登陆注册
5169600000040

第40章

I am far from wishing that their Graces should treat me in a similar fashion.Splendour is a part of their station, as decent comfort (let us trust), of yours and mine.Fate has comfortably appointed gold plate for some, and has bidden others contentedly to wear the willow-pattern.And being perfectly contented (indeed humbly thankful--for look around, O Jones, and see the myriads who are not so fortunate,) to wear honest linen, while magnificos of the world are adorned with cambric and point-lace, surely we ought to hold as miserable, envious fools, those wretched Beaux Tibbs's of society, who sport a lace dickey, and nothing besides,--the poor silly jays, who trail a peacock's feather behind them, and think to simulate the gorgeous bird whose nature it is to strut on palace-terraces, and to flaunt his magnificent fan-tail in the sunshine!

The jays with peacocks' feathers are the Snobs of this world: and never, since the days of Aesop, were they more numerous in any land than they are at present in this free country.

How does this most ancient apologue apply to the subject in hand?--the Dinner-giving Snob.The imitation of the great is universal in this city, from the palaces of Kensingtonia and Belgravia, even to the remotest corner of Brunswick Square.

Peacocks' feathers are stuck in the tails of most families.Scarce one of us domestic 2birds but imitates the lanky, pavonine strut, and shrill, genteel scream.

O you misguided dinner-giving Snobs, think how much pleasure you lose, and how much mischief you do with your absurd grandeurs and hypocrisies! You stuff each other with unnatural forced-meats, and entertain each other to the ruin of friendship (let alone health) and the destruction of hospitality and good-fellowship--you, who but for the peacock's tail might chatter away so much at your ease, and be so jovial and happy!

When a man goes into a great set company of dinner-giving and dinner-receiving Snobs, if he has a philosophical turn of mind, he will consider what a huge humbug the whole affair is: the dishes, and the drink, and the servants, and the plate, and the host and hostess, and the conversation, and the company,--the philosopher included.

The host is smiling, and hob-nobbing, and talking up and down the table; but a prey to secret terrors and anxieties, lest the wines he has brought up from the cellar should prove insufficient; lest a corked bottle should destroy his calculations; or our friend the carpet-beater, by making some BEVUE, should disclose his real quality of greengrocer, and show that he is not the family butler.

The hostess is smiling resolutely through all the courses, smiling through her agony; though her heart is in the kitchen, and she is speculating with terror lest there be any disaster there.If the SOUFFLE should collapse, or if Wiggins does not send the ices in time--she feels as if she would commit suicide--that smiling, jolly woman!

The children upstairs are yelling, as their maid is crimping their miserable ringlets with hot tongs, tearing Miss Emmy's hair out by the roots, or scrubbing Miss Polly's dumpy nose with mottled soap till the little wretch screams herself into fits.The young males of the family are employed, as we have stated, in piratical exploits upon the landing-place.

The servants are not servants, but the before-mentioned retail tradesmen.

The plate is not plate, but a mere shiny Birmingham lacquer; and so is the hospitality, and everything else.

The talk is Birmingham talk.The wag of the party, with bitterness in his heart, having just quitted his laundress, who is dunning him for her bill, is firing off good stories; and the opposition wag is furious that he cannot get an innings.Jawkins, the great conversationalist, is scornful and indignant with the pair of them, because he is kept out of court.Young Muscadel, that cheap dandy, is talking Fashion and Almack's out of the MORNING POST, and disgusting his neighbour, Mrs.Fox, who reflects that she has never been there.The widow is vexed out of patience, because her daughter Maria has got a place beside young Cambric, the penniless curate, and not by Colonel Goldmore, the rich widower from India.The Doctor's wife is sulky, because she has not been led out before the barrister's lady; old Doctor Cork is grumbling at the wine, and Guttleton sneering at the cookery.

And to think that all these people might be so happy, and easy, and friendly, were they brought together in a natural unpretentious way, and but for an unhappy passion for peacocks' feathers in England.Gentle shades of Marat and Robespierre! when I see how all the honesty of society is corrupted among us by the miserable fashion-worship, I feel as angry as Mrs.Fox just mentioned, and ready to order a general BATTUE of peacocks.

