A Frenchman's Remarks On Americans

Writtea for tho Argnn. The first thing that strikes a Frenohman, after a short btay in the United States, is the innltitudo of people who strive to rie above their native oondition ; and the second ia, the email number with an unselflsh and elevated ainbition who are to be found in tho midst of thig universal ambitious tondency. Thore is no Anierioan who bas not within hiin the desire of rising above his social poiitïon in lifo ; but few, very fow, appoar'to uourïsh vast hopos or eim very high. They wiuh to acquire fortune, reputation and power, but very few look at this on a vory largo scale, except for personal aggrandizemeut. At first 6Íght this surprises a Frenchman, as ho cn eeo nothïng, either in tho principies or in the aws of America, which oan hinder ambición from soaring fnr uloft. It appears diflioult to ascribe this Btnto of things to the equality of conditions, :or at this vory moment, when nearly tho samo equality has established itself in France, it has at onoe given birth to unimited ambition. I am thercfore led to aelieve that it ia principally in the social state and in tho democratio principies of tho Americans that ono is to flnd the oause of thig inferior aim. Kvery revolution increases the ambition of man, and this is ïnostly true when rovolutions overthrow aristoertoies. The anciout barriers which eeparated the mass of people from fame and power, suddenly lot down, thero must bu an TipjotuoUB and universal movemont of ascensión toward the grandeur long envied : tho possession of which is at last in ono's reach. In the first exultation of triumph nothing seems impossible. In the midst of this KliSeti and general revival of customs and laws - in the vast confusión of all men and of all lwa- tbo oitizen rfees and falls with astonishing rapidity, and power passes bo quiokly from hand to hand that none noed despair to occupy one day the most euviable place in the govornment. At the time when an nristocraoy is broken up its oharacter still rotains a hold on tho massoj, atul pcoplu keef its stiucts loug after thcy havo relinquii-hed it. Ambitiou8 dusiios thoreforo thow thomselves very gruit as long as a democratio rovolution lust, and oven Bome short time aftcr it hos rndod. The remembrance of evonta whiuh havo bceu witnessod do not get oblitezwted froiu a. man'e meraory in a duy. Tho feoling of iuBtability perpotuatcs itself, evoa whou order is restoral, and one sees evorywhere a diöproportiofiate and unhappy ambitiou springing up, whiuh burns iu secret ho heart which contaiusit. Howevur, gradually tho last tract-s of th strugglo are effacod. Men liniih by standiiiR on the snine luvel- a duinucratic society in establighed. It wo iiow Donstder a democratie ptu - plo who have roauhod this permanent and actual state, they present us a totally different sight to the one we have just contemplated. We hall be ablo to judgu without troubic and ooncludo, that if atnbition becomos groat whilst conditions are Bquared up, it loses that charactor when thcy are eqoaL As great fortunes aro in some ray dividcd, as soieucea spread thëtustlvefl, no ono is entiraly cutoiïfroin lightand good. Mea having brokon forever the ties whieh rendered them inuolive, the idea of progress starts up in overy niind, the wish of rising enters overy heart. But if equality in eonditions turaiahes some resources to all öitizeiis, it prcvimts any ono from having too oíolusivü resources, whioh, by matter of course, confines all wishes in a ruthtr narrow limit. Among a democratie people ambition is therefore vivid and coutiuual, but it can seldom aim vory 1. A man who risos to powor and fortune by degreos contracta in this long and arduóut task habits of prudence and a reservo front which he will not depart - ia fact:'rom whioh lio can not depart. One does not onlargo one's soul as one does one's house. I havo said thafc great ambitions aro morü raru duí)g a democratie rulo than in uu ago of ,aristocracy. I add that when, in spite of natural obstados, they do show thoniEülvev. it is with another physiojjnomy. Aiuoug the aristocracies tho career of ambition is oi'ten extended; but its boundaries are stoadfast. In democratie countries it wavers about in a narrow field ; but if by chance it makos eruption, ono would say that ambition has no longor any possible limit. Moralists complain daily that the vico of our epoch is pride. This is truo in ono sense : in f act there is nobody who does ut cousider himself better than hii neighbor, and who really coneents to oboy his superior ; but this is iulse i:i another sense. This same man, who can bear neithcr the subovdination nor equality, ha within his heart a sorfc of contempt of himself, judging himself only ablo to taste commou pleasures. He stops of his, own accord at ordinary topics, without daring to approach largo undertakings - in faot ho can hardly imagine thom. To conclude, I sinoerely believe that Americans renódn'oW too distant and doubtful hopes to 8ek a lower and nearer ambition, oasier to win.