The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-26

] IN whose depths 0vory nation heaTs tho
! voice Of remorse.' AZ regards India, our
author Oonsiders that a volume would be
| needed 10 record tho results Of thorough
! study Of the question whether the sum total
| Of welfare, justice and prosperity has been
| increased In that country under British
sway. He deems Il impossible, on the
whole, 10 deny such increase, not withstand
ing the shadows on the huge picture. In
view Of the incessant distention OF the popu-
lation, due to the security and benefits OF
the English administration, and In view
also Of the capricious rainfall, he pronounoes
England no more responsible for the peri
odioal famines by which India IL affi!oted
than IL France for the volcanic eTuptions
In Martinique We are reminded that
private initiative has sent considerable
sums from England to the starving natives
Of India, the greater number Of whom,
moreover. have been shielded from desti-
tuition by the Famine Relief Works, II IL
certain that In England hersefpublic charity
is dispensed with a fulness which French
men may well admire. Immense hospitals
exist by the generosity Of private indi-
viduals No one can deny that the English
man IL a greater giver than the Frenchman.
Our author adds that he is more humane.
No non-Buddhistio people display 50 much
soicitude for animals, 'The barbarism Of
the Spaniard or Of the Buddhisticl
Oriental is unknown TO him. Every tourist
has seen in the streets Of Cairo exhorta-
tons to show kindness TO the dumb beast.
and watering trouRhs set up for their
benefit. both due to English initiative. This
Characteristic Ia not without It's beauty
Passing to the mitigated form OF the
egoism imputed TO the English. upon which
Frenchmen bestow the name Of -haughti-
ness OF GOODNESS, NJ. d'Humeres admits
that nothing il more disconcerting and
affecting to our expansive (sOmetimes
theatrically eNpansivel natures than that
English reserve which" however, he in
sists. lis nothing but the modesty insepara-
BILE from certain manly feelings, a superla-
tive delicacy which belongs 10 refined
souls, a scruple which at least dictates an
attitude incontestably noble, despite its
stiffness, to the average man" He recog-
nizes that the discreetness which in England
has been promoted 10 the rank Of a virtue,
though il does not increase the charms Of
socia bility or promote the easy confidence
favorable to ordinary worldly relations,
does unquestionably afford guarantees
against indiscretion, fosters domestic life
(amonR human beings calculated for IL,
and imParts dignity. security and elegance
TO the life away from home Our author
does not hesitate 10 aver that every French
man who has had experience Of England
admits this II is only fair 10 say that these
qualities are common 10 all aTistocratic
civilizations Our own civilization once
possessed them, with an easy grace super
added. Now we retain only the vestiges
NJ dHumiares adds that "our democracy
vi l. perhaps, look upon lessons taken from
another country with less suspicion than
those derived from traditions which II
abhors, and which It has but too well sue
ceeded in forgetting
Are the English hrpocritical7 There
il no doubt that a considerable section Of
the ParI halfpenny press would be starved
II It were forbidden to tax Engllshmen
with hypocrisy. Our author comedies
hat the English people, so far as the highest
and the lowest classes are concerned, do |
not don a morality superior to that Of other |
nations In the great middle class, how. !
sver, which constitutes the backbone OF |
he country, NJ. d'Humieres thinks that. |
although its ideas are growing broader |
day by day, hypocrisy undoubtedly sur |
vives. He holds, however. that even In |
his class tho excuses Of cant represent |
he defects Of valuable social qualities. |
Dur author Is one n those who regard |
hypocrisy az the homage that vice paws 10 |
yirtue. Upon the Shoie- be gays, 'he |
Who boasts OF his virtues Is better than
he who boasts 81 his vice, although we |
must first determine the constantly chang |
ng sense Of the words vice and virtue |
England has not olaansed from the old |
sediments Of asoctinism those jars in which |
he wine Of the new vintages is blended.
Thus, although ~ d'Humieres acknoWl- |
,dges that English hypocrisy Is the sign |
II a great respect for good, he submits
hat the good respected Ia that Of yesteT-
lay and not tho good NJ to-day. much |
ess that Of tomorrow. The apparent /
80 takes its origin in n loyalty which Eng !
ishmen impose upon themselves toward 4
he ideals and authorities Of the past. al |
/ time when they are being wooed by all
he forces, all the aspirations and all the
lIgust impatiencies Of the future.