The New York herald., 1870-02-24
ENGLAND.

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Fashi enable Amusements-FOx Hunting
Ynchsinx-The Thentrcs-WOafd-0e Ac.
tresses--ssA Matrimonial aauxine''-The
Queen's Court-The Poor Of London-A
bankrupt Duke i'm the Gazette.-Thc First
of His Order Published.
LONDON. Feb. IL, 1870.
II Is curious 10 observe how IN England, more
than perhaps In any other country IN the world,
people not only dress, read, eat drink and sleep ac
cordng to fashionable hours and following recog-
nized fashionable rules, but how even in their
amusements they do not follow the bent OF their in
cnations but observe with the strlctness OF MONKS
the rules which their order has laid down for them.
There is to-day case In point. Ask any English
man OF fashion why he spends the winter In the
country rather than In town, and why ne prefers
the in the city, where, OF all others In the
world, the houses are the worst calculated to save
him from the effects OF heat and he Will tell YOU that
1t is fox hunting which makes him remain away
from town from November to April, for that with
out this sport-wthout from three TO five
months OF this amusement-liie would hardly be
worth having. But 1t s at the same
time very evident that upon the slightest
possible excuse being Afforded him he
abandons country life, ana rushes up to London
to partake OF more congenia occupations and
amusements than can be found in the provinces.
This has been the case during the past week. For
the last six or seven days we have had very
severe frostthat Is. very severe for England. As
matter ofcourse hounds cannot hunt when freezes,
for the scent viii hold. However frost does not
last for ever. and In this country you may, ana
pcatedly do, go to bed with the thermometer ten
degrees below freezing point, and awake in the
morning to find 1t five or six degrees above. Very
eager hunting men would naturally wait in the
10 tha tI,a,,
the hunting would be better than ever, hounds and
horses being much fresner. But, the contrary,
the very first excuse that is offered them up they
rush to town, like boys escaped from school. The
frost is capital excuse. They dare not DO what
they Ike and hat they anxious to do until they
have some excuse, but they don't go back quickly.
London Is now full OF these jealous hunting
men. Since the frost set In they nave rushed ana
crowded up to town, showing very clearly how little
they care for the amusement OF which they speak,
and which they praise so much ana so loudly.
And it Is very much the same with another anuse-
ment, that OF yachting, which every man OF fashion
processes to be delighted with during the autumn
months Of the year. To own yacht Is certificate
that you have from ca, 900 to Is 600 year sterling
OF income. To be the friend OF a man who owns a
yacht stamps you at once as person whose Inti.
mates are wealthy. But OF all those who go down
TO the sea, whether in their own or their friends
ships OF pleasure, how many are there who are
really sailors and who love the occupation OF sailing
vessel for the sake OF handling her, of seeing
what she can do and how she does its Not
one IN fifty. Yachting IN England has become Qike
hunting like racing, like the London and like
shooting mcrelwa means OF spending, according to
the most approved fashion, certain two or three
months OF the year. A fashlonabie man must be
from Easter TO August IN London: from July to
Sen i'm he
From the 18th of September 10 the end OF October
he must be his yacht about the Isle or Wight and
In November he goes southwark in the same
vessel PROBABLY sending 1t round by Gibraltar
10 Marsellles, wnere he joins II by the overland
route. He cruises about the south Of France for
lew weeks, and then comes home-again by Iand--
leaving his vessel to follow via the rough sea pas
sage. under the sailing master. do not mean TO
say that there are not exceptions to ths rule aud nat
among even the most wealthy English yachtmen
there not some real sailors: but they lew and
far between. Yachting, hunting shooting, other
manly pastimes are no longer followed by English
men in the earnest, hearty way they were twenty
years ago
What they really love is Lando,I-London the
theatres, the deDti-nsontfe. ballet glrs and society
among those not In ''society' proper seem 10 be
really the chief amusements which the fashionable
young men OF the present aay IN England seem 20
care for. and the sums they spend these pursuits
are something fabulous.
Many people wonder how ii is that all OF a sudden
such a rage for new theatres has sprung up In.
London, and are astonished that whiie 1t "a
notorious fact tnat hardly nan or three OF
the present houses are paying theatres spring up
the Iessees are cleaned out perhaps ruined and
yet no sooner are they vacant than there are five or
six persons Offering 10 hire them. The secret OF this
la h1f yba ladtu
now the fashion TO believe. they are actresses
actresses VINO, like the poets OF old have been born
to their calling. II these ladies went to any London
manager on their own merits tner would not obtain
sixth rate engagements, for, excepting always their
good looks and good limbs, they nave nothing
whatever 10 recommend them. But they per-
siade their projectors" TO ..gcr behind" some
manager or lessee of % small theatre and to
offer to help hun with loans In many instances
these protectors" become the bona fde. although
nothe nominal, lessees OF these houses rather or
one of them. They don't Interfere in the least with
the management OF the house, but insist that one
particular lady friend OF theirs snoud have really
good part allotted to her, or course she breaks
down, ana leaves the stage III disgust The real
BONA Jde actresses WON'T speak 10 her or the stage
although perhaps they are dressed IN the paine.t
manner and she has jewels alone that have cost a !
fortune. BuS Tor the moment her pride ana vanity
gratiiied Her "protcctOr' Is Delighted becalse
sne Is pleased, ana often. although she may be
able 10 act, pretty iace good figure and good |
deal OF impudence carry her through and make her
KIND OF favorite with the publcthat Is III 'break-
DOWNS" cellar flaps" the cdncd,l. ana similar
dances. Formerly IL was uncommon for
actresses TO become the mistresses OF wealthy men,
now IL ls the fashion lor wealthy mems mist!esses 10
try and become actresses. But some OF thass DENT
7s0f,de ladies aspire to be more. Thes are not
tent with beng mere actresses but insist that ther
protectors should make them managers Of theatres.
do not say this is universal thing like It, but
the fact exists / cen assure yuu 1hus II Is that
within The last two years ve new theatres have been
opened III London, aud licenses for SIX more have
lately been granted at the Champerlaln's Office.
In London people seem every season 10 bs drifting
into later and later hours. hitherto it has been the
rule at all the CLUB houses that member shall be
admitted after one A. NJ. and that later than mid
rlght-or, at most, half hour after--the cook
shall not be called upon To prepare any supper or
other refreshments which require cooking Lately
however q club been opened on ~. James street
giving out that the rules admit OF suprers being
cooked up TO three A. NJ. The number OF members
limited TO a thousand and the list was ned IN
three days although the entrance money was thirty
ponds aud the annual subscription len pounds.
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