New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-03
MORE ENGLISH CRITICISM.
FLORENCE MARRYATs AMERICAN NOTES

Florence Marryat came TO the Onlteu SV''o' w
give O musical entertainments She spent eishe
months IN this country and Canada, and on return
inc home it inevitably occurred to her to write
boo,, embodving her experiences, md above all,
embalming her Invaluable reflections and con-
clnsions mon American institutions people,
manners and customs The intention was no doubt
ouite free from malice, but q more amusing Illus
tration of the national temperament which has
earned for the travelling Briton the cordial
detestation Of every people on the continent OF
Europe Is seldom encountered Florence MarIyat
Is q writer OF novels who has produced several
books of the second or third class. She has ap-
reared on the stage in various entertainments, and
has had some success there. Neither as novelist
nor as an artist, however, has she any decided
Iank. But when she writes of her adventures In
the United States she exhibits asefappreciation so
naive that it is really funny. When she travels on
the railroad every other person. she tells u.s. had
one of her novels in hand. She Is assured that her
books are more read than those of almost any other
author. She encounters Populations OF en-
thusiastic people who pay their devotions to her.
she Ellis page after page with accounts OF what the
papers said about her. In fact while she ostensiby
set out to write down her ideas about America.
Ler book is more than half occupied with the
narrative of her own progresses and Qualifications
however, she never hositates to say what she
thinks, and her conclusions are not always com
plImentary. The interviewers, Of course, dealt
with her, and she gives this experience with them;
had the pleasure OF seeing eleven gentlemen of
the New-York press during the first two days or
my arrival so whoever tho cap nus may wear IL,
but must confess that great deal appeared In print
that nerer said nor could have said, and that
some of the questions put 10 me went beyond the
bounds of ordinary courtesy. ana now MISE ths
Marryat" said one reporter, looking me mi IN the
face q at what age shall put You down wait
minute" replied you haven't asked me how
wear ts,y ?s SSGSy mj yGny
he continued" that yon don't intend TO tel me
your ageY al mean" said. that ! have ave, no no
nten ton of answering any question except sucn as
an English gentleman would feel himself justified
in putting TO me in my own drawngroom"
Il guess that reporter put me down at about Sky ,
Victoria, also fold me that she had similar
question put to her in San Francisco to winch she
answered that woman is never oiaer tnau s sro
looks When the critque appeared, ~ pralsed hef
acting, but said, it was pity she t0oEcd forty.
The external appearance of New-York was
fortunate enough to please Miss Marryat. who
thought it happy mixture" of London and
Paris. Tho politeness of the Americans surprised
and delighted her. and sic tously registers
the pleasing trait:
/ had often heard that there is no gentleman like
an American gentleman, but think IL Is 100 iittie
is no gentleman like an American man. 1t Is the
same with rich and poor. However hurried man
may be- he doesn't shove woman into the gutter
to make room for himself nor does he stare rndely
in her face as she masses nim nor make remarks on
her appearance or her dress There is no such Door
in the world as the middle-class EDglshnlan. ana
some of the members of the so-called upper clas.
are not free from this species OF nsolencc. Ameri-
can gentlemen are much more courteous III tIieir
bearing toward women than we are. IL maze me
mad TO sac nv countrymen men OF good family.
too standing in the corridors OF the hotels taking
to ladies' with their hats on; whist every amer.
can head was uncovered. No man IN TINS country
passes a woman in the passage without raising MS
hat until she is cut OF sight Artisans III the street
will hold shop door open for You, or PICK up any
thing YOU may let fall. and workman one DAY
seeing me carrying heavy handbag on tee rait-
way platform pat gown ms n UTn An English
laborer would probably have been much amused
to see me struggling beneath its weight
She attended meeting of Sorosis, and while
impressed by the force and logic of the discussion,
she was sorry 20 observe that the president had
great difficulty in caln the members to order"
In fact thoy " whispered and gigglod " to such az
extent that she ." felt something more was still
wanting before they could compete with their less
frivolous, or perhaps better disciplined. brethren"
Her opinion of American women is declared WIN
characteristic frankness 4:
The American ladies' are, rs 4 rule pretty. They
have small delicate features fine eyes. ana goo1
heads of hair, even when gray But they s9n ,a
consnmptive. They have small thin hands and
feet and their che sts contracted: they nave no
hosomS or hips. An American lady once assured me
that her cOuntrymen dd not admire punpnesS IN
women but they preferred slim, elegant hgnres !
and nv answer was that it seemed to me theV had
not much choice in the matter. son etiines III
rjper ace they burgeOn aud blossom as tue poets
saw into rotundty-too mnch r0tundlty winch
only brings the natural defects OF the inquire INTO
| greater prominence. iut they do not use artificial
| means to enhance their charms so mnch as the
English do They are more pTafiSh than we are, but
As a rule they do not fraternize' with the
| English women much. On tho other hand. they
adore the English men, and, were an American
! gentleman, | should feel rather jealous or ther
| admiration for everything masculine on this side
| of the water. The height OF their ambition seems
to be 10 marry Britishcr lord If possible brt IN
! default Of a lord, an officer IN the army they
| have extravagant IDEAS about dress and they talk
too much for good breeding OF what things cost Yet
the mai0riy do not dress iashionaDiy laI IRON ~,
according TO orr IDEAS OF fashion. nad heard so
much of the American woman's taste In dress that
| was astonished to see 50 little of It eut when
| mentioned the fact, was told that II wished to
see " real elegant dressing | must walk up and
! down Broadway on Sunday morning AFTER church
This being entirely opposed 10 the principles IN
which ne are reared .e, that gentlewomen sh0nld
wear their auietost dresses to church or In the
public streets. did not think IL worth nv while
to 90 in search OF the New-ioIk toiettes Nhen
American ladies' might dress gOrgeonsly that Is at
the theatres they do not The occupants OF stalls,
boxes and dress circle appear alike IN bonnets rs
and walking costumes, which takes great zeal OF
the attraction from weIlhlled house.
She was surprised to so little drinking at the
| hotel tables On this she says
The apparent absence of drinking wine OF
stimulants at the dinner table struck me- at once
| The women invariably took iced water Ot which
they consume dangerously large quantity OF
| tea at dinner and even the men followed suit
| To see man drink tea " til fish and meat has a
| depicting effect me- was seated one day at
lnuch when two freshly arrived young Englishmen
sat down at the same table. | could see they were
English by their finely cut features their close
| cropped heads and their clean. muscular limbs
| M and down the tables obscry cd 10 the other
| What hicks me is that these beggars don't drink
| WHY If this English restaurant, there
| would be couple Or bottles at least upon every
tablet" THIS set puZzllng out the reason OF It.
| Americans. both male aud female. drink quite as
much as English people do icLen ihcy in EngiGqd
| Why don't they do il IN their own country And
! was informed by one OF themselves, that they do