absolute bores, especially to any one accustomed to good society.  If you go to a soiree you see grouped together, for fear of contamination with the outsiders (without which a successful party cannot be formed), the members of the so-called ‘sacred circle,’ talking to each other in dignified (or undignified, as the case may be judged) whispers.  While all are cheerful and gay, you scarcely see a smile on the countenances of these tremendous swells.

If you go in the street you will meet a creature dressed in most gorgeous apparel, armed to the teeth with firearms that probably won’t go off, knives and daggers covered with precious stones, walking solemnly along.  If you look carefully among the crowd in his wake you will discover some one, or ones, walking with an indignant swagger at being hustled by the vulgar crowd.  The man in gold, armed to the teeth, is what is called a cavass, and these swells behind are the representatives, male or female, of some foreign potentate, taking a walk.  It would be quite infra dig. to go without one of these useless appendages.  Again, if an individual not belonging to the ‘sacred circle’ meets a foreign representative who condescends to speak to him, and while he is doing so another member of an embassy ‘heaves in sight,’ the first swell will immediately sheer off, looking ashamed at having so far forgotten himself as to be seen speaking to any one outside ’his circle.’  You may occasionally be invited to the houses of these exalted personages, but there is always an implied condescension in their attitude which tends to negative the effect of their good intentions.  And all this is a great pity, because these people must be tired of each other, and would find quite as much intelligence outside as inside their circle.  Besides, there are charming people among them who would ornament any society, but their ill-acted airs of ‘brief authority’ quite spoil them, and make them, as I said, bores to themselves and to those who would be their friends.

I will, in proof of what I say, relate a short anecdote as to what occurred in the house of a friend of mine.

This friend gave a very large fancy dress ball, at which two or three hundred people were present.  The ball was in every way a success, but as the giver did not belong to the ‘sacred circle,’ the members of that body only condescended to go for a short time.  I have no doubt (for there are lots of jolly people among them) that they would have liked to have stopped much longer, but it was not thought ‘dignified.’  So, after a short time, most of the ‘sacred circle’ sneaked away.  One of them who had two charming daughters, devoted to dancing, not having noticed the departure of the great people till that moment, came hurriedly to my friend and said, ‘Goodnight, I must go, every one is gone.’  ’Every one?’ said my friend, ’why, look at the rooms, there are at least two hundred people dancing and amusing themselves.’  ‘Yes, I see,’ said the diplomat (he was rather a small one), ’but I mean the ambassadors and their parties, are gone, so I must go; but for once, to please you, I’ll leave my daughters.’  I believe my friend answered, ’You may go to the d——­l.’  This is a fact, and shows the unfortunate system that ruins to a great extent the sociability of society in Pera.