SOCIETY JOURNALS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XVI, Issue 5183, 2 June 1885, Page 3

SOCIETY JOURNALS.

Jcstlcb HAwktNSJ up theevidence in the libel case, brought by Mr Edward Legge.(originator, ; of'; the WriteHall Review) against Jlr Edmund Yates (editor of the \World), made some pungent comments on society journalism. : i r•J After;mentloningthe .fact/that;the inf'qrmatibXpnJwhioh. the' libel in one' of the cases was founded came from the clerk, to one of the solicitors concerned, his Lordship asked the jury what! they -could say to getting information in that way as to litigation going on between husband, and wife? 'He thought; the: lady libelled acted with'considerable generosity when she accepted an. apology and £100, costs. Mr William's had said that 1 ladies' of undoubted character and position set their approval on the paper by allowing thoir picturoß in.it. 'He (thelearned Judge) was afraid that that might be due #l6|mnsjnore.than vanity.. He did,not would'iikd.it to go ties, of imfSp|fJ^H®Hpg-'scenes, calculated,; ? Had suet articles, a remote morality, to, preserve pure-minded girls, or less amusement to either B ? i iv>MS'iM written for the purpose of panae||g'M; depraved.and prurient appetites mfsisj existing, or of creating depraved and rient appetiteß,in.,those:.ns yetstrange.tos them?'"His lordship'then,alluded to' a third class of articles which had beon read f-those dealing with private affairs, and, qb his lordship said, prying into private sorrows anduhhap'piness for the purpose of retailing them. to'••those' who took a pleasure .in hearing of s.uch things. This practice, his.lordship remarked, had of late prevailed to a eonsiderable oxtoiit, rind he felt that nothing was more scandalous and more horrible than that it should 1 be pubHoly tolerated. ,',What was the good of it —except to givo pain ?■• What moral lesson did it teach?; None. There was one practice which had been revealed that day whioh he did not hositato to donounco as abominable..' That private hands—the hands of those who received a man's hos pitality, who mixed with him in daily friendship.—should pandor to this sort of journalism, and, ! betray their friends' seoreta for a paltry 30s or a guinea, was horrible and shocking to contemplate. No mode of gaining a living could be more discreditable, and he hoped that thoso who were guilty of such conduct would ,somo clay be brought to light and donounced with till the severity they deserved.-