Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-02-02
MRS. TROLLOPE'S BOOK.
American Manners I'm IS2S-32---Thc
Judgments Of n FOrgOttcm critic.

American Mnnncrs I'm ls2s.32-:.Th
"""s's OIL forg"''c" 'r''e'
There is no surerI evidence of the lie
gree of wisdom to which these Unite,
States have attained than the good
humored way in which they now accep
the criticism of foreigners. A half-cen
tury ago the young republic, with mos
OF the other faults of youth, had bump
tious conceit and shrinking sensitive
ness. 1t Is hardly to be wondered Mt tina
these qualities should be rather offensive
ly displayed by the baby swollen will
the consciousness of having conquered
giant. When Captain Basil Hall sa
down upon it, the youngster screamed
with anger and when, in 1882, Mrs
FRANCES Irollope's account of "The DO
mestlc Manners OF the Americans" ap
Pehreu, there began particularly lively
ana picturesque war-dance. The volume
mas long been out OF print, and is now
very rare and the sharp retorts ant
neavy satire with which it was received
sieep WITHIN the dusty, yellow pages OF
de9d anu forgotten periodicals.
IL may as well be confessed that most
OF the good ladys structures were not un.
deserved. She declared to Miss Milford
that the book was without pretcnsion,
most faithfully true to the evidence OF
ier senses, and written without shadow
OF previous feeling for or against the
shihgs described. Indeed, she was, be-
| iore slie arrived III tins country, some
tning oi radical ; believer in sedition.
Gehtle Miss Sedgwick, acknowledging
mat there Is undoubtedly crude state
u, ,i tnings among MS, added that Mrs.
iroiiope has not much misstated, though
she mas grossly caricatured us. Th ere
is honesty and there is warm-heartedness
IN Mrs. Irollopc's volume, and it is writ
zen IN confidential and vivacious style
snat suggests perpetual letter to Il
friend.
VI not uncultlvated habit and with a
good dea! OF the personal reserve of the
i5riton, Mrs. Irollope was shocked by the
Vulgarlty and lntrusiveness of ignorant
people not long enough used to republic
cahlsm to know that training and cduca-
,ion counted for something Cincinnati
haa not long been conquered from the
wilderness when she planted her tent
ihere, and the workaday roughness and
natural VANITY OF pioneer life still existed.
her hfst shock was received ut the hotel
where she had asked for tea in her own
apartments. The meal was over, and she
was having family talk with her child
ren when loud, sharp knocking was
heard Mt the door, Her portly landlord
appeared: care any of You i'll ?" he be-
gan; NO, thank you, sir, we are quite
wei, said the astonished lady. "Then,
madam, proclaimed the stern Bonifacc,
II must tell you that l cannot accommo-
aatc you on these terms We have no
family tea-drinkng here, and You must
iive either with me and my wife or not Mt
an ~ my house: This" says Mrs.
iroaief'ey was SAID with an air of authori-
" that Almost precluded reply, bnt ven
tufeu sort OF lapologetic hint that we
were strangers and unaccustomcd to the
manners OF the country. But Bonifacc
nic very Soou manners, SAID he, land we
TpH Ti I want any changes from England.
inis eN'faofdihary resentment OF de
sire ior soclusloh Mrs. Irollope found
aiionS lhhkeepers everywhere except III
Niie,hi"' anu IL invariably aroused her
mra'h Lqnilly strange seemed to her
ihc patent manner IN which IN travelling
ner Ahierlcah companions ate whatever
Mus se. before tnem "itilont uttering Il
wore Oh complaint, ana were no sooner
iesenleu III .he slage than they would be-
eih grumpiihg-" was shame,
was roDpery, was poisoning folks,
a, nhu the IKE. Whsn asked the reason OF
.hIs i anu why they dld not remonstrate-
because, madam, no American gentle
nun or iady that Keeps an Inn won't bear
10 De i0uhu 1ault with.
Estapiished at last in her own dwelling,
the Ehglishwoman began to study the
manners ana customs OF her neighbors.
IL would be as well not to say manners,
perhaps, Tor the lively critic declared that
there was "a total and universal lack OF
them, anu was constantly endeavoring to
account ior IT. She arrived at the con-
clusion that 1t did not proceed from want
OF intellect, Tor she listened 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
nave clear heads and active intellects,
and to be more Ignorant on subjects that
were only OF conventional value than on
such as were OF intrinsic importance; but
there was no charm, no grace i'll their
conversation. The greatest difference be-
tween England and America, she was con-
vlnced, lay III the want OF refinement.
10 many an evening party did the Eng
lishwoman go in Cincinnati, never fail
ing to be astonished at the fashion in
which the women invariably herled at
one end of the room and the men at the
other. Sometimes small attempt at
music produced partial reunion; n few
of the most daring youths, animated by
the consciousness of curled hair and
smart waistcoats, would approach the
piano and begin to mutter little to the
half-grown pretty things who We're COM
pairing with one another show many
quarters mueic they had had" When
the mansion was of sufficient dignity to
have two drawing-rooms, the piano, the
little ladies and the slender gentlemen
would be left to themselves, and the sound
of laughter might be lelrl to lssue from