, they did not perceive that the author was
laughing at them; and the letters of Major Jack Downing are much more
appreciated in this country than they are in America. But as for saying
that they are not imaginative, is a great error, and I have no doubt
that Mrs B has discovered it by this time.

Miss Martineau says, and very truly, "The Americans appear to me an
eminently imaginative people." Indeed, it is only necessary to read the
newspapers to be convinced it is the case. The hyperbole is their
principal forte, but what is lying but imagination? and why do you find
that a child of promising talent is so prone to lying? because it is the
first effort of a strong imagination. Wit requires refinement, which
the Americans have not; but they have excessive humour, although it is
generally speaking coarse.

An American, talking of an ugly woman with a very large mouth, said to
me, "Why, sir, when she yawns, you can see right down to her garters;"
and another, speaking of his being very sea-sick, declared, "That he
threw every thing up, down to his knee-pans."

If there required any proof of the dishonest feeling so prevalent in the
United States arising from the desire of gain, it would be in the fact,
that almost every good story which you hear of an American is an
instance of great ingenuity, and very little principle. So many have
been told already, that I hesitate to illustrate my observation, from
fear of being accused of uttering stale jokes. Nevertheless I will
venture upon one or two.

"An American (Down East, of course), when his father died, found his
patrimony to consist of several hundred dozen of boxes of ointment for
the cure of a certain complaint, said (by us) to be more common in the
North than in England. He made up his pack, and took a round of nearly
a hundred miles, going from town to town and from village to village,
offering his remedy for sale. But unfortunately for him no one was
afflicted with the complaint, and they would not purchase on the chance
of any future occasion for it. He returned back to his inn, and having
reflected a little, he went out, inquired where he could find the
disease, and having succeeded, inoculated himself with it. When he was
convinced that he had it with sufficient virulence, he again set forth
making the same round; and taking advantage of the American custom which
is so prevalent, he shook hands with everybody whom he had spoken to on
his former visit