The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 3, June, 1851Various
History
The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 3, June, 1851
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
We wonder if a single British reviewer will introduce, with such a
paragraph, his extracts from the Letters on America, by M. XAVIER
MARMIER? Not a bit of it.
On the English language, M. Wey says--
"The Englishman has invented for himself a language adapted
to his placid manners and silent tastes. This language is a
murmur, accompanied by soft hissings; it falls from the
lips, but is scarcely articulated; if the chest or throat be
employed to increase the power of the voice, the words
become changed and scarcely intelligible; if cried aloud,
they are hoarse, and resemble the confused croaking of frogs
in marshes."
"The English are passionately attached to their language.
They have only consented to borrow one single word from us,
and that is employed by their innkeepers--_table d'hôte_,
which they pronounce _taible dott_. And yet we have taken
hundreds of words from them!"
English women--
"English women give to us the preference over their own
countrymen. Our gallantry is something new to them, and our
politeness touches their hearts. But though they love us, we
are not liked by their lords and masters. There is no
exaggeration in all that has been said of the beauty of
English women--an assemblage of them would realize the
paradise of Mahomet."
Their dresses--
"Many white gowns are to be seen. White is a _recherché_
luxury in that land of tallow and smoke, where linen becomes
dirty in three hours. However, good taste is making some
progress. Ladies may be met with who are well dressed,
although, generally speaking, a sort of audacity is
displayed in wearing the most irreconcilable colors. What
gives English women a somewhat _bizarre_ appearance, is the
custom they have of swelling out their petticoats, by means
of circles of whalebone or iron:--this causes them to
resemble large bells in movement."
English manners--
"English manners, rigid and cold, and dominated by arid
rationalism, are the work of Cromwell. His bigotry and
hypocrisy, his exterior austerity, his narrow formalism,
suit the Englishman; he keeps up Cromwell's character, and
admires himself in his usages. But he has no pity for his
model--he never forgives Cromwell for having made him what
he is. His spite towards that man is the last cry of nature,
and the vague regret of a liberty of imagination of which
neither the joys or the aspirations have been known since
his time." "They have no grace, no _desinvoltura_, no poesy
in them, but are methodical, reasonable, indefatigable in
work and in amassing lucre."
How the English love--
"They love nothing with the heart; when they do love, it is
exclusively of the head."
English bankers--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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