The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-18
From the International.
London Described by q Partisan.

LOuuOu OcSrIiDcu ny dTfs1aus
NJ. FRANCES WEy, who is college profess
sor and iitterateur of some eminence in Paris,
has published for visitors from the continent to
the great Great Exhibition, volume entitled
Guides Londres, composed, we believe, of a
series of articles, Les Anglais chez Eur (the
English at home,) which he had contributed to
the Musee des Families, an old and favorite
Partisan journal. 1t ia very amusing 10 see the
manner in which these things are received by
the British press The constituencies of which
the Americans are accused is quite equaled in
that which is displayed in the London criticisms
of Monsieur Wey. And just at this time it is
all the more pleasant to US, for that our amiable
mother-country critics are quoting with so much
enjoyment the characterizations of us poor
United Statesers, donei in the same way, by gen.
tlemen of the same country. Even Blackpood
does not seem to have a suspicion that French
man could caricature or in any way exaggrate
the publicities of domesticties of New York ;
but all the independent, care-for-nothing John
Bulls see only "rancor," ill-wl," and I" alb
surdity" in the Frenchman's views OF English
society. The Literary Gazette the Weekly
Neacs and all the rest, have the same tone.
French travellers, it is said
"Instead of patiently collecting their facts,
they Invent them. Instead of representing so.
cial usages they really are, they state them as
what they choose to suppose. They mistake
flippancy for wit, and imperturbabe assurance
for knowledge. They speak ca ca hedra of
matters of which they are profoundly ignorant.
And the consequence of all this is that they
commit the drollest blunders, make the most
startling assertions, indulge in the most gro-
tesque appropriations, and founder in the most
extravagant absurdties."
We wonder If single British reviewer will
introduce, with such paragraph, his extracts
from the letters on America, by NJ Xavier Mar
mier? Not bit of it.
On the English language, NJ Wey says
1.-THE Engshman has invented for himself Q
language adapted to mis- placid manners and
silent tastes. This language is a murmur, &C.
companied by soft hissings it falls from the
lips. but is scarcely articulated if the chest OF
throat be employed to increase the power of the
voice, the words become changed and scarcely
Ineligible if cried aloud, they are hoarse, anc
resemble the confused croaking Of frogs II
marshes"
"The English are passionately attached to
their language. They have only consented te
borrow one single word from us, and that is EN-
ployed by their inn-keepers- table de hote, which
they pronounce table don And yet we have
taken hundreds of words from them r
| English women
English women give TO US the preference
over their own countrymen. Our gallantry j.
something new to them, and our potenes:
touches their hearts But though they love us
we are not liked by their lords and masters
There Is no exeggeration In all that has beer
said of the beauty of English women-nn as
semblage of them would realize the paradise o.
AIahomet"
Their dresses
aMany white gowns are to be seen. White
is recherche luxury in that land of taow and
smoke, where linen becomes dirty IN three hours
However, good taste is making some progress
Ladies may be met with who are dressed
although, generally speaking, sort of audacity
is displayed in wearing the most irreconcilablt
colors. What gives English women some
what bizarre appearance, is the custom they
have of swelling out their peitcoats, by means
Of circles of whalebone or iron this causes
them to resemble large bells in movement"
English manners
English manners, rigid and cold, and dom
/ mated bv arid rationalism, are the work of Crom
well. His bgotry and hypocrisy, his exterior
austerity. his narrow Journalism, suit the English
man; he keeps up Cromwell's character, and nd
|
pity for his model--he never forgives Cromwell
for having made him what he is. His spit,
towarCs that man is the last cry of nature, anC
the vague regret of liberty of imagination o
which neither the joys or the aspirations bav,
been known since his time" "They have n,
grace, no desinpoiiura, no poesy in them bu
are methodcal, reasonable. ndefatigable IL
work and in amnssing lucre."
How the English love-
"They love nothing with tho heart wher
thew do love, il is exclusively of the head'
English bankers
ain France we have the love of display; bu
In London II Ia not so. There. some of the
principal bankers 20 every morning to tn,
butchers shops to buy their own chops, ant
they carry them ostensibly to some tavern IL
Cheapside or Fleet street, where they cook then
themselves. Then they buy three pennywortl
Of rye-bread, and publicly eat this Spartan breuk
fast. The exhibition fills their clients with nd
miration. But in the evening these good mer
make up for this by taking in their own palaces
suppers worthy Of Lucullus"