第19章 THE SKETCH BOOK(2)

One would suppose, however, that information coming from suchsources, on a subject where the truth is so desirable, would bereceived with caution by the censors of the press; that the motives ofthese men, their veracity, their opportunities of inquiry andobservation, and their capacities for judging correctly, would berigorously scrutinized before their evidence was admitted, in suchsweeping extent, against a kindred nation. The very reverse,however, is the case, and it furnishes a striking instance of humaninconsistency. Nothing can surpass the vigilance with which Englishcritics will examine the credibility of the traveller who publishes anaccount of some distant, and comparatively unimportant country. Howwarily will they compare the measurements of a pyramid, or thedescriptions of a ruin; and how sternly will they censure anyinaccuracy in these contributions of merely curious knowledge: whilethey will receive, with eagerness and unhesitating faith, the grossmisrepresentations of coarse and obscure writers, concerning a countrywith which their own is placed in the most important and delicaterelations. Nay, they will even make these apocryphal volumestext-books, on which to enlarge with a zeal and an ability worthy of amore generous cause.

I shall not, however, dwell on this irksome and hackneyed topic; norshould I have adverted to it, but for the undue interest apparentlytaken in it by my countrymen, and certain injurious effects which Iapprehended it might produce upon the national feeling. We attachtoo much consequence to these attacks. They cannot do us any essentialinjury. The tissue of misrepresentations attempted to be woven roundus are like cobwebs woven round the limbs of an infant giant. Ourcountry continually outgrows them. One falsehood after another fallsoff of itself. We have but to live on, and every day we live a wholevolume of refutation.

All the writers of England united, if we could for a momentsuppose their great minds stooping to so unworthy a combination, couldnot conceal our rapidly-growing importance, and matchlessprosperity. They could not conceal that these are owing, not merely tophysical and local, but also to moral causes- to the politicalliberty, the general diffusion of knowledge, the prevalence of soundmoral and religious principles, which give force and sustainedenergy to the character of a people; and which, in fact, have been theacknowledged and wonderful supporters of their own national powerand glory.

But why are we so exquisitely alive to the aspersions of England?

Why do we suffer ourselves to be so affected by the contumely shehas endeavored to cast upon us? It is not in the opinion of Englandalone that honor lives, and reputation has its being. The world atlarge is the arbiter of a nation's fame; with its thousand eyes itwitnesses a nation's deeds, and from their collective testimony isnational glory or national disgrace established.

For ourselves, therefore, it is comparatively of but littleimportance whether England does us justice or not; it is, perhaps,of far more importance to herself. She is instilling anger andresentment into the bosom of a youthful nation, to grow with itsgrowth and strengthen with its strength. If in America, as some of herwriters are laboring to convince her, she is hereafter to find aninvidious rival, and a gigantic foe, she may thank those verywriters for having provoked rivalship and irritated hostility. Everyone knows the all-pervading influence of literature at the presentday, and how much the opinions and passions of mankind are under itscontrol. The mere contests of the sword are temporary; their woundsare but in the flesh, and it is the pride of the generous to forgiveand forget them; but the slanders of the pen pierce to the heart; theyrankle longest in the noblest spirits; they dwell ever present inthe mind, and render it morbidly sensitive to the most triflingcollision. It is but seldom that any one overt act produceshostilities between two nations; there exists, most commonly, aprevious jealousy and ill-will; a predisposition to take offence.

Trace these to their cause, and how often will they be found tooriginate in the mischievous effusions of mercenary writers; who,secure in their closets, and for ignominious bread, concoct andcirculate the venom that is to inflame the generous and the brave.

I am not laying too much stress upon this point; for it applies mostemphatically to our particular case. Over no nation does the presshold a more absolute control than over the people of America; forthe universal education of the poorest classes makes everyindividual a reader. There is nothing published in England on thesubject of our country that does not circulate through every part ofit. There is not a calumny dropped from English pen, nor an unworthysarcasm uttered by an English statesman, that does not go to blightgood-will, and add to the mass of latent resentment. Possessing, then,as England does, the fountain-head whence the literature of thelanguage flows, how completely is it in her power, and how truly is ither duty, to make it the medium of amiable and magnanimous feeling-a stream where the two nations might meet together, and drink in peaceand kindness. Should she, however, persist in turning it to watersof bitterness, the time may come when she may repent her folly. Thepresent friendship of America may be of but little moment to her;but the future destinies of that country do not admit of a doubt; overthose of England there lower some shadows of uncertainty. Should,then, a day of gloom arrive; should these reverses overtake her,from which the proudest empires have not been exempt; she may lookback with regret at her infatuation, in repulsing from her side anation she might have grappled to her bosom, and thus destroying heronly chance for real friendship beyond the boundaries of her owndominions.