New-York tribune., 1901-08-15
SOME MAGAZINE NOTES.
PAPERS IN THE CURRENT NUMBERS
WHICH ARE WORTH READING.


Bishop Potter's Impressions OF India" in
The Century" are interesting and suggestive
He finds high virtues in the British rule and
evidently believes il to be the best possible
under present conditions. His unreserVed con-
Versations with natives showed him that they
had grievances 10 rehearse and officials and
their acts 10 criticse but this one thing. from
first 10 last, always and everywhere. was plain
that they recognized that with the mainten-
ance and perm snence Of British rule in India
marched the safety Of life and property, free
dom 10 go about unmoested on ones honest
errands the peace and good order. in one word,
of the social fabric. They would like TO see the
old dynasties, soVereignties greater or lesser
Municipalities and powers with which in other
DAYS their race family had been identified
restored? Yes. perhaps. if 81 could be done
without too great cost But the cost2 To face
that il was plain enough they had no stomach
Under the present conditions the humblest Indian
servant knows this one fact. which of all others
Is Of paramount consequence to him: he is no
longer the creature Of another mans whin; his
life his property. his right go TO and fro. his
family ties. his task or employment-all these
things are within his control
OF the British official Bishop Potter says that
there is no finer srecimen Of public servant in
the world Observation told him that these men
were distinguished by three invariabe charac-
teristics-the sense OF responsibility which pro-
vided public service marked by simple dig
nifty, by a careful regard for the accuracy Of
an official statement, by painstaking endeavor
that the demand for official action or interven
tion should rest upon the basis of justice.
equity and right legal prescription. and. what
was often best Of all. by scrupulOus. consid-
crate and patient courtesy. which perpetually
reminded one that the individual had learned
90 sink himself. his staggering self-con-
seriousness. ease. senstiveness or preferences. in
what was due from him the servant OF a
great state and the representative of a great
people; by "the note OF personal sympathy"
and by that chief qualification. trained capacity.
The freshest, wittiest and altogether most be
quilting OF all the college tales thus far published
IN "Lippincott's' is that story of Harvard youths
which Mr. Owen wister contributes to the Au-
gust number. Its hunor is as unforced as ii is
sparkling. and it moreover conveys several NOR
ais Of an extremely useful nature.
Mr.. H C. Wells does not cling 10 the view OF
she future which he shadowed forth in his story
-Nwhen the Sleeper Wakes" In that view. he
tells US in 1.-The North American Review" he
ignored altogether the way in which the growth
OF the new and continually more complicated
snechanical fabric Of social life must produce its
new distinctive class" That class which he be-
neves will rule in the future will arise in the
persons Of the specially trained and capable
men. the men who will know and can do. He
thinks that the present political governments
will disappear and be replaced by capable.
operative and administrative men"-"inevitably
because OF international competition and the
imminence and disasters of war;
It win become apparent perhaps almost sud
denly, that the whole apparatus of power in the
country Is in the hands OF a new class Of intelli-
gent and scientifically educated men. They will
stresses, be discovered as IL were, they will dis
cover themselves almost surprisingly, with roads
and railways, carts and cities, drains food sup
ply, electrical supply and water supply, guns
and such implements Of destruction and intirni-
dation as men scarcely dream of yet gathered
in their hands. And they Will be discovered
TOO, with growing common consciousness of
themselves distinguished from the gray con-
fusion. common purpose and implication that
the fearless analysis Of science is already bring
ing 10 Light.
In a vein Of fantastic playfulness mingled
with oddly prosaic realism. Mr.. Wells fills some
other pages IN current periodical literature His
story The Sea Lady, IN ''Pearson's" is one
of the most daring well one Of the most
amusing OF his imaginative flights. He almost
makes us credit the existence of his charming
Miss Waters" the mermaid, who comes ashore
10 enter human society as a fashionable invalid
This whimsical theme gives him an opportunity
70 introduce many humorous sketches Of charac-
ter and many satirical fings at current man
1ers.
Mr.. A p Kimbalfs paper in ''The Atlantic
son The New Provincialism" gives some comicaI
Instances Of what he describes as the provincial
ism distinguishing the life OF the metropolis. He
complains that the average college man of
business or the money getting profession rs so
CLOSE copy OF any other business or professional
man that IN talk and point of view a stranger
would never guess his superior education but
for a chance allusion."
Is it not also often true that one may there
encounter the most surprising ignorance of
names which the magazine editor would call
rhousehold words''2 II was at a dinner party at
the University Club Of New-York. to cite per-
sonai experience. that some one passed on a good
story Cgood" because Of the person whom il con-
cerned) OF well known man Of letters, a con-
slant contributor to the magazines, one who has
been talked Of for the presidency Of more than
one leading university in the East only TO have
the question asked, after the acQuiescently polite
laugh had subsided, And who is Mr.. Blank?'
The man who had passed on the story had him
self 10 give the answer, after short but hope
less pause-a. case OF humiliation in a way, like
explaining the point OF ones joke. II was
"Story Tellers' Night at the same club when
one Of the best known writers in New-Yorl<
itself arose TO speak-a man known also for his
practical services in reforming tenement house
tor and a business man leaned forward to
whisper, in uncertainty, He's written some
book, hasn't he? What is it?'
So far as these incidents are typical-and they
are easy TO be matched by any critical observer
of life in New-York other largest cities
they illustrate the absence of just what one
members are university men, that wideness Of
interest which a liberal education is supposed
70 give.
In the current number OF THE Worlds Work"
two papers which call for particular atten-
oF