A summer jaunt through the old world: a record of an excursion made to and through Europe by the Tourgée educational party of 1878

Front matter

(OdAtyn A SUMMER JAUNT THROUGH THE OLD WORLD: A PsECOPsD OF AX EXCUESIOX MADE TO AXD THROTJGH EVEOPE, BY THE TOURJEE EDUCATIONAL PART? OF 1S78. Br LUTHER Ij. HOLDEN. BO.STON: PUBLISHED BY LEE & SHEPAItD. 1870. (CcpiTriElIjt, By LEE AND SHEPABD. 1879. Stereotyped and printed by Whigiit &. 1'oimb riususo Co., 79 Milk St., Boston, TO THE MEMBERS OP THE Tourjee Excursion Party of 1878, ■WHOSE GENIAL COMPANIONSHIP ENHANCED THE PLEASURES OF A DELIOHFUL ROUND OF EUROPEAN TRAVEL, Cfjts Uolume IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED.

Preface

. In submitting the accompanying volume to the members of the Tourjee Excursion Party of 1878, and to the public, the author and compiler feels that some apology for its late appearance is called for. It was designed that it should appear soon after the party returned home, but the execution ofthis plan was prevented by unavoidable circumstances. Duties of an engrossing nature greatly delayed the beginning of the work of preparation, and when this was at length entered upon, it had to be carried forward amid such con tinued cares and responsibilities, as ineA'itably surround a busy journalist. Thus the labor has been performed hur riedly, notwithstanding the months that have elapsed since it should have been undertaken ; and the writer finds that while the ink from his pen is yet undried, he is upon the eA*e of a second " Summer .Jaunt Through the Old World," under the same wise leadership that made the first such a constant source of pleasure and profit.

In a great measure, then, the compilation of these records has been not only in retrospection of happy experiences, but, in some degree, anticipatory of pleasures yet to come. Very valuable assistance has been given by several mem bers of the party, who were connected with divisions other than the one of which the writer was a member ; especially by Mr. A. F. Leavis, of Fryeburg, Me., who has given in VI

PREFACE.

. Chapters X., XL, XII., and XIII., an interesting account of the travels of the First, or "Italian" Division. Mr. E. Emory Johnson, of Moodus, Conn., in behalf of the Second Division ; Mr. Frank Bolles, of Washington, D. C, representing the Third Division ; and Mr. O. B. Bruce, of Binghamton, N. Y., the Fourth Division, have likewise rendered kindly aid by furnishing notes of traA*el, which, from necessity, inasmuch as the book has grown into large pro portions, have been considerably abridged in Chapters XIV., XV., and XVI. Mr. Bruce, who was early made familiar with Dr. Tourjee's plans and purposes in connection with the excursion, has also prepared, by request, the introduction to the work. The volume is intended as a pleasant souvenir of a de lightful round of European travel, in which nearly three hundred Americans — a larger excursion party than ever before went from our shores — had, at least in part, a common experience.

The writer trusts, that in spite of any imperfections hasty work may have caused, this purpose will be fully met. While in pursuance of the chief plan to present a faithful history of that excursion, much subject matter of little interest to others may haA*e been included in its pages ; he trusts, nevertheless, that the book may prove a source of much information to the general reader, and, as such, form, in some measure, an instructive and agreeable hand-book of travel. Boston, 1879. CONTENTS. Dedication, Pago iii Preface, " v Contents, " vii Illustrations, " xiii Introduction, " xv

Chapter I. On The Ocean

LeavingNew York — The steamer " Devonia" and its Comforts — The Anchor Fleet — First Night on the Ocean — Strange Sounds and Sensations — Sabbath at Sea — Religious Services — Means of Amusement — "Chalking" — "Bell Time" at Sea — A Series of Remarkable Manifestos — Musical and Intellectual Entertainments — The dreaded " Banks " — The " Glorious Fourth " in Mid-Ocean — A Night Incident — A Strange Fleet — The Range of Vision od the Ocean — A Burial at Sea — Land Ho! — Beauty of the Irish and Scottish Coasts — The Giant's Causeway — Evening Sail up the Charming Frith of Clyde, 7

