Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-05-11
American and English Physique.

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" in an article entitled
"Eoglish Traits" makes few affirmatious
which, while contrary to general opinion, &C.
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 theaters,
festivals, churches and railway 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 gener-
ally smaller and less robust than ours, aud,
above all, the women are, on the whole,
sparer and less blooming than ours" He
thinks there are more very ruddy people in
England, but that delicately graduated bloom
is not very common, while the proportion oil
people without color in their cheeks is nearly
the same as hero. Now, we also, unwilling
to let the vague impression go for truth in
this matter, have stood aud purposely watched
crowds Of people at English railway stations
-werever, 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 dwels upon another point that W.
also noted, although tho descriptive phras'
he uses in his own. He speaks of the supe
ror "set-up" Of the men-meaning Of course
their carriage aad bearing. This, he tell
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 thu
whole, inferior in stature and bulk to ours
but far superior in appearance, owing to tn
'set.up' of the men, and the way they carr.
themselves" This "set-up" is not alone &C
cording to our observation confined to drile'
bodies of men. Mr.. White must have no
ticed what superior body in appearance
and carriage, the omnibus drivers and hack
men are to ours. The London omnibus driv
eFs are no such ragged and slovenly vaga
bonds as those who make unsightly tn
Broadway stage 10y way Of compensation
the New York vehicle is much superior.
They are generally wellclothed, often wear
ing "high hat" the stamp Of respectable
in England, and they sit on their boxes wit
tho dignity and upright carriage that here "
never see, except on the box of aprivate cal
riage. Whether omnibus drivers there, ar
subject to any form Of drill or discipline, W
cannot say if not then they must be an
mated by greater pride and sell-respect tina
ours are. Similar facts may be observed wit
English railway officials, especially with tn
guards and porters, who are always trim
neat, cleaner, "set-up" men, prompt to serv
but always commanding respect. This is ne
a slight matter. If the habits Of America
life tend to make men slothful and negligen
! if they encourage the spirit Of the loater au
vagabond land the recent rapid multiple;
} ton Of tramps would seem to confirm itl,
behooves us to look well and see whenC
) may come the remedy and how to apply
! The good effect of uniforms in dress upC
the morals of men has often been observes
q We SEQ, therefore, one way 10 which, in lare
!, bodies of men, the evil mentioned can
partly remeded Conductors on city car
: for instance, just as they are now on Il
i steam lines, might be put in uniform; 10 a
cases where it is practicable this should
done, as one step toward counteraotlug a tel
: dency Of very serious nature.-FrOm Al
0 piston journal for May.