New-York tribune., 1869-01-08
NEW PUBLICATIONS
RRovNF,s GREAT METROPOLIS.

the public by Lis vigorous sketches Of personal ex-
perIence in TIE military prison at AueIsonyille and
his brisk dashing contributions to yar1ous prominent
Journals as a city correspondent lie wleids faciie
and not ungTacefll pen his style bears the marks
both of culture and reflection. and though often
tinctured with an infusion of puDgent SATIRE, Is
usually warmed by genial spirit Of humanity
In preparinc this volume. if he has somewhat too
freely INDUCED in the beseting vice Of modern Jour
nalists-ihe exposure OF the rotrements Oh lilNa'o
Hfe.-his portraitures for the most part arc hoI
proupted by an idle lovo Of gossip or ll-tenpereo
malgnIty, but by the evident desire 10 leed lhe
natural curiosity Of the public with regard 10 the
character and ongongs Of men. who are conspicuous
an social commercial financial, or literary life. The
hest mart of bis work however. is devoted to an ac-
count of what may be called fhe social anatomy OF
New-York without special personal references III
Gliding its highways and bywavs, the throng and
hustle Of its visible activity, and the secret under
ground channels in which crime and misery Ineau"cT
through their hideous existence His descriptions
are necessarily high colored, more in the style OF
scene painting than Of landscape, hut they arc gem
eraly sOftened by q vein of mild phosophizing lthe
cynic would call il sentimeDtalityl, which prevents
them from running into mere c9rcatnros' here'
for instance, is specimen Of his discourslngs on
fashionable life
OF fthe fifteen or sixteen avenues OF the city, FftA IS
known as the Avenue by way Of distinction % ~ r H. Dy y, M
tropohshe only one hat has thus iar & e5iC9 s me S S
eJior regnstjo1s of our municipal governments. Every
few months au Innovation II htteMP'u ul" ,,o E
its wealth. TO submit to any vulgar alteration IN It's set
Fifi6ayenue exclusveuess must he purchased Mt large
prices for il always offers temptations 10 pnN{1e S'H ~
lat0rs and corrupt legislators ~ even pie.tIS >.. ~
fortune the reason that has more az The attr n
the former, and would rather be overgcnerons tlSn
"Iet me alone; let mo DO as T want to-" says the
Avenue 10 outside bsrborians IN nervous nuA!y,' ~
hiost nals daaRSrbifaht aRS4b Ia p"5fftd IF denaHds and
Street raiways arc the periodic terror Of The Avenue
Though loud threats made to put them there There Is
quarter knows better than w1poc that fcw men fail TO
Be convinced by monetary arguments
Who has the most money wills in NcW-n YORK, Whefo INC
long as well the short race is to The fullest purse
Whenever hOnSe is for sale or rent In the Avenue us
residents feel profound Interest III ihe character o ibe
may be converted TO unworthy uses lest they may be
horly shocked by plehciln Heicbor who is what they
themselves were twenty, or five years or perhaps iew
months before Their Vigilance Is sleceSs IA ths e.
common tIadesmen and ambitious couttc'ans' ana en-
terprisng blacklegs, who had purchased an aDdlig-
place in the socially sacred Nenase IheIs nave ueen
those whom bank accounts and bank checks could not
persuade Madame Restel, the notorious a3ufuonlsi'
aud gamblers by the score, ana cypi4is -. inc uO@v,
have penetrated into the street and cannot pe soleh iu
Yet the energy aud munifcence Of the Avenue in the
endeavOr 10 keep ont the unanontod, is commendame
from its standpO md IN another direction, ~Onh Do
productive of 10 htue good
1t defect Of our perception that we expend our
1t is the habit NewYorkers TO style Fifthavenue
the first street in AmerGa 80 fr as 50 wealth F aG es
But in situation, it is far inferior 10 many thorough
fares / might maine. Beginning at Waslingonsquare,
n extends above Harlem and far Fiftynntlstreet,
II is almost ubroken line Of brOwnstone palaces
The architecture Is not only Impressive u IS Oppressive
Its great defect IS IA It's mOnOOuy which soon grows
tresome. variation, eontrastTsomeillng much less
ornate elaborate-would be relief It's hack OF cos
of ground OF pats, Of gardens is visual vice
Block after block mile upon mile Of the same lofty
brownslone highstoop broadsaired fronts weres me
eye. II Is like The perpetual red Ditk wilh Whle steps
ana white door and window facinSs for which Pmladel
One longs in the Avenue for marble more brick.
