Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-01-22
ENGLISH SOCIETY.


Julian Hawthorne Describes It rs Thor
oughly Rotten.
English society,"" said Julian Haw-
thorne in lecture before q Brooklyn
audience, lis the ripened product OF
centuries. doubt if system of inter-
course for mutual pleasure and ease
could be established upon basis more
expedient. It is the result of all the
wars and jars of these centuries. Each
rank has now its fixed level. No
Englishman is SO low but he may look
down upon some one who is lower than
he, and no Englishman is SO high but
he can find some one higher to bow to.
1t is impossible for an Englishman to
be a gentleman, for true gentleman
never condescends and never cringes.
The monarchical system marks every
thing it touches, as the mineral
springs receive their flavor from the
bowels of the earth. This flavor of
Enelishman, unlike their Bass ale,
sits awry upon the Republican sfom-
ach. It is ineradicable, The better l
like an EngEshman the more l dread
surprising this quality in him. In COM
fort English society is vastly superior
to ours. 1t is smooth honey upon oiled
wheels. The Royal family sets the fash
IONS It was a good day for England
when the Queen took the little Princes
and Princesses out tor a ride in the
park. Instantly the doors of England $
nurseries opened and thousands OF
fashionable babies breathed freely
fresh, health-giying air in the
parks. One day the Prince OF
Wales was observed on Plea
dilly without gloves. The next day
gloves were questionable. This sys-
tenn secures uniformity in dress, and
for this the royal family is worth its
weight in gold. In English society
persons are judged and absolutely con.
troled by an unWritten law called good
FORM It can not be learned, and il
the outcome of natural tact and good
breeding. But false tone of voice, a
too elaborate ceremony is an unpardon-
able sin against good form There is
a certain local reasonableness about it,
for it is a perfect defense against I'M
warrantable intrusion. 1t is secret
!anguage-a free masonry. In the En-
glish drawing-room there must be no
stubborn opinions. no incontrovertible
assertions The voice must be pitched
low. The general tone is that life is
mildly entertaining rather than inter-
esting. There must be no laughter to
disturb the smoothness of intercourse,
and to weep is objectionable. Let our
actors and clergymen portray our emo
tion,' says good English society. You
may ride to Khiva, kill tigers in the
wilderness, roam roughly in the jungle;
but don't, please don't, put coal on the
fire or help yourself to potatoes. This
comfortable, untiring inanity might be
acceptable if there were no reverse pic
ture. as alas! there is. You learn of
the things which are known but not
spoken. Men and women with natural
passions and impulses are forced to
obey a stern, iron, heartless ritual.
There is no escape from it, save
through hypocrisy. Even this is in
tensifed by its direction, for why
should society gather its hypocrisy
under the cloak of piety? 1t may be
proper for me to go to gambling hell
of any other sort of a h ell l please to-
night. But why should l go to church
to-morrowp''- Brooklya Eagle.