The Washington times., 1904-03-27
Sir Philip Burne-Jones
Has Just Written a
Book About Us.
He Says Some Sharp
Things, But IS Hon
est and Open.

ward any English writer who dared TO
criucise our foibles.
In this as In other respects. we dill
fer from 9SC transatlantic cousins. You
may critic!se d Briton. but you cannot
make him feel the sting of your criti-
cism. tIis dissatisfaction is so stolid
that nothing can disturb it. and he
sheds hostile comment as the proverbial
duck the water. Ne. on the other hand
are sensitive the extreme on this
point. and % a rage. with scorn
and inYecttHe eVer ~ good ma tured rail-
cry. Can If . -, mis- Is because OF
an underiyiug. ~ .-auov-o3Eed con-
sciousreSs % shoTtcGnl.ns which smarts
with sense of The truth CT the criti-
cism?
Comes now an EngjshInan with an in
sigh, 50 keen. q hun or SO wholesome.
and, witFsaL tn Anglo-Saxon spirit or
fair -, ~ ,ieveIoJ ID. that we can
vel a.f.-d % iay astio our sensitive
pride, and .-tsH Wit respect, at least,
TO his impressions converting us. After
a years stay CT our shores. Sir Philip
Burne-Jones. BIT the impressionist
painter has gone back home. and Dol
lars and Democracy the book which
y. Appleton & Co. Of New York.
brought out or Friday. tells what he
thinks about US Only in the numerous
original drawings and sketches with
which the author has filed his book
does his humOr ever cease TO be gentle,
for in them he caricatures our most
striking types with a holiness Of touch
which may leSve marks on some OF our
exposed nerves..
Tint to Observe.
the hoaGr 10 make our acquaintance be !
fore lfe wrote about US Says he on
thu point. in his preface:
a. ali events the common taunt Il |
Americans against the foreigner who /
spends fortnight in their country and 4
returns home considering himself fully /
qualified 20 write an exhaustive treatise /
ON their social and political institutions !
Is not applicable in the present case.
To begin with. 1 stayed there quite
.0ng enough 10 get a very fair idea of
he lay Of che land and whatever 1
nave written. has been the result OF
personal observation or conviction. And /
then. this is net a treatise at aIl-it is 4
merely a series of notes and impress
sions, Jo5ted down without much system /
NJ the end OF a year of absolutely new
experiences.
In describing people and things, I !
have approached them entirely from the /
point Of view OF an Englishman. noting /
especially those details of custom and
manner, however trivial, wherein thew
differ from ourselves.
In so doing / have written honestly. /
without fear or favor knowing well that |
the imperfections Of our American /
cousins Will easily find their counter |
part with US across the sea. while their
TTanifnld awraTIa1.-fae
shone even among kinsmen upon whose |
dominions the sun never sets"
Sir Philip came over for new impress
sion He got them. He left home tired 1
or the things Of England and Cont |
mental Europe It looked like a case OF |
genuine ennui. Where was something I
fresh and different? He returned with |
new viewpoint new ideas, and a new /
sense OF vigor, and left US. as he frank /
~ states, with a feeling OF rest at escap-
Ing our mad strenuous life" but at the 1
same time with keen regret at severing /
tons.
Things He Misses.
And at least some Of our common
pace creature comforts took root in the
' nlsitoF directions. here is his list OF
those he missed most:
think that there are three tbf,.s
which / miss most notably now tbat
nave set foot again on English soil:
First-My beautiful snovv-v,btt, 81, |
with It's silver fittings and pere7niaI
Supply or hot water and cold.
SecohoIy-My telephone with a friend
Al the other end: for though We an
know telephones exist in london ~
know equally well that they cor,rn,,rr,-
- ~ no one as a rule but shops
ana theaters and an occasional dol+o-
Inc third thing L miss IS the eIoc.
,ii0 HsHI-that really gives light. The
bastard product Of science and cor,v,e-1
cial enterprise known by the $40 -,
In London bears little resernbIsvce -
us transatlantic namesake"
To hear an Englishman corn,,e,,t 80,
OH Daths and bathing Is a yonderf,,I
thing, for 10 him his naornlna, ..+,,r., -
as indispensable rs his breakfast v-t,at
he says on this subject is a comrIe+s
prcof OF the fairness OF our critic 10
quote:
The great cleanliness. too. OF the pop
uIauoh-eFen or the poorer oeople-is
very remarkable The men. and esne-
ciaily the women. all seemed to have
tubDed not only within the meroorv
OF man. but quite recently. and To he
clean and presentabIe. The children Of
the poorer classes are all clean This
Is clear example of the pupil OUT
stripping the master. for / take IL mat
We in England were the pioneers Of the
bath in Europe; but America has left
Us sadly behind"
Being an artist OF note. Sir Pbfiin
brought along some Of his paintings
with which 10 equip his studio in New ,
York. Of course, he ran up against orr ,
tariff laws, and his experience f1 the ,
custom house SO impressed him as TO
FORM a subsequent close tie between :
himself and Mrs. Jack" Gardner. of ,
Boston. Here is how he voices his in !
dignation:
II will not enlarge upon the enormi- I
ties of the New York custom house off, Z