New-York tribune., 1904-05-29

I1uuWlS IeWlSOnn- limo, pp. Jo0 r OK, OUiucio
The Norman gentleman who in the latter half
of the eighteenth century spent many comfort
able years in this country naturalized citi-
zen. and who was for some time French Consus
In this city. deserves to be remembered BY
Americans. The Letters OF which this volume
is reprint revealed the land Of his adoption in
the happiest guise, and helped. no doubt. to in
tensfy abroad the Notwithstanding faith In an
enlightened democracy. Professor Trent
minds US that 1t is more than hundred years
since the last edition was published; the work.
however. has been procurable by those spe-
cially interested in early American letters. and
we believe that its author is better known to
Northern students than Mr. Trent and Mr..
Lewisohn appear to think We note, by the
way. that curiously grudging notice Is given to
the article In Duycknck's "E.ncyclopsedia," q
valuable work which long antedated Professor
Tyler's Literary History" and whose
merits should not be forgotten or sighted We
may add that in the note referring to Duyckinck
there is a date oddly misprnted-
Without going far afeld as the literary
movement involving Rousseau's "Confessions.-
st. Pierre's Paul ct Virgne," Goethe's "Sor-
rows of Werther" and Chateaubriand's Les
Natchez.' we may justly admire CrevecGurs
work as a piece of wrting-eveli if do not
follow Professor Trent In calling il q minor
classic We have re-read the @Ietters'' with .
fresh enjoyment of their uuaintness. their SIM
plicity and their optimistic vein. and without
much temptation to share the rather amusing
cynicism of the editor. This picture of the
American of the passing colony days certainly
has elements which suggest Washngton's too
fattering circumstances; but mass of per-
sonal and biographical records now available for
the historian show that the older Northern prov
inces held farming class which in most
spects resembed the ideal of Crevecceur more
closely than 1t did the probably no very de-
lectable type OF Mr.. Lewisohn's hard working
Colonial farmer" The Frenchman's new Amer
leans" were not at all perfect. may see in
his list OF their haracteristics-''industry good
living selshness. litigiousness. country politics.
the pride of freedom. religious indifference
But even the ''back-settIers' Of the four New
England provinces. Crevecnur points out. were
kept within the bounds of decency and govern
ment by wise laws and by the influence of re-
ligion-" These are restraints which were not
then-as sometimes they are not now-to be
found operative in the back-settlements of both
the Carolinas. Virginia. and many other parts,-
where it was even dangerous to travel"
1t did not need any particularly idealizing
capacity to perceive in the Colonial freeholders
all that Creveceur credits them with being-a
set OF people respectable for their industry
their happy independence. the great share of
freedom. they possess. the good regulation Of
their families and for extending the trade and
dominion of our mother country" Their achieve
ments furnish even fairer testimony to their
characteristics than the Frenchman can offer II
Is interesting nowadays to read of the prospect
which opened before Crevec9ur's European i'm
migrant
He does not find. in Europe a crouded sOcietv
Whefe every place Is OVer-StOckCd, he does
fat pfrpetHai collision OF parties that difficulty OF
There Is room for everybody in America: has he
any particular talent. industry? he exerts il in
order To procure livelihood. and il succeeds Is
he eminent IN respect? he will be employed and
respected Does he love a life? peasoDt
farms present themselves; he may purchase what
ne wants, and thereby become Anne rican
not many miles. receive many informations
before he will be hired well fed the table of mis-
employer. and paid four or five times than
he can get in Europe. Does he want uncuItivated
which he may purchase cheap. Whatever be his
talents or inclinations. if they moderate ne
may satisfy them / do not mean that every one
who comes will grow rich in little time; no. but
his industry. Instead of starving he will be fed.
instead of being idle he will have employment and
these are riches enough for such as come
over here
Times have changed. doubt-though the
thrifty Scandinavian farmer of the Northwest
may not consider them greatly changed. after
ALL
Crevecoeur's observations of the Industrial
conditions and characteristics of the various i'm
migrant races in Pennsylvania are to this day