Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-16


Conservatives. however. the tendency is too
strongly toward solo work and in the gen.
eral educational institutions it is just the
reverse and too much ,oentered on ensemble
singing. American musical instrument
makers compare favorably with the best in
other parts of the world. The best pianos
are made here and an American-made vio-
lin of a certain manufacture is the equal to
the best that Europe can produce In the
mechanism of church organs America leads.
There are here no musical libraries to COM
pare with those abroad, but a great begin
ming has been made, especially at the Bos-
ton Public Library. The chief fault of our
musical system is in the excess of piano
playing. There is not enough orchestral
home music such as IS to be found devel-
oped to high point in Germany, Bohemia
and Hungary. The American composers
are too often wholesalers and the de-
mand of the people is too pronounced for
mere "bigness.' rather than for quality of
orchestral organizations. Another demon
broods over American music, says the au-
thor. Haste. 1t is to the credit of some
teachers and Conservatives that they have
pulled resolutely upon the check rein. The
evil influence has by no means been over
come yet, and a slower, longer, more thor
ough course of musical study Is still a cry
ing need in many communities in the Unit
ed States"
The production of this book has been
marked by the same careful. artistic atten-
ton to finish that stamped the work on
sculpture 50 satisfactorily. Several scores
of portraits are presented. in different
styles of reproduction. including the great
est of all classes. living and dead. of Ameri-
can composers and interpreters of music.
The work is bound handsomely In a style
similar to Mr.. Taft's volume.
LETTERS FROM ENGLAND. 1s4e-1s49.
BY Elizabeth Davis Bancroft Mrs. George Ban
croft. With portraits and views. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons. Washington: William
Ballantyne Sons.
1t is impossible not to be deeply interested
in this book from the outset. It's contents
throw no new light on any political ques-
ton, despite the fact that the letters were
written by the wife Of the American minis
ter at the court of ST. James at a very i'm
pOrtant period in the history of the two
countries. They afford no new view of the
people of England, then or now. They are
largely recitals of social pleasures and
duties with many repetitions of Incidents,
and as some one once said of the diction-
airy. they utterly lack plot But the volume
has something which is often better, dis
tinct personal charm and freshness of ex-
preston and purity of outlook, and the re-
suit is an irresistible appeal to the SYM
pathies and the interest. Mrs. Bancroft
was perhaps especially fortunate In her
approach Of the English people. AS the
wife of the American minister she, of
course, had the official entree. But as the
wife of one of the most famous of the
American historians she was welcomed
heartily into that inner circle of supreme
intellectually which locks it's doors at times
even against royalty. From the moment
of her arrival she was sought by the most
cultivated men and women of England and
although no trace of hint of the manner
in which she bore herself in these dis
tinguished presences appears in the letters,
which are singularly free from the person
al equation. although replete with diary-like
accounts of Mrs. BancrOfts goingS and
comings, it is altogether plain that this
charming woman was a credit to her coun-
try-people in this brilliant circle of wits
and scholars, diplomats and titled person
ages. She sees amusing phases of English
life, and learns the reason for many of the
English ways. But she cannot accustom
herself to them all, and often expresses her
great longing for her own home in the
States and the old sense of comDanionship
which, in the titled-burdened atmosphere
of England she felt was missing. Yet Mrs
Bancroft does not take issue with the Eng
fish system of title-caste. Her impression
of 1t is that it tends to greater personal
comfort of mind and to greater content
ment than the free-for-all race of the
Americans for place and distinction. OF
course, many Of her discoveries have been
made unimportant by the lapse Of the years
and the greater volume of International
visiting, but these first Impressions of En-
gland. made on sensitive, cultured mind,
are nevertheless suggestive and most d.
verting. 1t Is a sufficient commentary on
the changes that have taken place since
1869, perhaps, to mention that Mrs Ban
croft writes of meeting only once an Ameri-
can wife of a British peer. Nowadays the
list of these International marriages of
American wealth to British titles Is long
and vastly suggestive of the existence of
an influence pulsing between the nations
of which the people of the days of these
letters were incapable of conceiving.
THE HORSE-LEECH'S DAUGHTERS. By
Margaret Doyle Jackson. author of "A Daugh-
ter of the Pit" Boston: HoughtOn Miffiin &
Co. Washington William Ballantyne & Sons
This story is not about humble people, of
veterinary pursuits, as the title might sug-
gest. The characters are all modern, OF
good social standing. moderately wealthy,
save for a reverse in fortune which forms
an important phase of the plot. The au-
thors theme is the rapacity of certain
types of modern women who drain the
purses of their husbands and fathers with
out thought for the difficulties entailed by
their extravaganza. The title of the story
is derived from the Immediately suggestive
line from Proverbs. xxx-15: 1.-THE horse
leech hath two daughters, crying, give,
give"" At the outset there seem to be two
of these daughters of the horse-leech, but
one of them Is illuminated by the truth
and ceases to occupy such role The other
pursues her course through ruin and dis
grace and scandal to a-tragic DEATH The
story is told simply. yet with force, and
while II shows here and there ragged edge
In construction 1t Is Enthusiastically q power
full indictment Of the follies and the way
wardness of many Of the butterflies of
fashion today.
The DAY OF THE DOG. By George Barr
McCutcheon. author of ''Graustark &c IL
Illustrations by Harrison Fisher and decora lions
by Margaret and Helen Maitland Armstrong
New York; Dodd, Mead Co. Washington:
Breutanos.
Something happens in this story on pretty
nearly every page--and the pages are short
ores. being pleasingly eked out with artis-
TIC and suggestive decorations. And what
happens Is all interesting. and permits the
reader no reasonable excuse for laying the
book down and postponing its continu-
ance at another sitting. The story is short.
being the record of one days happen
iEgs. but it was the fullest day that ever
was spent by Mr.. Crosby. a Chicago law
yer. and Mrs Delaney. widow, his client,
and iater-but that is another story con-
o1buted TO by this. Yet the end Is not
difhcuit to guess. For what else could hap
49,.