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I I ' I I II i»f""iii ■ ■.■ :'/,';m^.> '/"' ■ -4 \Y „'.'.■ Notes of a Visit to America : ^Ifben ITertmes, BY EPHBAIM TURLAND. e'^, f* n l» • t • >J I t 1 t • ^ ., ^ • , I. • <- • • • • • • • • • • • • • « » • • • • • • «• * > • ♦ / • • « > 4 I • » » t I ' « • a I • • • • • • • • • • • • • * « • ( • • • • • • » MANCHESTER : JOHNSON & RAWSON, 89 MARKET-STREET. 1877. ' '"'"^"-mmmmmmm r^ ^: FEINTED BY ALFRED BLACKSHAW, 5 & 7 DUKE-STREET, BOLTON. ' « . ' r 5 t t ) • If III « I t I t t Q f ¥■ ■■H m " How groat the task of statesiiuni wise and just, Who duly weigh the value of the trust, To whom a laud, confiding in their zeal, Commits each interest of the common weal ! Each selfish thought, though to the bosom dear. Must be dismissed, and leave the vision clear To shape their course by Honour's truthful charts, And fathom statutes with impartial hearts. With minds impressed that governments, to thrive, Must from the govern' d every power derive. They guide their bark with skillful hands between Despotic gulfs and anarchy's demesne. Yet feel themselves but as the public voice. To speak, when told, what is the people's choice. In any land, with such instructors blest, \Vill safety reign, and peace become its guest." From " (hrr Centennial ,'' hy D. P, Smithy of Mount Vernon, Home of Washington. ^. 34729 M#*r* w ■ " '£.; ^-1 ■'',v"'t' ■"..'■■' •• >-;'.y-f # i If ^■ ill/ ■.•i>'-| fc-.. PREFACE. For many yeai's urgently pressed by a relative and namesake to visit him in America, I put it off from time to time, and at last decided to go in the Centennial Year, 1876. These lectures were delivered at Ainswortli within three months from my return. Nos. 1 to 5 were given on week-evenings in the school-room ; the others were delivered on Sundays in the chapel — with the exception of the concluding lecture, the substance of which was given as an address at the welcome-party which was held on my return. The motto from D. P. Smith's work is taken from a copy which was i)resented to me from the author — a copy which, therefore, I specially, prize. The typographical errors w^hich occur are noted at the end of tlie volume. .A 'ikr "TswfppTPppiffr m . ■ . VI. ■ . . ■ Amongst the Siibscr'bei's are many members of the Established Chureli. 1 know tlicm well enouj^li to feel quite sure that they will not be offended with me because, here and there in tliis book, I have bluntly expressed my personal opinion ii relation to the Establishment Question. I am, at the least, certain that they will be able to pardon me. My friends will read these lectures witii affectionate leniency ; and those whom I do not number amongst my friends will, I trust, bear in mind, as they read, that these pages were written for dehvery, and that they are now pubhshed as they were publicly spoken. ^ A 4 E. T. Aius worth, April, 1877. .v,<-#- _ — MPPMHMn CONTENTS. I. — The Voyage Out ... ... ... ... 1 II. — Pliiladelpliia ... ... ... ... 14 III. — The Centennial Exhibition 86 IV. — Pittvsburg, Chicago, and the West ... 68 V. — Detroit and Niagara Falls ... ... ... 78 VI.- Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal ... 96 VII. — The White Mountains and Boston ... 114 VIII. — From Saratoga to New York 180 IX. — Religion in America ... ... ... ... 146 X. — American Politics ... ... ... ... , 164 XI. — Home again ... ... ... ... 180 LECTUBE I. The Voyage Out. ■<->.•■ ^vNY one who for many months has toiled regularly ^^ and faithfully at some hand- work gains great bene- fit from even a brief visit to Blackpool, Southport, Scar- borough, or some other of our numerous sea-side resorts, and returns thence refreshed and strengthened for fur- ther labour. Juet so, one who has toiled long at some brain- work needs rest and change from time to time, and is renewed and re-created by a tour which gives him new scenes, new thoughts, aud new power for his work. For myself, I can say that I greatly needed some such change as I have recently had in my visit to America, and that I have felt extremely refreshed and reinvigorated by it. I saw a little and thought much while I was away ; and now that I have returned in safety to my friends and to my work here, I want to tell j^ou something of what I saw and thought I want to tell you, in a series of ad- dresses, how things went on with me, and what are my impressions of the New World. For a New "World it is/ B "zr :*■■■ 2 The Voyafje Out. out there in the west — a world sprung from the Old, but with new features — a world based on the Old, and made up, in the main, of men who are our relatives and friends, speaking our language, and reading our books, but trying a new experiment in Government, and on their trial (as it were) before humanity with respect to what they have been able to do and to achieve during the one hundred years of their existence as an independent nation. You hoar and read about America day by day. The eyes of men in every clime are, in this its Centennial Year, turned towards the Evening Land. So I venture to cherish a full and perfect confidence that the absorb- ingly interesting nature of the subject of these addresses will both persuade and compel you to listen with the ut- most attention to what I have to say. It seems to me rather a long wandering. I, who never before in mv life went more than a few hundred miles at a time, now look back iipon a journey of close upon ten thousand miles. Time was when an Englishman was content with a very short trip. A few miles satisfied him A journey from the North to London could only be und rtaken after much thought and deliberation, long and painful preparation. The journey itself was slow and tedious in thj extreme. When made, it was an event to be talked about for the rest of the man's life. Of late years, however, tJiere has been a change. We have become more adventurous We go further afield. A journey of three thousand miles is little more than one of tln-ee hundred used to be. A voj^age across the Atlantic is now regarded by some as a mere trip, — by some, I say — perhaps by many,- not hy all, however, by ill The Voyaf/e Out. 3 h any means. There are many who, according to the old saying, have never been out of sight of the smoke of their own chimney. There are those who have never been ten miles away from home in all their lives. There are people living in the hilly districts of the North and of Derbyshire who have never yet seen a railway train, and who cannot be brought to understand what it is like. Then, water is an especially fearful " Hon in the way." Many who can travel pretty well by land are poor sailors. The salt water takes all the life and spirit out of them in an hour or two. I am free to confess that I myself am a poor sailor. Indeed, you might almost point to me as a typically bad sailor, with a cat-like aversion to water. There is an old saying, " The cat loves fish, but will not wade to catch them :" just so, though I had for years wished and longed to see with my own eyes that America of which we have heard so much — that land which is so far from us and yet so near, so closely related, — it was only little by little that I could *' screw" my " courage to the sticking point," and summon up sufficient fortitude and daring to make the attempt to cross. One person, since I returned home safely, said, as she grasped my hand, " Well, a ne'er thowt yo'd get safe to th' fur end." I may candidly tell you that there lurked some such suspicion and fear in my own secret heart of hearts. Another said I must be very hard-hearted to think of going so far away from a wife, a son, nnd a mother. On tlie contrary, I felt very soft-hearted about it. It was only with thought and time, and after ample conference with " the powers that be," that I could entertain the idea ; and when I wont I felt just the very opposite of ■^ The Voyarje Out. hard and unfeeling. I knew there were perils, and I dreaded them. I knew that, even with the ocean steam navigation of these modern days in place of the slow fitful motion of ah old sailing craft, the voyage is yet a formidable thing. You may venture to heUeve me when I say that if there had been an overland route I should have gone that way. If I could have had dry land all the distance I would gladly have done the whole trip as a pedestrian. But we must take things as we find them. It was *' Hobson's choice :" either brave the waves and see America, or else stay at home as before. I fixed it to go. I decided to trust my precious life to the custody of an American steamer. So, promptly and in good time, I secured a saloon passage in the " Pennsylvania," sailing from Liverpool on Wednesday, the 24th of June. The weeks went on ; the day drew near ; and I found myself in the busy port. What an animated scene is that when the passengers' luggage is being convej^ed across the landing-stage to the Tender, and when the passengers and their friends hurry on board, the Tender then seeming quite crowded I Away we glide to the ocean steamer which lies out in the river. The trunks are tossed on board the huge vessel. The moment approaches when all who are not to sail must return to shore. Then what leave-takings ! What an anxious tearful time it is I Some seem to be alone — to have no friends to bid tliem farewell and God-speed ; and they lean over the side and gaze on. the scene, sadly or stolidly as the case may be, and view the shore which will soon be invisible. Husbands and wives, parents and children, lovers, friends, and acquaintances, are uttering t 'fvi'' ■■"f^**^""" >">*•■■ ' The Voyitj/r Out. 5 H tlieir last adieus. Handkerchiefs wave ; tears flow ; there are smiles ; there is laughter ; there are ringing cheers. We are borne away from our native land ; the city be- comes hazy and phantom-like ; the shore grows dim ; we are to live on the water for ten or twelve days ; we are to crofes the wondrous deep, and see another land. We shall skirt the coast of North Wales ; we shall round Holyhead ; we shall touch at Queenstown, pass along the south coast of Ireland, leave Cape Clear, — and then see no more land until the coast of New Jersey shall rise to view, and we steam into Delaware Bay, and ascend the river to Philadelphia. It is an affecting thing to sail away from one's native land. As night came on I felt this speciall3\ *' Adieu, adieu ! my native shore Fades o'er the waters blue ; The night winds sigh, the breakers roar. And skrieks the wild sea-mew. Yon sun that sets upon the sea We follow in his flight ; Farewell awhile to him and thee, My native land, — Good Night ! " Well, I was on board : that was an indubitable fact. There was no changing my quarters ; there was no es- caping by the side gate ; there was no help for it ; — and the only thing to do was to make the best of things, look around me, enjoy myself, and get through the time, I went down to the saloon to view the drawing-room and dining-room quarters, and see what kind of state-room had been assigned to me. It is wonderful to note how comfortably they arrange things on these ocean-going steamers. The state-rooms or berths are all that can be desired, excepting as to size and steadiness. The saloon )l c The Voyage Out. is elegant, tasteful, and good, and just as comfortable and cozy as any land drawing-room can be — if you can only just except and pardon this abominable rolling twisting motion, which must assuredly, before this night shall have past away, knock down most of the passengers on board, myself inevitably included. Ralph Waldo Emerson says that it is a good thing to have studious books at hand on board ship, — that classics, read drowsily on land, seem strangely interesting on sea. I tried this, and found it a complete failure, so far as I am concerned. Better have a thorough rest and change. If you try to read at all, it should be something light and easy. Conversation and games are the sensible thing on board ship. In these I engaged tf some extent, and found in them great pleasure and a means of passing time happily. The captain of this vessel is a good, cheerful, genial man and a thorough seaman. He did all lie could to amuse us. He was a good hand at an American song, and often favoured us thus in our amateur concerts at evening time. The various officers are a fine set of men. They know their business and attend to it. There are about sixty passengers in the saloon ; and there are about five hundred people on board, all told. I like the faces around me. No doubt we shall get on tolerably weU to- gether. No matter what people may be on land, — no matter how harsh, suspicious, or disagreeable they may be on shore, — I suppose that most persons try to be as agreeable as possible, and to make the time pass as plea- santly as possible, on board ship, — knowing that here A ■;^:'-J ■Vi - 7f: The Voyane Out. .ii I they are thrown into enforced companionship for a time — that a sea voyage is a monotonous thing at the best-— and that passengers do not belong to themselves, but have social duties and responsibilities. I will say at once that I was not disappointed. Social matters turned out well. It has never been my happiness to be thrown into the midst of a pleasanter or more agreeable set of people than those who crossed with me in the Pennsylvania. The majority of them was com- posed of Americans who had been travelling in Europe, and who were returning to their own country in time for the 4th of July celebrations. Americans patronise this American Line of* steamers. It is the only line which sails under the American fla^^. It is the only line which has been built of exclusively American materials. All the wood and iron — every minutest thing which contributes to the make-up of this vessel — has been got in America. The American Mer- cantile Marine Law is not favourable to ship-building. Thus, though there are other American Hues of steamers plying between that land and Europe, they have been built in Europe, and they display a European flag ; — and most of the lines of steamers are not American at all : they are European in every sense. The vessel on which I find myself is a good one, well-built, thorough in every part. It is a vessel of 3500 tons burden. It burns forty- live tons of coal a day. Its reputation is perhaps not quite so good as is that of the other vessels of tliis hne : for it has had two mishaps. Once, in mid-ocean, a terrible storm came on, which tore away the bridge, sweeping the ca|)tain and a couple of officers overboard. At another 8 The Voyage Out, time, on the Eui'opean voyage, after the captain's respon- sibility had ceased, the conduct of the vessel being in the hands of the pilot, she was run upon a sand-bank near Holyhead, and it took two days or so to get her off. These mishaps tell nothing against the quaHty of the vessel, which is exceptionally good. I was glad to find myself on such a ship. It seemed more romantic to go to America in an American vessel than in one which was European. I was pleased, too, to be able to study Americans before I reached their country. We had all kinds of people on board. We were a mixed and mingled set. Apart from the steerage and the intermediate sections — in which parts of the ship Frenchmen, Germans, and Scandina-vians were almost as numerous as the English-speaking people — one may say that all theologies, all shades of politics, many nationaUties, all temperaments and tendencies, were mixed up in the cabin of that ship. The mingling was real, if only temporarj^. We were " a happy family." We had all types of Americans there : — cool, slu'ewd, hard-working business men, who had made many bargains (probably very 'cute ones) in their time ; scholarly and polished travellers, who had read, studied, and thought much ; " Young America," wiser than his parents, having travelled everywhere, seen everything, learned everything, with an opinion on every subject, which opinion must take precedence of any other which any other person might be inclined to express ; clever spinners of long and wonderful yams, of which they possessed an inexliaustible stock or could manufacture an endless number ; ladies whose chief thought seemed to be of bonnets and dresses, and who, as .^%. M: The Vm/mif Out, 9 wives, w '>nld ceiiiainly soon ruin any husbands of only limited means ; other ladies who were well-read, scholarly, and intellectual, with intelligent opinions on matters as to which they are not allowed to vote, with capacity for all studies — even the most abstruse, and possessing more knowledge than many titled men can boast. We passen- gers had considerable and almost ceaseless conversation, not only of the ordinary chit-chat and tea-table descrip- tion, but also friendly dialectics of a social, poUtical, literary, scientific, or theological cast. Almost all, from the captain downwards, contributed something to the general fund. In spite of all sea- sickness we were happy. I must say, however, that whenever I use that com- pound word " sea- sickness " it gives me a fit of the horrors, even yet. It is a dreadful, loathsome thing. Some had it worse than others ; some bewailed it, while others made Hght of it ; but only three or four of those that were in the cabin escaped it, and they were children or youths. Some who laughed at it, said it was a matter of fancy and the nerves, and declared that for their part they beheved in the force of will, looked very pale, melan- choly, and wretched now and then, retreated precipitously into theu' state-rooms to find a book (transparent pre- tence!), or mysteriously disappeared to the side of the vessel or behind the wheel-house — to study the waves at theu' leisure or to sacrifice to Neptune there. The motion, which was a complication of pitching, roUing, and twist- ing, was something frightful at the time and in the re- membrance. It overcame almost all. People who had crossed the ocean with impunity on previous occasions found this trip one too many for them. So they kept me ",,"; »f]""'<"sis^|'; •■;.'?«■ Ftj 10 The Voi/a{/e Out. in countenance. I was not alone in my misery. We were companions in misfortune. Then you always have tht consolation of knowing that the sea- sickness is doing you good. Even when you are lowest in spirits, and are making your very ugliest face about the matter, even then you know that it is doing you good. For my own part, I certainly think it did me no harm, but rather the reverse. In spite of it all, too, we, as I say, enjoyed ourselves. Some days we saw no vessel : other days we sighted several. There was a shoal of whales at a distance : some came near. Myriads of huge unwieldy porpoises played lively games in the water. At night the moonlight danced on the waves. With wondrous phosphorescent gleam in our track we ploughed our \ ay along. Ther^ is something very grand and terrible about the ocean. I gazed out on the foam-capped tumultuous waves with feelings which cannot be described. I am not so foohsh as to attempt to pictm-e the ocean to you : I can simply repeat to you the well-known lines (which I said over to myself as I stood entranced) — •' KoU on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, — roll ! Ten thousand tleets sweep over thee in vain ; Man marks the earth with ruin : his control Stops with the shore : upon the watery plain The wrecks are all thy deed. • • • • • Thy shores are empires, changed in all save thee ; Assyria, Greece, Rome, Carthage, where are they ? Thy waters washed them power while they were free, And many a tyrant since ; their shores obey ^ The stranger, slave, or savage ; their decay *' Has dried up realms to deserts : — not so thou : Unchangeable save to thy wild waves' play ; Time writes no wrinkle on thy azure brow : Such as creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now." The Voiiatje Out, 11 I had the privilege of preaching in the saloon on the two Sundays (June 18th and June 25th) over which our voyage lasted. The service was open to passengers from any part of the vessel. About sixty were present on the first Sunday and about ninety on the second occasion. The captain read the American Episcopal Liturgy. I did not feel well enough for much public speaking ; but I just went on and did the best I could. The text on the 8th of June was "Kejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.' We all did just that ; or, at least, we rejoiced literally and we wept figuratively. We sym- pathised all round. What a pleasure it was to us to see American land ! A passenger raised a laugh one day by saying, in answer to a question from the steward as to what he should get for him, that of all things he should like best a few square yards of dry land. At last, then, land was sighted. This was on Sunday, the 25th of June. The said land was the New" Jersey coast. The much-frequented watering-place called Long Branch was just a little too far north for us to see ; but, bye and bye, the dim coast-hne became more distinct : we discerned Atlantic City, a fashionable resort of Philadelphians ; further on. Cape May was clearly visible. We passed Cape Henlopen in Delaware, and steamed into Delaware Bay as far as the Breakwater. As it was too late to pass the Philadelphia Customs that evening, we anchored in Delaware Bay for the night — a rather tantalising thing, it is true, for the numerous Americans on board who were eager to see their friends ; but so it was : it could not be helped; and "what can't be cured must be endured." 12 The Voyw/e Out. 4 At hall'-past five o'clock next morning we wore on our way. Leaving Barnegat Bay and its Lighthouse, we went slowly up the Delaware. This is a noble river, broad and ample. By comparison and contrast, it dwarfs our British rivers into the dimensions of mere creeks and brooks. There is the New Jersey coast to our right, and a perfect panorama of beauty on the left or Delaware bank. The ground gently sloped up from the water's edge. It was well-wooded. Houses were dotted about in picturesque confusion. Fields of mown grass were interspersed. To gaze on land where Inchans once roamed, and which has been consecrated by the memory of Penn — to note busy cities, such as Wilmington, Newcastle, and Chester — all this was continual delight. Wilmington is a large thriving place — an important manufacturing town. It is said that Chester was the earliest settled town in Pennsylvania. For a long time it was a quiet stand- still place ; but it has looked up lately, and is now a busy hive of industry. There is no speciaUty in its trade ; but the inhabitants manufacture a little of everything. The graceful tower of the military academy is visible, enthroned in verdure, on a gentle elevation at a distance on om* left. We saluted the establishment, and the coiu*- tesy was returned. We saw numerous fishing-boats, with their nets, of immense size, cast abroad on the calm water. By the Delaware bank, but seeming far away, a numerous assemblage of negro boys were bobbing up and down and swimming round in the water, enjoying their bath con- sider abl v. A gaily painted steamer, called "the Amanda Powell," met us in the river, bearing a number of the passengers' Tlic Voyo^ic Out. 18 friends. These came on board, being too impatient to stay till we reached the wliarf. AVhat sliaking of hands, what whispering, what laughing, what kissing, there was the rest of the way I Most of the passengers were by tliis time dressed in as summery a way as possible, in expecta- tion of landing. We could see the Centennial towers and the towers and spires of the city. Passing the spot where the Schuylkill flows into the Delaware, one notices on the left bank of the Schuylkill a large grain elevator, for the trade of the Red Star Line of steamers sailing between Philadelphia and Antwerp) . Delightful it was to me to see the whavf — to strain my eyes to distinguisli the figures on shore — to see, at length, the relative to visit whom was the particular object of my voyage. Wliat a treat to step on shore and feel myself in Americf . ! I cannot say it was a treat to liave trunks, boxes, and parcels tossed about and examined by the officers of the customs. Still, they have their official duty to perform, and it is no use grumbling at it. They are coui'teous to all who are courteous to them, and they gave me com- paratively little trouble — far less thnn had been kindly proi>]iesied by some old travellers on board. Away to the telegraph office, to send a brief message to " the old folks at home," and then away still fuHher to rest and sleep— my first night in a strange and foreign yet familiar and home -like land. I had not to go as a stranger to some public hotel : it was my happiness to be received by friends and to be treated as though ,1 had been still at home. ' :| 14 LECTURE II. Philadelphia. AM to speak to-night of Philadelphia. I shall speak of this place with more confidence, and more au- thoritatively, than I shall be able to speak of any other American city. I sailed to the Poi-t of Philadelphia be- cause the relatives whom I went to visit live there. I stayed in that city several weeks. It seems quite familiar to me. I think I know my way about in it. I feel quite at home there. People sometimes say that all cities are alike — tliat when you have seen one you have seen all — and that, in fact, as regards cities, there is " nothing new under the sun." That statement is true, and it is also false. All cities have, of course, much in common — present ceii^ain features in common ; but each place has also its peculiari- ties, its specialities, and its chstinctive features. Certainly Philadelphia is, in some respects, unhke aU other cities which I have ever visited. It is the most American of all Plttludfl/ihin. 15 Amorican ^litres of population. Of nil American cities it iH the least like the typical Englisli town. It is "the Quaker City." The FriemlH have been the dominant influence in it all along until within the last few years. Their influence made it characteristically a quiet, dull, sleepy soii of place. Its name " Philadelphia" means " brotherly love." It is the city of brotherly love ; and that name denotes the one main characteristic of the Friends. All through their history they have beUeved in brotherly love. They have been friends of man. They liavo worked for every noble cause. They have befriended the poor and the oppressed. Their influence has been out of all proportion to their numbers. Tlic world has good cause to-day to honour the name of the gentle Quakers who liave done so much in the past, and who are still so active, on behalf of the moral well-being of mankind. The city is situated in the area of the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, in the eastern part of the State of Pennsylvania. The ground is not absolutely flat, but rises gently to the north. It is a bright, cheerful place — a large, busy, thriving city. The last census was in the year 1870, and it gave the population as 674,022. The estimated population on the Ist of April, 1876, was 817,448. The vital statistics for 1875 show that the deaths were 22^ in the thousand. The chief prevailing disease is con- sumption. There are many causes of this. Philadelphians seem to prefer hot rooms to healthy exercise — to believe in I'oasting themselves in front of hot stoves rather than brav- ing the fresh air — and to p. efer riding to walking. But, wliatever may be thought as to the cause, there is the fact. i if' IG Philadel^)hia . Consumption is the prevailing and most fatal disease in the city. The trade of Philadelphia is large, and is increasing. At one time it was very important ; but people were sleepy, and it dwindled. It has lately taken a fresh start, and is going on rapidly. The establishment of Unes of direct steam communication with Europe has been a good thing for the trade of the place. You may learn the condition of its commerce from the following facts : the exports from the Port of Philadelphia to foreign countries during the year 1875 amounted in value to 31,936,727 dollars, 17,819,798 dollars of that sum being the value of the exports to the British Isles. The Imports from foreign countries into the Port of Philadelphia during the same year amounted to 23,457,334 dollars, 12,318,666 dollars of that Slim representing the value of articles imported from Great Britain dming the year. These figures are reliable. They are taken from the last report of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, presented on the 24tli of January, 1876. They show us that Philadelphia does a considerable trade, and that mere than one-half of its total commerce is with Great Britain. The manufactures of the city and neighbourhood are vaiious. I will briefly particularise the cotton and iron trades. There are many cotton mills about. They remind- ed me of Ainsw ortli, wliere I am now speaking. Passing one evening through Manayunk — a manufacturing quarter of Philadelphia, nine miles to the north of the busiest portion of the city — it was pleasing to see the crowds of young women streaming out of the mills at six o'clock, when their day's weaving was over, and hurrying along the side walks. iif Philadelphia. 17 I looked on them with more interest than I can put into words. Thsy transported me home in a moment. '* In my mind's eye, Horatio," I conld see the old scenes once again. Going along Broad- street one afternoon, I looked in at a large iron-foundry and locomotive manufactory. Much of the railway work of the district is done there. Dom Pedro, the Emperor of Brazil, had been there a few days before, and had ordered a considerable number of loco- motives in the American style for use on existing or pro- jected lines of railway in Brazil. Mentioning his name reminds mc of the strange adoring eagerness with which Kepublican Americans will run after any Royal Personage who happens to cross their path. Dom Pedro is, doubt- less, a scholarly and good man, with a sincere desire to benefit his country ; but it appears to make no difference in the fervour of American homage when tlie Royal Person is a cruel blood-thirsty adventurer like Don Carlos. I know a little of his receptions in Philadelphia. Fresh from Spain, with his hands dyed deep-red in the blood of Spanish men, he had gone to th^ States to acquire " the needful" before proceeding to Cuba, to continue his trade of destruction there. My own opinion is that Royal scoundrels ought not to be treated any better than com- mon villains are ; and I certainly did feel disappointed and vexed when I lonrned that Americans are so eager to do homage to a royal fiend. The size of Philadelphia, is somethhig enormous. Though its population is not so large as that of New York, its area is larger tlian that of any other city in the Union. It covers an iiuinonsc site. Tliero is plenty of 18 Philadelphia. ground. There is no crowding. Houses are spun out most liberally. Its streets are regularly laid out, and run — for the most part — either due east and west or else due north and south, crossing one another at right angles. Those running east and west are called by various names : such as Market- street. Chestnut- street, Walnut- street, and so on. Those running north and south are numbered, beginning from the Delaware river on the east. There is Front-street or First-street, then Second- street, Third- street, and so on, right away far west across the Schuylkill river. Market- street is the principal business thorough- fare. Fourteenth- street, generally called Broad- street, crossing Market- street at right-angles, is of great length. The length of that street, from south to north, is fourteen miles and a half. The densely-built-up portion of the city is now about seven miles in extent, north and south, and from three to four miles in width, east and west. That is surely a big city — so large as to be perfectly bewildering, were it not for the way in which the streets are laid out — a system so clear and simple that by means of it any stranger can, with comparative ease, find his way to any part. Any address can be readily found, because the streets are numbered regularly, cross one another regularly, and you regularly find one hundred numbers of houses in each block or square, or, at least, that each block begins with the unit of a Inindred. I confess that the streets of Philadel}>hia are too straight and too systematic to suit me. They are Ameri- can, not English. I like a little variety in streets. Our English streets, no doubt, wind about so as to perplex travellers ; but each has a physiognomy of its own — some- ■^*- Philadelphia, 19 v: thing by which you may recognise it as an old friend. It has been formed as homes have been reared. Indi- vidual tastes have had room to exercise themselves. Philadelphian streets, in respect to their extreme straight- ness, rigidity, and system run mad, are monotonous, dreary, and unpoetical in the extreme. Fancy a street fourteen miles and a half long, with not a crook or a turn in it anywhere. "It is a long lane that has no turning," says the old proverb ; — well, then, all I can say is — there is many a long lane in the Quaker City. The pavement is simply abominable. Soft brick is a poor material to walk on : hai'd paving- stone is far better. The brick wears into holes every yard or two, so that pedestrianism becomes a somewhat perilous acrobatic exercise. If you ever go to America, and do not want to break your neck, I pray you to walk carefully on the streets of Philadelphia. There is one thing which relieves the monotony. In most principal streets, excepting Market- street, poplar, sugar-maple, and other trees are planted at frequent inter- vals near the edge of the pavement. These make the roads shady, green, and fresh to a stranger's eye, — they are very agreeable objects in this which is perhaps the hottest city in the Northern States, — and they especially struck me as I walked about, or as I rode along in one of the comfortable street-cars for which this city is so famous, and in which you can be quickly transported to any part of the place. There are three thousand of them in the city. They are like tlie tram-way cars in Birkenhead. They run very frequently — every three minutes on the chief routes. For seven cents you can ride to some point ^1^ ':! : 3 t I 20 PhiladelphM . within easy distance of any part of this huge place. By a system of " exchange tickets," costing nine cents each, you can pass from Kne to Hne, and go to the very door of your friend's house. They are very convenient. They are a great advantage to the city. They save time. Also, they are a gigantic contrivance for saving people's legs, and bringing on various indispositions which naturally re- sult from lack of hodilv exercise. The railways are peculiar. There is no protection of wall or embankment on either hand. The lines are on a level with the streets. Eows of houses, or workshops, or stores, are visible to the right and the left. The rail goes along one street, and crosses others at right angles to their course. The locomotive bell rings continually. When the " Go ahead !" has been uttered at the Depot or Station away the steam-cars dash ; and people just have to look out. If tliey value their legs, arms, and skuUs, they have to keep their eyes open, and maintain a bright look-out at the street- crossings to see if there is a train coming or not. It is a rule for street- car conductors to get out at every railway crossing, to see if the coast is clear. Passing at times, in contemplative absorbed mood, along the so-called pavement, I was on the point of crossing, when suddenly tlie sound of the locomotive bell smote mv ear. I looked —and lo ! a train of cars was tearing along in my di- rection. But it is all right, practically speaking. Accidents are rare. People get used to it — ^just as they become accustomed to the roar of machinery, the din of hammers, the clang of bells, the tumult of rushing waters, or the indescribable noise of the screw or tlie fog-whistlo on board sliip. Fhiladclpliht. 