up from slavery-第34章

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No　man　who　continues　to　add　something　to　the　material；　intellectual；　and　moral　well…being　of　the　place　in　which　he　lives　is　long　left　without　proper　reward。　This　is　a　great　human　law　which　cannot　be　permanently　nullified。

The　love　of　pleasure　and　excitement　which　seems　in　a　large　measure　to　possess　the　French　people　impressed　itself　upon　me。　I　think　they　are　more　noted　in　this　respect　than　is　true　of　the　people　of　my　own　race。　In　point　of　morality　and　moral　earnestness　I　do　not　believe　that　the　French　are　ahead　of　my　own　race　in　America。　Severe　competition　and　the　great　stress　of　life　have　led　them　to　learn　to　do　things　more　thoroughly　and　to　exercise　greater　economy；　but　time；　I　think；　will　bring　my　race　to　the　same　point。　In　the　matter　of　truth　and　high　honour　I　do　not　believe　that　the　average　Frenchman　is　ahead　of　the　American　Negro；　while　so　far　as　mercy　and　kindness　to　dumb　animals　go；　I　believe　that　my　race　is　far　ahead。　In　fact；　when　I　left　France；　I　had　more　faith　in　the　future　of　the　black　man　in　America　than　I　had　ever　possessed。

From　Paris　we　went　to　London；　and　reached　there　early　in　July；　just　about　the　height　of　the　London　social　season。　Parliament　was　in　session；　and　there　was　a　great　deal　of　gaiety。　Mr。　Garrison　and　other　friends　had　provided　us　with　a　large　number　of　letters　of　introduction；　and　they　had　also　sent　letters　to　other　persons　in　different　parts　of　the　United　Kingdom；　apprising　these　people　of　our　coming。　Very　soon　after　reaching　London　we　were　flooded　with　invitations　to　attend　all　manner　of　social　functions；　and　a　great　many　invitations　came　to　me　asking　that　I　deliver　public　addresses。　The　most　of　these　invitations　I　declined；　for　the　reason　that　I　wanted　to　rest。　Neither　were　we　able　to　accept　more　than　a　small　proportion　of　the　other　invitations。　The　Rev。　Dr。　Brooke　Herford　and　Mrs。　Herford；　whom　I　had　known　in　Boston；　consulted　with　the　American　Ambassador；　the　Hon。　Joseph　Choate；　and　arranged　for　me　to　speak　at　a　public　meeting　to　be　held　in　Essex　Hall。　Mr。　Choate　kindly　consented　to　preside。　The　meeting　was　largely　attended。　There　were　many　distinguished　persons　present；　among　them　several　members　of　Parliament；　including　Mr。　James　Bryce；　who　spoke　at　the　meeting。　What　the　American　Ambassador　said　in　introducing　me；　as　well　as　a　synopsis　of　what　I　said；　was　widely　published　in　England　and　in　the　American　papers　at　the　time。　Dr。　and　Mrs。　Herford　gave　Mrs。　Washington　and　myself　a　reception；　at　which　we　had　the　privilege　of　meeting　some　of　the　best　people　in　England。　Throughout　our　stay　in　London　Ambassador　Choate　was　most　kind　and　attentive　to　us。　At　the　Ambassador's　reception　I　met；　for　the　first　time；　Mark　Twain。

We　were　the　guests　several　times　of　Mrs。　T。　Fisher　Unwin；　the　daughter　of　the　English　statesman；　Richard　Cobden。　It　seemed　as　if　both　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Unwin　could　not　do　enough　for　our　comfort　and　happiness。　Later；　for　nearly　a　week；　we　were　the　guests　of　the　daughter　of　John　Bright；　now　Mrs。　Clark；　of　Street；　England。　Both　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Clark；　with　their　daughter；　visited　us　at　Tuskegee　the　next　year。　In　Birmingham；　England；　we　were　the　guests　for　several　days　of　Mr。　Joseph　Sturge；　whose　father　was　a　great　abolitionist　and　friend　of　Whittier　and　Garrison。　It　was　a　great　privilege　to　meet　throughout　England　those　who　had　known　and　honoured　the　late　William　Lloyd　Garrison；　the　Hon。　Frederick　Douglass；　and　other　abolitionists。　The　English　abolitionists　with　whom　we　came　in　contact　never　seemed　to　tire　of　talking　about　these　two　Americans。　Before　going　to　England　I　had　had　no　proper　conception　of　the　deep　interest　displayed　by　the　abolitionists　of　England　in　the　cause　of　freedom；　nor　did　I　realize　the　amount　of　substantial　help　given　by　them。