Chapter II. Scotland

An Early Visit to Glasgow — St. George's Square, the Cathedral, &c. — A Charming Excursion through Loch Lomond, Loch Katrine, and the Trosachs — The Land of Rob Roy — The Scenes of Scott's " Lady of the Lake " — Stirling and its Ancient CONTENTS. Castle — Edinburgh and its Beautiful Situation — Its Monu ments and Historic Sites — Calton Hill — Holyrood Palace, and its Reminiscences of Mary Queen of Scots — A Walk through Old Edinburgh— The Castle and its Sights— The Queen's Drive — The University and its School of Music — A Memorial to Canine Fidelity — Reception by the Sabbath-School Teach ers' Union — Interesting Addresses — The Journey to Melrose — Melrose Abbey — Abbotsford and its Relics, ... 47

Chapter III. England

Entering England — By Special Train to London — The Midland Railway and the Midland Country — European Railways and their Peculiarities — The Approach to the Metropolis — The Midland Grand Hotel — Seeing London — The Metropolis and its Immensity — How London has Overgrown its Ancient Limits — The Busiest Spot in the AVhole AVorld — Means of Travel iu the Great City — The Metropolitan Railway and the Hansom Cabs — The Houses of Parliament and their Adornment — Westminster Hall — AVestminster Abbey — Whitehall — Charing Cross — Trafalgar Square and its Monuments — The National GaUery — The Strand — Temple Bar — The Temple, &c, . 103

Chapter IV. England Continued

More about London — St. Paul's and its Sights — The Post-Office — The Tower of London — Its Mournful History and its AVonders — The Crown Jewels — Fifteen Million Dollars' AVorth of Gewgaws — The British Museum aud its Vast Collections — The South Kensington Museum — A Magnificent Art-School — The Albert Memorial — The Royal Albert Hall aud au Organ Concert therein — Parks and Palaces — The Thames Embankments — Cleopatra's Needle — Sights on the Thames — The Docks aud the Shipping — The Bank of England aud the Royal Exchange — Band of Hope Fete at the Crystal Palace — Singing by Ten Thousand Children — A Glimpse of Royalty — Spurgeon and his Work, &c, 159

Chapter V. France

Leaving London for Paris — The Route via Newhaven and Dieppe — Crossing the English Channel — A Famous French AVatering- Place — The Railway Ride through Normandy — Rouen — The CONTENTS. IX Valley of the Seine — Entering Paris — The Hotel Bedford — The Boulevards — The Cafes — The Fortifications — The Sew ers — How the Paris Streets are Cleaned — The Champs Elysees — The Place de la Concorde and its History — The Obelisk of Luxor — The Arc de Triomphe — The Bois de Boulogno — The Church of the Madeleine — The Church of Notre Dame — Ancient Lutetia — The Palais de Justice and Saiute Chapello — The Morgue — The Hotel de Cluny — The Pantheon, &c, 203

Chapter VI. France Continued

The Louvre and its Treasures — The A.rc de Triomphe du Carrousel — M. Giffard's Captive Balloon — The Palais Royal — The Hotel des Invalides, and the Tomb of Napoleon — The Vendome Column — The Column of July — The Bibliotheque National© — The Grand Opera and the Opera Comique — The Conservatoire de Musique — The Cemetery of Pere la-Chaise — The Park of the Buttes Chaumont — Tho Markets — A Peep at the Exposition Universelle — The Exhibition Buildings and the Arrangement of the Grounds — General Characteristics of the Display — Two National Concerts — An Excursion to St. Cloud, Versailles, and Sevres — The Palace of Versailles and its Art Galleries — A Lunch with Mr. Thomas Cook — Leaving Paris — The Railway Journey to Geneva, 238

Chapter VII. Savitzerland

Entering the Country of Lakes and Mountains — Geneva and its Charming Situation — Its Interesting Features — An Organ Concert at the Cathedral — Lake Leman — Lausanne — The Castle of Chillon — Fribourg — Its Famous Organ and a Concert thereon — Bern — Another Organ Concert — Market Day and the Peasantry — Thun and its Beautiful Lake — The Bodeli Railway — Interlaken — The Jungfrau — Lauterbruunen and the Fall of the Staubbach — Grindelwald and its Glaciers — A New Way to Repulse Clamorous Guides — An Effectual Discharge of "Greek Fire" — The Alpine Horn — The Lake ot Brienz aud the Falls ofthe Geissbach — Swiss Music —The Brunig Pass — Au Ascent of the Rigi — Sunset and Sunrise as seen from the Summit — Excursion on the Lake ofthe Four Cantons — AVilliam Tell — Lucerne and its Quaint Bridges — More Organ Music — The Inevitable " Storm-pioce" — Zurich — Schaffhausen and the Falls of the Rhine, .... X CONTENTS.

