The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-19
Wnrncr,. Winfcr ON The Nile.

We doubt II any man could find II in his
heart to make fun of the pyramids. A sense Of
tho ludi rous, which Is Away alert. which
grins In the lace Of mystery, which L. not hushed
IN the presence OF great facts, carries with Il a
m,, inchOly confession Of mental shalowne.s
or obiquity. VINO would turn a convex MIRROR
on the Parthenon or tine Pantheon The ane
intuition, the sensitive appreciation OF nice
gradatious and subtle inconeruitiss, whion
equip. the humorist should apparently insure
an apt choice OF theme, aud for that reason SO
much Of the Innocents Abroad " as deals with
tho monuments OF Syria aud Z les,in seems to
be an anomaly In literature. There Is no doubt
that Mr.. Clemens Is artist, vet we should
hardly call the work mentioned artistic, since
It fails to enlist sympathy without which
tho corruscations OF wit are scarcely
more effective than Chinese fireworks.
There were moments when Rabelais ana
Swift could write soberly and even sadly, and II
the 70 ldor don that secret compass Of pro-
pt.sty, a certain BlOius IN rebus, stecred the
flight Of their widest extravaganza, let him try
to conceive of Gulyer or Gtrg intua per imbu.
lating tho Holy Land. The new book by
CHARLES DUDLEY wARNER-My Winter on ne
Nat-is not open to exception on the score OF
treatment The author shows no disposition to
be J,cose in the metropolis Of Memphis or
among tie rock-hcwn tOmbs OF Thebe-. In oei-
tain places lac /. not unwilling TO pu. IN his
humor with his shoes, and seems glad To sink
his individual talent IN the sentiments common
To humanity. The sly irony, rather p ,yfui than
mordant, and the keen, though not cynical. eve
for the comical aud ab urd in character aud
situation which gleame I'd through My Summer
IN Garden" are rec nrniznhle in the present
work; yet they are not oniclous or Intrusive,
aud are for the most part connned with sigma
Ri. inI nf T..
the social aspects OF modern Egyptian life.
Mr.Waruer discinms any intention of furnish
ing new facts about Egypt. Yet while there
may be noshing absolutely novel In Its pages,
the matter - hia book ia presented In such a
bright, inc.sive way that IL acquires a fresh dis
tinctness for the Imagination and a 1rmer hold
upon the memory. lilo perfectly understands
that a narrative Of travel has no suhst initial
reason for Its existence but that Of patient, scru-
pulnus, ana. So to speak, aohromatic pOrtraiture.
We are under questionable obligations to those
persons who content themselves with project
Ing their own impressions, whereby we
made to view "A landscape through more or less
Intensely colnred glasses. OF course the soveI-
eign feat Of verbal photography IL the reproduc
ton ~ scenes In their own atmosphere, but this
achievement, we need not say, calls for a self
sorLtiny.a winnowing of prejudice, and rocti
competent 20 carry out. If Mr.. Warner does not
always accomplish II. hts shortcomings are at all
events not due to oversight or Indifference. and
the scli-tepression which ne often eyinces Is the
more crcditabe because his normal oint OF
view, aud even the quality OF his humnr, are
curllusly American. In short, the primary aim
f"My Winter ON the Nne' IS TO mirror, 81 Z
~ may be, the actual aspect Of tho lLud of
Egypt. Preconceived notions and stereotyped
sentiment are therefore studiousiy discarded,
aud those ludi 'rlus suggestions which oner
themselves to quick wttted stranger, are rele.
/ gated To a subordinate place.
II Is safe to say that hundred travellers have
| published within the last twelyemonth accounts
Of their observations IN Mohamned IN coun
| tries, and that every one OF them has tried mis-
hand at porttaying IA baz Iar. Yet how many Of
our readers have contriyed to compass clear
Image ~ one from their descriptions. Here,
| however We have the thing Itself; This
| Oriental microcosm called bazaar is the most
characteristic thing In the East, and affords
| most entertainment In these cool rocesses,
which the sun only penetrdtes in gints, * all
that IA shabby and all that IA splendid In thi.
land Of violent contrasts. The shous are rude,
the passages are unpayed DIRT the mating above
hangs in snreds, the uni. tinted balconies arc
| ABOUT to tumble down, the lattice work l. grij
with dust; ile abound you are jo,tled by an
unsavory throng may be run rgainst ny loaded
donkeys; grdzed by tho drippng goat skins OF
the wator carriers beset by begaars followed
by Jews on ring old orasses, old cashmeres, old
armor; squeezed against black backs from The
soudan; and stunned by the slng-song cries oil