New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-10
n MIR. HENRY JAMESS ENGLAND.

From Letter 10 The Boston Saturday Epening Gozete-
Mr.. Henry James in an unfortunate position.
Not only has be been too long away from the States
to remember or learn the truth about those Amer
lean customs and manrors he satIrizes. but he Is
also not sufficiently acquainted with English ideas
to represent our points OF view eorrectly, Inc
too traditional and lie too deep for any one not
born with them to grasp them rightly. The forces
which operate most powerfully in this country are
never paraded they so inherent here that Eng
iishnien take them natural to all. and never IN
sst on them in words This is particularly trne OF
the English conception of social rack our IDEAS OF
which can never be really plain to an outsider.
This is due IN measure to the custom OF giving
all Americans aud foreigners the breyet rank OF
country provided only that they are ordinarily pre-
sentable. Many Americans think that because
Englishmen of high rank occasionally marry
Americana our aristocracy Is losing its old excln
sveness. But this arises from radical misconcep-
ton Of English views as to marriages. peer IN
England may marry any presentable girl withou.
becomes absorbed into the great house" of which
be Is the head. But let an American gentleman,
however rich and distinguished, seek to marry
daughter of such family. aud he would lind him
self. unless he occupied a very high place in the
Government or diplomatic service of his country.
ranked far beneath the poorest and least distin-
RuIshed member of good English famlyD To
such people he Is only Mr. Brown, OF some tvague)
place IN the Staies while the other 10 Que of the
Browns OF Brown Hall, my dear" or "a cousin OF
Sir John Brown. the baronot love-; and while they
might welcome hlm as gnest, aquestion Of al
lance would not be entertained or, II entertained
would he profusely excused to all she II friends
Mr. Howels whose novels are much read in Eng
land has said some ~ hero that Americans could not
believe any English nobleman took his rank 30
riously.p III Mr. iIvwells were TO mix with the best
society over here and 1t would receive him very
Qracousy ne n distinguished author, he would
not only find that peers aud heads OF old families
take aud given their rank very seriously"
but would also discover that Englishmen consider
want of social rank the most serious OF drawbacks
Unless a man IS of good birth here. aud has 70
ceived public or diversity training among
his equals he must go very high before socIety
will notice him nc all There arc plenty Of men In
England with incomes under 81 300 tE3OOl ysar
who wing to their connections with good fam
lies rank socially before any millionaire not so
connected. and know people whom he can never
know.
Then In England 10 belong 10 any OF the dissent
ina religious bodies is complete bar 10 social rank.
All the pecrago and most gentlemen belong NOM
inally TO the Established Church. Its clergy are
largely related to and marry members OF the airs
tocraey several are peers 10 their own right beside
those bishops no have seats in the House OF Lords
rs SUCH
The knowledge OF all these things forms "points
of yiewp hut those VINO merely visit or reside IN
England fol a while sec little OF this, because Eng
lishmen do not udgc Americans by their OWE stand
ards or wish TO impose their own social laws on
strangers besides being TOO we'll pred to point out
their itferences OF rank TO outsiders. Americans
should be carefully aware that the only English
" point of view MS that taken by Englishmen born
and bred and should smlngly disregard the crit
lcsms on themselves which visitors TO our country
put IN our mouths. We Englishmon have too gen
nine a reSpect for America, aud wish too well 10
her great republic to otter any insulting remarks on
her manners and culture. believing as we do, that
her future will dsar point oil those who are onvlous
OF her py its unforeseen successes
have the honor 10 he, yours. faithfully.
A REAL ENGLlSHMAS.