The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-06
WI B0OKS.
O,xner's hook About America.

Narner's hook About Amerlca.
pastor Wagner affords some very enter
aiming AMI pleasant reading Tor Americans
70 his hook My Impressions OF America
tod from the French by Mary Louise
ua,dea Mcclure, Phillips a co... The
l.aacher Of the simple life was oppressed
7, +, -cn-e Or The absence OF simphc1ty when
py ao,,c 10 a study Of the English language
4, tbr VA Of preparation Tor ms visit TO
m W., ,,,utry in 1904. He say he found
ma, ha had two ocean, TO cross-the At
,..,ic and the English grammar. Several
times IN previous years he had essayed 70
nns,or this formidable tongue, and each
,;me he had recoibed from 1t in blank defeat.
". mentions a discouraged ~feeling-R feel
no thar its depths were too deep, It's IN
4g.oct,- Too intricate for any but the des-
~.,a,o He said to himself: Impossible
aconirr this language-above all else to
o,ono,,nc, IT," But now that he had been
t"Ui,sd 70 90 to America, and was going,
no found the very genius OF hard work
nooratjnr in him. This was precisely what
nod heen needed. At once the whole view
Id business suffered agreeable change.
IA tells W.; suddenly the English Ap-
Inarod 10 me a delightful tongue, and to
lar IL .IOKpn OF Ttuu ~ DtSAAllG uy AhNOI-
,,o occupation." The actor Delorme Of the
Renaissance Theatre, who had played
ShaLasneare in English in the United States;
,ook him in hand. He wa OF great benefit.
The now happy sufferer records: He
gradually habituated me to the proper
Dronunciation and infection, and during
tbe vacation in the country we had sessions
~ work together that lasted from morning
I'm night. during which l addressed to my
t~ireless and scrupulous auditor lectures,
Sermons and speeches OF all sorts, striving
Ia carry over from one language into the
ether the whole repertory Of my ideas. In
nv leisure moments I spoke English to
myself, and eventuslly'I thought in Eng
Dish
That little story OF how he acquired the
English language is told by Mr.. Wagner in
n chapter entitled obstacles The fol-
lowing chapter bears the interesting and
personal heading, Enter Mr.. John Wanna
maker 1t tells OF a meeting with Mr..
Wanamaker in Paris and of MI. Wanna
makers invitation to the author to spend
his first fortnight in America at Linden
hurst, Mr.. Wanamaker's country place
near Philadelphia. As Mr.. Wagner boarded
the steamship La Lorraine to set sail he
found awaiting him a cable message from
MFR. Wanamaker, which said: America
welcomes you" The sea and the effects Of
is tumult upon the unaccustomed traveller
are described in another brief chapter; in
still another there is comment suggested
nv the lighthouses on the American coast.
Waking in the morning the voyager be-
holds New York harbor all alive. He for
bids himself the distinction Of being the
first of his kind to overlook the skyscrapers.
His comment is: AT first sight, 1 frankly
confess, the '~skysorapers' struck me as
monstrosities, as mushrooms Of eKtrava-
giant growth, sprung from the overstimu-
lated soil Of Titanic cities; al abnormal
excrescences arising out Of the fever and
folly that are the issues Of a mad competi-
ton for material wealth. And there may
be something Of all this in them-a little OF
everything, good and evil, in their origin.
For the sake Of aesthetics, to which mems
life never should become Indifferent, it
may be hoped that these phenomenal build,
ings may remain the exception" He saw
the glory Of them later, looking from Brook
lyn early on a winters evening. Like other
urban objects they have their variations
and degrees of beauty.
Mr.. Wanamaker was the first person he
saw on landing. His good, kind face
seemed a sign Of the happiest augury.'
The reporters asked the preacher of the
simple life for a message for themselves.
He answered theml Report only what is
true There is a chapter on The First
City Sights" In places in New York "the
movement of business Is considerably more
tumultuous than anywhere in Paris"
From the elevated trains he was enabled
to look into many interiors and to observe
considerable family life while flying. He
was impressed by the ingenious method
the people have Of drying clothes-by the
vast webs OF pulley lines running from back
windows. His first Sunday was spent at
s.. s.. McClure's place at Ardsley. He
gives his impressions Of the Hudson. priv
ing from Ardsley TO Irvington, he was sur
prised TO meet so few automobiles. Read
ers will be surprised hat he should have
met so few. His first speech in English was
made at Mr.. McClure's. There are chap
tens about Lindenhurst, about the visit to
the White House, about many interesting
and charming places. The American houses
pleased him. He was pleased by the beds,
the bathrooms, the varieties Of soap. All
the chapters are marked by bits Of vivid
description running into queer little ser
monizings. The book is full Of the pleasant
spirit. 1t is keen and generous. 1t will
delight a multitude Of readers.