Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-05-16

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 English Traits" makes q few
ailirmations which, while contrary to gen.
eral opinion, accurately accord with the
facts as we see them. They refer to the
comparative physical" condition of the
English and American people. Mr.. White
asserts that he has watched crowds of
English people at theatres, festivals,
churches. and railway stations; that he
knows the human physiognomJ Of all
quarters of London, and has walked
through country villages and cathedral
towns; and, as the result of this wide OBJ
servation, he declares that 'the men and
women are generally smaller and less ro-
bust than ours, and. above all, that 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 of
people without color in their cheeks is
nearly the same as here. Now, we also,
unwilling to let vague impression 60 for
truth IN this matter, have stood and pur-
posely watched crowds of people al Eng
llsh railway stations-wherever, indeed,
there were gatherings of men and women
and could but feel that, compared with
similar assemblages here. the ply ysical dif-
ference was but slight. But Mr.. White
dwells upon another point that we also
noted, although the descriptive phrase be
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 military persons, rank and file as
well as officers, and in the police force,
which are, on the whole. inferior In stat
ure and bulk to ours, but far superior in
appearance, owing to the "set-up" of the
men, and the way in which they carry
themselves" This "set-up' is not alone.
according to our observation, confined
to drilled bodies of men. Mr.. White
| must have noticed what supe-
| rior body, in appearance and carriage, the
omnibus-driver and hackmen, are to ours.
The London omnibus-drivers are no such
| who make unslovenly vagabonds as those
who make unsightly the Broadway stage
(by way OF compensation, the New York
vehicle is much superior). They are gen.
orally well clothed, often wearing "high
hat" that stamp'of respectability in Eng.
land. and they sit on their boxes with the
dignity and upright carriage that here we
never see, except on the box OF a private
carriage. Whether omnibus drivers there
are subject TO any form of drill or disci-
pline, we cannot say; if not, then they
must be animated by greater pride and
seli-respect than ours are. Similar facts
may be observed with English railway of
ticials, especially with the guards and por-
ters, who are always trim, neat, cleanly
"set up" men, prompt to serve, but al
ways commanding respect. This is not .
slight matter. If the habits of American
lille tend to make men slolhtul and negli-
gent, if they encourage the spirit of the
loafer and the vagabond (and the recent
rapid multiplication of tramps would seem
to confirm iD, it behooves us to look well
and see whence may come the remedy,
and how to apply it. The good effect of
uniforms in dress upon the morale of men
has often been observed. We see, there
fore, one way in which. in large bodies of
men, the evil mentioned eau be partly
reminded. Conductors on city cars, for
instance, just as they are now on the steam
lines, might be put in uniform: in all 9TH
er cases where it is practicable this should
be done, as one step toward counteracting
an evil tendency OF very serious nature.
l-Applet0n'S Journal.