The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-02-02
ROMAN SOCIETY
IS LOOKING FOR
'SNOB' MEMBER
Both BLACK" and white" AS
Well AS Wealthy Are
Seeking Author
WRITES BOOK AND
DISCLOSES TRUTH
Admits He Is One and Says
Life Of Ordinary Society
Man Not Worth
the Living
BY cAMIrlLo crANraRRa.

ROME. Feb. Roman society,
both black" and white" as well
as the moneyed aristocracy Of the
italian capital. will pay an extrava-
CANT price to any person who will
discovery the identification of Marius
Scott. author of .'The Philosophy Of
Snobbism.'' Just published. Scott
candidly admits he is an aristocrat
and fui1-fledged snob. He Is also
q man endowed with philosophical
turn of mind, who. while q member
OF society. has devoted his best ef-
forts to the study OF the mode of lit-
Ing of his thousand confreres OF the
snob set
His conclusions, although not
aimed at any single person or group.
have cast shadow on Roman
society just at the time when the
social whiri is in full swing. The
book made its appearance in q quiet
unobstrusive, almost clandestine way,
not preceded by advertising of any
sort and unreviewed by the dailies.
1t was put on sale about a week ago.
II would perhaps have passed al
together unnoticed had not q lady.
who signed herself "Old Aristocrat."
written letter to one of the papers,
protesting against some of the writ
er's statements. and the writer had
seen fit to hide his Identity under a
nome de plume for fear of social
ostracism. From that day the sue
cess OF the book was assured. and
just now Roman society is not the
subject OF much envy on the part
of those, who. In former days. looked
at II as a world of gaiety and pleas
ure. .s
Several Under Suspicion.
At the same time there are ten or
fifteen men suspected OF being the
author of the book who are passing
q bad quarter of an hour, and doing
their best to defend themselves
against the charges of being renegades
and defamers of friends OF both
SEXES
Scott says the old time aristocracy
of blood has greatly degenerated
with the corresponding change for
the worse I'm It's mode of living and
noble ideals and aims in life.
"Soeiety's exclusive abodes." he
writes. ARE no longer old patrician
palaces or somber castles, full of ira
ditions Of noble deeds and Inspiring
memories. in whose salons the eye
rested ON old tapestries, artistic dec
orations and works OF art which eau-
Gated the artistic taste of their ffe-
quentcrS Society now meets and
moves In great international hotels
and at SEA and In mountain resorts.
Where traditions are absent and where
the snobs of the whole earth find
ready hospitality.
This kind of society Is of latter
day creation and was born wholly for
nundanity's sake Like Free Ma
sonry. modern society Is international
in character and Its usual abodes are
modern luxurious hotels. Society
knows no frontier and he who Is once
admitted 10 forever a citizen of the
high. fashionable life OF every coun-
try.
Family Sentiment Obsolete.
In short. like Free Masonry, mum
dainty can even be a religion and
professional career. At the same time.
the social whirI has moral Of Its
own. but this moral IL autonomous. as
II reverses the principle OF the so
called middle class moral 1t con-
siders as obsolete any sentiment OF
family. make unfaithfulness one of
its basic principles and has very few