The sun., 1883-12-23
Warner. Roundabout Journey.

sun.
warner's Roundabout Journey.
Those parts' OF the volume Of letters from
Europe by Mr.. CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER. now
reprinted under the name OF A Roundabout
Journey tHoughton. Miflin & Coz. which supply
plausible pretext for book making. arc the
chapters recountins what the author saw In
Sicily. in southern Spain. and in the short strip
OF tho African coast lying between Tangier and
Tetuan. and including those Cities 1t Is un-
deniable that the writer's manner OF narration
Is always sprightly and agreeable: but. OK
cept whore ho diverges from the beaten
tracks OF travol there Ia very little matter in
his notes worth reproducing. Even where
Mr. Warner rides from Jerea to Rcnda. or
from Tangior to Tetuan. or skirts the storicd
shores of Sicily from Agrgentum to Tauro-
menium 1t Is only what he saw. ana not what
he has read-the present aspect OF the country
and the actual habits OF the people In tho year
1SS1-which the reader will thank him for pre-
senting In these pages. To the socioloRist. no
doubt. minute and vivid portrayal OF the con-
temporary Inhabitants Of Sicily. Andalusia and
Tingttana Is not devoid OF interest. and
to a man OF learning such a picture would
suggest not few points Of striking and in
structive contrast with the past.
Mr.. Warner unluckily does not confne him
self to the mere transcription Of what passed
before his eyes; he occasionally diverges into
history and strives to infuse into his scenes
the charm Of association but his efforts in this
direction are not particularly felicitous or edl-
flying. He assures US. indeed. from time to
time. that he is not writing guide book. but
he is apparently unconscious that tho compost
tion OF such work would. or should. exact
much moro serious and extended studies than
he seems to have undertaken. 1t strikes US.
too. that there Is touch OF ingratitude in the
filings at the serviceable manuals provided for
him by Mr.. Murray for such historical knowl-
edge as is called on to enrich and illuminate
this volume is for the most part Of the familiar
guide-book order. and the authors rare excur-
slons into less freQuented avenues Of research
are not fruitful or impressive. From GER
tain hints given. we surmise that the
writer contemplates class OF readers
possessed Of somewhat less than the average
New England culture and barred out from
those quick and easy aids to information
obligingly compiled for travellers by European
publishers. For he says apropos OF the great
est and most famous OF Dorian cities. that the
impression Is general that the chief attractions
OF Syracuse are tho Ear OF Dionysius and the
exploit of Archimedes in firing the sails OF the
Roman fleet with his burning glass" II there
really be any section OF the Connecticut com-
general" 1t must be owned that Mr. Warner
has skilfully adjusted his utterance to the re-
ceptive powers Of his audience in administer
Ing weak decootions Of superficial lore and pru-
dently eschewing anything like far fetched cru
dition. Whatever may be the case. however. with
the particular book buyers whom Mr.. Warner
had in mind. We can assure him that there are
In the United States many readers who would
be glad to sec some OF the countries which he
has traversed described by q thoroughly in
formed as we'll as inQuisitive and entertaining
observer. There Is plenty Of room for an ac-
count OF Sicily. for instance, by one who had
been at the pains to learn something at first
hand Of the history and literature OF the island
during the golden age Of its medinval pros
perity in the Saracenic, Norman. and Aragon-
ese epochs. But what light can be expected on
those fascinating though as yet relatively OBJ
scure chapters OF Sicilian annals from an au-
thor who hounders grevously In his illusions
to dates and facts Of the Greek and Roman
periods among which clever school boy would
blush to lose his footing2 How much ediflca-
tion. for example, is to be looked for from a
writer who undertakes to slake the rural thirst
for knowledge with such draughts Of erudition
as the following: Here" lon Monte Pellegrino.
near Palermol "Hamilcar settled with his fam
lily and troops. and raised grain In his war with
Wv AsoHouS u Coupio VI CSuLuElcS tStcI UoIoIo
our era?" That is to say the Carthagnian
commander settled" at Panormus long after
he Is popularity supposed to have been gath
cred to his fathers. and after the protracted
struggle OF his greater son against tho
enemy OF Carthage had ended on tho field OF
Larna. Of Syracuse we are told that 1t had
been a city great in war and distinguished In
arts and letters for a period Of about nine
centuries preceding B. q. 212." This infor-
nation maynot startle readers whose general
impressions" are Of the vague character above
mentioned. but graduates of high schools and
academies will infer that Mr.. Warner employs
system OF chronology and history Of his own
with reference to the Dorian colonization OF
eastern Sicily and the development Of civiliza-
lion In that quarter. We should also hesitate to
recommend any one to follow Mr.. Warmers ad-
vice to study the scene Of the Athenian sxpedl-
ton against Syracuse with Herodotus in
hand"-Thucydides. 1t seems. would not an
swer-though he assures US that with tho aid
OF the former historian you can follow the
famous campaign which was so disastrous to
the Athenians." After this precious piece Of
counsel we are not surprised to hear that tho
operations OF the con1uering Roman General.
Marcellus took place :" six hundred years" later
than the Athenian expedition. although We
suppose general impression" will still
linger among scholars that the interval OF time
referred to was 400 years shorter. Such laDses
are. no doubt. trifies. compared with the pleas
ing humor Of which Mr.. Warner is not seldom
master; but why should not humorlst. like
any other man. stick to his lastp Perhaps.
however. these eccentric divagations from the
commonplace landmarks OF history are them
selves proofs Of subtle and characteristic hu-
NOR. Just as some Of the egreglous geograph-
ical and historical blunders in "Innocents
Abroad" have been proudly cassed by their
author among his most elaborate Jokes and
Book Notes.
Tlhckerays christmas Books" is repubiished In a
neat style by the John ". Lowell Company.
Mrs T. Corbett produces little volume of Rustic
Rhymes and Ballads aboundng in good aud hon.
est feeling
sAlinslds Christmas Folio "s neat collection Of
Interesting recent music. sold At extraordinarily
cheap price,
The hessrs scribner have published three vol
umes Of Mr. Lntons aud Mr.. stoddards collection Of
EnHlikh