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CASTE IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.
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breadth of his smile have averaged him. Manner, however, is constantly reinforced by mind, and the republican mind is one of growth. The absurdity of American social life is to talk of entering society; for, as soon as an American tries to bring society into focus to be interviewed, it divides itself into numerous facets of prismatic brilliancy. As a protest against any attempt to define society stands Mrs. Whitney's "We Girls;" in which some girl invites some one "next" to her, and that next some one next in turn to her, till finally the whole village is related in a community of interests.

This constant enlargement of a social sphere, or the infinite subdivisions of acquaintanceship, prevents society (granted for the moment that such an entity exists) from being an unified power for evil or good; while, because there is no such thing as society in itself, but circles of individuals combining for social purposes, these circles represent the social and educa-

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