Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-06-26
TRUTd AND COLORED.
How to Write Brilliantly About For
eign Country.

eign Country.
The art consists simply in flattering the
patriotic jealousy of your readers by a re-
morseless satire on the foreigner. AS there
is always much that is ridiculous in every
country, and fearful amount of most real
and undeniable evil BESIDES you have only
to show up one or the other in the pitiless
glare of day. A fine contrast may be pro-
duced by hiding your own faults and ex-
hibiting those of your neighbor.
The foreigner may be effectively dealt
with in two ways. He may be made to ap-
pear either ridiculous or wicked. The
satire may be humorous, or it may be bit
ter or severe. The French, with their
lighter temperament, take pleasure in max
ing the Englishman absurd. The English,
on their part though by no means refusing
themselves the satisfaction of laughing at
their neighbors, are not disinclined to as
sumo a loftier tone. 1t is not so much
what is obviously ridiculous in French peo-
pie that repels as that which cannot be de-
scribed without graver reprobation.
A writer cannot acquire experience in
his profession without discovering that the
spirit of Justice is the greatest of all him
ORANGES to effect. Just writing does not
amuse, but maleyolence can easily be made
entertaining. What is less obvious is that
Justice often puts her veto on those fine
effects of simulated Indignation which the
literary advocate knows to be of such great
professional utility. 1t is fine thing TO
have an opportunity for condemning a
whole nation in one terribly comprehensive
sentence The literary moralist puts on
his most dignified manner when he can de-
plore the wickedness of thirty million
human beings. 1t is ennobling to feel
yourself better and greater than thirty
millions, and the reader, too, has fine
sense of superiority in being encouraged
to look down upon such multitude. JUS
tice comes in and says, But there are ex-
ceptions, and they are too numerous to be
passed over" THAT may be, replies the
genius of brilliant literature, !" but If stop
to consider these l shall lose all breadth OF
effect. Lights will creep into my black
shadows, and | shall no longer appali with
gloom. l want the most telling opposi-
tons. The interests of art take precedence
over commonplace veracity.'
And there is such tempting safety in
effective untruth about foreigners clever
Frenchman who sets to work to compose q
caustic, superficial book about the English
or the Germans is well aware that his read
ers will never study any answer to his
statements. He knows that the secret of
success is to make the foreigner either obi
Gus or ridiculous. 1t is not long since a
Frenchman wrote two silly little books
about the English, treating them in that
lively style which is always sure of popu-
larity. Nearly at the same time another
Frenchman. more careful and more seri-
Gus. published a volume on the same sub
ject, which, though ii contained few I'M
intentional errors, was on the whole likely
to be instructive and useful to his country
men. The fippant little books had an
enormous sale; the instructive book had
but moderate circulation. The rule holds
good for a paragraph or q sentence as well
as for volume. An unjust brief para
graph, with sting in it, has far better
chance of being remembered than duller
but more accurate statement of the truth
p. g. HameTton IN July Atlantic.