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[Illustration: Cathedral Church of St. Gudule, Brussels]
YOUNG AMERICANS ABROAD;
OR,
VACATION IN EUROPE:
TRAVELS
IN ENGLAND, FRANCE, HOLLAND, BELGIUM, PRUSSIA
AND SWITZERLAND.
With Illustrations.
BOSTON:
GOULD AND LINCOLN,
89 WASHINGTON STREET.
1852.
Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by
GOULD AND LINCOLN,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court
of the District of Massachusetts.
STEREOTYPED AT THE
BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY
TO
GEORGE SUMNER, ESQ.,
AS A
SLIGHT TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE
FOR HIS KIND ATTENTIONS IN PARIS,
AND IN
ADMIRATION OF TALENTS DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF
FREEDOM,
THESE LETTERS ARE RESPECTFULLY
DEDICATED,
BY HIS OBLIGED FRIENDS,
THE AUTHORS.
LIST
OF
ILLUSTRATIONS.
* * * * *
I. FRONTISPIECE--CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ST.
GUDULE, BRUSSELS.
II. ICEBERGS SEEN FROM STEAMSHIP "ARCTIC,"
APRIL 6, 1851, 24
III. PORTRAIT OF THOMAS CHATTERTON, 56
IV. PORTRAIT OF ROBERT SOUTHEY, 61
V. PORTRAIT OF SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE, 88
VI. VIEW OF ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, LONDON, 148
VII. A FULL-LENGTH PORTRAIT OF DR. SAMUEL
JOHNSON, 150
VIII. VIEW OF THE POET'S CORNER, WESTMINSTER
ABBEY, 185
IX. VIEW OF THE COLONNE DE JUILLET, 196
X. VINTAGE OF THE RHINE, 275
XI. VIEW OF A SWISS COTTAGE, 305
XII. NAPOLEON'S SARCOPHAGUS, 324
INTRODUCTION
One evening last winter a few private pupils were sitting in the study
of their instructor, when he stated his intention to pass the spring
vacation in Europe, and his wish to have two or three of his young
friends as his travelling companions. An earnest and joyous desire was
expressed by each lad to enjoy the gratification, and in the course of a
short period the arrangements were made which afforded him the pleasure
to assure three boys that they should accompany him. The ages of the
young travelers were twelve, fourteen, and sixteen. Their attention was
immediately directed to a course of reading adapted to prepare them for
the beneficial use of the proposed tour; and during its progress each
boy kept a journal, which was useful as a reference in the
correspondence kept up with friends and families at home. A companion in
study, left behind, and prevented by duty from joining the party, wished
to have constant advices of the movements of his friends; and the
letters of the young travellers to a lad of sixteen are, at the advice
of many friends, now submitted to the perusal of those at that age. No
similar work is known to the authors of these letters; and at the
forthcoming gift season it is hoped that the young of our country may be
amused and gratified by these reminiscences of other lands.
J.O. CHOULES.
NEWPORT, R.I., Nov. 25, 1851.
CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION.
LETTER I.
Arrival at New York.
LETTER II.
Going on board Steamer.--Arctic.--Weather.--Passengers.--Loss of Life
and Burial at Sea.--Icebergs.--Sabbath at Sea.--Land.--Excellence of
Collins Line.--Adelphi Hotel.
LETTER III.
Liverpool; Its Public Buildings, Docks, &c.
LETTER IV.
Birmingham.--Arrival in London.--Strand.--Temple Bar.--Fleet
Street.--London Exchange.--London Coffee House.--Omnibuses.
LETTER V.
United States Minister in London.--His kind Attentions.--Crystal
Palace.--London of other Days.--Monument.--The Bridges.
LETTER VI.
Villages.--Camberwel.--Accidents and Murders in England as common as in
America.--Greenwich Fair.--Gypsies.
LETTER VII.
Great Western Railroad.--Swindon.--Bristol.--Scenes of early
Life.--Ancient City.--Clifton and Hot Wells.--Redcliffe
Church.--Chatterton.
LETTER VIII.
Bristol Cathedral.--Monuments and
Inscriptions.--Butler.--Mason.--Southey.--Cloisters.--Mayor's
Chapel.--Dundry.--Vine Prospect.--School attended in Boyhood.
LETTER IX.
Clifton.--Avon.--Hot Wells.--Vincent's Rocks.--Robert Hall.--Sublime
Scenery.--Leigh Court Picture Gallery.
LETTER X
Bath.--Royal Crescent.--Queen Square.--Cathedral.--Hot
Baths.--Bradford.--Trowbridge.--Devizes.--Cricket.
LETTER XI.
Tower of London; its History.--Horse Armory.--Antiquities and
Curiosities.--Executions.--Regalia, &c.
LETTER XII.
Thames Tunnel.--New Houses of Parliament.--House of Lords
described.--Fresco Paintings.--St. Stephen's Hall.--House of
Commons.--Westminster Hall; its Associations, festive and criminal.
LETTER XIII.
British Museum; its fine Galleries, Pictures, Library, Autographs, and
MSS.--The Place to study.--Lord Campbell.--Servant who resorted to it.
LETTER XIV.
Woolwich.--Naval Arsenal and Dock Yard.--Ships of War.--Yard.--Twenty
Thousand Cannon.--Greenwich.--Blackheath.--Lee Grove.--Golden Cross and
its Host.--Mr. Lawrence's Soiree.--Duke of Wellington.
LETTER XV.
Exhibition.--Season Tickets.--Wet Weather.--One May fine.--City
Streets.--Throng around Palace.--Arrival of the Queen.--Opening
Scenes.--Procession, &c.
LETTER XVI.
