He might indeed, in his book, have mentioned all the remarkable places and sights of your metropolis; but he could only have mentioned them. He preferred taking up a few strong features and phases, and expatiating on them. Of course a great deal was passed over in silence; you, as an Englishman, have the greatest right to complain of such neglect. But, most respectable Sir John, pray do not forget that in this manner mention has not been made of many things which are by no means agreeable to British ears when commented upon by foreigners. A good many capital descriptions there are; but, dear me, how much is wanting! I tell you the very things are wanting which we Germans, I trust, shall never think of imitating.
Not a word of your dog and rat fights. Not a word of the manifest incompetency of the majority of your sculptors and painters. Not a syllable of your unequalled musical barbarism. Not a word of the stupendous prostitution—of the dirt—the dissoluteness—the bestiality—in the lower Thames quarters and the Borough. No detailed descriptions of your gin palaces and sailors’ saloons—your learned professions—the intricacies of the law—medicine swamped in charlatanism—your High Church—your Low Church, and sectarian fanaticism—your bigotted Universities, Oxford and Cambridge—the narrow-mindedness of your aristocracy, and the snobbism of your middle classes: all these matters are altogether left out.
My dear Sir John, you are quite right. It would take ten volumes to exhaust the subject. Between ourselves, perhaps you would not half like it if our friend were to continue his “Saunterings.”
London is awful just now. Where in all the world can such fogs and such a pestilential atmosphere be found, except in London? The wolves in the Cologne Cathedral are mere creations of your free-born British fancy; and, as for the present absence of your great coat—do I not know that Englishmen brave even the rigours of a German winter in check trousers and dress coats? But they are cunning enough to don those respectable habiliments over sundry layers of flannel. Have you left off your vests, etc.? Of course you are comfortable in your country cottage, and I shall come to admire you in all your glory.
Yours, etc.
P.S.—Your medical advice is valuable; I mean, in part, to conform to it. I found the Cognac, and shall take it as directed. But your pills I shall not take. I’m reading the French papers, and they do quite as well.
THE END.
J. WERTHEIMER AND CO., PRINTERS, FINSBURY CIRCUS.
| Typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber: |
|---|
| The greatest embarassment=> The greatest embarrassment {pg 49} |
| Friedrichsstrasse of Berlin=> Friedrichstrasse of Berlin {pg 12 x 2} |
| it so black and its columns are so many and so high=> it is so black and its columns are so many and so high {pg 27} |
| appened in Paris=> happened in Paris {pg 50} |
| on the track of of some crime=> on the track of some crime {pg 53} |
| military acoutrements=> military accoutrements {pg 54} |
| has denounced been by the press=> has been denounced by the press {pg 65} |
| if it can done in a loyal and honest manner=> if it can be done in a loyal and honest manner {pg 77} |
| it comes out it full, broad, and traditional glory=> it comes out in full, broad, and traditional glory {pg 84} |
| Our embarrasment and silence=> Our embarrassment and silence {pg 131} |
| duties to to the amount=> duties to the amount {pg 138} |
| delicious eels, mackarel,=> delicious eels, mackerel, {pg 153} |
| second-class accomodation=> second-class accommodation {pg 170} |
| which is a satelite of=> which is a satellite of {pg 205} |
| is more despotic the the=> is more despotic than the {pg 238} |
| kep this seat at the table=> kept this seat at the table {pg 253} |
| Mons. Gueronnaay=> Mons. Gueronnay {pg 255} |
| he ladies in the first row=> the ladies in the first row {pg 261} |
| unlces and aunts=> uncles and aunts {pg 272} |
| sallies and inuendoes=> sallies and innuendoes {pg 280} |
| wofully exagerated=> wofully exaggerated {pg 282} |
| epithets beginnning with=> epithets beginning with {pg 283} |
| Marsellaise=> Marseillaise {pg 283} |