I Like The English
Extremely, Even More Than I Expected, And Yet Happy Am I To Think
That Our Own Best Portions Of Society Can Bear A Comparison With
Theirs.
When I see you I can explain to you the differences, but I
think we need not be ashamed of ourselves.
LETTER: To I.P.D.
LONDON, January 2, 1847
My dear Uncle: . . . I refer you to my letters to my boys, for all
the new persons and places we may have seen lately, while I give you
for Aunty's amusement a minute account of my visit into the country
at Mr. Bates's, where things are managed in a scrupulously English
manner, so that it will give her the same idea of country life here,
as if it were a nobleman's castle. Our invitation was to arrive on
Thursday, the day before Christmas, to dine, and to remain until the
following Tuesday morning. His place is at East SHEEN, which
receives its name from the Anglo-Saxon word for BEAUTY. It adjoins
Richmond Park, beyond which is the celebrated Richmond Hill,
Twickenham, Kew, etc., etc. . . . We arrived at East Sheen at half-
past five; but I ought first to mention the PREPARATIONS for a
country excursion. Our own carriage has, of course, no dickey for
my maid, or conveniences for luggage, so we take a travelling
carriage. The imperials (which are large, flat boxes, covering the
whole top of the carriage, CAPITAL for velvet dresses, and smaller
ones fitting into all the seats IN the carriage, and BEFORE and
BEHIND) are brought to you the day before. I am merely asked what
dresses I wish taken, and that is all I know of the matter, so
thoroughly does an English maid understand her business. We were
shown on our arrival into a charming room, semi-library.
In a few minutes a servant came to show me to my apartment, which
was very superb, with a comfortable dressing-room and fire for Mr.
Bancroft, where the faithful Keats unpacked his dressing materials,
while I was in a few moments seated at the toilet to undergo my
hair-dressing, surrounded by all my apparatus, and a blazing fire to
welcome me with a hissing tea-kettle of hot water and every comfort.
How well the English understand it, I learn more and more every day.
My maid had a large room above me, also with a fire; indeed, a
"lady's" maid is a VERY GREAT character INDEED, and would be much
more unwilling to take her tea with, or speak familiarly to, a
footman or a housemaid than I should. My greatest mistakes in
England have been committed toward those high dignitaries, my own
maid and the butler, whose grandeur I entirely misappreciated and
invaded, as in my ignorance I placed them, as we do, on the same
level with other servants. She has her fire made for her, and LOAF
sugar in her tea, which she and Cates sip in solitary majesty.
However, she is most conscientious and worthy, as well as dignified,
and thoroughly accomplished in her business.
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