New-York tribune., 1901-08-21
OTTNTRY HOUSE MORALS
.-,r11 A NEW DEVELOPMENT OF yUL-
GARITY IN ADVERTISING
SMARTNESS.
London. August IA.


s.s,s at week end parties or during the au-
g. christmas and Easter holidays have
tnpl4- .-,es IN the society journals, but silence
y - zen rnain-ained respecting their occupa-
I .,5 recreations. 1t has been considered
N'' ~ hospitality and a violation of pri-
o. q arv one 70 repeat at club anything
country house. or to supply material
So ,-snted description OF the episodes Of the
-. 7sr7es are changing. and there are now
- .oe,entarious or critical accounts Of what
-, a. a country house from Saturday to
ss,.,5sv Some Of these special articles are
- nv well known social figures. and others
=. snonvmous: but all assume 10 relate the
s-.s-4snce OF the writer's after accepting inVl-
.,o,s for week end at country houses. THESE
.-,.1as are not furnished by Jenkins. who
.-s,,s-1v performs the same functions as the
~,r-+ Newsnan in making a transcript OF the
~.,as If distinguished guests. II is sign or
-. ,,lesriry which, like q canker. is eating out
:. Iise and respectability even Of well ordered
.,,atv that these essays on ia vie de luxe"
.bopld be written by country house guests as
,bst Mr. Greeley used 70 call mighty interest
,,1 reading" for the multitude
ors of these revelations relates TO the re-
-,,-oas Of country house appetite When roy
.,,- g entertained not only is a list OF guests
,-e5 in advance. but when It is returned
-. o55i-ions and possibly reflections. q memo
-surn OF the princely regimen goes with il
o1-v has tea before il rises and TWO eggs
,,sr with sherry while il is dressing, and then
.-..veas1s substantially in private Luncheon
,ossn with the house party, and D O'Clock
-. ,,cludes eggs. sandwiches and potted meat
o,s dinner is as elaborate as II can De MADE
Nth two soups, two kinds Of fish two entrees
,ofnt two kinds Of game, sweets, hot ana
.oIs and q savory. The end IS not yet, for
ools chicken and a bottle OF claret are provided
.sts- midnight IN the private dressing room
A. ,-inees and princesses set the style, the
Seeding Of ordinary country house guests Is
CONDUCTED on an equally large scale. The ap-
,s,its Is forced as far as possible by open air
exercise-riding, walking cycling, driving. shoot
ing rowing. golf and tennis; but the smarter
the company, the larger the consumption OF
food per capita. Other disclosures are con-
oerned with card playing and gambling on sun
day morning until the luncheon hour. ana Win
dancing in the evening Bridge is inevitable
morning and night at country house, ana
apparently Sunday is considered the best day
for gambling on a considerable scale
This is the critical jeremiad written for
sta,wart Radical journal in touch with the
sensitive Nonconfornist conscience. and sound
ing a warning that the royalties and the classes
are eating and drinking too heavily, and that
reaction against the Puritan Sunday has gone
TOO far There is also the sentimental diary
for the delectation Of the ambitious middle
class. TO whom recitals OF country house life
are the evidence Of things unseen but ardently
hoped for. The week end visit is described in
q rhapsody OF idolatrous love Of smartness anu
Of refinement OF feeling. The place Is aot Named
but il is not difficult TO identify the great
Elizabethan mansion grated on 10 the sheI OF
a Norman hold" The guests were states
man who had been making history hand over
hand; a gallant young coloLel with his arm IN
& sling; a judge and a great painter; other
stars Of the artistic frnamen-," and "oearers
OF great names in the golden book Of society
Ire company dined al small round tables IN
the banQueting hail, with gold plate piled on
the long sideboard. and there music by
st-ng band outside. After dinner the wax
candles were a-ight in the picture gallery, and
artists from the Odeon played two duologues
and young prima donna, destined TO electrify
London. sang The bridge tables were set in the
han. the lamps were afarne in the billiard room
an6 the band played tilS Smidnight IN the gallery.
Last OF all came the pleasantest hour OF the
day when the men had changed into smoking
jackets, and grouped themselves around trays
OF decanters and glasses for quiet talk. That
Saturday night at a country house as de-
scribed by sentimentalist in Uniform
The Sunday record is more reserved in tone
and nothing is said about bridge, gambling or
dancing. There was leisurely morning with
breakfast in room; walk through the park TO
little church where village children with fresh
voices sang hymns; a glance at the ala
baster tomb Of an old Crusader, and stroll
through the stables and kennels. After lunch
con there was a choice between a drive to the
Abbey ruins and saUntering through the picture
gallery and the gardens, and tea was served
under the great chestnuts in a temple on a
promontory near the lake. After dinner the
men smoked their cigars on the terraces, and
The ladies walked up and down with faint
rustic of silk and the sound Of soft talk.
while zephyrs brought the scent Of
mignonette and pinks from the garden, and the
little river. which once filed the moat. ran by
with lullaby Of swift shadows. The promis-
Ing prima donna who is the hope of the next
musical season in London sang an Ave Maria"
Nhle the ladies clustered around the draw
ing room windows and the men ceased 10 talk
ne music completed the sense OF peace and
brought 10 end q delightful, idyllic Sunday
IN country house
Ihese essays are less remarkable for the
ir'eauons OF royal dependence upon sherry and
ss d the dressing table and cold chicken and
-~iet during the process OF undressing or Of
ne ioyAle loneliness Of la vie de luxe" in an
'@@oethan mansion once encircled by a moat.
'"ah ior the facility with which invited guests
.e'oOne all scruples respecting the inviola-
10y OF private hospitality. and make news
1-pef COPY out Of their social experiences 1t is
Hssh Indication OF the development Of vul-
4s IN the ceaseless advertising Of smart
The social diarists and paragraphers
80 nave Commanded the highest space rates
~" me daily and weekly press for recording
pses OF ouchesses and 7eigning bellies on
0h parade. for making up birthday lists
teUsllng the rumors and gossip OF drawing