The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-28
intended that we should see him here on
one Of his excursions
A Victim OF Modern Business.


The reader win be struck at once by
the finished style Of Emanuel Burden
Merchant of Thames St. in the City Of Lon
don. Exporter Of Hardware a Record Of his
Lineage. Speoulations Last Days and
Death. by HIlaire Belloc ;Char!es Serb
ner's Sons. Addison could have beer no
more careful when he was writing essays
for Thackeray 10 call inimitable. Humor
goes along, with the sorupulous measure
and balance. and 10 doubtless the more ef-
feotive in consequence. Here, for example.
IL paragraph concerning Mr.. Burdens
son Cosmo:
-Cosmo we read had never enjoyed
such heath as had his sisters. The first
months OF hls life had been married by the
use OF an artificial food improper to the
sustenance Of infants, but honestly recon-
mended by the old family doctor who
had 50 firm faith in itG virtues az TO have
accepted an interest in its sale. One eff
feet of this nutriment was to make the
child large and heavy beyond his years, a
physical characteristic which he preserved
throughout his life. II had also, however,
the result Of weakening his heart and per
manently impairing his digestion. From
these causes he developed as boy ner-
vous and irritable temper, which his parents
thought it imprudent to correct When he
had passed through the excellent discipline
Of an English public school these faults
disappeared in his general demeanor and
were observable only in the occasional
friction that inevitably accompanies the
incidents Of home life: abroad they were
replaced by certain Incidence and in
decision Of manner. far preferable 10 the
peevishness which had formerly given his
family 80 much anxiety and pain.
We like il; II pleases us to have satire
advance with measured tread Cosmo was
a competent and clever person in the new
and large method of business. He led his
father who was a conspicuous figure in
the old fashion Of business. into the scheme
for the development Of the M'Korio Delta,
which was an African swamp. Old Mr.
Burden. who had exported hardware with
much understanding and with fair reward
during many years, was overwhelmed ty
his sense Of the responsibilities OF the ne"
enterprise. He died in consequence Of his
association with the NJ korio Delta Develop
ment Company.
The authors scorn OF Cosmo Ia always
expressed quietly. but we think that 1t is
hardly ever concealed. We were not al
all misled where it says He boasted
healthy color, red. white, and, in our colder
seasons, blue" His liking for Mr.. Burden
Ia quite unmistakable There is admira-
ton for his mouth, his eyebrows aud his
manner OF parting his hair. Moreover:
His hands were remarkably steady. his
gestures firm and sure. i have heard 1t
said with a colonial exaggeration, that 70
zee him open his umbrella was TO compre-
bend England from the Reform Bill to
Home Rule
Another figure in the story IL Mr.. !. b,
Barnett He came from Frankfort on the
Main. He was the guiding and controlling
person Of the M'Korio Delta company.
He and Mr. Burden quarrelled at the last;
but he was singularly robust and he sur
Wyed.
Mr. G. K Chesterton has supplied thirty
four pictures of Mr. Burden, OF Cosmo
Of Mr. Barnett and Of other characters in
the story. They are doubtless exaggerated,
but Internationally entertaining. We be-
lieve that tho reader will be altogether
interested and entertained, az we ourselves
have been