Faux's Memorable Days in America, 1819-20; and Welby's Visit to North America, 1819-20, part 2 (1820)Faux, W. (William)
History
Faux's Memorable Days in America, 1819-20; and Welby's Visit to North America, 1819-20, part 2 (1820)
Faux, W. (William)
United States -- Description and travel
dishonour it; but into whatsoever lands they wander, may they seek the
good and peace of that land, for in its good and peace they shall have
peace themselves!
To those whose disgusts and moral and physical disabilities point them
homewards, as prodigals to the house of their fathers, the broad
Atlantic, in the words of the Hon. J. Q. Adams, offers a highway for
their return; having undergone a process by which they shall, perhaps,
learn the vast sum and value of English homes and comforts.
The old family quarrel has evidently made the natives of both countries
somewhat incommiscible; else how is it that the French, Dutch, Germans,
Irish, and strangers of any other land, are more acceptable to America
than the children of the common parent, Great Britain. For to the latter
the most distinguished Americans have heretofore {486} proudly traced
their pedigree, unless some rank and cancerous blemish was in the root
and core of it. Hence all grades blush not to own and call her mother,
though she is denounced by many, and it must be owned with some justice,
as an unnatural parent. But those events have long since become matter
of historical record, and it is not good policy to visit the sins of the
fathers upon the children, from generation to generation. Let both
countries wisely learn to think correctly of their several governments,
and kindly of each other. Peace and goodwill, in all their fruitful
ramifications, will ever bring more silver dollars to the one, and more
golden guineas to the other, than fire-ships, torpedos, battles, blazing
cities, and heroes covered with glory!
"Well! I guess, after all," exclaimed a Yankee friend, "it is a good
land with small faults; necessary evils; seeming evils; good in
disguise." "Yes, it is a good land," rejoined another, in love with it
at first sight, "mine eyes have seen it for myself, and not another. I
am fascinated with it. My return from it would be impossible, but for
the adamantine chain which binds me to my country. My heart tempts me,
but my duty forbids me to break it." Hasty conclusions like hasty
matches, are rarely happy, and so it was with our enthusiast; for in
less than two years of patient trial and perpetual travel, he very
gladly returned to his native country, joyfully repeating,
{487} ----"Whoe'er thou art,
Cling to thy home. If there the meanest shed
Yield thee a hearth and shelter for thy head,
And some poor plot with vegetables stor'd,
Be all that heav'n allots thee for thy board,
Unsavoury bread, and herbs that scatter'd grow
Wild on the river bank, or mountain brow,
Yet ev'n this cheerless mansion shall provide
More heart's repose than all the world beside."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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