New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-04-18

EDWARD JcEI-IS Tam 100000 w. ~
= ? puttou & Co
-.a authors Of this book on the London So
= # a rs-uishing period have put together
ass Of auecCote and gossip, underneath
= INNS 2 more OF less apparent regret for
u. oriuions. habits and ideals which are no
Whit q the men and women who in
-, England 1ourished in Mayfair We
- odd thar IN the old sense Of the word So
- has ceased 10 eXist-that dwlndlIng fort
have driven into comparative obscurity
4. landed TlroTrierors. Tho old families OF Eng
ma and that pIutocracy reigns; that the So
r7 smart society j. avid Of notOrlety and
s--,,fsra5 ,y obrrusiveness. that the good
.1ners of former times have gone by the
-g-5-and So OF and So on Perhaps these
--nentato-s have allowed themselves TO take
- lon-7y q view Of the situation: that il does
81. too seriously enEross them is shown by
+. entertaining details and amusing stories
mich they proceed 70 offer
rea-e is less originality in mannerism. more
--fa-nity in pronunciation and in manner,
NOV tel Us The odd duchess who said VIII
M axe a dish or tea has departed; SO has
no celebrated politician who always asked for
odd hutter~ Iustancing the queer origins of
-g-faus social customs, our critic says: Some
80
e, took 10 shaking hands on q level with
a4fr cFins q mode copied from z royal per
uuaee. who suffering from an abscess under
he arm avoided the painful friction entailed
y shaking hands in the ordinary manner and
rs5rted to q higher level This was observed
i. some lesser lights from whom the custom
z-ead" That custom has happily disappeared
England and elsewhere. Another change is
Seer ~. general custom of Sroolir,sr
Z the streets-once that was considered an IN
-sr5anable social crime The practical joke. so
rrralsr in former years, has receded into the
rax The ol6time British prejudice against
Ii things French ne longer exists. Almost all
sa-zted EnEli shmen. il Is said. now speak
french as against the scarcely ten in q thou
Sna VINO spoke Il twenty years ago The fire.
-usutng q fashionable restaurants marks an
.-he- great change in West End customs: and
zy-Jpos OF the cooking Of these establishments
. VI se ted that they have done much TO raise
/ he general culinary standards in London
1 Sone thirty years ago" il is added the ay-
-sgs dinner l. be obtained at the best Of the
g1ses in London q pretentious atrocity
snooCted Of solid meat, suet dripping and
the accomplishments almost as appalling 10
.Fsl upon, relieved by desserts where crackers.
s1szred aTricots and dried raisins played an
Important and non0c0nous part No more do
L 81 dinners afiict the guest
chapter the London clubs points out that
i ne last Ten years there has been a complete
H Gage il the life 10 De observed therein: In
-e lest days . 'cgbland' the chief attractions
4 C Glib Icy II -he VIII % is members and
H II Similarity C their tastes and opinions AT
4 II tine re went 70 tEeir clubs to seek
OlT2ny. wL---zs to-day NAM 70 70 avoid
/ Neube-z -h=- we're con;euted with rough
i a9ages and es-eemed congeEiaI corapanioIship
L test furniture a club could Possess II the
-z1rioGs palaces y today most % the mem
= dine somewhat morosely al their Owl lit
tables surrounded by faces hardly Is IA
4 lar as those 70 o. met with al restaurant"
rs + Te-haIs q little exaggerated. An inter
sing phase Of fashionable club life is its in
7s2S1g sobriety- Less and less alcohol Is ab-
md II those precincts and afternoon tea is
s-a11g more popular than recurrent brandies
Il s9das- q al the London clubs. the most
s1-asiFe, il is said, Is The Club Sir Joshua
l7nolds founded II one hundred and forty-five
4 'slH ago, and since its foundation not three
-Ared members have been elected Its cur
II membership IS limited to forty Dr. John
81 vas ono Of its members and Goldsmith
e one. and Sc We're Burke and Boswell and
~-fies Fox and Gibbon; and IN later days the
an Of notable names has been maintained.
nay be guessed from the citations in Grant
ms Carries, the talk az the dinners Of THE
IL has ever been Of the best So perfect
ne reserve q this stately institution that
rarely heard %. The notes on the Gus
4 q LONDON clubs make this chapter Of
1es' 10 clubmen everywhere. Some Of these /