Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-07-02

Tait's Edinburgh Magazine has an article en-.
tilted, "Bri,ish Writers on America" devoted
more particularly to Capt. Basil Hall aud the
amiabie Mrs. TrolIope. Itconcludes as follows:
We proposed at first to advert TO the frequent
attacks upon America in the Quarterly Review,
but it is not worth while. The character OF the
publication is too well known. 1t was started
TO defend every old existing abuse against the VIZ
gorous attacks Of the Edinburgh. Search was
made among the magnates of the land aud the
dignatares Of the church, but not one OF them
was found able to advocate the cause OF has or
der. They were obliged to intrust their defence
to a selfeducated hoemaker-himse'f proof
plebeian capacity, as they were OF the lnadequacy
of the institutions which gave them power to embue
them with ability. The last number OF the work
shews, as in mirror, the souls aud tenets OF its
supporters There is a bit of learning for the
scholar, aud bit of fine feeling for the lover of
humanity; and then, under this gliding, there Is
a bitter nausccus pill of falsehood and sOphis,ry.
Mrs Trolope is welcomed with avidity, bitter
inuendoes are appended to her sarcasms; every
liaht in her picture is struck out, in order that
one confused chaotic mass may alone remain; and
the few sketches of the American worth and vir-
tue with which she has thinly sprlnkled her work,
are anxiously passed over in silence. Next. a
retainer Of quality is introduced to tell US his all
ventures at Melton Mowbray that we may become
vet more enamored Of the land which has such
Dephos for the centre Of its civilization. The
great end and aim of his article is to tell us that
he has twice followed the hounds and actually
been admitted to the table of a ''nuDe bon IT.
vaat." The adventures Of the evening are de-
tailed with a miuuteness and reverence, which
shcw the writer would have previously deemed
VOYAGE to the Pole shorter and OF less difficult
achievement than the journey he had made up
wards into good society. Admitted to the table
of .nob!e bon rirant'' And il is upon the
authority Of such specimens Of prosttuted talent
of men who sacrifice every feeling of indie
pendence, and the consciousness of powerful cul-
tivated, honest minds-who belle their feelings
for the mean purpose of obtaining admission TO a
society which despises them, that we are to Gre
dit ali the Idle tales we are told concerning Anne
rcan rudeness.
The Amerians need have no fear. Oar coun-
trymen have more sense. than to take their oplnl-
ons of blood relations from the distorted accounts
of petty whipster book makers, disappointed viz
ems, or literary toadies. They do not believe
that America is more advanced in knowledge and
refinement than Europe; but they know, that,
with slight EMERGENCIES, both hemspheres are IN
this respect nearly abreast Of each other And
they know, that both being yet far from the goal,
their generous rranslantic rivals start unencum-
bered by many old prejudices and social tram
mels, which we cannot here escape from. The
Americans have manyasperities in the intercourse
of daily life to rub off; they will do we'll to learn
this even from the remarks of enemies. But they
have generous feeling, sound sense, and, above
all, rising Iiterature--the only true softener
and purifier of manners. 1t IS not to our bullet
headed and iron f,'ed barons Of the feudal times,
nor of the siken Sybirites of the age OF the last
Stuarts, that England owes her eminence in minor
morals. Germany had the one-rude, boorish,
coarse. France had the Other-rotten in their
minds as in their bones. 1t was the the Steeles
and Addisens of England who first reclaimed her
lordly savages; and 1t was our free institutions
which awakened the genius of these amlable mo-
ralists Let America remember this: and instead
of hankering las we fear few mal-contenls still
do after the aristocratic iesh-pots of Egypt
after " butter in lordly dsh"-let her look stea-
div to the East where only the true sun rises
The diffusion of knowledge, and taste for art,
be the great, The unrem!ted objects Of her patriot
abOrs.