New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-14
AMERICAN GIRLS.
AND THEIR EUROPEAN SISTERS
m The Egyptian Gazette.


From The Egyptian Gazette.
You will find, / expect, that you have droos>4
fire inhammable material In publishing 49,
paragraphs from The New-York Tribune in whicT
WOE nd IN when h. deseants with g 11seses
ness aud. think. little truth on the contrastIns
disabilities OF her European sister ,,sr.,,.,
representatives. OF all the nations 20 impeached "a
the accusation is grave to ne extent mat We q
charge which u.s. IN substance. that We lack charri
Fortunately for our peace Of mind, we Europesnc
are not sensitive TO American criticism as Amer.
leans are to ours. Sidney Smith mace note Of I'M
fact many years ago apropos OF European reviews
American literature, and IL still remains trus
but In direction not only IN that Of teraturc
that the slightest innuendo OF disapDrcval froI
mental Mysteries. Here. surely, Is one point q
superiority in the air Of the Eastern Hemlsphers-
we are indifferent; don't trouble ourselves Ia
the sake OF getting good opinions the fair Pa
Westerners DO; there Is that In our attitude whi1
pr johnson tbgt he was a brute2 expressed y
slider how much her compliments were worth %
him before she choked him with them" We Il
what we like then. not caring so much for adm.ri.
ton as American girls d. ana there IS an abseno
Of selfconsciouSn.ss ar, real ndspsndenee atou!
that.
pendenCe In fact follow Geading ravenOusy cp
reviews and magaznes) what they suppose 70 "
the fashion In Europe from moment 70 moment
They annex an idea that is particular special ihd-
vdual. in the old country, and make 1t ~ the new
crowd: and so they are nothing II not now uph
politics, now critical OF literature. now dte,tsna
in art; now. still following how what they imagine
Is the fashion in Europe. they are occult; nov al
'Dodos.' now Trby' -mad-and all the time there
four reasons which should make americans
superior TO their European sisters, and they nay
be catalogued thus:
First-The particular lightness Of atmosphere ard
brightness Of climate which contribute 50 much 70
the making Of elastic. buoyant natures.
Second-The great mixture OF race N the United
States. a fact which tends does it notD to produce
richness of result.
extent obtains, Of teaching boys ana girls slae w
side in the schools.
Fourth-The position on pedestal universally
granted to American women by their men. VINO are
continually assuring them In word and act that
they being queens, can do no wrong and which
pleasant position on the pedesta conduces 10 an
absence OF shyness In them and a very positive
confidence in their power 70 charm. IN me nat:
have their womens colleges, 10 when grayitaM
by natural inclination, all the ln,eiectuaIy MoN
ft but it is not these women twho are as ye
small minority that we are considering, but thoss
who. whether In America or England. IN FisncA
al about the age Of sixteen. TO pick up what sa,s.
faction what happiness. they may IN soclely
the American girl is put through her preliminary
PAGES; she learns 10 make her way among n9
fellows and in their company fnds no" ,ns soe
neutrallzed by getting the bit between the teeth!
in the schooiroom with younger sisters. and 1
more or less dull woman. her goyerness "ho =. e..
cept for masters (when the family Is IN town Ia
the season. her minds only stimuator. and b.
iieye the disadvantages OF the governess system
enioved -, by English girls are shared by Frenh
Italian Spanish and Russian girls, save IN The
matter OF sport where the EnSlsh CIR! scores
plus she being here not undeve 9pedi r,n,,,., 80
Soon after her sixteenth birthday the tns!sh slh
bequeaths her scanty wardrobe OF snort shaooy
frocks to her next younger sister ana -
suite and mamma to London for the season. hsse
she becomes better acquainted Win her 'V,nsr s1s
experiences all that mothers MOODS OF displedsurs,
as she poor ducking) takes all the experimen,xAl
rough tumble experiences IN society wncn T rhs
hoc alraa1
English girl eventually lives down ner nrst saucn,
cries and to some extent. overcomes her .sIy IL
shyness and more evolves, in her early contact WIZ
her fellows in Incredibly short space OF time q
amount of individuality and happy readiness %, q
raj cleverness OF her sex mnaided as II has been
these circumstances OF upringing ana eiusatonv,
wish any OF your readers who share The Newton
Tribunes opinions would make the acquaintano,
az ne hasn't instances in real life near to NM
s9S MiSe of s nt She is the most perfect em5
ment know Of the typical English grl-fresn, no.
est earnest happy and moody by turns, sincere y
II may sound like prejudice (but It is a convis
ton brought by observation Of and contact wiz
many peoples) here say that the English girl hn
more sincerity (hearo than the girls OF ot sss
| nations-at the time / confess that az
| superiority In this point only Catalogues gran
| disability where one tries 10 bring her INTO ~
| with the yiyacious and frothy American, win ~
| CAV and sparkling French girl. with the yar'soh
| and fiery Russian with the proud and mysterious
! Spanard etc, who, par excellence are 10, p"'
/ admit then, that Amercans-but must y;
| cude with them French, ltaNan, ,Spahltrus 80
| Russans-are more charming than the Ehs"sa
| but surely the interesting woman is English
In what country do you ind such strong poli.icI
| partisans among women as In England? Nnss
would man be at his election without his wlies
| or daughters ceyer tongue in the burning ousr
! ness Of canvassirlg and when such man Is sa'ev
landed In the House. what one horsed power ~
| would be without that wife or daughter as crus
of his forming opinions; You remember tne a., ~
| Earl BeaconsAed's tribute to his wife in tsn
dedication OF "Sybil.' She Is the most seven
| Of critics. but a perfect wife" 10
| Where then. is the dull woman 20 bs fouhct
| Not In America II agree so far with The New-lo.s
| Tribune but also not in France. not in German!
not In Italy. Spain or Russia ana not IN EnsIan.
in fact In society existence for her Is impossi9.s
It Is social obloquy, anathema 10 be du tnere,,Ons
they themselves feel this, and for Their own sell.
| respect as we'll as for the sake of considerauoa
| from the world. are cheerful and amused Always.
| and pursue hobbies and an infinite variety Oh NY wy
teresis. | will not say only by the instinct OF s,
| observation-disclosures write some dabhle IN art sonv
! ioin amateur orchestrds some debating socle.'es.
they Join Primrose leagues and Liberal fedsIaas.
associations: they rank themselves IN sociaIls.ss
| movements or in the schemes for the oetts'"eN
| of the poor ..,.A
| The American girl enjoys-whether Il IS merits ,
or unmerted do not decide; leave That 20 ~, 40
| readers-a high reputation for Wit. | nave 80 80
to belief that this reputation has been ,sttpls.ss
chiefly on her abundant Of the often plcoiisii
| always fresh-sounding slang or ner nation' 49,
not on her own unborrowcd originality nv nv
grateful one Is when n fresh thought Is eNplessI
| in conversation and how a stcreoiyped-tohs...ss
society does love phrase even new No. 49,
or a new Of an old one; what ny intel.
| give to the stagnant mental air OF ordinary INV
course. . 49, rs,soa
d'etre OF the American girls reputation AZ 100
| II is hors for no original FAULT of her own p'~
darling,