New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-15
A FEW DON'TS.
ADDRESSED TO NEOPHYTES IN EUROPEAN
TRAVEL

Inasmuch a very large proportion OF the Amer
lean tourists who are already on the Atlantic or
about to sail consists of persons who have never
visited the Old World before, a few hints not con-
| tanned in the ordinary gudcbooks. may prove both
| Of Use and of interest. / wish however to en-
phasize the fact that they are addressed not TO old
| and experienced travellers, but TO people who are
making the trip 10 Europe for the first time.
Nearly all of these neOphytcs if | may be
permitted TO describe them such, have taken the
prccantion to provide themselves with letters of
introduction. upon which they invariably base
more or less extravagant hopes Of hospitabc rcccp
| ton and social successes. This l. unfortunate.
For unless the letters in question happen to be adj
dressed TO Americans resident abroad, their bearers
will in nine ont Of ten often be exposed to
| bitter disappointment and modification Society
| in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain is
| thoroughly selfish and the majority of its mem
hers resent the arrival Of n letter of introduction
on account of the obligations involved thereby.
| Their one object is 10 dispose of the latter as
speedily as possible, with the least possible cX-
pcnditurc Of money, time and trouble. Of course ]
speaking here of letters of introduction written
| by people who terms of intimate acquant-
| ancc and friendship with those 10 whom the mis-
sivcs addressed For there is quite large
class of individuals who make practice Of giving
10 their friends letters Of introduction addressed
| to persons with whom they possess only
| the very slightest possible acquaintance,
or else whom they do not even know
| at all. There are more letters of this kind
given than anyone would believe and it is not al
together surprising that the unfortunate bearers
thereof should be subjected to the modification
Of finding the recommendations contained therein
| ignored by those 10 whom they addressed
| Mr. sboul1 tho nm rican fouris, visit IurODp
! Toy the first time look for very much in the
| shape OF a return for the generous hospitality
with which n has received European tourists in
tie United Stairs. Hospitality in the Old World
save in Russia and in Scandinavia, is Of IA far
more -'untcl. narrow and grudgins character than
| in the New. and, whereas here on this side of the
Atlantic II II regarded "A pleasure, across the
sea il j. locke. upon al obisation. In America
| a foreign visitor if well recommended, can travel
| by easy STAGES from the Atlantic TO the Pacific,
| and from the Canadian border to the Mexican
Gulf, without being permitted to set his foot
| in hotel lie will be passed from one house
| - another and he made 10 feel everywhere that
| by his presence he il comforting pleasure upon
his entertainers Let the latter visit Europe, and
| they will find the guest who made his home at
| their house for DAYS, weeks and even months Will
| con>iicr that he has made an adequate return Tor
all their lavish hospitality II he invites them per-
fLnctorv - dinner party. or sends them tickets
| for the opera ON an off night Fortunate. indeed
| # n, does. not cndcavor 10 avoid making any re-
| turn whai@lc,cr | rcmcmbcr walking mp the
| boulevard dc, Capucinc~ one day with man
bcaring one of the grande-t names IN Europe ana
| possessed of a large fortune He had but recently
| returned from prolonged tour in the United
! States where he had been magnhcrnly enter
| tanned suddenly. were Srollng along II
| rapidly turned aside, and disappeared into shop
| Or following him and asklns The ra'on OF ms
abrupt flank movement. he explained mat ne had
m-, caught srht # e Western millionaire at
whose house hc had stayed during the three weeks
| that Inc had spent az Chicago. lie was DESTROYS
=, all costs TO avoid him. lest he should bc under
| the obligation of making some sort OF return for
| the hospitality which he had received. his Is
| hy no means an isolated case Indeed, IT Is one
which occurs very frequently. OF course there
| are some executions. some eases where people on
the other side honor 10 their fullest extent letters
| If intr,duction or cndcavor 70 make ample return
! for hospitality received But they are the cNccp-
| finn and il Will b. found that the Americans
whom they entertain mostly either enormously
rich or else possessed of altogether extraordinary
| hrllliancy of intellect.
The greatest care should be exercised by those
| making acquantanccs and in forming friendships.
In the eyes of the ordinary European the very
fact Of being an American implies the possession of
| vast wealth Tourists haiIing from this side Of
| the Atlantic are credited with practically Him
| table supplv Of dollars. This the American dis
| covers 10 his cost at the hotels and shops which
| he favors with his patronage. IL likewise, how
| ever serves Ia render him n centre of attraction
| 70 all that great class Of nc'cr-o-wclls who live
| upon their own wits and upon the crdulity OF
the persons with whom they happen to become ac-
| ouaintcd Many of them bear high sounding
| titles. that are perfectly authentic, and it Is
| against these people in particular that | wonid
| wish 10 warn those of my readers going abroad
| for the first time. Don't for one moment imagine
that the mere possession of title Is sufficient to
cndow it, bearer with social cmincncc and prestige
| There are hordcs Of Russian Princes. Italian
Marqucsses, Spanish Duke, Portuguese Wis
counts. German and French Counts ami
| Barons, and even goodly number Of Eng
lish people with handles to their names,
who are absolutely without any social cons icra'
ton or standing Whatsoever and whose presence
would not lie tolerated in any respectable drawing
| room or club IN Europe. 1t is just these III
| dvduals who are forever the lookout Tor
| the inexperienced American tourist, whom they
lore 10 dazzle by their titles sufficiently to con-
| vert him at any rate temporarily into their
| banker. independently of the pecuniary expense
which association with titled rocks OF this character
| involves. there is likewise another social side oil
| the question to be considered. For the mere fact
of being secn in the company Of men or women
Of this class is often sufficient 10 destroy al
| chances of social success in the Old World, and
TO close against the American visitor doors that
would otherwise have been opened to their utmost
width.
Another practice to he avoided, especially when
| travelling the Continent is that OF anslicizing
| the names Of the various towns and cities. For
| instance, it is useless to ask any German, UNI
| acquainted with the intricacies of the English