The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-12-26
English Country Life.


end of September or the beginning OF
October, people begin to open their
houses and ask their friends to come and
see them, study Of life Ia presented
which has many interesting points es-
sentiaIly its own. It is not merely the
advantages Of the country for ENJOY
ment; it is not merely in the English
fondness for outdoor amusement and
exercise, or, in spite of all that is said,
the wonderful aptitude Of the climate
for this fondness; it is not merely
in the plenitnde of occupations which
the laws and customs of England allow
to all who have time and money 70
spare; nor is it merely in the amount OF
time and money which many English |
men have to spare; but it is in COM
bination of these and other similar |
characteristics that the great pleasure OF
En9Iish country-house life may be
found. As . race, English people are
rich, are hospitable. are gregarious. are
fond of their home associations, are
given strong exercise, and like fresh air;
40 it is not a marvel if at least half the
year Is given up to country lie ana
country society. It is not, however, the
object of this paper to give travellers
description OF English country life, but
rather to suggest the existence Of certain
pecuIiarites which have insensibly grown
up or are growing up within It, and to
point out some changes which the adj
vance of years has brought about. Per
haps the greatest distinguishing mark
of the present generation, as compared
with those that have preceded 1t, lies IN
the means which exist for rapid commu-
nication. Travelling is rapid, the facil-
tiles for ordinary correspondence are
enormous, and those for extraordinary
correspondence are increased by the de-
velopment of telegraph. The result Is
that We live far more rapidly than our
fathers did; and the effect on country
habits is greater than it might appear
ct first sight. When posting was the
principal means. of locomotion, coun-
trv house visit was a heightened affair.
No host and hostess thought of asking
their friends to come and see them In
Devonshire or Westmoreland unless
they could stay a month. But now that
there is no part of England more than
twelve hours from London, and few
parts of the United Kingdom more than
twenty-four, eountry-house visits are
matters of few days. people are
coming to u.s." not in September, or in
October, or at Christmas, but "from
Tuesday to Saturday" The inside OF
a week is the limit of stay for one
who does not wish to run the risk OF
OVERRIDING a welcome or being presented
with the satirical name of "staymaker." "
In Scotland, indeed, the case is differ.
ent. Perhaps from the greater distance
or may it be from the exceeding hosui
tality of Scotch houses, it is still no
unusual for visits to be prolonged be
yond the five days which have beeem'
conventional in England. Two thing
follow from this. One is that hosts and
hostesses of the present day think i
necessary to provide some especial en-
tertainment for their guests, and hesitate
to ask them unless some such entertain
ment is in store, "We are going t
a county ball." or 1--WE are going t
shoot our coverts" or "The race take
places" or There is to be a regatta
these are the induceme nts habituall
held out, and not unfrequently consid
cred to be necessary additions to an in
vitation. The prolonged stay whic
enabled the guests to share in the ord
nary life Of his host no longer exist
and in its place is the hurried scrambl
of amusement after amusement whic
partakes far more of the restlessness
London than the quietude Of the coul
try. II is mt least open to serious doul
whethsr, even il there is any element
truth in the supposition that people a
ways want to be amused. There ma
indeed, be set of men who, if there
no hunting, shooting, fishing or racin
find time hang heavy on their hand
Such men are utterly unable to appr
ciats the pleasures Of society or society
sake. Without an immediate object
suggest conversation, with them is
impossibility. Men who look up
Christmas Day as "every bit like
Sunday withons Bells Life" End a
day on which there is no special prov
ion for their entertainment pass slow
and YEARLY, but this class is not nu
erous, though its number is apt to be
creased by the rapidity of living
ready referred to. By far the lars
number of men and women are qu
able to be happy in the society of tn
friends, in quiet enjoyment OF the ply
cal and intellectual pleasures whl
need no providing. Let all those
canvassed whose departure from L.
don at the end of July is as much
matter of course as their return at
end of February, and it will be 81
question whether the pleasantest co
try-house visit will be found to be
in which there was ball on Tuesda,
lawn meet on Wednesday, battue
dance on Thursday, and tableaux viva
on Friday; or that in which ten day
a fortnight were spent in everyday
cupations and everyday pleasures
nnillan's Magazine.
Switched on.
9. A1ll 0f litflA