worldly ways and byways-第1章

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Worldly　Ways　and　Byways


by　Eliot　Gregory






A　Table　of　Contents



To　the　READER



1。　　Charm

2。　　The　Moth　and　the　Star

3。　　Contrasted　Travelling

4。　　The　Outer　and　the　Inner　Woman

5。　　On　Some　Gilded　Misalliances

6。　　The　Complacency　of　Mediocrity

7。　　The　Discontent　of　Talent

8。　　Slouch

9。　　Social　Suggestion

10。　Bohemia

11。　Social　Exiles

12。　〃Seven　Ages〃　of　Furniture

13。　Our　Elite　and　Public　Life

14。　The　Small　Summer　Hotel

15。　A　False　Start

16。　A　Holy　Land

17。　Royalty　at　Play

18。　A　Rock　Ahead

19。　The　Grand　Prix

20。　〃The　Treadmill〃

21。　〃Like　Master　Like　Man〃

22。　An　English　Invasion　of　the　Riviera

23。　A　Common　Weakness

24。　Changing　Paris

25。　Contentment

26。　The　Climber

27。　The　Last　of　the　Dandies

28。　A　Nation　on　the　Wing

29。　Husks

30。　The　Faubourg　St。　Germain

31。　Men's　Manners

32。　An　Ideal　Hostess

33。　The　Introducer

34。　A　Question　and　an　Answer

35。　Living　on　Your　Friends

36。　American　Society　in　Italy

37。　The　Newport　of　the　Past

38。　A　Conquest　of　Europe

39。　A　Race　of　Slaves

40。　Introspection









To　the　Reader





THERE　existed　formerly；　in　diplomatic　circles；　a　curious　custom；　

since　fallen　into　disuse；　entitled　the　Pele　Mele；　contrived　

doubtless　by　some　distracted　Master　of　Ceremonies　to　quell　the　

endless　jealousies　and　quarrels　for　precedence　between　courtiers　

and　diplomatists　of　contending　pretensions。　　Under　this　rule　no　

rank　was　recognized；　each　person　being　allowed　at　banquet；　fete；　or　

other　public　ceremony　only　such　place　as　he　had　been　ingenious　or　

fortunate　enough　to　obtain。



Any　one　wishing　to　form　an　idea　of　the　confusion　that　ensued；　of　

the　intrigues　and　expedients　resorted　to；　not　only　in　procuring　

prominent　places；　but　also　in　ensuring　the　integrity　of　the　Pele　

Mele；　should　glance　over　the　amusing　memoirs　of　M。　de　Segur。



The　aspiring　nobles　and　ambassadors；　harassed　by　this　constant　

preoccupation；　had　little　time　or　inclination　left　for　any　serious　

pursuit；　since；　to　take　a　moment's　repose　or　an　hour's　breathing　

space　was　to　risk　falling　behind　in　the　endless　and　aimless　race。　　

Strange　as　it　may　appear；　the　knowledge　that　they　owed　place　and　

preferment　more　to　chance　or　intrigue　than　to　any　personal　merit　or　

inherited　right；　instead　of　lessening　the　value　of　the　prizes　for　

which　all　were　striving；　seemed　only　to　enhance　them　in　the　eyes　of　

the　competitors。



Success　was　the　unique　standard　by　which　they　gauged　their　fellows。　　

Those　who　succeeded　revelled　in　the　adulation　of　their　friends；　but　

when　any　one　failed；　the　fickle　crowd　passed　him　by　to　bow　at　more　

fortunate　feet。



No　better　picture　could　be　found　of　the　〃world〃　of　to…day；　a　

perpetual　Pele　Mele；　where　such　advantages　only　are　conceded　as　we　

have　been　sufficiently　enterprising　to　obtain；　and　are　strong　or　

clever　enough　to　keep　…　a　constant　competition；　a　daily　

steeplechase；　favorable　to　daring　spirits　and　personal　initiative　

but　with　the　defect　of　keeping　frail　humanity　ever　on　the　qui　vive。



Philosophers　tell　us；　that　we　should　seek　happiness　only　in　the　

calm　of　our　own　minds；　not　allowing　external　conditions　or　the　

opinions　of　others　to　influence　our　ways。　　This　lofty　detachment　

from　environment　is　achieved　by　very　few。　　Indeed；　the　philosophers　

themselves　（who　may　be　said　to　have　invented　the　art　of　〃posing〃）　

were　generally　as　vain　as　peacocks；　profoundly　pre…occupied　with　

the　verdict　of　their　contemporaries　and　their　position　as　regards　

posterity。



Man　is　born　gregarious　and　remains　all　his　life　a　herding　animal。　　

As　one　keen　observer　has　written；　〃So　great　is　man's　horror　of　

being　alone　that　he　will　seek　the　society　of　those　he　neither　likes　

nor　respects　sooner　than　be　left　to　his　own。〃　　The　laws　and　

conventions　that　govern　men's　intercourse　have；　therefore；　formed　a　

tempting　subject　for　the　writers　of　all　ages。　　Some　have　labored　

