London; Its Parks; Zoological and Botanic Gardens; Bridges; Atmo. spheric Railway; Experiments; Mr. Vignoles; Duke of Leinster; Chit-Chat; Mr. Ogden; Introduction to the Duke of Leinster; American Railways; Locomotives; Surprise; The Countess Blessington; Gore House; Courteous Reception; Library; American Authors; Visit to America; Count D'Orsay; Chit-Chat on America; His Portrait; Earl of Pembroke; Introduction; Courtesy of the Earl; Chit-Chat; Remarks on Aristocracy.

THERE is a winding irregularity and want of uniform appearance in many of the streets of London, by which it is greatly disfigured, and all grandeur of aspect lost. But most of the principal streets, appropriated to shops for retail trade, have truly an unrivalled show of wealth and splendour, handsomely fitted and decorated with much taste. London certainly, possesses greater architectural beauties than foreigners are willing to allow, many of them indeed lie concealed, except from the eye of determinate research. London seen from a height, or even from Westminster Bridge, presents a forest of spires, steeples, and turrets, appertaining to churches, and other public buildings; yet these churches are so built in and blocked up among alleys, courts, and streets, that, with a few exceptions, strangers may traverse the whole metropolis without the least knowledge that such large buildings have any

existence.

Regent's Park is more extensive than any of the Parks in London, lying north of Hyde Park, and is also a place of great resort. In it is the Royal Botanic Garden, and the Zoological Gardens, the latter at the extreme north of the Park. These gardens are so extensive and so admirably arranged as not to be surpassed in the world. All the various animals have their places for roaming, climbing, &c., as if at large. The Elephants and Camels have appropriate fields, and the aquatic birds large ponds to wash and swim. The admittance, one shilling. St. James's Park is small compared with Hyde, or Regent's Park, is of an oblong form, and

about two miles in circuit. Its eastern extremity is occupied by the Horse Guards, Treasury, &c. In this Park there is a fine sheet of water, in which are many swans. The tourist, if at Charing Cross, (which is the greatest thoroughfare, or where is more passing than any place in London) can, in one minute, be in St. James's Park, by passing through a narrow alley, and be free from all the bustle and noise; from there he can leisurely walk into Hyde Park, passing Buckingham Palace, the Queen's Residence, up Constitution Hill, which will take him to Hyde Park Corner, a distance of two miles without passing into any street, and he will find the walk of an afternoon the most pleasant in London, that is, if he should happen to be in the vicinity of Charing Cross. The entrance to St. James's Park, at Waterloo Place is grand; the beautiful towering, imposing monument on which is placed a statue of the late Duke of York, stands in the centre of the gateway, which adds much to its grandeur.

The great thoroughfares crossing the Thames, are London Bridge, about 900 feet in length, Southwark Bridge, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster, and Vauxhall. To see the strong construction of these bridges, the tourist must step on board one of the small steamers at London Bridge, which are running up the river every few minutes, this will afford him a fine opportunity, as the boats stop at all the bridges in passing up or down, and he can land when he pleases; or, for a shilling he can hire a waterman.

The American Consul, Mr. Ogden, arriving in Loudon, I was introduced by him to Mr. Vignoles, Trafalgar Square, a gentleman of great scientific acquirements, and with whom I had business; after which, he regaled us with some choice strawberries and cream, then, calling a coach, invited us to ride with him to see the first experiments of cars being propelled on a railway by atmospheric air, which was to take place that day, at noon, in the vicinity of Kensington Gardens, at which, few only were to be admitted; and those by special invitation. The railway was made only one mile for the experiment, on which was placed a car holding some twenty persons, part of them ladies; at four times running, we averaged 30 miles the hour without noise or smoke. A cylinder of ten inch diameter is placed midway between the rails on the ground, a rod of iron connects the car with the cylinder, a circular piece of iron attached to the rod made to suit the cylinder is the propellor; a stationary steam engine pumps out the air from the cylinder; the atmospheric air in forcing against the round plate to fill the vacuum, sets the car in motion; the velocity can be increased or diminished at pleasure. The experiment proved successful, and all came away satisfied. While examining the road and machinery in the station house, I accidentally fell in conversation with an elderly gentleman of the old English school, on railways and steam engines, &c., in

America, and the constant improvements making in both countries; on inquiring of me the number of miles of railways we had in America, I observed, we had ten miles to England's one; when laying his hand in a familiar way on my shoulder and smiling, asked, “Who paid for them?" At that moment the brother of the Earl of Seagrave came up, and addressed the gentleman as "Your Grace," at which, and with no little surprise, I retired to join my friends; soon after, while in the car, Mr. Vignoles without knowing I had been conversing with this gentleman, introduced him to me as the Duke of Leinster, who smilingly said to Mr. Vignoles, Why, my dear sir, we have been acquainted this half hour." The Duke is allied to the crown, and one of the most wealthy noblemen in the kingdom; it was him who first projected this experimental railway, and advanced the means for building it, &c. The Duke was surprised when I informed him the trains running from Birmingham to Gloucester were drawn by American locomotives, and observed, as he was in favour of all experiments, he would certainly, when next in Birmingham, see their make and speed, yet, wondered why English locomotives would not answer as well on their own railways.

