice seems to have been of rather a rude construc
tion, consisting of large blocks of uncemented free-stone, incorporated
with the cliffs. Statues, mosaics, and antiquities of various kinds

lish the capital, and for the sake of rescuing it from the assaults of boys, who
were shattering its beautiful friezes and its leaves of acanthus, in hunting for
birds'* nests! He draws a most melancholy picture of the reckless indiffer
ence manifested towards antiquities, to which Nismes is now indebted for all
its interest and all its importance. From an examination of the prints of the
pails, which once fastened a metallic inscription to the architrave, he deduces an
ingenious conjecture, that the Maison Carree is the work of the immortal archi
tect Vitruvius. — Seehis travels in Italy.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 521
have been found in and about this temple ; but to whose worship the
shrine was dedicated is yet a matter of uncertainty.
To the west of the Fountain rises an eminence several hundred feet
in height, the steep acclivity of which is adorned with hanging gar
dens, terraces, spiral walks, and copses of evergreens. As the spec
tator winds up the ascent, his eye is delighted with a full view of an ex
tensive esplanade opening towards the south, and of the pure waters
shaded with groves of cypress and elm. The top ofthe hill is crown
ed with the ruins of an ancient tower, denominated from its size,
Tour Magne. It is intrinsically a grotesque and picturesque object,
but rendered doubly so by its position, rising above the town, and be
ing visible at a distance in all directions. The design of this massive
structure, which is in the form of a pyramid and contains a spacious
rotunda, in the basement story, is involved in as much doubt as the
other antiquities already mentioned. Some suppose it to have been a
light-house, (an odd conjecture, as there is no port in the vicinity,)
while others contend that it was a mausoleum. But the most rational
opinion seems to be, that it was the principal tower of an ancient
wall, with which it was evidently connected, serving the double pur
pose of a fortress and an observatory. A flight of winding steps leads
to the top ; but as the whole ruin is now tottering to its fall, permis
sion to ascend is refused.
The terrace at the base of the tower affords a splendid view of
Nismes and its environs. In one direction the eye ranges to the banks
of the Rhone, and rests upon the distant mountains of Provence,
while on the other hand it catches glimpses of the Mediterranean
bounding the broad fertile plain, which stretches along the coast of
Languedoc. Three or four hundred feet beneath him, the spectator
surveys the town and its venerable monuments, surrounded on all sides
by fields and gardens, at this season clothed in the verdure of spring.
Few landscapes embrace a wider extent, or a more agreeable diversi
ty of objects.
Descending from the hill, we traversed the circuit of the ancient
walls, and examined the remains of the principal gate, which bears
the name of Augustus. The ruins were discovered and disinterred by
a party of workmen, while engaged in demolishing an old house, in
the year 1793. On one of the fragments an inscription was found,
by which it appears, that the walls of Nismes were constructed under
the auspices of Augustus, sixteen years before the Christian era ; and
that, this gate was on the great road from Rome to Narbonne. It
consisted of two large arches for the passage of carriages, and two
smaller ones for the accommodation of persons on foot. The front
vqt, i. 66

522 LETTERS FROM EUROPE.
is ornamented with pillars, niches for statues, and bas-reliefs, which
have risen without mutilation from the tomb, in which they lay buried
for so many ages.
Modern Nismes is a pretty town, containing a population of about
40 ,000, extensively engaged in the manufacture of silks and other
French goods. The streets are generally wide, clean, and airy, in
many places lined with blocks of handsome houses. A circle of bou
levards, scarcely inferior in width and beauty to those of Paris, ex
tends quite round the city, occupying the site of the ancient walls.
The public institutions of Nismes are numerous, and several of the
edifices for their accommodation may be considered elegant. Among
these is a large theatre, which on the evening of our attendance was
filled with a genteel audience, though the entertainment presented few
attractions. On the 4th we continued our excursion to Montpellier, thirty miles
beyond, in a southerly direction. Among the passengers in the Dili
gence, was a well-dressed and affable Frenchman, who furnished
another instance of the ignorance which prevails among all classes of
Europeans, in every thing relating to the United States. Learning in
the course of conversation, that we were Americans, he gravely asked
us whether our country still remains a British colony ! Although ap
parently well informed in other respects, he had never heard of Wash
ington nor Franklin, and the news ofthe Declaration of Independence
had not yet reached him. The great body of the people in the interior
of France and even in England know almost as little of the United^
States, as they do of Patagonia or Japan — a circumstance somewhat
mortifying to a citizen of the great Republic, who goes abroad with an
expectation that the renown of its arms and the glory of its free institu
tions are spread through the world.
The country between Nismes and Montpellier is said to be one of
the finest portions of Languedoc. The road runs through a wide,
level tract, bounded on the right by a chain of hills, and on the left by
the sea, the latter being visible at intervals for t!i • whole distance.
Villages, hamlets, and farm houses, are sprinkled c :r the plain, indi
cating a populous district. The soil is a reddish loam, sometimes
stony, but peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of the vine and olive,
which are the principal products. To these may be added wheat,
which is grown in great abundance and of an excellent quality. The
olive is planted in rows at about the same distances as apple trees in
an American orchard, and the ground is prepared in much the same
way. A generous and mellow soil is required. The vine is reared in
long and perfectly straight ridges, ten or twelve feet apart, and the

