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CHAPEL AND TOMB OF HENRY VII, IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY. 
 
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 AFTER-THOUGHTS 
 
 FOREIGN TRAVEL 
 
 pistorix $fcmbs antr Capital (ffitbs. 
 
 SULLIVAN HOLM AN M'COLLESTEB. 
 
 FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 D. LOTHROP AND COMPANY, 
 
 FRANKLIN STREET. 
 

 Copyright, 18S3. 
 D. Lothrop & Company. 
 
TO 
 
 Wg Wit*, 
 
 THE ASSOCIATE OF MY STUDIES AND EXPERIENCES, 
 
 AFTER TWEXTY-XIXE TEARS OF HAPPT COMPAXIOXSHIP, 
 
 (bins Munte 
 
 IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED. 
 X AUTHOR. 
 
 3' 
 
PEEFACE. 
 
 These After-Thoughts of two unci a half years 
 abroad, are not offered as exhaustive essa3'S, but 
 rather suggestive compends of subjects considered. 
 The} 7 were first presented at some intervals in lec- 
 tures, which will account for their variety of st}'le 
 and method. Their aim is to direct special atten- 
 tion to those countries and events, whence has come 
 our civilization. Accordingly, I have gleaned from 
 the places visited and studied, such facts and sug- 
 gestions, as would naturally induce others to investi- 
 gate and gather up from foreign lands and men that 
 instruction and knowledge, which tend to hallow the 
 past, enrich the present, and ennoble the future. 
 
 We cannot realize too fully, that in the progress 
 of civilization, the good, however antiquated, is 
 sure to survive ; that each epoch has not failed to 
 crown its successor ; that the Orient has been con- 
 stantly bestowing upon the Occident. Therefore, in 
 this latest time and far western civilization, we have 
 
VI AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 received inestimable treasures, and ought so to ap- 
 preciate aud use them that we may be able and 
 desirous to give to the world more and better gratu- 
 ities than we have received. 
 
 The present form of these After-Thoughts is a 
 response to the earnest request of many friends who 
 listened to them in the lecture-room. That they 
 may yield pleasure and profit to readers aud students 
 of history and character, is the sincere wish of the 
 Author. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I. Scotland and Edinburgh 1 
 
 II. London 33 
 
 III. France and Paris 67 
 
 IV. Spain and Madrid 95 
 
 V. Germany and Berlin 119 
 
 VI. Switzerland and Berne 157 
 
 VII. Florence, the Art City 189 
 
 VIII. Modern and Ancient Rome 211 
 
 IX. Naples and its Burled Cities 248 
 
 X. Greece and Athens 269 
 
 XI. Lower Egypt and Cairo 297 
 
 XII. Modern and Ancient Jerusalem .... 332 
 
AFTER-THOUGHTS 
 
 OP 
 
 Foreign Travel 
 
 -^-<r->- 
 
 i. 
 
 SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 
 
 rilHE traveller, after riding upon the Atlantic 
 -*- for nine days, or more, whether he has en- 
 joyed or disliked the voyage, is quite sure to 
 be delighted as he approaches the coast of Scot- 
 land. The islands are so green and the bluffs 
 of the mainland so abrupt, that he can but 
 revel in pleasure and wonderment. If he passes 
 in the daylight Giant's Causeway, or the Isle of 
 Staffa, he can behold the grandest formation of 
 basaltic rock ; or, if he can stop, so as to enter 
 Fingal's Cave, he will witness one of the sub- 
 limest cathedrals in the world, having old ocean 
 for its flooring, huge crystals of basalt for its 
 walls, and native fretted work for its roofing. 
 As he comes to Iona, he thinks of the long line 
 
2 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 of Scotch kings buried here, and of the sainted 
 Columba, who, in the sixth century, and in the 
 dim light of Christianity, was wont to teach 
 that Iona is the abode of the blest ; or, as his 
 steamer sweeps round the Isle of Arran, he is 
 likely to recall the legend of Robert Bruce, tell- 
 ing how, in 1306, he crossed the sea from Arran 
 to the mountainous coast of Carrick, that he 
 might attack the English forces gathered there, 
 and, if possible, conquer them. Having spent a 
 day in reconnoitring, he lay at night in the barn 
 of a loyal cottager, and in the morning, as he 
 awoke, he saw a spider climbing a beam of the 
 roof. Soon the insect fell to the ground, but 
 immediately it made the second essay to ascend. 
 This attracted the notice of the hero who with 
 regret saw the spider fall the second time. At 
 once, it made the third unsuccessful attempt, 
 and so continued till the twelfth failure ; but 
 the thirteenth effort was a success ; the spider 
 reached the rid<je of the barn, when the king 
 sprung to his feet and exclaimed, " This des- 
 picable insect has taught me perseverance : I 
 shall follow its example. Have I not been 
 twelve times defeated by the enemies' superior 
 force ? On one fight more hangs the indepen- 
 dence of my country." In a few days after, 
 history informs us that his anticipations were 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBUKGH. 6 
 
 fully realized in the glorious victory of Ban- 
 nockburn. 
 
 As the steamer enters the harbor of Green- 
 ock, which is at the mouth of the Clyde, there 
 is joy on the part of all passengers, even if 
 the fog is thick and the rain falling fast, as is 
 usually the case. Here it was that the old 
 Scotchman was asked, "Does it always rain 
 here ? " "Na," he replied, " it sometimes snaws." 
 The coast, so far as the eye can reach, is bold 
 and picturesque. The situation of Greenock is 
 beautiful, and the town presents an attractive 
 appearance from the sea. But its chief interest 
 springs from the fact that it is the birthplace of 
 James Watt. Here it was that in early life he 
 watched the steam lifting the teakettle lid, and 
 conceived the idea of applying it so as to drive 
 the locomotive. Here, also, John Gait, the 
 novelist, lived and died. What significance no- 
 ble lives add to the beauties of nature and the 
 works of man ! 
 
 If the tide is in, the steamer pushes on up 
 the Clyde after inspection. Very soon the 
 foreigner has the opportunity of seeing what 
 Scotch perseverance and industry will do ; for 
 the Clyde which was at the beginning of the 
 present century an inferior stream, scarcely nav- 
 igable for the smallest crafts, has been widened 
 
4 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 and deepened, so that ships of heavy burdens 
 can pass up its winding course as far as Glas- 
 gow. Then, too, its banks for miles are lined 
 with new ships on the stocks in process of com- 
 pletion. As one comes within the sound of the 
 clattering: and whacking of ten thousand ham- 
 mers, as they are welding together the ribs and 
 making tisrht the keels, he can but imagine that 
 pandemonium is close at hand. At the junction 
 of the Leven and the Clyde, he is surprised at 
 the abrupt rising of the Dumbarton Rock to the 
 height of live hundred and sixty feet above the 
 surface of the river. The rock measures a mile 
 in circumference, and ends in two peaks. The 
 highest of these is crowned with a tower bear- 
 ing the name of Wallace's Tower, from the fact 
 that the Scottish hero was confined here. Still 
 higher up the river is a promontory, on which 
 stands the ruins of Dun^las Castle, and under 
 its shadow is an appropriate monument to per- 
 petuate the name of Henry Bell who first intro- 
 duced steam navigation on the Clyde. Farther 
 on is to be seen a large block of stone, marking 
 the spot where the Earl of Argyle was captured 
 after his unsuccessful expedition from Holland. 
 In half an hour more the steamer reaches Ren- 
 frew Ferry, where Somerled, Thane of Argyle 
 and Lord of the Isles, in 1104, fighting against 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 5 
 
 Malcolm IV., was defeated and killed. Now 
 the country seats multiply fast on either side of 
 the river, and in a little while the steamer is 
 anchored by the wharves of Glasgow. The 
 American, as he enters the streets of this city, is 
 reminded of New York. He soon is made fully 
 aware that he is in a great metropolis. As he 
 walks the streets and examines the buildings, 
 he is impressed Avith the feeling of durability. 
 As he observes the merchants and bankers be- 
 hind their counters, and mechanics at their 
 benches, he is quickly persuaded that they are 
 bound to have a £ood living if active brains 
 and busy hands can gain it. Glasgow is the 
 third city as to population in the United King- 
 dom, and is all the while advancing in wealth 
 and population. It is surprising that such a 
 city should have sprung up here on the banks of 
 the little Clyde, twenty miles from the sea ; for 
 its natural advantages are surpassed by most 
 other commercial cities. Its climate is temper- 
 ate, but its atmosphere is excessively humid. 
 Perhaps it could be said of this place with 
 truth, that it has more rainy than fair days dar- 
 ing the year ; yet it is a healthy town. Possibly 
 the oat-porridge with which the young blood is 
 so generally fed, has something to do with the 
 health of the Scotch people here, as well as 
 
6 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 elsewhere. The features and physiques of the 
 average man or woman, as seen on the street, 
 in the office, or church, indicate physical and 
 mental strength. 
 
 The shrine before which the pilgrim to this 
 city is prone to worship first and last, is its 
 Cathedral. This is a grand old Gothic struc- 
 ture built in the reign of David I. It wears 
 somewhat of a gloomy, yet venerated aspect 
 without, and within it presents in the dim light 
 struggling through the most exquisitely painted 
 windows, curiously sculptured naves, aisles, and 
 tribunes, separated by hugest pillars and stout- 
 est walls. As one studies it, he must be 
 conscious it implies that there is something 
 enduring in religion. The mind that conceived 
 such a temple must have had conceptions of "a 
 building not made with hands." 
 
 To the east of the Cathedral, rising above it 
 several hundred feet, is the Necropolis, " the 
 silent city," with its numerous columns and 
 hosts of stones telling where the ashes of the 
 rich and poor, the learned and ignorant, find a 
 common resting-place. 
 
 Argyle is the Washington Street, and Bu- 
 chanan the State Street, of Glasgow. The new 
 Union Depot is a magnificent structure. 
 George's Square is especially interesting, be- 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 7 
 
 cause it is graced with the statues of Scott, 
 Peel, Watt, Burns, Clyde, and Moore. 
 
 A foreigner will not be likely to remain long 
 in company with a real Scotchman without 
 hearing the name of Robert Burns tenderly 
 spoken and some of his sweetest lays repeated. 
 In Glasgow we are made to feel, we are quite in 
 the realm of the Ayrshire poet. The people 
 are wont to say, "It is but a little way, only 
 forty miles, to his old home." Taking the train 
 bound for the south, we are soon buzz ins: 
 through emerald hills and across the greenest 
 meadows. In this autumn season, herds of 
 fattest oxen and flocks of monstrous sheep are 
 feeding in the fields. Frequently we spy 
 humble peasant-homes, and here and there 
 catch glimpses of palaces among grand old 
 elms, beeches, and sycamores, where dukes 
 and nobles live. Before we scarcely dream 
 of it, we are at the station of Ayr. Leaving 
 the train, as we go forth, thinking, walking, 
 looking, we can understand, as never before, 
 the bard's eulogy, — 
 
 " Auld Ayr, wham ne'er a town surpasses 
 For honest men and bonnie lasses." 
 
 We come to the river whence the town takes 
 its name, and the "Twa Brigs," and the scene 
 
8 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 of Tarn O'Skanter's wonderful experience. 
 These span the river not far apart. The 
 lower one, which was the New Brig in the 
 poet's day, is now used for public travel, 
 while the Old Brig is fast going to decay. 
 The drowsy Dunyon clock has been removed 
 to the Wallace Tower in the centre of the 
 town. Old Simpson's is still at the end of the 
 bris:, telling its tale of Tarn O'Shanter and 
 Souter Johnny. Having visited the places par- 
 ticularly associated with the life of Burns, we 
 have no desire to tarry longer in Ayr, though it 
 is a pleasant seaport and manufacturing town ; 
 and so we hie three miles away to the south- 
 ward, and we find ourselves in front of a little 
 thatched cottage with the inscription over the 
 central door, "Robert Burns, the Ayrshire 
 Poet, was born under this roof, the 25th of 
 January, A. D. 1759, died A. D. 1796, aged 
 37£ years." Passing into the room where 
 the poet was born, one can scarcely refrain 
 from asking, is it possible that Scotland's 
 greatest bard first opened his eyes upon 
 the mortal in this humble house and still more 
 humble kitchen? How true are the words 
 of Seneca that "the humble and the lowly 
 born often receive true praise"! The chairs, 
 bed, and hollows in the stoue flooring indicate 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 9 
 
 age and long use. On the walls in the square- 
 room, adjoining, are hanging various portraits 
 of the poet, and certain relics made particularly 
 valuable because associated so intimately with 
 his life. The nooks and table are completely 
 covered with signatures. One of the most 
 appropriate and significant memorials on the 
 walls of this room is a poem written by J. Gr. 
 Whittier, commemorative of the genius and in- 
 innuence of Burns, being neatly framed and 
 placed there by Hon. Israel Washburn. Every- 
 thing about the old home is expressive of sim- 
 plicity and prudence, calling up the picture of 
 the youthful mother, when, in the bleak winter 
 with her baby-bard in her arms, she came so near 
 being crushed by the falling in of the roof, and 
 then of being frozen to death, as they were borne 
 through frost and snow in the darkest night to a 
 neighbor's dwelling. Here one is reminded of 
 the fact, how the Burns family passed through 
 the severest bufferings, and could support them- 
 selves only by hard labor, practising the most 
 rigid economy. 
 
 A short distance from the old home, close 
 upon the banks of the Doon, stands the veritable 
 antique kirk with its strange windows through 
 which Tain O'Shanter stared " at the winsome 
 dancing party and Old Nick as he fiddled." Up 
 
10 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 in the gable tower still hangs the ancient bell, 
 with its short, rusty chain, dangling so high that 
 even ghosts would find it difficult to toll, as it 
 was tolled in days of long ago. Girdling Kirk 
 Alio way is a neglected "city of the dead," 
 where are to be seen the graves of the poet's 
 lather and mother, marked by stones erected 
 by himself, and inscribed with an epitaph writ- 
 ten with his own pen, and expressive of the 
 tenderest affection. Not far from the kirk, on a 
 mound stands a modern mausoleum of Ayr- 
 shire's bard, in the form of a Grecian temple 
 sixty feet high, having a dome crowned with a 
 tripod and gilded urn. On the flooring is a beau- 
 tiful bust of the poet cut in the huest marble. 
 On a table near, are the Bible and Test-unent 
 given by Burns to his Highland Mary at their 
 last parting, and on the fly-leaf of each Burns 
 placed a Masonic sign, adding these texts, "Ye 
 shall not swear by my name falsely ; I am the 
 Lord." "Thou shall not forswear thyself, but 
 shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths." 
 
 Just under the shadows of the monument is 
 a rustic structure containing the statues of Tarn 
 O'Shanter and Souter Johnny ; comical charac- 
 ters, indeed ! They look as though they were 
 worthy heroes for epic verse. Forty rods from 
 this sacred spot, partly under the hill, is the 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 11 
 
 aula brig over which Tarn drove his Meg at 
 full speed, with the witches and warlocks at his 
 heels, till the keystone of the arch rocked, and 
 drenching rain put an end to the furious chase. 
 On the brig maybe enjoyed charming views of 
 the 
 
 " Banks and braes o' bonnie Do-on." 
 
 In the summer the shades are so thick, the 
 breezes so cool, the water so clear, the currents 
 so musical, and the birds so merry, how could 
 the poet but sing 
 
 " Ye flowery banks o' bonnie Doon, 
 How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair "? 
 
 Go up or down the Doon, follow the roads 
 or ramble across the fields, and you cannot fail 
 to find the scenery most inviting. It was some- 
 where here that the youth was running his plough 
 afield, and the muse of his native land fired his 
 heart and bid him come and write the songs of 
 his nation. " Were Byron and Burns now 
 alive," said Hawthorne, "the first would come 
 from his ancestral abbey, flinging aside, though 
 unwillingly, the inherited honors of a thousand 
 years, to take the arm of the mighty peasant 
 who grew immortal while he stooped behind 
 the plough." It would seem that 
 
12 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 " A heaven-directing voice "was near 
 That bade him sing, and Scotland cheer; 
 That muses bounded at his call 
 And vowed obedience, one and all." 
 
 If we think of Chaucer as the poet of man- 
 ners, Spencer as the poet of romance, Shake- 
 speare as the poet of nature, Milton as the poet 
 of morality, we must think of Burns as the poet 
 of the heart and every-day life. Scotland had 
 been long waiting for just such a bard. Previ- 
 ous to his coming, the land had been swayed 
 by severest passions. Its history had been 
 a bloody one. From earliest times wars had 
 raged ; defeats and victories had prevailed. 
 Terrible results were being experienced from 
 contentions between Scots and Picts, barons and 
 menials, Protestants and Papists, Covenanters 
 and Liturgists. The poor were being ground 
 down by the rich, which the clergy and the 
 schools were either unable, or not disposed to 
 remedy. If the Scotch intellect at the middle 
 of the last century had become keen and logical, 
 the heart was cold and untouched. So at this 
 time, just when the Sotch people seemed to be 
 most in need of help, teaching them that all men 
 are equal in the sight of God, so far as they 
 are equally true and noble, whether they be 
 kings or peasants, Robert Burns came from the 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 13 
 
 rustic field and thatched cottage, singing "Bon- 
 nie Doon," "Auld Lang Syne," "Scots wha 
 hae," "Cotter's Saturday Night," "Man's a 
 man for a' that," leading oppressed and doubt- 
 ing minds at once upon mounts of fairest vision. 
 With them he weeps, with them he laughs, with 
 them he works, and with them he prays. To 
 the people of Scotland the lays of Burns hold 
 in their hearts a place next to the Bible. His 
 somrs have become household words throughout 
 his native land. The humble poet of Ayrshire 
 has risen a star of the first magnitude, to shine 
 forever from the firmament of the past. 
 
 '• His resting-place is hallowed ground, 
 His worth and fame are now unbound; 
 Let piles of marble stand or fall, 
 His songs will long outlive them all." 
 
 Leaving these fairy scenes, by land and sea, 
 by steam and coach, we wander among the 
 Highlands of Scotia. We find the scenery 
 wild and the country sparsely settled. The 
 sides of the mountains are purpled with heather 
 and the valleys are spotted with numerous lakes. 
 The grouse and the deer revel in these romantic 
 lands. The long-haired cattle, shaggy-coated 
 ponies, and dark-nosed sheep, roam at pleasure 
 in many of these rude places. Here once dwelt 
 the warlike Celts and Picts. Their descendants 
 
14 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 are still possessors of the land. They glory as 
 of old in their stern pedigree and clannish cus- 
 toms. No language to them is so sweet as the 
 Gaelic tongue ; no music, so charming as that 
 of the Scotch bagpipe. In the little hamlets 
 and peasant districts the people are poorly 
 housed, scantily fed, and slovenly clothed. At 
 Oban, Inverness, Wick, and other larger towns, 
 an entirely different order of things exists. 
 The people are moved by the spirit of the age. 
 They believe in canals, railroads, and tele- 
 graphs, and take a decided interest in schools 
 and churches. Their roads, bridges, and tun- 
 nels plainly show that they are enterprising 
 and industrious. 
 
 Of all the lakes in Scotland perhaps Lochs 
 Lomond and Katrine take the lead. It is true 
 they are not clothed like Grassmere and Der- 
 wentwater with the classic associations of 
 Wordsworth and Southey ; or like Leman and 
 Luzerne, with historical pictures of Bonnivard 
 and Tell; or like Como and Maggiore, with 
 luscious vines and marble villas : still they are 
 rich with legends of Rob Roy and Helen Mc- 
 Gregor. They are constantly guarded by Bens 
 Nevis, Lomond, and Venue, some of the highest 
 mountains in Great Britain. Here and there 
 jagged rocks and threatening cliffs hang close 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 15 
 
 over the glassy waters. As one is borne on 
 steamer along their winding course, he experi- 
 ences a strange interchange and commingling of 
 the beautiful and the sublime. The bracing air 
 and stirring views are sure to infuse the heart 
 with fullest life. He can no longer wonder that 
 chiefs and vassals have loved this land, that 
 clans have fought for it, and even died for it. 
 These waters abound in fish, and at seasons 
 are all alive with sea-birds. It is not strange 
 that Scott, with his line, gun, and dogs, should 
 often have been lured hither for sport, and at 
 the same time should have gathered up so many 
 reminiscences of startling events with which to 
 give striking colors to his word-pictures. These 
 lakes are sure to be the summer resort of tour- 
 ists who are fond of the natural and historic, 
 the placid and the grand. 
 
 Aberdeen with its institutions of learning, 
 Dundee with its extensive docks and remark- 
 able bridge across the Tay, Stirling with its 
 lofty castle and hoary abbey, as a central set- 
 ting in the most enchanting landscape picture, 
 and Melrose with its famous abbey and Eilclon 
 Hills, offer special attractions to all who would 
 know the people and the civilization of Scot- 
 land ; but the city of all others in this robust 
 land is Edinburgh. 
 
16 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 It is hard to realize that where now this cul- 
 tured city stands was once the densest wil- 
 derness where the elk sported, the wild boar 
 revelled, and the wolf prowled unmolested. 
 Whfen man first came here is uncertain. No 
 doubt the Castle Rock, towering so hi Hi above 
 the surrounding country, first attracted his no- 
 tice. Here he must have felt that nature had 
 made for him a stronghold on which he could 
 be safe against the attacks of wild beasts and 
 savage men. As early as the eighth century, it 
 is known, there was quite a settlement here, 
 made up of little houses with thatched roofs. 
 It must have been inhabited then by some of 
 the brave old Scots and Picts. The promise 
 must have been slight, indeed, that life would 
 blossom from this pristine rudeness into the 
 fairest fruitage. But in King David's day it 
 had grown into a burgh, and in the time of 
 Robert Bruce it was being regarded a respect- 
 able city. About the time Columbus discov- 
 ered the New World, it became the home of 
 the famous Stuarts, and had grown into a 
 walled town ; and before the first settlement 
 had been made in America, it had run up a 
 Ions: line of kin^s ; and before the Pilgrims 
 stepped upon Plymouth shore, it was seem- 
 ingly regarded a finished city, for its limited 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 1? 
 
 enclosure had become crowded with buildings, 
 and the rulings of its Jameses and Charleses 
 were to the end that its walls would not be ex- 
 tended. But its ramparts were at length beaten 
 down, and its boundaries enlarged, so that 
 when Samuel Johnson looked upon it, he pro- 
 nounced it "an imposing metropolis"; so, too, 
 it looked to Oliver Goldsmith, and afterwards to 
 Robert Burns ; and still more striking is its ap- 
 pearance to-day, for it has become a city of 
 two hundred thousand inhabitants, being dis- 
 tinguished for its university, academies, public 
 and charity schools. It appears to be clothed 
 with a classic air. Poets and geniuses have 
 been born and educated here. The whole 
 world has been greatly benefited through its 
 intellectual development. The fact that it has 
 produced and schooled David Hume, Sir Walter 
 Scott, and graduated from its university Thomas 
 Carlyle, is sufficient to render it forever memo- 
 rable, and a place to be sought after by all who 
 have been blessed by its gifted minds. 
 
 The site on which this city stands can scarcely 
 be surpassed, if equalled. The city of the Cae- 
 sars crowning the seven hills, or Athens in the 
 time of Pericles and Phidias, belting its Acrop- 
 olis so graced with temples and art-wonders, 
 or the city of Constantine set upon its many 
 
18 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 hills, could not have possessed the romance 
 and grandeur of Edinburgh. Here plain, wa- 
 ter, hill, valley, clifr, crag, and mountain, are 
 strangely commingled. It is evident that vol- 
 canic force, glacial abrasion, and aqueous action, 
 did their utmost to render this place wildly sub- 
 lime and beautiful. As man has laid claim to 
 it, he has taken advantage of the natural, so as 
 not to mar the gifts of earth, water, and sky, 
 but rather add to their attraction and pictur- 
 esqueness. It covers over many acres, and 
 would require many ox-hides of Virgil's time, 
 cut into finest strings, to girt its circumference. 
 If its climate is somewhat rigorous, it is bound 
 to improve, and be sought after by the scholar 
 and tourist. To see Edinburgh one must have 
 weeks there, and be all the time astir at that. 
 Looking upon it is like looking through a kalei- 
 doscope, — no two views are ever the same; so 
 that the more it is studied, the more it is won- 
 dered at and admired. Calton Hill is the com- 
 manding outlook of the new town. This height 
 is verily an acropolis, adorned with its Doric 
 columns and majestic monuments to the noble 
 dead. It rises some three hundred feet above 
 the sea. When the day is clear, it affords an 
 extended view of the Forth, spotted with its 
 sails and smoking stacks; of the hills of Fife, 
 
SCOTLxVNJD AKD EDINBURGH. 19 
 
 throwing off their constantly varying shadows ; 
 far to the north may be caught glimpses of the 
 Grampian Hills, reddened, perchance, with 
 blooming heather ; to the west are the Pent- 
 lands, in summer green, with smiling fields quite 
 to their summits ; while a little to the south rise 
 Salisbury Crags, presenting their formidable 
 breastworks ; and a little farther on towers aloft 
 Arthur's seat swaying its sceptre over all be- 
 low. As one looks from Calton Hill upon the 
 new town, if he has the least bit of poetry in 
 him, he must feel as though he were reading a 
 poem cut in stone. The style of architecture 
 clearly shows that modern minds have been 
 made familiar with the best works of beauty 
 and taste in all the past. The peculiar charac- 
 teristics of the skilled and cultured Doric and 
 Corinthian, the Roman and Goth, the Norman 
 and Saxon, are repeated here. As the eye runs 
 across from the new to the old town, how the 
 buildings seem to rise and sink and rise ! They 
 are singularly lifted one above another, as though 
 they had fallen together by chance, yet in per- 
 fect order. Look upon this scene in the even- 
 ing, after the gas-jets are fired on the streets, 
 and the windows everywhere are flecked with 
 streaming lights. No fairy tale could paint a 
 picture more enchanting than this. Away down 
 
20 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 in the valley, away up on the hill, because of 
 their distance, lights dimly flicker; and here 
 and there, in large blocks of buildings, rows of 
 wavy tapers will ascend one above another, even 
 eight or nine stories. Let this twinkling field 
 be overhung by an unclouded sky, thickly sown 
 with burning stars reflecting the radiance of 
 heaven, and you have such a picture as is no- 
 where else to be witnessed and enjoyed. 
 
 Walking along Princes Street in warm weather 
 from Calton Hill, the eye is delighted with ma- 
 jestic and beautiful public buildings, hotels, and 
 stores on the right hand, while on the left 
 are unique gardens with greenest plats and 
 w T alks, bordered with variegated pansies, gera- 
 niums, and mignonette. On the mound dividing 
 the gardens stands the Royal Institute, crowded 
 with works of modern and ancient art. The 
 buildings themselves will bear careful study ; 
 fashioned after Grecian models, grim-eyed 
 sphinxes are coldly looking from the roof, while 
 on the ridge over the main entrance is a colos- 
 sal sitting statue of the Queen in her robes of 
 state. In these gardens are statues of Ramsay, 
 the poet; of Wilson, better known as Christo- 
 pher North ; of Black, the Scotch historian ; of 
 Livingstone, the African explorer ; and the most 
 inviting of all is the crucial Gothic spire, resting 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 21 
 
 on four grand English arches, serving as a canopy 
 to a statue of Sir Walter Scott. Some forty 
 characters described in the great novelist's writ- 
 ings are represented in stone and occupy con- 
 spicuous niches in this monument which rises to 
 the height of two hundred feet. Through a 
 deep natural depression in these grounds may 
 be seen, eveiy now and then, whin's and folds of 
 smoke ascending from the screaming engines as 
 they burst out of the tunnels and rush through 
 the valley. When the sun shines, mingling 
 shadows arc incessantly falling upon these gar- 
 dens from Castle Rock which guards them on the 
 south. Though it rises so abruptly, and its sides 
 are so jagged, yet children play all the day with 
 safety at its base. In spite of the trees hugging 
 its spurs, and mosses sticking in its clefts, it or- 
 dinarily presents a cold, barren face to the new 
 city ; but as the rains fall and the sun shines, its 
 sides look as though they had been bathed afresh 
 in a sea of emerald. 
 
 George Street, running parallel to Princes, 
 forms the ridge of the new town. This is tcr- 
 minated at one end by Charlotte Square which 
 contains the equestrian statue of Prince Albert, 
 grouped about with the royal family. It is a 
 work happily conceived and tastefully executed. 
 On this street, too, stand imposing statues of 
 
22 AFXER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Dr. Chalmers, George IV., and William Pitt; 
 and at the other terminus is St. Andrew's Square, 
 from whose centre towers the lofty fluted col- 
 umn of the first Viscount Melville. The new 
 town extends down to the Frith of Forth, spread- 
 ing over a large area. Here we find the Roval 
 
 CD CD v 
 
 Gymnasium and the Botanic Gardens, which 
 speak well for the city. As we examine the lay 
 of the land, the water, and the buildings, we 
 are reminded, in many regards, of old Athens 
 stretching far away to the Bay of Pineus. 
 
 Though the casual observer may be most in- 
 terested in the new, the lover of history will 
 seek the old town, and especially the street 
 leading from the castle to Holy rood Palace. 
 These extremities are most intimately connected 
 with the life of Mary, Queen of Scots : in the 
 latter she was unfortunately married to Darn- 
 ley, and in the former she gave birth to James 
 VI. of Scotland. Looking at the castle, it ap- 
 pears as though chiefs and warriors within its 
 walls, with drawbridge up and portcullis down, 
 •might frown upon the mightiest external .foes 
 with insolence and perfect composure. If 
 David I. did build Holyrood Palace, that it 
 might be a royal place, it nevertheless has been 
 a bloody one. Surely the crowns of kings and 
 the palms of warriors have been thickly set 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 23 
 
 with thorns. Two centuries ago on this street 
 dwelt dukes, scholars, and aristocrats. The 
 buildings remain very much as they were, but 
 how changed the population ! As wealth and 
 refinement went out, wretchedness and poverty 
 came in ; so that, from the windows thickly 
 sown all up and down the sides of the buildings, 
 where beauty and prosperity were almost con- 
 stantly gazing into this narrow street thronged 
 with moving crowds, squalidness and adversity 
 now kill time by viewing all through the day 
 and far into the night swarms of rasped chil- 
 dren, barefooted women, and beer-faced men. 
 Over the doorways, in the wynds, and on pro- 
 jections, are to be seen armorials and signs of 
 olden times and better days. On the upper 
 part of this street are the Parliament buildings, 
 full of rich memories and remarkable transac- 
 tions ; at present they are used for ihe Court of 
 Sessions and the Supreme Court of the king- 
 dom. In them Argyle and hundreds of other 
 brave covenanters were consigned to death with- 
 out any form of trial. Walking through the 
 halls, many notables of the shadowy past look 
 out from the marbles, or down from the canvas. 
 Partly in front of these stands St. Giles' 
 Church, in which, long ago, John Knox 
 preached so powerfully that his hearers feared 
 
2-1 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 lest his pulpit should fly in pieces. It was in 
 this church also, not long after, that Jenny 
 Gedcles threw her stool at the priest because he 
 was reading his prayers. From this street we 
 can look through the window and see where 
 John Knox sat while he was writing his "His- 
 tory of the Reformation." Through it, Mont- 
 rose, of aspect proud, and fire flashing from his 
 eyes towards his enemies, was led with a rope 
 round his neck to the place of execution. 
 Hume sought it often while he was writing his 
 hi -story, and Scott loitered about it, that he 
 might secure all the facts of its fossilized his- 
 tory ; and still the lover of antiquity can scarce- 
 ly walk it now-a-days without starting up some 
 new ghost of bygone experience. Near the 
 lower end of this street is the Canon^ate burial- 
 ground, where may be seen the tombs and 
 graves of Du^ald Stewart, Adam Smith, and 
 Robert Ferguson, who have enriched the world 
 with their rhetoric, philosophy, political econ- 
 omy, and poetry. 
 
 Under the shadow of the old castle on the 
 south, some four or live hundred feet below, is 
 Grassmarket, where, in the middle of the seven- 
 teenth century, a hundred brave covenanters 
 were put to death because they could not submit 
 to the use of a foreign ritual in their worship. 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 25 
 
 Iii all other regards they would bow to the rule 
 and dictates of an alien king ; but the rights of 
 conscience they would enjoy, if they had to die 
 for them. Still farther to the south and west is 
 Grey friars Church, around which history lingers 
 with wonder and reverence. It was built in 
 1612, and it was here in 1663 that the first sig- 
 natures to the National Covenant were append- 
 ed. It is surrounded by a churchyard, in which 
 may be seen many a tombstone telling of Scot- 
 land's distinguished dead ; but the most inter- 
 esting tomb is that of the martyr-covenanters 
 who were executed in Edinburgh during the 
 reigns of Charles II. and James II. The ivy 
 is likely to flourish here, and pilgrims for the 
 a^es to come will visit this sacred shrine and 
 revive the memory of the hundred heroes whose 
 ashes to-day are sacredly guarded. 
 
 Not far from Grey friars is Heriot Hospital 
 which is a great blessing to the city. It is 
 named after George Heriot who was goldsmith 
 to Queen Anne and James VI. When he died 
 he left a large fortune to the city of Edinburgh 
 for the purpose of establishing a school within 
 its limits for educating orphan boys free of ex- 
 pense. The present substantial building was 
 completed in 1659, and a school was opened to 
 receive boys from the ages of seven to ten, that 
 
26 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 they might enjoy the best educational, social, 
 and religious advantages, till they should be- 
 come fourteen , years of age, when they would 
 be put to some trade, and still the institution 
 would continue to assist them to an apprentice 
 fee of fifty dollars annually for the term of five 
 years. It now supports some four hundred stu- 
 dents, and has sent out large numbers in the 
 past well fitted for a successful life-work. The 
 bequest was so invested, as to increase rapidly 
 the yearly revenue, and in 1837 the income was 
 sufficient to support other schools, and several 
 were established in different parts of the city 
 for schooling indigent boys and girls free of 
 tuition ; so that now more than four thousand 
 children are being richly blessed by the munifi- 
 cence of George Heriot. 
 
 Beyond the confines of the old town to the 
 west, the city is rapidly increasing. In fact, 
 some of the most desirable residences are here 
 to be found. It is delightful about the Meadows. 
 No doubt, the present population have not a 
 little of the old Gothic, Saxon, Norman, and 
 Celtic blood coursing their veins, still they are 
 proud to be known now as Scotchmen. If they 
 are not equal to England numerically, they de- 
 sire Scotland to be regarded, at least, half of 
 Great Britain, and Edinburgh the light of Scotia 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 27 
 
 and the most attractive city of the world. " They 
 would have it a Weimar without a Goethe, and 
 a Florence without the sunshine of Italy." They 
 are not given to sham, and so they are striving 
 to have a city worthy of lasting fame in the 
 way of classic taste and romantic beauty. As 
 you observe the people on the thoroughfares, 
 you see no rushing and driving, as in New York, 
 but a meditative movement, as though they had 
 just been reading the Scotsman and were not 
 altogether absorbed in business. Their men and 
 women, it would seem, intend to spend more or 
 less time each day in the open air. As nature 
 and art have been munificent in scattering srar- 
 dens, squares, parks, and meadows through the 
 city, they enjoy wonderful advantages of the 
 rural and civic combined. This fact has had 
 much to do, no doubt, in moulding their charac- 
 ters, making them desirous to have a town strong 
 
 7 o o 
 
 and, at the same time, unique and beautiful . But 
 this must not imply that the Scotch are st3dish 
 in their attire, or express special taste in the cut 
 of the coat, or the color of the dress ; as a rule, 
 it is quite the contrary. Perhaps they imagine 
 cultivated minds and tastefully adorned phy- 
 siques are not compatible. In their movements 
 they are far from being awkward ; their step is 
 firm, and the swing of the arm direct. In their 
 
28 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 address they are frank and positive, yet particu- 
 larly obliging in their intercourse. They have 
 modelled their church-edifices and school build- 
 ings after the best Grecian and Gothic patterns 
 externally, but within they have evidently con- 
 structed according to their own notions, guard- 
 ing against comfortable sittings, possibly be- 
 lieving in, and, therefore, wishing to enforce the 
 idea that the way to religion and knowledge is 
 
 «■' o o 
 
 verily hard. Church-going people and students 
 in America would regard it severe treatment to 
 sit on flat, bare boards, as they do here ; never- 
 theless, they do not complain or express a wish 
 to have it otherwise. Those brought up on the 
 Scotch catechism and oatmeal porridge are 
 fitted, perchance, for almost any hardship. 
 
 Edinburgh is truly a city of schools. Her 
 citizens regard their University as scarcely 
 second to any other. Its buildings are in the 
 old town and wear a venerable appearance. 
 This institution has made a good record, and is 
 endeavoring to keep pace with the progess of 
 the age. In the departments of theology, art, 
 medicine, and law, it numbers at present more 
 than two thousand students. It is well supplied 
 with museums, libraries, and facilities for illus- 
 trating the sciences of chemistry, physics, as- 
 tronomy, botany, zoology, and geology. The 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBUEGH. 29 
 
 present faculty is regarded strong and efficient, 
 still no one professor is singled out as remark- 
 ably clever. Its friends glory in its past, and 
 delight in repeating on stone and canvas the 
 illustrious names of those professors who were 
 brilliant lights while living, and, now that they 
 are translated, reflect the radiance of heaven. 
 They seem always pleased to speak the names 
 of Munro, Ferguson, Stewart, Blair, Wilson, 
 Lee, and Sir William Hamilton. 
 
 Edinburgh. High School has a fame as broad 
 as that of Rugby or Eaton. Academies for both 
 sexes, and public schools of all grades, from the 
 rasped to the high school, are numerous, so 
 that all the children from six to fourteen years 
 old can be accommodated, having room besides 
 for a large number of youths coming from other 
 parts of Scotland, and even from foreign lands, 
 to be educated in this classic city. In the fall 
 and winter, Edinburgh may be called with pro- 
 priety the city of students. It is a pleasure to 
 see the young men and women, lads and lasses, 
 as they daily crowd the streets on the way to 
 and from their recitations. Their step is quick 
 and elastic, and their faces are blooming with 
 health. Though so full of fresh life and joy, 
 yet they conduct themselves with the utmost 
 propriety. 
 
30 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Probably no other city in the world, accord- 
 ing to its population, has so many libraries and 
 books as Edinburgh. The people here are 
 generally given to reading, and in the winter 
 they largely attend lectures, scientific and liter- 
 ary, given before different institutions. 
 
 Because of the opportunities for education, 
 this city is much sought after by those desirous 
 of improvement ; for this reason many scholars 
 and professional men who can afford it, come 
 here and settle for life. Here they can enjoy 
 the present and the past, the country and the 
 town, as possibly nowhere else. If one is at 
 leisure in this city, he may feel he is gaining 
 information all the while, for the castle is con- 
 stantly looking down through its gray old his- 
 tory, and Holyrood is always sending up its 
 enchanting messages from long departed kings 
 and queens ; the lights and shades of fable are 
 ever floating around Arthur's Seat, and fruitful 
 memories incessantly brood over Calton Hill. 
 If one would have a change, let him ride out a 
 few miles, and he can view the exquisitely beau- 
 tiful Koslyn Chapel, or the grim, crumbling cas- 
 tle close by ; or, let him walk through the laby- 
 rinthian paths to Ilawthorndeu, and see where 
 Robert Bruce was secreted, and Drummond 
 courted his muse. Let him sail down the liar- 
 
SCOTLAND AND EDINBURGH. 31 
 
 bor a few miles and he can catch the echoes of 
 the groans of those unfortunate prisoners who 
 were unjustly shut up in the huge Bass Rock ; or 
 let him cross to Fife, and he will be able to dis- 
 cover many interesting relics of the Jameses. Let 
 him go to Merchiston and he can learn of Na- 
 pier while he was inventing his logarithms. Let 
 him take the morning train and ride thirty-eight 
 miles through a most interesting country and 
 stop at Melrose, and he can visit the quaint 
 mouldering abbey there ; then riding three miles 
 to Abbotsford, he can look upon the curiously 
 constructed and capacious residence of Sir 
 Walter Scott, shaded by a forest and facing the 
 Tweed. Within he can witness the choice li- 
 brary of the poet and scholar, the table on which 
 the Waverleys were written, the rooms where 
 the 2;reat man lived and died, the museum and 
 armory, where are gathered up so many treas- 
 ures speaking of the good man's life. Then 
 he can roam through the fields,, the woods, 
 and alons: the banks of the Tweed where Sir 
 Walter was wont to tread,, thinking, admiring, 
 and enjoying so much the works of nature, and 
 communion with the Maker of them all. After 
 this he can ride four or five miles to Dryburgh 
 Abbey, and examine those ivied ruins in which 
 sleep the ashes of Edinburgh's most honored and 
 
32 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 beloved son. From this sacred tomb he can re- 
 turn to the station and to the city the same day. 
 So let one turn in whatsoever way he will in 
 this town, matters of interest are sure to come 
 up. If he should prefer to remain indoors, and 
 he is in a mood for solid reading, the North Brit- 
 ish Review, Blackwood's Magazine and Cham- 
 bers's Works, may be dropped at his door, 
 fresh from the Edinburgh press. Edinburgh is 
 the Athens of modern Europe. 
 
y J. 
 
II. 
 
 LONDON. 
 
 A T the time Athens was in a decline, Jeru- 
 •*-*- salem apparently strong, Alexandria flour- 
 ishing, and Rome mighty, a rude and inferior 
 city was standing on the river Thames, about 
 sixty miles from the sea. It was inhabited 
 by Britons ; whence this rude people came, it 
 can only be conjectured. However, the pre- 
 vailing opinion is that they early emigrated 
 from the land of the Norsemen. Whatever 
 may have been their origin, they were a brave 
 and vigorous race. 
 
 Half a century before the Christian era, as 
 Rome was fast becoming "mistress of the 
 world," Julius Caesar with ei^ht thousand sol- 
 diers landed on British soil. The creat sfeneral 
 was not a welcome visitor to this land ; and, on 
 account of severe hostilities, he soon withdrew 
 from it. But a year afterwards, with greatly 
 increased forces, he entered it, expecting to 
 find "rivers of pearls" and richest treasures; 
 
34 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 still, in all this he was sadly disappointed, and 
 soon left the country in troubled disgust. 
 
 During this time the Roman power was 
 waxing strong and still more ambitious. So, 
 some five decades after the stars had shone 
 strangely bright upon the Judaea n hills, and 
 prophecy had been fulfilled, once more the 
 Romans entered this land and subdued the 
 hardy Britons, capturing their Lon-Lyn, signi- 
 fying City of Ships. 
 
 Only in imagination can we picture that an- 
 cient town, made up of wooden huts and mud 
 hovels, without any walls, bank, court-house, 
 church, or school-edifice. The people were clad 
 in skins and the crudest materials, living upon 
 the wild productions of the country. Their 
 ships were no more than rafts and log ca- 
 noes. Such was London when the Romans 
 captured it. 
 
 The old, how unlike the new ! The London 
 of to-day, who can fathom it, or describe it? 
 One might as consistently undertake to exhibit 
 the Atlantic Ocean from top to bottom. It is 
 the largest city the world has ever seen, already 
 swarming with nearly four millions of human 
 souls, and constantly increasing in population. 
 It occupies an area of a hundred and fifty 
 square miles, having a circumference of more 
 
LONDON. 35 
 
 than forty miles. It numbers some four hun- 
 dred thousand houses ; it has nine thousand 
 streets and lanes, about twelve thousand police- 
 men, some eight thousand surgeons and physi- 
 cians, nine hundred preachers, seven thousand 
 barristers and attorneys, more than a hundred 
 and twenty thousand shopkeepers who carry 
 on more than two thousand different kinds of 
 business. It is estimated that a hundred thou- 
 sand people enter the city every morning and 
 leave it every night. It seems almost a mystery 
 how such a city should have sprung up on an 
 island situated so far north, with a soil and cli- 
 mate uninviting. Still, on examination it be- 
 comes evident, London enjoys not a few natural 
 advantages Its temperature does not vary to 
 extreme heat or cold. It stands upon a site 
 slightly diversified as to surface, gradually 
 inclining to the Thames, having a loose soil, so 
 that it is readily drained. The Thames with 
 the flow and ebb of the tide affords good oppor- 
 tunities for commerce. Comparing its mortal- 
 ity with that of other large cities, it ranks as 
 one of the most healthy. It is true, it has suf- 
 fered at several different periods from destruc- 
 tive plagues ; the same is true of Rome, Paris, 
 and New York. It is said, there is a tonic in 
 the atmosphere of England the year round. No 
 
36 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 doubt the robustness and activity of the people 
 are due in no small degree to this fact. Cer- 
 tainly something has stimulated them in body 
 and mind, so that they have been able to do 
 more for modern civilization than any other 
 nation. For the past two centuries all must 
 admit that they have taken the lead in litera- 
 ture, science, and mechanical invention ; and in 
 saying this, I do not feel, I am speaking dispar- 
 agingly of any other country. TTe Americans 
 are their descendants, and it is expected the 
 children will surpass their parents when they 
 shall have fully reached their maturity. The 
 English are be<*innino: to feel and admit this 
 time has already come to us. The old folks 
 usually at first find it pretty hard to give up to 
 their children, and, no doubt, ours across the 
 Atlantic are having such an experience. Rome 
 delighted to be the "mistress of the world," and 
 it would not be at all strange, ifEngland should be 
 as much pleased to be the " queen " of the world. 
 If we are slow to allow she is that now in arms, I 
 think we must grant she is swaying the might- 
 iest intellectual sceptre at the present time. A 
 nation that has produced Shakespeare, Milton, 
 and Bacon, has the right to mental supremacy, 
 till some other shall have produced greater in- 
 tellectual heroes. Now it is a fact that almost 
 
LONDON. 37 
 
 every English name of any note has had more 
 or less to do with its metropolis. So London's 
 chief attractions do not come so much from ele- 
 gant buildings and beautiful works of art, as 
 from the haunts and corners where poets, di- 
 vines, philosophers, and scholars, have lived and 
 wrought out thoughts which are quickening 
 minds everywhere. Londoners have long be- 
 lieved in free trade in its widest sense. They 
 have been anxious to send out cotton and 
 woollen goods of their own make, and have been 
 still more desirous that the works of their best 
 authors should reach the remotest dwellers be- 
 yond the seas. Their intellectual productions 
 have been sown broadcast, so that to-day wdio is 
 there that does not know something of London 
 and the noted men w 7 ho have lived there ? Near- 
 ly every foreigner visiting the city for the first 
 time, has some spots specially marked. Some 
 things are sure to have prominence and deep his- 
 torical significance. The stranger is certain to 
 give precedence to such matters. So, on entering 
 the city, he naturally turns his steps as soon 
 as convenient to London Tower. This is to be 
 expected, especially, if he is interested in mili- 
 tary exploits, or tragic acts. Probably no other 
 memorial of the city reaches so far into the 
 past. There are hints that Vespasian of Roman 
 
38 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 rule had a fortification here. It is known for 
 certainty that William the Conqueror built a 
 portion of the visible structure. The present 
 buildings cover over several acres, encircled by 
 a moat. As we pass over its drawbridge and 
 under its portcullis, the most daring and cruel 
 scenes of English history rise before us. Its 
 very stones breathe of blood and saddest story. 
 Here brave Wallace pined for his beloved Scot- 
 land ; here Catherine Howard, Sir Thomas 
 More, Cranmer, Lady Jane Grey, and the Earl 
 of Essex, perished ; here Anne Boleyn placed her 
 white hands round her delicate neck, as she 
 stooped over the block, saying, "The headsman 
 would have little trouble " ; here many subjects 
 of kings and kingly subjects have been tortured 
 to death. Here Walter Raleigh was unjustly 
 confined for long years, during which time he 
 wrote his "History of the World"; here many 
 Puritans, Cavaliers, and Jacobites, have sighed 
 and died for liberty. 
 
 Leaving the crimsoned prison and hideous 
 implements of torture, as the guide leads the 
 way, we catch a sparkle and a brilliant glimmer 
 of the royal jewels. The crown, sceptres, and 
 swords, quite blind the eyes to behold them. 
 
 Passing to the Equestrian Armory, we can see 
 numerous suits of mail worn by kings and knights 
 
LONDON. 39 
 
 in the days when they fought with blade and 
 lance. We can scarcely conceive how the war- 
 riors endured these bands, chains, and mail, 
 of steel and bronze. In another apartment we 
 witness the Oriental weapons and arms captured 
 during the English campaigns in Asia. But time 
 forbids our tarrying long at the Tower. In our 
 modern civilization, it does not command the at- 
 tention it did, when the greatest glory was to be 
 found on the battle-field. 
 
 The next object in order of antiquity, and of 
 the greatest interest, is Westminster Abbey. 
 Tradition says, from the night St. Peter came 
 over from Lambeth in a fisherman's boat, and 
 chose a site for the abbey, it has been a sacred 
 spot where the pilgrim has delighted to linger. 
 It was built by Edward the Confessor, and in it 
 William the Conqueror was crowned. It is bur- 
 dened with deeds of royal splendor, and works of 
 darkest shade. But we cannot stop to trace out 
 its full history, or learn all the particulars, while 
 it was under Catholic sway ; or why the Jews 
 were nearly beaten to death for attending the 
 coronation of Richard I. ; or why Edward I. was 
 so attentively watching the Stone of Scone 
 which had been placed under his chair ; or how 
 Henry VI. came to select here a place for his 
 interment : or how Henry VIII. was the last 
 
40 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 English king crowned by popish hands ; or in 
 what manner Charles I. was buried out of sight 
 and Cromwell was throned a king. It seems 
 fitting that all the kings and queens of England 
 should have been crowned here. No Norman 
 ruler has a final resting-place in Westminster Ab- 
 bey, and hereafter no more monarchs are to be 
 buried in its cloisters. On approaching the ab- 
 bey, if the sunshine is dimly struggling through 
 the commonly murk} 7 atmosphere, we can scarce- 
 ly refrain from experiencing a silent charm steal- 
 ing through our very being, not because of light, 
 joyous spires and airy traceries, towering aloft, 
 like those on the cathedral of Milan. From its 
 architecture nothing is seen to remind one of 
 branching forests or fir-tree cones ; neverthe- 
 less, its snow-shaped roof and stony battlements 
 speak of broad crags and ledgy crests that have 
 fought the ages and so far won the victory. 
 
 Now entering under the low stooping arch of 
 the north door, and being fairly within this mau- 
 soleum, we are first struck with the light re- 
 
 7 o 
 
 fleeted from the windows in the distance high 
 above us. They cast upon us the glow of the 
 morning, the noon, and the evening ; the purple 
 of the heather, the gold of the broom, the 
 azure of the bluebell, the crimson and scar- 
 let of rose and dahlia. Now, as we walk from 
 
LOXDOX. 41 
 
 cloister to chapel, noting the tombs of kings 
 and queens, the erect statue of Chatham by the 
 northern entrance, the almost speaking image of 
 Pitt guarding the western door, the graceful 
 Shakespeare, the acknowledged sovereign in the 
 Poets' Corner, and the commanding Wolfe in 
 the chapel of St. John, all seem to say this 
 place is sacred, not so much because monarchs 
 have been crowned and buried here, not so 
 much because of its school, its monastery, and 
 religious services, as for this reason, it is the 
 resting-place of the noble dead of every rank 
 and genius. It is more than the Pantheon of 
 France, or the Valhalla of Germany, or the 
 Santa Croce of Italy. Its very atmosphere 
 seems solemnly peaceful. Parties who were at 
 fearful variance while living, here rest in appar- 
 ent concord. Even bloody Mary and turbulent 
 Queen Elizabeth sleep in the same vault, and 
 across the aisle repose the ashes of poor Mary, 
 Queen of Scots. Our own Motley is buried here, 
 who has built for himself the most enduring 
 monument through his classic histories. As we 
 stand by the tombs of Newton, Burke, Peel, 
 Cobden, Thackeray, Macaulay, Dickens, Mau- 
 rice, and Kingsley, we are reminded of those 
 who lived to honor and ennoble the race. Their 
 mantle has fallen, not upon one, but all the na- 
 
42 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 tions, not for tyranny, but for freedom. Amer- 
 icans can but be happily and gratefully im- 
 pressed in Westminster Abbey as they recall 
 how Lord Chatham, Fox, and others spoke bold 
 and encouraging words to our people when lib- 
 erty was threatened and likelj r to be crushed, 
 bidding them march on in the van of human 
 rights, led by Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, 
 and Adams, our peerless and sainted heroes. 
 We find some monuments here of departed wor- 
 thies, whose mortality sleeps far away. Well 
 it is thus ; for they belonged not to London, or 
 England, but to the world. So Pope chose to 
 be interred in the parish church of Twicken- 
 ham ; Gray, in the cemetery of Stoke Pogis ; 
 Burns, at Dumfries ; Scott, in Dryburgh Abbey ; 
 and Shakespeare, in the humble church of Strat- 
 forcl-on-Avon. This abbey, what a legacy to 
 London and the world, with its memories of 
 eight centuries, quickening every phase of the 
 past, making us feel the whole human family is 
 one brotherhood, and that, if the body dies, ge- 
 nius, love, and true nobility, live forever ! 
 
 Of the modern works the most prominent and 
 distinguished object is St. Paul's. It is not yet 
 two centuries since it was completed. On its 
 foundation it is in the form of a Roman cross, 
 five hundred feet long and three hundred and 
 
LONDON. 43 
 
 seventy feet high, built of stone, mostly mar- 
 ble. By far it is the grandest cathedral in Great 
 Britain, yet it might be placed inside of St. Pe- 
 ter's at Kome. Approaching it from whatever 
 direction possible, it presents an imposing ap- 
 pearance. It is a spot around which Londoners 
 appear bound to huddle and crowd ; so mer- 
 chants and business men have kept pushing up 
 their stores and shops towards it, until it is 
 closely cramped and shut in, and yet there are 
 those who would like to get up still nearer, and 
 would pay for the land at the rate of five millions 
 of dollars an acre. 
 
 Its style of architecture is English and Ro- 
 man, being the embodied thought of Chris- 
 topher Wren. Entering it we are struck with 
 a sense of vastness ; especially is this the case 
 standing under the dome. Walking about it, we 
 have the feeling, it is not sufficiently occupied, 
 presenting too much open space, though it con- 
 tains already many tablets and monuments of 
 England's heroes and celebrities. Some of the 
 works of art are extremely fine. We can but 
 admire the statue of John Howard ; it does 
 honor to the celebrated philanthropist ; that of 
 Dr. Johnson will bear careful inspection ; and 
 that of Joshua Reynolds is regarded by the 
 English a masterpiece of its kind. Here are 
 
44 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 elaborate memorials over the ashes of Lord 
 Nelson and the Duke of Wellington, England's 
 greatest military heroes, the one upon the sea, 
 and the other upon the land. Here, too, Wren 
 rests from his labors, with the inscription over the 
 choir to his memory, "si monument am quaeris 
 ci? % cumspice" Yes, this cathedral, the outcome 
 of thirty-five years and more of earnest think- 
 ing and toiling, is his monument. Thus it is, 
 one's life-work, whatever it may be, is really his 
 monument ; if this is of harmonious proportions 
 and expressive of goodness, it is enough : men 
 and angels will delight to behold it. 
 
 For the antiquarian and historian the place 
 of greatest attraction in London is the British 
 Museum. The external appearance does not 
 indicate its vastness and valuable possessions, 
 which surpass those of any other institution of 
 the kind in the world. On entering it, we are 
 first introduced to large tombs, huge winged 
 
 lions, gigantic man-headed bulls, massive 
 
 7 i , «... ' 
 
 sphinxes brought from Abyssinia, Egypt, and 
 other Eastern lands, having been cut out of 
 sicnite and the very hardest stone, eight or nine 
 centuries before the Christian era. But we leave 
 these monsters to view the Elgin Marbles from 
 old Athens. These were taken from the ruins 
 of the Acropolis, and many of them are the actual 
 
LONDON. 45 
 
 sculptures from the Parthenon unci other tem- 
 ples which adorned that height. Through these 
 works we can form an acquaintance with Phidias, 
 whose chisel must have been guided by zeal, 
 genius, and refined skill. Surely beauty must 
 have been the highest ideal of the Greek mind. 
 In connection with these are sculptures from 
 the temple of Diana, which was so magnificent 
 at the time St. Paul looked upon it. Passing 
 on, we actually walk among the ruins of Thebes, 
 Karnack, and Memphis. Here the antiquarian 
 can find hieroglyphics and inscriptions, which 
 would fill volumes, should they be deciphered 
 and written out. 
 
