第14部分(第2/7 頁)

　upon　natural　grace　and　suavity；　it　is　patible；　indeed；　with　thoroughly　awkward　and　all　but　brutal　manners。　The　English　have　never　（at　all　events；　for　some　two　centuries　past）　inclined　to　the　purely　ceremonial　or　mirthful　forms　of　sociability；　but　as　regards　every　prime　interest　of　the　munity……health　and　fort；　well…being　of　body　and　of　soul……their　social　instinct　is　supreme。

Yet　it　is　so　difficult　to　reconcile　this　indisputable　fact　with　that　other　fact；　no　less　obvious；　that　your　mon　Englishman　seems　to　have　no　geniality。　From　the　one　point　of　view；　I　admire　and　laud　my　fellow　countryman；　from　the　other；　I　heartily　dislike　him　and　wish　to　see　as　little　of　him　as　possible。　One　is　wont　to　think　of　the　English　as　a　genial　folk。　Have　they　lost　in　this　respect？　Has　the　century　of　science　and　money…making　sensibly　affected　the　national　character？　I　think　always　of　my　experience　at　the　English　inn；　where　it　is　impossible　not　to　feel　a　brutal　indifference　to　the　humane　features　of　life；　where　food　is　bolted　without　attention；　liquor　swallowed　out　of　mere　habit；　where　even　good…natured　accost　is　a　thing　so　rare　as　to　be　remarkable。

Two　things　have　to　be　borne　in　mind：　the　extraordinary　difference　of　demeanour　which　exists　between　the　refined　and　the　vulgar　English；　and　the　natural　difficulty　of　an　Englishman　in　revealing　his　true　self　save　under　the　most　favourable　circumstances。

So　striking　is　the　difference　of　manner　between　class　and　class　that　the　hasty　observer　might　well　imagine　a　corresponding　and　radical　difference　of　mind　and　character。　In　Russia；　I　suppose；　the　social　extremities　are　seen　to　be　pretty　far　apart；　but；　with　that　possible　exception；　I　should　think　no　European　country　can　show　such　a　gap　as　yawns　to　the　eye　between　the　English　gentlem