Evening star., 1926-05-02

cut us off good deal from intellectual inter
course with the continent.
The eighteenth century English gentleman
certainly the most arrogant human being
in the whole world. When he made the grand
tour" through Europe he left trail OF hatred
behind him because of his naughty manners his
contempt for the language, fashions religion
and manners of all the foreigners he encoun
tered.
His attitude of mind was reflected in the
coarse abuse of foreigners among the lowest
class Of English life. He cursed the French
frog eaters" and firmly believed that Ma
poleon drank babies blood for breakfast. He
was convinced that Englishman could
whip three Frenchmen with one hand behind
his back.
In the early nineteenth century doubts be-
gan to creep into the minds of the more intel
lgent there was a gradual recognition Of the
glories Of italian art, the wit and elegance of
French literature, the scholarship and science
of Germany; but until quite recent days the
still called the Italians "ice cream merchants
the French "frogges," and every kind of for
eigner by the general term Of "dagoes'
X X
Have we quite cured ourselves of that
tional selfconceit? The war ought to have
taught us a wholesome lesson in that respect,
and I think 1t did, among those who under
stood the immense heroism of the French peo.
pie and the general standard of courage and
sacrifice In all nations
We are not so insular In our pride, not
snobbish as people, thought even now many
of us cling to a secret belief that character
and civilization are superior to those of any
other nation on earth. Perhaps they are, but
a little modestv becomes us!
The has done other things to broaden
our views of life. 1t has broken down the from
tiers of caste within our own ranks. Our snob-
bishness is not armor- plated. All classes
drawing little closer together and fine distnc-
tons of rank and profession are being lost.
noticed 1t very much in London. You never
know whether shop girl behind the counter
Is not a LADY of quality or at least the daugh-
ter of good English family Young men from
public schools and universities going into
big stores and learning their jobs In the
pet department or the haberdashery. The
daughters Of the aristocracy and the old coun-
try gentry whose families have been pretty
hard hit by taxation and death duties going
in for dressmakng setting up miners+ shops
teaching dancing, learning shorthand. and type
writing, serving in little teashops and restau-
rants.
Ex officers, heartbroken after the by vain
attempts to find good jobs. have turned their
hand to any kind Of work in town or country,
without caring jot about caste or class. find
them running antique furniture shops doing
repairs for passing motorists in wayside work
shops, pig breeding in remote little farms, set
ting up garage in some London news.
A blind officer / know Is mine host of old
fashioned inn on the Bath road, and many other
ex-offlcers including a commander "axed" out
OF the navy, are managing public houses in
rural England. Sons of old families who, half
a century ago. would have tainted at the
thought of going into trade" are glad to get
jobs commercial travellers a small COM
mission basis or to find stool in a merchants
office.
dom. The younger generation does not tup-
pence what sort of work one of their set is do
ing, provided he keeps his sense of humor and
talks their kind Of language.