The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-14

Capitals OF EuroPe.
Havana has long been celebrated for the elgancc
and taste Of its society, and the hberality of its
principal citizens. No city of the New World
seems TO have cultivated to the same extent the
graces and charms Of the refined and elegant cir
Giles of Europe. Connected, from the period Of
its discovery, with the throne of SPAN, and
governed for the most part by mobiles and military
chiefs, who were sent from the Spanish court, il is
natural that Havana, the capital, and residence of
the viceroys and Governors, should have bor-
rowed as she has done, the spirit of the court So
ciety of Europe The vast agricultural wealth
and the prosperous commerce Of Cuba enriched
her merchants, and luxury and taste abounded to
such an extent that the society of Havana has
always reminded US O the sumptuous salons of the
European capitals.
making, speculation, and utility, pervades the
whole body of society. Leisure is the pursuit here
of nobody. All classes must acknowledgment
late--lrsfic. We lth, when it has been acquired
seems 10 add little to the embellishments of an
Anne rican's home. He may, indeed, build him.
self costly house, and fill it with expensive
furniture, and occasionally give great party
but there is abou. it all, as general ule, little
object seems to have been to show how maay
dollars could be spent. and not how much taste,
luxury and elegance could be secured. The house
has little of the dignity of gentleman's private
mansion The rooms are pretty generally ar
ranged in the stereotype form of the season. Par
Tors, eighteen by twenty-five feet, and the houses,
are about all alike. Little is expended on works of
art worthy Of the name Very seldom is there
library for retirement or private conversation.
gallery or cabinet is quite rare. Parties are, gene
rally, noisy jams; in which few persons Of quiet
elegant manners, and refined conversation, are
found Instead of large, spacious, and superbly
decorated saloon, chastely and simply furnished,
finds the eternal folding doors, and two narrow,
heated, crowded rooms, SO cluttered up with car
pets, rugs tables, rocking chairs, stools, ottomans,
&c. &c, that to move about with ease, grace, and
convenience, is impossible. No one seems to fol-
low his own native ideas of refinement but inquiries
of Others what " SO and 30" did, and said, and
bought; and thus the fashion is set, and they go
and do likewise.
We know there are exceptions to all this, and
those exceptions are growing more common. We
speak, however, OF the rules OF our prevailing So
ciety. But there is different state of things In
Havan There, men of wealth seem to think its
chief value consists in enhancing the embellish-
ments of polite life. The society of Europe has
impaired its type to that of Havana; and the man.
ners and taste which prevail in the elegant circles
of the Old World are found to dictate the etiquette
of Cuban society.
The grand difference between the society of Eu-
rope and this country, consists principally in the
fact that in the old world every man Is secure of
his standing, and is ambitious of nothing more.
Nothing can rob him Of the prestige of his ia
miy name; and even if he loses his fortune, he has
the renomancs of his ancestry to fall back on. In
this counuy-where, IN spite of all our democracy,
there Is really more of tn. aristoc attic spirit than
in almost any country of Europe-our wouveau yiche
seem 10 feel that they are standing on rolling cob
ble-sones-they act as though they were never
sure of their positions. Mr. A. is afraid to speak to
Mr. B. for fear he, Mr.. A., will lose his position;
whereas, in old countries, where gentleman can
repose on family name, pictures, heradry, achieve
ments, or his own cultivation of manners or per-
sonal accomplishments, he feels that he stands
upon firm structure Of solid masonry, and castel
lated turreis, and without compromise Of his dig
nifty he can reach down his hand and lift up man
OF merit who stands below him, without sliding
from his foundation himself.
There was, perhaps, visible in Paris, before the
revolution of lSiS, the most perfect ideal Of elegant
society that the world has seen The court soirtes
of Louis Philippe and the chief noblesss, minis
tiers, and literary and artistic personages, and bank
ers of the French capital, were embelshed with
the wit, the grace, the elegance, and the high
breeding Of the continent. What it may be now,
We can hardly say. Our CORE pondents, in giving
US the details OF the recent reunions, Stones
iertss, ard court circles Of Paris, represent the re-
cent sources of Louis Napoleon, and the dtstingu<s
Of that city, as equal perhaps to those of the best
days ofGuizot and LATTE, the great banker. But
ii is doubtful if even at this period, when all alarm
for political affairs has passed, the old aobsse the
anciew regime, and the truly elegant leaders OF
fashion, who iourshed in Paris from the time OF
the fall Of Charles y to that Of the revolution OF
Lamartine, have yet retaken the position which
they once held. But they will gradually return.
The fight Of Plus *. from Rome, and the inya-
sion Of the French, destroyed, for some tiane, the
equilibrium Of Italian society. Even Torlona, and
other wealthy bankers and mobiles in Rome, with
drew from the excitements, exposures, and solicit
tudes Of fashionable society; and even after tins
return of Plus ~, il was some time before society
reverted back TO its former channels.
But, in all these respects, the city Of Havana
seems to have been fortunately exempted from
sgitations and disturbance. With the exception Of
the temporary furry which the landing of Lopez
and his land pirates at Csrdenas produced in Cuba
nothing has occurred to interrupt the gaiety Of So
oiety This winter. the carnival has opened with
unusual brilliancy al Havana. Balls, tpirees, and
entertainments Of every description, seem to be
given on larger scale of hospitality and elegance
then ever.
We Learn, by our private advices, that larger
number OF distinguished yisters from Europe and
the United States, than at almos, any former Pc
Rod, visited Havana last year We are glad
to learn that Americans Of fortune and taste
are directing their attention to Cuba, as a winter
resid, The climate is soft and bamy as that
of Italy the opera is literally sustained the hos