Part 15 (1/2)

With the appellation of ”sir,” an Englishman addresses his king, his friend, his foe, his servant, and his dog; he makes use of it when asking a question politely; and a member of Parliament, merely to fill up a vacancy, when he happens to be at a loss. ”Sir?” in an inquiring tone of voice, signifies what is your desire? ”Sir!” in a humble tone--gracious Sovereign!--”Sir!” in surly tone, a box on the ear at your service! To a dog it means a good beating. And in a speech in Parliament, accompanied by a pause, it signifies, I cannot now recollect what it is I wish to say farther.

I do not recollect to have heard any expression repeated oftener than this, ”Never mind it!” A porter one day fell down, and cut his head on the pavement: ”O, never mind it!” said an Englishman who happened to be pa.s.sing by. When I had my trunk fetched from the s.h.i.+p in a boat, the waterman rowed among the boats, and his boy, who stood at the head of his boat, got a sound drubbing, because the others would not let him pa.s.s: ”O, never mind it!” said the old one, and kept rowing on.

The Germans who have been here any time almost constantly make use of Anglicisms, such as ”es will nicht thun” (it will not do), instead of es ist nicht hinlanglich (it is not sufficient), and many such. Nay, some even say, ”Ich habe es nicht geminded” (I did not mind it), instead of ich habe mich nicht daran errinnert, oder daran gedacht (I did not recollect it, or I did not think of it).

You can immediately distinguish Englishmen when they speak German, by their p.r.o.nunciation according to the English manner; instead of Ich befinde mich wohl, they say Ich befirmich u'hol (I am very well), the w being as little noticed as u quickly sounded.

I have often heard, when directing any one in the street, the phrase, ”Go down the street as far as ever you can go, and ask anybody.” Just as we say, ”Every child can direct you.”

I have already noticed in England they learn to write a much finer hand than with us. This probably arises from their making use of only one kind of writing, in which the letters are all so exact that you would take it for print.

In general, in speaking, reading, in their expressions, and in writing, they seem, in England, to have more decided rules than we have. The lowest man expresses himself in proper phrases, and he who publishes a book, at least writes correctly, though the matter be ever so ordinary. In point of style, when they write, they seem to be all of the same country, profession, rank, and station.

The printed English sermons are beyond all question the best in the world; yet I have sometimes heard sad, miserable stuff from their pulpits. I have been in some churches where the sermons seem to have been transcribed or compiled from essays and pamphlets; and the motley composition, after all, very badly put together. It is said that there are a few in London, by whom some of the English clergy are supposed to get their sermons made for money.

CHAPTER XIV.

London, 18th July.

I write to you now for the last time from London; and, what is still more, from St. Catherine's, one of the most execrable holes in all this great city, where I am obliged to stay, because the great s.h.i.+ps arrive in the Thames here, and go from hence, and we shall sail as soon as the wind changes. This it has just now done, yet still it seems we shall not sail till to-morrow. To-day therefore I can still relate to you all the little that I have farther noticed.

On Monday morning I moved from the Freemasons' Tavern to a public- house here, of which the master is a German; and where all the Hambro' captains lodge. At the Freemasons' Tavern, the bill for eight days' lodging, breakfast, and dinner came to one guinea and nine s.h.i.+llings and nine pence. Breakfast, dinner, and coffee were always, with distinction, reckoned a s.h.i.+lling each. For my lodging I paid only twelve s.h.i.+llings a week, which was certainly cheap enough.

At the German's house in St. Catherine's, on the contrary, everything is more reasonable, and you here eat, drink, and lodge for half-a-guinea a week. Notwithstanding, however, I would not advise anybody who wishes to see London, to lodge here long; for St.

Catherine's is one of the most out-of-the-way and inconvenient places in the whole town.

He who lands here first sees this miserable, narrow, dirty street, and this ma.s.s of ill-built, old, ruinous houses; and of course forms, at first sight, no very favourable idea of this beautiful and renowned city.

From Bullstrode Street, or Cavendish Square, to St. Catherine's, is little less than half a day's journey. Nevertheless, Mr. Schonborn has daily visited me since I have lived here; and I have always walked back half-way with him. This evening we took leave of each other near St. Paul's, and this separation cost me not a few tears.