National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-01-08
ENGLISH COUNTRY LIFE.

1t NAV be doubted whether there is anything
30 peculiarly ours as English country house
aife. When toward the 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 is presented which
has many interesting points essentially its own.
1t is not merely in the advantages of the coun-
try for enjoyment; it is not merely in the Eng
lish fondness for outdoor amusement and ex-
ercise, or-in spite of all that is said-tbe
wonderful aptitude of the climate for this
fondness; it is not merely in the pleIntude of
occupations which the laws and customs of
England allow to adj who have time and money
to spare; nor is it merely in the amount of time
and money which many Englishmen have to
spare; but it is in combination of these and
other similar characteristics that the great
pleasure Of English country house life may be
found. As q race, English people are rich, are
hospirable, are greCarious, are fond Of their
home associations, are given to strong exercise
and like fresh air; so il is not marvel If at
ieast half the year is given up to country life
md country society. 1t is not, however, the
object of this paper to give traveller descrip-
sion Of English country life, but rather to sug-
gest the existence of certain peculiaritics which
nave insensibly grown up or are growing up
within it, and to point out some changes which
the advance of years has brought about. Per-
aaps the greatest distinguishing mark OF the
present generation, as compared with those
chat have preceded it, lies in the means which
exist for rapid communication. Travelling is
rapid, the facilities for ordinary correspondence
are enormous, and those for extraordinary cor
respondcnoe are increased by the development
photography. The result is that we live mere
rapidly than our fathers did; and the effect on
country habits Is greater than it might appear
ut first sight. When posting was the principal
means of locomotion, q cOuntry-house visit was
a lengtheRed affair. No host and hostess
thought OF asking their friends to come and sec
them in Devonshire or Westmoreland unless
they could stay month. But now that there
Ia no part of England more than twelve hours
from London, and few parts Of the United
Kingdom more than twenty-four, country
house visits are matters of q few days. Peo-
pie are coming to us" not in September, or at
Christmas, but " from Tuesday to Saturday"
The inside Of a week is the limit of a
stay for one who does not wish 10 run the risk
of OVERRIDING a welcome or being presen ted
with the satirical name of " staymaker." In
Scotland, indeed, the case is different. Per-
haps from the greater distance, or 1t may be
from the exceeding hospitality of Scotch houses,
It is still not unusual for visits to be prolonged
beyond the five days which have become conven-
iional in England. Two things follow from this.
One is, that hosts and hosteSses of the present
day think it necessary TO provide some special
entertainment for their guests, and hesitate to
ask them unless some such entertainment is in
store. ''We are going to have county BALL."
or 1--WE are going to shoot our coverts;" or
ssThc races take place." or "There is to be
regatta"-these are the inducements habitu-
ally held out, and not unfrequently considered
to be necessary additions to an invitation. The
prolonged stay which enabled the guest to share
In the ordinary life of his host no longer exists
4v,5 s,, e IN nl
amusement after amusement which partakes
far more the restlessness of London than the
luietude of the country. 1t is at least open to
serious doubt whether, eyen If there is any ele-
ment of truth in the supposition, that people
always want to be amused. There may, in
Heed, be set of men who, If there is no hunt
hg, shooting, fishing or racing, find time hangs
heavy on their hands. Such men are utterly
pnable to appreciate the pleasures Of society
Tor society's sake.
Without an immediate object to suggest con-
versation, conversation with them is an impos-
ability. Men who look upon Christmas day
- "every bit like Q Sunday without Bell g
LII" find any day on which there is no special
provision for their entertainment pass slowly
Ind YEARLY. But this class is not numerous,
though its number 10 apt to be increased by
khe rapidity of living already referred to. By
Tar the larger number Of men and women are
quite able to be happy In the society of their
friends, in quiet enjoyment of the physical and
Intellectual pleasures which need no providing.
Let all those be canvassed whose departure
from London at the end of July is as much a
matter of course as their return at the end of
February, and Il will be . great question
whether the pleasantest country house visit
will be found to be that in which there was q
ball on Tuesday, lawn meet on Wednesday, Q
hattuc and dance on Thursday, and tAbleaax
vivarts on Friday, or that In which ten days or
. fortnight were spent in everyday occupations
md everyday pleasures.-AcemiuHs 1faAa-
sisls. j.