Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-08-23
CToquet.

The London Saturday RerieC thus bold,
forth on the subject of Croqustry, apr3pIs
Of a new manual Of the game;
Croauet has really solid and ine1pugnafls
claims TO popularity. Ii Is more than diver
sion. IL is a business. The author Of the Ne.
Handbook is carried By the natural zeal Of the
srecialisr even still further. Croquet, he sen
reutlously declares, 'has been elevated from
pastimc to the dignity Of a science" PERHAPS
this is a shade in excess Of the fact, unless Tie
author proposes to add to inductIve and deiu.-
tive a new class Of seductive science, in which
clearly his own pursuit will be entitled to
highly distinguished rank. Anything which
furihers the development of man as a SOFA.
animal merits the approval Of the wise, and any
thing which brings young men ant young w.
men together must obviously develop their
socialiiy. AT croquet the stole may smile All
the opicuresn exult, while even the cynic can
say nothing worse than that it is much less
matter Of social development than a matter %
trim ankles and balmoral boots. The author @
the Handbook unfairly gives handle to tls
cynic, for he admits, with profound serenity
that zone Of the most prominent reasons Of tie
pleasure tnst men take in the game is the Sigh,
With which they are INDUCED Of a neatly-turnsl
paIr Of ankles and pretty boots"
Il IS true that one pair OF goloshes IS enough
10 spoil all ones pleasure. GJlOshes are the
bane Of cT0qIsf, Just as melted butter is the
b.ne Of cookery. The lady with such sigma
insensibility to the fitness Of things as 70 be ca
pable Of wearing goloshes on croQuet-AEu
/ little knows what damage she is INJECTING not
only on her own popularity, but upon tie
chances Of success Of all her sisters in the field
| For goloshes seem to difuse an atm sphere o.
vulgarity and ugliness, which furnishes all tie
boots and ankles in the neighbOrhoOd. Iasy
I are an illustration Of the temperament which L
| proverbially described as penny-wise and p0uri
/ foolish. The weArer may escape cstarrh, d-.
she loses her lovers. She must have ysry
mean soul if she suffers mere utilitarian csrs
for her health 10 obliterate more ethereal an
aesthetic considerations. IL is absolutely implS
sible to take any pleasure in flirting with a We
man whose feet beneath her pettieoat, ike two
big black boots, steal in and out. 4 pretty
/ face counts for less than nothing to the man on
whose eve the ghastliness Of goloshes has once
thrust itself from beneath. The muller fJrn8-
So supcras who finishes in gOloshes Is as griey-
l Gus and Disgusting an anomaly as a mermaid,
| and not nearly so romantic. This undoustsl
[ repueusnce which every sensible votarY Of Gro
guet entertains fer a division OF Il-c0verei feet
/ may seem TO show that the cynic's view Of ths
rriy9u f'efrs Of this diversion is more c5rie.i
! than most ladies, az all events, would chose
| admit. But, in truth, such theory IS Aippsrt
I and INADEQUATE. Ii confounds 8 single
I condition Of the game with its ultimate
/ design. Croquet is highly decorous Irritation il
/ a pleasant disguise. II is a less perilous form
/ than Waiting, because Waiting is an affair d.
/ two, and affairs Of two may be transioruei
| from the harmless into the dangerous in lie
/ tWInklng Of al eye Croquet, on the contrary,
| has the advantage Of being an affair Of al east
three. Two, may play, II Is true, but obviously
to-play croQuet tete-G-te;e would be tantamcuu,
to an advertisement Of an approaching alliance
| in the Oirl or the Morning Post No mother
with a proper sense Of her duty could tolerate
such intimacy in a needy man, and 20 man who
was not needy would allow himself to fall into
such an indiscretiCn. In an ordinary TsY q
oroquet parry cons.sts OF eight. and no swaia Or
maiden can run into too grave hiTtstons IA the
sight and within earshot Of SIX other persons
man with profound experience in ball-rocu
I firtatious may ind all his experience useless al
I al his skill baffied in the more wholesome a.
mosphere Of the crcquet- ground. The open a.
| always checks excessive emotion, and the sfsc-
tation Of emotion which passes muster BY the
| light Of wax candles Is insufferable sni absurd
under the light Of the sun. Life has s very dir
ferent aspect 81 = in tue morning iron that
which it presents at in the afternoon Then,
again, at croquet champagne does not foT, AMI
there IS no music; and man who would plunge
hesdforemost into any matrimonial or other gulf
under the influence Of sweet sounds hnds him
self the soberest Of beings when the click Of the
balls ami lie i.sputiug voices u the players aEe
the only music 10 be heard. SObriety Is the
| prime Characteristic Of croqust. The filtration
which it permits or inculcAtes to its y0tsries Is
thoroughly seemly and harmless I;sairiatila
in which the eurate msy indulge without CON-
| promising the dignity II his sustere profession,
and st which even rector may smile without
/ forfeiting the lofty majesty Of his position.
ballroom Irritation may end IN anything ~ %
an elopement. The Irritation Of the croquei-
/ ground is Of the more modest kind, which cheer
I but never inebriates.