Alfred de Rosann — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ALFRED DE ROSANN. 21 “This is the first time,’? answered De Rosann; “but business as well as pleasure, have induced me to undertake this voyage.” “Of course, you will proceed to London,” said the Englishman. * “My affairs lie in that city; and even if they did not, curiosity alone would be a sufficient inducement - to make me visit the metropolis of your country,”’ re- turned our hero. | “You flatter my national pride,’ cried the English- man; ‘and I dare assert, that if you have formed any idea of the splendour, the magnificence, and the extent of London, you will not be disappointed.”’ “ Have you a Palais Royal in London?” inquired De Rosann. “We have not a Palais Royal, it is true,’’ answered the Englishman; “but our streets are large, and our shops are elegant—-our bazaars are a combination of all that is costly and rare—our squares are numerous —our public edifices remarkable—our theatres exten- sive and handsome—our parks are open to the pub- lic, and our palaces well calculated for regal dwell- ings.”’ ‘¢T have heard,’’ said De Rosann, “ that.it is only at the west-end where the streets are large and com- modious, and that their width is carried to a ridicu- lous excess. I have, moreover, read a description of your public buildings, and they do not appear so nu- merous or remarkable as those in Paris.” «Wait till you see London,” said the Englishman, somewhat sulkily. “Oh!” cried De Rosann, smiling at the unworthy petulance of the other, “ I only speak at present from what I have heard or read. London and Paris are doubtless the first cities in the world—and Londond = the larger of the two; but Paris abounds in more de-* RG lights, in greater pleasures. We have cafés, restau- rants, public baths, and ‘news-rooms at every step. We have four times the number of theatres that Lon- don can boast of; and with regard to the luxuries of COPMICLOOO KS. COnmn