1826.] Letters from the United States of North America. 245. 



idea ?) that, one day or other, Great Britain will confederate with the 

 two Americas, for the preservation of the rest of the world. We spoke 

 freely together ; and I will repeat a portion of what he said, if you 

 please — I can do it nearly word for word, I think ; for his quiet way 

 and great good sense had a singular effect upon me. We touched upon 

 the character of his countrymen as a people, their vanity, &c. &c. 

 " I do not deny," said he, " that my countrymen believe themselves to 

 be the most enlightened people on earth. And why should I, my dear 

 sir? I should like to know what people do not believe as much of them- 

 selves ? Do not every people — the British ? the French ? the Chinese ? 

 And after all, perhaps — perhaps, I say, for I would not speak positively 

 in such a case, whatever I — I — " " Whatever you might think," said I. 

 *' Yes, whatever I might think," he replied, with a bow — "^perhaps 

 it may be truer of my countrymen, after all, taking the whole mass 

 together, much truer of them, as a people, than it would be of any other 

 people, as a people, under heaven — perhaps, I say." " Indeed !" 

 " Yes ; for, to tell you the truth, I am greatly inclined to believe — not- 

 withstanding the superiority of this or that nation of Europe, in this or 

 that particular class of society, over any class whatever to be met with 

 in our part of the world — that, as a tvhole, taken together, our people, 

 the people of the United States of America, are the most enlightened 

 people of our earth." " Pray, do you meen to exclude the native blacks ?" 

 " To be sure I do — ^but while I say this, I cannot forbear to add, sir, 

 that the more I have seen of Europe, and particularly of that proud 

 country, the mother of this — (a prouder country, I fear) — the less inclined 

 am I to regard this truth — for, to me, it is a truth — as a matter incapa- 

 ble of dispute. My countrymen are superficially acquainted with every 

 thing, profoundly with nothing, or, at any rate, with very few things ; 

 though we have able, very able physicians, capital divines, and a host 

 of pretty good lawyers, who stick to the chief absurdities of British law, 

 with a pertinacity which would be thought ridiculous before the judges 

 of Westminster Hall — behaving as the lawyers of the mother country 

 behave, pleading as they plead, quoting their words for authority, and 

 copying, with a most unworthy temper, the every-day legislation of 

 their every-day nisi-prius courts. My remark is true, nevertheless — 

 true, when applied, in a general way, to the character of our people. 

 They know a little of every thing, and but a little of any thing. I have 

 met with a multitude of men, sir, in Europe — in the heart of Great 

 Britain — every where — at every step, sir — men who, while they were pro- 

 foundly acquainted with some one thing, were profoundly ignorant 

 of every thing else — of matters too, which appeared to be inseparably 

 connected with, nay even to make a part of the very science, a 

 deep knowledge whereof was their chief pride. Such a thing is 

 never heard of, here. A medical man, or a lawyer, in this country, 

 sir, is obliged to prepare himself, in every way, for every thing that 

 is ever likely to occur in the whole sweep of medicine or law. A 

 man who is called a doctor must bleed, cup, draw teeth, compound, 

 or be able to compound every sort of drug, and prepare every sort of 

 herb. He will practise, therefore, not only as a physician, but as a 

 surgeon, a tooth-drawer, a bleeder, a midwife and apothecary ; and so, 

 too, with a lawyer : he must prepare himself to practise in the equity 

 courts, in the admiralty courts, in the common law courts, and in those, 

 that correspond with almost every sort of court, over sea ; and not only 

 this, but he must be prepared to practise, now && cui attorney, now as 



