The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-12-09
EGgIish Knowledge of America.

A correspondent of the Utica IN. W
Herald, writing from England, furnishes
some amusing instances of the ideas many
Englishmen form regarding American af-
fairs. We extract tho following from his
letter:
very respectable gentleman was recent
ly much aslonished to learn that the Ameri-
can Government had aided an expedition in
search of Sir John Franklin, and innocently
asked who was its commander! Another
gentleman remarked that ho was very sorry
10 learn that tho American women habitually
indulged in the use of the most horrid oalhs,
and asked me if there were no exceptions
TO this unseemly practice!
Another gentleman conGdentially asked
me if | had ever been blown up in an
American Steamer, for he understood it was
a common practice for captains TO blow up
their boats on purpose as soon as they had
collected fare !! Another person wanted to
know If all Americans held slaves? On my
telling him that some millions of "Ameri-
cans" were themselves slaves, he gave me
n look of comic incredulity worthy of Dan
Rice. Another person remarked that he
supposed the different States in America
corresponded TO the different parishes in
England A man asked me one day wha,
progress we were making with the machine
now building in America for flying; while
another wanted to know if the United
States were still under the dominion of the
British Government.
- An Inkeeper in Lancashire. on learning
that l was from America, remarked: "But
thee can talk Henglish T' els that anything
so surprisingw l asked. "Thoy doant
speak Henglish in America, doc thoy ~
An old lady down in Wales remarked that
America must be a very horrid place TO live
in, for said she, have been told that the
country is so filled with snakes that it's no
uncommon thing to find them climbing up
on the roof and dropping down from the
chimney on the hearth. I met gentle
man from London, few evenings since,
who worry much plumed himself upon his
knowledge of American affairs. "You have
pretty fine country, sir, (he remarked,) a
great country, sir-indeed, | might say a
very surprising country, sir; but you have
some very queer ways p' Gin what respect"
l asked. "Why, in the first place, every
body chews tobacco, and spits right and left
upon railroad cars and steamboats,, so that
it is not safe to wear fine clothing in travel
ing and then, instead of addressing each
other as Sir you say 'old hoss,' and in
stead of saying I declare,' you say 1swow,'
and instead of saying Il don't know you
say Il don't gather Now do you call that
polite, or even gentlemanly talkF 2 Deci.
dedly not,' replied. 'And you believe that
this practice you have been citing, aud this
jargon you have been repeating, are com
mon in tho best American circles q 'Yes.'
my friend,' l replied, 'your notion OF Amer
lean manners have been evidently derived
from Mrs. Trollope and the brood of deiam.
ers who succeeded her--a brood which
Aourished in England at timo when it was
fashionable to sneer at and lampoon Ameri.
CO." But, doggedly persisted my compan-
ion, q have read the expressions here quo-
led in an American bopk-a book written
by Judge Halburton, of Philadelphia why,
my dear SIR" reioined, you havemis'aken
Sam Slick for an American classic-ter q
model OF American stylep 'Ah, now adj