It seems to be no part of their object. Yet any Englishman
almost, much more generally than Americans, will stand up and talk on in
a plain way, uttering one rough, ragged, and shapeless sentence after
another, and will have expressed himself sensibly, though in a very rude
manner, before he sits down. And this is quite satisfactory to his
audience, who, indeed, are rather prejudiced against the man who speaks
too glibly.
The guests began to depart shortly after three o'clock. This morning I
have seen two reports of my little speech,--one exceedingly incorrect;
another pretty exact, but not much to my taste, for I seem to have left
out everything that would have been fittest to say.
October 6th.--The people, for several days, have been in the utmost
anxiety, and latterly in the highest exultation about Sebastopol,--and
all England, and Europe to boot, have been fooled by the belief that it
had fallen. This, however, now turns out to be incorrect; and the public
visage is somewhat grim, in consequence. I am glad of it. In spite of
his actual sympathies, it is impossible for a true American to be
otherwise than glad. Success makes an Englishman intolerable; and,
already, on the mistaken idea that the way was open to a prosperous
conclusion of the war, The Times had begun to throw out menaces against
America. I shall never love England till she sues to us for help, and,
in the mean time, the fewer triumphs she obtains, the better for all
parties.
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