New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-25

spcare was the editor. not the author Oh 'no pays
whether originally they came from one OF irom
many hands.
Incidentally the work is not without great deal
of interest of a certain sort, although, as we nave
as 9ady intimated it is contribution rather to the
litetature of Shakespearean controversy and specu
lation than to the graver and worther literature OF
ShaEespearean criticism.
THROUGH CITIES AND PRAIRIE LANDS; Sketches che
- OF an American Tour, BY LADY DUFFUS hAHDi
PIP 33S. 70. r. Worthington.
This work partakes largely of the character OF
travelling gentlewomans letters 10 friends at home
In the main Lady Hardy seems to have been as well
pleased as circumstances justified her in beng
What she liked in our country. our cities our MODES
of travelling our hotels, and so on, she nKeu
heartily and frankly what displeased her she CRU
cises freely but without asperity Beng an Engnsn
woman her standards OF excellence are OF course
English and in moments of WEAKNESS she records
the fact that she sighed" for something English
instead of the American substitute that
was at command. Riding in our ordinary railroad
cars, for example, she sighed for comfortable
English compartment carriage; but a change 10
Pullman car speedily converted the sigh INTO one Oh
delight Occasionally she misunderstood what she
saw, as what traveller in any country does notI
Sometimes she mistook the exceptional for the
carelessness of observation enabled her to see what
does not exist. For example, she was panied at the
fact which would be painful if it were fact, that
our railroad trains run through the high streets oil
busy towns, crossing crowded thOroughfares ana
public highways, keeping up 1ull speed
always merely ringing the engine bell 10
warn people to get out of the way" 10 TINS slie
adds They have to take care of themselves ana
| they know it no precautions are taken for tho
public safety" OF course Lady Hardy wrote that
which she believed TO be true in this case ana she
believed il TO be true because she did notse the nag
men, and did not understand the system by when
safety is in some measure at least secured. vi all
the cities visited by the author, Washington seems
to have made the most favorable impression upon
her mind. After that Boston appears to be the
favorite city, although Lady Hardy suggests that
perhaps Boston may be a little vain" Our New
York ash-barrels and cobbestone pavements are
the subjects of her strongest denunciatlons buteven
in writing of the ash-barrel she is by no means
merciless The journey of which the book is
rccord.was some what hurried, OF course The jour
news of English tourists in this country always are,
because the English mind can make due allow
ance for the magniicence of our distances III plan
mig iOufneys that are intended to be accomplished
within given period of time. The result, IN TINS
case as N most others, that the traveller saw inc
country only in spots. After brief sojourn In
New-York she went directly to Chicago seeing the
region between only from a car window Ihchco
| she travelled in like manner t. Omaha ana on
| ward to Utah and San Francisco. Returning she
| stopped in St Louis, and went thence to Washing
ton direct. Baltimore, Philadelphia, New YORK
Ellenvler-whch comes In for It's fnll snare OF ne
scription-Boston and Newport, complete her llst 4t
places visited on the Southern side OF the Canada
| line. 49,, E
interest btess for those English readers VINO are
curious concerning transatlantic semi-clNlll-
2ation but for American readers there Is little to
command attention in the book. 1t tells only OF
| things with winch most of us are familiar.