So I Said, "Candid I Shall Be, And First Of All Being Devoted
To My Country's Old Constitution, The Democracy Has To Me A Very
Unpleasant Sound; By That I Mean The Government Of The Many And From
_Below_, And _That_ Form Of Government To Me Is Highly
Objectionable.
I think with Carlyle, that God meant the rulers of the
world to be those men best fitted by their education and occupations and
experiences to cope with the immense difficulties which encompass good
government.
So you see, I can't agree with much Lowell says, but some
things are very good and I have ventured to mark them," upon which she
handed the paper to Professor Shields, and told him to read it, and tell
her what I had marked at a future time, as she wanted to go on talking!
I found Professor Shields quite agreed with me when discussing the
matter next day, but he said, "_we_ can't help ourselves now, take
care _you_ don't get into the same difficulties." Mrs. Bruen made
me give a resume of all the reasons why the Lords opposed the passing of
the Franchise Bill until the Redistribution Bill appeared. I must stop.
We have been to hear Dr. Brooks again, this time _un_-written and
not so interesting.
_Monday, 27th_. - After writing the foregoing yesterday, we went to
dine, and then John called and spent nearly two hours chatting.
_They_ had been to lunch at the Lowell's (relations of the Minister
in England), and leave to-day at one o'clock for New York, and on the
first start in the _Germanica_ for England. I think we are all glad
we are _not_ going to Japan, &c., as I have just written to Mrs.
Neilson, "the old country suits my aged inside the best." I told her I
thought the people about New Brunswick and Boston were especially
delightful. "After this," I added, "you will, perhaps, think me
impertinent if I say they seem to me so English! but after all, you came
from us, and it only shows you have kept the stock pure, while we have
in many cases adopted a spurious Americanism in our ways and speech."
Since I wrote this, Mrs. Perkins, a married daughter of dear Mrs. Bruen,
and a masterful kind of person, has called on me, and upon my making
some such remark as the foregoing, she exclaimed, "I don't like
_that_ at all! Before the war we used to like being taken for
English, but now we _don't_, - How would _you_ like to be taken
for an American?" "Well," I replied, "we don't speak of the
_mother_ being like the _child_; whether you like it or not
you _are_ English by descent, and are our cousins at _least_."
Dick asked her afterwards, "What do you wish to be thought?" "An
American, of course." "Please tell me then how you describe an
_American_?" We could not get her to do so; in fact, nothing
pleases the _set-up_ creatures, for if we judge of them by the
Western or Southern, or even Central Americans, they exclaim at our
injustice, and if we judge by these New England States, they are
indignant at being thought English!
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