同类推荐
  • 吕祖全书

    吕祖全书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Consul

    The Consul

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • At the Sign of the Cat and Racket

    At the Sign of the Cat and Racket

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 耳庵嵩禅师语录

    耳庵嵩禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 续华严经略疏刊定记

    续华严经略疏刊定记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 高端女性:当今世界最有权力的女人

    高端女性:当今世界最有权力的女人

    整个世界的变化,是全人类共同推动的结果。但在许多具有转折意义的历史横断面上,却只有少数人留下了印记。她们,是对世界发展各个领域具有深刻影响的高端人物。她们,是国际重大新闻事件的当事人和制造人。她们,更是铁骨柔情、势临天下的女强人。站在高端,领略大家风范:走进高端.倾听时代强音:面对高端,探究世界变幻。
  • 大清国籍条例

    大清国籍条例

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 生计以外

    生计以外

    这一回高经济开的是自己家的门锁,但恰好那时候那已经不是他的家了。他早上出门的时候还是,晚上回家就不是了。他不知道,他拿钥匙怎么都打不开,因为锁已经被换过了。他只说是鲁拉拉搞的鬼,打她的电话,电话是关机。他火气上来,就想你还能拦得住我吗?便拿他的开锁工具将门打开了。里头变化倒不大,但鲁拉拉不在屋里,鲁拉拉的好多东西也不在屋里,甚至那只对于他们来说具有历史意义的包裹也都不在屋里。看上去鲁拉拉是逃了。可她为什么要逃呢?即使她不想跟高经济过日子了,也该是她把高经济撵走才符合逻辑呀。她要逃又为什么要换锁呢?
  • 撼天记

    撼天记

    偶然的机会,吴天拥有了窥探天机的能力,也在无意中触动了天道的逆鳞。天地不仁,万物为狗。不甘屈服于天道的吴天,剑指苍穹。今生即已无回头之路,那我无法无天能奈我何?气冲霄汉,响彻九天。
  • 等风来之期待爱

    等风来之期待爱

    梦还是该醒了,不是自己的终究还是不是自己的,只是为什么自己会这么冷呢,刺骨的冷,刺骨的痛,他终究还是选择了她,雪还在下,柳若馨爬在雪地上,身下的红色绝望的蔓延开来,就连最后一点他和她的关联也无情的被剥夺呢,苦笑,这也好,从此他们便再无瓜葛,她轻轻的抚摸了腹部,心里默默念道:孩子,对不起,你去找个好人家吧。若馨已经分不清是身体上的还是心里上的痛,意识开始模糊,过往一幕幕在脑海浮现,他的笑,他的怒,他的吻,从此再也不不属于她了,可是似乎这些也从未属于过她,还是苦笑,这个冬天真冷啊,真的好冷,好想回到过去,回到一年前,谁也不认识谁的时候
  • FBI攻心术:美国联邦警察的超级心理战术

    FBI攻心术:美国联邦警察的超级心理战术

    本书从不同角度如:人体语言、性格特征等多方面进行了有针对性的分析与研究。相信读者读完此书会通过FBI多年来总结出的攻心术中获得一些有价值的信息,轻松学到一些读心术的方法和技巧。
  • 千金倾城s

    千金倾城s

    【待我君临天下,许你一世倾城】地质学者穿越成丞相千金,与高冷傲娇二王爷“逗智逗勇”、爆笑大战。二王爷轻功飞海浪漫示爱:“感动吗?”顾倾城小脸惨白:“不敢动,不敢动!”
  • 相和歌辞·采莲曲

    相和歌辞·采莲曲

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Capital-2

    Capital-2

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 强势驯夫:调教腹黑老公

    强势驯夫:调教腹黑老公

    歪!前面那个姑娘,你的老公掉了。”“宝贝儿,我都帮了你好几次了,你是不是该以身相许啊!”“我摔倒了,要谢芫亲亲才能站起来。”讯天传媒少当家徐咎,人前他是一个可以撼动整个广告界的天才,不屑名利,纯属追求自己喜好。然而在谢芫面前,他的脸皮却厚得不要不要得,恨不得把谢芫锁在家里不让别人看见。谢芫反手就是一拖鞋:我踏马得工作赚钱啊,不然你养我啊?徐咎理直气壮:我养你啊!