LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 331, 5 July 1875, Page 3

LITERATURE.

JENKINS OVER THE WATER. (From London Society .) When the United States of America were so new as a nation, that writers of travels had just begun to find them out, the late Lord Lytton—alluding to a remark of Captain Basil Hall’s—described the country as one ‘ where boots are imperfectly polished, but opinions are free. ’ As opinions could not well be more free than they were, there has been no room for progress in that particular; but in the matter of polish—of boots we may suppose, and of manners most certainly—there has been wonderful improvement. The Americans were always notable for that small change of benevolence which takes the form of social courtesy. They invented, it may be said, the idea of giving place aux dames in public conveyances, theatres, and elsewhere ; and in these respects the old world is still behind the new. And as they began to make more money than they knew what to do with, they also learned the noble art of spending it, without which money is about as useless a commodity as can be conceived. To the natural refinements of life they soon added the artificial, exhausting worlds of luxury they then imagined new ; and failing in material forms they found fresh modes. Thus it is that in the great cities of America the Goddess of Fashion is worshipped more than in any capital of Europe. Receiving the immediate impetus from Paris (‘ where good Americans go to when they die’) New York in particular has out-Paris-ed Paris in setting up conventional standards of dress, dining, dancing, visiting, riding, driving, walking, taking, doing everything in fact, or doing nothing at all. Let me read the newspapers of a nation, and I will tell you what the nation is. The proposition is far more practical than that of governing a country by its songs. It is from the current journalism of the country that I gain my idea of American society, which, in a state of entire freedom, has found for itself so curious a code of restraints and observances. And, be it remarked, that the code is not altogether adopted from Europe ; it is racy of the soil, breathes of tlie free air, and is Ihoroughly democratic in the spirit by which it is pervaded. A peculiarity observable at the first glance is that, whereas only a few avowedly ‘ fashionable ’ papers among us accupy themselves with fashionable matters, you can scarcely find a journal in the principal cities

of America which does not devote to them a considerable portion of its space ; while in personal details they go far beyond the limits prescribed by our Court journals and those curious publications which may be called millinery magazines. There is an American journal before me. Among its most prominent articles is one of nearly two columns in length—in the form of a letter from New York It has, as usual, several headings, embodying a brief synopsis of the subject-matter. Thus: ‘New Vear’s Day threatened with Extinction—Past and Present Etiquette —Young Ladies at Home and in Society—Toilettes.’ The writer sets out with a lament, worthy of Thackeray’s Jenkins (writers on such subjects, by-the-way, do not respect the democratic idea), that inferior people make use of charity balls in order to get into good society, if only on its threshold; and he adds that they are happy to receive a nod or smile from the ‘Lady Patroness,’ though they may not be permitted to meet those illustrious persons in private, ‘ Mrs Jona than Blucblood,’ ‘Mrs David Sauerkraut,’ and the rest of these gi andcs dames, we are told, are considered as part of the show; and they have of late years * accepted the situation to the extent of forming in line and opening the festivity with a march in procession round the floor of the Academy of Music. They are always accompanied with very high-bred daughters and nieces, who remain in the seclusion of boxes with male friends until the proper time arrives, and then descend to the floor, perform languidly the proper number of duty dances, and retire again to their boxes to examine and criticise through their pearl opera-glasses the over-dressed crowd who have come to puff and pant, and surge and swell, and drag after them enormously long trains for their amusement.’ After this we come to an an anticipatory account of a grand fancy ball to be given at a private house, with a description of the rooms and some of the ladies’ dresses, called respectively ‘ Foiget-me-not,’ ‘Twilight,’ ‘Ceres,’ ‘Bo-peep,’ ‘the Haymaker,’ and ‘Charlotte Corday.’ The latter, we are told, ‘is trying from its severe plainness, but a very charming girl is determined to we'ir it.’ By way of relief from this severe propriety, we are next informed of a projected ‘Pop-corn ami Kissing Party,’ at which overskirts are not admitted, and bibaprons will be required. ‘ A coloured fiddler will furnish the music. All the old games are being hunted up, and are to be revived under the auspices of a well-known philosopher and scientist. The refreshments are to consist of ‘ crullers, dough-nuts, mince pies, and all those horrible indigestibles which come under the head of “good old-fashioned fare.” Among the games mentioned are ‘Blind Man’s Buff,’ ‘Hunt the Slipper,’ and ‘ Twirl the Trencher. ’ The regulations for the kissing are not mentioned, but the diversion evidently bad a place in this novel frolic of fashion. The old Knickerbocker custom of calling upon friends on New Year’s Day is, the same writer informs us, in danger of extinction, as the calls, which used to be confim d to the parlor, have extended to the kitchen, and the servants are too much engaged to attend upon their mistresses’ guests. The principal callers below, it seems, are the tradespeople or their assistants, who are in the habit of paying more businesslike visits, for orders, &c ; and they are supplied with crackers, Bologna sausages, cakes, fruit, tea and coffee, and even whisky, at the expense of the ‘ people of the house. ’ The arrangement is objectionable, from the parlour point of view, on more grounds than one ; but it is considered that, in the event of a contest on the subject, the kitchen will win. It is mentioned, by-the-way, that the etiquette of New Year’s Day has changed somewhat of late years and it must have changed indeed since Mr Sala wrote a certain wonderful account of the amount of drinking transacted by thirsty people going from house to house—for refreshments, we are told, are being considerably discontinued. Formerly it was incumbent even upon the ladies of the house to attend to the wants of their guests, waiting upon them instead of servants, the latter being wanted to remove empty plates and glasses. But the advance in 'luxury, and what is called refinement, has changed all this The elaborate dressing of modern times will not admit of any exertion on the part of the wearers; only studied and graceful motions and attitudes are admissible.’ And it is added that the mistress of the house must find it additionally embarrassing to her toilette if she has to wait upon others. In an article e'sewhere, hy-the-way, we find that at general receptions even such refreshments as tea and coffee are being omitted. A great lady set the fashion, saying she was tired of seeing the trays handed about and hearing ‘ No, thank you,’ on every side from people who were afraid of soiling their gloves. It is now understood in the best circles that the visitors eat and drink what they want before leaving their homes. ( To he continued,')