Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/82

 64 THE LADY OF QUALITY This section of Every Woman s Encyclopedia will deal with all phases and aspects of Court and social life. It will contain authoritative articles upon : Presentations and other Func- Card Parties The Fashionable Resorts of tions Dances Europe Court Balls At Homes Great Social Positions Occu- The Art of Entertaining Garden Parties, pied by Women Dinner Parties, etc. etc.. etc. Etiquette for all Occasions, etc. WOMEM IN GREAT SOCIAL FO.SITION^ THE WIFE OF THE PRIME MINISTER " IVI^^" AsQuiTH held a private reception ^'^ yesterday at 20, Cavendish Square. Among those present were " There is sometimes a world of significance behind this simple announcement which appears periodically in the Press. To the average man or woman it proj^ably conveys nothing more than the idea that the wife of the Prime Minister has been entertaining the friends of her husband and herself, and that while, doubt- less, the reception wa.s characterised by much pohtical gossip, the function was purely social and lacked further im- portance. This may or may not be true. There is an old saying, however, to the effect that the destinies of nations are more often moulded in salons than in Parlia- ment, and the possi- bilities are that that reception has been held with a view to bringing certain people together who will sway some political event /f the day. That is one of the most important duties of the chief political hostess of the day — ^to bring people possessing wealth, power, and influence together. It is almost equally as important for her to smooth over, through the medium of social amenities, those dissensions which are bound to arise amongst members of the party outside the House, and by so doing not only prove of the greatest assistance to her husband, but also relieve him of much anxiety and worry. Beaconsfield once remarked that, given a clever wafe, the success of a politician was assured. Certain it is that much depends upon the modern political hostess. To be successful as the wife of a Prime Minister, however, a woman must be exception- ally clever, with a great capacity for work. Her day usually starts at 8.30, and more often than not does not end until one cr two the following morn- ing. She must neces- sarily be tactful, shrewd, and discreet. Her words are listened to with almost as much attention as those of her husband, and her actions most closely watched by political friends and foes alike. She must, moreover, be domes- ticated in the sense of being able to manage successfully a large house, and give those political dinnr rs and parties which are so important a part of the life of a Prime Minister's wife. It does not, of course, always happen that the wife of a Prime Minister shines to advantage in political circles. Ill-health and a distaste for politics, for instance, kept Lady Campbell Bannerman, the Marchioness of Salisbury, and Mrs. Gladstone somewhat in the background. As an intimate