The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-10-22
THE TRAITS OF LONDON HOUSES.

"
LONDON. Oct. 4-One London house dif-
fers from another London house only in point
OF size. for tho same plan IL followed whether
you inhablt mansion at 81. 500 a year or a
villa at GEO. No glazed portico or covered en-
trance protects the street door. Even at tho
Mansion House on gala days mere strips OF red
bunting and scattered sawdust. suggesting the
entrance to circus, offer doubtful protection
to those wholeavo their carriages on the slip
pory pavement, and stand I'm the rain till tho
hall doors arc opened to receive them. Tho
wind PUSHES past you straight into the dwell
ing rooms Us no inner vostibue. placed at a
convenient angle. offers any impeachment to the
onslaught Of the draught. and the outer mir ex-
prcs at last on the first landing after sweep
ing up tho stairs. which invariably face the
front entrance. Winter and summer. whether
three hundred guests are hidden to u feast
which costs thousands. or whether the old and
delicate return from their daily airing. no shell
ter is offered them. Wherever u gathering OF
carriages or the lantern OF tho iinkman pro-
claims social assemblagc. a little avenue OF
human beings forms itself on the sidewalk, and
while trailing velvet skirts and satin shoes get
besmirchcd in the transit. their wearcrs must
listen to the coarse and stupid comments OF
roughs and street loungers. who VIC with each
other in personal remarks.
After ascending the stairs which arc steep
and generally narrow with the old hideous
iron balusters and mahogany ratings, you
come to landing on which open the two or
three doors OF the reception rooms and you
behold that abomina,ion yclept u double draw
ing room-not q suit of apartments opening
into each other. facing tho same light. and
having the same proportions. but constructed
in tho shape of a grand pinno. broad in the
front narrow at the back The smaller COM
ynlI la
hidcous prospect, which has to be strictly cx-
cludcd by stained or unpublished glass. curtains
OF gloom TO the ,preya ling darkness Except
where the shadows have been intensified
peian interiors. or where Durnc Jones has
planted lilies and suniowers in stiff sad
vases. or Morris inauEurated pcGcocks walk
ing round friezes Of green gold. the general
DESIGNATION ana ihnrnishirE OF these houses are
ali be 4 mas S Any Hte%p TpG to n 4S:
duce light and air is cons dered a. n trait of
%S e:e sS G 9a he 1 ;hS
did not weigh couple OF tons. When. during
six weeks ~ a time, London lies shrouded in
Uncomfortable logs, the moral effect OF these
highly respectable Interiors is incxpresslbly
depressing. and # seems rs il a last heavy
nary funercal trappinSs.
Our bedrooms are mostly inconvenient small.
and meany furnished. As We have made il a
criminal offence to throw open the doors OF our
sleeping apartments to our friends. VIC do not
on S aIh amy
They are all done on ono patterns tidicd In the
Eay hnX ,hf %Ekser wTns como
traces OF fem mime occupation or presence. give
any clue 10 the tastes and habits Of their occu-
pants. The nurseries are rclegatcd to the top
of the house aud form startling. painful con-
irast Win tn the GorSe2Gs rooms below; N2tninE
their weary little feet up numberless flights Of
stairs; for them are the sIoping a.tics. 80 cold
high windows. out Of which they cannot even
catch glimpse OF the square underneath.
listening s ' to ther injudsoGs talk and witness:
ing their unretned habits. What If they are
s59aEh S S4 awa,a 4Ns in e1lg Pss
Bachelors rooms are proyerbta!iy the worst.
s,Sn in p M%5 f9pnty ba co TSeTe hSfP
! apartment for a hidden guest. But the single
man is asked unblushingIy 10 occupy the mean
! OF gentleman, white lie is expected to tip
the, servants as handsomely on leaving as II he
had been treated like favored guest.
An this does not redound to the credit of
English Hospitality; comm9 I sense and apPre,
does II justify. our prstensions to being tho
only judges Of comfort in the civilized world.
the inclement season. or nine months out Of
xoS 4Ssy which ars sy sa s
means Of badly ventilated stoves, and not sub
@ coils Of ho air or water act WINE
properly when merely an atterthou2ht OF the
rhsJGt Ths is poor snSs a6d bx thy
| greed Of the gas companies. The water supply
is Limited, lifts are a luxury not yet imported.
| and for maximum of outlay you got mini:
mum of convenience. Tho vexed question of
drainage asserts itself unpeasantly every now
| and then, and the hcrogiyphics traced in the
walls by pipes OF every si2e and description
| only dsperso or locallze the evil they are sup
posed to cure.
In the face OF all this what is moro extraor-
dinury than the audacity with which We silence
the foreigner with our assumption OF superior
| knowledge IN all matters Of domestic comfort
and elegance. while our experience. If not our
conscience. must remind US OF our real inferi-
GRITTY? The sooner We take tho word comfort
houses tine better. NJ DIX .