 On the flooring above, it would seem, we can 
 walk for miles throuo'h corridor after corridor 
 containing mounted quadrupeds, mummies, In- 
 dian relics, minerals, and botanic specimens. But 
 the most striking feature of the museum is the 
 library, placed under its lofty dome a' hundred 
 and forty-five feet in diameter, containing about 
 a million of books. From its centre under the 
 glass dome radiate tables and seats sufficient to 
 accommodate* at the same time five hundred read- 
 ers. Any one being properly recommended can 
 occupy a seat and order what books he may wish, 
 and they will soon be laid upon the table before 
 him. It is open every day of the w T eek, except 
 
46 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Sundays and holidays, from six to eight hours. 
 Around the room on shelves are forty thousand 
 reference books, which the readers can consult 
 at their pleasure. It is stated, there are more 
 American books in this library than are to be 
 found in any one library in our own country. It 
 contains sixteen hundred different copies of the 
 Bible. All communications are carried on in it 
 so as not to disturb the quiet of the place. 
 This is, verily, a great mental workshop. Minis- 
 ters, lawyers, doctors, artists, and searchers 
 after knowledge; are here every day it is open. 
 The amount of good this library is doing can- 
 not be estimated. It is the great central library 
 of the world, from which are constantly flowing 
 currents of thought and information to replenish 
 periodicals, newspapers, and supply matter for 
 new books. When the great libraries of Cor- 
 dova and Alexandria were destroyed, the world 
 met with an irreparable loss ; but it would be a 
 far greater one, if the library of the London 
 Museum should be consigned to the flames. Its 
 friends look upon it as sacred, and guard it with 
 the utmost precaution. 
 
 A supplement to this institution is the Ken- 
 sington Museum, which seems intended more 
 especially to meet the wants of students in art 
 and science. This already occupies some twelve 
 
LONDON. 47 
 
 acres of ground, much more than the British 
 Museum, and is about to be greatly enlarged. 
 On entering the main building, the architectural 
 room gives us the first welcome. As we look 
 round we realize, if the old Jew expressed in 
 his work only one idea, which was theocracy, 
 the ancient Greek but one, which was beauty, 
 and the pagan Roman simply one, which was 
 Rome, we find great diversity here. The Tra- 
 jan Column, the Apprentice Pillar, the arches, 
 friezes, and portals, are expressive of varied 
 taste and beauty. In the Oriental court, as we 
 examine the ancient wares, so nicely shaped and 
 exquisitely colored, we are ready to admit, 
 " some arts have been lost." But the collection 
 of special interest here is that of Dr. Schlie- 
 mann from the ruins of old Troy. This con- 
 sists of numerous vases, pitchers, jars, stone 
 implements, vessels of copper and silver, gold 
 rings, bracelets and frontlets for the head, and 
 a tablet inscribed with Greek characters, reveal- 
 ing the fact that it stood near the Scsean gate 
 of ancient Troy, thereby making the old city, 
 concerning which Homer so thrillingly sung, a 
 reality. Now Agamemnon, Hector, and Achil- 
 les, are veritable characters. We can now al- 
 most see those old Greeks and Trojans lighting 
 on the plains, and around the walls of Troy, 
 
4:8 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 and, finally getting into the city by stealth, 
 wreaking vengeance on the parties that had 
 stolen away Menelaus' fair and betrothed 
 Helen. All honor is due Dr. Schliemann for 
 his untiring labors in making these great dis- 
 coveries which must tend to increase faith in 
 the gifted bard, causing more poets to court his 
 muse and rhetoricians to study his style. 
 
 On the walls of this court are a score and a 
 half of alcoves containing full-sized mosaic por- 
 traits of eminent artists of all ages. Accord- 
 ingly, Phidias, Apelles, Eaphael, and Angelo, 
 are there. In the Italian court the statues of 
 Moses and David are colossal. In the picture 
 gallery we become interested at once in the car- 
 toons of Raphael, and a copy of his Trans- 
 figuration Scene which was his last work, and 
 which was borne in the procession at his funeral. 
 Here we also find many paintings of Landseer 
 and Turner. We are soon captivated by those 
 of Landseer, for they seem to express living 
 characters ; as we look at them, the animals 
 appear to move ; the "old dog" is so sad over 
 the remains of his dead master, and the " twa 
 dogs " are so funny, we are ready very soon to 
 award the palm to Landseer, as the chief among 
 artists in painting animals. In an adjoining 
 building arc the patents and models of the most 
 
LONDON. 49 
 
 remarkable machinery of the country ; and these 
 are so adjusted that they can be carefully ex- 
 amined. But the oldest things here are the 
 newest. The original spinning and carding 
 machine of Arkwright is a curiosity, and the 
 first locomotive, "Travi tick's," is a marvel. 
 After looking over the curiosities the most con- 
 servative must admit the world docs move. 
 
 In another apartment we can witness the 
 chemical analysis of many vegetables and organ- 
 ized bodies. The forty elements which enter 
 into the composition of the human system, are 
 all parcelled out in exact proportions. Of course 
 the power which put these things together so as 
 to form a man, is not exhibited. Evolution, or 
 chemistry, has not as yet discovered vital forces. 
 If theories alone were sufficient, these would 
 have been portrayed and made perfectly plain 
 long ago. 
 
 But the most interesting feature of this insti- 
 tution, is the fact of its instruction which is 
 given in art and science at so small expense that 
 it is within the reach of the humblest. So large 
 numbers of both sexes are being led forward in 
 these departments of learning by able and ex- 
 perienced professors ; and, furthermore, they 
 have free access to a large library containing all 
 the different works published, treating of art 
 
50 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 and science. Add to the London and Kensing- 
 ton Museums the Kew Gardens which are do- 
 ing so much for the science of botany, and 
 "such a -trio "is formed for enlightening and 
 spreading kuowledge broadcast as nowhere else 
 can be found. Thus they become stronger bul- 
 warks to Great Britain than her strongest mili- 
 tary fortifications. Their elevating power is 
 extend ins: to the remotest corners of the earth, 
 teaching men how to think and do. What 
 greater charity, or good, is possible to human 
 souls ? 
 
 In an immense city like London, the questions 
 force themselves upon us, "Whence comes the 
 money to carry on this endless traffic? How 
 are these multitudes fed and clothed ? : ' Well-, 
 as we go to the Bank of England, the largest 
 monetary establishment in the world, covering 
 over eight acres of ground and employing a 
 thousand clerks, we readily begin to understand 
 whence, at least, a portion of the money comes 
 which propels this ponderous machinery of 
 trade. The bank has a capital of more than 
 seventy millions of dollars, and notes in circu- 
 lation exceeding ninety millions of our currency. 
 All the printing of the bank is done within its 
 own limits. Its notes are never reissued, and 
 those returned are registered, tiled, cancelled, 
 
LONDON. 5 1 
 
 and preserved for seven years, that the bank 
 may guard against all possible mistakes, and be 
 prepared to meet any fraud that may chance to 
 arise. Obtaining an order from the manager of 
 
 CD O 
 
 the bank, we are permitted to go through its 
 different departments. In the bullion office we 
 observe an ingenious apparatus for weighing 
 gold, and capable of testing thirly-five thousand 
 coins a day. As the pieces are running through 
 it, if one varies in the least from the standard, 
 it is spitefully snapped out, as having no right 
 there, until it shall have been recast. The 
 steam machine, for printing the notes and 
 marking them with microscopic writing, seems 
 almost to surpass intelligence itself, as it does 
 its work. 
 
 Just across the street on Cornhill is the Royal 
 Exchange, a massive and substantial structure, 
 with lofty Corinthian columns in front. From 
 ten to three o'clock, six days of the week, this 
 is a busy place. Bankers and merchants rush 
 in and out, as though life was at stake. As we 
 watch the business we are impressed with the 
 feeling that important transactions are going on, 
 and large sums of money are continually chang- 
 ing hands. After this observation we can but 
 have some definite conception, as to the source 
 of the money which is constantly circulating 
 
52 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 through the numberless financial channels of 
 this vast metropolis. 
 
 Facing these two buildings across Cheapsido 
 is the Mansion House, the official residence of 
 the Lord Mayor. This is another stanch edi- 
 fice. Looking upon these three buildings and 
 others near them, it would seem as though they 
 must stand while the earth lasts. 
 
 If the House of Parliament is, like Westmin- 
 ster Abbey, in a sunken part of the city, still 
 it is made prominent by its . magnificence and 
 purely Gothic style of architecture. It covers 
 over some eight acres of ground. It has eleven 
 hundred apartments, one hundred staircases, 
 two miles of corridors, is wanned by sixteen 
 miles of steam pipes, and the gas to light it 
 costs eighteen thousand dollars per year. It is 
 made out of limestone, and the expense of build- 
 ing it, exceeded two millions sterling. Chief 
 among the many. objects of interest in this stu- 
 pendous building are the Chambers and Houses 
 of Peers and Commons. But to see them when 
 most inviting, we should visit them while Par- 
 liament is in session ; and should we be so for- 
 tunate as to bo there when Hon. Stafford II. 
 Northeoto and Prime Minister Gladstone are to 
 make speeches on important national questions, 
 it will be all the more exciting. Mr. Northcote 
 
LONDON. 53 
 
 will be pert, sharp, and somewhat verbose, and 
 sure, before he closes, to glorify John Bull ; but 
 Mr. Gladstone will foretoken the true orator 
 in rising 1 from his seat, and, as he utters his 
 first sentence, he looks manly, his language 
 is classic, and his manner natural. What he 
 says and What he does show that he is fa- 
 miliar with the highest culture of the ages. He 
 makes a daily study of Homer and other old 
 authors. He believes in progress and Divine jus- 
 tice. It is worth more to an American to hear 
 one speech from Mr. Gladstone than to visit 
 a hundred Parliament Houses, though they be 
 adorned bv a Victoria Tower, five hundred and 
 fifty stone statues, and many superior paintings. 
 Lovers of art are not likely to remain long in 
 London before visiting the National Gallery. 
 This has one of the finest situations in the city, 
 occupying the highest part of Trafalgar Square, 
 which consists of a large open space decorated 
 with a lofty column guarded by four monstrous 
 stone lions, and surrounded by fountains con- 
 stantly jetting forth water. These works are a 
 testimony to Lord Nelson. The front of the 
 gallery does not present a harmonious and pleas- 
 ant appearance ; it is too much broken up. 
 Within, however, are to be seen most choice 
 paintings, still by no means so many as are to 
 
54 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 be found in several galleries on the Continent ; 
 but most of the different painters of the differ- 
 ent schools and ages are represented here. 
 Turner's collection was a valuable gift, and is 
 a precious treasure to the English nation. 
 Some of Landseer's best works are in this gal- 
 lery. Turner excels in depicting landscapes ; 
 and Landseer, animals. Ward's and Cooper's 
 paintings are of a high order, and Reynolds's 
 portraits are true to life. None should fail to 
 notice particularly Murillo's "Holy Family," 
 Rubens' "Judgment of Paris," Raphael's "St. 
 Catherine," Perugino's " Virgin and Child," 
 Rembrandt's " Woman taken in Adultery," and 
 Correggio's "Ecce Homo." Three days of the 
 week this gallery is free to the public. 
 
 The parks of London form one of its most 
 striking characteristics. There are half a dozen 
 of these right in the heart of the city, each em- 
 bracing from ninety to four hundred and seventy 
 acres. These have been justly called the lungs 
 of London. St. James's is particularly noted 
 for its palaces and daily military displays. 
 This was n favorite resort for Charles II. ; he 
 enjoyed hunting after his ducks in the reser- 
 voir, or playing pall-mall in the open ground. 
 Regent is the largest, and so laid out as to 
 combine garden, lake, meadow, and woodland. 
 
LONDON. 55 
 
 In connection with this is the London Zo6lo<n- 
 cal Garden, which is, no doubt, the finest of the 
 kind in the world. Here one can see the ele- 
 phant, and ride upon his back, if he may wish. 
 If present at the appointed time, he can witness 
 the feeding of the ferocious creatures, and hear 
 the roar of the lion and the frightful shrieks of 
 the tigers and cats, or enjoy the wonderful feats 
 of the sea-lions, as they leap out of the water to 
 catch their food, as it is hurled at them ; or he 
 can watch the beavers, as long as he will, while 
 they are so busily engaged in cutting up logs 
 and dragging them away for the purpose of 
 building dams. 
 
 Hyde Park is the place of special resort for 
 the elite and nobility of the city. On almost 
 any pleasant afternoon may be seen a rich dis- 
 play of the extravagances and follies of many 
 generations. Should we judge from the thou- 
 sands of richly attired gentlemen and ladies 
 walking or riding here, we would draw the 
 conclusion, there can be little poverty in Lon- 
 don. Rotten Row, which is the southern part 
 of this park, is devoted to horseback riding, 
 and is made a lively place by those who are 
 fond of equestrian sports and exercise. Ken- 
 sington Gardens, so famous for their history, 
 as well as for their beauty and elegance, join 
 
50 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 this on the west. The walks, flowers, shrub- 
 bery, and grand old oaks, elms, and sycamores, 
 are truly inviting, and render the gardens al- 
 most enchanted grounds. Close by we see the 
 palace in which once dwelt William of Orange 
 and his fair queen. In this mansion Prince 
 George of Denmark and George II. breathed 
 their last. On the borders of this garden stands 
 also the house in which the wise Newton lived. 
 Here, too, is the Holland bruise, in which Tom 
 More so much enjoyed his Whig coteries. Near 
 by, also, Addison dwelt to regret his marriage 
 to a lady of rank and extreme fashion. 
 
 In addition to these parks, as we wander 
 through the city, we find numerous squares and 
 circles of various dimensions from one to five 
 acres, laid out with taste and in many different 
 styles. These open and beautiful places must 
 serve to improve the aesthetic natures of all com- 
 ing in contact with them, as well as have a 
 decided sanitary influence. 
 
 Of the many public monuments scattered 
 through the city, the latest erected is the oldest, 
 Cleopatra's Needle, which has been brought but 
 recently from Egypt. This takes us far back 
 to the splendid city of Ileliopolis where it was 
 first set up, and then to Alexandria where it as- 
 sisted in adorning a magnificent city, and now 
 
LONDON. 57 
 
 it serves to grace the largest city ever known. 
 It certainly is a significant memorial, uniting 
 the past to the present. Bat the monument 
 which signifies the most to the English people 
 is that of Prince Albert. This consists of a 
 colossal statue of the Prince seated beneath a 
 beautiful shrine and surrounded by sculptures 
 illustrating those arts and sciences which he 
 fostered, and the many improvements which he 
 originated. About it are elaborate groups of 
 statuary, representing astronomy, chemistry, 
 geology, and geometry ; rhetoric, medicine, 
 philosophy, and physiology ; faith, hope, and 
 charity ; fortitude, prudence, justice, and tem- 
 perance ; painting, sculpture, architecture, 
 poetry, and music ; Europe, Asia, Africa, and 
 America. It is worthy the distinguished dead 
 it commemorates and the city it adorns. 
 
 Walking the principal streets of London, 
 we are impressed by the thronging multitudes 
 with a sense of its vastness, opulence, and in- 
 tense activity. Standing on the London Bridge, 
 for instance, at mid-day, we should find it diffi- 
 cult to count the numbers hurrying to and fro. 
 It is estimated that a hundred thousand people 
 pass over it daily. Sailing up or down from 
 this bridge, we have the like impression of 
 great wealth and multitudes of moving beings. 
 
58 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 As we witness the forests of masts, the Thames 
 does not appear to be an insignificant river, as 
 it is sometimes represented. Here are steamers 
 constantly coming in and going out to dif- 
 ferent parts of the world. The tunnel under 
 the Thames, of which we heard so much some 
 years ago, has proved a decided failure ; but 
 the underground railroads which coil around 
 beneath nearly all sections of the city, are a 
 success and a great convenience. 
 
 The streets and houses of London are en- 
 crusted as thick with marvellous feats, anec- 
 dotes, legends, and traditions, as are the hulls 
 of old ships with barnacles. These sights have 
 a kind of charm to the foreigner, familiar with 
 history, for he has read and dreamed of them, 
 and longed to look upon the places whence have 
 come mental forces that have stirred the world. 
 
 By the central milestone on Cannon Street, 
 brave Romans were wont to meet and talk of 
 Caesar and his legions. Their roads are now bur- 
 ied ten or fifteen feet beneath the foundations of 
 the city. From the deep excavations made every 
 year, many relics are being discovered. A piece 
 of Temple Bar which is the only remnant left 
 of the ancient walls is now the centre of histor- 
 ical London. In Charles II. 's time this bar was 
 completely bestudded with the heads of the Rye 
 
LONDON. 59 
 
 conspirators ; and still later it was thickly set 
 with the heads of Jacobites. To the Temple 
 hard by, long ago warlike templars were 
 wont to come in their white cloaks and red 
 crosses from the fields of strife, to do service 
 in the name of the Most High. Afterwards, 
 the Knights of St. John frequented it, to 
 show reverence to their Supreme Worshipful 
 Master. Still later, the lawyers came hither 
 to find a sacred shrine. The Temple is still 
 standing, and lawyers still control ifc and wor- 
 ship in it on the Sabbath, The best music of 
 the city may be heard in this quaint old house 
 of praise. We are disposed somehow to linger 
 about this place. There is a uniqueness in the 
 Temple itself; then, too, Dr. Johnson, Gold- 
 smith, Lamb, Jeffries, Cooper, Butler, Sheridan, 
 and Tom More, used to drink ofttimes at the 
 pretty fountain, and celebrate in the sacred 
 courts praise to their Maker. 
 
 Fleet Street, which passes the Bar, is full of 
 memorials. Richard II. rode along here to St. 
 Paul's with his party-colored robes jingling 
 with golden bells. Elizabeth, beruffled and 
 gorgeously decked, passed over this street in 
 her cumbrous -plumed coach to thank God for 
 the scattering of the Armada. Here Cromwell, 
 a king in all but a name, and more than a king 
 
60 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 by nature, returned the keys of the city, as he 
 went on his way to Guildhall to preside at the 
 banquet of the obsequious mayor. William of 
 Orange and Queen Anne were borne over these 
 pavements to return thanks for victories over 
 the French. The old printers strode this street 
 who first published the plays of Shakespeare and 
 the epics of Milton. Over it also passed the 
 early bankers who laid the foundation of per- 
 manent wealth. 
 
 If Fleet Street is so full of interest, we shall 
 find the closes and alleys leading from it equally 
 so. The scholars, poets, and literati of every 
 description chose to be removed from the din and 
 whirl of business. So in Shire Lane we come 
 upon the Kit-Cat Club, where Addison, Steele, 
 and Congreve,were wont to disport. Izaac Wal- 
 ton dwelt here, and Hazlitt resided, when he fell 
 in love with the tailor's daughter and wrote the 
 "New Pigmalion." In Fetter Lane, we find the 
 house of Dry den, where the poet was often 
 favored with the company of Otway and Baxter. 
 In Crane Court the Royal Society held its first 
 meeting, in which the «reat Newton was its 
 central figure. As we enter Whitefriars, we 
 recall the time when this was inhabited by 
 actors; and as we pass into Blackfriars, we 
 wonder that it should once have been the re- 
 
LONDON. 6 1 
 
 treat for players and painters ; here it was that 
 Shakespeare lived while he was in London. 
 Ludgate was a debtors' prison, which was en- 
 larged by a widow of Stephen Foster in the 
 reign of Henry VII. who himself, tradition 
 says, had been a prisoner there, till a rich 
 widow seeing his face through the grates, se- 
 cured his pardon and married him, and ever 
 after took a deep interest in that prison. At 
 St. Dunstan, we can see where good E-omaine 
 and the pious Baxter preached ; and at Mur- 
 ray's old shop, where Byron often loitered with 
 his cane in hand at the shelves of many books. 
 The chief feature of Cheapside is Guildhall, 
 which is just as lively now and popular as ever. 
 Here Lady Jane Grey and her husband were 
 tried ; here the Lords and Parliament declared 
 in favor of the Prince of Orange. On this 
 street stands the new Bow Church, from whose 
 tower Wren projected a balcony for the royal 
 family to occupy on state occasions, to enjoy 
 the most favorable view of splendid pageants 
 as they should pass. In this tower hang the 
 old Bow Bells which used to strike lon<? a<ro the 
 death knell of so many sentenced to die, and 
 now they give voice to a clock that also jets 
 from the church over the crowded thoroughfare. 
 Bread Street leading from Cheapside enjoys 
 
62 AFTEK- THOUGHTS OF FOKEIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 the honor of having been the birthplace of Mil- 
 ton, and a short distance away, in St. Giles's 
 Church, he lies buried. 
 
 Smithfield, once so renowned for its jousts 
 and tournaments, is the place where the noble 
 "Wallace was executed like a robber, and the 
 gentle Mortimer was led to a shameful death. 
 But in spite of its dark side, it has some bright 
 spots ; for somewhere here Chaucer, the father 
 of English poetry : Spenser, the author of "The 
 Faerie Queene" ; and Hogarth, the pictorial sat- 
 irist, were born. As we visit King's Street, we 
 learn how Spenser died there for the want of 
 bread. Near Great Tower Hill, our Perm was 
 born. In Covent Gardens, which are so attrac- 
 tive because of their fruits and flowers, Lady 
 Mary Wort ley Montagu had her advent into this 
 world. On the site of the Durham House Sir 
 Walter Raleigh lived. On Cornhill the poet Gray 
 opened his baby eyes upon mortal things ; and 
 here Johnson and Boswell met for the first time. 
 
 The scholar visiting London will not fail to 
 seek out Paternoster Row, the great mart for 
 booksellers; and, if he has not been apprised 
 beforehand of its narrowness and gloomy as- 
 pects, he w T ill be disappointed as he enters it, 
 and almost sure to feel, this narrow street, barely 
 wide enough for a wagon to squeeze through, 
 
LONDON. 63 
 
 cannot be Paternoster Row. But as he reads the 
 names on either side as he passes along, which 
 have become so familiar to him by seeing them 
 on the title-pages of books, he becomes satis- 
 fied this can be no other than the most bookish 
 street in the world. 
 
 Among the elegant buildings in the city are 
 the club-houses. Nearly all the different profes- 
 sions, parties, and trades, have their houses pro- 
 vided with spacious apartments for eating, 
 reading, talking, and sporting. These clubs 
 really have much to do in controlling civil and 
 secular affairs. 
 
 To see special display of merchandise and 
 aristocratic buyers and sellers, we must go upon 
 Oxford and Regent Streets. The meanest shops 
 and poorest wretches, we will find in Drury Lane 
 and at the Seven Dials. The palace and the 
 hut are common in London. Here we will often 
 meet with excessive wealth and excessive pov- 
 erty. The mansions are many, but the hovels 
 are still more. The pauper rates now are ex- 
 ceedingly heavy, yet there are hosts crying for 
 bread and clothing. If the city does pay some 
 fifteen thousand dollars per day to provide for 
 the needy, still there is indescribable suffering 
 among the poor. Their numerous hospitals and 
 infirmaries, though on a grand scale, are crowded 
 
(34 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 to overflowing. The English people, as a whole, 
 are very kind-hearted and generous towards the 
 unfortunate. Frequent public appeals are made 
 in their churches in behalf of their poor, and 
 bountiful collections are taken up. 
 
 Amonsr the higher and middle classes a 2food 
 degree of interest is felt for the cause of educa- 
 tion. The several denominational colleges and 
 many private schools are well sustained. But 
 if the law does require that every healthy child 
 from six years of age to fourteen shall be in 
 school some forty weeks during the year, and if 
 in the permanent schools there are live hundred 
 thousand scholars, yet large numbers remain un- 
 taught. The staff of instruction in these schools 
 consists of some two thousand adult teachers and 
 as many more pupil assistants. The schools 
 generally in London will not bear a favorable 
 comparison with those of Boston, Berlin, or 
 Edinburgh. 
 
 The general quietness in this city on Sun- 
 day morning impresses the Christian stran- 
 ger with the feeling, London is a religious 
 city ; and then, when the bells from the nine 
 hundred places of worship send out their calls, 
 and the streets become alive with men, women, 
 and children, pressing their way to the different 
 churches, he can but feel, it is truly a Christian 
 
LONDON. 05 
 
 city. As we listen to Spurgeon, Martineau , 
 Canon Farrer, Parker, Baldwin Brown, and 
 Stopford Brooke, we are ready to allow that 
 London has its great preachers. If it is asked 
 how its pulpit compares with that of New York 
 City, as to eloquence and cultured thought, the 
 answer must be given that the former falls far 
 below the latter. The preachers lack vivacity 
 and positive expression. Of course there are 
 many exceptions, and particularly, among the 
 Dissenters. The people at large are becoming 
 satisfied a state church, in the long run, is a 
 hindrance to real progress, and they seem bound, 
 as soon as possible, to hasten the disestablish- 
 ment of the English Church. The religious 
 bodies manifest but little interest in the Sab- 
 bath-school work and general reform movements 
 compared with what is expressed in most of our 
 churches ; still there is an awakening going on 
 now ; they are becoming alarmed at the present 
 state of social life ; they are realizing they must 
 bestir themselves and stem the tide of intem- 
 perance and profligacy, or their ruin is inevitable. 
 But London with all its wickedness is a well- 
 regulated city. Its policemen are most efficient 
 and faithful. Their vigilance is felt and trusted 
 by day and night. Perhaps there is no other 
 place where their power is more signally ex- 
 
66 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 pressed than in the main thoroughfares which 
 are usually so crowded when they become 
 blocked up with omnibuses, hacks, freight- 
 wagons, and footmen ; now these throngs are not 
 boisterous or demonstrative, for they are aware 
 the policemen are sure to be round, and should 
 there be any abuse to man or beast, the violator 
 would be certain to answer to the extent of the 
 law for his misdemeanor ; and so quietly the 
 Gordian knot becomes unloosed and all go on 
 their way, as though nothing had .happened out 
 of the common order of things. This shows 
 there is a wholesome moral and restraining 
 power in this vast metropolis, and that in spite 
 of its rampant passions and dens of iniquity, 
 there are good men enough in it, as yet, to save 
 it; and so, as we traverse its streets and wit- 
 ness its substantial buildings, and look upon the 
 internal working of its civil, educational, and 
 religious institutions, we can but feel, London is 
 still to be for the ages to come. It is worthy 
 to live. Though it is the greatest city, may it 
 become sweater ; though it has done so much for 
 civilization, may it do still more ; and as the 
 loftiest beacon along the shores of civilization, 
 may it rise still higher, sending benignest radi- 
 ance far out upon the vasty deep, to guide count- 
 less hosts into the fairest havens ! 
 
It = 
 
 z 
 
 '■' - 
 
 - 
 
Ill 
 
 FRANCE AND PARIS. 
 
 "YITHEN Nineveh and Babylon had fallen, 
 ' " Sidon and Tyre had passed their zenith, 
 the glory of Athens and Ephesus was fading, and 
 Alexandria and Rome were enjoying their fullest 
 prosperity, there was an extensive country oc- 
 cupying the north and western part of Europe, 
 inhabited by people known as Gauls, or Celts. 
 Its surface was diversified with hills and vales, 
 plains and mountains, rivers and sea-coast. Its 
 soil was light and naturally productive ; its cli- 
 mate was temperate and salubrious. Along the 
 rivers and the sea-coast, the Celts had estab- 
 lished many settlements. They dearly loved 
 the land, and often desperately fought in its 
 defence. As a people, the Celts were active 
 and brave. Their complexion was fair, their 
 eyes light, and their hair blond. They were 
 sprightly and fond of the beautiful. They were 
 religious, and worshipped on the tops of the 
 mountains under the open sky, or in grottos 
 roofed by giant trees. It would seem they had 
 
68 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 advanced as far as possible without foreign aid. 
 So when Rome had developed a high state of 
 civilization, having received the best blood and 
 life from Oriental nations that had risen, flour- 
 ished, and fallen, when she had learned how to 
 build large towns and extended roads, being 
 ambitious to possess great territory, she sent 
 her Caesar with a vast army over the Alps into 
 the lands of the Gauls, who were inhabiting 
 what is now Switzerland, Spain, and France. 
 The Romans were victorious over the Gauls. 
 Those known as Celts yielded to the invading 
 foe. It would appear they were at once inter- 
 ested in the general advancement and superior- 
 ity of the Romans, readily accepting their 
 customs and adopting their manners and lan- 
 guage. The Celts who were afterwards called 
 by the Romans Franks, and known to us as 
 French, w T ere very receptive and much given to 
 a3sthetic taste and expression. It was not so 
 with their German neighbors : these were par- 
 ticularly fond of red hair, and practised dyeing 
 it with woad to heighten their favorite color, and 
 when it was twisted into a war-knot upon the 
 top of their heads, they were satisfied, — their 
 beau-ideal was reached ; they cared not for the 
 advanced civilization of the Romans, and resisted 
 and beat them back, as they attempted to invade 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. C9 
 
 their country. So the mighty Caesar was unable 
 to subdue the brave people beyond the Rhine. 
 They held themselves intact, till they went forth 
 from their own borders in the course of time to 
 subdue and conquer. 
 
 Accordingly, the Celtic towns soon changed, 
 as Roman colonies settled in their country. The 
 latter found, as they entered the land, a little city 
 where now stands the imposing capital of the 
 French Republic. It was confined to the small 
 island of the Seine. It then contained no mag- 
 nificent buildings as now. It was not connected 
 by any grand bridges, as at present, with the 
 mainland. But they were easily infused with the 
 spirit of the Romans who believed in large towns 
 and great roads ; and so their little city began to 
 spread itself first on the right bank, and after- 
 wards upon the left, and was called Lutetia Par- 
 isiosum. After Christianity was introduced into 
 the country, this became the headquarters of the 
 church. Early its Notre Dame was consecrated, 
 and nearly every street had its chapel, whose 
 altar was dedicated to some St. Genevieve of 
 blessed memory. During the Christian centu- 
 ries, with a diversified fortune of good and ill, 
 the city has gradually advanced. Though hav- 
 ing been subjected to the rule of more than 
 forty different kings, emperors, and presidents, 
 
70 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 prompted more or less by false ambition and 
 vainglory, still Paris bas become the most beau- 
 tiful city in the world. With its history will be 
 associated the names of Charlemagne, Louis 
 XII., Napoleon I. and III., Louis Philippe, 
 and Gambetta. 
 
 Six hundred years ago Paris had its "Twelve 
 Masters " who were held in as high esteem by 
 its citizens, as were the Seven Wise Men of 
 Greece by the Athenians. Its University for 
 more than a century has done much to give it 
 fame abroad and prosperity at home. Its free 
 lectures upon all subjects connected with litera- 
 ture, science, philosophy, and art, given by the 
 most eminent scholars of the country, have cre- 
 ated and fostered a spirit of growing enterprise 
 which has blossomed into noble ideals of liberty 
 and patriotism. The teachings of Cuvier, Gui- 
 zot, Thiers, Mignet, Victor Hugo, and Lamar- 
 tine, have lent a potent influence to inspire the 
 people with high aspirations to preserve and en- 
 noble their land. Here, I feel, may be discov- 
 ered the power which has preserved and revived 
 the city and the country after having passed 
 through fiery ordeals, and sometimes so crippled, 
 it would seem, they could never rise again. It 
 is marvellous how soon the scars of the Ee volu- 
 tion of 1848 were abraded, and how the rav- 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 71 
 
 ages of the war of 1870-1 should have nearly all 
 disappeared at the time of their great Exposi- 
 tion in 1878 ; and at no previous period was it 
 ever more hopeful than now. The city is pos- 
 sessed of wonderful vivaciousness and industry. 
 It is a lively town ; how could it well be other- 
 wise, being filled with nearly two millions of 
 human souls? It occupies an area of thirty 
 square miles, and is twenty-one miles in circum- 
 ference, having three thousand streets orna- 
 mented with ten thousand trees. It contains 
 sixty-five thousand houses, eighty churches, 
 forty theatres, two thousand schools, and the 
 largest library in the world. 
 
 To obtain the finest and most comprehensive 
 view of Paris, let one in midsummer, when the 
 day is fair, ascend to the top of the Arc de 
 l'Etoile which stands upon high ground near 
 the western limits of the city. From this 
 height, as he looks eastward, he will be almost 
 sure to exclaim, "The most magnificent picture 
 of a city I have been permitted to look upon." 
 The city is quite circular in form, and almost 
 entirely surrounded by a range of hills, green 
 with o^rass and woodland. The distance across 
 
 CD 
 
 from hill to hill must be some eisrht or ten 
 miles. So within this gently sloping valley is 
 to be seen the greatest mass of the cleanest and 
 
72 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 handsomest buildings of the whole world, ir- 
 regularly divided by the serpentine course of 
 the Seine, spotted here and there by beautiful 
 parks, and dotted off into sections by rows of 
 emerald trees. From all over the city comes 
 up the sound of busy, humming life. As the 
 eye passes to the westward, just without the 
 outer wall, it discovers the inviting residences 
 of Xeuilly ; a little farther on, and to the south, 
 may be seen the Bois de Boulogne, looking so 
 cool and refreshing, and still beyond are visible 
 the park and village of St. Cloud. This is one 
 of the landscape pictures which will bear to 
 be studied, and the more it is scrutinized, the 
 more it must be admired. The Triumphal 
 Arch itself is a work deserving to be carefully 
 scanned. It was intended to be the grandest 
 one ever built. It is of pleasing proportions, a 
 hundred and fifty feet high, adorned with 
 statues and reliefs intended to make prominent 
 the brave deeds of Frenchmen, and, especially, 
 the great deeds of Xapoleon I. Its foundation- 
 stone was laid to mark his birthday, which 
 occurred on the 15th of August, 1806. It has 
 already cost a million and a half of dollars. 
 
 From this arch extends into the city direct 
 to Place de la Concorde, the broadest, finest, 
 and most frequented street of Europe. On a 
 
FRANCE AXD PARIS. 73 
 
 pleasant afternoon it would be difficult to count 
 the carriages constantly passing to and fro. The 
 equipages for the most part are costly and ele- 
 gant. The political economist, as he should 
 behold all this display, would be forced to the 
 conclusion that many in the by-places of the 
 city must suffer, because of such extravagance 
 and waste. On either side of this street the. 
 houses are lofty and airy. Bordering it are the 
 Champs Ely sees, or Elysian Fields ; and truly, 
 judging from outward appearance, the last part 
 of the day and late into the night, it is the abode 
 of the blest. Hosts are certain to be here, 
 and all given to merry-making. Such gen- 
 tility, such activity, such laughing, such looking, 
 such knacking and sporting, can nowhere else 
 be experienced. By this street stands the 
 house of Francis I., which was built more 
 than three centuries a<*o in the forests of Fon- 
 tainebleau, and in this century was removed to 
 its present site. Looking upon this thorough- 
 fare is also the Palais de l'Elysee, which has 
 been occupied by King Murat, Emperor of 
 Russia, Duke of Wellington, Napoleon III., and 
 President MacMahon. On the south side of 
 the Champs Ely sees is the Palace of Industry, 
 which was built for the Exposition held here 
 in 1855. It is a massive structure of stone, 
 
74 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 iron, and glass, and is now used for fairs and 
 public exhibitions of art and agricultural 
 works. 
 
 The gardens and groves of the Champs Ely- 
 sees are just what and where they should be. 
 It would be difficult to conceive of a more en- 
 chanting place than this among temporal things. 
 It must serve to cultivate a love for the beauti- 
 ful in nature. Leaving the happy fields we 
 come to the Place de la Concorde which has 
 been called the grandest and most inspiring open 
 space in any city. Its history is freighted with 
 the most thrilling and horrible deeds. It was 
 first called Place Louis Quinze ; then Place de 
 la Revolution ; and finally, Place de la Concorde. 
 Here it was that twelve hundred persons lost 
 their lives during a display of fire-works in honor 
 of the marriage of the Dauphin, afterwards 
 Louis XVI., with Marie Antoinette. In 1793, 
 the oruillotine was erected here for the execn- 
 tion of Louis XVI., and here it remained till 
 many hundreds suffered death upon it. Here 
 the fair and innocent Marie Antoinette ended 
 her days, and Madame Rowland breathed her 
 last, uttering the words, "O Liberty, what 
 crimes are committed in thy name ! " And, 
 finally, Robespierre, with a hundred of his asso- 
 ciates, chiefly judges, jurors, And officers, who 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 75 
 
 had" constituted the Tribunal and Commune of 
 Paris, causing such an effusion of innocent gore, 
 terminated their bloody career here. In 1814, 
 the Prussian and Russian armies, and in 1815, 
 the British, were encamped here ; and after the 
 Restoration, it was proposed that a fountain 
 should be established upon the ground where 
 the scaffold had stood, but Chateaubriand op- 
 posed the project, saying, "All the water in the 
 world could not wash away the stains of blood 
 shed there." Now it is marked by an obelisk, 
 which once stood before the great temple of 
 ancient Thebes, and afterwards adorned the city 
 of Alexandria. To the north and south of the 
 monolith are now two magnificent fountains, 
 with granite basins ornamented w T ith bronze 
 statues representing the seas and rivers of 
 France. The limits of the Place de la Concorde 
 are defined by eight grand statues emblematical 
 of the leading cities of the Republic. From 
 the centre of these grounds we have to the w T est, 
 a fine view of the Triumphal Arch ; to the east, 
 of the Tuileries ; to the south, of the Legisla- 
 tive Palace ; and to the north, of the Madeleine. 
 These views alone are well worth the trouble 
 and expense of journeying from foreign lands to 
 enjoy them. 
 
 Approaching the Tuileries we are struck with 
 
76 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 the palatial appearance of the buildings. They 
 receive their name, it i^s said, from the fact, the 
 grounds which they occupy, were once used as 
 tile-fields. An extensive area in their front is 
 planted out with trees and ornamented with 
 liowers and fountains, affording favorite resorts 
 for all classes. One portion seems to be conse- 
 crated to the welfare of little children. At 
 times they are numberless. Happier and more 
 charming faces are nowhere else to be seen. 
 
 The palaces were greatly damaged by the 
 communists in their recent war ; but they are 
 beinsr restored, and it is intended to make them 
 e more beautiful than ever. The architecture in 
 Paris is sufficient to prove that the French peo- 
 ple are natural artists. 
 
 Joining the Tuileries is the Louvre, consist- 
 ing of a square of palaces, whose perimeter 
 must measure more than half a mile, having an 
 extensive court in the centre. Looking at 
 these stately and harmonious buildings, it hard- 
 ly seems possible that, where they now stand, 
 there was once a marshy swamp infested with 
 wolves ; but such being the fact, the origin of 
 the name Louvre is readily perceived. These 
 palaces were built at different periods and occu- 
 pied by different royal personages. But the 
 Louvre is now devoted almost exclusively to 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 77 
 
 works of art. The ground flooring is occupied 
 with sculptures gathered from all parts of the 
 world. In the Egyptian Hall are to be seen 
 sphinxes, colossal statues, and sarcophagi, 
 which were chiselled and polished two thousand 
 years before the dawn of Christianity. In the 
 Assyrian rooms are huge sculptures taken from 
 the ruins of Nineveh, bass-reliefs brought from 
 Pergamos, and some beautiful relics found at 
 Athens. In the museum of the Middle Ages 
 are collected treasures from all the different 
 countries which gave any attention to art-works 
 during the Renaissance period. In the rooms 
 of the modern sculptures there is many a statue 
 that breathes out an enchantment, and is sure 
 to bold the inspector spellbound. Their concep- 
 tion and execution are just what they should be. 
 They are full of poetry, history, and inspira- 
 tion. Ascending to the next story, we have 
 before us in the different halls seven miles of 
 pictures. As we enter the collection of the old 
 masters, and scrutinize carefully the paintings of 
 Raphael, Correggio, Rubens, Leonardo da Vinci, 
 arid Murillo, we are not disposed to wonder 
 that this should be called the " Unrivalled Art 
 Gallery." Weeks are required to see them all ; 
 and then, after one has discovered his favorites, 
 he requires weeks more to study these in order 
 
78 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 to catch the inspiration that burned in the hearts 
 of those who were called to blend colors, so as 
 to give real expression to the soul of saint and 
 sinner. Then, too, it is interesting to observe 
 the artists who are at work in these rooms, 
 copying the pictures which they most admire. 
 Here are the young, the middle aged, and the 
 old, apparently all absorbed in using the pencil 
 and brush. For centuries the French artists 
 followed altogether in the footsteps of others, 
 creating no school of their own, being no more 
 than apprentices to the Italian and Spanish mas- 
 ters. It is true, they early distinguished them- 
 selves iu architecture, leading the nations in 
 some regards in this department of art. To a 
 large extent they invented and developed the 
 Gothic style. By nature they are inclined to 
 be artists, but not, till within the past century 
 have they become eminent as painters, estab- 
 lishing a school of their own. But now, as we 
 study the works of Claude Lorraine, Horace 
 Vernet, Poussin, and Desportes, we cannot 
 doubt that they are producing some of the 
 best art- works, and give promise of excelling 
 all other schools on the Continent. The French 
 people take a deep interest in these galleries, 
 making them free to all a portion of each day; 
 so the poor can enjoy them as well as the rich. 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 79 
 
 It is a fact that most of their leading artists at 
 the present time have sprang from the common, 
 or lower classes. Besides the Louvre, Paris has 
 several other public as well as many private 
 galleries. At the Luxemburg Palace are a few 
 of the finest art-treasures in the city. The 
 sculptures and paintings are mostly modern and 
 of the French school. The palace itself with 
 its gardens is a marvellous work of art. 
 
 Not only do the fine arts occupy a conspicu- 
 ous place in this city, but arts of all kinds. At 
 the Conservatory of. measures are collected nu- 
 merous models of mechanical and school appa- 
 ratus. Here the farmer has the opportunity of 
 examining the most improved plough or pump ; 
 the mechanic, the best water- wheels and steam- 
 engines ; the miner, the most approved drills 
 and lifters for quarrying coal ; the potter and 
 ^lass-maker, fine illustrations of the bejnnnino' 
 and progress of their works in France ; and the 
 educator, the latest styles of furniture and ap- 
 paratus for the school-room. 
 
 In the Hotel de Cluny the antiquarian and 
 the lover of the ancient can find many things to 
 gratify their taste. The building itself is one of 
 the oldest in the city. Parts of it were built by 
 the Romans as far back as the third century 
 while the remainder was erected in the early 
 
80 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 reign of the Goths. It is a quaint and curious 
 old structure. Within are treasured odd and 
 grotesque works in wood, ivory, cloth, iron, pre- 
 cious stones, and metals, many thousands in all. 
 The Roman altar, with an inscription to Augus- 
 tus Caesar, is the oldest Parisian monument in 
 existence. Here it was Julian, was proclaimed 
 emperor by his soldiers in the three hundred and 
 sixteenth year of the Christian era ; and here 
 the first Frankish monarchs resided, till they 
 changed their seat of government to the island 
 of the Seine. In the Cluny the oldest things 
 are the newest at the present day. 
 
 At the Hotel cles Invalid es the soldier, and 
 those fond of military arts, can be gratified and 
 instructed, for in its museum are to be seen, it 
 would seem, all the different kinds of weapons 
 ever invented for destroying human life ; at 
 least, there are enough of them, being more 
 than four thousand specimens. This museum oc- 
 cupies but a small part of the building which is 
 mostly devoted to the needs of soldiers who have 
 been disabled, or of those who having served 
 their country long, have become superannuated 
 and deserve a pleasant home in their old age. 
 In its halls during the day may be seen many 
 veterans who bear scars of hard service in 
 defence of their country. Louis XIV. was 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 81 
 
 prompted by noble motives when he, in 1670, 
 founded such an institution capable of affording 
 a home to five thousand invalid soldiers. In 
 front of these buildings are extensive parade 
 grounds which are rendered lively all hours of 
 the day, when the weather will permit, by the 
 feats and manoeuvres of soldiers. The French 
 believe in military science, and endeavor to put 
 it in practice. In time of peace they prepare 
 for war. 
 
 In the rear of this institution is the tomb of 
 Napoleon I. This is a grand structure of mar- 
 ble and granite, sustaining a lofty dome. Its 
 style, gilt and polish within and without, make 
 it a splendid work. In an open circular crypt, 
 directly under the dome, rests on the mosaic 
 pavement a vast sarcophagus of reel Finland 
 sandstone, containing the ashes of the great 
 warrior. It is a fitting monument for such a 
 character. A life full of display and self-ag- 
 grandizement would be quite sure to covet just 
 such a final resting-place. It was made to extol 
 the man. How unlike the tomb of Washing- 
 ton, and yet how much more sacred is the lat- 
 ter than the former ! The one is visited mostly 
 out of curiosity, the other out of grateful re- 
 membrance. The glory of the one dims with 
 age, that of the other brightens. It is safe to 
 
82 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 point the young to the last as worthy of imita- 
 tion, but it is hazardous to emphasize the life of 
 the first. The one seemed to lose sight of self 
 in struggling for God and country, while the 
 other, in his endeavors, appeared to mag- 
 nify himself above God and country. The one 
 asked not that his deeds should be displayed 
 upon miles of canvas or extravagant triumphal 
 arches, the other craved this world's pageantry. 
 This tomb ought to signify to every observer of 
 its splendor, that true goodness alone can pro- 
 duce true greatness. Anything short of this 
 cannot build for immortality. 
 
 The church edifices of Paris are few, according 
 to the population, compared with most other 
 civilized countries. It is evident why this 
 should be so, when we consider how France in 
 the time of the Reformation threw her influence 
 in favor of Rome, not from conviction of duty, 
 but from policy, thinking to gain thereby more 
 temporal power and emolument. The reform- 
 ers were driven from her cities, and hollow- 
 hearted priests were suffered to have control of 
 her religious a (fairs. In the course of time 
 these became, as might be naturally expected, the 
 butts of ridicule, because of their ignorance and 
 hypocrisy ; and the masses in Paris particularly 
 rejected their foolish teachings, saying, if they 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 83 
 
 were the representatives of Christianity, they 
 would have nothing to do with it. So Paine, 
 Voltaire, Diderot", and others led off into infi- 
 delity and the severest scepticism. It was not 
 very long before a large majority of the people 
 came to feel, there was no reality in religion ; 
 soon Sunday with them was turned into a holi- 
 day ; its old churches were almost deserted, and 
 scarcely any new ones were built during the 
 seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This will 
 show why, with a population of nearly two mill- 
 ions, the city should have only some eighty 
 church-edifices. 
 
 The Notre Dame, the cathedral of the city, is 
 well worth a careful examination, being of the 
 purest Gothic style, and built in 1163 on the 
 site of a church of the fourth century. During 
 the period of the Revolution, this venerable pile 
 was doomed to destruction ; but the decree was 
 afterwards withdrawn, and the sculptures only 
 were demolished. The building was then con- 
 verted into a Temple of Reason, and the statue 
 of the Virgin was replaced by one of Liberty ; 
 and in the choir, where had been chanted for 
 ages sacred music, martial strains were made to 
 resound. On a mound in the centre the torch 
 of Truth was lighted, over which rose an em- 
 blem of philosophy after the manner of the 
 
84 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Greeks, ornamented with the busts of Voltaire 
 and Rousseau ; thus it continued till it was 
 reopened as a place of divine service in the 
 present century. Its carvings over the central 
 entrance, representing the last judgment, with 
 the figure of Christ in the centre, and the por- 
 tals on either side ornamented with figures of 
 saints and their attendants, must have required 
 great skill and patience in their elaboration. 
 The interior, like other Gothic cathedrals, has 
 its high nave and side-aisles supported by huge 
 columns. Its lar^e circular windows are called 
 in Paris the finest and richest in the world. All 
 who examine them must admit they are beau- 
 tiful. 
 
 The perfect gem of a little church is the St. 
 Chapelle, connected with the Palace of Justice. 
 It is really the climax of Gothic architecture. 
 Its decorations are exceedingly rich and hand- 
 some ; its altars, pillars, and windows, are ex- 
 quisitely fine. It is now used but once a year 
 for religious service, which is the annual "Mass 
 of the Holy Ghost," observed by the lawyers at 
 the reopening of their courts after the autumn 
 vacation. So we are to infer that the lawyers 
 of Paris do have a religious turn of mind, at 
 least, once a year. It was built, it is said, in 
 the thirteenth century, for the purpose of receiv- 
 
FRANCE AND TARIS. 85 
 
 m% and retaining the Lord's crown and the 
 true cross, which were purchased by St. Louis 
 and conveyed to the chapel through the streets 
 by the barefooted king. These relics are re- 
 ported to have cost four hundred thousand dol- 
 lars, and the building one hundred and sixty 
 thousand more. During the revolutions, it has 
 suffered severe damages, so that four hundred 
 thousand dollars in addition have been expended 
 in repairing and restoring it. 
 
 The Pantheon is the most conspicuous church 
 in the city. Standing upon elevated ground, 
 with its lofty dome, it overtops all the other 
 buildings. It resembles St. Paul's in London 
 and St. Peter's in Rome, but is inferior in size, 
 still well proportioned throughout. Within, it 
 seems more like a memorial hall than a church. 
 In the last century it was converted into a Pan- 
 theon to perpetuate the memory of illustrious 
 citizens. Accordingly, in its vaults and ar- 
 cades, Voltaire, Rousseau, Lagrange, and many 
 more have been entombed. 
 
 But the church of all others in Paris is the 
 Madeleine. It occupies the most frequented 
 part of the city. Though a modern work, it is 
 purely classical. It was patterned after the 
 Parthenon of ancient Athens. Its portico, ex- 
 tending round the building, is supported by 
 
86 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 fifty-two Doric columns, sonic fifty feet high, 
 and six feet in diameter. It is constructed en- 
 tirely of marble. Its pediments, cornice, and 
 frieze, are magnificently illustrated by sacred 
 scenes. Its bronze doors are carved with bass- 
 reliefs representing the delivery of the Com- 
 mandments. The interior is one vast nave, 
 lighted from above through four spacious domes. 
 This is gorgeously gilded and decorated with 
 paintings and marbles. It is difficult to make 
 this building seem like a Christian church. It 
 was commenced before the Revolution of 1789. 
 In Napoleon's reign the work was renewed with 
 the view of making it a temple of glory. Under 
 Louis Philippe it was completed and converted 
 into a church. Though it contains a mixture 
 of classic and Renaissance details, and has often 
 been on this account criticised, still it is difficult 
 to conceive how it could be improved. It is a 
 work to be admired, in spite of all criticism. 
 
 The main streets of Paris are called boulevards, 
 for the reason, the oldest occupy the site of the 
 fortifications in the time of Louis XIV., which 
 then surrounded the city. These are so roomy, 
 so clean, so spotted with trees, and lined with 
 elegant blocks of buildings, that they proffer to 
 the traveller striking attractions. On these are 
 to be found the principal hotels, stores, cafes. 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 87 
 
 shops, and costly residences. Along these are 
 passing at all hours of the day and night as well, 
 an innumerable number of omnibuses, tramways, 
 and hacks. These are verily thoroughfares. 
 Were they compressed, as the streets of London, 
 they would appear as crowded ; as they are, they 
 can be passed over without difficulty. No other 
 city is better supplied with conveniences of easy 
 traffic. Everything is so systematized and 
 placed under efficient police control, that even 
 the stranger can enter the city for the first time, 
 and be conveyed to any place within its limits 
 without inconvenience or imposition. No cattle 
 or sheep are ever seen on the streets or within 
 the city walls. The fattened animals are slaugh- 
 tered outside of the city, and conveyed to the 
 markets, for the most part, by under-ground rail- 
 roads. All produce, and, in fact, everything 
 before it can be brought into the city, must be 
 inspected. The entrances are so guarded that 
 this is readily done. No other metropolis does 
 more for the welfare of its citizens than Paris. 
 Its sanitary regulations are quite complete, and 
 for this reason, no doubt, it ranks as one of the 
 healthiest cities. Paris, being built on sandy 
 soil and out of li^ht-colored stone, having <ren- 
 erally a clear and bright atmosphere, is exter- 
 nally cheery and beautiful. 
 
88 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Paris has some thirty libraries. The largest 
 of these is the National Bibliotheque, which con- 
 tains three millions of books and one hundred 
 and fifty thousand manuscripts. It is estimated 
 that, if the cases containing them should be 
 placed in a continuous row, they would reach 
 the distance of thirty miles. Most of the books 
 are of the choicest editions. In connection with 
 this library, there is a large reading-room which 
 will accommodate four hundred readers at the 
 same time, with chairs, desks, and attendants 
 sufficient to furnish at short notice any book 
 wanted. It is open six days of the week for six 
 hours per day. It affords a great resort to 
 scholars of all professions. 
 
 The Arsenal Library contains one hundred 
 •and eighty thousand volumes ; the Louvre, 
 one hundred thousand ; the Hotel de Ville, 
 eighty thousand ; the Institute Library, fifty 
 thousand. In all the different libraries of 
 Paris there are more than four million vol- 
 umes. So it is apparent that this city is 
 abundantly supplied with reading matter which 
 is placed within the reach of all ; and, when we 
 add to the multiplicity of books, seven hun- 
 dred and fifty newspapers and periodicals pub- 
 lished in Paris, we can but infer that the Paris- 
 ians are a reading people. It is true, much of 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 89 
 
 their literature is of a light order, still their pa- 
 pers and works on science, philosophy, and art, 
 are numerous and of a high order. 
 
 The French people are expressing special in- 
 terest in the cause of education. Their school 
 system is divided into three grades, denominat- 
 ed superior, secondary, and primary. The first 
 is especially devoted to mathematical and phys- 
 ical science, and is not interior to that of any 
 other country. This is carried on by the means 
 of lectures before certain established institutions. 
 The best talent of the land is employed in 
 giving instruction. The College of France, 
 which is established in Paris, has a corps of 
 thirty-nine professors, and the University has 
 thirty-seven. In Paris there are several other 
 schools of this order. Before those, from three 
 to five lectures are given daily. They are well 
 patronized by men and women of all ages. The 
 gray heads are numerous in these audiences, and 
 many of those advanced in years are intently 
 en^a^ed in taking notes. The lecturers them- 
 selves are masters of their subiects and enter 
 into them with great enthusiasm. Seldom will 
 the auditors become inattentive, even when the 
 lectures are protracted to an hour and a half in 
 length. It is surprising, as well as gratifying, 
 to find so many attending these lectures, treating 
 
90 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 of political economy, poetry, tragedy, medi- 
 cine, art, history, electricity, geography, and, in 
 short, all the different branches of learning. If 
 a people were not fond of study and interested 
 in investigating, they would not voluntarily pat- 
 ronize such institutions. 
 
 The secondary grade of instruction comprises 
 about the same course of study pursued in our 
 colleges ; however, instead of recitations, the 
 teaching is given in lectures. The students are 
 divided into classes according to rank and stud- 
 ies. In Paris the largest number of students is 
 found in the department of" law ; in that of med- 
 icine next ; in science next ; and the least num- 
 ber in theology. 
 
 The primary grade answers to our public 
 schools. Elementary education was almost en- 
 tirely neglected from the time of the Revolution 
 of 1793 to the accession of Louis Philippe to 
 the throne ; but the efforts of this monarch, 
 aided by Guizot and Cousin, soon wrought a 
 great change, and ever since, the progress of pri- 
 mary education has continued to advance, till 
 now the Republic and the metropolis are well 
 supplied with schools. The school-rooms and 
 methods of instruction are subject to criticism ; 
 the former are not in keeping with the views of 
 ancient Speusippus who said that the young in 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 91 
 
 their course of education should be surrounded 
 with an abundance of pure air and clear light and 
 aplenty of beautiful pictures. The instruction 
 appeals more to memory than to the understand- 
 ing, in imitation of Jacotot's system. 
 
