A Thousand Charming Spots, And Beautiful Landscapes,
On Which My Eye Would Long Have Dwelt With Rapture, Were Now Rapidly
Passed With The Speed Of An Arrow.
Our road appeared to be undulatory, and our journey, like the
journey of life, seemed to be a pretty
Regular alternation of up
hill and down, and here and there it was diversified with copses and
woods; the majestic Thames every now and then, like a little forest
of masts, rising to our view, and anon losing itself among the
delightful towns and villages. The amazing large signs which at the
entrance of villages hang in the middle of the street, being
fastened to large beams, which are extended across the street from
one house to another opposite to it, particularly struck me; these
sign-posts have the appearance of gates or of gateways, for which I
at first took them, but the whole apparatus, unnecessarily large as
it seems to be, is intended for nothing more than to tell the
inquisitive traveller that there is an inn. At length, stunned as
it were by this constant rapid succession of interesting objects to
engage our attention, we arrived at Greenwich nearly in a state of
stupefaction.
The Prospect of London.
We first descried it enveloped in a thick smoke or fog. St. Paul's
arose like some huge mountain above the enormous mass of smaller
buildings. The Monument, a very lofty column, erected in memory of
the great fire of London, exhibited to us, perhaps, chiefly on
account of its immense height, apparently so disproportioned to its
other dimensions (for it actually struck us as resembling rather a
slender mast, towering up in immeasurable height into the clouds,
than as that it really is, a stately obelisk) an unusual and
singular appearance. Still we went on, and drew nearer and nearer
with amazing velocity, and the surrounding objects became every
moment more distinct. Westminster Abbey, the Tower, a steeple, one
church, and then another, presented themselves to our view; and we
could now plainly distinguish the high round chimneys on the tops of
the houses, which yet seemed to us to form an innumerable number of
smaller spires, or steeples.
The road from Greenwich to London is actually busier and far more
alive than the most frequented streets in Berlin. At every step we
met people on horseback, in carriages, and foot passengers; and
everywhere also, and on each side of the road, well-built and noble
houses, whilst all along, at proper distances, the road was lined
with lamp-posts. One thing, in particular, struck and surprised me
not a little. This was the number of people we met riding and
walking with spectacles on, among whom were many who appeared stout,
healthy, and young. We were stopped at least three times at
barriers or gates, here called turnpikes, to pay a duty or toll
which, however small, as being generally paid in their copper
coinage, in the end amounted to some shillings.
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