New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-20
ROYAL BAKING POWDER co.. NEW YORK.

cover as far as I might, the actual course oi
events the truth, la verte vraie
The exchange of literary ambassadors when
brought Mr.. Henry James to sojourn for WINE
in his native land and sent Mr.. Howells TO Eng
land was calculated to give us. as matter oE
course two new books of impressions. Both
writer's have been talking to the magazine pup
lie about what they have seen and thought amid
alien SURROUNDINGS but Mr. Howells is the first
70 nuhlish his book The second chapter in his
London Films" (Harper & Bros) is entitled
civic and Social Comparison, Mostly Odlous
but MI Howells could not be odious II ne uleu'
even when in the comparative mood. IN lhls
hook as always in his essays. he is amiability
itself musing gently on English life, and Tor all
his candor never saying anything which a ra-
tional Briton could resent. He has known MS
London of old. but revisiting it for the purposes
of this irquisition he has disdained nothing III
the social spectacle. On the contrary. he speaks
freely of the little things as in this passage on
the growing informality of Englishmen IN mat
tiers of dress
To my vision. or my illusion they wore every sort
Of careless cap SLOUGH felt hat and straw hat; any
and fTock coat still appear but their combination
is evidently no longer imperative as 1t formerly
say that You often see that stately garment on per
sons of authority but only that II IS ~ n,i
~ I I IN the Sa's and q0s of the century.
era III When II comes to the artist Trueftts
wearing frock coat while cutting your hair. you
cannot help asking yourself whether us aua ne9
mo- si from coniecture so extreme The King
frock coat long gray one; WIN ,i Tai t
be like king conform TO his taste. No one upon
his life NAV Vet wear frock coat and a DERBY out
many people now wear top hats though black ones
with sack coats with any sort OF coats, aLa 80
either of a nat top and pastehoard stiffness or or
The Panama shapelessness. What was often the
-ho ,bo NJ
OF old otnff Meth b Eogsh genius of doing what they
I a w MAJ we he hat thev overdo their pleasure
But the worst the effect is more interesting man
alone remains invioate, but now long this will Ire, re
main. who can say? The simple h S 4le IN
lean. arriving with his scrupuous dress sun 9inr
London. may yet find himself going out b TO oI linen
Jackets tennis hannels.
There are glimpses of the historic past in this
book, but Mr. Howells is mostly occupied with
the present and the tourist who does not want
archaeology but would like to be set at ease with
London as it is. could not do better than put the
volume in his travelling bag. It is well named
Mr. Howells's chapters are veritable photo
graphic snapshots accurate and VIVID VI
course where they are superior TO the average
pictures of the sort is in their development in
the charm OF the authors way of putting things.
He is light, urbane, amused and amusing
number of we'll chosen photographs and some
sprightly drawings serve to enhance the pcto-
rial character of his text
Two more volumes of The Survey of Lon
dom, the bulky work left unfinished by Sir
Walter Besant are soon to be published. One
of them deals with the social side Of medieval
London. the other with its ecclesiastical side,
and both promise to be of absorbing interest
A paper in THE Dickensian' describes the
old Bull Inn. in WhitechapeI. whence Mr.. Pick
wick started on his memorable journey to
Ipswich It had a room specially devoted TO
coachmen and guards. one in which these
worthless RECALLED themselves undisturbed by
profane outsiders. The author quotes Mr.. Har-
per as mentioning one occasion when Dickens
had a seat at the table.
The chairman. after sundry fattering remarks,
as tribute the novelfsts power of describing
a coach journey, said: Mr.. Dickens, we knows
YOU knows wots wot, but you, sir, andle
vip?" There was mock mOdesty in Dickens.
He acknowledged he could describe a journey down
the road. but he regretted that in the management
of a ''vip' he was not expert.