The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-14
SAYS UNKIND THINGS
CONCERNING NOBILITY

ing him entirely alone on the field
in solitary enjoyment OF his mngni-
had the good sense to leave Vienna
as soon as possible. For, dense as
may he his intellect. he had on this
occasion no chance to overlook his eH {:
added the French lady in question, lis
! the secret OF his severity towards all
well hammered and distinguished peo-
pie"
! or course it must be admitted that
! young men who get into sucn choice
circles without preliminary training In
what etiquette consists OF, here. there
I and everywhere. are under great
handicap. Thy naturally ought to be
thoroughly posted, not only as to the
their own native land. but also as to
| those OF the countries TO which they
| may possibly go.
Thus. here and in England men at
tending an evening party, dinner. etc.
know. for example, how to leave their
,clacques Opera hats--with their
coats. IT is n new fashion. which is
being slowly taken up, strange to say.
by other countries.
For many years 1t was imperative
for IL man to retain this iiattened head
gear and to appear in u drawing-room
without carrying it under his arm
would have been looked upon as al
| most as great Il lapse Of good manners
! as If he had forgotten his necktie or
any other Indispensable portion of hts
evening attire.
To be sure. in some European capt.
tails this is still strictly the rule, and
! the story is told Of an Englishman who
! not so very long ago wrecked his
I social career from the outset By APP
| pearing at soiree given by Princess
lSariatinski in honor OF the Grand Ouch
ess Vladimir without his "clacque." In
cidentally. 1 may as we'll remind my
| readers of the amusing story told by
Labouchere about a candidate coming
! up for examination for the diplomatic
service at st. Petersburg. This young
i fellow had taken no trouble to study
/ up the various subjects required but
received, wonderful to relate. a first
| class certificate. the dignihed eXamn-
| ers telling him with the utmost serious
ness that while he knew nothing what
| ever on any point pertaining to dip
! lomacy. he had concealed his igno-
rance with such remarkable clcvcrness
and had shown himself to be possessed
! or such excellent manners, that they
| for their part were entirely convinced
that he had a most natural aptitude
rise very high in this distinguished
service.
| I must add that tor the occasion
this clever" youth had att'red him
self in the most irreproachable costume.
that his tie and waistcout were dreams
/ tHdb lHc III Ol coat ana trousers COulI
| not have been surpa ssed in any city
| Of the world; also that no carried him
| self with a correctness and elegance
| which alone would have been enough
| to blind more than one amba dor 10
| his complete lack of technique. The
| coat max IS the man. and whilst under
| Il shabby and neglected attire and in
side an uncouth body often dwells a
! soul Of rare merit. the most vacuous
| individual may make himself not only
| presentable but extremely acceptab BILE
| by his unimpeachabie attire and out
ward dccorum.
I once knew a diplomat who. tall
road-shouldcred, handsome and we'll
| most Louis Quatorzesque" manners.
I He became rapidly the idol of the So
/ ciety of the capital-which will remain
unnamed-where he assisted" in re-
talked of him, of his horses. of the
| fetes he gave-although a bachelor
| on every possible occasion. His mode
of dressing was copied by the gllded
| youth of the city. his very way of
! dropping the monocle--attached to an
almost invisible elastic thread-from
his large. blue incredibly pale eye was
| IL everybody the last cry OF chic and
elegance. lie danced badly. 1t is true.
ana rode worse. But his imported sad
| dlcry and harness, his British dress
suits. and unspeakably we'll fitting
| morning coats. as we'll as his
riding gear, somehow or other
! disguised these unfortunate defects so
we'll that he finally began to acquire
| the reputation of being one OF the most
perfect diplomats that had ever been
sent to that particular embassy. The
I ambassador himself was a Wonderfully
, brilliant and clover man. But MS
| every coup" ended by beinl; attributed
| TO his having At his side so efficient
and apt counselor. Nevertheless and
f, Notwithstanding, this still young man
great in his way-hnaliy came TO the
! spelling and adulution to believe in
l himself. he brought TWO great and
! highly esteemed countries to the verg,
| OF war; and IL was only then that
| his inaptitude-not TO say complete i'm
| becilty-was roughly unveiled. much
| admirers who had crowded abound him
acciaiminS him as future rallcy-
rand.
All this-without citing any names
leads one ~ believe that IL might
perhaps not be a bad idea TO rcquir,
that all diplomatic candidates as well
as social ones should nrst go through
a sartorlal preparation ana eNamird-
ton. not to mention few months
under the tuition Of French master
OF dancing and department, and then
be trotteu up and down in kind OF
refined 'cslkewalk" before n board com
posed of administrators who in Their
time were genuine beauX. The politics
of to-day scarcely require more. being
so cntanSled in all the countries OF
the universe. that even Talleyrand's cX-
traordinary brain would recoil before
their intricacies.
Copyright. 1912, by the Brentwood
Company