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 523
intermediate space is sown with grain, which was already in a state of
forwardness, covering the fields with a deep, lively green. In some
places for miles, the country resembled a continued garden, where the
almond mingled its early blossoms* with the verdure of the olive, and
the landscape was warmed into life and beauty by the first influences
of a vernal sun.
At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived in sight of Montpellier,
which was seen at the distance of four or five miles, seated upon a
hill of considerable elevation, and lifting its towers and steeples
above all the surrounding country. Its situation is peculiarly promi
nent and striking. Crossing the river Lis, a copiou- and pure stream
which flows under the walls of the town, and passing in the suburbs a
splendid villa, shaded with evergreens in the style of an English Park,
we climbed slowly up a terraced road, and reached the Hotel du Midi,
just at evening. Here our Spanish friends again joined us, and seemed
almost like old acquaintances. They took their departure the next
day for the frontiers of their native country.
A large concert on the night of our arrival afforded us an early op
portunity of seeing the collected beauty, taste, and fashion of Mont
pellier. The hall for music is connected with the theatre. We found
it filled with three or four hundred ladies and gentlemen of the first
families, in full dresses, assembled to witness the extraordinary musical
powers of a young lad of fourteen, who has acquired a high reputation
as an improvisatore. The compass and sweetness of his voice, his
masterly execution upon the piano, and above all the faculty of com
posing music, as it were by inspiration, created universal astonishment,
and drew forth unbounded applause. He would play and sing for fif
teen or twenty minutes, without having, it was said, a note of the rhap
sody in his mind when he commenced. His manner was bold, confi
dent and unembarrassed, indicating no effort to produce the sweetest
combinations of musical sounds. I am neither musician nor metaphy
sician enough to explain this intellectual phenomenon. The natural

* " L'amandier," says Richard, " est nomme' a Montpellier arbre de la folie,
parce qu'il fleurittrop tot; et le jujubier, arbre de la sagesse, parce qu'il ne porte
de fleurs que lorsque le temps est chaud." But the accusation against the almond
seems to be too severe, and I could not learn that it ever surfers by its imprudence,
in putting forth its beautiful flowers amidst the last frosts of winter, a month in
advance of more cautious plants. It may be recollected, that we found it diffusing
its fragrance through the vale of Vaucluse, on the 8th of February, while the
mountains of Provence were yet white with snow, and long before the icy winds
from the Alps had ceased to blow, even at Marseilles.

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gift seems somewhat analagous to the arithmetical powers of Zera
Colburn, and to depend more on instinct than education. Had not
the audience, with a full knowledge of this musical prodigy, manifest
ed as much surprise as ourselves, I should have suspected that there
Was some imposition, and that his extempore compositions had secretly
been "lea'rned and cOhned by rote."*
Oh the following morning, we took a long stroll over every part of
Montpellier and its suburbs. The town,' containing 30,000 inhabitants
covers but a small area, and is much crowded. Its streets are generally
not more than eight or ten feet in width ; gloomy, crooked, and filthy ;
winding like obscure lanes through a wilderness of antiquated French
houses, into the windows of which even the splendid sun of Langue-
rloc never shoots a ray. In a word, the interior presents a sad con
trast to the exterior. To these remarks, however, there are many
exceptions. The new streets and new buildings, the boulevards and
terraces, are spacious, airy, and magnificent. On the top of one
house, four 6r five stories higfy was observed a fine hanging garden,
filled with evergreens, ofanges, and flowers— a little Eden perched in
the air, and waving its foliage a hundred feet above our heads.
The most splendid part of Montpellier is the public area, called
Porte Peyron, situated upon the very summit of the eminence, over
looking the rest ofthe town and its beautiful environs. It consists of
an extensive triangular esplanade ; approached on either hand by a
wide boulevard ; surrounded by terraces and balustrades, terminated
on one side by a lofty triumphal arch, and on the other by a fountain,
in the shape of a Grecian temple. The last mentioned ornament is
peculiar in its construction, and surpasses any thing of the kind to be
found in the metropolis itself. Connected with it is an aqueduct, co
lossal in its proportions, grand in design, admirable in execution, and
justly ranked among the most stupendous works of modern times. It
is composed of three stories of lofty stone arches, making an aggre
gate height of something like a hundred feet ; so massive, so substan
tial in its materials, and so well constructed, as apparently to defy the
devastations of time. This monument of regal magnificence was com-

