I Must Admit
That This Is So; But Still One Feels That One Is Only Admitted As A
Guest.
I want to go and live at West Point, and why should I be
prevented?
The government had a right to buy it of course, but
government should not buy up the prettiest spots on a country's
surface. If I were an American, I should make a grievance of this;
but Americans will suffer things from their government which no
Englishmen would endure.
It is one of the peculiarities of West Point that everything there
is in good taste. The point itself consists of a bluff of land so
formed that the River Hudson is forced to run round three sides of
it. It is consequently a peninsula; and as the surrounding country
is mountainous on both sides of the river, it may be imagined that
the site is good. The views both up and down the river are lovely,
and the mountains behind break themselves so as to make the
landscape perfect. But this is not all. At West Point there is
much of buildings, much of military arrangement in the way of
cannons, forts, and artillery yards. All these things are so
contrived as to group themselves well into pictures. There is no
picture of architectural grandeur; but everything stands well and
where it should stand, and the eye is not hurt at any spot. I
regard West Point as a delightful place, and was much gratified by
the kindness I received there.
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