l prospects of happiness, or rather
peace and quiet, to a proper consideration for the gratification of the
American public.

I think your observations upon my projected journey to Georgia are taken
from an entirely mistaken point of view. I am utterly unconscious of
entertaining any inimical feeling towards America or the Americans; on
the contrary, I am distinctly conscious of the highest admiration for
your institutions, and an affectionate regard for the northern part of
your country (where those institutions can alone be said to be put in
practice) that is second only to the love and reverence I bear to my own
country. This being the case, I cannot think that anything I write about
America can, with any sort of propriety, be characterized as "the
lashings of a foe."

With regard to Dickens, I do not know exactly what proceedings of his
you refer to as exhibiting want of taste or want of temper towards your
country-people.... But small counterweights may surely be allowed to
such admirable qualities of both head and heart as he possesses. He sent
me, on his return to England, a printed circular, which was distributed
among all his literary acquaintances and friends, and which set forth
his views with regard to the question of international copyright; but
except this, I know of nothing that he has publicly put forth upon the
matter. His "Notes" upon America come out, I believe, immediately; and I
shall be extremely curious to see them, and sorry if they are
unfavorable, because his popularity as a writer is immense, and whatever
he publishes will be sure of a wide circulation. Moreover, as it is very
well known that, before going to America, he was strongly prepossessed
in favor of its institutions, manners, and people, any disparaging
remarks he may make upon them will naturally have proportionate weight,
as the deliberate result of experience and observation. M---- told me,
after dining with Dickens immediately on his return, that one thing that
had disgusted him was the almost universal want of conscience upon money
matters in America; and the levity, occasionally approaching to
something like self-satisfaction, for their "sharpness," which he had
repeated occasions of observing, in your people when speaking of the
present disgraceful condition of their finances and deservedly degraded
state of their national credit.... But I do hope (because I have a
friend's and not a "foe's" heart towards your country) that Di