Reminiscences of European Travel - By Andrew P. Peabody (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1868 Excerpt: ... the public chest, the only recognized guardians of the poor are the religious fraternities and sisterhoods specially devoted to this work, and bringing to it the discretion derived from constant experience; and whatever alms arc bestowed arc expended under their supervision. The Parisian workmen have numerous holidays. The greater part of Sunday is so used, those who attend mass crowding the early services, and devot ing the residue of the day to recreation. A pretty large proportion of the shops are closed on Sunday, and many handicrafts are suspended. I, indeed, cling to my faith in the Sabbath as a Divine institation for worship no less than for rest; yet I cannot but acknowledge that, to a people not addicted to intemperance or disorder, the rest alone is an infinite benefit. Then too, though there, is by no means the conscientious recognition of church holidays in which Italian indolence takes so much comfort, the principal ecclesiastical festivals are observed bv even a more general abstinence from labor than takes place on Sunday. And a Parisian holiday is an edifying spectacle. I was in Paris on All Saints' Day, and spent several hours of the day on the, Champs-Elysees, the immense promenade and play ground for the public. Thousands upon thousands of people were there in the afternoon and the early evening, --a large part of them in family groups, fathers, mothers, children, babies. All kinds of amusements were going on, --puppet-shows, fandangos, exhibitions of waxwork, of monkeys, of mountebanks, of jugglers. Many of the families were seated at little tables, with a plate of cakes, and a bottle of wine, or glasses of eau nicri. Others were clustered under the trees, on the elastic iron chairs, of which there are thousands in the public grounds. The...