A Travelogue To London, Including Seeing The Crystal Palace: We Have Been To The Worlds Wonder, Crystal Palace, And Have Been Charmed And Wonder-Struck, As So Many Before Us Have Been With Its Orange-Groves And Fountains, Birds & Flowers, Alhambra & Egyptian Courts, All That Is Most Exquisite In Art & Nature Brought Together Under That Glass Roof. Nothing Could Surpass It

(LONDON TRAVELOGUE). ALS. 4pg. London. June 2, 1856. A lengthy autograph letter signed that is a travelogue of London; the writer mentions both Dickens works, Queen Victoria and the Crystal Palace: we feel as much at home in the Golden Cross as if we had always lived here. I dont know whether you remember, but the immortal Pickwick set off on his travels from this very spot. Its wide windows looking out upon the Strand, and Mrs. Gardners kindness make us like it very much. I have so much to tell you dear Minnie, that I dont know where to begin, for we are out sightseeing all day long, and tired we get sometimes. One day, I was seated in our little parlor (the same, by the way, which your mother had) when the door was opened and in walked Uncle and Joe. You can imagine how delighted we were to see them. Uncle looks very well & Joe ditto. They left the ladies in Paris and they all are to sail on the 21st of June, so with Uncle, Aunt & Lizzie Greene we feel quite at home, but we shall soon all separate. The first Sunday we were here we went to Westminster, where we attended service, and beautiful the music sounded through those mouldering arches, each stone of which seems to be marked with age. As we sat in the Poets Corner you may imagine we could not listen very attentively to the sermon, we were too much engaged in examining the queer old monuments. We afterwards saw the tomb of Mary Queen of Scots & many others of equal interest. London has been very very full and it has been quite amusing to drive in Hyde Park & see all the nobility in their superb equipages with footmen, flunkeys, tigers & etc. all in livery, looking as proud as so many Alexander Selkirks monarchs of all they survey. My Lords and My Ladies; we meet at every turn, and very common looking people many of them are. London is full of singing birds now. Her Majesty gave a charming little concert the other evening where only Jenny Lind, Grisi, Alboni, Clara Novello, Bosio, and half a dozen birds of no less note, sang. We went to the Opera the other evening, and had a very pleasant time. One part of the performance I highly appreciated, that each lady has a lovely bouquet at her seat. Mr. Peabody, who gave us our seats, said that he found a lady never refused flowers. Piccolomini made her first appearance, a bewitching little actress and sweet singer. The ladies all go in full dress, we saw many fine necks but few pretty faces. Of course we have been to the worlds wonder, Crystal Palace, and have been charmed and wonder-struck, as so many before us have been with its orange-groves and fountains, birds & flowers, Alhambra & Egyptian courts, all that is most exquisite in art & nature brought together under that glass roof. Nothing could surpass it but you will see it yourself & be as enchanted as we were. The letter has mailing folds and is in fine condition.