5656. NATIONS, Peculiarities of.—
In
reading the travels of a Frenchman through
the United States what he remarks as peculiarities
in us, prove to us the contrary peculiarities
of the French. We have the accounts
of Barbary from European and American
travellers. It would be more amusing
if Melli Melli would give us his observations
on the United States. If, with the
fables and follies of the Hindoos, so justly
pointed out to us by yourself and other
travellers, we could compare the contrast of
those which an Hindoo traveller would
imagine he found among us, it might enlarge
our instruction. It would be curious to see
what parallel among us he would select for
his Veeshni.—
To Nathaniel Greene. Washington ed. vi, 72.
(M.
1812)