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The Upper Rhine : Mayence to the Lake of Constance
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104

nOMESTIC MANNERS OF TUE PRITSSIANS.

at a confectioner's in Paris; and the Germans fancy our termto be synonymous witli solace, —using tlie word " Trost"in its place.

A love of comfort, however, comes from a love of home, sothat thoso nations who make no verbal nor mental distinctionbetween the home and the house in which they happen to live,and whose very dictionaries prove that they have not yet learntto appreciate the tranquil joys of domestic life, cannot, of course,be expected to comprehend that comfortable State of mind whichis the consequence of an agreeable abiding-place.

Further, civilisation and politeness, in their literal and de-rivative meanings, signify simply that refinement which arisesfrom the dwelling in cities, as contradistinguished from thatrongher and boorish nature which is induced by agrarianhabits; and as the living in houses is the main point which dis-tinguishes the settler from the wanderer,—the civilised manfrom the savage, so does the development of the domestic feelings,■—the exaltation of the mere dwelling-place into the almostsacred character of a home—display a higher grade of civilisa-tion, a more steady and sedate character, on the part of anation.

Tried, then, by these indisputable principles, it is evidentthat no country .rivals England in the civilisation of its people,since in no other nation are the home-feelings and the home-virtues so highly developed, whilst the sense of comfort remainsunawakened in almost overy other land.

On the Continent, the middle and lower classes live chieflyout of doors. A Frenchman reads bis morning paper at hiscafi, dines at his restaurant, and passes his evenings either inplaying dominoes at the neighbouring estaminet, or at thetheatre or some " cafi chantant; " or eise among the dancinggrisettes and lorettes at one of the public gardens. His home