St. Gall, hard-working, enthusiastic, and independent, occupies an
intermediate position. "In St. Gall, every one can express his opinion
frankly"; but the section is unimportant compared with Zurich or
Basle.--Neuchâtel displays fitful energy, and "is fundamentally
characterised by a certain natural inertia."--Geneva, finally, is
amorphous. "The bulk of the members of this section make up a slumbrous,
irresolute mass of persons who never utter any definite opinions," and
perhaps have no definite opinions. Such activities as it displays are
the work of a few exceptions. "No section has greater need of a
masterful president." Having no leader, it is vague, somnolent, and
takes little interest in current events. It lacks the corporate spirit.
"The Genevese are strongly individualistic, and yet, unfortunately, we
rarely find among them a strong individuality." We may add that they
continue to display certain characteristics of the Genevese of old.
Dreading criticism and ironical comment, they are afraid to let
themselves go, to show what they really feel; their sensibilities are
easily wounded, and they therefore invest themselves with coldness as
with a cuirass; their attitude is one of perpetual mistrust; they are
ever on the defensive, as if the duke of Savoy were always on the point
of storming the walls.[34]
I pass no judgments. I am merely registering, in brief, the opinions of
those among the students who are best qualified to judge. Taking them
all in all, these opinions harmonise with my own observations.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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