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a doleful olive； or a gloomy red； but now they have returned to their
earlier love。 Not the first love； that was a pale buff with white trim；
but I doubt if it were good for all kinds of village houses； the eye
rather demands the white。 The pale buff does very well for large
colonial mansions； like Lowell's or Longfellow's in Cambridge； but when
you come； say； to see the great square houses built in Portsmouth； New
Hampshire； early in this century； and painted white； you find that white；
after all； is the thing for our climate； even in the towns。
In such a village as my colored brother drove me through on the way to
the beach it was of an absolute fitness； and I wish I could convey a due
sense of the exquisite keeping of the place。 Each white house was more
or less closely belted in with a white fence； of panels or pickets； the
grassy door…yards glowed with flowers； and often a climbing rose
embowered the door…way with its bloom。 Away backward or sidewise
stretched the woodshed from the dwelling to the barn； and shut the whole
under one cover； the turf grew to the wheel…tracks of the road…way； over
which the elms rose and drooped； and from one end of the village to the
other you could not； as the saying is； find a stone to throw at a dog。
I know Holland； I have seen the wives of Scheveningen scrubbing up for
Sunday to the very middle of their brick streets； but I doubt if Dutch
cleanliness goes so far without； or comes from so deep a scruple within；
as the cleanliness of New England。 I felt so keenly the feminine quality
of its motive as I passed through that village； that I think if I had
dropped so much as a piece of paper in the street I must have knocked at
the first door and begged the lady of the house （who would have opened it
in person after wiping her hands from her work； taking off her apron； and
giving a glance at herself in the mirror and at me through the window
blind） to report me to the selectmen in the interest of good morals。
III。
I did not know at once quite how to reconcile the present foulness of the
New England capital with the fairness of the New England country； and I
am still somewhat embarrassed to own that after New York （even under the
relaxing rule of Tammany） Boston seemed very dirty when we arrived there。
At best I was never more than a naturalized Bostonian； but it used to
give me great pleasureso penetratingly does the place qualify even the
sojourning Westernerto think of the defect of New York in the virtue
that is next to godliness； and now I had to hang my head for shame at the
mortifying contrast of the Boston streets to the well…swept asphalt which
I had left frying in the New York sun the afternoon before。 Later；
however； when I began to meet the sort of Boston faces I remembered so
wellgood； just； pure； but set and severe； with their look of challenge；
of interrogation； almost of reproofthey not only ignored the
disgraceful untidiness of the streets； but they convinced me of a state
of transition which would leave the place swept and garnished behind it；
and comforted me against the litter of the winding thoroughfares and
narrow lanes； where the dust had blown up against the brick walls； and
seemed permanently to have smutched and discolored them。
In New York you see the American face as Europe characterizes it； in
Boston you see it as it characterizes Europe； and it is in Boston that
you can best imagine the strenuous grapple of the native forces which all
alien things must yield to till they take the American cast。 It is
almost dismaying； that physiognomy； before it familiarizes itself anew；
and in the brief first moment while it is yet objective； you ransack your
conscience for any sins you may have committed in your absence from it
and make ready to do penance for them。 I felt almost as if I had brought
the dirty streets with me； and were guilty of having left them lying
about； so impossible were they with reference to the Boston face。
It is a face that expresses care； even to the point of anxiety； and it
looked into the window of our carriage with the serious eyes of our
elderly hackman to make perfectly sure of our destination before we drove
away from the station。 It was a little rigorous with us； as requiring us
to have a clear mind； but it was not unfriendly； not unkind； and it was
patient from long experience。 In New York there are no elderly hackmen；
but in Boston they abound； and I cannot believe they would be capable of
bad faith with travellers。 In fact； I doubt if this class is anywhere as
predatory as it is painted； but in Boston it appears to have the public
honor in its keeping。 I do not mean that it was less mature； less self…
respectful in Portsmouth； where we were next to arrive； more so it could
not be； an equal sense of safety； of ease； began with it in both places；
and all through New England it is of native birth； while in New York it
is composed of men of many nations； with a weight in numbers towards the
Celtic strain。 The prevalence of the native in New England helps you
sensibly to realize from the first moment that here you are in America as
the first Americans imagined and meant it； and nowhere in New England is
the original tradition more purely kept than in the beautiful old seaport
of New Hampshire。 In fact； without being quite prepared to defend a
thesis to this effect； I believe that Portsmouth is preeminently
American； and in this it differs from Newburyport and from Salem； which
have suffered from different causes an equal commercial decline； and；
though among the earliest of the great Puritan towns after Boston； are
now largely made up of aliens in race and religion； these are actually
the majority； I believe； in Newburyport。
IV。
The adversity of Portsmouth began early in the century； but before that
time she had prospered so greatly that her merchant princes were able to
build themselves wooden palaces with white walls and green shutters； of a
grandeur and beauty unmatched elsewhere in the country。 I do not know
what architect had his way with them； though his name is richly worth
remembrance； but they let him make them habitations of such graceful
proportion and of such delicate ornament that they have become shrines of
pious pilgrimage with the young architects of our day who hope to house
our well…to…do people fitly in country or suburbs。 The decoration is
oftenest spent on a porch or portal； or a frieze of peculiar refinement；
or perhaps it feels its way to the carven casements or to the delicate
iron…work of the transoms； the rest is a simplicity and a faultless
propriety of form in the stately mansions which stand under the arching
elms； with their gardens sloping； or dropping by easy terraces behind
them to the river； or to the borders of other pleasances。 They are all
of wood； except for the granite foundations and doorsteps； but the stout
edifices rarely sway out of the true line given them； and they look as if
they might keep it yet another century。
Between them； in the sun…shotten shade； lie the quiet streets； whose
gravelled stretch is probably never cleaned because it never needs
cleaning。 Eve