The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-06-27
Anthony Trollope on America.

Mrs. Frances Trollope, some thirty years
ago, wrote spicy and spiteful book on
America. Her son, the novelist, Mr.. An
thony Trollope, had long thought of writing
a work about the United States. Last
year be visited US for the purpose, and ex.
tended his travels to Minnesota, where he
spent considerable time, principally in the
country. The New York Evening Post
makes many extracts from the proof sheets
of his book, but We have only room for the
following. Here is Mr.. Trollope's sketch
of the
WESTERN PIONEER FARMER.
Bat yet this man has his romance, his
high poetic feeling, and above all his manly
dignity. Visit him and you will find him
without coat or waistcoat, unshorn, 10 rag.
ged blue trousers and old flannel shirt, too
often bearing on his lantern jaws the signs
of ague and sickness; but be will stand up
right before you and speak to you with all
the ease of lettered gentleman in his own
library. All the odious incivility of the
republican servant has been banished. he
is his own master, standing on his own
threshold, and finds no need to assert his
equality by rudeness. He is delighted to
see you, and bids you sit down on bis bat.
tered bench without dreaming of any such
apology as an English cotter offers to a
Lady Bountiful when she calls.
He has worked out his independence, and
shows it in every easy movement of his
body. He tells you of it unconsciously in
every tone of his voice. You will always
find in his cabin some newspaper, some
book, some token of advance in education.
When he questions you about the old
country he astonishes you by the extent of
bis knowledge. defy you not to feel that
be is superior to the race from whence he
has sprung in England or in Ireland. To
me I confess that the manliness of such
man is very charming. He is dirty and
perhaps squalid. His children are sick and
he is without comforts. His wife is pale,
aud you think you zee shortness of life writ>
ten in the faces of all the family. But over
and above it there is an independence
which sits gracefully on their shoulders,
and teaches you at the first glance that the
man has right to assume himself to be
your equal.
1t is quite noticeable that whenever Mr.
Trollope makes direct comparison between
the EDglishman and the American, in nine
cases out of ten it is in favor of the latter.
He, indeed, assumes that the Englishman
or Erglishwoman, with competent income
and an assured place in society, is better
and better off than anybody else in the
world. But when it comes to the great
masses, the case is quite the reverse. Here
are few passages. taken almost at random
from quite different parts of his work:
AMERICANS AND ENaLIsHMEN.
The one thing in which, as far as my
judgment goes, the people of the United
States excelI US Bngiishmen, so as to justify
them 10 taking to themselves praise which
we cannot take to ourselves, or refuse to
them, is the matter Of education, X
and unrivalled population, wealth and
intelligence have been the results and with
these, looking at the whole mass OF the
people-I think am justified in saying
uarivalled comfort and happiness. 1t is not
that you my reader, to whom in this mat.
ter of education fortune and your parents
have probably been bountiful, would have
been more happy in New York than Ions
don. It is not that I, who, at least can
read and write, have cause to wish myself
an American. But it is this: if you and
can count up in day all those on whom
our eyes may rest, and learn the circum.
stances of their lives, we shall be driven to
conclude that nine tenths of that number
would have had better life as Americans
than they can have in their spheres as En-.
glishmen. .'@
Z If a man can forget hia own miaeries in
his journeyings, and think OF the people be
comes to zee rather than OF himself, | think
he will find himself driven to admit that ed.