The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1857-10-03
THE LITERARY ROORBACK.

unmistakable.
We believe this unhappy alienation to be
oecasioned more by the sneerug tone of re-
mark on the part Of tourists, and the irri-
tating misrepresentation Of British jour
nalists, than by any other single cause which
can be mentioned. Foremost among these
detractors is Blac6wood's Edinburg 0Iaga-
zine, nearly every number Of which contains
some offensive criticism on the manners,
character, institutions, or government of the
people of this Republic.
In the last number, in the third Of a Sc
ries of articles entitled sAfoot, there is
the most wilful, base, and at the same time
baseless SANDER we remember to have seen
in that witty but mendacious magazine.
Now it happens that scores of surly, "mu-
ysleps' John Bulls, in their travels through
this country, have grumbIed not a little be-
cause they found all the best seats in the
omnibuses and stage coaches, and all the
best cars on the railways, reserved for the
women, and they have hitherto INDUCED in
much grim ridicuIe because Of this very
American popularity Of making every sa-
eriRce to the convenience and comfort Of
the female soyereigns.
But now another ibeller fabricates new
SANDER, and in the elegant phraseOlgy which
he assumes to be the national style Of ex-
preston, he makes an American say,
'Our gals, sir, l guess, are pretty well
up to looking out for themselves. calcu-
late, stranger, they are pretty smart in find
ing their own fxings."
The reviewer adds:
"Our Transatlantic brother does not re-
cognise such triAes and absurdities as cour-
tesies. He repudiatcs the obligation OF
yielding, or deferring to women"
The editor of the S. L. Messenger in no.
ticing this preposterous charge, naturally
relates personapincident Of travel, in me-
mory of an independent. BrittOn,' who
drove alone in his roomy carriage along the
shore, from the Castle of Chillon to Veyay,
while the rain was dashing in sheets across
Lake Leman, leaving two ladies standing
m the dripping doorway Of the Castle with
ont any other means of reaching Veyay,
FIVE miles distant, than an open boat-and
the editor also quotes an extract from Thack-
cray. as a fit reionder to the mean libel in
Blackwood. Il viii tell you, said that
keen-eyed observer of life and manners,
when | have been put in mind Of the cour-
teous galautry of two Of the finest gentle
men books bring us any knowledge of;-
here in your (Ameriean) omnibus-carriages
and railway-cars, when have seen Il wo-
man step in, handsome or not. well-dressed
or not, and a workman in hob-nailed shoes,
or a dandy in the height Of the fashion, rise
up and give her his place. / think Mr..
Spectator, ,cith his short tlce, # he had seen
such deed Of courtesy, 'couid haze smiled a
srest smile to the doer Of TINT geatleman-iike
action, and here made him lo,o bo'r from an
der his great peyjrig, and haee goHe home
and lrrittea a pre,g. pape, about HIM."
The tragic scenes which attended the re-
cent loss of one Of our steamers, the Central
America, are yet painfully fresh in the me-
mories of all; but among the incidents of
that disaster there was one which fills every
bosom with grateful pride. Of the six hum
dred passengers on board the sinking ship,
not a man attempted to leave it until all the
women we're first safely conveyed on board
the bark Marine, which answered the steam
er's signal of distress. Thirty women and
twenty-six children we're conveyed IN three
boats, through the tremendous sea then run
ming, to the brig Marine, more than mile
distant. And although the men who were
left behind were perfectly aware OF their
peril, after the boats containing the women
left the steamer, they determined to remain
,corEiag, SAVING they preferred to stay on board
until another ship Q,rired, as the Marine could
not take them all on board, The reception
of these women ON the Marine, the sacrifices
made by the captain and crew for their COM
fort, the eonsiderate kindness showed them
on the remainder of the voyage, their
greeting in Norfolk, in word, everything
relating to their treatment from the moment
of their fearful transhipment in the midst of
the hurricane, to their welcome on shore,
furnishes the most whitening refutatiOn which
could be given to the SANDERS Of this lite
rary Hbeller in BlackvOOd.