TRANSITION FROM RUDENESS TO REFINEMENT. 315 



for people who have private parlours. Ladies never appear 

 at the public table of the Washington hotel, although many 

 of them have private rooms in it. The traveller who dislikes 

 the Washington hotel is more likely to find the cause of his 

 dissatisfaction in himself than in the establishment. 



As soon as I ascertained my trunks were in possession of 

 Mr Ward, I proceeded to call on Captain Smith of the Napo 

 leon, who was to sail in a few days for Liverpool, and from 

 whom I secured a berth. I was still in my travelling garb, my 

 tattered garments being concealed by &quot; Mrs Trollope.&quot; Cap 

 tain Smith, in the warmth of his greeting, hurried me into his 

 parlour before I had time to explain my situation ; and never 

 shall I forget my feelings on again finding myself seated on a 

 luxurious sofa in a fashionable room. Since leaving Montreal 

 on the 18th August, I had not seen a sofa, or a chair with a 

 stuffed bottom, except one at York, nor a window-curtain, or 

 carpet. The w r alls of the rooms did not support a painting or 

 print of any description, and in all domestic arrangements 

 there was a total absence of the elegances of life. I had be 

 come so much habituated to the state of things around me, 

 that for the remainder of my days I would have been satisfied 

 with bare walls and wooden-bottomed chairs, and regarded the 

 gewgaws of refined society with contempt. It is not likely the 

 impressions of my Backwood tour will be altogether effaced 

 while the pulse of life beats true. I confess, however, the facility 

 with which I adopted the refinements of New York, and the 

 enjoyment they afforded, seemed to arise from something else 

 than mere novelty. The venison at the table of the Washing 

 ton hotel, served on plates with a flaming spirit-lamp under 

 neath, appeared more palatable than the coagulating fried 

 pork of Canada, and my head seemed higher than it had been 

 for ten weeks before, from being surrounded with a collar of 

 velvet instead of rags. Man may often learn humility from 

 his own inconsistency and folly. I felt ashamed of my weak 

 ness. 



Soon after my arrival at New York, I retired to bed. Next 

 morning my trunks were ransacked, and I was mortified at 

 finding I had outgrown my wearing apparel. Travelling 

 may at all times be regarded as conducive to health, by 



