New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-14
AMERICAN CIVILIZATION.
THE VIEWS OF MATTHEW ARNOLD.
FOREIGN AND NATIVE CRTTICs-wHAT AMERICA HAS
AND WHAT SHE NEEDs-RELIGIoN AND THE
SCHOOLS.


AND WHAT SHE NEEDs-RELIGIoN AND THE
SCHOOLS.
From The Nineteenth Century
From some quarters in America come reproaches
to us for not speaking about America enough. ior
not making sufficient of her in illustration oil
what we bring forward. Mr.. llgginson expresses
much surprise that when, for instance, dilate on
the benefits of equality. it is to France That nave
recourse for the illustration and continuation oil my
thesis not TO the United States. Boston news
paper suppOses me TO speak OF American manners
as vulgar" and finds, what is woIse, that Inc
atlantic Monthly, commenting on tins supposed
uttcrance OF NINE, adopts II and carries u IuTtner
For the writer in The atlantic NOnfhfy says that,
indeed " the hideOusness and vulgauty 0l American
manners are undenable, ana that redemption -
only to he expected ny the Work OF Ie" ehlhu7I1,
astc individuals conscious of cultivated tastes anu
generous desires; or these enthusiasts are pres
emily called by the writer. rather highly CIVILIZED
individuals n few in each OF our great cities anu
their environs." The Boston newspaper observes,
with good deal Of pcint. that 1t rs from these ex
ceptOnal enthusiasts that tue heroes OF tine taeS Oh
Mr. James and Mr.. Howells seem 10 be recruited:
IL shrewdly describes them as people who spend
more than halt their lie IN Europe, ana return
only to scOld their agents ior the slnainess o
Iemittances: :" and protests that such people VIII
have and can have, no perceDhDe lnnuence LOT
good on the real civilization OF America Then
our Boston friend turns to me again, says thaG IL
is vulgar people from the largo cities who have
given Mr.. Arnold his dislike OF American manners,
and adds that if it should ever happen that nara
destiny should force Mr. Arnold to cross the Az
lantic" should find in the smaller cities OF the
interior III the Northern, Middle aud Southwestern
States, an elegant and simple social ORDER as en-
tirely unknown in England. Germany OF Italy as
the private lite Of the dukes or princes 81 the hood
is unknown in America" Yes, shonld ma a
manner of life belonging to the highest clVlIatlon
i'm towns I'm counties and in States whose names
had never been heard by me; and. If could take
the writer IN Tine atlantic Monthly TO SEE 1t along
with me. it would DO him, says his compatriot' a
great Zeal of good
I do not remember to have anywhere. in my too
numerous writings. spoken Of American manners as
vulgar. or to have expressed my dislike 81 them
have long accustomed myself TO regard the pcoIe OIL
the United States Just the same people with our
selves rs simply the English on the other SIDE OF
the Atlantic The ethnOlOgy OF that American
diplomatlst who the other day assured Berlin
audience that the great admiXture Of Germans had
now made the people of the United States AZ much
German rs English has not yet prevailed with me-
adhere 10 my old persuasC II, the Americans OF me
United states are English people on the other side
of the Atlanic ! learnt 1t from Burke. But from
Burke | learnt, too. with what immense conse-
nucnces and effects this simple malter-the settle
meut of a branch of the Lngbh people on the OF hef
side of the Atlautic-was. from The TINE cl thelr
constitution as an independent Io"eI' c'it"i"iy
and inevitably charged
CHALLENGES To CRITICISM
As for nv esteeming it hard destiny which
should force me to visit the United States, | will
borrow Goethes wor Is and say that not the spirit
is bound but the foot -; with the best will III the
world Have never yet been able to 90 70 America.
and probably never shall be able But mlny
kind communication I receive from that quarter :;
and when one has much dscnursed on equality and
on civilization. and then is told that IN America a
lover of these Will find lust what suits INN. ana Is
invited and almost challenged. to turn ones eyes
there and 10 bear testimony 10 what one behodS
if seems ungracIous or cOwardY to take no notice
at an of such challenges. but to 20 on talking OF
equality and civilization just as # America had
never existed True there Is Mt Lowers warning
EnglIshmen easily may tall into absurdltles IN
crtlcising america, most easily Of all when they
do not and cannot, II with their own eyes. but
have to speak of 1t from what they read. Then,
too people are sensltlye certainly 1t would be
safer and pleaSanter to say nothing. And rs the
prophet Jonah, when he hal % message for Nheveh,
plrried OIL IN alarm for JOppa, and incontlnently
took ship there for Tar,hsh in Just the opposite
direction, so might ind plenty OF reasons tor
running away from the task when one Is sum
mOned to give ones opinion OF American clylliZa-
worthy calculation. petty human reason mongerng
-,nenschIche JernuRfttlei-whlch made Jonah run
away from his task IN this fashion; and we Will
not run away from ours. difficult Though 10 be.
Besides there are considerations which diminish
its difficulty. When one has confessed the belief
that the social stem OF ones own country Is so far
from being perfect that 1t presents us WIN the
spectacle of an upper class materlalized middle
class yugarZed q lower class brutalzed one has
earned the right, perhaps, to speak with candor OF
the social systems of other countries. MI. Lowell
complains that English make our narrow
Angcism. as he calls it. the standard of all
things; but we worth nothing" says Mr..
Lowell of himself and his countrymen, we are
worth nothing except so lar rs we nave dlSinlected
member for Glamorganshlre. goes 10 traNel IN
America and when he comes back, delighted with
the country and the people. he publishes his
opnon that Just two things are wanting 70 their
House OF Lords.