* The impromptu performances of this juvenile Jongleur, seated in a circle and
receiving the applauses of so much beauty, presented at least a shadow of those
musical entertainments, called the Courts of Love, before which the Troubadours
of Provence, in an age more chivalrous and romantic than the present, appeared
with their harps upon their arms, ready to engage in the tenson and contend for the
prize of skill. Who can say that this rhapsodist of Languedoc is not a lineal descend
ant of Arnaud de Marveil, Pierre Vidal, or Giraud Riquier ?

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 525
menced in the reign of Louis XIV — under the auspices of the same
monarch who united distant seas by the Lartguedoc Canal.
The most expensive part of the aqueduct stretches between two hills,
about a mile in extent, though the copious and pellucid stream which
here finds an aerial channel, is brought from a distance of six miles.
After falling into the fountain, above alluded to, and assuming all the
beautiful forms which taste could devise, it again seeks subterranean
passages and furnishes the town with an abundant supply of pure wa
ter. The open temple erected over the reservoir is supported by twelve
Corinthian pillars on the outside, and by six in the interior. Between
these are six arches, twenty feet high. In this beautiful rotunda is a
capacious basin, three or four feet deep, and perhaps fifteen in diame
ter, into which the aqueduct discharges itself. The water after repo
sing for a moment beneath a Grecian canopy and among marble co
lumns, leaves the temple, descending in silver sheets and streamlets
Over broken masses of moss-covered rocks into a larger reservoir or
rather lake, plentifully stocked with fish, and overshadowed by trees
which cover the esplanade in front.
Porte Peyron forms perhaps the finest promenade in France. Triple
belts of terraces run round the hill, and the different stages, rising one
above another, are ornamented with groves and fountains, so that a
person on the upper parapet finds himself among the foliage and en
joys the shade of the trees springing from below. At the foot of the
eminence winds the green, retired vale of Merdanzon, blooming with
gardens, and spanned by the arches of the aqueduct. But the distant
view from the balustrade of the upper terrace is peculiarly magnificent,
commanding a wide horizon, bounded on all sides by interesting ob
jects. Towards the west, the snow-clad tops ofthe Pyrenees are dis
coverable : to the north rise the hills of Cevennes, sometimes in bro
ken bluffs, and at others, in long calcareous ridges -. towards the south
and east, the eye ranges over a broad, level region, and reposes upon
the blue expanse of the Mediterranean. The intermediate tract is
brightened by cultivation, and studded with villages, among which is
Cette, which may be considered the port of Montpellier.
On the outside of the boulevard leading to the Esplanade, and just
at the base ofthe hill on which the town stands, is the Botanic Garden,
separated from the public walk by a curtain of evergreens. The en
closure is not very extensive, but embraces a great variety of surface,
prettily laid out into compartments, and embellished with bronze busts
of distinguished naturalists. It is the oldest establishment ofthe kind
in Europe. All the plants are labelled, and the grounds are kept in
good order, though they do not appear to be much frequented. In

