Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-11-25
AMERICA CRITICISED.
Florence Marquis Opinions Of Americas Msn
and Women.

Florence Marryat's Opinions Of Americas nsA
.... and Women.
Florence Marryat came to the Unit.
cd States to give a musical entertain
ment. She spent eight months in this
country and Canada, and on return
ing home it inevitably occurred to her
to write n book embodying her expert
ances, and, above all, embalming her
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 the
pleasing trait:
al had often heard that there is no
gentleman like an American gentle
man, but | think il is too little to say
OF them, and that it is more true that
there is no gentleman like an Ameri.
can man. II is the same with rich
and poor. However hurried n man
may be, he doesn't shove woman in
to the gutter to make room for him.
self, nor does he stare rudely in her
face ~ 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 Englshman, 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. IL made
me mad to see my countrymen, men
OF good family, too, standing in the
corridors OF the hotels talking to Ia.
dies, with their hats on, while every
American head was uncovered. No
man in this country passes woman
in tho passage without raising his hat
until she is out Of sight. Artisans in
the street will hold a shop-door open
for you, or pick up anything you may
let fall, aud n workman one day see-
ing me carrying n heavy hand bag on
the railway platform, put down his
own basket OF tools and relieved mo
Of my burden. An English laborer
would probably have been much
amused To SEQ mo struggling beneath
its weight"
Her opinion OF American women Is
declared with characteristics rankness:
"Tho American ladies are, as n 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 arc
attenuated and look consumptivo.
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 AZ
fected."
There is her final judgment OF Ameri.
can women,
81 have once or twice, while writing
this gossip, asked myself IL should
the general class OF American women,
and have hesitated to do 80, from
fear OF hurting the feelings of those la
dies on this side Of the world who
have been kind and good to me. Yet
they will know that speak OF the
community only, and not Of individu.
als. As n community, then, Ameri-
can women are not well bred. They
do not indulge in those little amenities
which give the tone to u 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 n conversation without the
slightest scruplc, and they all tai to-
gether like flock OF parrots. Their
laughter IL, too, rs arnle, is very shrill
and harsh. There is no music in
1t. 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
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
u stranger out OF countenance, 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 n theatre, or
to move aside when one has to enter
u door Mt the same time, il 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, rs % rule, they have not the hall.
mark upon them. A late writer Of
Tended them very much, believe, by
saying they were middle class" but
II he meant that they were on % par
in point Of breeding with our middle
classes, he was right, however painful
tina truth NAV la