over the teacups-第42章

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festival　should　be　turned　into　a　Donnybrook　fair；　but　so　it　was　when

I　was　a　boy；　and　the　tents　and　the　shows　and　the　crowds　on　the　Common

were　to　the　promiscuous　many　the　essential　parts　of　the　great

occasion。　　They　had　been　so　for　generations；　and　it　was　only

gradually　that　the　Cambridge　Saturnalia　were　replaced　by　the

decencies　and　solemnities　of　the　present　sober　anniversary。



Nowadays　our　celebrations　smack　of　the　Sunday…school　more　than　of　the

dancing…hall。　　The　aroma　of　the　punch…bowl　has　given　way　to　the

milder　flavor　of　lemonade　and　the　cooling　virtues　of　ice…cream。

A　strawberry　festival　is　about　as　far　as　the　dissipation　of　our

social　gatherings　ventures。　　There　was　much　that　was　objectionable　in

those　swearing；　drinking；　fighting　times；　but　they　had　a　certain

excitement　for　us　boys　of　the　years　when　the　century　was　in　its

teens；　which　comes　back　to　us　not　without　its　fascinations。　　The　days

of　total　abstinence　are　a　great　improvement　over　those　of　unlicensed

license；　but　there　was　a　picturesque　element　about　the　rowdyism　of

our　old　Commencement　days；　which　had　a　charm　for　the　eye　of　boyhood。

My　dear　old　friend；book…friend；　I　mean；whom　I　always　called　Daddy

Gilpin　（as　I　find　Fitzgerald　called　Wordsworth；　Daddy　Wordsworth）；

my　old　friend　Gilpin；　I　say；　considered　the　donkey　more　picturesque

in　a　landscape　than　the　horse。　　So　a　village　fete　as　depicted　by

Teniers　is　more　picturesque　than　a　teetotal　picnic　or　a　Sabbath…

school　strawberry　festival。　　Let　us　be　thankful　that　the　vicious

picturesque　is　only　a　remembrance；　and　the　virtuous　commonplace　a

reality　of　to…day。



What　put　all　this　into　my　head　is　something　which　the　English　Annex

has　been　showing　me。　　Most　of　my　readers　are　somewhat　acquainted　with

our　own　church　and　village　celebrations。　　They　know　how　they　are

organized；　the　women　always　being　the　chief　motors；　and　the　machinery

very　much　the　same　in　one　case　as　in　another。　　Perhaps　they　would

like　to　hear　how　such　things　are　managed　in　England；　and　that　is　just

what　they　may　learn　from　the　pamphlet　which　was　shown　me　by　the

English　Annex；　and　of　which　I　will　give　them　a　brief　account。



Some　of　us　remember　the　Rev。　Mr。　Haweis；　his　lectures　and　his　violin；

which　interested　and　amused　us　here　in　Boston　a　few　years　ago。　　Now

Mr。　Haweis；　assisted　by　his　intelligent　and　spirited　wife；　has　charge

of　the　parish　of　St。　James；　Westmoreland　Street；　Marylebone；　London。

On　entering　upon　the　twenty…fifth　year　of　his　incumbency　in

Marylebone；　and　the　twenty…eighth　of　his　ministry　in　the　diocese　of

London；　it　was　thought　a　good　idea　to　have　an　〃Evening　Conversazione

and　Fete。〃　　We　can　imagine　just　how　such　a　meeting　would　be　organized

in　one　of　our　towns。　　Ministers；　deacons；　perhaps　a　member　of

Congress；　possibly　a　Senator；　and　even；　conceivably；　his　Excellency

the　Governor；　and　a　long　list　of　ladies　lend　their　names　to　give

lustre　to　the　occasion。　　It　is　all　very　pleasant；　unpretending；

unceremonious；　cheerful；　well　ordered；　commendable；　but　not　imposing。



Now　look　at　our　Marylebone　parish　celebration；　and　hold　your　breath

while　the　procession　of　great　names　passes　before　you。　　You　learn　at

the　outset　that　it　is　held　UNDER　ROYAL　PATRONAGE；　and　read　the　names

of　two　royal　highnesses；　one　highness；　a　prince；　and　a　princess。

Then　comes　a　list　before　which　if　you　do　not　turn　pale；　you　must

certainly　be　in　the　habit　of　rouging：　three　earls；　seven　lords；　three

bishops；　two　generals　（one　of　them　Lord　Wolseley）；　one　admiral；　four

baronets；　nine　knights；　a　crowd　of　right　honorable　and　honorable

ladies　（many　of　them　peeresses）；　and　a　mob　of　other　personages；　among

whom　I　find　Mr。　Howells；　Bret　Harte；　and　myself。



Perhaps　we　are　disposed　to　smile　at　seeing　so　much　made　of　titles；

but　after　what　we　have　learned　of　Lord　Timothy　Dexter　and　the　high…

sounding　names　appropriated　by　many　of　our　own　compatriots；　who　have

no　more　claim　to　them　than　we　plain　Misters　and　Misseses；　we　may　feel

to　them　something　as　our　late　friend　Mr。　　Appleton　felt　to　the　real

green　turtle　soup　set　before　him；　when　he　said　that　it　was　almost　as

good　as　mock。



The　entertainment　on　this　occasion　was　of　the　most　varied　character。

The　programme　makes　the　following　announcement：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Friday；　4　July；　18…。



