Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-05-11
Anne rican and English Physique.

h"N ohu EhShSh
Mr.. Richard Grant White, who has re-
Gently been abroad, and who has set down
certain of the experiences purchased by his
penny of observation" i'll an article entitled
English Traits" makes a few ailirmations
which, while contrary to general opinion. ac-
curately accord with the facts as We have
seen them. They refer to the comparative
physical condition of the English and Amer
lean people. Mr.. White asserts that he has
watched crowds of English people at theatres,
festivals, churches, and railways-stations;
that he knows the human physiognomy of all
quarters of London. and has walked through
country villages and cathedral-towns; and, as
the result Of this wide observation, he de-
clares that 'the men and women are gene
rally smaller and less robust than ours, and,
above all, the women are, on the whole
sparer and less blooming than ours" He
thinks there are more very ruddy people i'll
England, but that delicately- y-graduated bloom
Is not very common, while the proportion of
people without color in their cheeks is nearly
the same as here. Now, We also, unwilling
to let vague impression go for truth in this
matter, have stood and purposely watched
crowds OF people at English railway stations
wherever, indeed, there were gatherings of
men and women-and could but feel that,
compared with similar assemblages here, the
physical difference was but slight. But Mr.
White dwells upon another point that We
also noted, although the descriptive phrase
he uses is his own. He speaks of the supe-
rior 'set-up' of the men meaning, ,,,of course,
their carriage and bearing. This, he tells
us, appears in marked degree in all mill
tary persons, rank and file as well as officers,
and in the police force, which are, on the
whole, inferior in stature and bulk to ours,
but far superior in appearance owing to the
'set-up' OF the men, and the way they carry
themselves" This ''set up" is not alone. ac-
cording to our observation. confined to drill
ed bodies of men. Mr. White must have
noticed what superior body in appearance
and carriage, the omnibus drivers and hack
men are TO ours. The London omnibus driv-
ers are no such ragged and slovenly vaga-
bonds as those who make unsightly the
Broadway stage (by way of compensation,
the New York vehicle is much superior
They are generally well-cothed, often wear
ing "high hat, the stamp of responsibility
IN England, and they sit on their boxes with
the dignity and upright carriage that here We
never see, except on the box OF a private car
riage. Whether omnibus-drivers there, are
subject to any form of drill or discipline, we
cannot say; If not, then they must be ami
ours are. Similar facts may he observed with
English railway officials. especially with the
guards and porters, who are always trim,
neat, cleaner ''set-up' men, prompt to serve
but always commanding respect. This is
not slight matter If the habits of Ameri-
can life tend to make men slothful and negll-
gent, If they encourage the spirit Of the
loafer and vagnbond (and the recent rapid
multiplication of tramps would seem to CON
firm it). IT behooves us to look well and See
whence may come the remedy, and how to
apply it. The good effect of uniforms i'll
dress upon the morals of men has often been
observed. We see therefore, one way III
which, in large bodies of men, the evil men
toned can be partly remedied. Conductors
on city cars. for instance, Just as they are
now ON the steam lines, might t.e put i'll uni
form; IN all other cases where it liz prncticn-
ble tins should be done as one step toward
counterncting a tendency of IL very serious
nature. From lppiton'S .io'rHai fer NIg
The course of the Pre- idents vile in re-
tusing u serve wine even at state dinners
will be heartily approved ty Others than
the advocates of total abstinence from in
toxicating liquors. Leaving the matter Of
what is called temperance wholly out of
consideration. it IL an excellent thing for
the mistress OF the Executive Mansion to set
an example of plain living. Washington
society governs itself by the example which
is set IN the families Of the President and
his Cabinet, and OstentGtion there i'll
duces extrayagance throughout Washing
ton society, and tempt4 men to live beyond
their means. to speculate and to peculate,
ana every example set in the White House
OF simplicity OF life IL a safeguard against
the oxtravagance OF which corruption comes
N Y. ErcaHg Post.
TnUs they quarreleI and fought this
morning for the May moving cart: Fake
your legs out of my face. " said the looking
glass t. the dining table. YOU'RE crowd
ing me to death, said the bandbox u the
family Saratoga. Keep your arms out of
my drawers" squeaked the bureau to the
arm char "Who's that singing out NJ
derncaih there?" said the tones. It's me. "
quOth the soup tureen; you're standing
on my h, ad" "Oh dear oh dear nv
back Is broken" said the book case, and
then a. the cart rolled on. the clamor of tie
family furniture was lost in the rattle OF
the street Nao York Graphc.
Tuls - the way the Chicago Times pro
diets he result OF the Turc0-RussIan war
at will terminate in the extinctinctiun of
Islam perishing in an ecstasy OF rapinc,
blood aud hate. and ever its btdizcn,d ruins
will the cold despotism Of the north dcscrnd
to the Bosphorus, to he-tride that harrow
world like a Colossus. the petty princes OF
the East and the assisting nations or the
West to pass under the huge legs"