The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-10
The Tender RecoiIections OF Irene Macgiiii.
cuddy.


The remarkable story which appeared in
Bldckiroods Magazine some months ago under
the above title Is now reprinted in Harpcrs
Half Hour Series" This is by no means the
first attempt to photograph the life OF fash
ionable people in the American metropolis.
Neither have other sub-acid sa,ires on New
York society such as The Pouphar Papers
been wanting in knowledge or clever treatment
of their theme. Yet perhaps none could vie
with the present picture in fidelity Of por
traiture. rs none WINS SO happily invested with
that naive. unconscious humor which is far
more trenchant than irony.
The eager curiosity awakened by this little
book was due not only 10 the fact that il was
obviously written, 50 to speak. from the inside
10y one long and intimately convsrsant with the
life described. hut It was quickcned by
the presence Of certain marks which seemed to
throw some light upon the question OF author
ship II is always delightful to see the foiblcs
and eXceeses OF our neighbors exposed.
but we are still more keeny Interested
in detecting the person who IL telling
tales out Of school Since almost every character
and incident portrayed in Miss lrcne's sketch
las had It's actual representative in the social
world Of the last few years. "A desire 20 know
the proper name OF an artist re- realistic j. en-
tirely natural. Now II is plain from internal
evidence that the writer il as familiar with Bel
eravia as with Fifth avenue. and cannot help
scanning things American from an English
point of view. II follows that the writer belongs
either TO the category Of Angiczed Americans
or Of Amcrieanizcd English; and little refoc-
ton will show that. as regards thorough nc
! qualntance with what Ii called society in both
| countries. the former class Is COMPOSED nj
most exclusively Of women and the latter
OF men. Thus the field Of choice is a
good deal narrowed. and accordingly but two
| conJectures a. to tho authorship Of MIS- Irencs
recollections have deserved serious consilora-
| ton. One ascrihes the book 10 an accomplished
| English gentleman who has lived a good 4 'al
! III this country. while the other gives it to an
/ American lady Of a Georgian family Dut we'll
/ known in New York and now married t. sac
brother II an English peer r. one Of these
two we arc doubtless Indebted for this cuier-
tanning book hut la which We should assign it
| Is at fret sight not ,dsily determined. so
adrulily are the mental characteristic tokens at
sex disguised. The question, however. II ~ct-
tied hy limo ON the eighteenth page of tho
present edition. which could not 10y any po-si-
nilii' have been prnnod los woman.
1 M.-s Irene l. typical American belle heina
/ the daughter ola railway millionaire, an tine
granddaughter oil Scotch gardener, WHO had
Wld 10y something m groceries A. for her ms
"'"n' : '"nN'"'Aer ana "h'l'-' 'h'' were IN lrA
goods h"rl"Hf'' ana petroleum. Her mother
We are '"ld' WaN an "''ompD,helan ambitions
woman, VINO hhd an uhrNall'd knack Of APP
'"''nR s"NA"'Sn'u 'ore'gn'rs' nut who !. ser
ia H'l""sny pi'"h hS down
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