New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-01
LONDON SOCIETY.
TIE FUNCTIONS OF THE SOCIAL MENTOR.

times called the Social Mentor; indeed, there are
several SUCH The name is not an expressive one
but perhaps il is expressive enough for the persons
it is meant to describe 1t is by his help ana IN
the discharge of his rather peculiar functions that
the great army Of the Unasllcd may be said to he
avenged upon those whom they would fam have
as hostesses recounted but lately the woes and
humiliations of this great army 1t will now be
seen that, as there are would-be guests without
hostesses so there are wouldb be hostesSes without
guests The function of the Social Mentor Is to
bring these last together. Why no corresponding
parsonage has devoted himself TO establishing good
relations between the former classes 1t might DC
hard to say. Complicated indeed is the social
structure; yearly becoming more complicated;
yearly developing new growths; so that IN time
there may be evolved this corresponding person.
age who shall take upon himself as duty the
supplying of hostesses to guests, and the securing
of invitations TO those who have none Should
this honest broker appear upon the scene, enor-
nous will be his difficulties; they would beyond
doubt prove to be in many cases. and above all
in those where success would be most essential,
impossibilities Whether he exists even in the en-
bryo stage / know not, and l have no wish TO
anticipate. At present, with possibly one eXcep-
ton, which l will mention presently, duties and
functions which may in the remote future be-
come official and be concentrated in few skilled
hands. are discharged by the diletaIte, when they
are discharged at all. For the most part these
numerous requests for invitations are but the
solicitations of private friendship or petitions at
the bottom of which lies the hope, or the lively
sense. of favors to come
Bat there are in London ladies of means, Of
social ambition. and even of q certain social posi-
tion, who, in spite of all these advantages, still
find themselves unable to compass their objects
and to give good ball or party, sometimes even
dinner. without the aid of an intermediary II
you suppose am going to mention Names or any
single name. that would only prove how futile
have been all my efforts to acquire character
for discretion. l shall mention none But deal
with facts which are notorious in London. If by
chance they have become known in New-York, SO
TINT the travelled New-Yorlker should be able TO
give particular application to my geneIahtles
that is thing cannot help and am not responsible
for Some of the persons who have had recourse
TO the Social Mentor are, il may be frankly admit
ted, Americans They did but follow the example
set them by their stylish kinswomen.
Nationality has really nothing to do with the
matter l will define the Mentor without refer
ence to nationality. lie may be of either sex,
but 1 will speak OF him at present
as a masculine Mentor. lie is young
or old or midde-aged as the case may
DE. lie TiuSV DHNe pCSlJlOH ana Nluo
acquaintance. He has, in fact list, more
lists than one, Of men, and to take the simplest
example, they shall be young men who dance
Mrs. a. has set her heart upon giving a ball
She has good house, or the money to hire one
for the night; for often it happens in London
that balls ana dances given in houses hired for
the purpose. The big house in GrosyenOt Place
now occupied by the Wellington Club was let out
in this way, and brought in good revenue The
houses now most in demand two in Carlton
House Terrace. The Mentor may, or may not, be
concerned in the letting Of them His most i'm
portant mission is not supplying the house. but
filing it with suitable guests. lie may provide
both men and women; perhaps, oftenest it is
dancing young men whom he provides. This is a
kind OF assistance which he may offer to ladies, not
otherwise IN need of social support. The age has
its own characteristics. The young man of the
period knows his value-if he did not, the young
women Of the period would soon inform him
and he neither holds nor makes himself cheap.
Sometimes of course, he goes to a bail upon the
mere invitation of Mrs A., should Mrs \. happen
TO be in his set, and be approved Of by him and
his comrades be smart enough, and give sufficiently
good suppers to reinvigorate energies exhausted by
the effort of continuous dancing. Otherwise, he
goes upon the summons or, it may be, upon the
entrcaty of the Mentor. lie has confidence in
him; he knows that the chief whom he follows
will not lead him into battle, save upon fit oc-
cason and in good cause.
never could make out Just what the relations
are which exist between the parties TO this singular
contract; nor does it much signify. The law OF
supply and demand, not yet reegatcd to the planet
Saturn, is operative, dare say, in social not less
than in political or economical regions The
chief and his followers go into action together.
IT seems to be understood that the chief Shall not
merely furnish recruits but command them. Per
baps he takes care that their time is not too I'M
equally distributed between the ballroom and
the supper-room Possibly he assures himself that
no young lady is wholly neglected or 1t may be
that general superintendent over the behavior
of the company is expected Of him. At any rate,
there ne is at the head Of his battalions And what
battaliOns they arc; what rows ana groups OF
good-loolling young men; all accurately dressed,
all good-looSng, and all precisely alike. When !
have looked on at one Of these scenes, L nave
wondered whether these young fellows knew each
other apart The smooth locks, the waXed mus
tache the shaven cheek and chin, the expression
less couutenancc the unlailing conformity III cach
particular of dress and gesture TO rgid standard
of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES is there TO choose be-
tween them !? They are irreproachable and lshtiy
unnteresting but, dancing machines, they are
perfect. Do not suppose they have anything 10
do with The masher. The masher is extinct, or
nearly So and in this serene world ON when we
are looking he never existed. The part
ncrs provided for these pink and white
cirls-who are almost as much alike as are
their black and brown or, peradyenture blond
cayaliers-must be, and are, without rcproach from
a social point of view The masher was altogether
an inferior being, who haunted the stalls ana
e;age-doo,s of certain theatres and their adjacent
bars and refrcshmcnt saloons. 1t was, perhaps
,he appearance of stray specimens oil TINS lower
order that gave rise 10 a dialogue celebrated in
tho chronicles Of the time. 1t is the Mentor who
addresses one of his trusted lieUtenants.
Dear boy, who are those odd-lool1ng men by
the door?'
81 think old chap, they must be men whom orr
hostess has herself invited"