The San Francisco call., 1904-07-08
Caasfic English Critics.
Special Correspondence.


GARDEN, LONDON, June 22.-"Eng-
lish Bards and Scotch Reviewers" was
the title, it VIII be remembered. Of By
ron's savage onslaught upon the Edin-
burgh Review, and that of American
Books and English Reviewers" might be
applied to the discussion that has been
raging Of late in a prominent London
newspaper regarding works from the
United States and their standing in
this country. Probably echoes Of this
argument have not failed 10 reach the
other side OF the Atlantic. II started in
the Chronicle-which is known as the
most literary Of the London dailies-
and arose out Of a book review which
appeared recently in the columns of
that newspaper. The volume reviewed,
which had as its subject Matthew
Arnold" was published by G. P. Put
mans Sons, and perhaps this was why
the reviewer, who roasted the work.
got the impression that its origin was
American, and gave this impression in
what he wrote about il. Instantly
came letter from George H. Putnam,
y
out that the volumes author was not
an American at ALL but English, and
deprecating what the publisher de-
scribed as prejudice against American
books on the part OF the British re
viewers. The resultant discussion has
been as 10 whether such a prejudice
exists. and opinions have been ex-
pressed by authors. reviewers and pub
Rita Mrs. Dudenay and, lastly,
Arthur Waugh who wrote the Offend
ing review. 1t was asserted by one
witness that the books by American
professors that find their way over
here almost invariably compare so un-
favorably with the works of British
savants that no English reviewer can
be blamed for feeling some misgiving
on encOuntering a supposedly pro
found" volume from the other side but
even this writer denied Indignantly
that a book Of any kind would be
roasted" here. regardless Of its merit,
simply because il was American.
Possibly the first part Of the fore
going may be true-though one hopes
it isn't Regarding the point at issue.
The present writer's experience has led
Of real quality - whether serious or
fiction-wiIl be recognized as such by
ninety-nine out of a hundred British
reviewers. But when an American
book is bad-well. then think there is
tendency on the part of most literary
Cities to make rather a point Of its
trans-Atlantic origin
Dr. Emil Reich, whose book. Sue
cess Among Nations" seems to have
aroused a good deal Of controversy in
the United States-just as il has over
here's a smooth-faced, handsome.
middle-aged Hungarian savant who
has the. gift Of speech to an almost
miraculous degree. He has been Civ
ing course of university lectures in
London this season on a wide range Of
topics, packed with all sorts Of difficult
facts, and yet with never so much as
cun-note to look at His eIoquence
IS Of the persuasive sort that some
how enables him TO tell an audience
largely composed Of English women
that as a rule he thinks English women
tame lot, not at all comparable with
their sisters in France, for instance
There is something about his fiery en-
thusiasm that takes the sting out Of
the other side of an argument. and I
suspect that is one reason for his con-
troVersial attitude regarding American
women he chuckled joyouslv the
other day in the writer's presence when
an American visitor hurled at him the
following comment: You may have
lived il America five years. DR.. Reich.
but you evidently saw only one kind Of
-wa--
up 10 you after a lecture and car
ried you off triumphantly to dinner for
the sake Of getting bit of prestige.
You got among culture -grabbers and
hsnd-shakers and stayed among 'em
the whole five years. and never knew
there was another sort Of American
woman You made hasty generaIiza-
tion. in other words" The learned
doctors answer 10 this gallant on
siaught was crushing. MY boy" SAID
he, come and have a drink" The
Doctors wife is a charming little
French lady, and their London home
is hospitable, indeed.
The coming centenary Of George
Sand has brought out the fact-which
probably VIII surprise most persons
that some Of the authoress' work still
ItHdiuS uuDuDiiSNtQ LleEe writings.
which now are likely to see the light of
day. include two plays named THE
Man With the Marionettes," and
Msnon,' and several fragments of
novels. OF these the most interesting
is Memoirs Of ]. Paille," which, be-
gun by George Sand in 1863. was in
tended by the authoress 10 be the life
story Of an imaginary grandson of
Rousseau. 1t was given up, however.
when Madame Sand discovered that
the same idea had been used by Claude
Genoux in Les Enfants de Rousseau. %
Among the other fragments is THE
Queen Of the Shows" which its au-
thOress seems TO have intended much
on the lines Of Dickens christmas
Books"
So far as known Mrs. 7. p. O'Connor,
who has just taken charge of the des-
TIMES Of the weekly periodical, "Chic, q"
" London's first American woman edi-