New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-06
SOCIETY IN LONDON.
WITH REMARKS on LADY JEUNE'S AC-
COUNT OF 1T IN THE NORTH ANIERI
CAN REVIEW
London, October 80.

thN hENibN'
London October 80.
The interest in the discussion which Lady
Jeune started about London Society so long axe
- last spring has not yet died out. No topic is
permanent but this will always be talked over
o. intervals Lady Jeune's article in Z" The North
American for May provoked comment IL
print END a good deal more in private. People
were still talking OF it. in Hamburg in August,
and You heard the crackle of stray shots aimed
at the article or its author down TO the time
when her rejondcr 10 her critics. IN III" October
number of Mr.. LLOYD iryccs Review" arrived
in this country. To fiat extent. therefore, the
first article was = success. The second adds
little to the substance of the first. Lady Jeune
stands to her suns. She will not admit that hci
opinions have been altered or her convictions
shaken by the arguments Of the invectjves adj
dressed 70 her in various ways. Her courage ~
admirable.
Lady Jeune must however, be aware that she
stands alone, or almost alone. She brought a
sweeping indictment against Society in London,
or against what she calls the most conspicuous
part Of Society in London. She denopTced II as
vicious and vulgar--that is a fair summary OF
her charges. Ii was not 10 be expected that
those whom She censured should accept hcr
view. They rctorted in strong terms They
denied the truth of the accusations, and, in
some instances they did NOT Scruplc 10 give a
personal Turn 10 their arguments which were
none the better for this sort OF bitterness Lady
Jeune, however, cannot he surprised that such
things should be said. She invited them by her
attack. II she did not give names, her illusions
were too plain TO be mistaken by anybody s"-
quan,ed with the current gossip and scandals
OH which her article WAS based. She pointed at
ss,tS DF ma cpnsurp1
They are composed of individuals, and indi-
viduals have feelings, and even sets and coterics
may have esprit de corps
She roused however. a feeling of indignation
which extended far beyond these. London
Society is very comprehensive term. il IS
almost the equivalent of English Society. Who
pver forins part o! English Society, whoever
has any close relations with it, felt thcs grave
charges rs a stain. Those whom she eXcul-
pated were hardly less indignant than those
whom she condemned. They did not care TO
accept a verdict Of acquttal which involved
verdict OF guilty upon their friends. | cannot
remember ever to have heard, from any source,
a single expression Of unqualified approval OF
Lady Jcune's view. ! he general comment WAS,
aud is: She las mistaken the exceptions for
the rule. Nobody denies that there are black
sheep Int nobody except Lady Jenne is ready
should he called black
To the critics who have pointed this ont
Lady Jcune really has no answer. Her second
article deals with minor points and side Issues
nor is her reply these points always very
conclusive. Lady Frances Balfour was among
those who complained that Lady Jennc should
haze gone to America in order to aSsaii her own
cCuntryMcn and countrywOmen. Lady Jcunes
answer is that the Americans already knew
something OF the social shortcomings of London
~ IL that were reason for adding "a their
knowledge, or for reinforcing hostile criticism on
England with the authority OF a known and
justly honofcd English name. That is q matter
on which the English competent 10 express
their own opinion, and their opinion is one which
Napoleon put in homey language, long since
proverbal, that dirty linen should he washed al
home.
The provcrb is one 10 which Americans also
have only too often, occasion 70 appeal While
Lady Jeune cbastisins London Society in an
American Review, an American w:itcr vas
iampooning New-lork Society in an English
Review The spectacle is not decorou9.
assume that the motives, in both cases, We're Of
the htst; that each writer had missionary or
apostolic purpose and thought moral end
was to be served by HOLDING up her and his
fellow -ccuntrymen to the rdcule and horror
O. foreigners. Lady Jeuncs kindly aim went
further than this She sought not only -
reform sinners in London, but to save American
souls in danger of per>hins by contact with The
ungodly pf tho mother cOuntrr. She tells -
that one OF her reasons for adir'sl.n@ American
rather than English readers 20 inform them
OF what is thought by not few in England OF
that special part Of Society which perhaps APP
pears TO them the most admirable. il certainly
is the most conspicuous. We; she had already
declared that Americans are AZ fuliy alive TO
our and virtues are ourselves" II
we are, the missionary effort was hardly called
for
II Lady Jeunc wanted The North American
Continent a soGHdng-hoard for her sermon.
one can understood her choice Of 4 pulpit Mach
of hcr first article, and especially thr more
piquant parts of it. was reprinted throuehou,
Eus land It was, no doubt. more widely read
than if il had appeared in an English periodical.
The English sail TO themselves: Thi. is what
our American cousins are being told abou; lis.
II il had been said 10 themselves they might
have cared less Tie ENGLISH are sometimes
thought or think themselves Indifferent 10
outside opinion. There are limits ~ that indif-
terence They control the expression Of tlrir
concern sometimes, but the concern is there.
The question was constantly oskcd: IL Lady
Jcune wanted - abuse us why could she not
abuse us AT home p
Her relations with the court and royal
household are intimate enough to make il prob
able that She heard Of this Question when
asked by some of the roral family. That.
perhaps is the occasion Of the long passage i'll
the present paper relating to the Queen. The
passage lis curious from more points OF view than
one. 1t is effort Lady Jeune's part to set
Ecrslf right with the Queen, and much Of what
size SAYS is we'll adapted ~ that end. Her eulo3y
upon the purity and higl-mnded purpose of
the sovereign is one TO which everybody sub
scribes. But We are told that, for social
purposes, the influence Of this purity and high
minded pnrpohc IL nothing. The restraining