New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-30
CONTEMPORARIES.
CHANGES IN GOOD FORM"-DECLINE OF
MDURNING-KISSING HANDS.

CANT leisure and deliberate are past ana even
| those who are not Obliged to work for their hvin3
work for their pleasure That Is to say, they hurry
so much in taking their pleasure that 1t ceases to
| remain n pleasure and becomes instead thereof
toll. In fnct rapid has the pace become In Europe
| that people no longer even allow proper time TOT
| that most sacred Of all human sentiments, namely
grief for those who have passed over to the majority
and the length OF the period well as the extent OF
the outward manifestations OF mourning are now re-
| duced TO a minimum. This has boon particularly
noticeable during the last few months, ana the old
conventional rules and regulations OF society on the
subject becoming obsolete. "The classes IN
Europe are TO a certain extent encouraged In TINS
| course by the example set by their resning ana
princely families who. In proportion their const
tutiOnal power dmnishe', cnieavor 10 counerbaance
Its loss by increasing their social influence Court
mourning never extends over a few weeks. Inc Cd
sequies Of the dead potenate are scarcely concluded
before the festivities connection with his successors
accession commence and more than ever Is IL case
of lie Ro est mort Nivc lc ROLF
Few OF those acquainted with life in the Old World
will be disposed to question the claims Of the Duchess
of Dcvonshlrc to be one OF the principal leaders OF
English society. Yet she did not hesitate 10 enter
tain large and very Jolly house parties in the country
for the shooting within six weeks after the death OF
her son. the Duke OF Manchester; while the fair
Young Duchess Ct sutherland taking part In private
| theatricals in London before the end Of the third
month after the demise OF her fathern-law the late
| Duke. Ten twenty years ago Mayfair would nave
held ND ifs hands in horror the bare idea CT such
apparent callousncss and lack OF proper feeling TO
day. however, the matter attracts little no atten
ion and any real display OF grief wonld be regarded
in the great world OF London as either due to eccen
rcity or else nfectation. The so-called "deepest
mourning IL longer considered good form In Europe
Grape has dropped ont Of fashion, being now only
used for drapIng buildings and monuments or ior
,lroudng the lighted lamps Of the vehicles figuring IN
| f.o No wnnl
taxing either tn" Empress Of Austria or the Princess
q Wales with Indifference to the death OF their re-
pcctve sons yet each has been content to mourn her
offspring without Grape, either In the shape OF veil
| or trimming to her dress. The result OF this
| has been that widows, especially when young. dis
pcnsc not only with Grape but also with the character
stic cap and long strenmers. Indeed at the present
rate there will be no outward sign left by which we
shall be able TO distinguish from the ordinary woman
| those fair sirens against whom we have been 30
| pathetically warned by Mr.. Weller
The decline Il mourning has been gradual for several
centuries. and to keep pace with the growth OF
| civilization. Men longer Insist on having all the
women folk Of their family slain at their obscqules
rs did our fcrcfathcrs In Christian times nor yet
do cut off the tails OF our horses and rend our gar
| mens rs tokens OF grief Even the Church Is with
in the matter and by order OF the Iontin at Rome,
several pastorals have been Issued In Italy ana othr
foreil protesting against and condemning
|
against the abuse regards the amount and value
| 81 the flowers. These pJstorals have likewise been
taken as Il text by several leaders Of the Anglican
| Church In Great Britain and the Lutheran Church In
Germany, with the result that far greater simplicity
| :! being observed just now In matters pertaining to
| funerals.
Mayor IIarnsons action in kissing the hand Of the
spanish Infinta her arrival at Chicago aroused
much discussion In the various newspapers, and nus
| drawn attention TO the very important part which the
kiss occupies In the etiquette Of the royal and Imperial
| courts Of Europe. Many people have asked whether
the Mayor OF the Worlds Fair City was doing the
| correct thing in kissing the hand OF the Princess
Eulalc. The question is one Of some difficulty TO
| answer. While on the hand II l. Impossible to
deny that this form Of greeting an act of courtesy
on the other II 10 equally undenlable hat on the
| part OF the Chief Magistrate OF Chicago was an
| uncalled for and somewhat exaggerated method OF
,alutatlon. In the first place neither Mr.. Carter
| Harrison nor cx-Mayor Washburn or Indeed any
other OF the Reception Committee that met the Infanta
was II subject of the King of >pain whom the lnfanta
represented the Worlds Fair and therefore WIS not
expected to render to the little lady the obesanre
| due by splniards to the Queen Regent. In the
| second place, the Americans an English speaking
race the kissing OF the hand Is distinctly I'M
English custom which is not expected OF any English
man. and far less, therefore. from the more inde-
| pendent and democratic American. No Enelishmnn
Kisses the hand Of any royal princess an Wneh
either the Princess oi Males tn. Duchess OF Ehn
burgh any of the daughters OF the Queen oicr their
hand TO elmer men or women. IL l. not Kissed, Oh,
low over 1t II man. aud couresies 1t woman The
only person In England whose hand Is ever hssea Is
The Queen and then sseray on oemi occasion" cI ns
| homage. Thus the Queens Minister'S and Ambas-
Of Lords and the geat Officers Of the realm kiss Her
Majestys hand on appointment 10 Office, and when the
smratlvsly speaking to be Kissed but III reality to
| be bowed over by these presented to her The
her place Is taken by one of her daughters or dauE,
Flaw even the pre,enee Of hssnS ceases; kissing
stood in the rnl5cd states, Is compromise Of the
| Kissing OF the foot which was formerly eNacted by
monarcls and princes and piinccs,cs Of the blood,
from their coiriiers and interiors The custom orig
mated with the magistrates. the consuls and the emf
| hands to be kissed. But this soon considered
be too familiar an act OF homoss and In process 81
tributes and being treated as gods, their subjects
"'rI p saycrn O OF thu 81 Europe
the rcisnng soverclgn's hand IS Invariably Kissed by
irS , t cannot but have appeared somewhat ncon-
rrnon> to see the spectacle Of such men as IN me
mnrck bending low 10 Kiss The hand OF Young Emneror
william of Germany ana In the same way 1t Is
generals, the hand OF the fat and INDECENT Young
King OF Portugal At the Court OF Belgium the ths
only to the ladies Of The royal family. as the Belgans
TOO rdiy Independent ana posses, IT., TOO srcn;
| King Leopold. The same may be said Of the Swedes
Denmark, Where onecn louise who is one of the
greatest stickles the score OF etiquette, has IN
| Produced all tho formaes and ceremony OF the
pctty German court at which she was brought up the
digniaries Of the royal household and the persons
connected with the court In some cases endeavor TO
| curry royal favor by kissing the hand OF King
Christian. but tine practice IS very far from being
| general at Copenhagc In Russia the Cars hand
| f Kissed I'm most serylle manner, whenever he
offers it, and when he dies his corpse has 10 be kissed
I'm accordance with the rules OF etiquette by all tho
great officers OF the realm ana members OF his house
hold In Italy King lumbert dscourages the kissing
hic hand
| spirit OF the age and may often be seen giving
hearty handshakc TO laboring man, farmer. or
indeed any one OF the humber classes OF his sub
| iects among whom he Is specially popular. Queen
Margnres hand well those OF the princcsses Of
| The royal house OF savoy l. kissed. Of course by
| the Italians. men and women. and the same Is the
case In Spain. Neither Princess Enlne nor Queen
Isabella ever dreams. however. OF expecting her
! hand TO be kissed when at Paris, where each OF
! them spends n considerable portion OF the year ana
dooI INF