The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-30
Criticisms OF the "Smart Set"

nished the English papers with material
for criticisms Of the smart set which
are fully rs sharp as those Mr.. WAITER
son made on the set which in this
country initiates the smartncss Of It's
British model But the English assaults
have the greater justification, for they
are supported by precise evidence pre-
scnted in court Of law. Mr.. WAITER
son assaled our so-caled smart set
on the ground of its general repute among
newspapers OF the ribald sort, more es-
pecially.
Undoubtedly, the view Of English So
cial smartness opened by the Hartopp
case was not fattering to the arstocracy.
1t showed a prevalence Of vulgarty,
hippancy and looseness of behavior. If
not Of morals. in the English hunting
set. the very flower of the smart set
As revealed in that trial the thoughts
and the purposes OF civilized and cult
ured age appear to the London Stand
ard TO be non-existent for this pleasure
loving group" and it never seems to
occur to any of its members that they
have any vocation but of enjoyment and
excitement Such, unquestionably, was
the appearance ri these people to every
body who read the evidence in he case,
on both sides, and the conclusion Of the
London journal that a society so con-
stituted cannot lie expected to exhibit "a
high level of refinement must also have
been the general conclusion. The letters
and tele?rams and the conversations were
largely composed of vulgar slarg,"
hippant and foolish and the whole
body of evidence suggested that modern
English society has dispensed with
most Of the restrictions Of etiquette. and,
It would seem, even of ordinary politeness
AMI good breeding Mechanics are
quite universally used by these people,
some OF them silly enough, but some also
apt and amusing.
The London paper laments that this
set is not performing public service
which used 10 be rendered by a . leisured
idle class. the function Of" maintaining
a standard Of manners. rs was done
for example, by even the corrupt nChles'c
of the old regime in France and their
scarcely more reputable contemporaries
in England because Of the exterior cour-
tesy Of their demeanor and their culti-
Walton Of a formal precision Of language
and address This lament might be made
Of the society Of fashion generally at
this time in both England and Amer
lea. The formal and precise manners
e ha old mn ha, oil "A
given place TO an ofhand ard free-and-
easy manner, notable especially in tho
circles which pride themselves most on
their social superiority.
1t is questionable. however, il this is
not a step in desirable progress toward
able only when it is pushed too far by
bad taste and inherent indelicacy. The
comrade,hip indicated by the appl.ca-
ton OF nicknames, too, cannot he treated
as repreAensible. 1t prevail, here in
the similar social sphere relatively, and
seems to be increasing. The old bow
ing and scraping, high-sounding compli-
ments of speech and the stid and martinez
courtesy of former times provoke only
amusement at this period. Naturalnes,
is the first and great requisite in the
manners of our time, and it Ia made the
test of good breeding.
The accusation that in the society
whose ways were revealed IN the Har-
tOpp case only amusement and excite
nent are the ends sought, NAV be made
against all society of the leis,ired
idle class, a. described by the London
Standard. everywhere in civilization. 1t
applies even To the society of fashion
in this country made W, both of people
who are leisurcd and many who engage in
its diversions after wiping away the
sweat of hard work in daily money
making struggle. Such a society does
not get together for mutual improve
ment, for elevating conversation, or for
any serious purpose whatever. but in
search of amusement and excitement.
IT wants and will have no purveyors
of high and grave thoughts, no patterns
OF propriety self-conscious with the
weight of an assumed mission to uplift
it with their punotilious courtesy and
to set fine standard Of manners for the
rest Of people. 1t is a society which
cares only for itself. It feels no respon-
sibility to anybody outside Of its circle,
and il is Indifferent to criticisms like those
Of Mr.. WATTERsoN or the London Stdrd-
ard Its only aim is to amuse itself and
1t wants in its ranks only those who can
and who will contribute TO the main
purpose OF its existence. amusement and
excitement Thi, explains why in the
so-called smart set Of New York 80
many of the people of wealth in the town
arc net included though in relative re-
finement and social antecedents they may
be fully up to those no are admitted and
even superior. They are excluded simply
because they do not fit in. are not Of tho
kind which contributes TO the gratif-
/ cation Of tho rest-they have not the
sort Of social art required in the circle,
they do not give as we'll as take in the
way of amusement.
Unless social critics take this view
Of " society they are bound to 60 all