attention；　is　not　as　exciting　as　tennis　nor　as　clever　in
  combinations　as　croquet；　that　in　fact　it　would　be　quite　as　amusing
  to　roll　an　empty　barrel　several　times　around　a　plowed　field；　they
  laugh　at　you　in　derision　and　instantly　put　you　down　in　their
  profound　minds　as　a　man　who　does　not　understand　〃sport。〃
  Yet　these　very　people　were　tennis…mad　twenty　years　ago　and　had
  night　come　to　interrupt　a　game　of　croquet　would　have　ordered
  lanterns　lighted　in　order　to　finish　the　match　so　enthralling　were
  its　intricacies。
  Everybody　has　known　how　to　play　BEZIQUE　in　this　country　for　years；
  yet　within　the　last　eighteen　months；　whole　circles　of　our　friends
  have　been　seized　with　a　midsummer　madness　and　willingly　sat　glued
  to　a　card…table　through　long　hot　afternoons　and　again　after　dinner
  until　day　dawned　on　their　folly。
  Certain　MEMOIRES　of　Louis　Fifteenth's　reign　tell　of　an
  〃unravelling〃　mania　that　developed　at　his　court。　　It　began　by　some
  people　fraying　out　old　silks　to　obtain　the　gold　and　silver　threads
  from　worn…out　stuffs；　this　occupation　soon　became　the　rage；　nothing
  could　restrain　the　delirium　of　destruction；　great　ladies　tore
  priceless　tapestries　from　their　walls　and　brocades　from　their
  furniture；　in　order　to　unravel　those　materials　and　as　the　old　stock
  did　not　suffice　for　the　demand　thousands　were　spent　on　new　brocades
  and　velvets；　which　were　instantly　destroyed；　entertainments　were
  given　where　unravelling　was　the　only　amusement　offered；　the　entire
  court　thinking　and　talking　of　nothing　else　for　months。
  What　is　the　logical　deduction　to　be　drawn　from　all　this？　　Simply
  that　people　do　not　see　with　their　eyes　or　judge　with　their
  understandings；　that　an　all…pervading　hypnotism；　an　ambient
  suggestion；　at　times　envelops　us　taking　from　people　all　free　will；
  and　replacing　it　with　the　taste　and　judgment　of　the　moment。
  The　number　of　people　is　small　in　each　generation；　who　are　strong
  enough　to　rise　above　their　surroundings　and　think　for　themselves。
  The　rest　are　as　dry　leaves　on　a　stream。　　They　float　along　and　turn
  gayly　in　the　eddies；　convinced　all　the　time　（as　perhaps　are　the
  leaves）　that　they　act　entirely　from　their　own　volition　and　that
  their　movements　are　having　a　profound　influence　on　the　direction
  and　force　of　the　current。
  CHAPTER　10　…　Bohemia
  LUNCHING　with　a　talented　English　comedian　and　his　wife　the　other
  day；　the　conversation　turned　on　Bohemia；　the　evasive　no…man's…land
  that　Thackeray　referred　to；　in　so　many　of　his　books；　and　to　which
  he　looked　back　lovingly　in　his　later　years；　when；　as　he　said；　he
  had　forgotten　the　road　to　Prague。
  The　lady　remarked：　〃People　have　been　more　than　kind　to　us　here　in
  New　York。　　We　have　dined　and　supped　out　constantly；　and　have　met
  with　gracious　kindness；　such　as　we　can　never　forget。　　But　so　far　we
  have　not　met　a　single　painter；　or　author；　or　sculptor；　or　a　man　who
  has　explored　a　corner　of　the　earth。　　Neither　have　we　had　the　good
  luck　to　find　ourselves　in　the　same　room　with　Tesla　or　Rehan；　Edison
  or　Drew。　　We　shall　regret　so　much　when　back　in　England　and　are
  asked　about　your　people　of　talent；　being　obliged　to　say；　'We　never
  met　any　of　them。'　　Why　is　it？　　We　have　not　been　in　any　one　circle；
  and　have　pitched　our　tents　in　many　cities；　during　our　tours　over
  here；　but　always　with　the　same　result。　　We　read　your　American
  authors　as　much　as；　if　not　more　than；　our　own。　　The　names　of　dozens
  of　your　discoverers　and　painters　are　household　words　in　England。
  When　my　husband　planned　his　first　tour　over　here　my　one　idea　was；
  'How　nice　it　will　be！　　Now　I　shall　meet　those　delightful　people　of
  whom　I　have　heard　so　much。'　　The　disappointment　has　been　complete。
  Never　one　have　I　seen。〃
  I　could　not　but　feel　how　all　too　true　were　the　remarks　of　this
  intelligent　visitor；　remembering　how　quick　the　society　of　London　is
  to　welcome　a　new　celebrity　or　original　character；　how　a　place　is　at
  once　made　for　him　at　every　hospitable　board；　a　permanent　one　to
  which　he　is　expected　to　return；　and　how　no　Continental
  entertainment　is　considered　complete　without　some　bright　particular
  star　to　shine　in　the　firmament。
  〃Lion…hunting；〃　I　hear　my　reader　say　with　a　sneer。　　That　may　be；
  but　it　makes　society　worth　the　candle；　which　it　rarely　is　over
  here。　　I　realized　what　I　had　often　vaguely　felt　before；　that　the
  Bohemia　the　English　lady　was　looking　for　was　not　to　be　found　in
