January 1st, 1856.--Last night, at Mrs. Blodgett's, we sat up till twelve
o'clock to open the front door, and let the New Year in. After the
coming guest was fairly in the house, the back door was to be opened, to
let the Old Year out; but I was tired, and did not wait for the latter
ceremony. When the New Year made its entrance, there was a general
shaking of hands, and one of the shipmasters said that it was customary
to kiss the ladies all round; but to my great satisfaction, we did not
proceed to such extremity. There was singing in the streets, and many
voices of people passing, and when twelve had struck, all the bells of
the town, I believe, rang out together. I went up stairs, sad and
lonely, and, stepping into J-----'s little room, wished him a Happy New
Year, as he slept, and many of them.
To a cool observer, a country does not show to best advantage during a
time of war. All its self-conceit is doubly visible, and, indeed, is
sedulously kept uppermost by direct appeals to it. The country must be
humbugged, in order to keep its courage up.
Sentiment seems to me more abundant in middle-aged ladies in England than
in the United States. I don't know how it may be with young ladies.
The shipmasters bear testimony to the singular delicacy of common sailors
in their behavior in the presence of women; and they say that this good
trait is still strongly observable even in the present race of seamen,
greatly deteriorated as it is.
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