Diary in America, Series One

Diary in America, Series One, by

Frederick Marryat (AKA Captain Marryat) This eBook is for the use of
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Title: Diary in America, Series One
Author: Frederick Marryat (AKA Captain Marryat)
Release Date: October 21, 2007 [EBook #23137]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIARY IN
AMERICA, SERIES ONE ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

Diary in America--Series One
by Captain Marryat.

Volume the First--Introduction.

After many years of travel, during which I had seen men under almost
every variety of government, religion, and climate, I looked round to
discover if there were not still new combinations under which human
nature was to be investigated. I had traversed the old country until
satisfied, if not satiated; and I had sailed many a weary thousand miles
from west to east, and from north to south, until people, manners, and
customs were looked upon by me with indifference.
The press was constantly pouring out works upon the new world, so
contradictory to each other, and pronounced so unjust by the Americans,
that my curiosity was excited. It appeared strange to me that travellers
whose works showed evident marks of talent should view the same
people through such very different mediums; and that their gleanings
should, generally speaking, be of such meagre materials. Was there so
little to be remarked about America, its government, its institutions,
and the effect which these had upon the people, that the pages of so
many writers upon that country should be filled up with how the
Americans dined or drank wine, and what description of spoons and
forks were used at table? Either the Americans remained purely and
unchangedly English, as when they left their father-land; or the
question required more investigation and deeper research than
travellers in their hasty movements have been able to bestow upon it.
Whether I should be capable of throwing any new light upon the
subject, I knew not, but at all events I made up my mind that I would
visit the country and judge for myself.
On my first arrival I perceived little difference between the city of New
York and one of our principal provincial towns; and, for its people, not
half so much as between the people of Devonshire or Cornwall and
those of Middlesex. I had been two or three weeks in that city, and I
said: There is certainly not much to write about, nor much more than
what has already been continually repeated. No wonder that those who
preceded me have indulged in puerilities to swell out their books. But
in a short time I altered my opinion: even at New York, the English
appearance of the people gradually wore away; my perception of
character became more keen, my observance consequently more nice
and close, and I found that there was a great deal to reflect upon and

investigate, and that America and the American people were indeed an
enigma; and I was no longer surprised at the incongruities which were
to be detected in those works which had attempted to describe the
country. I do not assert that I shall myself succeed, when so many have
failed, but at any rate, this I am certain of, my remarks will be based
upon a more sure foundation-- an analysis of human nature.
There are many causes why those who have written upon America have
fallen into error: they have represented the Americans as a nation: now
they are not yet, nor will they for many years be, in the true sense of the
word, a nation--they are a mass of many people cemented together to a
certain degree, by a general form of government; but they are in a state
of transition, and (what may at first appear strange) no amalgamation as
has yet taken place: the puritan of the east, the Dutch descent of the
middle states, the cavalier of the south, are nearly as marked and
distinct now, as at the first occupation of the country, softened down
indeed, but still distinct. Not only are the populations of the various
states distinct, but even those of the cities: and it is hardly possible to
make a remark which may be considered as general to a country, where
the varieties of soil and of climate are so extensive. Even on that point
upon which you might most safely venture to generalise, namely, the
effect of a democratical form of government upon the mass, your
observations must be taken with some exceptions, arising from the
climate, manners, and