Morris tribune., 1883-08-25
AMERICAN SNOBBERY.
How 1t is Illustrated at the Great
Watering Place.

Watering Place.
Letter to Springfield Republican.
Newport differs from most places of
its kind in being summer residence
rather than resort. Its transient visi-
tors are not many and they are usually
the guests, in a strict sense, of the
cottagers. There is not, nor has there
been for a long time, any inducement
there for summerers to stay at hotels. In
not desirable, and, secondly, hotel peo-
regarded by the cottagers, who, as
rule, look down upon them and treat
them with conspicuous disdain.
In order to have any position, or to
be socially accepted, one must have a
cottage which, in local significance,
means spacious, handsome, very cost
ly villa with grounds, horses, plate, pic
lures and whatever modern sumptuous-
ness demands. Newport makes a deal
of assumption in respect of family. high
breeding and the like; but what it most
requires is wealth. Nobody can be a
Newporter, in the social sense, without
an ample fortune, and having that, I'M
less there be very serious objections the
way is easy. Newport is, judged by
its pletense, a downright sham, and
cannot be otherwise; for it pretends to
be community of the Lest kind of per-
sons in the best kind of circumstances.
The circumstances must be admitted;
but the persons cannot be, without great
discrimination and numberless eXcep-
tons. Some very fine, highly cultured,
most estimable men and women may be
found here, of course, but
many of their associates
are of a very different order, having
neither birth nor intellect nor training
nor delicacy nor tact to recommend
them. But they have abundance of
money, and have acquired such knowl-
edge of customs, forms and external
manners as passes for breeding in what
styles itself good society" Society,
nowadays, is necessarily mixed all the
world over, particularly so in democ-
racy like ours. 1t is, in any large sense,
none the worse, but rather the better,
for this mixture, since otherwise, it
wouldlbe inane, monotonous, dull to stu
pidity. But this is not the idea, indeed
it is the very reverse of the idea, of the
summers here. They claim, at least in
ferentially, that they possess all the So
thing akin to meanness or vulgarity is
foreign to their nature-a claim which
obviously cannot be allowed. 1t would
be easy to mention, if one were lima
tured, certain well-known men and wom-
en-, prominent in social circles here,
who are the antipodes of what they pre-
tend to be. Their acquaintances-it
would be untrue to say their friends
laugh at and criticise them privately; but
they receive, and f1atter them publicly,
because they are rich, and because it
would be both imprudent and inconven-
lent to offend them. Thus Newport So
ciety is an epitome and reflex OF sOcl-
ETY. abroad and at home.
The season-meaning cottage or villa
life-is as gay as money and elaborate
preparation can make it. More villas
are unoccupied this year then were last
year, or the year previous, in conse-
quence of their owners being abroad,
and of other causes; but the absent ones
arc not missed in the endless round of
formal festivity. Every day there are
very expensive and very ambitious
breakfasts, luncheons. dinners, dances,
receptions, parties, indeed, of every
variety; each person trying to Guido his
neighbor, and, in his own opinion, sue
CcGullS. 1hlS 10 SdlCUy, CtIAu I'D
such, according to social definition
though, to persons not professionally
fashionable. it would be extremely tire
some, if not repulsive. 1t is tiresome,
unquestionably, to those who participate
in it; but they are glad to tire them
selves in what they consider so good a
cause, and are content to pass their
years in this pompously empty manner.
The chronicles of the day read very
much alike. Mrs. John Jacob Astor
gave an elegant luncheon yesterday to a
dozen of her most intimate friends.
Mrs. Paran Stevens will give german
at her elegant villa tomorrow evening.
August Belmont drove party of his
friends in his drag to his beautiful farm
in the adjoining township last Tuesday.
William R. Travers has invited party |
of his New York friends to dinner at
the Casino next week. James r. Keene |
will give magnificent fish breakfast |
next Wednesday to several English cap
italists now in town. James Gordon |
Bennett will take Ia cruise in his yacht, |
which has just been refitte at enormous |
expense, toward the close of the present |
month. So it runs, day after day, week !
after week; the season" closing as it be- |
gan, leaving everybody fatigued and no
body benefited.