right to think that my
mother, and sisters are not ladies! Sins are committed in every part of
this world; but, as we know there are virtuous people, we should exclude
the greater number, or, at least, think ourselves no better. We are all
fine nations, indeed, in this pretended christian world! But, since we
cannot fling the first stone, we have no right to laugh at the faults of
our neighbor, nor to tell, that our neighbor has not our virtues, or
morals.

Mr. Headley has now already passed the half of his time he spent in Italy,
which is to say, three months: and though during these three months, he
never went out of Genoa, he says that nothing is more stupid than an
italian soiree. Had he said a genoese soiree, Mr. Headley would have only
offended the citizens of Genoa, who gave him hospitality: but, to offend
the whole of Italy, who had never had the pleasure of seeing him, nor he
the displeasure of seeing their stupidity, it is what we call a gratuitous
offense.--Not pleased therefore, in finding them excessively stupid, he
believes that ten dollars would pay, each evening, all the expenses the
governor is at, in the entertainment!--Were I saying the same against the
kind americans who honored me, every one would be right in thinking, that
I must have accepted their invitations, rather for their refreshments than
for the pleasure of their conversation. And here, I must copy Mr.
Headley's outline of the italian soirees:--"Splendid rooms, brilliantly
illuminated, any quantity of nobility--dancing, waltzing, promenading, ice
creams, hot punch," no hot corn, Mr. Headley? "and late hours make up the
description. It is gay, and brilliant, but without force or wit." And
here, benevolent reader, a stranger, who does not know the italian
language, dares to say of having found no wit! And, because the kind
italians had no other way to please the happy gentleman of this New World,
seeing he could not understand their language, they gave him dancing,
waltzing, promenading, ice cream and hot punch: and because these things
could not amount to ten dollars, he blames, them because the scanty
refreshments had not been supplied by wit, with which nature did not favor
those poor italian brains! The american lady, I have already quoted, says
in her Alida: "Superfluous refinements in eating, and drinking are among
the enjoyments least important to a rational being. Do not let us poison a
feast to a neighbor, by the mortifying reflectio