Fine Equipages.--Appearance of the Palace.--Walk through the
Exhibition.--American Contributions.--Greek Slave, &c.--Mediaeval
Court.--Kohinoor Glass Window.--Austrian Furniture.--Amazon of
Kiss.--Crusaders.--Galleries.--Transept.--Glass Fountain.--
Sculpture.--Veiled Vesta.--Machinery.--Models.--Model of
Liverpool.--Plate Glass.--Taunton Cabinet--Steam Power, &c.
LETTER XVII.
Royal Polytechnic Institution.--Lectures.--Egyptian Hall.--Panorama of
Overland Route to California.--Exeter Hall Sermons.--Wyld's great
Globe.--Zooelogical Gardens.--Christ's Church Hospital; its Boys.
LETTER XVIII.
Windsor Castle; its History.--Interior of the Palace.--
Pictures.--Waterloo Chamber.--St. George's Chanel.--Royal
Tombs.--Edward IV.--Henry VIII.--Charles I., Discovery of his Body in
1813, Account of the Appearance, &c.--Terraces of the Castle.--Eton
College.--Datchett.--Great Park.--Long Walk.--Celebrated
Trees.--Virginia Water.--Cumberland Lodge.--Frogmore.
LETTER XIX.
Sir John Soane's Museum, House, Antiquities, Pictures.--Hogarth's
"Rake's Progress," and the "Election."--Wonderful Economy of Room,
&c.--Greenwich; Hospital, Chapel, Paintings, and Statuary.--Queen's
Stables; Horses, Harness Room, State Carriage.--Soyer's Symposium;
Description of its Rooms.--Dinner there.
LETTER XX.
The Temple Church and its historical Associations.--Steamboat on
Thames.--View of St. Paul's from River.--St. Paul's Cathedral; its
Dome.--Statues: Johnson, Howard, Reynolds, Heber, West, Nelson.--Ascent
of the Dome and Cross.--View of London.
LETTER XXI.
Westminster Abbey.--Early History.--Associations.--Poet's
Corner.--Chapels.--Monuments and Effigies.--Coronation Chairs.--Stone
of Scone Statuary.--Sermon in Abbey by Lord John Thynne.
LETTER XXII.
Hyde Park.--St. James's and Green Park.--Regent's Park.--Squares of
London.--Northumberland House.--Sion House.--St Margaret's Church.--St.
Martin's in-the-Fields.
LETTER XXIII.
Mission House.--Lord Mayor's Day.--Royal Exchange.--Bank of
England.--London Docks.--Covent Garden Market.
LETTER XXIV.
Rev. Dr. Murray.--Dover Castle.--Passage across the Channel.--
Calais.--St. Omer.--Douai.--Arras.--Amiens.--Clermont.--Paris.--
Hotel Windsor.--A Mistake, and Loss of a Dinner.
LETTER XXV.
Gardens and Promenades.--Gayety.--Flowers.--Wrong Drawing-room.--Notre
Dame.--Interior.--Sacristy.--Robes and Relics.--Hotel de Ville.--Louvre
shut.--Paris by Moonlight.
LETTER XXVI.
Palais Royal.--Garden.--Gay Scene.--Passage d'Orleans.--House opposite
to which Henry IV. was assassinated by Ravaillac.--Moliere.--Marat and
Charlotte Corday.--Palace of the Luxembourg.--Paintings.--Gardens.--
Statuary.--Chapel.
LETTER XXVII
Hotel de Cluny; History, Associations, Interior, wonderful
Contents.--Julian's Palace of the Baths.--Mr. George Sumner.--Church
of St. Sulpice.--Statuary.--Ecclesiastical Fountain.--Bibliotheque St.
Genevieve.--Church of St. Etienne du Mont.--History.--Monuments of
Racine and Pascal.--Christening an Infant.--Church of St. Germain des
Pres, (oldest in Paris); its Restoration going on.--Tombs of Descartes,
Mabillon, Montfaucon, &c.
LETTER XXVIII.
Jardin des Plantes; Situation, History.--Cedar of Lebanon and
Palm-trees.--Menagerie.--Cuvier.--Museum of Comparative Anatomy,
&c.--Paris owes much to Henry IV., Louis XIV., Napoleon, and Louis
Philippe.--Pont Neuf.--St. Bartholomew's Massacre.--Bastile.--Column.
LETTER XXIX.
An amusing Fellow-countryman.--Pere la Chaise.--Monuments.--Abattoir.
--Consul's Office; his numerous Calls.
LETTER XXX.
Cirque.--Amusements.--Champs Elysees.--Hippodrome.--Arabs.--Sabbath
kept in Parlor.
LETTER XXXI.
Pleasant Company.--Railroad to Brussels.--Jemappes.--Mons.--Brussels;
History.--Hotel de Ville.--Cathedral Church of St. Gudule; its
Monuments.--First Communion.--Park.--Palace.--Hon. Mr. Bayard.
LETTER XXXII.
Lacework.--Money Matters.--An uncivil Banker.--Museum.--Paintings.
--Burgundian Library.--Manekin.--Botanical Garden.
LETTER XXXIII.
Excursion to Waterloo.--Hongomont.--Relics.--Belgian Mound and
Lion.--Ivy from Waterloo for Mr. J.P. Hall.--Church.--King Leopold.
LETTER XXXIV.
Laeken.--Vilvorde.--Mechlin, or Mallnes.--Antwerp; History.--Place
Verte.--Statue of Rubens.--Cathedral of Notre Dame.--Interior
Pulpit.--Pictures by Rubens.--Tower of the Church.--Quentin Matsys's
fine old Houses.
LETTER XXXV.
St. James's Church.--Tomb of Rubens.--Paintings by Rubens and
Jordaens.--Vandyke.--Mount Calvary.--Monk of La Trappe.--Museum.--Chair
of Rubens; his Pictures.--Other great Works of Art.--St. Andrew's
Church.--Bourse.--Mr. Vesey, U.S. Consul.
