The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-01

compared directly with that in France. and
incidentally with that in England. - made
the theme Of some pleasant chat by Andrew
Lang In the Illustrated London News. Two
essays in the New Review are made his text;
A French aud an American writer happened
to have each taken the same issue OF the ia,ter
publication in which to complain ABOUT the
state OF affairs in his own country: The Amer
lean signs his name the editor withhoids the
name of his French contributor for obvious
reasons" Hence. the British commentator
infers. il is safer for an American than ior
Frenchman to run down bis own
couutryrnen. He also deduces
bravery Of George Parsons Lathrop in attach
ing his name TO printed lamentations
about his country. Mr.. Lang scores the
rather good point against Mr. Lathrop tnes
he probably might better have taken up ms
parable in Harper's or Scrioners or tne zen
Jury whose conductors certainly would have
been willing to lend him their pulpits. Eng
land. however the English writer THINKS. IS
more ready even than America TO suDmlt
meekly to the castIgatlon OF literary Jers,
miahs. OF whom he instances Carlyle ArhOIu
and Ruskin. Our London contemporary MAS
the grace TO hint that America, II. as MI.
Lathrop complains II is without any great
literary genius. is no worse oil IN tins respect
than England. America. on the other manu-
in his opinion. encourages literature. IL any
thing. rather too much than too little. as alr.
IathrOp alleges SO far rs the charge against
US lies of not having solved tho human prop
lem Mr.. Lang Joins his own country with
ours in that indictment. Coming BACK 20
the question OF tolerance of criticism IN 1T
erature of national characteristics the Iele-
gram begs TO assure Sir. Lang that America
Il not 50 old phase Of society as tngiand.
nor so blase nor so serenely SATISFIED Win
itself. has become OF late fully as tolerant OF
hostile criticism As q social order We, too.
have gotten out of our pinafOres. We can
take fair blows without wnclng. and II needs
be, blows that we are inclined TO CONSIDER
below the belt. No later or better proof OF
this fact can be cited than the case OF klpllng:
Some Of the localities. indeed, Scared and
dissected by his papers written exclusively
for the India export trade, may have screamed
during the process Yet Mr.. Lang and his
British public might have been edited TO
see the readiness with which each smit-
ten locality or city Acknowledged
the fitness of the Kipling structures upon all
the rest. That we are forgiyiDg and tolerant.
If not cringing. 20 our castigators Is evidenced
by the anxiety with which his American pub
lie is awaiting from Rudyard hipllng's pen
something Of it, earlier promise. This state
of usefulness and hopefulness IN this coun-
try is only matched By that with which our
world OF science and affairs is waiting from
its own Thomas 4. Edison results more
OF his genius than his lattor-day talking dolls.
Nothing else though. we fancy. could so well
convince the British mind Of the American
superiority TO real. downright criticism, and
OF the freedom America accOrds 20 foes OF the
pen, as a study of what Americans nave 10
say about one another for instance OF New
forks opinions about Chicago and OF Dos
ton opinions about New Ork.-NeW YORK
Evening Telegram.