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ed； and in fact are not readable。 They are bought； glanced at； and thrown away。 They are full of boastings； not boastings simply as to their country； their town； or their party； but of boastings as to themselves。 And yet they possess no self…assurance。 It is always evident that they neither trust themselves； nor expect to be trusted。 They have made no approach to that omniscience which constitutes the great marvel of our own daily press； but finding it necessary to write as though they possessed it； they fall into blunders which are almost as marvelous。 Justice and right judgment are out of the question with them。 A political party end is always in view； and political party warfare in America admits of any weapons。 No newspaper in America is really powerful or popular； and yet they are tyrannical and overbearing。 The New York Herald has； I believe； the largest sale of any daily newspaper； but it is absolutely without political power； and in these times of war has truckled to the government more basely than any other paper。 It has an enormous sale； but so far is it from having achieved popularity that no man on any side ever speaks a good word for it。 All American newspapers deal in politics as a matter of course； but their politics have ever regard to men and not to measures。 Vituperation is their natural political weapon； but since the President's ministers have assumed the power of stopping newspapers which are offensive to them； they have shown that they can descend below vituperation to eulogy。 I shall be accused of using very strong language against the newspaper press of America。 I can only say that I do not know how to make that language too strong。 Of course there are newspapers as to which the editors and writers may justly feel that my remarks； if applied to them； are unmerited。 In writing on such a subject； I can only deal with the whole as a whole。 During my stay in the country； I did my best to make myself acquainted with the nature of its newspapers； knowing in how great a degree its population depends on them for its daily store of information； for newspapers in the States of America have a much wider； or rather closer circulation； than they do with us。 Every man and almost every woman sees a newspaper daily。 They are very cheap； and are brought to every man's hand； without trouble to himself； at every turn that he takes in his day's work。 It would be much for the advantage of the country that they should be good of their kind； but； if I am able to form any judgment on the matter； they are not good。
CHAPTER XVI。 CONCLUSION。
In one of the earlier chapters of this volumenow some seven or eight chapters pastI brought myself on my travels back to Boston。 It was not that my way homeward lay by that route； seeing that my fate required me to sail from New York； but I could not leave the country without revisiting my friends in Massachusetts。 I have told how I was there in the sleighing time； and how pleasant were the mingled slush and frost of the snowy winter。 In the morning the streets would be hard and crisp and the stranger would surely fall if he were not prepared to walk on glaciers。 In the afternoon he would be wading through rivers； and； if properly armed at all points with India…rubber； would enjoy the rivers as he waded。 But the air would be always kindly； and the east wind there； if it was east as I was told； had none of that power of dominion which makes us all so submissive to its behests in London。 For myself； I do not believe that the real east wind blows elsewhere。 And when the snow went in Boston I went with it。 The evening before I left I watched them as they carted away the dirty uncouth blocks which had been broken up with pickaxes in Washington Street； and was melancholy as I reflected that I too should no longer be known in the streets。 My weeks in Boston had not been very many； but nevertheless there were haunts there which I knew as though my feet had trodden them for years。 There were houses to which I could have gone with my eyes blindfold； doors of which the latches were familiar to my hands； faces which I knew so well that they had ceased to put on for me the fictitious smiles of courtesy。 Faces； houses； doors； and haunts；where are they now？ For me they are as though they had never been。 They are among the things which one would fain remember as one remembers a dream。 Look back on it as a vision and it is all pleasant； but if you realize your vision and believe your dream to be a fact； all your pleasure is obliterated by regret。 I know that I shall never again be at Boston； and that I have said that about the Americans which would make me unwelcome as a guest if I were there。 It is in this that my regret consists； for this reason that I would wish to remember so many social hours as though they had been passed in sleep。 They who will expect blessings from me； will say among themselves that I have cursed them。 As I read the pages which I have written； I feel that words which I intended for blessings when I prepared to utter them have gone nigh to turn themselves into curses。 I have ever admired the United States as a nation。 I have loved their liberty； their prowess； their intelligence； and their progress。 I have sympathized with a people who themselves have had no sympathy with passive security and inaction。 I have felt confidence in them； and have known； as it were； that their industry must enable them to succeed as a people while their freedom would insure to them success as a nation。 With these convictions I went among them wishing to write of them good wordswords which might be pleasant for them to read； while they might assist perhaps in producing a true impression of them here at home。 But among my good words there are so many which are bitter； that I fear I shall have failed in my object as regards them。 And it seems to me； as I read once more my own pages； that in saying evil things of my friends I have used language stronger than I intended； whereas I have omitted to express myself with emphasis when I have attempted to say good things。 Why need I have told of the mud of Washington； or have exposed the nakedness of Cairo？ Why did I speak with such eager enmity of those poor women in the New York cars； who never injured me； now that I think of it？ Ladies of New York； as I write this； the words which were written among you are printed and cannot be expunged； but I tender to you my apologies from my home in England。 And that Van Wyck Committeemight I not have left those contractors to be dealt with by their own Congress； seeing that that Congress committee was by no means inclined to spare them？ I might have kept my pages free from gall； and have sent my sheets to the press unhurt by the conviction that I was hurting those who had dealt kindly by me！ But what then？ Was any people ever truly served by eulogy； or an honest cause furthered by undue praise？ O my friends with thin skinsand here I protest that a thick skin is a fault not to be forgiven in a man or a nation； whereas a thin skin is in itself a merit； if only the wearer of it will be the master and not the slave of his skinO my friends with thin skins； ye whom I call my cousins and love as brethren； will ye not forgive me these harsh words that I have spoken？ They have been spoken in lovewith a true love； a brotherly love； a love that has never been absent from the heart while the brain was coining them。 I had my task to do； and I could not take the pleasant and ignore the painful。 It may perhaps be that as a friend I had better not have written either good or bad。 But no！ To say that would indeed be to speak calumny of your country。 A man may write of you truly； and yet write that which you would read with pleasure； only that your skins are so thin。 The streets of Washington are muddy and her ways are desolate。 The nakedness of Cairo is very naked。 And those ladies of New Yorkis it not to be confessed that they are somewhat imperious in their demands？ As for the Van Wyck Committee； have I not repeated the tale which you have told yourselves？ And is it not well that such tales should be told？ And yet ye will not forgive me； because your skins are thin； and because the praise of others is the breath of your nostrils。 I do not know that an American as an individual is more thin skinned than an Englishman； but as the representative of a nation it may almost be said of him that he has no skin at all。 Any touch comes at once upon the net…work of his nerves and puts in operation all his organs of feeling with the violence of a blow。 And for this peculiarity he has been made the mark of much ridicule。 It shows itself in two ways： either by extreme displeasure when anything is said disrespectful of his country； or by the strong eulogy with which he is accustomed to speak of his own institutions and of those of his countrymen whom at the moment he may chance to hold in high esteem。 The manner in which this is done is often ridiculous。 〃Sir； what do you think of Mr。 Jefferson Brick？ Mr。 Jefferson Brick； sir； is one of our most remarkable men。〃 And again： 〃Do you like our institutions； sir？ Do you find that philanthropy； religion； philosophy and the social virtues are cultivated on a