LETTER XXXVI.
Dock Yards at Antwerp.--Steamboat Passage on the Scheldt.--Dort.--Lost
Villages.--Bergen op Zoom.--Van Speyk.--Rotterdam.--Erasmus.--Delft.
--Hague.--Hon. George Folsom; his Kindness.--Scheveningen.--Museum.
--Japanese Curiosities.--Historical Curiosities.--Gallery of Pictures.
--Rembrandt, Paul Potter, Gerard Dow, &c.--King's Palace.--Brimenhoff.
--De Witt.--Bosch.--John Adams's House.
LETTER XXXVII.
Dunes.--Leyden; History.--Harlem.--Church of St. Bavon;
Organ.--Coster.--Flower Gardens.--Palace of late King.--Picture
Gallery.--Exhibition of Pictures by living Artists.--Amsterdam.
LETTER XXXVIII.
Mr. J.G. Schwartze.--Stadhuis.--Churches.--Jews.--Picture
Gallery.--Dutch School.--Columbus before the Council.--Artists' Club.
LETTER XXXIX.
Utrecht.--Lobith.--Ruhrort.--Meet with Americans on Return from the
East.--Cologne; History.--Cathedral.--Three Kings.--Relics.--St. Peter's
Church.--Crucifixion of Peter, by Rubens.--Champagne for America.
LETTER XL.
The
Rhine.--Bonn.--Drachenfels.--Godesberg.--Rolandseck.--Oberwinter.
--Okenfels.--Castle Reineck.--Neuwied.--A Raft.--Castle of
Sain.--Ehrenbreitstein.--Coblentz.
LETTER XLI.
Coblentz.--The Moselle.--Excursion to Stolzenfels.--Curiosities.--Fine
View.--Boat up to Mayence.--The Brothers.--Rheinfels.--Lurley
Rock.--Seven Sisters.--Pfalz.--The Rheingau.--Falkenberg.--Rheinstein.
--Assmanshausen.--Ehrenfels.--Mausetherm.--Bingen.--Geisenheim.
--Johannisberg.--Erbach.--Biberich.--Mayence.--John Guttemberg's
Statue--Austrian Troops.--An English Nobleman.
LETTER XLII.
Frankfort.--The Roemer; its Portraits of the Emperors.--Mr. Bethman's
Gallery of Statuary.--Ariadne.--Jews' Quarters.--Darmstadt.--The
Bergstrasse.--Heidelberg.--Castle.--Baden.--Kehl.--Strasburg.
LETTER XLIII.
Cathedral; Its History; Interior Clock.--St. Thomas's Church.--Kleber's
Tomb.
LETTER XLIV.
Vosges Mountains.--Vineyards.--Colmar.--Muehlhausen.--Basle.--Black
Forest.--United States Consul, Mr. Burchardt.--Cathedral.--Tomb of
Erasmus.--Chapter House.--Holbein Gallery.--University.--Library.
--MSS.--St. Jacob.--Tea Party.
LETTER XLV.
Moutiers Valley.--Sublime Scenery.--Domach.--Arch.--Roman
Antiquities.--Berne.--Mechanical Clock.--Cathedral; Organ, Choir,
Bears.--Lausanne.
LETTER XLVI.
Mountain Scenery.--Hotel Gibbon.--Episcopal Church.--Signal.--Hotel de
Ville, and its kind Inhabitants.--Cathedral; its History.--Steamboat
to Vevay.--Castle of Chillon.--St. Martin's Church and the
Regicides.--Geneva.--Cathedral.--Museum.--Calvin's
MBS.--D'Aubigne.--Gaussen--Malan.--Evangelical Association; its
Anniversary.--Count George.--Soiree.--Mr. Delorme.--The
Saleve.--Savoy.--Rousseau's Island.
LETTER XLVII.
Diligence for Dijon.--Fine Scenery.--Dijon; History.--Railroad to
Paris.--Sens.--Cathedral.--Fontainebleau.
LETTER XLVIII.
Methodist Chapel.--Madeline.--Pantheon.--Louvre, open.--Statuary and
Paintings.--Versailles.--Statuary.--Series of National
Paintings.--Portraits of distinguished Men.--Apartments.--Gardens and
Fountains.--Grand and Petit Trianon.--Passy.--St. Cloud.
LETTER XLIX.
Glass Depot--American Friends.--Good Intentions.--Hospital des
Invalides.--Garden of the Tulleries; its Scenery.--Triumphal
Arch.--Chapel of St. Ferdinand.--National Library.--A Tradesman's
Memory.
LETTER L.
Calais; its Recollections.--Rough Passage of the Channel.--Dover.--Mr.
Peabody's Entertainment on the Fourth of July described.--Company.--A
patriotic Act.
LETTER LI.
Entertainment at the Belgian Minister's.--Young Nobility.--A noble
Boy.--Craven Chapel.--Slavery.--Exhibition.--Pauper Labor.--Need of a
Tariff.
LETTER LII.
Kind Friends at Bristol,--Weston Super Mare.--Museum of Baptist
College.--Highbury Chapel.--Old Houses of Bristol.--Fine Churches.
LETTER LIII.
River Avon.--Wye.--Chepstow.--St. Aryan's.--Wynd Cliff.--Glorious
Scenery.--Tintern Abbey; its History.--Ragland Castle;
Appearance.--Marquis of Worcester.--Chopstow Castle.--Henry
Marten.--Defence of the Parliamentary Party.--Severn River.--Old
Passage.--Henbury.--Blaize Castle.--Birthday Lines.
LETTER LIV.