21 Philadelphia has been called "the city of homes." It deserves the name. The number of its houses is immense. People rarely live in " flats :" they have separate houses. You rarely find a tenant : an enormous number of the in- habitants have houses of their own. People who in Europe would pay weekly rent, and never di'eam of pos- sessing a house, are — there — cottage proprietors. There are six hundi'ed building societies in the place, and most of them have done nii extensive business. The population is of a mixed and mingled nature. The vast majority of the people are native English-speaking Ameiicaiis. Very many are English-speaking emigrants from (Ire at Britain. The German population is large. I found many churches, and attended public worship in one, where the whole service is in the German language. There are two German newspapers coming out regularly, — one of them, viz., " Der Pliiladelphia Demokrat," having a good circu- lation. In one " diy-goods store," well known to me, the German customers are so numerous that it is found ne- cessary to have half-a-dozen German- speaking young ladies in the store to wait upon the German people. So far as I could learn, it seems clear that the Germans in the city, as a class, do not care much about chm-ch-going, have got clear away from the Puritan theory of Sunday observance, arc fond of " Lager Bier" (of which they im- l)ibe incredible quantities, and which, in spite of what some persons say, is intoxicating, if you oidy take enougli of it, — I speak from theory and observation, not from practice and experience- -), and are the consumers of the innjoi- portion of the tobncco which is sold within the area •«■ mmtmm i 22 Philailelphia. of the city, — quite clear, also, that, as a body, they are good, honourable, upright, and highly-respected citizens. The number of coloured people in the city is compara- tively small, but positively large. Most of them are la- bourers, carters, porters, and the like. Some have got on, acquired wealth, display that wealth in personal finery, and cut a figure — though not a tasteful or graceful one. Negroes and Negresses arc treated well in Philadelphia. They are not tabooed and scorned by the whites. Tliey ride in public cars side by side with white men and women. The prejudice which undoubtedly existed at one time against the black man is dying out. It is found that, with cultivation and training, he is capable of everything which a white man can accomplish. Coloured people often occupy higli and honoured i^ositions. It is seen that the negro is a man — tliat he belongs to the one great hu- man familv and brotherhood — and that he stands in the same relation to the Great Spirit as is occupied by white men. What a blessing it is that American slavery has ceased ! What a good thing that the Eepublicans tri- umphed over tlie pro- slavery Democrats in the great struggle of sixteen years ago ! What a disgrace it was to American Christianity that, for so many years, it sanc- tioned the cursed thing called slavery ! What an instruct- ive thing it is to note that, while orthodoxy proved from the Bible that slavery was God's will, the heresy of Amer- ica opposed it with all its might, and has, at last, seen its downfall ! Several times, when walking about in Philadelphia, I noticed Chinese inscriptions on window-blinds, or on shutters, or as signs ahove the doors. Such places are PJriliuh'Ip/n'ii. 28 mostly launcliies. The Chinese men are the hest cooks and -washev-women in the world. They are geniuses in all matters of joint, pudding, and pie ; and they can wash, starch, and iron beautifully, and get up frills and laces to perfection. The only difficulty seems to be that when people send things to be washed they are never sure of getting them bacl^ again. Articles are, of course, easily lost ; and Chinese Yang-sin or Fu-tze puts on an innocent look and says he really does not know anything about them. I do not know that we ought to be surprised to find Chinese people living in Philadelphia : for America is the lios})itable home of all nations ; and he who travels there nmst make up his mind to witness many a strange scene — startling from its utter novelty. The Philadelphian " Pubhc Buildings" (or Town Hall, as we should call them) are situated at the intersection of T^road- street and Market- street. They were in process of erection when I was there. It is a grand site. The ma- terials are genuine. The work is good. There have, however (so it is reported), been contract intrigues ; and much grumbling is lieard as to the cost. The truth Ues liere : — a few will make a good thing out of the Public Buildings ; those buildings will drain the purses of the citizens almost di-y ; and they will be the glory of the city ever afterwards. Close by is the :\Ia8onic Temple. It is an imposing sti-uctui-e of white marble, with red granite for the base"- ments of the pillars. It is a vast and complicated laby- rinth. No thread of Ariadne, but a stout rope, pilots tlie visitor through. I am outside Freemasonry, do not un- derstand its purpose, have never been initiated into its -I^- S*Hi» ^ 24 Phih(l<4j>hi(t. secrets, and so do not understand the use of much which I saw. I could not comprehend why such a large place, or so much magnificence, was required. I have no doubt, liowever, that all the thrones, banners, organs, and de- vices, have a profound significance to the initiated. I saw a Corinthian Hall, an Ionic Hall, an Egyptian Hall, a Gothic Hall, a Norman Hall, and a Kenaissance Hall — tlie architecture of each being characterised by its name. At intervals of two or three yards along the corridors and in the halls you see huge and monstrous spittoons. Scores of cards, hung on the walls, earnestly plead with the visitor to "Please use the spittoons." I respectfully but firmly declined. I would rather not, thank you. As for your average American, he chews so much tobacco that spittoons are a dire and ugly necessity to defend the carpets from utter destruction and the walls from pitiable discolouration. I saw sucli things in churches. In several churches which I can call to mind spittoons are liberally distributed in vestibules, vestries, aisles, and pews. In one prominent church you see a notice as you enter the vestibule : " Gentlemen are requested not to spit upon the floor, but to use the spittoons." Your true and genuine American spits as naturally as he breathes. The grave legislators in the House of Representatives and the Senate at Washington expectorate nt the end of every striking sentence which they utter, instead of the na- tional emblem being n spread eagle it almost seems as though it ought to be a large si)ittoon. It has even been conjectured that the first tiling which an American male infant does after birth is — not to cry, but — to spit. Seri- ouslv, I denounce this vile liabit. It is a disgraceful, 'U4„K Vliiladdphia. 2.5 iniurious thing. It is making lungs a scarce ai*ticle in the States. Expectorating Yankees vohmtarily cast their kings away. How hot it was while I was in the States I The heat was something frightful. No such season has heen known in America for nearly fifty years past. The hot spell be- gan just as I got there ; and it cooled off just when I had sailed away. It may perhaps be well for me, in view of future contingencies, to gradually get used to extreme heat; but, anyhow, it was rather oppressive. I will venture to say, in justice to myself, that I endured it pretty well. I I did not complain so much as many Americans did. A slight heat-rash or eruption appeared on my hands for two or three days ; but that passed away, and I felt no more. By dint of iced water, ice cream, lemonade, Chinese and Japanese fans, and the most perfect coolness and calmness about everything under the sun, I managed to get along, and even to enjoy myself very much. I do not approve of iced water. It is a bad thing. Americans kill themselves with it. There is a cooler in most liouses. The demand for ice is awful and dreadful. The little, however, which I consumed only did me a little harm, and it certainly seemed coohng and refreshing for the time. The oi-thodox way of drinking lemonade is to suck it through a straw. Its cooling qualities are thus spun out to the greatest pos- sible extent. I am persuaded that I frequently presented a, ridiculous spectacle in tiiis regard ; but, as everybody around me was also in like manner ridiculous, I was lost in tlie mass. " The merciful man is merciful to his beast :" so the Americans not onlv think of themselves in the hot weather: -i-rr-Tr^r. 2r, Ph{hi(h'}f)]nti. ^ they think of their horses. It was quite a common thing to see long thongs of leather fastened to the horses' hacks, and falling down on either side, as they trudged their patient way along the rough streets. These thongs were useful for driving the flies away. Many a. street horse had, also, an umhrella fixed up over its head to sliade it from tlie liot hurning rays of the sun. As the lient hocame worse, ranging round the Centennial figure, and at times reaching 108 or 110 in the shade, it struck me tliat a change was desirahlc : so one Saturday afternoon away we steamed down the Delaware to Cape May, on the New Jersey Coast. It is quite a little city — a much -frequented place. People go there from great dis- tances. The Stockton and Congress Hall are specimens of the vast, grand, and goi'geous style of hotels in which the Americans seem to delight. It was cooler in Cape May than it liad heen ii^ the Cit3^ A dip in the sea seemed delightful. Tlie bathing dress in vogue is graceful and pretty. I should suppose there would be about a tliousand people in the water at the time when I was having my small swim. Tlie friends who accompanied us on this trip were an agreeable set of people. Bank Directors can talk about other things besides the rate of exchange ; and a General wdio had fought for the North in all the principal battles in the war of the union was able to contribute mucli to conversation which I considered decidedlv worth listen- ing to and joining in. Two or three daj^s before we were at Cape May it was infested by mosquitoes. A land breeze had brought them in from the woods. A sea breeze sprang up and took them away just before we got there. Very few, at least, were left. Two or tliree settled on my hand ; but . jJuSvA'ijx.- ;--t ^ Li,^:'>i: ■ ' Philadelphia. 27 I am glad to say tliey did not take a fancy to me. As my stay was to be short, and I was a stranger in the hind, they kindly and considerately decided not to torment mc : so they buzzed off, and left me in perfect peace. Returning into the city across New Jersey (a flat, swampy, desolate region) we c(ume upon one district in which the desert had been made to " rejoice and blossom as a rose." This was Yineland, the celebrated total absti- nence settlement. There is secret drinking in the place ; but there is no public drink traffic. The settlement is a success. For miles along the railway route, Indian corn, sweet potatoes, apple trees, peach trees, and (above all) vines, greet the eye which is tired of gazing on damp morass or stunted hickory bushes. These vines are planted in long rows, and they twine up poles like the hops in Kent and otJier parts of South England. The grapes furnished by the Vineland region are reputed good. Immense quantities of a kind of grape called *' Concord" are carried by the freight cars to Philadelphia, for con- sumption by its inhabitants. The sight of the peach trees reminded me that New Jersey was once famous for its peaches, and that even now, though its production is comparatively small, and though it is eclipsed by Dela- ware and the South, it still maintains some reputation in this respect. My ride across New Jersey to Camden, which is on the east or New Jersey bank of the river Delaware, just opposite to Philadelphia, gave me my first real glimpse and idea of American ?oil ; and I felt sure that, if American enterprise and energy could accomplish so much on a dreary inhospitable swamp, I should see still greater wonders in otlier parts of the States. ^•! ! I' 28 I'hilmlcl/ihvt. r li ■ \ iA O'^e afternoon I visited the Cherry Hill Prison, now called the Eastern Penitentiary. It is a large place, with over nine hundred colls. At the time of my visit there were 861 prisoners. Of that number only five vere women. Some of tlie prisoners were well-educated, and the majority of them could read. There is a large library of 10,000 volumes for tlio use of the prisoners, and the books are avcU patronised. The separate and silent sys- tem prevails. No prisoner leaves his cell, excepting to promenade in the little yard at the rear of his cell and of precisely the same size. The prisoners have a specific task each day ; and all they do beyond that is reckoned to their account, and the money which they have thus earned is handed over to them when they leave the place. I was glad to find that there is no whipping in this prison. They can do without that. They do better with- out it than they could do with it. Philadelphia can boast its Zoological Gardens — nothing like equal, of course, to those of London, but promising as a beginning. Many people go there ; and uuch a visit may pertainly be made a means of education far more interesting — and, at the same time, far more thorough — than can be got from a book. I attended several total abstinence meetings. They seemed to be a kind of mixture of total abstinence and revivalism. One man, who gave an excited, unintelligible address, afterwards figured somewhat prominently in the Peace meetings to which I shall refer in a minute. The only really good speccli which I heard on total abstinence was delivered by Dr. Peddie, a Baptist clergyman of standing and repute in the city. 'W.^ ■mmMmm***. Phil(i(leli>hiti. 20 The Peace meoiings in Carpenter's TTall were spoiled by two men who interfered with the programme, defied the chairman, and throw the assembly into disorder. One was an Indian who raved about Peace, spoke in an Indian dialect, translated what he had said into English, and then let loose a dove as the emblem of peace. A tall long-bearded man, well known in Philadelphia as a spirit- ualist, then '• took the floor," dilated in warlike language on the subject of ;'eace, frightened the whole of the meet- ing, declared that he would resist by force of arms any attempt to put him down, and (according to next day's PhiJfxhl/ihin I mj Hirer) he drew a swovd, and terrified com- pletely out of their wits the few peace advocates who yet remained in the room. Most of the people, however, had quietly adjourned to dinner. One by one we all went out ; and the said lunatic was left raving away for ten minutes or so in a well-nigh empty room. Such things as these spoiled the effect of able and sensible addresses from people like Mrs. Lucretia Mott, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, and Mr. John Fretwell. There are, unfortunately, crazy people who hang upon the skirts of every pro- gressive movement, who are a weakness nnd a disgrace to it, and who simi)ly succeed in making the movement it- self seem absurd. The Woman's Rights question was agitated in Phila- delphia while I w^as there. At a meeting in the Horti- cultural Hall in Broad-street, held to celebrate the Cen- tennial anniversary of a decree of tlie New Jersey legis- lature in favour of woman suffrage, Miss Lucy Stone, Mrs. Julia Ward Howe, and others, pleaded, on various Sfrounds, for woman suffi'age. Miss Stone showed, in 80 Fhilodeljjhia. I AMI most able, humorous, and argumentative style, the weak- ness of the pleas which are commonly urged against women's claims, and what woman has already been able to accomplish — in spite of the handicapping which has been going on for centuries- in spite, too, of all the ob- stacles which " the lords of the creation," jealous for their own privileged position, have placed in her path. I do not now tell you about my religious experiences in Philadelphia : I must leave them to be presented when I come to speak specially of " Eeligion in America." As the traveller walks or rides about he finds that there are many important suburbs, and that there is much beautiful scenery, round this city. There is Ger- mantown — an important and fashionable quarter ; there is Nicetown ; there is Norristown ; there is West Phila- delphia, the city having spread out far to the west across the Schuylkill river ; there is busy Manayunk, before mentioned ; for the lover of Nature there ara delights up the Lehigh valley, and a perfect Paradise up the Wissa- hickon. No words of mine can worthily express the beauty, the iom.ance, the entrancing loveliness, of the vale of the Wissahickon. The river winds ; the banks are wooded ; trees overarch and interlace ; the water is clear as crystal and the surface smooth as that of a liighly-polished mirror — to use the time-honoured similes. Many who go up that valley go simply for the ride, the flirtation, or the " cat-fish" supper at the restaurant : to such the scene will not have its loftiest meaning ; but to high, romantic, poetic souls I confidently recommend the valley of the Wissahickon as one of the loveliest things on the beautiful eavtli. 1 * Philadelphia. 81 At Chestnut Hill, beyond Germantown, I had the plea- sure of meeting a Congregationalist minister of North- ampton, in this country — a man known to me years gone by — a traveller, a scholar, and a gentleman. I do not know anyone whom I esteem more highly. What a de- light, when three thousand miles away from one's home, to come across a man whom one has known amid the old scenes ! How near becomes the distant spot ! How old associations revive ! How the heart is cheered ! Nine miles from Philadelphia is Shoemakertown. Robert Collyer, the poet-preacher of Chicago, the delight of the traveller's Sunday in that far-off empire-city of the Great West, once worked at Shoemakertown as a black- smith. His old neighbours remember him yet with strange, deep, warm affection. One Sunday while I was in the neighbourhood he was to open a Hall for public meetings, principally in the interests of Peace. The rain poured down in torrents : still, a fair number assembled ; and they listened .o one of the simplest, deepest, richest, and most human addresses which have ever yet been delivered. Philadelphia has its memories of great men. I do not refer to Stephen Girard, from whose benefaction Girard College is supported : because I do not look upon him as a great man, though his deed blesses the city continually, I refer to Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. If Boston wants to claim Franklin because he was born there in 1706, Philadelphia contends for him because he lived here, worked here as a printer, and died here in 1790. As you go along Arch-street you note some pali- sading, in lieu of wall, just to the east of Fifth-street. {T :■/ i.<^ 32 ! ■J * i i ^ 1 1 r/dladelphin. Look through that palisading. There is a gravestone. You read the inscription, and you find that it is to the memory of Benjamin Franldin. Thousands of people have stayed their course in the busy street, and have peered through, and read the words, and honoured the memory of that shrewd, wise, industrious, and honourable man— have called to mind his work as a printer and wi'iter or his labours as a statesman for the welfare and independence of his country. I refer, also, to George Washington — a pure, high- souled man, fatlier of his country, deliverer of the Colonies, first Pi-esident of the States. In Second-street there is an old plain building called Christ Church. Washington once worshipped there. I entered reverently : for, in addition to the feelings naturally aroused by the house of prayer, a great man had been there before me. I am not a " hero-worshipper ;" but I honour the great and good who have influenced the world beneficially. Great men may teach us mucli. In Longfellow's often - quoted words — " Ijivf'S of g. at mftu all romind ns We may make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time." The apparitor took me to a seat which, he said, George Washington used to occupy. On the opposite side of the aisle, just one seat to the rear, Benjamin Franklin sat, Ustened, and thought. I sat in both those seats, and I tried to persuade myself and to realise that the apparitor was right, and that tliose men had really sat, and htood, and prayed in that place. Only witli difficulty could I Fhiladelplm. 38 tear myself away ; only slowly, and inch by inch, could I leave the building ; — but the busy streets recalled me to myself, and repeated examination of the State House (or Independence Hall, as it is now called), in Chestnut- street, brought back before me all those scenes and strug- gles of a hundred years ago which culminated in the signature of the Declaration of Independence on the Foxu'th of July, 1776. Enter the State-House from Chestnut- street. To the left of the entrance hall is Inde- pendence Chamber. It is a large square room, of moderate height. The portraits of America's political worthies adorn the walls. There is the very table on which the Declaration w^as signed. There is the very chair in which the President sat. From that chandelier light beamed down, {I hundred years ago, upon brave, strong, true men, banded together to proclaim and secure their country's independence. Their cause was that of justice against injustice, popular rights and the essential principles of our constitution against the arbitrary tyranny of a Government which refused to listen to any representations or to remove any grievances. To my thinking, the Colo- nists were right and the English Government was wrong. Pitt, Burke, and other statesmen pleaded the cause of the colonists and denounced the Government policy. It was a good thing that the colonists triumphed and achieved their independence. If it had not been for arbitrary ty- ranny and blind stupidity we sliomd not have lost those colonies : they would have been ours to-day ; or if they had separated from us it would liave been in perfect amity and brotherhood, and simply because they had reached tlieir maturity and had become able to stand alone ; — but I) 'i 'i i I •i;. •; n\i ;. 36 LECTURE III. The Centennial Exhibition. XHIBITIONS or World's Fairs belong to modern days. In old times, when Flanders monopolised , one thing, Venice another, Genoa another, and so on, there was no idea of publicly exhibiting the products of industry. There was maintained, on the contrary, a poUcy of secresy and suspicion. In these latter days it is found that the old exclusiveness can no longer be main- tained ; and it is discovered that exhibitions do good — that they stimula,te industry, reward inventiveness, and bind nation- together in some sort of brotherhood. The first general fair or exhibition of modern times was probably that of France in 1798. This was followed by others in 1801, 1802, and 1806. War struggles made The Centennial Exhibition. 37 n 1, )f a. it such peaceful competitions impossible for a time ; but they again revived, and were held in various places from 1819. Belgium held one in 1820, Ireland in 1829, Prussia in 1844, Austria in 1846, England in 1849, Bavaria in 1854, Holland in 1859, and Russia in 1872. These were all, however, on a comparatively small scale. The first exhibition meriting the name of World's Fair was that helc'. in London in 1851. The citizens of New York followed in 1858, Paris in 1855, London again in 1862, Paris in 1867, and in 1873 Vienna opened the largest ever held up to that date. There was one at Santiago, in the Repubhc of Chili, in 1875. Next comes that of which I speak to-night, viz., the great Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, opened on the 10th of May, 1876, and designed to commemorate the close of the first century of the existence of the United States as an inde- pendent nation. 1 call it a great affair. A writer in a local newspaper sneers at this word " great," as appUed to the Centennial Exposition. He had merely one hasty glance at the thing. He felt bound by his " patriotism" to praise no- thing and to find fault with everything. Because he saw some " cotton cops" which were, he says, not so good as some which he had seen in England, he says there have been far finer exhibitions held in England, and that he would not, for any consideration, go a second time to look at the Centennial. I look upon such talk as absurd. 1 regard it as a mean and despicable thing to refuse, from motives of patriotism, a word of hearty praise for the real success which America has achieved in this thing. More people have visited the Centennial than have been to any 38 The Centennial Exhibition. I !! i: i il other exhibition which the world has ever seen. The largest attendance on any one day was 109,915 persons a^ London in 1861, 128,017 at Paris in 1855, 173,923 at Paris in 1867, while 274,919 people went on one day to see the Centennial at Philadelphia. The total attendance for the whole period has also been larger at Philadelphia than has ever been known at any other exhibition. That total attendance has amounted to nearly ten millions — the precise number being 9,782,822. There is no doubt about it : the affair has been a success. All English people whe are worthy of tlie name are large-minded enough and large-hearted enough to ungrudgingly con- gratulate America upon the progress she has made and the triumphs she has won. This is the greatest, grandest exhibition ever held, — at least, so I think and maintain. The Americans speak somewhat extravagantly about it, no doubt ; but they have cause to boast. They are a big people ; they like to do things on a big scale ; and in planning an exhibition to celebrate their Centennial they determined to beat all creation and outshine the sun. Uncle Sam did not come out very liberally with his money just at first ; but the dollars have been got from somewhere : some people's pockets are the lighter ; and now Brother Jonathan guesses this is about the largest thing in exhibitions which the world has seen ; he calculates that it must astonish the Europeans considerably. Well, it is, indeed, wonderful. One wonders where all the things have come from. Everybody seems to have taken part in it. All States and Territories of the Union have contril)uted ; and most civilised nations (and some f d » t: . i_ .' A^JLt^til- ^ifM ^^:^^-'Ia1':^ -S-',* A'l'i'i^^'*.Lit: I Jfl The Oentenniat Bxhihition. 89 which are not civilised) have officially joined in the com- petition. Those nations which have exhibited are the following :- -Argentine Confederation, AustraUa, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chili, China, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Ha- waii, Hayti, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Orange Free States, Persia, Peru, Portugal, Eussia, Siam, Spain, Sweden, Tunis, Turkey, United States, and Venezuela. Several of these have made liberal grants for the pui-poses of the exposition. In many cases, distinguished men, renowned for their knowledge and attainments, have been ]3laced at the head of the several departmt^nts. Months' — and even years' — thought and toil have been necessary, on the pai*t of many nations, to bring this thing to its perfection. Widely-differing peoples have united to give a greeting to America, to make her Centennial a success, and to be glad in her joy. Philadelphia rejoiced in the possession of a most con- venient and ample site for the celebration. Fairmount Park, where the Exposition has been held, is the largest of all public parks. It consists of nearly three thousand acres. Tlie land is naturally varied, well-wooded, and beautiful. All is natural. The brooks, ravines, and hills are all natural. When I first visited the park I admired it very much. Subsequent visits, far from disenchanting the scene, served only to deepen my admiration. I could not Tuiderstand why the authorities of the city could be so liberal with the citizens' money as to set aside so much land for the purposes of a public park, — nor . could I think that so large a space was necessary ; but. 40 The Centennial Exhihition. i ■ ;■•( fii apart from the fact that land is so plentiful that Phila- delphia can afford to he extravagant, one man explained to me that the thing is, in fact, a business speculation. The land was for sale cheap : the city bought it ; and parts of it will, from time to time, be let off for business purposes. Thus there will always be a large park for the people, and, at the same time, there will be a continually- increasing income to the city arising from rents. The park is so large that thousands of people may move about without incommoding one another. On days when over 250,000 people have been on the Exhibition Grounds (or, at least, in the area of the park) there has been no perceptible crowding, and locomotion has been easy. I enjoyed more than one quiet meditative ramble, without scarcely noticing the presence of the very numer- ous visitors from all parts of the globe. The solitude and peace of one evening are especiallv impressed upon my memory. I found myself in the north-east corner of the park, at Strawberry Mansion. I moved down two hun- dred yards towards the Schuylkill river, and looked down from the height on its silent waters — smooth, tranquil, and apparently at rest. Here and there a small boat ghded along ; now and then a carriage drove past, far below, between me and the river ; — but nothing interfered with the essential serenity and impressiveness of the scene ; and I stood entranced. It was a lovely view. I am not ashamed to confess that I am an ardent and enthusiastic lover of Nature. I do not shr: ik from the acknowledgment that nothing pleases me better than to look, and muse, and wonder, amidst the beauties and glories of tlio world. I recommend to all a loving study .'it L^'^ rA.. The Centennial Exhibition. 41 of Nature. Such study will be extremely beneficial in many respects, '• If thou art worn and hard beset With Horrows that tliou wouldHt forget ; If thou wouldst read a lesson that will keep Thy heart from fainting and thy soul from sleep, Go to the woods and hills." Though so many people have come together from all l)arts to see the great exposition, Philadelphia finds no difficulty in accommodating them all. No matter how many enter the city, there is room for every one. The place deserves its title of the " city of homes." The exhibition which I want to picture to your minds to-night is held in one part of Fairmount Park which has been boarded off for the purpose. The enclosing board fence is nine feet high and nearly three miles in circuit. The area enclosed is 236 acres. The various buildings of which the exposition consists are dotted about in this area. Between the buildings are restaurants, bazaars, and the like. There are thirteen distinct entrances to the grounds. Each of them is provided with a self -registering turn -stile : so that there is no possibility of being carried in bodily with a rush, as might otherwise be the case. There is ample railway accommodation from all parts of the city and the country, running direcij to the chief en- trances. In addition, there is a bewildering number of street- cars which set down and take up visitors every minute or two during the day. The normal and regular price of admission is half-a- doUar. They will not take a dollar for two persons going in together ; they will not accept two quarter-dollars for one person's admission. No,~it must be half-a-doUar for f"' : 42 The Centennial Kxhihilion. I each person : so that no change may be required, and so that it may be easy to reckon up the receipts and to know the number of visitors in any one day. Hence ensue many amusing scenes. People, hot and flushed by hurry- ing, come up to an entrance — and cannot be admitted, because they are not the fortunate possessors of the ortho- dox and absohitely essential half-dollar. Away they go, muttering and growling, or laughing and joking, accord- ing to their humour and mood, to the money-changer's office hard by, where, for a " consideration," they can exchange a dollar for two of the coveted " greenbacks." Now they have the *' Open Sesame" in their hands. They can pass in to " the feast of reason and the flow of soul" which awaits them. The gatekeepers are very democratic — in the English sense of that word. They don't worship rank. The report goes (and we have no particular reason to deem it apocrypJial) that a stout, pompous sort of man, as he approached the turn-stile on the opening day, said, ** I'm an aldennan." " that's no matter," replied the gate- keeper. '* That don't exclude you. Pay your fifty cents, and you can go in just the same as the rest." Imagine yourselves entering at the Main Building turn- stile. What a scene ! How anxious you are to see every- thing all at once ! But pray do not be in a hurry. Take things easily, coolly, and calmly. It is very hot weather. America has not known such a season for nearly fifty years past. People who hurry too much in such w^eather as this make a pitiable mistake. There is a medical dis- pensary on these grounds. The doctors in attendance have plenty to do : they have their hands full. People The Centennial Exhibition. 48 mil haste ; they will not take everything quietly : and so tliey reap the consequences. Fifty people a day, on an average, are struck down hy the heat on these exhihition grounds ; many lose their lives : — so take care. Never miiid ahout seeing everything all at once. Look about a little ; p^o away ; come again and again at intervals. Depend upon it, this is the wise course of conduct. De- pend upon this, also — that many visits will be necessai'y before the mind can realise and take in the scene which is presented at this Centennial. There is so much Tho Main Building would, of itself, form a most respectable exhibition ; but, besides this, there are so many others — all spacious, all important, all attractive. So let us " hasten slowly." *' M' re haste less speed." By taking our time we shall do well upon the whole. "He who travels slowly travels safely ; he who travels safely travels far." For my own part, I thought it would be sensible to sit down on one of the many benches in the centre of the Main Building, and look round, coolly and leisurely con- templating the whole. The structure is 1880 feet long and 464 feet wide. It comprises an area of twenty acres. The building stands upon 672 stone foundation piers. The are 672 wrought-iron columns, varying in height from 28 to 125 feet. The weight of iron in the roof is five million pounds. The interior height is 70 feet. The main avenue in this building is 1832 feet long and 100 feet wide. This structure is set apart for manufactures. There are various sections devoted to the manufactured exhibits of the different nations. The United States have done well. They show that '■■', ■,.:.M'''V-i"<''XJ:' If Ms 44 The Genten7iial Exhibition. '^i they have made good progress and that they possess much manufacturing skill. But there is too much of the war- hke in their section. They show too many swords and GatUng guns to suit my taste. One of the guns, says an inscriptioii, " fires from 800 to 1000 shots per minute, has great accuracy, and the larger cahbres have an effective range of over two miles." What diabohcally murderous instrument \/ill be invented next ? If we do not pull up soon, and adopt arbitration instead of war, we shall, bye and bye, find ourselves trying to solve the celebrated pro- blem — " If ar irresistible force strike against an im- movable object, what will happen ?" The Lritish section is good. A thrill of patriotic pride went throu{.Th me as J peered around. Our colonies show to great advantage. I realise something of the physical greatness of the British Empire when I note the varied and wonderful nature of the manufactured products ex- hibited here from many lands under our rule. The French, Swiss, Italian, and Belgian departments are elegant and interesting. In the Belgian section is a collection of spa water, with various advertising inscrip- tions round the base of the structuj^e. These inscriptions are quite a linguistic treat in a small way. They are in Enghsh, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Modern Greek, Eussian, and Hebrew. The German section is poor. It was mismanaged. It is by no means worthy of the manufacturing and political importance of the Fatherland. Many Germans are com- pletely ashamed of it, though the blame is variously dis- tributed by various critics. Holland and its colonies have done wonderfully well. The Centennial Exhibition. 45 Holland shows very interesting models of Dutch canals and breakwaters ; and its colonies of the East Indies and Java present, in addition to the manufactures appropriate to the building, a quite exhaustive view of the Botany of those regions. I was extremely interested in the examination of the Kussian exhibits. Eussia is progressing, is developing in trade its own Muscovite peculiarities, and is creating an art all its own. The Chinese and Japanese quarters are delightful to one who can appreciate the distant East, and who can allow for the inevitable defects of a method of working which was fossilised at a certain stage of its development. The Chinese are, to me, grown-up children, whoso pride is that they have never changed, and that they are still antique, in spite of all lapse of time. Japan is far more open to western influences than is China ; but even Japan cannot get away from its surroundings, or forget its Turanianism. The Egyptian section is, in its frontage to the main avenue, as much as possible like the ancient Egyptian architecture. It presents an inscription which arrests the eye of every visitor — " The oldest nation in the world sends its greeting to the youngest nation." Most of the sections have made a good display of their books. It is interesting to notice the kind of literature whicli different nations have thought best for exhibition liere. National characteristics are traceable in that way. Look at the Swedish and Norwegian sections, and see what Scandinavia can do. You see abundant evidence of the mining industry and imj^ortance of the Norsemen. 'M ' H The Centennial Exhibition. Sweden exhibits most excellent topographical charts, making one seem well acquainted with the land of Tegner, Swedenborg, Fredrika Bremer, and Jenny Lind, without the trouble of ^oing there. There is something in the Scandinavian sections which shows me that man is, after aU- the most interesting subject to man. For one person in this Main Building who carefully examines the products of manufacturing skill, there arc twenty who gaze with absorbed interest upon the models of Swedish and Nor- wegian peasant men, women, and children. A certain learned professor from Kristiania, whose acquaintance I made on my return home, thinks that it is beneath the dignity of Scandinavia to exhibit these models, and that thay simply represent an old-fashioned style of peasant costume and peasant life which ought to pass away ; but I venture to believe that thousands of people will hence- forth have a clear and sympathetic idea of Scandinavia because here, in addition to its mineral treasures, its hu- man life has been so vividly pourtrayed. Suppose we liave a change now, leave this building de- voted to manufactures, and go elsewhere. How hot it is outside ! — positively, as well us compared with the cool interior. Happy is he who can boast of an umbrella ! We see gentlemen carrying such things who w^ould be ashamed to use them for such a purpose in England. But when we are in Philadelphia we— in all things innocent- do as the Philadeli)hians do. We next enter the Machinery Building. It is 542 feet from the west front of the Main Building, and is on the same Une, the two buildings presenting together a frontage of 3824 ft. to the main avenue in the grounds. Machinery The Centennial Exhibition . 