The New York herald., 1871-10-23
LITER AT U r E.

Il ! i u Il "A i y II u.
CRITICISMS OF NEW BOOKS.
TIM AMsRIcAN TRAvELLER,s GUIDE; HARrsRs
HANDBOOK FOR TRAvELLERs IN EUkOPR AND
THE EAST BY w. Pembroke Fetrld4e. Tenth Year.
New York. Harper 4 Brothers, 1871. 12mo.. pp.
755. .tt.+
travelling" says Emerson. sis a FOOLS para
dlse" without stopping to consider in what sense
this oracuar assertion Is true. we may remark that,
OF all people the earths surface, the English and
the Americans are. par erce'lenCe, the travelling
races. II we keep ON at the rate Of the last few
years. 1t will soon be rare to find an intelligent
American at least In our leading cities who has not
visited Europe. That there Is sufficiently large class
OF buyers OF this nve dollar Handbook for Travellers
in Europe' to pay for the issue Of completely new
editions every year Is significant proof of the
spread Of the European epidemic among us. For
ten years has this nuge pocket-b00k OF routes been
revised and issued as an annual from the press Of
the Harpers. AS the only work protesting to cover
the Continent Of Europe which is annually issued
It's place in the category OF guide books is marked
and important one. and entails corresponding ob
cations upon publishers and compiler to make 1t
everything which can fairly be exacted OF such an
enterprise.
The work Is very full, very well printed. abound
ing In maps Of q certain class and generally well
written. The compiler takes pains to have 1t known
that he constantly resides abroad for the purpose OF
securing the freshest and most trustworthy infor.
nation about all new routes OF travel and
changes In hotels and city edidces. That
he has succeeded in combining into his
volume by repeated revisions more OF
interest and value to travellers than any other single
work contains is undoubtedly true. Such book is
and must continue to be q comfort to all persons
visiting foreign ian1s, as well as valuable to tnou
sands belonging to the ''can'tget-away club, who
wish TO have in compact shape some good index to
the sights and scenes OF the Old World.
Yet there are grave faults In this work which 1t
would be an unworthy use OF the ONCE OF criticism
20 refrain from exposing. It IL no part OF the func
ton OF the reviewer to join In an indiscrfminate
chorus OF laudatons even Of book apparently well
established in public favor On the contrary, the
more prominent the space filled or attempted
to be filed by the work the more essential does It
Decome that its defects should be pointed out, In
order that they may be remeded. The present ISSUE
while omitting several pages OF matter which had
become obs0lete-cheny In the portions relating to
about forty pages OF wholly new
This relates especially to London and
other parts OF England which are described In this
edition with far more funess than before Many
new maps OF cities also appear for the first time IN
this Issue.
We must remark, In general criticism Of the plan
OF the work, that It contains far too few maps OF
special countries and routes, while 1t Is needlessly
full or plans OF cities and towns. By actual count
for we look in vain in the table Of contents for any
list OF maps whatever-there fftythree plans OF
cities and parts Of cities and only eleven maps Of
countries. This exactly reverses the customary
wants Of the traveller who needs constantly before
him the best route maps OF every country he Is
likely to VISIT while the mere street plans OF cities
are comparatively useless to him while en- route,
and very certain TO be supplied In abuniany cheap
forms in each city visited when Wanted. or what
use Is 1t to the traveller contemplating European
tour to have his route booK filed with elaborate
ground plans OF such minor cities as Stockholm,
Pisa and Glasgow, when he looks in vain In its am
pie pages for q map OF France, OF Germany or OF
Italys
One more remark on the subject Of maps Why IL
It that neither in this guide book In any English
yet been adopted any OF the nrst class work that
characterizes the German handb0oks OF traveS
Why cannot the admirably clear sharp and beauh-
full cartography Of Wagner. at Darmstadt or the not
ess admirable autograph OF Justus Perthe's map
establishment al Gotha be availed OF to illustrate
our best guide booksf Let any reader contrast the
beautiful map work In even tile cheap German
handpooks las In Bedekers switzerland"
for example), with the muddy appearance OF the
maps OF Great Britain in 'Harper's Handbook OF
European Travel" In the former the outlines or
every district stand out clear and sharp the rivers
and lakes are finely coored in blue. the mountains
are delicately shaded In brown. and the roads and
railways are traced with mastery clearness that
leaves nothing to be desired In the latter, though
the map work Is executed In London tbearing the
imprint OF "Stanford's Geographical Establish
ment'' there is great ndisttnctness and fatntness
OF outline; no coloring whatever Is used, and the
names OF places are sometimes almost indistinguish.
able by the naked eye Yet these maps are far above
the average found In American anu English guide
books 50 IamentaDy wretched is the standard OF
such things with Us.
We regret to notice, ss We have done In all for
mer issues OF this work. very considerable amount
OF pufYery OF individuals and nrms engaged In Dusi-
ness. Thus we are informed on page %, that "the
most fashionable taiors In London are Messrs. -,
- New Bond street. Nearly all the pest-dressed
Americans abroad are their customers" This state
ment besides being absurdly wide OF the truth. In
outrageously bad taste In work making any pre-
tensions TO be accepted az fair and impartial
suide TO travellers What confidence can we place
in Mr. Fetrdge's Judgment OF foreign places, hotels
&C., II we are to be continually reminded that his
book is iu OF advertising dodges OF the most trans
parent description
There is one piece OF advice to travellers FOR whicn
the editor or this work VIII not receive the thanks OF
American Ministers abroad:-"The author wouid
retera,e his advice. by all means, IN visiting or
passinq through a place. to call and pay your re-
spects to the representative of your country" And
BY way Of showing every traveller how to 40 It, he
parades . list OF diplomatic and consular agents
resident abroad. However 1t may De with consuls
in the smaller c,ties 1t u certainly avery unpsces-