The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-02-07
English Reserve.

johnson gave as reason for the re-
serve habitual among Enlishmen that
"we do not as yet understand the com
mon rights Of humanity" inferring
thereby that time would come when,
by the better understanding of those
rights, this characteristic would be ef-
faced. This was spoken ninety-nine
years ago, but ii can not be conceded
that the wished-for consummation has
been attained. In fact, it may be said
that with our more frequent and init
mate acquaintance with foreigners, our
suspicion of them has intensified; nut
our insular reserve Is quite rs remarka-
BILE among ourselves as in our inter-
course with strangers. AS q French
writer remarked, we surround ourselves
with seemingly imponetrable wall OF
ice, but, the walls being once penetrated,
absolute capituation follows; and even
Goldsmith's "Ciiizen of the World,' in
summing up the national character, de-
clarcd that he would have men of any
other nation as acquaintance, but En-
glishmen as friends.
We carry this love of privacy into
every walk of life, and under I'LL circum-
ces. An Englishman entering train
at terminus may be observed invaria-
bly, TO choose an unOccnpied compart-
ment, aud by his looks almost resents rs
| intrusion the entrance OF any one else.
Two Englishmen may be the sole guests
at foreign table d'hOo, may be seated
within a few inches Of one another, yet
he meal will pro yrcss from soup 10 des-
sert without the exchange Of a word be-
tween them. 1t has, In fact, become
almost u standard rule of propriely
among us that strangers should not adj
dress one another without having under
gone tho formal process Of introduction,
and we are all familiar with the story OF
q Frenchman whom an Engli,hman had
saved from drowning, and who en-
braced his benefactor with al the eifu-
sion of his race, but was met with the
EN- ark, almost as chilly as had been
his bath: "Sir, have not the honor Of
your acquaintance
Hence the almost unbr0Gen silence
which prevails whenever party Of
Englishmen strange 10 each other are
| lOHtLIlEIs III LnD IiO"ibi
trains which 90 in and ont Of orr capital
every morning and evening il is quite
unusual to hear rem VII, nude, not so
much because the occupants are en-.
gagged with their newspapers as because
there 10 nothing in common between
them and il by chance word should
be spoken, it Il almost ludicrou5 to
notice the absorbing interest it creates
In the hearts OF the other passengers.
That the characteristic Of reserve Is
deeply implanted in the English nature
is sufficiently proved by the familiar
fact that, however thoroughly at home
and free and easy people may become
in the course Of IN evening, repentance
comes next morning, and the meeting
in the streets during the day is marked
by all the old sand .nilishness and for
: mlliy. Every Englishman's house j.
his castle, and in nothing Is the Engliil
| love Of privacy better excmpiiIied thar
: in the cha &c which comes over MAJ
when once he has crossed his owr
threshold. He breathcs freely, and thu
outer man by which he is known to tn,
/ world is cast of rs an actor dOffS hi
stage costume.
| And yet not even the privacy of homt
: is always able to bari>h the English
mans reserve. The habit begot o
, constant assumption in the outer worlt
Q too often becomes second nature, and i
: carried into the family circle; hence tn
0 awe with which Patcriamilias is oite
, regarded by the olive branches. y,
/ man is hero to his own valet, hut tn
EngIi.h a'her is very often Il being o
: another world in the eyes Of his off
0 spring, and although we may rdicul
= the way in which hrsutc foreigI
i. gentlemen of mature age embrace an,
8 cuddle one another after an absence o
: few hours, it is, perhaps, regretab
o that we do not see u little more Of Tn
o Englsh father leaning on his sons arm
s while rs to such childish freak rs II
exchange of kisses, Young Hopeful
O after his first term at n public school
o feels himself very much above that
n Much OF our character abroad TO
V absurdly pompous pride is traccablc t
L our habiual reserve, and the forcigno
t can not be taught 10 believe that in min
!, cases out of ten this is simply the reSul
n OF shyness. Many an Englishman will
i rather than ask u stranger for ligl
,. for his cigar, deprive himself OF
-. smoke. He may be longing to scan th
r. contents of n newspaper lying idle on
= railway carriage seat, but because il
J; the property Of u stranger he will con
= tinue his journey unsatisIicd. Eve
=, Scotchmen are more sociaole apd CON
J, municativo than Englishmon: Scotch
:. men are brothers al the world over, Il
= any resident in the East, or Australia
J: or Canada. can testify. But English
4 men are strangers 10 ane another. 4
i. pinch they viii put their shoulders u
/, firmly aud solilIy logothlr Us any men
but the pinch over and the crisis past
;. they arc once again strangers, an,
n cease TO have tho smallest interest i