Chapter VIII. Germant

Leaving Switzerland — Basel and its Clocks — Strassburg and its Famous Cathedral — Marks of the Siege of 1870 — The Storks and the Geese — The Astronomical Clock — Climbing the Cathedral Tower in a Thunder-storm — Baden-Baden and its Beautiful Surroundings — Tho Black Forest — Heidelberg — Its University and Ruined Castle — The Great Tun— Tho Bich City of Frankfort — Wiesbaden and its Attractions — The Storied Rhine — Its Towus and Vineyards — Its Castles aud their Romantic Legends — The Bromserburg — The Mouse Tower — The Devil's Ladder — The Pfalzgrafenstein — The Lurleiberg — The "Cat" and tho "Mouse" — "The Brothers" — Roland and Hildegunde — The Drachenfels — Cologne — Its Great Cathedral — The Church of the Eleven Thousand Virgins and its Relics — Other Objects of Interest in Cologne, . 322

Chapter IX. Belgium And Holland

From Cologne to Brussels — Aix-la-Chapelle — Liege — Louvain — Belgium's Capital — The Hotel de Ville and the Guild Halls — The Galerie St. Hubert — The Cathedral of Ste. Gudule — The Park and the Neighboring Palaces — The Museum of Paintings — The AViertz Museum — Monuments, Statues, and Fountains — The Conservatoire de Musique — The Lace Manufactories — The Battle-field of AVaterloo — Mcchliu — Antwerp in Gala Attire — The Cathedral and its Art Treasures — Quentin Matsys's Well — The Church of St. Jacques — Celebrated AVorks of Art — Rubens and his Pictures — A Quaint Church Exhibition — The Plantin Museum — Tho Zuid-Beveland of Holland — A Glimpse of the Land of Dikes and Ditches — Crossing the North Sea — Back again iu London, 373

Chapter X. The First Section

— ITALY. The Journey from London to the Continent, and through Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland — Mont Cenis Tunnel — Milan — The Cathedral — Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" — Verona — Romeo and Juliet — The Capulet Mansion — Juliet's Tomb — Venice — Tho Gondoliers — Venetian Painters — St. Mark's Church — The Doge's Palace — The Bridge of Sighs — The Piazza of St. Mark's — The Doves of Venice — Reception of King Humbert and Queen Margherita — Carnival of Venice — CONTENTS. XI Florence — Its Palaces and Churches — The Baptistry — The Cathedral — Saute Croce — Dante — The Medicean Chapel — The Pitti Palace — The Uffizzi Gallery — The Venus de Medici — The Group of Niobe — American Artists — The ' Powers Family — The Protestant Cemetery, . . . . 401

Chapter XI. The First Section

— ITALY CONTINUED. Rome — St. Peter's — The Arch of Constantine — The Arch of Titus — Tho Colosseum — The Ancient Gladiatorial Contests — The Capitol — The Forum — The Pantheon — The Baths of Caracalla — The Appian Way — The Tomb of Cecilia Metella — The Footsteps of St. Paul — The Mamertine Prison — St. Paul's " Hired House " — The Basilica of St. Paul's Beyond the Walls — The Holy Staircase — The Vatican and its Treasures — The Sistine Chapel — Raphael's " Transtignration " — The Apollo Belvidere — The Laocoon — The Catacombs — A Visit to the Pope — The Church of St. Clement — Recent Excavations — The Roman Aqueducts — The Column of Trajan — The Castle of St. Angelo- — Beatrice Cenci — Presentation to Siguor Barattoni, 446

Chapter XII. The First Division

— ITALY CONTINUED. Naples — Its Matchless Bay — The Museum — Celebrated Paiutings and Statuary — "The Roman Charity " — Pompeii, the Buried City — A Perfect Picture of Roman Life Eighteen Centuries Ago — Vesuvius — Ascent of the Cone — Descent into the Crater — The View from the Summit of Vesuvius — Italian Guides and Beggars — Pisa — The Leaning Tower — The Cathedral — The Campo Santo — The Baptistry — "Genoa, the Superb" — Its Palaces and Churches — A Moonlight Sail on the Mediterranean — Tnriu — An Exciting Incident — Encounterof a Brave American Girl with Italian Pickpockets, 509

