Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-07-25
FAsHIONARLE LIFE IN LoNDON.

Society in London seems regulated
by much the same rules as those of
New York or Washington, though IN
upper tendon, there is of course a hit
tie rOre formality. A ball at the Duke
of WellingtOn's is a very imposing af-
fair, but Lady Maria Brown or Mrs.
Colonel Jones gives balls with no more
ceremony than Mrs. Smith or Robinson
Of New York. A days social routine
may include a lunch, flower show or
garden party, drive In the Park, a
dinner, the opera, and ball, all of
which an American could attend OBJ
serving precisely the same fOrmaities
and mode of etiquette as at home, eX-
cept in the matter lof dress, for it is
quite necessary to go cen grande toll
lette" both to a dinner and the opera,
though the former consist only of half
a dozen courses, and your seats IN the
latter beorchestra stalls. There are, Of
course, other social amusements, weekly
receptions, kettledrums, and morning
concerts, the latter being quite novel
ty to rs Americans. They are man
aged in this way. Herr Won A or
Mademoiselle De B, professional
performers, wish to give morning
concert under distinguished patronage;
so Lady A, B, or G lends her drawing
room, while the artist conducts and
manages the affair. These concerts
are extremely fashionable, but the
music is generally mediocre in quality,
by no means equal to the public music
al entertainments of which London
may well be proud. AS soon as the
season sets in the Glover shows" and
later Saturday concerts are given at
the Horticultural Gardens. The Gar
dens look Ike the fairest portion of the
Central Park grown half century
| older, and the display of flowers Is
magnificent. You go about four
O'Clock, when the Gardens present
fine air of festivity and fashion
cards are only issued among
the friends of the Fellows" 50
that the aristocracy are well repre-.
sented; Godfrey and band perform;
people walk about at Will on the velvety
greensWard, sit under the trees, or on
| the pOTches Of the Conservatives. Out
Of doors with this floral background,
against the deep green grass, and above
all under the softening influence of
June sunshine, the English costumes,
elsewhere so regardless Of harmony and
taste, look almost pretty, at least pic
turesque and airy, for they are chiefly
of gOssamer fabric. If Lady Jane
wears red ribbons IN her hat and blue
scarf, and Lady Mary protects herself
against the impending chill of the
! evening by putting a velvet sack over
white Organdie, there Is the advantage
Of their standing near a tri-colored
parterre Of flowers, tall pink azalias,
yellow roses, and white rhodOdendrOn
blossoms, so that after all they come as
one Of the variegated effects"
The band plays all through the sum
shiny summer afternoon. You saunter
about until five OF six o'clock, when
you 90 out through corridor of the
adjacent Albert Hall to your carriage.
Hyde Park is directly opposite, and
this is the best hour for drive. The
Park is by no means elaborate, but 1t
has the fine look of age and culture,
which is the chief charm of London
parks, and beyond there is the cool
deep green of the old Kensington
Gardens. 1t is so eminently English,
this drive; so purely fashionable; yet
it has its own peculiar charm, which l
own is rather hard to define except as
a part Of the social routine Of the day.
You drive on past the crowds of young
men who lean over the ratings to see
their friends; you pass landaus with
stout ford mammas and slim young
daughters of hundred earls, in i'm
possible costumes; an air Of somewhat
INDECENT grace, the one distinctive
mark of their nobility; and you are in
time to see royalty returning from
days luxurious labor to Marlborough
House.