CHAP. XXVII.] ST. CHARLES THEATER. 95 



romance of this tale was, however, greatly diminished, although 

 I fear that my inclination to believe in its truth was equally 

 enhanced, when the additional circumstance was related, that 

 the young lady was rich. 



Some part of the feeling prevailing in New England, in regard 

 to the immorality of New Orleans, may be set down to the fact 

 of their theaters being open every Sunday evening, which is no 

 indication whatever of a disregard of religion on the part of the 

 Catholics. The latter might, with as much reason, reflect on 

 the Protestants for not keeping the doors of their churches open 

 on week-days. But as a great number of the young mercantile 

 men who sojourn here are from the north, and separated from 

 their families, they are naturally tempted to frequent the theaters 

 on Sundays ; and if they do so with a sense that they are violat 

 ing propriety, or acting against what in their consciences they 

 think right, the effect must be unfavorable to their moral char 

 acter. 



During our stay here we passed a delightful evening in the 

 St. Charles theater, seeing Mr. and Mrs. Kean in the &quot; Game 

 ster&quot; and in &quot; The Follies of a Night.&quot; Her acting of Mrs. 

 Beverley was perfection ; every tone and gesture full of feeling, 

 and always lady-like, never overwrought, in the most passionate 

 parts. Charles Kean s acting, especially in Richard, has been 

 eminently successful during his present tour in the United States. 



While at New Orleans, Mrs. Kean told my wife she had 

 been complimented on speaking English so well ; and some won 

 der had been expressed that she never omitted or misplaced her 

 h s. In like manner, during our tour in New England, some of 

 the natives, on learning that we habitually resided in London, 

 exclaimed that they had never heard us confound our v s and w s. 

 &quot; The Pickwick Papers&quot; have been so universally read in this 

 country, that it is natural the Americans should imagine Sam 

 Weller s pronunciation to be a type of that usually spoken in the 

 old country, at least in and about the metropolis. In their turn, 

 the English retaliate amply on American travelers in the British 

 Isles : &quot; You don t mean to say you are an American ? Is it 

 possible ? I should never have discovered it, you speak English 



