The Hawaiian gazette., 1879-04-16
The Slang of society.


The mere routine work Of each season pro-
duces. for certain class Of society. topics
enough to supply with the materials Of many
hours dialogue the most brainless he or she who
drifts through the regulation amount Of duty or
pleasure prescribed by the rubrie Of fashion.
The veriest parrot, from the blessed iteration OF
tue same phrases (if not ideas), heard hourly for
three or four solid months. can scarcely fai to
have gliby on the tip OF bis tongue sufficient
small change of talk to pay bis way without diff
6culty among the initiated And then there are
always one or two great salient events in the
history of each season which, independent of the
smaller gossip. fend of from the talker the
necessity Of plunging. without a cork,jacket,
into the hopeless waters OF originality. Let US
cost back an eye over the last few seasons at
once 1t is struck by dozen things OF the Sort
For instance, royal savage-the bIacker the
better-visits the country. aud reduces the
nation to state of iufantile imbecility. In his
honor there are court entertainments, where he
is puzzled /; and municipal banquets, where his
inner man is compromised; review at Windsor,
where be is again puzzled an exhibition of IRON
cads, where he is frightened and again sick.
What fund of topics 10 all this ! What possi-
bilities Of earnest question and response Were
you there ? Were you? Had you the entire to
privileged places Did you see him? Is it true
that he was sulky and rude? Can it be eonceiv-
able that his teeth chartered Then the Ouch
ess OF --. in giving fancy bali, supplies
another fertile theme 1t was beautiful, but she
gave it too late or too early. 1t clashed with
| the fiesta Of some other potentate. Such pity
And royalty really offended or not? II so,
why,-if not, why mott Then the Princes CUR.
deu party-if you we're at it. it is we'll; if not,
still it is well, for much time eau be consumed in
giving every reason but the true one for your
absence The Academy has a sensation picture
painted by girl blind from her BIRTH Here
art-talk u discretion. She is equal to Salvador
Rosa. or Horace Vernet, or Paul Potter or any
other painter-no matter who-to whom the
vox populi has taught you to liken her. There
Is new reading of Hamlet by Hindoo, which
| I'm Hindustani) edihes society. Such meli-
| huous language Hindustani! So perfect vehicle
| for Shaksperian thought Some curled darling
of society cheats at cards or helps himself to his
neighbours wife. Here Is breathless interest
Why did he do il? When How? Where
What does Sir John say to itf Will the coun-
tess ever get over the shock? MOral-bow can
people do such things? Some one else who
ought to have known better commits some other
faux pas, scarcely dscussbe. but which can be
shifted round with tilatlng inuendoes and low
confidential murmurings. Burnand has new
| iniCtt buo eSicum vi uecu iuuu tuUuBu
to cross the Channel and be echoed in Paris.
Doubtless you have heard it in both languages
| 0fenbach outdoes himself in new opera bOuffe,
Suzanne ct les Vieards." A little shocking.
is it not? but then SO bright and clever! That
atones for most things. And then comes the
I. music of the future" and sets the whole queer
tumble to appropriate strains. You heard "Lo-
beugrin ?" You did 1t was perfect enigma to
you or entirely comprehensive. You sat through
the whole OF thatfrst suaocatlng night? TO the
end and wished for more? No wonder Or
wished yourself dead? How natural Black
! lco0d. 20.