PROVINCIAL CHARACTERISTICS.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'SPECTATOR.'] SIR,—I demur altogether to the description of the natives of East Anglia in the interesting article which appeared in the Spectator of November 7th. I have lived among them a large' part of the year for the last fifty years, and to me the amusing pictures of them from Dr. Jessopp's pen have always seemed to be no more than clever caricatures. As far as I am able to judge, the East Anglian, though inferior to the
man, is decidedly superior to the average man of the South. That the East Anglian is a man of independent character those who come to reside in East Anglia from the South soon find out to their surprise and sometimes to their cost. The East Anglian labourer, frequently a keen. politician, will not endure to be browbeaten by parson, squire, or farmer. He is not difficult to lead, but he will not be driven, and is the last person to "submit readily" to any one. As to East Anglian bravery being of a dull sort, I can- not imagine on what this notion is founded. No one, I suppose, would depreciate the bravery or other sterling qualities of the men of the associated Eastern counties who with London formed the backbone of the Parliamentarian party in the Civil War, and I do not believe that their descendants have degenerated. At all events, if they are no worse specimens of humanity than New Englanders they have no reason to be ashamed of themselves.—I am, Sir, &c.,
AN EAST ANGLIAN.
[We also quoted the Ironsides.—E D. Spectator.]
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