The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-09-27

they expected, and others were totally unqualified
for the sober and responsible work Of reviewing
nations work, character and resources. Now,
our readers would almost laugh 10 our face, il We
should ut il to their candid sense, whether such
people are qualified to write about America;
wheths they are likely to give an hoaes. impair
tial account Of even what they saw through their
European spectacles; much less whether they are
likely to lend US eyesight, or furnish US facts, or
make up for US conclusions worth having
We have no disposition to revive old disputes,
nor to talk long about what has now been pretty
much given up; and, indeed the whole scope Of this
article might seem, at first sight, to have been more
appropriate ten years ago than now for this short
period of ten years has worked great change in
the style of thinking and acting towards this coun-
try, by Europe and every poor devil in it, America
has made more progress, during these past ten
years, than Europe has made in hundred. The
whole tone OF the European journals has changed.
We are contemplated under different aspects as
nation. Our diplomacy has changed its basis and
relations altogether; and a vague but ail-infuen-
tial and all-pervading image has come over the
mind of Europe, of a vast, and gigantic, and nlimi-
table power rising out of the western ocean. which
| promises TO become the seat of empire, which Is
| slowly leaving decayed and crumbling Europe, to
| found for itself more firm and endurable seat.
For il lie now reduced TO demonstration that will
IN short time be self-evdent to every observer,
that this country will be compelled TO become the
asylum of order and of power as well as of liberty
There is no confidence in Europe in the permanent
CIV of a single institution, and there cannot be.
There revolution anarchy, or death, is the des-
tiny and il is felt to be the inevitable fate Of every
| nation in the old world. There is now going on
| an emigration of power TO this country, there
has been fer two hundred years emigration of
liberty. When the Cavaliers of Virginia and the
Pilgrims OF Plymouth left the old world, they pluck
| ed up by the roots the tree of liberty, and within
| itself were contained the seeds Of power. There
was more vitality, there were elements OF strong
er and more permanent empire for generations,
on board the Mayfower, than she lett behind her
The proof of the pudding, according to the old say
| ing, is in the eating of it. Any man who will read
history for the two hundred and thirty years term
mating next December, will find reason enough to
| adopt this conclusion.
But this is a diversion, although its practical use
will appear in our argument; for we have intended
| to show that the opinions Of mankind about this
country have changed, and consequently those
| outrageous, stupid, hbellous books, that were so
| much the vogue ten years ago in Europe, have
ceased TO be palatabe, even on the other side Of
| the water. The palmy days Of the Fiddlers, the
| Hamiltons, the Halls, and the Trollopes, have
| gone by. Their race has been completely upset
\ by one Of those quiet but effective revolutions
| which is worked wherever facts have a chance.
But it is opportune time for some reflections
| on the general subject; because, however light a
matter il may seem, in Europe or in this country,
il is nevertheless true thai much illwiil and bad
blood have been engendered in consequence Of
the deep injustice and outrageous insults that
were offered TO this country, even by those trivial,
but still libellous, publications In reference 10
England, the mother country, from whom the vast
proportion Of these attacks were made, deep
malignty was stirred up in the hearts Of many
Americans, and in nearly all we have conversed
with, even in England, feeling Of deep disgust
Indeed, we are sure that more than one British
author would find it exceedingly unpleasant, to
atiemp, to travel through the United States again,
unless ii were done ineognito; for at many points
public opinion would nantes, itself in a way that
would not be particularly agreeable. After Mr.
Dickens book of "No,es" came out, the Common
Council Of New York gave a new name to the
Five Points, and called il Dickens row. Aud, so
precarious is the sway which popular writers
have over the popular mind, in country like
this, where every body reads, we presume if the
author of those 2" Notes" should visit New
York again, he would be dragged through the
streets by the very mob who were ready TO
drag his carriage, as Marshal Haynau was the
other day in London. Mrs. Trollope only excited
disgust in the half Pudtanic town Of Cincinnati by
4 a. II
household; and the idea OF Cavaliere Seryante
struck those honest people as quite an improperly
This, with SEINE other circumstances, which need
not mention, made her the objec, Of publicity; asd
being pleased with the place, she began the cree.
ton Of a sor, Of European bazaar, Intended Tor the
two-fold object of being renoyator and flterer Of
society, where married ladies coul while away
their evenings pleasantly. leaning on the arm, Of
whiskered Messieurs, and doing m my other things
quite European in their way. and Of being good
pecuniary speculation; for Madame thought it
must be profitable affair." and il was understood
that she was in need Of hitting uPon some expert
! ment, as the Americans say, Of "raising the
| wind ["
But the bazaar was failure and the disspsoint-
I'd proprietor lost all patience with the country.
| The upshot Of IL all was, that she wrote several
books about the Americans, ia which Il is difficult
to decide whether the prePonderahce be on the side
Of libel or vulgsrity. We have never heard any
body in Europe or America hazard the opinion that
they thought she ever intended or expected TO be
believed by those who knew this country She
wrote solely to get money, aud she calculated wen
the taste Of her readers II does no particular no.
nor to Englishmen that she should have rated their
moral sense and intellectual taste so low
But aside from all such considerations and spe.
ciscsons of this Kind are too disgas,ing to dwell
upon-there seem to us TO be but three kinds of
travellers whose writings worth the trouble Of
reading The first, and perhaps the least valuable,
are those who write only to amuse their readers;
they have seen nothing worth telling, and If they
had, they would not condescend TO tell it, their
works are the spawn Of duness and ennui; aud vet