New-York tribune., 1900-07-27
LONDON SOCIETY.
WITH REFLECTIONS on sNOBBIs8Npss
AND vULGARITY.
london. Inlu a

keen yet good natured satire. There IS a pla,.-.
Of common sense in the England OF comneroi,1
fortunes and middle class wealth but that q,
dull weapon vith which to combat the vaaa-,a-
and foIlies of the smart sets and Ieisured az
privileged classes. possessed with whins rad,
and caprices. living luxUriously. finding recr.
alton In pleasures not too cnfeebIlng and braa,h-
ing the subtle incense OF publicity IN society a,s
daily journalism. satirist is the ideal socts1
reforrner. who plays with the foibles of na,,
pered and spoiled classes. and barbs and yvt,,-
the shafts Of wit against snobbishness and .vul
garity. The real benefactor OF the West E,5
would be the ATistophanes. or the PabeIaIs o-
the MoIiere or the Fielding. or the Thacksrav
who could set everybody laughing not thought
Iessly but thoushtfuIly, at the aimIessness ana
folly or smart society.
II Thackeray were living he would be insoirz
to write not a single book, but library on
snobs. The common type remains and canno.
be defined more accurately than tt is in this
passage from Funk & WagnaIIs's Standard Die
tionary OF the English Language "Snob. A
person who vuIgarIy affects genrllity. or pre-
tends TO a superiority he does not possess: one
who apes and cringes to his superiors and fz
overbearing to those upon whom he looks as be-
meath him; one who regards wealth OF position
as superior TO character" Variations of the
type have multiplied since Thackeray's dav
and snobs arc now found not only IN the draw
ing rooms and clubs. but in politics. literature.
the Church art. journalism. the legal profession
the stock exchange and the servants hall
smartness has become the mystical sign Of The
highest distinction in human life. II describes
the survival OF the 1ttest and the most pre-
tentious. and sums up the privileges Of the few
and the ambitions Of the many. II one cannot
be in the Princes set, know the right people
order the style in clothes and manners and re-
main unapproachable and unique. one may az
least be as smart as he can, assume 70 be
little better than the next man and read about
great people in society papers with batet
breath and whispering hUmbleness- Smartness
breeds snobbishness not only in the innermost
circles Of the country houses and Mayfair, bu-
IN the hundreds of social sets and clques which
take color from them and exaggerate all their
follies.
Smartness needs to be constantly advertised
and many small income is pieced OUT by The
process. A leading editor in London told me NOT
long ago that the most expensive columns IN
the morning press were one or two containing
social diaries. The writers commanded the
highest space rates because they were in the
best sets and needed TO pay for information
obtained here and there by morning calls OF
over a cup Of tea. The social Chronicler or
ciety paragrapher who catches glinpses OF the
duchesses and reigning bellies on church parade,
retails the gossip OF the country houses, makes
up birthday lists. records with the inscruta5ls
ambiguity of a Delphic oracle the rumors and
questions of the week. and rings the changes
upon srnartness in describing the parties. din
ners and boy and girl dances among the great,
provides the highest priced merchandise known
in Fleet-st- Other social columns there are, IN
which announcements are paid for line By lins
at special advertising rates. The weekly rec
ords Of society are carefully edited By men and
women who are competent TO discriminate be-
tween the truly smart or the semi-smart and
the ostentatiously vulgar. These weekly jour
nails contain personal intelligence and social gos-
sip from the pens of many OF the best people
themselves. 1t is not enough that one 10 smart
and in the privileged sets. The world must hear
OF 1t from week to week. and almost from day
to day; and how easily that is managed when
the press is anxious to be served by the sOns
and daughters OF titled people, and Is willing to
Fay we'll for the privilege!
SOCIETY JOURNALIST
smartness. moreover. can only be enjoyed 50
long as there is money TO pay the bills. and
additional sources Of revenue are welcomed BY
many in the costly world OF fashion Society
journalism pays we'll. for the ch-oniclers am0ns
the smart sets are released from competition
tried their hands as contributors to the press
scme Of them are eager to go on with the work
There were several men OF title among the war
correspondents at the front IN South Africa,
and IL is not difficult TO obtain the services Of
ladies Of quality reporters OF social tunc-
tions and commentators upon public events
have myself received offer from a daughter
OF an earl to write for the American press az
ticles on fashions, cookery. house decorating
and furnishing. painting, fancy work, and ha-'
and complexion treatment" The press Is rep
resented officially at a function at Buckingham
Palace by the Court Newsman. attired in even
ing dress like the American Ambassador. but
unofficiaIly there are many great ladies and
smart people who are turning an honest penny
by providing descriptions OF costumes and So
c.al gossip for the newspapers.
Smartness not only assists IN advertising It
self and makes money out OF It incidentally. ou'
IL also converts its distinction OF knowing me
right people into source Of financial pronI
When playwright recently produced a eomeay
in which the rich hostess did not know any Of
the guests invited by one OF her social patrons
the audience was convulsed with laughter nsn'
after night. because there was fair hit AZ one
OF the minor scandals Of the time Men must
live and try to meet their runniEg expenses
even If they are numbered among the snartes'
OF the smart and are overbearing in their trea'-
ment OF those whom they consider social IN
feriors. They can introduce rich people IN tnS'-
sets, and that IS a privilege which amoit0~S
outsiders consider cheap at any price 4ns'
can put up wealthy acquaintances for Uenoe'
ship in fashionable clubs and that IS a iaN'-
which Is more or less marketable. Mr. Ho'''
overdid the business of batting investors VIZ
gilt edged prospectuses and the names of pTo~
inent social patrons but many rich man NN1