The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-02

ouenty on the ears Of the Duchess. Now. 1t Is
true thut the author has saved Miss Alden from
distinctly committing herself Mt this trying
iuncturc. by combining her for tho most part to
monosyllablcs; but when we consider that tho
visitors had called with the express intention OF
studying this young woman. they would have
found means. we fancy. to elicit more expansive
replies and in that case MIR. James would have
been forced to let his heroine trip some-
what in her speech. or else to sacri-
fec his type. We are. OF course, aware
that most OF the specific differences between
the idioms spoken by cultivated people
in Boston and in England can be defended on
historical and chronological grounds. Properly
speaking, we should call them rather archa-
isms than soecisms. But for thnt very reason
they a-e specially distnsteul to IN English Indy.
II so happens that the very same words aud
turns Of phrase which have held their ground
among us have also fingered among the humber
classes Of Great Britain, which. in matters OF
language. nro naturally the least progressive
classes. What makes our national pecuinr-
ties of speech obnoxious in London drawing
room, Is not so much that they are strange as
that the most vonial Of thom arc disngreeably
familiar on tho lips Of footmen md serving
maids. 1t is not thoir novelty, but their vulgar
ity which is shocking. and which causes them
to be accepted ae n toucnstone OF early associa-
tions. On the other hand. distinctive American
methods Of enuucation and intpnation would
be much less likely 10 infuse the suspicion of
obscure or vulgar pareniage. because striking
differences in these respects are Observed
among gontlcfolk reared in different parts Of
the British islands
We are disposed to think so reasonable girl
rs Miss Bessie Alden would approve upon re-
Fiction, the Duchess OF Bayswaters habit Of
marking much moro narrowly q womnns
speech than her dress or even her dcmennor.
The truth is that Lord Lambcth's mother, when
driving in Hyde Park. has deserted in the re-
ccsses ~ mysterious broughams some very OBJ
jcctionahlc persons who have yet turned to
splcndd nccount the luxury Of n carte blanche
ut French drcssmakers by an eye for artistic
effect and undcniabc taste. Sho has also known
n French. or Italian. or. II may be-, nn English
prma donna. who has been asked to crafty
her Gracc's guests with n song or two. dnport
herself with the absolute perfection Of manner.
But she has seldom founda woman whosc mad
ycrtent. fluent speech betrayed not the faint"st
trace OF associations other than those IN which
her own children have been brought up who
did not also provo TO be n person OF birth and
breeding according to tho Duchcsss own
standard. And. indeed. tho same test
is sovereign with us here in the
United States. Mr.. James undoubtedly
would concede that the specific difference
between hie two cntegorics ot girls who do. and
who do not. 60 out alone in the streets Of oroi,n
towns. has quite rs much to do with grammar
and vocabulary rs with department But be-
cause something may hc said 10 justify point
OF view which the hcroines Of his Interim
tional Episode" could hardly be- expected to
adopt while wrlthiug under the critical glance