The Sunday herald., 1886-10-31
MEN POLITE. BUT WOMEN NOT.
Miss Florence Marryat On America
Mon md Women.

Miss Florence Marryatt's book ON America
contains the following passages:
III had often heard that there is no gentle
man like an American gentleman, but I
think it is too little to say of them, and that
1t is more true that there is no gentleman
like an American man. 1t is the same with
rich and poor. However hurried a man
map be, he doesn't shove woman into the
gutter to make room for himself, nor does he
stare rudely in her face as she passes him,
nor make remarks on her appearance or her
dress. There is no such boor in the world
as the middle-class Englishman, and some
Of the members of the SO called upper
class are not free from this species of inso.
lence. American gentlemen are much more
courteous In their bearing toward women
than we are. It made me mad to see my
countrymen, men Of good family too, stand
ing in the corridors of the hotels talking to
ladies', with their hats on, while every
American head was uncovered. No man in
this country passes woman in the passage
without raising his hat until she is out of
sight. Artisans in the street will hold
shop door open for you, or pick up anything
you may let fall, aud workman one day
seeing me carry heavy hand bag on the
railway platform, put down his own basket
of tools and relieved me of the burden. An
English laborer would probably have been
much amused to see me struggling beneath
Its weight.
"The American ladies are, as a rule,
pretty. They have small, delicate features,
fine eyes, aud good heads Of hair, even when
gray. But they seldom have any figure.
The girls are attenuated and look consump-
tive. They have small, thin hands aud fest,
and their chests are contracted; they have
no bosoms or hips. They are more
prutiish than We are, but less af-
fected. They have extravagaut ideas about
dress, and they talk too much for good breed
ing OF what thugs cost. Yet the majority do
not dress fashionably; far from II, according
to our ideas of fashion. | had heard 30
much of the American w6man's taste in
dress that was astOnished to see so little of
II; but when mentioned the fact was told
that II wished to see real elegant dress.
ing must walk mp and down Broadway
(sic) on Sunday morning after church. This
being so entirely opposed to the princi-
| pies In which pe are reared--i. e., that gem
tlswomen should wear their quaintest
dresses to church or In the public strests -
| did not think 1t worth my while to 20 In
search OF the New York toilets. When
American ladies might dress gsorgeonsly-
that Ia, at the theatres.-thay do not. The
occupants of stalls, boxes, aud dress circle
appear alike In bonnets and walking COS
tunes, which take great deal of the attrac
tion from we'll Allsd house.
~ have once or twice, while writing this
gossip, asked myself II | should say any
thing about the manners of the general class
OF American women, and have hesitated to
do 80 from fear of hurting the feelings of
those ladies on this side Of the world who
have been kind aud good to ma. Yet they
| lxytn hat I nf m, itx,
only, and not of individuals. As commu
mty, then, American women are not we'll
bred. They do not indulge In those little
amenities which give the tone to superior
life. They have none Of the easy grace in
society which marks the woman Of fashion
They are too quick and jsrky in their sp 'eci,
and manners. There Is no reposs about
them. They interrupt a conversation with
out the slightest scrupls, aud they all talk
together like flock OF parrots. Their laugh
ter Is, too, as a rule, very shrill aud harsh
There is no music in It. They have not thai
excellent gift in woman'-a low voice
They are not, moreover, very polite u
strangers.
81 have said elsewhere that there is nG
gentleman like an American gentleman.
cannot say as much for the American lady
Some OF them, not knowing who was, have
treated me- with the utmust rudeness In pub
lilo places. They stare a stranger out o
countenance, aud stop their conversation tc
look after her. aud make remarks upon hel
dress or personal appearance. Their dis
courtesy in refusing to rise when one has 4
pass their seat at theatre, or to NOV.
aside when ono has to enter door at til,
same time, is very marked, These LITTLE
graces, which are inherited with her blood
aud come instinctively to a well-breC
woman. are invariably missing, aud even
their kindnesses are proliered somewhat
roughly. In fact, as rule, they have no
the hallmark upon them. A late write
offended them very much, believe by say
ing they were middle class but II h
meant that they we're on a par in point d
breeding with our middle GLASSES he wa
right, however painful the truth may be.n