ETHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT DAY. I95 



The French are a mixture of the ancient Celts, Romans, and Germans, 

 and their general traits are those of the inhabitants of the South of Europe ; 

 they form the connecting link between the people of the south and 

 those of the north. The Bretons in the Armorican peninsula, the Basques 

 and Gascons at the foot of the Pyrenees, the Germans in Alsace, and the 

 Walloons near Belgium are, however, of other stocks. The French arc 

 somewhat smaller, but generally more active than the Germans, and 

 usually well formed. Their language, derived from the Latin mixed with 

 German and Celtic words, is simple and expressive. It has two dialects : that 

 of the south {langite cP Oc), with a predominance of the Romanic element ; 

 and that of the north {langiie d^Oui), with a greater number of Germanic 

 elements. French is the language of conversation and of the courts of all the 

 enlightened nations of Europe. It is, however, inferior to the German in 

 structure and copiousness. 



The Belgians, of Germano-Celtic origin, are Flemings and Walloons : the 

 former, in the north, related to the Dutch ; the latter, in the south, of the 

 same race with the French and Spaniards. Traces of the two latter 

 nations, although moderated by the rough climate of Belgium, are never- 

 theless still to be discerned in the easy elevation of their spirit, and the 

 unconstrained movements of their bodies. The higher classes speak 

 French or Flemish (a Dutch dialect) ; the people of the south-east speak 

 the Walloon language (a mixture of French and Spanish) ; and in the north 

 Flemish is spoken. The common national dress in Belgium is the blouse. 

 The higher ranks follow the French fashions. The attire of the country girls 

 of Flanders is very neat. (The principal city of East Flanders is Ghent, and 

 of West Flanders, Bruges.) The dress consists of a short, tight petticoat, a 

 pretty bodice with a stomacher, and a head-dress not unlike a helmet descend- 

 ing behind the ears and encompassing the neck in a kind of lace collar. Over 

 the latter article they wear a black Veil or rain cloth, w^hich the girls arrange 

 in a neat manner. 



The Dutch are the offspring of the ancient Batavians, to whom, upon 

 the whole, they still bear a resemblance. They are robust, vigorous, 

 have broad shoulders and hips, but are rather fat than muscular. Their 

 eyes, mostly blue or grey, have usually a cold, steady stare, from under 

 the heavy brows. The women fade more quickly than the men, w^ho 

 generally retain their fresh healthy complexion to an advanced age. 

 Rectitude, candor, honesty, constancy, patience, equanimity, temperance, 

 cleanliness carried almost to excess, plainness in their manner of living, 

 fidelity to their word, are particularly prominent attributes of the Dutch ; 

 they are reproached, however, with avarice, greediness of gain, and inquisi- 

 tiveness. Their confidence in their own powers, which has often the 

 appearance of cold indifference, their imperturbability, and their circum- 

 spectness in answering and in judging, have brought upon them the 

 reputation of sluggishness; although no one can deny that they possess 

 industry, courage, and contempt of every danger, particularly in under- 

 takings considered likely to result in profit to themselves. Their costume 

 is plain. People of consequence dress in the English and French styles, 



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