Our city has lately been favored with a short visit from this
celebrated lady, who has distinguished herself so much by her
Illustrations of Political Economy, and other popular writings. She
excited, of course, no small sensation in the _monde_ here, in which
she appeared like a "star shot" _brightly_, (we cannot say "_madly_")
"from its sphere;" and she has certainly left a very favorable
impression of herself behind her. We had the pleasure ourselves to be
in her company for a short time, and have set her down in our
_souvenir_ as a woman of fine understanding; a ready talker; easy,
affable, and unaffected in her manners; and altogether more feminine
and pleasing than we had expected to find her.
We understand that Miss M. is making a sort of moral and political
_reconnoissance_ of our country, for the purpose of giving the British
public a more accurate account of our institutions, and the state of
things amongst us, than any one has yet done. In some points, we think,
she is admirably qualified for such a work; but in others, we should
apprehend, she may be a little deficient. She has good sense,
certainly; and, we suppose, a good disposition to do us justice; but we
doubt whether she will have the best opportunities for obtaining full
information upon some subjects; and, in many cases, her very sex must
shut her out from the most proper sources of intelligence. Still she
will, no doubt, give us something rather better than the scandal of
Mrs. Trollope, or the blunders of Basil Hall. So we shall look out for
her book with interest; and not the less for having seen and chatted
with her for a few moments, whilst she was here.
* * * * *
Miss M. we believe, is not at all poetical; but, it seems, she has
inspired a friend of ours, who is also a friend of the Muses, to write
the following tribute to her merit, which, with his permission, we
append.