The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-05-13
JOHN BULL AT HOME.
A GOOD HOST AND GIVEN TO HOS
PiTALITY
Gentility Next to GOdIiness-Domestia
Servants Uniformly CiviI-A Guest
in an English FamiIy-Training
and Manners of Children.
Robert laird coIIier,s letter.


John Bull is bluff, but in his best estate
he is ceremOniOus if he cannot be said to
be polite Gentility with the English is
not only next to gOdliness, but il will
stand one in good stead for gUdlincss
itself. BE what you may, you must not
be vulgar. Though you are on your way
to the gallows you must respect the, pro
prietiesA AS between the keeping Of the
ceremonial or tie moral law ihe rule
would be that it would be less risk so.
cially to be improper than uHGcn:ecL
Children are certainly not told that wick
edness may be winked at, but they are
given TO understand that violations of the
social prophecies are almost an unpardOn-
able sin. This does not in the least qualify
the truth of what has been said about the
impoliteness of certain classes OF the Eng
lish, for these detalis of the social code
are observed in very matter of-fact way,
and the observing is rather in the letter
than in the spirit
Domestic and public servants are uni
fOrmly civil, and, indeed. wherever it is
to their advantage, as has been said. they
are obsequicus. ShOp-keepers and their
attendants have a soft and sleek manner,
an overwhelmed air of being honored by
your custom, which is habitual with them
ana which really means nothing and
which Is, or ought to be. to Americans
disgusting. These class distinctions beget
in limited classes of English society de-
gree of snObbery and a long train of of
fensive and hateful apeings and servilities
such as have met with in no other coun-
try. 1t Is very pleasing to the flesh to be
ministered unto, and it may tiatter one to
have men show awe in your presence and
to have maidservants speak in low tones
and make profound courtesies, but after
all one only respects. ones self when he
has learned to honor the humanity of
oil
distinctions, and all social customs grow
ing out of them, are little less than
moral wrong to any people
1t is also a most delightful sense of
freedom that comes to one who is a guest
in an English family to knows that he is
not taxing the resources and time of the
family to entertain him. He is left wholly
10 his own devices and plans from break
fast till dinner if he wishes to be- 1t is
not even expected that he will turn up at
luncheon, or will join the family or other
guests during the day, unless H. arranges
to do so. He may be asked if he will
ride or drive or visit, but he is perfectly
free to accept or decline any proposals, |
and the pleasure of the guest is the hosts |
only concern i'll the case One can sit in |
the library, write in the dining-room, or
walk through the grounds, or go into /
tc wn, or take the train for a neighboring /
village, or ride or driven short, /
do just what one has a mind to F..
do, and no questions are asked
and no explanations are desired or
This custom makes it de-
lightfully easy to be either guest or a
host Indeed, all through English so.
ciety one of the most charming facts is
that peoples personal affairs are not pub
licly or socially canvassed.
The English are good hosts, and are
given to hospitality. English houses are
seldom without guests. Young folks
bring schoolmates and other folks home
With them. and relations are constantly
visiting among each other. The habitual
presence of others than the family in the
house leads to good and systematic house
keeping, and helps enormously in the
raining of servants, who are always ex-
Dected to do their best It also gives ease
md grace to entertaining when it is a GUS
ON and not an infrequent and ceremo-
hal OCCASION 1t is also potential in the
rood training and manners of children,
Who usually viii not presume upon Wis
tors as they may upon the family, and
viii be more careful in their department.
The rule is that English families spend
heir evenings together, and not in very
Hilarious fashion either The men folk
nay play billiards, when the women will
it by and do needle-work anc hat. Or,
he family may retire TO the drawing
DOM after dinner, which is the usual Gus
pm. and have music and cards, according
} the taste of each, or one is left free to read.
ertain periodicals are regularly taken in,
lch as the illustrated the society, and
ne comic papers, and these are always to
e found, with the last new novel. on the
rawing room table. Circulating libraries
re very generally used and so by paying
small annual subscription one may get
i the latest books and periodicals, and
lie rule is that every family of any sort OF
,cial standing or pretension will have
alf dozen of the most recent books III r
he house at a time.