hoping　to　reform　their　generation；　others　have　written　to　offer　

solutions　for　life's　many　problems。



Beaumarchais；　whose　penetrating　wit　left　few　subjects　untouched；　

makes　his　Figaro　put　the　subject　aside　with　〃Je　me　presse　de　rire　

de　tout；　de　peur　d'etre　oblige　d'en　pleurer。〃



The　author　of　this　little　volume　pretends　to　settle　no　disputes；　

aims　at　inaugurating　no　reforms。　　He　has　lightly　touched　on　passing　

topics　and　jotted　down；　〃to　point　a　moral　or　adorn　a　tale；〃　some　of　

the　more　obvious　foibles　and　inconsistencies　of　our　American　ways。　　

If　a　stray　bit　of　philosophy　has　here　and　there　slipped　in　between　

the　lines；　it　is　mostly　of　the　laughing　〃school；〃　and　used　more　in　

banter　than　in　blame。



This　much　abused　〃world〃　is　a　fairly　agreeable　place　if　you　do　not　

take　it　seriously。　　Meet　it　with　a　friendly　face　and　it　will　smile　

gayly　back　at　you；　but　do　not　ask　of　it　what　it　cannot　give；　or　

attribute　to　its　verdicts　more　importance　than　they　deserve。



ELIOT　GREGORY



Newport；　November　first；　1897









CHAPTER　1　…　Charm





WOMEN　endowed　by　nature　with　the　indescribable　quality　we　call　

〃charm〃　（for　want　of　a　better　word）；　are　the　supreme　development　of　

a　perfected　race；　the　last　word；　as　it　were；　of　civilization；　the　

flower　of　their　kind；　crowning　centuries　of　growing　refinement　and　

cultivation。　　Other　women　may　unite　a　thousand　brilliant　qualities；　

and　attractive　attributes；　may　be　beautiful　as　Astarte　or　witty　as　

Madame　de　Montespan；　those　endowed　with　the　power　of　charm；　have　in　

all　ages　and　under　every　sky；　held　undisputed　rule　over　the　hearts　

of　their　generation。



When　we　look　at　the　portraits　of　the　enchantresses　whom　history　

tells　us　have　ruled　the　world　by　their　charm；　and　swayed　the　

destinies　of　empires　at　their　fancy；　we　are　astonished　to　find　that　

they　have　rarely　been　beautiful。　　From　Cleopatra　or　Mary　of　

Scotland　down　to　Lola　Montez；　the　tell…tale　coin　or　canvas　reveals　

the　same　marvellous　fact。　　We　wonder　how　these　women　attained　such　

influence　over　the　men　of　their　day；　their　husbands　or　lovers。　　We　

would　do　better　to　look　around　us；　or　inward；　and　observe　what　is　

passing　in　our　own　hearts。



Pause；　reader　mine；　a　moment　and　reflect。　　Who　has　held　the　first　

place　in　your　thoughts；　filled　your　soul；　and　influenced　your　life？　　

Was　she　the　most　beautiful　of　your　acquaintances；　the　radiant　

vision　that　dazzled　your　boyish　eyes？　　Has　she　not　rather　been　some　

gentle；　quiet　woman　whom　you　hardly　noticed　the　first　time　your　

paths　crossed；　but　who　gradually　grew　to　be　a　part　of　your　life　…　

to　whom　you　instinctively　turned　for　consolation　in　moments　of　

discouragement；　for　counsel　in　your　difficulties；　and　whose　welcome　

was　the　bright　moment　in　your　day；　looked　forward　to　through　long　

hours　of　toil　and　worry？



In　the　hurly…burly　of　life　we　lose　sight　of　so　many　things　our　

fathers　and　mothers　clung　to；　and　have　drifted　so　far　away　from　

their　gentle　customs　and　simple；　home…loving　habits；　that　one　

wonders　what　impression　our　society　would　make　on　a　woman　of　a　

century　ago；　could　she　by　some　spell　be　dropped　into　the　swing　of　

modern　days。　　The　good　soul　would　be　apt　to　find　it　rather　a　far　

cry　from　the　quiet　pleasures　of　her　youth；　to　〃a　ladies'　amateur　

bicycle　race〃　that　formed　the　attraction　recently　at　a　summer　

resort。



That　we　should　have　come　to　think　it　natural　and　proper　for　a　young　

wife　and　mother　to　pass　her　mornings　at　golf；　lunching　at　the　club…

house　to　〃save　time；〃　returning　home　only　for　a　hurried　change　of　

toilet　to　start　again　on　a　bicycle　or　for　a　round　of　calls；　an　

occupation　that　will　leave　her　just　the　half…hour　necessary　to　slip　

into　a　dinner　gown；　and　then　for　her　to　pass　the　evening　in　dancing　

or　at　the　card…table；　shows；　when　one　takes　the　time　to　think　of　

it；　how　unconsciously　we　have　changed；　and　（with　all　apologies　to　

the　gay　hostesses　and　graceful　athletes　of　to…day）　not　for　the