 The charity and reformatory schools* in this 
 country are usually conducted in keeping with 
 the most improved methods ; particularly is this 
 the case with the institutes for the blind, the 
 deaf and dumb, and wayward j^ouths. The peo- 
 ple here generally believe in education, and so 
 public opinion tends to force the children into 
 the schools. It is seldom that you here meet 
 youths who are unable to read and write. The 
 children, as a rule, are bright and apt to learn. 
 Only let them be properly trained and they are 
 certain to develop into the noblest maturity. 
 The government of France is now manifesting 
 more interest in the cause of education than 
 ever before. The result of the national exhibi- 
 tions has served to stimulate the masses in this 
 direction. Then, too, her present form of gov- 
 ernment can be sustained, she feels, only by an 
 educated people. In the past, she has been 
 greatly embarrassed by Church and State in 
 her school work. Emperors and priests are 
 hostile to free-thinking subjects ; they believe 
 in the education of the few, not the masses. At 
 
92 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 their hands France has suffered more than lan- 
 guage can tell. Could she have been wise and 
 strong enough in the sixteenth century to have 
 chosen the better part, and broken away from 
 Rome, and held fast to the Bible, she would 
 have been saved, undoubtedly, from so many 
 dramas deepening into tragedies, and would 
 have held no second place among civilized na- 
 tions. But alas ! she let slip her golden oppor- 
 tunity, and, accordingly, has been tossed to and 
 fro, alternately glorified and despised. It 
 seems strange she has not been crushed into 
 the dust. She would have perished, had there 
 not been a marvellous recuperative energy 
 and national tenacity in her people. Nature 
 has been most propitious to them in the bestow- 
 ment of real genius, astute mental qualities, and 
 stirring temperaments. For this reason they 
 have revelled in all conditions of life, from that 
 of secluded peace to the wildest wars. They 
 have been the gayest of the gay, and the grav- 
 est of the grave. At one moment they have 
 been the slaves of base prejudice, and the next 
 they have launched into the most extravagant 
 illations. In matters of taste they have 
 been as inexorable, as they have been lax in 
 matters of morality. Their sentiments have 
 been as changeable as an April sky. Their 
 
FRANCE AND PARIS. 93 
 
 national existence has been more theatrical than 
 real. Their medal has always had a reverse 
 side. Over against the glory of letters has been 
 set the o*loom of heart-crushing atheism ; and 
 over against the splendors of the battle-field have 
 humr the horrors of revolutionary massacres and 
 the wretchedness of domestic infidelity. But 
 shall it continue to be thus? Present indica- 
 tions declare it far otherwise. The severe 
 ordeals through which the nation has recently 
 passed, have not crushed their spirits, but served 
 to sober and make them feel more dependent 
 upon some power higher than themselves. This 
 is made evident from the fact that the people 
 are more interested in national and rclijrious 
 affairs than ever in the past. Sunday is no 
 longer a holiday to the extent it was a decade ago. 
 Sabbath morning their churches are well filled ; 
 especially is this true' of all dissenters from the 
 Catholics. The Protestants now in Paris num- 
 ber more than sixty thousand, and are rapidly 
 increasing. The missionaries sent from Eng- 
 land and America, are being greatly encouraged 
 in their labors. Let the Parisians become thor- 
 oughly Christian in their homes and every-day 
 life, and their city would become more beautiful 
 and enduring. Then they would be able to lead, 
 not only in matters of taste, but in the high- 
 
94: AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 est forms of aesthetic culture. Their "Liberty, 
 Equality, and Fraternity," inscribed upon so 
 many public buildings, would have more than a 
 humanitarian significance. Their works of art 
 would receive higher tints and touches ; their 
 philosophy and literature would become broader 
 and deeper; and their lives would adorn their 
 city with grander attractions than triumphal 
 arches, with more satisfying results than the 
 finest galleries of art, and with more instruc- 
 tive treasures than the largest libraries. 
 
IV. 
 
 SPAIN AND MADRID. 
 
 f|^HE history of Spain is more than a drama ; 
 •■*- it is a tragedy. Looking upon its physical 
 features, we discover it is favorably situated;' 
 but few countries possess such maritime advan- 
 tages, being washed on two sides, and more, hy 
 navigable waters ; then, too, its latitude and 
 great diversity of surface are propitious to the 
 growth of almost every variety of vegetation. 
 The grape, olive, mulberry, orange, and lemon, 
 seem to spring spontaneously from the soil. 
 The numerous mountains are unfailing reser- 
 voirs to the brooks and rivers running through 
 the valleys and across the plains. Spain is a 
 land of beauty and sublimity. Its highest sum- 
 mits covered with lasting snows, its towering 
 hills waving with oak and pine, its lofty crags, 
 deep dells, cerulean skies, and salubrious cli- 
 mate, all serve to render it exceedingly attrac- 
 tive to man. Its first inhabitants of whom 
 history makes any mention were Celts. Rudely 
 did they live and delight in the land, the waters 
 
96 AFTER-THOUGHTo OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 and forests supplying and satisfying their wants ; 
 but it was not always to be thus. 
 
 Before the light of Christianity shone upon 
 the world, there were civilized nations dwelling 
 along the shores of the Mediterranean. They 
 were given to adventure and discovery. In the 
 course of events they sent explorers to Iberia, 
 as Spain was then called, who found it rich 
 in mineral wealth ; and this opened a field 
 for Grecian, Carthaginian, and Roman settle- 
 ments. These were adventurers, the same as 
 the first settlers in Virginia. But circumstances 
 so ruled, that many of them became permanent 
 dwellers along the southern borders of this de- 
 lightful land. No doubt, they introduced the 
 advantages and comforts of their own civiliza- 
 tion. 
 
 In the reign of Julius Cassar, Rome was hold- 
 ing supreme power among the nations. She 
 had already extended her rule far to the east, 
 and still prompted by an unbounded ambition, 
 she felt her sceptre must sway over the regions 
 of the far west : so her forces penetrated into 
 this distant land, conquered it, and changed its 
 name' to Hesperia. They soon built large towns 
 and great roads. They worked the mines ex- 
 tensively, and returned immense treasures of 
 wealth to Rome. For centuries they possessed 
 
SPAIN AND MADRID. 1)7 
 
 the land. But nations have their fall, as well as 
 their rise. If Home had been the mistress of 
 the world, in the fourth century she had her 
 decline ; and with her fall, sooner or later, 
 passed from her grasp all her possessions. The 
 Ostrogoths from the north swept over Italy, 
 laying claim to all her lands and cities ; about 
 the same time, the Visigoths came down from 
 Scandinavia upon Spain, subduing the Romans 
 there, claiming the country as their own. 
 Though conquerors, they adopted the language 
 of their subjects. There were good reasons for 
 this ; the Romans were more cultivated than 
 the Goths. It was mightthat o;ave them rights, 
 making the former slaves. For about four him- 
 dred years the Goths ruled this land. Under 
 their sway it did not advance ; in fact, it lost 
 ground. 
 
 At this time the Arabs were taking high 
 rank among the civilized powers. They were 
 ambitious to gain new territory, that the}' might 
 spread their religion. They believed this was 
 to be done by the sword : accordingly, they 
 became skilful warriors for those times. They 
 had captured many countries in Asia and Africa, 
 and now they were anxious to obtain footing in 
 Europe, that they might set up the standard of 
 the Prophet there. In 711, from Northern 
 
98 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Africa they crossed into Spain, and in a great 
 battle fought at Xeres, they gained the victory, 
 and at length were able to plant Mohammedan- 
 ism throughout most of Spain. The Moors, as 
 these Arabs were denominated here, were 
 skilled craftsmen and adepts in many branches 
 of learning. They selected Cordova as the cap- 
 ital of their European possessions. Here they 
 built a superb mosque, whose splendid relics 
 remain to this day. It was supported by three 
 hundred and sixty-five marble columns, had nine- 
 teen bronze doors of curious workmanship, and 
 was lighted by forty-seven hundred lamps, kept 
 constantly burning. Here they early estab- 
 lished a university, whose portals were thronged 
 with students lon^ before the colleges of Oxford 
 and Cambridge were dreamed of. Here was a 
 library containing six hundred thousand volumes 
 long before printing had been discovered. 
 
 The Moors were an industrious people and 
 fond of agriculture. They introduced to the 
 country plantations of sugar, rice, and cotton, 
 and transplanted from Africa palm-trees which 
 have continued to flourish ever since. Many 
 branches of learning received their special at- 
 tention. This was true of chemistry, botany, 
 astronomy, philosophy, and medicine. They 
 borrowed and transmitted to us our numerals. 
 
SPAIN AND 31 ADR ID. 99 
 
 They were the first to manufacture carpets, 
 silks, gold and silver embroidery, and paper, in 
 Europe. Their schools were so far superior to 
 those of surrounding nations that many Chris- 
 tians patronized them. In many of their lead- 
 ing towns, academies and libraries were found- 
 ed ; their literature was heralded abroad ; for 
 centuries their march was onward. Their king- 
 dom became the most opulent and influential ; 
 their rulers dwelt in gorgeous palaces and in- 
 dulged in sumptuous feasts ; their artists, poets, 
 and philosophers, were counted by hundreds. 
 But during these mediaeval a^es wars were a I- 
 most constantly occurring in this land. The 
 Goths, who had been driven into the mountains 
 of the north and east, but not conquered, were 
 frequently making attacks upon their neighbor- 
 ing enemies, and by degrees kept regaining their 
 lost territory, and thereby forcing the Moors 
 into closer quarters. There is an element of 
 tenacity in the Gothic nature, as dogged as that 
 in the Jew ; at least, it never gives up. They 
 had not been lying simply on their arms in these 
 mountain passes, but had made the most possi- 
 ble out of the Saracen civilization, so that as fast 
 as they captured Moorish towns, they were pre- 
 pared to render them still more prosperous. 
 Many of their governors were men of marked 
 
100 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 ability, and so ruled as to become influential at 
 home and abroad. The Spaniards had now be- 
 come famous for their enterprise and national 
 growth; their commerce was entering the most 
 distant ports ; they had vessels exploring for 
 new discoveries. 
 
 Now the Moorish star of empire was fast de- 
 clining, and the Spanish waxing bright ; and, in 
 1492, the final blow was struck, and the last ves- 
 tige of Mohammedan tyranny abraded ; and 
 through the means of that brave little fleet 
 which sailed out from Palos the same year, 
 Spain was greatly enlarged and enriched. 
 Christopher Columbus had proved himself a 
 genius and a hero. No wonder that, as he pre- 
 sented the title of the West Indies to the Span- 
 ish Court, bells .should ring; guns, be fired; 
 bonfires, kindled ; and Columbus, hailed as a 
 nobleman of the first rank ! All this was justly 
 due the self-sacrificing man. But it is sad that 
 afterwards, enemies should have robbed him of 
 his just reward, and that King Ferdinand should 
 have suffered him in his old age to pass his last 
 days in poverty and disgrace. 
 
 Spain at this period was the wealthiest and 
 most prosperous nation of the world. Its fields 
 were the best cultivated ; its ports the most 
 thronged. It was then renowned for the corn 
 
SPAIN AND MADRID, 10 L 
 
 of its plains, the wine and oil upon its hill- 
 sides, the milk and, wool of its pastures, the 
 timber from its mountains, the marbles from its 
 quarries, and the treasures from its mines. 
 Spring and summer were never absent from its 
 valleys, though perpetual winter brooded over 
 its mountain-tops. A halo of glory seemed to 
 be spanning Spain. The light which had long 
 since been extinguished in Alexandria, Athens, 
 and Rome, had blazed out anew in this land. 
 The union of the glowing imagination of the 
 East with the strong intellect of the West, was 
 promising the happiest results. A new mental 
 life appeared to be rising from the sepulchre of 
 antiquity. Illustrious scholars and finished 
 writers were everywhere becoming common 
 within its borders. 
 
 Such was Spain three centuries ago, but now 
 how changed ! Its bright luminaries have passed 
 away. The monk, the matadore, and the brig- 
 and, have taken their place. The school has 
 been supplanted by the bull-ring; the pen, 
 by the stiletto. Much of its surface has 
 been shorn of its beauty, and left desolate and 
 ugly. Large tracts of arable land are lying 
 perfect wastes. The forests are nearly all gone ; 
 the rivers have ceased to whirl saws and spin- 
 dles ; its commerce has disappeared ; its pruning- 
 
102 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 books have been beaten into swords, and its 
 ploughshares into spears ; and ninety thousand 
 laborers have been converted into ninety thou- 
 sand warriors. The people at large are badly 
 housed, scantily fed, and meanly clad ; the vil- 
 lages and cities swarm with beggars. Surely 
 a blight has come upon Spain. Why should 
 the finest country in Europe become so deso- 
 late? Why should a people, naturally talented 
 and noble, become so degenerate? Three hun- 
 dred years ago, when Martin Luther tore off the 
 monkish cowl, and laid bare popish wickedness 
 and priestly iniquities, Germany felt the shock 
 and broke allegiance with Catholicism ; the lit- 
 tle country of Holland, which had fought so 
 desperately against the encroachments of tide 
 and sea, was ready, at once, to resist unto death 
 the religious inroads of Romanism ; the tiny 
 Republic of Geneva raised its battlements high 
 against the invasion of the monster, and became 
 the cradle of a great liberty ; England and Scot- 
 land sprung to arms and beat the foe from their 
 borders ; but France, Italy, and Spain, ran to 
 the rescue of Rome, and Spain became the most 
 desperate foe to the Reformation. No sooner 
 had it made this decision than its decadence be- 
 gan. This step, however, was taken against the 
 will and wishes of the best minds of the coun- 
 
SPAIN AND MADEID. 103 
 
 try ; from multitudes we might select Carlos de 
 Sesso, Augustin Cazalla, Constantin Ponce de 
 la Puente, Ponce de Leon, Antonio Herezuelo, 
 Christobel Losada, and Juan Gonzalez, whose 
 names will live and be loved. Even the Refor- 
 mation was hailed at the very steps of the 
 throne ; Don Carlos, the heir-apparent, was 
 moved by its spirit, and for this reason Philip 
 II. caused him one day to be seated with saw- 
 dust scattered profusely round, and ordered an 
 executioner to separate his head from his body ; 
 and so a father, because of bigotry, murdered 
 his son. 
 
 The Reformation found numerous friends in 
 New Castile, in the cities of Seville and Toledo, 
 in the towns of Granada and Valentia, in Sara- 
 gossa and Barcelona. Its light was penetrating 
 even to the convents and monasteries. As 
 Philip II. saw the progress it was making, he 
 joined hands with the Pontificate of Rome, de- 
 termined it should be levelled to the dust and 
 destroyed. So in one single night eight hun- 
 dred Protestants were put into chains and thrown 
 into prison at Seville. The Inquisition was re- 
 vived, and thousands of lives were sacrificed at 
 the stake and on the block. In ten short years, 
 from 1560 to 1570, the Reformation was exter- 
 minated from Spain. Is it strange that dark- 
 
104 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 ness should come over that fair land, having 
 brutally murdered so many of its noblest char- 
 acters ? The calamity was not merely upon the 
 surface ; it sank into the very vitals of society. 
 The merchants and artisans of the cities, the 
 peasants of the rural districts, the shepherds on 
 the mountains, the rich and the poor, the wise 
 and the ignorant, all were shocked and paralyzed 
 by the terrible blow. Liberty, morality, and 
 manhood, were hurled into the grave which 
 Catholicism had dug. A little while before, 
 Spain, of all countries, would have been the last 
 one selected to do such bloody work for the 
 purpose of burying freedom of conscience in the 
 dust. 
 
 But Philip could not be content in wreaking 
 his vengeance upon Spain ; he must be one of 
 the instigators of the horrible Bartholomew 
 massacre ; he must attempt the downfall of Hol- 
 land and the overthrow of England. An inferior 
 man physically, but of tremendous will, he was 
 bound that Catholicism should be nourished by 
 the blood and ashes of Protestantism. While 
 he sat upon the throne, he wielded the mightiest 
 power for the wrong. He struck death-blows 
 at conscience, reason, and humanity. Knowing 
 these facts, we need no longer wonder that, 
 in the course of a few centuries, Spain should 
 
SPAIN AXD MADRID. 105 
 
 become prostrate and the most degraded 
 among European realms — a land without any 
 well-organized school system, with a bull-ring 
 and cock-pit instituted in every city of any 
 considerable size, which are sure to be open 
 on Sundays the year round, and are patron- 
 ized by all classes ; even the poorest wretches 
 will sell the rags from their backs for the 
 sake of obtaining admittance into these bar- 
 barous exhibitions. To-day Spain is a military 
 despotism ; small in area, with a population of 
 twenty-three millions, it has ninety thousand 
 soldiers ; these are finely clad and sumptuously 
 fed. The people stand in awe of the soldier ; 
 he commands, and they obey. The military 
 expenditures and waste force upon the citizens 
 enormous taxation ; but they have no means ot 
 remedying this injustice ; so every year the 
 country is becoming more reduced and im- 
 poverished. Their king, Alphonso XII., is a 
 mere tool in the hands of the military rulers. 
 
 Another incubus, to drag Spain down, is the 
 priesthood. The priests are very numerous 
 wherever there is anything to give them good 
 support, for, like the soldier, they believe in 
 elegant attire and dainty living. The country 
 is becoming reduced so fast that it is evident, 
 if there is not some unforeseen change for tho 
 
106 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 better, the time cannot be far distant when this 
 country will be as desolate as the Trojan plain, 
 or the Carthaginian fields. Had it not been 
 for foreign aid, Spain would have had no rail- 
 roads ; and were it not for foreign assistance, 
 they would not be running at present. 
 
 In passing from France into Spain the con- 
 trast is very striking ; the former is character- 
 ized by thrift, order, and industry ; the latter, by 
 neglect, confusion, and indolence : the one has 
 the promise of a bright future ; the other seems 
 bound to an inevitable death. Were it not for 
 its past the traveller would not be very much 
 inclined to seek this country, and much less, 
 to spend time in it under the present order of 
 things ; for wherever he goes, whether it be by 
 rail, or boat, or carriage, or on foot, he is sub- 
 ject to more or less inconveuience, and all the 
 time feels anxious ; brigands are on every hand ; 
 robberies and murders are incessantly occur- 
 ring ; and the chances for redress and justice 
 in case of misfortune, are rare indeed. But, 
 despite all the discomfitures, asssociation and 
 nature render Spain most inviting to the seeker 
 after knowledge, and to the lover of natural 
 beauty and human antiquities. These are to be 
 met with on every hand. 
 
 At Burgos stands a magnificent Gothic cathe- 
 
SPAIN AND MADKID. 107 
 
 dral of the mediaeval ages. It really consists of 
 a cluster of churches. The mind that conceived 
 them must have been gifted, and the hands which 
 piled them up must have been skilled and 
 strong. There, too, in the Town House, may be 
 seen the tomb containing the ashes of the heroic 
 Cid who has figured so strangely in Spanish his- 
 tory. 
 
 At Valladolid which was once the capital of 
 Spain, may be witnessed the palace in which 
 Philip II. was born, the house in which Colum- 
 bus died, the home of Cervantes while he was 
 publishing his marvellous "Don Quixote," and 
 the spot where the first auto-de-fe was kindled, 
 that Romano might atone for becoming a Prot- 
 est ant. 
 
 At Seville may be visited another grand ca- 
 thedral of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, 
 containing the tomb in which the remains of 
 Columbus were first deposited, and where his 
 son Ferdinand lies buried. This is also the 
 birthplace of Velasquez and Murillo. All who 
 have looked upon their paintings, can but feel 
 an interest in their nativity and the places asso- 
 ciated with their lives. In the sixth century Se- 
 ville was the favorite city of the Moors, and still 
 later it was the residence of many Spanish mon- 
 archs. Here the first court of the Inquisition 
 
108 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 in Spain was instituted in 1481. Its object 
 then was to force the Jews to become Chris- 
 tians ; and all who refused and did not flee the 
 country, were sentenced to be burned alive, and 
 generally many of them, at the same time, and 
 on some great holiday. The unfortunate victims 
 were usually followed to their funeral pyre by 
 trains of priests chanting hymns, and proces- 
 sions of magistrates and judges clothed in their 
 robes of office. The king was wont to be pres- 
 ent and sit with his hat off by the side of the 
 grand inquisitor, approving of the revolting 
 scene, called by the Spaniards auto-de-fe, or act 
 of faith. 
 
 At Cordova are to be found many Roman and 
 Moorish antiquities. It is claimed to have been 
 founded by Mareellus, and that here the Romans 
 established their first colony in the land. It 
 also boasts of having i>'iven birth to the two 
 Senecas, the poet Lucan, and many other fa- 
 mous characters. For a long time it was the 
 Oxford or Cambridge of Spain. 
 
 At Grenada is the noted Alhambra, an an- 
 cient palace of the Moorish kings, built about 
 six hundred years ago, and yet, in a good 
 state of preservation. The style of architec- 
 ture, ornaments, and inscriptions, is unique and 
 wholly Arabic. It would be difficult to con- 
 
SPAIN AND MADRID. 109 
 
 ceive of a structure more airy, graceful, and 
 beautiful. Besides this there are whole ranges 
 of palaces, towers, and castles, which once be- 
 longed to the Moors. Grenada also contains 
 a fine old Gothic cathedral. It has, moreover, 
 been the birthplace of many illustrious men : 
 among others were Alonzo Cano, the Michael 
 Angelo of Spain ; Rueda, the Spanish Thespis ; 
 and Luis de Grenada, the Hesperian Demos- 
 thenes. 
 
 Thirty miles from Madrid, at the foot of the 
 Sierra Guadarama, stands one of the largest 
 granite structures of the world in one of the 
 most barren and solitary places of Spain. This 
 is the Escurial, an immense palace containing 
 eighty staircases, seventy-three fountains, eigh- 
 teen hundred and sixty rooms, and twelve thou- 
 sand windows and doors. It was erected by 
 Philip II. at a cost of seventy-five millions of 
 dollars. But why should it have been placed 
 in such a dreary wilderness, since Spain fur- 
 nishes so many spots of loveliness and grandeur, 
 where the orange gives its perfume and the palm 
 its fruit? From all these Philip II. turned 
 away, preferring this place because he desired 
 to commemorate a victory gained over the 
 French by the Spaniards, and still more, to 
 make a votive offering to San Lorenzo who, a 
 
110 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 saint according to the legend, was martyred 
 here upon a gridiron ; and so in the shape of a 
 gridiron was this monstrous pile of stone built ; 
 and here Philip II. came to live, as king and 
 monk, where he could hear only the tempest's 
 howl and the thunder of the avalanche, as it 
 rushed down the mountain-side. Here lived 
 the man of peering eye, narrow forehead, and 
 protruding jaw, who swayed the mightiest scep- 
 tre at the time of the Eeformation. In this 
 palace were written those terrible decrees, — and 
 out of these gates they were despatched, — which 
 caused the soil of Holland and the Netherlands, 
 of Italy and Germany, to be dyed with the blood 
 of martyrs. The chair is to be seen in which 
 he sat when he plotted the assassination of the 
 Prince of Orange, and the desk is, as it was, on 
 which he wrote the mandate that launched the 
 Armada. The room is pointed out where the 
 wretched man being devoured by worms, died, 
 participating in mass which was being performed 
 in his behalf before the great altar of his gilded 
 and elaborately decorated church. Not far from 
 the chapel is the descent into the gorgeous tomb 
 in the form of the Pantheon at Rome, where 
 may be seen the black marble urn containing 
 the dust of Philip II. In this tomb are thirty- 
 six sarcophagi, holding the ashes of Spanish 
 
SPAIN AND MADRID. Ill 
 
 kings and ro3 r al personages. Philip intended 
 this tomb to be a mausoleum which would sur- 
 pass in beauty and grandeur that of the Medici 
 at Florence. But, if Philip caused the civil- 
 ized world to be ransacked for designs and 
 models in order that the Escurial might be the 
 most imposing work of man ; if he sought mar- 
 bles from the mountains of Sierra ; jaspers and 
 agates from Sicily and Sardinia ; sculptures of 
 mantels and altars from Madrid, Florence, and 
 Milan ; gratings and gates of brass from Cuenca 
 and Saragossa ; candelabra and bells from Tole- 
 do and Seville ; pictures and statues from Italy ; 
 gold and gems from the Indies ; the rare woods 
 from the New World ; the tapestries from Flan- 
 ders ; and sacerdotal vestments from the nun- 
 neries of Europe, — after all this painstaking, his 
 palace is a splendid failure, ugly in its outward 
 and inward aspects, wanting proportion and 
 harmony, — a fit emblem truly of his own life. 
 
 At the present time it feigns to be a univer- 
 sity ; but its students are few and of inferior 
 quality. So there it stands, in the mountain 
 wilderness, as a lasting monument of Philip's 
 folly, cruel bigotry, and excessive sensuality. 
 
 But the Spaniards' favorite city, as it should 
 be, is Madrid. This is their Paris or Wash- 
 ington. They regard it one of the most beauti- 
 
112 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 fill capital cities on the eastern continent. Its 
 position is, like the Escurial, very extraordi- 
 nary. It stands twenty-four hundred and fifty 
 feet above the sea, with a broad, naked plain 
 belting it, and the snowy mountains to the north 
 and east, miles away, keeping constant watch 
 over it. It would seem, a more unfavorable 
 spot nowhere else in Spain could have been 
 found. It was established there by Charles V. 
 and Philip II., because they thought its site 
 was the centre of the country. They allowed 
 the forests to be cut from the plains, and soon 
 the hot suns burned up the smaller vegetation 
 and baked hard the surface ; such is the setting 
 of Madrid, overhung with the perpetual frost- 
 work of the Gruadarama. So its climate is con- 
 stantly varying : one hour, the chilly blasts of 
 the north are beating clown upon it ; the next 
 hour, the hot winds from the south are sweeping 
 it ; one side of the street may have an arctic 
 temperature, while the other is burning with 
 torrid heat. These frequent changes render it 
 a most unhealthy city ; still, in spite of all 
 obstacles, it has continued to grow, till now it 
 has a population of nearly four hundred thou- 
 sand, having a circumference of eight miles, 
 containing eis:ht thousand houses, one hundred 
 and forty-six churches, eighteen hospitals, thir- 
 
SPAIN .AND MADRID. 113 
 
 teen colleges, fifteen academies, fifteen libraries, 
 a grand palace, a beautiful park, and one ele- 
 gant street. The buildings are made of brick 
 and stone, and generally, high and crowded 
 together ; the streets are narrow and badly 
 paved. The chief business of the city appar- 
 ently is the parading of soldiers and the prom- 
 enading and loitering of the citizens in public 
 places. The people differ very much as to their 
 size, appearance, and temperament. Many 
 faces are exceedingly handsome, and others 
 emphatically ugly. As they are carefully stud- 
 ied, evident traces can be discovered of the 
 Celt, the Greek, the Roman, the Moor, the Jew, 
 and the Ostrogoth. The people are social and 
 very fond of show. In the afternoon of each 
 day, when the weather is favorable, on the part 
 of the higher classes, there is sure to be a dis- 
 play in the public places of silk trailing-dresses 
 and costly bonnets, broadcloth cloaks and fur 
 hats. In airy styles they far outdo Paris or 
 New York. The taste of the lower classes 
 appears to rim to patchwork and party-colors. 
 It is amusing to see the poor creatures in their 
 diversified costumes. Trade and work here 
 have nothing the snap of Chicago or Liverpool. 
 "With the Spaniards it is play or begging first, 
 and then work. Their mercantile establish- 
 
114 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 ments and show-windows would not compare 
 favorably with those of Edinburgh or Boston. 
 The greatest display of articles for sale consists 
 of war implements and dirk-knives. The high- 
 est ambition of the young men is to become 
 matadores and picadors. Their idea of a real 
 hero is a man who can strike down a furious 
 bull at one thrust of the lance. 
 
 In the schools, there is the greatest lack 
 of system and thought. In fact Spain has no 
 well-organized school system ; their government 
 is too unstable for that. The king, to-day, 
 does not know that he will be king to-morrow. 
 The people may support certain political meas- 
 ures this week, and reverse them the next. 
 There is a constant unrest, or fluctuation, 
 throughout the land, unless it be while the peo- 
 ple are asleep, which is usually the last part of 
 the night and the hottest portion of the day. 
 Little assistance is received from their religion, 
 for it is mainly confined to the lips and gestures. 
 The ranks of the priesthood are crowded ; for 
 they insure respectability and ample support. 
 
 The institution which has the strongest hold 
 upon the people of Madrid is the bull-ring. A 
 low class of theatres is well patronized, but the 
 bull-fights move and bring together the masses. 
 These are advertised on the largest placards 
 
SPAIN AND MADRID. 115 
 
 posted in conspicuous places, giving the num- 
 ber of animals to be slain and the names of the 
 actors who are to contend in the arena. Every 
 Sunday, and often on Monday, these cruel exhi- 
 bitions take place, except a little while during 
 the very coldest weather. The ring at Madrid 
 is similar to the Colosseum at Rome, and is ca- 
 pable of seating some eight thousand spectators. 
 As the matadores and picadors enter the ring, 
 attired in rich and gaudy costumes, the excite- 
 ment and cheers begin ; then, as the door opens 
 and the wild animal springs into the arena, men, 
 women, and children, are mad with excitement, 
 and delighted to see the horrible contest go on ; 
 the more enraged the animal, and the more cruel 
 the strife, the better they enjoy it. The mata- 
 dores and picadors who make successful thrusts 
 are honored with the greatest applause ; the 
 crowd salute them, and some of the women of 
 the higher ranks show them special deference, 
 frequently making feasts for them at their homes. 
 Often the king and queen are in attendance at 
 these barbarous exhibitions ; they have a special 
 box fitted up and kept for their convenience. 
 Public opinion seems to be decidedly in favor of 
 these amusements ; even many of the most intel- 
 ligent Spaniards will not only patronize them, 
 but will argue in their favor and claim for them 
 
116 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 beneficial results. Is it strange that a people 
 in such a condition are subject to repeated rev- 
 olutions, that their king's, or queen's life, is in 
 constant jeopardy, and that murders and rob- 
 beries are of frequent occurrence? The mys- 
 tery is, how the government can be sustained 
 for any length of time. 
 
 The most inviting place in Madrid is the 
 museum containing a few rare marbles and 
 more than two thousand pictures It is worthy 
 every way to be classed among the first galleries 
 of Europe. Some two hundred and fifty of the 
 best paintings were produced by Spanish artists 
 in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. 
 These works represent what Spain was in its 
 palmiest chvys. Its modern paintings are few 
 and of scarcely any note. So in the line of art, 
 Spain is living upon the past ; but it is far other- 
 wise with France, Germany, and England ; 
 however, it is fortunate indeed, it has this boon ; 
 it is like a spring in a parched desert ; it is like 
 manna in the wilderness ; it is like good news 
 in a far- oft' country : we cannot stand before 
 these noble works without being helped and in- 
 spired with the loftiest sentiments. AVe must 
 feel happy emotions, as we look upon Murillo's 
 "Holy Family,"' his "Rebecca at the Well," his 
 "Adoration of the Shepherds," his "Child, St. 
 
SPAIN AND MADRID. 117 
 
 John" ; or Velasquez' "Adoration of the Kings," 
 his "Christ on the Cross," and his "Borne"; or 
 Rubens' "Judgment of Paris," his "Garden of 
 Love," and his "Peasant's Dance"; or Titian's 
 " Adam and Eve," his "Ecce Homo," and his 
 " Christ bearing the Cross" ; or Raphael's "Holy 
 Family"; or Van Dyck's "Crowning with 
 Thorns " ; and many other pictures of very 
 great merit. Ah ! the influence of the fine 
 arts is beniarn and redeeming. 
 
 The art galleries of Spain are about her only 
 saving agents. It is true, that in Madrid and 
 other cities, Protestantism has a slight footing, 
 but missionaries, as preachers, can do little in 
 such a country. What she needs most are mis- 
 sionaries, as teachers, who will instruct the 
 young to think and exercise conscience aright ; 
 some of her towns are ripe for such a work. 
 But where are the laborers ? Who will support 
 them ? The Spaniards cannot, if they had the 
 will, for they have not the means with which 
 to do it. Alas ! the mendicants are count- 
 less now, and are becoming more numerous 
 every day ; piteously and importunately they 
 are begging for bread. The soldiers and priests 
 heed not their cry, but, by their fast living, im- 
 poverish them all the more. It would seem 
 Spain is as low as she can be. We can but 
 
118 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 hope some Columbus, or Yasco de Gama, or 
 Tell, or Bruce, or Lincoln, or Garibaldi, will 
 come forth to her rescue, who will be able to 
 break her fetters and enable the people to help 
 themselves. What a blessing to the nations, it 
 would be, if Spain again could shed the light 
 she did three centuries a^o ! What a blessing it 
 would be, if she should become truly Christian ! 
 So favorably situated, her light would shine 
 over the Mediterranean, casting a halo around 
 Egypt, Palestine, Greece, and Italy; over the 
 Pyrenees her light would travel to France, Swit- 
 zerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, across 
 the Atlantic to England and America, making 
 millions of hearts rejoice and be glad that Spain 
 was henceforth to be the home of the Christian, 
 the scholar, and artist. 
 
V. 
 
 GERMANY AND BERLIN. 
 
 TF the traveller enters Germany by the way 
 -*- of Belgium and Holland, he soon discovers 
 that he is in a low country, and learns the full 
 significance of the term Low Dutch, if he never 
 comprehended it before. He can scarcely fail 
 of surprise, as he iinds large tracts of land oc- 
 cupied by cities, villages, or farms, situated 
 several feet below the surface of the North Sea, 
 and which would surely be submerged, were 
 it not for the artificial dikes that have been 
 built and are kept in repair at great expense 
 and unyielding industry. This land is the gift 
 of the sea and the river. Most of the country 
 north of France, and along the sea-coast of 
 Prussia, is fenced off by canals. The wind-mills 
 are rising conspicuously on every hand, and 
 are doing faithful service in lifting the water 
 from the lower to higher canals, that fields 
 may be drained and soils redeemed from the 
 aqueous element, so as to grow corn and wheat 
 in abundance, and furnish the greenest pastures 
 
120 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 for droves of handsome horses, herds of thriv- 
 ing cattle, and flocks of valuable sheep. 
 
 In the central part of Germany, table -lands 
 abound. These are diversified with undulating 
 surfaces and smooth-sided hills. The soil is 
 usually well adapted to tillage, and the lands 
 are thickly cut up into farms and dotted over 
 with cottages and barns. The vines drop 
 luscious grapes by the river-sides, and maize 
 ripens on the terraces. The peach reaches per- 
 fection by the Rhine. The chestnut and walnut 
 Nourish in certain districts. The oak and beech 
 crown the hills, and the elm and poplar border 
 the streams. 
 
 In the south of Germany are Alpine heights, 
 where the Rhine and Danube take their rise. 
 In a few instances the mountains ascend so 
 high, as to be covered with lasting snows ; 
 however, for the most part, the land here is 
 arable. Broad plains stretch out from Lake 
 Constance and the rivers. Forests of ever- 
 greens are growing on the highlands, and 
 orchards of apples and plums, on the plains. 
 
 In area Germany now is larger than Califor- 
 nia, but smaller than Texas, having a popula- 
 tion of more than forty-two millions. 
 
 As we travel in this enlightened country at 
 the present day, feeling the influence of its 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 121 
 
 schools and religious institutions, we can but 
 recall the time when barbarians held the sway 
 here, and Goths and Huns were lords of these 
 realms. Through the dim light of history, we 
 catch glimpses of tribes, as the country was be- 
 coming, thickly populated, emigrating to other 
 lands. The tierce Vandals were foremost in 
 leaving their native country, taking up their 
 abode in Spain for a while, and finally pushing 
 their way into Africa. The Visigoths after- 
 wards followed in their wake, settling in South- 
 ern France and in portions of Spain. Then the 
 Ostrogoths pushed over the Alps and subdued 
 Italy. Then the Franks crossed the Rhine and 
 took possession of what is now France. At 
 length the Saxons went over the sea and cap- 
 tured Britain. We can readily see how these 
 Gothic tribes should bear away with them simi- 
 lar characteristics. They were impatient of 
 restraint, fond of war, abhorred indolence, de- 
 lighted in excitement, craved independence, and 
 respected woman. The Allemanni, or Ger- 
 mans, who remained in the country, were never 
 conquered. The Romans found in them a 
 power sufficient to withstand their severest at- 
 tacks. They w T ere surprised to find that peo- 
 ple of light-blue eyes, fair complexion, and 
 medium stature, more than their equals. Julius 
 
122 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Caesar himself bears testimony of their valor, 
 and extols their indefatigable bravery. We 
 read how they believed in self-government, and 
 early held local courts which were presided 
 over by magistrates chosen by the people. 
 Their leaders were elected from chiefs most 
 distinguished for brave deeds. Their towns 
 were not walled, but they so lived that each 
 man could enjoy his own family and homestead. 
 They delighted to till the soil, herd cattle, hunt 
 and fish. 
 
 Such were the Germans whence came the 
 Anglicans and Saxons in the fifth century of our 
 era, who settled in England and caused that 
 country to become great and prosperous, and 
 whose descendants afterwards came to America 
 and established our institutions of freedom and 
 culture. 
 
 In sailing up or down the Rhine, or wander- 
 ing in other parts of this land, we can scarcely 
 fail of becoming deeply interested in the ruined 
 castles which cap many hills and guard moun- 
 tain-sides ; for they are clothed with stirring 
 legends and thrilling adventures. These take 
 us back to the feudal ages, and are quite certain 
 to revive scenes of daring knights, courtly no- 
 bles, and lordly priests. Let fancy picture a 
 scene of those old times. Yonder on the sum- 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 123 
 
 mit of rising ground stands a castle. It pre- 
 sents, somehow, a strange and formidable ap- 
 pearance. At once it begets within us a sense of 
 awe. It seems to look down upon the surround- 
 ing country with a lordly supremacy. As we ap- 
 proach it, we find it is girdled by a winding moat. 
 The drawbridge down, we cross to its only en- 
 trance which is guarded by two lofty towers 
 united by a heavy arch. Under this are to be 
 seen in the yawning opening the iron teeth of 
 the portcullis, ready to devour any foes attempt- 
 ing to force their way into the castle. When 
 fairly within the walls, there rises before us the 
 lofty keep which is the residence of the feudal 
 owner and his family. It does not bear the 
 marks of beauty, but of strength arid security. 
 Within, it is cut up into many apartments 
 which are small and comfortless. The li<rht 
 struggles into it through the smallest loop- 
 holes. The furniture is meagre and rude. 
 The great hall is the chief room, where the 
 baron seated on his dias at the upper end is 
 wont to preside at the table with his family, 
 and sometimes entertains guests at banquets and 
 festivities. Within the stone fastnesses the 
 feudal owner enjoys a good degree of safety. 
 Powder has not yet been invented, and can- 
 non has not demolished the huo-est breastworks 
 
121 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 of solid masonry. With drawbridge up and 
 portcullis down, the inmates have nothing to 
 fear from spear, battle-axe, or catapult. 
 
 Let us now ascend the battlements of the 
 tower and have a survey of the country round. 
 The landscape is spotted far and wide with 
 meadows, woodland, lake and river. Now and 
 then may be seen residences of knights and no- 
 bles ; here and there dwellings of villeins ; and 
 still farther on, the huts of serfs. While gaz- 
 ing, we descry among the trees bordering the 
 way to the barbican, or entrance to the castle, 
 glistening of spears and mailed armor. This is 
 the lord and his retinue returning from his sov- 
 ereign's court, where he has been doing homage 
 to his barony. Having laid aside his sword and 
 spurs, with hands laid in those of his monarch, 
 he swears to serve him with life and limb loy- 
 ally forever. Upon this he is clothed with new 
 investiture, showing fullest title to his cas- 
 tie and realm. With great joy he returns to 
 his feudal home, conscious that he has added 
 strength to his. government, and will receive in- 
 creased homage from his subjects. 
 
 Really, there is much to be admired in this 
 old feudal system. It had its mission to fulfil 
 in the inarch of civilization. It certainly did 
 serve to nurture fidelity and gratitude, chastity 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 125 
 
 and virtue. In the castle, at least, it did tend 
 to cultivate respect for woman. The sweet 
 charities of home were often made to blossom 
 out from its grimy walls. Still, as a political 
 system, it savored not of democracy ; it left 
 almost everything to the mercy of the chief. 
 It favored aristocracy, but not the commonality. 
 On the whole, it was a severe order of disci- 
 pline ; but, like the storms and snows of winter, 
 it was making ready for the bloom of spring- 
 time. 
 
 In this land many evidences and relics serve 
 to show that the Germans were early devoted 
 to religious thought and worship. The names 
 which we apply to the days of the week, are 
 of Saxon origin, and plainly indicate divini- 
 ties which they adored. On the first day of 
 the week they worshipped the sun, and so they 
 called it Sim's daeg, and we have changed it 
 to Sunday ; on the second day of the week 
 they served the moon, and so it was named 
 Moon's daeg, and we have contracted it to Mon- 
 day. So their old cathedrals are the outcome 
 and expression of their religious fervor. These 
 are grand testimonies of religious enthusiasm 
 and spiritual aspiration. In fact, Gothic archi- 
 tecture took its rise here, and in France and 
 England about the same time ; and, too, when 
 
126 AFTER-THOUGHTS 01 FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 the northern nations of Europe were inflamed to 
 a red heat with religious excitement. It was dur- 
 ing the Crusades which had their origin the last 
 of the eleventh century that hosts from Germany 
 and France went forth to fight for the restora- 
 tion of the cross in the II0I3- Land. In works of 
 art, the Greeks had borrowed from the Egyp- 
 tians, the Romans from the Greeks, and now 
 the Germans from the Romans. Still there was 
 something peculiar to this land and people ; and 
 though they borrowed in art-works from the 
 past, yet they so remodelled as to fashion anew ; 
 and hence the outcome of the Gothic style, 
 which, all must admit, is the expression of pro- 
 found religious conviction. 
 
 As we stand near the banks of the Ehine and 
 look at the cathedral of Cologne, we can scarce- 
 ly fail of being convinced that that structure is 
 deserving to be called the St, Peter's of Gothic 
 architecture. If the name of its designer has 
 been lost, nevertheless, it testifies concerning a 
 genius of taste and sublimity, out of whose 
 conception sprung surfaces, columns, arches, 
 and towers, crystallizing into solid stone and 
 fairest beauty. Though commenced five hun- 
 dred years ago, yet it is but recently that it re- 
 ceived its finishing touch. Walk within, and 
 its nave, aisles, vaults, pillars, transepts, and 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 127 
 
 windows, can but impress you with a sense of 
 deep religious awe. As fact rises above fact, 
 we cannot doubt that its plan originated in one 
 man, whose soul was that of a poet and proph- 
 et, and who, by his works, like Angelo and 
 Raphael, was beckoning humanity heavenward. 
 As we take a position in front of Strasburg 
 Cathedral, where we can have a £ood view of 
 the noble Yosges and the Black Forest, sepa- 
 rated by the most picturesque river of Europe, 
 be it at mid-day, or when the stars are lustrous 
 and the moon is radiant, that lofty structure 
 seems a glorious work of beauty and grandeur. 
 It appears like a masterpiece of strength and 
 light, almost worthy to have been dropped from 
 Paradise. It is the highest human structure in 
 the world. Should it be placed beside the 
 pyramid of Cheops, it would tower above it by 
 twenty-four feet ; though the cross of St. Peter's 
 is lifted so high into the sky, still the spire 
 of Strasburg Cathedral rises forty feet higher. 
 Prospecting from the plats below, the whole 
 structure is clothed with an airy, celestial appear- 
 ance, yet firm, broad, and easy. The union of 
 facade, tower, and spire, is harmonious and 
 complete. Passing within, we are struck with 
 its massiveness of outline and solidity of pro- 
 portions, its height and breadth, and its rich 
 
128 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 yellowish tinge. Its astronomical clock and 
 monuments are matters of interest ; but these 
 are trifles compared with the building itself: 
 this speaks of the loftiness of the mind, the 
 divinity of the soul, and the expectancy of the 
 heart, to dwell in the temple not made with 
 hands. 
 
 The cathedral at Mayence of red sandstone 
 and quaint style ; the one at Ulm, with its gro- 
 tesque shapes without, and extraordinary mag- 
 nitude within ; the one at Ratisbon, which King 
 Ludwig caused to be renewed and refurnished ; 
 and the one at Magdeburg, with the figures of 
 saints cut into its walls, — all are expressive of 
 religious fervor, assuring us, if minds and 
 hearts had not been devoted to prayer and 
 praise, these wondrous expressions of Gothic 
 architecture would not have been conceived, 
 and much less built into such sublime forms of 
 grandeur and beauty. 
 
 From these hoary structures, it is evident 
 that Gothic architecture is the outcome of reli- 
 gious enthusiasm which signally prevailed from 
 the eleventh to the fourteenth century. But 
 from the dawn of the Reformation, art-inspira- 
 tion began to wane. If dogmas were changed 
 for the better, and society was improved, it is 
 certain there was a decrease of religious sensi- 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 120 
 
 bility. The currents of thought were turned 
 from the ideal to the actual, from the spiritual 
 to the visible. The Reformers were disposed 
 at first to reject even the good in Romanism. 
 Protestantism, as yet, has not given to the 
 world a great genius in art. The last of the 
 heroic artists were Rubens and Vandyke, who 
 were Catholics ; however, art to-day finds some 
 of its best patrons and most appreciative ad- 
 mirers among Protestants. Cultivated religion 
 is bound to worship in grand temples and beau- 
 tiful churches. However much we may admire 
 these old cathedrals, there are other objects of 
 still greater interest to the scholar and Chris- 
 tian, as they journey through this land. 
 
 In the town of Wittenberg, which is small 
 and evidently becoming less, is the house of 
 Martin Luther, which is a humble structure 
 situated in the outskirts of the little city. From 
 its outward appearance we certainly should not 
 be drawn towards it, yet somehow, it does allure 
 and at once almost fascinates ; it stirs innerly 
 and takes hold of the heart. The very walls 
 seem to say, "We hold the secrets of a great 
 man." T\e pass within to the low-roofed cham- 
 ber where Luther was wont to think and study. 
 It is pretty much as the famous occupant left it. 
 The masonry, the frame-work, round paned win- 
 
130 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 clows, the oaken table, the "professor's chair," 
 some needle-work of his beloved Catherine de 
 Bora, his beer-cup, psalter, and other relics, 
 remain quite where Luther last used them. It 
 is true, coveting hands and blades have clipped 
 away from the table and woodwork bits of 
 remembrances. We cannot think, this is 
 wrong ; for it is the result of love and good- 
 will. It is natural to feel that a great man be- 
 longs to the world, and the things which he 
 handled, after his death, become common prop- 
 erty. In this room the great reformer's soul 
 was so disciplined, he dared to do for the right. 
 Perhaps, over that heavy table, he finished his 
 translation of the Bible, which he commenced 
 while in exile at Wartburg. No doubt he often 
 bent over it in prayer, and so became strong for 
 action. Here he prepared those theological 
 lectures which, when he delivered them in the 
 university, shook the whole of Germany and the 
 Christian world. Here he tore in pieces the 
 sophisms of Aristotle, fashioned a new gram- 
 mar for his nation, and composed those theses 
 which demolished the indulgence theory and 
 the infallibility of the pope. A chamber in 
 which such work has been done, ought to be 
 remembered and kept sacred for all time. 
 In another part of the city is the university, 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 131 
 
 to which Luther was called from the cloisters 
 of Erfurt to the chair of philosophy when but 
 twenty-five years old. As he began to lecture 
 and preach before the students, his tongue 
 stammered and his heart quailed ; but as he 
 was consecrated to duty, it was not long before 
 the youthful monk was surprising the most 
 learned scholars with his eloquence and new 
 doctrines. Soon he was promoted and appoint- 
 ed Biblical Baccalaureate and lecturer on theol- 
 ogy. In this new position, he surpassed the 
 highest expectations, and his fame quickly be- 
 came far-reaching ; students were drawn to 
 Wittenberg from Prague, Leipsic, Heidelberg, 
 and the farthest points of Europe. If the old 
 university is no longer . crowded with students, 
 it is full of the richest memories. 
 
 In the Palace Church situated in the southern 
 extremity of the town, are the graves of Luther 
 and Melancthon. On the walls bans: life-size 
 pictures of the two reformers. On the oak 
 door of this church Luther nailed his ninety- 
 five Latin theses which were like bombs hurled 
 into the religious camp, blowing priestly creeds 
 and superstitions into flitters. Only a little 
 way off from the church, just outside the Elster 
 gate, on the banks of the Elbe, stands a thrifty 
 oak, marking the spot where Luther, in the 
 
132 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 presence of his students, burned the Papal 
 bull which set on fire the Romanish Church. 
 Surely Wittenberg in its wasting condition, 
 is all alive with the inspiring associations of 
 the reformer, poet, musician, and tremendous 
 actor. 
 
 If the traveller is interested in the Reforma- 
 tion, he cannot afford to fail of visiting the 
 small town of Worms, which is situated near 
 the banks of the Rhine. It is an ancient town, 
 having existed before the Romans invaded the 
 country, and was afterwards an imperial city. 
 It was a favorite resort for Charlemagne ; but 
 it is especially noted for the diet of Worms, 
 which was in session on the 17th of April, 
 1521. This was an august assembly, com- 
 posed of the young emperor, Charles the Fifth, 
 with all the priests, papal nuncios, and Cath- 
 olic dignitaries - of Germany. Before this body 
 Luther had been summoned to appear, that 
 he might recant, or receive condemnation. 
 Hosts of Protestants were in the city, fearing 
 and dreading consequences. As they recalled 
 the fate of Huss, they felt Luther ought not to 
 enter that diet; and so, on his approach, a 
 party went forth to meet him, hoping they 
 should b.e able to turn him back. But to their 
 entreaties he replied, " Were there as many 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 133 
 
 devils in Worms as there are roof-tiles, I would 
 on." As he went to the hall of the diet, many 
 hearts prayed that he might -be sustained, and 
 others that he might be speedily crushed to the 
 earth. The reformer was lost in the sense of 
 duty, and for two hours he fearlessly faced 
 king and priest, declaiming for freedom of con- 
 science and liberation from superstition. "Here 
 stand I," he said; "I can do no other. God 
 assist me ! " 
 
 This is the most signal event of modern his- 
 tory. It was a new birth of civil and religious 
 liberty. The very dust of Worms now cries 
 aloud in praise of the brave man who dared to 
 strike religious tyranny to the earth, and raise 
 conscience into the sunlight of Christian liberty. 
 
 Still another old town, to which we are 
 drawn by the force of the Reformation, is 
 Augsburg, occupying a broad, open plain close 
 upon the waters of the Danube. This was once 
 an imperial town, but its ancient splendors have 
 passed away, and its principal streets are now 
 almost as still in the day as in the silence of 
 night ; yet there are witnesses here and there 
 of its vanished greatness. Verily, a halo of 
 glory broods around its time-worn towers. 
 As we walk its streets, we are reminded of 
 the 15th of June, 1530, when the emperor, 
 
134 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Charles the Fifth, was approaching this city. 
 The mass of the people went forth to greet him. 
 The kins: was kingly in his bearing. His coun- 
 tenance was stern and grave. The procession 
 conducted him up the Maximilian Strasse to the 
 cathedral, where a Te Deum was sung, and the 
 Romanisk Legate Campeggio pronounced the 
 benediction. On the next day followed the fes- 
 tival of the Holy Body of Christ, and all per- 
 sons in Augsburg were required by imperial 
 command to observe the day and take part in 
 the services at the cathedral. Of course the 
 Protestants could not submit, and Margrave 
 George, of Brandenburg, told the emperor, 
 "Before he would so betray God and his gos- 
 pel, he would kneel down before his majesty 
 and suffer his head to be hewn from his body." 
 This was significant, and plainly indicated that 
 something remedial must be done on the part 
 of emperor and priest. Protestantism was no 
 longer to submit to the edict of Worms, which 
 condemned Luther and repressed his writings ; 
 so on the 25th of June, 1530, it was reluc- 
 tantly decided that the Protestant Confession 
 should be read publicly in the cathedral. At 
 the appointed meeting, Charles was seated on a 
 raised dias, surrounded by his Catholic princes 
 and clergy. Opposite sat the nobles and doc- 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 135 
 
 tors of the Protestant party. Luther was not 
 there ; he had voluntarily remained behind at 
 Coburg ; but his place was filled by a worthy 
 and competent representative who was of small 
 stature, with a high forehead, pleasant blue 
 eye, and mild, contemplative face. Such Avas 
 Philip Melancthon outwardly, but innerly he 
 was scholarly, spiritual, and profound. He was 
 present with a Confession of Faith, which he had 
 carefully prepared, and which must be regarded 
 as the first full statement and intelligent digest 
 of Protestant belief ever published to the world. 
 When it was sent to Luther, and he read it, he 
 said,, "This is sufficient." As it was read in 
 that imposing assembly at Augsburg, king and 
 sympathizer were so overwhelmed that they 
 dared not undertake to suppress it ; and so 
 Protestantism for the first time was publicly 
 acknowledged a fact in Augsburg, and its old 
 church was crowned with the lasting honor of 
 witnessing the first victory of the reformer 
 over the pope. 
 
 Over all the face of Germany the legendary 
 light flickers, and sprites haunt the groves, and 
 fairy creatures sing by the streams. The Ger- 
 mans remind us in many ways of the nature- 
 loving Greeks. They have their retired and 
 bosky retreats, their naiads and fauns, their Pan 
 
136 AFTER- THOUGHTS OF FOREIGX TRAVEL. 
 
 and Bacchus. Their scholars, dramatists, ora- 
 tors, poets, and artists, are wont to cluster to- 
 gether, as did the old Athenians Their centre, 
 or meeting-place, must be where nature is 
 unique and varied ; where the day smiles and 
 the night is propitious ; where fountains sparkle 
 and flowers bloom ; where birds sing and winds 
 regale. Such a place is Weimar. Nature has 
 done much to render it attractive, but man, 
 more. Its buildings, occupied by its few thou- 
 sand inhabitants, are mainly inviting in form 
 and style ; but these do little towards making 
 the town enticing to the pilgrim stranger, com- 
 pared with the gifted minds that dwelt here for 
 a series of years. Here lived Goethe, the 
 prophet of the philosophical and the profound ; 
 Schiller, the poet of the people, and their spark- 
 ling genius ; Herder, the myriad-minded stu- 
 dent and scholar ; and Wieland, the translator 
 and publisher. Were not these talented souls 
 enough to create a modern Athens? What 
 thrilling associations and touching beauties hover 
 around spots where such men wrought ! Trees 
 may decay and rocks may crumble away; but 
 moral worth and intellectual greatness are con- 
 stantly accumulating and towering. 
 
 The house of Schiller continues nearly the 
 same as he left it. It is a small two-story 
 
GERMANY AXD BERLIN. 137 
 
 building. The rooms are quaint and simple. 
 In one of these we can see his library which is 
 not large but composed of choice books, the 
 desk and table on which he penned thoughts 
 that live and burn, and his harp and piano 
 whose chords and keys he would touch, to woo 
 the muses to his aid. 
 
 The houses of the other gifted ones are not 
 exhibited to strangers. The ducal palace and 
 park, the grand ducal library of a hundred and 
 forty thousand volumes, the theatre which was 
 under the superintendence of Goethe and Schil- 
 ler, and the cemetery where rests the mortal of 
 these immortals, are favorite resorts to strangers 
 who have been stirred by "Faust" and thrilled 
 by "William Tell." The Germans hold Goethe 
 in holy reverence at a distance ; but Schiller 
 they clasp to their hearts in tenderest love. 
 Tin 4 former was born at Frankfort-on-the-Main, 
 and the latter at Gohlis. Whatever they 
 touched, or looked upon, at least, savors of the 
 divine. Their monuments already are many, 
 which have sprung up almost by magic from the 
 soil and the hearts that they have touched; 
 and they are certain to multiply as the world 
 shall grow into their acquaintance. Noble char- 
 acters progress through the ages. 
 
 The Germans not only love poetry and honor 
 
138 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 their poets, but, daring the present century, they 
 have been passionately inspired by gifted minds 
 with a fondness for science and the facts of this 
 world. This intensity of thought, if it was not 
 first kindled in Potsdam, received largely fuel 
 and renewed ignition from that citv which is a 
 few miles from Berlin, and one of the finest and 
 most regularly built towns in Germany. Its 
 royal castle, and new buildings ornamented with 
 statuary, render it notable ; but the fact of its 
 being the birthplace of Alexander von Hum- 
 boldt makes it a Mecca to all travellers inter- 
 ested in science and natural history. Xot far 
 from the town is the chateau of Tegee, where, 
 on the 14th of September, 1769, the child 
 Plumboldt first made his appearance among mor- 
 tal things. Here it was that Alexander and his 
 brother William played, and here he listened to 
 the orlowinsr narration of George Foster, con- 
 cerning the wonders of foreign lands, and his 
 heart was fired with a desire to become a natu- 
 ralist. In the right way he went to work, dis- 
 ciplining his mind during long years in the 
 schools under the tuition of the best minds. 
 At length, being well equipped, he went forth 
 to gather up from the lands of the earth ines- 
 timable treasures of geology, ethnography, 
 and geography. As he returned from his 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 139 
 
 explorations, honored men flocked to hear 
 and see him. He wrought with scholars who 
 were foremost in the march of science. Gay 
 Lussac, Leopold de Buch, and Arago, soon ac- 
 knowledged him a mental prince. Monarchs 
 delighted to confer upon him honors of knight- 
 hood. As the evening of life came upon him, 
 calmly we see him in his adopted city, with his 
 mind full of pictures of the natural world, and 
 his heart flush with love to God, engaged in a 
 colossal enterprise, — one too daring, it would 
 seem, for the most talented when the currents 
 of life run swiftest; but Humboldt felt, we 
 judge, as did Dryden, 
 
 " A setting sun 
 Should leave a track of glory in the skies." 
 
 His track of glory is the "Cosmos." In this 
 work he passes in review the vastest amount of 
 human knowledge. In it he has wedded the ex- 
 actness of mathematics and the ideal of poetry. 
 The "Cosmos" is the "Iliad" of this modern 
 Homer. See him, eighty-seven years old, pen- 
 ning out its immortal lines ; or observe him on 
 his way to the court of the king. He is some- 
 what stooping, slow but firm of step, very 
 simply dressed, carrying, perchance, a pam- 
 phlet in his hand. All in Berlin, or Potsdam, 
 
140 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 know him, as he is passing, and reverently say 
 to each other, ''There goes Humboldt." 
 
