o _you_. They are friendly, earnest, hospitable, kind,
frank, very often accomplished, far less prejudiced than you would
suppose, warm-hearted, fervent, and enthusiastic. They are chivalrous in
their universal politeness to women, courteous, obliging, disinterested;
and, when they conceive a perfect affection for a man (as I may venture
to say of myself), entirely devoted to him. I have received thousands of
people of all ranks and grades, and have never once been asked an
offensive or unpolite question,--except by Englishmen, who, when they
have been 'located' here for some years, are worse than the devil in
his blackest painting. The State is a parent to its people; has a
parental care and watch over all poor children, women laboring of child,
sick persons, and captives. The common men render you assistance in the
streets, and would revolt from the offer of a piece of money. The desire
to oblige is universal; and I have never once traveled in a public
conveyance without making some generous acquaintance whom I have been
sorry to part from, and who has in many cases come on miles, to see us
again. But I don't like the country. I would not live here, on any
consideration. It goes against the grain with me. It would with you. I
think it impossible, utterly impossible, for any Englishman to live here
and be happy. I have a confidence that I must be right, because I have
everything, God knows, to lead me to the opposite conclusion; and yet I
cannot resist coming to this one. As to the causes, they are too many to
enter upon here. . . .

"One of two petitions for an international copyright which I brought
here from American authors, with Irving at their head, has been
presented to the House of Representatives. Clay retains the other for
presentation to the Senate after I have left Washington. The presented
one has been referred to a committee; the Speaker has nominated as its
chairman Mr. Kennedy, member for Baltimore, who is himself an author and
notoriously favorable to such a law; and I am going to assist him in his
report.

"RICHMOND, IN VIRGINIA. Thursday Night, March 17.

"Irving was with me at Washington yesterday, and _wept heartily_ at
parting. He is a fine fellow, when you know him well; and you would
relish him, my dear friend, of all things. We have laughed together at
some absurdities we have encountered in company, quite in my vociferous
Devonshire-Terrace style. The 'Merrikin' govern