More Pictures of John Bull.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 206, 4 June 1887, Page 3

More Pictures of John Bull.

(By "MaxO'Kkll.")

John Bull is a lnrge landowner. His estate, to which he adds a piece day by day, consists in the first place of the British I&loe, to which he gave the name of the United Kingdom. Then he has the Channel Islands, and the fortress of Gibraltar, which enables him to pass comfortably through the narrowest ot straits. The islands of Malta and Cyprus serve him as advanced sentinels in the Mediterranean, If he could have Constantinople he would be satisfied with his share of Europe. In Egypt ho is not quite comfortable ; yet ho is trying to make himself at home there. He took good care not to invent the Suez Canal, and moved heaven and earth to try and prevent the canal from being made ; yet behold him to-day a& a shareholder. He occupies his territory with an army considerably inferior in numbers to that of any other continental Power, in spite of which none of his possessions is in the least danger, This security at home is shown by the fact that Volunteeis can insure their lives without having to pay an extra premium ; although the insurance company is well aware that if the country was in danger these men would do their duty. The French fight for glory,' the Germans for a living, and the Russians to divert the attention of the people at home from home affairs. But John Bull is a reasonable, moral, and regenerating character. He fights to promote trade, to maintain peace and order on the face of the earth, and for the good of human kind in general. If he conquers a nation it is to improve its condition in this world, and secure its welfare in the next. The secret of John Bull's success consists in his tenacity, the coolness of his head, and the thickness of his skin. An Englishman does nothing by halves. The more difficulties he has to surmount the more he feels in his element. He is a curious mixture of the lion, mule, and octopus. To succeed in this world a person must know how to make himself at home. John Bull hasnoequal for limiting himself athome. Nothing astonishes him and nothing stops him. Cosmopolitan in the highest degree, he is at home in the four corners of the earth. John Bull is a man capable of combining a thousand different personalities, «of playing a thousand different parts. In his temple he will admit that he is a miserable sinner ; but outside the temple he would be most astonished if he was not considered the most moral and virtuous member of the human race. He is a man who is most concerned in the interests of the next world, and most wrapped up in the concerns of this. He is the shrewdest of diplomatists, never asking for all or nothing, bub for a little as being better than nothing. British philosophy teaches people to like what they have when they cannot get that which they would like. At election time, a newspaper referring to the defeat of the candidate which it has supported, will say that he has won a great moral victory. Unfortunately, the French do nob possess that philosophy. Success turns their heads, and reverses nave a discrediting and demoralising effect. They do nob know how to profit by victory, or to put up with defeat. In victory they see glory only ; in defeat only disgrace. Even criticism they cannot stand. It exasperates them instead of benefitting and occasionally amusing them. In France they hate their enemies, instead of being grateful to them for the good they are kind enough to do for them. In political life in England enemies in the proper sense of the word are unknown. In France politicians look daggers at each other whenever they meet. Bub in England Conservatives and Liberals meet, shake hands, and walk amicably together to the House of Commons. In the French Chamber, an excited member may occasionally call another member a liar, bub in the English House of Commons a member will say, " The statement just made is not in accordance with the strict truth." A Frenchman has no time to think of it, but says what he means. No doubt it is in adversity that an Englishman is to be admired. He has the shrewdness to acknowleged accomplished fact. An Englishman is the staunchesb monarchist and the freest man in the world, which shows that freedom is compatitble with a monarchy. There is a great prejudice in England on the subject of France in regard to the revolutionists. France, as a nation, is eminently pacific and Conserservative. Processions with flags, political speeches, and dinners, only become events in consequence of the stupid action of hostile police. If these things are allowed to take place, nobody will be the worse for them. When the English appoint an official it is a new servant who is added to the hou&ehold ; but when the French appoint a new official it is one more master, to snub and even to bully them. Political convictions in France rest on the form of Government. In England everybody is of one mind. The difference between the two parties in Britain during the last 50 years is perhaps that the Conservatives have devoted more attention to foreign politics ; whereas the Liberals ha^e devoted more attention to home politics.