The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-10-05
CORRESPONDS NCE.
Letter from France.
HoNFLEUR, FRANCE, Sept. l, 81

MAMIE, CSpI L, OIL.
MeSsrs Editors, Normandy, though
one of the richest and most beautiful pro-
vinces of France, as we'll as the most &C
cessible, is less known to tourists than
many parts of Europe less attractive in
natural features, and endowed with less
that can reward an enlightened curiosity
The ordinary holiday maker at once goes
far afeld to the Alps, to the banks of the
Po or Tiber, to the Moorish monuments
of Spain, perhaps to North Africa. If,
on his return, he casts hasty look at
renovated Rouen during pause in the
journey from Paris to Dieppe, he thinks
he has paid sufficient attention to dis
trict of minor interest which few talk of
having visited, and for which the modern
caravans of tourists are rarely organized
1t is rather the person of special tastes
who makes the easy pilgrimage to the
cathedral of Beauvais, studies the noble
proportions of the church of St. Omer,
or contemplates the grand relics of the
northern architecture of the llth century
at Caen. To this class of travellers
The Quaint Little Town of Honfleur,
nesting amid trees and green hills, on
the opposite side of the Seine, will always
have an interest AS we steam across
the water from Havre the richly wooded
cliff meet our eye sloping down to the
waters edge, with villas and chalets play
ing bo-peep among the trees, and we
fancy that the landscape before us must
have strayed by some mistake from an
inland retreat to this sea-board. Our
fellow passengers in the forepart of the
vessel are numerous and miscellaneous,
and we find ourselves surrounded by a
curious assemblage of peasant women,
fish, mussels, quacking ducks and crow
ing cocks, en- route for eventual SALE By
our side an Objectionable man, with the
appearance of an ostler, pufs cheap to-
bacco smoke III our faces, and we look as
uncomfortable as we feel. But who shall
assert that French gallantry has been de-
stroyed by the Republic? Our ostler
has the manners of prince and on dis
covering that his cheap cigar interferes
with otsr comfort, he throws away the of
Tending luxury with profusion of self
reproachful apologies and
A Stupendous Bow.
Would that we could paint that infinitely
grave performance Frenchman' s bow
The lifting of the hat, the sweeping ex-
tension of the arm to its fullest length
the profound infection of the body, the
while slight respectful smile fingers
about the corners OF the mouth-and the
author of that magnanimous performance
seems to murmur within himself, 81 think
l did that rather well these are things
which cannot be written. Description
renders the whole process ludicrous, but
the impression is very different when the
act itself is contemplated Modern man
ners offer scarcely any form of Difference
SO thorough, so striking, as really well
executed bow. And yet in France the
very boys, and servants know how to ex-
ecute this function with graceful effect
Indeed this is an element Of French char
acter worthy of universal imitation-we
mean their
Civility and Polite Manners.
We know not what actual correlation
there may be between the inner state and
the outward manifestation, but sure we
are, that consciously or unconsciously
from peasant to Count, and in their ha-
bitual attitude toward each other as well
as In casual relationship with strangers,
the French people exhibit in an unri-
vailed degree the grace of courtesy. You
never see wooden Frenchman-or wo-
man. The sentiment Of vitality leaps out
OF every movement---yet every movement
Is graceful. The rapid play of physiog-
nomy, the twisting Of the shoulders, the
nervous oratory of the hands, the sugges-
tive movements of the feet-all these
would be grotesque if not apropos to the
thoughtful and refined. Yet ideas and
sentiments are not only enforced but
thav Y,our or4 &c 49, ..s-.a... II