Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-05-08
Is the Englishman Superior 10 the
American?


An English baronet who travelled re-
Gently in the United States has written
an article for the Ntnetee75th Ceaturv
ReUietC, in which he compares English
men and women with American men
and women to the disadvantage of the
latter. Our women, according to him,
are not rs handsome or rs well deyel-
oped as those of England. while our
men are inferior in physique. This he
says Is due to the greater attention
gwen in England to outdoor sports.
The Englishman plays cricket and
lawn tennis, practices in boats and in
yachts far more than the American.
Inc latter IS absorbed in business He
goes to see baseball match by pro-
desSlonals, but rarely plays himself
linen, the average English man and
woman do far more walking than do
our people in the United States. All
educated Englishmen hold to the view
that the practice of athletics is very de-
Sirable.
At recent rural dinner, Sir Charles
Dixie, the well known cabinet minister
gave 1t rs his view that England owed
TO the practice of physical exercise not
only great deal of its muscle and
power, but also a great deal of its sue
cess, and, under Providence. much of
Its glory in the world" Had Mr.
Gladstone been called upon he would
doubtless have given the same testi-
mOny. For, although in his seventies.
he spends hours every week in fellino,
trees and in taking long and rapid
walks. A New York writer who was
ut the Carnival in Montreal thus des-
criDeS the type of girl he saw: The
English girl is tall and strongly built.
She walks with her figure rigidiy erect
and her head held up, from conscious
ness of strength rather than from
pride. Her cheeks arc like the sides of
I peach that has just begun to ripen.
The rose blush blends with the pink.
that is in turn lost in the general
creamy tint of the whole face Waves
OF tiaNen or light brown hair curtain
the forehead, or perhaps her hair is
pulled into 4 cloud that projects be-
yond her sealskin cap. Sac has BIG,
deep-blue eyes, eloquent of good health
and good nature, and blazing at
touch of excitement. Being an athlete
she is y model of good health, and the
equal of her brothers at the dinner
table. Her nose and mouth are not too
fashionably small. They match her
fine stature, and the healthy, graceful
carriage that tells of stout limbs and
developed muscles.
What q lesson the Montreal oirl
teaches to the New York mothers who
bring their daughters up indoors like
hOt-hOrICn O1aDtC for faar +,o1y viii ,,o+
be lady-like and womanly These TO-
bust girls, in modesty, in grace, in
softness of speech and femininity gen
orally, are the peers of the daughters
of Murray Hill, and yet there is hardly
one that cannot stand by her brothers.
side in whatever sport he is enjoying.
These girls can climb mountain like
deer, they can skate like the women of
Holland, they are at home on snow
shoes, the mad sport of the tOboggan
hills is everyday fun to them.
There has, however, been q reform
in this country during the last quarter
of Il century. GymnasiumS are more
common, especially in colleges. Out
door sports are far more popular than
they were, and the educated young
man has plenty of chance to improve
his physique by good muscular exer-
ciSes. Our girls, however, are not so
well off as their English sisters. Long
country walks are not popular with
our young women, but making allow
ance for these shortcomings, few
Americans will admit that our girls
are not In every respect equal to their
English sisters.