New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-08-05
LONDON SOCIETY.
WI.
FURTHER NOTES ON THE RELATIONS Be
TWEEN SOCIETY AND THE STAGE.

London, July 8.
Mr. Irving's place at the head of the
dramatic profession in England is so univer-
sally conceded that in what have been saying
about society and the stage, ought perhaps 10
have begun with him. The more so as ne is an
actor, not an actress and the question oil sex mas
something TO do with the complications "hich
make any accurate statement on such subject so
diffcult Nobody has done more than DIT
Irving TO smooth away the distinctions which
society used to make, and still makes IN less oe
gree between itself and the world beyond the loot
lgbts vrs and the rest of the world as well
lie came 10 the front at time when things were
still in a transition state: or rather at an earlier
per;od of that transition from the old TO the new
which is still going on. He has you must know
in America rare social gifts well as dramatic
eifrs In one direction they amount to genius
lie saw that not much could be effected by merely
accepting what was freely offered him. Invita-
lions of all sorts and from all quarters showered
in upon him, and that ut q very early date IN MS
extraordinary career. But from the time when
fortune as we'll as fame became his, he preferred
the role Of host TO that Of guest. lie was destined
TO he the Amphitryon as well as the Roscius OF the
profession He was to be met at smart dinners
and in smart country houses and sometimes even
at smart parties for which he seemed to care little
But his social renown is on entertainer The dn-
ners and suppers at the Lyceum, at the Grange
ct Richmond at Oatlands Park, at Greenwich
and elsewhere, have long been famous When
London onoe understood that the Prince of Wales
accepted Mr. Irving's invitations other people
were only too eager TO accept them. l make no
comment on this state OF things; society every
where in the world wants leader, and London
A. ain fhn
Yet so finely are the lines drawn that the Princess
of Wales has never that heard of, been Mr.. Irv-
ing's guest.
There were reasons in plenty for the kind Of pres
tge that Mr.. Irving soon established. r" It Is not
what is on tire table but what is the chairs that
I consider said Mr. Gilbert once upon time
That was his contribution to the philosophy of din
ing, and it is a very good one Bat the men and
even the women Of London who dine out prefer,
other things being equal. good dinner TO bad
one, and the Lyceum dinners were exceedingly
good and the suppers were better. AS for CON-
pany, there was nobody whom you might not meet
nobody, that is, who was somebody; who brought
something to this joint stock entertainment. 1t
might be celebrity, or distinction of any kind or
rank good talk, agreeableness, or beauty, or
fashion, personal friendship to MIR. Irving,
or that quality of American national
for all other qualities and always adds to the
value of all others Royalties-not the Prince
Of Wales alone by any OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and
Ministers, Generals, Statesmen, the nobility Of
every grade women of rank and fashion, actresses,
actors, painters, men OF all arts and professions,
even journalists-these and many more have many
times figured at these festivities. You may find
yourself one of four five guests or one of fifty
or sixty In either case, there will be the same
attention to detail, the same care in bringing
people together-not by any means in assort-
ing them according TO any supposed
identity Of social position, for real
success in these experiments is only attained
when people remarkable for their apparent
motcness from each other are assembled and al
lowed to discover that they have interests and
sympathies in common.
Such experiments are in fact great successes or
great failures 1t is Mr. Irving's distinction to
have made them great successes. And it is be-
cause he has made them great successes that he
has done such service to his profession and to
ciety. Did you ever hear why the Garfick Club
was founded? There were in those early days
benevolent beings who thought IL would be good
thing if some resort could be set up where actors
should meet gentlemen and learn how TO enter
room and how to carry their hats The most
charitable imagination Of that time seems not TO
have gone further than that Actors were to be toll
Grated. They were to be admitted on sufferanca
and favor to the occasional company of their bet
tcrs. Who among these excellent gentlemen
dreamed or could have dreamed that before half
o century had passed the invitations of great
actor to dinner would have been coveted by the
nearest posterity of these grand seigncurs? 1t is
Mr. Lrving's merit. or one Of his merits, to have
understood his time. 1t is another that he has
fpox <ln ha0ip nd nof 1n fha art
which he practises, but the profession of which
he is the head and has known how to make it
respected by the rest of the respectable world.
II you turn to the other side and look at the
question from the society point Of view, much
of what have said of Mr.. Irving might be said Of
Mrs Jeune, whose name and house have been too
often mentioned in print TO make 1T needful to
apologize for mentioning them once more She
too has had marked influence the develop
nent Of social intmaces acquaintance. do
not ever forget, as said in former letter. how
much sitter New-York is in such matters than
London But l must ask my readers to judge
Londoners by the London standard. Mrs. Jeunc
never l think paid much cour5 to Mrs Grundy.
The purely conventional has many attractions for
Others few or none for her Her luncheons and
dinners and parties have been called by people
who have not been asked to them miscellaneous,
Well. it is true that the people who attend them
are not all cut to one pattern, and dare say if
this accomplished hostess were asked, she would
answer that she required nothing of her guests
except that they should be, for one reason or an
other and for as many different reasons as possible
interesting. II always go to Mrs. Jeune when
she is good enough to ask me- said certain
treat lady. do not know whom shall meet, but
know shall not be bcrcd.'
Her remark recalls story which turn aside to
tell because the two together are measure of the
advance which London society has made within
thirty years: not only toward the stage but to-
ward whatever is most enlightened and most lib
eraL woman famous in her time was the old
Duchess of Cleveland, now dead, She sat down
one day to dinner a very great house and for the
first time in her life remarked man whose face
she did not know She said to her host: