Saturday, December 24, 2005

Brits discuss Americans in 1891

(Dear J, I am sorry for quoting Oscar Wilde. You don't have to read it if you don't want to. I, however, think he's quite clever, atrocious though he was).

From "the Picture of Dorian Gray" on American women-

"'Is she pretty?'
'She behaves as if she was beautiful. Most American women do. It is the secret of their charm.'
'Why can't these American women stay in their own country? They are always telling us that is it he Paradise for women.'
'It is. That is the reason why, like Eve, they are so excessively anxious to get out of it.'" (p. 25)

"'The Americans are an exteremly interesting peopleThey are absolutely reasonable. I think that is their distinguishing characteristic. Yes, Mr. Erskine, an absolutley reasonable people. I assure you there is no non-sense about the Americans.'
'How dreadful!' cried Lord Henry. 'I can stand brute force, but brute reason is quite unbearable. There is something unfair about its use. It is hitting below the intellect.'" (p. 29)

1 Comments:

Blogger Josh said...

ha ha

5:32 AM  

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