Leave Bristol.--Berkeley.--Cheltenham.--Birmingham; Manufactories.--Rev.
John Angell James.--Mr. Vanwart.--Liverpool.--Chester; its
Antiquity.--Cathedral.--Rows and Pillars.--Englishmen and Americans have
much in Common.--Royal Agricultural Exhibition at Windsor.
LETTER LV.
Passage Home in the Steamer Atlantic.--Claims of the Collins
Line.--Lessons taught by Travel in other Lands.--Our
Comforts.--Excellent Character of many of the English Nobility.--Queen
Victoria and Prince Albert.--Prospect of Affairs in Europe.--Popery as
seen in her proper Territories.
Young Americans Abroad.
Letter 1.
ASTOR HOUSE, NEW YORK, April 1, 1851.
DEAR CHARLEY:--
I have just arrived at this place, and have found my companions on hand,
all ready for the commencement of the long-anticipated voyage. We regret
the circumstances which render it your duty to remain, and we all feel
very sorry for the disappointment of your wishes and our hopes. You
will, however, feel happy in the thought that you are clearly in the
path of duty; and you have already learnt that that path is a safe one,
and that it always leads to happiness. You have begged us all to write
to you as frequently as we can, and we have concluded to send you our
joint contributions, drawing largely upon our journals as we move from
place to place; and, as we have for so many years had pleasant
intercourse in the family circle, we wish to maintain it by
correspondence abroad. Our letters will, of course, be very different
in their character and interest, because you will bear in mind that out
ages are different; and we shall write you from a variety of points,
some having a deeper interest than others. I trust that this series of
letters will give you a general view of our movements, and contribute to
your gratification, if not to your instruction. The weather is
delightful, and we are anticipating a fine day for leaving port. It is
to all of us a source of pain that we are deprived of your sunny smile;
and while we are wandering far away in other lands, we shall often, in
fancy, listen to your merry laugh; and I assure you, my dear fellow,
that, wherever we rove, it will be amongst our pleasantest thoughts of
home when we anticipate the renewal of personal intercourse with one who
has secured so warm a place in our affections.
Yours truly,
J.O.C.
Letter 2.
ADELPHI HOTEL, LIVERPOOL, April 14.
DEAR CHARLEY:--
It is but twelve days since we parted, and yet we are actually in the
old world, and the things which we have so often talked over on the
rock-bound shore are really before me. Yes, we are on the soil of Old
England, and are soon to see its glories and greatness, and, I fear, its
miseries, for a bird's eye view has already satisfied me that there is
enough of poverty. You know we left New York in a soaking rain, and the
wind blowing fresh from the north-east. We all felt disappointed, as we
had hoped to pass down the bay, so celebrated for its beauty, with the
bright sunshine to cheer our way; but we had to take comfort from the
old proverb, that "a bad beginning makes a good ending." James, George,
and I had made up our minds to a regular time of sea-sickness, and so we
hastened to put our state room into order and have all our conveniences
fixed for the voyage. As soon as we had made matters comfortable, we
returned to the deck, and found a most formidable crowd. Every passenger
seemed to have, on the occasion, a troop of friends, and all parts of
the immense steamer were thronged. The warning voice of _"all on shore"_
soon caused a secession, and at twelve o'clock we had the great agent at
work by which we hoped to make headway against wind and wave. The
cheering of the crowd upon the wharf was hearty as we dropped into the
river, and its return from our passengers was not lacking in spirit. The
Arctic, you know, is one of the Collins line of steamers, and I was not
a little surprised at her vast size and splendid accommodations, because
I had only seen the Cunard boats in Boston, which are very inferior, in
size and comfort, to this palace and tower of the ocean.
We all anticipated a hard time of it, from the severe storm which raged
all the morning, and I, in common with all the passengers, was delighted
to find it any thing but rough water outside the Hook. We kept steaming
away till we lost sight of land with the loss of daylight, and yet the
sea was in less commotion than it frequently exhibits in Newport Harbor.
The next morning, at breakfast, we had quite a fair representation at
table, and I think more than two thirds presented themselves for duty.
We boys were all on hand, and passed for "able-bodied men." The routine
of life on board was as follows: We breakfasted at eight, lunched at
twelve, dined at four, took tea at half past six, and from nine till
eleven gentlemen had any article for supper they saw fit to order. This
is quite enough of time for taking care of the outer man, and any one
careful of his health will be sure to intermit one or two of these
seasons. All the meals were excellent, and the supplies liberal. The
tables present a similar appearance to those of a first-class hotel. In
regard to our passengers, I think I can say, with confidence, that a
more agreeable set of persons could not well have been gathered
together. It really was a nicely-assorted cargo. We numbered one
hundred and thirty, and the various parts of our country were all
represented. Philadelphia sent the largest delegation; from that city we
had more than twenty. I liked the looks of the passengers at the first
glance, and every day's intercourse heightened my estimate of their
worth and pleasantness. Amongst the company we had Professor Haddock, of
Dartmouth College, going out to Portugal as _charge d'affaires_. He was
accompanied by his lady and son. Then, too, we had the world-renowned
Peter Parley, with his accomplished family circle. Mr. Goodrich, after a
long life of labor for the youth of his country, for whose reading and
instruction he has done so much, has been honored by the government of
the United States with an appointment as consul at Paris. Mr. Goodrich
resided there for two or three years, and was in Paris during the
revolution of 1848. He seems fond of the company of young people, and we
spent a great deal of time on board with him, listening to his stories,
some made up for the occasion, and narrations of the events in February
at Paris, and some capital anecdotes about the last war with England,
during which he served his country in the army. The Hon. George Wright,
of California, and her first representative in Congress, was also one of
our party; and his glowing descriptions of the auriferous regions kept
groups of audience for many an hour. The Rev. Arthur Cleveland Cox, of
Hartford, favorably known as the author of some pleasant rhymes and
sonnets, Mr. Cunningham, a southern editor, and several retired sea
captains, all contributed to enhance the agreeableness of the voyage. I
am sorry to tell you that, three days out, we had a sad occurrence in
our little world. Just as we were sitting down to lunch at eight bells,
the machinery stopped for a moment, and we were informed that William
Irwin, one of the assistant engineers, was crushed to death. He
accidentally slipped from his position, and was killed instantaneously.
