Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-10-19

w ie'uin ~ PooSio'o auu oPeuu oouo Weoho
with him. When reached my destination,
l was at once met with an Irish welcome,
and what that is you must experience to
understand. Indeed, I was almost killed
with kindness, for my capacities of eating,
drinking, talking and visiting were SO far
below their overhowing heartiness that I
almost broke down under it. And it was
evident that this was their usual manner,
aud nothing special in my case 1t was the
same thing in Scotland I had not been
half an hour in the hotel when friendly
hands were laid upon me, and I was not
able to accept the hospitalities rendered me,
and would not have been able to enjoy those
urged upon me in Ireland and Scotland if
I had remained months, instead of days or
weeks. But it was entirely different after
I crossed the Tweed; l was asked to seve-
raj meals, and that not by Englishmen =; and
that was all, although I had more letters to
England than either Scotland or Ireland.
Yet I experienced nothing but kindness
while there, but it was not in the form of
hospitality. Nor is my experience singular
iu that respect, or I would not repeat it to
illustrate my meaning. The truth is, that
no Englishman desires to extend the circle
of his social life, except it be upwards,
among the aristocracy Hence bis attitude
is one of exclusion to all equals and infe-
riors. If you are invited out, you are
never introduced to any one, unless in ex-
ceptional cases, on the same general grounds.
Even organizations in which you would
least expect it, are inoculated with this
spirit. 1t is seen in churches, in benevo-
lent societies, and in the cliques and guilds
that you find in every class, trade and pro-
fession. Even Masonry is cherished by
the English as system of this kind, in
which each lodge is club, and in which
the lodge fees are paid and used more for
convivial purposes than anything else. As
represented to me by the highest authority
there, it is little more in England than a
club system, by which those who like each
other can band together, and exclude all
others, and then have a good time general
ly, when they meet together, especially if
they can get some lord to unite with them.
This worship of rank is one of the most
striking things in England. Let person
in the middle or lower walks of life COM
nit any improperly and English virtue will
visit it with a Rhadamanthine, if not
Draconian severity. But let it be one of
the nobility and no one seems to notice it.
Some of the English noblemen are among
the most shameless proaigates in the king
dom, but they are welcomed in society just
as freely as the most virtuous, whilst if they
we're conmoners they would be treated as
Pariahs. This subserVience to rank is often
eviuced in rather amusing ways When
the Prince of Wales laid the corner stone
of the new Bible house, he sat for few
minutes in chair on the platform. After
the ceremonies were over great numbers of
people, including not few puffy old peo.
pie whose gray hairs and large avolrdupols
ought to have indicated more sense, rushed
forward to have the privilege of sitting in
this chair, and went away with triumph.
ant sense of satisfaction that was very
amusing. was arguing with very SEN
sible man about the land tenure, and point.
ing out the burdens that the farmers bad to
bear beyond what is the case in America,
he replied with evident sincerity, "but if
we don't pay these rent-charges how will
the great folks liVe?" The fact was fixed
immovably in bis mind that the great folks
must live in splendor, and that the classes
below them must furnish the means, and
he could not conceive of any other state of
things.