Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-05-20
ALEXANDRIA;
THURSDAY, MAY 90, 1919.

THURSDAY, MAY 90, 1919.
The English nation has been character
lied thus elegantly by Mons. de Chateau
BRAND
81 sojoumed on,y for as:hort time among
the Germans, Spaniards and Portuguese
but ] lived a considerable time in England:
and as the inhabitants of that country con-
: stitute the only people who dispute the
empire of the French, y the least account
Of them becomes in.eres ting.
Erasmus is the most ancient traveller
with whom am acquainle led. that speaks
of the English. He states that during the
reign Of Henry VIII. he found London in
habited by barbarians, whose huts were
full of smoke. A long time afterwards,
Voltaire, wanting to discover perfect phi
losopher, was Of opinion that he had found
this character among the qxaksrs upon the
banks of the Thames. During his abode
there, the tavens were the places at which
the men of genius, and the friends Of RAJ
tiouai liberty assembled. England, bow
ever, is known to be the country in which
religion is less discussed, though more re-
s2ected, than in any other; and where the
idle questions Dy which the tranquility Of
empires is disturbed, obtain less attention
than any where else.
1t appears to nae that the secret Of Eng
lish manners, and their way Of thinking. is
to be sought in the origin Of this people,
Being a mixture of French and German
blood, they form link of the chain by
which those two nations are united. Their
policy, their religion, their martial habits,
their literature, arls and national charac-
ter, appear to me medium between the
two. They seem to have united, in some
degree, the briIliancy, grandeur, courage
and vivacity of the French, with the sim
plcity, calmness, good sense and bad taste
of the Germans.
Inferior to US in some things, they are su.
perior in several others, particularly in e.
very thing relating to commerce AMI wealth
They excel US also in neatness: and it is
very remarkable that people apparently
OF a heavy turn, should have, in their lsr-
niture, dress, and manufactures, an ele-
gance in which We are deficient. II may
be said OF the English, that hey employ III
the labors OF the hand, the deliLacy which
ne devote to those of tue mind.
The principal failing OF the English ma.
ton IS pride: which is indeed the fault OF
all mankind. 1t prevails at Paris as well
at Lonuon, but modified by the French cha
racter, ana transformed INTO selt-lOve.--
Pride, in It's pure stale, appertaIns to the
solitary man, who IS MOI obliged to make
any sacrifice: but he who lives much with
his equals, is forced to dissembe, and con-
ceal his pride under the softer and more
varied forms of vanity. The passions are,
in general, more sudden and determined
among the English more active and reii'
ned among the French. The pride oil the
former makes him wish to crush every thing
al orce by force the self-love OF tine other
! slowly undermiAes what it wishes TO de-
stroy. In England, man is hated for a
vice or an offence; but in France, such
| motive is not necessary; for the adsan:a-
pes of person or of fortune, success in lite.
or even a bon mot will be suficient. This
animosity, which arises from thousand
| dissraceful causes, is not less implacabie
than the enmity formed Oh. more noble mo-
tives. There are no passions SO danger
Gus as those which are Of base origin Tor
they are conscious Of :heir own baseness.
and are thereby rendered furious. They
endeayor to conceal it under crimes, and
to impart. from its effects, a sort OF appalI-
ing grandeur, which is wanting from prIn-
ciple. This, the French revolution sufh-
GENTLY proved.
Education begins early in England
Girls are sent to school during the tender
est years. You sometimes see groups OF
these little ones, dressed in white NANTES,
straw hats tied under the chin with rib
band. and a basket On the arm, which con-
tains fruit and a book-aIl with dowaeast
eyes, blushing if looked at. When have
observed cur French female children dress
ed in their antiquated fashion, lifting up
the train of their gowns, looking at every
one with e6rontery. singing love-sick airs,
al ,,L;,r Is..on. m defamation, | have