New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-21
4 BRITISH VIEW or 1NEKIcAN SOCIETY

From Bldci1rOOd'S Wd1f-fne.
For some time past have been acquiring. by
various sde-Iights great deal OF insight into the
constitution of American society. These glanccS Of
enlirhtcnment have sometimes been thrown by
foreign hands, in the remarkable illustrations OF
the upper circles OF Newly ork trst Introduced 10
the readers of this magazine IN the revelations oil
Miss Irene Magllicuddy: but have also been sup
piled IN abundance by native expositors. The most
remarkable OF the latter, however, nave rather dls-
closed America abroad than America at home, re-
vealing the to us III It's cosmopolitan aspect as
il roams about the highways of Europe, and settles
itself here and there, little colony III the capitals
of the Old World. From the disclosures which
have been thus made to us. we have learned that
the republican rule and democratic equality upon
which the great Empire of the West is founded, are
more odOus TO its most highly cultivated cltlzens
than any corrupt court OF the elder world ever
was 1t had been one of the commonplace Oi 0lO
world opinion. considered prejudice by the adj
vanc ed and high-minded that the absence OF all
social standards of rank would prove more likely
TO produce an exaggerated estimate of 1t than that
lofty Indifference which would be the becoming
sentiment of a dignfed and enlightened republic
But we may venture to say that lew, even OF the
most pre- u 1lced, were prepared Tor the view or
American feeling on this point, gwen to us by It's
native opponents as e1lstlng among the wealthy
and highly educated crowds who thrOng European
cities and to whom every assertion OF popular
right or breaking down OF old desrOtlc tradition,
is an offence and injury. The bitterness with
which these elegant colonsts resent the substitu-
ton of constitutional for absolute rule their
angry sense of disappointment at every new as
simllatiO of the historic countries IN which they
have taken refuge to the government of their own
their regrets ana yearnings after Emperor and
Pope seemed at first a whimsical piece of satire,
another exhibition of characteristic American
humor 10 our asOnished eyes. And It is only after
a number of skilled expositOrs have given time anu
toll to the task OF convincing us that this Is true
reading of the real state OF affairs that we have
welded our amused consent to, and learned To re-
cognize the full meaning involve in, this curious
development of feeling. ,
The discovery that equality to an educated
American means n settled conviction that he HIM
self belongs of right to the highest circles every
where, and that the wives of commission merchants
in New York are shamelully treated II they do not
bobnob with duchesses in London-but that, at tho
same time il highly preudcial to the rest OF the
world that the distinction between dukes and
stock brokers should be done away or a single
barrier removed-is one of the most instructive, a.
well as the most entertaining that the world has
made for many day. The disgust with which the
refined republican the elder nations adopting
even the smallest portion of the creed to which he
was born-and which, indeed, gives hun his stand
ing-eround and alone introduces hun into the
society III which lie delights-s one OF the most
purely comic elements in existing society. There Is
the highest humor in the commentary 1t reads at
once upon the theory and practice of government
and national politics. If the democracy with
which we are scared by 80 many prophets come
only to this the observer might be excused for
finding in it more food for laughter than for tears