In　Bristol；　England；　both　Mrs。　Washington　and　I　spoke　at　the　Women's　Liberal　Club。　I　was　also　the　principal　speaker　at　the　Commencement　exercises　of　the　Royal　College　for　the　Blind。　These　exercises　were　held　in　the　Crystal　Palace；　and　the　presiding　officer　was　the　late　Duke　of　Westminster；　who　was　said　to　be；　I　believe；　the　richest　man　in　England；　if　not　in　the　world。　The　Duke；　as　well　as　his　wife　and　their　daughter；　seemed　to　be　pleased　with　what　I　said；　and　thanked　me　heartily。　Through　the　kindness　of　Lady　Aberdeen；　my　wife　and　I　were　enabled　to　go　with　a　party　of　those　who　were　attending　the　International　Congress　of　Women；　then　in　session　in　London；　to　see　Queen　Victoria；　at　Windsor　Castle；　where；　afterward；　we　were　all　the　guests　of　her　Majesty　at　tea。　In　our　party　was　Miss　Susan　B。　Anthony；　and　I　was　deeply　impressed　with　the　fact　that　one　did　not　often　get　an　opportunity　to　see；　during　the　same　hour；　two　women　so　remarkable　in　different　ways　as　Susan　B。　Anthony　and　Queen　Victoria。

In　the　House　of　Commons；　which　we　visited　several　times；　we　met　Sir　Henry　M。　Stanley。　I　talked　with　him　about　Africa　and　its　relation　to　the　American　Negro；　and　after　my　interview　with　him　I　became　more　convinced　than　ever　that　there　was　no　hope　of　the　American　Negro's　improving　his　condition　by　emigrating　to　Africa。

On　various　occasions　Mrs。　Washington　and　I　were　the　guests　of　Englishmen　in　their　country　homes；　where；　I　think；　one　sees　the　Englishman　at　his　best。　In　one　thing；　at　least；　I　feel　sure　that　the　English　are　ahead　of　Americans；　and　that　is；　that　they　have　learned　how　to　get　more　out　of　life。　The　home　life　of　the　English　seems　to　me　to　be　about　as　perfect　as　anything　can　be。　Everything　moves　like　clockwork。　I　was　impressed；　too；　with　the　deference　that　the　servants　show　to　their　〃masters〃　and　〃mistresses；〃terms　which　I　suppose　would　not　be　tolerated　in　America。　The　English　servant　expects；　as　a　rule；　to　be　nothing　but　a　servant；　and　so　he　perfects　himself　in　the　art　to　a　degree　that　no　class　of　servants　in　America　has　yet　reached。　In　our　country　the　servant　expects　to　become；　in　a　few　years；　a　〃master〃　himself。　Which　system　is　preferable？　I　will　not　venture　an　answer。

Another　thing　that　impressed　itself　upon　me　throughout　England　was　the　high　regard　that　all　classes　have　for　law　and　order；　and　the　ease　and　thoroughness　with　which　everything　is　done。　The　Englishmen；　I　found；　took　plenty　of　time　for　eating；　as　for　everything　else。　I　am　not　sure　if；　in　the　long　run；　they　do　not　accomplish　as　much　or　more　than　rushing；　nervous　Americans　do。

My　visit　to　England　gave　me　a　higher　regard　for　the　nobility　than　I　had　had。　I　had　no　idea　that　they　were　so　generally　loved　and　respected　by　the　classes；　nor　that　I　any　correct　conception　of　how　much　time　and　money　they　spent　in　works　of　philanthropy；　and　how　much　real　heart　they　put　into　this　work。　My　impression　had　been　that　they　merely　spent　money　freely　and　had　a　〃good　time。〃

It　was　hard　for　me　to　get　accustomed　to　speaking　to　English　audiences。　The　average　Englishman　is　so　serious；　and　is　so　tremendously　in　earnest　about　everything；　that　when　I　told　a　story　that　would　have　made　an　American　audience　roar　with　laughter；　the　Englishmen　simply　looked　me　straight　in　the　face　without　even　cracking　a　smile。

