A FRENCH "WHITAKER."
[To THE EDITOR Or THE "SPECTATOR."] • Srn,—In your review of the " Almanach Hachette" in the -Spectator of January 12th, you say that a Frenchman does Ant seem to "demand the facts which concern him as a -citizen." My experience of Frenchmen does not quite bear out this. To give two instances. In 1861, I travelled with the Cure of Dijon on a Messageries boat in the Mediterranean, and had much talk with him. I found him very well informed on the political and official personnel of France; and he knew Abe 'details of the duties and salaries of the members of the .'Government ; &e.1 in- a, way which made me ashamed of my -own ignoraneeof parallel-matters at home. Some years later it was my fate to spend several hours at Chambery. Towards -the end of the afternoon, -I went into a public botanic garden and sat on a bench,- the- rest of which was occupied by a working man fast asleep. When he woke, I began to talk 'to him, and was surprised at the amount he knew about the municipal government of the place. He gave me names, 'duties, salaries, Sze., in full detail, and with great intelligence. He was,a working miner from the neighbourhood ; and I felt oertain that, if I had been talking to a working miner in Staffordshire, I should have had a much less interesting and informing conversation.—I am, Sir, &o., Lower Sydenhant, January 15th. G. GROVE.
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