The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-11
Z & GLGS Fl N A ~ S
VIEWS ABOUT
lAMERTCA.

+ we are a bit late with a review
OF Sir Phillip Bu-ne-JOnes' Dol
lars and Democracy ii is because
We felt II necessary that the SEN
tlments therein expressed be al
lowed ample time 10 simmer and
enervesce IN our understanding be-
fore attempting q dispassionate con-
sideratiOn. For. mark you, this is one
Of those collected opinions of an Eng
Eshman upon things American, a
sport OF the literary muse fraught
with danger TO the author and the
reader since Charles Dickens deliver
&c himself of the biting sarcasm in
Martin Chuzzlewit" Dickens en-
deavored TO make amends by his sub
sequent American Notes." with only
partial success, for we Americans are
thin skinned IL nothing else. So. If
we are behindhand let il be consider
ed the part OF discretion and Of all
fairness.
After all the English painter came
over here, not with any preconceived
preJudices, but with a mind clean as
a slate and ready TO receive impress
sions. He did receive many; some fat
tering 70 ourselves, others distinctly
the contrary. Added to the typical
conservatism OF the British mind
were the hnical deIicacies of the
artistic sense-a double handicap, GER
tainly not 70 be considered suspicious
for our fair appearance in his eyes.
But even under the astigmatic ten
denotes Of these two lenses of birth
and profession, Sir Philip saw very
much as you or I would see were we
suddenly introduced into the rush Of
New York and the tinsel Of Newport
from a foreign land.
Burne-Jones smelt New York be-
fore he came TO Fire Island-this was
the delicate artistic sense stirring
within him. He declares that il was
not an unpleasant odor. but one dis
tinctive enough to be recognized, even
If encountered in the uttermost ends
of the earth. Then, in little while
he heard New York, dining up TO the
high heavens, and the noise soon be-
came an ever-present irritation TO him.
Again the artistic. the esthetic. But
the pure British OF him asserts itself
in the authors evident surprise at the
uniform cleanliness Of New York's
denizens. Everybody seemed to be
well tubbed." neatly clothed-and
the tubs themselves! First Of the three
things which Burne-Jones knows he
will miss in England is his beautiful
snow-white tub. with its silver fit
tings and perennial supply Of hot
water and cold"
OF course, the everlasting talk OF
dollars which the painter heard on all
sides Of him and in hours seemly
worthy Of comment. and naturally SO.
We ourselves are ready to admit that
dollars" comes to the tip Of the
American tongue more handily than
any other word and we are equally
ready 70 deplore the fact did only such
acknowledgment OF our falling bring
anything OF betterment with It. Fur
thermore Burne-Jones seems to see a
natural correlation between the craze
OF money getting and the treatment OF
our women Says he:
The women seem better able TO
cope with the situation (the amassing
OF great wealthy and find no difficulty
in spending the money their fathers
and husbands have spoiled their
lives IN acquiring. And. az q rule. the
men are content that this should be
able. something a bit pathetic. about
thu attitude Of the American men to
their women folk. They are anxious
for them 70 have good time'-the
good time that they cannot and Will
not arrange for themselves"
At times this genial sightseer lapses
1nto the strictly scientific mood Of
austere investigation and treats Of our
td3osyncrssies as II he were adding
20 a thesis upon anthrepoid apes In
earawak. Witness this. from a deli
cious1y British standpoint
The peanut IS q very fayorite
article OF light and occasional food
among the poorer people, the stalls
for It's sale presided over by Italians.
etc" And again; 1T is commonly
called Peacock Row. or Rubber
Neck Row rubber neck being an
eager. craninG. bury sort Of a neck,
which IL supposed TO be possessed to
q noticeable extent by the occupants
OF these chairs"
Newport society came nearer stok-
ening the author than any other Of
our social phenomena. Indeed they
ere Like spoiled children" IL Burne-
Jones comment upon its members,
''surfeited with excitement. yet always
hungering for more; there is some
thing pathetic about the incessant un-
rest OF them"
Thus the author-painter's views I'M
wind themselves-some heavy with
good, sound sense. some laughable in
their childlike righteousness. Bitter
only once. and that with good cause,
and against the yellow journals, ready
70 gloss our faults rather than pin
them with scorn, Sir Philip Burne-
Jones is not an unwelcome commenta-
tor.
Cd. Appleton & Co.. New York;
illustrated; price 81 25.)