New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-01
rBr CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE

LIVING IN A FOOLS PARADISE
nr CABLE TO THE TRIBUNE
c,,,,,toh,, sss, By The Ne,e- YorG Tribune
toxnoN. March 81 SO complete is the stagnation
IN English public life at the end CT Holy Week
that for once / ask leave to pass over general
tonics There is, at any rate, nothing in routine
ahairs which better deserves Americas attention
than the article by Mr.. Matthew Arnold in the
Anril Nineteenth Century" on Civilization
in the United States Only last Wednesday
Mr. Chamberlain and Mr.. Bright were explaining
70 a Birmingham audience, and virtually to all
England. how close is the kfnship between
England and America, and how deep are their
mutual regard and respect. 1t is well that they
spoke when they did. Three days later might
have been too late. Now comes man not less
eminent in his own sphere than either OF those
two statesmen, with such an account OF America
as might if believed close the mouths Of our
rcs friends abroad.
This article is remarkable in more respects than
ons. II is at least remarkable that great
English writer should have thought it worth
while to Gil fifteen pages in saying 1itto' to
Sir Lepel Griffin He takes fol his text that
raw Young Anglo-Indians remark that there is
no country calling itself civilized where he would
not rather live than in America, except Russia
text. this the refrain of his article His sweetness
has turned sour; his light turns everything he
touches black If he praises he praises just
enough to make the contrast between praise and
censure effective Three years ago he thought
America had succeeded well in solving the political
and social problem Now he hints that this
success is due as much to the good fortune OF
the American people as to their wisdom or virtue
What he now deals with he calls the human prob
lem Civilization, according TO Mr.. Arnold,
is the illumination OF man in society; ana ac-
cording TO Mr.. Arnold, civilization in America Is
failure, because it does not satisfy for man IN
society the true law Of human nature. That is
his general reason His first particular reason
pnder il is that American civilization failed TO
make Mr. Matthew Arnold comfortable lie
complains gravcly that all Injuries are dear, eX-
eept oysters and ice; that the clubs are
extensive: that cab rates are prohlb1tlve;
that tailors' and mercers' charges are third
higher than in England. There are, he says,
hundred other similar grievances which he might
mention.
Lest YOU should be in doubt as to how much
Importance he attaches to such matters, he says
expressly that when man is passing judgment on
q countrys civilization, points OF this kind crowd
to his memory and determine his sentence True,
his Judgment and sentence having been thus de-
termined by these trivialties, he contradicts him
self on the next page and declares that CIVILIZATION
does not consist ia being supplied with the COM
forts and conveniences of life. This contradiction
il is which enables him TO array against unhappy
America host of other censures. What ne next
demands is that civilization shall be interesting,
and America not only failed to provide Mr. Arnold
with cheap cabs and good peaches, but failed to
interest him. There were two things which he
do mt TIt
mans name the envelope OF letter; ana
second American women, though their voices ana
htonation were dspleasng to his ear, had for him
the charm of q natural manner lacking to the
English Those two, and those only. For the
rest, America has neither beauty nor distinction.
The common and ignoble prevail Even the land
scape lid not delight him. nor the climate which
he pronounces harsh. Between the climate OF New
Hampshire and the climate Of Florida he de-
tected no distinction. Nor is there any beauty IN
the cities The one American architect Of genius
Mr.. Richardson, who might have beautlhed them
had to work under injurious conditions. VI the
really beautiful in the other arts and in literature
| quote textually-very little has been produced
there as yet. The very names Of the towns annoy
him. As for distinction or elevation, we have it
not We have had able men, Mr. Lincoln for one
But Mr. Lincoln had not distinction The glorif-
cation Of the average man is our religion. The
newspapers are our damnation The absence OF
truth and sobemesS in them, the poverty in serious
interest the personality and the sensation-monger-
ing, are beyond belief Their news is news for
the servants hall.
Here we approach the true source Of Mr.. Arnold's
woes and grefs against Never would /, for
one have sought for or believed in a low motive
for all this labored disparagement of America.
But Mr.. Arnold himself supplies it, He prints
with comica solemnlty paragraph after paragraph
OF his personal experiences. A Boston paper made
him too old. Chicago paper described his
features as harsh, his manner supercilious, and
his clothes as ill-ftting New York paper pub
hshed a facetiOus criticism of Chicago, attributed
TO him; and Mr. Medill refused to believe his
denial and pronounced him cur. Is this present
article also hoax? These specimens, concludes
our late guest, will give clear enough notion of
what the newspapers over there are. American
literature is little or no better than American news
papers lie complains that we read American
books Far from admitting that in literature
they have as yet produced little that is important,
they play at treating American literature as II it
we're great, independent power. For every
English writer they have an American
writer 10 match, and him good Americans read.p
lie does not mention one American writer with
respect, nor make one exception to the sweep of
this contemptuous condemnation For him Hsw-
thorne has written in vain. Emerson. whom he
once patronized is forgotten. Holmes with All his
wisdom and delicate humor, he for aurbt that ap-
pears includes among those funny men whose ey-
ktence he reckons a national misfortune Loygelrs
ineOmparable satire, his poetry his penetration
and authoritative criticism have not impressed his
English rival Mr. Arnold might at least have
recollected the essay On Certain Condescension
in Foreigners" Perhaps he recollected It too well
He mentions while on the subject Of literature
to which he twice refers. just one writer, remark
ing that the Western States are at this moment
being nourished and formed on the novels Of
native author called Roe instead Of those of Scott
and Dickens