questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第20节
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statuary; and paintings。 Here are located the Chamber of Peers; the
House of Commons; and numerous royal apartments; lavishly fitted
up to be in keeping with the office and dignity of the building。
Crystal Palace; situated about eight miles southeast of St。 Paul's;
consists entirely of glass and iron。 Its main hall; or nave; is 1;608
feet long; with great cross sections; two aisles; and numerous lateral
sections。 The two water towers at the ends are each 282 feet high。
If you were at the World's Fair in Chicago; and visited the Transportation
Building; you may imagine something of the magnitude and beauty of
Crystal Palace; with her orchestra; concert hall; and opera…house; with
her fountains; library; and school of art; with her museums; gardens;
and arenas; with her parks; panoramas; and her numerous exhibits of
nature and art。 Near the center of the palace 〃is the great Handel
Orchestra; which can accommodate 4;000 persons; and has a diameter
twice as great as the dome of St。 Paul's。 In the middle is the powerful
organ with 4;384 pipes; built at a cost of 30;000; and worked by
hydraulic machinery。 An excellent orchestra plays here daily。〃 The
concert…hall on the south side of the stage can accommodate an
audience of 4;000。 An excellent orchestra plays here daily。 〃On each
side of the great nave are rows of courts; containing in chronological
order; copies of the architecture and sculpture of the most highly
civilized nations; from the earliest period to the present day。〃 The
gardens of Crystal Palace cover two hundred acres; and are beautifully
laid out 〃with flowerbeds; shrubberies; fountains; cascades; and
statuary。〃 〃Two of the fountain basins have been converted into sport
arenas; each about eight and one…half acres in extent。〃 Nine other
fountains; with electric light illuminations; play on fireworks nights
and on other special occasions。 It is common for 15;000 visitors to
attend these Thursday night firework exhibits。 Colored electric light
jets deck the fountains; flower…beds; and halls。 Crystal Palace was
designed by Sir Joseph Paxton; and cost seven and a half million of
dollars。 Well may it be called London's Paradise。
Shall we say that the greatest piece of constructive architecture of any
country is that of Eiffel Tower! Situated on the left bank of the Seine
River; it overlooks Paris and the country for fifty miles around。
In its construction; iron caissons were sunk to a depth of forty…six feet
on the river side; and twenty…nine and one…half on the other side。 When
the water was forced out of these caissons by means of compressed air;
〃concrete was poured in to form a bed for four massive foundation
piers of masonry; eighty…five feet thick; arranged in a square of 112
yards。 Upon this base which covers about two and a half acres rises
the extraordinary; yet graceful structure of interlaced ironwork〃 to a
height of 984 feet。 Eight hundred persons may be accommodated on
the top platform at once。 It was completed within two years' time;
and is the highest monument in the world。 Washington monument
ranks second; being 555 feet high。 From the summit of Eiffel Tower
one may secure a good view of Paris; her public buildings; chief hills;
parks; and boulevards; monuments; and embankments。 An imitation
of Trajan's column in Rome; is 142 feet in height; and thirteen feet in
diameter。 It is constructed of masonry; encrusted with plates of bronze;
forming a spiral band nearly 300 yards in length; on which are represented
the 〃battle scenes of Napoleon during his campaign of 1805; and down to
the battle of Austerlitz。 The figures are three feet in height and many of
them are portraits。 The metal was obtained by melting down 1;200
Russian and Austrian cannons。 At the top is a statue of Napoleon in his
Imperial robes。 This column reflects the political history of France。〃
The design sculptor is Bergeret。 For their antiquity the mummies and
statues in the Egyptian galleries of the British Museum are very
interesting。 They embrace the period from 3600 years before Christ to
350 A。D。 〃The tomb of Napoleon by Visconte;〃 and 〃the twelve colossal
victories surrounding the sarcophagus by Pradier;〃 are among the finest
works of Parisian sculpture。 The sarcophagus; thirteen feet long; six
