New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

a FLYING TRIP AROUND THE WORLD. by Eliza
beth Bisland. 16mo., PIP. 2o5. Harper d
Brothers.
The making of flying trips around the world by
young women. has become in these days form Of
advertising favored-as many will thlnk-in inverse
proportion to the good taste and common sense OF
the idea. What there is in 1t 70 recommend 1t may
well puzzle one. For IL has long ceased TO have even
the vulgar attraction OF novelty, and it is to-day so
easy a performance that in point OF obstacles and
discomforts it cannot he compared to winter journey
from New-York TO Albany in the first years OF inc
century. As book is the inevitable outcome Of such
trip some test indeed afforded OF the fair travellers
ability to make bricks without straw; for IN rushhs
round the globe against time Of course all genuine
observation is entirely out OF the question one or
two days in country. however, Is consluereu quoo
Justification enough for judicial survey OF land ana
people, while your really smart writer Will dash OF
q sketch OF province the strength Of couple OF
hours spent in coalng port and without even leaving
the deck OF the steamer. In the present instance
there does not to have been any particular reason
why MISS Bisland (who breads notorety so much ti't
she puts her portrait at the front OF her book shoud
have started on a few hours notice TO follow IN INC
cirumnavigatory track OF so many Of her sisters Al
least such explanation she offers leaves the whole
motive very much the air. But having undertaken the
experiment OF breaking the recordif that indeed were
the principal objectshe appears to have gone through
with the business In sufficiently composed and prac
teal way.
In writing her account OF the experience Miss
BisIand has shown considerable Judgment, and what
IS more some literary force and capacity OF course
no really valusble impressions can possibly be OBJ
tanned under such circumstances. but a quick and
clevcr writer may get material for entertaining W not
overdonc) sketches ont OF the mere changes on the
route the company encountered in sleeping and paror
cars steamships and hotels and the general mechanism
OF the Trip. Since the Cook and other tourist or
4fzada md hn
vnlgarized travel. these things have become so
familiar that 1t almost requires genius TO touch them
descrptvely and unless the writer has style OF her
own individuality strong enough to be an attrac-
ton in ITSELF she would do well to avoid the tenpa-
ton which is reinforced by the poverty Of al other
literary raw material. Miss Bsland. however, has
acted boldly. Calmly ignoring the obvious, she has
undertaken to write with the air Of being fully in
formed concerning all the countries and cities and
seaports through which she dashed at express speed
and helped by a robust Imagination and certain
freshness Of fancy. she has succeeded in producing
number of little pictures which are truly pleasing
She has good STYLE strong feeling for the beauties
of Mature and pretty knack Of description. SO
equipped she has been able to treat Japan and Hong
Kong CeyIop and Alden, and other places along her
route in a fresh and unconventional manner.
We are inclined to think the sketch Of Hong Kong
the best in the book Japan has been described so
much and so well that 1t is scarcely possible any
field Ceylon too, is very well done. considering the
meagreness OF the authors opportunities, and gen.
orally speaking, one feels that this young woman
has made the most of her material and vndcated her
right to be dispatched upon just such difficult exped
TONS The only drawback to the readers admiTar
ton Of her dizziness is the feeling which is somehow
apt to intrude itself that great deal Of all this
picturesque and emotional work might have been
done every whit as well without stirring out Of New
York No doubt such suggestion does Miss Bisand
great injustice in way though in another 1t may
be regarded tribute to her skill Of composition
And then there is the practical end and aim of her
Journey. She went round the world in seventysix
days We do not know whether this breaks any other
record than that Of Jules Vernes hero but it Is Ger
tainly quick work, and the journey would have been
shortened by four days had not somebody sent ais
patch to the traveller which misled her as TO the
connections, and caused her TO miss steamer
which had waited for her 1t must be admitted that
Miss Bisland has done her spriting gently she mas
occupied only two hundred pages in going round the
world She might have filled a fat octave That
at least is something to be commended.