Atlantic States -- Description and travel; Kemble, Fanny, 1809-1893; United States -- Social life and customs -- 1783-1865
There was a piano in the room, to which I flew with the appetite of one
who has lived on the music of the speaking-trumpet for a month; that,
and some iced lemonade and cake, presently restored my spirits. I went
on playing and singing till I was exhausted, and then sat down and wrote
journal. Mr. ---- went out and got me Sir Humphry Davy's Salmonia, which
I had been desiring, and he had been speaking of on board ship.
At five o'clock we all met once more together to dinner. Our
drawing-room being large and pleasant, the table was laid in it. 'Tis
curious how an acquaintanceship of thirty days has contrived to bind
together in one common feeling of kindness and good-fellowship persons
who never met before, who may never meet again. To-morrow we all
separate, to betake ourselves each to our several path; and, as if loath
to part company, they all agreed to meet once more on the eve of doing
so, probably for ever. How strongly this clinging principle is inherent
in our nature! These men have no fine sympathies of artificial creation,
and this exhibition of _adhesiveness_ is in them a real and heart-sprung
feeling. It touched me--indeed it may well do so; for friends of thirty
days are better than utter strangers, and when these my shipmates shall
be scattered abroad, there will be no human being left near us whose
face we know, or whose voice is familiar to us. Our dinner was a
favourable specimen of eating as practised in this new world; every
thing good, only in too great a profusion; the wine drinkable, and the
fruit beautiful to look at: in point of flavour it was infinitely
inferior to English hothouse fruit, or even fine espalier fruit raised
in a good aspect. Every thing was wrapped in ice, which is a most
luxurious necessary in this hot climate; but the things were put on the
table in a slovenly outlandish fashion; fish, soup, and meat, at once,
and puddings, and tarts, and cheese, at another once; no finger-glasses,
and a patched table-cloth,--in short, a want of that style and neatness
which is found in every hotel in England. The waiters, too, reminded us
of the half-savage Highland lads that used to torment us under that
denomination in Glasgow--only that they were wild Irish instead of wild
Scotch. The day had cleared, and become intensely hot, towards evening
softening and cooling under the serene influences of the loveliest moon
imaginable. The streets were brilliantly lighted, the shops through the
trees, and the people parading between them, reminded me very much of
the Boulevards. We left the gentlemen, and went down stairs, where I
played and sang for three hours. On opening the door, I found a junta of
men sitting on the hall floor, round it, and smoking. Came up for
coffee; most of the gentlemen were rather elated,--we sang, and danced,
and talked, and seemed exceeding loath to say good-by. I sat listening
to the dear Doctor's theory of the nature of the soul, which savoured
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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