fruit, tempered with a not despicable bottle of Beaune.
If in England, the exchange is nearly as grateful—for
though our travelling be better, and our equipage less
“genante,” still it is no small alterative
from the stage-coach to the inn parlour, redolent
of aromatic black tea, eggs, and hot toast, with a
hospitable side-board of red, raw surloins, and York
hams, that would made a Jew’s mouth water.
While, in America, the change is greatest of all,
as any one can vouch for who has been suddenly emancipated
from the stove-heat of a “nine-inside”
leathern “conveniency,” bumping ten miles
an hour over a corduroy road, the company smoking,
if not worse; to the ample display of luxurious viands
displayed upon the breakfast-table, where, what with
buffalo steaks, pumpkin pie, gin cock-tail, and other
aristocratically called temptations, he must be indeed
fastidious who cannot employ his half-hour.
Pity it is, when there is so much good to eat, that
people will not partake of it like civilized beings,
and with that air of cheerful thankfulness that all
other nations more or less express when enjoying the
earth’s bounties. But true it is, that
there is a spirit of discontent in the Yankee, that
seems to accept of benefits with a tone of dissatisfaction,
if not distrust. I once made this remark to
an excellent friend of mine now no more, who, however,
would not permit of my attributing this feature to
the Americans exclusively, adding, “Where have
you more of this than in Ireland? and surely you would
not call the Irish ungrateful?” He illustrated
his first remark by the following short anecdote:—
The rector of the parish my friend lived in was a
man who added to the income he derived from his living
a very handsome private fortune, which he devoted
entirely to the benefit of the poor around him.
Among the objects of his bounty one old woman—a
childless widow, was remarkably distinguished.
Whether commiserating her utter helplessness or her
complete isolation, he went farther to relieve her
than to many, if not all, the other poor. She
frequently was in the habit of pleading her poverty
as a reason for not appearing in church among her neighbours;
and he gladly seized an opportunity of so improving
her condition, that on this score at least no impediment
existed. When all his little plans for her comfort
had been carried into execution, he took the opportunity
one day of dropping in, as if accidentally, to speak
to her. By degrees he led the subject to her
changed condition in life—the alteration
from a cold, damp, smoky hovel, to a warm, clean,
slated house—the cheerful garden before
the door that replaced the mud-heap and the duck-pool—and
all the other happy changes which a few weeks had effected.
And he then asked, did she not feel grateful to a
bountiful Providence that had showered down so many
blessings upon her head?
“Ah, troth, its thrue for yer honour, I am grateful,”
she replied, in a whining discordant tone, which astonished
the worthy parson.