The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-05-14
THE LONDON SEASON.
Inter sting Points for Readers of English
Society Novels.

Interesting Points for Readers of English
Society Novels.
To give a definition Of the London
season that would satisfy West End
lady and inform an inquiring Oriental
is not an easy task The difficulty
arises from the fact that the season
is not, like other seasons, limited bv
fixed dates, nor is it the season of any
one thing in particular. The grouse
season and the oyster season begin and
end on certain days, and if a respecta-
BILE person is seen pointing a gun. or
eating an oyster, we NAV infer that
one or other of these is prevailing. But
neither the beginning nor the end of the
London season is marked in the alma
nae, and ofthe more important facts ex-
hlblted during its continuance there is
none which will supply test of the
sort Just described. 1t is not especially
the dancing season, the riding-in-the
ROW season, the Parliamentary season,
the drum season, the bazaar season or
the garden-party season, but the season
OF all combined. These things are not
born with it and do not die with it. but
may be said to flourish with it. in the
sense that painters are said to flourish
irrespective of the dates of their births
and deaths.
The origin of ''the season. has been
the subject of many and VARYING theo-
ries. The politician imapines it to
have grown up round the sittinos of
Parllament, sort of Towering creeptr
on the editice of British liberty. The
man of science considers it develop
ment of the nesting time. The shop
keeper would (if he had ever heard of
them) regard it as relic of the old ST.
James and Bartholomew fairs In
the eye of the de61tta71te it is a remnant
of the golden age.
In all probability ''the season. had
its rise in the gayeties of the royal
court, and its place in space and time
was finally determined by the habita-
ton and movements of that body. The
place of "the season. as it exists for us
is now fixed and does not change to
Windsor or York with the 02tLG
regis. 1t would, indeed, be a calamity
if it were otherwise. The imagination
can hardly figure Kings Cross Station
if 1.-the season. had to transport itself
in the month of Nav to the METROPOLIS
of the north. Fortunately NOWADAYS
the vortex of fashion reyOlves round a
fixed point. That point is Mayfair
No one would think of saying it was
''the season" in the Strand
The time of ''the season. as has been
said before, is not so easy to mark out
as its locality. Theoretically ''the
season" begins after Easter, but not al
ways actually, any more than spring
always actually begins on the 21st of
March. 1t is true that balls and din
ners and other signs of 'sthe season.
often appear before Easter, Just as in
warm year we may get taste of spring
before the March east winds. And as
that chance visitation of warmth is ex-
ceptiOnally sweet, so these early par
ties are distinguished by good-fel1ow-
| ship that is wanting later on in the
| year. But however pleasant they may
be, no one would think of calling the
period in which they occur ''the sea-
! SON." just in the same way the end
/ of 1.-The season" has a certain indefi-
/ niteness. Its light begins to pale after
/ the Elton and Harrow match, about
/ the 18th or 10Th of July. There is
/ often, however, a flashing sunset in the
/ week before Goodwin races, which are
/ run at the end of the month With
/ Goodwin the season practically comes
/ to an end, and by the 18th of August
4 is not only dead but buried.
/ These dates will show how lit
I tie accuracy there is in the
/ general idea that the time of the season
/ is connected with that of the Parlia-
mentary session. 1t would probably
/ be nearer the truth to connect the dates
of both with the periods of certain
/ sports and pastimes which are aIl-im-
/ pOrtant in determining the movements
of that leisured class which have hith-
ertO given the time both to Parliament
81 Il s. = IL .
practically minded Briton does not like
to confess that he moves his household
for some months for the purpose of at
! tending a series of balls, dinners and
drums. He prefers to think that this
| migration is necessary for the dispatch
of public or private business. In the
same way, if he comes to London for a
day or two's amusement in winter, he
always persuades himself that.the Jour
ney is undertaken to have his hair cut
A season, in the words of Webster, is
so called with reference to 'its fitness
for anything contemplated or done"
The things contemplated or done in
'the London season. may be termed
generically, in the language of the
press, fashionable arran gements -
Any one taking up the Morning Post on
a Monday can read list of them for the
ensuing week. He will see that if he
chooses he can in the next day or two
attend ''balls," EMISSION meetings, -
''small musics,'' "sales of dolls -
promenade shows, receptions, /"
scientific lectures ''cricket match
es, "bazars,' afternoons" "con-
certs.'' charities - shooting at the
clay or real pigeon dramatic mat
inees," ''polo, - races or musical
soirees in the East End
Some of these arrangements" are
private, and can only be attended on
invitation; others are open to all.
There is also third class, such as the
bazaar or charitable concert, which is
public on one side and private on the
Other.-HGrper's Magazine.