The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-06-11
Foreign ESlunGerS.


the United States has beer the subject OF
frequent comment aud much astonishment.
Yet how complete and widespread this ig-
norance is, none save those who have
themselves sojourned for some time In
England can fully imagine. 1t is no ex-
aggeration to say that the more intelligent
and cultivated portions of English society
know far more about the geography Of
Abyssinia and the inhabitants Of Asia Mi
nor than they do about the United States
and the so-called Yankees. Were an
American to state before an assemblage
of intellectual, educated people in London
that Illinois was thriving town in the
lovely state Of Philadelphia, that the cata-
ract Of Niagara was formed by the Missis-
sippi river as it flowed over the Rocky
mountains into Lake Superior, and that
lions, tigers, and hyenas prowed amid the
virgin forests OF the state Of Natchez, his
assertions would pass uncontradieted and
unquestioned.
Every traveller in England has some
amusing story to relate about the ludl-
crous mistakes into which this ignorance
leads the unwary wight who attempts to
converse about our country. The Gaugh-
ter Of an eminent English surgeon, for
example, on being presented to a young
American lady who was in very delicate
health, remarked sympathizingly: "Yeu
must have found the long sea voyage from
America very fatiguino. but perhaps you
came by land" An English lady, con-
nected by marriage with au eminent
Pennsylvania family, asked an American,
not very long ago, in London, if Philadel-
p,.ia was near Pennsylvania!
\ well-kuown resident Of Philadelphia
was once entertaining at dipner,a young
Hnsi;sh gentleman, who hal brought let
ters of introduction to him from friend
residing in London. In the course of the
conversation he mentioned his intentiop
# liking his guest out to drive the next
!ay. for the purpose Of shaving him " hat
eyer the enyir0ns of the city afforded of
interest 20 stranger. The En2iishnan
expressed his thanks. 9 Bat could you
not. ny dear sir, said he, in the course
OF your drive, take me where can see a
prairie aud lew buffalo Z"
The following IS the literal Transcription
or dialogue which occurred in Paris
Time, i3G4-scenc. the reading room of
the Grand Hotel American lady seated
by DE window reading the iIerald-En-
gish lady at the table turning over file
Of The London Times. Enter colered
black nurse, black as the ace Of spades,
gives a message TO American lady and exr.
English lady to American-" beg your
pardon, madam, but will you tell lie If
that co!ored person is from the confederate
state?
American lady" No, madam, she is
from the city Of philadelphia.
English lady. Indeed Are all the
aeop!e OF Philadelphia that color ?"
IN American WAS conyersiug with a
! French count recently at an evening par.
IS. in Paris, when she happened to men
ION the name OF Washington. " All Oui
/ EasiDgton !. E" exclaimed her companion
Il &c grand homme qui u iondu Ia Phila
lelih;c!"
But such mistakes as these are more
par,lonable than are those ludicrous error;
wh:ch SO often astonish the student 81
English literature. Dean 6 .iEt, in let
ter written in 1929 (works, vol. TX, p
49, } sayst hat lie was very well acquanted ed
with William Penn, who assured him tha
Pennsy ylvania wanted the shelter Of noun
,ains, which left it open to the northern
winds from Hudson bay and the iroz IN
sea which destroyed all plantations Of trees
aud were even pernicious to all common
Vegetables " But, indeed" adds Swil.
=. New York. Virginia and other parts les
noYl,!gayd or more defended by mountain
are described as excellent countries.
This statement is most .traordinary, "a
Sa ift very wellknew that Pennsylvania
means The wooded country OF Penn, am
common wealth should have stated that tn
winds from the Frozen sea destroyed al
plantations Of trees. An early Englisl
trav eler when Mr, Jefferson was president
, relates his astonshment on visiting tn
Chestnut theatre to find "the president
Mr. jefferson, delighting a large audienc
by his comcal caricacture of Richard tn
Third" Lawrence, the brilliant author o
Guy Livingston. remarks in Border an,
I,astie (p 24 that it was pleasant, frou
; the ferry boat which was our last change
: to meet the lights of Philadelphia glean
mig out on broad dark Susquehanna I
feat of vision Only paraieled by that @
lie Capitaine Palnphile, the hero of one q
: the early novels of tho elder Dumas, VIII
: saw Philadelphia, rising like a queen be
: tween the green waters Of che Delawaf
5 and the blue waves Of the ocean. Ame
lia Il. Edwards, authoress of Barbara
History ahd half Million Of money, i
her charming novel Of Hand and Glove
} says that all day long, Claude PAGES back
ward and forward like an oveeeer on
Massachusetts cotton plantatiop.
The novel Zoe's Bradd, published b
: Chapman & Hall, and afterwards include
in the Tauchtz series. has never we bC
J. lieve been reprinted in this countr,
/. The scene is laid chiefly in the souther
states, and the heroine is one of thos
quadroons Of dazzling beauty so commo
= in English novels, and so seldom foun
anywhere else The whole book abcunC
! with errors of the most laughable dc
cription. In one place the authors