The Solitariness
Of My Situation, Which They Thought Terrible, Interested Them Very
Much In My Favour.
They gathered round me, sung to me, and one of
the prettiest, to whom I gave my hand with some degree of
cordiality, to meet the glance of her eyes, kissed me very
affectionately.
At dinner, which was conducted with great hospitality, though we
remained at table too long, they sung several songs, and, amongst
the rest, translations of some patriotic French ones. As the
evening advanced they became playful, and we kept up a sort of
conversation of gestures. As their minds were totally uncultivated
I did not lose much, perhaps gained, by not being able to understand
them; for fancy probably filled up, more to their advantage, the
void in the picture. Be that as it may, they excited my sympathy,
and I was very much flattered when I was told the next day that they
said it was a pleasure to look at me, I appeared so good-natured.
The men were generally captains of ships. Several spoke English
very tolerably, but they were merely matter-of-fact men, confined to
a very narrow circle of observation. I found it difficult to obtain
from them any information respecting their own country, when the
fumes of tobacco did not keep me at a distance.
I was invited to partake of some other feasts, and always had to
complain of the quantity of provision and the length of time taken
to consume it; for it would not have been proper to have said
devour, all went on so fair and softly. The servants wait as slowly
as their mistresses carve.
The young women here, as well as in Sweden, have commonly bad teeth,
which I attribute to the same causes. They are fond of finery, but
do not pay the necessary attention to their persons, to render
beauty less transient than a flower, and that interesting expression
which sentiment and accomplishments give seldom supplies its place.
The servants have, likewise, an inferior sort of food here, but
their masters are not allowed to strike them with impunity. I might
have added mistresses, for it was a complaint of this kind brought
before the mayor which led me to a knowledge of the fact.
The wages are low, which is particularly unjust, because the price
of clothes is much higher than that of provision. A young woman,
who is wet nurse to the mistress of the inn where I lodge, receives
only twelve dollars a year, and pays ten for the nursing of her own
child. The father had run away to get clear of the expense. There
was something in this most painful state of widowhood which excited
my compassion and led me to reflections on the instability of the
most flattering plans of happiness, that were painful in the
extreme, till I was ready to ask whether this world was not created
to exhibit every possible combination of wretchedness. I asked
these questions of a heart writhing with anguish, whilst I listened
to a melancholy ditty sung by this poor girl.
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