152 WINTER SUNSHINE 



something, but it comes into shape; and of such 

 beauty as is the product of this tendency we can 

 undoubtedly show more, especially in our women, 

 than the parent stock in Europe; while American 

 schoolgirls, I believe, have the most bewitching 

 beauty in the world. 



The English plainness of speech is observable 

 even in the signs or notices along the streets. In- 

 stead of "Lodging," "Lodging," as with us, one 

 sees "Beds," "Beds," which has a very homely 

 sound; and in place of "gentlemen's" this, that, or 

 the other, about public places, the word "men's" is 

 used. 



I suppose, if it were not for the bond of a written 

 language and perpetual intercourse, the two nations 

 would not be able to understand each other in the 

 course of a hundred years, the inflection and accent- 

 uation is so different. I recently heard an Eng- 

 lish lady say, referring to the American speech, that 

 she could hardly believe her ovrn language could be 

 spoken so strangely. > 



ARCHITECTURE 



One sees right away that the English are a home 

 people, a domestic people ; and he does not need to 

 go into their houses or homes to find this out. It 

 is in the air and in the general aspect of things. 

 Everywhere you see the virtue and quality that we 

 ascribe to home-made articles. It seems as if things 

 had been made by hand, and with care and affection, 

 as they have been. The land of caste and kings, 



