New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-12

kindly remember that you now a countess7"
But II stateliness has largely departed. the
beauty OF life. It is conceded, has increased.
The decorative accessories OF the house have be-
come dainty and artistic succeeding the afro
cious ugliness Of VICTORIAN fashions-and
this is due TO Bunthorne. The monstrously
heavy dinners OF the past have given place to
few dishes more or less exquisite in taste and
looks. Masculine dress has changed for the
better much in cost in attractiveness.
When Mr.. Gladstone" says the author. in old
age revisited Oxford and lectured Homer to
great gathering Of undergraduates he was
asked IL he any difference between his hear
ers and the men Of his own time. He responded
briskly: Yes, in their dress, enormous diff
ference told that had among my audi
ence some OF the most highly connected and
richest men in the university. and there wasn't
one whom I couldn't have dressed from top 70
toe for To- AS for manners Mr. Russell GER
tainly thinks they have deteriorated. that grace
and dignity have departed, and that vulgarity is
persistently displayed in conspicuous places.
The decline OF reticence. the worship Of pub
hcity, vex him, and he is that the old way
was better. I'm old days." he reminds US.
there were certain subjects which men
toned; among them Health and Money:
presume that people had pretty much the
them We used to be told of a Iady who died
in agony because she insisted telling. the doc
really was in the unmentionabie organ of diges-
in the present day Every one has a disease and
a doctor; and young people of both sexes are
symptoms and compare experiences. "Icer ex-
claimed pretty girl at dessert Good gracious,
had travelled with times. learned with
indigestion How Bitterly coid. said "ai plump
matEon at an open air luncheon lust the thing
Dor. surveying the company. we quite safe.
then I shouldn't think We had appendix be-
tween US"
Well bred Englfshmen in the days of Mr.. Rus
sells boyhood probably liked money as well
does the generation but he remembers that
nobody talked about incomes. either his own
or his neighbours. To-day he adds. every
one seems to be, II may the favorite col
loquialisr1, on the make; and the sincerity OF
the devotion with which people worship money
pervades their whole conversation and coorS
their whole view Of life AS for the marked
change in the position of women. their increased
independence Of action and painness of speech.
the author is reasonably non-committal yet 1t
may be conjectured that he has a sympathetic
appreciation OF the attitude of Mr.. Gladstone.
that stiffest of conservatives.' when told that
a celebrated dame of these altered days COM
planned Of the STIFFNESS and gloom in the ladies'
gallery in the House of Commons. Mrs. w,
forsooth!'' exclaimed the great man, Il have
known much greater ladies than Mrs. ".
quite content TO look down through the
tiIator."
A great change in English society is TO be
seen in the social amalgamation OF the two
great political parties. Dead the days when
q Wing child who had listened to family con
versation with all her little might could say to
her mother: Mamma, are Tories born wicked2
Or do they grow wicked afterwards" 81 my
SELF" says Mr.. Russell. knew ancient lady
who had been brought up in the innermost
circles OF Whiggery and who never entered a
hackney cab until she had ascertained from the
driver that he not Tory" Political crises
are apt to bring back bitter feelings-when the
Eastern question was rousing wrath. It was diff
ficuIt we are told. for hostess, If she had
Gladstone dining with her to secure other
guests; but ordinarily the modern politician
lives in peace with his neighbor of opposite
opinions. Apropos OF Gladstone, find d
quaint anecdote of the fanatica1 devotion with
which a great many men of his party regarded
him What you said about Mr.. Gladstone
made a bad impression" said the agent TO the
independent NJ. P, after a meeting Of the LIB
eral Association. "Why7 I only said that he
wasn't tnfalIible" Perhaps he is not" was
the cautious reply, but our people don't like to
be told So"