



Produced by Chuck Greif, Adrian Mastronardi, The Philatelic
Digital Library Project at http://www.tpdlp.net and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
(This file was produced from images generously made
available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)











                          A BUNDLE OF LETTERS
                          FROM OVER THE SEA.

                            [Illustration]

_This book may be obtained through any bookseller in the United States,
 for two dollars, or will be mailed, postage paid, on receipt of that
                      amount by the publishers._




                          A BUNDLE OF LETTERS

                           FROM OVER THE SEA

                                  BY

                          Louise B. Robinson

                     “Visions of the days departed
                    Shadowy phantoms fill my brain”

                                BOSTON
                         J. G. CUPPLES COMPANY
                        The Back Bay Bookstore
                          94 BOYLSTON STREET
                                 1890

                          _COPYRIGHT_, 1889,
                        BY LOUISE B. ROBINSON.

                        _All rights reserved._

                        Cupples Press: Boston.

                   PRINTED BY J. G. CUPPLES COMPANY.


                            [Illustration]

                        DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR
                             To Her Mother




CONTENTS.


                                                                    PAGE

PREFACE                                                               ix

LETTER I.                                                              1
I am off. On the sea.

LETTER II.                                                            13
Liverpool. Chester. Rugby. Leamington.
Stratford-on-Avon. Kenilworth. Warwick.

LETTER III.                                                           29
London.

LETTER IV.                                                            67
Paris.

LETTER V.                                                            127
Ambrieau. Geneva.

LETTER VI.                                                           143
Chamouni. Mer de Glace. Tête Noire.

LETTER VII.                                                          157
Martigny. Chillon. Berne. Interlaken.

LETTER VIII.                                                         171
Lucerne. Altorf. The Rigi. Zurich. Schaffhausen.

LETTER IX.                                                           191
Strassburg. Baden Baden. Willbad. Carlsruhe.
Heidelberg.

LETTER X.                                                            217
Mayence. Wiesbaden. The Rhine.

LETTER XI.                                                           233
Cologne.

LETTER XII.                                                          247
Utrecht. Amsterdam.

LETTER XIII.                                                         263
The Hague. Rotterdam. Brussels.

LETTER XIV.                                                          281
Antwerp.

LETTER XV.                                                           291
On Shipboard. New York. Boston.




PREFACE.


_In presenting my little book to the public, I feel that I should
apologize for so doing, instead of introducing it; for at the time my
letters were written I had no idea of publishing them. Since my return,
however, several friends who had read them have assured me that they
greatly enjoyed them, and felt that others would do so, also, had they
the opportunity. The letters have, at least, the merit of being fresh
and honest impressions of the places described, as they were written on
the spots. Remembering how eagerly I have always read letters of travel,
I sincerely hope that mine may prove a source of pleasure to some--to
those who have been over the same ground, and to many who have the
pleasure in anticipation. I am aware that the route I describe is a
well-worn thoroughfare, but every eye has its own perspective, and
different views of the same pictures assist the sight-seer in
comprehending the whole. Therefore, I here beg the charity of all into
whose hands this little book may fall._

_L. B. R._

_Hotel Oxford, Boston,

December 20, 1889._




[Illustration]




A BUNDLE OF LETTERS FROM OVER THE SEA.




LETTER I.

CUNARD ROYAL MAIL STEAMSHIP _Etruria_,
MID-OCEAN, _June 12_.


Well, was not this starting for Europe in a hurry? I left Boston
Saturday, June 9th, at five A.M., only deciding the day previous to go.
A number of letters and telegrams, from New York, urging me to join a
delightful party who were to make the journey, proved to be too much of
a temptation to accept the change I so much needed, to resist. For
several previous seasons I have seen friends off, honestly glad to have
them enjoy so much, but after awhile enthusiasm in the pleasures of
others, who enjoy much and leave you behind to be glad for them, grows
dull, like champagne long uncorked, not much sparkle to it, ‘for all
work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.’ A hurried packing; good-by
letters; messenger boys running here and there; a turning of the keys;
and I am off. To my maid, to the elevator boy, to the expressman and the
coachman, I excitedly said, ‘I am going to