按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
French firm； they acquire at vast expense； faked reproductions as
historic furniture。
The spacious rooms are sticky with new gilding； and the flowered
brocades of the hangings and furniture crackle to the touch。 The
rooms were not designed by the architect to receive any special
kind of 〃treatment。〃 Immense folding…doors unite the salons； and
windows open anywhere。 The decorations of the walls have been
applied like a poultice； regardless of the proportions of the rooms
and the distribution of the spaces。
Building and decorating are； however； the best of educations。 The
husband； freed at last from his business occupations； finds in this
new study an interest and a charm unknown to him before。 He and
his wife are both vaguely disappointed when their resplendent
mansion is finished； having already outgrown it； and recognize that
in spite of correct detail； their costly apartments no more
resemble the stately and simple salons seen abroad than the cabin
of a Fall River boat resembles the GALERIE DES GLACES at
Versailles。 The humiliating knowledge that they are all wrong
breaks upon them； as it is doing on hundreds of others； at the same
time as the desire to know more and appreciate better the perfect
productions of this art。
A seventh and last step is before them but they know not how to
make it。 A surer guide than the upholsterer is； they know；
essential； but their library contains nothing to help them。 Others
possess the information they need； yet they are ignorant where to
turn for what they require。
With singular appropriateness a volume treating of this delightful
〃art〃 has this season appeared at Scribner's。 〃The Decoration of
Houses〃 is the result of a woman's faultless taste collaborating
with a man's technical knowledge。 Its mission is to reveal to the
hundreds who have advanced just far enough to find that they can go
no farther alone； truths lying concealed beneath the surface。 It
teaches that consummate taste is satisfied only with a perfected
simplicity； that the facades of a house must be the envelope of the
rooms within and adapted to them； as the rooms are to the habits
and requirements of them 〃that dwell therein；〃 that proportion is
the backbone of the decorator's art and that supreme elegance is
fitness and moderation； and； above all； that an attention to
architectural principles can alone lead decoration to a perfect
development。
CHAPTER 13 … Our Elite and Public Life
THE complaint is so often heard； and seems so well founded； that
there is a growing inclination； not only among men of social
position； but also among our best and cleverest citizens； to stand
aloof from public life； and this reluctance on their part is so
unfortunate； that one feels impelled to seek out the causes where
they must lie； beneath the surface。 At a first glance they are not
apparent。 Why should not the honor of representing one's town or
locality be as eagerly sought after with us as it is by English or
French men of position？ That such is not the case； however； is
evident。
Speaking of this the other evening； over my after…dinner coffee；
with a high…minded and public…spirited gentleman； who not long ago
represented our country at a European court； he advanced two
theories which struck me as being well worth repeating； and which
seemed to account to a certain extent for this curious abstinence。
As a first and most important cause； he placed the fact that
neither our national nor （here in New York） our state capital
coincides with our metropolis。 In this we differ from England and
all the continental countries。 The result is not difficult to
perceive。 In London； a man of the world； a business man； or a
great lawyer； who represents a locality in Parliament； can fulfil
his mandate and at the same time lead his usual life among his own
set。 The lawyer or the business man can follow during the day his
profession； or those affairs on which he depends to support his
family and his position in the world。 Then； after dinner （owing to
the peculiar hours adopted for the sittings of Parliament）； he can
take his place as a law…maker。 If he be a London…born man； he in
no way changes his way of life or that of his family。 If； on the
contrary； he be a county magnate； the change he makes is all for
the better； as it takes him and his wife and daughters up to
London； the haven of their longings； and the centre of all sorts of
social dissipations and advancement。
With us； it is exactly the contrary。 As the District of Columbia
elects no one； everybody living in Washington officially is more or
less expatriated； and the social life it offers is a poor
substitute for the circle which most families leave to go there。
That； however； is not the most important side of the question。 Go
to any great lawyer of either New York or Chicago； and propose
sending him to Congress or the Senate。 His answer is sure to be；
〃I cannot afford it。 I know it is an honor； but what is to replace
the hundred thousand dollars a year which my profession brings me
in； not to mention that all my practice would go to pieces during
my absence？〃 Or again； 〃How should I dare to propose to my family
to leave one of the great centres of the country to go and vegetate
in a little provincial city like Washington？ No； indeed！ Public
life is out of the question for me！〃
Does any one suppose England would have the class of men she gets
in Parliament； if that body sat at Bristol？
Until recently the man who occupied the position of Lord Chancellor
made thirty thousand pounds a year by his profession without
interfering in any way with his public duties； and at the present
moment a recordership in London in no wise prevents private
practice。 Were these gentlemen Americans； they would be obliged to
renounce all hope of professional income in order to serve their
country at its Capital。
Let us glance for a moment at the other reason。 Owing to our laws
（doubtless perfectly reasonable； and which it is not my intention
to criticise；） a man must reside in the place he represents。 Here
again we differ from all other constitutional countries。
Unfortunately； our clever young men leave the small towns of their
birth and flock up to the great centres as offering wider fields
for their advancement。 In consequence； the local elector finds his
choice limited to what is left … the intellectual skimmed milk； of
which the cream has been carried to New York or other big cities。
No country can exist without a metropolis； and as such a centre by
a natural law of assimilation absorbs the best brains of the
country； in other nations it has been found to the interests of all
parties to send down brilliant young men to the 〃provinces；〃 to be；
in good time； returned by them to the national assemblies。