In less than half an hour he was sewed up in canvas, and all hands
called to attend his funeral services! The poor fellow was laid upon a
plank covered with the American flag, and placed at the wheel-house. The
service was performed by Mr. Cox, in full canonicals; and I can assure
you that the white-robed priest, as he issued from the cabin and
ascended the wheel-house, really looked impressively. At the close, he
was committed to the deep. What food for thought was here! A man in
health and at life's daily task,--alive,--dead,--and buried,--all these
conditions of his state crowded into thirty minutes! The poor man had a
mother who was dependent upon him. Dr. Choules drew up a subscription
paper for her benefit, and nearly five hundred dollars were at once
raised for her relief. This unhappy event, of course, gave a sad
damper to the joyous feelings which existed on board, and which were
excited by our fine weather and rapid headway. On Sunday we had two
sermons in the cabin to large congregations, all the passengers
attending, with the officers and many of the crew. The morning service
was by Dr. Choules, and the evening one by Mr. Cox.
[Illustration: Four Positions of an Iceberg, seen 6th of April.
Estimated Height, 300 feet. Lat. 43.04; long. 53.11; at Noon.]
[Illustration: Icebergs seen from the Steamship "Arctic," on the Voyage
from New York to Liverpool, April 6, 1851.]
In the afternoon, April 6, we had the gratification to see a magnificent
iceberg. We were in lat. 43 deg. 4', lon. 53 deg. 11' at twelve o'clock, and at
three the ice appeared at about ten miles' distance. The estimated
height was about three hundred feet. One if the passengers took a
sketch. I also made one, and have laid it aside for your inspection.
The berg had much the appearance of the gable end of a large house, and
at some little distance there was another, of tower-like aspect, and
much resembling a light-house. The effect of the sun upon it, as we saw
it in various positions, was exceedingly fine. On Monday, the 7th, we
saw a much larger one, with several small ones as neighbors. This was
probably one mile in length, and about two hundred feet high.
We saw several whales frolicking at the distance of a mile, and
distinctly saw them spout at short intervals.
After having had all reason to hope for a ten-day passage, we were
annoyed for four or five days with head winds, materially retarding our
headway. The evenings of the voyage were generally spent on deck, where
we had charming concerts. Seldom have I heard better singing than we
were favored with by eight or ten ladies and gentlemen. One universal
favorite was the beautiful piece, "Far, far at sea." On Sunday, the
13th, just after morning service, conducted by Mr. Cox, we made Mizzen
Head, and obtained a magnificent view of the north coast of Ireland,
which was far more beautiful than we had expected. The coast is very
bold, and the cliffs precipitous, in many places strongly reminding us
of the high lands of the Hudson. A more exquisite treat than that which
we enjoyed all the afternoon in looking on the Irish coast I can hardly
imagine. At night we had a closing service, and Dr. Choules preached.
Every one seemed to feel that we had cause for thankfulness that we had
been brought in safety across the ocean, and under so many circumstances
of enjoyment We have made acquaintances that are truly valuable, and
some of them I hope to cultivate in future life. One of the great
advantages of travel, Charles, seems to be, that it enables us to
compare men of other places than those we live in with our former
acquaintances. It brings us into intercourse with those who have had a
different training and education than our own; and I think a man or boy
must be pretty thoroughly conceited who does not often find out his own
inferiority to many with whom he chances to meet. On board our ship are
several young men of fine attainments, who, engaged in mechanical
business, are going out to obtain improvement and instruction by a
careful study of the great exhibition. A number of gentlemen with us are
young merchants, who represent houses in our great cities, and go to
England and France twice and three times every year. Some of these are
thoroughly accomplished men, and, wherever they go, will reflect credit
upon their country. In no country, perhaps, do young men assume
important trusts in commercial life at so early a period as in America.
I have heard one or two Englishmen on board express their surprise at
finding large business operations intrusted to young men of twenty and
twenty-one; and yet there are some such with us who are making their
second and third trips to Manchester, Leeds, Paisley, and Paris, for the
selection of goods.
I ought to tell you that, on the last day of the voyage, we had a great
meeting in the cabin, Mr. Goodrich in the chair, for the purpose of
expressing the satisfaction of the passengers with the Arctic, her
captain, officers, and engineer. Several good speeches were made, and
some resolutions passed. This has become so ordinary an affair at the
termination of a passage, as to have lost much of its original value;
but as this ship had an unusual number of passengers, many of them well
known to their fellow-countrymen, and as great opposition had been
displayed, on both sides of the ocean, to this line of steamers, it was
thought suitable to express our views in relation to this particular
ship and the great undertaking with which she is identified. Every man
on board was satisfied that, in safety, these ships are equal to the
Cunard line; while in comfort, accommodation, size, and splendor they
far surpass their rivals. It really seems strange to us that Americans
should think of making the ocean trip in an English steamship, when
their own country has a noble experiment in trial, the success of which
alone depends upon the patriotism and spirit of her citizens. The
English on board are forced to confess that our ship and the line are
all that can be asked, and I think that pretty strong prejudices have
been conquered by this voyage. Every one left the ship with sentiments
of respect to Captain Luce, who, I assure you, we found to be a very
kind friend, and we shall all of us be glad to meet him again on ship or
shore.