47 Hall is 1402 feet long and 360 feet wide ; and there is further, on its south side, an i^nnex for hydraulic ma- chinery. The building, with its annex, covers fourteen acres of floor space. What a noise ! What utter con- fusion and chaos, according to the first impression ! What order, regularity, and law, one sees as he looks more closely ! Thousands of straps, pulleys, wheels, screws, all working in their separate ways, producing various effects in the particular machines, but all working har- moniously together, and all deriving their motive power from the wonderful Corliss Engine in the centre of the building. To think that a child might set the great Corliss engine in motion, and that that works all this complicated system of machinery ! This building is very attractive. People like to gaze on these triumphs of human skill, whicli are the production of man's intellect, and which, at the same time, exhibit a force so much greater than man's. I saw a hydraulic pump, water power for sewing machines, India rubber machines, flour mill and butchers' machines. There was a Jacquard loom, weaving fancy book-marks. Tliere was a watch-making machine, where you could trace every step in the making. Tliere was a machine foi* making letter envelopes, where one could see all the processes — the paper cut up, folded, pasted, passed through into little boxes, which, whenever fifty had been deposited, were moved away instantaneously. A Mr. Hoskins, a Unitarian from Fitchburg, Massachusetts, ex- hibited a clever machine for wood-driUing. But I must cease to particularise : I saw such infinite variety. All honour to machine inventors ! All honour to the clever men who save human lal)our and human time, and extend mmmmt 48 The Centennial Eivhihition. trade, by tlie marvellous machines which they make known to the world. It is clear, no doubt, that tlie intro- duction of machinery is a temporary evil, taking away the occupation and the ])read of numerous handworkers ; but it is no less clear that machines are a ])ermanent good — that, in the long run, they are seen by all to l)e for the best — and that they advance our trade, and elevate our industry and our life. I shall want to give you now a glimpse of the Horticul- tural and Agricultural Halls, and the Art Gallery ; but if you feel that one of the numerous restaurants on the grounds would be an agreea]:)le relief from sight- seeing, I fall in with your view, and we will make our choice of the place of refreshment. There is certainly plenty of choice. There are the French restaurants — Suddreau's, and " Les Trois Freres Provencaux." There is Lauber's German restaurant. You see the Vienna Bakery and Coffee-liouse. There is a Turkish coffee-house, if you would like that. Tliere are two American houses — " Tlie American," and "The South." Tliere is St. George's Hill restaurant, and, clos3 by, a Hungarian wine pavilion. T!4 re is the Log Hut, curiously contrived to represent the L jmestic life of a hundred years ago. Which will vou have ? You will have to pay high at the French and American places, though everything is very nice tliere. The coffee-houses, wine-tents, soda-water fountains, and the like, are perhaps too slight and insubstantial for you : you want some vca.l dinner to enable you to stand this sight- seeing. Well, then, on the whole, I recommend you to go to Lauber's. Imagine us there dining at our ease — waiters very polite, cooking fair, everything as it shoubl fgyi-'iT'' ' "■'■ K '^.-f^T',:. r-r.'ST The Centennial Exhibition. -19 be — unless you are incorrigible grumblers, pleased with nothing under the sun. Wliile you are refreshing the inner man, let us glance round at these various restaur- ants. St. George's Hill is a Jewish i>lace. The meat is cooked in orthodox Jewish style. I confess that it is a style not at all to my liking. In the Hungarian Wine Pavihon, hard by, I met Mr. Jolni Fretwell. We dined, talked, and looked about together. He knows Philadelphia far better than I do ; he is well up in exliibitions ; he de- lights in the company of foreigners, to whom he can tallv fluently and w^ell in any language they like. We went to the Turkish cotfee-house. Mr. F. ordered two nargi- lehs, or water-pipes, much patronised by Easterns. Foi' the benefit of one friend wlio is not quite clear ns to this nargileh, you will perliaps allow me to explain. It is n. long pipe. The fumes of the tobacco pass througli water before they reach the mouth of him who is indulging in the vUe and filthy habit of smoking. The water arrests the essential oil of the tobacco, and is fondly imagined to render smoking innocuous. I will not venture to tell you how long a nargileh is, because 1 might be thought to exaggerate ; but I had almost said that you might reckon its length in yards, rather tlian in feet or inches. There we sat with a nargileh apiece ; and I felt considerably ridiculous. I couldn't make the thing draw. The fumes had to travel along several yards of tubing before they reached me ; and — to tell you the plain truth — they ne^;er did reach me. I could make neither head nor tail of it. I threw tlie thing on one side with mild disgust, and be- took myself to a civilised cigarette. How some of the visitors, drawn thitlier by curiosity, did stare at us ! 60 The Centennial Exhibition. m II r: i. . 'i: v: 'i ¥■" If. They evjclenUy thought Ave were both Orientals. When I changed my mind about the nargileli they changed theirs about me, but still seemed to persist in looking upon Mr. F. as a real Persian or Turk, or something equally outlandish. "Well, if you have had your dinner, we will now move on. We want no policeman to tell us to " move on :" for we are anxious to see as much as we can in the time, and thei'e are other parts of the exhibition which we have not vet examined. Here is the Horticultural Building, in the Moresque style — a crystal palace of great beauty, erected at the cost of the city as a permanent ornament of Fairmount Park. The materials used in its construction are mainly glass and iron. It is 383 feet long, 193 feet wide, and 72 feet high. It contains a rich collection of tropical plants. Gigantic hlies, ferns, palms, bread-fruit, the traveller's tree, salute the eye which is o])en to nature's glories and charms. The temperature is, of course, artificially assimilated to that which the plants find in their natural habitat. You see a Kosary close by — a building in which a mag- nificent collection of roses is growing and thriving, the delight of many beholders. Do you see the Arabic inscriptions upon those small booths or tents ? Let us steer in that direction. We owe much to the East ; and if there is anything Oriental on these grounds we ought not to miss it. One booth is a small bazaar of articles made in Bethlehem, from cedar- wood ; the other offers for sale similar articles made in Jerusalem. Palestine rises up before our eyes in a 2%e Centennial Exhibition. 51 moment. We look on these swarthy men with curious* interest. We would hke to know if they are really Arabic- speaking people who have ever Hved in Palestine. I do not profess to know much Arabic : so I will not make myself absurd by trying to talk to them ; but we may take Bayard Taylor's word for it — that they are really what they profess to be. There is a Bible- Society Depot near here. One day I went there for a German New Testament. They had not one. They had Bibles in such languages as Tamulee, Singhalese, and Malagasy — languages which would cer- tainly not be asked for ; but they had no stock of the common and well-known tongues, excepting English. The foreigners are very numerous here. You may see nearly all nations. Variety of face, difference of di'ess, peculiarity of manner, meet us everywhere. I saw some people gaze fixedly, and with undisguised inquisitiveness, at foreigners — Chinese, Japanese, or what not — and then turn away in a satisfied manner, as though the discovery had just been made that these foreigners are human after all. One man from the North of England stared at an Arab for a considerable space, and then turned off with the remark — " Yon's a gradely mon, chus heaw 'tis." That is one of the lessons which this Centennial can teach us. It shows us all nations. It makes us realise our human kinship. It brings us to see clearly that peo- ple of nations varying widely from our own are " gradely men, elms heaw 'tis." Here we are at the Agricultural Building. We must go in. The outside is, to my tliinking, very ugly ; but the inside is extremely important- The ground plfl,n is a I'M ;-**.l 1 :fc i : n li. 52 The Oenteimial Exhibition. parallelogram coverini^ upwards of ten acres. Here are exhibited all sorts of curious Yankee and other inventions for ploughing, sowing, harrowing, reaping, mowing, bind- ing, and so on. Some of these agricultural notions are certainly ingenious. Brother Jonathan is always inventing something; and though some of his ideas are visionary and impracticable, others are sound and serviceable. The English farm-labourers who, a few years, back, resisted the introduction of the steam thrashing machine would g ) completely mad if they could walk round and look at these agricultural implements. Here are, also, various curiosities and j olics. Here is " Old Abe," the war eagle of Wisconsin, who went all through the war, perched on a standard. He is getting old and bald now ; but he still has some spirit in him. His custodian tried to make him take a bath while I was there one day ; but Old Abe did not appreciate cold water. By flying up above the ele- ment which he disdained, he made most of the visitors fly too. With remarkable speed we withdrew, and left him a fair field but no favour. Here arc centennial relics : a plough of T756, a wind-mill of 1776, and other things *' too numerous to mention," as the auctioneers' cata logues say. Each state of the American Union, and almost every civilised nation, has its special building on these grounds. Such state or national buildings derve mainly as reception- rooms and meeting-places for people who hail from the particular state or nation. As such tiiey are very u^^efid. People from the state write their names m a book provided for the purpose. In the Virginian building there are fine specimens of The Centennial Exhibition. 58 Indian com and of cotton. They had a considerable branch of cotton-tree, with — I should think — fifty or sixty pods on it. Afterwards, in the grounds, I saw cotton growing. It was a novelty to me. From my position on the pathway tl j leaf seemed somewhat like that of the grape or the maple. I ardently wished for a specimen ; but "touch not, taste not," is, of course, the motto on these grounds. On the opposite side of the path, also at some little distance, the tobacco plant was flourishing. That, too, was a novelty to me. The leaf is large, robust, and dock-shaped. The plants I saw hal leaves about a foot long. Flowers had appeared. There were several of them on each stalk, forming a cyme. Each flower is convolvolus- shaped, of pinkish colour, with a remarkably long corolla-tube. At the flower-bases are numerous d 3wny prickles, such as are found on the smaller Bugloss.* In the state building appropriated to Colorado and Kansas is a remarkable collection of Ktuffed quadrupeds, birds, and reptiles, which were shot or otherwise killed by a lady named Mrs. Maxw-ell. I saw her. She was an object of great interest to many. She looked robust, strong, courageous, with much power of endurance ; but she seemed by no means coarse or repulsive— on the con- trary, refined and ladylike in all her manner. To think, then, that a woman — a " weaker vessel" — should roam about in the wild West, hunting, tracking, shooting, * The attentive reader will see that the above reference tu the tobacco plant is not strictly accurate, from a botanical point of view ; but it faithfully represents the impression which I received, from a hasty side-glance while walking along ; and I have thought it well to mint these .^ctures as thev were delivered. .(i .,;«■; 64 The Centennial Exhibition. i i killing, all these creatures ! She must have pasded through many rough and dangerous scenes. We know many women (and men too; who would shrink from such a wild, rough life as that. There are people around ua who think that a pedestrian trip from the drawing-room to the church would be quite too much for their physical powers. Mrs. Maxwell, however, seems to have enjoyed roughing it — seems to be all the better for her remarkable adventures. It will do us no harm to glance at the Women's Build- ing in this great exhibition. Not so large as most of the other structures, it still contains a great number of most Uiteresting exhibits. Everything in the building has been made by women or is carried on by women. American women have access to many professions. There has been much male jealousy of their competition in the pro- fessions ; but that jealousy is declining. I saw a printing- machine, with type " cases" and every requisite for the publication of a newspaper. I saw the lady-editor of a paper called *' The New Era for Women." For the life of me, I could not see anything unladylike in editing a pa]^er, or picking up type, or working a printing-machine. The exhibits here are very good, as a rule. Some few of the paintings are — in my humble and unprofessional opinion — poor wretclied daubs which should not have been admitted ; but, on the whole, the women -exhibitors of America and other lands may take great credit to themselves for what they have done in this building. It is not many yards from this to the Government Building. The Government of the United States have not disdained to exhibit. It is a cool, pleasant place. s I 'Thfi Centennial Exhibition. 65 more like a museum and less like a bazaar than are the other buildings. You cannot in any part of the grounds spend an hour more profitably than here. The physical geography of the States is all before the eye in a series of good maps. Ample statistics are at hand for any one who wants to study out in detail the progress and experience of the States during the century. If a man hkes geology, here are specimens from every state and territory of the Union. If one is fond of languages, liere are interesting glimpses of several of the Indian tongues, chiefly the Dacotah. Costumes and life-size models are at hand to give the visitor a good idea of Indian, Eskimo, and other varieties of our species known to the western continent. The Government are not ashamed to show models of de- partments of the public service. So that a student, by simply strolling through, can have the whole United Stat3s system brought before his eyes. A peep at the Art Gallery, and then it wiU be time for us to go. The art gallery is called the Memorial Hall. It is built of white marble, at the cost of the city, and is intended as a permanent memorial of this centennial exj-osition. The pictures in the aiii-aniu>x are finer than those in the gallery itself. The Italian section was disap- pointing tome: I had nourished "great expectations," and had lookod for something better than I found. The French department, on the other hand, was superior to my anticipations. There are several masterly things, in it. Its great w^onder is a large painting of a woman Avitli a club, keeping off a vulture, and preventing the fierce bird from tearing the flesh of five persons who have been gibbeted there. The five persons are her sons, gibbeted 56 IVie Oentemiial Exhibition. i .. I for some alleged offence. The heroic, fiery, desperate manner in wliicli slie protects tlieir bodies from the beak of the rapacious vulture is simply sublime. The Spanish pictures are mostly of an austere ecclesiastical cast. The elevated, hauj^dity genius of the Spaniju'ds expresses itself on canvass. One picture, faithfully pourtraying Spanish costumes and customs, is a fountain scene in Galhcia, in which ])easants, liaving drawn or being about to draw their water, are leisurely conversing together. " Winter Day" is charming — just such a scene as we liave many ji time witnessed : snow on the roofs, snow on the trees, snow on the ground, snow everywhere, and peoplo moving along slowly and with much difficulty. In this section is the finest pourtrayal wliic'i I have ever seen of the Ameri- can landing of the Puritans. Large, plenty of life on the canvass, but the figures not too crowded — a higli, serious expression on the faces of all, as one grey-hau*ed patriarch leads the devotions of his people. You may be sure that, at this centennial, the United States have made as good a show as possible in pictures. I respect the States more and more as I see wliat h;is l)een done in one hundred years, and note how many ])romi8ing artists they have. " Southern Plantation Quarters Scene," " Supplication," " Scene on the Wissjihickon," and a number c others, crowd upon the memory. The C'anadian section is good in snowy landscape scenery. Denmark shows to ad- vantage in sea -studies. The Netherlands exhibit several characteristically solid and faithfully -drawn portraits. Germany sends some good pictures : for instance, " The Natural Arch at C'apri," which, to my taste, is a really wonderful performance. One German critic, writing in 1 I F i*iWii- . , tr '■ ' r The CentennUd Exhihitmi. 57 I " Der Demokrat" of Philadelphia, tindb great fault witli various Hections, anil particularly tlio German, for the introduction of tlic nude. But the cluirge is absurd ; and much weak nonsense is often written in that direction. No harm results : the evil is only iniaj^hiary, and the lessons ot such Art are by no meaiis what the above- mentioned criticism supposes. But I must break off. I have ah'eady spoken too long. I liavc no time to detail tlie imposing ceremonies con- nected with the closing of the exhibition, or to toll how some people are satisfied and others dissatisfied witli the judges' awards, and how some have lost money by the ex- liibition while others have made their fortunes. I must leave this fascinating subject of the great centennial exhi- bition : for " great" I persist in deeming it. Because I am an Englishman I do not therefore feel bound to deny to America any word of praise which she deserves. Nay, rather, being an Englishman, I feel myself so nearly re- lated to the Americans that, without effort, I can rejoice in their joy nnd be glad at the sight of their success. To me, the byegones of history are byegones. I will not revive them now. The mass of English people, I am convinced, feel nothing but friendliness to America this centennial time. Let us stretch out our hands (for the waves do not really divide us), and let us gi'asp the hands of our American cousins, and assure them that we are glad their centennial exliibition has been a success, and that we wish them well on the occasion of their entrance ui>' • tlie second century of their national life. j;iiLS-7s i »;-;-;;^. - -^U'ST.r';. .■;^">^y'T'^;T'- ■* '■^-r ■">'^'^-' •'" -. ■'''^'J■"•■■^l;'■*^^■'"*:^,■'-/"■:'*'■""■J-•*'! v *;:"",'.'"■ ■'^"v-'i^i^'''"'" ■■ v ". 68 LECTURE IV. Pittsburg, Chicago, and the West. PHERE is ail old saw, *' You cannot have too much of a good thing." It is quite false. Excess in anjrthing which is good makes it bad. A little of a good thing is good ; but much of it satiates and wearies you : ycu long for a change. So it was with me when I was in America. Philadel- phia was good ; the Centennial Exposition was good ; — but I had had enough of them, and I wanted some little variety. I longed to be off from the Quaker City to see something of the country at large. I yearned to be on the railway cars, steaming away to the west, or the north, or the south, or anywhere — anywhere, except too far to the east, plunging into the salt water again. Pittsburg, Chicago, and the West. 59 I am afraid there is something of the Gypsy in my constitution. I must wander and roam now and again, or else I cannot keep on at all. The beauty of it is that the wandering simply makes me prize and love the old place more than I did before. I come back, and am con- tent—for a time. So, I actually found myself on the " steam-cars" at the West Philadelphia *' Depot," or, as we English should express it, on the train at the West Philadelphia station. We were a party of five relatives, on the way for a long circular tour in the States and Canada. We were now bound for Pittsburg and Chicago. American railway-trains are very comfortable, and just to my taste. On very long journeys, lasting day after day and night after night, the Pullman drawing-room and sleeping cars are just what you want. You can be almost as comfortable in them as if you were in a real drawing- room ; and you can retire to your state-room when you want to sleep. Going, however, by such comparatively easy stages as we had put down in our programme, sleep- ing-cars were not necessary : we did very well in the ordinary first-class cars. They are very good and beau- tiful. I like the style. Everything is free and easy, public and secure. The whole train can be traversed from end to end. Each car is long, containing, in its length, about thirty seats, ranged one behind the other. The seats in each car may all face one way, viz,, the way the train is going, — though, as the backs avy reversible, they may be turned over in a moment by any friends who want to sit face to face with each other. Each seat will hold two persons. There is no possibility of crowding : ( ^/f;;, '■ ■' ;^7f''"''w^^ .60 Pittsburg, Chicage, and the West. because there cannot be more than two in one seat, — the seats are partitioned off for two persons, — no more. One row of these seats is on one side of the car, and there is another row on the other side. There is a free space up the centre ; and this space can be traversed, as I say, from end to end. So we sit as in a pubhc meeting, — row upon row of people, with our faces in the direction of the train's advance. But some may say, that is a very pubhc and mixed-np way of travelhng — not so cozy and secluded as seems de- sirable. Well, for my part, I like this publicity. It seems sociable and fritndly. Why should we be boxed up into miserable (or cozy) little compartments, with the doors locked ? Why should we not be free to move, and walk about, when we feel tired of sitting ? I am quite sure of one thing : — that many ladies who are afraid t travel alone on an English railway-train, because (^lock- . into one of our small compartments) they are at the mercy of any scoundrel who may choose to insult them, would find it a perfectly safe thing to travel all alone a long distance on American steam-cars. Their glorious publicity is an ample shield. Everything is open and clear as the day. The weakest people have the almighty protection of public opinion. You have all sorts of conveniences on these cars — dressing-rooms, ice-water kegs, and what not. Every few minutes some obliging youncf man is sure to come along, wanting you to buy a newspaper, a magazine, or some book. He distributes the books as he moves swiftly along, throwing one into one lap and another into ariother : and when he comes back, if von do not want Pittsburg, Chicago, and the West. 61 to purchase, all yon have to do is to hand the article back. Of course, some provide themselves with literature before they start ; others buy on the way ; others will not read a line, but determine to use their eyes, and drink in as greedily p.s possible the beauty of the scenery through the midst of which they are being rapidly whirled. The said young man wiU, at intervals, tempt you with refresh- ments. ■ -iriosities, relics, and so on. Do as you please about the curiosities ; but as for the refreshments — I felt that I must be very hungry indeed before I could touch them. They looked pecuHar. I had grave suspicions about the nature of their composition. I preferred to leave them alone, and wait till we should p^et to the next stopping-place, where the cars would pause ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes, to enable the travellers to recruit their wasted and exhausted energies. Betveen Philadelj)hia and Pittsburg we passed many places of interest. Dryn Mawr, nine miles from Phila- delphia, is a fashionable, healthful, and romantic resort. Thousands of people, not only from the Quaker City but also from remote parts of the state and even of the Union, go there in *'the season." The poet Longfellow has been there this year, staying there week aftei- week. " The Gap," forty-three miles further along the line, is the highest point on the railway between the Schuylkill and Susquehanna rivers. In another seventeen miles we came to Lancaster, an liisiiorically important place, laid out in 1730, and soon a prominent part of the colony of Penn. It was a favourite place for holding councils and making treaties with the Indians. It was a great military station in the old colonial wars. Passing on, we saw UtT J 62 PHtsbui'g, Chicago, and the West. r^ F ^1 .: \i '\\ I ' I li ff ill Harrisburg, which is the state -capital. It is beautifully situated on the Susquehanna. The scenery round is romantic. The founder, John Harris, had great faith in the ground as his property, and believed that the capital of Pennsylvania would, one day, be there ; and when the town was laid out in 1785 he conveyed to commissioners a plot of ground " in trust for public use, and such public purposes as the legislature shall hereafter dii-ect." His anticipations were fulfilled : Harrisburg is the capital of the state. It is hoped by some Philadelphians that, as one result of the Centennial, the state legislature will be transferred from Harrisburg to Philadelphia, and take up its quarters in the Memorial Hall, now the Art Gallery on the exhibition grounds, which Hall is partly designed for the purpose ; —but it is scarcely likely that such a transfer will actually b: effected, because Philadelphia is all on one side of this large state, while Harrisburg is about central, about equally convenient for legislators from all parts of the state. The s^'enery of the Alleghany region is really beautiful. It resembles thr.t of the Derby Peak, though it is on a much larger scale. I saw several views which irresistibly reminded me of scenes at Miller's Dale, Monsall Dale, Cressbrook, Matlock, and so on. The traveller has the full benefit of the scenery : for, instead of tunnels, we wind in and out and round about among these hills, in most intricate, perplexing, and charming fashion. There are frowning liills, gentle wooded slopes, rugged gorges, deep ravines, winding brooks — everything which a lover of Nature admires and wants. T do not sav there are no tunnels : there ^*s one. a/ l^'T" ''''■'''■'''" <^rt Pittsburg, Chicago , and the West. 63 three -fourths of a mile in length, at Gallitzin, 104 miles from Pittsburg ; — but tunnelling is ran*. To the west of this tunnel is the highest j^oint of the Penusylvania Eail- road, viz., 21 Gl feet above the sea level. From this point I became rather drowsy and stupid. I will not take my oath that I did not sleep. I am certain I nodded gravely a good many times, drew myself up sharply, and nodded again still more gravely. I don't know mucJi more about the journey. I know we got to Altoona after a while — that it was a very bright, noisy place — and that there was a grand hotel, called Logan House, just opposite where the train stopped. Al- toona was incorporated as a borough in 1854 ; and about that date Logan House, one of the best hotels in the States, was opened b}^ the company. It is so called after Logan, a noted Indian of a Delaware tribe on the Susque- hanna. This man is not to be confounded with the cele- brated IMingo chief, of tbc same name, of the Cayuga tribe, who had his home in the valley just above Lewiston, at what is still known as Logan's spring. He, the Mingo chief, is the best-known Indian that ever lived in Penn- sylvania. His exploits were inferior to those of many other Indians ; but a peculiar halo of romance has ever hunc!- about his name. He hated the whites wlio had robbed his people ; he continually sought for their blood ; and he died in a drunken quarrel with a Shawnee. I was glad to get to Pittsburg, niid look about there. It is a notable place, well worthy of tlic most careful at- tention. It is situated at the confluence of the Mononga- hela and Alleghany rivers, where they How into the Ohio. At the census of 1870 the popubition of Pittsburg was I n ii ■ !l R -a i 64 Pittsburg, Chicago, and the West. given as 86,076, and that of Alleghany City, across the river, 53,180. Put those numbers together (for Pittsburg and Alleghany City do really form one place), and you have a population of 139,25(). I pronounce "Alleghany" as it should be: I refuse to fall in with the American custom of giving it as Alle- ghayny. The Americans are si)oiling some of their best words by that vicious pronunciation of the vowel a in Indian and Spanish names. They are turning Nevada into Nevflfyda, Montana into Montwyna, Colorado into ColoYaydj, and so on without end. Perhaps some of you think this is a small aifair. You don't see that it matters two pins which way it is. Well, you are right. We have other fish to fry. We have far more important things on hand. Now, look about in Pittsburg. What do you tliink of it ? I call it an American Wigan, Birmingham, Sheffield, and Black Country. It is all those places roiled up into one. It is a gloomy place. Eobert Collyer runs over to it from Chicago now and then, just so as to be in the smoke, and realise the atmosphere of Leeds, onco more. A dense black or lurid smoke-cloud hovers over the place continuallv. Hundreds of smelting furnaces belch forth their smoke without ceasing. Huge fires l)urn day and nisrht. Hundreds of steamers on the river contribute their share of atmospheric pollution. I do suppose thai it is the smokiest place which I have ever seen, — and I have seen some very dingy dens in the course of my short life-wandering to and fro. When we were there it was unanimously agreed by the natives that it was a fine clear day, — and we could see about one hundred yards ahead. Pittsburg, Chicago, and the West. m What it must h. on a dull, foggy, drizzly day I cannot conceive. I can only feel sure that it must altogether eclipse in dense dinginess all the London fogs which have ever heen known, all put together. The situation of Pittsburg is, however, so beautiful and wonderful that its glory can only be obscured by the smoke : it cannot be destroyed. The city is embosomed in hills. All around they rear up high their rugged or gently-rounded forms. It is cradled upon the waters of jts noble rivers. I fancied that in swan-like stateliness it was ]3roudly resting — while floating — upon those waves. But what rest is there for the wen of Pittsburg ? None whatever. It is all work. Not in stateliness and pride, but in eager rushing in.lustry, does Pittsburg pass its time. It is a busy and important ])lace. It makes pro- sperous many places wliich shine l)rilliantly by means of its own dense darkness. The river rolls its muddy waters sluggishly along. Those waters are extremely discoloured. I was unable to count the trading steamers moored along the quay. Coal and hay boats, or boats tbi- iron freight, everywhere met tlio eye. Some of them traded between Pittsburg and Cincinnati ; others were bound to St. Louis ; others were labelled Detroit ; yet others had come further afield. This city outranks any other in the Union in view of its iron and glass industries. In 1870 the capital in- vested in its iron manufactories was 27,000,000 dollars, and in the glass manufacture 4,000,000 dollars. It has a great coal trade, producing over live million tons a year. A walk along the principal streets and a stroll among the shipping showed me a city which is in real earnest, uj) to its neck in work, manufacturing or producing extensively F < -^ nl I f 06 PittsIniTf/, Chicatjo, and the West. most of those things whicli j^enerally divith? many towns l)etwocu them. I looked on sooty stalwart men whom ordinary vvashiiipf could not possibly cleanse, and who were the ))U8y workers in tljat hive. As for the di-onei:* — if there are any I did not see tlieui, and I don't know where they are. I sliould thhik tliat no human drone would care to live in Pittuhurg. He would go to some pleasanter place. P'pen<1 ii]>.:n it, the working vnzn of Piitsbuig dese v\.' nW '- vva.-,t] the> get. I only liope that tlioy make a s( is^' «. ., - of their money when they have got it, so that they maj" >>. .i> be obliged to work like galley-slaves ail tlieir days. Tliere is a large German colony here. Every ship from Europe brings German emigrants to America. They dis- tribute themselves up and down the States. ]\Iany have settled down in this city. Many Americans grumble be- cause the Germans have introduced such an extensive trade in Lager Bier ; but, in spite of that fault, I believe, from all I can see, that thev usuallv make \'ery useful citizens, and settle down into real Americans — not plotting against American institutions, Jis the manner of some is, particularly the Ultramontane Catholics, who hate Eepub- licanism as they hate the devil, — but candidly and loyally holding on to the constitution, doing tlieir part as citizens, and speaking well of the bridge which has carried them over. 1 see tliere is a German newspaper, entitled " The Friend of Freedom,"* printed in Pittsburg. I have seen a religious periodical in German, called '' The Protestant Family Papei-,":- printed in this city. Wherever the • Of course, these phrases shoiikl be expressed in German ; but they flre here printocl tT^ they were netually spoken to the audience. Pittsburg, Chicago, and the West. 67 IH II 10 Germans are, be sure they have newspapers in their own language. They admire their tongue enough, to keep it up as a rule and for a time. But in struf,'gle8 of language the stronger of two will conquer ; and seeing that — as I venture to tiiink — the xCnglish is the strongest language in t] e world, most fit ( n tho whole) to become universal, I cannot but rejoice that, in the States, it is, little by Uttle, desboyi ^< the German and substituting itself, especially among the rising generation. I leave Pittsbnig with regiet. I confess that I honour these lougli, smoky, busy towiis, where hard-working, horny-handed men toil on day by day, far v x^ than I do those fair, smiling, dazzling resorts wher ^ iV on, pride, and idleness meet to pass the time aw^^ Oive me the honest, faithful hand-'^orker — the back '»oi life-blood of his nation. Give mi 1' i I'd the very clear-headed thinker and director of the busy life of .lie world. I will honour all men, excepting tlie fops, the l>utterflie8, the tyrants, and tlie villains of our race. We must away. On the cars again, boimd for Chicago. Mile after mile — scene after scene. At six o'clock the train stopped at Alliance, eighty-foui- miles west of Pitts- burg, to allow passengers time to get supper, as it is called. Some stav in and munch a biscuit ; others eat nothing apparently, but perhaps " Jiave meat to eat that" we "know not of;" others get out and patronise the hotel. Yoli do just as you please : for it is a free country. Three of our party, including myself, rushed out at ap})ro- priately " railway speed," got a cup of coffee and a sand- wich, and jumped in again witli great expediticm. '' All aboard !" is the loudly- shouted command ; — and off we go. Hi !5?-— '=-^K, i\H Pittshitn/, Chica{HK and tJir Went. \r, '1 '■If 3 We have come tlirou^li a beautil'iil district : a little woodland — higlily-cnltivated ground, as a rule, Hmiling and feiiile — the land becoming less and less hilly as we go west. I am anxious to see tlie completely flat or gently- undulating ground — the vast rolling ocean-like Prairie. It is now half-past six o'clock at night, and we ;;hall have to be in this car until about twenty minutes after eight o'clock to-morrow morning. We may as well take things easily, and get through the ride as comfortably as we can. This is a big country — a land of " magnificent dis- ta.nces." To think that it takes the railway traveller seven days and seven nights to go from New York to San Francisco ! To think that the distance from New York to San Francisco is just about the same as from Liverpool to Philadelphia —that is to say, 8200 miles ! Our journey to Chicago is not so bad as that, and we shall get there bye and bye. I was not sleepy the first part of the night, but I worshipped Morpheus towards the morning dawn. I went through my devotions to the Sleep-Deity on one of the jeats of the car. The prairie scenery is very fine, though not so imposing t-i my imagination as I expected it to be. I saw wide stretches of prairie grass ; and the little wind that was blowing waved the tops of the grass about in such a way that one could easily and naturally compare the grass thus tossed with the waves of the sea, tis tlie tide and wind force them on. But I received no impression of in- finity Irom what I saw of prairie land. As it appears on either hand of the railway route in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, trees have been planted by settlers in the com'se of years. Little thickets appear at intervals, effectuallv Pittubiiry, Chicmju, and the West. 09 ,le »g breaking the spell. Then, on the horizon, both north and south, there is a belt of woodland girding in the whole. If we were to go further west we should, no doubt, per- ceive the entire justice of the ccmparison of a journey across the prairies to a voyage over the ocean — a com- parison which has been often made ; but all I can say at present is that the said comparison seems to me to flatter the prairies— to glorify them beyond what tlioy undoubt- edly desorve. At last, then, we are in Chicago — fir-famcd Chicago — the Em])ire City of the West — the greatest grain market in the world. What shall be the order of our proceedm'e ? First 11 10 animal— then the spiritual; food first —sight- seeing nf'terwards. We will go to tJie hotel first, and then we will pay our respects to " tlie lions" of the city. As soon as I could I went out to find tlie Rev. Brooke Herford, who, you know, bereaved Manchester some little timo ago in order to enrich Chicago. I had got his precise address from the directory in the office of tliis hotel. It is a good distance to his house, but a very pleasant walk or ride. It is delightful to skirt Lake Michigan and gaze out to the dim horizon, where water and sky seem to meet. Mr. Herford was (I was sorry to find) away from home, attending conference meetings at Baraboo in Wis- consin. He was to be back for the Sunday : so I could hope to see him then. I did actually see him then, at- tended his church and Sunday School, and we all spent a very happy day together. On this first visit, I had, at least, the pleas iire of seeing some of the family, and of finding them all well and comfortable in their new home, so far away from the old English scenes. ^P !? n I ' H 70 Pittsburd, Chicaijo, and the West. la I Wo will have a ride round, and Hee what there in to bo seen ; and, besides that, we will have a number of walks, so as to get as clear an idea as possible in a short time of what Chicago is. The city is very modern. Its growth lias been sudden and mushroom-like. The land was aci^uired from the Indians in 1795. For forty years after that the place was only an occasionally-occupied military post, with a handful of traders making it a station. In 1830 the city was laid out. In 1838 it had simply twenty-eight voters. In 1887 its population was only 4179. In 1844 simply 8000 people lived there. Then it quickened its pace. It was reduced by a panic in 1857. Since then it has gone on increasing rapidly. The census of 1870 gives the po- pulation as 875,000. Chicagoans guess it is going to be the biggest city in America bye and bye. Anyhow, it is a great place, and it has an important future before it. Just try to realise that at the beginning of this present century it was a desolate marsh which scarcely any but Indians knew. Fifty years ago it had simply a few traders' huts and outposts. It is only forty- six years since the city was laid out. All tliis is -^'onderful. It is one of the finest places which I have ever seen : — rough and ready, youthful and unfinished, in some respects ; magnificent and palace-like in other points of view. I have seen a number of cities ; but I do not know of one where the business buildings are, as a rule, so noble and splendid as they are in Chicago. Walk along Randolph- street, State-street, Madison-street, or any of the nuzier- ous avenues— Michigan, Indiana, Wabash, or any of the rest, — and try to take in all you see and to realise how I ill 11 ■ 1;' ■' 1 '1 i^i :i.:' Pitishurcople he is the cliief attraction of this city. For a certain other class Mr. Moodv is a bright and shining light. I saw the church which they have built for him, and in which he is now carrying on his revival efforts, and })reaching the Gospel of the Blood. The river Chicago — which flows through this city — is crow^ded with shipping. The place is clearly alive in that respect. The people talk about sending vessels dir.'ct from Chicago to Europe, so as to do away with the ne- cessity of land transit to Philadelphia or ^few York. One attempt w^as made, and the vessels were lost ; but Chicago holds that nothing should be despaired of, and so it is going to try again. Men make their fortunes fast in Chicago. Some don't know what to do with their nioncv. Iloust s. foDd, dress, travel, scatter the doUars pretty briskly ; but, still, how to dissipate their wealth is a perplexing problem. Otiicr!