The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-17

has marked the Jew since the days OF
Moses and the prophets is given vivid
expression in Mr.. Zangwilrs tragic tales.
The equally QaradoNical combination OF
external Journalism and genuine freedom
OF thought which has made tie synagogue
a powerful force in the spread OF ideas is
likewise made abundantly clear by him.
The mere existence % such books as
these finding in Jewish life subjects or
artistic contemplation which are OF IN
terest 20 Jew and Gentle alike as mem
bers az a single intellectual community
IS evidence that the energy OF Judaism
Us a separate moral force is beginning 10
be spent Il Is in the transition from
orthodox 10 liberal" Judaism that the
power Of the most tragic tales is 10 be
found. The tales themselves. bearing Wit
ness 10 the beauty and influence or OLD
usaces. are quiet victories OF Liberalism.
In his preface Mr.. Zangwill tells his
readers that Satan Mekatrlb' was writ
ten IN 1859. "Bethulah" ten years later
and he challenges his critics 10 decide
whether has powers have waned or oe-
veloped in the period between the writing
of the first story and OF the second. There
Is the same force. there are the same
sources OF interest. The second story -
LEES explosive and less constantly kept 10
high strain than the first. AT the same
time IL may be less profound ana orig
.nal The art Of il IS probably more m
ished. for here and there in Satan Meka-
trib" the dust is thrown about unneces-
sarily. while IN "Bethulah' fitness and
ease are always present
Except for this greater symmetry and
EnoothneSs. however, Zangwil Is the
came Zangwill who took the world :
breath away by his audacity when first
his Ghetto tales appeared. All HIS writ
ine has one wcakness-it impresses the
.,F
triumphant cleVerness. All OF II exhibits
the same Nirile intensity. the same stern
power II rejecting the unessenial, the
same pitilcss but sympathetic spirit OF
tragedy. The Macmillan Company. New
York. 81 SOD
In The Log OF a Sea Naif' Mr.. Frank
T BGllen has written the painful story
OF London waits hard initiation into a
sailors life. Although the narrative pur-
ports 10 be photographed. IL seems
hard 10 believe that SO constant a sue
cession 81 harsh and incompetent cap
talns. ill-found ships. wrecks and acct
dents should all fan 10 the lot of ore poor.
little half-clad youth IN his first years
a. sea. Mr.. BUllen's life. II indeed IL were
such a he describes. is one OF the i'm
probable realities which have been said
20 make worse books than probable im-
possibilities. The criticism is not applica-
ble IN Mr.. Bullen's case, FOR his books are
good books Unlike those OF many au-
thors who write directly from experience.
they are not thin in substance and they
are not scattering I'm arrangement. ID.
Appleton s. Co. 81 50).
The letters 10 newspapers written by
~. William Archer. the English theat-
neal critic. during his visit TO the United
States have been collected in a book
which bears the title America To-Day"
Mr. Archer forestalls the critic ready With
his easy sheer az travellers who look
through a car window AZ the farms be.
tween Squedunk and Ponkapog long
enough 10 wink twice al them. and who
then hurry home 10 write books on Amer
team life. He makes no pretense 10
knowledge 81 the real America. and saw
that he has had only n superficial glimpse
OF one corner Of the United States. 1T
Is as though one were 10 glance al a mere
dogcar on a folio page. and then profess
70 have mastered its whole import" Mr.
Archer need not have been so modest. for
be had evidently studied and thought
much about America while he was in
England. and his observations were I'm
many cases the search for answers TO the
intelligent questions he put 10 himself be-
fore landing ia New York. A man so
prepared can learn much in a few weeks.
ir. Archer makes none Of the general
criticisms on America which sometimes
irritate Americans and sometimes set
them 20 thinking. according 10 the critics
acuteness and tact. His severest censure
IS reserved for American BARRIERS. With
attractive honhCmie he describes his own
discontinue 10y a BARRIERS unwelcome oh
trusiveness. and harsh looks Indeed. Mr..
Archer's account Of his awe rouses a
grave suspicion IN his readers mind.
Against his will he submitted 10 massag-
ing. parhoiling. essencing and amounting.
finally had a tip wrung from him and
fed. He showed nothing Of that SPLEEN
cid hect0ring energy in asserting his
rights. hy which an Englishman puts an
American 10 shame. We have been
taught 10 believe that timidity i'm de-
handing the satisfaction Of our own ideas
o. comfort Is an American trait. Can IL
be that Mr.. Archer is not typical Eng
lishman. and that his lack OF real British
character Is the ground OF that facile
adaptation 10 American circumstances
which is so hattering 10 US? Were Amer
teams so like Englishmen 10 him because
he was an American without knowing IL?
One interesting feature Of Mr.. Archers
reflections is the large place taken in
them by the really uplifting and civiliz-
ing forces IN American life. He dwells
on university curriCulums and American
library buildings. on Hull House and Con-
cord-not on the American system of
baggage checks and the business OF
American streets.
Mr.. Archer's comments on the relation
between Great Britain and America are
acute and profound. He sensibly casts
ridicule on the idea Of Anglo-Saxon kin
ship 81 blood. the notions OF alliance and
the sentimental twaddle about the love
o. the mother country which have been
aired recently. At the same time he rec
ocnizcs the existence Of peculiar close
ness OF relationship between England and
America and traces this relationship TO
its true source. America is akin TO Eng
land because American ideals OF govern
ment. Of society. OF manhood are IN es-
sence English ideals OF government Of
society, Of manhood. When foreigner
IS Americanized he is so because he IS
imbued with notions inherited by America
from England. Private law in detail and
measure; manners in some degree: stand
ards 81 duty and order. all these America
and England have in common. Above all.
by speaking the same language and pos
sessing a common literature we belong to
q single community Of thought. the extent
and variety 81 which give us something
Of the education Of foreign literature
without its stranreness. The life Of the
Engllshman in India. 81 the Jew I'm tho
London Ghetto. are familiar interests 10
the whole English-speaking world we
have many capitals and centers OF