On Monday, the 14th, at three o'clock, we took our pilot, and at eight
o'clock we anchored off Liverpool, and a dark-looking steamtug came off
to us for the mails, foreign ministers, and bearers of despatches. As
we came under the wing of one of the last-named class of favored
individuals, we took our luggage, and proceeded straight to the Adelphi
Hotel. I ought to say that James was the first to quit the ship and
plant his foot on Old England. It was quite strange to see it so light
at half past eight o'clock, although it was a rainy evening. I shall not
soon forget the cheerful appearance of the Adelphi, which, in all its
provisions for comfort, both in the coffee-room and our chambers, struck
me more favorably than any hotel I had ever seen. Although our
state-room on board the Arctic was one of the extra size and every thing
that was nice, yet I long for the conveniences of a bed-chamber and a
warm bath. I am quite disposed to join with the poor Irish woman who had
made a steerage passage from New York to Liverpool in a packet ship; and
when landed at St. George's pier, and seated on her trunk, a lady who
had also landed, when getting into her carriage, said, "Well, my good
woman, I suppose you are very glad to get out of the ship?" Her reply
was, "And indeed, my lady, every bone in my body cries out _feathers!_"
Yours truly,
WELD.
Letter 3.
LIVERPOOL.
DEAR CHARLEY:--
Well, we have fairly commenced our travel, and yet I can scarcely
realize the fact that I am here in Old England, and that, for some
months at least, I shall be away from home and the occupations of the
school-room. The next day after landing we went to the custom-house to
see our fellow-passengers pass their effects, and really felt glad to
think of our good fortune in landing every thing at night and direct
from the ship. It was an exciting scene, and I was not a little amused
to observe the anxiety of the gentlemen to save their cigars from the
duty imposed, and which amounts to nine shillings sterling per pound.
All sorts of contrivances were in vogue, and the experiences of men were
various, the man with one hundred, perhaps, being brought up, while his
neighbor with five hundred passed off successfully, and, as he cleared
the building, seemed disposed to place his finger on the prominent
feature of his face.
I quite like the appearance of Liverpool. After walking through the
principal streets and making a general survey of the shops,--no one
speaks of _store_,--I think I can testify to the extraordinary cleanness
of the city, and the massiveness and grandeur of the public buildings.
Our attention was first directed to the cemetery which had been
described, you remember, to us one evening in the study. It is on the
confines of the city, and is made but of an old quarry. I liked it
better than any cemetery I ever saw; it is unlike all I had seen, and,
though comparatively small, is very picturesque, I may almost say
romantic. The walls are lofty, and are devoted to spacious tombs, and
the groundwork abounds in garden shrubbery and labyrinth. Some of the
monuments are striking. The access to this resting-place is by a steep
cut through the rock, and you pass under an archway of the most imposing
character. At the entrance of the cemetery is a neat chapel, and the
officiating minister has a dwelling-house near the gate.
I wish you could see a building now in progress, and which has taken
twelve or fourteen years to erect, and from its appearance will not, I
suppose, be finished in four or five more. It is called St. George's
Hall. The intent is to furnish suitable accommodations for the various
law courts, and also to contain the finest ball-room in Europe. It is in
a commanding position. I know little of architecture, but this building
strikes me as one of exquisite beauty. We obtained an order from the
mayor to be shown over it and examine the works, and we enjoyed it very
much. The great hall will be without a rival in England. The town hall
is a noble edifice, and the people are quite proud of it. The interior
is finely laid out, and has some spacious rooms for the civic revelries
of the fathers of the town. The good woman who showed us round feels
complacently enough as she explains the uses of the rooms. The ball-room
is ninety feet by forty-six, and forty feet high. The dining and
drawing-rooms are spacious apartments. On the grand staircase is a noble
statue of George Canning, by Chantrey, whose beautiful one of Washington
we have so often admired in the Boston State House. In the building are
some good paintings of the late kings; one or two by Sir Thomas
Lawrence. The Exchange is directly behind the hall, and contains in the
centre a glorious bronze monument to Lord Nelson, the joint production
of Wyat and Westmacott. Death is laying his hand upon the hero's heart,
and Victory is placing a fourth crown on his sword. Ever since I read
Southey's Life of Nelson, I have felt an interest in every thing
relating to this great; yet imperfect man. You know that illustrated
work on Nelson that we have so often looked at it contains a large
engraving of this monument. As Yankee boys, we found our way to the top
of the Exchange, to look at the cotton sales-room. This same room has
more to do with our good friends at the south than any other in the
world. The atmosphere would have been chilly to a Georgian planter, as
cotton was down--down.
The Necropolis is a very spacious burying-place, open to all classes,
and where persons can be interred with the use of any form desired. The
gateway is of stone, and not unlike the granite one at Mount Auburn; and
on one side is a chapel, and on the other a house for the register. Not
far from this we came to the Zooelogical Gardens, kept in excellent
order, and where is a good collection of animals, birds, &c. The
Collegiate Institution is an imposing structure in the Tudor style.
St. George's Church, which stands at the head of Lord Street, occupies
the position of the old castle, destroyed, I believe, more than one
hundred and fifty years ago, and is a very graceful termination to one
of the best business avenues of the city. Several of the churches and
chapels are in good style. But one of the best buildings is--as it
should be, in a city like this--the Sailor's Home, not far from the
Custom House. This is a highly-ornamented house, and would adorn any
city of the world.
