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manner, I considered that it was best in America not only to conform to established customs, but to avail myself of every chance of learning something new and confirming or correcting what I had learnt. The plan I found had its advantages. The hostess of the house at which I stopped at Buffalo on Lake Erie, gave me an interesting account of the skirmishes in Canada during the late war. Not only was her conversation pleasing, but her manners were soft and considerably refined. A widow at a solitary

house distant about seven miles from Buffalo communicated some particulars of the Indians in the vicinity. She was an animated woman; and though removed from society by her remote situation, one who knew how to demean herself with great propriety. She begged that if I should ever go that road again I would give them a call. This was not spoken in reference to her wishing my custom, but to show her friendly feeling to a foreigner. I was sensible of it by her tone and manner. The landlord of an inn in Connecticut answered my enquiries respecting the Shakers, who have a settlement near his house; and seemed both capable and ready to give me information of every sort respecting the vicinity. One of his daughters was beautiful and fascinating. I held a long conver

sation with her, and found her quite intelligent. The morning I spent at this house is one to which I recur with pleasure. At the inn at Harper's Ferry in Virginia, I met a gentleman and his wife from Tennessee; they, the mistress of the house and her daughter, with myself, passed a sociable evening together conversing principally on literary topics. The master who had been from home, returned on the following morning. He was a Protestant, his wife and daughter Catholics. All of them behaved in an agreeable manner; and made me feel as if I were at home. His bookcase contained some valuable historical works of which while I staid I made good use. Books are so scarce in most

country places in America, that when I happened of a few, I found myself as refreshed as after bathing in cold water in a hot day.

CHAPTER IV.

THE MEN.

In the remarks I am about to make on the men, I shall confine myself principally to their habits and behaviour, reserving some remarks on their character to a future chapter.

One of the first things that strikes the attention of a stranger in America, is the coldness and apparent heartlessness with which they greet an acquaintance. Their deportment is quite chilling.

Yet it is soon perceptible that this arises not so much from apathy as from habit. It is however proper to observe that the Virginians are to be exempted from this particular, since they are not at all backward to manifest their feelings. Of the men in general it is notwithstanding to be said, that they never show that boisterousness of manner so common with the Irish. In their houses, they lounge when seated, in a way which in some other countries, would be viewed as quite indecorous. It is quite common even in company to lean back in the chair so as to let it stand on its hind legs;

and when in this position near a fire, they will sometimes place their feet against the mantle piece. Imagine a man sitting in this manner with a segar in his mouth, and you have a complete picture of American independence! So general, and indeed almost universal is the habit of lounging, that I noticed in the Supreme Court of Massachusetts sitting at Boston, counsellors when engaged in a cause leaning back in the way I have described; and at Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, legislators with their legs stretched on the writing desk before them! The same habits I noticed in courts of justice in several other states, and in the House of Representatives at Washington. True it is that there are many gentlemen who are careful to avoid lounging, more especially in company, but they are exceptions to the generality.

The dirty, disagreeable practice of snuff taking, so prevalent in Europe, is but little in vogue: but then smoking and chewing tobacco, both nearly as bad, are very general. The idea of the soothing tendency, and consequent utility of smoking in concentrating thought, is urged in its favour, but chiefly by those who think, or at least reason but little. The most active minds need not its assistance. Bonaparte never smoked.

The use of quids is in my opinion as indefensible as smoking. Like dram-drinking it may operate on the animal spirits, but like that be injurious except in a few special cases. But my chief objection to it is, that it is disliked by females. Surely there is a strange want of attention to them on the part of those men who chew tobacco, since they are all averse to it. Those who do so must frequently spit, it not being pleasant to swallow the juice. What is the consequence? Why that carpets, fire-places, and stair-cases bear marks of the stains. The pews in many places of worship are discoloured by the tobacco juice, though the stricter professions deny themselves the indulgence of a quid during service time. Perhaps I ought not to censure the Americans for spitting on floors and carpets, as the French who value themselves on the scrupulosity of their attentions to the minute points of behaviour, do the same thing: but it is a habit very offensive to me. In reference to this subject, let me mention how diverted I was at the reluctance of some persons to admit that they were chargeable with the habit at all. Conversing with a gentleman in Philadelphia on the state of society in America, he requested me to mention any unpleasant habits that I had noticed amongst them; when I named this of spitting on the floor. He could not allow

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