upon the militia system, and got up with no inconsiderable share of
humour. A person on horseback, masked, in the uniform of Napoleon,
wearing a small figure of him on either shoulder, and carrying an
enormous tin sword, headed a band of ragamuffins, habited as their
wit and ingenuity dictated to them. Pasteboard, pumpkins, spits, and
hay-bands, with a hundred other things of the same kind, being put in
requisition to aid the spirit of buffoonery, and assist in ridiculing
the militia. The only motto among the many that was good and pointed,
was “soldiers in peace, citizens in war.” But the whole scene, although
acted on a less serious occasion, was worthy the days of Anacharsis
Klootz.
I cannot forbear to relate an instance of that mock modesty of which
the Americans are sometimes accused. I was at a ball, and was guilty
of joining in a quadrille. When the time for the “dos a dos” arrived,
I advanced to perform that part of the figure in the same manner as
I should have done at a ball in England; but I found that the lady,
who was dancing opposite to me, receded instead of coming forward,
and my movement had attracted considerable attention. I felt that I
had committed some error, and my partner, who had travelled a great
deal in Europe and had often danced quadrilles in France and England,
kindly hinted to me, with a slight archness of smile, that I had made
a mistake.—“We do not dance the dos a dos here; we have left off that
part of the figure!”
Two circumstances contributed to render my voyage home agreeable: one
was, that I sailed in the splendid new ship the “North America;” the
other, that she was commanded by Captain Macy. As the steam-boat slowly
towed us from the wharf, I felt gratified and grateful for the kindness
I had met with in America; and I unhesitatingly affirm, that if an
Englishman be treated otherwise it must be his own fault. I looked at
the retiring city: I thought the houses were not so very red, after
all; and I tried to persuade myself that the bay of New York was as
beautiful as the bay of Naples: but I found that I could not show
my gratitude at the expense of what appeared to me to be the truth;
namely, that it is and must ever remain very far inferior. Partiality
is apt to elicit some very contrary opinions. The New Yorkers think
their bay equal in beauty to the bay of Naples: when the Dutch had
possession of the country, they called it the New Netherlands. But
these are trifles, and as such I hope they are pardonable.
I advise you to go to America: at this period there is no country
equally interesting, nor one so likely to remain so, till it falls to
pieces, probably within less than half a century, by its own weight.
If you are an ultra-tory you will, perhaps, receive a lesson that may
reduce you to reason; if you are a radical, and in your senses, as an
Englishman and a gentleman, you are certain of changing your opinions
before you return; and you may prepare yourself accordingly. You will
be gratified by visiting a land, that come what will, must ever remain
a land of liberty, which the Saxon blood alone is capable of enjoying.
So little, it may be remarked, do the French understand the term, that
it is only since the last revolution that they have acquired the “droit
de l’initiatif,” or the right by which any member of the chamber of
deputies can by himself bring in a bill or “projet de loi,” whenever he
pleases; a right which the members of the house of commons in England
may be said to have enjoyed for two centuries. Previously to the late
changes in France, it was necessary that a number of members who wished
to introduce any measure into the chamber, should petition the king for
leave to do so; otherwise, as is well known, it was brought forward by
the minister alone. You will be gratified by seeing so much of what
may be termed the aristocracy of nature in the primæval forests, the
vast lakes and majestic rivers of North America; and still more so by
having visited a land where man is supposed to be more his own master
than in any other civilised part of the world, and where his energy
meets with co-operation in the natural resources of the country, and
commands success at the hands of his fellow men. You will then be
able to form an opinion whether the state of society be more or less
enviable than that to which you have been accustomed; whether the
fine arts are more likely to flourish; whether men in their public or
private characters as husbands, as fathers, as brothers, as gentlemen,
are better, more honest, or more amiable than among yourselves; or
whether the government under which they live is more calculated for the
encouragement of true religion, the shelter of virtue, the enjoyment
of life and liberty; or, if fair allowance be made for the advantages
incidental to a new country, whether it is better adapted for the
advancement of national prosperity, than the institutions of your
native land.—Go to America, canvass the pretensions of the Americans,
and then judge for yourself.
THE END.
Manning and Co., Printers,
4, London House Yard, St. Paul’s.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE
Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, and
inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.
The city of Pittsburgh is spelled as Pittsburg in some instances. This
inconsistency was left intact.
Inconsistent hyphenations have been left as is.
Page 48. “antehamber” replaced by “antechamber”.
Page 64. “distincts pecies” replaced by “distinct species”.
Page 123. “Nigara river” replaced by “Niagara river”.
Page 210. “oxtyx virginianus” replaced by “ortyx virginianus”.
Page 215. “St Lawrence” replaced by “St. Lawrence”.
Page 218. “St Lawrence” replaced by “St. Lawrence”.
Page 259. “Catshill mountains” replaced by “Catskill mountains”.
Page 275. “privmæval” replaced by “primæval”.