The Americans / By an American in London.

  • Calvin Colton
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Americans / By an American in London. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    144/412 (page 128)
    trial of the witnesses. lor what he lias. But that, perhaps, would partly prove him true. He was at least quick enough to see a fault. But we are not disposed to accuse the Captain of malice in his aspersions. Xou'rlheless, his humour was not altogether of the best sort. It was of a twofold character.— it was jaundiced and it was simple; the last of winch led him into perpetual blunders, as well as that it engendered perpetual mischief by pro- voking mischief. Oi that we have already had examples enough. Ilis moraljaundice constituted a medium of vision, through which he saw' no- thing but faults and a temper, which inclined him to find fault with every thing he saw. His book, therefore, is a continuous record of fault- finding. Had his candour towards the virtues of the Americans, (and even they will yet. be allowed to have some virtues) been equal to his humour for criticising their vices, there would have been something to balance his accounts, as they now stand. And although he had been un- just» ho might have done good. His error w7ould have been venial. But as it is, he has no re- deeming quality; and we are much mistaken, if e\ en those, who have admired and approved him do not get to think so too, ere long. They will