Thibodaux minerva., 1855-04-28
The English and the French.
gY WAsHISGToS IRVING.

obes lis way into a supJect "lth tiie rap'ui.y VI
..htnnr seizes upon remote CONCLUSION with
hs1 Hsd1en bound AMI its deductions are almost IN
suuas The English intellect is less rapid, but
tulaa, norseverng less sudden but more sure in its
,suctions ho,u The quickness and mobility OF the
ronch enables them to find enjoyment in the null
ilIa 'Iav Of sensations. They speak and act more
Jpn p.n Immediate impressions than from reflection
fon s;tation. They are therefore more social
an, Communicative more fond Of society, and OF
ah Al,cos Of public resort and amusement. An En-
p,ass i more reflective in his habits. He lives
,h. rorId of his own thoughts, and seems more
i,so1;stent ID g.. and selfdependent He loves the
7a;o, of his own apartment; even when abroad he
qus, n,onner makes little solitude around him by
~ ~ .;Ionce and reserve he moves about shy and
,I ,srv and as it were, buttoned up, body and soul
The French are great optlmlsts; they selze
anon every good as it flies and reVei in the passing
utoasure, uP The Englishman is too apt to neglect
a nresent good in preparing against the possible
ms However adyersities may lower let the sun
Elm esna Int far moment, and forth salles the mer-
.,rr;o, Frpuchman, in holiday spirits, gay as but
.Iaar &C though his sunshine were perpetual; but
X. ;hs sun beam never so brightly, SO there be
Wv ". y c,oud in the horizon, the wary Englishman
~ .,,,ros forth distrustfuly with his umbrella in
bis hand. -.,..-
.,rn;nc small things to advantage. No one can be
NV and luxurious on smaller means; no one re-
saorras ,,a less expense to be happy. He practices
kind of gliding in his stle Of living, and hammers
Ant pverv Guinea into golden leaf The English
man, on the contrary, is expensive in his habits,
and expensive in enjoyments. he values every
,h;no whether useful or ornamental, by what 1t
cost 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.
The Frenchnan's habtaton, like himself, is
onep cheerful, bustling, and noisy. He lives in a
nart Of great hotel, with wide portals, paved
court. suspicious dirty staircase, and family on
every floor. All is clatter and chatter. He is
pood humored and talkatve man with his servants,
sociable with his neighbors, and compaisant to all
the world ANYBODY has access to himself and his
apartments his very 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 predominates
over his character.
The Engishman, the contrary, ensconces
himself in snug brick mansion, which he has all
to himself; locks the front door; puts broken
bottles along the walls and spring guns and man
traps in his gardens; shrouds himself with trees
and window curtains; exults i'll his quiet and priv
AcN, anu steIiS ulSpOSeu " hCCp oue AoioSs Ns1y
light and company His house, like himself, has a
reserved inhospitable exterior; yet whoever gains
admittance is apt to find warm freside within.
The French excel in wit; the English in humor,
the French have gayer fancy the English richer
imaginations. The former are full Of senslblity,
easily moved, and prone to sudden and great ex-
element; but their excitement is not durabie the
English are more phlcgmatic; not so readily af-
fected; but capable of being aroused to great en-
thusiasm. The faults of these opposite tempera-
ments are, that the vvacity 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 kept from effervescence and the English
from stagnation, both will be found excellent.
The contrast Of character may also be noticed in
the great concerns of the two nations. The ardent
Frenchnlan is all for military renown fights for
glory, that is to say, for success in arms For,
provided the national flag be victorious he cares
little about the expense the injustice, or the nutl-
uy Of the war. 1t is wonderful how the poorest
Franchmen will revel on a triumphant bulletin !;
great victory is meat and drink to him; and at the
sight Of military sovereign bringing home cap
tured standards, he throws up his greasy cap in
the air, and is ready to jump out Of his wooden
shoes for JOY.
John Bull, on the contrary, is reasoning, con-
sderate person. If he does wrong it is in the most
reasonable way imaginable He fights because the
food of the world requires it. He is moral person
and makes war upon his neighbor for the main
tenance of peace and good order, and sound prin-
ciples He is money making parsonage and
fights for the prosperity of commerce and manu-
actures. Thus the two nations have been fighting
time out Of mind, for glory and good. The French
IN pursuit of glory, have had their capital twice
taken and John, in pursuit of good, has run him
self over head and ears in debt.
"A WAY TO PAY OLD DEBTs-A circumstance
transpired few days since worthy Of passing
notice. and especially so as such instances of justice
are rare at the present day. During the war with
Great Britain, a young man contracted small debt
with the wife of the commanding officer Of the COM
pany to which he belonged, ard which at that time
he was unable to pay 1t was for the making of a
uniform in which to fight the battles of his country.
After the war, still left in condition of poverty,
the time passed until the parties lost sight Of each
other. The young man for whom the uniform was
made obtained situation. and by frugality and in
dustry, in few years accumulated suficency to
establish himself in a small business. He prosper
ed and has now retired upon competency, with a
happy family around him. During the time Of his
prosperity he frequently made inquiries after his
Capt. but until within few days he could not OBJ
toin any clue to his residence. He discovered that
be resided in the north western section Of the city
and with his old age had come the presence Of
limited circumstances. ea gaHa
He found his old friend now totterng on the verge
Of the grave having passed more than four score
years, but he did not find her who, in the days Of
early manhood, had made his garments of war and
in her patriotism had urged him to do duty to his
country. She waslong ago gathered to her fathers,
and the old patriarch still fingers in the world, but
nearly at the end Of the journey Of life. The fact
Of the transaction Of early life was related, but it
had long since passed from the memory Of the old
man. That, however, did not cancel the debt and
be voluntarily paid it four fold. Both Of these are
now numbered amongst the little band of old defen-
ders, but with them the circumstances of life are
changed. In these days the now octagenarian
mad . sufaciency of this worlds goods and the
otner was pennless while now the poor soldier has
grown into the afHuent merchant, and his captain
into the poor and helpless old man. The interview
was very interesting anf it was mutually agreed to
renew the friendship Of iormer wears.
Baltimore american.
FRoA Rio JANErRo.-The bark Phantom at
nalumore, brought dates from Rio to the Sd ult. q
Ihe United States ship Savannah had arrived in
port with officers and men all wen, and the Balm
bridge and Germantown were supposed to be on
Me coast at other points. News of the attack made
~ sne Water Witch by the authorities of Paraguay