New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-12
MRS. TROLLOPE'S BOOK.
AMERICAN MANNERS IN 1s2s}32.

accept the criticism of foreigners. A half-century
ago tie young Revublic with most of the other
fa1lts OF youth. had bumptious cvnceit and
shreking constituencies 1t is hardly 10 be won
dered at that these qualities should be rather often
sively displayed by the ba by swollen with the con
sclousness of having conquered giant. When
Captain Basil Hall sat down upon it the youngsttr
screamed with anger: and when in 1892 Mrs
Frances TrollOpe's account Of The Domestic
Manners ot the Americans" appeared there began
a particularly lively and picturesque war-dance.
The volume has long been out of PRINT and Is now
very rare: and the sharp retorts and heavy satire
with which it was received sleep within the dusty
yellow pages ofdead and forgotten periodicals
It may as well be confessed that most OF the COOL
lidy's structures were not undeserved she de-
clared to Miss Milford that the look was without
pretensOn most faithfully true to the evidence ot
her senses and written without n shadow OF pre-
vlOus feeling for or against the things described
Indeed she was before she arrived ia this country
something Of a Ialical. believer in sedition.
Gentle Miss Sedgewick. acknowledging that there
is undoubtedly d crude state of things among Us
added that Mrs. Troll0pe has not much nlsstale1
though she has grossly caricatured US Ihere
is honesty and there is warm. heartedncss IN Mrs.
Trollope's volume and it IS written in conhden-
tial and vivacious style that suggests perpetual
letter to friend.
OF not uncultivated habit and with n good ueal Of
the personal reserve of the BIitOn, Mrs
Trollupe was shocked by the yugarty
and intrusveness of ignorant people not long
enough used TO repubcanism to know that train
ing and education couuted for something. Cincin-
natl had not long been conquered from the wilder
ness when she planted her tent there, and the
wOrladay rOughness and natural vanity OF
pioneer life still existed Her hrst shock was re-
ceived at the hotel she had asked for tea in
her apartments. The meal was over, and Sue
was having family talk with her children when d
LOUD, sharp knocking was heard at the door Her
portly landlord appeared. " Are any OF you Ill "
he began. d" No, thank you, sir. we are all quite
we'll" said the onished lady. " Then madam,'
proclaimed the stern BOnilace, a" l must tell YOU
that l cannot accommodate You on these terms;
we have no family tea-dIiukins here, and You must
live either with and my wife or not at al IN my
house. THIS says Mss. Trolope "was said
with an air Of authority that almost preciuded
reply. but veufured a sort of apologlsc hint that
we were strangers and uuaccustomed TO the man
lers Of the country But Boniface was not 70 be
pacated. "Our manners are very gOJa manners
said ne, "and we don't want any changes from
England This eXtraord nary resentment of deslre
for -eclusOn Ms. TrO,lOpe found among iun-
keepers everywhere except in Virginia, and 1t in
varlaby aroused her wrath. Equally strange
seemed t. her the patient manner IN which In
travel ny her American COMPANIONS ate whatever
WAS set before them without uJterug w0r. OF COM
pluHt and were TO sooner reseateI il the stare
than they would begin grum bling" twas a shame
- twas "a robbery -" twas poisoning folks -
and the ike. When asked the reason Of this and
why they dld not rcmonstrate-~ because madam.
no American gentleman or lady that keeps an inn
won't bear to be found fault with
Established at last IN hec own dwelling the Eng
lisuwoman began 20 study the manners anu Gus
toms of her nei-1bors 1t would be ~ well not to
saw manners perhaps, for the lively critic de-
clared that there was u total AMI universal lack
of them, and was constantly endeavoring TO ac-
count for IT, She arrived at the conclusion that 1t
did not proceed from want Of intellect, for she lis
tened TO much dull and heavy conversation in
America but rarely to any that she could strictly
call silly Those she met appeared TO her to have
clear heads and active inteUccts, and 70 be more
ignorant on subjects that only Of conventional
vaIuc than on such as we're OF intrinsic .mpor-
lance: but there was 10 charm, 10 grace IN their
conversation. The greatest difference between
England and America, she was convinced, lay IN
the want OF refinement. To many an evening party
dill the Engii-hwoman 90 in Cincinnati, never
falling 10 be astonlsh,d at the fashion which the
AMI tie men at the other Sometimes small at
tempt al music produced a partial reunion; few
of the most daring youths, animated by the con
csioueue,s Of curled hair and smart waIsrcoats,
would approach the piano and begin to mutter
ittls 10 the hall-croUn pretty things VINO were
cororariuc with one another how many quarters
music they had had" When the mansion was Of
sufficient dignity to have two drawing rooms the
Diauo. the little ladies' and the slender gentlemen
,roud Doe left 20 themselves and the sound Of
1au.bter 1.zLt lie heard to Issue from among them.
1ftovvbiIe of the mora dlguiied pen onages in the
o+ior room, the men would disnally suit talk OF
e..ctious and the PRICE Of produce and spit a1an;
aod the women would look at each others gowns
and discuss somebody's last sermon. aud the new
1rs0ep.ia pills until the time for Is massive meal
arrived. That over they would return TO the
Jr,,,inq room: and it always appeared to me-
saws Mrs. Trollope quantity, thai they remained
-ooother as long as they could bear it, and then
tbev wou1 rise en- m0ssr cloak, bonnet shawl aud
eritr At this complexion had society arrived in
the West in 1s2S it is small wonder that the
cheerful. Misunderstanding Fanny Trolope didn't
enjoy it, The curious custom OF the social sepaTa-
on Of men and women. she Thought was at the
lotion, of American cOdrseuess. With the excep-
tion of dancing which was almost wholly confined
N tine unmarried of both sexes all the enoyments
of the meg we're found IN the absence OF the
women They dIned, played cards. had musical
meetings. suppers AMI large parties but all without
the women. who we're meanwhile occupying them
selves II their household concerns in manner that
nresluded the possibility of their becoming elegant
and enlightened companions. The large evening
parties were supremacy dull; mixed dinner parties
were very rare and there was little CONVERSE
ton at table.
The Englishwoman could never become used TO
seeing well.dre-sed men calmly remove their coats
in the theatre and lsyishly display the backs OF
their wa,stcoats to tho audience while elegantly
seated on the elk, of box. Nor did she enjoy tho
constant APPROPRIATION the average citizen ohe