  this　country；　more's　the　pity。　　Not　that　the　elements　are　lacking。
  Far　from　it；　（for　even　more　than　in　London　should　we　be　able　to
  combine　such　a　society）；　but　perhaps　from　a　misconception　of　the
  true　idea　of　such　a　society；　due　probably　to　Henry　Murger's　dreary
  book　SCENES　DE　LA　VIE　DE　BOHEME　which　is　chargeable　with　the　fact
  that　a　circle　of　this　kind　evokes　in　the　mind　of　most　Americans
  visions　of　a　scrubby；　poorly…fed　and　less…washed　community；　a　world
  they　would　hardly　dare　ask　to　their　tables　for　fear　of　some
  embarrassing　unconventionality　of　conduct　or　dress。
  Yet　that　can　hardly　be　the　reason；　for　even　in　Murger　or　Paul　de
  Kock；　at　their　worst；　the　hero　is　still　a　gentleman；　and　even　when
  he　borrows　a　friend's　coat；　it　is　to　go　to　a　great　house　and　among
  people　of　rank。　　Besides；　we　are　becoming　too　cosmopolitan；　and
  wander　too　constantly　over　this　little　globe；　not　to　have　learned
  that　the　Bohemia　of　1830　is　as　completely　a　thing　of　the　past　as　a
  GRISETTE　or　a　glyphisodon。　　It　disappeared　with　Gavarni　and　the
  authors　who　described　it。　　Although　we　have　kept　the　word；　its
  meaning　has　gradually　changed　until　it　has　come　to　mean　something
  difficult　to　define；　a　will…o'…the…wisp；　which　one　tries　vainly　to
  grasp。　　With　each　decade　it　has　put　on　a　new　form　and　changed　its
  centre；　the　one　definite　fact　being　that　it　combines　the　better
  elements　of　several　social　layers。
  Drop　in；　if　you　are　in　Paris　and　know　the　way；　at　one　of　Madeleine
  Lemaire's　informal　evenings　in　her　studio。　　There　you　may　find　the
  Prince　de　Ligne；　chatting　with　Rejane　or　Coquelin；　or　Henri
  d'Orleans；　just　back　from　an　expedition　into　Africa。　　A　little
  further　on；　Saint…Saens　will　be　running　over　the　keys；　preparing　an
  accompaniment　for　one　of　Madame　de　Tredern's　songs。　　The　Princess
  Mathilde　（that　passionate　lover　of　art）　will　surely　be　there；　and　…
  but　it　is　needless　to　particularize。
  Cross　the　Channel；　and　get　yourself　asked　to　one　of　Irving's　choice
  suppers　after　the　play。　　You　will　find　the　bar；　the　stage；　and　the
  pulpit　represented　there；　a　〃happy　family〃　over　which　the　〃Prince〃
  often　presides；　smoking　cigar　after　cigar；　until　the　tardy　London
  daylight　appears　to　break　up　the　entertainment。
  For　both　are　centres　where　the　gifted　and　the　travelled　meet　the
  great　of　the　social　world；　on　a　footing　of　perfect　equality；　and
  where；　if　any　prestige　is　accorded；　it　is　that　of　brains。　　When　you
  have　seen　these　places　and　a　dozen　others　like　them；　you　will
  realize　what　the　actor's　wife　had　in　her　mind。
  Now；　let　me　whisper　to　you　why　I　think　such　circles　do　not　exist　in
  this　country。　　In　the　first　place；　we　are　still　too　provincial　in
  this　big　city　of　ours。　　New　York　always　reminds　me　of　a　definition
  I　once　heard　of　California　fruit：　〃Very　large；　with　no　particular
  flavor。〃　　We　are　like　a　boy；　who　has　had　the　misfortune　to　grow　too
  quickly　and　look　like　a　man；　but　whose　mind　has　not　kept　pace　with
  his　body。　　What　he　knows　is　undigested　and　chaotic；　while　his
  appearance　makes　you　expect　more　of　him　than　he　can　give　…　hence
  disappointment。
  Our　society　is　yet　in　knickerbockers；　and　has　retained　all　sorts　of
  littlenesses　and　prejudices　which　older　civilizations　have　long
  since　relegated　to　the　mental　lumber　room。　　An　equivalent　to　this
  point　of　view　you　will　find　in　England　or　France　only　in　the
  smaller　〃cathedral〃　cities；　and　even　there　the　old　aristocrats　have
  the　courage　of　their　opinions。　　Here；　where　everything　is　quite
  frankly　on　a　money　basis；　and　〃positions〃　are　made　and　lost　like　a
  fortune；　by　a　turn　of　the　market；　those　qualities　which　are　purely
  mental；　and　on　which　it　is　hard　to　put　a　practical　value；　are
  naturally　at　a　discount。　　We　are　quite　ready　to　pay　for　the　best。
  Witness　our　private　galleries　and　the　opera；　but　we　say；　like　the
  parvenu　in　Emile　Augier's　delightful　comedy　LE　GENDRE　DE　M。
  POIRIER；　〃Patronize　art？　　Of　course！　　But　the　artists？　　Never！〃
  And　frankly；　it　would　be　too　much；　would　it　not；　to　expect　a　family
  only　half　a　generation　away　from　an　iron　foundry；　or　a　mine；　to　be
  willing　to　receive　Irving　or　Bernhardt　on　terms　of　perfect
  equality？
  As　it　would　be　unjust　to　demand　a　mature　mind　in　the　overgrown　boy；
  it　is　useless　to　hope　for　delicate　tact　and　social　feeling　from　the
  parvenu。　　To　be　gracious　and　at　ease　with　all　classes　and
  professions；　one　must　be　perfectly　sure　of　one's　own　position