es, who had changed their italian custom, I could
not, nor I should wonder for it. I will say here, _en passant_: the
contrast between the american ladies, and american gentlemen is so great,
for which I had often thought the two sexes in America, must be of
different nations.

How can we blame the american ladies for being so reserved, when the
american gentlemen check them at the moment of their most kind, and woman
like impulse, and feelings? I have known american gentlemen, who would not
marry the woman they love, were she not unkind with every other gentlemen
around her: and many did judge woman's love towards them, as far as she
was unmerciful towards other gentlemen. And erroneously thinking that
love is blind, they would not believe that a woman would love them,
because she finds faults with them. A gentleman was to be married to a
belle in the south of this Union. Another gentleman seeing the portrait of
the future present wife, was asked by a friend, there present, if he knew
the original, to which he answered, that such a star could not be
mistaken. The promised, and happy young lady, passing her little index
through the breast of her portrait, said: 'and this is the milky-way.'
Such witty, and innocent remark was thought indelicate by her lover, and
it had nearly broken the match!

I have seen more jealousy in the cold looks of american gentlemen, than in
the showing, and often exaggerated feeling of italian gentlemen. American
ladies, often shrink with fright, lest they be thought unfaithful to him,
whom they love; and in proportion of the population, I think there are
more fights, and murders, originated from jealousy in America, than in
Italy. The death of Mr. Andrienne, by the hand of an american husband, is
one of the most cold murders which had ever disgraced our race.

Is a foreigner engaged to be married with an american lady? Nothing is
forgotten to force the lady to break the match. And here I will say
nothing of the false articles, which I read myself in the newspapers,
against foreign gentlemen, respectable, and respected by every one who had
the honor of being acquainted with the slandered foreigners. I have seen
american ladies, in receiving any kindness from gentlemen, looking first
at their husbands, before rendering thanks to the gentleman, who was
polite to her. Yes: the coldness of the american lady is not natural to
her; and were she acting otherwise, she would be blamed; and Mr. Headley