A CONTRAST OF FRENCH AND ENGLISH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13334, 10 July 1907, Page 3

A CONTRAST OF FRENCH AND ENGLISH.

M. Pierre De Ooulevahi, a keen observer of both French and English life, has contiibuted something to the entente cordiale in his book "L'lk- Inconnue," -which has had an immense circulation in France and is shortly to appear in an English translation. The following are translated extracts: — '• Every nation sejnis to me like a plans, of which the lower class is the rot ; ., the middle class the stem, and the upper class th« flower. In the root the germ, of f -s defects and ,»f its qualities is found, the rough outline of its character. •' In England it is the lower class that I specially love. The people of this elasrs are strong, patient, and kind, very virile, and admirably prepared' for the work of the pioneer. " Their intelligence is neither keen nor brilliant, but sturdy, practical, and wjth a capacity for organising. ' Great forces are more easy to discipline tlian lesser ones. The people of the lower class ob;y laws and mles with all the more docility because they are not obliged to obey. Two cuiTents moderate their violent and" primitive instincts. The first is the influence of the upper classes, th* contact with gentleman and ladies. The second is their own spirituality, for they have more spirituality than ideality. The Bible is an accumulator of great power, a sort of viaticum for th-Ese people and a marvellous stay.

"In the Unknown Isle the man of the people, smokes a pipe, drinks, gin, whisky, and beer, and all this contributes to make him heavy and grave. He is more inclined to deliberate-, and does not reply to anything in a hare-brained way. Artifice is almost foreign to his character. He thinks it is only good for women. • "In England' the woman of the lower class is inferior to the Frenchwoman. Her life is very* inue'h sadder. Her work is to supply number. When one sees her. hag-gard-looking ifljid faded, at her wath-tub, surrounde/l by her little brood, one can no longer think of reproaching her for letting her husband go to work badly fed and badly • clothed. Many of these women are brave creature*, and on£ wonders how, with only two hands, they getthrough so much work. They have a right to 'tha first place in the history of .human martyrs. The English crowd is very much mixed and crossed, so that the* AngloSaxon type is becoming more and more rare. Ugliness predominates, an ugline-s that is often monkey-like, the nose and mouth betraying a. great deal of aniniahty. Here and there, /however, one te-s faces with pure features of perfect oval and ~ a wonderful colouring, which seem to belong to a higher humanity. . "In France the people have an entirely different temperament. They are ftminin; to the very marrow. Their higher faculties are more developed, their character less formed. They are wanting in initiative and in perseverance. They are both malleable and indocile, and are rebellious to discipline as no other people are. 'J iieir strength i-- uneven, bjcaute it .is in the nerves rather than in the muscles, and, like children, they can be lured by words. They have more ideality than spirituanty Tlis religious sentiment is lacking in than. " The Frenchman is, I believe a better father and a better husband than the Englishman—at any rate, he is more agreeable in these two qualities. He i>u'ts a certain refinement into his love, and with him affection often subdue; his animality. He is capable of deep affection for his * gosses' and for his bourgeoise, as he calls liis children and his wife. His bourgeoise ! iShe is indeed an admirable creature. .She. always bears half if not three-quari/jTS, of the burden of life, and die protects the little brood and tha home. Shrewd, valiant, and prudent, she exercises a very real influence over the decisions of her husband. He does not vote until he has ' talked things over with her.' She prides herself on turning her husband out well, on seeing him w-ell dressed. The meals that she takes him to his place of work are most appetising. Thanks to her there is no workman more comfortable than the French workman, and if it were not for alcoholism there would be none happier. In England the effort is more particularly in the direction of money and social position. In France there are more minds turned towards the ideal. Our neighbours make more ma Urial wealth, and we more

ariistiu wealth; we make more liglit. nioie gaiety, and perhaps moru happiness too."