Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1855-07-28
The English and French.

The English and French.
The French intellect is quick and &C.
tive. 1t flashes its way irto a subject
with the rapid!ty of lighting seizes mp
on remote conclusions with sudden bound
and Its deductions are almost intuitive.-
The English intellect is less rapid, but
more persevering less sudden, but more
sure in its deductions. The quickness and
mobility of the French enable them to find
enjoyment in tho multiplicity of sensa-
tons They speak and act more from i'm.
mediate impressions than from reflection
and mediation. They are therefore more
social and communicative more fond of
society and of places of public resort and
amusement. An Englishman is more re-
fcctivc in his habits. He lives in the
world of his own thoughts, and seems more
self existent and self dependent. Heloves
the quiet of his own apartment even when
abroad, he in a manner makes little So
lititude around him, by his silence and re-
serve; he moves about shy and solitary,
and as it were, buttoned up, body and
soul
The French are great optimists; they
seize upon very good as it flies, and revel
in the passing pleasure. The Englishman
is too apt to neglect the present good in
preparing against the possible evil. How
ever adversitics may lower, let the sun
shine but for a moment, and forth sallies
the mercurial Frenchman, in holiday dress
and holiday spirits, gay as a butterfly, as
though his sunshine were perpetual but
let the sun beam never SO brightly, SO there
be but cloud in the horizon, the wary
Englishman ventures forth distrustfully,
with his umbrella in his hand.
The Frenchman has W onderful facility
at turning small things to advantage. No
one can be gay and luxurious on smaller
means no one requires less expense to be
happy. He practices a kind of gliding in
his style Of living and hammers out every
guinea into gold leaf. The Englishman,
on the contrary, is expensive in his enjoy.
ments. He values everything, whether
useful or ornamental, by what it COSTS
He has no satisfaction in show unless it be
solid and complete Everything goes
with him by the square foot. Whatever
display he makes, the depth is sure to
equal the surface.
j The Frenchman's habitation, like him
self, is open, cheerful, bustling and noisy.
tie lives in part of great hotel, with
wide portal, paved court, spacious, dirty
stone staircase, and family on every -four.
All is clatter and chatter. He is good
/ humored and talkative with his servants,
; sociable with his neighbors, and complais-
} ant to all the world. Anybody has access
to himself and his apartments his every
bedroom is open to visitors, whatever may
be its state of confusion; and all this not
from any peculiarly hospitable feeling but
from that communicative habit which pre-
, dominates over his character.
) The Englishman, on the contrary, en-!
/ sconces himself in a snug brick mansion
, which he has all to himself; locks the
| front door, puts broken bottles along ito
J walls and spring guns and man-traps in
his gardens shrouds himself with trees
and window curtains exults in his quiet
privacy, and seems disposed to keep out
, noise; daylight and company. His house
like himself has reserved, inhospitable
exterior yet who ever gains admittance is
apt to find warm heart and warm ireside
within.
5 The French excel in wit, the English in
humor; the French have gayer fancy, the
, English richer imaginations. The former
are full of sensibility. easily moved. and
prone to sudden AMI great excitement, but
; their excitement is not durable the Eng
lish are more phlegmatlc, not SO easily af-
} tected, but capable of being reused to
great enthusiasm. THETA of these op-
posite temperaments are, that the vivacity
of the French is apt to sparkle up and Be
frothy; the gravity Of the English to settle
down and grow muddy. When the two
characters can be fixed in medium--the
French from etferyescence and the English
from stagnation-both will be found ex-
cellent. 4 8i5s
4 This contrast Of character nay also be
noticed in the great concerns Of the two
nations. The ardent Frenchmen is all
military renown; he fights for glory, that
, Is to say for success in arms. For provid-
ed the national flag be victorious, he cares
little about the expense, the injustice. Or
the inutility Of the war. 1t is wonderful
how the poorest Frenchman will revel on
a triumphant bulletin; a great victory is
meat and drink to him and at the sight
of military sovereign, bringing homo
captured stanards, he throws up his greasy
leap in the air. and is ready to Jump out 81
his wooden shoes forjoy.
j John Bull. on the contrary il 4 rcason-
oning, considerable person. If be does
wrong, it is in the most rational way inn
aginable. He fights because the good of
the world requires il. He il 1 moral per-
son, and makes war upon. his neighbor Tor
the maintenance Of peace and good order.
andsornd principles. He is safnonsy ma.