The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-05

b. called Of property grading fheir 1e5-
Iow-rner. II is q sad. bat unsfoubsed
fact that snCbs and foadies must be
rsenguszssi. bozh male ard female. for
they are necessary cvu1ponerts Of So
ciexy. Under the present condition OF
Affairs, when We are surrounds! with
% many men and women d ambition
who have sprung sudddeniy into thf
light owing 10 rapidly -acQuared for
tunes, IL is necessary that the conn
psexion Of society saould be somewhat
mixed
But persons vino are 50 fortunate as
10 possess true title to fashionable
life should never fall into the error OF
yaiuing these snefs for their friend
ship nnr esteem them as companions.
They should be simply regarded as In
evstabic acquaintance. IL We put a
proper estimate on these presenders
there will be little danger Of ones en-
tering society, as one will then be on
his guard and will know how to dis
rTiminate between the worthy and the
unworthy, the pure and the base.
The world Is made up OF all sorts Of
people. and SO is society. II a man pro-
poses giving brilliant dinner be NAT
urally Is induced 10 Invite just such
other. and is often obliged 10 bring In
the snob in order that the affair may be
an assured success. This may seem
strange. but il is nevertheless true.
The snoc Is frequently an essential in
gredient 10 a social function. 1t is
quite q stroke Of policy 10 secure as
guests for your dinners men and wo-
men who will cajoie ard fiatter to a
sufficient degree these to whom such
flattery possesses the soothing charms
of music.
But the real friendships Of life are
rarely Termed in society. The mistake
that men and women make is to expect
anything OF or from fashionable life
that viii prove of material advantage.
All that we can expect TO gain from so
ciety Is amusement and distraction. an
enjoyment Of its wit, its briliiancy, re-
finement, cultivation and luxury. 1t is
absurd To expect from Its members
anything like sincere friendship.
AS long as you are independent OF
fashionable life and do not rely upon
1t for happiness and ccntentment. you
are safe in entering II. But / pity the
man or woman who is SO given up to
fashion that enjoyment Of life itself Is
made to depend upon II absolutely.
The social philosopher ON going into
metropolitan fashionable life never con-
anes himself 10 any particular set or
coterie. He seeks society for the plea
sure and amusement ii affords him. If
"a A.
ates and enjoys them. whether they
move In the altra-fashionabie set or
live quietly and unostentatiously.
A snob toadies the rich and prominent
persons OF society, feeling that he owes
his social support TO them. and IS utter
~ indifferent TO those who do not wear
the garb of fashion. There Is con-
SANITY a strife among fashionable peo-
pie fighting To get to the front and
stay there. The snobbish element do
most of this fighting. There are GER
tain people I'm society whom you con-
suit as you would the thernometer. in
order 10 ascertain your exact position
in fashionable life. II they seek you
and fswn upon YOU. you may be sure
/. that you are at that moment one OF
fashions favorites.
Per contra. if you find that you are
avoided. you feel that for the time you
are an indifferent person SO far rs society
is concerned. So it will be seen that.
with all their drawbacks. snobs are to
a certain extent useful.
The American snob differs from the
English in that while the latsers posi-
tion Is well recognized and he is HIM
self perfectly contented to act the part
Of a parasite and be known as such,
the former is a person of vast preten-
sion. who endeavors to create the Inn
preston that he is Just as good as those
whom he initiates and fawns upon. 1t
Is this contemptible pretension. based
upon nothing. which. TO my mind, is
the most objectionable feature of
American snobbishness. This base adu-
lation Is an otYense to God and man.
but when We add to IL a pretense of
superiority over those who do not
chance 10 occupy high social position it
becomes despicable beyond mention.
II we should examine into the meta
physics OF snobbcry. / should say that
a snoh IL the result of two component
forces. Given man OF absorbing am
bltion. whose moral sense Of the fitness
of things and whose sensitiveness to
the rerroaches OF his conscience have
been blunted in the course OF a long
and ardent struggle for success land
such men are not difficult to iind). place
him in an environment where this I'M
scrupulous ambition for social snprem-
acy win be cherished and encouraged
by those who thrive ON aduiation--and
you have the sneh.
In the fierce struggle for social sue
cess IL often happens that estimable
men, In their efforts TO get 10 the front.
act in very shabby manner. Usually
they have passed the larger part of
theis' iives. accommodating fortunes
smoug people who are unknown to the
fashionable world. Upon entering this
new social life they feel II incumbent
upon them 90 east aside their old ac-
quaIntances and 20 utterly ignore them.
This is the essence Of snohhcry and 90
he deplored Friendship is too sacred a
thing 20 be trifled with in this way
DR., Johnson said. Always repair Your
friendships" but he never advised one
Ia toss aside the associates OF a life
time.
All this IS carried 10 such a degree
that ofJtifnes independent. heightened
men feel that they cannot enjoy the
friendship 81 one OF our great multi
saiilionsires. as II would render them
liable 20 the charge of toadyism.
T'aiS Spirit OF servile fawuIng is an
iagrediezf % ;he English character. bat
IN 'hls c0untry Il IS comparatively
limited. There Is no country in the
weird where men are more irfepensien;