The Custom House is thought to be one of the finest buildings in the
kingdom. It occupied ten years in its erection. It is composed of three
_facades_, from a rusticated pavement, each having a splendid portico of
eight Ionic columns. The whole is surmounted by a dome, one hundred and
thirty feet high, and the effect of the building is excellent. The glory
of Liverpool is her docks, and a stranger is sure to be pointed to the
great landing stage, an immense floating pier, which was moored into its
present position on the 1st of June, 1847. This stage is five hundred
and seven feet long, and over eighty feet wide. This mass of timber
floats upon pontoons, which have to support more than two thousand tons.
At each end is a light barge.
In the Clarence dock are to be found the Irish and coasting steamers,
and to the north are the Trafalgar, Victoria, and Waterloo docks; the
Prince's dock, and the Great Prince's dock basin. On the outside of all
these is a fine parade, of about one half a mile, and which affords one
of the most beautiful marine promenades in the world, and gives an
interesting view of the Cheshire shore, opposite the city. The Prince's
dock is five hundred yards long, and one hundred broad. Vessels, on
arriving, discharge on the east side, and take in cargo on the west.
Besides all these there is the Brunswick dock, Queen's dock, Duke's
dock, Salthouse dock, &c.
The Royal Liverpool Institution is a great benefit to the inhabitants.
It has a good library, fine collections of paintings, and a good museum
of natural history. Many of these paintings belong to the early masters,
and date even before the fifteenth century. We were interested to find
here a complete set of casts of the Elgin marbles. The originals were
the decorations of the Parthenon at Athens, and are now in the British
Museum. As we shall spend some time in that collection, I say no more at
present about these wonderful monuments of genius. The Athenaeum and the
Lyceum are both fine buildings, and each has a good library, lecture,
and news rooms.
We were disappointed at finding the Rev. Dr. Raffles, the most eloquent
preacher of the city, out of town. He was the successor of Spencer, who
was drowned bathing in the Mersey, and his Life by Raffles is one of
deep interest. The great historical name of Liverpool is William Roscoe,
the author of the Lives of Leo X. and the Medici. I must not omit to
tell you that, during our stay, the town was all alive with a regiment
of lancers, just arrived from Ireland, on their way to London. They are
indeed fine-looking fellows, and are mounted on capital horses. I have
watched their evolutions in front of the Adelphi with much pleasure, and
have been amused to notice a collection of the most wretched-looking
boys I ever saw, brought together by the troops. There seems to me more
pauperism this week, in Liverpool, than I ever saw in New York in my
life.
Truly yours,
JAMES.
Letter 4.
LONDON.
DEAR CHARLEY:--
Does it not seem strange that I am here in London? I can hardly tell
what to write about first. I stand at the door of our hotel and look at
the crowds in the streets, and then at old King Charles, at Charing
Cross, directly across the road, and when I think that this is the old
city where Wat Tyler figured, and Whittington was lord mayor, and Lady
Jane Grey was beheaded, and where the Tower is still to be seen, I am
half beside myself, and want to do nothing but roam about for a good
month to come. I have read so much concerning London, that I am pretty
sure I know more about it than many of the boys who have heard Bow
Church bells all their lives. We left Liverpool for Birmingham, where we
passed an afternoon and evening in the family of a manufacturer very
pleasantly, and at ten o'clock took the express mail train for London.
We are staying at a hotel called the Golden Cross, Charing Cross. We
have our breakfast in the coffee-room, and then dine as it suits our
convenience as to place and hour. We spent one day in riding about the
city, and I think we got quite an idea of the great streets.
The Strand is a very fine business street, perhaps a mile long. It
widens in one part, and has two churches in the middle of it, and a
narrow street seems built inside it at one place, as nasty, dirty a lane
as I ever saw, called Hollowell Street. I was very much delighted at the
end of the Strand to see old Temple Bar, which is the entrance to the
city proper, and which divides Fleet Street from the Strand. It is a
noble archway, with small side arches for foot passengers. The head of
many a poor fellow, and the quarters of men called traitors, have been
fastened over this gateway in former times.
Dr. Johnson was once walking in Westminster Abbey with Goldsmith, and as
they were looking at the Poet's Corner, Johnson said to his friend,--
"Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur istis."
When they had walked on to Temple Bar, Goldsmith stopped Johnson, and
pointed to the heads of Fletcher and Townley, hanging above, and slyly
remarked,--
"Forsitan et nostrum nomen miscebitur _istis_."
I suppose you remember that the great dictionary man was a Jacobite in
his heart.
The present bar was put up in 1670, and was designed by Sir Christopher
Wren. The statues on the sides, which are towards the city, are those of
Queen Elizabeth and James I.; and towards the Strand, those of Charles
I. and Charles II. They stand in niches.
Whenever the monarch passes into the city, there is much ceremony takes
place at the bar. The gates are closed, a herald sounds a trumpet and
knocks for entrance, the gates are opened, and the lord mayor of London
presents the sword of the city to the sovereign, who returns it to his
lordship. The upper part of the bar is used by Messrs. Childs, the
bankers, as a store room for their past account books.
Fleet Street is thronged with passengers and carriages of all sorts.
Just a few doors from the bar, on the right-hand side, is a
gayly-painted front, which claims to have been a palace of Henry VIII.
and the residence of Cardinal Wolsey. It is now used as a hair-cutting
shop, up stairs. We went up and examined the panelled ceiling, said to
be just as it used to be. It is certainly very fine, and looks as if it
were as old as the times of bluff Harry. Of course we had our hair cut
in the old palace.
We followed through Fleet Street, noticing the offices of Punch and the
London Illustrated News, till we came to Ludgate Hill,--rather an
ascent,--which is the direct way to the Cathedral Church of St. Paul's.
