New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-19
DIR. CRAWFORUS DISSERTATIONS
WHAT TILE NOVELIST THINKS ABOUT AMER
ICAN WOMEN.
AMERICAN HURRY AND WORRY Is SUBSID, NG-
THE LACK OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
CLASS WRITERS"


"what changes in this country have impressed m'
most during my last vislt!7 repeated Mr. F. Marion
Crawford the novelist. rs he bent over his large
trunk which he packing for his departure home
ward Il lave noticed many changes that II Is
difficult for ne 10 put Impressions In shape. When
! came here ten years ago after long absence in
Europe and in the East / was most struck bv the
remarkable growth OF the cities that ] saw: but dur
Ing my present visit | have ben particularly i'm
pressed iy The development In taste which ] have
noticed among the people here. II seems to that
my brother Amcrcans-y0u know | am really an
American myself ana thoroughly loyal in spite
Of the fact that circumstances have obliged me Ia
Sp'nd most OF my life abroad-have made great al
In their knowledge and appreciation Of the
This is shown most consplcuosy In the architecture.
improvements in the various cities that have visit
81. There fewer mOnst rositcS I'm tho way OF
buildings put up. for instance" tlan there were
4 lew years ago: ard among the new ones tlcr" ara
some mIgniGc mt specimens Of architecture. The in
t'r,oS Of the houses. too. show a similar improve
rcnt instead OF rooms filled with brio brac OF in
foIor quality and poor ctclings bought at fabulous
price by misguided collectors. have found less crowd
I'd rooms bat Ear displayed in their adcrn-
mcn,. Where formerly the walls would be covered
with man. poor ct,hinsS, have noticed a very few
in tn" best taste
"1hon. too. | have noticed marked change In sh"
physical appearance Of e." people here Tho women
Stem to have developed. ana healthier and
Gncr lcohing than they when last came.
nave observed that the cary Themselves better,
walk from t'c waist, 80 to spcas. attribute their
imprGycm mt TO The Increase IN games and physcal
rxcrcls en- general in this country. / pre-, um' that
this increase is due III part to the fact that American
men are now beginning 10 haze a little leisure In
which they can devote / ,fnScivrs other pursuits
than those of business. There /, much to b. hoped
from the increase Of leisure in this country. have
doubt c al before man; year, Am RIGA Will have
leisure class just each o. tn old European com
fics has. Indeed. / have arc udy ,igl, Of Its
formation. There are at The present lime plenty o.
rich men In WORK who have business and who
spend most OF their time AZ ter clubs and In sports
which practically the only resources Of the
age man Of leisure here. And speaking Of clubs re-
minds OF one fact that has Interested ME Very
much that Is III" decline OF drinking here. re-,
member when | was here before that T. impcss.-
bic 10 GO into club after midnight without finding
hree or four men half Now IT Is rare
thing 10 find even one man In tbs condition. There
Is very much less drinking. too. NJ dinners. Do
attribute this to the growth OF sentiment against
wnel Not at ali. / think 1t Is due simply 10 N"
moderation Of excitement in American nfc. and this
in turn IS due 10 the fact that with tc growth Of
leisure class and the at,ann nj Of wealth. the pas
sion for money grabbing becomes l'>, strong AID the
pressure Of business TO degree OF course.
even now the business man Is always talking about
the terrible rush OF his work but 1t Is really not
terrible De- wouli have Us believe. T." business
pressure in London l., In my opinion far greater
than In New York and n for the social wir New
ork doesn't compare with Rome. Roman society
durin. the four months of the season gcts practically
no sleep at all In New-YOrk society 10 far more
moderate.
And this brings me 10 the subject OF the conil
lions Of american LIE tho most Interesting Of tc>c
In my Judgment. IS the complete absence
Of tradition in the usases here OF course there are
many Americans who Ike to follow European trnii-
lions; they swallow these At gilp. and the effect
is Ike that Of taking pin. Practically. America
must make her tradition. and a. Sc has not as
yet had tine TO do this. the American people ar" SIN
unrammc!lcd can develop themselves in a natural
and spontancou, manner. The complete absence Of
tradition here has struck me superiicalIy and We,
most forcbly and amu,ngly In American social Gus
toms. For example, / can't tell You what strange
-cnsatOn ! have had when have din'i AZ luxurious
American HOUSES where all ia" appointments have
been Of TIE most magnificent de- rpon. aud where
at abl hay" been confronted with 90" spectacle VI
q butler wearing mu,inchc. No on" Who has MOI
been brought up abroad amid The roncad rules oi 50
clcly which prevail I'm European countries can IN
derstand the utter ncongruty Of that buffers appear
ance. As matter OF fact. don't care rap about
that sort Of ding. hui nevertheless can't help bong
amused BY H. The incident I've mentioned Is ONLY
one instance Of large number Of inconsruitles that
have noticed in American society.
"Th- back Of tradition In America affects even The
arts Every other country has long established trai
ion by which its whole artistic life Is regulated but
America has as yet to develop It's schools Of ltcra
iurr painting. sculpture and music. We nave not
thus far produced great writer. Al. yes. Emcr
son. Hawthorne, Lowell and The little group OF New
neland writer's Of twenty five years ago did admra
bic work; but judged by the standards OF >ophocles
-hahrs pearc. Dante, Goethe and schiller. they must
b. rated second class men. Hawthorne was tue
greatest writer that have produced but he was
Dnly the fringe Of the first class. Every country
that is, every ancient countryas had It's great arts
c era. As "A rule, II comes only once though In The
ease Of Rome through the min Cling Of foreign blood.
here renaissance; but this was only con
,pcuous exception. our era Is yet TO come possibly
The next century IS TO produce IT, Al present Amerl
"a Is remarkable chiefly for her great number Of
second class writers. We doing work Of magnii
cent mcdiOcrity. The great mon Of the future MIL
perhaps stand upon our flaw.
"On the whole, nv last visi. here has filled me
With the highest admiration Of country and given
me- the greatest hope for Ia" future. believe that
We passing out Of the period Of hurry and
md are coming fast TO q time when we shall be able
10 give more attention TO culture. That Americans
ire refining Is shown By one fact that struck %
soon "a landed here early In the winter: they speak
lar better English than they did ten years ago.
With the increase Of leisure. society will bring to-
y,thrr men and women tAan heretofore. In this
country the sexes curiOuSly divided: men have
very little OF the compinionship OF women The re
nlt Is that their understanding Of their is
developed, but tie finer side Of their nature suffers.
american women pretend that they get along
veil without the society Of mon by giving themselves
lp to clubs and charitable work but It is naurnl for
ncn and women TO seek anothcf's companion hip
md ] am convinced that during ile next few years
many Of the conventional barriers between The
will be- broken down. In Europe. would scorn
h. occIpo lions Of the women In this country alto
either too dull to b. cnlur"I: they like the com
,anion,lip OF men. ana thcy have II. The result IS
,cnercaI 10 both themselves and 10 Tho men,
Mr.. Crawford, who sailed yesterday for his home |
n sorrento. Italy, vii return - tlhs country IN tho
Ill fjr seize, Of lectures. III, lH,t Wit la, been
o sicc' s,!ul ard II as given MIN rHch material |
or work. and much nal ,,lisfn don. that hc |
AS planned 10 CON" here every YEAR in future.