greatly　affected　by　those　ladies）　found；　to　their　disgust；　that
  their　new　customers　were　often　unable　or　unwilling　to　offer　any
  remuneration。
  In　consequence　of　these　and　many　other　disillusions；　Americans
  began　to　be　called　the　〃Destroyers；〃　especially　when　it　became
  known　that　nothing　was　too　heavy　or　too　bulky　to　be　carried　away　by
  the　invaders；　who　tore　the　insides　from　the　native　houses；　the
  paintings　from　the　walls；　the　statues　from　the　temples；　and
  transported　this　booty　across　the　seas；　much　in　the　same　way　as　the
  Romans　had　plundered　Greece。　　Elaborate　furniture　seemed　especially
  to　attract　the　new　arrivals；　who　acquired　vast　quantities　of　it。
  Here；　however；　the　wily　natives　（who　were　beginning　to　appreciate
  their　own　belongings）　had　revenge。　　Immense　quantities　of　worthless
  imitations　were　secretly　manufactured　and　sold　to　the　travellers　at
  fabulous　prices。　　The　same　artifice　was　used　with　paintings；　said
  to　be　by　great　masters；　and　with　imitations　of　old　stuffs　and　bric…
  a…brac；　which　the　ignorant　and　arrogant　invaders　pretended　to
  appreciate　and　collect。
  Previous　to　our　arrival　there　had　been　an　invasion　of　the　Continent
  by　the　English　about　the　year　1812。　　One　of　their　historians；
  called　Thackeray；　gives　an　amusing　account　of　this　in　the　opening
  chapters　of　his　〃Shabby　Genteel　Story。〃　　That　event；　however；　was
  unimportant　in　comparison　with　the　great　American　movement；
  although　both　were　characterized　by　the　same　total　disregard　of　the
  feelings　and　prejudices　of　indigenous　populations。　　The　English
  then　walked　about　the　continental　churches　during　divine　service；
  gazing　at　the　pictures　and　consulting　their　guide…books　as
  unconcernedly　as　our　compatriots　do　to…day。　　They　also　crowded　into
  theatres　and　concert　halls；　and　afterwards　wrote　to　the　newspapers
  complaining　of　the　bad　atmosphere　of　those　primitive　establishments
  and　of　the　long　ENTR'ACTES。
  As　long　as　the　invaders　confined　themselves　to　such　trifles；　the
  patient　foreigners　submitted　to　their　overbearing　and　uncouth　ways
  because　of　the　supposed　benefit　to　trade。　　The　natives　even　went　so
  far　as　to　build　hotels　for　the　accommodation　and　delight　of　the
  invaders；　abandoning　whole　quarters　to　their　guests。
  There　was；　however；　a　point　at　which　complacency　stopped。　　The
  older　civilizations　had　formed　among　themselves　restricted　and
  exclusive　societies；　to　which　access　was　almost　impossible　to
  strangers。　　These　sanctuaries　tempted　the　immigrants；　who　offered
  their　fairest　virgins　and　much　treasure　for　the　privilege　of
  admission。　　The　indigenous　aristocrats；　who　were　mostly　poor；
  yielded　to　these　offers　and　a　few　Americans　succeeded　in　forcing　an
  entrance。　　But　the　old　nobility　soon　became　frightened　at　the
  number　and　vulgarity　of　the　invaders；　and　withdrew　severely　into
  their　shells；　refusing　to　accept　any　further　bribes　either　in　the
  form　of　females　or　finance。
  From　this　moment　dates　the　humiliation　of　the　discoverers。　　All
  their　booty　and　plunder　seemed　worthless　in　comparison　with　the
  Elysian　delights　they　imagined　were　concealed　behind　the　closed
  doors　of　those　holy　places；　visions　of　which　tortured　the　women
  from　the　western　hemisphere　and　prevented　their　taking　any　pleasure
  in　other　victories。　　To　be　received　into　those　inner　circles　became
  their　chief　ambition。　　With　this　end　in　view　they　dressed
  themselves　in　expensive　costumes；　took　the　trouble　to　learn　the
  〃lingo〃　spoken　in　the　country；　went　to　the　extremity　of　copying　the
  ways　of　the　native　women　by　painting　their　faces；　and　in　one　or　two
  cases　imitated　the　laxity　of　their　morals。
  In　spite　of　these　concessions；　our　women　were　not　received　with
  enthusiasm。　　On　the　contrary；　the　very　name　of　an　American　became　a
  byword　and　an　abomination　in　every　continental　city。　　This
  prejudice　against　us　abroad　is　hardly　to　be　wondered　at　on
  reflecting　what　we　have　done　to　acquire　it。　　The　agents　chosen　by
  our　government　to　treat　diplomatically　with　the　conquered　nations；
  owe　their　selection　to　political　motives　rather　than　to　their　tact
  or　fitness。　　In　the　large　majority　of　cases　men　are　sent　over　who
  know　little　either　of　the　habits　or　languages　prevailing　in　Europe。
  The　worst　elements　always　follow　in　the　wake　of　discovery。　　Our
  settlements　abroad　gradually　became　the　abode　of　the　compromised；
  the　divorced；　the　socially　and　financially　bankrupt。
