The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-17
MATTHEW ARNOLD.

States and in England. The son OF DIR.
Arnold, the master of Rugby and the dis
tinguished historian of Rome, Matthew Ar
mold himself gained distinction as poet, and
as the leading critic of the English literary
world. His death removes one of the most
prominent figures in periodical literature, and
will attract increased interest in this country
from tho fact that the last article which he
wrote was pessimistic review of civiliza-
ton in America. Several years ago
Mr.. Arnold visited the United States and
the somewhat splenetic criticism contained in
his contribution to the Nineteenth Century
magazine is based upon the observations
which he made in the course of financially
profitable lecture tour. In view of the hospi-
tality with which he was received here, many
people will be inclined to regard his attack as
ungenerous, and, considering his untimely
death, unfortunate. But Mr.. Arnold, in the
zeal of reformer, does not spare his friends,
and if he seems to speak harshly, we may
console ourselves that he has treated his own
country with courtesy quite as scant.
His chief plant of America is that it is
f'uninteresting," and that the sources of the
interesting are distinction and beauty; THAT
which is elevated and that which is beautiful"
It has been said of America thar there is
much land here, but no country" md this
Mr.. Arnold re-echoes. The climate IS harsh
and in extremes; our landscape in raj un-
interesting 1.-THE charm of beauty which
issues from ancientness and permane1ce of
rural life is not here. The architecture does
not please trained or natural sense of beauty.
The costly buildings produce a certain effect,
like the st. Pancras railroad station in
London, but not resembling Somerset House
or Whitehall. Our villa cottages in wood"
are pretty and coquettish, not beautiful The
case as to distinction is the same. We have,
in Mr.. Arnolds estimation, produced few men
worthy of the appellation. Hamilton, indeed,
was man of distinction, but Lincoln, Though
shrewd, sagacious humorous, honest. cour-
ageous, firm" and though possessing quail
ties deserving the most sincere esteem and
praise, had not distinction Things here
were too much devoted to ssthe Qualification
of the average man." In fact, it is the coun-f
try of the average man. He says:
Even without making their fortune, even
with their income below three four hun
dred year, things are favorable to them in
America; society seems organized there for
their benefit. To begin with, the humber
kind of work is better paid in America than
with US. the higher kind worse. The official,
for instance, gets less. his cffice-keeper gets
more. The public ways are abominably cut
up by rails and blocked with horse-cars; but
the inconvenience is for those who use private
carriages and cabs, the convenience is for the
bulk of the community, who, but for the
horse-cars, would have to walk. The or
binary railway cars are not delightful, but
they are cheap, and they are better furnished
and in winter are warmer than thlrd-class
carriages in England. Luxuries are, I
have said, very DEAR above ALL European lux
uries; but workingman's clothing is nearly
as cheap as in England and plain food is on
the whole, cheaper. Even Injuries OF a GER
tain kind are within laboring mans easy
reach. l have mentioned ice; will mention.
fruit also. The abundance and cheapness cf
fruit is great boon to people"
Mr.. Arnold pays tribute in passing, to the
uralness of her manners, and compares her
with her English sister, unfavorably to the
latter But he does not like the American
newspapers, with their ftnews for the servants
in them, the poverty in serious interest, the
personality and sensation mongering is be-
yond belief" He does not understand the
funny man" of the press, and but shares this
lishman. We are filed with tall talk and self
Qualification, he says. Mr.. Arnold adds:
Common sense criticism, I repeat, of all
this hollow stuff there is in America next to-
none. There are plenty of cultivated. judi
cious, delightful individuals there. They are
our hope and Americas hope; it is through
their means that improvement must come.
They know perfectly well how false and hol-
low the boastful stuff talked is, but. they let
the storm of self-laudation rage and say moth
ing. For political opponents and their doings
there are IN America hard words to be heard
in abundance; for the real faults in American
civilization, and for the foolish Boosting which
prolongs them, there is hardly word of re-
greet blame, at least in public. Even in
private many of the most cultivated Ameri-
cans shrink from the subject are irritable and
thin skinned when it is canvassed Public
treatment of it, in cool and sane spirit of
criticism, there is none"
This has rather an ancient flavor. CARLYLE
said of us, some forty years ago, that America
had accomplished one thing unparalleled in
history. She had succeeded in propagating,
with a rapidity beyond all precedent example,
Is, 600, 900 of the greatest bores the world
ever saw. Some journeying American had
evidently been talking TO Carlyle of our vast
resources" But Mr.. Arnold has some good
things to say of Us as well:
perhaps it is not Likely that anyone will
now remember what / said three years ago
here about the success of the Americans in
solving the political and social problem.
will sum it up as brief as possible. .
Comparing the United States with ourselves.
said that while they are in this natural and
healthy condition, we, on the contrary, are so
little homogeneous, We are living with a sys-
tenn of classes so intense. with institutions and