Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1856-10-11

ed with fear that there turks force in thought.
that will sweep away their system
! The view which Mr.. Emerson presents of the
English character in its most conspicuous mani
festatons must impress every reader as too broad
and unqualified, and must be accepted, if accented
at all, with many limitations Indeed, he virtually
acknowledges this himself, and is clearly anxious
to do justice to the more humane and attractive
quantities, which are certainly not wanting in the
natives OF our mother country. The truth is, us
Mr.. Emerson suggests, the English have great
range and variety of character. They are contra
dlctorliy described as sour, splcnetc, and stub
bOrn-and as mild, sweet and sensible Commerce
sends abroad multitudes Of different classes The
choleric Welshman, the fervid Scot, the bilious
resident in the East or West Indies, are wide Of
the perfect behavior of the educated and dgni-
ed man Of family. So is the burly farmer-so is
the country squire, with his narrow and violent
ilte-so Is the commercial traveller. But these
classes are the right English stock, and may
fairly show the national qualities, before yet art
and education have dealt with them.
In some instances too, Mr. Emerson has proba-
bly, exaggerated accidental individual traits into
national characteristics. Certainly he combines
qualities in his delineaton of English manners that
are scarcely compatible with each other. Thus he
more than once audes to the love Of freak which
the English delight to indulge, the personal eccen-
trcity which is tolerated with such wide charity.
lllS Is not easily TecOncledDle Win The passion
for routine, which Is part Of their nature. They
are positive methodical, ceanly, dr, ted to COL
vential ways, and inexorabe on points Ut form. In
an Engllshman you are sure of neltness and Of
personal decOrum. certain order and complete
propriety is found in his dress and in his belong
lngs, No merit counteracts the want of keeping
the proprieties, which is indispensable as clean
linen. But we have already seen according TO MIR.
Emerson, that an Engshman may "'wear a sad
die or stand on his head' without causing remark.
Another discrepancy in the English character. as
drawn by Mr.. Emerson, Is more significant, and is
commented on, though briefly, in his concluding
chapter. Although models of truth in private life,
their public system is tissue of falsites. Their
social institutions in the highest degree artif-
cial. Their law is a network of fctions. Their
property is a scrip for interest on money that
man ever Their social classes are made by.
statute. Their ratios of representative power are
historical and legal. Purity in the elective Parlis-
ment is secured by the purchase Of seats. The
pauper lives better than the free laborer-the thief
better than the pauper-and the transported felon
better than the one under Imprisonment. The
crimes are Fictitious, as smuggling, poachng, nom
conformity, heresy, and treason. The sovereigntg
of the seas is maintained by the lmpressment Of
seamen. SolveRcy is maintained by means of
national debt Their system Of education is fac
titious The universities galvanise dead lansua-
ges into a sembance Of life. The Church Is ar
ti6cal. English life does not grow out of the
Athanasian creed, or the Articles, or the Eucha-
rist. The religion of England is part of good
breeding. The church is the church of the gentry,
not the church of the poor. Their faith is a quo
tation; their church is dol; ; and any examination
is interdicted with screams of terror. The Angl-
can Church is marked by the grace and good sense
of its forms, by the manly grace of its clergy. 1t
has general good name for amenity and mldness.
The Gospel it breaches IS "By taste We are saved.
The doctrine of the Old Testament is the religion
of England. The first leaf Of the New Testament
it does not open. 1t beliyes in Providence which
does not treat with levity pound sterling. The
English, ubhorrng change in all things, abhorring
it most in matters of religion cling TO the last ray
of form, and are dreadfully given to cant. The
Church at this moment has nothing left but posses
sion. The religion which it breaches is nothing
but theatrical Sinai, where the thunders sup
piled by the property-man. If bishop meets an
intelligent gentleman and reads fatal nterrogations
in his eye, he has no resource but to take wine
with him. False position introduces cant, perjury.
simony, and even a lower class of mind and char
acter into the clergy, and when the hierarchy Is
afraid of science and education, afraid Of Piety,.
afraid of tradition, and afraid of theology, their
church has already become no longer a church,
Counterfeits prevail equally in material things.
England is aghast at the disclosure OF fraud inthe
aduteraton of food, of drugs, and of almost every
fabric in her mills and shops. She finds that milk
will not nourish, nor sugar swceten, nor bread sat
isy, nor pepper bite the tongue, nor glue stick.
Thus in trutI-loving England, every thing is false
and forged. The manners and customs OF society
are artificial-Inade up men " Ith made up manners
the whole is Brmin ghamized and we have na-
ton whose existence IS work of art-a cold, bar
rem, almost arctic isle, being made the most fruit
full luxurious, and imperial land in the whole earth
-Nelr York Tribune.