 So the great man worked on till the 5th of 
 May, 1860. As the sun of an afternoon was 
 shining into his room, he was translated while 
 exclaiming, " How glorious are these rays ; they 
 seem to call the earth to heaven." Tenderly, 
 kings, scholars, and commonalties, bore his re- 
 mains to his native city, and there sacredly 
 entombed them. Thus a sweet, fruitful, and 
 beneficent character passed to the immortal. It 
 does us good to review it, and look on those 
 things which Humboldt touched, and realize that 
 he thought the earth, sea, and sky, were richer 
 than bankers' vaults, or sovereigns' jewels. To 
 remember and ponder such a life cannot fail of 
 producing more life. 
 
 The lover of music will count it among his 
 fortunate experiences to have heard some of the 
 compositions of the great masters of melody 
 performed in their responsive land. He will 
 rank it with seeing the high Alps, or the mighty 
 pyramids. In German music there is a ming- 
 ling of soul and passion : however, the intel- 
 lectual outweighs the emotional. This is not 
 the case in Italy ; the feeling there controls the 
 mental. As one listens to some of Mozart's 
 exquisite instrumental pieces, it seems as though 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 141 
 
 two opposing forces were contending for the 
 mastery. The one is storming, thundering, 
 trampling, and overcoming ; while the other is 
 soothing, entreating, winning, and finally gains 
 the victory of love and truth. Or let one listen 
 to a composition of Beethoven : for instance, 
 the piece composed as he felt deafness com- 
 ing upon himself. It opens with a stroke 
 of horror and dismay. For some time, it ap- 
 pears as though there could be no submission to 
 the misfortune. The wailing and resisting are 
 frightful ; but at length, glimmering, tremulous 
 hopes begin to express themselves. By-and-by, 
 the soul is cheered with the reflection that music 
 is from within, and that when the ear shall be 
 deaf, the soul can draw melodies altogether from 
 the spiritual ; that when the groans of mortality 
 can no longer be heard, the harmonies of angels 
 will swell the heart. 
 
 Another striking characteristic in German 
 music is its dramatic quality. As we listened 
 to the "Trial Scene," as it was brought out by 
 the orchestra at Dresden, it was wild and furi- 
 ous in action at times. When the words "Cru- 
 cify Him" were reached, the notes jarred, roared, 
 and thundered, filling the very air with conster- 
 nation. So it was with "The Creation," as we 
 heard it expressed in Berlin. Its effects, how- 
 
142 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 ever, were not depressing but full of encourage- 
 ment. Particularly was this the case as the or- 
 chestra came to the word " light." Surely there 
 was light then ; and the heavens were radiant 
 with glory. No wonder that Haydn, its com- 
 poser, while once listening to it, as it was being 
 successfully performed, with streaming eyes and 
 uplifted hands, should exclaim, "Not from me, 
 — it came from heaven." 
 
 Leipsic at the present time is the musical 
 centre of Germany. Here some of the best 
 talent of the world is earnestly at work, further 
 developing the science and perfecting the art of 
 music. Certainly since, and, possibly, before, 
 Luther composed his " Choral " on the way to 
 the diet of Worms, music in this land has been 
 regarded, at least, one of the divine arts. Let 
 Germany lead on in this noble cause, and she 
 will be likely to add to her galaxy of illustrious 
 musical names others as brilliant as those of 
 Luther, Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven. 
 
 Art in this country is loved and really wor- 
 shipped. The rich and poor are attracted to- 
 wards the artist. All delight to do homage at 
 his shrine. He is honored in the palace and in 
 the public square. His studio is the pride of 
 the city and the country. His pictures, or 
 statues, are more precious than gold or rubies ; 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 143 
 
 so the people generally take pride in exhibiting 
 the works of their artists, which are numerous 
 in their own and in foreign countries. With 
 special satisfaction they point to the produc- 
 tions of Durer, Holbein, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, 
 and Rubens. After seeing Rubens' "Descent 
 from the Cross," Van Dyck's portraits, Rem- 
 brandt's "Sacrifice of Isaac," Holbein's altar- 
 pieces, and Durer's "Adoration of the kings," 
 we cannot think strange that the Germans 
 should cling fondly to these geniuses, as well 
 as hundreds of others. 
 
 In the Pinakothek of Munich there are eighty- 
 eight pictures of Rubens, which comprise but a 
 small part of all he painted. As we study 
 them, we can scarcely conceive how it was pos- 
 sible for one man to illumine the canvas with 
 such an amount of striking colors. Rubens is 
 truly the Titian of the North. 
 
 Rembrandt known as the King of Shadows, 
 has nineteen pictures in this gallery. Standing 
 before them, we discover supernatural gleams 
 and lustrous glooms ; figure after figure emerges 
 from its shadowy background, as though they 
 grew out of the canvas while we gaze. We 
 are often led to wonder whether these are actual, 
 or the creations of fancy. Here, too, is Van 
 Dyck in his regal splendor, being represented 
 
144 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 by thirty-nine of his paintings. Here, also, is 
 Albert Durer looking down from the walls. 
 As we compare his portrait by himself with that 
 of Raphael by himself, and one of Giorgione 
 by himself, it loses nothing by the comparison. 
 Certainly Dnrer's is beautiful, while Raphael's 
 is saintly, and Giorgione's is sublime. 
 
 In this gallery, as well as in most of the 
 others of Germany, there are many first-class 
 pictures. The building itself, its rooms and 
 adjustments, are expressive of art. 
 
 But the gallery which is far-famed above all 
 others is the one at Dresden ; and its attrac- 
 tion is mainly due to the fact that it contains 
 Raphael's "Madonna del Sisto." Well, this is 
 enough to immortalize one gallery. As we 
 stand in front of the picture, contemplating its 
 perfection, we feel like holding profoundest 
 silence. It appears too ineffable and divine to 
 be talked about. Its power, like the still small 
 voice of God, is to be felt. Looking upon it day 
 after day, it keeps growing in our admiration, 
 as though it were a work let fall from heaven, 
 all the while being lighted up with fresh celes- 
 tial beauties. Those features of the Madonna, 
 so placid yet full of significance ; those eyes, so 
 radiant with internal light ; that attitude, so 
 graceful ; that Christ-child, so tenderly and 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 145 
 
 sweetly embraced, as though just descended 
 from on high ; that face of St. Barbara, imply- 
 ing she is taking her last look of the mortal ; 
 that expression of St. Sixtus is laden with 
 faith, hope, and charity ; and lastly, those 
 cherubs below are the types of childish rapture 
 and sweetest inspiration. The whole is harmo- 
 nious and complete, the perfection of the real 
 and ideal, the union of heaven with earth. 
 
 The Germans display as much love for sculp- 
 tures as paintings. In the Glyptothek at Mu- 
 nich, we discover more than a small Vatican of 
 marbles. Truly this city reminds us of ancient 
 Greece, as to its style of architecture and taste 
 for art- works. So Kins: Ludwig ransacked 
 Grecian hills and plains, and delved into the 
 ruins of their wasted cities, disclosing immortal 
 marbles with which to adorn his native city. 
 Accordingly, the Glyptothek was constructed 
 with its appropriate halls having floors of mar- 
 ble, walls of variegated stucco, and ceilings or- 
 namented with mythical figures and paintings 
 showing the rise, progress, and decline of sculp- 
 ture. In one hall we see the restored Ilioneus, 
 the perfection of blooming youth and unspeak- 
 able beauty and innocence ; in another apart- 
 ment, we witness the sculptures, that once deco- 
 rated the temple of Minerva at iEgina. They 
 
146 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 still breathe out thrilling inspiration, asserting 
 themselves as the enduring heroes of the "Iliad." 
 iEneas, Paris, Hector, Ajax, and Laomedon 7 aie 
 apparently all ready for duty. Had not the 
 Grecian sculptors been poets and creators, the 
 marble never would have grown divine under 
 their hands. 
 
 As we come to the statue of Leucothea, em- 
 bracing the child Bacchus, we no longer think 
 it strange that so manv have been entranced, 
 while gazing upon its naturalness and perfection 
 of every part. This work alone is sufficient to 
 crown Phidias as the champion with the chisel 
 and mallet. 
 
 Besides many modern sculptures in this gal- 
 lery, there are a hundred and forty-seven rare 
 specimens of ancient art. 
 
 Another exhibition of statuary, which the 
 traveller cannot afford to miss, is the museum 
 connected with the bronze foundry of Munich. 
 Here are to be seen the models of most of the 
 metal statuary of the civilized world, which is 
 gracing doors, squares, commons, and pinnacles. 
 Here is an opportunity to contrast the repre- 
 sentatives and ideals of different nationalities. 
 Our Lincoln, Washington, Mann, and Webster, 
 hold prominent positions among these art- 
 works. 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 147 
 
 The statue of Bavaria, which stands just out- 
 side of the city in a beautiful meadow, is the 
 largest bronze statue ever cast. Its height is 
 eighty-four feet. The Rumshall, a Doric por- 
 tico resembling the Propylaea of ancient Athens, 
 encircling the huge statue in part, is becoming 
 filled with statues and busts, to perpetuate the 
 fame of this country. 
 
 So it is, in most of the German cities are to 
 be seen beautiful specimens of statuary, plainly 
 showing that the people believe in their nation- 
 ality and noble characters, and aim to hold 
 them in lasting remembrance. Evidently this 
 is the only way for a nation to build securely. 
 If the virtues of the wise and good are not 
 handed down in every possible way from gener- 
 ation to generation, civilization will of necessity 
 wane. It is plain the Germans understand this 
 fact, and, therefore, are making the most possi- 
 ble out of their works of art. These cannot 
 fail to impress favorably the truly enlightened 
 who examine them. 
 
 Education in German}' is now a ruling pas- 
 sion. All healthy children from six to fourteen 
 years old are required by law to be in school 
 most of the time. On Graduating from the 
 grammar schools, perhaps the majority of the 
 boys advance into the gymnasia, where they 
 
148 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 study, from four to eight years, the ancient clas- 
 sics, mathematics, German literature, history, 
 and some modern language. Having completed 
 this course the average student ranks, as to cul- 
 ture, about the same as our college junior. On 
 leaving the gymnasium, if one decides to follow 
 a profession for a life-work, he must go to the 
 university, to receiv r e special training for his 
 selected vocation. Here he must remain four 
 or more years before he can be crowned with 
 his degree and the right to follow a profession. 
 The university gives instruction altogether by 
 lectures. Degrees are conferred on passing in 
 oral examination, and the reading of an elab- 
 orate thesis, except in theology, where the 
 degree is purely honorary. After a student be- 
 comes fully matriculated into any one of the 
 universities of Germany, the privilege is granted 
 him of attending lectures at any university 
 within the realm, according as his wishes and 
 taste may decide. The object seems to be, to 
 encourage students to do the best possible Avork. 
 So, as the scholar comes out of the university 
 hall, with his doctorate in hand, his head is likely 
 to be silvered with gray, and his eye somewhat 
 dimmed with hard usa^e. He is certain to be 
 profoundly learned ; but what is he really fitted 
 to do ? He is not prepared to teach young and 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 149 
 
 inexperienced minds, for he has been grappling 
 with the strongest scholars and mightiest 
 thoughts. He has had no experience in impart- 
 ing knowledge. He cannot preach, for he has 
 cultivated no habit of expression. He is simply 
 a scholar, and must find a scholar's position, if 
 that is possible where so many others are wait- 
 ing for a similar chance. If he fails, he is likely 
 to reap at length the bitterest poverty, or at 
 best the meagre rewards of scholarship in Ger- 
 many. 
 
 Unquestionably the leading university of this 
 country now is that of Berlin, conceived by Hum- 
 boldt and founded by Frederick William only 
 some seventy years ago. Its aim and ambition 
 were to become at once a power in the land. 
 It seemed to leap into life fully matured, aston- 
 ishing the world with the mental streno-th of 
 Hegel, Schleiermacher, andXeander, and is now 
 one of the leading educational institutions of 
 the world. Its number of students and profes- 
 sors reminds us of the palmy days of Alexandria, 
 Athens, Padua, Cordova, and Prague. In law, 
 theology, medicine, and philosophy, it claims 
 the profoundest scholarship, and does lead civ- 
 ilization, at least, in certain departments of 
 learning. If Halle contests the honors with 
 Berlin in the soundness of its theology, and 
 
150 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Heidelberg in the development of its legal prin- 
 ciples, and Gottengen in its natural sciences, 
 and Jena in some departments of philosophy, 
 still not even Leipsic can vie with Berlin in 
 philological researches. Bochle, with many 
 others following in his gilded track, is letting 
 his light so shine as to reveal, as nowhere else, 
 the hidden laws of language. 
 
 Though Germany, with its twenty-two uni- 
 versities and learned faculties, shuns and abhors 
 superficialness, yet it does often fail in practi- 
 calness, and comes short of making its deep in- 
 tellectual thought felt in every-day life. So, if 
 Germany excels in fine scholarship and theory, 
 it lacks in mental appliances and practice. Is 
 not this a natural result of the lecture system? 
 Let the Socratic method be combined with this, 
 so that there should be a mingling of lectures 
 and discussions, and German education would 
 be more signal than it is at present. 
 
 The state supports mainly the university, as 
 well as the public school and the gymnasium, 
 so that all who will, can enjoy its advantages. 
 Its educational work has been signal, placing its 
 schools, as beacons upon the loftiest heights, to 
 shed light and glory upon the world. 
 
 If Germany forces her children in the public 
 schools to learn the catechism by heart, and is 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 151 
 
 intent upon cramming the youthful mind Avith 
 Scripture texts and hymns, yet there is no re- 
 ligious awakening in the country. The majority 
 of the educated are rationalists, rejecting all 
 the Christian creeds. The boy at fifteen is 
 almost certain to disbelieve the texts which he 
 was required to learn at ten. The majority 
 profess to have faith in God and immortality. 
 But for the most part they look upon religious 
 ceremony as trifling, prayer as a pagan rite, and 
 worship as the offshoot of heathenish weakness 
 and fear. 
 
 It is true, there are districts in which Chris- 
 tian orthodoxy prevails ; but these are excep- 
 tions. Germany can no longer be called 
 Christian, as it was known to Luther and de- 
 fined by Leo X. Eoman Catholicism has here 
 become deprived of its pristine authority, and 
 the Augsburg Confession has become of small 
 account. The dogmatism of Athanasius and 
 the statutes of the Council of Nice, which once 
 dominated here, are lifeless. The mass are 
 considering Christianity as an Asiatic religion, 
 speedily doomed to oblivion. The compara- 
 tively few who are in the ranks of the clergy, 
 are being looked upon as wild enthusiasts or 
 vile hypocrites, who are seeking most for an 
 easy mode of living. The mass boldly declare 
 
152 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 that human reason is sufficient to establish all 
 needed religious axioms for human guidance. 
 They judge it a grave duty to make this loftiest 
 use of reason. So latituclinarianism is really 
 holding sway. Sunday is generally treated 
 as a holiday. Accordingly, the churches on 
 that day are generally empty, but the beer-gar- 
 dens are crowded to overflowing. The Bible, 
 they feel, through moral, historical, and scien- 
 tific criticism, has been exploded. They claim 
 that their extreme rationalism is working good 
 moral results upon their nation ; and they hesi- 
 tate not to compare their average society with 
 that of the most orthodox communities. They 
 judge their honor and integrity will vie favor- 
 ably with these virtues as expressed in any other 
 country. They say let Goethe, Schiller, and 
 Von Humboldt, be carefully studied, and they 
 have no fear for the welfare of their nation. 
 Reason is their talisman ; criticism, their delight ; 
 and scepticism, their special forte. What the 
 result of their extreme rationalism will be, re- 
 mains to be seen. It is certain that Christian- 
 ity, at present, is but a small factor in Ger- 
 many. 
 
 Berlin, now the capital of the whole of Ger- 
 many, is one of the largest cities of Europe. 
 We can hardly imagine how and why such a 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 153 
 
 city should chance to spring up in the central 
 part of an extended and naturally barren plain. 
 It is evidently a comparatively modern city ; 
 however, it is known that a portion of its present 
 site was inhabited as far back as the thirteenth 
 century. Its very name is supposed to imply 
 a settlement on a sandy plain. The present city 
 is divided by the Spree which is an exceedingly 
 slusfffish stream. In fact the land on which the 
 city stands is so level that it affords no drain- 
 age. It is fortunate the soil is loose and grav- 
 elly, or otherwise the people could not long 
 survive here. The city is considerably spread 
 out, surrounded by a wall ten and a half miles 
 in length. The buildings are constructed of 
 brick, and plastered or stuccoed outside. These 
 soon acquire a faded appearance. For beauty 
 of situation and style of architecture, Berlin 
 will not compare favorably with Munich or 
 Dresden, the former guarding the rapid Iser, 
 and the latter spanning the clear Elbe. These 
 by nature and art possess peculiar charms ; but 
 Berlin is the "city of the plain." It is but 
 slightly elevated above the level of the sea. Its 
 winters are long and usually severe. Its sum- 
 mers are hot and arid. Yet, in spite of all dis- 
 advantages, it has become a magnificent chVy. 
 Its Under den Linden, which is its principal 
 
1,54 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 street and fashionable promenade, is in design 
 and in many regards the handsomest street in 
 Europe. This is lined with rows of lime-trees, 
 which extend from the stately Brandenburg 
 gate, and is flanked on either side by many of 
 the finest structures of the city. Here are the 
 spacious opera house, the Royal Palace with its 
 six hundred rooms and saloons, the Armory hav- 
 ing weapons sufficient to equip one hundred and 
 fifty thousand men, the University, the Academy 
 of Arts, and the Equestrian Statue of Frederick 
 the Great. The leading external sights of this city 
 can be readily and quickly seen because of their 
 compactness. Berlin owes its growth and re- 
 nown mainly to the Fredericks. This has been a 
 beloved city to them, and they have striven to 
 give it life, — life internal and external. 
 
 If level districts and countries are not prone 
 to produce poets and philosophers, this city has 
 been prolific in producing scholars. For decades 
 a presiding intellectual genius has seemed to 
 hold sway over it, and every now and then has 
 called forth a gifted soul to march on in the van 
 of aggressive thought and civilization. 
 
 The Berliners are renowned for their quick 
 and sharp wit and humor, their literary and 
 artistic tastes, their general intelligence and 
 passionate fondness for music. They pride 
 
GERMANY AND BERLIN. 155 
 
 themselves on their schools, from the primary 
 to the university. They delight to exhibit 
 these to foreigners, and to learn all that is pos- 
 sible as to the educational work which is going 
 on in other countries. They do their best to 
 induce students from abroad to come to their 
 city to study. Accordingly, in their gymnasia, 
 university, and schools of art and music, are 
 to be seen young men and women from distant 
 lands. Undoubtedly, the strongest attractions 
 to this city are on the side of its educational 
 advantages. Though it is Protestant, still it 
 has but few church-edifices, compared with its 
 population ; not more than one third what there 
 should be, to accommodate the masses, should 
 they attend worship on Sunday. The average 
 German prizes highly his physical and intel- 
 lectual tastes. He cannot dispense with his 
 beer or book ; so his Sabbaths are likely to be 
 spent at the beer-garden, or in the library-room. 
 So, while the German is developing body and 
 mind most fully, it is a question yet to be de- 
 cided, as to what extent he is developing his 
 spiritual nature. His career thus far has been 
 marvellous. He has brought forth some of the 
 richest treasures from the mines of the earth, 
 and revealed out of the arcana of philosophy 
 countless new and wonderful truths. 
 
156 AFTEE-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Berlin is intellectually great, and her mental 
 splendors gild the uttermost parts of the earth. 
 It is the northern Mecca of scholars whose 
 beacons are brilliant with the lights of its Hum- 
 boldts, Hegels, and Neanders. As the centre of 
 the most perfect system of education, it is a 
 city of which every German, or foreign scholar, 
 may well be proud. 
 
■■■ 
 
 ■■■• 
 
 ■•J. 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 
VI. 
 
 SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 
 
 HPHIS is a prominent country in several senses. 
 -*- Though small in area, yet it towers above 
 all other lands in Europe. It will not average 
 more than two hundred and ten miles east and 
 west, and about one hundred and thirty north 
 and south. Its lower portions are twelve hun- 
 dred feet above the level of the sea, and one 
 thousand feet higher than the average surface of 
 Italy. Like a towering giant it sways its snowy 
 sceptre over land and sea, far, far away. It is 
 a land of lofty peaks and deep-cut vales ; of 
 eternal snows and perpetual spring ; of fertile 
 soils and barren rocks ; of beautiful lakes and 
 angry glaciers ; of sunny nooks and bleakest 
 heights. It is rich in mines of iron, coal, lead, 
 and rock-salt. Its waters abound in carp, 
 perch, and salmon. The hare, squirrel, and 
 partridge, sport among its beech, birch, oak, 
 and chestnut trees. Bears and wolves infest 
 the regions of the pine and spruce. Chamois 
 
158 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 and gazelles leap from cliff to cliff. Eagles 
 and vultures sail among the loftiest heights. 
 
 Early man sought this romantic and sublime 
 region. Whence he came, history is unable to 
 decide. The relics of the Lacustrine villages 
 show that human beings were here during the 
 stone and bronze ages, reaching back, from three 
 to seven thousand years. Some two hundred 
 of these lake settlements have already been dis- 
 covered. So these facts place this picturesque 
 land among the pre-historic countries. But 
 long after these Palifits had sunk into their 
 watery graves, the Celts, or Cimmerians came 
 hither. As they took up their abode here, it 
 would seem as though Cimmerian darkness for 
 centuries brooded over this realm. While the 
 people along the shores of the Mediterranean 
 were advancing in civilization, the inhabitants 
 among these Alpine fastnesses were rude and 
 barbarous. History presents this Celtic people 
 to us about a century before the Christian era, 
 under the name of the Helvetians. Caesar informs 
 us that they were strong and warlike. He 
 speaks of Divico as their bravest chieftain and 
 Orgetorix as their most eloquent advocate. 
 After a while, the Roman legions invaded their 
 territory and subdued them, reducing them to a 
 state of slavery ; but at the fall of their empire, 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 159 
 
 fresh tribes from the north oame seeking homes 
 among the hills, and becoming ancestors of 
 a patriotic and valorous race. The Burgun- 
 dians came from the Baltic shores, settling 
 around Lake Geneva and the river Aar ; then 
 came the Alamanni from the Main on the Rhine, 
 taking possession of the country about Lake 
 Constance ; then came the Ostrogoths from 
 Scandinavia, settling in the Rhsetian Alps ; and 
 finally came the Franks in large numbers, so 
 that at the end of the sixth century, all Helve- 
 tia was subject to Frankish sway. The Franks 
 brought with them the rudiments of their feudal 
 system. Their king must be a feudal sovereign, 
 their judge must be a feudal baron, and their 
 soldier must be a feudal vassal. They w T ere 
 pagans and slaves of superstition. They wor- 
 shipped the sun, moon, stars, sylphs, and 
 shadowy deities. Just the date when Christian- 
 ity was introduced among them is unknown. 
 We read of Beat us in the first century, and 
 Lucius in the second, as teachers of the Chris- 
 tian religion in Helvetia. A legend states that 
 in the seventh century, it was introduced to the 
 land in a pure form from Ireland by a disciple 
 of Columba, the illustrious founder of the Scot- 
 tish monastery in the island of Iona. As evi- 
 dence of this, the fact is cited that bell-towers 
 
160 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 originated with this -monastery ; and, as these are 
 numerous among the memorials between the 
 Rhretian Alps and Cologne, along the banks of 
 the Rhine, it is believed they took their origin 
 from Iona and were introduced here by mission- 
 aries. 
 
 During the reign of Charlemagne, it is proper 
 to say, this territory was subject to his author- 
 ity, and was greatly improved during his ad- 
 ministration. He lent his influence to encourage 
 agriculture, increase manufactures, and establish 
 schools. 
 
 But from the besnnninor of the ninth to the 
 close of the thirteenth century, this land, for 
 the most part, was groaning under feudal des- 
 potism. The castle tyranny weighed heavily 
 upon the masses, and it would seem almost 
 strange that it did not crush out all the hopes 
 and courage of these early Swiss mountaineers. 
 The lords, at times, were cruelly jealous and 
 revengeful, as shown by a legend of Tohenberg, 
 which tells us of Count Henry who had a beau- 
 tiful wife, named Ida. She one day chanced to 
 lay her wedding ring close to the window of her 
 chamber. A tame raven soon after seizing it, 
 bore it off and dropped it into the street. It 
 was picked up by one of the Count's slaves, who 
 at once put it on his linger. The Count, dis 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 1G1 
 
 covering it on his menial's hand , accused Ida of 
 infidelity, and then, refusing to hear any explana- 
 tion, hurled the unfortunate wife from the 
 highest castle window down anions: the rocks, 
 and then caused the servant to be tied to the 
 switch of a wild horse and dragged to death. 
 Still, in spite of vassalage and persecution, 
 the fire of patriotism and love of freedom were 
 burning in the hearts of these invincible moun- 
 taineers ; and, as we sail across the waters of 
 Lake Luzerne, and walk the streets of Altorf, 
 we are reminded- of Kins: Albert's reign, and 
 his determination to crush out the seeds of lib- 
 erty which had begun to germinate among the 
 Alps. Accordingly, he sent from his Austrian 
 home, as the current story relates, two hard- 
 hearted men, Gessler and Beringer, to levy tolls, 
 exact dues, and punish with severity any indi- 
 cations of insubordination. Many a sad tale is 
 rife among the Swiss at this day, showing how 
 they were oppressed by these officers of the 
 king. "Is this to be endured," asked Gessler, 
 as he looked at the new house of a farmer, "that 
 clownish peasants should erect such handsome 
 dwellings ? " One day, a man committed some 
 slight offence, and Beringer seized his oxen, re- 
 marking, as he unyoked them, that "boors 
 might draw their own ploughs " ; and because 
 
162 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 resistance was offered, the man lost his own 
 eyes. Was it to be supposed that these high- 
 land foresters would long endure such treat- 
 ment ? Is it to be wondered that their brave 
 wives asked, "How lon^ shall arrogance tri- 
 umph, and humility weep? Shall foreigners 
 become masters of the land, and kings of our 
 property? What avails it that our mountains 
 are inhabited by men ? Are we mothers to 
 suckle sons doomed to become be^ars, and 
 bring up our daughters to be slaves to foreign- 
 ers ? This cannot be." After being moved by 
 such interrogations, no wonder three resolute 
 and patriotic men should meet on the Rutli, and 
 resolve that their land should become free. As 
 they made known their aims to their neighbors, 
 they were encouraged, and on Martinmas eve, 
 1307, these three men met once more on this 
 trysting meadow, and each was accompanied 
 with ten confederates ; and here, under the 
 gracious stars shining propitiously upon grass, 
 lake, and mountain, they solemnly swore to live 
 or die for their beloved land, to resist the op- 
 pression of the house of Hapsburg, and expel 
 from their realm the domineering; Gcssler and 
 Beringer. Soon after this followed the daring 
 episode of William Tell. He was one of the 
 thirty-three who had so solemnly pledged them- 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BEUNE. 163 
 
 selves on the Rutli. Gessler, it is related, among 
 other expedients for subduing the Swiss, set up 
 in the market-place of Altorf a pole with Duke 
 Albert's hat fixed on the top, to which all pass- 
 ers-by were required to make obeisance. This 
 act of homage Tell refused to render ; and, 
 therefore, followed the merciless sentence of 
 Gessler upon Tell, to shoot an apple, many paces 
 off, from the head of his son. Being successful 
 in this, and because an extra arrow was discov- 
 ered on his person, he is soon after put in chains 
 and placed in a boat, to be borne across Lake 
 Luzerne and confined in a castle. But a furious 
 storm arose before they had advanced far, and 
 Gessler was frightened, and ordered Tell to be 
 unbound, that he might put his skilled hands to 
 the oars, and, if possible, save the imperilled 
 bark. Complying with the command, the hero 
 guided the boat along shore, and as soon as an 
 opportunity was presented, he leaped upon the 
 solid rocks, leaving his oppressors and asso- 
 ciates to battle, as best they could, against the 
 threatening elements. A little chapel now 
 marks the spot where Tell sprang ashore ; it is 
 really the Mecca of the Swiss. The place is 
 said to have been consecrated in 1388, by those 
 who had been personally acquainted with the 
 heroic act. On Sunday after Ascension day, 
 
164 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 may be seen numerous boats coming from all 
 directions, decorated with flags and mottoes, in 
 honor of their brave leader, tending to this 
 chapel, where mass is performed, and a patriotic 
 sermon is preached. 
 
 Tradition says, Tell on his liberation climbed 
 over the Axenberg and hastened to the lane 
 leading to Gessler's castle, and there watched 
 the approach of his adversary and shot him 
 dead. On the same day, it is said, a party 
 went to Landenberg where Beringer dwelt, 
 stormed his castle and drove him from the 
 country. 
 
 If the stories of these olden times have been 
 criticised and doubted, still it is plain, there 
 must have been some reality for their founda- 
 tion ; for it does not appear possible that mere 
 fables should have gained such credence and 
 produced such national results. At the present 
 day, in all parts of the country, the names of 
 these heroes are dearly cherished. The tales of 
 their adventures are related in the chalets, on 
 diligences, and in cars. Their figures are in 
 churches, and on gables of houses. They are 
 commemorated in the son^s and the religious 
 rites of the people. The hearts of the Swiss 
 declare to-day that such cruel tyrants did for- 
 merly smite their land, and such brave heroes 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 165 
 
 did once save it. Mere fabrication could not 
 have produced such deep-seated hatred and such 
 profound respect. 
 
 As we are crossing Albis, from Zurich to 
 Zug, we notice a stone monument by the way- 
 side where Zwingle fell. Here, again, emotional 
 thoughts crowd the mind. History repeats 
 afresh the story of that famous son who reared 
 in this free mountain air, longed for spiritual, 
 as well as civil, liberty. At length, with a warm 
 heart, a resolute will, and a cultivated mind, in 
 1516, he stepped forth to proclaim boldly 
 against the sale of indulgences, which was being 
 carried on by Tetzel in Germany, and by Sam- 
 son in Switzerland. He felt the church was 
 enslaving, as the state never had. It was mak- 
 ing money, not repentance, the means of salva- 
 tion ; it was saying, " Let those pass first who 
 have wealth ; see, they fly ! " pretending that 
 those who bought indulgences could witness the 
 souls of the departed escaping from purgatory 
 to heaven. Catholicism had already gained a 
 strong hold in this land ; and as Zwingle began 
 to expose the false dogma of indulgences, fiery 
 opposition expressed itself on every hand. But 
 the reformer, by his logic and eloquence, soon 
 gained a large following on the part of the 
 populace. Most of the cities soon became Prot- 
 
166 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 estant, while the highland villages remained 
 Catholic. So the bitterest jealousies sprung 
 up, which at length resulted in wars ; and in the 
 battle of Cappel, Zwingle was captured by the 
 Romanists and commanded "to call upon the 
 saints and confess to the priests." As he kept 
 his silence, Feckinger cried out, " Vile heretic !" 
 and plunged his sword into the reformer's 
 throat. As Zwingle fell bleeding, he said, " They 
 may kill the body, they cannot kill the soul.' , 
 Thus the preacher, the shepherd, and adviser, 
 went out of this world glorified. Xow, when- 
 ever Ave visit the place where he fell, and look 
 at the mountains towering majestically above, 
 and enjoy the summer air, we can but feel 
 it is consecrated ground, and fittingly emblem- 
 atical of a noble character. After the death 
 of Zwingle, the famous Ferel kindled the Prot- 
 estant fires in the city of Geneva, which soon 
 flamed out and consumed the Roman altars 
 and images there. As his light was reaching 
 its zenith, John Calvin, the most illustrious 
 reformer of all, in point of scholarship and en- 
 during industry, took up his abode in Geneva. 
 He dealt heavy blows against Romanism. Eli- 
 jah-like he fought for what he believed to be 
 right. His influence soon became potent in 
 his adopted city. By lake and mountain, he 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 167 
 
 created a force which has greatly moved and 
 swayed the Protestant world. 
 
 At Basle, Berne, Lausanne, and Luzerne, 
 we learn how the wars of religion continued 
 till 1712, when there came an interregnum 
 of peace. During this period, various forms 
 of republican government were tried in differ- 
 ent cantons, or divisions. But from 1792 till 
 the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Swiss 
 were frequently disturbed by foreign nations, 
 and their country invaded by French and Aus- 
 trian soldiers. However, for some reason the 
 Swiss were never really conquered, or certainly 
 not subdued. By nature they are strongly 
 fortified, and by nature they are truly heroic. 
 Now, for two-score years and more, they have 
 been prospered, proving to the world that 
 their republic is a success. 
 
 Let one enter this land from any quarter for 
 the first time, and he is quite sure to be sur- 
 prised. The mind and heart cannot keep cool. 
 Every turn brings new scenes to light. He is 
 surprised that the hills are so steep, the moun- 
 tains so abrupt, the grass so green, and the 
 trees so thrifty. If whirled on by the iron 
 horse, how the shelving rocks, the deep gorges, 
 and the towering cliffs rush together. If pene- 
 trating the country by the way of Basle and 
 
168 AFTEE-THOCGHTS OF FOEEIGN TEAVEL. 
 
 Luzerne, it is not long before the train is flying 
 along the shore of Sempach, so renowned for 
 the battle fought on its margin, the 9th of 
 July, 138 G, when Arnold von Winkleried threw 
 himself on the lances of the Austrians, and 
 thereby effected the defeat of Leopold II. , and 
 established freedom in this part of Switzerland. 
 Leaving this body of water, the Bernese and 
 Oberland Alps present their numerous peaks 
 capped with granite and snow ; close to the right 
 is the ragged Pilatus, and to the left, the beau- 
 tiful Rigi ; and soon the train halts in the city of 
 Luzerne, just on the shore of one of the most 
 enchanting lakes of the world. This is a city 
 of considerable importance, and especially noted 
 for its fine and commodious hotels. It is belted 
 on three sides with diversified farming lands. 
 Late into the autumn, vegetation is of the live- 
 liest green. All up the sides of the mountains, 
 plateaus rise one above another. These are 
 dotted with little chalets, and occasionally with 
 clusters of diminutive wooden houses. Strange 
 that human beings should delight to dwell 
 where it would seem to be alone the rightful 
 haunts of the eagle and chamois. The common 
 farm-house here is not likely to satisfy the taste 
 of the American or Englishman, who is accus- 
 tomed to commodious buildings ; for, frequently 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 169 
 
 it serves for both house and barn. Neither will 
 he be likely to admire the compost heaps which 
 are smoking in almost every front yard. These 
 are so placed, it is said, for the health of the 
 inmates ; but at times it is severe medicine for 
 1he olfactories. The average Swiss home is 
 comfortable, but. not neat and well regulated. 
 Little cooking is done in the family ; the bread, 
 wine, and beer, are bought ready for the table ; 
 the butter and cheese are made high on the 
 mountain-sides, where the goats and cows are 
 pastured. It is plain to be seen that the peasant 
 women do not spend much time at their toilet, 
 or in striving to keep pace with the fashions. 
 It would seem that most of them believe in large 
 styles, as to hats and shoes, wearing broad brims 
 and expanded soles. As these women are seen 
 at work with the men, hoeing, shovelling, mow- 
 ing, raking, bearing heavy burdens, it is difficult 
 to make this mode of living, by any kind of 
 human logic, just or right. As we witness their 
 brawny, sunburnt faces, and their large, stiff 
 hands, we can but rejoice that the women of 
 our country, as a rule, do not attempt to be men 
 in manual labor. We would say, let them ex- 
 ercise very much in the open air ; let them 
 teach ; let them trade ; let them preach ; ha 
 them vote, if they will ; but never let them be 
 
170 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 forced to dig potatoes and lug produce to mar- 
 ket for a riving. 
 
 On examining their farming tools, they are 
 not found to be light and finished as to style. 
 Their carts, ploughs, hoes, shovels, and forks, are 
 heavy ; and their harrows are made entirely of 
 avoocI. Their horses, oxen, and cows, are worked 
 on their farms, and usually, each separately. 
 
 The art- work of special attraction in Luzerne, 
 is the lion cut into the natural rock in the im- 
 mediate vicinity of the city, after a model by 
 Thorwaldsen, in honor of twenty-six officers 
 and many soldiers of the Swiss Guards, who 
 were cruelly massacred in defence of the Tu- 
 ileries, Aug. 10, 1792. The dying lion reclines 
 in a grotto, having his body transfixed by a 
 broken lance, and his paw sheltering a Bourbon 
 lily. It is a natural and imposing work. 
 
 A ride of a few miles on a steamer from Lu- 
 zerne, takes one to Weggis, a little village at 
 the foot of the Rigi, which is the usual starting- 
 place of travellers ascending this mountain from 
 the west. Close by the landing-place is a little 
 yaw-mill, which is quite likely to allure the no- 
 tice of foreign mechanics by the slow strokes of 
 the saw and the method of running back the 
 carriage by hand. As the man in charge is 
 asked, if there are any gang-saws in Switzerland, 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 171 
 
 lie is nonplussed. In making little trinkets and 
 filigree work the Swiss may excel, but cannot 
 display great ingenuity in manufacturing on a 
 large scale. They may justly be called cute in 
 using the jack-knife. They are certain to keep 
 doing, until what they do, is well done. Their 
 stone bridges and superior roads are sufficient 
 proof of this. They probably have the best 
 highways in the world, though built over the 
 most difficult places. 
 
 In ascending to the summit of the Rigi, which 
 is some six thousand feet above the sea-level, a 
 great variety of flora is to be seen. At the base 
 are apple and cherry trees ; higher up are oaks 
 and walnuts ; and still higher are pines and 
 spruces. The ledges cropping out are composed 
 of granite and conglomerates. In the summer, 
 the traveller, in ascending or descending, is 
 sure to have his attention arrested by the echo 
 of the Alpine horns, the dingle of the cow-bells, 
 the twittering of birds, the chattering of squir- 
 rels, the cawing of crows, and the whistling of 
 hawks. Frequently, he will fall in with monks 
 wearing long faces, and brown-hooded gowns, 
 girdled with hempen cords dragging on the 
 ground, intended to be symbolical of their will- 
 ingness to suffer death, if need be, for the sake 
 of their religion. At almost every turn* in the 
 
172 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 path are to be seen rude crucifixes and pictures 
 of the Virgin, before which every disciple bows 
 as he passes. If travellers are met who have 
 been favored with fair skies, and splendid sun- 
 rises and sunsets, they are sure to be lavish with 
 their praises and almost ready to adore the glo- 
 ries of the Rigi ; but, if they have struggled to 
 th" top, costing much bone and muscle, or have 
 been transported thither by the power of steam, 
 and then have been shut in by the thickest fog 
 and darkness for twenty-four hours, or more, 
 they will be ready to heap anathemas upon the 
 mountain that has scarcely a rival in the wide 
 world for beauty, serenity, and grandeur of 
 scenery. How much conditions of mind have 
 to do in rendering this world pleasant and satis- 
 fying ! What surprises one most in this country 
 is the fact of so many deep valleys and lofty 
 heights in so small an area. Even a footman in 
 a day can enjoy a marvellous variety of climate, 
 soil, and surface. To get the most possible out 
 of sight-seeing in this land, the travelling should 
 be mainly done on foot. This is practicable, 
 for hotels so abound along the passes and 
 throughout the country, that one can journey a 
 long, or short, distance during the day and be 
 sure of finding good accommodations at night- 
 fall. Probably no other country is so highly 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 173 
 
 favored with good hotels and pensions as Switz- 
 erland. They are quite certain to be well sup- 
 plied with pleasant rooms, clean beds, good 
 bread, tender meats, rich milk, sweet honey, 
 delicious vegetables, and purest water. 
 
 The highways run for the most part through 
 deep valleys and over dizzy heights. It is mar- 
 vellous that good roads should have been built 
 over the Tyrol, the Splugen, St. Gothard, 
 Mount Cenis, and Simplon Passes, reaching at 
 the highest altitude more than six thousand feet 
 above the sea. To build the Simplon, which is 
 forty-two miles in length, required the labor of 
 three thousand men fourteen years. It has six 
 hundred and eleven bridges, and many thousand 
 feet of arches and terraces. It cost at the rate 
 of twenty-five thousand dollars per mile. Na- 
 poleon I. conceived and caused this road to be 
 built. Whatever may have been his motives, 
 the design of it is sublime, and its accomplish- 
 ment grand. Alexander and the Caesars per- 
 formed great deeds ; the Assyrians raised lofty 
 towers; the Greeks piled up the Acropolis and 
 Colossus ; the Komans constructed the Colos- 
 seum and the Appian Way ; but Napoleon did 
 a nobler work than all these in opening a high- 
 way for the nations over Alpine heights. 
 
 The waterfalls of the Alps are among the 
 
171 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 striking attractions to the traveller. He can 
 but have feelings of awe, as he stands before the 
 lower Reichenbach and gazes at the water as it 
 pitches down more than a hundred feet into a 
 yawning abyss of boiling, rushing, leaping cur- 
 rents. At the upper Reichenbach he cannot 
 fail to experience sublime emotions, as he wit- 
 nesses a large body of water breaking over the 
 brink and descending two hundred feet without 
 interruption, and disappearing among the gorges 
 below. He will be filled with delight as he 
 looks upon the Giesbach Falls, being so com- 
 pletely invested with the brightest emerald col- 
 ors, as the water comes sparkling and springing 
 down the steep rocks for many hundred feet. 
 In the sunlight these falls are constantly arched 
 with countless rainbows. As he comes to the 
 Staubbach Falls, if he is a lover of nature, he 
 will be enchanted, as he looks at these in the 
 clear noonday light. High over a shelving rock, 
 aqueous currents fall thick and fast, separating 
 at length into silvery trails, and finally dissolv- 
 ing into sparkling mist. While he sits on the 
 green lawn, admiring the watery lace- work of 
 Staubbach, as he chances to peer on and to the 
 south, lo ! there stands out in boldest relief 
 against the dark sky, frowning Jungfrau, hurl- 
 ing from his lofty crest avalanches of snow into 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 175 
 
 the depths, hiding with its frosty vapors the 
 rushed rocks below. As he marks the contrast, 
 he can but feel, here is the most perfect illus- 
 tration of beauty, there of sublimity ; this 
 soothes, that overpowers ; this speaks of God's 
 tenderest love,. that of his almighty power. 
 
 Glacial action is to be seen almost everywhere 
 among the Alps, even where no glaciers now 
 exist. At the present they number some six 
 hundred, covering a surface of nine hundred 
 square miles, giving rise to several of the 
 largest rivers in Europe. They are, no doubt, 
 the leading wonders among these lofty, moun- 
 tains. Perhaps, the most favorable view-point 
 for surveying some of these gigantic agencies, 
 is from the summit of Montanvert. Here we 
 take our stand eight thousand feet above the 
 valley of Chamouni, whose village is under the 
 shadows of glaciers. We catch fine glimpses, 
 as we stand here, of Mont Blanc towering so 
 kingly above hundreds of lofty mountains. 
 Watching as the flying clouds part, we behold 
 almost fairy-like scenes. One moment a sil- 
 very or golden crown rests upon its brow, or at 
 another we are reminded of a magnificent rose 
 nodding and swaying in the wind. At one 
 instant Ave seem to be in the most profound 
 silence ; in the next we discover far above us a 
 
176 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGX TRAVEL. 
 
 wake, and then vast folds of fleecy smoke, and 
 soon peals out the thunder of a tremendous 
 avalanche. As we are held spellbound and 
 wondering, w T e can but ask, why do not the 
 constantly accumulating snows pile themselves 
 high out of the reach of mortal ken? But 
 science comes to our relief, saying that the 
 force of gravity is incessantly drawing them 
 from their volatile regions, and before they 
 have descended five thousand feet, they are 
 converted into solid ice. 
 
 Xot far from us, but a little farther on, is the 
 Jardin, a green oasis in the midst of eternal 
 snows. Here the gazelle and antelope may be 
 seen leaping from rock to rock ; and just under 
 the drippings of avalanches may be plucked 
 violets, daisies, and buttercups at nearly all 
 seasons of the year. How do we account for 
 this garden in the presence of abiding snows? 
 On examination it is found to be so situated as 
 to catch the reflected sunlight on all sides, 
 thereby waking up green mosses and delicate 
 flowers the year round. 
 
 As we turn in another direction, we can see 
 three wide- spreading glaciers crowding and 
 grinding down through the gorges into the 
 valleys. The nearest one is the Mer de Glace, 
 being some twelve miles in length and three in 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 177 
 
 width. Looking off upon the surface, we are 
 reminded of a lake's being frozen over while 
 the waves are swelling and throwing spray. 
 Its depth we cannot sound ; undoubtedly in 
 places it is a thousand feet in thickness. Every 
 few moments a deep resonance vibrates from 
 some quarter, giving assurance that the vast 
 body of ice is in motion. Now as we attempt 
 to cross it, no difficulty appears to be in the 
 way ; still we do not advance far before we 
 find the undertaking hazardous. An innumer- 
 able number of seams and yawnings beset us 
 on every side ; some of them a little child could 
 easily step across, while others are sufficiently 
 large to swallow up a long train of cars. We 
 are obliged to select our course with caution 
 and courage. Now and then, we must cross 
 ridges so narrow that the least mishap would 
 precipitate us down, down, we can scarcely 
 guess where, or how deep. 
 
 In some of these gulfs, and also above the 
 general surface, may be seen massive bowlders 
 which have been broken off and brought from 
 the solid rocks, high up the mountain-sides. 
 Frequently travellers lose their lives in their 
 adventures upon this uncertain sea. 
 
 Taking advantage of a favorable opportunity, 
 we descend into one of these chasms. When 
 
178 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 fifty feet below the surface, as the sunlight 
 plays through the crystal mirror, a strauge 
 mingling of indescribable colors greets the eye. 
 Topaz, ruby, amethyst, and sapphire, blend so 
 as to reflect celestial coloring. Descending 
 towards the valley, the openings grow broader 
 and deeper, until the ice is divided into trans- 
 parent stalagmites and the grandest pyramids 
 which are constantly falling in pieces and un- 
 loosing huge bowlders from their wintry chains, 
 while beneath roars and plunges into the valley 
 below a turbid river. Observing the glacier at 
 its terminus, we cannot doubt that it is inces- 
 santly in motion ; for it would recede, or cease 
 to break in pieces, were it not descending all 
 the while. 
 
 The Alps are now lofty, but we can readily 
 understand how this glacier with hundreds of 
 others in the ages to come, will grind them 
 down, and the rivers will bear them on to the 
 seas. Still now it would seem, no other land 
 can be so crowded with the beautiful, the 
 picturesque, and the sublime, as Switzerland. 
 It has treasures for the soul of more than 
 fairy things. The granite pinnacles, so tall, 
 so exquisitely traced ; the glistening columns of 
 whitest snow ; the azure-tinted glaciers ; the 
 deep, sunny vales ; the evergreen-mantled hills ; 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 179 
 
 the silvery lakes ; the leaping rills ; the roaring 
 cataracts ; the crash of avalanches ; the aurora of 
 the morning ; the glow of the evening ; all these 
 and inexpressibly more, will long continue to 
 offer real pictures to the painter, ideal inspira- 
 tion to the poet, and sublimest conceptions to 
 the scholar. 
 
 The most classic spots of this marvellous 
 country, are about Lake Leman. Looking upon 
 its waters now in the summer time, one can 
 scarcely guess that it was once unruffled by the 
 boatman's oar and the wheel of the steamship ; 
 that the trout and whitefish ruled supreme in 
 its waters ; that its shores were desolate wastes, 
 and haunts only of bears, wolves, and chamois. 
 He can hardly realize now that it was formerly 
 thus, as he sees numerous boats skimming 
 its surface, and heavy steamers ploughing its 
 depths, while its shores are fringed with a great 
 variety of vegetation, and speckled with attrac- 
 tive villages. It is singular why its waters 
 should look so cerulean, and in places when 
 the weather is fair, why its surface should be 
 elevated several feet, and thus remain for 
 some time before subsiding ; and why this 
 phenomenon should occur oftener in the night 
 than in the day. Science, as yet, has not been 
 able to solve the mystery. 
 
180 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Around the shores of this lake, when Rome 
 was mistress of the world, dwelt the heroic 
 Helvetians who delighted to follow the com- 
 mands of the brave Divico, and be most atten- 
 tive to the eloquent words of Orgetorix. Here 
 Caesar's legions fought against them in bloody 
 battles ; here Caacina was unmerciful to the 
 vanquished, and spurned the earnest entreaties 
 of Alpinula to spare the life of her noble father. 
 In later times courageous men were more sue- 
 cessful in wrenching it from the hands of tyrants, 
 causing it to blossom with freedom and pros- 
 perity. Here Calvin struck heavy blows in 
 behalf of the Reformation ; here Madame de 
 Stael developed her exalted womanhood ; here 
 Byron found a muse to sing some of his sweetest 
 carols ; and here Gibbon rounded his periods 
 and gave the finishing touches to his word-pic- 
 tures of Rome. 
 
 At the lower end of the lake stands the city 
 of Geneva. It combines the old and the new ; 
 broad thoroughfares and narrow streets; spacious 
 buildings and huddled houses ; beauty of style 
 and quaintness of form. The centre of attrac- 
 tion in the old city is its cathedral in which 
 John Calvin used to preach. The canopy over 
 the pulpit is the same as when the great reformer 
 stood under it. The building itself dates as far 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 181 
 
 back as 1024. What associations cluster around 
 this structure ! What a power Calvin sent forth 
 from it into the world ! He dared to do what 
 he tt.lt to be right. Though his doctrines may 
 not be accepted, yet the man can but be honored. 
 The college of Geneva was founded by him, 
 which has added not a little to the character of 
 the city. Its curriculum now embraces nine 
 courses of study. It has some twenty-live pro- 
 fessors connected with it, and a library of sixty 
 thousand volumes with all the writings of Cal- 
 vin, carefully preserved. It has a museum 
 containing a valuable collection of animals and 
 minerals. This is very systematically arranged, 
 showing the regular gradation from the inor- 
 ganic to the organic, from the lowest to the high- 
 est forms of life. In the Botanic Garden, over- 
 hung by the walls of the city on one side, and 
 by a grove of stately elms on the other, there 
 is manifested the same system as in the museum. 
 
 Rousseau's Garden which stands quite in the 
 current of the Rhone on leaving the lake, is a 
 favorite spot to the Genevese. They delight to 
 visit the place where the author of "Abelard" 
 and "The Confessions," used to spend much of 
 his leisure time. It is now graced with a fail' 
 statue of their honored citizen. 
 
 The people here are deeply interested in the 
 
182 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 cause of education. They believe in having good 
 schools for all classes, and furnish the best ad- 
 vantages for studying French and German. For 
 this reason, and because of the healthfulness of 
 the city, many students come here from abroad 
 to pursue these languages. 
 
 The Genevese are a busy people. Idlers are 
 scarce in the streets or public places. Thousands 
 of men and women are ensniored in manufactur- 
 ing watches, pocket-knives, and silk fabrics. 
 Many of the shops and stores present a rich 
 display of jewelry and silks. 
 
 In the time of the Reformation, Geneva was 
 a refuge for the oppressed and persecuted. 
 During that period a new translation of the 
 Bible was brought out here. Then the city was 
 strongly Protestant ; now nearly half of the 
 population is Catholic. "Whatever sect may 
 control this city, it is bound to be famous, be- 
 cause of its beauty of scenery and richness of 
 association. It will be sought after, beim* the 
 birthplace of Bossuet and Saussure as natural- 
 ists ; DeCandolle and Boissier as botanists ; Riva 
 and Pictet as philosophers ; Sismondi and 
 Madame de Stael as historians. These charac- 
 ters alone are sufficient to render a city forever 
 memorable. 
 
 Along the shore of the lake for miles are 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 183 
 
 rich fields and pleasant chateaus. Studying the 
 natural attractions of land, water, and sky about 
 the little village of Coppet, three leagues from 
 Geneva, one can readily understand why Madame 
 de Stael should have chosen a home here, while 
 doino" her best work, as an author. Here she 
 lived and enjoyed the influence of her father 
 Necker, the distinguished financier and minister 
 of Louis XVI. On the walls of the ancient 
 chateau still hang the portraits of father and 
 daughter. Here remains her study still fur- 
 nished with the books of her choice, and the 
 table on which she wrote some of her imperish- 
 able works. A short distance from the house is 
 the chapel in which rest the ashes of Necker 
 and Madame de Stael in the midst of a thick 
 beech grove encompassed by a strong wall. 
 How beauty of scenery is enhanced by nobility 
 of soul ! 
 
 At Lausanne, which stands on ground rising 
 abruptly from the shore of the lake, Gibbon 
 caught inspiration, as he sat in the open air, be- 
 holding the wondrous picture which the Great 
 Artist had spread out, enabling him to round 
 his periods and complete his great history of 
 Rome. Since that event Lausanne has been a 
 favorite resort of literary pilgrims to this land. 
 Does not this show, however exalted the natural 
 
184 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 may be, it is possible for the mental and spirit- 
 ual to crown it with still brighter glories ? 
 
 Near the upper end of the lake, rises above 
 the water the Castle of Chillon. It was built 
 in the thirteenth century to command the pass 
 of the mountains from Valais to Valid. It is an 
 enormous structure of stone and stucco, sur- 
 mounted with a half-dozen Gothic towers. Tra- 
 dition and history tell us this has been the 
 seat of the direst cruelty and bloodshed. Here 
 Bonnivard, the patriot and native of Geneva, 
 because he espoused the cause of his republican 
 city and defended its rights, was imprisoned by 
 the Duke of Savoy. Here for six dreary years 
 he was chained in a damp dungeon to a stone 
 column which now bears record of the awful 
 deed. The grooves are evident where his bare 
 feet wore intu the solid rock as he paced back 
 and forth the length of his four-foot chain. 
 
 " Let none these marks efface; 
 
 For they appeal from tyranny to God." 
 
 If Bonnivard could endure all this, why need 
 any be crushed by trials, or burdens? If he 
 could hope for deliverance, why should any 
 despair of freedom? In 1536 his shackles were 
 broken from his limbs by patriotic soldiers of 
 his native city, and he went forth doing his best 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 185 
 
 for liberty of conscience and religious freedom. 
 His was a noble and consecrated life. II is 
 name will be lovingly spoken when the last 
 vestio'e of the old castle shall have fallen be- 
 Death the waves. No longer does it rise above 
 the waters of Lake Leman like a giant of tyran- 
 ny, but as a sentinel of peace, bearing aloft the 
 motto, " Liberti et Patriae." 
 
 Berne is the capital of Switzerland, situated 
 on the brow of a hill coiled about by the river 
 Aar. It commands extensive views in the dis- 
 tance of the Oberland and Bernese Alps. The 
 scenery from it in all directions, is enchanting 
 and picturesque. It is true, these distant views 
 of the Alps are not so exciting as the nearer, 
 still they do lend to the mind a subdued and 
 hallowing influence which, no doubt, blesses 
 quite as long. 
 
 The streets of Berne are curious and unique, 
 yes, odd and grotesque, bordered with archi- 
 tecture of the drollest and strangest designs. 
 Along the principal highways the houses 
 are built on arcades after the Italian style. 
 The bears, and clock towers with their ugly 
 pictures and ludicrous carvings, are objects 
 of great attraction. The bear is the pet of the 
 old and young. Nearly everybody of this city 
 has a bear about him of some description, 
 
186 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 painted, stamped, or sculptured. The Bernese 
 are decidedly bearish. 
 
 The numerous and copious fountains in the 
 squares and at the corners of the streets, are 
 designed, it would appear, to excite laughter. 
 One represents an ogre in the act of devouring 
 a child, while his pockets are full of children 
 ready for future consumption. Below this fig- 
 ure is a group of bears dressed in full armor. 
 
 The city has three clock towers which are 
 curious and attractive. One of them is sure to 
 allure the attention of the natives, as well as 
 foreigners. At every striking of the dock a 
 marvellous exhibition takes place ; a cock comes 
 out, claps his wings and crows twice before, and 
 once after the striking of the hour; then the 
 tigure of Time turns an hour-glass and keeps 
 time with the clock-hammer by opening its 
 mouth and swinging its scythe ; while at the 
 same time a troop of bears dance a jig. In 
 honor of the founder of the city, several fine 
 specimens of living bears are kept in gorgeous 
 style at public expense. The Bernese appear 
 almost to worship Bruin, while the Genevese 
 adore the stork, and Luzerne reverences the 
 lion, and other Swiss cities cherish their favor- 
 ite guardian animals. 
 
