More Pictures of John Bull.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 125, 28 May 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

More Pictures of John Bull.

(.BY^MAX-O^hl-'^ John Bull is a large landowner. Hisestate,, to which he adds a: piece day by day; con-, sists in the first place, of the Britiahisles,. to which he gave the name of the United Kingdom, Then he has, the, Channel Islands, and! the fortress of Gibraltar, which enables him to pas3,,cOT._fo.rtably. through the narroweab of straits. The -islands., of Malta and Cyprus serve him,as advanced sentinels in; the Mediterranean. If he •could have Constantinople,-..he would be satisfied with his share-of Europe. In Egypt he ia not quite: comfortable; yeb he. is trying to make himself athome there. He took .good care nob to invent the Suez Canal, and movedr heaven and earth bo try and prevent the, canal, from, being made;. yet behold him to-day as a, shareholder. He occupies his territory with an army considerably inferior in numbera to thab of any other continental Power, in, spite of which nbne of his possessions is in the least danger, This security at home: is shown'by the fact thab Vblunbeers can insure bheir lives without having to pay an extra premium ; although the insurance company is well aware that if the country was in danger these men; would do their duty. The French fight for glory,, the Germans for a living,, and the Rußsiariß to divert the attention of bhe people at home from home affairs. But John Bull ia a reasonable, moral, and regenerating character. He fights to promote trade, to maintain peace and. order on the, face of the earth, .and for the good of human, kind in general. If he conquers a nation it is, to improve its condition in this world, arid secure ita Welfare in the next.

The- secret of John Bull's success consists in his tenacity, the. coolness of' his head, and tho thickness of his skin. An Englishman does nothing by halves. The more difficulties he has to surmount the more he feels in his element. He is a .'curious mixture of the lion, mule, and octopus. To succeed in this world a person must know how to make himself at homo. John Bull hasno equal for making himself athome. Nothing astonishes him and nothing stops him. Cosmopolitan in the highest degree, ho is "at" homo, in bhe four corners or bhe earth.

John Bull is a man capable of combining a thousand different personalities, of playing a thousand different parts. In his temple he will admit thab he is a miserable sinner; bub outside the temple he would be most astonished if he was nob considered bheniost moral and virtuous member of bhe human race. He is a man Who is most concerned in bhe interests of the next world, and most wrapped up in the concerns of this. He is the shrewdest of diplomatists, never asking for all or nothing, but for a little as being better bhan nobbing. British philosophy teaches people to like whab bhey have when they cannot get bhab which thoy would like. Ab election time, a newspaper referring to the defeat of the candidate which it has supported, will say that he has won a great moral victory. Unfortunately, the French do not possess thab philosophy. Success turns their heads, and reverses nave a discrediting and demoralising effect. They do not know how to profit by victory, or to pub up with defeat. In victory they see glory only; in defeat only disgrace. Even criticism they cannot stand. It exasperates them instead of benefitting and occasionally amusing them. In France they hate their enemies, instead of being grateful to them for the good they are kind enough to do for them. Iri political life in England enemies in the proper sense of the word are unknown. In France politicians look daggers at each other whenever they meet. Bub in England Conservatives and Liberals meet, Shake hands,.and walk ariiicably together to the House of Commons. In the French Chamber, an excited member may occasionally call another riiember a liar, but in the English House of Commons a member will say, " The statement just" made* is- not* in accordance with the Btrict truth?' A Frenchman haa no tiirie to think of it, but says what he means. No doubt it ia in adversity that an Englishman is to be' admired. He has the shrewdnesa to, ackriowleged accomplished fact. An Englishman is the staunchest monarchist and the freest man in bhe world, which shows bhab freedom ia compatitble j with a monarchy. There is" a great prejudice in England on the subject of France in regard to the revolutionists. France, aa a nation, is eminently pacific and Conseraervative. Processions with flags, political speeohes, and dinners, only become' events hi consequence of itfe, stupid., action of hostile, police. If these'thinga are, allowed to take place, nobody will be'the. worse for them. . .. ~

When the English appoint, tw official it is a new servarit who is added bo bhe/hOuser hold j but when the, French appoirit a new official ib is one 'more, master, to ariuband even to bully them., Political coriyictions in France rest on! the/form of Government In England everybody is of one "mind. The difference between the two parties in Britain during the last 50 years is perhaps bhat bhe Conservatives have devoted more atbention to foreign politics"; whereas the Liberals ha*"c devoted more attention to home politics. "'" "."','