New-York tribune., 1896-11-22
MORE MEMORIES.
THE ART OF GARRULITY AND TIE ART
OF DISCRETION.

THE STORY OF MY. LIFE. BY Augustus J. C.
Hare. In Two Volumes. Octave PIP XIV el".
Y 5s Dodd. Mead co.
PHILIP GILBERT HAMERToN. An Autobiog-
raphy lS4-lss and Memoir by His Wife. 1885
1884 With Portrait. Octave. pp. XVII 5sl.
Boston Roberts Brothers.
Mr. Augustus J. c. Hare was born in 1894. He
is still alive He has brought 'The Story OF
Ny Life" down to 1870 only. so that he has re-
naming at least quarter of a century to chronl-
Gle: yet the space OF time TO which he has thus
far confined himself yields him two volumes OF
about COO pages each. These volumes promise
to yield to the public some of the fattest hours
and some Of the most dverting moments which
have been provided by the biographical ltera-
ture of England in many a year. Mr.. Hare Is
an extraordinary person. Those who are
familiar with his numerous guide books, com
pations which marry the enthusiasm Of an ex-
perienced traveller to the incoherehcy and dis
cursiveness Of scrap book. can imagine how he
writes the narrative Of his life. But not even
years Of acquaintance with his Walks Near
Rome" or his Walks Near Florence" could lie
expected to prepare reader for quite the sem
satons that the biography has to offer. Con-
ceive Of a fusty old gentleman grown garrulous
over the walnus and cOniding to his juniors
all the episodes Of his career. Picture the ven
cradle narrator (Mr Hare, being only sixty
two is not technically. venerable but that does
not matter); picture this pompous individual
we say, unbending to his grandchildren like a
transmogrifed beadle. Having sent the butler
for the thirteenth packet on the seventh shelf
of the cabinet dedicated to Materials for My
Biography" he reads aloud. unctuously. frag
ment like this, written by his adopted mother
in her journal: Augustus improves in obedience
already His great delight Is in throwing his
playthings into jug or tub of water" Cannot
the reader see the tub?
Frankness Is sometimes said to disarm criti-
csm. and on this slender hope a great many
authors write their prefaces. presumng that
confession Of what they may consider defects In
their work will silence complaint. Mr. Hare
clngs to the ola superstition. But he carries his
frankness too far. He spreads 1t over nearly
1.2OJ pages, and this is too much The situation
i the more absurd. inasmuch as Mr.. Hares life
has not been in any way unique. He has trav-
elled much, and has been brought acquainted
with numerous important people. who provide
him with his best stories but he has himself
nothing noteworthy to say He was well born
but goes unnecessarily into the details Of his
origin. Not content with thirty-three pages on
his ar!stocratic "antecedents." he takes the
reader aside and tells him what q tusse he had,
as an infant. to belong to any one at all His
father had no interest In him whatever His
mother was equally Indifferent. Many years
afterward." he says. II knew Mrs. Hare well
and had much to do with her; but have never
at any time spoken to her or OF her a mother.
and have never in any way regarded her as
such. She gave me up wholly and entirely. She
renounccd every claim upon me- either OF affec-
ton or interest. ! was sent over to England
with little green carpetbag containing two
little white nght-shirts and a red coral neck
lace--my whole trousseau and patrmony."
Cannot the reader see the trousseau?
Seriously. there never was anything more gro