ARE COUNTRYMEN UNFRIENDLY ?
SIR,—Mr. R. E. Bates asks " Is it true that country people, and especially south country people, are unfriendly?" This subject greatly interests me, but for considerations of space I will not discuss it as I would love to do. I merely append a few north country observations.
t. In the north, we regard the country people as most friendly, and the townsman as the " standoffish," even snobbish one.
2. Northerners do get the impression that southerners are un- friendly. Some go so far as to say that north and south never really mix.
3. From my own experience of Herefordshire and Worcester- shire my first observation still gives most warmth of heart to the countryman. But, we northerners do not understand the labelling and " docketing " of people into definite strata of society in the south.
4. To correct the foregoing apparent criticism, let me hasten to add that I have observed that it applies to most Cathedral Cities and Abbey towns. (This letter is written from one of the latter, where urban snobbery is noticeable, and rural warm-heartedness famous.) Does possessing a magnificent Anglican edifice incul- cate undue pride in the citizens?
This is a fascinating human study—no finality is possible. Let us hope the war " mixing " of our population will produce better under- standing of north and south: town and country: and may acts of kindness like that of Mr. Bates multiply, till the forced unity of war becomes a truly sympathetic one, when to know each other better
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