New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-19
THE PRINCES SUNDAY.
LAX OBSERVANCE IN LONDON-DANCES AND
CONCERTS IN THE EVENING.

the Observance Of Sunday has brought so pronl.
ncntly before the American people In connection with
the close Of the Worlds Fair at Chicago the first
day Of the week. 1t may be- Of interest TO take note
OF the very radical change that has over London
society Of late years In this particular. Those people
In society who remember the very strict manner in
which Sunday observed In Mayfair tvb and
three decades will have some difficulty In credtins
the statement that not only have sunday even
ing dinners, but sunday evening dances become
the fashion there The principal offenders In this
respect are ladies who occupy altogether pryl'
legged position Ia court circles. Of them being
soddaushtcr Of the Prince and Princess OF Wales.
while another for several years Il favOrtc Maid
Of Honor Of the Queen.
During the early period OF the Prince of walcs's
marriage. and well on into the seventies. there
hardly single house In Mayfair where dinner
served on Sunday evening TIE practice in those
days, In some OF the crandcst establishments
where many as forty and fifty servants were
kept such rs Lord spcnccrs was have dinner dur
Ing the afternoon generally between , and , O'Clock.
and then 10 substitute for the usual evening meal
collation.. which described supper, ana
generally served from to 10 O'Clock. 1t partook
more Of the character Of luncheon than any thinS
else that Is to say. there no soup fish servec
and there were hot and cold dishes. No
body dressed for this neal and the servants were
"cn petit t'nu"' II was Il mnst delightfully."- in'"rmai
icpa,t deprived - much OF tn" cOnstraint ana Tor
maliiy Of dinner; there was only half til" number
OF servants IN aitcnGiLcc and II you wanted anything
off the sdcboard. you from ycur scat anl helpci
Yourself. many people II always the most enjoy
al lc meal If The whole week. ONLY Intimate friends
such rs were really WELCOME. ard who knew them
solves TO lie SUCH vcnurcd to call sunday after
Moons and evenings and tho, generally stopped f.r
sr.I per There was a freedom and abandon which was
very delightful. and which was perhaps foStcrci BY
tle additional fact that drawing rooms ana dining
room were more softly lighted than usual. There was
none of the glare and blaze Of tn" customary week
dnv dinner and evening reception. only sort OF
dim religion, Hight appropriate to the sacred charac-
ter OF the day
Another Characteristic feature OF the sunday oil
fifteen and twenty years VA, the fact thai IL WIS
locked upon rs exceedingly bad form - nave ont ones
carriage, and ho ,rs on that day. the idea being that
NOT only tho coichman and footncn but even the
hrsos Themselves were entitled to rest day In
the week. y single hor-c Wa to b" seen III the
Row not single private earring" In the Park ana
ON one occasinn when the late Lord Granville twho
had -pcni much Of his life on tn" Continent where he
had mbhcd less Purltlnical notions with regard 10 the
Observance of sunday. attempted - driv" through
HYDE rark one sunday afternoon with the Countess
he wa, actually nJlbcd. His pIa";on wa' >wi"nhdcn
by an angry or wd composed mostly Of WORKING
people ~. brides Of lis horses were seized, and 1t
might hay, gone III with The Earl had h" not get
down from his scat and appealing To the sense Of fair
play 80 strongly developed In every English breast
offered 10 fight the man VIII, appeared to be the ring
leader In the demonstration against him. ring was
ouickly formed and in q few moment, Lord Granville
found himself face fac with big. tall bnily
fellow who looked like navy a blacksmith and
who showed hy H., manner iha, hr anticipated an easy
,ictnry over his dandinod l0 King adversary. The
latter who was NJ" gcn'lcsi hammered and s"f.'sl
spoken ina sinablci much 80 that he n~'d 10 :"
ly fh. nickname Of "Tu,sy''-t.d not even take the
trouble 10 remove hi hid gloves. Int merely placed
his hat on The scat Of the pha'ton b"Siic his VII"
Will. uft.ring f'w words calcrlai"d = rca>sir" Her
q, to the outcome ~ the conflict. Then he started In
and administered the most terrific thri- hing 80 hi
agonl-t without receiving much n a scratch
himself II a case ( -ccnc" against brute force,
for Lord Granville. oven down 10 very lai" In life"
made poin, Of Keeping himself In practice both with
70. gloves ana the foIls. besides which he was
superb rider an exercise calculated 10 keep him I'm 1T
condition. Eugl',hihe the mob which few mo
m,nr, brforr had been anagoni''ic TO the Earl
was now Wild with enthusiasm over his victory. ana
showed every conceivable means its delight at TIE
manner in which IT, champion had ben van
qu she'd. Indeed II amidst rousing cheers that
the Eai resumed his seat beside his vii" and con
timed his DIVE home through the Park. II WIS the
in,t time however that h. drove on sunday--in Lon
don. ~ any rate.
Nowadays the habit of having out horses on sunday
Ia, bccoine very common. The "a 'hiOn was first
started by people In delicate health. who wrili
otherwise have been deprived of their daily airing.
and IT has been very generally followed since the
beginning Of the present season III" park has been
literally crowded with cquparcs Of every kind on
sunday. among the principal dclinqucnt' being Lord
ard Lady Dudley. Lady Chelsea. Lady Londonderry,
Lady Lons.alc and the Duchess Of Portland.
With regard To the sunday evening dinners and
dances. the people TO whom Mayfair Is indebted fJr
the increasing laxty Of sunday Observance In thi,
h.. lIv a.. DotI,- ,lo
Bischonshcims. the Oppcnhelms. the IIirschs. the
sassoOn, ctc.-mmllics 10 whom saturday and not
sunday Is the day Of religious Observance. II orr
pinacd with, first Of all. sunday evening suppers
and then sunday evening dinners given
by Mr.. Alfred Rohschud and by Mr.. Reuben sasSoon
In honor Of the Prince OF Wales. These entertain
mcnls were characterized by much nformallty. and
afforded 10 the Prince opportunity Of coming Into
contact with many people with whom he could not
otherwise have become acquainted. Many. Indeed,
are the elocuti0nbts. actors and actresses, ana
viruosl OF kind and another who indebted
to these Rothschild and sassoon sunday evening
entertainments for the prncely imprlmatur which
gave them their vogue in London society and enabled
them 10 achieve success which they c0nd mo-
otherwise have hoped to obtain 1t is noteworthy
that the Princess Of Wales and her daughters made
a point Of never attending any ~ these sunday
evening entertainments first. During the season
which preceded the death OF The Duke OF Chrcncc
about the matter: for they present at a SUNDAY
evening entertainment given by sir Arthur sullivan
and at Sunday evening dinner given by the famous
vloiniste, Nine Norman Merida. who is special
favorite Of the Princess. Indeed. all these SUNDAY
evening dinners, concerts and dances to be |
characterized. perhaps unntenticnav. by sort OF
strain of Bohcmanism; IA Kind Of admission In fact |
that both host and guests rendering themselves |
guilty Of attractions Of the old fashioned standard |
conventional rules Of British pr0prlciy.
OF course when the Prince OF Wales sets the fashion |
In London, everybody else deems II only right ana |
proper 10 follow the example Of the man who is moi
only the leader. but the absolute autOcrat ri British
society lie YIELDS social power far greater even than
that Of any Continental monrIch constitutional
constitutional seeing that is possible fer him with
slrug OF the shoulders 10 insure the o'tracism
and social death OF any person who may have in |
currd his displensurc while, the other hand. he t.
able with few words to make the social position |
ueoD VhoSe N no :ham |