The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-14

James Howel's joke, at the beginning
OF the seventeenth century, at the ex-
pense of the young tourist who re-
sembled Jonah in that he travelled
much but saw little,' and Congreves. at
the end of it, at the expense of the young
Englishman who had been as much re-
fined by tour on the Continent as a
Dutch skipper by whaling voyage.
There was from the beginning OF Con-
tinental travel the natural fear on the
part of parents, and particularly OF
mothers, which is still extensively felt
when boy goes to college. even In his
own country. lest he should be con-
taminated by his new associates. This
apprehension is touchingly expressed in
letter OF 1850 from a boys mother
to his governor: IT doubt not that
you have received my son, with our
letters entrcating your care for i'm
proving all good in MIN and restrain
ing all Irregularities, as he is the hope
and only stem of his father"
Not very long after the grand tour
became fashionable real difficulty was
put in the way OF travelling English
youth by the Reformation. The posi-
ton of England as a Protestant country
'NG'St' isilBiiSu dNtitIS 10 the udDkpT
In Catholic countries of being either
persuaded out of their religion or perse-
cuted for adherlng to It, II is by no
means clear how John Milton got on so
well, as II seems from his own report
and that of others that he did get on az
young scholar In Italy. The explana-
ton probably is that Millions aggressive
and fanatlcal Professionalism came later
and thar n Tho tr,,a 90 io gAt L.,
Italy he was merely humanist, an ex-
PLANTATION which Is corroborated by the
contrast between his earlier and his
later poetry. The Latin Secretary" to
the Commonwealth and the author OF its
controversial pieces would by no means
have written those early poems.
The author seems to us to have ante
dated what no doubt ultimately became
one of the chief causes of foreign travel
on the part of Englishmen. and that Is
the disturbances of obtaining a famili-
arlty with foreign languages. by the
middle of the sixteenth century" she
says. Latin was no longer sufficient for
intercourse between educated people"
1t seems that she Is out OF the way by at
least a century. Latin certainly did not
cease to be the language Of interna-
ration in England. The supersedure Of
II for that purpose by French was the
work of Louis XIV, aided on the CONT
nent by the French victories and the
growing predomnance of France in
consequence, and powerfully promoted
In England by the Gallomania of
Charles II. and his court. Indeed il was
after the middle OF the eighteenth CEN
fury that johnson wrote He who
travels. II he speaks Latin may so soon
learn the sounds which every native
gives II that he need make no provision
before his journey; and IL strangers
visit us, II is their business to practise
such conformity To our modes as they
expect from us in thei.' own countries"
In fact, though johnson knew French
pretty well, he resolutely declined to
speak 1t in Paris and insisted on talking
Latin, giving as his reason: What Is
The use OF giving a Frcnchman an add
vantage over you every time you open
your mouth?'
However that may be. proficiency in
modern languages, and particularly in
French, was evidently an advantage for
a cuurtier or a man of fashion at least
from 1860 onward; while for more ser-
Gus and studious youth the professional
schools of the Continent gave them
something they could not get at home.
Miss Howard has ransacked the records
In quest of the written experiences of
travellers of both kinds, and as n result
gathered a quantity of curious Informal
tion for which readers ought to be very
,,Ntt. IA 70 hot