PENSYLVANIA 105 



Germans), have any of them been seized with a passion 

 to appear in a better light, by going about after posts 

 of honor. Their conversation is neither interesting 

 nor pleasing, and if so, it is because they have had a 

 better bringing-up in Germany or, native-born, have 

 become English quite, and thus they are no longer 

 Germans and withdrawn by their own wish from in- 

 tercourse with their people. In the towns there pre- 

 vails an altogether different tone among the German 

 families. They feel that no distinction of rank imposes 

 any restraint on them, and behave as if farmers turned 

 lords. I met at Philadelphia only one or two agree- 

 able and intelligent women of German origin, but they 

 spoke German very little and did not owe their breeding 

 to their own people. 



There is a striking contrast between the untaught 

 class : German and English. In the same circumstances 

 and with the same faculties the Englishman invariably 

 shows more information ; the German has the advan- 

 tage in superstitions and prejudices and is less intelli- 

 gent in political matters. However, the German 

 country-people are extremely jealous of their liberties, 

 and of their rights in the matter of sending members to 

 the Assembly, although they find it difficult at times to 

 get capable men. For it often happens that members 

 chosen from among the German farmers and sent to the 

 Assembly are not sufficiently equipped with the English 

 language, and so make but dumb chair-fillers and never 

 dare to give their opinions openly and, when ques- 

 tions are to be decided, discreetly range themselves 

 with the majority, sitting quietly by until they see 

 which side has the numbers. Really they often know 

 nothing of what the question is before the Assembly, 