It stands directly in front of Ludgate Hill, and the churchyard occupies
a large space, and the streets open on each side, making a sort of
square called Paul's Churchyard, and then at the rear you go into
Cheapside. We looked with interest, I can tell you, at Bow Church, and,
as the old bells were ringing, I tried to listen if I could hear what
Whittington heard once from their tingling--"Turn again, Whittington,
lord mayor, of London." At the end of this street, on the right hand, is
the lord mayor's house, called the Mansion House, and directly in front
of the street, closing it up, and making it break off, is the Royal
Exchange; whilst at the left is the Bank of England. All these are very
noble-looking buildings, and you will hear about them from us as we
examine them in our future walks. We went to the counting-house of
Messrs. Baring & Co., the great merchants and bankers for so many
Americans, and there we found our letters and got some money. Mr.
Sturgis, one of the partners, told us to take the check to the bank, No.
68 Lombard Street, and informed us that was the very house where the
great merchant of Queen Elizabeth's time--Sir Thomas Gresham--used to
live. He built the first London Exchange, and his sign, a large
grasshopper, is still preserved at the bank. On Good Friday we had bunns
for breakfast, with a cross upon them, and they were sold through the
streets by children, crying "One a penny, two a penny, hot cross bunns."
We took a carriage and rode to Camden town to visit a friend; thence we
took the cars, to Hackney, and called on the Rev. Dr. Cox, who some
fifteen years ago made the tour of the United States, and wrote a
volume on our country. We then returned to London, and took our dinner
at the London Coffee House, Ludgate Hill. This has been a very
celebrated house for one hundred years, and figures largely in the books
of travellers fifty years ago. It has a high reputation still, and every
thing was excellent, and the waiting good. You cannot walk about London
without observing how few boys of our age are to be seen in the streets,
and when we asked the reason, we were told that nearly all the lads of
respectable families were sent to boarding schools, and the vacations
only occur at June and December; then the boys return home, and the city
swarms with them at all the places of amusement. We seemed to be objects
of attention, because we wore caps; (here boys all wear hats;) and then
our gilt buttons on blue jackets led many to suppose that we were
midshipmen. The omnibuses are very numerous, and each one has a
conductor, who stands on a high step on the left side of the door,
watching the sidewalks and crying out the destination of the "bus," as
the vehicle is called. There is a continual cry, "Bank, bank," "Cross,
cross," "City, city," &c. I must not forget to tell you one thing; and
that is, London is the place to make a sight-seeing boy very tired, and
I am quite sure that, in ten minutes, I shall be unable to do what I can
now very heartily, viz., assure you that
I am yours, affectionately,
GEORGE.
Letter 5.
LONDON.
DEAR CHARLEY:--
After passing a day or two in a general view of the city, and making
some preliminary arrangements for our future movements, we all called
upon Mr. Lawrence, the minister of our country at the court of St.
James, which expression refers to the appellation of the old palace of
George III. Mr. Lawrence resides in Piccadilly, opposite the St. James's
Park, in a very splendid mansion, which he rents from an English
nobleman, all furnished. We were very kindly received by his excellency,
who expressed much pleasure at seeing his young countrymen coming
abroad, and said he was fond of boys, and liked them as travelling
companions. I handed him a letter of introduction from his brother. Mr.
Lawrence offered us all the facilities in his power to see the sights,
and these are great, for he is furnished by the government of England
with orders which will admit parties to almost every thing in and about
London. Amongst other tickets he gave us the following admissions: to
the Queen's stables, Windsor Castle, Dulwich Gallery, Woolwich Arsenal,
Navy Yard, Sion House, Northumberland House, Houses of Parliament, and,
what we highly valued, an admission to enter the exhibition, which is
yet unfinished, and not open to inspection.
After leaving the minister, we paid our respects to Mr. Davis, the
secretary of legation, and were kindly received. We walked on from
Piccadilly to the Crystal Palace, passing Apsley House, the residence of
the Duke of Wellington, and soon reached Hyde Park, with its famous
gateway and the far-famed statue of "the duke." As we shall go into some
detailed account of the palace after the exhibition opens, I would only
say, that we were exceedingly surprised and delighted with the building
itself, and were so taken up with that as hardly to look at its
contents, which were now rapidly getting into order. The effect of the
noble elms which are covered up in the palace is very striking and
pleasing, and very naturally suggests the idea that the house would, by
and by, make a glorious green-house for the city, where winter's
discontents might be almost made into a "glorious summer." A poor fellow
was killed here, just before we entered, by falling through the skylight
roof. He was at work on a plank laid across the iron frame, and that
tipping up, threw him on to the glass, and his death was instantaneous.
We are more and more pleased at having so central a domicile as the
Golden Cross, for time is every thing when you have to see sights; and
here we can get to any point we desire by a bus, and obtain a fly at any
moment. Very much that we desire to see, too, is east of Temple Bar, and
our Mentor seems determined that we shall become acquainted with the
London of other times, and we rarely walk out without learning who lived
in "that house," and what event had happened in "that street." I fancy
that we are going to gather up much curious matter for future use and
recollection by our street wanderings. A book called "The Streets of
London" is our frequent study, and is daily consulted with advantage.
To-day we dined at the famous Williams's, in Old Bailey, where boiled
beef is said to be better than at any other place in London. It was
certainly as fine as could be desired. The customers were numerous, and
looked like business men. The proprietor was a busy man, and his eyes
seemed every where. A vision of cockroaches, however, dispelled the
appetite for a dessert, and we perambulated our way to the Monument.
This has a noble appearance, and stands on Fish Street Hill. The pillar
is two hundred and two feet high, and is surmounted by a gilt flame. The
object of the Monument is to commemorate the great fire of London in
Charles II.'s reign.
It had an inscription which ascribed the origin of the fire to the
Catholics; but recently this has been obliterated. It was to this
inscription and allegation that Pope referred in his lines,--
"Where London's column, pointing to the skies, Like a tall bully,
lifts its head, and _lies_."