New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-11-09
ToREIGN CORREspONDENCE.
LONDON.
AMERICANS AHEAD AGAIY-AICHAEIMAs LAW TERN
pR. MAURIER,

AMERICANS AHEAD AGAIN-MICUAELMAs LAW TERN
d. MAUMER,
From Or Own cortTond,ut
S1ssI ~ r. siA.ss,A. LoyDoy, Oct e. 1860.
One is glad always to begin letter with congratu-
lations so let me start by offering you mine on small
but notable victory which may have escaped the
notice Of your readers. At the boat races at Cher
bourg the other day. see that the entries included
Is French ntn.of.war's boats, pulling 10 oars each,
and one American cutter pulling II oars only. The
American crow. defeating all attempts TO foul and
lead them ont of the course which seem to have been
very unscrupulously made, were landed winners by
two boats lengths by the Lieutenant who steered
them, amid the unconceaed disust Of the spectators
of the Latin race There is set Of well instructed
political philosophers rising among us q don't know
whether the breed has spread to your sde), who are
preaching to us that England and America must stand
aside and let France take Der natural and inevitable
place as the leader Of the civilization of the future
Well good many OF us don't seem TO it, and are
still inclined 10 place our money on the old English
speaking stock Al any rate we hug ourselves III the
belief that we shall always beat the Frenchmen's
heads of at boat racing, the severeSt trial Of physical
pluck ana endurance yet invented on the earth 10
we rub hands and chucke gently at this tremen-
dous drubbDg you have just given them at Cher'
bOurg.
Next week the Mchaelmas law term begins, the
long vacation finally closes and commercial ana pro-
fessona London settles down TO the regular mill for
the next nine months All official pcrsonages too,
get back TO their departments, and only the Pa'La'
mentary and fashionable worlds are absent. Ihs Is
the time for Americans TO enjoy London, If they would
only believe it, and could stand occasional or shall
say Frequently fOgs. But they 1otH come here only
when Parliament is sitting, and then grUmbe. nat.
ura IL enough own, at the exhaustng dreariness ot
society," if they get into the whrl of It, or at It's cold
ness and exclusyeneSs, if they don't Toward the
end of last session heard q very fascinating conn
trywoman of yours, who had been gong the round OF
all the great parties in London, complaining TO an
English lady that almost al her English acquaintance
seemed TO look upon society as q business, and to be
only anxious TO get through with parties instead oil
enjoying them. OF course they do, sir, and how can
you wonder at 10 just consider the facts of the case
for moment Here, in this little island, about the
size Of Of your average States, population IS con-
centrated not far from equal TO that OF the Union
The center OF this hive Is London, increasing at
new.woIld rate year by year. and large already as
New-York Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago all run
into one (unless have forgotten my hgures) Inc
number of rich people living within four miles OF
Charing Cross is at all times almost inconceyabe-
unhappy rich people, mean, who are known to give
dinners and 90 out. Even IN this comfortable, Jog
trot quiet time Ofyear you might dne out every night
if you did not carefully guard yourself against the
commencement of hostilites in any new quarter.
Imagine therefore what II is from January 10 August,
when all the great folk Of the country are thrown into
the already bewildering eauldTon.
Every one of the dinneT-giying people IS more or
less anxious 10 entertain and be entertained by those
who are on the round of the ladder just above them.
Professional men. and merchants, and men OF moder-
ate fortunes, desire 10 visit knights and Baronets or
10 Learn from ocular inspection how NJ rs sustain
the flesh. NJ. P.'s and Knights and Baronels don't
see why they shouldn't be asked to the houses OF the
Cabinet and those of such Ears and other potentates
as come from their own county, aud are known to
them at quarter sessions. The pOtentates themselves
with the exception of the dozen or two whose position
is absolutely secure Just as keen and jealous about
invitations to Marlborough House, or any royal les
tvty, provided II be exclusive In short, there is
perpetual upward in society, and, as the size
of mortal rooms is after ALL limited, those who are
pressing up are compelled by the laws OF selpreser
walton 70 keep keen lookout lest their own visiting
books should get neOnvenently crowded. But
watch as keenly they may, iii impossible to pre-
vent the natural accretOns as years 60 on Aeertan
number OF new names will and must get into the din-
ner ledger year by year, and thus II becomes regu-
lar debtor and creditor account with those VINO once
get into the shafts So many feeding debts TO be paid
within certain limited number Of weeks. Send out
yOus invitations in the sincere hope that previous en-
gagtmeuts may prevent the acceptance OF hall OF
them o that you may get more names tucked on
Won list more debts paid. Crowd in Il when there
is comfortable room for ~ only, and then, having
secured your victims, send for the French cook
aud the waters; do the regulation business, and
thank Heaven when it is over, and you have such
rest aS Eah be got at similar entertainments
at other peoples houses till next week
Tbeu, in The season when people get to
diuncr there is no comfort repOse such as should
sfsA5tnsfv aud follow good food to be found there
London dinners never begin before o'clock now, and
Last al least two hours that by the time you get up
to the dyawjngYQop there are the carriages at the
door full OF girls who want TO get on TO balls alg
drums If you have girls and no carriages ten to
one your hos, and hostess want to be OF themselves 10
evening parties, which must not be altogether neg
ected Such at least is the received theory so lar as
| can Judge in the going.out world | have heard II
over and over again asserted in defense OF the tearing
about from one house TO another in the middle OF the
night and Just showing yourself 10 the hostess, that
ETY. is like practice at the bGr you must take 1t
all IL you want to succeed, and II yOu once get the
reputation OF not showing y0u will be soon dropped
ont. SO much the better for you, you will say;
agree. But am only showing what the society Is in
which Americans with good introductions find them
selves. They have of the trouble Of it, no debtor
and creditor books to keep and can't therefore, often,
for the life OF them, make out why the victims can't
enjoy the business as much as they do. Except in
rare cases very much doubt whether one person
in hundred does enjoy it after thirty. Two
high church fashionable girls are said 10 have
been speculatng before their mother the Joys Of
being able ITO do everything in the next world
without fatigue, when the matrOn interrupted with a
sigh Well, girls, u Heaven is Mt dull, It viii be no
Heaven TO me- OF course, there yet left a num-
Der of sensible people who love quiet and their
homes: and do MT want 20 know any one more fash
onale than thense ives. but with these need not
concern ourselves and they, necessarily in this
world in a nutsbell have more aequalntances and
more calls than they would care 70 baye IN the season
on the powers Of entertaining and assisting ~ enter
tainmenis Wherefore, 10 return TO my maior prem
ise from which we started, j am ashamed 10 tlink
bow far tack. Americans who want 10 ENJOY London