To the Reader.The letters composing this volume were written at various times, during the last sixteen years, and during journeys made in different countries. They contain, however, no regular account of any tour or journey made by the writer, but are merely occasional sketches of what most attracted his attention. The greater part of them have already appeared in print.The author is sensible that the highest merit such a work can claim, if ever so well executed, is but slight. He might have made these letters more interesting to readers in general, if he had spoken of distinguished men to whose society he was admitted; but the limits within which this may be done, with propriety and without offense, are so narrow, and so easily overstepped, that he has preferred to abstain altogether from that class of topics. He offers his book to the public, with expectations which will be satisfied by a very moderate success.New York,April, 1850.
The letters composing this volume were written at various times, during the last sixteen years, and during journeys made in different countries. They contain, however, no regular account of any tour or journey made by the writer, but are merely occasional sketches of what most attracted his attention. The greater part of them have already appeared in print.
The author is sensible that the highest merit such a work can claim, if ever so well executed, is but slight. He might have made these letters more interesting to readers in general, if he had spoken of distinguished men to whose society he was admitted; but the limits within which this may be done, with propriety and without offense, are so narrow, and so easily overstepped, that he has preferred to abstain altogether from that class of topics. He offers his book to the public, with expectations which will be satisfied by a very moderate success.
New York,April, 1850.
To the Reader
Letter I.—First Impressions of an American in France.—Tokens of Antiquity: churches, old towns, cottages, colleges, costumes, donkeys, shepherds and their flocks, magpies, chateaux, formal gardens, vineyards, fig-trees.—First Sight of Paris; its Gothic churches, statues, triumphal arches, monumental columns.—Parisian gaiety, public cemeteries, burial places of the poor
Letter II.—Journey from Paris to Florence.—Serenity of the Italian Climate.—Dreary country between Paris and Chalons on the Saone.—Autun.—Chalons.—Lyons.—Valley of the Rhine.—Avignon.—Marseilles; its growth and prosperity.—Banking in France.—Journey along the Mediterranean.—American and European Institutions
Letter III.—Tuscan Scenery and Climate.—Florence in Autumn.—Deformities of Cultivation.—Exhibition of the Academy of the Fine Arts.—Respect of the Italians for Works of Art
Letter IV.—A Day in Florence.—Bustle and Animation of the Place.—Sights seen on the Bridges.—Morning in Florence.—Brethren of Mercy.—Drive on the Cascine.—Evening in Florence.—Anecdote of the Passport System.—Mildness of the Climate of Pisa
Letter V.—Practices of the Italian Courts.—Mildness of the Penal Code in Tuscany.—A Royal Murderer.—Ceremonies on the Birth of an Heir to the Dukedom of Tuscany.—Wealth of the Grand Duke
Letter VI.—Venice.—Its peculiar Architecture.—Arsenal and Navy Yard.—The Lagoons.—Ceneda.—Serravalle.—Lago Morto.—Alpine Scenery.—A June Snow-Storm in the Tyrol.—Splendor of the Scenery in the Sunshine.—Landro.—A Tyrolese Holiday.—Devotional Character of the People.—Numerous Chapels.—Sterzing.—Bruneck.—The Brenner.—Innsbruck.—Bronze Tomb of Maximilian I.—Entrance into Bavaria
Letter VII.—An Excursion to Rock River in Illinois.—Birds and Quadrupeds of the Prairies.—Dad Joe's Grove.—Beautiful Landscape.—Traces of the Indian Tribes.—Lost Rocks.—Dixon.—Rock River; beauty of its banks.—A Horse-Thief.—An Association of Felons.—A Prairie Rattlesnake.—The Prairie-Wolf; its habits.—The Wild Parsnip
Letter VIII.—Examples of Lynch Law.—Practices of Horse-Thieves in Illinois.—Regulators.—A Murder.—Seizure of the Assassins, their trial and execution.—One of the Accomplices lurking in the Woods.—Another Horse-Thief shot
Letter IX.—An Example of Senatorial Decorum.—The National Museum at Washington.—Mount Vernon.—Virginia Plantations.—Beauty of Richmond.—Islands of James River.—An Old Church.—Inspection of Tobacco.—Tobacco Factory.—Work and Psalmody.—Howden's Statue of Washington.
Letter X.—Journey from Richmond to Charleston.—Pine Forests of North Carolina.—Collection of Turpentine.—Harbor of Charleston.—Aspect of the City.
Letter XI.—Interior of South Carolina.—Pine Woods.—Plantations.—Swamps.—Birds.—A Corn-Shucking.—Negro Songs.—A Negro Military Parade.—Character of the Blacks.—Winter Climate of South Carolina.