and one…half feet high; consists of a single huge block of reddish…brown
granite; weighing upwards of sixty…seven tons; brought as a gift from
Finland at a cost of 700;000。 The Louvre; Paris; contains one of the
finest art galleries in Europe; and with the Tuilleries; covers about eight
acres; 〃forming one of the most magnificent places in the world。〃
In our limited experience at travel we have yet to find a single object of
beauty or utility that is not the product of skill; of genius; of great labor。
Every monument bears testimony of struggle; of bloodshed; of hard…
earned victory; beneath every tomb that honor has erected rests the body
of incarnate intelligence; fidelity; and courage。 In the shadow of every
great cathedral lies collected the moth and rust from the coppers of
myriad…handed toilers of five and ten centuries。 The towers and domes
of London; and Paris; and Amsterdam; and Dublin are monuments to
the genius of the architect and to the faithfulness of the common toiler。
The parks and gardens tell of centuries of wise and faithful application
of the laws of growth; of symmetry; of design in form and color。 The
historic chapels of worship and learning breathe the very incense of
devotion and reverence for truth; while the conservatories of sculpture
and painting preserve what is divinest in human experience。 Age alone
can produce a great man or a great nation。 Decades for the man and
centuries for the nation; these are the measuring periods for real
achievement。 But all this is on the human side。 Correggio and Titian
in painting; Bacon and Bailey in sculpture; Raphael and Michael Angelo
in sculpture and painting; and Sir Christopher Wren in architecture;
the works of art of such as these elevate and purify one's thought and
feeling。 But the profoundest impressions that come to one from travel;
come alone from the works of nature。 The Crystal Palace in London
can not compare in glory with the crystal ripples of a mid…ocean scene。
The botannical gardens of the Tuilleries in Paris do not stir the soul as
does the splendor of the Welsh mountains。 The rockery plants of Phoenix
Park; Dublin; are insignificant compared with growths of ferns and moss
On the rock ledges of Bray's Head; south of Dublin。 No panorama that
man has painted can equal the scene of Waterloo battle…field; observed
from the earthen mound near the fatal ravine。 So; we shall always find
it true; that as the heavens are higher than the earth; so the thoughts of
God are higher than the thoughts of man; and his ways than man's ways。
X。
HOME AND THE HOME…MAKER。
WHAT IS HOME?
〃RECENTLY a London magazine sent out 1;000 inquiries on the
question; 〃What is home?〃 In selecting the classes to respond to the
question it was particular to see that every one was represented。 The
poorest and the richest were given an equal opportunity to express
their sentiment。 Out of eight hundred replies received; seven gems
were selected as follows:
〃HomeA world of strife shut out; a world of love shut in。
〃HomeThe place where the small are great and the great are
small。
〃HomeThe father's kingdom; the mother's world; and the
child's paradise。
〃HomeThe place where we grumble the most and are treated
the best。
〃HomeThe center of our affection; round which our heart's
best wishes twine。
〃HomeThe place where our stomachs get three square meals
daily and our hearts a thousand。
〃HomeThe only place on earth where the faults and failings
of humanity are hidden under the sweet mantle of charity。〃
Dr。 Talmage defines home; as 〃a church within a church; a republic
within a republic; a world within a world。〃 Dr。 Banks writes; 〃It is
not granite walls; or gaudy furniture; or splendid books; or soft carpets;
or delicious viands that can make a home。 All of these may be present;
and yet it be only a dungeon; if the great simplicities are not there。〃
Sings one:
〃Home's not merely roof and room;
Needs it something to endear it。
Home is where the heart can bloom;
Where there's some kind heart to cheer it。
Home's not merely four square walls;
Though with pictures hung and gilded;
Home is where affection calls;
Filled with charms the heart hath builded。
Home! Go watch the faithful dove
Sailing 'neath the heavens above us;
Home is where there's one to love;
Home is where there's one to love us。〃
We believe the five sweetest words in the English language to the
largest number of personswords which ca