When on this interesting tour Lorenzo wrote a series of descriptive letters which were forwarded from time to time and published in the Deseret News, in Salt Lake City. After our return, we compiled his letters, with those of other members of the party, and had them published in a neat volume of nearly four hundred pages, entitled "Correspondence Of Palestine Tourists."
We think his biography and autobiography would be incomplete were this mission of my brother entirely ignored; but to avoid breaking the thread of our preceding narrative by inserting this correspondence in chronological order, we have decided on the alternative of a supplement; and, having already enlarged this volume beyond our original design, we shall omit a portion of his communications.
When on our return from Palestine we reached Vienna in time to witness the grand opening of the "world's fair" of 1873. Before leaving that city, my brother was informed, through the press, of his appointment at the general conference as one of seven counselors to President Brigham Young, which position he held until the death of the President.
Letter I.
National Monument.—Its construction.—One hundred and eighty marble statues.—Lofty spire set with thousands of gems.—Embossed globe.—Statue of Prince Albert.—Tower of London.—Queen Elizabeth's Armory.—Torture rooms.—Ann Boleyn.—Earl of Essex.—Lady Jane Grey.—Executioner's axe.—Instruments of torture.
London, England, November 28TH, 1872.
Editor Deseret News:
Through the blessings of a kind Providence, we have safely crossed the Atlantic, and are now in London. We have visited the Prince Consort National Monument. It is situated in Kensington Gardens, in the central part of the metropolis. It is designed to perpetuate the name of Prince Albert, also to show the high estimation in which he was held by the British nation, likewise, to represent allegorically, by sculpture and Mosaic pictures, the arts and sciences which he fostered, and to point to some of his important undertakings, the great National Exhibition being the foremost.
For grandeur of design and excellency and beauty of workmanship, I believe it excels every other structure of a commemorative character in any part of the world. In approaching it, I was struck with astonishment by its beauty and magnificence. A vast column, covered from base to pinnacle with beautiful sculptures, rich carvings, embossed and Mosaic work of the most elegant description, beautiful foliage of beaten metal, fine enameling, the whole being set out in artistical order with twelve thousand gems sparkling like stars in the firmament.