Quince .Tours d Londres. Par Maria Star. (Paul 011endorf, Paris.)—This
is an account of a fortnight's visit to London made by a French lady at the time of the last Jubilee. Her im- pressions of England and of English society are worth reading, though the chapters which refer to the paraphernalia of the Jubilee are somewhat out of date. She starts from the fact, only true, we think, in its physical aspect, that we are an insular people. To visit us the Continental "must break with his habits," and " confide himself to another element." This plunge is, however, worth taking, and the writer feels at the end of her stay that she has visited a charming country and undergone "a cure of common-sense." She is much struck by our common-sense attitude towards life altogether,—first of all, towards our sons, with whom we are " willing to part at the moment most opportune for them," and who leave our public schools, not perhaps as able to sustain a brilliant conversation or write a brilliant article as young Frenchmen, but " far better able to contribute to the greatness of their nation." The sexes, she thinks, are brought up to be as independent of one another as possible, and marry for " comradeship " rather than tenderness. Next she extols our philosophical attitude towards great and small mis- fortunes, and our trust in our institutions,—from the Monarchy to the police force. For the Englishman's view of money she has nothing but admiration. He respects wealth, but does not envy it. Munificence is encouraged by the Government, and frankly admired by the public, who do not consider, as in France, that a rich man's charity is a species of restitution.
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