CANADA: World public opinion

Philip Terzian opines: "Messrs Heap, Heelan and company should read accounts of Britons traveling abroad in the 19th century: They were universally regarded as insufferably arrogant, self-centered, deliberately ignorant of other nations and nationalities, etc. Sound familiar? Clearly, being a "rogue superpower" carries with it the burden of envy and malice. Alas! poor Canada, to paraphrase General Diaz: So far from God, so close to the United States --and it's only poet of notoriety is Robert Service!"

RH: Notoriety?? that will start another argument. We must open a discussion of Canadian literature! As for British, American, German and other travelers abroad, some left excellent and important travel literature. There is little like it in the Spanish speaking world, or indeed in most other cultures. I wonder: the Japanese may be today the most assiduous and studious travelers. Has this resulted in important travel literature? Some early Arab travelers left good accounts.

Ronald Hilton - 12/5/02