The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-21
the rRArELLIy0 PRINCES DIARK
some Mcdtfntions on American Men. Amer'-
can Women. and American Family i'tfc'

New YoRK, Aug. There are countries
where men are moro inter estnp objects OF study
than women, and others WI ere women re more
interes ing t0an men. IN @, rmany. for Instance.
women do not engage any interest at all. Their
Grctchens and Dorotheas are perceptions, almost
invari 1bIy nebulous and sad ones. Their men,
on the other hand. though seldom attractive,
are always inter sting types. Their universities,
their Bicrkneipen. aud their Government coun-
ellis are equally full Of curious ndividu 'lites.
In Russia aud France, on the con rary, the
woman Ia far more Interesting than the man.
so is she IN England IN long as she remains I'M
married. The young English girl, as well az tho
old English maid, are, In their way, much more
curious objects OF analysis and observation
than the " picai John Bull himself. She be-
comes commo place aud duh only wbeR she is
married. co.
America 10 In this, as well as In many other
respects, an exceptional country. The man Is
here Just as interesting u character As the
woman. There Is nothing commonplace MOTH
ina TERED terrc IN either OF them. The com
monplaceness In this country Is all Of foreign
importation. Originality. Independence OF
thought and m anners are the natural character
istcs OF Amencsns. Had they been left to
themselves, and had the facilities OF communi-
cation with Europe not been constantly Induce
ing tnen TO ape the Europeans. tne} WOuiu uaNo
concocted a condition OF afairs which no man
brought 10 In the traditions OF the Old World
would have been ate to look at without dyirg In
a burst Of laughter. The thoroughbred Amerioan
Is frequently rough. coarse, vulgar but he is in
variably type In his dress, manners, langu' ee,
az well IA In his doings, and type perfectly dia-
tinct from his brother or his next neighbour.
Nine out Of every ten men you see here have
a history OF their own. They have Invested,
performed, or accom- oiished something which
nobody did before, and which nobody else
would probably ever have thought OF. We
laugh at them, cartcature them, frequently dis
like them but by aud by they break In the stran-
ger and cook his thoughts and feelings In the
American style. l see many and many for
eIgner herewho frankly avows that he has become
naturalized, not only by law, but also In heart.
1t was hard work they say, but 1t has been done.
They will still speak lovingly OF their father
lands. but that is mere sentipentalism. In case
OF their old country being at war they would
not move a fn9er OF their hand yet they gave
their money and blood during the civil war in
the adopted country. There are inuumerable
French. German. IRISH. Scotch, and spanish
names circulating here as genuine American;
yet the naturaliz ition Of but few VI them Is
older than the present generation.
The American woma an has, to my mind. great
deal D do with this work Of tanning foreigners.
II Is not only through being handsome, grace
ful, elegant, and coduettish that she succeeds
In II. She Is also highly intellectual. ] don't
know that there Il much poetry or romance In
her composition, but she has many sterling
qualities. among which honesty. natur Al intelli-
renoe, and natural sense OF the beautiful are
predominant. What they call here a smart wo-
man Is horrible type. She is treacberous,
mercenary and as cold-biooded and voracious as
a shark. But n smart ess has had no oppurtuni-
" to develope Itself In her II she Is not afflicted
with too much of "A nasal twaug, and II she has
undergone n polishing process In cities like New
York or Boston, or elss abroad, pretty Ameri-
can girl IL the most adorable creature on earth.
II a, OF late, become quite fashion In Europe
TO marry American girls. and II the matches
have ever turned out badly, 1t was, AS rule, for
the wife. not for the husband. There are lots OF
European Adventures on the look on. for itch
American gi,ls. and m ,rraees OF this kind
not To he tax into the account. But II honest
and Intelligent 4 .ropean sets TO work to ind
wife, he can mud here ono who, all things con-
sidered, could not be easily mat he'd at homo.
The Influence the women exercise here 10 un-
parAlIeed. In the majority OF cases In Europe
. man has to educate his wife, or at least to
form her. woman Of accom- pishmenis will
never marry, there, any man who Is not superior
to hor. Here II Is the reverse. The wife Is al
most Invariably superior TO the husband In ed
ucatloD. In manners, In tlste, well as IN moral
sense. She forms him, instead Of his forming
her. How many times have 1 seen here in
stances where the wife speaks two or three Lam
guaees, is fully versed 10 literature and arts.
while the husband knows absolutely nothing
outside Of his native tongue ana his business,
whether II be trade or politics. The compare
lively greater wealth of the country gives the
IT arred woman here more leisure from domes-
tic res than she has In Europe; AMI instead Of
spending this leisure IN social nothings, she
devotes II to the polishing Of her husband. The
toughest Western man is, in few years. trans
formed into almost gentleman. HIS civiliza-
ton begins with the first few hundred dollars
he succeeds in making. He buys good clothes.
puts white shirt on, and makes a trip Il st. In
few years he is Member OF Congress. n rail-.
WY or bank director. or wealthy merch ant,
and II IN the meantime no has had the good
luck to please al intelligent girl, she takes are
OF his finish.
THIS performance OF woman's inf IL
evident in every feature OF American life. II Is
surprising to see how the same IN IN looks III Ter
eDt when he Is In and when he Is out OF ladies'
society. The woman Is not merely respected,
she Is venerated here.
In family life proper this influence IL still
more manifest. The cultivated American would
never think OF claiming, as the Englishman or
the German does, to be the master m his house.
II Is his wife who rs the mistress, aud he IL Just
az much her humble servant as the most cour.
teous Spaniard, Frenchman, or Italian. though
the form Of expressing his devotion to her may
be different. few days ago, We all went to
spend n day at the country pace OF Mr.. -,
and l shall always remember this visit with de-
light. We had no idea before what an American
country house was. We expected to and every
thing rough aud country Ike. How great, then,
was our surprise when found tho comfort
and luxuries OF an English nohlemRn's country
seat, combined with the cordial AMI Intelligent
| hospitality OF French middle class Liberal.
An admirably appointed house, a choice library,
plenty Of works of art all around, an excellent
cook, the finest Wines and society a. ami ible,
cheerful, rehnoi, aud yet jovlL as could be
found anywh re. Al n at every language could
be spoken, anl any subje touched upon with.
out putting anyU Jdy to inconvenience. Aud
then what admir- ,ble music, and what brilliant
aud intelligent conyersa' Ion the ladies' gave us
begin seriously to think that no man edu.