New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-18
LUCULLUS IN NEW. YORK.

From H0rpeT's B1s1r.
Luxury. IL il Is well considered, IL gOod ting.
We can imagine no more refined or elevated !1no
of existence than that OF the Injurious Gre, As.
who made even the grave far more attract, ilGtn
we do our nobest palaces. Flowers ana statues
and vases the most exquisite paintings. the
choicest gems, followed the eyes that could 10
longer see into the darkness OF the tomb. Ana OF
their lives we read this great lesson, that unless
luxury was born Of thought, unless IL gave e,i-
denee OF some poetic inspiration, It was not consid-
cred luxurious. They treated their most rec0udlte
OF all loves-the love with which we love the dead
with refined Injury They carried INTO tier
feasts and into their extravaganza the same ex
qusIte economy.
But the Romans had a different idea. Profuse.
lavish, ridicuons. coarse, vulgar. their luxury
if indeed the word should be so far profaned. I'M
necessary food, unreal trappines, g;uttony instead
of gOurmandism, drunkenness instead OF exhiIara-
ton Nero in place OF PerIces
These thoughts Of Greeks and Romans have been
forced upon us by the overwhelming luxury of the
dinners and lunches Of the past winter. Given ono
splendid Dinner and the popular emulation be-
comes excited More silver and more gold, more
japanese and Chinese plates, more iaifnee, more
favOrs bouquets PAL 1ted ribbons painted silken
reticules as gay as CleOpatra's yellow SAL, more
bonDonnieres; and so We 90 on loading ana loadihg
until not astonished 70 hear OF one poor taple
whose back broke under the load OF an ungrudg"
ing. unwise, tasteless expenditure, aud as the
servant placed the last candelabrum upon IL, down
il went, a confused heap OF candles. glass, china,
flowers, fruit, wine. self-regulating lamps, and
dismemebered c3ryatldes OF nOugat
In ruins, the Greek temple IS not ignOble; 10 Is
dinner table was gnoble. 1t seemed to preach a
lesson of the dissertation of hospitality. Foliies
have their fashion and their chronological order.
but the folly of vulgar pretenson and OF the over
burde ming of every form OF human display seems 10
be reserved for the iron age of the pneteeDth CEN
tury
As in the matter OF toilette there are limitations,
and vulgar ones, such dyed hair and painted eyes,
do we find IN the matter Of dinner-table orna-
mentatiOn a poor and feeble luxury of color aud OF
expensive stuff which has no merit except That of
afOrdng sort of vulgar surprise. These pre-
emnently are the things we call fayors," either
silk or straw, or both, made into imltatlon mower
pots, garden utensils wheelbarrows and the Ike, 10
trundle around few sugarplums. Indeed, 1t IS
like the straw headdress OF poor Madge Nildtre in
its insanity, this of straw adjunct of lux
ury. The humblest article of household use Ike
dust pan, we have seen deliberately initiated ana
made a part of the lmpedimcnta of a luncheon
party. Ribbons, painted ribbons, pretty while
they lasted fresh Afforded an agreeable though not
deep emotion, one at each plate, odlous the next
lay; "A OOnbonniere OF painted SILK, perhaps OF
china glass very expensive. very snowy, and
very worthless; great bouquet of the choicest
dollhouse nOwcrs-thcse are the prizes OF the fOtu-.
nate guest. To see her name painted on bOnbonnIere
aud ribbon and cheap fan, on the straw basket ana
on the dinner card what las 1t done for her but TO
emblaZOn her personality for momentf what are
they all worth on the morrow
Then again, let US think WI at all this money has
reuresented. For 1t, might have been OoughI
choice cameo. a beautiful engraving, awatercolof,
lace fan perhaps, luxurious and useful IA DIT OF
lace is real luxury; it lasts over the next day;
every woman loves it, Why this waste OF money
on these senseess favOrs as poor in their way As
the embossed valentine. the perforated and cheapy
decorated valentine of the past, so unreal IN its
poorness of attempted ornament that even the val
ontne- sender now selects piece OF brown paper,
ted with tow string, for very WEAKNESS OF this
vanished darling Of The past
Much of the love of china ~ real, and the stndy or
IL l. an improving work. But how much the over
burdened table which broke down had 70 bear OF
the insnceIe and tasteess crOckery or imitation
china which does duty for the real thing, All tho
t-leggcd cherubs that hold mp mitatiO Dresden
vases what pretenders they are What crimes are
committed in the name Of Sevres.
Flowers can hardly he abused, yet modern luxury
shows great talent at this The singer Nilsson used
to look at her flowers next day, mass oI Iaasd
leaves, and with simple swedish Thrift regret the
money thrown away them. Put in any Other
form the money would have lasted in a better
form than faded flowers. There was an American
recklessness that included bad taste even IN her
floral tributes.
particularly at ladies' lunches, the overwhelming
slundance OF food which repels and nauseates, ell
This - Roman. not Greek, luxury. AT lunch,
women want at most Il chop OF sweethread, the
wing of bird "a, an Ice anu perhaps one glass oi
cba1paSne They ,,re treated TO oysters, bouillon,
lobster farci swaetbrea,S cOEeettes Ia hnanciere
excellent and Wall-Sreet >uRgesiNS nanel' n,g'
aux champignOns Roman punc-S biI1s patc, Saus-
net pudding, ices jellies, fruit, an paH P'
Sauterne, champagne, sherry Madeira, ~1'ie' pui
gundy, and what not
The result is headache return home with ones
arms full OF favors made of straw, and the remark,
Well, really. this was the most expensive lunch y
Truly straws show which way the wind blows"
1t must always be an lgnOt lie ambition 90 desire
to give a more expensive meal than ones neighbor.
There is the vulgarty Of the American entertainer.
Lucullus of old took care that his Gates were deli
cate and rare, and OF not too great abundance. Tho
Lucullns Of to-day gives too much. We Out-koman
the Romans. We have lost the sentiment OF the
feast as have lost the tlment oil the serenade.
People who give entertainments which are thus
overloaded with false luxury are apt TO DO
too much pied To make themselves agree
able. They are thinking Of the procession of the
courses more than of the procession of the equ-
nOXes They are in agony that the - claTet IL not
being recognized that the palate of the gourmet
does not remember that he is tasting Black Warrior
Madeira. Some eating nothing. some people
are not observing the velvet table mat One lady
looking incidentally at the imitation Sevres. Tho
cook if a GORDON bleu, has the caDrces OF genius
y >terday her eutremets were perfect; to-day they
90 H. vTbe. Poor hostess never has she been SO
IeInIess ~ so irrespOnsble the artist, inc IN her
dale CRANE >tes IS this great occasion IN con-
GIti0n vtnen ~ualy one must speak 10 her."
Fvervrbing Is COLI nut the ice-crcam that Is luxe
warn In vain these painted nbbons these bon
bonuieres these flowers aTeady iaded, these iaNors
and these notices. The cnnehy gNer oil mo
feast nwardly cursing cook ai,H .utleI, ehGehNoIs
ing to talk and be witty, feels t'at the iapie OF
Tantalus is feeble allegOry. Alas. WiJIugins
but amablc host and hostess. you have al|~u 10 90
too much. iou have seized like Cleopatra tle
pearl of luxury you dIssolying it in a cup Oh
absurd. The definite and beautiful meaning Of the
word hospitality is lost. The rendering Of It IS
display.
GRASSES FOR DECORATION.