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questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第18部分

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the Houses of Parliament; including Westminster Hall。  That of Sir

Charles Barry was selected; and the present imposing structure was

built; covering eight acres; at a cost of 15;000;000。  The style is

perpendicular (Gothic); with carvings; intricate in detail and highly

picturesque。  The building faces the river with a 940 feet front; but

her three magnificent square…shaped towers rise over her street front。

The clock tower at the northwest corner is 318 feet high; the middle

tower is 300 feet; and the southwest; or Victorian tower; is 340 feet

high。  The large clock with its four dials; each twenty…three feet in

diameter; requires five hours for winding the striking parts。  The

striking bell of the clock tower is one of the largest known; it weighs

thirteen tons; and can be heard; in favorable weather; over the greater

portion of London。  One never tires in looking at this noble building。

It is appropriately adorned inside and out with elaborate carvings;

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 carry with 
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