 The principal building of Berne is the 
 
SWITZERLAND AND BERNE. 187 
 
 cathedral, a Gothic structure of the fifteenth 
 century. One on entering it will scarcely fail 
 to notice the sculptures of the Last Judgment, 
 over the main door- way, — an illustration of 
 mediaeval theology, showin^the mistaken notions 
 of Scriptural subjects then prevalent, and what 
 the demand was for a higher order of interpre- 
 tation and spirituality. The carving in the 
 choir, and the painted windows, are remarkable 
 works for the age in which they were produced. 
 
 The college of Berne compares well with the 
 colleges of Geneva and Lausanne, the universi- 
 ties of Basle and Zurich. Its citizens manifest 
 generally a deep interest in the cause of educa- 
 tion. Their library of thirty-five thousand 
 volumes, their museum of natural history, and 
 their public-school system, afford evidence of 
 this. Their charitable institutions are of a high 
 order. The Bernese are fond of festive gather- 
 ings. So, in this canton, as well as in most of 
 the others, they have their annual gatherings 
 at which they display their characteristic cos- 
 tumes, manners, and habits, exhibiting their 
 skill in archery, rifle-shooting, wrestling, and 
 various other srames. Their festive scenes are 
 unique and unlike those of any other country. 
 
 The Swiss are a religious people, being di- 
 vided into three fifths Protestants, and two fifths 
 
188 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Catholics. The former are still separated into 
 Calvinists, Baptists, and Wesleyans. The re- 
 ligions thought is liberal and advancing. AVhile 
 travelling, as we observe the religious tenden- 
 cijs, we must be hopeful, and be impressed with 
 the feeling of a divine cause at work for the 
 amelioration and security of the race. As 
 we witness the hosts moved by thought and 
 will, and yet somehow in spite of themselves, 
 thwarted in the wrong, and encouraged in the 
 right, we can but recognize a Supreme Being 
 and loving Father who is directing and control- 
 ling in the physical and spiritual realms. 
 
 On leaving this land our last reflections are 
 quite certain to be centred upon its unsurpassed 
 scenery which is sure to affect the mind and 
 heart, as its works of art and forms of society 
 cannot. In Switzerland we are meeting inces- 
 santly with the things that artists delight to 
 paint, and poets to praise; the green valleys, 
 the flower-bordered streams, the evergreen hills, 
 the granite shafts, the snow-crowned peaks, and 
 the profound solitudes in the depths below and on 
 the heights above, — all these, and ten thousand 
 more, come sweeping before the eye, as we 
 ramble or muse in this land of beauty, sub- 
 limity, and grandeur. 
 
VII. 
 
 FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 
 
 PT^HE love of beauty is inherent in man. The 
 -*- Sacred Record first presents him to the 
 world in the Garden of Eden. This implies 
 that he had a natural fondness for nature, and 
 would delight in the beautiful. So has it 
 ever been. David sung of the "green pas- 
 tures" and the "still waters"; Homer was 
 charmed with the muse from the vale and the 
 mountain; Virgil was inspired by the land and 
 sea ; Jesus admired the lily and the sparrow. 
 Man has been wont to seek picturesque places 
 in which to dwell. Accordingly the Romans 
 before the Christian era, had established con- 
 siderable of a town where Florence now is, 
 which they named Florentia, signifying it 
 abounded in flowers and natural beauties. It 
 is certain nature has lavished upon it munificent 
 gifts. Mountains and valle} T s, hills and vales, 
 forests and water, so commingle as to form an 
 enchanting picture. The Apennines sweep 
 round the east and north, risiug some three 
 
190 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 thousand feet. The Tuscan Highlands press 
 up from the south and west. The summits are 
 bared and hoary ; the sides far up are flecked 
 with forest trees ; the spurs and flanks are 
 sk/rted with vineyards and olive orchards; 
 while the extended and diversified valley in 
 the centre, is cut in twain by the Arno, and 
 dotted all round with eight thousand villas, 
 having the city for a centre-piece, like a dia- 
 mond in the midst of mosaics of emerald and 
 quartz. 
 
 Standing on the heights of Fiesole, one has 
 spread out before and around him, as inviting 
 and enjoyable a landscape as can anywhere.be 
 found. If Rome can justly be called the sub- 
 lime city ; Venice, the romantic city ; Naples, 
 the pleasant city ; Genoa, the mercantile city ; 
 Bologna, the musical city ; Floreuce can prop- 
 erly be styled tine beautiful city. 
 
 Leaving the high grounds and entering the 
 city, we find the streets narrow and the build- 
 ings substantial, but almost destitute of orna- 
 ments. In fact, as we walk the highways and 
 observe the grated windows and the solid 
 masonry, we arc quite inclined to feel that we 
 arc either in the midst of strong fortifications, 
 or surrounded by numerous prisons. From the 
 lowest to the highest story we discover little 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 191 
 
 ornamentation ; even the palaces have scarcely 
 any adornment. We are naturally inclined to 
 ask, why should this city be so shorn of beau- 
 tiful finish? On examination this becomes 
 evident. 
 
 History informs us that Florence has been 
 subject to the severest vicissitudes ; storm and 
 sunshine, war and peace, have followed one 
 another in quick succession. In the sixth 
 century she was destroyed ; in the eighth, 
 was rebuilt; in the tenth, became a republic; 
 in the fourteenth, was brought under the Cath- 
 olic control ; in the sixteenth, lost her freedom 
 and did not regain her liberty till the present 
 century. Her struggles with the Goths and 
 Huns were terrible before she was overcome. 
 After this subjection, followed the long centu- 
 ries of strife between the nobility and the 
 peasantry. The former could be safe only as 
 they fortified themselves within the strongest 
 walls. Had they decorated their buildings 
 externally, they would have been soon defaced. 
 So* they looked out for strength and durability. 
 
 No other city of Italy has had, perhaps, 
 so many riotous uprisings and drawbacks as 
 Florence, yet she has continued to advance, 
 till now she ranks as the leading art city of 
 the world. By no means was she the first town 
 
192 AFTEE-THOUGIXTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 of Italy to become interested in the fine arts. 
 In fact she was anions the last. Not until the 
 renascent period did she turn her attention to 
 works of art. 
 
 Rome, Ravenna, Pavia, Verona, and Pisa, in 
 mediaeval times, had become devoted to draft- 
 ing, architecture, and sculpture ; particularly 
 was this true of Pisa, a sister city situated upon 
 the Arno. Though a dead city now, it was, in 
 the tenth and twelfth centuries, truly alive. 
 Then her liberties astonished Italy, and her 
 commerce was a marvel to the world ; then her 
 ships bore triumphant crusaders to Asia, and 
 brought bactv gold, purple, and ivory ; then pi- 
 rates dreaded her gleaming lances upon the sea : 
 then she built Campo Santo; John was its 
 architect, Nicholas its sculptor, Giotto its 
 painter. The kings of Judaea, the Pharaohs of 
 Egypt, the Caesars of Rome, the satraps of Ori- 
 ental lands, had reared splendid monuments to 
 hold their ashes and perpetuate their fame ; but 
 none of them had equalled in beauty this city 
 of the dead. She stands as the last sad poem'of 
 the Middle Ages, or the final dirge of that dark 
 period which was to give place to brighter and 
 happier scenes. At that time Florence was en- 
 joying her fullest freedom. Some of her citi- 
 zens had become merchant princes. As the 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 193 
 
 mantle fell from Pisa, she was prepared to take 
 it up and put it on. Her wealthy citizens were 
 becoming patrons of art, and were desirous that 
 their city should become, graced with enduring 
 monuments. So, such inducements were offered 
 as to bring some of the best artists of Pisa and 
 other cities to live and work in Florence. At 
 length their city was adorned with the Duomo, 
 the Baptistry, and the Campanile, surpassing 
 those of Pisa. These are grand structures at 
 the present day. The dome of the cathedral is 
 said to be the largest one in the world. The 
 bronze doors of the Baptistry, are covered with 
 reliefs representing Bible history. We can bat 
 examine them with admiration, when we con- 
 sider the age in which they were produced, and 
 not think strange that Michael Angelo should 
 have said of them, "They are worthy to become 
 the gates of Paradise." Of course the Duomo 
 will not compare favorably, externally, with 
 that of Milan, or internally, with St. Peter's. 
 The latter are the outcome of the former, in 
 part, at least; or I think we may say with 
 truth, the last would not have been what they 
 are, had it not been for the first. Still, if we 
 would not be disappointed, we should visit the 
 buildings of this city for their history, not their 
 beauty; they should be studied, not simply 
 
194 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 looked at. However, many of the villas taken 
 with their surroundings, are attractive and beau- 
 tiful ; but for the most part we search these old 
 cities more for history than any outward ex- 
 pression, and so, frequently we find the ugliest 
 places the most inviting. 
 
 In this city of a hundred and seventy thousand 
 inhabitants, no spots are more inviting than those 
 where some of her greatest heroes lived, wrought, 
 and died. 
 
 The place, likely to be sought first, is the house 
 of Michael Angelo who is to art, what Shake- 
 speare is to literature. As we come to the 
 humble house where he lived, we cannot easily 
 refrain from deep emotions and serious reflec- 
 tions. It is natural to recall, how he early ex- 
 hibited a daring spirit and signs of real genius ; 
 how at seventeen he surpassed in invention his 
 teachers. If we have stood under the dome 
 of St. Peter's and the frescoes of the Sistine 
 Chapel, we can realize how it would have been 
 difficult to teach that mind which could conceive 
 and produce such works. Greatness of concep- 
 tion as a thinker, and greatness of style as an 
 artist, render him almost peerless among peers. 
 His deeds indue the old with sanctity and en- 
 chantment. Places which have known him, 
 are replete with history ; and history gives 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 195 
 
 value to the very stones and dust which the 
 great man touched. The old house has changed 
 exceedingly since Angelo left it. Thus it is 
 with matter, but not so with mind. Angelo has 
 grown with the ages, and will continue to grow 
 through the centuries to come. His ashes rest 
 ill a beautiful tomb in Santa Croce, but he lives 
 in his works. How could it be otherwise? 
 Leonardo and Raphael stood before them with 
 admiration. Millions of hearts have caught in- 
 spiration from them : such results are blessed 
 and pay the greatest possible reward to man. 
 Immortal honor, but justly due to the world's 
 greatest architect, sculptor, and painter ! 
 
 Somewhere among the clustered houses Dante 
 had his birth in 1265. It matters but little, if 
 we cannot find just the spot, for it was in this 
 delightful valley that he first looked out upon 
 mortal things. It is a fit place for a poet to be 
 born. It is full of changing beauty and sub- 
 limity. Somehow great geniuses have always 
 found their way into this world where nature 
 offers decided variety of scenery. The plain 
 and desert have seldom l>een propitious to the 
 poet and scholar. Here by the banks of the 
 Arno, or on the mountain's brow, Dante found 
 his muse that breathed into his soul the marvel- 
 lous religious song of the Middle Ages. Judaea 
 
196 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 had sent forth David as the sweet singer of 
 Israel ; Greece had found a heroic bard in Ho- 
 mer ; now Italy would have the sweetest notes 
 drop from her lyre, and Dante is the chosen one 
 to touch the chords. So far, these were the 
 world's three great poets : each the greatest in 
 his way ; each singing what he felt to be truest. 
 Dante's youth was cheery, and favored with 
 the best advantages of the times. But as he be- 
 gan to mingle in public affairs, his way became 
 devious and thorny. His sense of duty bid 
 him, go not with the majority. He avowed 
 himself a Bianchi, and opposed to the Neri. 
 On this account he was banished from his be- 
 loved city. This together with disappointed 
 love, suffused his heart with deepest sorrow; 
 and his countenance ever after wore the expres- 
 sion of angelic sadness ; but out of this stricken 
 condition at length came his " La Divina Comme- 
 dia." We cannot understand, why it is, never- 
 theless it is true, that the highest conceptions, 
 the clearest visions, the noblest thoughts, have 
 been born out of tribulation and sorrow. Pos- 
 sibly temporal prosperity is not favorable to 
 spiritual life and growth. Dante's pen paints 
 the most vivid pictures of the "Inferno," "Pur- 
 gatorio," and "Paradise" Xo artist could be 
 more faithful to his own ideal. We may criti- 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 197 
 
 cise his thought as best we can, still we must 
 allow that his poem is a marvellous production. 
 It has served to stir the very depths of souls. 
 Great effects come only of great causes. 
 
 Long silence had brooded over the Latin 
 song. Some twelve centuries had elapsed since 
 the lyres of Horace and Virgil had been laid 
 aside. The Latin language had ceased to be 
 spoken ; and now for down in the Christian age, 
 Dante in the Italian tongue, takes up the refrain, 
 singing a new song to 2:0 down through the ages. 
 
 Some have said, if it had not been for 
 prophet, Grecian bard, Latin poet, Dante never 
 could have produced such a poem. Very likely ; 
 so we may say of Shakespeare, Tennyson, and 
 Whittier, that they would not be what they are, 
 had it not been for Dante and the hosts that 
 went on before. Every stream that has flowed 
 from the mountaius of thought, has helped swell 
 the river of life to its present fulness. 
 
 Dante died and was buried in Ravenna. In 
 Santa Croce has been erected a monument to 
 his memory. The Florentines have done their 
 best to secure his mortal remains, and so have 
 them interred in their city, but to no purpose. 
 
 The magistrates of Florence proposed in his 
 last years that he should return, on condition 
 of apologizing and paying a fine. His mag- 
 
198 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 naniraous reply was, "If I cannot return with- 
 out calling myself guilty, I shall never return." 
 He never did return, and so sealed his life with 
 the fullest assurance that he was right; but 
 " ungrateful Florence " has confessed her wrong 
 by doing her utmost to bring back his mortal 
 remains to his native city. If he died poor and 
 oppressed, he made a record always to live. 
 When Florence that doomed him to be burnt 
 alive, wheresoever caught, shall have crumbled 
 into dust, the name of Dante will be undimmed 
 and revered by the scholar and Christian. 
 
 Go now to the Piazza del Granduca.' This is 
 a large square, surrounded on three sides by old 
 buildings, and on the fourth with a frowning 
 palace which was built four centuries ago. Close 
 by it stands Angelo's colossal statue of David, 
 triumphant in his youthful beauty ; beyond this 
 is a hideous fountain where once stood the 
 Tribune, which was wont to ring with the elo- 
 quence of a free people. Not far off is the 
 equestrian statue of Cosmo, the founder of the 
 Medicean family. In another part under an open 
 arcade are grouped many statues ; some of 
 them of superior merit. 
 
 Here it was in this square on the 23d of 
 May, 1498, a riotous mob rushed together, that 
 they might witness the death of Savonarola: 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 199 
 
 and why? Because before Luther's day, he had 
 publicly exposed the corruptions of the priests 
 and the Romish Church. From his dungeon of 
 torture, as he was led forth, a roar of vengeance 
 went up from the crowd, "Put him to death" ; 
 at the same time prayers went up from loving 
 hearts, beseeching God to sustain the good man. 
 The priest in charge said, "I separate thee from 
 the church militant. " "But," responded the 
 dying man with the look of an angel, "thou canst 
 not separate me from the church triumphant.'' 
 Then they hanged him and burned his body in 
 this very square. So the eloquent orator, the 
 earnest teacher, and noble martyr, went out of 
 this world ; but his light was not extinguished ; 
 the truth he had uttered was not destroyed ; his 
 vile persecutors who put him to death, are for- 
 gotten, but the name of Savonarola is immortal. 
 Some two miles from the city proper, upon a 
 high hill, stands a brick and stone structure 
 showing the wear of centuries ; really the stern 
 hand of time has left many a scar upon its 
 walls. From the hill, and, especially, from 
 the tower, or observatory, there is an extensive 
 outlook over one of the finest landscapes any- 
 where to be found. Though nature has thrown 
 around this height such unsurpassed beauty and 
 magnificence, still it has other and greater 
 
200 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 attractions ; for here it was that a noble mind 
 thought, studied, and looked through the first 
 telescope into the night heavens, and. then solved 
 some of the grandest mysteries. Here and 
 then it was that the Ptolemaic system of as- 
 tronomy was dethroned, and the planetary sys- 
 tem established. Here it was that the milky 
 way was discovered to be made up of an inumer- 
 able number of fixed stars. I need scarcely 
 say, this is the house where Galileo lived for 
 years, watching and studying the phenomena of 
 the heavens. As we mount the observatory, 
 we can see where his telescope stood, — that first 
 telescope, and made by his own hands. Just 
 under the place of lookout is the studio in which 
 the great man solved so many difficult problems ; 
 here are to be seen his chair, table, and plotting 
 instruments, very much as he left them. Here, 
 no doubt, he wrote his dialogues on the Ptole- 
 maic and Copernican systems for which he was 
 summoned to Rome, his book ordered to be 
 burned, and he was sentenced to be imprisoned, 
 in order to make recantation of his errors, and by 
 way of penance, to recite once a week the seven 
 penitential psalms. To regain his liberty, he 
 was forced by inquisitorial authority on his 
 knees to say, "I abjure, curse, and detest the 
 heresy that the earth moves round the sun, and 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 201 
 
 swear that for the future I will never say or as- 
 sert anything which can raise a similar suspicion 
 against me." Rising from his knees, he is said 
 to have whispered to a friend, "It moves for all 
 that." Regaining his liberty, he returned to 
 this house where he continued his observations, 
 till he became blind from intense application, 
 and here he died in 1642, at the age of seventy- 
 eight years, having greatly enriched the world 
 by his productions. His " Mathematical Dis- 
 courses and Demonstrations," his "Treatise on 
 the Mundane Sphere," and many other works, 
 are still studied by the scholar and thinker. 
 Truth is sure to endure ; error is certain to fail. 
 Galileo's name to-day is the synonyme through- 
 out the civilized world of genius, investigator, 
 revealer of scientific truth and lover of humanity. 
 His remains are entombed in Santa Croce, the 
 Westminster Abbey of his adopted city. 
 
 Angelo, Dante, Savonarola, and Galileo, were 
 all Protestants and republicans. This is a sig- 
 nificant fact, when we consider the epochs in 
 which they lived. While Florence enjoyed true 
 freedom, she continued to flourish ; but as she 
 lost her liberty in the sixteenth century, blight 
 came upon her, and great men ceased to be born 
 to her. Then priestcraft multiplied its power, 
 all the while sapping her very vitals. Thus she 
 
202 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 was languishing, till the present century, when 
 Cavour and Garibaldi were raised up, it would 
 seem, on purpose to rescue Italy from utter 
 ruin and redeem her perishing cities. These 
 heroes so roused the people that they wrenched 
 the iron grasp of priestcraft from the land, and 
 virtually restored a democratic form of govern- 
 ment. Then it was, Florence took a new start, 
 becoming for years the capital of Italy. Pros- 
 perity smiled anew upon the city ; her arts were 
 revived ; her natural and artificial advantages 
 were so improved as to become most attractive 
 to seekers after art and beauty. Her galleries 
 and museums were rearranged and enlarged ; 
 her Uffizi and Pitti became the galleries of 
 Europe ; and Florence was acknowledged the 
 art city of the world. 
 
 We cannot say much in favor of the buildings 
 containing these works. The halls and rooms 
 are not equal to the demands ; they come far 
 short of doing justice to the paintings and sculp- 
 tures. However, the piazza of the Uffizi looks 
 very imposing, adorned with its numerous statues 
 01 distinguished Tuscans ; among them we find 
 Cosmo and Lorenzo de Medici, for statesmen ; 
 Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Machiavelli, Guic- 
 ciardini, for men of letters ; Giotto, Orcagna, 
 Nicholas, Angclo, Leonardo da Vinci, Cellini, 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 203 
 
 Donatello, for artists ; and Galileo as the 
 astronomer. Its works within are considered 
 the most choice and varied of any gallery. 
 Entering the Tribune, and as we look at the 
 marbles and then at the pictures, we are ready 
 to say, unsurpassed. Here is the Venus de 
 Medici which Lord Byron said, " enchants the 
 world." This is certainly true, if it is the sen- 
 sual eye alone that is to be enchanted ; for 
 nothing of human shape was ever conceived 
 more lovely than that sainted face, the placid 
 forehead, the delicately refined nose, the serious 
 mouth all ready to break into a smile, the deli- 
 cate hand, the graceful arm, the yielding lines 
 and touching beauties of the whole figure. Yes, 
 there she stands in the attitude of gentle alarm 
 and perfect modesty. A seraph in form cannot 
 be any more beautiful. Surely the mind that 
 conceived such beauty, was working for im- 
 mortality. On the walls above are Raphael's 
 11 Madonna del Pozzo," " St. John in the Des- 
 ert " ; Titian's " Venus " ; Leonardo da Vinci's 
 " Adoration of the kings " : Rubens' " Hercu- 
 les between Vice and Virtue " ; and some 
 twenty other pictures of the old masters. Of 
 all the many rooms in the gallery, this is 
 the one where the cultured in aesthetic art are 
 certain to linger. Here such must catch new 
 
204 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 inspiration and thoughts of the beautiful and 
 the spiritual. 
 
 The Pitti Gallery is very rich and extensive, 
 containing many of the best works of Angelo, 
 Titian, Salvator Rosa, Andrea del Sarto, 
 Murillo, Rubens, and Raphael's celebrated 
 "Madonna della Seggiola." The last one is 
 sufficient to render the gallery famous. This 
 is the sweetest of all the great artist's Madon- 
 nas ; it is the expression of unsophisticated 
 nature ; as you look at it, life fresh from the 
 divine hand seems to speak of purity, vir- 
 tue, grace, innocence, spiritual charms. It is 
 worthy to be greatly admired and extensively 
 copied, and its beauty and influence scattered 
 to the uttermost parts of the earth. It is a 
 prophecy, a poem, a revelation from the All- 
 Perfect to help perfect man. So it is not in 
 vain that artists have labored. Theirs is a 
 high calling, as well as that of apostle, or 
 philosopher. 
 
 No doubt, these galleries have had not a 
 little to do in moulding the habits and charac- 
 ters of the people of Florence, who exhibit 
 refinement of manner and language which are 
 manifest in all ranks. In fact they are deeply 
 interested from the highest to the lowest in the 
 fine arts, and lend their influence in every 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 205 
 
 way to promote them, requiring their elements 
 to be taught in their schools. Art and mental 
 culture are not antagonistic, but cooperative. 
 This truth should be felt and put into general 
 practice. It ought to be emphasized in our 
 own land. It is true we have done something 
 in the way of laying out parks, cultivating 
 gardens, beautifying cemeteries, building fine 
 houses, and decorating hall and church. 
 
 It is said that Michael An^relo once visited 
 Raphael's studio in his absence, and under one 
 of his early and modest efforts, drew a heavy 
 line, writing, "Amplius." Raphael on his re- 
 turn recognized that to be the criticism of An- 
 gelo, and he felt it was just ; he took courage 
 and pressed on till he became master of his call- 
 ing. So we, Americans, have done enough in 
 the line of art to give us courage to press on, 
 and at no distant day we may feel assured that 
 we shall have an American school of art, not in- 
 ferior to the best on the other side of the Atlan- 
 tic. Already we have sculptors, painters, and 
 architects, whose names Ave can speak with 
 satisfaction. Our Powers, Rogers, Story, Hos- 
 mer, as sculptors ; Bierstadt, Browm, and Coop- 
 er, as painters ; and others, are doing honor to 
 our country by their works. They will bear 
 favorable comparison with the artists of any 
 
206 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 other land. But have we appreciated them as 
 we should? Are we cultivating the aesthetic 
 natures of the young in our schools as we 
 ought? Beauty has value, as well as the dollar. 
 Ideality should not be weighed down by ava- 
 rice. True culture will bless our rising gen- 
 erations more than mere bank stock or railroad 
 shares. 
 
 There are many public out-door places of in- 
 terest in Florence. The Boboli Garde sis, named 
 from a family that once lived in the vicinity, are 
 considerably diversified as to surface, and are 
 cut up into walks and drives ornamented with 
 arbors of flowers, fountains, and statuary, so as 
 to be very inviting to lovers of the beautiful. 
 Joining these is the Botanic Garden which is 
 famous for its rare plants. 
 
 The Cascine Park is the resort for those who 
 would make a display of equestrian and fashion- 
 able equipages. It is the St. Cloud, or Hyde 
 Park, of Florence. Here the people spend 
 much time in driving and promenading. They 
 hold fine horses and elegant carriages, as well 
 as silk dresses and broadcloth coats, in high 
 estimation. The laboring classes, as a rule, are 
 industrious. Hands are usually busy, whether 
 cutting the marble, setting mosaics, spinning 
 silk, trimming vines, spading the garden, or 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 207 
 
 sweeping the streets. They are obliged to be 
 active in order to gain the necessaries of life, 
 for living is dear, and taxes exorbitant. Since 
 the capital was transferred to Rome, the city 
 financially has been severely depressed. The 
 change in a monetary sense was a great mis- 
 fortune to Florence, though a good fortune to 
 Rome. However, in a moral aspect, it may be 
 right the reverse, as has often been the case 
 with individuals, cities, and nations. 
 
 Just outside of the city wall on the east is a 
 little acre of ground which cannot be easily for- 
 gotten by Americans and Englishmen ; it is the 
 English Cemetery. Now it is thickly sown with 
 graves ; many of them being the final resting- 
 place of those who sought Florence for the sake 
 of art, or health. The stones bear record of 
 many familiar towns and cities in our own coun- 
 try. Here is the grave of Theodore Parker. 
 It is marked by a plain marble slab with the in- 
 scription, "Theodore Parker, born at Lexing- 
 ton, Massachusetts, United States of America, 
 August 24th, 1810. Died at Florence, May 
 10th, 1860." Though we may not accept Mr. 
 Parker's theology in full, still we can but 
 cherish deep feelings of respect for one who 
 made himself a distinguished scholar, and 
 proved himself a true philanthropist. 
 
208 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Another grave which must be very dear to 
 every lover of poetry, is that of Mrs. Elizabeth 
 Barrett Browning, who with the heart of woman, 
 united the learning of the scholar to the genius 
 of the poet. Over her grave is a monumental 
 urn having upon one side her full-sized profile, 
 and on the other, unstrung harps of exquisite de- 
 signs. She passed on into the "beautiful light," 
 beloved and lamented. 
 
 Another green mound that must seem pecul- 
 iarly clear to every American, is that one con- 
 taining the mortal remains of Hiram Powers. 
 He was born in America, and was always a true 
 American, though he lived and worked many 
 years in a foreign land. He really possessed a 
 genius of a high order. This early began to 
 express itself, even while he was a boy among 
 the green hills of his native Vermont. But his 
 Avas a genius directed by moral power ; so that 
 while he lived, it kept blossoming into higher 
 and higher conditions. All who have looked 
 upon his " Greek Slave," or his " Christ," must 
 feel that heaven bestowed upon him special 
 gifts. His art expresses more than the sensu- 
 ous. His marbles seem to be the embodiment 
 of living souls ; at least, they speak of the 
 spiritual. So his works are destined to live. 
 Whether his "Eve," "United States," "Wash- 
 
FLORENCE, THE ART CITY. 209 
 
 ington," " California," " La Penserosa," and 
 many others, grace hall or square, they are 
 certain to impart a benign influence ; they will 
 always breathe of high possibilities to faithful 
 and aspiring souls. 
 
 In 1805 Hiram Powers came into this world 
 amidst poverty and difficulties, but by his own 
 efforts and the help of God he made life a grand 
 success. In Cincinnati where he toiled in the 
 museum ; in Washington where he moulded 
 clay so successfully ; and in Florence where he 
 created his models and gave the final touches to 
 his statues, he will still be known as one faith- 
 ful to God and man. Florence is sdad to claim 
 him as her inhabitant, and America is rejoiced 
 to own him as her son. If his ashes shall 
 serve to nourish and render more beautiful the 
 grass and flowers of a foreign land, his life will 
 continue to feed and beautify countless souls of 
 his own beloved America, proving that man, 
 noble and exalted, — that epitome of creation, 
 that mind subject to the laws of the universe, 
 that vegetable which connot live without air, 
 light, and water, that animal born to be nour- 
 ished like other mammalia, that microcosm 
 whose crown is arched like the vault of heaven 
 and whose eye kindles brighter than the stars, 
 that being little lower than the seraphs and 
 
210 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 above all other mortals, — cannot die, but as 
 poet, musician, artist, philosopher, scholar, or 
 faithful servant of the Most High, is sure to 
 live in the hearts of men and angels. 
 
H '■ "I! 
 
VIII. 
 
 MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 
 
 TN nearly the same latitude as Boston and 
 some live thousand miles to the eastward 
 is situated the Eternal City. It stands in the 
 centre of undulating prairie lands, spreading 
 out in all directions. Far away to the north 
 are the Etrurian Hills and Sabine Mountains ; 
 to the east, the Apennines : to the south, the 
 Alban Hills ; and to the west, the Mediterranean 
 Sea. These lands are somewhat diversified with 
 swelling downs and woodless ravines, with grassy 
 plats and miry bogs, with crooked streams and 
 sandy knolls, with ancient ruins and scattered 
 buildings. 
 
 The mountains vary from one thousand to 
 five thousand feet in height. Their summits 
 are bald and white ; their sides are green with 
 grass, or spotted with pine, chestnut, olive, or 
 mulberry trees. At their bases are situated 
 several villages of historical note. In some of 
 these there are costly villas and elegant works 
 of art. But the Campagna generally, is un- 
 
212 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 cultivated and desolate. It is singular, it should 
 be so, for the soil is rich and arable ; still re- 
 port and superstition affirm, it is unhealthy and 
 poisoned with malaria. No doubt, the hand of 
 industry and fortitude could chauge these waste 
 places into innoxious and fruitful fields. Were 
 it possible, I imagine American enterprise would 
 delight to make the experiment, and I am sure, 
 it would prove a success ; so that no longer 
 would it be poor pasturage for flocks of goats, 
 and herds of white oxen, but would smile with 
 fields of wheat and clover. 
 
 The city is supplied with water from the 
 Alban Lake some twelve miles distant, and is 
 carried in a stone aqueduct resting on heavy 
 piers, and so adjusted as to have a gradual 
 descent from the lake to the city. It presents 
 a grand appearance stretching across the wide 
 plain. 
 
 The river Tiber plays an important $tfirt, as 
 it coils its way through the upper portion of 
 the Campagna. Though song and story have 
 clothed this river with fascinating charms, yet 
 the real is almost certain to detract somewhat 
 from the ideal. It resembles a good- sized brook 
 in our land just after a heavy shower, wash- 
 ing in sand, mud, and clay, enough to make 
 its waters thick and yellow with sediment. Xo 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 213 
 
 wonder Virgil christened it Flavus Tibiris. No 
 doubt, it was once larger than now. In ancient 
 times it may have been navigable as far up as 
 Rome for ships of great burdens, but it is cer- 
 tain, its waters are not now sufficient to float the 
 smallest crafts from the sea. 
 
 Under the aqueous formation of these plains 
 are found large quarries of travertine stone, 
 which is extensively used for building purposes. 
 It would seem, this stone must have been formed 
 by submarine igneous agencies. The indica- 
 tions are, this whole region was once active 
 with volcanoes, for many extinct craters are to 
 be seen, and lava is cropping out on every 
 hand, bearing ample testimony of great volcanic 
 revolutions. 
 
 The climate of Rome is not subject to such 
 extreme changes, as that of our own laud in the 
 same latitude. In the hottest days the mercury 
 seldom rises above 90°. Fahrenheit, or in the cold- 
 est weather, falls so low as the freezing point. 
 In the winter months there are occasionally flur- 
 ries of snow. During the cold season they have 
 a great deal of fog, but not so much and so thick 
 as in London, but vastly more than we have in 
 America. As much clothing is required there, 
 as here for comfort. Not in the future as in 
 the past, will this city be a resort for those 
 
214 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 afflicted with chronic and lunsr diseases. Its 
 cemetery for strangers bears a sad record of 
 many who have sought it, hoping to find relief 
 and health. Some disorders, however, which 
 are destructive here, are harmless there. This 
 is true of croup, scarletina, and measles ; yet 
 fevers waste there, as never here ; so what is 
 gained in some respects, is lost in others. Thus 
 it is, when we strike the balance, we usually 
 find the common blessings of life equally dis- 
 tributed. 
 
 In the centre of the Campagna once stood 
 pagan Rome, now stands papal Rome. How 
 significant these names ! How they touch the 
 mind with early memories ! W r e can but recall 
 those school-days, when with difficulty we read 
 how Romulus founded the ancient city, and 
 Remus lost his life while deriding its insis:- 
 nificance. In fancy we see them while boys 
 nourished by a wolf. We behold earlier, JEneas 
 aud his companions landing at the mouth of the 
 Tiber, fugitives from Troy, sending an embassy 
 to King Latinus. Afterwards, when war broke 
 out between the Trojans and the Romans, we 
 see iEneas sailing up the Tiber to strike a truce 
 with Evander, the Arcadian king, that he might 
 gain his friendship ; but in spite of his best en- 
 deavors the war raged, the contending armies 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 215 
 
 grew furious, and in the heat of battle, we 
 behold Tiirnus, the king of the Rutulians and 
 the Trojan hero fiercely contending for the 
 hand of Lavinia. 
 
 I realize these are but fables, still memory 
 has such a hold upon them that historical criti- 
 cism, however severe and just, will never be 
 able to efface them altogether. These have 
 clothed the seven hills with exciting romance 
 and lasting associations. But so Ions: as stone 
 and brick and hills shall last, so long will pagan 
 Rome live. However, at the present, the 
 modern city claims our attention. 
 
 This is not so old as some towns in our own 
 country. It is surrounded by a Avail fourteen 
 miles in length, and fifty feet high on the out- 
 side. It is made of brick and stone and crested 
 with three hundred towers. The walls enclose 
 the new and the site of the old city, and are 
 penetrated by thirteen gates. Entering within 
 the walls, we find the new city is situated to the 
 north of the ancient in what was the Campus 
 Martius, lying between the Tiber on the north, 
 the Pincian hill on the east, the Capitoline on 
 the south, and the Janiculum on the west. 
 The Tiber runs through the northern and west- 
 ern portions. The city is about a mile and a 
 half in length and a mile in width ; of course 
 
216 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 the distance between the walls is greater. The 
 first introduction to Rome is quite likely to 
 shock the stranger's imagination, inflamed by 
 poetical and historical descriptions. He is sur- 
 prised to find modern Rome so unlike the city 
 of the Caesars. In one respect only is the new 
 like the old ; it is built of the same kind of stone. 
 Though cherished fancies meet with such 
 disappointment, yet there is something about 
 the present city which does attract and fasci- 
 nate. There are two things within its limits, 
 the one ancient, and the other modern, — the 
 ruins of the Colosseum, and St. Peter's, — the 
 sight of which will compensate one for the 
 trouble and expense of crossing the deep seas. 
 Like the pyramids on the Nile, they are un- 
 matched, each the grandest work of its kind, — 
 the Colosseum, a wonder of vastness ; St. Pe- 
 ter's, a marvel of harmonies. The buildings 
 of Rome are usually tall, huddled together, and 
 ugly in their general appearance, constructed of 
 brick and stone, but mostly of the dull yellow 
 travertine. The houses are from two to six 
 stories high. Some of these are spacious and 
 elegant, containing private galleries of the finest 
 paintings and sculptures, having spacious vesti- 
 bules and court-yards adorned with marbles, 
 flowers, and spicy trees. 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 217 
 
 The streets are narrow and crooked. The 
 Corso which is the main one, is barely wide 
 enough for two carriages to pass abreast. The 
 ground story of the buildings fronting the 
 streets, is usually divided up into little rooms 
 for stores, shops and nurseries. It is no un- 
 common thin^ for the man of business to have 
 his whole family close about him. Such a store, 
 or room, is rather a stirring place, especially 
 when the children are manipulating their heads. 
 
 The city has greatly improved since it became 
 the capital of Italy. The beggars, priests, and 
 swaddled babies, are not so numerous on the 
 streets. More good horses and carriages are to 
 be seen than formerly; still, almost everything 
 except the fine arts, borders on the old style. 
 The distaff is yet in use, and weaving is exe- 
 cuted on small wooden looms, some of which 
 have not got the length of the hV-shuttle. It 
 seems hardly possible that the pretty Roman 
 scarfs should be manufactured on such rude 
 machines. Even the sculptures, pictures, 
 mosaics, and cameos, are all produced in humble 
 apartments ; so the works of taste make no dis- 
 play in Rome. 
 
 The five bridges across the Tiber present no 
 particular attraction outside of the associations 
 connected with them. 
 
218 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 The external appearance of the three hun- 
 dred and seventy churches is not prepossessing. 
 Many of them are unpleasantly situated and ugly 
 shaped without, but within, are exquisitely beau- 
 tiful ; yet the finest of these are of little account 
 after visiting the church of Eome, yes, the 
 church of the world. 
 
 The eleven Egyptian columns of red granite 
 adorning different quarters of the city, add 
 greatly to its attractions ; and then the foun- 
 tains, too, of elaborate workmanship, and sup- 
 plied with an abundance of pure water, are 
 inviting blessings. 
 
 St. Peter's stands in the extreme northwestern 
 part of the city, placed there, it is said, to com- 
 memorate the supposed burial spot of the apos- 
 tle Peter. Its site is mi favorable, being too 
 low and too much confined. It was commenced 
 in the sixteenth century, and is not yet com- 
 pleted. It has cost already more than seventy 
 millions of dollars. Raphael and Michael An- 
 gelo, the two greatest artists, were its principal 
 architects. Its design and plan are mostly due 
 to Angelo. On approaching it in front, one 
 has the feeling of vastness. The portico with 
 its numerous pillars, the Egyptian pyramid, the 
 fountains on either side, the massive statues of 
 St. Paul and St. Peter, and the grand entrance, 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 219 
 
 all seem to excite great expectations. Stepping 
 within the vestibule, lo, how magnificent ! The 
 marble columns and bronze doors are just where 
 and what they should be. Passing within the 
 church, and w T hat vastness, beauty, richness, and 
 harmony, reach the eye ! One must feel here 
 is a work approaching the perfect, the divine ! 
 The vast marble floors, the lofty pilasters of 
 variegated marbles, the colossal statues, the su- 
 perb mosaic pictures upon wall and ceiling, the 
 high altar with its hundred burning lamps, the 
 crypt below it with the most beautiful statue of 
 Pope Clement XVI., marking the place where 
 according to tradition, repose the remains of St. 
 Peter, are all significant. The magnificent pic- 
 tures in mosaic, looking precisely like oil paint- 
 ings, are the best specimens of the art in the 
 world. More than twenty years have been re- 
 quired to produce some of them, each costing, 
 perhaps, more than twenty thousand dollars. 
 The sleeping and waking lions in marble by 
 Canova, are true to life. The proportions and 
 harmonies of this church are such that one can 
 scarcely realize its majestic size, as he walks 
 through the nave. It seems hardly possible that 
 it is more than six hundred feet in length, and 
 nearly three hundred feet in width, and two hun- 
 dred and fifty feet high under the rotunda. It 
 
220 
 
 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAYEL. 
 
 would naturally be fancied that in such a church, 
 there would be something of the gloom and dim 
 religious light of the Gothic cathedrals ; but in St. 
 Peter's, there is nothing of the kind ; the light 
 comes in from its lofty windows just right. 
 Really, it is the brightest, cleanest, lightest, and 
 largest church in the world : it is unfortunate 
 there should be one work of art in it, which mars 
 instead of adding to the beauty of the place. 
 I refer to the statue which is said to be that of 
 St. Peter, but which, no doubt, was of pagan 
 origin, and made in honor of Jupiter, or some 
 other polytheistic deity. The Catholics from 
 the pope down to the meanest beggar, as they 
 pass it, fail not to kiss its great toe. 
 
 In ascending to the top of St. Peter's, one is 
 sure to learn before he reaches the dome, or 
 climbs into the bronze ball capable of holding 
 sixteen men, which appears from the ground not 
 to be more than a foot in diameter, that it is a 
 lofty and massive structure. From its summit 
 can be enjoyed an extended prospect of the 
 whole city and the surrounding country. 
 
 Joining St. Peter's is the palace of Leo XIII. , 
 known as the Vatican. This and the Museum 
 at the Capitol contain the chief art-treasures of 
 Eome. In the Vatican there is a wilderness of 
 ancient statuary, sculptures, and antiquities. It 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 221 
 
 is the greatest wonder whence they all came. 
 Room after room, and corridor after corridor, 
 are crowded with marvellous works of art. 
 Here is the Apollo Belvidere so strkingly 
 beautiful; and here also is the original Laocoon 
 so expressive of the wildest consternation. 
 Among the pictures, the most celebrated are 
 "The Transfiguration " and " The Madonna de 
 Foligno," by Raphael ; "The Last Co nmuiiion 
 of St. Jerome," by Domenichino ; the frescos 
 of Raphael in the Stanza, portraying Roman 
 and Grecian history ; and " The Last Judg- 
 ment " in the Sistine Chapel by Michael Angelo, 
 which occupies the whole of one end of the 
 chapel. However much we may criticise the 
 ideal of the picture, after studying it carefully, 
 we cannot doubt that its conception and execu- 
 tion required eight long years of the closest ap- 
 plication on the part of its most gifted author. 
 It would require volumes to describe all the art- 
 treasures in the Vatican. 
 
 In the Museum at the Capitol are " The Dying 
 Gladiator" and a statue of Venus, which de- 
 serve to be counted among the great master- 
 pieces in marble. 
 
 The success of the fine arts in Rome to-day is 
 due to foreigners. Hundreds are there earnestly 
 engaged in cutting the stone, and painting the 
 
222 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 canvas. Some of their works compare favora- 
 bly with those of the old masters. Several of 
 our American artists rank among the best. 
 Though they work in a distant land, yet the re- 
 sult of their toil returns to adorn our galleries, 
 halls, and public squares. Though they are 
 abroad, still they are true to our country. They 
 are so conditioned, they can appreciate our Re- 
 public, and with delight do labor to perpetuate 
 its glory. The present promises that in the fu- 
 ture, America shall be crowned with the richest 
 treasures of painting and statuary. 
 
 The government of Rome was that of a pre- 
 tended theocracy. It declared itself not human 
 but divine, ruled by God in the person of Pio 
 Nono. He feigned to have dominion over the 
 temporal and spiritual, ruling bodies and minds. 
 He admitted no one into his administration, un- 
 less he had been consecrated a priest. No one 
 could become a member of the state, unless he 
 had first become a member of the church. No 
 one could truly own any property or his own 
 life, unless he was in Catholic communion. The 
 pope declared himself infallible, and his author- 
 ity divine. 
 
 But a great change has come over the city 
 and the papal realms, since Rome became the 
 capital of Italy, and the king took up his abode 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 223 
 
 here. Church and state are no longer ruled by 
 the same head. The government is quite lib- 
 eral, and rapidly tending towards republican- 
 ism. Victor Emanuel was a fortunate ruler for 
 Italy ; and his son, Humbert, the present king 
 and his queen Margaret, are highly esteemed, 
 and, no doubt, are doing their very best for 
 their beloved Italy. They have caused striking 
 improvements to be made in Rome. It is a 
 clean city now compared with what it was (en 
 years ago. Filth and beggary which were 
 formerly so common, have been removed to a 
 large extent, and the city is wearing the appear- 
 ance of thrift, as it has not for many years past. 
 Were the country not so embarrassed by debt 
 and poverty, it is evident, the king would do 
 much more in the way of improvements than it 
 is possible for him to do at present. 
 
 The pope and his cardinals constitute rather 
 an august-looking body. Leo XIII. would 
 be taken to be a very sincere, earnest, and 
 determined man. The cardinals usually have 
 marked physical capacity ; their temperaments 
 are not the most active, still they would be 
 taken to be men of the keenest perception, 
 remarkably adroit in planning, and wonderfully 
 shrewd in executing. 
 
 The state of the church in Rome is flourish- 
 
224 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 ing, if we estimate it by the number of priests 
 and holy orders ; for according to the last 
 census the city had thirty-four cardinals, thirty- 
 six bishops, fourteen hundred and fifty-seven 
 priests, three hundred and sixty-seven semi- 
 narists, twenty-five hundred and sixty-seven 
 monks, twenty-oue hundred and thirty-one 
 nuns, six hundred and sixty male theologians 
 in training, nine hundred and ninety-seven 
 Christian brethren, and others, making some 
 ten thousand belonsrin^ to the ecclesiastical 
 orders. This must be acknowledged a strong 
 priestly force for a city of two hundred thou- 
 sand inhabitants. It is plain to be seen that 
 religion in Rome costs something. The holy 
 orders must be well supported, and of neces- 
 sity, it forces heavy taxation upon the Catholic 
 subjects. They are learning that •• their religion 
 is not the cheap defence of their nation." If 
 Leo XIII. can say, "I am the Church," the 
 Romans are virtually saying, we can no longer 
 support you ; and so they are absenting the in- 
 . selves largely from all church service. Not even 
 at St. Peter's, unless it be on some extraordi- 
 nary occasion, are crowds seen joining in the 
 worship on the Sabbath, or the week-day ; and 
 very seldom it is, that any Roman gentlemen are 
 to be witnessed among the worshippers. They 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 225 
 
 have been so grievously burdened in the past 
 by taxation for the support of priestcraft, they 
 are determined no longer to lend any influence 
 in that direction. If the pope is resolved to 
 build new churches and adorn them with the 
 most costly works of art and precious stones, 
 he must do it without their aid. They feel the 
 people have been beggared altogether too much 
 for the sake of embellishing temples of worship, 
 and supporting multitudes of priests ; and so 
 they are looking upon Catholicism with indiffer- 
 ence, and Protestantism, as a myth. Religion 
 in Rome apparently has lost its former spirit, 
 and its present devotees are clinging mostly to 
 the letter. They reverence pictures and statues 
 of saints ; they agonize over the dead Christ ; 
 they adore the visible Virgin : they bang the 
 picture of Mary on the infant's neck and attach 
 it to the lottery ticket. This seems to be wor- 
 ship in Rome, if one kisses a church door, or a 
 priest's hand, or crosses himself before a cruci- 
 lix, or wears a rosary, or manipulates his beads. 
 Its religion appears to savor more of the lips 
 than of the heart, more of the flesh than of the 
 spirit, more of earth than of heaven. Its whole 
 structure and methods converge to this one end, 
 to give the clergy absolute power over the peo- 
 ple ; but the Romans are no longer disposed to 
 
226 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 submit to the entire control of pope, bishops, 
 and priests. They fully realize under such 
 reisrn, the country has not advanced, and the 
 Italians kept pace with the best civilizations. 
 Their commerce and culture have waned during 
 the recent centuries, and they are fully per- 
 suaded that if they are not relieved from the 
 shackles of priesthood, there is no hope for 
 their beloved Italy. So they rejoice that the 
 temporal power of the pope was supplanted by 
 the rule of Victor Emanuel, and is still held in 
 subjection by the reign of King Humbert. 
 They no longer bend the knee when they come 
 into the presence of the pope ; they no longer 
 go to the confessional box ; they believe in 
 liberty of conscience and freedom of action. 
 So the religious status of Rome is very unlike 
 what it was in the palmy days of Pio Nono. 
 Though Leo XIII. has anathematized Protes- 
 tantism in the city of Rome, nevertheless, it 
 promises more there than ever before. The 
 earth moves and so does the <• Eternal City." 
 It would seem that Cavour's entreaty with 
 reference to his cherished Italy would be ful- 
 filled at no distant day, saying, " Give us a free 
 church in a free state." 
 
 The cause of education in Rome has not re- 
 ceived that attention it should, and this is made 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 227 
 
 evident from the scrivini who may be seen in 
 different parts of the city, sitting behind little 
 tables with pen and paper, ready to do the bid- 
 ding of lover, mourner, or thief, in the way of 
 writing letters. It is necessary, there should be 
 such helps, for not more than half of the popu- 
 lation can read or write. Though there is such 
 ignorance in the city, the church boasts of its 
 numerous colleges, pronouncing them the best 
 in the world. If this were not true, it asks, 
 " why should students come from all the civilized 
 countries to enter them ? " It is a fact, they do 
 have patronage from America, Scotland, Eng- 
 land, France, Germany, and other foreign lands, 
 but their numbers are not large. The course of 
 studies and system of instruction in these insti- 
 tutions, are very loose. They have gained no 
 fame for thorough scholarship. During the last 
 century no standard works on medicine, law, or 
 theology, have been produced by their profes- 
 sors. Had the schools depended upon Rome 
 for text-books, there could have been no com- 
 plaint of too great a multiplicity. Were it not 
 for the name, but few students would be likely 
 to seek an education in Rome. The special ob- 
 ject of the church has been in its educational 
 processes, to teach the common people they 
 know nothing, but the priests, everything. It 
 
228 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 has allowed none but priests, or men in holy or- 
 ders, to give any instruction. Its end of edu- 
 cation has been to make all accept the in- 
 fallibility of the pope, the holiness of the 
 Virgin, and the divinity of the priesthood. 
 But since the temporal power was taken from 
 the pope, the public schools of Rome have 
 changed decidedly for the better. The present 
 king and queen are doing all in their power for 
 them. The great obstacle in the way of gen- 
 eral education in this city, as well as in other 
 parts of Italy, is poverty. A large proportion 
 of the peasantry are unable to do anything for 
 the education of their children. Still the num- 
 ber of pupils in the schools has more than 
 doubled within a few }^ears past, and the pres- 
 ent outlook for universal education in Rome is 
 hopeful. 
 
 Surely Italy moves. In 1848 she struck a 
 blow for liberty and free schools, and Tuscany 
 •and Sardinia took a forward step. In 1859 
 another blow was struck, and chains of tyranny 
 dropped from Lombardy, and shouts of loyal 
 hearts rung out, "Viva Garibaldi." In 1860 
 another blow was struck and the bands of 
 Sicily and Naples were broken, and the shout 
 was renewed by millions more, "Viva Gari- 
 baldi ! " In 1867 another blow was struck and 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT HOME. 229 
 
 tho keystone to the arches of tyranny was 
 loosened. In 1871 the Papal states were ab- 
 sorbed by the Italian states, and Italy's greatest 
 hero is resolved not to rest till Italy is blest 
 with a "free constitution, a free conscience, and 
 free schools." 
 
 But from the modern we turn to the ancient 
 city. Whence the old Romans originated, it 
 can be but vaguely conjectured ; however, it 
 would seem, at the time they settled the old 
 city, they were a rude colony of peasants dwell- 
 ing on the banks of the Tiber. Civilization was 
 a stranger to them ; hardships pressed heavily, 
 and with the greatest difficulty they eked out a 
 living. But somehow self-determination and 
 undaunted courage pushed them on. Even when 
 rent by internal feuds, and badly cut in pieces 
 by Gauls and Carthaginians, they were not dis- 
 heartened but all the more resolved upon be- 
 coming a strong and famous people. At no 
 very distant day they were equal to great emer- 
 gencies ; they conquered Hannibal, Pyrrhus, 
 and Antiochus, aud overthrew Carthage, Epirus, 
 and Greece. They extended from their great 
 city in all directions the grandest roads. They 
 strengthened themselves with vast armies, and 
 marched forth conquering and to conquer, sur- 
 rounding nations, not resting till Rome was 
 
230 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 mistress of the world. At the advent of Chris- 
 tianity, her sceptre ruled from the Clyde of 
 Scotland to the Tropic of Cancer, a distance of 
 two thousand miles, and from the Atlantic to 
 the Euphrates, a distance of three thousand 
 miles. She sat on her seven hills in queenly 
 pomp, calling in treasures from her distant 
 lands to adorn villas, temples, and amphitheatres. 
 Her roads, bridges, arches, Forum, and columns, 
 were the grandest of their kind ever built. 
 Her civilization was being borne to the most 
 distant lands ; her legions were guarding every 
 city, and all the frontiers throughout her vast 
 realm. Rome could then boast of the greatest 
 statesmen, greatest orators, greatest poets, and 
 greatest generals. To be a Roman then was 
 surely an honor. 
 
 But Rome that had endured adversity so 
 triumphantly, was not to endure long the full 
 blaze of prosperity. Xo sooner had she placed 
 her foot upon the neek of Greece than she began 
 to falter and wane. As she took to herself the 
 luxuries and sensual pleasures of Athens and 
 other foreign cities, internal corruptions began 
 to pollute and destroy. Losing self-control, 
 cruel tyrants wrenched away her sceptre, and 
 forced upon her citizens the grossest sensualities 
 and the fiercest cruelties ; soon, half of the 
 
MODERN AND ANCIEJST ROME. 231 
 
 populace became slaves, and another large por- 
 tion were adventurers of every tongue and 
 nationality. Those who had been brave con- 
 querors had degenerated into mere bullies ; 
 they rushed to the arena and the masses rushed 
 after them, glorying in savagery and blood. 
 Gladiators became the heroes ; the emperors 
 became the greatest monsters ; their names be- 
 ginning with Augustus and ending with Otho, 
 savor of blood. No wonder that the "Eternal 
 City" under the reign of Tiberius, Caligula, 
 Claudius, and Nero, should be laid in the dust 
 and become sublime only in its ruins. 
 
 To day the grandest of her antiquities is the 
 Colosseum. This was the central figure of old 
 Rome. It was commenced by Vespasian, con- 
 tinued by Titus, and finished by Domitian. It 
 occupies more than six acres of ground, being 
 elliptical in shape, and five stories in height. 
 When completed its exterior was grand and 
 beautiful, embodying several different orders of 
 architecture. Around and above its arena it 
 had a seating capacity for eighty thousand spec- 
 tators. From the top of its wall one can 
 have a most imposing view of its stupendous 
 grandeur. Its vaultings and sittings have been 
 badly mutilated by the ravages of time and the 
 hand of the despoiler. Here and there vines 
 
232 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 of ivy are hugging the walls, and crevices are 
 thickly scattered over with shells of snails. 
 From the nooks and crannies now and then, 
 hooting owls swoop forth, sounding their re- 
 quiems of wasting greatness. As we view 
 these maiestic ruins, we can but recall the time 
 when it used to be crowded with the sexes of 
 all ages and conditions, gloating upon the most 
 horrid scenes. Men and women were delighted 
 to hear these walls echo with the cry of " Chris- 
 tianos ad leones " : and then to witness ravenous 
 lions pounce from their dungeons into the arena, 
 tearing in pieces and devouring Christian mar- 
 tyrs. Can it be that Titus after having loved 
 Bernice as Antony loved Cleopatra, after hav- 
 ing sacrificed bullocks to the god Apis under 
 the shadow of the pyramids, and after having 
 been pronounced divine and worshipped as a 
 deity in most of the Syrian cities, tore up the 
 gardens where Nero delighted to walk, clad in 
 purple, and shod with azure buskins, with fillets 
 of laurel on his temples and a harp in his hand, 
 and melodious accents flowing from his tongue, 
 and wildest passions germinating in his heart, 
 drained from its centre, and raised this greatest 
 amphitheatre of the world for the sole object 
 of shedding blood ? He dug up treasures from 
 classic fields and brought the costliest spoils 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 233 
 
 from Oriental cities to adorn the mighty work 
 which had been built in three years, a work con- 
 cerning which, as one looks upon it for the first 
 time, he can scarcely refrain from asking, is it 
 possible that this is a production of man? This 
 is the work which required a hundred days for 
 its dedication, and the blood of nine thousand 
 animals to consecrate it. But did this satisfy 
 the ambitious Titus? Nay, verily, his past was 
 filled with remorse, and his future was terrific, 
 and finally, as he was one day walking upon 
 the poisonous Roman Campagna, searching for 
 rest, he fell dead, showing, if a Caesar builds 
 the hugest structures of stone, adorning them 
 with Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian graces, failing 
 to cultivate the graces of his own heart, his 
 monuments left behind, however grand and 
 beautiful, serve only to magnify the wastes and 
 ruins of his own character. 
 
