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Sketches of American Society

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By Francis and Theresa Pulszky ; 2 vols. 12mo.: price $2. Redfield, 110 and 112 Nas sau street, New York.—These two volumes are an account of the tour made by Kossuth and suite through the United States during the past year, and contain the opinions and sentiments of the authors upon the state of society in America. Little mention is made of the ex-Governor of Hungary, the volumes being intended to convey the impressions that their visit inspired in the writers, who are well known as the companions cf Kossuth du ring his sojourn in the United States. It is a clever lively work, but contains nothing of a very striking character, being on a par with the ordinary written travels, and as a great portion is a transcript trom the diary of Mrs. Pulsky, which must have been written du ring the hurry and excitement of their tra velling and triumphant processions, there are several inaccuracies that would not perhaps have been made on a careful reflection. In the account of their first reception, on Staten Island, the travellers appear to have been ra ther annoyed than gratified at the noise and hubbub that they occasioned, nor do we won der at it, for it really was a most uncouth way of exercising hospitality which was manifest ed by our neighbors on Staten Island—drag ging a sick man, after a long voyage, before he had time to recruit himself, over every part of " their lovely but exposed Island," as Kos suth was pleased to designate it. Pulszky at times indulges in a satirical vein and quizzes the habit of Congressmen in send ing their speeches before hand to the news paper,—he forgot to add that Kossuth is also guilty ot the same misdemeanor, and that his speech at the dinner given by the New York Bar, was set up long before it was uttered. The subject of slavery is discussed and treated upon ; and here we would correct an error of the authors:—in their account of the various deputations that called upon Kossuth at the Irving House, it is stated that one of colored people was received in the drawing-room,—such was not the case: Mr. Howard, the late landlord of that hotel, conducted the deputation to an apartment adjoining the di ning room, and it was in this room that the deputation was received, as well as all the others that were presented on the same day, Kossuth leaving the drawing-room tor that purpose. The account of their journey is relieved in various parts of the work with historical sketches of the early history of America,— Pulszky siding with the now-favored opinion that America had been discovered long be fore the times of Columbus, by voyagers from the north of Europe. He is evidently a well-informed man, and has taken some trouble to inquire into the history and former condition of America, when the Indian ruled supreme the lord of creation. We have no doubt, from their work, that both Mr. and Mrs. Pulszky are agreeable travelling compa nions, for they appear to hnve taken the rough and the smooth with the same equanimity. We are also glad to find that a sojourn with us has made quite a Republican ot the former, for Pulszky,almost with indignation,disclaims the title of Count, with which he was gene rally honored by the English and American papers, and which we do not remember him previously to have denied. It is, we suppose, a sign of the times when, in Europe, nobility is at a discount : in his next attempt, Kos suth will depend, we hope, upon the peo ple alone.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 28This article was published with the title “Sketches of American Society” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 28 (), p. 219
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican03261853-219g

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