CopenhagenAndItsEnvirons_A

6

long be effected. W h en the town shall b e , as, a fter deferring from y e a r to y ear, it is now finally decided it shall b e , supplied w ith pure w a ter and w ith pro p er se w e ra g e ; w hen its streets shall be lighted w ith gas, and its foot-w ays flag g e d ; w hen those abom inable n u isa n c e s, th e open d u st-carts, w hich prow l ab o u t th e tow n from m orning until night, shall be a b o lish e d ; w hen th e ram p a rts shall be levelled and a freer ventilation adm itted — then will Copenhagen be not only a m ore h e a lth y , b u t a m ore beau tiful c ity , able to vie in every respect w ith the other capitals of E urope. B u t, as the p avem ent is y e t m ost te rrib le , it m ay be well for strangers to bear in m ind a regulation for p ed estrian s: T h e fo o t-w ay is edged w ith a k e rb -sto n e, w hich, with the road on the riyht hand , the pedestrian is entitled to keep against all com ers, unless g allan try p rom pts him to give w ay to la d ie s, w hen the adage is rev ersed and "th e strongest goes to th e w all.” So tenacious are th e people o f this "rig h t,” th a t n either m an in buckram nor m an in livery w ill yield it to the finest g entlem an; th e p easan t w ill tu rn off the p rin c e , and the fish-fag the princess. With the road to the le ft , the rule is of course the c o n tra ry : you m ust then su rren d er the kerb to every one you m eet, gentle or sim ple: an attem p t to m aintain it ag ainst an im pertinent ap p ren tice