Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/151

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acquaintance with the pedigree and history of this or that "county" magnate, and his (apparently) intimate knowledge of such and such celebrated paintings and "objets d'art" as adorn the various historical mansions in the district—knowledge for which he is merely indebted to Baedeker. He is as loquacious as a village washerwoman. He will relate any number of scandalous stories in connection with the several families of whose ways and doings he pretends to have such close and particular information—and should any listener interrupt him with a mild "Pardon me!—but, having resided in this neighbourhood all my life I venture to think you must be mistaken";—he merely smiles blandly at such a display of "native" ignorance. "Lived here all your life and not know that!" he exclaims—"My word! It takes an Amurrican to teach you what's going on in your own country!"

Offensive as is this more or less ordinary type of American Bounder who makes his "home in Yew-rope" on fourth floors of fashionable hotels, a still worse and more offensive specimen is found in the Starred-and-Striped Bounding Millionaire. This individual—who has frequently attained to a plethora of cash through one of two reprehensible ways—either by "sweating" labour, or by fooling shareholders in "trust" companies,—comes to Great Britain with the fixed impression that everything in the "darned old place" can be bought for money. Unfortunately he is often right. The British—originally and by nature proud, reserved, and almost savagely tenacious of their freedom and independence—have been bitten by