-] know that there mav bo raiuv" davs and troublous times ; ; \ iit 74 Pittshunf, Ghicmfo, and the West. and so they don't try to sjiend all as it comes or before it comes : tliey put a little by. There are 100,000 Germans in Chicago. They present here the characteristics which distinguish them in other parts of the States : that is to say, most of them smoke cigars, drink Lager Bier, and play at billiards, on Sun- days, instead of going to church. The fact is, Germans have, in their own country, been so dosed and sickened with a dull and dead form of religion, that they throw it off altogether when they get to America ; but it is found that those preachers in Chicago and other American cities who are really living beings, not mere fossil relics of the past, and who make their sermons modern and manly, can always get the people to hear them, and can beat the saloons and parks in fair competition. There must be a number of Scandinavians in Chicago- otherwise I should not have seen (as I did see), here and there in the streets, emigrant notices printed in Scandi- navian and posted up so as to catch the eyes of passers-by. Chicago ^\as a fine city before the great fire which broke out on the eighth of October, 1871 ; but it has been made much finer since. The buildings are more solid and substantial than they were. The fire of two years ago has left many runis yet visible. Such ruins disappear little by little ; but tlieie they were when I was in the place. Such fires are, I think, the result of mere care- lessness. There are far more fires in an American city than in an English city, because every one over there is in such a fearful hurry ; he rushes blindly and madly on in the search for wealth ; and so he makes mistakes. " Slow and steady wins the race." A little deliberation, ! : i Pittsburg, Chicago^ and the West. 76 carefulness, and common- sense would be a good thing in many American centres of population, and particularly in Chicago. I want to iell you one otlier thing before I leave off speaking. Bear with me live minutes more, and I will tell you of a little trip which I had to a settlement which is situated two hundred miles south-west of Chicago. I went tliere to see my sister. Away we dashed on the cars. Station after station was left behind. At last we reached Panola. It is a small station, with a few houses near, a small Baptist church, a school-iiouse, and several stores or shops. All such buildi?igs are of wood. A walk of thirty yards l)rought us to a house which was once an liotel. There we got horses and a carriage for a drive of three miles out. I was on the box, as usual. You jog along o^er a wild I'omantic road, almost perfectly level. The soil is dark, ricli, prairie ground. Twenty years ago there was not a house in the townshi]). There was not a hedge or a tree. Deer roamed about in abundance. Wolves, from time to time, prowled round, fierce for prey. The man who drove us along told me his experience. He had been chased by wolves for ten miles. He had, in his time, shot a great numloer of wolves. Now, they have all disappeared from this part. Those which have escaped the gun have gone away into Kansas or still further west or south. Only occasionally, in severe winter seasons, a couple scour across Illinois, eager for prey. Noiv, there are farms all round here — farms of various sizes, ranging from forty to several thousand acres. I speak of the state of Illinois. To this hour, down in Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, and such districts, things generally are as wild as w 76 Pittsburg, Chicago, and the WeM. ill 11 they were twenty years ago in the part of Illinois to which I refer. I saw two plots of ground which had ii&SQV yet been broken up or cultivated. The soil is very fertile. For the first few vcars of cultivation it needs no manure ; but soon, of course, if a fjirmor is to have good crops he must give back to the land in one form what he takes from it in another by his harvests. On the plattorm at Panola station, while waiting for the return train to Chicago, we entered into conversation with a prominent man in the neighbourhood — the earliest settler in the place. He gave us some curious information. I was amused by his whittling. With a pocket-knife and a stick he occu2)ied himself beautifully during the con- versation — patiently whittling away. When I was a little boy I was fond of whitthng ; but, for some time past, I have put awa}^ that amongst other childish things ; — while out West it is a popular amusement or occupation for groY/n men. There was actually a ])rinted notice stuck up on that platform, " No whittling alloy.ed ;" but, in spite of the prohibition, the ground at our feet soon seemed like a small carpenter's sliop, littered over with shavings. There is no accounting for tastes, I suppose. " Everyone to his taste," say the French people. Whittling, then, is the western taste. Long, lank, shrewd, sharp men out there will spin yarns and whittle sticks by tlie hour, and even fj-om morning to night, if they have any leisure or any ey ' ise for leisure. The sticks become smaller and smaller, ixwA tny ^arns more and more wonderful, as the time goes on. What some people can do in the way of men-^i^l law atirn ''i cf^rtainl;' xemarkable. I civ ,; w''t]i a '.ord of svnii)athy and praise. The life Tl ' _tf •_ '.j3 " Pittshiirn, Chicago, amJ the West. 77 of Chicago, of the state of lUmois, and of the wliole Great West, is a great and wonderfid thing. Faults, no doiiht, are visible. Some people see nothing but faults in a country or a system of life which differs from their own. I see the faults ; but, also, I trace redeeming features. Faults are visible in the life of the West ; but they are faults of youth, which, we may hope, vdll disappear bye- and-bye, as the nation reaches its maturity. But there is a broad and limitless area in which the Anglo-Saxon race may expand and develope itself ; there is soil which my- riads of men may profitably till for long years yet to dawn : there, probably, will be the true future of Saxon men ; and there, for ages yet to come, will dwell a people very near to us by ties of blood and affection — a people in whose prosperity every generous heart will rejoice. ^':r< -r^ntrv^X'^--' [' '■ i 1 'H 78 LECTUJiE V. Detroit and Niagara Falls. pHE size of "Western farms is wonderful. Of course, many are small — 40, 60, or 80 acres are common ; but, on the other hand, an enormous stretch of territory is frequently owned by one man. I could scarcely take it in when I was told the facts about some western farms. Those shrewd, sharp, bragging, boasting western men do stretch things so, and speak in such wild, extravagant, grotesque figures of speech, that whenever they told me anything particularly remarkable I always felt like taking oif a liberal discount — say 80 per cent. — and accepting the remainder. I refused to believe the tobacco-chewing, stick -whittling idlers, who seemed to want to find out how large a lie I could swallow without winking. After- wards, however, I met with people of a quite diiferent stamp ; and, frommy intercourse with them, T now really .•^■y : .■■•"'el V"-',- Detroit and Niuf/ara Falh. ^9 Lclieve — what at first seemed incredible. One man told me that a farmer fifteen miles off had a rather consider- able farm. One single field on his farm was ii2,000 acres, and the whole of that was mider corn-cultivation last year. At this I smiled, and told him, in a quiet and gentle way, that my phrenological organ of gullibility was small ; and begged ]]im to give me the condensed essence of fact in the statement. But he stuck to his tale, and insisted that it was so. A few days afterwards I had reason to fall in and relinquish my scepticism. I was in a company of Methothst ministers. I had muc]i talk with them, and got a good deal of detailed information about the district. One of them,- a most respectable and intelligent man, — told me that the statement above referred to was true, — told me, as a fact, that he knew farmers out west with 80,000 acres of land. It is not uncommon, according to this minister, for a western-man to o .j i farm from 40 to oO miles in length. Such farmers keep a number of men to ride about, sec liow things go on, and super- intend operations. As to emigration, no sensible man now recommends English artisans to go to America. Whatever their trade may be, they are better off at home. Trade in England i -, not so flourishing as we could wish : but it is worse in America. The arti' .m who leaves England for America may think that he thereby gets " out of the " English " frying pan," but I am certain that he jumps "into the" American "fire"; — -and that is a poor exchange. 10,000 men were out of work in Philadelphia when I was there. In one small distiict of Illinois 1000 men were doing nothing. In the whole Stnte of Illinois i^ \ m I 80 Detroit and Niagara Falls. more tlian 12,000 men were without occupation. These unemployed men arc a financial buiilen, and a ])olitical and social dani^er. I say. then, that artisans and trades- people and ])rotessioniil men are not wanted in the States, and tliiit they had hotter stay in this country, and improve the condition of their own native land. The facts arc different witli regard to agi'iculture. There is ample room out west in tliat respect. There is much encouragement and u good pi'ospect for those who under- stand farm work. Vast districts lie vraste and need till- age. Land is cheap in Iowa, Nebraska, and so on. Poor marshy land — which, however, with cultivation, would prove very rich — can be bought for one shilling per acre. Land which is good in every way can be bought, out and Lut, for ten shillings per acre. If a man lias not enough capital ) buy land, he may have it for nothing from the Govermnent. By living on it for five years, by building a house, and by maldng some permanent improvements, it becomes liis own . t the end of tlie five years. It is ([uite clear that English people wlio tlioroughly understand farm-work, who have a little capital, who will not thiidt they are going to pick up dollars and " greenbacks" by simply stooping for them, but who will make up their minds to rough it for a few years, might do a worse thing (and could scarcely do a better thing) than go right out west, get some land, settle down on it, and work straight on to secure tlieir independency. In that wonderful West there are millions of acres of land which cry out for cultivation, and which are ready, on cultivation, to yield bread for millions of men whom, as experience shows, Euro]ie cannot properly feed and reward. Detroit and Niagara Falls. 81 One day, on the ateam-cars, I had a long and (to me) painfully suggestive talk with an Irishman. I could see by his face that he was Irish. Some English people do not like the Irish. Now, I do. I have long had a special affection for everything Irish. Indeed, some years ago I was a Fenian of the Fenians — much misunderstood by my friends in consequence. So I sidled up to him, and tried to say a few words in the wild, poetic, and venerable Irish language. His face brightened up, and his heait opened out, in a moment. He told me all about himself. He went to America twenty-three years ago. He worked hard, saved money, built a house for liiiuself in New York State, bought several plots of ground, built houses, let them to tenants, thouglit trade was poor and that he would do better out west, went out alone to south-west Missouri to " spy out the land" — " out prospecting," 8 6 some call it. He found that the agent had greatly over- stated the advantages and understated the disadvantages, and he decided that it was poor land, that it would be a mistake for liim to settle down tlieve, and that he would go up the Mississippi and look round in Iowa and Ne- braska. He soon found himself on a Mississippi steamer. After a time, feeling sleepy, he stretched himself on a bench, fell asleep, woke u}), and found that his pocket" book (containing all the money he had) was gone. He thought he knew who had taken it ; but he could not swear to it ; and, wlion tlie captain ordered a search, no money was found on the man sus2)ected : — he having pro- bably passed it on to some confederate. The captain and some passengers clubbed together and gave him a purse of money ; and a.t the time of our conversation he was on * i 82 Detroit and Xiat/ara Falls. bis way back to New York State, detormininT' to keep on there and try to be coriteiit. I found him devoid of intel- lectual culture, but thoughtful and bright. He led the conversation to theology, and the n I soon found tliat he was " a bad catliolic," — that is ' say, a man of so much common- sense and true cat] loli city that he could go to any church and hear any preacher, feeling sure that the Eoman cliurch, to say the least, has no monopoly of truth. Thereupon, his co-rehgionists looked upon him as a castaway. He was enthusiastic about American insti- tutions, and great on Robert Emmet, Daniel O'Connell, .tnd John Mitchell. With much respect for individual Englishmen, he still thought that most English people look upon Irishmen with bitter, fierce, and unreasoning prejudice, — whereas, in spite of the faults of individual Americans, a good position had been accorded to his countrymen in the States. Without accepting all he said, still — to speak my mind plainly — I felt ashamed to think that the result of our English rule of Ireland — a rule which has only yet been partially reformed — has been a vast emigration of Irishmen to America, and that most of such emigrants go away with bitter feelings in their hearts towards England. Five millions of Irisli people in Ire- land, and nine millions of Irish people out of Ireland, — that is the effect of fear, injustice, tyranny, and the iron hand. Another part of the result is that, witli aU our effort to stamp out Catholicism by means of the so-called Irish Churcli, there are now no more devoted Cathv^^ics in the world than are the Irish, and among no people is tlie priest so powerful and so absolute. Liberal measures have improved the condition of things in Ireland : I trust triiBfafwimiHiwii Detroit and Niagara Falls. 83 th:it farther Liboral measures will talvc away all giievances and render justice to Ireland. From Chicago ray little trip extended to tlie north-east, on the Michigan Central Railway, to Detroit, and thence to the Falls of Niagara. Some of the places we passed had peculiar— and, to me, very attractive — names. There is Kalamazoo. Some think that word is quite a jaw- breaker. They have liard work to get tlicir tongue round it. They pronounce it a bit at a time, and have a good rest after every syllable. To me it is a soft and musical word. Kalamazoo is a very pretty i)lace. Trees grow in the streets in the greatest profusion. The liouses are bright and brisk looking. Everything is fresh, green, and inviting. The Americans have so many cities, towns, and villages, that they are hard up for names, and scarcely know how to christen any new place which springs up or is laid out. So, in their perplexity, they reproduce most of the Euro- pean names of cities and of celebrated men. I could not help partly shuddering and partly smiling as we passed a small mean-looking place called Homer. " How are the mighty fallen!" "To w^hat base uses may we come, Horatio!" To think that the greatest poet of the world should l)e immortalised in the name of a small and poor Michigan village ! I was thankful to reach Detroit : • for we had had a tiring ride. After a short rest in the hotel, the other members of the party in which I was travelling had a drive round about in the city ; but I declined to stir. I wanted to write sundry letters. " Out ol sight out of mind," they say ; but my home, thougli out of my sight, V] ^P: y ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I l^iM |2.5 ■^ 1^ 12.2 lu ■£■ iiHi 2.0 im Photographic Sdences Corporation // , was never out of my mind ; and every two or three days I wanted to send a line— and many lines too. Next morning, however, was my time. I had a pedestrian in- spection, and peered about a good deal. Detroit is a finer, handsomer city than I expected to see. I knew it was important in a trade point of view. I knew it was a noteworthy centre of commerce. I was not at all sur- prised to note the busy, bustling activity of its quays, wharves, and principal streets. But I scarcely looked for such good and noble streets, such fair and imposing build- ings, and, in general; such a dignified and respectable place. Just before we left Philadelphia, one friend living in that city said, " You needn't stop at Detroit : you won't find anything there to see ;" but, really, that was a mis- take — so far, I mean, as my own feeling goes : I found much to see, and I do not regard our short stay there as by any means lost or wasted time. Across the river Detroit, opposite to Detroit City, is a place called Windsor. That is in Canada. We were to cross the Detroit to Windsor, in order to continue our journey to Niagara. W^e entered the steam-cars at Detroit Depot or Station, and steamed away down to the river- side. I fully exi)ected that we should all have to get out, and cross the river in some ferry-boat. No such thing. They took the train across just as it was, with all the numerous passengers in it. A colossal raft, with loco- motive rails fixed on it, was floated to the side just where our train stood. When the raft-rails accurately answered to ours, the thing was fixed, and we steamed off the solid ground on to the said raft. Slowly we moved over, De- troit looking beautiful as we passed away. " .'>' . ■ • -v:.i...'!:-^- I Detroit and Niarjara Falls. 86 Landing on the Windsor side, we found ourselves in Canada — no longer in the United States, but in a i3art of our own British dominions. This was pleasant. I am sometimes suspected of being a republican; but, apart from all theories, I candidly confess that some little patriotic flutter of sentimental loyalty came over me as we touched Canadian soil. Our Queen is a good woman. She sets a good example. I am content with her nominal rule as I certainly could not be content if we had a ty- rannical or an immoral king upon the throne. So, in the sense which I thus indicate, I was loyal when I travelled in Her Majesty's Dominion of Canada. I was proud of the thought that our English system has extended itself so far, and that it embraces so many subjects. Thirteen colonies, now called American States, once belonged to us, and we lost them through the stupidity which refused to grant the most urgent reforms. Canada is ours to-day ; and may our rule be wise ! so that a mutually-beneficial connection between Canada and the old country may be for ever maintained. We had some little trouble with the custom-house officials. It is their business to examine the baggage or luggage, to see whether or not there is anything contra- band. However often we cross backwards and forwards between the Dominion and the States, we shall have to submit to this annoyance. The two peoples are very dark and benighted on the subject of trade. Each thinks it promotes its own interests by the imposition of heavy trade duties. The truth is just tlie opposite. Free-trade is tlie sensible thing. The natural laws of trade can take care of tliemselves. Trade is hampered, and nations are *'':;r^' 86 Detroit and Niagara Falls. ¥: crippled, by this miserable peddling system of protective interference. We must, however, take things as we find them : so we will get through these customs difficulties as easily as possible, and refrain from fretting and fuming about them. Many of the French Canadians are poor, small, mean- looking men, inferior in aspect to the Enghsh- speaking people around them. You may see them coming into a town with their poor little carts, bearing very small quan- tities of market produce. They dispose of their cargo, and depart, the whole transaction being, at times, humble in the extreme. I want to judge witli the utmost fair- ness ; but still I am John Bull enough to believe that English-speaking people, and especially people of this English stock, are the first and supreme people in the world. They thrive, push on, and conquer all obstacles. The aspect of Southern Canada, as I saw it, is not materially different from that of the States tlu'ough which we have passed. There are different laws. You i^ay your way with pounds, shillings, and pence, instead of with dollars, dimes, and cents. The traveller passes through a densely-wooded country instead of monotonous prairie- grass. But the people dress as the inhabitants of the States do ; the speech of most of them is about the same ; and, as you pass along, you learn that in spite of aU difierences of government, law, language, or race, all men are one brotherliood, and form one family, the wide world over. " All aboard " for Niagara ! Borne along past towns and villages of all kinds, I could not help thinking that everv mile brought us nearer to that great wonder of the \f "wappiipiliiPH^^"""-''^^!! ,v ';f Detroit and Niagara Falls. B'J ^ , world — the Falls of Niagara. I counted the miles. lam always a child in presence of Natm-e's beauties and mar- vels. It is quite imj)OBsible for me to look upon Nature with cool indifference. I was all enthusiasm. I had heard and read so much about the Falls, — and was I, at last, really to see that sight ? Yes : nearer and nearer we steamed along. Time passed on. Night came. Then we crossed from Canada to the States. After a tiring journey it was an agreeable change to cross the Suspension Bridge, to even dimly see the Falls of Niagara two miles higher up the river, and to take a carriage for the hotel — to rest there for the night. Next morning the natural thing was to run about, here, there, and everywhere, and see as much as possible of the 4f Falls and Eapids. This we did. These Falls rank high amongst the great wonders of the world. I saw them for the first time in my life. I wish I could describe them ; but that is impossible. Words fail. Human language — subtle instrument as it is for the expression of thought and feehng — is not powerful enough to convey to any one who has not wit'i his own eyes seen Niagara any full and adequate idea of what is visible here. One must see Nia- gara for himself, or he can never realise what it is. I will add another word : one must look at Niagara, : steadfastly and patiently, as long as he can, or he can never reahse what it is. Some people go to the Falls— not to study that great wonder, but — to drink beer and '■ smoke tobacco in the hotels, and to i)lay practical jokes - in the streets and on Goat Island. Wlien such persons • ; come away, all they can tell you is what they had for ' V dinner or supper, or whom they met "fro' Bowton." *.//• :;■.;- ;■. :<- - 88 Dttroit and Niagara Falls. • -^ ¥v< They have no eyes for Niagara. When they depart, all they are able to spy is that they have " done Niagara." Some people come to the Falls hastily, run to look, feel disappointed because they have formed foohsh expectations which the reality does not fulfil, or because their eyes de- ceive them and they cannot realise that the Falls are so high or so broad as they are said to be ; — so they rush off by the next train and proclaim that Niagara is a sham, or, at least, that a great deal too much fuss has been made about it. That is not the way to see Niagara. One must study it patiently, look at it from aU points, keep the mind alive and active, — and then he cannot fail to take away with him an impression of the whole too profound, perhaps, to be communicated in words, but also too vivid to ever pass away. Every thoughtful man or woman who visits Nia- gara will ever after, when the name Niagara is heard, or read, or thought, see mentally a sight which is amongst the greatest, grandest things which the world has to show. A word of topographical explaujxtion may be welcomed by some. There are several great lakes in North America. The most westerly is Lake Superior ; then comes Lake Michigan to the east, then Huron east of that, then St. Clair to the south, then Lake Erie to the east, then Lake Ontario to the north of Erie. From Ontario the vast volume of water goes by the St. Lawrence to the ocean. Now, aU these lakes are connected together by narrower slips of water, known by various names. All the lakes, then, form one mass of water. That mass is very great. The river, flowing to the north, which carries the water from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, is called the River IV .('• \ I ^ » • . ' ,-«■;.. -^- TTiirWr-T-,- «5— !IS-^^-p i ,. .-, ! i-PiMPii I Detroit and Niaqara Falls. m Niagara — a word of probably Iroquois origin, meaning ** roaring water." The distance from Erie to Ontario is thirty-six miles. For the first twenty-one ^ilee of its course the water descends at the rate of one foot per mile. From that point the Kapids begin ; and in the space of one mile the water sinks down sixty feet. Then the mass of water is precipitated over the rocks down to a great depth. The hne of faUing is slantingwise — that is, from north-east to south-west across the river. The continuous mass of water pouring itself over the precipice on the eastern side of the river is called the American Fall. It is 900 feet wide, and it falls down 164 feet. Next to tliis American Fall, and to the west of it, is a small island, which the water has not yet swept away. West of that is the Central Fall, one hundred feet wide, significant at Niagara solely because it stands between two such colossal neighbours. West of the Central Fall is Goat Island, consisting of seventy acres of densely-wooded and ex- tremely romantic ground. Between Goat Island and the western shore of the river Niagara, but veering consider- ably to the south-west, is the Canadian Fall, called — from its shape— the Horse-shoe Fall. This is 2,000 feet wide, and it falls down 158 feet, — so that the Canadian Fall is far larger and pours down a far greater volume of water than the American Fall. At the foot of these Falls a dense cloud of spray rises continually, sometimes towering far above them into the clouds and hiding the Falls from view, at other times per- mitting them to be seen clearly above its wreathing folds. This spray-mist is a restless ghost which cannot be laid : it haunts Niagara ceaselessly. ■■ 90 Detroit and Niagara Falls, The Canadian Fall is gi-ander and more wonderful than the American. It is a greater, more mysterious thing. The bright green line of its central falling water is photo- graphed for ever on my retina. I do not wonder that though Charles Dickens was a little bit disa^jpointed about the American Fall, yet its Canadian sister so took hold of his imagination and his heart that all his expectations were awfully and tenibly realised — that he was never able to shake off the spell — and that he pictured the scene in words which only one of Nature's poets could invent. The river hurries down the Rapids to its fall in wildest tumult and confusion. To gaze on the foaming, dashing, struggUng water, fiercely and madly running its wild race as though it were gathering up strength for its fearful, desperate leap down into the abyss, at once excites and paralyses the imagination. It might soon confuse and overturn the mind. A mentally-weak or characteristically nervous man or woman should never gaze long on the Niagara Rapids : for such persons are in danger of yielding to the dread fascination and of being dragged down to a horrible death. No wonder that crowds flock here from all pai-ts of the world. No wonder that most of the visitors hnger en- tranced as long as their time will permit. No wonder that some are so impressed with the sight that they can- not tear themselves away, and that so they take up their abode here and live here all their days. In the month of June, 1829, a tall, haggard young man, named Francis Abbott, appeared at Niagara, fell in love with the Falls, and determined to live near them all his Hfe. He Hved in an old cottage on Goat Island. He used to bathe regularly UHIWI I Detroit and Sinriara Falls. 91 ^ in the river below the Falls. He was fascinated and deranged. He toj^ed with the water. He braved it and dared it. One day he was washed away. His body was found ten days after at the mouth of the ri^'sr. It was buried near the glorious Falls which he loved so much, and the fury of wliich he had defied. The tide rushes over the precipice at the rate of one hundred million tons of water every hour. How over- powering to the imagination is the simple statement of this stupendous fact ! I have looked at these Falls from all points of view : — from the Canadian side, from the American side, from above the Falls, from below the Falls, from the Suspension Bridge, from Goat Island, from Luna Island (which stands at the north-eastern corner of the last-mentioned), and — last, but not least — from the slippery rocks which have fallen from the giddy height, and now lie confusedly scattered at the foot in the roaring stream, with the spray blinding the eyes at frequent intervals. The rest of our party refused to go ; but I ventui-ed down with a guide. With care there is no great danger ; though there is just enough danger to force you to be careful. Numerous ladies go down there every season. If " the weaker sex" can venture on such a trip, " the lords of the creation" ought surely to be ashamed of cowardice in such a matter. I had to dress specially for the purpose. There is a place at the top, on Goat Island, at the head of Biddle's Stairs, where they charge a dollar and a half for the use of the dress and for the guide. I feci sure I looked a pretty figure when my equipment was complete. They fixed me up in fine style. I had a rough blue dress on. I wore 92 Detroit and yiiujara Falls. a curiously- shaped straw bonnet, with immenoe sitles tied down over the ears and under the chin. Specially- made slippers were tied to the feet. Thus rigged out, down went I and the guide. I was thankful tliat no one from Ainsworth could see me. My friends were waiting for me half way down. They laughed heartily at the comical figure I presented, and well they might. I could sym- pathise with them in the laugh ; but, somehow, I didn't feel like laughing myself. I was shivering too much, and I was too near the terrible Fall, to be able to laugh much. But I had fixed it to see Niagara in this way : so on I went. When through the Cave of the Winds I found myself at the back of the Central Fall between the falling water and the rocky wall. The deafening roar, the blinding spray, the frequent very liberal shower bath, the momentary and fitful glimpses of the falling water as the eye gazed up at the mighty precipice, the awe-inspiring sight in the Cave of the Winds of a wall of water at my leit hand and a wall of rock at my right — all this was marvellous. The shower-bath took my breath away. At times I could not see the guide. The ground was slippery and treacherous. If I had not kept fast hold of the guide's hand, I don't know what would have been my fate. There is great pressure on the atmosphere behind that Fall. Thus there is a continual wind which roars about and drives the spray into the face of the adventurous tourist. Wet to the skin, shuddering at the contact, of the dashing spray and falling torrents, and ardently wishing that I had never started, I yet pressed on, following the guide. "Look up," shouted he ; obeying the direction I raised my eyes, and saw% far up aloft, the rocky wall, damp and dripping with the driven HM Detroit and Ximjaro Falls, 98 spray, and on the ^ther side saw the mighty mass of water hm-rying matUy down. It was a strange experience. Leaving the rear of the water, we came out to the front, and passed along — paiily chmhing as hest we could over the rough sUppery rocks which had, some time or other, fallen fi-om above, and partly walking on wooden platforms specially erected for the jnii-pose. " Look up," again shouted the guide ( and I can assure you we had to shout to make each other hear : so loud was the din of the water); I looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow, quivering amidst the mist. To stand on that platform, sO far below, hold- ing desperately by the railing at the side ; to look up to the edge of the precipice — a height which one can realise from that point, if not from tlie opposite shore ; to scramble back along the slippery and just a little dangerous way, through the spray and up the rocks ; — all this was wonder- ful and will be ever present to my miiiu. However far I wander from Niagara I shall always be- hold this scene from some one jf its many points of view. I cannot describe Niagara. I do not think any human being can pourtray it in human words. Certainly it is beyond my power. If any one thinks I speak too enthu- siastically, and praise too much, let him go to Niagara and see ; and if he will look steadily and patiently, and not be satisfied with one hasty, imperfect glance, I know he will come back and say that, far from over- stating, I have not been able to tell one -hundredth part of the full and subUme truth. I have no time at present to tell how the river calmly pursues its way for two miles below the Falls — how, then, other rapids begin — how the water riotously, tumultously I' * * ■ 94 DHrnit and Xiagara Falls, sinks down and roars along — lio*v, three miles from the Falls, it strikes violently against the Canadian shore, forming a whirl230ol which is a great source of attraction — how, from the Falls to Queen ston, a distance of seven miles, the river flows rapidly through a deep gorge, from 200 to 400 feet wide and BOO feet deep — how in these seven miles the water falls in rapids the space of 200 feet — and how, from the chff at Queer? ston, this vast body of water flows on calmly and majestically to empty itself into Lake Ontario. Geologists estimate tliat fully 1,500,000,000 (fifteen hundred million) cubic feet of water rush through that narrow gorge every minute — that the water lias worn away its obstructions at the average rate of one foot per century — that the Falls were once at the cliff neai Queens- ton, and were twice as high as now — that the water has already eaten its way back seven miles — that this process must have occupied at least H5,000 years — and that the process is still going on Avliich will reduce the height of the Falls, consume the strata to the south, and make the whole river one vast range of rapids. A lecture is too brief for a full description of all the thoughts and themes which are suggested by a study of the Niagara Falls — a huge volume, indeed, would leave much unsaid. There those Falls stand, a continual attrac- tion and fascination for people of every clime. Crowds flock thither from every land. Their one object is to see Niagara. I know people who will never go to America — there are too many difficulties and lions in the way : but if they wei-e ever to visit the western land it would be to see Niagara. That is the only thing which could draw them thither. They hear of Niagara, — they read of it, — Detroit and Niagara Falls, 06 they think of it. Yes, there those waters fall. They are the great natural glory of America. Tneir foam is the hoary whiteness of antiquity. Those wild waves have roared and foamed for ages. Long hefore man stood near there tlio Niagara waters fiercely raged along. Empires liave risen and passed away, the statehest things have tottered to their destruction, but all the while the Niagara waters have never ceabed their tumult and their war. Hencefoi-th, whenever I sum up the chief wonders of the World, first in the list wil'. stand Niagara. - •-'^ACiMfS^t*'^'- ■' li 96 ;.3 r.l. i LECTURE VI. Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal. ti EAVING Niagara, and pressing forth to " fresh fields and pastures new," we must ride in the cars to LeWston— a distance of seven miles from the Falls — and then go on hoard the steamer, cross the Ontario to Toronto, and p' oceed down the Lake, through the Thou sand Isles ana the Kapids of the St. Lawrence, to Mont- real. Lewiston is well situated. It is a place of importance, standing at the head of navigation on tlie river. In 1813 it was destroyed by British troops, and rebuilt after the war had ceased. Here we embark on board the " City of Toronto," which runs twice a day between Lewiston and Toronto. It is a fine, clear, warm day. Everything is '"'/'■: J-'- Down the St. Lawrenca to Montreal. 97 bright, shining, and dazzling. Pleasantly we steam across the lake, the course enlivened by the contest of two men, who vie with each other in pointing out objects of interest, giving us information, and keeping as in good humour. These men are decoys for certain hotels in Montreal. One represents the Ottawa, the other — a very fat man — promotes the interests of the St. Ijawrence Hall. Each distributes prospectuses, advertisements, guide- books, and puffs, issued under the auspices of his parti- cular hotel. Each gives us, in clear voice and extremely fluent style, numerous Uttle scraps of information about our tour — which scraps are interspersed with earnest re- quests that we will all put up at his particular establish- ment when we get to Montreal. The fat man is very witty, and keeps up the spirits of the travellers. He promises us that his little brother — also representing the St. Lawrence Hall — will come on board the " Corinthian" at Toronto, and will accompany us all the way, pointing out all the objects of interest as we proceed. The passage to Toronto is short and soon over. The city is a large and important place. Its site is somewhat monotonous ; but the streets are regularly laid out, the buildings are good, and the city holds up its head as a bright and cheerful locality. It is situated on Toronto Bay, which is a fine sheet of water, four miles by two. Fifty years ago there were simply 4000 people living in Toronto. In the last ten years the number of inhabitants has doubled itself. Now, it has a population of 75,000. Approached from the water the place presents an agreeable picture. Its numerous cupolas, towers, and spires, strike the eye from a great distance. There is a Baptist church u 'if.l'J&Ajji.ilfi'i^i 96 Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal, in Toronto with a spire 306 feet high : — that is said to be the loftiest spire in America. The Queen's Park, Uni- versity Buildings, and several churches, are picturesque and attractive. One of the Canadian Inland Steam Navigation Com- pany's Line leaves Toronto every day for Montreal. Our time is precious : so we must go on one of these, and be oflf. The steamer leaving to-day is the " Corinthian." We find that many people are going with us. The vessel ie crowded. I feel sure they will not have sleeping-room for us all. Looking back upon the trip now that I am telling you all about it, I can say that I and a number of others, who were bachelors either for the time being or permanently, had to do the best we could on deck all night, and sleep or keep awake according to circumstances. I got on pretty well, considering everything, — though it was very late before anything like peace and quietness reigned around, and it was very early when noise began again. By half-past four o'clock in the morning most people were stirring about. Every one who was sensible made good use of his eyes, so as not to miss anything. We got to Kingston bright and early. It is situated at the head of the Thousand Islands, where Ontario, the last of the great lakes between the States and Canada, empties itself into the mighty channel of the St. Lawrence by which that vast mass of water is conveyed to the Gulf. Kingston is a bustling place, though not large — its po- pulation only amounting to 15,000. It stands on the site of the old French fort of Frontenac, and is a strongly- fortified town. I have told you that xvingston is at the head of the ^t.-:> Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal. 99 V ■..', Thousand Islands. Yes, we are entering that marvellotis lake. We are sailing down the far-famed St. Lawrence. In my Httle trip in America I have quite a variety of scenery : — prairie land, large cities, Niagara Falls, Canadian forest scenery, and the river St. Lawrence. I put the St. Lawrence in a class by itself. So far as I yet see, it is the most beautiful of American rivers. The river Hudson is spoken of by many persons in terms of enthusiastic praise ; I shall see that with my own eyes bye-and-bye ; — but, so far as I can learn, the Hudson is narrow — its banks seem comparatively near to each other — and its beauty is not so much its own as borrowed from the interesting and noble structures wliich skirt it as it flows. The St. Lawrence is a broad and ample stream. Apart from its occasional expansion into so-called lakes, it is so broad that its shores are distant the one from the other — generally tolerably distinct, but occasionally indis- tinct, blending with the sky in such a manner that the whole is vague and mysterious, and the traveller cannot tell where river ends and sky begins, but all is one smooth, bright, calm, and glorious mirror. Never, so long as I Uve, shall I lose the mental vision of this wondrous stream. It is a thing of glory and beauty — a joy to me for ever. I admire— I love this river. Words fail me to express the feelings with which I regard Nature in general and this St. Lawrence in particular. The Lake of the Thousand Islands is an expansion of the St. Lawrence after it leaves Lake Ontario. There are in the world many colkfitionc of river islan(ls,. but no one in which the isl^ ,iai*e oSo Htin^erouSi; as her0. ;' tt being just below Kingt&on, and ,jit.stre,t,ches,down, the rivers 4 fl 5 1 5 o 9 » a 9 a 1 \ :•• •' : .• '•• : :;.':/.. : . ■IfHIPB^ r- ,1* , *■ -■ tv_' Down the 8t' Lawrence to Montreal. 101 the larger islands are farmed assiduously, and appear pro • ductive in an average degiree. Others are merely for pleasure trips, pic-nic parties, &c. One is owned by the Methodist Episcopal Church, and conventions and sociables are held there periodically. One of the islands in this Lake is owned by Mr. Pullman, of Railway Palace and Sleeping Car notoriety ; he gets his friends round him there, and they have "a real good time," as the Americans put it. We pass the isle called St. Anne's, and then there inevitably comes \v^ in the mind Tom Moore's Canadian boat song, the chorus of which everyone knows, however ignorant he may be of the words of the song itself — " Bow, brothers, row, the stream runs fast, The rapids are near, and the daylight's past ; Soon as the woods on shore grow dim, We'll sing at St. Anne's our parting hymn." The word " rapids " in the above lines reminds me how famous the St. Lawrence is for rapids. There are many of them. As you go through them you are conscious that the water falls considerably. The vessel is sailing distinctly down hill. At times it goes slanting- wise. We are going to " shoot the rapids." Five miles below Prescott is Chimney Island. The first rapid of the St. Lawrence is at that island, and is called the Gallop. I can assure you we galloped through there at a good round pace. Now commences that marvellous series of rapids of which the Long Sault is one of the most noteable. Long Sault is a continuous rapid of about nine miles in length. An island divides it into two channels : the American and the Lost Channel. The French boatmen felt sure that if a boat were to drift into that Canadian Channel it would be lost. 102 Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal. Steamers used to go through the American channel, as being safer ; but now, so as to frighten tourists as much as possible, they generally explore the Lost Channel. It is a wild scene. The steam is shut off. We whirl along in a violent tumultuous current. Several men are wanted to manage the wheel, and the man who is responsible for the ship keeps both eyes wide open, so as to take us through all right. This going headlong down hill is a rather exciting thing. There is some throbbing and trembling. Occasionally you hear a scream. The '* little Brother." that is the decoy from St. Lawrence Hall, cracks his jokes all the time, so as at once to keep up the passengers' spirits and alarm them, and thus maintain the excitement. There is real danger. It is increased to the imagination by the deafening roa ? of the seething madly-rushing waves. No fatal accident, however, has yet occured on the vessels of the Canadian Navigation Company. When we got through safely we breathed a sigh of relief. Passing on yet further, the river narrows suddenly, and we reach the Coteau Eapids. From the head of these the water sinks down 84 feet in a distance of eleven miles and a half. Prisoner's Island is visible on the left. Prisoners of war were confined there in 1812 and 1813. The old Coteau Fort is in ruins. The Cedar Eapids are the next exciting passage. In the course of them the water sinks down 56 feet. Ever since I had been on board the Corinthian I had observed a group of foreign -looking men, with swarthy, sun-burnt faces. They kept very much together. They conversed in some foreign , tongue. Such people are always an attractive problem to me. I thought it would * , :^.- ,^^'- ■■ '■ ''' -'C ' ■'- ■ ,i' Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal, 108 be rude to hover about near enough to listen to their talk : so for some time I was tantalised witli the unsatisfied longing to know their speech and their nationality. While sitting absorbed in the contemplation of the beautiful river-scene, it so happened that they all came up and planted themselves near me. Listening carefully, and putting two and two together, I soon " guessed" that they were Dutchmen, thougli there were elements in their talk which I was unable to put down to Holland's account. Watching for opportunities, I managed, bye-and-bye, to introduce myself ; and then I found out tliat they were regular Dutchmen, who had been living for years in Java, and who had travelled all that long distance from Java to Philadelphia in order to study the Exliibition and the American land. Think of that, and note in what a won- derful manner America attracts people from all lands this Centennial Year. Enough of Eapids for a minute or two, thought I. The fact was, I had had scarcely any sleep the night be- fore, — and so I felt peculiar. Ketiring to the rear of the boat, I sank down into a chair, and dozed right off. When I roused up again I was a new being, and could enjoy looking round. Gazing out, I saw that the river was very wide, the shore being only dimly visible. At times that shore was not visible, — and the water, being perfectly calm and unruffled, lost itself in the %ky. To use a venerable simile, the whole appeared like a bright, polished mirror. When I could see the shore plainly, the water was so clear and calm that the shadow of every rock and tree was distinctly traced in the water. It was a beautiful sight. It was a fairy scene. mm .t-^.-r-^ 104 Down the St. Lawrenc* to MontreaL I moved to the front once more to see what was to be seen. I found the little brother as funny as ever. His ponderous form and his ponderous witticisms ahke created great amusement. He was the "observed of all ob- servers." People were admiring Nature's beauties, and roaring with laughter at intervals. We are coming to the Split Rock Rapids. Even the novel readers close their books and step forward as this name is mentioned. It is a great sight. Every eye, every mind is strained, to take in the scene. Split Rock Rapid is called so for this reason : its bed is one vast and continuous rock^ too near the surface for vessels to pass. By the skill of English engineers that rock has been split ; a channel forty- six feet wid( has been blasted clean out of it ; and if the boat v ere to go too far to the right or left it w uld probably be dashed to pieces. Once, when the very vessel on which I sailed — that is, the Corinthian — was coming through, she struck this rock, grazed over it a distance of fifteen feet, and then stuck fast. There was, of course, great alarm ; but things turned out well : the passengers were all landed in boats, and conveyed on the railway that same evening to Montreal ; and the vessel was got off, without much damage, after a three days' effort. I am very happy to say that we passed through in perfect safety. \ You will naturally understand that, as we hurry down these Rapids at such a fearful rate, it must be hard work for the steamer to come up the river. Just so : it would, indeed, be hard work. I may tell you in confidence that it cannot be done. They cannot steam up here at all. What they do is to turn off to the south at Beauharnois -:,,v;'< Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal, 105 and go up a distance by canal, passing round the Rapids of the Cascades, the Cedar, and the Coteau, into Lake St. Francis. We are approaching the Lachine Rapids — the most intricate and most dangerous of all. We have been con- tent with our own pilot so far ; but he, clever as he is, is not clever enough to take us through Lacliine. We want some special knowledge and genius for that. Who can help us in our need ? An Indian— a full-blooded Indian — is the only man living who knows the channel of Lachine, and he pilots every vessel through. We come opposite to the Indi.'in village of Cauglmawauga. Now, we stop. We give a signal. We listen. We gaze. A boat puts off from the shore. Jean Baptiste, this far-famed Indian pilot, steers it. He is rowed by his two sons. He springs on board. His face is curiously studdied by crowds of eager, inquisitive tourists. He is a fine, stalwart, reddish- brown man, with a clear, bright, piercing eye. He takes up his position on the right side of the wheel, and he steers us through the perilous passage of Lachine. No vessel goes through without him : he is quite indispensable. I fancy some few passengers are a little bit timid, or, as the Yankee word goes, '' scared ;" but most of us feel quite cool, especially with the Indian pilot on board. There is real peril : one cannot blink i-hat fact : — in several places the vessel would strike the boulder rocks if it were to go even only two or three feet out of its course ; and as its proper course winds and twists itself about most mysteriously, hke an angry serpent, this is evidently a very intricate bit of stering. It is curious to note the reason why the early French settlers caUed this Rapid 'r'r ' ■..■: 106 Vowti the St. Lawrence to Montreal, La, Chine. They got the strange notion into their heads that if they were to sail down this rapid they would find themselves in China, and so they called the passage " the China." It was an absurd blunder ; but the name yet remains. I will confess to you that I looked on Jean Baptiste with absorbed interest. He was a specimen of a race which is fast djdng out in America. I had seen other Indians. The waiter at our table in the Niagara hotel belonged to that race. Others I had noticed here and there. But this man was near me. I could study him as I had not been able to study the others. Ever since, when a boy, I read Indian tales, I have been strangely interested in these American aborigines. I will not now discuss the American policy with regard to the Indians. To me it seems a cruel, treacherous, blood-thirsty, and disgraceful policy. I denounce it with all m^'' power. I contend that when civilised and uncivilised races come into contact with each other the civilised people should act towards the uncivilised in a manner very different from that in which the Americans have acted towards the Indians, or that in which the EngHsh have acted towards the Maories. Though I feel strongly upon this point, I will not, I repeat, discuss it now. It would lead me too far away from my subject. I will only say that I looked upon our Indian pilot — so strong, so noble in appearance, so clear-headed, so clever — with feelings compounded ot the warmest enthusiasm and the deepest sadness. I mourn for the Indian quarrels and wars in which the whites have been ever the aggressors. I mourn, also, that so few Indians have fallen in with civilisation and settled down Down the St. Lnwrenca to Montreal. 107 ' to those habits of steady productive industry wliich are so necessary to civilised life. In half-an-hour after leaving Lachine Rapids we pass under the Victoria Bridge, after wliicli the traveller comes into full view of Montreal. Victoria Bridge is a marvel. It was built by Robert Steplien.son. It is the longest and largest bridge i^ the world. The distance between its abutments is one mile and a quarter ; and its total length, including its massive embankments, is one mile and three quarters. They used in its erection 8000 tons of iron and 250,000 tons of stone. It cost 6,300,000 dollars. Victoria Bridge introduces us to Montreal. It was evening when we got there. We went straight to the hotel, rested, and had '* supper," as the Americans call it. Then I wrote a letter, and went out to post it and walk rounl a little. There are fine buildings and good streets in Montreal. Many, however, are narrow and winding. There are curious and quaint streets just like what one sees in the provincial towns in the north of France. The cit^ is at the head of navigation for ocean vessels on the river. It is five hundred and forty miles from the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The place is built on an island of the same name which lies between the broad and majestic St. Lawrence and the swift-rushing Ottawa. The island is thirty-two miles long and ten miles wide, and is of level surface, excepting the eminence called Montreal or the Royal Mountain, which rises five hundred and fifty feet above the level of the river. The permanent founding of the city took place in 1642 ; and after one hundred years' existence it population was only 4,000. It was ruled by the French till 1760, and afterwards by the . . ■*: 108 Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal, English. In 1882 itH inliabitantH numbjrod just over 80,000. In consequence of political riotc, the seat of government was remo/ed from Montreal to Quebec, then to Toronto, and lastly to Ottawa. The city has now a popu- lation of nearly 170,000. So far as American cilies arc concerned, the commerce of Montreal is second only to that of New York. At the beginning of this century vessels of more than three hundred tons burden could not ascend to Montreal, and its foreign trade was transacted by means of brigs and barges. Now, ocean vessels of 4,000 tons, and ships of from 700 to 2,000 tons, whose flags show that they hail from all parts of the world, lie along- side its wharves. It is a busy place. The phenomena of the city are fresh and startling. The place is French and it is English. Many of the streets have French names ; some have English names ; others have their appelation posted up in both languages. If you go into a shop you find that every one who waits on you is able to speak in both languages. A shopman will speak to an EngHsh- speaking customer one minute, and the next he will answer a question put to him in Canadian French. Most of the people in Montreal speak French. It is only a minority which speaks English as its native tongue. Yet so strong and conquering a language is the English that it is winning its way. It is subduing and driving out the French. It is making itself universal. Though the vast majority of the people are Canadian French, yet you see that the business signs and notices in the streets are generally in English. I could imagine myself in Calais, Douai, or Cambrai, as I look at these French Canadians, or gaze in at these Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal, 109 / shop wind'^ws and Hce what soi-t of useful and fancy articles are exposed to view. It is a curious experience to me to stroll about and use my eyes in such a place as this. After a good night's rest, the natural thing to do was to make a systematic tour of inspection. Seeing that pedestrianism is wearisome if you have too much of it, it was agreed tliat we should hire a carriage and drive round. It was done as soon as said. I was on tlie box with the driver. He was a j)lenHant, good-humoured man, a Roman Catholic, speaking French or EngUsh — ^just which you please. He pointed out the lions as we went along. For the sake of practice, and knowing that no one was within earnhot to laugh at me if I were to make any mistake, I thought I should like to "improve the shining hour" by talking a little French : so I began as well as I could. He answered ; and we kept on, backwards and forwards, for five minutes or so. Then we left it ofif by mutual consent, he politely putting it that I spoke the French of France, while he spoke the French of Canada, which was a different thing. It is indeed different. It is a mere dialect. I will not debate whether the driver was correct or merely courteous in his explanation : I will simply record it as an historical fact that our French con- versation was a comparative failure. There are two or three churches in this city which will weU repay a visit. Christ Church Cathedral, the great Protestant centre, should be seen by every visitor ; but, in spite of the judgment of some — that it is the most won- derful ecclesiastical structure in all America, it is, in my opinion, a very ordinary buiMing. There is nothing par- ticularly striking about it, either inside or outside ; and, \.i^ S« '■«:■ *=' ? 110 Down the 8t. Lawrence to Montreal. certainly, it is quite thrown into the shade by the Cathohc Cathedral of Notre Dame, and especially by the Church of the Gesu, Notre Dame is the largest church in America. It can seat thirteen thousand people. On Pro- cession Sunday last June twenty thousand people were present, at one time, within its walls. It contains many fine paintings, and is a grand and noble place, gaudy and pretentious in simply two or tliree of its side chapels. I have seen many churches in my life, but I have never seen one to equal in dignity and real beauty the Church of the Gesu in Montreal. It is a gem. Its paintings are all good — its altar is a marvellous thing — u^nd its frescoes would occupy me a month instead of the hurried in- spection which was all I could bestow upon them. There is a large congregation at the Church of the Gesu every Sunday evening. I am told that most of the people who go there in the evening are Protestants, and that the Preaching Fathers, in their public addresses, generally keep the Protestants in mind. That is surely a most in- structive fact. We had a ride round the mountain. If it had been a fine clear day we should have had a glorious vievv of the city, the island, the far-away land, and the winding river ; but, unfortunately, it was dull and misty. We could see things only in a dim and ghostly manner. It was very good, however, as it was, — and I will not venture to make any complaint. Commg down, the coachman pointed out to me a house where ^ir. Allan lives — one of the brothers who are the owners of the Allan Steamship Line. He could not well Hve in a grander situation ; and though I knew very well •;:#», '■Wt. ,, '.«** >i_ Down the St Lawrence to Montreal. Ill that I ought not to " covet " my " neighbour's goods," yet I could not help feeUng that it would be nice for me to live there. At one point on the return route, churches seemed to be multiphed miraculously. They did not exactly touch, but they were very close to one another. At one street crossing — I think it is where Bleury-street crosses Lagauchetiere- street — there stands a church at each of the four corners : — a Baptist, a Presbyterian, an Episcopalian, and a Unitarian. We visited the Grey Nunnery, a conventional and benevolent establishment with nearly five hundred in- mates, including the Sisters of Charity who Hve there. It is a kind of almshouse. The inmates range from the youngest children to old men and women between eighty and ninety years of age. We were told that no distinction of religious denomination is made : all are admitted. Any Protestant minister may have interviews with any of the inmates who belong to his church. The inmates are fed, clothed, and taught to make various useful and ornamental articles. Such articles are sold to visitors or in the city, and the proceeds go to the general fund. Most tourists procure some memento of their visit. The beautiful arti- ficial flowers, ornamental chains, slippers, mats, and so on, which have been made by the inmates, may well serve as such mementoes. Almost all the inmates speak French ; and all the very numerous rehgious mottoes on the walls are in the French language. As to the social and moral character of this place, there are those who would see evil where none appears, and who, apart from aU evidence, would feel intuitively sure that the Grey ■■■ ~/'f.v^..: f;^-;Tfi't/* ^■. ^ [V i- 112 Down the St. Lawrence tn Montreal, Nunnery is a horribly cruel and immoral place. For my own part, I am more opposed than most people are to the superstition of the thing. I denounce very much which I see in the Eoman Cathohc theology and practice. I was pained to behold so much Pharisaism about the place — so much unreal piety — so much artificial and systematic melancholy, humility, and sad casting down of the eyes — and such a generally pale, lack-lustre, and unhealthy look. I think that pure religion holds its head up higher than that, and is more straight-forward, healthy, and natural. But I want to be just. I saw no evil. I saw no evidence of immorality. I saw much which I thought very good : — and I beheve that those Sisters are doing a good work. Whenever 1 walked or rode about in Montreal I never forgot that I was in Canada — not in the States, i never lost sight of the fact that I was on our own soil, — that the Government of that country was, in a very real sense, my Government too. I am proud of Canada. It is large — larger than the States. It is very rich and productive. Its climate is extreme ; but it is healthy. Extremes of cold and heat have to be borne ; but they can be borne : — it is a land in which men can have health and strength, and in which they can live. 1 liad a kind of fellow-feeling with the Canadians. While I love man as man, whatever his nationality may be, still, " charity begins at home," and a noble national feeling is by no means antagonistic to the cultivation and the manifestation of the broadest humanitarianism. So, when in Canada, I regarded the people with peculiar interest and affection. They are our fellow -subjects. They acknowledge themselves one people with ourselves. They are, as a people, content to go on ■imigi mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Down the St. Lawrence to Montreal. 113 as they are. A few Canadians have fomented rebellion, and those few now agitate for a separation from the mother country. Thus stands Canada. Not a man wants Canada to be annexed to the United States ; a few want to have a separate and independent kingdom ; and the mass and overwhelming majority are perfectly content as they are, and they want to maintain continuously their present connection with the old country. I have enquired particularly in this direction, because I was very anxious to know the facts, and I venture to say that English readers may take my words as altogether rehable with regard to the political position of Canada. The people know that England is just towards them. They know that they will not be forced to remain in a position which they will out-grow. They know that whenever it may seem to be natural and right, they will be allowed to " set up for themselves," as it were, with the best wishes of the old country for their welfare. They know that England's colonial poHcy is simply the welfare and security of her children. Thus it is that Canada is and will be ours. Thus it is that the name of England is is honoured and loved throughout that vast Dominion. •o:3>^n<^3'j^ - \ : '■'•! ■ 114 LECTURE VII. The White Mountains and Boston. fS You leave Montreal on the way to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, you pass through a part of Canada, darkly, densely wooded, with here and there a plot cleared, the tree stumps yet remaining in the ground. As we steamed along, and before we got out of Canada, I had my first glimpse of really rough and ready log-huts. The trunks of fir trees had been split down the middle, and fastened to strong uprights, leaving their rough half- circles outside, and their smoother, more level surfaces inside. There dwell the honest and industrious settlers in health, peace, and prosperity. The forests of Canada, as I could not help noticing, are something immense — seemingly limitless. Miles upon mmmm Tlie White Mountains and Boston. 116 miles of forest land, — woods and clearing, timber-piles, and log huts, — such is the panorama — changing, yet always the same. We were told that a terrible fire had been ranging just before, desolating some hundi*eds of acres of woodland. But tliere is so much forest wood in Canada that the loss from fire is scarcely felt. I feel more impressed by the Canadian forest scenery than by the prairie ocean of the Western States. I shall never forget the views I got of the Canadian woods. From my earliest boyhood I have been an en- thusiastic admirer of the wild solitary forest and wood. Many a time have I been lost while wandering about in the woods of my native country. As we were whirled along in the steam-cars, I very ardently longed for an extensive ramble in those deep, dark, mysterious woods, where, far from every beaten track, I would "■ commune witli Nature face to face," explore the mysteries of Nature, and come back laden with Nature's treasures of plant and animal life. When we got to the frontier, the baggage was again examined. Our boxes and bags where thoroughly *' ransacked " (in the etymological meaning of that word). The custom-house officials searched eagerly and fiercely as though for prey. Luckily for us they found nothing contraband. It being considered advisable to take supper before proceeding further, away we trudged through the deep yielding sand to a so-called "Hotel," distant about fifty yards. A poorer, more miserable place I have rarely seen ; a Hebe of more enchanting loveliness than the one we had to wait on us I have never beheld. It was a :iX ft;> m 116 The WhUe Mountains and Boston. heavenly vision. I was, every now and then, making some ridiculous mistake — and I made one at the said hotel. I begged some one to pass me a roasted apple from a number which looked very inviting : whereupon everybody kindly burst out laughing and informed me that the specified objects were " doughnuts," and not apples at all. As a kind of dessert, the master of the house — a tall lanky Vermonter — treated us to some popular airs, with considerable "variations," on an ancient (almost antedi- luvian) violin. Toiling back through the sand brought us to the cars, and a wearisome ride through the north-east corner of Vermont landed us, bye and bye, at the terminus of the line, viz., Gorham in the celebrated White Mountain district of the State of New Hampshire. The Alpine House received our party in a comfortable, hospitable way. This a large and fine establishment. To Uve in it will prove to any one that frame-houses can be made very comfortable indeed. To listen to the tale of its construction will also show you with what railway or lightning speed houses can be run up. The foundation of Alpine house was laid on the 9th of May last year, and by the 16th of July following it was all finished and was opened for the purposes of a public hotel. I guess there is considerable slickness about that operation. Next morning (Sunday) it was evidently going to be remarkably hot. The hills looked dim, vague, and hazy, and any one could see that they were making up their minds for a broil. Le-iving Montreal I had fondly hoped to get into a cool, refreshing mountain region, but we had plainly jumped out of the frying-pan into the fire. ' >..,^V Vv^ v.. ..*.: The White Mountains and Boston. 117 However, it was no use grumbling. We tried to make the best of things, and so we got on tolerably well. There is fine scenery round Gorham. One range of hills is called the Starr King Eange. This is in memory of Starr I^ng, the celebrated Unitarian minister, who, ere he passed away, became such a mighty power on the Pacific slope, who liked to visit this district, wlio found it out, loved it, wrote about it, made it famous ; and the result is Gorham and other settlements and a large annual influx of tourists. Though it was such a hot day Vy-e contrived to attend two services in the Congregational Church — one conducted by the Trinitarian minister of the place, the other by a Universalist. We also went to a total Abstinence Meeting, which was held in the evening at the Methodist Church, and at which two of our party spoke — though neither was a pledged abstainer. Our programme was to ascend Mount Washington. The first stage in the journey was a stage coach from Gorham to Glen House, through some of the most lovely scenery that can be imagined, somethmg like the Peak scenery, and more like the views round Bethgellert in North Wales. The weather was hot and dry. The road was dusty beyond description. I sat by the driver's side, and had much conversation. He told me all about his circumstances, and about his little girl, who was staying, and had been staying for some time, at a farm-house, a quarter of a mile to the right of our road. As we went on talking, I had forgotten this ; but when we got to a certain point, he looked round to the right, and waved his hat. Somebody just outside the farm-house porch was 118 The White Mountains and Boston. waving a white handkerchief. I thought it was very pretty for friends thus to salute each other from a distance. He told me it was his daughter : that made it especially beautiful. I was told it would trouble her dreadfully if he were to pass without waving his hat. One day, absorbed in thought, he forgot the salutation, and it was such a bitter grief to her that he has always remembered it since. So this humble, ordinary-looking driver has a large and warm heart : — he systematically looks out for the particular point on his route, and he waves the salute from far. After dinner at Glen House, the next thing was to asoend the mountain, not by honest climbing, but by stage coach. It is eight miles by the road from Glen House to Tip-top House on Mount Washington. It was a romantic, sublime road, which had been made at great expense. The trees had been cleared away ; the rock had been blasted ; and soil and rock had been laid down so as to form a good road. Men labour continually to keep it in repau*. At times the path seemed really dangerous : to our left a deep and fearful declivity ; and as we turned a corner, winding our way up, it seemed as though nothing could save us from a headlong fatal fall down into that dark and dread abyss. We had four horses to draw five of us. A stage a little way in front had six horses for eight passen- gers. Our noble steeds were spirited a^^ 1 frisky enough at first, but they cooled off considerably before we got to the top. It goes against my conscience to ride much uphill in hot weather, so, in mercy to the horses, I got out to , gather flowers and curious stones, and plod my own way up. It is a fine hill ; its height is rather over 6,200 feet. 1 The White. Mountains and Boston. 119 Tliousancls of people go up every year. If you have a fine clear day, you can get a splendid view of the whole district round ; but supposing it to be misty, loggy, and cloudy, you can scarcely see a hundred yards before you. Wash- ington is like the Welsh Snowdon : she is a capricious and fickle coquette — very lovely and charming, but very fond ol tantalising and disappointing her admirers. The weather, as a rule, is dull. The Summit of Snowdon is called " The Conspicuous," and very commonly th? fact is a contradiction of the name : so with Mount Washington. To see it at its best would close the eye to all other sights for the rest of life ; but the veil of mist which so generally shrowds the hill obscures — and at the same time, renders ghostly and sublime — the beauties of the scene. The first thing I noticed when I attained the summit of Washington was that the Hotel is chained down. Heavy chains are flung right over and across the roof; the ends of the chains come down on either side of the building ; they are fastened securely through the platform and into the solid rock. I noted the same thing in the case of two or three other buildings about here. Why is this ? Simply to keep them from being blown away wdien the first gale of wdnd comes. These slight and flimsy " frame buildings," as they are termed, made up of thin wooden planks, cannot stand ten minutes against a brisk wind : they must be chained down. We were puzzled to explain how it was that the hotel on the summit of Mount Washington was called Tip-top House. Was it because the hotel is situated at the very top of the mountain ? or was it because its charges are tip-top — as high as they can possibly be made ? When 120 The White Mountains and Boston. we left it we could explain the name precisely. We knew, from the depth of our experience, that the reason why it was christened so was because of its tariff. Everytlxing is dear, and all charges are enormous, on Mount Washington. I suppose that this is on the principle, of "making hay while the sun shines." The proprietors know very well that those who are their guests will never, in all j)robability, ascend that mountain again : — so they determine to get out of them all they possibly can, and to make them remember tlie ** bill" — whatever else they may forget. All sorts of people were at the hotel on the summit. An American hotel is really wonderful. It is like a little city, all to itself. You have everything you want within call. You know at the beginning precisely what it is going to cost you per day : there are no " extras" to double the cost of : liaying there. To find an hotel on the American plan right on the top of this mountain was, after all, an agreeable sight. All visitors register their names in the hotel book. This list frequently furnishes the inquisitive and gossiping people with something to talk about, and — as in my case — it is occasionally very useful. Looking over the register, I saw the name of " James H. Eaper, England." I at once jumped to the conclusion that this was the Mr. Raper who is so pro- minent in England in connection with the Alliance move- ment. I sought him out, found that my surmise was correct, and had a good long chat — ]3romenading up and down in front of the hotel. He had been in America eight months, and was going to stay a few weeks longer yet. I cannot say how pleasant it was for me to meet a ,.'