New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-11-06
OUR PARIS LETTER.

The People ONE MEETS HERE THE
CHARACTER OF THE FRENCH
THEIR CUSTOMS, HABITS AND WANTS
80 THEIR VICES AND VIRTUES
COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE FRENCH
AND THE AMERICANS WHO ARE
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN
THE WORLD? &c. &c.
(From our regular correspondent
PARIS, Oct. 18th, 1873.
The early Frenchmen are reputed
stalwart and Of good height, and
his posterity resembles him except
in statue. The physical character
istics Of the present race show, in
comparison with the American, a
frame more impact, limbs rounder,
and statue smaller. The lean, lanky
person quite common in America is
rare in this race The Frenchmen
is more loosely hung together and
has more swing and gait
gait and gesture. A Frenchman
cannot sprawl while an American
doesit with facility over chairs, count
ers or dry goods boxes. In their re-
pose their is the difference between
the Dorking fowl which perches in
the sun, and the Shangai who basks
his loose limbs in a royal spread.
But what is puzzling to the austerre
theologue is that there are certain
clustering qualities Of symmetrical
harmony and goodness found in the
character of the French, which are
not the development Of an evil, but
a virtuous nature. The key to this
apparently paradoxical state is to be
found in the mans love Of the beau
tiful with which he strives to invest
his religion and life. He is the cul.
tivated pagan of the nineteenth Gen.
fury, whose faculties are developed
in a school of Osthetics were even
his acknowledged church is made
subordinate, Notwithstanding it's
prestige and requirements. The
beautiful in art, in nature, in soul,
and physical form, is the idea of
which he is possessed; and when this
is borne in mind it is easier to I'M
derstand and Judge him. The French
mans education. from an American
point of view, is defective in what
relates to geography and history of
nations other than his own. An or
binary American lad would put him
to the blush on a question upon the
subject. It might be affirmed in his
presence, without fear Of his contra.
diction, that Missouri or New Jersey
formed parts of the Mexican Repub.
lie. He is constantly complaining
Of his government, whatever it is, as
if each nation does not have as good
a government as it deserves, AS if it
depended on the government alone
to correct abuses. He accuses the
the administration of doing to much,
and with reason; but he does not at.
tempt to do anything himself. He
is taken charge of, bag and baggage,
by the Government on his travels,
and carefully looked after in his home
as if he were child. Even the ON.
nibus conductor in certain measure
takes him under his protection, de.
mands his fare with an air of com.
mand, and sets him down at his des.
tination as if he were parcel. The
man clothed in government author.
ity assumes that laconic, not-to.be.
questioned-air, which we frequently
see in our naval or army officers on
duty. This official starch prevades
more particularly the subordinate
agents of each branch of the gov.
eminent. The private citizen is al
ways inclining himself politely right
and left, the official is oppressed with
a sense of his dignity, and seems to
say, "Don't trife with me for
have terrible responsibility on my
shoulders The ''Legion of Hon
ors'' must be easy-for among the
recent lucky recipients Of the above
distinction I find the name of Edison
and Girard, the former one of the
greatest men of the present century,
the latter an ex.clerk in theBuereau
of statistics at Washington and at
present clerk in Commissioner Nc.
Cormicks Office here. This is men,
toned only by way Of comparison.
As to the women of France, her
coquetry is proverbial. It is the oil
in the salad. A Spanish proverb has
X that q kiss without nnnnstochn