New-York tribune., 1870-01-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SYBARIS.

SYBARIS
sYBARIs AND OTHER HOMES. By EDWARD EVER
EFT HALE l2mO. Up. SOC Fields Osgood 90,
Professional authors are well aware that the most
remuneratiye article they produce is the Short
Story. To many magazines and papers this is in
dispensabe element for it is thing than the
nOvel-being more difficult of cOnstructOn-a more
attractive thing to the general reader and therefore
more valuable thing TO the periodical Many
writers have attempted it; few have really sue
ceeded. On this side of the ocean the good short
story writer's especially rare Harriet Prescott
tnew Mrs. SpOfiord) made "a very papable hit" in
this line of art years ago. with a story called
In Cellar" and subsequently with the sensuOus,
Uehlycolored. and imaginative "Amber GOds.'
lltz James OBnen-whose stories and poems, by
the way would make delightful book, and ought
to be cOllected-won distinction, at about the same
time. by his Diamond Lens" and Wonder
smith, Mrs. Elizabeth Stoddard. Mrs. Rebecca Hard
ing Davis Miss Caroline CheesebOro the late George
Arnold, and some others, merit remembrance, also,
on the roll of successful writers of short stories OF
late the Rev. Edward Everett Hale has proved his
powers IN this domain, and won distinct and bright
reputation, by the Ingham papers. These, as our
readers will scarcely need to be reminded. have ap
peaTed in The atlantic NOnthlU and been therefTom
collected into volumes. One Of these volumes en-
titled "Sybaris and Other Homes is among the late
merits careful attention not merely a story-book,
but the discussion of very important social topic
1t consists of preface, five sketches, and appen
dix of illustrative documents My Visit to SyDa-
rs is the chef sketch. This paints sort of Utopia.
Society in Sybaris. Col. lngham found it, was Or
gained the basis of love, Justice and wisdom.
Life there was comfortable for everybody. In
sketching this ideal state, the writer humorously
satirzes many of the everyday blemishes of modern
civilization. His method is the simple and obvious
of contrast. To read about a horee-car trip in
Sybaris for example is to realize deeply than
what wretched nuisance the present horse-car
system is, under which we hourly suffer. Seeing the
thing that ought to be, led TO ponder on the
thing that is; and pondering theTeupon desire to
change the evil for the good The story is therefore
stimulative of the spirit of reform. Indeed, the
drift of the whole book is reformatOry. 1t at
tacks the tenement-hOuse system. 1t denOunces
the criminal neglect of city governments to
furnish needful drainage and means of ceanl-
ness II makes practical suggestions with reference
10 the improvement of the homes of the poor; and
especially, it submits-for the consideration of the
owners of capial.-distinct and detailed plans for
draining off the population of over-crowdcd cities
and for improving the general health, by making
provision suburban homes for the laboring classes
In the sketch of Sybaris and how they live there
the purely visionary mood of the philosophical re-
fOrmer-whO rides fine but impractical theories that
take him nowhere-is now and then evident. Friends
of mankind warm-hearted. cheerful, and hopeful
are apt to reason and TO build upon the assumption
that mankind are intended for state of happiness
here and that such a state is attainabe if we can
only hit upon right principles Of social organization
whereas individual experience and the history of the
world show beyond a question, that man is born to
trouble and that there way out of itbutd DEATH
ana that is very uncertain. Upon plans for set
ting the whole world right, therefore. do not in
CIue TO lnger. But every suggestion is valuable
which points toward reforms that can actually be
made whether in the machinery of government or
the details Of social life When Mr. Halespecifes for
instance that infants have died in Boston of cholera
iufantum at the rate of - a week, because the city
is not properly drained and because the poor people
are huddled like swine in those filthy styes called
tenement houses, he touches upon social sores that
can DE healed ought TO he healed and must be healed
II the Republic is to live There is cheering
flag unless the people who live under ii are at least
allowed the chance of living decently Happiness is
altogether uncertain matter; but soap water, and
pure air accessible and cleanliness ought TO be
both assured and enforced This and kindred mat
ters Mr. Hale discusses with ample Intelligence and
evident and affecting sincerity. and in that free. off
hand style which has made him remarkable among
magazine writer's. A noble quality in his book is its
sympathy with the sorows and needs Of human ma
Others Jy the hand and lead and cheer them onward
in the pilgrimage of life. Whoever labOrs III this
spirit cannot labor in vain.