north america-1-第16章

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have　taste　enough　to　wish　for　such　adornment；　they　almost　invariably　die。　　They　are　robbed　of　the　sickly　shelter　by　which　they　have　been　surrounded；　the　hot　sun　strikes　the　uncovered　fibers　of　the　roots；　and　the　poor；　solitary　invalid　languishes；　and　at　last　dies。　As　one　ascends　the　river；　which　by　its　breadth　forms　itself　into　lakes；　one　is　shown　Indian　villages　clustering　down　upon　the　bank。　Some　years　ago　these　Indians　were　rich；　for　the　price　of　furs；　in　which　they　dealt；　was　high；　but　furs　have　become　cheaper；　and　the　beavers；　with　which　they　used　to　trade；　are　almost　valueless。　　That　a　change　in　the　fashion　of　hats　should　have　assisted　to　polish　these　poor　fellows　off　the　face　of　creation；　must；　one　may　suppose；　be　very　unintelligible　to　them；　but　nevertheless　it　is　probably　a　subject　of　deep　speculation。　　If　the　reading　world　were　to　take　to　sermons　again　and　eschew　their　novels；　Messrs。　Thackeray；　Dickens；　and　some　others　would　look　about　them　and　inquire　into　the　causes　of　such　a　change　with　considerable　acuteness。　　They　might　not；　perhaps；　hit　the　truth；　and　these　Indians　are　much　in　that　predicament。　　It　is　said　that　very　few　pure…blooded　Indians　are　now　to　be　found　in　their　villages；　but　I　doubt　whether　this　is　not　erroneous。　　The　children　of　the　Indians　are　now　fed　upon　baked　bread　and　on　cooked　meat；　and　are　brought　up　in　houses。　　They　are　nursed　somewhat　as　the　children　of　the　white　men　are　nursed；　and　these　practices　no　doubt　have　done　much　toward　altering　their　appearance。　　The　negroes　who　have　been　bred　in　the　States；　and　whose　fathers　have　been　so　bred　before　them；　differ　both　in　color　and　form　from　their　brothers　who　have　been　born　and　nurtured　in　Africa。　I　said　in　the　last　chapter　that　the　City　of　Ottawa　was　still　to　be　built；　but　I　must　explain；　lest　I　should　draw　down　on　my　head　the　wrath　of　the　Ottawaites；　that　the　place　already　contains　a　population　of　15；000　inhabitants。　　As；　however；　it　is　being　prepared　for　four　times　that　numberfor　eight　times　that　number；　let　us　hopeand　as　it　straggles　over　a　vast　extent　of　ground；　it　gives　one　the　idea　of　a　city　in　an　active　course　of　preparation。　In　England　we　know　nothing　about　unbuilt　cities。　　With　us　four　or　five　blocks　of　streets　together　never　assume　that　ugly；　unfledged　appearance　which　belongs　to　the　half…finished　carcass　of　a　house；　as　they　do　so　often　on　the　other　side　of　the　Atlantic。　　Ottawa　is　preparing　for　itself　broad　streets　and　grand　thoroughfares。　　The　buildings　already　extend　over　a　length　considerably　exceeding　two　miles；　and　half　a　dozen　hotels　have　been　opened；　which；　if　I　were　writing　a　guide…book　in　a　complimentary　tone；　it　would　be　my　duty　to　describe　as　first　rate。　　But　the　half　dozen　first…rate　hotels；　though　open；　as　yet　enjoy　but　a　moderate　amount　of　custom。　　All　this　justifies　me；　I　think；　in　saying　that　the　city　has　as　yet　to　get　itself　built。　　The　manner　in　which　this　is　being　done　justifies　me　also　in　saying　that　the　Ottawaites　are　going　about　their　task　with　a　worthy　zeal。　To　me　I　confess　that　the　nature　of　the　situation　has　great　charms；　regarding　it　as　the　site　for　a　town。　　It　is　not　on　a　plain；　and　from　the　form　of　the　rock　overhanging　the　river；　and　of　the　hill　that　falls　from　thence　down　to　the　water；　it　has　been　found　impracticable　to　lay　out　the　place　in　right…angled　parallelograms。　A　right…angled　parallelogramical　city；　such　as　are　Philadelphia　and　the　new　portion　of　New　York；　is　from　its　very　nature　odious　to　me。　I　know　that　much　may　be　said　in　its　favorthat　drainage　and　gas…　pipes　come　easier　to　such　a　shape；　and　that　ground　can　be　better　economized。　　Nevertheless；　I　prefer　a　street　that　is　forced　to　twist　itself　about。　　I　enjoy　the　narrowness　of　Temple　Bar　and　the　misshapen　curvature　of　Picket　Street。　　