a long residence in the sunny South has both moulded their forms into more elegance and gracefulness and expanded their ideas and feelings into greater liberality. They have lost that mixture of keenness in driving a bargain, and parsimoniousness in the expenditure of its fruits, as well as that excessive caution in opening themselves to strangers, lest they should commit themselves, which is so characteristic of the people of the North. At the same time, they retain in the fullest vigour the philanthropic spirit which is also a characteristic of the North" . . . apropos of which may be added the Englishman's surprise at finding in New Orleans so many charitable institutions, after so many accounts and descriptions of the profligacy there.
At the St. Louis hotel that winter, Mr. Buckingham met a piece of social rococo, in the shape of a visitor; the handsome and distinguished-looking Mademoiselle America Vespucci, the lineal descendant of the great navigator, and an advanced woman even for this day; a member not only of secret political societies, but an actual combatant in man's clothing on the battle-field, where she had received a sabre cut on the back of the head. Her mission to the United States was to obtain a grant of land, in recognition of her name and parentage. Mr. Buckingham says he had never witnessed in any other except Lady Hester Stanhope, "so noble a union of high birth and mental powers."
In 1843 Henry Clay paid his memorable visit to the city. Lady Wortley paid hers in "'49," and could not "but think what a wonderful place this same New Orleans will be in the future. She came by the favourite route then from the North, down the river; and how
