The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-27
both with private keys. became the various rom

..'Nt mluulN-hKtl I'tn hlu women ALlil
Iaiked OF the Malibran debut, OF opera at the
nSnS TphGiHtre' and Of The recent trials Of ESrdi,
HoHse, FS ana Of n the St' . SnHIHSri ssh bssGi oS %nS
Seguln opera troupe At the Church Street Guerra
fH lom ,ho There were to be heard the o%.atorios
tion at the Broadway Tabernacle near Anthony
street; also the. Philharmonics. and In ballads
the p!nnists, Maurice Strakosch the PNderew-
ski OF tho timc), Henri Herr In his prime, Clara
with Julia Northali, Kate Horn, and her
iather as soloist song birds. Jolly little BILLY
Niblo occasionally gave spasmodic English opera
at his Garden Theatre, and perenninlly engaged
the wonderful ptntotnimists, the Ravel family,
Strangers visiting New York went M town to
admire the large Schermerhorn mansion on the
corner OF the much-vaunted lafayette place
anu Great Jones street, now East Third; also
the ,sumptpous granite mansions of Paul Spot
FORD md Thomas Wlestun IN upper broadway,
or the newly constructed Herman Thorne man
sion NOW part OF the New York Hospital in
row in Blsecker street; or tho s~pinRler show
house on West Fourteenth street; to admire all
New York: From below Blocker Uenfloton:
it, N; p. WILLIS boundary line Of
s eRSlv ydG ps te r TsnsnS,1 TO G "ynvs phB5ls esskcr sG %SsS
Washington, Waverley, and Clinton places be-
came tho spots whereon society should give it's
runners these last OF 5 O'clock teas. Mrs. valen-
tine Mott, Sri. youthful Mrs, Willard Parker,
Gothic cottage vet standing on East Fifteenth
street, opposite Tiffany'sl. the pnetess, Fanny
Hickson Field. Mrs. Sohcrmcrhorn, the Jones
Lynch. Mrs. Jacob Little. Mrs. Eugene Keteltas,
Mrs. Brevoort, and Mrs. John \. Stevens were
among the then approved swell hostesses.
Then in its process of evolution society took
long purses marble and for shorter purses nla-
baster statuettes were eagerly sought after.
Society even yentured upon fancy dress aud
masquerade balls. One, given by Mrs. Henry
rntnAr apl % 1s fra - -
became the talk OF the Union Club at its com
paratively humble quarters on Broad way. So
library furnishing; and the Harpers, Wiley q
Putnam. and the ,Appletons cheerfully catered
binders began to compete successfully with those
OF London and Paris In beauty of Russia and
Eysn the 'f r"aSsa, ana rt shs s %Dcia'n Tie 81 fs SGv snd
Alderman Pettigrew, made rich NJ n street con-
tractor, ordered a library by measurement for
seventh street, lad left the filling OF his book
gases to the taste of the bookseller, only to be
limited by the height of the shelves. Society
Hunter business and exploit celebrities. Por,
trait Painters Jewett and .ThcGoguc and
Sculptor Lauritz, VIII young Paine, who was
getting mad on musi, the brothers Duyckinck.
tanning tho Literary World; and young George
William Curtis. whose satire OF the :" Potiphar,
Mitchell Ike MARVEL. whose weekly "Lor-
gnette" papers were town topics. and Cornelius
Mathews. author Of Big Abel and Little Man;
haitian" and the Cary sisters. were each and all
to be seen and heard and ftted at all the soirtcs.
Society courted the witty rcpartces of young
Anne stephens. Young Sam Ward. who had
written and published poetry. became an
nome. did much toward promoting diners ard
society generally into the rank of Gourmands
New York society in 1s4e had Historically
welcomed Dickens With a ball and With tahleaqx
to be sat!rized therefor in American Notes"
and =" Martin Chuzzlewit"' During the tfties
society we reIy sa, samuel nnra I Lever ana a1d Ih MSan ray
novelist drew his Ethel Newcombe from an
American social source instead Of satirizing her
he made her a cross between Juliet and Rosa
lind. whom Jews might kiss and intdels
adore" Society now evolved into patronizinE
with helIcs-Tcttres. Society in the boxes Of the
Aston Place Opera House. or in its foyers. now
ciated Truth, Alboni. and Benedetti. and law
ished encomlums on them and also social in
Games. a Caive., a Melba, and a De Reszke.
Then after the ffties closed with society
sGe Hafle tss FG noq,h polss uo of Ssw% suT YORK / 'I Island
there ensued the era of the civil war: when
society began oes ~ b to reap az fi riG aiS wf fs1p G NJ s1,ms
as New York settlers from all parts of the
Union: society sd tS,, that at for Pal. 'hr Ss,S ,sn moG OF a
to cast loving eyes npon Newport-
fully forgetting the hreakers' roar that
lined the beach at Rockawny"-and to bethink
ltstll Oh FllihS anu iiluAc tubt NhItiIiieINS W lHt
sea. Ocean steamships also invited society to
study social features. art. and music with lux
fore society further thereby evolved Itself into
fresh luxury; and tn a more or less foreetfui;
rs o quasi Imitation OF London and Paris.
The civil war ended. then. from the sowing
of a7ssG miili6 sssth as armed in dmy wt,S impIem aims;
Of extravaganza. affectatlon. and Injury. New
York became net TO , the rest ,eNo Of The he G nrdSTDc what az
France. 1t grew year by year TO be the Mecca
of the very rich and the distinguished. Its
South and from the eTerrescent west. Would. be
leader OF society became. perhaps. too assert
Ward McAll!ster sought to narrow the gates of
society, aud make, IFS parterres as exclusive as
society of LondOn's West End exclusive. When
=. P. ,Willis's Upper Ten increased to the
McNllister would REFUGE thai by a fourth.
He was the last milestone marking the eyolu-
tron on he N leiS 10 h"r S. Soc't hss Su; ;ts 4 m. INN" ,nIPes name
Ward McAll!ster may be termed that last mile
stone much as ne new DnGheos OF MaFl,
evolution of London society from the wicked
times OF the Prince Regent TO these HISTORICALLY
erect "A new milestone for the future evolution
OF New York city? That remains a much
The effect Of evolution in Now York city can
be estimated by numbering links in the long
Fraunce tavern in Broad street during colonial
times TO Bunker's Mansion House. Jennings's
City Hotel. ana toZHenss american fiOtei.
ali on lower Broadway. and thence to the
present Delmonico's. sherry. and the Wal
dorf; and the progress Of the evolution can be
measured By the length Of time between the
dinners of Alexander Hamilton or Aaron Burr
and those Of tho late Royal Phelps, or from his
day. and the very recent dinner parties of VIII
liam c.. Whitney and Elbridge I. Gerry.
MRrycllously differentiated is the comnara-
lively economical society of the city when Philip
Hone was Mayor from the luxurious society be-
longing to these strong days of New YOrk's
present Mayor.
What is the exact present condition of the
evolution Ia best known to every reader of THE
Sun who has kept weekly pace with its columns
entitled I" What Is Going On in Society"
II CHICAGO ROMANCE.