The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-08-14
From the Philadelphia haq'arer'
REV DIR. DURBIN AND BOZ"

REV DIR DUkBlN AMI boN'
The following letter from the Rev. DR.. Durbin, da-
ted Florence, Is net without interest Every u,us
from that source is pleasing at all times to this com
munity but the remarks Of the Rev gehtieman ~
relation To Dickens Notes on America, WIN DC
fully appreciated. The publication OF TINS letter
would probably have been withheld but Tor the gross
ISLANDERS contained in " Martin Chuzzewit, ana eA-
tracts from 90 Bozs" Notes;
Florence, IrALY, Nov. Is, lo43.
My Dear Sir Since wrote from London, we have
visited Hamburg, Berlin, Halle, Leipslc, Dresden
Vienna, Venice, and at Florence, on our way
TO Rome. You are aware this IS the capital oil lus-
cany, and well entitled to be called the Athens OF
Italy, for the scholars and artists she has produced,
and still cherishes by her fine Libraries and unrvaed
galleries of paintings and sculpture. OF these will
not noio speak nor will / at present mention her
churches, nor the magnificent Mausoleum OF her
Medc which has been in cou Sc OF erection Tor TWO
centuries nor the tombs of Dante, Calico, Michael
Angelo, Alferi and others, in the church OF Sante
Cruce, for am not in very religious or poetic mood,
nor have been since stepped into booksellers,
(Morinis) yesterday, to buy book, and heard some
Englishmen conversing, among other things, upon
Dickens Notes on America, which was then at The
Custom house, and would DO delivered in the course
Of the afternoon. One of them referred to our run
ming mad after every literary or noble person who
visited our country, and said, "the Americans are
fools, particularly the people of New York"
The truth Is, IN this respect we are foolish, and
from the first have anticipated that should smart
under Bozs lash, for the eager kindness we showed
him. But his "American Notes. are worse than
could have anticipated There is scarcely one I'M
quail fed truth in the book and what traces of truth
are to be found, disposed and expressed to
be ialscooods TO all intents and purposes II is
thousand times worse than Mrs. Trollope's, because
OF ITS greater authority; and is embttered by
double distilled ingredients: In the first place,
he does not mention the attentions paid him, be-
cause it would seem too dshonorabe and revoting
speak OF our kindness to him, the same pages
where he spreads his unmiligated ISLANDERS.
And then again, in his dedication, he offers as an
apology, that his "frends in America can hear the
| truth when it is told good humorcdy and in kind
spirit" If these pages contain his "good humor''
and "knd spirit" heaven us from his bad humor
and cruel spirit But why did he not speak of the
natural fertility and magnfcence of the counry-the
political freedom and general good condition of the
peoples But this was not the work he came to do
What American read his notes on our Capital and
Congress, and then hear him call Washington Irving
his "dear friend" without painting for revenge' IT.
wing ought to be esteemed recreant to his country if
he remain even the friend of this infamous sanderer
after reading his foul pages
The truth is, as his dedication indicates he did not
go to America to study her Institutions and see what
is god there honorable and liberal man would
have done but he went, like unclean bird to find
what little carrion he might to prey upon and return
ed to disgorge his foul meal for the purpose crafty
ing the morbid appetite in England, and thus promote
the sale OF his book. Hence he could see no part of
the country but stagnant pools of water" and cold
stumps," and no part of New York, but the "tombs"
| and the Five Points," through which he prowed
with such success and delight as indicate his in.
stlncts and habits, and from whence he returned to
the festive board and like another Judas sat smi-
lingly down among those whom he was preparing to
stab in the tenderest part-ther country. Doubtless
Also his renal pen found its reward for so describing
young and vigorous country, to destroy the inu-
ence OF her example upon the people Of Eng land and
turn the tide of emigration to British colonies.
On the continent but little is known of the United
States except what comes through English channels
and the English press takes to retail only what
suits it, and with such color and commentary as will
most plausibly blacken and destroy our character
From these English papers the continental journals
even IN Paris, derive their information of American
affairs Yet notwithstanding this disadvantage,
ample has facilitated, if produced the semi-liber-
~ OF Europe, nearly destroyed its hereditary nobility
except in England and Austria, and stripped it
there OF much Of its elevation and respect in The cues
Of the people. The great effort now making every
where in Europe is to counteract these new influences
IN favor of the sovereignty Of the multitude of which
the United States is the only example they FEAR and
TO stihe gradually the and desire of the people
with respect TO constitutional government (promised
them at the pacifcation of Europe in 1857 and the
chief means are, to misrepresent condition. and
to describe thus misrepresented the result of
institutions and TO intoxcate the people with shows
and public amusemeDts, and thus divert and satisfy
them This last is the plan on the continent where
the government treasury while in England the most
effective means is to miueprsseni for which the GO
vernment, and the " Bank of Australia" Of " Cey-
on," &c, got up to facilitate emigration hher can
well afford to pay literally, such and so peculiarly
popular pen Charles Dickens 1t is absolutely
treason against humanity for the citizens Of our re-
spectve countries to visit each other simply Cor the
purpose Of destroying the characters Of our respec-
tive States. What the indignation of the British
people, upon the publication Of the " Glory and
Shame of England" by a citizen of the United
States Yet that book is truth and purity ITSELF com
pared with the infamous semi melo-dramatic romance
of Boz, EMIT ed American Notes for General Circu-
laon. The words for general circulation mean a lit
tie more than at first appears, and disclose the true
intent OF their rapid spread in England-their repub-
lcaton IN Paris, and their distribution over the con-
tinent. They will do our country more harm than
all the books which have been published for the la,
twenty years, because Dickens affirms them TO be
true literally, and fair specimens of the United States
and such is his popularity that they will have univer
sal circulation though TO the deriment Of his reputa
ton as an author and man but he seeks not this
as he has received his qtiidpro quo. J. F. DURBIN.
MELANcHoLy-Drowncd, on Feb l. al the Falls
OF the Willamette river, the Methodist Mission
in the Oregon country, Mr.. Cornelius Rogers. Mrs
Rogers, her sister Aureia Leslie Squire Cocker.
and two Clatstop Indians. While passing the rapids
above, the boat was accidentally carried over the