The New York herald., 1875-08-27
Our Coming Guest.

We observe in one of our contemporaries
that Lord Houghton, better known in literary
and political circles as Richard Monckton
Mines, has arrived in Canada and is about
TO pay visit to the United States. His
Lordship is one of the best known characters
In English life He has long contemplated
visit to America, where his name and works
are favorably known. AS a poet, traveller
In Greece and Turkey, the author of the
''Life of Keats, as political writer and a
conspicuous figure in London society, Lord
Houghton's advent will be especially inter-
esting to our people. We do not know how
long he will remain in New York, but we pre-
sumo he will make an extended tour through
the country.
The visit of Lord Houghton to America
may be regarded as the opening of the season.
Most of the tourists who come to the United
States arrange to reach here about the begin
ming of our fall months. The London sea-
son is over and they can easily reach the
New York season, which begins two or three
months later. We are always glad to well
come foreigners to our country, and espe-
cially foreigners of distinction There has
been custom for some time of giving these
gentlemen receptions" at our clubs We have
in mind dozen such festivities, by which
English authors and public men have been
received in great state. with speeches, BAN
| quets and song Now there is no objection
to any club entertaining its guests in its own
way, but this business of taking possession
of noted foreigner as soon as he arrives,
marching him into club, dining him in the
presence of a conglomerated, hastily gath
cred mob of all kinds of people, with
speeches afterward and a reception, is a
phase of our American life which English
men from Dickens down have never failed to
satirize. We have in New York six or eight
clubs composed Of artists, actors, bankers,
negro minstrels, showmen and woman s
rights champions, who lie in wait for distin-
guished foreigners. There is as much emu
lation among their members to obtain q cele-
brated guest as there is among cabmen at the
station to find passengers for their hotels.
So active has this competition become that be-
fore our European steamers reach the dock,
while they are passing through the Narrows,
they are boarded by these club agents and the
guest importuned to name day when he will
''accept" public ovation" We can think
of no more frightful experience than to be
compelled to stand up in New York club
room and to ''receive the congratulations" of
the people. 1t is an invasion of privacy. 1t
makes public spectacle of a private gentle
man. 1t turns the guest into raree show.
1t is sure to be attended by some absurd and
ridiculous demonstration, and can scarcely
fail to make an unpleasant impression upon
the mind of the person it is intended to
honor.
We trust that Lord Houghton will be
spared the infiction which we fear is in
store for him. A worthy English author
said, some time ago, in London, that the
perils of the Atlantic were nothing to the
perils of a reception by New York literary
club. The best way to treat foreign guest,
especially one as honored as Lord Houghton,
is to show him all courtesy when occasion
deserves to allow him to shape his own
course {; to permit him to have as good time
as he pleases, and, in short, to mind his own
business undisturbed.