The San Francisco call., 1897-06-27
ENGLAND THROUGH FRENCH EYES.

Charles Gayard. New York; Henry Holt IL
81 81 So 6q0-'S'S-'' u '"'s Oy D0Asy' 'O'h bound
The author OF the letters and notes contained
in this volume, the late NJ Charles Gavald,
was me mber from 1871 to 1877 of the French
embassy at London, first as chief secretary,
and then as Minister Plenipoten tiary, acting
as charge d'Affaires. gifted diplomat, he
possessed the art TO make himself a welcome
guest not only IN political circles in England,
but also in society, which courted him for the
grace OF his wiz. He wiped and dincd by
Princes, Dukes and Ministers, aud wide was
his popularity among the Britons. yet his pri-
vste letters show him 10 nave entertained the
unfattering opinion that 'fhe English are the
greatest fats on earth" The candid views
OF diplomats are most likely to be found in
their memoirs.
His idea of the English appreciation of art is
thus conveyed: cit tthe kensington Museum)
IS really very interesting and instructive; one
might get ones whole education in this place
but there are 100 many English paintings
They begin with Gains borough and Reynolds;
don't say no, often admire them, even in
spite OF certain contrasts OF color that remind
me OF toast and Jam"
a glimpse at the school of to-day" which
IS llkened TO "mOlssses candy" and which at
tracts and retains the attention of 1.-THE mub -
makes NJ. Gavard literally sick. To pull him
sell together again, he ''fied TO the hail that
shelters RafaePs cartoons; there is breadth
10 them, they are great, pu1ssant, profound; /;
you are in the presence of a master, you look,
you listen, you profit. Would you believe it.
they have never found out that these seven
cartoons fl a room? They have added antique
chests, pictures. whatever they could to en-
barrass and destroy the attention"
No more TO his liking are the London thea
tiers, where the plays have always the same
grossEess in the execution, the same exaggera-
ZION in the by-play and ordinations, the
same heavy-handed indecency in place of
sprlgAtlness ard pleasantly"
He discovers q total absence of everything
that constitutes dramatic art. There is
neither conception, nor continuity, nor veri-
simnitude. Itis all as discordant as the colors
they bring together in their toilets, or as the
edibles they mix in the same plate"
He becomes quite intimate with the Roths-
chIlds Visiting the old Baron's office in his
pawnshop for crowned heads, he observes that
no chairs are provided for visitors; standing
oiscourages long interviews" NJ Gavard was
not brief. He sat on the table.
The London Crystal Palace, 10 the writer OF
the Letters and Notes." was 1.-THE temple OF
vulgarity, the utter negative of every idea of
art aud OF good taste"
They have gathered together the cream of
the masterpieces o the entire world, and made
- OF them the most sickening collection con-
ceiYablei and more than that to make them
shine, they wash them at least once year.
1t happened to be peoples day at the Palace,
and Ihatfa gave rise to these choice COM
ments: THE people had come to eat there-it
seems the people eat better there tnan else
where. The public is worthy of the Palace.
How homely the race is on holidays when the
Saxon strain comes to the surfaceI
Disreeli is described as Loihair. Coningsby,
the Jew, Dizzy, ''sepulchral as always in his
o.d-fashioued costume of Young England.
There is a suggestion of oriental tinsel in his
painted face. He is not amusing except when
batting Gladstone"
The Grand O.d Man charmed NJ Gavard with
''his opennegs of mind and his inexhaustible
store Of recollections." Gladstone seemed ''to
. feel a sincere attraction toward everything
%. that appeals TO him as being generous" He
Is "a charmer. though not, perhaps, very
reassuring one"
Lord Salisbury, he declares, is "the best
speaker of them all" In him the French
diplomat finds two persons-"the simple,
charming gentleman that every one finds
when they talk to him tete-a-tete, and the vio-
lent, bitter orator one listens TO in every as
senbIy in which he speaks"
Of Lord John Russell in the House of Com
mons he gives this pathetic picture: "He no
longer knows what he is saying he can't hear
ANYTHING that is said to him in reply, and
keeps on talking even while he is being
spoken TO. After the Ministerial explans-
tions, Lord Granville, who is really also BIZ
deaf shouted the substance of them in his
lordship's ear Nothing gives one stranger
idea Of the political mind of this House than
10 see them listening patiently to the words
escaping from the mouth OF this invalid, BIZ
BY bit amidst the most painful contoruons'
The volume abounds with thumbnail
sketches of notable people.
From q British representative just returned
from China he learns many facts, and he sets
the case down thus: 'It is the system of edu
cation that puts q damper on the masses there.
They exhaust all their faculties in learning
the hooks OF ConIucius; after which they car
dono more and when they ought to reason
tney remember. For the rest, we shall see
them overrun the earth with cheap labor and
coal Peter the Great is needed, simply tc
put down their customs and prejudlces. and
TO launch their 100000, 900 or 400 00oO 600 o.
human beings on the way 10 progress"
The famous Itch borne case at its one hun
dred and fftieth hearing brought these com
ments on English law from M. Gavard: al
was an edifying spectacle. From beginning tC
end If is nothing but a contest between bar
risters 1t was really Characteristic. The
whole aim OF the lawyers is to drag the thing
out as long as possible till some juror dies
then ii will be necessary 10 begin over again
for the third time. In English Jurisprudence
Won may undertake to do anything, even tC
prove that hippopotamus is gaZelle. Al
vou need do is TO organize a corporation tc
oulwt the law You may buy shares here ir
judicial enterprises 10 set aside succession tc
property no less than in associations Tor steal
ing diamonds"
Here and there throughout the letters and
notes ias some of the above quotations fndi'
cate) crop out evidences of The strong French
resistance to English influences; but while
M. Gav8rd freely criticzes the English, he
also freely Acknowledges some OF the prom1-
. nent weaknesses of the Gallo character. Fol
example, referring to tneaters, he remarks
-They find a means here of being coarse with
out shocking their morals-we do just the con
'trary in France" The volume is replete with
acute comments on passing events. There are
bright. clever things everywhere-not q oull
pege in the book These letters and notes
often treating of important diplomatic al
fairs. are of value in a historical sense IheS
were not intended for publication. The trans
1stioD might have been more elegant, per
haps but, as it is, "a Dip omat IN Lohuon
viii be found exceedingly eEJoyable.
zole has lost lis suit for infringement Of
oonvripht against the bookseller Laporte
,ybo had printed selection OF tie most ultrs
realtsttc passages In his works in pam phle'
called s.Zo.a Against Zola," which was to DC
nsed as an argument against the noVellst'
odmfssion TO the Academy. The courI, how
ever. expressed its disapprobation OF b. La
porte's proceeding.