Memphis, and the career marked
out for Henry Trollope was in connection with this scheme, the fruit of
which was disappointment to all the parties concerned. Mrs. Trollope
afterwards endeavored to establish her son in Cincinnati; but these
attempts were ill managed, and consequently proved futile. Both mother
and son then returned to England, the former taking with her a mass of
memoranda and notes which she had made during her residence in the
United States. These were shown to Captain Basil Hall, whose then recent
work on America had encountered bitterly hostile criticism and denial
with respect to many of its statements. Finding that Mrs. Trollope's
account of various matters was corroborative of his own, Basil Hall for
this reason, as also from friendly motives, urged Mrs. Trollope to bring
out a work on America. "The Domestic Manners of the Americans" was the
result, and so immense was its success that at the age of fifty Mrs.
Trollope adopted literature as a profession.

In the eyes of the patriots of thirty years ago Mrs. Trollope committed
the unpardonable sin, when she published her book on America; and
certainly no country ever rendered itself more ridiculous than did ours,
when it made the welkin ring with cries of indignation. The sensible
American of to-day reads this same book and wonders how his countrymen
lashed themselves into such a violent rage. In her comments upon America
Mrs. Trollope is certainly frequently at fault, but unintentionally. She
firmly believed all that she wrote, and did _not_ romance, as Americans
were wont to declare. When she finds fault with the disgusting practice
of tobacco-chewing, assails the too common custom of dram-drinking, and
complains of a want of refinement in some parts of the country, she
certainly has the right on her side. When she speaks of Jefferson's
_dictum_, "All men are born free and equal," as a phrase of mischievous
sophistry, and refers to his posthumous works as a mass of mighty
mischiefs,--when she accuses us of being drearily cold and lacking
enthusiasm, and regards the American women as the most beautiful in the
world, but the least attractive,--we may naturally differ from her, but
we have no right to tyrannize over her convictions. That she bore us no
malice is the verdict of every one who knew her ever so slightly; and
her sons, who were greatly subjected to her influence, entertain the
kindest and most friendly sentiments towards the United States.