Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from English Items: Or, Microscopic Views of England and Englishmen
United States, I had grown weary of the thraldom to Eng lish dictation Of public Opinion in America. I entertained no great love for Englishmen, and all that I saw during my first visit to Europe, and what I have seen since, has not served to increase my affection for them. Yet I must con fess that I experienced, a year or two ago, certain aguish sensations at my own rashness, in expressing a somewhat unfavorable Opinion Of Englishmen and their manners. It might have been, as a distinguished Review sagely remarked, an unbearable degree of impudence in an unknown individ ual from Arkansas, to pretend to pronounce judgment on the refinements of English society, But being accustomed to attack rampant bears at home, I suppose the innocent cavortings of the British Lion seemed much less terrible to me, than to some Of my more civilized countrymen, who had never seen angry beasts out of cages. Although the roar of this pampered Lion of England has long since ceased to affect us as a nation, yet no one can doubt that his complain ing growls make those individuals quake amongst us, who pretend to a refined excess either of fashion or gentility. I am sorry to Observe that it is becoming more and more the fashion, Cspecially among travelled Americans, to pet the British beast. In defiance Of his surly ways, they are eternally trying by ?attery to coax him into good humor as the boys throw apples and gingerbread to his prototype of the menagerie. He never fails to repay their Ofiicious kindness with snarling disapprobation, and always attacks the hand that pats him. But instead of treating him like other refractory brutes, they pusillanimously strive to soothe him by a forbearance he cannot appreciate. They never laugh so loudly, as when suffering from his bite, and good-natur edly designate his ruthless clawings the facetious indications of a playful disposition.
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