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though done, no doubt, to obviate a natural 
prejudice—assumes the character of an Eu- 
ropean ; but he is himself American, and 
no other indeed than Cooper, the well- 
known national novelist of America —a 
man, whose reputation, in his particular 
department, is, or ought to be second only 
to Sir Walter Scott’s—able both to see, 
combine, and describe. 
The work partakes but little of the form 
ofatonr. The author lands at New York, 
as an European, as we have said—in fact, 
he was returning to his country after a long 
residence on the continent of Europe—and 
from New York, as a central point, he 
makes excursions into the states, north and 
east, south and west, and communicates the 
results, not the details of his observations. 
The facts are all, no doubt, of the most ac- 
curate character, and will go far to remove 
misconceptions. The book is, upon the 
whole, too discussive—the common Charyb- 
dis to the Scylla, on which the journalist is 
apt to wreck his vessel; but he is full, with 
something to say always to the purpose. 
The author reached New York on the very 
‘day of La Fayette’s arrival, and numerous 
particulars are scattered over the volumes of 
the reception which the veteran soldier and 
statesman met with from all classes, in the 
general and deep but quiet enthusiasm, 
which became the gravity of the occasion, 
and the good sense-of the people—all the 
theatrical was on the side of the old French- 
man. The whole affair was left to the spon- 
taneous feelings of the country—the govern- 
ment did nothing but despatch a frigate for 
him—but every where—and he visited al- 
most every state—he was received with a 
respect at once so fervid, so impressive, and 
so patriarchal, as nothing in modern times 
can parallel. The accommodations afforded 
him were of the completest kind, and nei- 
ther himself nor his suite were suffered to 
be at the smallest expense. The states 
finally voted him a grant of land and 
200,000 dollars. 
The peculiarities of the American cha- 
racter are to be sought for mainly in the 
eastern and middle states, and evidently the 
author is better acquainted with these than 
with the southern and western ones. The 
state of society is very different, as might be 
anticipated, in the slave and non-slave states. 
In the northern states it is that intelligence, 
religion, order, frugality, and even liberty, 
have taken the deepest root; nor will the 
southern states, Mr. Cooper assures us, deny 
these distinctions, though they may think 
them balanced by their own superior taste 
and manners. The reader must expect— 
though the south is not neglected—to find 
the estimate of the American character, 
built chiefly in the north and east states, 
precisely those parts with which Europeans 
are likely to have most intercourse—and to 
which the observation of our own tourists 
have been mainly confined. 
The notions of equality, which, in our 
Monthly Review of Literature, 
‘(Juny, 
ignorance, we suppose to originate in de- 
mocrati¢ institutions — the tendency of 
which is very decidedly to elevate the whole, 
rather than to level any—is very deservedly 
ridiculed. There are “ grades”? in Ameri- 
can society in abundance, of nice shades 
too. Every man, above the poorest ranks, 
is eligible to the state legislatures, and even 
to the congress, and men of humble for- 
tunes and undisciplined manners are some- 
times elected ; but, generally, as might be 
expected, the superior classes are chosen. 
But this distinction gives no precedence in 
society-- which depends mainly on fortune, 
education and manners. ‘The different 
castes or sets in society —particularly in 
the larger towns, as New York, which is a 
sort of metropolis—are as distinctly defined, 
and their limits as strictly observed as in 
even our own aristocratic country. Nobody 
thinks of crossing them till circumstances 
invite or entitle him. An innkeeper or a 
tradesman may be a member of congress, 
but he would no more expect to be admitted 
within the pale of certain circles than our 
own linen-drapers of Bond-street to the 
exclusions of Grosvenor-square. The 
“*squire”’ and his tailor may meet at the 
drawing-rooms of the president’s lady, but 
the tailor is not a step nearer the interior of 
the rich man’s residence. 
Still the feeling of equality, in a public 
and political sense, has a marked influence 
upon society as to manners—shewn chiefly 
in the repression of that disposition to in- 
solence, which superiority usually gives. 
There is universally a delicacy and mutual 
consideration in all classes—a sense of the 
existence of rights which are not to be in- 
vaded or slighted, which produces the es- 
sence of politeness and civilization, though 
it may not infallibly command the signs of 
it. The feeling is general of the sove- 
reignty of the law, which rings in the ear— 
“ this man is as much entitled to considera- 
tion as myself;’’ and the good sense of the 
people is equally ready to suggest—“ If I 
am civil, others will be so to me.”? With 
these convictions, the signs and shows of 
polished manners are less frequent, from the — 
very consciousness that the essence of them 
as we said, is in active operation. As to © 
women, if they knew when they were well 
off, as no doubt they do, America, Mr. 
Cooper says, is their “paradise.” The at- 
tentions they receive are not so much per- 
haps the result of admiration, ardent or — 
affected, as of considerate humanity—but — 
they are uniform and universal—the maid — 
as well as the mistress is secure of them. — 
No women work in the field. be 
The distinguishing source of American — 
manners lies in the ‘simplicity of common 
sense.” ‘The American may be considered 
as almost exempt from prejudice. First or — 
last, he is sure to ask—of what usé is this ? 
Why keep up the practice of that? And 
the result appears in the renunciation of the 
externals of vanity, and personal impor- 