 North and west from the Colosseum, not far 
 off are the greatest of all the Roman triumphal 
 arches, that of Constantine with its inscriptions 
 wonderfully preserved, and that of Titus with 
 its lettering and symbols commemorating the 
 siege and capture of Jerusalem. Under this 
 arch passes the Yia Sacra paved with its polyg- 
 onal slate stones, and wherever exposed, look- 
 ing as though it were a work of yesterday, 
 
234 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 instead of having been built more than two 
 thousand years. A little way on, are the re- 
 mains of the temple of Venus and the Basilica 
 of Constantine. These evidently were once 
 elegant structures. Not far from these is a 
 cluster of antiquities imposing and grand in 
 their ruins. Here was once the Roman Forum, 
 an irregular oblong space, about a third of a 
 mile in length, and half of that distance in 
 width. What associations crowd upon the mind 
 as the eye rests upon this renowned spot ! Once 
 it was the centre and heart of the greatest city 
 of the world ! But now how changed and deso- 
 late ! Now it is occupied only by relics and a 
 few locust-trees. Clustering: around it are the 
 walls of the Basilica of Julia, the three beauti- 
 ful pillars belonging to the temple of Minerva, 
 the frontal portico of the temple of Antoninus 
 and Faustina, the column of Phocas, the arch 
 of Septimius Severus, the three pillars of the 
 temple of Vespasian, inscribed in large letters 
 with ESTITVER, the eight columns bearing 
 testimony of a temple to Saturn, the remains of 
 the temple of Concord commemorating the truce 
 between the plebeians and the patricians, and 
 the rostra of the Forum from which the Roman 
 orators used to address the people. Here An- 
 tony pronounced his oration over the dead body 
 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 235 
 
 of Caesar. Here Cicero delivered his orations 
 against Catiline. Somewhere close by was en- 
 acted the terrible tragedy of Virginia who was 
 put to death by her father to save her from the 
 vile hands of Appius Claudius. In the Forum 
 it was that . Manlius. stood, after he had repelled 
 the Gauls from the arena of the Capitol and 
 saved the city when all seemed lost, wrongfully 
 accused and about to be unjustly condemned. 
 As the judge rose to pronounce the sentence of 
 death, Manlius sprang to his feet, weeping and 
 pointing to the place where duty was done ; the 
 people burst into tears, and the judge was 
 silenced. At length the trial again proceeded, 
 but was once more defeated as the noble man 
 pointed to the place where duty was done ; nor 
 could he be convicted till they removed him out 
 of sight of the Capitol. 
 
 A short distance to the northeast of the 
 Forum is the arch of Septimius Severus under 
 which passed the Clivus Capitolinus Way. To 
 the rear of this arch are the remains of the tem- 
 ple of Concord erected to commemorate the ter- 
 mination of the contest between the patricians 
 and plebeians. A little to the south of this 
 temple is the Mamertine Prison built by Ancus 
 Martius. It is a horrible place. It consists of 
 deep underground dungeons walled up with vast 
 
 V 
 
236 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 blocks of travertine stone. Formerly, there 
 were no steps leading to these depths ; the 
 criminals were dropped into them through holes 
 in the roofs. In the lowest of these dismal 
 places Jugurtha was starved to death ; the ac- 
 complices of Catiline in his great conspiracy 
 were confined and afterwards put to death. 
 Even now, though not so terrible as formerly, 
 it makes one's blood run cold to penetrate its 
 dark recesses. Still farther on in this direction 
 from the Forum, we find a mass of broken col- 
 ums of granite. These are of immense size 
 and finely cut ; they bear record of the Forum 
 and Basilica of Trajan. Here stands his famous 
 column with its innumerable spiral carvings, 
 commemorating his battles and victories. There 
 is a majesty about these Roman works which is 
 nowhere else to be found ; they seem to assimi- 
 late Grecian harmony and Asiatic magnitude ; 
 if they lack the beauty of the Corinthian which 
 took for its model the lovely form of a woman, 
 this column does possess the colossal grandeur 
 of a Titan. 
 
 A short distance to the west is the Pantheon, 
 the best preserved relic of ancient Rome. It is 
 a circular building, made of brick with a beau- 
 tiful portico and dome ; its front has often been 
 pronounced by the best judges faultless. As 
 
 • 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 237 
 
 Rome took from Greece her religion, so she 
 closely copied after her style of temples. The 
 Pantheon is lighted entirely through the dome. 
 In the seventh century it was converted into a 
 Christian church, and in the sixteenth century, 
 the remains of Raphael, the king of painters, 
 were buried in it ; so henceforth it is a conse- 
 crated shrine. The physical is beautiful, but 
 the spiritual is glorious. 
 
 Not far to the south and just above the Forum 
 is the Capitoline hill. On this hill once stood 
 the ancient Roman Capitol and the temple of 
 Jupiter Capitoline. Here the wise Roman 
 senators used to meet and legislate. On its 
 southwest side is the Tarpeian rock whence 
 hosts of the innocent and the guilty were 
 hurled to destruction in the stern, cruel times 
 of the Roman Republic. 
 
 Below this hill to the west runs the Cloaca 
 Maxima, the great sewer of old Rome, and the 
 oldest known work of the kind in the world, 
 dating from the time of Tarquinius Priscus. 
 Strabo said, " It was so immense that the largest 
 load of hay might be driven through it without 
 any difficulty." Near by the Cloaca stands the 
 edifice of Janus Quadrifrons with its four fronts 
 of arches, but its two-faced deity which once 
 crowned the work, has disappeared. Just be- 
 
238 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 low this monument towards the Tiber is the 
 celebrated temple of Vesta. As we look at its 
 columns and study its proportions, we cannot 
 wonder that Horace and other classic scholars 
 should extol its beauty and fairness. But a few 
 feet behind this work flows the yellow Tiber. 
 Certainly it is not so imposing a body of water 
 as its history would imply. Here it was, ac- 
 cording to the legend, that Horatius Codes 
 singly withstood the Etruscan army under 
 King Porsena, until the Romans broke down 
 the bridge from behind, and then he threw 
 himself into the river and escaped. Here it 
 was, too, that Clcelia, a Roman virgin, who was 
 sent with others, as a hostage, sprang into the 
 Tiber and swam safely to Rome. 
 
 A little to the south rising above the river, is 
 the Aventine, the highest and the most noted 
 of the seven hills. It was here, as the sweet 
 singer of Mantua informs us, that King Latinus 
 held his court with iEneas and his companions 
 after the capture of Troy. It was here, also, 
 that Remus stood, while his brother Romulus 
 was stationed on the Palatine to consult the 
 soothsayers who were to decide which of the 
 two should be the founder of the future city. 
 About this hill are to be seen the remains of 
 the famous wall of Servius Tullius. Once it 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 239 
 
 was graced with beautiful temples consecrated 
 to Juno and Diana, but now its summit is 
 crowned with modern churches and convents. 
 
 Between the Aventine and the Colosseum 
 rests in ashes the Palatine. Its sides are 
 steeper and more abrupt than the other hills. 
 Its limits can be measured by a twenty minutes 
 walk, still it contains huge masses of deso- 
 late ruins. This was the most populous part 
 of ancient Rome. Upon it once stood the 
 stately edifices of Catiline, Hortensius, Cicero, 
 and Augustus. Here were the gorgeous pal- 
 aces of bloody Tiberius and Caligula. This 
 was the hill that glistened with the golden 
 palace of Nero, whose splendor and magnifi- 
 cence caused it to be reckoned as one of the 
 wonders of the world. But how fallen is 
 Palatine now ! Its beauty and grandeur have 
 crumbled away, leaving it alone for history to 
 tell of its former splendors. 
 
 To the south of the Palatine is the Coelian. 
 This has only a slight elevation, but quite an 
 extensive area with its sides covered with 
 shade trees. At the time of the foundation 
 of the old city it was called Querqueta, or the 
 city of oaks. It derived its present name from 
 an Etruscan chieftain who controlled it in its 
 pristine days. Tullus Hostilius had his royal 
 
240 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 residence upon it; the temples of Faunus, 
 Bacchus, and Claudius, once adorned it; and 
 now its southeasterly extremity is occupied by 
 the Lateran Church and palace. This church 
 derives its name from the Roman senator, 
 Plautius Lateranus who was put to death by 
 Nero. It is an imposing structure crowned 
 with statues of the apostles and the 'Saviour. 
 In this church the coronation of the popes 
 has taken place for more than fifteen hundred 
 years. 
 
 To the north of the Ccelian is the Esquiline, 
 the largest of the seven hills. Its principal 
 ruins are the baths of Titus, whose frescos on 
 their walls are very perfect, being regarded the 
 best specimens of painting found among the 
 ruins of ancient Rome. A street leads from 
 this hill to the Forum, which is reported to be 
 the one over which Tullia rode, when she drove 
 over the dead body of her father, Servius Tul- 
 lius. It is now occupied by some of the finest 
 buildings of modern Rome, and perhaps the 
 chiefest anion** them is the church of St. Maria 
 Maggiore ; this ranks second only to St. 
 Peter's. 
 
 To the north of the Esquiline is the Viminal. 
 It can scarcely be called a hill, its elevation is 
 so slight. Anions its ruins are the baths of 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 241 
 
 Diocletian. Its surface principally is occupied 
 by recently constructed buildings. 
 
 To the westward of the Viminal is the Quiri- 
 nal, the last of the seven hills. The Sabines 
 held it at the time Romulus dwelt upon the 
 Palatine ; they made it hostile to Rome and a 
 rival with it, till Tatius effected a union between 
 the two divisions, and ever after it was inclosed 
 as one of the Eternal Hills. 
 
 The more these hills are examined, the more 
 wonderful they become. Their history cannot 
 be half told ; still so long as stone and ashes 
 shall last, they will be clothed with immortal 
 memories ! 
 
 To the north of the Quirinal is the Pincian 
 hill, which is the most beautiful part of the 
 modern city, being laid out as a public prom- 
 enade, and tastefully ornamented with flowers 
 and trees. Here were once the gardens of 
 Pompey, and the palace of fabulous cost, be- 
 longing to Lucullus, the epicure, who squan- 
 dered so many fortunes at banqueting. 
 
 Under the shadow of this hill to the west 
 stood the Flaminian Gate. A little to the south 
 of this spot is the church of St. Maria del Po- 
 polo which is believed to mark the place where 
 cruel Nero was buried. Not far to the west is 
 the mausoleum of Augustus, formerly the 
 
242 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 grandest monument of the Campus Martius. In 
 it are the ashes of Augustus, Livia, and Mar- 
 cellus. Virgil refers in tenderest lines to the 
 burial of the young Marcellus in this tomb. In 
 it, too, rest the remains of bloody Tiberius and 
 Caligula. Across the Tiber on the bank, stands 
 another prominent and massive structure, known 
 as the Castle of St. An^elo, which was built for 
 the tomb of Hadrian. Not far to the south 
 rising somewhat abruptly from the Tiber and 
 opposite the Capitol ine, is the Janiculum, a hill 
 whose history is intimately connected with that 
 of ancient Rome. It is the highest ground 
 within the walls of the city. It commands an 
 extensive view of Rome and the whole region 
 around. Prominent among the many buildings 
 upon it, is the church of St. Pietro, marking 
 the spot where tradition says the Apostle Peter 
 was crucified. Another church of particular 
 interest here is that of St. Onofrio, in which 
 lies buried the poet Tasso. Joining it is his 
 studio in which he sat when he composed the 
 poem entitled " Jerusalem." Here are preserved 
 his bust, portrait, chairs, tables, crucifix, auto- 
 graph, and library. Near the church is Tasso's 
 garden with its famous oak under whose shade 
 the poet was wont to sit and gaze with delight 
 upon the marvellous city. His name promises 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 243 
 
 to be fadeless when the present city shall sleep 
 in ashes. The mortal falls to the earth that the 
 immortal may live forever. 
 
 A mile out on the Appian Way towards the 
 south, are the baths of Caracalla ; these constitute 
 a vast pile of ruins. They were built on a scale 
 of grandeur and elegance. They are eight fur- 
 longs in circumference, and were sufficient to 
 accommodate two thousand bathers at the same 
 time. In addition to the bathing-rooms there 
 were others devoted to games, amusements, and 
 instruction. Here philosophers taught, and 
 poets sung. Here were lounges for the idle, 
 and libraries for the learned. Nooks and cor- 
 ners were filled with the finest works of art, and 
 walks were adorned with trees and fountains. 
 
 Not far beyond these baths on the same way 
 are the tombs of the Scipios. Though their 
 burial place is wasted, still their lives keep 
 fresh the history of their valor and virtues, 
 their prudence and generosity. 
 
 Farther on and without the walls are numer- 
 ous objects of antiquity. Conspicuous among 
 them are the sepulchre of Geta and the tomb of 
 Csecilia Metella, and in the distance stretching 
 across the Campagna are arches of the old aque- 
 duct built by Claudius to bring water from the 
 Alban Lake to Rome, 
 
244 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 But the most interesting objects near this 
 road, only a few miles from the city, are the 
 catacombs of St. Calixtus and St. Sebastian. 
 These are evidently memorials of Christianity 
 in its struggles against paganism. They con- 
 sist of deep excavations and winding, under- 
 ground passages. Their full history cannot be 
 deciphered. It is thought by some they were 
 ancient quarries whence the tufa stone was dug 
 for buildings. Afterwards according to Hor- 
 ace, they w T ere used as sepulchres for burying 
 the poor, especially the plebeians. Still later, 
 it is said, they became haunts for brigands. At 
 length, under the reigns of Nero, Domitian, 
 Trajan, Severus, and Diocletian, the Christians 
 of Rome through persecution were driven to 
 take refuge in these desolate crypts in order 
 to enjoy their religious rites. Here they tar- 
 ried for years while the storms of persecution 
 raged against them. Within these recesses on 
 walls and ceilings did they paint the Good 
 Shepherd whose staff always supports thr. ugh 
 the dark valley, and the dove which brought the 
 glad token of the termination of the Deluge. 
 Here they intoned hymns, not to a Roman prae- 
 tor, but to the humble Nazarene Avho was so 
 ignominiously put to death. No wonder when 
 such died, the tenderest epitaphs should be 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 245 
 
 written on their tombs, as, "Arethusa sleeps in 
 God." " Lavinia, sweeter than honey, rests in 
 peace." " Vitellianus rests in the Lord Jesus." 
 It is not strange that the old man, the youth, 
 the tender maiden, with such a faith, as they 
 were dragged hence to the arena, trembled not 
 before the howl of the Asiatic tiger, or the roar 
 of the African lion. While the ravenous beasts 
 were lacerating their palpitating bodies, and 
 Roman hosts were giving thanks to Caesar, 
 believing that a superstition was being destroyed 
 and a heresy was being devoured, it was not 
 dreamed that their blood was nourishing a life 
 which would dethrone kings and overcome bar- 
 barities. What if Tacitus ridiculed the disci- 
 ples of the Nazarene carpenter ! What if 
 Apuleius stigmatized apostles in his apologues 
 and fables ! What if Lucian scorned the senti- 
 ments which dropped from the lips of the " Be- 
 loved Son " ! No longer are the muses invoked 
 that breathed music into the souls of Horace 
 and Virgil, or the gods appealed to, who put 
 courage into the heart of Scipio around the 
 walls of Carthage, or glorying into the soul of 
 Marius as Jugurtha was draped in chains be- 
 
 ~ Do 
 
 fore him ! Those old divinities are dead and 
 the Rome of the Caesars has fallen upon their 
 lifeless bodies ! 
 
246 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 The Forum now is a pasture where goats 
 feed ; the Colosseum stands a petrified sentinel, 
 keeping majestic silence ; the Via Sacra is 
 sunken into an oblivious grave. The pagan has 
 given way to the Christiau. Mortal tents have 
 become pitched on higher ground than was 
 anticipated. A resurrection has come out of 
 the catacombs more beautiful than the fairest 
 Madonna, more attractive than the completest 
 Pantheon, and more majestic than the grandest 
 cathedral. So it is, the All- Wise leads from 
 lower to higher orders ; from polytheism to 
 monotheism ; from the Law to the Gospel. 
 
 On parting with the catacombs so fraught 
 with significance and sublimity, the touching 
 experience of the young student forces itself 
 upon the mind. Prompted by an insatiable 
 desire to seek and know, he entered these 
 dubious, winding passages, led by a guide for 
 the purpose of copying an inscription on a cer- 
 tain stone, hoping that he might be able by care- 
 ful and diligent study to reveal its hidden 
 mysteries. The desired stone was found and 
 long the student labored to transcribe the exact 
 lineaments. The work was so lingering, the 
 guide wearied and felt he could tarry no longer ; 
 so he left the student alone and intent upon his 
 work. Absorbed in his mission he thought not 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT ROME. 247 
 
 of being alone. At length, accidentally his taper 
 dropped into the dust, and lo ! he was enveloped 
 in the profoundest darkness with no means of 
 renewing his light. Immediately he began to 
 feel his way through the zigzag passages, hoping 
 he should ere long come into the light of day. 
 But his labors seemed to be in vain. Finally, 
 almost overcome with weariness and despon- 
 dency, he fell prostrate, it would appear, to 
 die ; but just then his hand caught a thread 
 placed in the winding maze, and so hand over 
 hand he followed its leading and was safely 
 conducted out of these strange sepulchres into 
 the presence of the living, busy world, that 
 he might still press on in the ways of duty. 
 So it is, the All-Good has dropped in the way 
 of nations and individuals providential threads 
 which the faithful, if cast down, may gather up 
 and follow, and they will be certain to lead 
 above all ruins into the fadeless day and the 
 Eternal City, whose streets will always be 
 crowded with works of angelic art, and whose 
 walls will reflect the paintings of faithful and 
 sainted characters. 
 
IX. 
 
 NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 
 
 STAPLES and its bay once seen live in 
 ■^ ^ memory like a fairy dream, or an en- 
 chanting vision. The Italians say, "The Bay 
 of Naples is a piece of Paradise let fall to the 
 earth." Its fascinating beauties almost justify 
 the statement. 
 
 Sailing into the bay, the island of Capri first 
 greets the eye, rising from the mirror-surface 
 sea like a lofty nymph, reflecting all the day 
 long varying shadows and exquisite beauties. 
 Looking upon it now, one is disposed to ques- 
 tion the statement of mythology saying, "It 
 was once the haunt of the most cruel tyrant." 
 In front, not far off, stands Vesuvius with his 
 crest of smoke waving as a massive plume 
 above the steel helmet of a giant warrior. Soon 
 is discovered a fringe of white towns circling 
 from Posilippo on the west to Sorrento on the 
 east, with Naples in the centre, overtopped by 
 the castle of St. Elmo. The houses seem to 
 rise in quick succession one above another. The 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 249 
 
 hills in the distance are covered with vineyards, 
 olive-trees, and extensive forests. Far off the 
 Apennines shoot up their glistening spires into 
 the sky. Everything is touched with the 
 balmiest air and the softest light. Ships lying 
 at anchor and sundry light crafts scattered 
 about, complete the fascinating picture. 
 
 Though the physical is so attractive, still the 
 deepest interest lies in the historic associations. 
 These excite pagan and Christian memories. 
 They tell us, these lands were once occupied by 
 the refined Greeks who revelled in art and 
 science, music and nature, until they were over- 
 come by the Romans ; then they passed into 
 the hands of a succession of intruders, includ- 
 ing Normans, Swabians, Sicilians, Austrians, 
 French, and Spanish Bourbons. Each has left 
 its peculiar impress, and influence. Accord- 
 ingly, among the people there exists the greatest 
 possible variety of minds, characters, complex- 
 ions, dispositions, and conditions. 
 
 Entering the city one can but be delighted 
 with the broad and beautiful street Chiaia which 
 extends round the coast. Coming from Rome, 
 or other cities of the Sunny Land, it is refresh- 
 ing to travel this roomy highway, tastefully 
 ornamented with works of art and nature. 
 Penetrating into the city the streets become 
 
250 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 nanow and huddled. The houses are built 
 upon the steepest hillsides, tier above tier, till 
 they reach the lofty summit of St. Elmo. The 
 buildings vary in height from one to six and 
 seven stories. The shops, as a rule, are of the 
 simplest construction, consisting of one small 
 room with a wide doorway which is most 
 always open. Here the shopkeepers work, 
 trade, and many of them live. Those unable 
 to secure shops, use the streets for mechanical, 
 mercantile, and domestic purposes. It is sur- 
 prising to realize how much the people here 
 live out-doors. The number in the streets all 
 day long and late into the night is enormous. 
 The last part of each day is quite sure to be 
 devoted to riding, especially upon the Chiaia. 
 The well-to-do are furnished with elegant 
 horses and carriages, while the poor are drawn 
 in gigs and carts by mules and donkeys. All 
 appear to be merry and happy ; particularly is 
 this the case with the lower classes, when fif- 
 teen or twenty of both sexes and all ages, are 
 piled into one vehicle, and bound on a good 
 time. The people exhibit the greatest variety 
 of blood and culture. The majority in form 
 are slim and tall. Man} 7 faces are handsome, 
 others homely ; some are light, and others dark ; 
 some are Grecian, some are Roman, and some 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 251 
 
 are mongrel. The masses believe in little work 
 and much play. Their motto seems to be, late 
 to bed and late to rise, will make us jolly, if 
 not wise They are as impulsive and explosive 
 as the soil on which they dwell. Then all 
 nature serves to fire the imagination and spur 
 the senses to rule over the reason. The tints 
 of the sky, the luxuriance of the soil, the sub- 
 limity of the mountains, and the beauty of the 
 sea, all have combined to mould natures, subtle 
 and volatile, ready to sacrifice future good for 
 present enjoyment. The Neapolitans count 
 largely upon the climate and natural produc- 
 tions for their support. They believe strongly 
 in partnership ; for two unite to black a pair of 
 boots ; three or four, to wait upon one from a 
 carriage ; and a whole crew, to lift a trunk from 
 an omnibus. 
 
 The chief manufactures are kid gloves, 
 shoes, coral jewelry, lava trinkets, and mac- 
 aroni. Though there is such a tendency to 
 mutual aid, still the people do not look upon 
 each other as honest and trustworthy. This is 
 made evident by the way milk is distributed 
 through their city. The goats and cows are 
 driven from door to door, and the purchasers 
 watch while the desired quantity is milked. 
 Certainly this is practical, and should the cus- 
 
252 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 torn be adopted in some other countries and 
 cities, the people would be served to less water, 
 and more cream. 
 
 In this city of six hundred thousand inhabi- 
 tants, there are many church edifices, but ap- 
 parently little true religion. Priests are plenty 
 but true worshippers are few. However, the 
 condition of things has changed wonderfully 
 since the last Bourbon ruler was expelled from 
 this country, and it was united to Italy under 
 the reis:n of Victor Emanuel. Since that change 
 happy advances have been made in religious and 
 educational movements. Monasteries have been 
 suppressed and Protestant schools have been 
 opened in which hundreds of children from 
 Catholic families are bein£f educated. Some of 
 these children are very precocious and promis- 
 ing. This was signally illustrated not long 
 ago by a class of boys under fourteen years of 
 age, who had been reading twice a day for a 
 term of three months in Matthew's Gospel. 
 These boys had been in school less than two 
 years, and yet they were able to read finely 
 any part of Matthew and John's Gospels, and 
 some half a dozen of the class could recite from 
 memory any passage or portion of Matthew. 
 Could these bright boys become thoroughly 
 educated, and then go forth as teachers in the 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 253 
 
 land, what a power they would become to 
 redeem and save their nation ! 
 
 Though great improvements are being made 
 here, nevertheless, ignorance and poverty have 
 a strong hold. Scarcely anything is more com- 
 mon than to see old men with spectacles on, 
 sitting at the corners of the streets and in public 
 places, behind tables with pen and paper at 
 hand, following the vocation of letter- writing. 
 By their side may often be seen boys and girls, 
 men and women f dictating some message of 
 joy or sorrow, love or spite. The lower strata 
 of society are so densely populated, there can 
 be no hope of their speedy amelioration. If 
 beggary is declining, squalidness is still prev- 
 alent. The poorer classes live almost wholly 
 out of doors summer and winter. They cook 
 m the streets and sleep on the sidewalks. Many 
 are obliged to subsist on nothing better than 
 raw fish and slimy macaroni. But the condi- 
 tion of the higher classes offers a striking con- 
 trast. They live in stately villas and grand 
 blocks, surrounded by courts and gardens filled 
 with orange and lemon trees laden with blos- 
 soms and fruit at the same time. 
 
 But as there are objects of equal, or greater 
 interest outside of the city, it is natural to seek 
 early after these. In the suburbs on the west 
 
254 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 descends from the castle of St. Elmo into the 
 bay, the promontory of Posilippo. On its height 
 stood more than eighteen centuries ago the villa 
 of Mantua's sweet singer. There Virgil lived, 
 while he composed his Eclogues, Georgics, 
 and some of the books of the ^Eneid. Is it 
 strange, that should be a cherished spot to the 
 scholar? Who can count the number of minds 
 that have been blest by the smooth lines drop- 
 ping from the lyre of the great poet, as he lived, 
 loved, and sung, where he enjoyed fairest views 
 of land, sea, and sky? Not far from the site of 
 his home, just at the entrance to the tunnel of 
 Posilippo, is his tomb. Time has erased all in- 
 scriptions, and destructive hands of visitors 
 have plucked up the laurel planted by Petrarch, 
 but the ages have not been able to abrade 
 the name of Virgil from the minds of the edu- 
 cated, proving that he who nobly works, is 
 certain to become immortal in the hearts of hu- 
 manity. 
 
 The tunnel of Posilippo is a wonder, when we 
 consider that it was constructed more than two 
 thousand years ago, and is half a mile in length, 
 extending from Naples to the Bay of Baias. It 
 was thoroughly arched with brick, paved and 
 curiously ventilated, so that there was no incon- 
 venience in travelling through it. We must 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 255 
 
 admit, it was a grand piece of engineering in 
 its day. 
 
 A little way from Posilippo to the west is 
 Puzzuoli, the Puteoli at which Paul landed 
 when on his way to Rome. Here he found 
 friends and tarried seven days. Puteoli was 
 then a commodious city, furnished with magnifi- 
 cent buildings ; but its grandeur and wealth 
 have gone. The ruins of its amphitheatre still 
 remain in which Nero degraded his imperial 
 majesty by fighting with wild beasts to amuse 
 the king of Armenia. In it also, it is said, Janu- 
 arius and his disciples were forced to contend 
 with the fiercest animals, but without injury, 
 before their martyrdom. The cell in which the 
 saint was imprisoned, has been converted into 
 a chapel in his honor. Here is the white stone 
 which turns red, so it is stated, at the instant 
 his preserved blood in Naples is liquidized, 
 which monkish report says, takes place three 
 times a year. 
 
 Not far to the east of Puzzuoli, is Solfatara, 
 a semi-dormant volcano, which Strabo chris- 
 tened, "Forum of Vulcan." Though it has 
 ejected no lava since 1198, still it sends out 
 vapors of sulphuretted hydrogen and muriate of 
 ammouia, roaring with the noise of a thousand 
 active blast furnaces. Not far from Solfatara 
 
256 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 is the Grotto del Cane, known to Pliny as one 
 of ''Charon's breathing holes." This is a cave 
 whose lower portion is filled with carbonic-acid 
 gas, so that a person standing is not injured, 
 but a dosr at his feet soon dies. It was in this 
 vicinity Virgil pictured the descent of ^Eneas 
 to the infernal regions. What could be more 
 natural than for a people believing in mythol- 
 ogy and polytheism, to connect these terrific 
 prodigies with sulphurous under-ground realms, 
 where they believed Pluto reigned to torture 
 wicked souls? 
 
 A short distance to the west is the fabled 
 Avernus where, the legend says, Ulysses made 
 a visit to the Infernal Regions. But instead of 
 its now being gloomy and fearful, it is a gem 
 of a lake bein^ circular and less than half a 
 mile in diameter. Its waters are clear and 
 alive with fish. If its name signifies birdless, 
 the feathered tribes enjoy it now. Xo dense 
 forests gloom its sides, or poisonous vapors rise 
 from its surface, as represented by classic pens. 
 
 The Sibyl's Cave is in an inner recess leading 
 from Avernus on the west. Probably Virgil's 
 Sibyl had her abode in this cavern. A third of a 
 mile from the opening is a lake of tepid water 
 in which, it is supposed, Hannibal sacrificed to 
 Pluto. By the order of Agrippa a tunnel of 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 257 
 
 nearly three thousand feet in length was cut 
 from this cave through a hill to the so-called 
 Elysian Fields, which from their climate and 
 beauty were regarded, as the home of the 
 blessed. Now it is the most desolate region 
 imaginable. No longer does the fabled plain 
 lend enchantment. Its inhabitants are the 
 most beggarly of the peasantry in Southern 
 Italy. Surely, if they dwell in Elysium, none 
 need despair of dwelling in "fairy lands " 
 
 To the west and south of Avernus on the bay 
 of Baia3, once stood a delightful city bearing the 
 name of the bay. This Avas a favorite resort of 
 Horace, Cicero, Lucullus, and Caesar. All that 
 now remain to tell of its former beauty and 
 grandeur, are ruined temples, baths, and tombs. 
 The wonderful bridge which Caligula caused to 
 be built, reaching from Baiae to Puteoli, a dis- 
 tance of two miles, and the grand docks about 
 the city, are gone except a few straggling piers. 
 Now live anions: the ruins most wretched human 
 beings, whose very presence tarnishes the works 
 of art and the beauties of nature. When Baiae 
 was in its zenith, Nero had a palace here, where 
 he was wont to spend his summers. At the 
 time Paul landed at Puteoli, the emperor of 
 Rome was at his summer house. About the 
 same time the apostle sailed into the harbor, 
 
258 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 might have been seen another barge floating into 
 this lovely bay in which was Agrippina, the 
 mother of Nero. The son had invited the 
 mother to visit him at Baire that they might 
 reconcile certain unnatural animosities existing 
 between them. Agrippina gladly accepted the 
 invitation to celebrate with her son the feasts of 
 Minerva, that all discord between them might 
 be done away. Nero met his mother affection- 
 ately at the landing, and tenderly led her un- 
 suspecting to a villa, where she was to take 
 another vessel to cross the arm of the bay to the 
 palace, where she was to be entertained during 
 her visit. The son said " he would fain have 
 her experience this last sail under the light of 
 the stars, because of the vesper charms under 
 these southern skies." So they joyfully, it 
 would seem, tarried together till the day waned 
 and the ni^ht waxed dark. At length the son 
 bid the mother an apparently sweet good-by, 
 and repaired quickly to his palace, terribly 
 w r icked and revengeful. The vessel in which 
 Agrippina was to take passage had been fitted up 
 with great pomp, as for an empress, but care- 
 fully adjusted so that at a given signal, the rocf 
 of the cabin burdened with lead, should drop 
 and crush instantly all underneath. This was 
 Nero's plan of putting an end to the difficulties 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 259 
 
 with his mother without the suspicion of matri- 
 cide. Those in charge of the boat were his 
 sworn abettors. Not Ions: after leaving the 
 wharf, lo ! a crash ! The deck fell killing* a ser- 
 vant, but so lodged as to spare the empress and 
 Acerronia, her companion. The sailors at once 
 cried aloud, " The barge is sinking ! " The 
 women plunged into the water, suspecting death 
 was surely upon them. At the same time the 
 men sprung forward to do Nero's bidding in a 
 more certain way. But Acerronia, the faithful 
 friend, with a woman's intuition and forgetf ill- 
 ness of self, saved her mistress for the time be- 
 ing in sacrificing her own life, by crying, •• Save 
 me, I am Nero's mother ! " She was immedi- 
 ately beaten to death, but Agrippina floated 
 ashore, soon, however, to be put to death. 
 
 As these facts are reviewed by land and sea, 
 we can but feel, Acerronia died a heroine, in- 
 deed, that Agrippina was the unfortunate moth- 
 er of a Caesar, and that Nero proved himself a 
 despicable son and tyrant ! 
 
 Five miles to the east of Naples is Resina on 
 the shore of the bay and at the base of Vesu- 
 vius. In making this distance in a carriage 
 soon after sunrise, one can witness sights, more 
 varied and novel than those of a balloon-fair, or 
 an old-fashioned muster. We saw lazzaroni 
 
260 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 with head upturned and arms extended, sucking 
 down macaroni by the yard ; boys guiding don- 
 keys by the switch, loaded with all kinds of 
 vegetables ; a woman carrying a hogshead on 
 her head ; carts drawn by single oxen : mules 
 and cows yoked together ; butcher's meat laid 
 on the sidewalk for sale ; any quantity of mac- 
 aroni drying in the ditches for foreign markets ; 
 gigs crowded with peasantry in their motley 
 costumes, and old men and children suspended 
 in sacks under the axle-trees, riding to town ; 
 women in the doorways spinning with the 
 distaff; barracks in one building capable of 
 holding at the same time ten thousand soldiers ; 
 the custom-house surrounded by loaded teams 
 waiting for a license to enter the city ; and 
 finally any number of faccini at Resina to wait 
 upon us from the carriage and act as guides to 
 Vesuvius. 
 
 From this point on horseback one can ascend, 
 following a paved road for some two miles ; 
 then it is climbing over huge folds of black 
 porous lava which has flowed down the sides of 
 the mountain from time to time to the distance 
 of seven miles. Really all now from above 
 and below seems fearfully sublime. It is diffi- 
 cult to exasperate Vesuvius. For miles now it 
 is riding over rasped banks cf lava, barren and 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 261 
 
 desolate. After six miles of hard climbing 
 the Heraiitage and Observatory are reached 
 which are situated twenty-two hundred feet 
 above the sea. The professor in charge of 
 the observatories has carefully watched and 
 noted the phenomena of the mountain, until 
 it is now believed, he can tell when there is to 
 be an eruption some days before it will take 
 place. He has observed that previous to an 
 outflow, the water of the bay recedes from the 
 strand, the wells dry up around its base, the 
 earth trembles by spells, and the air is likely to 
 become lurid and oppressive. Science has 
 proved a great blessing to those dwelling about 
 this mountain. These buildings stand upon a 
 portion of land which has remained undisturbed 
 since the destruction of Pompeii and Hercu- 
 laneum. Lava has been poured all round, still 
 it has been spared to smile with oaks, olives, 
 vines, and fio:-trees. It is now connected with 
 Resina bv a carriage-road. From the Hermit- 
 age on for three miles, it is passing over old 
 and new formations of lava. At this extent 
 the cone of the mountain begins to rise very 
 abruptly. Now there is an opportunity to 
 ascend either by rail, or on foot, to the crater. 
 If the decision is in favor of the latter, then it 
 is climbing, scrambling, and wading through 
 
262 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 sand under difficulties to the height of some 
 sixteen hundred feet to the summit which is in 
 altitude more than three thousand feet above 
 the sea. As the rim of the crater is now 
 reached which is circular and a third of a mile 
 in diameter, the sight at once becomes sublimely 
 exciting ! As often, as every minute, a large 
 quantity of molten lava is hurled many hundred 
 feet into the air, and then it soon comes rattling 
 back into the basin of the crater. The scene is 
 truly wild and furious, and yet somehow it 
 does fascinate and hold one spellbound to its 
 awful grandeur ! We gathered up forty va- 
 rieties of lava from the crater. 
 
 The prospect from this height is enchanting. 
 The bay, fringed with its white belt of towns, 
 is lost in beauty, or glorified by distance. On 
 all sides save that looking upon the sea, are 
 mountains rising billowy into the air of every 
 type — conical, abrupt, craggy, verdant, and 
 far off, crested with glistening snow. The 
 only regret the visitor can have on leaving 
 Vesuvius is, that he has not more time to see 
 and admire, and better means afforded for 
 carrying off more and larger specimens from 
 this realm of fiery sublimity. Descending, the 
 eye is delighted with all below and around, 
 and the heart is made glad to Him who created 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 2*33 
 
 the sea, the mountain and sky, so varied and 
 so expressive of All-Wisdom and All-Power. 
 In the seventy-ninth year of the Christian 
 era from the top of Vesuvius a thousand feet 
 in depth were lifted and thrown upon Pompeii 
 situated to the southeast some nine miles dis- 
 tant, and then liquid lava flowed from the crater 
 to the southwest burying Herculaneum deep 
 out of siofht. These overwhelmed cities re- 
 mained for centuries undiscovered. Kesina 
 stands over Herculaneum. The ruins of this 
 city were discovered in 1709 by digging a 
 well. The lava covering it is exceedingly 
 hard and a hundred feet deep. Descending a 
 long flight of stairs cut out of the lava, we 
 come to a Roman open-air theatre. It has 
 been excavated so that all parts of the stage 
 can be seen, — the orchestra, the stand for the 
 crier, and the frescoings on the walls. The 
 lava ran into every crevice and nook, still 
 enough has been removed to show that the 
 theatre Avas immense. Some distance south 
 of this, explorations have been made where 
 the destruction was by showers of ashes and 
 sand. A prison and several other buildings 
 have been unearthed, still for the most part 
 Herculaneum is sealed, as in solid rock. But 
 seven miles from Resina to the eastward, a little 
 
264 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 way from the bay, is Pompeii. This city lay 
 concealed till as late as 1750. It was revealed 
 by an accidental discovery of painted relics. 
 This city was covered with ashes and loose 
 lava which composed the upper portion of 
 Vesuvius. It has been nearly all removed, 
 so that the city and the walls can be seen 
 without any obstruction. The roofs of most 
 of the houses are broken in ; otherwise the 
 city is remarkably well preserved. It can 
 be studied in detail on its own site, or in the 
 museum at Naples. On its site remain the 
 streets, temples, theatres, houses, shops, baths, 
 and tombs. Most that was movable has been 
 transported to the National Museum at Naples. 
 The houses are one and two stories high. The 
 streets are narrow, and the pavements are deeply 
 rutted from the wear of chariot wheels. The 
 buildings were made of brick and faced with 
 stucco. The larger mansions must have been 
 truly magnificent. 
 
 The walls bearing the names of Sallust, Pan- 
 sa, and Diomede, indicate that their residences 
 were elegant. The shops and stores were small, 
 and are to be distinguished by their marble 
 counters and si<ms cut into the front walls. 
 Ovens, corn-mills, wine-vessels, and oil-jars, re- 
 main just as they were last used. The temples 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 2 05 
 
 are of Corinthian style and of very elaborate 
 workmanship. The amphitheatre is almost en- 
 tire, having a capacity sufficient to seat ten 
 thousand spectators at the same time. Over 
 mantels and awnings, there are many exquisite 
 paintings and mosaics, but on the walls of some 
 of their common rooms, are voluptuous pictures 
 which must have been constantly before the 
 eyes of whole families, and which now would 
 be tolerated only in the lowest haunts of profli- 
 gacy. This implies, if the city was a favorite 
 resort for scholars and artists, its people were 
 vitiated and sensual. 
 
 It would seem before Pompeii was buried, 
 there had been warnings of impending dangers 
 sufficient to drive most of the inhabitants from 
 the city ; so that but few lives were destroyed 
 in it ; probably not more than two or three 
 hundred out of a population of ten thousand. 
 The remains of these have been found in such 
 conditions as to show, they were frightened and 
 overcome in an unsuspecting hour. It appears 
 as though these were after treasures in the city ; 
 for in the hands of some were found bairs of 
 gold and precious things. The bodies are well 
 preserved. Rings are upon their fingers and 
 ornaments about their necks. Some of these 
 relics are to be seen in rooms near the crate of 
 
2H6 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 the old city, while others are in the museum at 
 Naples, where now are to be witnessed more of 
 Pompeii than among its roofless walls. On 
 visting that remarkable collection of antiquities, 
 one can but be deeply interested in the numer- 
 ous rolls of charred papyrus which are being 
 unravelled and made legible, so that the history 
 of that people is being revealed. These shriv- 
 elled scrolls serve to bring us near their writers 
 and times ; but certainly they do not strike the 
 mind more vividly than the preserved articles 
 of food ready for the table, — such as baked 
 bread, roasted fowls, cracked nuts, spices, loaf 
 sugar, dates, olives, and various grains. In the 
 culinary department are to be seen, kettles, spi- 
 ders, ladles, graters, moulds and forms for pas- 
 try, representing chickens, pigs, and hearts. 
 Several elaborate cooking stoves have been 
 discovered, furnished with bronze ware, plated 
 inside with silver. The Pompeians cooked 
 their eggs on their breakfast-tables in boilers 
 capacitated to hold twenty-four. These uten- 
 sils are similar in shape to those of modern 
 dates. From the shops have been collected 
 scales and steelyards, evidently nicely adjusted ; 
 compasses, measures of length, liquids, and 
 grains. The measures are in the form of pretty 
 vases ; the weights are busts of gods, emperors, 
 
NAPLES AND ITS BURIED CITIES. 267 
 
 and figures of animals. The lamps and candela- 
 bra are graceful in design and beautiful in fin- 
 ish. In the baths have been found bathing-tubs, 
 mirrors, combs, dressing-cases, musical instru- 
 ments, locks, keys, bells, and door-knobs. From 
 the stables have been gathered harnesses and 
 carriages which must have been airy and beau- 
 tiful. In the workshops have been discovered 
 hatchets, saws, hammers, and garden tools, not 
 inferior to those of the present day. The col- 
 lection of surgical instruments is extensive, 
 throwing much light upon surgery, proving the 
 antiquity of the profession. Some of the in- 
 struments surpass even many of the best in 
 modern practice. The workmanship in jewelry 
 and personal ornaments, is of a high order and 
 not inappropriate for present use. The mosaics 
 and frescos in style have never been surpassed. 
 The statuary in marble and bronze is very 
 choice. Surveying the many figures of every 
 possible design, one can but feel they are true 
 to life and nature. Those taken from the tem- 
 ples and altars, show that their religion was 
 polytheistic. This region must have been to 
 the ancients, what Rome now is to the papist 
 world. Here were their Elysian Fields and their 
 awful A vermis. Is it strange that from these 
 wastes, should come forth at the present time a 
 
263 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 mild form of deism, or pantheism ? The inhab- 
 itants have always believed much in Egypt and 
 Greece. Bat their ancient faith did not s:ive 
 them from sin and destruction. We have little 
 reason to suppose that their modern atheistic 
 views can render them honest and determined 
 for the right. Their recuperation, or reforma- 
 tion, is to come from the west. 
 
 Their present school system has been trans- 
 planted from America. Since Garibaldi trod 
 this soil, moved by the principles of Washing- 
 ton, striking a death-blow to Bourbon tyranny, 
 this whole region has experienced a great awak- 
 ening. Let free education do its perfect work, 
 and Christianity will surely let fall her richest 
 benedictions upon this fair land. Then here 
 nature, art, and the spiritual, will combine to 
 perfect human souls. 
 
 Just outside the walls of Pompeii, close by 
 the main entrance, is a stone sentry-box in 
 which was found, as the city was being un- 
 covered, a petrified sentinel with sword by his 
 side, standing as one faithful to duty in the 
 midst of the most threatening dangers. No 
 other object among the ruins, or sights of that 
 land is so suggestive. It is full of thrilling 
 inspiration. It foretells the sublimest victory. 
 
'",\ :"';';:' ' : V'V 7 
 
X. 
 
 GREECE AND ATHENS. 
 
 /"^ EECIAN soil and seas are rich in natural 
 ^* beauty and classic story. As- we h.ive 
 sailed among the islands south and east of At- 
 tica, we have found them like emerald gems 
 dropped upon the sapphire bosom of the JEgean 
 Sea. Were the legend true that Icarus, the son 
 of Daedalus, being offended at Minos, made 
 wings and feathers of wax for himself and son, 
 so as to escape from Crete, and while soaring 
 too hiidi the sun melted off their winsrs and 
 they fell into the sea, producing these islands, 
 we should say that fall and death were timely 
 and fortunate, yielding such results of beauty 
 and durability. 
 
 Rhodes has told us of her colossal statue 
 which once spanned the entrance to her main 
 harbor, and how the knights of St. John on her 
 soil fought for Christianity. We have seen 
 Selos which rises like a pyramid of purest 
 green, and Syme which looks as though it 
 might have produced Nereus who after Achilles 
 
270 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 was the handsomest man among all the Greeks 
 at the siege of old Troy. We have anchored 
 by Cos, the birthplace of Apelles, the greatest 
 painter of ancient times. We have examined 
 the barren and rocky Patmos which still re- 
 peats its sad tale of the banishment of St. John. 
 Chios has offered us her claims, as beiug the 
 birthplace of Homer, and assured us that Ion, 
 the tragic poet, and Theopompus, the historian, 
 were born upon her soil. Lesbos has smiled 
 upon us and taught us of the sweet singers, 
 Alceus and Sappho, of the Ionians and iEolians, 
 so fond of music and poetry. We have gazed 
 upon Trojan fields made enchanting by the 
 epics of Homer and Virgil. Tenos, Andros, 
 and Syros, have all spoken to us of the past 
 and the present, inspiring the feeling, there is 
 something peculiar and charming about Grecian 
 lands and Grecian character. 
 
 At early morning our steamer is ploughing its 
 way into the Saronic Gulf. The sky is of the 
 clearest ruby ; the air is like crystal ; the glim- 
 mering water is shooting off in every direction 
 the lire and silver of the sunlight. Almost en- 
 circling us in fairest outlines are sharp and lofty 
 peaks painted on the sky. As the steamer 
 approaches the shore, the village of Piraeus 
 and the white-crested Acropolis meet the eye. 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 271 
 
 They do not appear to be more than five miles 
 away, yet they are ten or twenty miles distant. 
 Our steamer winds its course among the islands, 
 and at length whirls into a narrow channel be- 
 tween the island of Salamis and a peninsula of 
 the mainland. Upon the right only a few rods 
 from us, just upon the shore, is a plain marble 
 slab purporting to mark the grave of brave 
 Themistocles. Memory would fain linger here 
 and worship at the shrine of the great warrior. 
 It is pleasant to recall how, wheu a boy, he was 
 full of spirit and fire, — how he spent his hours 
 of leisure and vacation not in idleness, or play, 
 but in composing declamations, — how his mas- 
 ter was wont to say, " Boy, you will be nothing 
 common, or indifferent, you will either be a 
 blessing, or a curse to the community," — how 
 he said, as he became the head of a family, that 
 " He had rather his daughter would marry a man 
 without money than money without a man." 
 
 Upon our left is the island of Salumis, and 
 around it the bay of the same name. Strange 
 deeds now beirin to haunt the mind. We can 
 scarcely conceive how the old Athenians once 
 found security on that island of a few miles in 
 extent, when the Persian hosts invaded their 
 land. As we pass into the roadstead of Piraaus, 
 anchors are dropped, and lo ! we are resting 
 
272 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 where once was moored the vast fleet of Xerxes, 
 waiting for battle. On the shore a little way 
 off rises up some five hundred feet, the grassy 
 mound on which that Persian king sat, ready to 
 rejoice in the defeat of the Greeks and the suc- 
 cess of the Persians. Fancy now pictures that 
 foreign fleet of fifteen hundred galleys crowded 
 with men from more than fifty nations. How 
 striking their armor and costume ! There are 
 Persians clad in tiaras, tunics, and trousers, 
 thicklv set with scales of iron, having in hand 
 glistening spears and daggers ; Assyrians, with 
 helmets and steel-headed clubs ; Scythians, with 
 weapons of iron and stone ; Indians, arrayed 
 in cotton, having bows and arrows of cane ; 
 Ethiopians, with bodies painted, and only half 
 covered with the skins of lions and leopards ; 
 Thracians, attired in bushy fox-skins, and armed 
 with long-bladed spears tipped with poison. 
 
 The morning was fail*, and out from behind 
 the island of Salamis sailed the humble fleet of 
 Themistocles consisting of only five hundred 
 small galleys. The fleets came in contact ; 
 spears flashed ; blades rattled ; and men fell. 
 Xerxes sat on his elevated throne sure of vic- 
 tory. High noon came and the Greeks had 
 held their own. As the sun dipped to the 
 west, Persian ships were sinking, Persian ships 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 273 
 
 were fleeing, and as the stars shone out, Xerxes 
 was a conquered king ; his army was routed and 
 disgraced ; victory was shouted for the Greeks, 
 and Themistocles was crowned with lasting 
 glory. 
 
 Leaving our steamer we are conveyed in 
 small boats to the shore. No sooner are we on 
 land than we are beset with hackmen who sput- 
 ter out the modern Greek so fast, it becomes 
 almost a question whether they can understand 
 themselves. They lay special stress upon 
 drachmas and numerals. They commence bid- 
 ding on a high key and at high rates, but they 
 keep dropping in price, while we keep silent, 
 till we begin to think they will give us some- 
 thing to ride with them to Athens, a distance of 
 five miles; but as one offers to carry ns for a 
 shilling apiece, stepping into his hack we are 
 at once rolling through the streets of Piraeus. 
 This modern village impresses a stranger favor- 
 ably. The place shows signs of considerable 
 enterprise. 
 
 Our hackman does not drive so fast as to 
 make us feel that he is in great haste for his 
 fee. But w r e have no disposition to find fault 
 with the rate of speed. We are crossing the 
 Attic Plain. Everv foot of ground is classic. 
 Upon the right we see now and then remnants 
 
274 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 of the ancient walls which used to extend from 
 Athens to the Saronic Gulf. It is marvellous, 
 how the fingers of Time will pick away solid 
 rock. Soon we are in the midst of autumn 
 fields of grain and grass and groves of olives. 
 As we reach the half-way house which is a sort 
 of tavern, our driver comes to a dead halt, and 
 out rushes a Greek boy with bottle and glass 
 in hand planting himself directly in front of us ; 
 filling a glass with wine he passes it to us, but his 
 dark eye flashes with astonishment, as we refuse 
 to drink. After unnnsr in vain, he turns to the 
 driver, giving him his share and ours too, and 
 then turns back, asking us to foot the bill. As 
 we move on, the wine, or something else, has 
 given renewed force to the whip, and increased 
 velocity to our carraige. 
 
 The marble relics of the Acropolis now 
 appear as though they hung in the air. All 
 conspires to make us feel, we are in a land 
 where poets, artists, philosophers, and schol- 
 ars, have been born and have died. The fairy 
 plain, the shady hills, the white-crested moun- 
 tains, and the deep azure sky, fill the mind with 
 inexpressible delight ! Almost too soon we are 
 riding through the city of Athens. 
 
 The new city is to the north of the old, and, 
 therefore, to the north of the Acropolis. We 
 
GREECE AXD ATHENS. 275 
 
 count less than sixty years since this city was 
 commenced. It has a population of some fifty 
 thousand. Its extent north and south is two 
 miles, and a mile east and west. It is a fine 
 city for the East. Coming from Turkish towns 
 it seems almost an elysium. The buildings are 
 not grand or imposing, but they bear marks of 
 Grecian taste and style. There are no flat roofs 
 here as in Cairo, Jerusalem, or Constantinople. 
 The houses are built of stone and most of them 
 are two stories high. The main streets are 
 Hermes and ^Eolus, adorned with the papyree- 
 tree which resembles the weeping willow in 
 form, but is an evergreen, very graceful and 
 fragrant. On these streets are several first- 
 class hotels which will compare favorably with 
 the best in our country. The churches are 
 constructed of variegated marbles, not massive 
 but unique. The palace which stands on rising 
 ground in the eastern part of the city, quite 
 under the shadows of Lycabettus and Hymettus, 
 makes a fine appearance. The gardens about it 
 are extensive and tastefully laid oat. It was 
 somewhere here that trees thrived, and Aris- 
 totle was wont to walk and deliver at the 
 same time his dissertations to his disciples. 
 TTe would naturally infer that King George 
 with his queenly consort might be happy, dwell- 
 
276 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 ing where nature smiles so propitiously, and 
 associations are so suggestive of wisdom and 
 learning. 
 
 The University outwardly is conspicuous and 
 attractive on account of its proportions and 
 harmony. As we examine it internally, we 
 find it stands for substance and not mere 
 show. Surely it is a bright light in this new 
 city. 
 
 To the south of the modern, we can here and 
 there discover remnants of the walls of the old 
 city which encircled the Acropolis, and ex- 
 tended down to the sea. But the new city 
 shows wisdom in not girdling itself with stone 
 and mortar piled up like a huge prison, shutting 
 out the free air and light, and shutting in im- 
 purities and death. 
 
 \Te find the people generally intelligent, 
 ambitious, slightly self-conceited, living more 
 on the past than the present, or future. Their 
 leading idea seems to be to obtain an education, 
 and this in their, opinion consists in possessing 
 a thorough knowledge of the Greek language. 
 Even among the poorest classes Greek grammar 
 is sure to come before work. So education in 
 this city is universal. All the children from 
 six to sixteen years old are in their schools. 
 So little urchins in rags, and youths without 
 
GREECE AND ATHEXS. 277 
 
 shoes to their feet, and in many instances with- 
 out garments to their backs, are bound to have 
 an education, as well as the children of the 
 belter classes. The sexes are not educated 
 together; the laws of the country will not 
 allow of this. The girls advance from the 
 primary school to the normal. Probably, there 
 is no other city on the eastern continent, where 
 woman is so highly educated, as in Athens. 
 As we meet some of the young women on the 
 street, or in the school-room, who read Homer 
 and Xenophon with the sweetest intonation and 
 euphonic rhythm, we are ready to admit they 
 would furnish to modern Phidiases fit subjects 
 for modern Minervas and Venuses. 
 
 The boys go from the primary school to the 
 gymnasium, and from the latter to the Univer- 
 sity. The University is flourishing ; its students 
 number more than sixteen hundred. These 
 come from all parts of the country, and are 
 really young men. They look as though they 
 might have a good deal of the old Athenian and 
 Spartan blood coursing their veins. Many of 
 them would make fine models for an Apollo 
 or a Jupiter. This institution has a medical, 
 legal, theological, and philosophical, depart- 
 ment. The instruction is given in lectures. 
 The professors are masters of what they teach. 
 
278 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 They love their vocation. As we listen to a 
 professor while he discourses upon the life and 
 works of Xenophon, to another while he treats 
 upon Homers Iliad, to another as he discusses 
 hydrostatics, and to another while he expounds 
 the law, though we cannot understand all they 
 say, still we really enjoy the lectures, the 
 speakers are so animated, their tones are so 
 musical, and the students are so enthusiastic 
 and intently devoted to taking notes. Fre- 
 quently some clear statement, or impassioned 
 strain of eloquence, will take the scholars right 
 off their seats. They read Homer, Socrates, 
 Plato, and Thucydides, as we read Whittier, 
 Longfellow, and Bancroft. The modern Athe- 
 nians are emulating the spirit of their ancestors. 
 They are rapidly gaining in influence. They 
 are sending out many teachers and physicians, 
 not only into the rural districts of their own 
 country, but into Turkey, Asia Minor, and Per- 
 sia. Athens may justly be said to produce the 
 best physicians and female teachers found in 
 Oriental towns or cities. 
 
 If we step into the House of Parliament, we 
 find an assembly of men similar to our legisla- 
 tive bodies. Most of the members are dressed 
 in the European costume ; a few from the High- 
 land districts still hold to the ancient style of 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 279 
 
 dress. These are attired in the white frock and 
 trousers, girdled with the red sash, and the 
 black tunic loosely falling from the shoulders. 
 They look airy, stylish, and comfortable. The 
 assembly, as a body, is orderly and dignified. 
 Some of the members exhibit striking: talent 
 and eloquence. At times exciting and patriotic 
 speeches are made. Turkey is the bane of 
 Greece, and were the latter rich, Turkey in 
 Europe would soon be driven the other side of 
 the Bosphorus, and Crete would be set free. 
 
 The scenery about Athens is exceedingly 
 varied. It possesses the elements of beauty, 
 grandeur, and picturesqueness. Its plains of 
 smiling fields and shady olive-trees, constantly 
 guarded by sea and land, present a picture 
 which attracts the eye and pleases the taste. It 
 is really just the place in which to grow men of 
 ability and genius. What a long line of noble 
 characters originated here, — Thucydides, Xeno- 
 phon, Pericles, Isocrates, Demosthenes, Sopho- 
 cles, iEschylus, Longinus, oh ! we cannot recall 
 half of the names of the famous ones who 
 opened their eyes amidst this profusion of 
 nature's charms ! Here, too, they became stu- 
 dents of nature and philosophy, adding count- 
 less attractions to their nativity. 
 
 A wide belt of olive-trees almost encircles 
 
2->0 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 the city. Somewhere among these, it cannot 
 he decided just where, Plato had his academy. 
 Here he was teaching, when he defined man as 
 " a two-legged animal with his feathers picked 
 off" ; and Diogenes catching a cock and strip- 
 ping him of his feathers, threw him into Plato's 
 school, saying, "See Plato's man." 
 
 It is afternoon. The long shadows begin 
 to fill. The air is clear as a diamond of the 
 first water. It is a fit time to climb the steep 
 rocky sides of Lycabettus and enjoy a sunset 
 scene in this classic land. Lycabettus bears 
 about the same relation to Athens, Vesuvius 
 does to Naples ; or Arthur's Seat, to Edinburgh. 
 As the summit is reached, we find we have been 
 climbing with our might for an hour ; but the 
 first sweep of the eye more than compensates 
 for all the toiling and sweating. The broadest 
 sheet of clearest light illuminates land and sky. 
 To the west lofty Cyllene and Taygetus cast 
 their deep shadows into the valleys and plains ; 
 to the north the wooded sides and white-crested 
 tops of Panics are burnished with emerald 
 and tipped with silver ; to the east the rosy 
 pyramid of Pentelicus and the violet and 
 heather-sided Hymettus, give us their warmest 
 greeting. All around are spread out the plains 
 of Athens, not far reaching but beautiful in 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 281 
 
 outline and every feature. Sunlight and shadow 
 are kissing the trembling waves of the Saronie 
 Gulf. The green waters of the iEgean Sea 
 sparkle and glow. The marble columns and 
 high-piled ruins of the Acropolis like fairy lace- 
 work, hang iu the air. The city and the fields 
 around seem to be bathing in a lake of light and 
 glory, wrapping themselves in flaming gold and 
 mellowest shades. At length the sun falls 
 behind the Delphian cliffs, dropping deepest 
 shadows upon all below, while the pinnacles of 
 the mountains, the minarets of nature's temple, 
 blaze for a little, and then send out the voice, 
 day is gone, twilight has come ; and in the still 
 quiet rest of parting day, one star after another 
 looks down through these Grecian skies, till the 
 whole azure is all aglow. Ah, these are the 
 same lights of God that smiled when Homer 
 sung and Plato taught and Phidias carved ! 
 Nature here wears the investiture of kingly 
 honors, woven from the beauties of nature and 
 dyed in the wonderful reflections of heaven. 
 The task of climbing is compensated a thousand- 
 fold by the joy of seeing. 
 