■. ^Y■i' : ' .V-- V '*&* ' llie White Mountains and Doston. 121 well-known Englishman so far away from the old country which we both lovetl so well. Our way down to the foot of Mount Washington was in a railway tri»in. Fancy that ! The train sloping down- wards as though it might soon topple over, and send us all flj'ing dowa the abyss — steam on simply to act as a brake, and check our progi'ess downwards. Surely this was travelling made easy ! Fancy taking people up and down the mountain at so much a head ! 1 wanted to climb, to rough it, to get down in a romantic, step-by- step way ; and here we were, in a prosaic railway -train, gently lowered to the valley. The stage-coach was bad enough ; but this was worse. There was, however, a certain romance in it— the romance of man's genius and the achievements of his science. Man's wonderful triumphs over the difficulties which beset him in his path are il- lustrated at every turn as one goes about in this New World. Away to Boston, — not stopping for anything, — not turning aside to see Henry Ward Beecher, who was staying at the ;Twiu Mountain House, and who was preaching there the previous Sunday to a vapt audience from the whole district round ; on, skirting the beautiful lake of Winnepesaukie ; on, still on, not stopping at Concord, nor at Lowell — known in many lands for its wonderful cotton mills and its vast and increasing general industry ; on, past half-a-dozen pleasant towns and vil- lages, fed from Boston, places where Boston merchants live, going into town by rail for their business ; on, tlirough a thriving, comfortable -looking district, in which the small state of Massachusetts shows its greatness, and 122 The Wniie Mountains and Boston. I in wlr. -h man has marvellously sncceedcil in battling with inhos2)itable Nature. At last, with a piercing 8^riek and the wild clang of the engine bell, we dashed into Boston. Before I could realise it, I found we were driving along the streets of the Athens of America — the home of American learning and genius — the one place which gives the law to the thinking of the Northern States, just as South Carolina gives tlie tone to Southern sentiment. For years I had had a liigh idea of Boston, and had warmly wished to see it. Now, at last, I was really pre- sent in the city. Driving along from the railway station to the Tremont House, I looked out with intense interest on the houses and stores, which are so much like those of an English town. Boston is the most English of all American cities, just as Philalelphia is the most un- English. Boston streets are not all perfectly' straight, and they are not all arranged after the same pattern. There is some variety. The houses are of varying height. The streets wind about. Now they are narrow ; — soon again they are wide. They vary all ways from one 'another ; and each one is varied in different parts of its course. Massachusetts is a small State, and Boston proper is inferior in population to New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and St. Louis ; but, in spite of that, Massachusetts wields in America an influence altogether out of proportion to its size, and Boston heads the thinking of America and is the most intellectual city on this continent. The first impres- sion, however, a stranger gets of Boston is a different one. The place seems pre-eminently a busy, pushing, thriving hive of trade and commerce. It has been so all through its history. Within one year after the Puritians colonised The White Mountains and Huston. 128 the place, ships were built and trade was crrried on. From the day when its name was changed from Indian Shuwmut to EngUsh Boston, it entered upon an era of steady and regular trade activity and commercial pros- perity. As early as 1719, 24,000 tons of shipping wete cleared annually from its port. At the end of the 17th century Boston was about the largest and richest city in America ; and it has ever since been in the very first rank. I got into Bostor in the evening, and, after a wash and 1 meal, there was one tiling I felt I must do before retiring for the night, viz., go to see Faneuil Hall. I went, examined it, called to mind its history. It was erected in 1742, destroyed by fire in 1761, re-built at the cost of the city, and enlarged to its present size in 1805. The ground floor has ahvays been used as a market, and the upper room has been used, free of charge, by public requisition, for almost every important public meeting which has ever been held in the city. The portraits of America's political worthies adorn the walls. Men pleaded in Faneuil Hall the cause of the white man, and contended for his rights. Theodore Parker and others pleaded in that Hall the cause of the negro — demanded the black man's rights. You see how Boston has got on in material respects if you note the growth of its population. In 1790 only 18,083 people lived there. In 1800 the inhabitants numbered 30,049 ; whereas in 1870 the population was 250,526. The annexation of Charlestown, West Roxbury, and Brighton, raised the figure to 292,499. The estimated population based on the assessor's returns of 1873, was 357,254. These figures do not include Cambridge, on the opposite side of the Charles river, an attractive and r'^hP'^ 124 The White Mountains and Boston. m !■■» important town, in which an additional 50,000 people reside. • Walking the streets in order, if possible, to meet with a book which I particularly wanted, I soon found that Boston is able to supply you with anything you may want in the book line. Messrs. Schonhof & Moller, in Winter- street, Boston, could oblige me where Chicago, Detroit, and Montreal had failed. Washington-street is a fine thoroughfare. It is a suc- cession of surprises. As it winds along you cannot see very far ahead at any one moment ; and from time to time in your leisurely stroll you come upon good, striking, and splendid buildings. Between Washington- street and the wharves the business done is mostly wholesale ; while to the east of Washington-street the bargains made are characteristically retail. There is an a&tcnishing amount of fashionable " shopping" gone through. Dry goods dealers make their fortunes, and husbands and fathers grumble at the length of the bills. Bostonians are very proud of their Common. It is not very large, and it is not very wonderful ; but it is a venerable affair. Ever since there has been a Boston there has been a Boston Common. It has natural beauty. It is weU- wooded. The botanical names of the trees are labelled upon them : so you can enjoy the scene and study the most delightful of sciences all at the same time. It has been said that the great test-question for a man who goes to settle down in Boston is not —How much money have you ? or — Who and what was your father ? but it is . — Wliat do you know ? I thought of that saying in con- nection with those botanical names upon the trees. The White Mountains and Boston. 125 It came to me, too, as I noted suudry literary, linguistic, and scientific peculiarities and traces here and there, as I walked inquisitively around. The old elm on Boston Common is a curiosity. It is an object of great interest. It is the oldest tree in New England. It found a place in a map which was engraved in 1722. It was the tree of liberty. On its branches they used to hang pirates, murderers, deserters, and poor old women " convicted" of withcraft. This old tree is preserved most jealously. A gale splintered off and hurled down some of its branches in 1832, whereupon, at great cost and toil, the said branches were restored to their proper positions, and firmly secured by means of iron bars and bands. One day I went to the Old South Church — reverenced by patriotic America as the spiritual home of some of her bravest sons, as the training ground of Boston troops in the old revolutionary struggle, as having been desecrated (so an inscription oi. /side declares) by the forcable entry of the British troops in 1775. This remarkable church is to be shortly sold by auction to make room for business premises, unless the purchase money be soon supplied by patriots who will perpetuate the structure in its present condition. To stand in that church, — empty, dirty, with one part devoted to an exhibition of the *♦ Century Plant," or emblematic representation of the Union, — and the whole edifice appearing desolate and di'eary,— was not a pleasant experience. I do not believe in the theology which was once preached in the Old South, — and I am an Englishman, not an American ; but still, if I had been living in America of late, depend upon it I should not wmmmmi ■if' \ ^ ir •('■■" f'A ' : >,;i % ifT^>?5V'^' "^V^i^) rf'-^''«r'i."''! 126 The White Mountains and Boston. mn have shared the New England apathy which has allowed the Old South Church to go to wrack and ruin ; and I should have argued that it ought to be preserved as care- fully as the Philadelphians have maintained their old State House or Independence Hall. I am, however, glad to hear, in this connection, that Mr. Hale and others are trying, though late in the day, to preserve the thing as a kind of museum. Away to the Bunker HiH monument. It is on Charles- town Heights. We go in the street car, and then, leaving the car, we ascend a small hill to the right of the route. This monument, as everybody knows, was built to com- memorate the battle of Bunker Hill, fought, between the American colony here and the British troops, on the 16th of June, 1775. It is plainly and massively built of grey granite. You go up over 260 steps before you get to the , top. I inquired of the custodian whether few or many English people go up this monument. The answer was "Very many." I have long contended that the mass of English i)eople cherish a very friendly feeling towards the Americans, and repudiate and denounce the tyranny which, a century ago, "u'ced their fathers to rebel. The fact that so many English tourists ascend the monument proves that they have no grudge against the Americans because the colonists conquered a century ago. I am quite sure that 'if they had any grudge against them they would never toil up those 260 steps. If one is anyway asthmatic he finds it hard work to get up there, and he wants many a rest on the way. When we reach the sum- mit we can not only enjoy the prospect but also look back, without any bitterness, to the page of history which teUs liist ■^y The White Mountains and Boston. 127 how this granite pillar became a necessity. The authors of that rebellion were not the good men who were engaged in it : they were the bUnd, unreasoning despots who re- fused to heed the wise counsels of statesmen hke Pitt and Burke : — thus it was that we lost these colonies : thus it is that there is now a Bunker Hill monument. The prospect from the top of the monument is really wonderful. I lingered entranced. Boston is famous for its suburbs. They stretch out far and wide into the open and beautiful country. The mingled view, from that commanding height, of city, suburbs, towers, spires, river, wharves, ships, trees, and fields, can never be for- gotten by me. My next visit was to Harvard university, in Cambridge, on the opposite side of the Charles river from Boston. Harvard is the oldest university in America. It is also, and always has been, the best in the country, though Yale is a formidable rival, runs it hard, and has almost realised its level. Six years after the settlement of Boston the city granted, for the establishment of a high school, a sum of money equal to one year's entire tax of the whole colony. Two years afterwards, viz., in 1638, the Rev. John Harvard, an English clergyman who hved in Charlestown, left a noble bequest in favour of the same object. The thing has been ]3ecuniarily improved from time to time. Its property now is worth 6,000,000 dollars. The grounds are delightful. It is pleasant to walk round. There is something perfectly charming in the scholastic atmosphere of the place. It was vacation time ; so I could not see things in working order ; but I examined -%''-'-^:x.,rii-i-^ a, TAe White Mountains and Boston. 128 most of the buildings. There is a medical school, a school of law, schools of science, buildings for the arts course, a. divinity school, &c. The library in Gore Hall contains 260,000 volumes. I spent half-an-hour in that hbrary, and should not grumble if I could be imprisoned there for a month on bread and water. Every visitor looks over Professor Agassiz's zoological museum, a wonderful col- lection, in which some results of the Professor's fossil researches meet the eye. If you are so disposed, you can trace in that museum the various phases in the evolution of the myriad forms of Ufe on this globe. Boston not only boasts of possessing the best University in America, but it is also pre-eminent in the matter of public libraries. The amount of money it spends year by year on its public Ubraries ought to put to the blush many cities which might be mentioned. In elementary education, too, the city is quite alive. The common school system — which is the glory of the States, and which has done more than perhaps anything else to bind together into some sort of unity the various emigrants to the States and to render probable the per- manence of the American republican experiment, — is in full force in Boston. The modern Athens ranks amongst the highest in the amount of material furnished free to pupils year by year. In 1875 it furnished books to the value of 51,879 dollars; and the cost of other books, stationery, and so on, was 104,252 dollars for 44,000 pupils. Boston is perhaps not the city which it once was ; but it still, undoubtedly, stands very high in respect to intellectual education of all grades. Mount Auburn, which was Washington's headquarters. ■■■'^& ■«:, -''•IliPfSS'WTf Ty.A+i'>.*-*-;.' '; ' ■■'• ; '■ri'^ , The White Moimtains and Boston, 129 and which is now the residence of the poet Longfellow, is in Cambridge, not far from the university. Hard by is the Washington Elm, sole survivor of that wild vast forest which once covered all that part of Cambridge. Under that elm Washington took command of the colonial army, on the 3rd of July, 1775. There are many other interesting things about Boston — things which I have not time to describe. There is the Navy Yard ; there are various buildings of importance ; there is the Brookline suburb ; there are the wharves ; — but I must say no more. A volume would be necessary to tell all about Boston. I must leave "the modern Athens" of America. It deserves that name as much as Edinburgh merits the same title of in Scotland. It is a sharp, shrewd, business-like, intellectual, brilliant city. I like its English look. I like its Puritan spirit. I like its intellectual keenness. I like its business enterprise. It is a solid and substantial city. Let us di'aw the curtain, and finish the drama for the present. When next the veil is drawn it will discover us dashing away from the Fitchburg and Rutland Eailway Depot, on the way for Saratoga. For the present, then, we must desert Boston — leave Athens behind us ; — but, as our faces are set towards Saratoga, I know some people who think we gain more than we lose by a new departure. -X>^^^)^Tl<^CO<- - jrs. i 180 LECTURE VIII. From Saratoga to New York. ^/ SAID in ray last lecture that there are many very ^ clever, brilliant, intellectual people in Boston. Eiding away from the city in the steam cars, I met with one striking instance or case. An ancient simpleton is said to have carried about with him one brick as a specimen of a particular house ; but if I point out one person as a sample of a dominant class in Boston, my conduct will be sensible instead of silly. Leaving the city behind, and hastening on west- by-north towards Fitchburg, I got into converpntion with a Boston young lady who was going out for her vacation. You must not, for a moment, imagine that I would di'eam of intruding my conversation ; but the fact of the matter was that one natural lemark about .■K?sJ! W-X, '■■ "•» From Saratoga to New York. 181 the weather led to another remark — equally natural — about the scenery, — and so on. Our talk was a treat to me. She was very intelligent and well-educated. She was a teacher in a high-class day-school, and was going off to visit some friends for a short vacation. She had two books with her to read while away : — one was Combe's *' Phrenology," and the other was Draper's '* Intellectual Development of Europe." Were not those two books rather hard nuts to crack ? There are people less than a hundred miles away from where I speak who would consider them a dull, di-y study ; but the said Boston teacher was taking them with her on a pleasure-trip. I do not exactly approve of spoiling a vacation by hard reading. I think it would be more healthful, on such an occasion, to roam about in the open air, studying flowers, stones, and insects, than to pore over books. On other grounds, however, I deemed it beautiful and admirable that a 3'oung lady — instead of being absorbed in bonnets, dresses, embroidery, and the piano — should have such literary and intellectual tastes. I was, in many respects, glad to see it. I have no doubt that Boston contains many such. I have no doubt that she is a specimen of a large class of people who have made Boston famous. I also think that it has been repeatedly demonstrated that women are capable of as profound and thorough intel- lectual education as is possible to men. At Fitchburg the cars stopped to allow the passengers to dine. As, after the due performance of the mysterious ceremonies of gastronomy, we — going on by a later train . — had two or three hours to spare, I walked about the town a good deal to fill up the time. This was in defiance 182 From Saratoga to New York. I I of the venerable adage, " After dinner sit awhile ;" but still I did it. Fitchburg is a small place, but bright and pleasant. I tried to find out the minister of the Unitarian Church ; but he, like so many others, was away on his vacation. This I might have assumed before-hand ; but, in this one case, I thought I would come to the conclusion after a careful induction : so round about I went. In- quiring at one house which I thought was his, I found that the inhabitants were members of his congregation. This was pleasant. Coui'teoush'' welcomed, I had con- siderable chat or small-talk. The continuation of our journey took us past ]3ellows Falls to Eutland. In that town we stayed all night. It is a larger and busier place than the Fitchburg wliicli we had left. Eutland has a somewhat prominent political position. You must frequently have seen its name in connection with political conferences and meetings. Next morning found us pursuing our way towards Sara- toga. Nearer and nearer we apj)roached. I had heard so much about the place as the great fashionable resort for America, witli no formidable rival save elect, select, dignified, and aristocratic Newport, that my expectations were aroused. I eagerly looked out for the arrival. At last we got there. The conductor opened the door of the car and shouted out the name, giving it — with most abominable twang — as '• Sar-r-r-rato-o-o-ge-e-e-e." To drive to the " Continental" was the work of only a minute or two. It is a quiet and peaceful hotel. We pre- ferred to go there if the alternative was the noisy, bustling, central hotels in Broad- street. Sn,ratoga is a fine, cheerful, fashionable place of national l:\iT: i-u' .^•■' mmm From SaraUuja to New York. 188 importance. People - shoals of them— visit it from all parts of America. For what do they go ? What is the attraction ? Is it the mineral springs ? or is it the fashionahle society ? When you have looked ahout a little you can give youi- opinion. For myself, I say de- cidedly that nine-tenths of the people come to Saratoga for the society, — not for the springs. To believe in the waters is orthodoxy. To deny or question their mar- vellous virtues — that is rank heresy. Tlie proper thing to do is to drink the waters periodically. Pjveryone who is not an outlaw or a barbarian patronises the springs. The most fasliionable devotees ])retend to really hkc the taste of the liquid. Concealing their repugnance and loathing, and smoothing down their faces until they present a beautiful picture of smiling complacency and connoisseur- like appreciativeness, they sip the water of the Geyser, the Columbia, or the Congress Hall spring, and even dare to " guess" that the beverage is mighty good. There are twenty-seven of these medicinal springs in Saratoga. I di-ank at seven or eight of them. All the water which I tasted was very nasty and very beneficial. I did not stay to sip it. I did not dare to experiment so deHcately. I made short work of it, and drank down a glassful at one gulp. If I ever deal in medicine it is wholesale, not retail : so, while friends around were sipping with the utmost deliberation and facial distortion, I tossed off my bumper, and felt no particular harm. I suppose the proper tning for me to say is that I know the Saratoga waters did me very great good : — what I ivill say is that I do not feel any the worse for taking them. Their com- position is certainly attractive, and must needs be \ •'»-V- K» r..;x 184 From Saratoga to New York. beueficial. There is sulphur in some ; there is iron in them all ; common salt is the principal ingredient. If you analyse the water of the celebrated Saratoga Geyser, or Spouting Spring, you find seventeen varieties of soUd contents. Magnesia and lime arc present in great force, and chloride of sodium composes nearly three-fifths of the whole. The compound is exquisite. Drink the waters you must. Hotel proprietors recommend them ; doctors prescribe them ; above all, fashion commands and society insists. In the season of 1875 over 100,000 persons visited the Geyser Spring ; other springs were patronised in proportion. In the Centennial 1876, depend upon it, the number of visitors to these medicinal springs has been much greater than that of 1875. While American hotels in general are remarkable, those of Saratoga are particularly wonderful. I suppose that the United States Hotel in Broad- street is the largest in the world. It has sleeping accommodation for 3500 guests. It is a city of itself. All kinds of shops or stores are connected with it. It occupies a vast quadrangular space. In the centre are beautiful gardens, tastefully laid out and stocked. There are piazzas overlooking the street and others inside commanding the gardens. There are peojjle who make their home here, — who really have no home of their own, but who stay here permanently at so much per montli or per year. The Grand Union Hotel, further down Broad-street, on the same side, is a splendid affair — "re."l elegant," as some Americans put it. It has sleeping accommodation for 3000 people, and was crowded when we w^ere in Sara- toga, as, indeed, were all other hotels and boarding-houses. From Saratoga to Saw York. 186 Congress Hall, just opposite the Grand Union, can admit 2700 guests, and is itself a most wonderful place. The people who stay in Saratoga hotels are mostly Americans who have plenty of money, and who want to know how to get rid of it. "While they stay in the place they learn what to do with the greenbacks : they find there are many ways for them. '• Society," so-called, is very dashing, glittering, and glaring. Saratoga women think they know just how to dress and dazzle ; — well, they do certainly know how to make the dollars fly ; but as for true taste in dress, there is very little of it in the States. The majority of the ladies who were decked out for evening concert or ball were most showily and gaudily costumed, but were not — in my judgment — tastefully arrayed. And then the expense — yes, that must be some- thing enormous. It would run away with a small (or even a large) fortune to stay long in Saratoga. I wonder where all the money comes from. American men make money fast, and their wives and daughters spend it for them. Some of these Saratoga belles must be extremely costly articles. If they have husbands, they will ruin their lords and masters very soon — unless the purses prove absolutely unfathomable. If these young ladies have no husbands, but are trying to get some, then woe to the men who marry them- -unless, as I say, the purses prove absolutely bottomless and inexhaustible. No speci- fied fortune, no business profits, can long brave Saratoga or endure what is seen in these streets, on these piazzas, and in these drawing-rooms. Mentioning the drawing-rooms reminds me of their magnificence. A young nation, overflowing with money. 186 From Saratoga to New York. lavishes wealth in rich and dazzling disi)lay. It has been said tliat the negro is perfectly oriental in his love of fine colours and striking ornamentation ; so I think that many Americans feel naturally the oriental or negro love of finery and delight in sheer magniiicencc of colour, material, and form. As to carpets, blinds, curtains, chandeliers, stencilling, chairs, cushions, couches, sofas, ottomans, and so on, you cannot conceive of anything more gorgeous than is to be found in the drawing-rooms of the United States or the Grand Union. See them as they ore lighted up for the evening. A friend in Saratoga was very anxious to show us round ; and, under his escort, we saw what there was to be seen. We passed through the various He tels in Broad- street, and we looked round. I thought we were intruders, and had no right to look about so. I felt uncomfortable. But it seemed all right. Streams of peo])le were peering about just as ^^e were. People who put up at one hotel take a good look at all the others. They are public places. The proprietors are glad for any who are not guests to look round to their hearts' content. The hotal- keepers think that visitors will pro- bably determine to stay at their particular hotel when next they come to Saratoga. When you are alone you can do as. you like ; but when a person is one of a party he has to be guided, to some extent, by the opinions and wishes of others. So it was with me. Not by my own choice, but whether I would or not, I was taken to see a Mexican dwarf, Lucia Zarate, who is twelve years old and only twenty- seven inches high. She speaks Mexican Spanish. It was very curious and very painful to look at her. It is confidently )J'.^!r:■iiJi\J'AJ.-i■i'''^'^^?A^Hk^:■iJ>r^^^^^^^ 'A^.i-'c -■'.v^r: *v:,'_--^y..u_/';i. ■.?'.■- '-Jiik'-i:)^ .v-i ■-■"^^■^a: From Saratoga to Xew York, 187 prophesied tliat rIic will bo more talked about bye-and-bye than even Tom Thumb ever was. I had not got to the end of my trials. Beneath this lowest deep tliero yawned a lower still. Friends took me to see a performing pig. After considerable persuasion 1 went, devoutly thankful that no one from Ainsworth could see me going in. The animal had been very el overly trained to answer any questions in arithmetic or histoiy, and to play a game at cards. It was a curious sigbt. It showed what can be accomphslicd by careful and i>atient training, even in the case of a pig. It is interesting to note that the Yankees have such a fine system of secular education that they can train not only the boys and girls but also the pigs. I suppose that almosi all visitors to Saratoga drive out to the Lake. It dees not really deserve much remark. It is by no means so lovely as it has been loudly declared to be. It is a very ordinary sheet of water. The ride or drive out there is, however, a cheerful and healthy thing. The air all round here is fresh, pure, and invigorating. Thus, then, in comfort and peace, in pomp and splen- dour, in profusion and luxury, by the health-giving springs or in the fashion-thronged hotels, various American health or pleasure seekers pass the time away. All this must end for us. We must quit Saratoga. Our train leaves to-morrow morning for Albany. Now the morning has come. We find ourselves flying away towards Albany — a quiet, respectable town which does not get many compliments from tourists, but which just goes on its way and does its duty. It was an old Dutch settlement, — and it has always led a quiet, patient, J;i,,-^^i&^Ti■^J^.-'hi<'/.it^la|■(.■l*«'i., .'*"' 188 From Saratoga to New York. :}.■-■ \l!'% easy-going, Datch-like life of straight-forward industry. It is now the second city in importance in the large state of New York. It has at the present time some 60,000 inhabitants. Arri\od at Albany, we were carried along in a stream of people on to one of the Hudson River day boats, and down the river we went, witnessing a natural panorama all the way. Everything was favourable — a good boat, a fine day, agreeable society, and a river noted for the romantic scenery on hs banks. This trip down the Hudson is a Ihing to be remembered. The Hudson has often been spoken of as "the Rhine of America." There is some justice in the comparison which is implied. Both the Rhine and the Hudson are romantic and beautiful ; the banks of both at times slope gently down to the water's edge, and at times are rugged, rocky, and precipitous ; in both, as the stream winds along, ever fresh and changing pictures of loveliness are unfolded to the eye : in both, the tops of the banks are ever and anon crowned with castles ; but here the similarity ends, for the Rhine has about it a g-^at wealth of old fable, legend, and histoiical fact, going far back into the middle ages ; while the Hudson's associations are ail modern. We dream about the roaming Indian ; we recall Dutch, English, and American exploits and experiences of the last two centuries ; and that is all. Then the Rhine has real castles, on its banks ; but when you see a castle on the Hudson's heights, be sure it is only a private house, built in that style to suit the owner's fancy. The Rhine of America, as it is called, is very beautiful. The principal places we passed on the eastern side were O'lA ';r>"--. ■ %■ T*.- -^r ■"■ ■»:"•■ ■,4 : ■"■■i:- !'.v_;v':-<';'? ""i". '■. ■^',"'f,?;^:: i^>o??i Saroto((a to Ketc York. 139 u a le le IS it ;s Hudson city, a large and busy trading town, and Pough- keepsie, as large and as busy, On the western shore we saw New burgh ; the Catskill Mountains in a distant, but tolerably distinct, and very charming vie\\ , tiien Tarle- town, associated with the celebrated Washington Irving. The Palisades are wall-like cliffs, standing up sheer out of the water, Lnd watching over this lovely Hudson as though she were a treasure guarded by the envious genii of some Oriental Sto^-y. Then came Jersey city and New York on the opposite banks of the stream. This New York is one of the v/orld's chief centres of commerce. The flags of all nations wave before us as we glide towards the quay. Most of the Transatlantic steam- ships steer from and to New, York. Built on Manhattan Island, cramped for room, spreading out w^est across the Hudson river into Hudson city, Jersey city, and Hoboken, spreading out east across East River into Brooklyn, Williamsburg, and other places on Long Island, New York bids fair to become a more and more important centre of population and trade for the whole civilised world. The Dutchman, Hendrick Hudson, sailed into New York Bay in the autumn of 1609. In 1025 a permanent Dutch settlement was made. In 1G52 a " bnrgher government" was established, and the city was formally named New Amsterdam. Then it passed into the hands of the English, who changed its name to New York, in honour of James Duke of York, second son of Charles the First. In 1G73 the Dutch got hold of it again, and christened it New Orange. One year later it reverted to the English by treaty ; and it was held by England until the independence of the colonies was acknowdedged. .'r^-f^ls'' i' :fi ''''':S-1^ ~-''::-'-y:'':- '^f<]^^' f'^'f^^ t' ^ M H: , » ,y^ ' I 140 From Saratoga to New York. The increase of the population is extraordinary. In 1653 the inhabitants numbered 1120 ; in 1800 the number was 60,488 ; in 1830 it had risen to 202,589 ; in 1840 it was 312,710 ; and in 1870 the population had reached a total of 942,292. It is now close upon a milHon. After a rest at the hotel — (for, pleasant as sight-seeing is, you cannot be always at it) — we had a grand stroll about the streets, along Broad'vvay, past Trinity Church, which is one of the fincot ecclesiastical structures on this continent ; back to the new Post-office — as large an achievement in the post-ofl5ce line as I have ever seen, costing six million dollars ; then walked around the splendid biiilding known as the City Hall. I was struck with the height of the business buildings in the piincipal streets. I scanned many of them most closely. Two were especially lofty. I scarcely know how to give you an adequate idea of the height of these two buildings. My difficulty arises out of the ambiguity of the word " storey." As applied to a building, some mean one thing by it and others another. Some would say that the two New York structures to which I refer are eight stories high ; but, according to my use of words, they are nine stories high. Broadway is the great business thoroughfare, as Fifth Avenue is the great promenade of fashion. Each is won- derful in its own way. Walking along Broadway, I said that it seemed far more quiet than the London Fleet-street or Sticmd would be at the same hour ; but I had after: w^ards reason to change my mind, and I felt inclined to swallow m;y words and declare that New York is almost as noisy as the great Babel on the Thames. Vf/ From Saratoga to Xew York. 141 New York is a city of refuge for knaves and villains, and low degraded people of all kinds, from all parts of the world. Many who flee from Europe to escape justice go to New York and stop there. Its neighbourhood of the Five Points is about as dangerous a quarter as is to be found in any city under the sun. The world rolls ; men in general progress ; and New York undoubtedly improves — morally and socially, as well as in other respects ; l)ut remembering the nature of much of its population, we need not be surprised that New York has to contend against special difficulties. Thus, in criticising New York, one should be specially considerate and judicial. One morning we took the street cars to the Central Park, Im-ed a carriage, and had a drive round. It is very fine and beautiful, the pride of all New Yorkers. It consists of 864 acres of land. Some time ago this land was as bare, desolate, and uninviting as can be imagined. The soil was shallow ; the vegetation was scanty and coarse ; in many cases the rough Trap rock was visible, towering up into rude, unshapely eminences. Art has conquered nature ; the soil has been enriched ; trees have been planted, grass-plats laid out, flower beds formed, lakes hollowed out and shaped romantically ; and now, Avhen tlie eye falls on the Trap rock yet shooting up at intervals, it is seen to only add to tlie beauty, by variety and by contrast. Tliere is a bridge in this Park which cost three million dollars, or £600,000. I could not find out liow little of that sum was spent in the work, and how much of it went to fill the purses of the contractors ; but I do venture to suppose that they retired from business and hved on their means soon after the bill was settled. Thei-e are 15 miles .SJ,y!-: 142 From Saratoga to Neiv York. of carriage drives in the Park, eight miles of bridle-paths, and 25 miles of footways. These figures rest on the authority of a cab driver and a guide-book. You may believe them or not, just as you like or feel able ; but my advice is, accept the above figures " with a grain of salt," that is, making a liberal discount. Leaving my friends and the Central Park, I made my way as quickly as possible away north-east towards Harlem to pay a special visit to one who was brought up in Ainsworth Chapel and Sunday School. When one is pushed for time, as we say, and has a long distance to go, he gets rather flurried and excited. I fretted at every obstacle. At one point I v^as to cross a bridge in order to get to the street car which would take me to West Farms. I3ut the said bridge had been swung round by mechanical agency so as to allow a vessel to pass along. A crowd of people, anxisous to cross, had, therefore to wait, with whatever patience they could muster, until that manuvoore had been accomplished. Talk about the punishment which Tantalus underwent ! Why, imagine us standing there unable to get over the river ! Wlien at length, the bridge slowly swung back to its place, we hurried across, — .>nd lo ! all who were going to West Farms found that ueir car had just left. We could see it in the distance. To catch it was out oi the question : two minutes earlier would have done it : — but we were just too late. We might as well have been half-an-hour behind. " A miss is as good as a mile." What was I to do ? There was no steam-car. There was not a cab to be had " for love or money, as the saying is. I must walk it. I did so. I stepped out briskly, got there at last^ saw some fiiends, ** ,r':'.