Paris Aug. 27 1879
If it was hard to find time to write while on the tramp, it is harder still to get a moment's time in this whirl-a-gig of a city.
However, you will notice one sign of my return [to] civilized life, I write with pen and ink.
I will go back to the date of my last letter & "write up" the history, in brief, of the last week and a half. How I wish I could indeed go back to old Engelberg [Switzerland] where my last was written!
On Monday morn. bright & early we started over the Surenen Pass - not without some slight misgivings as the clouds looked a little threatening, and alas for our magnificent view from the summit of the Pass, if it did not clear away. We were also told - the guidebook said - the Pass was too difficult for ladies, but we have long since ceased to "swallow down" such remarks. We went over the Pass with the greatest ease imaginable, trying all the way to discover what could make the way difficult at this season. It might be when the snow was deep[.] Our walk that day - of about twenty three miles - brought us to Altdorf & Fluelen - places made famous by history of William Tell. This was our last grand march in Switzerland and it was cloudy when we reached the top, as we feared & it rained considerably all the afternoon as our walking in the rain came at the beginning and closing up of the tramp[.] I think I wrote you of our experiences on Saturday, when I wrote last.
This last valley seemed more wonderfully beautiful than any of the others, if possible. Our road lay along the edge of the most terrific gorge that I have ever seen. But I must not dwell so long on this far away day, for I am now in Paris & lots of things have happened since. I should not have found time for this writing had I not resolutely refused to go to the most famous opera going, in the grandest opera house of the world I expect. Of course we are now in a place where every thing is the largest & finest in the world.
Well, to go on - last Tuesday we took the boat on the lovely Lake of Lucern - reached Lucern about 1 o'clock & took cars for Zurich. In this famous city I - bought some shoes - doffed my old hobnails & came out on high heels - the worst kind of high heels, because there were no low heels. Such a time as I had!
We staid in Zurich over night pleasant city - with the crookedest of streets - except Boston - in the world, I do believe - then cars again - boat, & up the Rigi we went just a week ago to-day, in the cars that go to the very top[.] The view from the Rigi was much finer than I expected. We staid until after sunset and bade good bye to our old mountains, then walked down in the evening by a bridle path - a mode of procedure which has
itssome touch of novelty to say the least, as I dont [sic] suppose that thing is often done. We, lucky mortals, happened to overtake two men when about half way down in the darkest woods & they got us through all right, but we might have had livelier times than we did if we had not found them. We reached the little town of Kussnacht, which means "Good night kiss," in German, where we had some bread & milk for supper & staid over night.My tallow dip is almost burnt out & I must blow out the light & go to bed to save it for the girls when they get home. I should have thought to get another before so late - Good night
Aug. 31st Sunday P.M.
This letter is to be finished this afternoon. Prof. J. Susan and I went to the American church this morning and heard some English preaching the first sermon that I have understood since leaving America - sort of stupid preaching it was, but it seemed good to go to church regularly once more. I met Hattie Parsons and Franc Dean there - probably shall not see much more of them as we leave Tuesday. It has been pleasant to find three people here that we had known at home. Miss Tolman - a former South Hadley teacher, and one of Miss Ellis' party who is still here, Franc Dean, who is in a French school, some little distance from where we board, and Hattie Parsons who sailed fr. New York the same day that I did. She is going to stay a month in this town, and have a fine time seeing every thing, then go to Rome & Constantinople, returning to America next summer -
We just miss Miss Ellis all round she had just gone to London when we reached Paris & she will be in Scotland when we are in England, I expect.
But I will go on with my narration of events in their order - cannot stop for particulars, which are the most interesting, but I cant [sic] write them. Let me see we were down the Rigi, I believe at last accounts. How I do like to go over these days in memory. Everything is so charming and will grow more so as time goes on, and I feel that "I cant [sic] go there any more."
