The Wahpeton times., 1886-11-18
AMERICA CRITICISED.

AMERICA CRITICISED.
Florence murryat's Opinions Of American Ael
and Women.
Florence Marryat came to the Unit
ed States to give q musical entertain
ment. She spent eight months in this
country and Canada, and on return
ing home it inevitably occurred to hel
to write a book embodying her expert
ences, and, above all, embalning he,
invaluable reflections and conclusions
upon American institutions, people
manners, and customs.
The politeness of the Americans
surprised and delighted Miss Marryat
and she conscientiously registers tn.
pleasing trait:
II had often heard that there is nc
gentleman like an American gentle
man, but think it is too little to say
of them, and that it is more, true that
there is no gentleman like an Ameri
can man. It is the same with rich
and poor. However hurried q man
may be, he doesn't shove q woman in
to the gutter to make room for him
self, nor does he stare rudely in hel
face as she passes him, nor make re-
marks 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 spe
cies of insolence. American gentlemen
are much more courteous in their bear
ing toward women than we are. Itmade
me mad to see my countrymen, men
of good family, too, standing in the
corridors of the hotels talking to la
dies, with their hats on, while every
American head was uncovered. No
man in this country passes q 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, and a workman one day see
ing me carrying a heavy handbag on
the railway platform. put down his
own basket of tools and relieved me
of my burden. An English laborel
would probably have been much
amused to see me struggling beneath
it's weight"
Her opinion of American women is
declared with characteristic frankness
'"Hhe American ladies are, as a rule
pretty. They have small, delicate
features, fine eyes, and good heads Of
hair, even when gray. But they sell
dom have any figure. The girls are
attenuated and look consumptive
They have small, thin hands and feet
and their chests are contracted; they
have no bosoms or hips. They are
more prudish than we are, but less af
fected."
There is her final Judgment of Ameri
can women.
II have once or twice, while writing
this gossip, asked myself if l should
say anything about the manners o
the general class of American women
and have hesitated to do so, from
fear OF hurting the feelings of those Ia
dies on this side of the world who
have been kind and good to me. Yet
they will know that 1 speak of the
community only, and not of individu.
ais. AS a community, then, Ameri
can women are not we'll bred. They
do not indulge in those little amenities
which give the tone to a superior life.
They have none of the easy grace IN
society which marks the woman Of
fashion. They are too quick and jer.
ky in their speech and manners. There
is no repose about them. They inter.
rupt conversation without the
slightest scruple, and they all talk to.
gether like flock of parrots. Their
laughter is, too, as rule, is very shrill
and harsh. There is no music in
it. They have not that excellent
gift in woman''-a low voice.
They are not, moreover, very
polite to strangers. have said else.
where that there is no gentleman like
an American gentleman. I can not
say as much for the American lady.
Some of them, not knowing who ]
was, have treated me with the utmost
rudeness in public places. They stare
a stranger out of countenaDce, and
stop their conversation to look after
her, and make remarks upon her dress
or personal appearance. Their dis.
courtesy in refusing to rise when one
has to pass their seat at theatre, or
to move aside when one has to enter
a door at the same time, is very mark.
ed. These little graces, which are in.
herited with her blood, and come in.
stinctively to q well-bred woman, are
invariably missing, and even their
kindnesses are proffered roughly. In
fact, as rule, they have not the hall.
mark upon them. A late writer of.
Tended them very much, I believe, by
saying they were middle Glass;" but
if he meant that they were on q par
in point of breeding with our middle
classes, he was right, however painful
the truth may be.