August 8 Wednesday – At Dollis Hill House in London, England Sam wrote to William Archer, praising his new book America To-day, Observations and Reflections.

We of this family are just delighted with that book; as a result, I have had chances at it in its unoccupied moments only, & those have been scattering. It is pleasant & encouraging to find a visitor who is more interested in the merits that in the demerits of our country, & who praises warmly & blames reluctantly. When a member of the human race goes out of his country he usually brings back nothing that makes him or his country the richer for his trip; yet he couldn’t go to any land under the sun without finding something, spiritual or material, worth importing.

Sam invited Archer to “run out some day next week” for tea [MTP]. Note: see Gribben 915.