XXII.-Institution of Feeing.

Feeing is an institution of itself in Europe. The American tourist runs against it constantly, feeling greatly annoyed by it, and well he may, for its unpleasant features alone come most prominently within his daily experience-indeed, it is new to him, for he has not given it thought enough from his simple hearsay knowledge of it, to discern that there is but comparatively little like it, as an institution, in his own country. It is probable that the institution of fees was introduced into the Northern and Central countries of Europe by the Romans, and that it also took activity from the feudal system. In Rome the lawyers never charged clients for their legal services, they were above it, they labored for the honor and influence which might come from their services they received gratuities, however, from their clients, and laws were made forbidding the accepting of gratuities which exceeded a specified sum. With certain modifications for special classes of the lesser ranks of the legal profession, the spirit of this old Roman custom and law is still observed, and is powerful in England, Scotland, and Paris, at the present time.

The same customs and laws are in vogue, although with a less degree of observance, in the profession of medicine in Britain, and possibly also in some portions of the Continent. This spirit and practice are also prominent to-day in the United States, in the matter of marriage fees,

and of clergymens' fees for conducting funeral and baptismal services.

The theory upon which these practices are sustained is, that the professional gentleman should be entirely independent of any consideration for services, in order that he shall not be under any bias from a stipulated fee, either in medicine or in law. It is held that much of the honorable reputation of the Bar and the Bench in Europe, is due solely to the independence which the absence of any expectation of certain fees has given to the profession.

The spirit of the feudal system was authority and obedience to authority. The lords exercised authority in peremptory commands-they would brook no demand except from those who had the right to make the demand-they were gentlemen with a high sense of honor according to the code then in force, and they would not be dictated to as to the value of services rendered by a subordinate they set their own estimate upon the value of the services accepted by them-they would have been insulted at the suggestion from an inferior, relative to the value of any given favor. The subordinates, in tern, would not attempt to name a sum for favors bestowed by by them, they left the whole matter to the generosity of the chief-they gave their services and said nothing, but accepted with thanks whatsoever was handed them. The gentlemen prided themselves upon being liberal to subordinates for favors bestowed.

Servants were hired at the fairs, until very recently, by giving them a gratuity, which by their accepting it, bound the bargain between master and help. The many fair-days, and some of the holidays at the present time, are not so

much a matter of positive law, as they are demands by the servants and laboring classes that they be allowed these days as gratuities which the wealthy and nobility should grant them. These are instances, on an extended scale, in which the spirit of the institution of feeing manifests itself as a strong power in European society. Hence, in general terms it may be said. that European society is permeated, literally honey-combed, with the various phases of the spirit of feeing, and of the custom of giving gratuities. Positive laws have gradually come into being for regulating the amount of the gratuities, and have thus converted many of those voluntary fees into stipulated legal dues, in order that justice for all parties should be better established. But the spirit of a great people, especially in Europe, is tenacious of its ancient states, and is jealous of its former customs. Hence it is that the spirit of feeing, as an institution, is still in full vigor, almost in its pristine glory, all through society, even though statute law has given to it a partial form and direction; it often asserts its claims and considers itself in legitimate activity whenever it can return in practice to its former estate of giving and receiving, or of demanding and compelling.

The law now stands guard against extortion and fraud, but not against the attempts at them which the cupidity of human nature and the old institutions stimulate. Between these powers the conscience of the average man will step into a shaded corner in the presence of the respected customs of his honorable ancestors. Hence, in Europe to-day, fees are offered and are received, not as bribes, but as legitimate transactions in full conformity with the genius of

their institutions. It is undoubtedly true that the more enlightened of European statesmen realize the evils of the institution, and are hoping as well as laboring for the suppression of it, as is evidenced in enacting laws and in putting up public notices which strictly forbid the accepting of fees in certain specified instances.

All the foregoing being assumed, the question arises, particularly to an American who is entirely unacquainted with such an institution, what is duty in the matter when traveling in Europe. To answer this is not my province, except as shall appear in the following: The tourist should first inform himself as well as possible about the law which relates to his own interests, as cab fares and the like. He should then carefully study what are the customs of the people concerning the things which come within the range of his own necessary experience. A good business American much prefers to know at once exactly what any given service is to cost him; then he can accept or reject the offer; then he can estimate his business transactions in a business manner; it is all open dealing. Not being accustomed to conduct affairs upon any other basis, having no other business education, he is placed hors de combat when he comes into the presence of the system of feeing; his pride contends with his business judgment; he despises meanness and penuriousness; he would be favorably regarded by the foreigners among whom he travels; he dislikes to confess necessary economy; the servants catch his case and play upon his pride and his generosity and his fear in order to increase their own gains. Under all these circumstances he knows not what to do, nor how much to give, when a servant says to him, The

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gentleman's pleasure," and touches his hat to him so politely. Foreigners say to Americans that they are spoiling servants in Europe by overfeeing them, and that the servants of all grades are fast coming to regard American travelers as very desirable for promiscuous and wholesale plunder.

As an American, I utter my protest against this, and ask my fellow-countrymen to guard against adding to this tendency to extortion and demoralization.

It is often a delicate query with the tourist how much to give servants and guides, these "functionaries that serve the public and must be paid by the public." In this dilemma a safe way is to put the case to some intelligent gentleman who is at hand; ask of him the favor to inform you of the custom and liberality in the case. If this be put in a proper spirit of candor the tourist will not be dishonorably dealt with. It will soon appear that threepence, or sixpence, or a shilling, is a good fee where the tourist had thought of double the amount. A porter carries your trunk to the depot, he will be content with a shilling ; he lifts your trunk from a carriage into the depot, he will be content with threepence or a sixpence; he carries your trunk up to your room and brings it down again, he will be content with a sixpence or a little more. The cab-drivers in Paris claim so much for the regular fare and a few sous as an extra or

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pour boire."

The effect of the fee upon the servant is happily described by Hawthorne in his "Notes on England": "At an English hotel, the traveler feels as if everybody, from the landlord downward, united in a joint and individual purpose to fleece him, because all the attendants who come