“Supposing George’s house at Kew
Were burnt, as we intend to do,
Would that be burning England too?”

I think I have before mentioned that no work of mere pleasantry has hitherto been found to answer; but a recent attempt of the kind as been made, with what success cannot as yet be decided.  The editors are comedians belonging to the Boston company, and it is entitled “The American Comic Annual.”  It is accompanied by etchings, somewhat in the manner, but by no means with the spirit of Cruikshank’s.  Among the pleasantries of this lively volume are some biting attacks upon us, particularly upon our utter incapacity of speaking English.  We really must engage a few American professors, or we shall lose all trace of classic purity in our language.  As a specimen, and rather a favourable one, of the work, I transcribed an extract from a little piece, entitled, “Sayings and Doings, a Fragment of a Farce.”  One of the personages of this farce is an English gentleman, a Captain Mandaville, and among many speeches of the same kind, I selected the following.  Collins’s Ode is the subject of conversation.

“A—­r, A—­a—­a it stroiks me that that you manetion his the hode about hangger and ope and orror and revenge you know.  I’ve eard Mrs. Sitdowns hencored in it at Common Garden and Doory Lane in the ight of her poplarity you know.  By the boye, hall the hactin in Amareka is werry orrid.  You’re honely in the hinfancy of the istoryonic hart you know; your performers never haspirate the haitch in sich vords for instance as hink and hoats, and leave out the w in wice wanity you know; and make nothink of homittin the k in somethink.”

There is much more in the same style, but, perhaps, this may suffice.  I have given this passage chiefly because it affords an example of the manner in which the generality of Americans are accustomed to speak of English pronunciation and phraseology.

It must be remembered, however, here and every where, that this phrase, “the Americans,” does not include the instructed and travelled portion of the community.

It would be absurd to swell my little volumes with extracts in proof of the veracity of their contents, but having spoken of the taste of their lighter works, and also of the general tone of manners, I cannot forbear inserting a page from an American annual (The Token), which purports to give a scene from fashionable life.  It is part of a dialogue between a young lady of the “highest standing” and her “tutor,” who is moreover her lover, though not yet acknowledged.

“And so you wo’nt tell me,” said she, “what has come over you, and why you look as grave and sensible as a Dictionary, when, by general consent, even mine, ‘motley’s the only wear?’”

’"Am I so grave, Miss Blair?”

’"Are you so grave, Miss Blair?  One would think I had not got my lesson today.  Pray, sir, has the black ox trod upon your toe since we parted?”