Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-05
HOLIDAYS OF THE ENGLISH.
Latter Half of the Year Is Given to
Enjoyment.

Il
the matter Of amusements. and the
English beyond most people have the
Gift of extracting from life its last
ounce of physical enjoyment. That is
not. perhaps. their usual reputation.
People talk of the French as the SUI
prene merry makers of the world. and
regard us as sombre. saturnine peo-
pie. who take our pleasures sadly. We
have not, il is true. the delightful ca
nacitv Of the Latins for extracting
much out OF little: ours is rather the
opposite quality, which tends to re-
duce everything to its lowest denomi-
nation. But no one who really knows
the life of the English people during
the latter half of the year, and the
care lessly magnificeh existence which
the upper classes lead from the mo-
meat grouse shooting opens TO the
moment fox-hunting ends, VIII deny
that. gwen our peculiar standards. We
know how to make the most of good
time Holidays are in our blood. We
are really and eonseientiousiy lazy
people The whole formation OF Eng
lish society makes Incidence come
easy. Indeed, just as the famous actor
is said never TO rest except when on
described as never strenuous except
on holidays; then we are positive DEM
ons of energy. We shoot. fish, hunt,
climb walk, play golf and tennis with
zeal we scrupulously refrain from
throwing into business. Easy-going
when il is matter of making money
we are enthusiasts in the spending OF
it: and the error. if 1t be, Il one on
% yt1e
meney-malzing faculty is frequently.
perhaps usually, linked with an abb
normal lack of faculties in all other
directions; the test of wisdom Is 10
know how to spend it. We English,
during the summer holidays, spend it
with open hands, but not recklessly
We get, if not a good return for II,
az least the return we are aiming at
We build with it what probably the
most elaborate. ordered, and enduring
fabric of enjoyment-of course of a
rather vulgar kind-that is to be found
anywhere.
In the variety of our ways of holt
day making we easily lead the world.
Thousands of us overrun the Contl-
nent, not as an army of invasion, but
as an army of occupation, each unit
England of his OWN, and the sports,
the mode of life, the manners. and So
cial environment he Is used to at home
Full justice has never been dome per-
haps only a Frenchman could do 1t
to the significance of this annual EN-
orescence of social Imperialism. De-
scending upon Europe in the pest
spirit of a conquering race, firm lin
If
our own. we establish one stronghold
after another of British influence, we
exact "A universal conformity to our
own WAYS of doing things, we dispos
sess the natives and give them the
air of strangers and intruders in their
own land. Whether we affect the tor
Did cosmopolitanism of places like
Marienbad and Klssingen, or choose
rather to devastate Switzerland and
italy. or set about converting Nor
mandy and Brittany, and, indeed, the
whole coast of Northern France, into
a succession of British encampments
we dominate, we almost tyranmze
ever, cur surroundings with the same
| insufferable Inconsistencies tha'
makes us the most successful and the
| least-liked of empire builders. 1t Is q
wonderful tribute to the facility oil the
| French, that they have formed an en-
tente with us, in spite Of the BRUSH
tourist.
| But apart altogether from the Con
| tinent. we have turned the Britlsf
Isles into veritable playground loi
| the sporting rich. The twenty special
trains that, on single day. week OF
| two ago left single London station
| for Scotland and the North, bearing
| the usual host OF sportsmen and theil
| families Wallets, maids, chautfeurs
| grooms pointers and settlers. were ar
astonishing commentary on our per-
1 serving pursuit of pleasure NO eoun-
| try in the world depends so much FOL
its living on sport as Scotland Millions
/, of acres that fifty years ago We're lei
| at peppercorn rent nov bring II
! handsome sums as grouse moors ane
deer forests; and the time is not fai
off when all Scotsman who are no
! cabinet ministers will be gillies, cad
dies, or heaters. or will serve in soms