know the person beside whom one has the happiness of sitting, what
possible subject can one broach with any prudence. I put politics aside,
because, thanks to party spirit, we rarely meet those we are strongly
opposed to; but if we sneer at the methodists, our neighbour may be a
saint--if we abuse a new book, he may have written it--if we observe that
the tone of the piano-forte is bad, his father may have made it--if we
complain of the uncertainty of the banking interest, his uncle may have
been gazetted last week. I name no exaggerated instances; on the
contrary, I refer these general remarks to particular individuals, whom
all of us have probably met. Thus, you see, that a variety of topics is
prescribed in a mixed company, because some one or other of them will be
certain to offend."

Perceiving that we listened to him with attention, Mr. Clarendon
continued--"Nor is this more than a minor objection to the great mixture
prevalent amongst us: a more important one may be found in the universal
imitation it produces. The influx of common persons being once permitted,
certain sets recede, as it were, from the contamination, and contract
into very diminished coteries. Living familiarly solely amongst
themselves, however they may be forced into visiting promiscuously, they
imbibe certain manners, certain peculiarities in mode and words--even in
an accent or a pronunciation, which are confined to themselves; and
whatever differs from these little eccentricities, they are apt to
condemn as vulgar and suburban. Now, the fastidiousness of these sets
making them difficult of intimate access, even to many of their superiors
in actual rank, those very superiors, by a natural feeling in human
nature, of prizing what is rare, even if it is worthless, are the first
to solicit their acquaintance; and, as a sign that they enjoy it, to
imitate those peculiarities which are the especial hieroglyphics of this
sacred few. The lower grades catch the contagion, and imitate those they