Worldly Ways and Byways

Eliot Gregory (1854-1915) was an American artist, critic and author. He was born in New York but he travelled to Paris to study and practice art. He specialized in drawing portraits of famous people. He also wrote short stories and critical essays. His works include: Wordly Ways and Byways (1898) and The Ways of Men (1900). "There existed formerly, in diplomatic circles, a curious custom, since fallen into disuse, entitled the Pele Mele, contrived doubtless by some distracted Master of Ceremonies to quell the endless jealousies and quarrels for precedence between courtiers and diplomatists of contending pretensions. Under this rule no rank was recognized, each person being allowed at banquet, fete, or other public ceremony only such place as he had been ingenious or fortunate enough to obtain. "