The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-01
Other Rocks.


A model Of what biography should not
be is offered in the Schubert by Mr.,
Edmonstoune Duncan. in the Master
Musicians~ series 81. NJ. Dent 4 Co.. +. p.
Dutton 4 Coz. The book is condensed
from larger and more authoritative biog-
ra phies, but in the condemnation the author
has lost sight OF the essentials In his
care for trivial details. The criticism OF
the musical compositions is expressed in
the set y,hra ses thst are meaningless to the
general reader. who will hardly be to blame
if he considers the Fri KONG" to be the
most important of Schubert's compositions,
The stress the author puts on that ono piece
seems due to its having been published
scpar tely while many Of Schubert's mere
beautiful songs are not mentioned because
they are grouped together in the publishers
cata logues with which the author seems
to be chiefly familiar 1t seems rather
proposterous, too, to attach so much i'm
portsnoe to what the author calls the in
PRODUCTION of Schubert to England. IL a
bibliography had to he given it should
have been complete to be Of any use. Book
learning cannot compensate for lack of
intelligence OF the musician and his real
music in the case of man like Franz
Schubert.
There il surfeit Of books about China
written from the Western standpoint. What
is needed now is description OF facts as
they are. what the Germans would call
an objective view. The Chinese question
is one that most civilized nations must
deal with right away, and several
honest attempts which have been made OF
La no 70 ~
will help in the settlement. The volume
on Chinese Life in Town and Country" g.
p. Putnam's Sons) which Mr.. H. N. Twitchell
has translated from the French of Emile
Bard, il not among these. IT belongs to a
class Of narratives that has been put out Of
date by recent events in the East. The au-
thor looks on the people he undertakes to de-
scribe with jaundiued eye, as tbs following
Wholesale indictment OF nation will show:
From the national disregard for sincerity
and exactness emanate the exasperating
practise. Of fraud, discrimination, trickery
and squeezing, which are the cause Of so
much Of the antipathy existing between
tho Chinese and foreigners. II there is
one thing on which recent authors on China
are agreed it is the honesty and regard
for contracts Of the Chinese. usually put in
rather invidioue contrast to the slipperiness
of the Japanese. NJ. Bard describes many
things in China as Others have done before
him. and rarely has a good word for any
thing he finds.
Much information about the Russian
Jews in New York Philadelphia and Chicago
has been collected by various hands and
ia published under the editorship OF DR..
Cha rles q Barr1heimar with the title "Ihe
Russian Jew in the United States" The
John c. Winston Company or the thirty
odd contributors all but two. to judge
by the ma mes. are Jews. They regard the
subject from many sociological points
Of view. with the optimism that belongs
to that science and which extends to hope
for the success Of Jewish griculturs settle
ments.
Early American music is the subject Of
Mr.. 0. G. Sonneck's learned monographs
Francis Hopkinson. the First American
Poet-Composer. and James Lyon. Patriot,
Preacher, Psalmodist" (printed for the
author by H. L. Mcqueen, Washington>.
Every step in the authors investi cation is
put before the reader who will be able to
weigh all the evidence. though he may
doubt whether the object justifies the
labor expended. The new Wagnerian stand
ard Of the composers writ ne his own
words is adopted by tho author. and sc-
cordiag to this Hopkinson is the first Of
the Americans. though Lyon rims him close
The Hopxinson is tho Judge and the slgner
Of the Declaration OF Independence, and
the story Of his inventiveness Ia very In
teresting ~ the end Of the volume spool.