1842. NEW YORK: "expressibly worn out. And when at last we got "to bed and were 'going' to fall asleep, the "choristers of the college turned out in a body, C. D. to J. F. Hartford and "under the window, and serenaded us! We had Serenades at "had, by the bye, another serenade at Hartford, Newhaven. "from a Mr. Adams (a nephew of John Quincey "Adams) and a German friend. They were most "beautiful singers: and when they began, in the "dead of the night, in a long, musical, echoing "passage outside our chamber door; singing, in "low voices to guitars, about home and absent "friends and other topics that they knew would "interest us; we were more moved than I can tell "you. In the midst of my sentimentality though, "a thought occurred to me which made me laugh "so immoderately that I was obliged to cover my "face with the bedclothes. 'Good Heavens!' I "said to Kate, 'what a monstrously ridiculous and "commonplace appearance my boots must have, ""outside the door!' I never was so impressed "with a sense of the absurdity of boots, in all "my life. Absurdity of boots. "The Newhaven serenade was not so good; "though there were a great many voices, and a ""reg'lar' band. It hadn't the heart of the other. "Before it was six hours old, we were dressing "with might and main, and making ready for our 1842. C. D. to J. F. "departure: it being a drive of twenty minutes to NEW YORK: "the steamboat, and the hour of sailing nine "o'clock. After a hasty breakfast we started off; "and after another levee on the deck (actually on "the deck), and 'three times three for Dickens,' "moved towards New York. "I was delighted to find on board a Mr. "Felton whom I had known at Boston. He is "the Greek professor at Cambridge, and was 'going on to the ball and dinner. Like most 66 men of his class whom I have seen, he is "a most delightful fellow-unaffected, hearty, "genial, jolly; quite an Englishman of the best "sort. We drank all the porter on board, ate all "the cold pork and cheese, and were very merry “indeed. I should have told you, in its proper "place, that both at Hartford and Newhaven a re"gular bank was subscribed, by these committees, "for all my expenses. No bill was to be got at "the bar, and everything was paid for. But as I "would on no account suffer this to be done, "I stoutly and positively refused to budge an inch "until Mr. Q should have received the bills from "the landlord's own hands, and paid them to the "last farthing. Finding it impossible to move me, "they suffered me, most unwillingly, to carry the "point. Cornelius C. Felton. NEW YORK: 1842. C. D. to J. F. The Carlton hotel. Irving. David "About half past 2, we arrived here. In half "an hour more, we reached this hotel, where a "very splendid suite of rooms was prepared for "us; and where everything is very comfortable, "and no doubt (as at Boston) enormously dear. "Just as we sat down to dinner, David Colden "made his appearance; and when he had gone, Washington "and we were taking our wine, Washington Irving "came in alone, with open arms. And here he "stopped, until ten o'clock at night." (Through Lord Jeffrey, with whom he was connected by marriage, and Macready, of whom he was the cordial friend, we already knew Mr. Colden; and his subsequent visits to Europe led to many years' intimate intercourse, greatly enjoyed by us both.) "Having got so far, I shall divide my discourse "into four points. First, the ball. Secondly, some "slight specimens of a certain phase of character "in the Americans. Thirdly, international copy"right. Fourthly, my life here, and projects to be "carried out while I remain. "Firstly, the ball. It came off last Monday "(vide pamphlet). 'At a quarter past 9, exactly,' "(I quote the printed order of proceeding), we "were waited upon by 'David Colden, Esquire, "and General George Morris;' habited, the former "in full ball costume, the latter in the full dress 1842. C. D. to J. F. The ball. "uniform of Heaven knows what regiment of NEW YORK: "militia. The general took Kate, Colden gave "his arm to me, and we proceeded downstairs to "a carriage at the door, which took us to the "stage door of the theatre: greatly to the disap"pointment of an enormous crowd who were be"setting the main door, and making a most "tremendous hullaballoo. The scene on our en"trance was very striking. There were three "thousand people present in full dress; from the "roof to the floor, the theatre was decorated mag"nificently; and the light, glitter, glare, show, "noise, and cheering, baffle my descriptive powers. Description. "We were walked in through the centre of the "centre dress-box, the front whereof was taken "out for the occasion; so to the back of the stage, "where the mayor and other dignitaries received "us; and we were then paraded all round the "enormous ball-room, twice, for the gratification "of the many-headed. That done, we began to "dance-Heaven knows how we did it, for there "was no room. And we continued dancing until, "being no longer able even to stand, we slipped "away quietly, and came back to the hotel. All "the documents connected with this extraordinary "festival (quite unparalleled here) we have pre"served; so you may suppose that on this head 1842. NEW YORK: "alone we shall have enough to show you when "we come home. The bill of fare for supper, "is, in its amount and extent, quite a curiosity. C. D. to J. F. A phase of character. "Now, the phase of character in the Ameri“ 'cans which amuses me most, was put before me "in its most amusing shape by the circumstances "attending this affair. I had noticed it before, "and have since, but I cannot better illustrate it "than by reference to this theme. Of course I "can do nothing but in some shape or other it "gets into the newspapers. All manner of lies "get there, and occasionally a truth so twisted "and distorted that it has as much resemblance "to the real fact as Quilp's leg to Taglioni's. But "with this ball to come off, the newspapers were "if possible unusually loquacious; and in their "accounts of me, and my seeings, sayings, and accounts of "doings on the Saturday night and Sunday be"fore, they describe my manner, mode of speak"ing, dressing, and so forth. In doing this, they "report that I am a very charming fellow (of "course), and have a very free and easy way with "me; 'which,' say they, 'at first amused a few ""fashionables;' but soon pleased them exceed"ingly. Another paper, coming after the ball, "dwells upon its splendour and brilliancy; hugs "itself and its readers upon all that Dickens saw; Newspaper the ball: |