The　disreputable　dinginess　of　Hollowell　Street　is　dear　to　me；　and　I　love　to　thread　my　way　up　the　Olympic　into　Covent　Garden。　　Fifth　Avenue　in　New　York　is　as　grand　as　paint　and　glass　can　make　it；　but　I　would　not　live　in　a　palace　in　Fifth　Avenue　if　the　corporation　of　the　city　would　pay　my　baker's　and　butcher's　bills。　The　town　of　Ottawa　lies　between　two　waterfalls。　　The　upper　one；　or　Rideau　Fall；　is　formed　by　the　confluence　of　a　small　river　with　the　larger　one；　and　the　lower　falldesignated　as　lower　because　it　is　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　though　it　is　higher　up　the　Ottawa　River　is　called　the　Chaudiere；　from　its　resemblance　to　a　boiling　kettle。　This　is　on　the　Ottawa　River　itself。　　The　Rideau　Fall　is　divided　into　two　branches；　thus　forming　an　island　in　the　middle；　as　is　the　case　at　Niagara。　　It　is　pretty　enough；　and　worth　visiting　even　were　it　farther　from　the　town　than　it　is；　but　by　those　who　have　hunted　out　many　cataracts　in　their　travels　it　will　not　be　considered　very　remarkable。　　The　Chaudiere　Fall　I　did　think　very　remarkable。　　It　is　of　trifling　depth；　being　formed　by　fractures　in　the　rocky　bed　of　the　river；　but　the　waters　have　so　cut　the　rock　as　to　create　beautiful　forms　in　the　rush　which　they　make　in　their　descent。　Strangers　are　told　to　look　at　these　falls　from　the　suspension　bridge；　and　it　is　well　that　they　should　do　so。　　But；　in　so　looking　at　them；　they　obtain　but　a　very　small　part　of　their　effect。　　On　the　Ottawa　side　of　the　bridge　is　a　brewery；　which　brewery　is　surrounded　by　a　huge　timber…yard。　　This　timber　yard　I　found　to　be　very　muddy；　and　the　passing　and　repassing　through　it　is　a　work　of　trouble；　but　nevertheless　let　the　traveler　by　all　means　make　his　way　through　the　mud；　and　scramble　over　the　timber；　and　cross　the　plank　bridges　which　traverse　the　streams　of　the　saw…mills；　and　thus　take　himself　to　the　outer　edge　of　the　wood…work　over　the　water。　　If　he　will　then　seat　himself；　about　the　hour　of　sunset；　he　will　see　the　Chaudiere　Fall　aright。　But　the　glory　of　Ottawa　will　beand；　indeed；　already　isthe　set　of　public　buildings　which　is　now　being　erected　on　the　rock　which　guards；　as　it　were；　the　town　from　the　river。　　How　much　of　the　excellence　of　these　buildings　may　be　due　to　the　taste　of　Sir　Edmund　Head；　the　late　governor；　I　do　not　know。　　That　he　has　greatly　interested　himself　in　the　subject；　is　well　known；　and；　as　the　style　of　the　different　buildings　is　so　much　alike　as　to　make　one　whole；　though　the　designs　of　different　architects　were　selected　and　these　different　architects　employed；　I　imagine　that　considerable　alterations　must　have　been　made　in　the　original　drawings。　　There　are　three　buildings；　forming　three　sides　of　a　quadrangle；　but　they　are　not　joined；　the　vacant　spaces　at　the　corner　being　of　considerable　extent。　　The　fourth　side　of　the　quadrangle　opens　upon　one　of　the　principal　streets　of　the　town。　　The　center　building　is　intended　for　the　Houses　of　Parliament；　and　the　two　side　buildings　for　the　government　offices。　　Of　the　first　Messrs。　Fuller　and　Jones　are　the　architects；　and　of　the　latter　Messrs。　Stent　and　Laver。　　I　did　not　have　the　pleasure　of　meeting　any　of　these　gentlemen；　but　I　take　upon　myself　to　say　that；　as　regards　purity　of　art　and　manliness　of　conception；　their　joint　work　is　entitled　to　the　very　highest　praise。　　How　far　the　buildings　may　be　well　arranged　for　the　required　purposeshow　far　they　maybe　economical　in　construction　or　specially　adapted　to　the　severe　climate　of　the　countryI　cannot　say；　but　I　have　no　hesitation　in　risking　my　reputation　for　judgment　in　giving　my　warmest　commendation　to　them　as　regards　beauty　of　outline　and　truthful　nobility　of　detail。　I　shall　not　attempt　to　describe　them；　for　I　should　interest　no　one　in　doing　so；　and　should　certainly　fail　in　my　attempt　to　make　any　reader　understand　me。　　