Chapter XIII. The First Division

— THROUGH FRANCE, ENGLAND, ETC. From Turin to Paris — London Again — Oxford and its Colleges — The Students — The Martyr's Memorial — Wesley and Wickliffe The Bodleian Library — Stratford-on-Avon — Shakespeare's Birthplace — Interesting Relics — Anne Hathaway's Cottage — To Ireland, via Birmingham and Holyhead — Dublin and its Sights — Irish Jaunting-Cars — The Ocean Voyage Homeward — Concluding AA'ords °54 CONTENTS.

" CIRCASSIA " PARTY. The Advance Guard of the American Invaders — The Tour through Scotland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and France — Another Section Visits Italy, C06

Chapter XVIII. Homeavard Bound

Once More in London — Supplementary Tours by Members of the Party — Notes of a Visit to Sorrento and the Blue Grotto of Capri, and of a Tour of Lakes Como and Lugano — A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land — Setting Sail for Home — The "Rolling Deep" — Entertainments on Shipboard — Benefit of tho Shipwrecked Mariners' Society — Congratulatory Resolutions — Arrival at New York — Tho Custom-House Officers — Dr. Tourjee's Christmas Greeting, 609 ArPENDix, Page 633 Index, "643 ILLUSTRATIONS. The Scott Memorial, Edinburgh . Facing page 68 Edinburgh Castle, " 79 Westminster Abbey " 142 Henry Seventh's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, ... " 150 Tower of London " 168 Joan of Arc's Tower, Rouen "215 Place de la Concorde " 224 Church of the Madeleine " 230 Sainte Chapelle, Paris "234 Colonnade of TnE Louvre, . " 240 Dome of the Hotel des Invalides, ......

" 244 Palace of the Luxembourg, " 255 The River Seine in Paris "260 The Park and Palace of Versailles, ..... " 266 Lausanne and the Savoy Alps " 282 Grindelwald, " 299 The Tell Chapel near Fluelen "309 Lucerne and Mont Pilatus "315 A Stork's Nest in Strassburg, "330 View of Strassbubg from near Erwin of Steinbach's Monument, " 336 Heidelberg and the Old Castle " 344 Frankfort-on-the-Main, " 348 Caub and the Pfalzgrafenstein "358 The Hotel de Ville, Brussels, "377 A Row of Holland Giants "397 The Cathedral of Milan " 411 Palace of the Doges at Venice, "427 The Arena of the Colosseum " 456 The Roman Forum "463 Roman Temple of Hercules, called the Temple of the Sybil "491 The Herculaneum Gate, Pompeii, as it was "517 Ehrenbreitstein "602

Introduction

. Year after year, many toiling teachers, ministers, musicians, and brain-workers in other vocations have turned the wistful eye across the Atlantic to that happy tramping ground for tourists — Europe ; inwardly resolving to go some day, when slender purse and brief vacation would permit. Such, though lost to sight, were not forgotten. Dr. Eben Tourjee, in his wide and intimate acquaintance with these classes of toilers, had long been aware of the 3*earnings that tongues fain would utter, and wisely estimated the influences that a properly directed tour could effect, if brought within the limited means of such deserving laborers. Having clearly defined in his own mind the nature, scope, and feasibility of such a project, with him, to think was to act ; so accordingly, in 1876, he announced it to some friends and others for critical opinions.

So well digested and practically adapted were his plans to all the wants and capabilities of such a party, that feAV suggestions could be given. It is no easy task to arrange the details of a tour which, while it gives the teacher ample opportunity to personally examine the pedagogics of the lower, middle, and higher school S3*stems of Europe, provides also suitable occasions and special facilities for those particularly interested in music, art, or science, by gaining access to galleries and collections of sculpture, painting, architecture, antiquities, &c, by visitation of various libraries, and by arranging a

INTRODUCTION.

