Year: 1879

From Parallel Drawn by an Englishman


American men and American women are


perhaps, the boldest and most uncompromising
firts in the world. 1t must needs be 50 in
society which banishes mothers as superfuous,
old ladies as nuisances, and any kind of chape-
ronage as an infringement of the glorious
Transatlantic birthright and an insult to hu-
man nature. We do not say for moment
| that this unchecked, uncontrolled intercourse
between the young men and women in Ameri-
ca leads to grave mischances; but we do say
that it leads to an organized system and recog-
nized tone of flirting which strikes us, used to
more reticence and less freedom, as odd, to say
the least of it, and essentially ''bad form as
the youth of the day would call it. If an Eng
lishman were to permit himself to say to a sim
gle favored one anything like what an Ameri-
can man would say to any girl whatsoever with
whom he might converse, society would mark
him as dangerous and careful mothers would
keep their daughters out of his way, as watch
dogs guarding the lambs from the prowlng
wolves. But the American girl would and
does think nothing of it. She is used to close
sailing and gives as good as she takes. She has
made one of party of youths and maidens
II
and who pair off day after day and far into the
night, among the lonely valleys and dusky
glades of the silent forest; thinking nothing of
1t, and not supposing that any one else will
think more than she does She has been used
to being taken to dancing parties by the young
man of the hour, who calls for her and is her
FRIEND for the occasion. The mother does
not go, and the girl is confded to the care of
her male chaperon without hesitation or repug-
nance. Human nature demands gallantry i'll
such circumstances as an absolute necessity
the inevitable outgrowth OF the occasion; and
unless she is weaker and rasher than most she
has to take care of herself while paying back
her entertainer in his own coin, shielding her
self while attacking him, and above all things,
showing no fear Hence, flirting becomes, as
we have said, an organized system of inter-
course and recognized fashion among the
American YOUTH and the consequences are to
be found i'll a certain dash and boldness and
hardness and discretion all combined, whereby
the parties engaged i'll the pleasant game seem
always on the brink of danger, and yet secure.


Another consequence is, that English men
and maidenS are at disadvantage when they
meet with their compeers from over the water;
for the American men would be sure to say
more than they meant to substantiate to the
English girls, and the American girls would
lead the Englishmen farther than they meant
to follow; and the chances are that there would
be heartaches and disappointments for the
more reserved of the two.


We have t1irtS enough, however, among our
selves; and we do as much harm to each other
as is ever done by outsiders, whose ways we
misunderstood because we Judge of them by
our own. The serious firt among us is espec-
tally dangerous; and we question if the boldest
American or the most impassioned Italian ever
did more damage than the quiet, undemon-
strative English flirt, who takes sentiment as
his ground of action, and Platonsm as his
point d'appui. Soft eyes that look dark and
melancholy in the twilight; a sweet sad voice
that awakes responsive echoes in the imagina-
ton of the hearer; languid, still, and self
contained manner giving the impression of
reserve fund of force, of talent, of feeling, of
capacity for sorrow, of power of sympathy
these are the various items which make up the
stock-in-trade of the sentimental firt; and with
these he or she dispenses sweet pain and pleas
ant anguish to all around. An that is who
are weak enough to believe and innocent
enough to be deceived; and who take tinsel and
tinfoil for shining silver and ruddy gold.