-vTs-'-Y/ From Saratooa to New York. 148 — though not the one whom I specially wished to see. He was away from home, and would not be back for some time yet to come. In pleasant conversation time passes quickly by. It passed by in this case with most mii^julous speed. When I became conscious of the lapse of time, I was too late for any car down into New York, that would get me to the Jersey Ferry in time to return to Philadelphia with my friends. We had fixed it to return at a given time ; and I was to meet them. Impossible ! But I would try my best. I would strive — even against the inevitable. So off I started. Now and then I found a car to help me along a part of the road ; but, as a rule, I walked. Two cabmen to whom I spoke wanted such an enormous sum for the distance that I resisted the imposition, would have nothing whatever to do with them, and preferred to run the risk of missing my boat. Besides, according to their calculation, they could not possibly drive me to the Ferry Iti time. Consequently, eschewing cabs, I went by *' Walker's 'bus" — to quote the words of a certain duett. The pace at which I moved along was sometJiing frightful. It astonished those natives who were not too busv to notice anything. New Yorkers are tolerably brisk in their movements, The grass never grows under their feet. They never go to sleep as they walk. Still, numerous brisk and hvely New Y^orkers stared considerably at me as I stf-imed along upon that occasion. Wha,t was my success ? It was brilliant. By hurrying along faster than auj^one ought to travel on foot, I managed to get to the Ferry just — about five minutes too late. I had the pleasure of w^aiting about for the next boat, It 144 From Saratoga to New York. \' > and then of waiting on the other side for the next train from Jersey City, across New Jersey to Philadelphia. A quick ride on the Central Jersey Kailway took me away from the empire city to the Quaker city of brotherly love, whence we had started for this circular tour. Once again I was in the midst of Centennial rejoicings. Once more I rode along the regular and far-extending streets. Once more, after much wandering, — after, at least, seeing a little of America — seeing, as one lady tx|)ressed it, " a slight slice of America's great territory," — I found myself in the land of Penn, in the hospitable (( city of homes," and in the midst of friends. ^S»|^^^«£ ;--iJiA-i: ■' Ji.'t U5 LECTURE IX. Religion in America. ® ^ AM to niglit to speak of Keligion in America. The ^ importance of this subject can scarcely be over- estimated. Various, motives may induce people to cross the Atlantic in order to look round in the States : as — to see the Exhibition, to visit relations or friends, to study American , politics or American religion, or to view the country in general. Various attractions allure various people when they have crossed the ocean and find themselves in the western land. Some spend their time quietly with their fiiends, others exhaust themselves in sight-seeing, near and far ; others are caught l)y the numerous snares of great cities. Some European visitors spend their time L 14G Religion in America. and waste their money in ways of wliicli they are after- wards ashamed ; others make it their business to inquii'C into the higher hfe of the country — to find out how America hvGs and thrives, in its political andreligiousaspects and efforts. For myself let me say that, powerful as were several motives in leading me out west for a brief visit on a recent occasion, the one chief inducement was that thereby I iiiigut see American religion close at hand, aiid might acquire some clearei: idea than I belore possessed of the religious life, work, and condition of that wondrous land. And to-night, I ask your attention— not to the great cities of America, not to its natural wonders, not to its great exi osition, not to its social manners and condition, not to its trade, not to its politics, but — solely to its religion. This is the greatest themo to which I can invite your thought. Keligion is the flower and fruit of civilisation. It is that which supremely characterises any people. The cojidition — the character — of reUgion in the bosom of any people is the best criterion by which to form to ourselves some conception of the future which is before that people. And now, in directing your attention to the religion of America, I point you to that which, for good or iii, for weal or woe, wdll determine for America the char'xter of its coming time. I may venture to assume, in a brief preliminary way, that religion is strong in the United Stat os. In truth, however, this is no mere assumption. I simply refer to a fact which is well known to all. It is known that there are thousands of religious o^'gan.sations m America, and that, as a rule, they are well supported and very successful. i -f^-" ■fli^' ^v f- njiji;..^-.-!^- » Religion in Animca. 147 ■I I Now, the first point on which I want to insist is that the history and present condition of rehgion in America prove that rehgion an maintain itself and can flourish by means of the vohintary principle and altogether without a state establishment. When Liberals in England en- deavour, as a matter of alleged justice and equality, and also in the alleged interests of religion itself, to procure the disestablishment and disendowment of the English establishment, they are charged with fighting against religion itself. It has been said by timid, faithless church- people that the downfall of the estahlishment would be the destruction of tlie Church itself — that the severance of the Church from the State would be the death of religion in our own land. On the other hand, it has been argued that religion should stand on its own foundation — that it should maintain itself by tlie love of the people — and that in the event of disestablishment tliose who adhere to the Episcopal Church v/ould undoubtedly support it literallv out of their own individual resources. Now, I point you to America. I show you there a country in which there is no state church — in which all churches are separate from the state, all on a footing of equality before the law, and all support themselves by the voluntary affection, the voluntary earnestness, and the voluntary en- thusiasm of tlieii- followers. I say that religion does very well in America without state patronage and state control. I say that the Episcopal Church in the States flourishes far better, extends itself more rapidly, and has far more real life, than in the case with, the Establishment in Eng- land. I know cliere are some people across the ocean — mostly emigrant Roman Catholics and Episcopalians from ■■,:< i '/•' .-jJkr^'^ 148 Religion in America. ! V: lA-' Europe — who would like to introduce there the establish- ment principle, and get public money for their own creeds; I know there are people in the States who would like to get things into their own hands, and just tolerate (at the utmost) those who differ from them ; — but I know also that the vast majority of the people over there are quite satisfied with the voluntary principle in religion and with its results — that they will resist to the utmost all proposals for the state establishment of religion — and that there is no Uke- hood that voluntaryism in religion will ever be seriously interfered with there. This indeed, is the only just principle— the only policy which is fair to all. Let those who believe in religion support it. Let those who hold to any particular form of reUgion maintain it. In a free country let religious systems stand or fall on their own merits and according to theii- own inherent vitality. Of course the religious success of America without a State church does not prove that it would be right for us to sunder from the state, without due thought, care, and deliberation, an ancient and venerable Establishment such as exists in England ; but it does show that the craven fears of some people in our midst are foolish and without foundation. It does show tLat in the event of disestablish- ment and disendowment Episcopahanism will thrive and flourish far more realy and noticeably than even now. As I was simply able to stay ten weeks in America, I certainly cannot speak with infallible authority about Religion in that country ; but I certainly ran about a good de^"" while I was there, and I kept both eyes wide open wherever I went. I had much companionship with ministers and members of various churches, especially the Tteligion in America. 149 oitliodox Protestants. I was very diligent in attemling places of worship on Sundays. Anxious to see as much as possible of the rehgious life of the land, I wont to three different churches every Sunday. On two occasions I contrived to attend four churches in the course of the day. The first Sunday after I landed at Philadelphia I went to a Presbyterian church where Dr. Willetts preached a Centennial Sermon, — in the afternoon to another Presby- terian church to hear Dr. Somerville of Glasgow, — in the evening to Gethsemane Baptist Church, where the Rev. T. L. Hornberger gave us a simple and beautiful sermon on secret devotion. The next Sunday we were at Sea Grove, in New Jersey, and had quite a full day : prayer meeting, service at 10-80, service at five p.m., prayer meeting at seven o'clock. On Saturday, tlie 15th of July, I found myself in the Jewish Synagogue, Rodeph Shalom, in Broad Street. It is a large, comfortable, splendid place. The singing was exquisite. There was no sermon. Some one lent me a prayer book, so that I could follow the reader. I was disappointed to find that most of the service was read in German, not in Hebrew, — while even the little which was in Hebrew was pronounced in a way which I could not approve. Tho next morning discovered us listening to Dr. Wadsworth, who, in an odd and eccentric not very sensible way, talked about " Rain." In the afternoon I had the pleasure of looking over Mr. Waimamaker's Sunday School, which is the largest in the city. All was very nice, with the exception of the spittoons freely scattered about the building and a notice in the vestibule — "Gentlemen are requested to refrain from spitting on 150 Religion in America. the floors." In the evening we Hstencd to Dr. Henson, a Baptist preacher at a church situated at the corner of Broad- street and Master- street. It is a very elegant structure — a cross between the lecture-room and the Theatre. Dr. Henson is one of the bright particular stars in the Philadelphia sky. He discoursed, in eloquent sensational style on "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect." He implicity and almost explicitly denied the doctrine of total depravity ; he seemed heretical on other points also. The next Sunday, bright and early, I was bound for the French Episcopal Church, off Chestnut- street. Every word of the service and se^ mon was in good classic French. The minister is a gentlemanly ritualist. With good delivery, genuine eloquence, and thorough orthodoxy, he preached from the words " Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." I was out of this place in time to hear Dr. Magoon preach about the vision of Paul on the road to Damascus. The Doctor is a clever, learned, eccentric, elastic man ; his t'.ieology is all in a jumble ; his style is odd, jerky, and laughable ; but he says so many good, deep, and masterly things, that, in spite of the orthodox feeling agai st him, crowds flock to hear him. In the afternoon and evening of that day I went to other places : Dr. Wylie's and Dr. Baum's. On the following Saturday to another Jewish Synagogue, called Keneseth Israel, where Dr. Hirsch ^s Rabbi. Again I found the service mostly in German. Dr. Hirsch told me after the service that he does not Uke Unitarians, because they cling to the skirts of orthodoxy and refuse to take up the position of naturalism in religion. Helujion in America. 151 But I must cease this enumeration of visits wliich I paid to various cliurclies. I wanted to show you tliat I tried all I could to ^et a clear idea of the condition of religion in America. I will simply say, then, that on subHecjuent Sundays and other days in Philadelphia, Chicago, or Goreham in the White Mountains, I availed myself of every opportunity of visifing churches, and uniting in re- ligious services and meetings of different kinds. If any- thing was to be seen, I wanted to see it. When an Englishman sojourns and travels in the States, certain characteristics of religion there soon strike his mind and compel his attention. He does not look about much without seeing that there is too much brag and boast in American religion. Re- ligiou there is too much given to " J3uncombe." If a man is worth sixpence he spealvs as though he were worth half-a-crown. If American Christians r.chieve a small success, they represent it as a great triumph. In England we go on at a quiet steady pace ; we are not prone to boasting ; we are rather in the habit of ciiticising our- ourselvcs unfavorably and depreciating our efforts and successes ; — but I am persuaded tliat — especially as re- gards Liberalism — there is more real persistent work, and a better prospect, in England than there is in America, in spite of all the highly- coloured accounts which we may have read. Another noticeable thing is that it is the exception for Ac'^rican churches to be open twice on the Sunday during the season. Many have simply one service. Some close their doors altogether for fi-om two to three months of the year. The congregations give tlieir ministers a long 152 Religion in America. ■vacation ; they carefully line the parson's purse before he leaves his home ; they send him off with good-will ; and they hope to see him back, bye and bj^e, with renewed strength and vigour. Then so many of the people go off to enjoy themselves and drink in health with every breath, that it is not thought worth while to keep on for the few who remain ; — and so the place is shut up. Some provide preaching supplies for the few who remain and for strangers. Others close altogether. I cannot say that I like this custom. It seems to me a lazy, cowardly thing. It certainly would take a devout Englishman a long time to get used to it or to sanction it. American or American- ised ministers in Chicago may close their places of worship ; but the Englishman, the Kev. Brooke Herford, who went thither from Manchester a short time ago, keeps his church wide open. The large and comfortable Church of the Messiah stands wide open, inviting strangers to enter i;s portals. Yoir strong sturdy Englishman is not going t ) shut up his place of worship because the heat is oppressive. Of course it is extremely hot over there in s unmer time — but no less so for the faithful ones who re- main than for those who desert their post. I will venture to tell you that I, fresh from Enj2;land, went to two, three, or four services every Sunday while i was in America. It vexed m3 considerably to note that Americans, especially Liberals, could flee away from their auty, and make no religious provision for the thousands of strangers present in the States from all parts of tlie world during this centennial year of America's Independence. It is right, however to note the contention of Americans that the change does them good -that they come back refreslied Vi Reli I/ion In America. 1/33 and renewed, and do their -v^ork all the better because of its temporary cessation. I was very much struck by tlie sight of the equality of seats in America. Here we live in the midst of ecclesi- astical inequalities. Here we have churches and chapels : — they are all churches in America. You hear of the Baptist church, the Methodist church, the Unitarian church, as well as the Episcopal church. They are all on a level. The State does not pet and patronise any one ; but it gives them all a fair field and no favour. Here we liave clergymen and ministers : — they are all clergymen in America. A preacher among the Presbyterians, the Con- gregationalists, or the Universalists, is called clergyman as rau(rh as an Episcopalian pastor is. Some honourable and sensible exceptions apart, it has been too common in England for clergymen to act in a loi-dly, contemptuous, and insulting way towards nonconformist ministers and non- conformists in general. There is nothing of tliat there, and soon there will be nothing of it here. Human beings are marching on ; the day of religious equality will soon dawn ; a^nd ere long it will be evident that religion in America lias been the fair and beauteous model in har- mony with which we have realiseil our own ecclesiastical ideal. So far as I know, the only people in America who seriously quarrel with the existing equality of sects, and who wish for supremacy, are the Roman Catholics They are threatening the common scdiool system, whicii is the glory of the States ; they are grasping after public money for narrow sectarian aims ; and they mean never to rest until, having lost supremacy and the power to persecute on the continent of Europe, they can regain their old 154 ReWjlon m America. WH position and power hj new conquests here and in the United States. Americans are becoming ahve to the real danger which assails them ; and, that being the case, their adhesion to the principle of religious equalit}'' and fairness all round is so pronounced Lhat no conspiracy will ever be successful in attempting to overturn the fair structure which they have reared on a foundation so firm and sure. You cannot go far about across the Atlantic without noticing the extremely unconventional costume and man- ner of American ministers. With the exception of the Roman Catholics and a few Episcopal dignitaries, ministers are lost in the mass. You cannot tell them from others. Episcopalians, Lutherans, Baptists, Unitarians, all are indistinguishable. I have often congratulated my- self on the fact that I am no priest — that I have no supernatural power — that I make no pretension to be ii the apostolical succession, — and that I am simply a man — a man among men ; — but many a time in America I was a-'-JCOstcd by ministers of various denominations, and had considerable talk with them, before I had the slightest idea tliat they were ministers at all. When I found that out I liked their unconventional ways, — and I could easily have determined to cast aside white ties, peculiar waist- coats, and all else which can, by appearance, distinguish me from ordinary men ; and I should do so but for this consideration : — that I am not ashamed of my profession : I am proud of it, — I am not ashameu of my colours : I am proud of them, — I do not want to glide about in secrecy, — I do not care who knows what I am, — I do not care who knows that I profess to be a minister of religion. Side bvside with this unconventional costume and manner Religion in Amenca. 155 is the amusing prevalence of D.D'b. Every American minister of any note is a Doctor of Divinity. D.D's. are as plentiful in the States as blackberries are on English hedges. Though it is got so easily, witliout the shghtest examination, and simply as a compliment from a theo- logical college to any respectable student after he has been away iron ics protecting care some five or six years, the American people really do seem to think that the degree is of some consequence, and that it reflects some honour upon a pastor. The custom has become so ridiculously common that an English minister travelling in the States is sure to be styled " Doctor " every few miles of his route. Some people imagine that all American ministers are very odd and sensational in their pulpit ministrations. That is not so. We must not too hastily conclude from particulars to universals. From what I have seen, read, and heard while in the States, my opinion is that the average American minister is not sensational at all, — but that he goes on and does his duty in a plain, straight- forward, ])usiness-like manner. The liberal manner in which religion is supported in America deserves a hearty word of praise. Men maintain their systems with no grudging hand. Money is made fast, and it is spent liberally. Ministers in America are, as a rule, well paid. As a rule there is no cheese-paring — no miserly dealing. Tlie people expect wholesouled service : so they raise the ministers above aU anxiety and worry as to how the tradesmen's bills are to be paid, and tliey fiU their purses to the brim. One whom we know geth 8000 dollars a year, — another 12,000 dollars. For years Henry Ward Beecher received 12,000 dollars per -:ti ■; ^ifipiiipnRipppRnpilPPRiV mmmmm 156 Religion in America. year ; his regular stipend now is 20,000 dollars ; and in the year 1875, to meet his special legal expenses, his people gave him 100,000 dollars. Then the money which is spent upon church building and church furnishing is something enormous. Berkeley- street Unitarian Church in Boston cost 275,000 dollars, and is, perhaps, with the exception of Trinity Episcopal Church in New York, the finest and most perfect specimen of ecclesiastical archi- tecture in the United States. American churches are very often furnished as comfortably and elegantly as private parlours are. Some people, who want and will have comfort and bea-ity in their own homes, think that four walls and a roof will do for a church — that a barn is quite good enough for a so-called " House of God." Many Americans think differently : they judge they should give their very best to the cause of religion. Not only the ministry and the public services of religion are liberally maintained; but all practical matters of religion, viz., — benevolence, kindness, charity, and love, are kept in mind systematically and carried on in the most generous manner. A word as to the relation which American religion sus- tains to American politics. I know that many American ministers are very political in the pulpit. If the people want to hear a plain-speaking comment on the latest political intelligence they go to church next Sunday morn- ing. They are not disappointed : they find that the sermon is a political address. I know all that ; and yet I believe I speak the truth when I say that, in the main, and as a rule, there is a clear sunderance between religion end politics. It Deems to me that, practically speaking, the ■»'l: immmttm Beliifion in America. 167 ministers and members of Christian churches in America have nothing like the influence upon the politics of tlio country which tliey ought to wield. What is the result ? The result is the political corruption of which we hear so much. I say that there should be a much closer con- nection than now exists between the religion and the poUtics of that country ; and I say that thus the whole citizen tone of the land would be raised and purified, and men would feel that they were performing (instead of shirking) the duties which devolve upon them as citizens of a gi'eat and free country. It is interesting and instructive to consider the relative strength of various forms of religion and various religious sects in America. I suppose that the Methodist Episcopal Church is the largest and strongest in the States. In the east, in the west, on the Pacific slope, in the south, it is the largest and most successful body. Looking simply at the south, we see that it has 3271 travelling preachers, 731, HOI church-members, 7578 schools, 49,797 teachers, and 846,759 scholars. Next in size and strength come the Episcopal Church and the Roman Cathohc Church. The Baptists and the Presbyterians are very large and thriving bodies. In the city ol Philadelphia the Baptists have fifty-six churches, the Presbyterians liave seventy, the Episcopalians about eighty, the Roman (-atholics be- tween seventy and eighty. Other denominations are small in that city. In New York the Baptists have thirty- one churches ; there are twenty- six Jewish Synagogues, forty-five Methodist Episcopal Churches, fifty-one Pres- byterian, seventy-two Episcopahan, and thii-ty-nine Roman Catholic. M mm >[••:"■ f ■;', ri. \m 158 Religion in America. Those Churches in America which are Unitarian, or substantialy the same as Unitarian, are comparatively few. They go by various names : as, Unitarian, Unitarian Congregational, Universalist, Christian, Hicksite Quaker* German Eeformed, and so on. The Unitarian proper number close upon 400, the Universalist about 2,150, the Christians just over 5000 ; tlie Hicksite Quakers and the German Reformed add about 1000 more. Liberalism is very weak in Philadelphia and New York. It is strongest in Boston :— in a population of 350,000 there are about 45 congregations which are substantially Unitarian — 81 of them distinctly Unitarian. Liberalism, further, has influenced all denominations excepting the Roman Catholic : so that its imj)Ucit adlierents are found in well nigh every communion in the land. Most of the coloured churches in the States are Metlio(hst Episcopalian, though many are Baptist or Presbyterian. The best and most eloquent sermon which I heard in America was dehvered by a jet-black full-blooded Negro in a Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia — all the congregation, with the exception of just ten persons, being coloured men and women. There is much yet to do among the Negroes before the religion of America can be what it should be ; and for some time to come, as it seems to me, the wisest way of working among the Freedmen will be that which the Unitarians, in conjunction with the Methodist Episcopalians, have adopted, viz., the benevolent and educational method. Until they become intellectually enlightened, religion can be with them only the grossest and most fantastic superstition. The present theological condition of the churclies in H^ Tleliffion in Am erica. 169 America offers for our consideration a most instructive theme. Unitarians have always contended that freedom of inquiry in reUgion naturally leads to the destruction of creeds — considered as authoritative and binding formulas — and to the prevalence of Liberalism, which abolishes the evil and absorbs tlie good of all lower systems, and ever aims to adapt the form of religion to the changing needs of man's advancing intelligence. It is so in America. Free-thought is doing its work there. The free Episcopal Church has done away with the public use of the so-called Athanasian Creed, never ])ublicly pro- fesses to believe that deniers of the doctrine of the Trinity will, without doubt, perish everlastingly, — and has itself progressed in many points. Liberalism, in its various forms, is a power in the land. It lias been said that " as Massachusetts now thinks so America will think bye-and- bye." There is truth in the phrase. Massachusetts — the stronghold of the theological Liberalism and Radicalism of x\merica — gives the law to American thinking and de- termines the course of the development of American theology. An intellectual lady, who was a convert from Methodism and a teacher of a ladies' school, and with whom I had considerable conversation while crossing the ocean from Liverpool, gave me the history of her theo- logical and spiritual development — a history which cleiirly revealed to me how vast is the power which theological Liberalism exerts in the States, even in those numerous districts where it has no organisation. Then it has modified orthodoxy to some extent. The American Unitarian Association has scattered far and wide the works of Channinir and other books useful for '^ I I 160 Religion in America. inquirers. Riding about in the cars, or visiting various cities, I met with several orthodox ministers who had re- ceived such books, and who felt their great indebtedness to them. One Methodist Episcopal minister whom I me^ in Michigan expressed, with special warmth, his gratitude for the Unitarian books w4iich h^ had received. "While not a' >roving of thr. " vM*-vr- • -yt. tementa" medo by tne Unitarians, he was yet oi ri • ' ' tiat they have done a good and necessary work i.v, tii .vay of purifiying the ideas of Christians as to God and as to God's dealings with mankind. Spending a Sunday at Sea Grove, near Cape May, on the coast of Ncav Jersey, I heard a sermon from a PresVyterian Doctor of Divinity who evidently did not believe in total depravity and two or three other doctrines of the creeds. After the service I expressed my surprise at this, and I was coolly told by my orthodox friends that scarcely any ministers and church -members of any intelligence believe in the total depravity of human nature. All I can say is that they used to believe in it ; and if they have now given it up it is largely because of Unitarian arguments and Unitarian efforts. After a long conver ation with a widely-honoured Phila- delphia pastor, he told me that the difference between us was one of *' mere expression," and that he did not see why I could not cast in my lot with him. All I can say is, that if the only difference is one of " mere expression " the reason is because the Orthodox have become less orthodox than they were, and that they have come on in the course of time ; and I can only fervently hope that jihey will come on still further, and that when another fifty years shall have passed away they will stand where the Religion in Amenca. li\l Unitarians, in resolute acUierence to the principle of free inquiry, now plant tlieir feet. Though, however, vhat I liave said as to the present tiiCclogical conaition of the churches in America is perfectly j istifi^^d by the facts, it is also true that, judging from victual pubUc utterances and professions, the real old genuine uruhoaoxy is yet, as a rule, maintained. I know very well that I heard a good deal of genuine and undi- luted doctrine in my numerous visits to Unitarian churches. I had the whole series of doctrines put before m*" -^ne by one, just as they are contained in the creeds and f 1' .a ■ ds. One Presbyterian D.D. gave us tho old teachii >. ^^wu^ut any dilution or trimming. He treated the Bibio a J! of a piece, and so quoted from any part to iliustrn >^ ary other part. Quoting the following words from Dct teronomy : " He is tJie rock ; his work is perfect — a God of truth and without iniquity ; just and right is lie," — he said they referred to Jesus, and proved his Godhead. He treated as a gross lieresy the prevalent Subordinationism of the first three centuries of the history of the Christian Church. He contended for the supreme deity of Jesus. He perfectly revelled in the phrase, "the blood of God" — a phrase which he repeated several times, and over which he seemed to gloat as a very sweet morsel. Depend upon it, the mass of the preachers and church members in the States are orthodox after the old unmodified pattern. Unitarians in New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, think that the old superstition is dead — as dead as the ancient pagan my- thology is. In that supposition they make a great mis- take. Though Trinitarians have changed a little, and have come nearer to the ideas of Channing than they were, they M 11 1G2 Religion in Ah; erica. still claim to be orthodox — they Btill maintain their most essential positions — and they still denounce, as heretics and infidels, hberals who think furthejr than they do. Unitarians in Boston are too strong to be ignored ; but, in spite of occasional courtesies, the Trinitarian feeling against them is bitter. A Trinitarian minister of the city was asked for his opinion of Hale, Clarke, Savage, and others. He gave it, and it was decidedly unfavourable. '* But yor acknowledge that they are smart men ?" was the next remark. " Yes,/' came the rejoinder, " smart enougli ; — but Satan is smart." Trinitarians openly boast that they are gaining ground in Boston ; and they say that the victory will bc3 theirs bye-and-bye, and a new Boston will be born into the world. The most enlightened people in the American Trinitarian churches are, as a rule, not far removed from the most conservative Uni- tarians ; but the bulk, the mass, the rank and file, of the American Trinitarians are just what they were and where they were. Indeed, they are far more orthodox than most of our English Trinitarians are. Our English Stanleys and Browns would fare but poorly if they were located in the midst of average American Christians. The Uni- tarians over there have a work yet to do : for the leaven has not yet fully operated, I trust that they will not de- lude themselves with the belief that their mission is accomplished. I liope they will gird up their loins for tlie struggle which yet remains. I trust that, while pro- perly giving great attention to the new problems and the new needs of a scientific age, they will continue their old task and do their old work, and so contribute still further to the reformation of Christendom. lifliljion in America. ICti I am no proj)het, — and I will not presume to be able to forecast the future of religion in America ; but I must say this : that the current of thought, the progress of events, and the present attitude of the Transatlantic educated mind, all seem to me to point to the triumph of Liberal religion at no very distant date. Whether or not the Unitarian churches over there will be the nucleus of the American church of the future I cannot say. That will probably be largely determined by whether or not the Unitarians show themselves sufficiently broad, brave, warm, and self-sacrificing ; but, however that may be, I am ouite certain that the day will dawn when American religion will fulfil the aspirations and longings of the most rational religionists of tho age — the day when, throughout the States, there will be no seism in the realm of truth, but when religion will be in perfect accordance and harmony with all the needs of man and all the facts of the world. S^i^^^t^'^ w ^v' i^ I' H, : J .J M *«* 164 LECTURE X. American Politics. OME people make a decided distinction between religion and politics. I do not trouble to distinguish very precisely between them. Much intellect 'al power is wasted, and much valuable time loat^ in subtle distinction and clever re- splitting of the splits of straws. For all practical purposes I view religion, morality, politics, as one and synonymous. They severally concern man's duties and privileges in view of God, his fellow-men, and the State. Some think they have no time to give attention to such a sublunary matter as politics. They are occupied with more important affairs. That plea is all nonsense. So long as we live beneath the moon it will be quite proper Americitn Politics. 1(>5 for us to occujiy ourselves with politics. We have a responsibility in the matter. Politics are the duties, cir- cumstances, relations, ami responsibilities of a citizen. As citizens, it would be very wrong for us to sliirk our citizen duties or attempt to evade our citizen responsi- biUties. While it is the boundon duty of every citizen to give earnest public- spirited attention to the internal and external politics of his own country, we should not be politically selfish. Wo should not confine our view to our land, or to the relation of our own land to otlier countries. Realising our world-wide brotherhood, -feeling that the wdiole human race forms one family, — we should look with brotherly, sympathetic eye upon the politick circumstances and prospects of other nations besides our own. Americans take great interest in politics. I mean, most Americans are interested that way. There are ex- ceptions ; but, as a rule, the people think and talk a good deal about their political system, the various political measures whicli are brought forward, and the condition and prospects of the great political parties. I met with a number of young w'omen who, instead of being absorbed in absurd and trifling vanities, took a living interest in the politics of their country, and expressed their thoughts with the ut lost clearness and intelligence. I believe that in America it is not thought an unfeminine or unladylike thing for a woixian to like politics, — that is, to feel herself a citizen. Political newspapers are very common, 'fijey have been established in the smallest places. Tho popu- lation must be very sparse wdiich does not sii])|iO)'t its paper. In small and little-known places you find a daily paper, eagerly read and discussed. Doubtless, mr:ch of I I:* i '..f-^:_^ ■- * ^ •|iiP ill §■ ! tji" i 1(3G Amencan Politics. this America political reading and talk is very superficial. Doubtless, much of this is mere theory : — it is not put into practice. It would be well if many people who read, think, and talk very much on this subject, would take theii* fair share of the work and insist ui)on having a place in the actual political organisation, plans, and movements. But it is a good thing so far as it goes. It is a good omen when the mass of the pc^ople in any land feel that the politics of their country are not foreign to them, but do concei-n them most closely, — and when they are not only willing but determined to have tlieir citizen r.'t..rt and do their citizen work. .To-night I speak of American politics. We are so closely related to the United States, — we have so many reasons for wishing to sympathise with them and to under- stand their position, — that the subject of American politics must be extremely interesting and important in the esti- mation of every dweller in this land. To understand American politics one must realise how vast is tlie area over which the Union extends. From the Great Lakes in the north to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, and from the Atlantic Shore on the east to the Pacific Coast in the west, you find a vast district of over three miUion square miles. That is, physically speaking, a great country,. It might be comparatively easy to rule and keep in order a small country which could be re.idily overlooked and commanded. It would bo no great triumph for liepublicauism to have succeeded in a very limited area. Ikit how to rule — how to combine — liow to direct — the immense territory of tlie States ? Surely Repulicanism has been cui its trial there. It has been If 1 American Politics. 