more iron more wood change in the style
and aspects Of the somberseemng houses whose occu-
pants, fances from the exterior look think dress
and alike. might 10 appears, into any draw
inc.roc,n between tie PARK and Old Paradegrouud
he would be greeted with the forms the same
Tie stately n,ansOns give the impression that they
night and the morning have found IL realized they
other wished and should have had alone.
The slavish spirit Of imitation with poverty OF inyen
ton spoiled the broad thOrOugiiarc where should
have had the Moorish aud Gothic Ionic and DOric Order
Eeyptian weight with Italian licuess, Tudor strength
with Eizabethan picturesqueEess.
1t a gIievous pity that whero there Is so much
Thesum Of fiithayenue wealth isunquestonablyfa farbe
yOud that OF any street IN the country the dwellings
pensve the incomes the inmates larger and
prodgay spent than they are anywhere else on tie Con
The interior Of the is often gorgeous Nothing
within moneys purchase but much thar perfect taste
would have suggested, omitted. Few Of the
that do not reveal something like tawdriness in the
dressed. Tie profasion atride bar6ac. Tho subtle
SUGGESTIONS W OF c9inlielG ei.sSnce arc @ hoI mere .
material comfort, or TO those whose tcmpei eiameIs
vouptuous aud indocnt, poetic ones are feel
ing akin 10 happiness be born Of the splendid sur
rOuudings that belong 10 the homes Of tie Fih-aye.
rich.
pictures; what rich curtains; what charming frescoes
what marbles Of grace; what bronzcs of beauty; what
prodgay o pletiness! The SOFT warm, yet fresh oGor
the deghtfu chambers where sleep seems TO be hidden
beneath the spotess pillows o lace half
open library, where hundreds OF morocco volumes stand
silent with the treasures of mind IN their keep
OF flowers blown by the gentle wind
or fancy crave might be bad in the vailed Psiiisc
OF those splendid homes. Dishes so delicate as 10
tempt the most sureited appetite; rich enough
10 anchorite 10 their tasting; music Of Mozart
and MendessOhn and Beethoven 10 cheer ana soften
srelgtAe ana cvsoIcj tOlncs OF Dals ana Sa6cs 10 MI
the thoughts 10 ideal pOssibties-al these be
found there. Fair haryests may be gathered every min
ute OF the day or night; and ne who takes MOI up The
golden sickle IN the fragrant field, is 10 be pited
than he who signs for flowers in a sterile waste.
Too sad for is tie bitter fact that everything
pals that the highest and best satisfies only FOR time
They who live IN the midst OF such speudor grow ia
mllar with 1t that they value II not They spared
certain number Of wants but others are felt that may
not be supplied The spirit is not satisfied with june
lngs the yaeuues OF the heart may not be filled with
shows Of pleasure or the tinsel Of display.
IL good 10 be ch; but II is better 10 be contented
Z" Remove the banquet where sympathy Will come"
says every starving sOul some time IN It's progress and
spread the humblest board where Love may SIT"
See that fair woman, rObed Ike queenbeauty In face
and form, and grace ia every motion.
What has she TO sigh fort What can she need with
wealth, and position, aud friends aud generous hearth
Nothing that she has; everything that she has not
Her generous heart that should have been her blessing
never She IS wife ia merely and be such
welded bound In law, though In affection
She obeyed FASHIONS Dictates and Nature o&aots thc
How she longs IN her splendid desoation for the love
of children that do come for All her IOuengl How
she thrills in sleep with the kisses Of the babe that kindly
dreams send to her and presses the airy cherub TO her
unnursed bosom! The tender eyes opeu and her happi
al her side and .la' q