The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-14
SOME NEW BOOEy.
An Ensilsh Picture Of German Manners.


tho "countfy Of he milards." there was ample
room fora dispassionite. painstakinQ. veraciOus
photograph presenting the domestic and social
side Of German civilization. The sketches re-
printed from FTuser's NtudziIe, under tho title
OF German Homo LIE tApretons). lro the WORK
Of an English lady. who IS understood to have
Ind exceptional opportunities. aud they have
Received, both In her own country and In Paris.
something ike the ovation winch IL offered to
tho explorers II unknown countries. Set form
with ifeful eye to compression and arrange
mont. aud eniyencd by piquant style. tue au-
fhor's observations reveal to most OF Us for the
nrst lime the habits, ideas preludces. and short
ComiDrs, IN word the whole frame and temper
Of "good society" In the German Empire.
This book does not pretend TO Introduce ne to
the houses OF princes or the higher mobility. and
the author explain, that a middle class" as
the torm Is understood IN Engl .nd. has no place
IN the German social system. The people whose
acquaintance we make belong to that vist Sec
ton Of society IN the Fdtherl ma whicn, stand
Ing between the ereai lords and the comm onal-
~, h chiefly recruited from Younger sons OF the
former class, Il imbuci with all the pride OF
caste and political prejudices that govern arIs-
tocratic communities, aud combines, not sell
dom ia manner Painful to tue beholder, large
prstensiOns with most inadequate means. Al.
though the reader nl.ht wish n llrg,r refer
ence TO university md commercial coteries.
there Is no doubt that steel and red pc rre-
vail, for the time being. over business enterprise
aud culture, aud that the tone and the circles
which the author undertakes to describe pre-
pondorate IN Imperial Germany.
When the door Of strangers house IL opened
the first thing brought to our notice IA the de-
meaDOr " his servant, and this picture OF
"homc ne" begins with he feltur, Of domcs-
ie attend 4 ar - ha f,oa
paid IN f,therlind are very far from being
earned and that. beside the German cook or
huusemaid the American "belp' and London
"slayes' are miracles OF accomplishment. Al
though German girl may h vo served In four
or nve different houses. she viii have done so In
adGcrent capacity in each, aud Is, therefore.
Jill Of all trades and mistress OF none" 1t is
q significant fact that tie regular house servants
are expected to wash their own cio,he, AMI
those OF the family, without the assistance Of a
Iaundress, custom which leads to n distressing
economy 10 III dters OF cleanliness. 1t IL said to
be the boast ct Alderman Hal.frn that shc has
a"w.sh" only twice year. This announce
great boards OF linen, and Is Intended to strike
awe aud admiration into your soul. In every
rejecting person. however, we need not " thlt
puch practice IL calculated To inspire feelings
of horror al the accumulation OF unhe glthiness
and unpo - intnes4 which must he the nece.-
sary consequence. Those who desire to keeulv
appreciate Fsl.tad- mostuns .vory exps fence.
would do well to enter the Wd~chkitimoi Of q
German mansion where tue soiied linen OF
months Is stored.
German woman servant continues TO he
maid OF all work until circumstance" elevate
her 10 a higher position. She becomes a mother.
and this opens a fresh career to her nc an
Ammo, or wet nurse IL appears to he ex-
tremelv rare for a German lady to noArish her
own child and the author states that during
seven years residence she only knew two gen
tlewomen who had accomplished this natural
duty. Under these circumstances IN ANN,
becomes person OF consider zion. Not the
smallest disgrace or loss OF Oh irIcter " attached
90 the irreguarity OF conduct which IL almost
Invariably the origin Of her promotion to
higher sphere. Her wages are qlldruplcd; her
fare, by comparison. is sumptuous ;she Is tr mly
and spsr,ly clad; she can never be scoided,
and is called upon to fulhl but one duty.
namely that which nature has imposed upon
the mother, aud which the mother Is con
strained to delcyate to her. Altogether II Is
not surprising that plenty ~ women are willing,
and contrye 10 he ready 70 follow this cccupa
sion. II Il iar TO add thar mtrTilgc among the
lower orders in Germany Is cumhered about
with So many restrictions and conditions that 1t
las come to be looked upon almost an i'm
possibility.
Prom the aYtho,', aec,ua, we should iu,r
that German furniture was chiefly corsnicuous
nv ia absence. bnt. taking the ward I'm n lnr,e,
seose IA con,prehendin, An In. p.r,uborn, lii, Of
Nvinp. IL has some other charac.eri.,i,s worth
notice A rey,rl. interior nrranremen,. IL
appears that every house Is divided into hat-.
with common staircase for all the nccup ants
and common door. lii. scheme Of drain,-,.
IL almost invariably defective and ia A c,n.e-
,mence typnoid feverisanot infreuu. visitor
The system Of LAYING water ON through pins q,
only now struggling into feeble exi.ten,. Ia
Germany, ana the servants In most houses ave
10 fstch ever, drop of water for the family b.
lutIons for cooking and drinking purposes
from the Brufnen Ia the court yard or across
the street. In this primitive state OF things we
cannot wonder that baths and tuOs ,lo not enter
into the plau Of bedroom conyeni,nces. or that
the Gernan's person,l ablutinn, on a larxe seal.
should be undertaken AZ the public paths.and are.
10 put A. mildly occasional. Moreover although
me tenant ON the ground lDor IA supposed t.
keep the HdUsfur IN order. he who ,lwells above
him to provide Lr the cleaning Of the stain
leading from the hrs, lat t. the house door. aud