The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-07-09
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.
English Receptions-What They Are and What
They Seem Like-Fashionable Mobs-Heads
and Skirts in Peril-Dangerous Draw
ing Room Navigation-TheQ Queen
AT Home"-The Various
Kinds Of Receptions.

variety which Is presented In this matter may of
course he equalled II not surpassed in other lands
but still the English reception In Itself presents
some features ana peculiarlties not to be matched
anywhere, from the abode OF the Abyssinian host
who crowns his guest with pot of butter, TO the
graceful welcome IN a New York salon. That which
is popularity termed
A 'RECEPTION-
in London is one OF the most awkward that can be
quoted, and ought to be called deception II It
ever succeeds in persuading anybody into its
clutches by the vain mirage OF the enjoyment
OF society In the first place, the lady who
is receiving considers the proper thing on these
occasions Is TO assemble great many more people
IN her house than 1t il In the nature OF that house 10
hold. She desires to crowd her drawing-rOom till 1t
is more black IN ole cuttash than the hold of
slave Ship to say nothing OF the crowd which Is
painfully and vaInly trying TO make its way mp the
stairs In tins surging mass OF jeweled ana brightly
dressed humanity It would be difficult to determine
which are most to be pitied the ladies the gentle
men. The ladies know that their Moving skirts are
at The mercy
OF A NEEDLESS FOOT;
that their laces, MOVERS nounces are parbarously
treated In consequence of this "pressinR' in.
vitaton, which they have been bold enough
to accept. Nay, who knows whether some
OF the fair, moving ringlets which form
part of the strange erection upon some Of the heads,
and for which nature is by means responsible,
may not be caught in the throng; and then imagine,
just imagine. "a wealth or wavy curls'' as the 70.
nance writer's have 1t, united with another wealth
of diamonds, feathers and flowers, in n moment
ruthlessly displaced, and lady scalpcd as II were,
instant. One shudders at the bare possibility
Yet is it not asserted that such things have beeng
But there are the gentlemen in scarcely less deli.
cate predcamenr. whichever way they look is
wavy mass or white, blue. pink, svery, golden,
covering the stairs the passages, every step OF
ground which male foot has TO tread. Who knows
where to step, where 10 squeeze his person, under
the C Tcumstances9
THE CHIvALRY OF ENGLAND
Is not particularly pronounce. lnconvenencng
lady IL not OF such consequence with our modern
baronets as It would have been to Sir Charles
Grandson but still the situation Is not without Its
horrors. How many 'swell' must have wished
rife ascent OF some Lady Washington Rout's STAIR
case How many weak.minded gentlemen have
ea 0 To cnsg 81 70 aa
would indeed be q boon upon these OCCASIONS But
we VIII suppose the squeeze passed through. the
stairs scaled, and The difficult navigation Of those
dangerous stra Is at the drawing. room door
nappily penetrated You stand at the en-
trance OF the room, gazing at this brilliant
mob within, looking back at the cloud Of human
beings without, wondering how you ever got
there; being there how you VIII ever get back again.
Also quesiionlng with yourself whether you were
ever so nor before, and where your hostess may be-
A fresh wave now breaSing on the staircase you
suffer yourself to nOat III with 1t into the first draw
ing.rOom. You realize the force OF the Old lash
toned expression,
for you arc ready TO drop. You look round for the
lady who has ured you to your destruction with
win he at home tonight. AT length you perceive
her standing NOT very lar from the door, smiling on
al around and greeting , those who manage tho to
hand. she usually says chow do you
do2'' to each. with great emphasis on
of having come there is the greatest ''do' OF the
evening. They reply. however, with polite hypoc
risy, endeavorng to look as though nothing were
the matter they not squeezed and JosIled
beyond bearing-as II nobody had been treading on
amer e es are how nu hee
away again; for you receive nothing at these IRE:
ceptions unless it be stray Ice or casual cup OF
coffee the ''devOurinG element not being supposed
TO form part of the process.
RECEPTION AT WINDSOR.
There is another reception" which makes the
deepest impression, because It is the biggest you
can get In England mean reception by Her Ma.
comfortable than the reception Of the season.
People like to go through with 1t for the honor Of
,Se MaS that Sds pd fs
In the world. We Will suppose that you are some
remarkable stranger lyon have made some great
discovery, or done something that nobody else has
done,; you have been half murdered, perhaps, by
Chinese or Greek brgands; or you may have got
made bishop or have given away something enor.
nous IN charity. either OF which circumstances
would procure you an invitation from Her Majesty,
even now that Invitations are rare. II is the first
time you have met with SUCH an accident, and you
in a great state OF excitement on the subject.
Perhaps You don't know much about it. You have
no idea what you will do wnen you get there. You
know man who knows man who was invited,
aud wisely you inquire about IT, The man SAYS 1t
day as having dinea with t the Queen.
settle that he has no feeling for the grandeur Of
meeting those who win afterwards be met with III
remarks 10 be iniroduced IN conversation with
Queen Nictoria-you think yOu shall perhaps make
quite an impression on the mina Of that august lady.
You dream OF dining In full view OF respondent
being wearing golden crown.
You go down TO Windsor. Memories of all the
court pageants you have seen upon the stage fit be-
fore your eyes. You look upon your fellow passcn-
Sn son as ens may 9s SSg
Meanwhile You are wrapt in castles in the
AR: The decisive moment IT., approaehcs-you
You enter the great building, ind yourself In a
silent land. apparently ruled over by silent men in
fashion. and you are ushered into your own apart.
ments and you stay there. iOu wonder what next.
CHINA service, which you admire. You drink your
tea; you wonder tnat the Queens tea tastes much
like other peoples The dinner hour, As You have
been duly informed, IS eight. After having care.
fully attended to your toilet you see that hour APP
proacn with trepdation, and It IL with an increase
OF this feeling tnat you hear yourself summoned to
THE ROYAL DINNER TABLE.
You behold the august assembly and are marshaled
90 your place You see The gifttering table Orna.
nents, the lights the flowers with curious feeling
OF indistinclness. You stand and wait as In u
dream. Then you see the great lady In her black
dress, and you feel an enormously long
way on from her. She sits down: you all SIT down.
This Is, then, the dinner. You feel shy. Your hand
tIetnbles over your soup. You wonder at the calm.
nosss with which your neighbOrs take their meal;
but they very silent, and there seems no CONVEX
sat son. The Queen speaks to those near her. The
din ner seems very long. You think over your pre.
con ceived notion with sort Of sigh aud us this
ALI ~ Everything comes 10 an end in this world
though. even parliamentary speeches. ChanCery
suits and royal dinners. This dinner Is no excep-
tlon.
EVERYBODY is RISING.
You follow the example. The gentlemen place
themselves In row extending towards the door.
You j,sn IN the mannuvre. Her Majesty walks
down the row, stopping every now and then to
address = word to somebody. The Others then, all
fall bacK no az 70 leave the favored Individual alone
In the foreground. THIS manguyre startes you.
but you manage TO execute 1t with the resi-. The
Queen approaches you--gances at you-knOws at
once you are stranger. Your heart beats. She
stops, and you are lett alone. she says few words
q mere nothing, perhaps; but su1icicct TO show she