Anti-American Sentiments

London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green, 1865. 180 by 120mm (7 by 4¾ inches). Contemporary marbled boards; [3]-31, [1] pp. 

Very good with minor chips to boards, lightly soiled text, and some pages with old fold markings. 

Rarely have we seen an author with such a negative attitude to pretty much everything in life. It doesn’t matter if he’s writing about Mexico’s landscape, its cities, indigenous people, or meddling Yankees — he doesn’t have anything nice to say about anything or anyone (other than the French). For example, there is nothing ​“to feel or to love” about Mexico’s landscapes. ​“Life in Mexico is dull to most foreigners and, it may be guessed, to most Mexicans.” The author is also overtly racist, describing indigenous people as suffering from ​“hereditary debility” and ​“Ethnologists and antiquarians try to persuade themselves that the Indians are interesting” — of course, the author doesn’t believe so. Alas, apparently, all in Mexico are ​“very unhappy”. 

France invaded Mexico in 1862 (the Second Franco-Mexican War) which hoped to replace the Mexican Republic with a monarchy favorable to French interests. The United States supported Mexico in its efforts against France. This publication is interesting because it presents the perspective of an English author who is strongly anti-American and pro-French. The booklet concludes: 

Englishmen are justified in hoping that the Mexicans may pass through a gentler change, and meet with a kindlier fate, than the Americans would offer them [i.e. France winning the war]; that they may be incorporated with, rather than give place to, a new dominant race; and that they may have an equal share in the prosperity which a friendly and just government like that of the Emperor Maximilian will, if it is strong enough, establish in the country.

By 1867 Mexico decisively won the war and France withdrew all troops.

Scarce. No other copy offered for sale. No auction records in Rarebookhub. Per OCLC in the United States only at UC Berkeley and Louisiana College.