New-York tribune., 1902-03-09

perfectly serious" the artist answers. Then. Il
looks a little bewildered. he goes to explain
what he means. as he did the other day TO New
Yorker whose nose is not so cosmopolitan Sir
Philips
Let first state what you have probably OBJ
served if you have been in Europe" he said, "and
what you have read about, anyway. London. Paris.
Vienna. Venice but most particularly London. have
their peculiar odors which one whose nose is sensi-
tive 10 smells soon learns to know. and forever
after associates with the cities for instant
confusing with the other. The smell of London
is particularly pungent, and rather unpleasant,
due l suppose TO the smoke 1t reaches you al
ways within certain OF the city, and does
leave you wherever you go IN the city. until
your nose has become habituated TO IT, Several
writer's. among them Henry James il I am not
mistaken have observed it, The Odor OF Paris is
entirely different. rather pleasant. The Odor OF
Venice is again a distinct thing not at all like
either of the others. 1t has peculiar flavor OF the
in it, But l have yet any references
to the smell Of NewYOrk, perhaps because your
writer's have always lived here. and so never no.
ticed it,
But l can assure you that New-Yorz has its
own characteristics smell, just much London
or Paris Venice. As NY steamer came up the
bay, out Of the weeks run in the Atlantic odor
my nOstrils suddenly hIed with entirely new
smell. II was like nothing I had ever smelled be-
fore-at least IL the same thing I mad ever
smelled- l took deep inhalation, and cried: Ant
a new sensation, Here is New-YOrH; I smell II: I
snail always know II now. And 50 far have
srnelled the same odor in every part Of the city
thar nave visited. and in every house that have
entered. il in the Metropolitan Opera House
it is here in my room in the Albemarle. But IL is
slowly fading. ] shall set used to it in week
and notice IL no more
What Is this smell Ike 90 the Eew-YorEer asked
"WClL" said Sir Philip II can't describe H. II is
not at all unpleasant rather the opposite II ap-
proximates perfume. in fact II is more like the
smell OF Paris than anything else I RnOw-due TO
the clear atmosphere or both cities. the absence OF
smoke. presume don't detect the salt water in
IT, though presume n is there Nor can one
detect the Cdor of cooking. which play a
part in the final composition Of this perfume that
emanates from and Saturates every part of your
great, hiving city There is nothing fantastic
about this. II l cannot describe the OdOr let
New-Yorker take long voyage and then re-
turn up New-York Bay with his awake I
am sure that he will then smell what I mean
My grandparents lived in New England said
the other man. thOughtfully- and I recall vividly
that the village. and especially tire houses in
the village, had a smell that all their own
and that have never smeIed anywhere else /
remember now that when I boy the mention
Of my grandmother's name or picture OF the old
house always brought back that odor. pleasantly
musty. TO my nose.
Yes" said the artist. every town has rs
characteristic smell. we'll its Characteristic
traits Of architecture conduct 7 am going 70
Boston soon. l will watch for the New w-Engiand
SMELL