New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-02
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ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT.
SUNDAY. NOVEMBER 2, 1902.


With its November number, beginning new
volume The Century" appears with new
mage The change in typography is an improve
mcnt and the eyes of subscribers VIII be CON-
forted But we are even more grateful Tor the
consideration shown to their hands. In their
treatment of the letter press the publishers
leave 4 generous margin where ii is most need
ed. ut that part of the page where the magazine
is wired and it is possible to read it without
that painful strain upon the hand and Wrist
against which we have so often protested We
welcome this practical testimony to the sound
ness of our argument The exhaustion attend
ant upon holding open many a popular maya
zine is so great that it is sometimes positively
prohibitve. The cOnvalescent who wants to
read a magazine when he is sitting up in bed
simply cannot manage it at all if the binding
wires encroach upon the pages to such an eX-
tent as To require main strength to keep them
open. and even the athletic reader, in the best
of health, might justly complain of the needless
demand made upon his strength. Now that
The Century" has shown the way. it is 20 be
hoped that other illustrated magazines. ut pres
eut clampcd together as though with steel, will
get themselves put in proper shape.
Some time in the sixties the birthplace OF
Dante. in Florence was made an object OF
Alighieri which was identified, with more or
less authority. as the right one, has excited
SrepticiSm i'll more than quarter, but the
FlOrcntincS are on the whole, convinced and 1t
is reported that the authorities have decided to
acquire and restore ii. The Athen@um, in its
announcement OF this decision. observes that
the ground floor and the first floor are probably |
contempOrancOus with Dante, but the rest of
the building is admittedly of modern construc-
ton 1t Is said that action in this matter has
been brought about through the urgent repre- |
sensations Of the Society for the Preservation of
the Antiquities Of Florence. but the city itself
will be responsible for the carrying out OF the /
ENTERPRISE 1t will not be the first time that the /
Italians troublesome as their finances are, have
recognized the public responsibility imposed
upon them by the celebrated men In their his
tory They give in this a needed lesson 10
richer nations The other day we had occasion
10 notice the proposal that Gilbert Whites house
at ScIborne be purchased and taken care OF
as a memorial of the famous naturalist. The
scheme is one Of private initiative and If II IS
10 be carried out. private subscriptions must be
forthcoming This is the usual story in Eng
land; it is familiar in this country likewise and
in neither case is it creditable to the nation.
France it is true, not seldom suffers the same
experience but, then in France governmental
aid is 50 constantly and so generously given to
artistic and commemorative enterprises that
She cannot be blamed if she has and then
to refuse demands upon the public treasury. 1t
is bad enough for England and America to be
put to shame by the French. IL is worse for
her to be Outdone in generosity by Italy.