A Five Years' Residence in Buenos Ayres, During the years 1820 to 1825: Containing Remarks on the Country and Inhabitants; and a Visit to Colonia Del SacramentoLove, George Thomas
History
A Five Years' Residence in Buenos Ayres, During the years 1820 to 1825: Containing Remarks on the Country and Inhabitants; and a Visit to Colonia Del Sacramento
Love, George Thomas
Buenos Aires (Argentina) -- Description and travel; Colonia del Sacramento (Uruguay) -- Description and travel
In mentioning any thing of the English females in Buenos Ayres, I feel
a delicacy bordering on timidity, and ought to recollect the homely
proverb, "The least said is the soonest mended." Certain, however, it
is, that, with some exceptions, they are not a fair specimen of our
country. Those placed in the higher circles are few in number, and
appear to be amiable women, as are many whom I will take the liberty of
calling the second class; but with respect to the lower orders, I can
only say, that I have been more than once reminded of the neighbourhood
of St. Giles's. In reply to some remarks of a Spanish lady, I mustered
courage to tell her, that, in spite of all the charming women of Buenos
Ayres, we had those at home who equalled, if not far surpassed them; of
which I would speedily convince her, could I, with Harlequin's wand,
waft her to my country, where they may be seen in all their charms of
beauty and splendour; and that the few who traversed the ocean, formed
no criterion, a voyage to South America being rather a serious
undertaking for a lady.
In commenting upon the dowdy appearance which some of the British
females make in this country, I am not singular;--all my countrymen
converse upon it, and join me in my opinion.
Families should never think of bringing pretty unmarried servant girls
with them from Europe; they are almost sure of losing them. Be the girls
ever so determined, they will find a difficulty in resisting the offers
of marriage from the numerous English bachelor mechanics, who are at a
sad loss for wives:--a Spanish wife is not to their taste. Therefore,
those who wish to keep their servants, must choose the ugliest they can
procure--something that may be an antidote to the warm passions of
our English Damons. An importation of British females with tolerable
personal charms would answer here, as well as in many other places
abroad. I wish some adventurer would beat up for recruits amongst the
nursery maids at the west end of the town in London; it would be an
excellent speculation, and serve the poor girls into the bargain.
Several Englishmen have married Buenos Ayrean ladies; and, from all
accounts, they do not repent having done so. The worst of it is, in
marrying into Spanish families, one may be said to marry all the family,
for they expect to reside under the same roof. The English resist this,
and with success: the good sense of their wives will make them conform
to our ideas; yet the parting of a beloved daughter from the paternal
roof must be a painful task for parents, whose only consolation is in
yielding her to the arms of the man she loves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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