CHAPTEE VIII 



THE FRENCH AS A FACTOR IN AMERICAN 

 CIVILIZATION 



Huguenot 

 Influence 



The French 



Protestant 



Type 



Men of 

 Marked 

 Ability 



I 



N attempting to estimate the influence of the Hugue- 

 nots in America, three facts must be taken into ac- 

 count : first, that they were Frenchmen ; second, that 

 they were Frenchmen of marked ability ; and third, that 

 they had been fitted by long and severe persecution for 

 exceptional influence. 



The characteristic Frenchman is a marked man in any 

 zone. In physique he is slender and supple ; in intellect 

 imaginative, ingenious, artistic. As a man he is remark- 

 ably light-hearted, inclined to hopefulness, loving mental 

 and moral sunshine ; and has, withal, a passionate devo- 

 tion to his native land and its institutions. In addition, 

 he possesses fine moral fibre, together with an intensely 

 religious nature. The Huguenots who came to America 

 were French through and through. The national blood 

 flowed strongly in their veins ; they loved France, and 

 because they loved her deeply they soon became intensely 

 loyal to their adopted country. In suffering, in peril, in 

 the face of death, in the darkest hours, they sang songs 

 and ever turned their faces towards the brighter side of 

 things. Yet they did not lack seriousness, but were 

 thoroughly religious and were ready to die, if need be, 

 for their religious convictions. 



The Huguenots were Frenchmen of marked ability. 

 They were drawn from all classes and from all occupa- 

 tions, but were the best of their various ranks and call- 

 ings. It is the uniform testimony of unprejudiced his- 

 tory that the Protestants of France were her strength in 



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