 Attica is not extensive in area, its greatest 
 length being fifty, and breadth thirty miles. 
 Still all civilized lands are breathed upon by 
 Attica. Its influence touches the best thoughts 
 
282 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 and words of men, and ever will. It quickens 
 the inspiration of the poet, the orator, and 
 scholar. It is the parent of the most beautiful 
 creations of art. The painter and sculptor of 
 every nation have inherited from Attica. The 
 galleries of princes and nations tell of Attica. 
 The temples and council chambers of capital 
 cities bespeak the praises of Attica. In the 
 providence of God when Christianity came, the 
 city of Minerva alone was prepared to picture 
 in perfect language the beauties of the Eternal 
 City. 
 
 We will now take a walk of ten miles 
 across the Attic Plain northeast from Athens 
 to Mount Pentelicus. Our way leads among 
 fields of wheat and proves of olives and oaks. 
 We pass through the villages in which Pericles, 
 Aristides, Plato, and Socrates, lived. . There is 
 nothing attractive in them now but association 
 and suggestions of the past. We are here 
 reminded of the reply of Diogenes to Plato 
 who sent the cynic a large cluster of grapes, 
 when a request was made for only three. 
 On receiving them Diogenes said, "Just like 
 some philosophers, you ask them a question 
 which could be answered by three words, and 
 they will give you a thousand." 
 
 Occasionally we see peasants ploughing in 
 
GKEECE AND ATHENS. 283 
 
 their wheat which has just been sown. Seeing 
 their farming utensils, we would not judge, we 
 were treading classic soil. We are surprised 
 at the number of old people we observe by the 
 roadside and in the hamlets. We are reminded 
 of Theophrastus and Georgius who seemed 
 to be in their prime, when about a hundred 
 years old. Ah ! there is something about this 
 Grecian air which is favorable to health and 
 longevity. In the House of Parliament we saw 
 several very aged members. Some of their 
 teachers in their schools must have experienced 
 more than threescore and ten summers and 
 winters. While walking at a rapid pace, we 
 do not become weary, as we would in France 
 or Holland. Now when we have reached the 
 base of the mountain, we feel just prepared for 
 a climb of three miles to the height of three 
 and a half thousand feet above the sea. Here 
 we enter a monastery and inquire of the monks 
 the best way to the top of Pentelicus. We find 
 them pleasant and cordial. One of them offers 
 to accompany us to the summit free of charge, 
 but we choose to be our own guide. Here it 
 becomes us to say, we feel very different 
 towards the monks of the Greek and Roman 
 churches from what we did, before we had 
 any acquaintance with them. We are forced 
 
284 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 in spite of former prejudices to acknowledge 
 that the majority of them are earnest and de- 
 voted Christians. In the past we have known 
 more of their faults than of their virtues. 
 
 At the foot of the mountain it is like summer, 
 even now that the sun at noonday is touching 
 the lowest point in his annual course. The 
 oaks, lindens, and osiers, have scarcely let fall 
 a leaf from their boughs. The acorns still hold 
 fast to their cups, and the locust pods dangle 
 on the limbs. The birds are thick and merry. 
 When half-way up the mountain, it is like 
 spring. The heather is in full bloom, nearly 
 covering the surface, while it is as completely 
 covered with honey bees. The air is tinged 
 with purple hues and filled with humming 
 music. 
 
 Here we come to the two great marble quar- 
 ries. The larger one is open to the light. Its 
 perpendicular walls are immense. At its base 
 and on one side, is a wide cavern hum? and set 
 with stalactites and stalagmites of marble and 
 alabaster, tinged with a variety of hues. The 
 mouth of the grotto is fringed with ivy and 
 heather. This marble resembles that of Paros 
 in whiteness, surpassing it in fineness, and 
 eclipses the Carraran in lustre and purity of 
 color. 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 285 
 
 About twenty-two hundred and ninety years 
 ago this quarry, which is now as silent as death, 
 resounded with the din of hammers and the 
 creaking of cordage and pulleys, as huge blocks 
 were lifted from their massive beds. 
 
 We cannot help looking upon the spots, where 
 great men were born, with feelings of respect 
 and love. So the old homes of Burns, Scott, 
 Washington, Schiller, and Humboldt, are ob- 
 jects of admiration. We are willing to journey 
 far away to see a philosopher, or to look upon 
 a poet, or to be greeted by a saint ; and how 
 can we stand in this silent quarry, the birth- 
 place of so many grand structures and beauti- 
 ful statues, without feelings of veneration? He 
 must be emotionless, who could look upon 
 this vast chamber, so su^estive of immortal 
 fabrics, without enthusiasm and profoundest 
 gratitude. 
 
 On the summit of Pentelicus, we experience 
 a winter climate without any snow. The air is 
 sharp and bracing. It is marvellous how far 
 the eye can reach. Almost the whole of Greece 
 can be surveyed from this point. Our vision 
 ranges over plains, hills, rivers, bays, straits, 
 seas, and mountains, whose names are immortal 
 in song and history. 
 
 The physical character of this country is 
 
28 G AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 strangely diversified. The elements spread out 
 before the eye, combine to offer every conceiv- 
 able variety of landscape views. The moun- 
 tains are numerous and lofty in proportion to 
 the extent of surface. Their crests of marble 
 and snow, their sides belted with grass and 
 herbage, present in the sunlight the pictures of 
 interchanging silver, emerald and amethyst. 
 
 To the westward rise up eight thousand feet 
 Arcadian Cyllene, and Parnassus so lung be- 
 lieved to be the home of the muses. To the 
 north the classic peaks of Ossa and Pelion 
 tower high, and still higher is giant Olympus 
 which once rocked the li'ods in his snowv cradle. 
 It is impossible to represent fully the enchanting 
 beauty and grandeur of these mountains. It is 
 not strange this air, this climate, this diversilied 
 scenery, should have resulted in bringing forth, 
 exhilarating, and exalting an intellectual and 
 aesthetic race. 
 
 At the foot of Pentelicus to the north and 
 east, lies in calmest silence along the seashore 
 the plain of Marathon. With our glass we can 
 easily trace its surface of six miles long and 
 two wide. It is completely shut in by moun- 
 tains and sea. Can it be, that is the plain on 
 which four hundred and ninety years before 
 Christ the ten thousand Greeks met in deadly 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 287 
 
 conflict the hundred thousand Persians? That 
 was a terrible struggle ; the few against the 
 many^ the right against the wrong. The Per- 
 sians were routed and driven to their ships, 
 leaving six thousand dead, while the Athenians 
 lost less than two hundred men. Miltiades and 
 Callimachus won lasting glory ; Datis and Arta- 
 phernes experienced lasting shame. All that 
 now remains on that renowned field to tell of 
 Grecian valor and Persian cowardice, is the 
 little mound marking the spot where the 
 Athenian dead were tenderly buried. Yes, it 
 was on that mound that Pericles stood not long 
 after the brave heroes had fallen and pronounced 
 eloquent eulogies upon their life and memory. 
 He pointed out the virtues and merits of the 
 fallen, showing that they should be held in 
 everlasting remembrance. " Emulous of men 
 like these." he said, turning to the Athenians, 
 " do you also, placing your happiness in liberty, 
 and your liberty in courage, shrink from no 
 warlike dangers in defence of your country." 
 
 We can but admire the ancient Grecian char- 
 acter. It is so simple and true to nature. They 
 felt as we feel in our normal state. They 
 wrote perfect poems, essays, and speeches ; 
 they produced perfect vases, statues, and tem- 
 ples. They wrought as we now work ; they do 
 
288 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 not seem to be twenty-five centuries off, but 
 close by our side, as we take in their thought 
 and work. They were wont to cast bouquets at 
 the feet of their statesmen, and decorate the 
 graves of their patriots with flowers. The 
 thoughts that stirred the souls of Plato, Phidias, 
 and Solon, thrill souls still. It matters little 
 when and where we live, if we are only true to 
 highest conditions and opportunities ; for then 
 we shall be like the royally true everywhere. 
 
 Let us now return to the city and survey the 
 site of ancient Athens. As we take our posi- 
 tion upon the Acropolis, in fancy we see the 
 old city proudly embracing this rocky height 
 which was crowned with the completest Avorks 
 of art and beauty, as an altar where the immor- 
 tals delighted to dwell. Here the Athenian 
 might stand on this platform of solid rock three 
 hundred feet high, one thousand feet long, and 
 live hundred feet wide, and survey his father- 
 land. Yonder to the south and west lay the 
 harbors of his city, thronged with ships from 
 all parts of the world. A short distance to the 
 east flowed the sacred Ilissus, and to the west, 
 the famous river Cephisus, Well might the 
 Athenian then be proud of his inheritance of 
 thrilling memories, of valorous deeds, of inimi- 
 table arts, of unequalled landscape pictures. 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 289 
 
 As we tarry in this city of Themistocles and 
 Phidias, Cimon and Miltiades, we can scarcely 
 be too grateful to the mother of many of our arts 
 and sciences. She bequeathed them to Rome 
 and to England and to America. Really we 
 have no beautiful work of art, no finish of 
 church, or hall, but that points to some relic 
 scattered about the Acropolis. We are made 
 to realize, as we look and think, that this is 
 the ideal country of art, genius, poetry, and 
 romance. Here voices speak, telling us as no- 
 where else, how Plato mused, Socrates taught, 
 Pericles ruled, Aristides won virtue, iEschylus 
 called forth tears, Euripides melted hearts, 
 Phidias carved, and Demosthenes spellbound 
 the passions and set on lire the genius of his 
 countrymen. At every step we touch some 
 memorial of the past. How enchanting must 
 have been the city, whose relics are now strewn 
 about us, when it rose up in its perfectness with 
 its gleamings of marble and glistenings of pre- 
 cious metals, kissing the balmy air and clear 
 sunlight of these Grecian skies ! Ancient 
 Athens will live forever and remain young 
 and beautiful in the imagination of the scholar 
 and the poet. Her Acropolis shall be the 
 proudest pedestal crowned with the most per- 
 fect statues of cultured genius. 
 
290 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 The summit of this hill can be approached 
 only from the west. The gateway which the 
 Greeks called Propylaea, is inviting as well 
 as imposing. Its stones are immense and the 
 workmanship unique. It was intended to be 
 for a defence and a monument of beauty. It 
 was all this. The Athenians were delighted 
 with it, and national foes tried to imitate it. 
 It had five openings through which the periodic 
 throngs of jubilant Pantheists were wont to 
 move. The grooves of the chariot wheels are 
 still visible on the entrance floor. These stones 
 have been worn by the tread of the most gifted 
 sons of Athens. A trifle within the Propylaea 
 is the restored temple of the Wingless Victory. 
 Pausanias informs us that he gave no wings to 
 Victory, because the Athenians would not allow 
 her to fly from their city. 
 
 Near the centre of this elevation and in the 
 most prominent place, stands what remains of 
 the Parthenon, — that temple of all temples, 
 ordered by Pericles, built by Ictinus, and 
 adorned by Phidias. Its grand columns, its 
 vast blocks of marble, its fragments of statues 
 and relievos, indicate that it was once a per- 
 fect building. Simplicity and majesty of mass 
 and proportion were its striking characteristics. 
 The eye is fascinated even in studying the out- 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 291 
 
 lines of its ruins. If it has been mutilated by 
 Venetian bombs, by the mines of Morosini, 
 by the hammer of Theodore, by the artillery of 
 Turk and Greek ; if hosts of its statues and 
 treasures have been captured by Lord Elgin 
 and King Ludwig, and borne away to Rome, 
 Munich, Paris, and Loudon, yet plenty remains 
 to assure the inspector that in its completeness, 
 it was a perfect poem cut in stone ; that it 
 was a monument of petrified light, reflecting 
 the genius and art of a refined people. What 
 an advanced civilization that could produce a 
 Pericles to order, a Phidias to design, an Ictinus 
 to execute, numerous sculptors to decorate, large 
 means to defray expenses, and minds to admire 
 and appreciate such a temple ! When will an- 
 other such edifice be buili? Not while Gothic 
 architecture holds the sway. The Gothic is 
 sombre and beautiful, but the Greek is full of 
 order and light, — heaven's first and last factors 
 of perfect creations ! 
 
 The Parthenon was constructed entirely of 
 Pentelican marble. It was surrounded by a 
 peristyle of forty-six columns ; each column 
 was over six feet in diameter at the base and 
 nearly thirty-six high. At each end of the 
 temple stood a portico of" six columns. The 
 edifice was two hundred and twenty-eight feet 
 
292 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 in length ; one hundred feet in breadth ; and 
 forty-seven feet in height. 
 
 To the north of the Parthenon are the re- 
 mains of the Erechtheum, a beautiful Ionic 
 temple. Some of its adornments are well pre- 
 served, showing that it was deserving a place 
 near the temple of Minerva. 
 
 There are foundations and relics of other 
 temples and monuments which once graced this 
 height. Looking over the wall to the south, 
 almost under us, we discover the ruins of the 
 Odeum of Atticus Herodes which was built in 
 honor of his wife Resrilla, that son^s mi^ht be 
 sum? to delight the Athenians. To the east of 
 this are some of the marble seats, still visible, 
 of the Dionysiac Theatre where the elite of Ath- 
 ens were wont to listen to the plays and trage- 
 dies of ^Eschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. 
 
 Still farther to the east and at the foot of the 
 Acropolis, we see the unique memorial of Lysic- 
 rates, known as the Lantern of Demosthenes. 
 A hundred rods farther east, we observe the 
 arch of Hadrian which opens to the Olympieum 
 which was once the superb temple of Jupiter. 
 The thirteen columns of Corinthian style now 
 standing, out of the hundred and twenty-four, 
 give evidence that it must have been grand, in- 
 deed. 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 21)3 
 
 To the west from the Acropolis, not far off, 
 do we see the best preserved work of antiquity 
 in Athens, — the temple of Theseus. The build- 
 ing is now quite complete. Its style and archi- 
 tecture are modelled after the Parthenon. In 
 it are preserved some of the fragments of the 
 statuary which adorned the old city. But 
 among the whole collection there is not an en- 
 tire statue, or piece of art work. The better 
 specimens, or complete productions, saved from 
 the ravages of war, or dug from the ruins, have 
 all been shipped to foreign cities, so that modern 
 Athens must go abroad to witness the best 
 works extant of its ancient city. 
 
 Turning the eye across the Agora, which is 
 the valley leading to the Propylrea, is the Pnyx 
 Hill. Its front is somewhat abrupt and por- 
 tions of its ledges are cut away so as to form 
 steps, seats, and a bema. Here the multitudes 
 used to assemble, to listen to the eloquence of 
 Grecian orators. From that stony platform 
 Demosthenes delivered his speeches which 
 thrilled and delighted the gathered hosts. Can 
 it be that the living orator even dreamed that, 
 as his smooth tones fell upon listening ears, his 
 words would descend through the asres to stim- 
 ulate youthful declaimers with patriotic ambi- 
 tion, and gratify the profouudcst minds? 
 
294 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 A little way to the south of the Pnyx, in the 
 solid stone of the Museum Hill, is the prison of 
 Socrates. From the top of the ledge an open- 
 ing was cut, and deep down in the rock three 
 cells were hewn out ; in one of these the great 
 philosopher was confined on account of his free 
 thought and free expression ; but he was honest 
 and his philosophy was dearer to him than his 
 life. He was ready to suffer at the hands of 
 sophists, because he believed in the durability 
 of justice, the instability of wickedness, the 
 happiness of virtue, and the punishment of 
 sin. No wonder the passionate Alcibiades 
 should say, "When I listen to Socrates my 
 heart leaps, and tears rush to ray eyes. I 
 have heard Pericles and other able orators, 
 but they do not move me like this Marsyas. 
 Within he is full of earnestness and the 
 sweetest virtue." It is not singular that such 
 a one should endure, when passion raged and 
 Pantheistic force locked him in prison walls. 
 His firmness to the right enabled him without 
 flinching to drink the deadly hemlock, and then 
 resignedly lay himself on his pallet of straw to 
 die. As we witness in imagination the noble 
 man departing this life, that gloomy prison 
 becomes lighted up with a halo of glory, and 
 the dying Socrates becomes the greatest hero 
 
GREECE AND ATHENS. 295 
 
 of all Greece, and the wisest philosopher of 
 old Athens. 
 
 Once more look down just below us, only a 
 short distance to the right of the Propylaea upon 
 that pile of ledges shaped by the hand of nature, 
 save the stairs which are cut into the rock, lead- 
 ins: from the A^ora to the summit. That is 
 Areopagus, or Mars Hill, where the Greek 
 Tribunal used to be held. That is really a 
 sacred relic of ancient Athens. Around and 
 upon those rocks the highest councils have 
 assembled, the gravest charges been given, 
 and the severest judgments been passed. Up 
 those time-worn steps centuries after Socrates 
 had been led as a prisoner, the Apostle Paul 
 walked as one arraigned before the highest 
 dignitaries. Before Stoic and Epicurean phi- 
 losophers, and the most learned men of Greece, 
 he delivered a bold, searching, and eloquent 
 address. Then Athens was in her glory. The 
 Acropolis was rife in be uity and magnificence. 
 As Paul looked upon those altars and temples 
 around him, consecrated to false worship, and 
 as he recalled the inscription, " To the unknown 
 God," what spiritual language fell from his lips ! 
 His words moved hearts there, as they never 
 had been moved before. His lo^ic seemed 
 more potent than that of the wisest sophists, 
 
296 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 his eloquence, more searching than that of Peri- 
 cles, and his philosophy, deeper than that of 
 Plato. 
 
 The glory of old Athens has faded and greatly 
 wasted under the ravages of time. The wisdom 
 of Greece has grown dim, as.it has travelled 
 down through the centuries, but the glory of 
 Paul blazes as never before. While the doc- 
 trines of the Stoics and Epicureans have waned, 
 the teachings of the Apostle have waxed strong. 
 "While through nature, history, and relics, we 
 are led to admire old Athens, through Paul we 
 are induced to adore the city of our God. Let 
 us rejoice that we can look back to Socrates, as 
 the grandest hero of classic Athens, and to Paul, 
 as the glorified saint of Attica. 
 
,1 ill p 
 
 i 
 
 ■I 
 
 lili 
 
XI. 
 
 LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 
 
 "\\7"E took passage from the Queen City of 
 ' * the Adriatic for Alexandria. The sun 
 was dipping close to the horizon, as our steamer 
 slowly pressed its way along the serpentine 
 channel into the deep sea. The city reflected 
 silver and gold as the sunlight played upon 
 roof, dome, and tower. The water was smooth 
 as glass, and the sky, of the deepest blue. Our 
 departure from that quaint city seemed signally 
 fortunate. The mind had been interested in 
 its novelties, its streets of water, its gondolas 
 and boats for hacks and coaches, its palaces and 
 churches, its Bridge of Sighs and Ducal Palace, 
 its paintings and sculptures, its doves and beads. 
 As we cast lingering looks upon the vanishing 
 city, we could but think of other days and 
 olden times, when artist, hero, and scholar, 
 ruled this land and sea, when ships from all 
 climes were bearing heavy burdens to and fro 
 across these waters, and Venice was the pride 
 of regal doges, ruling the world in commerce. 
 
208 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 A prosperous passage through the night 
 brought us the next morning into the harbor 
 of Brindisi, once ancient Brundusium, the 
 terminus of the Appian Way, and rendered 
 forever memorable by the death of Virgil. 
 As we go on shore, we find here and there a 
 relic of the old city, reminding us of that event- 
 ful convention in which Horace and Maecenas 
 acted such a conspicuous part ; and of that 
 siege which Pompey sustained with the con- 
 suls and senators of Rome against Julius 
 Caesar. 
 
 We found but little in the modern to re- 
 mind us of the Milanese, the Romans, or the 
 Venetians. The people have lost much of 
 the ancient civilization, and learned little of 
 the modern. They look hard and homety. 
 Most of them go barefooted and with unwashen 
 faces. 
 
 At sunset we leave this city. The wind is 
 blowing strong from the east, and it is not long 
 before some of the passengers are ready to pay 
 homage to Neptune. On the following day we 
 catch sight of Grecian highlands near sandy 
 Pylos, and are strongly reminded of classic 
 scenes and heroic deeds. In imagination we 
 see Telemachus hastening to inquire of Nestor 
 concerning the fate of his dear father. Day by 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 299 
 
 day, and night by night, we are riding under 
 the same sun and stars that shone upon Cadmus 
 and Jason, upon lawgiver and prophet. 
 
 On the fifth day of sailing from Brindisi from 
 the bow of our steamer, we spy a small object 
 far ahead and just above the waves of the sea ; 
 and in half an hour more, a long range of sandy 
 coast is presented, dotted with numerous wind- 
 mills, and in the centre of the crescent-shaped 
 shore stands the city of Alexandria overtopped 
 with its numerous domes and minarets. At 
 once we discover that to be a peculiar city, 
 unlike any in western lands. Soon anchors 
 are dropped in the roadstead, a mile from the 
 shore, and immediately a score, or more, of 
 small boats crowded with yellow faces in the 
 midst of blue and white shirts, red caps, and 
 variegated turbans, are rapidly approaching our 
 vessel, and almost as quick as thought they are 
 on deck here and everywhere, clutching at this 
 valise and that umbrella, this bundle and that 
 trunk. The passengers are amazed and en- 
 raged ; some must laugh and others scold. In 
 such a crisis coolness could hardly be considered 
 a virtue. As we stand guarding our effects, it 
 is pleasant to feel, there must be an end to 
 all mortal fusses ; and at length the rao-e is 
 over, and a tall, straight, and well dressed 
 
300 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Arab accosts us, asking, if we would like a 
 dragoman. This means, would you like a cou- 
 rier, a valet, an adviser, in short, one who is 
 to speak for you, and provide for you? He 
 is dressed in loose trousers, a tight jacket of 
 light blue broadcloth, and a red cap. He con- 
 ducts himself gentlemanly, and is careful not to 
 present any claims, but begins to talk at once 
 about America and England, evidently being 
 at loss to decide whether we are from the new, 
 or old world. He presently informs us, if we 
 wish, we can go on shore in his boat. In these 
 Eastern ports, there are no wharves ; so the 
 ships are obliged to anchor out some distance 
 from shore, receiving and discharging their 
 passengers and cargoes in small boats. We 
 accept of the kindly offer and are soon on shore, 
 and in front of the custom-house having for the 
 most part sand for its flooring and the open 
 sky for its roofing. A barefooted official soon 
 demands our passports, hurriedly scans them 
 over and returns them, requesting the gate to 
 be opened that we may be ushered into the 
 city of Alexandria. As we search for our 
 bao-fra^e, we find it is unden>'oin£>* examination ; 
 great brawny hands are fumbling it over and 
 piercing eyes are penetrating every crevice 
 and nook, expecting to find some "tobac," or 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 301 
 
 "vino," which will be subject to heavy duties, 
 and will be quite certain to place in their hands 
 much bukshish. 
 
 But disappointment is pictured on the officer's 
 face as he comes to the last parcel and discovers 
 nothing subject to taxation. By no means are 
 all the other voyagers so fortunate. Now as 
 we advance into the city what a variety of cos- 
 tumes and complexions meets us on every hand ! 
 "What a mingling of the strange and the familiar ! 
 Surely the oriental and occidental have met 
 here,, and are apparently forming unions for life. 
 Here are to be seen French, English, Italians, 
 Copts, Moors, Bedouins, Turks, and Nubians. 
 We hear as many different tongues spoken on 
 the sidewalk, as we see different faces. The 
 contrast of dress is singularly striking. The 
 Frenchman looks as though he had just come 
 out of the drawer ; the Arab as though he had 
 just crawled out of the mud. The little don- 
 keys which are flying about the streets so lively, 
 are novelties, indeed ! It seems strange how 
 such tiny legs and small bodies can bear up so 
 lar^e burdens. Here comes alon^ one with a 
 fat old Arab upon his back with his long legs 
 dangling almost to the ground. It is plain, the 
 rider would pull down more pounds avoirdupois 
 than the animal under him* Yonder we see 
 
302 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 half a dozen gentlemen, perhaps, clerks from 
 the stores, galloping off upon the backs of these 
 little creatures with boys running close to their 
 heels, spurring them up. In another direction 
 we discover a whole street full of donkeys with 
 naked boys upon their backs, seated between 
 bags of water ; close upon them are several 
 sailors from some ship just anchored in the 
 harbor, taking their first ride upon the Egyptian 
 tramway. They all turn down a street crowded 
 with camels and dromedaries, laded with mer- 
 chandise. They rush together pell-mell, and 
 are very soon strangely mixed together and 
 brought to a stand-still. Donkeys keep rushing 
 in from all quarters : it at once becomes a mon- 
 strous jumble. Now begins the Moslem's chorus 
 of pulling, whipping, and kicking; at length, 
 the Gordian knot begins to unloose, and by 
 some mysterious means all are set free and go 
 on their way as though nothing strange had 
 happened. 
 
 In the eastern part of the city we come to 
 the Pillar of Pompey which towers above all 
 surrounding objects. This consists of a pedestal 
 ten feet square and fifteen feet high, with a round 
 column of solid granite, seventy feet high and 
 six feet in diameter, crowned with a beautiful 
 capital. This reminds us of another city which 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 303 
 
 once stood where the modern now stands. 
 History and memory enable us to look across 
 the sea to Greece. Some three hundred and 
 thirty-two years before the Christian era, in 
 imagination we see a youth full of promise and 
 ambition ; he had been for a lonsr while under 
 the -instruction of the wise Aristotle. His 
 father Philip who had proved himself a wise 
 general, was suddenly cut off in the midst of 
 great undertakings. The son at once stepped 
 forth to carry out the plans of his father. So 
 we discover the youthful Alexander crossing 
 the JEgean Sea with Grecian forces and march- 
 ing through Asia Minor and Syria, conquering 
 city after city, till at length he reaches the 
 mouth of the Nile, where he founds a city 
 taking his own name, which in less than two 
 centuries becomes opulent and cultured. About 
 the time the Ptolemies succeeded the Pharaohs, 
 when Memphis was old and Thebes crumbling 
 into ruins, Alexandria was in its greatest splen- 
 dor. Then the city had a population of some 
 six hundred thousand inhabitants instead of 
 sixty thousand, as at present. Then there was 
 a broad street extending from Lake Mareotis to 
 the Mediterranean. In the central part of this 
 thoroughfare stood the Serapeum surrounded by 
 its four hundred columns, of which Pompey's 
 
304 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 Pillar was one. In connection with this temple 
 was that great Alexandrian library of seven 
 hundred thousand volumes in manuscript after 
 four hundred thousand volumes had been de- 
 stroyed. Here, too, was a university in which 
 were assembled fifteen thousand students at the 
 same time, to listen to the lectures of Origen, 
 Philo, Euclid, Manetho, Aristophanes, Apollo- 
 nius, and Apelles. Theology, science, art, and 
 history, received special attention. This city 
 then was the centre of civilization and learning. 
 Scholars came hither from all parts of the world 
 for instruction. Grecian and Egyptian skill 
 united to adorn it with the grandest works of 
 art. As we go upon the sea-shore, we can wit- 
 ness the site where that first lighthouse was 
 built, rising up five hundred feet above the sea, 
 and from whose summit the nightly fires were 
 kept burning that safe passage might be made 
 far away upon calm, or troubled waters. The 
 lighthouse of Pharos constructed out of the 
 whitest marble, was worthy to be counted 
 amon^ the seven wonders of the world. 
 
 Close upon the sea stood one of the Needles 
 of Cleopatra, a monolith of syenitic granite, 
 being seventy feet high, and elating back fully 
 twelve centuries before the Christian era. This 
 obelisk is one of many which once adorned 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 305 
 
 the city of Heliopolis. As the stranger gazes 
 upon its tapering spire and its quaint hiero- 
 glyphics, his mind must thrill with stirring 
 associations. He can but recall the name of 
 Rameses III., in whose honor it was erected, 
 and the dusky queen of Egypt, whose name it 
 bears at the present time. It is an enduring 
 monument of pathos and wildest history. 
 Shakespeare has verily made it a poem in stone. 
 Now it is the property of our country, and 
 graces Central Park, New York. How it 
 kindles the imagination and lights up the past ! 
 How expressive the union of the oldest and the 
 youngest, the marriage of the ancient to the 
 modern ! 
 
 A little way from Pompey's Pillar on the 
 east, we come into a grove of palm-trees. 
 These are growing indigenous to the soil ; they 
 are quite unlike the trees of our groves, or for- 
 ests. They have not the grace of the elm, or 
 the strength of the oak, or the conical beauty 
 of the maple. They will average about fifty 
 feet high and a foot in diameter. Their leaves 
 are all at the top, spread out like an umbrella 
 reversed. Under these are thickly clustered 
 the dates. There are six or ei<Hit bunches on 
 each tree, and each bunch contains something 
 like a bushel of fruit. A native comes out to 
 
306 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 gather dates ; so fastening a rope round his body 
 and clasping it about the trunk of the tree, ad- 
 justs it in such a manner that, as his feet are 
 braced against the tree, the rope upon his back 
 sustains him. By springing and lifting the rope 
 at the same time on the tree, he ascends quickly 
 to the fruit. There high from the ground he 
 rests composedly, picking out the ripe dates till 
 his basket is full ; and then lets himself down as 
 strangely as he ascended. Certainly, education 
 does accomplish wonders. 
 
 Passing to the market-place, we find it is a 
 favorable time to visit it, for it is Saturday, 
 the special day for sales. A large number of 
 cattle have lately arrived from far up the Nile, 
 and many sheep have recently come in from the 
 Lebanon hills. The grounds are not divided 
 into compartments, but everything is just where 
 it happens to be. All seems to be marvellously 
 mixed up. How strange the animals look! 
 The oxen have giant frames and little flesh. 
 They have large humps above their shoulders 
 and monstrous spreading horns ; their color is 
 that of the mouse ; and they are valued at sixty 
 dollars a pair. The sheep have evidently been 
 where the grass was plenty and sweet. These 
 are larger than the Swiss, the Scotch, or NeNv 
 England sheep. Their wool is long and fine. 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 307 
 
 The cows are few and very coarse. They 
 afford no signs of filling a twelve-quart, or even 
 a six-quart pail, at one milking. The people 
 here rely largely upon goats for milk, and these 
 are almost countless and of several varieties. 
 We see some fine horses looking as though they 
 had just been led out of English, or American 
 stalls. A s^ood horse will brinof here from three 
 to five hundred dollars. The inevitable donkeys 
 are present in large numbers, and full of their 
 pranks, keeping the boys in charge of them on 
 a constant lookout. The poultry are well repre- 
 sented. The fowls are not caged but tied to- 
 gether in bunches by their legs. How unmer- 
 ciful is such treatment ! But custom sanctions 
 it, and custom sanctions also woman's killing 
 them. The wheat, beans, pease, cotton, millet, 
 dates, pomegranates, are strewn round in great 
 confusion. Disorder appears to be the law of 
 the place. 
 
 Not far from the market we enter a Mos- 
 lem cemetery containing forty acres in area. 
 It is thickly crowded with mounds from one to 
 three feet high ; the larger are graves of men, 
 and the smaller, of women. The Mohammedan 
 regards woman as inferior when she comes into 
 this world, and as inferior when she goes out of 
 it, and so he emphasizes this feeling by burying 
 
308 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 her ill an insignificant grave. The only vegeta- 
 tion in the yard consists of sunburnt cactuses 
 and half a dozen locust-trees. It is a most des- 
 olate burial ground. While wandering among 
 the graves, we observe a funeral procession ad- 
 vancing. It is led by a dozen women dressed 
 in black and white ; then come two bearers 
 with the corpse on their heads, followed by 
 forty men as mourners ; no female kindred are 
 allowed to be present. The women leading are 
 hired to wail and lament. Oh ! what noises 
 they make as they are approaching the grave ! 
 When this is reached, the corpse is laid upon 
 the ground and a priest performs a short ser- 
 vice, and then the body is placed in the grave, 
 in a partly sitting position with the face turned 
 towards Mecca. The mourners now withdraw 
 to a locust-tree and are seated under its shade, 
 smoking their pipes and apparently not discom- 
 forted, while the hired servants are doing their 
 best in the way of weeping. Thus they tarry 
 till the grave is covered, and when this is done 
 they leave the yard with quick steps and light 
 hearts, as though they had not been disturbed 
 by any great grief, or rendered lonely by the 
 departure of a dear friend. 
 
 Near Pompey's Pillar we descend into deep 
 cavities. As we go down, we find the dirt or 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 300 
 
 earth as solid as stone ; when some fifty feet 
 from the. surface our tapers are lighted, and we 
 follow winding passages ; as we advance we find 
 remnants of pottery, fragments of tombstones, 
 and pieces of human bones. These cells and 
 vaults were once filled with mummies which 
 were deposited here long centuries ago. Many 
 of them have been taken out of these dark 
 recesses well preserved. Some of them may 
 now be seen in the museums of Paris, London, 
 and New York. Now and then we discover 
 niches in the sides of the cavities, where, 
 no doubt, vases were placed, and lamps were 
 kept burning. The relics plainly show that 
 these were burial places of ancient Greeks and 
 Romans. Many of the urns and vases taken 
 from these tombs, are beautiful in style and 
 finish, showing that the dwellers here did excel 
 in moulding the clay. While searching among 
 these relics, we can but have the feeling, the 
 world is old. It is evident, the land here has 
 been sinking during past ages, and this will 
 account for these tombs being buried deep 
 beneath the modern city. 
 
 Is it asked, how we like the government of 
 this country? We can say, we find it exceed- 
 ingly Turkish. The governor, or pacha, has 
 things his own way. In name only is he sub- 
 
310 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 ject to the sultan of Constantinople. The past 
 history of the country shows that it has been 
 controlled by a succession of more than three 
 hundred kings. Its record breathes of bloody 
 tyranny. The present ruler holds the life and 
 death of his subjects in his own hands. With- 
 out any trial he has caused many to be put to 
 death. All who take part in his government 
 must be his sworn friends. It is true that in 
 his realm, progress is being made in the way of 
 railroads and steamboats, but this is mainly due 
 to foreign pressure and the necessity of the age. 
 Most of the wealth and enterprise of Alexandria 
 at the present time is due to foreigners. Good 
 fortune now seems to be smiling somewhat pro- 
 pitiously upon the city of the great warrior 
 whose name it perpetuates. Perchance, when 
 western cities shall have grown old and wise, 
 and shall be wasting away, Alexandria shall 
 grow again into a city of fifteen miles in cir- 
 cumference, becoming once more the centre of 
 art and learning. 
 
 But we must bid adieu to this city ; so taking 
 the train for Cairo, we are soOn moving across 
 a wide and level stretch of country. Looking 
 out of the car- windows, we see canals of water 
 bordered with rushes and covered in places with 
 white lilies having blossoms a foot in diameter, 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 3 i 1 
 
 and pads exposing a much larger surface. How 
 we wish, we might pick some of these surprising 
 beauties and send them across the great sea 
 to the loved ones who delight so much in 
 the works of nature. On either hand are to 
 be seen fields of cotton, rice, millet, and Indian 
 corn. It is now the last of September, and in 
 places camels and donkeys are yoked together 
 ploughing the ground for sowing the wheat. In 
 some parts of the country three crops a year are 
 taken from the same field. These may be wheat, 
 rice, and Indian corn. As we examine the rich 
 soil, we can realize, how the land is the gift of 
 the Nile. We frequently pass villages with 
 houses huddled together, and built out of sun- 
 burnt brick. Their appearance is far from be- 
 ing inviting. Still as we stop at their depots, 
 it is pleasant, to witness men, women, and chil- 
 dren, offering cold water to passengers, hoping 
 to receive in return some bukshish. Prob-ibly, 
 there are no other people living, who are so 
 temperate as to their drink, as the Mohamme- 
 dans. 
 
 The valley of the Nile varies in width from 
 five to ten miles. Its waters are now falling ; 
 they began to rise about the first of June, 
 reaching their height the last of August. The 
 land rises from the river in terraces ; and as the 
 
312 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 water withdraws from the highest and most dis- 
 tant, the peasant goes forth often sowing the 
 wheat upon the soft mud ; and by the time the 
 water has receded from the second terrace, 
 making it ready for sowing, the grain of the 
 first sowing is up some inches ; and by the 
 time the seed is up on the land close by the 
 river, that which was first sown, is ready for 
 harvest. So here we have a beautiful illustration 
 of that Scripture saying, " First the blade, then 
 the ear, after that the full corn in the ear " ; or 
 as we witness them casting the grain upon the 
 shallow water, as it is leaving the field, we are 
 reminded of another passage saying, " Cast thy 
 bread upon the waters, and after many days, it 
 shall return unto thee." In places we notice 
 oxen turning the windlass and so raising water 
 from lower to higher ditches ; we also see men 
 lifting it by means of the old-fashioned well- 
 sweep, or standing on opposite sides of the 
 ditches, swinging tight woven baskets by ropes 
 attached to the handles, so as to throw it upon 
 the elevation above them ; in this way they 
 keep the fields irrigated. 
 
 At length we are crossing the Nile ; we find 
 it a wide river at this season of the year ; though 
 its natural embankments cannot be a mile apart. 
 Not far be'ow us the Delta begins, and the river 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 313 
 
 commences to divide into numerous branches, 
 so that at its mouth there are many rivers emp- 
 tying its waters into the sea. In the distance 
 ■\ve can see the desert, and now we are reminded 
 of the warfare which has been ffoins: on for as*es 
 between the sand and water. The Nile speaks 
 of life, and the desert of death. So far the river 
 has borne off the palm. No wonder, it has 
 been an object of worship. It breathes of 
 mystery, and yet is full of hope. To the Egyp- 
 tians it is a good power, while the desert is an evil 
 one. No wonder, it should give rise to the al- 
 legory of the burial of Osiris in its sacred waters, 
 whence he rose once a year, to scatter fresh 
 blessin^-s over the earth. Its annual overflow 
 which has occurred within a few hours of the 
 same time for centuries, presents a problem in 
 physical science which has not yet been solved. 
 Here in Lower Egypt it rises from twenty-five 
 to thirty feet. Should it come short even a few 
 inches of twenty-five feet at Cairo, the people 
 would expect a famine ; or should it rise but 
 little above its ordinary height, they would fear 
 great devastation from floods. So they have 
 watched and worshipped the Nile. In all the 
 cities along the banks, there have been priests 
 whose exclusive service has been devoted to the 
 god, Nilus. Then, too, its plants and vege- 
 
314 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 tation have been regarded divine ; and so they 
 have been expressed in works of art. Every- 
 where in their tombs and temples are to be seen 
 the graceful outlines of the rose-colored lotus. 
 As friends have died, they have regarded it a 
 blessing, if their bodies could be borne across 
 the Nile to the silent city. They have cher- 
 ished the feeling that the god Anubis watched 
 over all such burials. Are we aware, when 
 we speak of the darkling stream, and crossing 
 the river of death, we are using images which 
 originated by the mysterious Nile ? 
 
 Now that we are over the river, we are re- 
 minded, we are on the western border of the 
 land of Goshen. Here imagination cannot fail 
 of presenting pictures of the old Israelites, as 
 they were settled in this country. At first 
 they were only a little handful of Abrahamic 
 descendants, providentially, it would seem, 
 brought into the land and so guarded, that for 
 more than two hundred years they multiplied 
 in numbers and advanced in civilization, till 
 they became a mighty power in Egypt. In 
 cultivating: the soil, in working* stone and wood, 
 and moulding the clay, they took the lead. At 
 length the original inhabitants began to fear 
 their influence, and Pharaoh set in operation 
 forces which soon ground them down into the 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 315 
 
 most abject slavery. At that time a few miles 
 to the east of us stood the city of On, better 
 known as Heliopolis. It was then the seat 
 of wisdom and culture, the Oxford, of Egypt, 
 filled with temples and colleges. Here it 
 was that Joseph married his beautiful Ase- 
 nath ; here Moses was schooled, laying the foun- 
 dation, deep and strong, for a noble life and 
 character. Still later Plato resided here for 
 some twelve years as a student ; no doubt, it 
 was here that he became initiated into the great 
 doctrine of immortality which afterwards flamed 
 out in his classic Phaedon. The only relic 
 left of that grand old cit}^ is a single obelisk 
 similar in shape and size to the Xeedles of Cle- 
 opatra. Could we only solve the mysteries of 
 its curious hieroglyphics, what strange histories 
 of past ages would be revealed ! But now we 
 must leave it a mystery amidst a cluster of date 
 and acacia trees. 
 
 After riding some eight hours in the cars from 
 Alexandria, we find ourselves at the station just 
 outside of Cairo. The first look upon this city 
 assures us, it is aitoo*ether Oriental. Here asrain 
 we are beset with the donkey boys ; they are 
 determined we shall have a ride into the city 
 upon their quaint tramway ; but we decline all 
 offers, and push our way into the city of tall 
 
316 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 houses, numerous mosques overtopped with still 
 more numerous domes and minarets, and along 
 streets crowded with countless men, women, 
 and children. As we look up, it seems odd to 
 see the roofs on the opposite sides of the streets 
 drawing in towards each other, and frequently 
 meeting so as to shut out the sunlight. We 
 step into a hotel and inquire the price of board 
 and lodging per day, and we are informed, six 
 dollars in gold ; thinking this too high, we pass 
 on to another and make the same inquiry, and 
 are informed, four dollars in gold, which is the 
 cheapest house in the city for its conveniences. 
 So here we take up our abode and fare well as 
 to all necessary comforts. 
 
 As we go out into this city of more than six 
 hundred thousand inhabitants, we find the 
 houses huddled together, the streets everywhere 
 narrow and shut in, and all the day long, hosts 
 of people crowding the thoroughfares, as though 
 all had been turned out of doors. As we watch 
 their movements, they do not appear to have 
 any special object in view except that of simply 
 killing time. Now and then the monotony will 
 be broken by some Arab whipping his wife, be- 
 cause she has let the veil covering the lower 
 part of her face drop so as to expose her mouth 
 and chin ; still he delights to have her make 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 317 
 
 exhibition of her nude breast, especially, if it is 
 prominently developed. The stores are on a 
 small scale. The 2,'oods in the average store 
 might be placed all at once upon the back 
 of a donkey, and he would bear them away 
 with ease. We discover some manufactures 
 Sfoino; on here and there, though on a small 
 
 (D CD ' O 
 
 scale. It is stated, there are those en^a^ed 
 m work all the way from picking up refuse in 
 the streets to constructing a watch. As we 
 are passing alono- our attention is attracted 
 to a school by the roadside. The building has 
 for its noorino; the sand and for its roofing the 
 open sky. As we stop to look in upon them, 
 the two masters and forty pupils from the 
 ages of six to ten years old, spring to their feet 
 and advance towards us, sharply gazing at the 
 strangers, as much as to say, it is our privilege 
 to look, as well as yours. For five minutes, or 
 more, the mutual staring is kept up ; and then 
 teachers and children assume their sitting posi- 
 tions right in the sand, and begin to move their 
 lips and swing their bodies back and forth ; we 
 inquire of our dragoman what they are doing. 
 He says, "They are learning a Mohammedan 
 prayer, and, when they shall have commit- 
 ted a few prayers to memory and learned a 
 little smattering of numbers, so as to calculate 
 
318 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 bukshish, then their schooling will be com- 
 pleted." How sad for children to be thus con- 
 ditioned ! They have apparently good physiques 
 and intelligent faces. Could they only be edu- 
 cated in our own country, what men they 
 would be likely to make ! But their religion 
 binds them as with iron chains in ignorance. 
 In this land the priest and the sword have 
 the mightiest sway. 
 
 At length we come into the quarter of the 
 bazaars. As the eye reaches on, it would seem, 
 there must be more than half a mile of stores 
 clustering together. Entering them we find all 
 kinds of productions of the country for sale, 
 and a great variety of articles from the far east, 
 and a few from the far west. The merchants 
 are very polite, and proffer us at once little 
 cups of coffee, which it is expected we will 
 drink without hesitancy, whether we are dis 
 posed to trade with them or not. As we sip 
 the coffee, we soon feel it tingling to the 
 very ends of our fingers, convincing us, if the 
 quantity is small, the quality is large. Some 
 of the shawls, shoes, and silks, are beautiful, 
 but costly. If one has money in abundance, 
 here is a good chance to spend it. 
 
 Leaving the bazaars our attention is soon 
 attracted by a band of music, so called; but it 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 319 
 
 strikes us their instruments must be the same 
 as the Israelites used in blowing clown the walls 
 of Jericho. At least, the noise is tremendous. 
 On inquiry we learn that a wedding is being 
 celebrated. So we watch the movements, and 
 soon discover a carriage in front of a house 
 with bunches of money attached to the cover- 
 ing ; this is the bride's dowry. It is not long 
 before the front door opens and a piece of car- 
 peting is stretched to the carriage, and an ob- 
 ject completely wrapped in white raiment is led 
 to it and helped within, and the door is shut. 
 We are informed this is the bride, but we ask, 
 where is the bridegroom? "Oh," it is stated, 
 "he has gone off in some other direction, and, 
 perhaps, will not meet, this wife for weeks." It 
 seems somewhat singular to us that the bride 
 should have her first ride after her marriage 
 alone. Just before the carriage starts, two 
 lono-leo-ored fellows with rods in hand, dart 
 away swinging them and crying out to the top 
 of their voices, "Clear the way, clear the way," 
 and the carriage follows on. The bride is bound 
 for the public baths ; she is pursued by a band 
 of half-naked singers who make the air crazy 
 with the most horrid discords and barbaric 
 howls and screeches. Soon they are out of 
 sight, leaving us with the impression that mar- 
 
320 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 riage in this country does not tend to elevate 
 woman, or ennoble man. 
 
 As we look around, we behold a motley crowd. 
 Here are Arabs, Turks, Numidians, and all sorts 
 of human species from that of a puny, sore-eyed 
 urchin w T ith its face literally covered w T ith flies, 
 to those of handsome men. Some of the faces 
 are yellow, others tawny, and others of darkest 
 bronze. The costume of the better classes 
 consists of trousers fastened about the body 
 by a cord with silk tassels at the ends, a frock 
 reaching down to the heels with full flowing 
 sleeves ; and on their heads the turban, or 
 tarboosh. The lower orders wear generally, 
 only a loose shirt, and many of the children 
 are entirely nudje. The manner in which 
 affairs move on, conveys the idea that they 
 are pretty well satisfied with this kind of 
 life. 
 
 We now ascend to the citadel, and as we pass 
 within the walls, we are soon made conscious, 
 we are in the stronghold of the pacha of Cairo. 
 The walls are massive about it. On the east 
 side is a splendid mosque, and on the south a 
 superb palace. Before we can walk on their 
 polished floors, we must exchange our shoes for 
 slippers, that no damage may be done the mar- 
 bles as we pass over them. In the mosque the 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 321 
 
 ceiling and walls are decorated with lively 
 frescos. The side towards Mecca is inlaid with 
 the richest red and white alabaster. To the 
 right of the entrance is the sarcophagus of Me- 
 hemet Ali. Here we see no statuary, or paint- 
 ings. The Koran forbids such ornaments to be 
 in a Mohammedan church ; however, in a few 
 instances we have seen carvings of unknown 
 plants and animals, called arabesques; these 
 seem poor substitutes for the wonderful crea- 
 tions of Raphael, Angelo, and Rubens, which 
 adorn the churches of Western Europe. 
 
 In the palace we find a large suite of rooms 
 frescoed and carpeted with light and sombre 
 colors. The dancing hall of the pacha's Circas- 
 sian wives is strikingly gay. It is sufficiently 
 large to accommodate two hundred at the same 
 time ; however, we make no effort to ascertain 
 whether he has so many wives, or not. 
 
 From the palace we go to the well of Jacob 
 and look down into a hole twenty feet in diam- 
 eter and two hundred and seventy feet deep. 
 Tradition says the Israelites were wont to draw 
 water here. Certainly the well bears marks of 
 age. 
 
 Now we seek the most favorable spot for 
 prospecting, and lo, what a panorama lies 
 spread out before us ! To the north and east 
 
322 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 we can see the obelisk of Heliopolis ; still 
 nearer are the tombs of the Mamelukes ; to the 
 south are the lofty quarries whence the stoue 
 was cut out for the building of the city, and 
 on their heights may be seen ruined castles and 
 crumbling edifices. To the westward are the 
 wasting ruins of old Cairo, the famous island 
 of Rhoda, green with its groves of palms, and 
 still farther on, the gigantic pyramids of Gizeh 
 and Sahara. To the north and west along the 
 banks of the Nile, are fields of waving corn ; 
 while close about and under us is the city of 
 Cairo with its four hundred mosques of glisten- 
 ing spires and domes. From this place of 
 look-off we would judge the city to be three 
 miles in extent east and west, and a mile north 
 and south. The buildings look as though they 
 were all joined together. The roofs are mostly 
 flat and evidently used for domestic purposes. 
 They serve as sleeping apartments in the hot- 
 test seasons. Would it not be a strange sight 
 to look at six hundred thousand people sleeping 
 upon these house-tops ! The sunset is fast ap- 
 proaching. The Moslems are expecting the 
 calls all over the city of the muezzins from the 
 lofty galleries of the minarets, bidding them 
 worship Mohammed and their God. There are 
 no bells here, as in America, to strike the hour 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIKO. 323 
 
 of worship, or trumpets, as in Jerusalem, to 
 proclaim the season of prayer. 
 
 In this vast city, there is no public library. 
 In fact, we have seen no books in the shops, or 
 stores, except a few copies of " The Arabian 
 Nights," and a small work on geometry ; neither 
 is there any museum in which are gathered up 
 treasures of antiquity. It seems as though the 
 people are not living, but only staying here. 
 We can but ask, how long is this order of things 
 to continue ? Why should the old civilization 
 which was once so rife in this land, be suffered 
 to dwindle into the present low state ? All this 
 region once was occupied by a prosperous and 
 cultured people. Here were the haunts of 
 poets, philosophers, and scholars. In those 
 ancient days to be an Egyptian was an honor. 
 Then countless hammers were ringing in the 
 quarries ; brickyards were busy with stirring 
 hands and feet ; potteries were turning out the 
 most beautiful vases ; grand temples were being 
 built, and gorgeous palaces were adorning the 
 banks of the Nile. But how fallen the glory of 
 the past ! Refinement has been supplanted by 
 vulgarity ; erudition, by ignorance ; the beau- 
 tiful, by the ugly ; the palace, by the hut ; 
 progress, by deterioration. As we bid adieu 
 to the city of Saladin and the Arabian Nights, 
 
324 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 we must think of it, as an ever-changing pano- 
 rama of life and death, of the caressings of the 
 Nile and the blastings of the Desert. 
 
 A donkey ride of twelve miles to the south- 
 west takes us to the great pyramids. As we 
 are borne away upon the little animals, we 
 are forced to regard them strange anomalies 
 of patience and endurance. On our way we 
 pass through old Cairo, which we find a filthy and 
 desolate place. We cross the Nile on the crudest 
 raft to the island of Rhoda where stands the 
 tall column bearing the records of the rise and 
 fall of the river for many centuries ; here the 
 palm-trees are thriving, but the people dwelling 
 anions: them are wretched indeed. From this 
 land we are ferried once more, donkeys and all, 
 across another branch of the river. By this 
 time we begin to realize that the Nile is really 
 a great institution, deserving to be called the 
 mother of Egypt. It is many times the width 
 of the Thames at London Bridge, or the Hud- 
 son at New York City. From this point we are 
 hurried upon the gallop for miles over a level 
 stretch of country to within a few hundred rods 
 of the mighty wonders of the desert. Here we 
 dismount, and wade through the sand, nearly 
 knee- deep, to Cheops, and lo, right before 
 us are the vast objects which inspired such 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 325 
 
 amazement unci mystery in our boyhood ! How 
 familiar they have been made to us by books 
 and pictures ! Like weird necromancers they 
 invoke hosts of spectres from the shadowy 
 graves of the past. Somehow as we gaze, we 
 feel, they cannot well be exaggerated, any more 
 than the Alps, or Niagara Falls. Ah ! they 
 had a history before history began — when the 
 world's " gray forefathers " roamed at will over 
 the earth, and angels made frequent visits to the 
 children of men. Perchance, Abraham was 
 familiar with their massive forms, and Joseph 
 frequently rested under their extended shadows. 
 Generations have lived and died ; empires have 
 risen and fallen ; arts and sciences have flour- 
 ished and decayed ; still on the partings of the 
 desert and the Nile, stand as of old these huge 
 structures of unknown time, challenging the 
 greatnesses of to-day ! 
 
 But here we are, and the Bedouins, also. 
 Like Hamlet's ghosts, they come and go in 
 quick succession. We purchase the privilege 
 from the pacha of the Bedouin tribe to ascend to 
 the top of the largest pyramid by paying sev- 
 enty-five cents each ; and now we proceed at 
 once for the climb, but as we attempt to leap 
 to the top of the first layer of stone, behold, 
 twenty hands are behind us, and we come back 
 
326 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 more quickly than we went up. Two, or three 
 trials more, convince us, it is no use, we must 
 employ two of these great brawny fellows to 
 assist and defend us. As we strike a bargain 
 with them, at once they clasp our wrists 
 and leap up the huge blocks, pulling us after 
 them, and in a few minutes we are on the top 
 of Cheops at Gizeh. This was four hundred 
 and eighty-four feet high, but several layers of 
 stone have been thrown from the summit. It 
 covers over thirteen and a half acres of ground, 
 and its sides are precisely adjusted to the four 
 cardinal points ; the length of one side of the 
 base is as many cubits, as there are days and 
 parts of a day in a year; the height of the 
 pyramid bears the same relation to the perime- 
 ter of the base, which the radius of a circle 
 bears to the circumference. It is evident that 
 the architects who planned it, were scientists, 
 being familiar with astronomy and mathemat- 
 ics. According to Pliny, some three hundred 
 and sixty thousand men were employed thirty 
 years in building it. It is evident, a part of 
 the stones were taken from quarries close at 
 hand, and the rest were brought from far up the 
 Nile. This pyramid, and also the next two 
 largest, Cheprcn and Mycerinus, and the Sphinx, 
 are built upon a range of Lybian ledge about 
 one hundred i ve the river. 
 
LOWER EGYGT AND CAIRO. 62 7 
 
 We enjoy a fine view from this height ; the 
 Nile can be seen for a long distance ; and we 
 can look far out upon the African desert ; the 
 pyramids of Sahara are readily seen. It is 
 said, there are more than seventy of these pyra- 
 mids in Egypt ; some of them are constructed 
 of brick and others of stone. Cheops is built 
 entirely of stone having two hundred and sev- 
 enty-two courses. As we cjmplete our pros- 
 pecting and commence to descend, our assistants 
 clasp our wrists again, and shrewdly peering 
 into the face, ask, if we know Jack and Jill, 
 and begin to chant, 
 
 " Jack and Gill went up the hill, 
 To draw a pail of water, 
 Jack fell down and broke his crown, 
 A nd Jill came tumbling after, 
 Crying give bukshish, give bukshish, 
 Goody American give much bukshish, much 
 bukshish ! " 
 
 At length we are safe on the sand once more ; 
 and now we pass round to the north side, and 
 enter a passage descending on an angle of 
 twenty-six degrees, nearly four feet high 
 and more than three feet wide, and three 
 hundred and twenty feet long; at the end 
 of this there is a horizontal passage lead- 
 ing to the mortuary room. Sixty-three feet 
 
323 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 from the entrance is an ascending passage for a 
 hundred and twenty-five feet on an angle of 
 twenty-six degrees ; at this point is a horizon- 
 tal passage to the left, one hundred and ten 
 feet long, ending in the Queen's Chamber which 
 is some eighteen feet long, seventeen feet wide 
 and twenty high. Returning to the ascending 
 passage and following its course, we soon come 
 to the Great Gallery which is a hundred and 
 fifty feet long, twenty-eight high, and seven 
 wide. At the upper end of this we enter the 
 King's Chamber which is thirty feet long, sev- 
 enteen wide, and nineteen high. This, as well 
 as the other chambers, or rooms, is lined, 
 floored, and ceiled with sycnitic granite, highly 
 polished. In the walling of this room has been 
 discovered a sarcophagus some twelve feet long, 
 three wide, and three deep. Above this cham- 
 ber are still other rooms. After examining the 
 vast pile, it appears evident that it was designed 
 as a tomb and memorial of the vain monarch 
 who caused it to be built. Its workmanship is 
 the perfection of art. The mind that conceived 
 it must have been grand. For ages it has 
 stood, and through the centuries to come it will 
 stand, revealing its wondrous story to millions 
 yet unborn. 
 
