much that is, and always has been, invisible to mortal eye, and to
fail to hear what is audible to and remarked upon by every other
observer.

[31] Thus we find him (p. 56) describing the Grenada Carenage as
being surrounded by forest trees, causing its waters to present a
violet tint; whilst every one familiar with that locality knows that
there are no forest trees within two miles of the object which they
are so ingeniously made to colour. Again, and aptly illustrating the
influence of his prejudices on his sense of hearing, we will notice
somewhat more in detail the following assertion respecting the speech
of the gentry of Barbados:--

"The language of the Anglo-Barbadians was pure English, the voices
without the smallest transatlantic intonation."

Now it so happens that no Barbadian born and bred, be he gentle or
simple, can, on opening his lips, avoid the fate of Peter of Galilee
when skulking from the peril of a detected nationality: "Thy speech
bewrayeth thee!" It would, however, be prudent on this point to take
the evidence of other Englishmen, whose testimony is above suspicion,
seeing that they were free from the moral disturbance that affected
Mr. Froude's auditory powers. G. J. Chester, in his
"Transatlantic Sketches" (page 95), deposes as follows-

[32] "But worse, far worse than the colour, both of men and women, is
their voice and accent. Well may Coleridge enumerate among the pains
of the West Indies, 'the yawny-drawny way in which men converse.'
The soft, whining drawl is simply intolerable. Resemble the worst
Northern States woman's accent it may in some degree, but it has not