Well, we left the funny town of Kissnacht on the boat on Lake Lucern - this the loveliest of all the lakes - perhaps - Reached Lucern - went to see the Lion cut in rock - of which you must have seen pictures or bas reliefs. This is the very finest thing that I have seen, of the kind - I was very happily disappointed in it. I had no idea of the imensity [sic] of the thing - and it was grand, cut in that cliff. It was designed by Thorvaldsen as a monument in honor of the Swiss guard - a simple, but exceedingly grand monument. Then cars again for Paris, but there was some mistake about trains so we had to wait in Berne [sic] for two hours and we, or I, was glad for I like Bern better than any other Swiss city I have seen. That is the place for the bears you remember - cars for Paris again that take us on our way as far as Neuchatel. As we dont [sic] usually travel at night, we stopped off at this town made interesting to us by the fact that Agassiz was a Prof. in the University there, & his early collection of fishes being there, of course Prof. Jordan would want to stop and inspect. We were all so glad to get a chance to stop here, for it is one of the places where everybody ought to go.
The sunset on the Lake of Neuchatel, with the row of white peaks beyond catching the rosy light - a light that is never seen on earth except on snow peaks - will never be forgotten by any of us. That was "positively the last" view of those snow peaks of the Oberland, with old Mt Blanc & company - For another reason our stop at Neuchatel will be memorable. I found a man there who could take down my high heels, without desiring a whole half day to do it in - which time I could not spare for the purpose - Since that time I have blessed that man, for now I take comfort in these boots -
Well, to continue - the next morning took cars again for Paris, and proceeded to Pontalier [sic - Pontarlier] where we had to stop for half an hour to have baggage examined. My bottle of salamanders attracted the attention of the custom house officer, but he was soon satisfied that they could go through -
We passed the little town where Agassiz was born Montier [sic - Montelier] in Canton land - near the French boundary - We all felt when going out of Switzerland that day that we had started for home - were only going to stop at a few places on the way to America -
Mr & Mrs & Miss Manzy were left by the train at Neuchatel - the first time this summer that any body has been left by a train any where - which is quite wonderful considering the way we scatter when we strike a large town -
When we reached Dole - a small provincial town of France we got off the train in order to take a faster one, but after waiting for some hours in this doleful town, we left in the rain for Paris once more - this time in sheer desperation we took a night train hoping to reach Paré - as they say - in the course of the night or early in the morning. But alas! after getting nicely settled for the night, and riding for only an hour or two, the conductor came[,] opened the door & shouted "decenda" (is that it, Hattie?) We did descend once more & found that we were at Dijon, and that it was about twelve o'clock at night - and moreover we were to wait there about four hours - Susan, Charlie & I went out to see the town in preference to camping down in that old station where the rest tried to sleep away the time. We walked over that old town, at that unearthly hour & saw all we could see & - kept awake, by the means.
Then cars again for "Pare" and sure enough these cars did take us into the town - and we actually reached Paris at about seven oclock [sic] a week ago Saturday morning and it was raining -
I assure you I was glad to see the place, for I was never so tired of cars as this summer - The first time that I have been unable to eat heartily since I left the steamer was at Dole - and it was nothing but the effects of riding in those poky cars. I have not been on a train that goes faster than our accommodation trains at home & if you are not in 1st class cars you are in danger of being switch off and left till next time. But enough! I am not an enthusiastic admirer of the system of railroading on the continent.
