of the beauty of the
type of the one, or the elegance and good taste of the
others; but I will notice one or two great contrasts. In
France, a young girl is reserved, is timid, and as it were
hidden under the shade of the family: but the married woman
has every liberty, and many husbands can tell you that she
does not always use it with extreme moderation! In England,
you are surprised at the confident bearing of young girls,
and the chaste reserve of married women. The former not only
willingly listen to gallant compliments, but even excite
them; whilst the latter, by the simple propriety of their
bearing, impose on the boldest.

"The boldness of young girls in England was explained to me
by the great emigration of young men--in other words, by the
scarcity of husbands. The French girl who wants a husband is
ordinarily rather disdainful; the English girl is by no
means difficult.

"A Frenchwoman walks negligently leaning on our arm, and we
regulate our steps by the timidity and uncertainty of hers:
the Englishwoman walks with the head erect, and takes large
strides like a soldier charging. An accident made me
acquainted with the secret of the strange way of walking
which Englishwomen have. I was lately on a visit to the
family of a merchant, whose three daughters are receiving a
costly education. The French master, the drawing master, and
the music master had each given his lesson, when I saw a
sergeant of the grenadiers of the guard arrive. He went into
the garden, and was followed by the young ladies.

"'Ah! mon Dieu!" I cried to the father, 'these young ladies
are surely not going to learn the military exercise!'

"'No,' said he, with a smile.

"'What, then, has this professor in a red coat come for?'

"'He is the _master of grace_."

"'What! that grenadier, who is as long as the column in
Trafalgar-square?'

"'Yes, or rather he is the _walking master_.'

"I looked out of the window, and saw the three young ladies
drawn up and immovable as soldiers, and presently they began
to march to the step of the grenadier. They formed a
charming platoon, and trod the military step with a
precision worthy of admiration. I asked for an explanation
of such a strange thing.

"'We in England,' said my host, 'un