90 INQCIS1TIVENESS. 



ture are frequently occasioned, if not aggravated 

 by the neglect of small observances and attention?, 

 and by the disquietudes which irregular and dis- 

 orderly men continually produce. A custom pe- 

 culiarly American, is to lean back on the chair 

 with extended legs. I never saw an European 

 practice this impropriety. The practice of drum- 

 ming with the fingers, as if practising on a harp- 

 sicoid, on chairs, sofas and tables, is so prevalent, 

 that I am almost inclined to pronounce the Ame- 

 ricans a musical people. Again, the handling of 

 forks, and knives, and spoons, and plates, at table, 

 when not in use, evinces the activity and sprightly 

 habits of this ever stirring nation. Travelling 

 incog. I have passed myself off as a person who 

 wants to buy a tract of land. This has been 

 rumoured about the country, and persons are 

 continually teazing me with proposals to sell : 

 and these interviews are accompanied with search- 

 ing questions, which reach not only to the bot- 

 tom of my business, but to the history of my 

 whole life. I verily believe that a witness in a 

 court of civil law, never underwent a mere sifting 

 examination than I sometimes experience. The 

 visitor generally opens the conference by propo- 

 sing to trade for land, and perhaps we may swap 

 farms — and then he digresses into a long enquiry 

 about my age, nativity, country, family, business, 



