Your visit to Germany will stand you in stead, when the
annoyances of the journey are forgotten, and, in spite of your
disclaimers, I am preparing to read your history of Frederic.
You are an inveterate European, and rightfully stand for your
polity and antiquities and culture: and I have long since
forborne to importune you with America, as if it were a humorous
repetition of Johnson's visit to Scotland. And yet since
Thackeray's adventure, I have often thought how you would bear
the pains and penalties; and have painted out your march
triumphal. I was at New York, lately, for a few days, and fell
into some traces of Thackeray, who has made a good mark in this
country by a certain manly blurting out of his opinion in various
companies, where so much honesty was rare and useful. I am sorry
never once to have been in the same town with him whilst he was
here. I hope to see him, if he comes again. New York would
interest you, as I am told it did him; you both less and more.
The "society" there is at least self-pleased, and its own; it
has a contempt of Boston, and a very modest opinion of London.
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