Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-21
English and American Faces.

When l landed, one Of the very few differ
enceS mat observed between the people whom
had left and those among whom mad cone
was Gamer and Serener expression of counte
nance. This In the descending scale of intelli-
gence became stolid look the outward sign Of
mental sluggtshness. But, higher or lower, In
degree or In kind, there it was,-placidity in
stead Of look of intentness and anxiety. Now,
10 suppose that this difference is caused by less
loughtfulness, less real anxiety less laborious-
ness on the part Of the Englisnman is to draw
conclusion directly in face OF the facts. The
t0ll and struggle Of life is harder In England
tlan IL rs mere: poor men are more driven Dy
necessity; rich men think more; among all
classes, except the frivolous part OF the aristoc
racy mot large class, there Is more mental
strain, more real anxiety, than there Is here
where an the material conditions OF life are
easier, and where there Is less care for political
and social matters: Why, then this difference
of look? am inclined to think that it is DUE
In great measure, to difference Of climate
as makes difference In the physical man, but
to result OF climate which Is almost mechani-
cal, and which operates directly upon each in
d1vidual: Briefly, think that an expression OF
anxiety is given to the american" face by an
effort to resist the irritating effect of our sun
and wind. Watch the people as they pass you
their brOws are contracted, their ewes half
closed, and their faces set to resist the GLARE Of
the sun and the flare OF the wind; and Besides,
mer scOrched with the heat For about three
hundred days out OF the three hundred and
sixty five they undergo this irrit ation. and brace
20 e2a9 NEE. nn NOW Sowing brow
an ANXIOUS disturbed, struggling expression of
cOuntenance, whether the man is really any
ious o ana shiugg d or not the
less fixed in the majority of "American'' faces
In England. On the contrary, there is com
The former assertion win be received Witho,,t
question by those who have been In both conn
tries; but the latter may be doubted, and may
b pc REGARDED as strange coming from man who
hours was almost blown bodily off Chester walls,
and came near being wrecked In the MerSey
In fact, there are not unfrequently In England
wind storms OF a severity which, If not un-
known, is OF the greatest rarity in the United
States or In Canada. We have records OF such
storms In England In the past; we read an
nouncements OF them at the present day. had
experience OF one there more severe than any
that remember here, and heard little or moth
ing said about 1t. But In England, when storm
trary, our clearing up" after storm is effected
by the setting in OF northwest wind, against
which 1t Is at first tO1lsome to walk and which
continues to blow cut OF cloudless sky for days.
Win Virulence quite dlab0lical. Because it
does not rain or snow, people call the weather
fine, and delude themselves with the notion that
the wind is ''bracing;" but nevertheless they go
set faces, as they brace themselves up to endure
1t. on my return this wind met me nearly two
hundred miles at sea- 1t was something the
llkt VI w llCu uau uOC IelC once While out or
reach OF American shores. The air was as clear
as diamond; the sky was as blue as sapphire
and as hard as steel; the moon, about fifty
thousand miles higher than 1t was In England,
DlaZed W1tA cold, cherries light; life seemed
made up Of bright points; and the wind blew
from the northwest, not tempestuously or In
gusts, but with steady, overbearlng persls'-
smile; it is itself alone. knew that was near
home. There Is nothing of this kind In Eng
land. Not only did not find it In my brief eX-
there aBy record The absence OF it there and
the presence of 1t here may, / think. be reason.
ably regarded as very important influence in
the fashtoning the facial habit # the people
OF the two countries. All the more does this
seem probable because have observed that
americans" who reside In England for few
years generally lose, In great measure, If not
turn to their own shores soon acquire it again
or course there are numerous exceptions to
these remarks In both countrles-TJulu tlantic