, 1876-11-18

E-S NNNNg 0A0 NASOCAhO ~ - AASLRGRAA AAANA
ton OF curry under the amisble illusion that he
can eat nothing else.
IL is tantalizing for q Correspondent to feel
that, Just for want Of little OF the daring and
The Imagination Of genius, be cannot utilize,
Tor his own private ventures, this vast ocean OF
ignorance. but must creep cautiously along tha
coast, and see nothing but What comes within
range of his eyes. Last night, fer instance,
naturally piQued at being told that my letters
wanted "lOoaI colour" as my hostess told NE
Immediately on my arrival, I set about BesrOh-
Ing for 1t with redonbled energy, aud felt that
l would gladly give $50, or even run some
personal bodily risk, in moderation, fox one OF
the guests to begin picking his teeth with q
bowie-knite, or threatening his hoal with q six.
shooter. But the whole thing was peEverseiy
and pr0vokingly English, though / fastened
upon every Amerioanism or approach to Amer
icanism l could fnd. The dinner hour was,
Indeed, un.English- 80 O'Clock and this, fOrtu-
nately, reminds me that here in Newport, the
last product of American civilization, the In
nermost shrine of American fashion, most
people dine st the singularly savage houE OF 5.
not, as lie jSth.oentury England for the good
old purpose of sitting on over their wine till
bedtime, but merely to take Whist Is called In
the hotel prospectuses " the fashionable drive"
As we sat down to table. q glance at my
salt.cellar for 0 moment gave NE h0pes. The
salt was covered With red aud green peppers
l had never seen this 10 Europe, and 80 there
was Just a bare ohanoe that it might be, lie
the first faint streaks Of dawn, the harbiuger OF
q wealth Of " GOAL colour" But I wac DOOM
ed 10 be disappointed. Tho dinner began with
oysters and ended With ice. The gentlemen
were most consoiontIously white ohokered and
swallow tailed. They did not even ask me III
lEaN ApNarira# mr. call ma a. SIFp FIhaF0 naR
a clergyman present, aud be said grace. The
conversation during dinner, whenever it be-
came general, a. It frequently did. turned
largely on English topios-L0rd Besoonsield,
"DanIel Deronda." Punch, the Sdtarddg Re.
Cicw. English pictures, and 90 on. And here
l may remark, though not with exclusive rs"
ference to yesterdays party, that, If Americans
are astonished at the ignorance of things Amsfl-
oAna displayed Ia English society. Engliahmeu,
on the other hand, are astOnished at Tbs know.
ledge which, ! do not say tho average AmeEi~
can, but the American Of position possesses OF
things English. / speak not merely OF thaS
knowledge Of public men and events whIch
can be got out of books aud newspapers, but
that personal acquaintance with London life
which can be acquired only by mixing With TO-
and taking an active interest 10 il. It Is by no
means uncommon TO meet Gn American who
has made several vista 10 Europe, spending
moss Of Ills time between Psris aud London.
When there he rarely throws away a chance
OF seeing anybody or anything worth seeing,
studying the various forms of social lie With
ell a strangers critical interest, so that when
he returns home he knows more about our
London clubs aud " sets - thsn many 81 English
country gentleman. Last night there did nos
seem to be Anybody present wh0 could not talk
about London 80 we'll as about New York.
One guest knew personally the author of the
immortal advise in Punch to those about 10
marry, and had capped i. by another bon mot
-"Advice to those who cannot sleep.-Ohsngs
your clergyman" Nobody present enjoyed it
more than the clergyman who had sid grace.
We had also, by the way, as tablo the author
Of the famous saying usually attributed to the
brilliant " Autoctat of the Breakfast table,"
that "good Americans then they die go to
Paris" The dinner, ia fact, would have been
g charming one to any one bue a Correspondent
in search Of "local colour" / was slightly sol
aoed when, Instead of claret being handed round
after dinuer--it was on the table--a iue bowl
of iced "toddy' was SGT before the host.
and attacked, with great spirit, by the guests
/ mad never seen this before, though / trust to
sec 10 again. The pursuit Of "local colour"
like that of virtue, would be it's own reward IL
it always took q similar form. I was again, sfteE
dinner, struck By another phenomenon more
un.English than even the "toddy"~the
absolute exclusion from the conversation OK
politics. English politics we're, Indeed, occs'
sionally glanced ct, but do not think Sm