EARLY IN THE CENTURY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7771, 27 January 1891, Page 2

EARLY IN THE CENTURY.

Br The Countess of Jersey.

The Queen,

In these days, when everyone delights to hear and tell the last new thing, it is somewhat amusing to turn back and re • Use how our ancestors worked and lived before most of us were born. A lengthy account of England and its inhabitants is given In Blanchard's Voyageur ds la jeunesse, published in 1809. The author is, on the whole, complimentary to our countrymen, and still more to our country' women. He thus described the day of the well-to-do Londoner :—*'The English rise late, particularly in the district of West* minster. They are scarcely up when they turn their attention to breakfast, of Which the whole family partaker together, drinking tea with cream in it, and eating slices of bread- and butter, During this meal the newspapers are read, then the men go t/» business of to pay visits. The women read, almost always novels; sometimes they work, but rarely, as they are not at all fond of needle work. Their household duties are, how* ever, always carefully fulfilled; this is one of their characteristics. As they are for the most part very fond of their families, they delleht in making everyone around them happy. Few of them neglect to nurse their own children, and this first and sacred maternal care is the source of many virtues. This useful family life contributes greatly to the -gravity, or rather the seriousness, which distinguishes English beauties. At 3 o'clock everyone returns to the house, and dinner is Served in, a citizen's or merchant's family. The upper classes do not dine till 4. A cloth touching the ground covers the table; there are no napkins. Before each person is a round-handled folk with two steel grongs, and a knife whose broad, rounded lade can serve as a spoon in case of need; these are changed at each course. At dessert.thecloth is removed, and each one Is provided with a smaller knife and fork, a glass bowl in which to wash his bands, and an extremely small square napkin.** Our writer then describes the retirement pf the ladies, and drinking of the gentle, men, and their subsequent adjournment to tea and more bread and butter, dispensed by the mistress of the house. Further oh he tells us that nowh«re are more, or better, novels written than by the English, whose imagination seems, he says to oe inexhaustible. Blanchard makes a variety of remarks Showing close observation of the English of his day. He indicates their excessive love of good living, tho conviction of their own superiority to the rest,of the human race, of which even their taste for travelling does not disabuse them, and their love of accumulating wealth, yielding only to the still greater love for country life, which leads them to retire from business before old age altogether incapacitates them lor enjoyment. He notices the fact that the most frequented London coffeehouse take in ten or twelve copies of the same paper, In order that their customers may not have to wait; for, he shrewdly adds, " despfte his phlegm, the Englishmen is, of all Europeans, the one who least likes to wait." Ho assigns a curious reason for English cleanliness — namely, that the nerves of our compatriots are co delicate that imagination aetsstrongly on their passion*), and that the cleanliness which surrounds tends' to tranquilise them. Another French writer, describing London in 1813, says that the inhabitants seen in the streets "have, as well as the outside of their houses, a sort of dingy, smoky look, nor dirty /absolutely—for yon generally perceive clean linen—but the outside garments are of a dull, dark cast, and harmonise with mud and smoke." This gentleman, however, gives the interior of the said, houses, which he carefully describes, a warm meed of praise for neatness, comfort, and complete sanitary arrangements, evidently unknown ,to the Parisians. He draws a little plan of a good house in Portman"Bquare,. which, he says, was bought by its actual proprietor for £16,000, but had cost nearly double in building. Tbe. rent of \ houses a little inferior was £400 or £500 a j year, including taxes, but some houses were rented at £1000 a year. Headers of the Queen who take an interest In housekeeping may like to perasehis estimate of the cost of keeping up the in Port-' man-square. "The establishment a house is from four to sis male airv&fafca, and probably as many women.. Tito wages of the former, dSSO & year, dress iaclaiea; and of the latter, £10 to ;Sl2; and the whole annual espeitea. : £40(3© Jo £8000. Butcher-meat 1$ follovra:—Bsef and mutton, 8d ; veal, Is to Is $S<k .} butter, la lOd ; bread, 3d the lb; a good cow, £18 to £20; a good jSSO to MlMl" The late hours of our day coma fa for a great deal of rebuke,,bafc society seveatfr years ago seeuta hardly to have carried out the maxim "Early to bed and early tb rise," and tho youue ladies who rid® sometimes in the Park would have astonished their great grandmothers by their activity even mora fcfcsaJby their frivolity.-- IfiJfflO the hours seem to have been later than. ever. A novel—"DoitiestkScsaes "--published in that year bj an anonymous author, dilates on tfia amazement of the virtuous Country heroine at the life led by, the aunt whom she visits in town. JL twelve o'clock breakfast is considered quit® $Bslf, ■& Mrs Valsfe&orV&sSLUteS' one' or- two ■ o*cl«k .to- to v'the ordinary* hour. A hot hmeneoa later on is described as having - jussfc coma into fashion, and dinner is at eight o'clock } t& coM, Emily* iaisosrified. at having to dsivs in the streets .In an.open barouche, as she thinks she will to *• fettUjr stared at.

■If-space- permitted, wo might £!aSe»t«rtainment in the imaginary "LsJnentatidins of a Fins Lady," ia a Gkmtich early- In the century. In despair of bsiasj unable to find soma novelty lor heir parties which, however ugly er ttaattractiyD,. should be unknown to all others, ah© proposed to represent vfrl&ter in Aajrns&vbjr employing 200 or WO people to strip fehs leaves.ofifths trees ana sow hernacli with chalk and quicklime, to look uQke snoroi.. Not however, to dwell mainly on the* foibles of- on* foremoth€», *w#- isay coilelude testimony ot the Freneli obaeCTerquoteas&Ovaaatothe way la which the lectures of the Royal Institution then lately established, w&m attended chiefly by women, and women Golf notes. It is. true that this fesnttsmaiL' is rather sarcastic on the subject, and asserts that public lecterea ere only to tboss who know Utile, q? &«s&# to fittte. Yet, i

since Sir Humphrey, then Mr., Davy was the most popular lecturer, the ladies may, at least, have the credit of trying for thf" best instruction within their reach. TheiiJ descendants have far better chances of learning and quite as many means of amusement as they had. We may tmst those to whom this heritage of Jtnowledge and pleasure is entrusted to. turn It to good account.