Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-08-13
A French Woman on America.
(From Work by Madame Forntenoy, "Amt
can Homes ~

(FrOm Work by Madame Forntenoy, " Ameri-
can Homes" ~
g The life of New York business man is
either that of brute or a mercenary' His
face clean shaved, resembles zero his eyes
looks figures and cslculatiOn'-his person
smells of dollars American cookery has
neither smell nor taste. The food Of the coun-
try is 80 much boiled hay, straw and bran,
without even a pinch of salt to season it
Americans know no soup but oyster stews
they eat with knives; break eggs in a tumbler,
esteem ham above trufficed partridges, and
Whiskey above Bordeaux wine; they never
eat supper, and can make no pastry but apple
pie Americans have no opinions; they only
have needs. They live without moral guild
ance, recognizing no political compass but
their own appetites. American actors swal-
low half their words, and no foreigner can tell
what they do with the other half
When there is any music to be heard, be
sure the Americans will shine by their alb
sence. Americans have great taste To con-
fecuOnery, but they exercise no judgment in
gratifying 1t. Hugeness seems to be quality
most esteemed In candy, for sticks are to be
had as big as hOrse-whips. If it were not for
the French cOnfectioner and pastry cooks.
Americans would not be, to this day, beyond
apple pie" Of American girls, generally,
she says that they laugh continually, not they
are naturally expansive and gay, but that
they consider it a symbol of pleasure exacted
by considerations of prOpriety and pleasure.
She often sought in the United States an amia-
bic and young physiognOmy, but she never
saw even one. An American ball is hit off
thus 4" The ladies, young and pretty, dressed
exceedingly low in the neck, were whirled
about by sOmbre Yankees, dressed in funeral
black, like Malbrooks page These girls.
under their frank manners, their ingenious
tOrWardnesS, conceal profound ds5imula-
tlOn and remarkable egotism. Out of three
thousand, there is hardly one capable Of love ,
The family relation is not known in America
Flreside lntlmacies, household ties are singu-
larly neglected
"A boy of fourteen, clerk, often pays his
parents for his board if he continues TO live a t
home; if he does not, he occasionally asks after
his father in the terms, HOw's the old man =
In another place, the authOress quotes Talley-
rand 5 epigram with appreciation. American
women do not have children-they have young
Upon the subject Of marriage, she makes a
young lady speak thus Love Is ridiculous in
America. man, in our eyes, represents
certain amount of money-that is 10 say of
comfort and luxury. We do not marry men,
we marry fortunes. Your wit, Mr. Julien
your intelligence, your amiable manners your
handsome face will never obtain you an heiress
in America. We never ask Of n marrying man
any other question than this How much is he
worth A husband is not a lOver-he is ONLY
and showers upon US wealth, and the Iuxuries
that wealth procure. In return we are cold
and positive, we give no occasion for jeaously
for all our youth, health, and fire were dissi-
pated in flirting; We live until we are married
and at the altar our life ends -
Thus far have been repeating small SIAN
ders, but | recommend the following para
graph to all whom it may concern:
Miss Caldwell was nineteen years of age
celebrated for her luxurious prodigality, intel
ligent and handsome. She was handsome rs
American girls are handsome; possessing a
regular form, splendid hair, determined and
rather forward bearing, an inviting eye, white
and red skin, fine mouth and teeth-in short,
she possessed all the charms which make the
New York ladies exceedingly pretty, from ff-
teen TO twenty-five years Of age. After this
period, while French woman's beauty is de-
veloping and ripeniDg, the American woman
becomes insuppOrtably plain The causes are
the excessive use of hot biscuit and bad Y
baked cake, and the abuses Of balls, dancing
late hours, and the usual designations of a city
life, at an unduly early age. No complexion,
no health, no teeth, can resist so horrible an
ordeal -