Note 171 — Chapter XII

First thoughts of people and of countries are more striking, they are only by chance at all true. I recollect asking an American, after his visit to the English House of Lords, what struck his attention most; and he said, “Their lordships don’t seem to brush their hair.” Another clever traveller, from the same land of our cousins, was asked what he noticed of our manners in London, and he replied, “I observe it is the fashion here, when a gentleman sees his friend on the other side of Pall Mall, he shakes his umbrella at him and calls out, ‘D’ye do, old fellow?’”