The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-08-18
ENGLISH SOCIETY CHANGING.
FRIyOLITY THE KEYNOTE NOW
old TYPES VANISHED.
Even Athleuc Young Men Have Banrssm
Figures. and Biiiiards and Cards nais
on Sundayp-saiisbury . Political
leader whose social influence Is MI.

E1HnrtHs nfu ksAssasNE -. ~ easS
mn Sundayp-Saiisbury Q Political
leader whose social influence u MI.
IoSpos, Aug. io-Remarkabh changes
IN the pastimes OF the English leisured
els.. have raised the QUESTION whether
.ner all the national characteristics Of the
country are rs deep-rooted an most writer's
have maintained The accepted view
~ tie s,oHdity Of the English temperament
4 more probably due TO the settinK-up
,rd w~orshipping Of a type. than To character
a. shown in conduct. For instance the
John Bull Of the illustrated papers Is phys
,rallv ike nobody that ono has ever seen
IN this country. He Ia a type put forward
g. embody presidency, which tho history
Of human activity has shown 20 be tho
most practically utilitarian OF the virtues.
There being no John Bulls In England.
tps, az there is no such being a. ar average
man. some social philosophers here have
raised the -question-what are the pre-
vailing characteristics Of the present
r.reration a. ~exemplihed In the daily
lives Of people whose time Ia their own
and who have the fortunes to crafty their
Inclinationsp Notable critics are heard
10 say that society has become restless
and frivolous. that IL has nothing at an
OF MO NIallii'iAaA "pfh f" W. totu-
position.
writer Of many years experiences on
the best English newspapers. who devotes
himself 20 sport and athletics. lamented
the physical consequencss Of this change,
IN conversation with TIE suS reporter
a, Henley. Pointing with despair at the
figures o. young English oarsmen he said:
Look at them. They've got waists.
n YOU want to see the physical type OF
the old-time English oarsmen you will
80 moro n IL In the American crew than
n any ~ our own younesters.'
His noting the predominsnoe Of tho
ballroom figure and disbelief that Il
could hear the hare long sustained strain
needed In tho preparation for q hard
struggle are both recalled nv a quite DIFF
i-rent stamp Of critic dealing with the
habits ~ smart society. IL h written by
A former private secretary 81 Mr.. Glad
,,ons and a man who himself mixes mu~h
IN solety. He L. Mr.. George ". T.. Russell.
relation OF the Duke 81 Bedford and an
author Of some political biographies. His
contribution To tho matter deals with the
QUESTION a. Sunday Observance. As a
psricipator In the movements Of London
society for the last thirty years his CON
trasi ~ now With then IL very striking.
ne saNN tOh' NUfn I've mNi hifN -p'tf1N
Sunday Observance was almost universal.
Now he finds. Il hardly esists. Mr.. Russell
writes,
smart peopl. in London generally 60
country houses where they spend their week
ends, sunday Ia completely secularised.
md n The ssenins SsiinSrd. and cards SSv.
erectUally displaced tho.- ivory letters
United rslrt I by Qua fathers For ser~snt..
on the other hand. Sunday f. a day n un-
ending labor old-fashioned refpl. used 70
diminish the pressure on tho kitchen. or, II
nature r~evolted against that regimen, IN"
,ions To-day vhAtever Of SUNDAY !. not
occupied With exercise. :. given 70 meals.
pps %s SrS IL followed bys Sressfa.t which
"a Quantity and quality resembles a dinner
500 5000 many Peopl. breslia.t in their. own
room. and -dc th.%s.lve.- =. the phrs..
ions been a dinner. excepting only coup.
The menu Z printed In white and sold. and
ole ~. and a. li Sss5c. arr r; P..loHf Fec 81, .t; .nS
a great deal besides cakes. sandwiches.
po,ted meat s.sShes ssn and rooao ss,.
little faded by these astronomical eK-
,rtion-. and only. partially recruited by its
dinner mi o. and then sits down with an sppe-
TIE which has gained keenness by delay
smoking room and The billiard room. and
Monday morning ,s vel advanced before
the last servant Eet~ w N~0
Church going il Of course q department ~
the Observance 81 Sunday. and u has pretty
nesrly gone with the res, Ihe lcsders OF
10 church a, all Either they think i all 40
SHY. as the wife Of a statesman aid 20 the
H Sica ~ eSsIpc 7, which ssh' prrecsds- s dinner az LAM
b-th Palace. or they are too much fstisued
o. , fhe want van, H 10 look o. through ,Seir house..
k""ptng books or their betting BOOKS, or
currently aid that ONE very great ladies. |
wishing % combine their own freedom with
proner s.ampic TO re w. S'asr1tt, IN hn";nh.s
par before luncheon on sunday. IL looks
vel aud II rpn>es no burden,
completely delivered themselye. from the
tyranny Of churchgoins. the led still carry
women can struggle 10 an ~ 10 service where
the music - good and the performance does
the popular preacher i not yet quite at an end. |
but u docs not do for the preacher to strain
az 'S dhsSa in ~ 1 ihGq"= ssn.afsd to S.s a
sinyl" woman Who wa, tho richest member
Of be. conyrcsauon whether she could 10,
har butler and give the cost Of the discarded
John 10 a fund for the sick aud poor Dts
he God Somsn sremoved her ha.>srs
and discontinued her subscriptions The
9th. chapel. Wa forced 10 rr-ign. and i now
medttatinE on the dangerous con-eQuenc~s /
Of .NoSIps religion TO invade the sphere
- II
Tho -uhacid tone 81 Mr.. Ru-sell's de-
tcriptions j. that Of a man whose chosen
social circle was that Of Mr.. Gladstones |
in'ima'eS. who are now mostly dead and
havr hi no one Ia carry un the serious
traditions English society used Ia reflect |
tg'gt deal ~ the temperament OF its rulers.
In Lord palmsrS,on's DAYS all were for |
practical Wing compromise. sport. and
the farming interest. Under Sir Rohert |
Peel the huSines man was Of account and
political economy a topic Of conversation. |
With Gladstone came s-trcnuousness and
theological hiaS. Disraeli altered this TO
CIVIC sm varied by hish-coiored ORIENTAL
maguings. |
But Lord Salisbury has influenced moth |
inc N tho social life Of the society 60 which
IN" hclpngs. He never goes into H.. His
osu hobby Of physical science and the |
marked trainings ~ several of his sons
7" ~High-Church Anglican rtualism have
practically no following in the society |
among who's memhens they are related
hui "a which they don't mix. IL one seeks
~ living man Of society who has most
Influenced it. body. and who's. habits ara
most reflected IA Mr.. Russcil's account
a. how week ends Arr spent Thew u only
Oh" name to mention- King Edward VII.