The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-31
AMERICAN CHIVALRY.
New York Tfmes.l

1.-THE age Of chivalry is gone" Burke
wrote over century ago. The exclama-
ton came from him at the end of the
famous recital of the indignities that had
been put upon the Queen of France "jn
nation of men Of honor and of cava-
liers." Respect for women is certainly
mt the root Of chiyalrous sentiment, and
is what makes that sentiment respecta-
bic and saves even the Quixotic excess
Of it from being entirely ridiculous. The
excess of it may be very mischievous, MS,
for example, if it should lead a
Judge on the bench to be a respector Of
sexes, and to decide every litigation be-
tween men and women that comes before
him in favor of the woman. But the ln-
Simultaneous and instructive response OF
men to the appeal made to them by the
helpIessness of women is the expression or
an ennobling quality. We have had
right to exult in it as an American quail
ity, long after, it seemed, on less practical
testimony than Burkes that it had be-
come obsolete in Europe. American traV-
elers have frequently recorded how they
were shocked and revolted at the lack OF
consideration shown in Europe, and espe-
cially in the British islands. to women as
women. This lack of consideration shows
itself not only in the fact that wife-beat-
ing and like brutalities are more frequent
in England than in America, but there is
general acquiescence ON the part OF or
binary English crowds in brutality to-
ward women which would certainly be
/ resented in this country, and in some
parts of it would even expose the perpe-
traitor to danger of lynching.
On the other hand, American chivalry
| has excited frequent remarks from Eur9-
pean travellers in this country. One very
famous English traveller, Thackeray,
made his observation OF it the occasion
| for a compliment to American chivalry
in his lecture on CHARITY and Humor'
l Originally delivered in New York. me
| tribute is worth quoting:
| II will tell you when / have been put IN
mind of the courteous galantry OF the no
BILE knight, Sir Roger de Coverly, of Gov
| ely Manor, OF the noble Hidalgo Don
| Quixote of La Mancha; here in your own
| omnibus carriages and railway cars
1 when have seen woman step in, hand
| some or not, welldressed or not, ana a
/ workman in hobnail shoes, or dandy
| in the height of fashion, rise up and give
| her his place. think, Mr.. Spectator
! with his short face, il he had seen such
deed Of courtesy, would have smiled
| a sweet smile to the doer of that gentle
| manlike action, and have made him q
how from under his great periwig, and
have gone home and written pretty
paper about him."
This was in 1852. Will anybody main
tain that the same thing could be said
Of American chivalry in 1896, at least OF
the chivalry of New York, in which and
Of which the lecturer was peaking 1t
any such person there be, it may be com
| mended to him to take a train Of the
Manhattan Elevated railroad, at a ter
ninal station, and at a crowded hour.
There he may see precisely the sort OF
spectacle which nsed to arouse the indis'
nation of American travellers in Europe
re viii not only fail to observe a general
disposition on the part of the male pas
scngers to surrender their seats to the fe
male passengers, but he will observe al
actual struggle on the part of men to gain