　　　　　　　　　　At　8　P。　M。　the　Doors　will　Open。

　　　　　　　　　　Mr。　Haweis　will　receive　his　Friends。

　　　　　　　　　　The　Royal　Handbell　Ringers　will　Ring。

　　　　　　　　　　The　Fish…pond　will　be　Fished。

　　　　　　　　　　The　Stalls　will　be　Visited。

　　　　　　　　　　The　Phonograph　will　Utter。



Refreshments　will　be　called　for；　and　they　will　come；Tea；　Coffee；

and　Cooling　Drinks。　　Spirits　will　not　be　called　for；　from　the　Vasty

Deep　or　anywhere　else；nor　would　they　come　if　they　were。



At　9。30　Mrs。　Haweis　will　join　the　assembly。



I　am　particularly　delighted　with　this　last　feature　in　the　preliminary

announcement。　　It　is　a　proof　of　the　high　regard　in　which　the

estimable　and　gifted　lady　who　shares　her　husband's　labors　is　held　by

the　people　of　their　congregation；　and　the　friends　who　share　in　their

feelings。　　It　is　such　a　master　stroke　of　policy；　too；　to　keep　back

the　principal　attraction　until　the　guests　must　have　grown　eager　for

her　appearance：　I　can　well　imagine　how　great　a　saving　it　must　have

been　to　the　good　lady's　nerves；　which　were　probably　pretty　well　tried

already　by　the　fatigues　and　responsibilities　of　the　busy　evening。　　I

have　a　right　to　say　this；　for　I　myself　had　the　honor　of　attending　a

meeting　at　Mr。　Haweis's　house；　where　I　was　a　principal　guest；　as　I

suppose；　from　the　fact　of　the　great　number　of　persons　who　were

presented　to　me。　　The　minister　must　be　very　popular；　for　the　meeting

was　a　regular　jam；not　quite　so　tremendous　as　that　greater　one；

where　but　for　the　aid　of　Mr。　Smalley；　who　kept　open　a　breathing…space

round　us；　my　companion　and　myself　thought　we　should　have　been

asphyxiated。



The　company　was　interested；　as　some　of　my　readers　maybe；　to　know　what

were　the　attractions　offered　to　the　visitors　besides　that　of　meeting

the　courteous　entertainers　and　their　distinguished　guests。　　I　cannot

give　these　at　length；　for　each　part　of　the　show　is　introduced　in　the

programme　with　apt　quotations　and　pleasantries；　which　enlivened　the

catalogue。　　There　were　eleven　stalls；　〃conducted　on　the　cooperative

principle　of　division　of　profits　and　interest；　they　retain　the

profits；　and　you　take　a　good　deal　of　interest；　we　hope；　in　their

success。〃



Stall　No。　1。　　Edisoniana；　or　the　Phonograph。　　Alluded　to　by

the　Roman　Poet　as　Vox；　et　praeterea　nihil。



Stall　No。　2。　　Money…changing。



Stall　No。　3。　　Programmes　and　General　Enquiries。



Stall　No。　4。　　Roses。



A　rose　by　any　other　name；　etc。　　Get　one。　　You　can't　expect　to　smell

one　without　buying　it；　but　you　may　buy　one　without　smelling　it。



Stall　No。　　5。　　Lasenby　Liberty　Stall。

（I　cannot　explain　this。　　Probably　articles　from　Liberty's　famous

establishment。）



Stall　No。　　6。　　Historical　Costumes　and　Ceramics。



Stall　No。　　7。　　The　Fish…pond。



Stall　No。　　8。Varieties。



Stall　No。　　9。Bookstall。

（Books）　〃highly　recommended　for　insomnia；　friends　we　never　speak　to；

and　always　cut　if　we　want　to　know　them　well。〃



Stall　No。　　10。　　Icelandic。



Stall　No。　　11。　　Call　Office。

〃Mrs。　Magnusson；　who　is　devoted　to　the　North　Pole　and　all　its　works；

will　thaw　your　sympathies；　enlighten　your　minds；〃　etc。；　etc。



All　you　buy　may　be　left　at　the　stalls；　ticketed。　　A　duplicate　ticket

will　be　handed　to　you　on　leaving。　　Present　your　duplicate　at　the　Call

Office。



At　9。45；　First　Concert。



