The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-09-02
EUROPEAN ARISTOCRCY.
British vuIgarity and Snobbiness-S Some
Contraats.

The feeling which gives rise at home
in British circles to contempt OF those OF
a different social stratum is apt to be
intensified when directed toward for
eigneers. A young lady OF my acquaint-
ance, bearing a family name well known
in the English aristocracy, while sitting
at table dhOte dinner in Switzerland,
next to party of English tourists, heard
one of the ladies, who had read her
name on the hotel register, referring to
herself, ask her companion, "Is she Hon.
Miss -, of London?" "No, was the
reply, in pointedly contemptuous tone;
she's only an American" knowing and
intending that her remarks would be
overheard by the lady herself. To give
greater sting to the gratuitous impertl-
nence, another added: "You know no
American goes in good society in Lon
don" Comment is unnecessary on tins
cultivated vulgarity in high life, which
is first and worthy cousin to the women
beating of the lowest classes. But how
is it with ourselves? British colonlsts
carry their home traits wherever they
settle. In America these have been
modified by new conditions OF climate
and the interblending of ideas and man
ners of other European emigrants. Out
of these combinations fresh types OF men
are rapidly forming, whose ideal etligies
begin to appear on our horizon. How
far they may be better or worse than the
European types remains to be seen.
Wherever intellectual traits are strongly
marked, manners become corresponding
ly emphasized. This intensity of local
or individual convictions is powerful
factor in human life and history, and
none the less energetically operative If,
as is too often the case, it regards all
advantages as the elimination of it's own
innate virtues and the reward OF an ap-
! preciating Providence in the pursuit OF
special interests and pleasures. The
early Grecian states, particularly the
Athens of Pericles, and the Italian de-
spotisms and republics of the middle
ages, were conspicuous examples OF con-
centrated self-interest and selfish pride
of local existence. Every man in them
all, not citizen born, was considered
either as slave, active enemy, or an un-
sympathetic alien. But the intense self
assertion of the dominating caste was al
ways reservoir of strength which
nourished the growth of the city for
which its tyrants or its citizens jealousy
wrought and fought. Their patriotism
was genuine of its kind, albeit more one
sided and narrower than that which took
its place after the rival communities
were consolidated into broader national :
tiles. But its spirit has now degenerated
into mere pride of family name and ties
of caste, and is no longer political
force swayed for the dominion OF petty
state which was identified with the exist
enco of ruling class. Instead, modern
times have developed varied systems OF
social tyranny, based on petty sentiments
and aims, seclusive and exclusive IN
principle, and ruled by individuals whose
horizon of aspirations is bounded by
their own hearth stones. What is now
called aristocratic society is an outgrowth
of the older and broader civic ambitions,
toned down to the modern standards OF
life 1t shapes itself into multiform
castles founded on the onesided, strictly
personal ambitions which have esupplanted
the larger, if in practice, less humane,
idealisms of the older epochs OF civiliza-
tons, gradually deteriorating in aim
from the city or association to the family,
now settling more and more on the mere
individual, by sheer force of the dem.
ocratic drift Of ideas. Family name and
distinction, however, still continue in
England to be the chief keystones of its
strong arch of caste. Each individual
member cherishes himself MS an integral
portion of the social structure he rep
resents. In consequence there is formed
certain unity of manners and tone OF
speech in high life which corresponds to
it's homogenity of aim, and any pressure
brought to bear on one part OF the
system is felt and resisted by the whole