THE ENLARGEMENT OF LONDON SOCIETY

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4319, 30 March 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE ENLARGEMENT OF LONDON SOCIETY

In an interesting article’ on the enlargement cf London Society, a writer in the “Saturday Review” says ; London Society is no doubt very large now, compared with what it was during the early years of the century. Some writers have maintained that at that period it did not consist of more than 400 people. Such an estimate as this, however, can be accepted as true only if the word Society is used in n sense more limited than that which is here attached to it—if it is taken to mean a ; set rather than a society—an ultra fashionable clique in the midst of a larger body, equally wealthy and equally well born. But it is not our object to insist upon this point here. It is not onr choice to shew that Society cannot have -been very small once; but that in spite of its growth it cannot be very large now. What are its numbers now? If we give to this.word Society the most comprehensive sense here possible, its numbers cannot bci

MORE THAN SIX THOUSAND ; and even this estimate is really excessive to a grotesque degree. If anyone in Loudon, in a position to command Society, were to give a garden party ‘which comprised three thousand guests, though certain distinguished members of Society might be absent from it, it would inevitably contain a certain contingent of persons, who, except in then- own estimation, were hardly ill Society at all; whilst it would be utterly impossible to give two such parties on the same day without including an- exceedingly large minority, with wiiom this fashionable majority, had no-social connection —whoso faces and names would oe altogether unknown to them, and wiio never by any chance would b© invited inside their houses. We may therefore say that six thousand persons represent the utmost limit to which London Society can grow-, even though London as a whole should double its inhabitants or even treble them. Now, compared with 400 people, 6000 is a large body; but it is a very small body when compared with the inhabitants of the Metropolis. It does not make up so much as ONE EIGHT-HUNDREDTH OF THEM;

whilst even of the richer inhabitants—those well-to-do families of the West End whose means are. recorded in the various Court guides—it makes up only a very small proportion. The Court guides contain the names of about 30,000 families; aud we may estimate that, on the average, each family contains three members old enough to take part in social life, the whole body thus yielding a total of 90,000 persons. Out of 90,000, then, of the wealthier inhabitants of London, it is not too much to say that hardly ono in fifteen can have the smallest possible claim to Given the most qualified membership of the body that is called Society. Nor do the inevitable conditions and limitations of human intercourse make it possible that this body shall ever grow numerically larger. < THE CONSTITUTION OF SO- ' CIETY. . ~ But not only are the current ideas as to growth of Society exaggerated. The current ideas as to the change in- - the constitution of it are exaggerated also. That a certain change has taken place is true. Mere rank or lineage is relatively less important than formerly as a social qualification. Mere wealth wiruout lineage is relatively more important; but birth practically, even if not theoretically, is far more important still man many people imagine. The nucleus of London Society still consists of families who are of old standing in the country, and have generations ot tradition behind them; and a large part of the increase in the numbers of that Society is due to the fact that, owing toincreascd facilities of travelling, county families of unimpeachable position and descent, who a hundred years ago had houses in Edniburgh, or in York, now come to Loudon instead of to. their local capitals. Talent, no doubt, when combined with social charm and rendered iindependent by the increased rewards which it can now command, has

A SOCIAL CAREER OPEN TO IT, just as it has political ; and when , gilded with popularity, and especially with Royal favour, finds that a .want of family antecedents brings few social disabilities with it. It may bd doubted, however, whether the social career- cf, mere talent is easier now than in. the days of the salons of Holland House. It is to mere wealth, without family antecedents, far more than to metre talent .that the essentially modern additions to London Society are due. The worship of wealth is, undoubtedly, a social feature of to-day; and the influence of mere wealth on Society is, undoubtedly, at this moment great; but it is not as great as many people suppose. .