New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A POLITICAL SATIRE.

consideration at homo by reason OF the consluera-
tlon they are supposed to enjoy abroad On It's rs'
notification, year or more ago. IL attrac'eu no
more attention in its native country than multi
tudc of other clever novels and 1t seemed des'De"
for speedy obscurity; but it happened 10 hnu i''
way to London, and there 1T made repu''i''oN
which regatned for il place on the BOOK 'oun',''
of New-York 1t is not surprising that 1t shou'u Nc
admired in England. There is certain me moiN
manship, polished style. a brightness anu mus"
of which Englishmen have learned 10 iooh ~.
better examples in American fiction tnan II. ~, ~,
own; and 1t may be that when they Aho 'ni' "'s
literary quality over here they are the more
heansa IL seems to them so odd That we should pro-
d,cs;t Tho STYLE OF "Democracy is not 10 10
measnred nv the standard of W. ID. Towers vi VI
Henry James IT.. but il is greatly superior TO that
y, the ordinary novel maker and 1t is distinguished
nv an ease and smartness IN which English hc''on
ia ant to be especially deficient. But lts chiei az
traction across the Atlantic the pquancy OF '.s
subject 1t describes a state OF society III whlch
our English friends take curious interest ihcs
have sent scores of young gentlemen Win ho'c-
books to look at it, and to write chapter aoouV
it after they have treated of Niagara faI'S' 'no
wheat country San Francisco New-iorK ho'els'
and the Murmons; but none OF these aIiao'o
tourists go homo with a very clear iuea "h"'
Democracy is like. Here, However, IS a writer WIN
seems to have got at the heart OF the supJec'i "o
least who presents the picture OF social ana poca
lite at the American capital tor which the Old WORM
has long been looking-a mob of coarse ignorant
smart and dishonest people, with only the British
Minister moving among them a superior person.
We NAV say at the start that the picture is most
artfully drawn. There have been countless al
tempts to write novels of Washington life, but TINS
Is the only one we believe, that can be called sue
cessfuI. Its construction is simple and strong
Though there is no plot there is story, ana IL
moves on steadily 80 that the satlrical Sketches
seem TO arise naturally out of it, and to advance
instead of obstructing the narrative. MIS- Lisn'-
foot Lee rich young fashiona bic and lnteiiigen'
widow. having exhausted New.York and Europe,
decided 70 mass the winter IN Washington and 1t Is
with what she saw there and what Defeil her tha'
q Democracy has to do 1t will sulke the reauer
rs a popularity of the look that everything Is
described as it would have appeared to Mrs Lee.
The low ambition of politicians, the baseness Oh
ereat party leaders, the bad manners of Congress
men. the vulgarity of social entertainments are
presepted lust as a clever and refined woman wouid
have seen them. Either unconsciously or by fine
artifce the author looks at the whole scene WIN
the eyes of the heroine. What sort OF spectacle IL
was NAV be understood from the following dialogue
on corruption IN which the principal speakers are
an eminent Illinois Senator and the faiish ola Dull
garian Minister:
AMY reply" said Radcliffe, ais that no represent
alive Government can long he much peG,eI W VI
much worse than the society ii represents. IuIuy
society and you purify the Government; but Wy
10 purify the Government artifcially and you only
aggravate failure. 80 ,:, D.o, Iooohi
with n formal bow, but his tone had a shade OF
mockery. Darlington. who had listened WIN a
darkeuing lace, suddenly turned TO the baron anu
osL ed him what conclusion he drew from the reply
All exclaimed the Baron. with his wicRedest
leer, what for is my conclusion good lou hne ei
cans believe yoursel yes to be excepted from tne
narration OF general laws. You care not iOr eAper
ence. have lived seventy -hve years, ana an tnaU
self only do have courage TO proclaim IT, ana You
Others have it not Rome Pans vienna, feters-
burg. London, all are corrupt only MasnIngton 10
purei Well. / declare TO yOu that IN all my eA
nerience | have found no society which mas hau
elements of corruption like the united S,ales,
The children in the streets are corrupt, anu hnoM
how 10 cheat one. The cities are all corrupt, anu
also the towns and the counties and the States
Legislatures aud tho judges Every where men
betrav trusts both public and private, steal money
run away with public funds. Only 10 the senate I
men take no money. And you gentlemen IN the
Senate very well declare that your great nlted
States which is the head OF the clyliized WOIlu can
never learn anything from the example OF corrupt
Europe. You are nght-quite rgnt Inc great
United States needs not an example l 90 hlut "a
regret that / have not yet one hundred years 10
live. IL could then come back TO TINS CITY
should find myself very content-much more thah
L
corruption. and parole dhonReurV broke out
the old man with tire and gesture, the United
states will then he more corrupt than Rome unier
Caligula more corrupt than the ChuTch uhuer
leo *: more corrupt than France under the
Regent"
This appears to be substantially the opinion of the
author of Democracy" Nothing could be more
hideous or more hopeless than the whole aspect OF
American lite presented in these brilliant but bitter
pages. Tue principal male figure is Senator Kat
clfe "the highpriest of American politics" and
Mrs. Lee is saved from marrying him by the timely
discovery that he has accepted bride for reporting
n subsidy bill. Radcliffe explains and defends his
Conduct in this affair, as well as In transaction
involving the Justification of election returns, by
arguments which have familiar sound. But the
portrait of this typical politician is not the only
repulsive nor perhaps the most repulsive, one in
the collection The Hooser President and his
dreadful wife, the civil reformer who aspres
g 70 act the part of the educated gentleman in
politics." and the distinguished man of letters from
Massachusetts, who wants a foreign mission. are
treated with impartial ridcule and contempt. The
humor of the sketches is often irresistible; the
satire cuts deep; if the pictures are caricatures
they have at least enough resemblance to nature to
be effective; they are never SO distorted as to be
merely grotesque libes. Perhaps 10 one man that
we know Of unites all the OdiOus features of Rat
elite or of French, of Gore. but all their faults
AM folles are typical of classes which know too
well. In word. the book contains enough truth
to be a wholesome rebuke; and also it contains
enough falsehood to be q cruel libel. The wrong of
such a work lies of course IN the assumption that
there IS no public career higher than the base
scramble which it chooses to describe. no patriotism
purer than that of the statesmen whom 1t selects
for satire no earnest and honorable life into whose
secrets it has not penetrated. Thore are Raclfes
but we all know they rarely the men who in the
end carry of the choicest honors.
There is probably much conjecture to the
originals OF the characters in democracy"
Gotit