New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-03-05

While everybody il talking of the scathing
exposure Of the vices and follies of Our Best
Society" recently made BY Putnsm's Monthly.
the Impressions Of an intelligent foreigner on the
same subject win be received with some inter-
est. We find in recent number Of the Assland
an article giving the result Of many years
observation Of the American character. man
ners and education, especially those Of Ameri-
can fine ladies. 1t contains some points that
may perhaps be read vita profit, though We
venture not to say that every word OF these
structures is absolutely just. Of that. how
ever, let our readers judge from the transla-
ton We here present them:
"When first came TO the United States. had sufh-
cienf means 10 enable me to live independently. Ny
cole object become acquainted wiki the country
and people especially with the influence OF the polit-
csl institutions room learned thst traveller could
only ,oske very superficial observations-thst be was
often purposely deceived for the sake Of giving favor
able mpression-and that he must gain more familiar
intimacy with the people before he could arrive
rect conclusions accordingly left of living At hotel,
and went TO boarding houses which gave chance
worship In the fret place, it the omnpotence OF
81 Custom that presented to view. slavi-h sub
mil eiou to this authority also required Of myself!
The sghtest lewiston from the established order Of
the house the least infringement of tue prevailing pre-
scriptions Invariably called forth the curt response,
That not the custom in this country or In this
house--so that could get along a: all without
giving up my European habits and tastes For instance,
II was fifteen minutes too late at meal St Custom
had 90 thoroughly empted the dishes that was COM
PEELED either 10 fast to 70 eating house. where
IT Custom permits the table to keep open Every ap-
pearsnce OF private inclination In our boarding houses
was resisted by st Custom in the person Of the inmates
with a commemorate ienacity. Every actual dvarics-
ton was opposed with genuine Anglo Saxon obstnacy
Still the cry we live in free country was always
Ginning in ears; but the freedom conted In being
obliged to follow the prescriptions Of St Custom, If We
would live among the living To escape the uksses oil
the Russian Czsrs would have been ch1ds play com
pared with the attempt TO transgress the ussges OF 81
Custom, who had st. Fashion ct his side As
Vice President especially in concerns in which the fair
sex came into play. There were fashionable and IN
fashionable hours for wits, pronensdes and the ike
even the side Of the street ON which you must walk
was rgidly determncd-and every part OF the dress,
even to the tie Of the cravst pre6rdsined with
master of ceremonies Of the last century Every vo
lsiion was met with severe frown on the brow,
That's not fashionable and the sinner who persisted
In the oense ives denounced with severity to which
. Psptl Bull Il a triAe The or woman who Is
thus placed under the ban is avoided black sheep,
and il would be FAR better in fashionable circles to
under the suspicion of being insdol than 10 have
the reputation of habiunlly denying the laws of fashion
"After had been al board for some time and had
eat good deal of se with allthe boarders, after had
not only been Instructed In the OF the laws OF
st. Custom and ST Fashion, hut bad made crest pro-
fciency under my teachiDgsa well disposed person
Advised me to take up business, saying III the
custom of the country and our fashion demands H..
WI en- the Americans depart from the general rule OF
the favorire Help yourself they usually stop with
good advice which costs money but Il Il very hard
to resist following their counses because they often I'M
derstand, when they give no money, how to make
something for them elves. thus received frequent
offers of partnership, which declined on the plea
that my business was to become acquainted with the
country and the people To this 1t was objected, that
II was no business all in which only spent money
without making any.
at was wholly in vain TO give the Americans the idea
of any thing like spiritual gain to them there was no
gain but money; and could only gain the confidence
of the Americans, by engaging In some regular bust
ness.
AS wished TO penetrate far a. possible into the
prevailing state OF things could only yield the point
in this respect also TO ST. Custom and his patroness 81
Fashion | wrote some articles for the newspapers,
and thus obtained the reputation OF an author which
evidently gave the people about very high idea
of my understanding. Some Of my most intimate ac-
quan,ance told openly that had chosen the worst
butincss though il was better than none a, all sunk
still lower In their esteem when declined writing
certain articles for pay they had requested me 10 do
One of them wished that should puff the Sarsaparia
which he sold another wished for pansgyric his In
dian Vegetable Pills. third asked for defense Of
the Temperance Law, while fourth advised me to ex-
tol General X to the skies q candidate for the Pre-
sidency. whom q fifth would have PUT down as
notorious scamp, for very handsome consideration.
But all astonished at my refusal Of these jobs
they were authorized by custom and fashion-snd
when l expressed my inability TO write for or against
anything without conviction Of my own, they shrug
scd their shoulders and had every reason to believe
that was regarded by them as a complete idiot re-
mained however in this business, in spite Of every
thing though IL brought nothing but contempt for an
author in America is only sought for and paid when he
sdapts himself those around him and does not shrink
from little lackeyism was obliged at all events to
have some business, and the more readily continued
in this e. helped me to the acquaintance Cd alady,
herself aafhoress. pretty unmarried, and with the
reputation Of large fortune in her own right. Niss
Clara N. received my homsses very grsciou-y, and
enabled to rank myself among her fsvorites
Her beautiful eyes kndled such fire In my
heart that made proposals Of marriage in due form
l was accepted. Thus had the second head Saint, In
the United stases ST. Business given NE an exceiens
opportunity 10 become acquainted with the third crest
Saint, ST. show and from very interesting side-a
though my business according to the American ideas
only very imperfect one. IL was not only that
the remarkably fair complexion Of my wife, ss much
else in her appearance was homsgeto - Show, but
Also her gentle manners which she always exhibited In
society were in the same casegory-belonged 20 the