The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-09-14

Satire is game that two can play at. and
Mr.. Max OlIoll's caustic arraisnment of things
English has called forth q smart rejoindcr en-
titled John L,lrs Neiphbor tR. A. Saalleid,. In
a brochure Of some hundred pages the anony-
nous author. who combines undoubted clever
moss with ar almost brutal frankness under
takes to convict Frerchmon OF the following
unpleasant faults. to wit: Il total disregard for
the truth egreglous vanity repulsive immoral
ity. GOdlessness. fRithlossness and physical rs
we'll rs moral I'LL cleanliness Not content with
demonstrating that Paris. as compared with
London. fairly reeks with Nth and hideous cor
ruption. no denies to 1t even those traditional
good qualities with which Englishmen are wont.
too hastily. he thinks. to credit 1t. He charges
the Frsnchmnn OF our day with cowardice.
laughs at his proiesseu rsinoment and good
taste. prOnounces bis theatres grossly over
rated. and his opera house fraud. and finally
will not even admit that he knows good vino or
good cooking when no sees it. As not a few OF
these assertions are strlkinGly paradoxicaI. 1t
will interest our readers to review the evidence
BY which our author would sustain them.
1t will be remembered that Messrs. Max
O'Rell. Jules Valles. and Hector France have
great deal to say about tho vco aud suuaIor
OF what they are pleased to call horrible Lon
DON" Our English champion rctorts with
DHaussonvil!e and other French pubiicists OF
high repute. N. DHrussonvllle has shown. in
the Rrpmc dss De,y Mo'tdss. that for every
2O0O.OOO Of population in London there are
only l25. 900 INDECENT persons. whereas. out OF
tho same number OF inhabitants In Paris. there
arc l5l. 900 helpless poor. Nor is this ALL We
learn. on tho same authority that Paris
misery is stationary. whilo London misery has
been reduced in thirty years from six to three
per cent" Moreover. in addition to tho &C
knowled.ed paupers there arc In Paris $50 1000
persons male and female. roughly classi-
fed as blackguards by our author. who have
no visible means at obtaining a livelihood.
Join to these sinister figures 100. 900 prosti-
tutes. and NO have accounted for u quarter
OF the whole Paris population. Indeed, the
author insists that the number OF women lead
ing an immoral lilo IL here grossly UNDER
stated. for it does not Include thousands of
wretch0d outcasts who have no license to My
their iriehtful trade. or those licensed by tho
Government. 1t is pointed out that in Paris
alone there are 5000 under eighteen. 1000
under fifteen. and 5000 littlo girls under thir-
teen years OF ago. In view Of such appalling
data 1t is submitted that the debnuchery OF
the young should be- deemed u characteristic
institution Of France rather than Of England.
Apropos OF French vanity. the author OF this
book has something TO say about tho charge 80
common In the mouths OF Frenchmen. that all
English women havs large feet. He denies in
the first place. that largo foot are II drawback.
A Frenchman, he says. represents n Latin
and consequently n small boned race OF people.
while w. being Sax0ns. Normans. Danes. and
| Norsemen. come from stock OF large boned
men and women; md bolieve II is admitted
| by Ann,omists In a general way that people
| with large and bony frames arc moro ener-
| getic, more determined. stronger. and longer
| lived than the races with small bones" But
waivin. the question whether Engiishmeu may
not fairly be proud Of their big feet the author
| turns his attention to his French friends and
inquires whether tho pretended iittleness OF
their ieet Is not due to cramping and distor-
ton. On this head no cites the svsrment OF a
noted Paris chiropodst. that seventy i've per
cent. OF French people have deformed feet and
COMPARES with 1t tho significant fact that the
soldiers OF the French army. who are forosd bv
the regulation to wear broad sole boots with
low hoeis. seem to have feet like ordinary NOR
tails so far as size IL concerned. As soon. how
ever. as q man comes out Of the army no Eoes
In foe course Of the QuooxtnK urOOoez and In