The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-04-26
Americans in Europe.
saturday Review.l

The Americans in Europe may be roughly
divided into three classes. First come the cul-
tivated and aesthetic few, of the type that the
late Mr. Longfellow glorifed in his Hyperion"
and that Mr.. James loves to elaborate in Sc
ries of novels which would seem more artistic
were they less monotonous. Then follows the
far more considerable body who are refined in
manners rather than in intellect and who,
settling chiefly in France, although sometimes
in Italy, chameleon-like, take the colors of the
people they live among. Finally, We have
the grand rush of the tribes of the Philistine-
or tourists proper, who might of course be sub
divided almost indefinitely, but who neverthe-
less have their most characteristic features in
common. The cultivated American. when he
does not carry Batheticism to excess and imi-
tate the morbid eccentricities OF the feminine
minded English philanderer, is one of the most
agreeable and entertaining OF travelling COM
panions. 1t is a godsend when the solitary
English tourist stumbles upon him in one of
those out-of-the-way towns which are the rel
les of the middle ages and the favorite resorts
of Mr.. James's heroines. He is a man of the
world, yet something of a dreamer, with a
great deal of student He seems to steep his
soul at the shortest notice in the CHARACTERISTIC
spirit of the place; yet he regards objects and
their associations from the original standpoint
of one who has been bred in new country and
braced by habitualcontact with the practical.
He is well, if somewhat specifically, read, and
he has dreamed and speeulated with thought
full interest on the arts which he has master ed
theoretically, ifnot mechanically. And with
al he generally shows a certain modesty OF
thought which is far from being conspicuous
feature of the national character, as of one
who feels himself treading unfamiliar ground
and is cropping hiG way cautiouly to conclu-
sionS.
In short, the cultivated American, when he
is free from one absorbing taste, is generally
an excellent fellow and capital comrade-al-
ways ready to change the subject of converse
ton at hint, and able to meet you agreeably
on most topics We may say as much of his
countrymen who are settled in Europe, al
though their discourse is rather social than In
telectual. To politics they are, for the most
part, profoundly Indifferent; at least their on
ly strong feeling on the subject is hearty de-
testation of Democratic institutions Conse-
uuently the feelings of the American colony in
France are anything but friendly to the exist
ing form of government; and at best they have
resigned themselves to the Republic with cold
acquiescence. Their strong points are horses
and hospitality. The American likes the hab-
its of the French, and fatters himself that he
rather shines in the salons; bat what he res
poets in the Englishman is his knowledge of
horsefesh and the hereditary firmness OF his
seat in the saddle. The only time when, as
rule, he cares to face the fogs and damp of our
island is on the eve of one of the great summer
race meetings, especially if American colors
are likely to run forward. The spring meet
ings are somewhat too thoroughly professional
for his tastes; and even the Injuries and
good company of the Langham can scarcely
tempt him to risk the probable inclemency
of the weather. Even in an hotel he cannot
help feeling hospitable; and he would rather
any day entertain an old acquaintance than &C
cept that acquaintance's invitation to pot-luck.
The genial back-settlement fashion OF standing
drinks to everybody all round at the bar has
developed in him into the art or instinct of
dinner-giving. In his own home and at his
own round table he is seen in his glory. He is
seldom or never guilty of those dreary state
banquets which have the solemnity and chill
profusion of funeral feasts; and we need hardly
say that he holds aloof from those public enter
tainments, with their interminable 'orating,"
which come off periodically in Paris at the
"Grand" or the CONTINENTAL Hotel. He is no
public speaker, although he is pleasant talk
er. he asserts his snug little parties OF six or
eight, thoughtfully mixing the materials &C
cording to his knowledge of men and women