Letter XII.—Picolata.—Beauty of the Season.—The St. John's.—A Hammock.—Voyage from Charleston to Savannah.—City of Savannah.—Quoit Club.—A Negro Burial-Place.—Curious Epitaphs.—Bonaventure.—Majestic Avenues of Live-Oaks.—Alligators.—Black Creek.
Letter XIII.—Woods of Florida.—Anecdotes of the Florida War.—Aspect of St. Augustine.—Its Streets.—Former Appearance of the City.—Orange Groves.—Fort of St. Mark.—Palm Sunday.—A Frenchman preaching in Spanish.
Letter XIV.—Climate of St. Augustine.—Tampa Bay.—Melons in January.—Insects in Southern Florida.—Healthfulness of East Florida.—A Sugar Plantation.—Island of St. Anastasia.—Quarries of Shell-Rock.—Customs of the Mahonese.—A Mahonese or Minorcan hymn.
Letter XV.—Florida the "Poor Man's Country."—Settlement of the Peninsula.—The Indian War.—Its Causes.—Causes of the Peace.—The Everglades.—St. Mary's in Georgia.—Plague of Sand-Flies.—Alligator Shooting.—Tobacco Chewing.
Letter XVI.—The Champlain Canal.—Beauty of its Banks.—Whitehall.—Canadian French.—A Family setting out for the West.—The Michigan Lay.—Vermont Scenery.
Letter XVII.—Grasshoppers.—White Clover.—Domestic Arrangements of two unmarried Ladies.—Canadian French Laborers.—Quakers.—A Pretty Mantua Maker.—Anecdote told by a Quakeress.—Walpole.—Keene.—A Family of healthy young Women.
Letter XVIII.—A Voyage to Liverpool.—Mountains of Wales.—Growth of Liverpool.—Aspect of the Place.—Zoological Gardens.—Cemetery among the Rocks.—Ornamental Cultivation.—Prince's Park.—Chester.—Manchester.—Calico Printing.
Letter XIX.—Edale in Derbyshire.—A Commercial Traveller.—Chapel-en-le-Frith.—The Winnets.—Mam Tor.—Heathy Hills.—The Lark.—Caverns of the Peak of Derbyshire.—Castle of the Peverils.—People of Derbyshire.—Matlock.—Derby.
Letter XX.—Works of Art.—Power's Greek Slave.—Exhibition of the Royal Academy.—Turner's late Pictures.—Webster.—Thorburn.—New Houses of Parliament.—Artists in Water-Colors.
Letter XXI.—The Parks of London.—Their Extent.—Want of Parks in New York.—Sweeping of the Streets.—Safety from Housebreaking.—Beggars.—Increase of Poverty.
Letter XXII.—Edinburg.—The Old Town.—The Castle.—Solid Architecture of the New Town.—Views from the different Eminences.—Poverty in the Wynds and Alleys.—Houses of Refuge for the Destitute.—Night Asylums for the Houseless.—The Free Church.—The Maynooth Grant.—Effect of Endowments.
Letter XXIII.—Fishwomen of Newhaven.—Frith of Forth.—Stirling.—Callander.—The Trosachs.—Loch Achray.—Loch Katrine.—Loch Lomond.—Glenfalloch.—Dumbarton.—The Leven.
Letter XXIV.—Glasgow.—Its Annual Fair.—Its Public Statues.—The Free Church.—Free Church College.—Odd Subject of a Sermon.—Alloway.—Burns's Monument.—The Doon.—The Sea.—Burns's Birthplace.—The River Ayr.
Letter XXV.—Voyage to Ireland.—Ailsa Craig.—County of Down.—County of Lowth.—Difference in the Appearance of the Inhabitants.—Peat-Diggers.—A Park.—Samples of different Races of Men.—Round Towers.—Valley of the Boyne.—Dublin.—Its Parks.—O'Connell.—The Repeal Question.—Wall, the Artist.—Exhibition of the Royal Hibernian Society.
Letter XXVI.—Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell.—Humanity and Skill.—Quiet Demeanor of the Patients.—Anecdotes of the Inmates.—The Corn-law Question.—Coleman's Improvement on the Piano.
Letter XXVII.—Changes in Paris.—Asphaltum Pavements.—New and Showy Buildings.—Suppression of Gaming-Houses.—Sunday Amusements.—Physical Degeneracy.—Vanderlyn's Picture of the Landing of Columbus.
Letter XXVIII.—A Journey through the Netherlands.—Brussels.—Waterloo.—Walloons and Flemings.—Antwerp.—Character of Flemish Art.—The Scheldt.—Rotterdam.—Country of Holland.—The Hague.—Scheveling.—Amsterdam.—Broek Saardam.—Utrecht.
