The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-10-13

Among the innumerable bores which
af1ict the monde on Z on sietasa,tie, one
of the most wearisome is the letter of
introduction. 1t is a species of black
mail levied on good nature, which only
persons of exceptional resolution, or
equally fortunate rudeness, can ever
successfully resist; social letter of
credit based upon a bank account OF
mutual kindliness, which may have been
long since overdrawn, or which, per-
haps, never existed save in the immagi-
nation of the writer. Americans are
said to be especially given to this de-
piorable and exasperating weakness, and
the steamers which are daily bearing the
flower of our fashion to European shores
are no doubt loaded with these importu-
nate missives. A man, indeed, can
scarcely take flying trip to neighbor-
ing town without deeming it necessary
to fortify himself with half a dozen or
more of these passports !; or, even if his
good sense rejects the notion, he is sure
to have them thrust upon him by officious
friends. And in the latter case it is vain
for him to attempt to suppress the hate
full documents. He is in the situation of
the man who holds the wolf by the ears,
neither daring to keep him nor to let him
90. The donors will be sure to make
inquiry as to their presentation, and woe
to the recipient if he has failed to do SO.
Even those to whom letters of introduc-
ton are the greatest of bores would be
the first to feel slighted by their nom
delivery /; SO he is forced into the embar-
rassing position of thrusting himself
upon the good will Of a stranger who
cares nothing about him and who, under
his awkward smile of affected welcome,
is secretly wishing him at Jericho. OF
all the painful shalns that make up the
tragical comedy of social life, this is one
of the most irksome and humiliating.
1t would be difficult to decide which
is the greatest sufferer by the letter OF
introduction-th writer, the recipient,
or the person to whom it is addressed.
The first is put in the absurd position OF
having to praise a man to his face, for,
as the letter is delivered unsealed, its
perfunctory eulogies are of course tanta-
mount to that; worse still, if, having to
praise him, the qualities which both OF
them know he does not possess, are
dilated upon. And the recipient, by
presenting the letter, virtually adopts
and indorses its sentiments and thus
appears to his new acquaintance in the
position of man vociferously blowing
his own trumpet and calling attention to
his good parts with the simple candor OF
the noble red man who thumps his
breast at the council fire and says,
"Wah! me big brave~ The man who
has a stranger thus forced suddenly
upon his hospitality has perhaps the
most substantial grievance. For, unless
he be endowed with unusual frmness of
character which will permit him to shake
hands cordially with his unbidden visitor
and then politely show him the door, he
feels it incumbent to put himself out in
some way to do him honor. He must
get up dinner or a breakfast for him,
or if she be of the more troublesome
sex, ball he must neglect his business
to constitute himself guide for her
sightseeing; he must in one way or
another make himself thoroughly un.
comfortable for the sake of this unde-
sired and perhaps undesirable guest.
Under the most favorable circumstances
he cannot stifie certain sense of being
put upon; our friends friends, we all
know, are seldom ours, and in nine cases
out of ten he will not have even the
ordinary reward of gratitude, for on the
one side as on the other the attentions
thus paid are felt to lack spontaneity
and are, in reality, forced levy.-1he
Hmm.