The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-16


American readers will be glad to see re-
printed In compact form book which has at
tracted much attention In England and Ger
many. Wo refer to the sketches Of German
life and character published BIZ Mr.. SIDNEY
WHITMAN under the collective title OF I'M
perial Germany. We arc in nowse surprised
to hear that on the frat appearance OF this
work 80 well-informed man as Prof. Elackie
OF Edinburgh should have classed 1t with
Brycss American Commonwealth" that
Frlnce Bismarck should have described |, as
"mastorly." and that Count Moltke should have
declared that he had readi with the greatest
interest" The testimony OF thsse two d.
tineuished representatives OF their father
land is peculiarly impressive. because tho
Weaknesses Of tho German character and the
shortcomings OF German society are
laid bare with au incisive although not
waapish touch. seldom. indeed. havo We
seen so much Hrst-hand observation and
minute knowledge united with much
grace and felicity OF expression. There nre
passages where tho author has to tell truths
that arc not tiattering In which one is re-
minded Of Heinc. SO delicate 10 the Irony and
80 arch tho sugRestiysness. 1t ia such parts
Of the book that We shall dwell on In the pres
ent notice. the parts that deal with the Ger
man aristocracy. with German middle-class
bOSlely. Will OcEu6u WOHbuhAuu uuu sAiUuy
life. and with that portentous phenomenon.
tho German Philisuns. They who wish TO hear
Germany lnuded will find enough 10 content
them In this volume. but tho Germans have
been blowing their own trumpes pretty loudly
since 1870. and there are q good many who BY
this time are inclined to hear the other side.
even as the Athentans got tired OF hearing
Aristides etornally called the Just"
There are sharp points OF contrast as regards
character and influence as we'll ss compost
ton bstween tho German and English aris-
tocrnciss. Mr.. Whitman lays his finger on q
marked distinction In their relation to society
ct large. whom he reminds US that In EnEland
many OF the most jealous upholders OF the
aristocracy are TO be found outside OF It's
charmed circle. whereas In Germany 1t would
DO difficult to find many sympathizsrs with
the nobility In the middle ranks. much
less among the telling masses. The fact 10 the
more curious because the English land laws
and lessehold system give an English terri
torial magnate an amount OF power In rural
districts to which there Is no counterpart In
Prussia We cannot ascribe the fact 10 the
presence OF more servility In the English char
acter. The contrary 10 the case. Nothing
could DO more abisotly defsrsntial than the At
tituds OF tho midde-clsss Germans. except In
the free cities. to those above them In tho social
scale. But 1t 10 to powerful offiosholdsrs. not
to mere titles. that they bow. Mr.. Whitman
has underworld to trace out the causes Of the
almost universal. although dissent led. disl!ks
with which tho nobility are regarded by the
bulk Of the German people. and no believes
them to be the following:
In the Grst place, the German srstocrscy not
only has been guilty OF great class sslashness.
but 1t has also been the victim OF . short
sighted and narrow class feeling. In ENGLAND
sfar-siRhted policy Of sacrificing its units has
strengthened the power for good and for evil
OF the class In Germany the anxiety Of each
unit TO keep its shadowy advantages has 70.
suited In the loss OF what was best worth 70.
tanning. and In the retention Of much which ac-
cunts Tar the lack OF sympsthy oil which the
German arisl ocracy ID The OBJ sct In lis own
country. In England the nobility has. up to
the present day. chung TO the original idss that
title must represent power. Primogsniiure
II the keynote Of the influence OF the Rngltsh
sststoeracy The title II rsssyvsd 70 the eldest