From What I
Heard, I Fear Duelling Must Have Become Very Common In The West, And No
Wonder, From The Number Of Lawless Spirits Who Congregate Where They Can
Be Comparatively Unfettered.
The second course consisted exclusively of pumpkin-pies; but when the
waiters changed the plates, their way of cleaning the knives and forks was
so peculiarly disgusting, that I did not attempt to eat anything.
But I
must remark that in this motley assembly there was nothing of coarseness,
and not a word of bad language - indeed, nothing which could offend the
most fastidious ears. I must in this respect bear very favourable
testimony to the Americans; for, in the course of my somewhat extensive
travels in the United States, and mixing as I did very frequently with the
lower classes, I never heard any of that language which so frequently
offends the ear in England. [Footnote: I must not be misunderstood here.
Profane language is only too notoriously common in the States, but custom,
which in America is frequently stronger than law, totally prohibits its
use before ladies.]
I suppose that there is no country in the world where the presence of a
lady is such a restraint upon manners and conversation. A female, whatever
her age or rank may be, is invariably treated with deferential respect;
and if this deference may occasionally trespass upon the limits of
absurdity, or if the extinct chivalry of the past ages of Europe meets
with a partial revival upon the shores of America, this extreme is vastly
preferable to the brusquerie, if not incivility, which ladies, as I have
heard, too often meet with in England.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 156 of 478
Words from 42587 to 42862
of 129941
