New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-26
THE NATIONAL VICE.
A CUSTOM DERIVED FROM OLD ENGLAND.
o the Editor Of The Tribune.

A CUSTOM DERIVED FROM OLD ENGLAND.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: A correspondent lately held up to exc
Grafton in THE TRIBUNE the habit of expectoraon which
he called national vice" and would have us believe
that other peoples do not do dirty tricks" in public.
tired OF having this habit held up distnctively
American and of reading that sinners in point Of
above all those who dwell under the flags OF tho
"effete monarchies" of Europe think American man
ners are be gagged by those of the
who stalk through the galleries of the Old World and
measure their merits by the size Of their halls; by
those who, unable to get into any reputable society at
home, go abroad to disgrace their homes Americans
"spt" and do so too much and too publicly, but this
"yice" is circumstance to the dongs OF gentlemen
in Paris and other continental cities, where the side
walks made more nauseatng than would be believed
possible, if it not fact As for splitting, however,
claim that If it is an American vice. it is inherited
from our English ancestors. II you will examine
OF the books treating the subject OF manners published
by the Early English Text Society, you will md fire.
Quently such warnings as the following:
"Pyke not thy teethe at the table syttyngc
Nor yso at thy meate over muche spytynge."
"Scratche not thy heade with thy fingers
When thou artc at thy meat0;
Nor spyttc you over the table D0ocde |!
See thou doest not this forget.
Pick not thy teeth with thy knyfe
Nor with thy fingers ende"
IF splitting chance to thecs so
Thou canst IL not fOrbearc,
Remember do IL modestly,
Consider who is there.
Tread out, and cleanse it with thy foot,
Let that be done with haste
"If thou art wise, spit beyond the vessel when thou
washest."
"Fro specifying & snctyng kepe thee also"
"Ne spit not lorely loosely for no kyn mede."
This all good advice undoubtedly, but would
have been given II Englishmen had not needed IT, I'm
doubtedy we spit much, and it is a good thing To
fight the habit but let oppose 1t on its merits, and
not get up another International contest by holding ny
expectoratlon as a national vice" The old books Of
manners are amusing, showing how English people
behaved how they ought TO have behaved 800
ago.
III you will look into Mr. Ruskins Fors Clavgera."
you will find that the acute author inyeighs against the
same vile practice II exists among the modern
English. Mr. Ruskin states quote from memory that
on OF his rural walks he espied youth sitting on tho
bank lmpid stream that flowed beneath the shade or
uxuriant trees The critic charmed by the beauties
OF the landscape less than by the intensity with which
the lad gazed the pellucid depths beneath him. To
Mr. Ruskin il was undoubtedly case Of natural.
instructive love OF Reclining on grassy bank
shaded by graceful branches that dipped their leaves in
the pure sream-but You can imagine the poetry ono
could lmprovise such occasion. Full OF the
sentiment OF scene Mr. Rukn reverenty approached
and the boy engaged in splitting into the brook
Probably he expectorating at mark" In tho
style that might be attributed TO Arkansas to the halls
Congress Imagine the disgust Of the author OF tho
Seven Lamps" Put the picture beside the one men
toned before, and guess may safely assert that
splitting is q habit in which Americans indulge because
they have descended from Englishmen
Cambridge, May 20. 1873 ARTHUR GILMAN