Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-08-06
Americans in England.

In an article upon the American visit
ors who are now focking to Europe, the
London Times says "American tourists
speak Of coming, not to Great Britain,
but to Europe. Some even persuade
themselves that Paris is their actual goal.
Large numbers Of them spend less time
in these islands than on the European
continent. They are to be found more
profusely in every European capital than
in London. It is to be feared Americans
commonly find English family circles not
7ery accessible. Every Englishman has
learned to value the friendship Of the
few whom accident or introductions have
made known to him. But for the ma
jority Of transatlantic visitors, English
domestic life is as sealed book as
French Or italian. They arrive with a
kind of belief that they are returning
home they go back with so much in
formation on English nature and habits
as can be obtained by perambulating the
streets and comparing the fare and
charges Of thirty or forty hotels in differ
ent parts Of the kingdom. A foreigner
among people speaking a different Ian
:guage, and all whose institutions indi-
cate different origin, does not expect to
feel at home. Americans in England do
not feel themselves foreigners, and must
be painfully surprised to discover how
entirely they are strangers. The con-
trast can scarcely fail to be the ruder for
the conviction Of most Americans that in
their own country they would extend a
much warmer hospitality to British WIS.,
itors. The truth is that British visitors
to the United States at present gain by
their rarity, and American visitors to
Great Britain lose by their abundance.
Engishmen in the United States are
still few enough to occupy the position
Of guests Of the nation. Americans dis
embark at Liverpool in numbers much
too great for individuals to be noticed,
unless they adopt means to render them
selves Individually considered. In pro-
portion as the inestimable advantages
begin to be understood Of being able to
observe the operation Of British qualities
and institutions in new circumstances,
English visitors to the United States
must prepare to dispense with the. ex-
traordinary attentions which at present
minister to their sense Of personal i'm
portance. We should rejoice if, on the
other hand, Englishmen would take
more pains to facilitate for Americans
who desire.it the means of making ac-
quaintance with English life as it really
is. The more direct the intercourse be-
tween English and American homes the.
brighter will be the prospect Of perma-
nent international goodwill. Every au-.
tumn tourist in New York and Pennsyl-
yania and New England comes back with
q cordial admiration Of the country he
has traversed, and still more Of its peo-
pie. Roughness and crudities which Of
fend on the surface disappear on nearer
approach. The same pleasant conse-
quence would attend q closer familiarity
Of American tourists in Europe with Brit
ish peculiarities. Il the legion Of travel
ers which the United Kingdom is prom
ised during the next few months from
the United States will consent to study
their blood relations Of the mother coun-
Try from some less-general points Of
view than the EPSON race course OF the
ride ~ Hyde Park, and If Englishmen
VIII afford them opport unities, The tenn
Porary migration may answer g more
durable pulpose than the inundaion Of
the United States with. French fashions
and unanthenticated italian arb !"