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the luxurious climate of Languedoc, where fruits and flowers sprin«
spontaneously, Flora probably finds fewer votaries,- than the more vo
luptuous goddess of pleasure and love. Though the day was serene
and delightful, the alleys were marked by no footsteps save ours, and
the first blossoms of spring were left to breathe their odours in soli
tude. Even the old portress was ferreted from her lodge with difficul
ty, and seemed to consider our visit as an unexpected as well as an
unwelcome intrusion.
In the most retired part of the Garden darkened by thick copses of
cypress and yew, sleeps the dust of Narcissa, the daughter of the poet
Young. The spot is as gloomy as the imagination of the author of
" Night Thoughts." So secreted is the tomb, as to compel us to re
turn once or twice to the gate for new instructions from the withered
sibyl, who was too infirm or too indolent to quit her cell as a guide.
At length descending into a deep entrenchment, running across the
garden like a moat between perpendicular walls ten or fifteen feet high,
and filled with all kinds of rubbish, we found a rude arch on one side,
bearing the inscription — " Placandis Narcissai manibus." The dark
and mouldering recess, overgrown with wild plants and mantled with
ivy, extends eight or ten feet into the bank ; and the mouth of the
dreary cavern is guarded by a little wicker fence made of reeds.
Young's pathetic description of the interment of his daughter, by his
own hands, is doubtless familiar to many of my readers :
" With pious sacrilege a grave I stole ;
With impious piety that grave I wronged ;
Short in my duty, coward in my grief !
More like her murderer than friend, I crept
With soft suspended step ; and, muffled deep
In midnight darkness, whispered my last sigh —
Whispered what should echo through their realms,
Nor writ her name, whose tomb should pierce the skies !"
The spirit of bigotry and intolerance, which denied to a protestant in
a land of strangers the charity of a grave, and drove a father to these
last sad offices, has in a more enlightened age in some degree subsi
ded ; and although the inscription imputed by the guide books to Mr.
Artaud of Lyons — " inter flores Narcissa relucet" — could not be found
by us, her name now marks her tomb and imparts an additional interest
to the garden, in which her ashes repose. Some one seems to have
been ambitious of paying a slight tribute to her memory, by embellish
ing the neighbouring embankment with an imitation of Alpine scenery,
and a tiny foot-path winding down the declivity, among mimic rocks,
to the door of the sepulchre.

LETTERS FROM EUROPE. 527
On our way back from the Botanic Garden to the Hotel, we visited
the Cathedral, Town-House, College, and other public buildings.
The first of these is remarkable only for its two Gothic towers, and a
gigantic portico forming the entrance ; and the shapeless edifice oc
cupied by the University can boast of nothing save its beautiful situa
tion upon one of the boulevards, commanding a view of the sea. In
the same part of the town are the Citadel, Barracks, and Parade, situ
ated along the ramparts. The Market is handsome as well as com
modious, being surrounded with scolumns and arcades, together with
a fountain at which two marble unicorns are in the attitude of drinking.
After dinner on this day, we were favoured with a call from the
Professor of Botany in the University, to whom a mutual friend in
New- York had given me a letter of introduction. He regretted that
absence from home during the day, had prevented him from receiving
the note till a late hour, and that he had been deprived of the pleasure
of conducting us through the Botanic Garden, which particularly be
longs to his department, and engrosses most of his attention. This
gentleman has passed several years in the United States, where he
completed his studies with one of our most eminent physicians, and
received a degree from the Medical College in New- York. His feel
ings, friendships, and attachments, are still in a great measure Ameri
can. He imparted to us much valuable information respecting the
University and other public institutions at Montpellier, with which he
is intimately acquainted. The Medical College, which was founded
as early as the 12th century by Arabian emigrants from Spain, and
which has become one of the most celebrated schools in Europe, was
never in a more flourishing condition than at present. All the depart
ments are filled with men of talents. The Professor of Anatomy is
peculiarly distinguished ; but fears were expressed, that the College
was about to be deprived of his pre-eminent services by a recent para
lytic affection. Owing to the salubrity of the climate, the cheapness
of living, and the well established reputation of this school, some of
the medical students from the United States have preferred it even to
the schools of Paris. One of our countrymen received the first honours
ofthe College last year, and acquired much distinction by his scientific
attainments. The Professor was so polite as to express a wish that our stay at
Montpellier might be prolonged several days, and that he might have
an opportunity of showing us some of those attentions and kind offices
which the letter from his friend in New- York had solicited. But we
had already lingered in the South of France much longer than had
been anticipated, and the most favourable season for visiting Italy was

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now rapidly advancing. Prudence, therefore, compelled us to decline
the civilities of our new and agreeable acquaintance; who continued
with us to the moment of our departure,, consigning to our charge
many commissions of respect and remembrance to his American
friends, and expressing many kind wishes^ foi an agreeable tour to
ourselves. At 1 1 o'clock in the evening we left Montpellier for Nisrnes, where
we arrived at sunrise the next morning, and after a second visit to. the
Amphitheatre, the Maison Carrie, and the Fountain, continued our
journey back to Marseilles, which was reached early on the following
day. This excursion was in all respects satisfactory, contributing alike
to health, pleasure, and instruction.

END OF VOLUME I:

NIVERSITY LIBRARY

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