When　the　Englishman　takes　you　into　his　heart　and　friendship；　he　binds　you　there　as　with　cords　of　steel；　and　I　do　not　believe　that　there　are　many　other　friendships　that　are　so　lasting　or　so　satisfactory。　Perhaps　I　can　illustrate　this　point　in　no　better　way　than　by　relating　the　following　incident。　Mrs。　Washington　and　I　were　invited　to　attend　a　reception　given　by　the　Duke　and　Duchess　of　Sutherland；　at　Stafford　Housesaid　to　be　the　finest　house　in　London；　I　may　add　that　I　believe　the　Duchess　of　Sutherland　is　said　to　be　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　England。　There　must　have　been　at　least　three　hundred　persons　at　this　reception。　Twice　during　the　evening　the　Duchess　sought　us　out　for　a　conversation；　and　she　asked　me　to　write　her　when　we　got　home；　and　tell　her　more　about　the　work　at　Tuskegee。　This　I　did。　When　Christmas　came　we　were　surprised　and　delighted　to　receive　her　photograph　with　her　autograph　on　it。　The　correspondence　has　continued；　and　we　now　feel　that　in　the　Duchess　of　Sutherland　we　have　one　of　our　warmest　friends。

After　three　months　in　Europe　we　sailed　from　Southampton　in　the　steamship　St。　Louis。　On　this　steamer　there　was　a　fine　library　that　had　been　presented　to　the　ship　by　the　citizens　of　St。　Louis；　Mo。　In　this　library　I　found　a　life　of　Frederick　Douglass；　which　I　began　reading。　I　became　especially　interested　in　Mr。　Douglass's　description　of　the　way　he　was　treated　on　shipboard　during　his　first　or　second　visit　to　England。　In　this　description　he　told　how　he　was　not　permitted　to　enter　the　cabin；　but　had　to　confine　himself　to　the　deck　of　the　ship。　A　few　minutes　after　I　had　finished　reading　this　description　I　was　waited　on　by　a　committee　of　ladies　and　gentlemen　with　the　request　that　I　deliver　an　address　at　a　concert　which　was　to　begin　the　following　evening。　And　yet　there　are　people　who　are　bold　enough　to　say　that　race　feeling　in　America　is　not　growing　less　intense！　At　this　concert　the　Hon。　Benjamin　B。　Odell；　Jr。；　the　present　governor　of　New　York；　presided。　I　was　never　given　a　more　cordial　hearing　anywhere。　A　large　proportion　of　the　passengers　with　Southern　people。　After　the　concert　some　of　the　passengers　proposed　that　a　subscription　be　raised　to　help　the　work　at　Tuskegee；　and　the　money　to　support　several　scholarships　was　the　result。

While　we　were　in　Paris　I　was　very　pleasantly　surprised　to　receive　the　following　invitation　from　the　citizens　of　West　Virginia　and　of　the　city　near　which　I　had　spent　my　boyhood　days：

Charleston；　W。　Va。；　May　16；　1899。

Professor　Booker　T。　Washington；　Paris；　France：

Dear　Sir：　Many　of　the　best　citizens　of　West　Virginia　have　united　in　liberal　expressions　of　admiration　and　praise　of　your　worth　and　work；　and　desire　that　on　your　return　from　Europe　you　should　favour　them　with　your　presence　and　with　the　inspiration　of　your　words。　We　must　sincerely　indorse　this　move；　and　on　behalf　of　the　citizens　of　Charleston　extend　to　your　our　most　cordial　invitation　to　have　you　come　to　us；　that　we　may　honour　you　who　have　done　so　much　by　your　life　and　work　to　honour　us。

We　are；

Very　truly　yours；

The　Common　Council　of　the　City　of　Charleston；

By　W。　Herman　Smith；　Mayor。

This　invitation　from　the　City　Council　of　Charleston　was　accompanied　by　the　following：

Professor　Booker　T。　Washington；　Paris；　France：

Dear　Sir：　We；　the　citizens　of　Charleston　and　West　Virginia；　desire　to　express　our　pride　in　you　and　the　splendid　career　that　you　have　thus　far　accomplished；　and　ask　that　we　be　permitted　to　show　our　pride　and　interest　in　a　substantial　way。

Your　recent　visit　to　your　old　home　in　our　midst　awoke　within　us　the　keenest　regret　that　we　were　not　permitted　to　hear　you　and　render　some　substantial　aid　to　your　work；　before　you　left　for　Europe。

In　view　of　the　foregoing；　we　earnestly　invite　you　to　share　the　hospitality　of　our　city　upon　your　return　from　Europe；　and　give　us　the　opportunity　to　hear　you　and　put　ourselves　in　touch　with　your　work　in　a　way　that　will　be　most　gratifying　to　yourself；　and　that　we　may　receive　the　inspiration　of　your　words　and　presence。

An　early　reply　to　this　invitation；　with　an　indication　of　the　time　you　may　reach　our　city；　will　greatly　oblige；

Yours　very　respectfully；

The　Charleston　Daily　Gazette；　The　Daily　Mail…Tribune；　G。W。　Atkinson；　Governor；　E。L。　Boggs；　Secreta