Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-03
A NEW VIEW OF AMERrCANs.
Oer Barbarous Selves ~ Seen Through
complimentary Sir Hubert's GLASSES.


From Lord Ronald Covers "Reminiscences
NOT being persoaadge, and not caring TO APP
pear In white tie and fine linen every even
ing, ana having wished to see the social life In
the American city not as q guest but as n trav-
eier, L think can more impartially Judge Of
what would be the impression made on a
cosmopolitan than had traded on being an
Englishman with q handle attached TO nay
name, as probably most Britishers with such an
impeachment would do. mixed with all classes,
In the street car or omnibus (which I'm Its
american form is As superior TO our London
the Union Club-the Travellers OF New
river Hudson, to which steamer and TO
compare in the old world. Wherever vent /
found all classes Of the Americans not only
evil CIV put highly civilized, as compared class
ior class with the English; not only amiable,
put, AZ rule. kind and courteous. and with
rare exceptions, well-informed, well bred, and
other people have ever come amongst What
struck me especially I'm New York was the In
variable civility shown by all classes OF men to
wore ltnsey-wolsey or homespun: however
crowded the car or the footway, room was at
once made for a lady. Does not this somewhat
that is shown to the fair sex in our public car
riages and streetss This pol,eness is not. NJ
eye civility, but arises believe, from a mutual
and intuitive good breeding with which. as 4
said before, the Americans OF every class are en-
dowed.
For instance, II one entered a room I'm a
club or hotel, one was not met by those assem-
none OF us know and what the Dash does he
here?' sort OF look; nor, If one entered into
conversation with some one In a railway car or
British stare which, In this country OF insular
prejudice and arrogant assumption, conveys
as plainly as words the question:: What the
inf
out waiting for an introduction?
"My experience has been i'm America that IL
you ask service from a stranger it is accorded
readily, without condecension or fuss; that
among them Is little OF the snObbish wish to
appear to those we do not know as greater peo-
pie than We really are, little of that disgusting
patronage OF manner that prevails In this
country among the richer classes, and none Of
the no less disgusting cringiness Of manner
which as greatly prevails among our trades
people, and which makes me hesitate before
asking my way in the streets Of q well-dressed
man, or entering shop where one will df known
mouthed mortal all smiles and grimaces, who
will think that he will more readily secure q
purchaser by showing some article ordered by
My Lord This or My Lady That On the con-
trary, the New York tradesman or shopkeeper
receives you with civility, but without any of
little less insulting than actual insoience, he
will allow you to look as long an you like at
any of the articles his shop may contain aud
do not; but he will not rub his hands and con-
tract his features into leer; and il you were TO
show him your superiority of position by af.
fecting to look down on him being 'only a
tradesman, he would probably show you that
there Is something more i'm being a citizen of a
great republic than mere sound, and that al
though you may fancy yourself a superior
being from not being republican or a shop
man, he might be able to prove to you that one
man is as good as another.
81 mixed thus with all classes, and spoke to
all with whom came into contact, and In no
single instance did meet with anything but
perfect ciyility-the civility OF equals, which
Is, after all, the truest. 1 admire with all my
heart this great people, our brothers, who, al
though We have for SO many years presumed to
treat them as poor relations, are in some forms
of common courtesy and general politeness far
superior to ourselves
81 grant that the Americans we meet on the
continent of Europe are often offensive I'm man.
ner and give a very unfavorable impress
sion of their country both to foreigners and to
Engiishmen; but, believe me, these are the ex-
ceptions,"