e differs. Far more
intellectual than his English brother, he has much wider views. He is
equally puffed up with conceit as to his own "glorious country" (odd
how often you hear this expression in the States), but he recognizes
it is a new country, and _may_ thus have some shortcomings. Still,
that it is on the high road to eclipse all others is part of his
creed. He does not, like the other described, look up to a rich man
because he is rich, but because he must have been "cute" to attain
the position. Social customs of all kinds he ignores, and if with the
Englishman aforesaid would willingly carry his parcel for him! He too
is a free-thinker in theology, but he is more tolerant of creed and
dogma in others. I cannot call him "fast" as compared with other
Americans, for they are all fast in a sense. The word, as we
understand it, somehow does not apply to them. So much for his best
side. As regards any code of honour, or appreciation of the virtue of
truth, it is not in him. As regards physical courage I would back the
Englishman, moral courage the American. He (the latter) is often
offensive both in manner and language. Courtesy to any one he does
not practise, for he thinks it argues his own inferiority. I know not
what he thinks of women, for I never cared to discuss the subject
with him.

Such are, in my opinion, the general characteristics of two similar
types of young men in England and America. Both, after travel and as
they advance in years, improve. But, as painted, they are, of course,
neither of them desirable companions, and I do not think there is
much to choose between them.

I care not here to continue the subject, and try to depict the
opposing national characteristics of the Americans and English (of
course, what is written above applies to neither, only to the
particular type of each country as set forth). I have already done it
more or less in the foregoing pages, and would rather it peeped out
in the same way as my book proceeds.

But all this is not New York, which I am bound to finish in this
chapter. Before we go further I had better, for the benefit of those
who know it not, state the American currency and its equivalent value
in English money, for it will save repetition. The "almighty dollar"
is the unit of currency in the States. Why the coin is thus lauded in
American phraseology is a puzzle, for it certainly procures less as
regards its nominal value than any coin I know. The dollar is