The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-08-06
Toady Ism TO Disting uit he d Foreign


The arrival of two live lords in this country has
osused quite futter in the fashionable circles OF
the large cities, and one Of the popular periodicals
gives directions to people how they must behave
themselves o hen in the society OF these notabiii
ties We are favored with minute descriptions oil
their persons and pedigrees, and it lie also stated
that they are In this country on matrimonial OK
cursiop and have come wife hunting as we'll az
buffalo hunting. the inject being to coDsoidate
more closely the affections of England and Ameri-
CO II this be the fact, they are certainly very
amiable young gentlemen 70 offer themselves thus
fer tho good of their country, and will not have
much difficulty in accom- plishing their object.
When the United States proclaimed Its ndepen
deuce of Great Britain, it was unhappy ont OF isf
power TO shake Off the dominion OF British liter
ture II it could have become free in this respect
the old, traditionary idolatry OF rank might by
this time have died out and nation OF republi
cans, socialy we'll as politically, have existed
in America But English novel and romance vri
sers have bedevilled the masses with the fascina
tiou Of nobio heroes and heroines, and ''distahce
has lent s'enchautmept TO the view" Even our
own authors Of fiction would not dare to venture
on hero who could not boast aristocratic name or
lineage. The consequence is that Americans III
Europe are said to be almost as servie to noble
men a. though they bad been born and bred be
hind an English counter.
We learn from various newspapers that the DO
BILE gentlemen now ON a visit to this country have
the general appearance of men, wear clothing sin
liar to that of obituary mortals, and eat, drink,
sleep, aud probably snDre at times, like ether NOR
ssls They have occasionally been observed to
open their eyes, and smile somewhat, perhaps All
Oh fipe specimens Of mably courtesy which Hey
" ol sal
them u very curious opinion of our countrymen,
from the fact that they will mostly be surround,
b. dunksys, aud that gentlemen like themselves
will be kept in the back ground by the more en-.
terprising crowd Of lion hunters.
II ever people has received lessons of the folly
Of running after foreign notabilities, it is the
American people. Mrs. Troliope gave them one
Of their first lessons quarter of q century ago
Messrs. Hall, Marryatt aud Fiddler followed up the
old .chaoimistress with nine and thirty, well laid
ON, aud more recently, Dickens, who was received
here with open arms on account of his supposed
personal merit, wrote the mcst libsilous and bu
sive book on his retnrE to England that ever pro.
cecded from the pen of any tourist. II is true
that most Of these authors, and herd Of newspa.
per correspondents, who have echoed the same
mendacious and malignant stories, have been men
of low associations and manners, and that the only
writers upon America who have ever showed the
slightest disposition 10 do us Justice, are gentle
men, like those who nre Low travelling III this
country, but who surely will respect our country
mon more if We show more respect for ourselves
melancholy instance of the injury and sorrow
that are sometimes caused by the disposition, too
prevalent iu the United States to lavish attentions
uIou foreigners of sur posed distinction, has been
lately furnished in tie of De Riviere. Under
the presumption that he was a man of noble family,
and that matrimonial connection with him would
BIO an alliance with one of the great houses Of
France, this wretched adventurer, Who, for aught
that is known TO the contrary, may DO escaped
galley slave has destroyed the peace of of the
best and most amiable Of American families. The
facility with which this miscreapt, who possibly.
may be fresh from French prison. obtained adj
mission to the principal circles of New York So
cety, and from them letters to all parts Of tue
country. shows how completely people are at
,he mercy of foreign adyentuEeTs and should teach
them, henceforth, 10 scrutnze with vigilance the
pretensions of strangers to their hospitality and
kind offices. Without intending the most distant
reference in these remarks to the English no. |
biemen now Oh visit to the United States We |
may express the hope that Americans may hereaf |
ter, In their intercourse with European visitors,
the side of distrust aud reserve rather than
OF confidence and soeiability Whilst we recog. |
nise as brethren and as countrymen those who |
make our country their permanent home, 1t Is |
more consistent with oar self respect and welt be-
ing to refrain from showeriBg alterations upon the
Diekensss Msckays and De iivisres who come to
spy out the land.