The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-30
THE EXCHANGING BREToNs.
Frenchmen Who Cling to Ancient
Ideas and Customs.
London News.
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London News
l see that Michelet is quoted by corre-
spondent to show how Brittany has advanced
since 1888. The Bretons are less altered by
the events of the last 100 years than any
other provincial people. Their culture is in
centive. 1t has gone in the same lines from
times immemorial. Thier Catholicism, when
well looked into. will be found to have
Druidical complexion. The character is mar
Bretons are good friends and nasty foes.
They are very attached relatives, but read
lily adopt the orphans of strangers. Wild
ows are in Brittany held in peculiar honor.
The widow is by custom absolute guardian
of her orphan children and Administrative OF
their properties. Her husbands relatives
ings. She is looked UP to by all neighbors
as an almost sacred being and in old age
venerated by sons and grandsons.
Shakespeare, who knew everything. caught
this trait of Brittany civilization and en-
bodied 1t in Constance, mother OF Prince
Arthur. The widow OF Godfrey Plantagenet.
who faces John. Is a Breton widow. Rosalie,
the sister of Ernest Renan, truly sublime
character. was Breton. She had the inten-
siveness already noted, and the hue and
structure of her mind have much in common
with the mind of Constance.
There were wreckers certainly In former
times in Brittany, but Michelet did not know
that province in 1898 unless through books.
He was a painstaking man In trying to OBJ
tain colors for his palette, but he was a very
imaginative writer, and the love of literary
effort often led him away. Doubtless rail-
ways anu SledM Navigation nave done much
for Breton In enabling them to find easy mar
kets for their butter and Asa, but 1t may
be said of Brittany: Gas it was in the be-
ginning Is now, and ever shall be-" It's
archaic features make it singularly inter
esting province.
Some years ago, when on q tonr in Brit
tany, l met Partisan acquaintance going
to castle in Finisterre, not far from Ie
Conquet. He invited me to 90 with him r
hesitated; but, as he pressed, l went We
were received on the old hail door steps by
q most courteous old gentleman and Iady
AS was apologizing for coming he pointed
TO the family motto. carved In stone above
the door. 1t was in the Breton tongue. bur
he translated 1t: The friends of friends are
our friends The carved stone bore the date
of 1886. ''
found that the motto had entered into the
lives of the Chatelain and Chatelaine who
had always lived in Finisterre The castle
or, rather, the old manor house, had been in
their family time out OF mind Might not
the warmth OF heart that dictated the motto
nave originated in such difficulties and dam
gers as the inhabitants of the isles OF the
Ushant group are constantly obliged to face?
Difhcuities without dangers harden the dis
position and make it selfish. Difficulties with
dangers OF the most appalling kind sublI
nature, They give 1t more than a touch ~
nobel recklessness. One sees this In tho
women shrouding the corpses Of the drowned
English in their best sheets and dressing Inc
young lady and child in pretty Costumes
lnlsterre costume Is made to last lifetime
ana Is very valuable. One should ,Jndarstand
what store the Frenchwoman sets an har
house linen to set right value on the sacrj-
nee made. - s''o SecAi-