. XVI series of grand concerts along the tour, at the same time omitting no places of natural, national, or historic interest. To a fertile, energetic, and comprehensive mind expe dients are plenty, means are ready, circumstances are utilized ; thus came before the world the largest "Euro pean excursion " that had ever left our shores — The Tourjee Musical and Educational Party. That most illustrious of caliphs, Haroun-al-Raschid, not content to be shut up in his palace, where he heard only fawning sycophancy, saw only the glitterings of Oriental splendor, knew only what was communicated to him through interested and falsely colored mediums, accustomed himself to go about the streets of Bagdad disguised, that he might see with his own eyes and hear with his own ears. Thus he made himself acquainted with the cause and effect of various circumstances, learned the condition of his subjects, and often heard those salutary truths which never had reached his ears through the walls of his palace or from the courtiers and parasites surrounding him.

To no class of brain-workers is the foregoing allusion more applicable than to the teacher, who, from the nature of his calling, surroundings, and influences, is apt to be content to remain in his school-room, hearing at times only the "damning of faint praise," seeing 011I3' the day's rou tine done, knowing only the A'ague semblance of knowledge often convej*ed through distorted views. Let such once go abroad, beyond his own horizon, to see with his own ej*es and to hear with his own ears, — how great the change ! At once. his acquaintance with men and things widens, hisA-iews broaden, his intellect expands, his sj'mpathies deepen, his aspirations kindle, his tastes become elevated, his impres sions become real and vivid ; thus, amid recreation, enj'03--

INTRODUCTION.

. XVII ment, and improA'ement, he becomes a new being, now seel ing that a beneficent Creator has given him " A world made so various that the mind Of desultory man, studious of change, And pleased with novelty, might be indulged." Though we read volumes about Europe, yet, in so doing, we fail to enjoy the peculiar adA-antages of a tour ; especiall}* is this true of the teacher, minister, artist, or musician. Nearly every periodical of the day, directly or indirectly, suggests the value and desirability of a personal contact and acquaintance with the distinctive social, religious, æsthetic, political, and physical features of Europe, — to move among its peoples, to study its institutions, to visit its historic places, and compare all with our own land. All know the value of observation, and he who can take in the great world without, will have a world within.

The retrospect of our recent tour is fertile in pleasant reminiscences. It vividly recalls our first meeting on shipboard, where we then were, in fact, a party of strangers, one to another, gathered from all sections of the Union and from the Dominion of Canada. "We hear again the A-oice of friendly greeting, we feel the cordial shake of the hand, we mingle once more in impressive devotions, in inspiring music, in enlivening games and exercises that whiled the hours away as we "rolled the billows o'er." Memory dwells with joy upon generous friendships there formed; -it lingers with pleasing interest upon forms and features now absent in body, but in the spirit ever present. These associations, with the special conditions and circumstances of our after journey, the glowing and cordial enthusiasm of our party, the enriching acquisitions, both in views aud experiences, adorn our retrospect with a charming interest, XA'lll

INTRODUCTION.

. wherein are "reason mixed with pleasure, and wisdom blent with mirth." From a general and intimate acquaintance with the party, and from frequently expressed sentiments of many mem bers, we are assured that the grand aim and object of Dr. Tourjee have been attained. Whatever the penchant of any member, the comprehensive execution of all details brought each his own desire, whether it was in scenes of beauty, romance, history, or tradition; whether in art — music, painting, sculpture, ceramics, or architecture ; in the relics of antiquity, or the wonders of mediæval or modern times ; in observing civil, social, religious, or educational forms and systems, — all were provided, and all enjoyed. The results of such personal A-isitation, observation, contact, and experiences imbued our members with new, curious, and enduring views, feelings, aims, and aspirations that will generate a life-force in all suture character, leading each to a higher, nobler appreciation of God's work and dealings among the nations of the earth ; leading the heart more truly to adore its Creator, and with Job to exclaim in its adoration, "I have heard of thee by the hearing ofthe ear : but now mine eye seeth thee."

While the perusal of this book will be interesting to all readers, it will be peculiarly and interestingly suggestive to members of the Tourjee Party, leading many to live over again the scenes and experiences in which each bore a prominent part. Maj* such reminiscences be fraught with a pleasure only to increase with recurring reference to the recorded Tour of the Tourjee Musical and Educational Party ! " Still o'er these scenes may memory wake, And fondly brood with miser care : May time the impression deeper make, As streams their channels deeper wear." JAUNT THROUGH THE OLD WORLD.