Sunny Memories Of Foreign Lands, Volume 1Stowe, Harriet Beecher
History
Sunny Memories Of Foreign Lands, Volume 1
Stowe, Harriet Beecher
Europe -- Description and travel
Industrial schools seem to open a bright prospect to the hitherto
neglected outcasts of our cities; for them a new era seems to be
commencing: they are no longer to be restrained and kept in order by the
iron bars of the prison house, and taught morality by the scourge of the
executioner. They are now to be treated as reasonable and immortal
beings; and may He who is the God of the poor as well as the rich give
his effectual blessing with them, wherever they may be established, so
that they may be a source of joy and rejoicing to all ranks of society.
Such is the result of the "speerings" recommended by my worthy
correspondent. I have given them much at length, because they are useful
to us in the much needed reforms commencing in our cities.
As to the appalling statements about intemperance, I grieve to say that
they are confirmed by much which must meet the eye even of the passing
stranger. I have said before how often the natural features of this
country reminded me of the State of Maine. Would that the beneficent law
which has removed, to so great an extent, pauperism and crime from that
noble state might also be given to Scotland.
I suppose that the efforts for the benefit of the poorer classes in this
city might be paralleled by efforts of a similar nature in the other
cities of Scotland, particularly in Edinburgh, where great exertions
have been making; but I happened to have a more full account of these in
Aberdeen, and so give them as specimens of the whole. I must say,
however, that in no city which I visited in Scotland did I see such
neatness, order, and thoroughness, as in Aberdeen; and in none did there
appear to be more gratifying evidences of prosperity and comfort among
that class which one sees along the streets and thoroughfares.
About two o'clock we started from Aberdeen among crowds of friends, to
whom we bade farewell with real regret.
Our way at first lay over the course of yesterday, along that beautiful
sea coast--beautiful to the eye, but perilous to the navigator. They
told us that the winds and waves raged here with an awful power. Not
long before we came, the Duke of Sutherland, an iron steamer, was
wrecked upon this shore. In one respect the coast of Maine has decidedly
the advantage over this, and, indeed, of every other sea coast which I
have ever visited; and that is in the richness of the wooding, which
veils its picturesque points and capes in luxuriant foldings of verdure.
At Stonehaven station, where we stopped a few minutes, there was quite a
gathering of the inhabitants to exchange greetings, and afterwards at
successive stations along the road, many a kindly face and voice made
our journey a pleasant one.
When we got into old Dundee it seemed all alive with welcome. We went in
the carriage with the lord provost, Mr. Thoms, to his residence, where a
party had been waiting dinner for us some time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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