Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-08-15
THE ENGLISH SUNDAY.

There could be no greater contrast to
society's Sundays than the Sundays OF
the proletariat, says the London World.
70 the polite world the day is one OF
gayety and pleasure decorated with
little fringe of optional religion, and
principally noteworthy for its festivities,
its designations in town, or it's banquets
at Richmond and Greenwich. Between
the Sunday of the wellto-do classes and
the Sunday of the children of toll there
is a great gulf fixed. The public house
is sometimes described as the working
mans club; but whereas the club is open
and especially in request on Sunday the
public house is not. Of course the Sc
cial needs Of the upper and lower classes
are very different, and society has, as
every one knows, learned to taste the
cup of pleasure itself with a moderation
which the inferior order of humanity
has still to acquire. The effect, however,
of all such discussions as that in the
House of Lords on Sunday observance is
to draw attention to the diversity OF So
cial usage among the lower orders and
their betters.
Directly the facts are looked into it is
perceived that the conventional view CT
the English Sunday is altogether false;
that no reality corresponds to the illusion
which is held up tor our admiration;
that many of the most characteristic as
poets Of the Continental Sabbath are al
ready developed in our midst. What is
peculiar to Sunday in England is that
| the right Of its so-called proclamation is
confined exclusively to ladies and gen
tlemen Of good position. There is, in
deed, no day in the week on which our
social inequalities, and the hardships
which they entail, are brought out into
such strong relief. 1t is ridiculous for
hereditary Legislators, as they must we'll
| know, to protest against the dissertation OF
Sunday, when the question is not wheth-
ec there shall be any Dissertation, but
whether it shall remain the monopoly
of single section of the people. The
objection to the opening of museums and
galleries on Sunday comes not from any
religious sentiment, but from the
spirit of exclUsiveness; and it IS
characteristic of the forbearance OF
the English masses that they should &C
| quiesce in the existing system as they do.
The considerations, however, which
weigh with them are OF peculiar kind.
If the working classes were bent upon
securing such legislation as that propos
ed by Lord Dunraven, they would obtain
it with very little delay. But the truth
is that though, as an abstract PROPOSE
ton, they might like to have more oppor-
tunities at their disposal for rational en-
joyment on Sundays, they have vague
fear Of the practical results which it
might entail. The English working
classes dread above all things the risk of
working seven days a week; and they
are full of apprehension that if museums
and picture galleries were opened on the
Sabbath. this might be their doom. I'll
timately they will, no doubt, think diff
ferently on the subject; and the real de-
mand for Lord Dunraven's motion will
come when the working classes perceive
that there is no other justification for
cur existing scheme of Sabbath obsery-
ance than the invidious distinction be-
tween rich and poor