The sun., 1893-07-16

SONs oONDA1 JUbI 10.
scrupulously secured and is washed dowr
cvery time meal Is 70 bo spread on Il The
Dishes bowls. and patters are treated like
wise II the family can afford It. the table Il
covered with a now-white linen cloth. home
spun and home woven. What M. Leroy Benu.
lieu says about tho condition OF peasants
clothing neutralizing the effects OF his daily
bath is not disputed by the translator. but abe
insists that II applies only to the very Door.
well-to-do peasant family often has bath
room OF its own. and always sufficient change
OF raiment. In the large cities great improve
ments have been made in the public
baths. Tho most to the point 10 the
arrangement providing for the bather's shirt
and trousers being Numbered and dried rendy
Tor him when no returns to the dressing room.
II he has no change Of clothing. There ia. It
seems. n certain iron pross closet in which his
shecpskin is subjected to a degree Of dry heat
which entirely frees 1t from vermin. We are
told that the floor OF that closet seems strewn
with black powder. and must be swept out
every two hours These two items, incalcula-
bly, beneficial as they are. - included In the
charge for the use OF the bathroom-from two
to five cents, according to accom- m OF ations. OF
which there are three grades for tho people.
apart from the luxurious public bathrooms.
where the charge is from fifteen to wenty-
i've cents. and the private suites Of three rooms.
which cost from fifty cents TO two dollars.
Returning to the topic Of the Russian tenn
perament and character. the author Of this
book points out that the direct influence OF
climate on the human organism and on the
physical and economical conditions OF exist
ence is neither the only nor perhaps the
deepest one Nature indirectly exerts con-
siderable influence over the thoughts the feel
inGs and the entire character. by tho passions
she provokes and the faculties she calls into
play. The first and most profound impression
made on the observer By the physical forma-
tion OF Great Russia Is that life there. more
than anywhere else. is n duel with nature. a
hand-to-hand combat against an ever. present
and unvan1uished foe. Under that sky man
cannot. as In more temperate clImes. for
get his adversary. Neither can he ever
completely triumph over his foe. Hence.
several apparently incompatible traits OF
the Russian national character The war
fare with nature has been. first OF all.
school OF patience. resignation. submission.
Unable'to slip his neck from under tho yoke OF
his physical surroundings. he has borne that Of
man more patently tho one has fashioned
him and bent him for the other. The
tyranny of climate has prepared him to SUBJ
NIT to tyranny at the hands Of man. The OBJ
ject OF all his strivings being bare existence.
despotism has weighed upon him less. The
example Of Russia proves that we cannot ac-
cent without qualification the theory Of Mon
tesQuiou. which described the peoples OF the
north as apt for freedom and those ofthe south
as doomed to bondage. At certain degree Of
latitude and in given environment the north
can bow souls well as bodies. and
only education can raise and strength
on them. Tho great advantage possessed
by the north is that there the liberatinG eff
hciency OF education may generally be counted
on. whereas In tropical countries the final out
come OF the struggle remains doubtful An
other quality that seems to have been devel-
oped BY the Russian climate and the resultant
strife against nature is passive courage. en-
DURANGO. negative energy. tho power OF iner-
tia Endurance has long heen the popular
IDEAL Of manhood In Great Russia. This is |
made apparent in an old national game, q sort |
of rustic boxing match, In which the combat |
ants We'd not in strength and skill. but in en- |
lurance. the victor being not he who foored |
his antagonist. but he who could take most |
hard knocks without crying out for mercy. |
Life. at one In this respect with history. has
fashioned tho Great Russian to stocism OF
which he is himself unconscious Nobody
IAN suffer like a Russian: no one
IAN die like him. In the quiet courage
with which he faces suffering and death
here is something Of the stolid resignation of
he captive Indian. ennobled. however by ae-
enc religious conviction. On this point the
remarks in a foot note that Rus
'ian's inveterate hatred Of can't and contempt
" phrases and attitudes never leaves him.
east OF all at critical conjunctures and tragic
limaXes. That is why the effective last |
words and the deliberate posings and SELF
lrapings with which men OF other nations,
wen the great ones. generally think It neces-
ary to emphasize their public acts. and espe-
tally the last act of all. not only do not stir
he Russian's heart or excite his admiration,
nut either jar on him and put him out OF pa
lence or leave him coldly critical. with q curl
( the lin not unlike q sneer.
From the same strife against climate which
as fashioned him for resignation and endur-
nee the Great Russian has derived two other
rats which seem opposed to one another. 1t
as given him a curious mixture OF roughuess
nd good nature. OF insensihility and kind |
ess. The ruggedness OF the world around
I'm. while hardening him for himself. has
lught him compassion for others. He knows
hat it Is to suffer; consequently. he can
ympathze with his neighbor and succor him
8 much as lies within his power. Family
ffections. benencence toward the poor.
nd pity for the unfortunate are among
le most marked features OF the national
haractor We are assured that con-
AIRY to tho opinion current In the west,
10 Russian under his rough shell is generally
gentle. even tender: but let him
ncounter IN Obstacle let him engage in a
;ruggle with an adversary. his latent rugged
ess and harshness at once reveal themselves.
an unceasing struggle against ruthless
lture. he has learned to respect the laws of
ar. which he applies. as he endures them.
ith inflexibility. Here again ono should not
,erlook a foot note, In which the translator
nphasizes what the French author says. She
sscribes tho Russians mind rs intensely