Well, we reached Paris, for sure, and here we are still & will be until Tuesday or possibly Wed. morn -
As I said when I commenced the letter I have had no time for a word of letter writing, only a few words in my note book. And what have I seen? Well, not much yet, but we did not dome to see thoroughly any other country besides Switzerland. We only pass thro' the other places - I shall not feel disappointed that we dont [sic] see more, I shall feel quite well satisfied, because I dont [sic] want to stay long in cities - it is a fact. I tire so soon of seeing things & things & things, without time to really see any thing, so I go to the principal places as the Louvre, for example & look over one or two rooms of paintings & do not attempt to see all. What do I want to walk 3 solid hours - as fast as I can thro' such a place for? It is a fact that it takes just that length of time, walking all the time, to go into each room - Then the Jardin des Plantes, unless one has time to spend a day studying one or two things there is very little use in walking over acres of country just glancing at things you cannot possibly remember and it reminds me so painfully of that old Centennial -
I have enjoyed in Paris very much the rides on the top of the "omnibi" (for ladies can do that here,) also on top of street cars - the views from high places, like the Arch de Triumph & Tower of St Jacques, - rides or walks along
such beautiful streets, atthe beautiful street Champs Elysees or as I call it in English Elysian fields. (I love the English language and there is danger of my talking somebody to death when I get back to America or even to England) I also enjoyed my visit to the Panorama Siege of Paris - tell father, (whose face is now before me - that photograph, how good it is!)The rest of the party are so glad that I drew their attention to it, as they had never heard of it and are so delighted with it. It is on a grander scale than the one exhibited in Philadelphia[.] I am so glad that father told me of it for I would not have missed it - Is n't it strange how that could be painted to make every thing appear so real. I could not believe at first that I was not over looking the city itself from the center of the fort.
I am writing this letter in Mrs. Jordan's room, and Prof has just come in and is entertaining us with a description of the Pantheon, which he has seen & we have not. Oh! I have not told you how we live in Paris, have I? Well, when we arrived in Paris we all repaired to a certain room in the Louve [sic] & staid until Prof. found our rooms. We are on Boulevard St Michael [sic] at a place called Grand Hotel de Suez-. It is a house where one can get a room & take meals out at restaurants - We have rooms here and take our meals in any part of the city where we happen to be - We took dinner this afternoon on our way home from church at a restaurant in the Palais Royal. The price of our room is .15 a day for each, and we have two large mirrors, (I believe mirrors must be cheap in Paris) It is a back room & we four girls are in one room, an arrangement that is highly satisfactory, but we are not all in except from about twelve or one at night till seven in morning, for Paris does not go to bed very early at night, nor get up very early in morn. We have to wander about from restaurant to restaurant because we cannot get break fasts before 8 1/2 or 9 A.M. We pay for a breakfast about a franc & a half & two for dinner making our expenses for the day about .70 or .85[.]
The theater & opera receive great attention from our party, as from all foreigners as well as natives, for it is said by guide books & "sich" that the best way to see the French people is to attend the theater. I have been one night, but that was enough for me. I saw the French people, but could not understand their language and it was not highly edifying.
EspeciallySeveral of the party wanted to hear plays of Moliere & Victor Hugo that they have read in French. Tell Mary that Athalie, being a Sunday piece, is played this evening -We live in a renowned vicinity near the Sorbonne, or French university where Guigat [?] lectures & Renan -
Franc Dean has attended courses there. Many students in this region, Paris is a fine place to study, I expect. Franc wants to stay another year, but has not money enough -
Sunday is the grand holiday of course, as is always said, by every one who has been abroad. I have been told that I should go to Edinborough [sic] Scotland if I want to see a city the opposite of Paris in that respect, as they are very strict about keeping the Sabbath there - We shall not go to Scotland, as has been suggested lately, there is an extra week, you know & we shall spend the time near London instead of spreading ourselves over more country -
We sail two weeks from next Tuesday from Southampton. I think of the teachers back at the Seminary to-day & shall think occasionally of the scenes there during the coming three or four weeks before I see them.
I think of Mary beginning her school marm career in these days, out on Chestnut Hill, and really I should like to try such a place to see if I could do it now. I feel utterly powerless when I think of teaching a public school - but would like to try it never the less. Kit wrote me after her visit to Montague - I expect Charlie Clapp has been with you, wish I could have seen him, and is it possible that I shall see Aunt Agnes?
I think I shall have to stop writing as the talking is too much for me. Mr. Spangler has come in. Prof. Jordan's room is a general gathering place for the troop -
Goodnight -
[unsigned but written by Cornelia Clapp]