Letter XXIX.—American Artists abroad.—Düsseldorf: Leutze.—German Painters.—Florence: Greenough, Powers, Gray, G. L. Brown.—Rome: H. K. Brown, Rossiter, Lang.
Letter XXX.—Buffalo.—The New Fort.—Leopold de Meyer.—Cleveland.—Detroit.
Letter XXXI.—Trip from Detroit to Mackinaw.—The Chippewa Tribe.—The River St. Clair.—Anecdote.—Chippewa Village.—Forts Huron and Saranac.—Bob Low Island.—Mackinaw.
Letter XXXII.—Journey from Detroit to Princeton.—Sheboygan.—Milwaukie.—Chicago.—A Plunge in the Canal.—Aspect of the Country.
Letter XXXIII.—Return to Chicago.—Prairie-Hens.—Prairie Lands of Lee County.—Rock River District.
Letter XXXIV.—Voyage to Sault Ste. Marie.—Little Fort.—Indian Women gathering Rice.—Southport.—Island of St. Joseph.—Muddy Lake.—Girdled Trees.
Letter XXXV.—Falls of the St. Mary.—Masses of Copper and Silver.—Drunken Indians.—Descent of the Rapids.—Warehouses of the Hudson Bay Company.—Canadian Half-breeds.—La Maison de Pierre.—Tanner the Murderer.
Letter XXXVI.—Indians at the Sanlt.—Madeleine Island.—Indian Dancing-girls.—Methodist Indians.—Indian Families.—Return to Mackinaw.
Letter XXXVII.—The Straits of Mackinaw.—American Fur Company.—Peculiar Boats.—British Landing.—Battle-field.—Old Mission Church.—Arched Rock.
Letter XXXVIII.—Excursion to Southern New Jersey.—Easton.—The Delaware.—The Water Gap.—Bite of a Copper-head snake.
Letter XXXIX.—The Banks of the Pocano.—Deer in the Laurel Swamps.—Cherry Hollow.—The Wind Gap.—Nazareth.—Moravian Burying Grounds.—A Pennsylvania German.
Letter XL.—Paint on Brick Houses.—The New City of Lawrence.—Oak Grove.
Letter XLI.—Islands of Casco Bay.—The Building of Ships.—A Seal in the Kennebeck.—Augusta.—Multitude of Lakes.—Appearances of Thrift.
Letter XLII.—The Willey House.—Mount Washington.—Scenery of the White Mountains.—A Hen Mother of Puppies.
Letter XLIII.—Passage to Savannah.—Passengers in the Steamer.—Old Times in Connecticut.—Cape Hatteras.—Savannah.—Bonaventure.—Charleston.—Augusta.
Letter XLIV.—Southern Cotton Mills.—Factory Girls.—Somerville.
Letter XLV.—The Florida Coast.—Key West.—Dangerous Navigation.—A Hurricane and Flood.—Havana.
Letter XLVI.—Women of Cuba.—Airy Rooms.—Devotion of the Women.—Good Friday.—Cascarilla.—Cemetery of Havana.—Funerals.—Cock-fighting.—Valla de Gallos.—A Masked Ball.
Letter XLVII.—Scenery of Cuba.—Its Trees.—Sweet-Potato Plantation.—San Antonio de los Barios.—Black and Red Soil of Cuba.—A Coffee Estate.—Attire of the Cubans.
Letter XLVIII.—Matanzas.—Valley of Yumuri.—Cumbre.—Sugar Estate.—Process of its Manufacture.
Letter XLIX.—Negroes in Cuba.—Execution by the Garrote.—Slave Market.—African, Indian, and Asiatic Slaves.—Free Blacks in Cuba.—Annexation of Cuba to the United States.
Letter L.—English Exhibitions of Works of Art.—The Society of Arts.—Royal Academy.—Jews in Parliament.
Letter LI.—A Visit to the Shetland Isles.—Highland Fishermen.—Lerwick.—Church-goers in Shetland.—Habitations of the Islanders.—The Noup of the Noss.—Sheep and Ponies.—Pictish Castle.—The Zetlanders.—A Gale in the North Sea.—Cathedral of St. Magnus.—Wick.
Letter LII.—Europe under the Bayonet.—Uses of the State of Siege.—The Hungarians.—Bavaria.—St. Gall.—Zurich.—Target-shooting.—France.—French Expedition to Rome.
Letter LIII.—Volterra; its Desolation.—The Balza.—Etruscan Remains.—Fortress of Volterra.