up from slavery-第41节

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eral　Porter；　and　other　distinguished　Americans　were　present。

Later　we　received　a　formal　call　from　the　American　Ambassador；　and　were　invited　to　attend　a　reception　at　his　residence。　At　this　reception　we　met　many　Americans；　among　them　Justices　Fuller　and　Harlan；　of　the　United　States　Supreme　Court。　During　our　entire　stay　of　a　month　in　Paris；　both　the　American　Ambassador　and　his　wife；　as　well　as　several　other　Americans；　were　very　kind　to　us。

While　in　Paris　we　saw　a　good　deal　of　the　now　famous　American　Negro　painter；　Mr。　Henry　O。　Tanner；　whom　we　had　formerly　known　in　America。　It　was　very　satisfactory　to　find　how　well　known　Mr。　Tanner　was　in　the　field　of　art；　and　to　note　the　high　standing　which　all　classes　accorded　to　him。　When　we　told　some　Americans　that　we　were　going　to　the　Luxembourg　Palace　to　see　a　painting　by　an　American　Negro；　it　was　hard　to　convince　them　that　a　Negro　had　been　thus　honoured。　I　do　not　believe　that　they　were　really　convinced　of　the　fact　until　they　saw　the　picture　for　themselves。　My　acquaintance　with　Mr。　Tanner　reenforced　in　my　mind　the　truth　which　I　am　constantly　trying　to　impress　upon　our　students　at　Tuskegeeand　on　our　people　throughout　the　country；　as　far　as　I　can　reach　them　with　my　voicethat　any　man；　regardless　of　colour；　will　be　recognized　and　rewarded　just　in　proportion　as　he　learns　to　do　something　welllearns　to　do　it　better　than　some　one　elsehowever　humble　the　thing　may　be。　As　I　have　said；　I　believe　that　my　race　will　succeed　in　proportion　as　it　learns　to　do　a　common　thing　in　an　uncommon　manner；　learns　to　do　a　thing　so　thoroughly　that　no　one　can　improve　upon　what　it　has　done；　learns　to　make　its　services　of　indispensable　value。　This　was　the　spirit　that　inspired　me　in　my　first　effort　at　Hampton；　when　I　was　given　the　opportunity　to　sweep　and　dust　that　schoolroom。　In　a　degree　I　felt　that　my　whole　future　life　depended　upon　the　thoroughness　with　which　I　cleaned　that　room；　and　I　was　determined　to　do　it　so　well　that　no　one　could　find　any　fault　with　the　job。　Few　people　ever　stopped；　I　found；　when　looking　at　his　pictures；　to　inquire　whether　Mr。　Tanner　was　a　Negro　painter；　a　French　painter；　or　a　German　painter。　They　simply　knew　that　he　was　able　to　produce　something　which　the　world　wanteda　great　paintingand　the　matter　of　his　colour　did　not　enter　into　their　minds。　When　a　Negro　girl　learns　to　cook；　to　wash　dishes；　to　sew；　or　write　a　book；　or　a　Negro　boy　learns　to　groom　horses；　or　to　grow　sweet　potatoes；　or　to　produce　butter；　or　to　build　a　house；　or　to　be　able　to　practise　medicine；　as　well　or　better　than　some　one　else；　they　will　be　rewarded　regardless　of　race　or　colour。　In　the　long　run；　the　world　is　going　to　have　the　best；　and　any　difference　in　race；　religion；　or　previous　history　will　not　long　keep　the　world　from　what　it　wants。

I　think　that　the　whole　future　of　my　race　hinges　on　the　question　as　to　whether　or　not　it　can　make　itself　of　such　indispensible　value　that　the　people　in　the　town　and　the　state　where　we　reside　will　feel　that　our　presence　is　necessary　to　the　happiness　and　well…being　of　the　community。　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　no