New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-24

SKETCHES on THE OLD ROAD THROUGH
Murr Sjo Accompanied by Henry w Nevinson
PIP XIV 32S. E P. Dutton & Co.
The makers Of this book are three English
men OF widely different occupations. who never
theless have in common a feeling for the things
that are beautiful Mr.. Murray belongs to the
celebrated family of publishers in London.
Though bred IN the world of books, he has an
eye for nature. and is clever water colorist
Mr.. Nevinson has seen service as a war CORE
spondent and has written essays and fiction. At
the bottom of his heart we believe, he is a
poet. Mr. Montgomery Carmichael is the Brit
ish Consul at Leghorn. He has published an
inimtable volume of Italian studies IN Tus-
cany." and he is valued the author Of divers
other writings full Of delicate charm. The
first OF these three comrades, Mr.. Murray COW
cred all the ground that is traversed in this
book, which owes its existence, indeed to the
fact that he produced on the journey q number
Of picturesque sketches, here given in color
Mr. Nevinson went from Honfeur to the French
end of the Riviera, writing five lively chapters
about his experiences to go with Mr.. Murray's
pictures. At San Reno Mr.. Carmichael took up
the tale, and, travelling far Vallombrosa
filled his notebooks with even more material
that he has the lions share Of the text in
the present volume The latter makes delight
full souvenir of travel; IT is about as successful
a piece OF work done in collaboration as we have
seen in a long time.
Mr.. Nevinson as we have said, is a poet. He
proves this not by scattering lyrics through his
prose- but by showing in his every line that he is
sensitive TO the subtlest elements in the life OF
the French people He loves those people, and
he loves their land. Being journalist well
poet, he knows how to hit off place
Idea In a clever phrase. OF Monaco he says.
neatly, that il is the one State in Europe where
finance rests upon a secure basis" But gen
orally he is too gay, too happy in happy France.
10 think about making phrases. and he appeals
TO instead with pictures OF beautiful scenery
and vignettes Of companionable men and women.
He notes the right thing at the right place.
Thus other writers have alluded to the capacity
Of the French who are such good takers for
long silences, but Mr.. Nevinson chooses to pause
upon the subject in Tarescon of all places in the
world In Tartarin's town he entered a crowded
restaurant. Except for the clatter Of the meals
all was silent the tomb" The people Of Nor
mandy suggest 10 him these interesting refiec-
tons
Il is that sense Of an equality won without striy
Ing which makes France The best or all lands to
I'VE IN II IS The unconsclous FEELING Of equality
that preserves the blouse and other signs OF the
eaP for the Re pca sa aprons VAN" an
the wooden sabots Where equality is assumed to
strain after it by Affecting similarity and wearing
SecGu ra ~ cioIlesc ~ ~0rKLld d may oress as
not the equal OF q bank clerk; just duke
Journalist among ourselves need take no care what
he puts on. OF nations | have seen. the Greeks
alone assume equality WITH the same assurance as
2 about IT, whereas the only 6pmpuous man in
and ne is bumpuous only on Sundays, when he
wears the cap with gold braid.
Where once equality has been reached man can
B 0f rdr 6 o%er o IL * ne a9 b 0ee
nd I "a 6u6i inc in
square before the Conqueror's castle at Caen that
FOR the sake oE simplifying the cattle market the
ancient Qualifications next to the placard 'Mou-
calling the Bsbylonish slave market. But IN Eng
and We have no assurance of equality.
When Mr.. Nevnson is not giving us glmpses
like this Of the French as they are to-day he is
giving equally vivid glimpses OF their ro-
mantle past. He knows how to blend history
and observation in a really moving narrative.
He goes blithely along the old road, in the best
Of humors with himself and with the world and
somehow he makes the reader with him.
laugh with him, and sympathize as he sy1npa-
thizes. An ideal fellow traveller is Mr. Nevin-
son.
So, likewise. is Mr.. Carmichael. He too looks
in friendly fashion at the past and at the pres
ent loves his Italy Mr.. Nevinson loves his
France and writes chapter after chapter we'll
stored with learning and touched always with a
certain gentle emotion. Do you ask him for
facts? He tells you that "in a good year the
olive groves OF Tuscany will Yield as much as
seven million gallons OF pure olive OIL; that the
root OF the orris. which grows on the Florentine
hills, "featherweight article" has been known
to fetch much as 5000 ton: and when he is
dealing with Carrara he throws in an admirable
description of the manner IA which the marble is
quarried there to-day. But he is at his best
when his facts linked with matters that
touch the imagination. when they lead him into
some fascinating hyway of history. or when
they stir his enthusiasm for the Church Of
Rome. In an onshoot of the sacristy IN tho
Badia at Florence he comes upon a series of
watercolors depicting the habits of the rels-
ous orders at about the beginning of the seven
teenth century, and they set him TO thinking, we
infer, of the religious life for which, in so much
that he has written he k.. sI,