"Dreadful; and the climate is disgusting. It rains there every day, and fogs are so prevalent that during the winter months, they burn candles all day to see to eat. As to the sun, he never comes out but once or twice during the summer, just to let us know that he has not been struck out of creation. And the streets, my dear young lady, are so filthy that the women have to wear pattens in their carriages." "You don't say?" "Just to keep their petticoats out of the mud, which is so deep that it penetrates through the bottom of the carriages." "I never will go to England, I declare." "You will be better appreciated in your free and glorious country. Slavery thrives there, and you make slaves of us poor men." "Now, do stop there, and have done with your blarney." "Blarney! I'm not Irish. Englishmen always speak the truth when talking to the ladies." Here he paused, quite out of breath, and his companion in mischief commenced with the other lady. "Who is that tall, stout, handsome man, with the fat lady on his arm, who has just entered the room?" "That's an American from the south; he's worth his weight in gold, and that fleshy woman's his wife. My! is he not handsome! and he's so clever--one of our greatest senators." "If size makes a man great, and he has the distinguished honour of being one of _your_ senators, he must be a great--a very great man. "He's a splendid orator; you should hear him speak." "He has kept his mouth shut all day; and when he does open it, it is only to speak in French to his wife. My curiosity is excited; it would be quite a treat to hear him talk on any subject." "When _he_ speaks, it's always to the purpose. But there's no one here who is able to appreciate talents like his." "He's an American aristocrat." "We have no aristocrats with us. He's a great slave-owner, and immensely rich." "Very substantial claims to distinction, I must confess. You are wiser in these matters than we are. What do you think of Canada?" "I don't know; it's very well for a young place. I only came here with sister last night; we are on our way to Quebec." "To visit friends?" "We have no friends in Canada. We want to see Lord Elgin." "Lord Elgin!" "Yes. We have seen a great many curious things, but we never saw an English lord." "And you are going to Quebec for no other purpose than to look at Lord Elgin? His lordship should feel himself highly flattered. What sort of an animal do you suppose him to be?" "A man, of course; but I assure you that the Boston ladies thought a great deal of him. Sister and I have plenty of time and money at our disposal, and we wanted to see if their opinion was correct." "Well, I hope you may be gratified, and agree with the Boston ladies that he is a very clever man." "Is he handsome?" "He has an English nose." "Oh, shocking!" "A decided Anglo-Saxon face." "I'm sure I shan't admire him."