Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-30

| criticism of Aver & Sons book, but as we
to day receive q second request for no
tice Of it, we comply.
Nevin's vlsnettes OF Travel.
The highly interesting letters written
for the Philadelphia Press by MIR. w. w.
Neyin when in Europe. many of which
we're republished in the INTELLiGENcER,
have been recast and published in book
form by Lippincotts under the title of
s'Vignettes of Travel" aud charming ones
they are. The prosy narrative CT many
travellers, their barren guide book style,
or the gush Of SO many others who
rhapsodize over foreign institutions indis-
criminately, have given the public a
deserved prejudice against books Of
travel. So many people who imagine them
selves travellers use their opportunities to
poor purpose, and agSravate the oftense by
imposing still worse books about it upon
the public, that, with our ready daily COM
munication with foreign countries, the
reading public have come to depend upon
the regular newspaper correspondents or
the personal report Of their friends for in
formation about people ana places, man
ners and institutions abroad.
After all, the highest purpose OF foreign
travel is the better appreciation and I'M
dcrstanding of our own institutions, gov
ernmental and social. ParadOxical as this
may seem Mr.. Nevin's book proves it. His
observations were made with view to in
stitute and carry out comparative studies
of social and political life in other coun-
tries, since in the modern development
of science comparative study has
been the rule of advancement. What
we know and what We are
can best be determined by what other ma
tions know and what they arc. Eng
is SO nearly kin to us in her language, her
laws and her literature, that this study be-
comes of greatest profit to the American
citizen and traveller from the observation
of her institutions. This view was made
by the author with the acutcness of a
scholar, the pride Of patriot and the OPP
portunities that offered to an accom-
plished gentleman. His descriptions
of town and country life in Eng
land,. and especially in the easy famil-
lar style of comparisons of English towns
and shires with their Pennsylvania name
sakcs, are felicitous and give his book
marked degree Of local interest here. But
its highest merit is reached in its philo-
sophical and practical comparisons of the
English methods Of education and politics.
We know so little of English politics that
our judgment of them is apt to be that Ofthe
vainglorious enthusiast or the carping
cynic. Mr.. Ncvin introduces us to the
contemplation Of English politics under its
prevailing fundamental aspect, the transi-
ton cf sovereign power going on there
now in the development Of the English
man from the " subject into the "cti-
zen." The development Of our agricul-
tura! resources is the downfall of Eng
lands landed system and the leveling Of
her classes.'' The description Of a
parliamentary election will be found of
special interest in comparison with
our recent national struggle. The ac-
houses of Parliament and the prcrogatives
of the crown are full OF interest to the
American political student. Mr.. Ncvin
takes us through the London which litera.
ture has made so familiar to lis, and We
gratefully lodge and dine with him at the
historic tavern of Lamb and Goldsmith and
Dickens. In Scotland and Italy and Rome
We follow the writer more wi tn view to
the picturesque and historical, and his de-
scriptions everywhere are felicitous and
have the merit Of telling us what We want
to know and in language that we can
understand. The writer had, VIC imagine,
special opportunities to view and measure
the social development of modern Italy.
and not the least interesting feature of
these letters is the account given of the
transition going OH there, even to a greater
extent than in conservative England. While
Americans have less Of Einship and sympa-
thy with the Southern nations, the cause OF
liberty and its advancement has had no
more romantic career than in Italy. and
wherever freedom throbs the triumphs of
the Italian patriot have been watched with
Il solicitude that continues to follow the
social and religious revolution and the
establishment of modern institutions in
that great centre Of civilization,
past and future. A most vaIu-
able appendix to the "Vignettes is
their hints 10 Travellers the result of ex-
periencc and suggested with view to the
health, comfort, convenience and economy
of those who go abroad. Those who read
it and profit by it before taking passage
will save time and money and avoid an
noyancc The "Vigncttes are published
ia fitting setting. From J.. FOnDersmith's
book store.