New-York tribune., 1885-09-15

Strongly attached
voted hIs venerable institutions ot gaeoiS os os
iustice and liberty, the Eng1snman To-Day is as
ready as n the seyenleetn CehDGy monarchy
and constitution, if his freedom Is the least
threatened. Possessing, in politics, the virtues dn
dlspens sable to the prosperity OF people ieSPJoV
for the law and for force clearly manifested, ne
bows to the decision of the majority. he!eotiIhs
desnotism upder every form, he MAINTAINS IN Older
and discipline all whom he supports; MS Sueen'
his princes his ministers, mis- generals hs IuuSe'
his clergy all who are dependent upon hlh ILG- I
dent, Industrious perseverlng, cOhnuene III d nI
own resources absorbed IN his own business 9 any
imposing upon every one their funetlohs am anu
duties, from the sovereign TO the haolesV o'i~'A'
he has chosen for his device Age qH0d dg'S'
Having thus skotched the neighbors, our author
proceeds TO show that they fail to get along to-
gether amicably Eat least so far as the more puphc
demonstrations are concerned. For instance,
stock Exchange hoax about slaughter Oh inc
French troops Tonquin was announced III Lon
don with monster bulletins, but when, two days
later, the French achieved an important victory
the news was issued in microscopic characters on
the other side of the Channel. when the Duke Oh
Albany died at Cannes, not French journal OF
consequence mentioned the fact editorlally. Inc
English fruiterer divides his asparagus into large
and small The finest he sells as English asparagus,
while the poorer stalks appear as " imported,
which is understood TO mean French. In both
countries native products are always Landed as the
best. In England French goods and In france
English goods are held inferior by the yenders.
number of similar indications, often less OF inter-
national prejudice than OF national cohcei'' aIc
cited to what good end ii is difficult 10 perceive
NJ. O'Rell. who is bewilderngly discursiye, hav-
ing contracted many antpOdal customs comes 10 tle
difficult question of the ethics OF French ncton'
Here he is evidently not ut home, or
perhaps no Frenchman can understand
the point of view of the Teutonc
-, v.ltrf foOx vel
known. the standing charge against French liiera-
ture is lubrcity. N. O'Ren meets this IN the odd
est possible way, by arguing that the superior
Aexibhty of the French language enables "alhc
writers to say things which could not be SAD
without offence in any other tongue. In other
words. he thinks lubricity quite deiensibe 80 long
rs is artistic 1t it unfortunate for French liter
ature that this prepOsteTous and pernicious view
prevails widely among her writer's
His defence of the practice OF duellng Is equaily
lame and irrelevant. The plain fact is that the
duel can only be supported by false sense OF
honor and that the practical sense OF the English
mind has perceived this while yet 1t IS Obscure to
the Frenchman. As regards international feeling
NJ. O'Ren bears gencrous tribute 70 the treatment
be has experienced, saying
In case the French insist on the truth OF the
assertion that John Buli hates jacques i{onhomInc'
there are more than twenty tnou.and frenchmen
ia England, twenty thousand WorkeIs' IN that gen
erOus and hospltabe land VINO can uSolaio ti''i
never was there moro OdlOus or absurd talsehood
invented upon the face of the universe
The extent to which French words have been
absorbed into the English language and wee versa
affords room for some amusing observations among
which we learn that zone no longer takes tea IN
good Partisan society, one oclocks ~; and the
bourgeois of the Maras begins to write at the foot
of his cards of invitation: We shall o'clock
at o'clock"
The following estimate of one side Of tie
French character appears TO possess the merits OF
candor and fidelity:
"Success stupefes rs, defeat crnshes and demor
alizes us We can neither proht by victory nor
bear disaster In victory we see nothing Dut gJorli
ioism exasperates us instead Of nsiructIng or at
the least amusing us. The Engilshmau Knows
that criticism Is necessary, and IS prepared Tor A.
lie has even certain d4ulIati0h lOI 'uo'e Who 40
| the work well, but he has only contempt tor the
! abusive critic And thus while kepuDlcan ana p
| Ronapartlst meeting on the Gails bOuicNales daf.
furious glances at one another, an English Liberal
! and Conservative can shake hands when they meet
i'm Pail Mall and go of 10 dine together and after
! dinner go down TO the House ana pitch INTO one
| another"
Another niece Of shrewd observation is in reference
70 the contrast between French political imperma-
nence and the stability of English politics. He says
1--WE make changes, but no progress toward
stability We destroy. but we 40 ngI construct
| form Each one changes what hls predecessor has
| done we live from hand 20 mouth, and the iuturs
| is uncertain What ! envy the English IS that
| security for the morrow they owe 70 form or
government which nobody seriously THINKS OF can
ing i'm question 1t is the most monarchlca ana the
| ond anorchy are compatible No French Legit-
| imist can be more TOyaist no French Republican
| can be more passiOnately attached 10 liberty yet
| IN France under a republic people are etll treated
| as dangerous demagogues who denans cefIaln
liberties which, under mQnarGhy the Engiiisnl
| have long enjoyed and for the defence OF which
| the most conservative among them would be torn
| in pieces"
| The comparisons between French and English
politics form one of the most interesting parts OF
! the book. though perhaps the authors views upon
| the position of woman in france aud the educa-
| tiona question will attract the most attention.
| As regards the first his English experience leads
| him 10 condemn the cOnyennal system
| of bringing up young girls, and the
practice of secluding them until they are married.
| He is equally clear that the education of the
French boys is mischievous, and he more than IN
Inmates that the worst vices Of French literature
are attributable in great part to this artificial and
| unnatural separation Of the sexes during youth.
| The author has much TO say Of mammOn- worship
but nothing that is new or amusing enough to
warrant translation. His remarks upon the best
method Of teaching French in schools and colleges
namely by establishing French debating assemblies
to meet twice or thrice week, are valuable and
iudicious. The system has already been approved
by experiment, and there can be no doubt that IL
il a practical and efficient method of imparting
ability to speak French. The chapter on this sub
iect deserves separate republication, if space per-
mitted.
For the rest 1t is not probable that Max ORell
will reap much profit from this volume, or that it
will have much effect in cementing the friendly
feeling between the two countries. No doubt he
speaks the truth in saying that there really
il no basis for the reports Of any
tangible body of International hostility. No
doubt educated Frenchmen and Englishmen
1 30 n,t