1G7 31 put to a crucial test. How lias it, so far, endured ulie ordeal ? Has it broken down ? Or does it stand erect ? Has it been a failure or a success ? Different opinions on the question are held by different men. Sincere and earnest monarchicalists are apt to ignore the virtues of the American Eejnibhc — to magnify its faults and errors, — and to pronounce it a faili.re. Ardent Rebublicans sometimes praise it without dis- crimination or qualincatioii. I trust that I shall be impartial in what I shall say. I do not conceal m^' own political convictions. I am a Eepublican. I think that is the reasonable form of government, and that humanity grows up into that as it becomes mature. True monarchy is not defended now. The only monarchy yet maintained is a merely nominal thing. It is a modified, diluted affair. We keep the name of monarchy, while the people have left the reality behind them. Most of those who contend for monarchy are careful to say that our monarchy has been so curbed and modified in the course of time that we have now in Eng- land a Republic in fact, though not in nam (3 and form. So that all serious controversy is abandoned. The principle of Republicanism has so widely prevailed that no free and civilised nation would now endure a mon- archy of the old, true, genuine stamp. Monarchy is not now " the rule of one : " it is "the rule of a Parliament selected by the people "-—and that is RepubKcanism in fact, though not in form. I hope, however, in spite of my theoretical approval of the Republican principle, that I shall be perfectly impartial in what 1 shall say about American politics. I will try to be so. I 1#.vW.K;-^,-'tc''>^- ■■M ^ 1 11' I ■¥ I 168 ^ merican PoUtics. Tlie political system of tlie United States is that of a Federal Eepublic. There are several states, each of whicli manages its own internal affairs and makes its own domestic laws, and all of which are represented in the Central Government at Washington, which makes general law^s for the whole, combines all into one union, and re- presents them (as one nation) to outside peoples. The states form five great groups. Tliere are the New England States : viz., Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, and Ehode Island. Then come the Middle States,- that is — New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Next you get to the Southern States, whicli are Virginia, "West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina^ Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and the District of Columbia. The Western States comprise Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Colorado. The Pacific States ar3 simply California and Oregon. These are exclusive of certain territories which, one by one, as they increase in population and im- portance, are admitted to the rank of States,— just as Colorado was admitted last 3'^ear, and called the Centennial State. The territories are Nebraska, Dacotah, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, Utah, Arizona, and Idaho. The thirteen colonies of one hundred years ago liave 0" ^tanded into tlie numerous states and territories above- mentioned. Over Jill this extensive area tho Union system extends. We ought naturally to anticipate that peculiar diffi- culties would confront the [tower whicli should endeavour mmm America)i Politics. 169 a to rule and combine into one organic whole so large an extent of country. We ought to study American politics in a fair, candid, impartial, and judicial manner. The United States Government has, further, met with difficulties arising out of the nature and variety of its population. That population is of a mixed and mingled character. People from all parts of the world live in the States. America is a vast Cave of Adullam. It is a refuge for people wlio hastily flee from their own countries to avoid conscription or to escape the penalty of their crime. People who find Europe too hot to hold tlicm go to America. On the other hand, thousands of the strongest, ablest, and most honourable men in various trades and professions leave their pjirticular native land and emigrate to the States. Thus the Union loses, and it also gains, by emigration. The influx of some Europeans is a source of weaknesh and danger, — of others an increase of strength and safety. The population-difficulty also arises from the variety of nationality, language, and race, comprised within the area of the Union The Negroes present o. serious political problem. The system of negro slavery was not establishcid yesterday : it has long been deeply rooted and firmly fixed in the social system. It was upheld by the pulpit and based upon the Bible. For years the Methodists and ether denominations were divided upon the question into North and South camps. The Presbyterians, South, in 1803, met in General Synod and passed two resolutions. The first resolution read : " Resolved, that slavery is a divine institution ; second, resolved, that God raised up the Presbyterian & • i< a !. 170 American Politics. Chiircli, South, to protect and perpetuate that institution." The efforts of an increasing band of ahoUtionists created a strong public opinion against the '* domestic instiiiition." The war of rebelHon, sixteen years ago, overthrew it. Now, then, what is to be done with the freed negro ? The Repubhcans have one poUc}" : viz., to educate the freed- men. The Democrats have another pohcy, viz., to re-enslave them. There is a formidable political difficulty. The Indians give the Government another political nut to crack. They are the aborigines ; they have been dis- possessed ; they are bitter and revengful. What is to be done ? One war after another, frequent skirmishes and quarrels, treaties made and then broken either by the savages or by the rough, rude frontier- men : — all these things seem only to point to the gradual extermination of one race bv another. I believe that the United States Government endeavour to deal with thifc.' problem in the best and most honourable way. If, through the rough lawlessness of frontier -settlers and adventurers, the Government drift into an Indian War now and then, we, who have drifted into many a causeless, purposeless, and throughly idiotic tv^ar, ought not to blame them too severly. Surely the Indian question is a weighty political obstacle in the path of America's inevitable advance It is hard to know how to deal politically with the hordes of Chinese who stream into the States b}^ San Francisco. A. ^Icn \ politicians are seriously exercised about ihei \. T'le constitution does not patronise one form of . laii''"' ^m<^ .ji:i,",ecut: iul others. It is a political and not ;. j)o];:ijo ojclesiasti ;d constitution. According to it, Maliom< 0.;: i, Cjn licians, and Buddhists, have as American Politirs. 171 much right to live there as Christians have, provided they obey the law. Yet, many Cbristians view witli great alarm the heathenism which thus openly establishes itself in their land, and many politicians would, if they could (for purely political reasons), send all the Mongols back to Asia. But there they are ; their number increases ; they are dangerous ; they are useful and clever ; it will be a long time before they will be assimilated and Americanised. Meantime, it is by no means easy for a politician to fix what Jiis Chinese policy shall be. The Celestials are a stumbling block in his way. Then tlie Irish (be it gently whispered) are a political difKculty to America. The English rule of Ireland has been successful to only a limited extent. To a large ex- tent it has been a failure. Most of the Irish emigrants go to the States. The Americans arc finding cut how hard it is to manage the Erse Celts. In many places the Irish form the bulk of the dangerous classes. The attitude of the American Irish in reference to the Negroes and the Chinese is fraught with difficulty and danger to the countrv. An American politican has to keep both eyes open in the direction of the Grangers and Inflationists of the West. In such a vast district as the great West there must inevitably be much inconvenience and expense in the transportation of agricultural produce to its proper market ; and it is foolish to manufacture a political grievance out of a natural difficulty. The Democrats 8U])port the Inflationist craze: — that an unl'-nited issue of paper money would make the country rich, enable it to pay all its debts, and increase the general comfort. The '^^■■'f^' ■•••■v^^j- \^\ J v I » 172 American Politics. Republicans advocate a return to hard-money payments : and in the last Session of Congress a Resumption Act was passed providing for the resumption of payments in 3oin from the first day of January, 1879. You can easily see how such discussions give colour to the politics of the land. The Mormon problem is not yet solved. The Govern- ment determine that United States Law shall be felt all over the states and territories. The attit^ide of the Mormans is well known. The knot has been cut, but not untied. It is probable that time will render this difficulty less and less. The last obbtacle aga'nst whicli the American Republic has to contend is tlie r,ttitude of tlie Roman Catholics. While all other sects fall in with the spirit of the land, obey the laws, and vo^ ain from plotting against the very existence of the Republic, the Roman Cathohcs (es- pecially the Roman Catholic hierarchy) feel a natural repugnance to Republican Institutions, — they magnify and ridicule all the smallest faults which are discoverable, — they openly avow their sympathy with a different order of things, — and, meantime, they threaten the Ufe of the common school system by their attempt to appropriate public money for their own private sectarian aims. Now, bearing in mind all the difficulties, obstacles, and dangers w^hich I have pointed out, how has the Republic dealt with them ? Have they overcome it ? or is it gradually gaining tlie victory over thein '? J\Iy own answer is — The American Republic is a success. It has not broken down in fulfilment of any prophecy or private wisli that it would speedily come to nought. It 1ms got American Polilia. 173 to the end of its first century. It is strong and vigorous. It has a long future before it. Considering tlie extent of its area, the mixed and conflicting nature of its population, and the various and formidable dangers which it has had to face, the wonder is (not that there are faults liere and there, — not that a mistake has at times been made, — but) that the Eepublic has been able to so far consolidate and combine its heterogeneous materials into one whole, and (even to the degree visible) to weld together into one American rationality so many various tribes, peoples, and races. The wonder is — not that there is political corruption in certain places, notably in New York City — but tliat, on the whole, considering all the dangers and evils arising out of various and clashing peoples and in- terests, tliere is so much law ;ind order, fo much general prosperity and well-being. Much is said about tlie political co^ • lion of tlie States. This corruption is mainly along the Atlantic sea-board, — and it is chiefly found in New York. It is partly at- tributable to the character of the emigration which flows thither, and partly it is to be ascribed to the fact that American Christians too often hold aloof from politics, and American respectable people refuse to have anything to do with politics. If the high .r, better people in a land neglect, fo* any reason, the performance of the citizen duties which devolve u])on them, what is tie result ? It is political coiruption. Politics in the States have too largely fallen into the Iiands of liquor-saloon proprietors and frequenters, and selfish unprincipled people of all kinds, who run the political crganisation for their own benefit — not for the public weal. Tlie corruption whicli i . 174 American Politics. (xists liiiB been oxaggertited ; but in bo fur as it does exist, the blame lies at the door of those iiumerouB respectable and high-toned Americans who have held aloof from practical politics, had no part in the innei- working of the various organi nations, and contented themselves with simpl}^ casting their ballot. Political corruption has de- filed and disgraced the llepublican party, and is the real reason why the voting for President has been so close, and why, if elected at all, (jovernor Hayes will go in by a majority of simply one vote. From time to time the Kepublicans become thus chargeable with corruption, and, in despair, the people turn them out and put the Demo- crats into office. This is a great nnstake. I'o change Eepublicans for Democrats may be going from the bad, but it is going to the worse. In comparison wdth the L'- ocrats the Republicans are pure. It is quite right to give the Republicans a lesson now and again ; but the dangers which the country runs when Democrats hold the reins of the ! ^tate Chariot are so great, that it is death to all the true iniovests of the States when they are put into power. The Democrats have no policy of their own. They only hunger and thirst after office and the emoluments of office. All they do w^hen in opposition, is to find fault with every measure which the Republicans bring forward. All they do when in office, is either to do nothing and just get through the time, or else feebly copy Republican measures and i)olicy, or else attempt reaction. The Democrats are the pro-slavery party. They were '* the solid South " in the war of re])ellion sixteen vearii^ past. They would try to break up ilw Union if, by so doing, they could r^^-establish slavery. I know that tliis mmm mmm American Politics. 175 is dei)io(l ; I have met with Democrats ' who say they do not want to hring hack slavery ; hut history is there to declare the truth. Look at the Democratic record, and see. Tliey have always heen leagued witli the South. They fought to hreak up the Union, so that, with thoir hoasted doctrine of state riglits, they might reduce the hond to a mere confederacy, or miglit he ahsolutely free to perjietuate their " domestic institution." licpresenting what I helieve is a general soatiment among Southern Democrats, Zebulon D. Vance, Democratic Candidate for the Governorship of North Carolina, candidly says — " I am sorry tliat I laid down my arms in 18G5 ; I am in favor of re-onslaving the negro, and if that cannot be done at once my idea is to adopt a plan which will hring about such a condition of tilings. I would deprive the negro of educational privileges ; I would pay him low wages ; I would prevent him from acquiring real estate ; I would deprive him of arms, ammunition, stock, and agricultural implements." Relying upon the Southern doctrme, the Democrats boasted before-hand of "the solid South" — boasted that the South would vote with entire unanimity the Democratic Ticket. If Samuel J. Tilden be Demo- cratic President, he will 1 9 chosen by the votes of those who tried to break up the Union. He came out as a hard-money candidate ; but, as his party wanted to catch some Western men, he veered round and favoured cur- rency views. The corruption which has been brought home to the Repubhcans has, no doubt, placed Governor Hayes at a disadvantage ; and Tilden is personally a superior and clever man, and thus a hard man to beat in an election ; <■'.■:»( 17('» American Politics. ;^'' ■/' .■ .*. Lnit Tilden, thougJi a good State Governor, would, iu my opinion, be a bad President. He is the Kepreaentative of a party which is more corrupt than is its opponent, and which nourishes aims whicli are f' tal to the Union. The Bepubhcan party, in spite of a ' ts corruption, is the re- presentative of all that has made America great and prosperous. The Democrats represent the slavery, the ignorance, and the violence of the States, while the Republicans stand for the in\-elligence and enlightenment of the Union. The Democratic vote preponderates where there are fewest schools and where the densest darkness D oov's, while the Republican ticket is triumphant in the educated and intellectual districts. A glance at the statis- tics of the vot(j for Hayes and Tilden will prove the truth of what I sav. I say that the Democrats appeal to the violence of the country instead of to its intelligence. The St. Louis limes of November 14th, says, " We will either have Tilden or a fight." That is the spirit of the Democrats as a rule. They tried to carry Tilden by false promises of inflation and free trade, and they have since tried to get him in by a false count of the vote. The reason why South Carolina, Florida, r'nd Louisiana have been so long doubtful is found in the Democratic policy. I do not approve of all that President Grant has done ; but I do approve of his military determination to secure free election and a fair count in the South. After all quibbling, it is found that South Carolina has gone for Hayes. jT'acts as to how" Florida voted in 1872 and 1874 make it clear that the State is Republican. From all that I can learn, it is clear that a fair count will show Louisiana in favour of Hayes. American Puiitics. 177 There are those who thiuk it impossible that the Ameri- " can RepubUc can permanently hold together. The area, it is urged, is too vast to bo ruled from one centre, and it ought to be divided amongst several Governments. I reply that the doctrine of State rights, properly defined, is not inconsistent with the idea of the Federal Union of the States in one American nationality. Men are giving up the idea that the world is doomed to suffer the eternal clash and conflict of small and mutually jealous kingdoms or states. The idea is gaining ground that a vast fe- deration of states is a good and practical thing for any continent. The American Republic has lasted for a century. It lus dealt most ably with a number of serious difficulties and dangers wliich have confronted it in its course. I do not know that any other system of Govern- ment could possibly have been more successful, considering all the circumstances, than it has actually been. There are those who wish ill to Republican institutions, and who would be very glad to see the American system split- up and come to an end. The only way in which tlie Repubhc can be ruined is by the success of pro- slavery Democrats in their endeavour to restore the state of things existing before the war. The South was content so long as it had things all its own way. It was satisfied so long as the Northern Republicans were quiet or asleep ; but from the day when Republicanism became synonymous with Abolitionism the South became discontented and the Democrats laboured to undermine or destroy tlie Union. The Repubhcan party was born when the Fugiiive Slave Lav^^ of 1850 was passed. That law, requiriug Northerners to dehver back to their " Masters " all fugitive slaves 1^ \^^ ^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) ^O ^.^/k .V4^ 1.0 I.I LiiM 12.5 |jo "^" H^K 2.0 1.8 1.25 M J4 ^ 6" ► m v^ /: 'c*: c^' '>> *><>^' ■^ V y //a Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 f iV > *;>• 178 American Polities. coming within their power, awoke the conscience of the EepuhUcans. Earnest humanity-loving abohtionists, — Theodore Parker, Lloyd Garrison, and others, — worked hard, and aroused public opinion against the "insti- tution." From that day pro-slavery Democrats were dis- contented. The RepubUcan party came into power when Abraham Lincoln was elected President. From that day the pro-slavery party swore revenge. They tried to break u^) the Union. History records the result. The problem is again before us. If Samuel J. Tilden be chosen Presi- dent, dark days are, I fear, in store for the American Republic. If Rutherford B. Hayes be elected, then the Republican policy which has made the Union great may continue its work for the welfare of the country. In case of this latter result, Republican politicians must learn the lesson of the hour — must know that political corruption is sure to lead to political retribution — must purify their ranks, — must enlist the support and co-operation of thousands of pure and high-minded men who have hitherto, far too generally, held aloof from the active work of state and national pohtics. Some people have thought it would be a good thing for the Democrats to go into office because they have promised to do away with protective tariffs and to grant free-trade. We must not ]>e misled by such flimsy and insincere assurances. The Democrats are more in favour of pro- tection than the Repilblicans are. It is a general Ameri- can fallacy. They think they can only pay off their debt, and get ahead financially, by the adoption of heavy pro- hibitory duties. They think that thus they wiU discourage foreign competition and develope their own resources. , .>.-.. I.. i ' ' •* ■*. .. ■• American Politics. 179 They will grow out of this mistake bye and bye, and will come to see that free-trade is the best all round — for all peoples alike. There is absolutely no reason why any one who wishes well to the American experiment of Government should desire to see the reins of power taken out of the hands of the EepubUcans, who, as a rule, represent the intelligence, enlightenment, and humanitarianism of the states, and put into those of the Democrats, who as a rule, body forth the slavery, ignorance, and violence of the land. In speaking on this subject of American politics, I wish well to the Great Western EepubUc. I desire for it all success. I hope that it will be permanent. I trust that by the adhesion of high and noble men its pohtics will year by j^ear become purer and more public- spirited. The aboHtion of the cursed thing called slavery has removed the only bar to my enthusiastic admiration for the Repub- lic of the West. I cordially wish for it — and I confidently anticipate for it — an upward career and a second century more prosperous than its first. — xrVi-jflL-'^^-^^-* - Of course, events have developed sinco the above wa» de- We now know that Hayes is President. Unfortunately, the matter has been finally determined by a strictly party Tote ; but the decision is clearly in accordance with the facts of the case. « livered 11 y 18Q LECTUEE XI. f I Home Again. ^N Philadelphia, waiting for the day of departure, I had ®^ time to summarise in my mind the whole of my American thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The sum- marising was a source of pleasure. I enjoyed the trip. I saw great cities, immense plains, romantic hills and dales, noble rivers and waterfalls. 'My impression is, on the whole, not only favourable but enthusiastic. Faults and failings I saw ; but those were far outweighed by merits, the achievem^ts of the past, and the promise of the coming time. I like America. It is a fine and wonderful country. You can breathe there. There is room to move about. The vast size of the country — a size which, even in my short stay of between thirteen and > 'nv';: Home again. 181 fourteen weeks, I gradually learned to realise clearly to myself — may possibly have a weird, di-eary, and desolating influence ui3on some minds ; — but the effect of tliat gradually-realised size was otherwise in my case. It made me rise and thrive. All-bountiful Nature charmed and exalted me. Escaping from an atmosphere of eternal mist and fog, — into the bright, clear, cloudless States, my being seemed to expand. In a rich, grand land, I felt in harmony with Nature. Week by week I gained in health and strength. My appearance was marvellously changed. Since my return to England I have been sliding back into my former condition. I look as I did, and I am a child of the mist once more. Never shall I lose the memory of the tropical heat and richness and the clear radiant glory of the Great Western Land in her centennial year. Returning home, there are rich compensations for the loss of that sight. In England one may well be content. Balancing things carefully, and allowing for this, that, and the other, we are, on the whole, as well off here as they can be in any other land. I began to count the days. How long would it be be- fore I should sail away from America ? As the time passed on I ticked off the days one by one. At last the time was very near, and I must make arrangements for my passage. I must decide by what vessel I would sail. Wishmg to leave on the 24th of August, 1 changed my mind because I was told the ♦' City* of Limerick," which would sail on that day, was a poor, small, ricketty old hulk. I have since judged that the said vessel is far better and more respectable than that report would make out ; but, doubtless, for many reasons, it was well that I ^'mm ,(• - ■ _ W- !'■ ■ ' 'i"i. :. '0 182 Homr mjain. V' decided to delay one week and sail by the " Indiana " on Thursday, the 31st or last day of the month. How well I remember my visit to the office in Walnut- street to secure the berth ! When that was all fixnd I looked forward with feelings compounded of pleasure and dread. The " pleasure " referred to the prospect of seeing home and friends once more ; the *' dread " related to the sea. The ocean was the lion in my way. You all know what a poor sailor I am . If I could have come back by rail, or coach, or up in a balloon, I sliould have pre- ferred it to the sea. But there was no choice. It had to be done. I must get through it somehow. Under such circumstances, what better policy was there for me than a brave, cheerful, and joyful facing of the inevitable ? So I looked on the bright side, and determined to make the best of things. The day came, and I stepped on board. Adieus over, — friends ordered on shore, — signal given, — we slowly glided down the Delaware, across the Bay, out into the open ocean. I may just make the remark tliat I was by no means so ill as I had anticipated. I had very little to complain of. If you could go and return with as little to grumble about, it would be a grand thing for you. I had " a good time," and was happy. I scarcely think that the cabin passengers were so com- fortable, genial, cheerful, and social with one another, as those on the *' Pennsylvania " had been. There was much coldness and haughtiness at the first. No one knew any- body else. No one had been introdaced. There was no one to act as master of the ceremonies. It took us some ■'».'," /i;' 1^- Home again. 188 time to get shaken up all together, and to acquh'e some mutual understanding. But we got on in time. If the voyage liad lasted eleven weeks instead of its actual eleven days, we should have been a happy family. As it was, the latter half of the voyage was a great improvement upon the former half. We were a motley crew. There were many well-marked characters. We were a world in miniature. The Captain was a host in himself. Tall, stately, dig- nified, decided, commanding, learned, he was quite a study. He was an Episcopalian from Boston in Massa- chusetts. He kept well aloof from the preachers on board. I could make nothing of him, socially speaking, for some time ; but one day, in the course of conversation in the smoke-room, he discovered my heresy, — and then he was all right. Being himself an Episcopalian, he avoided me as he avoided the Episcopalian minister who was on board ; but from the moment when he found me out for a Uni- tarian he was as friendly and brotherly as he could possibly be. After we came to understand each other I enjoyed his conversation very much. With a tinge of superstition — (a peculiarity of seamen) — especially in re- lation to the rats on board, — he was an able commander, and — rough and unfavourable as the weather was most of the way — we felt cool and calm, knowing that the conduct of the ship was in such able and experienced hands. I have referred to the preachers on board. There were three W(3 had a Roman CathoUc priest from the neigh- bourhood of Cork. There was a young Episcopal minister from Philadelphia on his way for a fourteen -months' trip in Europe. There was, in the third, place, your liumble ^mmmp ■m !^ ! • ). ,v i 1 fi 184 Home iKjain, and heretical servant. The priest conducted service for the Catholics in the steerage on each of the iwo Sundays over which our voyage lasted. The Captain did not ask either the Episcopalian or myself to preach in the Saloon on the first Sunday, because, as I have told you, he seemed by no means well inchned to ministers in general ; but be- fore the second Sunday he wanted some heresy, and he pressed me to hold forth. I said I would do so, if I could not prevail upon my Episcopal brother to preach. I thought that as I had preached two Sundays on the sea while saihng to America, the American might as well take a turn now. I had gathered from him during the first day Oi" two of our voyage that he would like the oj)por- tunity. I therefore went up to him, told him what the Captain had said to me, but excused myself, and begged him to preach. " No," said he, " the Captain favours you so much, I won't have anything to do with it: — you had better take it yourself." After a little talk, however, he consented to take a pai't of the sei*vice ; and after a little more persuasion I got him to take it all. So, when .'^un- day came round, I had the pleasure of hstening, amongst the others, to a very good discourse. The above-mentioned Cathohc priest was about the funniest, wittiest man whom I have ever met. Many Irishmen seem naturally gifted in the humorous direction. This man overflowed with humour. He was well- stocked with anecdote. He gave us many a treat in hstening to his tales and jokes. Time seems to pass slowly on board ship, even under the most favourable circumstances ; but the Father did his best to make the time go by agreeably, and to make us all happy. Then he could be Home again. 185 Le serious as well as laughable. Every now and then he would retire from the company to his stateroom or to some seat apart on the saloon deck, and for an hour or so would be absorbed in his breviary or hio other books of devotion or of theology. He and I got on very well to- gether. He lent me a volume of French sermons on the Lord's Prayer, and also a large volume of Catholic polemical theology. We had frequent and very long con- versations. One such talk — about the history and claims of the church — lasted three hours. I reiuember him with great respect ; and when I find myself in the South of Ireland I shall certainly look him up. There w^as an American Quaker on board. One day we were promenading ; and I got to know that he be- longed to the Society. I wanted to know whether he was Orthodox or Hicksite. Never shall I forget the look of horror which overspread his face at the question. He burst out into a vehement tirade against those Hicksite heretics of his community. I could not help putting in a mild plea on the other side, — whereupon he turned his artillery full upon me, and blazed away, — suddenly tear- ing away with the exclamation that he could no longer talk with an unbeUever. The fit soon passed away, — the sky cleared up in a day or two, — and our relations became mutually satisfactory ; — but I can tell you that he had to make all the advances. We had with us a young American geologist, who had been on the United States Geological Survey, and who w^as now on his way for a long trip to Europe to prosecute his researches. He was a genial companion. The Irisli priest christened him *' Old Fossil," and ''The Tertiary i:Vr •>'■ :>■ '■'.' 380 Home ogam. \.- ' Belie." They two had many debates in which they were as wide as the poles asunder, and at the close of which they stood where they stood at the start. We all had great fun together, and much intellectual discussion, in the spacious g^ ological territory. A word about the merchant captain to India, nnd the two military Anglo-Indians who were crossing in the vessel. The military men treated us now and then to a word or two of Hindustani, and expatiated at i: finite length on the faults and failings of the natives. Tlie Captain contributed arguments as to our tenure of India, which, he held, is one of mere force. I am afraid that there is truth in that, though I trust and believe tliat in- telligent Hindus see already that their connection with England is, on the whole, a good thing for them. I have left till now my mention of a passenger in whom I felt special interest. He was a Norwegian professor of physics and mechanics in a college in Kristiania. He had been to America to study the Exhibition. If I could speak Scandinavian as well as he can speak English I should be content, and should be able to enjoy a trip to Norway and Sweden some summer. He could read Eng- lish before he left home , but he had never spoken it ; and yet he had not been on board more than a week before he could talk fluently. His conversation was charming to me. The delightful flavour of Scandinavia which was perceptible in his accent and idiom made his bill of fare all the more attractive. We had many a long talk. One day I remember particularly. After thitie syste- matic conversations: the English in Ireland, capital punish- ment, and (I think) Kepublicanism — I found myself ■■.-"•=■■ ' Ilumf tujain. 187 completely indisposed (so ])ut it mildly), partly by tlie ex- citemeiit of debate, and partly with the motion of the sea. The Professor was a born sailor. He had liad much ex- perience. Pursuing his scientific researches, in open boats he had braved the sea along the coast of Norway. Other remarkable people there were on board. There were many with well-marked characteristics and strong, individuaUty. If I live in this village fifty years I shall not see such strongly-marked varieties f)f human attain- ment, power, and character. A passenger vessel is a world in -^liniature. People of many lands, languages, professions, and pecularities, are there brought together. They see each other facr to face for a few days, and then they land, and go their separate ways — never, in most cases, to meet again. That was a happy life of ours on board the " Indiana." I was not too ill to enjoy it. I could just walk about and take a hand in what was going on. There are not many amusemeixts on board ship ; but we made the best of what we had. Chess and di'aughts were incessant. There were dominoec for those who took any interest in them. Whist and euchre had their achnirers and their devotees. To fill up the time, passengers took part in childish games which they w^ould not deign to notice when on land. If you had been there you might frequently have seen an Episcopal minister, a Unitarian minister, a Norwegian Professor, and an eminent Geologist, all playing together with rope-quoits. Sometimes the clock seemed very slow\ It w^as an age from one ship's bell to another. Generally, however, our conversation, games, and promenades bore us pleasantly along. We got am >' 188 Hi ome again. through the time somehow — most of us happy in the thought that every turn of the screw hrought us nearer home. As evening came on, the grand spectacular display entitled " Sunset at Sea" was exhibited gratis. It far surpassed anything which human ingenuity can accom- plish that way. It made all human aii seem poor. Nfcture gets up displays far better than human beings can. No investigation ever exhausts the wonder of the world. Wherever the lover of Nature roams he finds new beauty and glory. At eventide, also, one could stand by the hour en- tranced, looking at the strange gleam in our track. There was something singularly fascinating about it. Our favourable progress was in the midst of ruin and death. Myriads of creatures die as we swiftly cleave these hurrying, heaving waves, — and they give forth splendour as they die. The longer I stayed on board the more leisure and inclination I found to examine the ship and admire its wonders. Peering about independently, or going round with the official inspection, what mystery, what variety, what wonder there was ! An ocean- steamer like this is a world all to itself. " There's not a ship that sails the ocean, But every climate, every soil. Must bring its tribute, great or small, And help to build the wooden wall." We are now tolerably well accustomed to the motion of the ship. It does not distress us as it did. Indeed, we rather enjoy it. As we heave, and swell, and leap along, »'--, ■. ■,-■,■''■■'"•',- HofM again, 189 we are part of the ship in its exultant career We ata light, buoyant, and bird-Uke. *• Before, behind, and all around, Floats and swingi the horizon's bound, Seems at its distant rim to rise And climb the crystal wall of the skies. And then again to turn and sink. As if we could slide from its outer brink. . Ah ! it is not the sea, It is not the sea that sinks and shelves, But ourselves That rock and rise With eiidlesB and uneasy motion. Now touching the very skies. Now sinking into the depths of ocean." The Log is an increasingly-interesting study. Hoiu" by hour and day by day we eagerly no^^^e the Log. 300 miles one day, 819 the next, 310 the next, 293 the next — that is the way we go on, maldng various distances on the various days, but getting nearer home with every r ly that comes. I am looking out for Ireland. I have always had an affection for the Emerald Isle ; but I have never longed to see it as I long now. " Ireland iu sight I" — is the loudly- shouted cry. It is a welcome sight. From point to point — land distinct — land dim — houses and farms visible — bare rough rocks — golden glory on the slopes : — such are the varying scenes which greet our eager gaze as we coast along South Ireland. Arrived at Queenstown, we say " Good-bye" to the Father who has done so much to make us happy on this voyage, — then on, still on, coasting along, leaving land, saihng through the night. In early morning those of us who are too eager for the landing-time to be able to sleep late can see Welsh land wmm HH 190 Home again. hi instead of Irish. We pass one well-remembered point after another. Then we near the Bar ; but we are half-an-hour too late to cross it : so — though it is a very tantaHsing thing — we must lie out for the next tide. But never mind I we are at home at last — '* safe, safe at home." What a happy ending it is! I "know very well I have enjoyed this trip immensely. If it has given you one-hundredth part of the pleasure iu hstening to me which I have felt in speaking, you may esteem yourselves fortunate. But I am glad it is over. Having been away just this short time, I am very thankful to get back. " Now I'm once again with those Who kindly greet me home. Home again 1 Home again I From a foreign shore ; And oh ! it fills my soul with joy To meet my friends once more I" -•F^J^^i^S-^ AjiFBBD BliACKSHlW, PRINTER, 5 & 7, BtKB'STRKET, BOLTOM. EERORS . Page 1, line 3- -for " irom" (in a few copies) read " i 4 " 4- -for " ah" read " an" " 43 " 8 Tflll will •' 66 •• 25 lookod looked 60 9 np up 60 15 qnite quite 69 18 timo time 99 30 being begins 99 31 Eingtson Kingston 99 31 rivers river 106 16 studdied studied 113 22- -"is " superfluous 125 19- -for '• forcable" read " forcible" 142 19 anxisous anxious 142 20 manuvoere manoeuvre 147 19 literally liberally 147 29 in is 148 25 realy really 149 6 churches churches 160 8 implicity imphcitly 168 2 substantialy substantially 161 9 Unitarian Trinitarian 161 12 tho the 166 31 Eepulicanism Republicanism 167 8 Rebublicans Republicans 170 22 severly severely 176 7 eonfederacy confederacy from' - 'j ■; 'J ' '■, '' ■' » ■' ' I » 5 J 1 . 3 ? , J > 3 • - ) 5 •■ - t 1 \ 1 i i > > > > , > > I > » ' t » ,;