Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-13

FROM OUR LoEDo ON CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, july %, 1858.


az forcblv as when her eyes first rested on the old
tb;ngs of Enrone. particularly Of England "But
svatn che added. II know not how it is, the peo-
ne of Enoland. 10th individually and collectively
annear Younger more active, buoyant, and full of
spirits than tho people of the United States" ~
know" she said, that my countrymen possess an
energy, decision, and power Of character as well
CAS- a capacitg for business and intellectual pur-
suits whiA would not suffer by comparison with
those Il any other people; but yet in their APP
pearance and manners there is a languor, an ex-
preston of lasstude, which are indicative of age
when contrasted with the rapidity of motion and
the vvacious and more youthful carriage OF the
English people" TWAS replied that this no doubt
arose from the greater heat of the American eli
mate, which inevitably produced languor Of body
and lasstude OF mind "No," she said, g the Their
smometer at New York may denote ten or fifteen
degrees of atmospheric heat than is shown In
London, but have felt as much oppressed during
a summers day in the latter place / have ever
done in the former one" We were in Cheap
side Look, she said, at the streams OF people OF
almost every description who pouring along both
sides Of the street, with haste and earnestness
which could be exceeded by crowd of boys rushing
from school multitude Fastening from the pesti-
sence or earthquake. Now if could be instanta-
neously transported into New York, we should find the
good citizens in Broadway gravely marching along with
expression Of countenance as serious as though they
were listening to funeral GRAFTON or the dead march in
Saul" 81 making no comparison she continued,
ether favor dsparagement of the people of either
country what appears to me to be fact, and
seek a solution of the seeming paradox" We ad-
nit the general correctness of these observations and
think they may be carried still further but also
Of opinion that they apply only to Appearances that
the force of circumstances and position and the power
Of long established conventonaltes have produced the
difference and that there is nothing inherently different
in the opinions and modes of thinking Of the people Of the
two countries upon all the great questions which cons
tute nationality of faith and practice, and form the basis
of all the great interests of man, either in the individual
sense or the aggregate True, the Engshman ap
pears to make business pleasure whilst the American
seems to make pleasure business The Engishman
ries his rapidly motion and of speech and his cheer
fitness of manner into the counting house and the
change the American takes his obriey of carriage and
his rather se countenance into the ballroom and the
theatre. The Engshman does not divest himself of his
brkness and his hustle in the church, the American takes
his formay and precision to the resde and the dinner
table boy of ten years old in America expresses him.
self in conversation with the confidence and readiness
which of forty in England has scarcely acquired,
and which English boy would rdicule forward and
absurd The Engishman absolutely explodes at joke
or witticism which the American hears with placid
smile. But who from hence will deduce that the Amei-
boy is really polite better informed than the
English oneg although admit that they so in gem
cra but deny that this instance proves it, or that the
EDgishmans boisterous gdw indicates keencr sense
Of humor than the Americaps silent chucke These
conventionates, which might be easily traced to
their origin they visible in their effects but which
have little bearing upon national character pro-
pey form the basis of comparison between the people of
the countries Yet unfortunately travellers of each
1sva tho fharfr ouitp
acquaintance with the subject possessed by our
fair friend ride through Cheapside, but who had
not the candor to express surprise the good sense to
ask a reason which she exhibited
We speaking, Of course respecting the great mid
die ranks of society," who form the bulk and the bone and
snew of the English nation and Of that class which, for
tunatey for the webeing of the people, constitutes the
general Of the Americans. We leave out Of the
question the hundreds of thousands of persons who in
England doomed to spend their lives in sordid power
y in daily toll for bread but of these the for
very often the ghtness of demeanor and gaety
of counenance which characterize the Italian lazzaroni
regard this any thing rather than good symptom
because it stands in the way of oil Improvement whilst
the English dayaborcr has very generally placidty of
demeanor and cheeruness Of countenance indicative of
Of duty performed and Of cheerful contentedness
which you would often look for in vain elsewhere. Hap
PLY in the United States there is not there the squad
misery OF the Old World as exhibited In her ces unless
it be found in New York amid the resorts of dissipation
and crme the hordes of poor emgrants from Europe
who untitled both by habit and inclination for the
change of country which they have made Nor do our
preceding observations apply to the matt consuere gs
Of England to the Bond street lounger the exquisite
Of Piccadlly Pail Mall to those who spend life instead
of employing it, who pass time without using it, at least
for good May you long be without any recognised class
of this description No doubt your successful merchants
in your large cities will have who not feeling the
OF their fathers viii not possess their habits but
you under your institutions made for ALL will have
class possessed Of any peculiar privileges beyond those
which genius industry, and virtue ought and with you
always will to their possessors You must always
have individuals among you who will run into the ex
tremes Of human condition; but you cannot under ex-
listing circumstances have regularly constituted classes
OF these descriptions The tone and habits Of society in
your almost universal middle class and it is that class
and the similar one in Engand that observations
apply. Il
We return again to the wearisome subject Of politics
Would that politics, policy, and right Synonymous
terms but wait for the millennium for that happy
consummation; and we still have the Turco Russian
question as standing subject England France, Ger
many, Europe have nothing else think about
or to act upon.
Public opinion in France has shown itself more undi-
ded on the subject OF Russia than upon almost any other
question of Importance that has occupied the national