I　know　no　modern　Gothic　purer　of　its　kind　or　less　sullied　with　fictitious　ornamentation。　　Our　own　Houses　of　Parliament　are　very　fine；　but　it　is；　I　believe；　generally　felt　that　the　ornamentation　is　too　minute；　and；　moreover；　it　may　be　questioned　whether　perpendicular　Gothic　is　capable　of　the　highest　nobility　which　architecture　can　achieve。　　I　do　not　pretend　to　say　that　these　Canadian　public　buildings　will　reach　that　highest　nobility。　　They　must　be　finished　before　any　final　judgment　can　be　pronounced；　but　I　do　feel　very　certain　that　that　final　judgment　will　be　greatly　in　their　favor。　　The　total　frontage　of　the　quadrangle；　including　the　side　buildings；　is　1200　feet；　that　of　the　center　buildings　is　475。　　As　I　have　said　before；　225；000　pounds　have　already　been　expended；　and　it　is　estimated　that　the　total　cost；　including　the　arrangement　and　decoration　of　the　ground　behind　the　building　and　in　the　quadrangle；　will　be　half　a　million。　The　buildings　front　upon　what　will；　I　suppose；　be　the　principal　street　of　Ottawa；　and　they　stand　upon　a　rock　looking　immediately　down　upon　the　river。　　In　this　way　they　are　blessed　with　a　site　peculiarly　happy。　　Indeed；　I　cannot　at　this　moment　remember　any　so　much　so。　　The　Castle　of　Edinburgh　stands　very　well；　but　then；　like　many　other　castles；　it　stands　on　a　summit　by　itself；　and　can　only　be　approached　by　a　steep　ascent。　　These　buildings　at　Ottawa；　though　they　look　down　from　a　grand　eminence　immediately　on　the　river；　are　approached　from　the　town　without　any　ascent。　　The　rock；　though　it　falls　almost　precipitously　down　to　the　water　is　covered　with　trees　and　shrubs；　and　then　the　river　that　runs　beneath　is　rapid；　bright；　and　picturesque　in　the　irregularity　of　all　its　lines。　　The　view　from　the　back　of　the　library；　up　to　the　Chaudiere　Falls　and　to　the　saw…mills　by　which　they　are　surrounded；　is　very　lovely。　　So　that　I　will　say　again　that　I　know　no　site　for　such　a　set　of　buildings　so　happy　as　regards　both　beauty　and　grandeur。　　It　is　intended　that　the　library；　of　which　the　walls　were　only　ten　feet　above　the　ground　when　I　was　there；　shall　be　an　octagonal　building；　in　shape　and　outward　character　like　the　chapter　house　of　a　cathedral。　　This　structure　will；　I　presume；　be　surrounded　by　gravel　walks　and　green　sward。　　Of　the　library　there　is　a　large　model　showing　all　the　details　of　the　architecture；　and　if　that　model　be　ultimately　followed；　this　building　alone　will　be　worthy　of　a　visit　from　English　tourists。　　To　me　it　was　very　wonderful　to　find　such　an　edifice　in　the　course　of　erection　on　the　banks　of　a　wild　river　almost　at　the　back　of　Canada。　　But　if　ever　I　visit　Canada　again；　it　will　be　to　see　those　buildings　when　completed。　And　now；　like　all　friendly　critics；　having　bestowed　my　modicum　of　praise；　I　must　proceed　to　find　fault。　　I　cannot　bring　myself　to　administer　my　sugar…plum　without　adding　to　it　some　bitter　morsel　by　way　of　antidote。　　The　building　to　the　left　of　the　quadrangle　as　it　is　entered　is　deficient　in　length；　and　on　that　account　appears　mean　to　the　eye。　　The　two　side　buildings　are　brought　up　close　to　the　street；　so　that　each　has　a　frontage　immediately　on　the　street。　Such　being　the　case；　they　should　be　of　equal　length；　or　nearly　so。　Had　the　center　of　one　fronted　the　center　of　the　other；　a　difference　of　length　might　have　been　allowed；　but　in　this　case　the　side　front　of　the　smaller　one　would　not　have　reached　the　street。　　As　it　is；　the　space　between　the　main　building　and　the　smaller　wing　is　disproportionably　large；　and　the　very　distance　at　which　it　stands　will；　I　fear；　give　to　it　that　appearance　of　meanness　of　which　I　have　spoken。　　The　clerk　of　the　works；　who　explained　to　me　with　much　courtesy　the　plan　of　the　buildings；　stated　that　the　design　of　this　wing　was　capable　of　elongation；　and　had　been　expressly　prep