Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-23
An EnSiish Trait.

could deliver goods directly into the Easements
OF our large Wholesale dealers"
An English Trait.
John Burroughs in Good Literature
The sea-wall which nature has nut around the
British Islands is reflected in the disposition OF
every individual Britisher to put high wall O,
1mpenetrable barrier of some sort about his OWL
domain, especially in the country. He is jealous
OF the pubic, aud snubs 1t and crowds 1t when.
ever and wherever he can. To bar and shut out
the gaze OF outsiders is as natural to an Eng
ishiaan as the opposite trait or tine desire to be
seen and admired of all men, is to an American
How lauglable and even silly seems to Is the
hue ard cry that was raised in England by the
attempt to pierce their sea-wall by the Channel
Tunnel. 1t was really not their feeling of Sc
cErity that was threatened. but their pride OF
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES delight in insularty The
Eng!ishman has little curiosity and seems very
suspicious OF the curiosity of other people
When you meet cultivated Londoner one who
takes 10 liberties with his his YOU will probably
feel before long that you would like to brain
MIN. II your walking-stick were only heavier
his surerciliOus Indifference and cockney con-
ceit are SO excessively irritating. The Scotch
are much more hearty and have a more rational
curiosity and friendiiness.
About the first disgust the otherwise delighted
American is pretty sure to feel on his arrival In
britain is when he finds himself snubbed along
the highway by these high walls and high hedges
tie wants TO give his eyes free range into the
neidS. the woods. the Enclosures of the fine
house; but the bars are always up and up lust
beyond the scaling point. The walls are OF
drrss' stone laid In mortar. and capped with
. smooth tiles: and they define the highway to
you and shut you in it with an emphasis that Is
Ius0ent and irritating. One wishes for sle,Ipc-
hammer to smash their sharp crests or batter a
hole i'll their hanghty sides The more YOUR
view Is shut out the more you want to see in
What has tie proprietor got behind there that
Ee IS ashamed OF. or so choice of that lie should
be at such pains to exclude a harmless pedes-
t:;aHs eyes: Generally the wall or hedge is
Just at that height that you are CONSTANT
tempted 10 stretch yourself q little to see over
an" thus You go along craning your npcL or
jumping up "a little now and then bat w:thou
avail. ne open picket fence think is as unknown
IN England a. is the rail fence VIXEN fence of
wood Is built mex the highway, it is usuali- @!
c:ik slaves six feet lonr; tG slaves are lame Il
htt!e so that there is never a crack through
which YOU can Catch q GLIMPSE When | went
TO COR stopped TO get peep az Boutwell, Castle,
was JIst i've minutes too late TO get in at the
gate ana l walked q mile or more along the
highway beside wall that ured me on with the
promise OF aview over the crest into the grounds
az the next rise: bat never got it. and when +
tried TO Erd q ju!Gt between the stones in which
10 lisert MY toe. ! found the masonry pro-
V1"ingly perfect. One often sees cottages and
wall that suggests the inclosGre of Jail or an
asylum FOR luHatics. This feature ~ more an
moving to the walker in Scotland than I'm Eng
lai-t because IN England one can nearly ALWAYS
Hank the proud fences by a stiIC or q wicket. :
he CAL. carry the landscape at the point OF foot
path: but in Scotiard saw no foctpaths. which
wa surprise in view of the greater freedom
and hospitality Of the people
One OF the mot offensive and uncaIle6 for
walls saw was that along the Kew gardens
In goin" from Kew To Richmond the highway
Skirts these gardens Tor upward Of two miles
'ii ore hand Is Il row OF beautiful private resi-
GeAces. or the other an ugly brick wall twenty
lett H'gh. One would think they had u men
a@rT.e of flying hycHas in there whereas il is
obi! beautiful park open to the public every
Gay III the week. But to prevent the travel ,rs
ana dWc!itrs along the read from getting anv
uencEt OF 1t. they have within few years added
hTe feet to the wall. These things are tvpicaI
81 the character and institutions OF the people
and are perhaps to be set down as much TO their
sense OF law and order tothe feeling Of rxc!u-
SiyeheSs Of which | have spoken. You know
Were to go, and where not to go. In Britain
The law - rigid, well defined and well exc
cUted. and private rights are iealously guarded
even to the expenditure of a little si!pprfuCus
masonry, rs It seems to an American Shall we
say. on the other hand. that our struggling, I'M
certain leHces ana highway boundaries so east
~ ignored and so iudifIrrently kept I'D. are
typical OF our laws and Institutions. and sup-
gestIve OF the way everybody and everything
tFtSl,asst> on every mans private domain? We
Should probably have to admit it.