ANGLOMANIA IN FRANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1777, 12 December 1885, Page 26

ANGLOMANIA IN FRANCE.

La Nouvelle Revue, edited by Mdme. Adam, contains an article by M. George Renard on " The Influence of England over Franco." According to the writer, this influence, since 1830, has invaded every department of French manners, and largely inspires French literature. In the fine arts alone M. Ttenard sees no trace of the influence of the English school. We shall indicate here only M. Renard's summing \ip of Anglican influence over French habits and manners. He shows that in the streets of Paris England meets you at every step. The macadam you walk on recalls the name of the Scotch engineer who invented it; the wood pavement you drive on has been perfected, if not invented, on the other side of the Channel. If in vehicles cabs are rare, you have tilburies, brakes, victorias, &c. The trade of the " sandwich men " is one of British importation. Paris, in imitation of London, its gigantic rival, has grown out of proportion towards the west of late years. The season of balls and gaiety that used to close with the winter, now is protracted far beyond the return of the swallow. The writer asserts that Paris itself is changing its climate to one resembling that of London. Owing to the gas and the great manufacturing chimneys rising in the neighbourhood, " a yellow cloud composed of smoke, steam, and mist," hangs oftenerovor the city. Then M. Renard takes us inside one of the, new-fashioned houses. " What a contrast it offers," he exclaims, "to the old-fashioned French 'dwelling." Floods of light stream through wide open bow windows ; we have a prof ufeion bf, fresh ' air, every appliance of comfoi-\. Carpets and flowers everywhere; water and fire at every turn ; a bath-room in the apartment itself; in the dressing-room, an arsenal of combs and brushes, smelling-bottles and soap, mirrors, jug*, and basins — a paraph-

ernalia for ensuring bodily cleanliness that 200 years ago would, says M. Renard, " have excited surprise and perhaps laughter from the most refined." -

French names are disappearing, he laments ; there are no more Guillaumes, or Maries, or Jeannes. Everybody here is William, ' Jane, Albei-t, Jenny. As to dress he admits " Women have not fallen into the temptation of deckiii" themselves a l'Auglaise ; showing some repug" nance to many-coloured garments, green veils, i and flaming stuffs, aud yet their, adoption of spensers, jerseys, waterproofs," indicates that I in the matter of costume even they are submitting to tho invading influence of British taste. For children's and men's attire, England without dispute lays down the law of fashion. In every epoch, M. Renard shows that there has always been a typical personage whom all admire and imitate. "At the time of the Renaissance it was the Italian signor; at another time the Spanish cavalier ; under the reign of Louis XIV. and for more than a century after, the French gentleman is the admired ideal. Now it is the turn of the English gentleman. The French craze for imitation of this character shows itself in every detail— in the manner of tying a cravat and holding a cane, of mounting a horse of of trimming a whisker." The result of this sWvish imitation is, according to M. Renard, to?ave " transformed, some say degraded, the antique French politeness." In the social behaviour of * men towards women this change is especially perceptible. The continual homage and petite soins with which the French used to surround them is over. " French causerie," our writer goes on to say, " has suffered much from this separation of the sexes in this intercourse " Before touching upon the influence England possesses over French literature, M. Renard treats of the transformation that has occurred under its sway in the food, the habits .of travelling, the sports and games of the French. The result of a study of M. Renard's article goes to show that if the Frenchman recognises that in some ways the imitation of England is baneful, yet, on the whole^ it is beneficial, and that the two nations are indispensable to each other. "To France belongs feminine grace, nervous excitability, the warmth and the movement of passion, the fineness of art, of wit, and of taste • to England virile energy, muscular vigour, tenacious will, &nd a persistent doncern for all that is useful Qr moral." j