Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1860-07-05
PhOtOgraph Of the English NATION.

We do not know, says the Home Journal,
when We have read more striking account of
the peculiarilies of the Engllh nation than is
contained in the following, which appeared as
a leader in the London Morning Chronicle Of
June first -" The British nation, like the
British oak. ID full of knots and excrescences.
The vigor of the national constitution is apt to
show itself in variety Of roughnesses, not al
ways pleasant to look at. The British hide is
very much like that ofths rhinoeeros--th ia
nothing sleek or comely about it. The animal
10 not SO rough as his skin, in either case !; bat
appearances are against him. Thus our oddi-
lies and vices are the most evident and intelli-
gible facts about us, and, we may add, the most
picturesque; and we cannot wonder if the
foreigner seizes upon points SO much more
amusing ihanthe dry details of our trade, our
politics. or our family existence. No nation
upon earth has so much of commonplace 10 its
real, and so little in its apparent; life. Our so.
cal evils exhibit themselves bareaecked in the
streets, cong after they have been confined to
decent walls by every police 10 Europe. If
Londoner gels drunk, be forthwith steps into
the road and sings a song. When o hypocriti-
cal Clergyman goes wrong, he does it in SO
clumsy D way that the whole matter comes out
10 month, and is paraded, with editorial COM
ments, 10 every newspaper in England. If we
have an audaeicus quack, he adyeriises on all
sides; if we have noted charlatan, he takes
ball and gives an entertainment. II man
quarrels with bis wife, he alarms the whole
neighborhood by kicking her into the street;
or. ia a wild freak. sells her in the market;
freak which, when it does happen--once in
quarter of scentury--is duly chronicled in
every Journal 10 Europe as a proof of The re-
cognized fact the English are in the habit OF
selling their wives. Ii is pity, in the midst
of all this. ihatthere 10 no country in Europe
where the inner life Of society is more prosoic-
ally sober and virtuously uninterestng than
this same England, whers, externally, oddities
and eccentriclEies meet ycu at every corner
| The last act Of the famous prize fight came of
recently at The Alhsmbra. The drama now
stands before The world. and the world ls wei.
come 10 make the best Of il. Certainly, no
other country would have gathered vast as
semblage, paying guinea a head, TO see two
pugilIstc champions decorated with belt, in
theatrical display. and to the SQUAD of mill
iary music. Just as little could ihe various
scenes of the earlier stages have occurred any
where else. Where else could big American
. digger have thrown the population into emo.
ton wherever he went Where else would
! be have been dramatized into a successful
farce before ha had been a month in the coun
tryl Where else would the attention Of Par
, lament have been called 10 the intended bat
tie Where else would the said battle hsy.
been made q national afaifs one-half of III,
world encouraging IT,. the other reprobating il
/ every one talking about III! Where else wouI,
the police machinery Of great nation hay,
been put 10 action to atop couple OF peasant
from playing at fsscuffs. oaly TO be flied al
ter slll Where else would railway compan
a have run express trains on the occasion, aud
: Icorrespol,dencs follow between themselves an
the government, TO BIO laid on the lslbIe of III
= House of Commons, in consequence offs dislint
y motionl Where else would the fight ise
have been recorded and commented on by III
Iablest pens off literary and learned people =
= And yetws ere not oae whit the more. for a
81 this, a nation Of prize. fighters, OF fighters
i any kind. IfHhs thing hsd been common vii
ID us we should hot have made such fus2 abe