  Within　the　last　decade　we　have　found　a　way　to　revenge　the　slights
  put　upon　us；　especially　those　offered　to　Americans　in　the　capital
  of　Gaul。　　Having　for　the　moment　no　playwrights　of　our　own；　the　men
  who　concoct　dramas；　comedies；　and　burlesques　for　our　stage　find；
  instead　of　wearying　themselves　in　trying　to　produce　original
  matter；　that　it　is　much　simpler　to　adapt　from　French　writers。　　This
  has　been　carried　to　such　a　length　that　entire　French　plays　are　now
  produced　in　New　York　signed　by　American　names。
  The　great　French　playwrights　can　protect　themselves　by　taking　out
  American　copyright；　but　if　one　of　them　omits　this　formality；　the
  〃conquerors〃　immediately　seize　upon　his　work　and　translate　it；
  omitting　intentionally　all　mention　of　the　real　author　on　their
  programmes。　　This　season　a　play　was　produced　of　which　the　first　act
  was　taken　from　Guy　de　Maupassant；　the　second　and　third　〃adapted〃
  from　Sardou；　with　episodes　introduced　from　other　authors　to
  brighten　the　mixture。　　The　piece　thus　patched　together　is　signed　by
  a　well…known　Anglo…Saxon　name；　and　accepted　by　our　moral　public；
  although　the　original　of　the　first　act　was　stopped　by　the　Parisian
  police　as　too　immoral　for　that　gay　capital。
  Of　what　use　would　it　be　to　〃discover〃　a　new　continent　unless　the
  explorers　were　to　reap　some　such　benefits？　　Let　us　take　every
  advantage　that　our　proud　position　gives　us；　plundering　the　foreign
  authors；　making　penal　settlements　of　their　capitals；　and　ignoring
  their　foolish　customs　and　prejudices　when　we　travel　among　them！　　In
  this　way　shall　we　effectually　impress　on　the　inferior　races　across
  the　Atlantic　the　greatness　of　the　American　nation。
  CHAPTER　39　…　A　Race　of　Slaves
  IT　is　all　very　well　for　us　to　have　invaded　Europe；　and　awakened
  that　somnolent　continent　to　the　lights　and　delights　of　American
  ways；　to　have　beautified　the　cities　of　the　old　world　with　graceful
  trolleys　and　illuminated　the　catacombs　at　Rome　with　electricity。
  Every　true　American　must　thrill　with　satisfaction　at　these
  achievements；　and　the　knowledge　that　he　belongs　to　a　dominating
  race；　before　which　the　waning　civilization　of　Europe　must　fade　away
  and　disappear。
  To　have　discovered　Europe　and　to　rule　as　conquerors　abroad　is　well；
  but　it　is　not　enough；　if　we　are　led　in　chains　at　home。　　It　is
  recorded　of　a　certain　ambitious　captain　whose　〃Commentaries〃　made
  our　school…days　a　burden；　that　〃he　preferred　to　be　the　first　in　a
  village　rather　than　second　at　Rome。〃　　Oddly　enough；　WE　are
  contented　to　be　slaves　in　our　villages　while　we　are　conquerors　in
  Rome。　　Can　it　be　that　the　struggles　of　our　ancestors　for　freedom
  were　fought　in　vain？　　Did　they　throw　off　the　yoke　of　kings；　cross
  the　Atlantic；　found　a　new　form　of　government　on　a　new　continent；
  break　with　traditions；　and　sign　a　declaration　of　independence；　only
  that　we　should　succumb；　a　century　later；　yielding　the　fruits　of
  their　hard…fought　battles　with　craven　supineness　into　the　hands　of
  corporations　and　municipalities；　humbly　bowing　necks　that　refuse　to
  bend　before　anointed　sovereigns；　to　the　will　of　steamboat
  subordinates；　the　insolence　of　be…diamonded　hotel…clerks；　and　the
  captious　conductor？
  Last　week　my　train　from　Washington　arrived　in　Jersey　City　on　time。
  We　scurried　（like　good　Americans）　to　the　ferry…boat；　hot　and　tired
  and　anxious　to　get　to　our　destination；　a　hope　deferred；　however；
  for　our　boat　was　kept　waiting　forty　long　minutes；　because；
  forsooth；　another　train　from　somewhere　in　the　South　was　behind
  time。　　Expostulations　were　in　vain。　　Being　only　the　paying　public；
  we　had　no　rights　that　those　autocrats；　the　officials；　were　bound　to
  respect。　　The　argument　that　if　they　knew　the　southern　train　to　be
  so　much　behind；　the　ferry…boat　would　have　plenty　of　time　to　take　us
  across　and　return；　was　of　no　avail；　so；　like　a　cargo　of　〃moo…cows〃
  （as　the　children　say）；　we　submitted　meekly。　　In　order　to　make　the
  time　pass　more　pleasantly　for　the　two　hundred　people　gathered　on
  the　boat；　a　dusky　potentate　judged　the　moment　appropriate　to　scrub
  the　cabin　floors。　　So；　aided　by　a　couple　of　subordinates；　he
  proceeded　to　deluge　the　entire　place　in　floods　of　water；　obliging
  us　to　sit　with　our　feet　tucked　up　under　us；　splashing　the　ladies'
  skirts　and　our　wraps　and　belongings。
  Such　treatment　of　the　public　would　have　raised　a　riot　anywhere　but
  in　this　land　of　freedom。　　Do　you　suppose　any　one　murmured？　　Not　at