The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-19
BOOK NOTICE.

AsMoDes Evw YORK. REVUE cRIrIQuE DIS INsrI
TUrl0Ns PoLirIQUEs KIT CIylLEs DIX IAMERIQuE,
CoUTuMEs, ANEepoTEs NoM s,',.l &C.; VIE
PUBLIQUE Er PRiTHE, MGURS. Paris; Henri
Pl0u. 1863
Mr. Longchamps, the author OF this very readable
book which has been published anonymously,
sided for fifteen or twenty years In New York. lie
remarks himself that it requires not weeks nor
months, but years, to understand the character OF
the Americans; but even his prolonged residence In
this country has not prevented him from falling into
gross errors He opens his book with description
OF an impossible party at the house OF mime. Killer"
under which name he but half wells a person only
too well known to our metropolitan society; and
some OF his most amusing anecdotes OF New York
life are spoiled by his admxture OF fiction with facts.
In too many cases he has combined In an ingenious
but incorrect statement the circumstances OF
several facts. each OF which has actually but sepa-
ratey occurred. Moreover, he occasionally betrays
the fatal facility OF most French writer's to generaze
widely from the narrowest possible foundation OF
facts. The inaccuracy exhibited in the printing OF
the motto OF his work-"Wlth charity for all, at
malice to none'-is apparent on more than one page
Nevertheless, the twentythree chapters ana five
hundred pages In which Mr. Longchamps records his
impressions OF the character of Americans in general
instructive. The Asmodeus whom he engages 10
unroOf our houses and reveal the secrets OF our life
Is, on the whole, a very good natured devil. II his
fGtcide ia scarcely less frequent here than In China
we cannot admit that he altogether proves his as
serton, lamentably frequent as the crime unfor-
tunately ia. II we are charged with an inordinate
greed for gold we credited with an equally tn0r-
a a,na passion for spending it. II our splendid
.hem as an expeditions mode OF getting rid or
surplus stock OF merchandise and settling
Win cIedltors our insurance companies are at least
prompt IN fulfilling their contracts The history of the
Kev Dr. Merryman, whose first wife ia seduced by
the founder of q sprituastic sect, and who saated
|
provlung ior her and for his children insures his
| elopes to Europe with a young scnoolmstress who
afterwards deserts him for u rich Californian, is
fair to oer-and even Asmodeus does not ven nre to
oIer-the Rev. Dr. Merryman as type OF the Protest
AMI clergy In tins country The chapter in which
| lions OF New York and sketches, or caricatures ia
| you please the prominent members OF the New York
bar, Is particularly readable. liz fine, nOtwithstand.
ing the evident lack OF bookmaking experience on
the part of our author, he contrivcs to make the
whole bulky volume readable whether he describes
| how we flight the ger'' in New York; how we vote;
how our insane asylums and political clubs
NOW we cance ~ camp ,eG.hs
firt and how we marry and how readily we get
| divorced; how we are influenced by pretty waiter
girls" how we consult astroogers; how our colored
BARRIERS are heroes OF romances more roma ntic than
Mrs. Beecher Stowe ever wrote; how our coroners
make their nquests: how scons OF noble Scotch and
| French families become pckpockets or beggars in
New York; how 'shoddy' and our very young
aristocracyr make themselves almost equally ridicu.
lous; how suspicious, or at least cautious emigrants
ought to be In all their transactions with US; how
| complete and how superior American journalism is
thanks to 'the powerful impulse 1t has received from
| a foreigner" or how undesirable residence the
United States offer to cultivated minds, to artists
4 to men OF elegant and refined manners" and
what grand future they ofYer "to artisans, to
| those who have practical acquaintance with the
industrial arts to all who having manual profes..
sion, are able and willing to use their arms"
Making all the reservations which a work on
country foreign to the author must require Mr..
Longchamps has written book which entities him
to be named, with the late NJ de TOcqueville and
with M. de Beaumont. as having more carefully OBJ
served and studied American customs, manners and
character than any Of the English tourists who have
visited us, from Mrs. Trollopo and parson Fiddler to
Charles Dickens.