At　10。45；　An　Address　of　Welcome　by　Rev。　H。　R。　Haweis。



At　11　P。　M。；　Bird…warbling　Interlude　by　Miss　Mabel　Stephenson；

U。　S。　A。



At　11。20；　Second　Concert。



　　　　　　　　　　NOTICE　！



Three　Great　Pictures。



LORD　TENNYSON。　　　　G。　F。　Watts；　R。　A。

JOHN　STUART　MILL　　G。　F。　Watts；　R。　A。

J0SEPH　GARIBALDI　　Sig。　Rondi。



　　　　　　　　　　NOTICE　！



A　Famous　Violin。



A　world…famed　Stradivarius　Violin；　for　which　Mr。　Hill；　of　Bond

Street；　gave　L　1000；　etc。；　etc。



　　　　　　　　　　REFRESHMENTS。



Tickets　for　Tea；　Coffee；　Sandwiches；　Iced　Drinks；　or　Ices；　Sixpence

each；　etc。；　etc。



I　hope　my　American　reader　is　pleased　and　interested　by　this　glimpse

of　the　way　in　which　they　do　these　things　in　London。



There　is　something　very　pleasant　about　all　this；　but　what　specially

strikes　me　is　a　curious　flavor　of　city　provincialism。　　There　are

little　centres　in　the　heart　of　great　cities；　just　as　there　are　small

fresh…water　ponds　in　great　islands　with　the　salt　sea　roaring　all

round　them；　and　bays　and　creeks　penetrating　them　as　briny　as　the

ocean　itself。　　Irving　has　given　a　charming　picture　of　such　a　quasi…

provincial　centre　in　one　of　his　papers　in　the　Sketch…Book；the　one

with　the　title　〃Little　Britain。〃　　London　is　a　nation　of　itself；　and

contains　provinces；　districts；　foreign　communities；　villages；

parishes；innumerable　lesser　centres；　with　their　own　distinguishing

characteristics；　habits；　pursuit；　languages；　social　laws；　as　much

isolated　from　each　other　as　if　〃mountains　interposed　〃　made　the

separation　between　them。　　One　of　these　lesser　centres　is　that　over

which　my　friend　Mr。　Haweis　presides　as　spiritual　director。　　Chelsea

has　been　made　famous　as　the　home　of　many　authors　and　artists；above

all；　as　the　residence　of　Carlyle　during　the　greater　part　of　his　life。

Its　population；　like　that　of　most　respectable　suburbs；　must　belong

mainly　to　the　kind　of　citizens　which　resembles　in　many　ways　the

better　class；as　we　sometimes　dare　to　call　it；of　one　of　our

thriving　New　England　towns。　　How　many　John　Gilpins　there　must　be　in

this　population；citizens　of　〃famous　London　town；〃　but　living　with

the　simplicity　of　the　inhabitants　of　our　inland　villages！　　In　the

mighty　metropolis　where　the　wealth　of　the　world　displays　itself　they

practise　their　snug　economies；　enjoy　their　simple　pleasures；　and　look

upon　ice…cream　as　a　luxury；　just　as　if　they　were　living　on　the　banks

of　the　Connecticut　or　the　Housatonic；　in　regions　where　the　summer

locusts　of　the　great　cities　have　not　yet　settled　on　the　verdure　of

the　native　inhabitants。　　It　is　delightful　to　realize　the　fact　that

while　the　West　End　of　London　is　flaunting　its　splendors　and　the　East

End　in　struggling　with　its　miseries；　these　great　middle…class

communities　are　living　as　comfortable；　unpretending　lives　as　if　they

were　in　one　of　our　thriving　townships　in　the　huckleberry…districts。

Human　beings　are　wonderfully　alike　when　they　are　placed　in　similar

conditions。



We　were　sitting　together　in　a　very　quiet　way　over　our　teacups。　　The

young　Doctor；　who　was　in　the　best　of　spirits；　had　been　laughing　and

chatting　with　the　two　Annexes。　　The　Tutor；　who　always　sits　next　to

Number　Five　of　late；　had　been　conversing　with　her　in　rather　low

tones。　　The　rest　of　us　had　been　soberly　sipping　our　tea；　and　when　the

Doctor　and　the　Annexes　stopped