[Penelope’s English Experiences by Kate Douglas Wiggin]@TWC D-Link bookPenelope’s English Experiences CHAPTER IV 1/4
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The English sense of humour. I do not see why we hear that the Englishman is deficient in a sense of humour.
His jokes may not be a matter of daily food to him, as they are to the American; he may not love whimsicality with the same passion, nor inhale the aroma of a witticism with as keen a relish; but he likes fun whenever he sees it, and he sees it as often as most people.
It may be that we find the Englishman more receptive to our bits of feminine nonsense just now, simply because this is the day of the American woman in London, and, having been assured that she is an entertaining personage, young John Bull is willing to take it for granted so long as she does not try to marry him, and even this pleasure he will allow her on occasion,--if well paid for it. The longer I live, the more I feel it an absurdity to label nations with national traits, and then endeavour to make individuals conform to the required standard.
It is possible, I suppose, to draw certain broad distinctions, though even these are subject to change; but the habit of generalising from one particular, that mainstay of the cheap and obvious essayist, has rooted many fictions in the public mind.
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