Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-09-16
Authors in England--by Wills


The fact is, that the position Of mere liter
ury eian in England in any circle above tina,
to which he is born is that of jackall. lie is
invited for what he contributes TO the enan-
ment of the arstocratic lions and lonesscs who
feed him. He has neither power nor privilege !
in their sphere. lie dare not introduce friend .
except as another jackall, and it would be Tor !
very extraordinary reasons, that he would over
name at the tables where he is most intimate,
his father or mother, wife, sister, or brother.
The footman who sometimes comes TO him with
a note or book, knows the difference between
him and the other guests Of his master, and by
unpunishablo difference Of manner makes the
distinction in his service, The abandon
which they feel in his presence, hc never feels
| in MeirS and we doubt whether Thomas
| Moore himself the pct of the English arsto-
cracy for forty years, ever forgot, in their COM
pany, that he was in the presence ofhis superb
ors, and an object of condesccnsion.
Now we have many people in this country,
| Americans born, who are monarchists, and who
make 10 scruple in private conversation of
wishing for defined arstocracy, and other in
francbe distinctions between the different
classes of society. In the picture they draw,
however, they themselves figure as the arsto-
Gratis: and we must take the liberty, for the
moment, putting them "below the salt" and
setting forth few of their annoyances. Take
the best received American in I.ondon-your-
self, for example, Reader! You have no fixed
rank, and therefore you have nothing TO keep
you down. and can rise to any position in the
gift ofyuur noble entertainer. As a foreigner,
you circulate freely (as many well-introduccd
Americans do) through all the porcelain penc-
tralia of the West End. You arc invited to
, dine, we will say, with his grace, the Duke of
Devonshirc. There are ten or twelve guests,
all noble except yourself; aud when you look
t around upon the five other gentlemen, it is pos
sible that, without vanity, you may come TO
conclusion, that in dress, address, spirit and ma
I tural gifts, you are at least equal to those a.
: round you. Dinner is late in being announced,
o and meantime, as you know all the ladies' and
are particularly acquainted with the youngest
u promise yourself the pleasure Of giving her an
arm when the doors are thrown open, and sit
, ting by her at dinner. Tbs butler makes his
appearance at last and the lady willingly takes
your arm-whcn in steps my Lord Flummery
= who is terrible "spoon,' but undoubtedly
:. "My Lord" takes the lady from you, and makes
his way to the dinner table Your first though
is to follow and secure place on the other sd
of her, but still another couple or two are t
take the seat that s lett-perhaps between TIVE
- men who have lady on the other side. Plea
SAINTS MT il
Again. You are strolling in Regent-stree
or the Park with an Englshman, whose &C
qnaintance you made on your travels. He is
man of fortune, and as Independent: in his char
acter as any man in England. On the cont
, nent he struck you as particularly high-minde
and free from prejudice. You are chattin
with him very intimately when young noble
c man, not remarkable for any thing but his M
2 bjllty, slips his arm into your friends and join
j. the promenade From that moment, you
$ friend gives you about as much of his attentio
II as he does to his walking stick, let's your qucs
e tions 90 unanswered, let them be never so Gle
ID yer, and enjoys with the highest zest the mo:
,b remote spoonyosities of my lord You, pei
It, hapS. as a stranger, visit IN INV lords circle
society, and your friend does not, but he woul
~ as soon think of picking my lords pocket as {
rs introducing you to him, and If you begin
rs think YOU are Monsieur de I'roP and say "goo
of morning." your friend, who never parted iror
You before without making an engagement
.. see you again, gives you nod without turnin
!. his head from his lordshp, AMI very driy oohoc
. your good morning" And this, we repeal
:, the most independent man in England will de
n for he is brought up to fear God and honor
o. lord, and It is bred in his bone and brain.
It, We could give a thousand similar instance
r, but the reader can easily imagine them. Th
k, life ola commoner in England is one otincvta
ID bic and daily eclipse and mortIiicaton-nc
10 thing but the force of early habits and educntlo
r making it tolerable to the Englshman hlmsel
t. and nothing at all making II in any way cndr
d, rablc tot republican ofany pride or spirit lo
V, naturally say, "Why not associate with th
,d middle classes aud let the arstocracy go to tn
IS, devil ," but indiridualiy sending people TO tn
TO devil is Of no use, and the middle classes valu
no Yourself and each other only as your in,roduc
4 49,. ,h,p, is nristpcrntip nr their friend