The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1853-09-29
For the Literary Echo.
Inquisitivc Curiosity.

1t is proverbial Of the Yankees, that
they are very inquisitire. And it may
not be altogether amiss to add that they
are also asquisitive. But let this ii. e.
their aoquisitireness) pass. Iaquisitive-
ness is the point before us. And, as the
parsons say" to this subject we direct
your attention."
There is very much in the " Yankee
character" to admire. There is much of
socill feeling, much of sympathy, of
frankness, of general intelligence and
enterprise. All this is truly commend
able. On the other had, there is not
unfrequently an inordinate share of
curiosity which often leads to altogether
too much Of inquisitirsness. 4" What's
your name3 Where do you belong ?
Where are you going' What is your
business" sc. &c., are questions not
unfrequently asked of the traveller
through 4" Yankeedom, until the ques-
toner becomes complete bore and
nuisance. I do not mean to say that
this impertinence is confined to the
Yankees" but do believe it to be
more generally characteristic of them
(no not them. exactly, but of us) than
any other class of men. say as,
Messrs. Editors, because 81 myself also" T"
am Yankee.
1t is said that DR.. Franklin had a
very happy faculty of forestalling such
interrogatories. The reader has doubt
less heard the story of Franklin's journey
from Philadelphia to Boston. On reach
ing tarern" to spend the night, he
would enter the bar-room, and taking
his stand in its center, would look upon
the company present, and in a distinct
manner, he would Say, "My name is
Benjamin Franklin-I reside in Phila-
delphia-I am printer by trade, and I
am now on my way to Boston to visit
my mother" A most judicious time
and labor-saving manner of doing up this
kind of work, surely. Yet this would
not always suffice, for the very confession
itself would suggest questions to some
curious and inquisitive minds.
But this inquisitivencss is not only
met with on the road and in the public
place Of resort--it not only relates to
matters above referred to-but through
out the neighborhood, especially in the
country, we meet with it, and it has to
do with nearly all the concerns of life.
1t is of home origin, generally speaking,
and many children are taught it among
the primary lessons of their early life.
One neighbor knows all about the
concerns of the other. He knows what
was paid for every article in the house -
when it was bought-wherc it was had,
&c. So with everything " outdoors -
How much this and that and the other
thing cost. And this neighborly krowl-
edge often produces difficulty in neigh
borhoods. A thinks that B can't afford
what he has-C thinks that ID is too
mean and money-saving to get what ht
possesscs-E thinks that + is getting
proud, and G.. thinks that Ii. is alto
gether too odd, and so on, to the end Of
the chapter. Where is the President
and where are your directors of the
''Anti.stick-your-nose-into-other-p g
ple's 's-business Society. Pardon the
mention of this very dignifcd and prac'
tical name, given to said Society. ]
only mention it as would any Other
proper name by which society is recog.
nized. Some years since saw notice
of its organization, but its long time
since have seen any notice of its prac'
tical operations. There is force in the
divine injunction, And that ye study
to be quiet, and to do yOur oun busi
ness" Beware of" busy bodies in othel
mems matters" " Nuf ced"
CosMoPoLITE.