A FRENCHMAN ON BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12698, 29 October 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

A FRENCHMAN ON BRITAIN.

GENIAL CRITIC ON OL.R FOIBLES [ : AND FADS. ■ ( For the first time since the death of Mux O'Rell. a Frenchman of distinction and crdture has devoted himself to the criticism of the Isle and the Empire of Britain- .M.. Robert d'Humiercs has produced a charming book, delightful to read, because the trained perception and keen sense of humour which he displays': are warmed with sympathy for the British race, and glow with an understanding of our institutions which is rare among his countrymen. The author starts with the proposition that everything is to be gained by nations knowing one another, and that every contribution to that end is welcome. M. d'Humieres knows, his England, and declares that the worship of fair play is more characteristic of our nation than the perfidy attributed by the French pamphleteers of the Bonaparte era to Albion. If a prize were to 'be given for national ■'■[■. perfidy ~;.;■ M. d'Mumieres is evidently of opinion that Russia could give England two stone and a beating. - To the : general reader that part of the book which is devoted to 'English'; life is the most interesting. The British , fog, without which no visit to London ; would

be complete, attends the traveller on his way.from Dover to London. He travels with five "gentlemen in khaki," who enter the carriage at Shorncliffe, and whose conversation is ga;mished with lurid, adjectives which highly . amuse the ..'genial Frenchman. He asks about the generals. One of them begins: — ■■:■■• " Buller. There's a man, for you!" "Hurrah for old Buller!" -~.'■■' "Well, what about Gatacre?"

SIR WILLIAM GATACRE. M. d'Humi<<res publishes • with. " Gallic fidelity the colloquial term, not of endearment, by which Kir William, Gatacre is known to the British private soldier. The khaki heroes inform their questioner that everyone wept when Sir William" Gatacre went home to England. "He tired you out, it is true; but he fed you." In matters theatrical M. d'Humieres is loyal to Shakespere, and writes of the Beerbohm Trees with enthusiasm. Mrs. Tree, he says, is an English Rejane, and as to Mr. Tree's production of "Twelfth Night" he does not think that there has ever been anjrthing comparable to the staging. He describes the celebrated scene in the. gardens of Olivia, where Malvolio and his crossgarters ' raise incessant .laughter from, ■.this" audience. Our French critic finds his way behind the scenes, and talks with Mr. Tree after the representation while he is unfrocking himself. ■ ' ' With the exception of Shakespearean drama,, as rendered by Mr. Beerbohm Tree, : one does not gather that our author thinks" more highly of the English stage than the majority of competent critics from the other side of the Channel. >He speaks 'of: *'The Little* Minister," of "The Admirable Crichton,"- and of Mr. Lewis Waller's "Monsieur Beancaire." In regard to the latter play, he remarks on "another trait in the English character which reveals itself in this work, and which, from the artistic point of view, is curious. The hero, a Frenchman, : hasi certainly a fine part, and: shines at the expense of the English, whom he mystifies, defeats, and circumvents ■vrith- : out the public taking the slightest offence. :■ Nobody could imagine an Englishman, assuming a similar position ! in "a'French play, for it simply would not be!;-'tolerated in Paris. This is a trait of the nobility^of the English race which we Frenchmen may well envy."

A GIRLS PASSION, • ••.; .'lJurlingbaitt" itnd a polo match ere'j.-t;?itli-ed with a rapid brush." The sangfroid of the English y girls ■~; astonishes our . critic. 'During the polo match i ; one of tho players, whos3 eye was already; injured by -a chance blow, , fell in, a collision ; and received the who!© weight of his pony on his body, /As the rider lay still -a young girl who gave signs of keen emotion, probably a sister or a fiancee, was asked by somebody:,:in'a tone of interest: "Do you know hint?'' " Oh, yea. It is Captain —, but if only it had been one of the Hussars!"—the match being between a regiment d Life Guards and one of the Hussars. The rider lay still as though he were dead, and the girl sighed i "Oh, he will be so disappointed." This, says M. d'Humieres, is ii. cmious utterance of a British girl's passioh. M. d'Humieres visits Mr. Rudyard Kipling. The dooi of Mr. .Kipling's house at Rottingdean was opened by " a housemaid of classic model, who introduced me. . Somebody pulls aside a curtain, and Mr. Kipling stands before me. Charming reception and. most cordial. Will I have tea? I accept.''. M. d'Humieres finds .nothing wooden about Mr. Kipling, but a singular agility of body. Mr. * Kipling tells his guest that- he likes tho Russians, for the same reason that his sympathy is drawn towards tie East. " The Russians are so Oriental, yon know Look at Tolstoi' He is a ; fakir. ; The compulsion to follow his ideas to the bitter end is the characteristic of an ascetic Hindu, He crucifies the flesh and; retires froth the world." ' -.

It would he interesting if M. d'Humieres would visit Count Tolstoi and obta iin an expression of opinion about Mr.,.Kipling. His interviewer finds that Mr.. Kipling laughs like a boy, admires Pierre Loti, and dislikes the. erotics of Annunzio. .Bo i, attributes his dislike of the work of the Italian novelist to his Oriental tastes. "In the East, woman is not seen outside the house, and while she is charming in life there are many other subjects as well." i Mr. Kipling thinks that woman has been a little overdone in literature.

MR. KIPLING'S VIEW. The Figaro publishes a letter addressed by Mr., Rudyard Kipling to M. Robert d'Humieres, commenting upon -his work, "L'lle st ' l'Empiro de Grande Bretagne." , Mr. Kipling says he is particularly pleased at the homage paid by M. d'Humieres to the energy of the British race, although there are some people "who are. inclined to have their doubts on the subject. M.;d'H'u* mieres, says Mr. Kipling, has evidently failed to'observe that there exists an England which, ruined by exces? of prosperity,; has fallen asleep, and mistakes its deep snoring for- thinking.'The author's remarks on the army,: Mr. Kipling considers particularly well applied when he says that the British soldier " understands that he must not understand." i

Herein lies th© secret of many of our successes and many of our failures. It is, indeed, the first lesson that is taught to our sons. . l '

Mr. Kipling is in hearty agreement with j what the author Kays about the value of a I good understanding between Prance and! i England not only > because of its pi*sent j usefulness, but also because of the needs of the future.. S To© French and English peoples, Mr. Kipling continues, are an exact : complement the one of the other in temperament,, in destiny, in logic, and in fact. .. Besides, there is not so much liberty remaining in. Eastern Europe that these two messengers of human freedom could afford to quarrel. •- Were they to do so it is only the' Middle; Ages, armed with modem weapons,, that could profit by it. ... Adverting to M. d'Humieres' observations i on the ct'ld British temperament, My. Kipl- i ing declares that our " chastity' is not cant. It is a necessity imposed on us by the density of our population. ■■'■;' : i '■■ Imagine for a moment, he says, a lar?d with a population of 400 persona to i'»e square mile, steeped in a. refined and' a", giessive sensualism. It would be a witable orgy that would kill all business enterprise. .■'. ;. _ , .;,. ; - ; - Of our people, a people of meat-eaters, . six , millions - dwell in; a-,-.tity'. which 1 - drain*' five months in the year is plunged in an obscure twilight, alternating with long periods of gloom fox the rest of the rear. Heron we see a palpable cause for tho excitement of certain nervous centres/and we must, therefor©, In exercise an outlet and a balance fqp • this abnormal stimulus. We understand that wo must j not understand. To understand evervUiing is certainly to pardon'everything; out it also means to commit everything. ' *