New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-19
UHY THE BRITISH TR1VELLER LSNCT BE-
LOVLD.
Ii.on, rhs IN NnR Gazens.


The dislike of England ~ shared by many people
who care very little abOut policies and arc not
over Durdcued by historical notions, correct OF
incorrect 1t is due in their breasts simply to con-
tact with the ubiquitous travelling BrltOn: lhlt
parsonage docs not hate the foreigner. ar from IT,
RE either does not notice him at all when ~
surely inoAensige. or takes cOndescendlng IN
tercst in him, for which tho foreigner onGht TO De
grateful. Owing to strange perversity 0l ms
nature. however. tho foreigner IS not grateful In
difference and c0ndescenSOn alike excite his anti
pathy He likes foreign visitors to fall into his
own IL ode OF life, and 10 converse with nm az WIN
an equal Now. there are various reasons why the
travelling BrltOn as n rule, cannot OF Will hoI
obge him in this respect. In the ilrst place. he IS
generally quite lgnOrantot his language, an &C
nuaintauce with the tongue of the country one IS
about 10 VISIT beng regarded as shperllully by
May Englishmen. There are. m0reUVer, certain
peculiarly English virtues the absence 0i when l.
the foreigner no cannot get over ana t'ie presence
of which IN himself fills him with PRIDE IN Itself
Unsuitable but occasionally inordlhate. ne Is con
sclOus for instance. that he washes nuch oltcher'
and attends divine service provided he can catch
his English chaplain, with much more regularity
than the people with whom he comes into contact
Now cleanliness and goincss are no doubt OK .
cellcnt twin virtues 1t Is Only pity tha' they
shOud give TO their pOsSesSOr an air OF superiority
which is a stumbling block to friendly intercourse.
When unaccompancd, moreover, bv other grdces
of life-and there other Graces-they are not III
Themselves sufficient to disPel prejudice or win
affection. Aud perhaps the amnesty when the
superior demeanor of the Engllshnan eXrites is
heightened by the envy that III many cases the
FOREIGNER cannot help feeling tor us fortunate
islanders IL is not only that we are rich.
Americans are often much richer, and yet net half
so much disliked 1t is not only That we appear
exceedingly well satisfied with ourselves There
are certain advantages enjoy and that without
apparent merit OF our own which In themselves
excite jealousy that is near AKIN to hatred. Not
the least OF these is our security. II Is not always
easy Tor EBgl!shmeu to realize how great pry
lcge in the eyes of Frenchmen or Germans IS that
protection from attack and interference which
other European peoples have 10 purchase at so in
mense "a sacrifice. while we enjoy II aS brtnright
by virtue OF our nsular position
And then. wheTever the travelling foreigner goes,
and more and the iuI her he goes he finds the
Engllshman comfortable ana apparently at home.
while he is made to feel himself In strange land,
and ~ treated more or less an intruder. All this
is hard for human wealIneSStO bear. and IL is made
no easier by the fact that, while the foreigner is
setting il down TO the iEnglshman's good luck the
Englishman always nnquestlOningly sets It down TO
his excellence and prcSunes on the strength of
il to preach constant hOmilies to the foreigner
ness for preaching which is the prime cause of the
dislike 18th which we are regarded. The English
man is nothing II not moral. To other people he
NAV seem to travel trade COLOMBO for his own
pleasure or profit. In his own eyes he has ALWAYS
cvzing mission. At home. too, he Is the self
constituted spiritual adviser OF all Europe He Is
forever exhOrting others to do what is convenient
from interference with his expeditions for their
own moral good. Like other spiritual advisers
moreover he is not 90 stlngy rs 10 cOnlne his ex-
hortatons to points in which his own character *
irrepIoacha6le But 1t Is only III human nature 10
resent being preached at and to attempt TO re-
taliate by picking holes in the character of tile
preacher. Ordinary sinners are always delighted by
any little bit of scandal about parson and some.
times perhaps even try to get up a scandal out of
rather fllmsy materials.