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14 travel Letter no.: the tower of London,symbol of Cruelty July 13, 1856 London, England At the Tower of London, Rose expresses her sadness and disgust at the inhumanity of rulers with absolute power over their subjects, even to the murder of children of their own families. In one of her rare references to her fellow Jews, Rose writes of the sufferings of hundreds of Jews crowded into a small space in the Tower’s dungeon. As did her interest in the tunnel under the Thames in her previous letter, Rose’s fascination with the structural details of the Crystal Palace reveal a keen interest in engineering feats. This letter was printed in the Boston Investigator on August 13, 1856. n London, Stanhope Street, Park Place, Regent’s Park, (Eng.,) July 13, 1856 . . . The Tower had very little interest for me, except a painful one. . . . In the White Tower, is the dungeon where the two children of Edward IV were stifled, and the dark cell where Sir Walter Raleigh was incarcerated for thirteen years, together with the block and axe that performed the cruel function of a cruel age and government. In the large room for State prisoners, the walls are covered with the names, dates, and last sentiments , engraven with the agony of death, as a legacy to and a protest from the spirit of humanity. In the underground dungeon 600 Jews were incarcerated at one time. The place is filled with reminiscences of barbarism , which sicken the heart and crush the spirit even to behold. . . . . . . . . . . . [T]he greatest attraction is the Crystal Palace at Sydenham. It contains all that is interesting and beautiful to be found in all other public establishments, and a great variety in addition. The Crystal Palace is a magnificent structure, composed of glass and iron; the framework seems very light, which gives it a very airy appearance. The name is very appropriate , for when the sun shines on it, it looks like an immense crystal reflecting the rainbow colors. The length is 1608 feet; the general width 384; the height of the centre transept, from the basement, is 197; the area, including the wings, 603,072; the area of galleries is 261,568. It represents 15 all that is grand and beautiful in nature and in art, of ancient and modern times, of rude barbarity and the most refined civilization. We have seen the painting of Rosa Bonheur. It is a representation of a horse fair, and is 20 feet by 9, and considered a great master-piece. [Rosa Bonheur, a French realist painter, was the most famous woman artist of her time. The Horse Fair, her best-known painting, was on display at the Crystal Palace when Ernestine and William Rose toured London.] A Mr. Wright from New York City bought it for 2200 pounds. So much for sight seeing, and now I must say something of a different nature, for time and space admonish me to draw my letter to a close. . . . Yours, &c., Ernestine L. Rose 1856–1860 ...

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