The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-07-06
The EnRIlsh Middle Glasses.

L uiS. e. h.E bnnoils IN harper ) blLafl
1t Is not very easy to define the middle
class. 1t has, indeed, grown so large that
the English themselves divide 1t into the
upper" and "lOwer" middle classes. and
these two divisions are fast becoming as dis
tinct as the warrior and merchant castles Of
India. In the upper" ranks are all the
professional men; and to-day, that trade has
become quite the correct thing. all the larger
merchants and bankers, and even shop
keepers, artists, literary men, and actors too
since actors have taken TO playing the part
Of leading citizen-are included In the
flower" division are the smaller tradesmen
and shop-keepers, the great army OF petty
clerks. teachers In the board schools. and, In
a word those whose work, though of less In
tTinsic value, Is considered shade more re-
spectacle than that of the genuine workman
or artisan. We are all for respectability In
This upper" middle class, taken as a
whole, Is the chief power in the land be-
cause Of its wealth, the main prop aud stay
OF aristocratic Institutions because OF Us re-
spect for the class above ~, and the princi-
pal stimulus socialism because OF its con-
tempt for the class below. The very strong
hold Of British conservatism, II would as
soon think Of supporting Mr.. Gladstone as
Of making French salad. 1t Is within its
ranks that the British matron reigns su-
pTeme and the young person prevails. Con
ventl0n Is It's creed, and the prince Of Wales
its prophet 1t know no authority but the
Times and the Telegram, the Royal academy
supplies Its art, and Jerome X. Jerome Is It's
literary Idol. Of course there are NOTABLE
exceptions TO this rule. In the professional
artistic, and literary groups Intellectual pur-
suits have necessarily brOadened mems
social and political standards. You see the
difFAFQnpp tha DraafQr tndpDapdanaa n "a
women, many Of whom go into journalism
or medicine, or even trade, less because they
have to then because they seek occupation.
You see 1t in the wider interests Of the men.
whose studies have forced them to aeknOwl-
edge that, after all, the universe Is not
bounded by the British channel and the
Atlantic ocean. 1t must be admitted, how
ever, that now authors and artists have BART
cred their freedom for mess OF social pot.
tage; they are often the most bound down Of
all the great middle-class slaves to respecta-
bility their houses, on the surface at least,
the most perfect specimens Of the English
middle-class interior.
The line which separates upper" and
"lower" middle-classes Is really far more
sharply defined than that which lies between
the former and the aIistocracy. III instead
of saving 1--we are all socialists nowadays,
John Morley had discovered that We are all
In trade, he would have been nearer the
truth. There are coal merchants and cab
the other hand, II Is no rare thing, but com
mon occurrence, for members Of the profess
iOnal, literary and artistic sets to be pre-
sented at court, and Included In the inyita-
tlons to state functions. And with their
manner OF life, 1t is not easy TO point TO a
great and distinctive difference, though, In
this respect, between upper" and flower"
middle the gulf Is wide. A few years ago
there was fire In the Guards club In Pail
Mall, and members, while repairs were be-
tunr do kalr In 40 IlVF WH u@tA
Cambridge. "Aho really" one was heard
to say at dinner, these middle class fellows
don't drink bad wine, do they" The story
is characteristics. "Mlddle-class fellows
don't live badly, according to aristocratie
Ideals You Will lind that actual living, that
IL, when understood to mean eating and
drinking, Is much the same In middle-class
households as In ducal mansions. In both
Is that endless succession OF meals that
frightens the American when he first comes
to England-the early cup OF tea In the bed
room, the late breakfast. the O'Clock
luncheon, the O'Clock tea, the or 8 O'Clock
dinner, the 10 o'clock cup OF tea-a success
sion that threatens to leave time Tor httDe
| else.
The great difference really consists in the
| fact that work is the rule with the upper
middle class, leisure with the arlstoeIacy'
| In this respect there Is q much closer cores
| pOndence between the former ana our "eil-
to-do professional and merchant elass; la
| the first place, slAce most professional anu
| business men must be In town almost all the
year round in England, as 10 America, tney
| live in town. and do not merely come up for
the iondon season. What l say Of London
holds good in the provinces, but u Is easier
/ 10 sneak Of life in one particular place).
| Srbav 90 away for the long vacation in the
antnmn and at Christmas and Easter and
| Whitsuntide. To take a holiday, then, Is as
necessary to every middle-class Englishman
who can afford 1t as 1t is to eat bacon for
breakfast, or drink wine with his dinner
IL Is at these seasons that Norway and Swift
zerland and Italy are overrun with English
tourists. But often and far as they travel,
determined as they are to spend every avail
aOle moment In the country. their home Is in
town OF In the near suburbs