A PROTEST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1966, 17 April 1919, Page 1

A PROTEST.

ENGLISH OR .ANGLO-SAXON 1

RACIAL CHARACTERISTICS

It is time that protest were made against the growing u>e of Cm', silly, meaningless word “AngloSaxon,” which is now so frequently seen in the place where the word English ought to be, writes Richard H. Glover, in the English Race. Reports of speeches are incessant where sloppy references are made to the “Anglo-Saxon” race, and the “Anglo -Saxon peoples of the world. What is meant, of course, is the English race, and the Englishspeaking nations. , The word “An-glo-Saxon” has no meaning except as the modern name of an extinct language which forms —linguistically only —the basis of the English tongue. That is all. Our literature is not Teutonic. It comes, like our civilisation, from the Mediterranean. Daring the last century, when, Heaven forgive ns for our follies! it was the crazy task of German-obsessed writers such as Carlyle to misrepresent us as akin to the peoples of Central Europe, (bis ridiculous word “Anglo-Saxon” became common because of its suggestion of affinity between English and Central European literature. Such suggestion is disgustingly false, and has been nailed down by one of the most brilliant of English novelists, Mr Quiller Couch, who says: “From Anglo-Saxon prose, from Anglo-Saxon poetry, our living prose and poetry, have, save linguistically, no derivation.” The use of this misleading word,

“Anglo-Saxon,” as descriptive of England is now more objectionable than ever, because the word Saxon does correctly describe one of that huddle of Central European States which the English people are busily engaged in breaking up. It is not exactly a compliment for an Englishman to be called a Saxon, even when the Latin word for English is prefixed. No racial affinity exists between English people and the people whoso capital is Dresden. The same sort of historical falsehood used by Carlyle has also been used by other mid-Victorian writers to connect English people with Central Europeans by describing them as “Blue-eyed Saxons.” Between the blondes of Central Europe, and the distinctively English types best seen in Kent, and in certain parts of the lowlands of Scotland, there is no similarity. The Saxon style of beauty is flaxen hair and mostly brown eyes. The true English type, so loved of that very English American, Longfellow — “’Having the dew of their youth, and the beauty thereof, as the captives, Whom SI. Gregory saw, and exclaimed, ‘Non Ongli; sed Angeli’ has hair golden in the sunshine, and blue, very often dark blue, but never brown, eyes. There is no likeness between English and Saxon people. So far as people on the mainland of Europe are concerned, those with whom there is nearest racial affinity are the Dutch. During the Sooth. African War, the Germans used to talk about their Dutch “cousins” and try to pretend sympathy with the Boers. The people who were I hen lighting the Boevs were much nearer relations to them than those who pretended sympathy on account of race. It wraid bo easy to quote European writers, all of whom are aware, that 11)0 English have racial characteristics so strongly marked that if is difficult to mistake an English- . man for anyone except himself. Nature never intended him to be one of the League of Nations. It is as if in giving the Englisn clearly defined racial trails, Nature seems to say: “Lo, this people shall dwell alone, and shall not he reckoned among the nations.” The use of this word “Anglo-Saxon,” is an historical falsehood. Alfred the Great would have been bewildered had anyone called him an Anglo-Saxon. So, for that matter, would any Englishman who lived previous to the mid-Victorian era. Alfred the Great would have understood the word “English,” he would have called himself “King of England.” But ‘Anglo-Saxon” never, for there never was a people named the “Anglo-Saxons.” Ever since the invasions of the Piets and Scots, and in all the fightings in the north of the island and in Ireland, a term of abuse was applied to the English by their opponents, who used to call them “Sassenaehs.” But even these people never called the English “Anglo-Sasseuaehs.” The use of this word “Anglo-Saxon” is meaningless and offensive to Englishmen, and with the revival now growing in strength it ought to be destroyed.