Fifty years ago . ut it should be stated, and itshould be clearly understood. The lohole of those menwho in this generation maintain the greatness of our countryin the ways where alone greatiiess is desirable or memorable,except in arms, the only men of this generation whosememories ivill live and adorn the Victorian era, arestrangers to the Court. It seems a great pity. An idealCourt should be the centre of everything—Art, Letters,Science, all. As for the rest of society—how the people had drumsand routs and balls; how they angled for husbands ;how they were hollow and unnatural, and so forth
Fifty years ago . ut it should be stated, and itshould be clearly understood. The lohole of those menwho in this generation maintain the greatness of our countryin the ways where alone greatiiess is desirable or memorable,except in arms, the only men of this generation whosememories ivill live and adorn the Victorian era, arestrangers to the Court. It seems a great pity. An idealCourt should be the centre of everything—Art, Letters,Science, all. As for the rest of society—how the people had drumsand routs and balls; how they angled for husbands ;how they were hollow and unnatural, and so forth.— IN SOCIETY 123 you may read about it in the pages of I, for one, have never been able to understandhow Thackeray got his knowledge of these exclusivecircles. Instead of dancing at Almacks he was takinghis chop and stout at the Cock; instead of gamblingat Crockfords he was writing copy for any paperwhich would take it. When and where did he meetMiss Newcome and Lady Kew and Lord Steyne ? Per-. WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKEEAY haps he wrote of them by intuition, as Disraeli wrotethe Young Duke. My son, sir, said the elderDisraeli proudly, has never, I beheve, even seen aDuke. One touch more. There is before me a beautiful,solemn work, one in which the writer feels his responsi-bilities almost too profoundly. It is on no less importanta subject than Etiquette, containing Eules for the 124 FIFTY YEARS AGO Conduct of Life on the most grave and serious permit myself one or two extracts :— Familiarity is the greatest vice of Society. Whenan acquaintance says My dear fellow, cut him imme-diately. Never enter your own house without bowing toevery one you may meet there. Never ask a lady any questions about anythingwhatever. If you have drunk wine with every one at thetable and wish for more—Heavens ! More ! Andafter drinking with every one at the table !— wait tillthe cloth is removed. Never permit the sanctity of the drawing-room tobe violated by a B
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