 Some rods in front of the pyramids of Gizeh 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 829 
 
 rises above the wavy sand, as from a petrified 
 sea, a massive figure with a human face and 
 a lion's body which the natives call Aboohol, 
 signifying the father of terrors, or immensity. 
 It is a monster of strange repose and indescrib- 
 able meaning. It is couched, as it has been 
 couched for unknown ages, with open eyes gaz- 
 ing into duration. Hither the Pharaohs, the 
 old Hebrews, the ancient Persians, the classic 
 Greeks, the brave Caesars, Aral) warriors, 
 Christian believers, scientific savans, and curi- 
 osity seekers, have come in long procession and 
 wondrously stared into that face, so expressive, 
 and yet so unchanging. We may mock at it as 
 we will, yet there is something grand in its un- 
 chan^eableness. 
 
 A short distance to the southeast of these 
 imposing monuments and closer upon the bank 
 of the Nile, have been opened up from the 
 wastes of sand, the ruins of old Memphis. If 
 the name does not take hold of the heart at first 
 like the name of New York, London, or Pome, 
 still it had a brilliant history long before these 
 modern cities were even dreamed of. Mem- 
 phis had a splendid court, when Attic soil was 
 roamed over by barbarians, and wildest sav- 
 ages were holding in their possession Latium. 
 Hither came the great Alexander, looked and 
 
330 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 admired, During the reign of the Ptolemies, it 
 was the city of civilization, and so it continued 
 till it was conquered by Amrou and buried in 
 the sands with all its pomp and glory of forty 
 centuries. 
 
 Now, as its great temple is being uncovered, 
 and its avenue of sphinxes revealed, we can 
 but wonder at its magnificence, and cease to 
 question that Memphis had once a circuit of 
 sixteen miles. In the Louvre at Paris are to be 
 seen some twelve hundred votive and sepul- 
 chral tablets taken from its Serapeum and its 
 Apeum . The apis was the sacred animal of 
 this city, and whenever it died, or was killed, 
 it was carefully embalmed and sacredly interred 
 in the Apeum whence four hundred mummies 
 of this animal have been discovered within the 
 last thirty years. These temples are lined and 
 faced with polished red granite from Syene. 
 Here are symbols and hieroglyphics telling of 
 a people highly educated before Closes taught, 
 or Homer suns ; here are relics of art which 
 had fulfilled their mission of cultivated taste 
 and beauty long before the temple of Solomon 
 glistened with gold, or the Parthenon reflected 
 its silvery charms. Here are representations 
 of ships somewhat like those now-a-days seen 
 in Boston Harbor ; of glass-blowers at work 
 
LOWER EGYPT AND CAIRO. 331 
 
 like those we saw in Venice ; of flax-dressers 
 toiling as they toil in Ireland to-day : of 
 weavers reminding ns of those producing the 
 Roman scarfs ; of potters turning off as elegant 
 results as those now so celebrated at Sevres ; of 
 painters who were masters before the canvas ; 
 of statuaries who possibly paved the way for 
 Phidias and Angelo ; and of gymnasts who evi- 
 dently understood how to pitch the quoit, hurl 
 the javelin, and throw the ball. In how many 
 ways the history of Egypt marks the history 
 of civilization ! It was in Eg}^pt the Hebrews 
 first learned their lessons of fortitude and endur- 
 ance. Here was called out the grand heroism of 
 Joseph ; here Moses was made the great lawgiver, 
 and Joshua trained to his royal generalship. It 
 was to this country the sages of Greece repaired 
 for instruction. Eome stood abashed in the 
 presence of Cleopatra. Christianity suffered 
 no loss in the Alexandrian school of philosophy. 
 Through wmatever vista we look, the continuity 
 of human history carries us back to the banks of 
 the Nile, as the source of philosophy, science, and 
 art. The course of civilization has been, Egypt, 
 Greece, Rome, Modern Europe, America. 
 Man is the heir of the ages ; and step by step, 
 his progress has been from the far East to the 
 far West. If the sun of his fortunes rose in 
 beauty, it promises to set in glory. 
 
XII. 
 
 MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 
 
 T is the last of October ; the air is mild ; the 
 sun is clipping close to the western horizon ; 
 and the sky is reflecting opal and gold. Here 
 we are, two thousand feet above the waters of 
 the Mediterranean, still we are surrounded by 
 hills upon which once stood cities that could not 
 be hid. On our right is Mizpah crowned with 
 its white mosque, wearing the appearance of 
 departed greatness. Just under its shadow lies 
 Gibeon thickly belted with trees of fig and 
 olive. To the left is Gibeah, the birthplace and 
 home of Saul. To the east is Ramah, now 
 clothed in dust and ashes. Near at hand are 
 wheat-fields generally covered with loose stones. 
 Here and there are patches being sown, and 
 others becoming green with growing wheat. 
 Close by is a peasant hurrying up his little oxen, 
 that he may plough in before sunset the wheat 
 which he has sown, for should he leave it un- 
 covered during the night, the birds would be 
 likely to capture it, before he should return to 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 333 
 
 his work on the morrow. As we survey the 
 farmer, we discover that he is an Arab, some 
 forty years of age, being five feet and eight 
 inches tall, having a piercing eye, a broad 
 chest and strong limbs. Outwardly he is a fine 
 specimen of a man, but as our dragoman in- 
 forms us that his education was limited to 
 memorizing a few Mohammedan prayers and 
 learning to count bukshish, we could but feel 
 how unfortunate that mind should be thus op- 
 pressed. His oxen, though six years old, seem 
 inferior, when compared with the cattle of Eng- 
 land, or America. The yoke consists of a 
 rough stick cut from an olive branch, made fast 
 to the neeks of the oxen by withes. The plough 
 is evidently patterned after the one used in 
 Noah's time ; it cuts a furrow about four inches 
 in depth and width. The sowing in Judaea is 
 done before the ploughing, for there is scarcely 
 any sod to be broken. As we look at the fields 
 we can but wonder, how it is possible for vege- 
 tation to thrive here ; everything looks scorched 
 and dried up ; for the past four or five months 
 there has been no rain, but as the winter shall 
 set in and the ground become watered, it will 
 give forth abundantly. At first it appeared 
 strange that fields should be so completely cov- 
 ered with stones, but on examination we can 
 
334 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 understand why it is proper and necessary ; for 
 the outcropping rock is of lime formation and, 
 when pulverized, forms just the nutriment for 
 grass and wheat ; so these stones, as they lie all 
 the long summer exposed to the burning sun- 
 light and corroding gases, crumble in pieces 
 and become suited to nourish grain and plants. 
 It is singular how crisped mid sunburnt almost 
 everything is at this season, except where the 
 wheat is just coming up, and now and then 
 little clusters of crocus blossoms smile out 
 from the rocks. As we dismount from our 
 horses and pluck these flowers, how we wish, 
 we might send bouquets of them far away over 
 the seas to dear friends, because they would be 
 so significant and clothed with the richest as- 
 sociations. Bevies of larks and sparrows are 
 flying in every direction, y.o wonder, if the 
 little birds were so plenteous in the time of 
 Christ, that four should have been sold for a 
 farthing. Then, too, the birds arc full of sweet- 
 est song, certainly doing their utmost to over- 
 come the weird appearance of desolation which 
 is widely prevailing. 
 
 As we bend round a spur of the mountains, 
 our dragoman exclaims, " There is Jerusalem ! " 
 and lo ! three miles southward is Jerusalem, the 
 city of which we have read and dreamed from 
 
MODE15X AXD AXCIENT JERUSALEM. 335 
 
 our childhood. Our imagination has placed it 
 above all other cities ; we have regarded it as 
 the home of the wisest men ; as the spot where 
 the saddest and greatest deeds have been 
 wrought ; as the place where prophets have 
 lived, where apostles have taught, and the Son 
 of man suffered, died, and was raised from the 
 dead. In thought it is a marvellous city. The old 
 seems infinitely superior to the new : though we 
 must acknowledge, the modern city with its 
 walls, battlements, minarets, domes, and towers, 
 presents a grand appearance. Hills and moun- 
 tains encircle it ; yet it stands upon a cluster of 
 hills. We can but feel, we are now everywhere 
 treading sacred ground. All the way from 
 Joppa, we have been following the path of the 
 prophets, and now we are on the way which 
 apostles travelled passing from Galilee to Mount 
 Zion. The surface is greatly diversified. It is 
 plain that the whole country is of volcanic 
 origin ; the surface rock is porous ; and the 
 rounded summits bear marks of aqueous, as 
 well as igneous agencies. It would be difficult 
 to find a more broken landscape. The road we 
 are following is no more than a goat-path, still 
 it has been the highway from Jerusalem to 
 Samaria and Galilee for thousands of years. 
 When within a mile of the city, we are informed 
 
336 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 that upon our right are the tombs of the Judges 
 and the Kings, cut out of the native ledges, but 
 we cannot stop to examine them at present. 
 Soon we are under the shadows of the lofty 
 walls and before the Damascus Gate of the city. 
 We cannot gain entrance here, because the 
 pacha has sent forth a mandate that no luggage 
 shall enter this gate- way, so we are forced to 
 turn our course round to the Jaffa Gate. On 
 the north side of the city we find no buildings ; 
 the vacant space appears wild and forsaken ; at 
 the northwest corner we pass over a spur of the 
 mountains which divides the waters of the Ke- 
 dron from the valley of Gihon ; on the west 
 side we find the Russian Hospice consisting of a 
 large cluster of buildings for the accommodation 
 of pilgrims from that country, and a long block 
 of dwellings for the accommodation of Jews who 
 are unable to secure tenements inside the walls. 
 At length, we find ourselves in front of the g?te 
 on the west. Our dragoman informs us that 
 here we will be obliged to have our baggage 
 examined, unless we buy off the custom-offi- 
 cers ; so, as they present themselves ready for 
 duty, we slip some bukshish into their hands, 
 and they are very cordial and perfectly willing, 
 we should enter the city without any further 
 trouble. So in single file each horse steps his 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 661 
 
 length into the gate-way, and then to the left 
 his length, and then to the right his length, and 
 behold ! we are within the city of Jerusalem. 
 Now, as we look around, we are ready to say 
 distance does lend charms ; for the immediate 
 does not equal the remote view. But here we 
 are within walls two and a fourth miles in ex- 
 tent, and from thirty to sixty feet in height. 
 Their crests are irregular and broken by battle- 
 ments and gate-towers. At first sight these 
 walls appear formidable, but on examination we 
 are satisfied, it w T ould not require a long time 
 for an American, or a Prussian battery of guns, 
 if favorably adjusted, to raze them to the 
 ground. We see remnants of other walls within 
 the present one, showiug that other cities have 
 stood here. Some of the stones composing 
 them are immense, and, no doubt, bear chisel- 
 marks which were made more than two thou- 
 sand years ago. These Avails were constructed 
 as a defence to the city. Through them. open 
 five gates : the Damascus, on the north ; St. 
 Stephen's, on the east ; the African and Mount 
 Zion, on the south ; and the Jaffa, on the 
 w T est. 
 
 The site on which the city is built, inclines to 
 the east, and the houses are strangely huddled 
 together, varying in height from one to two, 
 
338 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 three, and four stories. These are built out of 
 gray limestone, having flat roofs for the most 
 part. In fact, the only convenient places for 
 walking within the city, are found upon the 
 tops of the buildings. From the size and 
 scarcity of the windows, we would infer that 
 the people do not believe in sunshine and good 
 air. Though their houses are joined so closely 
 together, still there is much vacant space with- 
 in the walls of the city. 
 
 Such streets we have never witnessed in any 
 other town ; they are devoid of all plan, or con- 
 venience. As we pass down St. David's, the 
 main street, we find it paved with stones which 
 were laid, perchance, before the time of the 
 Crusades. They are worn so smooth, it is 
 with difficulty our horses can move over them. 
 They are too uneven and irregular, it is certain, 
 for carriages to pass over them. For quite a 
 distance this street is arched and overtopped 
 with houses, and on each side are shops 
 and stores having rooms from six to eight feet 
 square, and six feet high In a store is usually 
 kept hut one kind of goods, and not so much 
 in quantity but the}' might all be packed with 
 case into a Saratoga trunk. The merchants are 
 evidently pleased with their calling, and feel 
 that they are doing business on a large scale. 
 
MODEEN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 389 
 
 The Turkish and Arabic tradesmen are gen 
 erally sitting in the midst of their goods, so as 
 to be able to reach handily any article kept for 
 sale, and are usually anxious to sell, unless it 
 be at the hour of prayer which conies five times 
 a day. If you should be striking a bargain 
 with them, and the muezzin should send down 
 the call from the minaret, saying, " It is the 
 hour to worship Allah," your trading would be 
 sure to stop till the prayers were ended, and 
 when these should be completed, the merchants 
 would delight to drive a sharp bargain. 
 
 At length, while advancing on this street we 
 are brought up against a dingy wall which in- 
 tercepts the way, bearing the marks of age. 
 This is supposed to be a wall that belonged to 
 the ancient city. As we turn from this to 
 Christ's Street towards Damascus Gate, we ob- 
 serve many changers, brokers, dry-goods and 
 hardware merchants, engaged in trade on no 
 larger scale than those on St. David's Street. 
 While passing along almost every merchant 
 beckons us, or holds out some article, hoping to 
 induce us to buy. They tease foreigners, as 
 though they believed, their pockets were full of 
 
 sovereigns. 
 
 But what are we after in particular so near 
 the close of the day? An abiding place while 
 
340 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 we may sojourn in Jerusalem. Are there ho- 
 tels here? Yes, two, hut their rates are so ex- 
 orbitant that we are searching for the Prussian 
 Hospice, where our dragoman informs us, we 
 can be comfortably cared for by paying a dollar 
 a day. Soon on Christ's Street we halt before 
 an iron door; the hell is rung, and immedi- 
 ately the key is turned and a Prussian gen- 
 tleman presents himself; our passports are 
 examined, and then we are invited to ascend 
 upon the house-top, and there above the rest of 
 the buildings we are shown into a room which 
 we can occupy, when we wish, during our stay 
 in the city. It is proper to state here, that we 
 find this a Christian home and our wants are 
 well supplied. Of course, we do not see any 
 beefsteak on the table, nor much mutton, still we 
 have chicken, eggs, tea and coffee, and good 
 wheat bread which is occasionally somewhat 
 gritty for the reason, it is threshed upon the 
 ground and winnowed as of old, and usually 
 ground by hand ; however, in Jerusalem they 
 have one grist-mill driven by mules. The water, 
 as it comes upon the table in glass bottles, is 
 likely at this season of the year, to be some- 
 what disturbed, as we look through it towards 
 the light ; at least, we prefer to have it boiled 
 some time before we attempt to drink it. On 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 341 
 
 the whole, we have no reason to complain of 
 the living in this city. 
 
 Before exploring farther, it is proper, we 
 should look at the people, and study somewhat 
 their characteristics. We learn, there are in 
 the city twenty-five thousand inhabitants. Fif- 
 teen thousand of these are Jews ; five thousand, 
 Moslems; two thousand, Greeks; fifteen hun- 
 dred, Latins ; four hundred, Armenians; eleven 
 hundred, Protestants and Copts. 
 
 The Jews are mostly immigrants from foreign 
 countries, and thoroughly consecrated to their 
 faith. In their habits they are peculiar. The 
 men have their hair shinoded behind, but hansr- 
 ing in tresses in front of their ears. They wear 
 for their outer garment a kind of dressing-^own 
 faced with fur, and caps edged with fur. Their 
 women are attired after the European style. 
 The Jews are the most enterprising class in the 
 city. Nearly all the business is carried on by 
 them. They are as expert here in shaving 
 money, as in New York, or London. Their 
 leading characteristic everywhere is persist- 
 ency. 
 
 The Moslems are Turks and Arabs. The 
 men arc well formed and muscular, but the 
 women are deformed and abject looking beings, 
 as a rule. The wives are regarded as inferior 
 
342 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 to their husbands, and generally treated as 
 slaves. Their religion teaches, woman was 
 fashioned out of the great toe of man, and 
 therefore, should submit to his authority in this 
 life, and rest in a diminutive grave after death. 
 
 The Greeks have mainly come from Grecian 
 colonies. Not a few of them look as thougji 
 they might have some of the old Athenian and 
 Spartan blood coursing their veins. The sharp 
 features and keen eye indicate mind and cul- 
 ture, yet we are informed, ignorance prevails 
 among them, and that even some of their 
 priests are unable to read, or write. 
 
 The Latins are mostly Italians, and appear as 
 though they came from the Sunny Land. They 
 are devoted Catholics. As a whole they are 
 superior to the Greeks here, and far in advance 
 of the Arabs. Their priests are generally 
 monks wearing; the cowl and the Ions: brown 
 frock banded to the body by a rope and beads. 
 
 The Protestants are of all tongues and na- 
 tions. The mass of them are Europeans, rank- 
 ing, perhaps, in this order, Germans, French, 
 English, and Russians, though more speak the 
 English, than any other language. 
 
 The modern, like the ancient city, is divided 
 into four quarters, named after the sites which 
 they occupy. Mount Akra is the northwest- 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 343 
 
 em ; Mount Zion, the southwestern ; Mount 
 Moriah, the southeastern ; unci Mount Bazetha, 
 the northeastern. TTe would scarcely think of 
 calling them mounts, their elevation is so 
 slight. Still they must have been greatly 
 changed since the time of the first city. Sev- 
 eral cities have been built above them and de- 
 stroyed, and the stones and mortar out of which 
 they were made, compose the foundation of the 
 present city. So this vast accumulation of 
 debris must have greatly changed their original 
 condition. In places the waste must be thirty, 
 or forty feet deep. 
 
 Going upon Akra, we at once realize this to 
 be the Christian quarter. In fact, this is the 
 cleanest part of the city. Here the foreign 
 ministers and consuls reside. Here are the 
 Christian churches. As we inspect these, we 
 find the Latin burdened with pictures of the 
 crucifixion and the Virgin. The outward is ex- 
 pressive of religion. In the Greek church we 
 meet with few pictures and statues. The edi- 
 fice is in the form of the Greek cross, and 
 exquisitely simple and beautiful in all its 
 adjustments. The Protestant church is plain 
 but convenient. These different sects here ap- 
 pear to live and work in the most perfect har- 
 mony. No doubt, they agree to disagree, and 
 
344 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 this always results in peace. While wandering 
 about, we are troubled with the narrowness of 
 the streets, and marvel, how people can suffer 
 themselves to dwell in such close relations ; for 
 we should not think of calling the highways, 
 streets ; because they are too narrow for that, 
 being not more than three feet wide ; however, 
 St. David's and Christ's, are possibly nine, or 
 ten feet in width. 
 
 In the centre of Akra we come to a huge 
 structure ; it is the pool of Hezekiah ; it must 
 be two hundred and fifty feet long, one hundred 
 and fifty feet wide, and fifty, or sixty feet deep. 
 This bears the marks of a<*e. It is said to have 
 been built in Solomon's time. Looking at the 
 sides, we can but ask, where did they quarry 
 those vast blocks of stone, and how did they 
 place many of them so high? It is a perfect 
 piece of masonry to-day. It has every indica- 
 tion of enduring for the ages to come. Look- 
 ing at this pool, we would judge, if it should 
 be filled with water, it would supply the whole 
 city with this essential element for more than a 
 year, and yet we are informed that nearly every 
 private house is supplied with a cistern to catch 
 water during the winter, that they may not 
 suffer for the want of it during the lonof drought 
 of summer. • 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 345 
 
 Leaving this quarter, we will direct our way 
 to Mount Zion, over which the Armenians hold 
 sway. This is the highest part of the city, and 
 the inhabitants here would be pleased to have 
 you regard it the aristocratic portion. We first 
 come to an open space of some rods in ex- 
 tent ; this is the exchange and parliament 
 house of this nomadic people who want no other 
 rooting than the open sky, and no other flooring 
 than these rough stones. It is also the market- 
 place where we see several caravans of camels ; 
 one of which has just come in from Jaffa, 
 loaded with wheat and olives ; another came in 
 yesterday from Hebron, bearing grapes, figs, 
 and pomegranates. The camels and dromeda- 
 ries look wearied and forlorn. Even some of 
 them that came in yesterday have their loads 
 on their backs, and as likely as not, they have 
 had no food for the last twenty-four hours. It 
 is evident, the buyers are not numerous, or 
 anxious to trade. All business here is done on 
 a slow and small scale. The owners of the 
 produce are forced to keep a sharp lookout, for 
 hungry dogs, and more hungry beggars, are 
 watching an opportunity to practise substrac- 
 tiou on the eatables. Under the shadow of a 
 wall close by, we notice some dervishes and 
 bedouins sitting, or lying on the ground, while 
 
346 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 two or three of them are sleeping ; those awake 
 are busily engaged transplanting tleas from their 
 own garments to those of their dreamy com- 
 panions. They show themselves experts in this 
 business, for only experts could be successful 
 in capturing such undiscoverable tormentors. 
 Even Yankees fail in this undertaking after 
 much practice. 
 
 A short distance to the west near the Jaffa 
 Gate, is the tower of Hippicus, or, perhaps, as 
 often called, the tower of David. We obtain a 
 permit of a half-dozen Turkish soldiers guard- 
 ing the entrance by giving them liberally of 
 bukshish, to ascend it. Apparently these 
 guardsmen feel their responsibilities are great. 
 Their uniforms consist of blue Turkish spencers 
 and trousers striped with yellow braid. They 
 are armed with flint lock-guns, and clumsy, 
 broad-bladed swords. We climb a hundred 
 irregular steps, and we stand upon the top of 
 the tower, whence we have a fine view of the 
 city, and an extended prospect of the surround- 
 ing scenery. With delight we gaze upon Oli- 
 vet, Bethlehem, and portions of the Kedron. 
 Thrilling associations crowd the mind, as we 
 stand here, and inquire, where were King Da- 
 vid's palace, Solomon's Temple, Calvary, Gol- 
 gotha, that Judgment Flail, that Communion 
 
MODEKX AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 347 
 
 Chamber, and the almost countless places made 
 memorable by noble and ignoble deeds? As 
 we descend and are leaving the vestibule, we 
 notice a little girl of sparkling eyes and fairest 
 complexion, sitting on the pavement and rock- 
 ing her little body back and forth. She has, 
 perhaps, experienced eight summers, and as 
 many winters. But what is she now doing ? 
 We are told she is memorizing Mohammedan 
 prayers. Who is she, and whence did she 
 come? She is a slave belonging to one of these 
 officers, and was purchased in the land of Moab 
 of her parents. What ! do they raise children 
 there at the present day to sell, as we do our 
 cattle and sheep? Certainly, and what was 
 paid for her? Our dragoman says "some three 
 hundred dollars." What is to become of her? 
 Oh, she is to learn a few prayers, and possibly 
 be taught to play on some rude instrument, and 
 by the time she is ten, or eleven years old, her 
 master will take her as a wife, or concubine ! 
 We can no longer doubt that civilization has 
 journeyed westward, or be too thankful for our 
 homes and the sacredness of the family ties. 
 
 In the Arabic language, or the language of the 
 country, they never call this monument, tower, 
 but needle ; so they would say, " The needle of 
 David." Through the basement there is a pas- 
 
348 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 sage-way closed by a door ; still they do not 
 say door, but eye. The opening leads into a 
 yard, or court where horses and camels can be 
 kept in safety from robbers. Now, if a camel 
 has been unloaded, aud the cameleer wishes to 
 leave his caravan, to search for some buyer of 
 his unsold goods, he dares not leave the unbur- 
 dened animal, unless there is some one to 
 guard it. So if he is alone, he will take the 
 camel' that is free from any burden and lead it 
 through the eye of the needle into the court 
 referred to. Now a horse can i>'o through the 
 passage without any difficulty, but the camel 
 must crouch and rub its way through. No 
 doubt, this needle was here in the time of our 
 Saviour. Hence, how forcible his launua^e be- 
 comes, when he was addressing those rich 
 Pharisees and Sadducees, saying, "It is more 
 difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of 
 heaven than for a camel to go through the eye 
 of a needle." 
 
 As we are walking over this sacred ground, 
 our attention is attracted by pitiable looking 
 objects on the tops of the houses ; some of 
 them with eyes gone, noses wanting, and arms, 
 Landless ; these are lepers. As we approach 
 the buildings, those who arc able to come down 
 into the street approach us entreating for buk- 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 249 
 
 shish, bakshish, with such tones as pierce the 
 heart, and force the hands of pilgrims deep into 
 their pockets, causing them to bestow generously 
 upon these unfortunate beings. Here is a lad 
 near us who has, perhaps, seen six or seven 
 bitter winters ; his eyes are red and his bare 
 limbs all covered with whitish scales ; his very 
 look seems to say, " I am a leper, and am to 
 die a leper; my life is worse than death." 
 Here is another who has suffered with the dis- 
 ease for more than twenty years. He appears 
 still more wretched ; his skin is of a darker 
 color ; his countenance wears a sadder expres- 
 sion ; he has evidently not the least hope of 
 recovery ; he is drao-oino- out the most misera- 
 ble existence. By the wayside is another 
 abject-looking being. It would seem, she is 
 unable to walk ; a part of her face is eaten 
 away ; she no longer lifts her eyes but keeps 
 them fixed upon the ground ; she is apparently 
 longing to die. But have we not reason to fear 
 in the presence of such a loathsome disease ? As 
 the lepers approach, they are very careful not 
 to touch us, for, if there was danger of this, 
 the cry would ring through the city, as of 
 old, " Unclean ! unclean ! " The lepers are not 
 allowed to lean against a post, or touch any- 
 thing which would be likely to expose those 
 
350 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 free from the disease. No doubt, the leprosy 
 is imparted by contact ; and so in this respect 
 the greatest caution is taken to guard against 
 its spread. But how does it originate? It 
 would appear, as a general thing, from filthiness 
 and improper food. Are they ever cured of it? 
 Yes, there are instances, where those afflicted 
 with it have been fully restored ; this has been 
 done only under the most skilful treatment. 
 
 Had we time it would be interesting to enter 
 the Armenian Convent and Temple and witness 
 a service, or look upon the many treasures 
 garnered up in this sacred place. 
 
 The only two synagogues of the city are upon 
 Mount Zion. These are crowded to overflow- 
 ing at their Sabbath worship. The Jews here 
 are devoutly religious, and strict observers of 
 their creeds and ceremonies. Man}' of the aged 
 remind us of the ancient scribes and patriarchs. 
 They are a peculiar people and decidedly conse- 
 crated to their church. They seem to believe, 
 their lost tribes will ere lon^ be restored to 
 their beloved land, and once more Israel will be 
 strong in the Lord. 
 
 Here David had his beautiful palace, when 
 Jerusalem was in its glory ; and here tradition 
 points out the sepulchre Avhere the ashes of 
 the inspired poet repose. 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 351 
 
 A little to the north of this quarter towards 
 the centre of the city is the Church of the Holy 
 Sepulchre which at the present time is the most 
 contentious place within Jerusalem. The Ro- 
 mans, the Greeks, and the Armenians, all lay 
 claim to this church. So necessity has divided 
 it up into three compartments, and assigned a 
 certain portion to each of these religious bodies ; 
 still, there is no reconciliation among them; 
 they despitefully treat and persecute one another. 
 Each claims to have possession of Calvary, and 
 to understand manv things connected with the 
 crucifixion and burial of Jesus. The spirit that 
 pervades this place certainly does not savor of 
 peace and brotherly love. The building itself 
 is not particularly inviting, or imposing, though 
 it has been very costly. Perhaps, it is sought 
 after more than any other structure within the 
 city by strangers, yet by the Christian scholars 
 who have devoted the most attention to the 
 topography of historical places here, it is not 
 felt that this church marks the place where the 
 Saviour was crucified. No doubt, if the debris 
 could be removed from the site of the old city, 
 the locality of many places of special interest 
 would be readily discovered, which are now in- 
 volved in mystery and uncertainty. 
 
 Crossing the Tyropgean Valley to the east, 
 
352 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 we are on the most sacred Moslem ground in 
 the world save that at Mecca where they be- 
 lieve their prophet lies buried. We are now on 
 Mount Moriah. This is a cherished spot to the 
 Jew and the Christian. Here we find a large 
 space, in whose centre stands the mosque 
 of Omar crowned with its massive dome glis- 
 tening in the sunlight like gold and precious 
 stones. Around it are extensive mosaic pav- 
 ings of choice marbles. The Mohammedans 
 claim that it stands on the exact site of Solo- 
 mon's Temple. We gain admittance to it by 
 paying an exorbitant fee, and find within but 
 little of striking interest. Of course, we have 
 the privilege of looking into the " Well of the 
 Leaf," and the " Hole " where tradition says, 
 " The Ark of the Lord rested." There are no 
 pews, or seats in this temple. The Moslems 
 worship sitting, or lying on the floor. Should 
 we be here on Friday which is their Sunday, we 
 would have the privilege of witnessing a ser- 
 vice. So we can enjoy three Sabbaths a week 
 in this city : Friday is the Mohammedan ; 
 Saturday, the Jewish ; and Sunday, the Chris- 
 tian. 
 
 As we leave the mosque, we hear the cries 
 of the muezzin from the lofty minaret, announ- 
 cing the hour of prayer ; and at once the Mos- 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 353 
 
 lems drop upon their knees, bowing their heads 
 and moving their lips as though in devoutest 
 worship, reminding us of the time when this 
 place was disturbed on Sabbath days by the 
 bleating of sheep, as the knife was put to their 
 throats ; by the lowing of bulls and heifers, as 
 they were led out to slaughter ; by the tramp- 
 ing of soldiers on guard ; by the marching of 
 priests in long processions ; and by the clamors 
 of worshippers around altars flaming with many 
 costly sacrifices. When the Jewish horn was 
 blown from the temple wall, announcing the 
 Sabbath, all labor ceased. No one was suffered 
 to kindle a fire, make a bed, boil a pot, pull a 
 dumb beast from the ditch, or raise an arm in 
 self-defence. So when Jesus came teaching 
 that it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath, 
 what an uproar was made ! Hearts were en- 
 raged and hands were lifted to slay him ; but 
 Pharisaic valor was not equal to Christian forti- 
 tude. 
 
 Near the mosque of Omar is another large 
 building which is the principal harem of the 
 city, where the wives of the Turkish officers 
 and nobility reside. Soon after sunrise and 
 during the last part of the day, may be seen 
 movinar anions: the marble columns around the 
 structure white figures of veiled women who 
 
354 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 appear as mysterious as Hamlet's ghost, or the 
 weird sisters of Macbeth. 
 
 Let us now turn our attention to an Arab 
 family who are preparing for supper. The 
 members consist of a husband, wife, son, and 
 daughter. The man is a peasant who has just 
 returned from the field where he has been sow- 
 ing and ploughing in the wheat; the wife has 
 been to the public fire of the city and ob- 
 tained a few live coals ; the children have come 
 in from the outside of the city with little hand- 
 fuls of kindling. The mother places the coals 
 on an elevated paving-stone one side of the 
 travelled way, and supplies them with the 
 scanty fuel, kindling the fire into a blaze ; then 
 she puts into an earthen dish a pint of sweet 
 oil, a pint of legumes, and a pint of olive fruit ; 
 these she stirs up with her fingers, and holds 
 the vessel over the flames, moving it back and 
 forth, at the same time bending over the dish, 
 so as to catch any odor rising from the food ; 
 when her olfactories are perfectly satisfied that 
 the mess is cooked, she removes it and puts it 
 directly in front of her husband who is sitting 
 on the pavement, while she and her children 
 stand, or sit in his rear ; for a Moslem hus- 
 band and father never eats with his family ; 
 he must be served first ; so he soon begins to 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 355 
 
 take from the dish with the first knives and forks 
 ever made the olives and legumes, holding his 
 finders lon^ in his mouth to suck off the oil. 
 When he has despatched about half of the quan- 
 tity, the dish is removed, and his " hobble- 
 hobble " pipe is set in front of him and the wife 
 puts into its bowl some new Lebanon tobacco 
 and supplies it with a fresh coal ; then the hus- 
 band winds the serpentine stem round his body, 
 adjusting the mouth-piece so that he is at once 
 taking his comfort. Now the mother and chil- 
 dren repair to the food and soon dispose of the 
 rest. After this, the goat-skin bottle of water 
 is brought forward and all partake of the uni- 
 versal beverage amono- Mohammedans. The 
 meal is now ended and the family soon go into 
 their house which is close by. The Arabs and 
 Turks are seldom out after sunset. As we look 
 into their home, we find, it consists of a single 
 room, some twelve feet square. We discover 
 no chairs, no bed, no clothing in it, nothing in 
 the way of furniture except the rudest apology 
 for a stove. But where do they sleep? Why, 
 of course upon the floor ! We notice on one 
 side of the room, there is an elevation of stone- 
 work something like a flat German oven ; well, 
 this is the husband's bed, and when the weather 
 is cold, a fire is built under it, to keep him 
 
356 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 warm as he retires, but the wife and chil- 
 dren can endure sleeping on the cold sand. 
 This is the average Moslem's home. 
 
 As we proceed to the north, leaving Mount 
 Moriah, we come to the rise of ground called 
 Bezetha. This is the Mohammedan quarter, 
 and is thickly occupied with buildings. Here, 
 too, we find St. Stephen's Gate and the pool of 
 Bethesda ; no doubt, this pool is one of the an- 
 cient works ; there is no water in it now. As 
 we pass along the Via Dolorosa, we notice in 
 the walls fragments of porphyry columns and 
 plinths of verde-antique, projecting over doors 
 and windows, telling of other cities and older 
 civilizations. 
 
 Turning from the Via Dolorosa towards the 
 centre of the city, we are among the shops 
 of shoemakers, blacksmiths, and wooden-ware 
 workers. These are not on a large scale. 
 Shoemaking seems to take the lead. The 
 ground everywhere is so stony, there is the 
 greatest demand for shoes ; but the shoes, how 
 they look ! The}' would be curiosities and un- 
 accountablcs in the shop windows of France or 
 America. The street is the blacksmith's shop ; 
 and to shoe a horse, it takes three men, one to 
 hold him, and another to hold up his foot, and 
 still another to fit the shoe and drive the nails. 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. £57 
 
 In some of the shops, quite a business is being 
 carried on in the way of making boxes, ink- 
 stands, rules, and numerous curiosities from 
 wood brought from different parts of the coun- 
 try. 
 
 Leaving the shops, we come to an open court 
 around which are many men and women offer- 
 ing for sale chaplets, rosaries, and crosses, made 
 from olive wood ; pebbles from the Dead Sea ; 
 apples of Sodom from beyond the Jordan ; oak 
 from Mamre ; relics from Bethany and Bethle- 
 hem ; souvenirs from Samaria and Galilee. 
 But we are soon beyond the clamor of these 
 greedy merchants, and are again surrounded by 
 Turkish soldiers armed with pistols and sabres, 
 who are guarding the Holy Sepulchre. 
 
 It is Friday afternoon, and we must not fail 
 to visit the Jewish Wailing Place which is to 
 the rear of the Mosque of Omar towards the 
 centre of the city. It consists of a triangular 
 space, overshadowed on the east by an an- 
 cient wall which is reputed to be a portion 
 of the wall existing in the days of King 
 Solomon. At least, it bears marks of great 
 antiquity. At three o'clock in the afternoon 
 the Israelites begin to assemble here. They 
 have purchased the right of the Turkish govern- 
 ment to occupy these grounds every Friday 
 
358 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 afternoon from three to five o'clock. The Jews 
 have Hired hard here, and still do ; they have 
 been smitten on every hand, but their pride, 
 their trust, and their hope, are undaunted. 
 Hither they come, old men with snow-white 
 beard and trembling steps ; young men, the 
 pride of their nation ; women dressed in linen 
 and sackcloth ; and little children ; all press to 
 this spot so sacred to them, with their parch- 
 ment Bibles in hand, desirous to commune with 
 the past and hope in the future. On reaching 
 this place they hold their faces to the old walls 
 in silent prayer ; this service continues for sev- 
 eral minutes in perfect silence. Then the aged 
 are seated on the stone flooring, and some rabbi 
 recites a passage from Lamentations, and soon 
 all voices are joined with his in pathetic tones, 
 repeating the wailings of their departed prophets 
 and wise men. It is not long before they are 
 worked up into intense anguish, wringing their 
 hands, swinging their bodies, beating their 
 breasts, and weeping copious tears. We can- 
 not question their sincerity. After this experi- 
 ence which lasts nearly half an hour, an aged 
 rabbi rises, who reminds us of the patriarchs, 
 and addresses the assembly, paying deference 
 to the past and speaking most encouraging 
 words as to the future, eutreatiug his people 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 359 
 
 never to falter but always press forward, and 
 the Lord will restore once more their beloved 
 Mount Zion, and rebuild their wondrous tem- 
 ple. At the conclusion of his remarks another 
 priest recites a promise, and quickly all voices 
 are repeating in unison stirring words of Jewish 
 sa^e and seer. The faces are now lighted up 
 with joy, and all hearts seem to be sure a good 
 time is coming to the lost children of Israel ; 
 and now the benediction comes, consisting in 
 shaking hands warmly throughout the large 
 assembly, bidding- each other a God-speed in 
 their religious work. Having witnessed this 
 affecting service and others of this religious 
 body, we cannot doubt that great changes are 
 yet to come to this city through the Jews. 
 They are Hocking hither from all quarters of 
 the world. They are willing to undergo any 
 hardships, if they can only die in Jerusalem and 
 be buried by the brook Kedron. 
 
 Passing outside of the walls to the northwest,, 
 we find a spur of the mountains extending close 
 down to the city, which divides the Kedron from 
 the valley of Gihon. As we follow the latter, 
 we soon come to a pool of Gihon which is an- 
 other immense cistern, being in a state of de- 
 cay. As we descend, the valley keeps drawing 
 in towards the city, and soon we are under the 
 
360 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 shadows of Mount Zion. As we look up 
 towards the city, we discover the hillside is 
 very steep and stony. Here we come to the 
 second pool of Gihon which is about six hun- 
 dred feet long, four hundred wide, and fifty, or 
 sixty feet deep. These pools were built, it is 
 thought, in the time of Solomon. Just above, 
 to the west, is an aqueduct leading along the 
 mountain-sides to Bethlehem, and three miles 
 beyond to the pools of Solomon, consisting of 
 three vast cisterns graded one above the other 
 like steps, which are five hundred feet long, 
 three hundred wide, and fifty deep. These are 
 all grand works telling of a people living more 
 than two and a half thousand years ago, who 
 were skilled in quarrying stone and piling them 
 into massive structures. A little below the 
 large pool of Gihon the valley turns to the 
 east. Here the severe image of Moloch stood 
 at the time the Jews were wont to worship that 
 deity. Here, when that monster was fired to 
 red heat, they would place women and children 
 in his consuming grasp, to appease his wrath, 
 and secure their salvation. Because of the 
 cries and groans of the dying, they would beat 
 drums to stifle and drown the agonizing tumult, 
 and so the Israelites named the place Tophct. 
 After this, as the Jews returned to the service 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 361 
 
 of the true God, they despised the place and 
 its surroundings, hurling into it the offal of the 
 city. The Greeks called it Gehenna, and to 
 protect the city, a fire was kept constantly 
 burning, to consume the waste and filth ; and 
 so Christ referred to it as the place " where the 
 worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." 
 
 In this valley on the south, the ledges are 
 cropping out in many places, and these are 
 honey-combed, as receptacles for the dead ; 
 some of the openings are large enough to con- 
 tain one corpse ; others, two, or three, or many. 
 It would seem, in olden times they did not be- 
 lieve in burying the dead iii loose soil, but 
 must inter them in the solid rock ; and, more- 
 over, before they could be laid away in these 
 silent recesses, they must be carefully em- 
 balmed. As we climb up the ledges on the 
 south a short distance before reaching the 
 brook Kedron, we come to the spot which tra- 
 dition points out as the "Potter's Field," or 
 Aceldama, which the priests purchased with the 
 "thirty pieces of silver" received from Judas, 
 as the price of our Saviour's blood; but we 
 do not find it a field ; it is a cavern in the 
 ledges being partly natural and partly artificial. 
 Really, it is a room from fifteen to twenty feet 
 square. We have little reason to doubt that 
 
362 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 this is the phice purchased for the burial of 
 strangers with the money that became so despi 
 cable in the sight of Judas. Descending and 
 crossing the valley up towards the city, we 
 stand by the pool of Si loam. Here the water 
 is gushing out in quite a large stream from the 
 sidehill, and where it trickles down into the 
 valley, "the lily grows" and " Sharon's dewy 
 rose " does still smile. 
 
 Leaving this spring and descending a short 
 distance to the east, we are by the brook Ke- 
 dron and in the valley of Jehoshaphat. In this 
 autumn-time there is no water running in the 
 brook. Should we be here in April, there 
 would be a large stream of water. Its bed now 
 is full of stones. Close upon its banks and for 
 up the sides of Olivet are Jewish graves thickly 
 sown. Now and then may be seen an aged 
 Israelite walking in this silent city, or resting 
 upon some grave, as in the act of praying that, 
 when he dies, he may be buried among the 
 graves of his fathers. This is truly a sacred 
 spot to the Jew. 
 
 If we follow the Kedron down half a mile 
 from the city, we come to an opening made 
 in search of antiquities. Being let down into 
 this some fifteen feet, Ave find ourselves in 
 a canal cut out of the solid rock, six feet 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 363 
 
 high and five feet wide. As we examine the 
 sides, we see where the water had worn out 
 creases, showing that it must have flowed 
 through this channel for a long period. Be- 
 fore advancing towards the city very far, we 
 come to a stairway leading to the surface ; 
 the steps themselves have been wholly worn 
 away. When the stairs were first opened up, 
 keys and pieces of pottery were found at their 
 junction with the canal, implying that formerly 
 multitudes used to come here for water. We 
 do not ascend much farther before we discover 
 another similar stairway. Then we come out 
 of this dark recess, and pass to the southeast 
 corner of the city, just outside of the walls, 
 and are let down by the means of a rope eighty 
 feet, and then following an opening, out tow- 
 ards Mount Zion for a considerable distance, 
 we come to the sides of a building constructed 
 of marble, or fine limestone.; the stones are ac- 
 curately bevelled and firmly cemented together, 
 so that a penknife blade cannot be pressed be- 
 tween them ; yet what building this was, or 
 who piled it up, no one can guess. Could all 
 the waste of the city be removed, what discov- 
 eries would be brought to light ! Could we 
 look upon them, we would be ready to admit 
 that the oldest things are the newest. Follow- 
 
364 AFTER-THOUGHTS OF FOREIGN TRAVEL. 
 
 ini>' the Kedron which draws in toward the walls 
 of the city, we soon find ourselves in the most 
 sacred place. This is Gethsemane, forever con- 
 secrated by that divinest of prayers, " Not my 
 will, but thine be done." Here are olive-trees 
 growing, as they grew, when the disciples 
 rested here, waiting for the Master, while he 
 went out to pray. Here Jesus was betrayed 
 by that deceitful kiss into the hands of a 
 raging, priestly mob crying, " Crucify him, cru- 
 cify him." ! How can this be otherwise than an 
 affecting and cherished spot to all Christian 
 hearts? We have such emotions here, as we 
 never have had before. Often, perchance, we 
 have had joyful feelings, while visiting some 
 grove, or spot, once frequented by poet, or 
 scholar ; or while climbing to the top of castle 
 Avails redolent with tales and legends of bravest 
 heroism ; or while visiting the homes of Scott, 
 Shakespeare, and Bryant; or while standing by 
 the tombs of Von Humboldt, Harriet Brown- 
 ing, Eaphael, Virgil, and Abraham Lincoln. 
 It is sweet to visit places where great souls 
 played in childhood, nobly wrought at life's 
 noon, and were gloriously translated, as the 
 mortal dimmed and wasted away. Here in 
 Gethsemane we think not of poet, artist, or 
 scholar, but of Him who was infinitely more 
 
MODERN AND ANCIENT JERUSALEM. 365 
 
 than all these, who journeyed through this land, 
 looking upon these hills and valleys, stones and 
 flowers, birds and stars, men and angels, that 
 He might forever bless the human race. In Him 
 we see divinity; and, if we walk in His light, 
 we shall evermore enjoy the New Jerusalem. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Augsburg and Protestantism 133 
 
 Alpine Waterfalls 173 
 
 American Artists in Ronie 222 
 
 Ancient Rome 230 
 
 Aventine Hill 238 
 
 Avernus and Sibyl's Cave 256 
 
 Ascent of Vesuvius 260 
 
 Ascent of Lycabettus 280 
 
 Attica and its Influence 281 
 
 Acropolis, its Relics 288 
 
 Alexandrian Library 304 
 
 A Wedding Scene in Cairo 319 
 
 Ascending Cbeops 325 
 
 At tbe Damascus Gate 336 
 
 An Arab Family and Mode of Living 354 
 
 Aceldama , 361 
 
 British Museum and its Wonders 44 
 
 Bank of England 50 
 
 Bread Street, Birthplace of Milton 61 
 
 Broadest and Finest Street in Europe 72 
 
 Boulevards of Paris 86 
 
 Burgos and its Cathedral 1 07 
 
 Bavarian Statue at Munich 147 
 
 Berlin, its Places of Interest 152 
 
 Berne and its Bears 185 
 
 Berne Cathedral and College 187 
 
 Boboli Gardens of Florence 206 
 
 Buildings and Streets of Rome 216 
 
368 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Bridges across the Tiber 217 
 
 Baths of Caracalla 243 
 
 Bay of Baiaj 257 
 
 Battle of Salamis 271 
 
 Bezetha and Via Dolorosa 356 
 
 Business of Jerusalem 356 
 
 Clyde and its Shipbuilding 3 
 
 Cathedral and Necropolis of Glasgow 6 
 
 Calton Hill and its Monuments 18 
 
 Castle Rock 21 
 
 Cleopatra's Needle on the Thames 56 
 
 Cannon Street and the Romans 58 
 
 Cheapside and Guildhall , . . . . 61 
 
 Cornhill and the Poet Gray 62 
 
 Churches and Preachers of London 64 
 
 Champs Elysees and its Gardens 74 
 
 Conservatory of Measures 79 
 
 Churches of Paris and Religious Status 82 
 
 Columbus in Spain 100 
 
 Cervantes and his " Don Quixote " 107 
 
 Cordova, the Oxford of Spain 1 08 
 
 Cologne Cathedral 126 
 
 Calvin, the Reformer 180 
 
 Castle of Chillon 184 
 
 Campagna, its Desolation 211 
 
 Climate of Rome 213 
 
 Churches of Rome 218 
 
 Colosseum and its History 231 
 
 Capitoline Hill and Tarpeian Rock 237 
 
 Cloaca Maxima 237 
 
 Ccelian Hill 239 
 
 Catacombs of St. Calixtus and St. Sebastian 244 
 
 Castle of St. Elmo 254 
 
 Catacombs of Alexandria 309 
 
 Citadel of Cairo 320 
 
 Course of Civilization 331 
 
 Church of the Holy Sepulchre 351 
 
INDEX. 3G9 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Dresden Gallery, its Madonna del Sisto 144 
 
 Duomo of Florence, and other Noted Buildings ......... 193 
 
 Dante, his Life and Work 195 
 
 Destruction of Pompeii 263 
 
 Donkey Ride to Pyramids 324 
 
 Descent into Excavations near Mount Zion 363 
 
 Edinburgh and its History 15 
 
 Edinburgh Schools 28 
 
 English House of Parliament 52 
 
 Education and Benevolent Institutions of Paris 89 
 
 Escurial, Palace of Philip II 109 
 
 English Cemetery of Florence 207 
 
 Egyptian Columns in Rome 218 
 
 Esquiline and Viminal Hills 240 
 
 Education and Schools in Greece 276 
 
 Egypt and Cairo 297 
 
 Experiences in Cairo 315 
 
 Egyptian School 317 
 
 Entrance into Jerusalem 336 
 
 Experience at the Prussian Hospice 340 
 
 Fingal's Cave 1 
 
 Fleet Street and its Associations 59 
 
 France and Early History 67 
 
 French Artists 78 
 
 From France into Spain 106 
 
 Florence, its Natural Beauties * 189 
 
 Florence and its History 191 
 
 Forum and Basilica of Trajan 236 
 
 Founding of Alexandria 303 
 
 Fields in Judcea 333 
 
 First View of Jerusalem 334 
 
 Greenock and James Watt 3 
 
 Glasgow 5 
 
 Glasgow and Physical Condition 5 
 
370 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 George's Square and its Statues 6 
 
 George Street and its Monuments 21 
 
 Grassmarket and Covenanters 24 
 
 Greyfriars Church and Churchyard . . . . . 25 
 
 Gladstone and Northcote 52 
 
 Grenada arid the Alhambra 108 
 
 Germany, its Situation and History 119 
 
 Germans, their early Religion 125 
 
 Graves of Luther and Melancthon 131 
 
 German Music 140 
 
 German Art and Artists 142 
 
 Glacial Wonders 175 
 
 Geneva Cathedral and College 180 
 
 Genevese Scholars 1 82 
 
 Galileo, his Tower and Works 199 
 
 Galleries of Florence 202 
 
 Government of Rome 222 
 
 Greece and its Island Views 269 
 
 Government of Egypt 309 
 
 Goshen and the Israelites 314 
 
 Gethsemane 364 
 
 Highlands of Scotland 13 
 
 Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle 22 
 
 High Street, Past and Present 22 
 
 Heriot Hospital 25 
 
 Hotel de Cluny and its Relics 79 
 
 Hotel des Invalides and Museum 80 
 
 Hebrews in Egypt 331 
 
 Harem and Veiled Women 353 
 
 Iona and Scotch Kings 1 
 
 Illustrations of Scripture 312 
 
 Janiculum Hill and Tasso's Garden 242 
 
 Jerusalem, Modern and Ancient 332 
 
 Jewish Wailing Place 357 
 
INDEX. 371 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Kensington Museum, its Treasures 46 
 
 King Street and Spenser 62 
 
 Kedron, its Recent Excavations 362 
 
 Legend of Robert Bruce and Spider 2 
 
 London and its History 33 
 
 Loudon Tower 37 
 
 London National Gallery 53 
 
 London Parks 54 
 
 Luxemburg Palace, its Treasures 79 
 
 Libraries of Paris 88 
 
 Leipsic, Musical Centre of Germany 142 
 
 Luzerne, its Attractions , 168 
 
 Lake Leman, its Classic Spots 179 
 
 Lausanne, Resort of Gibbon 183 
 
 Leo XIII. and his Cardinals 223 
 
 Landing at Alexandria 299 
 
 Lepers on Mount Zion 348 
 
 Madeleine, a Grecian Church 85 
 
 Means of Traffic in Paris 87 
 
 Moors in Spain 98 
 
 Madrid, its Past and Present Ill 
 
 Madrid Museum and Art Galleries 116 
 
 Munich and its Pinakothek • 143 
 
 Munich, its Glyptothek 145 
 
 Museum and Bronze Foundry of Munich 146 
 
 Madame de Stael's Home and Grave 183 
 
 Michael Angelo's Home and Tomb 194 
 
 Museum on the Capitoline Hill 221 
 
 Mamertine Prison 235 
 
 Museum at Naples 264 
 
 Modern Athens 274 
 
 Mount Pentelicus, its Marble Quarries 284 
 
 Mars Hill and St. Paul 295 
 
 Market of Alexandria 306 
 
 Memphis, its Sepulchres 330 
 
 Mount Akra 342 
 
372 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Mount Zion « 345 
 
 Mount Moriah and Mosque of Omar 352 
 
 Notre Dame, dedicated to St. Genevieve 69 
 
 Notre Dame, its History 83 
 
 Notre Dame as it now is 84 
 
 Naples, its Past and Present 248 
 
 Nero and his Mother 258 
 
 Needle of David 347 
 
 Oxford and Regent Streets 63 
 
 Origin of the Romans 229 
 
 Olivet and Jewish Graves 362 
 
 Princes Street and Monument of Scott 20 
 
 People of Edinburgh 27 
 
 Prince Albert's Monument 57 
 
 Paternoster Row 62 
 
 People beyond the Rhine 69 
 
 Paris, its First Name 69 
 
 Paris Six Hundred Years ago 70 
 
 Paris University and its Teachers 70 
 
 Place de la Concorde, its History 74 
 
 Pantheon and Tombs 85 
 
 Priesthood in Spain 105 
 
 Potsdam, Birthplace of Humboldt 138 
 
 Powers's Life and Sculptures 208 
 
 Pagan Rome and its Hills 214 
 
 Progress in Italy 228 
 
 Pantheon of Rome 2c 
 
 Palatine Hill 239 
 
 Pincian and Quirinal Hills 241 
 
 Puteoli and St. Paul 255 
 
 Petrified Sentinel 268 
 
 People of Greece 276 
 
 Plain of Marathon 286 
 
 Parthenon and other Temples 290 
 
 Pnyx Hill and Demosthenes 293 
 
index. 373 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Pillar of Pompey 302 
 
 Palm- Trees, gathering of Fruit 305 
 
 People of Jerusalem » 341 
 
 Pool of Siloam 362 
 
 Kobert Burns and Ayr 7 
 
 Reformation in Spain 103 
 
 Rhine, its Castles and Legends 122 
 
 Religious Expression of German Cathedrals 128 
 
 Religion in Germany 151 
 
 Rhigi, its Ascent and Charms 171 
 
 Rousseau's Garden 181 
 
 Religion in Geneva , 182 
 
 Rome, its Situation 211 
 
 Rome, the Capital of Italy 217 
 
 Roman Triumphal Arches 233 
 
 Roman Forum 234 
 
 Relics of the Buried Cities 266 
 
 Ride to Cairo 310 
 
 Rise and Fall of the Nile 313 
 
 Roads of Judaea 335 
 
 Russian Hospice ... 336 
 
 Scotland 1 
 
 Scotch Lakes 14 
 
 St. Giles's Church and John Knox 24 
 
 Scott and Abbotsford 31 
 
 St. Paul's Cathedral 42 
 
 Smithfield and its Jousts 62 
 
 Schools of London 64 
 
 St. Chapelle, its Beauty and Use 84 
 
 Spain, its First Inhabitants 95 
 
 Spain Three Centuries Ago 101 
 
 Seville and First Inquisition 107 
 
 Strasburg Cathedral 127 
 
 Schools and Universities of Germany 147 
 
 Switzerland, Natural and Historical 157 
 
 Switzerland, its Government 167 
 
374 INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Swiss Life ; 168 
 
 Swiss Highways 173 
 
 Savonarola and his Martyrdom 198 
 
 St. Peter's, its Wonders 218 
 
 State of the Church in Rome 223 
 
 Schools and Education in Eome 227 
 
 Schools of Naples 252 
 
 Solfatara and Forum of Vulcan , ,..,.... 255 
 
 Scenes from Naples to Eesina 259 
 
 Scenery about Athens , 279 
 
 Socrates and his Prison 294 
 
 Scenes in Alexandria 301 
 
 SoAving and Ploughing in Judaea 332 
 
 Site, Streets, and Buildings of Jerusalem 338 
 
 Stores and Tradesmen of Jerusalem 338 
 
 Tower Hill and Penn 62 
 
 The City where Paris now stands 69 
 
 The City of Paris and its Characteristics 71 
 
 The View from Arc de FEtoile , 71 
 
 Tuileries and their History 75 
 
 The Louvre and its Galleries of Art 76 
 
 Tomb of Napoleon 1 81 
 
 Tell and Gessler 162 
 
 The Tiber, Past and Present 212 
 
 Travertine Stone » 213 
 
 Temple of Vesta 238 
 
 Tombs of the Scipios 243 
 
 Tomb of Caecilia Metella 243 
 
 Thrilling Experience in a Catacomb 246 
 
 Tunnel of Posilippo 254 
 
 Temple of Theseus 293 
 
 The Sphinx 329 
 
 Tower of Hippicus, and Touching Incident 346 
 
 Tophet and Moloch 360 
 
 Valladolid and its Places of Interest 107 
 
 Vatican and its Art Treasures 220 
 
ixdex. 375 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Virgil's Home and Tomb 254 
 
 Valley of the Nile 311 
 
 Views from the Pyramid 327 
 
 Valley and Pools of Gihon 359 
 
 Wallace's Tower and Dung-lace Castle 4 
 
 Westminster Abhey, its Monuments. 39 
 
 Wittenberg, Home of Luther 129 
 
 Worms in the Reformation 132 
 
 Weimar, its Poets 136 
 
 Within the Pyramid of Cheops .... 327 
 
 Walls of Jerusalem 336 
 
 Zwiugle, his Noble Death 165 
 
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