The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-20
The English Court and Life In Lon
don.

The English Court and Life in Lon-
don.
A gossiping London correspondent of the
N. Y. Times, animadverts upon the social
corruption of London, and among other
things says in an attractive style:
On Sunday evenings London is like an
out door casino, without music. 1t is as if
Cremorne gardens had overaowed the whole
metropolis.
The revelations of gossiping court mil.
liner would astonish curious and inquiring
sage. Still the Queen sets an excellent ex.
ample, which has undoubtedly exercised
great influence in restraining license. Either,
however, from ignorance, or from the neces-
sites of her situation, the Queen receives
individuals of both sexes, with whose names
scandal has made sad havoc. The MARQUIS
of Clanricarde is great favorite at Court.
After an article in the Times, in which that
journal commanded him never to show his
face in the House of Lords again, and more
than suggested the darkest crimes as well as
the most abandoned prohigacy, the reporters
in the gallery of the Lords actually refused
to take down word said by him, by COM
mon consent. But the Court smiled on him,
and he survived the obloquy which was
rained on him in fiery flakes. Ere long he
brought forward philanthropic measures in
the House of Lords, and was listened to,
reported and applauded. He is now a dis
tinguished nobleman in the van of social
improvement. 1t was with reference to
the Marquis that lord Brougham is said to
have observed to Lady Palmerston that it
was pity he did not content himself with
simple adultery, for which, you know, we
could hardly blame him." added naively his
veteran lordship.
Again, when Gen. (Jemmy) Macdonald,
aid de camp to His Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge, whose morganatie
connection is we'll known, had not only
rendered himself conspicuous by his
gallantry, but even sinned within the rules
and precincts of the palace itself, the Queen
did not avert her codntenance from the
handsome and mature offender, whose silver
locks could not save him from the popular
expression of derision. When we consider
the amount of foreign profigacy which Her
Majesty is compelled to welcome from the
parvenus of the Partisan pave to an Eastern
Rajah stepped in iniquity and crime-when
we think of the history of the Ministers who
surround her, with but few exceptions, we
cannot but lament that the virtues of the
woman should be over shadOwed by the
hypocrisy of her State, and do not wonder.
that she signs for the retirement of Balmo
raj, and has more than once limited how glad
" she would, were it possible, retire with
her husband and children into the serenity of
private life.
With regard to the middle classes, as they
are called, there is undoubtedly great deal
of substantial good left in old country fam
lilies, and in certain veins and branches of
social life. Still, can observe marked
deterioration in style among young persons
OF both SEEKS in a superior grade of life. The
liberation of such writer's and public instruc
tors as Albert Smith has done much to
break down certain barriers of decorum
wherewith the sisters, daughters and wives
of respectable England were formerly sur
rounded. When you hear young lady
taxing her brother in almost slang terms
with his devotion to the ballot, and his at
tachment to the Argyle Rooms, it is sug-
gestive of knowledge on that young Ia
dy's part which might we'll have been
omitted from her education. The 'fast"
dalnsel of the present day Is new creation.
She is not the Diana Vernon of sixty or a
hundred years ago. Indeed there is very
little of the Diana or the Minerva about her
at all. Without assailing her character, l
would say that she wants Writ uous style
she has lost the bloom of reserve in which
there is so great feminine charm.
To revert to the million. Courtesanship
sets the fashions. " Mauve" crinoline, hats
and hoops were first adopted by the frail
sisterhood, and thence gradually reached
the denizens of the drawing room, and the
occupants of pair-horse carriages. Thus
the Fourth Estate of female citizen
ship exercises a larger influence than is
commonly attributed to it. Dancing has
become a mania of Young Englandism.
The lordling and counter. skipper, the
lawyers clerk and sucking barrister, the
elegant of the Stock Exchange, and
the exquisite of Regent street, trip it on
the light fantastic toe, in manner and to a
degree heretofore unknown in England.
There are innumerable places of resort for
the indulgence of this taste.
Notorious women Of the town give balls.
which they advertise in the newspapers. 1t
must be equal to a puzzle to the INITIATED
to read these, considering the aristocratic
names which these ladies adopt.
I have touched upon dangerous theme,
in order to proclaim sthe sad truth during
the present reign of the amiable and vir-
tuous sovereign of these realms, there exists
a widespread RIGHTEOUSNESS, begotten of
wealth and want, nurtured by selfshness and
thinly yelled by hypocrisy, such as proba-
bly, never before existed in any country un-
der the sun.
Englishmen lead double life-English.
women have two~fold existence. Society
is masked want0n-a courtesan at con.
tinual christening. The canker spreads
under the mask, our streets and our man.
ners are reproach to civilization, and the
evil is apparently on the increase, without
present hope of amendment.
g, xI,o1 oo ! L