Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-09
The Eoglish Sunday.
London World.

London world.
There could be no greater contrast
to aociety's Sundays than the Sundays
of the proletsrlst. To the poldts
world tho day Is n of gayety and
pleasure, decorated with a little fringe
of optional religion, and principally
noteworthy for Its festivities, It's dissi-
patton In town, or it's banquets at
Richmond and Greenwich. Between
the Sunday of the well. TODD class and
the Sunday OF the children Of toll,
there ID a great gulf fixed. The public
house is sometimes described AZ the
worklngman's club; but whereas the
club is open and specially in
request on SUNDAY, the pubic house Is
nos. or course the social needs
of the upper and lower classes are very
different, and society has, az every one
knows, learnt to taste the cup of pleas
ure Itself with a moderation which
the Inferior order Of humanity has
still to acquire. The effect, however,
of oil such discussions as that In the
House OF Lords on Sunday observance
Is to draw attention to the diyersity of
social usage among the lower orders
and their betters. Directly the facts
are locked into 1t is perceived that the
conventional view of the English Sun
day is altogether false; that No reality
corresponds to the illusion which is
held up for our admiration; that many
of the most characteristic aspects of
the Continental Sabbath are al.
ready developed In our midst.
What ia peculiar to Sunday Ia Eng
land Is that the righs of it's 30, called
proclamation Is confined exclusively to
ladies and gentlemen of good position.
There Is, indeed, no day in the week
in which our social inequalities, and
the h~ardships which they entail, are
brought out into such strong relief.
It Is ridiculous for hereditary legisla-
tors, 40 they must well know, to. pro-
test against the dissertation of Sunday,
when the questionis not whether there
shall be any dissertation, but whether
1t shall remain the monopoly Of a sim
gle section of the people. The obiec,
ton to the opening of museums and
| boiictipn oh ouuuoy COusoo uOt lTOhA
any religious sentiment, but from the
spirit or social exclaeiyeness;; and 1t Is
characteristic OF the forbearancs of the
English masses that they should &C.
quiesce In the existing system
as quietly as they do. The
considerations, however, which weigh
with them ere Of a peculiar kind. II
the working classes were bent upon
securing such legislation as that pro.
posed by Lord Duuraven, they would
obtain it with very little delay. But
the truth Ia that though, ss an alb.
strsct proposition, they might like tc
have more opportunities at their dis
possl for rational enjoyment or Sun,
day, they have q vague fear of the
practical results which 1t might entail
The English working classes dreac
above all things the risk of working
seven days a week; and they are fu!
of apprehension that If museums ant
picture-gallerles were opened on the
Sabbath, this might be their doom
Ultimately they will no doubt thinl
differently on the subject: and the rea
demand for Lord Danrsven's motor
will come when tho working GLASSES
perceive that there Il no other justi6
cation for our existing scheme Of Sab
bath observance than the invidioul
distinction between rich and poor.