The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-17
WEALTH IN ENGLISH SOCIETY.
1t Counts For More and More with
the Growth of Luxury.

1t Counts For More and More with
the Growth of Luxury.
London Letter in New York Evening Post
Although London society has grown
enormously not only in volume, but in
splendor, activity and positive enjoyment,
it's general tone has been sensibly lower
ed, and its very essence has, when close
ly inspected, lost in quality and compost
ton. With the exception of a small and
daily shrinking coterle, the very smart and
very exclusive set, every social circle is
now practically open to any rich vulga-
Ran who is willing to pay his way into
it, In fact, 1t may fairly be said that now
the millionaire controls society. Money
has, no doubt, secured to its possessors a
greater influence In all parts Of the world
and in every walk of life. But there are
two main reasons why plutocracy has i'm
posed itself upon aristocracy in Eng
land The first is the disastrous fall in
the revenues derived from agricultural
land, on which rests, with but few eXcep-
TONS the power Of the aristOcracy and
hence the vast number Of country seats
which are to be let for a season, if not
permanently-a practice formerly held to
be incompatible with the dignity of great
landlords. The second reason Is the ST.
multaneous increase in the luxury and
costllness of fashionable life. The enor-
nous and rapid growth Of wealth from
commercial and Industrial pursuits intro
duced eXtravagant and expensive habits,
and the former plainness of living of a
large section of the community gradually
gave way to the mode of life which pre-
vailed with only the upper ten thousand"
ne 1eec Iva
en-. by the osteutation of the newcomers,
into social competition, In order to hold
their own or even save appearances. 1t Is
thus that the vocation of ladies of rank
undertaking, for consideration more or
less explicitly stipulated, to introduce and
pilot into society rich parvenus, has
grown into a recognized if not publicly
averred, profession.
The self-inflicted degradation, on the
one part, and, on the other, the cyncsm
which a part of this kind necessitates,
could not bring into social intercourse ele-
ments so diverse in habits and traditions
without entailing further lowering Of
the code of morals.
An impoverished lady of rank, who ac-
cepts material reward for social services,
soon discovers that nOuveau richie is
ready to pay handsomely for such other
faVors as may invest him with the kind
of prestige which is ordinarily the prize
of personal and Unborn qualities, while
woman, once possessed by the passion for
social distinction, will not only part with
money, which does not return, but will
make sacrifices Of a kind which recoups
her by novel experiences and sensation.
Now, as social fashions and habits appeal
to one of the strongest and most unreal
soning instincts IN nature, that of MINI
icry, it is easy to see how rapid the down.
ward course must be, especially when fast
| ,4eiI of al in
voIve increase in expenditure
The thirst for enjoyment and the conse-
quent need of money has driven crowds Of
aristocratc youths into the stock ex-
change and the study of the share list
has become the morning occupation of a
large number of ladies' of gentle birth"
whose speculations bring them In contact
with sundry jobbers emulous OF social ad-
Vancement. The womankind of the latter
are only too anxious to hobnob with the
"lades;" and it is thus that one now
meets in many London drawing room
motley and heterogeneous crowds, such
as formerly could be encountered only in
the scenes Of fanciful French plays. AS a
consequence London society has increased
enormously in quantity and gorgeousness,
If not in quality and refinement. During
the season the number OF notable dinners,
balls and receptions may be counted
nightly, not by the dozen, but by the hun
dred; Whle no othef capllal ofIerS a spec
tacle so respondent and bewildering as
that to be witnessed In Hyde park in the
months Of May and June. The necessary
and inevitable result of IL all, however,
has been degeneration in manners, yul-
garity in intercourse and even a begin
ming Of corruption IN spoken language.
The popular novel Of the day, with the
brutality of its French prototype, but
without the redeeming elegance and grace
Of French idiom, offers no exaggerated
picture of this state ofsthings.