The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-04-04
MR.. THACkERAY.

Th;s gentleman we learn, will return to
r.r,.,d during the Spring. after having com
r,,e,sd his tour. Whether he VIII visit 'ne
v.s, mr. not, we cannot say but we
shonld suppose he would hardly conhne MIN
se,f 70 the Atlantic cities. he VINO mas ho'
...a the great valley of the Mississippi' can
Ill, ha sa;d 10 have seen the United States.
We should think, even for the sake OF lucre,
ha .o,,d no; leave The country without having
I.,;ve,ed his course of lectures in Buffalo,
:: p;rsburg. in Cincinnati, in Louisville, in
I.,ine,on. in ST. Louis, in Memphis, in Mo.
III and in New Orleans, in all which cities
y. wouh fad immense audiences, canable OF
s,,,rciating his genius, and already familiar
with its creations.
viii Mr.. Thackeray write book7 That is
n question which we hear asked every day,
and a satisft Glory answer to which we have
never heard given. Prima facie, we should
think il quite safe to answer in the affirmative,
for we have supposed such was the grand OBJ
ject of his temporary expatriation. The next
question is, what manner Of book will it be I!
We profess ourselves unable to imagine. On
the one hand, Nj. Thackeray has declared
himself grateful for the very many kindnesses
he has received in America. On the other, we
are aware that English travellers heretofore
have appeared 10 entertain very singular ideas
with regard TO gratitude, SO far as IL applies to
poiteness received fron! Americans, and have
not appeared to think it at all inconsistent
with the employment OF every mems IN Their
power TO wound the sensibltles OF their enter
1a;ners. We hope Mr. I. is not ofthis num-
Der, end we presume ~ all we learn OF him
personally that he is u much of gentleman
TO be so. But, then, we know nothing of him
personally, and we do know, that no book he
can write will sell so rapidly as one filled with
abuse of the Americans. We rather think the
chances are in favor of an abusive book.
Should he feel disposed TO write such an
one, he will, Of course, have chapter on
splitting. Nothing takes the fancy of John
Bull so mach as Jonathan's expectorations,
whether because ohn's Imagination is natu-
rally filthy, and Graves the food most congo.
NAL TO it, or because he loves TO think that he
himself tdoes not spit as much as Jonathan,
we know not. But the thing is certain. The
sum total of all that has been written for him
upon the ubject, would fill many large vol
umes, yet his appetite continues undated. 1t
is fixed fact; if MIR. T. writes a book on
America, he must have a chapter on splitting
Now; we do not know more excellent text for
such discourse, than he might have found in
an enormous handful, placed in several con-
spicuous spots, in and about the Athenaum,
and which reads as follows:
sGentemen are most earnestly requested not to spit
on the floor of The Lecture Room. They will please
DEPOSITE THEIR QUIDS IN THE SPITTOONS
AT THE DOOR, and refrain from chewing during
the lecture. BY THE CoMMITTEE.'
Doubtless Mr.. Thackeray will dilate with
becoming warmth upon the moral condition of
the Yahoos to whom this touching appeal is
addressed, and upon the plilanthropic labors
of the benevolent gentlemen who have formed
themselves into a committee for the purpose,
among other things, of bringing them within
the pale of civilization. There is something
SO piquant in the expression, which we have
thought worthy of capitals, that so protessed
a wit will be sure not 10 let il pass. deposit
III cir guilds in the spttoons at the door ~
Father Charlevoix, or old Las Casas, Or any
other great savage-tamer, could not have ex-
pressed more tender regard for the manners
of his wild pupils.