, 1875-05-22

Buch an one under peculiar circumstances, Dut
then he does not object to cut him when it
suits his purpose to do so. He may know him,
perhaps, when he meets him upon a dark night,
but only regards him with a contemptuous stare
in the broad daylight. The test of respecta-
biIity judged by the English snob's standard,
is money. With bin gold,covers every sin-ex-
Cept. of course, that of keeping a shop. The
English suob sets up a number Of distinctions
which no enc can appreciate but himself. The
result is that, instead of there being three classes
in England, there are half a dozen, or q dozen.
The tradesman in a large way will not speak to
the tradesmen iu a small way the merchant
who owns a fleet will take no notice of the merv
chant who does not and the farmer who lives
upon his own estate can DO nothing but regard
with contempt lie who rents his farm. All this
eau be verified from ones everyday experience.
The result is that social and healthy intercourse
receives a severe check, and men ae induced
to regard each other with hate and suspicion.
How can anybody e~nteitain respect for a MAJ
who treats You with contempt because he can
snow q hundred pound note to your fifty, es-
peciaIiy when there is more than a probability
that he has obtained what lie possesses by sharp
practices? There may be some excuse for the
hauteuy with which the arjstocracy regard those
beneath them. But there is none for the
man who merely assumes a position because he
has money. 1t is often debated in mems
minds whether, upon meeting an associate,
they shall 'tsee' him unit. he "sees"
them. They know very we TIA, unless he is
a tiled and known frrend, it is by no meacS a
remote contingency thai h. VIII en- them. And
a cut is about the bitterest pill q man can be
asked to swallow. II similar motives are actu-
atiug both parties, it is evident hat they will
not be brought together, They may no be
80 II NJ ~ ,clo,lotal t. h.0,troo G,y1
friends. But they cannot do so. This is one
Of the vile effects which the snob induces.
The snob, if inSolent to hose beneath him, is
the veriest lick-spittle to those above him.
Many a purse-proud merchant, who has, perhaps,
sprung from the gutter, would give ten years
OF his life to secure the notice and be asked TO
the house, of a nobleman. It is from such as
he that people get their erroneous ideas of the
vulrarity Of the middle classes He is mean
snirited, sycophantish, aud would not, for worlds,
dare to express an opinion opposite to one
epunciated by any great man In whose company
he was. He is not ashamed, however, to hint
at his wealth and Importance. lie has no
objection to let it be known that money is his
ood. and ostentatious show his great weapon.
There is no town more dlsagreeable for a
Stranger to enter than au English one. lie IS
looked coldly upon, and carefully avoided until
he produces bis credentials, IN the shape OF cash
or evidence Of social position. 1t is not that
English people are, at heart, inhospitabIe. 1t
is that people are afraid to recognise a man for
fear of what other people will say. 1t is, in
short, another evidence Of the evil influence of
the snob.
The snob ~instructs his child in the art of
snobbery at an early age. His boys are not
allowed to play with boys whose fathers are
no; as rich and important as himself. They
are led to understand that it IS evidence OF good
braedin0 to be insolent to those beneath them,
fl stigm 4tise AS sc DIS" hose ofthelr school
fellows who cannot procure as much pocket
money as they can. The snob, also, deems 1t
rather creditable than otherwise that his son
should evidence i%ucipient 'fastness' when a
Young man. He cheerfully assists him out of
all scrapes, and provides him with money to
oct into more. 1t is fashionable for rich mems
sons TO be %'sfast,' and, like an obedient slave,
he bows to his god-fashion. lie likes bis son to
dress as fop, and the bright cub is by no
means averse to indulge his fathers propensity
to an unlimited extent. Thus is the race OF
suobs perpetuated. 1t is an understood thing
that the snob must scott aud jeer, upon all occa-
sions, at all talent in whatever way 1t is evlnced.
Of course, however. when it achieves an
uudeniable success, he is prepared to be like the
rest of the world, and worship 1t. He mistakes
sneeripg for criticism, and has no sympathy
with anybody or anything out of his own
CnL 49, a;dancas of THAR snohbarv about