188 AX AMERICAN FARMER IX EXGLAXD. 



for life ? This question, again, was immediately shoved aside 

 unanswered, by another: Whether, in this nineteenth century of 

 the carpenter's son, and first of vulgar, whistling, snorting, rattling 

 roaring locomotives, new-world steamers, and submarine electric 

 telegraphs ; penny newspapers, free schools, and working-men's 

 lyceums, this still, soft atmosphere of elegant age was exactly the 

 most favorable for the production of thorough, sound, influential 

 manhood, and especially for the growth of the right sort of legis- 

 lators and lawgivers for the people. 



It seems, certainly, that it w r ould be hard for a man, whose 

 mind has been mainly formed and habited in the midst of this 

 abundance, of quiet, and beauty, and pleasantness, to rightly un- 

 derstand, and judiciously work for, the wants of those whose 

 "native air" is as different from this as is that of another planet 

 Especially hard must it be to look with perfect honesty and ap- 

 preciating candor upon principles, ideas, measures, that are 

 utterly discordant with, and threaten to interrupt, this costly nur- 

 sery song, to which his philosophy, religion and habits have been 

 studiously harmonized. 



I may as well here record my observation of the general dis- 

 position of the English people towards our nation, which I confess 

 I did not find to be exactly what I had anticipated, and which I 

 think must be generally much misconceived in the United States. 



There is a certain class of the English conservative whigs 

 more than tories, as I met them who look upon the United States 

 as a nation of vulgar, blustering, rowdy radicals ; very much as a 

 certain set with us look upon the young mechanics and butcher- 

 boys of the town troublesome, dangerous, and very " low," but 

 who are necessary to put out fires, and whose votes are of value at 

 elections, with whom it is as well therefore to keep on civil terms. 

 A considerable number of pretending, sub-aristocratic, super-sen- 

 sible people, follow more or less in their wake. But the great 



