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characteristic。
〃I know I am right；〃 said my Island friend； 〃because that is the way I
pronounce it！〃
Walking along the principal streets of Cannes to…day； you might
imagine yourself （except for the climate） at Cowes or Brighton； so British
are the shops and the crowd that passes them。 Every restaurant advertises
〃afternoon tea〃 and Bass's ale； and every other sign bears a London name。
This little matter of tea is particularly characteristic of the way the English
have imposed a taste of their own on a rebellious nation。 Nothing is further
from the French taste than tea…drinking； and yet a Parisian lady will now
invite you gravely to 〃five o'clocker〃 with her； although I can remember
when that beverage was abhorred by the French as a medicine； if you had
asked a Frenchman to take a cup of tea； he would have answered：
〃Why？ I am not ill！〃
Even Paris （that supreme and undisputed arbiter of taste） has
submitted to English influence； tailor…made dresses and low…heeled shoes
have become as 〃good form〃 in France as in London。 The last two
Presidents of the French Republic have taken the oath of office dressed in
frock…coats instead of the dress clothes to which French officials formerly
clung as to the sacraments。
The municipalities of the little Southern cities were quick to seize their
golden opportunity； and everything was done to detain the rich English
wandering down towards Italy。 Millions were spent in transforming their
cramped； dirty； little towns。 Wide boulevards bordered with palm and
eucalyptus spread their sunny lines in all directions； being baptized
PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS or BOULEVARD VICTORIA； in artful
flattery。 The narrow mountain roads were widened； casinos and theatres
built and carnival FETES organized； the cities offering 〃cups〃 for yacht…
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or horse…races； and giving grounds for tennis and golf clubs。 Clever
Southern people！ The money returned to them a hundredfold； and they
lived to see their wild coast become the chosen residence of the wealthiest
aristocracy in Europe； and the rocky hillsides blossom into terrace above
terrace of villa gardens； where palm and rose and geranium vie with the
olive and the mimosa to shade the white villas from the sun。 To…day； no
little town on the coast is without its English chapel； British club； tennis
ground； and golf links。 On a fair day at Monte Carlo； Nice； or Cannes； the
prevailing conversation is in English； and the handsome； well… dressed
sons of Albion lounge along beside their astonishing womankind as
thoroughly at home as on Bond Street。
Those wonderful English women are the source of unending marvel
and amusement to the French。 They can never understand them； and small
wonder； for with the exception of the small 〃set〃 that surrounds the Prince
of Wales； who are dressed in the Parisian fashion； all English women seem
to be overwhelmed with regret at not being born men； and to have spent
their time and ingenuity since； in trying to make up for nature's mistake。
Every masculine garment is twisted by them to fit the female figure； their
conversation； like that of their brothers； is about horses and dogs； their
hats and gloves are the same as the men's； and when with their fine； large
feet in stout shoes they start off； with that particular swinging gait that
makes the skirt seem superfluous； for a stroll of twenty miles or so；
Englishwomen do seem to the uninitiated to have succeeded in their
ambition of obliterating the difference between the sexes。
It is of an evening； however； when concealment is no longer possible；
that the native taste bursts forth； the Anglo…Saxon standing declared in all
her plainness。 Strong is the contrast here； where they are placed side by
side with all that Europe holds of elegant； and well…dressed Frenchwomen；
whether of the 〃world〃 or the 〃half…world；〃 are invariably marvels of
fitness and freshness； the simplest materials being converted by their
skilful touch into toilettes； so artfully adapted to the wearer's figure and
complexion； as to raise such 〃creations〃 to the level of a fine art。
An artist feels； he must fix on canvas that particular combination of
colors or that wonderful line of bust and hip。 It is with a shudder that he
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turns to the British matron； for she has probably； for this occasion； draped
herself in an 〃art material；〃 … principally 〃Liberty〃 silks of dirty greens and
blues （aesthetic shades！）。 He is tempted to cry out in his disgust： 〃Oh；
Liberty！ Liberty！ How many crimes are committed in thy name！〃 It is one
of the oddest things in the world that the English should have elected to
live so much in France； for there are probably nowhere two peoples so
diametrically opposed on every point； or who so persistently and wilfully
misunderstand each other； as the English and the French。
It has been my fate to live a good deal on both sides of the Channel；
and nothing is more amusing than to hear the absurdities that are gravely
asserted by each of their neighbors。 To a Briton； a Frenchman will always
be 〃either tiger or monkey〃 according to Voltaire； while to the French
mind English gravity is only hypocrisy to cover every vice。 Nothing
pleases him so much as a great scandal in England； he will gleefully bring
you a paper containing the account of it； to prove how true is his opinion。
It is quite useless to explain to the British mind； as I have often tried to do；
that all Frenchmen do not pass their lives drinking absinthe on the
boulevards； and as Englishmen seem to leave their morals in a valise at
Dover when off for a visit to Paris； to be picked up on their return； it is
time lost to try to make a Gaul understand what good husbands and fathers
the sons of Albion are。
These two great nations seem to stand in the relation to each other that
Rome and Greece held。 The English are the conquerors of the world； and
its great colonizers； with a vast capital in which wealth and misery jostle
each other on the streets； a hideous conglomeration of