French & English : $b A comparisonHamerton, Philip Gilbert
History
French & English : $b A comparison
Hamerton, Philip Gilbert
National characteristics, English; National characteristics, French
[Sidenote: The System of Departmental Administration.]
The same may be said of the highly-organised and extremely convenient
system of departmental administration. It has survived several great
changes of government, and is likely to outlive any others that may
occur in the future. Some slight modifications may be introduced, such
as the suppression of useless sub-prefectures.
[Sidenote: The French University likely to last.]
The French University, which has schools in every department of France,
and academic examining bodies in seventeen (including Algeria), is
one of those institutions of Napoleon I. which seem likely to last
with his code. It answers to the desire in the middle classes for a
widely-spread Latin and mathematical education. This education may be
modified in future years without destroying the University.
[Sidenote: Probable Permanent Character of Universal Suffrage.]
Universal suffrage has always been so difficult to abolish that nobody
has attempted it, though no institution can be more cordially detested
by some influential classes. The universality of military service
has greatly increased the strength of universal suffrage, as every
man may be called upon to die for the country, and therefore thinks
that he has a natural right to vote. We are familiar with the phrase
“a stake in the country.” Every Frenchman has at least one stake in
the country--his life. There is not the most remote probability that
universal suffrage will ever be repealed.
[Sidenote: Probable Permanence of Representative Government.]
Many quite sober-minded and thoughtful Frenchmen are now of opinion
that representative government, after several unsuccessful attempts, is
firmly and finally established in their country. I dare hardly go so
far as to assert so much, but I am fully convinced that, if not now, it
will be ultimately the fixed form of government in France.
[Sidenote: Abandonment of the Republican Calendar.]
[Sidenote: A Calendar ought to be International.]
As an example of a reform which has _not_ been preserved I may mention
the republican calendar. It was both beautiful and rational in its
observation of nature, and was certainly an improvement upon the old
calendar in the choice of names, but it fell into disuse from its
inconvenience. It was only national and not international as a calendar
ought to be. In times like these, when the French decimal coinage is
already an international system, it would be a reactionary measure to
go back to a national calendar. It will only be revived if several
other nations agree to use it at the same time, which is not likely to
happen.
[Sidenote: The Church of England.]
[Sidenote: Wonderful Change that led to its Establishment.]
[Sidenote: The Strength of Anglicanism.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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