Having a note of introduction to the Countess Blessington, from a gentleman of high literary fame, who knew my admiration of the writings of the gifted and highly celebrated authoress, and my desire to have the honour and pleasing satisfaction of personally paying my respects, and taking by the hand one whose name ranks so high among the literati of the old and new world, whose chaste, classic soul-thrilling sentiments will be sought for by posterity, as they are by the present reading community of every enlightened nation-also, learning from a friend the Countess's predilection for the Americans, I one morning stepped into a passing omnibus going to Hammersmith, and when nearly opposite Gore House, Kensington Gardens, I alighted and gave the usual summons at the massive gates, entering into the beautiful court-yard, which were immediately opened by one in rich livery; on ascending the steps two others, also in rich livery, with graceful bow and smiling phiz, hearing my wish to see the Countess, invited me to be seated in her ladyship's splendidly furnished library on the right; but a few minutes elapsed before the Countess made her appearance arrayed in sweet smiles, giving me a cordial squeeze of the hand, and requesting I would be seated and tell her all the news from America, a country above all others she was most desirous of visiting. In a few minutes, from the Countess's easy and affable manner of receiving strangers, we were apparently as well acquainted as of years standing-America was the theme on which her ladyship loved to dwell, a country she observed where she had so many admiring literary friends. Irving, Mrs. Sigourney, Paulding, Cooper,

Willis, Bryant, Morris, Mrs. Stephens and others, were mentioned in exalted terms, their several works bound in beautiful style ornamented her elegant, selected, and immense library, which surrounded the whole saloon from the floor to the ceiling in rich cases. The works of Lady Bulwer, and Mrs. Trolloppe were freely and amusingly canvassed, especially the latter, her abuse of the Americans, &c., the true cause of which I explained, much to the amusement of the Countess. On the centre table were lying numerous letters from her American friends soliciting her autograph, some of whom had visited Gore House, and with whom I was acquainted. The door suddenly opening, Count D'Orsay entered with the Earl of Pembroke leaning on his arm, and after making their courtly, graceful salutations to the Countess, her ladyship with all that grace and ease so characteristic in a true English lady of fashion, formally introduced me to the gentlemen, and was most cordially received and welcomed by both to England. A pleasing conversation followed on England, France, America, &c., on the event of a war, and the consequences which would necessarily arise therefrom. The Count expatiated in strong and glowing terms on America, her diplomatists, statesmen, political, and literary men, of his great anxiety to visit a country of so much promise and holding out so many inducements for the tourist, men of letters, &c. The Countess Blessington is acknowledged by the literary world to be a writer of the highest order of talent, with a mind filled with more brilliant and original ideas than any authoress of studied literature known. Her numerous interesting works given to the public during the last quarter of a century, have caused high, rich, and wellmerited encomiums from every press of note in Christendom, and will bear me out in the above wholesale but just remark. Nature has indeed prodigally lavished her favours on the enviable and gifted Countess, not only inwardly but outwardly, which is manifested in her every graceful movement. In beholding her, the magic impress seal of loveliness is plainly perceptible on her majestic, noble, and truly classic brow, which the pencil of the cunning artist can never imitate, for it is the impress seal of the Almighty. Lady Blessington observed to me, that she had once contemplated visiting the United States in company with Lord Brougham, and yet hoped to have that pleasure. In the evening on my return to my hotel, I found on my table a polite note from the Countess, accompanied by a copy of one of her last works, "My Own Thoughts," as a present to my youngest daughter, with whose writings the Countess was much pleased.

The accomplished Count D'Orsay may in truth be called one of nature's noblemen. He is the son-in-law of the Countess; much has been said of him in the fashionable world, and many uncalledfor and unjust comments made through the press totally void of

truth, by those who envy the man, and well he may be envied. The Count is unusually tall, with a herculean bust, but otherwise of absolute symmetry of person, and, with all, his look of personal strength is almost femininely beautiful, and of unparalleled grace and motion. His conspicuous personal appearance made it one time impossible for him to walk the streets of London, and seldom seen by those out of doors except in his cabriolet, and even that partial view drew all eyes after him for half a mile. The Count is the best boxer, best fencer, the best rifle shot, and the best horseman in England. Every man loves him who sees him. Dress Count D'Orsay how you would, he could not put his foot into the street of a city without a crowd after him. In some things his intimate friend the Earl of Pembroke is a counterpart of the Count, The Earl in conversation is ever alive to the subject started, and by his courteous attention and winning smile, seems to receive and weigh every word uttered by those conversing with him. He mentioned several gentlemen with whom he once corresponded in the United States, who are personally known to me, to one of whom, residing in New York, the Earl requested I would remind him on meeting him in that city, that he was indebted to him, (the Earl,) in not replying to his last letter. I did as the Earl requested on my arrival in New York, and was invited by the gentleman to pass a week with his family, at his splendid country seat in New Jersey. Thus showing another instance that the nobility of England, and I may say in Europe, are not such unbending purse-proud aristocrats as some prejudiced tourists endeavour to make them, and goes to convince me still stronger in my former assertions, that as the world becomes more enlightened and improvements steadily unimpeded move onward, the time is not far distant when the rights of man will be respected, and the wise intentions of a just Providence carried out, as is set forth in that sacred instrument the Constitution; that all men are born free and equal, that knowledge is power, and to that power Kings and Nobles must ere another half century rolls round, become subservient, or crushed beneath its resistless weight.

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